## Thinking Path > - Paperclip connects agent accounts and prepares their execution environments. > - A managed sandbox image can outlive the model defaults shipped by the app. > - Claude setup skipped installation whenever a CLI was already on PATH. > - The selected model then failed its minimum-version check after sign-in succeeded. > - This pull request prepares a compatible private CLI before testing or running it. > - Cloud onboarding also stops asking customers to run inaccessible shell commands. ## Linked Issues or Issue Description **What happened?** A new managed Cloud stack completed Claude subscription sign-in. Its environment test then failed because the snapshot contained Claude Code 2.1.263, while the selected `claude-opus-5-5` model requires 2.1.280. The screen displayed Manual debug commands that a hosted customer cannot run. **Expected behavior** Paperclip prepares its managed runtime before testing the selected account. A stale image CLI does not require the customer to upgrade a server package. Failed preparation still blocks hiring. Cloud does not display manual shell debugging. **Steps to reproduce** 1. Start a managed sandbox with Claude Code 2.1.263 on PATH. 2. Connect a Claude subscription and select `claude-opus-5-5` on the CLI lane. 3. Connect the agent. Installation is skipped because the command exists, then the version gate blocks the hello test. **Paperclip version or commit** Source baseline: `6204239cfc8c3be79fc185cf3f468ebaa0ab1e3e`. **Deployment mode** Authenticated managed Cloud with a Daytona named snapshot. The correction also applies to the default CLI in other managed sandbox transports. Related work: Refs #14993 sets model/runtime requirements; Refs #15993 changes native defaults on qualified targets. Neither prepares an outdated default sandbox CLI on this path. Searches found no open duplicate. ## What Changed - Check the actual default CLI against the selected model's existing minimum version. - When a sandbox's default command is outdated, install the exact required npm package into a private versioned workspace prefix. Reuse a compatible private installation. Keep the image's global CLI intact. - Verify the private executable and use that same command for the account hello test and normal CLI runs, with matching command metadata. Probe effort support after preparing that executable so the chosen effort is retained. Keep the model, account, engine and permissions unchanged. - Return safe preparation checks to environment tests and normal run logs, distinguishing installation failure causes without returning raw installer output or credential-bearing URLs. - Exclude provider and Paperclip credentials from the installer environment. Preserve the existing failing version gate if installation or verification cannot succeed. Local, SSH and explicit custom commands remain operator-managed. - Hide Manual debug and legacy operator check hints on Cloud and while deployment metadata is unknown; preserve check messages and details. Retain self-hosted help and the detailed failed checks. Cloud copy asks for a retry instead of asking the customer to repair the environment. - Add subprocess-backed runtime controls, an account-probe regression and mounted Cloud/self-hosted wizard controls. Update development guidance and the affected capability maps. ## Verification - Passed all Claude source suites and the server Claude execution suite on head `c941ae44c22d8dafec0df033a129e39ce4ebd966`: **412 passed**, one existing opt-in test skipped. These include the new command/effort ordering, safe installer diagnostics, environment forwarding and run-log regressions. - On final head `0ecae0e9304f495a57524158b3700b8e9bc21cb8`, passed **208 tests** across all 174 mounted onboarding wizard tests and 34 Claude execution tests. The failure fixture includes the real command-bearing hint, and execution asserts both metadata command fields agree. - Passed `pnpm -r typecheck`, `pnpm build`, `pnpm check:token-gates`, `node scripts/check-maps.mjs` and `git diff --check`. Full typecheck and build were repeated successfully on final head `0ecae0e9304f495a57524158b3700b8e9bc21cb8`. [Latest-head CI](https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/actions/runs/39879208694) is green: 54 checks passed and two skipped, including browser E2E and serialized database suites. - The new runtime controls execute real subprocesses with a controlled installer. They cover an old CLI, an already compatible CLI, failed or ineffective installation, local/custom commands, and an unknown version. The probe regression asserts that the hello call uses the private executable. - A separate non-root local subprocess check installed the real npm `@anthropic-ai/claude-code@2.1.280` package. Its private command reported 2.1.280, the simulated image CLI remained 2.1.263, and a second preparation reused the private copy. This ran on macOS ARM64. It did not use a provider account, send a model prompt, or prove live Daytona behavior. - Attempted `pnpm test:run`. Embedded PostgreSQL initialization failed after five attempts on this Mac with `Postgres init script exited with code null`. The unchanged native-session database cases then failed. Stopped only that full-suite process tree after recording the repeated startup failure. No full local-suite pass is claimed; Linux CI must cover those tests. - The first new subprocess fixture had a quoting syntax error. It was corrected before the passing focused runs. The one-off real-package script first required an ESM extension correction, then passed. Logs retain both attempts. A new execution assertion initially inspected the final sandbox cleanup shell instead of the launched command; it now checks execution metadata. A broader directory selection also picked up generated `dist` tests whose Markdown fixtures are not copied by the build (two ENOENT failures). The explicit source-suite run above passes; no generated-test pass is claimed. - Apex review: **5/5**, reviewed final head `0ecae0e9304f495a57524158b3700b8e9bc21cb8`, all five earlier findings addressed and resolved, no new findings. - Merge, deployment and a fresh live Cloud subscription test are still required. No customer account or production runtime was changed by this branch. ## Risks - An outdated sandbox needs npm registry access and up to 120 seconds for one bounded installation attempt. A failed or unverified install continues to block execution. - The versioned package uses sandbox workspace storage. Compatible cached copies avoid repeat installation within that workspace. Existing runtime cleanup and sandbox lifecycle still apply. - The compatible version comes from the adapter's existing model-version contract. This does not add a model fallback or change the selected execution engine. - No schema, credential, permission, workflow or lockfile change. ## Model Used OpenAI Codex, based on GPT-6, assisted with implementation and verification. The exact serving model ID and context-window limit are not exposed in this session. Capabilities used: code editing, shell execution, API inspection and test execution. ## 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>
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Onboarding and first work — agent access
Product map: Onboarding and first work.
Feature ID: onboarding.
Review date: 2026-10-12. Source commit: f981fa3cc10cb8663a87dec60345fbff46d54d0a.
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 first-agent selection,
selected-runtime validation and draft restoration. Unrelated baseline entries
retain the original source commit; no live agent verification is added.
instance
Capability ID: onboarding/instance.
Review: baseline.
API: not-applicable — Bootstrapping an instance cannot depend solely on an API served
by that not-yet-running instance.
Agent access: operator-only — Existing CLI onboard/run/doctor / test-drive.
Policy: Instance setup is operator work; company creation is board; agent creation/task creation retain their individual permissions.
Evidence: source-only —
implementation at the reviewed
commit above.
Verification: not-run — exercise the listed local workflow in an authorized, owned
operator environment. Verify its isolation and result; do not count local machine
authority as company-agent API access.
Gaps: Bootstrapping an instance cannot depend solely on an API served by that not-yet-running instance.
company
Capability ID: onboarding/company.
Review: baseline.
API: present — representative operation IDs:
POST /api/companies.POST /api/companies/{companyId}/agents.
Agent access: partial — Board company creation; authorized in-company agent hiring
API.
Policy: Instance setup is operator work; company creation is board; agent creation/task creation retain their individual permissions.
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: API building blocks exist; an ordinary agent cannot create its parent company with a company key.
adapter
Capability ID: onboarding/adapter.
Review: baseline.
API: present — representative operation IDs:
GET /api/companies/{companyId}/adapters/{type}/models.POST /api/companies/{companyId}/adapters/{type}/test-environment.
Agent access: partial — Permitted agent/model API; operator
provider-account/environment setup.
Policy: Instance setup is operator work; company creation is board; agent creation/task creation retain their individual permissions.
The wizard selects the Codex harness and lets the server resolve an automatic
new-agent runner; explicit Legacy remains available. Supported-platform and
immutable sandbox evidence follow environment probe policy.
Creation/discovery do not provision a target to determine this default. Adapter
setup validation requires agents:create, plus saved-agent update access when
testing an existing agent; interactive account login additionally requires a
board user and owner-bound session. An agent's right to hire is not login or
instance-environment administration authority.
Scoped source-only runtime preparation: the existing authorized adapter test
prepares the default Claude CLI in its already acquired sandbox when the image
version is too old for the selected model. It installs a pinned package into a
workspace-private versioned prefix and verifies the executable before the hello
test. This adds no installation API, account grant, environment authority or
engine fallback. Cloud UI omits manual shell debugging and legacy operator hints
while retaining check messages and details. Local, SSH and custom
commands remain operator-managed. Controls:
runtime,
probe, and
wizard. Live managed
authorization and subscription execution remain not-run for this change.
For fresh managed Codex Auto setup, the wizard's explicit Connect path can call
POST /api/environments/{environmentId}/probe?companyId={companyId} before
selected-runtime testing, then refresh scoped adapter discovery. This reuses the
existing board instance-admin/local-implicit probe gate; agents:create alone
is insufficient. A 403, absent proof, changed configuration, missing response
identity or unconfirmed cleanup remains visible. No probe is added to creation
or discovery, no agent/company grant is broadened, and provider authentication
errors never cause an automatic runner switch.
Native setup derives outer sandbox isolation from the server-resolved execution target, as task execution does. This is an internal transport choice, not a request/configuration permission. Local and SSH setup keep Codex isolation; caller-supplied environment flags do not authorize an external sandbox. Existing company, account, probe and registration-cleanup gates still apply. The bounded hello probe retains read-only permissions and no dynamic tools. Its trusted launch skips project-instruction discovery in the new, empty setup workspace. This grants no filesystem or networking permission and does not change instruction discovery for ordinary task execution.
Scoped source review: 2026-10-13, exact baseline
1a0ca66242121e39d88455aa2b52a07acc4a07d9 plus the privately composed onboarding
correction. Wizard controls
and existing Product E2E observer controls
exercise mocked allowed/denied setup and sticky unknown cost coverage. They do
not prove live actor authorization or provider execution. The explicit manual
confirmation-replies.runner-codex.daytona.task-card-accept case requires an
eligible immutable OCI target and the existing probe authority, two identified
setup leases and separately authorized paid/cleanup reservations. Its fixture
neither prequalifies the environment nor creates the agent. Actual Cloud named
snapshot binding, warm/cold signup and live allowed/denied agent checks remain
not-run.
Evidence: source-only —
implementation at the reviewed
commit above.
Scoped Evidence: source-only — wizard/default selection,
creation resolver and
setup/login authorization at the scoped
commit. Existing agent/approval execution preservation follows
hiring access; no live onboarding proof is claimed here.
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: Account authorization, environment administration and model selection need separate checks.
Verify automatic onboarding without a post-hire runner change, explicit Legacy,
saved configuration after reload and the actual selected runtime's useful task
plus follow-up. Assert denied agent login/probe and foreign-company account or
environment access separately. These agent-context checks remain not-run.
first-task
Capability ID: onboarding/first-task.
Review: baseline.
API: present — representative operation IDs:
POST /api/companies/{companyId}/issues.
Agent access: available — Native create_task / agent REST / CLI issue.
Policy: Instance setup is operator work; company creation is board; agent creation/task creation retain their individual permissions.
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: Task creation is agent-accessible where permitted; scheduling/readiness does not follow from successful creation. The Codex first-task fixture's operator cost guard uses the existing board agent-configuration PATCH before admitting work. This is not evidence of agent permission to update its runtime; the listed agent-context checks remain not-run.
Scoped source review: 2026-10-13, the first-task asset correction against
ea6c8eb5e16d61111968f633a66748b397b64a3e. The existing
first-task instructions
send file-producing work through the child's own execution and existing
dependency/block controls. Native register_deliverable retains its current-task
binding; this adds no cross-task file-registration authority or permission.
Document-only work may use the existing child-document API inline, and plan-only
approval does not authorize implementation. The existing asset tests check
wording only. The literal baseline live attempt failed child-file delivery and
completion reporting; revised live authorization and execution remain not-run.
resume
Capability ID: onboarding/resume.
Review: baseline.
API: not-applicable — No server onboarding-draft API for this browser-local state;
classify explicitly or intentionally make it a cross-client product feature.
Agent access: not-applicable — Browser localStorage wizard draft; persisted resources
use their domain APIs.
Policy: Instance setup is operator work; company creation is board; agent creation/task creation retain their individual permissions.
Evidence: source-only —
implementation at the reviewed
commit above.
Verification: not-run — use the product recipe for the local/developer surface. Verify
listed shared-resource reads separately; local presentation alone is not agent API
evidence.
Gaps: No server onboarding-draft API for this browser-local state; classify explicitly or intentionally make it a cross-client product feature.
Scoped source review of draft restoration preserves harness/runner intent and invalidates obsolete setup-test results after a selection change. Browser draft continuity is not API or live-agent evidence, and opening a saved Legacy agent does not apply new-agent defaults.
The initial matching route opening preserves the authorized saved wizard step on bare and company-prefixed reloads. Explicit new-company or changed-company openings retain their navigation override and clear foreign company resource IDs. Existing component controls exercise these presentation and account boundaries. This scoped correction adds no server draft API, agent grant or proof of live actor authorization. The managed first-task eval still reloads before Get started and remains a separate live acceptance gate. The existing mocked-login browser case also checks the same company-scoped active session and saved selection through route reopening and a real reload, with one login start and no pending-login hire. These fixture assertions do not prove server authorization or live credential use.