Merge pull request 'agents: discussion mode — devs talk in threads, build only on explicit signal' (#102) from feat/discussion-mode into main

.gitea/workflows/agent.yml

@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ jobs:
           MODEL: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.model }}
           VISION: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.vision }}
           MODE: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.mode }}
+          WORKMODE: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.workmode }}   # build | discuss (devs consulted in-thread)
           HAS_IMAGES: ${{ steps.imgs.outputs.has_images }}
           BRANCH: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.branch }}
           AUTOPILOT: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.autopilot }}   # 'true' when the issue carries the `autopilot` label
@@ -231,6 +232,7 @@ jobs:
           TOKEN_INTERN: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_INTERN }}
           NAME: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.name }}
           MODE: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.mode }}
+          WORKMODE: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.workmode }}
           NUM: ${{ github.event.issue.number }}
           TITLE: ${{ github.event.issue.title }}
           BRANCH: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.branch }}

.gitea/workflows/scripts/publish.sh

@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ reply=$(awk '
   /^[[:space:]]*BEGIN_SUBTASKS/{s=1}
   /^[[:space:]]*BEGIN_PR_DESCRIPTION/{p=1}
   /^[[:space:]]*DELEGATE:[[:space:]]*@/{next}
+  /^[[:space:]]*ASK:[[:space:]]*@/{next}
   /^[[:space:]]*CLOSE_ISSUE[[:space:]]*$/{next}
   /^[[:space:]]*MERGE_PR[[:space:]]*$/{next}
   /^[[:space:]]*RETRO[[:space:]]*$/{next}
@@ -246,6 +247,18 @@ if [ "$MODE" != "pr" ]; then
     exit 0
   fi
 
+  # --- @pm ASK: consult a dev in the thread WITHOUT starting a build ---
+  # 'ASK: @<dev> <question>' fires the dev in DISCUSSION mode (route.sh: the trigger below does not
+  # match any build phrase, so the dev replies in-thread — no branch, no PR). @pm gathers input this
+  # way, then DELEGATEs when enough is known.
+  ask_line=$(grep -oiE '^[[:space:]]*ASK:[[:space:]]*@(junior|senior|lead|intern)[[:space:]]+.*$' /tmp/agent_out.md 2>/dev/null | head -1)
+  if [ "$NAME" = "pm" ] && [ -n "$ask_line" ]; then
+    ask_dev=$(printf '%s' "$ask_line" | grep -oiE '@(junior|senior|lead|intern)' | head -1 | tr -d '@' | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
+    ask_q=$(printf '%s' "$ask_line" | sed -E 's/^[[:space:]]*ASK:[[:space:]]*@[A-Za-z]+[[:space:]]+//')
+    trig "$ISSN" "@$ask_dev $ask_q — this is a discussion: reply in this thread with your assessment; do not start any work."
+    exit 0
+  fi
+
   # --- @pm delegation: hand the build to a dev, or hand the finished PR to @qa for review ---
   # Only an explicit 'DELEGATE: @<agent>' line acts (never a prose mention). Fires via the PAT (TTOK)
   # so a new run starts; the built-in token cannot. Everything posts on the ISSUE — @pm never touches
@@ -269,6 +282,15 @@ if [ "$MODE" != "pr" ]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
+# --- dev DISCUSSION mode: consulted for expertise, no build (route.sh workmode=discuss) ---
+# The reply is a comment on the thread — discard any stray file edits, skip ALL git/PR machinery.
+if [ "${WORKMODE:-build}" = "discuss" ]; then
+  git checkout -- . 2>/dev/null || true
+  git clean -fd  2>/dev/null || true
+  post "$(printf '%s%s' "$reply" "$activity")"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
 # Scrub the runtime scripts checkout (.agents-workflow) from the tree so it never lands in a
 # commit/PR and never confuses the git ops below (issue #33). The scripts we run live outside the
 # workspace ($SCRIPTS -> runner.temp), so removing this in-tree copy is always safe. Handle every

.gitea/workflows/scripts/route.sh

@@ -53,8 +53,25 @@ vision=$(jq -r --arg a "$name" '.[$a].vision' /tmp/agents.json)
 mode=$(jq -r --arg a "$name" '.[$a].mode'   /tmp/agents.json)
 # Compact JSON array of the skills this agent may load (scopes permission.skill in install-opencode.sh).
 skills=$(jq -c --arg a "$name" '.[$a].skills // []' /tmp/agents.json)
-echo "Routing to @$name (model=$model vision=$vision mode=$mode skills=$skills)"
+
-{ echo "name=$name"; echo "model=$model"; echo "vision=$vision"; echo "mode=$mode"; echo "skills=$skills"; } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+# --- WORKMODE for dev (mode=pr) agents: build vs DISCUSS. ---
+# Mentioning a dev is a CONVERSATION by default — it replies in the thread without creating a
+# branch or PR. Actual building starts ONLY on the explicit signals:
+#   - a comment on a PR thread (resuming existing work), or
+#   - the pm delegation template ".. please proceed with issue .." (also usable by a human), or
+#   - the qa bounce template ".. please address my review ..".
+# This lets @pm (via its ASK marker) and the maintainer consult devs to gather information first,
+# and explicitly start the build later — see publish.sh / run-agent.sh.
+workmode=build
+if [ "$mode" = "pr" ] && [ -z "$IS_PR" ]; then
+  if printf '%s' "$scan" | grep -qiE 'please (proceed with issue|address my review)'; then
+    workmode=build
+  else
+    workmode=discuss
+  fi
+fi
+echo "Routing to @$name (model=$model vision=$vision mode=$mode workmode=$workmode skills=$skills)"
+{ echo "name=$name"; echo "model=$model"; echo "vision=$vision"; echo "mode=$mode"; echo "workmode=$workmode"; echo "skills=$skills"; } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
 # Act as the agent's own Gitea user when its token is set; else the built-in bot.
 case "$name" in
@@ -67,7 +84,10 @@ git config user.email "$name@ffaerber.duckdns.org"
 API="${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}"
 hdr=(-H "Authorization: token $TOK" -H "Content-Type: application/json")
 branch_ref=""
-if [ -n "$IS_PR" ]; then                     # comment on a PR -> resume its branch
+if [ "$workmode" = "discuss" ]; then         # conversation only — no branch, no PR machinery
+  echo "discussion mode — staying on main, no branch prep"
+  { echo "branch=main"; echo "new=false"; } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+elif [ -n "$IS_PR" ]; then                   # comment on a PR -> resume its branch
   ref=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token $GT" "$API/pulls/$NUM" | jq -r .head.ref)
   branch_ref="$ref"
   git fetch origin "$ref" && git checkout "$ref"

.gitea/workflows/scripts/run-agent.sh

@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ if [ "$MODE" = "comment" ]; then
 
    If anything is unclear or needs a decision at any phase, START your reply with '@ffaerber', ask
    specific questions, and do NOT emit a marker. Mentioning a teammate in prose does NOT act — only a
-   DELEGATE line does.
+   marker line does.
+   ASK — to CONSULT a dev before (or instead of) planning, end your reply with EXACTLY one line:
+   'ASK: @<dev> <one concrete question>'. The dev replies in this thread WITHOUT starting any work —
+   use it to gather feasibility/effort/approach input, then present your plan (and later DELEGATE)
+   once you know enough. One ASK per reply; never ASK and DELEGATE in the same reply.
    RETRO — when the maintainer asks for a retrospective on this issue (e.g. 'run a retro',
    '@pm retro'), briefly acknowledge and end your reply with EXACTLY one line: 'RETRO'. The
    automation opens a retro issue (read this issue + its PR, distill learnings into LEARNINGS.md)
@@ -97,6 +101,15 @@ if [ "$MODE" = "comment" ]; then
      decision). Hands back to @ffaerber.
    Emit AT MOST one marker, and only after you have actually verified."
   fi
+elif [ "${WORKMODE:-build}" = "discuss" ]; then
+  # A dev agent consulted for its EXPERTISE — conversation only, no build. Building starts later,
+  # explicitly ('please proceed with issue …'). See route.sh workmode.
+  ACTION="You are being CONSULTED in this thread — this is a DISCUSSION, not a build task. Answer the
+   question you were asked: read whatever files/logs you need (read-only), give your assessment,
+   approach, effort estimate, risks, or answer — concise and concrete. Your reply becomes a comment.
+   Do NOT modify files, do NOT commit or push, do NOT create branches, do NOT open PRs. Do not
+   emit any marker. When the team has enough information, @pm (or the maintainer) will explicitly
+   tell a dev to start building."
 else
   ACTION="You start on git branch '${BRANCH}', with git and push credentials already configured.
    FIRST read AGENTS.md at the repo root and FOLLOW IT EXACTLY — it defines the golden rules,

README.md

@@ -36,6 +36,15 @@ deploy-host SSH skill, live in the consuming repo under `.gitea/agent-skills/`
 `@pm` is the only agent that ever merges, and only under the `autopilot` label (its kill switch:
 remove the label mid-flight and the next step reverts to human control).
 
+### Discussion vs building
+
+Mentioning a dev agent is a **conversation by default**: it reads what it needs and replies in the
+thread — no branch, no PR. `@pm` can consult devs the same way with an `ASK: @<dev> <question>`
+marker (gather feasibility/effort input before planning). **Building starts only on the explicit
+signals**: `@pm`'s delegation (*"please proceed with issue …"* — a human can write the same phrase
+to start a build directly), a `@qa` bounce (*"please address my review …"*), or any comment on the
+PR thread itself (resuming existing work).
+
 ### Retros — the learning loop
 
 Ask `@pm` for a retrospective on any issue (e.g. **"@pm run a retro"**, typically when merging). The