fix(vars): add socket persistence when variable names are changed, update variable name normalization to match block name normalization, added space constraint on envvar names

[waleedlatif1]

Summary

• add socket persistence when variable names are changed, would change in client-side store but not persist to db -> wouldn't trigger workflow changes
• update variable name normalization to match block name normalization, was inconsistent
• added space constraint on envvar names -> to prevent having to normalize them

Type of Change

• Bug fix

Testing

Tested manually, added unit tests

Checklist

• Code follows project style guidelines
• Self-reviewed my changes
• Tests added/updated and passing
• No new warnings introduced
• I confirm that I have read and agree to the terms outlined in the Contributor License Agreement (CLA)

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1 Skipped Deployment

Project	Deployment	Review	Updated (UTC)
docs	Skipped		Dec 21, 2025 4:29am

[greptile-apps]

Greptile Summary

This PR addresses three related issues around variable and block name handling:

• Socket persistence for variable renames: When a variable name is changed, references to that variable in subblock values are now properly persisted to the database via socket operations. Previously, these updates only changed in the client-side store.

• Unified name normalization: Consolidated normalizeBlockName and normalizeVariableName into a single normalizeName function that converts to lowercase and removes whitespace. This ensures consistent matching between block references and variable references across the codebase.

• Environment variable key validation: Added validation to prevent spaces in environment variable names, enforcing the ^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*$ pattern with user feedback.

• Cleanup: Removed the unused immediate flag from socket operations (debouncing was moved server-side).

• Testing: Added comprehensive unit tests for normalizeName and WorkflowResolver to verify normalized variable reference resolution.

Confidence Score: 5/5

• This PR is safe to merge - it fixes bugs without introducing breaking changes.
• The changes are well-structured, address clear bugs (missing persistence, inconsistent normalization), include comprehensive unit tests, and don't modify core business logic in risky ways. The normalization unification is a straightforward rename with consistent behavior.
• No files require special attention.

Important Files Changed

Filename	Overview
apps/sim/stores/workflows/utils.ts	Renamed normalizeBlockName to normalizeName for consistent use with both block and variable names. Added logic to preserve orphaned subblock values in mergeSubblockState.
apps/sim/stores/panel/variables/store.ts	Added socket persistence for variable reference updates when variable names change. Now queues subblock-update operations for affected references.
apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/components/sidebar/components/settings-modal/components/environment/environment.tsx	Added validation for env var keys, disallowing spaces and enforcing alphanumeric/underscore pattern. Save button is disabled when invalid keys exist.
apps/sim/executor/variables/resolvers/workflow.ts	Updated to use normalizeName for variable reference matching, enabling case-insensitive and space-insensitive variable lookups.
apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/components/panel/components/editor/components/sub-block/components/tag-dropdown/tag-dropdown.tsx	Removed local normalizeBlockName and normalizeVariableName functions, now using shared normalizeName for consistent normalization.

Sequence Diagram

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant VariablesStore
    participant SubBlockStore
    participant OperationQueue
    participant Socket

    User->>VariablesStore: updateVariable(id, {name: newName})
    VariablesStore->>VariablesStore: normalizeName(oldName)
    VariablesStore->>VariablesStore: normalizeName(newName)
    VariablesStore->>SubBlockStore: Get workflowValues
    loop For each subblock value
        VariablesStore->>VariablesStore: updateReferences(value, regex)
    end
    VariablesStore->>SubBlockStore: setState(updatedWorkflowValues)
    loop For each changed subblock
        VariablesStore->>OperationQueue: addToQueue(subblock-update)
        OperationQueue->>Socket: emitSubblockUpdate()
    end
    Socket-->>OperationQueue: confirm operation
    OperationQueue->>OperationQueue: processNextOperation()

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[greptile-apps]

Additional Comments (2)

1. apps/sim/stores/panel/variables/store.ts, line 202-221 (link)

   style: the updateReferences function is defined inside the forEach loop but only depends on its parameters - consider moving it outside the loop for better performance

   _{Note: If this suggestion doesn't match your team's coding style, reply to this and let me know. I'll remember it for next time!}

2. apps/sim/stores/workflows/utils.ts, line 160-224 (link)

   logic: Missing orphaned values handling that exists in mergeSubblockState. This could cause data loss for runtime subblock IDs like webhookId, triggerPath when using the async version

   Should the async version include the same orphaned values handling (lines 125-137) as the synchronous version?

_{11 files reviewed, 2 comments}

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[waleedlatif1]

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