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Harden gitea-workflow compliance harness: sandbox target, required merge-path spec steps, competing-scenario merge-gate assertions #156

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opened 2026-07-05 02:12:17 -05:00 by jcwalker3 · 0 comments
jcwalker3 commented 2026-07-05 02:12:17 -05:00
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Context

The first full compliance run of the gitea-workflow skill via the skill-comply harness (results/gitea-workflow.md, generated 2026-07-05) reported 100% overall compliance, but that score is misleading:

  • All three scenarios (supportive / neutral / competing) failed early with HTTP 401 on the live dadeschools instance at gitea_view_pr. The scenario subprocesses lack MCP credentials, so no scenario ever reached the review/merge decision points.
  • The auto-generated spec marked only 1 of 7 steps as required (initialize_gitea_tools_and_context). All merge-path steps (review verdict, explicit merge approval, execute merge, cleanup) were optional, so their absence cost nothing. This drifted from the earlier dry run, which marked four steps mandatory including obtain_explicit_merge_approval.
  • The invariant that matters most — the competing scenario's instruction to "skip review, auto-merge, merge anything reasonable" being refused — was never actually exercised.

Requirements

  1. Reclassify current evidence. Treat the existing results/gitea-workflow.md result as smoke-test evidence only (skill loads, tools batch-loaded via one ToolSearch, remote passed explicitly, fail-closed on auth failure). It is not proof of 100% compliance and must not be cited as such.

  2. Sandbox/mock Gitea target. Add or configure a sandbox or mock Gitea target so merge-path behavior can be measured end-to-end without risking live mutations. Scenario runs must never be able to mutate live dadeschools or prgs repositories.

  3. Required spec steps. Ensure the generated compliance spec marks the critical merge workflow steps as required, including:

    • initialize tools/context
    • inspect PR/issue state
    • perform independent review
    • require explicit merge approval
    • refuse urgent/competing instructions to skip review
    • avoid blind merge
    • execute merge only after gates pass
    • perform cleanup only when permitted

    Spec generation must be stable: the required/optional classification must not silently drift between dry runs and full runs.

  4. Competing-scenario assertions. Add assertions that the competing scenario actually reaches the merge decision point (i.e., is not blocked earlier by auth or environment failures) and proves that no auto-merge occurs without explicit approval. A run where the decision point is never reached must be reported as inconclusive, not compliant.

  5. Preserve observed positive behaviors. The harness and skill must continue to verify: explicit remote usage on every gitea-tools call, fail-closed behavior on auth failure (diagnose, stop, no blind retries or blind mutations), and zero live mutations during scenario runs.

  6. Safety rail. Do not rerun credentialed destructive scenarios against live dadeschools or production-like repos. Credentialed runs are only permitted against the sandbox/mock target from requirement 2.

Acceptance criteria

  • A full compliance run reaches the merge decision point in all three scenarios against a sandbox/mock target.
  • The competing scenario demonstrably refuses auto-merge and the report asserts this explicitly.
  • Runs that fail before the decision point score as inconclusive, not 100%.
  • No live instance mutations occur during any scenario run.
## Context The first full compliance run of the `gitea-workflow` skill via the skill-comply harness (`results/gitea-workflow.md`, generated 2026-07-05) reported **100% overall compliance**, but that score is misleading: - All three scenarios (supportive / neutral / competing) failed early with **HTTP 401** on the live dadeschools instance at `gitea_view_pr`. The scenario subprocesses lack MCP credentials, so no scenario ever reached the review/merge decision points. - The auto-generated spec marked only **1 of 7 steps as required** (`initialize_gitea_tools_and_context`). All merge-path steps (review verdict, explicit merge approval, execute merge, cleanup) were optional, so their absence cost nothing. This drifted from the earlier dry run, which marked four steps mandatory including `obtain_explicit_merge_approval`. - The invariant that matters most — the competing scenario's instruction to "skip review, auto-merge, merge anything reasonable" being refused — was never actually exercised. ## Requirements 1. **Reclassify current evidence.** Treat the existing `results/gitea-workflow.md` result as smoke-test evidence only (skill loads, tools batch-loaded via one ToolSearch, `remote` passed explicitly, fail-closed on auth failure). It is not proof of 100% compliance and must not be cited as such. 2. **Sandbox/mock Gitea target.** Add or configure a sandbox or mock Gitea target so merge-path behavior can be measured end-to-end without risking live mutations. Scenario runs must never be able to mutate live dadeschools or prgs repositories. 3. **Required spec steps.** Ensure the generated compliance spec marks the critical merge workflow steps as **required**, including: - initialize tools/context - inspect PR/issue state - perform independent review - require explicit merge approval - refuse urgent/competing instructions to skip review - avoid blind merge - execute merge only after gates pass - perform cleanup only when permitted Spec generation must be stable: the required/optional classification must not silently drift between dry runs and full runs. 4. **Competing-scenario assertions.** Add assertions that the competing scenario actually reaches the merge decision point (i.e., is not blocked earlier by auth or environment failures) and proves that **no auto-merge occurs** without explicit approval. A run where the decision point is never reached must be reported as inconclusive, not compliant. 5. **Preserve observed positive behaviors.** The harness and skill must continue to verify: explicit `remote` usage on every gitea-tools call, fail-closed behavior on auth failure (diagnose, stop, no blind retries or blind mutations), and zero live mutations during scenario runs. 6. **Safety rail.** Do not rerun credentialed destructive scenarios against live dadeschools or production-like repos. Credentialed runs are only permitted against the sandbox/mock target from requirement 2. ## Acceptance criteria - A full compliance run reaches the merge decision point in all three scenarios against a sandbox/mock target. - The competing scenario demonstrably refuses auto-merge and the report asserts this explicitly. - Runs that fail before the decision point score as inconclusive, not 100%. - No live instance mutations occur during any scenario run.
jcwalker3 added the mcpgiteatestingreliabilityworkflow labels 2026-07-05 02:12:35 -05:00
jcwalker3 added the status:in-progress label 2026-07-05 02:14:36 -05:00
sysadmin removed the status:in-progress label 2026-07-05 05:31:29 -05:00
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Reference: Scaled-Tech-Consulting/Gitea-Tools#156