fix(instance): handle stale DB records after restart + prevent Redis connection spam

.env.example

@@ -346,15 +346,17 @@ EVOAI_ENABLED=false
 
 # Cache - Environment variables
 # Redis Cache enabled
-CACHE_REDIS_ENABLED=true
+# Set to true only if you have a Redis server available.
+# When false (or URI is empty), the app uses local cache instead.
+CACHE_REDIS_ENABLED=false
 CACHE_REDIS_URI=redis://localhost:6379/6
 CACHE_REDIS_TTL=604800
 # Prefix serves to differentiate data from one installation to another that are using the same redis
 CACHE_REDIS_PREFIX_KEY=evolution
 # Enabling this variable will save the connection information in Redis and not in the database.
 CACHE_REDIS_SAVE_INSTANCES=false
-# Local Cache enabled
-CACHE_LOCAL_ENABLED=false
+# Local Cache enabled (recommended when Redis is not available)
+CACHE_LOCAL_ENABLED=true
 
 # Amazon S3 - Environment variables
 S3_ENABLED=false

src/api/guards/instance.guard.ts

@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 import { InstanceDto } from '@api/dto/instance.dto';
 import { cache, prismaRepository, waMonitor } from '@api/server.module';
 import { CacheConf, configService } from '@config/env.config';
+import { Logger } from '@config/logger.config';
 import { BadRequestException, ForbiddenException, InternalServerErrorException, NotFoundException } from '@exceptions';
 import { NextFunction, Request, Response } from 'express';
 
+const logger = new Logger('InstanceGuard');
+
 async function getInstance(instanceName: string) {
   try {
     const cacheConf = configService.get<CacheConf>('CACHE');
@@ -22,6 +25,23 @@ async function getInstance(instanceName: string) {
   }
 }
 
+async function isInstanceOnlyInDatabase(instanceName: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  const inMemory = !!waMonitor.waInstances[instanceName];
+  if (inMemory) return false;
+
+  const dbRecords = await prismaRepository.instance.findMany({ where: { name: instanceName } });
+  return dbRecords.length > 0;
+}
+
+async function removeStaleInstance(instanceName: string): Promise<void> {
+  try {
+    await waMonitor.cleaningStoreData(instanceName);
+    logger.warn(`Removed stale database record for instance "${instanceName}" (not loaded in memory)`);
+  } catch (error) {
+    logger.error(`Failed to remove stale instance "${instanceName}": ${error}`);
+  }
+}
+
 export async function instanceExistsGuard(req: Request, _: Response, next: NextFunction) {
   if (req.originalUrl.includes('/instance/create') || req.originalUrl.includes('/instance/fetchInstances')) {
     return next();
@@ -43,7 +63,14 @@ export async function instanceLoggedGuard(req: Request, _: Response, next: NextF
   if (req.originalUrl.includes('/instance/create')) {
     const instance = req.body as InstanceDto;
     if (await getInstance(instance.instanceName)) {
-      throw new ForbiddenException(`This name "${instance.instanceName}" is already in use.`);
+      if (await isInstanceOnlyInDatabase(instance.instanceName)) {
+        logger.warn(
+          `Instance "${instance.instanceName}" exists in database but not in memory (stale after restart). Cleaning up for re-creation.`,
+        );
+        await removeStaleInstance(instance.instanceName);
+      } else {
+        throw new ForbiddenException(`This name "${instance.instanceName}" is already in use.`);
+      }
     }
 
     if (waMonitor.waInstances[instance.instanceName]) {

src/cache/rediscache.client.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@ class Redis {
   }
 
   getConnection(): RedisClientType {
+    if (!this.conf?.ENABLED) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (!this.conf?.URI) {
+      this.logger.warn('CACHE_REDIS_ENABLED is true but CACHE_REDIS_URI is empty — skipping Redis connection');
+      return null;
+    }
+
     if (this.connected) {
       return this.client;
     } else {