## What
The environment variables settings page loaded **every** variable in the
project in one shot, with a nested `values` read plus a `valueReference`
(SecretReference) sub-load that was selected but never read. For a
project with many variables this pulled `variables × environments` value
rows (~18k for large projects) on every page load, plus a matching
~18k-row `SecretReference IN` query.
This paginates the presenter by variable key and removes the dead
include.
- Remove the never-read `valueReference: { select: { key } }` include →
the `SecretReference` query is gone entirely.
- Paginate the parent variable query: `count` + `orderBy key` +
`skip/take`, page size 50 → the value read is bounded to `pageSize ×
environments` per page.
- Scope the count and the page to variables that have a value in a
displayed environment (`values: { some: { environmentId: { in } } }`),
so `totalCount`/`totalPages` and the `skip/take` window match what
actually renders (no phantom empty pages from variables that live only
in archived branches or another member's dev env).
- Display order comes from the DB `orderBy: { key: "asc" }` — the
presenter no longer re-sorts each page with `localeCompare`, which under
pagination could disagree with the DB collation at page boundaries.
- The secret-value lookup (`SecretStore` keys) and the updater lookup
(`user` by id) are now scoped to the current page instead of the whole
project.
- Search moves server-side (variable key, case-insensitive) and drives
both the count and the page; the UI gains standard pagination controls.
## Why
The two correlated ~18k-row control-plane queries flagged in the ticket
come from this settings-page presenter, not from any hot path. Both are
index-covered (`rows_read == rows_returned`); the issue is the sheer
volume fetched in one burst. Bounding it per page removes the burst.
## Evidence
Measured on an isolated stack with a seeded project of 1000 variables ×
3 environments (3000 value rows), using Prisma's emitted-SQL log:
| | SecretReference query | value rows fetched |
| --- | --- | --- |
| before | 1 | 3000 |
| after | **0** | **150** (page 1) + one `count` |
`EXPLAIN` on Prisma's verbatim statements (index confirmed via
`enable_seqscan=off`; the local table is too small for the planner to
choose them by default):
- `count` (`WHERE projectId AND EXISTS(values in displayed envs)`) →
Hash Join: Index Scan on `EnvironmentVariable_pkey` + Bitmap Index Scan
on `EnvironmentVariableValue_environmentId_idx`
- paginated parent (`WHERE projectId AND EXISTS(...) ORDER BY key
LIMIT/OFFSET`) → Nested Loop Semi Join: Index Scan on
`EnvironmentVariable_projectId_key_key` (**no Sort node**) driving an
Index-Only Scan on
`EnvironmentVariableValue_variableId_environmentId_key`
- nested values (`variableId = ANY … AND environmentId = ANY …`) → index
scan on `EnvironmentVariableValue_environmentId_idx`
- `SecretStore` keys (`key = ANY …`) → index scan on
`SecretStore_key_idx`
No new index required. Verified in the browser on the seeded project: 20
pages, page navigation, server-side search (matches across all pages),
last page renders, no app console errors. `typecheck`, `oxlint`, `oxfmt`
all clean.
## Behavior change
The previous client-side search matched variable **name and value** (and
environment type / branch name). Values are encrypted at rest and
resolved separately, so they cannot be searched server-side under
pagination. Search is now **variable-name only**, server-side,
case-insensitive. Projects with fewer than one page of variables see no
pagination bar and no visible change.
## Rollout / rollback
Pure read-path change on a dashboard loader, no schema or data
migration. Rollback is a straight revert.
## Screenshots
<img width="2400" height="1794" alt="01-page1"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/d4a7effd-d167-4dd6-92f4-6e9174818acd"
/>
<img width="2400" height="1794" alt="02-search-single"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/cd113ca9-ff87-431f-b2f6-7f7d36f2b32a"
/>
Eric Allam
c6ef5f3959