Customizing Sort Order with Python's key Argument

Python's built-in sorted() function and list's .sort() method are powerful tools for ordering data. However, often we need to sort based on a criterion that isn't the default element comparison. This challenge focuses on utilizing the key argument to define custom sorting logic, a fundamental skill for efficient data manipulation in Python.

Problem Description

You are tasked with writing a Python function that sorts a list of dictionaries. Each dictionary represents a student with their name (a string) and score (an integer). The sorting should be based on the score in descending order. If two students have the same score, they should be sorted alphabetically by their name in ascending order.

Requirements:

• Create a function named sort_students that accepts one argument: students_data, a list of dictionaries.
• Each dictionary in students_data will have two keys: "name" (string) and "score" (integer).
• The function should return a new list containing the same dictionaries, sorted according to the specified criteria.
• You must use the key argument of Python's sorted() function or the .sort() method to achieve this custom sorting.

Expected Behavior:

The output list should have students with higher scores appearing first. For students with identical scores, those whose names come earlier alphabetically should appear first.

Edge Cases to Consider:

• An empty input list.
• A list with only one student.
• All students having the same score.
• All students having unique scores.

Examples

Example 1:

Input: [
    {"name": "Alice", "score": 95},
    {"name": "Bob", "score": 80},
    {"name": "Charlie", "score": 95},
    {"name": "David", "score": 85}
]
Output: [
    {"name": "Alice", "score": 95},
    {"name": "Charlie", "score": 95},
    {"name": "David", "score": 85},
    {"name": "Bob", "score": 80}
]
Explanation: Alice and Charlie have the highest score (95). Alice comes before Charlie alphabetically. David has the next highest score (85), followed by Bob (80).

Example 2:

Input: [
    {"name": "Eve", "score": 70},
    {"name": "Frank", "score": 70},
    {"name": "Grace", "score": 70}
]
Output: [
    {"name": "Eve", "score": 70},
    {"name": "Frank", "score": 70},
    {"name": "Grace", "score": 70}
]
Explanation: All students have the same score. They are sorted alphabetically by name in ascending order.

Example 3:

Input: []
Output: []
Explanation: An empty input list should result in an empty output list.

Constraints

• The input students_data will be a list of dictionaries.
• Each dictionary will contain exactly two keys: "name" (string) and "score" (integer).
• The name strings will contain only lowercase alphabetic characters.
• The score integers will be between 0 and 100, inclusive.
• The input list can contain up to 1000 student dictionaries.

Notes

• Remember that Python sorts tuples element by element. This can be a helpful property when defining your key.
• The key argument expects a function that takes one argument (an element from the list) and returns a value to be used for comparison.
• You'll need to sort by score in descending order and name in ascending order. Consider how to combine these two criteria within your key function.
• Ensure your solution returns a new sorted list, not modifying the original list in place, unless you specifically choose to use the .sort() method on a copy. The problem statement implies returning a new list is preferred.