Draft Superpowers 6 release notes

Reviewer tripwire (Calibration): a plan-mandated defect IS a finding,
reported as Important and labeled plan-mandated — the plan's authorship
does not grade its own work.

Controller rule (review loop): a plan-mandated finding, or any finding
conflicting with the plan's text, escalates to the human like any plan
contradiction — never dismissed because the plan mandates it.

E35 micro (frozen 0a98 replay, sonnet reviewer, 6v6): without the
tripwire 0/6 reports give the controller anything to escalate on (all
Approved, defect endorsed as spec-required); with it 6/6 report the
defect as a labeled finding.

.gitignore

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 .worktrees/
 .private-journal/
 .claude/
+.superpowers/
 .DS_Store
 node_modules/
 inspo

README.md

@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 Superpowers is a complete software development methodology for your coding agents, built on top of a set of composable skills and some initial instructions that make sure your agent uses them.
 
+
+## We're Hiring!
+
+We're hiring someone to help out full time with Superpowers community and code work. 
+You can read about the job at https://primeradiant.com/jobs/superpowers-community-engineer/
+If this sounds like someone you know, definitely send them our way.
+
 ## Quickstart
 
 Give your agent Superpowers: [Claude Code](#claude-code), [Antigravity](#antigravity), [Codex App](#codex-app), [Codex CLI](#codex-cli), [Cursor](#cursor), [Factory Droid](#factory-droid), [Gemini CLI](#gemini-cli), [GitHub Copilot CLI](#github-copilot-cli), [Kimi Code](#kimi-code), [OpenCode](#opencode), [Pi](#pi).

RELEASE-NOTES.md

@@ -1,5 +1,103 @@
 # Superpowers Release Notes
 
+## v6.0.0 (date TBD)
+
+Superpowers 6.0 is a big release. The headline is a rewrite of how `subagent-driven-development` reviews each task — cheaper, stricter, and harder to game. 
+
+While these numbers won't hold on every harness and for every workload, in our evals, Claude Code and Codex produce similar high-quality results roughly twice as fast and while spending almost 50% fewer tokens.
+
+It also adds three new harnesses (Kimi Code, Pi, and Antigravity), gives the brainstorming visual companion a better security model, and rewrites a number of skills' tool calls to be significantly more vendor-neutral.
+
+### Visible Changes
+
+- **The two per-task reviewer prompts became one.** `spec-reviewer-prompt.md` and `code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md` are gone, replaced by a single `task-reviewer-prompt.md`. If you dispatch the old files directly, switch to the new one.
+- **The legacy global worktree directory is gone.** `using-git-worktrees` and `finishing-a-development-branch` no longer use `~/.config/superpowers/worktrees/`. Worktrees now land in the project — an existing `.worktrees/` or `worktrees/` if you have one, otherwise a fresh `.worktrees/` — unless you say otherwise.
+
+### New Harness Support
+
+Superpowers now runs on three more harnesses. Each ships its own bootstrap, a tool-mapping reference, and tests, and each gets its own install section in the README.
+
+- **Kimi Code** — a plugin manifest, install docs, and manifest tests; install from Kimi's marketplace or straight from the repo. (initial manifest by @qer)
+- **Pi** — a session-start extension that registers the skills and injects the `using-superpowers` bootstrap. Pi has native skills, so it needs no compatibility shim.
+- **Antigravity (`agy`)** — installs the plugin directly and bootstraps from the first message; verified end-to-end against the standard "make a react todo list" acceptance test.
+
+### Subagent-Driven Development
+
+A long run of cost-and-quality experiments on real projects reshaped how the controller reviews each task. The old flow ran two reviewers per task and leaned on the controller's judgment for model choice and severity, and both turned out to be expensive and easy to game. The new flow runs one reviewer per task, hands work off as files instead of pasted text, and takes several judgment calls away from the controller.
+
+- **One reviewer per task, two verdicts.** A single `task-reviewer-prompt.md` reads the task's diff once and returns both a spec-compliance verdict and a quality verdict, so one fix pass clears both. A new "can't verify from the diff" verdict flags requirements that live in untouched code, for the controller to check itself. (#1538, #1543)
+- **One broad review at the end.** The run finishes with a single whole-branch review on the most capable model, instead of re-reviewing everything task by task.
+- **Plans get a pre-flight read.** Before the first task, the controller checks the plan for internal conflicts — and for anything the plan asks for that a reviewer would flag as a defect — and raises it all at once, rather than stumbling into it mid-run.
+- **Diffs and task text move as files.** A pasted diff parks itself permanently in the most expensive context, and a reviewer without one rebuilds it by hand — the single biggest reviewer cost. Two new scripts, `task-brief` and `review-package`, write the task text and the review diff to files for the subagent to read.
+- **Every dispatch states its model.** Left to choose, controllers stopped naming a model at all — and an unnamed model quietly inherits the session's most expensive one, so one run put all 26 of its reviewers on the top tier. The templates now require a model, with guidance that reaches for cheaper tiers when the work allows.
+- **The controller can't tell a reviewer what to ignore.** Real runs caught controllers coaching reviewers to skip a finding or call it "Minor at most," and the flaw shipped. Suppressing findings and pre-rating severity are now banned outright, and a defect the plan itself mandates gets reported for you to decide on rather than waved through.
+- **Reviewers are read-only and skeptical of rationales.** Review no longer touches the working tree or branch — a reviewer running `git checkout` had been orphaning later commits — and an implementer's "I left this unabstracted on purpose" no longer talks a reviewer out of a real finding.
+- **Stronger evidence and reporting.** Reviewers back each answer with a file and line, the implementer's report moves to a file and carries red/green evidence when TDD applies, and a progress ledger lets a controller that loses its context resume instead of redoing finished work. (#994)
+
+### Writing Plans
+
+Plans now carry the structure the controller and reviewers used to re-derive on every dispatch.
+
+- **A Global Constraints block** lists the rules that bind every task — version floors, dependency limits, naming and copy, exact values — copied in verbatim, so they actually reach the implementers and reviewers downstream.
+- **A per-task Interfaces block** names exactly what each task consumes and produces, so an implementer who sees only its own task still knows its neighbors' contracts.
+- **Right-sizing guidance** keeps a task at the size that earns its own test cycle and a reviewer's pass, folding setup, config, and docs into the task that needs them. In testing, a plan written this way needed one round of fixes where the control needed two to four — and the control shipped a real bug.
+
+### Brainstorming Visual Companion
+
+The visual companion is a small web server the agent opens alongside the conversation. It had no authentication at all, so on a shared or remote machine anyone who could reach the port could read your brainstorm — or inject events the agent treats as your input. This release gives it a real security model and makes it survive restarts and dropped connections.
+
+- **A per-session key now guards everything.** The agent's URL carries a one-time key, the browser tucks it into a tab-scoped cookie, and every request and WebSocket connection has to present it. This closes the door to stray local tabs and routable remote hosts alike, including the DNS-rebinding case an origin allowlist can't catch. (Closes #1014)
+- **The file server stays in its sandbox.** It refuses symlinks, dotfiles, and any path that climbs out of the content directory, ignores macOS resource-fork files, and sends the usual no-store and deny-framing headers. Files that hold the session key are written owner-only.
+- **The companion is offered only when it helps.** The skill raises it the first time a question would read better shown than told, as its own message, and lets a decline stand. Accepting opens your browser to the first screen. (Closes #755)
+- **It survives restarts and flaky connections.** Given a project directory, the server keeps the same port and key across restarts, so an open tab simply reconnects. The page reconnects on its own, shows a live status pill, and raises a "paused" overlay while the server is down.
+- **Longer idle life, safer shutdown.** The idle timeout went from 30 minutes to 4 hours, and `stop-server.sh` now confirms it owns the right process before signaling, so it never kills an unrelated `node` after a reboot. (#1703)
+- **Windows launch hardening** — consolidated shell detection, and Windows now relies on the idle timeout for shutdown, since Node can't track POSIX process ownership across MSYS2.
+
+
+### Existing Harness Updates
+
+- **Codex** now bootstraps through its own SessionStart hook rather than shared wiring, and the Codex App gained an install section and fuller tool docs (web search, `AGENTS.md`, personal skills). (#1540)
+- **OpenCode** got an action-based tool mapping across its plugin, install doc, and README, plus a bootstrap-caching test.
+- **Cursor**'s manifest dropped its `agents` and `commands` entries, since those directories no longer exist.
+
+### One Set of Skills, Every Harness
+
+The skills used to speak Claude Code's dialect — "use the Task tool," "put it in CLAUDE.md." This release rewrites that vocabulary in terms of what you're actually doing ("dispatch a subagent," "your instructions file") and adds a per-harness reference that maps each action to the right tool, checked against each runtime. Prose that named "Claude" now says "your agent."
+
+- **A tool reference per harness** at `skills/using-superpowers/references/`, covering Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Gemini, Pi, and Antigravity.
+- **`finishing-a-development-branch` went forge-neutral** — it no longer hardcodes `gh pr create`, so agents push with whatever forge tooling they have. (#1609)
+- **One rename:** "Claude Search Optimization" is now "Skill Discovery Optimization," since the technique isn't Claude-specific.
+
+### Writing Skills
+
+Two additions for skill authors.
+
+- **Match the Form to the Failure** — a short table for picking the right kind of guidance. A flat "don't do X" works for discipline slips but backfires when the problem is the *shape* of an output, where a worked example does better. The table, and a tighter scope on the existing rationalization section, steer authors to the form that actually helps.
+- **Micro-Test Wording** — a cheap way to check a phrasing before committing to it: sample it a handful of times against a no-guidance control and read every result by hand, treating run-to-run variance as a warning sign.
+
+### Testing
+
+Skill-behavior testing moved out of `tests/` into a new `evals/` submodule built on "drill," which runs real Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini sessions and judges them with an LLM. Several in-tree bash suites retired once a stricter drill scenario covered them; the few with no equivalent stayed. From here on, `tests/` holds plugin-code tests and `evals/` holds skill-behavior tests, and `docs/testing.md` explains the split. New backends reach Antigravity, Pi, and more models, and new shell-lint and pre-commit checks guard the harness. (#1541)
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+- **systematic-debugging no longer forces every session into extended thinking.** One bullet held the exact keyword Claude Code scans for, quietly tripping the switch on every session that loaded the skill. A hyphen breaks the keyword; the text still reads. (#1283, by @Nick Galatis)
+- **The Windows SessionStart hook stopped printing a write error every session** — each `printf` now routes through `cat` to absorb the broken pipe, and the output is otherwise unchanged. (#1612, reported by @silvertakana)
+- **Windows foreground mode** tracks the right process and clears its owner PID on MSYS2. (by @nestorluiscamachopaz)
+- **The `using-superpowers` bootstrap** no longer lists "debugging" as a skill that doesn't exist. (reported by @mhat)
+- **The TDD skill** links the testing anti-patterns reference. (#1532, #1529; link fix #1474 by @Stable Genius)
+- **`using-git-worktrees`** fixes its step numbering and drops stale Cursor references. (#1522, and by @fuleinist)
+- **The Codex review skill** swaps a private in-joke for plain guidance. (#1531)
+
+### Documentation & Contributor Guidelines
+
+- **A guide to porting Superpowers to a new harness** (`docs/porting-to-a-new-harness.md`) lays out the three pieces every integration needs and the one rule that makes or breaks it: load the bootstrap at session start.
+- **Every PR and issue now discloses how it was made** — model, harness, version, and installed plugins, or a note that it was written by hand. We weigh a contribution differently depending on what produced it. PRs also target `dev`, not `main`. The PR template, all three issue templates, and a new platform-support template carry this.
+
+### Contributors
+
+Thanks to @mattvanhorn, @nawfal, @Nick Galatis, @silvertakana, @nestorluiscamachopaz, @qer, @mhat, @Stable Genius, @fuleinist, @dev_Hakaze, @robotsnh, Rahul, and @arittr.
+
 ## v5.1.0 (2026-04-30)
 
 ### Removals

docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-09-sdd-task-scoped-review-dispatch.md

@@ -0,0 +1,774 @@
+# SDD Task-Scoped Review Dispatch Implementation Plan
+
+> **For agentic workers:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (`- [ ]`) syntax for tracking.
+
+**Goal:** Scope SDD's per-task reviews to the task (diff-first reading, justified broadening, no redundant test runs) while final branch review stays broad.
+
+**Architecture:** Four prose edits to the subagent-driven-development skill (the per-task quality prompt becomes self-contained instead of delegating to the merge-readiness template; the spec prompt gets a third verdict channel and grounded skepticism; the implementer prompt gains a re-run-after-fix rule; SKILL.md gets controller guidance) plus one new eval scenario in the `evals/` submodule. `skills/requesting-code-review/` is deliberately untouched.
+
+**Tech Stack:** Markdown skill files; Python setup helper + bash checks + story.md for the quorum eval.
+
+**Spec:** `docs/superpowers/specs/2026-06-09-sdd-task-scoped-review-dispatch-design.md` — read it before starting. Decisions already settled there: full re-reviews stay; the two review stages stay separate; coordinator keeps model judgment; `requesting-code-review/` stays broad.
+
+**These are behavior-shaping prose files, not code.** There are no unit tests for them. Each task's verification steps are exact `grep` checks that the edit landed; behavioral verification is Task 6 (static) and Task 7 (live evals, maintainer-gated).
+
+---
+
+### Task 1: Rewrite the per-task quality reviewer prompt as self-contained
+
+The current file delegates to `../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md`, which is a merge-readiness review (architecture, security, production readiness, "Ready to merge?"). Replace the entire file with a self-contained, task-scoped template.
+
+**Files:**
+- Rewrite: `skills/subagent-driven-development/code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Replace the full file contents with:**
+
+````markdown
+# Code Quality Reviewer Prompt Template
+
+Use this template when dispatching a code quality reviewer subagent.
+
+**Purpose:** Verify one task's implementation is well-built (clean, tested, maintainable)
+
+**Only dispatch after spec compliance review passes.**
+
+```
+Subagent (general-purpose):
+  description: "Review code quality for Task N"
+  prompt: |
+    You are reviewing one task's implementation for code quality. This is a
+    task-scoped gate, not a merge review — a broad whole-branch review happens
+    separately after all tasks are complete.
+
+    ## What Was Implemented
+
+    [DESCRIPTION]
+
+    ## Task Requirements (context only)
+
+    [TASK_TEXT]
+
+    ## Git Range to Review
+
+    **Base:** [BASE_SHA]
+    **Head:** [HEAD_SHA]
+
+    ```bash
+    git diff --stat [BASE_SHA]..[HEAD_SHA]
+    git diff [BASE_SHA]..[HEAD_SHA]
+    ```
+
+    ## Read-Only Review
+
+    Your review is read-only on this checkout. Do not mutate the working tree,
+    the index, HEAD, or branch state in any way. Use tools like `git show`,
+    `git diff`, and `git log` to inspect history.
+
+    ## Scope
+
+    Spec compliance was already verified by a separate reviewer. Do not
+    re-check whether the code matches the requirements or the plan.
+
+    Start from the diff. Read the changed files first. Inspect code outside
+    the diff only to evaluate a concrete risk you can name — and name it in
+    your report. Cross-cutting changes are legitimate named risks: if the
+    diff changes lock ordering, a function or API contract, or shared mutable
+    state, checking the call sites is the right method. Do not crawl the
+    codebase by default.
+
+    ## Tests
+
+    The implementer already ran the tests and reported results with TDD
+    evidence for exactly this code. Do not re-run the suite to confirm their
+    report. Run a test only when reading the code raises a specific doubt
+    that no existing run answers — and then a focused test, never a
+    package-wide suite, race detector run, or repeated/high-count loop. If
+    heavy validation seems warranted, recommend it in your report instead of
+    running it. If you cannot run commands in this environment, name the
+    test you would run.
+
+    ## What to Check
+
+    **Code quality:**
+    - Clean separation of concerns?
+    - Proper error handling?
+    - DRY without premature abstraction?
+    - Edge cases handled?
+
+    **Tests:**
+    - Do the new and changed tests verify real behavior, not mocks?
+    - Are the task's edge cases covered?
+
+    **Structure:**
+    - Does each file have one clear responsibility with a well-defined interface?
+    - Are units decomposed so they can be understood and tested independently?
+    - Is the implementation following the file structure from the plan?
+    - Did this change create new files that are already large, or
+      significantly grow existing files? (Don't flag pre-existing file
+      sizes — focus on what this change contributed.)
+
+    ## Calibration
+
+    Categorize issues by actual severity. Not everything is Critical.
+    Acknowledge what was done well before listing issues — accurate praise
+    helps the implementer trust the rest of the feedback.
+
+    ## Output Format
+
+    ### Strengths
+    [What's well done? Be specific.]
+
+    ### Issues
+
+    #### Critical (Must Fix)
+    [Bugs, data loss risks, broken functionality]
+
+    #### Important (Should Fix)
+    [Poor error handling, test gaps, structural problems]
+
+    #### Minor (Nice to Have)
+    [Code style, optimization opportunities]
+
+    For each issue:
+    - File:line reference
+    - What's wrong
+    - Why it matters
+    - How to fix (if not obvious)
+
+    ### Assessment
+
+    **Task quality:** [Approved | Needs fixes]
+
+    **Reasoning:** [1-2 sentence technical assessment]
+```
+
+**Placeholders:**
+- `[DESCRIPTION]` — task summary, from implementer's report
+- `[TASK_TEXT]` — the task's requirements text or plan reference, for context
+- `[BASE_SHA]` — commit before this task
+- `[HEAD_SHA]` — current commit
+
+**Reviewer returns:** Strengths, Issues (Critical/Important/Minor), Task quality verdict
+````
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify the rewrite landed**
+
+Run: `grep -c "requesting-code-review" skills/subagent-driven-development/code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md || echo ABSENT`
+Expected: `ABSENT` (no more delegation)
+
+Run: `grep -n "Task quality:" skills/subagent-driven-development/code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md | head -2`
+Expected: one match (the Output Format verdict line; the "Reviewer returns" footer says "Task quality verdict" without a colon)
+
+Run: `grep -n "worktree add\|Ready to merge" skills/subagent-driven-development/code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md || echo CLEAN`
+Expected: `CLEAN`
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add skills/subagent-driven-development/code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md
+git commit -m "Make per-task quality reviewer prompt self-contained and task-scoped"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 2: Spec reviewer prompt cleanups
+
+Four exact edits to `skills/subagent-driven-development/spec-reviewer-prompt.md`. Current line numbers refer to the file as of commit f55642e.
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `skills/subagent-driven-development/spec-reviewer-prompt.md`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Add the judge-from-the-diff clause.** After the line (currently line 31):
+
+```
+    Only read files in this diff. Do not crawl the broader codebase.
+```
+
+insert a blank line and:
+
+```
+    Spec compliance is judged by reading the diff against the requirements.
+    The implementer already ran the tests and reported TDD evidence — do not
+    re-run them. If a requirement cannot be verified from this diff alone
+    (it lives in unchanged code or spans tasks), report it as a ⚠️ item
+    instead of broadening your search.
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Trim the read-only section.** Replace (currently line 35):
+
+```
+    Your review is read-only on this checkout. Do not mutate the working tree, the index, HEAD, or branch state in any way. Use tools like `git show`, `git diff`, and `git log` to inspect history. If you need a working copy of a different revision, check it out into a separate temporary directory (e.g. `git worktree add /tmp/review-[SHA] [SHA]`) — never move HEAD on this checkout.
+```
+
+with:
+
+```
+    Your review is read-only on this checkout. Do not mutate the working tree, the index, HEAD, or branch state in any way. Use tools like `git show`, `git diff`, and `git log` to inspect history.
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Ground the skepticism.** Replace (currently lines 39-40):
+
+```
+    The implementer finished suspiciously quickly. Their report may be incomplete,
+    inaccurate, or optimistic. You MUST verify everything independently.
+```
+
+with:
+
+```
+    Treat the implementer's report as unverified claims about the code. It may
+    be incomplete, inaccurate, or optimistic. Verify the claims against the diff.
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Add the third verdict channel.** Replace (currently lines 74-76):
+
+```
+    Report:
+    - ✅ Spec compliant (if everything matches after code inspection)
+    - ❌ Issues found: [list specifically what's missing or extra, with file:line references]
+```
+
+with:
+
+```
+    Report:
+    - ✅ Spec compliant (if everything matches after code inspection)
+    - ❌ Issues found: [list specifically what's missing or extra, with file:line references]
+    - ⚠️ Cannot verify from diff: [requirements you could not verify from the
+      diff alone, and what the controller should check — report alongside the
+      ✅/❌ verdict for everything you could verify]
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Verify**
+
+Run: `grep -n "suspiciously\|worktree add" skills/subagent-driven-development/spec-reviewer-prompt.md || echo CLEAN`
+Expected: `CLEAN`
+
+Run: `grep -c "⚠️" skills/subagent-driven-development/spec-reviewer-prompt.md`
+Expected: `2` (judge-from-diff clause + verdict channel)
+
+- [ ] **Step 6: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add skills/subagent-driven-development/spec-reviewer-prompt.md
+git commit -m "Spec reviewer: judge from the diff, grounded skepticism, ⚠️ verdict channel"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 3: Implementer prompt — re-run tests after fixing review findings
+
+The reviewers' "don't re-run the implementer's tests" rule assumes the implementer re-runs tests after every fix. Make that real.
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `skills/subagent-driven-development/implementer-prompt.md`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Insert a new section.** Immediately before the line (currently line 100):
+
+```
+    ## Report Format
+```
+
+insert:
+
+```
+    ## After Review Findings
+
+    If a reviewer finds issues and you fix them, re-run the tests that cover
+    the amended code and include the results in your fix report. Reviewers
+    will not re-run tests for you — your report is the test evidence.
+
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify**
+
+Run: `grep -n "After Review Findings" skills/subagent-driven-development/implementer-prompt.md`
+Expected: one match, on a line before `## Report Format`
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add skills/subagent-driven-development/implementer-prompt.md
+git commit -m "Implementer prompt: re-run covering tests after fixing review findings"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 4: SKILL.md controller changes
+
+Six exact edits to `skills/subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md`. Current line numbers refer to commit f55642e.
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `skills/subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Point the final-review flowchart node at the broad template.** The node label `Dispatch final code reviewer subagent for entire implementation` appears 3 times (currently lines 65, 84, 85). In all 3 occurrences, replace the label string with:
+
+```
+Dispatch final code reviewer subagent (../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md)
+```
+
+(Graphviz nodes are matched by label text — all three must be byte-identical or the graph grows a phantom node.)
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Model selection by judgment.** Replace (currently lines 97-99):
+
+```
+**Architecture, design, and review tasks**: use the most capable available model.
+
+**Task complexity signals:**
+```
+
+with:
+
+```
+**Architecture and design tasks**: use the most capable available model.
+
+**Review tasks**: choose the model with the same judgment, scaled to the
+diff's size, complexity, and risk. A small mechanical diff does not need the
+most capable model; a subtle concurrency change does.
+
+**Task complexity signals (implementation tasks):**
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Add controller guidance sections.** Immediately before the line (currently line 122):
+
+```
+## Prompt Templates
+```
+
+insert:
+
+```
+## Handling Spec Reviewer ⚠️ Items
+
+The spec reviewer may report "⚠️ Cannot verify from diff" items — requirements
+that live in unchanged code or span tasks. These do not block dispatching the
+code quality reviewer, but you must resolve each one yourself before marking
+the task complete: you hold the plan and cross-task context the reviewer
+lacks. If you confirm an item is a real gap, treat it as a failed spec
+review — send it back to the implementer and re-review.
+
+## Constructing Reviewer Prompts
+
+Per-task reviews are task-scoped gates. The broad review happens once, at the
+final whole-branch review. When you fill a reviewer template:
+
+- Do not add open-ended directives like "check all uses" or "run race tests
+  if useful" without a concrete, task-specific reason
+- Do not ask a reviewer to re-run tests the implementer already ran on the
+  same code — the implementer's report carries the test evidence
+
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Prompt Templates list — add the final-review pointer.** Replace (currently line 126):
+
+```
+- [code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md](code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md) - Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent
+```
+
+with:
+
+```
+- [code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md](code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md) - Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent
+- Final whole-branch review: use superpowers:requesting-code-review's [code-reviewer.md](../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md)
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Example workflow verdict vocabulary.** Two replacements:
+
+Replace (currently line 157):
+```
+Code reviewer: Strengths: Good test coverage, clean. Issues: None. Approved.
+```
+with:
+```
+Code reviewer: Strengths: Good test coverage, clean. Issues: None. Task quality: Approved.
+```
+
+Replace (currently line 191):
+```
+Code reviewer: ✅ Approved
+```
+with:
+```
+Code reviewer: ✅ Task quality: Approved
+```
+
+(The final reviewer's "ready to merge" line, currently line 199, stays.)
+
+- [ ] **Step 6: Integration section.** Replace (currently line 272):
+
+```
+- **superpowers:requesting-code-review** - Code review template for reviewer subagents
+```
+
+with:
+
+```
+- **superpowers:requesting-code-review** - Code review template for the final whole-branch review
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 7: Verify**
+
+Run: `grep -c "Dispatch final code reviewer subagent (../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md)" skills/subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md`
+Expected: `3`
+
+Run: `grep -n "most capable available model" skills/subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md`
+Expected: exactly one match (architecture/design bullet)
+
+Run: `grep -n "Handling Spec Reviewer\|Constructing Reviewer Prompts" skills/subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md`
+Expected: two section headers, both before `## Prompt Templates`
+
+Run: `grep -c "Task quality: Approved" skills/subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md`
+Expected: `2`
+
+- [ ] **Step 8: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add skills/subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md
+git commit -m "SDD controller: reviewer prompt budgets, ⚠️ handling, final-review pointer, model judgment"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 5: New eval scenario — per-task quality reviewer catches a planted defect
+
+Lives in the `evals/` **submodule** (separate repo, `superpowers-evals`). Work on a branch there; the parent submodule-pointer bump happens at finishing time per `evals/CLAUDE.md`.
+
+The fixture plan's Task 2 implementation snippet duplicates Task 1's formatting logic verbatim. The duplication is spec-compliant, so the spec reviewer should pass it — the per-task quality reviewer is the gate under test (DRY violation).
+
+**Files:**
+- Create: `evals/setup_helpers/sdd_quality_defect_plan.py`
+- Modify: `evals/setup_helpers/__init__.py`
+- Create: `evals/scenarios/sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect/story.md`
+- Create: `evals/scenarios/sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect/setup.sh`
+- Create: `evals/scenarios/sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect/checks.sh`
+
+- [ ] **Step 0: Branch in the submodule**
+
+```bash
+cd evals
+git checkout -b sdd-quality-defect-scenario
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Create `evals/setup_helpers/sdd_quality_defect_plan.py`:**
+
+````python
+"""Setup helper for the sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect scenario.
+
+Scaffolds a tiny Node project with a 2-task plan whose Task 2
+implementation snippet duplicates Task 1's formatting logic verbatim.
+The duplication is spec-compliant — the requirements only describe
+behavior — so the spec compliance reviewer should pass it. The test
+measures whether the per-task code quality reviewer catches the DRY
+violation and forces a refactor in the review-fix loop.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from setup_helpers.base import _git
+
+PACKAGE_JSON = """\
+{
+  "name": "report-quality",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "type": "module",
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "node --test"
+  }
+}
+"""
+
+PLAN_BODY = """\
+# Report Formatter — Implementation Plan
+
+Two report formatting functions. Implement exactly what each task
+specifies.
+
+## Task 1: User Report
+
+**File:** `src/report.js`
+
+**Requirements:**
+- Function named `formatUserReport`
+- Takes one parameter `user`: an object with `name`, `email`, `visits`
+- Returns a multi-line string: a banner of 40 `=` characters, then
+  `Report for <name> <<email>>`, then the banner again, then
+  `Visits: <visits>`, then a closing banner
+- Export the function
+
+**Implementation:**
+```javascript
+export function formatUserReport(user) {
+  const banner = "=".repeat(40);
+  const lines = [];
+  lines.push(banner);
+  lines.push(`Report for ${user.name} <${user.email}>`);
+  lines.push(banner);
+  lines.push(`Visits: ${user.visits}`);
+  lines.push(banner);
+  return lines.join("\\n");
+}
+```
+
+**Tests:** Create `test/report.test.js` verifying:
+- the result contains `Report for Ada <ada@example.com>` for that user
+- the result contains `Visits: 3` when `visits` is `3`
+- the result starts and ends with the 40-char banner
+
+**Verification:** `npm test`
+
+## Task 2: Admin Report
+
+**File:** `src/report.js` (add to existing file)
+
+**Requirements:**
+- Function named `formatAdminReport`
+- Takes one parameter `admin`: an object with `name`, `email`, `lastLogin`
+- Same banner layout as the user report; the body line is
+  `Last login: <lastLogin>` instead of the visits line
+- Export the function; keep `formatUserReport` working
+
+**Implementation:**
+```javascript
+export function formatAdminReport(admin) {
+  const banner = "=".repeat(40);
+  const lines = [];
+  lines.push(banner);
+  lines.push(`Report for ${admin.name} <${admin.email}>`);
+  lines.push(banner);
+  lines.push(`Last login: ${admin.lastLogin}`);
+  lines.push(banner);
+  return lines.join("\\n");
+}
+```
+
+**Tests:** Add to `test/report.test.js`:
+- the result contains `Report for Grace <grace@example.com>` for that admin
+- the result contains `Last login: 2026-06-01`
+- the result starts and ends with the 40-char banner
+
+**Verification:** `npm test`
+"""
+
+
+def scaffold_sdd_quality_defect_plan(workdir: Path) -> None:
+    workdir = Path(workdir)
+    workdir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    _git(["git", "init", "-b", "main"], cwd=workdir)
+    _git(["git", "config", "user.email", "drill@test.local"], cwd=workdir)
+    _git(["git", "config", "user.name", "Drill Test"], cwd=workdir)
+
+    (workdir / "package.json").write_text(PACKAGE_JSON)
+    plans_dir = workdir / "docs" / "superpowers" / "plans"
+    plans_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    (plans_dir / "report-plan.md").write_text(PLAN_BODY)
+
+    _git(["git", "add", "-A"], cwd=workdir)
+    _git(["git", "commit", "-m", "initial: report formatter plan"], cwd=workdir)
+````
+
+(Note the `\\n` in the JS snippets inside PLAN_BODY: the Python source must
+produce a literal `\n` in the markdown so the JS reads `lines.join("\n")`.)
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Register the helper.** In `evals/setup_helpers/__init__.py`:
+
+After the line:
+```python
+from setup_helpers.sdd_real_projects import scaffold_sdd_go_fractals, scaffold_sdd_svelte_todo
+```
+add:
+```python
+from setup_helpers.sdd_quality_defect_plan import scaffold_sdd_quality_defect_plan
+```
+
+After the registry entry:
+```python
+    "scaffold_sdd_yagni_plan": scaffold_sdd_yagni_plan,
+```
+add:
+```python
+    "scaffold_sdd_quality_defect_plan": scaffold_sdd_quality_defect_plan,
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Create `evals/scenarios/sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect/story.md`:**
+
+```markdown
+---
+id: sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect
+title: SDD's per-task code quality review catches a planted DRY violation
+status: ready
+tags: subagent-driven-development
+quorum_max_time: 90m
+---
+
+You have a small plan at docs/superpowers/plans/report-plan.md — two report
+formatting functions. The plan's Task 2 implementation snippet duplicates
+Task 1's formatting logic verbatim instead of sharing it. The duplication is
+spec-compliant (the requirements only describe behavior), so the spec
+compliance reviewer should pass it — the per-task code quality reviewer is
+the gate under test. You are spec-aware — name the skill.
+
+When the agent is ready for input, tell it to execute the plan with SDD. Use
+phrasing like:
+
+"I have a small plan at docs/superpowers/plans/report-plan.md — two report
+formatting functions. Use the superpowers:subagent-driven-development skill
+to execute it end-to-end — dispatch fresh subagents per task and run the
+two-stage review after each."
+
+Let the agent proceed autonomously. If it asks clarifying questions, give
+brief answers. If it asks where the finished work should land — merge to the
+main branch, open a PR, etc. — tell it to **merge the work into the main
+checkout** (this is a local repo with no remote). If a quality reviewer
+flags the duplicated formatting logic and an implementer refactors it, let
+the review-fix cycle play out — that cycle is exactly the behavior under
+test.
+
+The deliverable must end up in the checkout you launched in (the main
+working tree). If the agent did its work on a branch or in a worktree, it
+is not done until it has merged/finished that work back into the main
+checkout. Once the agent reports the plan is complete (both functions
+implemented, tests passing) AND the code is present on the main checkout,
+you are done.
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+
+- A `Skill` invocation naming `superpowers:subagent-driven-development`
+  and at least one `Agent` (subagent dispatch) tool call appear in the
+  session log.
+- The duplicated report-formatting logic did not survive to the end of
+  the run. Either (a) the implementer never introduced the duplication
+  (wrote or self-reviewed its way to shared logic), or (b) the per-task
+  code quality reviewer flagged the duplication as an issue and a
+  review-fix loop removed it. A fail looks like the duplicated logic
+  shipping with the per-task quality reviewer approving it, or the
+  duplication being caught only by the final whole-branch review.
+- The per-task quality reviewers stayed task-scoped: no package-wide
+  test suites, race detector runs, or repeated/high-count test loops
+  appear in reviewer subagent activity, and reviewers did not re-run
+  the full test suite merely to confirm the implementer's report.
+- `npm test` passes in the main checkout and both `formatUserReport` and
+  `formatAdminReport` are exported from src/report.js. The deterministic
+  assertions gate this; the criteria above are about whether the
+  *per-task quality review* was the mechanism that kept the code clean.
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Create `evals/scenarios/sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect/setup.sh`:**
+
+```bash
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+uv run setup-helpers run scaffold_sdd_quality_defect_plan
+```
+
+Then: `chmod +x evals/scenarios/sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect/setup.sh`
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Create `evals/scenarios/sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect/checks.sh`** (no executable bit):
+
+```bash
+pre() {
+    git-repo
+    git-branch main
+    requires-tool npm
+    file-exists 'docs/superpowers/plans/report-plan.md'
+    file-contains 'docs/superpowers/plans/report-plan.md' 'formatAdminReport'
+    file-contains 'docs/superpowers/plans/report-plan.md' 'repeat\(40\)'
+}
+
+post() {
+    skill-called superpowers:subagent-driven-development
+    tool-called Agent
+    command-succeeds 'npm test'
+    file-contains 'src/report.js' 'export function formatUserReport'
+    file-contains 'src/report.js' 'export function formatAdminReport'
+    command-succeeds 'test "$(grep -c "repeat(40)" src/report.js)" -le 1'
+}
+```
+
+(The last check is the deterministic DRY gate: the banner construction
+`"=".repeat(40)` must appear at most once in the final file — shared, not
+duplicated per function.)
+
+- [ ] **Step 6: Validate and test in the evals repo**
+
+```bash
+cd evals
+uv run quorum check
+uv run ruff check
+uv run pytest -x -q
+```
+
+Expected: all pass; `quorum check` lists the new scenario without errors.
+
+- [ ] **Step 7: Commit (in the submodule)**
+
+```bash
+cd evals
+git add setup_helpers/sdd_quality_defect_plan.py setup_helpers/__init__.py scenarios/sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect/
+git commit -m "Add sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect scenario"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 6: Static verification sweep
+
+**Files:** none modified — verification only.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: No dangling references in the parent repo**
+
+Run: `grep -rn "requesting-code-review" skills/subagent-driven-development/`
+Expected: matches only in SKILL.md (final-review flowchart node ×3, Prompt Templates pointer, Integration bullet). None in code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md.
+
+Run: `grep -rn "Ready to merge" skills/subagent-driven-development/ || echo CLEAN`
+Expected: `CLEAN`
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Plugin infrastructure tests**
+
+Run: `bash tests/shell-lint/test-lint-shell.sh`
+Expected: all PASS (we added `setup.sh` only inside the evals submodule, which has its own checks).
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Cross-platform tool tables still coherent**
+
+Run: `grep -n "code-quality-reviewer" skills/using-superpowers/references/antigravity-tools.md skills/using-superpowers/references/gemini-tools.md`
+Expected: both tables still list `code-quality-reviewer` as a reviewer template (the new prompt's "If you cannot run commands in this environment, name the test you would run" line keeps the read-only `research` mapping valid — no table edits needed).
+
+---
+
+### Task 7: Live before/after evals (maintainer-gated)
+
+Live quorum runs launch agent CLIs in permissive modes — **trusted-maintainer operation; Jesse launches these**, per `evals/CLAUDE.md`. Requires `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Baseline (skills as released on dev)** — from the main checkout (`/Users/jesse/git/superpowers/superpowers`, on dev), or any checkout without this branch's changes:
+
+```bash
+cd evals
+export SUPERPOWERS_ROOT=/Users/jesse/git/superpowers/superpowers
+uv run quorum run scenarios/sdd-rejects-extra-features --coding-agent claude
+uv run quorum run scenarios/sdd-go-fractals --coding-agent claude
+uv run quorum run scenarios/sdd-svelte-todo --coding-agent claude
+uv run quorum run scenarios/spec-reviewer-catches-planted-flaws --coding-agent claude
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: After (this branch's skills)** — point `SUPERPOWERS_ROOT` at this worktree:
+
+```bash
+cd evals
+export SUPERPOWERS_ROOT=/Users/jesse/git/superpowers/superpowers/.claude/worktrees/sdd-review-dispatch
+uv run quorum run scenarios/sdd-rejects-extra-features --coding-agent claude
+uv run quorum run scenarios/sdd-go-fractals --coding-agent claude
+uv run quorum run scenarios/sdd-svelte-todo --coding-agent claude
+uv run quorum run scenarios/spec-reviewer-catches-planted-flaws --coding-agent claude
+uv run quorum run scenarios/sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-planted-defect --coding-agent claude
+uv run quorum show
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Compare**
+
+Pass bar: all four pre-existing scenarios still pass after the change (no regression in catch rate); the new planted-defect scenario passes. For exploration cost, compare reviewer-subagent tool-call counts between the before/after run transcripts (no automated check exists — the spec calls this out as a known gap).
+
+---
+
+## Finishing
+
+After all tasks pass: the evals submodule commit needs to land in `superpowers-evals` (PR to its `main`), then this branch bumps the `evals` submodule pointer — per `evals/CLAUDE.md`, the parent bump is part of propagation, not optional. Then use superpowers:finishing-a-development-branch. PRs against superpowers target `dev`.

docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-09-visual-companion-issues.md

@@ -0,0 +1,352 @@
+# Visual Brainstorming Companion — Issue & Change Catalog
+
+**Date:** 2026-06-09
+**Status:** Analysis / triage. We are implementing these ourselves; the referenced
+community PRs are evidence and reference material, **not** code we intend to merge.
+
+## Purpose
+
+A single place that captures every open issue and PR touching the visual
+brainstorming companion (the local server in `skills/brainstorming/scripts/`),
+distilled to the underlying problem and the change we'd make. Each item is
+grounded against the current code, not the PR author's description.
+
+## Scope decisions (Jesse, 2026-06-09)
+
+- **Not vendoring Alpine.js.** PR #1639 (interactive mockups via a vendored
+  Alpine build) is **dropped**. See E3.
+- **E1 (terminal-vs-HTML hard gate) is a workshop item.** We'll design it
+  together; it is not specced here.
+- **E2 (storage location, #975/#977) is deferred** for now.
+- **Remote serving is a first-class scenario.** Superpowers is general-purpose;
+  users connect from remote (SSH tunnel, Tailscale, `--host 0.0.0.0`). The
+  security fix MUST protect those users, not just loopback. **Decision: a
+  per-session secret key**, not a Host allowlist. A Host allowlist only
+  defends the loopback browser-confused-deputy; a direct remote client just
+  sends the expected `Host`, so the allowlist is theater for remote exposure. A
+  secret key is the only thing that authenticates a client uniformly across
+  loopback, tunnel, and direct-remote, and it also defeats DNS rebinding. See A1.
+
+## Component map
+
+| File | Role |
+|------|------|
+| `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs` | Zero-dep HTTP + WebSocket server (RFC 6455 hand-rolled). Serves the newest screen, watches `content/`, records events to `state/events`. |
+| `skills/brainstorming/scripts/helper.js` | Injected into every page. WebSocket client, click capture, `window.brainstorm` API. |
+| `skills/brainstorming/scripts/frame-template.html` | Frame (header, theme CSS, status dot, indicator bar) wrapped around content fragments. |
+| `skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh` | Launch wrapper. Session dir, host/url-host, owner-PID resolution, platform backgrounding. |
+| `skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh` | Kills the server by PID file, cleans `/tmp` sessions. |
+| `skills/brainstorming/visual-companion.md` | Operator guide the agent reads when it accepts the companion. |
+| `skills/brainstorming/SKILL.md` | Where the companion is offered and the per-question decision lives. |
+
+## Disposition summary
+
+| ID | Item | Source | Disposition |
+|----|------|--------|-------------|
+| A1 | Per-session secret key on `/`, `/files/*`, and WS (supersedes Host allowlist) | issues #1014, PRs #1110/#1553 | **Do** — chosen approach |
+| A2 | Host allowlist; browser WS Origin check | PRs #1110/#1553 | Host allowlist dropped; WS Origin check retained after auth for browser confused-deputy defense |
+| A3 | Crash on `null` / non-object WS payload | PR #1504 | Do |
+| A4 | Frame-length bound in `decodeFrame` | issue #1446 | Already fixed — verify/close |
+| B1 | Dotfile screens served as content (`._*.html`) | PR #950 | Do |
+| B2 | `stop-server.sh` kills reused/stale PID | PR #1703 | Do |
+| B3 | WS client reconnect backoff + status indicator | PR #856 | Do |
+| C1 | Idle timeout too short / not configurable; WS not closed on shutdown | issue #1237 (PR #1689) | Do |
+| C2 | Server death is invisible to user/agent | issue #1237 (residual) | Do |
+| D1 | Permanent opt-out of the companion | issue #892 | Deferred - not in PR #1720 |
+| D2 | Free-text feedback from the browser | issue #957 | Deferred - not in PR #1720 |
+| D3 | Auto-open the companion URL | PR #759 (#755) | Done in PR #1720 via `--open` |
+| D4 | Light/dark contrast helpers in the frame | PR #1683 | Deferred - not in PR #1720 |
+| E1 | Hard-gate terminal-vs-HTML per question | PR #1037 | **Workshop** |
+| E2 | Move session state out of the working tree | issue #975 (PR #977) | **Deferred** |
+| E3 | Vendor Alpine.js for interactive mockups | PR #1639 | **Dropped** |
+| E4 | Shell-lint warnings in start/stop scripts | PR #1677 | Opportunistic only |
+
+---
+
+## A. Server security hardening (`server.cjs`)
+
+### A1 — Per-session secret key (chosen approach)
+
+**Threat model.** Two assets: confidentiality of the served screen (`/`) and
+files (`/files/*`), and integrity of `state/events` — a WebSocket client with a
+truthy `choice` writes there (`server.cjs:243-246`), and the agent reads it next
+turn as the user's selection, i.e. **prompt injection into a live session with
+full tool access**. Reachers: with the default `127.0.0.1` bind, a malicious
+page in the user's browser (a confused deputy — runs attacker JS *and* can reach
+loopback); with a remote bind (`--host 0.0.0.0`, tailnet/LAN), any host that can
+route to the port, directly, with no same-origin policy in the way. Today
+`handleUpgrade` (`server.cjs:176`) checks only `Sec-WebSocket-Key`, and
+`handleRequest` (`server.cjs:138`) checks nothing — both are wide open.
+
+**Why a key, not a Host allowlist.** A Host allowlist only defends the
+loopback browser-deputy. A direct remote client just sends the expected `Host`
+and forges/omits `Origin`, so the allowlist is theater for exactly the remote
+case we must protect. A per-session secret authenticates the client uniformly
+across loopback, SSH tunnel, and direct-remote, and it also kills DNS rebinding
+(the rebound page neither knows the key nor receives the host-scoped cookie).
+So the key **supersedes** A1/A2's Host allowlist entirely — no `BRAINSTORM_ALLOWED_HOSTS`.
+
+**Design.** Random token (`crypto.randomBytes(32)` hex), generated in
+`server.cjs` at startup (overridable via `BRAINSTORM_TOKEN` for deterministic
+tests):
+
+1. **URL carries it** as `?key=<token>`. The server already builds `url` in its
+   `server-started` JSON (`server.cjs:351`) and writes it to `state/server-info`
+   — appending `?key=` there means `start-server.sh` (greps and prints that
+   JSON) and the skill (hands the user that URL) need **no change**.
+2. **Cookie bootstrap.** A valid `?key` on `/` sets
+   `brainstorm-key-<port>=<token>; HttpOnly; SameSite=Strict; Path=/`. The
+   browser then auto-attaches it to same-origin subresources (`/files/*`) and
+   the WebSocket handshake, so the agent can write any URL style and it works,
+   and `helper.js` needs no change. Cookie name is **per-port** to avoid the
+   Jupyter multi-server collision (cookies aren't port-scoped).
+   `SameSite=Strict` is safe for CDN/Unsplash content — that cookie is host-
+   scoped, so outbound CDN requests never carry it; SameSite only governs
+   requests back to our origin, which are all same-site.
+3. **Auth gate** = valid `?key` **OR** valid cookie (compared with
+   `crypto.timingSafeEqual`) on `/`, `/files/*`, and the WS upgrade. Missing/bad
+   key → friendly **403 HTML page** ("this page needs the full URL your coding
+   agent gave you, including `?key=…`" — generic "coding agent", not "Claude",
+   since this ships on Codex/Gemini/Copilot too). WS upgrade → destroy socket.
+
+The query token is the source of truth; the cookie is a convenience that never
+bears initial-auth load.
+
+**Blast radius.** `server.cjs` (all logic). `helper.js` optional one-liner
+(append `?key=` from `location.search` to the WS URL as a cookie-blocked
+fallback). `start-server.sh` none. `visual-companion.md` doc note (URL now has
+`?key=`; don't strip it). Tests updated to pass the token.
+
+### A2 — Host allowlist dropped; browser WS Origin retained
+
+Subsumed by A1. The secret key closes the WS-injection vector (#1014), the
+HTTP/WS DNS-rebinding read vector (PR #1553), and the cross-origin WS vector
+(PR #1110) in one mechanism, and unlike an allowlist it actually protects the
+remote-bind case. No `BRAINSTORM_ALLOWED_HOSTS` and no Host allowlist. The final
+implementation still checks browser WebSocket `Origin` after session auth so a
+cross-origin localhost tab cannot ride the companion cookie.
+
+### A3 — Server crashes on `null` / primitive WS payload
+
+**Problem.** `handleMessage` (`server.cjs:233`) does `JSON.parse(text)` then
+`if (event.choice)` at `server.cjs:243`. A client that sends the 4-byte text
+frame `null` yields `event === null`, and `null.choice` throws. The throw is
+**not** caught — `handleMessage` is called from the `socket.on('data')` handler
+(`server.cjs:207`) outside the `try/catch`, which only wraps `decodeFrame`. The
+result is an uncaught exception and process exit. Any local client can kill the
+server.
+
+**Change.** Guard the access: `if (event && event.choice)`. Minimal and exact —
+`JSON.parse` can't produce `undefined`, and primitives return `undefined` for
+`.choice` without throwing, so only `null` is the live hazard. (Avoid the
+broader fixes — a top-level `try/catch` or `process.on('uncaughtException')`
+would mask other bugs.)
+
+### A4 — Frame-length bound in `decodeFrame` (adjacent)
+
+Referenced by PR #1504 as #1446. The current code **already** bounds extended
+frame lengths: `MAX_FRAME_PAYLOAD_BYTES = 10MB` (`server.cjs:10`) is enforced at
+`server.cjs:58-67` before any `Buffer.alloc`. Action: verify #1446 against
+current `dev` and close if already resolved, rather than re-implementing.
+
+---
+
+## B. Server robustness / correctness
+
+### B1 — macOS resource-fork dotfiles served as screen content
+
+**Problem.** The newest-screen selector filters on `f.endsWith('.html')` only
+(`server.cjs:127-128`). On macOS/ExFAT, `._screen.html` resource-fork files pass
+that filter and, being written alongside the real file, can sort newest — so the
+browser gets binary metadata instead of the mockup. Four read sites share the
+weak filter: `getNewestScreen` (`server.cjs:127`), `knownFiles` init
+(`server.cjs:279`), the `fs.watch` handler (`server.cjs:286`), and the `/files/`
+endpoint (`server.cjs:154-156`).
+
+**Change.** Reject dotfiles (`!f.startsWith('.')`) at all four sites. Covers
+`._*`, `.DS_Store`, etc.
+
+### B2 — `stop-server.sh` can kill a reused PID
+
+**Problem.** `stop-server.sh` reads the PID from `state/server.pid`
+(`stop-server.sh:20`) and `kill`s it (`:23`, escalating to `-9` at `:35`)
+without confirming the PID still belongs to our server. After a reboot or PID
+wraparound the file can point at an unrelated process, which we'd then SIGKILL.
+
+**Change.** Before signalling, verify ownership — the PID's command is `node`
+running our `server.cjs`, ideally matching this session. If ownership can't be
+proven, fail closed (report `stale_pid`, don't kill). Keep the existing
+`stopped` / `not_running` outputs for the real cases.
+
+### B3 — WebSocket client: silent reconnect, stale "Connected"
+
+**Problem.** `helper.js` reconnects on a fixed 1s timer (`helper.js:21-23`),
+has no `onerror` handler, never nulls `ws` on close, and never clears a pending
+reconnect timer. The frame's status element is hardcoded to "Connected" with the
+dot pinned to `var(--success)` (`frame-template.html:77,200`). When the laptop
+sleeps or the server restarts, the page shows "Connected" over a dead socket and
+queues events with no feedback.
+
+**Change.**
+- `helper.js`: exponential backoff (500ms → ×2 → cap 30s, reset on open);
+  `onerror` delegating to `onclose`; `ws = null` on close; `clearTimeout` before
+  reconnecting.
+- `frame-template.html`: drive the status dot from a `--status-color` custom
+  property so JS can switch Connected (green) / Reconnecting (yellow) /
+  Disconnected (red).
+
+---
+
+## C. Lifecycle / timeout (issue #1237)
+
+### C1 — Idle timeout too short, not configurable, WS keeps process alive
+
+**Problem.** `IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS` is hardcoded to 30 minutes (`server.cjs:258`),
+enforced by the 60s lifecycle check (`server.cjs:329-332`). A single brainstorm
+question can sit longer than 30 min while the user thinks or steps away, so the
+server dies mid-session. Separately, `shutdown()` (`server.cjs:310-321`) calls
+`server.close()` but never closes the upgraded sockets in `clients`
+(`server.cjs:174`), so an open browser connection can keep the Node process
+alive past shutdown.
+
+**Change.**
+- Raise the default to 4 hours and make it configurable:
+  `--idle-timeout-minutes` in `start-server.sh` → an env var → `IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS`,
+  with validation against Node timer overflow.
+- Expose the effective timeout in the startup JSON / `state/server-info`.
+- In `shutdown()`, close every socket in `clients` so the process actually
+  exits.
+
+### C2 — Server death is invisible
+
+**Problem.** When the server exits it writes `state/server-stopped` and removes
+`state/server-info` (`server.cjs:312-317`), and the skill is *told* to check
+those files (`visual-companion.md:108`) — but it's soft guidance the model skips,
+and the browser just shows a generic "can't be reached." The user diagnoses it
+manually; the agent keeps referring to a dead URL.
+
+**Change (two parts, independent of C1):**
+- **Browser-facing tombstone.** Leave something at the last-served URL that says
+  "this companion expired — ask Claude to restart it" instead of a connection
+  error. Options to weigh: `helper.js` rendering a banner when the socket stays
+  down past backoff (works only while the page is loaded), vs. a more involved
+  approach that keeps a minimal responder alive to serve a tombstone page.
+- **Harder skill check.** Tighten `visual-companion.md` / `SKILL.md` so
+  "check `server-info`/`server-stopped` before referring to the URL or pushing a
+  screen" is a required step, not a note. Keep it lightweight — possibly a
+  one-line helper the agent always runs.
+
+---
+
+## D. Features
+
+### D1 — Permanent opt-out of the visual companion (issue #892)
+
+**Problem.** The companion is offered as its own message every session
+(`SKILL.md:25,151-152`). A user who never wants it pays that round-trip — and
+HTML generation — every time. There's no way to say "never offer this."
+
+**Change.** Before the offer step, the skill checks a user-level setting and
+skips the offer entirely when opt-out is set.
+
+**Design choice open.** Mechanism isn't settled:
+- Env var (e.g. `SUPERPOWERS_VISUAL_COMPANION=off`) the skill is told to read —
+  simplest, matches what the issue asks for, lives in `.zshrc`.
+- A plugin-settings file (`.claude/superpowers.local.md` frontmatter) — more
+  structured, per-project capable, but heavier and project-scoped.
+- Reliability caveat from the issue: a separate "no-companion" skill competes on
+  trigger words and isn't reliable — rejected.
+
+Pick the mechanism, then it's a small `SKILL.md` change plus a documented knob.
+
+### D2 — Free-text feedback from the browser (issue #957)
+
+**Problem.** The client only captures clicks on `[data-choice]`
+(`helper.js:36-62`). A user who wants to annotate a mockup ("wrong shade of
+blue") has to switch to the terminal, breaking the visual flow.
+
+**Change.** Add a feedback `<textarea>` whose submit emits
+`{"type":"feedback","text":...,"timestamp":...}` via the existing
+`window.brainstorm.send` path (`helper.js:82-85`).
+
+**Cross-cutting — server change required.** `handleMessage` only persists events
+when `event.choice` is truthy (`server.cjs:243`). A `feedback` event has no
+`choice`, so today it would be logged but **never written to `state/events`**,
+and the agent wouldn't see it. The persistence condition must also accept
+`feedback` events. Document the new event shape in `visual-companion.md`
+(Browser Events Format, `:247-259`). Decide the submit trigger (button vs blur
+vs both) and where the textarea renders (frame-level vs opt-in per screen).
+
+### D3 — Auto-open the companion URL (PR #759, issue #755)
+
+**Problem.** `start-server.sh` only prints the URL; the user opens it manually.
+In WSL2 especially, people expect the browser to open.
+
+**Change.** Best-effort opener after the `server-started` JSON is parsed:
+Windows/WSL → `rundll32.exe url.dll,FileProtocolHandler <url>`, macOS → `open`,
+Linux → `xdg-open` only when `DISPLAY`/`WAYLAND_DISPLAY` is set. Swallow
+failures, never block startup, keep echoing the URL. Document in
+`visual-companion.md`. (Consider an opt-out for headless/remote runs where
+popping a browser is wrong — ties into D1's config mechanism.)
+
+### D4 — Light/dark contrast helpers (PR #1683)
+
+**Problem.** Content fragments are wrapped in the OS-aware frame
+(`frame-template.html`). In dark mode, quick mockups often use white inline
+backgrounds while inheriting low-contrast frame text, making cards/panels hard
+to read.
+
+**Change.** Add `.light-surface` / `.dark-surface` helper classes plus a
+conservative fallback for common inline light backgrounds, and document them in
+`visual-companion.md`'s CSS reference. Pure CSS in `frame-template.html`.
+
+---
+
+## E. Workshop / deferred / dropped
+
+### E1 — Hard-gate terminal-vs-HTML per question (PR #1037) — WORKSHOP
+
+The soft guidance already exists: "decide per-question," with browser-vs-terminal
+tests in `SKILL.md:156-161` and `visual-companion.md:5-25`. The complaint is that
+the model renders HTML for purely textual content (A/B lists, clarifying
+questions), wasting tokens and a turn. PR #1037 wraps the decision in a
+`<HARD-GATE>`. **Per Jesse, we'll workshop the wording/mechanism together** —
+this is behavior-shaping skill content and not specced here.
+
+### E2 — Move session state out of the working tree (issue #975 / PR #977) — DEFERRED
+
+Today `--project-dir` writes session state to `<project>/.superpowers/brainstorm/`
+(`start-server.sh:80-84`) and the skill tells the user to gitignore it
+(`visual-companion.md:58`). The ask is a `--state-dir` / `SUPERPOWERS_STATE_DIR`
+default outside the repo (XDG), keeping `--project-dir` as an alias.
+**Deferred by Jesse for now.** Captured so it isn't lost.
+
+### E3 — Vendor Alpine.js for interactive mockups (PR #1639) — DROPPED
+
+Adds a vendored Alpine build so mockups can be interactive (tabs, accordions,
+forms) without hand-rolled JS. **Dropped per Jesse** — we are not taking on a
+vendored third-party dependency in the companion runtime. The underlying need
+(interactive mockups) is not being pursued via this route.
+
+### E4 — Shell-lint warnings (PR #1677) — OPPORTUNISTIC
+
+SC2034 (and friends) in `start-server.sh` / `stop-server.sh`. Trivial; fold into
+B2/C1/D3 when we're already editing those scripts rather than as its own change.
+
+---
+
+## Suggested grouping for implementation
+
+These cluster into a few coherent passes (each independently testable against
+`tests/brainstorm-server/`):
+
+1. **Security pass** (IN PROGRESS, branch `brainstorm-companion-session-key`) —
+   A1 per-session key (supersedes A2) + A3 null-crash guard. Verify/close A4.
+   *Highest priority.*
+2. **Lifecycle pass** — C1 + C2 together (both touch `shutdown()` and the
+   server-death story).
+3. **Robustness pass** — B1, B2, B3 (independent, small).
+4. **Deferred feature pass** - D1, D2, D4 are not part of PR #1720. D3 is
+   shipped through the `--open` flow.
+
+E1 is a separate workshop session. E2/E3 are out of scope for this round.

docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-10-visual-companion-auth-hardening.md

@@ -0,0 +1,785 @@
+# Visual Companion Auth Hardening Implementation Plan
+
+> **For agentic workers:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (`- [ ]`) syntax for tracking.
+
+**Goal:** Harden the brainstorming visual companion auth and reconnect flow while preserving trusted same-origin screen JavaScript and future vendored UI libraries.
+
+**Architecture:** Keyed root loads become a bootstrap step that sets the cookie, stores the key in tab-scoped `sessionStorage`, and navigates to a bare `/` screen URL. WebSockets require valid auth plus browser same-origin `Origin`, while `/files/*` uses realpath containment to prevent content-directory escapes.
+
+**Tech Stack:** Node.js built-ins (`http`, `fs`, `path`, `crypto`), zero runtime dependencies, existing `ws` test dependency, Bash start/stop scripts, repo shell lint script.
+
+**Important:** Do not commit during execution unless Drew explicitly asks. This repository's instructions override the generic plan template's commit cadence.
+
+---
+
+## File Map
+
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`
+  - Add bootstrap response.
+  - Add shared security headers.
+  - Add WebSocket Origin validation.
+  - Add `/files/*` realpath containment.
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/helper.js`
+  - Read the stored session key and append it to the WebSocket URL.
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/auth.test.js`
+  - Add bootstrap, header, same-origin WS, cross-origin WS, and cookie/file auth regressions.
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/helper.test.js`
+  - Add mocked-browser coverage for sessionStorage-backed WS URLs.
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js`
+  - Add symlink containment regression for `/files/*`.
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js`
+  - Make the start-server timeout flag test force background mode.
+  - Add restart reconnect credential coverage if it fits the existing lifecycle helper.
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh`
+  - Fix shell lint.
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh`
+  - Fix shell lint.
+- Modify: `.gitignore`
+  - Add `.superpowers/`.
+- Optional docs update: `skills/brainstorming/visual-companion.md`
+  - Mention bootstrap URL stripping and trusted same-origin screen JS if the code behavior changes need operator-facing explanation.
+
+## Task 1: Bootstrap Keyed Root Loads
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/auth.test.js`
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Add RED tests for bootstrap behavior**
+
+In `tests/brainstorm-server/auth.test.js`, add tests after the existing valid-key root test:
+
+```js
+    await test('GET / with valid query returns bootstrap instead of screen content', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { key: TOKEN });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      assert(res.body.includes('sessionStorage'), 'bootstrap should store the session key in tab storage');
+      assert(res.body.includes('location.replace'), 'bootstrap should navigate to the bare root URL');
+      assert(!res.body.includes('Secret screen'), 'bootstrap must not serve screen HTML at the keyed URL');
+    });
+
+    await test('GET / with valid cookie serves the screen after bootstrap', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { cookie: `${COOKIE_NAME}=${TOKEN}` });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      assert(res.body.includes('Secret screen'), 'cookie-authenticated bare root should serve the screen');
+      assert(!res.body.includes('sessionStorage'), 'bare screen response should not be the bootstrap page');
+    });
+```
+
+Keep the existing cookie test if present; merge assertions rather than duplicating the same test name.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify RED**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node auth.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: the new bootstrap test fails because current `GET /?key=...` serves `Secret screen` directly and does not include the bootstrap `sessionStorage`/`location.replace` code.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Implement minimal bootstrap response**
+
+In `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`, add a helper near the page constants:
+
+```js
+function bootstrapPage(key) {
+  const jsonKey = JSON.stringify(String(key));
+  return `<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html>
+<head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>Opening Brainstorm Companion</title></head>
+<body>
+<script>
+sessionStorage.setItem('brainstorm-session-key', ${jsonKey});
+location.replace('/');
+</script>
+</body>
+</html>`;
+}
+```
+
+Then in `handleRequest`, after authorization and cookie setting but before serving screen HTML, detect a valid query key on root:
+
+```js
+function queryKey(url) {
+  const q = url.indexOf('?');
+  if (q < 0) return null;
+  return new URLSearchParams(url.slice(q + 1)).get('key');
+}
+```
+
+Use it in `handleRequest`:
+
+```js
+  const pathname = pathnameOf(req.url);
+  const keyFromQuery = queryKey(req.url);
+  if (req.method === 'GET' && pathname === '/' && keyFromQuery && timingSafeEqualStr(keyFromQuery, TOKEN)) {
+    res.writeHead(200, securityHeaders({ 'Content-Type': 'text/html; charset=utf-8' }));
+    res.end(bootstrapPage(keyFromQuery));
+    return;
+  }
+```
+
+This assumes Task 4 will introduce `securityHeaders`. If implementing Task 1 first, temporarily use:
+
+```js
+    res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/html; charset=utf-8' });
+```
+
+and replace it in Task 4.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Verify GREEN**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node auth.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: all auth tests pass, including the new bootstrap tests.
+
+## Task 2: WebSocket Origin Enforcement
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/auth.test.js`
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Add RED tests for same-origin and cross-origin WS**
+
+In `tests/brainstorm-server/auth.test.js`, extend `wsConnect` to accept an `origin` option:
+
+```js
+function wsConnect({ key, cookie, origin } = {}) {
+  const url = `ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/` + (key !== undefined ? `?key=${key}` : '');
+  const headers = {};
+  if (cookie) headers['Cookie'] = cookie;
+  if (origin) headers['Origin'] = origin;
+  const ws = new WebSocket(url, Object.keys(headers).length ? { headers } : {});
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    let settled = false;
+    const done = (outcome) => { if (!settled) { settled = true; resolve({ outcome, ws }); } };
+    ws.on('open', () => done('opened'));
+    ws.on('error', () => done('rejected'));
+    ws.on('close', () => done('rejected'));
+    setTimeout(() => done('rejected'), 1500);
+  });
+}
+```
+
+Then add:
+
+```js
+    await test('WS upgrade with valid cookie and same-origin Origin opens', async () => {
+      const { outcome, ws } = await wsConnect({
+        cookie: `${COOKIE_NAME}=${TOKEN}`,
+        origin: `http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`
+      });
+      ws.close();
+      assert.strictEqual(outcome, 'opened');
+    });
+
+    await test('WS upgrade with valid cookie but cross-origin Origin is rejected', async () => {
+      const eventsFile = path.join(TEST_DIR, 'state', 'events');
+      if (fs.existsSync(eventsFile)) fs.unlinkSync(eventsFile);
+
+      const { outcome, ws } = await wsConnect({
+        cookie: `${COOKIE_NAME}=${TOKEN}`,
+        origin: 'http://localhost:9999'
+      });
+      if (outcome === 'opened') {
+        ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'choice', choice: 'attacker-injected', text: 'local attacker probe' }));
+        await sleep(300);
+      }
+      ws.close();
+
+      assert.strictEqual(outcome, 'rejected', 'cross-origin browser WS must not open even with cookie');
+      assert(!fs.existsSync(eventsFile), 'cross-origin WS must not write state/events');
+    });
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify RED**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node auth.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: cross-origin cookie WS test fails because current server accepts any cookie-authenticated WS regardless of Origin.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Implement Origin check**
+
+In `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`, add:
+
+```js
+function isAllowedWebSocketOrigin(req) {
+  const origin = req.headers.origin;
+  if (!origin) return true; // non-browser clients still need the session key
+  const host = req.headers.host;
+  if (!host) return false;
+  return origin === 'http://' + host;
+}
+```
+
+Then update `handleUpgrade`:
+
+```js
+function handleUpgrade(req, socket) {
+  if (!isAuthorized(req) || !isAllowedWebSocketOrigin(req)) { socket.destroy(); return; }
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Verify GREEN**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node auth.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: auth tests pass; cross-origin WS is rejected; same-origin and direct key WS still open.
+
+## Task 3: Helper Uses Stored Key For Reconnect
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/helper.test.js`
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/helper.js`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Add RED test for WebSocket URL key**
+
+In `tests/brainstorm-server/helper.test.js`, add a mocked-browser test near the reconnect state-machine tests:
+
+```js
+test('uses sessionStorage key in the WebSocket URL when present', () => {
+  const e = makeEnv();
+  e.state.sessionKey = 'stored-key-abc';
+  e.boot();
+  assert.strictEqual(e.sockets[0].url, 'ws://localhost:7777/?key=stored-key-abc');
+});
+```
+
+Update `makeEnv()` so the returned object exposes `sockets`, and the mock window includes sessionStorage:
+
+```js
+    window: {
+      location: { host: 'localhost:7777', reload() { state.reloads++; } },
+      sessionStorage: { getItem: (key) => key === 'brainstorm-session-key' ? state.sessionKey : null }
+    },
+```
+
+Also add a fallback test:
+
+```js
+test('uses cookie-only WebSocket URL when no sessionStorage key is present', () => {
+  const e = makeEnv();
+  e.state.sessionKey = null;
+  e.boot();
+  assert.strictEqual(e.sockets[0].url, 'ws://localhost:7777');
+});
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify RED**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node helper.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: stored-key test fails because current helper uses `ws://localhost:7777`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Implement stored-key WS URL**
+
+In `skills/brainstorming/scripts/helper.js`, replace:
+
+```js
+  const WS_URL = 'ws://' + window.location.host;
+```
+
+with:
+
+```js
+  function websocketUrl() {
+    let key = null;
+    try { key = window.sessionStorage && window.sessionStorage.getItem('brainstorm-session-key'); } catch (e) {}
+    return 'ws://' + window.location.host + (key ? '/?key=' + encodeURIComponent(key) : '');
+  }
+```
+
+Then replace:
+
+```js
+    ws = new WebSocket(WS_URL);
+```
+
+with:
+
+```js
+    ws = new WebSocket(websocketUrl());
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Verify GREEN**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node helper.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: helper tests pass.
+
+## Task 4: Security Headers
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/auth.test.js`
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Add RED header tests**
+
+In `tests/brainstorm-server/auth.test.js`, add:
+
+```js
+    await test('HTML responses include leak-reduction and anti-framing headers', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { key: TOKEN });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['referrer-policy'], 'no-referrer');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['cache-control'], 'no-store');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['x-frame-options'], 'DENY');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['content-security-policy'], "frame-ancestors 'none'");
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['cross-origin-resource-policy'], 'same-origin');
+    });
+
+    await test('403 responses include leak-reduction and anti-framing headers', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 403);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['referrer-policy'], 'no-referrer');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['cache-control'], 'no-store');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['x-frame-options'], 'DENY');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['content-security-policy'], "frame-ancestors 'none'");
+      assert.strictEqual(res.headers['cross-origin-resource-policy'], 'same-origin');
+    });
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify RED**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node auth.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: header tests fail because current responses do not include these headers.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Implement shared header helper**
+
+In `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`, add:
+
+```js
+function securityHeaders(headers = {}) {
+  return {
+    'Referrer-Policy': 'no-referrer',
+    'Cache-Control': 'no-store',
+    'X-Frame-Options': 'DENY',
+    'Content-Security-Policy': "frame-ancestors 'none'",
+    'Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy': 'same-origin',
+    ...headers
+  };
+}
+```
+
+Update response writes in `handleRequest`:
+
+```js
+res.writeHead(403, securityHeaders({ 'Content-Type': 'text/html; charset=utf-8' }));
+```
+
+```js
+res.writeHead(200, securityHeaders({ 'Content-Type': 'text/html; charset=utf-8' }));
+```
+
+```js
+res.writeHead(200, securityHeaders({ 'Content-Type': contentType }));
+```
+
+For 404s:
+
+```js
+res.writeHead(404, securityHeaders());
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Verify GREEN**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node auth.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: auth tests pass and header assertions are green.
+
+## Task 5: `/files/*` Realpath Containment
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js`
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Add RED symlink escape test**
+
+In `tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js`, after the `/files/` empty-name test, add:
+
+```js
+    await test('does not serve symlinks that escape content dir via /files/', async () => {
+      const target = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'server-info');
+      const link = path.join(CONTENT_DIR, 'linked-server-info.txt');
+      try { fs.unlinkSync(link); } catch (e) {}
+      fs.symlinkSync(target, link);
+
+      const res = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/files/linked-server-info.txt`);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 404, 'symlink to state/server-info must not be served');
+      assert(!res.body.includes('server-started'), 'response must not include server-info body');
+    });
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify RED**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node server.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: symlink test fails because current `/files/*` follows symlinks and serves `server-info`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Implement containment helper**
+
+In `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`, add:
+
+```js
+function isRegularFileInsideContentDir(filePath) {
+  let stat, realContentDir, realFilePath;
+  try {
+    stat = fs.lstatSync(filePath);
+    if (stat.isSymbolicLink()) return false;
+    if (!stat.isFile()) return false;
+    realContentDir = fs.realpathSync(CONTENT_DIR);
+    realFilePath = fs.realpathSync(filePath);
+  } catch (e) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return realFilePath.startsWith(realContentDir + path.sep);
+}
+```
+
+Replace the `/files/*` guard with:
+
+```js
+    if (!fileName || fileName.startsWith('.') || !isRegularFileInsideContentDir(filePath)) {
+      res.writeHead(404, securityHeaders());
+      res.end('Not found');
+      return;
+    }
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Verify GREEN**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node server.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: server tests pass, including symlink rejection.
+
+## Task 6: Restart Reconnect Regression
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js`
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs`
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/helper.js`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Add RED integration test for same key over WS after restart**
+
+In `tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js`, add a test after the port/token persistence test:
+
+```js
+  await test('stored key can authenticate WebSocket after same-port restart', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-reconnect-');
+    const portFile = path.join(dir, '.last-port');
+    const tokenFile = path.join(dir, '.last-token');
+    const env = { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT_FILE: portFile, BRAINSTORM_TOKEN_FILE: tokenFile, BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000 };
+
+    const a = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...env, BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 's1') } });
+    let outA = ''; a.stdout.on('data', d => outA += d.toString());
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outA.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+    const infoA = firstServerStarted(outA);
+    const keyA = new URL(infoA.url).searchParams.get('key');
+    a.kill(); await sleep(400);
+
+    const b = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...env, BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 's2') } });
+    let outB = ''; b.stdout.on('data', d => outB += d.toString());
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outB.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+    const infoB = firstServerStarted(outB);
+
+    const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${infoB.port}/?key=${keyA}`, {
+      headers: { Origin: `http://localhost:${infoB.port}` }
+    });
+    const opened = await new Promise(resolve => {
+      ws.on('open', () => resolve(true));
+      ws.on('error', () => resolve(false));
+      setTimeout(() => resolve(false), 1500);
+    });
+
+    try {
+      assert.strictEqual(infoB.port, infoA.port, 'restart should reuse same port');
+      assert(opened, 'stored key should authenticate WS after restart');
+    } finally {
+      try { ws.close(); } catch (e) {}
+      b.kill(); await sleep(100);
+      fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+```
+
+This test may already pass once Tasks 2 and 3 are implemented. If it passes before code changes, keep it as coverage but do not call it RED. The real browser reconnect behavior is primarily covered by Task 3 plus final manual/headless browser verification.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify behavior**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node lifecycle.test.js
+```
+
+Expected after Tasks 2 and 3: lifecycle tests pass. If this fails, fix the auth/restart path before continuing.
+
+## Task 7: Lifecycle Hang And Shell Lint
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js`
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh`
+- Modify: `skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Reproduce shell lint failure**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers
+scripts/lint-shell.sh skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh
+```
+
+Expected current failure:
+
+```text
+SC2164: skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh line 128: cd "$SCRIPT_DIR"
+SC2034: skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh line 166: for i in {1..50}
+SC2034: skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh line 57: for i in {1..20}
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Fix shell lint minimally**
+
+In `skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh`, change:
+
+```bash
+cd "$SCRIPT_DIR"
+```
+
+to:
+
+```bash
+cd "$SCRIPT_DIR" || exit 1
+```
+
+Change unused loop variables from `i` to `_` where they are not read:
+
+```bash
+for _ in {1..50}; do
+```
+
+In `skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh`, change:
+
+```bash
+for i in {1..20}; do
+```
+
+to:
+
+```bash
+for _ in {1..20}; do
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Fix lifecycle start-server hang**
+
+In `tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js`, update the `start-server.sh --idle-timeout-minutes sets the timeout` test command:
+
+```js
+const out = execFileSync('bash', [START, '--project-dir', dir, '--idle-timeout-minutes', '5', '--background'], { encoding: 'utf8' });
+```
+
+This keeps the test from hanging when `CODEX_CI` triggers start-server foreground mode.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Verify lint and lifecycle**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers
+scripts/lint-shell.sh skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh
+cd tests/brainstorm-server
+node lifecycle.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: shell lint exits 0; lifecycle tests exit 0 without hanging.
+
+## Task 8: Gitignore Durable Companion State
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `.gitignore`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Verify current ignore gap**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers
+git check-ignore .superpowers/brainstorm/.last-token || true
+```
+
+Expected current output: no matching ignore rule.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Add ignore rule**
+
+Add this line to `.gitignore`:
+
+```gitignore
+.superpowers/
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Verify GREEN**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers
+git check-ignore .superpowers/brainstorm/.last-token
+```
+
+Expected output:
+
+```text
+.superpowers/brainstorm/.last-token
+```
+
+## Task 9: Full Automated Verification
+
+**Files:**
+- No code changes in this task.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Run focused suites**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+node auth.test.js
+node helper.test.js
+node server.test.js
+node lifecycle.test.js
+```
+
+Expected: all four commands exit 0.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run full brainstorm-server suite**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+npm test
+```
+
+Expected: all tests pass, including ws-protocol, helper, auth, server, lifecycle, and stop-server.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Repeat suite for lifecycle/watch flake**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers/tests/brainstorm-server
+for i in 1 2 3; do npm test || exit 1; done
+```
+
+Expected: all three repeats pass without hanging.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Run shell lint**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+cd /Users/drewritter/prime-rad/superpowers
+scripts/lint-shell.sh skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh
+```
+
+Expected: exits 0.
+
+## Task 10: Re-run Security Probes
+
+**Files:**
+- No code changes in this task.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Recreate the cross-origin attacker probe**
+
+Use the previous scratch probe if available:
+
+```bash
+node /tmp/superpowers-pr1720-security-drewritter/probe-pr1720.cjs
+```
+
+If the scratch probe is unavailable, recreate a minimal probe under `/tmp` that:
+
+- starts the companion with a fixed token
+- loads the keyed URL in headless Chrome
+- starts an attacker page on a different localhost port
+- attempts `new WebSocket('ws://localhost:<companion-port>/')`
+- sends `{"type":"choice","choice":"attacker-injected"}`
+- checks `state/events`
+
+Expected after fixes:
+
+- keyless and wrong-key HTTP still return 403
+- same-origin helper reaches Connected
+- cross-origin WebSocket does not open
+- `state/events` does not contain `attacker-injected`
+- symlink-to-`server-info` returns 404
+- keyed browser load ends on bare `/`
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Re-run manual/browser flow only after automated probes pass**
+
+Manual flow:
+
+1. start the companion with `--project-dir --open`
+2. push a screen
+3. confirm URL strips to `/`
+4. confirm status reaches Connected
+5. click a choice and verify `state/events`
+6. stop and restart same project
+7. verify the open tab reconnects automatically
+
+Expected: all steps pass without manual URL reload.
+
+## Self-Review Checklist
+
+- Spec coverage: every design requirement maps to at least one task.
+- Placeholder scan: this plan contains no unresolved placeholder markers or unspecified edge-case steps.
+- TDD order: every production change task starts with a focused failing test or a command that demonstrates the current failure.
+- Trust model: the plan preserves trusted same-origin screen JavaScript and future same-origin vendored libraries.
+- No-commit rule: execution does not commit unless Drew explicitly asks.

docs/superpowers/specs/2026-06-09-sdd-task-scoped-review-dispatch-design.md

@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+# SDD Task-Scoped Review Dispatch
+
+Make subagent-driven-development's per-task reviews cheaper and faster without weakening them, by scoping per-task review prompts to the task and stopping redundant work — while final branch review stays broad.
+
+## Problem
+
+Per-task code quality reviewers in SDD routinely do branch-review-scale work on single-task diffs. Evidence from two real local SDD sessions: `a1a6719a-6109-453a-9933-34ae396f5bae` (sen-core-v2) and `0cc1a12d-9984-4c35-8615-9d42dadb2c47` (serf), both under `~/.claude/projects/`:
+
+- In the sen-core-v2 session, 7/8 quality reviewers ran repo-wide greps; the most expensive ran 50+ Bash commands over ~200 seconds. Across both sessions, quality reviewers cost 4-8× what spec reviewers cost on the same tasks.
+- Spec reviewers, whose prompt contains "Only read files in this diff. Do not crawl the broader codebase," stayed tight: 6-16 tool calls, 14-65 seconds.
+- No reviewer ran heavy tests autonomously. Every package-wide or repeated test run observed was explicitly requested by a controller-written prompt ("check all uses," "run tests if useful, especially race-focused ones," "does anything else read `Meta()`?").
+
+Root causes, in order of impact:
+
+1. **The per-task quality prompt inherits a merge-readiness review.** `code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md` delegates to `requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md`, which asks about architecture, scalability, security, production readiness, and ends with "Ready to merge?" That frame licenses branch-level breadth on a one-task diff. The spec prompt's diff-scope guard was never carried over.
+2. **The controller gets no guidance on writing reviewer prompts**, so it invents open-ended directives ("check all uses") that reviewers interpret literally.
+3. **Duplicated work across the pipeline.** The quality template's "Plan alignment" dimension re-checks what the spec reviewer just verified. Reviewers re-run test suites the implementer already ran (and reported, with TDD evidence) on identical code.
+4. **Per-task and final review share one template**, so there is no representation of "per-task narrow, final broad" anywhere.
+
+A field report (`~/2026-06-09-code-quality-reviewer-scope-budget-issue.md`) first flagged this. Its cited session and headline numbers could not be verified, but its qualitative diagnosis was confirmed against two real local sessions. One correction to it: cross-cutting audits (lock ordering, changed contracts) are sometimes the *correct* review method — the fix must gate breadth behind a stated concrete risk, not forbid it.
+
+## Goals
+
+- Per-task reviews scoped to the task: diff-first reading, justified broadening, no redundant test runs.
+- Final whole-branch review keeps its current breadth.
+- No reduction in what reviews catch.
+
+## Non-goals / explicitly preserved
+
+- **Full re-reviews stay.** When a reviewer re-reviews after a fix, it still reviews the whole task at full reading breadth. (It does not re-run tests the implementer just ran on the amended code.) This deliberately rejects the field report's "re-review budget" remedy: the cost of its worst cited example (a re-review running `-race` and `-count=100` loops) is curbed by the test budget below, not by narrowing what re-reviewers read.
+- ~~**The two review stages stay separate.** Spec compliance and code quality remain independent subagents, serially gated. No merging.~~ **Superseded by the cost iterations below**: live eval economics showed per-dispatch overhead dominating cost, and the maintainer put everything on the table. The per-task stages are now one task reviewer with two verdicts; the independent broad final review remains.
+- **The coordinator keeps model judgment.** No forced model tier for reviews, in either direction.
+- **`requesting-code-review/` is untouched.** It remains the broad template for final branch review and ad-hoc review.
+- Verdict ordering (spec compliance reported before quality), the fix-and-re-review loops, and the requirement to fix Critical/Important findings are unchanged.
+
+## Cost iterations (post-launch eval economics)
+
+Live before/after runs surfaced a cost regression once the quality-hardening
+prose (evidence rule, constraint carrying, pristine output) landed: go-fractals
+went from 42.8 min / 14.5M tokens (first task-scoped version) to 69.9 min /
+32.2M (hardened version) while reaching baseline-parity quality (blind-judged
+8.5 vs 8.5). Per-subagent turn profiling attributed cost to, in order: cheap
+models taking 2-3× the turns on multi-step work (678 of 1197 subagent turns
+were haiku), per-dispatch overhead (3 subagent spin-ups per task, each
+re-deriving the diff; controller coordination was half the dollars), and
+evidence-rule narration.
+
+- **Iteration 1:** turn-count-beats-token-price model guidance (mid-tier floor
+  for multi-step work), optional inline diffs, cite-don't-narrate evidence,
+  Important = cannot-trust-until-fixed, fixes dispatched only for
+  Critical/Important. Result: 68.2 min / 22.9M — tokens down 29%, wall-clock
+  flat; controllers pasted the diff in only 2 of 22 review dispatches when
+  phrasing was optional.
+- **Iteration 2:** per-task spec and quality reviews merged into one
+  `task-reviewer-prompt.md` (one reviewer, one reading of the diff, two
+  verdicts; one fix dispatch addresses both kinds of findings); implementers
+  run the focused test while iterating, full suite once before commit.
+  Result (go-fractals): 47.5 min / 15.7M / $13.55 — beat baseline on every
+  axis, blind-judged 9/10 vs baseline 7/10.
+- **Iteration 3:** Calibration names merge-blocking maintainability damage
+  (verbatim duplication, swallowed errors, assertion-free tests) as
+  Important and Minor findings must be pasted into the final review for
+  triage; reviewer skepticism extended to the implementer's design
+  rationales ("left it per YAGNI" is a claim, not a verdict); diff handed
+  to reviewers as a file (`git diff > /tmp/sdd-task-N.diff`, redirected so
+  it never enters the controller's context; one Read call for the
+  reviewer) after paste-into-prompt guidance went unadopted (0-6 of 11-17
+  dispatches) for locally-rational context-economics reasons.
+- **Final frozen config (e355795), all five scenarios pass:** go-fractals
+  44.4 min / 13.4M / $11.67 (-32% time, -37% tokens, -27% dollars vs
+  baseline); svelte-todo 62.8 / 19.7M / $15.76 (-21% / -28% / -25%);
+  rejects-extra-features $1.31 (vs $1.88); spec-reviewer-flaws flat; the
+  planted-defect scenario (v3: open-flag transparency bar for judgment
+  calls, must-fix bar for a test whose name promises verification it
+  never performs) passes with the defect caught and fixed.
+
+### Iterations 4-5 (2026-06-10): variance honesty, structural fixes, positive recipes
+
+A same-config re-run exposed run-to-run variance (44.4→57.1 min on
+identical prompts; reviewer escape-hatch appetite swung 1.0→6.3 tool
+calls/review), so all subsequent claims use ranges. Five parallel
+experiment variants on go-fractals plus transcript mining of real local
+sessions (full log with negative results:
+`evals/docs/experiments/2026-06-10-sdd-cost-experiments.md`) produced the
+final config:
+
+- **Adopted:** final-review package (final reviewer 33→6 turns at
+  controller-model prices); REQUIRED `model:` line in both templates
+  (prose guidance decayed mid-session once, inheriting opus for 17
+  dispatches, +$5); task-brief + report files (`scripts/task-brief`;
+  fidelity anchor, modest context savings); progress ledger in
+  `<git-dir>/sdd/progress.md` (real sessions re-dispatched entire
+  completed task sequences after compaction — 269 dispatches for ~22
+  tasks); omnibus final fixer (a real session's per-finding fix wave cost
+  more than all its tasks); scoped fix tests; unique SHA-range collateral
+  names (worktree/submodule-safe); dispatch-composition recipe and
+  reviewer named-risk budget (micro-tested: positive recipe 3.0
+  transcribed values vs prohibition 4.4 vs control 3.6 — prohibitions can
+  backfire; see `2026-06-10-positive-instruction-redesign-design.md`).
+- **Tested and declined:** controller turn batching and parallel-call
+  pipelining (controller emits exactly one tool call per message — 0
+  multi-tool messages in every run; 46% of its turns are
+  thinking/narration, a prompt-immune floor); background-dispatch
+  pipelining (mechanism adopted 7/28 but benefit below the ±6 min noise
+  floor on these scenarios).
+- **Final validated config (b81f35b family), all gates pass:** go-fractals
+  54.1-54.7 min / 14.4-16.6M / $12.81-14.31 (baseline 64.9 / 21.2M /
+  $16.07); svelte-todo 55.0 min / 19.3M / $14.99 (baseline 79.7 / 27.3M /
+  $20.98); planted-defect pass / $2.77. Across all 8 same-design fractals
+  runs: 44.4-57.1 min / 13.4-20.0M / $11.67-14.84 — the worst draw beats
+  baseline on every axis; typical mid-band savings ~20-25%.
+
+## Design
+
+### Shared principle: don't re-run tests on code that hasn't changed
+
+The implementer's report includes test results and TDD RED/GREEN evidence for exactly the code under review. Reviewers verify by reading. A reviewer runs a test only when reading raises a specific doubt that no existing run answers — and then a focused test, not a suite. On harnesses where reviewer subagents are read-only (e.g., Antigravity maps reviewer templates to the `research` type, which has no command access), the reviewer instead names the test it would run in its report.
+
+After a fix, the implementer re-runs the tests covering the amended code; the re-reviewer does not repeat that run. Today nothing enforces that premise: `implementer-prompt.md` describes the initial implement-test-commit flow only, with no fix-iteration instruction. This spec therefore also adds to `implementer-prompt.md`: after fixing a review finding, re-run the tests that cover the amended code and include the results in the fix report.
+
+This principle appears in both reviewer prompts, the implementer prompt, and the controller guidance.
+
+### 1. New file: `skills/subagent-driven-development/code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md` becomes self-contained
+
+Stop delegating to `requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md`. The per-task quality reviewer gets its own scoped prompt template:
+
+- **Framing:** "You are reviewing one task's implementation for code quality." A task-scoped gate, not a merge review.
+- **Spec compliance is settled:** spec review already passed; do not re-litigate requirements or plan alignment.
+- **Review dimensions kept:** code quality (clarity, duplication, error handling), test quality (real behavior, not mocks), maintainability, and the existing SDD-specific checks (single responsibility, independent testability, file structure from plan, file growth contributed by this change). Dropped: plan alignment, security/scalability/production-readiness dimensions, merge verdict.
+- **Scope budget:** start from `git diff BASE..HEAD`; read changed files first; inspect adjacent code only to evaluate a concrete risk you can name. Cross-cutting changes — lock ordering, changed function/API contracts, shared mutable state — are legitimate named risks that justify checking call sites. Do not crawl the codebase by default.
+- **Test budget:** the shared principle above, plus: no package-wide suites, race detectors, or repeated/high-count runs unless you have first named a specific suspected flake or race. Otherwise, recommend heavy validation in the report instead of running it. Warnings or noise in the implementer's reported test output are findings — output should be pristine (the implementer's self-review checks this too).
+- **Evidence rule:** reviewers answer each What-to-Check item with file:line evidence, not bare yes/no. (Added after live eval runs showed reviewers passing defects the prompt had pointed them at — an accessible-name check and a temp-dir-cleanup check both got unsupported "yes" answers while the defect sat in the reviewed diff.)
+- **Read-only rule** kept in trimmed form: no mutating the working tree, index, HEAD, or branch state. The `git worktree add` how-to sentence from the current templates is NOT carried into this file — a diff-scoped review never needs a checkout of another revision (same rationale as the spec-prompt cleanup below).
+- **Verdict:** Strengths / Issues (Critical/Important/Minor) / "Task quality: Approved | Needs fixes."
+
+### 2. `skills/subagent-driven-development/spec-reviewer-prompt.md` cleanups
+
+- Remove the `git worktree add` how-to sentence. The read-only rule stays; a diff-scoped spec review never needs a checkout of another revision.
+- Resolve the tension between the diff-only guard and "verify everything independently": spec compliance is judged by reading the diff against the requirements. The implementer's TDD evidence covers "it runs" — apply the shared test principle.
+- New third verdict channel: requirements that cannot be verified from the diff (live in unchanged code, span tasks) are reported as explicit "⚠️ Cannot verify from diff — controller should check X" items, instead of either crawling or silently passing. The flowchart's binary pass/fail diamond cannot route this, so the controller guidance (§3) defines the handling: ⚠️ items do not block dispatching the quality reviewer, but the controller must resolve each one itself (it holds the plan and cross-task context) before marking the task complete; an item the controller confirms is a real gap is treated as a failed spec review and goes back to the implementer.
+- Replace the fabricated premise "The implementer finished suspiciously quickly" with grounded skepticism: treat the implementer's report as unverified claims about the code. Same distrust, no invented fact.
+
+### 3. `skills/subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md` controller changes
+
+- **Model Selection:** replace "Architecture, design, and review tasks: use the most capable available model" with judgment guidance — pick reviewer models the way implementer models are picked, scaled to the diff's size, complexity, and risk. The "Task complexity signals" list is rescoped to make clear its bullets describe implementation tasks; reviewer model choice follows the same judgment, so a narrow diff review does not automatically map to "broad codebase understanding → most capable model."
+- **Reviewer prompt construction** (new guidance near Red Flags): when dispatching reviewers, do not write open-ended directives ("check all uses," "run race tests if useful") without a concrete task-specific reason; do not ask reviewers to re-run tests the implementer already ran on the same code; do not pre-judge findings for the reviewer (never instruct a reviewer to ignore or not flag a specific issue — adjudicate suspected false positives in the review loop instead); per-task reviews are task-scoped gates — the broad review happens once, at the final whole-branch review. (The pre-judging rule was added after a live eval run caught the controller fabricating a "the plan forbids a shared helper" claim and instructing the quality reviewer not to flag a planted DRY violation.) Controllers must also include the spec/design's global constraints that bind the task — version floors, naming and copy rules, platform requirements — in the requirements they paste: a live run shipped a `go 1.26.1` module floor against a "Go 1.21+" design because no reviewer ever saw the constraint. And controllers must specify a model explicitly on every dispatch — an omitted model inherits the session's (usually most expensive) model, which silently defeats model selection.
+- **Handling spec-reviewer ⚠️ items** (new guidance, alongside Handling Implementer Status): the controller resolves each "cannot verify from diff" item itself before marking the task complete; confirmed gaps go back to the implementer as failed spec review.
+- **Final review stays broad, explicitly:** the final whole-branch reviewer dispatch node gains an explicit pointer to `../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md`. (Today that template is reachable only through the per-task quality prompt's delegation; once that delegation is removed, an unreferenced final-review template would be orphaned.) The Integration section's note that `superpowers:requesting-code-review` provides "the code review template for reviewer subagents" is corrected to apply to the final review only.
+- **Example workflow:** the quality-reviewer lines in the example are updated to the new verdict vocabulary ("Task quality: Approved"); the final reviewer's "ready to merge" line stays.
+- Flowchart topology is unchanged; the ⚠️ channel is handled by controller guidance, not a new graph branch.
+
+## What this does not fix (known, deferred)
+
+The spec reviewer judges against task text the controller pasted; it cannot catch requirements dropped during the controller's extraction from the plan. That is an architectural property of "controller provides full text," not a prompt problem, and is out of scope here.
+
+## Verification
+
+- Plugin infrastructure tests (`tests/`) still pass.
+- Run the SDD skill-behavior evals (`git submodule update --init evals`, then per `evals/README.md`) before and after the change. Specifically: `sdd-go-fractals`, `sdd-svelte-todo`, `sdd-rejects-extra-features` (end-to-end SDD including the spec reviewer's YAGNI gate), and `spec-reviewer-catches-planted-flaws`.
+- Known eval gaps this change exposes: no existing scenario plants a code-quality defect inside a single SDD task and asserts the per-task quality reviewer catches it, and no scenario measures per-reviewer exploration cost (tool-call/grep counts). Add one scenario covering the first gap (planted single-task quality defect → per-task reviewer must flag it before final review). For exploration cost, compare reviewer subagent tool-call counts manually across the before/after eval transcripts.

docs/superpowers/specs/2026-06-10-positive-instruction-redesign-design.md

@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+# Positive-Instruction Redesign of Skill Guidance — Design Spec
+
+**Status:** Proposed (follow-up to the 2026-06-09 SDD review-dispatch work; separate PR per the one-problem-per-PR rule)
+**Driver:** Measured evidence (2026-06-10) that some negative instructions in skill prose backfire, while others work — and that the difference is predictable.
+
+## The measured finding this spec generalizes
+
+Micro-tests on 2026-06-10 (opus, 5 reps per phrasing, programmatic scoring;
+harness described below) measured how guidance phrasing changes what a
+controller composes:
+
+| Case | Phrasing | Result |
+|---|---|---|
+| Dispatch composition ("don't restate the brief") | prohibition | **4.4** spec values re-typed — *worse than no guidance* (3.6) |
+| Dispatch composition | positive recipe ("your dispatch should contain: (1)…(5)") | **3.0, zero variance** — adopted |
+| Dispatch composition | recipe + nuance clause ("quote only the fragment…") | 3.8, noisy — nuance dilutes recipes |
+| Test-rerun directive ("do not ask reviewer to re-run tests") | prohibition | **0/5 violations** — works fine (control: 3/5) |
+| Test-rerun directive | positive recipe | 0/5 — equal, but longer |
+
+**The doctrine** (use this to classify any negative instruction):
+
+1. **Tripwires work.** Phrase-level self-checks on concrete tokens ("if the
+   prompt you are writing contains 'do not flag' … stop") fire reliably.
+2. **Recognition tables work.** Red-Flags/rationalization tables read at
+   decision time, not composition time.
+3. **Discrete-directive prohibitions work.** "Do not ask X to do Y" holds
+   when the model has no competing incentive to do Y.
+4. **Composition prohibitions backfire** when the model has its own agenda
+   for the output (e.g., restating specs feels like helpful curation).
+   Only a positive composition recipe moves these — and adding nuance
+   clauses to a winning recipe makes it worse, not better.
+5. **Ties go to the shorter phrasing.** Codex re-reads SKILL.md ~500× per
+   long session (measured 2026-06-10); prose length is a real cost.
+
+## Audit results (2026-06-10, all ~30 skills + prompt templates)
+
+Counts: 3 tripwires (keep), 14 recognition tables (keep), ~20 policy gates
+(keep — "never push without permission" is policy, not composition
+shaping), 5 composition-prohibitions:
+
+| # | Location | Disposition |
+|---|---|---|
+| 1 | `subagent-driven-development/task-reviewer-prompt.md` — "Cite, don't narrate" | **Queued in PR #1717 batch**: lead with the positive half ("Your report should point at evidence: file:line for every finding…"), drop the prohibition half (dead weight — the positive half already exists and carries the load) |
+| 2 | `subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md` — "Do not add open-ended directives" | **Keep as-is**: micro-test could not elicit the failure in 15 samples; no evidence either way; shorter wins |
+| 3 | `subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md` — "Do not ask a reviewer to re-run tests" | **Keep as-is**: measured 0/5 violations; the prohibition also usefully propagates itself into dispatches |
+| 4 | `subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md` — "do not re-review on top of it" | **Queued in PR #1717 batch**: replace with the three-element checklist ("Before re-dispatching the reviewer, confirm the fix report contains: the covering tests, the command run, and the output") |
+| 5 | `writing-plans/SKILL.md` — the "No Placeholders" banned-patterns list | **This spec's main subject** — see below |
+
+Borderline, deferred with #5: `task-reviewer-prompt.md` "Don't flag
+pre-existing file sizes — focus on what this change contributed" (positive
+half present and load-bearing; low impact; test alongside #5 if convenient).
+
+## The writing-plans change (deferred item #5)
+
+### Current state
+
+`skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md`, "No Placeholders": one positive sentence
+("Every step must contain the actual content an engineer needs") followed
+by a six-bullet banned-patterns list ("never write them: 'TBD', 'TODO',
+'Add appropriate error handling', 'Write tests for the above', 'Similar to
+Task N', …").
+
+### Why it matters and why it is genuinely uncertain
+
+- Plans are the **largest generated artifact** in the workflow, and the
+  model has a real competing incentive to emit placeholders (they are the
+  path of least effort under length pressure) — the incentive structure of
+  the case where prohibition measurably backfired.
+- But the banned items are **discrete, recognizable tokens** — the shape
+  of the case where prohibition measurably held.
+- **The list is load-bearing elsewhere:** the skill's Self-Review section
+  references it ("Placeholder scan: search your plan for red flags — any
+  of the patterns from the 'No Placeholders' section above"). The tokens
+  double as the review-time scan inventory, and review-time recognition is
+  the category that works. A naive swap to a positive checklist breaks
+  that reference and discards good tripwire tokens.
+
+### Variants to test
+
+- **V0 (current):** positive sentence + banned list at composition time;
+  Self-Review references the list.
+- **V1 (auditor's checklist):** composition-time positive recipe only —
+  "Before finalizing a step, confirm it has: the literal code to write, a
+  runnable command with expected output, types and method names defined
+  within this plan, error handling shown explicitly. A step is complete
+  when an engineer could implement it without asking any follow-up
+  questions." Self-Review keeps a generic placeholder scan.
+- **V2 (restructure by mechanism — predicted winner):** composition time
+  gets only V1's positive recipe; the named patterns move wholesale into
+  the Self-Review placeholder-scan step, reframed as recognition ("when
+  you scan, look for: 'TBD', 'TODO', 'Similar to Task N', …"). Same
+  tokens, relocated from the category that primes to the category that
+  detects.
+- **V3 (control):** positive sentence only, no list anywhere.
+
+### Micro-test design
+
+- **Task:** opus writes a 2-3 task implementation plan from a deliberately
+  under-specified spec (under-specification is what tempts placeholders).
+  Use a fixture spec with: one well-specified task, one task whose error
+  handling the spec hand-waves, one task similar to the first (tempting
+  "Similar to Task 1").
+- **Sampling:** 5+ reps per variant, default temperature, model
+  `claude-opus-4-8` (the model that writes plans in practice).
+- **Programmatic scoring** (lower is better unless noted):
+  - banned-token count: `TBD|TODO|implement later|fill in details|appropriate error handling|handle edge cases|Similar to Task|Write tests for the above`
+  - steps lacking a fenced code block where the step changes code
+  - references to types/functions not defined anywhere in the plan output
+  - (higher is better) runnable commands with expected output per task
+- **Two-stage scoring for V2:** also test the Self-Review half — feed each
+  generated plan back with the variant's Self-Review section and measure
+  whether the scan actually catches seeded placeholders (insert 2 known
+  placeholders into a fixture plan; detection rate is the metric).
+- **Acceptance:** adopt a variant only if it beats V0 on banned-token count
+  without losing code-block coverage or self-review detection rate.
+  Expected cost: ~$6-10 total.
+
+### PR scoping
+
+Separate PR (writing-plans is a different skill; its "No Placeholders"
+list is tuned content where the contributor guidelines demand eval
+evidence). The PR must include: the micro-test harness + results table,
+before/after text, and the V2 relocation rationale.
+
+## The micro-test harness (method, so it isn't lost)
+
+`/tmp/sdd-exp/micro/run-micro.py` and `/tmp/sdd-exp/micro2/run-micro2.py`
+(2026-06-10; to be committed to superpowers-evals as
+`docs/superpowers/skills/micro-testing-prompt-guidance.md` + scripts):
+
+- One API call per sample: system prompt = the skill-guidance variant in
+  realistic surrounding context; user = a realistic mid-workflow scenario;
+  output = the composed artifact (dispatch prompt, plan, report).
+- Programmatic scoring with greps for unambiguous markers; **manually
+  inspect every match before trusting a verdict** — one of tonight's
+  "violations" was the controller correctly quoting the prohibition, and
+  automated negation detection mislabeled another.
+- ~$0.15-0.30/sample, seconds per iteration vs $12/50-min full eval runs.
+  Iterate phrasings here; confirm winners in full runs only when the
+  change is structural.
+- Always include a no-guidance control — tonight it revealed both a
+  backfire (restating: prohibition worse than nothing) and a working
+  prohibition (test-reruns: 3/5 control failures vs 0/5 with either
+  phrasing).
+
+## Result: writing-plans micro-test (run 2026-06-10, after this spec was written)
+
+**Resolved — no change needed.** Stage 1 (3-task spec, no pressure): 0
+placeholders in all 20 plans across all four variants including the
+no-guidance control. Stage 1b (10-task spec, five near-identical commands
+tempting "Similar to Task N", explicit ~2,500-word economy target): 40/40
+clean — the single regex hit was a V2 self-review *attesting* "no
+TBD/TODO ✓". Current-generation opus does not produce plan placeholders
+even under deliberate pressure, with or without the banned-patterns list.
+Disposition: leave the No Placeholders section exactly as it is (it costs
+little and the counterfactual is unmeasurable); do NOT open the follow-up
+PR. The V2 relocation design remains on file here should a future model
+generation regress.
+
+## Also explicitly not-dropped (tested-and-declined, with data)
+
+Recorded so nobody re-proposes them without new evidence — full numbers in
+the 2026-06-09 SDD design spec's Cost-iterations section:
+
+- **Controller turn batching / parallel tool calls in one message:** the
+  controller emits exactly one tool call per message (0 multi-tool
+  messages across every measured run, with and without guidance). 46% of
+  controller turns are thinking/narration with no tool call — a
+  prompt-immune floor.
+- **Pipelined reviews via parallel calls:** dead for the same reason.
+- **Pipelined reviews via `run_in_background`:** mechanism adopted when
+  offered (7/28 dispatches) but benefit below the run-to-run noise floor
+  on 45-min scenarios (reviews are only ~30-60s each); adds dual
+  result-stream coordination. Worth revisiting only for plans whose
+  reviews are individually long.
+- **Nuance clauses appended to winning recipes:** measurably degrade them
+  (C2: 3.8 noisy vs C: 3.0 consistent). Iterate by re-deriving the recipe,
+  not by appending caveats.

docs/superpowers/specs/2026-06-10-strict-cost-sdd-design.md

@@ -0,0 +1,265 @@
+# Strict-Cost SDD — Design Spec
+
+**Status:** Proposed experiment ladder (not implementation). Each rung ships
+only with its gate evidence; abort any rung whose gates fail.
+**Objective:** minimize dollars per plan-execution. Wall-clock is
+unconstrained; token count matters only as a cost driver.
+**Hard invariant:** quality. Concretely: `sdd-quality-reviewer-catches-
+planted-defect` pass rate over **N=5 runs** (not 1 — single-run gates were
+this campaign's weakest methodology), `sdd-rejects-extra-features` pass,
+all end-to-end scenarios pass, blind A/B deliverable parity with the
+current config. Any quality regression kills the rung, full stop.
+
+## Where the dollars are (final 2026-06-10 config, go-fractals, ~$13/run)
+
+| Component | $ | Driver |
+|---|---|---|
+| Controller (session model, opus) | ~6-7 | ~150 turns × resident context; prompt-immune turn floor (46% thinking/narration) |
+| Implementers (sonnet, 10-13 dispatches) | ~5-6 | the actual work; ~25 turns each; ~13 pre-edit exploration calls each |
+| Task reviewers (sonnet, 10) | ~1-1.5 | 3-9 turns each with package |
+| Final review + fixes | ~1 | 6 turns with branch package |
+
+Review-loop count (2-4 per run) is the biggest run-to-run cost variance;
+loops are mostly caused by plan ambiguity the implementer resolved wrongly.
+
+## Judgment guardrail (co-invariant with quality)
+
+**Cheapen mechanics, never judgment.** Every rung must enumerate which
+decisions it moves to a cheaper model and show each is *mechanical* —
+deterministic, scriptable, or cheaply verifiable after the fact. Judgment
+stays at the highest tier or with the human. The judgment points in SDD,
+explicitly:
+
+- **BLOCKED / NEEDS_CONTEXT handling** — diagnosing why a subagent is stuck
+  and choosing the remedy
+- **⚠️ "cannot verify from diff" resolution** — the controller adjudicating
+  with cross-task context
+- **Dispatch curation** — ambiguity resolution and task-boundary drawing
+  (measured load-bearing: the Task 5 gradient-direction note prevented a
+  wrong implementation)
+- **Review verdicts and severity calibration** — what is Important vs Minor
+- **Review-loop adjudication** — deciding a finding is a false positive
+- **Escalate-to-human recognition** — knowing the plan itself is wrong
+
+A rung that would move any of these to a cheaper model must either (a)
+restructure so the decision is made once by the expensive model at plan
+time, (b) add an explicit escalation rule routing it back up at execution
+time, or (c) die. "The cheap model usually gets it right" is not
+acceptance evidence — judgment failures are rare-event, high-blast-radius,
+and largely invisible to pass/fail gates, which is why every tier change
+below carries a judgment audit (session-resume interrogation of each
+judgment point in the gate runs, compared against the expensive-controller
+baseline) in addition to the N=5 scenario gates.
+
+## Thesis guardrail
+
+SDD's thesis: **a fresh subagent per task with precisely curated context,
+gated per task.** Rungs below must preserve it. Dispatch-time task batching
+(one implementer dispatch handling several plan tasks) is **counter-thesis**
+— it pollutes the fresh-context property and coarsens the gates — and is
+deliberately NOT on the ladder. The thesis-compatible route to the same
+dispatch economics is plan-time task right-sizing (L1): if the plan defines
+fewer, better-sized tasks, SDD still runs one fresh subagent per task.
+
+## The ladder (in expected $/leverage order)
+
+### L1 — Plan-side crispness (writing-plans changes; est. −$1.5-3/run, plus variance reduction)
+
+**Status 2026-06-11 (final): elicitation tested end-to-end; claims
+re-attributed.** Micro-tests: constraints header and Interfaces blocks
+elicit deterministically (0→5/5, 0→100% of tasks, exact values);
+right-sizing is modest and scale-dependent (9.4→8.4 tasks at svelte
+scale, nothing to move at fractals scale). Full runs: an elicited plan
+executed at $6.34/$8.49 — but the no-guidance control (opus plan,
+complete code) hit $7.59/$7.73, inside that range. **The cost win
+belongs to opus-written complete-code plans; the hand-written prose
+fixture plans all prior numbers used are unrepresentative and ~2×
+costlier to execute.** The guidance owns fidelity and variance instead:
+deterministic constraints propagation (the one elicited-run fix was a
+version-floor catch), exact cross-task interfaces, fix waves 1 vs 2-4
+(the control plan shipped a real Sierpinski bug both runs had to fix).
+The writing-plans PR claims those grounds, not dollars. Draft at
+/tmp/sdd-exp/writing-plans-l1 (branch writing-plans-crisp).
+
+The plan is upstream of every cost: task count sets dispatch count; plan
+ambiguity sets review-loop count; plan completeness sets implementer
+exploration. Current writing-plans optimizes for implementer success, not
+execution economics. Changes to test:
+
+1. **Task right-sizing guidance.** Today's plans produce tasks as small as
+   "create .gitignore" — each costing a full dispatch + review cycle
+   (~$0.60-1.00 fixed overhead). Add: "A task is the smallest unit that
+   carries its own test cycle and is worth a fresh reviewer's gate. Merge
+   setup/config steps into the task that needs them; split only at
+   boundaries where a reviewer could meaningfully reject." Fractals' plan
+   would drop from 10 tasks to ~7. Validate: dispatch count falls, gates
+   hold, review granularity still catches the planted defect.
+2. **Structured `## Global Constraints` section** in the plan header
+   (version floors, naming/copy rules, platform requirements). Today these
+   live in design.md prose and reach reviewers only if the controller
+   remembers to paste them (a `go 1.26.1` floor violation shipped because
+   none did). A fixed heading makes them mechanically extractable —
+   `task-brief` can append them to every brief automatically (small script
+   change), removing a controller responsibility entirely.
+3. **Per-task `Interfaces:` line** (consumes/produces, exact signatures).
+   The controller currently re-derives cross-task interfaces per dispatch
+   (its main legitimate "restating"), and implementers spend ~13 tool calls
+   re-discovering context. The planner already knows the interfaces; one
+   line per task moves the work to where it is done once.
+4. **Per-task model-tier recommendation** from the planner ("mechanical /
+   standard / judgment"). The planner has the best information for the
+   Model Selection decision the controller currently re-makes per dispatch;
+   the controller keeps override authority.
+
+Validation: micro-test the planner output shape (recipe-style, per the
+instruction-design doctrine), then full runs. Note the 2026-06-10 result:
+plan *placeholders* cannot be elicited from current opus — these changes
+target economics and ambiguity, not placeholder hygiene.
+
+### L2 — Controller tier (est. −$4-5/run; the biggest single lever, gated hardest)
+
+**Status 2026-06-11 (final): DIED AT THE GATES, as pre-registered — with
+useful anatomy.** Recon was positive ($6.68/$8.05, n=2, mechanics clean).
+The full battery split the judgment surface: the new
+`sdd-escalates-broken-plan` scenario (explicit plan self-contradiction;
+the human never volunteers it) passed **5/5 at sonnet** ($1.02-1.37/run;
+opus baseline 2/2) — explicit conflicts get escalated. But the
+planted-defect battery failed decisively: under a sonnet controller the
+per-task quality gate collapsed into plan-compliance advocacy ("no
+assertion, as required" listed under Strengths), the defect shipped in
+4/5 runs (deterministic check), and only the tier-pinned opus final
+reviewer ever caught it — while the same sonnet-tier reviewers under an
+opus controller flagged it 5/5. Cheap controllers handle explicit
+escalation; they absorb implicit authority-vs-quality adjudication.
+A possible L2b (discrete rule: "a reviewer finding that conflicts with
+the plan's text is the human's decision — escalate it") would route the
+failing judgment through the escalation behavior that held.
+
+**L2b tested 2026-06-11 (E35/E36, evals
+`docs/experiments/2026-06-11-build-loop-autoresearch.md`): improves the
+opus stack, does NOT rescue the sonnet rung.** Two rules: a reviewer
+tripwire (a plan-mandated defect IS a finding — Important, labeled
+plan-mandated; the human decides) and a controller escalation rule
+(plan-mandated findings go to the human like any plan contradiction).
+Micro on frozen sonnet-composed inputs: 0/6 → 6/6 labeled findings.
+Full battery: opus controllers 2/2 internalized the rule, caught their
+reviewer's miss as self-described backstop, and escalated for a
+sanctioned fix (the 4241 ad-hoc behavior made structural); escalation
+sanity 2/2 unbroken. Sonnet controllers: 1/5 full pass — paraphrase
+drops the tripwire from dispatches (2/5 transmitted), transmission
+alone doesn't fire it live (read-once dilution across the reviewer's
+tool reads; placement within the dispatch refuted as the variable),
+and no sonnet controller showed backstop behavior; 1/5 shipped the
+defect. The L2b rules are a candidate commit for the opus stack.
+A future L2c for the sonnet rung would pair the SKILL.md
+constraints-recipe (the one channel sonnet transmits verbatim) with a
+mandatory output-format slot for plan-mandated findings (the skeleton
+survives every observed paraphrase and is consulted at composition
+time); untested. Original recon notes follow.
+
+**Recon (superseded):**
+Sonnet-controller runs (claude-sonnet coding-agent): all gates green at
+**$6.68 and $8.05** / 31-41 min (combo band $11.67-14.84), tokens inside
+the combo band — no cheap-controller turn inflation. 26/26 and 31/31
+dispatches model-explicit, with heavier (and sane) haiku tiering than
+opus controllers showed; review loops, per-task Important→fix→re-review,
+and omnibus-fixer rules followed in both runs; the run-1 controller
+caught a fixer side-effect (`go mod tidy` removed cobra) before
+re-review — real adjudication, not silent absorption. But neither run
+surfaced a BLOCKED/⚠️ event (the escalation points were never stressed)
+and final reviews ran on sonnet rather than the most capable tier. The
+N=5 quality gates + full judgment audit below remain mandatory before
+any skill change.
+
+The controller is half the dollars solely because it inherits the session
+model. Its turn floor is prompt-immune, so the lever is the rate per turn —
+but the controller is also where most judgment points live, so this rung is
+designed judgment-first:
+
+1. **Primary form — judgment moved up front, mechanics cheapened:** the
+   expensive model does the judgment-dense work at plan time (L1's
+   Interfaces lines, ambiguity resolutions, per-task constraints — i.e.
+   the dispatch curation is pre-written into the plan). The mid-tier
+   execution session then runs a loop that is genuinely mechanical:
+   extract brief, dispatch, run script, route verdicts. Explicit
+   escalation rules in the skill: on BLOCKED, on any ⚠️ item, on a
+   suspected false positive, or on anything the plan does not already
+   answer, the cheap controller STOPS and escalates (to the human, or to
+   a fresh expensive-model consultation dispatch) — it never resolves
+   judgment alone.
+2. **Gates beyond the standard N=5:** a judgment audit — every
+   BLOCKED/⚠️/adjudication event in the gate runs interrogated via
+   session-resume and scored against how the opus-controller baseline
+   handled the same class of event; any silently-absorbed judgment call
+   (cheap controller resolving what it should have escalated) fails the
+   rung regardless of scenario verdicts.
+3. **User authority preserved:** the skill recommends, never enforces, the
+   execution-session tier.
+
+Caveat from this campaign: cheap-model turn inflation was measured on
+multi-step *work*, not dispatch loops; whether a mid-tier controller holds
+~150 turns is part of what the experiment determines.
+
+### L3 — Reviewer tier (est. −$0.7-1/run; most likely rung to die on the judgment guardrail)
+
+**Status 2026-06-11: DEAD, as pre-registered.** Planted-defect ×5 with
+forced-haiku task reviewers: 2 pass / 1 indeterminate / 2 fail (baseline
+5/5); per-task haiku cleanly flagged 0 of 10 planted defects at correct
+severity — 1 found-but-downgraded with the exact prohibited rationale,
+9 missed or rationalized (DRY praised as YAGNI; assert-nothing test
+called plan-compliant). Cheap reviewers fail by *advocating* for
+defects; passing runs survived only on controller redundancy or the
+final review. Recorded in the experiments log, Batch A-E. Do not
+re-propose without a structurally different design.
+
+The package reviewer is near-single-step mechanically (3 turns / 1 Read
+when calm), which invalidates the original turn-inflation rationale for the
+mid-tier floor — but reviewing is judgment through and through: severity
+calibration, spec verdicts, knowing what not to flag. Mechanical cheapness
+does not make the decisions mechanical. Test haiku-with-package only with
+the full judgment battery: planted-defect ×5, a severity-calibration check
+(seeded Minor-vs-Important pairs; miscalibration fails the rung), and the
+escape-hatch variance re-measured at that tier. Prior expectation: this
+rung dies, and that is a fine outcome — it converts "we suspect cheap
+reviewers are bad" into recorded evidence.
+
+### L4 — Resident-context diet (est. −$0.5-1/run)
+
+- `task-brief --list` mode: controller reads task headings + Global
+  Constraints, never the full plan (the plan body is already delivered via
+  briefs).
+- Reports trim 15 → 8 lines.
+- SKILL.md minification pass (every section added this week re-justified
+  at composition-recipe density; Codex pays ~10k chars × ~500 re-reads per
+  long session).
+
+### L5 — Re-litigations (explicitly flagged, maintainer-vetoed or counter-thesis)
+
+Recorded for completeness; each requires Jesse's explicit reversal before
+any experiment:
+- **Scoped re-reviews** (verify fix + regression scan instead of full
+  re-review): vetoed 2026-06-09; worth ~$0.50/run at most.
+- **Dispatch-time task batching**: counter-thesis (see guardrail). L1.1
+  is the sanctioned form.
+
+## Budget and sequencing
+
+L1 and L2.1 are independent — run both first (~$80: micro-tests + 2×5-run
+gates + A/B). L3 after L2 settles the controller (reviewer behavior depends
+on dispatch quality; ~$25 — planted-defect runs are $2-3 each). L4 last
+(cheap, but re-gate once after the stack; ~$30). Total ≲ $150 for the full
+ladder with honest N=5 gates. Expected end state if every rung survives its gates: **$5-7/run on
+fractals (from $12-15)**; if the judgment-sensitive rungs (L2 beyond its
+primary form, L3) die as expected, **$8-10/run** — the honest target, since
+the guardrail prices judgment above dollars by construction.
+
+## Relationship to existing work
+
+Builds on the 2026-06-09 task-scoped review dispatch design (PR #1717) and
+the 2026-06-10 experiment campaign (evals
+`docs/experiments/2026-06-10-sdd-cost-experiments.md` — consult the
+negative-results section before adding rungs; turn-discipline and
+parallel-call mechanisms are dead). Instruction wording for any new prose
+follows the positive-instruction doctrine spec and gets micro-tested before
+full runs. L1 is a writing-plans change → its own PR with eval evidence;
+L2-L4 are SDD changes → separate PR(s).

docs/superpowers/specs/2026-06-10-visual-companion-auth-hardening-design.md

@@ -0,0 +1,225 @@
+# Visual Companion Auth Hardening Design
+
+**Date:** 2026-06-10
+**Status:** Draft for Drew review
+
+## Goal
+
+Fix the security and reliability gaps found in PR #1720's brainstorming visual
+companion without changing the companion's core workflow or adding runtime
+dependencies.
+
+The fixes must be test-first and must leave clear automated evidence for:
+
+- cross-origin browser tabs cannot inject companion events by riding cookies
+- restart reconnect works without depending only on browser cookie behavior
+- bearer keys do not remain in the visible URL after bootstrap
+- `/files/*` cannot serve files outside the content directory
+- future same-origin vendored UI libraries still work
+
+## Threat Model
+
+The companion serves agent-generated local UI for a single brainstorming
+session. The important assets are:
+
+- screen content served from the companion
+- the session key
+- `state/events`, which the agent reads as user feedback
+- local files under the companion session directory
+
+In scope attackers:
+
+- a malicious browser tab on another `localhost` port
+- a browser page that can make requests to the companion but should not be able
+  to authenticate as the companion UI
+- a direct remote client when the server is bound to a non-loopback interface
+- accidental leakage through URL history, referrers, or committed local state
+- content-directory symlinks or path tricks that escape `/files/*`
+
+Out of scope for this fix:
+
+- malicious agent-authored screen HTML
+- malicious same-origin vendored JavaScript loaded by a companion screen
+
+This out-of-scope boundary is intentional. Companion screens are part of the
+agent UI surface. They may use inline scripts today and may someday use
+same-origin vendored libraries such as Alpine or Three.js. Protecting against
+malicious screen HTML would require a larger sandboxed-iframe architecture with
+a narrow message bridge; that is not the scope of this PR hardening pass.
+
+## Current Failures
+
+Automated and headed-browser testing found these failures in the PR branch:
+
+1. A cross-origin localhost page can open a cookie-authenticated WebSocket and
+   write attacker-controlled choices to `state/events` after the real companion
+   page sets the cookie.
+2. `/files/*` serves symlinks that point outside `content/`, including a symlink
+   to `state/server-info` containing the keyed URL.
+3. The session key remains in the URL of the actual screen page, so same-origin
+   screen JavaScript and accidental referrers/history can see it.
+4. The helper reconnects with a keyless `ws://host` URL. In headed Chrome, after
+   a same-port/same-token restart, the browser stopped presenting the cookie to
+   the restarted server, so the open tab stayed stuck on the tombstone until a
+   manual reload.
+5. Shell lint and the lifecycle test need cleanup so the test pass is stable in
+   Codex.
+
+## Design
+
+### 1. Bootstrap Keyed Loads
+
+`GET /?key=<token>` becomes a bootstrap response, not the screen response.
+
+When the key is valid, the server:
+
+1. sets the HttpOnly session cookie as it does today
+2. returns a small HTML bootstrap page
+3. the bootstrap page stores the key in tab-scoped `sessionStorage`
+4. the bootstrap page navigates to `/` using `location.replace('/')`
+
+After this, the visible screen URL is bare `/`, not `/?key=...`.
+
+`GET /` with a valid cookie serves the current screen. `GET /` without a valid
+cookie still returns the friendly 403 page. `GET /?key=<wrong>` returns 403.
+
+Why `sessionStorage`: the helper needs a reconnect credential that survives
+same-port restarts and does not depend only on cookie behavior. Because screen
+HTML is trusted same-origin UI, storing the key in tab-scoped storage is
+acceptable for this threat model. It is materially better than leaving the key
+in the address bar, history, and referrer surface.
+
+### 2. WebSocket Same-Origin Enforcement
+
+WebSocket upgrades must pass both checks:
+
+1. valid session auth by query key or cookie
+2. if an `Origin` header is present, it must match the request target origin
+
+The origin check should compare:
+
+```text
+Origin === "http://" + req.headers.host
+```
+
+Browser attacker page example:
+
+```text
+Origin: http://localhost:9999
+Host: localhost:58088
+```
+
+This must be rejected even if the browser sends the companion cookie.
+
+Legitimate companion page example:
+
+```text
+Origin: http://localhost:58088
+Host: localhost:58088
+```
+
+This should be accepted when the key or cookie is valid.
+
+Direct non-browser clients may omit `Origin`; they still need the session key.
+
+### 3. Helper Reconnect Credential
+
+`helper.js` should read the tab-scoped key from `sessionStorage` and append it
+to the WebSocket URL:
+
+```text
+ws://<host>/?key=<stored-key>
+```
+
+If no stored key exists, the helper falls back to the current cookie-only
+`ws://<host>` behavior. This preserves compatibility for already-loaded pages
+that do have a valid cookie but no storage entry.
+
+### 4. `/files/*` Containment
+
+The file server should continue to reject empty names and dotfiles. It must also
+ensure the file is a real regular file inside `CONTENT_DIR`.
+
+Use realpath containment as the boundary:
+
+- compute `realContentDir = fs.realpathSync(CONTENT_DIR)`
+- compute `realFilePath = fs.realpathSync(filePath)`
+- serve only when `realFilePath` equals a descendant of `realContentDir`
+- reject symlinks and anything outside the content directory with 404
+
+The server should keep using `path.basename` so nested paths remain unsupported.
+
+### 5. Leak-Reduction Headers
+
+Add conservative headers that do not block inline scripts or future same-origin
+vendored libraries:
+
+```text
+Referrer-Policy: no-referrer
+Cache-Control: no-store
+X-Frame-Options: DENY
+Content-Security-Policy: frame-ancestors 'none'
+Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy: same-origin
+```
+
+Do not add a restrictive `script-src` CSP in this pass. The companion currently
+injects inline helper JavaScript and future screens may load same-origin
+vendored libraries.
+
+### 6. Gitignore Durable Session State
+
+Add `.superpowers/` to the repo root `.gitignore` so persisted companion state
+and `.last-token` are not accidentally committed when using `--project-dir`.
+
+### 7. Test Stability And Lint
+
+Clean up shell lint warnings in the touched start/stop scripts.
+
+Update the lifecycle test that invokes `start-server.sh --idle-timeout-minutes`
+so it cannot hang under Codex's `CODEX_CI` foreground auto-detection. The test
+should force background mode with `--background` when it expects the script to
+return startup JSON.
+
+## Testing Strategy
+
+All behavior changes should be TDD:
+
+1. write the failing focused test
+2. run it and confirm it fails for the expected reason
+3. implement the minimum fix
+4. rerun the focused test
+5. rerun the full brainstorm-server suite
+
+Required focused regressions:
+
+- valid keyed `/` returns bootstrap, not screen content
+- bootstrap stores key in `sessionStorage` and strips the URL
+- cookie-only `/` still serves screen content
+- helper uses `sessionStorage` key for WebSocket URL
+- same-origin cookie WebSocket opens
+- cross-origin cookie WebSocket is rejected and writes no events
+- direct key WebSocket still opens without `Origin`
+- symlink under `content/` pointing to `state/server-info` returns 404
+- security headers are present on normal HTML, bootstrap, 403, and file responses
+- restart same port/token can authenticate reconnect with the stored key
+- shell lint passes for touched shell scripts
+- lifecycle suite does not hang under Codex
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+
+- `cd tests/brainstorm-server && npm test` passes repeatedly without hanging.
+- The security probe that previously wrote `attacker-injected` from another
+  localhost origin now fails to open the WebSocket and leaves `state/events`
+  unchanged.
+- The symlink-to-`server-info` probe returns 404.
+- A headed or headless browser keyed load ends on a bare `/` URL and the status
+  pill reaches Connected.
+- A same-port/same-token restart reconnects automatically without manual reload.
+- `scripts/lint-shell.sh` passes for the touched shell scripts.
+
+## Deferred Work
+
+If the project later needs to treat screen HTML as untrusted, design a separate
+sandboxed iframe architecture. That should isolate generated screens on a
+separate origin or sandboxed frame and expose only a narrow `postMessage` bridge
+for user choices. Do not bundle that into this fix.

docs/superpowers/specs/2026-06-11-visual-companion-final-hardening-fixup-design.md

@@ -0,0 +1,254 @@
+# Visual Companion Final Hardening Fixup Design
+
+**Date:** 2026-06-11
+**Status:** Draft for Drew review
+
+## Goal
+
+Finish the PR #1720 visual companion hardening pass so the branch is ready for
+Jesse review with clean security behavior, deterministic tests, and a PR diff
+that contains only the companion work.
+
+This is a fixup on top of the existing auth hardening design. It should not
+redesign the companion or expand the feature surface.
+
+## Background
+
+The previous hardening pass added keyed sessions, same-origin WebSocket checks,
+URL key stripping, `/files/*` containment, leak-reduction headers, IPv6 URL
+formatting, Windows lifecycle coverage, and PR evidence updates.
+
+The final review pass found five remaining issues:
+
+1. The root `GET /` screen-selection path can still serve symlinks or hardlinks
+   under `content/` that point outside the content directory.
+2. When the preferred port is occupied, fallback servers can reuse a persisted
+   `.last-token`, creating two live same-project companion servers with the same
+   bearer key.
+3. `stop-server.sh` can signal an unrelated `node server.cjs` process when
+   strong ownership proof is unavailable.
+4. Some tests can pass against the wrong fallback process, leak background
+   processes on failure, or assume symlink support on Windows-like hosts.
+5. The PR is currently conflicted because the branch contains an older `evals`
+   submodule bump that was handled separately.
+
+## Non-Goals
+
+- Do not add HTTPS tunnel or `wss://` origin semantics in this pass.
+- Do not implement opt-out, free-text, or contrast-helper companion features.
+- Do not vendor Alpine, Three.js, or any other JavaScript library.
+- Do not attempt to sandbox malicious agent-authored screen HTML.
+- Do not add backward compatibility for stale stop-server PID files unless Drew
+  explicitly approves that tradeoff.
+
+## Inherited Security Invariants
+
+This fixup preserves the auth hardening already designed and implemented:
+
+- `.last-token` and `state/server-info` remain sensitive owner-only state.
+- Fallback tokens may appear in startup JSON and `state/server-info`, but must
+  not be written to `.last-token`.
+- Cookies remain port-named, `HttpOnly`, `SameSite=Strict`, and scoped to `/`.
+- WebSocket upgrades still require a valid key or cookie.
+- WebSocket `Origin` checks remain enforced when the browser supplies an
+  `Origin` header.
+- Direct no-`Origin` clients remain allowed only when they carry the session key.
+- Generated same-origin screen JavaScript and future same-origin vendored
+  libraries are trusted. Sandboxing malicious screen HTML remains deferred.
+
+## Design
+
+### 1. Rebase Onto Current `dev`
+
+Rebase `brainstorming-companion` onto current `origin/dev` before implementation
+work. Resolve the `evals` submodule conflict by taking `dev`.
+
+After the rebase:
+
+- `evals` must not appear in the PR diff.
+- PR #1720 can still mention eval evidence that was run elsewhere, but it must
+  include exact external evidence: eval repo commit, scenario path, command,
+  result artifact path or id, and RED/GREEN outcome.
+- The PR body must not imply the evals submodule bump is part of this PR.
+- Any earlier PR-body text or comment implying the submodule bump is included
+  must be superseded by the final PR-body evidence.
+
+### 2. Root Screen Containment
+
+The root screen route must use the same containment boundary as `/files/*`.
+
+`getNewestScreen()` should ignore any `.html` candidate that does not pass the
+regular-file-inside-content-dir guard. That guard must resolve real paths and
+ensure the served file is inside `CONTENT_DIR`. It must also preserve the
+existing hardlink protection by rejecting files whose link count is not exactly
+one when the platform reports link counts.
+
+Expected behavior:
+
+- A symlink under `content/` pointing outside `content/` is ignored.
+- A hardlink under `content/` to `state/server-info` is ignored when
+  `fs.linkSync` succeeds and `lstat.nlink > 1`.
+- If no safe screen file remains, the waiting page is served.
+- Existing `/files/*` containment behavior remains unchanged: empty names,
+  dotfiles, symlinks, hardlinks, and directories still return 404.
+
+### 3. Fallback Token Isolation
+
+Port fallback must not reuse a token loaded from persisted `.last-token`.
+
+Token source should be explicit in code:
+
+- `BRAINSTORM_TOKEN` from the environment is an intentional operator/test
+  override. If the preferred port is occupied while an explicit environment
+  token is set, the server must fail closed instead of falling back, because the
+  occupied server may be using the same explicit token.
+- `.last-token` is persisted state for same-port reconnect convenience. If the
+  server falls back because the preferred port is occupied, discard that loaded
+  token and generate a fresh unpersisted token for the fallback process.
+- A newly generated token that was not loaded from `.last-token` can be reused
+  within the same process because no other live process is known to have it.
+
+The fallback server must continue to avoid overwriting `.last-port` and
+`.last-token`.
+
+### 4. Stop-Server Ownership Proof
+
+`start-server.sh` should create a per-start server instance id and pass it to
+Node as an inert command-line argument, for example:
+
+```text
+node server.cjs --brainstorm-server-id=<id>
+```
+
+The id is not an auth credential. It is only process-ownership evidence for the
+local lifecycle scripts. `server.cjs` can ignore the argument.
+
+The id must use a shell/MSYS-safe alphabet, such as
+`^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{32,64}$`. Store it in `state/server-instance-id` with
+owner-only permissions.
+
+`stop-server.sh` should read the expected id from state and only signal the PID
+when the target process argv contains the exact argument
+`--brainstorm-server-id=<id>` as a full argv token, not as a loose substring.
+Prefer `/proc/<pid>/cmdline` when available, then fall back to wide `ps` output.
+A matching instance id is sufficient proof even when `server-info` is missing
+or `lsof` is unavailable. Existing port-to-PID checks may remain as additional
+evidence.
+
+Fail closed when ownership cannot be proven:
+
+- missing PID file
+- missing or malformed server id
+- target command line unavailable
+- target command line does not include the expected id
+- old/stale session metadata without the new id
+
+This intentionally prefers leaving a stale process running over killing an
+unrelated process.
+
+Operator-visible outcomes should be explicit:
+
+- missing PID file returns `not_running`
+- missing or malformed server id returns `stale_pid`
+- unavailable command line returns `stale_pid`
+- wrong or absent argv id returns `stale_pid`
+- successful stop returns `stopped`
+
+On `stale_pid` and `stopped` outcomes, remove `server.pid` and
+`server-instance-id` so future stop attempts do not keep targeting the same
+ambiguous process. Do not remove persistent session content.
+
+### 5. Test Hardening
+
+The test pass should be deterministic across macOS and the Windows Git Bash host
+used for validation.
+
+Required changes:
+
+- Fixed-port suites must either fail fast if the server reports a fallback port
+  or drive all clients from the reported startup port.
+- `stop-server.test.sh` needs a top-level cleanup trap before any background
+  process is started.
+- Symlink-specific assertions should probe symlink capability and skip only that
+  assertion when the host cannot create usable test symlinks.
+- Tests that create impostor processes must assert that the impostor survives
+  when lifecycle metadata is missing or insufficient.
+- Windows/MSYS start-server tests must assert that Windows-like detection still
+  clears `BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID`, still auto-foregrounds when appropriate, and
+  still passes the instance-id argv exactly.
+
+### 6. Docs And PR Consistency
+
+Before Jesse reviews, reconcile reviewer-visible docs and PR metadata:
+
+- Update the issue catalog so dispositions match what this PR actually ships.
+- Keep auto-open docs consistent with the implemented `--open` behavior.
+- Keep the documented default idle timeout at 4 hours everywhere.
+- Review the PR body against the template after the rebase.
+- Record macOS, Windows, browser/manual, and external eval evidence in the PR
+  body with concrete commands and results.
+
+## Testing Strategy
+
+Use TDD for each behavior change:
+
+1. Add or tighten a focused regression test.
+2. Run it and confirm it fails for the expected reason.
+3. Implement the smallest fix.
+4. Rerun the focused test.
+5. Rerun the full brainstorm-server suite.
+
+Required focused regressions:
+
+| Behavior | Test File | Focused Command | Expected RED | Expected GREEN |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| Root route ignores symlink escape | `tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js` | `node tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js` | authenticated `GET /` serves linked outside content | response serves waiting page or safe screen |
+| Root route ignores supported hardlink escape | `tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js` | `node tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js` | authenticated `GET /` serves hardlinked `server-info` | hardlink candidate is ignored when `nlink > 1` |
+| `/files/*` containment stays unchanged | `tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js` | `node tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js` | existing containment test regresses | empty, dotfile, directory, symlink, hardlink cases remain 404 |
+| Persisted-token fallback rotates token | `tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js` | `node tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js` | fallback URL key equals persisted preferred-port key | fallback URL key differs and is not written to `.last-token` |
+| Explicit-token fallback fails closed | `tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js` | `node tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js` | server falls back while `BRAINSTORM_TOKEN` is set | process exits non-zero and does not start fallback |
+| Fallback key cannot authenticate to original server | `tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js` | `node tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js` | fallback key receives 200 from original port | original port rejects fallback key |
+| Correct instance id permits stop | `tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh` | `bash tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh` | real start-server-launched server survives | stop returns `stopped` and process exits |
+| Wrong, missing, malformed, or stale id is safe | `tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh` | `bash tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh` | impostor is signaled | stop returns `stale_pid` and impostor survives |
+| Fixed-port suites cannot pass through fallback | `tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js`, `tests/brainstorm-server/auth.test.js` | respective `node` commands | test silently talks to fallback port | test fails clearly or uses reported port intentionally |
+| Shell cleanup traps run on failures | `tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh` | `bash tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh` | failure leaves child processes | trap reaps background children |
+| Windows/MSYS start behavior keeps lifecycle invariants | `tests/brainstorm-server/start-server.test.sh`, `tests/brainstorm-server/windows-lifecycle.test.sh` | `bash` test commands on macOS and `ballmer` | owner PID or argv handling regresses | owner PID is cleared, foreground detection holds, id argv is present |
+
+Each RED/GREEN cycle should leave a short evidence note for the PR body: focused
+command, failing assertion before the fix, passing assertion after the fix, and
+whether the evidence was gathered on macOS or Windows.
+
+## Verification
+
+Before calling the fixup complete, run:
+
+- `git fetch origin dev && git rebase origin/dev`
+- `git diff --quiet origin/dev...HEAD -- evals`
+- `gh pr view 1720 --json mergeStateStatus,statusCheckRollup,headRefOid`
+- `cd tests/brainstorm-server && npm test`
+- relevant focused test commands used during TDD
+- `git diff --check`
+- Node syntax checks for touched JavaScript files
+- shell lint for touched shell files
+- Windows validation on `ballmer`: full runnable brainstorm-server suite plus
+  the standalone Windows lifecycle probe
+
+Manual/browser testing comes only after the automated pass is green.
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+
+- PR #1720 rebases cleanly onto current `dev`.
+- `evals` is absent from the PR diff.
+- Root screen serving cannot read outside `content/` through symlink or
+  supported hardlink escapes.
+- `/files/*` containment protections remain unchanged.
+- No fallback server runs with a token that may be shared with the occupied
+  preferred-port server.
+- `stop-server.sh` does not signal unrelated processes when ownership proof is
+  missing or ambiguous.
+- `stop-server.sh` can still stop a legitimate server with a matching instance
+  id when `server-info` or `lsof` is unavailable.
+- Focused RED/GREEN evidence is recorded for each regression.
+- macOS and Windows validation evidence is recorded in the PR body.
+- The PR body accurately describes what is in the branch and what evidence was
+  gathered externally.

skills/brainstorming/SKILL.md

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Every project goes through this process. A todo list, a single-function utility,
 You MUST create a task for each of these items and complete them in order:
 
 1. **Explore project context** — check files, docs, recent commits
-2. **Offer visual companion** (if topic will involve visual questions) — this is its own message, not combined with a clarifying question. See the Visual Companion section below.
+2. **Offer the visual companion just-in-time** — NOT upfront. The first time a question would genuinely be clearer shown than described, offer it then (its own message); on approval its browser tab opens for you. If no visual question ever arises, never offer it. See the Visual Companion section below.
 3. **Ask clarifying questions** — one at a time, understand purpose/constraints/success criteria
 4. **Propose 2-3 approaches** — with trade-offs and your recommendation
 5. **Present design** — in sections scaled to their complexity, get user approval after each section
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ You MUST create a task for each of these items and complete them in order:
 ```dot
 digraph brainstorming {
     "Explore project context" [shape=box];
-    "Visual questions ahead?" [shape=diamond];
-    "Offer Visual Companion\n(own message, no other content)" [shape=box];
     "Ask clarifying questions" [shape=box];
     "Propose 2-3 approaches" [shape=box];
     "Present design sections" [shape=box];
@@ -47,10 +45,7 @@ digraph brainstorming {
     "User reviews spec?" [shape=diamond];
     "Invoke writing-plans skill" [shape=doublecircle];
 
-    "Explore project context" -> "Visual questions ahead?";
-    "Visual questions ahead?" -> "Offer Visual Companion\n(own message, no other content)" [label="yes"];
-    "Visual questions ahead?" -> "Ask clarifying questions" [label="no"];
-    "Offer Visual Companion\n(own message, no other content)" -> "Ask clarifying questions";
+    "Explore project context" -> "Ask clarifying questions";
     "Ask clarifying questions" -> "Propose 2-3 approaches";
     "Propose 2-3 approaches" -> "Present design sections";
     "Present design sections" -> "User approves design?";
@@ -148,10 +143,10 @@ Wait for the user's response. If they request changes, make them and re-run the
 
 A browser-based companion for showing mockups, diagrams, and visual options during brainstorming. Available as a tool — not a mode. Accepting the companion means it's available for questions that benefit from visual treatment; it does NOT mean every question goes through the browser.
 
-**Offering the companion:** When you anticipate that upcoming questions will involve visual content (mockups, layouts, diagrams), offer it once for consent:
-> "Some of what we're working on might be easier to explain if I can show it to you in a web browser. I can put together mockups, diagrams, comparisons, and other visuals as we go. This feature is still new and can be token-intensive. Want to try it? (Requires opening a local URL)"
+**Offering the companion (just-in-time):** Do NOT offer it upfront. Wait until a question would genuinely be clearer shown than told — a real mockup / layout / diagram question, not merely a UI *topic*. The first time that happens, offer it then, as its own message:
+> "This next part might be easier if I show you — I can put together mockups, diagrams, and comparisons in a browser tab as we go. It's still new and can be token-intensive. Want me to? I'll open it for you."
 
-**This offer MUST be its own message.** Do not combine it with clarifying questions, context summaries, or any other content. The message should contain ONLY the offer above and nothing else. Wait for the user's response before continuing. If they decline, proceed with text-only brainstorming.
+**This offer MUST be its own message.** Only the offer — no clarifying question, summary, or other content. Wait for the user's response. If they accept, start the server with `--open` so their browser opens to the first screen automatically. If they decline, continue text-only and don't offer again unless they raise it.
 
 **Per-question decision:** Even after the user accepts, decide FOR EACH QUESTION whether to use the browser or the terminal. The test: **would the user understand this better by seeing it than reading it?**
 

skills/brainstorming/scripts/frame-template.html

@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@
       flex-shrink: 0;
     }
     .header h1 { font-size: 0.85rem; font-weight: 500; color: var(--text-secondary); }
-    .header .status { font-size: 0.7rem; color: var(--success); display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.4rem; }
-    .header .status::before { content: ''; width: 6px; height: 6px; background: var(--success); border-radius: 50%; }
+    .header .status { font-size: 0.7rem; color: var(--status-color, var(--success)); display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.4rem; }
+    .header .status::before { content: ''; width: 6px; height: 6px; background: var(--status-color, var(--success)); border-radius: 50%; }
 
     .main { flex: 1; overflow-y: auto; }
     #frame-content { padding: 2rem; min-height: 100%; }
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@
 <body>
   <div class="header">
     <h1><a href="https://github.com/obra/superpowers" style="color: inherit; text-decoration: none;">Superpowers Brainstorming</a></h1>
-    <div class="status">Connected</div>
+    <div class="status">Connecting…</div>
   </div>
 
   <div class="main">

skills/brainstorming/scripts/helper.js

@@ -1,26 +1,120 @@
 (function() {
-  const WS_URL = 'ws://' + window.location.host;
+  const MIN_RECONNECT_MS = 500;
+  const MAX_RECONNECT_MS = 30000;
+  const TOMBSTONE_AFTER_MS = 15000; // show the "paused" overlay after this long disconnected
+
+  // Pure: next backoff delay (doubles, capped). Exported for unit tests.
+  function nextReconnectDelay(current, max) {
+    return Math.min(current * 2, max);
+  }
+  if (typeof module !== 'undefined' && module.exports) {
+    module.exports = { nextReconnectDelay, MIN_RECONNECT_MS, MAX_RECONNECT_MS, TOMBSTONE_AFTER_MS };
+  }
+
+  // Everything below is browser-only; bail out when loaded in Node (tests).
+  if (typeof window === 'undefined') return;
+
   let ws = null;
   let eventQueue = [];
+  let reconnectDelay = MIN_RECONNECT_MS;
+  let reconnectTimer = null;
+  let disconnectedSince = null;
+  let everConnected = false;
+  let tombstoneShown = false;
+
+  function sessionKey() {
+    try {
+      return window.sessionStorage && window.sessionStorage.getItem('brainstorm-session-key');
+    } catch (e) {}
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  function websocketUrl() {
+    const key = sessionKey();
+    return 'ws://' + window.location.host + (key ? '/?key=' + encodeURIComponent(key) : '');
+  }
+
+  function reloadAfterRecovery() {
+    const key = sessionKey();
+    if (key) {
+      window.location.replace('/?key=' + encodeURIComponent(key));
+    } else {
+      window.location.reload();
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Reflect connection state in the frame's status pill (absent on full-doc screens).
+  function setStatus(state) {
+    const el = document.querySelector('.status');
+    if (!el) return;
+    const map = {
+      connecting:   ['Connecting…',   'var(--text-tertiary)'],
+      connected:    ['Connected',     'var(--success)'],
+      reconnecting: ['Reconnecting…', 'var(--warning)'],
+      disconnected: ['Disconnected',  'var(--error)']
+    };
+    const [text, color] = map[state] || map.disconnected;
+    el.textContent = text;
+    el.style.setProperty('--status-color', color);
+  }
+
+  // Self-styled so it works on framed and full-document screens alike.
+  function showTombstone() {
+    if (tombstoneShown) return;
+    tombstoneShown = true;
+    const el = document.createElement('div');
+    el.id = 'bs-tombstone';
+    el.style.cssText = 'position:fixed;inset:0;z-index:99999;display:flex;' +
+      'align-items:center;justify-content:center;padding:2rem;text-align:center;' +
+      'background:rgba(20,20,22,0.92);color:#f5f5f7;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif';
+    el.innerHTML = '<div style="max-width:480px">' +
+      '<h2 style="margin:0 0 .5rem;font-weight:600">Companion paused</h2>' +
+      '<p style="margin:0;opacity:.85">This brainstorm companion has stopped. ' +
+      'Ask your coding agent to bring it back — this page reconnects automatically.</p></div>';
+    if (document.body) document.body.appendChild(el);
+  }
 
   function connect() {
-    ws = new WebSocket(WS_URL);
+    if (reconnectTimer) { clearTimeout(reconnectTimer); reconnectTimer = null; }
+    setStatus(everConnected ? 'reconnecting' : 'connecting');
+    ws = new WebSocket(websocketUrl());
 
     ws.onopen = () => {
+      const recovered = tombstoneShown;
+      everConnected = true;
+      disconnectedSince = null;
+      reconnectDelay = MIN_RECONNECT_MS;
+      tombstoneShown = false;
+      setStatus('connected');
       eventQueue.forEach(e => ws.send(JSON.stringify(e)));
       eventQueue = [];
+      // Recovered from a tombstoned outage (e.g. the server restarted on the same
+      // port) — reload through the keyed bootstrap when possible so the cookie is
+      // refreshed before the visible URL returns to bare /.
+      if (recovered) reloadAfterRecovery();
     };
 
     ws.onmessage = (msg) => {
-      const data = JSON.parse(msg.data);
-      if (data.type === 'reload') {
-        window.location.reload();
-      }
+      let data;
+      try { data = JSON.parse(msg.data); } catch (e) { return; }
+      if (data.type === 'reload') window.location.reload();
     };
 
     ws.onclose = () => {
-      setTimeout(connect, 1000);
+      ws = null;
+      if (disconnectedSince === null) disconnectedSince = Date.now();
+      if (Date.now() - disconnectedSince >= TOMBSTONE_AFTER_MS) {
+        setStatus('disconnected');
+        showTombstone();
+      } else {
+        setStatus('reconnecting');
+      }
+      reconnectTimer = setTimeout(connect, reconnectDelay);
+      reconnectDelay = nextReconnectDelay(reconnectDelay, MAX_RECONNECT_MS);
     };
+
+    // Let onclose own reconnection so we don't schedule it twice.
+    ws.onerror = () => { try { ws.close(); } catch (e) {} };
   }
 
   function sendEvent(event) {

skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs

@@ -82,7 +82,21 @@ function decodeFrame(buffer) {
 
 // ========== Configuration ==========
 
-const PORT = process.env.BRAINSTORM_PORT || (49152 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 16383));
+const PORT_FILE = process.env.BRAINSTORM_PORT_FILE || null;
+const randomPort = () => 49152 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 16383);
+// Prefer an explicit port, else the port this session last bound (so a restart
+// reuses it and an already-open browser tab reconnects), else a random high port.
+function preferredPort() {
+  if (process.env.BRAINSTORM_PORT) return Number(process.env.BRAINSTORM_PORT);
+  if (PORT_FILE) {
+    try {
+      const p = Number(fs.readFileSync(PORT_FILE, 'utf-8').trim());
+      if (Number.isInteger(p) && p > 1023 && p < 65536) return p;
+    } catch (e) { /* no prior port recorded */ }
+  }
+  return randomPort();
+}
+let PORT = preferredPort();
 const HOST = process.env.BRAINSTORM_HOST || '127.0.0.1';
 const URL_HOST = process.env.BRAINSTORM_URL_HOST || (HOST === '127.0.0.1' ? 'localhost' : HOST);
 const SESSION_DIR = process.env.BRAINSTORM_DIR || '/tmp/brainstorm';
@@ -90,6 +104,44 @@ const CONTENT_DIR = path.join(SESSION_DIR, 'content');
 const STATE_DIR = path.join(SESSION_DIR, 'state');
 let ownerPid = process.env.BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID ? Number(process.env.BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID) : null;
 
+// Per-session secret key. The companion is reachable by any local browser tab
+// and, when bound to a non-loopback host, by any host that can route to it.
+// The key authenticates the real client uniformly across loopback, tunnel, and
+// remote binds — and defeats DNS rebinding — where a Host/Origin allowlist
+// cannot. It rides the served URL as ?key= and is mirrored into a cookie on
+// first load so same-origin subresources and the WebSocket carry it for free.
+// Persisted alongside the port (BRAINSTORM_TOKEN_FILE) so a restart keeps the
+// same key and an already-open tab's cookie still validates.
+const TOKEN_FILE = process.env.BRAINSTORM_TOKEN_FILE || null;
+function generateToken() {
+  return crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
+}
+
+function chmodOwnerOnly(file) {
+  try { fs.chmodSync(file, 0o600); } catch (e) { /* best effort */ }
+}
+
+function initialToken() {
+  if (process.env.BRAINSTORM_TOKEN) {
+    return { value: process.env.BRAINSTORM_TOKEN, source: 'env' };
+  }
+  if (TOKEN_FILE) {
+    try {
+      const t = fs.readFileSync(TOKEN_FILE, 'utf-8').trim();
+      if (/^[0-9a-f]{32,}$/i.test(t)) {
+        chmodOwnerOnly(TOKEN_FILE);
+        return { value: t, source: 'file' };
+      }
+    } catch (e) { /* no prior token recorded */ }
+  }
+  return { value: generateToken(), source: 'generated' };
+}
+
+const tokenInfo = initialToken();
+let TOKEN = tokenInfo.value;
+let tokenSource = tokenInfo.source;
+let COOKIE_NAME = 'brainstorm-key-' + PORT; // refined to the actual bound port in onListen
+
 const MIME_TYPES = {
   '.html': 'text/html', '.css': 'text/css', '.js': 'application/javascript',
   '.json': 'application/json', '.png': 'image/png', '.jpg': 'image/jpeg',
@@ -107,6 +159,30 @@ h1 { color: #333; } p { color: #666; }</style>
 <body><h1>Brainstorm Companion</h1>
 <p>Waiting for the agent to push a screen...</p></body></html>`;
 
+const FORBIDDEN_PAGE = `<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html>
+<head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>Session key required</title>
+<style>body { font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; padding: 2rem; max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto; }
+h1 { color: #333; } p { color: #666; } code { background: #f0f0f0; padding: 0.1em 0.3em; border-radius: 4px; }</style>
+</head>
+<body><h1>Session key required</h1>
+<p>This page needs the full URL your coding agent gave you, including the
+<code>?key=&hellip;</code> part. Copy the complete URL and open it again.</p></body></html>`;
+
+function bootstrapPage(key) {
+  const jsonKey = JSON.stringify(String(key));
+  return `<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html>
+<head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>Opening Brainstorm Companion</title></head>
+<body>
+<script>
+try { sessionStorage.setItem('brainstorm-session-key', ${jsonKey}); } catch (e) {}
+location.replace('/');
+</script>
+</body>
+</html>`;
+}
+
 const frameTemplate = fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, 'frame-template.html'), 'utf-8');
 const helperScript = fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, 'helper.js'), 'utf-8');
 const helperInjection = '<script>\n' + helperScript + '\n</script>';
@@ -124,20 +200,144 @@ function wrapInFrame(content) {
 
 function getNewestScreen() {
   const files = fs.readdirSync(CONTENT_DIR)
-    .filter(f => f.endsWith('.html'))
+    .filter(f => !f.startsWith('.') && f.endsWith('.html'))
     .map(f => {
       const fp = path.join(CONTENT_DIR, f);
+      if (!isRegularFileInsideContentDir(fp)) return null;
       return { path: fp, mtime: fs.statSync(fp).mtime.getTime() };
     })
+    .filter(Boolean)
     .sort((a, b) => b.mtime - a.mtime);
   return files.length > 0 ? files[0].path : null;
 }
 
+function urlHostForHttp(host) {
+  const h = String(host);
+  if (h.startsWith('[') && h.endsWith(']')) return h;
+  return h.includes(':') ? '[' + h + ']' : h;
+}
+
+function companionUrl() {
+  return 'http://' + urlHostForHttp(URL_HOST) + ':' + PORT + '/?key=' + TOKEN;
+}
+
+function browserLauncherForPlatform(url, {
+  platform = process.platform,
+  osRelease = require('os').release(),
+  env = process.env
+} = {}) {
+  const isWSL = platform === 'linux' && /microsoft/i.test(osRelease);
+  if (platform === 'darwin') return { bin: 'open', args: [url] };
+  if (platform === 'win32' || isWSL) {
+    return { bin: 'rundll32.exe', args: ['url.dll,FileProtocolHandler', url] };
+  }
+  if (env.DISPLAY || env.WAYLAND_DISPLAY) return { bin: 'xdg-open', args: [url] };
+  return null;
+}
+
+function isRegularFileInsideContentDir(filePath) {
+  let stat, realContentDir, realFilePath;
+  try {
+    stat = fs.lstatSync(filePath);
+    if (stat.isSymbolicLink()) return false;
+    if (!stat.isFile()) return false;
+    if (stat.nlink !== 1) return false;
+    realContentDir = fs.realpathSync(CONTENT_DIR);
+    realFilePath = fs.realpathSync(filePath);
+  } catch (e) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return realFilePath.startsWith(realContentDir + path.sep);
+}
+
+// ========== Authentication ==========
+
+function timingSafeEqualStr(a, b) {
+  const ab = Buffer.from(String(a));
+  const bb = Buffer.from(String(b));
+  if (ab.length !== bb.length) return false;
+  return crypto.timingSafeEqual(ab, bb);
+}
+
+function parseCookies(header) {
+  const out = {};
+  if (!header) return out;
+  for (const part of header.split(';')) {
+    const eq = part.indexOf('=');
+    if (eq < 0) continue;
+    out[part.slice(0, eq).trim()] = part.slice(eq + 1).trim();
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+// A request is authorized if it carries the session key as ?key= or as the
+// session cookie. Both are compared in constant time.
+function isAuthorized(req) {
+  const q = req.url.indexOf('?');
+  if (q >= 0) {
+    const params = new URLSearchParams(req.url.slice(q + 1));
+    if (params.has('key')) {
+      const key = params.get('key');
+      return Boolean(key && timingSafeEqualStr(key, TOKEN));
+    }
+  }
+  const cookie = parseCookies(req.headers['cookie'])[COOKIE_NAME];
+  if (cookie && timingSafeEqualStr(cookie, TOKEN)) return true;
+  return false;
+}
+
+function pathnameOf(url) {
+  const q = url.indexOf('?');
+  return q >= 0 ? url.slice(0, q) : url;
+}
+
+function queryKey(url) {
+  const q = url.indexOf('?');
+  if (q < 0) return null;
+  return new URLSearchParams(url.slice(q + 1)).get('key');
+}
+
+function securityHeaders(headers = {}) {
+  return {
+    'Referrer-Policy': 'no-referrer',
+    'Cache-Control': 'no-store',
+    'X-Frame-Options': 'DENY',
+    'Content-Security-Policy': "frame-ancestors 'none'",
+    'Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy': 'same-origin',
+    ...headers
+  };
+}
+
+function isAllowedWebSocketOrigin(req) {
+  const origin = req.headers.origin;
+  if (!origin) return true;
+  const host = req.headers.host;
+  if (!host) return false;
+  return origin === 'http://' + host;
+}
+
 // ========== HTTP Request Handler ==========
 
 function handleRequest(req, res) {
-  touchActivity();
-  if (req.method === 'GET' && req.url === '/') {
+  if (!isAuthorized(req)) {
+    res.writeHead(403, securityHeaders({ 'Content-Type': 'text/html; charset=utf-8' }));
+    res.end(FORBIDDEN_PAGE);
+    return;
+  }
+  touchActivity(); // only authorized requests count as activity
+
+  // Mirror the key into a cookie so same-origin subresources (/files/*) can
+  // authenticate after bootstrap. HttpOnly keeps it away from page scripts; the
+  // WebSocket Origin check below is what blocks cross-origin localhost injection.
+  res.setHeader('Set-Cookie',
+    COOKIE_NAME + '=' + TOKEN + '; HttpOnly; SameSite=Strict; Path=/');
+
+  const pathname = pathnameOf(req.url);
+  const keyFromQuery = queryKey(req.url);
+  if (req.method === 'GET' && pathname === '/' && keyFromQuery && timingSafeEqualStr(keyFromQuery, TOKEN)) {
+    res.writeHead(200, securityHeaders({ 'Content-Type': 'text/html; charset=utf-8' }));
+    res.end(bootstrapPage(keyFromQuery));
+  } else if (req.method === 'GET' && pathname === '/') {
     const screenFile = getNewestScreen();
     let html = screenFile
       ? (raw => isFullDocument(raw) ? raw : wrapInFrame(raw))(fs.readFileSync(screenFile, 'utf-8'))
@@ -149,22 +349,24 @@ function handleRequest(req, res) {
       html += helperInjection;
     }
 
-    res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/html; charset=utf-8' });
+    res.writeHead(200, securityHeaders({ 'Content-Type': 'text/html; charset=utf-8' }));
     res.end(html);
-  } else if (req.method === 'GET' && req.url.startsWith('/files/')) {
-    const fileName = req.url.slice(7);
-    const filePath = path.join(CONTENT_DIR, path.basename(fileName));
-    if (!fs.existsSync(filePath)) {
-      res.writeHead(404);
+  } else if (req.method === 'GET' && pathname.startsWith('/files/')) {
+    const fileName = path.basename(pathname.slice(7));
+    const filePath = path.join(CONTENT_DIR, fileName);
+    // Reject empty/dotfile names and anything that isn't a regular file —
+    // `/files/` would otherwise resolve to CONTENT_DIR and crash readFileSync (EISDIR).
+    if (!fileName || fileName.startsWith('.') || !isRegularFileInsideContentDir(filePath)) {
+      res.writeHead(404, securityHeaders());
       res.end('Not found');
       return;
     }
     const ext = path.extname(filePath).toLowerCase();
     const contentType = MIME_TYPES[ext] || 'application/octet-stream';
-    res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': contentType });
+    res.writeHead(200, securityHeaders({ 'Content-Type': contentType }));
     res.end(fs.readFileSync(filePath));
   } else {
-    res.writeHead(404);
+    res.writeHead(404, securityHeaders());
     res.end('Not found');
   }
 }
@@ -174,6 +376,8 @@ function handleRequest(req, res) {
 const clients = new Set();
 
 function handleUpgrade(req, socket) {
+  if (!isAuthorized(req) || !isAllowedWebSocketOrigin(req)) { socket.destroy(); return; }
+
   const key = req.headers['sec-websocket-key'];
   if (!key) { socket.destroy(); return; }
 
@@ -240,7 +444,7 @@ function handleMessage(text) {
   }
   touchActivity();
   console.log(JSON.stringify({ source: 'user-event', ...event }));
-  if (event.choice) {
+  if (event && event.choice) {
     const eventsFile = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'events');
     fs.appendFileSync(eventsFile, JSON.stringify(event) + '\n');
   }
@@ -253,9 +457,44 @@ function broadcast(msg) {
   }
 }
 
+// Best-effort: open the user's browser the first time a screen is actually ready
+// to show. Skips when disabled, on a non-loopback (remote) bind, or when a
+// browser is already connected. Override the launcher with BRAINSTORM_OPEN_CMD.
+let browserOpened = false;
+function maybeOpenBrowser() {
+  if (browserOpened) return;
+  browserOpened = true;
+  if (!process.env.BRAINSTORM_OPEN) return; // opt-in: only after the user approves the companion
+  if (HOST !== '127.0.0.1' && HOST !== 'localhost') return;
+  if (clients.size > 0) return; // the user already opened it
+  const url = companionUrl(); // must carry the key or the gate 403s it
+  const cp = require('child_process');
+  // Operator-provided launcher: run as given (this env var is trusted operator input).
+  if (process.env.BRAINSTORM_OPEN_CMD) {
+    try { cp.exec(process.env.BRAINSTORM_OPEN_CMD + ' ' + JSON.stringify(url), () => {}); } catch (e) { /* best effort */ }
+    return;
+  }
+  // Platform launchers: pass the URL as an argv element via execFile (no shell),
+  // so a url-host containing shell metacharacters can't inject a command.
+  const launcher = browserLauncherForPlatform(url);
+  if (!launcher) return; // headless: nothing to open
+  try { cp.execFile(launcher.bin, launcher.args, () => {}); } catch (e) { /* best effort */ }
+}
+
 // ========== Activity Tracking ==========
 
-const IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS = 30 * 60 * 1000; // 30 minutes
+// Idle timeout: shut down after this long with no activity. Default 4 hours;
+// override with BRAINSTORM_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS (start-server.sh: --idle-timeout-minutes).
+const IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS = (() => {
+  const ms = Number(process.env.BRAINSTORM_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS);
+  return Number.isFinite(ms) && ms > 0 ? ms : 4 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
+})();
+// How often the watchdog checks for owner-death / idleness. Configurable mainly
+// so tests can run fast; production default is 60s.
+const LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS = (() => {
+  const ms = Number(process.env.BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS);
+  return Number.isFinite(ms) && ms > 0 ? ms : 60 * 1000;
+})();
 let lastActivity = Date.now();
 
 function touchActivity() {
@@ -276,14 +515,14 @@ function startServer() {
   // macOS fs.watch reports 'rename' for both new files and overwrites,
   // so we can't rely on eventType alone.
   const knownFiles = new Set(
-    fs.readdirSync(CONTENT_DIR).filter(f => f.endsWith('.html'))
+    fs.readdirSync(CONTENT_DIR).filter(f => !f.startsWith('.') && f.endsWith('.html'))
   );
 
   const server = http.createServer(handleRequest);
   server.on('upgrade', handleUpgrade);
 
   const watcher = fs.watch(CONTENT_DIR, (eventType, filename) => {
-    if (!filename || !filename.endsWith('.html')) return;
+    if (!filename || filename.startsWith('.') || !filename.endsWith('.html')) return;
 
     if (debounceTimers.has(filename)) clearTimeout(debounceTimers.get(filename));
     debounceTimers.set(filename, setTimeout(() => {
@@ -298,6 +537,7 @@ function startServer() {
         const eventsFile = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'events');
         if (fs.existsSync(eventsFile)) fs.unlinkSync(eventsFile);
         console.log(JSON.stringify({ type: 'screen-added', file: filePath }));
+        maybeOpenBrowser();
       } else {
         console.log(JSON.stringify({ type: 'screen-updated', file: filePath }));
       }
@@ -317,6 +557,11 @@ function startServer() {
     );
     watcher.close();
     clearInterval(lifecycleCheck);
+    // Close any upgraded WebSocket sockets so server.close() can complete and
+    // the process actually exits instead of lingering on an open connection.
+    for (const socket of clients) {
+      try { socket.destroy(); } catch (e) { /* already gone */ }
+    }
     server.close(() => process.exit(0));
   }
 
@@ -325,11 +570,11 @@ function startServer() {
     try { process.kill(ownerPid, 0); return true; } catch (e) { return e.code === 'EPERM'; }
   }
 
-  // Check every 60s: exit if owner process died or idle for 30 minutes
+  // Periodically exit if the owner process died or we've been idle too long.
   const lifecycleCheck = setInterval(() => {
     if (!ownerAlive()) shutdown('owner process exited');
     else if (Date.now() - lastActivity > IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS) shutdown('idle timeout');
-  }, 60 * 1000);
+  }, LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS);
   lifecycleCheck.unref();
 
   // Validate owner PID at startup. If it's already dead, the PID resolution
@@ -345,19 +590,68 @@ function startServer() {
     }
   }
 
-  server.listen(PORT, HOST, () => {
+  // If the preferred port is already taken (e.g. a previous server is still
+  // alive), fall back to a random port once instead of failing.
+  let triedFallback = false;
+
+  function onListen() {
+    // Cookie name keys on the ACTUAL bound port (may differ from the preferred
+    // one after an EADDRINUSE fallback) so it can't collide with another server's
+    // cookie in the shared localhost jar.
+    COOKIE_NAME = 'brainstorm-key-' + PORT;
+    // Record the bound port AND token so the next restart of this session reuses
+    // them — but ONLY when we got our preferred port. On a fallback we bound a
+    // *different* port because someone else holds the preferred one; persisting
+    // would overwrite the shared files and strand that other session's open tab.
+    if (PORT_FILE && !triedFallback) {
+      try { fs.writeFileSync(PORT_FILE, String(PORT)); } catch (e) { /* best effort */ }
+      if (TOKEN_FILE) {
+        try {
+          fs.writeFileSync(TOKEN_FILE, TOKEN, { mode: 0o600 });
+          chmodOwnerOnly(TOKEN_FILE);
+        } catch (e) { /* best effort */ }
+      }
+    }
     const info = JSON.stringify({
       type: 'server-started', port: Number(PORT), host: HOST,
-      url_host: URL_HOST, url: 'http://' + URL_HOST + ':' + PORT,
-      screen_dir: CONTENT_DIR, state_dir: STATE_DIR
+      url_host: URL_HOST, url: companionUrl(),
+      screen_dir: CONTENT_DIR, state_dir: STATE_DIR, idle_timeout_ms: IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS
     });
     console.log(info);
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(STATE_DIR, 'server-info'), info + '\n');
+    // server-info embeds the key — keep it owner-only.
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(STATE_DIR, 'server-info'), info + '\n', { mode: 0o600 });
+  }
+
+  server.on('error', (err) => {
+    if (err.code === 'EADDRINUSE' && !triedFallback) {
+      if (tokenSource === 'env') {
+        console.error('Server failed to bind: preferred port is in use and BRAINSTORM_TOKEN is set; refusing fallback with explicit token');
+        process.exit(1);
+      }
+      triedFallback = true;
+      PORT = randomPort();
+      if (tokenSource === 'file') {
+        TOKEN = generateToken();
+        tokenSource = 'generated-fallback';
+      }
+      server.listen(PORT, HOST, onListen);
+    } else {
+      console.error('Server failed to bind:', err.message);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
   });
+  server.listen(PORT, HOST, onListen);
 }
 
 if (require.main === module) {
   startServer();
 }
 
-module.exports = { computeAcceptKey, encodeFrame, decodeFrame, OPCODES, MAX_FRAME_PAYLOAD_BYTES };
+module.exports = {
+  computeAcceptKey,
+  encodeFrame,
+  decodeFrame,
+  browserLauncherForPlatform,
+  OPCODES,
+  MAX_FRAME_PAYLOAD_BYTES
+};

skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh

@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 #   --host <bind-host>    Host/interface to bind (default: 127.0.0.1).
 #                         Use 0.0.0.0 in remote/containerized environments.
 #   --url-host <host>     Hostname shown in returned URL JSON.
+#   --idle-timeout-minutes <n>  Shut down after n minutes idle (default 240 = 4h).
+#   --open                Auto-open the browser on the first screen (use only
+#                         after the user approves the visual companion).
 #   --foreground          Run server in the current terminal (no backgrounding).
 #   --background          Force background mode (overrides Codex auto-foreground).
 
@@ -22,6 +25,7 @@ FOREGROUND="false"
 FORCE_BACKGROUND="false"
 BIND_HOST="127.0.0.1"
 URL_HOST=""
+IDLE_TIMEOUT_MINUTES=""
 while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
   case "$1" in
     --project-dir)
@@ -36,6 +40,14 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
       URL_HOST="$2"
       shift 2
       ;;
+    --idle-timeout-minutes)
+      IDLE_TIMEOUT_MINUTES="$2"
+      shift 2
+      ;;
+    --open)
+      export BRAINSTORM_OPEN=1
+      shift
+      ;;
     --foreground|--no-daemon)
       FOREGROUND="true"
       shift
@@ -59,6 +71,29 @@ if [[ -z "$URL_HOST" ]]; then
   fi
 fi
 
+if [[ -n "$IDLE_TIMEOUT_MINUTES" ]]; then
+  if ! [[ "$IDLE_TIMEOUT_MINUTES" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] || [[ "$IDLE_TIMEOUT_MINUTES" -lt 1 ]]; then
+    echo "{\"error\": \"--idle-timeout-minutes must be a positive integer\"}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  export BRAINSTORM_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS=$(( IDLE_TIMEOUT_MINUTES * 60 * 1000 ))
+fi
+
+is_windows_like_shell() {
+  case "${OSTYPE:-}" in
+    msys*|cygwin*|mingw*) return 0 ;;
+  esac
+  if [[ -n "${MSYSTEM:-}" ]]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+  local uname_s
+  uname_s="$(uname -s 2>/dev/null || true)"
+  case "$uname_s" in
+    MSYS*|MINGW*|CYGWIN*) return 0 ;;
+  esac
+  return 1
+}
+
 # Some environments reap detached/background processes. Auto-foreground when detected.
 if [[ -n "${CODEX_CI:-}" && "$FOREGROUND" != "true" && "$FORCE_BACKGROUND" != "true" ]]; then
   FOREGROUND="true"
@@ -66,19 +101,24 @@ fi
 
 # Windows/Git Bash reaps nohup background processes. Auto-foreground when detected.
 if [[ "$FOREGROUND" != "true" && "$FORCE_BACKGROUND" != "true" ]]; then
-  case "${OSTYPE:-}" in
-    msys*|cygwin*|mingw*) FOREGROUND="true" ;;
-  esac
-  if [[ -n "${MSYSTEM:-}" ]]; then
+  if is_windows_like_shell; then
     FOREGROUND="true"
   fi
 fi
 
+# Session files (server.log, server-info, .last-token) embed the session key —
+# keep everything this script and the server create owner-only.
+umask 077
+
 # Generate unique session directory
 SESSION_ID="$$-$(date +%s)"
 
 if [[ -n "$PROJECT_DIR" ]]; then
   SESSION_DIR="${PROJECT_DIR}/.superpowers/brainstorm/${SESSION_ID}"
+  # Persist the bound port and key per project so a restart reuses them and an
+  # already-open browser tab reconnects to the same URL with a valid cookie.
+  export BRAINSTORM_PORT_FILE="${PROJECT_DIR}/.superpowers/brainstorm/.last-port"
+  export BRAINSTORM_TOKEN_FILE="${PROJECT_DIR}/.superpowers/brainstorm/.last-token"
 else
   SESSION_DIR="/tmp/brainstorm-${SESSION_ID}"
 fi
@@ -86,10 +126,21 @@ fi
 STATE_DIR="${SESSION_DIR}/state"
 PID_FILE="${STATE_DIR}/server.pid"
 LOG_FILE="${STATE_DIR}/server.log"
+SERVER_ID_FILE="${STATE_DIR}/server-instance-id"
 
 # Create fresh session directory with content and state peers
 mkdir -p "${SESSION_DIR}/content" "$STATE_DIR"
 
+SERVER_ID=""
+if [[ -r /dev/urandom ]]; then
+  SERVER_ID="$(od -An -N24 -tx1 /dev/urandom 2>/dev/null | tr -d ' \n' || true)"
+fi
+if ! [[ "$SERVER_ID" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{32,64}$ ]]; then
+  SERVER_ID="$(printf '%08x%08x%08x%08x' "$$" "$(date +%s)" "${RANDOM:-0}" "${RANDOM:-0}")"
+fi
+printf '%s\n' "$SERVER_ID" > "$SERVER_ID_FILE"
+chmod 600 "$SERVER_ID_FILE" 2>/dev/null || true
+
 # Kill any existing server
 if [[ -f "$PID_FILE" ]]; then
   old_pid=$(cat "$PID_FILE")
@@ -97,7 +148,7 @@ if [[ -f "$PID_FILE" ]]; then
   rm -f "$PID_FILE"
 fi
 
-cd "$SCRIPT_DIR"
+cd "$SCRIPT_DIR" || exit 1
 
 # Resolve the harness PID (grandparent of this script).
 # $PPID is the ephemeral shell the harness spawned to run us — it dies
@@ -111,16 +162,13 @@ fi
 # Passing a PID node cannot verify causes server to log owner-pid-invalid
 # and self-terminate at the 60-second lifecycle check. Clear it so the
 # watchdog is disabled and the idle timeout becomes the only shutdown trigger.
-case "${OSTYPE:-}" in
-  msys*|cygwin*|mingw*) OWNER_PID="" ;;
-esac
-if [[ -n "${MSYSTEM:-}" ]]; then
+if is_windows_like_shell; then
   OWNER_PID=""
 fi
 
 # Foreground mode for environments that reap detached/background processes.
 if [[ "$FOREGROUND" == "true" ]]; then
-  env BRAINSTORM_DIR="$SESSION_DIR" BRAINSTORM_HOST="$BIND_HOST" BRAINSTORM_URL_HOST="$URL_HOST" BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID="$OWNER_PID" node server.cjs &
+  env BRAINSTORM_DIR="$SESSION_DIR" BRAINSTORM_HOST="$BIND_HOST" BRAINSTORM_URL_HOST="$URL_HOST" BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID="$OWNER_PID" node server.cjs "--brainstorm-server-id=$SERVER_ID" &
   SERVER_PID=$!
   echo "$SERVER_PID" > "$PID_FILE"
   wait "$SERVER_PID"
@@ -129,13 +177,13 @@ fi
 
 # Start server, capturing output to log file
 # Use nohup to survive shell exit; disown to remove from job table
-nohup env BRAINSTORM_DIR="$SESSION_DIR" BRAINSTORM_HOST="$BIND_HOST" BRAINSTORM_URL_HOST="$URL_HOST" BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID="$OWNER_PID" node server.cjs > "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 &
+nohup env BRAINSTORM_DIR="$SESSION_DIR" BRAINSTORM_HOST="$BIND_HOST" BRAINSTORM_URL_HOST="$URL_HOST" BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID="$OWNER_PID" node server.cjs "--brainstorm-server-id=$SERVER_ID" > "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 &
 SERVER_PID=$!
 disown "$SERVER_PID" 2>/dev/null
 echo "$SERVER_PID" > "$PID_FILE"
 
 # Wait for server-started message (check log file)
-for i in {1..50}; do
+for _ in {1..50}; do
   if grep -q "server-started" "$LOG_FILE" 2>/dev/null; then
     # Verify server is still alive after a short window (catches process reapers)
     alive="true"

skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh

@@ -15,15 +15,78 @@ fi
 
 STATE_DIR="${SESSION_DIR}/state"
 PID_FILE="${STATE_DIR}/server.pid"
+SERVER_ID_FILE="${STATE_DIR}/server-instance-id"
+
+mark_stopped() {
+  local reason="$1"
+  rm -f "${STATE_DIR}/server-info"
+  printf '{"reason":"%s","timestamp":%s}\n' "$reason" "$(date +%s)" > "${STATE_DIR}/server-stopped"
+}
+
+read_expected_server_id() {
+  [[ -f "$SERVER_ID_FILE" ]] || return 1
+  local id
+  id="$(tr -d '\r\n' < "$SERVER_ID_FILE" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+  [[ "$id" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{32,64}$ ]] || return 1
+  printf '%s\n' "$id"
+}
+
+command_line_for_pid() {
+  local pid="$1"
+  if [[ -r "/proc/$pid/cmdline" ]]; then
+    tr '\0' '\n' < "/proc/$pid/cmdline" 2>/dev/null || true
+    return 0
+  fi
+  ps -ww -p "$pid" -o command= 2>/dev/null || ps -f -p "$pid" 2>/dev/null | sed '1d' || true
+}
+
+command_has_server_id() {
+  local pid="$1"
+  local expected="$2"
+  local expected_arg="--brainstorm-server-id=$expected"
+  if [[ -r "/proc/$pid/cmdline" ]]; then
+    local arg
+    while IFS= read -r -d '' arg || [[ -n "$arg" ]]; do
+      [[ "$arg" == "$expected_arg" ]] && return 0
+    done < "/proc/$pid/cmdline"
+    return 1
+  fi
+  local command_line
+  command_line="$(command_line_for_pid "$pid")"
+  [[ -n "$command_line" ]] || return 1
+  case " $command_line " in
+    *" $expected_arg "*) return 0 ;;
+    *) return 1 ;;
+  esac
+}
+
+# Confirm a PID has this session's per-start instance id, not just a familiar
+# process name. Ambiguous or legacy metadata fails closed as stale_pid.
+is_brainstorm_server() {
+  kill -0 "$1" 2>/dev/null || return 1
+  local expected_id
+  expected_id="$(read_expected_server_id)" || return 1
+  command_has_server_id "$1" "$expected_id" || return 1
+  return 0
+}
 
 if [[ -f "$PID_FILE" ]]; then
   pid=$(cat "$PID_FILE")
 
+  # Refuse to signal a PID we can't prove is our server. A stale pid file may
+  # point at an unrelated process after a reboot/PID wraparound.
+  if ! is_brainstorm_server "$pid"; then
+    rm -f "$PID_FILE" "$SERVER_ID_FILE"
+    mark_stopped "stale_pid"
+    echo '{"status": "stale_pid"}'
+    exit 0
+  fi
+
   # Try to stop gracefully, fallback to force if still alive
   kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
 
   # Wait for graceful shutdown (up to ~2s)
-  for i in {1..20}; do
+  for _ in {1..20}; do
     if ! kill -0 "$pid" 2>/dev/null; then
       break
     fi
@@ -43,7 +106,8 @@ if [[ -f "$PID_FILE" ]]; then
     exit 1
   fi
 
-  rm -f "$PID_FILE" "${STATE_DIR}/server.log"
+  rm -f "$PID_FILE" "$SERVER_ID_FILE" "${STATE_DIR}/server.log"
+  mark_stopped "stop-server.sh"
 
   # Only delete ephemeral /tmp directories
   if [[ "$SESSION_DIR" == /tmp/* ]]; then

skills/brainstorming/visual-companion.md

@@ -33,15 +33,25 @@ The server watches a directory for HTML files and serves the newest one to the b
 ## Starting a Session
 
 ```bash
-# Start server with persistence (mockups saved to project)
-scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project
+# Start AFTER the user approves the companion. --open auto-opens their browser on
+# the first screen; --project-dir persists mockups and enables same-port restart.
+scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project --open
 
-# Returns: {"type":"server-started","port":52341,"url":"http://localhost:52341",
+# Returns: {"type":"server-started","port":52341,
+#           "url":"http://localhost:52341/?key=ab12…",
 #           "screen_dir":"/path/to/project/.superpowers/brainstorm/12345-1706000000/content",
 #           "state_dir":"/path/to/project/.superpowers/brainstorm/12345-1706000000/state"}
 ```
 
-Save `screen_dir` and `state_dir` from the response. Tell user to open the URL.
+Save `screen_dir` and `state_dir` from the response. With `--open`, the browser opens itself when you push the first screen — you don't need to ask the user to open it, but still share the URL as a fallback (headless/remote setups won't auto-open).
+
+**The URL contains a session key (`?key=…`).** The server rejects any request
+without it, so always give the user the **complete** URL from the `url` field —
+never strip the query string, and never hand out a bare `http://host:port`. The
+key gates HTTP and WebSocket access so a stray browser tab or another machine on
+the network can't read the screens or inject events. After the first load the
+browser remembers the key via a cookie, so reloads and `/files/*` assets work
+without repeating it.
 
 **Finding connection info:** The server writes its startup JSON to `$STATE_DIR/server-info`. If you launched the server in the background and didn't capture stdout, read that file to get the URL and port. When using `--project-dir`, check `<project>/.superpowers/brainstorm/` for the session directory.
 
@@ -52,7 +62,7 @@ Save `screen_dir` and `state_dir` from the response. Tell user to open the URL.
 **Claude Code:**
 ```bash
 # Default mode works — the script backgrounds the server itself.
-scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project
+scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project --open
 ```
 
 On Windows, the script auto-detects and switches to foreground mode (which blocks the tool call). Use `run_in_background: true` on the Bash tool call so the server survives across conversation turns, then read `$STATE_DIR/server-info` on the next turn to get the URL and port.
@@ -61,14 +71,14 @@ On Windows, the script auto-detects and switches to foreground mode (which block
 ```bash
 # Codex reaps background processes. The script auto-detects CODEX_CI and
 # switches to foreground mode. Run it normally — no extra flags needed.
-scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project
+scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project --open
 ```
 
 **Gemini CLI:**
 ```bash
 # Use --foreground and set is_background: true on your shell tool call
 # so the process survives across turns
-scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project --foreground
+scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project --open --foreground
 ```
 
 **Copilot CLI:**
@@ -76,7 +86,7 @@ scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project --foreground
 # Use --foreground and start the server via the bash tool with mode: "async"
 # so the process survives across turns. Capture the returned shellId for
 # read_bash / stop_bash if you need to interact with it later.
-scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project --foreground
+scripts/start-server.sh --project-dir /path/to/project --open --foreground
 ```
 
 **Other environments:** The server must keep running in the background across conversation turns. If your environment reaps detached processes, use `--foreground` and launch the command with your platform's background execution mechanism.
@@ -95,7 +105,7 @@ Use `--url-host` to control what hostname is printed in the returned URL JSON.
 ## The Loop
 
 1. **Check server is alive**, then **write HTML** to a new file in `screen_dir`:
-   - Before each write, check that `$STATE_DIR/server-info` exists. If it doesn't (or `$STATE_DIR/server-stopped` exists), the server has shut down — restart it with `start-server.sh` before continuing. The server auto-exits after 30 minutes of inactivity.
+   - **Required: confirm the server is alive before referring to the URL or pushing a screen.** Check that `$STATE_DIR/server-info` exists and `$STATE_DIR/server-stopped` does not. If it has shut down, restart it with `start-server.sh` using the **same `--project-dir`** — it reuses the same port, so the user's open tab reconnects on its own (it shows a "paused" overlay while the server is down) and you don't need to send a new URL. The server auto-exits after 4 hours idle (configurable with `--idle-timeout-minutes`).
    - Use semantic filenames: `platform.html`, `visual-style.html`, `layout.html`
    - **Never reuse filenames** — each screen gets a fresh file
    - Use your file-creation tool — **never use cat/heredoc** (dumps noise into terminal)

skills/subagent-driven-development/SKILL.md

@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@ description: Use when executing implementation plans with independent tasks in t
 
 # Subagent-Driven Development
 
-Execute plan by dispatching fresh subagent per task, with two-stage review after each: spec compliance review first, then code quality review.
+Execute plan by dispatching a fresh implementer subagent per task, a task review (spec compliance + code quality) after each, and a broad whole-branch review at the end.
 
 **Why subagents:** You delegate tasks to specialized agents with isolated context. By precisely crafting their instructions and context, you ensure they stay focused and succeed at their task. They should never inherit your session's context or history — you construct exactly what they need. This also preserves your own context for coordination work.
 
-**Core principle:** Fresh subagent per task + two-stage review (spec then quality) = high quality, fast iteration
+**Core principle:** Fresh subagent per task + task review (spec + quality) + broad final review = high quality, fast iteration
+
+**Narration:** between tool calls, narrate at most one short line — the
+ledger and the tool results carry the record.
 
 **Continuous execution:** Do not pause to check in with your human partner between tasks. Execute all tasks from the plan without stopping. The only reasons to stop are: BLOCKED status you cannot resolve, ambiguity that genuinely prevents progress, or all tasks complete. "Should I continue?" prompts and progress summaries waste their time — they asked you to execute the plan, so execute it.
 
@@ -36,7 +39,7 @@ digraph when_to_use {
 **vs. Executing Plans (parallel session):**
 - Same session (no context switch)
 - Fresh subagent per task (no context pollution)
-- Two-stage review after each task: spec compliance first, then code quality
+- Review after each task (spec compliance + code quality), broad review at the end
 - Faster iteration (no human-in-loop between tasks)
 
 ## The Process
@@ -51,41 +54,48 @@ digraph process {
         "Implementer subagent asks questions?" [shape=diamond];
         "Answer questions, provide context" [shape=box];
         "Implementer subagent implements, tests, commits, self-reviews" [shape=box];
-        "Dispatch spec reviewer subagent (./spec-reviewer-prompt.md)" [shape=box];
-        "Spec reviewer subagent confirms code matches spec?" [shape=diamond];
-        "Implementer subagent fixes spec gaps" [shape=box];
-        "Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent (./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md)" [shape=box];
-        "Code quality reviewer subagent approves?" [shape=diamond];
-        "Implementer subagent fixes quality issues" [shape=box];
-        "Mark task complete in todo list" [shape=box];
+        "Write diff file, dispatch task reviewer subagent (./task-reviewer-prompt.md)" [shape=box];
+        "Task reviewer reports spec ✅ and quality approved?" [shape=diamond];
+        "Dispatch fix subagent for Critical/Important findings" [shape=box];
+        "Mark task complete in todo list and progress ledger" [shape=box];
     }
 
-    "Read plan, extract all tasks with full text, note context, create todos" [shape=box];
+    "Read plan, note context and global constraints, create todos" [shape=box];
     "More tasks remain?" [shape=diamond];
-    "Dispatch final code reviewer subagent for entire implementation" [shape=box];
+    "Dispatch final code reviewer subagent (../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md)" [shape=box];
     "Use superpowers:finishing-a-development-branch" [shape=box style=filled fillcolor=lightgreen];
 
-    "Read plan, extract all tasks with full text, note context, create todos" -> "Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)";
+    "Read plan, note context and global constraints, create todos" -> "Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)";
     "Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)" -> "Implementer subagent asks questions?";
     "Implementer subagent asks questions?" -> "Answer questions, provide context" [label="yes"];
     "Answer questions, provide context" -> "Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)";
     "Implementer subagent asks questions?" -> "Implementer subagent implements, tests, commits, self-reviews" [label="no"];
-    "Implementer subagent implements, tests, commits, self-reviews" -> "Dispatch spec reviewer subagent (./spec-reviewer-prompt.md)";
-    "Dispatch spec reviewer subagent (./spec-reviewer-prompt.md)" -> "Spec reviewer subagent confirms code matches spec?";
-    "Spec reviewer subagent confirms code matches spec?" -> "Implementer subagent fixes spec gaps" [label="no"];
-    "Implementer subagent fixes spec gaps" -> "Dispatch spec reviewer subagent (./spec-reviewer-prompt.md)" [label="re-review"];
-    "Spec reviewer subagent confirms code matches spec?" -> "Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent (./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md)" [label="yes"];
-    "Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent (./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md)" -> "Code quality reviewer subagent approves?";
-    "Code quality reviewer subagent approves?" -> "Implementer subagent fixes quality issues" [label="no"];
-    "Implementer subagent fixes quality issues" -> "Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent (./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md)" [label="re-review"];
-    "Code quality reviewer subagent approves?" -> "Mark task complete in todo list" [label="yes"];
-    "Mark task complete in todo list" -> "More tasks remain?";
+    "Implementer subagent implements, tests, commits, self-reviews" -> "Write diff file, dispatch task reviewer subagent (./task-reviewer-prompt.md)";
+    "Write diff file, dispatch task reviewer subagent (./task-reviewer-prompt.md)" -> "Task reviewer reports spec ✅ and quality approved?";
+    "Task reviewer reports spec ✅ and quality approved?" -> "Dispatch fix subagent for Critical/Important findings" [label="no"];
+    "Dispatch fix subagent for Critical/Important findings" -> "Write diff file, dispatch task reviewer subagent (./task-reviewer-prompt.md)" [label="re-review"];
+    "Task reviewer reports spec ✅ and quality approved?" -> "Mark task complete in todo list and progress ledger" [label="yes"];
+    "Mark task complete in todo list and progress ledger" -> "More tasks remain?";
     "More tasks remain?" -> "Dispatch implementer subagent (./implementer-prompt.md)" [label="yes"];
-    "More tasks remain?" -> "Dispatch final code reviewer subagent for entire implementation" [label="no"];
-    "Dispatch final code reviewer subagent for entire implementation" -> "Use superpowers:finishing-a-development-branch";
+    "More tasks remain?" -> "Dispatch final code reviewer subagent (../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md)" [label="no"];
+    "Dispatch final code reviewer subagent (../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md)" -> "Use superpowers:finishing-a-development-branch";
 }
 ```
 
+## Pre-Flight Plan Review
+
+Before dispatching Task 1, scan the plan once for conflicts:
+
+- tasks that contradict each other or the plan's Global Constraints
+- anything the plan explicitly mandates that the review rubric treats as a
+  defect (a test that asserts nothing, verbatim duplication of a logic block)
+
+Present everything you find to your human partner as one batched question —
+each finding beside the plan text that mandates it, asking which governs —
+before execution begins, not one interrupt per discovery mid-plan. If the
+scan is clean, proceed without comment. The review loop remains the net for
+conflicts that only emerge from implementation.
+
 ## Model Selection
 
 Use the least powerful model that can handle each role to conserve cost and increase speed.
@@ -94,9 +104,27 @@ Use the least powerful model that can handle each role to conserve cost and incr
 
 **Integration and judgment tasks** (multi-file coordination, pattern matching, debugging): use a standard model.
 
-**Architecture, design, and review tasks**: use the most capable available model.
+**Architecture and design tasks**: use the most capable available model.
+The final whole-branch review is one of these — dispatch it on the most
+capable available model, not the session default.
 
-**Task complexity signals:**
+**Review tasks**: choose the model with the same judgment, scaled to the
+diff's size, complexity, and risk. A small mechanical diff does not need the
+most capable model; a subtle concurrency change does.
+
+**Always specify the model explicitly when dispatching a subagent.** An
+omitted model inherits your session's model — often the most capable and
+most expensive — which silently defeats this section.
+
+**Turn count beats token price.** Wall-clock and context cost scale with how
+many turns a subagent takes, and the cheapest models routinely take 2-3× the
+turns on multi-step work — costing more overall. Use a mid-tier model as the
+floor for reviewers and for implementers working from prose descriptions.
+When the task's plan text contains the complete code to write, the
+implementation is transcription plus testing: use the cheapest tier for
+that implementer. Single-file mechanical fixes also take the cheapest tier.
+
+**Task complexity signals (implementation tasks):**
 - Touches 1-2 files with a complete spec → cheap model
 - Touches multiple files with integration concerns → standard model
 - Requires design judgment or broad codebase understanding → most capable model
@@ -105,7 +133,7 @@ Use the least powerful model that can handle each role to conserve cost and incr
 
 Implementer subagents report one of four statuses. Handle each appropriately:
 
-**DONE:** Proceed to spec compliance review.
+**DONE:** Generate the review package (`scripts/review-package BASE HEAD`, from this skill's directory — it prints the unique file path it wrote; BASE is the commit you recorded before dispatching the implementer — never `HEAD~1`, which silently drops all but the last commit of a multi-commit task), then dispatch the task reviewer with the printed path.
 
 **DONE_WITH_CONCERNS:** The implementer completed the work but flagged doubts. Read the concerns before proceeding. If the concerns are about correctness or scope, address them before review. If they're observations (e.g., "this file is getting large"), note them and proceed to review.
 
@@ -119,11 +147,125 @@ Implementer subagents report one of four statuses. Handle each appropriately:
 
 **Never** ignore an escalation or force the same model to retry without changes. If the implementer said it's stuck, something needs to change.
 
+## Handling Reviewer ⚠️ Items
+
+The task reviewer may report "⚠️ Cannot verify from diff" items — requirements
+that live in unchanged code or span tasks. These do not block the rest of the
+review, but you must resolve each one yourself before marking the task
+complete: you hold the plan and cross-task context the reviewer
+lacks. If you confirm an item is a real gap, treat it as a failed spec
+review — send it back to the implementer and re-review.
+
+## Constructing Reviewer Prompts
+
+Per-task reviews are task-scoped gates. The broad review happens once, at the
+final whole-branch review. When you fill a reviewer template:
+
+- Do not add open-ended directives like "check all uses" or "run race tests
+  if useful" without a concrete, task-specific reason
+- Do not ask a reviewer to re-run tests the implementer already ran on the
+  same code — the implementer's report carries the test evidence
+- Do not pre-judge findings for the reviewer — never instruct a reviewer to
+  ignore or not flag a specific issue. If you believe a finding would be a
+  false positive, let the reviewer raise it and adjudicate it in the review
+  loop. If the prompt you are writing contains "do not flag," "don't treat X
+  as a defect," "at most Minor," or "the plan chose" — stop: you are
+  pre-judging, usually to spare yourself a review loop.
+- The global-constraints block you hand the reviewer is its attention
+  lens. Copy the binding requirements verbatim from the plan's Global
+  Constraints section or the spec: exact values, exact formats, and the
+  stated relationships between components ("same layout as X", "matches
+  Y"). The reviewer's template already carries the process rules (YAGNI,
+  test hygiene, review method) — the constraints block is for what THIS
+  project's spec demands.
+- Hand the reviewer its diff as a file: run this skill's
+  `scripts/review-package BASE HEAD` and pass the reviewer the file path
+  it prints (or, without bash: `git log --oneline`, `git diff --stat`,
+  and `git diff -U10` for the range, redirected to one uniquely named
+  file). The output never enters your own context, and the reviewer sees
+  the commit list, stat summary, and full diff with context in one Read
+  call. Use the BASE you recorded before dispatching the implementer —
+  never `HEAD~1`, which silently truncates multi-commit tasks.
+- A dispatch prompt describes one task, not the session's history. Do not
+  paste accumulated prior-task summaries ("state after Tasks 1-3") into
+  later dispatches — a real session's dispatch hit 42k chars of which 99%
+  was pasted history. A fresh subagent needs its task, the interfaces it
+  touches, and the global constraints. Nothing else.
+- Dispatch fix subagents for Critical and Important findings. Record Minor
+  findings in the progress ledger as you go, and point the final
+  whole-branch review at that list so it can triage which must be fixed
+  before merge. A roll-up nobody reads is a silent discard.
+- A finding labeled plan-mandated — or any finding that conflicts with
+  what the plan's text requires — is the human's decision, like any plan
+  contradiction: present the finding and the plan text, ask which governs.
+  Do not dismiss the finding because the plan mandates it, and do not
+  dispatch a fix that contradicts the plan without asking.
+- The final whole-branch review gets a package too: run
+  `scripts/review-package MERGE_BASE HEAD` (MERGE_BASE = the commit the
+  branch started from, e.g. `git merge-base main HEAD`) and include the
+  printed path in the final review dispatch, so the final reviewer reads
+  one file instead of re-deriving the branch diff with git commands.
+- Every fix dispatch carries the implementer contract: the fix subagent
+  re-runs the tests covering its change and reports the results. Name the
+  covering test files in the dispatch — a one-line fix does not need the
+  whole suite. Before re-dispatching the reviewer, confirm the fix report
+  contains the covering tests, the command run, and the output; dispatch
+  the re-review once all three are present.
+- If the final whole-branch review returns findings, dispatch ONE fix
+  subagent with the complete findings list — not one fixer per finding.
+  Per-finding fixers each rebuild context and re-run suites; a real
+  session's final-review fix wave cost more than all its tasks combined.
+
+## File Handoffs
+
+Everything you paste into a dispatch prompt — and everything a subagent
+prints back — stays resident in your context for the rest of the session
+and is re-read on every later turn. Hand artifacts over as files:
+
+- **Task brief:** before dispatching an implementer, run this skill's
+  `scripts/task-brief PLAN_FILE N` — it extracts the task's full text to a
+  uniquely named file and prints the path. Compose the dispatch so the
+  brief stays the single source of requirements. Your dispatch should
+  contain: (1) one line on where this task fits in the project; (2) the
+  brief path, introduced as "read this first — it is your requirements,
+  with the exact values to use verbatim"; (3) interfaces and decisions
+  from earlier tasks that the brief cannot know; (4) your resolution of
+  any ambiguity you noticed in the brief; (5) the report-file path and
+  report contract. Exact values (numbers, magic strings, signatures, test
+  cases) appear only in the brief.
+- **Report file:** name the implementer's report file after the brief
+  (brief `…/task-N-brief.md` → report `…/task-N-report.md`) and put it in
+  the dispatch prompt. The implementer writes the full report there and
+  returns only status, commits, a one-line test summary, and concerns.
+- **Reviewer inputs:** the task reviewer gets three paths — the same brief
+  file, the report file, and the review package — plus the global
+  constraints that bind the task.
+- Fix dispatches append their fix report (with test results) to the same
+  report file and return a short summary; re-reviews read the updated file.
+
+## Durable Progress
+
+Conversation memory does not survive compaction. In real sessions,
+controllers that lost their place have re-dispatched entire completed task
+sequences — the single most expensive failure observed. Track progress in
+a ledger file, not only in todos.
+
+- At skill start, check for a ledger:
+  `cat "$(git rev-parse --git-path sdd)/progress.md"`. Tasks listed there
+  as complete are DONE — do not re-dispatch them; resume at the first task
+  not marked complete.
+- When a task's review comes back clean, append one line to the ledger in
+  the same message as your other bookkeeping:
+  `Task N: complete (commits <base7>..<head7>, review clean)`.
+- The ledger is your recovery map: the commits it names exist in git even
+  when your context no longer remembers creating them. After compaction,
+  trust the ledger and `git log` over your own recollection.
+
 ## Prompt Templates
 
 - [implementer-prompt.md](implementer-prompt.md) - Dispatch implementer subagent
-- [spec-reviewer-prompt.md](spec-reviewer-prompt.md) - Dispatch spec compliance reviewer subagent
-- [code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md](code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md) - Dispatch code quality reviewer subagent
+- [task-reviewer-prompt.md](task-reviewer-prompt.md) - Dispatch task reviewer subagent (spec compliance + code quality)
+- Final whole-branch review: use superpowers:requesting-code-review's [code-reviewer.md](../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md)
 
 ## Example Workflow
 
@@ -131,13 +273,11 @@ Implementer subagents report one of four statuses. Handle each appropriately:
 You: I'm using Subagent-Driven Development to execute this plan.
 
 [Read plan file once: docs/superpowers/plans/feature-plan.md]
-[Extract all 5 tasks with full text and context]
 [Create todos for all tasks]
 
 Task 1: Hook installation script
 
-[Get Task 1 text and context (already extracted)]
-[Dispatch implementation subagent with full task text + context]
+[Run task-brief for Task 1; dispatch implementer with brief + report paths + context]
 
 Implementer: "Before I begin - should the hook be installed at user or system level?"
 
@@ -150,18 +290,15 @@ Implementer: "Got it. Implementing now..."
   - Self-review: Found I missed --force flag, added it
   - Committed
 
-[Dispatch spec compliance reviewer]
-Spec reviewer: ✅ Spec compliant - all requirements met, nothing extra
-
-[Get git SHAs, dispatch code quality reviewer]
-Code reviewer: Strengths: Good test coverage, clean. Issues: None. Approved.
+[Run review-package, dispatch task reviewer with the printed path]
+Task reviewer: Spec ✅ - all requirements met, nothing extra.
+  Strengths: Good test coverage, clean. Issues: None. Task quality: Approved.
 
 [Mark Task 1 complete]
 
 Task 2: Recovery modes
 
-[Get Task 2 text and context (already extracted)]
-[Dispatch implementation subagent with full task text + context]
+[Run task-brief for Task 2; dispatch implementer with brief + report paths + context]
 
 Implementer: [No questions, proceeds]
 Implementer:
@@ -170,25 +307,17 @@ Implementer:
   - Self-review: All good
   - Committed
 
-[Dispatch spec compliance reviewer]
-Spec reviewer: ❌ Issues:
+[Run review-package, dispatch task reviewer with the printed path]
+Task reviewer: Spec ❌:
   - Missing: Progress reporting (spec says "report every 100 items")
   - Extra: Added --json flag (not requested)
+  Issues (Important): Magic number (100)
 
-[Implementer fixes issues]
-Implementer: Removed --json flag, added progress reporting
+[Dispatch fix subagent with all findings]
+Fixer: Removed --json flag, added progress reporting, extracted PROGRESS_INTERVAL constant
 
-[Spec reviewer reviews again]
-Spec reviewer: ✅ Spec compliant now
-
-[Dispatch code quality reviewer]
-Code reviewer: Strengths: Solid. Issues (Important): Magic number (100)
-
-[Implementer fixes]
-Implementer: Extracted PROGRESS_INTERVAL constant
-
-[Code reviewer reviews again]
-Code reviewer: ✅ Approved
+[Task reviewer reviews again]
+Task reviewer: Spec ✅. Task quality: Approved.
 
 [Mark Task 2 complete]
 
@@ -215,20 +344,20 @@ Done!
 - Review checkpoints automatic
 
 **Efficiency gains:**
-- No file reading overhead (controller provides full text)
-- Controller curates exactly what context is needed
+- Controller curates exactly what context is needed; bulk artifacts move
+  as files, not pasted text
 - Subagent gets complete information upfront
 - Questions surfaced before work begins (not after)
 
 **Quality gates:**
 - Self-review catches issues before handoff
-- Two-stage review: spec compliance, then code quality
+- Task review carries two verdicts: spec compliance and code quality
 - Review loops ensure fixes actually work
 - Spec compliance prevents over/under-building
 - Code quality ensures implementation is well-built
 
 **Cost:**
-- More subagent invocations (implementer + 2 reviewers per task)
+- More subagent invocations (implementer + reviewer per task)
 - Controller does more prep work (extracting all tasks upfront)
 - Review loops add iterations
 - But catches issues early (cheaper than debugging later)
@@ -237,17 +366,25 @@ Done!
 
 **Never:**
 - Start implementation on main/master branch without explicit user consent
-- Skip reviews (spec compliance OR code quality)
+- Skip task review, or accept a report missing either verdict (spec compliance AND task quality are both required)
 - Proceed with unfixed issues
 - Dispatch multiple implementation subagents in parallel (conflicts)
-- Make subagent read plan file (provide full text instead)
+- Make a subagent read the whole plan file (hand it its task brief —
+  `scripts/task-brief` — instead)
 - Skip scene-setting context (subagent needs to understand where task fits)
 - Ignore subagent questions (answer before letting them proceed)
-- Accept "close enough" on spec compliance (spec reviewer found issues = not done)
+- Accept "close enough" on spec compliance (reviewer found spec issues = not done)
 - Skip review loops (reviewer found issues = implementer fixes = review again)
 - Let implementer self-review replace actual review (both are needed)
-- **Start code quality review before spec compliance is ✅** (wrong order)
-- Move to next task while either review has open issues
+- Tell a reviewer what not to flag, or pre-rate a finding's severity in the
+  dispatch prompt ("treat it as Minor at most") — the plan's example code is
+  a starting point, not evidence that its weaknesses were chosen
+- Dispatch a task reviewer without a diff file — generate it first
+  (`scripts/review-package BASE HEAD`) and name the printed path in the
+  prompt
+- Move to next task while the review has open Critical/Important issues
+- Re-dispatch a task the progress ledger already marks complete — check
+  the ledger (and `git log`) after any compaction or resume
 
 **If subagent asks questions:**
 - Answer clearly and completely
@@ -269,7 +406,7 @@ Done!
 **Required workflow skills:**
 - **superpowers:using-git-worktrees** - Ensures isolated workspace (creates one or verifies existing)
 - **superpowers:writing-plans** - Creates the plan this skill executes
-- **superpowers:requesting-code-review** - Code review template for reviewer subagents
+- **superpowers:requesting-code-review** - Code review template for the final whole-branch review
 - **superpowers:finishing-a-development-branch** - Complete development after all tasks
 
 **Subagents should use:**

skills/subagent-driven-development/code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md

@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-# Code Quality Reviewer Prompt Template
-
-Use this template when dispatching a code quality reviewer subagent.
-
-**Purpose:** Verify implementation is well-built (clean, tested, maintainable)
-
-**Only dispatch after spec compliance review passes.**
-
-```
-Subagent (general-purpose):
-  Use template at ../requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md
-
-  DESCRIPTION: [task summary, from implementer's report]
-  PLAN_OR_REQUIREMENTS: Task N from [plan-file]
-  BASE_SHA: [commit before task]
-  HEAD_SHA: [current commit]
-```
-
-**In addition to standard code quality concerns, the reviewer should check:**
-- Does each file have one clear responsibility with a well-defined interface?
-- Are units decomposed so they can be understood and tested independently?
-- Is the implementation following the file structure from the plan?
-- Did this implementation create new files that are already large, or significantly grow existing files? (Don't flag pre-existing file sizes — focus on what this change contributed.)
-
-**Code reviewer returns:** Strengths, Issues (Critical/Important/Minor), Assessment

skills/subagent-driven-development/implementer-prompt.md

@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@ Use this template when dispatching an implementer subagent.
 ```
 Subagent (general-purpose):
   description: "Implement Task N: [task name]"
+  model: [MODEL — REQUIRED: choose per SKILL.md Model Selection; an omitted
+         model silently inherits the session's most expensive one]
   prompt: |
     You are implementing Task N: [task name]
 
     ## Task Description
 
-    [FULL TEXT of task from plan - paste it here, don't make subagent read file]
+    Read your task brief first: [BRIEF_FILE]
+    It contains the full task text from the plan.
 
     ## Context
 
@@ -41,6 +44,9 @@ Subagent (general-purpose):
     **While you work:** If you encounter something unexpected or unclear, **ask questions**.
     It's always OK to pause and clarify. Don't guess or make assumptions.
 
+    While iterating, run the focused test for what you're changing; run the
+    full suite once before committing, not after every edit.
+
     ## Code Organization
 
     You reason best about code you can hold in context at once, and your edits are more
@@ -94,13 +100,19 @@ Subagent (general-purpose):
     - Do tests actually verify behavior (not just mock behavior)?
     - Did I follow TDD if required?
     - Are tests comprehensive?
+    - Is the test output pristine (no stray warnings or noise)?
 
     If you find issues during self-review, fix them now before reporting.
 
+    ## After Review Findings
+
+    If a reviewer finds issues and you fix them, re-run the tests that cover
+    the amended code and append the results to your report file. Reviewers
+    will not re-run tests for you — your report is the test evidence.
+
     ## Report Format
 
-    When done, report:
-    - **Status:** DONE | DONE_WITH_CONCERNS | BLOCKED | NEEDS_CONTEXT
+    Write your full report to [REPORT_FILE]:
     - What you implemented (or what you attempted, if blocked)
     - What you tested and test results
     - **TDD Evidence** (if TDD was required for this task):
@@ -110,6 +122,17 @@ Subagent (general-purpose):
     - Self-review findings (if any)
     - Any issues or concerns
 
+    Then report back with ONLY (under 15 lines — the detail lives in the
+    report file):
+    - **Status:** DONE | DONE_WITH_CONCERNS | BLOCKED | NEEDS_CONTEXT
+    - Commits created (short SHA + subject)
+    - One-line test summary (e.g. "14/14 passing, output pristine")
+    - Your concerns, if any
+    - The report file path
+
+    If BLOCKED or NEEDS_CONTEXT, put the specifics in the final message
+    itself — the controller acts on it directly.
+
     Use DONE_WITH_CONCERNS if you completed the work but have doubts about correctness.
     Use BLOCKED if you cannot complete the task. Use NEEDS_CONTEXT if you need
     information that wasn't provided. Never silently produce work you're unsure about.

skills/subagent-driven-development/scripts/review-package

@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Generate a review package: commit list, stat summary, and the net
+# diff with extended context, written to a file the reviewer reads in one
+# call. Using the recorded per-task BASE (not HEAD~1) keeps multi-commit
+# tasks intact.
+#
+# Usage: review-package BASE HEAD [OUTFILE]
+# Default OUTFILE: <git-dir>/sdd/review-<base7>..<head7>.diff — unique per
+# repo instance and per range, so concurrent sessions cannot collide and a
+# re-review after fixes always gets a distinctly named fresh file.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+if [ $# -lt 2 ] || [ $# -gt 3 ]; then
+  echo "usage: review-package BASE HEAD [OUTFILE]" >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+base=$1
+head=$2
+
+git rev-parse --verify --quiet "$base" >/dev/null || { echo "bad BASE: $base" >&2; exit 2; }
+git rev-parse --verify --quiet "$head" >/dev/null || { echo "bad HEAD: $head" >&2; exit 2; }
+
+if [ $# -eq 3 ]; then
+  out=$3
+else
+  dir=$(git rev-parse --git-path sdd)
+  mkdir -p "$dir"
+  dir=$(cd "$dir" && pwd)
+  out="$dir/review-$(git rev-parse --short "$base")..$(git rev-parse --short "$head").diff"
+fi
+
+{
+  echo "# Review package: ${base}..${head}"
+  echo
+  echo "## Commits"
+  git log --oneline "${base}..${head}"
+  echo
+  echo "## Files changed"
+  git diff --stat "${base}..${head}"
+  echo
+  echo "## Diff"
+  git diff -U10 "${base}..${head}"
+} > "$out"
+
+commits=$(git rev-list --count "${base}..${head}")
+echo "wrote ${out}: ${commits} commit(s), $(wc -c < "$out" | tr -d ' ') bytes"

skills/subagent-driven-development/scripts/task-brief

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Extract one task's full text from an implementation plan into a file the
+# implementer reads in one call, so the task text never has to be pasted
+# through the controller's context.
+#
+# Usage: task-brief PLAN_FILE TASK_NUMBER [OUTFILE]
+# Default OUTFILE: <git-dir>/sdd/task-<N>-brief.md — unique per repo
+# instance, so concurrent sessions cannot collide.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+if [ $# -lt 2 ] || [ $# -gt 3 ]; then
+  echo "usage: task-brief PLAN_FILE TASK_NUMBER [OUTFILE]" >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+plan=$1
+n=$2
+[ -f "$plan" ] || { echo "no such plan file: $plan" >&2; exit 2; }
+
+if [ $# -eq 3 ]; then
+  out=$3
+else
+  dir=$(git rev-parse --git-path sdd)
+  mkdir -p "$dir"
+  dir=$(cd "$dir" && pwd)
+  out="$dir/task-${n}-brief.md"
+fi
+
+awk -v n="$n" '
+  /^```/ { infence = !infence }
+  !infence && /^#+[ \t]+Task[ \t]+[0-9]+/ {
+    intask = ($0 ~ ("^#+[ \t]+Task[ \t]+" n "([^0-9]|$)"))
+  }
+  intask { print }
+' "$plan" > "$out"
+
+if [ ! -s "$out" ]; then
+  echo "task ${n} not found in ${plan} (no heading matching 'Task ${n}')" >&2
+  exit 3
+fi
+
+echo "wrote ${out}: $(wc -l < "$out" | tr -d ' ') lines"

skills/subagent-driven-development/spec-reviewer-prompt.md

@@ -1,77 +0,0 @@
-# Spec Compliance Reviewer Prompt Template
-
-Use this template when dispatching a spec compliance reviewer subagent.
-
-**Purpose:** Verify implementer built what was requested (nothing more, nothing less)
-
-```
-Subagent (general-purpose):
-  description: "Review spec compliance for Task N"
-  prompt: |
-    You are reviewing whether an implementation matches its specification.
-
-    ## What Was Requested
-
-    [FULL TEXT of task requirements]
-
-    ## What Implementer Claims They Built
-
-    [From implementer's report]
-
-    ## Git Range to Review
-
-    **Base:** [BASE_SHA — commit before this task]
-    **Head:** [HEAD_SHA — current commit]
-
-    ```bash
-    git diff --stat [BASE_SHA]..[HEAD_SHA]
-    git diff [BASE_SHA]..[HEAD_SHA]
-    ```
-
-    Only read files in this diff. Do not crawl the broader codebase.
-
-    ## Read-Only Review
-
-    Your review is read-only on this checkout. Do not mutate the working tree, the index, HEAD, or branch state in any way. Use tools like `git show`, `git diff`, and `git log` to inspect history. If you need a working copy of a different revision, check it out into a separate temporary directory (e.g. `git worktree add /tmp/review-[SHA] [SHA]`) — never move HEAD on this checkout.
-
-    ## CRITICAL: Do Not Trust the Report
-
-    The implementer finished suspiciously quickly. Their report may be incomplete,
-    inaccurate, or optimistic. You MUST verify everything independently.
-
-    **DO NOT:**
-    - Take their word for what they implemented
-    - Trust their claims about completeness
-    - Accept their interpretation of requirements
-
-    **DO:**
-    - Read the actual code they wrote
-    - Compare actual implementation to requirements line by line
-    - Check for missing pieces they claimed to implement
-    - Look for extra features they didn't mention
-
-    ## Your Job
-
-    Read the implementation code and verify:
-
-    **Missing requirements:**
-    - Did they implement everything that was requested?
-    - Are there requirements they skipped or missed?
-    - Did they claim something works but didn't actually implement it?
-
-    **Extra/unneeded work:**
-    - Did they build things that weren't requested?
-    - Did they over-engineer or add unnecessary features?
-    - Did they add "nice to haves" that weren't in spec?
-
-    **Misunderstandings:**
-    - Did they interpret requirements differently than intended?
-    - Did they solve the wrong problem?
-    - Did they implement the right feature but wrong way?
-
-    **Verify by reading code, not by trusting report.**
-
-    Report:
-    - ✅ Spec compliant (if everything matches after code inspection)
-    - ❌ Issues found: [list specifically what's missing or extra, with file:line references]
-```

skills/subagent-driven-development/task-reviewer-prompt.md

@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+# Task Reviewer Prompt Template
+
+Use this template when dispatching a task reviewer subagent. The reviewer
+reads the task's diff once and returns two verdicts: spec compliance and
+code quality.
+
+**Purpose:** Verify one task's implementation matches its requirements (nothing
+more, nothing less) and is well-built (clean, tested, maintainable)
+
+```
+Subagent (general-purpose):
+  description: "Review Task N (spec + quality)"
+  model: [MODEL — REQUIRED: choose per SKILL.md Model Selection; an omitted
+         model silently inherits the session's most expensive one]
+  prompt: |
+    You are reviewing one task's implementation: first whether it matches its
+    requirements, then whether it is well-built. This is a task-scoped gate,
+    not a merge review — a broad whole-branch review happens separately after
+    all tasks are complete.
+
+    ## What Was Requested
+
+    Read the task brief: [BRIEF_FILE]
+
+    Global constraints from the spec/design that bind this task:
+    [GLOBAL_CONSTRAINTS]
+
+    ## What the Implementer Claims They Built
+
+    Read the implementer's report: [REPORT_FILE]
+
+    ## Diff Under Review
+
+    **Base:** [BASE_SHA]
+    **Head:** [HEAD_SHA]
+    **Diff file:** [DIFF_FILE]
+
+    Read the diff file once — it contains the commit list, a stat summary,
+    and the full diff with surrounding context, and it is your view of the
+    change. The diff's context lines ARE the changed files: do not Read a
+    changed file separately unless a hunk you must judge is cut off
+    mid-function — and say so in your report. Do not re-run git commands.
+    If the diff file is missing, fetch the diff yourself:
+    `git diff --stat [BASE_SHA]..[HEAD_SHA]` and `git diff [BASE_SHA]..[HEAD_SHA]`.
+    Do not crawl the broader codebase. Inspect code outside the diff only
+    to evaluate a concrete risk you can name — one focused check per named
+    risk, and name both the risk and what you checked in your report.
+    Cross-cutting changes are legitimate named risks: if the diff changes
+    lock ordering, a function or API contract, or shared mutable state,
+    checking the call sites is the right method.
+
+    Your review is read-only on this checkout. Do not mutate the working
+    tree, the index, HEAD, or branch state in any way.
+
+    ## Do Not Trust the Report
+
+    Treat the implementer's report as unverified claims about the code. It
+    may be incomplete, inaccurate, or optimistic. Verify the claims against
+    the diff. Design rationales in the report are claims too: "left it per
+    YAGNI," "kept it simple deliberately," or any other justification is the
+    implementer grading their own work. Judge the code on its merits — a
+    stated rationale never downgrades a finding's severity.
+
+    ## Tests
+
+    The implementer already ran the tests and reported results with TDD
+    evidence for exactly this code. Do not re-run the suite to confirm their
+    report. Run a test only when reading the code raises a specific doubt
+    that no existing run answers — and then a focused test, never a
+    package-wide suite, race detector run, or repeated/high-count loop. If
+    heavy validation seems warranted, recommend it in your report instead of
+    running it. If you cannot run commands in this environment, name the
+    test you would run.
+
+    Warnings or other noise in the implementer's reported test output are
+    findings — test output should be pristine.
+
+    ## Part 1: Spec Compliance
+
+    Compare the diff against What Was Requested:
+
+    - **Missing:** requirements they skipped, missed, or claimed without
+      implementing
+    - **Extra:** features that weren't requested, over-engineering, unneeded
+      "nice to haves"
+    - **Misunderstood:** right feature built the wrong way, wrong problem
+      solved
+
+    If a requirement cannot be verified from this diff alone (it lives in
+    unchanged code or spans tasks), report it as a ⚠️ item instead of
+    broadening your search.
+
+    ## Part 2: Code Quality
+
+    **Code quality:**
+    - Clean separation of concerns?
+    - Proper error handling?
+    - DRY without premature abstraction?
+    - Edge cases handled?
+
+    **Tests:**
+    - Do the new and changed tests verify real behavior, not mocks?
+    - Are the task's edge cases covered?
+
+    **Structure:**
+    - Does each file have one clear responsibility with a well-defined interface?
+    - Are units decomposed so they can be understood and tested independently?
+    - Is the implementation following the file structure from the plan?
+    - Did this change create new files that are already large, or
+      significantly grow existing files? (Don't flag pre-existing file
+      sizes — focus on what this change contributed.)
+
+    Your report should point at evidence: file:line references for every
+    finding and for any check you would otherwise answer with a bare
+    "yes." A tight report that cites lines gives the controller everything
+    it needs.
+
+    Your final message is the report itself: begin directly with the
+    spec-compliance verdict. Every line is a verdict, a finding with
+    file:line, or a check you ran — no preamble, no process narration,
+    no closing summary.
+
+    ## Calibration
+
+    Categorize issues by actual severity. Not everything is Critical.
+    Important means this task cannot be trusted until it is fixed: incorrect
+    or fragile behavior, a missed requirement, or maintainability damage you
+    would block a merge over — verbatim duplication of a logic block,
+    swallowed errors, tests that assert nothing. "Coverage could be broader"
+    and polish suggestions are Minor.
+    If the plan or brief explicitly mandates something this rubric calls a
+    defect (a test that asserts nothing, verbatim duplication of a logic
+    block), that IS a finding — report it as Important, labeled
+    plan-mandated. The plan's authorship does not grade its own work; the
+    human decides.
+    Acknowledge what was done well before listing issues — accurate praise
+    helps the implementer trust the rest of the feedback.
+
+    ## Output Format
+
+    ### Spec Compliance
+
+    - ✅ Spec compliant | ❌ Issues found: [what's missing/extra/misunderstood,
+      with file:line references]
+    - ⚠️ Cannot verify from diff: [requirements you could not verify from the
+      diff alone, and what the controller should check — report alongside the
+      ✅/❌ verdict for everything you could verify]
+
+    ### Strengths
+    [What's well done? Be specific.]
+
+    ### Issues
+
+    #### Critical (Must Fix)
+    #### Important (Should Fix)
+    #### Minor (Nice to Have)
+
+    For each issue: file:line, what's wrong, why it matters, how to fix
+    (if not obvious).
+
+    ### Assessment
+
+    **Task quality:** [Approved | Needs fixes]
+
+    **Reasoning:** [1-2 sentence technical assessment]
+```
+
+**Placeholders:**
+- `[MODEL]` — REQUIRED: reviewer model per SKILL.md Model Selection
+- `[BRIEF_FILE]` — REQUIRED: the task brief file (`scripts/task-brief PLAN N`
+  prints the path; same file the implementer worked from)
+- `[GLOBAL_CONSTRAINTS]` — the binding requirements copied verbatim from
+  the plan's Global Constraints section or the spec: exact values, formats,
+  and stated relationships between components (not process rules — those
+  are already in this template)
+- `[REPORT_FILE]` — REQUIRED: the file the implementer wrote its detailed
+  report to
+- `[BASE_SHA]` — commit before this task
+- `[HEAD_SHA]` — current commit
+- `[DIFF_FILE]` — REQUIRED: the path the controller wrote the review
+  package to (`scripts/review-package BASE HEAD` prints the unique path it
+  wrote; the package never enters the controller's context)
+
+**Reviewer returns:** Spec Compliance verdict (✅/❌/⚠️), Strengths, Issues
+(Critical/Important/Minor), Task quality verdict
+
+A fix dispatch can address spec gaps and quality findings together;
+re-review after fixes covers both verdicts.

skills/using-superpowers/references/antigravity-tools.md

@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ prompt-template file (e.g. `superpowers:subagent-driven-development`'s
 | Skill dispatch form | Antigravity equivalent |
 |---------------------|----------------------|
 | An implementer-style `*-prompt.md` template (writes code, runs tests) | Fill the template, then `invoke_subagent` with `TypeName: "self"` and the filled prompt |
-| A read-only reviewer template (`spec-reviewer`, `code-quality-reviewer`, `code-reviewer`, `requesting-code-review`'s `./code-reviewer.md`) | `invoke_subagent` with `TypeName: "research"` and the filled review template |
+| A read-only reviewer template (`task-reviewer`, `code-reviewer`, `requesting-code-review`'s `./code-reviewer.md`) | `invoke_subagent` with `TypeName: "research"` and the filled review template |
 | Inline prompt (no template referenced) | `invoke_subagent` with `TypeName: "self"` (or `"research"` if the task only reads) and your inline prompt |
 
 ### Prompt filling

skills/using-superpowers/references/gemini-tools.md

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Skills dispatch with `Subagent (general-purpose):` and either reference a prompt
 
 | Skill dispatch form | Gemini CLI equivalent |
 |---------------------|----------------------|
-| References a `*-prompt.md` template (implementer, spec-reviewer, code-quality-reviewer, code-reviewer, etc.) | Fill the template, then `invoke_agent` with `agent_name: "generalist"` and the filled prompt |
+| References a `*-prompt.md` template (implementer, task-reviewer, code-reviewer, etc.) | Fill the template, then `invoke_agent` with `agent_name: "generalist"` and the filled prompt |
 | References `superpowers:requesting-code-review`'s `./code-reviewer.md` | `invoke_agent` with `agent_name: "generalist"` and the filled review template |
 | Inline prompt (no template referenced) | `invoke_agent` with `agent_name: "generalist"` and your inline prompt |
 

skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md

@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@ Before defining tasks, map out which files will be created or modified and what
 
 This structure informs the task decomposition. Each task should produce self-contained changes that make sense independently.
 
+## Task Right-Sizing
+
+A task is the smallest unit that carries its own test cycle and is worth a
+fresh reviewer's gate. When drawing task boundaries: fold setup,
+configuration, scaffolding, and documentation steps into the task whose
+deliverable needs them; split only where a reviewer could meaningfully
+reject one task while approving its neighbor. Each task ends with an
+independently testable deliverable.
+
 ## Bite-Sized Task Granularity
 
 **Each step is one action (2-5 minutes):**
@@ -57,6 +66,13 @@ This structure informs the task decomposition. Each task should produce self-con
 
 **Tech Stack:** [Key technologies/libraries]
 
+## Global Constraints
+
+[The spec's project-wide requirements — version floors, dependency limits,
+naming and copy rules, platform requirements — one line each, with exact
+values copied verbatim from the spec. Every task's requirements implicitly
+include this section.]
+
 ---
 ```
 
@@ -70,6 +86,12 @@ This structure informs the task decomposition. Each task should produce self-con
 - Modify: `exact/path/to/existing.py:123-145`
 - Test: `tests/exact/path/to/test.py`
 
+**Interfaces:**
+- Consumes: [what this task uses from earlier tasks — exact signatures]
+- Produces: [what later tasks rely on — exact function names, parameter
+  and return types. A task's implementer sees only their own task; this
+  block is how they learn the names and types neighboring tasks use.]
+
 - [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing test**
 
 ```python

skills/writing-skills/SKILL.md

@@ -456,10 +456,29 @@ Different skill types need different test approaches:
 
 **All of these mean: Test before deploying. No exceptions.**
 
+## Match the Form to the Failure
+
+Before writing guidance, classify the baseline failure. The form that bulletproofs one failure type measurably backfires on another.
+
+| Baseline failure | Right form | Wrong form |
+|---|---|---|
+| Skips/violates a rule under pressure (knows better, does it anyway) | Prohibition + rationalization table + red flags (see Bulletproofing below) | Soft guidance ("prefer...", "consider...") |
+| Complies, but output has the wrong shape (bloated prompt, buried verdict, restated spec) | Positive recipe or contract: state what the output IS — its parts, in order | Prohibition list ("don't restate", "never narrate") |
+| Omits a required element from something they already produce | Structural: REQUIRED field or slot in the template they fill in | Prose reminders near the template |
+| Behavior should depend on a condition | Conditional keyed to an observable predicate ("if the brief exists, reference it") | Unconditional rule + exemption clauses |
+
+**Why prohibitions backfire on shaping problems:** under a competing incentive ("make the prompt self-contained"), agents negotiate with "don't X". In head-to-head wording tests on dispatch-prompt guidance, the prohibition arm produced clearly more of the unwanted content than the recipe arm (fully separated distributions), and trended worse than even the no-guidance control — micro-test your own case rather than assuming, but never reach for the prohibition by default. A recipe leaves nothing to negotiate: the output matches the stated shape or it doesn't.
+
+**Rules for whichever form you pick:**
+- **No nuance clauses.** "Don't X unless it matters" reopens the negotiation — appending a single nuance clause to a winning recipe degraded it from consistent to noisy in the same wording tests. Express a real exception as its own conditional on an observable predicate.
+- **Exemption clauses don't scope.** "This limit doesn't apply to code blocks" still suppresses code blocks. If part of the output must be exempt, restructure so the rule can't reach it.
+
 ## Bulletproofing Skills Against Rationalization
 
 Skills that enforce discipline (like TDD) need to resist rationalization. Agents are smart and will find loopholes when under pressure.
 
+**Scope:** this toolkit is for discipline failures — an agent that knows the rule and skips it under pressure. For wrong-shaped output or omitted elements, prohibition-based bulletproofing backfires; use the forms in Match the Form to the Failure instead.
+
 **Psychology note:** Understanding WHY persuasion techniques work helps you apply them systematically. See persuasion-principles.md for research foundation (Cialdini, 2021; Meincke et al., 2025) on authority, commitment, scarcity, social proof, and unity principles.
 
 ### Close Every Loophole Explicitly
@@ -553,6 +572,18 @@ Run same scenarios WITH skill. Agent should now comply.
 
 Agent found new rationalization? Add explicit counter. Re-test until bulletproof.
 
+### Micro-Test Wording Before Full Scenarios
+
+Full pressure-scenario runs are the final gate, but they are slow and expensive per iteration. Verify the wording itself first with micro-tests:
+
+1. **One fresh-context sample per call** — a raw API call, or a single-shot subagent if you don't have API access. System prompt = the realistic context the guidance will live in (the full skill or prompt template, not the guidance in isolation); user message = a task that tempts the failure.
+2. **Always include a no-guidance control.** If the control doesn't exhibit the failure, there is nothing to fix — stop, don't author the guidance.
+3. **5+ reps per variant.** Single samples lie.
+4. **Manually read every flagged match.** Score programmatically if you like, but template echoes and quoted counter-examples masquerade as hits; automated counts alone overstate both failure and success.
+5. **Variance is a metric.** When guidance lands, reps converge on the same shape. Five different interpretations across five reps means the wording isn't binding — tighten the form before adding words.
+
+Micro-tests verify wording; they do not replace pressure scenarios for discipline skills.
+
 **Testing methodology:** See [testing-skills-with-subagents.md](testing-skills-with-subagents.md) for the complete testing methodology:
 - How to write pressure scenarios
 - Pressure types (time, sunk cost, authority, exhaustion)
@@ -610,6 +641,8 @@ Deploying untested skills = deploying untested code. It's a violation of quality
 - [ ] Keywords throughout for search (errors, symptoms, tools)
 - [ ] Clear overview with core principle
 - [ ] Address specific baseline failures identified in RED
+- [ ] Guidance form matches the failure type (see Match the Form to the Failure)
+- [ ] For behavior-shaping guidance: wording micro-tested against a no-guidance control (5+ reps, every flagged match read manually) — N/A for pure reference skills
 - [ ] Code inline OR link to separate file
 - [ ] One excellent example (not multi-language)
 - [ ] Run scenarios WITH skill - verify agents now comply

tests/brainstorm-server/auth.test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,312 @@
+/**
+ * Security tests for the brainstorm server's per-session key.
+ *
+ * The companion server is reachable by any local browser tab (default loopback
+ * bind) and by any host that can route to it (remote `--host 0.0.0.0` bind).
+ * A per-session secret key gates every endpoint so that neither a browser
+ * confused-deputy nor a direct remote client can read screens/files or inject
+ * events into state/events (prompt injection into a live agent session).
+ *
+ * Auth = a valid `?key=<token>` query param OR a valid session cookie.
+ *
+ * Uses the `ws` npm package as a test client (test-only dependency).
+ */
+
+const { spawn } = require('child_process');
+const http = require('http');
+const WebSocket = require('ws');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+const assert = require('assert');
+
+const SERVER_PATH = path.join(__dirname, '../../skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs');
+const TEST_PORT = 3335;
+const TEST_DIR = '/tmp/brainstorm-auth-test';
+const CONTENT_DIR = path.join(TEST_DIR, 'content');
+const TOKEN = 'testtoken-0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef';
+const COOKIE_NAME = `brainstorm-key-${TEST_PORT}`;
+const EXPECTED_SECURITY_HEADERS = {
+  'referrer-policy': 'no-referrer',
+  'cache-control': 'no-store',
+  'x-frame-options': 'DENY',
+  'content-security-policy': "frame-ancestors 'none'",
+  'cross-origin-resource-policy': 'same-origin'
+};
+
+function cleanup() {
+  if (fs.existsSync(TEST_DIR)) fs.rmSync(TEST_DIR, { recursive: true });
+}
+
+async function sleep(ms) {
+  return new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
+}
+
+// Raw HTTP GET with optional key query and Cookie header.
+function get(pathname, { key, cookie } = {}) {
+  const url = `http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}${pathname}` + (key !== undefined ? `?key=${key}` : '');
+  const headers = {};
+  if (cookie) headers['Cookie'] = cookie;
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    http.get(url, { headers }, (res) => {
+      let data = '';
+      res.on('data', chunk => data += chunk);
+      res.on('end', () => resolve({ status: res.statusCode, headers: res.headers, body: data }));
+    }).on('error', reject);
+  });
+}
+
+// Try to open a WebSocket; resolve 'opened' or 'rejected'.
+function wsConnect({ key, cookie, origin } = {}) {
+  const url = `ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/` + (key !== undefined ? `?key=${key}` : '');
+  const headers = {};
+  if (cookie) headers['Cookie'] = cookie;
+  if (origin) headers['Origin'] = origin;
+  const opts = Object.keys(headers).length ? { headers } : {};
+  const ws = new WebSocket(url, opts);
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    let settled = false;
+    const done = (outcome) => { if (!settled) { settled = true; resolve({ outcome, ws }); } };
+    ws.on('open', () => done('opened'));
+    ws.on('error', () => done('rejected'));
+    ws.on('close', () => done('rejected'));
+    setTimeout(() => done('rejected'), 1500);
+  });
+}
+
+function startServer() {
+  return spawn('node', [SERVER_PATH], {
+    env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT: TEST_PORT, BRAINSTORM_DIR: TEST_DIR, BRAINSTORM_TOKEN: TOKEN }
+  });
+}
+
+function assertSecurityHeaders(headers) {
+  for (const [name, value] of Object.entries(EXPECTED_SECURITY_HEADERS)) {
+    assert.strictEqual(headers[name], value, `${name} should be ${value}`);
+  }
+}
+
+function runBootstrapScript(html, sessionStorage) {
+  const match = html.match(/<script>\n([\s\S]*?)\n<\/script>/);
+  assert(match, 'bootstrap response should contain a script block');
+  const replacements = [];
+  const location = { replace(url) { replacements.push(url); } };
+  new Function('sessionStorage', 'location', match[1])(sessionStorage, location);
+  return replacements;
+}
+
+async function waitForServer(server) {
+  let stdout = '', stderr = '';
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    server.stdout.on('data', (d) => {
+      stdout += d.toString();
+      if (stdout.includes('server-started')) resolve({ stdout });
+    });
+    server.stderr.on('data', (d) => { stderr += d.toString(); });
+    server.on('error', reject);
+    setTimeout(() => reject(new Error(`Server didn't start. stderr: ${stderr}`)), 5000);
+  });
+}
+
+function serverStartedMessage(out) {
+  const line = out.trim().split('\n').find(l => l.includes('server-started'));
+  assert(line, 'server-started JSON should be present');
+  return JSON.parse(line);
+}
+
+function assertStartedOnExpectedPort(out) {
+  const msg = serverStartedMessage(out);
+  assert.strictEqual(
+    msg.port,
+    TEST_PORT,
+    `auth.test.js expected fixed port ${TEST_PORT}, got ${msg.port}; fixed-port tests must not run through fallback`
+  );
+  return msg;
+}
+
+async function runTests() {
+  cleanup();
+  fs.mkdirSync(CONTENT_DIR, { recursive: true });
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(CONTENT_DIR, 'screen.html'), '<h2>Secret screen</h2>');
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(CONTENT_DIR, 'asset.txt'), 'secret asset');
+
+  const server = startServer();
+  let stdoutAccum = '';
+  server.stdout.on('data', (d) => { stdoutAccum += d.toString(); });
+
+  let passed = 0, failed = 0;
+  async function test(name, fn) {
+    try { await fn(); console.log(`  PASS: ${name}`); passed++; }
+    catch (e) { console.log(`  FAIL: ${name}`); console.log(`    ${e.message}`); failed++; }
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const { stdout: initialStdout } = await waitForServer(server);
+    assertStartedOnExpectedPort(initialStdout);
+
+    console.log('\n--- Startup URL ---');
+
+    await test('server-started url includes the session key', () => {
+      const msg = serverStartedMessage(initialStdout);
+      assert(msg.url.includes(`key=${TOKEN}`), `url should carry the key, got: ${msg.url}`);
+    });
+
+    console.log('\n--- HTTP / gate ---');
+
+    await test('GET / without key is rejected with 403', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 403, 'no-key request must be 403');
+    });
+
+    await test('403 page names "coding agent" and the key', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/');
+      assert(/coding agent/i.test(res.body), '403 body should reference the coding agent');
+      assert(/key/i.test(res.body), '403 body should mention the key');
+    });
+
+    await test('403 responses include leak-reduction and anti-framing headers', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 403);
+      assertSecurityHeaders(res.headers);
+    });
+
+    await test('GET / with wrong key is rejected with 403', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { key: 'wrong-token' });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 403);
+    });
+
+    await test('GET / with wrong key and valid cookie is rejected with 403', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { key: 'wrong-token', cookie: `${COOKIE_NAME}=${TOKEN}` });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 403, 'explicit wrong query key must not fall back to cookie auth');
+    });
+
+    await test('GET / with valid query returns bootstrap instead of screen content', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { key: TOKEN });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      assert(res.body.includes('sessionStorage'), 'bootstrap should store the session key in tab storage');
+      assert(res.body.includes('location.replace'), 'bootstrap should navigate to the bare root URL');
+      assert(!res.body.includes('Secret screen'), 'bootstrap must not serve screen HTML at the keyed URL');
+    });
+
+    await test('bootstrap strips the key URL even when sessionStorage write fails', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { key: TOKEN });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      let replacements;
+      assert.doesNotThrow(() => {
+        replacements = runBootstrapScript(res.body, {
+        setItem() { throw new Error('storage blocked'); }
+        });
+      });
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(replacements, ['/']);
+    });
+
+    await test('HTML responses include leak-reduction and anti-framing headers', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { key: TOKEN });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      assertSecurityHeaders(res.headers);
+    });
+
+    await test('valid key load sets an HttpOnly SameSite=Strict cookie', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { key: TOKEN });
+      const setCookie = (res.headers['set-cookie'] || []).join('; ');
+      assert(setCookie.includes(`${COOKIE_NAME}=${TOKEN}`), `should set ${COOKIE_NAME}`);
+      assert(/HttpOnly/i.test(setCookie), 'cookie should be HttpOnly');
+      assert(/SameSite=Strict/i.test(setCookie), 'cookie should be SameSite=Strict');
+    });
+
+    await test('GET / with valid cookie (no query key) serves the screen', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/', { cookie: `${COOKIE_NAME}=${TOKEN}` });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      assert(res.body.includes('Secret screen'), 'cookie-authenticated bare root should serve the screen');
+      assert(!res.body.includes("location.replace('/');"), 'bare screen response should not be the bootstrap page');
+    });
+
+    console.log('\n--- HTTP /files gate ---');
+
+    await test('GET /files without key is rejected with 403', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/files/asset.txt');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 403);
+    });
+
+    await test('GET /files with valid key serves the file', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/files/asset.txt', { key: TOKEN });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      assert(res.body.includes('secret asset'));
+    });
+
+    await test('/files responses include leak-reduction and anti-framing headers', async () => {
+      const res = await get('/files/asset.txt', { key: TOKEN });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      assertSecurityHeaders(res.headers);
+    });
+
+    console.log('\n--- WebSocket gate ---');
+
+    await test('WS upgrade without key is rejected', async () => {
+      const { outcome, ws } = await wsConnect();
+      ws.close();
+      assert.strictEqual(outcome, 'rejected', 'unauthenticated WS must not open');
+    });
+
+    await test('WS upgrade with valid key opens', async () => {
+      const { outcome, ws } = await wsConnect({ key: TOKEN });
+      ws.close();
+      assert.strictEqual(outcome, 'opened');
+    });
+
+    await test('WS upgrade with valid cookie opens', async () => {
+      const { outcome, ws } = await wsConnect({ cookie: `${COOKIE_NAME}=${TOKEN}` });
+      ws.close();
+      assert.strictEqual(outcome, 'opened');
+    });
+
+    await test('WS upgrade with valid cookie and same-origin Origin opens', async () => {
+      const { outcome, ws } = await wsConnect({
+        cookie: `${COOKIE_NAME}=${TOKEN}`,
+        origin: `http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`
+      });
+      ws.close();
+      assert.strictEqual(outcome, 'opened');
+    });
+
+    await test('WS upgrade with valid cookie but cross-origin Origin is rejected', async () => {
+      const eventsFile = path.join(TEST_DIR, 'state', 'events');
+      if (fs.existsSync(eventsFile)) fs.unlinkSync(eventsFile);
+
+      const { outcome, ws } = await wsConnect({
+        cookie: `${COOKIE_NAME}=${TOKEN}`,
+        origin: 'http://localhost:9999'
+      });
+      if (outcome === 'opened') {
+        ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'choice', choice: 'attacker-injected', text: 'local attacker probe' }));
+        await sleep(300);
+      }
+      ws.close();
+
+      assert.strictEqual(outcome, 'rejected', 'cross-origin browser WS must not open even with cookie');
+      assert(!fs.existsSync(eventsFile), 'cross-origin WS must not write state/events');
+    });
+
+    console.log('\n--- Robustness (A3) ---');
+
+    await test('null payload over an authed WS does not crash the server', async () => {
+      const { ws } = await wsConnect({ key: TOKEN });
+      ws.send('null');
+      await sleep(300);
+      const res = await get('/', { key: TOKEN });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200, 'server must still respond after null payload');
+      ws.close();
+    });
+
+    console.log(`\n--- Results: ${passed} passed, ${failed} failed ---`);
+    if (failed > 0) {
+      process.exitCode = 1;
+      return;
+    }
+  } finally {
+    server.kill();
+    await sleep(100);
+    cleanup();
+  }
+}
+
+runTests().catch(err => { console.error('Test failed:', err); process.exit(1); });

tests/brainstorm-server/browser-launcher.test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+const assert = require('assert');
+const {
+  browserLauncherForPlatform
+} = require('../../skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs');
+
+let passed = 0;
+let failed = 0;
+
+async function test(name, fn) {
+  try {
+    await fn();
+    console.log(`  PASS: ${name}`);
+    passed++;
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.log(`  FAIL: ${name}`);
+    console.log(`    ${e.message}`);
+    failed++;
+  }
+}
+
+(async () => {
+  console.log('\n--- Browser Launcher ---');
+
+  await test('Windows launcher does not route URLs through cmd.exe', () => {
+    const url = 'http://localhost:54122/?key=abc&x=SAFE&echo=INJECTED';
+    const launcher = browserLauncherForPlatform(url, {
+      platform: 'win32',
+      osRelease: '10.0.26200',
+      env: {}
+    });
+
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(launcher, {
+      bin: 'rundll32.exe',
+      args: ['url.dll,FileProtocolHandler', url]
+    });
+    assert(!launcher.args.includes('/c'), 'Windows launcher must not pass /c to a command interpreter');
+  });
+
+  await test('WSL launcher does not route URLs through cmd.exe', () => {
+    const url = 'http://localhost:54122/?key=abc&x=SAFE&echo=INJECTED';
+    const launcher = browserLauncherForPlatform(url, {
+      platform: 'linux',
+      osRelease: '5.15.167.4-microsoft-standard-WSL2',
+      env: {}
+    });
+
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(launcher, {
+      bin: 'rundll32.exe',
+      args: ['url.dll,FileProtocolHandler', url]
+    });
+  });
+
+  await test('Linux launcher stays headless without a display', () => {
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      browserLauncherForPlatform('http://localhost:1/', {
+        platform: 'linux',
+        osRelease: '6.0.0',
+        env: {}
+      }),
+      null
+    );
+  });
+
+  console.log(`\n--- Results: ${passed} passed, ${failed} failed ---`);
+  if (failed > 0) process.exit(1);
+})();

tests/brainstorm-server/helper.test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,197 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for the injected browser client (helper.js).
+ *
+ * helper.js runs in the browser, so its DOM behaviour is exercised live; here we
+ * unit-test the pure reconnect-backoff function it exports and assert that the
+ * reconnect / status / tombstone wiring is present.
+ */
+
+const assert = require('assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+const HELPER = path.join(__dirname, '../../skills/brainstorming/scripts/helper.js');
+
+const src = fs.readFileSync(HELPER, 'utf-8');
+
+// helper.js is browser code, and the repo is an ES module package, so a plain
+// require() won't surface its exports. Evaluate the source in a CommonJS sandbox
+// with no `window`, so only the exported pure helpers run (not the browser code).
+const moduleShim = { exports: {} };
+new Function('module', src)(moduleShim);
+const { nextReconnectDelay, MIN_RECONNECT_MS, MAX_RECONNECT_MS, TOMBSTONE_AFTER_MS } = moduleShim.exports;
+
+let passed = 0, failed = 0;
+function test(name, fn) {
+  try { fn(); console.log(`  PASS: ${name}`); passed++; }
+  catch (e) { console.log(`  FAIL: ${name}`); console.log(`    ${e.message}`); failed++; }
+}
+
+console.log('\n--- Backoff (pure) ---');
+
+test('doubles the delay each call', () => {
+  assert.strictEqual(nextReconnectDelay(500, 30000), 1000);
+  assert.strictEqual(nextReconnectDelay(1000, 30000), 2000);
+  assert.strictEqual(nextReconnectDelay(2000, 30000), 4000);
+});
+
+test('caps at the maximum', () => {
+  assert.strictEqual(nextReconnectDelay(20000, 30000), 30000);
+  assert.strictEqual(nextReconnectDelay(30000, 30000), 30000);
+});
+
+test('full progression from MIN caps at MAX and never exceeds it', () => {
+  const seq = [MIN_RECONNECT_MS];
+  let d = MIN_RECONNECT_MS;
+  for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) { d = nextReconnectDelay(d, MAX_RECONNECT_MS); seq.push(d); }
+  assert.strictEqual(seq[0], 500);
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(seq.slice(0, 7), [500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000, 16000, 30000]);
+  assert(seq.every(v => v <= MAX_RECONNECT_MS), 'never exceeds max');
+  assert.strictEqual(seq[seq.length - 1], 30000, 'settles at the cap');
+});
+
+test('exposes sane constants', () => {
+  assert.strictEqual(MIN_RECONNECT_MS, 500);
+  assert.strictEqual(MAX_RECONNECT_MS, 30000);
+  assert(TOMBSTONE_AFTER_MS >= 5000, 'tombstone grace is at least a few seconds');
+});
+
+console.log('\n--- Wiring (source) ---');
+
+test('reflects all three connection states', () => {
+  assert(/Connected/.test(src) && /Reconnecting/.test(src) && /Disconnected/.test(src),
+    'should set Connected / Reconnecting / Disconnected status');
+  assert(src.includes("setProperty('--status-color'"), 'drives the status dot via --status-color');
+});
+
+test('renders a tombstone overlay when paused', () => {
+  assert(src.includes('bs-tombstone'), 'creates the tombstone element');
+  assert(/Companion paused/.test(src), 'tombstone explains the companion paused');
+});
+
+test('hardens reconnection (onerror, null socket, clears pending timer)', () => {
+  assert(src.includes('onerror'), 'handles onerror');
+  assert(/ws = null/.test(src), 'nulls the socket on close so sendEvent queues');
+  assert(src.includes('clearTimeout'), 'clears a pending reconnect before scheduling another');
+  assert(src.includes('nextReconnectDelay'), 'uses exponential backoff for reconnects');
+});
+
+test('reloads on recovery and on reload messages', () => {
+  assert(/location\.reload\(\)/.test(src), 'reloads to pick up restarted/updated content');
+});
+
+console.log('\n--- Reconnect state machine (mocked browser) ---');
+
+// Drive helper.js's browser code against mocked DOM/WebSocket/timers/clock so we
+// can exercise the actual reconnect/status/tombstone behaviour, not just grep it.
+function makeEnv() {
+  const state = { now: 1000, timers: [], reloads: 0, replacements: [], appended: [], sessionKey: 'stored-key-abc' };
+  const sockets = [];
+  const statusEl = { textContent: '', style: { setProperty() {} } };
+  class FakeWS {
+    constructor(url) { this.url = url; this.readyState = 0; this.onopen = this.onclose = this.onmessage = this.onerror = null; sockets.push(this); }
+    send() {}
+    close() { this.readyState = 3; if (this.onclose) this.onclose(); }
+    open() { this.readyState = 1; if (this.onopen) this.onopen(); }
+  }
+  FakeWS.OPEN = 1;
+  const env = {
+    module: { exports: {} },
+    window: {
+      location: {
+        host: 'localhost:7777',
+        reload() { state.reloads++; },
+        replace(url) { state.replacements.push(url); }
+      },
+      sessionStorage: { getItem: (key) => key === 'brainstorm-session-key' ? state.sessionKey : null }
+    },
+    document: {
+      querySelector: (s) => s === '.status' ? statusEl : null,
+      getElementById: () => null,
+      createElement: () => ({ style: {}, id: '' }),
+      addEventListener() {},
+      body: { appendChild: (el) => state.appended.push(el) }
+    },
+    WebSocket: FakeWS,
+    setTimeout: (fn, ms) => { state.timers.push({ fn, ms, fired: false, cleared: false }); return state.timers.length; },
+    clearTimeout: (id) => { if (state.timers[id - 1]) state.timers[id - 1].cleared = true; },
+    Date: { now: () => state.now },
+    console
+  };
+  return {
+    state, statusEl, sockets,
+    boot() { new Function(...Object.keys(env), src)(...Object.values(env)); },
+    advance(ms) { state.now += ms; },
+    last() { return sockets[sockets.length - 1]; },
+    fireReconnect() {
+      const t = [...state.timers].reverse().find(x => !x.fired && !x.cleared);
+      if (!t) throw new Error('no reconnect scheduled');
+      t.fired = true; t.fn();
+    }
+  };
+}
+
+test('uses sessionStorage key in the WebSocket URL when present', () => {
+  const e = makeEnv();
+  e.state.sessionKey = 'stored-key-abc';
+  e.boot();
+  assert.strictEqual(e.sockets[0].url, 'ws://localhost:7777/?key=stored-key-abc');
+});
+
+test('uses cookie-only WebSocket URL when no sessionStorage key is present', () => {
+  const e = makeEnv();
+  e.state.sessionKey = null;
+  e.boot();
+  assert.strictEqual(e.sockets[0].url, 'ws://localhost:7777');
+});
+
+test('on disconnect shows Reconnecting and schedules a 500ms reconnect', () => {
+  const e = makeEnv(); e.boot();
+  e.last().open();
+  assert.strictEqual(e.statusEl.textContent, 'Connected');
+  e.last().close();
+  assert.strictEqual(e.statusEl.textContent, 'Reconnecting…');
+  assert.strictEqual(e.state.timers[e.state.timers.length - 1].ms, 500);
+});
+
+test('reconnect delay backs off 500 -> 1000 -> 2000', () => {
+  const e = makeEnv(); e.boot();
+  e.last().open(); e.last().close();
+  e.fireReconnect(); e.last().close();
+  e.fireReconnect(); e.last().close();
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(e.state.timers.map(t => t.ms).slice(0, 3), [500, 1000, 2000]);
+});
+
+test('shows the tombstone and Disconnected after the grace period', () => {
+  const e = makeEnv(); e.boot();
+  e.last().open(); e.last().close();
+  e.advance(20000);          // past TOMBSTONE_AFTER_MS while still down
+  e.fireReconnect(); e.last().close();
+  assert.strictEqual(e.statusEl.textContent, 'Disconnected');
+  assert.strictEqual(e.state.appended.length, 1, 'tombstone appended exactly once');
+});
+
+test('rebootstraps with stored key when a tombstoned connection comes back', () => {
+  const e = makeEnv(); e.boot();
+  e.last().open(); e.last().close();
+  e.advance(20000); e.fireReconnect(); e.last().close(); // tombstone now shown
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(e.state.replacements, []);
+  e.fireReconnect(); e.last().open();                    // server back (e.g. same-port restart)
+  assert.strictEqual(e.state.reloads, 0, 'stored-key recovery should not reload bare /');
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(e.state.replacements, ['/?key=stored-key-abc']);
+});
+
+test('reloads to recover when tombstoned and no sessionStorage key is present', () => {
+  const e = makeEnv();
+  e.state.sessionKey = null;
+  e.boot();
+  e.last().open(); e.last().close();
+  e.advance(20000); e.fireReconnect(); e.last().close(); // tombstone now shown
+  assert.strictEqual(e.state.reloads, 0);
+  e.fireReconnect(); e.last().open();                    // server back (e.g. cookie-only page)
+  assert.strictEqual(e.state.reloads, 1, 'reloads once on recovery');
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(e.state.replacements, []);
+});
+
+console.log(`\n--- Results: ${passed} passed, ${failed} failed ---`);
+if (failed > 0) process.exit(1);

tests/brainstorm-server/lifecycle.test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,515 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for the brainstorm server's lifecycle (idle timeout + shutdown).
+ *
+ * - The idle timeout is configurable (default 4h) and reported in server-info.
+ * - Idle shutdown must close any open WebSocket so the process actually exits,
+ *   not hang on a lingering connection.
+ * - start-server.sh exposes the timeout via --idle-timeout-minutes.
+ *
+ * Uses the `ws` npm package as a test client (test-only dependency).
+ */
+
+const { spawn, execFileSync } = require('child_process');
+const WebSocket = require('ws');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+const assert = require('assert');
+
+const SERVER = path.join(__dirname, '../../skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs');
+const START = path.join(__dirname, '../../skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh');
+const STOP = path.join(__dirname, '../../skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh');
+const sleep = ms => new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, ms));
+
+function waitForExit(child, timeoutMs = 2000) {
+  if (child.exitCode !== null || child.signalCode !== null) return Promise.resolve(true);
+  return new Promise(resolve => {
+    let settled = false;
+    const finish = (exited) => {
+      if (settled) return;
+      settled = true;
+      resolve(exited);
+    };
+    child.once('exit', () => finish(true));
+    setTimeout(() => finish(false), timeoutMs);
+  });
+}
+
+async function killAndWait(child, timeoutMs = 2000) {
+  if (!child || child.exitCode !== null || child.signalCode !== null) return true;
+  const exited = waitForExit(child, timeoutMs);
+  child.kill();
+  if (await exited) return true;
+
+  child.kill('SIGKILL');
+  return waitForExit(child, 500);
+}
+
+async function waitForFile(file, timeoutMs = 3000) {
+  const deadline = Date.now() + timeoutMs;
+  while (Date.now() < deadline) {
+    if (fs.existsSync(file)) return true;
+    await sleep(50);
+  }
+  return fs.existsSync(file);
+}
+
+function firstServerStarted(out) {
+  return JSON.parse(out.trim().split('\n').find(l => l.includes('server-started')));
+}
+
+function openCaptureCommand(dir, marker) {
+  const scriptPath = path.resolve(dir, 'capture-open.cjs');
+  const markerPath = path.resolve(marker);
+  fs.writeFileSync(scriptPath,
+    "const fs = require('fs');\n" +
+    "fs.appendFileSync(process.argv[2], process.argv[3] + '\\n');\n");
+  return `node ${JSON.stringify(scriptPath)} ${JSON.stringify(markerPath)}`;
+}
+
+function httpStatus(port, key) {
+  return new Promise(resolve => {
+    const pathWithKey = key ? '/?key=' + encodeURIComponent(key) : '/';
+    require('http')
+      .get({ hostname: '127.0.0.1', port, path: pathWithKey }, res => {
+        res.resume();
+        resolve(res.statusCode);
+      })
+      .on('error', () => resolve(0));
+  });
+}
+
+function isWindowsLikeShell() {
+  return process.platform === 'win32' ||
+    /^msys|^cygwin|^mingw/i.test(process.env.OSTYPE || '') ||
+    !!process.env.MSYSTEM;
+}
+
+async function waitForStartedOutput(child, timeoutMs = 5000) {
+  let stdout = '';
+  let stderr = '';
+  child.stdout.on('data', d => { stdout += d.toString(); });
+  child.stderr.on('data', d => { stderr += d.toString(); });
+
+  const deadline = Date.now() + timeoutMs;
+  while (Date.now() < deadline && !stdout.includes('server-started') && child.exitCode === null) {
+    await sleep(50);
+  }
+
+  if (!stdout.includes('server-started')) {
+    throw new Error(`start-server.sh did not report server-started. exit=${child.exitCode} stdout=${stdout} stderr=${stderr}`);
+  }
+  return stdout;
+}
+
+function makeShellTempDir(prefix) {
+  return execFileSync('bash', ['-lc', `mktemp -d "\${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/${prefix}-XXXXXX"`], { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim();
+}
+
+function removeShellPath(p) {
+  execFileSync('bash', ['-lc', 'rm -rf "$1"', 'bash', p], { stdio: 'ignore' });
+}
+
+function newestSessionDir(projectDir) {
+  const sessionDir = execFileSync('bash', [
+    '-lc',
+    'find "$1/.superpowers/brainstorm" -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d -print | sort | tail -1',
+    'bash',
+    projectDir
+  ], { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim();
+  assert(sessionDir, `expected at least one session dir under ${projectDir}/.superpowers/brainstorm`);
+  return sessionDir;
+}
+
+async function runTests() {
+  let passed = 0, failed = 0;
+  async function test(name, fn) {
+    try { await fn(); console.log(`  PASS: ${name}`); passed++; }
+    catch (e) { console.log(`  FAIL: ${name}`); console.log(`    ${e.message}`); failed++; }
+  }
+
+  await test('server-info reports the configured idle_timeout_ms', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-life-');
+    const srv = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT: 3401, BRAINSTORM_DIR: dir, BRAINSTORM_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS: 1234567 } });
+    let out = ''; srv.stdout.on('data', d => out += d.toString());
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !out.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+    try {
+      const info = firstServerStarted(out);
+      assert.strictEqual(info.idle_timeout_ms, 1234567, 'idle_timeout_ms should reflect the env override');
+    } finally {
+      await killAndWait(srv);
+      fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  await test('idle shutdown closes an open WebSocket and the process exits', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-life-');
+    const srv = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT: 3402, BRAINSTORM_DIR: dir, BRAINSTORM_TOKEN: 'lifetoken', BRAINSTORM_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS: 200, BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100 } });
+    let out = ''; srv.stdout.on('data', d => out += d.toString());
+    let exited = false, code = null; srv.on('exit', c => { exited = true; code = c; });
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !out.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+
+    const ws = new WebSocket('ws://localhost:3402/?key=lifetoken');
+    await new Promise((res, rej) => { ws.on('open', res); ws.on('error', rej); });
+
+    // 200ms idle, checked every 100ms — should shut down and exit well within 4s,
+    // *despite* the open WS, only if shutdown() closes client sockets.
+    for (let i = 0; i < 40 && !exited; i++) await sleep(100);
+
+    try {
+      assert(exited, 'process must exit after idle shutdown even with an open WebSocket');
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0, 'should exit cleanly (0)');
+      assert(fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, 'state', 'server-stopped')), 'should write server-stopped');
+    } finally {
+      try { ws.close(); } catch (e) {}
+      if (!exited) await killAndWait(srv);
+      fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  await test('start-server.sh --idle-timeout-minutes sets the timeout', async () => {
+    const dir = makeShellTempDir('bs-life');
+    let info = null;
+    let startProcess = null;
+    let sessionDir = null;
+    try {
+      if (isWindowsLikeShell()) {
+        startProcess = spawn('bash', [START, '--project-dir', dir, '--idle-timeout-minutes', '5']);
+        info = firstServerStarted(await waitForStartedOutput(startProcess));
+      } else {
+        const out = execFileSync('bash', [START, '--project-dir', dir, '--idle-timeout-minutes', '5', '--background'], { encoding: 'utf8' });
+        info = firstServerStarted(out);
+      }
+      sessionDir = newestSessionDir(dir);
+      assert.strictEqual(info.idle_timeout_ms, 5 * 60 * 1000, '5 minutes -> 300000 ms');
+    } finally {
+      if (sessionDir) execFileSync('bash', [STOP, sessionDir], { stdio: 'ignore' });
+      if (startProcess && !await waitForExit(startProcess, 3000)) {
+        await killAndWait(startProcess);
+      }
+      removeShellPath(dir);
+    }
+  });
+
+  await test('server-started URL brackets IPv6 URL hosts', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-ipv6-url-');
+    const srv = spawn('node', [SERVER], {
+      env: {
+        ...process.env,
+        BRAINSTORM_PORT: 3421,
+        BRAINSTORM_HOST: '127.0.0.1',
+        BRAINSTORM_URL_HOST: '::1',
+        BRAINSTORM_TOKEN: 'ipv6token',
+        BRAINSTORM_DIR: dir,
+        BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000
+      }
+    });
+    let out = ''; srv.stdout.on('data', d => out += d.toString());
+    try {
+      for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !out.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+      const info = firstServerStarted(out);
+      assert.strictEqual(info.url, 'http://[::1]:3421/?key=ipv6token');
+    } finally {
+      await killAndWait(srv);
+      fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  await test('persists the bound port AND key, and restores both on restart', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-port-');
+    const portFile = path.join(dir, '.last-port');
+    const tokenFile = path.join(dir, '.last-token');
+    const env = { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT_FILE: portFile, BRAINSTORM_TOKEN_FILE: tokenFile, BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000 };
+
+    const a = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...env, BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 's1') } });
+    let outA = ''; a.stdout.on('data', d => outA += d.toString());
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outA.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+    const infoA = firstServerStarted(outA);
+    const keyA = new URL(infoA.url).searchParams.get('key');
+    assert(fs.existsSync(portFile) && fs.existsSync(tokenFile), 'should write the port and token files');
+    const exitedA = waitForExit(a);
+    a.kill();
+    assert(await exitedA, 'first server should exit before restart binds its port');
+
+    const b = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...env, BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 's2') } });
+    let outB = ''; b.stdout.on('data', d => outB += d.toString());
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outB.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+    const infoB = firstServerStarted(outB);
+    const keyB = new URL(infoB.url).searchParams.get('key');
+    await killAndWait(b);
+    fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+
+    assert.strictEqual(infoB.port, infoA.port, 'restart should reuse the same port');
+    // Same key too — otherwise the open tab's cookie would 403 against the restart.
+    assert.strictEqual(keyB, keyA, 'restart should reuse the same session key');
+  });
+
+  await test('hardens existing persisted token file permissions', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-token-mode-');
+    const portFile = path.join(dir, '.last-port');
+    const tokenFile = path.join(dir, '.last-token');
+    const token = 'efefefefefefefefefefefefefefefef';
+    let srv = null;
+
+    try {
+      fs.writeFileSync(tokenFile, token, { mode: 0o644 });
+      fs.chmodSync(tokenFile, 0o644);
+      srv = spawn('node', [SERVER], {
+        env: {
+          ...process.env,
+          BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 's1'),
+          BRAINSTORM_PORT_FILE: portFile,
+          BRAINSTORM_TOKEN_FILE: tokenFile,
+          BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000
+        }
+      });
+      let out = ''; srv.stdout.on('data', d => out += d.toString());
+      for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !out.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+      assert(out.includes('server-started'), 'server should start with persisted token');
+
+      if (process.platform !== 'win32') {
+        const mode = fs.statSync(tokenFile).mode & 0o777;
+        assert.strictEqual(mode, 0o600, `.last-token mode should be 0600, got ${mode.toString(8)}`);
+      } else {
+        assert(fs.existsSync(tokenFile), 'token file should remain present on Windows');
+      }
+    } finally {
+      await killAndWait(srv);
+      fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  await test('stored key can authenticate WebSocket after same-port restart', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-reconnect-');
+    const portFile = path.join(dir, '.last-port');
+    const tokenFile = path.join(dir, '.last-token');
+    const env = { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT_FILE: portFile, BRAINSTORM_TOKEN_FILE: tokenFile, BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000 };
+    let a = null, b = null, ws = null;
+
+    try {
+      a = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...env, BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 's1') } });
+      let outA = ''; a.stdout.on('data', d => outA += d.toString());
+      for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outA.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+      const infoA = firstServerStarted(outA);
+      const keyA = new URL(infoA.url).searchParams.get('key');
+      const exitedA = waitForExit(a);
+      a.kill();
+      assert(await exitedA, 'first server should exit before restart binds its port');
+      a = null;
+
+      b = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...env, BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 's2') } });
+      let outB = ''; b.stdout.on('data', d => outB += d.toString());
+      for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outB.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+      const infoB = firstServerStarted(outB);
+
+      ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${infoB.port}/?key=${keyA}`, {
+        headers: { Origin: `http://localhost:${infoB.port}` }
+      });
+      const opened = await new Promise(resolve => {
+        ws.on('open', () => resolve(true));
+        ws.on('error', () => resolve(false));
+        setTimeout(() => resolve(false), 1500);
+      });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(infoB.port, infoA.port, 'restart should reuse same port');
+      assert(opened, 'stored key should authenticate WS after restart');
+    } finally {
+      try { if (ws) ws.close(); } catch (e) {}
+      await killAndWait(a);
+      await killAndWait(b);
+      fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  await test('falls back to a random port when the preferred port is taken', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-port-');
+    const portFile = path.join(dir, '.last-port');
+
+    const a = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 'a'), BRAINSTORM_PORT: 3415, BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000 } });
+    let outA = ''; a.stdout.on('data', d => outA += d.toString());
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outA.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+
+    fs.writeFileSync(portFile, '3415'); // preferred port, but it's taken by A
+    const b = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 'b'), BRAINSTORM_PORT_FILE: portFile, BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000 } });
+    let outB = ''; b.stdout.on('data', d => outB += d.toString());
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outB.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+    const portB = firstServerStarted(outB).port;
+    const persisted = fs.readFileSync(portFile, 'utf8').trim();
+
+    await killAndWait(a);
+    await killAndWait(b);
+    fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+
+    assert.notStrictEqual(portB, 3415, 'must not bind the already-taken port');
+    assert(portB >= 49152, 'should fall back to a random high port');
+    // The fallback must NOT clobber the shared port file — A still owns 3415 and
+    // its open tab must keep reconnecting there.
+    assert.strictEqual(persisted, '3415', 'fallback must not overwrite .last-port');
+  });
+
+  await test('fallback with persisted token generates a fresh unpersisted key', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-port-');
+    const portFile = path.join(dir, '.last-port');
+    const tokenFile = path.join(dir, '.last-token');
+    const preferredToken = 'abababababababababababababababab';
+    let a = null, b = null;
+
+    try {
+      a = spawn('node', [SERVER], {
+        env: {
+          ...process.env,
+          BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 'a'),
+          BRAINSTORM_PORT: 3422,
+          BRAINSTORM_TOKEN: preferredToken,
+          BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000
+        }
+      });
+      let outA = ''; a.stdout.on('data', d => outA += d.toString());
+      for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outA.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+      assert(outA.includes('server-started'), 'preferred-port server should start');
+
+      fs.writeFileSync(portFile, '3422');
+      fs.writeFileSync(tokenFile, preferredToken, { mode: 0o600 });
+
+      b = spawn('node', [SERVER], {
+        env: {
+          ...process.env,
+          BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 'b'),
+          BRAINSTORM_PORT_FILE: portFile,
+          BRAINSTORM_TOKEN_FILE: tokenFile,
+          BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000
+        }
+      });
+      let outB = ''; b.stdout.on('data', d => outB += d.toString());
+      for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outB.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+      const infoB = firstServerStarted(outB);
+      const fallbackKey = new URL(infoB.url).searchParams.get('key');
+      const persistedAfter = fs.readFileSync(tokenFile, 'utf8').trim();
+      const originalStatus = await httpStatus(3422, fallbackKey);
+
+      assert.notStrictEqual(infoB.port, 3422, 'fallback should use a different port');
+      assert.notStrictEqual(fallbackKey, preferredToken, 'fallback must not reuse persisted key');
+      assert.strictEqual(persistedAfter, preferredToken, 'fallback must not overwrite .last-token');
+      assert.strictEqual(originalStatus, 403, 'fallback key must not authenticate to original server');
+    } finally {
+      await killAndWait(a);
+      await killAndWait(b);
+      fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  await test('fallback with explicit BRAINSTORM_TOKEN fails closed', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-port-');
+    const portFile = path.join(dir, '.last-port');
+    const explicitToken = 'cdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcd';
+    let a = null, b = null;
+
+    try {
+      a = spawn('node', [SERVER], {
+        env: {
+          ...process.env,
+          BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 'a'),
+          BRAINSTORM_PORT: 3423,
+          BRAINSTORM_TOKEN: explicitToken,
+          BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000
+        }
+      });
+      let outA = ''; a.stdout.on('data', d => outA += d.toString());
+      for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outA.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+      assert(outA.includes('server-started'), 'preferred-port server should start');
+
+      fs.writeFileSync(portFile, '3423');
+      b = spawn('node', [SERVER], {
+        env: {
+          ...process.env,
+          BRAINSTORM_DIR: path.join(dir, 'b'),
+          BRAINSTORM_PORT_FILE: portFile,
+          BRAINSTORM_TOKEN: explicitToken,
+          BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000
+        }
+      });
+      let outB = ''; let errB = '';
+      b.stdout.on('data', d => outB += d.toString());
+      b.stderr.on('data', d => errB += d.toString());
+      for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !outB.includes('server-started') && b.exitCode === null; i++) await sleep(50);
+      const exited = await waitForExit(b, 1500);
+
+      assert(exited, 'explicit-token fallback process should exit');
+      assert.notStrictEqual(b.exitCode, 0, 'explicit-token fallback should fail non-zero');
+      assert(!outB.includes('server-started'), 'explicit-token fallback must not start on a random port');
+      assert(/BRAINSTORM_TOKEN/.test(errB), `stderr should explain explicit token fallback refusal, got: ${errB}`);
+    } finally {
+      await killAndWait(a);
+      await killAndWait(b);
+      fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  await test('auto-opens the browser once, on the first screen', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-open-');
+    const marker = path.join(dir, 'opened.log');
+    const openCmd = openCaptureCommand(dir, marker); // capture the launch instead of opening a browser
+    const srv = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT: 3417, BRAINSTORM_DIR: dir, BRAINSTORM_OPEN: '1', BRAINSTORM_OPEN_CMD: openCmd, BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000 } });
+    let out = ''; srv.stdout.on('data', d => out += d.toString());
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !out.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+
+    // First screen, with no browser connected -> should auto-open.
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(dir, 'content', 'first.html'), '<h2>First</h2>');
+    await waitForFile(marker);
+    // Second screen -> must NOT open again.
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(dir, 'content', 'second.html'), '<h2>Second</h2>');
+    await sleep(700);
+
+    const lines = fs.existsSync(marker) ? fs.readFileSync(marker, 'utf8').trim().split('\n').filter(Boolean) : [];
+    // The opened URL must carry the key AND be reachable — a keyless URL hits 403.
+    let status = 0;
+    if (lines[0]) {
+      status = await new Promise(r => require('http').get(lines[0], res => { res.resume(); r(res.statusCode); }).on('error', () => r(0)));
+    }
+    await killAndWait(srv);
+    fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+
+    assert.strictEqual(lines.length, 1, 'should open exactly once');
+    assert(lines[0].includes('3417'), `should open the server URL, got: ${lines[0]}`);
+    assert(/[?&]key=/.test(lines[0]), `opened URL must carry the session key, got: ${lines[0]}`);
+    assert.strictEqual(status, 200, 'the opened URL must be reachable (valid key), not the 403 page');
+  });
+
+  await test('does NOT auto-open unless approved (BRAINSTORM_OPEN unset)', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-open-');
+    const marker = path.join(dir, 'opened.log');
+    const openCmd = openCaptureCommand(dir, marker);
+    // BRAINSTORM_OPEN intentionally NOT set — auto-open must stay off.
+    const srv = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT: 3418, BRAINSTORM_DIR: dir, BRAINSTORM_OPEN_CMD: openCmd, BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100000 } });
+    let out = ''; srv.stdout.on('data', d => out += d.toString());
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !out.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(dir, 'content', 'first.html'), '<h2>First</h2>');
+    await sleep(700);
+    await killAndWait(srv);
+    const opened = fs.existsSync(marker);
+    fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    assert(!opened, 'must not open the browser without explicit approval');
+  });
+
+  await test('unauthenticated requests do not defeat the idle timeout', async () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync('/tmp/bs-life-');
+    const srv = spawn('node', [SERVER], { env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT: 3419, BRAINSTORM_DIR: dir, BRAINSTORM_TOKEN: 'authtok', BRAINSTORM_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS: 400, BRAINSTORM_LIFECYCLE_CHECK_MS: 100 } });
+    let out = ''; srv.stdout.on('data', d => out += d.toString());
+    let exited = false; srv.on('exit', () => { exited = true; });
+    for (let i = 0; i < 60 && !out.includes('server-started'); i++) await sleep(50);
+
+    // Flood with UNAUTHENTICATED (keyless → 403) requests. These must NOT count
+    // as activity, so the idle timeout still fires and the process exits.
+    const hammer = setInterval(() => { require('http').get('http://localhost:3419/', r => r.resume()).on('error', () => {}); }, 60);
+    for (let i = 0; i < 40 && !exited; i++) await sleep(100);
+    clearInterval(hammer);
+    if (!exited) await killAndWait(srv);
+    fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+
+    assert(exited, 'idle shutdown must still fire despite a flood of unauthenticated requests');
+  });
+
+  console.log(`\n--- Results: ${passed} passed, ${failed} failed ---`);
+  if (failed > 0) process.exit(1);
+}
+
+runTests().catch(err => { console.error('Test failed:', err); process.exit(1); });

tests/brainstorm-server/package.json

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "brainstorm-server-tests",
   "version": "1.0.0",
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "node server.test.js"
+    "test": "node ws-protocol.test.js && node helper.test.js && node browser-launcher.test.js && node auth.test.js && node server.test.js && node lifecycle.test.js && bash start-server.test.sh && bash stop-server.test.sh"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "ws": "^8.19.0"

tests/brainstorm-server/server.test.js

@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ const TEST_PORT = 3334;
 const TEST_DIR = '/tmp/brainstorm-test';
 const CONTENT_DIR = path.join(TEST_DIR, 'content');
 const STATE_DIR = path.join(TEST_DIR, 'state');
+// Fixed session key so the test client can authenticate (see auth.test.js for
+// the security behavior itself; here we just need authorized requests).
+const TOKEN = 'testtoken-server-0123456789abcdef';
 
 function cleanup() {
   if (fs.existsSync(TEST_DIR)) {
@@ -33,7 +36,8 @@ async function sleep(ms) {
 
 async function fetch(url) {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    http.get(url, (res) => {
+    const headers = { Cookie: `brainstorm-key-${TEST_PORT}=${TOKEN}` };
+    http.get(url, { headers }, (res) => {
       let data = '';
       res.on('data', chunk => data += chunk);
       res.on('end', () => resolve({
@@ -47,7 +51,7 @@ async function fetch(url) {
 
 function startServer() {
   return spawn('node', [SERVER_PATH], {
-    env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT: TEST_PORT, BRAINSTORM_DIR: TEST_DIR }
+    env: { ...process.env, BRAINSTORM_PORT: TEST_PORT, BRAINSTORM_DIR: TEST_DIR, BRAINSTORM_TOKEN: TOKEN }
   });
 }
 
@@ -69,6 +73,43 @@ async function waitForServer(server) {
   });
 }
 
+class SkipTest extends Error {
+  constructor(message) {
+    super(message);
+    this.skip = true;
+  }
+}
+
+function skip(message) {
+  throw new SkipTest(message);
+}
+
+function serverStartedMessage(out) {
+  const line = out.trim().split('\n').find(l => l.includes('server-started'));
+  assert(line, 'server-started JSON should be present');
+  return JSON.parse(line);
+}
+
+function assertStartedOnExpectedPort(out) {
+  const msg = serverStartedMessage(out);
+  assert.strictEqual(
+    msg.port,
+    TEST_PORT,
+    `server.test.js expected fixed port ${TEST_PORT}, got ${msg.port}; fixed-port tests must not run through fallback`
+  );
+  return msg;
+}
+
+function ensureSymlinkWorks(target, link) {
+  try {
+    fs.symlinkSync(target, link);
+    fs.unlinkSync(link);
+  } catch (e) {
+    try { fs.unlinkSync(link); } catch (ignore) {}
+    skip(`symlink creation unavailable on this host: ${e.message}`);
+  }
+}
+
 async function runTests() {
   cleanup();
 
@@ -76,15 +117,22 @@ async function runTests() {
   let stdoutAccum = '';
   server.stdout.on('data', (data) => { stdoutAccum += data.toString(); });
 
-  const { stdout: initialStdout } = await waitForServer(server);
+  let initialStdout = '';
   let passed = 0;
   let failed = 0;
+  let skipped = 0;
 
   function test(name, fn) {
     return fn().then(() => {
       console.log(`  PASS: ${name}`);
       passed++;
     }).catch(e => {
+      if (e.skip) {
+        console.log(`  SKIP: ${name}`);
+        console.log(`    ${e.message}`);
+        skipped++;
+        return;
+      }
       console.log(`  FAIL: ${name}`);
       console.log(`    ${e.message}`);
       failed++;
@@ -92,11 +140,15 @@ async function runTests() {
   }
 
   try {
+    const { stdout } = await waitForServer(server);
+    initialStdout = stdout;
+    assertStartedOnExpectedPort(initialStdout);
+
     // ========== Server Startup ==========
     console.log('\n--- Server Startup ---');
 
     await test('outputs server-started JSON on startup', () => {
-      const msg = JSON.parse(initialStdout.trim());
+      const msg = serverStartedMessage(initialStdout);
       assert.strictEqual(msg.type, 'server-started');
       assert.strictEqual(msg.port, TEST_PORT);
       assert(msg.url, 'Should include URL');
@@ -179,6 +231,95 @@ async function runTests() {
       assert(!res.body.includes('"not"'), 'Should not serve JSON');
     });
 
+    await test('ignores macOS resource-fork dotfiles (._*.html) when serving', async () => {
+      // On macOS/ExFAT/SMB, the OS writes ._name.html sidecar files holding
+      // binary metadata. They end with .html but must never be served as a screen.
+      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(CONTENT_DIR, 'real-screen.html'), '<h2>Real Screen Content</h2>');
+      await sleep(100);
+      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(CONTENT_DIR, '._real-screen.html'), 'Mac OS X resource fork garbage');
+      await sleep(300);
+
+      const res = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/`);
+      assert(res.body.includes('Real Screen Content'), 'should serve the real screen, not the newer ._ sidecar');
+      assert(!res.body.includes('resource fork garbage'), 'must not serve ._*.html dotfile content');
+    });
+
+    await test('does not serve dotfiles via /files/', async () => {
+      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(CONTENT_DIR, '._secret.html'), 'dotfile body should not be served');
+      const res = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/files/._secret.html`);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 404, '/files/ must 404 on dotfiles');
+    });
+
+    await test('GET /files/ (empty name) returns 404 and does not crash the server', async () => {
+      const res = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/files/`);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 404, '/files/ (the content dir) must 404, not EISDIR-crash');
+      // The server must still be alive afterward.
+      const alive = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/`);
+      assert.strictEqual(alive.status, 200, 'server must survive a /files/ request');
+    });
+
+    await test('does not serve symlinks that escape content dir via /files/', async () => {
+      const target = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'server-info');
+      const link = path.join(CONTENT_DIR, 'linked-server-info.txt');
+      try { fs.unlinkSync(link); } catch (e) {}
+      ensureSymlinkWorks(target, link);
+      fs.symlinkSync(target, link);
+
+      const res = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/files/linked-server-info.txt`);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 404, 'symlink to state/server-info must not be served');
+      assert(!res.body.includes('server-started'), 'response must not include server-info body');
+    });
+
+    await test('does not serve hard links to files outside content dir via /files/', async () => {
+      const target = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'server-info');
+      const link = path.join(CONTENT_DIR, 'hard-linked-server-info.txt');
+      try { fs.unlinkSync(link); } catch (e) {}
+      fs.linkSync(target, link);
+
+      const res = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/files/hard-linked-server-info.txt`);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 404, 'hard link to state/server-info must not be served');
+      assert(!res.body.includes('server-started'), 'response must not include server-info body');
+    });
+
+    await test('does not serve symlinks that escape content dir via root screen selection', async () => {
+      const target = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'server-info');
+      const link = path.join(CONTENT_DIR, 'root-linked-server-info.html');
+      try { fs.unlinkSync(link); } catch (e) {}
+      ensureSymlinkWorks(target, link);
+      fs.symlinkSync(target, link);
+      const future = new Date(Date.now() + 2000);
+      fs.utimesSync(target, future, future);
+      await sleep(300);
+
+      const res = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/`);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      assert(!res.body.includes('"type":"server-started"'), 'root screen must not serve state/server-info through a symlink');
+      assert(!res.body.includes('"state_dir"'), 'root screen must not include server-info body');
+    });
+
+    await test('does not serve hard links that escape content dir via root screen selection', async () => {
+      const target = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'server-info');
+      const link = path.join(CONTENT_DIR, 'root-hard-linked-server-info.html');
+      try { fs.unlinkSync(link); } catch (e) {}
+      try {
+        fs.linkSync(target, link);
+      } catch (e) {
+        skip(`hardlink creation unavailable on this host: ${e.message}`);
+      }
+      const linkStat = fs.lstatSync(link);
+      if (linkStat.nlink <= 1) {
+        skip(`hardlink nlink did not expose multiple links: ${linkStat.nlink}`);
+      }
+      const future = new Date(Date.now() + 3000);
+      fs.utimesSync(target, future, future);
+      await sleep(300);
+
+      const res = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/`);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+      assert(!res.body.includes('"type":"server-started"'), 'root screen must not serve state/server-info through a hardlink');
+      assert(!res.body.includes('"state_dir"'), 'root screen must not include server-info body');
+    });
+
     await test('returns 404 for non-root paths', async () => {
       const res = await fetch(`http://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/other`);
       assert.strictEqual(res.status, 404);
@@ -188,7 +329,7 @@ async function runTests() {
     console.log('\n--- WebSocket Communication ---');
 
     await test('accepts WebSocket upgrade on /', async () => {
-      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
         ws.on('open', resolve);
         ws.on('error', reject);
@@ -198,7 +339,7 @@ async function runTests() {
 
     await test('relays user events to stdout with source field', async () => {
       stdoutAccum = '';
-      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await new Promise(resolve => ws.on('open', resolve));
 
       ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'click', text: 'Test Button' }));
@@ -214,7 +355,7 @@ async function runTests() {
       const eventsFile = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'events');
       if (fs.existsSync(eventsFile)) fs.unlinkSync(eventsFile);
 
-      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await new Promise(resolve => ws.on('open', resolve));
 
       ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'click', choice: 'b', text: 'Option B' }));
@@ -232,7 +373,7 @@ async function runTests() {
       const eventsFile = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'events');
       if (fs.existsSync(eventsFile)) fs.unlinkSync(eventsFile);
 
-      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await new Promise(resolve => ws.on('open', resolve));
 
       ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'hover', text: 'Something' }));
@@ -244,8 +385,8 @@ async function runTests() {
     });
 
     await test('handles multiple concurrent WebSocket clients', async () => {
-      const ws1 = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
-      const ws2 = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws1 = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
+      const ws2 = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await Promise.all([
         new Promise(resolve => ws1.on('open', resolve)),
         new Promise(resolve => ws2.on('open', resolve))
@@ -270,7 +411,7 @@ async function runTests() {
     });
 
     await test('cleans up closed clients from broadcast list', async () => {
-      const ws1 = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws1 = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await new Promise(resolve => ws1.on('open', resolve));
       ws1.close();
       await sleep(100);
@@ -282,7 +423,7 @@ async function runTests() {
     });
 
     await test('handles malformed JSON from client gracefully', async () => {
-      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await new Promise(resolve => ws.on('open', resolve));
 
       // Send invalid JSON — server should not crash
@@ -299,7 +440,7 @@ async function runTests() {
     console.log('\n--- File Watching ---');
 
     await test('sends reload on new .html file', async () => {
-      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await new Promise(resolve => ws.on('open', resolve));
 
       let gotReload = false;
@@ -319,7 +460,7 @@ async function runTests() {
       fs.writeFileSync(filePath, '<h2>Original</h2>');
       await sleep(500);
 
-      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await new Promise(resolve => ws.on('open', resolve));
 
       let gotReload = false;
@@ -335,7 +476,7 @@ async function runTests() {
     });
 
     await test('does NOT send reload for non-.html files', async () => {
-      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}`);
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
       await new Promise(resolve => ws.on('open', resolve));
 
       let gotReload = false;
@@ -350,6 +491,22 @@ async function runTests() {
       ws.close();
     });
 
+    await test('does NOT send reload for ._*.html resource-fork dotfiles', async () => {
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${TEST_PORT}/?key=${TOKEN}`);
+      await new Promise(resolve => ws.on('open', resolve));
+
+      let gotReload = false;
+      ws.on('message', (data) => {
+        if (JSON.parse(data.toString()).type === 'reload') gotReload = true;
+      });
+
+      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(CONTENT_DIR, '._sidecar.html'), 'resource fork');
+      await sleep(500);
+
+      assert(!gotReload, 'a ._ dotfile appearing must not trigger a reload');
+      ws.close();
+    });
+
     await test('clears state/events on new screen', async () => {
       // Create an events file
       const eventsFile = path.join(STATE_DIR, 'events');
@@ -411,7 +568,7 @@ async function runTests() {
     });
 
     // ========== Summary ==========
-    console.log(`\n--- Results: ${passed} passed, ${failed} failed ---`);
+    console.log(`\n--- Results: ${passed} passed, ${failed} failed, ${skipped} skipped ---`);
     if (failed > 0) process.exit(1);
 
   } finally {

tests/brainstorm-server/start-server.test.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Fast tests for start-server.sh shell-only platform decisions.
+set -uo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
+REPO_ROOT="$(cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/../.." && pwd)"
+START_SCRIPT="$REPO_ROOT/skills/brainstorming/scripts/start-server.sh"
+
+TEST_DIR="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/brainstorm-start-test-$$"
+passed=0
+failed=0
+
+cleanup() {
+  rm -rf "$TEST_DIR"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+pass() {
+  echo "  PASS: $1"
+  passed=$((passed + 1))
+}
+
+fail() {
+  echo "  FAIL: $1"
+  echo "    $2"
+  failed=$((failed + 1))
+}
+
+make_fake_uname() {
+  local fake_bin="$1"
+  cat > "$fake_bin/uname" <<'EOF'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+if [[ "${1:-}" == "-s" ]]; then
+  echo "MINGW64_NT-10.0"
+else
+  /usr/bin/uname "$@"
+fi
+EOF
+  chmod +x "$fake_bin/uname"
+}
+
+echo ""
+echo "--- start-server.sh platform detection ---"
+
+mkdir -p "$TEST_DIR/fake-bin" "$TEST_DIR/project"
+make_fake_uname "$TEST_DIR/fake-bin"
+
+cat > "$TEST_DIR/fake-bin/node" <<'EOF'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+echo "CAPTURED_OWNER_PID=${BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID:-__UNSET__}"
+printf 'CAPTURED_ARGV=%s\n' "$@"
+exit 0
+EOF
+chmod +x "$TEST_DIR/fake-bin/node"
+
+captured=$(
+  PATH="$TEST_DIR/fake-bin:$PATH" \
+    MSYSTEM="" \
+    bash "$START_SCRIPT" --project-dir "$TEST_DIR/project" --foreground 2>/dev/null || true
+)
+owner_pid_value=$(echo "$captured" | grep "CAPTURED_OWNER_PID=" | head -1 | sed 's/CAPTURED_OWNER_PID=//')
+
+if [[ "$owner_pid_value" == "" || "$owner_pid_value" == "__UNSET__" ]]; then
+  pass "clears BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID when uname reports a Windows-like shell"
+else
+  fail "clears BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID when uname reports a Windows-like shell" \
+       "expected empty or unset, got '$owner_pid_value'"
+fi
+
+if echo "$captured" | grep -Eq '^CAPTURED_ARGV=--brainstorm-server-id=[A-Za-z0-9_-]{32,64}$'; then
+  pass "passes shell-safe server instance id argv"
+else
+  fail "passes shell-safe server instance id argv" \
+       "expected exact --brainstorm-server-id=<safe id> argv line, got: $captured"
+fi
+
+server_id_file=$(find "$TEST_DIR/project/.superpowers/brainstorm" -name server-instance-id -print 2>/dev/null | head -1)
+server_id_value=""
+if [[ -n "$server_id_file" ]]; then
+  server_id_value="$(tr -d '\r\n' < "$server_id_file")"
+fi
+if [[ "$server_id_value" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{32,64}$ ]]; then
+  pass "writes shell-safe server-instance-id state file"
+else
+  fail "writes shell-safe server-instance-id state file" \
+       "expected valid id in state, got '$server_id_value'"
+fi
+
+rm -rf "$TEST_DIR/project"/*
+
+cat > "$TEST_DIR/fake-bin/node" <<'EOF'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+echo "FOREGROUND_MODE=true"
+exit 0
+EOF
+chmod +x "$TEST_DIR/fake-bin/node"
+
+captured=$(
+  PATH="$TEST_DIR/fake-bin:$PATH" \
+    MSYSTEM="" \
+    bash "$START_SCRIPT" --project-dir "$TEST_DIR/project" 2>/dev/null || true
+)
+
+if echo "$captured" | grep -q "FOREGROUND_MODE=true"; then
+  pass "auto-foregrounds when uname reports a Windows-like shell"
+else
+  fail "auto-foregrounds when uname reports a Windows-like shell" \
+       "expected foreground node path, got: $captured"
+fi
+
+echo ""
+echo "--- Results: $passed passed, $failed failed ---"
+if [[ $failed -gt 0 ]]; then
+  exit 1
+fi

tests/brainstorm-server/stop-server.test.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Tests for stop-server.sh PID-ownership safety.
+#
+# A stale server.pid (e.g. after a reboot, when the kernel has recycled the PID)
+# can point at an unrelated, live process. stop-server.sh must verify the PID is
+# actually our brainstorm server before signalling it.
+
+set -u
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
+STOP="$SCRIPT_DIR/../../skills/brainstorming/scripts/stop-server.sh"
+SERVER="$SCRIPT_DIR/../../skills/brainstorming/scripts/server.cjs"
+
+PASS=0; FAIL=0
+PIDS=()
+DIRS=()
+
+cleanup() {
+  for pid in "${PIDS[@]}"; do
+    kill -9 "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+    wait "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+  done
+  for dir in "${DIRS[@]}"; do
+    rm -rf "$dir"
+  done
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+track_dir() { DIRS+=("$1"); }
+track_pid() { PIDS+=("$1"); }
+untrack_pid() {
+  local remove="$1"
+  local kept=()
+  local pid
+  for pid in "${PIDS[@]}"; do
+    [[ "$pid" == "$remove" ]] || kept+=("$pid")
+  done
+  PIDS=("${kept[@]}")
+}
+new_server_id() {
+  printf 'testid%026d\n' "$RANDOM"
+}
+
+ok() { echo "  PASS: $1"; PASS=$((PASS + 1)); }
+bad() { echo "  FAIL: $1"; echo "    $2"; FAIL=$((FAIL + 1)); }
+
+# --- Test 1: an unrelated, reused PID must NOT be killed ---
+SESS="$(mktemp -d)"; track_dir "$SESS"; mkdir -p "$SESS/state"
+sleep 600 &
+UNRELATED=$!
+track_pid "$UNRELATED"
+disown "$UNRELATED" 2>/dev/null || true
+echo "$UNRELATED" > "$SESS/state/server.pid"
+OUT="$("$STOP" "$SESS")"
+if kill -0 "$UNRELATED" 2>/dev/null; then
+  case "$OUT" in
+    *stale_pid*) ok "unrelated reused PID is left alone (stale_pid)" ;;
+    *) bad "unrelated PID survived but status was not stale_pid" "$OUT" ;;
+  esac
+else
+  bad "unrelated reused PID was KILLED" "$OUT"
+fi
+
+# --- Test 2: a real brainstorm server with matching instance id IS stopped ---
+SESS="$(mktemp -d)"; track_dir "$SESS"; mkdir -p "$SESS/content" "$SESS/state"
+SERVER_ID="$(new_server_id)"
+printf '%s\n' "$SERVER_ID" > "$SESS/state/server-instance-id"
+BRAINSTORM_DIR="$SESS" BRAINSTORM_PORT=3399 node "$SERVER" "--brainstorm-server-id=$SERVER_ID" > /dev/null 2>&1 &
+SRV=$!
+track_pid "$SRV"
+disown "$SRV" 2>/dev/null || true
+for _ in $(seq 1 40); do kill -0 "$SRV" 2>/dev/null && break; sleep 0.1; done
+sleep 0.4
+echo "$SRV" > "$SESS/state/server.pid"
+OUT="$("$STOP" "$SESS")"
+sleep 0.3
+if kill -0 "$SRV" 2>/dev/null; then
+  bad "real brainstorm server still running after stop" "$OUT"
+else
+  wait "$SRV" 2>/dev/null || true
+  untrack_pid "$SRV"
+  case "$OUT" in
+    *stopped*) ok "real brainstorm server with matching instance id is stopped" ;;
+    *) bad "server stopped but status was not 'stopped'" "$OUT" ;;
+  esac
+fi
+
+# --- Test 2b: persistent sessions stop with explicit stopped metadata ---
+SESS="$(mktemp -d "$SCRIPT_DIR/.stop-persistent.XXXXXX")"; track_dir "$SESS"; mkdir -p "$SESS/content" "$SESS/state"
+SERVER_ID="$(new_server_id)"
+printf '%s\n' "$SERVER_ID" > "$SESS/state/server-instance-id"
+BRAINSTORM_DIR="$SESS" BRAINSTORM_PORT=0 node "$SERVER" "--brainstorm-server-id=$SERVER_ID" > /dev/null 2>&1 &
+SRV=$!
+track_pid "$SRV"
+disown "$SRV" 2>/dev/null || true
+for _ in $(seq 1 40); do
+  [[ -f "$SESS/state/server-info" ]] && break
+  sleep 0.1
+done
+echo "$SRV" > "$SESS/state/server.pid"
+OUT="$("$STOP" "$SESS")"
+sleep 0.3
+if kill -0 "$SRV" 2>/dev/null; then
+  bad "persistent brainstorm server still running after stop" "$OUT"
+else
+  wait "$SRV" 2>/dev/null || true
+  untrack_pid "$SRV"
+  if [[ -f "$SESS/state/server-info" ]]; then
+    bad "persistent stop clears server-info" "server-info still exists after: $OUT"
+  elif [[ ! -f "$SESS/state/server-stopped" ]]; then
+    bad "persistent stop writes server-stopped" "server-stopped missing after: $OUT"
+  elif grep -q '"reason":"stop-server.sh"' "$SESS/state/server-stopped"; then
+    ok "persistent stop clears alive metadata and writes server-stopped"
+  else
+    bad "persistent stop writes stop reason" "$(cat "$SESS/state/server-stopped" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+  fi
+fi
+
+# --- Test 3: no pid file ---
+SESS="$(mktemp -d)"; track_dir "$SESS"; mkdir -p "$SESS/state"
+OUT="$("$STOP" "$SESS")"
+case "$OUT" in
+  *not_running*) ok "missing pid file reports not_running" ;;
+  *) bad "missing pid file: unexpected status" "$OUT" ;;
+esac
+
+# --- Test 4: a node server.cjs impostor with missing instance id is spared ---
+SESS="$(mktemp -d)"; track_dir "$SESS"; mkdir -p "$SESS/state"
+( exec -a "node server.cjs" sleep 600 ) &
+IMPOSTOR=$!
+track_pid "$IMPOSTOR"
+disown "$IMPOSTOR" 2>/dev/null || true
+echo "$IMPOSTOR" > "$SESS/state/server.pid"
+OUT="$("$STOP" "$SESS")"
+if kill -0 "$IMPOSTOR" 2>/dev/null; then
+  case "$OUT" in
+    *stale_pid*) ok "missing instance id leaves node server.cjs impostor alone" ;;
+    *) bad "impostor survived but status was not stale_pid" "$OUT" ;;
+  esac
+else
+  bad "killed a node server.cjs impostor with missing instance id" "$OUT"
+fi
+
+# --- Test 5: a node server.cjs impostor with wrong instance id is spared ---
+SESS="$(mktemp -d)"; track_dir "$SESS"; mkdir -p "$SESS/state"
+EXPECTED_ID="$(new_server_id)"
+WRONG_ID="$(new_server_id)"
+printf '%s\n' "$EXPECTED_ID" > "$SESS/state/server-instance-id"
+( exec -a "node server.cjs --brainstorm-server-id=$WRONG_ID" sleep 600 ) &
+IMPOSTOR=$!
+track_pid "$IMPOSTOR"
+disown "$IMPOSTOR" 2>/dev/null || true
+echo "$IMPOSTOR" > "$SESS/state/server.pid"
+OUT="$("$STOP" "$SESS")"
+if kill -0 "$IMPOSTOR" 2>/dev/null; then
+  case "$OUT" in
+    *stale_pid*) ok "wrong instance id leaves node server.cjs impostor alone" ;;
+    *) bad "wrong-id impostor survived but status was not stale_pid" "$OUT" ;;
+  esac
+else
+  bad "killed a node server.cjs impostor with wrong instance id" "$OUT"
+fi
+
+# --- Test 6: malformed instance id is fail-closed ---
+SESS="$(mktemp -d)"; track_dir "$SESS"; mkdir -p "$SESS/state"
+printf '%s\n' 'bad id with spaces' > "$SESS/state/server-instance-id"
+( exec -a "node server.cjs --brainstorm-server-id=bad-id-with-spaces" sleep 600 ) &
+IMPOSTOR=$!
+track_pid "$IMPOSTOR"
+disown "$IMPOSTOR" 2>/dev/null || true
+echo "$IMPOSTOR" > "$SESS/state/server.pid"
+OUT="$("$STOP" "$SESS")"
+if kill -0 "$IMPOSTOR" 2>/dev/null; then
+  case "$OUT" in
+    *stale_pid*) ok "malformed instance id is fail-closed" ;;
+    *) bad "malformed-id impostor survived but status was not stale_pid" "$OUT" ;;
+  esac
+else
+  bad "killed process despite malformed instance id" "$OUT"
+fi
+
+echo "--- Results: $PASS passed, $FAIL failed ---"
+[ "$FAIL" -eq 0 ] || exit 1

tests/brainstorm-server/windows-lifecycle.test.sh

@@ -80,14 +80,23 @@ get_port_from_info() {
   grep -o '"port":[0-9]*' "$1/state/server-info" | head -1 | sed 's/"port"://'
 }
 
+get_key_from_info() {
+  grep -o '"url":"[^"]*key=[^"]*' "$1/state/server-info" | head -1 | sed 's/.*key=//'
+}
+
 http_check() {
   local port="$1"
-  node -e "
+  local key="${2:-}"
+  node - "$port" "$key" <<'NODE'
     const http = require('http');
-    http.get('http://localhost:$port/', (res) => {
+    const port = Number(process.argv[2]);
+    const key = process.argv[3] || '';
+    const path = key ? '/?key=' + encodeURIComponent(key) : '/';
+    http.get({ hostname: '127.0.0.1', port, path }, (res) => {
+      res.resume();
       process.exit(res.statusCode === 200 ? 0 : 1);
     }).on('error', () => process.exit(1));
-  " 2>/dev/null
+NODE
 }
 
 # ========== Platform Detection ==========
@@ -153,6 +162,7 @@ if [[ "$is_windows" == "true" ]]; then
   cat > "$FAKE_NODE_DIR/node" <<'FAKENODE'
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 echo "CAPTURED_OWNER_PID=${BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID:-__UNSET__}"
+printf 'CAPTURED_ARGV=%s\n' "$@"
 exit 0
 FAKENODE
   chmod +x "$FAKE_NODE_DIR/node"
@@ -167,6 +177,13 @@ FAKENODE
          "Expected empty or unset, got '$owner_pid_value'"
   fi
 
+  if echo "$captured" | grep -Eq '^CAPTURED_ARGV=--brainstorm-server-id=[A-Za-z0-9_-]{32,64}$'; then
+    pass "start-server.sh passes server instance id argv on Windows"
+  else
+    fail "start-server.sh passes server instance id argv on Windows" \
+         "Expected --brainstorm-server-id=<safe id>, output: $captured"
+  fi
+
   rm -rf "$FAKE_NODE_DIR" "$TEST_DIR/session"
 else
   skip "start-server.sh passes empty BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID" "not on Windows"
@@ -227,6 +244,7 @@ else
   pass "Server starts successfully with empty OWNER_PID"
 
   SERVER_PORT=$(get_port_from_info "$TEST_DIR/survival")
+  SERVER_KEY=$(get_key_from_info "$TEST_DIR/survival")
 
   sleep 75
 
@@ -237,11 +255,11 @@ else
          "Server died. Log tail: $(tail -5 "$TEST_DIR/survival/.server.log" 2>/dev/null)"
   fi
 
-  if http_check "$SERVER_PORT"; then
+  if http_check "$SERVER_PORT" "$SERVER_KEY"; then
     pass "Server responds to HTTP after lifecycle check window"
   else
     fail "Server responds to HTTP after lifecycle check window" \
-         "HTTP request to port $SERVER_PORT failed"
+         "Authenticated HTTP request to port $SERVER_PORT failed"
   fi
 
   if grep -q "owner process exited" "$TEST_DIR/survival/.server.log" 2>/dev/null; then
@@ -325,23 +343,33 @@ echo ""
 echo "--- Clean Shutdown ---"
 
 mkdir -p "$TEST_DIR/stop-test/state"
+STOP_TEST_ID="$(printf 'windowsstop%021d\n' "$RANDOM")"
+printf '%s\n' "$STOP_TEST_ID" > "$TEST_DIR/stop-test/state/server-instance-id"
 
 BRAINSTORM_DIR="$TEST_DIR/stop-test" \
 BRAINSTORM_HOST="127.0.0.1" \
 BRAINSTORM_URL_HOST="localhost" \
 BRAINSTORM_OWNER_PID="" \
 BRAINSTORM_PORT=$((49152 + RANDOM % 16383)) \
-  node "$SERVER_SCRIPT" > "$TEST_DIR/stop-test/.server.log" 2>&1 &
+  node "$SERVER_SCRIPT" "--brainstorm-server-id=$STOP_TEST_ID" > "$TEST_DIR/stop-test/.server.log" 2>&1 &
 STOP_TEST_PID=$!
+disown "$STOP_TEST_PID" 2>/dev/null || true
 echo "$STOP_TEST_PID" > "$TEST_DIR/stop-test/state/server.pid"
 
 if ! wait_for_server_info "$TEST_DIR/stop-test"; then
   fail "Stop-test server starts" "Server did not start"
   kill "$STOP_TEST_PID" 2>/dev/null || true
+  wait "$STOP_TEST_PID" 2>/dev/null || true
   STOP_TEST_PID=""
 else
   bash "$STOP_SCRIPT" "$TEST_DIR/stop-test" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
-  sleep 1
+  for _ in $(seq 1 10); do
+    if ! kill -0 "$STOP_TEST_PID" 2>/dev/null; then
+      wait "$STOP_TEST_PID" 2>/dev/null || true
+      break
+    fi
+    sleep 0.1
+  done
 
   if ! kill -0 "$STOP_TEST_PID" 2>/dev/null; then
     pass "stop-server.sh cleanly stops the server"