## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work.
> - Paperclip agents can load repository and catalog skills, and Codex
renders skill names and frontmatter descriptions into startup context.
> - Long descriptions consume the fixed skill metadata budget before
Codex can use the progressively disclosed skill bodies.
> - The repo `.agents/skills` descriptions and a few shipped catalog
descriptions had grown into operational documentation instead of short
trigger metadata.
> - This pull request keeps the strongest trigger language in
frontmatter while leaving detailed procedures in each skill body.
> - The benefit is lower prompt overhead, more reliable skill
triggering, and a regression guard that prevents description drift from
returning.
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
No public GitHub issue found for this maintenance item.
### Pre-submission checklist
- [x] I have searched existing open and closed issues and this is not a
duplicate.
- [x] I am working against `master`.
- [x] I have confirmed the issue originates in Paperclip's shipped skill
metadata, not in a local agent adapter or provider.
### What happened?
Codex startup renders discovered skill names and frontmatter
descriptions into a fixed skill metadata budget. Several repository
skill descriptions and one shipped catalog description had grown into
long-form operational guidance, which can force Codex to truncate
descriptions before the model has enough trigger signal to select the
right skill.
### Expected behavior
Skill frontmatter descriptions should stay short trigger summaries: one
capability sentence plus a “use when” clause. Detailed procedures should
stay in the skill body and load only after the skill triggers.
### Steps to reproduce
1. Inspect `.agents/skills/*/SKILL.md` and
`packages/skills-catalog/catalog/**/SKILL.md` frontmatter descriptions.
2. Measure folded YAML `description` values.
3. Observe descriptions above the intended short-trigger range,
including descriptions above 300 characters.
4. Run the new shipped catalog test to verify future descriptions stay
capped.
### Paperclip version or commit
Reproduced on `master` at `cc81eefb6047d8eaf57faf785f421c03dc97073c`.
### Deployment mode
Local dev / source checkout metadata inspection. This is not
database-related.
### Installation method
Built from source.
### Agent adapter(s) involved
Codex, because Codex startup uses the skill metadata prompt budget. The
metadata source itself is core repository/catalog content.
### Database mode
Not database-related.
### Access context
Not applicable; this is static repository metadata.
### Node.js version
`v22.22.2` in the verification environment.
### Operating system
Linux container environment.
### Relevant logs or output
Final measurement after this PR: 29 source `SKILL.md` files, max
description length 215 chars, 5,449 total description chars, estimated
1,363 description tokens at 4 chars/token.
### Relevant config
None.
### Additional context
The shipped catalog manifest was regenerated so the generated package
metadata matches the edited catalog `SKILL.md` sources.
### Privacy checklist
- [x] I have reviewed all pasted output for PII and redacted where
necessary.
## What Changed
- Shortened long `.agents/skills/*/SKILL.md` frontmatter descriptions to
concise capability plus use-when trigger clauses.
- Shortened the over-budget shipped skills catalog descriptions for
wireframe, Paperclip capsules, and reflection coach.
- Regenerated `packages/skills-catalog/generated/catalog.json` so
shipped metadata matches source skill frontmatter.
- Added a Vitest regression guard that caps repo skill source
descriptions and generated catalog descriptions at 300 characters.
## Verification
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/skills-catalog build:manifest`
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/skills-catalog test` — 5 files passed, 19
tests passed
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/skills-catalog typecheck`
- Final measurement: 29 source `SKILL.md` files, max description length
215 chars, 5,449 total description chars, estimated 1,363 description
tokens at 4 chars/token.
Note: the clean PR worktree was created from `origin/master` and
contains only this commit, but it does not have `node_modules`; running
`pnpm --filter @paperclipai/skills-catalog test` there failed at
tool/package resolution (`vitest`, `tsc`, `@paperclipai/shared`). The
dependency-equipped workspace passed the commands above before the
commit was cherry-picked onto the clean branch.
## Risks
Low risk. This changes skill metadata and tests only. The main risk is
over-trimming a useful trigger phrase, mitigated by keeping explicit
“use when” clauses and leaving detailed guidance in the skill bodies.
> 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 Codex coding agent via Paperclip/Codex, with shell and
file-edit tool use. Exact API model ID and context window were not
exposed in 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 orchestrates AI agents for zero-human companies.
> - Heartbeat runs are the control-plane record of each agent execution
window.
> - Long-running local agents can exhaust context or stop while still
holding useful next-step state.
> - Operators need that stop reason, next action, and continuation path
to be durable and visible.
> - This pull request adds run liveness metadata, continuation
summaries, and UI surfaces for issue run ledgers.
> - The benefit is that interrupted or long-running work can resume with
clearer context instead of losing the agent's last useful handoff.
## What Changed
- Added heartbeat-run liveness fields, continuation attempt tracking,
and an idempotent `0058` migration.
- Added server services and tests for run liveness, continuation
summaries, stop metadata, and activity backfill.
- Wired local and HTTP adapters to surface continuation/liveness context
through shared adapter utilities.
- Added shared constants, validators, and heartbeat types for liveness
continuation state.
- Added issue-detail UI surfaces for continuation handoffs and the run
ledger, with component tests.
- Updated agent runtime docs, heartbeat protocol docs, prompt guidance,
onboarding assets, and skills instructions to explain continuation
behavior.
- Addressed Greptile feedback by scoping document evidence by run,
excluding system continuation-summary documents from liveness evidence,
importing shared liveness types, surfacing hidden ledger run counts,
documenting bounded retry behavior, and moving run-ledger liveness
backfill off the request path.
## Verification
- `pnpm exec vitest run packages/adapter-utils/src/server-utils.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/run-continuations.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/run-liveness.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/activity-service.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/documents-service.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/issue-continuation-summary.test.ts
server/src/services/heartbeat-stop-metadata.test.ts
ui/src/components/IssueRunLedger.test.tsx
ui/src/components/IssueContinuationHandoff.test.tsx
ui/src/components/IssueDocumentsSection.test.tsx`
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/db build`
- `pnpm exec vitest run server/src/__tests__/activity-service.test.ts
ui/src/components/IssueRunLedger.test.tsx`
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/ui typecheck`
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server typecheck`
- `pnpm exec vitest run server/src/__tests__/activity-service.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/run-continuations.test.ts
ui/src/components/IssueRunLedger.test.tsx`
- `pnpm exec vitest run
server/src/__tests__/heartbeat-process-recovery.test.ts -t "treats a
plan document update"`
- `pnpm exec vitest run server/src/__tests__/activity-service.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/heartbeat-process-recovery.test.ts -t "activity
service|treats a plan document update"`
- Remote PR checks on head `e53b1a1d`: `verify`, `e2e`, `policy`, and
Snyk all passed.
- Confirmed `public-gh/master` is an ancestor of this branch after
fetching `public-gh master`.
- Confirmed `pnpm-lock.yaml` is not included in the branch diff.
- Confirmed migration `0058_wealthy_starbolt.sql` is ordered after
`0057` and uses `IF NOT EXISTS` guards for repeat application.
- Greptile inline review threads are resolved.
## Risks
- Medium risk: this touches heartbeat execution, liveness recovery,
activity rendering, issue routes, shared contracts, docs, and UI.
- Migration risk is mitigated by additive columns/indexes and idempotent
guards.
- Run-ledger liveness backfill is now asynchronous, so the first ledger
response can briefly show historical missing liveness until the
background backfill completes.
- UI screenshot coverage is not included in this packaging pass;
validation is currently through focused component tests.
> 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-5.4, local tool-use coding agent with terminal, git,
GitHub connector, GitHub CLI, and Paperclip API access.
## 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 run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] If this change affects the UI, I have included before/after
screenshots
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge
Screenshot note: no before/after screenshots were captured in this PR
packaging pass; the UI changes are covered by focused component tests
listed above.
---------
Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
Dotta
Dotta