chore: switch @lead/@ops from Anthropic to xAI grok-4.5

Removes the last Anthropic-model usage from the agent registry.
XAI_API_KEY was already provisioned as an org secret; wire it into
the run-agent step and update every doc/comment that referenced
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY or claude-opus-4-8.

.gitea/workflows/agent.yml

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ name: agent
 on:
   workflow_call:
 
+# Pinned opencode version — used to install it and to key the CI cache below.
+env:
+  OPENCODE_VERSION: "1.17.13"
+
 jobs:
 
   agent:
@@ -44,17 +48,6 @@ jobs:
     # job must never hold the single runner slot for hours.
     timeout-minutes: 45
     steps:
-      - name: Acknowledge with 👀
-        env:
-          GT: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
-          CID: ${{ github.event.comment.id }}
-          NUM: ${{ github.event.issue.number }}
-        run: |
-          B="${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/issues"
-          if [ -n "$CID" ]; then R="$B/comments/$CID/reactions"; else R="$B/$NUM/reactions"; fi
-          curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $GT" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-            "$R" -d '{"content":"eyes"}' -w '\nreact -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
-
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
@@ -119,6 +112,37 @@ jobs:
           TOKEN_INTERN: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_INTERN }}
         run: bash "$SCRIPTS/route.sh"
 
+      - name: Acknowledge with 👀 (as the routed agent)
+        if: steps.prep.outputs.mode != 'skip'
+        env:
+          SELF_TOKEN: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.name == 'pm' && secrets.TOKEN_PM || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'junior' && secrets.TOKEN_JUNIOR || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'senior' && secrets.TOKEN_SENIOR || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'lead' && secrets.TOKEN_LEAD || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'qa' && secrets.TOKEN_QA || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'ops' && secrets.TOKEN_OPS || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'intern' && secrets.TOKEN_INTERN || '' }}
+          CID: ${{ github.event.comment.id }}
+          NUM: ${{ github.event.issue.number }}
+        run: |
+          [ -n "$SELF_TOKEN" ] || { echo "no agent token — skipping 👀"; exit 0; }
+          B="${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/issues"
+          if [ -n "$CID" ]; then R="$B/comments/$CID/reactions"; else R="$B/$NUM/reactions"; fi
+          curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $SELF_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            "$R" -d '{"content":"eyes"}' -w '\nreact -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
+
+      - name: Cache opencode CLI
+        if: steps.prep.outputs.mode != 'skip'
+        continue-on-error: true   # a cache backend hiccup must never fail an agent run
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/.opencode
+          key: opencode-${{ runner.os }}-${{ env.OPENCODE_VERSION }}
+
+      - name: Cache Playwright browsers + npm (browser agents only)
+        if: steps.prep.outputs.mode != 'skip' && (steps.prep.outputs.name == 'senior' || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'lead' || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'qa')
+        continue-on-error: true
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: |
+            ~/.cache/ms-playwright
+            ~/.npm
+          key: playwright-npm-${{ runner.os }}-v1
+
       - name: Install opencode + provider config (+ Playwright MCP for browser agents)
         if: steps.prep.outputs.mode != 'skip'
         env:
@@ -187,7 +211,7 @@ jobs:
         id: run
         env:
           SCRIPTS: ${{ runner.temp }}/agents-scripts
-          ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
+          XAI_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.XAI_API_KEY }}
           # SELF_TOKEN = the RUNNING agent's OWN token (TOKEN_PM for @pm, TOKEN_OPS for @ops, …).
           # Only this agent's token is placed in its process env, so no agent can act as another.
           # Powers the gitea-api / gitea-admin skills — each agent calls Gitea as itself. Every
@@ -198,6 +222,7 @@ 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 +256,7 @@ 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: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.branch }}
@@ -264,24 +290,27 @@ jobs:
         run: bash "$SCRIPTS/rescue-pr.sh" || true
 
       - name: Mark done with 🚀 (remove 👀)
+        if: steps.prep.outputs.mode != 'skip'
         env:
-          GT: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          SELF_TOKEN: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.name == 'pm' && secrets.TOKEN_PM || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'junior' && secrets.TOKEN_JUNIOR || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'senior' && secrets.TOKEN_SENIOR || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'lead' && secrets.TOKEN_LEAD || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'qa' && secrets.TOKEN_QA || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'ops' && secrets.TOKEN_OPS || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'intern' && secrets.TOKEN_INTERN || '' }}
           CID: ${{ github.event.comment.id }}
           NUM: ${{ github.event.issue.number }}
         run: |
+          [ -n "$SELF_TOKEN" ] || exit 0
           B="${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/issues"
           if [ -n "$CID" ]; then R="$B/comments/$CID/reactions"; else R="$B/$NUM/reactions"; fi
-          curl -sS -X DELETE -H "Authorization: token $GT" -H "Content-Type: application/json" "$R" -d '{"content":"eyes"}'   || true
-          curl -sS -X POST   -H "Authorization: token $GT" -H "Content-Type: application/json" "$R" -d '{"content":"rocket"}' -w '\nreact -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
+          curl -sS -X DELETE -H "Authorization: token $SELF_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" "$R" -d '{"content":"eyes"}'   || true
+          curl -sS -X POST   -H "Authorization: token $SELF_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" "$R" -d '{"content":"rocket"}' -w '\nreact -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
 
       - name: Mark failed with 😕 (remove 👀)
-        if: failure()
+        if: failure() && steps.prep.outputs.mode != 'skip'
         env:
-          GT: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          SELF_TOKEN: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.name == 'pm' && secrets.TOKEN_PM || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'junior' && secrets.TOKEN_JUNIOR || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'senior' && secrets.TOKEN_SENIOR || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'lead' && secrets.TOKEN_LEAD || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'qa' && secrets.TOKEN_QA || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'ops' && secrets.TOKEN_OPS || steps.prep.outputs.name == 'intern' && secrets.TOKEN_INTERN || '' }}
           CID: ${{ github.event.comment.id }}
           NUM: ${{ github.event.issue.number }}
         run: |
+          [ -n "$SELF_TOKEN" ] || exit 0
           B="${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/issues"
           if [ -n "$CID" ]; then R="$B/comments/$CID/reactions"; else R="$B/$NUM/reactions"; fi
-          curl -sS -X DELETE -H "Authorization: token $GT" -H "Content-Type: application/json" "$R" -d '{"content":"eyes"}'     || true
-          curl -sS -X POST   -H "Authorization: token $GT" -H "Content-Type: application/json" "$R" -d '{"content":"confused"}' -w '\nreact -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
+          curl -sS -X DELETE -H "Authorization: token $SELF_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" "$R" -d '{"content":"eyes"}'     || true
+          curl -sS -X POST   -H "Authorization: token $SELF_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" "$R" -d '{"content":"confused"}' -w '\nreact -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true

.gitea/workflows/scripts/agents.json

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     "desc": "Senior dev — complex, multi-file implementation (GLM-5.2 via Ollama Cloud, text-only)."
   },
   "lead": {
-    "model": "anthropic/claude-opus-4-8",
+    "model": "xai/grok-4.5",
     "vision": true,
     "mode": "pr",
     "skills": [
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
     "desc": "QA / reviewer — reviews PRs: reads the diff, drives a headless browser (Playwright) to verify behavior, posts specific recommendations on the PR and the pass/fail verdict on the issue. Never edits code, never merges."
   },
   "ops": {
-    "model": "anthropic/claude-opus-4-8",
+    "model": "xai/grok-4.5",
     "vision": false,
     "mode": "comment",
     "skills": [

.gitea/workflows/scripts/build-activity-log.sh

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ COST=${COST:-0}; INP=${INP:-0}; OUT=${OUT:-0}; CR=${CR:-0}; CW=${CW:-0}; RE=${RE
 IN_TOTAL=$(( INP + CR + CW ))                          # total input context processed
 # Cost label: ollama / ollama-cloud models are SUBSCRIPTION-billed (GPU-time against the plan, no
 # $/token price exists), so a "$0.0000" there would be misleading — label it a subscription instead.
-# Metered providers (anthropic/…) get the real dollar cost opencode computed.
+# Metered providers (xai/…) get the real dollar cost opencode computed.
 case "${MODEL:-}" in
   ollama*|*"/ollama"*) COSTF="subscription" ;;
   *) COSTF=$(awk -v c="$COST" 'BEGIN{printf "$%.4f", c+0}') ;;

.gitea/workflows/scripts/fetch-thread.sh

@@ -26,3 +26,9 @@ jq -rs '
   "### comment by \($who):\n\(.body | gsub("\\s*<!-- 🤖 agent reply — do not trigger -->"; ""))\n"' \
   /tmp/thread_pages.json > /tmp/thread.md 2>/dev/null || : > /tmp/thread.md
 echo "thread comments fetched: $(grep -c '^### comment by ' /tmp/thread.md 2>/dev/null || echo 0) (newest 100 kept)"
+
+# Record the newest comment id on the thread BEFORE the agent runs. publish.sh compares against
+# it to detect an agent that self-posted its reply mid-run (via the gitea-api skill, despite the
+# prompt telling it not to) and skips the duplicate framework reply. Ids are monotonic — no dates.
+jq -rs '[ (add // [])[].id ] | max // 0' /tmp/thread_pages.json > /tmp/thread_max_cid 2>/dev/null || echo 0 > /tmp/thread_max_cid
+echo "pre-run newest comment id: $(cat /tmp/thread_max_cid)"

.gitea/workflows/scripts/install-opencode.sh

@@ -9,7 +9,14 @@ set -eu
 # --format json event schema that build-activity-log.sh parses) breaks every agent in every repo
 # at once. Bump deliberately by changing this default (or set OPENCODE_VERSION in the step env).
 OPENCODE_VERSION="${OPENCODE_VERSION:-1.17.13}"
+# Skip the download when a cache hit already restored the pinned binary (see the Cache
+# opencode CLI step in agent.yml). The installer always re-fetches otherwise.
+OC_BIN="$HOME/.opencode/bin/opencode"
+if [ -x "$OC_BIN" ] && "$OC_BIN" --version 2>/dev/null | grep -qF "$OPENCODE_VERSION"; then
+  echo "opencode $OPENCODE_VERSION already present (cache hit) — skipping install"
+else
   curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install | bash -s -- --version "$OPENCODE_VERSION"
+fi
 echo "$HOME/.opencode/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
 mkdir -p ~/.config/opencode
 # Playwright browser MCP only for agents that need to drive a web app
@@ -35,7 +42,7 @@ PERM=$(jq -nc --argjson s "$SKILLS" '
 # The provider `models:` maps are DERIVED from agents.json (the single source of truth, shared with
 # route.sh) so every model an agent is routed to is always declared in the provider config.
 # `ollama-cloud/` prefix models go to the cloud provider; `ollama/` prefix models go to the local
-# provider. Built-in providers (e.g. `anthropic/claude-opus-4-8` for @lead) are not derived here.
+# provider. Built-in providers (e.g. `xai/grok-4.5` for @lead/@ops) are not derived here.
 # See issue #31.
 AGENTS_JSON="${SCRIPTS:-$(dirname -- "$0")}/agents.json"
 CLOUD_MODELS=$(jq -r '[.[] | .model | select(startswith("ollama-cloud/")) | sub("^ollama-cloud/";"")] | map({(.):{}}) | add // {}' "$AGENTS_JSON")

.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}
@@ -194,7 +195,31 @@ if [ "$MODE" != "pr" ]; then
     done < /tmp/subtasks.txt
     subtext=$(printf '\n\n---\nCreated sub-issues%s (mention an agent on each when ready):%b' "${ms:+ under milestone **$ms**}" "$links")
   fi
+  # DEDUP GUARD (issue: @pm double-posts its report). Prompt-level "do not self-post" is ignored
+  # by some models, so enforce it here: if the agent ALREADY posted a comment on this thread
+  # during the run (any comment by $NAME newer than the pre-run newest id from fetch-thread.sh),
+  # its self-post IS the reply — skip the duplicate framework comment. Markers (CLOSE_ISSUE,
+  # DELEGATE, MERGE_PR, subtasks) were already processed above and are unaffected.
+  # FAIL OPEN: if the pre-run marker is missing (fetch-thread hiccup), pre_cid=0 would make the
+  # agent's comments from PREVIOUS runs count as self-posts and wrongly suppress the reply.
+  # Without the marker, skip the guard and post normally.
+  pre_cid=$(cat /tmp/thread_max_cid 2>/dev/null || echo "")
+  selfposts=0
+  if [ -n "$pre_cid" ]; then
+  : > /tmp/all_comments.json
+  for pg in $(seq 1 10); do
+    cpg=$(curl -sS "${hdr[@]}" "$API/issues/$NUM/comments?limit=50&page=$pg" 2>/dev/null) || cpg='[]'
+    cn=$(printf '%s' "$cpg" | jq 'if type=="array" then length else 0 end' 2>/dev/null || echo 0)
+    [ "${cn:-0}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "$cpg" >> /tmp/all_comments.json
+    [ "${cn:-0}" -lt 50 ] && break
+  done
+  selfposts=$(jq -rs --arg n "$NAME" --argjson c "${pre_cid:-0}" '[ (add // [])[] | select(.user.login==$n) | select(.id > $c) ] | length' /tmp/all_comments.json 2>/dev/null || echo 0)
+  fi
+  if [ "${selfposts:-0}" -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo "agent @$NAME already posted ${selfposts} comment(s) on #$NUM during this run — skipping duplicate framework reply"
+  else
     post "$(printf '%s%s%s' "$msg" "$subtext" "$activity")"
+  fi
 
   # --- @pm autopilot merge: @pm is the ONLY agent that merges, and ONLY under the autopilot label ---
   # (@qa never merges — it approves and hands back here.) Merge with the PAT (TTOK), not the built-in
@@ -246,6 +271,18 @@ 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 $ask_q — this is a discussion: reply in this thread with your assessment; do not start any work."
+    exit 0
+  fi
+
   # --- @pm delegation: hand the build to a dev, or hand the finished PR to @qa for review ---
   # Only an explicit 'DELEGATE: @<agent>' line acts (never a prose mention). Fires via the PAT (TTOK)
   # so a new run starts; the built-in token cannot. Everything posts on the ISSUE — @pm never touches
@@ -269,6 +306,15 @@ if [ "$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

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # plain-text reply (/tmp/agent_out.md) plus the raw event stream (/tmp/events.jsonl).
 #
 # Required env (provided by the workflow step):
-#   ANTHROPIC_API_KEY SELF_TOKEN NAME MODEL VISION MODE HAS_IMAGES BRANCH AUTOPILOT NUM TITLE
+#   XAI_API_KEY SELF_TOKEN NAME MODEL VISION MODE HAS_IMAGES BRANCH AUTOPILOT NUM TITLE
 #   IBODY CMT
 #   FILES   (the opencode -f image flags, from the imgs step output)
 #   AUTOPILOT is 'true' when the issue carries the `autopilot` label (label-gated autopilot mode).
@@ -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,
@@ -136,6 +149,12 @@ ${LEARN}
    shown by Gitea. Do NOT begin your reply with your own name, an '@${NAME}' header, or a '🤖/🔨 @you'
    line; just write the content directly.
 
+   Do NOT use the gitea-api skill to post your reply, report, or any comment on THIS thread
+   yourself. The automation already posts your reply exactly once — self-posting it too is what
+   creates the duplicate comments you must avoid. On this thread, use gitea-api only to READ, or to
+   take an explicit action you were asked for (add/remove a label, close the issue, merge the PR).
+   Your report or answer IS your reply text — write it as your reply; do not post it via the API.
+
    TEAM ROSTER (who does what — hand off if a task isn't yours):
    ${ROSTER}
 

.gitea/workflows/scripts/skill-gitea-admin.sh

@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $SELF_TOKEN" "$API/orgs/{org}/labels"
 3. Commit the standard caller so it gets the agents — `PUT /repos/{owner}/{repo}/contents/.gitea/workflows/ai-agent.yml`
    with base64 `content`, `message`, `branch:"main"` (copy the exact caller from the `agents` repo README).
 4. Add the agent bot users as collaborators: `PUT /repos/{owner}/{repo}/collaborators/{username}` (`{"permission":"write"}`).
-5. Ensure the repo can run agents — the org must hold the runtime secrets (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, SELF_TOKEN,
+5. Ensure the repo can run agents — the org must hold the runtime secrets (XAI_API_KEY, SELF_TOKEN,
    TOKEN_* , OLLAMA_URL, OLLAMA_CLOUD_API_KEY); set any missing via the secrets calls above.
 
 ## Packages / container registry

README.md

@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ Shared **AI dev-team** workflow for Gitea Actions, reusable across repos. It giv
 | `@pm` | `ollama-cloud/minimax-m3:cloud` | yes | comment | `gitea-api` | Product manager & orchestrator — plans, picks the dev, hands finished PRs to `@qa`, reports back to the issue creator (autopilot: merges approved PRs itself). Issue thread only; never edits files, never reads the PR diff. |
 | `@junior` | `ollama-cloud/kimi-k2.7-code:cloud` | no | pr | — | Junior dev — small, low-risk changes (mostly YAML/compose/config). Text-only, cannot read images. Defers complex or image tasks to `@senior` or `@lead`. |
 | `@senior` | `ollama-cloud/glm-5.2:cloud` | no | pr | `gitea-api` | Senior dev — complex, multi-file implementation (GLM-5.2 via Ollama Cloud, text-only). |
-| `@lead` | `anthropic/claude-opus-4-8` | yes | pr | `gitea-api` | Tech lead — the hardest problems, architecture, and final calls. |
+| `@lead` | `xai/grok-4.5` | yes | pr | `gitea-api` | Tech lead — the hardest problems, architecture, and final calls. |
 | `@qa` | `ollama-cloud/minimax-m3:cloud` | yes | comment | `gitea-api` | QA / reviewer — reads the PR diff, drives a headless browser (Playwright) to verify behavior; recommendations on the PR, pass/fail verdict on the issue. Never edits code, never merges. |
-| `@ops` | `anthropic/claude-opus-4-8` | no | comment | `gitea-admin` | Gitea operator — administers the instance itself (create orgs/users/repos, labels, secrets, scoped per-user tokens, bootstrap repos). Comments only; never edits code. Confirms before destructive actions. |
+| `@ops` | `xai/grok-4.5` | no | comment | `gitea-admin` | Gitea operator — administers the instance itself (create orgs/users/repos, labels, secrets, scoped per-user tokens, bootstrap repos). Comments only; never edits code. Confirms before destructive actions. |
 | `@intern` | `ollama/ornith:35b` | no | pr | — | Intern — very basic tasks only, routed to the local Ollama model (`ornith:35b`). Text-only, cannot read images. Escalates anything non-trivial to `@junior`, `@senior` or `@lead`. |
 
 The registry `.gitea/workflows/scripts/agents.json` is the source of truth for this mapping — if you
@@ -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
@@ -102,7 +111,7 @@ points `$SCRIPTS` at it. Keep the workflow and its scripts moving together on `m
 
 | Secret | For |
 |--------|-----|
-| `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` | `@lead` (and `@pm`/`@senior`/`@qa` if on Claude) |
+| `XAI_API_KEY` | `@lead`, `@ops` (and any other agent switched to a `xai/…` model) |
 | `OLLAMA_URL`, `OLLAMA_CLOUD_API_KEY` | local ornith / Ollama Cloud (gemma4, kimi-k2.7-code, glm-5.2, minimax-m3) |
 | `TOKEN_PM`,`TOKEN_SENIOR`,`TOKEN_JUNIOR`,`TOKEN_LEAD`,`TOKEN_QA` | **primary** — each agent's own Gitea-user PAT. The running agent gets *only its own* token (as `SELF_TOKEN`) so it posts, commits and comments as itself, and its `gitea-api` skill acts with its own scopes. Scopes: devs + `TOKEN_PM` carry `write:repository` (`@pm` is the only agent that merges, autopilot only); `TOKEN_QA` is `read:repository` + `write:issue` (reviews, never merges). |
 | `TOKEN_OPS` | `@ops` only — the admin PAT behind the `gitea-admin` skill (create orgs/users/repos, manage labels & secrets, mint scoped tokens). Injected into the agent process only when the agent is `@ops`. |