Files
PaperClipAI/docs/cli/setup-commands.md
T
Dotta e3eed3a3ae Keep browser startup explicitly opt-in (#12435)
## Thinking Path

> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work.
> - The CLI can save a configuration and start the local server in one
command.
> - The onboarding path set a browser-open environment variable without
an explicit user request.
> - Headless test servers use the same onboarding path.
> - Each server restart could therefore open a system browser.
> - This pull request removes the implicit browser-open request and
fixes test servers to disable it explicitly.
> - The benefit is predictable foreground and test startup without
unsolicited browser windows.

## Linked Issues or Issue Description

This is stack 11 of 11. It depends on stack 10.

**What happened?**

`paperclipai onboard --yes --run` set `PAPERCLIP_OPEN_ON_LISTEN=true`.
Headless server users, including browser test runners, opened the system
browser on each server restart.

**Expected behavior**

Server startup must not open a browser unless the caller explicitly sets
`PAPERCLIP_OPEN_ON_LISTEN=true`.

**Steps to reproduce**

1. Run `paperclipai onboard --yes --run` from a clean source checkout.
2. Wait for the server to listen.
3. Observe that the default system browser opens.

**Paperclip version or commit**

Reproduced on `dbf052577` plus the dependent stack.

**Deployment mode**

Local dev from source.

## What Changed

- Stop onboarding from setting `PAPERCLIP_OPEN_ON_LISTEN=true` for
foreground startup.
- Set `PAPERCLIP_OPEN_ON_LISTEN=false` in E2E and issue-detail
performance test servers as defense in depth.
- Preserve the existing explicit environment opt-in in the server.

## Verification

- `pnpm exec vitest run cli/src/__tests__/onboard.test.ts` — 10 tests
passed.
- `pnpm --filter paperclipai typecheck` — passed.
- `pnpm -r typecheck` — passed on the stacked head.
- `pnpm build` — passed on the stacked head.
- Playwright was not run locally by request.

## Risks

- Low risk. The only behavior change removes an unsolicited side effect.
- A caller that wants browser startup can still set
`PAPERCLIP_OPEN_ON_LISTEN=true` explicitly.
- No database or migration change exists in this layer.

> 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. The exact deployment suffix and context window
are not exposed. The model used reasoning, repository tools, code
execution, Git, and GitHub 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 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
2026-08-29 12:08:35 -05:00

3.2 KiB

title, summary
title summary
Setup Commands Onboard, run, doctor, and configure

Instance setup and diagnostics commands.

paperclipai run

One-command bootstrap and start:

pnpm paperclipai run

Does:

  1. Auto-onboards if config is missing
  2. Runs paperclipai doctor with repair enabled
  3. Starts the server when checks pass

Choose a specific instance:

npx paperclipai run --instance dev

paperclipai onboard

Interactive first-time setup:

pnpm paperclipai onboard

If Paperclip is already configured, rerunning onboard keeps the existing config in place. Use paperclipai configure to change settings on an existing install.

First prompt:

  1. Quickstart (recommended): local defaults (embedded database, no LLM provider, local disk storage, default secrets)
  2. Advanced setup: full interactive configuration

Start immediately after onboarding:

pnpm paperclipai onboard --run

Non-interactive defaults + immediate start (prints the URL without opening a browser):

pnpm paperclipai onboard --yes

Browser opening is opt-in. Set the environment variable explicitly when that is the desired behavior:

PAPERCLIP_OPEN_ON_LISTEN=true pnpm paperclipai onboard --yes

On an existing install, --yes now preserves the current config and just starts Paperclip with that setup.

paperclipai doctor

Health checks with optional auto-repair:

pnpm paperclipai doctor
pnpm paperclipai doctor --repair

Validates:

  • Server configuration
  • Database connectivity
  • Secrets adapter configuration, including AWS Secrets Manager non-secret env config when selected
  • Storage configuration
  • Missing key files

paperclipai configure

Update configuration sections:

pnpm paperclipai configure --section server
pnpm paperclipai configure --section secrets
pnpm paperclipai configure --section storage

--section secrets updates the deployment-level provider used as the fallback for secrets that do not target a specific company vault. Per-company provider vaults (named instances, default vault selection, multiple vaults per provider, coming-soon GCP/Vault) live in the board UI under Company Settings → Secrets → Provider vaults and the /api/companies/{companyId}/secret-provider-configs API.

paperclipai env

Show resolved environment configuration:

pnpm paperclipai env

This now includes bind-oriented deployment settings such as PAPERCLIP_BIND and PAPERCLIP_BIND_HOST when configured.

paperclipai allowed-hostname

Allow a private hostname for authenticated/private mode:

npx paperclipai allowed-hostname my-tailscale-host

Local Storage Paths

Data Default Path
Config ~/.paperclip/instances/default/config.json
Database ~/.paperclip/instances/default/db
Logs ~/.paperclip/instances/default/logs
Storage ~/.paperclip/instances/default/data/storage
Secrets key ~/.paperclip/instances/default/secrets/master.key

Override with:

PAPERCLIP_HOME=/custom/home PAPERCLIP_INSTANCE_ID=dev pnpm paperclipai run

Or pass --data-dir directly on any command:

npx paperclipai run --data-dir ./tmp/paperclip-dev
npx paperclipai doctor --data-dir ./tmp/paperclip-dev