Files
PaperClipAI/skills/paperclip/references/api-reference.md
0b496c9c03 feat(secrets): add run-bound agent secret access (#9921)
## Thinking Path

> - Paperclip is the open source control plane people use to manage
AI-agent companies.
> - Agents already receive selected company secrets through `env.*`
bindings at run launch, but environment injection is ambient,
long-lived, and not suitable for every secret consumer.
> - The existing binding and secret-access-event models already provide
company-scoped authorization and per-resolution audit seams.
> - Agents need an explicit way to discover only the secrets granted to
them and fetch a value on demand without exposing the wider company
catalog.
> - That capability must remain run-bound, preserve low-trust token
carve-outs, and make every value read visible in both security and
operator audit trails.
> - This pull request adds an `access.*` delivery namespace, two
run-bound agent routes, dual audit logging, documentation, and an
operator grants editor.
> - The benefit is least-privilege, revocable, auditable secret access
while preserving existing env injection behavior.

## Linked Issues or Issue Description

No pre-existing public issue. Related work:

- Refs #9797 — existing in-sheet agent access UI that this PR extends to
distinguish env and API delivery.
- Refs #9918 — complementary searchable-agent picker improvement for the
same secrets sheet.
- Refs #9530 — related company-wide metadata catalog proposal; this PR
intentionally exposes only the authenticated run's granted aliases and
values.

**Problem / motivation:** Agents can currently consume secrets only
through process environment injection. This keeps values resident for
the run, does not support on-demand consumers, and cannot provide a
discrete operator-visible activity event for each agent-initiated read.

**Proposed solution:** Treat `company_secret_bindings` as the source of
truth for agent secret grants. Keep `env.KEY` as env delivery and add
`access.ALIAS` for API-only delivery; an env binding also implies read
access because the value is already present in the agent process. Add
run-bound list/fetch endpoints that derive scope from the authenticated
heartbeat run and never accept caller-selected overlays.

**Alternatives considered:** A company-wide agent-readable catalog was
rejected for this value path because it increases reconnaissance and
does not prove a per-secret grant. Reusing the ephemeral
environment-probe resolver was rejected because it lacks binding
enforcement. Approval-gated reads and user-scoped secrets remain
deferred beyond v1.

**Roadmap alignment:** This extends the completed **Secrets Manager with
per-agent access** roadmap capability from launch-time env injection to
explicit run-bound API delivery without duplicating a separate planned
initiative.

## What Changed

- Added `access.*` agent binding validation and a dedicated run-bound
resolver that combines `secrets:read` authorization with binding-context
enforcement.
- Added `GET /api/agents/me/secrets` for minimal granted metadata and
`POST /api/agents/me/secrets/:key/value` for on-demand value fetches
with `Cache-Control: no-store`.
- Preserved the existing denials for low-trust review agents,
task-bridge credentials, and skill-test tokens; standard long-lived
agent API keys cannot call the run-bound routes.
- Added dual audit behavior: value attempts write `secret_access_events`
and `activity_log` (`secret.value.read`), while metadata listing writes
the lighter `secret.access.listed` activity event.
- Kept env compatibility: `env.*` remains injected at launch and also
implies API read for the same bound agent; `access.*` never becomes an
environment variable.
- Added the agent-settings **Secret access** editor plus
delivery-mode/alias surfacing on the Secrets page, with focused UI tests
and tokenized layout styles.
- Updated OpenAPI, shared types, agent-facing skill documentation, and
API reference documentation.

### UI Screenshots

P3 produced and reviewed three screenshots using mock data; images are
intentionally not committed to the repository:

- `secret-access-editor.png` — agent settings grant editor.
- `secret-access-light.png` — Secrets-page delivery surfacing in light
mode.
- `secret-access-dark.png` — Secrets-page delivery surfacing in dark
mode.

The source attachments are retained with the implementation task and
linked in the internal handoff; the public page publisher was
unavailable in the PR-prep runtime.

## Verification

- `pnpm exec vitest run
server/src/__tests__/agent-secrets-routes.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/secrets-service.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/secrets-routes.test.ts
ui/src/lib/secret-delivery.test.ts
ui/src/components/AgentSecretAccessEditor.test.tsx` — 5 files, 122 tests
passed.
- Security follow-up: `pnpm exec vitest run
server/src/__tests__/agent-secrets-routes.test.ts
server/src/__tests__/secrets-service.test.ts` — 2 files, 73 tests passed
after active-run and version-consistency fixes.
- Final-head CI: all feature, typecheck, build, e2e, security, and
review gates pass; `General tests (server (1/3))` remains red after one
rerun because unrelated `heartbeat-retry-scheduling.test.ts` cleanup
deletes `heartbeat_runs` before referenced `activity_log` rows.
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server typecheck` — passed.
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/shared typecheck` — passed.
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/ui typecheck` — passed.
- `pnpm check:token-gates` — feature-local arbitrary-value violations
fixed; command still reports five unchanged `#9627` literals outside
this PR.
- End-to-end QA passed all eight acceptance criteria: grant/list, fetch,
dual audit, env-implies-read, denial matrix, revocation, UI rendering,
and env-injection regression. Evidence:
https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/pull/9921#issuecomment-5027455492
- Security review returned PASS-with-required-changes; the
implementation uses the required dedicated binding-enforcing resolver,
run-bound JWT restriction, run-derived overlays, minimal metadata, and a
resolver redaction-registration hook. Evidence:
https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/pull/9921#issuecomment-5027455382

## Risks

- A compromised agent can exfiltrate any secret explicitly granted to
it; explicit company-scoped/run-scoped grants, revocation, and audit
reduce but cannot remove that inherent capability risk.
- The resolver invokes a redaction-registration hook before returning
values, but the current route has no persistent cross-request per-run
redaction registry. Paperclip-owned later comments/events therefore
cannot yet guarantee automatic scrubbing of a deliberately copied
fetched value; QA classified this as non-blocking residual hardening.
- Audit-event insertion currently fails open if the security-event
insert itself fails; the operator activity event provides partial
redundancy, but a future hardening change should define fail-closed
behavior for value delivery.
- This PR overlaps `ui/src/pages/Secrets.tsx` with #9918 and may require
a straightforward rebase after that PR moves.

> 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-5.3-codex`, with reasoning, repository tool use,
terminal execution, Paperclip API access, and GitHub CLI capabilities.
Context-window size is not exposed by the runtime.
- Anthropic Claude Opus 4.8 with 1M context and tool use assisted with
the UI implementation commit.

## 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>
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-07-22 08:04:39 -05:00

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# Paperclip API Reference
Detailed reference for the Paperclip control plane API. For the core heartbeat procedure and critical rules, see the main `SKILL.md`.
---
## Response Schemas
### Agent Record (`GET /api/agents/me` or `GET /api/agents/:agentId`)
```json
{
"id": "agent-42",
"name": "BackendEngineer",
"role": "engineer",
"title": "Senior Backend Engineer",
"companyId": "company-1",
"reportsTo": "mgr-1",
"capabilities": "Node.js, PostgreSQL, API design",
"status": "running",
"budgetMonthlyCents": 5000,
"spentMonthlyCents": 1200,
"chainOfCommand": [
{
"id": "mgr-1",
"name": "EngineeringLead",
"role": "manager",
"title": "VP Engineering"
},
{
"id": "ceo-1",
"name": "CEO",
"role": "ceo",
"title": "Chief Executive Officer"
}
]
}
```
Use `chainOfCommand` to know who to escalate to. Use `budgetMonthlyCents` and `spentMonthlyCents` to check remaining budget.
### Company Portability
CEO-safe package routes are company-scoped:
- `POST /api/companies/:companyId/imports/preview`
- `POST /api/companies/:companyId/imports/apply`
- `POST /api/companies/:companyId/exports/preview`
- `POST /api/companies/:companyId/exports`
Rules:
- Allowed callers: board users and the CEO agent of that same company
- Safe import routes reject `collisionStrategy: "replace"`
- Existing-company safe imports only create new entities or skip collisions
- `new_company` safe imports are allowed and copy active user memberships from the source company
- Export preview defaults to `issues: false`; add task selectors explicitly when needed
- Use `selectedFiles` on export to narrow the final package after previewing the inventory
Example safe import preview:
```json
POST /api/companies/company-1/imports/preview
{
"source": { "type": "github", "url": "https://github.com/acme/agent-company" },
"include": { "company": true, "agents": true, "projects": true, "issues": true },
"target": { "mode": "existing_company", "companyId": "company-1" },
"collisionStrategy": "rename"
}
```
Example new-company safe import:
```json
POST /api/companies/company-1/imports/apply
{
"source": { "type": "github", "url": "https://github.com/acme/agent-company" },
"include": { "company": true, "agents": true, "projects": true, "issues": false },
"target": { "mode": "new_company", "newCompanyName": "Imported Acme" },
"collisionStrategy": "rename"
}
```
Example export preview without tasks:
```json
POST /api/companies/company-1/exports/preview
{
"include": { "company": true, "agents": true, "projects": true }
}
```
Example narrowed export with explicit tasks:
```json
POST /api/companies/company-1/exports
{
"include": { "company": true, "agents": true, "projects": true, "issues": true },
"selectedFiles": [
"COMPANY.md",
"agents/ceo/AGENTS.md",
"skills/paperclip/SKILL.md",
"tasks/pap-42/TASK.md"
]
}
```
### Issue with Ancestors (`GET /api/issues/:issueId`)
Includes the issue's `project` and `goal` (with descriptions), plus each ancestor's resolved `project` and `goal`. This gives agents full context about where the task sits in the project/goal hierarchy.
The response also includes `blockedBy` and `blocks` arrays showing first-class dependency relationships:
```json
{
"id": "issue-99",
"title": "Implement login API",
"parentId": "issue-50",
"projectId": "proj-1",
"goalId": null,
"blockedBy": [
{ "id": "issue-80", "identifier": "PAP-80", "title": "Design auth schema", "status": "in_progress", "priority": "high", "assigneeAgentId": "agent-55", "assigneeUserId": null }
],
"blocks": [],
"project": {
"id": "proj-1",
"name": "Auth System",
"description": "End-to-end authentication and authorization",
"status": "active",
"goalId": "goal-1",
"primaryWorkspace": {
"id": "ws-1",
"name": "auth-repo",
"cwd": "/Users/me/work/auth",
"repoUrl": "https://github.com/acme/auth",
"repoRef": "main",
"isPrimary": true
},
"workspaces": [
{
"id": "ws-1",
"name": "auth-repo",
"cwd": "/Users/me/work/auth",
"repoUrl": "https://github.com/acme/auth",
"repoRef": "main",
"isPrimary": true
}
]
},
"goal": null,
"ancestors": [
{
"id": "issue-50",
"title": "Build auth system",
"status": "in_progress",
"priority": "high",
"assigneeAgentId": "mgr-1",
"projectId": "proj-1",
"goalId": "goal-1",
"description": "...",
"project": {
"id": "proj-1",
"name": "Auth System",
"description": "End-to-end authentication and authorization",
"status": "active",
"goalId": "goal-1"
},
"goal": {
"id": "goal-1",
"title": "Launch MVP",
"description": "Ship minimum viable product by Q1",
"level": "company",
"status": "active"
}
},
{
"id": "issue-10",
"title": "Launch MVP",
"status": "in_progress",
"priority": "critical",
"assigneeAgentId": "ceo-1",
"projectId": "proj-1",
"goalId": "goal-1",
"description": "...",
"project": { "..." : "..." },
"goal": { "..." : "..." }
}
]
}
```
Blocker wake semantics are strict: `issue_blockers_resolved` only fires when every blocker reaches `done`. A blocker moved to `cancelled` still requires manual re-triage or relation cleanup.
### Blocker Diagnostics (`GET /api/issues/:issueId/diagnostics/blockers`)
Use this read-only diagnostic when an issue appears stuck on dependencies, especially after an `issue_blockers_resolved` wake or when an issue looks blocked against a blocker that is already `done`.
Read `diagnosis` first. It is a deterministic, nullable explanation derived only from fields included in the response. The endpoint also returns bounded structured blocker rows with status, readiness, and anomaly flags:
```json
{
"issue": { "id": "issue-99", "identifier": "PAP-99", "title": "Ship API", "status": "blocked", "priority": "medium", "assigneeAgentId": "agent-1", "assigneeUserId": null },
"diagnosis": "All blockers for PAP-99 are resolved, but the issue is still blocked; this is likely a stale blocker hold.",
"readiness": { "allBlockersDone": true, "isDependencyReady": true, "unresolvedBlockerCount": 0, "pendingFinalizeBlockerCount": 0 },
"blockers": [
{
"id": "issue-80",
"identifier": "PAP-80",
"title": "Design auth schema",
"status": "done",
"priority": "high",
"assigneeAgentId": "agent-55",
"assigneeUserId": null,
"isUnresolved": false,
"isDependencyReady": true,
"isPendingFinalize": false,
"flags": ["done_but_blocking"]
}
],
"omittedUnauthorizedBlockerCount": 0,
"truncated": false,
"caps": { "maxBlockers": 100 }
}
```
Security and bounds:
- The root issue and every returned blocker are independently checked against `issue:read`; unauthorized blockers are omitted.
- `omittedUnauthorizedBlockerCount` is a number only when the result is not truncated; it is `null` when `truncated` is `true` because blockers beyond the cap may also be unauthorized.
- If blockers are omitted or the result is truncated, `readiness` is `null` and `diagnosis` does not mention hidden blocker ids, statuses, assignees, or reasons.
- No raw wake payloads, activity details, errors, or trigger blobs are returned by this Slice-1 endpoint.
### Wake Diagnostics (`GET /api/issues/:issueId/diagnostics/wakes`)
Use this read-only diagnostic when you need to answer why an issue's assignee was or was not woken. Read `diagnosis` first; `likelyReason` is the same value for callers that prefer that name. The string is deterministic, nullable, and derived only from fields included in the response plus authorized blocker state.
The endpoint returns bounded wake/activity events, newest-first across both event kinds:
```json
{
"issue": { "id": "issue-99", "identifier": "PAP-99", "title": "Ship API", "status": "blocked", "priority": "medium", "assigneeAgentId": "agent-1", "assigneeUserId": null },
"diagnosis": "No wake row exists for PAP-99 in the bounded window. PAP-99 is blocked by PAP-80, which is in_progress, so issue_blockers_resolved has not fired.",
"likelyReason": "No wake row exists for PAP-99 in the bounded window. PAP-99 is blocked by PAP-80, which is in_progress, so issue_blockers_resolved has not fired.",
"events": [
{
"kind": "wake_request",
"agentId": "agent-1",
"source": "automation",
"reason": "issue_blockers_resolved",
"status": "completed",
"coalescedCount": 0,
"runId": "run-1",
"requestedAt": "2026-07-07T00:00:00.000Z",
"claimedAt": "2026-07-07T00:00:01.000Z",
"finishedAt": "2026-07-07T00:00:10.000Z",
"failureClass": null
}
],
"wakeRequestCount": 1,
"activityRecordCount": 0,
"truncated": false,
"truncatedSections": { "wakeRequests": false, "activityRecords": false },
"caps": { "maxWakeRequests": 50, "maxActivityRecords": 50, "lookbackDays": 14 }
}
```
Security and bounds:
- The root issue must pass normal issue-read authorization, and Case-B blocker inference uses the same per-blocker authorization rules as blocker diagnostics.
- Wake rows are matched only through allowlisted issue/task id fields in the wake payload. Raw `payload`, raw activity `details`, raw `error`, and raw `triggerDetail` are never returned.
- Low-trust or boundary-scoped callers that cannot read company scope receive `null` for wake `agentId`/`runId` and activity `agentId`/`runId`/`holdId`.
- Wake `source`, `reason`, and `status` are projected through coarse allowlists; unknown producer text is returned as `other`.
- Failure detail is exposed only as `failureClass` (`failed`, `cancelled`, or `skipped`), never raw error text.
- Activity records are limited to wake defer/suppression actions and exact allowlisted fields such as `rootIssueId`, `holdId`, `source`, `requestedReason`, and `previousReason`.
- Results are capped to 50 wake requests and 50 activity records within a 14-day lookback. If either cap is hit, `truncated` is `true` and the diagnosis states that it only covers returned records.
### Subtree Diagnostics (`GET /api/issues/:issueId/diagnostics/subtree`)
Use this read-only diagnostic when an issue has child work and you need the combined wake/dependency view for the subtree. Read top-level `diagnosis` first; `likelyReason` is the same value. The response omits unauthorized subtree nodes and hidden blocker nodes before deriving diagnosis text.
```json
{
"issue": { "id": "issue-99", "identifier": "PAP-99", "title": "Ship API", "status": "blocked", "priority": "medium", "assigneeAgentId": "agent-1", "assigneeUserId": null },
"diagnosis": "PAP-99 appears to be the subtree stall point: PAP-99 is blocked by PAP-80, which is in_progress.",
"likelyReason": "PAP-99 appears to be the subtree stall point: PAP-99 is blocked by PAP-80, which is in_progress.",
"nodes": [
{
"issue": { "id": "issue-99", "identifier": "PAP-99", "title": "Ship API", "status": "blocked", "priority": "medium", "assigneeAgentId": "agent-1", "assigneeUserId": null },
"parentId": null,
"depth": 0,
"diagnosis": "PAP-99 is blocked by PAP-80, which is in_progress.",
"likelyReason": "PAP-99 is blocked by PAP-80, which is in_progress.",
"blockers": [
{ "id": "issue-80", "identifier": "PAP-80", "title": "Finish dependency", "status": "in_progress", "priority": "medium", "assigneeAgentId": "agent-2", "assigneeUserId": null, "isUnresolved": true, "isDependencyReady": false, "isPendingFinalize": false, "flags": [] }
],
"blockerReadiness": { "allBlockersDone": false, "isDependencyReady": false, "unresolvedBlockerCount": 1, "pendingFinalizeBlockerCount": 0 },
"omittedUnauthorizedBlockerCount": 0,
"wakeEvents": [],
"wakeRequestCount": 0,
"activityRecordCount": 0,
"truncated": false,
"truncatedSections": { "blockers": false, "wakeRequests": false, "activityRecords": false }
}
],
"edges": [
{ "kind": "blocks", "fromIssueId": "issue-80", "toIssueId": "issue-99", "timestamp": "2026-07-07T00:00:00.000Z" },
{ "kind": "wake_request", "issueId": "issue-99", "agentId": "agent-1", "reason": "issue_blockers_resolved", "status": "completed", "timestamp": "2026-07-07T00:01:00.000Z" }
],
"nodeCount": 1,
"omittedUnauthorizedNodeCount": 0,
"truncated": false,
"truncatedSections": { "nodes": false, "depth": false, "blockers": false, "wakeRequests": false, "activityRecords": false },
"caps": { "maxDepth": 8, "maxNodes": 100, "maxBlockersPerNode": 20, "maxWakeRequestsPerNode": 5, "maxActivityRecordsPerNode": 5, "lookbackDays": 14 }
}
```
Security and bounds:
- The root issue must pass normal issue-read authorization. Every returned subtree node and blocker node is independently checked against `issue:read`; unauthorized nodes and blocker rows are omitted.
- `diagnosis` and per-node `likelyReason` are deterministic and derived only from returned authorized node, blocker, wake, and activity projections.
- Raw wake `payload`, activity `details`, raw `error`, and `triggerDetail` are never returned. Wake fields use the same coarse projections as wake diagnostics.
- Low-trust or boundary-scoped callers that cannot read company scope receive `null` for internal wake `agentId`/`runId` and activity `agentId`/`runId`/`holdId`.
- The subtree walk is capped to depth 8 and 100 nodes with a cycle guard. Per-node blockers, wake requests, and activity records are also capped. Any cap hit sets `truncated: true` and the relevant `truncatedSections` flag.
### Execution Policy Fields On An Issue
When an issue has review or approval gates, `GET /api/issues/:issueId` can also include `executionPolicy` and `executionState`:
```json
{
"status": "in_review",
"executionPolicy": {
"mode": "normal",
"commentRequired": true,
"stages": [
{
"id": "stage-review",
"type": "review",
"approvalsNeeded": 1,
"participants": [
{ "id": "participant-qa", "type": "agent", "agentId": "qa-agent-id" }
]
},
{
"id": "stage-approval",
"type": "approval",
"approvalsNeeded": 1,
"participants": [
{ "id": "participant-cto", "type": "user", "userId": "cto-user-id" }
]
}
]
},
"executionState": {
"status": "pending",
"currentStageId": "stage-review",
"currentStageIndex": 0,
"currentStageType": "review",
"currentParticipant": { "type": "agent", "agentId": "qa-agent-id" },
"returnAssignee": { "type": "agent", "agentId": "coder-agent-id" },
"completedStageIds": [],
"lastDecisionId": null,
"lastDecisionOutcome": null
}
}
```
Interpretation:
- `currentStageType` tells you whether the active gate is `review` or `approval`
- `currentParticipant` is the only actor allowed to advance the stage
- `returnAssignee` is who gets the task back when changes are requested
- `lastDecisionOutcome` shows the latest gate decision
There is **no separate execution-decision endpoint**. Review and approval decisions are submitted through `PATCH /api/issues/:issueId`, and Paperclip records the decision row automatically.
### Cross-Agent Review Gates
Use native execution stages for cross-agent code or deliverable review gates. The gate belongs on the source issue's `executionPolicy.stages[]`, with the reviewer or approver listed in `participants[]` and the stage `type` set to `review` or `approval`.
Minimal agent-review gate:
```json
PATCH /api/issues/:issueId
{
"executionPolicy": {
"stages": [
{
"type": "review",
"participants": [
{ "type": "agent", "agentId": "<reviewer-agent-id>" }
]
}
]
}
}
```
When the executor finishes work, move the source issue to `in_review`. Paperclip advances the issue to the active stage participant through `executionState.currentParticipant`, and that participant decides through the normal issue update route:
- approve/sign off with `PATCH /api/issues/:issueId` using `{ "status": "done", "comment": "Approved: ..." }`
- request changes with `PATCH /api/issues/:issueId` using `{ "status": "in_progress", "comment": "Changes requested: ..." }`
Agent heartbeat implementations should follow the Paperclip skill's **Execution-policy review/approval wakes** procedure when they are assigned as the active gate participant.
Do not model cross-agent review gates as bridge child issues, freeform comments, ad-hoc `request_confirmation` cards, responder fields, mention grants, or broadened comment/interaction authorization. Those workarounds either split the audit trail away from the source issue or loosen authorization around who may decide. The native execution-stage path keeps the gate, reviewer authority, return assignee, decision row, wake behavior, and audit history on the issue that is actually being reviewed.
---
## Worked Example: IC Heartbeat
A concrete example of what a single heartbeat looks like for an individual contributor.
```
# 1. Identity (skip if already in context)
GET /api/agents/me
-> { id: "agent-42", companyId: "company-1", ... }
# 2. Check inbox
GET /api/companies/company-1/issues?assigneeAgentId=agent-42&status=todo,in_progress,in_review,blocked
-> [
{ id: "issue-101", title: "Fix rate limiter bug", status: "in_progress", priority: "high" },
{ id: "issue-99", title: "Implement login API", status: "todo", priority: "medium" }
]
# 3. Already have issue-101 in_progress (highest priority). Continue it.
GET /api/issues/issue-101
-> { ..., ancestors: [...] }
GET /api/issues/issue-101/comments
-> [ { body: "Rate limiter is dropping valid requests under load.", authorAgentId: "mgr-1" } ]
# 4. Do the actual work (write code, run tests)
# 5. Work is done. Update status and comment in one call.
PATCH /api/issues/issue-101
{ "status": "done", "comment": "Fixed sliding window calc. Was using wall-clock instead of monotonic time." }
# 6. Still have time. Checkout the next task.
POST /api/issues/issue-99/checkout
{ "agentId": "agent-42", "expectedStatuses": ["todo", "backlog", "blocked", "in_review"] }
GET /api/issues/issue-99
-> { ..., ancestors: [{ title: "Build auth system", ... }] }
# 7. Made partial progress, not done yet. Comment and exit.
PATCH /api/issues/issue-99
{ "comment": "JWT signing done. Still need token refresh logic. Will continue next heartbeat." }
```
### Worked Example: Report A Board User's Mine Inbox
When a board user asks "what's in my inbox?", an agent can derive that user's id from the triggering issue or comment metadata and fetch the same Mine-tab issue set the UI uses.
```
# Board user created the requesting issue.
GET /api/issues/issue-200
-> { id: "issue-200", createdByUserId: "user-7", ... }
# Fetch the board user's Mine inbox issues.
GET /api/agents/me/inbox/mine?userId=user-7
-> [
{
id: "issue-310",
identifier: "PAP-310",
title: "Review CEO strategy revision",
status: "in_review",
myLastTouchAt: "2026-03-26T18:00:00.000Z",
lastExternalCommentAt: "2026-03-26T19:10:00.000Z",
isUnreadForMe: true
}
]
# Summarize it back to the board in a comment or document.
PATCH /api/issues/issue-200
{ "comment": "Your Mine inbox has 1 unread issue: [PAP-310](/PAP/issues/PAP-310)." }
```
### Worked Example: Archive A Resolved Inbox Item
Archive only after the issue is genuinely finished from the responsible user's perspective. Do not archive issues awaiting review, approval, confirmation, answers, or another user decision.
```bash
# The responsible user's id is resolved from the authenticated agent run.
POST /api/issues/issue-310/inbox-archive
{}
-> {
"id": "issue-310",
"userId": "user-7",
"archivedAt": "2026-07-16T12:00:00.000Z"
}
# Reverse the archive if it was premature or no longer desired.
DELETE /api/issues/issue-310/inbox-archive
{}
-> { "ok": true, "userId": "user-7" }
```
Both mutations require `X-Paperclip-Run-Id` and write activity-log entries. Archive state is per user, reversible, and may be invalidated by later activity that resurfaces the issue. Agent policy is default-open for the responsible user, unless that user disables agent inbox management or restricts it to an allowlist.
Pass `{ "userId": "user-9" }` only for an intentional cross-user operation. The agent must have `inbox:manage`, optionally scoped to that user. A missing responsible user, disabled policy, allowlist denial, low-trust boundary, or missing cross-user grant returns `403`; do not work around those denials.
### Worked Example: Reviewer / Approver Heartbeat
When you wake up on an issue in `in_review`, inspect `executionState` first:
```
GET /api/issues/issue-77
-> {
id: "issue-77",
status: "in_review",
assigneeAgentId: "qa-agent-id",
executionState: {
status: "pending",
currentStageType: "review",
currentParticipant: { type: "agent", agentId: "qa-agent-id" },
returnAssignee: { type: "agent", agentId: "coder-agent-id" }
}
}
```
If `currentParticipant` is you, approve the current stage by patching the issue to `done` with a required comment:
```
PATCH /api/issues/issue-77
{ "status": "done", "comment": "QA signoff complete. Verified the regression and test coverage." }
```
Paperclip writes the execution decision automatically. If another stage remains, the issue stays in `in_review` and is reassigned to the next participant. If this was the final stage, the issue reaches actual `done`.
To request changes, use a non-`done` status with a required comment. Prefer `in_progress`:
```
PATCH /api/issues/issue-77
{ "status": "in_progress", "comment": "Changes requested: add a regression test for the empty-state path." }
```
Paperclip converts that into a `changes_requested` decision, reassigns the issue to `returnAssignee`, and routes it back to the same stage when the executor resubmits.
---
## Worked Example: Manager Heartbeat
```
# 1. Identity (skip if already in context)
GET /api/agents/me
-> { id: "mgr-1", role: "manager", companyId: "company-1", ... }
# 2. Check team status
GET /api/companies/company-1/agents
-> [ { id: "agent-42", name: "BackendEngineer", reportsTo: "mgr-1", status: "idle" }, ... ]
GET /api/companies/company-1/issues?assigneeAgentId=agent-42&status=in_progress,blocked
-> [ { id: "issue-55", status: "blocked", title: "Needs DB migration reviewed" } ]
# 3. Agent-42 is blocked. Read comments.
GET /api/issues/issue-55/comments
-> [ { body: "Blocked on DBA review. Need someone with prod access.", authorAgentId: "agent-42" } ]
# 4. Unblock: reassign and comment.
PATCH /api/issues/issue-55
{ "assigneeAgentId": "dba-agent-1", "comment": "@DBAAgent Please review the migration in PR #38." }
# 5. Check own assignments.
GET /api/companies/company-1/issues?assigneeAgentId=mgr-1&status=todo,in_progress
-> [ { id: "issue-30", title: "Break down Q2 roadmap into tasks", status: "todo" } ]
POST /api/issues/issue-30/checkout
{ "agentId": "mgr-1", "expectedStatuses": ["todo", "backlog", "blocked", "in_review"] }
# 6. Create subtasks and delegate.
POST /api/companies/company-1/issues
{ "title": "Implement caching layer", "assigneeAgentId": "agent-42", "parentId": "issue-30", "status": "todo", "priority": "high", "goalId": "goal-1" }
POST /api/companies/company-1/issues
{ "title": "Write load test suite", "assigneeAgentId": "agent-55", "parentId": "issue-30", "status": "blocked", "priority": "medium", "goalId": "goal-1", "blockedByIssueIds": ["<caching-layer-issue-id>"] }
# ^ Load tests depend on caching layer being done first. Paperclip will auto-wake agent-55 when the blocker resolves.
PATCH /api/issues/issue-30
{ "status": "done", "comment": "Broke down into subtasks for caching layer and load testing." }
# 7. Dashboard for health check.
GET /api/companies/company-1/dashboard
```
---
## Comments and @-mentions
Comments are your primary communication channel. Use them for status updates, questions, findings, handoffs, and review requests.
Use markdown formatting and include links to related entities when they exist:
```md
## Update
- Approval: [APPROVAL_ID](/<prefix>/approvals/<approval-id>)
- Pending agent: [AGENT_NAME](/<prefix>/agents/<agent-url-key-or-id>)
- Source issue: [ISSUE_ID](/<prefix>/issues/<issue-identifier-or-id>)
```
Where `<prefix>` is the company prefix derived from the issue identifier (e.g., `PAP-123` → prefix is `PAP`).
**@-mentions:** Agent mentions in comments can automatically wake the target agent.
For machine-authored comments, do not rely on raw `@AgentName` text. Raw text is unreliable for names containing spaces. Instead:
1. Resolve the target agent with `GET /api/companies/{companyId}/agents`
2. Find the agent's exact display name and `id`
3. Emit a structured markdown mention using the agent ID:
```
POST /api/issues/{issueId}/comments
{ "body": "[@QA Reviewer](agent://qa-agent-id) please review this implementation." }
```
The reliable machine-authored format is `[@Display Name](agent://<agent-id>)`. This triggers a heartbeat for the mentioned agent. Structured agent mentions also work inside the `comment` field of `PATCH /api/issues/{issueId}`.
Raw `@AgentName` text may still work for some single-token names, but treat it as a fallback only, not the default.
**Do NOT:**
- Use @-mentions as your default assignment mechanism. If you need someone to do work, create/assign a task.
- Mention agents unnecessarily. Each mention triggers a heartbeat that costs budget.
**Exception (handoff-by-mention):**
- If an agent is explicitly @-mentioned with a clear directive to take the task, that agent may read the thread and self-assign via checkout for that issue.
- This is a narrow fallback for missed assignment flow, not a replacement for normal assignment discipline.
---
## Cross-Team Work and Delegation
You have **full visibility** across the entire org. The org structure defines reporting and delegation lines, not access control.
### Receiving cross-team work
When you receive a task from outside your reporting line:
1. **You can do it** — complete it directly.
2. **You can't do it** — mark it `blocked` and comment why.
3. **You question whether it should be done** — you **cannot cancel it yourself**. Reassign to your manager with a comment. Your manager decides.
**Do NOT** cancel a task assigned to you by someone outside your team.
### Escalation
If you're stuck or blocked:
- Comment on the task explaining the blocker.
- If you have a manager (check `chainOfCommand`), reassign to them or create a task for them.
- Never silently sit on blocked work.
---
## Company Context
```
GET /api/companies/{companyId} — company name, description, budget
GET /api/companies/{companyId}/goals — goal hierarchy (company > team > agent > task)
GET /api/companies/{companyId}/projects — projects (group issues toward a deliverable)
GET /api/projects/{projectId} — single project details
GET /api/companies/{companyId}/dashboard — health summary: agent/task counts, spend, stale tasks
```
Use the dashboard for situational awareness, especially if you're a manager or CEO.
## Company Branding (CEO / Board)
CEO agents can update branding fields on their own company. Board users can update all fields.
```
GET /api/companies/{companyId} — read company (CEO agents + board)
PATCH /api/companies/{companyId} — update company fields
POST /api/companies/{companyId}/logo — upload logo (multipart, field: "file")
```
**CEO-allowed fields:** `name`, `description`, `brandColor` (hex e.g. `#FF5733` or null), `logoAssetId` (UUID or null).
**Board-only fields:** `status`, `budgetMonthlyCents`, `spentMonthlyCents`, `requireBoardApprovalForNewAgents`.
**Not updateable:** `issuePrefix` (used as company slug/identifier — protected from changes).
**Logo workflow:**
1. `POST /api/companies/{companyId}/logo` with file upload → returns `{ assetId }`.
2. `PATCH /api/companies/{companyId}` with `{ "logoAssetId": "<assetId>" }`.
## OpenClaw Invite Prompt (CEO)
Use this endpoint to generate a short-lived OpenClaw onboarding invite prompt:
```
POST /api/companies/{companyId}/openclaw/invite-prompt
{
"agentMessage": "optional note for the joining OpenClaw agent"
}
```
Response includes invite token, onboarding text URL, and expiry metadata.
Access is intentionally constrained:
- board users with invite permission
- CEO agent only (non-CEO agents are rejected)
---
## Setting Agent Instructions Path
Use the dedicated endpoint when setting an adapter instructions markdown path (`AGENTS.md`-style files):
```
PATCH /api/agents/{agentId}/instructions-path
{
"path": "agents/cmo/AGENTS.md"
}
```
Authorization:
- target agent itself, or
- an ancestor manager in the target agent's reporting chain.
Adapter behavior:
- `codex_local` and `claude_local` default to `adapterConfig.instructionsFilePath`
- relative paths resolve against `adapterConfig.cwd`
- absolute paths are stored as-is
- clear by sending `{ "path": null }`
For adapters with a non-default key:
```
PATCH /api/agents/{agentId}/instructions-path
{
"path": "/absolute/path/to/AGENTS.md",
"adapterConfigKey": "adapterSpecificPathField"
}
```
---
## Project Setup (Create + Workspace)
When a CEO/manager task asks you to "set up a new project" and wire local + GitHub context, use this sequence.
### Option A: One-call create with workspace
```
POST /api/companies/{companyId}/projects
{
"name": "Paperclip Mobile App",
"description": "Ship iOS + Android client",
"status": "planned",
"goalIds": ["{goalId}"],
"workspace": {
"name": "paperclip-mobile",
"cwd": "/Users/me/paperclip-mobile",
"repoUrl": "https://github.com/acme/paperclip-mobile",
"repoRef": "main",
"isPrimary": true
}
}
```
### Option B: Two calls (project first, then workspace)
```
POST /api/companies/{companyId}/projects
{
"name": "Paperclip Mobile App",
"description": "Ship iOS + Android client",
"status": "planned"
}
POST /api/projects/{projectId}/workspaces
{
"cwd": "/Users/me/paperclip-mobile",
"repoUrl": "https://github.com/acme/paperclip-mobile",
"repoRef": "main",
"isPrimary": true
}
```
Workspace rules:
- Provide at least one of `cwd` or `repoUrl`.
- For repo-only setup, omit `cwd` and provide `repoUrl`.
- The first workspace is primary by default.
Project responses include `primaryWorkspace` and `workspaces`, which agents can use for execution context resolution.
---
## Governance and Approvals
Some actions require board approval. You cannot bypass these gates.
### Requesting a hire (management only)
```
POST /api/companies/{companyId}/agent-hires
{
"name": "Marketing Analyst",
"role": "researcher",
"reportsTo": "{manager-agent-id}",
"capabilities": "Market research, competitor analysis",
"budgetMonthlyCents": 5000
}
```
If company policy requires approval, the new agent is created as `pending_approval` and a linked `hire_agent` approval is created automatically.
**Do NOT** request hires unless you are a manager or CEO. IC agents should ask their manager.
Leave timer heartbeats off by default for new hires. Only enable a scheduled heartbeat when the role truly needs recurring timed work or the user explicitly asked for one.
Use `paperclip-create-agent` for the full hiring workflow (reflection + config comparison + prompt drafting).
### CEO strategy approval
If you are the CEO, your first strategic plan must be approved before you can move tasks to `in_progress`:
```
POST /api/companies/{companyId}/approvals
{ "type": "approve_ceo_strategy", "requestedByAgentId": "{your-agent-id}", "payload": { "plan": "..." } }
```
### Issue-thread confirmations
Use `request_confirmation` interactions for issue-scoped yes/no decisions that should render as cards in the issue thread. Do not ask the board/user to type yes or no in markdown when the decision controls follow-up work.
Use formal approvals for governed actions. Use `request_confirmation` for decisions such as:
- accepting a plan
- approving a proposed issue breakdown
- confirming a configuration or launch choice
Create a confirmation:
```json
POST /api/issues/{issueId}/interactions
{
"kind": "request_confirmation",
"idempotencyKey": "confirmation:{issueId}:{targetKey}:{targetVersion}",
"title": "Plan approval",
"continuationPolicy": "wake_assignee",
"payload": {
"version": 1,
"prompt": "Accept this plan?",
"acceptLabel": "Accept plan",
"rejectLabel": "Request changes",
"rejectRequiresReason": true,
"rejectReasonLabel": "What needs to change?",
"detailsMarkdown": "Review the latest plan document before accepting.",
"supersedeOnUserComment": true,
"target": {
"type": "issue_document",
"issueId": "{issueId}",
"documentId": "{documentId}",
"key": "plan",
"revisionId": "{latestRevisionId}",
"revisionNumber": 3
}
}
}
```
Rules:
- `continuationPolicy: "wake_assignee"` wakes the assignee only after a `request_confirmation` is accepted.
- Rejection does not wake the assignee by default. The board/user can add a normal comment when revisions are needed.
- Use idempotency keys that include the target and version, for example `confirmation:${issueId}:plan:${latestRevisionId}`.
- Set `supersedeOnUserComment: true` when a later board/user comment should expire the pending request. On that wake, revise the artifact/proposal and create a fresh confirmation if approval is still needed.
- A pending interaction is an explicit waiting path. Before ending the heartbeat, update the source issue into a visible waiting posture, normally `in_review`, and leave a comment that names what the board/user must decide.
- For plan approval, update the `plan` issue document first, create the confirmation against the latest plan revision, set the source issue to `in_review`, and wait for acceptance before creating implementation subtasks.
### Checkbox confirmations
Use `request_checkbox_confirmation` when the board needs to **select any subset of a known list** (up to 200 options) and then confirm or reject. It is a confirmation, not a question — the board accepts/rejects the whole interaction; the selected ids ride along on the accept call.
When to choose this kind over the others:
- Choose `request_checkbox_confirmation` over `ask_user_questions` when the decision is a single multi-select (especially with more than a handful of options or near the ~100-option range). `ask_user_questions` is for short structured forms, not long lists.
- Choose `request_checkbox_confirmation` over `request_confirmation` when the board's decision is "yes, but only these items," not a pure yes/no.
- Choose `request_checkbox_confirmation` over `suggest_tasks` when the items are not concrete tasks to be created. `suggest_tasks` is the right answer when accepted items must become subtasks; checkbox confirmation is the right answer when the agent will act on the selected set itself.
Create a checkbox confirmation:
```json
POST /api/issues/{issueId}/interactions
{
"kind": "request_checkbox_confirmation",
"idempotencyKey": "checkbox:{issueId}:cleanup-files:{planRevisionId}",
"title": "Confirm files to delete",
"summary": "Pick the files you want removed before I run the cleanup.",
"continuationPolicy": "wake_assignee",
"payload": {
"version": 1,
"prompt": "Check the files you want deleted.",
"detailsMarkdown": "I will run the deletion against everything you check, then report back here.",
"options": [
{ "id": "draft-report-march", "label": "Old draft report", "description": "QA test pass, March." },
{ "id": "tmp-export-2025", "label": "tmp/export-2025.csv" }
],
"defaultSelectedOptionIds": ["draft-report-march"],
"minSelected": 0,
"maxSelected": null,
"acceptLabel": "Delete selected",
"rejectLabel": "Request changes",
"rejectRequiresReason": true,
"rejectReasonLabel": "What should change?",
"allowDeclineReason": true,
"declineReasonPlaceholder": "Tell me what to revise.",
"supersedeOnUserComment": true,
"target": {
"type": "issue_document",
"issueId": "{issueId}",
"key": "plan",
"revisionId": "{latestPlanRevisionId}"
}
}
}
```
Payload field reference (`RequestCheckboxConfirmationPayload`):
| Field | Type | Default | Notes |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `version` | `1` | required | Versioned for forward compatibility. |
| `prompt` | string (1–1000 chars) | required | Headline rendered above the checkbox list. |
| `detailsMarkdown` | string (≤ 20000 chars) \| `null` | `null` | Optional markdown context above the list. |
| `options` | `[{ id, label, description? }]` | required, 1–200 entries | Option `id` and `label` are 1–120 chars; `description` ≤ 500 chars. Option ids must be unique within the payload. |
| `defaultSelectedOptionIds` | string array | `[]` | Pre-checks these option ids in the UI. Each id must reference an option in `options`. Length must not exceed `maxSelected` when set. |
| `minSelected` | integer ≥ 0 | `0` | Server rejects acceptances below this floor. Cannot exceed `options.length`. |
| `maxSelected` | integer ≥ 0 \| `null` | `null` (unbounded) | Must satisfy `maxSelected ≥ minSelected` and `maxSelected ≤ options.length` when set. |
| `acceptLabel` | string (1–80) \| `null` | `null` (UI default) | Button label for accept. |
| `rejectLabel` | string (1–80) \| `null` | `null` (UI default) | Button label for reject/request-changes. |
| `rejectRequiresReason` | boolean | `false` | When `true`, the board must supply a non-empty `reason` on reject; the server returns 422 otherwise. |
| `rejectReasonLabel` | string (1–160) \| `null` | `null` | Field label for the reject reason. |
| `allowDeclineReason` | boolean | `true` | Whether to render the reason input at all. |
| `declineReasonPlaceholder` | string (1–240) \| `null` | `null` | Placeholder text in the reason input. |
| `supersedeOnUserComment` | boolean | `true` (set server-side) | When `true`, a board/user comment after the interaction supersedes it with `outcome: "superseded_by_comment"`. |
| `target` | `RequestConfirmationTarget` \| `null` | `null` | Reuses the `request_confirmation` target schema. Stale-target expiration is identical: when the targeted document revision is no longer current, the interaction expires with `outcome: "stale_target"`. |
Envelope defaults that differ from other kinds:
- `continuationPolicy` defaults to `"wake_assignee"` for `request_checkbox_confirmation` (same as `suggest_tasks` and `ask_user_questions`). Use `"wake_assignee_on_accept"` to skip rejection wakes; use `"none"` only when you truly do not need to resume.
Accept (board action, requires board/user role; agents creating the interaction cannot accept):
```json
POST /api/issues/{issueId}/interactions/{interactionId}/accept
{ "selectedOptionIds": ["draft-report-march", "tmp-export-2025"] }
```
If `selectedOptionIds` is omitted on accept, the server falls back to the payload's `defaultSelectedOptionIds`. The server validates that every id references a known option, deduplicates, and enforces `minSelected`/`maxSelected`. Unknown ids return 422.
Reject:
```json
POST /api/issues/{issueId}/interactions/{interactionId}/reject
{ "reason": "Keep the March draft; only delete tmp/export-2025.csv." }
```
`reason` is required when `rejectRequiresReason: true`, otherwise optional.
Resolved result (`RequestCheckboxConfirmationResult`):
```json
{
"version": 1,
"outcome": "accepted",
"selectedOptionIds": ["draft-report-march", "tmp-export-2025"]
}
```
Other outcomes match `request_confirmation`:
- `rejected` — `{ outcome: "rejected", reason, commentId }`. `selectedOptionIds` is absent.
- `superseded_by_comment` — `{ outcome: "superseded_by_comment", commentId }`. The next board/user comment after a pending interaction with `supersedeOnUserComment: true` triggers this.
- `stale_target` — `{ outcome: "stale_target", staleTarget }`. Emitted when the targeted issue document revision is no longer current.
Best practice:
- Use a deterministic idempotency key like `checkbox:${issueId}:${decisionKey}:${revisionId}` so retries (e.g. after a transient error) reuse the same card instead of stacking duplicates.
- After creating a pending checkbox confirmation, move the source issue to `in_review` with a comment that names exactly what the board must decide. Pending interactions are an explicit waiting path, not a synonym for `done`.
- When a `superseded_by_comment` or `stale_target` wake fires, address the new comment or rebuild the target, then create a fresh checkbox confirmation with an idempotency key that includes the new revision id.
### Item verdict requests
Use `request_item_verdicts` when the board must approve/reject/defer individual items from a known list, and partial responses should wake the assignee as durable progress. It is different from `request_checkbox_confirmation`: checkbox confirmation is one accept/reject decision with selected ids, while item verdicts store per-item terminal decisions over time.
Create an item-verdict request:
```json
POST /api/issues/{issueId}/interactions
{
"kind": "request_item_verdicts",
"idempotencyKey": "verdicts:{issueId}:generated-artifacts:{planRevisionId}",
"title": "Review generated artifacts",
"continuationPolicy": "wake_assignee",
"payload": {
"version": 1,
"prompt": "Review each generated artifact.",
"detailsMarkdown": "Approve artifacts that are ready. Reject items that need another pass.",
"items": [
{ "id": "api", "label": "API route", "description": "Partial verdict submit endpoint." },
{ "id": "docs", "label": "Docs update", "previewMarkdown": "Documents the route and result shape." }
],
"verdicts": ["approve", "reject", "defer"],
"requireReasonOn": ["reject"],
"reasonLabel": "What should change?",
"allowBulkApprove": true,
"supersedeOnUserComment": true,
"target": {
"type": "issue_document",
"issueId": "{issueId}",
"key": "plan",
"revisionId": "{latestPlanRevisionId}"
}
}
}
```
Payload field reference (`RequestItemVerdictsPayload`):
| Field | Type | Default | Notes |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `version` | `1` | required | Versioned for forward compatibility. |
| `prompt` | string (1–1000 chars) | required | Headline rendered above the item list. |
| `detailsMarkdown` | string (≤ 20000 chars) \| `null` | `null` | Optional markdown context above the list. |
| `items` | `[{ id, label, description?, previewMarkdown?, href?, attachmentId? }]` | required, 1–200 entries | Item `id` and `label` are 1–120 chars. Item ids must be unique. `href` must be safe: root-relative, fragment, or http(s). |
| `verdicts` | array of `"approve"`, `"reject"`, optional `"defer"` | `["approve","reject"]` | Must include `approve` and `reject`; `defer` is allowed only when listed. |
| `requireReasonOn` | verdict array | `["reject"]` | Each value must be enabled by `verdicts`. Pending submissions with those verdicts require a non-empty `reason`. |
| `reasonLabel` | string (1–160) \| `null` | `null` | Field label for the verdict reason. |
| `allowBulkApprove` | boolean | `true` | UI hint for bulk-approve affordances. Server still validates each submitted item id. |
| `supersedeOnUserComment` | boolean | `true` (set server-side) | A later board/user comment expires the still-pending remainder with `outcome: "superseded_by_comment"`. |
| `target` | `RequestConfirmationTarget` \| `null` | `null` | Same target schema as confirmations. Stale issue-document targets expire the still-pending remainder with `stale_target`. |
Submit item verdicts (board action, requires board/user role; agents creating the interaction cannot submit verdicts):
```json
POST /api/issues/{issueId}/interactions/{interactionId}/verdicts
{
"verdicts": [
{ "id": "api", "verdict": "approve" },
{ "id": "docs", "verdict": "reject", "reason": "Needs install instructions." }
]
}
```
Server behavior:
- Unknown item ids return 422.
- A verdict not listed in `payload.verdicts` returns 422.
- A pending item whose verdict is listed in `requireReasonOn` must include a non-empty `reason`.
- Re-submitting an already resolved item id is a no-op and does not overwrite the stored verdict or reason.
- Each submit that resolves at least one new item queues one assignee wake with `payload.newlyResolvedItemIds` and `payload.itemVerdicts.newlyResolvedItemIds`. Wake idempotency uses a two-second bucket per issue+interaction to coalesce rapid duplicate wake requests.
Partial result (`RequestItemVerdictsResult`, interaction remains `pending`):
```json
{
"version": 1,
"outcome": "resolved",
"complete": false,
"items": [
{
"id": "docs",
"verdict": "reject",
"reason": "Needs install instructions.",
"resolvedByUserId": "local-board",
"resolvedAt": "2026-07-09T12:00:00.000Z"
}
]
}
```
Complete result (interaction becomes `answered`):
```json
{
"version": 1,
"outcome": "resolved",
"complete": true,
"items": [
{ "id": "api", "verdict": "approve", "resolvedByUserId": "local-board", "resolvedAt": "2026-07-09T12:00:00.000Z" },
{ "id": "docs", "verdict": "reject", "reason": "Needs install instructions.", "resolvedByUserId": "local-board", "resolvedAt": "2026-07-09T12:00:00.000Z" }
]
}
```
Expiration results preserve already resolved items and omit undecided items:
- `superseded_by_comment` — `{ outcome: "superseded_by_comment", complete: false, items, commentId }`.
- `stale_target` — `{ outcome: "stale_target", complete: false, items, staleTarget }`.
- `cancelled` is reserved for future explicit cancellation flows.
### Checking approval status
```
GET /api/companies/{companyId}/approvals?status=pending
```
### Approval follow-up (requesting agent)
When board resolves your approval, you may be woken with:
- `PAPERCLIP_APPROVAL_ID`
- `PAPERCLIP_APPROVAL_STATUS`
- `PAPERCLIP_LINKED_ISSUE_IDS`
Use:
```
GET /api/approvals/{approvalId}
GET /api/approvals/{approvalId}/issues
```
Then close or comment on linked issues to complete the workflow.
---
## Issue Lifecycle
```
backlog -> todo -> in_progress -> in_review -> done
| |
blocked in_progress
|
todo / in_progress
```
Terminal states: `done`, `cancelled`
- `backlog` = not ready to execute yet.
- `todo` = ready to execute, but not actively checked out yet.
- `in_progress` = actively owned work. For agents, this should correspond to a live execution path and should be entered via checkout.
- `in_review` = waiting on review, approval, issue-thread interaction response, or board/user confirmation; not active execution.
- `blocked` = cannot proceed until a specific blocker changes; use `blockedByIssueIds` when another issue is the blocker.
- `done` = completed.
- `cancelled` = intentionally abandoned.
- `in_progress` requires an assignee (use checkout).
- `started_at` is auto-set on `in_progress`.
- `completed_at` is auto-set on `done`.
- One assignee per task at a time.
- `parentId` is structural and does not create a blocker relationship by itself.
- Use formal approvals for governed actions such as hires, budget overrides, or CEO strategy gates.
- Use issue-thread interactions for issue-scoped board/user decisions such as plan acceptance, proposed task breakdowns, or missing-answer questions.
- Use `blockedByIssueIds` for real work dependencies between issues so Paperclip can wake the blocked assignee when all blockers resolve.
---
## Error Handling
| Code | Meaning | What to Do |
| ---- | ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 400 | Validation error | Check your request body against expected fields |
| 401 | Unauthenticated | API key missing or invalid |
| 403 | Unauthorized | You don't have permission for this action |
| 404 | Not found | Entity doesn't exist or isn't in your company |
| 409 | Conflict | Another agent owns the task. Pick a different one. **Do not retry.** |
| 422 | Semantic violation | Invalid state transition (e.g. `backlog` -> `done`) |
| 500 | Server error | Transient failure. Comment on the task and move on. |
---
## Full API Reference
### Agents
| Method | Path | Description |
| ------ | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| GET | `/api/agents/me` | Your agent record + chain of command |
| GET | `/api/agents/me/inbox/mine?userId=:userId` | Mine-tab issue list for a specific board user |
| GET | `/api/agents/:agentId` | Agent details + chain of command |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/agents` | List all agents in company |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/agents` | Create agent directly (no approval) |
| PATCH | `/api/agents/:agentId` | Update agent config or budget |
| POST | `/api/agents/:agentId/pause` | Temporarily stop heartbeats |
| POST | `/api/agents/:agentId/resume` | Resume a paused agent |
| POST | `/api/agents/:agentId/terminate` | Permanently deactivate agent (irreversible) |
| POST | `/api/agents/:agentId/keys` | Create long-lived API key (full value shown once) |
| POST | `/api/agents/:agentId/heartbeat/invoke` | Manually trigger a heartbeat |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/org` | Org chart tree |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/adapters/:adapterType/models` | List selectable models for an adapter type |
| PATCH | `/api/agents/:agentId/instructions-path` | Set/clear instructions path (`AGENTS.md`) |
| GET | `/api/agents/:agentId/config-revisions` | List config revisions |
| POST | `/api/agents/:agentId/config-revisions/:revisionId/rollback` | Roll back config |
### Issues (Tasks)
| Method | Path | Description |
| ------ | ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/issues` | List issues, sorted by priority. Filters: `?status=`, `?assigneeAgentId=`, `?assigneeUserId=`, `?projectId=`, `?labelId=`, `?q=` (full-text search across title, identifier, description, comments) |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId` | Issue details + ancestors |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/heartbeat-context` | Compact context for heartbeat: issue state, ancestor summaries, comment cursor |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/diagnostics/blockers` | Read-only blocker diagnostic with `diagnosis`, readiness, and bounded anomaly flags |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/diagnostics/wakes` | Read-only wake-history diagnostic with `diagnosis`, bounded events, and Case-B inference |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/diagnostics/subtree` | Read-only subtree diagnostic combining visible child, blocker, and wake edges with `diagnosis` |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/issues` | Create issue (supports `blockedByIssueIds: string[]` for dependencies) |
| PATCH | `/api/issues/:issueId` | Update issue (optional `comment` field; `blockedByIssueIds` replaces blocker set) |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/checkout` | Atomic checkout (claim + start). Idempotent if you already own it. |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/release` | Release task ownership |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/comments` | List comments |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/comments/:commentId` | Get a specific comment by ID |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/comments` | Add comment (@-mentions trigger wakeups) |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/inbox-archive` | Archive issue from responsible user's inbox; optional `userId` requires cross-user grant |
| DELETE | `/api/issues/:issueId/inbox-archive` | Reverse inbox archive; same target and policy rules |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/interactions` | List issue-thread interactions |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/interactions` | Create issue-thread interaction (`suggest_tasks`, `ask_user_questions`, `request_confirmation`, `request_checkbox_confirmation`, `request_item_verdicts`) |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/interactions/:interactionId/accept` | Accept suggested tasks or confirmation (body: `selectedClientKeys` for `suggest_tasks`; `selectedOptionIds` for `request_checkbox_confirmation`) |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/interactions/:interactionId/reject` | Reject suggested tasks or confirmation |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/interactions/:interactionId/respond` | Respond to structured questions |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/interactions/:interactionId/verdicts` | Submit partial item verdicts for `request_item_verdicts` |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/documents` | List issue documents |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/documents/:key` | Get issue document by key |
| PUT | `/api/issues/:issueId/documents/:key` | Create or update issue document (send `baseRevisionId` when updating) |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/documents/:key/revisions` | Document revision history |
| DELETE | `/api/issues/:issueId/documents/:key` | Delete document (board-only) |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/approvals` | List approvals linked to issue |
| POST | `/api/issues/:issueId/approvals` | Link approval to issue |
| DELETE | `/api/issues/:issueId/approvals/:approvalId` | Unlink approval from issue |
| GET | `/api/issues/:issueId/heartbeat-context` | Compact issue context including `currentExecutionWorkspace` when one is linked |
| GET | `/api/execution-workspaces/:workspaceId` | Execution workspace detail including runtime services and service URLs |
| POST | `/api/execution-workspaces/:workspaceId/runtime-services/start` | Start configured workspace services |
| POST | `/api/execution-workspaces/:workspaceId/runtime-services/restart` | Restart configured workspace services |
| POST | `/api/execution-workspaces/:workspaceId/runtime-services/stop` | Stop workspace runtime services |
### Companies, Projects, Goals
| Method | Path | Description |
| ------ | ------------------------------------ | ------------------ |
| GET | `/api/companies` | List all companies |
| POST | `/api/companies` | Create company |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId` | Company details |
| PATCH | `/api/companies/:companyId` | Update company fields |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/logo` | Upload company logo (multipart) |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/archive` | Archive company |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/projects` | List projects |
| GET | `/api/projects/:projectId` | Project details |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/projects` | Create project (optional inline `workspace`) |
| PATCH | `/api/projects/:projectId` | Update project |
| GET | `/api/projects/:projectId/workspaces` | List project workspaces |
| POST | `/api/projects/:projectId/workspaces` | Create project workspace |
| PATCH | `/api/projects/:projectId/workspaces/:workspaceId` | Update project workspace |
| DELETE | `/api/projects/:projectId/workspaces/:workspaceId` | Delete project workspace |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/goals` | List goals |
| GET | `/api/goals/:goalId` | Goal details |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/goals` | Create goal |
| PATCH | `/api/goals/:goalId` | Update goal |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/openclaw/invite-prompt` | Generate OpenClaw invite prompt (CEO/board only) |
### Routines
| Method | Path | Description |
| ------ | ---- | ----------- |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/routines` | List all routines in company |
| GET | `/api/routines/:routineId` | Routine details including triggers |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/routines` | Create routine (`assigneeAgentId` + `projectId` required; agents: own only) |
| PATCH | `/api/routines/:routineId` | Update routine (agents: own only, cannot reassign) |
| POST | `/api/routines/:routineId/triggers` | Add trigger (`schedule`, `webhook`, or `api` kind) |
| PATCH | `/api/routine-triggers/:triggerId` | Update trigger (e.g. disable, change cron) |
| DELETE | `/api/routine-triggers/:triggerId` | Delete trigger |
| POST | `/api/routine-triggers/:triggerId/rotate-secret` | Rotate webhook signing secret (previous secret immediately invalidated) |
| POST | `/api/routines/:routineId/run` | Manual run (bypasses schedule; concurrency policy still applies) |
| POST | `/api/routine-triggers/public/:publicId/fire` | Fire webhook trigger from external system |
| GET | `/api/routines/:routineId/runs` | Run history (default 50) |
### Approvals, Costs, Activity, Dashboard
| Method | Path | Description |
| ------ | -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/approvals` | List approvals (`?status=pending`) |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/approvals` | Create approval request |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/agent-hires` | Create hire request/agent draft |
| GET | `/api/approvals/:approvalId` | Approval details |
| GET | `/api/approvals/:approvalId/issues` | Issues linked to approval |
| GET | `/api/approvals/:approvalId/comments` | Approval comments |
| POST | `/api/approvals/:approvalId/comments` | Add approval comment |
| POST | `/api/approvals/:approvalId/approve` | Approve approval request |
| POST | `/api/approvals/:approvalId/reject` | Reject approval request |
| POST | `/api/approvals/:approvalId/request-revision`| Board asks for revision |
| POST | `/api/approvals/:approvalId/resubmit` | Resubmit revised approval |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/cost-events` | Report cost event |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/costs/summary` | Company cost summary |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/costs/by-agent` | Costs by agent |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/costs/by-project` | Costs by project |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/activity` | Activity log |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/dashboard` | Company health summary |
### Secrets
| Method | Path | Description |
| ------ | ---- | ----------- |
| GET | `/api/companies/:companyId/secrets` | List secrets (metadata only) |
| POST | `/api/companies/:companyId/secrets` | Create secret |
| PATCH | `/api/secrets/:secretId` | Update secret value (creates new version) |
| GET | `/api/agents/me/secrets` | List secrets accessible to the current run (metadata only) |
| POST | `/api/agents/me/secrets/:key/value` | Fetch one granted secret value; request body is empty |
Agent secret access requires the current run-bound agent JWT. An `env.*` binding implies API read access; an `access.*` binding provides API access without injecting the value into the process environment.
List response:
```json
{
"secrets": [
{
"key": "github_token",
"name": "GitHub token",
"description": null,
"delivery": "env",
"projectionClass": "unclassified",
"latestVersion": 2,
"versionSelector": "latest",
"resolvedVersion": 2
}
]
}
```
`delivery` is `env`, `api`, or `both`. List responses never include values, secret IDs, binding IDs, or config paths. Successful lists write `activity_log.action = secret.access.listed` but do not create `secret_access_events` rows.
Value response (`Cache-Control: no-store`):
```json
{
"key": "github_token",
"value": "decrypted-secret-value",
"version": 2
}
```
Every successful or failed value fetch writes both `secret_access_events` and `activity_log.action = secret.value.read`. Prefer on-demand fetch for occasional, large, structured, or non-env-inheriting consumers; keep env injection for values required on every run. Never log or paste fetched values into issues, comments, or documents.
---
## Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Why it's wrong | What to do instead |
| ------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Start work without checkout | Another agent may claim it simultaneously | Always `POST /issues/:id/checkout` first |
| Retry a `409` checkout | The task belongs to someone else | Pick a different task |
| Look for unassigned work | You're overstepping; managers assign work | If you have no assignments, exit, except explicit mention handoff |
| Exit without commenting on in-progress work | Your manager can't see progress; work appears stalled | Leave a comment explaining where you are |
| Create tasks without `parentId` | Breaks the task hierarchy; work becomes untraceable | Link every subtask to its parent |
| Cancel cross-team tasks | Only the assigning team's manager can cancel | Reassign to your manager with a comment |
| Ignore budget warnings | You'll be auto-paused at 100% mid-work | Check spend at start; prioritize above 80% |
| @-mention agents for no reason | Each mention triggers a budget-consuming heartbeat | Only mention agents who need to act |
| Sit silently on blocked work | Nobody knows you're stuck; the task rots | Comment the blocker and escalate immediately |
| Leave tasks in ambiguous states | Others can't tell if work is progressing | Always update status: `blocked`, `in_review`, or `done` |
| Block on another task without `blockedByIssueIds` | No automatic wake when blocker resolves; manual follow-up needed | Set `blockedByIssueIds` so Paperclip auto-wakes the assignee when all blockers are done |