Merge pull request 'The merge Approve says the check's real state, and is asked again when it passes or fails (issue 1733)' (#514) from fix/1733-ask-says-the-check into main

With check-gates-merge false a head is ready and asked before any verdict exists, yet the ask said "<pr> passed its
checks" (a group: "passed its checks"): on 2026-10-26 the operator approved mesh-delivery #79 and a six-repository group
on that claim while their checks had not answered.

The ask now reads the checker's verdict at exactly the heads it covers (checkAt, beside checkerAt): "passed its check"
only for a pass there; otherwise "its check has no verdict yet[: it is running (since HH:MM UTC)]" or "its check failed:
<first failure>", and the Approve clause says it merges "now, before its check ends" or "although its check failed".
While the check gates no merge, a pending ask whose check then passes or fails (or loses a pass it named) is withdrawn
and asked again in new words (the ask's AskCheck against the state now, endStaleAsks, the review-record path's
withdrawAsk); a check that starts running is no new word, so the wait stays one message. Whether a merge waits is
unchanged. The gate's log lines and stalled lines that claimed a pass for a ready head say the same state.

Quick fix: replace "passed its checks" by neutral words in the two summaries. Thorough fix: one reader of the check's
state at the ask's heads (checkAt) used by every text that names it, and the ask re-said when that state changes.
Chosen: thorough, as it costs one helper and one case in endStaleAsks, and the quick one would still leave a pending
ask silent about a failure that came after it.

Tests: rows in TestAnApprovedPullRequestIsMergedThroughTheMergeTool (gated pass; ungated no verdict, running, then
passed, then failed) and the ungated group's wording; no new test function.

.gitignore

@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/mesh-build-image
 /checks/paths/paths
 /modules/mesh-build-go/mesh-build-go
 /modules/mesh-delivery-gate/mesh-delivery-gate
+modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/mesh-config
+checks/placement/placement
 
 # Built by their modules' build step (issue 1577), never committed.
 modules/forticlient/cmd/forticlient-tools/forticlient-tools

checks/agenthome/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest.
+modules/*/module.json

checks/config/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest and the files it names.
+modules

checks/health/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,10 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# every manifest through mesh-sdk's ReadTreeManifest: the root's predefined keys and each templated module's
+# templates (files/ by default, or the directory its manifest names); and the root's kept count of resources that do not say how they are ready.
+modules/*/module.json
+predefined.json
+modules/*/files
+modules/*/templates
+health-undeclared

checks/imagebuild/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest.
+modules/*/module.json

checks/imageplace/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest, and whether the path each image artifact builds from is there.
+modules

checks/locks/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,7 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest, a TypeScript module's package.json and whether its lock is there.
+modules/*/module.json
+modules/*/package.json
+modules/*/package-lock.json

checks/mailstore/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest.
+modules/*/module.json

checks/nobinaries/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# every file under modules/ (git ls-files and a walk).
+modules

checks/noscripts/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,7 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# that none of the old check scripts stands at the root.
+?merge-check.sh
+?merge-check-typescript.sh
+?check-nested-modules.sh

checks/owned/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest; its lists are this package's own files.
+modules/*/module.json

checks/particulars/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,6 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# check("../.."): the root's list and every file of the modules it names.
+particulars
+modules

checks/paths/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest and every file of a module.
+modules

checks/placement/go.mod

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module checks/placement
+
+go 1.26.0
+
+require git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026210326-979644420117

checks/placement/go.sum

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026210326-979644420117 h1:88CNZOoQgu7YPYKW16qkWT8Gw9Ucg07aTrIImA2nYUk=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026210326-979644420117/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+github.com/klauspost/compress v1.20.0 h1:a3C1ke2ohxFymNlb2HWAHjDeKCI90scRskErZkR0ezA=
+github.com/klauspost/compress v1.20.0/go.mod h1:LUdAzn7YLVvxLpc7y3V1m40wESHTgc1422pwwBSKYuI=
+github.com/nats-io/nats.go v1.54.0 h1:vsXoOxjHp/GmPUN+EcI7uOf/uB+iAP+kEsAFNQN0yzA=
+github.com/nats-io/nats.go v1.54.0/go.mod h1:y+DZoD1oBOYfZTU681eTUiUjI0vbqYGixNVFHcjHJ0k=
+github.com/nats-io/nkeys v0.4.16 h1:rd5oAuLOb8mnAycB0xleuEBNS1pVVnN0fv/FF34Eypg=
+github.com/nats-io/nkeys v0.4.16/go.mod h1:llLgWoI0o4z/Q57q2R1kHfmocyhGV6VG/U18Glg1Afs=
+github.com/nats-io/nuid v1.0.1 h1:5iA8DT8V7q8WK2EScv2padNa/rTESc1KdnPw4TC2paw=
+github.com/nats-io/nuid v1.0.1/go.mod h1:19wcPz3Ph3q0Jbyiqsd0kePYG7A95tJPxeL+1OSON2c=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.57.0 h1:3ZVCjf8Ggz7zneR/EHRVx68Ctf+2pmIMP2UFhh9cC6M=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.57.0/go.mod h1:Fdz0i5U6CoizGwLda9DttjSk6qlZo25zYNtR+ycvuZA=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.48.0 h1:bbX/i/6MgT9BVLM9RT1thmxL04yeTAhbEz4SyadbXoo=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.48.0/go.mod h1:hNLxWAXmnKAxqDtdwIYC4bM9oQPEecfsnNMuSxOs3og=

checks/placement/main.go

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+// Command placement is the catalogue's check of its placement files (novox/hq ADR 0549 §1, ADR 0555; issue 1126): every
+// `placement/<node>.json` reads as a placement of the node its name says, and the files together are refused, every
+// finding named at once, for two modules of one node on one host port, a pin, binding or holding naming a provider not
+// placed where it says, a seat held once for the mesh held twice, two nodes with one address on the private network, or
+// more than one hub (mesh-sdk delivery.CheckPlacements).
+//
+// A module the catalogue does not hold and a node not enrolled are the composition check's to refuse: placement names
+// modules of every repository the indexer reads and the nodes the mesh enrolled, neither of which this tree holds.
+//
+//	go run . <catalogue root>
+//
+// Exits 1 on a finding.
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
+)
+
+// Check reads every placement file under root and answers each finding; none is a catalogue whose placement holds. A
+// catalogue with no placement directory has none to check.
+func Check(root string) ([]string, error) {
+	dir := filepath.Join(root, delivery.PlacementDir)
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(dir)
+	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var found []string
+	placements := map[string]delivery.Placement{}
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		rel := delivery.PlacementDir + "/" + e.Name()
+		node, ok := delivery.PlacementFileNode(rel)
+		if e.IsDir() || !ok {
+			found = append(found, fmt.Sprintf("%s is not a placement file: the directory holds only <node>.json, one per node", rel))
+			continue
+		}
+		raw, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, e.Name()))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		p, err := delivery.DecodePlacement(raw)
+		if err != nil {
+			found = append(found, fmt.Sprintf("%s does not read as a placement: %v", rel, err))
+			continue
+		}
+		if p.Revision != "" {
+			found = append(found, fmt.Sprintf("%s names a revision, which only the indexer writes into the key", rel))
+		}
+		placements[node] = p
+	}
+	all := func(string) bool { return true }
+	found = append(found, delivery.CheckPlacements(placements, all, all)...)
+	sort.Strings(found)
+	return found, nil
+}
+
+func main() {
+	if len(os.Args) != 2 {
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "usage: placement <catalogue root>")
+		os.Exit(2)
+	}
+	found, err := Check(os.Args[1])
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
+		os.Exit(2)
+	}
+	for _, f := range found {
+		fmt.Println(f)
+	}
+	if len(found) > 0 {
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}

checks/placement/main_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// The catalogue's placement files as the merge check reads them (ADR 0549 §1, ADR 0555): the real tree holds every
+// rule, and a tree that breaks them is refused with every finding named at once.
+func TestPlacementFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	found, err := Check("../..")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, f := range found {
+		t.Errorf("%s (novox/hq ADR 0549 §1)", f)
+	}
+
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	write := func(name, body string) {
+		t.Helper()
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(root, "placement"), 0o755); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(root, "placement", name), []byte(body), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	if found, err := Check(root); err != nil || len(found) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("a catalogue with no placement directory: %v, %v", found, err)
+	}
+	write("ace.json", `{"v":1,"node":"ace","decided":{"hub":true,"address":"10.77.0.1"},"modules":[{"module":"a","ports":{"80":8080}},{"module":"b","ports":{"81":8080}}]}`)
+	write("g14.json", `{"v":1,"node":"g14","decided":{"hub":true,"address":"10.77.0.1"},"modules":[{"module":"c","bindings":{"pg":{"node":"ace","module":"pg"}}}]}`)
+	write("novox.json", `{"v":1,"node":"shanks","modules":[]}`)
+	write("bad.json", `{"v":1,"node":"bad","modules":{}}`)
+	write("dated.json", `{"v":1,"node":"dated","revision":"abc","modules":[]}`)
+	write("notes.md", "x")
+	found, err = Check(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, want := range []string{"a and b are both published on host port 8080", "bound to ace/pg", "both have the address 10.77.0.1",
+		"ace, g14 are each placed as it", "placement file of novox names the node", "bad.json does not read", "dated.json names a revision",
+		"notes.md is not a placement file"} {
+		hit := false
+		for _, f := range found {
+			hit = hit || strings.Contains(f, want)
+		}
+		if !hit {
+			t.Errorf("no finding says %q; found %v", want, found)
+		}
+	}
+}

checks/predefined/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,6 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# the root's list of predefined keys and every manifest that names one.
+predefined.json
+modules/*/module.json

checks/secrets/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest and the files it names.
+modules

checks/sshdir/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest.
+modules/*/module.json

checks/templates/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest and its templates.
+modules

checks/toolchains/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# Check("../.."): every manifest.
+modules/*/module.json

checks/trunk/reads-outside

@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).

checks/words/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,7 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# run("../.."): the root's lists of retired words and lines, and every module's texts.
+retired-words
+retired-lines
+modules

modules/adwaita/internal/desktop/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,9 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# the copies of this package in every module that carries one.
+modules/xorg/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/lemurs/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/i3/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/xterm/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/adwaita/internal/desktop/*.go

modules/blueman/cmd/blueman-tools/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,25 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# the copies of desktop.go and its tests in every module that carries one.
+modules/blueman/cmd/blueman-tools/desktop.go
+modules/blueman/cmd/blueman-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/blueman/cmd/blueman-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/forticlient/cmd/forticlient-tools/desktop.go
+modules/forticlient/cmd/forticlient-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/forticlient/cmd/forticlient-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/nextcloud-client/cmd/nextcloud-client-tools/desktop.go
+modules/nextcloud-client/cmd/nextcloud-client-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/nextcloud-client/cmd/nextcloud-client-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/nm-applet/cmd/nm-applet-tools/desktop.go
+modules/nm-applet/cmd/nm-applet-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/nm-applet/cmd/nm-applet-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/openrazer/cmd/openrazer-tools/desktop.go
+modules/openrazer/cmd/openrazer-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/openrazer/cmd/openrazer-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/polychromatic/cmd/polychromatic-tools/desktop.go
+modules/polychromatic/cmd/polychromatic-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/polychromatic/cmd/polychromatic-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/slack/cmd/slack-tools/desktop.go
+modules/slack/cmd/slack-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/slack/cmd/slack-tools/copies_test.go

modules/brother/cmd/brother/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,6 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# mesh-mail's store.json is the same as brother's; no module scan is left.
+modules/mesh-mail/files/store.json
+?modules/scan

modules/forticlient/cmd/forticlient-tools/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,25 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# the copies of desktop.go and its tests in every module that carries one.
+modules/blueman/cmd/blueman-tools/desktop.go
+modules/blueman/cmd/blueman-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/blueman/cmd/blueman-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/forticlient/cmd/forticlient-tools/desktop.go
+modules/forticlient/cmd/forticlient-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/forticlient/cmd/forticlient-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/nextcloud-client/cmd/nextcloud-client-tools/desktop.go
+modules/nextcloud-client/cmd/nextcloud-client-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/nextcloud-client/cmd/nextcloud-client-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/nm-applet/cmd/nm-applet-tools/desktop.go
+modules/nm-applet/cmd/nm-applet-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/nm-applet/cmd/nm-applet-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/openrazer/cmd/openrazer-tools/desktop.go
+modules/openrazer/cmd/openrazer-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/openrazer/cmd/openrazer-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/polychromatic/cmd/polychromatic-tools/desktop.go
+modules/polychromatic/cmd/polychromatic-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/polychromatic/cmd/polychromatic-tools/copies_test.go
+modules/slack/cmd/slack-tools/desktop.go
+modules/slack/cmd/slack-tools/desktop_test.go
+modules/slack/cmd/slack-tools/copies_test.go

modules/gitea/client.ts

@@ -174,8 +174,27 @@ function ignoreSecretSetting(cfg: Record<string, unknown>, key: string): void {
   console.error(`the setting ${key} is ignored: it comes from the vault`);
 }
 
+/** How long the forge may take to answer one request before it is cut and said (novox/hq issue 1577: a request for a 5 MB
+ *  file never ended, and every read through the module timed out behind it). */
+export const FORGE_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS = 20_000;
+
+/** The most a tool's answer carries of one file: the bus's message bound is 1 MiB and a file travels as text (issue 1577). */
+export const MAX_FILE_BYTES = 512 * 1024;
+
+/** One request to the forge, cut at the limit and failing loud naming the request. */
+async function timedFetch(url: string, init: RequestInit, label: string, timeoutMs: number): Promise<Response> {
+  try {
+    return await fetch(url, { ...init, signal: init.signal ? AbortSignal.any([init.signal, AbortSignal.timeout(timeoutMs)]) : AbortSignal.timeout(timeoutMs) });
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err instanceof Error && err.name === "TimeoutError") throw new Error(`Gitea API ${label}: no answer in ${timeoutMs / 1000} s, the request was cut`);
+    throw err;
+  }
+}
+
 export class GiteaClient {
   readonly baseUrl: string;
+  /** The limit of one request; a test sets it short. */
+  requestTimeoutMs = FORGE_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS;
   private readonly tokens: TokenSource;
 
   /** A token given as a string is one somebody configured; a source decides for itself (token.ts). */
@@ -230,14 +249,14 @@ export class GiteaClient {
 
   private send(path: string, options: RequestInit, token: string): Promise<Response> {
     checkSentPath(path);
-    return fetch(`${this.baseUrl}/api/v1${path}`, {
+    return timedFetch(`${this.baseUrl}/api/v1${path}`, {
       ...options,
       headers: {
         "Content-Type": "application/json",
         Authorization: `token ${token}`,
         ...(options.headers as Record<string, string> | undefined),
       },
-    });
+    }, `${options.method ?? "GET"} ${path}`, this.requestTimeoutMs);
   }
 
   /** Generic authenticated API call — the escape hatch for endpoints without a dedicated method.
@@ -540,7 +559,7 @@ export class GiteaClient {
    *  **A listing the forge cut is no listing** (it says `truncated` on a page with nothing more to read, or the pages
    *  run past a bound): the call fails naming the repository and the commit, never answering the directories it did
    *  see, since a directory left out would be taken for one without a module. Reads only. */
-  async commitTrees(owner: string, repo: string, sha: string, paths?: Record<string, string[]>): Promise<{ root: string; trees: Record<string, string>; paths?: Record<string, Record<string, string>> }> {
+  async commitTrees(owner: string, repo: string, sha: string, paths?: Record<string, string[]>, listed?: string[]): Promise<{ root: string; trees: Record<string, string>; paths?: Record<string, Record<string, string>>; listed?: Record<string, Record<string, string>> }> {
     const base = `${repoPath(owner, repo)}/git/trees/${commitSegment(sha)}?recursive=true`;
     const cut = (why: string) => new Error(`the forge's tree listing of ${owner}/${repo} at ${sha} was cut (${why}); no trees are answered from a part`);
     const entries: any[] = [];
@@ -567,7 +586,23 @@ export class GiteaClient {
       if (!tree) throw new Error(`the forge's tree listing of ${owner}/${repo} at ${sha} holds ${e.path} but not the tree of ${dir}`);
       trees[dir] = tree;
     }
-    if (paths === undefined) return { root, trees };
+    // **Listed directories** (novox/hq ADR 0549 §2, issue 1126): each asked directory's files directly under it, by name
+    // to blob id, from the same listing: how the forge bridge finds the catalogue's placement files, one per node, at a
+    // merge. A directory the commit lacks lists nothing (the catalogue before its first placement file).
+    let files: Record<string, Record<string, string>> | undefined;
+    if (listed !== undefined) {
+      files = {};
+      for (const dir of listed) {
+        files[dir] = {};
+        const prefix = dir === "" ? "" : `${dir}/`;
+        for (const e of entries) {
+          if (e?.type !== "blob" || typeof e.path !== "string" || !e.path.startsWith(prefix)) continue;
+          const name = e.path.slice(prefix.length);
+          if (name !== "" && !name.includes("/")) files[dir][name] = String(e.sha);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    if (paths === undefined) return files === undefined ? { root, trees } : { root, trees, listed: files };
     // **Named paths** (novox/hq ADR 0499 §3, issue 1758): each asked path's git object id at the commit, a file's or a
     // directory's, from the same listing, by directory and by path relative to it. A path the listing lacks fails
     // naming both, and nothing is answered in part.
@@ -582,7 +617,7 @@ export class GiteaClient {
         named[dir][p] = id;
       }
     }
-    return { root, trees, paths: named };
+    return files === undefined ? { root, trees, paths: named } : { root, trees, paths: named, listed: files };
   }
 
   /** Whether a repository holds a file at a commit: true, false for a 404, thrown when the forge cannot say. */
@@ -771,6 +806,22 @@ export class GiteaClient {
   /** One file's contents at a ref (default the repository's default branch), decoded. */
   async getFile(owner: string, repo: string, path: string, ref?: string): Promise<{ path: string; ref?: string; sha: string; size: number; content: string }> {
     const qs = ref ? `?ref=${encodeURIComponent(ref)}` : "";
+    // The size first, from the file's directory listing, which carries no content: a file over what an answer can carry is
+    // refused without its body being fetched (issue 1577). A file the listing does not show is asked for as before.
+    const clean = path.replace(/^\/+|\/+$/g, "");
+    pathSegments("file path", clean); // a path that is another path or user is refused before anything reaches the forge
+    const slash = clean.lastIndexOf("/");
+    const dir = slash < 0 ? "" : clean.slice(0, slash);
+    let listing: any[] | null = null;
+    try {
+      listing = await this.request<any[]>(`${repoPath(owner, repo)}/contents${dir ? "/" + pathSegments("file path", dir) : ""}${qs}`);
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof Error) || !/: 404 /.test(err.message)) throw err;
+    }
+    const entry = Array.isArray(listing) ? listing.find((e) => e?.path === clean) : undefined;
+    if (entry && Number(entry.size) > MAX_FILE_BYTES) {
+      throw new Error(`the file is ${Number(entry.size)} bytes, over the ${MAX_FILE_BYTES / 1024} KiB a tool answer can carry; read it from a clone`);
+    }
     const f = await this.request<any>(`${repoPath(owner, repo)}/contents/${pathSegments("file path", path.replace(/^\/+|\/+$/g, ""))}${qs}`);
     if (!f || f.type !== "file") throw new Error(`Gitea API: ${path} is not a file`);
     const content = f.encoding === "base64" ? Buffer.from(String(f.content ?? ""), "base64").toString("utf8") : String(f.content ?? "");
@@ -940,14 +991,14 @@ export class GiteaAdmin {
    *  throwing on it — the caller decides which non-2xx codes are idempotent successes. Only an
    *  unexpected status becomes an error, and only where the caller says so. */
   private async request(path: string, options: RequestInit = {}): Promise<AdminResponse> {
-    const res = await fetch(`${this.baseUrl}/api/v1${path}`, {
+    const res = await timedFetch(`${this.baseUrl}/api/v1${path}`, {
       ...options,
       headers: {
         "Content-Type": "application/json",
         Authorization: this.authorization,
         ...(options.headers as Record<string, string> | undefined),
       },
-    });
+    }, `${options.method ?? "GET"} ${path}`, FORGE_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS);
     const text = await res.text();
     let body: any = null;
     if (text) {
@@ -1047,12 +1098,19 @@ export class GiteaAdmin {
     return true;
   }
 
-  /** What the forge itself says an account may do on a repository: none, read, write, admin or owner. */
+  /** What the forge gives an account on a repository, effective: none, read, write, admin or owner. It is the repository as
+   *  that account sees it (the site administrator acts as the account with `sudo`), so access through an organisation's team
+   *  counts. The collaborator endpoint is not used: it names only a collaborator's own permission, and says "read" of an
+   *  account that writes through a team (novox/hq issue 1945). */
   async repositoryPermission(owner: string, repo: string, user: string): Promise<string> {
-    const path = `${repoPath(owner, repo)}/collaborators/${encodeURIComponent(user)}/permission`;
+    const path = `${repoPath(owner, repo)}?sudo=${encodeURIComponent(user)}`;
     const res = await this.request(path);
+    if (res.status === 404) return "none";
     if (res.status !== 200) GiteaAdmin.fail(path, res);
-    return String(res.body?.permission ?? "none");
+    const p = res.body?.permissions;
+    if (p?.admin === true) return res.body?.owner?.login === user ? "owner" : "admin";
+    if (p?.push === true) return "write";
+    return p?.pull === true ? "read" : "none";
   }
 
   /** Make an account a collaborator of a repository that reads only. The forge asks a repository's administrator for
@@ -1067,6 +1125,38 @@ export class GiteaAdmin {
     await this.addCollaborator(owner, repo, user, "write");
   }
 
+  /** The rule that applies to main in a repository, as its administrator reads it: a rule named main, else the first glob
+   *  rule covering main; null when none does. With the administrator's login. */
+  async mainRule(owner: string, repo: string): Promise<BranchProtection | null> {
+    const rules = await this.branchProtections(owner, repo);
+    return rules.find((r) => (r.rule_name ?? r.branch_name) === MAIN_BRANCH)
+      ?? rules.find((r) => ruleCovers(String(r.rule_name ?? r.branch_name ?? ""), MAIN_BRANCH)) ?? null;
+  }
+
+  /** Put an account on main's merge whitelist in a repository of a user, and nothing else (the operator, 2026-10-26:
+   *  write, the rule untouched). Only an existing rule whose merge whitelist is on is changed, and only its whitelist: the
+   *  account is added to the logins already there. Push, status checks, approvals and the administrator override stay as
+   *  the operator set them; with no rule, or the whitelist off, nothing is written (whoever writes may merge). Read back:
+   *  the forge drops a whitelist login that cannot write the repository and still answers success, so a whitelist read back
+   *  without the account fails loud. Answers the rule as the forge holds it after. With the administrator's login. */
+  async ensureMergerListed(owner: string, repo: string, account: string): Promise<{ changed: boolean; rule: BranchProtection | null }> {
+    const rule = await this.mainRule(owner, repo);
+    const listed = rule?.merge_whitelist_usernames ?? [];
+    if (!rule || rule.enable_merge_whitelist !== true || listed.includes(account)) return { changed: false, rule };
+    const name = String(rule.rule_name ?? rule.branch_name);
+    const path = `${repoPath(owner, repo)}/branch_protections/${encodeURIComponent(name)}`;
+    const res = await this.request(path, { method: "PATCH", body: JSON.stringify({ merge_whitelist_usernames: [...listed, account] }) });
+    if (res.status !== 200) GiteaAdmin.fail(path, res);
+    const after = (await this.branchProtections(owner, repo)).find((r) => (r.rule_name ?? r.branch_name) === name);
+    if (!after) throw new Error(`main's rule ${name} of ${owner}/${repo} was written, but the forge does not list it`);
+    const held = after.merge_whitelist_usernames ?? [];
+    if (after.enable_merge_whitelist === true && !held.includes(account)) {
+      throw new Error(`${account} was added to the merge whitelist of main's rule ${name} of ${owner}/${repo}, but the forge ` +
+        `holds [${held.join(", ")}]: it drops a login that cannot write the repository`);
+    }
+    return { changed: true, rule: after };
+  }
+
   private async addCollaborator(owner: string, repo: string, user: string, permission: "read" | "write"): Promise<void> {
     const path = `${repoPath(owner, repo)}/collaborators/${encodeURIComponent(user)}`;
     const res = await this.request(path, { method: "PUT", body: JSON.stringify({ permission }) });
@@ -1192,9 +1282,9 @@ export class GiteaAdmin {
    * other answer rejects (novox/hq issue 120).
    */
   async holdsTeamMember(org: string, team: string, username: string, password: string): Promise<boolean> {
-    const me = await fetch(`${this.baseUrl}/api/v1/user`, {
+    const me = await timedFetch(`${this.baseUrl}/api/v1/user`, {
       headers: { Authorization: "Basic " + Buffer.from(`${username}:${password}`).toString("base64") },
-    });
+    }, "GET /user", FORGE_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS);
     if (me.status === 401 || me.status === 403) return false;
     if (me.status !== 200) throw new Error(`Gitea GET /user as ${username}: ${me.status}`);
     const teams = await this.request(`/orgs/${encodeURIComponent(org)}/teams?limit=50`);

modules/gitea/test/commit-trees.test.ts

@@ -183,6 +183,15 @@ test("named paths: each asked path's git object id at the commit, a file's or a
     });
     assert.deepEqual(got.trees, { "": ROOT, "modules/a": h("4"), "modules/b/c": h("8") });
     assert.equal((await client.commitTrees("novox", "hq", COMMIT)).paths, undefined, "no paths asked, none answered");
+    // Listed directories (ADR 0549 §2, issue 1126): the files directly under each, not deeper; a missing one lists none.
+    const listed = await client.commitTrees("novox", "hq", COMMIT, undefined, ["modules/a", "modules/b", "", "placement"]);
+    assert.deepEqual(listed.listed, {
+      "modules/a": { "main.go": h("6"), "module.json": h("5") },
+      "modules/b": {},
+      "": { "README.md": h("1"), "module.json": h("2") },
+      placement: {},
+    });
+    assert.equal((await client.commitTrees("novox", "hq", COMMIT)).listed, undefined, "no directory asked, none listed");
   } finally {
     server.close();
   }
@@ -209,7 +218,12 @@ test("gitea_commit_trees takes paths as {directory: [paths]} and refuses another
   const { client, server, asked } = await serve([{ sha: COMMIT, url: "u", tree: LISTING, truncated: false, page: 1, total_count: LISTING.length }]);
   try {
     const tool = getGiteaTools(client).find((t) => t.name === "gitea_commit_trees")!;
-    assert.ok("paths" in tool.input, "the tool names the argument");
+    assert.ok("paths" in tool.input && "listed" in tool.input, "the tool names the arguments");
+    const listedAnswer: any = await tool.run({ owner: "novox", repo: "hq", sha: COMMIT, listed: ["modules/d"] } as any);
+    assert.deepEqual(listedAnswer.listed, { "modules/d": { "notes.md": h("b") } });
+    for (const bad of ["modules/d", ["../x"], ["/abs"], [1]]) {
+      await assert.rejects(tool.run({ owner: "novox", repo: "hq", sha: COMMIT, listed: bad } as any), /listed/, JSON.stringify(bad));
+    }
     const got: any = await tool.run({ owner: "novox", repo: "hq", sha: COMMIT, paths: { "modules/a": ["main.go"] } } as any);
     assert.deepEqual(got.paths, { "modules/a": { "main.go": h("6") } });
     const before = asked.length;

modules/gitea/test/guard.test.ts

@@ -640,6 +640,7 @@ test("no tool's caller text becomes another path or another user: `..` and `?sud
   await tool("gitea_delete_branch").run({ ...repo, branch: "feat/x" });
   await tool("gitea_get_file").run({ ...repo, path: "modules/gitea/module.json" }).catch(() => undefined);
   assert.deepEqual(state.asked, ["DELETE /repos/novox/mesh-catalog/branches/feat/x",
+    "GET /repos/novox/mesh-catalog/contents/modules/gitea", // the file's size first (issue 1577)
     "GET /repos/novox/mesh-catalog/contents/modules/gitea/module.json"]);
 });
 

modules/gitea/test/paging.test.ts

@@ -90,3 +90,48 @@ test("a pass pages until it reaches back past its floor, and no further", async
     server.close();
   }
 });
+
+// **One forge request never holds the others, and a file too big for an answer is not downloaded** (novox/hq issue 1577): a
+// request for a 4.9 MB file never ended and every read through the module timed out behind it.
+test("a request the forge never answers is cut at the limit and says which request", async () => {
+  const { GiteaClient } = await import("../client.ts");
+  const server = createServer((req) => { if (!req.url?.includes("fast")) return; });
+  await new Promise<void>((r) => server.listen(0, r));
+  const client = new GiteaClient(`http://127.0.0.1:${(server.address() as any).port}`, "t");
+  client.requestTimeoutMs = 150;
+  try {
+    const started = Date.now();
+    await assert.rejects(client.api("/repos/novox/hq/pulls"), /Gitea API GET \/repos\/novox\/hq\/pulls: no answer in 0\.15 s/);
+    assert.ok(Date.now() - started < 3000);
+  } finally {
+    server.closeAllConnections();
+    await new Promise<void>((r) => server.close(() => r()));
+  }
+});
+
+test("a file over 512 KiB is refused from its directory listing, and its body is never asked for", async () => {
+  const { GiteaClient } = await import("../client.ts");
+  const asked: string[] = [];
+  const server = createServer((req, res) => {
+    asked.push(req.url ?? "");
+    res.setHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
+    if (req.url?.startsWith("/api/v1/repos/novox/hq/contents/bin?")) {
+      return res.end(JSON.stringify([{ path: "bin/big", type: "file", size: 5_000_000 }, { path: "bin/small", type: "file", size: 5 }]));
+    }
+    if (req.url?.startsWith("/api/v1/repos/novox/hq/contents/bin/small")) {
+      return res.end(JSON.stringify({ type: "file", encoding: "base64", sha: "s", size: 5, content: Buffer.from("hello").toString("base64") }));
+    }
+    res.statusCode = 404;
+    res.end("{}");
+  });
+  await new Promise<void>((r) => server.listen(0, r));
+  const client = new GiteaClient(`http://127.0.0.1:${(server.address() as any).port}`, "t");
+  try {
+    await assert.rejects(client.getFile("novox", "hq", "bin/big", "main"),
+      /the file is 5000000 bytes, over the 512 KiB a tool answer can carry; read it from a clone/);
+    assert.ok(!asked.some((u) => u.includes("/contents/bin/big")), asked.join("\n"));
+    assert.equal((await client.getFile("novox", "hq", "bin/small", "main")).content, "hello");
+  } finally {
+    await new Promise<void>((r) => server.close(() => r()));
+  }
+});

modules/gitea/test/tools-account.test.ts

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ interface Team { id: number; name: string; units: any; members: Set<string> }
 
 interface ForgeRepo { owner: string; name: string; full: string; private: boolean; archived?: boolean; ownerVisibility: string; collaborators: Map<string, string> }
 const forgeRepos: ForgeRepo[] = [];
+const userRules = new Map<string, any>();
 const repoFaults = { refuse: new Set<string>(), permission: new Set<string>() };
 function addRepo(full: string, isPrivate: boolean, ownerVisibility = "public"): ForgeRepo {
   const [owner, name] = full.split("/");
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ function fakeForge() {
   const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
     const url = new URL(req.url ?? "/", "http://fake");
     const p = url.pathname.replace(/^\/api\/v1/, "");
-    const me = who(req);
+    const me = url.searchParams.has("sudo") && isAdmin(who(req)) ? url.searchParams.get("sudo") : who(req);
     calls.push(`${req.method} ${p} as ${me}`);
     if (me === null) return json(res, 401, { message: "unauthorized" });
 
@@ -168,6 +169,23 @@ function fakeForge() {
       if (m[2] === "feat/unguarded") return json(res, 200, { name: m[2], protected: false });
       return json(res, 404, { message: "branch does not exist" });
     }
+    // A repository of a user: its rules are its administrator's (a site administrator, or a collaborator with admin).
+    m = p.match(/^\/repos\/(?!novox\/)([^/]+)\/([^/]+)\/branch_protections(?:\/(.*))?$/);
+    if (m) {
+      const key = `${m[1]}/${m[2]}`;
+      const repo = forgeRepos.find((r) => r.full === key);
+      if (!repo || !["admin", "owner"].includes(permissionOf(me, repo))) return json(res, 403, { message: "user should be an owner or a collaborator with admin write of a repository" });
+      if (req.method === "GET" && m[3] === undefined) return json(res, 200, userRules.has(key) ? [userRules.get(key)] : []);
+      // As gitea does: a whitelist login that cannot write the repository is dropped, and the write still answered.
+      const keep = (b: any) => (Array.isArray(b.merge_whitelist_usernames)
+        ? { ...b, merge_whitelist_usernames: b.merge_whitelist_usernames.filter((u: string) => ["write", "admin", "owner"].includes(permissionOf(u, repo))) } : b);
+      if (req.method === "PATCH" && m[3] === "main") {
+        if (!userRules.has(key)) return json(res, 404, { message: "branch protection does not exist" });
+        Object.assign(userRules.get(key), keep(await read(req)));
+        return json(res, 200, userRules.get(key));
+      }
+      if (req.method === "POST") { const b = keep(await read(req)); userRules.set(key, b); return json(res, 201, b); }
+    }
     // gitea's reqAdmin on the whole group: reading the rules is administration too.
     m = p.match(/^\/repos\/novox\/([^/]+)\/branch_protections(?:\/(.*))?$/);
     if (m) {
@@ -205,6 +223,7 @@ function fakeForge() {
     m = p.match(/^\/repos\/([^/]+)\/([^/]+)(?:\/collaborators\/([^/]+)(\/permission)?)?$/);
     if (m) {
       const repo = forgeRepos.find((r) => r.owner === decodeURIComponent(m![1]) && r.name === decodeURIComponent(m![2]));
+      if (repo && req.method === "GET" && !m[3] && url.searchParams.has("sudo") && repoFaults.permission.has(repo.full)) return json(res, 500, { message: "the forge is not well" });
       if (!repo || permissionOf(me, repo) === "none") return json(res, 404, { message: "repository does not exist" });
       if (req.method === "GET" && !m[3]) {
         const mine = permissionOf(me, repo);
@@ -214,7 +233,8 @@ function fakeForge() {
       if (req.method === "GET" && m[4]) {
         if (repoFaults.permission.has(repo.full)) return json(res, 500, { message: "the forge is not well" });
         if (!isAdmin(me) && me !== user) return json(res, 403, { message: "only the user or an administrator" });
-        return json(res, 200, { permission: permissionOf(user, repo) });
+        // As gitea answers: the collaborator's own permission, not what a team gives the account.
+        return json(res, 200, { permission: repo.collaborators.get(user) ?? "read" });
       }
       if (req.method === "PUT" && !m[4]) {
         // gitea's reqAdmin: the repository's administration, which on a repository of another user the site administrator alone holds.
@@ -608,7 +628,8 @@ test("the merging account is given write on each repository the indexer's module
   await writes.take({ key: "car-hunter-2", op: "put", value: { v: 1, repository: "jschoubben/car-hunter" } });
   assert.equal(forge.calls.length, from, "a repository already written asks nothing more");
   const repo = (full: string) => forgeRepos.find((x) => x.full === full)!;
-  assert.equal(repo("jschoubben/car-hunter").collaborators.get(TOOLS_ACCOUNT), "write");
+  assert.equal(repo("jschoubben/car-hunter").collaborators.get(TOOLS_ACCOUNT), "write", "a user's repository is written, not administered");
+  assert.equal(userRules.has("jschoubben/car-hunter"), false, "a repository with no rule for main is given none");
   assert.equal(repo("novox/hq").collaborators.size, 0, "the organisation's repository is written through its team, no collaborator");
   assert.equal((await client.getRepo("jschoubben", "car-hunter")).writes, true);
   assert.deepEqual(said, [{ type: WRITABLE_EVENT, body: { owner: "jschoubben", repo: "car-hunter", account: TOOLS_ACCOUNT } }]);
@@ -636,9 +657,37 @@ test("the merging account is given write on each repository the indexer's module
   assert.ok(!forge.calls.slice(puts).some((c) => c.startsWith("PUT ")), "no write is asked on a repository no module builds from");
   assert.equal(repo("jschoubben/dotfiles").collaborators.get(TOOLS_ACCOUNT), "read");
   repoFaults.refuse.clear();
+  // The operator's rule is left as set (the operator, 2026-10-26: "Write, rule untouched"): only mesh-tools is added to its
+  // merge whitelist; a status the mesh does not set and required approvals are said as blocking the mesh's merge, unchanged.
+  const operators = { rule_name: "main", enable_push: true, enable_merge_whitelist: true, merge_whitelist_usernames: ["jschoubben"],
+    enable_status_check: true, status_check_contexts: ["mesh/check", "mesh/merge-gate", "ci/external"], required_approvals: 2,
+    block_admin_merge_override: false, require_signed_commits: true, block_on_outdated_branch: true, block_on_rejected_reviews: true };
+  userRules.set("jschoubben/snake", structuredClone(operators));
   const after = await grantTool.run({ repositories: ["jschoubben/snake"] }) as any;
   assert.deepEqual(after.granted, ["jschoubben/snake"]);
-  assert.deepEqual(((await unwritableTool.run({})) as any).unwritable, []);
+  assert.equal(repo("jschoubben/snake").collaborators.get(TOOLS_ACCOUNT), "write");
+  assert.deepEqual(userRules.get("jschoubben/snake"), { ...operators, merge_whitelist_usernames: ["jschoubben", TOOLS_ACCOUNT] }, "only the whitelist changed");
+  assert.deepEqual(after.merge_whitelist, [{ repository: "jschoubben/snake", changed: true, listed: ["jschoubben", TOOLS_ACCOUNT] }]);
+  const blockedWhy = "writable, but main's rule blocks the mesh's merge: it requires the status ci/external, which the mesh does not set; " +
+    "it requires 2 approving reviews on the forge, which the gate does not give; it requires signed commits, which the mesh does not make; " +
+    "it refuses a branch behind main, which the mesh does not bring up to date; " +
+    "it refuses a merge after a review asked for changes, which the gate does not clear";
+  assert.deepEqual(after.merge_blocked, [{ repository: "jschoubben/snake", why: blockedWhy }]);
+  const again = await unwritableTool.run({}) as any;
+  assert.deepEqual([again.unwritable, again.merge_blocked], [[], [{ repository: "jschoubben/snake", why: blockedWhy }]]);
+  const writesBefore = forge.calls.filter((c) => /^PATCH .*branch_protections/.test(c)).length;
+  assert.deepEqual(((await grantTool.run({ repositories: ["jschoubben/snake"] })) as any).merge_whitelist[0].changed, false);
+  assert.equal(forge.calls.filter((c) => /^PATCH .*branch_protections/.test(c)).length, writesBefore, "a listed account is not written again");
+  // The mesh's own statuses never block: a rule requiring only them, with mesh-tools listed, is not reported.
+  userRules.set("jschoubben/snake", { rule_name: "main", enable_merge_whitelist: true, merge_whitelist_usernames: [TOOLS_ACCOUNT],
+    enable_status_check: true, status_check_contexts: ["mesh/check", "mesh/merge-gate", "mesh/repo-check"] });
+  assert.deepEqual(((await unwritableTool.run({})) as any).merge_blocked, []);
+  assert.deepEqual(((await grantTool.run({ repositories: ["jschoubben/snake"] })) as any).merge_blocked, []);
+  // The forge drops a whitelist login that cannot write and still answers 200: the whitelist is read back and that fails loud.
+  userRules.set("jschoubben/dotfiles", { rule_name: "main", enable_merge_whitelist: true, merge_whitelist_usernames: ["jschoubben"] });
+  await assert.rejects(GiteaAdmin.fromEnv(env).ensureMergerListed("jschoubben", "dotfiles", TOOLS_ACCOUNT),
+    /mesh-tools was added to the merge whitelist of main's rule main of jschoubben\/dotfiles, but the forge holds \[jschoubben\]: it drops a login that cannot write/);
+  userRules.delete("jschoubben/dotfiles");
   // A module gone from the indexer leaves its repository out of the delivered list.
   await writes.take({ key: "snake", op: "delete" });
   assert.deepEqual(writes.delivered(), ["jschoubben/car-hunter", "novox/hq"]);

modules/gitea/tools/index.ts

@@ -76,6 +76,17 @@ function namedPaths(raw: unknown): Record<string, string[]> | undefined {
   return out;
 }
 
+/** The `listed` argument of gitea_commit_trees: [directory], each plain (no `.` or `..` segment, not absolute, the root
+ *  the empty name); anything else is refused before the forge is asked. Absent is absent. */
+function listedDirs(raw: unknown): string[] | undefined {
+  if (raw === undefined || raw === null) return undefined;
+  if (!Array.isArray(raw) || raw.some((d) => typeof d !== "string")) throw new Error("listed is [directory, ...]");
+  for (const d of raw as string[]) {
+    if (d !== "" && d.split("/").some((seg) => seg === "" || seg === "." || seg === "..")) throw new Error(`listed: ${JSON.stringify(d)} is not a plain relative directory`);
+  }
+  return raw as string[];
+}
+
 export function getGiteaTools(gitea: GiteaClient, admin?: () => GiteaAdmin): ToolDefinition[] {
   return namesChecked(allGiteaTools(gitea, admin));
 }
@@ -374,7 +385,7 @@ function allGiteaTools(gitea: GiteaClient, admin?: () => GiteaAdmin): ToolDefini
     // ---- Contents and branches ----
     {
       name: "gitea_get_file",
-      description: "One file's contents from a repository, decoded, at a branch, tag or commit (default the repository's default branch).",
+      description: "One file's contents from a repository, decoded, at a branch, tag or commit (default the repository's default branch). Refuses a file over 512 KiB, which a tool answer cannot carry: read it from a clone.",
       input: {
         owner: { type: "string", description: "the repository owner" },
         repo: { type: "string", description: "the repository name" },
@@ -550,19 +561,20 @@ function allGiteaTools(gitea: GiteaClient, admin?: () => GiteaAdmin): ToolDefini
     },
     {
       name: "gitea_commit_trees",
-      description: "A commit's trees from the forge's one recursive listing: the root tree, and the tree of every directory that holds a module.json (the root as an empty name), each by its git hash. What the forge bridge puts in a merge's message (novox/hq ADR 0437 §5). With paths, {directory: [path relative to it]}, the answer also carries paths, {directory: {path: git object id}} of each named file or directory at the commit (novox/hq ADR 0499 §3); a path the commit lacks fails naming the directory and the path. The commit is a full 40-hex sha. A listing the forge cut is refused, never answered in part. Reads only.",
+      description: "A commit's trees from the forge's one recursive listing: the root tree, and the tree of every directory that holds a module.json (the root as an empty name), each by its git hash. What the forge bridge puts in a merge's message (novox/hq ADR 0437 §5). With paths, {directory: [path relative to it]}, the answer also carries paths, {directory: {path: git object id}} of each named file or directory at the commit (novox/hq ADR 0499 §3); a path the commit lacks fails naming the directory and the path. The commit is a full 40-hex sha. With listed, [directory], the answer also carries listed, {directory: {name: git blob id}} of the files directly under each (the catalogue's placement files, novox/hq ADR 0549 §2). A listing the forge cut is refused, never answered in part. Reads only.",
       input: {
         owner: { type: "string", description: "the repository owner" },
         repo: { type: "string", description: "the repository name" },
         sha: { type: "string", description: "the commit, its full 40-hex sha" },
         paths: { type: "object", description: "optional, {directory: [path relative to it]}: the git object id of each named file or directory is answered under paths; the root directory is the empty name" },
+        listed: { type: "array", items: { type: "string" }, description: "optional, [directory]: the files directly under each, {directory: {name: git blob id}}, are answered under listed; a directory the commit lacks lists none" },
       },
       run: async (args) => {
         const owner = String(args.owner ?? "").trim(), repo = String(args.repo ?? "").trim();
         const sha = String(args.sha ?? "").trim();
         if (!owner || !repo) throw new Error("name the repository: owner and repo");
         if (!/^[0-9a-f]{40}$/i.test(sha)) throw new Error("sha is a commit's full 40-hex sha");
-        return gitea.commitTrees(owner, repo, sha, namedPaths(args.paths));
+        return gitea.commitTrees(owner, repo, sha, namedPaths(args.paths), listedDirs(args.listed));
       },
     },
     {

modules/gitea/writes.ts

@@ -18,10 +18,18 @@
 // `repo.writable` {owner, repo, account}: mesh-delivery-gate, which does not ask the operator's Approve of a pull request
 // whose merge the forge would refuse, reads that repository again on it.
 //
+// **A repository of a user is written, and main's rule is left as the operator set it** (the operator, 2026-10-26, asked
+// "Write, rule untouched"): the account is a write collaborator there, and only added to main's merge whitelist when that
+// rule keeps one (client.ts ensureMergerListed). What else in main's rule stops the mesh's merge (a status the mesh does not
+// set, approvals the gate does not give) is changed by nobody but said: both tools list such a repository as writable, but
+// blocked, with why (merge_blocked).
+//
 // Not taken away: a repository whose last module goes from the indexer keeps its collaborator until a hand removes it;
 // gitea_unwritable_repos and gitea_grant_write say the delivered list as it is now.
 
 import type { ForgeRepository } from "./client.js";
+import type { BranchProtection } from "./protection.js";
+import { CHECK_CONTEXT, CHECK_STATUS, REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT } from "./pulls.js";
 
 /** The indexer's state this module reads: one key per registered module, its value naming the repository. */
 export const INDEXER_MODULES = "mesh-delivery-indexer.modules";
@@ -34,8 +42,35 @@ export interface WriteForge {
   repository(owner: string, repo: string): Promise<ForgeRepository | null>;
   repositoryPermission(owner: string, repo: string, user: string): Promise<string>;
   addWriteCollaborator(owner: string, repo: string, user: string): Promise<void>;
+  mainRule(owner: string, repo: string): Promise<BranchProtection | null>;
+  ensureMergerListed(owner: string, repo: string, account: string): Promise<{ changed: boolean; rule: BranchProtection | null }>;
 }
 
+/** The statuses every pull request the mesh delivers carries (mesh-delivery's checks); a rule requiring another blocks. */
+const MESH_CONTEXTS = new Set([CHECK_STATUS, CHECK_CONTEXT, REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT]);
+
+/** What in main's rule stops the mesh's merge, in words; empty when nothing does. Changed by nobody here: the operator's. */
+export function mergeBlocks(rule: BranchProtection | null, account: string): string[] {
+  if (!rule) return [];
+  const blocks: string[] = [];
+  if (rule.enable_merge_whitelist === true && !(rule.merge_whitelist_usernames ?? []).includes(account)) {
+    blocks.push(`its merge whitelist [${(rule.merge_whitelist_usernames ?? []).join(", ")}] leaves out ${account} (gitea_grant_write adds it)`);
+  }
+  if (rule.enable_status_check === true) {
+    for (const c of rule.status_check_contexts ?? []) {
+      if (!MESH_CONTEXTS.has(c)) blocks.push(`it requires the status ${c}, which the mesh does not set`);
+    }
+  }
+  const approvals = Number(rule.required_approvals ?? 0);
+  if (approvals > 0) blocks.push(`it requires ${approvals} approving review${approvals === 1 ? "" : "s"} on the forge, which the gate does not give`);
+  if (rule.require_signed_commits === true) blocks.push("it requires signed commits, which the mesh does not make");
+  if (rule.block_on_outdated_branch === true) blocks.push("it refuses a branch behind main, which the mesh does not bring up to date");
+  if (rule.block_on_rejected_reviews === true) blocks.push("it refuses a merge after a review asked for changes, which the gate does not clear");
+  return blocks;
+}
+
+const blockedWhy = (blocks: string[]): string => `writable, but main's rule blocks the mesh's merge: ${blocks.join("; ")}`;
+
 /** One change of the indexer's modules state, as the SDK's state watch hands it. */
 export interface ModulesChange {
   key: string;
@@ -51,8 +86,13 @@ export interface Written {
   delivered: string[];
   /** Made writable now, each read back from the forge. */
   granted: string[];
-  /** Written already (the organisation's team, or a collaborator that writes). */
+  /** Written already (a collaborator of a user's repository), or written through the organisation's team. */
   already: string[];
+  /** Each repository of a user: whether the account was added to main's merge whitelist now, and the whitelist read back
+   *  (null: main's rule keeps no whitelist, or there is no rule, and whoever writes may merge). */
+  merge_whitelist: { repository: string; changed: boolean; listed: string[] | null }[];
+  /** Writable, but main's rule (the operator's, left as set) stops the mesh's merge, and why. */
+  merge_blocked: { repository: string; why: string }[];
   /** The forge refused, in its own words; or the repository is the organisation's, whose team should write it. */
   refused: { repository: string; why: string }[];
   /** Repositories the account cannot write that are left so, and why: they build no registered module. */
@@ -118,7 +158,7 @@ export class DeliveredWrites {
         "(the watch is not granted or not answered); nothing is granted");
     }
     const delivered = this.delivered();
-    const result: Written = { account: this.account, delivered, granted: [], already: [], refused: [], left_read_only: [] };
+    const result: Written = { account: this.account, delivered, granted: [], already: [], merge_whitelist: [], merge_blocked: [], refused: [], left_read_only: [] };
     const named = only && only.length ? only.map((x) => String(x).trim()) : null;
     const targets: string[] = [];
     for (const full of named ?? delivered) {
@@ -140,36 +180,55 @@ export class DeliveredWrites {
         result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: `its permission could not be read — ${said(err)}` });
         continue;
       }
-      if (WRITES.has(permission)) {
-        this.writable.add(full);
-        result.already.push(full);
-        continue;
-      }
       if (owner === this.org) {
+        if (WRITES.has(permission)) {
+          this.writable.add(full);
+          result.already.push(full);
+          continue;
+        }
         // The organisation's repositories are written through its team (tools-account.ts), never a collaborator.
         result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: `a repository of ${this.org}, which ${this.account} writes through the ` +
           `team ${this.org}/${this.account}; the forge gives it "${permission}", so the team is not as it should be (it is ` +
           "set again at the next mint of the tools' token)" });
         continue;
       }
-      try {
-        await this.forge.addWriteCollaborator(owner, name, this.account);
-      } catch (err) {
-        result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: said(err) });
-        continue;
+      // A repository of a user: the account writes it, and is put on main's merge whitelist when the rule keeps one.
+      let changed = false;
+      if (!WRITES.has(permission)) {
+        try {
+          await this.forge.addWriteCollaborator(owner, name, this.account);
+        } catch (err) {
+          result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: said(err) });
+          continue;
+        }
+        let after: string;
+        try {
+          after = await this.forge.repositoryPermission(owner, name, this.account);
+        } catch (err) {
+          result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: `granted, but its permission could not be read back — ${said(err)}` });
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (!WRITES.has(after)) {
+          result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: `the grant was answered, but the forge still gives ${this.account} "${after}"` });
+          continue;
+        }
+        changed = true;
       }
-      let after: string;
       try {
-        after = await this.forge.repositoryPermission(owner, name, this.account);
+        const { changed: listedNow, rule } = await this.forge.ensureMergerListed(owner, name, this.account);
+        result.merge_whitelist.push({ repository: full, changed: listedNow,
+          listed: rule?.enable_merge_whitelist === true ? (rule.merge_whitelist_usernames ?? []) : null });
+        const blocks = mergeBlocks(rule, this.account);
+        if (blocks.length > 0) result.merge_blocked.push({ repository: full, why: blockedWhy(blocks) });
       } catch (err) {
-        result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: `granted, but its permission could not be read back — ${said(err)}` });
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (!WRITES.has(after)) {
-        result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: `the grant was answered, but the forge still gives ${this.account} "${after}"` });
+        result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: `${this.account} writes it, but could not be put on main's merge whitelist — ${said(err)}` });
         continue;
       }
       this.writable.add(full);
+      if (!changed) {
+        result.already.push(full);
+        continue;
+      }
       result.granted.push(full);
       await this.emit(WRITABLE_EVENT, { owner, repo: name, account: this.account }).catch((err) =>
         this.log(`${this.account} writes ${full} now, and that could not be said on the bus — ${said(err)}`));
@@ -192,10 +251,12 @@ export class DeliveredWrites {
   }
 
   /** Every delivered repository the account cannot write, as the forge says now, and why. */
-  async unwritable(): Promise<{ account: string; delivered: number; unwritable: { repository: string; permission: string; why: string }[] }> {
+  async unwritable(): Promise<{ account: string; delivered: number; unwritable: { repository: string; permission: string; why: string }[];
+    merge_blocked: { repository: string; why: string }[] }> {
     if (!this.heard) throw new Error(`which repositories build a registered module is not known yet: ${INDEXER_MODULES} has not been read`);
     const delivered = this.delivered();
     const out: { repository: string; permission: string; why: string }[] = [];
+    const blocked: { repository: string; why: string }[] = [];
     for (const full of delivered) {
       const [owner, name] = split(full);
       let permission: string;
@@ -205,12 +266,21 @@ export class DeliveredWrites {
         out.push({ repository: full, permission: "unknown", why: `the forge did not answer ${this.account}'s permission on it — ${said(err)}` });
         continue;
       }
-      if (WRITES.has(permission)) continue;
+      if (WRITES.has(permission)) {
+        if (owner === this.org) continue; // the organisation's main rules are the mesh's own (mainrules.ts)
+        try {
+          const blocks = mergeBlocks(await this.forge.mainRule(owner, name), this.account);
+          if (blocks.length > 0) blocked.push({ repository: full, why: blockedWhy(blocks) });
+        } catch (err) {
+          blocked.push({ repository: full, why: `writable, but main's rule could not be read — ${said(err)}` });
+        }
+        continue;
+      }
       const modules = [...this.modules].filter(([, r]) => r === full).map(([m]) => m).sort();
       out.push({ repository: full, permission, why: `builds ${modules.join(", ")}, and the forge gives ${this.account} ` +
         `"${permission}" on it: its commit status and its merge are refused until gitea_grant_write grants it` });
     }
-    return { account: this.account, delivered: delivered.length, unwritable: out };
+    return { account: this.account, delivered: delivered.length, unwritable: out, merge_blocked: blocked };
   }
 }
 
@@ -224,14 +294,19 @@ export function writeTools(writes: () => DeliveredWrites): Tool[] {
       description: "Every repository that builds a registered module (the indexer's modules, read over the bus) on which " +
         "the mesh's merging forge account (mesh-tools, which sets commit statuses and merges) cannot write, with the " +
         "permission the forge gives it there and why: such a pull request can be checked but never merged, and the " +
-        "delivery gate does not ask its Approve. Empty when it writes every one. Read with the site administrator's login.",
+        "delivery gate does not ask its Approve. Empty when it writes every one. Its merge_blocked lists each repository of " +
+        "a user it writes whose main's rule (the operator's, left as set) still stops the mesh's merge: a merge whitelist " +
+        "without it, a required status the mesh does not set, required approving reviews. Read with the site administrator's login.",
       input: {},
       run: async () => writes().unwritable(),
     },
     {
       name: "gitea_grant_write",
-      description: "Give the mesh's merging forge account (mesh-tools) write, as a collaborator, on every repository that " +
-        "builds a registered module and that it cannot write now, or on the repositories named (each must build one). " +
+      description: "Give the mesh's merging forge account (mesh-tools) write, as a collaborator, on every repository of a " +
+        "user that builds a registered module, or on the repositories named (each must build one). Main's rule there is left " +
+        "as the operator set it; only when it keeps a merge whitelist is mesh-tools added to it, read back (merge_whitelist). " +
+        "What else in that rule stops the mesh's merge (a required status the mesh does not set, required approving reviews) " +
+        "is changed by nobody and said in merge_blocked. " +
         "The module does this itself at its start and when a module of a new repository is registered; this is the same " +
         "act by hand, such as when a merge or a commit status was refused 403. A repository of the organisation novox " +
         "is written through its team and needs nothing. Answers what was granted (each read back from the forge), what " +

modules/i3/internal/desktop/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,9 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# the copies of this package in every module that carries one.
+modules/xorg/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/lemurs/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/i3/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/xterm/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/adwaita/internal/desktop/*.go

modules/lemurs/internal/desktop/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,9 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# the copies of this package in every module that carries one.
+modules/xorg/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/lemurs/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/i3/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/xterm/internal/desktop/*.go
+modules/adwaita/internal/desktop/*.go

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/asks.go

@@ -84,9 +84,17 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 	// The capacity's own change wakes the puller (issue 1887): the runtime's watch of the config value as mesh-config
 	// resolved it; the settings file is read only when that watch cannot start. A test's Capacity is its own.
 	var watch func(string, func(stdio.ProvisionChange) error) error
+	// And the CPU bounds it (issue 1806's follow-up): the configured capacity is an upper bound, the node's build slice
+	// gives floor(its quota's cores / the module's cores-per-step) at once, read live; a test judges by its own Capacity.
+	// And the node's build hours (the operator, 2026-10-26: g14 builds only from 18:00 to 06:00): outside them it takes
+	// nothing new.
+	var cores func() float64
+	var hours func() (*buildstep.BuildWindow, string)
 	if capacity == nil {
+		hours = buildstep.NodeBuildHours(m.Settings, m.Node, m.Say)
 		capacity = buildstep.NodeCapacity(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCapacities, m.Node, m.Say)
 		watch = buildstep.WatchConfigServed
+		cores = buildstep.NodeCoresPerStep(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCoresPerStep[delivery.AskGo], m.Say)
 	}
 	ask := m.askSteps(steps)
 	var load func(string) ([]byte, error)
@@ -97,7 +105,7 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 		}
 	}
 	return &buildstep.Puller{Source: source, Language: delivery.AskGo, Node: m.Node, Put: m.Steps, PausePut: m.Pauses, Load: load,
-		Capacity: capacity, WatchConfig: watch, Logf: m.Say, Has: m.Has,
+		Capacity: capacity, WatchConfig: watch, CoresPerStep: cores, BuildHours: hours, Logf: m.Say, Has: m.Has,
 		Run: func(ctx context.Context, a delivery.StepAsk) (any, error) {
 			if err := m.Check(ctx); err != nil {
 				return nil, err

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/asks_test.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"slices"
 	"strings"
@@ -125,12 +126,28 @@ func TestManifestClaimsTheGoBuildSeatAndReadsItsCapacity(t *testing.T) {
 	raw, _ := os.ReadFile(moduleDir + "/module.json")
 	var doc struct {
 		Config map[string]struct {
-			Default string `json:"default"`
+			Default json.RawMessage `json:"default"`
 		} `json:"config"`
 	}
 	_ = json.Unmarshal(raw, &doc)
-	if doc.Config[buildstep.CapacitySetting].Default != buildstep.DefaultCapacities {
-		t.Errorf("the capacity's default = %q, want %q", doc.Config[buildstep.CapacitySetting].Default, buildstep.DefaultCapacities)
+	// Issue 1806's follow-up: the cores a step needs is a setting of its own, in the settings file, with the SDK's default.
+	if cores := string(doc.Config[buildstep.CoresPerStepSetting].Default); cores != fmt.Sprint(buildstep.DefaultCoresPerStep[delivery.AskGo]) {
+		t.Errorf("the cores-per-step default = %s, want %g", cores, buildstep.DefaultCoresPerStep[delivery.AskGo])
+	}
+	if got := buildstep.NodeCoresPerStep(moduleDir+"/files/settings.json", 0, nil)(); got != buildstep.DefaultCoresPerStep[delivery.AskGo] {
+		t.Errorf("the settings template holds cores-per-step %g", got)
+	}
+	// And the build hours (the operator, 2026-10-26): a setting of their own, empty by default (any hour), in the template.
+	if hours := string(doc.Config[buildstep.BuildHoursSetting].Default); hours != `""` {
+		t.Errorf("the build-hours default = %s, want empty", hours)
+	}
+	if w, fault := buildstep.NodeBuildHours(moduleDir+"/files/settings.json", "g14", t.Errorf)(); w != nil || fault != "" {
+		t.Errorf("the settings template holds build hours %v (%s)", w, fault)
+	}
+	var capacity string
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(doc.Config[buildstep.CapacitySetting].Default, &capacity)
+	if capacity != buildstep.DefaultCapacities {
+		t.Errorf("the capacity's default = %q, want %q", capacity, buildstep.DefaultCapacities)
 	}
 	settings := resource(t, m, "settings")
 	if settings["path"] != "${dir:state}/settings.json" {

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/beside_digest_test.go

@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func TestTheIntegrationLevelDigestsUnderBothTags(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("the integration digest listed %q", s.command)
 		}
 	}
-	if DigestVersion != "5" {
+	if DigestVersion != "6" {
 		t.Errorf("the digest's form changed in kind and is still version %s", DigestVersion)
 	}
 }

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/cpu.go

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import (
 func (m *Module) cpuLimits() buildcpu.Limits {
 	slots := 1
 	switch {
+	case m.Held != nil:
+		slots = m.Held.CapacityNow() // the capacity the puller judges by, bounded by the node's build slice
 	case m.Capacity != nil:
 		slots = m.Capacity()
 	case m.Settings != "":
@@ -32,5 +34,9 @@ func (m *Module) threadEnv() []string {
 // cpuStatus is what the status tool says of it: the limits a step is given, and what the kernel holds this runtime
 // to (its unit and its slice), read from its cgroup rather than assumed.
 func (m *Module) cpuStatus() map[string]any {
-	return map[string]any{"limits": m.cpuLimits(), "in-force": buildcpu.ReadInForce()}
+	out := map[string]any{"limits": m.cpuLimits(), "in-force": buildcpu.ReadInForce()}
+	if m.Held != nil {
+		out["capacity"] = m.Held.CapacityDetail() // the capacity judged by and why (issue 1806's follow-up)
+	}
+	return out
 }

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/digest.go

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"io/fs"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
@@ -29,17 +30,25 @@ import (
 // commits (the lead's decision L5) and the integration level's tags integration,isolation (the checker's agreement).
 // 4: the siblings' commits enter only the digest of a package whose tests reach a file naming MESH_CHECK_BESIDE (ADR 0536 §1).
 // 5: a catalogue module's non-Go files enter the digest of its packages (issue 1935).
-const DigestVersion = "5"
+// 6: a reads-outside marker that lists what its tests read enters the digest with those files' contents (issue 1936).
+const DigestVersion = "6"
 
 // besideVariable is the name a file bears when it reads where the siblings lie; a package whose tests reach such a file
 // depends on the siblings' commits.
 const besideVariable = "MESH_CHECK_BESIDE"
 
 // ReadsOutsideMarker is the name of a file in a package's directory that says its tests read files outside it (a
-// repository's documents, a sibling directory): such a package is never kept (issue 1935). The digest hashes only what
-// the Go toolchain lists, so it cannot name what a test opens elsewhere; a marker file, beside the Go files where a
-// reader of the package sees it, is the plain way to say so until the checker keeps the files a test opened (the Go
-// test log) with each verdict.
+// repository's documents, a sibling directory), which the Go toolchain does not list (issue 1935). It lists, one per
+// line, what those tests read, as paths from the repository's root; a path may be a glob (filepath.Match), and a
+// directory it names is read whole (issue 1936). Blank lines and lines starting with # are not read. A line starting
+// with ? names a path whose absence is what the tests read (a file that must not be there): it may match nothing.
+//
+// The digest then hashes, besides what the toolchain lists, every line of the marker, every file it names (under its
+// path in the tree, by content) and every file of the package's own directory, Go files included (a file its build tags
+// exclude is one go list does not hash). A marker that lists nothing, a line that is not a clean relative path, or a
+// line without ? that matches nothing makes the package one that is never kept (its digest a fresh random hex): a list
+// nobody can trust keeps nothing. The exact fix, the files a test opened kept
+// from the Go test log with each verdict, replaces the lists (issue 1936).
 const ReadsOutsideMarker = "reads-outside"
 
 // NeedsMarker is the name of a file in a package's directory that names, one per line, what its integration tests need
@@ -128,9 +137,13 @@ type DigestResult struct {
 	// only when they are the siblings it gave the fetch.
 	Beside       []string `json:"beside,omitempty"`
 	WithoutTests []string `json:"without_tests,omitempty"`
-	// ReadsOutside names the packages that carry the marker: each has a digest that no kept verdict can have (a fresh
-	// random one), so the check runs it every time.
+	// ReadsOutside names the packages whose marker lists nothing it can trust (ReadsOutsideMarker): each has a digest
+	// that no kept verdict can have (a fresh random one), so the check runs it every time.
 	ReadsOutside []string `json:"reads_outside,omitempty"`
+	// neverKept is, per package of ReadsOutside, why its marker cannot be trusted; hashedFiles caches the content lines
+	// of the files markers name, which several packages share (the catalogue's manifests).
+	neverKept   map[string]string
+	hashedFiles map[string]string
 	// Needs are the packages whose tests at this level need something of the node, as their NeedsMarker names it.
 	Needs []delivery.PackageNeeds `json:"needs,omitempty"`
 	// JudgedBy is the program that ran the digest (ADR 0535 §5): "installed", or "candidate <merge commit>" under the
@@ -247,7 +260,7 @@ func (m *Module) digestHere(ctx context.Context, workspace, level string) (Diges
 	sort.Slice(res.Needs, func(i, j int) bool { return res.Needs[i].Package < res.Needs[j].Package })
 	for _, p := range res.ReadsOutside {
 		if m.Say != nil {
-			m.Say("the %s level of %s always runs: its directory carries %s, so its tests read files outside it that no digest names", level, p, ReadsOutsideMarker)
+			m.Say("the %s level of %s always runs: its %s %s, so its tests read files outside it that no digest names", level, p, ReadsOutsideMarker, res.neverKept[p])
 		}
 	}
 	return res, nil
@@ -316,18 +329,27 @@ func digestModule(res *DigestResult, pkgs map[string]*goPackage, tree string, he
 				res.Needs = append(res.Needs, delivery.PackageNeeds{Package: path, Needs: n})
 			}
 		}
-		if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(root.Dir, ReadsOutsideMarker)); err == nil {
-			// The digest of a package that reads outside itself is one nothing can have kept: the key is a fresh random
-			// hex, so the ask finds no kept verdict and runs it, and what the checker writes under it is never read again.
+		declared, why, err := declaredReads(tree, root, res.hashed())
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s: its %s: %w", path, ReadsOutsideMarker, err)
+		}
+		if why != "" {
+			// The digest of a package whose reads outside itself are not listed is one nothing can have kept: the key is a
+			// fresh random hex, so the ask finds no kept verdict and runs it, and what the checker writes under it is never
+			// read again.
 			var nonce [32]byte
 			if _, err := rand.Read(nonce[:]); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			res.Packages[path] = hex.EncodeToString(nonce[:])
 			res.ReadsOutside = append(res.ReadsOutside, path)
+			if res.neverKept == nil {
+				res.neverKept = map[string]string{}
+			}
+			res.neverKept[path] = why
 			continue
 		}
-		d, err := packageDigest(root, testMain, pkgs, tree, header, beside)
+		d, err := packageDigest(root, testMain, pkgs, tree, header, beside, declared)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", path, err)
 		}
@@ -340,14 +362,15 @@ func digestModule(res *DigestResult, pkgs map[string]*goPackage, tree string, he
 // tests reach in the module's own tree (by their content, under their path in the tree), the version and checksum of
 // every module outside it, and the package's own test data. The beside lines (the siblings' commits) join the header
 // only when a file the tests reach names MESH_CHECK_BESIDE. A package of the standard library is the Go version's.
-func packageDigest(root, testMain *goPackage, pkgs map[string]*goPackage, tree string, header, beside []string) (string, error) {
+// The lines a package's ReadsOutsideMarker declares join them (declaredReads).
+func packageDigest(root, testMain *goPackage, pkgs map[string]*goPackage, tree string, header, beside, declared []string) (string, error) {
 	reached := map[string]*goPackage{root.ImportPath: root}
 	for _, dep := range testMain.Deps {
 		if p := pkgs[dep]; p != nil {
 			reached[dep] = p
 		}
 	}
-	lines := []string{}
+	lines := append([]string{}, declared...)
 	readsBeside := false
 	for _, p := range reached {
 		if p.Standard || p.Module == nil {
@@ -469,3 +492,104 @@ func contentLine(tree string, p *goPackage, path string) (string, error) {
 	sum := sha256.Sum256(raw)
 	return "file " + label + " " + hex.EncodeToString(sum[:]), nil
 }
+
+// hashed is the cache of content lines a digest step shares across its packages.
+func (r *DigestResult) hashed() map[string]string {
+	if r.hashedFiles == nil {
+		r.hashedFiles = map[string]string{}
+	}
+	return r.hashedFiles
+}
+
+// declaredReads are the digest lines a package's ReadsOutsideMarker adds: each of its lines, the content line of every
+// file it names, and those of every file of the package's own directory. Without a marker it answers nothing. why is
+// set, and the lines nil, when the marker cannot be trusted: it lists nothing, a line is not a clean relative path, or
+// a line without ? matches nothing.
+func declaredReads(tree string, root *goPackage, cache map[string]string) (lines []string, why string, err error) {
+	raw, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(root.Dir, ReadsOutsideMarker))
+	if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+		return nil, "", nil
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, "", err
+	}
+	var patterns []string
+	for _, l := range strings.Split(string(raw), "\n") {
+		if l = strings.TrimSpace(l); l != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(l, "#") {
+			patterns = append(patterns, l)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(patterns) == 0 {
+		return nil, "lists nothing", nil
+	}
+	seen := map[string]bool{}
+	add := func(path string) error {
+		if seen[path] {
+			return nil
+		}
+		seen[path] = true
+		l, ok := cache[path]
+		if !ok {
+			var err error
+			if l, err = contentLine(tree, root, path); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			cache[path] = l
+		}
+		lines = append(lines, "read "+l)
+		return nil
+	}
+	for _, l := range patterns {
+		pattern, absent := strings.CutPrefix(l, "?")
+		if !cleanTreePattern(pattern) {
+			return nil, fmt.Sprintf("names %q, which is not a clean path from the repository's root", l), nil
+		}
+		matches, err := filepath.Glob(filepath.Join(tree, filepath.FromSlash(pattern)))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Sprintf("names %q, which is not a glob", l), nil
+		}
+		if len(matches) == 0 && !absent {
+			return nil, fmt.Sprintf("names %q, which matches nothing (a path whose absence is read starts with ?)", l), nil
+		}
+		lines = append(lines, "reads "+l)
+		for _, match := range matches {
+			if err := walkFiles(match, add); err != nil {
+				return nil, "", err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	// Every file of the package's own directory: its lists, its marker, and its Go files too, since go list leaves a
+	// file its build tags exclude (an integration test a unit test globs) out of what the digest hashes. A file the
+	// toolchain lists is hashed twice, which changes nothing.
+	err = walkFiles(root.Dir, add)
+	return lines, "", err
+}
+
+// cleanTreePattern says a marker's line is a path from the repository's root that stays inside it.
+func cleanTreePattern(p string) bool {
+	if p == "" || strings.ContainsAny(p, " \t\\") || strings.HasPrefix(p, "/") || path.Clean(p) != p {
+		return false
+	}
+	for _, e := range strings.Split(p, "/") {
+		if e == ".." || e == "." {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+// walkFiles calls each with every file at or under path, skipping .git and node_modules, in lexical order.
+func walkFiles(path string, each func(string) error) error {
+	return filepath.WalkDir(path, func(p string, e fs.DirEntry, err error) error {
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if e.IsDir() {
+			if n := e.Name(); p != path && (n == ".git" || n == "node_modules") {
+				return filepath.SkipDir
+			}
+			return nil
+		}
+		return each(p)
+	})
+}

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/digest_test.go

@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func TestAModuleOutsideTheTreeCountsByVersionAndChecksum(t *testing.T) {
 	testMain := &goPackage{ImportPath: "x/r.test", Deps: []string{ext.ImportPath}}
 	pkgs[root.ImportPath] = root
 	digest := func() string {
-		d, err := packageDigest(root, testMain, pkgs, dir, []string{"digest 1"}, nil)
+		d, err := packageDigest(root, testMain, pkgs, dir, []string{"digest 1"}, nil, nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -190,28 +190,74 @@ func TestAModuleOutsideTheTreeCountsByVersionAndChecksum(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// Issue 1935: a package whose directory carries the reads-outside marker is never kept: its digest is one no kept verdict
-// can have (it differs on every call, though nothing changed), and the answer names it. A package without the marker
-// keeps its digest.
-func TestAPackageWithTheReadsOutsideMarkerIsNeverKept(t *testing.T) {
+// Issue 1935, 1936: a package whose reads-outside marker lists nothing it can trust is never kept: its digest is one no
+// kept verdict can have (it differs on every call, though nothing changed), and the answer names it. A marker that lists
+// what the tests read is kept: a change to a file it names changes the package's digest, a change elsewhere does not.
+func TestAPackageWithTheReadsOutsideMarkerIsKeptOnlyByWhatItLists(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	m, tree := digestFixture(t)
 	plain := digests(t, m, "unit")
 	if len(plain.ReadsOutside) != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("a package carries the marker in the fixture: %v", plain.ReadsOutside)
 	}
-	edit(t, tree, "c/"+ReadsOutsideMarker, "the tests read ../docs\n")
-	first, second := digests(t, m, "unit"), digests(t, m, "unit")
-	c := "fixture/digest/c"
-	if len(first.Packages[c]) != 64 || first.Packages[c] == second.Packages[c] || first.Packages[c] == plain.Packages[c] {
-		t.Errorf("c carries the marker and its digest is stable: %s, %s, before %s", first.Packages[c], second.Packages[c], plain.Packages[c])
+	c, a := "fixture/digest/c", "fixture/digest/a"
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(tree, "docs"), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if strings.Join(first.ReadsOutside, ",") != c {
-		t.Errorf("the answer does not name the package that reads outside: %v", first.ReadsOutside)
+	edit(t, tree, "docs/one.md", "one\n")
+	edit(t, tree, "other.md", "other\n")
+	for name, marker := range map[string]string{
+		"an empty marker":            "# nothing listed\n\n",
+		"a sentence":                 "the tests read ../docs\n",
+		"a path climbing out":        "../docs\n",
+		"a path matching nothing":    "docs/none.md\n",
+		"an absolute path":           "/etc/passwd\n",
+		"a path that is not clean":   "docs/./one.md\n",
+		"a good line and a bad line": "docs\nnope/*.md\n",
+	} {
+		edit(t, tree, "c/"+ReadsOutsideMarker, marker)
+		first, second := digests(t, m, "unit"), digests(t, m, "unit")
+		if len(first.Packages[c]) != 64 || first.Packages[c] == second.Packages[c] || first.Packages[c] == plain.Packages[c] {
+			t.Errorf("%s: c's digest is stable: %s, %s, before %s", name, first.Packages[c], second.Packages[c], plain.Packages[c])
+		}
+		if strings.Join(first.ReadsOutside, ",") != c {
+			t.Errorf("%s: the answer does not name the package that reads outside: %v", name, first.ReadsOutside)
+		}
+		if first.Packages[a] != plain.Packages[a] || first.Packages[a] != second.Packages[a] {
+			t.Errorf("%s: a has no marker and its digest moved: %s, %s, before %s", name, first.Packages[a], second.Packages[a], plain.Packages[a])
+		}
 	}
-	a := "fixture/digest/a"
-	if first.Packages[a] != plain.Packages[a] || first.Packages[a] != second.Packages[a] {
-		t.Errorf("a has no marker and its digest moved: %s, %s, before %s", first.Packages[a], second.Packages[a], plain.Packages[a])
+
+	// A list: a glob, a directory read whole, and a path whose absence is read.
+	edit(t, tree, "c/"+ReadsOutsideMarker, "# what c's tests read\ndocs/*.md\ndocs\n?gone\n")
+	before := digests(t, m, "unit")
+	if len(before.ReadsOutside) != 0 || len(before.Packages[c]) != 64 || before.Packages[c] == plain.Packages[c] {
+		t.Fatalf("a listed marker is not kept: %v, %s (no marker %s)", before.ReadsOutside, before.Packages[c], plain.Packages[c])
+	}
+	if again := digests(t, m, "unit"); again.Packages[c] != before.Packages[c] {
+		t.Errorf("nothing changed and c's digest moved")
+	}
+	for _, step := range []struct {
+		file, text string
+		moves      bool
+	}{
+		{"other.md", "changed\n", false},                                           // outside the list
+		{"d/d.go", "package d\n\n// D.\n", false},                                  // a package c's tests do not reach
+		{"docs/one.md", "changed\n", true},                                         // a listed file
+		{"docs/two.md", "new\n", true},                                             // a new file the glob matches
+		{"gone", "here\n", true},                                                   // a path whose absence was read
+		{"c/note.txt", "changed\n", true},                                          // the package's own file that is not Go
+		{"c/x_integration_test.go", "//go:build integration\n\npackage c\n", true}, // a Go file its build tags leave out (go list's IgnoredGoFiles)
+	} {
+		edit(t, tree, step.file, step.text)
+		after := digests(t, m, "unit")
+		if moved := after.Packages[c] != before.Packages[c]; moved != step.moves {
+			t.Errorf("a change to %s: c's digest moved %v, want %v", step.file, moved, step.moves)
+		}
+		if after.Packages[a] != plain.Packages[a] {
+			t.Errorf("a change to %s moved a's digest", step.file)
+		}
+		before = after
 	}
 
 	// Issue 890/AC3: a package whose directory carries the needs marker is named with its needs at the integration level,

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/fetch.go

@@ -42,11 +42,13 @@ type FetchResult struct {
 	// head onto it, the paths the merge changes, and the tree of each module directory (a directory holding a
 	// module.json) in the merge. A head that does not merge cleanly is an answer: Merge is empty, Conflicts names the
 	// files, and the workspace is left at the trunk commit.
-	Base      string                          `json:"base,omitempty"`
-	Merge     string                          `json:"merge,omitempty"`
-	Conflicts []string                        `json:"conflicts,omitempty"`
-	Changed   []string                        `json:"changed,omitempty"`
-	Trees     map[string]buildstep.ModuleTree `json:"trees,omitempty"`
+	Base      string   `json:"base,omitempty"`
+	Merge     string   `json:"merge,omitempty"`
+	Conflicts []string `json:"conflicts,omitempty"`
+	Changed   []string `json:"changed,omitempty"`
+	// Programs are the changed files that are compiled programs (issue 1577); a merge answers it, a pointer to an empty list when there are none, absent for a fetch that made no merge.
+	Programs *[]buildstep.Program            `json:"programs,omitempty"`
+	Trees    map[string]buildstep.ModuleTree `json:"trees,omitempty"`
 	// Beside are the sibling repositories placed as plain directories under the workspace's beside directory, which
 	// build_go_test hands to the tests as MESH_CHECK_BESIDE (ADR 0484 clause 4).
 	Beside []Sibling `json:"beside,omitempty"`

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/lint.go

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
@@ -132,6 +133,9 @@ func (m *Module) lint(ctx context.Context, run forgekey.Runner, tree, d string,
 // lintAll lints each directory, up to m.parallel() at once like the level's tests; the failures join in directory order
 // and the error is the first directory's, so the answer does not depend on which ended first (issue 1930).
 func (m *Module) lintAll(ctx context.Context, run forgekey.Runner, tree string, dirs []string, env func(d string) []string) ([]Failure, error) {
+	// The ask's phases say it (issue 1890): lint of the directories, then their tests.
+	buildstep.Phase(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("unit: lint of %d directories", len(dirs)))
+	defer buildstep.Phase(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("unit: tests of %d directories", len(dirs)))
 	type answer struct {
 		failed []Failure
 		err    error

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/preview.go

@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ func (m *Module) merge(ctx context.Context, res *FetchResult, tree, remote, base
 	}
 	res.Base = mr.Base
 	res.Conflicts, res.Merge, res.Changed = mr.Conflicts, mr.Merge, mr.Changed
+	if mr.Merge != "" {
+		res.Programs = &mr.Programs
+	}
 	if res.Merge == "" {
 		return nil
 	}

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/preview_test.go

@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func TestFetchWithABaseMergesAndAnswersThePreview(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	if res.Base != baseSHA || res.Merge != mergeSHA || res.Commit != commitSHA || len(res.Conflicts) != 0 ||
-		strings.Join(res.Changed, ",") != "a.go,modules/m/main.go" {
+		strings.Join(res.Changed, ",") != "a.go,modules/m/main.go" || res.Programs == nil || len(*res.Programs) != 0 { // 1577: a merge says it found no program
 		t.Errorf("result = %s", st.Result)
 	}
 	mt, ok := res.Trees["modules/m"]

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,7 @@
-These tests read other catalogue modules' files, outside this module (issue 1935): never kept.
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# the manifests through mesh-sdk's validator (the predefined keys), gitea's and mesh-build-node's.
+predefined.json
+modules/gitea
+modules/mesh-build-node

modules/mesh-build-go/files/settings.json

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "capacity": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
+  "capacity": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0",
+  "cores-per-step": 6,
+  "build-hours": ""
 }

modules/mesh-build-go/go.mod

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module meshbuildgo
 go 1.26.0
 
 require (
-	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026202658-805b4d9a3536
 	github.com/distribution/distribution/v3 v3.1.2
 	github.com/nats-io/nats-server/v2 v2.11.17
 	github.com/nats-io/nats.go v1.54.0

modules/mesh-build-go/go.sum

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f h1:GYLCvz2x+JNUOTbXzyh2QwzX0sTzvRlXR7lGocWjk3A=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026202658-805b4d9a3536 h1:+SoDdDXF7Tgj38WP4kRpUSps6DJVl6P+w5u/KfdtwnQ=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026202658-805b4d9a3536/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
 github.com/alicebob/miniredis/v2 v2.35.0 h1:QwLphYqCEAo1eu1TqPRN2jgVMPBweeQcR21jeqDCONI=
 github.com/alicebob/miniredis/v2 v2.35.0/go.mod h1:TcL7YfarKPGDAthEtl5NBeHZfeUQj6OXMm/+iu5cLMM=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op h1:Z/MZK75wC/NSrkgqeNIa7jexam9uWzhLmFTSCPI/kn0=

modules/mesh-build-go/module.json

@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@
       "description": "How many asks of the Go build seat this module runs at once on each node, as node=asks pairs separated by commas, such as shanks=3,ace=2 (novox/hq ADR 0525 §5); a node set to 0 pulls nothing, a node not named runs one at a time. The control-node and the laptop build nothing.",
       "pattern": "|[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+(,[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+)*",
       "default": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
+    },
+    "build-hours": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": "When each node may take this module's build asks, as node=HH:MM-HH:MM pairs in the node's local time, separated by commas, such as g14=18:00-06:00 (an end before its start crosses midnight). Outside its window a node takes no new step and finishes the ones it runs; a node not named, or an empty value, builds at any hour. The operator, 2026-10-26: g14 builds only outside office hours.",
+      "pattern": "|[a-z0-9_-]+=([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]-([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9](,[a-z0-9_-]+=([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]-([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9])*",
+      "default": ""
+    },
+    "cores-per-step": {
+      "type": "number",
+      "description": "How many processors one Go step of this module needs (a full check of a large repository takes what it is given: three at about 4 cores each ran past the 30-minute step bound on 2026-10-26). The capacity above is an upper bound: on each node the module runs at most floor(the cores of its build slice's CPU quota / this) steps at once, the quota read live from its cgroup (issue 1806), so a lowered build CPU share never starves its steps. Above 0.",
+      "minimum": 0.1,
+      "default": 6
     }
   },
   "tools": [
@@ -107,7 +119,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "owner": "mesh-build-go",
-      "takes-config": ["capacity"],
+      "takes-config": ["capacity", "cores-per-step", "build-hours"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     },

modules/mesh-build-image/README.md

@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ The Dockerfile's steps may use the network (ADR 0487 §6); nothing a step can re
 
 - `build_image_fetch` fetches a commit over SSH into a workspace (a base commit makes the merge preview, as the other
   build modules' fetch). Long: answers a step id and ends on its key in `steps`.
-- `build_image_build` builds one image artifact: `buildah bud` with the Dockerfile of the module's directory as file
-  and context, `--target`, and the images `build.on` pins as `--build-arg`. Answers the image's digest. With
+- `build_image_build` builds one image artifact: `buildah bud` with the Dockerfile `from` names (in the module's
+  directory or a subdirectory of it) as file and the module's own directory as context, so a COPY names paths from the
+  module's root (issue 1703), `--target`, and the images `build.on` pins as `--build-arg`. Answers the image's digest. With
   `publish: true` (a merged trunk commit only) the module's own process then pushes it to the registry under
   `<module>/<artifact>:<tag of its own>` (the first 12 hex digits of the digest unless the call gives one), waiting out
   a registry held still, and the key carries the digest the registry serves and the reference pinned by it. Without

modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/asks.go

@@ -40,9 +40,17 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 	// The capacity's own change wakes the puller (issue 1887): the runtime's watch of the config value as mesh-config
 	// resolved it; the settings file is read only when that watch cannot start. A test's Capacity is its own.
 	var watch func(string, func(stdio.ProvisionChange) error) error
+	// And the CPU bounds it (issue 1806's follow-up): the configured capacity is an upper bound, the node's build slice
+	// gives floor(its quota's cores / the module's cores-per-step) at once, read live; a test judges by its own Capacity.
+	// And the node's build hours (the operator, 2026-10-26: g14 builds only from 18:00 to 06:00): outside them it takes
+	// nothing new.
+	var cores func() float64
+	var hours func() (*buildstep.BuildWindow, string)
 	if capacity == nil {
+		hours = buildstep.NodeBuildHours(m.Settings, m.Node, m.Say)
 		capacity = buildstep.NodeCapacity(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCapacities, m.Node, m.Say)
 		watch = buildstep.WatchConfigServed
+		cores = buildstep.NodeCoresPerStep(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCoresPerStep[delivery.AskImage], m.Say)
 	}
 	ask := m.askSteps(steps)
 	var load func(string) ([]byte, error)
@@ -50,7 +58,7 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 		load = func(key string) ([]byte, error) { return m.ReadPauses.Get(key) }
 	}
 	return &buildstep.Puller{Source: source, Language: delivery.AskImage, Node: m.Node, Put: m.Steps, PausePut: m.Pauses, Load: load,
-		Capacity: capacity, WatchConfig: watch, Logf: m.Say,
+		Capacity: capacity, WatchConfig: watch, CoresPerStep: cores, BuildHours: hours, Logf: m.Say,
 		Run: func(ctx context.Context, a delivery.StepAsk) (any, error) {
 			if err := m.Check(ctx); err != nil {
 				return nil, err

modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/build.go

@@ -55,18 +55,18 @@ func (m *Module) buildTool() StepTool {
 }
 
 // unsupportedImage says why this module does not build the artifact, or "" when it does. It is the one place that
-// knows which image forms are out: ADR 0487 §1 takes the Dockerfile's directory as the build context and the base
+// knows which image forms are out: ADR 0487 §1 builds from the module's own directory (the build context) and the base
 // from the Dockerfile or an image pinned in `build.on`, so a context that is another repository and a base that is
 // another module's artifact are not built (the lead's decision for R4c-9, which retires them with build-agent at R4g).
 func unsupportedImage(manifest catalogue.Manifest, a catalogue.Artifact) string {
 	if a.Context != nil {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("the image %s of %s builds with the repository %s as its context; mesh-build-image takes the Dockerfile's directory as the build context (ADR 0487 §1) and does not build a whole repository",
+		return fmt.Sprintf("the image %s of %s builds with the repository %s as its context; mesh-build-image takes the module's own directory as the build context (ADR 0487 §1) and does not build another repository",
 			a.Name, manifest.Module, a.Context.Repository)
 	}
 	if manifest.Build != nil {
 		for _, on := range manifest.Build.On {
 			if on.Module != "" {
-				return fmt.Sprintf("the image %s of %s stands on the artifact %s of the module %s through the build argument %s; mesh-build-image builds only from the Dockerfile's directory and an image pinned in build.on (ADR 0487 §1)",
+				return fmt.Sprintf("the image %s of %s stands on the artifact %s of the module %s through the build argument %s; mesh-build-image builds only from the module's own directory and an image pinned in build.on (ADR 0487 §1)",
 					a.Name, manifest.Module, on.Artifact, on.Module, on.Arg)
 			}
 		}
@@ -183,8 +183,14 @@ func (m *Module) build(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) (any, error) {
 	return m.push(ctx, workspace, manifest.Module, local, res, tag)
 }
 
-// dockerfileOf is the Dockerfile an artifact's `from` names and the build context: the directory it lies in. It must
-// be a regular file inside the module's own directory (checks/imageplace holds the catalogue to the same).
+// dockerfileOf is the Dockerfile an artifact's `from` names and the build context: the module's own directory, the
+// one its manifest lies in, whichever subdirectory the Dockerfile sits in. `from` is a path relative to that
+// directory, and so is every COPY of the Dockerfile: a recipe in a subdirectory (photos' admin-client/Dockerfile
+// copies admin-client/... and client-server/serve.mjs) builds as build-agent built it, and as the fingerprint reads
+// the module's whole directory as its build source. Taking the Dockerfile's own directory instead failed every such
+// COPY with `copier: stat ... no such file or directory` (issue 1703, 2026-10-26). The context never leaves the module's
+// directory, so a module's build reads no other module's files. The Dockerfile must be a regular file inside that
+// directory (checks/imageplace holds the catalogue to the same).
 func dockerfileOf(moduleDir, from string) (dockerfile, contextDir string, err error) {
 	clean := filepath.Clean(filepath.FromSlash(strings.TrimSpace(from)))
 	if from == "" || filepath.IsAbs(clean) || clean == ".." || strings.HasPrefix(clean, ".."+string(filepath.Separator)) {
@@ -195,7 +201,7 @@ func dockerfileOf(moduleDir, from string) (dockerfile, contextDir string, err er
 	if err != nil || !info.Mode().IsRegular() {
 		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("%q is not a file in the module's directory", from)
 	}
-	return dockerfile, filepath.Dir(dockerfile), nil
+	return dockerfile, moduleDir, nil
 }
 
 // localName names the image in buildah's store: one name for each artifact of a workspace.

modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/build_test.go

@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func TestBuildRunsBuildahRootlessAndAnswersTheDigest(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 	if !strings.HasSuffix(bud[0].line, " "+dir) {
-		t.Errorf("the context is not the Dockerfile's directory:\n%s", bud[0].line)
+		t.Errorf("the context is not the module's directory:\n%s", bud[0].line)
 	}
 	for _, c := range f.calls {
 		if c.name != "buildah" {
@@ -122,6 +122,43 @@ func TestBuildRunsBuildahRootlessAndAnswersTheDigest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Issue 1703, 2026-10-26: a Dockerfile in a subdirectory of the module builds with the module's directory as its
+// context, so its COPY of a path from the module's root (photos' admin-client/Dockerfile copies admin-client/... and
+// client-server/serve.mjs) finds it; the Dockerfile's own directory as the context failed with `copier: stat
+// "/admin-client/package.json": no such file or directory`.
+func TestBuildContextIsTheModulesDirectoryForADockerfileInASubdirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	m, f, states := setup(t, func(s string) string {
+		return strings.Replace(s, `"from": "Dockerfile"`, `"from": "admin-client/Dockerfile"`, 1)
+	})
+	dir := filepath.Join(m.Work, "ws1", "tree", "modules", "demo")
+	for name, body := range map[string]string{
+		"admin-client/Dockerfile":   "ARG DEMO_BASE\nFROM ${DEMO_BASE} AS final\nCOPY admin-client/package.json client-server/serve.mjs /\n",
+		"admin-client/package.json": "{}\n",
+		"client-server/serve.mjs":   "\n",
+	} {
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(filepath.Join(dir, name)), 0o755); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, name), []byte(body), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	_, st := runBuild(t, m, states, nil)
+	if st.State != delivery.StepPassed {
+		t.Fatalf("step = %+v", st)
+	}
+	bud := f.called("bud")
+	if len(bud) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("buildah bud ran %d times", len(bud))
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(bud[0].line, "--file "+dir+"/admin-client/Dockerfile ") {
+		t.Errorf("the Dockerfile is not the subdirectory's:\n%s", bud[0].line)
+	}
+	if !strings.HasSuffix(bud[0].line, " "+dir) {
+		t.Errorf("the context is not the module's directory, so admin-client/ and client-server/ are out of reach:\n%s", bud[0].line)
+	}
+}
+
 // 1703c, issue 1703: a failing Dockerfile step fails the step, its reason saying buildah's error from stderr, never the
 // last STEP line buildah writes on stdout; nothing is pushed.
 func TestBuildFailsWithBuildahsError(t *testing.T) {
@@ -178,7 +215,7 @@ func TestBuildRefusesAnImageWithARepositoryContextOrAModuleBase(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		"context": {func(s string) string {
 			return strings.Replace(s, `"target": "final"`, `"target": "final", "context": {"seat": "git", "repository": "novox/mesh-controller"}`, 1)
-		}, []string{"novox/mesh-controller", "Dockerfile's directory", "ADR 0487"}},
+		}, []string{"novox/mesh-controller", "module's own directory", "ADR 0487"}},
 		"module base": {func(s string) string {
 			return strings.Replace(s, `"image": "docker.io/library/busybox@sha256:0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001"`, `"module": "mesh-sdk", "artifact": "lib"`, 1)
 		}, []string{"artifact lib of the module mesh-sdk", "DEMO_BASE"}},

modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/cpu.go

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import (
 func (m *Module) cpuLimits() buildcpu.Limits {
 	slots := 1
 	switch {
+	case m.Held != nil:
+		slots = m.Held.CapacityNow() // the capacity the puller judges by, bounded by the node's build slice
 	case m.Capacity != nil:
 		slots = m.Capacity()
 	case m.Settings != "":
@@ -32,5 +34,9 @@ func (m *Module) threadEnv() []string {
 // cpuStatus is what the status tool says of it: the limits a step is given, and what the kernel holds this runtime
 // to (its unit and its slice), read from its cgroup rather than assumed.
 func (m *Module) cpuStatus() map[string]any {
-	return map[string]any{"limits": m.cpuLimits(), "in-force": buildcpu.ReadInForce()}
+	out := map[string]any{"limits": m.cpuLimits(), "in-force": buildcpu.ReadInForce()}
+	if m.Held != nil {
+		out["capacity"] = m.Held.CapacityDetail() // the capacity judged by and why (issue 1806's follow-up)
+	}
+	return out
 }

modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/fetch.go

@@ -31,13 +31,15 @@ const ForgeAlias = "mesh-forge"
 // files in conflict, the paths the merge changes and the tree of each module directory). A head that does not
 // merge cleanly is an answer: Merge is empty, Conflicts names the files, and the workspace is left at the trunk.
 type FetchResult struct {
-	Workspace string                          `json:"workspace"`
-	Commit    string                          `json:"commit"`
-	Base      string                          `json:"base,omitempty"`
-	Merge     string                          `json:"merge,omitempty"`
-	Conflicts []string                        `json:"conflicts,omitempty"`
-	Changed   []string                        `json:"changed,omitempty"`
-	Trees     map[string]buildstep.ModuleTree `json:"trees,omitempty"`
+	Workspace string   `json:"workspace"`
+	Commit    string   `json:"commit"`
+	Base      string   `json:"base,omitempty"`
+	Merge     string   `json:"merge,omitempty"`
+	Conflicts []string `json:"conflicts,omitempty"`
+	Changed   []string `json:"changed,omitempty"`
+	// Programs are the changed files that are compiled programs (issue 1577); a merge answers it, a pointer to an empty list when there are none, absent for a fetch that made no merge.
+	Programs *[]buildstep.Program            `json:"programs,omitempty"`
+	Trees    map[string]buildstep.ModuleTree `json:"trees,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (m *Module) fetchTool() StepTool {
@@ -127,6 +129,9 @@ func (m *Module) merge(ctx context.Context, res *FetchResult, tree, remote, base
 	}
 	res.Base = mr.Base
 	res.Conflicts, res.Merge, res.Changed = mr.Conflicts, mr.Merge, mr.Changed
+	if mr.Merge != "" {
+		res.Programs = &mr.Programs
+	}
 	if res.Merge == "" {
 		return nil
 	}

modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,10 @@
-These tests read other catalogue modules' files, outside this module (issue 1935): never kept.
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# the manifests through mesh-sdk's validator (the predefined keys), with the modules they compose with.
+predefined.json
+modules/gitea
+modules/mesh-build-go
+modules/mesh-build-node
+modules/buildah
+modules/docker

modules/mesh-build-image/files/settings.json

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "capacity": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
+  "capacity": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0",
+  "cores-per-step": 2,
+  "build-hours": ""
 }

modules/mesh-build-image/go.mod

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module meshbuildimage
 go 1.26.0
 
 require (
-	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026202658-805b4d9a3536
 	github.com/nats-io/nats-server/v2 v2.11.17
 	github.com/nats-io/nats.go v1.54.0
 )

modules/mesh-build-image/go.sum

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f h1:GYLCvz2x+JNUOTbXzyh2QwzX0sTzvRlXR7lGocWjk3A=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026202658-805b4d9a3536 h1:+SoDdDXF7Tgj38WP4kRpUSps6DJVl6P+w5u/KfdtwnQ=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026202658-805b4d9a3536/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op h1:Z/MZK75wC/NSrkgqeNIa7jexam9uWzhLmFTSCPI/kn0=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op/go.mod h1:FQyySiasQQM8735Ddel3MRojmy4dA1IqCeyJ5jmPMbI=
 github.com/google/go-tpm v0.9.8 h1:slArAR9Ft+1ybZu0lBwpSmpwhRXaa85hWtMinMyRAWo=

modules/mesh-build-image/module.json

@@ -24,6 +24,18 @@
       "description": "How many asks of the image build seat this module runs at once on each node, as node=asks pairs separated by commas, such as shanks=3,ace=2 (novox/hq ADR 0525 §5); a node set to 0 pulls nothing, a node not named runs one at a time. The control-node and the laptop build nothing.",
       "pattern": "|[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+(,[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+)*",
       "default": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
+    },
+    "build-hours": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": "When each node may take this module's build asks, as node=HH:MM-HH:MM pairs in the node's local time, separated by commas, such as g14=18:00-06:00 (an end before its start crosses midnight). Outside its window a node takes no new step and finishes the ones it runs; a node not named, or an empty value, builds at any hour. The operator, 2026-10-26: g14 builds only outside office hours.",
+      "pattern": "|[a-z0-9_-]+=([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]-([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9](,[a-z0-9_-]+=([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]-([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9])*",
+      "default": ""
+    },
+    "cores-per-step": {
+      "type": "number",
+      "description": "How many processors one image step of this module needs (buildah, whose RUN lines are mostly fetches). The capacity above is an upper bound: on each node the module runs at most floor(the cores of its build slice's CPU quota / this) steps at once, the quota read live from its cgroup (issue 1806), so a lowered build CPU share never starves its steps. Above 0.",
+      "minimum": 0.1,
+      "default": 2
     }
   },
   "tools": [
@@ -78,7 +90,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "owner": "mesh-build-image",
-      "takes-config": ["capacity"],
+      "takes-config": ["capacity", "cores-per-step", "build-hours"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     },

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/asks.go

@@ -48,9 +48,17 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 	// The capacity's own change wakes the puller (issue 1887): the runtime's watch of the config value as mesh-config
 	// resolved it; the settings file is read only when that watch cannot start. A test's Capacity is its own.
 	var watch func(string, func(stdio.ProvisionChange) error) error
+	// And the CPU bounds it (issue 1806's follow-up): the configured capacity is an upper bound, the node's build slice
+	// gives floor(its quota's cores / the module's cores-per-step) at once, read live; a test judges by its own Capacity.
+	// And the node's build hours (the operator, 2026-10-26: g14 builds only from 18:00 to 06:00): outside them it takes
+	// nothing new.
+	var cores func() float64
+	var hours func() (*buildstep.BuildWindow, string)
 	if capacity == nil {
+		hours = buildstep.NodeBuildHours(m.Settings, m.Node, m.Say)
 		capacity = buildstep.NodeCapacity(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCapacities, m.Node, m.Say)
 		watch = buildstep.WatchConfigServed
+		cores = buildstep.NodeCoresPerStep(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCoresPerStep[delivery.AskNode], m.Say)
 	}
 	ask := m.askSteps(steps)
 	var load func(string) ([]byte, error)
@@ -58,7 +66,7 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 		load = func(key string) ([]byte, error) { return m.ReadPauses.Get(key) }
 	}
 	return &buildstep.Puller{Source: source, Language: delivery.AskNode, Node: m.Node, Put: m.Steps, PausePut: m.Pauses, Load: load,
-		Capacity: capacity, WatchConfig: watch, Logf: m.Say,
+		Capacity: capacity, WatchConfig: watch, CoresPerStep: cores, BuildHours: hours, Logf: m.Say,
 		Run: func(ctx context.Context, a delivery.StepAsk) (any, error) {
 			if err := m.Prepare(ctx); err != nil {
 				return nil, err

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/asks_test.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -83,12 +84,28 @@ func TestManifestTakesTheBuildCapacity(t *testing.T) {
 	raw, _ := os.ReadFile(moduleDir + "/module.json")
 	var doc struct {
 		Config map[string]struct {
-			Default string `json:"default"`
+			Default json.RawMessage `json:"default"`
 		} `json:"config"`
 	}
 	_ = json.Unmarshal(raw, &doc)
-	if doc.Config[buildstep.CapacitySetting].Default != buildstep.DefaultCapacities {
-		t.Errorf("the capacity's default = %q", doc.Config[buildstep.CapacitySetting].Default)
+	// Issue 1806's follow-up: the cores a step needs is a setting of its own, in the settings file, with the SDK's default.
+	if cores := string(doc.Config[buildstep.CoresPerStepSetting].Default); cores != fmt.Sprint(buildstep.DefaultCoresPerStep[delivery.AskNode]) {
+		t.Errorf("the cores-per-step default = %s, want %g", cores, buildstep.DefaultCoresPerStep[delivery.AskNode])
+	}
+	if got := buildstep.NodeCoresPerStep(moduleDir+"/files/settings.json", 0, nil)(); got != buildstep.DefaultCoresPerStep[delivery.AskNode] {
+		t.Errorf("the settings template holds cores-per-step %g", got)
+	}
+	// And the build hours (the operator, 2026-10-26): a setting of their own, empty by default (any hour), in the template.
+	if hours := string(doc.Config[buildstep.BuildHoursSetting].Default); hours != `""` {
+		t.Errorf("the build-hours default = %s, want empty", hours)
+	}
+	if w, fault := buildstep.NodeBuildHours(moduleDir+"/files/settings.json", "g14", t.Errorf)(); w != nil || fault != "" {
+		t.Errorf("the settings template holds build hours %v (%s)", w, fault)
+	}
+	var capacity string
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(doc.Config[buildstep.CapacitySetting].Default, &capacity)
+	if capacity != buildstep.DefaultCapacities {
+		t.Errorf("the capacity's default = %q", capacity)
 	}
 	if resource(t, m, "settings")["path"] != "${dir:state}/settings.json" {
 		t.Error("no settings file")

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/check.go

@@ -56,15 +56,11 @@ type TestResult struct {
 	Failed    []Failure `json:"failed,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// Failure is a check or script that failed, or one failing test of a test script.
+// Failure is a check or script that failed; Output is the first lines it wrote.
 type Failure struct {
 	Package string `json:"package"`
 	Test    string `json:"test,omitempty"`
-	// File is the failing test's location (file:line:column) when node --test named it, Cause the first line of its
-	// error, and Output its own output, Cause first, up to 4096 bytes (issue 1901), as mesh-build-go's.
-	File   string `json:"file,omitempty"`
-	Cause  string `json:"cause,omitempty"`
-	Output string `json:"output,omitempty"`
+	Output  string `json:"output,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (m *Module) testTool() StepTool {
@@ -132,19 +128,11 @@ func (m *Module) test(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) (any, error) {
 	var check, run time.Duration
 	var failed []Failure
 	// a command that could not start is not a verdict: the step fails. One that ran and said no is.
-	ran := func(name string, r forgekey.Ran, tests bool) error {
+	ran := func(name string, r forgekey.Ran) error {
 		if r.Err != "" {
 			return fmt.Errorf("%s could not be run: status %d %s: %s", name, r.Status, r.Err, firstLine(r.Stderr))
 		}
-		if r.Status != 0 && tests {
-			// the test script ran under node's TAP reporter: each failing test is a failure of its own, never a passing line
-			for _, f := range tapFailures(where, r.Stdout+"\n"+r.Stderr) {
-				if f.Test == "" {
-					f.Test = name
-				}
-				failed = append(failed, f)
-			}
-		} else if r.Status != 0 {
+		if r.Status != 0 {
 			failed = append(failed, Failure{Package: where, Test: name, Output: lines(r.Stdout + "\n" + r.Stderr)})
 		}
 		return nil
@@ -160,17 +148,17 @@ func (m *Module) test(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) (any, error) {
 		start := m.now()
 		r := m.runIn(ctx, root, false, dir, nil, "node", line...)
 		check = m.now().Sub(start)
-		if err := ran(name, r, false); err != nil {
+		if err := ran(name, r); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		res.Ran = append(res.Ran, name)
 	}
 	if hasScript && len(failed) == 0 {
 		start := m.now()
-		env := []string{"PATH=" + binDir(root) + ":" + pathOrDefault(), "NODE_OPTIONS=" + TestReporterOption, "npm_config_cache=" + filepath.Join(m.Toolchain.Paths.Cache, "npm")}
+		env := []string{"PATH=" + binDir(root) + ":" + pathOrDefault(), "npm_config_cache=" + filepath.Join(m.Toolchain.Paths.Cache, "npm")}
 		r := m.runIn(ctx, root, false, dir, env, "npm", scriptArgs(script)...)
 		run = m.now().Sub(start)
-		if err := ran(script, r, true); err != nil {
+		if err := ran(script, r); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		res.Ran = append(res.Ran, script)
@@ -178,7 +166,7 @@ func (m *Module) test(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) (any, error) {
 	res.Failed = failed
 	var why []string
 	for _, f := range failed {
-		why = append(why, failureWhy(f))
+		why = append(why, fmt.Sprintf("%s failed in %s: %s", f.Test, f.Package, firstLine(f.Output)))
 	}
 	if level == "unit" {
 		res.Elapsed, res.Bound = (check + run).Seconds(), UnitBound.Seconds()
@@ -292,16 +280,3 @@ func typeScriptFiles(dir string) ([]string, error) {
 	})
 	return out, err
 }
-
-// failureWhy is the words of one failure: the check or test that failed, where, and its cause (the first line of its output
-// when it has none).
-func failureWhy(f Failure) string {
-	if f.Cause == "" {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("%s failed in %s: %s", f.Test, f.Package, firstLine(f.Output))
-	}
-	file := ""
-	if f.File != "" {
-		file = " (" + f.File + ")"
-	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("test %q failed in %s%s: %s", f.Test, f.Package, file, firstLine(f.Cause))
-}

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/check_test.go

@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func TestAFailingScriptIsAVerdictAndACommandThatCannotStartIsAFailedStep(t *test
 	f.answer["npm"] = forgekey.Ran{Status: 1, Stdout: "not ok 1 - adds\n"}
 	out, err := m.test(context.Background(), testArgs("unit"))
 	r, _ := out.(*TestResult)
-	if err != nil || r == nil || r.Passed || len(r.Failed) != 1 || r.Failed[0].Test != "adds" || !strings.Contains(r.Failed[0].Output, "not ok 1") {
+	if err != nil || r == nil || r.Passed || len(r.Failed) != 1 || r.Failed[0].Test != "test" || !strings.Contains(r.Failed[0].Output, "not ok 1") {
 		t.Errorf("a failing script = %+v, %v, want passed false and its output", r, err)
 	}
 	f.answer["npm"] = forgekey.Ran{Status: 127, Err: "ENOENT"}
@@ -199,38 +199,3 @@ func TestTheTestScriptFindsTscAndEsbuildOnItsPath(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("npm ran with PATH %q, want %s first", path, bin)
 	}
 }
-
-// 1901: a failing node --test run is reported test by test, from node's TAP reporter, in the output captured in
-// testdata/node-test-tap: each failing test with its name, file and cause, never a passing line of an earlier file.
-func TestFailingNodeTestsAreReportedEachWithTheirCause(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, c := range []struct {
-		file, test, location, cause, inOutput string
-		n                                     int
-	}{
-		{"two-files", "fails in the second file", "/work/two-files/test/b.test.mjs:3:1", "one plus one is not three", "2 !== 3", 1},
-		{"suite", "fails inside", "/work/suite/test/s.test.mjs:5:3", "Expected values to be strictly deep-equal:", "operator: 'deepStrictEqual'", 1},
-		{"syntax", "test/b.test.mjs", "/work/syntax/test/b.test.mjs:1:1", "", "SyntaxError: Unexpected end of input", 1},
-	} {
-		out, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join("testdata", "node-test-tap", c.file+".tap"))
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatal(err)
-		}
-		got := tapFailures("p", string(out))
-		if len(got) != c.n {
-			t.Fatalf("%s: %d failures %+v, want %d", c.file, len(got), got, c.n)
-		}
-		f := got[0]
-		if c.file == "syntax" {
-			c.cause = "SyntaxError: Unexpected end of input" // node names the file, the error is in the lines before it
-		}
-		if f.Test != c.test || f.File != c.location || !strings.HasPrefix(f.Cause, c.cause) ||
-			!strings.Contains(f.Output, c.inOutput) || len(f.Output) > 4096+len(f.Cause)+64 {
-			t.Errorf("%s: failure %+v, want test %q at %q, cause %q, output with %q", c.file, f, c.test, c.location, c.cause, c.inOutput)
-		}
-		for _, l := range strings.Split(f.Output, "\n") {
-			if strings.HasPrefix(strings.TrimSpace(l), "ok ") || strings.Contains(l, "passes in the first file") {
-				t.Errorf("%s: output keeps the passing line %q", c.file, l)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/cpu.go

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import (
 func (m *Module) cpuLimits() buildcpu.Limits {
 	slots := 1
 	switch {
+	case m.Held != nil:
+		slots = m.Held.CapacityNow() // the capacity the puller judges by, bounded by the node's build slice
 	case m.Capacity != nil:
 		slots = m.Capacity()
 	case m.Settings != "":
@@ -32,5 +34,9 @@ func (m *Module) threadEnv() []string {
 // cpuStatus is what the status tool says of it: the limits a step is given, and what the kernel holds this runtime
 // to (its unit and its slice), read from its cgroup rather than assumed.
 func (m *Module) cpuStatus() map[string]any {
-	return map[string]any{"limits": m.cpuLimits(), "in-force": buildcpu.ReadInForce()}
+	out := map[string]any{"limits": m.cpuLimits(), "in-force": buildcpu.ReadInForce()}
+	if m.Held != nil {
+		out["capacity"] = m.Held.CapacityDetail() // the capacity judged by and why (issue 1806's follow-up)
+	}
+	return out
 }

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/fetch.go

@@ -51,11 +51,13 @@ type FetchResult struct {
 	// commit, the merge commit of the head onto it, the paths the merge changes and the tree of each module directory.
 	// A head that does not merge cleanly is an answer: Merge is empty, Conflicts names the files, and the workspace is
 	// left at the trunk commit with nothing installed.
-	Base      string                          `json:"base,omitempty"`
-	Merge     string                          `json:"merge,omitempty"`
-	Conflicts []string                        `json:"conflicts,omitempty"`
-	Changed   []string                        `json:"changed,omitempty"`
-	Trees     map[string]buildstep.ModuleTree `json:"trees,omitempty"`
+	Base      string   `json:"base,omitempty"`
+	Merge     string   `json:"merge,omitempty"`
+	Conflicts []string `json:"conflicts,omitempty"`
+	Changed   []string `json:"changed,omitempty"`
+	// Programs are the changed files that are compiled programs (issue 1577); a merge answers it, a pointer to an empty list when there are none, absent for a fetch that made no merge.
+	Programs *[]buildstep.Program            `json:"programs,omitempty"`
+	Trees    map[string]buildstep.ModuleTree `json:"trees,omitempty"`
 	// Group is the group's package the fetch packed and served to the TypeScript members (the call's `package`):
 	// "<name>@<version> <integrity>".
 	Group string `json:"group,omitempty"`

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/preview.go

@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ func (m *Module) merge(ctx context.Context, run forgekey.Runner, res *FetchResul
 	}
 	res.Base = mr.Base
 	res.Conflicts, res.Merge, res.Changed = mr.Conflicts, mr.Merge, mr.Changed
+	if mr.Merge != "" {
+		res.Programs = &mr.Programs
+	}
 	if res.Merge == "" {
 		return nil
 	}

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read other catalogue modules' files, outside this module (issue 1935): never kept.
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# its manifest through mesh-sdk's validator, which reads the root's predefined keys.
+predefined.json

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/tap.go

@@ -1,165 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"regexp"
-	"strings"
-)
-
-var ansi = regexp.MustCompile("\x1b\\[[0-9;]*m")
-
-// TestReporterOption is what the test script runs under: node's TAP reporter, which writes each failing test as a
-// "not ok" line with a YAML block (its error, its location, its stack), whatever the package's own script prints
-// otherwise (issue 1901: the default output of a run over several files kept the first file's passing lines).
-const TestReporterOption = "--test-reporter=tap"
-
-const outputBytes = 4096
-
-// tapFailures are the failing tests of a `node --test` run read from its TAP output, each with its name, its file
-// (the test's location), its Cause (the first line of its error) and its own block up to outputBytes, Cause first.
-// A suite that failed only because a test inside it did (failureType subtestsFailed) is not reported twice. When the
-// output holds no failing test (node itself failed: a syntax error, a file that could not load, a crash) the failure
-// is the last lines of the output without its passing lines, and its Cause the first line that names an error.
-func tapFailures(pkg, out string) []Failure {
-	var failed []Failure
-	all := strings.Split(ansi.ReplaceAllString(strings.ReplaceAll(out, "\r\n", "\n"), ""), "\n")
-	prev := 0 // the line after the last test block: what the run wrote since is the next test's own
-	for i := 0; i < len(all); i++ {
-		name, ok := notOk(all[i])
-		if !ok {
-			continue
-		}
-		indent := len(all[i]) - len(strings.TrimLeft(all[i], " "))
-		block := []string{strings.TrimSpace(all[i])}
-		fields := map[string]string{}
-		var key string
-		inYAML := false
-		j := i + 1
-		for ; j < len(all); j++ {
-			t := strings.TrimSpace(all[j])
-			if !inYAML {
-				if t == "---" {
-					inYAML = true
-					continue
-				}
-				break
-			}
-			if t == "..." {
-				j++
-				break
-			}
-			block = append(block, strings.TrimRight(all[j], " \t"))
-			if k, v, found := yamlKey(all[j], indent); found {
-				key = k
-				if v != "|-" && v != "|" {
-					fields[k] = strings.Trim(v, "'")
-				}
-			} else if key != "" && fields[key] == "" && t != "" {
-				fields[key] = t // the first line of a block scalar
-			}
-		}
-		from := prev
-		i, prev = j-1, j
-		if fields["failureType"] == "subtestsFailed" {
-			continue
-		}
-		cause := fields["error"]
-		if cause == "" {
-			cause = fields["failureType"]
-		}
-		if cause == "test failed" || cause == "" {
-			// a file that did not load (a syntax error, a crash): node says only "test failed" and writes the error
-			// as comment lines before it
-			var own []string
-			for _, l := range all[from:i] {
-				if t := strings.TrimSpace(l); strings.HasPrefix(t, "# ") && !strings.HasPrefix(t, "# Subtest") {
-					own = append(own, strings.TrimPrefix(t, "# "))
-				}
-			}
-			if len(own) > 0 {
-				cause = own[0]
-				for _, l := range own {
-					if strings.Contains(l, "Error") {
-						cause = l
-						break
-					}
-				}
-				block = append(own, block...)
-			}
-		}
-		failed = append(failed, Failure{Package: pkg, Test: name, File: fields["location"], Cause: cause, Output: clipBlock(cause, block)})
-	}
-	if len(failed) > 0 {
-		return failed
-	}
-	var rest []string
-	for _, l := range all {
-		t := strings.TrimSpace(l)
-		if t == "" || strings.HasPrefix(t, "ok ") || strings.HasPrefix(t, "✔") || strings.HasPrefix(t, "# Subtest") || strings.HasPrefix(t, "TAP version") {
-			continue
-		}
-		rest = append(rest, t)
-	}
-	cause := ""
-	for _, l := range rest {
-		if strings.Contains(l, "Error") || strings.HasPrefix(l, "not ok") {
-			cause = l
-			break
-		}
-	}
-	return []Failure{{Package: pkg, Cause: cause, Output: clipBlock(cause, rest)}}
-}
-
-// notOk is the test name of a "not ok N - name" line, indented or not.
-func notOk(l string) (string, bool) {
-	t := strings.TrimSpace(l)
-	rest, ok := strings.CutPrefix(t, "not ok ")
-	if !ok {
-		return "", false
-	}
-	if _, after, found := strings.Cut(rest, " - "); found {
-		rest = after
-	}
-	return strings.TrimSpace(rest), true
-}
-
-// yamlKey is "key: value" of a field of a TAP block, whose lines sit two spaces deeper than their "not ok" line; a
-// deeper line is part of a block scalar (an error's lines, a stack).
-func yamlKey(l string, indent int) (key, val string, ok bool) {
-	t := strings.TrimLeft(l, " ")
-	if len(l)-len(t) != indent+2 {
-		return "", "", false
-	}
-	k, v, found := strings.Cut(t, ": ")
-	if !found {
-		if k, found = strings.CutSuffix(t, ":"); !found {
-			return "", "", false
-		}
-	}
-	if k == "" || strings.ContainsAny(k, " ()/") {
-		return "", "", false
-	}
-	return k, strings.TrimSpace(v), true
-}
-
-// clipBlock is a failing test's block, Cause first, kept to its last lines within outputBytes.
-func clipBlock(cause string, lines []string) string {
-	size, from := 0, len(lines)
-	for from > 0 {
-		n := len(lines[from-1]) + 1
-		if size+n > outputBytes && from < len(lines) {
-			break
-		}
-		size += n
-		from--
-	}
-	var kept []string
-	if cause = strings.TrimSpace(cause); cause != "" && (from > 0 || len(lines) == 0 || strings.TrimSpace(lines[from]) != cause) {
-		kept = append(kept, cause)
-	}
-	if from > 0 {
-		kept = append(kept, fmt.Sprintf("... (%d earlier lines)", from))
-	}
-	kept = append(kept, lines[from:]...)
-	return strings.Join(kept, "\n")
-}

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/README.md

@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-# node --test TAP output, captured (issue 1901)
-
-Real output of `NODE_OPTIONS=--test-reporter=tap node --test 'test/*.test.mjs'` (node v23.9.0, the Node the build
-module runs with) in each project folder beside it, stdout and stderr together; every run exits 1.
-
-- `two-files`: a.test.mjs passes, b.test.mjs has one failing and one passing test (`two-files.tap`).
-- `suite`: a describe whose second test fails, and prints a line first (`suite.tap`); the suite itself is reported
-  `not ok` too, with failureType subtestsFailed.
-- `syntax`: a.test.mjs passes, b.test.mjs has a syntax error, so node reports the file `not ok` (`syntax.tap`).
-
-Captured by running the command in each folder. The only change to the captures: the absolute path of the capturing
-checkout is replaced by `/work/`. To capture again, run the command in the folder and redirect `2>&1` to the file.

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/suite.tap

@@ -1,62 +0,0 @@
-TAP version 13
-# a line the test printed
-# Subtest: a suite
-    # Subtest: passes inside
-    ok 1 - passes inside
-      ---
-      duration_ms: 0.786439
-      type: 'test'
-      ...
-    # Subtest: fails inside
-    not ok 2 - fails inside
-      ---
-      duration_ms: 4.551994
-      type: 'test'
-      location: '/work/suite/test/s.test.mjs:5:3'
-      failureType: 'testCodeFailure'
-      error: |-
-        Expected values to be strictly deep-equal:
-        + actual - expected
-        
-          {
-        +   a: 1
-        -   a: 2
-          }
-        
-      code: 'ERR_ASSERTION'
-      name: 'AssertionError'
-      expected:
-        a: 2
-      actual:
-        a: 1
-      operator: 'deepStrictEqual'
-      stack: |-
-        TestContext.<anonymous> (file:///work/suite/test/s.test.mjs:5:77)
-        Test.runInAsyncScope (node:async_hooks:214:14)
-        Test.run (node:internal/test_runner/test:1047:25)
-        Suite.processPendingSubtests (node:internal/test_runner/test:744:18)
-        Test.postRun (node:internal/test_runner/test:1173:19)
-        Test.run (node:internal/test_runner/test:1101:12)
-        async Promise.all (index 0)
-        async Suite.run (node:internal/test_runner/test:1442:7)
-        async startSubtestAfterBootstrap (node:internal/test_runner/harness:297:3)
-      ...
-    1..2
-not ok 1 - a suite
-  ---
-  duration_ms: 6.475177
-  type: 'suite'
-  location: '/work/suite/test/s.test.mjs:3:1'
-  failureType: 'subtestsFailed'
-  error: '1 subtest failed'
-  code: 'ERR_TEST_FAILURE'
-  ...
-1..1
-# tests 2
-# suites 1
-# pass 1
-# fail 1
-# cancelled 0
-# skipped 0
-# todo 0
-# duration_ms 69.244721

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/suite/package.json

@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-{"name":"p","type":"module"}

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/suite/test/s.test.mjs

@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-import { describe, it } from 'node:test';
-import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
-describe('a suite', () => {
-  it('passes inside', () => {});
-  it('fails inside', () => { console.log('a line the test printed'); assert.deepEqual({ a: 1 }, { a: 2 }); });
-});

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/syntax.tap

@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-TAP version 13
-# Subtest: passes
-ok 1 - passes
-  ---
-  duration_ms: 0.929406
-  type: 'test'
-  ...
-# file:///work/syntax/test/b.test.mjs:3
-# SyntaxError: Unexpected end of input
-#     at compileSourceTextModule (node:internal/modules/esm/utils:344:16)
-#     at ModuleLoader.moduleStrategy (node:internal/modules/esm/translators:106:18)
-#     at \#translate (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:490:12)
-#     at ModuleLoader.loadAndTranslate (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:537:27)
-#     at async ModuleJob._link (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:116:19)
-# Node.js v23.9.0
-# Subtest: test/b.test.mjs
-not ok 2 - test/b.test.mjs
-  ---
-  duration_ms: 37.927068
-  type: 'test'
-  location: '/work/syntax/test/b.test.mjs:1:1'
-  failureType: 'testCodeFailure'
-  exitCode: 1
-  signal: ~
-  error: 'test failed'
-  code: 'ERR_TEST_FAILURE'
-  ...
-1..2
-# tests 2
-# suites 0
-# pass 1
-# fail 1
-# cancelled 0
-# skipped 0
-# todo 0
-# duration_ms 68.264065

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/syntax/package.json

@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-{"name":"p","type":"module"}

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/syntax/test/a.test.mjs

@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-import test from 'node:test';
-test('passes', () => {});

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/syntax/test/b.test.mjs

@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-import test from "node:test";
-test("never loads", () => {;

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/two-files.tap

@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-TAP version 13
-# Subtest: passes in the first file
-ok 1 - passes in the first file
-  ---
-  duration_ms: 0.596042
-  type: 'test'
-  ...
-# Subtest: fails in the second file
-not ok 2 - fails in the second file
-  ---
-  duration_ms: 1.962872
-  type: 'test'
-  location: '/work/two-files/test/b.test.mjs:3:1'
-  failureType: 'testCodeFailure'
-  error: |-
-    one plus one is not three
-    
-    2 !== 3
-    
-  code: 'ERR_ASSERTION'
-  name: 'AssertionError'
-  expected: 3
-  actual: 2
-  operator: 'strictEqual'
-  stack: |-
-    TestContext.<anonymous> (file:///work/two-files/test/b.test.mjs:3:49)
-    Test.runInAsyncScope (node:async_hooks:214:14)
-    Test.run (node:internal/test_runner/test:1047:25)
-    Test.start (node:internal/test_runner/test:944:17)
-    startSubtestAfterBootstrap (node:internal/test_runner/harness:297:17)
-  ...
-# Subtest: also passes
-ok 3 - also passes
-  ---
-  duration_ms: 0.148378
-  type: 'test'
-  ...
-1..3
-# tests 3
-# suites 0
-# pass 2
-# fail 1
-# cancelled 0
-# skipped 0
-# todo 0
-# duration_ms 69.115323

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/two-files/package.json

@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-{"name":"p","type":"module"}

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/two-files/test/a.test.mjs

@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-import test from 'node:test';
-test('passes in the first file', () => {});

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/testdata/node-test-tap/two-files/test/b.test.mjs

@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-import test from 'node:test';
-import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
-test('fails in the second file', () => { assert.equal(1 + 1, 3, 'one plus one is not three'); });
-test('also passes', () => {});

modules/mesh-build-node/files/settings.json

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "capacity": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
+  "capacity": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0",
+  "cores-per-step": 2,
+  "build-hours": ""
 }

modules/mesh-build-node/go.mod

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module meshbuildnode
 go 1.26.0
 
 require (
-	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026202658-805b4d9a3536
 	github.com/distribution/distribution/v3 v3.1.2
 	github.com/nats-io/nats.go v1.54.0
 )

modules/mesh-build-node/go.sum

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f h1:GYLCvz2x+JNUOTbXzyh2QwzX0sTzvRlXR7lGocWjk3A=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026202658-805b4d9a3536 h1:+SoDdDXF7Tgj38WP4kRpUSps6DJVl6P+w5u/KfdtwnQ=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026202658-805b4d9a3536/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
 github.com/alicebob/miniredis/v2 v2.35.0 h1:QwLphYqCEAo1eu1TqPRN2jgVMPBweeQcR21jeqDCONI=
 github.com/alicebob/miniredis/v2 v2.35.0/go.mod h1:TcL7YfarKPGDAthEtl5NBeHZfeUQj6OXMm/+iu5cLMM=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op h1:Z/MZK75wC/NSrkgqeNIa7jexam9uWzhLmFTSCPI/kn0=

modules/mesh-build-node/module.json

@@ -25,6 +25,18 @@
       "description": "How many asks of the Node build seat this module runs at once on each node, as node=asks pairs separated by commas, such as shanks=3,ace=2 (novox/hq ADR 0525 §5); a node set to 0 pulls nothing, a node not named runs one at a time. The control-node and the laptop build nothing.",
       "pattern": "|[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+(,[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+)*",
       "default": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
+    },
+    "build-hours": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": "When each node may take this module's build asks, as node=HH:MM-HH:MM pairs in the node's local time, separated by commas, such as g14=18:00-06:00 (an end before its start crosses midnight). Outside its window a node takes no new step and finishes the ones it runs; a node not named, or an empty value, builds at any hour. The operator, 2026-10-26: g14 builds only outside office hours.",
+      "pattern": "|[a-z0-9_-]+=([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]-([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9](,[a-z0-9_-]+=([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]-([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9])*",
+      "default": ""
+    },
+    "cores-per-step": {
+      "type": "number",
+      "description": "How many processors one Node step of this module needs (tsc, esbuild and a test runner; a median step takes 15 s). The capacity above is an upper bound: on each node the module runs at most floor(the cores of its build slice's CPU quota / this) steps at once, the quota read live from its cgroup (issue 1806), so a lowered build CPU share never starves its steps. Above 0.",
+      "minimum": 0.1,
+      "default": 2
     }
   },
   "tools": [
@@ -100,7 +112,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "owner": "mesh-build-node",
-      "takes-config": ["capacity"],
+      "takes-config": ["capacity", "cores-per-step", "build-hours"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     },

modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/main.go

@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ func resolving(c *Config) {
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
-	for _, read := range []string{AssignmentsRead, DeclaredConfigRead, PredefinedRead} {
+	for _, read := range []string{AssignmentsRead, PlacementRead, DeclaredConfigRead, PredefinedRead} {
 		go func(read string) {
 			for wait := 2 * time.Second; ; wait = min(wait*2, time.Minute) {
 				time.Sleep(wait)

modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/pulled_in_test.go

@@ -21,4 +21,16 @@ func TestAModulePulledInHasItsValuesResolvedOnItsNode(t *testing.T) {
 	if r, _ := c.Reconcile(); len(r.Moved) != 4 || !r.Moved[0].Gone {
 		t.Errorf("a module no longer pulled in moved %+v", r.Moved)
 	}
+
+	// 1126 (ADR 0549 §3, §5): a module the catalogue's placement names on a node resolves there as an assigned one does,
+	// while the two sources stand; it goes when neither names it.
+	m.mirror(t, PlacementRead, "placement.ace", `{"v":1,"node":"ace","modules":[{"module":"dunst"}]}`)
+	if r, err := c.Reconcile(); err != nil || len(r.Moved) != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("a placed module's values moved %+v (%v)", r.Moved, err)
+	}
+	expect(t, m, "ace", "10", SourceDefault)
+	_ = m.Delete(PlacementRead, "placement.ace")
+	if r, _ := c.Reconcile(); len(r.Moved) != 4 || !r.Moved[0].Gone {
+		t.Errorf("a module no longer placed moved %+v", r.Moved)
+	}
 }

modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/resolve.go

@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ const (
 	PredefinedState = "predefined"
 	ProposalsState  = "proposals"
 
-	AssignmentsRead    = "mesh-controller.assignments"
+	AssignmentsRead = "mesh-controller.assignments"
+	// PlacementRead is the indexer's placement, read from the catalogue at each merge (novox/hq ADR 0549 §2, §3): each
+	// node's key `placement.<node>` with the modules placed there.
+	PlacementRead      = "mesh-delivery-indexer.placement"
 	DeclaredConfigRead = "mesh-controller.declared-config"
 	PredefinedRead     = "mesh-controller.predefined"
 

modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/sources.go

@@ -27,6 +27,38 @@ func (c *Config) sources() (Sources, error) {
 	}); err != nil {
 		return s, fmt.Errorf("the assignments cannot be read: %w", err)
 	}
+	// And every module the catalogue's placement names on a node (ADR 0549 §3): until ADR 0547's third milestone both
+	// sources stand (ADR 0549 §5), so a pair either names is resolved, and none loses its values while the two differ.
+	// Placement that cannot be read yet (the indexer's state not on the bus) leaves the assignments alone, said.
+	standing := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, a := range s.Assignments {
+		standing[a.Node+"."+a.Module] = true
+	}
+	if err := c.each(PlacementRead, func(key string, raw []byte) error {
+		node, ok := strings.CutPrefix(key, "placement.")
+		if !ok {
+			return nil
+		}
+		var p struct {
+			Node    string `json:"node"`
+			Modules []struct {
+				Module string `json:"module"`
+			} `json:"modules"`
+		}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &p); err != nil || p.Node != node {
+			problems = append(problems, fmt.Sprintf("the placement %s is not one", key))
+			return nil
+		}
+		for _, m := range p.Modules {
+			if m.Module != "" && !standing[node+"."+m.Module] {
+				standing[node+"."+m.Module] = true
+				s.Assignments = append(s.Assignments, Assignment{Node: node, Module: m.Module})
+			}
+		}
+		return nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		problems = append(problems, fmt.Sprintf("the catalogue's placement cannot be read, so the assignments alone are resolved: %v", err))
+	}
 	if err := c.each(DeclaredConfigRead, func(key string, raw []byte) error {
 		m, err := ParseModuleDeclarations(raw)
 		if err != nil {

modules/mesh-config/module.json

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
   ],
   "reads": [
     "mesh-controller.assignments",
+    "mesh-delivery-indexer.placement",
     "mesh-controller.declared-config",
     "mesh-controller.predefined"
   ],

modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/approval.go

@@ -148,8 +148,32 @@ func touchesSaid(d *Delivery) string {
 	return strings.Join(d.Check.Modules, ", ")
 }
 
+// checkClause is the check's state as the ask's summary says it after the pull request's or the group's name: sep and
+// "passed its check", or ": its check has no verdict yet: it is running (since 21:05 UTC)" and the like.
+func checkClause(c checkSaid, sep string) string {
+	if c.passed() {
+		return sep + c.Words
+	}
+	return ": " + c.Words
+}
+
+// approveCaveat is what an Approve does beyond the merge while the check has not passed: it merges before the check ends,
+// or although it failed (the check gates no merge, check-gates-merge false). Empty once it passed.
+func approveCaveat(c checkSaid) string {
+	switch c.Key {
+	case checkSaidPass:
+		return ""
+	case checkSaidFail:
+		return " although its check failed"
+	}
+	return " now, before its check ends"
+}
+
 // composeMergeAsk is the ask for a delivery, or for a group's members together.
-func composeMergeAsk(id string, d *Delivery, group string, members []*Delivery, heads map[string]string, now time.Time) asks.Ask {
+// check is the state of the check at the heads it covers (checkAt): the ask says "passed its check" only when it did, and
+// otherwise that Approve merges before the check ends, or although it failed (issue 1733).
+func composeMergeAsk(id string, d *Delivery, group string, members []*Delivery, heads map[string]string, check checkSaid,
+	now time.Time) asks.Ask {
 	var a asks.Ask
 	a.ID, a.Who, a.Expires = id, asks.Operator, now.Add(AskLasts)
 	a.OnExpiry = "nothing is merged; the ask is made again"
@@ -170,8 +194,8 @@ func composeMergeAsk(id string, d *Delivery, group string, members []*Delivery,
 	}
 	if group == "" {
 		a.Headline = phone("Merge into main: "+pullSaid(d)+" "+d.Title, asks.HeadlineLength)
-		summary := fmt.Sprintf("%s %s passed its checks. Approve merges it into main at %s; Decline leaves it unmerged.",
-			pullSaid(d), d.Title, shortOf(d.Commit, 12))
+		summary := fmt.Sprintf("%s %s%s. Approve merges it into main at %s%s; Decline leaves it unmerged.",
+			pullSaid(d), d.Title, checkClause(check, " "), shortOf(d.Commit, 12), approveCaveat(check))
 		if unreviewed != "" {
 			summary = strings.ToUpper(unreviewed[:1]) + unreviewed[1:] + ". " + summary
 		}
@@ -187,8 +211,12 @@ func composeMergeAsk(id string, d *Delivery, group string, members []*Delivery,
 			names = append(names, pullSaid(m))
 		}
 		a.Headline = phone("Merge into main: group "+group+" ("+strings.Join(names, ", ")+")", asks.HeadlineLength)
-		summary := fmt.Sprintf("The group %s, %d pull requests, passed its checks. Approve merges all of them into main in one pass, at the heads named; Decline leaves them unmerged.",
-			group, len(members))
+		caveat := approveCaveat(check)
+		if caveat != "" {
+			caveat = "," + caveat
+		}
+		summary := fmt.Sprintf("The group %s, %d pull requests%s. Approve merges all of them into main in one pass, at the heads named%s; Decline leaves them unmerged.",
+			group, len(members), checkClause(check, ", "), caveat)
 		if unreviewed != "" {
 			summary = strings.ToUpper(unreviewed[:1]) + unreviewed[1:] + ". " + summary
 		}
@@ -309,6 +337,10 @@ func (h *Holder) endStaleAsks() {
 			h.cancels = append(h.cancels, h.dropAsk(r.AskID, "its head "+shortOf(d.Commit, 12)+" is no longer the pull request's head, or the pull request closed"))
 		case !h.headsHold(d, r):
 			h.cancels = append(h.cancels, h.dropAsk(r.AskID, "a head it covers moved on: the heads it covers are no longer the group's heads"))
+		case r.Approved == nil && r.AskID != "" && r.AskCheck != "" && !h.checkGates() && h.checkMoved(d, r.AskCheck):
+			// The check gates no merge, so the ask was made before its verdict: once the check passes or fails (or a pass it
+			// named is gone), the ask is asked again in words that say so (issue 1733). Running and not started say the same.
+			h.cancels = append(h.cancels, h.withdrawAsk(r.AskID, "the check at its heads is now: "+h.checkAt(h.askMembers(d)).Words))
 		case r.Approved == nil && r.AskID != "" && !r.AskedAt.IsZero() && !h.Now().Before(r.AskedAt.Add(AskLasts)):
 			// The ask lapsed at the router with nobody's answer, and nothing in the gate's inputs says so: it is taken away and
 			// written again, which the teller asks afresh (ADR 0441 §1).
@@ -317,6 +349,16 @@ func (h *Holder) endStaleAsks() {
 	}
 }
 
+// checkMoved is whether the check at the heads of d's ask reached a verdict its pending ask does not say: it passed or failed
+// since, or the pass it said is gone. Under the lock.
+func (h *Holder) checkMoved(d *Delivery, said string) bool {
+	now := h.checkAt(h.askMembers(d)).Key
+	if now == said {
+		return false
+	}
+	return now == checkSaidPass || now == checkSaidFail || said == checkSaidPass || said == checkSaidFail
+}
+
 // approval is what a delivery that may merge waits on for the operator: empty once its head is approved, and the ask
 // to make when none is made yet. Under the lock.
 func (h *Holder) approval(d *Delivery, now time.Time) (string, func()) {
@@ -367,19 +409,20 @@ func (h *Holder) approval(d *Delivery, now time.Time) (string, func()) {
 			asking = max(asking, m.Ready.Asking+1)
 		}
 	}
-	ask := composeMergeAsk(sdk.AskingID(id, asking), d, group, members, heads, now)
+	check := h.checkAt(members)
+	ask := composeMergeAsk(sdk.AskingID(id, asking), d, group, members, heads, check, now)
 	taken := []*Delivery{}
 	var reads []memberRead
 	for _, m := range members {
 		h.runOf(m, now)
 		m.Ready.AskID, m.Ready.Ask, m.Ready.Heads, m.Ready.AskedAt, m.Ready.Asks = id, &ask, heads, now, max(m.Ready.Asks, r.Asks)
-		m.Ready.AskedKey, m.Ready.Asking = id, asking
+		m.Ready.AskedKey, m.Ready.Asking, m.Ready.AskCheck = id, asking, check.Key
 		h.keep(m)
 		taken = append(taken, m)
 		reads = append(reads, readOf(m, m.Commit))
 	}
-	h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s passed its checks: the operator is asked to Approve its merge into main (%s, ask %d)",
-		d.ID, id, r.Asks)
+	h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s (%s): the operator is asked to Approve its merge into main (%s, ask %d)",
+		d.ID, check.Words, id, r.Asks)
 	gid := ""
 	if group != "" {
 		gid = d.Group
@@ -432,7 +475,7 @@ func (h *Holder) approval(d *Delivery, now time.Time) (string, func()) {
 			h.mu.Lock()
 			defer h.mu.Unlock()
 			undo()
-			h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s passed its checks and the operator is not asked: %s", d.ID, says)
+			h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s (%s): the operator is not asked: %s", d.ID, check.Words, says)
 			h.lookAt(h.Now(), "an ask not made: the forge account cannot write a repository it covers")
 			return
 		}

modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/merges.go

@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ func (h *Holder) ForgeMerged(f sdk.Forge) {
 	r, now := d.Ready, h.Now()
 	d.Owed = append(d.Owed, Effect{Kind: EffectEmit, Event: "merged", Line: string(mustJSON(mergedEvent(d, f.Head))), Since: now})
 	r.Merged, r.Answer, r.RefusedSince, r.merging, r.MergeCommit = &now, "merged", nil, false, f.Merge
-	h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s merged on the operator's Approve at %s, its check passed against its trunk's head", d.ID, shortOf(f.Head, 12))
+	h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s merged on the operator's Approve at %s (%s)", d.ID, shortOf(f.Head, 12), h.checkAt(h.askMembers(d)).Words)
 	h.keep(d)
 }
 

modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/onestatus.go

@@ -302,3 +302,72 @@ func checkerRefusal(id string) error {
 		"its trunk or its group, and nothing is asked of it here (novox/hq ADR 0447). Read where its check stands with the "+
 		"checker's checker_pull tool", id)
 }
+
+// The states of the check at an ask's heads, as the ask says them (issue 1733).
+const (
+	checkSaidPass    = "pass"
+	checkSaidRunning = "running"
+	checkSaidNone    = "none"
+	checkSaidFail    = "fail"
+)
+
+// checkSaid is the state of the check at the heads an ask covers, and its words for the ask: what the checker's verdict at
+// exactly those heads says, never what the gate would like it to say (issue 1733). Key is one of the checkSaid states.
+type checkSaid struct {
+	Key   string
+	Words string
+}
+
+// passed is whether the check at the heads passed.
+func (c checkSaid) passed() bool { return c.Key == checkSaidPass }
+
+// checkAt reads the check at these members' heads: the checker's verdict for exactly those heads (its verdicts bucket,
+// keyed by their hash), and, while none is held, the forge's mesh/check at a member's head (a failure or a pending one
+// there). "passed its check" is said only for a passing verdict at these heads. Under the lock.
+func (h *Holder) checkAt(members []*Delivery) checkSaid {
+	v, hash, ok := h.checkerAt(members)
+	if ok {
+		switch v.State {
+		case checkerPass:
+			return checkSaid{Key: checkSaidPass, Words: "passed its check"}
+		case checkerRunning:
+			words := "its check has no verdict yet: it is running"
+			if since, held := h.runningSince[hash]; held && !since.IsZero() {
+				words += " (since " + since.UTC().Format("15:04") + " UTC)"
+			}
+			return checkSaid{Key: checkSaidRunning, Words: words}
+		default:
+			why := firstOf(oneLine(v.Failed.Test), oneLine(v.Failed.Words), v.State)
+			if v.Failed.Test != "" && v.Failed.Words != "" {
+				why = oneLine(v.Failed.Test) + ": " + oneLine(v.Failed.Words)
+			}
+			return checkSaid{Key: checkSaidFail, Words: "its check failed: " + clip(why, 120)}
+		}
+	}
+	for _, m := range members {
+		switch m.CheckState {
+		case "failure", "error":
+			why := "mesh/check is " + m.CheckState + " at " + shortOf(m.Commit, 12)
+			if m.Check != nil && m.Check.Summary != "" {
+				why = oneLine(m.Check.Summary)
+			}
+			return checkSaid{Key: checkSaidFail, Words: "its check failed: " + clip(why, 120)}
+		}
+	}
+	succeeded := 0
+	for _, m := range members {
+		switch m.CheckState {
+		case "pending":
+			return checkSaid{Key: checkSaidRunning, Words: "its check has no verdict yet: it is running"}
+		case "success":
+			succeeded++
+		}
+	}
+	switch {
+	case succeeded > 0 && len(members) == 1:
+		return checkSaid{Key: checkSaidPass, Words: "passed its check"} // its head's mesh/check is the checker's verdict at it
+	case succeeded == len(members) && succeeded > 0:
+		return checkSaid{Key: checkSaidNone, Words: "its members' own checks passed; the check of their heads together has not answered"}
+	}
+	return checkSaid{Key: checkSaidNone, Words: "its check has no verdict yet"}
+}

modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/reads-outside

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-These tests read files outside this directory (the whole catalogue, the repository, or its root files): mesh-build-go never keeps this package's verdict (issue 1935).
+# What these tests read outside their package, as paths from the repository's root (a glob, or a directory read whole;
+# ? before a path whose absence is read). mesh-build-go hashes them into the package's digest, so its verdict is kept
+# until one of them changes (issue 1936). An empty list, or a line matching nothing, keeps nothing.
+# every manifest: the gate is the seat's only claimant.
+modules/*/module.json

modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready.go

@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ type ReadyRun struct {
 	Heads   map[string]string `json:"heads,omitempty"`
 	AskedAt time.Time         `json:"asked_at"`
 	Asks    int               `json:"asks,omitempty"`
+	// AskCheck is the state of the check at the heads the pending ask names, as its words said it (checkAt: pass, running,
+	// none or fail; issue 1733): while the check gates no merge, an ask whose check reached a verdict since is asked again
+	// in new words, so it never keeps a claim the check no longer holds.
+	AskCheck string `json:"ask_check,omitempty"`
 	// Approved and Declined are when the operator chose, Warrant what the router's warrant says of who and how; Refused
 	// why an answer was not taken (it did not hold to the ask).
 	Approved *time.Time `json:"approved,omitempty"`
@@ -186,7 +190,8 @@ func (h *Holder) readyAsks(now time.Time) []func() {
 		if d.Ready == nil && d.State == Ready {
 			h.runOf(d, now)
 			h.Poke() // its check, if none is asked, is worth asking now (askCheck)
-			h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s: its checks passed; the operator's Approve of its merge into main is asked once it may merge", d.ID)
+			h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s is ready (%s); the operator's Approve of its merge into main is asked once it may merge",
+				d.ID, h.checkAt([]*Delivery{d}).Words)
 		}
 		if a := h.sayAfterLine(d); a != nil {
 			asks = append(asks, a)
@@ -227,11 +232,12 @@ func (h *Holder) readyAsks(now time.Time) []func() {
 		if d.Base != MergeBranch {
 			if r.OtherBase != d.Base {
 				r.OtherBase = d.Base
-				h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s passed its checks and is not asked: it merges into %s, not %s", d.ID, d.Base, MergeBranch)
+				check := h.checkAt([]*Delivery{d}).Words // ready need not mean passed: the check may gate no merge (issue 1733)
+				h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s (%s) is not asked: it merges into %s, not %s", d.ID, check, d.Base, MergeBranch)
 				h.keep(d)
-				asks = append(asks, h.sayOn(d, fmt.Sprintf("mesh-delivery: **not merged.** This pull request's checks passed at "+
-					"%s, and it merges into %s. Only a merge into %s is this owner's; a merge into another branch is its "+
-					"author's (novox/hq ADR 0398 §4).", d.Commit, d.Base, MergeBranch)))
+				asks = append(asks, h.sayOn(d, fmt.Sprintf("mesh-delivery: **not merged.** This pull request is at %s (%s), "+
+					"and it merges into %s. Only a merge into %s is this owner's; a merge into another branch is its "+
+					"author's (novox/hq ADR 0398 §4).", d.Commit, check, d.Base, MergeBranch)))
 			}
 			continue
 		}
@@ -524,13 +530,14 @@ func (h *Holder) readyLines(now time.Time) []StalledLine {
 		case d.Base == "" && d.Number != 0 && now.Sub(r.Seen) >= headHeardBound:
 			out = append(out, StalledLine{ID: d.ID, Number: d.Number, State: d.State, For: now.Sub(r.Seen).Round(time.Second).String(),
 				Bound: headHeardBound.String(), H2: "none: a later announcement of the pull request's head (the merge tool announces it again, the forge's announcer restarts, or a new push) or an edit of its description; a recheck does not fill it — the operator's",
-				Says: fmt.Sprintf("%s#%d passed its checks at %s and waits for %s", d.Repository, d.Number, shortOf(r.Head, 12), waitsForHead)})
+				Says: fmt.Sprintf("%s#%d at %s (%s) waits for %s", d.Repository, d.Number, shortOf(r.Head, 12),
+					h.checkAt([]*Delivery{d}).Words, waitsForHead)})
 		case r.CannotWrite != "" && r.Approved == nil && r.CannotWriteSince != nil:
 			out = append(out, StalledLine{ID: d.ID, Number: d.Number, State: d.State,
 				For: now.Sub(*r.CannotWriteSince).Round(time.Second).String(), Bound: "0s",
 				H2: "none: the forge account given write on the repository (gitea_grant_write; the gitea module grants it itself once a module of it is registered), which asks the operator then",
-				Says: fmt.Sprintf("%s#%d passed its checks at %s and the operator is not asked for its Approve: %s",
-					d.Repository, d.Number, shortOf(r.Head, 12), r.CannotWrite)})
+				Says: fmt.Sprintf("%s#%d at %s (%s): the operator is not asked for its Approve: %s",
+					d.Repository, d.Number, shortOf(r.Head, 12), h.checkAt([]*Delivery{d}).Words, r.CannotWrite)})
 		case r.Failed != "" && d.State == Rejected:
 			// Its cure is its author's new head: listed here at once (`show`), told on the pull request at once, and the
 			// operator's only once no new head came within the author's bound (novox/hq ADR 0505 §5).

modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready_test.go

@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/asks"
+	sdk "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
 )
 
 // **A pull request whose checks passed and whose merge the operator approved is merged by this owner** (novox/hq issues
@@ -65,6 +69,73 @@ func TestAnApprovedPullRequestIsMergedThroughTheMergeTool(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("merged again: %v", w.forge.merges)
 	}
 
+	// 1733: the Approve's ask says the check's state at the heads it names, read from the checker's verdict there: "passed
+	// its check" only when it passed. While the check gates no merge, the ask is made before any verdict, says that Approve
+	// merges before the check ends, and is asked again in new words once the check passes or fails; a running check is no
+	// new word.
+	for _, row := range []struct {
+		name, state, failed string
+		gated               bool
+		asks                int
+		want, not           []string
+	}{
+		{name: "gated, passed", gated: true, state: "pass", asks: 1,
+			want: []string{"app#7 Fix it passed its check. Approve merges it into main at " + readyHead[:12] + ";"},
+			not:  []string{"before its check ends", "no verdict yet"}},
+		{name: "ungated, no verdict", asks: 1,
+			want: []string{"its check has no verdict yet", "Approve merges it into main at " + readyHead[:12] + " now, before its check ends"},
+			not:  []string{"passed"}},
+		{name: "ungated, running", state: "running", asks: 1,
+			want: []string{"its check has no verdict yet", "before its check ends"}, not: []string{"passed"}},
+		{name: "ungated, then passed", state: "pass", asks: 2,
+			want: []string{"passed its check. Approve merges it into main at " + readyHead[:12] + ";"}, not: []string{"before its check ends"}},
+		{name: "ungated, then failed", state: "fail", failed: "TestThing: wanted 1, got 2", asks: 2,
+			want: []string{"its check failed: TestThing: wanted 1, got 2", "although its check failed"}, not: []string{"passed"}},
+	} {
+		t.Run(row.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			v := newWorld(t)
+			if !row.gated {
+				ungated(v)
+			}
+			v.op.auto = false
+			p := pr("novox/app", 7, readyHead, "feat/x", "src/a.go")
+			p.Title = "Fix it"
+			v.h.PullUpdated(p)
+			put := func() {
+				hash, _ := sdk.HeadsHash([]sdk.Head{headOf("novox/app", 7, readyHead)})
+				value, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]any{"v": 1, "group": "g", "heads": hash, "state": row.state,
+					"failed": map[string]string{"words": row.failed}})
+				v.h.CheckerVerdictChanged("g."+hash, value)
+			}
+			if row.gated {
+				v.h.Checked(judgedAt("novox/app", 7, readyHead, "pass", "t1t1t1t1t1t1"))
+			}
+			v.settleAll()
+			if !row.gated && row.state != "" {
+				put()
+				v.settleAll()
+			}
+			open := v.op.open()
+			if len(open) != 1 || v.op.count() != row.asks {
+				t.Fatalf("open asks %v, asked %d times; wanted one open, asked %d times", open, v.op.count(), row.asks)
+			}
+			e := v.op.ask(open[0]).Explanation
+			for _, w := range row.want {
+				if !strings.Contains(e, w) {
+					t.Fatalf("the ask does not say %q:\n%s", w, e)
+				}
+			}
+			for _, w := range row.not {
+				if strings.Contains(e, w) {
+					t.Fatalf("the ask says %q:\n%s", w, e)
+				}
+			}
+			if err := asks.Glance(e); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
 	// check-gates-merge false (the operator, 2026-10-25 22:56): a reviewed pull request is asked with no verdict, another
 	// merge moving its trunk puts it out of nothing, a failed verdict is shown on it and holds nothing, and the gate's
 	// status and show say the mode.
@@ -255,6 +326,11 @@ func TestAGroupMergesEveryMemberInOnePassOnlyOnceComposedAndApproved(t *testing.
 	if u.op.count() != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("ungated, the group is asked %d times; wanted once", u.op.count())
 	}
+	// 1733: the group's ask claims no pass it has not had.
+	if e := u.op.ask(u.op.open()[0]).Explanation; strings.Contains(e, "passed") ||
+		!strings.Contains(e, "2 pull requests: its check has no verdict yet. Approve merges all of them into main in one pass, at the heads named, now, before its check ends;") {
+		t.Fatalf("ungated, the group's ask does not say its check has no verdict yet:\n%s", e)
+	}
 	u.op.answer(u.op.open()[0], OptionApprove)
 	u.settleAll()
 	if len(u.forge.merges) != 2 {