## 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>
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Hiring, configuration, and organization
Operators hire agents, configure their identity and instructions, assign reporting relationships, and manage their lifecycle. Built-in agents have their own setup and lifecycle constraints.
Implementation: hiring, configuration, organization.
Agent access: companion.
Sub-features
hire: choose identity, harness, model, and required account settings; edit reporting relationships through the agent configuration afterward.grok-bot: experimental existing-Bot agent setup through remote OAuth, routine credentials, and an authenticated two-way challenge; current contact, stop and explicit recovery.instructions: edit agent configuration and instruction files with durable revisions.organization: inspect and change reporting relationships through supported controls.primary-agent: choose a personal primary agent for the company, confirm replacement, and inspect its roster/sidebar and task/chat defaults.lifecycle: pause/resume or retire an agent while preserving history.built-in: configure required agents without treating them as ordinary removable hires.
How to get to it (user POV)
hire-agent
Use New agent from the roster or /agents/new.
agent-configuration
Open /agents/:agentId and the configuration/instruction surfaces it exposes.
organization
Use the roster’s organization view; /org redirects to the roster in the streamlined shell.
personal-primary-agent
Open an agent profile and choose Set as my primary. Inspect its crown on the profile/roster and its position in the Agents sidebar, then open a new task or Chat.
Driving it with Playwright and the Paperclip CLI
Preconditions: follow the baseline. Use a disposable company and supported adapter; hiring may require a formal approval.
hire-agent
Automated: new agent page and configuration form cover mocked UI behavior.
Manual: Hire an agent with a distinct name and role. Complete any required approval, reload the roster, and open its configuration. Confirm manager, adapter, and model persisted; run a small task to prove execution readiness.
For a new Codex hire, choose the Codex harness. Automatic selection uses Paperclip Runner on a qualified selected target; Advanced offers an explicit Legacy runner override. Other harness defaults are unchanged. Record the persisted runner and underlying harness, rather than treating the displayed Codex name as execution proof. See runtime selection and validation and target qualification.
Repeat with an explicit Legacy Codex hire. If approval is required, compare its reviewed execution configuration before and after restart and activation; approval must retain the reviewed runner. Test an existing Legacy and native agent through an unrelated edit, reload and restart: neither is automatically upgraded.
Creation defaults also apply to API/CLI hires, built-ins, plugins and new team imports. Exports preserve resolved execution choices; a package without a runner choice uses the new-agent default, while updating an existing same-harness agent preserves its execution. For a native Codex import, edit a model or account binding and verify unchanged runtime settings survive; an explicit clear must stay cleared. Use the portability recipe for package preparation and boundaries.
The current hiring wizard assigns the first hire CEO and subsequent hires General reporting to the CEO. Change manager/role afterward through supported configuration. Process/HTTP agents can be created through API/CLI but are excluded from the hiring picker; API fixture creation does not prove this UI journey.
agent-configuration
Automated: instruction service and instruction revisions cover file/revision contracts.
Manual: Save a harmless instruction edit, reload, and verify its revision and effect in the next eligible run. Pause and resume the disposable agent; confirm pause prevents new work and does not erase previous runs.
An explicit runner change is a configuration change, with normal revisions and session invalidation. Incompatible settings must produce a field-specific error; selecting another runner must not silently discard them or change an active run's recorded execution. Keep runner choice in Advanced and verify the next eligible run separately from historical transcripts.
organization
Automated: org chart is component evidence. Built-in setup also has configuration modal tests.
Manual: Inspect a manager and report, change the relationship through the offered controls, and reload both views. Exercise a rejected invalid relationship. Configure a built-in agent and verify it retains its required identity and restrictions.
personal-primary-agent
Automated: primary-agent context and primary-agent routes cover selection, company/user scope, and request contracts.
Manual: Select an available agent, reload, and inspect the retained personal choice. Replace it and verify confirmation is required. Leave or terminate the selected agent through permitted controls and inspect the unavailable/cleared state. Switch company/user to check isolation. Open a task and Chat with a valid draft or recent selection; verify those explicit choices take precedence over the primary fallback. Opening Chat must not start execution.
Gotchas
- A roster entry is not proof of an authenticated or invokable adapter.
- Pending hires may live in approval/task surfaces rather than the active roster.
- Skill and tool grants are separate: see skills and app permissions.
- A personal primary agent is a per-user/company preference. It does not change reporting lines, stars, permissions, or another person's primary agent.
connect-grok-bot
Choose Invite an external agent → Grok Bot, identify the Bot by its desktop name, connect its remote MCP plugin, configure a webhook-only routine, and verify delivery plus authenticated reply. Save & exit resumes the same agent. Keep pairing codes in browser authorization and routine credentials in Paperclip’s fields. A working Bot web URL is not required.
Prerequisites: authenticated public HTTPS, Assistant connections (MCP), Paperclip Runner and Grok Bot experimental settings. Cloud uses its normal managed Runner environment. Provider usage is unknown. Routine uncertainty blocks new assignments until explicit inspection and recovery; stopping work revokes Paperclip authority without confirming remote termination.
Evidence: source implementation and focused protocol tests; real provider assigned/proactive workflows and deployed managed acceptance remain release gates.
Documentation scope: Agents, organization, and runtime setup
Per-harness/model/account capabilities, every instruction-file error, and complete built-in-agent lifecycle variants remain separate qualification matrices.