Coder default project_root: $TMPDIR scratch dir (cross-platform, auto-created)#174
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seamus-brady merged 1 commit intomainfrom Apr 26, 2026
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Followup to the project-root self-edit hotfix. The previous fix made
`[coder] project_root` mandatory, but that's too much friction —
operators shouldn't have to write a config line just to use the
defaulted-everything-else coder.
New behaviour: when project_root isn't configured, default to
`${TMPDIR}/springdrift-coder-workspace` (auto-created on first
boot). Cross-platform:
* macOS: $TMPDIR is set per-user (e.g.
/var/folders/.../T/), kernel-managed, persistent across reboots
* Linux: $TMPDIR usually unset; fall back to /tmp/
Trailing slashes are stripped so the join produces a single
separator regardless of OS.
The temp dir is structurally disjoint from cwd, so it can never
contain the running agent's .springdrift/ data — the safety guard
from the prior hotfix still runs, but now never fires for the
default. Operators with a real project repo override via
`[coder] project_root = ...` exactly as before.
Build clean, format clean, 2190 tests pass.
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Summary
Follow-up to PR #173. That fix made
[coder] project_rootmandatory after dropping the cwd fallback — too much friction for the operator who's just trying to use the defaulted-everything-else coder.This PR restores the "just works" experience without the self-edit footgun:
$TMPDIR/springdrift-coder-workspace(e.g./var/folders/.../T/springdrift-coder-workspace). $TMPDIR is per-user and kernel-managed./tmp/springdrift-coder-workspace.Auto-created with
simplifile.create_directory_all. Stable across restarts of the same instance so the coder remembers previous commits inside the workspace.The safety guard from #173 (
project_root_safe) still runs and structurally still works — but the default path is structurally disjoint from cwd, so it can never contain the running agent's.springdrift/data and the guard never fires for the default.Test plan
gleam buildcleangleam formatcleangleam test— 2190 passingproject_root=/var/folders/.../T/springdrift-coder-workspaceproject_root=/tmp/springdrift-coder-workspace[coder] project_root = "/Users/x/some-project", confirm it's used🤖 Generated with Claude Code