Subscribe to the project channel by name again

Default subscriptions no longer skip a project channel the realm lacks, so a
new project's first seat creates its channel under the full name. The bot name
alone stays capped at twelve characters.

Author: GraemeF

clients/claude-code/README.md

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ process env inheritance:
 | Env var | Required | Format | Purpose |
 |---|---|---|---|
 | `COMMY_BOT_NAME` | no | `<role>` or `<rig>-<agent>` (see `docs/naming.md`) | **Persistent mode.** Stable identity to acquire eagerly at boot — concierges, scheduled skills, anything that needs to be DM-able from the moment the plugin starts. Boot fails non-zero on acquire rejection. Omit for ephemeral mode (next rows). |
-| `COMMY_PROJECT` | no | project slug (lowercase, `[a-z0-9-]` post-sanitise) | Identifies the calling project for two purposes: (1) **Ephemeral mode, operator override.** Force every minted name to embed this project tag — `cc-<project>-<8>` rather than the per-session value. When unset (the normal case under Claude Code), the project is derived **per attribution call** from the calling session's cwd (hook-injected): git remote origin basename → git root basename → `undefined` (bare `cc-<8>`). The env value, when set, wins over per-call derivation. (2) **Persistent mode (project concierge), Type-1 boot-time defaults.** Post-acquire the plugin registers `new-topics:<project>` + `<project>/general` so the concierge sees first-message-per-new-topic and project broadcast traffic. When unset, or when the realm has no channel by that name, the project-specific defaults are skipped rather than creating the channel, leaving no narrows registered; mentions of the bot still arrive, because they need no narrow. See `docs/naming.md` for the full precedence and sanitisation rules. |
+| `COMMY_PROJECT` | no | project slug (lowercase, `[a-z0-9-]` post-sanitise) | Identifies the calling project for two purposes: (1) **Ephemeral mode, operator override.** Force every minted name to embed this project tag — `cc-<project>-<8>` rather than the per-session value. When unset (the normal case under Claude Code), the project is derived **per attribution call** from the calling session's cwd (hook-injected): git remote origin basename → git root basename → `undefined` (bare `cc-<8>`). The env value, when set, wins over per-call derivation. (2) **Persistent mode (project concierge), Type-1 boot-time defaults.** Post-acquire the plugin registers `new-topics:<project>` + `<project>/general` so the concierge sees first-message-per-new-topic and project broadcast traffic. When unset the project-specific defaults are skipped, leaving no narrows registered; mentions of the bot still arrive, because they need no narrow. See `docs/naming.md` for the full precedence and sanitisation rules. |
 
 ### Eager vs lazy boot, in one diagram
 
@@ -73,8 +73,7 @@ parseEnv → buildAdapter →
                           │     post-acquire register Type-1 defaults:
                           │     `new-topics:<project>` +
                           │     `<project>/general` if
-                          │     COMMY_PROJECT is set and the realm
-                          │     has that channel (none if not —
+                          │     COMMY_PROJECT is set (none if not —
                           │     mentions arrive without a narrow)
                           │
                           └── else → ephemeral 1-slot cache →
@@ -89,7 +88,7 @@ parseEnv → buildAdapter →
                                 the next attribution. Each fresh slot's
                                 onAcquire hook registers the Type-2 default:
                                 per-project `<project>/general`
-                                when known and the channel exists.
+                                when known.
                           │
                           ▼
                 subscribeFromEnv → registerTools → connect transport →

packages/mcp/server.integration.test.ts

@@ -1936,33 +1936,6 @@ test('ephemeral mode + long project: the bot name is shortened but the default n
   }
 })
 
-test('ephemeral mode + project with no channel on the realm: the default narrow is skipped, not created', async () => {
-  const cap = captureSubscribes()
-  const logs: string[] = []
-  const h = await buildHarness({
-    ephemeral: true,
-    env: { COMMY_PROJECT: 'example-long-project' },
-    seedChannels: ['home'],
-    inboxOverrides: cap.inboxOverrides,
-    capturedLogs: logs,
-  })
-  try {
-    await callTool(h.client, 'post', {
-      channel_name: 'home',
-      body: 'first attribution',
-      session_id: 'a1aaa1aa-0000-4000-8000-000000000008',
-    })
-    expect(cap.tokens).toEqual([])
-    expect(
-      logs.some((line) =>
-        line.includes('no channel named example-long-project exists on the realm'),
-      ),
-    ).toBe(true)
-  } finally {
-    await h.cleanup()
-  }
-})
-
 test('ephemeral mode + project: current_identity (passive read) does NOT register defaults', async () => {
   const cap = captureSubscribes()
   const h = await buildHarness({
@@ -2227,21 +2200,6 @@ test('persistent boot with a long COMMY_PROJECT registers Type-1 defaults on the
   }
 })
 
-test('persistent boot whose project has no channel on the realm registers no Type-1 defaults', async () => {
-  const cap = captureSubscribes()
-  const h = await buildHarness({
-    env: { COMMY_PROJECT: 'myproject' },
-    seedChannels: ['home'],
-    inboxOverrides: cap.inboxOverrides,
-  })
-  try {
-    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 50))
-    expect(cap.tokens).toEqual([])
-  } finally {
-    await h.cleanup()
-  }
-})
-
 test('persistent boot Type-1 intents feed the channels catch-up (new-topics + thread/general history reads)', async () => {
   const readChannelCalls: Array<{ channel: string }> = []
   const readThreadCalls: Array<{ channel: string; thread: string }> = []

packages/mcp/server.test.ts

@@ -181,8 +181,6 @@ const buildFakeAdapter = (
     readonly identityOrigin?: IdentityOrigin
     /** Reject every substrate-side subscribe, for the part-way-failure paths. */
     readonly subscribeError?: InboxError
-    /** Channels the realm already has. */
-    readonly channels?: ReadonlyArray<string>
   } = {},
 ): { readonly adapter: ZulipAdapter; readonly calls: FakeAdapterCalls } => {
   const acquired: string[] = []
@@ -254,16 +252,7 @@ const buildFakeAdapter = (
   const directory: Directory = {
     listAgents: () => Effect.succeed([]),
     listHumans: () => Effect.succeed([]),
-    listChannels: () =>
-      Effect.succeed(
-        (options.channels ?? []).map((name, index) => ({
-          id: decodeChannelIdSync(String(index + 1)),
-          name: decodeChannelNameSync(name),
-          permalink: ChannelPermalinkSchema.make(
-            `https://zulip.example.com/#narrow/channel/${name}`,
-          ),
-        })),
-      ),
+    listChannels: () => Effect.succeed([]),
     channelDescription: () => Effect.succeedNone,
     presence: (_id: Identity): Effect.Effect<Presence> => Effect.succeed('offline'),
   }
@@ -732,7 +721,7 @@ test('main applies env-driven subscriptions in order after acquire and Type-1 de
 // ─── Type-1 default sub set for project concierges ──────────────
 
 test('persistent mode + project registers Type-1 defaults (new-topics + thread/general)', async () => {
-  const fake = buildFakeAdapter({ channels: ['foo'] })
+  const fake = buildFakeAdapter()
   const env = { ...validEnv, COMMY_PROJECT: 'foo' }
   await runProgram(env, fake.adapter)
   expect(fake.calls.acquired).toEqual(['myproject-concierge'])
@@ -757,7 +746,7 @@ test('persistent mode without project registers no narrows at all', async () =>
 })
 
 test('Type-1 defaults register after acquire and before COMMY_SUBSCRIBE entries', async () => {
-  const fake = buildFakeAdapter({ channels: ['foo'] })
+  const fake = buildFakeAdapter()
   const env = {
     ...validEnv,
     COMMY_PROJECT: 'foo',
@@ -809,7 +798,7 @@ test('Type-1 default failure is logged + continues — does not crash boot', asy
   // transient Zulip hiccup never refuses concierge boot. The bot is
   // already minted at this point — refusing service over a missing
   // default would be worse than the missing default.
-  const fake = buildFakeAdapter({ channels: ['foo'] })
+  const fake = buildFakeAdapter()
   let calls = 0
   const failingInbox: MessageInbox = {
     ...fake.adapter.inbox,

packages/mcp/server.ts

@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@ import type {
   AcquiredIdentity,
   AgentComms,
   BindError,
-  ChannelName,
-  Directory,
-  DirectoryError,
   InboxError,
   MessageInbox,
 } from '@commy/core/ports'
@@ -15,18 +12,7 @@ import { CommandExecutor, FetchHttpClient, FileSystem, type HttpClient } from '@
 import { NodeContext, NodeRuntime } from '@effect/platform-node'
 import { StdioServerTransport } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/stdio.js'
 import type { Transport } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/shared/transport.js'
-import {
-  Array as Arr,
-  Cause,
-  ConfigProvider,
-  Data,
-  Deferred,
-  Effect,
-  Layer,
-  Option,
-  type ParseResult,
-  Predicate,
-} from 'effect'
+import { Cause, ConfigProvider, Data, Deferred, Effect, Layer, Option, Predicate } from 'effect'
 import type { BotName, GitContext, ParsedEnv, ProjectSlug, SessionId } from './bootstrap.ts'
 import {
   readGitContext as defaultReadGitContext,
@@ -132,38 +118,12 @@ export interface ProgramParams {
 /** Race budget for `identity.release()` in the shutdown finalizer. */
 const RELEASE_TIMEOUT_MS = 5000
 
-/**
- * The project's channel, when the realm already has one. A default
- * subscription reads this rather than subscribing by name, because on Zulip
- * subscribing to a channel that does not exist creates it.
- */
-const existingProjectChannel = (
-  directory: Directory,
-  project: ProjectSlug | undefined,
-): Effect.Effect<Option.Option<ChannelName>, DirectoryError | ParseResult.ParseError> =>
-  project === undefined
-    ? Effect.succeedNone
-    : Effect.all([decodeChannelName(project), directory.listChannels()]).pipe(
-        Effect.map(([wanted, channels]) => Arr.findFirst(channels, (c) => c.name === wanted)),
-        Effect.tap(
-          Option.match({
-            onNone: () =>
-              Effect.logWarning(
-                `commy plugin: skipping the project default subscriptions — no channel named ${project} exists on the realm`,
-              ),
-            onSome: () => Effect.void,
-          }),
-        ),
-        Effect.map(Option.map((channel) => channel.name)),
-      )
-
 /**
  * Type-2 default sub set for interactive CC sessions. Fires
  * once per ephemeral slot, right after the substrate-side acquire
  * resolves: registers the project broadcast topic
  * `<project>/general` (skipped when no project slug could be
- * derived, or the realm has no channel by that name). Mentions need no
- * narrow — they arrive unconditionally.
+ * derived). Mentions need no narrow — they arrive unconditionally.
  *
  * Failures are swallowed with a log line — the bot is already minted at
  * this point and refusing the caller's tool call over a transient
@@ -175,25 +135,20 @@ const existingProjectChannel = (
 const createType2DefaultsOnAcquire = (
   narrowSet: NarrowSet,
   inbox: MessageInbox,
-  directory: Directory,
 ): ((project: ProjectSlug | undefined) => Effect.Effect<void>) => {
   const registerIntent = (intent: SubscribeIntent): Effect.Effect<void, BindError | InboxError> =>
     Effect.sync(() => narrowSet.add(intent)).pipe(
       Effect.zipRight(inbox.subscribe(intentToTarget(intent))),
     )
   return (project) =>
-    existingProjectChannel(directory, project).pipe(
-      Effect.flatMap(
-        Option.match({
-          onNone: () => Effect.void,
-          onSome: (channelName) =>
-            decodeThreadName('general').pipe(
-              Effect.flatMap((threadName) =>
-                registerIntent({ kind: 'thread', channelName, threadName }),
-              ),
-            ),
-        }),
-      ),
+    (project !== undefined
+      ? Effect.all([decodeChannelName(project), decodeThreadName('general')]).pipe(
+          Effect.flatMap(([channelName, threadName]) =>
+            registerIntent({ kind: 'thread', channelName, threadName }),
+          ),
+        )
+      : Effect.void
+    ).pipe(
       Effect.catchAll((err) =>
         Effect.logError(
           `commy plugin: Type-2 default narrow registration failed: ${Cause.pretty(Cause.fail(err))}`,
@@ -212,8 +167,8 @@ const createType2DefaultsOnAcquire = (
  *      enquiry surfaces while replies in unrelated topics stay quiet.
  *   2. `<project>/general` — project broadcast topic.
  *
- * Both are skipped when no project slug resolves from `COMMY_PROJECT`, or
- * the realm has no channel by that name, leaving the set empty — mentions still arrive, because they are
+ * Both are skipped when no project slug resolves from `COMMY_PROJECT`,
+ * leaving the set empty — mentions still arrive, because they are
  * unconditional and need no narrow. Failures swallow with a log
  * line — the bot is already minted at this point and refusing service
  * over a transient substrate hiccup would be worse than the missing
@@ -232,24 +187,19 @@ const logType1Failure = (err: unknown): Effect.Effect<void> =>
 const registerType1DefaultsOnBoot = (
   inbox: MessageInbox,
   narrowSet: NarrowSet,
-  directory: Directory,
   project: ProjectSlug | undefined,
 ): Effect.Effect<ReadonlyArray<SubscribeIntent>> =>
-  existingProjectChannel(directory, project).pipe(
-    Effect.flatMap(
-      Option.match({
-        onNone: () => Effect.succeed<ReadonlyArray<SubscribeIntent>>([]),
-        onSome: (channelName) =>
-          decodeThreadName('general').pipe(
-            Effect.map(
-              (threadName): ReadonlyArray<SubscribeIntent> => [
-                { kind: 'new-topics-in-channel', channelName },
-                { kind: 'thread', channelName, threadName },
-              ],
-            ),
-          ),
-      }),
-    ),
+  (project !== undefined
+    ? Effect.all([decodeChannelName(project), decodeThreadName('general')]).pipe(
+        Effect.map(
+          ([channelName, threadName]): ReadonlyArray<SubscribeIntent> => [
+            { kind: 'new-topics-in-channel', channelName },
+            { kind: 'thread', channelName, threadName },
+          ],
+        ),
+      )
+    : Effect.succeed<ReadonlyArray<SubscribeIntent>>([])
+  ).pipe(
     Effect.flatMap((intents) =>
       Effect.forEach(intents, (intent) =>
         Effect.sync(() => narrowSet.add(intent)).pipe(
@@ -613,7 +563,7 @@ export const makeProgram = (
       // persistent mode (which registers Type-1 defaults at boot instead).
       const registerType2Defaults =
         parsed.botName === undefined
-          ? createType2DefaultsOnAcquire(narrowSet, adapter.inbox, adapter.directory)
+          ? createType2DefaultsOnAcquire(narrowSet, adapter.inbox)
           : undefined
 
       // Rebuild this seat's narrow set from the realm, narrowed by whatever
@@ -852,12 +802,7 @@ export const makeProgram = (
                 persistentIdentity = acquired
               }).pipe(
                 Effect.zipRight(
-                  registerType1DefaultsOnBoot(
-                    adapter.inbox,
-                    narrowSet,
-                    adapter.directory,
-                    parsed.project,
-                  ),
+                  registerType1DefaultsOnBoot(adapter.inbox, narrowSet, parsed.project),
                 ),
               ),
           }),