manual_slop/conductor/archive/architecture_boundary_hardening_20260302/spec.md

Track Specification: Architecture Boundary Hardening

Overview

The manual_slop project sandbox provides AI meta-tooling (mma_exec.py, tool_call.py) to orchestrate its own development. When AI agents added advanced AST tools (like set_file_slice) to mcp_client.py for meta-tooling, they failed to fully integrate them into the application's GUI, config, or HITL (Human-In-The-Loop) safety models. Additionally, meta-tooling scripts are bleeding tokens and rely on non-portable hardcoded machine paths, while the internal application's state machine can deadlock.

Current State Audit

1. Incomplete MCP Tool Integration & HITL Bypass (ai_client.py, gui_2.py):

   • Issue: New tools in mcp_client.py (e.g., set_file_slice, py_update_definition) are not exposed in the GUI or manual_slop.toml config [agent.tools]. If they were enabled, ai_client.py would execute them instantly without checking pre_tool_callback, bypassing GUI approval.
   • Requirement: Expose all mcp_client.py tools as toggles in the GUI/Config. Ensure any mutating tool triggers a GUI approval modal before execution.

2. Token Firewall Leak in Meta-Tooling (mma_exec.py):

   • Location: scripts/mma_exec.py:101.
   • Issue: UNFETTERED_MODULES hardcodes ['mcp_client', 'project_manager', 'events', 'aggregate']. If a worker targets a file that imports mcp_client, the script injects the full mcp_client.py (~450 lines) into the context instead of its skeleton, blowing out the token budget.

3. Portability Leak in Meta-Tooling Scripts:

   • Location: scripts/mma_exec.py and scripts/claude_mma_exec.py.
   • Issue: Both scripts hardcode absolute external paths (C:\projects\misc\setup_gemini.ps1 and setup_claude.ps1) to initialize the subprocess environment. This breaks repository portability.

4. DAG Engine Blocking Stalls (dag_engine.py):

   • Location: dag_engine.py -> get_ready_tasks()
   • Issue: get_ready_tasks requires all dependencies to be explicitly completed. If a task is marked blocked, its dependents stay todo forever, causing an infinite stall.

Desired State

• All tools in mcp_client.py are configurable in manual_slop.toml and gui_2.py. Mutating tools must route through the GUI approval callback.
• The UNFETTERED_MODULES list must be completely removed from mma_exec.py.
• Meta-tooling scripts rely on standard PATH or local relative config files, not hardcoded absolute external paths.
• The dag_engine.py must cascade blocked status to downstream tasks so the track halts cleanly.