Outbound path selection applies to direct-neighbor candidates.

Supported modes:

• FIRST_VALID: keep the first usable candidate found
• LAST_IN: prefer the most recently seen candidate
• BEST_METRIC: prefer the lowest metric candidate
• MOST_RELIABLE: prefer the candidate with the best reliability score

Learned route selection applies to forwarding-table candidates.

Supported modes:

• FIRST_VALID: keep the first usable forwarding candidate
• LAST_UPDATED: prefer the most recently updated candidate
• BEST_METRIC: prefer the lowest metric candidate
• STICKY_BEST_METRIC: keep the current preferred route until a meaningfully better candidate appears

STICKY_BEST_METRIC uses:

• preferred-route state
• improvement delta
• hold-down timing

This reduces route flapping when several similar candidates exist.

Current reliability scoring is hop-local.

It reflects local send success and failure behavior toward a next hop, not full end-to-end delivery confirmation.