## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work.
> - Environment sandboxes already support custom image creation and
refresh through a temporary SSH setup session.
> - The existing workflow makes operators copy an SSH command into an
external terminal before they can install packages or make image
changes.
> - That extra context switch is slower, easier to get wrong, and less
integrated with the setup session Paperclip already tracks.
> - This pull request adds an embedded browser SSH terminal for custom
image setup, so operators can start working in the target sandbox
directly from the environment configuration flow.
> - The implementation uses short-lived websocket attachment tokens,
session-lifetime SSH host-key pinning, and server-managed terminal
cleanup so the feature fits the existing setup-session boundary.
> - The benefit is a smoother custom image creation and refresh
experience without asking users to leave Paperclip for routine sandbox
setup work.
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
No public GitHub issue exists.
### Subsystem affected
Cross-cutting: `server/` custom image setup APIs and websocket handling,
`ui/` environment configuration UI, and shared custom image contracts.
### Problem or motivation
Custom image creation and refresh require an operator to open a separate
SSH client, paste the command shown by Paperclip, perform setup work,
then return to the browser to finish the image flow. This is functional
but awkward for a setup process that already starts and tracks a
temporary sandbox session.
### Proposed solution
Embed an SSH terminal in the custom image setup UI. When a setup session
exposes an SSH payload, Paperclip should open a browser terminal backed
by a server-side websocket session, let the operator run setup commands
in-place, and then close the terminal when setup is finished, cancelled,
expired, or disconnected.
### Alternatives considered
- Keep the existing copy/paste SSH command workflow. This remains a
fallback, but it does not streamline the common path.
- Put SSH credentials directly into websocket URLs. This was avoided so
terminal authentication can happen in an explicit first websocket auth
frame rather than in logged URLs.
- Trust the SSH host blindly for every reconnect. This PR instead pins
the observed host-key fingerprint for the setup-session lifetime.
### Roadmap alignment
This fits the roadmap theme of making agent workspaces usable in more
remote and sandboxed environments while preserving Paperclip's
control-plane model.
### Additional context
Public GitHub search did not find a duplicate issue or PR for `custom
image terminal ssh` in `paperclipai/paperclip`.
## What Changed
- Added server-side terminal session tracking for custom image setup
sessions, including connect-token issuance, websocket attachment,
expiry, resize, input, and shutdown handling.
- Added an embedded browser terminal to the custom image creation and
refresh flow when a setup session provides SSH connection details.
- Moved terminal token authentication out of the websocket URL and into
the first websocket JSON auth frame.
- Added SSH host-key SHA-256 pinning for each terminal session and
documented the provider convention for username-embedded SSH
credentials.
- Updated the custom image environment API and UI so the setup terminal
can open, reconnect, show status, authenticate, resize, and remain
active for the setup-session lifetime once attached.
- Kept custom image setup routes company-scoped and closed active
terminal sessions on setup finish/cancel.
- Added focused unit/integration/UI coverage for token expiry,
setup-session expiry, websocket close paths, host-key pinning, and
terminal session lifecycle behavior.
- Removed the generated lockfile delta from the PR; CI owns temporary
lockfile regeneration for manifest-changing PRs.
## Verification
- `pnpm exec vitest run
server/src/__tests__/server-startup-feedback-export.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/environment-custom-image-terminal-ws.test.ts
server/src/services/environment-custom-image-terminal-sessions.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/environment-custom-image-routes.test.ts
packages/shared/src/environment-custom-images.test.ts
ui/src/pages/CompanyEnvironments.test.tsx`
- 6 test files passed
- 58 tests passed
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server typecheck`
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/ui typecheck`
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server build`
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/ui build`
- `pnpm run typecheck:build-gaps`
- `git diff --check`
- Local sensitive-content scan over the PR diff using patterns for API
keys, private keys, private hostnames, local paths, token fields, and
credential-like strings.
- Findings were limited to removed URL-token code and synthetic test
placeholders such as `ssh-token-secret` and
`terminal-token-terminal-token-123456`.
- No real credentials, private hostnames, local filesystem paths, or
instance-local links were found.
- Remote PR checks were green after the implementation commit, including
Build, Typecheck + Release Registry, General tests, serialized server
suites, e2e, verify, Socket, Snyk, Superagent, and Greptile 5/5.
- Post-merge PR hardening on July 3, 2026: merged `origin/master` at
`47448721e` into the branch, resolved the `CompanyEnvironments.tsx`
import conflict, reran focused tests, server/UI typechecks, server/UI
builds, `pnpm run typecheck:build-gaps`, and `git diff --check`, scanned
the final diff for sensitive content, pushed `4b43558cc`, and confirmed
all remote checks plus Greptile 5/5 were green.
- PR metadata correction on July 3, 2026: changed the title/body framing
from bug-fix language to feature-request language. No source files
changed for this metadata-only update.
## Risks
- Moderate surface area because this adds websocket routing,
setup-session runtime state, package dependencies, and a new custom
image UI path.
- New websocket attachments still require valid short-lived tokens;
established terminal sessions remain bounded by setup-session expiry,
explicit finish/cancel, client close, or server shutdown.
- The terminal-session store is in-memory, so active terminal websocket
tokens and host-key pins do not survive server restarts.
- SSH host-key verification uses session-lifetime TOFU pinning because
the current provider payload does not expose a trusted host-key
fingerprint.
- The external SSH command remains important as a fallback if a browser,
proxy, or network environment cannot sustain the websocket terminal.
> For core feature work, check [`ROADMAP.md`](ROADMAP.md) first and
discuss it in `#dev` before opening the PR. Feature PRs that overlap
with planned core work may need to be redirected — check the roadmap
first. See `CONTRIBUTING.md`.
## Model Used
OpenAI Codex, GPT-5 coding agent with shell/tool execution. Context
window size was not exposed in this runtime.
## Checklist
- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate
planned core work
- [x] I have searched GitHub for duplicate or related PRs and linked
them above
- [x] I have either (a) linked existing issues with `Fixes: #` / `Closes
#` / `Refs #` OR (b) described the issue in-PR following the relevant
issue template
- [x] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or
links (only public GitHub `#NNN` / `github.com/paperclipai/paperclip`
URLs)
- [x] My branch name describes the change (e.g. `docs/...`, `fix/...`)
and contains no internal Paperclip ticket id or instance-derived details
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [x] All Paperclip CI gates are green
- [x] Greptile is 5/5 with no open P2s, recommendations, or follow-ups
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge
---------
Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work
> - Environments are now managed as instance-level runtime resources
rather than per-company rows
> - The custom environment image setup tables were introduced with their
own `company_id` columns and route query parameters
> - That split made one saved environment image state depend on an extra
company context even though the environment itself is the durable owner
> - It also made saved-environment probes harder because applying the
active custom image template could require a company context when no
secret-backed config needed one
> - This pull request scopes custom image templates and setup sessions
directly to the saved environment
> - The benefit is that reusable environment images follow the same
instance-scoped model as environments while secret resolution still uses
company context only when secrets require it
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
No matching public GitHub issue was found.
Bug report:
### What happened?
saved environment custom-image routes and persistence required a
`companyId` even though environments are instance-scoped, and saved
sandbox probes did not opt into active custom-image template application
unless a company context was present.
### Expected behavior
custom-image templates and setup sessions should be owned by the saved
environment, and saved sandbox probes should apply the active template
while still requiring a company context only for secret-backed runtime
config.
### Steps to reproduce
1. Configure an instance-scoped sandbox environment with custom-image
setup support.
2. Start or inspect a custom-image session or template for that saved
environment.
3. Probe the saved environment without a custom-image-specific
`companyId` query parameter.
### Paperclip version or commit
current `master` after the environment custom-image template migration.
### Deployment mode
Local dev (pnpm dev) or authenticated local Paperclip instance.
### Installation method
Built from source (pnpm dev / pnpm build).
### Agent adapter(s) involved
Not adapter-specific (core bug).
### Database mode
Embedded PGlite/Postgres dev database.
### Access context
Board human operator.
### Privacy checklist
No logs, secrets, tokens, private URLs, or local machine paths are
included.
Duplicate search performed:
- `gh search prs "environment custom image companyId
repo:paperclipai/paperclip" --state open --limit 20`
- `gh search prs "custom image environment scoped
repo:paperclipai/paperclip" --state open --limit 20`
- `gh search issues "environment custom image
repo:paperclipai/paperclip" --state open --limit 20`
The returned results were unrelated adapter, Docker, auth, or
stale-workspace items.
## What Changed
- Removed redundant `company_id` columns from environment custom-image
templates and setup sessions.
- Added migration `0127_environment_custom_images_instance_scoped` to
collapse duplicate active rows per environment before dropping the old
company-scoped indexes/columns.
- Updated custom-image services, route handlers, shared validators, and
UI API/query keys to use environment-scoped custom-image state.
- Kept runtime secret resolution company-aware only when secret refs or
bindings require a company context.
- Made saved sandbox environment probes opt into active custom-image
template application.
- Updated DB, shared, server, and UI tests for the new
environment-scoped contract.
## Verification
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/db run check:migrations`
- `pnpm exec vitest run
packages/db/src/environment-custom-images-schema.test.ts
packages/shared/src/environment-custom-images.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/environment-custom-image-routes.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/environment-custom-images-service.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/environment-routes.test.ts
ui/src/pages/CompanyEnvironments.test.tsx`
- `pnpm -r typecheck`
- `pnpm test:run` before rebasing onto latest `master`; after the rebase
only the migration number changed, and the migration check plus focused
suite, typecheck, and build were rerun.
- `pnpm build`
## Risks
- Migration safety: the migration supersedes duplicate active templates
per environment and fails duplicate active setup sessions before adding
environment-only unique indexes. Operators with duplicate historical
active rows should review which active template is kept.
- Behavior shift: plugin custom-image setup calls now receive
`companyId: "instance"` when no secret binding determines a concrete
company context.
- Secret-backed configs still require an explicit or uniquely inferable
company context; environments with secret bindings spread across
multiple companies continue to fail fast.
> For core feature work, check [`ROADMAP.md`](ROADMAP.md) first and
discuss it in `#dev` before opening the PR. Feature PRs that overlap
with planned core work may need to be redirected — check the roadmap
first. See `CONTRIBUTING.md`.
## Model Used
OpenAI Codex via the `codex_local` adapter, GPT-5-based coding model
with tool-enabled repository inspection, editing, testing, git, and
GitHub CLI access. Exact context-window metadata was not exposed by the
runtime.
## Checklist
- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate
planned core work
- [x] I have searched GitHub for duplicate or related PRs and linked
them above
- [x] I have either (a) linked existing issues with `Fixes: #` / `Closes
#` / `Refs #` OR (b) described the issue in-PR following the relevant
issue template
- [x] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or
links (only public GitHub `#NNN` / `github.com/paperclipai/paperclip`
URLs)
- [x] My branch name describes the change (e.g. `docs/...`, `fix/...`)
and contains no internal Paperclip ticket id or instance-derived details
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [ ] All Paperclip CI gates are green
- [ ] Greptile is 5/5 with no open P2s, recommendations, or follow-ups
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge
---------
Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work.
> - A growing part of that work runs in sandboxed environments rather
than on the operator's local machine.
> - Today sandbox providers can start fresh workspaces and run probes,
but they do not have a shared contract for capturing and reusing
prepared sandbox state.
> - Operators need a way to set up tools, credentials, and project
dependencies once, then reuse that prepared image for later agent runs.
> - This pull request adds reusable sandbox custom images across the
provider contract, server runtime, and board UI.
> - It also keeps probes and sandbox copy flows aligned with
pre-authenticated/custom-image environments.
> - The benefit is faster, more reliable sandbox runs without repeatedly
rebuilding the same environment setup.
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
No public GitHub issue was found for this change. Inline feature request
follows.
### Problem or motivation
Sandboxed agents need reusable prepared runtime state so repeated runs
do not require manual setup every time. Operators often need system
packages, CLIs, SDKs, dependency caches, credentials, and project
tooling available before an agent can work productively.
### Proposed solution
Add a provider-level custom-image capability, server-side setup/capture
lifecycle, Daytona/fake provider support, and board UI controls for
creating, testing, selecting, and deleting custom images.
### Alternatives considered
Leaving this as provider-specific setup outside Paperclip would keep the
control plane blind to image state and would not give agents consistent
environment metadata. Re-running setup commands for every lease is
simpler, but slower and less reliable for interactive or credentialed
setup.
### Roadmap alignment
Checked `ROADMAP.md`; this aligns with the Cloud / Sandbox agents
roadmap area and does not duplicate any related public issue or PR found
by search.
Additional context:
- Subsystem affected: cross-cutting (`packages/db`, `packages/shared`,
`packages/plugins`, `server`, `ui`).
- Duplicate search: searched GitHub for `sandbox custom image` and
`sandbox template environment`; no related public issues or PRs were
found.
## What Changed
- Added custom-image shared types, validators, constants, API paths, and
database schema/migration.
- Added server services/routes for custom-image templates and setup
sessions, including runtime cleanup and provider metadata handling.
- Extended plugin/sandbox provider capabilities for interactive setup,
template capture, and template deletion.
- Implemented custom-image support in the fake sandbox provider and
Daytona provider.
- Updated environment runtime/config handling so active custom images
flow into leases, probes, and agent execution.
- Added board UI controls and API client support for custom-image setup,
capture, selection, status, and error states.
- Hardened sandbox copy/probe behavior for insecure clipboard contexts
and pre-authenticated sandbox images.
- Added targeted coverage across shared validators, DB schema, server
routes/services, provider plugins, adapter probes, and UI flows.
## Verification
- `pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --ignore-scripts`
- `pnpm vitest run
packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/test.probe.test.ts
packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/test.ts
packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/test.remote.test.ts
packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/test.ts`
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/adapter-claude-local typecheck`
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/adapter-codex-local typecheck`
- `pnpm vitest run
packages/db/src/environment-custom-images-schema.test.ts
packages/shared/src/environment-custom-images.test.ts
packages/shared/src/validators/plugin.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/environment-custom-images-service.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
packages/plugins/sandbox-providers/daytona/src/plugin.test.ts
ui/src/pages/CompanyEnvironments.test.tsx
ui/src/pages/CompanySettings.test.tsx`
- `pnpm -r typecheck`
- `pnpm build`
- `rm -rf packages/db/dist && pnpm test:run`
- Public-safety scan of the final diff found no internal Paperclip issue
links, private instance URLs, or real secret patterns.
## Risks
- Adds a database migration and new environment runtime tables, so
migration ordering and rollback need care.
- Provider implementations may differ in how reliably they can
capture/delete images; unsupported providers surface capability-gated UI
states.
- Custom-image state can contain operator-prepared tooling and
credentials inside the provider image, so providers must enforce their
own access controls and cleanup semantics.
- Broad surface area across shared contracts, server runtime, plugins,
adapters, and UI means CI and Greptile review should be watched closely.
> For core feature work, check [`ROADMAP.md`](ROADMAP.md) first and
discuss it in `#dev` before opening the PR. Feature PRs that overlap
with planned core work may need to be redirected — check the roadmap
first. See `CONTRIBUTING.md`.
## Model Used
OpenAI GPT-5 (`gpt-5`) via Codex CLI with tool use and code execution.
Assisted with branch cleanup, conflict resolution, local verification,
and PR preparation. Earlier branch implementation work was assisted by
Paperclip-managed Claude/Codex agents.
## Checklist
- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate
planned core work
- [x] I have searched GitHub for duplicate or related PRs and linked
them above
- [x] I have either (a) linked existing issues with `Fixes: #` / `Closes
#` / `Refs #` OR (b) described the issue in-PR following the relevant
issue template
- [x] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or
links (only public GitHub `#NNN` / `github.com/paperclipai/paperclip`
URLs)
- [x] My branch name describes the change (e.g. `docs/...`, `fix/...`)
and contains no internal Paperclip ticket id or instance-derived details
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [ ] All Paperclip CI gates are green
- [ ] Greptile is 5/5 with no open P2s, recommendations, or follow-ups
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge
---------
Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
Devin Foley