Commit Graph
2 Commits
Author SHA1 Message Date
Devin Foley e0c2448267 feat(server): authenticate server-side git clone and fetch with a company-secret GitHub token (#10720)
## Thinking Path

> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work
> - Repo-only project workspaces are materialized by a server-side `git
clone`, and isolated `git_worktree` runs refresh their base ref with
server-side `git fetch`
> - Both operations run outside the agent process with no credentials,
so private GitHub repositories can never be cloned or refreshed —
agent-scoped credential env bindings do not reach them
> - The company secret store already has a well-known GitHub token
convention (`GITHUB_TOKEN` / `GH_TOKEN` / `PAPERCLIP_GITHUB_TOKEN`,
consumed by the external-object provider for API reads), but nothing
server-side consults it for git
> - This pull request resolves that token per run and authenticates the
managed clone and every base-ref refresh with it through an ephemeral
credential helper
> - The benefit is that isolated workspaces work on private repositories
with one company secret, while public repositories and self-hosted
ambient git configuration keep working unchanged

## Linked Issues or Issue Description

**Subsystem affected**

Server workspace materialization (`server/src/services/heartbeat.ts`)
and execution-workspace realization
(`server/src/services/workspace-runtime.ts`).

**Problem or motivation**

A project workspace configured with only a private GitHub `repoUrl`
cannot be used for isolated `git_worktree` runs: the managed `git clone`
runs with a sanitized, credential-less environment, and plain git cannot
consume a bare token env variable without a credential helper. There is
no way to give the server a git credential — storing a `GH_TOKEN`
company secret has no effect on server-side git, and a credential-less
private clone hangs on a terminal prompt until the ten-minute clone
timeout. Base-ref refreshes (`git fetch`) during worktree realization
have the same gap.

**Proposed solution**

A `git-credentials` module resolves a token per run — company secret by
well-known name (`GITHUB_TOKEN`, `GH_TOKEN`, `PAPERCLIP_GITHUB_TOKEN`),
then `GITHUB_TOKEN`/`GH_TOKEN` in the server process environment for
self-hosted deployments, then none — and builds a git invocation that
authenticates via an inline credential helper. The token travels in an
env variable; it never appears in argv, URLs, or on disk. Only
`https://github.com` remotes are authenticated; everything else keeps
ambient behavior. The provider is a single factory seam so a future
brokered credential source can replace it without touching call sites.

**Alternatives considered**

- A GitHub OAuth "connect your account" flow: heavier product surface,
needs app registration and callback custody; out of scope for a server
credential and better served by a dedicated connector later. The
provider seam keeps that path open.
- `gh auth setup-git`: writes helper configuration to disk and requires
a global token env; rejected in favor of per-invocation config with no
persistent state.
- Embedding the token in the clone URL: leaks into argv, error messages,
and `.git/config`; rejected.

## What Changed

- New `server/src/services/git-credentials.ts`:
`createGitRemoteAuthProvider` (memoized per run, one secret resolution
and one audit event), `buildGitAuthInvocation` (helper-reset + inline
helper, `x-access-token` username, `GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0`),
`isGitHubHttpsRemoteUrl` host gating (rejects ssh/GHES/http/other
hosts/userinfo URLs), `describeGitAuthFailure`, and the canonical
`scrubGitCredentialText`. Secret resolutions pass a `system` consumer
access context so they are recorded as secret access events.
- `ensureManagedProjectWorkspace` (now exported) accepts an optional
auth provider; the clone env spreads the token after
`sanitizeRuntimeServiceBaseEnv` (which strips `PAPERCLIP_*`), always
sets `GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0`, distinguishes "credential rejected" from
"no credential configured — add a GITHUB_TOKEN or GH_TOKEN company
secret" in the error, and removes the partially created directory on
clone failure so a timeout-killed clone cannot be adopted as a broken
checkout by the next run.
- `refreshRemoteTrackingBaseRef` (now exported) captures the remote URL
it already looked up, asks the provider for an invocation, and
attributes failed authenticated fetches to the credential in a scrubbed
warning. The optional provider threads through `detectDefaultBranch`,
`resolveAuthoritativeBaseRef`, `inspectExecutionWorkspaceBaseDrift`,
`realizeExecutionWorkspace`, and
`ensurePersistedExecutionWorkspaceAvailable`; heartbeat builds one
provider per run for both the anchor-resolution clone path and workspace
realization/restore.
- `github-external-object-provider.ts` imports the shared secret-name
list; `isGitHubDotCom` is exported from `github-fetch.ts`.
- Docs: "Private repositories and repo-only project workspaces" section
in the execution-workspaces guide, cross-linked from the secrets deploy
doc.

## Verification

- `cd server && npx vitest run src/__tests__/git-credentials.test.ts` —
resolution chain order and precedence, env fallback, memoization,
audited access context, host-gating matrix, invocation shape (token
absent from argv), scrubber, failure descriptions, and a real-git `git
credential fill` round trip that proves the helper executes and answers
with the env-carried token (no network).
- `cd server && npx vitest run
src/__tests__/heartbeat-managed-clone-credentials.test.ts` — clones
behave byte-identically with no provider or a null-returning provider
(local repos, no network), authenticated-failure errors name the
credential, non-auth failures do not mention credentials, partial clone
directories are removed, pre-existing non-git directories keep the
"Using it as-is" path, and the sanitizer spread order keeps the token
env alive.
- `cd server && npx vitest run src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts`
— new `refreshRemoteTrackingBaseRef` cases: provider offered the remote
URL and null keeps behavior identical; failed authenticated fetch
warning names the credential; unauthenticated failure warning stays
credential-free.
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server typecheck` is clean.
- Manual (optional, networked): store a `GH_TOKEN` company secret,
configure a repo-only project workspace pointing at a private GitHub
repository, run an isolated-workspace issue — the managed clone succeeds
and the worktree run proceeds.

## Risks

- Every new parameter is optional; with no provider the git invocations
are byte-identical to before. Public repos and ambient credential
helpers keep working whenever no token resolves.
- Precedence change when a token exists: a stored company secret now
wins over ambient helpers for `https://github.com` remotes (the helper
list is reset for that invocation). The rejected-credential error names
the secret so an operator can fix or remove it.
- `GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0` on the managed clone is the one always-on
change: a credential-less private clone now fails fast with a clear
message instead of hanging until the ten-minute timeout (it could only
ever "succeed" interactively on a TTY dev server).
- The token is scoped to the git process env for one invocation; it is
never written to agent env, run context, disk, or logs, and error text
is scrubbed of URL userinfo.
- No migrations, no image changes (git ships in the image).

## Model Used

Claude Fable 5 (`claude-fable-5`, extended thinking, agentic tool use
via Claude Code CLI).

## 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
2026-08-02 20:27:09 -07:00
DottaandPaperclip 2dbaf4a7fa External object references across issue surfaces (#8512)
## Thinking Path

> - Paperclip is the open source control plane people use to coordinate
AI agents, issues, approvals, comments, and work products.
> - The involved subsystem is issue context: markdown links, issue
properties, related work, lists, filters, inbox/sidebar status, and
plugin-provided external context.
> - The gap is that URLs to external systems currently remain mostly
plain links, so humans and agents must manually open them to understand
status, identity, and liveness.
> - This matters because external work objects such as GitHub issues and
pull requests are part of the operational state of a Paperclip company.
> - The implementation keeps core provider-neutral: shared contracts,
storage, sync, routes, and UI surfaces live in core while providers can
contribute detection and status resolution.
> - This pull request adds the external object reference foundation,
GitHub provider support, issue-surface rendering, filters,
sidebar/list/inbox signals, and test/story coverage.
> - The benefit is that linked external work becomes inspectable
Paperclip context without hardcoding every provider directly into the
UI.

## Linked Issues or Issue Description

No public GitHub issue exists for this work.

Feature request:

- Problem: URLs in Paperclip issues, comments, documents, and related
surfaces do not expose provider status or object identity inline.
- Proposed behavior: detect supported external object URLs, persist
normalized references, refresh provider status, and render concise
status-aware links across issue surfaces.
- Users affected: board users, agents, and maintainers who triage issues
containing external work links.
- Acceptance: external object references are company-scoped,
provider-extensible, visible in key issue surfaces, filterable where
relevant, and covered by focused shared/server/UI tests.

Related PR search:

- No open duplicate PRs found for `external object references`.
- Closed related prior attempt: #4556.

## What Changed

- Added shared external-object contracts, validators, status/liveness
helpers, and plugin protocol declarations.
- Added database schema and additive migrations for external objects,
source mentions, and display metadata.
- Added server services/routes for detecting, syncing, summarizing,
refreshing, and resolving external objects across issues, documents,
comments, projects, and plugins.
- Added a GitHub external-object provider plus plugin SDK authoring
docs.
- Wired UI presentation across markdown links, comments, issue chat,
documents, properties, related work, issue rows, filters, inbox/sidebar
badges, and Storybook stories.
- Rebasing cleanup: moved the branch onto current `master`, repaired
stale worktree provision config, hardened environment-sensitive
tests/mocks, and removed committed screenshot artifacts from the PR
branch to keep the reviewable file set below tool limits.

## Verification

- `pnpm exec vitest run packages/shared/src/external-objects.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/external-object-routes.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/external-objects-service.test.ts
ui/src/components/ExternalObjectPill.test.tsx
ui/src/lib/external-objects.test.ts` passed after rebasing: 5 files, 56
tests.
- Historical branch verification before this PR creation included `pnpm
test:run`, `pnpm -r typecheck`, and `pnpm build`; this PR body does not
claim those were rerun after the final rebase.

## Risks

- Medium: this adds a new cross-surface sync path on
issue/document/comment writes. The implementation uses safe sync
wrappers so external-object failures warn instead of blocking core
mutations.
- Medium: the migrations introduce new tables and indexes. They are
additive and company-scoped.
- Medium: provider-specific URL parsing can miss or misclassify edge
cases. Shared canonicalization tests and provider tests cover current
GitHub shapes.
- Low: UI badge/filter behavior could add visual noise for object-heavy
issues; component tests and Storybook stories cover the intended
surfaces.

> Roadmap checked: `ROADMAP.md` references the plugin system as the
current extension path and does not list a duplicate core feature.
Related long-range docs discuss external references, work products,
preview URLs, and plugin extension points; this PR implements the scoped
external-object reference foundation.

## Model Used

OpenAI Codex, GPT-5 coding-agent runtime, with shell and GitHub CLI tool
use. Reasoning mode: medium. Exact deployed runtime model ID and context
window were not exposed in the environment.

## 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>
2026-06-23 08:27:19 -05:00