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PaperClipAI/server
DottaandPaperclip 7301fae942 fix(heartbeat): atomically claim due timer intervals (#10584)
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## Thinking Path

> - Paperclip coordinates AI agents through scheduled heartbeat runs.
> - The heartbeat scheduler can call `tickTimers()` again before an
earlier tick has finished.
> - Each overlapping tick can read the same old `lastHeartbeatAt` value
and decide that the same agent is due.
> - The existing queue checks do not make that due-time decision atomic.
> - This pull request atomically advances the timer baseline before it
enqueues the wake.
> - The benefit is that one timer interval can create at most one
scheduled run for an agent.

## Linked Issues or Issue Description

No public GitHub issue describes this exact scheduler race. Related pull
requests address active-run overlap or queued-run buildup, but they do
not atomically claim a due timer interval: #9457, #8416, and #3858.

**What happened?**

Two overlapping calls to `tickTimers()` could both read the same due
timer baseline. Both calls could enqueue a timer run for the same agent
and interval.

**Expected behavior**

Only one scheduler tick must claim a due timer interval. A second
overlapping tick must observe that the interval was already claimed and
skip it.

**Steps to reproduce**

1. Create an active agent with a 60-second timer interval.
2. Set `lastHeartbeatAt` to more than 60 seconds in the past.
3. Call `tickTimers(now)` twice with `Promise.all()`.
4. Observe that the old code can enqueue two runs for the same interval.

**Paperclip version or commit**

Reproduced on `master` before this branch.

**Deployment mode**

Local development with embedded PostgreSQL.

## What Changed

- Added an atomic conditional update that claims a due timer interval by
advancing `lastHeartbeatAt`.
- Made `tickTimers()` enqueue only after that conditional update
succeeds.
- Preserved first-heartbeat telemetry when the timer claim advances
`lastHeartbeatAt` before run completion.
- Added regression tests for concurrent claims and first-heartbeat
telemetry.

## Verification

- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server exec vitest run
src/__tests__/heartbeat-stale-queue-invalidation.test.ts` — 24 tests
passed on the final rebased commit.
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server exec vitest run
src/__tests__/heartbeat-process-recovery.test.ts -t "preserves
first-heartbeat telemetry after a timer interval claim|tracks the first
heartbeat with the agent role"` — 2 tests passed.
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server typecheck` — passed after the
review fix.
- `pnpm -r typecheck` — passed.
- `pnpm build` — passed.
- `pnpm test:run` — 3,121 tests passed and 2 tests skipped. One
unrelated runtime-skills test exceeded its 5-second limit under
full-suite load.
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server exec vitest run
src/__tests__/heartbeat-runtime-skills.test.ts` — the timed-out file
passed in isolation, 2 tests passed.
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/db exec vitest run
src/status-card-migrations.test.ts` — the unrelated CI timeout passed in
isolation.
- The full PR CI matrix passed after one rerun of that unrelated
timeout.
- Greptile passed with zero new comments and no unresolved review
threads.

## Risks

- Low risk. The change only affects due timer claims.
- If enqueue fails after the claim, the next timer attempt waits for one
interval. This is safer than duplicate agent execution.
- No schema, migration, API, UI, or dependency changes are included.

> 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 exact deployment ID and
context-window size are not exposed to this runtime. Agentic reasoning,
shell tools, code execution, and GitHub operations were enabled.

## 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>
2026-07-31 17:30:41 -07:00
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