agent-compose Compose task reports changed on every run (no changed_when) #230

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opened 2026-06-05 20:20:08 +00:00 by coilysiren · 1 comment

coilysiren commented

2026-06-05 20:20:08 +00:00

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Problem

The agent-compose : Compose COMPOSED.md and converge harness symlinks task in roles/agent-compose reports changed on every run, even when the composed output is byte-identical to what's already on disk. It's a command-style task with no changed_when guard, so Ansible always classifies it as changed.

Observed during a freshness sweep on the Kapwing laptop: after a clean action=apply tags=agent-compose,claude-hooks, an immediate idempotent re-check still reported:

TASK [agent-compose : Compose COMPOSED.md and converge harness symlinks]
changed: [localhost]

PLAY RECAP
localhost : ok=9 changed=1 failed=0

Impact

ansible-freshen check mode will always show this task as drift, so the default check run never reads as a true no-op. That erodes the signal of the check-mode preview - real drift hides behind permanent noise.
Cosmetic only at runtime (the composed output is identical each run), but it defeats idempotency, which is the point of the converge step.

Suggested fix

Add a changed_when to the compose task driven by whether the composer actually rewrote COMPOSED.md / the load points. Options:

Have the composer emit a machine-readable "did I change anything" signal (exit code or stdout marker) and gate changed_when on it.
Or hash the relevant outputs before/after and set changed_when on the diff.

Goal: a converged host runs ansible-freshen tags=agent-compose as changed=0.

Same class of check-mode-fidelity wart as the ansible_env.HOME -> ansible_facts deprecation warnings across the roles, and #229 (check mode aborting on tap+formula migrations). Could be folded into a single roles-housekeeping pass.

Found on kais-macbook-pro (Kapwing host) on 2026-06-05.

## Problem The `agent-compose : Compose COMPOSED.md and converge harness symlinks` task in `roles/agent-compose` reports `changed` on **every** run, even when the composed output is byte-identical to what's already on disk. It's a command-style task with no `changed_when` guard, so Ansible always classifies it as changed. Observed during a freshness sweep on the Kapwing laptop: after a clean `action=apply tags=agent-compose,claude-hooks`, an immediate idempotent re-check still reported: ``` TASK [agent-compose : Compose COMPOSED.md and converge harness symlinks] changed: [localhost] PLAY RECAP localhost : ok=9 changed=1 failed=0 ``` ## Impact - `ansible-freshen` check mode will **always** show this task as drift, so the default check run never reads as a true no-op. That erodes the signal of the check-mode preview - real drift hides behind permanent noise. - Cosmetic only at runtime (the composed output is identical each run), but it defeats idempotency, which is the point of the converge step. ## Suggested fix Add a `changed_when` to the compose task driven by whether the composer actually rewrote `COMPOSED.md` / the load points. Options: - Have the composer emit a machine-readable "did I change anything" signal (exit code or stdout marker) and gate `changed_when` on it. - Or hash the relevant outputs before/after and set `changed_when` on the diff. Goal: a converged host runs `ansible-freshen tags=agent-compose` as `changed=0`. ## Related Same class of check-mode-fidelity wart as the `ansible_env.HOME` -> `ansible_facts` deprecation warnings across the roles, and #229 (check mode aborting on tap+formula migrations). Could be folded into a single roles-housekeeping pass. Found on kais-macbook-pro (Kapwing host) on 2026-06-05.

coilysiren referenced this issue from coilyco-flight-deck/agentic-os

2026-06-05 20:23:55 +00:00

agent-compose is not idempotent: rewrites COMPOSED.md + re-links and reports changed every run #177

coilysiren commented

2026-06-05 20:24:24 +00:00

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Mis-scoped. The root cause is in agent-compose itself - it rewrites COMPOSED.md and re-links the harness symlinks unconditionally, emitting the wrote /linked markers on every run, not in the ansible role's changed_when. The role's changed_when is correct once those markers only fire on real changes, so no role change is needed.

Re-filed against the right repo as coilyco-flight-deck/agentic-os#177. Closing.

Mis-scoped. The root cause is in agent-compose itself - it rewrites `COMPOSED.md` and re-links the harness symlinks unconditionally, emitting the `wrote `/`linked ` markers on every run, not in the ansible role's `changed_when`. The role's `changed_when` is correct once those markers only fire on real changes, so no role change is needed. Re-filed against the right repo as coilyco-flight-deck/agentic-os#177. Closing.

coilysiren closed this issue

2026-06-05 20:24:26 +00:00

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coilyco-flight-deck/infrastructure#230

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