Problem:

The "Sync" button in the Canvas overwrites all shared environment variable values, even those that are intentionally environment-specific. This destroys critical environment configuration.

Solution:

Implement more granular control over shared environment variable syncing to prevent environment-specific values from being force-overwritten.

Proposed solutions include:

1. Selective Merging: Only add missing shared environment variable keys during sync, preserving existing environment-specific values.

2. Dedicated Sync Control: Provide a specific interface or option for shared environment variable merging, separate from the general "Sync" button, allowing users to choose how values are merged (e.g., merge only missing keys).

3. Default Exclusion: By default, prevent general sync from overwriting explicitly customized or environment-specific shared variables unless explicitly opted in.

Alternatives Considered:

Sealed variables prevent overwrites but don't address the broader issue for non-sealed, yet environment-specific, shared variables. Current service-level sync options don't cover shared variables living outside service contexts.

Context:

Many applications require distinct variable values across environments (dev, staging, prod). The current sync behavior makes managing these environment-specific differences difficult and can lead to broken configurations.