bcquality/microsoft/knowledge/performance/query-results-bypass-primary-key-cache.md
Jesper Schulz-Wedde 87ba36e650
Add BC performance knowledge from OptimAL learnings (#198)
* Add BC performance knowledge from OptimAL learnings

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

* Address review feedback on performance guidance

Clarify predicate-supporting keys versus covering queries, demonstrate proven cache reuse, and evaluate the updated partial-load and bulk-update rules.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

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Co-authored-by: Jesper Schulz-Wedde <jesper.schulzwedde@microsoft.com>
Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
2026-09-29 17:21:28 +02:00

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1.6 KiB
Markdown

---
bc-version: [all]
domain: performance
keywords: [query, primary-key-cache, get, false-positive, n-plus-one, record-cache]
technologies: [al]
countries: [w1]
application-area: [all]
---
# Query results bypass the primary-key cache
> Contributions welcome — open a PR to refine or extend this article.
## Description
The Business Central server caches primary-key `Get` calls within a transaction. Query objects do not use that primary-key cache: reopening a Query per lookup executes the query again; `Read` consumes rows from an open query, not a new query for each row. `avoid-get-inside-loop-on-large-table.md` is right when an unbounded inner `Get`/`FindFirst` joins two large sets. It is wrong as a blanket rewrite of repeated `Get` on the same keys. Replacing a cached `Get` with a Query reopened per call can be slower.
## Best Practice
Keep `Record.Get` for repeated lookups of the same primary keys in one transaction. Use a Query when the work is a true join or aggregation that the record API would express as nested scans. Do not flag a guarded `Get` on a repeating key as an N+1 solely because a Query could express the same columns.
See sample: [`query-results-bypass-primary-key-cache.good.al`](query-results-bypass-primary-key-cache.good.al).
## Anti Pattern
Rewriting a helper that `Get`s Customer by `No.` on every sales line into a Query opened inside that helper. Distinct line customers still need a lookup; repeating customers were already served from the PK cache. The Query pays SQL every time.
See sample: [`query-results-bypass-primary-key-cache.bad.al`](query-results-bypass-primary-key-cache.bad.al).