@sayknow-cli/coding-agent 0.4.7 → 0.5.0

package/src/skc-runtime/deep-interview-stage.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,1016 @@
+import { createHash, randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
+import * as fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import { syncSkillActiveState } from "../skill-state/active-state";
+import { deriveDeepInterviewHud } from "../skill-state/workflow-hud";
+import { WORKFLOW_STATE_VERSION } from "../skill-state/workflow-state-contract";
+import { applyAmbiguityFloorToEnvelope } from "./deep-interview-ambiguity";
+import {
+	assertDeepInterviewEnvelopeInputLimits,
+	assertDeepInterviewIntentManifest,
+	assertDeepInterviewStructuredResponseWithinLimit,
+	mergeDeepInterviewEnvelope,
+	normalizeDeepInterviewEnvelope,
+} from "./deep-interview-state";
+import { sessionStateDir } from "./session-layout";
+import { resolveSkcSessionForWrite, SessionResolutionError, writeSessionActivityMarker } from "./session-resolution";
+import { runNativeStateCommand } from "./state-runtime";
+import {
+	persistedStateRevision,
+	readExistingStateForMutation,
+	StateWriteConflictError,
+	withWorkflowStateLock,
+	workflowEnvelopeContentSha256,
+	writeGuardedWorkflowEnvelopeAtomic,
+	writeJsonAtomic,
+} from "./state-writer";
+import { CommandError, flagValue, hasFlag, isPlainObject } from "./workflow-cli-common";
+
+/**
+ * Staged JSON transitions for deep-interview state (`skc deep-interview stage|check|apply|discard`).
+ *
+ * Design contract (post-#3040 revert; deliberately NOT the typed-flag surface):
+ * - The payload is one JSON document supplied whole (`--input '<json>'` or `@file`),
+ *   merged into current state through the same lossless envelope merge every other
+ *   sanctioned deep-interview writer uses. There is no per-field flag grammar.
+ * - Exactly one pending draft exists per session at a fixed session-scoped path,
+ *   so no `--draft-id` is needed; the session resolves from `SKC_SESSION_ID` (or
+ *   payload `session_id`), so no identity flags are needed.
+ * - The draft records the `state_revision` it was staged against; `apply` enforces
+ *   that runtime-side (CAS). A stale draft is auto-invalidated with typed recovery
+ *   guidance — the agent never does revision arithmetic.
+ * - `check` dry-runs the identical merge `apply` performs. Validation is core-schema
+ *   only (envelope shape, bounded input sizes, locked intent-contract immutability);
+ *   free-form interview fields pass through untouched.
+ */
+
+import * as path from "node:path";
+
+export const DEEP_INTERVIEW_STAGE_TRANSITIONS = [
+	"initialize-context",
+	"record-round",
+	"update-facts",
+	"merge-state",
+] as const;
+export type DeepInterviewStageTransition = (typeof DEEP_INTERVIEW_STAGE_TRANSITIONS)[number];
+
+const DRAFT_VERSION = 1;
+const DRAFT_FILE = "deep-interview-draft.json";
+
+export type DeepInterviewStageErrorCode =
+	| "DI_STAGE_USAGE"
+	| "DI_STAGE_INPUT_INVALID"
+	| "DI_STAGE_SESSION_REQUIRED"
+	| "DI_STAGE_DRAFT_EXISTS"
+	| "DI_STAGE_NO_DRAFT"
+	| "DI_STAGE_DRAFT_CORRUPT"
+	| "DI_STAGE_STATE_MISSING"
+	| "DI_STAGE_STATE_CORRUPT"
+	| "DI_STAGE_REVISION_CONFLICT"
+	| "DI_STAGE_MERGE_REJECTED";
+
+export class DeepInterviewStageError extends CommandError {
+	constructor(
+		readonly code: DeepInterviewStageErrorCode,
+		message: string,
+		readonly recovery?: string,
+	) {
+		super(2, message);
+		this.name = "DeepInterviewStageError";
+	}
+}
+
+export interface DeepInterviewStageDraft {
+	version: typeof DRAFT_VERSION;
+	draft_id: string;
+	session_id: string;
+	transition: DeepInterviewStageTransition;
+	/** State revision the draft was staged against; `apply` CAS-checks this. */
+	staged_against_revision: number;
+	/**
+	 * Canonical content SHA-256 of the state the draft was staged against. Revision
+	 * alone cannot catch sanctioned writers that do not bump `state_revision`
+	 * (seed/spec-persistence), so `apply` requires BOTH to match.
+	 */
+	staged_against_sha256: string;
+	payload: Record<string, unknown>;
+	created_at: string;
+}
+
+export interface DeepInterviewStageCommandResult {
+	status: number;
+	stdout?: string;
+	stderr?: string;
+}
+
+export function deepInterviewDraftPath(cwd: string, sessionId: string): string {
+	return path.join(sessionStateDir(cwd, sessionId), DRAFT_FILE);
+}
+
+function statePathFor(cwd: string, sessionId: string): string {
+	return path.join(sessionStateDir(cwd, sessionId), "deep-interview-state.json");
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Input parsing
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/** Bytes cap for `@file` payloads — conservative for the 100k-char structured-response limit. */
+const MAX_INPUT_FILE_BYTES = 1_000_000;
+
+async function parseJsonInput(rawInput: string, cwd: string): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+	let text = rawInput;
+	if (rawInput.startsWith("@")) {
+		const filePath = path.resolve(cwd, rawInput.slice(1));
+		try {
+			const stat = await fs.stat(filePath);
+			if (!stat.isFile()) {
+				throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+					"DI_STAGE_INPUT_INVALID",
+					`--input file is not a regular file: ${filePath}`,
+				);
+			}
+			if (stat.size > MAX_INPUT_FILE_BYTES) {
+				throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+					"DI_STAGE_INPUT_INVALID",
+					`--input file exceeds ${MAX_INPUT_FILE_BYTES} bytes (${stat.size}); staged payloads are bounded`,
+				);
+			}
+			text = await fs.readFile(filePath, "utf-8");
+		} catch (error) {
+			if (error instanceof DeepInterviewStageError) throw error;
+			throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+				"DI_STAGE_INPUT_INVALID",
+				`failed to read --input file ${filePath}: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
+			);
+		}
+	}
+	let parsed: unknown;
+	try {
+		parsed = JSON.parse(text);
+	} catch (error) {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+			"DI_STAGE_INPUT_INVALID",
+			`--input is not valid JSON: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
+		);
+	}
+	if (!isPlainObject(parsed)) {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError("DI_STAGE_INPUT_INVALID", "--input must be a JSON object");
+	}
+	return parsed;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Envelope lifecycle fields the runtime owns exclusively. A staged payload may
+ * carry interview data only; phase transitions go through their dedicated verbs
+ * (`--write`, `skc state handoff/clear`), never through a staged patch.
+ */
+const RUNTIME_OWNED_ENVELOPE_KEYS = [
+	"current_phase",
+	"active",
+	"skill",
+	"version",
+	"state_revision",
+	"source_state_revision",
+	"receipt",
+	"updated_at",
+	"last_applied_draft_id",
+] as const;
+
+/**
+ * Nested `state.*` keys owned by the Round-0 ask recorder. A staged/write
+ * payload can never set them: a fabricated contract (missing digest/
+ * confirmation binding) would poison state so every later merge fails
+ * `invalid intent contract`, bricking the interview until a destructive
+ * `clear --force`. The recorder is the only writer that can lock intent.
+ */
+const RECORDER_OWNED_STATE_KEYS = ["intent_contract", "intent_review"] as const;
+
+/** Strip runtime-owned keys from a staged payload; returns the ignored key names. */
+function sanitizeStagedPayload(payload: Record<string, unknown>): {
+	payload: Record<string, unknown>;
+	ignoredKeys: string[];
+} {
+	const next = { ...payload };
+	const ignoredKeys: string[] = [];
+	for (const key of RUNTIME_OWNED_ENVELOPE_KEYS) {
+		if (key in next) {
+			delete next[key];
+			ignoredKeys.push(key);
+		}
+	}
+	if (isPlainObject(next.state)) {
+		const state = { ...(next.state as Record<string, unknown>) };
+		for (const key of RECORDER_OWNED_STATE_KEYS) {
+			if (key in state) {
+				delete state[key];
+				ignoredKeys.push(`state.${key}`);
+			}
+		}
+		next.state = state;
+	}
+	return { payload: next, ignoredKeys };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Self-heal a poisoned merge base: a persisted `state.intent_contract` that
+ * fails canonical validation can only come from a pre-guard poisoned write
+ * (the recorder always persists valid manifests). Left in place it makes
+ * every merge throw, bricking the interview. Drop it (and any equally
+ * unverifiable intent_review) from the base and report the repair.
+ */
+function healPoisonedIntentContract(base: Record<string, unknown>): {
+	base: Record<string, unknown>;
+	healed: boolean;
+} {
+	if (!isPlainObject(base.state)) return { base, healed: false };
+	const state = base.state as Record<string, unknown>;
+	if (state.intent_contract === undefined) return { base, healed: false };
+	try {
+		assertDeepInterviewIntentManifest(state.intent_contract);
+		return { base, healed: false };
+	} catch {
+		const healedState = { ...state };
+		delete healedState.intent_contract;
+		delete healedState.intent_review;
+		return { base: { ...base, state: healedState }, healed: true };
+	}
+}
+
+function parseTransition(raw: string | undefined): DeepInterviewStageTransition {
+	if (!raw || !(DEEP_INTERVIEW_STAGE_TRANSITIONS as readonly string[]).includes(raw)) {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+			"DI_STAGE_USAGE",
+			`--for must be one of: ${DEEP_INTERVIEW_STAGE_TRANSITIONS.join(", ")}`,
+		);
+	}
+	return raw as DeepInterviewStageTransition;
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Core-schema validation (flexible by design: bounds + envelope shape only)
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/**
+ * Validate only what the write gate and durability contract require:
+ * JSON-serializable, bounded total size, bounded free-text prose fields, and no
+ * attempt to smuggle envelope-reserved keys as interview state. Free-form fields
+ * (rounds, facts, notes, anything unknown) pass through — flexibility is the
+ * contract; the merge preserves them verbatim.
+ */
+function assertCorePayloadSchema(payload: Record<string, unknown>): void {
+	try {
+		assertDeepInterviewStructuredResponseWithinLimit(payload);
+		assertDeepInterviewEnvelopeInputLimits(normalizeDeepInterviewEnvelope(payload) as Record<string, unknown>);
+	} catch (error) {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+			"DI_STAGE_INPUT_INVALID",
+			error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
+		);
+	}
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Draft persistence
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+type DraftReadResult =
+	| { kind: "absent" }
+	| { kind: "corrupt"; error: string }
+	| { kind: "valid"; draft: DeepInterviewStageDraft };
+
+async function readDraft(cwd: string, sessionId: string): Promise<DraftReadResult> {
+	const draftPath = deepInterviewDraftPath(cwd, sessionId);
+	let raw: string;
+	try {
+		raw = await fs.readFile(draftPath, "utf-8");
+	} catch (error) {
+		if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "ENOENT") return { kind: "absent" };
+		return { kind: "corrupt", error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error) };
+	}
+	let parsed: unknown;
+	try {
+		parsed = JSON.parse(raw);
+	} catch (error) {
+		return { kind: "corrupt", error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error) };
+	}
+	if (
+		!isPlainObject(parsed) ||
+		parsed.version !== DRAFT_VERSION ||
+		typeof parsed.draft_id !== "string" ||
+		typeof parsed.session_id !== "string" ||
+		typeof parsed.transition !== "string" ||
+		!(DEEP_INTERVIEW_STAGE_TRANSITIONS as readonly string[]).includes(parsed.transition) ||
+		typeof parsed.staged_against_revision !== "number" ||
+		typeof parsed.staged_against_sha256 !== "string" ||
+		!isPlainObject(parsed.payload)
+	) {
+		return { kind: "corrupt", error: "draft file does not match the staged-draft shape" };
+	}
+	return { kind: "valid", draft: parsed as unknown as DeepInterviewStageDraft };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Remove the session draft only when it still holds `draftId`. Prevents a stale
+ * handle (e.g. a concurrent apply/discard that already consumed the draft and a
+ * new one was staged) from deleting a draft it never read.
+ */
+async function removeDraftIfMatches(cwd: string, sessionId: string, draftId?: string): Promise<boolean> {
+	if (draftId !== undefined) {
+		const current = await readDraft(cwd, sessionId);
+		if (current.kind === "valid" && current.draft.draft_id !== draftId) return false;
+		if (current.kind === "absent") return false;
+	}
+	try {
+		await fs.rm(deepInterviewDraftPath(cwd, sessionId));
+		return true;
+	} catch (error) {
+		if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "ENOENT") return false;
+		throw error;
+	}
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// State reading + merge preview
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+interface CurrentState {
+	value: Record<string, unknown>;
+	revision: number;
+	sha256: string;
+	exists: boolean;
+}
+
+async function readCurrentState(cwd: string, sessionId: string): Promise<CurrentState> {
+	const read = await readExistingStateForMutation(statePathFor(cwd, sessionId));
+	if (read.kind === "corrupt") {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+			"DI_STAGE_STATE_CORRUPT",
+			`deep-interview state is corrupt or tampered: ${read.error}`,
+			'repair or clear it with `skc state clear --force --mode deep-interview`, then re-seed with `skc deep-interview "<idea>"`',
+		);
+	}
+	if (read.kind === "absent")
+		return { value: {}, revision: 0, sha256: workflowEnvelopeContentSha256({}), exists: false };
+	return {
+		value: read.value,
+		revision: persistedStateRevision(read.value),
+		sha256: workflowEnvelopeContentSha256(read.value),
+		exists: true,
+	};
+}
+
+/** Both anchors must hold: revision (fast path) AND content sha (writers that skip revision stamping). */
+function draftIsStale(draft: DeepInterviewStageDraft, current: CurrentState): boolean {
+	return draft.staged_against_revision !== current.revision || draft.staged_against_sha256 !== current.sha256;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Lossless keyed merge for `state.established_facts` under the staged surface.
+ * The generic envelope merge replaces the whole facts array; the staged contract
+ * is delta-only, so a one-fact patch must never erase prior confirmed/disputed
+ * facts (they carry the deterministic-floor evidence). Facts with an `id` merge
+ * field-wise by id; facts without an id are appended with exact-duplicate dedup.
+ * Staged deltas can never hard-delete a fact — dispute/supersede instead.
+ */
+function mergeEstablishedFacts(existing: readonly unknown[], incoming: readonly unknown[]): Record<string, unknown>[] {
+	const result: Record<string, unknown>[] = [];
+	const indexById = new Map<string, number>();
+	const add = (value: unknown): void => {
+		if (!isPlainObject(value)) return;
+		const id = typeof value.id === "string" && value.id.trim() !== "" ? value.id : undefined;
+		if (id !== undefined) {
+			const existingIndex = indexById.get(id);
+			if (existingIndex === undefined) {
+				indexById.set(id, result.length);
+				result.push({ ...value });
+			} else {
+				result[existingIndex] = { ...result[existingIndex], ...value };
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+		if (result.some(item => JSON.stringify(item) === JSON.stringify(value))) return;
+		result.push({ ...value });
+	};
+	for (const fact of existing) add(fact);
+	for (const fact of incoming) add(fact);
+	return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ * The single merge both `check` and `apply` execute. `check` reports its result;
+ * `apply` persists it. Divergence between the two is structurally impossible.
+ *
+ * Ambiguity is runtime-owned: after the merge, `current_ambiguity` is derived
+ * from the latest scored round, and the deterministic floor is recomputed and
+ * clamped via `applyAmbiguityFloorToEnvelope` — an agent-supplied
+ * `current_ambiguity` or under-reported round score is advisory input only and
+ * can never under-report below what persisted evidence supports.
+ */
+function computeMergedEnvelope(
+	current: Record<string, unknown>,
+	draft: DeepInterviewStageDraft,
+	nowIso: string,
+): Record<string, unknown> {
+	// A poisoned (unverifiable) intent contract in the persisted base would make
+	// every merge throw forever; heal it instead of bricking the interview.
+	const { base: healedCurrent, healed } = healPoisonedIntentContract(current);
+	let merged: Record<string, unknown>;
+	try {
+		merged = mergeDeepInterviewEnvelope(healedCurrent, draft.payload) as Record<string, unknown>;
+	} catch (error) {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+			"DI_STAGE_MERGE_REJECTED",
+			`staged payload violates a core invariant: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
+			"fix the payload and re-stage (`skc deep-interview discard` then `stage`)",
+		);
+	}
+	if (healed) merged.intent_contract_healed_at = nowIso;
+	merged.skill = "deep-interview";
+	merged.active = true;
+	merged.updated_at = nowIso;
+	merged.version = WORKFLOW_STATE_VERSION;
+	if (typeof merged.current_phase !== "string" || !merged.current_phase) merged.current_phase = "interviewing";
+	merged.session_id = draft.session_id;
+	// Staged facts are deltas: re-merge against the prior facts losslessly so a
+	// one-fact patch cannot erase confirmed/disputed history (#3387 finding 2).
+	const mergedState = isPlainObject(merged.state) ? (merged.state as Record<string, unknown>) : undefined;
+	const priorState = isPlainObject(current.state) ? (current.state as Record<string, unknown>) : undefined;
+	if (mergedState && priorState && Array.isArray(priorState.established_facts)) {
+		mergedState.established_facts = mergeEstablishedFacts(
+			priorState.established_facts,
+			Array.isArray(mergedState.established_facts) ? mergedState.established_facts : [],
+		);
+	}
+	merged = deriveRuntimeAmbiguity(merged, current);
+	try {
+		assertDeepInterviewEnvelopeInputLimits(merged);
+	} catch (error) {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+			"DI_STAGE_MERGE_REJECTED",
+			`merged state violates a bounded-input invariant: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
+			"fix the payload and re-stage (`skc deep-interview discard` then `stage`)",
+		);
+	}
+	return merged;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Derive `state.current_ambiguity` — the CLI, not the agent, owns the effective
+ * ambiguity. A staged `state.current_ambiguity` is never trusted directly:
+ * - with a valid latest scored round (finite numeric `round` AND finite
+ *   `ambiguity`), the value derives from that round;
+ * - with no valid scored evidence, the PRIOR persisted value is retained (a
+ *   fresh interview keeps its seeded 1.0 — a staged 0.01 cannot survive);
+ * then the deterministic floor is recomputed and clamped.
+ */
+function deriveRuntimeAmbiguity(
+	merged: Record<string, unknown>,
+	previousState: Record<string, unknown>,
+): Record<string, unknown> {
+	const state = isPlainObject(merged.state) ? (merged.state as Record<string, unknown>) : undefined;
+	if (state) {
+		const rounds = Array.isArray(state.rounds) ? state.rounds.filter(isPlainObject) : [];
+		let latestScored: Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+		for (const round of rounds) {
+			if (round.lifecycle !== "scored") continue;
+			if (typeof round.ambiguity !== "number" || !Number.isFinite(round.ambiguity)) continue;
+			if (typeof round.round !== "number" || !Number.isFinite(round.round)) continue;
+			if (!latestScored || round.round >= (latestScored.round as number)) latestScored = round;
+		}
+		if (latestScored) {
+			state.current_ambiguity = latestScored.ambiguity;
+		} else {
+			// No valid scored evidence in the merged state: the staged value is
+			// discarded and the prior runtime-owned value (seed default 1.0) holds.
+			const prior = isPlainObject(previousState.state)
+				? (previousState.state as Record<string, unknown>).current_ambiguity
+				: undefined;
+			if (typeof prior === "number" && Number.isFinite(prior)) state.current_ambiguity = prior;
+			else delete state.current_ambiguity;
+		}
+	}
+	return applyAmbiguityFloorToEnvelope(merged).envelope as Record<string, unknown>;
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Verbs
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/**
+ * One explicit session boundary for every staged verb: `--session-id` flag,
+ * payload `session_id` (stage only), or `SKC_SESSION_ID`. Mutating verbs never
+ * fall back to latest-session auto-detect.
+ */
+function resolveStageSession(args: readonly string[], cwd: string, payloadSessionId?: unknown): string {
+	const session = resolveSkcSessionForWrite(cwd, {
+		flagValue: flagValue(args, "--session-id"),
+		payloadSessionId,
+		envSessionId: process.env.SKC_SESSION_ID,
+	});
+	return session.skcSessionId;
+}
+
+async function handleStage(args: readonly string[], cwd: string): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+	const rawInput = flagValue(args, "--input");
+	if (rawInput === undefined || rawInput === "") {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError("DI_STAGE_USAGE", "--input '<json>' (or @file) is required for stage");
+	}
+	const rawPayload = await parseJsonInput(rawInput, cwd);
+	const transition = parseTransition(flagValue(args, "--for"));
+	const sessionId = resolveStageSession(args, cwd, rawPayload.session_id);
+	const { payload, ignoredKeys } = sanitizeStagedPayload(rawPayload);
+	assertCorePayloadSchema(payload);
+
+	const statePath = statePathFor(cwd, sessionId);
+	return withWorkflowStateLock(
+		statePath,
+		async () => {
+			const existingDraft = await readDraft(cwd, sessionId);
+			if (existingDraft.kind === "valid") {
+				throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+					"DI_STAGE_DRAFT_EXISTS",
+					`a staged draft already exists (draft_id=${existingDraft.draft.draft_id}, transition=${existingDraft.draft.transition}, created_at=${existingDraft.draft.created_at})`,
+					"apply it (`skc deep-interview apply`) or discard it (`skc deep-interview discard`) before staging again",
+				);
+			}
+			// A corrupt draft never blocks staging: it cannot be applied anyway, so
+			// staging over it is the self-healing path.
+			const current = await readCurrentState(cwd, sessionId);
+			if (!current.exists && transition !== "initialize-context") {
+				throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+					"DI_STAGE_STATE_MISSING",
+					`no deep-interview state exists for session ${sessionId}; only --for initialize-context may stage against absent state`,
+					'seed the interview first with `skc deep-interview "<idea>"` or stage --for initialize-context',
+				);
+			}
+			const nowIso = new Date().toISOString();
+			const draft: DeepInterviewStageDraft = {
+				version: DRAFT_VERSION,
+				draft_id: randomUUID(),
+				session_id: sessionId,
+				transition,
+				staged_against_revision: current.revision,
+				staged_against_sha256: current.sha256,
+				payload,
+				created_at: nowIso,
+			};
+			// Fail-closed preview at stage time: reject payloads that could never apply.
+			computeMergedEnvelope(current.value, draft, nowIso);
+			await writeJsonAtomic(deepInterviewDraftPath(cwd, sessionId), draft, {
+				cwd,
+				audit: {
+					category: "state",
+					verb: "stage-draft",
+					owner: "skc-runtime",
+					skill: "deep-interview",
+					sessionId,
+				},
+			});
+			await writeSessionActivityMarker(cwd, sessionId, { writer: "deep-interview-stage" });
+			return {
+				ok: true,
+				verb: "stage",
+				draft_id: draft.draft_id,
+				transition,
+				session_id: sessionId,
+				staged_against_revision: draft.staged_against_revision,
+				draft_path: deepInterviewDraftPath(cwd, sessionId),
+				...(ignoredKeys.length > 0 ? { ignored_runtime_owned_keys: ignoredKeys } : {}),
+			};
+		},
+		{ cwd },
+	);
+}
+
+function requireDraftRead(read: DraftReadResult, sessionId: string): DeepInterviewStageDraft {
+	if (read.kind === "absent") {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+			"DI_STAGE_NO_DRAFT",
+			`no staged draft exists for session ${sessionId}`,
+			"stage one first: `skc deep-interview stage --for <transition> --input '<json>'`",
+		);
+	}
+	if (read.kind === "corrupt") {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+			"DI_STAGE_DRAFT_CORRUPT",
+			`the staged draft is unreadable: ${read.error}`,
+			"discard it (`skc deep-interview discard`) and re-stage",
+		);
+	}
+	return read.draft;
+}
+
+async function handleCheck(args: readonly string[], cwd: string): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+	const sessionId = resolveStageSession(args, cwd);
+	const draft = requireDraftRead(await readDraft(cwd, sessionId), sessionId);
+	const current = await readCurrentState(cwd, sessionId);
+	const summaryBase = {
+		verb: "check",
+		draft_id: draft.draft_id,
+		transition: draft.transition,
+		session_id: sessionId,
+		staged_against_revision: draft.staged_against_revision,
+		current_revision: current.revision,
+	};
+	if (draftIsStale(draft, current)) {
+		return {
+			...summaryBase,
+			ok: false,
+			code: "DI_STAGE_REVISION_CONFLICT",
+			recovery: "state moved since staging; discard and re-stage against current state",
+		};
+	}
+	const merged = computeMergedEnvelope(current.value, draft, new Date().toISOString());
+	const state = isPlainObject(merged.state) ? merged.state : {};
+	return {
+		...summaryBase,
+		ok: true,
+		would_apply: true,
+		result_phase: merged.current_phase,
+		result_round_count: Array.isArray(state.rounds) ? state.rounds.length : 0,
+		result_fact_count: Array.isArray(state.established_facts) ? state.established_facts.length : 0,
+		...(typeof state.current_ambiguity === "number" ? { result_ambiguity: state.current_ambiguity } : {}),
+	};
+}
+
+async function handleApply(args: readonly string[], cwd: string): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+	const sessionId = resolveStageSession(args, cwd);
+	const statePath = statePathFor(cwd, sessionId);
+	return withWorkflowStateLock(
+		statePath,
+		async () => {
+			// Re-read the draft INSIDE the lock so a concurrent discard/stage cannot
+			// hand us a draft that no longer exists or was replaced.
+			const draft = requireDraftRead(await readDraft(cwd, sessionId), sessionId);
+			const current = await readCurrentState(cwd, sessionId);
+			// Replay safety: a prior apply that committed but crashed before draft
+			// removal leaves `last_applied_draft_id` in state. Recognize the commit,
+			// finish the cleanup, and settle as an idempotent no-op.
+			if (current.value.last_applied_draft_id === draft.draft_id) {
+				await removeDraftIfMatches(cwd, sessionId, draft.draft_id);
+				return {
+					ok: true,
+					verb: "apply",
+					draft_id: draft.draft_id,
+					transition: draft.transition,
+					session_id: sessionId,
+					applied_revision: current.revision,
+					state_path: statePath,
+					already_applied: true,
+				};
+			}
+			if (draftIsStale(draft, current)) {
+				// CAS conflict: the draft can never legally apply, so auto-invalidate it.
+				await removeDraftIfMatches(cwd, sessionId, draft.draft_id);
+				throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+					"DI_STAGE_REVISION_CONFLICT",
+					`state moved since staging (revision ${draft.staged_against_revision} -> ${current.revision} or content changed); the draft was invalidated`,
+					"re-stage against current state: `skc deep-interview stage --for <transition> --input '<json>'`",
+				);
+			}
+			const nowIso = new Date().toISOString();
+			const merged = computeMergedEnvelope(current.value, draft, nowIso);
+			merged.last_applied_draft_id = draft.draft_id;
+			let appliedRevision: number;
+			try {
+				const written = await writeGuardedWorkflowEnvelopeAtomic(statePath, merged, {
+					cwd,
+					policy: "source",
+					expectedRevision: current.revision,
+					lockHeld: true,
+					receipt: {
+						cwd,
+						skill: "deep-interview",
+						owner: "skc-runtime",
+						command: `skc deep-interview apply (${draft.transition})`,
+						sessionId,
+						nowIso,
+						mutationId: draft.draft_id,
+					},
+					audit: {
+						category: "state",
+						verb: "apply-staged-transition",
+						owner: "skc-runtime",
+						skill: "deep-interview",
+						sessionId,
+						mutationId: draft.draft_id,
+					},
+				});
+				appliedRevision = written.revision;
+			} catch (error) {
+				if (error instanceof StateWriteConflictError) {
+					await removeDraftIfMatches(cwd, sessionId, draft.draft_id);
+					throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+						"DI_STAGE_REVISION_CONFLICT",
+						`state revision moved since staging; the draft was invalidated (${error.message})`,
+						"re-stage against current state: `skc deep-interview stage --for <transition> --input '<json>'`",
+					);
+				}
+				throw error;
+			}
+			// Post-commit cleanup is best-effort: the commit already happened, and a
+			// replay recognizes it via last_applied_draft_id instead of failing.
+			try {
+				await removeDraftIfMatches(cwd, sessionId, draft.draft_id);
+				await writeSessionActivityMarker(cwd, sessionId, { writer: "deep-interview-stage", path: statePath });
+			} catch {
+				// Swallow: state is committed; the next apply/discard settles the draft.
+			}
+			await syncStageHud(cwd, sessionId, merged);
+			const appliedState = isPlainObject(merged.state) ? (merged.state as Record<string, unknown>) : {};
+			return {
+				ok: true,
+				verb: "apply",
+				draft_id: draft.draft_id,
+				transition: draft.transition,
+				session_id: sessionId,
+				applied_revision: appliedRevision,
+				state_path: statePath,
+				...(typeof appliedState.current_ambiguity === "number"
+					? { current_ambiguity: appliedState.current_ambiguity }
+					: {}),
+				content_sha256: createHash("sha256").update(JSON.stringify(merged)).digest("hex").slice(0, 32),
+			};
+		},
+		{ cwd },
+	);
+}
+
+async function handleDiscard(args: readonly string[], cwd: string): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+	const sessionId = resolveStageSession(args, cwd);
+	const statePath = statePathFor(cwd, sessionId);
+	// Same lock as stage/apply: a discard racing an in-flight apply must not
+	// delete the draft mid-consumption or return a torn read.
+	return withWorkflowStateLock(
+		statePath,
+		async () => {
+			const read = await readDraft(cwd, sessionId);
+			const removed = await removeDraftIfMatches(
+				cwd,
+				sessionId,
+				read.kind === "valid" ? read.draft.draft_id : undefined,
+			);
+			return {
+				ok: true,
+				verb: "discard",
+				session_id: sessionId,
+				removed,
+				...(read.kind === "valid" ? { draft_id: read.draft.draft_id, transition: read.draft.transition } : {}),
+			};
+		},
+		{ cwd },
+	);
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Direct verbs: read / write / clear / handoff
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+async function handleRead(args: readonly string[], cwd: string): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+	const sessionId = resolveStageSession(args, cwd);
+	const current = await readCurrentState(cwd, sessionId);
+	if (!current.exists) {
+		return {
+			ok: true,
+			verb: "read",
+			session_id: sessionId,
+			exists: false,
+			state_path: statePathFor(cwd, sessionId),
+		};
+	}
+	const draftRead = await readDraft(cwd, sessionId);
+	return {
+		ok: true,
+		verb: "read",
+		session_id: sessionId,
+		exists: true,
+		state_path: statePathFor(cwd, sessionId),
+		revision: current.revision,
+		content_sha256: current.sha256,
+		envelope: current.value,
+		...(draftRead.kind === "valid"
+			? {
+					pending_draft: {
+						draft_id: draftRead.draft.draft_id,
+						transition: draftRead.draft.transition,
+						created_at: draftRead.draft.created_at,
+					},
+				}
+			: {}),
+	};
+}
+
+/**
+ * Direct write: an immediate stage+apply of one sanitized JSON payload —
+ * incremental merge by default, whole-state replacement with `--reset` (the
+ * locked intent contract survives a reset through the merge's immutability
+ * guard). Uses the same lock, sanitizer, merge, ambiguity derivation, and
+ * guarded revision-stamping writer as the staged path, so `write` cannot
+ * express anything `stage`+`apply` could not.
+ */
+async function handleWrite(args: readonly string[], cwd: string): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+	const rawInput = flagValue(args, "--input");
+	if (rawInput === undefined || rawInput === "") {
+		throw new DeepInterviewStageError("DI_STAGE_USAGE", "--input '<json>' (or @file) is required for write");
+	}
+	const rawPayload = await parseJsonInput(rawInput, cwd);
+	const sessionId = resolveStageSession(args, cwd, rawPayload.session_id);
+	const reset = hasFlag(args, "--reset");
+	const { payload, ignoredKeys } = sanitizeStagedPayload(rawPayload);
+	assertCorePayloadSchema(payload);
+
+	const statePath = statePathFor(cwd, sessionId);
+	return withWorkflowStateLock(
+		statePath,
+		async () => {
+			const pendingDraft = await readDraft(cwd, sessionId);
+			if (pendingDraft.kind === "valid") {
+				throw new DeepInterviewStageError(
+					"DI_STAGE_DRAFT_EXISTS",
+					`a staged draft is pending (draft_id=${pendingDraft.draft.draft_id}); direct write would race it`,
+					"apply it (`skc deep-interview apply`) or discard it (`skc deep-interview discard`) first",
+				);
+			}
+			const current = await readCurrentState(cwd, sessionId);
+			const nowIso = new Date().toISOString();
+			const syntheticDraft: DeepInterviewStageDraft = {
+				version: DRAFT_VERSION,
+				draft_id: randomUUID(),
+				session_id: sessionId,
+				transition: "merge-state",
+				staged_against_revision: current.revision,
+				staged_against_sha256: current.sha256,
+				payload,
+				created_at: nowIso,
+			};
+			// --reset replaces: merge against an empty base but re-lock the intent
+			// contract from prior state through the merge's own immutability guard.
+			const base = reset
+				? (() => {
+						const priorState = isPlainObject(current.value.state)
+							? (current.value.state as Record<string, unknown>)
+							: {};
+						return priorState.intent_contract !== undefined
+							? { state: { intent_contract: priorState.intent_contract, intent_contract_required: true } }
+							: {};
+					})()
+				: current.value;
+			const merged = computeMergedEnvelope(base as Record<string, unknown>, syntheticDraft, nowIso);
+			merged.last_applied_draft_id = syntheticDraft.draft_id;
+			const written = await writeGuardedWorkflowEnvelopeAtomic(statePath, merged, {
+				cwd,
+				policy: "source",
+				expectedRevision: current.revision,
+				lockHeld: true,
+				receipt: {
+					cwd,
+					skill: "deep-interview",
+					owner: "skc-runtime",
+					command: `skc deep-interview write${reset ? " --reset" : ""}`,
+					sessionId,
+					nowIso,
+					mutationId: syntheticDraft.draft_id,
+				},
+				audit: {
+					category: "state",
+					verb: reset ? "write-reset" : "write-incremental",
+					owner: "skc-runtime",
+					skill: "deep-interview",
+					sessionId,
+					mutationId: syntheticDraft.draft_id,
+				},
+			});
+			await writeSessionActivityMarker(cwd, sessionId, { writer: "deep-interview-stage", path: statePath });
+			await syncStageHud(cwd, sessionId, merged);
+			const writtenState = isPlainObject(merged.state) ? (merged.state as Record<string, unknown>) : {};
+			return {
+				ok: true,
+				verb: "write",
+				mode: reset ? "reset" : "incremental",
+				session_id: sessionId,
+				applied_revision: written.revision,
+				state_path: statePath,
+				...(typeof writtenState.current_ambiguity === "number"
+					? { current_ambiguity: writtenState.current_ambiguity }
+					: {}),
+				...(ignoredKeys.length > 0 ? { ignored_runtime_owned_keys: ignoredKeys } : {}),
+			};
+		},
+		{ cwd },
+	);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Publish a committed envelope to the active-state/HUD mirror. Best-effort:
+ * the durable commit already happened; a projection failure must never fail
+ * the command (matches syncDeepInterviewHud in deep-interview-runtime.ts).
+ */
+async function syncStageHud(cwd: string, sessionId: string, envelope: Record<string, unknown>): Promise<void> {
+	try {
+		const phase = typeof envelope.current_phase === "string" ? envelope.current_phase : "interviewing";
+		await syncSkillActiveState({
+			cwd,
+			skill: "deep-interview",
+			active: phase !== "complete",
+			phase,
+			sessionId,
+			source: "skc-deep-interview-native",
+			hud: deriveDeepInterviewHud(envelope, { phase }),
+		});
+	} catch {
+		// HUD sync is best-effort and must not change command semantics.
+	}
+}
+
+/** Thin lifecycle passthroughs: same runtime plumbing, skc deep-interview surface. */
+async function handleLifecyclePassthrough(
+	verb: "clear" | "handoff",
+	args: readonly string[],
+	cwd: string,
+): Promise<DeepInterviewStageCommandResult> {
+	const forwarded =
+		verb === "clear"
+			? ["clear", "--mode", "deep-interview", ...args]
+			: ["handoff", "--mode", "deep-interview", ...args];
+	return runNativeStateCommand([...forwarded], cwd);
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Dispatch
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+export const DEEP_INTERVIEW_STAGE_VERBS = [
+	"stage",
+	"check",
+	"apply",
+	"discard",
+	"read",
+	"write",
+	"clear",
+	"handoff",
+] as const;
+export type DeepInterviewStageVerb = (typeof DEEP_INTERVIEW_STAGE_VERBS)[number];
+
+export function isDeepInterviewStageVerb(value: string | undefined): value is DeepInterviewStageVerb {
+	return value !== undefined && (DEEP_INTERVIEW_STAGE_VERBS as readonly string[]).includes(value);
+}
+
+export async function runDeepInterviewStageCommand(
+	verb: DeepInterviewStageVerb,
+	args: readonly string[],
+	cwd = process.cwd(),
+): Promise<DeepInterviewStageCommandResult> {
+	const json = hasFlag(args, "--json");
+	try {
+		let summary: Record<string, unknown>;
+		switch (verb) {
+			case "stage":
+				summary = await handleStage(args, cwd);
+				break;
+			case "check":
+				summary = await handleCheck(args, cwd);
+				break;
+			case "apply":
+				summary = await handleApply(args, cwd);
+				break;
+			case "discard":
+				summary = await handleDiscard(args, cwd);
+				break;
+			case "read":
+				summary = await handleRead(args, cwd);
+				break;
+			case "write":
+				summary = await handleWrite(args, cwd);
+				break;
+			case "clear":
+			case "handoff":
+				return await handleLifecyclePassthrough(verb, args, cwd);
+		}
+		const status = summary.ok === false ? 3 : 0;
+		const stdout = json
+			? `${JSON.stringify(summary)}\n`
+			: `${Object.entries(summary)
+					.map(([key, value]) => `${key}=${typeof value === "string" ? value : JSON.stringify(value)}`)
+					.join(" ")}\n`;
+		return { status, stdout };
+	} catch (error) {
+		const staged =
+			error instanceof DeepInterviewStageError
+				? error
+				: error instanceof SessionResolutionError
+					? new DeepInterviewStageError(
+							"DI_STAGE_SESSION_REQUIRED",
+							error.message,
+							"pass --session-id, set SKC_SESSION_ID, or include session_id in the staged payload, then retry",
+						)
+					: undefined;
+		if (staged) {
+			const body = json
+				? `${JSON.stringify({ ok: false, code: staged.code, message: staged.message, ...(staged.recovery ? { recovery: staged.recovery } : {}) })}\n`
+				: `${staged.code}: ${staged.message}${staged.recovery ? `\nrecovery: ${staged.recovery}` : ""}\n`;
+			return { status: staged.exitStatus, stderr: body };
+		}
+		if (error instanceof CommandError) return { status: error.exitStatus, stderr: `${error.message}\n` };
+		return { status: 1, stderr: `${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}\n` };
+	}
+}