Which strategy does NOT support class-based ordering in Puppet?

The strategy that does not support class-based ordering in Puppet is creating a user-defined function. User-defined functions in Puppet are primarily used for reusable code snippets or for complex operations that are beyond the scope of standard Puppet resources or manifests. They do not inherently manage the order in which classes are applied to a node since they are function calls rather than classes themselves.

In contrast, the other strategies do support or facilitate class-based ordering within Puppet manifests. Using the contain function ensures that a specified class is included within the scope of another, which enforces the order in which classes are declared. Specifying dependencies with include at the top allows Puppet to process classes in the desired sequence by listing them clearly at the beginning. The anchor pattern, which uses a defined anchor class to control the ordering of other classes, is a well-known pattern for managing dependencies and ensures that a certain order is maintained in the application of classes.

Understanding the function and limitations of each option helps clarify how class ordering is achieved, making it evident why a user-defined function does not fit within the context of supporting class-based ordering.