[codex] Improve local plugin development workflow (#5821)

## Thinking Path

> - Paperclip is the control plane for autonomous AI-agent companies.
> - Plugins are the extension point for adding capabilities without
expanding the core product surface.
> - Local plugin development needed a tighter CLI-first loop so plugin
authors can scaffold, run, install, inspect, and reload plugins without
reaching into internal package paths.
> - The server plugin install path also needed local-path handling that
keeps plugin identity, dashboard routes, and development watchers
coherent.
> - This pull request adds the CLI scaffold/install workflow, fixes the
server and SDK edge cases that blocked that loop, and updates the
agent-facing plugin creation skill and docs.
> - The benefit is that contributors can develop plugins from local
folders with a documented, repeatable happy path.

## What Changed

- Added `paperclipai plugin init` coverage and CLI wiring for local
plugin scaffolding.
- Improved local plugin install handling, plugin key route resolution,
dashboard capability behavior, and dev watcher startup/reload behavior.
- Fixed plugin SDK worker entrypoint validation for symlinked package
layouts.
- Added targeted tests for plugin init, server plugin authz/watcher
behavior, SDK worker host validation, and the authoring smoke example.
- Added a short local plugin development guide and refreshed the plugin
authoring guide plus `paperclip-create-plugin` skill instructions.

## Verification

- `pnpm run preflight:workspace-links && pnpm --filter
@paperclipai/plugin-sdk build && pnpm --filter
@paperclipai/create-paperclip-plugin typecheck && pnpm --filter
paperclipai typecheck && pnpm --filter @paperclipai/plugin-sdk typecheck
&& pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server typecheck`
- `pnpm exec vitest run --project paperclipai
cli/src/__tests__/plugin-init.test.ts`
- `pnpm exec vitest run --project @paperclipai/plugin-sdk
packages/plugins/sdk/tests/worker-rpc-host.test.ts`
- `pnpm exec vitest run --project @paperclipai/server
server/src/__tests__/plugin-dev-watcher.test.ts --pool=forks
--poolOptions.forks.isolate=true`
- `pnpm exec vitest run --project @paperclipai/server
server/src/__tests__/plugin-routes-authz.test.ts --pool=forks
--poolOptions.forks.isolate=true`
- `pnpm --dir packages/plugins/examples/plugin-authoring-smoke-example
test`
- Confirmed `pnpm-lock.yaml` is not included in the PR diff.

## Risks

- Medium risk: this touches plugin install routing, CLI command
behavior, and the local development watcher.
- Local path plugin installs execute trusted local code by design; the
new docs call out that trust boundary.
- No database migrations are included.

> For core feature work, check [`ROADMAP.md`](ROADMAP.md) first and
discuss it in `#dev` before opening the PR. Feature PRs that overlap
with planned core work may need to be redirected — check the roadmap
first. See `CONTRIBUTING.md`.

## Model Used

- OpenAI Codex, GPT-5 coding agent, tool-enabled local shell and git
workflow, medium reasoning effort. Context window details were not
exposed in this runtime.

## Checklist

- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate
planned core work
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] If this change affects the UI, I have included before/after
screenshots
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge

UI screenshots: not applicable; this PR changes CLI/server/plugin docs
and tests, not board UI rendering.

---------

Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
This commit is contained in:
Dotta 2026-05-12 17:38:24 -05:00 committed by GitHub
parent 0808b388ee
commit b947a7d76c
No known key found for this signature in database
GPG key ID: B5690EEEBB952194
19 changed files with 875 additions and 151 deletions

View file

@ -1,12 +1,28 @@
import { mkdtempSync, mkdirSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
import { EventEmitter } from "node:events";
import os from "node:os";
import path from "node:path";
import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
import { resolvePluginWatchTargets } from "../services/plugin-dev-watcher.js";
import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
const chokidarMock = vi.hoisted(() => ({
watch: vi.fn(),
}));
vi.mock("chokidar", () => ({
default: chokidarMock,
}));
import { createPluginDevWatcher, resolvePluginWatchTargets } from "../services/plugin-dev-watcher.js";
const tempDirs: string[] = [];
beforeEach(() => {
vi.useRealTimers();
chokidarMock.watch.mockReset();
});
afterEach(() => {
vi.useRealTimers();
while (tempDirs.length > 0) {
const dir = tempDirs.pop();
if (dir) rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
@ -19,25 +35,49 @@ function makeTempPluginDir(): string {
return dir;
}
function writePluginPackage(pluginDir: string): void {
mkdirSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "ui"), { recursive: true });
writeFileSync(
path.join(pluginDir, "package.json"),
JSON.stringify({
name: "@acme/example",
paperclipPlugin: {
manifest: "./dist/manifest.js",
worker: "./dist/worker.js",
ui: "./dist/ui",
},
}),
);
writeFileSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "manifest.js"), "export default {};\n");
writeFileSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "worker.js"), "export default {};\n");
writeFileSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "ui", "index.js"), "export default {};\n");
writeFileSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "ui", "index.css"), "body {}\n");
}
function createLifecycle() {
const emitter = new EventEmitter();
return Object.assign(emitter, {
restartWorker: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
});
}
function installMockFsWatcher() {
const handlers: Record<string, (...args: unknown[]) => void> = {};
const fakeWatcher = {
close: vi.fn(),
on: vi.fn((event: string, listener: (...args: unknown[]) => void) => {
handlers[event] = listener;
return fakeWatcher;
}),
};
chokidarMock.watch.mockReturnValue(fakeWatcher);
return { fakeWatcher, handlers };
}
describe("resolvePluginWatchTargets", () => {
it("watches package metadata plus concrete declared runtime files", () => {
const pluginDir = makeTempPluginDir();
mkdirSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "ui"), { recursive: true });
writeFileSync(
path.join(pluginDir, "package.json"),
JSON.stringify({
name: "@acme/example",
paperclipPlugin: {
manifest: "./dist/manifest.js",
worker: "./dist/worker.js",
ui: "./dist/ui",
},
}),
);
writeFileSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "manifest.js"), "export default {};\n");
writeFileSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "worker.js"), "export default {};\n");
writeFileSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "ui", "index.js"), "export default {};\n");
writeFileSync(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "ui", "index.css"), "body {}\n");
writePluginPackage(pluginDir);
const targets = resolvePluginWatchTargets(pluginDir);
@ -66,3 +106,43 @@ describe("resolvePluginWatchTargets", () => {
]);
});
});
describe("createPluginDevWatcher", () => {
it("starts watching local plugins announced by lifecycle events", async () => {
const pluginDir = makeTempPluginDir();
writePluginPackage(pluginDir);
installMockFsWatcher();
const lifecycle = createLifecycle();
const devWatcher = createPluginDevWatcher(
lifecycle as never,
async (pluginId) => (pluginId === "plugin-1" ? pluginDir : null),
);
lifecycle.emit("plugin.loaded", { pluginId: "plugin-1", pluginKey: "example" });
await vi.waitFor(() => expect(chokidarMock.watch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
const [watchedPaths] = chokidarMock.watch.mock.calls[0] ?? [];
expect(watchedPaths).toContain(path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "worker.js"));
devWatcher.close();
});
it("debounces watched file changes and restarts the plugin worker", async () => {
vi.useFakeTimers();
const pluginDir = makeTempPluginDir();
writePluginPackage(pluginDir);
const { handlers } = installMockFsWatcher();
const lifecycle = createLifecycle();
const devWatcher = createPluginDevWatcher(lifecycle as never);
devWatcher.watch("plugin-1", pluginDir);
handlers.all?.("change", path.join(pluginDir, "dist", "worker.js"));
await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(500);
expect(lifecycle.restartWorker).toHaveBeenCalledWith("plugin-1");
devWatcher.close();
});
});