fix(2meet-data-optimizer): keep registered fields out of the public listings REST endpoints

- show_in_rest defaulted to true, so GET /wpdo/v1/listings and /listings/{id} (public by design) returned every registered hot / cold field to anonymous visitors — e.g. infocards tmeetic_ig_access_token_enc / _token_expiry / _user_id and WooCommerce _purchase_note (confirmed on dev36)
- Fields are private unless registered with show_in_rest => true; protected (underscore) and credential-like keys (token, secret, password, api key, private key, credential, salt, nonce) are never exposed
- Zone A list path no longer returns whole rows when nothing is public, and filters / orderby accept public columns only
- Version 1.1.1; CHANGELOG, readme
- Verify: unit 690 (+3), integration 525 (+3 private-column tests, RED on 1.1.0), live suite rest 2/2 (RED on 1.1.0), all live 49/49, phpcs 0, stan OK

2meet-data-optimizer.php

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * Plugin Name:       2meet Data Optimizer
  * Plugin URI:        https://2meet.io/2meet-data-optimizer
  * Description:       通用 WordPress 反 EAV 引擎：將 postmeta / usermeta / termmeta / commentmeta 自動分流至四象限扁平表（Hot / Warm / Cold / Archive），大幅提升搜尋與篩選效能。從 wp-data-optimizer v2.16.0 提煉的純核心，整合層交給 11 個 AddOn。
- * Version:           1.0.2
+ * Version:           1.1.1
  * Requires at least: 6.0
  * Tested up to:      6.9.4
  * Requires PHP:      8.1
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
 }
 
 // ── Constants ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-define( 'TMDO_VERSION', '1.0.2' );
+define( 'TMDO_VERSION', '1.1.1' );
 define( 'TMDO_DB_VERSION', '2.1.0' );
 define( 'TMDO_PATH', plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) );
 define( 'TMDO_URL', plugin_dir_url( __FILE__ ) );
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/class-tmdo-rest-api.php';
 // ── v2.0.0 Engine + Adapters + Modules ───────────────────────────────────
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-type-caster.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-mode-manager.php';
+require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-promotion-guard.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-audit-logger.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-shadow-diff-logger.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-conflict-detector.php';
@@ -260,6 +261,7 @@ require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-migration-orchestrator.p
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-post-migration.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-post-group-reconciler.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-native-restorer.php';
+require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-array-literal-repair.php';
 add_action( TMDO_Migration_Orchestrator::CRON_HOOK, array( 'TMDO_Migration_Orchestrator', 'cron_tick' ) );
 add_action( 'wpdo_bridge_mode_changed', array( 'TMDO_Migration_Orchestrator', 'bust_attention_cache' ) );
 add_action( 'tmdo_bridge_mode_changed', array( 'TMDO_Migration_Orchestrator', 'bust_attention_cache' ) );
@@ -292,6 +294,8 @@ if ( is_admin() ) {
 	TMDO_Deprecated_Addons_Notice::register();
 	require_once TMDO_PATH . 'admin/class-tmdo-missing-addons-notice.php';
 	TMDO_Missing_Addons_Notice::register();
+	require_once TMDO_PATH . 'admin/class-tmdo-promotion-guard-notice.php';
+	TMDO_Promotion_Guard_Notice::register();
 }
 
 // ── WP-CLI ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,82 @@ Versioning follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
 ---
 
+## [1.1.1] — 2026-09-26 — Security：公開 REST 不再回傳私有欄位
+
+**性質**：安全修正（Critical）。1.0.x 起即存在；1.1.0 zip 已撤回（`dist/withdrawn/`）。
+
+### Security
+
+- **公開的 `GET /wpdo/v1/listings`、`/wpdo/v1/listings/{id}` 會把所有已註冊的 hot / cold
+  欄位回傳給未登入者**：`TMDO_Schema_Registry::register()` 的 `show_in_rest` 預設為 true，
+  而 addon 都沒有設定它。dev36 實測可取得 infocards 的 `tmeetic_ig_access_token_enc`、
+  `tmeetic_ig_token_expiry`、`tmeetic_ig_user_id`，以及 WooCommerce 的 `_purchase_note`。
+  - `show_in_rest` 預設改為 **false**：要公開的欄位必須明確宣告。
+  - 受保護的 meta key（底線開頭）與名稱像憑證的 key（token、secret、password、api key、
+    private key、credential、salt、nonce）即使宣告公開也一律不輸出
+    （`TMDO_Schema_Registry::rest_exposable()`）。
+  - Zone A 列表路徑在沒有任何公開欄位時不再回傳整列（fail-closed）；篩選參數與 orderby
+    只接受公開欄位，避免藉由篩選 / 排序推測隱藏值。
+- **相容性**：依賴預設公開的欄位，現在需在註冊時加上 `'show_in_rest' => true`，或使用
+  既有的 `tmdo_rest_listing_visible_fields` filter。
+- 測試：`RestApiTest` 新增 3 個；live suite `rest`（未登入 GET 不得出現私有 / 憑證類 key）。
+
+---
+
+## [1.1.0] — 2026-09-26 — HivePress / WooCommerce 搜尋索引模式（hardening 2.1）
+
+**性質**：資料正確性修正 + 查詢改寫補強。無 schema 變更。決策與設計見
+`docs/adr-004-search-index-mode-for-hp-wc.md`；搭配 HivePress AddOn 0.2.0。
+
+### Added
+
+- **Promotion Guard**（`TMDO_Promotion_Guard`）：HivePress 啟用時 post / user / term /
+  comment、WooCommerce 啟用時 post / user 不得升到 aeav_only 或執行 cleanup
+  （`WP_Error( 'promotion_guarded' )`，filter `tmdo_promotion_guard_allow`）；已在
+  aeav_only 的站只顯示後台 notice。（PR-053）
+- **`wp tmdo repair-array-literals [--entity] [--confirm]`**：把扁平表中的 `"Array"`
+  從原生修回；原生也被污染的列出清單。（PR-055）
+- **`bridge-restore-native --overwrite / --only-missing`**：預設依模式（aeav_only 覆寫、
+  其他只補缺）；報告新增 `missing` / `differs` / `same` / `default_skipped`。（PR-058）
+- **live 測試層** `tests/live/`（在真實站台以 `wp eval-file` 執行）：suites
+  `shadow_write`、`serialized`、`resync`、`router`、`zero_side_effect`，以及 qbench /
+  fe.sh 等量測工具。（PR-052）
+
+### Changed
+
+- **Hook Bus 寫入順序**：dual_write / shadow_read 由 WordPress 寫原生，扁平表在
+  `added_ / updated_ / deleted_{type}_meta` 從原生重新同步（含 `delete_all`、
+  `update_metadata_by_mid` 改 key）。（PR-057）
+- **shadow_read** 讀原生，並抽樣比對扁平值（`tmdo_shadow_compare_sample_rate`）。（PR-056）
+- **Post query router**：
+  - 全有或全無：OR、多 post type、含已註冊 key 的巢狀 group、type 語意與欄位不符的
+    clause 讓整個查詢維持原生；LIKE 包 `%esc_like%`；`pre_get_posts` priority 1000。（PR-060）
+  - 每個 group 各自 JOIN、不加 GROUP BY；NOT EXISTS 不走狀態 / 日期副本路由。（PR-061）
+  - meta orderby：HivePress `_sort`（NOT EXISTS + EXISTS）形狀、具名 clause、
+    `meta_key` + `meta_value_num`。（PR-062）
+  - routed 搜尋維持 WordPress 的 split query（ID-first）。（PR-062b）
+  - 依扁平欄位排序且有篩選的搜尋改由扁平表驅動（`STRAIGHT_JOIN`，posts.ID tie-break 改讀等值的
+    `post_id`），不再以 temporary table 排序；filter `tmdo_router_flat_first` 可關閉。（PR-062c）
+- `composer phpcs` 改用 `phpcs.xml`（與 CI 相同）。
+
+### Fixed
+
+- shadow_read 下 `update_*_meta()` 回傳 false、原生沒有寫入（資料遺失）。（PR-056）
+- 陣列 / 物件存進 text 欄位變成 `"Array"`；text 超過 255 字元改存 NULL 並記錄
+  `text_overflow`。（PR-055）
+- `bridge-restore-native` 覆蓋較新的原生值（WC 庫存）、替每個 user 捏造預設值列。（PR-058）
+- Cold / Hot 表不存在時，`save_post`、`loop_start`、刪除文章仍查詢它們（DB error）。（PR-054、PR-054b）
+- 刪除 post / user / term / comment 後，扁平表留下全 NULL 的孤兒列（PR-057 的 NULL 同步會重建已刪的列）。（PR-057b）
+- Router：Q05（wp_core 與另一 group 的 key 並用）`Unknown column`；OR / 多 post type /
+  無 type 數值比較 / 具名 orderby 的結果與原生不同。（PR-060〜062）
+
+### Docs
+
+- ADR-004、`CONTEXT.md` Entity Bridge（寫入順序、shadow_read、搜尋索引模式、Router 規則）、
+  `docs/BENCHMARK-SCALE.md` 前台與寫入鏈實測。（PR-064）
+
+---
+
 ## [1.0.2] — 2026-08-15 — NinjaFirewall 相容性：WAF 設定選項保護
 
 **性質**：防禦性修正 + 文件。無 schema 變更，無破壞性變更。

CONTEXT.md

@@ -135,6 +135,29 @@ Newer anti-EAV system (v2.5+) covering user, term, comment, and post entities vi
 The Entity Bridge and the Zone system coexist; the Sync Bridge's
 `is_owned_by_entity_bridge()` guard prevents duplicate writes.
 
+**Write order (v1.1.0).** In `dual_write` / `shadow_read` the Hook Bus pre-filters
+only decide the route and return `null`: WordPress writes native meta itself, and the
+flat value is then re-synced *from native* in `added_/updated_/deleted_{type}_meta`
+(priority 1) — `TMDO_Hook_Bus::sync_from_native()` reads the first native row with
+direct SQL; no native row → flat NULL. `aeav_only` keeps the pre-filter short-circuit.
+
+**shadow_read** reads native meta (WordPress meta cache) and compares a sample of reads
+with the flat value (`tmdo_shadow_compare_sample_rate`, default 0.1). Flat tables serve
+queries only: `TMDO_Post_Query_Router` is active from `shadow_read` up.
+
+**Search-index mode** (ADR-004). On HivePress / WooCommerce sites native meta is the
+source of truth and flat tables are its search index: `TMDO_Promotion_Guard` refuses
+`aeav_only` and cleanup there (post/user/term/comment with HivePress, post/user with
+WooCommerce), because both read meta with an empty key and WooCommerce updates stock
+and sales with direct SQL. Override: filter `tmdo_promotion_guard_allow`.
+
+**Post query router rules.** A query is rewritten only when the flat table returns
+what native `meta_query` would: every registered clause routable (else the whole query
+stays native), AND relation, one post type, column type matching the clause's CAST
+semantics, LIKE as `%esc_like%`. Meta ordering (the HivePress `_sort` NOT EXISTS/EXISTS
+shape, a named clause, `meta_key` + `meta_value_num`) is routed only as the sole
+`orderby` on a column that orders like native.
+
 ---
 
 ## Migration Phase (Strategy pattern)

admin/class-tmdo-promotion-guard-notice.php

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Admin notice when an entity is in aeav_only on a HivePress / WooCommerce site.
+ *
+ * Those plugins read native meta directly, so on an aeav_only entity they read
+ * stale (or, after cleanup, missing) values. The Promotion Guard refuses new
+ * promotions; sites promoted before it existed are only warned — demoting on
+ * read would leave them reading whatever native meta is left.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
+	exit;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Warns administrators about guarded entities that are already in aeav_only.
+ */
+final class TMDO_Promotion_Guard_Notice {
+
+	/**
+	 * Hook the notice.
+	 *
+	 * @return void
+	 */
+	public static function register(): void {
+		add_action( 'admin_notices', array( __CLASS__, 'render' ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Print the notice for administrators when a guarded entity is in aeav_only.
+	 *
+	 * @return void
+	 */
+	public static function render(): void {
+		if ( ! current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		$violations = TMDO_Promotion_Guard::violations();
+		if ( empty( $violations ) ) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		$lines = array();
+		foreach ( $violations as $entity_type => $integrations ) {
+			$lines[] = sprintf( '%s（%s）：wp tmdo bridge-restore-native %s --demote', $entity_type, implode( ' / ', $integrations ), $entity_type );
+		}
+		printf(
+			'<div class="notice notice-error"><p><strong>%s</strong> %s</p></div>',
+			esc_html__( '2meet Data Optimizer：', '2meet-data-optimizer' ),
+			esc_html(
+				sprintf(
+					/* translators: %s: "entity (integrations): command" list */
+					__( '以下實體處於 aeav_only，但這些外掛會直接讀取原生 meta，可能讀到過期或遺失的資料。請先備份，再把扁平資料寫回原生並降級：%s', '2meet-data-optimizer' ),
+					implode( '；', $lines )
+				)
+			)
+		);
+	}
+}

cli/class-tmdo-cli-v2.php

@@ -162,7 +162,15 @@ class TMDO_CLI_V2 {
 	 * : post | user | term | comment
 	 *
 	 * [--dry-run]
-	 * : Count the flat rows per group; write nothing.
+	 * : Count the flat rows per group and how their values compare with native
+	 * meta (missing / differs / same / default skipped); write nothing.
+	 *
+	 * [--overwrite]
+	 * : Flat values replace differing native values. Default in aeav_only.
+	 *
+	 * [--only-missing]
+	 * : Only fill native rows that do not exist; never replace. Default in every
+	 * other mode, where native meta is the source of truth.
 	 *
 	 * [--batch=<n>]
 	 * : Rows per batch. Default 500.
@@ -190,17 +198,34 @@ class TMDO_CLI_V2 {
 	public function bridge_restore_native( $args, $assoc_args ): void {
 		$entity = (string) ( $args[0] ?? '' );
 		if ( ! in_array( $entity, TMDO_Entity_Registry::VALID_ENTITY_TYPES, true ) ) {
-			WP_CLI::error( 'Usage: wp tmdo bridge-restore-native <post|user|term|comment> [--dry-run] [--batch=<n>] [--demote] [--group=<group> [--retire]]' );
+			WP_CLI::error( 'Usage: wp tmdo bridge-restore-native <post|user|term|comment> [--dry-run] [--overwrite|--only-missing] [--batch=<n>] [--demote] [--group=<group> [--retire]]' );
 		}
 		$dry_run = isset( $assoc_args['dry-run'] );
 		$group   = sanitize_key( (string) ( $assoc_args['group'] ?? '' ) );
 		if ( isset( $assoc_args['retire'] ) && '' === $group ) {
 			WP_CLI::error( '--retire needs --group=<group>.' );
 		}
-		$report = TMDO_Native_Restorer::run( $entity, $dry_run, (int) ( $assoc_args['batch'] ?? 500 ), isset( $assoc_args['demote'] ), $group );
+		if ( isset( $assoc_args['overwrite'] ) && isset( $assoc_args['only-missing'] ) ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( 'Use either --overwrite or --only-missing, not both.' );
+		}
+		$policy = isset( $assoc_args['overwrite'] ) ? 'overwrite' : ( isset( $assoc_args['only-missing'] ) ? 'only_missing' : '' );
+		$report = TMDO_Native_Restorer::run( $entity, $dry_run, (int) ( $assoc_args['batch'] ?? 500 ), isset( $assoc_args['demote'] ), $group, $policy );
 
+		WP_CLI::log( "Policy: {$report['policy']}" );
 		foreach ( $report['groups'] as $group => $g ) {
-			WP_CLI::log( sprintf( '%s/%s: %d row(s)%s', $entity, $group, $g['rows'], $dry_run ? '' : sprintf( ', %d native value(s) written', $g['written'] ) ) );
+			WP_CLI::log(
+				sprintf(
+					'%s/%s: %d row(s) — native missing %d, differs %d, same %d, default skipped %d%s',
+					$entity,
+					$group,
+					$g['rows'],
+					$g['missing'],
+					$g['differs'],
+					$g['same'],
+					$g['default_skipped'],
+					$dry_run ? '' : sprintf( '; %d native value(s) written', $g['written'] )
+				)
+			);
 		}
 		if ( $dry_run ) {
 			WP_CLI::success( '[dry-run] Nothing written.' );
@@ -217,6 +242,50 @@ class TMDO_CLI_V2 {
 		WP_CLI::success( $report['demoted'] ? "Restored; {$entity} is now dual_write." : 'Restored. Demote the entity to dual_write (admin Entity Bridge tab) before its next write, or re-run with --demote.' );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Find flat text / textarea values stored as the literal "Array" (pre-1.1.0
+	 * type caster) and rewrite them from native meta.
+	 *
+	 * Native rows that are "Array" too cannot be repaired here; they are listed
+	 * so they can be restored from a backup.
+	 *
+	 * ## OPTIONS
+	 *
+	 * [--entity=<entity>]
+	 * : post | user | term | comment. Default: all four.
+	 *
+	 * [--confirm]
+	 * : Write the repairs. Without it the command only reports.
+	 *
+	 * ## EXAMPLES
+	 *
+	 *     wp tmdo repair-array-literals
+	 *     wp tmdo repair-array-literals --entity=user --confirm
+	 *
+	 * @param array<int, string>    $args       Positional arguments (unused).
+	 * @param array<string, string> $assoc_args Named arguments.
+	 */
+	public function repair_array_literals( $args, $assoc_args ): void {
+		$entities = isset( $assoc_args['entity'] ) ? array( (string) $assoc_args['entity'] ) : TMDO_Entity_Registry::VALID_ENTITY_TYPES;
+		$apply    = isset( $assoc_args['confirm'] );
+
+		foreach ( $entities as $entity ) {
+			if ( ! in_array( $entity, TMDO_Entity_Registry::VALID_ENTITY_TYPES, true ) ) {
+				WP_CLI::error( "Unknown entity: {$entity}" );
+			}
+			$report = TMDO_Array_Literal_Repair::run( $entity, $apply );
+			WP_CLI::log( sprintf( '%s: %d "Array" value(s) in flat tables, %d repairable from native, %d repaired.', $entity, $report['found'], $report['repairable'], $report['repaired'] ) );
+			foreach ( $report['unrepairable'] as $row ) {
+				WP_CLI::log( sprintf( '  unrepairable %s/%s #%d (%s)', $row['group'], $row['key'], $row['id'], $row['reason'] ) );
+			}
+			foreach ( $report['native_polluted'] as $row ) {
+				WP_CLI::warning( sprintf( 'native meta is "Array": %s %s #%d — restore it from a backup', $entity, $row['key'], $row['id'] ) );
+			}
+		}
+
+		WP_CLI::success( $apply ? 'Repair finished.' : '[dry-run] Nothing written. Re-run with --confirm to repair.' );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Audit per-module state + shadow_read flags.
 	 *
@@ -851,6 +920,8 @@ WP_CLI::add_command( 'wpdo bridge-set', array( 'TMDO_CLI_V2', 'bridge_set' ) );
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'tmdo bridge-set', array( 'TMDO_CLI_V2', 'bridge_set' ) );
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'wpdo bridge-restore-native', array( new TMDO_CLI_V2(), 'bridge_restore_native' ) );
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'tmdo bridge-restore-native', array( new TMDO_CLI_V2(), 'bridge_restore_native' ) );
+WP_CLI::add_command( 'wpdo repair-array-literals', array( new TMDO_CLI_V2(), 'repair_array_literals' ) );
+WP_CLI::add_command( 'tmdo repair-array-literals', array( new TMDO_CLI_V2(), 'repair_array_literals' ) );
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'wpdo mode-audit', array( 'TMDO_CLI_V2', 'mode_audit' ) );
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'tmdo mode-audit', array( 'TMDO_CLI_V2', 'mode_audit' ) );
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'wpdo mode-set', array( 'TMDO_CLI_V2', 'mode_set' ) );

composer.json

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     "scripts": {
         "test": "phpunit --configuration phpunit.xml",
         "test:integration": "phpunit --configuration phpunit-integration.xml",
-        "phpcs": "phpcs --standard=WordPress includes/ admin/ cli/ modules/ 2meet-data-optimizer.php uninstall.php",
+        "phpcs": "phpcs --standard=phpcs.xml",
         "stan": "phpstan analyse --no-progress",
         "stan:baseline": "phpstan analyse --no-progress --generate-baseline=phpstan-baseline.neon"
     },

docs/BENCHMARK-SCALE.md

@@ -63,6 +63,41 @@ SQL 的形狀與實際程式一致：原生是 WP_Query 的 meta_query（每個
 6. **dual_write 的寫入成本約為兩倍（0.22 ms 對 0.12 ms）**，絕對值很小，不是瓶頸。
 7. **Hot 表和 Entity 表儲存了同一份 listing 資料**（合計約 608 MB），兩者功能重疊。
 
+## 前台與寫入鏈實測（dev36，Release 2.1，2026-09-26）
+
+上面的數字是純 SQL。這一節是真實站台（dev36：HivePress 1.7.31 + Marketplace、WooCommerce 11.1.2、Redis object cache、listing 約 10 萬筆）上的整頁與整條寫入鏈，決策背景見 `adr-004-search-index-mode-for-hp-wc.md`。
+
+**前台搜尋**（`tests/live/tools/fe.sh`：每個 URL 5 次取中位數，`X-S36-Ms` = 整個請求到 `template_redirect`）。「routed」是 post 模式 shadow_read + 核心 2.1 router + HivePress AddOn 0.2.0；「1.0.x」是整合測試當時的 router（報告 `notes/tmdo-integration-test-dev36-2026-09-26.md`）。
+
+| URL | 原生 ms | 1.0.x ms | 2.1 routed ms | ids 與原生相同 |
+|---|---:|---:|---:|---|
+| listing 價格區間 | 614 | 496 | **323** | 是 |
+| listing 價格區間 + `_sort=price__asc` | 975 | 1,062 | **435** | 是 |
+| listing 時薪區間 + `_sort=hourly_rate__desc` | 850 | — | **367** | 是 |
+| listing `_sort=rating__desc` | 1,697 | 1,720 | **866** | 是 |
+| listing 關鍵字 + 價格區間 | 754 | — | 764 | 是 |
+| vendor 時薪區間 | 102 | — | 97 | 是 |
+| WC 商店價格篩選 / 價格排序 | 94 / 111 | 88–94 | 109 / 88 | 是（WC 用 lookup 表，不經 router） |
+
+（R-2.1 驗收，扁平表已從原生回填、含 PR-062c；兩輪量測見 `notes/tmdo-acceptance-2.1-2026-09-26.md`。）
+
+- HivePress 搜尋仍帶 tax_query（排除一個 term），WordPress 因此加上 `GROUP BY posts.ID`，排序需要 temporary + filesort；這是目前 311–428 ms 的主要成本，尚未達到 R-2.1 的 300 ms 目標。
+- PR-062b 之前，routed 搜尋因 `posts_request` 改寫而失去 WordPress 的 split query，改撈整列 `posts.*`：同一條 SQL 撈 `*` 要 590 ms，只撈 ID 為 312 ms。
+- PR-062c 之前，依扁平欄位排序的 routed 查詢由 `wp_posts`（type / status 索引，約 56k 列）驅動、逐筆查扁平表再以 temporary table 排序；拿掉 GROUP BY 或只換 tie-break 都無效（約 300 ms），改由扁平表驅動並把 tie-break 改讀 `post_id` 後只剩單表 filesort：`meta_value_num` 263→147 ms、具名排序 250→142 ms、HP 時薪篩選 + 排序 300→36 ms（只計 SQL）。依日期排序的搜尋由扁平表驅動反而變慢（74→137 ms），所以 flat-first 只用在扁平欄位排序。
+- 量測 gotcha：symlink 切換（`plugins/` → `plugins-dev`）後，PHP-FPM 的 opcache（`revalidate_path=0`）仍執行舊目標的程式，WP-CLI 不受影響；前台數字要先確認實際載入的檔案。
+
+**WP_Query**（`tests/live/tools/qbench.php`，`fields=ids`，20 筆一頁）：價格區間 296→76 ms、價格 + verified 360→53 ms、rating ≥ 4.5 248→33 ms、rate + `_thumbnail_id` EXISTS 24→9 ms；OR、多 post type、無 type 數值比較等維持原生，結果與原生相同。
+
+**寫入鏈開銷**（單一程序，disabled 與 dual_write 交替兩輪取平均）：
+
+| 寫入 | disabled | dual_write | 增加 |
+|---|---:|---:|---:|
+| HP listing | 754 ms / 348 q | 976 ms / 434 q | +29% |
+| WC product | 215 ms / 129 q | 489 ms / 206 q | +127% |
+| vendor（user + post） | 444 ms / 162 q | 630 ms / 230 q | +42% |
+
+WC product 的成本來自 `wc_product` 群組，Release 2.2 移除 WC 扁平化後消失。
+
 ## 優化候選（待使用者確認後排入 backlog）
 
 | # | 候選 | 針對 | 預期效果 |

docs/adr-004-search-index-mode-for-hp-wc.md

@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+# ADR-004：HivePress / WooCommerce 站採「搜尋索引模式」
+
+- **狀態**：已接受（2026-09-26）
+- **日期**：2026-09-26
+- **相關**：dev36 整合測試報告（`notes/tmdo-integration-test-dev36-2026-09-26.md`）、ADR-001、ADR-003、backlog PR-052〜PR-063（Release 2.1）
+
+## 背景
+
+2026-09-26 在 dev36（HivePress 1.7.31 + Marketplace + 10 個擴充、WooCommerce 11.1.2、Redis、10 萬筆 listing）做整合與壓力測試，確認：
+
+1. **HivePress model 與 WC data store 用空 key 讀 meta**（`get_post_meta( $id )`），1.0.x 的 Hook Bus 對空 key 放行、只讀原生。所以 aeav_only 或 cleanup 之後，HP 的 verified / rating、WC 的價格與顧客資料讀成空值（dev20 / dev21 盤點：WC 商品 0/20 可購買）。
+2. **WC 以直接 SQL 更新 `_stock`、`total_sales`**，扁平表跟不上。
+3. **shadow_read 會遺失寫入**：WP 的 `update_metadata()` 經 `get_metadata_raw` 讀舊值，攔截器從扁平表回答，新舊相同就不寫原生。
+4. **Router 在 OR、LIKE、多 post type、跨 group、具名 orderby 上結果錯誤**，HivePress 的 `_sort` 沒被改寫，前台搜尋幾乎沒有變快。
+5. **陣列值被存成 `"Array"`**。
+
+帶 key 的單筆讀取本來就沒有速度優勢：`update_meta_cache()` 一次載入全部 key，之後都是記憶體讀取。扁平表真正的價值在**搜尋與篩選**（`BENCHMARK-SCALE.md` 結論 1、2）。
+
+## 決策（使用者 2026-09-26）
+
+1. **HP / WC 站採「搜尋索引模式」**：原生 meta 是唯一真實資料來源，扁平表是它的搜尋索引。模式最高到 `shadow_read`；`aeav_only` 與 cleanup 由 Promotion Guard 擋下。
+2. **移除 WC 扁平化**（Release 2.2：core 的 `post/wc_product` 群組、WC AddOn 的 user `hot` 群組與 hot-zone 欄位）。
+3. **既有 aeav_only 站（dev20 / 21 / 22）先唯讀盤點**，處置由使用者決定（`notes/ops-aeav-sites-audit-2026-09-26.md`）。
+4. **分兩版**：2.1 = 止血 + 資料正確性 + Router 與 HP 排序；2.2 = 範圍收斂 + 漂移偵測 + CLI 與診斷。
+
+## 設計（Release 2.1）
+
+### 寫入：扁平表跟隨原生
+
+- **dual_write / shadow_read** 下，pre-filter（`update_/add_/delete_{type}_metadata`）只做路由判斷後回 `null`，讓 WordPress 自己寫原生。
+- 扁平表在 `added_ / updated_ / deleted_{type}_meta` action（priority 1）裡**從原生重新同步**：直接 SQL 讀原生第一筆 row（`ORDER BY meta_id LIMIT 1`，不經 filter），扁平值 = `to_db( maybe_unserialize( v ) )`，原生沒有 row 時設為 NULL（`TMDO_Hook_Bus::sync_from_native()`）。
+- `delete_metadata( …, $delete_all )`：`deleted_` action 拿到的 object id 是 0，所以在 `delete_{type}_meta` 先記下 object ids。
+- `update_metadata_by_mid()` 改 key：新舊兩個 key 都重新同步。
+- 原生沒有值時只把既有列的欄位設為 NULL，**不新增列**：刪除實體時 adapter 先刪扁平列，WordPress 才逐筆刪 meta。
+- **aeav_only** 保留原本的 pre-filter short-circuit（非 HP / WC 站仍可使用）。
+
+### 讀取：shadow_read = 讀原生、抽樣比對扁平
+
+`intercept_get` 在 shadow_read 回 `$check`（讓 WordPress 讀原生），並以 `tmdo_shadow_compare_sample_rate`（預設 0.1）抽樣比對扁平值、記錄差異。查詢加速不受影響，因為 Router 仍由 `reads_from_flat()`（shadow_read 以上）控制。
+
+### Promotion Guard
+
+`TMDO_Promotion_Guard`，由 `TMDO_Mode_Manager::set()`、`TMDO_Post_Migration::cleanup()` 與 `TMDO_Phase_Cleanup::execute()` 呼叫：
+
+- HivePress 啟用時，post / user / term / comment 不得升到 aeav_only 或執行 cleanup；WooCommerce 啟用時，post / user 不得。
+- 回傳 `WP_Error( 'promotion_guarded' )`；特殊情況用 filter `tmdo_promotion_guard_allow` 放行。
+- 已經在 aeav_only 的站**讀取時不強制降級**（降級會讀到空的原生），只在後台顯示 notice。處置用 `wp tmdo bridge-restore-native <entity> --demote`。
+
+### 回寫原生（bridge-restore-native）
+
+依模式決定策略：aeav_only 預設 `overwrite`（寫入只到扁平表、原生已過期），其他模式預設 `only_missing`（原生可能較新，例如 WC 直接 SQL 寫庫存）。相同的值不重寫；扁平值等於欄位 default 且原生沒有 row 時不寫（不捏造預設值）。
+
+### 序列化值
+
+`text` / `textarea` 遇到陣列或物件時 `maybe_serialize()`，讀出時 `TMDO_Safe_Unserialize`；`text`（VARCHAR(255)）超長存 NULL 並記 `text_overflow`。既有的 `"Array"` 由 `wp tmdo repair-array-literals` 從原生修復。
+
+### Router：只在語意與原生相同時路由
+
+`TMDO_Post_Query_Router`（`pre_get_posts` priority 1000，排在外掛於預設 priority 加的條件之後）：
+
+- **全有或全無**：任何一個已註冊 key 的 clause 不能路由，整個查詢交回 WordPress。不能路由的情況：
+  - top-level OR
+  - 含已註冊 key 的巢狀 group（排序形狀除外）
+  - 多個 post type
+  - 白名單以外的 compare
+  - type 與欄位語意不同：無 type（CHAR）的數值範圍比較、decimal 欄位的 CHAR 比較、text 欄位用 NUMERIC
+- **LIKE** 包成 `%esc_like%`。
+- **每個 group 各自 LEFT JOIN**；扁平表一文章一列（UNIQUE `post_id`），不加 GROUP BY。
+- 狀態 / 日期副本路由遇到 NOT EXISTS 時停用：INNER JOIN 會漏掉沒有扁平列的文章。
+- **排序**（`wpdo_post_sort`）：
+  - **HivePress `_sort` 形狀**：OR 裡剛好是同 key、同 type 的 NOT EXISTS + EXISTS，其中一個具名，並且是唯一的 orderby。這個 group 從 meta_query 移除，改成 LEFT JOIN 扁平表並 `ORDER BY col, ID DESC`；ASC 時 NULL 排最前，與原生相同。
+  - **具名 clause** 作為唯一的 orderby。
+  - **`meta_key` + `meta_value_num`**（字串欄位用 `meta_value`），加上 `col IS NOT NULL`（原生是 INNER JOIN）。
+  - 欄位排序不等於 `CAST( meta_value AS type )` 時退回原生。
+- **flat-first**：依扁平欄位排序、且 routed 條件已要求扁平列存在（同一 group、非 NOT EXISTS）、沒有 `post__in` / `author` 等高選擇性條件時，改寫成 `SELECT STRAIGHT_JOIN … FROM flat INNER JOIN wp_posts`，ORDER BY 的 `wp_posts.ID` 改讀等值的 `post_id`，排序只在一張表完成。依日期排序的搜尋不套用（由 posts 驅動較快）。filter `tmdo_router_flat_first` 可關閉。
+- **維持 WordPress 的 split query**：`posts_request` 移除 `SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS`（總數改由快取的 COUNT 回答）會讓 WordPress 以為 request 被改過而撈整列。`split_the_query` 對 routed 查詢恢復 ID-first，`posts_request_ids` 再移除一次 `SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS`。
+
+HivePress AddOn 0.2.0 在 post router 啟用時不再綁定舊的 hot-zone `optimize_query` / `optimize_search`。
+
+## 後果
+
+**好處**
+
+- 資料正確性回到 WordPress 原生語意：HP / WC 的空 key 讀取、直接 SQL 寫入都不再造成資料不一致或遺失。
+- 查詢加速保留，而且擴及 HivePress 前台的篩選與排序（實測見 `BENCHMARK-SCALE.md`「前台與寫入鏈實測」）。
+- 任何時候都可以降回 disabled，原生資料完整。
+
+**代價與限制**
+
+- **寫入開銷**：dual_write / shadow_read 每次 meta 寫入多一次原生讀取與一次扁平寫入。dev36 實測 HP listing 整條寫入鏈 +29%、WC product +127%（後者在 2.2 移除 WC 扁平化後消失）。
+- **沒有讀取加速**：帶 key 的單筆讀取仍走原生（WordPress meta cache）。
+- **漂移**：繞過 meta API 的寫入（直接 SQL、Hook Bus 關閉期間的匯入）會讓扁平表過期，Router 會回傳過期的篩選結果。2.2 的 `drift-check` 與重新啟用時的增量 backfill（E01 / E02）處理；在那之前，大量匯入後要重新 backfill。
+- **decimal 欄位搭配 NUMERIC / DECIMAL**：原生先 CAST 成整數（`DECIMAL` 預設 (10,0)），扁平表精確比較，因此帶小數的值在區間邊界上可能不同。dev36 資料沒有這種值。
+- **text 欄位超過 255 字元**存 NULL，這類值的篩選結果會與原生不同（有 `text_overflow` 記錄）。
+- HivePress 搜尋 p50 為 321–866 ms（原生 600–1,713 ms），尚未達到 R-2.1 的 300 ms 目標（驗收：`notes/tmdo-acceptance-2.1-2026-09-26.md`）。價格篩選頁的 SQL 只剩約 75 ms、其餘為頁面渲染；純排序（如 `rating__desc`）必須 LEFT JOIN 保留沒有值的文章，無法 flat-first。
+
+## 不在範圍內
+
+- aeav_only 的空 key 讀取合併（B02）：HP / WC 站不再使用 aeav_only，是否實作依其他站需求決定。
+- Hot zone 的移除（ADR-003 的後續步驟）。

includes/class-tmdo-cache-layer.php

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class TMDO_Cache_Layer {
 		}
 
 		$cold_keys = TMDO_Schema_Registry::instance()->get_cold_meta_keys( $post_type );
-		if ( empty( $cold_keys ) ) {
+		if ( empty( $cold_keys ) || ! self::cold_active( $post_type ) ) {
 			return;
 		}
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class TMDO_Cache_Layer {
 	 */
 	public static function warm_post( int $post_id, string $post_type ): void {
 		$cold_keys = TMDO_Schema_Registry::instance()->get_cold_meta_keys( $post_type );
-		if ( empty( $cold_keys ) ) {
+		if ( empty( $cold_keys ) || ! self::cold_active( $post_type ) ) {
 			return;
 		}
 
@@ -120,6 +120,19 @@ class TMDO_Cache_Layer {
 		TMDO_Zone_Cold::get_blob( $post_id, $post_type );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Whether the cold zone holds data for this post type: its module writes
+	 * to the cold table and the table exists. Registered cold fields alone do
+	 * not mean either (zero side effect while the module is idle).
+	 *
+	 * @param string $post_type Post type.
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	private static function cold_active( string $post_type ): bool {
+		return TMDO_Feature_Flags::is_write_active( TMDO_Zone_Router::module_name( 'cold', $post_type ) )
+			&& TMDO_Schema_Manager::table_exists( TMDO_Zone_Cold::table( $post_type ) );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Flush all cold cache for a post type.
 	 *

includes/class-tmdo-rest-api.php

@@ -1396,8 +1396,13 @@ class TMDO_REST_API {
 	): WP_REST_Response {
 		global $wpdb;
 
+		// Filters and ordering only on public columns: hidden values must not be
+		// inferable by filtering or sorting on them.
 		$table   = TMDO_Zone_Hot::table( $post_type );
-		$columns = TMDO_Schema_Registry::instance()->get_hot_columns( $post_type );
+		$columns = array_intersect_key(
+			TMDO_Schema_Registry::instance()->get_hot_columns( $post_type ),
+			array_flip( TMDO_Schema_Registry::instance()->get_rest_visible_hot_columns( $post_type ) )
+		);
 
 		// Build WHERE clauses from numeric filter params.
 		$where  = array();
@@ -1443,8 +1448,8 @@ class TMDO_REST_API {
 					'post_type' => $post_type,
 				);
 				unset( $row['post_id'], $row['updated_at'] );
-				// Keep only columns with show_in_rest => true (or all if no registry entry).
-				$row = $visible_cols ? array_intersect_key( $row, $visible_cols ) : $row;
+				// Keep only public columns (none when nothing is declared public).
+				$row = array_intersect_key( $row, $visible_cols );
 				return array_merge( $item, $row );
 			},
 			$rows

includes/class-tmdo-schema-registry.php

@@ -103,7 +103,9 @@ class TMDO_Schema_Registry {
 	 *   - ttl        (int)    TTL in seconds (Zone B only, null = no expiry).
 	 *   - cache_group (string) Object cache group (Zone C only).
 	 *   - cache_ttl   (int)   Cache TTL in seconds (Zone C only).
-	 *   - show_in_rest (bool) Whether to expose via GET /wpdo/v1/listings. Default true.
+	 *   - show_in_rest (bool) Whether to expose via the public GET /wpdo/v1/listings
+	 *                         endpoints. Default false; protected (underscore) keys and
+	 *                         credential-like keys are never exposed (see rest_exposable()).
 	 */
 	public function register( string $provider, array $config ): void {
 		$config = wp_parse_args(
@@ -120,7 +122,7 @@ class TMDO_Schema_Registry {
 				'cache_group'  => '',
 				'cache_ttl'    => HOUR_IN_SECONDS,
 				'provider'     => $provider,
-				'show_in_rest' => true,
+				'show_in_rest' => false,
 			)
 		);
 
@@ -276,6 +278,22 @@ class TMDO_Schema_Registry {
 		return array_unique( $this->cold_fields[ $post_type ] ?? array() );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Whether a field may appear in the public listings endpoints: declared
+	 * show_in_rest, not a protected meta key (leading underscore — WordPress
+	 * hides those from public output, e.g. _purchase_note), and not named like a
+	 * credential (tokens, secrets, passwords, API keys), whatever it declares.
+	 *
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $field Registered field.
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	private static function rest_exposable( array $field ): bool {
+		$key = (string) ( $field['meta_key'] ?? '' );
+		return ! empty( $field['show_in_rest'] )
+			&& 0 !== strpos( $key, '_' )
+			&& 1 !== preg_match( '/token|secret|passw|api_?key|private_?key|credential|salt|nonce/i', $key . ' ' . ( $field['column'] ?? '' ) );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns hot column names for a post type where show_in_rest is true.
 	 * Used by REST endpoints to restrict publicly exposed fields.
@@ -286,7 +304,7 @@ class TMDO_Schema_Registry {
 	public function get_rest_visible_hot_columns( string $post_type ): array {
 		$visible = array();
 		foreach ( $this->fields as $field ) {
-			if ( 'hot' === $field['zone'] && $field['post_type'] === $post_type && ! empty( $field['show_in_rest'] ) ) {
+			if ( 'hot' === $field['zone'] && $field['post_type'] === $post_type && self::rest_exposable( $field ) ) {
 				$visible[] = $field['column'];
 			}
 		}
@@ -303,7 +321,7 @@ class TMDO_Schema_Registry {
 	public function get_rest_visible_cold_keys( string $post_type ): array {
 		$visible = array();
 		foreach ( $this->fields as $field ) {
-			if ( 'cold' === $field['zone'] && $field['post_type'] === $post_type && ! empty( $field['show_in_rest'] ) ) {
+			if ( 'cold' === $field['zone'] && $field['post_type'] === $post_type && self::rest_exposable( $field ) ) {
 				$visible[] = $field['meta_key'];
 			}
 		}

includes/engine/class-tmdo-hook-bus.php

@@ -44,6 +44,15 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 		// ── 刪除攔截 ──────────────────────────────────────────
 		add_filter( "delete_{$type}_metadata", array( self::class, 'intercept_delete' ), 10, 5 );
 
+		// ── dual_write / shadow_read：原生寫入完成後，flat 從原生同步 ──
+		// Native is the source of truth in these modes; flat follows what
+		// native actually became (WP may skip or refuse a write).
+		add_action( "added_{$type}_meta", array( self::class, 'on_meta_added' ), 1, 4 );
+		add_action( "updated_{$type}_meta", array( self::class, 'on_meta_updated' ), 1, 4 );
+		add_action( "delete_{$type}_meta", array( self::class, 'before_meta_deleted' ), 1, 4 );
+		add_action( "deleted_{$type}_meta", array( self::class, 'on_meta_deleted' ), 1, 4 );
+		add_filter( "update_{$type}_metadata_by_mid", array( self::class, 'before_update_by_mid' ), 1, 4 );
+
 		// ── 實體刪除時自動清理 ───────────────────────────────
 		add_action(
 			$adapter->get_delete_hook(),
@@ -70,13 +79,13 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 	 */
 	public static function intercept_update( $check, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value ) {
 
-		// 已在短路中 → 避免遞迴
-		if ( ! empty( self::$internal_ops[ $object_id . ':' . $meta_key ] ) ) {
+		$type = self::resolve_type_from_current_filter();
+		if ( ! $type ) {
 			return $check;
 		}
 
-		$type = self::resolve_type_from_current_filter();
-		if ( ! $type ) {
+		// 已在短路中 → 避免遞迴
+		if ( ! empty( self::$internal_ops[ $type . ':' . $object_id . ':' . $meta_key ] ) ) {
 			return $check;
 		}
 
@@ -86,10 +95,10 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 		}
 
 		// ── Mode-aware dispatch ──────────────────────────────
-		// disabled  : 完全放行給 WP 原生 meta(回 null / $check)
-		// dual_write: 寫 flat,然後 return null 讓 WP 繼續寫 EAV
-		// shadow_read: 寫 flat,然後 return null 讓 WP 繼續寫 EAV
-		// aeav_only : 寫 flat,return true 短路 WP(不寫 EAV)
+		// disabled   : 完全放行給 WP 原生 meta(回 null / $check)
+		// dual_write : 放行 WP 寫 EAV;updated_/added_ action 再從原生同步 flat
+		// shadow_read: 同 dual_write
+		// aeav_only  : 寫 flat,return true 短路 WP(不寫 EAV)
 		if ( ! TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_flat( $type ) ) {
 			return $check;  // disabled
 		}
@@ -105,6 +114,13 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 			return true;
 		}
 
+		// dual_write / shadow_read: native first. Writing flat here, before WP
+		// decides whether native changes at all (same value, non-matching
+		// prev_value), let flat drift; sync_from_native() runs after the write.
+		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_eav( $type ) ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
 		// 截取 before value(v1.3.1):audit_logger 等訂閱者需要變更前的值。
 		// v1.3.2:透過 filter `wpdo_capture_before_value` 可關閉以省一次 DB read。
 		$before_value = self::maybe_read_before_value( $type, (int) $object_id, $meta_key, $field_def, 'update' );
@@ -113,23 +129,18 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 
 		do_action( 'wpdo_after_write', $type, (int) $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $flat_result, 'update', $before_value );
 
-		// 若 mode 也要寫 EAV → return null 讓 WP 繼續
-		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_eav( $type ) ) {
-			return null;  // dual_write / shadow_read
-		}
-
 		return $flat_result;  // aeav_only
 	}
 
 	public static function intercept_add( $check, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $unique ) {
 
-		// 已在短路中 → 避免遞迴
-		if ( ! empty( self::$internal_ops[ $object_id . ':' . $meta_key ] ) ) {
+		$type = self::resolve_type_from_current_filter();
+		if ( ! $type ) {
 			return $check;
 		}
 
-		$type = self::resolve_type_from_current_filter();
-		if ( ! $type ) {
+		// 已在短路中 → 避免遞迴
+		if ( ! empty( self::$internal_ops[ $type . ':' . $object_id . ':' . $meta_key ] ) ) {
 			return $check;
 		}
 
@@ -150,6 +161,12 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 			return true;
 		}
 
+		// dual_write / shadow_read: native first (add($unique) may be refused);
+		// sync_from_native() runs on added_{type}_meta.
+		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_eav( $type ) ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
 		// UAE 的設計:每個 entity 只有 1 row,所以 add 與 update 等效(Upsert)。
 		// 截取 before value(v1.3.1):add 情境下多半為 null,但若 row 已存在而 user 呼叫 add 也能抓到舊值。
 		$before_value = self::maybe_read_before_value( $type, (int) $object_id, $meta_key, $field_def, 'add' );
@@ -158,11 +175,228 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 
 		do_action( 'wpdo_after_write', $type, (int) $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $flat_result, 'add', $before_value );
 
-		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_eav( $type ) ) {
-			return null;
+		return $flat_result;
+	}
+
+	// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+	// dual_write / shadow_read：原生寫入後同步 flat
+	// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	/**
+	 * Entity IDs whose native rows a pending delete removes, keyed "type:key".
+	 *
+	 * @var array<string, int[]>
+	 */
+	private static array $pending_deletes = array();
+
+	/**
+	 * Old keys of rows renamed through update_metadata_by_mid, keyed by meta ID.
+	 *
+	 * @var array<string, array{type:string, id:int, key:string}>
+	 */
+	private static array $pending_renames = array();
+
+	/**
+	 * Copy the entity's current native value for a key into its flat column
+	 * (NULL when native has no row). Runs in dual_write / shadow_read only,
+	 * after WP wrote native, so flat always ends up equal to native — also
+	 * when WP skipped or refused the write, and when an earlier direct SQL
+	 * write had left flat stale. A NULL never creates a row: deleting an
+	 * entity drops its flat row before WP deletes the meta rows one by one.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $type       Entity type.
+	 * @param int    $object_id  Entity ID.
+	 * @param string $meta_key   Meta key.
+	 * @param mixed  $meta_value Value the caller wrote (for listeners).
+	 * @param string $op         'add' | 'update' | 'delete'.
+	 * @param bool   $delete_all Whether the delete was a delete_all.
+	 * @return void
+	 */
+	public static function sync_from_native( string $type, int $object_id, string $meta_key, $meta_value, string $op, bool $delete_all = false ): void {
+		if ( ! TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_flat( $type ) || ! TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_eav( $type ) ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		$field_def = self::field_for( $type, $object_id, $meta_key );
+		if ( ! $field_def || 'flat' !== self::decide_route( $op, $type, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value ) ) {
+			return;
 		}
 
-		return $flat_result;
+		$before = self::maybe_read_before_value( $type, $object_id, $meta_key, $field_def, $op );
+		$native = self::native_first_value( $type, $object_id, $meta_key );
+		$result = null === $native
+			? self::clear_column( $type, $object_id, $meta_key, $field_def )
+			: self::perform_upsert( $type, $object_id, $meta_key, maybe_unserialize( $native ), $field_def );
+
+		if ( 'delete' === $op ) {
+			do_action( 'wpdo_after_delete', $type, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $result, $delete_all, $before );
+		} else {
+			do_action( 'wpdo_after_write', $type, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $result, $op, $before );
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * `added_{type}_meta` action.
+	 *
+	 * @param int    $meta_id    Meta ID.
+	 * @param int    $object_id  Entity ID.
+	 * @param string $meta_key   Meta key.
+	 * @param mixed  $meta_value Meta value.
+	 */
+	public static function on_meta_added( $meta_id, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value ): void {
+		$type = self::resolve_type_from_meta_hook();
+		if ( $type ) {
+			self::sync_from_native( $type, (int) $object_id, (string) $meta_key, $meta_value, 'add' );
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * `updated_{type}_meta` action; also re-syncs the old key of a row renamed
+	 * through update_metadata_by_mid.
+	 *
+	 * @param int    $meta_id    Meta ID.
+	 * @param int    $object_id  Entity ID.
+	 * @param string $meta_key   Meta key.
+	 * @param mixed  $meta_value Meta value.
+	 */
+	public static function on_meta_updated( $meta_id, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value ): void {
+		$type = self::resolve_type_from_meta_hook();
+		if ( ! $type ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		self::sync_from_native( $type, (int) $object_id, (string) $meta_key, $meta_value, 'update' );
+
+		$rename_key = $type . ':' . (int) $meta_id;
+		if ( isset( self::$pending_renames[ $rename_key ] ) ) {
+			$old = self::$pending_renames[ $rename_key ];
+			unset( self::$pending_renames[ $rename_key ] );
+			self::sync_from_native( $type, $old['id'], $old['key'], null, 'delete' );
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * `update_{type}_metadata_by_mid` filter: remember the old key when a row
+	 * is renamed, so its flat column can follow. Never changes $check.
+	 *
+	 * @param mixed        $check      Short-circuit value.
+	 * @param int          $meta_id    Meta ID.
+	 * @param mixed        $meta_value New value.
+	 * @param string|false $meta_key   New key, or false to keep it.
+	 * @return mixed
+	 */
+	public static function before_update_by_mid( $check, $meta_id, $meta_value, $meta_key ) {
+		$type = self::resolve_type_from_meta_hook();
+		if ( ! $type || false === $meta_key ) {
+			return $check;
+		}
+		$row = self::native_row_by_mid( $type, (int) $meta_id );
+		if ( $row && $row['key'] !== $meta_key && TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_field( $type, $row['key'] ) ) {
+			self::$pending_renames[ $type . ':' . (int) $meta_id ] = array(
+				'type' => $type,
+				'id'   => $row['id'],
+				'key'  => $row['key'],
+			);
+		}
+		return $check;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * `delete_{type}_meta` action (rows still exist): record which entities a
+	 * delete touches — a delete_all passes object ID 0.
+	 *
+	 * @param int[]  $meta_ids   Meta IDs to delete.
+	 * @param int    $object_id  Entity ID (0 for delete_all).
+	 * @param string $meta_key   Meta key.
+	 * @param mixed  $meta_value Meta value.
+	 */
+	public static function before_meta_deleted( $meta_ids, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value ): void {
+		$type = self::resolve_type_from_meta_hook();
+		if ( ! $type || ! TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_field( $type, (string) $meta_key ) || ! TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_eav( $type ) ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		$ids = array();
+		foreach ( (array) $meta_ids as $mid ) {
+			$row = self::native_row_by_mid( $type, (int) $mid );
+			if ( $row ) {
+				$ids[ $row['id'] ] = $row['id'];
+			}
+		}
+		self::$pending_deletes[ $type . ':' . $meta_key ] = array_values( $ids );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * `deleted_{type}_meta` action: re-sync every entity the delete touched.
+	 *
+	 * @param int[]  $meta_ids   Deleted meta IDs.
+	 * @param int    $object_id  Entity ID (0 for delete_all).
+	 * @param string $meta_key   Meta key.
+	 * @param mixed  $meta_value Meta value.
+	 */
+	public static function on_meta_deleted( $meta_ids, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value ): void {
+		$type = self::resolve_type_from_meta_hook();
+		if ( ! $type ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		$pending_key = $type . ':' . $meta_key;
+		$ids         = self::$pending_deletes[ $pending_key ] ?? array( (int) $object_id );
+		unset( self::$pending_deletes[ $pending_key ] );
+
+		foreach ( $ids as $id ) {
+			if ( $id > 0 ) {
+				self::sync_from_native( $type, (int) $id, (string) $meta_key, $meta_value, 'delete', 0 === (int) $object_id );
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * First native value of a key (the one get_*_meta( $id, $key, true ) returns),
+	 * read with SQL so no meta filter runs. Null when the entity has no row.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $type      Entity type.
+	 * @param int    $object_id Entity ID.
+	 * @param string $meta_key  Meta key.
+	 * @return string|null
+	 */
+	private static function native_first_value( string $type, int $object_id, string $meta_key ): ?string {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$adapter = TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_adapter( $type );
+		if ( ! $adapter ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		$table  = $adapter->get_native_meta_table();
+		$id_col = $adapter->get_entity_id_column();
+		$pk     = 'user' === $type ? 'umeta_id' : 'meta_id';
+		// get_results(): get_var() turns an empty string into null.
+		$rows = $wpdb->get_results(
+			$wpdb->prepare( "SELECT meta_value FROM `{$table}` WHERE `{$id_col}` = %d AND meta_key = %s ORDER BY `{$pk}` LIMIT 1", $object_id, $meta_key ),
+			ARRAY_A
+		);
+		return $rows ? (string) $rows[0]['meta_value'] : null;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Entity ID and key of a native meta row.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $type    Entity type.
+	 * @param int    $meta_id Meta ID.
+	 * @return array{id:int, key:string}|null
+	 */
+	private static function native_row_by_mid( string $type, int $meta_id ): ?array {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$adapter = TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_adapter( $type );
+		if ( ! $adapter ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		$table  = $adapter->get_native_meta_table();
+		$id_col = $adapter->get_entity_id_column();
+		$pk     = 'user' === $type ? 'umeta_id' : 'meta_id';
+		$row    = $wpdb->get_row( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT `{$id_col}` AS id, meta_key AS mkey FROM `{$table}` WHERE `{$pk}` = %d", $meta_id ), ARRAY_A );
+		if ( ! $row ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		return array(
+			'id'  => (int) $row['id'],
+			'key' => (string) $row['mkey'],
+		);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -291,6 +525,34 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 		return 'flat';
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Set a flat column to NULL on the entity's existing row; never insert one.
+	 *
+	 * @param string               $type      Entity type.
+	 * @param int                  $entity_id Entity ID.
+	 * @param string               $meta_key  Meta key.
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $field_def Registered field.
+	 * @return bool|null Null when there is no adapter or table.
+	 */
+	private static function clear_column( string $type, int $entity_id, string $meta_key, array $field_def ): ?bool {
+		global $wpdb;
+
+		$adapter = TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_adapter( $type );
+		$table   = TMDO_Schema_Manager::get_table_name( $type, $field_def['group'] );
+		if ( ! $adapter || ! TMDO_Schema_Manager::table_exists( $table ) ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		$col = TMDO_Schema_Manager::sanitize_column_name( $meta_key );
+		// phpcs:ignore WordPress.DB.DirectDatabaseQuery.DirectQuery,WordPress.DB.DirectDatabaseQuery.NoCaching
+		$result = $wpdb->update( $table, array( $col => null ), array( $adapter->get_entity_id_column() => $entity_id ) );
+
+		TMDO_Cache_Orchestrator::invalidate( $type, $entity_id, $field_def['group'] );
+		self::touch_posts_last_changed( $type );
+
+		return false !== $result;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * 執行 Upsert 操作
 	 */
@@ -322,8 +584,8 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 		$db_value = TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $meta_value, $field_def );
 		$format   = TMDO_Type_Caster::get_wpdb_format( $field_def['type'] );
 
-		// 鎖防遞迴
-		$lock_key                        = $entity_id . ':' . $meta_key;
+		// 鎖防遞迴（含 entity type：user 5 與 post 5 不可互鎖）
+		$lock_key                        = $type . ':' . $entity_id . ':' . $meta_key;
 		self::$internal_ops[ $lock_key ] = true;
 
 		try {
@@ -388,12 +650,20 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 		// ── Mode-aware dispatch ──────────────────────────────
 		// disabled    : 完全不攔截,回傳 $check 讓 WP 走原生 EAV
 		// dual_write  : 讀取仍走 EAV(flat 可能還沒有資料),回傳 $check
-		// shadow_read : 讀取走 UAE flat,同時與 EAV 比對記錄 diff
+		// shadow_read : 讀取仍走 EAV,抽樣與 flat 比對記錄 diff
 		// aeav_only   : 讀取走 UAE flat,不讀 EAV
 		if ( ! TMDO_Mode_Manager::reads_from_flat( $type ) ) {
 			return $check;  // disabled / dual_write
 		}
 
+		// shadow_read serves native: update_metadata() reads the old value
+		// through this filter, and serving the just-upserted flat value made
+		// WP see old === new and skip the native write (dev36, 2026-09-26).
+		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::does_shadow_compare( $type ) ) {
+			self::maybe_shadow_compare( $type, (int) $object_id, $meta_key, $field_def );
+			return $check;
+		}
+
 		$group = $field_def['group'];
 		$row   = self::get_or_load_row( $type, (int) $object_id, $group );
 
@@ -401,22 +671,6 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 		$has_value = is_array( $row ) && array_key_exists( $col, $row );
 		$value     = $has_value ? TMDO_Type_Caster::from_db( $row[ $col ], $field_def ) : null;
 
-		// Shadow-read:與 EAV 比對,記錄差異
-		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::does_shadow_compare( $type ) ) {
-			try {
-				TMDO_Shadow_Diff_Logger::compare_and_log(
-					$type,
-					(int) $object_id,
-					$meta_key,
-					$value,
-					$field_def
-				);
-			} catch ( \Throwable $e ) {
-				// 比對失敗不該影響讀取
-				TMDO_Logger::error( 'entity_bridge', 'shadow_compare_exception', $e->getMessage() );
-			}
-		}
-
 		// 值為空 → 回 WP 原生慣例
 		if ( empty( $row ) || $value === null || $value === '' ) {
 			return $single ? '' : array();
@@ -426,6 +680,36 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 		return $single ? array( $value ) : array( $value );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * shadow_read: compare the flat value with native meta for a sample of reads.
+	 *
+	 * Each compare costs a flat row read and a native SQL read, so only a share
+	 * of reads is checked (filter `tmdo_shadow_compare_sample_rate`, 0..1,
+	 * default 0.1). The logger rate-limits repeated diffs itself.
+	 *
+	 * @param string               $type      Entity type.
+	 * @param int                  $object_id Entity ID.
+	 * @param string               $meta_key  Meta key.
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $field_def Field definition.
+	 */
+	private static function maybe_shadow_compare( string $type, int $object_id, string $meta_key, array $field_def ): void {
+		$rate = (float) apply_filters( 'tmdo_shadow_compare_sample_rate', 0.1, $type, $meta_key );
+		if ( $rate <= 0 || ( $rate < 1 && wp_rand( 1, 1000 ) > $rate * 1000 ) ) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		$row   = self::get_or_load_row( $type, $object_id, $field_def['group'] );
+		$col   = TMDO_Schema_Manager::sanitize_column_name( $meta_key );
+		$value = array_key_exists( $col, $row ) ? TMDO_Type_Caster::from_db( $row[ $col ], $field_def ) : null;
+
+		try {
+			TMDO_Shadow_Diff_Logger::compare_and_log( $type, $object_id, $meta_key, $value, $field_def );
+		} catch ( \Throwable $e ) {
+			// 比對失敗不該影響讀取
+			TMDO_Logger::error( 'entity_bridge', 'shadow_compare_exception', $e->getMessage() );
+		}
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * 取得（或載入）完整列資料，並快取
 	 */
@@ -495,6 +779,12 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 			return true;
 		}
 
+		// dual_write / shadow_read: WP deletes native (also delete_all);
+		// deleted_{type}_meta re-syncs every touched entity from native.
+		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_eav( $type ) ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
 		// 截取 before value(v1.3.1)
 		$before_value = self::maybe_read_before_value( $type, (int) $object_id, $meta_key, $field_def, 'delete' );
 
@@ -579,12 +869,7 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 
 		do_action( 'wpdo_after_delete', $type, (int) $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $result, (bool) $delete_all, $before_value );
 
-		// 若還要寫 EAV → return null 讓 WP 繼續刪除原生 meta
-		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::writes_to_eav( $type ) ) {
-			return null;
-		}
-
-		return $result !== false;
+		return $result !== false;  // aeav_only
 	}
 
 	// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -644,6 +929,17 @@ final class TMDO_Hook_Bus {
 		return null;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Entity type from the meta action / by-mid filter being run
+	 * (added_user_meta, deleted_post_meta, update_term_metadata_by_mid, …).
+	 */
+	private static function resolve_type_from_meta_hook(): ?string {
+		if ( preg_match( '/^(?:(?:added|updated|delete|deleted)_(post|user|term|comment)_meta|update_(post|user|term|comment)_metadata_by_mid)$/', current_filter(), $matches ) ) {
+			return '' !== $matches[1] ? $matches[1] : $matches[2];
+		}
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * 欄位定義查詢；post meta 依該 post 本身的 post_type 解析（見 TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_field()）。
 	 *

includes/engine/class-tmdo-mode-manager.php

@@ -140,6 +140,11 @@ final class TMDO_Mode_Manager {
 			);
 		}
 
+		$guarded = TMDO_Promotion_Guard::check_promotion( $entity_type, $new_mode );
+		if ( $guarded ) {
+			return $guarded;
+		}
+
 		$all                 = self::all();
 		$all[ $entity_type ] = $new_mode;
 

includes/engine/class-tmdo-promotion-guard.php

@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * TMDO_Promotion_Guard — keeps native meta authoritative on HivePress /
+ * WooCommerce sites (ADR-004 "search-index mode").
+ *
+ * Both plugins read native meta without going through a keyed
+ * get_*_meta() call: HivePress models load every key with get_*_meta( $id ),
+ * WooCommerce does the same for products and writes stock / sales with direct
+ * SQL. The Hook Bus cannot serve those reads from flat tables, so on these
+ * sites an entity must never reach aeav_only and native rows must never be
+ * cleaned up. Demotion always stays open.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
+	exit;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Refuses aeav_only promotion and native-meta cleanup where an integration
+ * reads native meta directly.
+ */
+final class TMDO_Promotion_Guard {
+
+	/**
+	 * Entity types each integration reads natively.
+	 *
+	 * HivePress models (Post, User, Term, Comment) all load meta with an empty
+	 * key; WooCommerce does so for products and customers.
+	 */
+	private const GUARDED = array(
+		'HivePress'   => array( 'post', 'user', 'term', 'comment' ),
+		'WooCommerce' => array( 'post', 'user' ),
+	);
+
+	/**
+	 * Check a mode change. Only promotion to aeav_only is guarded.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $entity_type Entity type.
+	 * @param string $new_mode    Target mode.
+	 * @return WP_Error|null Error when refused.
+	 */
+	public static function check_promotion( string $entity_type, string $new_mode ): ?WP_Error {
+		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::MODE_AEAV_ONLY !== $new_mode ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		return self::refuse( $entity_type, TMDO_Mode_Manager::MODE_AEAV_ONLY );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Check a cleanup of the entity's native managed meta rows.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $entity_type Entity type.
+	 * @return WP_Error|null Error when refused.
+	 */
+	public static function check_cleanup( string $entity_type ): ?WP_Error {
+		return self::refuse( $entity_type, 'cleanup' );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Guarded entity types that are already in aeav_only (promoted before the
+	 * guard existed). Native meta may be stale there.
+	 *
+	 * @return array<string, string[]> Entity type → integration names.
+	 */
+	public static function violations(): array {
+		$out = array();
+		foreach ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::all() as $type => $mode ) {
+			if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::MODE_AEAV_ONLY !== $mode ) {
+				continue;
+			}
+			$integrations = self::integrations_for( $type );
+			if ( ! empty( $integrations ) ) {
+				$out[ $type ] = $integrations;
+			}
+		}
+		return $out;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Active integrations that read this entity type natively.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $entity_type Entity type.
+	 * @return string[]
+	 */
+	private static function integrations_for( string $entity_type ): array {
+		$active = array(
+			'HivePress'   => TMDO_Compatibility::is_hivepress_active(),
+			'WooCommerce' => TMDO_Compatibility::is_woocommerce_active(),
+		);
+
+		$names = array();
+		foreach ( self::GUARDED as $name => $types ) {
+			if ( $active[ $name ] && in_array( $entity_type, $types, true ) ) {
+				$names[] = $name;
+			}
+		}
+		return $names;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Build the refusal, unless no integration applies or a filter allows it.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $entity_type Entity type.
+	 * @param string $action      'aeav_only' or 'cleanup'.
+	 * @return WP_Error|null
+	 */
+	private static function refuse( string $entity_type, string $action ): ?WP_Error {
+		$integrations = self::integrations_for( $entity_type );
+		if ( empty( $integrations ) ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		/**
+		 * Allow a guarded aeav_only promotion or cleanup anyway.
+		 *
+		 * @param bool     $allow        Default false.
+		 * @param string   $entity_type  Entity type.
+		 * @param string   $action       'aeav_only' or 'cleanup'.
+		 * @param string[] $integrations Integrations that read this entity natively.
+		 */
+		if ( apply_filters( 'tmdo_promotion_guard_allow', false, $entity_type, $action, $integrations ) ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		return new WP_Error(
+			'promotion_guarded',
+			sprintf(
+				/* translators: 1: integration names, 2: entity type, 3: aeav_only or cleanup */
+				__( '%1$s 直接讀取原生 meta，%2$s 不能執行 %3$s：這類站台以原生 meta 為唯一資料來源（搜尋索引模式）。', '2meet-data-optimizer' ),
+				implode( ' / ', $integrations ),
+				$entity_type,
+				$action
+			)
+		);
+	}
+}

includes/engine/class-tmdo-type-caster.php

@@ -70,10 +70,12 @@ final class TMDO_Type_Caster {
 				return $value;
 
 			case 'text':
-				return (string) $value;
+				return self::fit_text( is_scalar( $value ) ? (string) $value : maybe_serialize( $value ), $field_def );
 
 			case 'textarea':
-				return (string) $value;
+				// Arrays / objects are serialized like WP stores them in native meta;
+				// (string) would store the literal "Array".
+				return is_scalar( $value ) ? (string) $value : maybe_serialize( $value );
 
 			default:
 				// 未知型別：嘗試序列化（向後相容 WordPress get_metadata 行為）
@@ -81,6 +83,33 @@ final class TMDO_Type_Caster {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/** 'text' columns are VARCHAR(255) (TMDO_Schema_Manager type map). */
+	private const TEXT_MAX_CHARS = 255;
+
+	/**
+	 * Keep a text value only if it fits its VARCHAR(255) column; otherwise
+	 * store NULL (native meta keeps the full value) and log the overflow.
+	 *
+	 * @param string               $value     Value to store.
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $field_def Field definition.
+	 * @return string|null
+	 */
+	private static function fit_text( string $value, array $field_def ): ?string {
+		$length = mb_strlen( $value );
+		if ( $length <= self::TEXT_MAX_CHARS ) {
+			return $value;
+		}
+		TMDO_Logger::warning(
+			'text_overflow',
+			array(
+				'group'  => $field_def['group'] ?? '',
+				'key'    => $field_def['key'] ?? '',
+				'length' => $length,
+			)
+		);
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * DB → PHP 轉換（讀取）
 	 */
@@ -111,9 +140,12 @@ final class TMDO_Type_Caster {
 				return ( json_last_error() === JSON_ERROR_NONE ) ? $decoded : $value;
 
 			case 'enum':
+				return (string) $value;
+
 			case 'text':
 			case 'textarea':
-				return (string) $value;
+				// Arrays were stored serialized (to_db); plain strings pass through.
+				return TMDO_Safe_Unserialize::run( (string) $value );
 
 			default:
 				// v2.13.3: object-injection-safe unserialize (fixes L-DESER-1).

includes/migration/class-tmdo-array-literal-repair.php

@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * TMDO_Array_Literal_Repair — finds flat text / textarea values stored as the
+ * literal "Array" (pre-1.1.0 type caster cast arrays with (string)) and
+ * rewrites them from native meta.
+ *
+ * Native rows that are themselves "Array" (written back by an earlier
+ * bridge-restore-native) cannot be repaired here: they are only listed, to be
+ * restored from a backup.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
+	exit;
+}
+
+// phpcs:disable WordPress.DB.PreparedSQL.InterpolatedNotPrepared,WordPress.DB.DirectDatabaseQuery -- table / column names come from the registry and adapter; values are prepared.
+
+/**
+ * Repairs "Array" literals in flat text / textarea columns.
+ */
+final class TMDO_Array_Literal_Repair {
+
+	/** What (string) array produced. */
+	private const LITERAL = 'Array';
+
+	/**
+	 * Scan (and optionally repair) one entity type.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $entity_type Entity type.
+	 * @param bool   $apply       Write repairs; false = report only.
+	 * @return array{found:int, repairable:int, repaired:int, unrepairable:array<int, array{group:string, key:string, id:int, reason:string}>, native_polluted:array<int, array{group:string, key:string, id:int}>}
+	 */
+	public static function run( string $entity_type, bool $apply ): array {
+		global $wpdb;
+
+		$report = array(
+			'found'           => 0,
+			'repairable'      => 0,
+			'repaired'        => 0,
+			'unrepairable'    => array(),
+			'native_polluted' => array(),
+		);
+
+		$adapter = TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_adapter( $entity_type );
+		if ( ! $adapter ) {
+			return $report;
+		}
+		$meta_table = $adapter->get_native_meta_table();
+		$id_col     = $adapter->get_entity_id_column();
+		$meta_pk    = 'user' === $entity_type ? 'umeta_id' : 'meta_id';
+
+		foreach ( TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_groups_for_type( $entity_type ) as $group ) {
+			$table = TMDO_Schema_Manager::get_table_name( $entity_type, $group );
+			if ( ! TMDO_Schema_Manager::table_exists( $table ) ) {
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			foreach ( TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_group_fields( $entity_type, $group ) as $field ) {
+				if ( ! in_array( $field['type'] ?? 'text', array( 'text', 'textarea' ), true ) ) {
+					continue;
+				}
+				$key = (string) $field['key'];
+				$col = TMDO_Schema_Manager::sanitize_column_name( $key );
+
+				$ids = $wpdb->get_col( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT `{$id_col}` FROM `{$table}` WHERE `{$col}` = %s", self::LITERAL ) );
+				foreach ( $ids as $id ) {
+					$id = (int) $id;
+					++$report['found'];
+
+					$native = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT meta_value FROM `{$meta_table}` WHERE `{$id_col}` = %d AND meta_key = %s ORDER BY `{$meta_pk}` LIMIT 1", $id, $key ) );
+					$reason = null === $native ? 'no_native_row' : ( self::LITERAL === $native ? 'native_is_array_literal' : '' );
+					if ( '' !== $reason ) {
+						$report['unrepairable'][] = array(
+							'group'  => $group,
+							'key'    => $key,
+							'id'     => $id,
+							'reason' => $reason,
+						);
+						continue;
+					}
+
+					++$report['repairable'];
+					if ( $apply ) {
+						$value = TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( TMDO_Safe_Unserialize::run( $native ), $field + array( 'group' => $group ) );
+						$wpdb->update( $table, array( $col => $value ), array( $id_col => $id ) );
+						++$report['repaired'];
+					}
+				}
+
+				$polluted = $wpdb->get_col( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT DISTINCT `{$id_col}` FROM `{$meta_table}` WHERE meta_key = %s AND meta_value = %s", $key, self::LITERAL ) );
+				foreach ( $polluted as $id ) {
+					$report['native_polluted'][] = array(
+						'group' => $group,
+						'key'   => $key,
+						'id'    => (int) $id,
+					);
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		if ( $report['repaired'] > 0 ) {
+			TMDO_Cache_Orchestrator::flush_entity( $entity_type );
+		}
+
+		return $report;
+	}
+}

includes/migration/class-tmdo-native-restorer.php

@@ -14,6 +14,16 @@
  *     the value Type_Caster returns); a NULL value deletes the native row.
  *   - Entities with no row in the owning group's table are not touched:
  *     leftover native rows for them are outside the flat data.
+ *   - A flat value equal to its field default is not written for an entity
+ *     that has no native row (e.g. activity.session_count = 0): that would
+ *     invent native meta the entity never had.
+ *
+ * Policy (which side wins where both hold a value):
+ *   - overwrite    — flat wins; the default in aeav_only, where writes only
+ *                    reached the flat tables and native is stale.
+ *   - only_missing — native wins, flat only fills gaps; the default in every
+ *                    other mode, where native is the source of truth (and may
+ *                    be newer, e.g. WooCommerce stock written with direct SQL).
  *
  * Batched by entity id with a cursor option so an interrupted run resumes; a
  * final pass re-copies rows updated since the first run started. With
@@ -52,14 +62,19 @@ final class TMDO_Native_Restorer {
 	 * @param int    $batch       Rows per batch.
 	 * @param bool   $demote      After a complete run, switch the entity to dual_write.
 	 * @param string $group       Only this group ('' = every group).
-	 * @return array{groups: array<string, array{rows:int, written:int}>, demoted: bool}
+	 * @param string $policy      'overwrite' | 'only_missing' | '' (by the entity's mode).
+	 * @return array{groups: array<string, array{rows:int, written:int, missing:int, differs:int, same:int, default_skipped:int}>, demoted: bool, policy: string}
 	 */
-	public static function run( string $entity_type, bool $dry_run = false, int $batch = 500, bool $demote = false, string $group = '' ): array {
+	public static function run( string $entity_type, bool $dry_run = false, int $batch = 500, bool $demote = false, string $group = '', string $policy = '' ): array {
 		global $wpdb;
 
+		if ( ! in_array( $policy, array( 'overwrite', 'only_missing' ), true ) ) {
+			$policy = TMDO_Mode_Manager::MODE_AEAV_ONLY === TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( $entity_type ) ? 'overwrite' : 'only_missing';
+		}
 		$report  = array(
 			'groups'  => array(),
 			'demoted' => false,
+			'policy'  => $policy,
 		);
 		$adapter = TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_adapter( $entity_type );
 		if ( ! $adapter ) {
@@ -83,8 +98,12 @@ final class TMDO_Native_Restorer {
 		}
 		foreach ( $tables as $group => $table ) {
 			$entry = array(
-				'rows'    => 0,
-				'written' => 0,
+				'rows'            => 0,
+				'written'         => 0,
+				'missing'         => 0,
+				'differs'         => 0,
+				'same'            => 0,
+				'default_skipped' => 0,
 			);
 			$key   = "{$entity_type}/{$group}";
 			$last  = $dry_run ? 0 : (int) ( $cursor[ $key ] ?? 0 );
@@ -94,9 +113,11 @@ final class TMDO_Native_Restorer {
 				$entry['rows'] += $fetched;
 				if ( $fetched ) {
 					$last = (int) end( $rows )[ $id_col ];
+					foreach ( self::apply_rows( $entity_type, $group, $adapter, $rows, $policy, ! $dry_run ) as $count_key => $n ) {
+						$entry[ $count_key ] += $n;
+					}
 					if ( ! $dry_run ) {
-						$entry['written'] += self::write_rows( $entity_type, $group, $adapter, $rows );
-						$cursor[ $key ]    = $last;
+						$cursor[ $key ] = $last;
 						update_option( self::CURSOR_OPTION, $cursor, false );
 					}
 				}
@@ -112,7 +133,7 @@ final class TMDO_Native_Restorer {
 		// Catch-up: writes that landed in the flat tables after a batch passed their row.
 		foreach ( $tables as $group => $table ) {
 			$rows = self::fetch( $entity_type, $table, $id_col, 't.updated_at >= %s', array( $started[ $entity_type ] ) );
-			self::write_rows( $entity_type, $group, $adapter, $rows );
+			self::apply_rows( $entity_type, $group, $adapter, $rows, $policy, true );
 		}
 
 		foreach ( array_keys( $tables ) as $group ) {
@@ -235,24 +256,87 @@ final class TMDO_Native_Restorer {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Replace the native meta of the keys this group owns for each row.
+	 * Compare the native meta of the keys this group owns with the flat rows,
+	 * and (when $write) bring native in line according to $policy.
 	 *
 	 * @param string                           $entity_type Entity type.
 	 * @param string                           $group       Group the rows come from.
 	 * @param TMDO_Entity_Adapter_Interface    $adapter     Entity adapter.
 	 * @param array<int, array<string, mixed>> $rows        Flat rows.
-	 * @return int Native values written.
+	 * @param string                           $policy      'overwrite' | 'only_missing'.
+	 * @param bool                             $write       False = classify only (dry run).
+	 * @return array{written:int, missing:int, differs:int, same:int, default_skipped:int}
 	 */
-	private static function write_rows( string $entity_type, string $group, TMDO_Entity_Adapter_Interface $adapter, array $rows ): int {
-		global $wpdb;
-		if ( empty( $rows ) ) {
-			return 0;
+	private static function apply_rows( string $entity_type, string $group, TMDO_Entity_Adapter_Interface $adapter, array $rows, string $policy, bool $write ): array {
+		$counts                  = array(
+			'written'         => 0,
+			'missing'         => 0,
+			'differs'         => 0,
+			'same'            => 0,
+			'default_skipped' => 0,
+		);
+		list( $wanted, $fields ) = self::flat_values( $entity_type, $group, $adapter, $rows );
+		if ( empty( $wanted ) ) {
+			return $counts;
 		}
-		$meta_table = $adapter->get_native_meta_table();
-		$id_col     = $adapter->get_entity_id_column();
+		$native = self::native_values( $entity_type, $adapter, array_keys( $wanted ), array_keys( $fields ) );
 
 		$deletes = array();
 		$inserts = array();
+		foreach ( $wanted as $id => $values ) {
+			foreach ( $values as $key => $value ) {
+				$has = isset( $native[ $id ] ) && array_key_exists( $key, $native[ $id ] );
+				if ( null === $value ) {
+					if ( $has ) {
+						++$counts['differs'];
+						if ( 'overwrite' === $policy ) {
+							$deletes[ $key ][] = $id;
+						}
+					}
+					continue;
+				}
+				if ( ! $has ) {
+					if ( self::is_default( $value, $fields[ $key ] ) ) {
+						++$counts['default_skipped'];
+						continue;
+					}
+					++$counts['missing'];
+					$inserts[] = array( $id, $key, $value );
+					continue;
+				}
+				if ( self::same_value( $native[ $id ][ $key ], $value ) ) {
+					++$counts['same'];
+					continue;
+				}
+				++$counts['differs'];
+				if ( 'overwrite' === $policy ) {
+					$deletes[ $key ][] = $id;
+					$inserts[]         = array( $id, $key, $value );
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		if ( $write ) {
+			self::write_native( $entity_type, $adapter, $deletes, $inserts, array_keys( $wanted ) );
+			$counts['written'] = count( $inserts );
+		}
+		return $counts;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Values this group would write to native, per entity and key (NULL = none),
+	 * restricted to the keys the group owns for that entity.
+	 *
+	 * @param string                           $entity_type Entity type.
+	 * @param string                           $group       Group name.
+	 * @param TMDO_Entity_Adapter_Interface    $adapter     Entity adapter.
+	 * @param array<int, array<string, mixed>> $rows        Flat rows.
+	 * @return array{0: array<int, array<string, string|null>>, 1: array<string, array<string, mixed>>}
+	 */
+	private static function flat_values( string $entity_type, string $group, TMDO_Entity_Adapter_Interface $adapter, array $rows ): array {
+		$id_col = $adapter->get_entity_id_column();
+		$wanted = array();
+		$fields = array();
 		foreach ( $rows as $row ) {
 			$id        = (int) $row[ $id_col ];
 			$post_type = 'post' === $entity_type ? (string) ( $row['__post_type'] ?? '' ) : '';
@@ -262,25 +346,93 @@ final class TMDO_Native_Restorer {
 				if ( null === $owner || $owner['group'] !== $group || ! array_key_exists( $col, $row ) ) {
 					continue;
 				}
-				$deletes[ $field['key'] ][] = $id;
-				if ( null !== $row[ $col ] ) {
-					$inserts[] = array( $id, $field['key'], (string) maybe_serialize( TMDO_Type_Caster::from_db( $row[ $col ], $field ) ) );
-				}
+				$fields[ $field['key'] ]        = $field;
+				$wanted[ $id ][ $field['key'] ] = null === $row[ $col ]
+					? null
+					: (string) maybe_serialize( TMDO_Type_Caster::from_db( $row[ $col ], $field ) );
 			}
 		}
+		return array( $wanted, $fields );
+	}
 
-		foreach ( $deletes as $meta_key => $ids ) {
-			$in = implode( ',', array_map( 'intval', $ids ) );
+	/**
+	 * First native value per entity and key.
+	 *
+	 * @param string                        $entity_type Entity type.
+	 * @param TMDO_Entity_Adapter_Interface $adapter     Entity adapter.
+	 * @param int[]                         $ids         Entity IDs.
+	 * @param string[]                      $keys        Meta keys.
+	 * @return array<int, array<string, string>>
+	 */
+	private static function native_values( string $entity_type, TMDO_Entity_Adapter_Interface $adapter, array $ids, array $keys ): array {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$meta_table = $adapter->get_native_meta_table();
+		$id_col     = $adapter->get_entity_id_column();
+		$pk         = 'user' === $entity_type ? 'umeta_id' : 'meta_id';
+		$in_ids     = implode( ',', array_map( 'intval', $ids ) );
+		$in_keys    = implode( ',', array_fill( 0, count( $keys ), '%s' ) );
+		$rows       = (array) $wpdb->get_results(
+			$wpdb->prepare( "SELECT `{$id_col}` AS id, meta_key, meta_value FROM `{$meta_table}` WHERE `{$id_col}` IN ({$in_ids}) AND meta_key IN ({$in_keys}) ORDER BY `{$pk}`", ...$keys ),
+			ARRAY_A
+		);
+
+		$native = array();
+		foreach ( $rows as $r ) {
+			if ( ! isset( $native[ (int) $r['id'] ][ $r['meta_key'] ] ) ) {
+				$native[ (int) $r['id'] ][ $r['meta_key'] ] = (string) $r['meta_value'];
+			}
+		}
+		return $native;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Delete / insert native rows and clear the entities' meta caches.
+	 *
+	 * @param string                                       $entity_type Entity type.
+	 * @param TMDO_Entity_Adapter_Interface                $adapter     Entity adapter.
+	 * @param array<string, int[]>                         $deletes     Meta key → entity IDs to clear first.
+	 * @param array<int, array{0:int, 1:string, 2:string}> $inserts Rows to insert.
+	 * @param int[]                                        $ids         Entities touched.
+	 * @return void
+	 */
+	private static function write_native( string $entity_type, TMDO_Entity_Adapter_Interface $adapter, array $deletes, array $inserts, array $ids ): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$meta_table = $adapter->get_native_meta_table();
+		$id_col     = $adapter->get_entity_id_column();
+
+		foreach ( $deletes as $meta_key => $del_ids ) {
+			$in = implode( ',', array_map( 'intval', $del_ids ) );
 			$wpdb->query( $wpdb->prepare( "DELETE FROM `{$meta_table}` WHERE meta_key = %s AND `{$id_col}` IN ({$in})", $meta_key ) );
 		}
 		if ( $inserts ) {
 			$values = implode( ', ', array_fill( 0, count( $inserts ), '(%d, %s, %s)' ) );
 			$wpdb->query( $wpdb->prepare( "INSERT INTO `{$meta_table}` (`{$id_col}`, meta_key, meta_value) VALUES {$values}", ...array_merge( ...$inserts ) ) );
 		}
-
-		foreach ( array_unique( array_map( static fn( $row ) => (int) $row[ $id_col ], $rows ) ) as $id ) {
+		foreach ( $ids as $id ) {
 			wp_cache_delete( $id, "{$entity_type}_meta" );
 		}
-		return count( $inserts );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Whether a stored value (as WP would store it) equals the field default.
+	 *
+	 * @param string               $value Value as it would be stored.
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $field Field definition.
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	private static function is_default( string $value, array $field ): bool {
+		return isset( $field['default'] ) && (string) maybe_serialize( $field['default'] ) === $value;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Native and candidate values are equal (numeric-aware: '3' equals '3.000000').
+	 *
+	 * @param string $native    Native meta value.
+	 * @param string $candidate Value from the flat table.
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	private static function same_value( string $native, string $candidate ): bool {
+		return $native === $candidate
+			|| ( is_numeric( $native ) && is_numeric( $candidate ) && (float) $native === (float) $candidate );
 	}
 }

includes/migration/class-tmdo-post-migration.php

@@ -228,6 +228,10 @@ final class TMDO_Post_Migration {
 				'Refusing post cleanup — mode is ' . esc_html( $mode ) . ', must be aeav_only'
 			);
 		}
+		$guarded = TMDO_Promotion_Guard::check_cleanup( self::ENTITY_TYPE );
+		if ( $guarded ) {
+			throw new RuntimeException( esc_html( $guarded->get_error_message() ) );
+		}
 
 		global $wpdb;
 		$keys = self::get_managed_keys();

includes/migration/phases/class-tmdo-phase-cleanup.php

@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ class TMDO_Phase_Cleanup extends TMDO_Migration_Phase_Base {
 		if ( TMDO_Mode_Manager::MODE_AEAV_ONLY !== $mode ) {
 			throw new \RuntimeException( "Refusing cleanup — mode is {$mode}, must be aeav_only" );
 		}
+		$guarded = TMDO_Promotion_Guard::check_cleanup( $this->entity_type );
+		if ( $guarded ) {
+			throw new \RuntimeException( $guarded->get_error_message() );
+		}
 		if ( ! empty( $job['options']['auto_backup'] ) && empty( $job['backup_path'] ) ) {
 			throw new \RuntimeException( 'Refusing cleanup — auto_backup requested but no backup_path on record' );
 		}

includes/query/class-tmdo-post-query-router.php

@@ -16,16 +16,18 @@
  * Hook order:
  *   1. pre_get_posts  — strip registered keys from meta_query, store in
  *                       $query->set( 'wpdo_post_clauses', $routed )
- *   2. posts_join     — LEFT JOIN wp_wpdo_post_<group> per routed post_type
+ *   2. posts_join     — LEFT JOIN wp_wpdo_post_<group> per routed group
  *   3. posts_where    — append WHERE conditions targeting flat columns
- *   4. posts_groupby  — ensure GROUP BY posts.ID to dedup join multiplication
+ *
+ * Flat tables hold one row per post (UNIQUE post_id), so the joins never
+ * multiply rows and no GROUP BY is added.
  *
  * Status / date on the flat table (O-1): when the group's post_status /
  * post_date copies are ready (TMDO_Post_Status_Sync) and none is missing,
  * a single-post-type search with explicit statuses and date ordering
- * INNER JOINs the table, filters the copies, orders by the copied
- * post_date and skips GROUP BY (one row per post), so MySQL can walk
- * `idx_post_status_date` and stop at the LIMIT.
+ * INNER JOINs the table, filters the copies and orders by the copied
+ * post_date, so MySQL can walk `idx_post_status_date` and stop at the
+ * LIMIT. Not with NOT EXISTS: posts without a flat row must still match.
  *
  * Found rows (O-4): routed searches drop SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS (it counts every
  * match inside the page query); found_posts_query answers from a COUNT of the
@@ -58,12 +60,18 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 	/** Query var holding the status / date copy route, when one applies. */
 	private const COPY_VAR = 'wpdo_post_copy_route';
 
+	/** Query var holding the flat column a routed meta orderby sorts on. */
+	private const SORT_VAR = 'wpdo_post_sort';
+
 	/** Query var holding the COUNT for found_posts_query. */
 	private const COUNT_VAR = 'wpdo_post_count_sql';
 
 	/** Object cache group for found-rows counts. */
 	private const COUNT_CACHE_GROUP = 'tmdo_found_rows';
 
+	/** Comparison operators the router can express on a flat column. */
+	private const COMPARES = array( '=', '!=', '<>', '<', '<=', '>', '>=', 'IN', 'NOT IN', 'LIKE', 'NOT LIKE', 'BETWEEN', 'NOT BETWEEN', 'EXISTS', 'NOT EXISTS' );
+
 	/**
 	 * Per-request answer to "are this group's copies usable?".
 	 *
@@ -77,12 +85,15 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 	 * @return void
 	 */
 	public function register_hooks(): void {
-		add_action( 'pre_get_posts', array( $this, 'pre_get_posts' ), 10, 1 );
+		// Late, so meta clauses other plugins add at the default priority
+		// (e.g. HivePress search filters and sorting) are already in the query.
+		add_action( 'pre_get_posts', array( $this, 'pre_get_posts' ), 1000, 1 );
 		add_filter( 'posts_join', array( $this, 'posts_join' ), 10, 2 );
 		add_filter( 'posts_where', array( $this, 'posts_where' ), 10, 2 );
-		add_filter( 'posts_groupby', array( $this, 'posts_groupby' ), 10, 2 );
 		add_filter( 'posts_orderby', array( $this, 'posts_orderby' ), 10, 2 );
 		add_filter( 'posts_request', array( $this, 'posts_request' ), 10, 2 );
+		add_filter( 'split_the_query', array( $this, 'split_the_query' ), 10, 4 );
+		add_filter( 'posts_request_ids', array( $this, 'posts_request' ), 10, 2 );
 		add_filter( 'found_posts_query', array( $this, 'found_posts_query' ), 10, 2 );
 	}
 
@@ -103,60 +114,104 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 			return;
 		}
 
+		// One post type only: with several, a clause may belong to one type's
+		// group and the others must still match through wp_postmeta.
 		$post_types = (array) $query->get( 'post_type' );
-		if ( empty( $post_types ) ) {
+		if ( 1 !== count( $post_types ) ) {
 			return;
 		}
+		$pt = (string) reset( $post_types );
 
 		$raw_meta_query = (array) $query->get( 'meta_query' );
-		if ( empty( $raw_meta_query ) ) {
-			return;
-		}
 
+		// All or nothing: routed clauses are ANDed into the WHERE, so the
+		// query is routed only when every registered clause can be, and
+		// the remaining (unregistered) clauses are ANDed too.
+		$relation  = strtoupper( (string) ( $raw_meta_query['relation'] ?? 'AND' ) );
+		$orderby   = $query->get( 'orderby' );
+		$named     = is_array( $orderby ) ? array_keys( $orderby ) : preg_split( '/[\s,]+/', trim( (string) $orderby ) );
+		$sort_name = 1 === count( $named ) ? (string) reset( $named ) : '';
+		$direction = 'ASC' === strtoupper( (string) ( is_array( $orderby ) ? reset( $orderby ) : $query->get( 'order' ) ) ) ? 'ASC' : 'DESC';
 		$routed    = array(); // Keyed by post_type.
 		$remaining = array();
+		$sort      = array();
+
+		// meta_key + orderby meta_value(_num): native INNER JOINs the key
+		// (EXISTS) and orders by meta_value+0 (NUMERIC) or meta_value.
+		$meta_key = $query->get( 'meta_key' );
+		$take_key = is_string( $meta_key ) && in_array( $sort_name, array( 'meta_value', 'meta_value_num' ), true )
+			&& null !== self::field_for( array( 'key' => $meta_key ), $pt );
+		if ( $take_key ) {
+			$field = self::field_for( array( 'key' => $meta_key ), $pt );
+			$type  = 'meta_value_num' === $sort_name ? 'NUMERIC' : (string) $query->get( 'meta_type' );
+			$route = self::route_clause(
+				array(
+					'key'     => $meta_key,
+					'compare' => 'EXISTS',
+					'type'    => $type,
+				),
+				$field
+			);
+			if ( ! $route || ! self::sortable( $route, $field ) || '' !== $query->get( 'meta_value' ) || '' !== $query->get( 'meta_compare' ) ) {
+				return;
+			}
+			$routed[ $pt ][] = $route;
+			$sort            = self::sort_for( $pt, $route, $direction );
+		}
 
 		foreach ( $raw_meta_query as $k => $clause ) {
-			if ( 'relation' === $k || ! is_array( $clause ) || ! isset( $clause['key'] ) ) {
+			if ( 'relation' === $k || ! is_array( $clause ) ) {
+				$remaining[ $k ] = $clause;
+				continue;
+			}
+			if ( ! isset( $clause['key'] ) ) {
+				// Sort shape: matches every post, only orders by the key.
+				$name  = 'AND' === $relation ? self::sort_shape( $clause ) : '';
+				$field = '' !== $name && $name === $sort_name ? self::field_for( $clause[ $name ], $pt ) : null;
+				if ( $field ) {
+					$route = self::route_clause( array( 'compare' => 'EXISTS' ) + $clause[ $name ], $field );
+					if ( ! $route || ! self::sortable( $route, $field ) ) {
+						return;
+					}
+					$sort = self::sort_for( $pt, $route, $direction );
+					continue;
+				}
+				if ( self::has_registered_key( $clause, $pt ) ) {
+					return; // Nested group.
+				}
 				$remaining[ $k ] = $clause;
 				continue;
 			}
 
-			$matched = false;
-			foreach ( $post_types as $pt ) {
-				$field = TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_field( 'post', $clause['key'], (string) $pt );
-				if ( ! $field ) {
-					continue;
-				}
-				// Confirm the field's group is appropriate for this post_type:
-				// either cross-cutting wp_core (any) or the post_type-specific group.
-				$group          = $field['group'] ?? '';
-				$is_appropriate = ( 'wp_core' === $group ) || in_array( $group, TMDO_Post_Fields::groups_for_post_type( (string) $pt ), true );
-				if ( ! $is_appropriate ) {
-					continue;
-				}
-
-				$column = TMDO_Schema_Manager::sanitize_column_name( $clause['key'] );
-
-				$routed[ $pt ][] = array(
-					'group'   => $group,
-					'column'  => $column,
-					'value'   => $clause['value'] ?? '',
-					'compare' => strtoupper( trim( (string) ( $clause['compare'] ?? '=' ) ) ),
-					'type'    => strtoupper( trim( (string) ( $clause['type'] ?? 'CHAR' ) ) ),
-				);
-				$matched         = true;
-				break;
-			}
-
-			if ( ! $matched ) {
+			$field = self::field_for( $clause, $pt );
+			if ( ! $field ) {
 				$remaining[ $k ] = $clause;
+				continue;
 			}
+			$route = self::route_clause( $clause, $field );
+			if ( ! $route || 'AND' !== $relation ) {
+				return;
+			}
+			// Named by orderby: only as the sole ordering, on a column that
+			// orders like native (otherwise the name would be lost).
+			if ( is_string( $k ) && in_array( $k, $named, true ) ) {
+				if ( $k !== $sort_name || ! self::sortable( $route, $field ) ) {
+					return;
+				}
+				$sort = self::sort_for( $pt, $route, $direction );
+			}
+			$routed[ $pt ][] = $route;
 		}
 
-		if ( empty( $routed ) ) {
+		if ( empty( $routed ) && empty( $sort ) ) {
 			return;
 		}
+		if ( $take_key ) {
+			$query->set( 'meta_key', '' );
+		}
+		if ( $sort ) {
+			$query->set( self::SORT_VAR, $sort );
+		}
 
 		// Preserve relation if surviving clauses still have it.
 		if ( isset( $raw_meta_query['relation'] ) && ! isset( $remaining['relation'] ) ) {
@@ -173,7 +228,7 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * LEFT JOIN flat tables for each routed post_type.
+	 * LEFT JOIN the flat table of each routed group.
 	 *
 	 * @param string|null $join  Current JOIN SQL.
 	 * @param \WP_Query   $query Current WP_Query.
@@ -182,19 +237,20 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 	public function posts_join( ?string $join, \WP_Query $query ): string {
 		$join   = (string) ( $join ?? '' );
 		$routed = $query->get( self::QUERY_VAR );
-		if ( empty( $routed ) || ! is_array( $routed ) ) {
-			return $join;
+		$sort   = $query->get( self::SORT_VAR );
+		$pairs  = array(); // Pairs of post type and group.
+		foreach ( is_array( $routed ) ? $routed : array() as $post_type => $clauses ) {
+			foreach ( array_column( $clauses, 'group' ) as $group ) {
+				$pairs[] = array( $post_type, $group );
+			}
+		}
+		if ( ! empty( $sort ) ) {
+			$pairs[] = array( $sort['post_type'], $sort['group'] );
 		}
 
 		global $wpdb;
 
-		foreach ( $routed as $post_type => $clauses ) {
-			// Each routed clause carries its group; use the first clause's group
-			// (all clauses for a given post_type currently target one group).
-			$group = $clauses[0]['group'] ?? '';
-			if ( '' === $group ) {
-				continue;
-			}
+		foreach ( $pairs as list( $post_type, $group ) ) {
 			$table = $wpdb->prefix . 'wpdo_post_' . sanitize_key( $group );
 			$alias = self::table_alias( $post_type, $group );
 
@@ -203,6 +259,7 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 				continue;
 			}
 
+			// The copy route only applies to single-group searches.
 			$type  = self::copy_route_for( $query, $post_type ) ? 'INNER' : 'LEFT';
 			$join .= " {$type} JOIN `{$table}` AS `{$alias}` "
 				. "ON (`{$wpdb->posts}`.`ID` = `{$alias}`.`post_id`)";
@@ -248,7 +305,8 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Order by the flat table's post_date copy when the copy route applies.
+	 * Order by the routed meta orderby column (ties by ID), or by the flat
+	 * table's post_date copy when the copy route applies.
 	 *
 	 * @param string|null $orderby Current ORDER BY SQL.
 	 * @param \WP_Query   $query   Current WP_Query.
@@ -256,35 +314,19 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 	 */
 	public function posts_orderby( ?string $orderby, \WP_Query $query ): string {
 		$orderby = (string) ( $orderby ?? '' );
-		$copy    = $query->get( self::COPY_VAR );
+		$sort    = $query->get( self::SORT_VAR );
+		if ( ! empty( $sort ) ) {
+			global $wpdb;
+			return '`' . self::table_alias( $sort['post_type'], $sort['group'] ) . '`.`' . esc_sql( $sort['column'] ) . '` '
+				. $sort['order'] . ", `{$wpdb->posts}`.`ID` DESC";
+		}
+		$copy = $query->get( self::COPY_VAR );
 		if ( empty( $copy ) ) {
 			return $orderby;
 		}
 		return '`' . self::table_alias( $copy['post_type'], $copy['group'] ) . '`.`post_date` ' . $copy['order'];
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Ensure GROUP BY posts.ID to deduplicate JOIN-multiplied rows.
-	 *
-	 * @param string|null $groupby Current GROUP BY SQL.
-	 * @param \WP_Query   $query   Current WP_Query.
-	 * @return string Modified GROUP BY SQL.
-	 */
-	public function posts_groupby( ?string $groupby, \WP_Query $query ): string {
-		$groupby = (string) ( $groupby ?? '' );
-		$routed  = $query->get( self::QUERY_VAR );
-		if ( empty( $routed ) || ! is_array( $routed ) || ! empty( $query->get( self::COPY_VAR ) ) ) {
-			return $groupby;
-		}
-
-		global $wpdb;
-		if ( '' === trim( $groupby ) ) {
-			$groupby = "`{$wpdb->posts}`.`ID`";
-		}
-
-		return $groupby;
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Drop SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS from a routed search; keep its COUNT for later.
 	 *
@@ -294,15 +336,45 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 	 */
 	public function posts_request( ?string $request, \WP_Query $query ): string {
 		$request = (string) ( $request ?? '' );
-		if ( empty( $query->get( self::QUERY_VAR ) ) || false === strpos( $request, 'SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS' ) ) {
+		$routed  = ! empty( $query->get( self::QUERY_VAR ) ) || ! empty( $query->get( self::SORT_VAR ) );
+		if ( ! $routed ) {
+			return $request;
+		}
+		$counted = false !== strpos( $request, 'SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS' );
+		$request = self::routed_request( $request, $query );
+		if ( ! $counted ) {
 			return $request;
 		}
-		$request = preg_replace( '/\bSQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS\s+/', '', $request, 1 );
 		$matches = preg_replace( '/\s+LIMIT\s+\d+(\s*,\s*\d+)?\s*$/i', '', $request );
 		$query->set( self::COUNT_VAR, "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM ( {$matches} ) AS tmdo_found" );
 		return $request;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Keep WordPress's split query (IDs first, then cached post objects) on a
+	 * routed search: posts_request only dropped SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS, yet
+	 * WordPress takes any change for a filtered request and selects full rows
+	 * (a temporary table sorting whole posts). The split ID request passes
+	 * through posts_request_ids, which drops SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS again.
+	 *
+	 * @param bool                  $split       Core decision.
+	 * @param \WP_Query             $query       Current WP_Query.
+	 * @param string                $old_request Request before posts_request.
+	 * @param array<string, string> $clauses     Query clauses (fields, limits …).
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	public function split_the_query( $split, \WP_Query $query, $old_request = '', $clauses = array() ): bool {
+		$routed = ! empty( $query->get( self::QUERY_VAR ) ) || ! empty( $query->get( self::SORT_VAR ) );
+		if ( $split || ! $routed ) {
+			return (bool) $split;
+		}
+		global $wpdb;
+		// Core's other conditions: full rows, and a LIMIT under 500 or an external object cache.
+		return "{$wpdb->posts}.*" === ( $clauses['fields'] ?? '' )
+			&& self::routed_request( (string) $old_request, $query ) === $query->request
+			&& ( ( '' !== ( $clauses['limits'] ?? '' ) && (int) $query->get( 'posts_per_page' ) < 500 ) || wp_using_ext_object_cache() );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Answer found rows from the cached COUNT of a routed search.
 	 *
@@ -363,7 +435,8 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 		}
 		$post_type = (string) array_key_first( $routed );
 		$groups    = array_values( array_unique( array_column( $routed[ $post_type ], 'group' ) ) );
-		if ( 1 !== count( $groups ) || ! in_array( $query->get( 'orderby' ), array( '', 'date', 'post_date' ), true ) ) {
+		if ( 1 !== count( $groups ) || ! in_array( $query->get( 'orderby' ), array( '', 'date', 'post_date' ), true )
+			|| in_array( 'NOT EXISTS', array_column( $routed[ $post_type ], 'compare' ), true ) ) {
 			return array();
 		}
 		$statuses = $query->get( 'post_status' );
@@ -411,6 +484,254 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 		return self::$copies_usable[ $group ];
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * The registered field a clause targets for this post type, or null.
+	 *
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $clause    Meta query clause.
+	 * @param string               $post_type Post type slug.
+	 * @return array<string, mixed>|null
+	 */
+	private static function field_for( array $clause, string $post_type ): ?array {
+		if ( ! is_string( $clause['key'] ?? null ) || ! in_array( $clause['compare_key'] ?? '=', array( '=', '' ), true ) ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		$field = TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_field( 'post', $clause['key'], $post_type );
+		if ( ! $field ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		// Either cross-cutting wp_core or one of the post type's own groups.
+		$group = $field['group'] ?? '';
+		return ( 'wp_core' === $group || in_array( $group, TMDO_Post_Fields::groups_for_post_type( $post_type ), true ) ) ? $field : null;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Whether a nested meta query group references a registered key.
+	 *
+	 * @param array<int|string, mixed> $group     Nested group.
+	 * @param string                   $post_type Post type slug.
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	private static function has_registered_key( array $group, string $post_type ): bool {
+		foreach ( $group as $clause ) {
+			if ( ! is_array( $clause ) ) {
+				continue;
+			}
+			if ( isset( $clause['key'] ) ? null !== self::field_for( $clause, $post_type ) : self::has_registered_key( $clause, $post_type ) ) {
+				return true;
+			}
+		}
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * The routed form of a clause, or null when the flat column would not
+	 * compare the way WordPress compares the meta_value string.
+	 *
+	 * Native casts meta_value by the clause type (CHAR when absent); flat
+	 * columns are typed. Routed: EXISTS / NOT EXISTS; string columns with
+	 * CHAR; numeric columns with a numeric type (no LIKE); integer columns
+	 * with CHAR =, !=, IN, NOT IN on plain integers ("10" = "10" either way).
+	 *
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $clause Meta query clause.
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $field  Registered field.
+	 * @return array{group:string, column:string, value:mixed, compare:string, type:string}|null
+	 */
+	private static function route_clause( array $clause, array $field ): ?array {
+		$compare = strtoupper( trim( (string) ( $clause['compare'] ?? '=' ) ) );
+		$type    = strtoupper( trim( (string) ( $clause['type'] ?? '' ) ) );
+		$type    = '' === $type ? 'CHAR' : $type;
+		$value   = $clause['value'] ?? '';
+		$kind    = $field['type'] ?? 'text';
+		$multi   = in_array( $compare, array( 'IN', 'NOT IN', 'BETWEEN', 'NOT BETWEEN' ), true );
+
+		if ( ! in_array( $compare, self::COMPARES, true ) || ( ! $multi && is_array( $value ) ) ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		$numeric_type = self::is_numeric_type( $type );
+		if ( in_array( $compare, array( 'EXISTS', 'NOT EXISTS' ), true ) ) {
+			$ok = in_array( $kind, array( 'text', 'textarea', 'enum', 'integer', 'decimal', 'boolean' ), true );
+		} elseif ( in_array( $kind, array( 'text', 'textarea', 'enum' ), true ) ) {
+			$ok = 'CHAR' === $type;
+		} elseif ( in_array( $kind, array( 'integer', 'decimal', 'boolean' ), true ) && $numeric_type ) {
+			$ok = ! in_array( $compare, array( 'LIKE', 'NOT LIKE' ), true );
+		} else {
+			$ok = in_array( $kind, array( 'integer', 'boolean' ), true ) && 'CHAR' === $type
+				&& in_array( $compare, array( '=', '!=', '<>', 'IN', 'NOT IN' ), true )
+				&& array() === array_filter( (array) $value, static fn( $v ) => ! is_scalar( $v ) || (string) (int) $v !== (string) $v );
+		}
+		if ( ! $ok ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		return array(
+			'group'   => (string) $field['group'],
+			'column'  => TMDO_Schema_Manager::sanitize_column_name( $clause['key'] ),
+			'value'   => $value,
+			'compare' => $compare,
+			'type'    => $type,
+		);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * What posts_request makes of a routed request.
+	 *
+	 * @param string    $request SELECT statement.
+	 * @param \WP_Query $query   Current WP_Query.
+	 * @return string
+	 */
+	private static function routed_request( string $request, \WP_Query $query ): string {
+		return self::flat_first( self::without_found_rows( $request ), $query );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Drive a filtered search ordered by a flat column from its flat table.
+	 *
+	 * MariaDB starts from wp_posts (the type / status index), looks every
+	 * candidate up in the flat table and sorts in a temporary table. From the
+	 * flat table, with the posts.ID tie-break read as the equal flat post_id,
+	 * it sorts one table (dev36, 100k listings: meta_value_num 263 → 147 ms,
+	 * HivePress sort + filter 300 → 36 ms). Only when the routed conditions
+	 * already require a flat row (LEFT JOIN = INNER JOIN), all on the sort
+	 * group, without a selective post filter; `tmdo_router_flat_first` can
+	 * turn it off.
+	 *
+	 * @param string    $request SELECT statement.
+	 * @param \WP_Query $query   Current WP_Query.
+	 * @return string
+	 */
+	private static function flat_first( string $request, \WP_Query $query ): string {
+		$routed = $query->get( self::QUERY_VAR );
+		$sort   = $query->get( self::SORT_VAR );
+		if ( empty( $routed ) || ! is_array( $routed ) || ! empty( $query->get( self::COPY_VAR ) ) ) {
+			return $request;
+		}
+		$post_type = (string) array_key_first( $routed );
+		$groups    = array_unique( array_column( $routed[ $post_type ], 'group' ) );
+		$compares  = array_diff( array_column( $routed[ $post_type ], 'compare' ), array( 'NOT EXISTS' ) );
+		if ( empty( $sort ) || 1 !== count( $groups ) || empty( $compares ) || $sort['group'] !== $groups[0] ) {
+			return $request;
+		}
+		foreach ( array( 'p', 'page_id', 'name', 'pagename', 'attachment_id', 'post__in', 'post_parent', 'post_parent__in', 'author', 'author__in', 'author_name' ) as $var ) {
+			if ( ! empty( $query->get( $var ) ) ) {
+				return $request;
+			}
+		}
+		if ( ! apply_filters( 'tmdo_router_flat_first', true, $query ) ) {
+			return $request;
+		}
+
+		global $wpdb;
+		$table = $wpdb->prefix . 'wpdo_post_' . sanitize_key( $groups[0] );
+		$alias = self::table_alias( $post_type, $groups[0] );
+		$on    = "(`{$wpdb->posts}`.`ID` = `{$alias}`.`post_id`)";
+		$join  = " LEFT JOIN `{$table}` AS `{$alias}` ON {$on}";
+		if ( 1 !== substr_count( $request, $join ) ) {
+			return $request;
+		}
+		$flat_first = preg_replace(
+			'/\bFROM\s+' . preg_quote( $wpdb->posts, '/' ) . '\b/',
+			"FROM `{$table}` AS `{$alias}` INNER JOIN {$wpdb->posts} ON {$on}",
+			str_replace( $join, '', $request ),
+			1,
+			$replaced
+		);
+		if ( 1 !== $replaced ) {
+			return $request;
+		}
+		// Tie-breaks on posts.ID (ours, and any a plugin appended) read the flat post_id.
+		$flat_first = preg_replace_callback(
+			'/\bORDER BY\b(?!.*\bORDER BY\b).*$/s',
+			static fn( $m ) => preg_replace( '/`?' . preg_quote( $wpdb->posts, '/' ) . '`?\.`?ID`?(?!\w)/', "`{$alias}`.`post_id`", $m[0] ),
+			(string) $flat_first
+		);
+		return (string) preg_replace( '/^\s*SELECT\s/', 'SELECT STRAIGHT_JOIN ', (string) $flat_first, 1 );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * A request without its SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $request SELECT statement.
+	 * @return string
+	 */
+	private static function without_found_rows( string $request ): string {
+		return (string) preg_replace( '/\bSQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS\s+/', '', $request, 1 );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Whether a meta query type casts to a number (NUMERIC, SIGNED, DECIMAL(p,s) …).
+	 *
+	 * @param string $type Upper-cased clause type.
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	private static function is_numeric_type( string $type ): bool {
+		return 1 === preg_match( '/^(NUMERIC|SIGNED|UNSIGNED|DECIMAL)(\(\d+(,\s?\d+)?\))?$/', $type );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Whether ordering by the flat column matches native ordering by
+	 * CAST(meta_value AS type): numbers by a numeric type, strings by CHAR.
+	 *
+	 * @param array{type:string}   $route Routed clause.
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $field Registered field.
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	private static function sortable( array $route, array $field ): bool {
+		$kind = $field['type'] ?? 'text';
+		if ( in_array( $kind, array( 'integer', 'decimal', 'boolean' ), true ) ) {
+			return self::is_numeric_type( $route['type'] );
+		}
+		return in_array( $kind, array( 'text', 'textarea', 'enum' ), true ) && 'CHAR' === $route['type'];
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * The ordering a routed meta orderby resolves to.
+	 *
+	 * @param string                             $post_type Post type slug.
+	 * @param array{group:string, column:string} $route     Routed clause.
+	 * @param string                             $direction ASC or DESC.
+	 * @return array{post_type:string, group:string, column:string, order:string}
+	 */
+	private static function sort_for( string $post_type, array $route, string $direction ): array {
+		return array(
+			'post_type' => $post_type,
+			'group'     => $route['group'],
+			'column'    => $route['column'],
+			'order'     => $direction,
+		);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * The clause name of a "sort by a key, keep posts without it" group —
+	 * relation OR of exactly NOT EXISTS and EXISTS on one key and type, one
+	 * of them named (HivePress search sorting) — or '' for any other group.
+	 *
+	 * @param array<int|string, mixed> $group Nested meta query group.
+	 * @return string
+	 */
+	private static function sort_shape( array $group ): string {
+		if ( 'OR' !== strtoupper( (string) ( $group['relation'] ?? '' ) ) ) {
+			return '';
+		}
+		unset( $group['relation'] );
+		if ( 2 !== count( $group ) ) {
+			return '';
+		}
+		$name     = '';
+		$compares = array();
+		foreach ( $group as $k => $clause ) {
+			if ( ! is_array( $clause ) || ! is_string( $clause['key'] ?? null ) ) {
+				return '';
+			}
+			$compares[] = strtoupper( (string) ( $clause['compare'] ?? '=' ) );
+			$name       = is_string( $k ) ? $k : $name;
+		}
+		list( $a, $b ) = array_values( $group );
+		sort( $compares );
+		$same = $a['key'] === $b['key'] && strtoupper( (string) ( $a['type'] ?? '' ) ) === strtoupper( (string) ( $b['type'] ?? '' ) );
+		return array( 'EXISTS', 'NOT EXISTS' ) === $compares && $same ? $name : '';
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Generate a deterministic JOIN alias for a (post_type, group) pair.
 	 *
@@ -429,9 +750,8 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 	 * @return string Sanitized operator (defaults to '=').
 	 */
 	private static function sanitize_compare( string $compare ): string {
-		$allowed = array( '=', '!=', '<>', '<', '<=', '>', '>=', 'IN', 'NOT IN', 'LIKE', 'NOT LIKE', 'BETWEEN', 'NOT BETWEEN', 'EXISTS', 'NOT EXISTS' );
 		$compare = strtoupper( trim( $compare ) );
-		return in_array( $compare, $allowed, true ) ? $compare : '=';
+		return in_array( $compare, self::COMPARES, true ) ? $compare : '=';
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -468,6 +788,10 @@ class TMDO_Post_Query_Router {
 			return ' AND ' . $col_sql . ' ' . $op;
 		}
 
+		if ( in_array( $compare, array( 'LIKE', 'NOT LIKE' ), true ) ) {
+			$value = '%' . $wpdb->esc_like( (string) $value ) . '%';
+		}
+
 		return ' AND ' . $col_sql . ' ' . $compare . ' ' . $wpdb->prepare( '%s', (string) $value );
 	}
 }

includes/zones/class-tmdo-zone-router.php

@@ -104,7 +104,10 @@ class TMDO_Zone_Router {
 	 *
 	 * Callers only need post_id and post_type; zone enumeration and per-zone
 	 * error isolation are handled here. Hot and Cold are skipped when the
-	 * post_type has no registered fields in that zone (table may not exist).
+	 * post_type has no registered fields in that zone, or when the zone table
+	 * was never created (fields are registered long before a module runs).
+	 * Module state is not checked: a table left by a rolled-back module still
+	 * gets its rows for deleted posts removed.
 	 *
 	 * @param int    $post_id   Post ID being deleted.
 	 * @param string $post_type Post type slug.
@@ -113,7 +116,7 @@ class TMDO_Zone_Router {
 	public static function delete_post( int $post_id, string $post_type ): void {
 		$registry = TMDO_Schema_Registry::instance();
 
-		if ( ! empty( $registry->get_hot_columns( $post_type ) ) ) {
+		if ( ! empty( $registry->get_hot_columns( $post_type ) ) && TMDO_Schema_Manager::table_exists( TMDO_Zone_Hot::table( $post_type ) ) ) {
 			try {
 				TMDO_Zone_Hot::delete( $post_id, $post_type );
 			} catch ( \Throwable $e ) {
@@ -121,7 +124,7 @@ class TMDO_Zone_Router {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if ( ! empty( $registry->get_cold_meta_keys( $post_type ) ) ) {
+		if ( ! empty( $registry->get_cold_meta_keys( $post_type ) ) && TMDO_Schema_Manager::table_exists( TMDO_Zone_Cold::table( $post_type ) ) ) {
 			try {
 				TMDO_Zone_Cold::delete( $post_id, $post_type );
 			} catch ( \Throwable $e ) {

readme.txt

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Tags: performance, database, postmeta, optimization, hivepress
 Requires at least: 6.0
 Tested up to: 6.9
 Requires PHP: 8.1
-Stable tag: 1.0.0
+Stable tag: 1.1.1
 License: GPLv2 or later
 License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
 
@@ -107,6 +107,21 @@ The Classifier tab analyzes your existing `wp_postmeta` data (access frequency,
 
 == Changelog ==
 
+= 1.1.1 =
+* Security: the public GET /wpdo/v1/listings endpoints returned every registered field (show_in_rest defaulted to true), including private values such as integration tokens and WooCommerce purchase notes. Fields are now private unless registered with show_in_rest => true, and protected (underscore) or credential-like keys are never exposed
+* Security: the listings endpoint no longer returns whole rows when no field is public, and only filters / sorts on public columns
+
+= 1.1.0 =
+* Search-index mode for HivePress / WooCommerce sites (docs/adr-004): native meta stays the source of truth, flat tables are its search index
+* Promotion Guard: aeav_only and cleanup are refused while HivePress or WooCommerce is active (filter `tmdo_promotion_guard_allow`)
+* shadow_read reads native meta and samples a flat comparison — fixes lost native writes
+* dual_write / shadow_read: flat values follow native after every write (added_/updated_/deleted_ meta actions, delete_all, key change by meta_id)
+* Arrays in text fields are stored serialized, never "Array"; `wp tmdo repair-array-literals`
+* `wp tmdo bridge-restore-native`: overwrite in aeav_only, only-missing otherwise; no invented default rows
+* Post query router: routes only when the result equals native (OR, several post types, untyped numeric compares stay native), LIKE wildcards, one join per group, no GROUP BY, HivePress `_sort` / named / meta_value_num ordering, WordPress split query kept, flat-sorted searches driven from the flat table (filter `tmdo_router_flat_first`)
+* Deleting an entity no longer leaves an all-NULL flat row behind
+* Zone tables that were never created are never queried
+
 = 1.0.0 =
 * Supersedes `wp-data-optimizer` v3.4.6 — that plugin is retired; this one is the single unified engine
 * Version numbering restarts at 1.0.0; entries below 3.4.6 are the predecessor's history, kept for archaeology

tests/bootstrap.php

@@ -613,6 +613,7 @@ require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/class-tmdo-rest-api.php';
 // Engine (v2.0.0).
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-type-caster.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-mode-manager.php';
+require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-promotion-guard.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-audit-logger.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-shadow-diff-logger.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-conflict-detector.php';
@@ -646,6 +647,7 @@ require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-migration-orchestrator.p
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-post-migration.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-post-group-reconciler.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-native-restorer.php';
+require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-array-literal-repair.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-post-status-sync.php';
 
 // Options Manager.

tests/integration/ArrayLiteralRepairTest.php

@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * Repair of text / textarea flat columns holding the literal "Array" (stored
+ * by the pre-1.1.0 type caster when the meta value was an array).
+ *
+ * Fixture (user entity, group al_prefs):
+ *   user 1  prefs 'Array'  native prefs serialized array   → repairable
+ *   user 2  loc   'Array'  native loc 'Array' too           → unrepairable, native polluted
+ *   user 3  name  'Array'  no native row                     → unrepairable
+ *   user 4  prefs serialized array, loc 'Taipei'             → untouched
+ */
+class ArrayLiteralRepairTest extends TestCase {
+
+	private const TABLE = 'wp_itest_wpdo_user_al_prefs';
+
+	public static function setUpBeforeClass(): void {
+		foreach ( array(
+			'includes/adapters/interface-entity-adapter.php',
+			'includes/engine/class-tmdo-type-caster.php',
+			'includes/engine/class-tmdo-schema-manager.php',
+			'includes/engine/class-tmdo-entity-registry.php',
+			'includes/engine/class-tmdo-cache-orchestrator.php',
+			'includes/adapters/class-tmdo-adapter-user.php',
+			'includes/migration/class-tmdo-array-literal-repair.php',
+		) as $file ) {
+			require_once WPDO_PLUGIN_DIR . $file;
+		}
+	}
+
+	protected function setUp(): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		self::drop();
+		$wpdb->query( "CREATE TABLE `{$wpdb->usermeta}` ( umeta_id BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, user_id BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL DEFAULT 0, meta_key VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL, meta_value LONGTEXT, PRIMARY KEY (umeta_id), KEY user_id (user_id) ) ENGINE=InnoDB" );
+		$wpdb->query( 'CREATE TABLE `' . self::TABLE . '` ( id BIGINT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, user_id BIGINT NOT NULL, prefs TEXT DEFAULT NULL, loc VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL, name VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL, PRIMARY KEY (id), UNIQUE KEY uk_entity (user_id) ) ENGINE=InnoDB' );
+
+		$prefs = serialize( array( 'core' => array( 'welcomeGuide' => false ) ) );
+		$wpdb->insert( self::TABLE, array( 'user_id' => 1, 'prefs' => 'Array' ) );
+		$wpdb->insert( self::TABLE, array( 'user_id' => 2, 'loc' => 'Array' ) );
+		$wpdb->insert( self::TABLE, array( 'user_id' => 3, 'name' => 'Array' ) );
+		$wpdb->insert( self::TABLE, array( 'user_id' => 4, 'prefs' => $prefs, 'loc' => 'Taipei' ) );
+		$wpdb->insert( $wpdb->usermeta, array( 'user_id' => 1, 'meta_key' => 'prefs', 'meta_value' => $prefs ) );
+		$wpdb->insert( $wpdb->usermeta, array( 'user_id' => 2, 'meta_key' => 'loc', 'meta_value' => 'Array' ) );
+		$wpdb->insert( $wpdb->usermeta, array( 'user_id' => 4, 'meta_key' => 'prefs', 'meta_value' => $prefs ) );
+
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_cache'] = array();
+		WPDO_Entity_Registry::init();
+		WPDO_Entity_Registry::register_adapter( 'user', new WPDO_Adapter_User() );
+		WPDO_Entity_Registry::register_group(
+			'user',
+			'al_prefs',
+			array(
+				array( 'key' => 'prefs', 'type' => 'textarea' ),
+				array( 'key' => 'loc', 'type' => 'text' ),
+				array( 'key' => 'name', 'type' => 'text' ),
+			)
+		);
+		WPDO_Schema_Manager::flush_table_exists_cache();
+	}
+
+	protected function tearDown(): void {
+		self::drop();
+		WPDO_Entity_Registry::init();
+	}
+
+	private static function drop(): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		foreach ( array( $wpdb->usermeta, self::TABLE ) as $table ) {
+			$wpdb->query( "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `{$table}`" );
+		}
+	}
+
+	private function flat( int $user_id, string $col ): ?string {
+		global $wpdb;
+		return $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT `{$col}` FROM `" . self::TABLE . '` WHERE user_id = %d', $user_id ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_dry_run_reports_without_writing(): void {
+		$report = TMDO_Array_Literal_Repair::run( 'user', false );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 3, $report['found'] );
+		$this->assertSame( 1, $report['repairable'] );
+		$this->assertSame( 0, $report['repaired'] );
+		$this->assertSame( 'Array', $this->flat( 1, 'prefs' ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_apply_repairs_from_native_and_lists_the_rest(): void {
+		$report = TMDO_Array_Literal_Repair::run( 'user', true );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 1, $report['repaired'] );
+		$this->assertSame( serialize( array( 'core' => array( 'welcomeGuide' => false ) ) ), $this->flat( 1, 'prefs' ) );
+		$this->assertSame( 'Array', $this->flat( 2, 'loc' ), 'native is "Array" too — nothing to repair from' );
+		$this->assertSame( 'Array', $this->flat( 3, 'name' ), 'no native row' );
+		$this->assertSame( 'Taipei', $this->flat( 4, 'loc' ) );
+
+		$unrepairable = array_map(
+			static function ( $r ) {
+				return $r['id'] . ':' . $r['key'] . ':' . $r['reason'];
+			},
+			$report['unrepairable']
+		);
+		sort( $unrepairable );
+		$this->assertSame( array( '2:loc:native_is_array_literal', '3:name:no_native_row' ), $unrepairable );
+
+		$this->assertSame( array( array( 'group' => 'al_prefs', 'key' => 'loc', 'id' => 2 ) ), $report['native_polluted'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_second_run_finds_only_the_unrepairable_rows(): void {
+		TMDO_Array_Literal_Repair::run( 'user', true );
+
+		$report = TMDO_Array_Literal_Repair::run( 'user', true );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 2, $report['found'] );
+		$this->assertSame( 0, $report['repaired'] );
+	}
+}

tests/integration/HookBusIntegrationTest.php

@@ -202,14 +202,89 @@ class HookBusIntegrationTest extends TestCase {
 		$this->assertTrue( $result, 'aeav_only must return true to short-circuit EAV write' );
 	}
 
-	public function test_update_writes_flat_and_returns_null_in_dual_write_mode(): void {
+	/**
+	 * dual_write: the pre-filter only lets WP write native; flat is synced
+	 * from native afterwards (updated_/added_ actions → sync_from_native).
+	 */
+	public function test_update_leaves_flat_to_the_native_sync_in_dual_write_mode(): void {
+		global $wpdb;
 		self::set_user_mode( WPDO_Mode_Manager::MODE_DUAL_WRITE );
 		$GLOBALS['_wp_current_filter'] = 'update_user_metadata';
 
 		$result = WPDO_Hook_Bus::intercept_update( null, 3, 'first_name', 'Carol', '' );
 
-		$this->assertSame( 'Carol', $this->read_flat_first_name( 3 ) );
 		$this->assertNull( $result, 'dual_write must return null so WP continues to write EAV' );
+		$this->assertNull( $this->read_flat_first_name( 3 ), 'no flat write before native is written' );
+
+		$this->with_usermeta(
+			function () use ( $wpdb ) {
+				$wpdb->insert( $wpdb->usermeta, array( 'user_id' => 3, 'meta_key' => 'first_name', 'meta_value' => 'Carol' ) );
+
+				WPDO_Hook_Bus::sync_from_native( 'user', 3, 'first_name', 'Carol', 'update' );
+
+				$this->assertSame( 'Carol', $this->read_flat_first_name( 3 ) );
+			}
+		);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * delete_all passes object ID 0: the delete_ action records the touched
+	 * users from the meta IDs, the deleted_ action re-syncs each to NULL.
+	 */
+	public function test_delete_all_resyncs_every_touched_entity_in_dual_write_mode(): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		self::set_user_mode( WPDO_Mode_Manager::MODE_DUAL_WRITE );
+		$wpdb->insert( self::FLAT_TABLE, array( 'user_id' => 21, 'first_name' => 'A' ) );
+		$wpdb->insert( self::FLAT_TABLE, array( 'user_id' => 22, 'first_name' => 'B' ) );
+
+		$this->with_usermeta(
+			function () use ( $wpdb ) {
+				$wpdb->insert( $wpdb->usermeta, array( 'user_id' => 21, 'meta_key' => 'first_name', 'meta_value' => 'A' ) );
+				$mid_a = (int) $wpdb->insert_id;
+				$wpdb->insert( $wpdb->usermeta, array( 'user_id' => 22, 'meta_key' => 'first_name', 'meta_value' => 'B' ) );
+				$mid_b = (int) $wpdb->insert_id;
+
+				$GLOBALS['_wp_current_filter'] = 'delete_user_meta';
+				WPDO_Hook_Bus::before_meta_deleted( array( $mid_a, $mid_b ), 0, 'first_name', '' );
+				$wpdb->query( "DELETE FROM `{$wpdb->usermeta}` WHERE meta_key = 'first_name'" );
+				$GLOBALS['_wp_current_filter'] = 'deleted_user_meta';
+				WPDO_Hook_Bus::on_meta_deleted( array( $mid_a, $mid_b ), 0, 'first_name', '' );
+
+				$this->assertNull( $this->read_flat_first_name( 21 ) );
+				$this->assertNull( $this->read_flat_first_name( 22 ) );
+			}
+		);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Deleting an entity drops its flat row first (adapter delete hook), then
+	 * WordPress deletes each meta row; syncing those deletions must not bring
+	 * the row back as all NULL.
+	 */
+	public function test_sync_of_a_deleted_key_does_not_recreate_a_missing_row(): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		self::set_user_mode( WPDO_Mode_Manager::MODE_DUAL_WRITE );
+
+		$this->with_usermeta(
+			function () use ( $wpdb ) {
+				WPDO_Hook_Bus::sync_from_native( 'user', 31, 'first_name', 'Gone', 'delete' );
+
+				$this->assertSame( '0', $wpdb->get_var( 'SELECT COUNT(*) FROM `' . self::FLAT_TABLE . '` WHERE user_id = 31' ) );
+			}
+		);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Run $fn with a native usermeta table, dropped afterwards.
+	 */
+	private function with_usermeta( callable $fn ): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$wpdb->query( "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `{$wpdb->usermeta}` ( umeta_id BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, user_id BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL DEFAULT 0, meta_key VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL, meta_value LONGTEXT, PRIMARY KEY (umeta_id) ) ENGINE=InnoDB" );
+		try {
+			$fn();
+		} finally {
+			$wpdb->query( "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `{$wpdb->usermeta}`" );
+		}
 	}
 
 	public function test_update_passthrough_for_unregistered_key(): void {
@@ -268,6 +343,30 @@ class HookBusIntegrationTest extends TestCase {
 		$this->assertNull( $result, 'dual_write does not read from flat — must return $check' );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * shadow_read serves native meta: update_metadata() reads the old value
+	 * through this filter, and serving the just-written flat value made WP
+	 * skip the native write (dev36, 2026-09-26). Flat is only compared.
+	 */
+	public function test_get_serves_native_in_shadow_read_mode_even_with_a_flat_value(): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$wpdb->insert( self::FLAT_TABLE, array( 'user_id' => 12, 'first_name' => 'Flat' ) );
+		self::set_user_mode( WPDO_Mode_Manager::MODE_SHADOW_READ );
+
+		foreach ( array( 0.0, 1.0 ) as $rate ) {
+			$GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['tmdo_shadow_compare_sample_rate'] = array(
+				static function () use ( $rate ) {
+					return $rate;
+				},
+			);
+
+			$result = WPDO_Hook_Bus::intercept_get( null, 12, 'first_name', true, 'user' );
+
+			$this->assertNull( $result, "shadow_read must return \$check (sample rate {$rate})" );
+		}
+		unset( $GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['tmdo_shadow_compare_sample_rate'] );
+	}
+
 	public function test_get_returns_empty_string_when_column_is_null(): void {
 		global $wpdb;
 		$wpdb->query(

tests/integration/NativeRestorerTest.php

@@ -139,4 +139,77 @@ class NativeRestorerTest extends TestCase {
 
 		$this->assertSame( array( '9' ), $this->native( 1, 'level' ) );
 	}
+
+	private function set_user_mode( string $mode ): void {
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_options']['wpdo_bridge_modes'] = array( 'user' => $mode );
+		TMDO_Mode_Manager::reset_cache();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Native is the source of truth outside aeav_only (e.g. WooCommerce writes
+	 * stock with direct SQL): the default policy there only fills gaps.
+	 */
+	public function test_native_authoritative_modes_only_fill_missing_rows(): void {
+		$this->set_user_mode( 'dual_write' );
+
+		$report = TMDO_Native_Restorer::run( 'user', false );
+
+		$this->assertSame( array( '1' ), $this->native( 1, 'level' ), 'differing native value kept' );
+		$this->assertSame( array( serialize( array( 'a', 'b' ) ) ), $this->native( 1, 'tags' ), 'missing native row filled' );
+		$this->assertSame( array( '5' ), $this->native( 2, 'level' ) );
+		$this->assertSame( array( 'stale' ), $this->native( 2, 'tags' ), 'NULL flat value does not delete native here' );
+		$this->assertSame( 'only_missing', $report['policy'] );
+		$this->assertSame( 2, $report['groups']['rn_profile']['missing'] );
+		$this->assertSame( 2, $report['groups']['rn_profile']['differs'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_overwrite_policy_replaces_native_in_any_mode(): void {
+		$this->set_user_mode( 'dual_write' );
+
+		TMDO_Native_Restorer::run( 'user', false, 500, false, '', 'overwrite' );
+
+		$this->assertSame( array( '3' ), $this->native( 1, 'level' ) );
+		$this->assertSame( array(), $this->native( 2, 'tags' ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_only_missing_policy_keeps_native_in_aeav_only(): void {
+		TMDO_Native_Restorer::run( 'user', false, 500, false, '', 'only_missing' );
+
+		$this->assertSame( array( '1' ), $this->native( 1, 'level' ) );
+		$this->assertSame( array( serialize( array( 'a', 'b' ) ) ), $this->native( 1, 'tags' ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_dry_run_classifies_without_writing(): void {
+		$report = TMDO_Native_Restorer::run( 'user', true );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 'overwrite', $report['policy'], 'aeav_only: flat is the source of truth' );
+		$this->assertSame( 2, $report['groups']['rn_profile']['missing'] );
+		$this->assertSame( 2, $report['groups']['rn_profile']['differs'] );
+		$this->assertSame( 0, $report['groups']['rn_profile']['same'] );
+		$this->assertSame( array( '1' ), $this->native( 1, 'level' ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * A flat column holding its field default for an entity that never had
+	 * the key (e.g. activity.session_count = 0) is not written back.
+	 */
+	public function test_defaults_are_not_invented_as_native_rows(): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$table = 'wp_itest_wpdo_user_rn_counts';
+		$wpdb->query( "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `{$table}`" );
+		$wpdb->query( "CREATE TABLE `{$table}` ( id BIGINT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, user_id BIGINT NOT NULL, visits BIGINT(20) DEFAULT 0, updated_at DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, PRIMARY KEY (id), UNIQUE KEY uk_entity (user_id) ) ENGINE=InnoDB" );
+		$wpdb->query( "INSERT INTO `{$table}` (user_id, visits, updated_at) VALUES (1, 0, '2020-01-01'), (2, 7, '2020-01-01')" );
+		WPDO_Entity_Registry::register_group( 'user', 'rn_counts', array( array( 'key' => 'visits', 'type' => 'integer', 'default' => 0 ) ) );
+		WPDO_Schema_Manager::flush_table_exists_cache();
+
+		try {
+			$report = TMDO_Native_Restorer::run( 'user', false, 500, false, 'rn_counts' );
+
+			$this->assertSame( array(), $this->native( 1, 'visits' ), 'default 0 not invented' );
+			$this->assertSame( array( '7' ), $this->native( 2, 'visits' ) );
+			$this->assertSame( 1, $report['groups']['rn_counts']['default_skipped'] );
+		} finally {
+			$wpdb->query( "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `{$table}`" );
+		}
+	}
 }

tests/integration/PostQueryRouterCopyTest.php

@@ -58,14 +58,14 @@ class PostQueryRouterCopyTest extends TestCase {
 		$mode->setValue( null, null );
 	}
 
-	/** @return array{join:string, where:string, orderby:string, groupby:string} */
+	/** @return array{join:string, where:string, orderby:string} */
 	private function sql( array $vars ): array {
 		$query = new WP_Query();
 		foreach ( array_merge(
 			array(
 				'post_type'   => 'rc_item',
 				'post_status' => 'publish',
-				'meta_query'  => array( array( 'key' => 'rc_price', 'value' => array( 5, 20 ), 'compare' => 'BETWEEN' ) ),
+				'meta_query'  => array( array( 'key' => 'rc_price', 'value' => array( 5, 20 ), 'compare' => 'BETWEEN', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ),
 			),
 			$vars
 		) as $k => $v ) {
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ class PostQueryRouterCopyTest extends TestCase {
 			'join'    => $router->posts_join( '', $query ),
 			'where'   => $router->posts_where( " AND wp_posts.post_status = 'publish'", $query ),
 			'orderby' => $router->posts_orderby( 'wp_posts.post_date DESC', $query ),
-			'groupby' => $router->posts_groupby( '', $query ),
 		);
 	}
 
@@ -85,7 +84,6 @@ class PostQueryRouterCopyTest extends TestCase {
 		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'LEFT JOIN', $sql['join'] );
 		$this->assertStringNotContainsString( self::ALIAS . '.`post_status`', $sql['where'] );
 		$this->assertSame( 'wp_posts.post_date DESC', $sql['orderby'] );
-		$this->assertSame( '`wp_itest_posts`.`ID`', $sql['groupby'] );
 	}
 
 	public function test_ready_copies_filter_status_and_order_by_date_on_the_flat_table(): void {
@@ -95,7 +93,6 @@ class PostQueryRouterCopyTest extends TestCase {
 		$this->assertStringContainsString( self::ALIAS . ".`post_status` IN ('publish')", $sql['where'] );
 		$this->assertStringContainsString( "wp_posts.post_status = 'publish'", $sql['where'], 'WordPress status clause stays' );
 		$this->assertSame( self::ALIAS . '.`post_date` ASC', $sql['orderby'] );
-		$this->assertSame( '', $sql['groupby'], 'one row per post: no GROUP BY, so LIMIT can stop early' );
 	}
 
 	public function test_several_explicit_statuses_are_kept(): void {
@@ -123,4 +120,9 @@ class PostQueryRouterCopyTest extends TestCase {
 		$this->assert_legacy_shape( $this->sql( array( 'post_status' => '' ) ) );
 		$this->assert_legacy_shape( $this->sql( array( 'post_status' => 'any' ) ) );
 	}
+
+	public function test_not_exists_keeps_the_legacy_shape(): void {
+		// The INNER JOIN would drop posts without a flat row, which NOT EXISTS must match.
+		$this->assert_legacy_shape( $this->sql( array( 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'rc_price', 'compare' => 'NOT EXISTS' ) ) ) ) );
+	}
 }

tests/integration/PostQueryRouterFoundRowsTest.php

@@ -75,12 +75,12 @@ class PostQueryRouterFoundRowsTest extends TestCase {
 	}
 
 	/** A routed query plus the SQL WordPress would build for it (page size 1). */
-	private function routed(): array {
+	private function routed( array $clause = array( 'key' => 'fr_price', 'value' => 15, 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ): array {
 		global $wpdb;
 		$query = new WP_Query();
 		$query->set( 'post_type', 'fr_item' );
 		$query->set( 'post_status', 'publish' );
-		$query->set( 'meta_query', array( array( 'key' => 'fr_price', 'value' => 15, 'compare' => '>=' ) ) );
+		$query->set( 'meta_query', array( $clause ) );
 		$router = new TMDO_Post_Query_Router();
 		$router->pre_get_posts( $query );
 
@@ -133,4 +133,129 @@ class PostQueryRouterFoundRowsTest extends TestCase {
 		$this->assertNotSame( $before, $after_write );
 		$this->assertNotSame( $after_write, wp_cache_get_last_changed( 'posts' ) );
 	}
+
+	// ── flat-first: a filtered search ordered by a flat column ─────────────
+
+	/**
+	 * A routed search ordered by the flat price (named clause), with the
+	 * posts.ID tie-break a plugin such as HivePress appends.
+	 *
+	 * @return array{0:TMDO_Post_Query_Router, 1:WP_Query, 2:string}
+	 */
+	private function sorted( string $compare = '>=' ): array {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$query = new WP_Query();
+		$query->set( 'post_type', 'fr_item' );
+		$query->set( 'post_status', 'publish' );
+		$query->set( 'meta_query', array( 'price' => array( 'key' => 'fr_price', 'value' => 15, 'compare' => $compare, 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ) );
+		$query->set( 'orderby', 'price' );
+		$query->set( 'order', 'DESC' );
+		$router = new TMDO_Post_Query_Router();
+		$router->pre_get_posts( $query );
+
+		$request = "SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS {$wpdb->posts}.ID FROM {$wpdb->posts} " . $router->posts_join( '', $query )
+			. " WHERE 1=1 AND {$wpdb->posts}.post_type = 'fr_item' AND (({$wpdb->posts}.post_status = 'publish'))" . $router->posts_where( '', $query )
+			. ' ORDER BY ' . $router->posts_orderby( '', $query ) . ", {$wpdb->posts}.ID DESC LIMIT 0, 10";
+		return array( $router, $query, $request );
+	}
+
+	public function test_sorted_filtered_request_drives_from_the_flat_table_with_the_same_rows(): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		list( $router, $query, $request ) = $this->sorted();
+
+		$sql = $router->posts_request( $request, $query );
+
+		$this->assertStringStartsWith( 'SELECT STRAIGHT_JOIN ', $sql );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'FROM `' . self::TABLE . '` AS `wpdoflat_fr_item_fr_core` INNER JOIN ' . $wpdb->posts . ' ON', $sql );
+		$this->assertStringNotContainsString( 'LEFT JOIN `' . self::TABLE . '`', $sql );
+		$this->assertStringEndsWith( 'ORDER BY `wpdoflat_fr_item_fr_core`.`fr_price` DESC, `wpdoflat_fr_item_fr_core`.`post_id` DESC, `wpdoflat_fr_item_fr_core`.`post_id` DESC LIMIT 0, 10', $sql, 'posts.ID tie-breaks read the flat post_id' );
+		$this->assertSame( array( '3', '2' ), $wpdb->get_col( $sql ) );
+		$this->assertSame( $wpdb->get_col( str_replace( 'SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS ', '', $request ) ), $wpdb->get_col( $sql ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_date_ordered_filtered_request_keeps_wordpress_join_order(): void {
+		list( $router, $query, $request ) = $this->routed();
+
+		$this->assertStringStartsNotWith( 'SELECT STRAIGHT_JOIN', $router->posts_request( $request, $query ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_flat_first_needs_a_condition_that_rejects_posts_without_a_flat_row(): void {
+		list( $router, $query, $request ) = $this->sorted( 'NOT EXISTS' );
+
+		$this->assertStringStartsNotWith( 'SELECT STRAIGHT_JOIN', $router->posts_request( $request, $query ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_flat_first_is_skipped_for_selective_post_filters(): void {
+		list( $router, $query, $request ) = $this->sorted();
+		$query->set( 'post__in', array( 2 ) );
+
+		$this->assertStringStartsNotWith( 'SELECT STRAIGHT_JOIN', $router->posts_request( $request, $query ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_flat_first_can_be_turned_off(): void {
+		list( $router, $query, $request ) = $this->sorted();
+		$off = static fn() => false;
+		add_filter( 'tmdo_router_flat_first', $off );
+		try {
+			$this->assertStringStartsNotWith( 'SELECT STRAIGHT_JOIN', $router->posts_request( $request, $query ) );
+		} finally {
+			remove_filter( 'tmdo_router_flat_first', $off );
+		}
+	}
+
+	public function test_flat_first_keeps_the_split_query(): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		list( $router, $query, $request ) = $this->sorted();
+		$old_request    = str_replace( "{$wpdb->posts}.ID FROM", "{$wpdb->posts}.* FROM", $request );
+		$query->request = $router->posts_request( $old_request, $query );
+		$query->set( 'posts_per_page', 10 );
+
+		$this->assertStringStartsWith( 'SELECT STRAIGHT_JOIN ', $query->request );
+		$this->assertTrue( $router->split_the_query( false, $query, $old_request, array( 'fields' => "{$wpdb->posts}.*", 'limits' => 'LIMIT 0, 10' ) ) );
+	}
+
+	// ── split query: IDs first, then cached post objects ──────────────────
+
+	/**
+	 * WordPress's full-row request for a routed query, before and after posts_request.
+	 *
+	 * @return array{0:TMDO_Post_Query_Router, 1:WP_Query, 2:string, 3:array<string, string>}
+	 */
+	private function full_rows(): array {
+		global $wpdb;
+		list( $router, $query, $request ) = $this->routed();
+		$old_request    = str_replace( "{$wpdb->posts}.ID FROM", "{$wpdb->posts}.* FROM", $request );
+		$query->request = $router->posts_request( $old_request, $query );
+		$query->set( 'posts_per_page', 1 );
+		return array( $router, $query, $old_request, array( 'fields' => "{$wpdb->posts}.*", 'limits' => 'LIMIT 0, 1' ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_routed_full_row_request_is_still_split(): void {
+		list( $router, $query, $old_request, $clauses ) = $this->full_rows();
+
+		$this->assertTrue( $router->split_the_query( false, $query, $old_request, $clauses ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_request_changed_by_others_is_not_split(): void {
+		list( $router, $query, $old_request, $clauses ) = $this->full_rows();
+		$query->request .= ' /* another plugin */';
+
+		$this->assertFalse( $router->split_the_query( false, $query, $old_request, $clauses ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_unrouted_query_keeps_the_core_decision(): void {
+		$router = new TMDO_Post_Query_Router();
+
+		$this->assertFalse( $router->split_the_query( false, new WP_Query(), 'SELECT 1', array( 'fields' => 'wp_itest_posts.*', 'limits' => 'LIMIT 0, 1' ) ) );
+		$this->assertTrue( $router->split_the_query( true, new WP_Query(), 'SELECT 1', array() ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_split_id_request_goes_through_posts_request_too(): void {
+		unset( $GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['posts_request_ids'], $GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['split_the_query'] );
+		$router = new TMDO_Post_Query_Router();
+		$router->register_hooks();
+
+		$this->assertContains( array( $router, 'posts_request' ), $GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['posts_request_ids'] ?? array() );
+		$this->assertContains( array( $router, 'split_the_query' ), $GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['split_the_query'] ?? array() );
+	}
 }

tests/integration/PostQueryRouterOrderTest.php

@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * Meta orderby on the flat table: the "sort by an attribute, keep posts
+ * without it" shape (relation OR of NOT EXISTS + EXISTS on one key, named
+ * clause in orderby — HivePress search sorting), orderby on a named routed
+ * clause, and meta_key + meta_value(_num).
+ *
+ * Only when the flat column orders the way native CASTs meta_value;
+ * otherwise the whole query stays native.
+ */
+class PostQueryRouterOrderTest extends TestCase {
+
+	private const ALIAS = '`wpdoflat_product_wc_product`';
+
+	public static function setUpBeforeClass(): void {
+		WPDO_Entity_Registry::init();
+		WPDO_Entity_Registry::register_adapter( 'post', new WPDO_Adapter_Post() );
+		WPDO_Post_Fields::register_entity_fields();
+	}
+
+	protected function setUp(): void {
+		$cache = new ReflectionProperty( WPDO_Mode_Manager::class, 'cache' );
+		$cache->setAccessible( true );
+		$cache->setValue( null, array( 'post' => 'aeav_only', 'user' => 'disabled', 'term' => 'disabled', 'comment' => 'disabled' ) );
+	}
+
+	public static function tearDownAfterClass(): void {
+		$cache = new ReflectionProperty( WPDO_Mode_Manager::class, 'cache' );
+		$cache->setAccessible( true );
+		$cache->setValue( null, null );
+		WPDO_Entity_Registry::init();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $vars Query vars (post_type defaults to product).
+	 * @return array{query:WP_Query, join:string, where:string, orderby:string}
+	 */
+	private function route( array $vars ): array {
+		$query = new WP_Query();
+		foreach ( $vars + array( 'post_type' => 'product' ) as $k => $v ) {
+			$query->set( $k, $v );
+		}
+		$router = new TMDO_Post_Query_Router();
+		$router->pre_get_posts( $query );
+		return array(
+			'query'   => $query,
+			'join'    => $router->posts_join( '', $query ),
+			'where'   => $router->posts_where( '', $query ),
+			'orderby' => $router->posts_orderby( 'wp_posts.post_date DESC', $query ),
+		);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param string $type Clause type.
+	 * @return array<int|string, mixed>
+	 */
+	private function sort_shape( string $type ): array {
+		return array(
+			array(
+				'relation'     => 'OR',
+				'price__order' => array( 'key' => '_price', 'type' => $type, 'compare' => 'NOT EXISTS' ),
+				array( 'key' => '_price', 'type' => $type, 'compare' => 'EXISTS' ),
+			),
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function test_sort_shape_left_joins_and_orders_by_the_flat_column_without_filtering(): void {
+		$sql = $this->route( array( 'meta_query' => $this->sort_shape( 'DECIMAL' ), 'orderby' => 'price__order', 'order' => 'ASC' ) );
+
+		$this->assertSame( array(), $sql['query']->get( 'meta_query' ), 'sort group removed from the native meta_query' );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'LEFT JOIN `wp_itest_wpdo_post_wc_product` AS ' . self::ALIAS, $sql['join'] );
+		$this->assertStringNotContainsString( '_price', $sql['where'], 'every post matches: no condition' );
+		$this->assertStringStartsWith( self::ALIAS . '.`_price` ASC', $sql['orderby'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_sort_shape_with_char_type_on_a_numeric_column_stays_native(): void {
+		$vars = array( 'meta_query' => $this->sort_shape( 'CHAR' ), 'orderby' => 'price__order', 'order' => 'ASC' );
+		$sql  = $this->route( $vars );
+
+		$this->assertSame( $vars['meta_query'], $sql['query']->get( 'meta_query' ) );
+		$this->assertSame( 'wp_posts.post_date DESC', $sql['orderby'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_orderby_on_a_named_routed_clause_orders_by_its_column(): void {
+		$sql = $this->route(
+			array(
+				'meta_query' => array( 'price' => array( 'key' => '_price', 'compare' => 'EXISTS', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ),
+				'orderby'    => array( 'price' => 'DESC' ),
+			)
+		);
+
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( self::ALIAS . '.`_price` IS NOT NULL', $sql['where'] );
+		$this->assertStringStartsWith( self::ALIAS . '.`_price` DESC', $sql['orderby'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_orderby_naming_a_routed_clause_among_other_keys_stays_native(): void {
+		$vars = array(
+			'meta_query' => array( 'price' => array( 'key' => '_price', 'compare' => 'EXISTS', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ),
+			'orderby'    => array( 'price' => 'DESC', 'title' => 'ASC' ),
+		);
+		$sql  = $this->route( $vars );
+
+		$this->assertSame( $vars['meta_query'], $sql['query']->get( 'meta_query' ) );
+		$this->assertSame( 'wp_posts.post_date DESC', $sql['orderby'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_meta_value_num_on_a_numeric_key_requires_the_key_and_orders_by_its_column(): void {
+		$sql = $this->route( array( 'meta_key' => '_price', 'orderby' => 'meta_value_num', 'order' => 'DESC' ) );
+
+		$this->assertSame( '', $sql['query']->get( 'meta_key' ), 'primary meta clause taken over' );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( self::ALIAS . '.`_price` IS NOT NULL', $sql['where'], 'native INNER JOIN drops posts without the key' );
+		$this->assertStringStartsWith( self::ALIAS . '.`_price` DESC', $sql['orderby'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_meta_value_on_a_string_key_is_routed(): void {
+		$sql = $this->route( array( 'meta_key' => '_sku', 'orderby' => 'meta_value', 'order' => 'ASC' ) );
+
+		$this->assertStringStartsWith( self::ALIAS . '.`_sku` ASC', $sql['orderby'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_meta_value_on_a_numeric_key_stays_native(): void {
+		$sql = $this->route( array( 'meta_key' => '_price', 'orderby' => 'meta_value', 'order' => 'ASC' ) );
+
+		$this->assertSame( '_price', $sql['query']->get( 'meta_key' ), 'native string order' );
+		$this->assertSame( 'wp_posts.post_date DESC', $sql['orderby'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_meta_key_with_a_meta_value_filter_stays_native(): void {
+		$sql = $this->route( array( 'meta_key' => '_price', 'meta_value' => '5', 'orderby' => 'meta_value_num' ) );
+
+		$this->assertSame( '_price', $sql['query']->get( 'meta_key' ) );
+		$this->assertSame( 'wp_posts.post_date DESC', $sql['orderby'] );
+	}
+}

tests/integration/PostQueryRouterTest.php

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class PostQueryRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		$query  = $this->make_query( array(
 			'post_type'  => 'product',
 			'meta_query' => array(
-				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=' ),
+				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
 			),
 		) );
 		$original = $query->get( 'meta_query' );
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class PostQueryRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		$query  = $this->make_query( array(
 			'post_type'  => 'product',
 			'meta_query' => array(
-				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=' ),
+				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
 			),
 		) );
 		$original = $query->get( 'meta_query' );
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class PostQueryRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		$query  = $this->make_query( array(
 			'post_type'  => 'product',
 			'meta_query' => array(
-				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=' ),
+				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
 			),
 		) );
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ class PostQueryRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		$query  = $this->make_query( array(
 			'post_type'  => 'product',
 			'meta_query' => array(
-				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=' ),
+				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
 				array( 'key' => 'unmanaged_attr', 'value' => 'x' ),
 			),
 		) );
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class PostQueryRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		$query  = $this->make_query( array(
 			'post_type'  => 'product',
 			'meta_query' => array(
-				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=' ),
+				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
 			),
 		) );
 		$original = $query->get( 'meta_query' );
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ class PostQueryRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		$query  = $this->make_query( array(
 			'post_type'         => 'product',
 			'meta_query'        => array(
-				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50' ),
+				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
 			),
 			'wpdo_post_clauses' => array(),
 		) );
@@ -214,6 +214,34 @@ class PostQueryRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'wpdo_post_wc_product', $join );
 	}
 
+	public function test_posts_join_joins_every_routed_group(): void {
+		$this->set_post_mode( 'aeav_only' );
+
+		$router = new WPDO_Post_Query_Router();
+		$query  = $this->make_query( array(
+			'post_type'  => 'product',
+			'meta_query' => array(
+				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '50', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
+				array( 'key' => '_thumbnail_id', 'compare' => 'EXISTS' ),
+			),
+		) );
+
+		$router->pre_get_posts( $query );
+		$join  = $router->posts_join( '', $query );
+		$where = $router->posts_where( '', $query );
+
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'wpdo_post_wc_product', $join );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'wpdo_post_wp_core', $join );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( '`wpdoflat_product_wp_core`.`_thumbnail_id` IS NOT NULL', $where );
+	}
+
+	public function test_no_group_by_is_added_for_one_row_per_post_joins(): void {
+		unset( $GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['posts_groupby'] );
+		( new WPDO_Post_Query_Router() )->register_hooks();
+
+		$this->assertEmpty( $GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['posts_groupby'] ?? array() );
+	}
+
 	public function test_posts_where_appends_condition_for_routed_clause(): void {
 		$this->set_post_mode( 'aeav_only' );
 
@@ -221,7 +249,7 @@ class PostQueryRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		$query  = $this->make_query( array(
 			'post_type'  => 'product',
 			'meta_query' => array(
-				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '99', 'compare' => '=' ),
+				array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '99', 'compare' => '=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
 			),
 		) );
 
@@ -242,4 +270,145 @@ class PostQueryRouterTest extends TestCase {
 
 		$this->assertSame( '', $query->get( 'wpdo_post_clauses' ) );
 	}
+
+	// ── all-or-nothing: native unless every registered clause is routable ────
+
+	/**
+	 * Run pre_get_posts in aeav_only and assert the query was left to WordPress.
+	 *
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $vars Query vars.
+	 */
+	private function assert_not_routed( array $vars, string $why ): void {
+		$this->set_post_mode( 'aeav_only' );
+		$query = $this->make_query( $vars );
+		( new WPDO_Post_Query_Router() )->pre_get_posts( $query );
+
+		$this->assertSame( $vars['meta_query'], $query->get( 'meta_query' ), $why . ': meta_query untouched.' );
+		$this->assertSame( '', $query->get( 'wpdo_post_clauses' ), $why . ': nothing routed.' );
+	}
+
+	public function test_or_relation_is_not_routed(): void {
+		$this->assert_not_routed(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'product',
+				'meta_query' => array(
+					'relation' => 'OR',
+					array( 'key' => '_stock', 'value' => '1' ),
+					array( 'key' => '_sku', 'value' => 'x' ),
+				),
+			),
+			'OR'
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function test_several_post_types_are_not_routed(): void {
+		$this->assert_not_routed(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => array( 'product', 'post' ),
+				'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '5', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ),
+			),
+			'several post types'
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function test_untyped_range_on_a_numeric_column_is_not_routed(): void {
+		$this->assert_not_routed(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'product',
+				'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '9000', 'compare' => '>' ) ),
+			),
+			'CHAR > on DECIMAL'
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function test_untyped_equality_on_a_decimal_column_is_not_routed(): void {
+		$this->assert_not_routed(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'product',
+				'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '10' ) ),
+			),
+			'CHAR = on DECIMAL (native "10.00" != "10")'
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function test_numeric_type_on_a_text_column_is_not_routed(): void {
+		$this->assert_not_routed(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'product',
+				'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => '_sku', 'value' => '5', 'compare' => '>', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ),
+			),
+			'NUMERIC on VARCHAR'
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function test_unknown_compare_is_not_routed(): void {
+		$this->assert_not_routed(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'product',
+				'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => '_sku', 'value' => '^a', 'compare' => 'REGEXP' ) ),
+			),
+			'REGEXP'
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function test_one_unroutable_registered_clause_keeps_the_whole_query_native(): void {
+		$this->assert_not_routed(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'product',
+				'meta_query' => array(
+					array( 'key' => '_stock', 'value' => '3', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
+					array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => '9000', 'compare' => '>' ),
+				),
+			),
+			'one unroutable clause'
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function test_nested_group_with_a_registered_key_is_not_routed(): void {
+		$this->assert_not_routed(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'product',
+				'meta_query' => array(
+					array( 'key' => '_stock', 'value' => '3', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
+					array(
+						'relation' => 'OR',
+						array( 'key' => '_price', 'compare' => 'NOT EXISTS' ),
+						array( 'key' => '_price', 'compare' => 'EXISTS' ),
+					),
+				),
+			),
+			'nested group'
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function test_untyped_integer_equality_on_an_integer_column_is_routed(): void {
+		$this->set_post_mode( 'aeav_only' );
+		$query = $this->make_query(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'product',
+				'meta_query' => array(
+					array( 'key' => '_stock', 'value' => '3' ),
+					array( 'key' => 'unmanaged_attr', 'value' => 'x' ),
+				),
+			)
+		);
+		( new WPDO_Post_Query_Router() )->pre_get_posts( $query );
+
+		$this->assertNotEmpty( $query->get( 'wpdo_post_clauses' ) );
+		$this->assertCount( 1, $query->get( 'meta_query' ), 'unregistered AND clause stays native' );
+	}
+
+	public function test_like_matches_an_escaped_substring(): void {
+		$this->set_post_mode( 'aeav_only' );
+		$router = new WPDO_Post_Query_Router();
+		$query  = $this->make_query(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'product',
+				'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => '_sku', 'value' => 'B1_1%', 'compare' => 'LIKE' ) ),
+			)
+		);
+		$router->pre_get_posts( $query );
+
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( "LIKE '%B1\\\\_1\\\\%%'", $router->posts_where( '', $query ) );
+	}
 }

tests/integration/PostStatusSyncTest.php

@@ -160,7 +160,8 @@ class PostStatusSyncTest extends TestCase {
 		TMDO_Post_Status_Sync::run();
 		$mode = new ReflectionProperty( WPDO_Mode_Manager::class, 'cache' );
 		$mode->setAccessible( true );
-		$mode->setValue( null, array( 'post' => 'dual_write', 'user' => 'disabled', 'term' => 'disabled', 'comment' => 'disabled' ) );
+		// aeav_only: the pre-filter itself writes flat (dual_write syncs from native after the write).
+		$mode->setValue( null, array( 'post' => 'aeav_only', 'user' => 'disabled', 'term' => 'disabled', 'comment' => 'disabled' ) );
 		$GLOBALS['_wp_posts'][3]       = (object) array( 'ID' => 3, 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'post_status' => 'pending', 'post_date' => '2026-03-01 10:00:00' );
 		$GLOBALS['_wp_current_filter'] = 'update_post_metadata';
 

tests/integration/RestApiIntegrationTest.php

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class RestApiIntegrationTest extends TestCase {
 			'zone'      => 'hot',
 			'column'    => 'rp_price',
 			'type'      => 'decimal',
+			'show_in_rest' => true,
 		] );
 		$registry->register( 'integration_rest', [
 			'post_type' => 'restapi',
@@ -40,11 +41,21 @@ class RestApiIntegrationTest extends TestCase {
 			'zone'      => 'hot',
 			'column'    => 'rp_featured',
 			'type'      => 'tinyint',
+			'show_in_rest' => true,
 		] );
 		$registry->register( 'integration_rest', [
 			'post_type' => 'restapi',
 			'meta_key'  => 'rp_description',
 			'zone'      => 'cold',
+			'show_in_rest' => true,
+		] );
+		// Registered but not public (1.1.1: fields are private by default).
+		$registry->register( 'integration_rest', [
+			'post_type' => 'restapi',
+			'meta_key'  => 'rp_cost',
+			'zone'      => 'hot',
+			'column'    => 'rp_cost',
+			'type'      => 'decimal',
 		] );
 
 		// Create hot table.
@@ -53,6 +64,7 @@ class RestApiIntegrationTest extends TestCase {
 				post_id    BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL,
 				rp_price   DECIMAL(10,2)   DEFAULT NULL,
 				rp_featured TINYINT(1)     DEFAULT NULL,
+				rp_cost    DECIMAL(10,2)   DEFAULT NULL,
 				updated_at DATETIME        NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
 				PRIMARY KEY (post_id)
 			) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8mb4"
@@ -91,7 +103,8 @@ class RestApiIntegrationTest extends TestCase {
 			$featured = $i % 2;
 			$status   = $statuses[ $i ] ?? 'publish';
 			$wpdb->query( "INSERT INTO `{$wpdb->posts}` (ID, post_type, post_status) VALUES ($i, 'restapi', '$status')" );
-			$wpdb->query( "INSERT INTO `" . self::$hot_table . "` (post_id, rp_price, rp_featured) VALUES ($i, $price, $featured)" );
+			$cost     = 1000 - $price;
+			$wpdb->query( "INSERT INTO `" . self::$hot_table . "` (post_id, rp_price, rp_featured, rp_cost) VALUES ($i, $price, $featured, $cost)" );
 		}
 		$wpdb->query( "INSERT INTO `{$wpdb->posts}` (ID, post_type, post_status) VALUES (9, 'post', 'publish')" );
 		$wpdb->query( "INSERT INTO `" . self::$hot_table . "` (post_id, rp_price, rp_featured) VALUES (9, 900, 1)" );
@@ -194,6 +207,33 @@ class RestApiIntegrationTest extends TestCase {
 		$this->assertTrue( true );
 	}
 
+	public function test_listings_never_return_a_private_column(): void {
+		$req = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wpdo/v1/listings' );
+		$req->set_param( 'post_type', 'restapi' );
+
+		foreach ( self::$api->get_listings( $req )->get_data() as $item ) {
+			$this->assertArrayNotHasKey( 'rp_cost', $item );
+		}
+	}
+
+	public function test_private_column_cannot_be_used_as_a_filter(): void {
+		$req = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wpdo/v1/listings' );
+		$req->set_param( 'post_type', 'restapi' );
+		$req->set_param( 'rp_cost_min', 800 );
+
+		$this->assertSame( '5', self::$api->get_listings( $req )->get_headers()['X-WP-Total'], 'filter on a private column is ignored' );
+	}
+
+	public function test_private_column_cannot_be_used_for_ordering(): void {
+		$req = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wpdo/v1/listings' );
+		$req->set_param( 'post_type', 'restapi' );
+		$req->set_param( 'orderby', 'rp_cost' );
+		$req->set_param( 'order', 'ASC' );
+
+		// rp_cost descends as post_id rises; ignoring it falls back to post_id ASC.
+		$this->assertSame( array( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ), array_column( self::$api->get_listings( $req )->get_data(), 'id' ) );
+	}
+
 	public function test_listings_filter_price_min(): void {
 		$req = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wpdo/v1/listings' );
 		$req->set_param( 'post_type', 'restapi' );

tests/integration/bootstrap.php

@@ -418,6 +418,7 @@ if ( ! function_exists( 'wp_cache_delete' ) ) { function wp_cache_delete( $key,
 
 if ( ! class_exists( 'WP_Query' ) ) {
 	class WP_Query {
+		public string $request = '';
 		private array $vars = [];
 		public function get( string $key, $default = '' ) { return $this->vars[ $key ] ?? $default; }
 		public function set( string $key, $value ): void { $this->vars[ $key ] = $value; }
@@ -576,6 +577,7 @@ require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/safety/class-tmdo-fsm-guard.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/class-tmdo-rest-api.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-type-caster.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-mode-manager.php';
+require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-promotion-guard.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-audit-logger.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-shadow-diff-logger.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/engine/class-tmdo-conflict-detector.php';
@@ -610,6 +612,7 @@ require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-migration-orchestrator.p
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-post-migration.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-post-group-reconciler.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-native-restorer.php';
+require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/migration/class-tmdo-array-literal-repair.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'modules/options/class-tmdo-options-manager.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/class-tmdo-postmeta-cleaner.php';
 require_once TMDO_PATH . 'includes/class-tmdo-termmeta-cleaner.php';

tests/live/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# Live test suite
+
+Tests that must run inside a real WordPress site, because the stubbed
+`tests/integration` bootstrap cannot reproduce:
+
+- WP core meta flows (`update_metadata()` reads the old value through
+  `get_metadata_raw()` before writing — the shadow_read write-loss bug lives there)
+- the SQL that `WP_Query` actually builds, and hook priorities
+- HivePress / WooCommerce behaviour (`pre_get_posts` sort clauses, empty-key
+  meta reads, direct-SQL stock updates)
+
+**Never run against a production site.** Suites create and delete fixtures
+(`tmdo_live_*` users, `tmdo-live-*` terms). Entity modes are overridden in
+process through `pre_option_wpdo_bridge_modes`; nothing is written to
+`wpdo_bridge_modes` or `wpdo_hook_bus_enabled`.
+
+The reference site is dev36 (HivePress + Marketplace + WooCommerce), with this
+plugin symlinked from the `plugins-dev` worktree while developing.
+
+## Run
+
+```bash
+wp --path=/var/www/Studio/wp-local-dev36 eval-file tests/live/run.php <suite> [<suite> ...]
+```
+
+Exit code 0 when every test passed, 1 otherwise. Output per test:
+
+| Status | Meaning |
+|---|---|
+| PASS / FAIL | normal |
+| XFAIL | known bug, test marked `xfail` with the PR that fixes it; not counted as a failure |
+| XPASS | an `xfail` test passed — counted as a failure so the fixing PR removes the marker |
+| SKIP | the site does not register the key / taxonomy the test needs |
+
+## Suites
+
+| Suite | Covers |
+|---|---|
+| `shadow_write` | writes in shadow_read reach native meta (user, term, HivePress listing) |
+| `serialized` | array meta values are stored serialized in flat tables, never "Array" |
+| `resync` | dual_write / shadow_read: flat follows native after every write (4 entities × 2 modes: update, same value, delete, refused writes, stale flat, key rename by meta_id) |
+| `router` | a routed WP_Query returns the same ids, in order, as native (OR, several post types, untyped numeric compares, named orderby, LIKE, keys of two groups, NOT EXISTS with the status/date copy route, meta orderby: HivePress sort shape, named clause, meta_key + meta_value_num); routed SQL has no GROUP BY |
+| `rest` | anonymous GET of the public listings endpoints returns no protected or credential-like field (1.1.1) |
+| `zero_side_effect` | zone tables that were never created are never queried on save / delete |
+
+## Tools (`tools/`)
+
+Benchmark and data-flow helpers used for the 2026-09-26 dev36 integration test.
+Output files go to the current directory (`qbench`) or `$TMDO_LIVE_OUT`
+(default `/tmp`, `run_batch.sh`), never into the repo.
+
+| Tool | Use |
+|---|---|
+| `seed.php` | `wp eval-file seed.php <vendors\|listings\|requests\|reviews\|products\|orders\|terms> <n> [tag]` — seed through real HivePress / WC APIs |
+| `run_batch.sh` | `run_batch.sh <tag> [divisor]` — parallel seeding batch (`TMDO_LIVE_WP_PATH`, `TMDO_LIVE_OUT`) |
+| `clone.sql` | bench only: clone hp_listing rows to reach large scale (`sed "s/__K__/<n>/" clone.sql \| wp db query`) |
+| `checker.php` | `wp eval-file checker.php [entity]` — native vs flat consistency per registered key (SQL only) |
+| `qbench.php` / `qdiff.php` | run 16 WP_Query shapes, then diff two runs (native vs routed): result sets, order, latency, SQL errors |
+| `mut.php` | data-flow mutations through HivePress models, WC CRUD and core APIs; prints native / flat / API values |
+| `fe.sh` + `zz-s36-probe.php` | front-end search probe (`TMDO_LIVE_URL`). Copy the probe into `wp-content/mu-plugins/` only for the run and remove it afterwards; it only answers requests carrying `X-S36-Probe: 1` |

tests/live/lib/assert.php

@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Minimal assertion + test registry for the live suite.
+ *
+ * Why not PHPUnit: the live suite runs inside a real WordPress request
+ * (`wp eval-file`) so WP core's update_metadata() flow, WP_Query SQL and
+ * third-party hooks (HivePress, WooCommerce) are exercised for real — the
+ * stubbed integration bootstrap cannot reproduce those.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * Thrown by the assert helpers.
+ */
+class TMDO_Live_Failure extends RuntimeException {}
+
+/**
+ * Thrown to skip a test whose preconditions the site does not meet.
+ */
+class TMDO_Live_Skip extends RuntimeException {}
+
+/**
+ * Test registry and runner.
+ */
+final class TMDO_Live {
+
+	/**
+	 * Registered tests.
+	 *
+	 * @var array<int, array{suite:string, name:string, fn:callable, xfail:string}>
+	 */
+	private static array $tests = array();
+
+	/**
+	 * Suite currently being loaded.
+	 *
+	 * @var string
+	 */
+	public static string $suite = '';
+
+	/**
+	 * Register a test.
+	 *
+	 * `xfail` marks a known bug: a failure is reported as XFAIL (not counted),
+	 * a pass is reported as XPASS and counted as a failure so the marker gets
+	 * removed by the PR that fixes the bug.
+	 *
+	 * @param string   $name Test name.
+	 * @param callable $fn   Test body.
+	 * @param array    $opts Options: xfail => reason.
+	 */
+	public static function test( string $name, callable $fn, array $opts = array() ): void {
+		self::$tests[] = array(
+			'suite' => self::$suite,
+			'name'  => $name,
+			'fn'    => $fn,
+			'xfail' => (string) ( $opts['xfail'] ?? '' ),
+		);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Run every registered test; return true when nothing failed.
+	 */
+	public static function run(): bool {
+		$counts = array( 'PASS' => 0, 'FAIL' => 0, 'XFAIL' => 0, 'XPASS' => 0, 'SKIP' => 0 );
+
+		foreach ( self::$tests as $t ) {
+			$detail = '';
+			try {
+				( $t['fn'] )();
+				$status = '' !== $t['xfail'] ? 'XPASS' : 'PASS';
+			} catch ( TMDO_Live_Skip $e ) {
+				$status = 'SKIP';
+				$detail = $e->getMessage();
+			} catch ( Throwable $e ) {
+				$status = '' !== $t['xfail'] ? 'XFAIL' : 'FAIL';
+				$detail = ( $e instanceof TMDO_Live_Failure ? '' : get_class( $e ) . ': ' ) . $e->getMessage();
+			} finally {
+				TMDO_Live_Fixtures::teardown();
+			}
+
+			++$counts[ $status ];
+			if ( '' !== $t['xfail'] ) {
+				$detail = trim( $detail . ' [xfail: ' . $t['xfail'] . ']' );
+			}
+			printf( "%-5s %s :: %s%s\n", $status, $t['suite'], $t['name'], '' !== $detail ? "\n      " . $detail : '' );
+		}
+
+		printf(
+			"\n%d passed, %d failed, %d xfail, %d xpass, %d skipped\n",
+			$counts['PASS'],
+			$counts['FAIL'],
+			$counts['XFAIL'],
+			$counts['XPASS'],
+			$counts['SKIP']
+		);
+
+		return 0 === $counts['FAIL'] && 0 === $counts['XPASS'];
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Fail unless $actual is identical to $expected.
+ *
+ * @param mixed  $expected Expected value.
+ * @param mixed  $actual   Actual value.
+ * @param string $message  Context.
+ */
+function tmdo_live_assert_same( $expected, $actual, string $message ): void {
+	if ( $expected !== $actual ) {
+		throw new TMDO_Live_Failure(
+			sprintf( '%s — expected %s, got %s', $message, var_export( $expected, true ), var_export( $actual, true ) ) // phpcs:ignore WordPress.PHP.DevelopmentFunctions.error_log_var_export
+		);
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Fail unless $condition is true.
+ *
+ * @param bool   $condition Condition.
+ * @param string $message   Context.
+ */
+function tmdo_live_assert_true( bool $condition, string $message ): void {
+	if ( ! $condition ) {
+		throw new TMDO_Live_Failure( $message );
+	}
+}

tests/live/lib/fixtures.php

@@ -0,0 +1,243 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Live-suite fixtures: in-process mode overrides, throwaway entities, and
+ * direct reads of native meta / flat tables (bypassing every meta filter).
+ *
+ * Nothing here persists a mode change: modes are overridden through the
+ * `pre_option_wpdo_bridge_modes` filter for the current process only.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * Fixture helpers, reset after every test by TMDO_Live::run().
+ */
+final class TMDO_Live_Fixtures {
+
+	/**
+	 * Entities created by the current test, deleted on teardown.
+	 *
+	 * @var array<int, array{0:string, 1:int, 2?:string}>
+	 */
+	private static array $created = array();
+
+	/**
+	 * Active pre_option callback, if any.
+	 *
+	 * @var callable|null
+	 */
+	private static $mode_filter = null;
+
+	/**
+	 * Override entity modes for this process and make sure the Hook Bus is hooked.
+	 *
+	 * @param array<string, string> $modes e.g. array( 'user' => 'shadow_read' ).
+	 */
+	public static function use_modes( array $modes ): void {
+		self::clear_mode_filter();
+
+		$stored            = get_option( 'wpdo_bridge_modes', array() );
+		$merged            = array_merge( is_array( $stored ) ? $stored : array(), $modes );
+		self::$mode_filter = static function () use ( $merged ) {
+			return $merged;
+		};
+		add_filter( 'pre_option_wpdo_bridge_modes', self::$mode_filter );
+		self::reset_caches();
+
+		// The Hook Bus only boots when wpdo_hook_bus_enabled is on; the suite
+		// must not depend on (or change) that site option.
+		if ( false === has_filter( 'update_user_metadata', array( 'TMDO_Hook_Bus', 'intercept_update' ) ) ) {
+			TMDO_Hook_Bus::init();
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Create a throwaway user.
+	 */
+	public static function user(): int {
+		$login = 'tmdo_live_' . wp_generate_password( 6, false, false );
+		$id    = wp_insert_user(
+			array(
+				'user_login' => $login,
+				'user_email' => $login . '@example.test',
+				'user_pass'  => wp_generate_password(),
+			)
+		);
+		if ( is_wp_error( $id ) ) {
+			throw new TMDO_Live_Failure( 'fixture user: ' . $id->get_error_message() );
+		}
+		self::$created[] = array( 'user', (int) $id );
+		return (int) $id;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Create a throwaway term.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $taxonomy Taxonomy.
+	 */
+	public static function term( string $taxonomy ): int {
+		if ( ! taxonomy_exists( $taxonomy ) ) {
+			throw new TMDO_Live_Skip( "taxonomy {$taxonomy} not registered on this site" );
+		}
+		$t = wp_insert_term( 'tmdo-live-' . wp_generate_password( 6, false, false ), $taxonomy );
+		if ( is_wp_error( $t ) ) {
+			throw new TMDO_Live_Failure( 'fixture term: ' . $t->get_error_message() );
+		}
+		self::$created[] = array( 'term', (int) $t['term_id'], $taxonomy );
+		return (int) $t['term_id'];
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Create a throwaway post.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $post_type Post type.
+	 */
+	public static function post( string $post_type ): int {
+		if ( ! post_type_exists( $post_type ) ) {
+			throw new TMDO_Live_Skip( "post type {$post_type} not registered on this site" );
+		}
+		$id = wp_insert_post(
+			array(
+				'post_type'   => $post_type,
+				'post_title'  => 'tmdo-live-' . wp_generate_password( 6, false, false ),
+				'post_status' => 'draft',
+			),
+			true
+		);
+		if ( is_wp_error( $id ) ) {
+			throw new TMDO_Live_Failure( 'fixture post: ' . $id->get_error_message() );
+		}
+		self::$created[] = array( 'post', (int) $id );
+		return (int) $id;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Create a throwaway comment (on a throwaway post of $post_type).
+	 *
+	 * @param string $post_type    Post type of the parent post.
+	 * @param string $comment_type Comment type.
+	 */
+	public static function comment( string $post_type, string $comment_type = 'comment' ): int {
+		$post_id = self::post( $post_type );
+		$id      = wp_insert_comment(
+			array(
+				'comment_post_ID'  => $post_id,
+				'comment_content'  => 'tmdo-live',
+				'comment_type'     => $comment_type,
+				'comment_approved' => 1,
+			)
+		);
+		if ( ! $id ) {
+			throw new TMDO_Live_Failure( 'fixture comment could not be created' );
+		}
+		self::$created[] = array( 'comment', (int) $id );
+		return (int) $id;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Native meta values for a key, read with SQL (no filters, no cache).
+	 *
+	 * @param string $type Entity type (post|user|term|comment).
+	 * @param int    $id   Entity ID.
+	 * @param string $key  Meta key.
+	 * @return string[]
+	 */
+	public static function native( string $type, int $id, string $key ): array {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$table  = _get_meta_table( $type );
+		$id_col = $type . '_id';
+		$pk     = 'user' === $type ? 'umeta_id' : 'meta_id';
+		// phpcs:ignore WordPress.DB.PreparedSQL.InterpolatedNotPrepared -- table/column names are WP internals.
+		return $wpdb->get_col( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT meta_value FROM {$table} WHERE {$id_col} = %d AND meta_key = %s ORDER BY {$pk}", $id, $key ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Raw flat-table value for a key; 'NO-ROW' when the entity has no row.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $type      Entity type.
+	 * @param int    $id        Entity ID.
+	 * @param string $key       Meta key.
+	 * @param string $post_type For posts: the post type whose group owns the key.
+	 * @return string|null
+	 */
+	public static function flat( string $type, int $id, string $key, string $post_type = '' ) {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$field = self::field( $type, $key, $post_type );
+		$table = TMDO_Schema_Manager::get_table_name( $type, $field['group'] );
+		$col   = TMDO_Schema_Manager::sanitize_column_name( $key );
+		// phpcs:ignore WordPress.DB.PreparedSQL.InterpolatedNotPrepared -- table/column come from the registry.
+		$row = $wpdb->get_row( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT `{$col}` AS v FROM `{$table}` WHERE {$type}_id = %d", $id ), ARRAY_A );
+		return null === $row ? 'NO-ROW' : $row['v'];
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Registry field for a key, or skip the test when the site does not register it.
+	 *
+	 * A key can live in several post groups (hp_rating in listing and vendor
+	 * groups); pass the post type to pick the group scoped to it.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $type      Entity type.
+	 * @param string $key       Meta key.
+	 * @param string $post_type For posts: the post type whose group owns the key.
+	 */
+	public static function field( string $type, string $key, string $post_type = '' ): array {
+		$field = TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_field( $type, $key );
+		if ( '' !== $post_type ) {
+			foreach ( TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_groups_for_type( $type ) as $group ) {
+				if ( in_array( $post_type, TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_group_post_types( $type, $group ), true )
+					&& in_array( $key, TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_group_keys( $type, $group ), true ) ) {
+					$field = array( 'group' => $group ) + (array) $field;
+					break;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if ( ! $field ) {
+			throw new TMDO_Live_Skip( "{$type} key {$key} is not registered on this site" );
+		}
+		if ( ! TMDO_Schema_Manager::table_exists( TMDO_Schema_Manager::get_table_name( $type, $field['group'] ) ) ) {
+			throw new TMDO_Live_Skip( "flat table for {$type}/{$field['group']} does not exist" );
+		}
+		return $field;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Delete fixtures and drop the mode override.
+	 */
+	public static function teardown(): void {
+		require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/user.php';
+		foreach ( array_reverse( self::$created ) as $c ) {
+			if ( 'user' === $c[0] ) {
+				wp_delete_user( $c[1] );
+			} elseif ( 'term' === $c[0] ) {
+				wp_delete_term( $c[1], $c[2] );
+			} elseif ( 'post' === $c[0] ) {
+				wp_delete_post( $c[1], true );
+			} elseif ( 'comment' === $c[0] ) {
+				wp_delete_comment( $c[1], true );
+			}
+		}
+		self::$created = array();
+		self::clear_mode_filter();
+		self::reset_caches();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Remove the pre_option override, if any.
+	 */
+	private static function clear_mode_filter(): void {
+		if ( null !== self::$mode_filter ) {
+			remove_filter( 'pre_option_wpdo_bridge_modes', self::$mode_filter );
+			self::$mode_filter = null;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Reset request-level caches that memoise modes or routing decisions.
+	 */
+	private static function reset_caches(): void {
+		TMDO_Mode_Manager::reset_cache();
+		TMDO_Routing_Predicate::flush_cache();
+	}
+}

tests/live/run.php

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Live test runner — runs suites inside a real WordPress site (HivePress /
+ * WooCommerce active) so WP core meta flows and query SQL are exercised for real.
+ *
+ * Usage:
+ *   wp --path=<site> eval-file tests/live/run.php <suite> [<suite> ...]
+ *
+ * Exit code 0 when every test passed (XFAIL allowed), 1 otherwise.
+ * Never run against a production site: suites create and delete fixtures.
+ *
+ * No strict_types here: wp eval-file evals this file, and a declare must be
+ * the first statement of a real file. The required files declare it.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+require __DIR__ . '/lib/assert.php';
+require __DIR__ . '/lib/fixtures.php';
+
+$tmdo_live_suites = isset( $args ) ? (array) $args : array();
+
+if ( ! class_exists( 'TMDO_Hook_Bus' ) ) {
+	fwrite( STDERR, "2meet-data-optimizer is not active on this site.\n" );
+	exit( 1 );
+}
+
+if ( empty( $tmdo_live_suites ) ) {
+	$tmdo_live_available = array_map(
+		static function ( $f ) {
+			return basename( $f, '.php' );
+		},
+		glob( __DIR__ . '/suites/*.php' )
+	);
+	fwrite( STDERR, 'Usage: wp eval-file tests/live/run.php <suite> ...  Suites: ' . implode( ', ', $tmdo_live_available ) . "\n" );
+	exit( 1 );
+}
+
+foreach ( $tmdo_live_suites as $tmdo_live_suite ) {
+	$tmdo_live_file = __DIR__ . '/suites/' . basename( (string) $tmdo_live_suite ) . '.php';
+	if ( ! is_file( $tmdo_live_file ) ) {
+		fwrite( STDERR, "Unknown suite: {$tmdo_live_suite}\n" );
+		exit( 1 );
+	}
+	TMDO_Live::$suite = (string) $tmdo_live_suite;
+	require $tmdo_live_file;
+}
+
+exit( TMDO_Live::run() ? 0 : 1 );

tests/live/suites/rest.php

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Suite: the public listings endpoints never return private fields to anonymous users.
+ *
+ * Bug (dev36, 2026-09-26, fixed in 1.1.1): GET /wpdo/v1/listings/{id} is public and
+ * returned every registered hot / cold field, because show_in_rest defaulted to true —
+ * e.g. the infocards IG token fields on hp_vendor and WooCommerce's _purchase_note.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * GET a wpdo REST route as an anonymous visitor.
+ *
+ * @param string               $route  Route, e.g. /wpdo/v1/listings/12.
+ * @param array<string, mixed> $params Query parameters.
+ * @return array<int|string, mixed> Response data.
+ */
+function tmdo_live_rest_anonymous( string $route, array $params = array() ): array {
+	$user    = get_current_user_id();
+	$request = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', $route );
+	$request->set_query_params( $params );
+	wp_set_current_user( 0 );
+	try {
+		$response = rest_do_request( $request );
+	} finally {
+		wp_set_current_user( $user );
+	}
+	tmdo_live_assert_same( 200, $response->get_status(), "GET {$route}" );
+	return (array) $response->get_data();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Keys that must never reach an anonymous visitor.
+ *
+ * @return string[]
+ */
+function tmdo_live_rest_private_keys(): array {
+	return array( 'tmeetic_ig_access_token_enc', 'tmeetic_ig_token_expiry', 'tmeetic_ig_user_id', '_purchase_note' );
+}
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'GET /wpdo/v1/listings/{id} returns no private field to an anonymous visitor',
+	static function () {
+		$checked = 0;
+		foreach ( array( 'hp_vendor', 'product' ) as $post_type ) {
+			$ids = get_posts( array( 'post_type' => $post_type, 'post_status' => 'publish', 'numberposts' => 1, 'fields' => 'ids' ) );
+			if ( ! $ids ) {
+				continue;
+			}
+			$data = tmdo_live_rest_anonymous( '/wpdo/v1/listings/' . (int) $ids[0] );
+			tmdo_live_assert_same( array(), array_values( array_intersect( tmdo_live_rest_private_keys(), array_keys( $data ) ) ), "{$post_type} #{$ids[0]} private keys" );
+			tmdo_live_assert_same( array(), array_values( preg_grep( '/^_|token|secret|passw|api_?key/i', array_keys( $data ) ) ), "{$post_type} #{$ids[0]} protected / credential-like keys" );
+			++$checked;
+		}
+		if ( 0 === $checked ) {
+			throw new TMDO_Live_Skip( 'no published hp_vendor or product on this site' );
+		}
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'GET /wpdo/v1/listings returns no private field to an anonymous visitor',
+	static function () {
+		foreach ( array( 'hp_vendor', 'product', 'hp_listing' ) as $post_type ) {
+			if ( ! post_type_exists( $post_type ) ) {
+				continue;
+			}
+			foreach ( tmdo_live_rest_anonymous( '/wpdo/v1/listings', array( 'post_type' => $post_type, 'per_page' => 5 ) ) as $item ) {
+				tmdo_live_assert_same( array(), array_values( preg_grep( '/^_|token|secret|passw|api_?key/i', array_keys( (array) $item ) ) ), "{$post_type} list item keys" );
+			}
+		}
+	}
+);

tests/live/suites/resync.php

@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Suite: in dual_write / shadow_read the flat value always follows native meta.
+ *
+ * Before PR-057 the Hook Bus wrote flat in the pre-filter, before WP decided
+ * whether native changed at all: a non-matching prev_value, add($unique) on an
+ * existing key or a key change via update_metadata_by_mid left flat and native
+ * apart, and nothing healed a flat value made stale by a direct SQL write.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * Entity cases: [entity type, key, fixture factory, post type for group lookup].
+ *
+ * @return array<string, array{0:string, 1:string, 2:callable, 3:string}>
+ */
+function tmdo_live_resync_cases(): array {
+	return array(
+		'user first_name'  => array( 'user', 'first_name', array( 'TMDO_Live_Fixtures', 'user' ), '' ),
+		'hp_listing price' => array( 'post', 'hp_price', static fn() => TMDO_Live_Fixtures::post( 'hp_listing' ), 'hp_listing' ),
+		'hp term icon'     => array( 'term', 'hp_icon', static fn() => TMDO_Live_Fixtures::term( 'hp_listing_category' ), '' ),
+		'hp review rating' => array( 'comment', 'hp_rating', static fn() => TMDO_Live_Fixtures::comment( 'hp_listing', 'hp_review' ), '' ),
+	);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Assert flat equals the first native value (numeric-aware; missing native = NULL flat).
+ */
+function tmdo_live_assert_in_step( string $type, int $id, string $key, string $post_type, string $context ): void {
+	$native = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::native( $type, $id, $key );
+	$flat   = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::flat( $type, $id, $key, $post_type );
+	$expect = $native ? $native[0] : null;
+	if ( 'NO-ROW' === $flat ) {
+		$flat = null;
+	}
+	$same = ( null === $expect || null === $flat )
+		? $expect === $flat
+		: ( is_numeric( $expect ) && is_numeric( $flat ) ? (float) $expect === (float) $flat : $expect === $flat );
+	tmdo_live_assert_true( $same, sprintf( '%s — native %s, flat %s', $context, var_export( $expect, true ), var_export( $flat, true ) ) ); // phpcs:ignore WordPress.PHP.DevelopmentFunctions.error_log_var_export
+}
+
+foreach ( array( 'dual_write', 'shadow_read' ) as $tmdo_live_mode ) {
+	foreach ( tmdo_live_resync_cases() as $tmdo_live_label => $tmdo_live_case ) {
+		list( $type, $key, $make, $pt ) = $tmdo_live_case;
+
+		TMDO_Live::test(
+			"{$tmdo_live_mode} {$tmdo_live_label}: update, same value, delete",
+			static function () use ( $tmdo_live_mode, $type, $key, $make, $pt ) {
+				TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( $type, $key, $pt );
+				TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( $type => $tmdo_live_mode ) );
+				$id = $make();
+
+				update_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '11' );
+				tmdo_live_assert_in_step( $type, $id, $key, $pt, 'new key' );
+				update_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '12' );
+				tmdo_live_assert_in_step( $type, $id, $key, $pt, 'update' );
+				update_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '12' );
+				tmdo_live_assert_in_step( $type, $id, $key, $pt, 'same value' );
+				delete_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '12' );
+				tmdo_live_assert_in_step( $type, $id, $key, $pt, 'delete with value' );
+			}
+		);
+
+		TMDO_Live::test(
+			"{$tmdo_live_mode} {$tmdo_live_label}: writes WP refuses leave flat alone",
+			static function () use ( $tmdo_live_mode, $type, $key, $make, $pt ) {
+				TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( $type, $key, $pt );
+				TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( $type => $tmdo_live_mode ) );
+				$id = $make();
+				update_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '21' );
+
+				update_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '22', 'no-such-previous-value' );
+				tmdo_live_assert_in_step( $type, $id, $key, $pt, 'non-matching prev_value' );
+				add_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '23', true );
+				tmdo_live_assert_in_step( $type, $id, $key, $pt, 'add unique on existing key' );
+				update_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '24', '21' );
+				tmdo_live_assert_in_step( $type, $id, $key, $pt, 'matching prev_value' );
+			}
+		);
+
+		TMDO_Live::test(
+			"{$tmdo_live_mode} {$tmdo_live_label}: stale flat heals on the next write, key change by meta_id",
+			static function () use ( $tmdo_live_mode, $type, $key, $make, $pt ) {
+				global $wpdb;
+				TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( $type, $key, $pt );
+				TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( $type => $tmdo_live_mode ) );
+				$id = $make();
+				update_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '31' );
+
+				$table  = _get_meta_table( $type );
+				$id_col = $type . '_id';
+				$pk     = 'user' === $type ? 'umeta_id' : 'meta_id';
+
+				// A direct SQL write (as WooCommerce does for stock) leaves flat stale.
+				// phpcs:ignore WordPress.DB.PreparedSQL.InterpolatedNotPrepared -- WP meta table names.
+				$wpdb->query( $wpdb->prepare( "UPDATE {$table} SET meta_value = '32' WHERE {$id_col} = %d AND meta_key = %s", $id, $key ) );
+				wp_cache_delete( $id, $type . '_meta' );
+				update_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '33' );
+				tmdo_live_assert_in_step( $type, $id, $key, $pt, 'next write after a direct SQL change' );
+
+				// Renaming the key by meta_id removes it from native: flat must follow.
+				// phpcs:ignore WordPress.DB.PreparedSQL.InterpolatedNotPrepared -- WP meta table names.
+				$mid = (int) $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT {$pk} FROM {$table} WHERE {$id_col} = %d AND meta_key = %s", $id, $key ) );
+				update_metadata_by_mid( $type, $mid, '34', 'tmdo_live_renamed' );
+				tmdo_live_assert_in_step( $type, $id, $key, $pt, 'key renamed by meta_id' );
+			}
+		);
+	}
+}
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'deleting an entity leaves no flat row behind (dual_write and shadow_read)',
+	static function () {
+		require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/user.php';
+		$deleters = array(
+			'user'    => static fn( int $id ) => wp_delete_user( $id ),
+			'post'    => static fn( int $id ) => wp_delete_post( $id, true ),
+			'term'    => static fn( int $id ) => wp_delete_term( $id, 'hp_listing_category' ),
+			'comment' => static fn( int $id ) => wp_delete_comment( $id, true ),
+		);
+		foreach ( array( 'dual_write', 'shadow_read' ) as $mode ) {
+			foreach ( tmdo_live_resync_cases() as $label => $case ) {
+				list( $type, $key, $make, $pt ) = $case;
+				TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( $type, $key, $pt );
+				TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( $type => $mode ) );
+				$id = $make();
+				update_metadata( $type, $id, $key, '41' );
+
+				$deleters[ $type ]( $id );
+
+				tmdo_live_assert_same( 'NO-ROW', TMDO_Live_Fixtures::flat( $type, $id, $key, $pt ), "{$mode} {$label}: flat row after delete" );
+			}
+		}
+	}
+);

tests/live/suites/router.php

@@ -0,0 +1,425 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Suite: a routed WP_Query returns exactly what the native meta_query returns.
+ *
+ * Bugs (dev36 qbench, 2026-09-26): the post router pulled registered clauses
+ * out of any meta_query and ANDed them, so OR relations (Q04, Q16), queries on
+ * several post types (Q08), untyped comparisons on numeric columns (Q14,
+ * native compares strings) and orderby on a named clause (Q15) returned other
+ * posts than WordPress would; LIKE compared without wildcards (Q06). A key
+ * of a second group (wp_core _thumbnail_id, Q05) was never joined, and every
+ * routed query carried a GROUP BY although flat rows are one per post.
+ *
+ * Every case runs the same query twice on fixture posts — router hooks off,
+ * then on with post mode shadow_read — and compares the ids in order.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * Run a WP_Query restricted to $ids, optionally through the post router.
+ *
+ * @param array<string, mixed> $args   Query args (meta_query, post_type, orderby …).
+ * @param int[]                $ids    Fixture posts to search within.
+ * @param bool                 $routed Hook a TMDO_Post_Query_Router for this query.
+ * @return array{ids:int[], routed:bool, sql:string}
+ */
+function tmdo_live_router_query( array $args, array $ids, bool $routed ): array {
+	global $wpdb;
+	$router = new TMDO_Post_Query_Router();
+	if ( $routed ) {
+		$router->register_hooks();
+	}
+	try {
+		$wpdb->last_error = '';
+		$q                = new WP_Query(
+			$args + array(
+				'post__in'         => $ids,
+				'post_status'      => 'any',
+				'posts_per_page'   => -1,
+				'orderby'          => 'ID',
+				'order'            => 'ASC',
+				'fields'           => 'ids',
+				'no_found_rows'    => true,
+				'cache_results'    => false,
+				'suppress_filters' => false,
+			)
+		);
+	} finally {
+		tmdo_live_router_unhook( $router );
+	}
+	tmdo_live_assert_same( '', $wpdb->last_error, 'SQL error' );
+	return array(
+		'ids'    => array_map( 'intval', $q->posts ),
+		'routed' => ! empty( $q->get( 'wpdo_post_clauses' ) ) || ! empty( $q->get( 'wpdo_post_sort' ) ),
+		'sql'    => (string) $q->request,
+	);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Remove every hook TMDO_Post_Query_Router::register_hooks() added.
+ *
+ * @param TMDO_Post_Query_Router $router Router instance.
+ */
+function tmdo_live_router_unhook( TMDO_Post_Query_Router $router ): void {
+	foreach ( array( 'pre_get_posts', 'posts_join', 'posts_where', 'posts_orderby', 'posts_request', 'split_the_query', 'found_posts_query' ) as $method ) {
+		foreach ( 'posts_request' === $method ? array( 'posts_request', 'posts_request_ids' ) : array( $method ) as $hook ) {
+			$priority = has_filter( $hook, array( $router, $method ) );
+			if ( false !== $priority ) {
+				remove_filter( $hook, array( $router, $method ), $priority );
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create posts of $post_type with the given meta, in post mode shadow_read
+ * (so the Hook Bus keeps the flat rows in step).
+ *
+ * @param string                              $post_type Post type.
+ * @param array<string, array<string, mixed>> $posts     Label => meta.
+ * @return array<string, int> Label => post id.
+ */
+function tmdo_live_router_posts( string $post_type, array $posts ): array {
+	$ids = array();
+	foreach ( $posts as $label => $meta ) {
+		$ids[ $label ] = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::post( $post_type );
+		foreach ( $meta as $key => $value ) {
+			update_post_meta( $ids[ $label ], $key, $value );
+		}
+	}
+	return $ids;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Listing fixtures shared by the hp_listing cases.
+ *
+ * @return array<string, int>
+ */
+function tmdo_live_router_listings(): array {
+	foreach ( array( 'hp_price', 'hp_verified', 'hp_featured', 'hp_hourly_rate' ) as $key ) {
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'post', $key, 'hp_listing' );
+	}
+	TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'post' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+	return tmdo_live_router_posts(
+		'hp_listing',
+		array(
+			'L1' => array( 'hp_price' => '10000', 'hp_featured' => '1', 'hp_verified' => '0', 'hp_hourly_rate' => '40' ),
+			'L2' => array( 'hp_price' => '9500', 'hp_verified' => '1', 'hp_hourly_rate' => '30' ),
+			'L3' => array( 'hp_price' => '500', 'hp_featured' => '0', 'hp_hourly_rate' => '45' ),
+			'L4' => array( 'hp_price' => '20000', 'tmdo_live_unregistered' => '0' ),
+			'L5' => array(),
+		)
+	);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Assert the routed query equals native; optionally that it was routed at all.
+ *
+ * @param array<string, mixed> $args          Query args.
+ * @param int[]                $ids           Fixture ids.
+ * @param bool|null            $expect_routed true / false to assert, null to ignore.
+ * @param bool                 $ordered       Compare order too (false when the order has ties).
+ */
+function tmdo_live_router_assert_native( array $args, array $ids, ?bool $expect_routed = null, bool $ordered = true ): void {
+	$native = tmdo_live_router_query( $args, $ids, false );
+	$routed = tmdo_live_router_query( $args, $ids, true );
+	if ( ! $ordered ) {
+		sort( $native['ids'] );
+		sort( $routed['ids'] );
+	}
+	tmdo_live_assert_same( $native['ids'], $routed['ids'], 'routed ids vs native' );
+	if ( null !== $expect_routed ) {
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( $expect_routed, $routed['routed'], 'query routed to the flat table' );
+	}
+	if ( $routed['routed'] ) {
+		tmdo_live_assert_true( false === stripos( $routed['sql'], 'GROUP BY' ), 'routed query adds no GROUP BY: ' . $routed['sql'] );
+	}
+}
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'Q04 OR across registered keys returns the native posts',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'hp_listing',
+				'meta_query' => array(
+					'relation' => 'OR',
+					array( 'key' => 'hp_featured', 'value' => '1' ),
+					array( 'key' => 'hp_verified', 'value' => '1' ),
+				),
+			),
+			array_values( $l )
+		);
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'Q16 OR mixing a registered and an unregistered key returns the native posts',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'hp_listing',
+				'meta_query' => array(
+					'relation' => 'OR',
+					array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'value' => 1000, 'compare' => '<', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
+					array( 'key' => 'tmdo_live_unregistered', 'value' => '0' ),
+				),
+			),
+			array_values( $l )
+		);
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'Q14 untyped comparison on a numeric column keeps string semantics',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'hp_listing',
+				'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'value' => '9000', 'compare' => '>' ) ),
+			),
+			array_values( $l )
+		);
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'Q15 orderby on a named clause keeps the native order, routed',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'hp_listing',
+				'meta_query' => array(
+					'rate'  => array( 'key' => 'hp_hourly_rate', 'value' => 50, 'compare' => '<', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
+					'price' => array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'compare' => 'EXISTS', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
+				),
+				'orderby'    => 'price',
+				'order'      => 'ASC',
+			),
+			array_values( $l ),
+			true
+		);
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'Q08 several post types return the native posts',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'post', 'hp_budget', 'hp_request' );
+		$r = tmdo_live_router_posts( 'hp_request', array( 'R1' => array( 'hp_budget' => '90000' ) ) );
+		update_post_meta( $l['L2'], 'hp_budget', '85000' );
+		tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => array( 'hp_listing', 'hp_request' ),
+				'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_budget', 'value' => 80000, 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ),
+			),
+			array_merge( array_values( $l ), array_values( $r ) )
+		);
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'typed AND on registered keys is routed and returns the native posts',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'hp_listing',
+				'meta_query' => array(
+					array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'value' => array( 9000, 15000 ), 'compare' => 'BETWEEN', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
+					array( 'key' => 'hp_verified', 'value' => '1' ),
+				),
+			),
+			array_values( $l ),
+			true
+		);
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'Q06 LIKE matches substrings and escapes wildcards, routed',
+	static function () {
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'post', '_sku', 'product' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'post' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+		$p = tmdo_live_router_posts(
+			'product',
+			array(
+				'P1' => array( '_sku' => 'tmdo-live-B1-1' ),
+				'P2' => array( '_sku' => 'tmdo-live-B1-10' ),
+				'P3' => array( '_sku' => 'tmdo-live-B2-1' ),
+			)
+		);
+		foreach ( array( 'B1-1', 'B1_1' ) as $needle ) {
+			tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+				array(
+					'post_type'  => 'product',
+					'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => '_sku', 'value' => $needle, 'compare' => 'LIKE' ) ),
+				),
+				array_values( $p ),
+				true
+			);
+		}
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'Q05 keys of two groups are both joined, routed',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'post', '_thumbnail_id', 'hp_listing' );
+		update_post_meta( $l['L1'], '_thumbnail_id', '123' );
+		update_post_meta( $l['L3'], '_thumbnail_id', '124' );
+		tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+			array(
+				'post_type'  => 'hp_listing',
+				'meta_query' => array(
+					array( 'key' => 'hp_hourly_rate', 'value' => 42, 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ),
+					array( 'key' => '_thumbnail_id', 'compare' => 'EXISTS' ),
+				),
+			),
+			array_values( $l ),
+			true
+		);
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'NOT EXISTS with explicit statuses and date order keeps posts without a flat row',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+			array(
+				'post_type'   => 'hp_listing',
+				'post_status' => array( 'draft' ),
+				'orderby'     => 'date',
+				'order'       => 'DESC',
+				'meta_query'  => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_featured', 'compare' => 'NOT EXISTS' ) ),
+			),
+			array_values( $l ),
+			true,
+			false
+		);
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'HivePress sort shape (NOT EXISTS OR EXISTS, named clause) keeps the native order, routed',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		foreach ( array( 'ASC', 'DESC' ) as $order ) {
+			tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+				array(
+					'post_type'  => 'hp_listing',
+					'meta_query' => array(
+						array(
+							'relation'     => 'OR',
+							'price__order' => array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'type' => 'DECIMAL', 'compare' => 'NOT EXISTS' ),
+							array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'type' => 'DECIMAL', 'compare' => 'EXISTS' ),
+						),
+					),
+					'orderby'    => 'price__order',
+					'order'      => $order,
+				),
+				array_values( $l ),
+				true
+			);
+		}
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'Q07 meta_key + meta_value_num keeps the native posts and order, routed',
+	static function () {
+		$l = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		tmdo_live_router_assert_native(
+			array(
+				'post_type' => 'hp_listing',
+				'meta_key'  => 'hp_price',
+				'orderby'   => 'meta_value_num',
+				'order'     => 'DESC',
+			),
+			array_values( $l ),
+			true
+		);
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'a routed full-row search keeps the split query (IDs first) and native found_posts',
+	static function () {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$l    = tmdo_live_router_listings();
+		$args = array(
+			'post_type'      => 'hp_listing',
+			'post__in'       => array_values( $l ),
+			'post_status'    => 'any',
+			'posts_per_page' => 2,
+			'orderby'        => 'ID',
+			'order'          => 'ASC',
+			'meta_query'     => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'value' => 1000, 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ),
+		);
+		$native = new WP_Query( $args );
+		$router = new TMDO_Post_Query_Router();
+		$router->register_hooks();
+		try {
+			$routed = new WP_Query( $args );
+		} finally {
+			tmdo_live_router_unhook( $router );
+		}
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( wp_list_pluck( $native->posts, 'ID' ), wp_list_pluck( $routed->posts, 'ID' ), 'page of posts' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( $native->found_posts, $routed->found_posts, 'found_posts' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_true( false !== strpos( $routed->request, 'wpdoflat_' ), 'routed: ' . $routed->request );
+		tmdo_live_assert_true( 1 === preg_match( '/^\s*SELECT\s+' . preg_quote( $wpdb->posts, '/' ) . '\.ID\s/', $routed->request ), 'IDs first: ' . $routed->request );
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'a filtered search ordered by a flat column drives from the flat table and matches native',
+	static function () {
+		foreach ( array( 'hp_price', 'hp_hourly_rate' ) as $key ) {
+			TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'post', $key, 'hp_listing' );
+		}
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'post' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+		// A price band no seeded listing uses keeps the result to the fixtures.
+		tmdo_live_router_posts(
+			'hp_listing',
+			array(
+				'A' => array( 'hp_price' => '9876501', 'hp_hourly_rate' => '12' ),
+				'B' => array( 'hp_price' => '9876502', 'hp_hourly_rate' => '15' ),
+				'C' => array( 'hp_price' => '9876503' ),
+			)
+		);
+		$args   = array(
+			'post_type'        => 'hp_listing',
+			'post_status'      => 'any',
+			'posts_per_page'   => 10,
+			'fields'           => 'ids',
+			'suppress_filters' => false,
+			'meta_query'       => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'value' => array( 9876500, 9876510 ), 'compare' => 'BETWEEN', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ),
+			'meta_key'         => 'hp_price',
+			'orderby'          => 'meta_value_num',
+			'order'            => 'DESC',
+		);
+		$native = new WP_Query( $args );
+		$router = new TMDO_Post_Query_Router();
+		$router->register_hooks();
+		try {
+			$routed = new WP_Query( $args );
+		} finally {
+			tmdo_live_router_unhook( $router );
+		}
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( array_map( 'intval', $native->posts ), array_map( 'intval', $routed->posts ), 'ids' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( $native->found_posts, $routed->found_posts, 'found_posts' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_true( 0 === strpos( ltrim( $routed->request ), 'SELECT STRAIGHT_JOIN' ), 'flat-first: ' . $routed->request );
+	}
+);

tests/live/suites/serialized.php

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Suite: array meta values survive the flat tables (no "Array" literal).
+ *
+ * Bug (dev36, 2026-09-26): admin_prefs `community-events-location` (text) and
+ * `wp_persisted_preferences` (textarea) hold arrays; the type caster stored
+ * (string) $array = "Array", and bridge-restore-native wrote it back to native.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'dual_write: array written with update_user_meta is stored serialized',
+	static function () {
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'user', 'wp_persisted_preferences' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'user' => 'dual_write' ) );
+		$uid   = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::user();
+		$prefs = array( 'core' => array( 'welcomeGuide' => false ) );
+		$loc   = array( 'ip' => '192.0.2.0' );
+
+		update_user_meta( $uid, 'wp_persisted_preferences', $prefs );
+		update_user_meta( $uid, 'community-events-location', $loc );
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( serialize( $prefs ), TMDO_Live_Fixtures::flat( 'user', $uid, 'wp_persisted_preferences' ), 'flat wp_persisted_preferences' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( serialize( $loc ), TMDO_Live_Fixtures::flat( 'user', $uid, 'community-events-location' ), 'flat community-events-location' );
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'backfill: native array meta is flattened serialized, not "Array"',
+	static function () {
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'user', 'community-events-location' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'user' => 'disabled' ) );
+		$uid = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::user();
+		$loc = array( 'ip' => '198.51.100.0' );
+		update_user_meta( $uid, 'community-events-location', $loc );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( array( serialize( $loc ) ), TMDO_Live_Fixtures::native( 'user', $uid, 'community-events-location' ), 'native precondition' );
+
+		$field = TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_field( 'user', 'community-events-location' );
+		TMDO_Entity_Migration_Engine::reset_checkpoint( 'user', $field['group'] );
+		TMDO_Entity_Migration_Engine::migrate_group( 'user', $field['group'], array( 'sleep_ms' => 0, 'resume' => false ) );
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( serialize( $loc ), TMDO_Live_Fixtures::flat( 'user', $uid, 'community-events-location' ), 'flat after backfill' );
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'read path: from_db returns the array, not a serialized string',
+	static function () {
+		$field = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'user', 'wp_persisted_preferences' );
+		$prefs = array( 'core/edit-post' => array( 'panels' => array( 'a', 'b' ) ) );
+
+		$stored = TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $prefs, $field );
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( $prefs, TMDO_Type_Caster::from_db( $stored, $field ), 'round trip' );
+	}
+);

tests/live/suites/shadow_write.php

@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Suite: writes made in shadow_read must reach native meta.
+ *
+ * Bug (dev36, 2026-09-26): in shadow_read, update_metadata() fetches the old
+ * value through get_metadata_raw(); the Hook Bus has already upserted the new
+ * value and serves it from the flat table, so WP sees old === new and returns
+ * false without writing native meta. Demoting afterwards exposes stale data.
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'dual_write: user first_name update reaches native and flat (control)',
+	static function () {
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'user', 'first_name' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'user' => 'dual_write' ) );
+		$uid = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::user();
+		update_user_meta( $uid, 'first_name', 'Before' );
+
+		$ret = update_user_meta( $uid, 'first_name', 'After' );
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_true( false !== $ret, 'update_user_meta returned false' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( array( 'After' ), TMDO_Live_Fixtures::native( 'user', $uid, 'first_name' ), 'native first_name' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( 'After', TMDO_Live_Fixtures::flat( 'user', $uid, 'first_name' ), 'flat first_name' );
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'shadow_read: user first_name update reaches native',
+	static function () {
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'user', 'first_name' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'user' => 'dual_write' ) );
+		$uid = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::user();
+		update_user_meta( $uid, 'first_name', 'Before' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'user' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+
+		$ret = update_user_meta( $uid, 'first_name', 'After' );
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_true( false !== $ret, 'update_user_meta returned false' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( array( 'After' ), TMDO_Live_Fixtures::native( 'user', $uid, 'first_name' ), 'native first_name' );
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'shadow_read → dual_write: value written in shadow_read survives demotion',
+	static function () {
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'user', 'last_name' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'user' => 'dual_write' ) );
+		$uid = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::user();
+		update_user_meta( $uid, 'last_name', 'Before' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'user' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+		update_user_meta( $uid, 'last_name', 'After' );
+
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'user' => 'dual_write' ) );
+		wp_cache_delete( $uid, 'user_meta' );
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( 'After', get_user_meta( $uid, 'last_name', true ), 'last_name after demotion' );
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'shadow_read: HivePress term hp_icon update reaches native',
+	static function () {
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'term', 'hp_icon' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'term' => 'dual_write' ) );
+		$tid = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::term( 'hp_listing_category' );
+		update_term_meta( $tid, 'hp_icon', 'star' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'term' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+
+		$ret = update_term_meta( $tid, 'hp_icon', 'heart' );
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_true( false !== $ret, 'update_term_meta returned false' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( array( 'heart' ), TMDO_Live_Fixtures::native( 'term', $tid, 'hp_icon' ), 'native hp_icon' );
+	}
+);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'shadow_read: HivePress listing hp_rating_count (new int key) reaches native',
+	static function () {
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::field( 'post', 'hp_rating_count', 'hp_listing' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'post' => 'dual_write' ) );
+		$lid = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::post( 'hp_listing' );
+		TMDO_Live_Fixtures::use_modes( array( 'post' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+
+		// HivePress writes the recomputed count as an int; the flat read cast it
+		// to the same int, so the old code skipped the native write.
+		$ret = update_post_meta( $lid, 'hp_rating_count', 1 );
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_true( false !== $ret, 'update_post_meta returned false' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( array( '1' ), TMDO_Live_Fixtures::native( 'post', $lid, 'hp_rating_count' ), 'native hp_rating_count' );
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( '1', TMDO_Live_Fixtures::flat( 'post', $lid, 'hp_rating_count', 'hp_listing' ), 'flat hp_rating_count' );
+	}
+);

tests/live/suites/zero_side_effect.php

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Suite: zone tables that were never created are never queried.
+ *
+ * Bug (dev36, 2026-09-26): the HivePress AddOn registers cold fields, so every
+ * save_post / loop_start (PR-054) and every post delete (PR-054b) queried
+ * wp_wpdo_cold_{post_type} although the cold module was idle and the table
+ * did not exist ("table doesn't exist" DB errors on each write).
+ *
+ * @package WP_Data_Optimizer
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+TMDO_Live::test(
+	'saving and deleting an hp_listing does not touch missing zone tables',
+	static function () {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$tables = array( TMDO_Zone_Cold::table( 'hp_listing' ), TMDO_Zone_Hot::table( 'hp_listing' ) );
+		foreach ( $tables as $table ) {
+			if ( TMDO_Schema_Manager::table_exists( $table ) ) {
+				throw new TMDO_Live_Skip( "{$table} exists on this site" );
+			}
+		}
+
+		$touched = array();
+		$spy     = static function ( $sql ) use ( $tables, &$touched ) {
+			foreach ( $tables as $table ) {
+				if ( false !== strpos( $sql, $table ) && 0 !== stripos( ltrim( $sql ), 'SHOW TABLES' ) ) {
+					$touched[] = $sql;
+				}
+			}
+			return $sql;
+		};
+		add_filter( 'query', $spy );
+		try {
+			$id = TMDO_Live_Fixtures::post( 'hp_listing' );
+			wp_update_post( array( 'ID' => $id, 'post_title' => 'tmdo-live-updated' ) );
+			wp_delete_post( $id, true );
+		} finally {
+			remove_filter( 'query', $spy );
+		}
+
+		tmdo_live_assert_same( array(), $touched, 'queries on missing zone tables' );
+	}
+);

tests/live/tools/checker.php

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Independent native-meta vs flat-table consistency checker (does not use TMDO read paths).
+ * Usage: wp eval-file checker.php [entity]
+ * Per registered group/key: native rows, flat non-null, missing-in-flat, value mismatches, extra-in-flat.
+ */
+global $wpdb;
+$only  = $args[0] ?? '';
+$ids   = array( 'post' => 'post_id', 'user' => 'user_id', 'term' => 'term_id', 'comment' => 'comment_id' );
+$metas = array( 'post' => $wpdb->postmeta, 'user' => $wpdb->usermeta, 'term' => $wpdb->termmeta, 'comment' => $wpdb->commentmeta );
+$tot   = array( 'miss' => 0, 'diff' => 0, 'extra' => 0 );
+
+printf( "%-8s %-24s %-28s %8s %8s %6s %6s %6s\n", 'entity', 'group', 'key', 'native', 'flat', 'miss', 'diff', 'extra' );
+foreach ( $ids as $e => $idcol ) {
+	if ( $only && $only !== $e ) { continue; }
+	$mt  = $metas[ $e ];
+	$mid = ( 'user' === $e ) ? 'umeta_id' : 'meta_id';
+	foreach ( TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_groups_for_type( $e ) as $g ) {
+		$table = $wpdb->prefix . 'wpdo_' . $e . '_' . $g;
+		if ( ! $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare( 'SHOW TABLES LIKE %s', $table ) ) ) { continue; }
+		$scope     = ( 'post' === $e ) ? TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_group_post_types( $e, $g ) : array();
+		$scope_sql = $scope ? " AND m.post_id IN (SELECT ID FROM {$wpdb->posts} WHERE post_type IN ('" . implode( "','", array_map( 'esc_sql', $scope ) ) . "'))" : '';
+		foreach ( TMDO_Entity_Registry::get_group_keys( $e, $g ) as $key ) {
+			$col = preg_replace( '/[^a-zA-Z0-9_]/', '', $key );
+			// Latest native value per entity.
+			$nat      = $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT m.$idcol AS eid, m.meta_value AS v FROM $mt m JOIN (SELECT $idcol, MAX($mid) mid FROM $mt WHERE meta_key=%s GROUP BY $idcol) x ON x.mid=m.$mid WHERE 1=1 $scope_sql", $key );
+			$n_native = (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM ($nat) n" );
+			$n_flat   = (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM $table WHERE `$col` IS NOT NULL" );
+			$miss     = (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM ($nat) n LEFT JOIN $table f ON f.$idcol=n.eid WHERE f.$idcol IS NULL OR (f.`$col` IS NULL AND n.v <> '')" );
+			// Value diff: numeric-aware loose compare.
+			$diff  = (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM ($nat) n JOIN $table f ON f.$idcol=n.eid WHERE f.`$col` IS NOT NULL AND NOT (
+				CAST(f.`$col` AS CHAR) = n.v
+				OR (n.v REGEXP '^-?[0-9]+(\\\\.[0-9]+)?$' AND CAST(f.`$col` AS DECIMAL(30,6)) = CAST(n.v AS DECIMAL(30,6)))
+				OR (n.v='' AND CAST(f.`$col` AS CHAR) IN ('','0'))
+			)" );
+			$extra = (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM $table f WHERE f.`$col` IS NOT NULL AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM $mt m WHERE m.$idcol=f.$idcol AND m.meta_key='" . esc_sql( $key ) . "')" );
+			if ( $n_native || $n_flat ) {
+				printf( "%-8s %-24s %-28s %8d %8d %6d %6d %6d\n", $e, $g, $key, $n_native, $n_flat, $miss, $diff, $extra );
+			}
+			$tot['miss']  += $miss;
+			$tot['diff']  += $diff;
+			$tot['extra'] += $extra;
+		}
+	}
+}
+printf( "TOTAL miss=%d diff=%d extra=%d\n", $tot['miss'], $tot['diff'], $tot['extra'] );

tests/live/tools/clone.sql

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+-- Clone original hp_listing rows (ID < 20000) into copy k with ID offset k*20000.
+-- Bench-only: clones hp_listing rows into offset IDs. Never run on a production site.
+-- Usage: sed "s/__K__/<n>/" clone.sql | wp db query
+SET @k := __K__; SET @off := @k * 20000;
+INSERT INTO wp_posts (ID, post_author, post_date, post_date_gmt, post_content, post_title, post_excerpt, post_status, comment_status, ping_status, post_password, post_name, to_ping, pinged, post_modified, post_modified_gmt, post_content_filtered, post_parent, guid, menu_order, post_type, post_mime_type, comment_count)
+SELECT ID+@off, post_author, d, d, post_content, CONCAT(post_title,' c',@k), post_excerpt, post_status, comment_status, ping_status, post_password, CONCAT(post_name,'-c',@k), to_ping, pinged, d, d, post_content_filtered, post_parent, CONCAT(guid,'&c=',@k), menu_order, post_type, post_mime_type, comment_count
+FROM (SELECT *, DATE_SUB('2026-09-26 12:00:00', INTERVAL FLOOR(RAND()*63072000) SECOND) d FROM wp_posts WHERE post_type='hp_listing' AND ID < 20000) s;
+INSERT INTO wp_postmeta (post_id, meta_key, meta_value)
+SELECT m.post_id+@off, m.meta_key, CASE m.meta_key WHEN 'hp_price' THEN FLOOR(100+RAND()*49900) WHEN 'hp_hourly_rate' THEN FLOOR(10+RAND()*290) ELSE m.meta_value END
+FROM wp_postmeta m JOIN wp_posts p ON p.ID=m.post_id WHERE p.post_type='hp_listing' AND p.ID < 20000 AND m.meta_key NOT LIKE '\_transient%';
+INSERT INTO wp_term_relationships (object_id, term_taxonomy_id, term_order)
+SELECT r.object_id+@off, r.term_taxonomy_id, r.term_order FROM wp_term_relationships r JOIN wp_posts p ON p.ID=r.object_id WHERE p.post_type='hp_listing' AND p.ID < 20000;

tests/live/tools/fe.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# usage: fe.sh <label>  — front-end HivePress/WC search probe, 5 runs each, median ms
+B="${TMDO_LIVE_URL:-https://dev36.2meet.pro}"
+URLS=(
+"/?post_type=hp_listing&s=&price[]=10000&price[]=20000"
+"/?post_type=hp_listing&s=&price[]=10000&price[]=20000&_sort=price__asc"
+"/?post_type=hp_listing&s=&hourly_rate[]=10&hourly_rate[]=50&_sort=hourly_rate__desc"
+"/?post_type=hp_listing&s=&_sort=rating__desc"
+"/?post_type=hp_listing&s=Taipei&price[]=1000&price[]=30000"
+"/?post_type=hp_vendor&s=&hourly_rate[]=100&hourly_rate[]=200"
+"/?post_type=hp_request&s="
+"/shop/?min_price=1000&max_price=5000"
+"/shop/?orderby=price-desc"
+)
+for u in "${URLS[@]}"; do
+  ms=(); for i in 1 2 3 4 5; do h=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -D - -H "X-S36-Probe: 1" "$B$u"); ms+=($(echo "$h" | grep -i x-s36-ms | awk "{print \$2}" | tr -dc 0-9)); done
+  med=$(printf "%s\n" "${ms[@]}" | sort -n | sed -n 3p)
+  echo "$u|$(echo "$h" | grep -i x-s36-found | awk "{print \$2}" | tr -dc 0-9)|$(echo "$h" | grep -i x-s36-ids | cut -d' ' -f2 | tr -d '\r')|$(echo "$h" | grep -i x-s36-queries | awk "{print \$2}" | tr -dc 0-9)|$med"
+done

tests/live/tools/mut.php

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+<?php
+// Data-flow mutation test. Usage: wp eval-file mut.php <label>
+use HivePress\Models;
+add_filter( 'pre_http_request', function ( $r, $a, $u ) { return false !== strpos( $u, 'pixel.wp.com' ) ? array( 'headers' => array(), 'body' => '', 'response' => array( 'code' => 200, 'message' => 'OK' ), 'cookies' => array() ) : $r; }, 1, 3 );
+global $wpdb;
+$mode = TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( 'post' ) . '/' . TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( 'user' );
+function nat( $t, $id, $k ) { global $wpdb; $mt = $t === 'user' ? $wpdb->usermeta : $wpdb->postmeta; $c = $t === 'user' ? 'user_id' : 'post_id'; $v = $wpdb->get_col( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT meta_value FROM $mt WHERE $c=%d AND meta_key=%s", $id, $k ) ); return $v ? implode( '|', $v ) : '∅'; }
+function flat( $t, $g, $id, $k ) { global $wpdb; $c = $t === 'user' ? 'user_id' : 'post_id'; $v = $wpdb->get_row( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT `$k` v FROM {$wpdb->prefix}wpdo_{$t}_{$g} WHERE $c=%d", $id ) ); return $v ? ( $v->v ?? 'NULL' ) : 'NO-ROW'; }
+function row( $name, $vals ) { printf( "%-44s %s\n", $name, implode( '  ', array_map( fn( $k, $v ) => "$k=" . ( is_scalar( $v ) || is_null( $v ) ? var_export( $v, true ) : json_encode( $v ) ), array_keys( $vals ), $vals ) ) ); }
+function clear_caches( $id ) { wp_cache_flush(); clean_post_cache( $id ); }
+echo "== mode post/user = $mode\n";
+
+// T1: HivePress model update of a listing price.
+$lid = (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT ID FROM {$wpdb->posts} WHERE post_type='hp_listing' AND post_status='publish' ORDER BY ID DESC LIMIT 1" );
+$new = mt_rand( 60000, 69999 );
+update_post_meta( $lid, 'hp_price', $new ); // HP stores attributes via meta API
+clear_caches( $lid );
+$m = Models\Listing::query()->get_by_id( $lid );
+row( "T1 listing $lid hp_price:=$new", array( 'native' => nat( 'post', $lid, 'hp_price' ), 'flat' => flat( 'post', 'hp_listing_core', $lid, 'hp_price' ), 'get_meta' => get_post_meta( $lid, 'hp_price', true ), 'all_meta' => get_post_meta( $lid )['hp_price'][0] ?? '∅' ) );
+
+// T2: HivePress model field (verified) via model save.
+$m->set_verified( ! $m->is_verified() )->save( array( 'verified' ) );
+clear_caches( $lid );
+$m2 = Models\Listing::query()->get_by_id( $lid );
+row( "T2 listing verified via HP model", array( 'native' => nat( 'post', $lid, 'hp_verified' ), 'flat' => flat( 'post', 'hp_listing_core', $lid, 'hp_verified' ), 'hp_model' => $m2->is_verified(), 'get_meta' => get_post_meta( $lid, 'hp_verified', true ) ) );
+
+// T3: WC product price via CRUD.
+$pid = (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT ID FROM {$wpdb->posts} WHERE post_type='product' AND post_title LIKE 'Product B1%' ORDER BY ID DESC LIMIT 1" );
+$p = wc_get_product( $pid ); $np = (string) mt_rand( 7000, 7999 ); $p->set_regular_price( $np ); $p->set_sale_price( '' ); $p->save();
+clear_caches( $pid );
+row( "T3 product $pid _regular_price:=$np", array( 'native' => nat( 'post', $pid, '_regular_price' ), 'flat' => flat( 'post', 'wc_product', $pid, '_regular_price' ), 'wc_read' => wc_get_product( $pid )->get_regular_price(), 'lookup' => $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT min_price FROM {$wpdb->prefix}wc_product_meta_lookup WHERE product_id=$pid" ) ) );
+
+// T4: order reduces stock (WC direct SQL path).
+$before = wc_get_product( $pid )->get_stock_quantity();
+$o = wc_create_order(); $o->add_product( wc_get_product( $pid ), 2 ); $o->calculate_totals( false ); $o->set_status( 'processing' ); $o->save(); wc_reduce_stock_levels( $o->get_id() );
+clear_caches( $pid );
+row( "T4 order x2 on product $pid (stock $before)", array( 'native' => nat( 'post', $pid, '_stock' ), 'flat' => flat( 'post', 'wc_product', $pid, '_stock' ), 'get_meta' => get_post_meta( $pid, '_stock', true ), 'wc_read' => wc_get_product( $pid )->get_stock_quantity(), 'sales_native' => nat( 'post', $pid, 'total_sales' ), 'sales_flat' => flat( 'post', 'wc_product', $pid, 'total_sales' ) ) );
+
+// T5: delete a meta key.
+update_post_meta( $lid, 'hp_featured', 1 ); delete_post_meta( $lid, 'hp_featured' ); clear_caches( $lid );
+row( "T5 delete_post_meta hp_featured", array( 'native' => nat( 'post', $lid, 'hp_featured' ), 'flat' => flat( 'post', 'hp_listing_core', $lid, 'hp_featured' ), 'get_meta' => var_export( get_post_meta( $lid, 'hp_featured', true ), true ), 'exists' => metadata_exists( 'post', $lid, 'hp_featured' ) ) );
+
+// T6: user first_name via wp_update_user.
+$uid = (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT ID FROM {$wpdb->users} WHERE user_login LIKE 's36v_B1p1_%' ORDER BY ID LIMIT 1" );
+$fn = 'Fn' . mt_rand( 100, 999 ); wp_update_user( array( 'ID' => $uid, 'first_name' => $fn ) ); wp_cache_flush();
+$u = get_userdata( $uid );
+row( "T6 user $uid first_name:=$fn", array( 'native' => nat( 'user', $uid, 'first_name' ), 'flat' => flat( 'user', 'core_profile', $uid, 'first_name' ), 'get_meta' => get_user_meta( $uid, 'first_name', true ), 'WP_User' => $u->first_name, 'wc_customer' => ( new WC_Customer( $uid ) )->get_first_name() ) );
+
+// T7: WC customer billing city via CRUD.
+$c = new WC_Customer( $uid ); $city = 'City' . mt_rand( 10, 99 ); $c->set_billing_city( $city ); $c->save(); wp_cache_flush();
+row( "T7 WC_Customer billing_city:=$city", array( 'native' => nat( 'user', $uid, 'billing_city' ), 'flat' => flat( 'user', 'commerce', $uid, 'billing_city' ), 'get_meta' => get_user_meta( $uid, 'billing_city', true ), 'wc_customer' => ( new WC_Customer( $uid ) )->get_billing_city() ) );
+
+// T8: delete a listing → flat row?
+$d = (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT ID FROM {$wpdb->posts} WHERE post_type='hp_listing' AND post_status='draft' ORDER BY ID DESC LIMIT 1" );
+wp_delete_post( $d, true );
+row( "T8 wp_delete_post $d", array( 'posts' => (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {$wpdb->posts} WHERE ID=$d" ), 'native_meta' => (int) $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {$wpdb->postmeta} WHERE post_id=$d" ), 'flat_row' => flat( 'post', 'hp_listing_core', $d, 'post_id' ) ) );
+
+// T9: HP review → listing rating recompute.
+$before = get_post_meta( $lid, 'hp_rating_count', true );
+$rv = ( new Models\Review() )->fill( array( 'text' => 'mut', 'rating' => 5, 'approved' => 1, 'author' => $uid, 'author__display_name' => 'x', 'author__email' => 'x@example.test', 'listing' => $lid ) ); $rv->save(); wp_cache_flush();
+row( "T9 add review (count was $before)", array( 'native' => nat( 'post', $lid, 'hp_rating_count' ), 'flat' => flat( 'post', 'hp_listing_core', $lid, 'hp_rating_count' ), 'hp_model' => Models\Listing::query()->get_by_id( $lid )->get_rating_count() ) );

tests/live/tools/qbench.php

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Query correctness + latency harness. Runs identical WP_Query shapes and dumps
+ * ids / found_posts / timings to JSON so two runs (native vs routed mode) can be diffed.
+ * Usage: wp eval-file qbench.php <label> [iterations]
+ */
+global $wpdb;
+$label = $args[0] ?? 'run';
+$iters = (int) ( $args[1] ?? 5 );
+$out   = getcwd() . "/qbench_{$label}.json";
+
+// Deterministic parameters derived from data (same in every run).
+$vendor_ids = array_map( 'intval', $wpdb->get_col( "SELECT ID FROM {$wpdb->posts} WHERE post_type='hp_vendor' AND post_status='publish' ORDER BY ID LIMIT 3" ) );
+
+$L = array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'post_status' => 'publish', 'posts_per_page' => 20 );
+$cases = array(
+	'Q01 price BETWEEN (NUMERIC)'        => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'value' => array( 10000, 20000 ), 'compare' => 'BETWEEN', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ) ),
+	'Q02 price >= AND verified=1'        => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( 'relation' => 'AND', array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'value' => 25000, 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ), array( 'key' => 'hp_verified', 'value' => '1' ) ) ),
+	'Q03 rating >= 4.5 (DECIMAL)'        => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_rating', 'value' => '4.5', 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'DECIMAL(10,2)' ) ) ),
+	'Q04 featured=1 OR verified=1'       => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( 'relation' => 'OR', array( 'key' => 'hp_featured', 'value' => '1' ), array( 'key' => 'hp_verified', 'value' => '1' ) ) ),
+	'Q05 rate>=100 AND _thumbnail EXISTS'=> $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_hourly_rate', 'value' => 100, 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ), array( 'key' => '_thumbnail_id', 'compare' => 'EXISTS' ) ) ),
+	'Q06 product _sku LIKE'              => array( 'post_type' => 'product', 'post_status' => 'publish', 'posts_per_page' => 20, 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => '_sku', 'value' => 'S36-B1-1', 'compare' => 'LIKE' ) ) ),
+	'Q07 orderby meta_value_num price'   => $L + array( 'meta_key' => 'hp_price', 'orderby' => 'meta_value_num', 'order' => 'DESC' ),
+	'Q08 multi post_type + hp_budget'    => array( 'post_type' => array( 'hp_listing', 'hp_request' ), 'post_status' => 'publish', 'posts_per_page' => 20, 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_budget', 'value' => 80000, 'compare' => '>=', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ) ),
+	'Q09 featured NOT EXISTS'            => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_featured', 'compare' => 'NOT EXISTS' ) ) ),
+	'Q10 rating_count != 1'              => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_rating_count', 'value' => '1', 'compare' => '!=' ) ) ),
+	'Q11 product _price BETWEEN+instock' => array( 'post_type' => 'product', 'post_status' => 'publish', 'posts_per_page' => 20, 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => '_price', 'value' => array( 1000, 5000 ), 'compare' => 'BETWEEN', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ), array( 'key' => '_stock_status', 'value' => 'instock' ) ) ),
+	'Q12 request budget > (NUMERIC)'     => array( 'post_type' => 'hp_request', 'post_status' => 'publish', 'posts_per_page' => 20, 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_budget', 'value' => 50000, 'compare' => '>', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ) ) ),
+	'Q13 rating_count IN (1,2)'          => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_rating_count', 'value' => array( 1, 2 ), 'compare' => 'IN' ) ) ),
+	'Q16 price<1000 OR warranty=0 (mix)' => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( 'relation' => 'OR', array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'value' => 1000, 'compare' => '<', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ), array( 'key' => 'hp_warranty', 'value' => '0' ) ) ),
+	'Q14 price > (CHAR, no type)'        => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'value' => '9000', 'compare' => '>' ) ) ),
+	'Q15 hourly_rate < 50 orderby price' => $L + array( 'meta_query' => array( 'rate' => array( 'key' => 'hp_hourly_rate', 'value' => 50, 'compare' => '<', 'type' => 'NUMERIC' ), 'price' => array( 'key' => 'hp_price', 'type' => 'NUMERIC', 'compare' => 'EXISTS' ) ), 'orderby' => 'price', 'order' => 'ASC' ),
+);
+
+$res = array();
+foreach ( $cases as $name => $qa ) {
+	$times = array();
+	$ids   = null;
+	$found = null;
+	$err   = '';
+	$sql   = '';
+	for ( $i = 0; $i < $iters; $i++ ) {
+		wp_cache_flush_group( 'tmdo_found_rows' );
+		$wpdb->last_error = '';
+		$t = microtime( true );
+		$q = new WP_Query( $qa + array( 'fields' => 'ids', 'cache_results' => false, 'suppress_filters' => false ) );
+		$times[] = ( microtime( true ) - $t ) * 1000;
+		$ids     = array_map( 'intval', $q->posts );
+		$found   = (int) $q->found_posts;
+		$sql     = $q->request;
+		if ( $wpdb->last_error ) { $err = $wpdb->last_error; }
+	}
+	sort( $times );
+	$res[ $name ] = array(
+		'found' => $found,
+		'ids'   => $ids,
+		'p50'   => round( $times[ (int) floor( count( $times ) / 2 ) ], 2 ),
+		'max'   => round( max( $times ), 2 ),
+		'err'   => $err,
+		'sql'   => preg_replace( '/\s+/', ' ', $sql ),
+	);
+	printf( "%-36s found=%-6d p50=%8.2fms %s\n", $name, $found, $res[ $name ]['p50'], $err ? "ERR: $err" : '' );
+}
+file_put_contents( $out, wp_json_encode( array( 'mode' => TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( 'post' ), 'res' => $res ), JSON_PRETTY_PRINT ) );
+echo "saved $out (post mode=" . TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( 'post' ) . ")\n";

tests/live/tools/qdiff.php

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<?php
+// php qdiff.php a.json b.json — compare two qbench runs (a = native reference).
+$a = json_decode( file_get_contents( $argv[1] ), true ); $b = json_decode( file_get_contents( $argv[2] ), true );
+printf( "A=%s (%s)  B=%s (%s)\n", basename( $argv[1] ), $a['mode'], basename( $argv[2] ), $b['mode'] );
+printf( "%-36s %8s %8s %6s %6s %9s %9s %7s\n", 'case', 'foundA', 'foundB', 'set', 'order', 'p50A', 'p50B', 'speedup' );
+foreach ( $a['res'] as $k => $ra ) {
+	$rb = $b['res'][ $k ];
+	$set = ( array_diff( $ra['ids'], $rb['ids'] ) || array_diff( $rb['ids'], $ra['ids'] ) ) ? 'DIFF' : 'same';
+	$ord = $ra['ids'] === $rb['ids'] ? 'same' : 'DIFF';
+	printf( "%-36s %8d %8d %6s %6s %9.2f %9.2f %6.1fx %s\n", $k, $ra['found'], $rb['found'], $set, $ord, $ra['p50'], $rb['p50'], $rb['p50'] > 0 ? $ra['p50'] / $rb['p50'] : 0, $rb['err'] ? 'ERR:' . substr( $rb['err'], 0, 60 ) : '' );
+}

tests/live/tools/run_batch.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# usage: run_batch.sh <batch-tag> <scale-divisor>
+S="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)/seed.php"
+cd "${TMDO_LIVE_WP_PATH:-/var/www/Studio/wp-local-dev36}"
+ B=$1; D=${2:-1}; OUT=${TMDO_LIVE_OUT:-/tmp}; LOG=$OUT/batch_$B.log
+run(){ wp eval-file $S "$@" 2>>$OUT/batch_${B}_err.log | grep SEED >> $LOG; }
+echo "== start $(date +%T)" >> $LOG
+run terms $((100/D)) ${B}
+for p in 1 2 3 4; do run vendors $((250/D)) ${B}p$p & done; wait
+for p in 1 2 3 4; do run listings $((1000/D)) ${B}p$p & done
+run requests $((500/D)) ${B} & run products $((1000/D)) ${B} & wait
+for p in 1 2; do run reviews $((2000/D)) ${B}p$p & done
+for p in 1 2; do run orders $((750/D)) ${B}p$p & done; wait
+echo "== end $(date +%T)" >> $LOG

tests/live/tools/seed.php

@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * dev36 integration seeder — goes through the real APIs (HivePress models, WC CRUD,
+ * wp_insert_user / update_*_meta) so every write passes the Hook Bus exactly like prod.
+ *
+ * Usage: wp eval-file seed.php <kind> <count> [tag]
+ *   kind: vendors | listings | requests | reviews | products | orders | terms
+ */
+
+use HivePress\Models;
+
+add_filter( 'pre_wp_mail', '__return_true' );
+// WC Tracks pings pixel.wp.com ~3x per product save (~180 ms each); irrelevant to the test.
+add_filter( 'pre_http_request', function ( $r, $a, $url ) { return false !== strpos( $url, 'pixel.wp.com' ) ? array( 'headers' => array(), 'body' => '', 'response' => array( 'code' => 200, 'message' => 'OK' ), 'cookies' => array() ) : $r; }, 1, 3 );
+wp_defer_term_counting( true );
+wp_defer_comment_counting( true );
+
+$kind  = $args[0] ?? '';
+$count = (int) ( $args[1] ?? 0 );
+$tag   = $args[2] ?? 'b1';
+mt_srand( crc32( $kind . $tag ) );
+
+$cities = array( 'Taipei', 'Taichung', 'Kaohsiung', 'Tainan', 'Hsinchu', 'Keelung' );
+
+function s36_pick_ids( $post_type, $limit = 5000 ) {
+	global $wpdb;
+	return array_map( 'intval', $wpdb->get_col( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT ID FROM {$wpdb->posts} WHERE post_type=%s AND post_status='publish' ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT %d", $post_type, $limit ) ) );
+}
+
+$t0 = microtime( true );
+$q0 = get_num_queries();
+$ok = 0;
+
+switch ( $kind ) {
+	case 'vendors':
+		for ( $i = 0; $i < $count; $i++ ) {
+			$login = "s36v_{$tag}_{$i}";
+			$uid   = wp_insert_user( array( 'user_login' => $login, 'user_email' => "$login@example.test", 'user_pass' => wp_generate_password(), 'role' => 'contributor', 'first_name' => "F$i", 'last_name' => "L$i", 'description' => "Vendor $i bio" ) );
+			if ( is_wp_error( $uid ) ) { continue; }
+			update_user_meta( $uid, 'billing_city', $cities[ $i % 6 ] );
+			update_user_meta( $uid, 'billing_phone', '09' . mt_rand( 10000000, 99999999 ) );
+			update_user_meta( $uid, 'facebook', "https://facebook.com/$login" );
+			update_user_meta( $uid, 'login_count', mt_rand( 1, 300 ) );
+			$v = ( new Models\Vendor() )->fill( array( 'name' => "Vendor $tag $i", 'description' => 'Seeded vendor', 'status' => 'publish', 'user' => $uid, 'verified' => (bool) mt_rand( 0, 1 ) ) );
+			if ( $v->save() ) {
+				update_post_meta( $v->get_id(), 'hp_hourly_rate', mt_rand( 10, 300 ) );
+				update_post_meta( $v->get_id(), 'hp_rating', mt_rand( 10, 50 ) / 10 );
+				$ok++;
+			}
+		}
+		break;
+
+	case 'listings':
+		global $wpdb;
+		$vendors = $wpdb->get_results( "SELECT ID, post_author FROM {$wpdb->posts} WHERE post_type='hp_vendor' AND post_status='publish'" );
+		$cats    = get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'hp_listing_category', 'hide_empty' => false, 'fields' => 'ids' ) );
+		for ( $i = 0; $i < $count; $i++ ) {
+			$v = $vendors[ array_rand( $vendors ) ];
+			$l = ( new Models\Listing() )->fill( array(
+				'title'       => "Listing $tag $i " . $cities[ $i % 6 ],
+				'description' => str_repeat( 'Seeded listing body. ', 8 ),
+				'status'      => ( mt_rand( 1, 10 ) <= 9 ) ? 'publish' : 'draft',
+				'user'        => (int) $v->post_author,
+				'vendor'      => (int) $v->ID,
+				'featured'    => mt_rand( 1, 20 ) === 1,
+				'verified'    => mt_rand( 1, 3 ) === 1,
+				'categories'  => $cats ? array( $cats[ array_rand( $cats ) ] ) : array(),
+			) );
+			if ( $l->save() ) {
+				$id = $l->get_id();
+				update_post_meta( $id, 'hp_price', mt_rand( 100, 50000 ) );
+				update_post_meta( $id, 'hp_hourly_rate', mt_rand( 10, 300 ) );
+				update_post_meta( $id, 'hp_warranty', mt_rand( 0, 24 ) );
+				$ok++;
+			}
+		}
+		break;
+
+	case 'requests':
+		$users = get_users( array( 'fields' => 'ID', 'number' => 3000, 'orderby' => 'rand' ) );
+		for ( $i = 0; $i < $count; $i++ ) {
+			$r = ( new Models\Request() )->fill( array( 'title' => "Request $tag $i", 'description' => 'Need help', 'status' => 'publish', 'user' => (int) $users[ array_rand( $users ) ] ) );
+			if ( $r->save() ) {
+				update_post_meta( $r->get_id(), 'hp_budget', mt_rand( 500, 90000 ) );
+				update_post_meta( $r->get_id(), 'hp_due_date', gmdate( 'Y-m-d', time() + mt_rand( 1, 90 ) * DAY_IN_SECONDS ) );
+				$ok++;
+			}
+		}
+		break;
+
+	case 'reviews':
+		$listings = s36_pick_ids( 'hp_listing' );
+		$users    = get_users( array( 'fields' => array( 'ID', 'display_name', 'user_email' ), 'number' => 3000, 'orderby' => 'rand' ) );
+		for ( $i = 0; $i < $count; $i++ ) {
+			$u  = $users[ array_rand( $users ) ];
+			$rv = ( new Models\Review() )->fill( array( 'text' => "Review $tag $i", 'rating' => mt_rand( 1, 5 ), 'approved' => 1, 'author' => (int) $u->ID, 'author__display_name' => $u->display_name, 'author__email' => $u->user_email, 'listing' => $listings[ array_rand( $listings ) ] ) );
+			if ( $rv->save() ) { $ok++; }
+		}
+		break;
+
+	case 'terms':
+		for ( $i = 0; $i < $count; $i++ ) {
+			$t = wp_insert_term( "Cat $tag $i", 'hp_listing_category' );
+			if ( ! is_wp_error( $t ) ) {
+				update_term_meta( $t['term_id'], 'hp_sort_order', $i );
+				update_term_meta( $t['term_id'], 'hp_icon', 'star' );
+				$ok++;
+			}
+		}
+		break;
+
+	case 'products':
+		$pcats = get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'product_cat', 'hide_empty' => false, 'fields' => 'ids' ) );
+		for ( $i = 0; $i < $count; $i++ ) {
+			$p = new WC_Product_Simple();
+			$p->set_name( "Product $tag $i" );
+			$p->set_status( 'publish' );
+			$reg = mt_rand( 100, 20000 );
+			$p->set_regular_price( (string) $reg );
+			if ( mt_rand( 1, 4 ) === 1 ) { $p->set_sale_price( (string) (int) ( $reg * 0.8 ) ); }
+			$p->set_sku( "S36-$tag-$i" );
+			$p->set_manage_stock( true );
+			$p->set_stock_quantity( mt_rand( 0, 500 ) );
+			if ( $pcats ) { $p->set_category_ids( array( $pcats[ array_rand( $pcats ) ] ) ); }
+			if ( $p->save() ) { $ok++; }
+		}
+		break;
+
+	case 'orders':
+		$products = wc_get_products( array( 'limit' => 2000, 'status' => 'publish', 'orderby' => 'rand', 'return' => 'ids' ) );
+		$users    = get_users( array( 'fields' => 'ID', 'number' => 3000, 'orderby' => 'rand' ) );
+		$statuses = array( 'completed', 'completed', 'processing', 'on-hold', 'cancelled', 'refunded' );
+		for ( $i = 0; $i < $count; $i++ ) {
+			$o = wc_create_order( array( 'customer_id' => (int) $users[ array_rand( $users ) ] ) );
+			if ( is_wp_error( $o ) ) { continue; }
+			$n = mt_rand( 1, 3 );
+			for ( $j = 0; $j < $n; $j++ ) { $o->add_product( wc_get_product( $products[ array_rand( $products ) ] ), mt_rand( 1, 3 ) ); }
+			$o->set_billing_city( $cities[ $i % 6 ] );
+			$o->set_billing_email( "buyer$i@example.test" );
+			$o->calculate_totals( false );
+			$o->set_status( $statuses[ array_rand( $statuses ) ] );
+			$o->save();
+			$ok++;
+		}
+		break;
+
+	default:
+		WP_CLI::error( "unknown kind $kind" );
+}
+
+wp_defer_term_counting( false );
+wp_defer_comment_counting( false );
+
+$el = microtime( true ) - $t0;
+$q  = get_num_queries() - $q0;
+WP_CLI::log( sprintf( 'SEED %s x%d ok=%d  %.1fs  %.2f ms/item  %.1f queries/item  mode(post=%s,user=%s,term=%s,comment=%s)',
+	$kind, $count, $ok, $el, $ok ? $el * 1000 / $ok : 0, $ok ? $q / $ok : 0,
+	...( class_exists( 'TMDO_Mode_Manager' ) ? array( TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( 'post' ), TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( 'user' ), TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( 'term' ), TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( 'comment' ) ) : array( 'NO-TMDO', '-', '-', '-' ) ) ) );

tests/live/tools/zz-s36-probe.php

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * TEMPORARY test probe for the 2meet-DO integration test (2026-09-26). Delete after testing.
+ * Only active when the request carries header "X-S36-Probe: 1".
+ */
+if ( empty( $_SERVER['HTTP_X_S36_PROBE'] ) ) {
+	return;
+}
+add_action(
+	'template_redirect',
+	function () {
+		global $wp_query, $wpdb;
+		$ids = wp_list_pluck( (array) $wp_query->posts, 'ID' );
+		header( 'X-S36-Found: ' . (int) $wp_query->found_posts );
+		header( 'X-S36-Ids: ' . implode( ',', array_map( 'intval', $ids ) ) );
+		header( 'X-S36-Queries: ' . (int) $wpdb->num_queries );
+		header( 'X-S36-Routed: ' . ( false !== strpos( (string) $wp_query->request, 'wpdo' ) ? 1 : 0 ) );
+		header( 'X-S36-Sql: ' . substr( preg_replace( '/\s+/', ' ', (string) $wp_query->request ), 0, 1500 ) );
+		header( 'X-S36-Ms: ' . round( ( microtime( true ) - $_SERVER['REQUEST_TIME_FLOAT'] ) * 1000 ) );
+	},
+	0
+);

tests/unit/CacheLayerTest.php

@@ -11,17 +11,35 @@ class CacheLayerTest extends TestCase {
 	/** Rows returned by get_results() for the bulk-fetch query. */
 	public static array $db_rows = [];
 
+	/** Whether SHOW TABLES reports the cold table. */
+	public static bool $table_exists = true;
+
+	/** Queries that read the cold table (get_var / get_results on it). */
+	public static int $cold_queries = 0;
+
 	protected function setUp(): void {
 		self::$db_rows        = [];
+		self::$table_exists   = true;
+		self::$cold_queries   = 0;
 		$GLOBALS['_wp_cache'] = [];
 
 		// Reset Schema Registry singleton.
 		$ref = new ReflectionClass( WPDO_Schema_Registry::class );
 		$ref->getProperty( 'instance' )->setValue( null, null );
 
+		// The cold module is write-active unless a test says otherwise.
+		$this->set_cold_module( 'dual_write' );
+		WPDO_Schema_Manager::flush_table_exists_cache();
+
 		$this->setup_wpdb_mock();
 	}
 
+	private function set_cold_module( string $state ): void {
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_options']['wpdo_features'] = array( 'cold_hp_listing' => $state );
+		$prop = new ReflectionProperty( WPDO_Feature_Flags::class, 'cache' );
+		$prop->setValue( null, null );
+	}
+
 	private function setup_wpdb_mock(): void {
 		global $wpdb;
 
@@ -36,7 +54,15 @@ class CacheLayerTest extends TestCase {
 				}, $sql );
 			}
 
-			public function get_var( string $sql ): ?string { return null; }
+			public function get_var( string $sql ): ?string {
+				if ( preg_match( "/^SHOW TABLES LIKE '(.+)'$/", $sql, $m ) ) {
+					return CacheLayerTest::$table_exists ? stripslashes( $m[1] ) : null;
+				}
+				if ( str_contains( $sql, 'wpdo_cold_' ) ) {
+					++CacheLayerTest::$cold_queries;
+				}
+				return null;
+			}
 			public function get_row( string $sql, $output = OBJECT ) { return null; }
 			public function insert( string $table, array $data, $format = null ): int|false { return 1; }
 			public function update( string $table, array $data, array $where, $f = null, $wf = null ): int|false { return 1; }
@@ -44,11 +70,45 @@ class CacheLayerTest extends TestCase {
 			public function query( string $sql ): int|bool { return 1; }
 
 			public function get_results( string $sql, $output = OBJECT ): array {
+				if ( str_contains( $sql, 'wpdo_cold_' ) ) {
+					++CacheLayerTest::$cold_queries;
+				}
 				return CacheLayerTest::$db_rows;
 			}
 		};
 	}
 
+	// ── Zero side effect while the cold module is not active ─────────────────
+
+	public function test_prefetch_does_not_query_while_module_idle(): void {
+		$this->register_cold_field();
+		$this->set_cold_module( 'idle' );
+
+		WPDO_Cache_Layer::prefetch( [ 1, 2 ], 'hp_listing' );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 0, self::$cold_queries );
+		$this->assertEmpty( $GLOBALS['_wp_cache'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_warm_post_does_not_query_while_module_idle(): void {
+		$this->register_cold_field();
+		$this->set_cold_module( 'idle' );
+
+		WPDO_Cache_Layer::warm_post( 20, 'hp_listing' );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 0, self::$cold_queries );
+	}
+
+	public function test_no_query_when_cold_table_is_missing(): void {
+		$this->register_cold_field();
+		self::$table_exists = false;
+
+		WPDO_Cache_Layer::prefetch( [ 1 ], 'hp_listing' );
+		WPDO_Cache_Layer::warm_post( 1, 'hp_listing' );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 0, self::$cold_queries );
+	}
+
 	// ── Helper: register cold field ──────────────────────────────────────────
 
 	private function register_cold_field( string $post_type = 'hp_listing', string $meta_key = 'hp_description' ): void {

tests/unit/PromotionGuardTest.php

@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * Promotion Guard: HivePress / WooCommerce read native meta directly
+ * (empty-key get_*_meta(), direct SQL), so on those sites native meta must
+ * stay authoritative — no aeav_only, no cleanup of native rows.
+ *
+ * Tests that declare HivePress / WooCommerce stand-in classes run in their own
+ * process so those classes do not leak into other tests.
+ */
+class PromotionGuardTest extends TestCase {
+
+	protected function setUp(): void {
+		if ( ! class_exists( 'TMDO_Promotion_Guard_Notice' ) ) {
+			require_once TMDO_PATH . 'admin/class-tmdo-promotion-guard-notice.php';
+		}
+		// Mode changes log through error_log(); in a separate process PHPUnit
+		// treats that stderr output as an error.
+		ini_set( 'error_log', '/dev/null' );
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_options']           = array();
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']  = array();
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_current_user_can']  = array( 'manage_options' => true );
+		TMDO_Mode_Manager::reset_cache();
+	}
+
+	private function modes( array $modes ): void {
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_options']['wpdo_bridge_modes'] = $modes;
+		TMDO_Mode_Manager::reset_cache();
+	}
+
+	public function test_without_integrations_aeav_only_is_allowed(): void {
+		$this->modes( array( 'post' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+
+		$this->assertTrue( TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( 'post', 'aeav_only' ) );
+		$this->assertNull( TMDO_Promotion_Guard::check_cleanup( 'post' ) );
+		$this->assertSame( array(), TMDO_Promotion_Guard::violations() );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @runInSeparateProcess
+	 * @preserveGlobalState disabled
+	 */
+	public function test_hivepress_refuses_aeav_only_for_every_entity(): void {
+		eval( 'namespace HivePress; class Core {}' );
+
+		foreach ( array( 'post', 'user', 'term', 'comment' ) as $type ) {
+			$this->modes( array( $type => 'shadow_read' ) );
+
+			$result = TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( $type, 'aeav_only' );
+
+			$this->assertInstanceOf( WP_Error::class, $result, $type );
+			$this->assertSame( 'promotion_guarded', $result->get_error_code(), $type );
+			$this->assertStringContainsString( 'HivePress', $result->get_error_message(), $type );
+			$this->assertSame( 'shadow_read', TMDO_Mode_Manager::get( $type ), "{$type} mode must not change" );
+			$this->assertSame( array( $type => 'shadow_read' ), $GLOBALS['_wp_options']['wpdo_bridge_modes'], "{$type} option must not change" );
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @runInSeparateProcess
+	 * @preserveGlobalState disabled
+	 */
+	public function test_woocommerce_guards_post_and_user_only(): void {
+		eval( 'class WooCommerce {}' );
+
+		$this->modes( array( 'post' => 'shadow_read', 'user' => 'shadow_read', 'term' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+
+		$this->assertInstanceOf( WP_Error::class, TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( 'post', 'aeav_only' ) );
+		$this->assertInstanceOf( WP_Error::class, TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( 'user', 'aeav_only' ) );
+		$this->assertTrue( TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( 'term', 'aeav_only' ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @runInSeparateProcess
+	 * @preserveGlobalState disabled
+	 */
+	public function test_guard_allows_lower_modes_and_demotion(): void {
+		eval( 'namespace HivePress; class Core {}' );
+
+		$this->modes( array( 'post' => 'disabled' ) );
+		$this->assertTrue( TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( 'post', 'dual_write' ) );
+		$this->assertTrue( TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( 'post', 'shadow_read' ) );
+
+		$this->modes( array( 'post' => 'aeav_only' ) );
+		$this->assertTrue( TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( 'post', 'dual_write' ), 'the way out of aeav_only stays open' );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @runInSeparateProcess
+	 * @preserveGlobalState disabled
+	 */
+	public function test_filter_can_allow_a_guarded_promotion(): void {
+		eval( 'namespace HivePress; class Core {}' );
+		add_filter(
+			'tmdo_promotion_guard_allow',
+			static function ( $allow, $entity_type, $action, $integrations ) {
+				return 'user' === $entity_type && 'aeav_only' === $action && array( 'HivePress' ) === $integrations;
+			},
+			10,
+			4
+		);
+
+		$this->modes( array( 'user' => 'shadow_read', 'post' => 'shadow_read' ) );
+
+		$this->assertTrue( TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( 'user', 'aeav_only' ) );
+		$this->assertInstanceOf( WP_Error::class, TMDO_Mode_Manager::set( 'post', 'aeav_only' ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @runInSeparateProcess
+	 * @preserveGlobalState disabled
+	 */
+	public function test_cleanup_is_refused_even_in_aeav_only(): void {
+		eval( 'namespace HivePress; class Core {}' );
+		$this->modes( array( 'post' => 'aeav_only', 'user' => 'aeav_only' ) );
+
+		$error = TMDO_Promotion_Guard::check_cleanup( 'post' );
+		$this->assertInstanceOf( WP_Error::class, $error );
+
+		try {
+			TMDO_Post_Migration::cleanup();
+			$this->fail( 'post cleanup must be refused' );
+		} catch ( RuntimeException $e ) {
+			$this->assertStringContainsString( 'HivePress', $e->getMessage() );
+		}
+
+		$job = array( 'log' => array(), 'options' => array() );
+		try {
+			( new TMDO_Phase_Cleanup( 'user' ) )->execute( $job );
+			$this->fail( 'user cleanup phase must be refused' );
+		} catch ( RuntimeException $e ) {
+			$this->assertStringContainsString( 'HivePress', $e->getMessage() );
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @runInSeparateProcess
+	 * @preserveGlobalState disabled
+	 */
+	public function test_sites_already_in_aeav_only_are_reported(): void {
+		eval( 'class WooCommerce {}' );
+		$this->modes( array( 'post' => 'aeav_only', 'term' => 'aeav_only' ) );
+
+		$this->assertSame( array( 'post' => array( 'WooCommerce' ) ), TMDO_Promotion_Guard::violations() );
+
+		ob_start();
+		TMDO_Promotion_Guard_Notice::render();
+		$html = (string) ob_get_clean();
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'post', $html );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'bridge-restore-native post', $html );
+	}
+
+	public function test_notice_is_silent_without_violations(): void {
+		$this->modes( array( 'post' => 'aeav_only' ) );
+
+		ob_start();
+		TMDO_Promotion_Guard_Notice::render();
+		$this->assertSame( '', ob_get_clean() );
+	}
+}

tests/unit/RestApiTest.php

@@ -95,11 +95,13 @@ class RestApiTest extends TestCase {
 			'zone'      => 'hot',
 			'column'    => 'hp_price',
 			'type'      => 'decimal',
+			'show_in_rest' => true,
 		] );
 		$registry->register( 'test', [
 			'post_type' => 'hp_listing',
 			'meta_key'  => 'hp_description',
 			'zone'      => 'cold',
+			'show_in_rest' => true,
 		] );
 
 		$req = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wpdo/v1/listings/42' );
@@ -115,6 +117,62 @@ class RestApiTest extends TestCase {
 		$this->assertSame( 'Test desc', $data['hp_description'] );
 	}
 
+	// ── public field exposure (1.1.1) ─────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	/**
+	 * Register fields on hp_listing #43 and GET it anonymously.
+	 *
+	 * @param array<int, array<string, mixed>> $fields Field configs (post_type added).
+	 * @param array<string, string>            $meta   Stored meta.
+	 * @return array<string, mixed> Response data.
+	 */
+	private function listing_with( array $fields, array $meta ): array {
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_post_types'][43] = 'hp_listing';
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_postmeta'][43]   = $meta;
+		foreach ( $fields as $field ) {
+			WPDO_Schema_Registry::instance()->register( 'test', $field + array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing' ) );
+		}
+		$req = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wpdo/v1/listings/43' );
+		$req->set_param( 'id', 43 );
+		return $this->api->get_listing( $req )->get_data();
+	}
+
+	public function test_registered_fields_are_not_public_unless_declared(): void {
+		$data = $this->listing_with(
+			array(
+				array( 'meta_key' => 'hp_price', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_price' ),
+				array( 'meta_key' => 'hp_notes', 'zone' => 'cold' ),
+			),
+			array( 'hp_price' => '500', 'hp_notes' => 'internal' )
+		);
+
+		$this->assertSame( array( 'id', 'post_type' ), array_keys( $data ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_protected_and_credential_keys_stay_private_even_when_declared_public(): void {
+		$data = $this->listing_with(
+			array(
+				array( 'meta_key' => 'hp_price', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_price', 'show_in_rest' => true ),
+				array( 'meta_key' => '_purchase_note', 'zone' => 'cold', 'show_in_rest' => true ),
+				array( 'meta_key' => 'tmeetic_ig_access_token_enc', 'zone' => 'cold', 'show_in_rest' => true ),
+				array( 'meta_key' => 'hp_api_key', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_api_key', 'show_in_rest' => true ),
+				array( 'meta_key' => 'hp_client_secret', 'zone' => 'cold', 'show_in_rest' => true ),
+			),
+			array( 'hp_price' => '500', '_purchase_note' => 'x', 'tmeetic_ig_access_token_enc' => 'y', 'hp_api_key' => 'z', 'hp_client_secret' => 'w' )
+		);
+
+		$this->assertSame( array( 'id', 'post_type', 'hp_price' ), array_keys( $data ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_rest_visible_columns_exclude_protected_and_credential_keys(): void {
+		$registry = WPDO_Schema_Registry::instance();
+		$registry->register( 'test', array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'meta_key' => 'hp_price', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_price', 'show_in_rest' => true ) );
+		$registry->register( 'test', array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'meta_key' => '_hp_token', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_token', 'show_in_rest' => true ) );
+		$registry->register( 'test', array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'meta_key' => 'hp_draft', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_draft' ) );
+
+		$this->assertSame( array( 'hp_price' ), $registry->get_rest_visible_hot_columns( 'hp_listing' ) );
+	}
+
 	// ── get_stats ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 	public function test_get_stats_404_when_post_not_found(): void {
@@ -185,7 +243,7 @@ class RestApiTest extends TestCase {
 
 	public function test_listings_fallback_only_returns_show_in_rest_columns(): void {
 		$registry = WPDO_Schema_Registry::instance();
-		$registry->register( 'unit_rest', array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'meta_key' => 'hp_price', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_price' ) );
+		$registry->register( 'unit_rest', array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'meta_key' => 'hp_price', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_price', 'show_in_rest' => true ) );
 		$registry->register( 'unit_rest', array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'meta_key' => 'hp_secret', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_secret', 'show_in_rest' => false ) );
 
 		$post                           = new stdClass();

tests/unit/TypeCasterSerializeTest.php

@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * text / textarea fields holding arrays (e.g. usermeta wp_persisted_preferences,
+ * community-events-location) were cast with (string) and stored as "Array";
+ * restoring native meta then wrote "Array" back over the real data.
+ */
+class TypeCasterSerializeTest extends TestCase {
+
+	/** Rows passed to $wpdb->insert() (wpdo_errors via TMDO_Logger::warning). */
+	public static array $inserts = array();
+
+	private const TEXT     = array( 'type' => 'text', 'group' => 'admin_prefs', 'key' => 'community-events-location' );
+	private const TEXTAREA = array( 'type' => 'textarea', 'group' => 'admin_prefs', 'key' => 'wp_persisted_preferences' );
+
+	protected function setUp(): void {
+		self::$inserts = array();
+		ini_set( 'error_log', '/dev/null' );
+
+		global $wpdb;
+		$wpdb = new class {
+			public string $prefix = 'wp_';
+			public function insert( string $table, array $data, $format = null ) {
+				TypeCasterSerializeTest::$inserts[] = array( $table, $data );
+				return 1;
+			}
+		};
+	}
+
+	public static function arrays(): array {
+		return array(
+			'flat'   => array( array( 'ip' => '118.163.181.0' ) ),
+			'nested' => array( array( 'core/edit-post' => array( 'welcomeGuide' => false, 'panels' => array( 'a', 'b' ) ) ) ),
+			'empty'  => array( array() ),
+			'list'   => array( array( 1, 2, 3 ) ),
+		);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @dataProvider arrays
+	 */
+	public function test_text_array_round_trips( array $value ): void {
+		$stored = TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $value, self::TEXT );
+
+		$this->assertNotSame( 'Array', $stored );
+		$this->assertSame( serialize( $value ), $stored );
+		$this->assertSame( $value, TMDO_Type_Caster::from_db( $stored, self::TEXT ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @dataProvider arrays
+	 */
+	public function test_textarea_array_round_trips( array $value ): void {
+		$stored = TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $value, self::TEXTAREA );
+
+		$this->assertSame( serialize( $value ), $stored );
+		$this->assertSame( $value, TMDO_Type_Caster::from_db( $stored, self::TEXTAREA ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_object_is_serialized_not_cast(): void {
+		$value = (object) array( 'a' => 1 );
+
+		$this->assertSame( serialize( $value ), TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $value, self::TEXTAREA ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_plain_strings_are_unchanged(): void {
+		foreach ( array( 'fresh', '', 'a:b', '0' ) as $s ) {
+			$this->assertSame( $s, TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $s, self::TEXT ) );
+			$this->assertSame( $s, TMDO_Type_Caster::from_db( $s, self::TEXT ) );
+		}
+		$this->assertSame( '42', TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( 42, self::TEXT ) );
+	}
+
+	public function test_text_over_255_chars_is_stored_as_null_and_logged(): void {
+		$long = str_repeat( 'é', 256 );
+
+		$this->assertNull( TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $long, self::TEXT ) );
+		$this->assertCount( 1, self::$inserts );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'text_overflow', self::$inserts[0][1]['hook'] );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'community-events-location', (string) self::$inserts[0][1]['context'] );
+	}
+
+	public function test_text_of_exactly_255_chars_is_kept(): void {
+		$max = str_repeat( 'é', 255 );
+
+		$this->assertSame( $max, TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $max, self::TEXT ) );
+		$this->assertCount( 0, self::$inserts );
+	}
+
+	public function test_serialized_array_over_255_chars_overflows_too(): void {
+		$value = array( 'k' => str_repeat( 'x', 300 ) );
+
+		$this->assertNull( TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $value, self::TEXT ) );
+		$this->assertSame( serialize( $value ), TMDO_Type_Caster::to_db( $value, self::TEXTAREA ), 'textarea is TEXT, no 255 limit' );
+	}
+}

tests/unit/ZoneRouterTest.php

@@ -21,9 +21,69 @@ class ZoneRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		self::$last_query   = '';
 		self::$last_delete  = [];
 		self::$get_var_return = null;
+		WPDO_Schema_Manager::flush_table_exists_cache();
 		$this->setup_wpdb_mock();
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * $wpdb mock recording delete() tables; SHOW TABLES reports $existing.
+	 *
+	 * @param string[] $existing Tables that exist.
+	 */
+	private function delete_logger( array &$captured, array $existing ): void {
+		global $wpdb;
+		$wpdb = new class( $captured, $existing ) {
+			public string $prefix = 'wp_';
+			public array  $log;
+			public function __construct( array &$ref, private array $existing ) { $this->log = &$ref; }
+			public function prepare( string $s, mixed ...$a ): string { return str_replace( '%s', (string) ( $a[0] ?? '' ), $s ); }
+			public function query( string $s ): int { return 1; }
+			public function get_var( string $s ): mixed {
+				foreach ( $this->existing as $t ) {
+					if ( "SHOW TABLES LIKE {$t}" === $s ) {
+						return $t;
+					}
+				}
+				return null;
+			}
+			public function insert( string $t, array $d, mixed $f = null ): int { return 1; }
+			public function delete( string $table, array $where, array $formats ): void {
+				$this->log[] = $table;
+			}
+		};
+	}
+
+	private function register_hot_and_cold(): void {
+		$sr = new ReflectionClass( WPDO_Schema_Registry::class );
+		$sr->getProperty( 'instance' )->setValue( null, null );
+		WPDO_Schema_Registry::instance()->register( 'test', array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'meta_key' => 'hp_price', 'zone' => 'hot', 'column' => 'hp_price', 'type' => 'decimal' ) );
+		WPDO_Schema_Registry::instance()->register( 'test', array( 'post_type' => 'hp_listing', 'meta_key' => 'hp_images', 'zone' => 'cold' ) );
+	}
+
+	/** Registered fields do not mean the zone tables exist (zero side effect). */
+	public function test_delete_post_skips_hot_and_cold_tables_that_do_not_exist(): void {
+		$this->register_hot_and_cold();
+		$captured = array();
+		$this->delete_logger( $captured, array() );
+
+		WPDO_Zone_Router::delete_post( 3, 'hp_listing' );
+
+		$this->assertNotContains( 'wp_wpdo_hot_hp_listing', $captured );
+		$this->assertNotContains( 'wp_wpdo_cold_hp_listing', $captured );
+		$this->assertContains( 'wp_wpdo_warm', $captured );
+	}
+
+	public function test_delete_post_deletes_cold_rows_when_the_table_exists(): void {
+		$this->register_hot_and_cold();
+		$captured = array();
+		$this->delete_logger( $captured, array( 'wp_wpdo_cold_hp_listing' ) );
+
+		WPDO_Zone_Router::delete_post( 4, 'hp_listing' );
+
+		$this->assertContains( 'wp_wpdo_cold_hp_listing', $captured );
+		$this->assertNotContains( 'wp_wpdo_hot_hp_listing', $captured );
+	}
+
 	private function setup_wpdb_mock(): void {
 		global $wpdb;
 		$wpdb = new class {
@@ -204,19 +264,7 @@ class ZoneRouterTest extends TestCase {
 		) );
 
 		$captured = array();
-		global $wpdb;
-		$wpdb = new class( $captured ) {
-			public string $prefix = 'wp_';
-			public array  $log;
-			public function __construct( array &$ref ) { $this->log = &$ref; }
-			public function prepare( string $s, mixed ...$a ): string { return $s; }
-			public function query( string $s ): int { return 1; }
-			public function get_var( string $s ): mixed { return null; }
-			public function insert( string $t, array $d, mixed $f = null ): int { return 1; }
-			public function delete( string $table, array $where, array $formats ): void {
-				$this->log[] = $table;
-			}
-		};
+		$this->delete_logger( $captured, array( 'wp_wpdo_hot_hp_listing' ) );
 
 		WPDO_Zone_Router::delete_post( 10, 'hp_listing' );