## Thinking Path > - Paperclip is the open source control plane for agent companies. > - People choose a harness when creating an agent. > - The server should resolve that harness to a qualified runner. > - Codex is the first harness in the staged default rollout. > - Saved agents must retain their execution choices. > - New Codex agents therefore use Paperclip Runner on qualified macOS/Linux targets, with an explicit Legacy override. ## Linked Issues or Issue Description Refs #16028, #15555, #15673, #15422, #15631, #15926, #15932, #16149. The runtime/install prerequisite and release repair are merged. This slice owns Codex creation, setup, configuration and preservation. Other harness defaults remain unchanged. It adds no database migration; incoming master migrations, required maps and regression coverage are retained. ## What Changed - Resolve `runner: auto | paperclip | legacy` at the common creation boundary across onboarding, API/CLI, hires, built-ins, plugins and imports. Freeze pending hires and export resolved execution choices. - Preserve existing runners on upgrades, unrelated edits and import updates, including compatible accounts, workspace settings, Codex effort and intentional clears. - Use the underlying harness picker and branding; put the runner override in Advanced. Use the shared dropdown and update production-component stories and creation contracts. - Support qualified Apple Silicon, Intel Mac, Linux x64 and Linux ARM64. Linux requires GNU libc 2.39+. Disabled, external, unsupported and unqualified combinations retain their applicable Legacy execution. - Test the selected runtime/account/model/environment. Ordinary Connect probes eligible immutable managed targets and refreshes scoped discovery. Creation/discovery do not provision. Auth, dependency, incompatible-setting and cleanup failures remain actionable without changing runners. - Keep setup probes read-only, preserve local/SSH isolation and resolve packaged assets before staging credentials. Bound cleanup reads by the remaining absolute deadline; physically close every owned ingress socket before endpoint release. Unconfirmed cleanup retains recovery state. - Preserve validated completed-onboarding callbacks through startup recovery. First file-producing work belongs to the child task and uses the existing dependency/block handoff and task-scoped registration. - Reuse existing E2E fixtures, artifact checks, reporting and controls. Keep Docker/Cargo/native compilation remote. Paperclip tarballs contain no Codex payloads; official optional npm platform dependencies remain. ## Verification Current tested head: `1c03a8815672d82c264a9b08d4ea1984e8fae107`. **Merge-ready: required CI, fresh review, package qualification, Mac core acceptance and Test task/follow-up acceptance pass.** The existing attachment and native-continuity oracles independently verify both Test downloads, run attribution and unchanged native/provider/workspace identities. The maintainer authorized a code-owner-review exception for this PR only. The first Test setup failure and normal Board completion-review friction are retained below. Actual post-merge packages and private Cloud distribution remain separate qualification gates. - [Current CI](https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/actions/runs/38564241625): all 48 ordinary jobs and required verify/E2E pass. Attempt 1 retained six simultaneous host-shutdown cancellations. One failed-only retry passes those six lanes and two aggregates, preserving 40 successes. Actual integration checkout `53104c1` combines this head with master `c80`; it is not relabeled as the branch tree. Fresh exact-head Greptile 5/5, 30 resolved threads, no actionable findings. - [Exact-source package qualification](https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/actions/runs/38565287239): nine applicable jobs pass, nine conditional jobs skip. Four remote native producers; Linux x64 clean install; Intel Mac, Apple Silicon and Linux ARM64 native startup/physical cleanup controls. All 18 tarballs/four daemon source/hash/manifest bindings and 343 migrations through 0344 verify. No Codex payload is packed. These hosted tarballs are not a published npm canary. - Normal Apple Silicon installation and credential-free native startup/cleanup pass using the packaged daemon, with no source build or provider turn. Fresh installed DB initialization passes. Upgrade 651a→1c03 preserves all three complete execution configs, accounts, ten recorded run profiles, paused budgets, active incidents, cost summaries and two historical unpriced events. Historical recovery state is retained. - Cleanup regressions: four delayed-read baseline failures become 15 passing deadline/authority controls. No-acknowledgement and prior-error socket ownership regressions become 12 passing controls. Direct runtime/server types, maps: 35 areas / 176 IDs, diff checks and independent reviews pass. Permission/auth/reconnect policy and the 10-second setup budget remain intact. - Existing source coverage includes creation/selection/imports, pending approvals, recovery, account/lifecycle handling, mounted forms, dropdowns and E2E support. Full typechecks/tests/build/token and applicable Storybook checks pass in the recorded current CI; no duplicate suite or weakened grader. - Literal 9546 live Mac proof: ordinary Auto Codex onboarding, useful document, real completed-child callback/reply, seven successful native runs, manual follow-up and independently downloaded1,101-byte child file. Existing Legacy title edit/reload preserves execution; two real Legacy runs produce independently checked15/34-byte files. These remain historical source records. - Current literal 1c03 Mac core acceptance passes independent checks: ordinary Auto native Codex onboarding without runner override; only timeout 180 seconds/concurrency 1 saved; six successful native runs and six serialized turns (maximum overlap 1); both same-task continuity checks and five mechanical callback checks; actual rendered parent reply and exact child downloads. The useful handoff advances from revision 1 to 2. Both files are 48 bytes, SHA-256 `8b742bd4e8123a7c078f0a8d9f3449fbfa8a320d7d90be641a2818db3c53d92c` and `f42db9774fa06e804ab7d596fc8b922a2b638921c418b87d0111151d290a6afe`; exactly one byte changes and old history remains. The agent is paused with zero active runs/errors. Both artifact work products have `isPrimary=false`, and descriptive titles fail a stricter title-helper assumption; these retained results are scoped editorial follow-up, not new merge gates. Six source-bound screenshots are uploaded and verified in the private primary QA report. - [Literal 9546 managed proof](https://d1p6rlowie26tp.cloudfront.net/runner-e2e/campaigns/gha-38485488621-1/index.html): original 19 assertions and completed judge pass, four native turns, child-bound240-byte file and session/workspace continuity. Checkout reports a verified generated target-lock mutation; full final porcelain was not retained. Signed execution-image identity remains separate from Core source. - Actual 651a Test deployment succeeds on one owned/pinned target. One ordinary Auto API-key Connect then fails native cleanup before hire. Controller turn/drain/suspend completion and service-recorded environment cleanup are observed; they do not certify physical deletion or native authority retirement. Failure/recovery/unknown holds are retained. No Legacy switch or unchanged paid retry. The two source repairs above require actual treatment. - [Current immutable Core preview](https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/actions/runs/38570365725) and matching DB/shared artifacts pass. One owned, pinned Test target serves exact `1c03`; identical migration history correctly skips the migrator. Ordinary Auto Codex Connect succeeds and hires native; saved native selection and QA bounds survive reload. The initial child preparation attempt fails before provider work, with actual stdout identifying `renewal_deadline`; its trigger remains unknown and the failure is retained. Normal Board **Try again** and **Resume** recover the child to Done, producing a browser-verified 44-byte file, SHA-256 `0a8458b1efcc2d7a0d815689458c4caab039a46c7c7a3e5805de6bc8b1a96ecc`. The actual parent callback reports the completed child document/file. The existing validator requires a parent-owned attachment, so recovery enters normal Review; after byte checking, normal **Approve completion** reaches parent Done. No forced status or duplicate parent file is used. The validator is unchanged from integrated and current master. Autonomous initial callback-to-Done is not proven. The same-child follow-up completes document revision 2 and publishes a second independently downloaded 44-byte file, SHA-256 `22022257300fae762784632d08d3bbe0bab61e2ce81f91864a14dcd7aa464591`; only the revision digit changes. The unchanged existing native-continuity and attachment oracles pass. All ten recorded runs are terminal: nine native successes and the retained pre-provider setup failure. The QA agent is paused with zero active runs. The pre-existing parent evidence scope mismatch is a separate follow-up, with ordinary completion review exercised rather than a forced status or relaxed validation. This unsigned Core preview remains distinct from post-merge private Cloud composition. ## Risks - Saved agents are not migrated. Explicit runner changes use normal configuration/session rules; historical runs retain their recorded execution. - Native readiness depends on verified assets and server-owned target qualification. A Legacy probe, HTTP200 or successful account save cannot prove native readiness. - Recovery exceptions remain restricted to validated completed-onboarding reports; process-loss, ownership and terminal-state safeguards remain active. Unexecuted live journeys stay open. - Linux ARM paid tasks, Windows, Alpine and 32-bit ARM remain deferred. Cold Cargo cache misses are recorded; no warm-cache speedup is claimed. - Historical invoices/physical cleanup remain unconfirmed and held. After merge, exact published npm canary, signed standard image/migrator, private composition and serving/live acceptance still require qualification. Production deployment/default promotion is not authorized. ## Model Used OpenAI Codex, GPT-6 family, with reasoning, tools, code execution and parallel agents. Exact serving snapshot and context-window size are not exposed. ## Checklist - [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context to this change - [x] I have specified the model used with available 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 linked public issues or PRs above - [x] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or links - [x] My branch name describes the change and contains no internal ticket id - [x] I have run the stated focused tests locally and they pass - [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable - [x] I have updated relevant documentation - [x] I have considered and documented risks - [x] All Paperclip CI gates are green on the current candidate - [x] Greptile is 5/5 with no open findings on the current candidate - [x] I will address all reviewer comments before requesting merge --------- Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
12 KiB
Hiring, agent configuration, and organization — agent access
Product map: Hiring, agent configuration, and organization.
Review date: 2026-10-12. Source commit: 58e16dbddfc9c8d0cf60867f9d9847f0feda055b.
Native REST transport reconciled in this change; see the
shared transport contract.
This is a source-reviewed baseline of representative operations and known gaps. Each capability needs operation-level review before its entire scope can be qualified. No live agent execution is claimed. Follow the map contract for format, permission checks, evidence and maintenance.
Scoped runner-default source review: 2026-10-12 at
eee0534154eaf5d0d3f2bbc97c1e24d86f34a5a5, limited to creation/configuration,
approval activation, built-in provisioning and import preservation described
below. The original baseline commit above still governs unrelated entries; this
update does not claim operation-complete review or live agent verification.
hire
Review: baseline.
API: present — representative operation IDs:
POST /api/companies/{companyId}/agent-hires.POST /api/companies/{companyId}/agents.
Agent access: partial — Native hire_agent; REST / CLI agent; runtime inheritance for
native hires.
Policy: Agent creation/configuration uses action grants, resource policies and change consent; some controls require a board actor.
The creation boundary resolves the request-level runner before adapter validation
and credential normalization. Omitted/automatic new Codex selection uses the
qualified target's default; explicit Legacy is retained. Disabled adapters and
external overrides affect new selection, while missing credentials/runtime or
incompatible settings remain errors. Existing agents and reviewed pending hires
retain their recorded execution. Native hire_agent explicitly inherits its
caller's runtime and remains subject to permission and credential restrictions;
it is not an arbitrary host-configuration or login tool. REST/CLI creation and
hire runner options use the shared request contract.
Evidence: source-only — implementation at
the reviewed commit above.
Scoped Evidence: source-only — creation policy,
runner resolution,
native hire binding,
frozen approval activation
and same-harness import preservation
at the scoped commit. No permitted-agent journey was executed for this map update.
Verification: not-run — exercise a listed permitted operation with actual agent
credentials/run context; inspect its result and applicable persistence/attribution.
Assert the relevant denied actor, owner, company or mode from Policy. Review the
remaining operations before qualifying the whole capability.
For this scope, compare automatic and explicit Legacy creation, assert foreign company/environment and missing-grant denials, then compare pending approval configuration across restart and activation. An unrelated edit/import update must not change existing execution; a new package without a runner choice receives creation defaults. Do not count a board call or component test as agent evidence.
Gaps: Identity/persona hiring works. Operator account login and sensitive adapter/environment configuration are separate guarded actions.
The runner request does not grant new account, environment-probe or native API fallback authority; see validation access and environment administration. Full access qualification remains not run.
instructions
Review: baseline.
API: present — representative operation IDs:
GET /api/agents/{id}/instructions-bundle/file.PUT /api/agents/{id}/instructions-bundle/file.
Agent access: available — Native read/update/history/restore instruction tools; REST /
CLI.
Policy: Agent creation/configuration uses action grants, resource policies and change consent; some controls require a board actor.
Evidence: source-only — implementation at
the reviewed commit above.
Verification: not-run — exercise a listed permitted operation with actual agent
credentials/run context; inspect its result and applicable persistence/attribution.
Assert the relevant denied actor, owner, company or mode from Policy. Review the
remaining operations before qualifying the whole capability.
Gaps: Canonical entry file, revision guard, company boundary, and protected-change policy apply.
organization
Review: baseline.
API: present — representative operation IDs:
GET /api/companies/{companyId}/org.PATCH /api/agents/{id}.
Agent access: available — list_agents/get_agent; native call_api for permitted
configuration fields; REST / CLI.
Policy: Agent creation/configuration uses action grants, resource policies and change consent; some controls require a board actor.
Evidence: source-only — implementation at
the reviewed commit above.
Verification: not-run — exercise a listed permitted operation with actual agent
credentials/run context; inspect its result and applicable persistence/attribution.
Assert the relevant denied actor, owner, company or mode from Policy. Review the
remaining operations before qualifying the whole capability.
Gaps: Reporting-line changes need configuration authorization; a title alone gives no authority.
lifecycle
Review: baseline.
API: present — representative operation IDs:
POST /api/agents/{id}/pause.POST /api/agents/{id}/resume.POST /api/agents/{id}/terminate.
Agent access: partial — REST / native call_api resume under agent_config:update
change-grant authorization; pause and termination remain board-only.
Policy: Agent creation/configuration uses action grants, resource policies and change consent; some controls require a board actor.
Evidence: source-only — implementation at
the reviewed commit above.
Verification: not-run — exercise a listed permitted operation with actual agent
credentials/run context; inspect its result and applicable persistence/attribution.
Assert the relevant denied actor, owner, company or mode from Policy. Review the
remaining operations before qualifying the whole capability.
Gaps: Resume has a generic native REST path. Pause and termination remain enforced actor restrictions.
built-in
Review: baseline.
API: present — representative operation IDs:
POST /api/companies/{companyId}/built-in-agents/{key}/provision.
Agent access: partial — REST / native fallback for eligible provisioning; built-in
routine controls require board.
Policy: Agent creation/configuration uses action grants, resource policies and change consent; some controls require a board actor.
Evidence: source-only — implementation at
the reviewed commit above.
Verification: not-run — exercise a listed permitted operation with actual agent
credentials/run context; inspect its result and applicable persistence/attribution.
Assert the relevant denied actor, owner, company or mode from Policy. Review the
remaining operations before qualifying the whole capability.
Gaps: Provisioning checks agents:create. Enabling/running its built-in routine is not the same permission path.
Scoped source review: built-in provisioning recognizes the underlying Codex harness of a native company agent. New configured provisioning resolves the runner, while unrelated reconciliation and same-harness edits retain existing execution. Verify explicit runner changes preserve compatible saved settings; the general creation/access policy above still applies. This is source-only evidence at the scoped commit, not a live provisioning result.
primary-agent
Review: baseline.
API: present — GET and PUT /api/companies/{companyId}/primary-agent/me.
Agent access: restricted — this is the authenticated human's personal
preference. Agent keys and native call_api use agent identity and are denied by
the board gate; no dedicated agent selection tool is present.
Policy: Requires board user identity, company access and active membership, except implicit-local board or instance administrator. Viewers may choose their own primary. Selection requires a same-company readable, available agent and is scoped to actor user ID; the request cannot select another user's preference. Explicit null selection is rejected; leave/termination can clear an unavailable choice. Initialization stays recorded so clearing does not silently replace it.
Evidence: source-only — reviewed on 2026-10-13 at
60bc0d5fee9a6e48db08fc016521fee3d9f57d67:
routes,
service,
provider, and
route tests.
Verification: not-run — select and read the preference as two company users;
assert isolation, wrong-company/unreadable targets, pending/terminated agent
rejection and agent-key denial. Verify replacement confirmation and fallback
precedence in the UI; inspect the cleared state after permitted leave/termination.
Gaps: No agent mutation path for another person's preference. Live human/agent access is unverified; UI fixture callbacks do not establish persistence or task and Chat default resolution.
grok-bot
Review: baseline.
API: present — POST /api/companies/{companyId}/grok-invitations, operator-owned Grok invitations and agent-scoped /grok-binding setup, routine, verify, stop, recover and disconnect endpoints. Direct HTTPS /mcp/runner uses fixed named-agent OAuth. Grok tools expose durable assignment operations and task-bound upload/download grants.
Agent access: available — paperclip_grok_* through the dedicated agent grant. First-party Paperclip operations execute through the shared Rust Runner. The Bot retains its own apps; Paperclip workspace and third-party app tools are unavailable.
Policy: company/agent/client/resource/authorizer binding; current manage-agent permission for consent and subsequent calls; normal task ownership, controller lease, governance, pause, revocation and recorded budget checks. Execution and file transfers require current task-bound sessions. Secret credentials remain in encrypted secret storage and are redacted from HTTP logs.
Evidence: source-only — routes, shared authority, routine receipts and Runner broker. Temporary actual-client OAuth and an outbound routine wake are qualified separately; they do not prove this candidate’s acceptance.
Verification: not-run — deployed acceptance pending; focused protocol/authorization and actual Rust backend tests; run fresh/saved setup, assigned and proactive tasks, duplicate calls, stale sessions, restart, ambiguous delivery, stop and recovery through the real client on the serving managed candidate.
Gaps: deployed two-way work and unattended first-time onboarding remain unqualified; remote termination, provider transcript streaming and usage accounting are unavailable.