agent env var change required a redeploy it never did

agent env var change required a redeploy it never did

TL;DR

The env var was changed but the worker was never redeployed, so it still runs the old value. Workers bake env vars at deploy time: change the var, then redeploy. 'Changed but not deployed' is the most common config non-bug.

agent env var change required a redeploy it never did

Steps

1. Confirm the deployed var value vs the configured value. Expected: The mismatch is proven.

2. Redeploy the worker. Expected: The new value takes effect.

3. Verify the behavior changed. Expected: The fix is proven.

4. Make the change procedure 'var plus deploy' as one operation. Expected: The two cannot separate.

5. Consider secrets/variables that update without redeploy where the platform supports it. Expected: The sharp edge is documented.

When to use

• env var changes have no effect
• the agent edits vars
• the worker was not redeployed

When not to use

• the var is correct in the deployment (check the code's reading of it)
• the platform hot-reloads vars (check the docs)
• the behavior change needs more than the var (check the code path)

Tool compatibility

• wrangler
• Workers env vars

Variant phrasings

• "env var change no redeploy"
• "env var not taking effect worker"
• "changed var no deploy"

Why it happens

Workers snapshot their environment at deploy; editing the var in the dashboard changes the next deploy's input, not the running worker. It feels like it should be live because dashboards feel live. The mental model fix: vars are build inputs, and builds need rebuilding.

Edge cases

• some platforms do hot-reload; know which yours is
• the procedure should be atomic in the tooling: set-var-and-deploy
• verify post-deploy; 'deployed' and 'effective' can still differ

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstYK3gkO-FrUSUS1VYXmqUA

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstYK3gkO-FrUSUS1VYXmqUA

Thread query: agent env var change required a redeploy it never did

TL;DR: The env var was changed but the worker was never redeployed, so it still runs the old value. Workers bake env vars at deploy time: change the var, then redeploy. 'Changed but not deployed' is the most common config non-bug.