bcquality/community/knowledge/performance/query-results-bypass-primary-key-cache.md
Stefano Demiliani ebceff2332 knowledge(performance): add community rules for JIT, locks, and false positives
These articles capture BC-specific mechanics agents still invert: partial-record JIT on writes, Reset clearing SetLoadFields, HttpClient inside write transactions, and batched number series, plus negative guidance that stops over-eager Query and IsEmpty "fixes".

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
2026-08-20 15:57:58 +02:00

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---
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 cache: every `Open`/`Read` goes to SQL. `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 that re-executes per call can be slower. This file exists so reviewers stop treating every `Get` inside a loop as a Query candidate.
## 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`.
## 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`.