test pin


Create and push tag

git tag v{{version}} && git push origin main && git push origin v{{version}}


Test prefix bd


Add tests for helper functions (GetDirtyIssueHash, GetAllDependencyRecords, export hashes)

Several utility functions have 0% coverage:
- GetDirtyIssueHash (dirty.go)
- GetAllDependencyRecords (dependencies.go)
- GetExportHash, SetExportHash, ClearAllExportHashes (hash.go)

These are lower priority but should have basic coverage.


Merge: bd-indn

branch: polecat/rictus
target: main
source_issue: bd-indn
rig: beads


Add 'hooked' status for GUPP work assignment

## Summary

Separate the semantics of `pinned` (identity records) from work-on-hook (GUPP assignment).

**Current problem:** `pinned` is overloaded to mean both:
1. Agent identity beads (gt-mayor, gt-crew-gastown-max) - should never block
2. Work attached to an agent's hook - should block until closed

The blocking logic excludes `pinned` from blocking, which means work on hooks doesn't block its dependents.

## Semantic Split

| Status | Meaning | Blocks dependents? |
|--------|---------|-------------------|
| `pinned` | Domain table / identity record (agents, roles) | No |
| `hooked` | Work on an agent's hook (GUPP invoked) | Yes |

**Terminology:**
- **Pin** (verb): Establish a permanent identity record
- **Hook** (verb): Attach work to an agent's hook
- **Sling** (verb): The act of hooking work to an agent

## Lifecycles

**Molecule** (the work):
  open -> hooked -> closed

**Persistent agent** (Mayor, Witness, Crew):
  idle <-> working (cycles)
Agent bead stays pinned. Operational state derived from hook slot occupancy.

**Polecat** (ephemeral worker):
  spawned-with-work -> working -> despawning
Polecats never idle - spawned for one molecule, nuked after.

The `hooked` status belongs to the **molecule**, not the agent. Agent identity beads remain `pinned` throughout their existence.

## in_progress vs hooked

Both remain valid statuses with different semantics:
- `in_progress` = Soft claim, cooperative (humans juggling multiple issues)
- `hooked` = Hard claim, GUPP-driven (molecule on agent's hook)

Gas Town molecules use `hooked`. Humans/non-Gas Town workflows may use `in_progress`.

## Success Criteria

1. `hooked` is a valid status in beads schema
2. Blocking logic treats `hooked` as blocking (like `in_progress`)
3. gt sling sets status=hooked on the molecule (not pinned)
4. Existing pinned work items migrated to hooked where appropriate
5. Agent/role beads remain pinned and non-blocking


bd: Add town-level activity signal in PersistentPreRun

Add activity signaling to beads so Gas Town daemon can detect bd usage.

In cmd/bd/main.go PersistentPreRun, add a call to write activity to
the Gas Town daemon directory if running inside a Gas Town workspace.

The signal file is ~/gt/daemon/activity.json (or detected town root).

Format:
{
  "last_command": "bd create ...",
  "actor": "gastown/crew/max",
  "timestamp": "2025-12-26T19:30:00Z"
}

Should be best-effort (silent failure) to avoid breaking bd outside Gas Town.

Cross-rig ref: gastown gt-ws8ol (Deacon exponential backoff epic)


Update local installation

Update local bd to the new version.

Option 1 - Homebrew:
```bash
brew upgrade bd
```

Option 2 - Install script:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/steveyegge/beads/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
```

Verify:
```bash
bd --version
```

Should show 0.99.0-test.


Merge: ux-1766978911613

branch: polecat/Nux-1766978911613
target: main
source_issue: ux-1766978911613
rig: beads


Restart daemons

Restart bd daemons to pick up new version.

```bash
bd daemons killall
```

Daemons will auto-restart with new version on next bd command.

Verify:
```bash
bd daemons list
```


Test Agent


Redesign workflow system: templates as native Beads

## Problem

The current workflow system (YAML templates in cmd/bd/templates/workflows/) is architecturally flawed:

1. **Out-of-band data plane** - YAML files are a parallel system outside Beads itself
2. **Heavyweight DSL** - YAML is gross; even TOML would have been better, but neither is ideal
3. **Not graph-native** - Beads IS already a dependency graph with priorities, so why reinvent it?
4. **Can't use bd commands on templates** - They're opaque YAML, not viewable/editable Beads

## The Right Design

**Templates should be Beads themselves.**

A "workflow template" should be:
- An epic marked as a template (via label, type, or prefix like `tpl-`)
- Child issues with dependencies between them (using normal bd dep)
- Titles and descriptions containing `{{variable}}` placeholders
- Normal priorities that control serialization order

"Instantiation" becomes:
1. Clone the template subgraph (epic + children + dependencies)
2. Substitute variables in titles/descriptions
3. Generate new IDs for all cloned issues
4. Return the new epic ID

## Benefits

- **No YAML** - Templates are just Beads
- **Use existing tools** - `bd show`, `bd edit`, `bd dep` work on templates
- **Graph-native** - Dependencies are real Beads dependencies
- **Simpler codebase** - Remove all the YAML parsing/workflow code
- **Composable** - Templates can reference other templates

## Tasks

1. Delete the YAML workflow system code (revert recent push + remove existing workflow code)
2. Design template marking convention (label? type? id prefix?)
3. Implement `bd template create` or `bd clone --as-template`
4. Implement `bd template instantiate <template-id> --var key=value`
5. Migrate version-bump workflow to native Beads template
6. Update documentation


.beads-ephemeral/ storage backend

Implement ephemeral storage layer for wisps.

## Requirements
- New storage location: .beads-ephemeral/issues.jsonl (sibling to .beads/)
- Gitignored by default (add to .beads/.gitignore)
- Same JSONL format as regular beads
- Config option: ephemeral.directory (relative path)
- ephemeral.enabled config flag

## Storage Behavior
- Ephemeral issues have ephemeral: true field
- No sync to remote (local only)
- No daemon tracking needed (transient)

## Implementation
- Add EphemeralStore in storage package
- Initialize on demand when --ephemeral flag used
- Share Issue struct, just different storage path


Version Bump: {{version}}

Release checklist for version {{version}}. This molecule ensures all release steps are completed properly.


Test agent bead

Testing new agent type


mol-beads-release

attached_args: Release v0.38.0 - execute each step in order, verify before proceeding to next

Release checklist for beads version 0.38.0.

This molecule ensures all release steps are completed properly.
Variable: 0.38.0 - target version (e.g., 0.35.0)

## Step: update-release-notes
Update cmd/bd/info.go with release notes for 0.38.0.

Add a new VersionChange entry at the top of versionChanges slice:
```go
{
    Version: "0.38.0",
    Date:    "YYYY-MM-DD",
    Changes: []string{
        "NEW: Feature description",
        "FIX: Bug fix description",
        "IMPROVED: Enhancement description",
    },
},
```

Run `git log --oneline v<previous>..HEAD` to see what changed.

## Step: update-changelog
Update CHANGELOG.md with detailed release notes.

Add a new section after [Unreleased]:
```markdown
## [0.38.0] - YYYY-MM-DD

### Added
- **Feature name** (issue-id) - Description

### Changed
- **Change description** (issue-id)

### Fixed
- **Bug fix** (issue-id) - Description
```

Sort by importance, not chronologically.
Needs: update-release-notes

## Step: bump-version
Run the version bump script.

```bash
./scripts/bump-version.sh 0.38.0
```

This updates version in all files:
- cmd/bd/version.go
- .claude-plugin/*.json
- integrations/beads-mcp/pyproject.toml
- npm-package/package.json
- Hook templates

Needs: update-changelog

## Step: run-tests
Run tests and verify lint passes.

```bash
go test -short ./...
```

CI will run full lint, but fix any obvious issues first.
Needs: bump-version

## Step: commit-release
Commit the release changes.

```bash
git add -A
git commit -m "chore: bump version to v0.38.0"
```

Needs: run-tests

## Step: push-and-tag
Push commit and create release tag.

```bash
git push origin main
git tag v0.38.0
git push origin v0.38.0
```

This triggers GitHub Actions release workflow.
Needs: commit-release

## Step: wait-for-ci
Wait for GitHub Actions to complete.

Monitor: https://github.com/steveyegge/beads/actions

CI will:
- Build binaries via GoReleaser
- Create GitHub Release with assets
- Publish to npm (@beads/bd)
- Publish to PyPI (beads-mcp)
- Update Homebrew tap

Wait until all jobs succeed (~5-10 min).
Needs: push-and-tag

## Step: verify-release
Verify the release is complete.

```bash
# Check GitHub release
gh release view v0.38.0

# Check Homebrew
brew update && brew info steveyegge/beads/bd

# Check npm
npm view @beads/bd version

# Check PyPI
pip index versions beads-mcp
```

Needs: wait-for-ci

## Step: update-local
Update local installations.

```bash
# Upgrade Homebrew
brew upgrade steveyegge/beads/bd

# Or install from source
./scripts/bump-version.sh 0.38.0 --install

# Install MCP locally
pip install -e integrations/beads-mcp

# Restart daemons
pkill -f "bd daemon" || true
```

Verify: `bd --version` shows 0.38.0
Needs: verify-release

## Step: manual-publish
(Optional) Manual publish if CI failed.

```bash
# npm (requires npm login)
./scripts/bump-version.sh 0.38.0 --publish-npm

# PyPI (requires TWINE credentials)
./scripts/bump-version.sh 0.38.0 --publish-pypi

# Or both
./scripts/bump-version.sh 0.38.0 --publish-all
```

Only needed if CI publishing failed.
Needs: wait-for-ci


Commit and push release

git add -A && git commit && git push to trigger CI


Installation tracking: .beads/installed.json

Track installed formulas for update checking and provenance.

## File Format
```json
{
  "mol-code-review": {
    "source": "github.com/anthropics/mol-code-review",
    "version": "v1.2.0",
    "installed_at": "2025-12-25T12:00:00Z",
    "formula_hash": "abc123..."
  },
  "mol-polecat-work": {
    "source": "local",
    "version": "1",
    "installed_at": "2025-12-24T10:00:00Z"
  }
}
```

## Commands That Update This
- `bd mol install` - Adds entry
- `bd mol update` - Updates version/timestamp
- `bd cook` - Adds entry with source:local
- `bd mol uninstall` - Removes entry (new command)

## Usage
```bash
bd mol list --installed    # Shows installed with source/version
bd mol outdated            # Shows formulas with available updates
```

## Sync Behavior
- installed.json is gitignored (local state)
- Only formulas/ directory is synced
- Each clone tracks its own installations


Verify PyPI package

Confirm PyPI package published.

```bash
pip index versions beads-mcp 2>/dev/null | head -3
```

Or check: https://pypi.org/project/beads-mcp/

Should show 0.39.0.


Test coordinator display


wish: list & ready show issues as hierarchy tree

`bd ready` and `bd list` just show a flat list, and it's up to the reader to parse which ones are dependent or sub-issues of others. It would be much easier to understand if they were shown in a tree format


Work on beads-wkt: Output control parameters for MCP tool...

Work on beads-wkt: Output control parameters for MCP tools (GH#622). Add brief, fields, max_description_length params to ready/list/show. When done, submit MR (not PR) to integration branch for Refinery.


Mol Mall: Formula marketplace using GitHub as backend

Create a marketplace for sharing molecule formulas using GitHub repos as the hosting backend.

## Why GitHub?

GitHub solves multiple problems at once:
- **Hosting**: Raw file URLs for formula.json
- **Versioning**: Git tags (v1.0.0, v1.2.0)
- **Auth**: GitHub tokens for private formulas
- **Discovery**: GitHub search, topics, stars
- **Collaboration**: PRs for contributions, issues for bugs
- **Organizations**: Natural scoping (@anthropic/, @gastown/)

## URL Scheme

```bash
# Direct GitHub URL
bd mol install github.com/anthropics/mol-code-review

# With version tag
bd mol install github.com/anthropics/mol-code-review@v1.2.0

# Shorthand (via registry lookup)
bd mol install @anthropic/mol-code-review
```

## Architecture

### Distributed Model (like Go modules)
Each formula lives in its own repo:
```
github.com/anthropics/mol-code-review/
├── formula.json      # The formula
├── README.md         # Documentation
└── CHANGELOG.md      # Version history
```

### Optional Registry (for discovery)
```
github.com/anthropics/mol-mall/
└── registry.json     # Index pointing to formula repos
```

## Child Issues

1. `bd mol export` - Proto → Formula file
2. `bd mol promote` - Distilled proto → Catalog proto (one step)
3. `bd mol install` - GitHub → Local proto
4. `bd mol update` - Check for newer versions
5. `bd mol search` - Find formulas (GitHub API)
6. `bd mol publish` - Push formula to GitHub repo
7. Formula versioning - Version field + git tag integration
8. Installation tracking - .beads/installed.json

## ID Namespace Design

| Entity | ID Format | Example |
|--------|-----------|---------|
| Formula (GitHub) | `github.com/org/repo` | `github.com/anthropics/mol-code-review` |
| Catalog proto (local) | `mol-name` | `mol-code-review` |
| Distilled proto | `<db>-proto-xxx` | `bd-proto-a7f` |
| Poured instance | `<db>-mol-xxx` | `gt-mol-b8c` |
| Wisp instance | `<db>-wisp-xxx` | `hq-wisp-d9e` |


Update LINTING.md with current baseline

After cleanup, document the remaining acceptable baseline in LINTING.md so we can track regression.


Preflight: Check git status

Ensure working tree is clean before starting release.

```bash
git status
```

If there are uncommitted changes, either:
- Commit them first
- Stash them: `git stash`
- Abort and resolve


Integrate detect-pollution into bd doctor

## Task
Move `bd detect-pollution` → `bd doctor --check=pollution`

## Current state
- detect-pollution already shows deprecation hint pointing to doctor
- Doctor command exists with multiple checks

## Implementation

### 1. Update doctor.go
- Add pollution check to the doctor checks
- Add `--check=pollution` flag option
- Integrate detect-pollution logic

### 2. Update detect_pollution.go
- Mark as hidden (deprecated)
- Forward to doctor --check=pollution
- Keep for one release cycle

### 3. Update docs
- Remove detect-pollution from any command lists
- Update doctor docs to include pollution check

## Files to modify
- cmd/bd/doctor.go
- cmd/bd/detect_pollution.go


Update documentation for CLI consolidation

## Task
Update all documentation to reflect CLI consolidation changes.

## Files requiring updates

### Primary docs
- docs/CLI_REFERENCE.md - Major updates
  - Add admin section (cleanup, compact, reset)
  - Update migrate section (subcommands)
  - Update formula section (add cook)
  - Remove/update standalone command references

### Secondary docs
- docs/DELETIONS.md - migrate-tombstones → migrate tombstones, compact → admin compact
- docs/FAQ.md - compact → admin compact
- docs/QUICKSTART.md - compact, cleanup → admin compact, admin cleanup
- docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md - compact → admin compact
- docs/CONFIG.md - compact → admin compact
- docs/INSTALLING.md - quickstart reference
- docs/EXTENDING.md - quickstart reference

### Skills docs
- skills/beads/SKILL.md - compact, quickstart references
- skills/beads/references/CLI_REFERENCE.md - mirror main CLI_REFERENCE.md

### Other docs
- commands/quickstart.md - update or remove
- commands/compact.md - update to admin compact
- examples/compaction/README.md - update examples
- README.md - quickstart reference
- CHANGELOG.md - add consolidation changes section

## Implementation notes
- Keep backwards compatibility notices where aliases exist
- Update command examples to use new paths
- Consider adding deprecation warnings section


Audit and fix JSONL filename mismatches across all repo clones

## Problem

Multiple clones of repos are configured with different JSONL filenames (issues.jsonl vs beads.jsonl), causing:
1. JSONL files to be resurrected after deletion (one clone pushes issues.jsonl, another pushes beads.jsonl)
2. Agents unable to see issues filed by other agents after sync
3. Merge conflicts and data inconsistencies

## Root Cause

When repos were "bd doctored" or initialized at different times, some got issues.jsonl (old default) and others got beads.jsonl (Beads repo specific). These clones push their respective files, creating duplicates.

## Task

Scan all repo clones under ~/src/ (1-2 levels deep) and standardize their JSONL configuration.

### Step 1: Find all beads-enabled repos

```bash
# Find all directories named 'beads' at levels 1-2 under ~/src/
find ~/src -maxdepth 2 -type d -name beads
```

### Step 2: For each repo found, check configuration

For each directory from Step 1, check:
- Does `.beads/metadata.json` exist?
- What is the `jsonl_export` value?
- What JSONL files actually exist in `.beads/`?
- Are there multiple JSONL files (problem!)?

### Step 3: Create audit report

Generate a report showing:
```
Repo Path                           | Config        | Actual Files           | Status
----------------------------------- | ------------- | ---------------------- | --------
~/src/beads                         | beads.jsonl   | beads.jsonl            | OK
~/src/dave/beads                    | issues.jsonl  | issues.jsonl           | MISMATCH
~/src/emma/beads                    | issues.jsonl  | issues.jsonl, beads.jsonl | DUPLICATE!
```

### Step 4: Determine canonical name for each repo

For repos that are the SAME git repository (check `git remote -v`):
- Group them together
- Determine which JSONL filename should be canonical (majority wins, or beads.jsonl for the beads repo itself)
- List which clones need to be updated

### Step 5: Generate fix script

Create a script that for each mismatched clone:
1. Updates `.beads/metadata.json` to use the canonical name
2. If JSONL file needs renaming: `git mv .beads/old.jsonl .beads/new.jsonl`
3. Removes any duplicate JSONL files: `git rm .beads/duplicate.jsonl`
4. Commits the change
5. Syncs: `bd sync`

### Expected Output

1. Audit report showing all repos and their config status
2. List of repos grouped by git remote (same repository)
3. Fix script or manual instructions for standardizing each repo
4. Verification that after fixes, all clones of the same repo use the same JSONL filename

### Edge Cases

- Handle repos without metadata.json (use default discovery)
- Handle repos with no git remote (standalone/local)
- Handle repos that are not git repositories
- Don't modify repos with uncommitted changes (warn instead)

### Success Criteria

- All clones of the same git repository use the same JSONL filename
- No duplicate JSONL files in any repo
- All configurations documented in metadata.json
- bd doctor passes on all repos


Agent bead prefix mismatch: gt- vs bd- for beads polecat agents

When spawning polecats in beads rig, gt sling tries to create agent beads with gt-beads-polecat-* prefix, but beads requires bd- prefix. Warning: 'issue ID gt-beads-polecat-obsidian does not match configured prefix bd'. Agent beads should use the rig's configured prefix.


Add --body-file flag to bd create for reading descriptions from files

## Problem

Creating issues with long/complex descriptions via CLI requires shell escaping gymnastics:

```bash
# Current workaround - awkward heredoc quoting
bd create --title="..." --description="$(cat <<'EOF'
...markdown...
EOF
)"

# Often fails with quote escaping errors in eval context
# Agents resort to writing temp files then reading them
```

## Proposed Solution

Add `--body-file` and `--description-file` flags to read description from a file, matching `gh` CLI pattern.

```bash
# Natural pattern that aligns with training data
cat > /tmp/desc.md << 'EOF'
...markdown content...
EOF

bd create --title="..." --body-file=/tmp/desc.md
```

## Implementation

### 1. Add new flags to `bd create`

```go
createCmd.Flags().String("body-file", "", "Read description from file (use - for stdin)")
createCmd.Flags().String("description-file", "", "Alias for --body-file")
```

### 2. Flag precedence

- If `--body-file` or `--description-file` is provided, read from file
- If value is `-`, read from stdin
- Otherwise fall back to `--body` or `--description` flag
- If neither provided, description is empty (current behavior)

### 3. Error handling

- File doesn't exist → clear error message
- File not readable → clear error message
- stdin specified but not available → clear error message

## Benefits

✅ **Matches training data**: `gh issue create --body-file file.txt` is a common pattern
✅ **No shell escaping issues**: File content is read directly
✅ **Works with any content**: Markdown, special characters, quotes, etc.
✅ **Agent-friendly**: Agents already write complex content to temp files
✅ **User-friendly**: Easier for humans too when pasting long descriptions

## Related Commands

Consider adding similar support to:
- `bd update --body-file` (for updating descriptions)
- `bd comment --body-file` (if/when we add comments)

## Examples

```bash
# From file
bd create --title="Add new feature" --body-file=feature.md

# From stdin
echo "Quick description" | bd create --title="Bug fix" --body-file=-

# With other flags
bd create \
  --title="Security issue" \
  --type=bug \
  --priority=0 \
  --body-file=security-report.md \
  --label=security
```

## Testing

- Test with normal files
- Test with stdin (`-`)
- Test with non-existent files (error handling)
- Test with binary files (should handle gracefully)
- Test with empty files (valid - empty description)
- Test that `--description-file` and `--body-file` are equivalent aliases


Push release tag

Push the version tag to trigger CI release.

```bash
git push origin v0.41.0
```

This triggers GitHub Actions to build artifacts and publish.


Add git operations for --hard reset

Implement git integration for hard reset mode.

## Operations Needed
1. `git rm -rf .beads/*.jsonl` - remove data files from index
2. `git commit -m 'beads: reset to clean state'` - commit removal
3. After re-init: `git add .beads/` and commit fresh state

## Edge Cases to Handle
- Uncommitted changes in .beads/ - warn or error
- Detached HEAD state - warn, maybe block
- Git not initialized - skip git ops, warn
- Git operations fail mid-way - clear error messaging

## Interface
```go
type GitState struct {
    IsRepo       bool
    IsDirty      bool   // uncommitted changes in .beads/
    IsDetached   bool   // detached HEAD
    Branch       string // current branch name
}

func CheckGitState(beadsDir string) (*GitState, error)
func GitRemoveBeads(beadsDir string) error
func GitCommitReset(message string) error
func GitAddAndCommit(beadsDir, message string) error
```

## Location
`internal/reset/git.go` - keep with reset package for now

Note: Codebase has no central git package. internal/compact/git.go is compact-specific.
Future refactoring could extract shared git utilities, but YAGNI for now.


Create release tag

Create annotated git tag.

```bash
git tag -a v0.41.0 -m "Release v0.41.0"
```

Verify: `git tag -l | tail -5`


bd sync --from-main fails: unknown flag --no-git-history


Relocate quickstart to bd help quickstart or docs

## Task
Move `bd quickstart` → `bd help quickstart` or convert to documentation.

## Options

### Option A: Move to bd help quickstart
- Create a custom help topic
- Cobra supports additional help topics

### Option B: Convert to docs only
- Keep content in docs/QUICKSTART.md
- Remove the command entirely
- Update references to point to docs

## Recommendation
Option B - quickstart is essentially documentation, not a functional command.
The command just prints formatted text that could live in docs.

## Implementation (Option B)
1. Ensure docs/QUICKSTART.md has equivalent content
2. Add hidden alias that prints "See docs/QUICKSTART.md or bd help"
3. Update all references:
   - README.md
   - docs/INSTALLING.md
   - docs/EXTENDING.md
   - npm-package/INTEGRATION_GUIDE.md
   - .beads/README.md

## Files to modify
- cmd/bd/quickstart.go (hide or remove)
- Multiple docs (update references)


Test issue 2


Update CHANGELOG.md with release notes

Add release notes for 0.32.1: MCP output control params (#667), pin field fix


Code Review: Beads Refactoring Sprint

Epic for code smell fixes identified during Beads code review.

## Scope
11 issues covering:
- P2: Duplicated code in cook.go (2 issues)
- P3: Long functions and God Objects (5 issues)
- P4: Technical debt and cleanup (4 issues)

## Approach
Swarm with polecats, each taking 1-2 issues. All changes should:
1. Pass existing tests
2. Not change external behavior
3. Improve code maintainability

## Success Criteria
All 11 child issues closed with passing CI.


Add composite index (issue_id, event_type) on events table

GetCloseReason and GetCloseReasonsForIssues filter by both issue_id and event_type.

**Query (queries.go:355-358):**
```sql
SELECT comment FROM events
WHERE issue_id = ? AND event_type = ?
ORDER BY created_at DESC LIMIT 1
```

**Problem:** Currently uses idx_events_issue but must filter event_type in memory.

**Solution:** Add migration:
```sql
CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_events_issue_type ON events(issue_id, event_type);
```

**Priority:** Low - events table is typically small relative to issues.


Consolidate daemon/daemons commands

Merge daemons functionality into daemon command with subcommands. Currently have both 'daemon' and 'daemons' at top level.


Add tests for dependency management

Key dependency functions like mergeBidirectionalTrees, GetDependencyTree, and DetectCycles have low or no coverage. These are essential for maintaining data integrity in the dependency graph.


Improve test coverage for cmd/bd/setup (28.4% → 50%)

The setup package has only 28.4% test coverage. Setup commands are critical for first-time user experience.

Current coverage: 28.4%
Target coverage: 50%


Commit release

git add -A && git commit -m 'release: v{{version}}'


Auto-detect non-TTY and adjust output

Detect when stdout is not a TTY (piped, redirected, or agent context) and adjust output:

- Disable ANSI colors
- Disable pager
- Disable emoji decorations
- Use plain text format

Uses golang.org/x/term or similar for TTY detection.

Needs pager support to be meaningful (otherwise nothing to disable).

## Implementation Plan

### Dependencies
```go
import "golang.org/x/term"
// or: github.com/mattn/go-isatty
```

### Code Changes

1. **Add TTY detection helper** (internal/ui/terminal.go):
```go
func IsTerminal() bool {
    return term.IsTerminal(int(os.Stdout.Fd()))
}

func ShouldUseColor() bool {
    // Respect NO_COLOR standard
    if os.Getenv("NO_COLOR") \!= "" {
        return false
    }
    // Respect CLICOLOR=0
    if os.Getenv("CLICOLOR") == "0" {
        return false
    }
    // Force color with CLICOLOR_FORCE
    if os.Getenv("CLICOLOR_FORCE") \!= "" {
        return true
    }
    return IsTerminal()
}
```

2. **Apply in lipgloss setup** (internal/ui/styles.go):
```go
func init() {
    if \!ShouldUseColor() {
        lipgloss.SetColorProfile(termenv.Ascii)
    }
}
```

3. **Disable pager for non-TTY** (uses bd-jdz3 infrastructure):
```go
// In pager.go ToPager():
if \!IsTerminal() {
    fmt.Print(content)
    return nil
}
```

### Standards Followed
- NO_COLOR: https://no-color.org/
- CLICOLOR/CLICOLOR_FORCE: de facto BSD standard
- gh cli uses same conventions

### Testing
- `bd list | cat` outputs no ANSI codes
- `NO_COLOR=1 bd list` outputs no colors
- `CLICOLOR_FORCE=1 bd list | cat` keeps colors
- Verify emoji handling in non-TTY mode


Cross-rig external dependency support

Support dependencies on issues in other rigs/repos.

## Use Case

Gas Town issues often depend on Beads issues (and vice versa). Currently we use labels like `external:beads/bd-xxx` as documentation, but:
- `bd blocked` doesn't recognize external deps
- `bd ready` doesn't filter them out
- No way to query cross-rig status

## Proposed UX

### Adding external deps
```bash
# New syntax for bd dep add
bd dep add gt-a07f external:beads:bd-kwjh

# Or maybe cleaner
bd dep add gt-a07f --external beads:bd-kwjh
```

### Showing blocked status
```bash
bd blocked
# → gt-a07f blocked by external:beads:bd-kwjh (unverified)

# With optional cross-rig query
bd blocked --resolve-external
# → gt-a07f blocked by external:beads:bd-kwjh (closed) ← unblocked!
```

### Storage
Could use:
- Special dependency type: `type: external`
- Label convention: `external:rig:id`
- New field: `external_deps: ["beads:bd-kwjh"]`

## Implementation Notes

Cross-rig queries would need:
- Known rig locations (config or discovery)
- Read-only beads access to external rigs
- Caching to avoid repeated queries

For MVP, just recognizing external deps and marking them as 'unverified' blockers would be valuable.


Consolidate git context into single cached struct

Code review finding from bd-7di fix.

Currently there are 3 separate caches:
- isWorktreeOnce/isWorktreeResult
- mainRepoRootOnce/mainRepoRootResult/mainRepoRootErr
- repoRootOnce/repoRootResult

These have redundant git calls - e.g. both isWorktreeUncached() and getMainRepoRootUncached() call getGitDirNoError("--git-common-dir").

Could consolidate into a single cached struct:
```go
type gitContext struct {
    gitDir     string
    commonDir  string
    repoRoot   string
    isWorktree bool
}
```

This would reduce git calls further and simplify ResetCaches().

File: internal/git/gitdir.go


Async Gates for Agent Coordination

Agents need an async primitive for waiting on external events (CI completion, API responses, human approval). Gates are wisp issues that block until external conditions are met, managed by the Deacon.

## Core Concepts

**Gate** = wisp issue that blocks until external condition is met
- Type: gate
- Phase: wisp (never synced, ephemeral)
- Assignee: deacon/ (Deacon monitors it)
- Fields: await_type, await_id, timeout, waiters[]

**Await Types:**
- gh:run:<id> - GitHub Actions run completion
- gh:pr:<id> - PR merged/closed
- timer:<duration> - Simple delay
- human:<prompt> - Human approval required
- mail:<pattern> - Wait for mail matching pattern

## Open Questions
- Should gates live in wisp storage or main storage with wisp flag?
- Do we need a gate catalog (like molecule catalog)?
- Should waits-for dep type work with gates?


bd doctor should recommend bd prime migration for existing repos

bd doctor should detect old beads integration patterns and recommend migrating to bd prime approach.

## Current behavior
- bd doctor checks if Claude hooks are installed globally
- Doesn't check project-level integration (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md)
- Doesn't recommend migration for repos using old patterns

## Desired behavior
bd doctor should detect and suggest:

1. **Old slash command pattern detected**
   - Check for /beads:* references in AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md
   - Suggest: These slash commands are deprecated, use bd prime hooks instead

2. **No agent documentation**
   - Check if AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md exists
   - Suggest: Run 'bd onboard' or 'bd setup claude' to document workflow

3. **Old MCP-only pattern**
   - Check for instructions to use MCP tools but no bd prime hooks
   - Suggest: Add bd prime hooks for better token efficiency

4. **Migration path**
   - Show: 'Run bd setup claude to add SessionStart/PreCompact hooks'
   - Show: 'Update AGENTS.md to reference bd prime instead of slash commands'

## Example output

⚠ Warning: Old beads integration detected in CLAUDE.md
  Found: /beads:* slash command references (deprecated)
  Recommend: Migrate to bd prime hooks for better token efficiency
  Fix: Run 'bd setup claude' and update CLAUDE.md

💡 Tip: bd prime + hooks reduces token usage by 80-99% vs slash commands
  MCP mode: ~50 tokens vs ~10.5k for full MCP scan
  CLI mode: ~1-2k tokens with automatic context recovery

## Benefits
- Helps existing repos adopt new best practices
- Clear migration path for users
- Better token efficiency messaging


Update Homebrew formula

After GoReleaser completes, the Homebrew tap should be auto-updated.

If manual update needed:
```bash
./scripts/update-homebrew.sh v0.30.4
```

Or manually update steveyegge/homebrew-beads with new SHA256.

Verify:
```bash
brew update
brew info beads
```


Systematic bd sync stability investigation

## Context

bd sync has chronic instability issues that have persisted since inception:
- issues.jsonl is always dirty after push
- bd sync often creates messes requiring manual cleanup
- Problems escalating despite accumulated bug fixes
- Workarounds are getting increasingly draconian

## Goal

Systematically observe and diagnose bd sync failures rather than applying band-aid fixes.

## Approach

1. Start fresh session with latest binary (all fixes applied)
2. Run bd sync and carefully observe what happens
3. Document exact sequence of events when things go wrong
4. File specific issues for each discrete problem identified
5. Track the root causes, not just symptoms

## Test Environment

- Fresh clone or clean state
- Latest bd binary with all bug fixes
- Monitor both local and remote JSONL state
- Check for timing issues, race conditions, merge conflicts

## Success Criteria

- Identify root causes of sync instability
- Create actionable issues for each problem
- Eventually achieve stable bd sync (no manual intervention needed)


Create migration script for edge field to dependency conversion

Migration must:
1. Read existing JSONL with old fields
2. Convert field values to dependency records
3. Write updated JSONL without old fields
4. Handle edge cases (missing refs, duplicates)

Run via: bd migrate or automatic on bd prime


bd merge omits priority:0 due to omitempty JSON tag

GitHub issue #671. The merge code in internal/merge/merge.go uses 'omitempty' on the Priority field, which causes priority:0 (P0/critical) to be dropped from JSON output since 0 is Go's zero value for int. Fix: either remove omitempty from Priority field or use a pointer (*int). This affects the git merge driver and causes P0 issues to lose their priority.


Merge: bd-05a8

branch: polecat/valkyrie
target: main
source_issue: bd-05a8
rig: beads


Monitor PyPI publish

Watch the PyPI publish action:
https://github.com/steveyegge/beads/actions/workflows/pypi-publish.yml

Verify at: https://pypi.org/project/beads-mcp/0.30.4/

Check:
```bash
pip index versions beads-mcp 2>/dev/null | grep -q '0.30.4'
```

```verify
pip index versions beads-mcp 2>/dev/null | grep -q '0.30.4' || curl -s https://pypi.org/pypi/beads-mcp/json | jq -e '.releases["0.30.4"]'
```


Workaround for FastMCP outputSchema bug in Claude Code

The beads MCP server (v0.23.1) successfully connects to Claude Code, but all tools fail to load with a schema validation error due to a bug in FastMCP 2.13.1.

Error: "Invalid literal value, expected \"object\"" in outputSchema.

Root Cause: FastMCP generates outputSchema with $ref at root level without "type": "object" for self-referential models (Issue).

Workaround: Use slash commands (/beads:ready) or wait for FastMCP fix.


Technical debt: Scattered TODOs should be tracked as issues

Multiple TODO comments exist in the codebase that should be tracked as proper issues:

1. cmd/bd/migrate_hash_ids.go:24 - 'Consider integrating into bd doctor migration detection'
2. cmd/bd/migrate_tombstones.go:72 - Same
3. cmd/bd/migrate_sync.go:16 - Same
4. cmd/bd/migrate_issues.go:15 - Same
5. cmd/bd/create.go:164 - 'Switch to target repo for multi-repo support'
6. cmd/bd/create.go:208 - 'Add RPC method to get config in daemon mode'
7. cmd/bd/daemon_logger.go:131 - 'Remove this once all callers are updated'
8. cmd/bd/mol_stale.go:67 - 'Add RPC endpoint for stale check'
9. cmd/bd/sync_test.go:444 - 'Refactor to use direct import logic'
10. cmd/bd/jira.go:633 - 'In a full implementation, fetch Jira issue and compare timestamps'
11. internal/formula/types.go:170,174,179,186,210 - Multiple 'Not yet implemented' TODOs
12. internal/importer/importer_test.go:1010 - 'Test hangs due to database deadlock'

Consider:
1. Running 'grep -r TODO' periodically to find new ones
2. Adding a lint rule to discourage inline TODOs
3. Converting each to a bd issue with proper tracking

Location: Various files across codebase


Add missing updated_at index on issues table

GetStaleIssues queries filter by updated_at but there's no index on this column.

**Current query (ready.go:253-254):**
```sql
WHERE status != 'closed'
  AND datetime(updated_at) < datetime('now', '-' || ? || ' days')
```

**Problem:** Full table scan when filtering stale issues.

**Solution:** Add migration to create:
```sql
CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_issues_updated_at ON issues(updated_at);
```

**Note:** The datetime() function wrapper may prevent index usage. Consider also storing updated_at as INTEGER (unix timestamp) for better index efficiency, or test if SQLite can use the index despite the function.


Migration: Convert pinned work items to hooked

Migrate existing pinned beads that represent work-on-hook to use 'hooked' status.

## Migration Logic

```sql
UPDATE issues
SET status = 'hooked'
WHERE status = 'pinned'
  AND issue_type NOT IN ('agent', 'role')
```

## What Stays Pinned

- Agent identity beads (gt-mayor, gt-witness-gastown, etc.)
- Role definition beads (gt-mayor-role, etc.)

## What Becomes Hooked

- Molecules on hooks (mol_type field set)
- Regular issues/tasks that were pinned to hooks

## Verification

After migration:
- bd list --status=pinned should only show agents/roles
- bd list --status=hooked should show work on hooks


bd distill: Extract formula from mol/epic

Extract a formula from completed work (mol, wisp, or epic).

**Key change**: Distill works on execution artifacts (mols/wisps/epics), not protos.
Protos are ephemeral - they don't persist. Distillation extracts patterns from
actual executed work.

## Usage
```bash
bd distill bd-mol-xyz -o my-workflow.formula.json
bd distill bd-epic-abc -o feature-workflow.formula.json
```

## Use Cases
- **Emergent patterns**: Structured work manually, want to templatize it
- **Modified execution**: Poured a formula, added custom steps, want to capture
- **Learning from success**: Extract what made a complex mol succeed

## Implementation
1. Load mol/wisp/epic subgraph (root + all children)
2. Convert to formula JSON structure
3. Extract variables from patterns (titles, descriptions)
4. Generate step IDs from issue titles (slugify)
5. Write .formula.json file

## Output Format
```json
{
  "formula": "my-workflow",
  "description": "...",
  "version": 1,
  "vars": { ... },
  "steps": [ ... ]
}
```

## Architecture Note
This closes the formula lifecycle loop:
  Formulas ──cook──→ Mols ──distill──→ Formulas

All sharing happens via formulas. Mols contain execution context and aren't shared.


Run tests and linting

Run the full test suite and linter:

```bash
TMPDIR=/tmp go test -short ./...
golangci-lint run ./...
```

Fix any failures. Linting warnings acceptable (see LINTING.md).


.beads-ephemeral/ storage backend

Implement ephemeral storage layer for wisps.

## Requirements
- New storage location: .beads-ephemeral/issues.jsonl (sibling to .beads/)
- Gitignored by default (add to .beads/.gitignore)
- Same JSONL format as regular beads
- Config option: ephemeral.directory (relative path)
- ephemeral.enabled config flag

## Storage Behavior
- Ephemeral issues have `ephemeral: true` field
- No sync to remote (local only)
- No daemon tracking needed (transient)

## Implementation
- Add EphemeralStore in storage package
- Initialize on demand when --ephemeral flag used
- Share Issue struct, just different storage path


bd dep add: Auto-resolve cross-rig IDs using routes.jsonl

Currently, adding a dependency to an issue in another rig requires verbose external reference syntax:

```bash
# This fails - can't resolve bd-* from gastown context
bd dep add gt-xyz bd-abc

# This works but is verbose
bd dep add gt-xyz external:beads:bd-abc
```

The town-level routing (~/gt/.beads/routes.jsonl) already knows how to map prefixes to rigs:
```json
{"prefix": "gt-", "path": "gastown/mayor/rig"}
{"prefix": "bd-", "path": "beads/mayor/rig"}
```

Enhancement: When `bd dep add` encounters an ID with a foreign prefix, it should:
1. Check routes.jsonl for the prefix mapping
2. Auto-resolve to external:<project>:<id> internally
3. Allow the simpler `bd dep add gt-xyz bd-abc` syntax

This would make cross-rig dependencies much more ergonomic.


Bump version in all files

Run ./scripts/bump-version.sh 0.33.2 to update 10 version files. Then run with --commit after info.go is updated.


Push to main

Push the release commit to origin.

```bash
git push origin main
```

If rejected, someone else pushed. Pull, rebase, try again.


Add empty tasks validation in workflow create

workflow.go:321 will panic if wf.Tasks is empty. Add validation that len(wf.Tasks) > 0 before accessing wf.Tasks[0].


Update local binary

cp ./bd ~/.local/bin/bd


Review PR #514: fix plugin install docs

Review and merge PR #514 from aspiers. This PR fixes incorrect docs for installing Claude Code plugin from source in docs/PLUGIN.md. Clarifies shell vs Claude Code commands and fixes the . vs ./beads argument issue. URL: https://github.com/anthropics/beads/pull/514


MCP plugin: _find_beads_db_in_tree() should follow .beads/redirect files

## Problem
The `_find_beads_db_in_tree()` function in `integrations/beads-mcp/src/beads_mcp/tools.py` does not follow `.beads/redirect` files.

## Impact
MCP beads tools fail from polecat/crew directories that use redirect files to share a beads database.

## Root Cause
When auto-detecting workspace, the MCP plugin looks for `.beads/*.db` files directly but doesn't check for or follow `redirect` files:

```python
beads_dir = os.path.join(current, '.beads')
if os.path.isdir(beads_dir):
    db_files = glob.glob(os.path.join(beads_dir, '*.db'))  # Only looks for .db files
    valid_dbs = [f for f in db_files if '.backup' not in os.path.basename(f)]
    if valid_dbs:
        return current
```

Polecat directories have `.beads/redirect` files (e.g., containing `../../mayor/rig/.beads`) but no `.db` files, so `_find_beads_db_in_tree()` doesn't find them.

## Expected Behavior
The function should:
1. Check for `.beads/redirect` file first
2. If found, follow the redirect to the actual beads location
3. Verify the redirected location has a valid database

## Reference
The Go implementation handles this correctly in `ResolveBeadsDir()` - see gastown `internal/beads/beads.go:23-60`.

## Related
- gt-tnw: MCP beads tools fail from polecat directories


Improve test coverage for cmd/bd CLI (26.2% → 50%)

The main CLI package (cmd/bd) has only 26.2% test coverage. CLI commands should have at least 50% coverage to ensure reliability.

Key areas with low/no coverage:
- daemon_autostart.go (multiple 0% functions)
- compact.go (several 0% functions)
- Various command handlers

Current coverage: 26.2%
Target coverage: 50%

## Progress Update (2025-12-23)

### Tests Added
Added 683 lines of new tests across 3 files:
- cmd/bd/daemon_config_test.go (144 lines)
- cmd/bd/utils_test.go (484 lines)
- cmd/bd/autostart_test.go (55 additional lines)

### Functions Now Tested
- daemon_config.go: ensureBeadsDir, getPIDFilePath, getLogFilePath, getSocketPathForPID
- daemon_autostart.go: determineSocketPath, isDaemonRunningQuiet
- activity.go: printEvent
- cleanup.go: showCleanupDeprecationHint
- upgrade.go: pluralize
- wisp.go: formatTimeAgo
- list.go: pinIndicator, sortIssues
- hooks.go: FormatHookWarnings, isRebaseInProgress, hasBeadsJSONL
- template.go: extractIDSuffix
- thanks.go: getContributorsSorted

### Coverage Results
- Before: 22.5%
- After: 23.1%
- Delta: +0.6%

### Remaining Work
Most remaining untested code (77%) involves:
1. Daemon/RPC operations (runDaemonLoop, tryAutoStartDaemon, etc.)
2. Command handlers that require database/daemon setup
3. Git operations (runPreCommitHook, runPostMergeHook, etc.)

To reach 50%, would need to:
- Add integration tests with mocked daemon
- Add scripttest tests for command handlers
- Add more database-dependent tests

Commit: 4f949c19


Add computed .parent field to JSON output for convenience

Currently parent is only in dependencies[]. Add a top-level .parent field to JSON/JSONL output that extracts the parent-child dependency for easier querying.

Example:
```bash
# Current (works but verbose):
bd show <id> --json | jq '.[0].dependencies[] | select(.dependency_type == "parent-child") | .id'

# Desired:
bd show <id> --json | jq '.[0].parent'
```

Low priority enhancement.


Add gate fields: await_type, await_id, timeout, waiters

Add gate-specific fields to the Issue type.

## New Fields
- await_type: string - Type of condition (gh:run, gh:pr, timer, human, mail)
- await_id: string - Identifier for the condition
- timeout: duration - Max time to wait before escalation
- waiters: []string - Mail addresses to notify when gate clears

## Implementation
- Add fields to Issue struct in internal/types/types.go
- Update SQLite schema for new columns
- Add JSONL serialization/deserialization
- Update import/export logic


Preflight: Pull latest

Ensure we're up to date with origin.

```bash
git pull --rebase
```

Resolve any conflicts before proceeding.


Add orphan detection migration

Create migration to detect orphaned children in existing databases. Query: SELECT id FROM issues WHERE id LIKE '%.%' AND substr(id, 1, instr(id || '.', '.') - 1) NOT IN (SELECT id FROM issues). Log results, let user decide action (delete orphans or convert to top-level).


bd mol update: Check and update installed formulas

Check for newer versions of installed formulas and update them.

## Usage
```bash
bd mol update                    # Update all
bd mol update mol-code-review    # Update specific formula
bd mol update --check            # Just check, don't update
```

## Implementation
1. Read .beads/installed.json
2. For each installed formula:
   - Fetch latest tag from GitHub API
   - Compare with installed version
   - If newer: download, cook, update installed.json
3. Report what was updated

## Flags
- `--check` - Only check for updates, don't install
- `--force` - Reinstall even if up to date
- `--json` - Machine-readable output


CLI cleanup: Rename bd mol catalog to bd formula list

## Problem
`bd mol catalog` shows formulas, not molecules. This is confusing.

Current state:
- `bd formula list` - lists formulas
- `bd mol catalog` - ALSO lists formulas (duplicate!)

The "mol" namespace should be for molecules (instantiated work), not formulas (templates).

## Proposed Change
- Remove `bd mol catalog`
- Keep `bd formula list` as the canonical command
- Update docs to use `bd formula list`

## Alternative
If we want a "catalog" concept separate from "list", make it `bd formula catalog`.


Add composite index (status, priority) for common list queries

SearchIssues and GetReadyWork frequently filter by status and sort by priority. Currently uses two separate indexes.

**Common query pattern (queries.go:1646-1647):**
```sql
WHERE status = ?
ORDER BY priority ASC, created_at DESC
```

**Problem:** Index merge or full scan when both columns are used.

**Solution:** Add migration:
```sql
CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_issues_status_priority ON issues(status, priority);
```

**Expected impact:** Faster bd list, bd ready with filters. Particularly noticeable at 10K+ issues.


Add bd doctor --fix flag to automatically repair issues

Add bd doctor --fix flag to automatically repair detected issues.

## Current State
- Doctor checks return issues with "Fix" field containing fix instructions
- No automatic fix execution
- User must manually follow fix instructions

## Implementation

### 1. Add --fix flag to doctor.go
```go
// In cmd/bd/doctor.go init()
doctorCmd.Flags().Bool("fix", false, "Automatically fix detected issues")
doctorCmd.Flags().Bool("yes", false, "Skip confirmation prompts (use with --fix)")
```

### 2. Create fix registry (cmd/bd/doctor/fix/registry.go)
```go
package fix

// Fixer can automatically repair an issue
type Fixer interface {
    // CanFix returns true if this fixer handles the given check name
    CanFix(checkName string) bool
    // Fix attempts to repair the issue, returns error if failed
    Fix(ctx context.Context, issue *CheckResult) error
    // Description returns human-readable description of what will be fixed
    Description() string
}

var registry []Fixer

func Register(f Fixer) {
    registry = append(registry, f)
}

func GetFixer(checkName string) Fixer {
    for _, f := range registry {
        if f.CanFix(checkName) {
            return f
        }
    }
    return nil
}
```

### 3. Implement fixers (one per file)

**cmd/bd/doctor/fix/hooks.go**
```go
type HooksFixer struct{}

func (f *HooksFixer) CanFix(name string) bool {
    return name == "git-hooks" || name == "hooks-outdated"
}

func (f *HooksFixer) Fix(ctx context.Context, issue *CheckResult) error {
    return hooks.Install(".", true) // force reinstall
}

func (f *HooksFixer) Description() string {
    return "Reinstall git hooks"
}

func init() {
    Register(&HooksFixer{})
}
```

**cmd/bd/doctor/fix/sync_branch.go**
```go
type SyncBranchFixer struct{}

func (f *SyncBranchFixer) CanFix(name string) bool {
    return name == "sync-branch-missing" || name == "sync-branch-diverged"
}

func (f *SyncBranchFixer) Fix(ctx context.Context, issue *CheckResult) error {
    // Reset to remote or create branch
    return syncbranch.ResetToRemote(ctx, repoRoot, branch, jsonlPath)
}
```

**cmd/bd/doctor/fix/merge_driver.go**
```go
type MergeDriverFixer struct{}

func (f *MergeDriverFixer) CanFix(name string) bool {
    return name == "merge-driver-missing" || name == "merge-driver-outdated"
}

func (f *MergeDriverFixer) Fix(ctx context.Context, issue *CheckResult) error {
    return setupMergeDriver()
}
```

### 4. Update doctor run logic

```go
func runDoctor(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
    issues := runAllChecks()

    if \!fixFlag {
        // Existing behavior - just display issues
        displayIssues(issues)
        return
    }

    // Collect fixable issues
    var fixable []FixableIssue
    for _, issue := range issues {
        if fixer := fix.GetFixer(issue.CheckName); fixer \!= nil {
            fixable = append(fixable, FixableIssue{issue, fixer})
        }
    }

    if len(fixable) == 0 {
        fmt.Println("No automatically fixable issues found")
        return
    }

    // Show what will be fixed
    fmt.Printf("Found %d fixable issues:\n", len(fixable))
    for i, f := range fixable {
        fmt.Printf("  %d. [%s] %s\n", i+1, f.Issue.CheckName, f.Fixer.Description())
    }

    // Confirm unless --yes
    if \!yesFlag {
        fmt.Print("\nProceed with fixes? [Y/n] ")
        // ... read confirmation
    }

    // Apply fixes
    for _, f := range fixable {
        fmt.Printf("Fixing %s... ", f.Issue.CheckName)
        if err := f.Fixer.Fix(ctx, f.Issue); err \!= nil {
            fmt.Printf("FAILED: %v\n", err)
        } else {
            fmt.Println("OK")
        }
    }
}
```

## Fixable Checks (Initial Set)

| Check | Fixer | Action |
|-------|-------|--------|
| git-hooks | HooksFixer | Reinstall hooks |
| hooks-outdated | HooksFixer | Update hooks |
| merge-driver-missing | MergeDriverFixer | Configure merge driver |
| sync-branch-diverged | SyncBranchFixer | Reset to remote |
| daemon-version-mismatch | DaemonFixer | Restart daemon |

## Testing
```bash
# Test with broken hooks
rm .git/hooks/pre-commit
bd doctor --fix --yes

# Verify fix applied
bd doctor  # Should pass now
```

## Success Criteria
- --fix flag triggers automatic repair
- User prompted for confirmation (unless --yes)
- Clear output showing what was fixed
- Graceful handling of fix failures
- At least 5 common issues auto-fixable


Merge: bd-g4b4

branch: polecat/Hooker
target: main
source_issue: bd-g4b4
rig: beads


Add unit tests for reset package

Comprehensive unit tests for internal/reset package.

## Test Cases

### ValidateState tests
- .beads/ exists → success
- .beads/ missing → appropriate error
- git dirty state detection

### CountImpact tests
- Empty .beads/ → zero counts
- With issues → correct count (open vs closed)
- With tombstones → correct count
- Returns HasUncommitted correctly

### Backup tests
- Creates backup with correct timestamp format
- Preserves all files and permissions
- Returns correct path
- Handles missing .beads/ gracefully
- Errors on pre-existing backup dir

### Git operation tests
- CheckGitState detects dirty, detached, not-a-repo
- GitRemoveBeads removes correct files
- GitCommitReset creates commit with message
- Operations skip gracefully when not in git repo

### Reset tests (with mocks/temp dirs)
- Soft reset removes files, calls init
- Hard reset includes git operations
- Dry run doesn't modify anything
- SkipInit flag prevents re-initialization
- Daemon killall is called
- Backup is created when requested

## Approach
- Can start with interface definitions (TDD style)
- Use testify for assertions
- Create temp directories for isolation
- Mock git operations where needed
- Test completion depends on implementation tasks

## File Location
`internal/reset/reset_test.go`
`internal/reset/backup_test.go`
`internal/reset/git_test.go`


Add bd agent state command for ZFC-compliant state reporting

Add command for agents to write their own state to agent beads.

```bash
bd agent state <agent-id> <state>
# Example: bd agent state gt-mayor running
# States: idle | running | stuck | stopped | dead
```

Implementation:
1. Lookup agent bead by ID (type=agent)
2. Update agent_state field in description
3. Update last_activity timestamp
4. Trigger bd sync if configured

Also add:
- bd agent heartbeat <agent-id> - just updates last_activity
- bd agent show <agent-id> - show agent bead details

This is the ZFC-compliant way for agents to self-report state.

Cross-ref: gt-p2vyo in gastown


Verify PyPI package

Confirm PyPI package published.

```bash
pip index versions beads-mcp 2>/dev/null | head -3
```

Or check: https://pypi.org/project/beads-mcp/

Should show 0.99.0-test.


Update CHANGELOG.md with release notes

Add meaningful release notes to CHANGELOG.md describing what changed in {{version}}


Implement formula features: repeat, for_each, branch, gate, compose.split

Multiple formula features in internal/formula/types.go are marked as "Not yet implemented":

IMPLEMENTED (TODOs removed):
- Step.Expand: Inline expansion - implemented in ApplyInlineExpansions (expand.go)
- Step.ExpandVars: Variable overrides for expansion - implemented alongside Expand

STILL NOT IMPLEMENTED (TODOs remain):
- Step.Condition: Make step optional based on variable (types.go:177-180)
- Step.Gate: Async wait condition for step (types.go:185-187)
- Gate struct: Schema defined but not processed in bd cook (types.go:209-210)

File: internal/formula/types.go


GH#444: Fix inconsistent status naming in_progress vs in-progress

Documentation uses in-progress (hyphen) but code expects in_progress (underscore). Update all docs to use canonical in_progress. See GitHub issue #444.


Run bump-version.sh 0.30.7

Run ./scripts/bump-version.sh 0.30.7 to update version in all files


Release v{{version}}

Clean release workflow for beads. Variables: version (e.g., 0.37.0), date (YYYY-MM-DD)


GH#505: Add bd reset/wipe command

Add command to cleanly reset/wipe beads database. User reports painful manual process to start fresh. See GitHub issue #505.


GH#405: Prefix parsing with hyphens treats first segment as prefix

Prefix me-py-toolkit gets parsed as just me- when detecting mismatches. Fix prefix parsing to handle multi-hyphen prefixes. See GitHub issue #405.


Add bd mol run command (bond + assign + pin)

bd mol run = bond + assign root to caller + pin to startup mail. This is the Gas Town integration point. When agent restarts, check startup mail, find pinned molecule root, query bd ready for next step. Makes molecules immortal.


bd import reports success but writes nothing to empty database

## Problem

In a fresh crew clone with no database, `bd import` and `bd sync --import-only` report:
```
Import complete: 0 created, 0 updated, 416 unchanged, 203 skipped
```

But the database remains empty:
```
sqlite3 .beads/beads.db 'SELECT COUNT(*) FROM issues'
0
```

## Reproduction Steps

1. Fresh clone (crew/dave) with .beads/issues.jsonl containing 619 issues
2. `bd init --skip-hooks` creates empty database
3. `bd import -i .beads/issues.jsonl` reports 416 unchanged
4. Database still has 0 issues

## Expected

Import should create 416 issues in the database.

## Root Cause Hypothesis

The 'unchanged' count suggests it's comparing against something (maybe in-memory state?) rather than the actual database. The daemon running from a different clone (mayor/rig) may be confusing the import logic.

## Context

Discovered during v0.39.0 release. Worked around by doing the release manually instead of using the beads-release molecule.


Bump version in all files

Run ./scripts/bump-version.sh {{version}} to update 10 version files. Then run with --commit after info.go is updated.


Deacon Patrol

Mayor's daemon patrol loop for handling callbacks, health checks, and cleanup.


Add default limit to bd list (50 issues)

Add a sensible default limit of 50 issues to bd list output, matching patterns from gh cli (30) and jira-cli (50).

- Default to 50 when no --limit specified
- --limit 0 means unlimited (explicit override)
- Protects both agents and humans from overwhelming output

This is independent of the filter change but complementary.

## Implementation Plan

### Code Changes (cmd/bd/list.go)

1. **Change default limit** (init function, ~line 887):
```go
// Currently: listCmd.Flags().IntP("limit", "n", 0, "Limit results")
// Change to:
listCmd.Flags().IntP("limit", "n", 50, "Limit results (0 for unlimited)")
```

2. **Update help text**:
```go
"Limit results (default: 50, use 0 for unlimited)"
```

3. **Handle explicit 0** in Run function:
```go
// --limit 0 means unlimited
if cmd.Flags().Changed("limit") && limit == 0 {
    filter.Limit = 0 // No limit applied
} else if limit > 0 {
    filter.Limit = limit
} else {
    filter.Limit = 50 // Default
}
```

### Testing
- `bd list` shows max 50 issues
- `bd list --limit 10` shows max 10
- `bd list --limit 0` shows unlimited
- Verify output indicates truncation: "Showing 50 of 499 issues (use --limit 0 for all)"

### Documentation
- Note in help: default changed from unlimited to 50


CLI cleanup: Consolidate bd top-level commands

## Problem
bd has 76 top-level commands, making it hard to discover and remember.

## Proposed Changes

### Remove from top-level (nest instead):
- `bd cook` → `bd formula cook` (cooking is a formula operation)
- `bd pin` → already covered by `bd mol` commands
- `bd thanks` → `bd info --thanks` or just README
- `bd quickstart` → `bd help quickstart` or docs
- `bd detect-pollution` → `bd doctor --check=pollution`

### Consolidate migrations under `bd migrate`:
- `bd migrate-hash-ids` → `bd migrate hash-ids`
- `bd migrate-issues` → `bd migrate issues`
- `bd migrate-sync` → `bd migrate sync`
- `bd migrate-tombstones` → `bd migrate tombstones`

### Consolidate admin under `bd admin`:
- `bd cleanup` → `bd admin cleanup`
- `bd compact` → `bd admin compact`
- `bd reset` → `bd admin reset`

## Backwards Compatibility
Keep old commands as hidden aliases for one release cycle.


Add tests for import/export functionality

Import/export functions like ImportIssues, exportToJSONLWithStore, and AutoImportIfNewer have low coverage. These are critical for data integrity and multi-repo synchronization.


Phase 1.3: Basic TOON read/write operations

Add basic TOON read/write operations to bdt executable. Implement create, list, and show commands that use the internal/toon package for encoding/decoding to TOON format.

## Subtasks
1. Implement bdt create command - Create issues and serialize to TOON format
2. Implement bdt list command - Read issues.toon and display all issues
3. Implement bdt show command - Display single issue by ID
4. Add file I/O operations for issues.toon
5. Integrate internal/toon package (EncodeTOON, DecodeJSON)
6. Write tests for create, list, show operations

## Files to Create/Modify
- cmd/bdt/create.go - Create command
- cmd/bdt/list.go - List command
- cmd/bdt/show.go - Show command
- cmd/bdt/storage.go - File I/O helper

## Success Criteria
- bdt create "Issue title" creates and saves to issues.toon
- bdt list displays all issues in human-readable format
- bdt list --json shows JSON output
- bdt show <id> displays single issue
- Issues round-trip correctly: create → list → show
- All tests passing with >80% coverage


Gate eval: Add error visibility for gh CLI failures

Currently evalGHRunGate and evalGHPRGate silently swallow errors when the gh CLI fails (lines 738-741, 780-783 in gate.go).

This makes debugging difficult - if gh isn't installed, auth fails, or network issues occur, gates silently stall forever with no indication of why.

Options:
1. Add debug logging when gh fails
2. Return error info in the skipped list for aggregate reporting
3. Add a --verbose flag to gate eval that shows failures

Low priority since the fail-safe behavior (don't close gate on error) is correct.


Split internal/storage/sqlite/queries.go (1586 lines)

Split internal/storage/sqlite/queries.go (1704 lines) into logical modules.

## Current State
queries.go is 1704 lines with mixed responsibilities:
- Issue CRUD operations
- Search/filter operations
- Delete operations (complex cascade logic)
- Helper functions (parsing, formatting)

## Proposed Split

### 1. queries.go (keep ~400 lines) - Core CRUD
```go
// Core issue operations
func (s *SQLiteStorage) CreateIssue(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) GetIssue(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) UpdateIssue(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) CloseIssue(...)
```

### 2. queries_search.go (~300 lines) - Search/Filter
```go
// Search and filtering
func (s *SQLiteStorage) SearchIssues(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) GetIssueByExternalRef(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) GetCloseReason(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) GetCloseReasonsForIssues(...)
```

### 3. queries_delete.go (~400 lines) - Delete Operations
```go
// Delete operations with cascade logic
func (s *SQLiteStorage) CreateTombstone(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) DeleteIssue(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) DeleteIssues(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) resolveDeleteSet(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) expandWithDependents(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) validateNoDependents(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) checkSingleIssueValidation(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) trackOrphanedIssues(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) collectOrphansForID(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) populateDeleteStats(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) executeDelete(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) findAllDependentsRecursive(...)
```

### 4. queries_helpers.go (~100 lines) - Utilities
```go
// Helper functions (already at top of file)
func parseNullableTimeString(...)
func parseJSONStringArray(...)
func formatJSONStringArray(...)
```

### 5. queries_rename.go (~100 lines) - ID/Prefix Operations
```go
// ID and prefix management
func (s *SQLiteStorage) UpdateIssueID(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) RenameDependencyPrefix(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) RenameCounterPrefix(...)
func (s *SQLiteStorage) ResetCounter(...)
```

## Implementation Steps

1. **Create new files** with package declaration:
   ```go
   // queries_delete.go
   package sqlite

   import (...)
   ```

2. **Move functions** - cut/paste, maintaining order within each file

3. **Update imports** - each file needs its own imports

4. **Run tests** after each file split:
   ```bash
   go test ./internal/storage/sqlite/...
   ```

5. **Run linter** to catch any issues:
   ```bash
   golangci-lint run ./internal/storage/sqlite/...
   ```

## File Organization
```
internal/storage/sqlite/
├── queries.go          # Core CRUD (~400 lines)
├── queries_search.go   # Search/filter (~300 lines)
├── queries_delete.go   # Delete cascade (~400 lines)
├── queries_helpers.go  # Utilities (~100 lines)
└── queries_rename.go   # ID operations (~100 lines)
```

## Success Criteria
- No file > 500 lines
- All tests pass
- No functionality changes
- Clear separation of concerns


Add GetWorkerStatus RPC endpoint

New RPC endpoint to get all workers and their current molecule/step in one call. Returns: assignee, moleculeID, moleculeTitle, currentStep, totalSteps, stepTitle, lastActivity, status. Enables activity feed TUI to show worker state without multiple round trips.


Code smell: 262 uses of interface{} reduce type safety

Heavy use of interface{} across 92 files (262 occurrences) in:
- RPC update arguments: updatesFromArgs() returns map[string]interface{}
- JSON unmarshaling and formatting
- Storage query helpers

**Example in internal/rpc/server_issues_epics.go:45:**
```go
func updatesFromArgs(a UpdateArgs) map[string]interface{} {
    // Returns map with interface{} values - types must be asserted at use sites
}
```

**Problem:**
- Loss of type safety
- Runtime type assertions required
- Harder to catch errors at compile time

**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] Define typed update structs for specific field groups
- [ ] Use generics where possible (Go 1.18+)
- [ ] Reduce interface{} count by at least 50%
- [ ] Document expected types where interface{} remains necessary
- [ ] Tests pass


Polecat sessions terminate unexpectedly during work

During swarm bd-784c, polecat sessions (Toast, Nux) terminated mid-task without completing their work.

**Observed:**
- Polecats were actively working (edits in progress, tests running)
- Sessions suddenly showed 'not running' in gt polecat status
- tmux sessions existed but were empty/reset
- Work was partially complete (some commits made, issue still open)

**Timeline example:**
1. Toast working on bd-1tkd, making edits
2. Check status 30s later - session empty, state shows 'idle'
3. Had to re-sling to restart

**Impact:**
- Lost work progress
- Required manual intervention to restart
- Unclear if work was saved/committed

**Possible causes:**
- Session timeout?
- Claude Code crash?
- Resource limit?

**Suggestion:**
- Add session health monitoring
- Auto-restart on unexpected termination
- Log session exit reasons


Update CHANGELOG.md with release notes

Add meaningful release notes to CHANGELOG.md describing what changed in test-squash


Add MCP server functions for repair commands

**Summary:** Added MCP server repair functions for agent dependency management, system validation, and pollution detection. Implemented across BdClientBase, BdCliClient, and daemon clients to enhance system diagnostics and self-healing capabilities.

**Key Decisions:**
- Expose repair_deps(), detect_pollution(), validate() via MCP server
- Create abstract method stubs with fallback to CLI execution
- Use @mcp.tool decorators for function registration

**Resolution:** Successfully implemented comprehensive repair command infrastructure, enabling more robust system health monitoring and automated remediation with full CLI and daemon support.

Implemented all three MCP server functions:

1. **repair_deps(fix=False)** - Find/fix orphaned dependencies
2. **detect_pollution(clean=False)** - Detect/clean test issues
3. **validate(checks=None, fix_all=False)** - Run comprehensive health checks

Changes:
- Added abstract methods to BdClientBase
- Implemented in BdCliClient (CLI execution)
- Added NotImplementedError stubs in BdDaemonClient (falls back to CLI)
- Created wrapper functions in tools.py
- Registered @mcp.tool decorators in server.py

All commands tested and working with --no-daemon flag.


Performance Validation

Confirm no performance regression from cache removal


Update local installation

Run install script or brew upgrade to get new version locally: curl -fsSL .../install.sh | bash


Update all code to use dependencies API for edges

Find and update all code that reads/writes:
- replies_to field -> use dependency API
- relates_to field -> use dependency API
- duplicate_of field -> use dependency API
- superseded_by field -> use dependency API

Commands affected: bd mail, bd relate, bd duplicate, bd supersede, bd show, etc.


Test hook


Improve test coverage for internal/export (37.1% → 60%)

The export package has only 37.1% test coverage. Export functionality needs good coverage to ensure data integrity.

Current coverage: 37.1%
Target coverage: 60%


Update CHANGELOG.md

Write the [Unreleased] section with all changes for 0.39.0.

Format: Keep a Changelog (https://keepachangelog.com)

Sections:
- ### Added
- ### Changed
- ### Fixed
- ### Documentation

The bump script will stamp the date automatically.


Release v0.30.4

## Version Bump Workflow

Coordinating release from 0.30.3 to 0.30.4.

### Components Updated
- Go CLI (cmd/bd/version.go)
- Claude Plugin (.claude-plugin/*.json)
- MCP Server (integrations/beads-mcp/)
- npm Package (npm-package/package.json)
- Git hooks (cmd/bd/templates/hooks/)

### Release Channels
- GitHub Releases (GoReleaser)
- PyPI (beads-mcp)
- npm (@beads/cli)
- Homebrew (homebrew-beads tap)


Remove top-level comment alias

Remove 'comment' as top-level command. Users should use 'comments add' instead. Reduces command surface area.


Replace map[string]interface{} with typed JSON response structs

Many CLI commands use map[string]interface{} for JSON output which loses type safety and compile-time error detection.

Files with map[string]interface{}:
- cmd/bd/compact.go (10+ instances)
- cmd/bd/cleanup.go
- cmd/bd/daemons.go
- cmd/bd/daemon_lifecycle.go

Example fix:
```go
// Before
result := map[string]interface{}{
    "status": "ok",
    "count": 42,
}

// After
type CompactResponse struct {
    Status string `json:"status"`
    Count  int    `json:"count"`
}
result := CompactResponse{Status: "ok", Count: 42}
```

Benefits:
- Compile-time type checking
- IDE autocompletion
- Easier refactoring
- Self-documenting API


bd sync --merge fails due to chicken-and-egg: .beads/ always dirty

## Problem

When sync.branch is configured (e.g., beads-sync), the bd sync workflow creates a chicken-and-egg problem:

1. `bd sync` commits changes to beads-sync via worktree
2. `bd sync` copies JSONL to main working dir via `copyJSONLToMainRepo()` (sync.go line 364, worktree.go line 678-685)
3. The copy is NOT committed to main - it just updates the working tree
4. `bd sync --merge` checks for clean working dir (sync.go line 1547-1548)
5. `bd sync --merge` FAILS because .beads/issues.jsonl is uncommitted!

## Impact

- sync.branch workflow is fundamentally broken
- Users cannot periodically merge beads-sync → main
- Main branch always shows as dirty
- Creates confusion about git state

## Root Cause

sync.go:1547-1548:
```go
if len(strings.TrimSpace(string(statusOutput))) > 0 {
    return fmt.Errorf("main branch has uncommitted changes, please commit or stash them first")
}
```

This check blocks merge when ANY uncommitted changes exist, including the .beads/ changes that `bd sync` itself created.

## Proposed Fix

Option A: Exclude .beads/ from the clean check in `mergeSyncBranch`:
```go
// Check if there are non-beads uncommitted changes
statusCmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "git", "status", "--porcelain", "--", ":!.beads/")
```

Option B: Auto-stash .beads/ changes before merge, restore after

Option C: Change the workflow - do not copy JSONL to main working dir, instead always read from worktree

## Files to Modify

- cmd/bd/sync.go:1540-1549 (mergeSyncBranch function)
- Possibly internal/syncbranch/worktree.go (copyJSONLToMainRepo)

## Fix Implemented

Modified cmd/bd/sync.go mergeSyncBranch function:

1. **Exclude .beads/ from dirty check** (line 1543):
   Changed `git status --porcelain` to `git status --porcelain -- :!.beads/`
   This allows merge to proceed when only .beads/ has uncommitted changes.

2. **Restore .beads/ to HEAD before merge** (lines 1553-1561):
   Added `git checkout HEAD -- .beads/` before merge to prevent
   "Your local changes would be overwritten by merge" errors.
   The .beads/ changes are redundant since they came FROM beads-sync.

## Testing

- All cmd/bd sync/merge tests pass
- All internal/syncbranch tests pass
- Manual verification needed for full workflow


Commit release v0.33.2

Stage and commit the version bump:

```bash
git add cmd/bd/version.go cmd/bd/info.go CHANGELOG.md
git commit -m "release: v0.33.2"
```

Do NOT push yet - tag first.


Release v0.33.2

Version bump workflow for beads release 0.33.2.

## Variables
- `0.33.2` - The new version number (e.g., 0.31.0)
- `2025-12-21` - Release date (YYYY-MM-DD format)

## Workflow Steps
1. Kill running daemons
2. Run tests and linting
3. Bump version in all files (10 files total)
4. Update cmd/bd/info.go with release notes
5. Commit and push version bump
6. Create and push git tag
7. Update Homebrew formula
8. Upgrade local Homebrew installation
9. Verify installation

## Files Updated by bump-version.sh
- cmd/bd/version.go
- .claude-plugin/plugin.json
- .claude-plugin/marketplace.json
- integrations/beads-mcp/pyproject.toml
- integrations/beads-mcp/src/beads_mcp/__init__.py
- README.md
- npm-package/package.json
- cmd/bd/templates/hooks/* (4 files)
- CHANGELOG.md

## Manual Step Required
- cmd/bd/info.go - Add versionChanges entry with release notes


Merge: obsidian-1767083466920

branch: polecat/obsidian-1767083466920
target: main
source_issue: obsidian-1767083466920
rig: beads


Digest: Release v0.34.0 @ 2025-12-22 12:16

Released v0.34.0: wisp commands, chemistry UX, cross-project deps


Update local installation

go build -o ~/.local/bin/bd ./cmd/bd && codesign -s - ~/.local/bin/bd


Update local installations.

Update local installations.

```bash
# Upgrade Homebrew
brew upgrade steveyegge/beads/bd

# Or install from source
./scripts/bump-version.sh 0.37.0 --install

# Install MCP locally
pip install -e integrations/beads-mcp

# Restart daemons
pkill -f "bd daemon" || true
```

Verify: `bd --version` shows 0.37.0

instantiated_from: bd-mol-xga
step: update-local


Update info.go versionChanges

Add entry to versionChanges in cmd/bd/info.go with agent-actionable changes for test-squash


Test Child Task


Work on beads-1ra: Add molecules.jsonl as separate catalo...

Work on beads-1ra: Add molecules.jsonl as separate catalog file for template molecules


Test child task


bd init should stop running daemon to avoid stale cache

When running bd init, any running daemon continues with stale cached data, causing bd stats and other commands to show old counts.

Repro:
1. Have daemon running with 788 issues cached
2. Clean JSONL to 128 issues, delete db, run bd init
3. bd stats still shows 788 (daemon cache)
4. Must manually run bd daemon --stop

Fix: bd init should automatically stop any running daemon before reinitializing.


Update local installation

Update local bd to the new version.

Option 1 - Homebrew:
```bash
brew upgrade bd
```

Option 2 - Install script:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/steveyegge/beads/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
```

Verify:
```bash
bd --version
```

Should show 0.41.0.


Ephemeral issue cleanup and history compaction

## Problem

Beads history grows without bound. Every message, handoff, work assignment
stays in issues.jsonl forever. Enterprise users will balk at "git as database."

## Solution: Two-Tier Cleanup

### Tier 1: Ephemeral Cleanup (v1)

bd cleanup --ephemeral --closed

- Deletes closed issues where ephemeral=true from issues.jsonl
- Safe: only removes explicitly marked ephemeral + closed
- Preserves git history (commits still exist)
- Run after swarm completion

### Tier 2: History Compaction (v2)

bd compact --squash

- Rewrites issues.jsonl to remove tombstones
- Optionally squashes git history (interactive rebase equivalent)
- Preserves Merkle proofs for deleted items
- Advanced: cold storage tiering

## HOP Context

| Layer | HOP Role | Persistence |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| Execution trace | None | Ephemeral |
| Work scaffolding | None | Summarizable |
| Work outcome | CV entry | Permanent |
| Validation record | Stake proof | Permanent |

"Execution is ephemeral. Outcomes are permanent. You can't squash your CV."

## Success Criteria

- After cleanup --ephemeral: issues.jsonl only contains persistent work
- Work outcomes preserved (CV entries)
- Validation records preserved (stake proofs)
- Execution scaffolding removed (transient coordination)

## Implementation Plan (REVISED after code review)

See history/EPHEMERAL_MOLECULES_DESIGN.md for comprehensive design + review.

## Key Simplification

After code review, Tier 1 is MUCH simpler than originally designed:

- **Original**: Separate ephemeral repo with routing.ephemeral config
- **Revised**: Just set Wisp: true in cloneSubgraph()

The wisp field and bd cleanup --wisp already exist\!

## Child Tasks (in dependency order)

1. **bd-2vh3.2**: Tier 1 - Ephemeral spawning (SIMPLIFIED) [READY]
   - Just add Wisp: true to template.go:474
   - Add --persistent flag to opt out
2. **bd-2vh3.3**: Tier 2 - Basic bd mol squash command
3. **bd-2vh3.4**: Tier 3 - AI-powered squash summarization
4. **bd-2vh3.5**: Tier 4 - Auto-squash on molecule completion
5. **bd-2vh3.6**: Tier 5 - JSONL archive rotation (DEFERRED: post-1.0)

## What Already Exists

| Component | Location |
|-----------|----------|
| Ephemeral field | internal/types/types.go:45 |
| bd cleanup --wisp | cmd/bd/cleanup.go:72 |
| cloneSubgraph() | cmd/bd/template.go:456 |
| loadTemplateSubgraph() | cmd/bd/template.go |

## HOP Alignment

'Execution is ephemeral. Outcomes are permanent. You can't squash your CV.'


Merge: bd-4opy

branch: polecat/angharad
target: main
source_issue: bd-4opy
rig: beads


Add EntityRef type for structured entity references

Create EntityRef struct with Name, Platform, Org, ID fields. This is the foundation for HOP entity tracking. Can render as entity://hop/<platform>/<org>/<id> when needed. Add to internal/types/types.go.


Rename ephemeral → wisp throughout codebase

## The Change

Rename 'ephemeral' to 'wisp' throughout the beads codebase.

## Why

**Ephemeral** is:
- 4 syllables (too long)
- Greek/academic (doesn't match bond/burn/squash)
- Overused in tech (K8s, networking, storage)
- Passive/descriptive

**Wisp** is:
- 1 syllable (matches bond/burn/squash)
- Evocative - you can SEE a wisp
- Steam engine metaphor - Gas Town is engines, steam wisps rise and dissipate
- Will-o'-the-wisp - transient spirits that guide then vanish
- Unique - nobody else uses it

## The Steam Engine Metaphor

```
Engine does work → generates steam
Steam wisps rise → execution trace
Steam condenses → digest (distillate)
Steam dissipates → cleaned up (burned)
```

## Full Vocabulary

| Term | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| bond | Attach proto to work (creates wisps) |
| wisp | Temporary execution step |
| squash | Condense wisps into digest |
| burn | Destroy wisps without record |
| digest | Permanent condensed record |

## Changes Required

### Code
- `Ephemeral bool` → `Wisp bool` in types/issue.go
- `--ephemeral` flag → remove (wisp is default)
- `--persistent` flag → keep as opt-out
- `bd cleanup --ephemeral` → `bd cleanup --wisps`
- Update all references in mol_*.go files

### Docs
- Update all documentation
- Update CLAUDE.md examples
- Update CLI help text

### Database Migration
- Add migration to rename field (or keep internal name, just change API)

## Example Usage After

```bash
bd mol bond mol-polecat-work   # Creates wisps (default)
bd mol bond mol-xxx --persistent  # Creates permanent issues
bd mol squash bd-xxx           # Condenses wisps → digest
bd cleanup --wisps             # Clean old wisps
bd list --wisps                # Show wisp issues
```


Add sync resilience guardrails for forced pushes and prefix mismatches

Beads can get into unrecoverable sync states when remote forces pushes occur (e.g., rebases) combined with prefix mismatches from multi-worker scenarios. Add detection, prevention, and auto-recovery features to handle this gracefully.


Re: Thread Test 2

Great! Thread is working well.


Merge: quartz-1767083470444

branch: polecat/quartz-1767083470444
target: main
source_issue: quartz-1767083470444
rig: beads


Code smell: init.go is 1928 lines - needs splitting

cmd/bd/init.go is 1928 lines covering multiple init modes, contributor/team setup, hooks setup, and stealth mode.

**Problem:**
- File is too large to understand and maintain
- Multiple responsibilities within single file
- Harder to test individual components

**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] Split into logical files (init_setup.go, init_hooks.go, init_stealth.go, etc.)
- [ ] Each file under 500 lines
- [ ] No functionality changes
- [ ] Tests pass


Run bump-version.sh {{version}}

Run ./scripts/bump-version.sh {{version}} to update version in all files


GH#540: Add silent quick-capture mode (bd q)

Add bd q alias for quick capture that outputs only issue ID. Useful for piping/scripting. See GitHub issue #540.


Build and verify

go build -o bd ./cmd/bd && ./bd version


Remove bd mol spawn - use pour/wisp only

Remove the spawn command from bd mol. Replace with:

- bd pour <proto> - Instantiate as mol (liquid, persistent)
- bd wisp <proto> - Instantiate as wisp (vapor, ephemeral)

Rationale:
- 'spawn' doesn't fit the chemistry metaphor
- Two phase transitions (pour/wisp) are clearer than one command with flags
- Avoids confusion about defaults

Implementation:
1. Add bd pour command (currently bd mol spawn --pour)
2. Add bd wisp command (currently bd mol spawn without --pour)
3. Remove bd mol spawn
4. Update all docs/tests

Gas Town tracking: gt-ingm.6


bump-version.sh should detect pre-staged release notes

When running the release workflow, I staged CHANGELOG.md and info.go changes before running bump-version.sh. The script:

1. Warned about uncommitted changes (correct)
2. Required stash/pop to proceed
3. After pop, the [Unreleased] header wasn't converted to version/date

The script could be smarter:
- Detect if staged changes are to CHANGELOG.md/info.go (expected for releases)
- Or provide a --allow-staged flag
- Or at minimum, re-apply the [Unreleased] → [X.Y.Z] transformation after detecting manual edits

Workaround: manually edit [Unreleased] to [0.39.1] - 2025-12-27 after stash pop.


Merge: bd-qioh

branch: polecat/Errata
target: main
source_issue: bd-qioh
rig: beads


Merge: bd-4qfb

branch: polecat/Polish
target: main
source_issue: bd-4qfb
rig: beads


bd mol bond --ephemeral flag

Add --ephemeral flag to bd mol bond command.

## Behavior
- `bd mol bond <proto> --ephemeral` creates molecule in .beads-ephemeral/
- Without flag, creates in .beads/ (current behavior)
- Ephemeral molecules have `ephemeral: true` in their issue record

## Implementation
- Add --ephemeral bool flag to mol bond command
- Route to EphemeralStore when flag set
- Set ephemeral:true on created issue

## Testing
- Test mol bond creates in correct location
- Test ephemeral flag is persisted
- Test regular mol bond still works


Phase 1.1: TOON Library Integration - Add gotoon dependency

Add gotoon (github.com/alpkeskin/gotoon) to go.mod and create internal/toon wrapper package for TOON encoding/decoding. This enables bdtoon to encode Issue structs to TOON format and decode TOON back to issues.

## Subtasks
1. Add gotoon dependency: go get github.com/alpkeskin/gotoon
2. Create internal/toon package with wrapper functions
3. Write encode tests for Issue struct round-trip conversion
4. Write decode tests for TOON to Issue conversion
5. Add gotoon API options to wrapper (indent, delimiter, length markers)

## Success Criteria
- go.mod includes gotoon dependency
- internal/toon/encode.go exports EncodeTOON(issues) ([]byte, error)
- internal/toon/decode.go exports DecodeTOON(data []byte) ([]Issue, error)
- Round-trip tests verify Issue → TOON → Issue produces identical data
- Tests pass with: go test ./internal/toon -v


Enhance bd doctor to suggest reset for broken states

Update bd doctor to detect severely broken states and suggest reset.

## Detection Criteria
Suggest reset when:
- Multiple unfixable errors detected
- Corrupted JSONL that can't be repaired
- Schema version mismatch that can't be migrated
- Daemon state inconsistent and unkillable

## Implementation
Add to doctor's check/fix flow:
```go
if unfixableErrors > threshold {
    suggest('State may be too broken to fix. Consider: bd reset')
}
```

## Output Example
```
✗ Found 5 unfixable errors

  Your beads state may be too corrupted to repair.
  Consider running 'bd reset' to start fresh.
  (Use 'bd reset --backup' to save current state first)
```

## Notes
- Don't auto-run reset, just suggest
- This is lower priority, can be done in parallel with main work


GH#409: bd init uses issues.jsonl but docs say beads.jsonl

bd init creates config referencing issues.jsonl but README/docs reference beads.jsonl as canonical. Standardize naming. See GitHub issue #409.


No logging/debugging for tombstone resurrection events

Per the design document bd-zvg Open Question 1: Should resurrection log a warning? Recommendation was Yes. Currently, when an expired tombstone loses to a live issue (resurrection), there is no logging or debugging output. This makes it hard to understand why an issue reappeared. Recommendation: Add optional debug logging when resurrection occurs, e.g., Issue bd-abc resurrected (tombstone expired). Files: internal/merge/merge.go:359-366, 371-378, 400-405, 410-415


Sling reports 'already pinned' but mol status shows empty hook

During swarm operations, gt sling reported beads were 'already pinned' but gt mol status showed nothing on the hook.

**Observed:**
```
$ gt sling bd-9btu beads/Nux
Error: bead bd-9btu is already pinned to gt-beads-nux

$ gt mol status beads/Nux
Nothing on hook - no work slung
```

**Expected:**
If a bead is pinned, mol status should show it. If mol status shows empty, sling should work.

**Workaround:**
Used --force flag to re-sling, which worked.

**Root cause hypothesis:**
Agent bead state may be stored in town beads but polecat's local view doesn't see it, or the pin record exists but session state is stale.


bd cook: needs field not converted to step dependencies

When cooking a formula with `needs` fields on steps, the dependencies are not created between sibling steps.

## Expected

Formula:
```yaml
steps:
  - id: inbox-check
    title: Check inbox
  - id: trigger-spawns
    title: Nudge polecats
    needs: [inbox-check]
```

Should create:
- mol-foo.inbox-check (no deps)
- mol-foo.trigger-spawns → depends on → mol-foo.inbox-check

## Actual

Both steps only depend on the parent proto:
- mol-foo.inbox-check → depends on → mol-foo
- mol-foo.trigger-spawns → depends on → mol-foo

The `needs` field is ignored.

## Impact

This breaks the step execution order. Steps that should wait for predecessors will run in parallel or out of order.

## Reproduction

```bash
bd cook mol-deacon-patrol.formula.yaml
bd show mol-deacon-patrol.trigger-pending-spawns
# Shows: Depends on mol-deacon-patrol (parent only)
# Should show: Depends on mol-deacon-patrol.inbox-check
```


Update version to {{version}} in version.go

Edit cmd/bd/version.go line 17:

```go
Version = "{{version}}"
```

Verify with: `grep 'Version =' cmd/bd/version.go`


Update local installation

Run install script or brew upgrade to get new version locally: curl -fsSL .../install.sh | bash


Prevent multiple daemons from running on the same repo

Multiple bd daemons running on the same repo clone causes race conditions and data corruption risks.

**Problem:**
- Nothing prevents spawning multiple daemons for the same repository
- Multiple daemons watching the same files can conflict during sync operations
- Observed: 4 daemons running simultaneously caused sync race condition

**Solution:**
Implement daemon singleton enforcement per repo:
1. Use a lock file (e.g., .beads/.daemon.lock) with PID
2. On daemon start, check if lock exists and process is alive
3. If stale lock (dead PID), clean up and acquire lock
4. If active daemon exists, either:
   - Exit with message 'daemon already running (PID xxx)'
   - Or offer --replace flag to kill existing and take over
5. Release lock on graceful shutdown

**Edge cases to handle:**
- Daemon crashes without releasing lock (stale PID detection)
- Multiple repos in same directory tree (each repo gets own lock)
- Race between two daemons starting simultaneously (atomic lock acquisition)


Add 'bd where' command to show active beads location

## Problem

When using redirects, it's unclear which beads database is actually being used. This caused debugging confusion during the v0.39.0 release.

## Proposed Solution

Add `bd where` command:

```bash
bd where
# → /Users/stevey/gt/beads/mayor/rig/.beads (via redirect from crew/dave/.beads)

bd where --json
# → {"path": "...", "redirected_from": "...", "prefix": "bd"}
```

## Alternatives Considered

- `bd info --beads-path` - but `bd where` is more discoverable
- Just fix the UX so it's never confusing - defense in depth is better

## Desire Paths

This supports the 'desire paths' design principle: make the system's behavior visible so agents can debug and understand it.


Consider consolidating config.yaml parsing into shared utility

Multiple places parse config.yaml with custom structs:

1. **autoimport.go:148** - `localConfig{SyncBranch}`
2. **main.go:310** - strings.Contains for no-db (fragile, see bd-r6k2)
3. **doctor.go:863** - strings.Contains for no-db (fragile, see bd-r6k2)
4. **internal/config/config.go** - Uses viper (but caches at startup, problematic for tests)

Consider creating a shared utility in `internal/configfile/` or extending the viper config:

```go
// internal/configfile/yaml.go
type YAMLConfig struct {
    SyncBranch string `yaml:"sync-branch"`
    NoDb       bool   `yaml:"no-db"`
    IssuePrefix string `yaml:"issue-prefix"`
    Author     string `yaml:"author"`
}

func LoadYAML(beadsDir string) (*YAMLConfig, error) {
    // Parse config.yaml with proper YAML library
}
```

Benefits:
- Single source of truth for config.yaml structure
- Proper YAML parsing everywhere
- Easier to add new config fields

Trade-off: May add complexity for simple one-off reads.


Support --reason flag in daemon mode for reopen command

The reopen.go command has a TODO at line 61 to add reason as a comment once RPC supports AddComment. Currently --reason flag is ignored in daemon mode with a warning.


Merge: oast-1766978911452

branch: polecat/Toast-1766978911452
target: main
source_issue: oast-1766978911452
rig: beads


Polecats should spawn with auto-accept mode enabled

During swarm bd-784c, polecats (Toast, Nux) were spawned without --dangerously-skip-permissions or equivalent auto-accept mode.

**Problem:**
Every edit, bash command, and tool use required manual confirmation via tmux send-keys. This defeats the purpose of autonomous polecat operation.

**Expected:**
Polecats in a swarm should run with permissions bypassed so they can work autonomously.

**Workaround used:**
- Manually sent Enter keys via tmux to accept prompts
- Eventually polecats entered 'bypass permissions on' mode after restart

**Suggestion:**
- gt sling should pass --dangerously-skip-permissions by default for polecats
- Or polecats should have a .claude/settings.local.json pre-configured for auto-accept


Merge: bd-au0.6

branch: polecat/furiosa
target: main
source_issue: bd-au0.6
rig: beads


Migration invariants should exclude external dependencies from orphan check

## Summary

The `checkForeignKeys` function in `migration_invariants.go` flags external dependencies as orphaned because they dont exist in the local issues table.

## Location

`internal/storage/sqlite/migration_invariants.go` around line 150-162

## Current Code (buggy)

```go
// Check for orphaned dependencies
var orphanCount int
err = db.QueryRowContext(ctx, \`
    SELECT COUNT(*)
    FROM dependencies d
    WHERE NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM issues WHERE id = d.depends_on_id)
\`).Scan(&orphanCount)
```

## Fix

Exclude external references (format: `external:<project>:<capability>`):

```go
// Check for orphaned dependencies (excluding external refs)
var orphanCount int
err = db.QueryRowContext(ctx, \`
    SELECT COUNT(*)
    FROM dependencies d
    WHERE NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM issues WHERE id = d.depends_on_id)
      AND d.depends_on_id NOT LIKE 'external:%'
\`).Scan(&orphanCount)
```

## Reproduction

```bash
# Add external dependency
bd dep add bd-xxx external:other-project:some-capability

# Try to sync - fails
bd sync
# Error: found 1 orphaned dependencies
```

## Files to Modify

1. **internal/storage/sqlite/migration_invariants.go** - Add WHERE clause

## Testing

```bash
# Create issue with external dep
bd create "Test external deps" -t task
bd dep add bd-xxx external:beads:release-workflow

# Sync should succeed
bd sync

# Verify dep exists
bd show bd-xxx --json | jq .dependencies
```

## Success Criteria
- External dependencies dont trigger orphan check
- `bd sync` succeeds with external deps
- Regular orphan detection still works for internal deps


Test comment display


Code smell: 20+ global variables in main.go

main.go lines 63-103 have over 20 global variables managing command-line state, daemon connection, auto-flush, auto-import, and error handling.

**Globals include:**
dbPath, actor, store, jsonOutput, daemonStatus, daemonClient, noDaemon, rootCtx, rootCancel, autoFlushEnabled, flushMutex, storeMutex, storeActive, flushFailureCount, lastFlushError, flushManager, hookRunner, skipFinalFlush, autoImportEnabled, versionUpgradeDetected, previousVersion, upgradeAcknowledged

**Problem:**
- Global state makes testing difficult
- Race conditions possible between goroutines
- Hard to track which functions modify which globals

**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] Create CommandContext struct to hold runtime state
- [ ] Pass context through command execution
- [ ] Reduce global count to essential minimum
- [ ] Tests pass


Sync branch integrity guards

Track sync branch parent commit. If sync branch was force-pushed, warn user and require confirmation before proceeding. Add option to reset to remote if user accepts rebase. Prevents silent corruption from forced pushes.


Merge: quartz-1767106247671

branch: polecat/quartz-1767106247671
target: main
source_issue: quartz-1767106247671
rig: beads


Add comments to 30+ silently ignored errors or fix them

Code health review found 30+ instances of error suppression using blank identifier without explanation:

Good examples (with comments):
- merge.go: _ = gitRmCmd.Run() // Ignore errors
- daemon_watcher.go: _ = watcher.Add(...) // Ignore error

Bad examples (no context):
- create.go:213: dbPrefix, _ = store.GetConfig(ctx, "issue_prefix")
- daemon_sync_branch.go: _ = daemonClient.Close()
- migrate_hash_ids.go, version_tracking.go: _ = store.Close()

Fix: Add comments explaining WHY errors are ignored, or handle them properly.


bd mol run: panic slice bounds out of range in mol_run.go:130

## Problem
bd mol run panics after successfully creating the molecule:

```
✓ Molecule running: created 9 issues
  Root issue: gt-i4lo (pinned, in_progress)
  Assignee: stevey

Next steps:
  bd ready                # Find unblocked work in this molecule
panic: runtime error: slice bounds out of range [:8] with length 7

goroutine 1 [running]:
main.runMolRun(0x1014fc0c0, {0x140001e0f80, 0x1, 0x10089daad?})
  /Users/stevey/gt/beads/crew/dave/cmd/bd/mol_run.go:130 +0xc38
```

## Reproduction
```bash
bd --no-daemon mol run gt-lwuu --var issue=gt-test123
```
Where gt-lwuu is a mol-polecat-work proto with 8 child steps.

## Impact
The molecule IS created successfully - the panic happens after creation when formatting the "Next steps" output.


Merge: bd-d28c

branch: polecat/capable
target: main
source_issue: bd-d28c
rig: beads


Update documentation for template system

Update AGENTS.md and help text to document the new template system:

- How to create a template (epic + template label + child issues)
- How to define variables (just use {{name}} placeholders)
- How to instantiate (bd template instantiate)
- Migration from YAML workflows (if any users had custom ones)


GH#405: Fix prefix parsing with hyphens - multi-hyphen prefixes parsed incorrectly

Fixed: ExtractIssuePrefix was falling back to first-hyphen for word-like suffixes, breaking multi-hyphen prefixes like 'hacker-news' and 'me-py-toolkit'.


Investigate JSONL hash mismatch warnings (bd-160)

During v0.39.1 release, saw repeated warnings:

WARNING: JSONL file hash mismatch detected (bd-160)
  This indicates JSONL and export_hashes are out of sync.
  Clearing export_hashes to force full re-export.

This appeared multiple times during wisp close operations. Questions:
1. What causes export_hashes to drift from actual JSONL content?
2. Is this expected during wisp operations (since wisps do not export)?
3. Should wisp operations skip the hash check entirely?
4. Is there actual data integrity risk or just noise?

The warning references bd-160 - may need to check that issue for context.


Respond to GitHub issue #479 with solution

Once bd reset is implemented and released, respond to GitHub issue #479.

## Response should include
- Announce the new bd reset command
- Show basic usage examples
- Link to any documentation
- Thank the user for the feedback

## Example response
```
Thanks for raising this! We've added a `bd reset` command to handle this case.

Usage:
- `bd reset` - Reset to clean state (prompts for confirmation)
- `bd reset --backup` - Create backup first
- `bd reset --hard` - Also clean up git history

This is available in version X.Y.Z.
```

## Notes
- Wait until feature is merged and released
- Consider if issue should be closed or left for user confirmation


Run check-versions.sh - all must pass

Run the version consistency check:
```bash
./scripts/check-versions.sh
```

All versions must match 0.30.4.

```verify
./scripts/check-versions.sh
```


Document pinned status in CLI_REFERENCE.md

## Task

The `pinned` status is a valid issue status but is not documented in CLI_REFERENCE.md.

## Current Status Values (from types.go:295-301)

- open
- in_progress
- blocked
- deferred
- closed
- tombstone
- **pinned** ← undocumented

## Definition

`StatusPinned Status = "pinned" // Persistent bead that stays open indefinitely (bd-6v2)`

## Where to Document

Add to the 'Issue Types' or create a new 'Issue Statuses' section in docs/CLI_REFERENCE.md.

## Related

The pinned status is heavily used by gt for hook management (`--status=pinned`).


Graph Link: replies_to for conversation threading

Implement replies_to link type for message threading.

New command:
- bd mail reply <id> -m 'Response' creates a message with replies_to set

Query support:
- bd show <id> --thread shows full conversation thread
- Thread traversal in storage layer

Storage:
- replies_to column in issues table
- Index for efficient thread queries

This enables Reddit-style nested threads where messages reply to other messages.


Version Bump: test-squash

Release checklist for version test-squash. This molecule ensures all release steps are completed properly.


Update local installation

Update local bd to the new version.

Option 1 - Homebrew:
```bash
brew upgrade bd
```

Option 2 - Install script:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/steveyegge/beads/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
```

Verify:
```bash
bd --version
```

Should show 0.39.0.