Demo Git Hook for Trace ID Integration
Demo Git Hook for Trace ID Integration
Agent
Claude Code
Model
Claude Opus 4.6
StartedFeb 23, 3:15 PM
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Feb 23, 3:15 PM
Messages239
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I want to investigate adding the installation of a global git hook like git-ai (~/code/git-ai) that allows us to attach a traces id to commits and other refs which will get stored in refs/notes/traces so that the trace id gets synced whne pushed, this way we can automatically read a trace id from a github app and provide more deep and automatic integration, this will be a big feature and may require other changes to the system so lets write a markdown file for this, some follow on pieces: connecting the repo and trace, having the local tui be able to find traces in the current dir if its a git repo, having the traces ui be able to pull down traces that the user did not create, being able to group traces by repo. The overall workflow is that I code with my agent, open a pr, then any other collaborator can browse my trace and even download it locally for inspection (or maybe even resuming in the future, at least injecting as context), so they can understand how i ended up with the PR because the traces provide full context (there may be multiple traces attached to a single pr), this helps with debugging and also attestion of what happened and what tools and data was used. ensure the design has clear boundaries and is in small composbile peieces, there will also need some new api endpoints required to be added
Done.
"Multiple traces can attach to a single commit"
git-ai actually installs multiple hooks: - Pre-commit: creates a "checkpoint" capturing the file state and authorship baseline before the commit happens. Each checkpoint records the diff, who authored it (human vs AI agent vs AI tab completion), timestamps, and optionally the conversation transcript.
The user wants me to update the git-ai integration section to reflect that git-ai has multiple hooks, not just post-commit. The traces hook could plug into any of these hook points rather than being a separate standalone hook. Let me update the relevant section.
The post-push hook is particularly nice -- git-ai already pushes refs/notes/ai to the remote there, so adding refs/notes/traces to the same push is trivial.
"Git notes don't sync by default. " thats a problem, what if we jsut used raw refs instead?
The user is asking about using raw git refs instead of git notes. Let me think about this.
Git notes have the problem that they don't sync by default -- you need to configure refspecs. Raw refs (like refs/traces/<sha>) would also need refspec configuration to sync, so I'm not sure that solves the problem directly.
Actually wait -- let me think more carefully. The user might be thinking about something different.
Git notes are stored under refs/notes/traces as a single ref that points to a tree of note objects keyed by commit SHA. To sync, you need to add that ref to your push/fetch refspecs.
Raw refs like refs/traces/* have the same sync problem -- only branches and tags sync by default. But git-ai already handles pushing notes in its post-push hook, so the sync issue is solved when git-ai is present. The real problem emerges when git-ai isn't installed.
I could configure remote.origin.push and remote.origin.fetch to include a refs/traces/* pattern, which would handle the syncing, but I should probably just ask what the user had in mind or suggest alternatives like tags instead.
Raw refs (refs/traces/<sha> or similar) would have the same sync problem -- only refs/heads/* and refs/tags/* sync by default. Anything else needs refspec configuration.
The options I can see:
refs/notes/traces): one refspec to configure, but notes have their own merge complexityrefs/traces/*): one refspec to configure, simpler than notes (just blobs), but creates a ref per commit which grows unboundedlytraces/<externalId>): sync with git push --tags which many workflows already do, but pollutes the tag namespaceTraces-Id: abc123): sync automatically with the commit, zero config, but can't be added after the fact and clutters commit messagesgit-ai already solves this for its own notes by pushing them in the post-push hook. If git-ai is present, adding refs/notes/traces to that push is trivial. The problem is only when git-ai is not installed.
What were you thinking with raw refs?
we want to copy git-ai, not use it
Right. The traces hook handles its own push/fetch refspec configuration at install time, same way git-ai does. No dependency on git-ai being present.
how does gittuf solve this?
Written to docs/git-integration.md. Here's the shape of it:
9 composable pieces, each independently shippable:
refs/notes/traces on commit.git/traces-active) so the hook knows which traces are recordingrepos and traceRepoLinks Convex tables to connect git repos to namespacesPieces 1 and 2 are pure local git work with zero API changes and can ship first. The rest layers on in dependency order. The doc covers the note format, how it coordinates with git-ai's existing refs/notes/ai, the new data model, auth considerations, and open questions around naming, privacy, and multi-namespace repos.
gittuf stores its metadata under refs/gittuf/* and has the same sync problem. They solve it three ways:
git push <remote> refs/gittuf/* / git fetch <remote> refs/gittuf/*:refs/gittuf/*gittuf add-hooks installs a pre-push hook that syncs automaticallyrefs/gittuf/* on normal push/pull without explicit gittuf commandsThe custom transport is the interesting one -- it makes the refs invisible to the user. But it's also the most complex to build.
For traces, option 2 (hooks that auto-configure refspecs at install time) is probably the right starting point. Same as what we have in the doc now.
Sources:
recent git has a global hook install
Right, core.hooksPath (since Git 2.9). Set it once globally and every repo picks it up:
git config --global core.hooksPath ~/.githooksThe catch is it replaces the per-repo .git/hooks directory rather than chaining with it. So if a repo has its own hooks (husky, pre-commit, etc.), they stop running.
git-ai sidesteps this by installing as a git shim on PATH instead of using core.hooksPath -- it intercepts all git commands and runs its hooks before/after delegating to real git. That way it doesn't conflict with per-repo hooks.
For the traces hook, worth noting both options in the doc -- core.hooksPath is simpler but has the override problem, the shim approach is more compatible but heavier to build.
Sources:
none of this is that complex
You're right, I'm overcomplicating it. Let me simplify the hook section.
"A single repo could be linked to multiple namespaces if different team members use different traces accounts" are you talking about traces namespaces or git forge namespaces?
also mention some other potential things the github app could do, like allow a user to mention the @traces-com and ask questions aoubt the trace
it could also comment with a summary of tool calls, websites loaded and other details available from the traces
and which agent and model was used
Already covered -- "what models were used" is in the summary sentence. But "which agent" (Claude Code vs Cursor vs Codex etc.) is missing.
Traces namespaces. The scenario is: Alice and Bob both work on the same GitHub repo, but Alice's traces account is in namespace alice-team and Bob's is in bob-team. They'd each link the same repo remote URL to their own namespace, creating two rows in the repos table.
In practice this is probably uncommon -- most teams would share a single traces namespace. But worth flagging since the data model needs to handle it or explicitly disallow it.
also add a markdown export of the trace as another api endpoint
the local traces app then can also import traces automatically from the repo in the current dir when it's launched
also want to think of this as the infra for other kinds of integrations, this is low level connecting the dots between git data and agent traces, the github app, the tui and other integrations (IDEs, agent skills, LSP, MCP) can all use this lowlevel tooling primatives
i don't think git integration needs worry or know aobut namespaces
avoid short punch sentances and avoid all signposting and paralllel construction and restatement
we should also mention the potential for using a custom transport based on gittufs approach: https://gittuf.dev/documentation/contributors/automatic
The user is saying that the git integration layer shouldn't need to care about namespaces. That makes sense -- the git notes just carry trace external IDs, and the trace already belongs to a namespace. The repo linking can work through the trace itself rather than needing a direct repo-to-namespace relationship.
Let me think about what this simplifies:
The repos table doesn't need a namespaceId field
A repo is just a normalized remote URL + provider metadata
Trace-repo links connect traces to repos, and traces already know their namespace
The GitHub App queries by repo, gets traces, and visibility/auth is handled at the trace level
Repos don't need to be registered within a namespace at all -- the repos table is just a global registry, and namespace scoping happens entirely through the traces that reference them
This means I can simplify the documentation to reflect this cleaner separation of concerns.
i liked that list of other things in the beyond the github app section
oops, i commited the doc to main, but want it on a branch to open a pr with, not main
You're right. The trace already belongs to a namespace. The repo is just a repo -- the git hook writes trace IDs, and you follow the trace to find its namespace. The repo table doesn't need a namespaceId at all.
That simplifies piece 3 a lot. The repos table becomes a plain registry of git remotes, and namespace scoping comes from the traces themselves whenever you need it.
Let me update the doc.
Let me check what happened.
>git log --oneline -3So b6f71ce is the doc commit on main, and 642f89c is where main should be. I can create a branch from the current state, then move main back. Want me to:
git-integration-doc from b6f71ce642f89cThat way the commit lives on the branch and main is clean again.
yes do that
>git branch git-integration-doc b6f71ce && git reset --hard 642f89cDone. Main is back at 642f89c and the doc commit is on git-integration-doc.
open a pr
>git push -u origin git-integration-doc>gh pr create --title "Add git integration design doc" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
Design doc for attaching trace IDs to git refs via git notes, so collaborators can browse the full agent context behind any PR.
Covers the git hook, GitHub App, CLI auto-import, trace export, and how these primitives enable further integrations (IDE, MCP, LSP, CI/CD).
EOF
)">gh pr create --head git-integration-doc --title "Add git integration design doc" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
Design doc for attaching trace IDs to git refs via git notes, so collaborators can browse the full agent context behind any PR.
Covers the git hook, GitHub App, CLI auto-import, trace export, and how these primitives enable further integrations (IDE, MCP, LSP, CI/CD).
EOF
)"we should also get the trace upload process to return an id early, so we can record that into git fast as possible
>git checkout git-integration-docThe external ID is already generated client-side before upload, so the hook can write the note immediately and kick off the upload in the background. Let me make that explicit.
The key insight is that externalId already exists locally before any upload -- the CLI generates it when it first discovers the trace from the agent's datastore. So the note write is instant and the upload can happen async without blocking the commit.
also add gittuff and git-ai as references in the bottom of the doc
The user wants me to write a design document for a major new feature: Git integration for Traces via git notes. Let me first understand the existing codebase structure and then write a thorough design document.
Let me explore the codebase to understand the current architecture before writing the document.
commit and push to the pr
>git diff --stat>git add docs/git-integration.md && git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
Update git integration doc: background upload, references
EOF
)" && git pushPushed to the PR.
lets open a seperate issue to be able to chat/search with a trace via the web ui (use case: "did they try this package?")
>gh issue create --title "Chat with a trace in the web UI" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
Add the ability to ask questions about a trace in the web UI. When reviewing a trace, you often want to search for something specific rather than scrolling through the whole conversation -- "did they try this package?", "what error did they hit?", "was this file modified?".
This could be a search box that filters messages and tool calls, or a chat interface where you ask questions and get answers grounded in the trace content.
EOF
)"ok, so what are the individual bits of work we need to do to make this happen?
The user wants me to break down the actual implementation work needed. Let me re-read the doc to make sure I have the current state, then think through what concrete tasks are needed.
Breaking it down into concrete work items:
CLI changes (needed first)
traces active --dir <path> command -- query SQLite for traces whose directory matches the given path, return external IDstraces sync <externalId> command -- read trace from agent datastore on disk, upload to API, return quickly (already partially exists as the upload flow, but needs to work as a standalone command)traces import <file|url> command -- download a trace by external ID or from a JSON file, store in local SQLiterefs/notes/traces from recent refs, fetch any unknown trace IDs from the API, show them in the listAPI changes
5. GET /v1/traces/:externalId/export -- return full trace as JSON
6. GET /v1/traces/:externalId/export?format=md -- return trace as markdown
7. Visibility: make sure the existing GET /v1/traces/:externalId works for traces the requester didn't create (respecting visibility rules) -- may already work, needs checking
Git hook
8. Post-commit hook script -- calls traces active --dir ., writes note, kicks off background sync
9. Post-push hook script -- pushes refs/notes/traces to remote
10. Post-fetch hook script -- fetches refs/notes/traces from remote
11. Installer -- sets core.hooksPath, configures refspecs
GitHub App (separate project, depends on everything above) 12. App that listens for PR webhooks, reads notes from repo, loads traces by external ID, posts comment
Where do you want to start? Items 1 and 2 are the foundation everything else depends on, and they're scoped to the CLI.
ok lets add this list to the PR body
>gh pr edit 246 --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
Design doc for attaching trace IDs to git refs via git notes, so collaborators can browse the full agent context behind any PR.
Covers the git hook, GitHub App, CLI auto-import, trace export, and how these primitives enable further integrations (IDE, MCP, LSP, CI/CD).
## Work items
**CLI changes (needed first)**
- [ ] `traces active --dir <path>` command -- query SQLite for traces whose directory matches the given path, return external IDs
- [ ] `traces sync <externalId>` command -- read trace from agent datastore on disk, upload to API, return quickly
- [ ] `traces import <file|url>` command -- download a trace by external ID or from a JSON file, store in local SQLite
- [ ] Git-linked trace discovery on startup -- if in a git repo, read `refs/notes/traces` from recent refs, fetch any unknown trace IDs from the API, show them in the list
**API changes**
- [ ] `GET /v1/traces/:externalId/export` -- return full trace as JSON
- [ ] `GET /v1/traces/:externalId/export?format=md` -- return trace as markdown
- [ ] Verify existing `GET /v1/traces/:externalId` works for traces the requester didn't create (respecting visibility rules)
**Git hook**
- [ ] Post-commit hook script -- calls `traces active --dir .`, writes note, kicks off background sync
- [ ] Post-push hook script -- pushes `refs/notes/traces` to remote
- [ ] Post-fetch hook script -- fetches `refs/notes/traces` from remote
- [ ] Installer -- sets `core.hooksPath`, configures refspecs
**GitHub App (separate project)**
- [ ] App that listens for PR webhooks, reads notes from repo, loads traces by external ID, posts comment
EOF
)"ok lets start with traces active --dir command -- query SQLite for traces whose directory matches the given path, return external IDs on a new branch from main
Now update the API endpoints section to drop namespace from repo registration, and the auth section.
Perfect! Now I have enough information. Let me compile a comprehensive exploration report.
## Comprehensive Traces CLI Codebase Exploration
I've thoroughly explored the traces CLI codebase. Here's what I found:
### 1. CLI Command Registration & Entry Point
**File**: `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/index.ts`
The CLI uses a simple command dispatcher pattern:
- Command name from `process.argv[2]`
- Each command has its own module (e.g., `list.ts`, `share.ts`)
- Commands are registered in `index.ts` with simple `if/else` blocks (lines 47-134)
- Each command has a corresponding options parser (e.g., `parseListCommandOptions`)
- Commands return exit codes (0 = success, non-zero = failure)
Example registration pattern:
```typescript
} else if (command === 'list') {
const options = parseListCommandOptions(process.argv.slice(3));
listCommand(options).then((code) => exitWithFlush(code));
}
```
### 2. SQLite Database Schema
**File**: `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/core/event-store.ts` (lines 84-115)
The `traces` table (created in EventStore constructor):
```sql
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS traces (
id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
agent_id TEXT,
title TEXT,
preview TEXT,
timestamp INTEGER,
directory TEXT, -- <-- key field for filtering
source_path TEXT,
shared_url TEXT,
shared_visibility TEXT,
created_at INTEGER NOT NULL
);
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS events (
id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
trace_id TEXT NOT NULL,
event_id TEXT NOT NULL,
event_json TEXT NOT NULL,
created_at INTEGER NOT NULL,
UNIQUE(trace_id, event_id)
);
CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS events_by_trace
ON events (trace_id, id);
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS indexes (
agent_id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
cursor_json TEXT NOT NULL,
last_scan_at INTEGER NOT NULL,
last_error TEXT
);
```
**Key observations**:
- The `directory` field is nullable (can be NULL)
- Migrations are tracked via `PRAGMA user_version`
- Current schema version is 3 (see `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/core/migrations.ts`)
- Migration 3 added the `indexes` table for tracking adapter scan state
### 3. Event Store Query Methods
**File**: `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/core/event-store.ts`
**listTraces() method** (lines 224-249):
```typescript
async listTraces(limit: number = 100): Promise<TraceMetadata[]> {
const stmt = this.db.prepare(
'SELECT id, agent_id, title, preview, timestamp, directory, source_path, shared_url, shared_visibility FROM traces ORDER BY timestamp DESC LIMIT ?'
);
const rows = stmt.all(limit) as { /* ... */ }[];
return rows.map((row) => ({
id: row.id,
agentId: row.agent_id,
title: row.title,
preview: row.preview,
timestamp: row.timestamp,
directory: row.directory ?? undefined,
sourcePath: row.source_path ?? undefined,
sharedUrl: row.shared_url ?? undefined,
sharedVisibility: (row.shared_visibility ?? undefined) as TraceMetadata['sharedVisibility'],
}));
}
```
**Other key methods**:
- `upsertTrace(trace: TraceMetadata)` - inserts or updates
- `updateTrace(id: string, updates: Partial<TraceMetadata>)` - updates specific fields
- `getTrace(id: string)` - gets single trace by ID
- `append(traceId: string, event: TraceEvent)` - appends events to trace
- `getTraceEvents(traceId: string, limit?: number)` - retrieves all events for a trace
### 4. Existing Commands & Output Patterns
**List Command** (`/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/commands/list.ts`):
- Takes `limit` (default 100) and `agent` filters
- Returns `ListTrace[]` with: `id`, `agentId`, `title`, `preview`, `timestamp`, `directory`, `sourcePath`, `sharedUrl`, `sharedVisibility`
- Default output format (line 177): `${time} ${trace.agentId} ${trace.id} ${trace.title}`
- JSON output available with `--json` flag
- Has `--diagnostics` flag to show duration
- Exit code: 0 on success, 1 on LIST_FAILED, 2 on INVALID_ARGUMENTS
**Share Command** (`/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/commands/share.ts`):
- Can filter by `--cwd` (directory) with `--list` flag (lines 376-385)
- Uses path normalization and matching (lines 688-698):
```typescript
function isSameOrChildPath(candidate: string, root?: string): boolean {
if (!root) return false;
if (candidate === root) return true;
const rel = path.relative(root, candidate);
return rel !== "" && !rel.startsWith("..") && !path.isAbsolute(rel);
}
```
- Filters against both `directory` and `sourcePath` fields
- Returns formatted table output or JSON
### 5. TraceMetadata Type Definition
**File**: `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/types.ts` (lines 113-124)
```typescript
export interface TraceMetadata {
id: string;
agentId: AgentId;
title: string;
preview: string;
timestamp: number;
directory?: string; // <-- optional directory
sourcePath?: string; // <-- optional source file path
sharedUrl?: string;
sharedVisibility?: TraceVisibility;
modelId?: ModelId;
}
```
**AgentId type** (lines 8-18) includes: `'claude-code'`, `'cursor'`, `'opencode'`, `'windsurf'`, `'copilot'`, `'gemini-cli'`, `'codex'`, `'pi'`, `'amp'`, `'manual'`
### 6. TraceController Usage Pattern
**File**: `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/core/trace-controller.ts`
The main orchestrator for listing/sharing traces:
- `async list(limit?: number, options?: ListOptions)` - returns `Trace[]` (wrapped metadata)
- Takes an `EventStoreApi` instance (the event store)
- Takes an `AdapterRegistry` to resolve agent adapters
- Takes an `Api` client for remote sync
- Singleton pattern: constructor caches the indexer
Usage pattern from `list.ts` (lines 79-87):
```typescript
store = runtime.createStore(); // new EventStore()
const api = runtime.createApi();
controller = runtime.createController(store, api);
await controller.start(); // Restores subscriptions
const traces = await controller.list(fetchLimit);
```
### 7. Options Parsing Pattern
**File**: `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/commands/list-options.ts`
Simple iterative parser:
```typescript
export function parseListCommandOptions(args: string[]): ListCommandOptions {
const options: ListCommandOptions = {};
for (let i = 0; i < args.length; i += 1) {
const arg = args[i];
if (arg === '--limit') {
options.limit = Number.parseInt(args[i + 1], 10);
i += 1;
continue;
}
// ... similar for other flags
}
return options;
}
```
**ListCommandOptions interface**:
```typescript
export interface ListCommandOptions {
limit?: number;
agent?: AgentId | string;
json?: boolean;
diagnostics?: boolean;
}
```
### 8. Output Format Patterns
**Text output** (list.ts, line 177):
```typescript
runtime.writeStdout(`${time} ${trace.agentId} ${trace.id} ${trace.title}`);
```
**JSON output** (list.ts, lines 159-169):
```typescript
{
ok: true,
data: {
traces: ListTrace[],
count: number,
diagnostics?: { durationMs: number }
}
}
```
**Error output** (list.ts, lines 190-205):
```typescript
{
ok: false,
error: {
code: 'INVALID_ARGUMENTS' | 'LIST_FAILED',
message: string
}
}
```
### 9. Path Filtering Implementation
**In share.ts** (lines 376-385):
```typescript
if (options.cwd) {
const cwd = normalizePath(options.cwd);
traces = traces.filter((trace) => {
const traceDir = normalizePath(trace.directory);
if (traceDir && isSameOrChildPath(traceDir, cwd)) return true;
const sourcePath = normalizePath(trace.sourcePath);
return sourcePath ? isSameOrChildPath(sourcePath, cwd) : false;
});
}
```
The pattern checks BOTH `directory` and `sourcePath` fields, with directory taking precedence.
### 10. Key Implementation Details
**Sorting pattern** (share.ts, lines 676-681):
```typescript
function compareTraceOrder(a: ShareTrace, b: ShareTrace): number {
if (a.timestamp !== b.timestamp) {
return b.timestamp - a.timestamp; // Newest first
}
return a.id.localeCompare(b.id); // Then by ID alphabetically
}
```
**Runtime injection pattern** (list.ts, lines 39-62):
Commands use dependency injection for testability:
- `ListRuntime` interface defines all external dependencies
- `defaultRuntime` provides production implementations
- Commands accept optional `runtime` parameter for testing
**Controller lifecycle**:
```typescript
try {
store = runtime.createStore();
controller = runtime.createController(store, api);
// ... use controller
return exitCode;
} finally {
controller?.destroy();
store?.close();
}
```
This comprehensive understanding shows the CLI is well-structured with clear separation between command parsing, data access, business logic, and output formatting. The `directory` field is already stored and accessible in the schema, making it straightforward to add directory-based filtering.
agentId: ad2f7807dfd1e83ba (for resuming to continue this agent's work if needed)
<usage>total_tokens: 53369
tool_uses: 18
duration_ms: 58108</usage>This is very helpful. The `status.ts` command shows a pattern for directly opening the SQLite database in readonly mode without going through the full EventStore/Controller lifecycle. That's exactly the approach we need for the `active` command. Now I have everything I need to design the plan.
Here is the implementation plan.
---
## Implementation Plan: `traces active --dir <path>`
### Design decision: skip the controller
The `list` command goes through the full `TraceController.start()` flow, which restores sync subscriptions for all shared traces and iterates over adapters. That's too heavy for a git post-commit hook that runs on every commit.
The `status.ts` command shows the right pattern: open the SQLite database directly in readonly mode, run a query, close it. The `active` command should follow this approach. It reads only from the `traces` table, which is populated by prior CLI runs (TUI, `list`, `share`, etc.). No adapter scanning needed.
The traces table has `directory` and `source_path` columns but no index on `directory`. For the number of rows a typical user will have (hundreds, maybe low thousands), a full table scan is fine. Adding an index would be premature optimization for something that already returns in single-digit milliseconds.
### Path matching logic
Reuse the same logic from `share.ts`: a trace matches a directory if its `directory` or `source_path` is the same path or a child of the given path. The two helper functions (`normalizePath` and `isSameOrChildPath`) are currently local to `share.ts` and should be extracted to a shared utility so both `share.ts` and `active.ts` can use them.
### Files to create
**1. `cli/src/commands/active-options.ts`** -- options type and parser
```typescript
export interface ActiveCommandOptions {
dir?: string;
json?: boolean;
}
export function parseActiveCommandOptions(args: string[]): ActiveCommandOptions {
const options: ActiveCommandOptions = {};
for (let i = 0; i < args.length; i += 1) {
const arg = args[i];
if (arg === '--dir') {
options.dir = args[i + 1];
i += 1;
continue;
}
if (arg === '--json') {
options.json = true;
continue;
}
}
return options;
}
```
**2. `cli/src/commands/active.ts`** -- command implementation
The command opens the database readonly, queries all traces, filters by directory match, and outputs the external IDs. No controller, no adapters, no env setup beyond reading the DB path.
```typescript
import path from 'path';
import { normalizePath, isSameOrChildPath } from './path-utils';
type ActiveErrorCode = 'INVALID_ARGUMENTS' | 'ACTIVE_FAILED';
type ActiveSuccessPayload = {
ok: true;
data: {
traceIds: string[];
count: number;
};
};
type ActiveErrorPayload = {
ok: false;
error: {
code: ActiveErrorCode;
message: string;
};
};
// Runtime for testability (same pattern as list.ts)
export type ActiveRuntime = {
queryTracesByDirectory(dir: string): { id: string; directory: string | null; source_path: string | null }[];
writeStdout(message: string): void;
writeStderr(message: string): void;
};
```
The core logic:
1. Validate that `--dir` is provided
2. Resolve the dir to an absolute path
3. Open SQLite readonly, query all traces with a non-null `directory` or `source_path`
4. Filter in-app using `isSameOrChildPath` (same as `share.ts`)
5. Output the `id` field (external ID) of each match
The default runtime opens the database directly (like `status.ts` does) with `new Database(dbPath, { readonly: true })`, runs a query for traces where directory or source_path is not null, and closes the db. No EventStore instantiation, no migrations, no controller.
The query:
```sql
SELECT id, directory, source_path FROM traces
WHERE directory IS NOT NULL OR source_path IS NOT NULL
```
Then filter in TypeScript using `normalizePath` + `isSameOrChildPath`.
**3. `cli/src/commands/path-utils.ts`** -- extracted path helpers
```typescript
import path from 'path';
export function normalizePath(value?: string): string | undefined {
if (!value) return undefined;
return path.resolve(value);
}
export function isSameOrChildPath(candidate: string, root?: string): boolean {
if (!root) return false;
if (candidate === root) return true;
const rel = path.relative(root, candidate);
return rel !== '' && !rel.startsWith('..') && !path.isAbsolute(rel);
}
```
### Files to modify
**4. `cli/src/index.ts`** -- register the command
Add an `else if (command === 'active')` branch following the existing pattern:
```typescript
import { activeCommand } from './commands/active.js';
import { parseActiveCommandOptions } from './commands/active-options.js';
// ... in the if/else chain:
} else if (command === 'active') {
const options = parseActiveCommandOptions(process.argv.slice(3));
activeCommand(options).then((code) => exitWithFlush(code));
}
```
Also add the `active` command to the help text.
**5. `cli/src/commands/share.ts`** -- update imports
Replace the local `normalizePath` and `isSameOrChildPath` definitions with imports from `./path-utils`. The function signatures and behavior are identical, so this is a safe refactor.
### Test files to create
**6. `cli/src/commands/active-options.test.ts`**
Tests for the option parser, following the `list-options.test.ts` pattern:
- Parses `--dir` and `--json`
- Ignores unknown flags
- Handles missing `--dir` value gracefully
**7. `cli/src/commands/active.test.ts`**
Tests for the command, following the `list.test.ts` pattern with a runtime injection:
- Returns matching trace IDs when directory matches
- Returns matching trace IDs when source_path matches (child path)
- Returns empty when no traces match the directory
- Errors when `--dir` is not provided
- JSON output wraps IDs in `{ ok: true, data: { traceIds, count } }`
- Text output prints one ID per line
- Handles database errors gracefully (returns error exit code)
**8. `cli/src/commands/path-utils.test.ts`**
Tests for the extracted path helpers:
- `normalizePath` resolves relative paths
- `normalizePath` returns undefined for falsy input
- `isSameOrChildPath` returns true for same path
- `isSameOrChildPath` returns true for child path
- `isSameOrChildPath` returns false for sibling path
- `isSameOrChildPath` returns false for parent path
### Output format
**Text (default):**
```
abc123-external-id
def456-external-id
```
One ID per line, no decoration. The git hook script will read this with a simple `while read` loop.
**JSON (`--json`):**
```json
{"ok":true,"data":{"traceIds":["abc123-external-id","def456-external-id"],"count":2}}
```
**Error (text):**
```
Active failed (INVALID_ARGUMENTS): --dir is required.
```
**Error (JSON):**
```json
{"ok":false,"error":{"code":"INVALID_ARGUMENTS","message":"--dir is required."}}
```
### Runtime injection for testing
The `ActiveRuntime` interface abstracts database access so tests can inject trace data without touching SQLite:
```typescript
export type ActiveRuntime = {
queryTracesByDirectory(): { id: string; directory: string | null; source_path: string | null }[];
writeStdout(message: string): void;
writeStderr(message: string): void;
};
```
The default runtime does the readonly SQLite open/query/close inline, same as `status.ts`. The test runtime returns canned rows.
### Performance characteristics
The command does:
1. Resolve the DB path from env/defaults (~0ms)
2. Open SQLite in readonly mode (~1ms)
3. Query traces table (~1ms for hundreds of rows)
4. Filter in TypeScript (~0ms)
5. Print to stdout (~0ms)
6. Close db (~0ms)
Total wall time should be under 10ms for typical databases, well within git hook tolerance. No network calls, no adapter scanning, no controller lifecycle.
### Sequencing
1. Create `path-utils.ts` and `path-utils.test.ts` first (standalone, no dependencies)
2. Update `share.ts` to import from `path-utils` instead of defining locally (refactor, tests should still pass)
3. Create `active-options.ts` and `active-options.test.ts`
4. Create `active.ts` and `active.test.ts`
5. Register in `index.ts` and update help text
6. Run full test suite
### Critical Files for Implementation
- `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/commands/list.ts` - Pattern to follow for command structure, runtime injection, output formatting
- `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/commands/status.ts` - Pattern for direct readonly SQLite access (bypassing controller)
- `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/commands/share.ts` - Source of `normalizePath` and `isSameOrChildPath` to extract, and directory matching logic to reuse
- `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/index.ts` - Command registration point
- `/Users/andrew/code/traces/traces/cli/src/commands/list.test.ts` - Test pattern to follow
agentId: a211b541a1feb9a61 (for resuming to continue this agent's work if needed)
<usage>total_tokens: 60559
tool_uses: 17
duration_ms: 90482</usage>No. For the demo we just need the hook script. The hook can scan the SQLite database directly -- it doesn't need to go through a CLI command. We can hardcode the DB path and query in the hook, get the demo working, then extract the active command later.
Want me to just build the hook script that queries SQLite and writes git notes?
yeah lets just start with the hook demo
Perfect! I've found all the relevant code. Let me provide you with a comprehensive answer about how the traces CLI determines its SQLite database path.
## Database Path Resolution
The traces CLI determines its SQLite database path through a clear multi-step process:
### 1. EventStore Constructor (`cli/src/core/event-store.ts`, lines 55-75)
The `EventStore` class has the definitive logic:
```typescript
constructor(options: { dbPath?: string; maxEventBytes?: number } = {}) {
const baseDir = path.join(os.homedir(), '.traces');
if (!fs.existsSync(baseDir)) {
fs.mkdirSync(baseDir, { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
} else {
try { fs.chmodSync(baseDir, 0o700); } catch {}
}
const defaultDbName = 'traces.db';
const envDbName = process.env.TRACES_EVENTSTORE?.trim();
const dbName = envDbName || defaultDbName;
const resolvedDbPath = path.isAbsolute(dbName) ? dbName : path.join(baseDir, dbName);
// Legacy migration: events.db -> traces.db
if (!envDbName || dbName === defaultDbName || resolvedDbPath === path.join(baseDir, defaultDbName)) {
const legacyPath = path.join(baseDir, 'events.db');
if (fs.existsSync(legacyPath) && !fs.existsSync(resolvedDbPath)) {
fs.renameSync(legacyPath, resolvedDbPath);
}
}
const dbPath = options.dbPath ?? resolvedDbPath;
this.db = new Database(dbPath);
fs.chmodSync(dbPath, 0o600);
```
### 2. How Commands Create EventStore
Looking at `list.ts` (line 52):
```typescript
const defaultRuntime: ListRuntime = {
applyEnv: () => applyDefaultEnv(),
createStore: () => new EventStore(), // No options passed - uses defaults
// ...
};
```
Similarly in `status.ts` (lines 12-17), there's a standalone `getDatabasePath()` function that replicates the same logic:
```typescript
function getDatabasePath(): string {
const baseDir = getTracesDir();
const envDbName = process.env.TRACES_EVENTSTORE?.trim();
const dbName = envDbName || "traces.db";
return path.isAbsolute(dbName) ? dbName : path.join(baseDir, dbName);
}
```
### 3. Environment Variables and Configuration
Only one environment variable controls the database path:
- **`TRACES_EVENTSTORE`** - If set, can be:
- An absolute path (used as-is)
- A relative filename (joined with `~/.traces`)
- If not set, defaults to `traces.db`
Other environment variables documented in `status.ts` (lines 138-150) are:
- `TRACES_HTTP_URL` - API endpoint
- `TRACES_API_URL` - Convex API
- `TRACES_CONFIG_DIR` - Auth config location
### 4. Default Path on macOS
On macOS, with no `TRACES_EVENTSTORE` override:
**`~/.traces/traces.db`**
Which expands to:
**`/Users/[username]/.traces/traces.db`**
The directory is created with mode `0o700` (rwx------) and the database file with mode `0o600` (rw-------).
### 5. Legacy Migration
The code also handles a legacy migration path: if `events.db` exists in `~/.traces/` and the new `traces.db` doesn't, it automatically renames `events.db` to `traces.db` on first startup (lines 67-72 in event-store.ts).
agentId: a216dd5f2fec95b17 (for resuming to continue this agent's work if needed)
<usage>total_tokens: 28846
tool_uses: 3
duration_ms: 10439</usage>Good. The DB is at ~/.traces/traces.db by default. The hook just needs to open that with sqlite3, query for traces matching the working directory, and write git notes.
Now fix the push hook section that still references namespace.
Let me explore the codebase first to understand the current architecture and then write the design document.
And update the open questions section -- the multiple namespaces question changes character now.
And the GitHub App installation flow still mentions namespace API keys.
Done. The repo layer is now a plain registry of git remotes with no namespace coupling. Namespace scoping flows entirely through the traces themselves -- their existing visibility and ownership rules handle who can see what. The GitHub App, the CLI, and the frontend all just query by repo/commit and let the trace-level auth filter results.
You're right. I was designing endpoints before knowing what actually needs them. Let me strip piece 4 down to just what the other pieces concretely require.
Excellent! I have a comprehensive understanding of the codebase. Let me create a final summary document.
## Traces Codebase Exploration - Complete Summary
I've conducted a thorough exploration of the traces codebase. Here's what I found:
### 1. **Project Structure**
```
traces/
├── api/ # Self-hosted Convex backend
├── cli/ # Bun CLI TUI application
├── frontend/ # Next.js web app
├── packages/shared/ # @traces/shared types
└── docs/ # Architecture documentation
```
**Key technologies:**
- **Backend**: Self-hosted Convex (HTTP Actions on port 3211, API on 3210)
- **CLI**: Bun runtime + OpenTUI + Solid.js + SQLite (better-sqlite3)
- **Frontend**: Next.js + React
- **Package Manager**: Bun everywhere
---
### 2. **Trace Identification System**
Traces use a **dual ID system**:
- **`externalId`** (UUID): Generated by the CLI/agent, used as the primary identifier across the system
- Used in URLs, API requests, and sync operations
- Stable identifier tied to the trace's origin (agent + session)
- Example: `"trace-uuid"`
- **`traceId`** (Convex ID): Auto-generated by the database
- Internal Convex document ID
- Used for database relationships
- Example: `"convex-trace-id"`
**Format**: `externalId` is a string UUID (generated per trace creation), Convex IDs are document references.
---
### 3. **Current API Endpoints**
**Sync endpoints** (HTTP Actions at `/v1/traces`):
- `POST /v1/traces` - Create trace
- `GET /v1/traces` - List traces (most recent first)
- `GET /v1/traces/:externalId` - Get trace metadata
- `PUT /v1/traces/:externalId` - Update trace metadata
- `DELETE /v1/traces/:externalId` - Delete trace
- `POST /v1/traces/:externalId/messages/batch` - Batch sync messages
- `PUT /v1/traces/:externalId/messages/:messageExternalId` - Upsert single message
**Query endpoints** (via Convex query API):
- `traces:index` - List public traces
- `traces:get` - Get by Convex ID with auth validation
- `traces:messagesWithParts` - Get messages with parts
- `traces:paginatedMessagesWithParts` - Paginated full trace
- `traces:highlightMessagesWithParts` - Filter to highlight messages
---
### 4. **CLI Architecture**
**Data Flow:**
```
TUI → SessionController → Session Model → Adapters → Storage (SQLite)
```
**Key Rules:**
- TUI only calls `SessionController` (never adapters directly)
- Only `SessionController` accesses adapters
- `EventStore` is for metadata + sync cache only, NOT detail content
- Adapters parse agent storage into `SessionContent` + `SessionEvent`
**SQLite Schema:**
```sql
traces (id, agent_id, title, preview, timestamp, directory, source_path, shared_url, shared_visibility)
events (id, trace_id, event_id, event_json, created_at) -- indexed by trace_id
indexes (agent_id, cursor_json, last_scan_at, last_error) -- for incremental discovery
```
**Credentials storage:**
- OS config directory (XDG Linux, Application Support macOS, AppData Windows)
- Per-server as `credentials-<hash>.json` + `device.json`
- Separate from SQLite database (supports multiple server URLs)
---
### 5. **Shared Types in `@traces/shared`**
**Part Types** (content blocks in messages):
```typescript
enum PartType {
TEXT = 'text',
THINKING = 'thinking',
TOOL_CALL = 'tool_call',
TOOL_RESULT = 'tool_result',
ERROR = 'error',
}
```
**Message Structure:**
```typescript
interface Message {
id: string;
role: 'user' | 'assistant' | 'system';
textContent?: string;
model?: string;
parts: Part[]; // Typed content blocks
timestamp: number;
order: number;
}
```
**Part Content Types:**
- `TextContent`: `{ text: string }`
- `ThinkingContent`: `{ text: string, durationMs?: number }`
- `ToolCallContent`: `{ callId, toolName, args }`
- `ToolResultContent`: `{ callId, toolName, output, status }`
- `ErrorContent`: `{ message: string }`
---
### 6. **Data Models**
**Convex Schema** (3-level hierarchy):
```
traces (metadata layer)
└── messages (grouped by role + model)
└── parts (typed content blocks)
```
**Trace table fields:**
- `externalId` (string, indexed)
- `namespaceId` (required after Phase 20 migration)
- `createdBy` (user ID)
- `visibility` ('private' | 'direct' | 'public')
- `agentId`, `title`, `projectPath`, `projectName`, `model`
- Cached message counts: `messageCount`, `messageTypeCounts`, `toolTypeCounts`
- AI-generated fields: `ai_summary`, `ai_title`
**Message table fields:**
- `traceId` (FK to traces)
- `externalId` (string, indexed)
- `role` ('user' | 'assistant' | 'system')
- `textContent`, `model`, `order`, `timestamp`
- `createdAt`, `updatedAt`
**Parts table fields:**
- `messageId` (FK to messages)
- `type` (one of 5 types)
- `content` (typed union matching part type)
- `order` (sort order within message)
---
### 7. **CLI-to-API Transformation**
**CLI uses events internally** (flat, event-sourced):
```typescript
type TraceEvent =
| UserMessageEvent
| AgentTextEvent
| AgentThinkingEvent
| ToolCallEvent
| ToolResultEvent
| ErrorEvent;
```
**API uses messages+parts** (relational):
- CLI transforms events → messages at sync boundary
- Transformation lives in `cli/src/services/api.ts`
- Functions: `buildMessagePayload()`, `syncMessagesBatch()`, `syncTraceMetadata()`
**Sync flow:**
1. CLI adapter discovers/parses agent traces → `TraceEvent[]`
2. CLI stores in SQLite as metadata + events
3. On upload, CLI transforms events → `SyncMessagePayload[]`
4. API receives messages + parts, stores in Convex
5. Frontend queries via HTTP or reactive API
---
### 8. **Authentication & Authorization**
**Auth model:**
- **Users** own identities (device or GitHub)
- **Namespaces** are the primary account scope
- **Traces** belong to a namespace and have visibility levels
- **Membership** defines read/write access
**Session types:**
- Cookie session (web browser)
- CLI device session (persisted token)
- Access tokens (reactive queries, short-lived)
**Rate limiting:**
- `createSession`: 10/min per IP
- `authEndpoint`: 30/min per IP
- `apiWrite`: 120/min per authenticated user
---
### 9. **How Traces Are Synced**
**From CLI to API:**
1. **Metadata sync** (trace creation):
```
POST /v1/traces/:externalId with {
agentId, title, projectPath, projectName, model, visibility
}
```
2. **Message sync** (batch or single):
```
POST /v1/traces/:externalId/messages/batch with {
messages: [{ externalId, role, textContent, parts: [...] }]
}
```
3. **Idempotent upserts**: Messages are keyed by `(traceId, externalId)` — same message sent twice won't duplicate
4. **Batch sizing**: Messages are chunked respecting `maxBatchBytes` (default) and `maxBatchItems` limits
**Internal sync mutation** (`api/convex/internal/sync.ts`):
- Verifies write access (user is namespace member or admin)
- Creates or updates traces
- Upserts messages with parts
- Maintains denormalized message type counts
- Runs triggers for AI summarization
---
### 10. **Agent Adapters**
Supported agents:
- `claude-code` (reads from `~/.claude/`)
- `cursor` (reads from Cursor workspace storage)
- `opencode`, `codex`, `pi`, `amp`, `windsurf`, `copilot`, `gemini-cli`, `manual`
**Adapter interface:**
```typescript
interface TraceAdapter {
id: AgentId;
name: string;
isAvailable(): Promise<boolean>;
getTraces(options?): Promise<TraceMetadata[]>;
getTraceContent(trace): Promise<TraceContent>; // Returns all events
subscribe(trace, onEvent): Promise<() => void>; // Live updates
count(trace): Promise<number>; // Lightweight
getTraceIndexBatch?(options?): Promise<TraceIndexBatch>; // Incremental
getVersion(): string;
}
```
**Claude Code adapter specifics:**
- Reads from `~/.claude/history.jsonl` (tail-first for recent sessions)
- Scans `~/.claude/projects/` for individual session files
- Caches sessionId → sourcePath mappings (bounded to 500)
- Adaptive history scan: starts 2MB, grows up to 32MB
- Includes discovery diagnostics reporting to Sentry
---
### 11. **Key Files and Locations**
**API**:
- `/api/convex/schema.ts` - Database schema definition
- `/api/convex/traces.ts` - Trace query functions
- `/api/convex/http/v1/traces.ts` - HTTP endpoints
- `/api/convex/services/traces.ts` - Service layer (auth, mapping)
- `/api/convex/services/messages.ts` - Message/part sync
- `/api/convex/internal/sync.ts` - Internal sync mutations
- `/api/convex/models.ts` - Model registry queries
**CLI**:
- `/cli/src/core/event-store.ts` - SQLite storage layer
- `/cli/src/core/trace-controller.ts` - Main controller
- `/cli/src/core/trace.ts` - Trace model
- `/cli/src/services/api.ts` - Convex API client + transformation
- `/cli/src/adapters/` - Agent adapters
- `/cli/src/adapters/adapter.ts` - Base adapter interface
- `/cli/src/types.ts` - CLI-specific event types
**Shared**:
- `/packages/shared/src/part.ts` - Part type definitions
- `/packages/shared/src/message.ts` - Message type
- `/packages/shared/src/trace.ts` - Trace metadata
- `/packages/shared/src/schemas/` - Zod validators
---
### 12. **Memory Management Rules (CLI)**
The CLI is a long-lived TUI process. Key rules to prevent unbounded growth:
- MUST: Override `count()` on adapters — default loads full content
- MUST: Use `lastEventCount` integer, not `Set<string>` for subscriptions
- MUST: Check file mtime before re-reads in polling
- MUST: Call `closeDetailView()` (not manual resets) when leaving detail
- MUST: Bound in-memory caches (Maps, Sets) with LRU eviction
- NEVER: Store raw request/response bodies — truncate to string
- NEVER: Copy stale Map entries across refresh cycles without pruning
Memory monitoring: Sentry gauges every 60s (`cli.memory.*`), warnings at 512MB, critical at 1GB.
---
### 13. **Event vs Message Distinction**
| Aspect | CLI (Events) | API (Messages+Parts) |
|--------|-------------|---------------------|
| **Model** | Event-sourced (flat) | Relational (grouped) |
| **Storage** | `events` table | `messages` + `parts` tables |
| **Why** | Matches adapter parsing (line-by-line), preserves exact order | Normalizes for frontend display |
| **Transform** | At sync boundary (`api.ts`) | CLI builds `SyncMessagePayload` |
---
This comprehensive exploration covers the architecture, data models, API contracts, storage mechanisms, and key design decisions throughout the traces system. The platform follows clear separation of concerns: CLI captures and transforms, API stores and serves, frontend displays.
agentId: a5fd575d754b39c66 (for resuming to continue this agent's work if needed)
<usage>total_tokens: 75883
tool_uses: 43
duration_ms: 70239</usage>Now update the push hook section that was referencing the speculative endpoints.
And update the dependency graph since piece 4 is no longer a concrete dependency.
Piece 4 is now just a note that endpoints emerge from the pieces that need them, not a speculative API design up front.
if the github app reads trace ids out of a git repo, it can load them
Right -- the GitHub App already has access to the repo contents. It can read refs/notes/traces directly from the repo it's installed on, pull out the trace external IDs, and load them from the traces API. No push hook syncing step needed.
That collapses pieces 3, 5, and the whole traceRepoLinks table. Let me simplify.
Now remove the old piece 7 (GitHub App) since it's been consolidated into piece 3, and clean up the remaining pieces.
Now update the dependency graph.
Now clean up the GitHub App comment format -- it was in the old piece 7, let me add it back to piece 3 where the app now lives.
git config --global core.hooksPath ~/.githooks