Процесс можно представить так.
Integer[] tring = new Integer[] {5, 3, 2, 6, 8, 10, 1};
Comparator<Integer> comparator = (a, b) -> {
System.out.println(Arrays.toString(tring) + " comparing " + a + " and " + b);
return a.compareTo(b);
};
Arrays.sort(tring, comparator);
System.out.println(Arrays.toString(tring));
результат:
[5, 3, 2, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 3 and 5
[5, 3, 2, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 2 and 3
[5, 3, 2, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 6 and 2
[2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 6 and 3
[2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 6 and 5
[2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 8 and 5
[2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 8 and 6
[2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 10 and 5
[2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 10 and 8
[2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 1 and 6
[2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 1 and 3
[2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1] comparing 1 and 2
[1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10]