Disclosed are, inter alia, methods, apparatus, data structures, computer-readable media, mechanisms, and means for applying features to packets in an order specified by a selected feature order template. By providing multiple feature order templates, a network device manufacturer can provide the user of the network device the ability to select among a variety of orders in which features are applied, while limiting the possible selectable orderings such as to those capable by the hardware and software of the network device, and/or to a subset of orderings thereof which has been thoroughly tested. Some devices further allow a user to define new feature order templates via a user interface.