@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ The harness needs one internal language for messages that the loop, session log,
Own the vocabulary: messages are arrays of typed content blocks (`text`, `reasoning`, `tool-call`, `tool-result`), with the union derived from the merge-extensible `ContentBlockMap` so plugins add block types via declaration merging. The same merge-extensible-map pattern types every "stringly" field (`MessageSource`, `FinishReason`, `TurnTrigger`, `TurnEndReason`). Streaming is a raw chunk protocol; `BlockAssembler` is the single shared assembly implementation. Adapters translate to provider wire formats — mapping cost lives in adapters, where it belongs.
In-session context injection (`context/message`, `steering/message`) renders as tagged user-role envelopes (the system-reminder pattern) rather than a new role, so adapters carry zero burden. Live-adapter validation confirms this rendering for current DeepSeek behavior; a future provider-specific mismatch belongs in that adapter rather than a new canonical role.
In-session context injection (`context/message`) and mid-turn steering (`steering/message`) originally rendered as tagged user-role envelopes (the system-reminder pattern) rather than a new role, so adapters carry zero burden. Both now project as plain user content with no wrapper; see [the injected-content-envelope Agent Note](../simplification/2026-07-20-unwrap-injected-content-envelopes.md). Live-adapter validation confirms this rendering for current DeepSeek behavior; a future provider-specific mismatch belongs in that adapter rather than a new canonical role.
The surface is the foundation for future history manipulation. A compaction or tool-result-prune plugin appends one of the existing message-producing event types (a `user/message` carrying the summary, say) with `surfaceOp: { op: 'replace', start, end }` and `sourceEventSeqs` covering the shadowed entries — the new event takes the range's place on the surface while the plugin's own trace events (e.g. `compaction/start`, `compaction/end`) stay off it. Replay preserves the decision deterministically.
A `tool/result` replacement may rewrite exactly one current `tool/result` and must preserve every data field except `content`. Session acceptance enforces this rule together with positional range and provenance validation, independent of optional diagnostic plugins.
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ Successful calls are not the only pressure signal. A provider can reject a reque
`agent/pre-step` is narrowed to `(agent, turn, step, signal)`. It remains a generic serial checkpoint before `step/start`, but it carries no compaction-only prompt or prefix fields.
The loop fires awaited serial `agent/post-step(agent, turn, step, signal)` after assistant output, every dispatched or synthetic tool result, post-tool context, and steering are durable, but before `step/end`. This placement gives pressure policy the complete successful-call state without splitting an assistant tool call from its result. A listener failure is an ordinary turn failure; it never enters model-request recovery.
The loop fires awaited serial `agent/post-step(agent, turn, step, signal)` after assistant output, every dispatched or synthetic tool result, post-tool context, and steering are durable, but before `step/end`. This placement gives pressure policy the complete successful-call state without splitting an assistant tool call from its result. A propagated listener failure is an ordinary turn failure; it never enters model-request recovery. Compact-basic contains its expected operational failures as described below.
`dsh-compact-basic` reads the exact latest routed model from the durable request header only to establish that a completed route exists, then asks the singleton `ctx.tokenMeter` to measure the canonical logged envelope and current surface. It does not fall back to `AgentOptions.model` for automatic pressure. A headerless session has no completed routed request to assess and produces no work; any durable non-empty model name uses the same estimator. Operational measurement or summarization failures warn and continue with full history.
`dsh-compact-basic` reads the exact latest routed model from the durable request header only to establish that a completed route exists, then asks the singleton `ctx.tokenMeter` to measure the canonical logged envelope and current surface. It does not fall back to `AgentOptions.model` for automatic pressure. A headerless session has no completed routed request to assess and produces no work; any durable non-empty model name uses the same estimator. Operational measurement or summarization failures warn and continue from the latest durable surface: full history before any replacement, or the pruned surface if pruning already landed.
### Request recovery is limited to the final model boundary
@@ -32,17 +32,17 @@ If cancellation lands after assistant tool calls are durable but before all call
`CompactService.compactIfNeeded(agent, trigger, signal)` accepts `trigger: 'pressure' | 'context-overflow'`. The interface gains no estimation methods or token types; `ctx.tokenMeter` remains the reusable accounting owner.
For `pressure`, compact-basic applies the service-wide threshold and retained-tail policy to one unified `ctx.tokenMeter.measure()` result. The same singleton meter owns range pricing, provenance, shadowed token counts, and non-shrinking-summary rejection. The common defaults remain threshold ratio `0.8`, retained history `floor(contextWindow × 0.16)`, summarization provider/model `''`, `maxTokens: 8192`, `compactionRetries: 1`, and `auto: true`.
For `pressure`, compact-basic applies the service-wide threshold and retained-tail policy to one unified `ctx.tokenMeter.measure()` result. Below pressure it returns without pruning. Once pressure qualifies, optional `ctx.toolResultPrune` rewrites oversized current results and compact-basic remeasures through the same meter; safe pressure skips the model call, while remaining pressure selects and summarizes from the pruned surface. The same singleton meter owns range pricing, provenance, shadowed token counts, and non-shrinking-summary rejection. The common defaults remain threshold ratio `0.8`, retained history `floor(contextWindow × 0.16)`, summarization provider/model `''`, `maxTokens: 8192`, `compactionRetries: 1`, and `auto: true`.
For canonical overflow, compact-basic bypasses scalar pressure and the normal retained-token budget. It chooses the maximal tool-balanced head range while leaving the newest indivisible unit, then attempts exactly one shrinking compaction under the same signal. The automatic listener snapshots `session.surface.replaceGeneration` and returns `{ action: 'retry' }`only when compaction succeeds and the generation increases. A backend returning a result without replacement cannot authorize retry.
For canonical overflow, compact-basic bypasses scalar pressure and the normal retained-token budget. It prunes first, then chooses the maximal tool-balanced head range while leaving the newest indivisible unit and attempts one shrinking summary compaction under the same signal when a range exists. The automatic listener snapshots `session.surface.replaceGeneration` and returns `{ action: 'retry' }`whenever pruning or summarization increases it. This remains true when pruning lands before later summary work throws; cancellation still wins. A backend returning a result without replacement cannot authorize retry, while pruning-only progress can authorize a retry without a `CompactionResult`.
`maxOverflowRetries` is optional and defaults to `1`; `0` disables overflow recovery without disabling pressure. `auto: false` registers neither automatic listener. Noncanonical errors, exhausted attempts, an already-aborted signal, a missing routed model, no safe range, no generation change, and recovery throws all delegate to the next listener. With no later recovery, the loop reports the original provider error object and code. Cancellation or disposal remains authoritative even if recovery work completes concurrently.
`maxOverflowRetries` is optional and defaults to `1`; `0` disables overflow recovery without disabling pressure. `auto: false` registers neither automatic listener. Noncanonical errors, exhausted attempts, an already-aborted signal, a missing routed model, no safe range, no generation change, and recovery throws before any replacement all delegate to the next listener. With no later recovery, the loop reports the original provider error object and code. A recovery throw after generation advances authorizes retry from durable progress; cancellation or disposal remains authoritative even if recovery work completes concurrently.
The default summarizer resolves explicit configuration, then the latest logged route, then agent options. Because direct `llm/stream` middleware may reroute that auxiliary call, `compact/summary.{provider, model}` records the final mutable `GenerateOptions` target observed after dispatch rather than the pre-waterfall candidate.
## Testing
Unit tests cover final-adapter failure provenance and identity, closed-step retry numbering and reset, cancellation and disposal, post-step ordering, routed-envelope pressure, balanced overflow reduction, generation proof, caps, delegation, and auxiliary-call routing. Real-loop tests cover thrown and in-band overflow through compaction to a reconstructed retry request.
Unit tests cover final-adapter failure provenance and identity, closed-step retry numbering and reset, cancellation and disposal, post-step ordering, routed-envelope pressure, pressure-gated pruning, pruning-only relief, pruned-input summarization, balanced overflow reduction, durable prune progress before later failure, generation proof, caps, delegation, and auxiliary-call routing. Real-loop tests cover thrown and in-band overflow through pruning or summary compaction to a reconstructed retry request.
## Alternatives considered
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ Unit tests cover final-adapter failure provenance and identity, closed-step retr
## Consequences
Post-step pressure describes the completed routed request, including durable tool results and request-only prefix fields. Canonical overflow supplies the backstop when no successful usage anchor exists. Recovery is bounded, cancellation-owned, and monotonic: it retries only after a visible surface generation change.
Post-step pressure describes the completed routed request, including durable tool results and request-only prefix fields. Optional model-free pruning removes predictable tool-output bulk before summary selection and can independently create retry-worthy progress. Canonical overflow supplies the backstop when no successful usage anchor exists. Recovery is bounded, cancellation-owned, and monotonic: it retries only after a visible surface generation change.
The cost is one additional serial checkpoint on successful steps and adapter-maintained overflow classification. Provider wording and heuristic character density remain maintenance risks. Surface compaction still cannot repair an envelope that alone exceeds the window or split one indivisible oversized message/tool unit.
The cost is one additional serial checkpoint on successful steps and adapter-maintained overflow classification. Provider wording and heuristic character density remain maintenance risks. Surface compaction still cannot repair an envelope that alone exceeds the window, split an indivisible non-tool node, or repair a tool unit whose non-prunable remainder remains oversized. The optional pruner can repair an otherwise indivisible tool pair when removable text-bearing tool-result content is the bulk.
This Agent Note supersedes only the pre-step automatic-trigger portion of the [compaction capability-seam Agent Note](../feature/2026-06-18-compaction-capability-seam.md). The service split, standalone token meter, balanced range contract, log-recorded lock, summary replacement, and sole `summarize()` subclass hook remain unchanged.
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