test(conformance): add HTTPRoute rule precedence test

[thorn3r]

What type of PR is this?
/kind test
/area conformance-test

What this PR does / why we need it:
Adds conformance coverage for HTTPRoutes with equally matching rules. The test verifies that the first matching rule in list order takes precedence, matching the HTTPRouteRule spec:

If ties still exist within an HTTPRoute, matching precedence MUST be granted to the FIRST matching rule (in list order) with a match meeting the above criteria.

Does this PR introduce a user-facing change?:

NONE

[kubernetes-prow]

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[kubernetes-prow]

Hi @thorn3r. Thanks for your PR.

I'm waiting for a kubernetes-sigs member to verify that this patch is reasonable to test. If it is, they should reply with /ok-to-test on its own line. Until that is done, I will not automatically test new commits in this PR, but the usual testing commands by org members will still work.

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[snorwin]

/ok-to-test

@thorn3r were you able to successfully verify this test against any implementation?

[snorwin]

/retest

[snorwin]

@thorn3r thanks.

/lgtm

I was able to successfully run the test with Airlock Microgateway:

=== RUN   TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder
    conformance.go:72: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.39596637+02:00: Applying tests/httproute-rule-order.yaml
    apply.go:289: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.416426469+02:00: Creating rule-order HTTPRoute
    apply.go:289: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.425224314+02:00: Creating rule-order-invalid-backend HTTPRoute
    helpers.go:310: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.628199107+02:00: Gateways and Pods in gateway-conformance-infra namespaces ready
    helpers.go:822: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.638005049+02:00: Conditions matched expectations
    helpers.go:822: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.638077319+02:00: Route gateway-conformance-infra/rule-order Parents matched expectations
    helpers.go:822: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.641813589+02:00: Conditions matched expectations
    helpers.go:822: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.641848767+02:00: Route gateway-conformance-infra/rule-order-invalid-backend Parents matched expectations
=== RUN   TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder/first_matching_rule_routes_to_its_backend
=== PAUSE TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder/first_matching_rule_routes_to_its_backend
=== CONT  TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder/first_matching_rule_routes_to_its_backend
    httproute-rule-order.go:86: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.649920246+02:00: Making GET request to host  via http://100.126.242.160/rule-order
    http.go:331: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.65914691+02:00: Request passed
--- PASS: TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder/first_matching_rule_routes_to_its_backend (0.01s)
=== RUN   TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder/invalid_first_matching_rule_returns_500
=== PAUSE TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder/invalid_first_matching_rule_returns_500
=== CONT  TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder/invalid_first_matching_rule_returns_500
    httproute-rule-order.go:86: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.64993226+02:00: Making GET request to host  via http://100.126.242.160/rule-order-invalid-backend
    http.go:331: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.655134926+02:00: Request passed
--- PASS: TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder/invalid_first_matching_rule_returns_500 (0.01s)
    apply.go:295: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.659207941+02:00: Deleting rule-order-invalid-backend HTTPRoute
    apply.go:295: 2026-08-04T15:54:17.668394451+02:00: Deleting rule-order HTTPRoute
--- PASS: TestConformance/HTTPRouteRuleOrder (0.27s)

[kubernetes-prow]

[APPROVALNOTIFIER] This PR is NOT APPROVED

This pull-request has been approved by: snorwin, thorn3r
Once this PR has been reviewed and has the lgtm label, please assign howardjohn for approval. For more information see the Code Review Process.

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[thorn3r]

@snorwin yes I tested against Cilium. Just merged a bugfix for this in this PR that also includes similar test coverage. Test output here: https://gist.github.com/thorn3r/f186d49274747dbfa30ce483fc6650d3

[snorwin]

/assign @youngnick