Katalyst: Configuration changes do not take effect until services are restarted

Description

• Administrators update Katalyst configuration (e.g., email, external services, timeouts) via config files or environment variables.
• Users report no change in behavior; logs indicate the old configuration is still active.
• Only after restarting Katalyst services do the changes apply.

Solution

• Understand which configuration is read at startup vs runtime:
  • Many core settings (DB connections, service endpoints, timeouts) are read only on application startup.
  • Some admin UI settings may apply dynamically; others do not.
• After making configuration changes:
  • Plan a controlled restart of affected Katalyst services or web containers.
  • Announce brief downtime if required.
• Verify:
  • Once services restart, confirm that new settings are applied (e.g., test email, new endpoint, adjusted timeout).
• Best practices:
  • Maintain a change log documenting:
    • Which settings require restart.
    • When restarts were performed and by whom.
  • Apply configuration changes in test/UAT first, including restarts, then repeat in production.