## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work.
> - The onboarding command starts the local server and opens the
first-run wizard.
> - Interactive onboarding stopped opening the browser by default.
> - Organization creation could also succeed in the API while the wizard
stayed on the name step.
> - The npm canary workflow did not prove that the published package
could complete this path.
> - This pull request repairs the startup and organization transitions
and adds an exact-version canary smoke gate.
> - The benefit is a quickstart that works for users and is tested after
each canary publish.
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
Related: #12557 covers a separate final-route onboarding handoff.
**What happened?**
Interactive `paperclipai onboard` runs did not open the onboarding page.
The organization API request could succeed while a same-company context
update caused the wizard to stay on the organization step. The canary
release lane did not test the exact published npm package through this
path.
**Expected behavior**
Interactive onboarding must open the browser once. A successful
organization request must advance to the first-agent step when the
surrounding context adopts the same organization. Each published canary
must install in a clean environment and reach the model connection step.
**Steps to reproduce**
1. Run `npx paperclipai@canary onboard --data-dir "$(mktemp -d
/tmp/paperclip-canary.XXXXXX)"` in an interactive terminal.
2. Enter an organization name while the company context refreshes from
the create response.
3. Observe that the browser does not open or that the wizard can remain
on the organization step after the API creates it.
4. Inspect the canary release lane and observe that no post-publish
onboarding test runs against the exact npm version.
**Paperclip version or commit**
The issue reproduced with `2026.901.0-canary.8` and the source state
before this pull request.
**Deployment mode**
Local trusted quickstart with embedded PostgreSQL. The install source
can be npm or a source checkout.
## What Changed
- Open the browser once for interactive foreground onboarding.
- Preserve explicit browser opt-outs and restore the prior environment
value after startup.
- Accept a same-company context update after organization creation and
reject a different-company takeover with an explicit error.
- Export the exact canary version from the publish job.
- Install and test that exact npm version in a clean Playwright smoke
job through the "Connect a model" step.
- Upload server logs, traces, screenshots, and the Playwright report
when the canary smoke fails.
- Document the interactive default and headless opt-outs.
## Verification
- `pnpm exec vitest run cli/src/__tests__/onboard.test.ts
ui/src/components/OnboardingWizard.step.test.tsx --reporter=dot` passes
with 37 tests.
- `node --test scripts/__tests__/release-verify-workflow.test.mjs`
passes with 9 tests.
- `pnpm exec playwright test --config tests/e2e/playwright.config.ts
tests/e2e/onboarding.spec.ts` passes with 2 tests.
- `PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=2026.901.0-canary.8 pnpm run
test:canary-onboarding-smoke` passes against the published npm package.
- `pnpm check:token-gates` passes.
- `pnpm -r typecheck` passes.
- `pnpm build` passes.
- A fresh interactive source run opens the browser and reaches "Connect
a model" after organization and agent naming.
## Risks
- Low risk. Automatic browser opening only applies to interactive
foreground onboarding.
- `PAPERCLIP_NO_BROWSER=1` and `PAPERCLIP_OPEN_ON_LISTEN=false` keep
headless runs silent.
- A different organization context still blocks the pending create
transition.
- The canary package is immutable before the smoke runs. A smoke failure
leaves the package published but makes the release workflow red.
- This change does not modify REST APIs, database schemas, or shared
data types.
> 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. The runtime does not expose the exact
deployment snapshot or context-window size. The model used reasoning,
browser automation, repository tools, shell commands, code editing, and
test execution.
## 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>
dda4dff645