{
  "id": "sort-by-basics",
  "title": "Sorting kubectl Output",
  "category": "Core Concepts",
  "difficulty": "Easy",
  "type": "task",
  "weight": 3,
  "description": "## Sorting `kubectl` Output\n\nThe `--sort-by` flag on `kubectl get` allows you to sort output by any JSONPath expression — extremely useful for finding the newest pod, the heaviest resource consumer, or the oldest event.\n\n**Your task:**\n\nSeveral pods have been created for you. Complete the following:\n\n1. List all pods in the `default` namespace **sorted by their creation timestamp** (oldest first) and save the output to `/tmp/pods-sorted.txt`\n2. List all pods sorted by name and save to `/tmp/pods-by-name.txt`\n\n```bash\n# Sort by creation time:\nkubectl get pods --sort-by=.metadata.creationTimestamp\n\n# Sort by name:\nkubectl get pods --sort-by=.metadata.name\n```",
  "hints": [
    {
      "title": "--sort-by flag syntax",
      "body": "Pass any JSONPath expression to --sort-by. The expression must point to a comparable field (string, number, or timestamp).",
      "command": "kubectl get pods --sort-by=.metadata.creationTimestamp"
    },
    {
      "title": "Save output to a file",
      "body": "Redirect kubectl output using the > operator.",
      "command": "kubectl get pods --sort-by=.metadata.creationTimestamp > /tmp/pods-sorted.txt && kubectl get pods --sort-by=.metadata.name > /tmp/pods-by-name.txt"
    }
  ],
  "setup_commands": [
    {
      "command": "kubectl run sort-pod-c --image=nginx:alpine 2>/dev/null || true && sleep 1"
    },
    {
      "command": "kubectl run sort-pod-b --image=nginx:alpine 2>/dev/null || true && sleep 0.5"
    },
    {
      "command": "kubectl run sort-pod-a --image=nginx:alpine 2>/dev/null || true && sleep 0.5"
    }
  ],
  "validation": {
    "commands": [
      {
        "description": "File /tmp/pods-sorted.txt exists and contains pod output",
        "command": "cat /tmp/pods-sorted.txt",
        "expected_output": "sort-pod",
        "match": "contains"
      },
      {
        "description": "File /tmp/pods-by-name.txt exists and contains pod output",
        "command": "cat /tmp/pods-by-name.txt",
        "expected_output": "sort-pod",
        "match": "contains"
      },
      {
        "description": "pods-by-name.txt is sorted alphabetically (sort-pod-a appears before sort-pod-c)",
        "command": "grep -n 'sort-pod-a' /tmp/pods-by-name.txt | cut -d: -f1",
        "expected_output": "^[0-9]+$",
        "match": "regex"
      }
    ]
  },
  "default_namespace": "default",
  "teardown_commands": [
    {
      "command": "kubectl delete pod sort-pod-a sort-pod-b sort-pod-c --ignore-not-found --grace-period=0 --force"
    },
    {
      "command": "rm -f /tmp/pods-sorted.txt /tmp/pods-by-name.txt"
    }
  ]
}