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.


Code Review: PR #481 - Context Engineering Optimizations

Comprehensive code review of the merged context engineering PR (PR #481) that reduces MCP context usage by 80-90%.

## Summary
The PR successfully implements lazy tool schema loading and minimal issue models to reduce context window usage. Overall implementation is solid and well-tested.

## Positive Findings
✅ Well-designed models (IssueMinimal, CompactedResult)
✅ Comprehensive test coverage (28 tests, all passing)
✅ Clear documentation and comments
✅ Backward compatibility preserved (show() still returns full Issue)
✅ Sensible defaults (COMPACTION_THRESHOLD=20, PREVIEW_COUNT=5)
✅ Tool catalog complete with all 15 tools documented

## Issues Identified
See linked issues for specific followup tasks.

## Context Engineering Architecture
- discover_tools(): List tool names only (~500 bytes vs ~15KB)
- get_tool_info(name): Get specific tool details on-demand
- IssueMinimal: Lightweight model for list views (~80 bytes vs ~400 bytes)
- CompactedResult: Auto-compacts results with >20 issues
- _to_minimal(): Conversion function (efficient, no N+1 issues)


Consider backwards compatibility for ready() and list() return type change

PR #481 changed the return types of `ready()` and `list()` from `list[Issue]` to `list[IssueMinimal] | CompactedResult`. This is a breaking change for MCP clients.

## Impact Assessment
Breaking change affects:
- Any MCP client expecting `list[Issue]` from ready()
- Any MCP client expecting `list[Issue]` from list()
- Client code that accesses full Issue fields (description, design, acceptance_criteria, timestamps, dependencies, dependents)

## Current Behavior
- ready() returns `list[IssueMinimal] | CompactedResult`
- list() returns `list[IssueMinimal] | CompactedResult`
- show() still returns full `Issue` (good)

## Considerations
**Pros of current approach:**
- Forces clients to use show() for full details (good for context efficiency)
- Simple mental model (always use show for full data)
- Documentation warns about this

**Cons:**
- Clients expecting list[Issue] will break
- No graceful degradation option
- No migration period

## Potential Solutions
1. Add optional parameter `full_details=false` to ready/list (would increase payload)
2. Create separate tools: ready_minimal/list_minimal + ready_full/list_full
3. Accept breaking change and document upgrade path (current approach)
4. Version the MCP server and document migration guide

## Recommendation
Current approach (solution 3) is reasonable if:
- Changelog clearly documents the breaking change
- Migration guide provided to clients
- Error handling is graceful for clients expecting specific fields


JSON test issue

Line 1
Line 2
Line 3


Clean up orphaned child issues (bd-cb64c226.*, bd-cbed9619.*)

## Problem

Every bd command shows warnings about 12 orphaned child issues:
- bd-cb64c226.1, .6, .8, .9, .10, .12, .13
- bd-cbed9619.1, .2, .3, .4, .5

These are hierarchical IDs (parent.child format) where the parent issues no longer exist.

## Impact

- Clutters output of every bd command
- Confusing for users
- Indicates incomplete cleanup of deleted parent issues

## Proposed Solution

1. Delete the orphaned issues since their parents no longer exist:
   ```bash
   bd delete bd-cb64c226.1 bd-cb64c226.6 bd-cb64c226.8 ...
   ```

2. Or convert them to top-level issues if they contain useful content

## Investigation Needed

- What were the parent issues bd-cb64c226 and bd-cbed9619?
- Why were they deleted without their children?
- Should bd delete cascade to children automatically?


Standardize error handling: replace direct fmt.Fprintf+os.Exit with FatalError

Code health review found inconsistent error handling patterns:

Pattern A (preferred): FatalError() from errors.go:21-24
Pattern B (inconsistent): Direct fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr) + os.Exit(1)

Affected files:
- delete.go:35-49 uses direct pattern
- create.go:213 ignores error silently
- Various other commands

Fix: Standardize on FatalError() wrapper for consistent error messages and testability.


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.


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

Code health review found queries.go is too large at 1586 lines with:

- Issue scanning logic duplicated between transaction.go and queries.go
- Timestamp defensive fixes duplicated in CreateIssue, CreateIssues, batch_ops.go
- Multiple similar patterns that should be consolidated

Also: transaction.go at 1284 lines, dependencies.go at 893 lines

Recommendation:
1. Extract common scanning into shared function
2. Consolidate timestamp defensive fixes
3. Split queries.go by domain (CRUD, search, batch, events)


Deleted issues resurrect during bd sync (tombstones not propagating)

## Problem

When issues are deleted with bd delete --force, they get deleted from the local DB but resurrect during the next bd sync.

## Reproduction

1. Observe orphan warnings (bd-cb64c226.*, bd-cbed9619.*)
2. Delete them: bd delete bd-cb64c226.1 ... --force
3. Run bd sync
4. Orphan warnings reappear - issues were resurrected!

## Root Cause Hypothesis

The sync branch workflow (beads-sync) has the old state before deletions. When bd sync pulls from beads-sync and copies JSONL to main, the deleted issues are re-imported.

Tombstones may not be properly:
1. Written to beads-sync during export
2. Propagated during pull/merge
3. Honored during import

## Related

- bd-7b7h: chicken-and-egg sync.branch bug (same workflow)
- bd-ncwo: ID-based fallback matching to prevent ghost resurrection

## Files to Investigate

- cmd/bd/sync.go (export/import flow)
- internal/syncbranch/worktree.go (PullFromSyncBranch, copyJSONLToMainRepo)
- internal/importer/ (tombstone handling)


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'.


wish: a 'continue' or similar cmd/flag which means alter last issue

so many time I create an issue and then have another thought: 'oh, before I did X and it crashed there was ZZZ happening' or 'actually that is P4 not P2'. It would be nice if when `bd {cmd}` is used without a {title} or {id} it just adds or updates the most recently touched issue.


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%


GH#532: bd sync circular error (suggests running bd sync)

bd sync error message recommends running bd sync to fix the bd sync error. Fix error handling to provide useful guidance. See GitHub issue #532.


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.


False positive detection by Kaspersky Antivirus (Trojan)

Kaspersky Antivirus falsely detects beads (bd.exe v0.23.1) as a Trojan (PDM:Trojan.Win32.Generic) and removes it.
Event: Malicious object detected
Component: System Watcher
Object name: bd.exe


bd init UX Improvements

bd init leaves users with incomplete setup, requiring manual bd doctor --fix. Issues found: (1) git hooks not installed if user declines prompt, (2) no auto-migration when CLI is upgraded, (3) stale merge driver configs from old versions. Fix by making bd init more robust with better defaults and auto-migration.


Code Health Review Dec 2025: Technical Debt Cleanup

Epic grouping technical debt identified in the Dec 16, 2025 code health review.

## Overall Health Grade: B (Solid foundation, needs cleanup)

### P1 (High Priority):
- bd-74w1: Consolidate duplicate path-finding utilities
- bd-b6xo: Remove/fix ClearDirtyIssues() race condition
- bd-b3og: Fix TestImportBugIntegration deadlock

### P2 (Medium Priority):
- bd-05a8: Split large files (doctor.go, sync.go)
- bd-qioh: Standardize error handling patterns
- bd-rgyd: Split queries.go (1586 lines)
- bd-9g1z: Fix/remove TestFindJSONLPathDefault

### P3 (Low Priority):
- bd-ork0: Add comments to 30+ ignored errors
- bd-4nqq: Remove dead test code in info_test.go
- bd-dhza: Reduce global state in main.go

## Key Areas:
1. Code duplication in path utilities
2. Large monolithic files (5 files >1000 lines)
3. Global state (25+ variables, 3 deprecated)
4. Silent error suppression (30+ instances)
5. Test gaps and dead test code
6. Atomicity risks in batch operations


Improve test coverage for internal/compact (18.2% → 70%)

The compact package has only 18.2% test coverage. This is a core package handling issue compaction and should have at least 70% coverage.

Key functions needing tests:
- runCompactSingle (0%)
- runCompactAll (0%)
- runCompactRPC (0%)
- runCompactStatsRPC (0%)
- runCompactAnalyze (0%)
- runCompactApply (0%)
- pruneDeletionsManifest (0%)

Current coverage: 18.2%
Target coverage: 70%


Polecats get stuck on interactive shell prompts (cp/mv/rm -i)

During swarm operations, polecats frequently get stuck waiting for interactive prompts from shell commands like:
- cp prompting 'overwrite file? (y/n)'
- mv prompting 'overwrite file? (y/n)'
- rm prompting 'remove file?'

This happens because macOS aliases or shell configs may have -i flags set by default.

Root cause: Claude Code runs commands that trigger interactive confirmation prompts, but cannot respond to them, causing the agent to hang indefinitely.

Observed in: Multiple polecats during GH issues swarm (Dec 2024)
- Derrick, Roustabout, Prospector, Warboy all got stuck on y/n prompts

Suggested fixes:
1. AGENTS.md should instruct agents to always use -f flag with cp/mv/rm
2. Polecat startup could set shell aliases to use non-interactive versions
3. bd prime hook could include guidance about non-interactive commands
4. Consider detecting stuck prompts and auto-recovering


Test hook


Improve test coverage for internal/beads (48.1% → 70%)

The beads package is a core package with 48.1% coverage. As the primary package for issue management, it should have at least 70% coverage.

Current coverage: 48.1%
Target coverage: 70%


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.


Design contributor namespace isolation for beads pollution prevention

## Problem

When contributors work on beads-the-project using beads-the-tool, their personal work-tracking issues leak into PRs. The .beads/issues.jsonl is intentionally tracked (it's the project's issue database), but contributors' local issues pollute the diff.

This is a recursion problem unique to self-hosting projects.

## Possible Solutions to Explore

1. **Contributor namespaces** - Each contributor gets a private prefix (e.g., `bd-steve-xxxx`) that's gitignored or filtered
2. **Separate database** - Contributors use BEADS_DIR pointing elsewhere for personal tracking
3. **Issue ownership/visibility flags** - Mark issues as "local-only" vs "project"
4. **Prefix-based filtering** - Configure which prefixes are committed vs ignored

## Design Considerations

- Should be zero-friction for contributors (no manual setup)
- Must not break existing workflows
- Needs to work with sync/collaboration features
- Consider: what if a "personal" issue graduates to "project" issue?

## Expansion Needed

This is a placeholder. Needs detailed design exploration before implementation.


Re: Thread Test 2

Got your message. Testing reply feature.


Fix unparam unused parameter in cmd/bd/doctor.go:541

Linting issue: checkHooksQuick - path is unused (unparam) at cmd/bd/doctor.go:541:22. Error: func checkHooksQuick(path string) string {


Thread Test 2

Testing direct mode


GH#519: bd sync fails when sync.branch is currently checked-out branch


GH#522: Add --type flag to bd update command

Add --type flag to bd update for changing issue type (task/epic/bug/feature). Storage layer already supports it. See GitHub issue #522.


Refactor duplicate JSONL-from-git parsing code

Both readFirstIssueFromGit() in init.go and importFromGit() in autoimport.go have similar code patterns for:
1. Running git show <ref>:<path>
2. Scanning the output with bufio.Scanner
3. Parsing JSON lines

Could be refactored to share a helper like:
- readJSONLFromGit(gitRef, path string) ([]byte, error)
- Or a streaming version: streamJSONLFromGit(gitRef, path string) (io.Reader, error)

Files:
- cmd/bd/autoimport.go:225-256 (importFromGit)
- cmd/bd/init.go:1212-1243 (readFirstIssueFromGit)

Priority is low since code duplication is minimal and both functions work correctly.


Fix checkExistingBeadsData to be worktree-aware

The checkExistingBeadsData function in cmd/bd/init.go checks for .beads in the current working directory, but for worktrees it should check the main repository root instead. This prevents proper worktree compatibility.


Add bd doctor --fix flag to automatically repair issues

Implement a --fix flag for bd doctor that can automatically repair detected issues.

Requirements:
- Add --fix flag to bd doctor command
- Show all fixable issues and prompt for confirmation before applying fixes
- Organize fix implementations under doctor/fix/<type_of_fix>.go
- Each fix type should have its own file (e.g., doctor/fix/hooks.go, doctor/fix/sync.go)
- Display what will be fixed and ask user to confirm (Y/n) before proceeding
- Support fixing issues like:
  - Missing or broken git hooks
  - Sync problems with remote
  - File permission issues
  - Any other auto-repairable issues doctor detects

Implementation notes:
- Maintain separation between detection (existing doctor code) and repair (new fix code)
- Each fix should be idempotent and safe to run multiple times
- Provide clear output about what was fixed
- Log any fixes that fail with actionable error messages


Code Review: PR #551 - Persist close_reason to issues table

Code review of PR #551 which fixes close_reason persistence bug.

## Summary
The PR correctly fixes a bug where close_reason was only stored in the events table, not in the issues.close_reason column. This caused `bd show --json` to return empty close_reason.

## What Was Fixed
- ✅ CloseIssue now updates both close_reason and closed_at
- ✅ ReOpenIssue clears both close_reason and closed_at
- ✅ Comprehensive tests added for both storage and CLI layers
- ✅ Clear documentation in queries.go about dual storage strategy

## Quality Assessment
✅ Tests cover both storage layer and CLI JSON output
✅ Handles reopen case (clearing close_reason)
✅ Good comments explaining dual-storage design
✅ No known issues

## Potential Followups
See linked issues for suggestions.


bd delete --from-file should add deleted issues to deletions manifest

When using bd delete --from-file to bulk delete issues, the deleted issue IDs are not being added to the deletions.jsonl manifest.

This causes those issues to be resurrected during bd sync when git history scanning finds them in old commits.

Expected: All deleted issues should be added to deletions.jsonl so they wont be reimported from git history.

Workaround: Manually add deletion records to deletions.jsonl.


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.


Run bd doctor at end of bd init to verify setup

Run bd doctor diagnostics at end of bd init (after line 398 in init.go). If issues found, warn user immediately: '⚠ Setup incomplete. Run bd doctor --fix to complete setup.' Catches configuration problems before user encounters them in normal workflow.