feat(settings): add defaultSort user preference for resource table

docs/configuration.md

@@ -49,14 +49,19 @@ User preferences for the UI. Managed via the Settings dialog or `PUT /api/settin
   "theme": "system",
   "pinnedKinds": [
     { "name": "Deployments", "kind": "Deployment", "group": "" }
-  ]
+  ],
+  "defaultSort": {
+    "column": "age",
+    "direction": "desc"
+  }
 }
 ```
 
 | Field | Values | Description |
 |-------|--------|-------------|
 | `theme` | `light`, `dark`, `system` | UI theme preference |
 | `pinnedKinds` | Array of `{name, kind, group}` | Resource kinds pinned to the sidebar |
+| `defaultSort` | `{column, direction}` | Default sort applied when switching resource kinds. `column` is any sortable column (`name`, `age`, `status`, `cpu`, `memory`, etc.). `direction` is `asc` or `desc`. Omit to use built-in defaults. |
 
 ## Cluster Connection Precedence
 

internal/server/server.go

@@ -3095,6 +3095,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleGetSettings(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		// user_preferences. Audit stays because it's cluster-shared policy.
 		loaded.Theme = ""
 		loaded.PinnedKinds = nil
+		loaded.DefaultSort = nil
 	}
 	s.writeJSON(w, loaded)
 }
@@ -3110,8 +3111,8 @@ func (s *Server) handlePutSettings(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	// defense-in-depth check so a raw call that bypasses the intercept
 	// doesn't silently succeed and cause a cluster-shared settings.json
 	// to get mutated by one user.
-	if cloudMode() && (patch.Theme != "" || patch.PinnedKinds != nil) {
-		s.writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "theme and pinnedKinds are managed by Radar Cloud; use /api/preferences instead")
+	if cloudMode() && (patch.Theme != "" || patch.PinnedKinds != nil || patch.DefaultSort != nil) {
+		s.writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "theme, pinnedKinds, and defaultSort are managed by Radar Cloud; use /api/preferences instead")
 		return
 	}
 	result, err := settings.Update(func(current *settings.Settings) {
@@ -3121,6 +3122,9 @@ func (s *Server) handlePutSettings(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		if patch.PinnedKinds != nil {
 			current.PinnedKinds = patch.PinnedKinds
 		}
+		if patch.DefaultSort != nil {
+			current.DefaultSort = patch.DefaultSort
+		}
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("[settings] Failed to save settings: %v", err)
@@ -3130,6 +3134,7 @@ func (s *Server) handlePutSettings(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if cloudMode() {
 		result.Theme = ""
 		result.PinnedKinds = nil
+		result.DefaultSort = nil
 	}
 	s.writeJSON(w, result)
 }

internal/server/server_smoke_test.go

@@ -783,6 +783,7 @@ func TestSmokeCloudMode_SettingsGetStripsUserScoped(t *testing.T) {
 	// Seed real values into the persisted store so we can prove they're
 	// stripped at the HTTP boundary, not just missing from the file.
 	put(t, "/api/settings", `{"theme":"dark","pinnedKinds":[{"name":"pods","kind":"Pod","group":""}]}`)
+	put(t, "/api/settings", `{"defaultSort":{"column":"age","direction":"desc"}}`)
 
 	t.Setenv("RADAR_CLOUD_MODE", "true")
 
@@ -794,6 +795,9 @@ func TestSmokeCloudMode_SettingsGetStripsUserScoped(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, has := body["pinnedKinds"]; has && body["pinnedKinds"] != nil {
 		t.Errorf("pinnedKinds leaked under cloud mode: %v", body["pinnedKinds"])
 	}
+	if _, has := body["defaultSort"]; has && body["defaultSort"] != nil {
+		t.Errorf("defaultSort leaked under cloud mode: %v", body["defaultSort"])
+	}
 }
 
 // TestSmokeCloudMode_SettingsPutRejectsUserScoped: under RADAR_CLOUD_MODE,
@@ -816,6 +820,67 @@ func TestSmokeCloudMode_SettingsPutRejectsUserScoped(t *testing.T) {
 	if resp2.StatusCode != http.StatusBadRequest {
 		t.Errorf("PUT with pinnedKinds under cloud mode got %d, want 400", resp2.StatusCode)
 	}
+
+	resp3 := put(t, "/api/settings", `{"defaultSort":{"column":"age","direction":"desc"}}`)
+	defer resp3.Body.Close()
+	if resp3.StatusCode != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Errorf("PUT with defaultSort under cloud mode got %d, want 400", resp3.StatusCode)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSmokePutSettingsDefaultSort(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("HOME", t.TempDir())
+
+	payload := `{"defaultSort":{"column":"age","direction":"desc"}}`
+	resp := put(t, "/api/settings", payload)
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("expected 200, got %d", resp.StatusCode)
+	}
+
+	var body map[string]any
+	json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&body)
+
+	ds, ok := body["defaultSort"].(map[string]any)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("defaultSort missing or wrong type: %v", body["defaultSort"])
+	}
+	if ds["column"] != "age" {
+		t.Errorf("defaultSort.column = %v, want age", ds["column"])
+	}
+	if ds["direction"] != "desc" {
+		t.Errorf("defaultSort.direction = %v, want desc", ds["direction"])
+	}
+
+	// Verify it persists
+	var loaded map[string]any
+	assertOK(t, get(t, "/api/settings"), &loaded)
+	lds, _ := loaded["defaultSort"].(map[string]any)
+	if lds["column"] != "age" {
+		t.Errorf("persisted defaultSort.column = %v, want age", lds["column"])
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSmokePutSettingsDefaultSortPreservesOther(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("HOME", t.TempDir())
+
+	// Set theme first
+	put(t, "/api/settings", `{"theme":"dark"}`)
+
+	// Now set defaultSort — theme should be preserved
+	resp := put(t, "/api/settings", `{"defaultSort":{"column":"name","direction":"asc"}}`)
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	var body map[string]any
+	json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&body)
+	if body["theme"] != "dark" {
+		t.Errorf("theme was overwritten: got %v", body["theme"])
+	}
+	ds, _ := body["defaultSort"].(map[string]any)
+	if ds["column"] != "name" {
+		t.Errorf("defaultSort.column = %v, want name", ds["column"])
+	}
 }
 
 // TestSmokeCloudMode_PprofNotMounted verifies that /debug/pprof/* is not

internal/settings/settings.go

@@ -28,11 +28,19 @@ func DefaultAuditConfig() AuditConfig {
 	}
 }
 
+// DefaultSort describes the user's preferred sort column and direction for
+// the resource table.  An empty struct means "use the built-in default".
+type DefaultSort struct {
+	Column    string `json:"column"`    // e.g. "age", "name", "status"
+	Direction string `json:"direction"` // "asc" or "desc"
+}
+
 // Settings holds user preferences persisted across restarts.
 type Settings struct {
 	Theme       string       `json:"theme,omitempty"`
 	PinnedKinds []PinnedKind `json:"pinnedKinds,omitempty"`
 	Audit       *AuditConfig `json:"audit,omitempty"`
+	DefaultSort *DefaultSort `json:"defaultSort,omitempty"`
 	// ActiveNamespaces maps kubeconfig context name → user-chosen namespace
 	// override (the in-app namespace switcher's last selection per cluster).
 	// Empty value (or missing key) means no override → fall back to the

packages/k8s-ui/src/components/resources/ResourcesView.tsx

@@ -1655,6 +1655,10 @@ interface ResourcesViewProps {
   hideSidebar?: boolean
   /** Callback when the [+] create button is clicked. Receives the currently selected kind info. */
   onCreateResource?: (kind: { name: string; kind: string; group: string } | null) => void
+  /** User-preferred default sort column and direction. Applied when switching resource kinds instead of resetting to null. */
+  defaultSort?: { column: string; direction: 'asc' | 'desc' } | null
+  /** Called when the user manually changes the sort, so callers can persist it as the new default. */
+  onSortChange?: (sort: { column: string; direction: 'asc' | 'desc' } | null) => void
   /** Columns prepended to KNOWN_COLUMNS for every kind. For example, a
    *  multi-cluster host can inject a leading Cluster column. Each extra
    *  column is self-contained (own render/sort/filter), so the host
@@ -1772,6 +1776,8 @@ export function ResourcesView({
   onSelectedKindChange,
   hideSidebar = false,
   onCreateResource,
+  defaultSort = null,
+  onSortChange,
   extraLeadingColumns,
   onRowSelect,
 }: ResourcesViewProps) {
@@ -1789,8 +1795,8 @@ export function ResourcesView({
     onSelectedKindChange?.(selectedKind)
   }, [selectedKind.name, selectedKind.group]) // eslint-disable-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   const [searchTerm, setSearchTerm] = useState(initialFilters.search)
-  const [sortColumn, setSortColumn] = useState<string | null>(null)
-  const [sortDirection, setSortDirection] = useState<SortDirection>(null)
+  const [sortColumn, setSortColumn] = useState<string | null>(defaultSort?.column ?? null)
+  const [sortDirection, setSortDirection] = useState<SortDirection>(defaultSort?.direction ?? null)
   const [lastUpdated, setLastUpdated] = useState<Date | null>(null)
   // Filter state
   const [columnFilters, setColumnFilters] = useState<Record<string, string[]>>(initialFilters.columnFilters)
@@ -2675,32 +2681,52 @@ export function ResourcesView({
       return
     }
     prevKindRef.current = selectedKind.name
-    setSortColumn(null)
-    setSortDirection(null)
+    setSortColumn(defaultSort?.column ?? null)
+    setSortDirection(defaultSort?.direction ?? null)
     setOpenColumnFilter(null)
     if (!isSyncingFromURL.current) {
       setColumnFilters({})
     }
     setProblemFilters([])
-  }, [selectedKind.name])
+  }, [selectedKind.name]) // eslint-disable-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+
+  // Apply defaultSort changes immediately when the user updates the preference in settings
+  const isDefaultSortMounted = useRef(false)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isDefaultSortMounted.current) {
+      isDefaultSortMounted.current = true
+      return
+    }
+    setSortColumn(defaultSort?.column ?? null)
+    setSortDirection(defaultSort?.direction ?? null)
+  }, [defaultSort])
 
   // Toggle sort for a column
   const handleSort = useCallback((column: string) => {
+    let newColumn: string | null
+    let newDirection: SortDirection
+
     if (sortColumn === column) {
       // Cycle: asc -> desc -> null
       if (sortDirection === 'asc') {
-        setSortDirection('desc')
+        newColumn = column
+        newDirection = 'desc'
       } else if (sortDirection === 'desc') {
-        setSortColumn(null)
-        setSortDirection(null)
+        newColumn = null
+        newDirection = null
       } else {
-        setSortDirection('asc')
+        newColumn = column
+        newDirection = 'asc'
       }
     } else {
-      setSortColumn(column)
-      setSortDirection('asc')
+      newColumn = column
+      newDirection = 'asc'
     }
-  }, [sortColumn, sortDirection])
+
+    setSortColumn(newColumn)
+    setSortDirection(newDirection)
+    onSortChange?.(newColumn && newDirection ? { column: newColumn, direction: newDirection } : null)
+  }, [sortColumn, sortDirection, onSortChange])
 
   // Get sortable value from a resource for a given column
   const getSortValue = useCallback((resource: any, column: string, kind?: string): string | number => {

web/e2e/settings.spec.ts

@@ -116,4 +116,34 @@ test.describe('Settings API', () => {
     // Clean up
     await request.put('/api/settings', { data: { theme: 'system' } })
   })
+
+  test('PUT /api/settings with defaultSort persists correctly', async ({ request }) => {
+    const putRes = await request.put('/api/settings', {
+      data: { defaultSort: { column: 'name', direction: 'asc' } },
+    })
+    expect(putRes.ok()).toBeTruthy()
+    const body = await putRes.json()
+    expect(body.defaultSort?.column).toBe('name')
+    expect(body.defaultSort?.direction).toBe('asc')
+
+    // Read back
+    const getRes = await request.get('/api/settings')
+    const getBody = await getRes.json()
+    expect(getBody.defaultSort?.column).toBe('name')
+    expect(getBody.defaultSort?.direction).toBe('asc')
+
+    // Clean up
+    await request.put('/api/settings', { data: { defaultSort: null } })
+  })
+})
+
+test.describe('Settings dialog — user preferences', () => {
+  test('default sort section is visible in settings dialog', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/')
+    await page.waitForSelector('header', { timeout: 10000 })
+
+    await page.locator('button[title="Settings"]').click()
+    await expect(page.getByText('User Preferences')).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(page.getByText('Default Sort Column')).toBeVisible()
+  })
 })

web/src/components/resources/ResourcesView.tsx

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { apiUrl, getAuthHeaders, getCredentialsMode, getBasename } from '../../a
 import { useAPIResources } from '../../api/apiResources'
 import { initNavigationMap } from '@skyhook-io/k8s-ui'
 import { usePinnedKinds } from '../../hooks/useFavorites'
+import { useDefaultSort } from '../../hooks/useDefaultSort'
 import { useOpenLogs, useOpenWorkloadLogs } from '../dock'
 import {
   ResourcesView as BaseResourcesView,
@@ -116,6 +117,9 @@ export function ResourcesView({ namespaces, selectedResource, onResourceClick, o
   // Pinned kinds
   const { pinned, togglePin, isPinned } = usePinnedKinds()
 
+  // Default sort preference
+  const { defaultSort, setDefaultSort } = useDefaultSort()
+
   // Dock actions
   const openLogs = useOpenLogs()
   const openWorkloadLogs = useOpenWorkloadLogs()
@@ -197,6 +201,9 @@ export function ResourcesView({ namespaces, selectedResource, onResourceClick, o
       onOpenWorkloadLogs={openWorkloadLogs}
       // Create resource
       onCreateResource={handleCreateResource}
+      // Default sort preference
+      defaultSort={defaultSort}
+      onSortChange={setDefaultSort}
     />
     <CreateResourceDialog
       open={createDialogOpen}