diff --git a/core/database/migrations/2026_10_01_000000_add_parent_menuindex_index_to_site_content.php b/core/database/migrations/2026_10_01_000000_add_parent_menuindex_index_to_site_content.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..069724d8f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/database/migrations/2026_10_01_000000_add_parent_menuindex_index_to_site_content.php
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+
+/**
+ * Indexes the children of a document in their menu order.
+ *
+ * Child listings (getDocumentChildren, getActiveChildren, the document tree)
+ * filter by parent and sort by menuindex. With an index on parent alone the
+ * database reads every child and sorts them before applying a limit; with
+ * (parent, menuindex) it reads the first rows of the index in order.
+ */
+class AddParentMenuindexIndexToSiteContent extends Migration {
+    public function up() {
+        if (!Schema::hasTable('site_content') || Schema::hasIndex('site_content', ['parent', 'menuindex'])) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        Schema::table('site_content', function (Blueprint $table) {
+            $table->index(['parent', 'menuindex'], \DB::getTablePrefix() . $table->getTable() . '_parent_menuindex');
+        });
+    }
+
+    public function down() {
+        if (Schema::hasTable('site_content') && Schema::hasIndex('site_content', ['parent', 'menuindex'])) {
+            Schema::table('site_content', function (Blueprint $table) {
+                $table->dropIndex(\DB::getTablePrefix() . $table->getTable() . '_parent_menuindex');
+            });
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/core/factory/settings.php b/core/factory/settings.php
index 4eedb1f609..e1197f74c5 100644
--- a/core/factory/settings.php
+++ b/core/factory/settings.php
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
-<?php return [
+<?php
+
+// $known: settings the caller already has a value for. Their defaults are not
+// translated (`??` skips the call), since the caller's value replaces them anyway.
+$known ??= [];
+
+return [
     'site_name' => 'My Evolution CMS Site',
     'site_start' => 1,
     'error_page' => 1,
@@ -11,8 +17,8 @@
     'enable_filter' => 0,
     'enable_at_syntax' => 0,
     'minifyphp_incache' => 0,
-    'rss_url_releases' => __('global.rss_url_releases_default', [], $factoryLocale),
-    'rss_url_extras' => __('global.rss_url_extras_default', [], $factoryLocale),
+    'rss_url_releases' => $known['rss_url_releases'] ?? __('global.rss_url_releases_default', [], $factoryLocale),
+    'rss_url_extras' => $known['rss_url_extras'] ?? __('global.rss_url_extras_default', [], $factoryLocale),
     'friendly_urls' => 0,
     'friendly_url_prefix' => '',
     'friendly_url_suffix' => '/',
@@ -33,15 +39,15 @@
     'error_reporting' => '1',
     'send_errormail' => '0',
     'enable_bindings' => 1,
-    'captcha_words' => __('global.captcha_words_default', [], $factoryLocale),
+    'captcha_words' => $known['captcha_words'] ?? __('global.captcha_words_default', [], $factoryLocale),
     'emailsender' => 'you@example.com',
     'smtp_host' => 'smtp.example.com',
     'smtp_port' => 25,
     'smtp_username' => 'emailsender',
-    'emailsubject' => __('global.emailsubject_default', [], $factoryLocale),
-    'signupemail_message' => __('global.system_email_signup', [], $factoryLocale),
-    'websignupemail_message' => __('global.system_email_websignup', [], $factoryLocale),
-    'webpwdreminder_message' => __('global.system_email_webreminder', [], $factoryLocale),
+    'emailsubject' => $known['emailsubject'] ?? __('global.emailsubject_default', [], $factoryLocale),
+    'signupemail_message' => $known['signupemail_message'] ?? __('global.system_email_signup', [], $factoryLocale),
+    'websignupemail_message' => $known['websignupemail_message'] ?? __('global.system_email_websignup', [], $factoryLocale),
+    'webpwdreminder_message' => $known['webpwdreminder_message'] ?? __('global.system_email_webreminder', [], $factoryLocale),
     'warning_visibility' => 1,
     'tree_page_click' => 27,
     'use_breadcrumbs' => 0,
@@ -79,7 +85,7 @@
     'denyExtensionRename' => 0,
     'showHiddenFiles' => 0,
     'session_timeout' => 15,
-    'site_unavailable_message' => __('global.siteunavailable_message_default', [], $factoryLocale),
+    'site_unavailable_message' => $known['site_unavailable_message'] ?? __('global.siteunavailable_message_default', [], $factoryLocale),
     'allow_eval' => 'with_scan',
     'safe_functions_at_eval' => 'time,date,strtotime,strftime',
     'use_udperms' => '1',
diff --git a/core/src/Core.php b/core/src/Core.php
index e360f00c3f..43ee5da00b 100644
--- a/core/src/Core.php
+++ b/core/src/Core.php
@@ -2928,16 +2928,16 @@ public function getDocumentObject($method, $identifier, $isPrepareResponse = fal
             $documentObject = null;
             if ($this->isFrontend() && $method === 'id') {
                 // Public documents need no group lookup. Keep the ACL query below for private documents.
-                $documentObject = SiteContent::query()
+                $documentObject = SiteContent::toArrays(SiteContent::query()
                     ->where('site_content.id', $identifier)
                     ->where('site_content.privateweb', 0)
-                    ->first();
+                    ->limit(1))[0] ?? null;
             }
             if (is_null($documentObject)) {
-                $documentObject = SiteContent::query()
+                $documentObject = SiteContent::toArrays(SiteContent::query()
                     ->withoutProtected()
                     ->where('site_content.' . $method, $identifier)
-                    ->first();
+                    ->limit(1))[0] ?? null;
             }
             if (is_null($documentObject)) {
                 $seclimit = 0;
@@ -2961,9 +2961,10 @@ public function getDocumentObject($method, $identifier, $isPrepareResponse = fal
                         $this->sendErrorPage();
                     }
                 }
+                // No such document (this used to end in a fatal error on null->toArray()).
+                $this->sendErrorPage();
             }
             //this is now the document :)
-            $documentObject = $documentObject->toArray();
             unset($documentObject['document_group'], $documentObject['document']);
             $documentObject['id'] = $identifier;
 
@@ -2992,7 +2993,7 @@ public function getDocumentObject($method, $identifier, $isPrepareResponse = fal
                     ->leftJoin('site_tmplvar_contentvalues', function ($join) use ($documentObject) {
                         $join->on('site_tmplvar_contentvalues.tmplvarid', '=', 'site_tmplvars.id');
                         $join->on('site_tmplvar_contentvalues.contentid', '=', \DB::raw((int) $documentObject['id']));
-                    })->where('site_tmplvar_templates.templateid', $documentObject['template'])->get();
+                    })->where('site_tmplvar_templates.templateid', $documentObject['template'])->toBase()->get();
 
                 $tmplvars = [];
                 foreach ($tvs as $tv) {
@@ -3242,15 +3243,24 @@ public function executeParser()
                 $this->documentIdentifier = UrlProcessor::getFacadeRoot()->documentListing[$alias];
             } else {
                 if ($this->getConfig('aliaslistingfolder') == 1 || $this->getConfig('full_aliaslisting') == 1) {
-                    $parent = $virtualDir ? UrlProcessor::getIdFromAlias($virtualDir) : 0;
-                    $doc = SiteContent::select('id')
-                        ->where('deleted', 0)
-                        ->where('parent', $parent)
-                        ->where('alias', $this->documentIdentifier)->first();
-                    if (is_null($doc)) {
+                    $docId = null;
+                    // A folder path not in the listing took a query per segment; a path
+                    // of plain aliases is resolved with one, anything else as before.
+                    if ($virtualDir != '' && !isset(UrlProcessor::getFacadeRoot()->documentListing[$virtualDir])) {
+                        $docId = UrlProcessor::getFacadeRoot()->findIdByAliasPath($alias);
+                    }
+                    if ($docId === null) {
+                        $parent = $virtualDir ? UrlProcessor::getIdFromAlias($virtualDir) : 0;
+                        $docId = SiteContent::query()
+                            ->where('deleted', 0)
+                            ->where('parent', $parent)
+                            ->where('alias', $this->documentIdentifier)
+                            ->toBase()->value('id');
+                    }
+                    if (is_null($docId)) {
                         $this->sendErrorPage();
                     }
-                    $this->documentIdentifier = $doc->getKey();
+                    $this->documentIdentifier = (int) $docId;
                 } else {
                     $this->sendErrorPage();
                 }
@@ -3261,13 +3271,14 @@ public function executeParser()
                 $this->documentIdentifier = UrlProcessor::getFacadeRoot()
                     ->documentListing[$this->documentIdentifier];
             } else {
-                $doc = SiteContent::select('id')
+                $docId = SiteContent::query()
                     ->where('deleted', 0)
-                    ->where('alias', $this->documentIdentifier)->first();
-                if (is_null($doc)) {
+                    ->where('alias', $this->documentIdentifier)
+                    ->toBase()->value('id');
+                if (is_null($docId)) {
                     $this->sendErrorPage();
                 }
-                $this->documentIdentifier = $doc->getKey();
+                $this->documentIdentifier = (int) $docId;
             }
         }
         $this->documentMethod = 'id';
@@ -4261,7 +4272,7 @@ public function getAllChildren($id = 0, $sort = 'menuindex', $dir = 'ASC', $fiel
             $content->withoutProtected();
         }
         // build query
-        $resourceArray = $content->get()->toArray();
+        $resourceArray = SiteContent::toArrays($content);
         $this->tmpCache[__FUNCTION__][$cacheKey] = $resourceArray;
         return $resourceArray;
 
@@ -4302,7 +4313,7 @@ public function getActiveChildren($id = 0, $sort = 'menuindex', $dir = 'ASC', $f
             $content->withoutProtected();
         }
         // build query
-        $resourceArray = $content->get()->toArray();
+        $resourceArray = SiteContent::toArrays($content);
         $this->tmpCache[__FUNCTION__][$cacheKey] = $resourceArray;
         return $resourceArray;
     }
@@ -4386,7 +4397,7 @@ public function getDocumentChildren(
         if (is_numeric($limit)) {
             $documentChildren = $documentChildren->take($limit);
         }
-        $resourceArray = $documentChildren->get()->toArray();
+        $resourceArray = SiteContent::toArrays($documentChildren);
 
         $this->tmpCache[__FUNCTION__][$cacheKey] = $resourceArray;
 
@@ -4478,7 +4489,7 @@ public function getDocuments(
         if (is_numeric($limit)) {
             $documentChildren = $documentChildren->take($limit);
         }
-        $resourceArray = $documentChildren->get()->toArray();
+        $resourceArray = SiteContent::toArrays($documentChildren);
 
         $this->tmpCache[__FUNCTION__][$cacheKey] = $resourceArray;
 
diff --git a/core/src/Legacy/Cache.php b/core/src/Legacy/Cache.php
index 65a562b304..6aae319592 100644
--- a/core/src/Legacy/Cache.php
+++ b/core/src/Legacy/Cache.php
@@ -330,6 +330,13 @@ protected function writeSiteCache($evo)
             $content .= '$c[\'' . $systemSetting->setting_name . '\']="' . $this->escapeDoubleQuotes($systemSetting->setting_value) . '";';
             $config[$systemSetting->setting_name] = $systemSetting->setting_value;
         }
+        // Text defaults the database does not store, already translated: a request
+        // then reads them here instead of building the translator for them.
+        if (method_exists($evo, 'getFactoryTextDefaults')) {
+            foreach ($evo->getFactoryTextDefaults($config) as $name => $value) {
+                $content .= '$c[\'' . $name . '\']="' . $this->escapeDoubleQuotes($value) . '";';
+            }
+        }
 
         if (isset($config['enable_filter']) && $config['enable_filter'] == 1) {
             if (Models\SitePlugin::activePhx()->count()) {
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SiteContent.php b/core/src/Models/SiteContent.php
index 1968d0258e..46415ffc07 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SiteContent.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SiteContent.php
@@ -184,17 +184,29 @@ public function __construct(array $attributes = [])
             $attributes[$position] = 0;
         }
 
-        $this->closure = new $this->closure;
-
-        // The default class name of the closure table was not changed
-        // so we define and set default closure table name automagically.
-        // This can prevent useless copy paste of closure table models.
-        if (get_class($this->closure) === ClosureTable::class) {
-            $table = $this->getTable() . '_closure';
-            $this->closure->setTable($table);
+        parent::__construct($attributes);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The closure table model, built on first use: reading documents never
+     * needs it, and building one for every hydrated row doubled the models.
+     *
+     * @return ClosureTable
+     */
+    protected function closureTable(): ClosureTable
+    {
+        if (!$this->closure instanceof ClosureTable) {
+            $this->closure = new $this->closure;
+
+            // The default class name of the closure table was not changed
+            // so we define and set default closure table name automagically.
+            // This can prevent useless copy paste of closure table models.
+            if (get_class($this->closure) === ClosureTable::class) {
+                $this->closure->setTable($this->getTable() . '_closure');
+            }
         }
 
-        parent::__construct($attributes);
+        return $this->closure;
     }
 
     // adjust boot function
@@ -225,7 +237,7 @@ public static function boot()
             $descendant = $entity->getKey();
             $ancestor = isset($entity->parent) ? $entity->parent : $descendant;
 
-            $entity->closure->insertNode($ancestor, $descendant);
+            $entity->closureTable()->insertNode($ancestor, $descendant);
         });
 
         static::saved(static function (SiteContent $entity) {
@@ -235,15 +247,15 @@ public static function boot()
                 $entity->reorderSiblings();
             }
 
-            if ($entity->closure->ancestor === null) {
+            if ($entity->closureTable()->ancestor === null) {
                 $primaryKey = $entity->getKey();
-                $entity->closure->ancestor = $primaryKey;
-                $entity->closure->descendant = $primaryKey;
-                $entity->closure->depth = 0;
+                $entity->closureTable()->ancestor = $primaryKey;
+                $entity->closureTable()->descendant = $primaryKey;
+                $entity->closureTable()->depth = 0;
             }
 
             if ($parentIdChanged) {
-                $entity->closure->moveNodeTo($entity->parent);
+                $entity->closureTable()->moveNodeTo($entity->parent);
             }
 
         });
@@ -716,13 +728,13 @@ private function buildAncestorsQuery(Builder $builder, $id, $withSelf)
 
         return $builder
             ->join(
-                $this->closure->getTable(),
-                $this->closure->getAncestorColumn(),
+                $this->closureTable()->getTable(),
+                $this->closureTable()->getAncestorColumn(),
                 '=',
                 $this->getQualifiedKeyName()
             )
-            ->where($this->closure->getDescendantColumn(), '=', $id)
-            ->where($this->closure->getDepthColumn(), $depthOperator, 0);
+            ->where($this->closureTable()->getDescendantColumn(), '=', $id)
+            ->where($this->closureTable()->getDepthColumn(), $depthOperator, 0);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -822,13 +834,13 @@ private function buildDescendantsQuery(Builder $builder, $id, $withSelf)
 
         return $builder
             ->join(
-                $this->closure->getTable(),
-                $this->closure->getDescendantColumn(),
+                $this->closureTable()->getTable(),
+                $this->closureTable()->getDescendantColumn(),
                 '=',
                 $this->getQualifiedKeyName()
             )
-            ->where($this->closure->getAncestorColumn(), '=', $id)
-            ->where($this->closure->getDepthColumn(), $depthOperator, 0);
+            ->where($this->closureTable()->getAncestorColumn(), '=', $id)
+            ->where($this->closureTable()->getDepthColumn(), $depthOperator, 0);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -2022,7 +2034,7 @@ public function deleteSubtree($withSelf = false, $forceDelete = false)
         $ids = $query->pluck($this->getKeyName());
 
         if ($forceDelete) {
-            $this->closure->whereIn($this->closure->getDescendantColumn(), $ids)->delete();
+            $this->closureTable()->whereIn($this->closureTable()->getDescendantColumn(), $ids)->delete();
         }
 
         $this->whereIn($this->getKeyName(), $ids)->$action();
@@ -2067,11 +2079,100 @@ public function scopeActive($query)
         return $query->where('published', '1')->where('deleted', '0');
     }
 
+    /**
+     * The rows of a document query as arrays, the same as `$query->get()->toArray()`.
+     *
+     * No model is hydrated per row only to be turned back into an array: rows
+     * whose columns have no accessor and only scalar casts (the usual
+     * id/pagetitle/alias listing) are cast directly, any other row goes through
+     * one shared model instance, so dates and accessors stay Eloquent's own.
+     * The "retrieved" model event does not fire for these rows.
+     *
+     * @param Builder $query
+     * @return array<int, array<string, mixed>>
+     */
+    public static function toArrays(Builder $query): array
+    {
+        $model = $query->getModel()->newInstance([], true);
+        $rows = [];
+        $scalarCasts = null;
+        foreach ($query->toBase()->get() as $row) {
+            $row = (array) $row;
+            // Every row of one query has the same columns: decide once.
+            $scalarCasts ??= $model->scalarCastsFor(array_keys($row));
+            if ($scalarCasts === false) {
+                // toArray() without its recursion guard, which hashes a backtrace
+                // per call: a row model has no relations to recurse into.
+                $model->setRawAttributes($row);
+                $rows[] = array_merge($model->attributesToArray(), $model->relationsToArray());
+                continue;
+            }
+            foreach ($scalarCasts as $key => $type) {
+                if ($row[$key] !== null) {
+                    $row[$key] = match ($type) {
+                        'int', 'integer' => (int) $row[$key],
+                        'bool', 'boolean' => (bool) $row[$key],
+                        'string' => (string) $row[$key],
+                        // The deleted-at column, as SoftDeletes::addCastAttributesToArray() keeps it.
+                        'timestamp' => is_numeric($row[$key]) ? (int) $row[$key] : $row[$key],
+                    };
+                }
+            }
+            $rows[] = $row;
+        }
+
+        return $rows;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The casts of the given columns when toArray() would do nothing else to them
+     * than an int, bool or string cast (or the deleted-at timestamp SoftDeletes keeps);
+     * false when one of them needs the model (an accessor, a float, date or object
+     * cast, hidden/visible/appended attributes).
+     *
+     * @param list<string> $columns
+     * @return array<string, string>|false
+     */
+    protected function scalarCastsFor(array $columns): array|false
+    {
+        // A subclass may change how a model becomes an array; it keeps doing so.
+        if (static::class !== self::class
+            || $this->getHidden() || $this->getVisible() || $this->getAppends()
+            || array_intersect($columns, $this->getMutatedAttributes())) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        $deletedAt = $this->getDeletedAtColumn();
+        $casts = [];
+        foreach (array_intersect_key($this->getCasts(), array_flip($columns)) as $key => $type) {
+            $type = strtolower(trim((string) $type));
+            if ($key === $deletedAt && $type === 'datetime') {
+                // Arrayed as its stored timestamp, not as a date (see SoftDeletes).
+                $casts[$key] = 'timestamp';
+                continue;
+            }
+            if (!in_array($type, ['int', 'integer', 'bool', 'boolean', 'string'], true)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+            $casts[$key] = $type;
+        }
+        foreach ($columns as $column) {
+            if ($column !== $deletedAt && $this->isDateAttribute($column)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $casts;
+    }
+
     public function scopeWithoutProtected($query)
     {
-        $query->leftJoin('document_groups', 'document_groups.document', '=', 'site_content.id');
-        $query->where(function($query){
-            $docgrp = evo()->getUserDocGroups();
+        $docgrp = evo()->getUserDocGroups();
+        // The join only serves the group condition below: without groups it would
+        // cost a lookup per row (and repeat a document once per group it is in).
+        if ($docgrp) {
+            $query->leftJoin('document_groups', 'document_groups.document', '=', 'site_content.id');
+        }
+        $query->where(function($query) use ($docgrp) {
             if (evo()->isFrontend()) {
                 $query->where('privateweb', 0);
             } else {
diff --git a/core/src/Parser.php b/core/src/Parser.php
index 27e5ebad24..eeb983eb1f 100644
--- a/core/src/Parser.php
+++ b/core/src/Parser.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 use Illuminate\View\FileViewFinder;
 
 /**
+ * @property \Illuminate\View\Factory|null $blade Built on first read.
  */
 class Parser
 {
@@ -35,7 +36,28 @@ class Parser
 
     protected $templateExtension = 'html';
 
-    public $blade;
+    /**
+     * The Blade view behind $blade, built on first read (see __get): most pages
+     * never render a Blade chunk, and building it resolved the whole view factory
+     * per request. $blade itself is not declared, so reading it reaches __get.
+     *
+     * @var \Illuminate\View\Factory|null
+     */
+    protected $bladeView;
+
+    /**
+     * Whether $bladeView was built (or building it failed), so it is built once.
+     *
+     * @var bool
+     */
+    protected $bladeLoaded = false;
+
+    /**
+     * The view path setTemplatePath() gave $blade, kept until $blade is built.
+     *
+     * @var string|null
+     */
+    protected $bladeViewPath;
 
     protected $bladeEnabled = true;
 
@@ -65,7 +87,56 @@ public static function getInstance (Core $modx)
     private function __construct (Core $modx)
     {
         $this->modx = $modx;
-        $this->loadBlade();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Builds $blade the first time it is read.
+     *
+     * @param string $name
+     * @return mixed
+     */
+    public function __get ($name)
+    {
+        if ($name !== 'blade') {
+            trigger_error('Undefined property: ' . static::class . '::$' . $name, E_USER_WARNING);
+
+            return null;
+        }
+        if (!$this->bladeLoaded) {
+            $this->loadBlade();
+        }
+
+        return $this->bladeView;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Replaces the Blade view; other names keep PHP's default behaviour.
+     *
+     * @param string $name
+     * @param mixed $value
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function __set ($name, $value)
+    {
+        if ($name !== 'blade') {
+            $this->$name = $value;
+
+            return;
+        }
+        $this->bladeView = $value;
+        $this->bladeLoaded = true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * $blade counts as set, as it did when it was built eagerly, unless it was
+     * set to null or failed to build; checking it does not build it.
+     *
+     * @param string $name
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function __isset ($name)
+    {
+        return $name === 'blade' && (!$this->bladeLoaded || $this->bladeView !== null);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -110,10 +181,10 @@ public function setTemplatePath ($path, $supRoot = false)
 
         if (!empty($path)) {
             $this->templatePath = $path;
-            if ($this->blade) {
-                $filesystem = new Filesystem;
-                $viewFinder = new FileViewFinder($filesystem, [EVO_BASE_PATH . $path]);
-                $this->blade->setFinder($viewFinder);
+            $this->bladeViewPath = EVO_BASE_PATH . $path;
+            // A $blade built later picks the path up in loadBlade().
+            if ($this->bladeView !== null) {
+                $this->bladeView->setFinder(new FileViewFinder(new Filesystem, [$this->bladeViewPath]));
             }
         }
 
@@ -484,9 +555,14 @@ public function setPHxPlaceholders ($value = '', $key = '', $path = '')
      */
     protected function loadBlade ()
     {
+        $this->bladeLoaded = true;
         try {
-            $this->blade = clone $this->modx['view'];
+            $this->bladeView = clone $this->modx['view'];
+            if ($this->bladeViewPath !== null) {
+                $this->bladeView->setFinder(new FileViewFinder(new Filesystem, [$this->bladeViewPath]));
+            }
         } catch (\Exception $exception) {
+            $this->bladeView = null;
             $this->modx->messageQuit($exception->getMessage());
         }
     }
diff --git a/core/src/Providers/BladeIconsAdapterServiceProvider.php b/core/src/Providers/BladeIconsAdapterServiceProvider.php
index f1cf39ad6e..7496048627 100644
--- a/core/src/Providers/BladeIconsAdapterServiceProvider.php
+++ b/core/src/Providers/BladeIconsAdapterServiceProvider.php
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 use BladeUI\Icons\Factory;
 use BladeUI\Icons\IconsManifest;
 use Illuminate\Contracts\Filesystem\Factory as FilesystemFactory;
-use Illuminate\Contracts\View\Factory as ViewFactory;
 use Illuminate\Filesystem\Filesystem;
 use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider;
+use Illuminate\View\Compilers\BladeCompiler;
 
 /**
  * Adapter for Blade Icons to work with Evolution CMS
@@ -59,22 +59,22 @@ private function registerManifest(): void
 
     private function bootDirectives(): void
     {
-        // Register Blade directives without type-hint issues
-        $this->callAfterResolving(ViewFactory::class, function ($view) {
+        // Register Blade directives without type-hint issues. On the compiler
+        // itself (the one the Blade engine uses): a page that only resolves the
+        // view factory, e.g. to look for a template file, then does not build it.
+        $this->callAfterResolving('blade.compiler', function (BladeCompiler $blade) {
             // Register @svg directive
-            $view->getEngineResolver()
-                ->resolve('blade')
-                ->getCompiler()
-                ->directive('svg', function ($expression) {
-                    return "<?php echo e(svg($expression)); ?>";
-                });
+            $blade->directive('svg', function ($expression) {
+                return "<?php echo e(svg($expression)); ?>";
+            });
         });
     }
 
     private function bootIconComponent(): void
     {
-        // Register icon component without Application type-hint
-        $this->callAfterResolving(ViewFactory::class, function ($view) {
+        // Register icon component without Application type-hint; components are
+        // compiler state as well, so they wait for the compiler like the directive.
+        $this->callAfterResolving('blade.compiler', function () {
             if (!is_file($this->manifestPath())) {
                 return;
             }
diff --git a/core/src/Providers/BladeServiceProvider.php b/core/src/Providers/BladeServiceProvider.php
index 9ffebad782..a7d5cb8c66 100644
--- a/core/src/Providers/BladeServiceProvider.php
+++ b/core/src/Providers/BladeServiceProvider.php
@@ -1,18 +1,27 @@
 <?php namespace EvolutionCMS\Providers;
 
 use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider;
-use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Blade;
+use Illuminate\View\Compilers\BladeCompiler;
 
 class BladeServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
 {
     public function boot()
     {
-        Blade::directive('evoConfig', function ($expression) {
+        // Registered when the compiler is first built: a page that renders no
+        // Blade view never needs it, and Blade:: here built it on every request.
+        $this->callAfterResolving('blade.compiler', function (BladeCompiler $blade) {
+            $this->registerDirectives($blade);
+        });
+    }
+
+    protected function registerDirectives(BladeCompiler $blade): void
+    {
+        $blade->directive('evoConfig', function ($expression) {
             $expression = $expression ?: "''";
             return "<?php echo e(evo()->getConfig($expression)); ?>";
         });
 
-        Blade::directive('makeUrl', function ($expression) {
+        $blade->directive('makeUrl', function ($expression) {
             $expression = $expression ?: "''";
             return "<?php echo e(app('UrlProcessor')->makeUrlWithString($expression)); ?>";
         });
@@ -22,32 +31,32 @@ public function boot()
          *
          * @since 3.5.8
          */
-        Blade::directive('revision', function ($expression) {
+        $blade->directive('revision', function ($expression) {
             $expression = $expression ?: "''";
             return "<?php echo e(revision($expression)); ?>";
         });
 
-        Blade::directive('evoParser', function ($expression) {
+        $blade->directive('evoParser', function ($expression) {
             $expression = $expression ?: "''";
             return "<?php echo evo_parser($expression); ?>";
         });
 
-        Blade::directive('evoRole', function ($expression) {
+        $blade->directive('evoRole', function ($expression) {
             $expression = $expression ?: "''";
             return "<?php if (evo_role($expression)): ?>";
         });
 
-        Blade::directive('evoElseRole', function ($expression) {
+        $blade->directive('evoElseRole', function ($expression) {
             $expression = $expression ?: "''";
             return "<?php elseif (evo_role($expression)): ?>";
         });
 
-        Blade::directive('evoEndRole', function () {
+        $blade->directive('evoEndRole', function () {
             return "<?php endif; ?>";
         });
 
-        Blade::if('auth', fn () => evo()->getLoginUserID() !== false);
-        Blade::if('guest', fn () => evo()->getLoginUserID() === false);
+        $blade->if('auth', fn () => evo()->getLoginUserID() !== false);
+        $blade->if('guest', fn () => evo()->getLoginUserID() === false);
 
         /**
          * @deprecated
@@ -60,7 +69,7 @@ public function boot()
         $directives = $this->app['config']->get('view.directive');
         if (\is_array($directives)) {
             foreach ($directives as $name => $callback) {
-                $this->app->get('blade.compiler')->directive($name, $callback);
+                $blade->directive($name, $callback);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/core/src/TemplateProcessor.php b/core/src/TemplateProcessor.php
index 8790851fdf..33a72e8f69 100644
--- a/core/src/TemplateProcessor.php
+++ b/core/src/TemplateProcessor.php
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ private function templateSource(array $doc): string
      * Template rows keyed by ID for this processor instance. Missing IDs are
      * stored as null so repeated lookups do not issue another query.
      *
-     * @var array<int, SiteTemplate|null>
+     * @var array<int, object|null>
      */
     private array $templateRows = [];
 
@@ -182,17 +182,20 @@ public function getTemplateAlias(int $templateId): string
     /**
      * Load the fields needed for document loading and rendering once per ID.
      *
+     * A plain row, not a model: only these columns are read, every page needs
+     * them, and none of them has a cast or an accessor.
+     *
      * @param int $templateId
-     * @return SiteTemplate|null Null for template ID 0 or a missing row.
+     * @return object|null Null for template ID 0 or a missing row.
      */
-    private function templateRow(int $templateId): ?SiteTemplate
+    private function templateRow(int $templateId): ?object
     {
         if ($templateId === 0) {
             return null;
         }
 
         if (!array_key_exists($templateId, $this->templateRows)) {
-            $this->templateRows[$templateId] = SiteTemplate::whereKey($templateId)
+            $this->templateRows[$templateId] = SiteTemplate::query()->whereKey($templateId)->toBase()
                 ->first(['id', 'templatealias', 'templatesource', 'templatefileextension', 'content']);
         }
 
diff --git a/core/src/Traits/Path.php b/core/src/Traits/Path.php
index 8559d24c5a..5fa3ff81a1 100644
--- a/core/src/Traits/Path.php
+++ b/core/src/Traits/Path.php
@@ -356,7 +356,11 @@ public function routesAreCached()
     public function setLocale($locale)
     {
         $this['config']->set('app.locale', $locale);
-        $this['translator']->setLocale($locale);
+        // A translator built later reads app.locale; a request that never
+        // translates anything does not need one built here.
+        if ($this->resolved('translator')) {
+            $this['translator']->setLocale($locale);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/core/src/Traits/Settings.php b/core/src/Traits/Settings.php
index 2a1e5fb714..2b144dd926 100644
--- a/core/src/Traits/Settings.php
+++ b/core/src/Traits/Settings.php
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ public function getConfig($name = '', $default = null)
      */
     public function getSettings()
     {
-        $this->config = array_merge($this->getFactorySettings(), $this->config);
+        // The current values replace the defaults, so their defaults need no translation.
+        $this->config = array_merge($this->getFactorySettings($this->config), $this->config);
 
         // setup default site id - new installation should generate a unique id for the site.
         if ($this->getConfig('site_id', '') === '') {
@@ -164,10 +165,12 @@ public function getSettings()
      * its original order. Frontend requests retain the locale and manager view
      * namespace while deferring theme element scans until those elements are used.
      *
+     * @param array<string, mixed> $known Settings the caller already has values for: their
+     *                                    defaults are returned as these values, untranslated.
      * @return array<string, mixed>
      * @since 3.5.9 Updated to read defaults without eager frontend theme creation.
      */
-    public function getFactorySettings() : array
+    public function getFactorySettings(array $known = []) : array
     {
         $managerLanguage = (string) $this->getConfig('manager_language', 'en');
         $languageFile = EVO_CORE_PATH . 'lang/' . $managerLanguage . '/global.php';
@@ -196,6 +199,48 @@ public function getFactorySettings() : array
             $this->registerFrontendManagerViewNamespace($theme);
         }
 
+        return $this->readFactorySettings($factoryLocale, $known);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The text defaults the stored settings lack, as the site cache keeps them.
+     *
+     * Factory defaults such as the e-mail texts are translated into the manager
+     * language and rarely stored, so reading them used to build the translator
+     * and load a language file on every request. The site cache stores these
+     * strings instead (it is rebuilt whenever the settings change); defaults of
+     * other types are left to getFactorySettings(), which keeps their type.
+     *
+     * @param array<string, mixed> $stored The system settings as stored.
+     * @return array<string, string>
+     * @since 3.5.9
+     */
+    public function getFactoryTextDefaults(array $stored): array
+    {
+        // The language getConfig('manager_language', 'en') reads once these settings are loaded.
+        $language = (string) ($stored['manager_language'] ?? '');
+        $language = (string) $this['config']->get('cms.settings.manager_language', $language === '' ? 'en' : $language);
+        $locale = is_file(EVO_CORE_PATH . 'lang/' . $language . '/global.php') ? $language : 'en';
+
+        $defaults = [];
+        foreach ($this->readFactorySettings($locale, $stored) as $name => $value) {
+            if (\is_string($value) && !array_key_exists($name, $stored)) {
+                $defaults[$name] = $value;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $defaults;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Evaluate the factory defaults file in the given language.
+     *
+     * @param string $factoryLocale Language the default texts are translated into.
+     * @param array<string, mixed> $known Settings whose defaults are not translated.
+     * @return array<string, mixed>
+     */
+    protected function readFactorySettings(string $factoryLocale, array $known = []): array
+    {
         $out = include EVO_CORE_PATH . 'factory/settings.php';
         return \is_array($out) ? $out : [];
     }
diff --git a/core/src/UrlProcessor.php b/core/src/UrlProcessor.php
index 450f8b01f0..53cea5c2bb 100644
--- a/core/src/UrlProcessor.php
+++ b/core/src/UrlProcessor.php
@@ -480,15 +480,7 @@ public function getIdFromAlias($alias)
         }
 
         if (!$this->core->getConfig('use_alias_path')) {
-            /** @var Models\SiteContent $query */
-            $query = Models\SiteContent::where('deleted', '=', 0)
-                ->where('alias', '=', $alias)
-                ->first();
-
-            if ($query === null) {
-                return null;
-            }
-            return $query->getKey();
+            return $this->findDocumentId(['alias' => $alias]);
         }
 
         if ($alias === '.') {
@@ -507,29 +499,67 @@ public function getIdFromAlias($alias)
             if ($id === null) {
                 break;
             }
-            /** @var Models\SiteContent $query */
-            $query = Models\SiteContent::where('deleted', '=', 0)
-                ->where('parent', '=', $id)
-                ->where('alias', '=', $tmp)
-                ->first();
+            $found = $this->findDocumentId(['parent' => $id, 'alias' => $tmp])
+                ?? $this->findDocumentId(['parent' => $id, 'id' => $tmp]);
 
-            if ($query === null) {
-                /** @var Models\SiteContent $query */
-                $query = Models\SiteContent::where('deleted', '=', 0)
-                    ->where('parent', '=', $id)
-                    ->where('id', '=', $tmp)
-                    ->first();
-            }
-
-            if ($query === null) {
-                $id = $this->getHiddenIdFromAlias($id, $tmp);
-            } else {
-                $id = $query->getKey();
-            }
+            $id = $found ?? $this->getHiddenIdFromAlias($id, $tmp);
         }
         return $id;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * The id of the document at an alias path, read with one query.
+     *
+     * Every segment must be the alias of a non-deleted child of the previous
+     * one, starting at the root. Null when that does not hold, and the caller
+     * walks the path one segment at a time as before (getIdFromAlias() also
+     * accepts ids as segments and looks through hidden folders).
+     *
+     * @param string $path Alias path such as "articles/category-042".
+     * @since 3.5.9
+     */
+    public function findIdByAliasPath(string $path): ?int
+    {
+        $segments = explode('/', trim($path, '/'));
+        if (in_array('', $segments, true)) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        $query = Models\SiteContent::query()->getConnection()
+            ->table('site_content as d0')
+            ->where('d0.parent', '=', 0)
+            ->where('d0.alias', '=', $segments[0])
+            ->where('d0.deleted', '=', 0);
+        $last = count($segments) - 1;
+        for ($i = 1; $i <= $last; $i++) {
+            $query->join('site_content as d' . $i, 'd' . $i . '.parent', '=', 'd' . ($i - 1) . '.id')
+                ->where('d' . $i . '.alias', '=', $segments[$i])
+                ->where('d' . $i . '.deleted', '=', 0);
+        }
+        $id = $query->value('d' . $last . '.id');
+
+        return $id === null ? null : (int) $id;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The id of the first non-deleted document matching the given columns.
+     *
+     * Reads the id column only, without building a model: the alias walk runs
+     * on every friendly-URL request, one query per path segment.
+     *
+     * @param array<string, int|string> $where
+     */
+    protected function findDocumentId(array $where): ?int
+    {
+        $query = Models\SiteContent::query()->where('deleted', '=', 0);
+        foreach ($where as $column => $value) {
+            $query->where($column, '=', $value);
+        }
+        $id = $query->toBase()->value('id');
+
+        return $id === null ? null : (int) $id;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @param int $parentid
      * @param string $alias
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/BladeDirectivesOnDemandTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/BladeDirectivesOnDemandTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..95933c59b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/BladeDirectivesOnDemandTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+<?php
+
+use EvolutionCMS\Providers\BladeIconsAdapterServiceProvider;
+use EvolutionCMS\Providers\BladeServiceProvider;
+use Illuminate\Config\Repository;
+use Illuminate\Container\Container;
+use Illuminate\Events\Dispatcher;
+use Illuminate\Filesystem\Filesystem;
+use Illuminate\View\Compilers\BladeCompiler;
+use Illuminate\View\Engines\EngineResolver;
+use Illuminate\View\Factory;
+use Illuminate\View\FileViewFinder;
+
+/*
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+| Blade directives are registered when the compiler is built
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+|
+| Booting the providers used to build the Blade compiler on every request,
+| and the icon adapter built it whenever the view factory was resolved, which
+| a page also does just to look for a template file.
+|
+*/
+
+beforeEach(function () {
+    $app = new class extends Container {
+        public function runningInConsole(): bool
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        public function bootstrapPath($path = ''): string
+        {
+            return sys_get_temp_dir() . '/evo-no-bootstrap/' . $path;
+        }
+    };
+    $app->instance('config', new Repository(['view' => ['directive' => ['legacyDirective' => fn () => 'legacy']]]));
+    $app->singleton('blade.compiler', fn () => new BladeCompiler(new Filesystem(), sys_get_temp_dir()));
+    $app->singleton('view', fn () => new Factory(new EngineResolver(), new FileViewFinder(new Filesystem(), []), new Dispatcher()));
+    $this->app = $app;
+});
+
+test('booting the providers does not build the compiler', function () {
+    (new BladeServiceProvider($this->app))->boot();
+    (new BladeIconsAdapterServiceProvider($this->app))->boot();
+    $this->app->make('view');
+
+    expect($this->app->resolved('blade.compiler'))->toBeFalse();
+});
+
+test('the compiler gets the directives once it is built', function () {
+    (new BladeServiceProvider($this->app))->boot();
+    (new BladeIconsAdapterServiceProvider($this->app))->boot();
+
+    $directives = $this->app->make('blade.compiler')->getCustomDirectives();
+
+    expect($directives)->toHaveKeys(['evoConfig', 'makeUrl', 'revision', 'evoParser', 'evoRole', 'evoElseRole', 'evoEndRole', 'auth', 'guest', 'legacyDirective', 'svg'])
+        ->and($this->app->make('blade.compiler')->compileString('@evoEndRole'))->toBe('<?php endif; ?>');
+});
+
+test('a compiler built before the providers boot gets the directives too', function () {
+    $compiler = $this->app->make('blade.compiler');
+
+    (new BladeServiceProvider($this->app))->boot();
+
+    expect($compiler->getCustomDirectives())->toHaveKey('evoConfig');
+});
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/FactorySettingsTranslationTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/FactorySettingsTranslationTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c6134fa5b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/FactorySettingsTranslationTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+<?php
+
+use EvolutionCMS\Traits\Settings;
+use Illuminate\Config\Repository;
+use Illuminate\Container\Container;
+use Illuminate\Filesystem\Filesystem;
+use Illuminate\Translation\FileLoader;
+use Illuminate\Translation\Translator;
+
+/**
+ * The factory defaults file, read the way a front-end request reads it, with a
+ * translator that counts what it is asked: the core's own language files.
+ */
+beforeEach(function () {
+    defined('EVO_CORE_PATH') || define('EVO_CORE_PATH', dirname(__DIR__, 2) . '/');
+    defined('EVO_MANAGER_PATH') || define('EVO_MANAGER_PATH', dirname(__DIR__, 3) . '/manager/');
+    defined('EVO_CLASS') || define('EVO_CLASS', Container::class);
+    defined('IN_MANAGER_MODE') || define('IN_MANAGER_MODE', false);
+    defined('IN_INSTALL_MODE') || define('IN_INSTALL_MODE', false);
+    defined('EVO_API_MODE') || define('EVO_API_MODE', true);
+
+    $this->settings = new class extends Container {
+        use Settings;
+
+        public array $translated = [];
+
+        public function isBackend(): bool
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        public function setLocale($locale): void
+        {
+        }
+    };
+    $this->settings->instance('config', new Repository([]));
+    $translator = new class(new FileLoader(new Filesystem(), EVO_CORE_PATH . 'lang'), 'en') extends Translator {
+        public array $asked = [];
+
+        public function get($key, array $replace = [], $locale = null, $fallback = true)
+        {
+            $this->asked[] = $key;
+
+            return parent::get($key, $replace, $locale, $fallback);
+        }
+    };
+    $this->settings->instance('translator', $translator);
+    $this->translator = $translator;
+
+    // __() reaches the translator through app() and evo().
+    global $evo;
+    $evo = $this->settings;
+});
+
+afterEach(function () {
+    global $evo;
+    $evo = null;
+});
+
+test('without known values every default text is translated', function () {
+    $defaults = $this->settings->getFactorySettings();
+
+    expect($this->translator->asked)->toHaveCount(8)
+        ->and($defaults['emailsubject'])->toBe(__('global.emailsubject_default'))
+        ->and($defaults['site_start'])->toBe(1);
+});
+
+test('a default the caller already has a value for is not translated', function () {
+    $defaults = $this->settings->getFactorySettings(['emailsubject' => 'Hello', 'captcha_words' => 'a,b']);
+
+    expect($defaults['emailsubject'])->toBe('Hello')
+        ->and($defaults['captcha_words'])->toBe('a,b')
+        ->and($this->translator->asked)->not->toContain('global.emailsubject_default', 'global.captcha_words_default')
+        ->and($this->translator->asked)->toHaveCount(6);
+});
+
+test('the site cache gets the string defaults the stored settings lack', function () {
+    $defaults = $this->settings->getFactoryTextDefaults(['emailsubject' => 'Stored', 'site_name' => 'Mine']);
+
+    expect($defaults)->not->toHaveKeys(['emailsubject', 'site_name'])
+        // Not a string: getFactorySettings() keeps the type of these per request.
+        ->and($defaults)->not->toHaveKey('site_start')
+        ->and($defaults['signupemail_message'])->toBe(__('global.system_email_signup', [], 'en'))
+        ->and($defaults['custom_contenttype'])->toBeString()
+        ->and(array_filter($defaults, 'is_string'))->toBe($defaults);
+});
+
+test('the site cache translates into the stored manager language', function () {
+    $german = $this->settings->getFactoryTextDefaults(['manager_language' => 'de']);
+    $unknown = $this->settings->getFactoryTextDefaults(['manager_language' => 'xx']);
+
+    expect($german['emailsubject'])->toBe(__('global.emailsubject_default', [], 'de'))
+        ->and($unknown['emailsubject'])->toBe(__('global.emailsubject_default', [], 'en'));
+});
+
+test('a manager language set in the configuration files wins over the stored one', function () {
+    $this->settings['config']->set('cms.settings.manager_language', 'de');
+
+    $defaults = $this->settings->getFactoryTextDefaults(['manager_language' => 'en']);
+
+    expect($defaults['emailsubject'])->toBe(__('global.emailsubject_default', [], 'de'));
+});
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/Install/CliInstallComposerNoDevTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/Install/CliInstallComposerNoDevTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60337024e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/Install/CliInstallComposerNoDevTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+| A CLI install drops the development packages after the update
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+|
+| The update keeps resolving with require-dev (Composer runs out of the vendor
+| directory it rewrites, and the order it replaces its own dependencies in
+| depends on that), then a second pass removes the test suite's packages, whose
+| autoloaded files a site would otherwise include on every request.
+|
+*/
+
+$root = dirname(__DIR__, 4);
+
+/** The Composer commands composerUpdate() runs when each run reports $results in turn. */
+function composerCommandsOfInstall(string $root, array $results): array
+{
+    $probe = tempnam(sys_get_temp_dir(), 'evo_composer_probe_');
+    file_put_contents($probe, '<?php'
+        . ' require ' . var_export($root . '/install/cli-install.php', true) . ';'
+        . ' class RecordingInstall extends InstallEvo {'
+        . '   public array $commands = []; public array $results = [];'
+        . '   protected function runComposerUpdate(string $cmd): bool { $this->commands[] = $cmd; return array_shift($this->results) ?? true; }'
+        . ' }'
+        . ' $install = (new ReflectionClass(RecordingInstall::class))->newInstanceWithoutConstructor();'
+        . ' $install->results = ' . var_export($results, true) . ';'
+        . ' ob_start(); $install->composerUpdate(); ob_end_clean();'
+        . ' echo json_encode($install->commands);');
+    $out = trim(evoRunPhp($probe));
+    unlink($probe);
+
+    return json_decode($out, true, flags: JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR);
+}
+
+it('updates with the development packages, then removes them', function () use ($root) {
+    $commands = composerCommandsOfInstall($root, [true, true]);
+
+    expect($commands)->toHaveCount(2)
+        ->and($commands[0])->toContain(' update ')->not->toContain('--no-dev')
+        ->and($commands[1])->toContain(' install ')->toContain('--no-dev');
+});
+
+it('leaves the packages alone when the update failed', function () use ($root) {
+    $commands = composerCommandsOfInstall($root, [false]);
+
+    expect($commands)->toHaveCount(1)
+        ->and($commands[0])->toContain(' update ');
+});
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/Install/ConnectionStubPdoOptionsTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/Install/ConnectionStubPdoOptionsTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..10435c3a1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/Install/ConnectionStubPdoOptionsTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+| The connection the installer writes
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+|
+| On MySQL and MariaDB a query is one round trip (client-side prepares) and the
+| connection does not issue a separate `use` for the database its DSN names.
+| Other drivers keep PDO's defaults.
+|
+*/
+
+/** The installed default connection for a database type, with every other placeholder empty. */
+function installedConnection(string $databaseType): array
+{
+    $template = (string) file_get_contents(dirname(__DIR__, 4) . '/install/stubs/files/config/database/connections/default.tpl');
+    $php = preg_replace('/\[\+\w+\+\]/', '', str_replace('[+database_type+]', $databaseType, $template));
+    $file = tempnam(sys_get_temp_dir(), 'evo_connection_');
+    file_put_contents($file, $php);
+    try {
+        return require $file;
+    } finally {
+        unlink($file);
+    }
+}
+
+it('connects to MySQL and MariaDB with client-side prepares and without a use statement', function (string $type) {
+    $connection = installedConnection($type);
+
+    expect($connection['driver'])->toBe($type)
+        ->and($connection['use_db_after_connecting'])->toBeFalse()
+        ->and($connection['options'][PDO::ATTR_EMULATE_PREPARES])->toBeTrue()
+        ->and($connection['options'][PDO::ATTR_STRINGIFY_FETCHES])->toBeTrue();
+})->with(['mysql', 'mariadb']);
+
+it('leaves the prepares of other drivers to PDO', function (string $type) {
+    $connection = installedConnection($type);
+
+    expect($connection['options'])->not->toHaveKey(PDO::ATTR_EMULATE_PREPARES)
+        ->and($connection['options'][PDO::ATTR_STRINGIFY_FETCHES])->toBeTrue();
+})->with(['pgsql', 'sqlite']);
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/Install/SiteContentParentMenuindexIndexTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/Install/SiteContentParentMenuindexIndexTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8820d7cf53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/Install/SiteContentParentMenuindexIndexTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Capsule\Manager as Capsule;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Facade;
+
+afterEach(function () {
+    Facade::clearResolvedInstances();
+    Capsule::connection()->disconnect();
+});
+
+/** A prefixed SQLite database with the facades the migration uses wired to it. */
+function bootParentMenuindexDatabase(): Capsule
+{
+    $capsule = new Capsule();
+    $capsule->addConnection(['driver' => 'sqlite', 'database' => ':memory:', 'prefix' => 'evo_']);
+    $capsule->setAsGlobal();
+
+    $container = $capsule->getContainer();
+    $container->instance('db', $capsule->getDatabaseManager());
+    $container->bind('db.schema', fn () => $capsule->getConnection()->getSchemaBuilder());
+    Facade::clearResolvedInstances();
+    Facade::setFacadeApplication($container);
+    class_exists('DB', false) || class_alias(\Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB::class, 'DB');
+
+    $capsule->getConnection()->getSchemaBuilder()->create('site_content', function (Blueprint $table) {
+        $table->increments('id');
+        $table->integer('parent')->default(0)->index('evo_site_content_parent');
+        $table->integer('menuindex')->default(0);
+    });
+
+    return $capsule;
+}
+
+/** @return array<string, list<string>> index name => columns */
+function siteContentIndexes(Capsule $capsule): array
+{
+    $indexes = [];
+    foreach ($capsule->getConnection()->getSchemaBuilder()->getIndexes('site_content') as $index) {
+        $indexes[$index['name']] = $index['columns'];
+    }
+
+    return $indexes;
+}
+
+test('the migration indexes children in menu order, once', function () {
+    $capsule = bootParentMenuindexDatabase();
+    class_exists('AddParentMenuindexIndexToSiteContent', false)
+        || require dirname(__DIR__, 3) . '/database/migrations/2026_10_01_000000_add_parent_menuindex_index_to_site_content.php';
+    $migration = new AddParentMenuindexIndexToSiteContent();
+
+    $migration->up();
+    $migration->up();
+
+    $indexes = siteContentIndexes($capsule);
+    expect($indexes['evo_site_content_parent_menuindex'] ?? null)->toBe(['parent', 'menuindex'])
+        // The single-column index stays for queries that filter by parent only.
+        ->and($indexes['evo_site_content_parent'] ?? null)->toBe(['parent'])
+        ->and(array_filter($indexes, fn ($columns) => $columns === ['parent', 'menuindex']))->toHaveCount(1);
+});
+
+test('rolling the migration back drops only its index', function () {
+    $capsule = bootParentMenuindexDatabase();
+    class_exists('AddParentMenuindexIndexToSiteContent', false)
+        || require dirname(__DIR__, 3) . '/database/migrations/2026_10_01_000000_add_parent_menuindex_index_to_site_content.php';
+    $migration = new AddParentMenuindexIndexToSiteContent();
+
+    $migration->up();
+    $migration->down();
+    $migration->down();
+
+    expect(siteContentIndexes($capsule))->not->toHaveKey('evo_site_content_parent_menuindex')
+        ->and(siteContentIndexes($capsule))->toHaveKey('evo_site_content_parent');
+});
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/Models/SiteContentToArraysTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/Models/SiteContentToArraysTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6fa49aafb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/Models/SiteContentToArraysTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+<?php
+
+use EvolutionCMS\Models\SiteContent;
+use Illuminate\Database\Capsule\Manager as Capsule;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+
+/**
+ * Documents 2..4 under folder 1; 4 is soft-deleted, 3 was deleted once (deletedon set).
+ */
+function bootToArraysDatabase(): Capsule
+{
+    $capsule = new Capsule();
+    $capsule->addConnection(['driver' => 'sqlite', 'database' => ':memory:', 'prefix' => 'evo_']);
+    $capsule->setAsGlobal();
+    $capsule->bootEloquent();
+    Model::setConnectionResolver($capsule->getDatabaseManager());
+
+    $capsule->getConnection()->getSchemaBuilder()->create('site_content', function (Blueprint $table) {
+        $table->increments('id');
+        $table->string('pagetitle')->default('');
+        $table->string('alias')->default('');
+        $table->integer('parent')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('published')->default(1);
+        $table->integer('pub_date')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('menuindex')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('hidemenu')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('richtext')->default(1);
+        $table->integer('deleted')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('deletedon')->default(0);
+        $table->text('content')->nullable();
+    });
+    foreach ([
+        ['id' => 1, 'pagetitle' => 'Folder', 'alias' => 'folder', 'parent' => 0, 'menuindex' => 0, 'content' => null],
+        ['id' => 2, 'pagetitle' => 'Second', 'alias' => 'second', 'parent' => 1, 'menuindex' => 2, 'pub_date' => 1700000000, 'hidemenu' => 1, 'content' => 'b'],
+        ['id' => 3, 'pagetitle' => 'First', 'alias' => 'first', 'parent' => 1, 'menuindex' => 1, 'deletedon' => 1790625541, 'content' => 'a'],
+        ['id' => 4, 'pagetitle' => 'Gone', 'alias' => 'gone', 'parent' => 1, 'menuindex' => 3, 'deleted' => 1, 'content' => 'c'],
+    ] as $row) {
+        Capsule::table('site_content')->insert($row);
+    }
+
+    return $capsule;
+}
+
+afterEach(fn () => Capsule::connection()->disconnect());
+
+test('a listing of scalar columns is the same as get()->toArray()', function () {
+    bootToArraysDatabase();
+    $query = fn () => SiteContent::query()
+        ->select(['site_content.id', 'site_content.pagetitle', 'site_content.pub_date', 'site_content.hidemenu', 'site_content.richtext'])
+        ->where('site_content.parent', 1)
+        ->orderBy('menuindex');
+
+    $rows = SiteContent::toArrays($query());
+
+    expect($rows)->toBe($query()->get()->toArray())
+        ->and($rows)->toBe([
+            ['id' => 3, 'pagetitle' => 'First', 'pub_date' => 0, 'hidemenu' => false, 'richtext' => true],
+            ['id' => 2, 'pagetitle' => 'Second', 'pub_date' => 1700000000, 'hidemenu' => true, 'richtext' => true],
+        ]);
+});
+
+test('whole rows with the deleted-at column are the same as get()->toArray()', function () {
+    bootToArraysDatabase();
+    $query = fn () => SiteContent::query()->withTrashed()->orderBy('id');
+
+    $rows = SiteContent::toArrays($query());
+
+    expect($rows)->toBe($query()->get()->toArray())
+        ->and($rows[2]['deletedon'])->toBe(1790625541)
+        ->and($rows[0]['content'])->toBeNull()
+        ->and(array_column($rows, 'id'))->toBe([1, 2, 3, 4]);
+});
+
+test('global scopes and limits apply as they do to get()', function () {
+    bootToArraysDatabase();
+
+    $rows = SiteContent::toArrays(SiteContent::query()->where('parent', 1)->orderBy('id')->limit(1));
+
+    expect(array_column($rows, 'id'))->toBe([2])
+        ->and(SiteContent::toArrays(SiteContent::query()->where('parent', 1)))->toHaveCount(2);
+});
+
+test('an empty result is an empty array', function () {
+    bootToArraysDatabase();
+
+    expect(SiteContent::toArrays(SiteContent::query()->where('parent', 99)))->toBe([]);
+});
+
+test('a model with an accessor on a selected column still goes through the model', function () {
+    bootToArraysDatabase();
+    $model = new class extends SiteContent {
+        public function getPagetitleAttribute($value): string
+        {
+            return strtoupper((string) $value);
+        }
+    };
+    $query = fn () => $model->newQuery()->select(['site_content.id', 'site_content.pagetitle'])->where('site_content.id', 2);
+
+    expect(SiteContent::toArrays($query()))->toBe($query()->get()->toArray())
+        ->and(SiteContent::toArrays($query())[0]['pagetitle'])->toBe('SECOND');
+});
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/Models/SiteContentWithoutProtectedTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/Models/SiteContentWithoutProtectedTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0b8439bdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/Models/SiteContentWithoutProtectedTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+<?php
+
+use EvolutionCMS\Models\SiteContent;
+use Illuminate\Database\Capsule\Manager as Capsule;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+
+/**
+ * Public document 1 is in groups 7 and 8, public document 2 in none,
+ * private document 3 in group 5.
+ */
+beforeEach(function () {
+    // evo() needs a class name before it hands out the global set below.
+    defined('EVO_CLASS') || define('EVO_CLASS', \Illuminate\Container\Container::class);
+    defined('IN_MANAGER_MODE') || define('IN_MANAGER_MODE', false);
+    defined('IN_INSTALL_MODE') || define('IN_INSTALL_MODE', false);
+    defined('EVO_API_MODE') || define('EVO_API_MODE', true);
+
+    $capsule = new Capsule();
+    $capsule->addConnection(['driver' => 'sqlite', 'database' => ':memory:', 'prefix' => 'evo_']);
+    $capsule->setAsGlobal();
+    $capsule->bootEloquent();
+    Model::setConnectionResolver($capsule->getDatabaseManager());
+
+    $schema = $capsule->getConnection()->getSchemaBuilder();
+    $schema->create('site_content', function (Blueprint $table) {
+        $table->increments('id');
+        $table->integer('parent')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('privateweb')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('privatemgr')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('deleted')->default(0);
+    });
+    $schema->create('document_groups', function (Blueprint $table) {
+        $table->increments('id');
+        $table->integer('document_group');
+        $table->integer('document');
+    });
+    Capsule::table('site_content')->insert([
+        ['id' => 1, 'privateweb' => 0],
+        ['id' => 2, 'privateweb' => 0],
+        ['id' => 3, 'privateweb' => 1],
+    ]);
+    Capsule::table('document_groups')->insert([
+        ['document_group' => 7, 'document' => 1],
+        ['document_group' => 8, 'document' => 1],
+        ['document_group' => 5, 'document' => 3],
+    ]);
+});
+
+afterEach(function () {
+    global $evo;
+    $evo = null;
+    Capsule::connection()->disconnect();
+});
+
+/** A front-end visitor in the given document groups, as evo() hands it out. */
+function frontendVisitorInGroups(array $groups): void
+{
+    global $evo;
+    $evo = new class($groups) {
+        public function __construct(private array $groups)
+        {
+        }
+
+        public function getUserDocGroups()
+        {
+            return $this->groups ?: '';
+        }
+
+        public function isFrontend(): bool
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+test('a visitor without document groups gets public documents without the group join', function () {
+    frontendVisitorInGroups([]);
+    $query = SiteContent::query()->select('site_content.id')->withoutProtected()->orderBy('site_content.id');
+
+    expect($query->toSql())->not->toContain('document_groups')
+        // Document 1 is in two groups: the join used to list it twice.
+        ->and($query->pluck('id')->all())->toBe([1, 2]);
+});
+
+test('a visitor in a document group also gets the private documents of that group', function () {
+    frontendVisitorInGroups([5]);
+    $query = SiteContent::query()->select('site_content.id')->withoutProtected()->orderBy('site_content.id');
+
+    expect($query->toSql())->toContain('document_groups')
+        ->and(array_values(array_unique($query->pluck('id')->all())))->toBe([1, 2, 3]);
+});
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/ParserLazyBladeTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/ParserLazyBladeTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0206e0d6c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/ParserLazyBladeTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+<?php
+
+use EvolutionCMS\Core;
+use EvolutionCMS\Parser;
+use Illuminate\Events\Dispatcher;
+use Illuminate\Filesystem\Filesystem;
+use Illuminate\View\Engines\EngineResolver;
+use Illuminate\View\Factory;
+use Illuminate\View\FileViewFinder;
+
+/*
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+| The chunk parser builds its Blade view on first use
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+|
+| Most pages never render a Blade chunk, and building the copy of the view
+| factory for every request resolved the whole view stack.
+|
+*/
+
+beforeEach(function () {
+    defined('EVO_BASE_PATH') || define('EVO_BASE_PATH', sys_get_temp_dir() . '/evo-base/');
+    resetParserInstance();
+
+    $this->core = (new ReflectionClass(Core::class))->newInstanceWithoutConstructor();
+    $this->viewsBuilt = 0;
+    $this->core->singleton('view', function () {
+        $this->viewsBuilt++;
+
+        return new Factory(new EngineResolver(), new FileViewFinder(new Filesystem(), [sys_get_temp_dir()]), new Dispatcher());
+    });
+});
+
+afterEach(fn () => resetParserInstance());
+
+/**
+ * The finder's paths with forward slashes and no trailing slash: it resolves
+ * existing directories with realpath(), which uses backslashes on Windows.
+ */
+function viewPaths(Factory $view): array
+{
+    return array_map('normalizedViewPath', $view->getFinder()->getPaths());
+}
+
+function normalizedViewPath(string $path): string
+{
+    return rtrim(str_replace('\\', '/', $path), '/');
+}
+
+function resetParserInstance(): void
+{
+    (new ReflectionProperty(Parser::class, 'instance'))->setValue(null, null);
+}
+
+test('the parser does not build its view until it is read', function () {
+    $parser = Parser::getInstance($this->core);
+    $parser->setTemplatePath('views/');
+
+    expect($this->viewsBuilt)->toBe(0);
+});
+
+test('checking whether the view is set does not build it', function () {
+    $parser = Parser::getInstance($this->core);
+
+    expect(isset($parser->blade))->toBeTrue()
+        ->and($this->viewsBuilt)->toBe(0)
+        ->and($parser->blade ?? null)->toBeInstanceOf(Factory::class)
+        ->and($this->viewsBuilt)->toBe(1);
+});
+
+test('an assigned view replaces the built one', function () {
+    $parser = Parser::getInstance($this->core);
+    $view = new Factory(new EngineResolver(), new FileViewFinder(new Filesystem(), [sys_get_temp_dir()]), new Dispatcher());
+
+    $parser->blade = $view;
+
+    expect($parser->blade)->toBe($view)
+        ->and($this->viewsBuilt)->toBe(0);
+
+    $parser->blade = null;
+
+    expect(isset($parser->blade))->toBeFalse()
+        ->and($parser->blade)->toBeNull()
+        ->and($this->viewsBuilt)->toBe(0);
+});
+
+test('the view is a copy of the factory, built once, with the template path given before', function () {
+    $parser = Parser::getInstance($this->core);
+    $parser->setTemplatePath('views/');
+
+    $blade = $parser->blade;
+
+    expect($blade)->toBeInstanceOf(Factory::class)
+        ->and($blade)->not->toBe($this->core['view'])
+        ->and($parser->blade)->toBe($blade)
+        ->and($this->viewsBuilt)->toBe(1)
+        ->and(viewPaths($blade))->toBe([normalizedViewPath(EVO_BASE_PATH . 'views')]);
+});
+
+test('a template path set after the view is built still reaches it', function () {
+    $parser = Parser::getInstance($this->core);
+    $blade = $parser->blade;
+
+    $parser->setTemplatePath('assets/chunks/');
+
+    expect($parser->blade)->toBe($blade)
+        ->and(viewPaths($blade))->toBe([normalizedViewPath(EVO_BASE_PATH . 'assets/chunks')]);
+});
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/UrlProcessorAliasPathTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/UrlProcessorAliasPathTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..78515816d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/UrlProcessorAliasPathTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+<?php
+
+use EvolutionCMS\Core;
+use EvolutionCMS\UrlProcessor;
+use Illuminate\Database\Capsule\Manager as Capsule;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+
+/**
+ * articles (2) > category-042 (44) > article-1 (100); a deleted "old" (45) and
+ * a deleted duplicate "category-042" (46) under articles; "other" (3) at the root.
+ * A prefixed connection, so the table aliases of the joins are exercised.
+ */
+beforeEach(function () {
+    $capsule = new Capsule();
+    $capsule->addConnection(['driver' => 'sqlite', 'database' => ':memory:', 'prefix' => 'evo_']);
+    $capsule->setAsGlobal();
+    $capsule->bootEloquent();
+    Model::setConnectionResolver($capsule->getDatabaseManager());
+    $capsule->getConnection()->getSchemaBuilder()->create('site_content', function (Blueprint $table) {
+        $table->increments('id');
+        $table->string('alias')->default('');
+        $table->integer('parent')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('deleted')->default(0);
+        $table->integer('alias_visible')->default(1);
+    });
+    foreach ([
+        ['id' => 2, 'alias' => 'articles', 'parent' => 0],
+        ['id' => 3, 'alias' => 'other', 'parent' => 0],
+        ['id' => 44, 'alias' => 'category-042', 'parent' => 2],
+        ['id' => 45, 'alias' => 'old', 'parent' => 2, 'deleted' => 1],
+        ['id' => 46, 'alias' => 'category-042', 'parent' => 3, 'deleted' => 1],
+        ['id' => 100, 'alias' => 'article-1', 'parent' => 44],
+    ] as $row) {
+        Capsule::table('site_content')->insert($row);
+    }
+    $this->connection = $capsule->getConnection();
+});
+
+afterEach(fn () => Capsule::connection()->disconnect());
+
+function aliasPathProcessor(): UrlProcessor
+{
+    $config = ['use_alias_path' => true];
+    $core = test()->getMockBuilder(Core::class)
+        ->disableOriginalConstructor()
+        ->onlyMethods(['getConfig', 'invokeEvent'])
+        ->getMock();
+    $core->documentListing = [];
+    $core->aliasListing = [];
+    $core->virtualDir = '';
+    $core->method('getConfig')->willReturnCallback(static fn ($name, $default = null) => $config[$name] ?? $default);
+    $core->method('invokeEvent')->willReturn(false);
+
+    return new UrlProcessor($core);
+}
+
+test('an alias path is resolved with one query', function () {
+    $processor = aliasPathProcessor();
+    $this->connection->enableQueryLog();
+
+    expect($processor->findIdByAliasPath('articles/category-042/article-1'))->toBe(100)
+        ->and($this->connection->getQueryLog())->toHaveCount(1)
+        ->and($processor->findIdByAliasPath('articles/category-042'))->toBe(44)
+        ->and($processor->findIdByAliasPath('/articles/'))->toBe(2);
+});
+
+test('a path that is not made of live aliases from the root is not resolved', function () {
+    $processor = aliasPathProcessor();
+
+    expect($processor->findIdByAliasPath('articles/old'))->toBeNull()
+        ->and($processor->findIdByAliasPath('other/category-042'))->toBeNull()
+        ->and($processor->findIdByAliasPath('category-042'))->toBeNull()
+        ->and($processor->findIdByAliasPath('articles/44'))->toBeNull()
+        ->and($processor->findIdByAliasPath('articles//category-042'))->toBeNull()
+        ->and($processor->findIdByAliasPath(''))->toBeNull();
+});
+
+test('getIdFromAlias still walks aliases and ids and returns integers', function () {
+    $processor = aliasPathProcessor();
+
+    expect($processor->getIdFromAlias('articles/category-042'))->toBe(44)
+        ->and($processor->getIdFromAlias('articles/44/article-1'))->toBe(100)
+        ->and($processor->getIdFromAlias('.'))->toBe(0);
+});
diff --git a/install/cli-install.php b/install/cli-install.php
index 2d332541a6..56bdc54f09 100644
--- a/install/cli-install.php
+++ b/install/cli-install.php
@@ -49,14 +49,14 @@ class InstallEvo
      * with the unified ExecWithFallback::exec() which automatically tries methods in order:
      * exec() → passthru() → popen() → proc_open() → shell_exec() → Exception.
      *
-     * @return void
+     * @return bool Whether Composer ran and exited with 0.
      */
-    protected function runComposerUpdate(string $cmd): void
+    protected function runComposerUpdate(string $cmd): bool
     {
         // This runs before the core bootstraps, so nothing has registered the Composer autoloader yet.
         if (!loadExecWithFallback()) {
             warning('⚠ The exec-with-fallback package is missing. Run "composer update" manually.');
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
 
         $out = [];
@@ -72,11 +72,15 @@ protected function runComposerUpdate(string $cmd): void
             if ((int) $exitCode !== 0) {
                 warning('⚠ Composer update failed with exit code ' . (int) $exitCode . '; the dependencies shipped with the archive are kept.');
                 warning('⚠ Run "composer update" in the core directory once the server can reach Packagist, or install with --skipComposer=y offline.');
+                return false;
             }
         } catch (\Exception $e) {
             info('- No command execution methods available (all disabled).');
             warning('⚠ Run "composer update" manually.');
+            return false;
         }
+
+        return true;
     }
 
     public $typeInstall = '';
@@ -527,7 +531,21 @@ public function composerUpdate()
             escapeshellarg($workingDir)
         );
 
-        $this->runComposerUpdate($cmd);
+        if (!$this->runComposerUpdate($cmd)) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // A site needs neither the test suite's packages nor their autoloaded
+        // files, which would be included on every request. A separate pass: the
+        // update above runs Composer out of the vendor directory it rewrites,
+        // and resolving without them changes the order it replaces Composer's
+        // own dependencies in; removing packages afterwards touches none of them.
+        info('- Removing development packages');
+        $this->runComposerUpdate(sprintf(
+            'php %s install --no-interaction --no-dev --working-dir=%s',
+            escapeshellarg($composerBin),
+            escapeshellarg($workingDir)
+        ));
     }
 
     public function realInstall()
diff --git a/install/stubs/files/config/database/connections/default.tpl b/install/stubs/files/config/database/connections/default.tpl
index d7b29205bf..c3436c0523 100644
--- a/install/stubs/files/config/database/connections/default.tpl
+++ b/install/stubs/files/config/database/connections/default.tpl
@@ -12,8 +12,15 @@ return [
     'prefix' => env('DB_PREFIX', '[+table_prefix+]'),
     'strict' => (bool) env('DB_STRICT', false),
     'engine' => env('DB_ENGINE'[+database_engine+]),
+    // The DSN already names the database: a separate `use` would cost a round trip per request.
+    'use_db_after_connecting' => false,
     'options' => [
         PDO::ATTR_STRINGIFY_FETCHES => true,
         PDO::ATTR_PERSISTENT => (bool) env('DB_PERSISTENT', false),
-    ]
+    ] + (in_array(env('DB_TYPE', '[+database_type+]'), ['mysql', 'mariadb'], true) ? [
+        // Client-side prepares: one round trip per query instead of three (prepare, execute, close).
+        // Values are strings either way (ATTR_STRINGIFY_FETCHES). Quoting follows the connection
+        // charset, which is safe for utf8mb4/utf8/latin1; set DB_EMULATE_PREPARES=false for GBK-family charsets.
+        PDO::ATTR_EMULATE_PREPARES => (bool) env('DB_EMULATE_PREPARES', true),
+    ] : [])
 ];