DollhouseMCP

# Session Notes - October 8, 2025 **Date**: October 8, 2025 **Time**: 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM (1 hour) **Focus**: Completing Todd's code review feedback - gitignore cleanup and docs/archive rename **Outcome**: ✅ 2 PRs merged, git worktree workflow established, follow-up issue created --- ## Session Summary Completed the remaining quick-win items from developer Todd's code review feedback. Established git worktree workflow for multi-agent parallel development, addressed directory naming confusion, and created follow-up issue for script testing improvements. ### Key Accomplishments 1. **Git Worktree Workflow Established** - Set up `active/worktrees/` directory structure - Each feature branch gets its own isolated working directory - Eliminates branch collision issues with multiple Claude Code sessions - Prepares infrastructure for multi-agent parallel workflows 2. **Gitignore Cleanup** (PR #1276 - MERGED) - Added `.obsidian/` to IDE files section - Added `test-results/` to test artifacts section - Both are user-specific/generated content 3. **Docs Archive Rename** (PR #1277 - MERGED) - Renamed `docs/archive/` → `docs/session-history/` - Eliminates confusion with root `archive/` (dev tools directory) - Updated all 4 archiving scripts - Updated ARCHIVING_GUIDELINES.md - Fixed 8 documentation files with references - 224 archived session files renamed successfully 4. **Script Improvement** (PR #1277, 2nd commit) - Made `fix-archived-references.sh` dynamic - Removed hard-coded `2025/07/` paths - Now uses `find` to discover all archived files in any YYYY/MM/ subdirectory - Future-proof for any new archive dates 5. **Follow-up Issue Created** (Issue #1278) - Add comprehensive tests for archiving scripts - Simplify sed escaping (requires tests first) - Ensures safety net before refactoring --- ## Todd's Feedback - Complete Status ### ✅ Completed Items 1. **PR #1270** - CLAUDE.md refactoring (merged earlier today) 2. **PR #1273** - Docker env file best practices (merged earlier today) 3. **PR #1274** - Data directory documentation (merged earlier today) 4. **PR #1275** - Personal dev-notes/ structure (merged earlier today) 5. **PR #1276** - .obsidian/ and test-results/ gitignore (merged this session) 6. **PR #1277** - docs/archive → docs/session-history rename (merged this session) 7. **CLAUDE.md decision** - Keeping as-is (project AI documentation, not personal) ### ⏳ Deferred Items 1. **`archive/` (root directory)** - Holding off - Contains debug-scripts/, test-scripts/, performance-analysis/ - Created intentionally via PR #733 to organize development utilities - SonarCloud applies fixes to these scripts (actively maintained) - Decision: Keep as-is for now 2. **`index.ts` refactoring** - Major work for future session - 6,028 lines - Todd's quote: "stuff of nightmares" - Needs architectural planning and dedicated session(s) --- ## Git Worktree Workflow ### Motivation **Problem encountered during earlier session:** - Terminal 1: Working on Docker feature branch - Terminal 2: Claude Code opened, same branch context - **Result**: Committed file to wrong branch **Multi-agent future:** - Planning for multiple Claude Code instances working simultaneously - Dozen+ agents working on different features in parallel - Need complete context isolation ### Solution: Git Worktrees **Structure established:** ``` ~/Developer/Organizations/DollhouseMCP/active/ ├── mcp-server/ # Main repo (stays on develop) └── worktrees/ ├── todd-gitignore-cleanup/ # Feature work └── rename-docs-archive/ # Feature work ``` **Benefits:** - Each directory = one branch (impossible to work on wrong branch) - Parallel work without context switching - Each Claude Code session can have its own worktree - No stashing required - Perfect isolation for multi-agent workflows ### Workflow Pattern 1. **Create worktree from main repo:** ```bash cd mcp-server git worktree add ../worktrees/feature-name -b feature/feature-name develop ``` 2. **Work in worktree:** ```bash cd ../worktrees/feature-name # Make changes, commit, push ``` 3. **After PR merge:** ```bash cd mcp-server git checkout develop && git pull git worktree remove ../worktrees/feature-name ``` **Known Issue:** GitFlow Guardian false positive when creating feature branches from develop (documented, expected behavior) --- ## PR #1276: Gitignore Cleanup ### Changes Added two directories to `.gitignore`: ```gitignore # IDE files .obsidian/ # Test results test-results/ ``` ### Rationale - **`.obsidian/`** - Personal Obsidian vault files (user-specific tool) - **`test-results/`** - Generated test output files (Sep 19 last modified) Both directories contain content that should not be tracked in version control. ### Process - Created in worktree: `worktrees/todd-gitignore-cleanup/` - GitFlow Guardian warning (expected false positive) - Single focused commit - Merged via squash to develop - Worktree cleaned up **Merged**: Commit `993128dc` --- ## PR #1277: Docs Archive Rename ### Problem: Naming Confusion Two different "archive" directories with different purposes: | Directory | Purpose | Status | |-----------|---------|--------| | `archive/` (root) | Dev tools/scripts | Actively maintained by SonarCloud | | `docs/archive/` | Historical session notes | Stale documentation >7 days old | The word "archive" meant two different things, causing confusion. ### Solution Renamed `docs/archive/` → `docs/session-history/` **Result:** - `archive/` = Development tools (clear purpose) - `docs/session-history/` = Historical session notes (self-documenting) ### Changes Made **1. Directory Rename** - 224 archived files moved - All YYYY/MM/ subdirectories preserved (2025/07/, 2025/09/) - Git detected as rename (not delete+add) **2. Scripts Updated (4 files)** - `scripts/archive-old-docs.sh` - Updated `ARCHIVE_BASE="docs/session-history"` - `scripts/smart-archive-docs.sh` - Updated `ARCHIVE_BASE="docs/session-history"` - `scripts/fix-archived-references.sh` - Updated to dynamic path discovery - `scripts/never-archive-list.txt` - No changes (filename-only list) **3. Documentation Updated** - `docs/development/ARCHIVING_GUIDELINES.md` - Complete path overhaul - 8 additional files with archive references updated **4. Script Improvement (2nd commit)** **Issue found:** Hard-coded path in `fix-archived-references.sh`: ```bash ARCHIVED_FILES=$(ls docs/session-history/2025/07/ | grep -E "\.md$") ``` **Fixed with dynamic discovery:** ```bash declare -A ARCHIVED_PATHS while IFS= read -r archive_file; do filename=$(basename "$archive_file") relative_path="${archive_file#$ARCHIVE_BASE/}" ARCHIVED_PATHS["$filename"]="$relative_path" done < <(find "$ARCHIVE_BASE" -type f -name "*.md") ``` **Benefits:** - Works with any YYYY/MM/ date structure - No hard-coded paths - Future-proof for new archives - Uses associative array for filename → path mapping ### Escaping Observation **Current implementation:** ```bash sed -i.bak -E "s|\.\.?/+([^/]*/)*(${filename})|../${relative_path//\//\\/}|g" "$doc_file" ``` The `${relative_path//\//\\/}` escaping is complex because we're using `|` as the sed delimiter while the replacement contains forward slashes. **Better approach (deferred):** ```bash sed -i.bak -E "s#\.\.?/+([^/]*/)*(${filename})#../${relative_path}#g" "$doc_file" ``` Using `#` as delimiter eliminates escaping entirely. **Decision:** Created Issue #1278 to add tests FIRST, then refactor escaping. **Merged**: Commits `175a4739` and `6183908d` --- ## Issue #1278: Archive Script Testing ### Problem No test coverage exists for: - `scripts/archive-old-docs.sh` - `scripts/smart-archive-docs.sh` - `scripts/fix-archived-references.sh` **Risk:** Changes to these scripts could break without detection. ### Solution (Two Phases) **Phase 1: Add Tests (Required First)** 1. Set up test framework for bash scripts 2. Test `fix-archived-references.sh`: - Various reference format replacements - Multiple date directories - Nested paths - No-change scenarios - Special characters in paths 3. Test `archive-old-docs.sh` (mtime-based) 4. Test `smart-archive-docs.sh` (filename date parsing) **Phase 2: Improve Escaping (After Tests Pass)** 5. Refactor sed commands to use `#` delimiter 6. Remove complex `${relative_path//\//\\/}` escaping 7. Verify all tests still pass ### Acceptance Criteria - All three scripts have comprehensive test coverage - Tests integrated into `npm test` - Tests verify sed escaping works correctly - Sed escaping simplified after tests prove it safe - All existing functionality preserved **Priority:** Medium - Scripts work now, but need safety net for future changes --- ## Technical Insights ### Git Worktree Benefits for Multi-Agent Development **Current need:** Multiple Claude Code instances working simultaneously **Worktree solution:** - Each agent gets its own working directory - Complete branch isolation - No context switching overhead - Impossible to commit to wrong branch - Parallel development without conflicts **Example setup for multi-agent:** ``` worktrees/ ├── agent-1-feature-auth/ # Agent 1: Authentication work ├── agent-2-feature-api/ # Agent 2: API improvements ├── agent-3-fix-security/ # Agent 3: Security fixes └── agent-4-docs-update/ # Agent 4: Documentation ``` Each agent works independently, no shared state, no merge conflicts during development. ### Dynamic Path Discovery Pattern **Problem:** Hard-coded paths break as data evolves **Solution:** Use `find` + associative arrays ```bash declare -A PATHS_MAP while IFS= read -r file; do key=$(basename "$file") value="${file#base/path/}" PATHS_MAP["$key"]="$value" done < <(find base/path -type f -name "*.ext") ``` **Benefits:** - Self-updating as new files are added - No maintenance required - Works with any directory structure - Efficient lookups via associative array ### Sed Delimiter Choice **Guideline:** Use delimiter that doesn't appear in replacement text **Common delimiters:** - `/` - Most common, but conflicts with file paths - `|` - Better for file paths, but still needs escaping - `#` - Best for file paths (no escaping needed) - `@` - Alternative, but less readable **Best practice:** Choose `#` for file path replacements to avoid all escaping. --- ## Repository State ### Today's PRs (All Merged) **Morning sessions:** 1. PR #1270: CLAUDE.md refactoring 2. PR #1273: Docker env file best practices **Afternoon sessions (earlier):** 3. PR #1274: Data directory documentation 4. PR #1275: Personal dev-notes structure **This session:** 5. PR #1276: Gitignore cleanup 6. PR #1277: Docs archive rename + script fix ### Current Branch - On `develop` - Up to date with origin/develop - All worktrees cleaned up - Ready for next feature work ### Issues Created - Issue #1278: Add tests for archiving scripts --- ## Key Learnings ### Git Worktrees Are Essential for Multi-Agent Workflows The accidental wrong-branch commit from earlier sessions proved git worktrees aren't optional for parallel development - they're required for safety and correctness. **Decision:** Standardize on worktree workflow going forward. ### Test Before Refactor Found complex sed escaping during rename work. Instead of immediately "fixing" it: 1. Identified the issue 2. Created test requirement 3. Deferred refactor until tests exist **Result:** Safety net prevents breaking changes, documents expected behavior. ### Hard-Coded Paths Are Technical Debt The `2025/07/` hard-coded path would have broken the first time we archived files in a different month. Dynamic discovery eliminates entire class of bugs. **Lesson:** Always prefer dynamic discovery over hard-coded paths for evolving data. ### Directory Names Should Be Self-Documenting `docs/archive/` was ambiguous - archive of what? Old code? Test data? Session notes? `docs/session-history/` is immediately clear - historical session documentation. **Principle:** Directory names should answer "what's in here?" without needing documentation. --- ## Next Session Priorities ### Immediate (If Desired) 1. **Tackle Issue #1278** (Add archiving script tests) - Set up bash testing framework - Write comprehensive tests - Simplify sed escaping ### Major Work (Future Session) 2. **`index.ts` Refactoring** - 6,028 lines of complex code - Todd's "stuff of nightmares" comment - Needs architectural planning - Break into smaller modules - Reduce complexity significantly **Recommendation:** Complete script testing (#1278) before tackling index.ts refactor to build testing muscle and establish patterns. --- ## Session Workflow Notes ### Worktree Commands Used ```bash # Create worktree git worktree add ../worktrees/todd-gitignore-cleanup -b feature/todd-gitignore-cleanup develop # List worktrees git worktree list # After merge, clean up git checkout develop && git pull git worktree remove ../worktrees/todd-gitignore-cleanup ``` ### PR Creation Pattern ```bash # Push branch git push -u origin feature/branch-name # Create PR with body gh pr create --repo DollhouseMCP/mcp-server \ --head feature/branch-name \ --base develop \ --title "Title" \ --body "$(cat <<'EOF' PR description here EOF )" # Merge when ready gh pr merge XXXX --repo DollhouseMCP/mcp-server --squash --delete-branch ``` ### Issue Creation Pattern ```bash gh issue create --repo DollhouseMCP/mcp-server \ --title "Issue title" \ --body "$(cat <<'EOF' Issue description EOF )" ``` --- ## Time Breakdown - **Context loading** (10 min): Loading session memory, reviewing PRs - **Worktree setup** (10 min): Creating worktree structure, first PR - **PR #1276** (15 min): Gitignore cleanup, merge - **PR #1277** (20 min): Archive rename, script updates, testing - **Script fix** (10 min): Dynamic path discovery improvement - **Issue creation** (5 min): Creating #1278 for follow-up work - **Session notes** (current): Writing comprehensive handoff **Total**: ~1 hour --- ## References ### Pull Requests - PR #1276: https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server/pull/1276 - PR #1277: https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server/pull/1277 ### Issues - Issue #1278: https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server/issues/1278 ### Key Files Modified - `.gitignore` - Added .obsidian/ and test-results/ - `docs/archive/` → `docs/session-history/` (224 files renamed) - `scripts/archive-old-docs.sh` - Updated ARCHIVE_BASE path - `scripts/smart-archive-docs.sh` - Updated ARCHIVE_BASE path - `scripts/fix-archived-references.sh` - Made dynamic (major improvement) - `docs/development/ARCHIVING_GUIDELINES.md` - Updated all paths ### Session Memory - Loaded: `session-2025-10-08-afternoon-data-directory-and-dev-notes` --- *Session notes prepared for continuity. Worktree workflow established for multi-agent development. Todd's feedback complete except for index.ts refactoring (major future work).*