fix(server): decouple explicit and auto agent title limits (#78)

packages/server/src/server/agent/agent-metadata-generator.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   renameCurrentBranch,
   type CheckoutStatusResult,
 } from "../../utils/checkout-git.js";
+import { MAX_AUTO_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS } from "./agent-title-limits.js";
 
 export type AgentMetadataGeneratorDeps = {
   generateStructuredAgentResponseWithFallback?: typeof generateStructuredAgentResponseWithFallback;
@@ -43,6 +44,14 @@ function hasExplicitTitle(title?: string | null): boolean {
   return Boolean(title && title.trim().length > 0);
 }
 
+function normalizeAutoTitle(title: string): string | null {
+  const normalized = title.trim();
+  if (!normalized) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  return normalized.slice(0, MAX_AUTO_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS).trim() || null;
+}
+
 async function canRenameBranch(
   cwd: string,
   paseoHome: string | undefined,
@@ -97,7 +106,7 @@ function buildMetadataSchema(needs: AgentMetadataNeeds): z.ZodObject<any> | null
 
   const shape: Record<string, z.ZodTypeAny> = {};
   if (needs.needsTitle) {
-    shape.title = z.string().min(1).max(60);
+    shape.title = z.string().min(1).max(MAX_AUTO_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS);
   }
   if (needs.needsBranch) {
     shape.branch = z.string().min(1).max(100);
@@ -115,7 +124,9 @@ function buildPrompt(needs: AgentMetadataNeeds): string {
   ];
 
   if (needs.needsTitle) {
-    instructions.push("Title: short descriptive label (<= 60 chars).");
+    instructions.push(
+      `Title: short descriptive label (<= ${MAX_AUTO_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS} chars).`
+    );
   }
   if (needs.needsBranch) {
     instructions.push(
@@ -187,8 +198,8 @@ export async function generateAndApplyAgentMetadata(
   }
 
   if (needs.needsTitle && typeof result.title === "string") {
-    const normalizedTitle = result.title.trim();
+    const normalizedTitle = normalizeAutoTitle(result.title);
-    if (normalizedTitle.length > 0) {
+    if (normalizedTitle) {
       await options.agentManager.setTitle(options.agentId, normalizedTitle);
     }
   }

packages/server/src/server/agent/agent-metadata-generator.unit.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { createTestLogger } from "../../test-utils/test-logger.js";
+import { MAX_AUTO_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS } from "./agent-title-limits.js";
+import {
+  generateAndApplyAgentMetadata,
+  type AgentMetadataGeneratorDeps,
+} from "./agent-metadata-generator.js";
+import type { AgentManager } from "./agent-manager.js";
+
+const logger = createTestLogger();
+
+const NON_GIT_CHECKOUT_STATUS = {
+  isGit: false,
+  isPaseoOwnedWorktree: false,
+  currentBranch: null,
+  repoRoot: "/tmp/repo",
+} as Awaited<
+  ReturnType<NonNullable<AgentMetadataGeneratorDeps["getCheckoutStatus"]>>
+>;
+
+function createDeps(
+  generateStructuredAgentResponseWithFallback: NonNullable<
+    AgentMetadataGeneratorDeps["generateStructuredAgentResponseWithFallback"]
+  >
+): AgentMetadataGeneratorDeps {
+  return {
+    generateStructuredAgentResponseWithFallback,
+    getCheckoutStatus: vi
+      .fn()
+      .mockResolvedValue(NON_GIT_CHECKOUT_STATUS) as NonNullable<
+      AgentMetadataGeneratorDeps["getCheckoutStatus"]
+    >,
+  };
+}
+
+describe("agent metadata generator auto-title", () => {
+  it("caps generated auto titles at 40 characters before persisting", async () => {
+    const setTitle = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const manager = { setTitle } as unknown as AgentManager;
+    const generatedTitle = "x".repeat(MAX_AUTO_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS + 25);
+    const generateStructured = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ title: generatedTitle }) as NonNullable<
+      AgentMetadataGeneratorDeps["generateStructuredAgentResponseWithFallback"]
+    >;
+
+    await generateAndApplyAgentMetadata({
+      agentManager: manager,
+      agentId: "agent-1",
+      cwd: "/tmp/repo",
+      initialPrompt: "Implement this feature",
+      explicitTitle: null,
+      logger,
+      deps: createDeps(generateStructured),
+    });
+
+    expect(setTitle).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(setTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "agent-1",
+      "x".repeat(MAX_AUTO_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS)
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("does not generate an auto title when an explicit title is provided", async () => {
+    const setTitle = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const manager = { setTitle } as unknown as AgentManager;
+    const generateStructured = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ title: "Generated" }) as NonNullable<
+      AgentMetadataGeneratorDeps["generateStructuredAgentResponseWithFallback"]
+    >;
+
+    await generateAndApplyAgentMetadata({
+      agentManager: manager,
+      agentId: "agent-2",
+      cwd: "/tmp/repo",
+      initialPrompt: "Implement this feature",
+      explicitTitle: "Keep this title",
+      logger,
+      deps: createDeps(generateStructured),
+    });
+
+    expect(generateStructured).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(setTitle).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});

packages/server/src/server/agent/agent-title-limits.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+export const MAX_EXPLICIT_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS = 200;
+export const MAX_AUTO_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS = 40;

packages/server/src/shared/messages.create-agent-client-message-id.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { SessionInboundMessageSchema } from "./messages";
+import { MAX_EXPLICIT_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS } from "../server/agent/agent-title-limits.js";
 
 describe("create_agent_request clientMessageId", () => {
   it("accepts clientMessageId for stable initial prompt transfer", () => {
@@ -20,4 +21,36 @@ describe("create_agent_request clientMessageId", () => {
     }
     expect(parsed.clientMessageId).toBe("client-msg-1");
   });
+
+  it("accepts explicit titles up to the create-agent limit", () => {
+    const parsed = SessionInboundMessageSchema.parse({
+      type: "create_agent_request",
+      requestId: "req-title-ok",
+      config: {
+        provider: "claude",
+        cwd: "/tmp/project",
+        title: "x".repeat(MAX_EXPLICIT_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS),
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(parsed.type).toBe("create_agent_request");
+    if (parsed.type !== "create_agent_request") {
+      throw new Error("Expected create_agent_request");
+    }
+    expect(parsed.config.title).toHaveLength(MAX_EXPLICIT_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects explicit titles longer than the create-agent limit", () => {
+    const parsed = SessionInboundMessageSchema.safeParse({
+      type: "create_agent_request",
+      requestId: "req-title-too-long",
+      config: {
+        provider: "claude",
+        cwd: "/tmp/project",
+        title: "x".repeat(MAX_EXPLICIT_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS + 1),
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(parsed.success).toBe(false);
+  });
 });

packages/server/src/shared/messages.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { z } from 'zod'
 import { AGENT_LIFECYCLE_STATUSES } from './agent-lifecycle.js'
+import { MAX_EXPLICIT_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS } from '../server/agent/agent-title-limits.js'
 import { AgentProviderSchema } from '../server/agent/provider-manifest.js'
 import type {
   AgentCapabilityFlags,
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ const AgentSessionConfigSchema = z.object({
   modeId: z.string().optional(),
   model: z.string().optional(),
   thinkingOptionId: z.string().optional(),
-  title: z.string().trim().min(1).max(40).optional().nullable(),
+  title: z.string().trim().min(1).max(MAX_EXPLICIT_AGENT_TITLE_CHARS).optional().nullable(),
   approvalPolicy: z.string().optional(),
   sandboxMode: z.string().optional(),
   networkAccess: z.boolean().optional(),