Variable Values Reference

Variables matter only if the selected value has a shape the application can trust. Rototo validates primitive values directly and validates structured objects through resources.

That split keeps the app boundary clear: primitive values stay inline, while structured objects get schemas and object files. reference-variable-resolution covers resolution order.

Primitive Values

Primitive variables store values inline under [values]:

schema_version = 1
type = "int"

[values]
standard = 3
expanded = 25

[resolve]
default = "standard"

The table key is the value key. The TOML value is converted to JSON and returned as the selected value.

Primitive Type Rules

Primitive types are intentionally narrow. If the value needs object structure, move it to a resource instead of trying to encode an object as a primitive value.

Examples:

type = "bool"

[values]
off = false
on = true

type = "list"

[values]
standard = ["email"]
expanded = ["email", "sms"]

Objects are not accepted as primitive values. Use a resource-backed variable when the value needs object structure.

Resource Object Values

Structured values live as resource objects so rototo can validate the shape before the application receives the selected payload:

resources/
  account-limit-profile.toml
  account-limit-profile-objects/
    growth.toml
    enterprise.toml

The resource file declares the schema:

schema_version = 1
description = "Account limit profiles"
schema = "../schemas/account-limit-profile.schema.json"

Each object file contains the object payload:

enabled_features = ["audit-log"]

[limits]
projects = 100
members = 250

The variable then selects object keys:

type = "resource:account-limit-profile"

[resolve]
default = "growth"

[[resolve.rule]]
qualifier = "enterprise-account"
value = "enterprise"

Validation

Validation is part of the release boundary. Primitive values are checked against the declared primitive type during lint.

Resource objects are checked against the resource's JSON Schema during lint. If an object does not match its schema, rototo reports rototo/resource-object-schema-mismatch.

If a variable default or rule references a missing value, rototo reports rototo/variable-unknown-value.

Value Keys

Value keys are operational names. They appear in:

• variable files;
• resource object filenames;
• CLI and SDK resolution results;
• generated fixtures;
• logs and metrics you build from resolution traces.

Keep keys stable once application tests, fixtures, dashboards, or runbooks refer to them.

What Values Do Not Store

Rototo values are configuration, not mutable application state. Do not store user records, transactions, counters, queues, or analytics events as rototo values. Put those in the systems that already own their consistency and write patterns.