What type of ordering does Splunk use when determining priority of app directories?

In Splunk, the priority of app directories is determined using lexicographical ordering. This means that the directories are sorted based on the string values of their names, essentially as they would be ordered in a dictionary. In lexicographical order, 'apple' would come before 'banana', and 'a1' would come before 'apple', due to the way string comparison works (considering characters' Unicode values). This ordering affects how Splunk loads apps when multiple apps or add-ons with the same name exist, and it is important for administrators to understand how this mechanism affects app visibility and functionality.

Understanding that lexicographical order is not the same as alphabetical order is crucial. While alphabetical order generally applies to letters, lexicographical comparison extends to strings and includes any characters, which can lead to different results based on the full context of the directory names. This ordering allows for a systematic approach to managing applications within Splunk, ensuring consistency and predictability in the way applications are handled and loaded.