## Thinking Path > - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for work > - A repository project gets its working files from core staging or from a workspace storage plugin > - #20459 reported that an installed storage plugin attached every new repository project, so sandbox agents could not use those projects > - #20587 fixed creation with an **Available in** choice that selects storage > - #20651 then saved an environment on every new project and used it before the agent default to place runs. That solved a problem that did not exist: the project needs storage, not a run environment > - Creation saves the first environment of the chosen group, so a project silently sends every agent's runs to that environment. Project Configuration also shows two controls (Environment and Workspace storage) for one decision > - This pull request removes the project run environment and makes storage the only placement choice a project owns. Storage is fixed at creation > - The benefit is that runs follow the agent again, and project settings show one clear, read-only fact about storage ## Linked Issues or Issue Description Refs #20459. Follow-up to #20587 and #20651. Refs #11644. That issue asks for a project-level run environment override. This pull request removes the override that #20651 added for it, because the override is not necessary to fix #20459. #11644 stays a separate feature request. Related: #18176 (open) repairs placement through the legacy workspace-policy field. This pull request does not restore project placement, so it conflicts with the direction of #18176. ## What Changed - **Remove the project run environment.** Migration `0466` drops `projects.environment_id`. Run placement no longer reads the project. Runs use the agent default, then the instance default, then local execution. The low-trust task sandbox and the enforced sandbox policies keep their precedence. - **Keep the #20651 recovery and binding guards.** A recovered run still uses its admitted environment lease (source `run`). Company-binding checks before admission and during lease creation stay. - **Keep the creation choice.** **Available in** in New Project still selects storage. It still shows only when the environments need more than one storage owner. That can only occur when a storage plugin is installed. `POST /projects` with `environmentId` selects the storage of that environment and does not save the environment. - **Fix storage at creation.** `PATCH /projects/:id` rejects any storage change with `409 project_storage_locked`, from core to a plugin and from a plugin to core. Before, a core project could move to a plugin. - **Drop legacy writes.** Older clients can still send `executionWorkspacePolicy.environmentId`. The service removes it on create and update. - **Simplify Project Configuration.** Remove the Environment and Workspace storage selectors. Show an advisory **Available in** list of the environments that can use the project's storage. Show it when a storage plugin is installed or when the project uses one. When the project's plugin is not installed, show **Storage plugin unavailable**. Without a storage plugin, show nothing. - **Issue workspace card.** Remove the "project default" environment label. - **Shared contract.** Remove `Project.environmentId`, the `environmentId` project field, and `expectedStorageProviderPluginId` from the update schema. The create schema keeps `environmentId` and `expectedStorageProviderPluginId` from #20587. - **Docs and maps.** Update `doc/project-environment-compatibility.md`, `docs/api/goals-and-projects.md`, and the project feature and agent-access maps. - **SDK source pins.** Refresh `tests/runner-e2e/source-sdk-public-inputs.json` for the two shared files. The shared file blobs return to their values before #20651. The refresh also corrects the `pnpm-lock.yaml` pin and `lockSha256`: `master` pins an older lockfile blob than the one it contains. ## Verification - Targeted server suites pass (227 tests): `project-environments`, `project-workspace-provider.integration`, `heartbeat/environment-selection`, `execution-workspace-policy`, `environment-selection-route-guards`, `environment-run-orchestrator`, `openapi-routes`. - Related server suites pass (349 tests): `environment-service`, `environment-routes`, `plugin-workspaces.integration`, `issues-service`. - Targeted UI suites pass: `ProjectProperties.concurrency`, `IssueWorkspaceCard`, `NewProjectDialog`, `NewProjectDialog.managed-sandbox`, `ProjectDetail`. - New tests: - Creation saves storage, not an environment. Core and plugin projects both reject a storage change with `project_storage_locked`. - A legacy policy `environmentId` is dropped on create and update. - A new run follows the agent default for any project. A recovered run keeps its admitted lease after the agent default changes. - Project Configuration has no storage or environment selector. The note is hidden without a plugin. It lists the core or plugin environments for the project's storage. It shows **Storage plugin unavailable** for a removed plugin. - `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server typecheck`, `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/ui typecheck`, and `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/shared typecheck` pass. - `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/db check:migrations`, `pnpm check:token-gates`, `node scripts/check-maps.mjs`, and `node tests/runner-e2e/source-sdk-public-inputs.mjs <HEAD> --check` pass. - Not run locally: the full `pnpm test:run`, `pnpm build`, and browser suites. CI supplies that coverage. - Manual check: open Project Configuration on an instance with a storage plugin. Confirm that there is no Environment or Workspace storage selector, and that **Available in** lists the environments. ## Risks - **Migration.** `0466` drops `projects.environment_id` and its foreign key. The migration deletes the saved project environments. Apply it before you serve the new revision. An old server revision that reads `projects` fails until it stops. This is the same pattern as earlier drop-column migrations (`0229`, `0289`). - **Behavior change for existing projects.** Projects created after #20651 shipped have a saved environment that overrides the agent. After this change, their runs follow the agent default again. This is the intended fix. Before #20651, a project environment selection was not applied to runs (#11644), so no older behavior is lost. - **No path from core to a plugin.** A core project, including one created before a plugin was installed, cannot move to the plugin. To use plugin storage, create a new project. - **API.** A `PATCH` that sends `environmentId` or `expectedStorageProviderPluginId` no longer has an effect. The schema strips these fields. > 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 - Claude Opus 5.5 (`claude-opus-5-5`) by Anthropic, in Claude Code, with tool use (shell, file edits, test runs). Extended thinking was available. ## 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 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code) --------- Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Paperclip maps
The maps describe the same capabilities from two perspectives:
- Feature map: what a person can do, where to reach it, and how to verify the user journey. Preserve its Poteto format.
- Agent access map: the APIs and agent entry points for those capabilities, their permission boundaries, and access verification.
The chat scenario catalog adds natural-language requests, starting context and expected conversational outcomes for the same capability IDs. It lives with Product E2E as planning data; a scenario reference is neither a registered execution nor evidence that a journey passed.
These are sibling directories under maps/. Each feature file has a same-named
agent access companion. Reuse the product map's sub-feature IDs, so tasks/create
identifies the same capability in both maps. Product behavior remains governed by
the code and its tests; a map cannot grant authority or redefine a permission
denial as success.
Capability identifiers
The feature ID is the recipe filename without .md, such as onboarding.
The full capability ID joins that feature ID and a Sub-features key with /:
the company key in feature-map/onboarding.md is onboarding/company.
Its agent-access-map/onboarding.md companion uses the same local company key.
The feature-map index lists the existing
feature and full capability IDs.
Each child page states Feature ID: `onboarding`. after its introduction or
product-map link. In feature recipes, show the full ID beside the parsed local
key: - `company`: `onboarding/company` — create a company. In access
companions and Storybook verification guidance, keep the existing local heading
and put Capability ID: `onboarding/company`. beneath it. These labels make
the existing identifiers visible without changing keys, anchors, or ID generation.
Use full capability IDs in cross-feature references, Storybook annotations, tests, issues, PRs, and verification evidence. Both segments use lowercase letters, digits, and hyphens. Keep filenames and keys stable when display titles or navigation labels change; renaming either changes the capability ID.
Entry-point IDs describe a surface, such as web-wizard, and are scoped to their
recipe. Reference them with a recipe link, such as
onboarding.md#web-wizard, and record the
capability exercised separately. Navigation section labels are not capability IDs.
See IDs and references for examples.
Access contract
Every business operation needs both an API and a usable agent entry point for an
actor authorized to perform it. A dedicated tool is optional when REST, the CLI,
an assigned MCP client, or native search_api / call_api already provides the
operation. Record which agent surfaces actually have that path; an installed CLI
or optional MCP package cannot be assumed available to every native/remote run.
Track these independently:
| Dimension | Values and meaning |
|---|---|
| API | present, missing, not-applicable, or unreviewed. Use exact methods/paths; distinguish protocols from REST. |
| Agent access | available, partial, missing, restricted, operator-only, not-applicable, or unreviewed. Name the supported surface and actual entry point. |
| Policy | Actor, action/grant, company/resource/ownership scope, responsible-user intersection, run requirements, work modes, and gates relevant to the operation. |
| Evidence | source-only, verified, failed, blocked, or not-run. Source presence and successful board calls are not agent verification. |
| Review depth | baseline records representative operations and known gaps; operation-reviewed enumerates the capability's meaningful operations and their individual access contracts. |
Broad capabilities such as task properties must be split into operations before they count as operation-reviewed: renaming, metadata edits, assignment, dependencies, and lifecycle changes can use different tools and permission rules. An available read path cannot certify a write path. List/get/create/update/delete, execution/control, credential handling, and resolution are separate where their authority or transport differs. Do not duplicate request schemas from OpenAPI.
Exceptions and restrictions
Presentation-only state, static developer fixtures, and pre-start/local operator
work may use not-applicable for a domain API, with a concrete reason and the
existing local path. When a capability combines shared data with presentation,
split the operations: browser recents do not exempt resource lookup from API
coverage. Promoting local state to a shared feature requires revisiting the entry.
A board-only endpoint is restricted for agent identity, not an automatic
exception or a missing API. Cite the enforced policy and record whether the
agent can request the authorized human's action and observe its result. An
unresolved delegation question remains in Gaps. Company access, a job title,
a personal assistant's OAuth grant, or an accepted interaction does not grant
board identity. Keep budget, approval, secret and execution authority intact.
Check actual route/service authorization and production tool admission. OpenAPI actor labels and scenario/evaluation tool declarations are supporting metadata; record disagreements rather than using them as proof of access. Native API fallback restrictions, tool field/scope limits, and rollout settings are part of the agent path, even when a legacy agent can call the REST endpoint directly.
Companion file format
Each agent-access-map/<area>.md has an H1, a relative link to its product file,
and its feature ID, followed by one H2 backticked local key per product
sub-feature. Each capability starts with its full capability ID and contains
these fields:
- Review:
baselineoroperation-reviewed. - API: presence state and exact operation IDs, or a reasoned exception.
- Agent access: availability state and concrete entry points by surface.
- Policy: relevant permission and runtime boundaries, with source references.
- Evidence: evidence state, reviewed commit and sources or executed proof.
- Verification: allowed/denied assertions and observable result; record what has actually run separately from the proposed recipe.
- Gaps: missing APIs/paths, discovery drift, unreviewed operations or policy
decisions; use
noneonly for the enumerated scope that was reviewed.
For an operation-reviewed capability, use H3 backticked operation IDs and repeat
API, Agent access, Policy, Evidence, Verification and Gaps for each operation.
Use small operation names such as create, update, read, or run-now.
The enclosing capability has Review: operation-reviewed only after its
meaningful operations have been enumerated. The following excerpt shows one
operation; include the others before using that review label:
## `definition`
Review: `operation-reviewed`.
### `create`
API: `present` — POST /api/companies/{companyId}/routines.
Agent access: `available` — agent REST, CLI routine create and native call_api
under the enabled rollout and active-run/mode gates.
Policy: same company; assigneeAgentId must be the calling agent; cite the
routine authorization and native API policy sources.
Evidence: `source-only` — reviewed commit and source links; no live proof.
Verification: `not-run` — create an owned routine; reject assignment to another
agent; inspect saved configuration, attribution and retry behavior.
Gaps: verify ownership and responsible-user resolution with a permitted agent
context; source presence alone does not qualify this operation.
Keeping the maps synchronized
Add entries only for substantial new features under the feature-map scope rule. Routine fixes, polish, refactors, performance work, and test changes do not require map updates. Correct or remove existing text only when behavior or access changes make it materially inaccurate; keep the correction local to the affected recipe or companion. Preserve IDs across renames where the capability is unchanged; update the affected cross-links together. Indexes discover recipes automatically. An API-only change may update the companion without rewriting unchanged user instructions. Update the corresponding chat scenarios when their request, assumptions or expected outcome changes; use multiple cases for meaningfully different starting conditions rather than treating an API path as conversational coverage.
maintain-verification-skill owns reconciliation of both maps. It follows changed source and authorization, checks real agent reachability, and records product gaps without implementing them during a maintenance pass. The creation skill uses this structure. verify-paperclip consumes the relevant recipes and reports evidence/drift; map editing belongs to maintenance.
Run the structural check after map changes:
node scripts/check-maps.mjs
It checks paired areas/IDs, navigation metadata, required fields, and local references. It does not certify endpoint authorization, production bindings, operation completeness, or live behavior. Source audits must check those against the existing API and tool contracts; avoid a second schema catalog or runtime.
For live access proof, use Paperclip's existing API/runner/MCP fixtures or an owned
isolated instance. Use the actual agent identity, target and work mode. Assert the
allowed result and relevant denial (another company/private resource, wrong
owner, missing grant, invalid run, restricted mode or resolver). Mutations also
need persisted state/attribution and retry behavior. Capture evidence using the
existing artifact workflow; keep executed run results
separate from generated maps/generated/coverage.json, which lists page references.
Local authorship and generated indexes
Change only the recipes, access contracts and stories whose behavior or intent
changed. Feature recipes own navigation metadata; stories own small
parameters.paperclip annotations. Keep the feature-map README's readable ID
index aligned with those sources; it does not register entries for generation.
Do not refresh counts in shared READMEs, inventories, fingerprints or review
journals.
node scripts/storybook-catalog.mjs validates and generates aggregate navigation,
Storybook data, verification routes and the page inventory. All outputs live in
ignored maps/generated/, ui/storybook/generated/, and the ignored Storybook
preview.tsx wrapper. Start/build and UI typechecking generate their own inputs.
A clean merged checkout therefore assembles both branches' changes automatically.
Git provides history and diffs. PRs, issues and CI artifacts retain review/run evidence for the named revision. Capability associations do not create whole-file review dependencies. Keep durable scenario limits in the affected recipe or story.