ADR 003: Database-backed settings

Decision

Kaya stores many runtime settings in the database, primarily in remote_manager_settings.

Context

Administrators need to change settings through the UI without editing environment files or rebuilding containers.

Reasoning

Database-backed settings support the existing Site Administration workflow and allow settings to be changed from the web app.

Alternatives considered

• Environment-only configuration.
• Dedicated settings tables per module.
• Static configuration files.

Consequences

• Admin workflows are convenient.
• Some settings can be changed without container restarts.
• RemoteManagerSetting now stores more than remote settings and should eventually be renamed or replaced with a generic settings table.
• Secret settings must be encrypted consistently.