It's this simple:

var a = [[12, 'AAA'], [58, 'BBB'], [28, 'CCC'],[18, 'DDD']];

a.sort(sortFunction);

function sortFunction(a, b) {
    if (a[0] === b[0]) {
        return 0;
    }
    else {
        return (a[0] < b[0]) ? -1 : 1;
    }
}

I invite you to read the documentation.

If you want to sort by the second column, you can do this:

a.sort(compareSecondColumn);

function compareSecondColumn(a, b) {
    if (a[1] === b[1]) {
        return 0;
    }
    else {
        return (a[1] < b[1]) ? -1 : 1;
    }
}

Do this :

var test = [[ 'Table', 'Column A', 'Column C', 'Column B'],
         [ 'Row 1', 10, 7, 5 ],
         [ 'Row 2', 20, 50, 12 ],
         [ 'Row 3', 8, 3, 13 ]];


function arrayColReorder(array, col1, col2) {
    for (var i=0;i<array.length;i++) {
        var temp=array[i][col1];
        array[i][col1]=array[i][col2];
        array[i][col2]=temp;
    }
    return array;
}

var sorted = arrayColReorder(test, 2, 3);

console.log(sorted);

First, d[0] + d[1] - c[0] + c[1] is backwards. You should subtract the elements of d from c, not the other way around. Like this: c[0] + c[1] - d[0] + d[1].

Second, you have an order of operations error. You need to subtract the elements of d from c, but your current code subtracts one element of d and adds the other. You need to distribute the negative sign, just like this: c[0] + c[1] - d[0] - d[1]

const a = [
  [1, 1],
  [1, 2],
  [1, 3],
  [5, 6]
]
const b = [
  [5, 6],
  [1, 2],
  [1, 3],
  [1, 1]
]
b.sort((c, d) => c[0] + c[1] - d[0] - d[1]);
console.log(b)

function compare(a, b) {
  if (a.length != b.length) return false;
  for (let i = 0; i < b.length; i++)
    for (let j = 0; j < b[i].length; j++)
      if (a[i][j] !== b[i][j]) return false;
  return true;
}
console.log(compare(a, b))

You could sort by the delta of the first and second index values.

const array = [[0, 23], [19, 30], [6, 47], [5, 59], [1, 56], [1, 20], [19, 10]];

array.sort((a, b) => a[0] - b[0] || a[1] - b[1]);

console.log(array);

This is the answer from @Brian. Thank you very much Brian

#include <stdio.h>

void bubbleSort2D(int numRows, int numCols, int arr[][numCols], int col, int incDec) {
  // Using bubble sort to sort a column in the matrix
  for (int i = 0; i < numRows; i++) {
    for (int j = 0; j < numRows - 1; j++) {
      int a = arr[j][col];
      int b = arr[j + 1][col];
      if ((incDec && a > b) || (!incDec && a < b)) {
        arr[j][col] = b;
        arr[j + 1][col] = a;
      }
    }
  }
}

int main() {

  int arr[4][3] = {
    {1,2,3},
    {4,8,6},
    {2,1,5},
    {3,7,4}
  };

  for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
    // sort "odd" columns in descending order, "even" columns in ascending order
    bubbleSort2D(4, 3, arr, i, i % 2 == 0);
  }

  printf("Your sorted array: \n");
  for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    for (int j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
      printf("%d,", arr[i][j]);
    }
    printf("\n");
  }

  return 0;
}

Here's repl link:

Srort columns in 2D array

Since your data is pseudo code and not actual javascript, I'm guessing it's an array of objects (I've asked you to clarify, but received no response). So, with that guess this code would create an array of item_id values when the parent_id was missing or "none":

var empties = [];
for (var i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
    if (!data[i].parent_id || data[i].parent_id === "none") {
        empties.push(data[i].item_id);
    }
}

You can provide sort with a comparison function.

showIt.sort(function(a, b) {
    return a[1] - b[1];
});

a and b are items from your array. sort expects a return value that is greater than zero, equal to zero, or less than zero. The first indicates a comes before b, zero means they are equal, and the last option means b first.