# Apex Custom Settings Hierarchy

> Use when reading or writing Hierarchy Custom Settings from Apex to resolve per-user/per-profile/org configuration. Covers `getInstance()` resolution order, DML cost, cache semantics, and when to prefer Custom Metadata Types instead. NOT for Custom Metadata Types in Apex — use apex/custom-metadata-in-apex. NOT for the CMT vs Custom Settings choice — use admin/custom-metadata-types-and-settings.

- Skill: `pranavnagrecha/apex-custom-settings-hierarchy` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 7 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add pranavnagrecha/apex-custom-settings-hierarchy`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/pranavnagrecha/apex-custom-settings-hierarchy/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: PranavNagrecha (https://skillmd.com/u/pranavnagrecha)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/pranavnagrecha/apex-custom-settings-hierarchy

---


# Apex Custom Settings Hierarchy

Activates when Apex reads or writes Hierarchy Custom Settings — the cached, per-user/per-profile/per-org configuration store. Produces correct resolution, null-safe defaults, and guidance on when to pick Custom Metadata Types instead.

---

## Before Starting

- Is this configuration **mutable at runtime**? If admins never change it, prefer Custom Metadata Types (deploy-time only, packageable, no DML).
- Is this configuration **per-user/profile/org**? Only Hierarchy Custom Settings offer this automatically. List Custom Settings and CMDTs do not.
- Does the caller run as **System.RunAs or as a real user**? `getInstance()` with no argument returns the setting for the *running* user — tests often surprise.
- Does the setting need to be **visible to all profiles**? Without the `Privileged = true` flag (API field `Privileged`) or a CRUD grant, unprivileged users cannot read it.

---

## Core Concepts

### The Three Accessors Resolve Differently

Hierarchy Custom Settings have three distinct Apex accessors:

- `MySetting__c.getOrgDefaults()` — always returns the org-level record (or `null` if none exists).
- `MySetting__c.getInstance(userOrProfileId)` — returns the merged record for a specific User or Profile, falling back through Profile → Org.
- `MySetting__c.getInstance()` — equivalent to `getInstance(UserInfo.getUserId())`.

When the running user has no User-level override, Salesforce falls back to their Profile-level override, and if none exists, to the org default. **An empty record is returned, not `null`**, when no tier is configured — field values will be `null` but the record itself exists. This surprises practitioners who null-check the record.

### It's Cached, But Not Free

Reads are cached within a transaction, so repeated `getInstance()` calls in the same execution are cheap. But the cache is per-transaction — a long-running batch that calls `getInstance()` in every `execute()` re-reads. DML on the setting counts against governor DML limits; mass-upserting one record per user is the wrong shape.

### Custom Metadata Is Often The Better Fit

Hierarchy Custom Settings predate Custom Metadata Types (CMDTs). CMDTs are deployable (packageable, source-tracked, sandbox-migration-friendly) while Custom Settings values are **data, not metadata** — they don't move with deploys. If your "config" is actually static code-adjacent decisions (feature toggle per environment, integration endpoint URL, retry caps), CMDT is the right home. Reserve Custom Settings for values admins must change in production Setup UI.

---

## Common Patterns

### Pattern 1: Null-Safe Read With Org Default Fallback

**When to use:** Any feature-flag or threshold lookup in Apex.

**How it works:**

```apex
public with sharing class ApiRetryConfig {
    public static Integer maxRetries() {
        RetrySettings__c s = RetrySettings__c.getInstance();
        // s is never null for Hierarchy Settings, but field values can be null.
        return (s != null && s.MaxRetries__c != null)
            ? s.MaxRetries__c.intValue()
            : 3;
    }
}
```

**Why not the alternative:** `getOrgDefaults()` misses per-user overrides. `getInstance()` with a nested null-check is the universal safe shape.

### Pattern 2: Bulk-Safe Upsert Of Per-User Overrides

**When to use:** A one-time job seeds per-user settings during onboarding.

**How it works:**

```apex
List<PerUserFlag__c> rows = new List<PerUserFlag__c>();
for (Id userId : userIds) {
    rows.add(new PerUserFlag__c(SetupOwnerId = userId, Enabled__c = true));
}
upsert rows SetupOwnerId;
```

**Why not the alternative:** `insert` row-by-row burns DML statements. Batch upsert by the `SetupOwnerId` external-ID-like key inserts new and updates existing in one DML.

---

## Decision Guidance

| Situation | Recommended Approach | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Static config that changes at deploy only | Custom Metadata Type | Packageable, deploys with source, no DML |
| Admin-editable per-user or per-profile config | Hierarchy Custom Setting | Only CS offers hierarchy fallback |
| Feature flag changed during an incident | Hierarchy Custom Setting at Org tier | Admins can flip in Setup without deploy |
| Lookup table (e.g., country → currency) | Custom Metadata Type with custom fields | Relationships and SOQL; better than List CS |
| Per-transaction cache of computed values | Platform Cache (`Cache.Org` / `Cache.Session`) | Custom Settings are not a computation cache |

---

## Recommended Workflow

1. Classify the data: runtime-mutable admin config, deploy-time code config, or derived/cached compute? Only the first belongs in Hierarchy Custom Settings.
2. Confirm the object's `Privileged` flag matches the security posture — set it if end users should not write.
3. Read through `getInstance()` for per-user fallback; document why if you pick `getOrgDefaults()` explicitly.
4. Null-check the **field** (not the record), with a sane code default for missing fields.
5. For writes, batch by `SetupOwnerId` and use `upsert ... SetupOwnerId`; never loop-inserting.
6. Write a test with `System.runAs(user)` to confirm the hierarchy resolves as expected.
7. Document in the setting's Description field who edits this in production and when.

---

## Review Checklist

- [ ] The object is actually mutable at runtime; otherwise migrate to CMDT.
- [ ] `Privileged` is set correctly for the security posture.
- [ ] Apex uses `getInstance()` with a null-safe field read AND a code default.
- [ ] Tests cover the hierarchy: org default, profile override, user override.
- [ ] Writes are batched with `upsert ... SetupOwnerId`; no DML in loops.
- [ ] The README / setting description lists the intended editors and change cadence.

---

## Salesforce-Specific Gotchas

See `references/gotchas.md` for the full list.

1. **`getInstance()` never returns `null`** for Hierarchy Settings — it returns an empty record with `null` fields. Null-check fields, not the record.
2. **`getOrgDefaults()` CAN return `null`** if no org-default row exists. Different semantics than `getInstance()`.
3. **CS values do not deploy with metadata** — seeding production after a sandbox deploy is manual or requires a data loader.
4. **`Privileged` checkbox on the object** controls whether non-admins can write. Without it, a user trigger calling `insert newCSRecord` can fail for low-privilege users.
5. **`SetupOwnerId` is polymorphic** — it accepts User or Profile IDs. The wrong type inserts as the wrong hierarchy tier silently.

---

## Output Artifacts

| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| `references/examples.md` | Realistic read/write patterns and a List-CS to CMDT migration |
| `references/gotchas.md` | Hierarchy resolution surprises and packaging warnings |
| `references/llm-anti-patterns.md` | Common LLM mistakes: null-checking the record, `getOrgDefaults` drift |
| `references/well-architected.md` | OpEx / Reliability framing and CMDT vs CS tradeoffs |
| `scripts/check_apex_custom_settings_hierarchy.py` | Stdlib lint for anti-pattern usage |

---

## Related Skills

- **apex-custom-metadata-types** — when to migrate config from CS to CMDT
- **apex-platform-cache** — for runtime caches, not configuration
- **apex-user-and-permission-checks** — resolving the running user before `getInstance(userId)`