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feat(webapp): make the default realtime backend configurable #4231

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Merged
ericallam merged 1 commit into from
Jul 11, 2026
+13 −5
Merged

feat(webapp): make the default realtime backend configurable #4231

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6 changes: 6 additions & 0 deletions .server-changes/realtime-backend-default-env.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
---
area: webapp
type: improvement
---

Add a `REALTIME_BACKEND_DEFAULT` env var to choose the default realtime backend (`electric`, `native`, or `shadow`) for environments whose org has no per-org override. Defaults to `electric`, so existing behavior is unchanged.
2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions apps/webapp/app/env.server.ts
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Expand Up @@ -374,6 +374,8 @@ const EnvironmentSchema = z

// Master switch for the native realtime backend; off = Electric serves everything, publishes no-op.
REALTIME_BACKEND_NATIVE_ENABLED: z.string().default("0"),
// Default backend when an org has no `realtimeBackend` override and no global flag row is set.
REALTIME_BACKEND_DEFAULT: z.enum(["electric", "native", "shadow"]).default("electric"),
// Live long-poll backstop hold (ms); matches Electric's ~20s cadence.
REALTIME_BACKEND_NATIVE_LIVE_POLL_TIMEOUT_MS: z.coerce.number().int().default(20_000),
// Jitter ratio on the live-poll hold (0.15 = ±15%) to avoid synchronized refetch herds.
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10 changes: 5 additions & 5 deletions apps/webapp/app/services/realtime/resolveRealtimeStreamClient.server.ts
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Expand Up @@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ import { getShadowRealtimeClient } from "./shadowRealtimeClientInstance.server";

type RealtimeBackend = "electric" | "native" | "shadow";

// Two gates, both defaulting to the Electric path: the env master switch, then the
// per-org `realtimeBackend` feature flag (cached so long-polls don't hit the DB per request).
// Two gates: the env master switch, then the per-org `realtimeBackend` feature flag (cached so
// long-polls don't hit the DB per request), falling back to REALTIME_BACKEND_DEFAULT.
const nativeBackendEnabled = env.REALTIME_BACKEND_NATIVE_ENABLED === "1";

const flag = singleton("realtimeBackendFlag", () => makeFlag($replica));
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ async function getRealtimeBackend(
return cached;
}

let backend: RealtimeBackend = "electric";
let backend: RealtimeBackend = env.REALTIME_BACKEND_DEFAULT;

try {
const overrides =
Expand All @@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ async function getRealtimeBackend(

backend = await flag({
key: FEATURE_FLAG.realtimeBackend,
defaultValue: "electric",
defaultValue: env.REALTIME_BACKEND_DEFAULT,
overrides: (overrides as Record<string, unknown>) ?? {},
});
} catch (error) {
Expand All @@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ async function getRealtimeBackend(
organizationId,
error,
});
backend = "electric";
backend = env.REALTIME_BACKEND_DEFAULT;
}

backendCache.set(organizationId, backend);
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