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feat: Add the override layer, the store overlay, and the override source configuration - #222

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rlamb/overrides-java-override-layer

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@kinyoklion kinyoklion commented Sep 25, 2026 •

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Summary

This adds the override layer that the OVERRIDE specification describes: an override source supplies complete snapshots of flag and segment definitions to an override store, and an overlay at the store read boundary returns the store's entry for a key in preference to LaunchDarkly data. Evaluation, prerequisite and segment resolution, and the all-flags state all read through the overlay, so an override is a full definition that evaluates like any other. Overrides do not take part in the data system: they have no effect on initialization status, data availability, or data source status, and they are never written to a persistent store.

Public surface, all marked experimental and subject to change:

  • DataSystemBuilder.overrides(ComponentConfigurer<OverrideSource>) and DataSystemConfiguration.getOverrideSource(). The option lives on the FDv2 data system builder only. An FDv1 data source configuration has no place to supply one.
  • subsystems.OverrideSource (start with a sink, close) and subsystems.OverrideSink (replace the whole layer with one snapshot). The SDK builds the source like any other component, starts it before the data source so its initial load completes during client construction, and closes it with the client. An offline client starts no override source. A source that cannot be built fails client construction the same way other invalid component configuration does.

Internals:

  • OverrideLayer holds marked shallow copies of the supplied entities in an immutable map that is swapped on each update. The source's objects are never modified.
  • OverrideOverlayStore implements the read boundary: per-key reads prefer the layer, enumeration is the union with override precedence, and when the base store fails while the layer holds entries the layer's entries are still served.
  • OverrideSinkImpl serializes snapshot application and fires the normal flag change notifications for every flag whose merged-view evaluation may have changed, using the dependency tracker over both the old and the new merged views so prerequisite and segment dependents are included.
  • The not-initialized short-circuit consults the layer first: a flag that the layer holds is served before the client has LaunchDarkly data, and any other flag returns the client-not-ready default as before. The all-flags state does the same, logging once that it returned only override entries, and presents an override-affected flag with trackEvents and trackReason false and no debugEventsUntilDate.

The OVERRIDE specification's test vectors run as a unit test through the full client stack (value, variation index, and reason). The per-evaluation summary marker in the vectors is asserted by the events change that follows.

This PR depends on the model and evaluator marking change (rlamb/overrides-java-model-marker) and is based on that branch; retarget it to feat/overrides once that branch merges.

The existing file data source keeps its current behavior; this change does not touch its code paths.

SDK-3246


Note

Overview
Adds experimental flag/segment overrides for the FDv2 data system: operators can configure an OverrideSource via DataSystemBuilder.overrides() that pushes full snapshots into an in-memory override layer taking precedence over LaunchDarkly data at the store read boundary.

FDv2 builds optional OverrideLayer + OverrideOverlayStore + OverrideSinkImpl, starts the override source before the data source (skipped when offline), and closes it with the client. Overrides do not affect initialization or data-source status; FDv1 exposes a null override layer.

Evaluation behavior changes: InputValidatingEvaluator serves overridden flags even when the client is not initialized, and allFlagsState() can return a valid snapshot of override-only flags (with a one-time warning). Override-affected evaluations keep values/reasons but FeatureFlagsState turns off per-flag event tracking fields. Flag change listeners fire on override updates with dependency fan-out (prereqs/segments).

Public APIs: OverrideSource, OverrideSink, and DataSystemConfiguration.getOverrideSource(). OVERRIDE spec test vectors and broad unit/integration tests are included.

Reviewed by Cursor Bugbot for commit 2d12762. Bugbot is set up for automated code reviews on this repo. Configure here.

@kinyoklion
kinyoklion force-pushed the rlamb/overrides-java-model-marker branch from 39b0b95 to d82beda Compare September 28, 2026 21:03
@kinyoklion
kinyoklion force-pushed the rlamb/overrides-java-override-layer branch from 3ddbca0 to 51b497a Compare September 28, 2026 21:04
@kinyoklion
kinyoklion force-pushed the rlamb/overrides-java-model-marker branch from d82beda to 1ba722a Compare October 1, 2026 23:43
@kinyoklion
kinyoklion force-pushed the rlamb/overrides-java-override-layer branch from 51b497a to 3e12570 Compare October 1, 2026 23:44
…rce configuration

The OVERRIDE specification defines an override layer: a runtime-mutable
collection of flag and segment definitions, supplied by an override
source as complete snapshots, that takes precedence over LaunchDarkly
data on a per-key basis at the store read boundary. Overrides are not a
data source. They have no effect on initialization status, data
availability, or data source status, and they are never persisted.

Public surface, all experimental and subject to change:
DataSystemBuilder.overrides(ComponentConfigurer<OverrideSource>),
DataSystemConfiguration.getOverrideSource(), and the
subsystems.OverrideSource and subsystems.OverrideSink interfaces. The
SDK builds the source like any other component, starts it before the
data source so its initial load completes during client construction,
and closes it with the client. An offline client starts no override
source. A source that cannot be built fails client construction.

OverrideLayer holds marked shallow copies in an immutable map swapped on
each update. OverrideOverlayStore implements the read boundary with
override precedence for per-key reads and enumeration, and serves the
layer alone when the base store fails. OverrideSinkImpl serializes
snapshot application and fires the normal flag change notifications for
every flag whose merged-view evaluation may have changed.

The not-initialized short-circuit consults the layer first, so a flag
that the layer holds is served before the client has LaunchDarkly data.
The all-flags state does the same and presents an override-affected
flag with event tracking off. The specification's test vectors run as a
unit test through the full client stack.
@kinyoklion
kinyoklion force-pushed the rlamb/overrides-java-model-marker branch from 1ba722a to 996b8d3 Compare October 3, 2026 00:58
@kinyoklion
kinyoklion force-pushed the rlamb/overrides-java-override-layer branch from 3e12570 to 2d12762 Compare October 3, 2026 00:58
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bugbot review

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Cursor Bugbot has reviewed your changes using default effort and found 3 potential issues.

Fix All in Cursor

❌ Bugbot Autofix is OFF. To automatically fix reported issues with cloud agents, have a team admin enable autofix in the Cursor dashboard.

Reviewed by Cursor Bugbot for commit 2d12762. Configure here.

Comment thread lib/sdk/server/src/main/java/com/launchdarkly/sdk/server/FDv2DataSystem.java Outdated

EvaluatorInterface evaluator = new InputValidatingEvaluator(this.dataSystem.getStore(), bigSegmentStoreWrapper, eventProcessor, evaluationLogger);
EvaluatorInterface evaluator = new InputValidatingEvaluator(this.dataSystem.getStore(),
this.dataSystem.getOverrideLayer(), bigSegmentStoreWrapper, eventProcessor, evaluationLogger);

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isFlagKnown ignores uninitialized overrides

Medium Severity

isFlagKnown still returns false as soon as the store is uninitialized, so an override-only flag that evaluate and allFlagsState already serve in that state is reported as unknown. Callers that gate on isFlagKnown will skip the override during the incident path this feature is meant to cover.

Additional Locations (1)
Fix in Cursor Fix in Web

Reviewed by Cursor Bugbot for commit 2d12762. Configure here.

this.overrideLayer = new OverrideLayer();
this.overrideSink = new OverrideSinkImpl(overrideLayer, baseStore, flagChangeBroadcaster,
logger.subLogger(Loggers.DATA_SOURCE_LOGGER_NAME));
this.readOnlyStore = new OverrideOverlayStore(baseStore, overrideLayer);

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LD updates miss override dependents

Medium Severity

OverrideSinkImpl fans out change notifications over the merged view, but LaunchDarkly store updates still use only base-store dependencies. An override that references a LaunchDarkly segment or prerequisite will not notify that flag when the underlying item changes, so listeners can miss a real evaluation change.

Additional Locations (1)
Fix in Cursor Fix in Web

Reviewed by Cursor Bugbot for commit 2d12762. Configure here.

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