## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip manages AI agents that perform work.
> - Paperclip Runner connects durable task runs to local provider
processes.
> - The full-stack paid matrix exposed failures after the runner
integrity repair.
> - Verified JavaScript entrypoints lost their relative module graph
when Linux executed them through descriptor paths.
> - Returned provider startup errors also remained pending and became
indeterminate after recovery.
> - Sparse Codex tool lifecycle events lost the `write_document`
identity before task transcript projection.
> - This pull request repairs those three boundaries and makes the
structured-question fixture deterministic.
> - The benefit is repeatable provider startup, exact failure replay,
and correct inline Plan placement.
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
Refs #12721 and #12700.
**What happened?**
The paid runner matrix failed ACPX and OpenCode startup before provider
session creation. The runner journal then replaced the original startup
error with an indeterminate recovery result. Native Codex saved a Plan
but rendered it only as a fallback card. A legacy Claude waiting reply
could also echo the reserved terminal marker before the answer arrived.
**Expected behavior**
Verified JavaScript providers must start from immutable
descriptor-backed artifacts. Returned startup failures must persist as
terminal failed command results. Native tool lifecycle updates must
preserve the `write_document` boundary. Pre-answer fixture output must
not contain the reserved terminal marker.
**Steps to reproduce**
1. Run the local provider cells in the Runner Full-Stack E2E workflow.
2. Observe ACPX and OpenCode fail during `session.open` before provider
execution.
3. Observe recovery report `execution_indeterminate` instead of the
original startup error.
4. Run the native Codex Plan cell and observe the fallback Plan card
after the tool activity row.
5. Run the legacy Claude structured-question resume cell and observe an
early marker echo in waiting prose.
**Paperclip version or commit**
`0f9452101740835ce0b1488a204bf48acd5bafc3`
**Deployment mode**
Local development with the paid GitHub Actions acceptance workflow.
## What Changed
- Bundle the ACPX sidecar and OpenCode proxy as self-contained Node ESM
entrypoints before hashing and verified descriptor launch.
- Anchor ACPX dynamic provider package resolution at a
controller-derived provider-pack root and keep that root out of the
provider child environment.
- Persist executor-returned startup errors as redacted durable failed
command results while retaining indeterminate recovery for true process
death.
- Coalesce sparse native tool items by stable ID so a late
`write_document` name, input, and result reach the transcript boundary
once.
- Forbid the structured-question fixture from spelling or announcing its
reserved terminal marker before the user answers.
## Verification
- Rust and TypeScript regression tests cover durable failed replay, true
crash ambiguity, bundle closure, package-root derivation, environment
filtering, exact Codex tool lifecycle coalescing, and prompt
determinism.
- Local execution is intentionally limited to formatters and static diff
checks. GitHub Actions will run tests, type checks, builds, and security
checks.
- After ordinary CI is green, scoped paid cells will validate one ACPX
launch, one OpenCode launch, native Codex Plan projection, and legacy
Claude structured resume before a complete matrix rerun.
- Prior failing matrix:
https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/actions/runs/33682434315
## Risks
- Bundling changes the bytes covered by provider launch hashes.
Provider-pack generation already hashes the final built files.
- ACPX still loads qualified provider packages dynamically. The
controller supplies a normalized package root, while existing version,
digest, path, and descriptor checks remain active.
- Durable `failed` is terminal. Replays return the same redacted result
and do not execute the provider effect twice.
> 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 based on GPT-5 with agentic reasoning, repository
inspection, code editing, Git, parallel subagents, and GitHub Actions
coordination. The exact deployed snapshot and context-window size are
not exposed to this task.
## 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 linked related public work or described the bug in
this PR
- [x] I have not referenced internal or instance-local Paperclip issues
or links
- [x] My branch name describes the change and contains no internal
ticket id
- [ ] I have run tests locally and they pass (intentionally deferred to
GitHub Actions)
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] No documentation change is required for this runtime repair
- [x] I have considered and documented the 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
## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work.
> - The package-local host boundary is ready for a concrete ACP
implementation, but the first production profile is Codex only.
> - ACPX must not inherit the server process environment or choose an
executable by pathname after admission.
> - Codex must not re-enable ambient apps, memory, skills, MCP
configuration, or instructions inside its isolated home.
> - This pull request pins only the two required production packages and
applies narrowly tested host patches.
> - The benefit is a minimal dependency boundary that follows the
repository's CI-owned lockfile process.
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
**Agent or provider**
Codex through `acpx@0.13.1` and `@agentclientprotocol/codex-acp@1.6.2`.
**Why this adapter is useful**
The injected runtime host needs a concrete ACP session manager and the
exact reviewed Codex ACP server. Upstream ACPX does not yet expose a
host-owned spawn callback, and upstream Codex ACP does not yet apply
Paperclip's isolated instruction, MCP, app, memory, and skill boundary.
Both behaviors are required before the dependency can execute inside the
runner.
**How the agent is invoked**
The next pull request will adapt these pinned packages to the private
runtime host. ACPX receives a host-owned callback that consumes the
already verified executable lease. Codex receives only the isolated
environment, explicit base instructions, explicit MCP servers, and the
skills rooted in its private `CODEX_HOME`. This pull request alone does
not spawn either package or register an adapter.
**Additional context**
This pull request is stacked on #12399. It adds no Pi, Claude, AWS, SDK,
lab, browser, or UI dependency. It intentionally does not commit
`pnpm-lock.yaml`: the repository policy job regenerates a manifest-only
PR lockfile artifact for downstream frozen installs, and the lockfile
bot updates master separately.
## What Changed
- Pin `acpx` to `0.13.1` and the Codex ACP server to `1.6.2` in the
runner package.
- Register both patches in the pnpm 9 root configuration and newer-pnpm
workspace configuration.
- Preserve the existing embedded-Postgres and ACPX 0.12 patch entries
used by other packages.
- Patch ACPX to evaluate an allowlisted environment at child-spawn time
and keep spawn cwd out of provider-visible session identity.
- Patch ACPX to accept a host-owned spawn callback with the resolved
arguments and options, allowing the verified command lease to own
execution.
- Patch Codex ACP to retain runner-owned MCP server identity in
permission requests.
- Patch Codex ACP to pass explicit Paperclip base instructions on both
start and resume.
- In isolated mode, disable ambient apps, memory, and existing MCP
configuration; load skills only from `CODEX_HOME`; and configure only
requested servers.
- Add a package contract test that enforces exact versions, Codex-only
dependency scope, both pnpm patch registries, and every required patch
hook.
## Verification
- Both patch files dry-apply successfully to fresh published tarballs
for `acpx@0.13.1` and `@agentclientprotocol/codex-acp@1.6.2`.
- A local no-lockfile install applied both patches; their runtime
markers and exact installed versions were inspected.
- Runner TypeScript typecheck — passed against the patched packages.
- Runner package tests — passed: 16 Node protocol/package tests and 426
Vitest tests.
- `pnpm -r typecheck` — passed for all applicable workspaces.
- `pnpm build` — passed, including runner binary, server, UI, and
workspace packages.
- `git diff --check` — passed.
- The diff contains 6 files and does not change `pnpm-lock.yaml`, a
GitHub workflow, server selection, or UI behavior.
## Risks
The primary risk is drift between published package contents and
checked-in compiled patches. Exact versions are pinned, both patches are
exercised by package-contract gates, and CI performs the authoritative
regenerated-lockfile frozen install. The spawn callback does not grant a
new executable path: the following adapter must consume the opaque
verified command lease. Codex isolation changes activate only when
`PAPERCLIP_ACPX_ISOLATED_CONTEXT=1`, so existing direct Codex adapters
are unaffected.
## Model Used
OpenAI Codex with GPT-5 and repository tool use.
## 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 linked an existing public item or described the
issue in this PR
- [x] I have not referenced internal or instance-local Paperclip issues
or links
- [x] My branch name describes the change and contains no internal task
identifier
- [x] I have run the affected tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] I have documented the dependency, patch, isolation, and lockfile
boundaries
- [ ] All applicable GitHub Actions are green
- [ ] Greptile is 5/5 with every actionable comment resolved
- [x] I will address all review findings before requesting merge
Dotta