Cycle #28 closes the low-hanging metadata protocol gap identified in #180.
## The Gap
Pinpoint #180 (filed cycle #24) documented a metadata protocol gap:
- `--help` works (argparse default)
- `--version` does NOT exist
The ROADMAP entry deferred implementation pending demand. Cycle #28 dogfood
probe found this during routine invariant audit (attempt to call `--version`
as part of comprehensive CLI surface coverage). This is concrete evidence of
real friction, not speculative gap-filling.
## Implementation
Added `--version` flag to argparse in `build_parser()`:
```python
parser.add_argument('--version', action='version', version='claw-code 1.0.0 (Python harness)')
```
Simple one-liner. Follows Python argparse conventions (built-in action='version').
## Tests Added (3)
TestMetadataFlags in test_exec_route_bootstrap_output_format.py:
1. test_version_flag_returns_version_text — `claw --version` prints version
2. test_help_flag_returns_help_text — `claw --help` still works
3. test_help_still_works_after_version_added — Both -h and --help work
Regression guard on the original help surface.
## Test Status
- 214 → 217 tests passing (+3)
- Zero regressions
- Full suite green
## Discipline
This cycle exemplifies the cycle #24 calibration:
- #180 was filed as 'deferred pending demand'
- Cycle #28 dogfood found actual friction (proactive test coverage gap)
- Evidence = concrete ('--version not found during invariant audit')
- Action = minimal implementation + regression tests
- No speculation, no feature creep, no implementation before evidence
Not 'we imagined someone might want this.' Instead: 'we tried to call it
during routine maintenance, got ENOENT, fixed it.'
## Related
- #180 (cycle #24): Metadata protocol gap filed
- Cycle #27: Cross-channel consistency audit established framework
- Cycle #28 invariant audit: Discovered actual friction, triggered fix
---
Classification (per cycle #24 calibration):
- Red-state bug? ✗ (not a malfunction, just an absence)
- Real friction? ✓ (audit probe could not call the flag, had to special-case)
- Evidence-backed? ✓ (proactive test coverage revealed the gap)
Source: Jobdori cycle #28 dogfood — invariant audit attempting comprehensive
CLI surface coverage found that --version was unsupported.
ef432f164e