comm [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{file1} @var{file2}
@end example
-The input files must be sorted before @code{comm} can be used.
+@vindex LC_COLLATE
+Before @code{comm} can be used, the input files must be sorted using the
+collating sequence specified by the @env{LC_COLLATE} locale, with
+trailing newlines significant. If an input file ends in a non-newline
+character, a newline is silently appended. The @code{sort} command with
+no options always outputs a file that is suitable input to @code{comm}.
@cindex differing lines
@cindex common lines
join [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{file1} @var{file2}
@end example
+@vindex LC_COLLATE
Either @var{file1} or @var{file2} (but not both) can be @samp{-},
meaning standard input. @var{file1} and @var{file2} should be already
-sorted in increasing order (not numerically) on the join fields; unless
-the @samp{-t} option is given, they should be sorted ignoring blanks at
+sorted in increasing textual order on the join fields, using the
+collating sequence specified by the @env{LC_COLLATE} locale. Unless
+the @samp{-t} option is given, the input should be sorted ignoring blanks at
the start of the join field, as in @code{sort -b}. If the
@samp{--ignore-case} option is given, lines should be sorted without
regard to the case of characters in the join field, as in @code{sort -f}.