Build modules pin the SDK whose parsers keep a crashed file's and a subtest's panic's cause (issue 1901, review round 1)

mesh-build-node kept the first fifteen lines of node --test's output, so a passing line of the first file stood for the
failure. Both build modules now parse through the SDK (go test -json, node --test's TAP report written to a file, the
type-check and go vet as console failures), name themselves in the result, and run the SDK's captured cases; the
catalogue check failurekit refuses a node-build-* module with a test step whose tests do not run the kit.

.gitignore

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ modules/claude-code/claude-code
 modules/mesh-watcher/mesh-watcher
 modules/dnsmasq/dnsmasq
 modules/mesh-issues/cmd/mesh-issues/mesh-issues
+modules/mesh-issues/mesh-issues
 modules/mounts/cmd/mounts/mounts
 modules/mesh-knowledge/cmd/mesh-knowledge/mesh-knowledge
 modules/mesh-knowledge/mesh-knowledge
@@ -29,3 +30,12 @@ modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/mesh-build-go
 modules/mesh-config/mesh-config
 modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/mesh-build-image
 *.test
+
+# binaries a local go build leaves in a module root
+/checks/paths/paths
+/modules/mesh-build-go/mesh-build-go
+/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/mesh-delivery-gate
+
+# Built by their modules' build step (issue 1577), never committed.
+modules/forticlient/cmd/forticlient-tools/forticlient-tools
+modules/networkmanager/uplink-tools

checks/failurekit/failurekit.go

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+// Package failurekit refuses a build module whose tests do not run mesh-sdk's conformance kit (issue 1901, its thorough
+// fix): a module that claims a node-build-* seat and serves a test step must hold a test that calls conformance.Run, so
+// its parse of the test runner's output is held to the failure contract (a failing test named with its cause, never a
+// passing line in its place). A build module with no test step (mesh-build-image builds images and runs no tests) is
+// exempt, and said so.
+package failurekit
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// Judged is what the check says of one build module: Refused says why it fails the check, "" when it passes; Exempt
+// says why the kit does not apply.
+type Judged struct {
+	Module, Refused, Exempt string
+}
+
+type manifest struct {
+	Claims []struct {
+		Name string `json:"name"`
+	} `json:"claims"`
+	Tools []json.RawMessage `json:"tools"`
+}
+
+// Judge reads every modules/<m>/module.json of the catalogue at root and judges each module that claims a node-build-*
+// seat.
+func Judge(root string) ([]Judged, error) {
+	manifests, err := filepath.Glob(filepath.Join(root, "modules", "*", "module.json"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	sort.Strings(manifests)
+	var out []Judged
+	for _, p := range manifests {
+		raw, err := os.ReadFile(p)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		var m manifest
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &m); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", p, err)
+		}
+		seat := ""
+		for _, c := range m.Claims {
+			if strings.HasPrefix(c.Name, "node-build-") {
+				seat = c.Name
+			}
+		}
+		if seat == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		dir := filepath.Dir(p)
+		j := Judged{Module: filepath.Base(dir)}
+		test := testTool(m.Tools)
+		switch {
+		case test == "":
+			j.Exempt = fmt.Sprintf("it claims %s and serves no test step", seat)
+		default:
+			runs, err := runsTheKit(dir)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			if !runs {
+				j.Refused = fmt.Sprintf("it claims %s and serves the test step %s, and no test of it calls conformance.Run "+
+					"(mesh-sdk go/buildstep/conformance): run the kit with the module's own parse path (issue 1901)", seat, test)
+			}
+		}
+		out = append(out, j)
+	}
+	return out, nil
+}
+
+// testTool is the name of the module's test step tool (<prefix>_test), or "".
+func testTool(tools []json.RawMessage) string {
+	for _, raw := range tools {
+		var name string
+		if json.Unmarshal(raw, &name) != nil {
+			var t struct {
+				Name string `json:"name"`
+			}
+			if json.Unmarshal(raw, &t) != nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			name = t.Name
+		}
+		if strings.HasSuffix(name, "_test") {
+			return name
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// runsTheKit says a _test.go file under dir calls conformance.Run.
+func runsTheKit(dir string) (bool, error) {
+	found := false
+	err := filepath.WalkDir(dir, func(p string, d fs.DirEntry, err error) error {
+		if err != nil || found || d.IsDir() || !strings.HasSuffix(p, "_test.go") {
+			return err
+		}
+		raw, err := os.ReadFile(p)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		found = strings.Contains(string(raw), "conformance.Run(") &&
+			strings.Contains(string(raw), `"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep/conformance"`)
+		return nil
+	})
+	return found, err
+}

checks/failurekit/failurekit_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+package failurekit
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// 1901/AC7: a build module with a test step and no kit is refused, one that runs the kit passes, one with no test step is
+// exempt, and a module that claims no node-build-* seat is not judged.
+func TestABuildModuleWithATestStepMustRunTheKit(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	kit := "package main\n\nimport \"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep/conformance\"\n\nfunc TestKit(t *testing.T) { conformance.Run(t, conformance.GoTest, nil) }\n"
+	for path, body := range map[string]string{
+		"modules/a/module.json":         `{"claims":[{"name":"node-build-a"}],"tools":["build_a_fetch","build_a_test"]}`,
+		"modules/a/cmd/a/check_test.go": "package main\n",
+		"modules/b/module.json":         `{"claims":[{"name":"node-build-b"}],"tools":[{"name":"build_b_test"}]}`,
+		"modules/b/cmd/b/kit_test.go":   kit,
+		"modules/c/module.json":         `{"claims":[{"name":"node-build-c"}],"tools":["build_c_build"]}`,
+		"modules/d/module.json":         `{"claims":[{"name":"other"}],"tools":["d_test"]}`,
+		"modules/e/module.json":         `{"claims":[{"name":"node-build-e"}],"tools":["build_e_test"]}`,
+		"modules/e/cmd/e/kit.go":        kit, // not a test file
+	} {
+		p := filepath.Join(root, path)
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(p), 0o755); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if err := os.WriteFile(p, []byte(body), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	got, err := Judge(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	want := map[string]string{"a": "refused", "b": "passes", "c": "exempt", "e": "refused"}
+	if len(got) != len(want) {
+		t.Fatalf("judged %+v, want a, b, c and e", got)
+	}
+	for _, j := range got {
+		is := "passes"
+		if j.Refused != "" {
+			is = "refused"
+		} else if j.Exempt != "" {
+			is = "exempt"
+		}
+		if is != want[j.Module] {
+			t.Errorf("%s %s (%+v), want it %s", j.Module, is, j, want[j.Module])
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Every build module of this catalogue with a test step runs the kit.
+func TestTheCataloguesBuildModulesRunTheKit(t *testing.T) {
+	got, err := Judge(filepath.Join("..", ".."))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(got) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("no module claims a node-build-* seat: the check reads the wrong tree")
+	}
+	for _, j := range got {
+		switch {
+		case j.Refused != "":
+			t.Errorf("%s: %s", j.Module, j.Refused)
+		case j.Exempt != "":
+			t.Logf("%s is exempt: %s", j.Module, j.Exempt)
+		}
+	}
+}

checks/failurekit/go.mod

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+module git.novox.be/novox/mesh-catalog/checks/failurekit
+
+go 1.22

checks/failurekit/reads-outside

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+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/nobinaries/go.mod

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+module git.novox.be/novox/mesh-catalog/checks/nobinaries
+
+go 1.22

checks/nobinaries/nobinaries.go

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+// Package nobinaries refuses a compiled program under modules/ (issue 1577): it is build output, made by the module's build step,
+// and `go build` in a module's folder writes one beside go.mod where `git add -A` takes it.
+package nobinaries
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// Kind says what executable format the first bytes of a file are, or "" when they are none.
+func Kind(head []byte) string {
+	switch {
+	case bytes.HasPrefix(head, []byte("\x7fELF")):
+		return "ELF"
+	case bytes.HasPrefix(head, []byte("MZ")):
+		return "PE"
+	case bytes.HasPrefix(head, []byte{0xcf, 0xfa, 0xed, 0xfe}), bytes.HasPrefix(head, []byte{0xce, 0xfa, 0xed, 0xfe}),
+		bytes.HasPrefix(head, []byte{0xfe, 0xed, 0xfa, 0xcf}), bytes.HasPrefix(head, []byte{0xfe, 0xed, 0xfa, 0xce}),
+		bytes.HasPrefix(head, []byte{0xca, 0xfe, 0xba, 0xbe}) && len(head) >= 8 && head[7] < 0x20 && head[6] == 0 && head[5] == 0 && head[4] == 0:
+		return "Mach-O"
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// Files are the files of the catalogue's root that the change holds under modules/: the tracked ones when the root is a git
+// checkout (an ignored binary a local build left is not the change's), else every file there.
+func Files(root string) ([]string, error) {
+	cmd := exec.Command("git", "-C", root, "ls-files", "-z", "--", "modules")
+	if out, err := cmd.Output(); err == nil && len(out) > 0 {
+		var files []string
+		for _, f := range strings.Split(strings.TrimRight(string(out), "\x00"), "\x00") {
+			if _, err := os.Lstat(filepath.Join(root, f)); err == nil { // a file the change deletes is not there
+				files = append(files, f)
+			}
+		}
+		return files, nil
+	}
+	var files []string
+	err := filepath.WalkDir(filepath.Join(root, "modules"), func(p string, d os.DirEntry, err error) error {
+		if err != nil || d.IsDir() || !d.Type().IsRegular() {
+			return err
+		}
+		rel, _ := filepath.Rel(root, p)
+		files = append(files, rel)
+		return nil
+	})
+	return files, err
+}
+
+// Find names each file of files (paths from root) that is a compiled program, with its format.
+func Find(root string, files []string) ([]string, error) {
+	var found []string
+	for _, f := range files {
+		p := filepath.Join(root, f)
+		if st, err := os.Lstat(p); err != nil || !st.Mode().IsRegular() {
+			continue
+		}
+		fh, err := os.Open(p)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		head := make([]byte, 8)
+		n, err := io.ReadFull(fh, head)
+		fh.Close()
+		if err != nil && err != io.ErrUnexpectedEOF && err != io.EOF {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if k := Kind(head[:n]); k != "" {
+			found = append(found, fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s)", f, k))
+		}
+	}
+	return found, nil
+}

checks/nobinaries/nobinaries_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+package nobinaries
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestFindNamesEachCompiledProgramAndNothingElse(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	files := map[string][]byte{
+		"modules/a/a":           []byte("\x7fELF\x02\x01\x01\x00rest"),
+		"modules/b/cmd/b/b.exe": []byte("MZ\x90\x00"),
+		"modules/c/c":           {0xcf, 0xfa, 0xed, 0xfe, 7, 0, 0, 1},
+		"modules/d/main.go":     []byte("package main\n"),
+		"modules/e/short":       []byte("\x7f"),
+		"modules/f/empty":       {},
+		"modules/g/Foo.class":   {0xca, 0xfe, 0xba, 0xbe, 0, 0, 0, 52}, // Java, not Mach-O
+	}
+	var names []string
+	for f, b := range files {
+		p := filepath.Join(root, f)
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(p), 0o755); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if err := os.WriteFile(p, b, 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		names = append(names, f)
+	}
+	got, err := Find(root, names)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(got) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("found %v; wanted modules/a/a, modules/b/cmd/b/b.exe and modules/c/c only", got)
+	}
+}
+
+// The catalogue's own tree holds no compiled program: a compiled program is build output, so remove it and add it to .gitignore.
+func TestTheCatalogueHoldsNoCompiledProgram(t *testing.T) {
+	root := filepath.Join("..", "..")
+	files, err := Files(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	found, err := Find(root, files)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, f := range found {
+		t.Errorf("%s: a compiled program is build output: remove it and add it to .gitignore (issue 1577)", f)
+	}
+}

checks/nobinaries/reads-outside

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+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).

modules/desk-channel/cmd/desk-channel/desk.go

@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ package main
 //     the desk says in its standing when that happened (`answers-lost-at`), and the router, which alone knows
 //     what is still open and unanswered, says that again under its handle — replacing the notification in place,
 //     so its buttons work again. Nothing resolved, silenced or cancelled comes back.
+//   - **A store that does not answer does not lose where a message is shown, while the desk runs.** A message
+//     is shown first and its notification ids kept after; when the state store does not answer then (the bus
+//     reloading its accounts, 2026-10-26 09:18: the very outage that raised the condition), the work is taken
+//     all the same and the ids are held in memory, recalled before the store, and kept at the start of the next
+//     work and at the minute's standing. Otherwise the clearing of that message finds no notification to
+//     replace and the urgent one stays on screen for good. A desk that restarts while it still holds some loses
+//     where those are shown; the log says so when they are held.
 //   - **Standing**: it can send when machines are named in its settings; which of them answered last is in its
 //     status. A message no machine took is said to the router as failed, and tried again by it.
 
@@ -93,6 +100,9 @@ type Desk struct {
 	pause     map[string]pauseSeen
 	// lost is when each machine's notifier last started again: the answers its notifications waited for are lost.
 	lost map[string]time.Time
+	// unkept is what was shown and not yet kept in the store, because it did not answer: recalled from here
+	// before the store, and kept at the next piece of work.
+	unkept map[string]Shown
 }
 
 func (d *Desk) init() {
@@ -107,6 +117,9 @@ func (d *Desk) init() {
 	if d.lost == nil {
 		d.lost = map[string]time.Time{}
 	}
+	if d.unkept == nil {
+		d.unkept = map[string]Shown{}
+	}
 	if d.Now == nil {
 		d.Now = time.Now
 	}
@@ -138,6 +151,7 @@ func (d *Desk) Take(subject string, body json.RawMessage) error {
 		d.Logf("[desk-channel] work on %s could not be read; taken and dropped", subject)
 		return nil
 	}
+	d.KeepUnkept()
 	machines := d.Machines()
 	if m.Secret {
 		// Shown only where the notifier said lately it is not paused (the review of 2026-10-09): one held back
@@ -167,12 +181,16 @@ func (d *Desk) Take(subject string, body json.RawMessage) error {
 	switch {
 	case edit:
 		var err error
-		if before, err = d.Store.Get(m.Handle); err != nil {
+		if before, err = d.recall(m.Handle); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		if before == nil {
+			d.Logf("[desk-channel] an edit of %s, which nothing here records as shown: shown as a new message; "+
+				"a notification it was to replace, if any, stays", m.Handle)
+		}
 	case !m.Secret:
 		var err error
-		if before, err = d.Store.Get(m.Handle); err != nil {
+		if before, err = d.recall(m.Handle); err != nil {
 			d.Logf("[desk-channel] what is shown under this handle could not be read (%v): shown as a new message", err)
 			before = nil
 		}
@@ -218,12 +236,91 @@ func (d *Desk) Take(subject string, body json.RawMessage) error {
 		// Shown once and kept nowhere of this module's (a link's code): no edit or re-showing reaches it.
 		return nil
 	}
-	if err := d.Store.Put(m.Handle, s); err != nil {
-		d.Logf("[desk-channel] shown, and what was shown could not be kept: an edit of it will not reach it: %v", err)
-	}
+	d.keep(m.Handle, s)
 	return nil
 }
 
+// keep keeps what a handle shows in the store. When the store does not answer it is held in memory, where an
+// edit, a reminder and a click still find it, and kept later (KeepUnkept). The work is taken either way: offered
+// again it would race the message's own later edits, and a redelivery is bounded where an outage is not.
+func (d *Desk) keep(handle string, s Shown) {
+	err := d.Store.Put(handle, s)
+	d.mu.Lock()
+	defer d.mu.Unlock()
+	if err == nil {
+		delete(d.unkept, handle)
+		return
+	}
+	d.unkept[handle] = s
+	d.Logf("[desk-channel] shown, and where it is shown could not be kept yet (%v): held in memory, so its edit "+
+		"and clearing still reach it, and kept when the store answers; %d held, lost if the desk restarts first",
+		err, len(d.unkept))
+}
+
+// KeepUnkept keeps in the store what it did not answer for before: at the start of each piece of work and at
+// the minute's standing. It stops at the first write the store does not answer, so one call waits on it once.
+func (d *Desk) KeepUnkept() {
+	d.init()
+	d.mu.Lock()
+	held := make(map[string]Shown, len(d.unkept))
+	for h, s := range d.unkept {
+		held[h] = s
+	}
+	d.mu.Unlock()
+	for h, s := range held {
+		if err := d.Store.Put(h, s); err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+		d.mu.Lock()
+		if cur, ok := d.unkept[h]; ok && sameShown(cur, s) {
+			delete(d.unkept, h)
+		}
+		d.mu.Unlock()
+		d.Logf("[desk-channel] where %s is shown is kept now", h)
+	}
+}
+
+func (d *Desk) unkeptOf(handle string) (Shown, bool) {
+	d.mu.Lock()
+	defer d.mu.Unlock()
+	s, ok := d.unkept[handle]
+	return s, ok
+}
+
+// recall is what a handle shows: from memory when the store did not keep it yet, else from the store.
+func (d *Desk) recall(handle string) (*Shown, error) {
+	if s, ok := d.unkeptOf(handle); ok {
+		return &s, nil
+	}
+	return d.Store.Get(handle)
+}
+
+// handles is every handle shown: the store's and those held in memory.
+func (d *Desk) handles() ([]string, error) {
+	hs, err := d.Store.Handles()
+	d.mu.Lock()
+	defer d.mu.Unlock()
+	seen := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, h := range hs {
+		seen[h] = true
+	}
+	for h := range d.unkept {
+		if !seen[h] {
+			hs = append(hs, h)
+		}
+	}
+	if err != nil && len(d.unkept) == 0 {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return hs, nil
+}
+
+func sameShown(a, b Shown) bool {
+	x, err1 := json.Marshal(a)
+	y, err2 := json.Marshal(b)
+	return err1 == nil && err2 == nil && string(x) == string(y)
+}
+
 // show puts one message on one machine's notifier, in place of `replace` when it names one.
 func (d *Desk) show(machine string, m asks.Message, replace int) (int, error) {
 	urgency := "normal"
@@ -308,12 +405,12 @@ func (d *Desk) Chosen(event, machine, ticket string) {
 }
 
 func (d *Desk) find(ticket string) (string, *Shown) {
-	handles, err := d.Store.Handles()
+	handles, err := d.handles()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", nil
 	}
 	for _, h := range handles {
-		s, err := d.Store.Get(h)
+		s, err := d.recall(h)
 		if err != nil || s == nil {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -356,9 +453,9 @@ func (d *Desk) Started(event, machine string) int {
 	d.lost[machine] = d.Now()
 	d.mu.Unlock()
 	n := 0
-	if handles, err := d.Store.Handles(); err == nil {
+	if handles, err := d.handles(); err == nil {
 		for _, h := range handles {
-			if s, err := d.Store.Get(h); err == nil && s != nil && len(s.Message.Buttons) > 0 {
+			if s, err := d.recall(h); err == nil && s != nil && len(s.Message.Buttons) > 0 {
 				if _, here := s.On[machine]; here {
 					n++
 				}
@@ -472,6 +569,7 @@ func (d *Desk) Status() map[string]any {
 			"it proves nothing about who clicked: any process of the operator's account can choose an action, so it answers acknowledgements only",
 			"an answer is taken only on a machine its message was shown on; a message with buttons stays until dismissed",
 			"what it remembers is never shown again: when a notifier started again, the answers its notifications waited for are lost; the desk says when in its standing (answers-lost-at), and the router says again what is still open and unanswered, replacing those notifications in place — nothing resolved, silenced or cancelled comes back (issue 384)",
+			"a store that does not answer does not lose where a message is shown while the desk runs: it is held in memory, its edit and clearing still replace it in place, and it is kept when the store answers again; a desk restarted before then loses where those are shown, and its log said how many it held",
 			"it can send while a named machine's notifier said lately that it is not paused; a link's code is shown only on such a machine, kept nowhere, and sent secret so the notifier keeps it out of its history",
 		}}
 	if s.Why != "" {

modules/desk-channel/cmd/desk-channel/desk_test.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -363,9 +364,64 @@ func TestAMessageSaidAgainUnderItsHandleReplacesItsNotification(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// downStore is a store that does not answer while down: the bus reloading its accounts (2026-10-26 09:18).
+type downStore struct {
+	memShown
+	down *bool
+}
+
+func (s downStore) Get(h string) (*Shown, error) {
+	if *s.down {
+		return nil, errors.New("nats: no responders available for request")
+	}
+	return s.memShown.Get(h)
+}
+func (s downStore) Put(h string, v Shown) error {
+	if *s.down {
+		return errors.New("nats: no responders available for request")
+	}
+	return s.memShown.Put(h, v)
+}
+
 // The review of PR 176: a replace that fails on a machine keeps that machine's notification on record, so a
-// later edit or clearing still reaches it; failing everywhere, it is said to the router as failed.
+// later edit or clearing still reaches it; failing everywhere, it is said to the router as failed. And
+// (2026-10-26 09:18, an urgent "A new build of mesh-controller cannot be delivered" left on screen for hours
+// after its clearing): a message shown while the store does not answer keeps where it is shown in memory, its
+// work is taken, its clearing replaces it in place, and it is kept once the store answers.
 func TestAFailedReplaceKeepsTheNotificationItWasToReplace(t *testing.T) {
+	// The raise, then its clearing, taken while the store does not answer; the store then stays down or comes
+	// back. Each is taken (never offered again, where a redelivered raise would follow its clearing), the
+	// clearing replaces the urgent notification in place, and the screen and the store end on the clearing.
+	for _, back := range []bool{false, true} {
+		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("the store does not answer, back %v", back), func(t *testing.T) {
+			d, shown, _, store := newDesk(t, "laptop")
+			down := true
+			d.Store = downStore{store, &down}
+			raised, _ := json.Marshal(asks.Message{Handle: "m9", Title: "A new build cannot be delivered", Urgent: true})
+			if err := d.Take(asks.ChannelSubject(asks.Send, Kind), raised); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("the raise was not taken: %v", err)
+			}
+			cleared, _ := json.Marshal(asks.Message{Handle: "m9", Title: "Cleared: a new build can be delivered"})
+			if err := d.Take(asks.ChannelSubject(asks.Edit, Kind), cleared); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("the clearing was not taken: %v", err)
+			}
+			d.KeepUnkept() // the minute's standing, store still down
+			down = !back
+			d.KeepUnkept()
+			take(t, d, asks.Send, asks.Message{Handle: "m10", Title: "another"})
+			if len(*shown) != 3 || (*shown)[1].args["replace_id"] != 1 || (*shown)[1].args["summary"] != "Cleared: a new build can be delivered" {
+				t.Fatalf("the clearing did not replace the urgent notification: %+v", *shown)
+			}
+			s, kept := store["m9"]
+			if back != kept || (kept && s.Message.Title != "Cleared: a new build can be delivered") {
+				t.Fatalf("store back %v, kept %v: %+v", back, kept, store)
+			}
+			if got, _ := d.recall("m9"); got == nil || got.Message.Title != "Cleared: a new build can be delivered" {
+				t.Fatalf("recalled %+v", got)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
 	d, shown, said, store := newDesk(t, "laptop", "desktop")
 	take(t, d, asks.Send, asks.Message{Handle: "m1", Title: "2 failed services on shanks"})
 	first := store["m1"].On

modules/desk-channel/cmd/desk-channel/main.go

@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ func run(d *Desk) {
 	}()
 	go func() {
 		for {
+			d.KeepUnkept()
 			d.SayStanding()
 			time.Sleep(time.Minute)
 		}

modules/gitea/README.md

@@ -275,6 +275,53 @@ reported no key gets no entry, and its client says it waits. Keys titled `mesh:`
 a key added by hand never is. Every consumer is made again every ten minutes and at once when a key changes.
 `go test ./cmd/forge-account-provider ./internal/forgeaccount` runs it against a fake forge.
 
+## The mesh's accounts read every repository (the operator, 2026-10-26)
+
+The tools act as the plain account `mesh-tools` (ADR 0365 §2, issue 469), which writes to the organisation `novox`
+through its team; the build modules fetch over ssh as `nox-builder` (ADR 0466 §3), in a team that reads the
+organisation's code; the machines' agents use `nox-agent` (ADR 0410 §1). Any other repository each saw only when public,
+so a private repository of a user answered every tool 404 and every build's fetch "not authorized to read". `readall.ts`
+makes each of these accounts (one list, `meshAccounts` in `tools-account.ts`, whose two Go names
+`internal/forgeaccount`'s test holds to its own constants) a collaborator that **reads only** on each repository it
+cannot read: one repository at a time, no organisation membership, the least the forge offers. An account the forge
+does not hold yet (the forge-account provider makes `nox-builder` and `nox-agent` when their first consumer asks) is
+named and asked nothing; the start's pass is run again ten minutes apart until every account was there once.
+
+- **When:** one pass over every repository of every user and organisation at the start (a forge not answering yet is
+  asked again a minute apart until one pass ran), and on the forge's system webhook: `forge.repository.created` and
+  `forge.fork` at once, and the first event of any repository this process has not seen readable (the forge may not
+  send a creation for every owner). Nothing polls for it.
+- **Not caught:** a repository made private after it was seen readable. The forge sends no event for a change of
+  visibility, and the start's pass already saw it readable, so its events ask nothing. It is granted at the module's
+  next start, or now by `gitea_grant_read`; `gitea_unreadable_repos` shows it meanwhile. A repository whose permission
+  the forge will not answer is named as refused (or, in the listing, with permission `unknown`) and the pass goes on.
+- **With what:** the site administrator's login (`MESH_GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE`), because adding a collaborator asks a
+  repository's administration, which on another user's repository only the site administrator holds. It is used for
+  five calls alone: list every repository, read one, whether an account exists, read an account's permission on one,
+  add an account as a read collaborator. The tools' own calls keep their token.
+- **Tools:** `gitea_unreadable_repos` (per account, every repository it cannot read, the permission the forge gives
+  it there and why, a count per account and the accounts the forge does not hold) and `gitea_grant_read` (the same
+  grant by hand, now, on every repository or on those named, for every account or those named; each grant read back
+  from the forge, a refusal answered in the forge's own words).
+
+### The merging account writes the repositories the mesh delivers
+
+`mesh-tools` sets every commit status and merges; outside the organisation it only reads (above), so a pull request of
+a user's repository could be checked and asked but never merged (issue 1945: car-hunter #2's status refused 403 after
+the operator's Approve). `writes.ts` makes it a collaborator that **writes** on each repository that builds a registered
+module, and on no other (the operator, 2026-10-26): the build modules' and the agents' accounts keep read.
+
+- **Which:** the indexer's state `mesh-delivery-indexer.modules` (in this module's `reads`), one key per registered
+  module, each naming its repository. A repository of `novox` needs nothing: the team writes it. Every other repository
+  of a user stays read-only.
+- **When:** the state's watch hands every module at the start and each one registered after; a repository not yet
+  written is granted then, read back from the forge, and said on the bus as `gitea.repo.writable` {owner, repo,
+  account}, on which mesh-delivery-gate reads that repository again. Nothing polls.
+- **Tools:** `gitea_unwritable_repos` (every delivered repository the account cannot write, its permission and why)
+  and `gitea_grant_write` (the same grant by hand, on every delivered repository or those named; what it granted, what
+  was written already, what the forge refused in its own words, and the repositories left read-only and why).
+  `gitea_commit_statuses` answers `merge.writes`, whether the account may write the repository at all.
+
 ## Files it does not know
 
 Each directory or archive this module declares says how it treats a file it did not write (ADR 0422, ADR 0416).

modules/gitea/client.ts

@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ export interface GiteaRepo {
   default_branch?: string;
   /** When anything last moved in it — a push, and so a merge. */
   updated_at?: string;
+  /** Whether the account asking may write it (the forge's permissions.push or admin): a commit status and a merge need
+   *  it. Absent when the forge did not say. */
+  writes?: boolean;
 }
 
 /** An issue, with its labels flattened to names. */
@@ -98,6 +101,10 @@ export interface GiteaPull {
   html_url: string;
   /** The description: where a pull request says it goes after another (`after: <repository>`, novox/hq ADR 0239). */
   body?: string;
+  /** Whether the forge would merge it into its base now (gitea's `mergeable`): false while it is in conflict, while the
+   *  forge is still working that out after its base moved, or while it is a work in progress; absent when the forge did not
+   *  say. What a group's merge reads of every member before it merges any (novox/hq issue 1275). */
+  mergeable?: boolean;
 }
 
 /** An open pull request with what its base requires and what its head has: what gitea_open_pulls answers. */
@@ -789,14 +796,29 @@ export class GiteaClient {
 
   /** Merge a pull request — never forced past its checks, and, given the head that was checked, only that head:
    *  the forge refuses the merge when the branch moved since (novox/hq ADR 0266). */
+  /** How long a merge waits before it asks again after the forge's 405 "Please try again later" (novox/hq issue 1275):
+   *  the forge says so while it works out whether the pull request merges, for a few seconds after its base moved. */
+  static mergeRetryAfter: number[] = [1000, 2000, 4000];
+
   async mergePullRequest(owner: string, repo: string, index: number, method = "merge", deleteBranch = false,
     headCommit?: string): Promise<void> {
     indexOf(index);
-    await this.request(`${repoPath(owner, repo)}/pulls/${index}/merge`, {
-      method: "POST",
-      body: JSON.stringify({ Do: method, delete_branch_after_merge: deleteBranch, force_merge: false,
-        ...(headCommit ? { head_commit_id: headCommit } : {}) }),
-    });
+    for (let attempt = 0; ; attempt++) {
+      try {
+        await this.request(`${repoPath(owner, repo)}/pulls/${index}/merge`, {
+          method: "POST",
+          body: JSON.stringify({ Do: method, delete_branch_after_merge: deleteBranch, force_merge: false,
+            ...(headCommit ? { head_commit_id: headCommit } : {}) }),
+        });
+        return;
+      } catch (err) {
+        // Only the forge's transient answer is asked again, briefly; every other refusal, and this one past the last
+        // wait, is the caller's to say. head_commit_id keeps a head that moved in between from landing.
+        const wait = GiteaClient.mergeRetryAfter[attempt];
+        if (wait === undefined || !tryAgainLater(err)) throw err;
+        await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, wait));
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   // ---- Mappers: the wire shape is broad and unstable; the mesh sees only these fields. ----
@@ -812,6 +834,8 @@ export class GiteaClient {
       html_url: r.html_url,
       default_branch: r.default_branch,
       updated_at: r.updated_at ?? undefined,
+      ...(r.permissions && typeof r.permissions === "object"
+        ? { writes: r.permissions.push === true || r.permissions.admin === true } : {}),
     };
   }
 
@@ -842,6 +866,7 @@ export class GiteaClient {
       updated_at: p.updated_at ?? undefined,
       html_url: p.html_url,
       body: typeof p.body === "string" ? p.body : undefined,
+      mergeable: typeof p.mergeable === "boolean" && !p.merged ? p.mergeable : undefined,
     };
   }
 }
@@ -853,6 +878,25 @@ interface AdminResponse {
   readonly body: any;
 }
 
+/** A repository as the site administrator sees it: what saying why an account cannot read it needs (readall.ts). */
+export interface ForgeRepository {
+  full_name: string;
+  owner: string;
+  name: string;
+  private: boolean;
+  archived: boolean;
+  /** The owner's own visibility: public, limited or private. A public repository of an owner not public is hidden
+   *  from whoever is no member. */
+  owner_visibility: string;
+}
+
+function forgeRepository(r: any): ForgeRepository {
+  const owner = String(r?.owner?.login ?? r?.owner?.username ?? "");
+  const name = String(r?.name ?? "");
+  return { full_name: String(r?.full_name ?? `${owner}/${name}`), owner, name, private: r?.private === true,
+    archived: r?.archived === true, owner_visibility: String(r?.owner?.visibility ?? "public") };
+}
+
 /**
  * The forge's admin client, over **basic auth** — gitea's own code, living in the module, used only
  * by the provisioner (novox/hq ADR 0048/0076).
@@ -970,6 +1014,66 @@ export class GiteaAdmin {
     return repos;
   }
 
+  // ---- The tools' account reads every repository (readall.ts) ----
+
+  /** Every repository on the forge, of every user and organisation: the search as the site administrator, whom the
+   *  forge answers every repository, private ones and those of private owners included. Only a read. */
+  async everyRepository(): Promise<ForgeRepository[]> {
+    const all: ForgeRepository[] = [];
+    for (let page = 1; page <= 200; page++) {
+      const res = await this.request(`/repos/search?limit=50&page=${page}`);
+      if (res.status !== 200) GiteaAdmin.fail("/repos/search", res);
+      const list: any[] = Array.isArray(res.body?.data) ? res.body.data : [];
+      all.push(...list.map(forgeRepository));
+      if (list.length < 50) break;
+    }
+    return all;
+  }
+
+  /** One repository as the site administrator sees it, or null when the forge holds none by that name. */
+  async repository(owner: string, repo: string): Promise<ForgeRepository | null> {
+    const res = await this.request(repoPath(owner, repo));
+    if (res.status === 404) return null;
+    if (res.status !== 200) GiteaAdmin.fail(repoPath(owner, repo), res);
+    return forgeRepository(res.body);
+  }
+
+  /** Whether the forge holds an account of this name. */
+  async accountExists(user: string): Promise<boolean> {
+    const path = `/users/${encodeURIComponent(user)}`;
+    const res = await this.request(path);
+    if (res.status === 404) return false;
+    if (res.status !== 200) GiteaAdmin.fail(path, res);
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  /** What the forge itself says an account may do on a repository: none, read, write, admin or owner. */
+  async repositoryPermission(owner: string, repo: string, user: string): Promise<string> {
+    const path = `${repoPath(owner, repo)}/collaborators/${encodeURIComponent(user)}/permission`;
+    const res = await this.request(path);
+    if (res.status !== 200) GiteaAdmin.fail(path, res);
+    return String(res.body?.permission ?? "none");
+  }
+
+  /** Make an account a collaborator of a repository that reads only. The forge asks a repository's administrator for
+   *  it, which on a repository of another user only the site administrator is. Idempotent: the forge answers 204 again. */
+  async addReadCollaborator(owner: string, repo: string, user: string): Promise<void> {
+    await this.addCollaborator(owner, repo, user, "read");
+  }
+
+  /** Make an account a collaborator of a repository that writes: pushes a branch, sets a commit status, merges (writes.ts:
+   *  only on a repository that builds a registered module). An existing read collaborator is changed to write. */
+  async addWriteCollaborator(owner: string, repo: string, user: string): Promise<void> {
+    await this.addCollaborator(owner, repo, user, "write");
+  }
+
+  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 }) });
+    if (res.status === 204 || res.status === 200) return;
+    GiteaAdmin.fail(path, res);
+  }
+
   /** Ensure the npm-owner org exists. 201 created, 2xx/404-then-created, and 422/409 (a concurrent
    *  create won the race) are all success. */
   async ensureOrg(name: string): Promise<void> {
@@ -1160,3 +1264,10 @@ export function directoriesAbove(paths: string[]): string[] {
 function encodePath(path: string): string {
   return pathSegments("file path", path);
 }
+
+/** Whether an error is the forge's 405 "Please try again later" on a merge: its answer while the pull request's
+ *  mergeability is being worked out (or it is in conflict, which a later ask says the same way). */
+export function tryAgainLater(err: unknown): boolean {
+  const words = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+  return / 405 /.test(words) && /try again later/i.test(words);
+}

modules/gitea/index.ts

@@ -58,8 +58,11 @@ import { CHECK_CONTEXT, CHECK_STATUS, REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT, commentFor, composedGa
 import { GateWriter } from "./gate.js";
 import { HOOK_PATH, HOOK_PORT, Pace, claimHead, ensureSystemHook, eventsTool, keptSecret, receiver, type ForgeEvent } from "./webhook.js";
 import { keepSiblings, noteComposed, noteVerdict, readSiblings, siblingsFile, siblingsOf, weighSiblings } from "./siblings.js";
-import { bindInBackground } from "./bind.js";
+import { bindInBackground, bindUntilHeld } from "./bind.js";
 import { announcementOf, keepTook, lateVerdictComment, outOfDateWords, sameCommit, tookFile, weighTrunks } from "./trunk.js";
+import { ReadAll, readAllTools } from "./readall.js";
+import { DeliveredWrites, INDEXER_MODULES, writeTools, type ModulesChange } from "./writes.js";
+import { TOOLS_ACCOUNT, TOOLS_ORG, meshAccounts } from "./tools-account.js";
 
 // Without a way to a token — configured, or mintable with the admin account (token.ts) — there is
 // nothing to watch; log and stay quiet rather than crash the runtime. With one, the first poll mints
@@ -500,8 +503,21 @@ if (!gitea) pace.unheard("the forge is not watched: no way to a token", false);
 // Said with `emit`, not the SDK's `keeps`, which the toolchain's SDK does not have yet: switch to `keeps` once that SDK is 0.1.15 or later (issue 1852).
 await emit("states", statesAnnouncement(process.env.MESH_MODULE || "gitea", process.env.MESH_NODE));
 
+// **The mesh's accounts read every repository** (readall.ts; the operator, 2026-10-26): the tools', the build modules'
+// and the machines' agents' (meshAccounts, tools-account.ts), granted with the site
+// administrator's login, which the module holds for setting the forge up and uses here for that grant alone. Made on
+// first use, so a module whose admin login is missing still serves the rest and the tools say why.
+let readAllOnce: ReadAll | null = null;
+const readAll = (): ReadAll => (readAllOnce ??= new ReadAll(GiteaAdmin.fromEnv(), meshAccounts(process.env.MESH_GITEA_TOOLS_USER || TOOLS_ACCOUNT)));
+
+// **The merging account writes every repository that builds a registered module** (writes.ts; the operator,
+// 2026-10-26; issue 1945): which those are is the indexer's state, watched below. Made on first use, as readAll.
+let writesOnce: DeliveredWrites | null = null;
+const writes = (): DeliveredWrites => (writesOnce ??= new DeliveredWrites(GiteaAdmin.fromEnv(),
+  process.env.MESH_GITEA_TOOLS_USER || TOOLS_ACCOUNT, TOOLS_ORG, (l) => console.log(`[gitea] ${l}`), (type, body) => emit(type, body)));
+
 // gitea_events is served whether or not the forge is watched: it says so (novox/hq issue 729).
-registerModuleTools("gitea", () => [eventsTool(pace), ...(gitea ? [commitStatusTool({
+registerModuleTools("gitea", () => [eventsTool(pace), ...readAllTools(readAll), ...writeTools(writes), ...(gitea ? [commitStatusTool({
   setCommitStatus: (owner, repo, sha, status) => (gitea as GiteaClient).setCommitStatus(owner, repo, sha, status),
   gates,
 }), mergeTool(gitea, { gates })] : [])]);
@@ -543,7 +559,12 @@ async function listenForForge(client: GiteaClient): Promise<boolean> {
     const server = receiver({ secret, port, heard: (kind, delivery) => pace.heard(kind, delivery),
       refused: (reason, from) => pace.refused(reason, from),
       publish: (event) => emit(event.name, event.body),
-      act: (event) => actOn(client, event) });
+      act: async (event) => {
+        // A repository made, or one not yet seen readable, is granted read before anything acts on it (readall.ts).
+        await Promise.resolve().then(() => readAll().onEvent(event)).catch((err) =>
+          console.error(`[gitea] whether the mesh's accounts read the repository of ${event.name} could not be settled — ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`));
+        await actOn(client, event);
+      } });
     await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
       server.once("error", reject);
       server.listen(port, host, () => resolve());
@@ -594,6 +615,32 @@ if (gitea) {
   // of the node starts left gitea_commit_status, gitea_merge_pull_request and gitea_events served nowhere. Until it is
   // listening, Pace keeps the polls at 30 s, so nothing is missed meanwhile; listenForForge says its own failure.
   void listenForForge(client);
+  // The start's one pass over every repository (readall.ts), not awaited for the same reason. A forge not answering yet
+  // is asked again, a minute apart, until one pass has run; after that only the forge's events grant.
+  // An account of the list the forge does not hold yet (the forge-account provider makes nox-builder and nox-agent when
+  // their first consumer asks, and the forge sends no event for a user made) is looked for again ten minutes apart
+  // until every account was granted once; the line of each pass names it.
+  const readAllAtStart = (): void => void Promise.resolve().then(() => readAll().atStart()).then((r) => {
+    if (r.absent.length) setTimeout(readAllAtStart, 600_000);
+  }, (err) => {
+    console.error(`[gitea] whether the mesh's accounts read every repository could not be settled; asked again in a minute — ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
+    setTimeout(readAllAtStart, 60_000);
+  });
+  try {
+    readAll();
+    readAllAtStart();
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error(`[gitea] the mesh's accounts are not given read on every repository: no site administrator's login — ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
+  }
+  // The indexer's modules, watched: the watch hands every key's latest value at its start and then each change, so a
+  // repository that builds a registered module is made writable at the start and when its first module is registered
+  // (writes.ts). A read not granted yet is said and asked again until it holds.
+  try {
+    const w = writes();
+    void bindUntilHeld(INDEXER_MODULES, () => state<unknown>(INDEXER_MODULES).watch((change) => w.take(change as ModulesChange)));
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error(`[gitea] the merging account is not given write on the delivered repositories: no site administrator's login — ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
+  }
   // Main takes no push and only the tools' account merges, in every repository, kept and not only when a token is
   // minted: at the start and every ten minutes after, so a repository made later gets it too (issue 948, ADR 0398 §2).
   // Only while the setting keep-main-rules is true (mainrules.ts); false, the default, leaves every repository's rule as set.

modules/gitea/internal/forgeaccount/user_test.go

@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 package forgeaccount
 
-import "testing"
+import (
+	"os"
+	"regexp"
+	"testing"
+)
 
 func TestForgeUserOfAMachineAccountIsTheOneAgentUser(t *testing.T) {
 	if got := ForgeUser("g14", "machine"); got != "nox-agent" {
@@ -15,6 +19,18 @@ func TestForgeUserOfAMachineAccountIsTheOneAgentUser(t *testing.T) {
 	if got := NodeAccount("g14"); got != "agent-g14" {
 		t.Fatalf("the token tool's per-node account = %q", got)
 	}
+	// The accounts that read every repository (readall.ts, meshAccounts in tools-account.ts) name these two users: the
+	// list is held to the Go constants here, so the two cannot drift apart (the operator, 2026-10-26).
+	ts, err := os.ReadFile("../../tools-account.ts")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for name, want := range map[string]string{"BUILDER_ACCOUNT": BuilderUser, "AGENT_ACCOUNT": AgentUser} {
+		m := regexp.MustCompile(`export const ` + name + ` = "([^"]+)";`).FindSubmatch(ts)
+		if m == nil || string(m[1]) != want {
+			t.Errorf("tools-account.ts %s = %q, want %q (internal/forgeaccount)", name, m, want)
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func TestRemoveKeysTitledTakesOnlyTheMeshKeysOfThatTitle(t *testing.T) {

modules/gitea/mainrules.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,19 @@ export function keepMainRules(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): boolean {
   } catch { return false; }
 }
 
+/** The setting check-gates-merge (the operator, 2026-10-25 22:56: "run the check locally only, but not as a gate, it loses
+ *  us too much time"): whether the merge tool judges mesh/check before it merges. Absent, unreadable or anything but false
+ *  is true; false lets a head the operator's Approve names merge with mesh/check pending, failed, missing or judged on an
+ *  older trunk (mesh-delivery-gate's setting of the same name stops waiting for it before the Approve). */
+export function checkGatesMerge(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): boolean {
+  const file = env.MESH_GITEA_CONFIG_FILE;
+  if (!file) return true;
+  try {
+    const v = (JSON.parse(readFileSync(file, "utf8")) as Record<string, unknown>)["check-gates-merge"];
+    return !(v === false || v === "false");
+  } catch { return true; }
+}
+
 /** The 10-minute step: puts the rules right only when kept; else says once that they are left and writes nothing. */
 export function mainRulesStep(keep: boolean, put: () => Promise<string[]>, say: (line: string) => void): () => Promise<void> {
   let said = false;

modules/gitea/merge.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { mergeableUnder, newestByContext } from "./checks.js";
 import { MERGE_METHODS, Refused, checkName } from "./guard.js";
 import { CHECK_CONTEXT, CHECK_STATUS, REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT, maintained, requiredOf } from "./pulls.js";
 import { approvedHeadsOf, groupRefusal, memberKey, namesSiblings, notApproved, readSiblings, siblingOutOfDate, siblingsFile } from "./siblings.js";
+import { checkGatesMerge } from "./mainrules.js";
 import { announcementOf, askedWords, outOfDateWords, sameCommit, tookFile, tookWords, twelve, verdictAtTrunk, waitsForComposed } from "./trunk.js";
 
 /** A head named for a merge: at least 12 hex characters of its sha (novox/hq issue 381), up to a sha-256 commit's 64. */
@@ -31,11 +32,13 @@ export interface MergeDeps {
   emit?: (type: string, body: unknown) => Promise<void>;
   stateDir?: string;
   now?: () => Date;
+  /** Whether mesh/check gates the merge: the setting check-gates-merge, read at each merge (mainrules.ts). */
+  checkGates?: () => boolean;
 }
 
 export function mergeTool(gitea: GiteaClient, given: MergeDeps): ToolDefinition {
   const deps = { ...given, emit: given.emit ?? announce, stateDir: given.stateDir ?? process.env.MESH_GITEA_STATE_DIR,
-    now: given.now ?? (() => new Date()) };
+    now: given.now ?? (() => new Date()), checkGates: given.checkGates ?? (() => checkGatesMerge()) };
   return {
     name: "gitea_merge_pull_request",
     description: "Merge a pull request at the head you name — the commit you reviewed — when that is still its head, " +
@@ -126,7 +129,10 @@ export function mergeTool(gitea: GiteaClient, given: MergeDeps): ToolDefinition
       }
       const kept = maintained(required);
       const byCheck = required.includes(CHECK_STATUS) || kept.length === 0;
-      if (byCheck) {
+      // **check-gates-merge false** (the operator, 2026-10-25): mesh/check is information, not a gate. A head the operator's
+      // Approve names merges whatever its mesh/check says, pending, failed, missing or judged on an older trunk; without
+      // approved_heads the check still judges.
+      if (byCheck && (deps.checkGates() || !approved)) {
         // **mesh/check is the checker's** (ADR 0447 §4): it is judged here against the trunk's head, and refused when it
         // is not current; nothing is written or asked — the checker checks a head again when its trunk moves.
         const check = checks[CHECK_STATUS];

modules/gitea/module.json

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
   ],
   "emits": [
     "repo.created",
+    "repo.writable",
     "issue.opened",
     "pull.merged",
     "pull.updated",
@@ -181,6 +182,12 @@
       "trusted": true,
       "default": {}
     },
+    "check-gates-merge": {
+      "type": "boolean",
+      "description": "Whether gitea_merge_pull_request judges mesh/check before it merges. True (the default): a head merges only on a passing mesh/check judged against the trunk's head (ADR 0447, ADR 0534 §4). False (the operator, 2026-10-25 22:56: \"run the check locally only, but not as a gate, it loses us too much time\"): a head the operator's Approve names in approved_heads merges whatever its mesh/check says (pending, failed, missing or judged on an older trunk); a head that moved, a branch no rule guards and a merge git refuses are still refused. Set together with mesh-delivery-gate's check-gates-merge.",
+      "trusted": true,
+      "default": true
+    },
     "main-mergers": {
       "type": "list",
       "description": "The forge logins that may merge into main beside the tools' account, on every repository of the organisation (ADR 0534 §2): the operator's own, so the operator can always merge by hand at the forge. The tools' account is always on main's merge whitelist; no agent's account belongs here.",
@@ -316,7 +323,8 @@
       "takes-config": [
         "url",
         "keep-main-rules",
-        "main-mergers"
+        "main-mergers",
+        "check-gates-merge"
       ]
     },
     {
@@ -560,6 +568,7 @@
     "mesh-build-go.keys",
     "mesh-build-node.keys",
     "mesh-build-image.keys",
-    "mesh-delivery-checker.owed"
+    "mesh-delivery-checker.owed",
+    "mesh-delivery-indexer.modules"
   ]
 }

modules/gitea/readall.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,263 @@
+// The mesh's own forge accounts read every repository on the forge (the operator, 2026-10-26: "the mesh's forge account
+// should get read access to all repositories"; and "why wouldn't the forge account get access to all repo's?").
+//
+// **Every account the mesh's parts use, from one list** (MESH_ACCOUNTS, tools-account.ts): the tools' `mesh-tools`, the
+// build modules' `nox-builder` (their fetch over ssh, ADR 0466 §3) and the machines' `nox-agent` (ssh-client's key,
+// ADR 0410 §1). The first pass granted the tools' account alone, so the build modules' fetch of jschoubben/car-hunter
+// still failed on ace and g14 ("nox-builder ... is not authorized to read"). The two Go names are the ones of
+// internal/forgeaccount, whose test holds the list to them. An account the forge does not hold yet (its consumer never
+// asked) is said and left out, never a refusal per repository.
+//
+// Since issue 469 the tools act as the plain account `mesh-tools`, which writes to the organisation novox's
+// repositories through its team (tools-account.ts). Every other repository it saw only when public: a private
+// repository of a user (jschoubben/car-hunter, jschoubben/snake) answered its tools 404 and was missing from every
+// list, while that user's public ones were there. So the module makes its account a collaborator that reads only on
+// each repository it cannot read, the least the forge offers: one repository, read, no organisation membership.
+//
+//   - **at the start**, one pass over every repository of every user and organisation;
+//   - **on the forge's own event** (the system webhook, webhook.ts): `forge.repository.created` and `forge.fork` at
+//     once, and the first event of any repository this process has not yet seen readable, since the forge may not
+//     send a repository's creation for every owner. Nothing polls for it.
+//
+// **Not caught: a repository made private later.** The forge sends no event for a change of visibility, and a public
+// repository is already seen readable by the start's pass, so its events ask nothing. Such a repository is granted at
+// the module's next start, or now by `gitea_grant_read`; `gitea_unreadable_repos` shows it meanwhile.
+//
+// **The grant needs the site administrator's login.** Adding a collaborator asks the repository's administration,
+// which on another user's repository only the site administrator holds; the module holds that login for setting the
+// forge up (MESH_GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE). Here it is used through `ReadAllForge` alone: list the repositories, read
+// the account's permission on one, add the account as a collaborator that reads. Nothing else, and never for the tools'
+// own calls, which keep their token.
+//
+// What the forge refuses (a repository that went meanwhile, an archived one if the forge will not take a collaborator
+// on it) is said per repository and not retried; the tool `gitea_unreadable_repos` shows what is left, and
+// `gitea_grant_read` grants again now.
+
+import type { ForgeRepository } from "./client.js";
+
+/** What the module asks of the forge for this, with the site administrator's login (GiteaAdmin, client.ts). */
+export interface ReadAllForge {
+  everyRepository(): Promise<ForgeRepository[]>;
+  repository(owner: string, repo: string): Promise<ForgeRepository | null>;
+  /** Whether the forge holds the account at all. */
+  accountExists(user: string): Promise<boolean>;
+  repositoryPermission(owner: string, repo: string, user: string): Promise<string>;
+  addReadCollaborator(owner: string, repo: string, user: string): Promise<void>;
+}
+
+/** A repository an account cannot read, and why. */
+export interface Unreadable {
+  account: string;
+  repository: string;
+  permission: string;
+  private: boolean;
+  archived: boolean;
+  why: string;
+}
+
+export interface Granted {
+  /** Repositories looked at (for each account). */
+  checked: number;
+  /** The accounts looked at: those the forge holds. */
+  accounts: string[];
+  /** Accounts of the list the forge does not hold yet: nothing is granted to them until it does. */
+  absent: string[];
+  /** Made readable now, by a read collaborator: each repository and the account. */
+  granted: { account: string; repository: string }[];
+  /** The forge refused the grant: each repository, the account and the forge's own words. */
+  refused: { account: string; repository: string; why: string }[];
+}
+
+const READS = new Set(["read", "write", "admin", "owner"]);
+
+const said = (err: unknown): string => (err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err));
+
+/** Why the account cannot read a repository, from what the forge says of it. */
+export function whyUnreadable(repo: ForgeRepository, account: string): string {
+  const parts: string[] = [];
+  if (repo.private) parts.push(`a private repository of ${repo.owner}, on which ${account} is no collaborator and in no team that covers it`);
+  else if (repo.owner_visibility !== "public") {
+    parts.push(`a public repository of ${repo.owner}, whose own visibility is ${repo.owner_visibility}: the forge shows it to members only`);
+  } else parts.push(`the forge answers ${account} no read on it`);
+  if (repo.archived) parts.push("archived");
+  return parts.join("; ");
+}
+
+export class ReadAll {
+  /** Per account, the repositories this process has seen it read, by full name: an event of a repository every account
+   *  was seen reading asks nothing more. */
+  readonly readable = new Map<string, Set<string>>();
+  readonly accounts: readonly string[];
+
+  constructor(private readonly forge: ReadAllForge, accounts: readonly string[] | string,
+    private readonly log: (line: string) => void = (l) => console.log(`[gitea] ${l}`)) {
+    this.accounts = [...new Set(typeof accounts === "string" ? [accounts] : accounts)];
+    if (!this.accounts.length) throw new Error("no forge account to give read: the list is empty");
+    for (const a of this.accounts) this.readable.set(a, new Set());
+  }
+
+  /** The accounts of the list (or of those named) the forge holds, and those it does not hold yet. */
+  private async present(only?: string[]): Promise<{ accounts: string[]; absent: string[] }> {
+    const wanted = only && only.length ? only : [...this.accounts];
+    for (const a of wanted) if (!this.accounts.includes(a)) throw new Error(`"${a}" is not one of the mesh's accounts: ${this.accounts.join(", ")}`);
+    const accounts: string[] = [];
+    const absent: string[] = [];
+    for (const a of wanted) ((await this.forge.accountExists(a)) ? accounts : absent).push(a);
+    return { accounts, absent };
+  }
+
+  /** Every repository each account cannot read, and why, as the forge says it now. */
+  async unreadable(only?: string[]): Promise<{ checked: number; accounts: { account: string; unreadable: number }[]; absent: string[]; unreadable: Unreadable[] }> {
+    const { accounts, absent } = await this.present(only);
+    const repos = await this.forge.everyRepository();
+    const out: Unreadable[] = [];
+    for (const account of accounts) {
+      for (const repo of repos) {
+        try {
+          const u = await this.judge(repo, account);
+          if (u) out.push(u);
+        } catch (err) {
+          // A permission the forge would not answer is said for that repository; the rest are still looked at.
+          out.push({ account, repository: repo.full_name, permission: "unknown", private: repo.private, archived: repo.archived,
+            why: `the forge did not answer ${account}'s permission on it — ${said(err)}` });
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return { checked: repos.length, accounts: accounts.map((account) => ({ account, unreadable: out.filter((u) => u.account === account).length })),
+      absent, unreadable: out };
+  }
+
+  /** Grant read on every repository an account cannot read (or on those named, `owner/name`), for every account of the
+   *  list the forge holds (or for those named). */
+  async grant(only?: string[], accountsOnly?: string[]): Promise<Granted> {
+    const { accounts, absent } = await this.present(accountsOnly);
+    let repos: ForgeRepository[];
+    if (only && only.length) {
+      repos = [];
+      for (const full of only) {
+        const [owner, name, ...rest] = full.split("/");
+        if (!owner || !name || rest.length) throw new Error(`"${full}" is not a repository: say owner/name`);
+        const repo = await this.forge.repository(owner, name);
+        if (!repo) throw new Error(`the forge holds no repository ${full}`);
+        repos.push(repo);
+      }
+    } else repos = await this.forge.everyRepository();
+    const result: Granted = { checked: repos.length, accounts, absent, granted: [], refused: [] };
+    for (const account of accounts) {
+      for (const repo of repos) {
+        const repository = repo.full_name;
+        let u: Unreadable | null;
+        try {
+          u = await this.judge(repo, account);
+        } catch (err) {
+          // One repository whose permission cannot be read is a refusal of its own, never the end of the pass.
+          result.refused.push({ account, repository, why: `its permission could not be read — ${said(err)}` });
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (!u) continue;
+        try {
+          await this.forge.addReadCollaborator(repo.owner, repo.name, account);
+        } catch (err) {
+          result.refused.push({ account, repository, why: said(err) });
+          continue;
+        }
+        // Read back: the forge's own word that the account reads it now, never the grant's answer alone.
+        let after: string;
+        try {
+          after = await this.forge.repositoryPermission(repo.owner, repo.name, account);
+        } catch (err) {
+          result.refused.push({ account, repository, why: `granted, but its permission could not be read back — ${said(err)}` });
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (READS.has(after)) {
+          this.readable.get(account)!.add(repository);
+          result.granted.push({ account, repository });
+        } else {
+          result.refused.push({ account, repository, why: `the grant was answered, but the forge still gives ${account} "${after}"` });
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  /** The start's one pass: grant what is missing and say it. Answers the result; a failure is the caller's to say. */
+  async atStart(): Promise<Granted> {
+    const r = await this.grant();
+    const per = r.accounts.map((a) => {
+      const g = r.granted.filter((x) => x.account === a).map((x) => x.repository);
+      return `${a} ${g.length} granted read now${g.length ? ` (${g.join(", ")})` : ""}`;
+    });
+    this.log(`the mesh's accounts read every repository: ${r.checked} looked at; ${per.join("; ")}` +
+      `${r.absent.length ? `; not on the forge yet, so not granted: ${r.absent.join(", ")}` : ""}` +
+      `${r.refused.length ? `; ${r.refused.length} refused: ` + r.refused.map((x) => `${x.account} on ${x.repository} — ${x.why}`).join("; ") : ""}`);
+    return r;
+  }
+
+  /** A forge event: a repository made (or forked), or the first event of one some account was not seen reading, is
+   *  granted read now to every account that cannot read it. */
+  async onEvent(event: { name: string; body: unknown }): Promise<void> {
+    const b = (event.body ?? {}) as { owner?: string; repo?: string };
+    if (!b.owner || !b.repo) return;
+    const full = `${b.owner}/${b.repo}`;
+    if (event.name === "forge.repository.deleted") {
+      for (const seen of this.readable.values()) seen.delete(full);
+      return;
+    }
+    const made = event.name === "forge.repository.created" || event.name === "forge.fork";
+    // Seen readable once by every account, its events ask nothing: so a repository made private after that is not
+    // caught here (the forge says no change of visibility), only at the next start or by gitea_grant_read.
+    if (!made && [...this.readable.values()].every((seen) => seen.has(full))) return;
+    const r = await this.grant([full]);
+    for (const x of r.granted) this.log(`${x.account} was given read on ${full}, on the forge's ${event.name}`);
+    for (const x of r.refused) this.log(`${x.account} could not be given read on ${x.repository} — ${x.why}`);
+  }
+
+  private async judge(repo: ForgeRepository, account: string): Promise<Unreadable | null> {
+    const permission = await this.forge.repositoryPermission(repo.owner, repo.name, account);
+    const seen = this.readable.get(account)!;
+    if (READS.has(permission)) {
+      seen.add(repo.full_name);
+      return null;
+    }
+    seen.delete(repo.full_name);
+    return { account, repository: repo.full_name, permission, private: repo.private, archived: repo.archived, why: whyUnreadable(repo, account) };
+  }
+}
+
+type Tool = { name: string; description: string; input: Record<string, unknown>; run: (args: Readonly<Record<string, unknown>>) => Promise<unknown> };
+
+const strings = (v: unknown): string[] | undefined => (Array.isArray(v) ? v.map(String) : undefined);
+
+/** The two tools: what each account cannot read and why, and the grant now. */
+export function readAllTools(readAll: () => ReadAll): Tool[] {
+  return [
+    {
+      name: "gitea_unreadable_repos",
+      description: "Every repository on the forge one of the mesh's own forge accounts cannot read, and why, per account: " +
+        "the tools' (mesh-tools), the build modules' fetch over ssh (nox-builder) and the machines' agents' (nox-agent). " +
+        "For each, the permission the forge gives it there, whether the repository is private or archived, and in words " +
+        "the reason (a private repository of a user with the account no collaborator, an owner not public); a count per " +
+        "account, and the accounts the forge does not hold yet. Empty when every account reads every repository. Read " +
+        "with the site administrator's login, which alone sees every repository.",
+      input: {
+        accounts: { type: "array", items: { type: "string" }, description: "the accounts to look at; empty or absent, every one of the mesh's" },
+      },
+      run: async (args) => readAll().unreadable(strings(args.accounts)),
+    },
+    {
+      name: "gitea_grant_read",
+      description: "Give each of the mesh's own forge accounts (mesh-tools, nox-builder, nox-agent) read on every " +
+        "repository it cannot read now, or on the repositories named, or for the accounts named: each becomes a " +
+        "collaborator that reads only, the least the forge offers. The module does this itself at its start and on the " +
+        "forge's event of a repository made; this is the same act by hand, such as when a build's fetch says its account " +
+        "is not authorized to read a repository. Answers how many were looked at, which were granted to which account " +
+        "(each read back from the forge), which the forge refused, in its own words, and the accounts it does not hold " +
+        "yet. Needs the site administrator's login, used for this grant alone.",
+      input: {
+        repositories: { type: "array", items: { type: "string" }, description: "owner/name of each repository; empty or absent, every repository" },
+        accounts: { type: "array", items: { type: "string" }, description: "the accounts to grant; empty or absent, every one of the mesh's" },
+      },
+      run: async (args) => readAll().grant(strings(args.repositories), strings(args.accounts)),
+    },
+  ];
+}

modules/gitea/test/guard.test.ts

@@ -525,6 +525,18 @@ test("gitea_merge_pull_request judges mesh/check on a main requiring no status,
 
   state.statuses = line(TRUNK);
   assert.equal(((await merge()) as Record<string, unknown>).merged, true);
+
+  // check-gates-merge false (the operator, 2026-10-25): a head the Approve names merges whatever its mesh/check says;
+  // without approved_heads it is refused as before.
+  const ungated = mergeTool(client, { gates, stateDir, emit: async () => {}, checkGates: () => false });
+  const mergeUngated = (args: Record<string, unknown> = { approved_heads }) =>
+    ungated.run({ owner: "novox", repo: "mesh-catalog", number: 7, head: REVIEWED, ...args });
+  for (const statuses of [[], line(TRUNK, "pending", "checking"), line(TRUNK, "failure", "fail"), line(MOVED)]) {
+    state.merged = false;
+    state.statuses = statuses;
+    await assert.rejects(mergeUngated({}), /Approve/);
+    assert.equal(((await mergeUngated()) as Record<string, unknown>).merged, true, JSON.stringify(statuses));
+  }
 });
 
 test("a rule named for a branch is not made weaker than the glob rule that guards it now", async () => {

modules/gitea/test/merge-retry.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import { createServer } from "node:http";
+
+// **The forge's 405 "Please try again later" on a merge is asked again briefly** (novox/hq issue 1275, 2026-10-26 13:40):
+// mesh-delivery#73's merge was answered so a few seconds after its base moved, and counted as refused at once. The forge
+// says it while it works out whether the pull request merges; the merge is asked again after a short wait, and every other
+// refusal is answered at once. A pull request's own mergeable is carried, so a group can be read whole before it merges.
+
+/** A forge whose merge of novox/hq#7 answers each of `answers` in turn (the last for ever), and whose pull request says
+ *  `mergeable`. */
+async function serve(answers: { status: number; body: string }[], mergeable?: boolean) {
+  const { GiteaClient } = await import("../client.ts");
+  let merges = 0;
+  const server = createServer((req, res) => {
+    const url = new URL(req.url ?? "", "http://x");
+    if (url.pathname === "/api/v1/repos/novox/hq/pulls/7/merge" && req.method === "POST") {
+      const a = answers[Math.min(merges++, answers.length - 1)];
+      res.statusCode = a.status;
+      return res.end(a.body);
+    }
+    if (url.pathname === "/api/v1/repos/novox/hq/pulls/7") {
+      return res.end(JSON.stringify({ number: 7, state: "open", merged: false, base: { ref: "main" },
+        head: { ref: "b", sha: "a".repeat(40) }, html_url: "h/7", ...(mergeable === undefined ? {} : { mergeable }) }));
+    }
+    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");
+  GiteaClient.mergeRetryAfter = [1, 1, 1];
+  return { client, server, merges: () => merges };
+}
+
+const later = { status: 405, body: '{"message":"Please try again later"}' };
+const ok = { status: 200, body: "" };
+
+test("a merge answered 'try again later' while the forge works out its mergeability, then merged", async (t) => {
+  const cases: { name: string; answers: { status: number; body: string }[]; merged: boolean; asked: number }[] = [
+    { name: "merged on the third ask", answers: [later, later, ok], merged: true, asked: 3 },
+    { name: "still 'later' after the last wait: refused, with the forge's words", answers: [later], merged: false, asked: 4 },
+    { name: "a refusal of another kind is answered at once", answers: [{ status: 409, body: '{"message":"head moved"}' }], merged: false, asked: 1 },
+  ];
+  for (const c of cases) {
+    await t.test(c.name, async () => {
+      const { client, server, merges } = await serve(c.answers);
+      try {
+        const done = client.mergePullRequest("novox", "hq", 7, "merge", false, "a".repeat(40));
+        if (c.merged) await done;
+        else await assert.rejects(done, (err: Error) => /40[59]/.test(err.message));
+        assert.equal(merges(), c.asked);
+      } finally {
+        server.close();
+      }
+    });
+  }
+});
+
+test("a pull request carries the forge's mergeable, and none when the forge did not say", async () => {
+  for (const mergeable of [true, false, undefined]) {
+    const { client, server } = await serve([ok], mergeable);
+    try {
+      assert.equal((await client.getPullRequest("novox", "hq", 7)).mergeable, mergeable);
+    } finally {
+      server.close();
+    }
+  }
+});

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

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import { join } from "node:path";
 
 import { MintedToken } from "../dist/token.js";
 import { GiteaClient } from "../dist/client.js";
-import { TOOLS_ACCOUNT, TOOLS_TEAM_UNITS } from "../dist/tools-account.js";
+import { TOOLS_ACCOUNT, TOOLS_TEAM_UNITS, BUILDER_ACCOUNT, AGENT_ACCOUNT, meshAccounts } from "../dist/tools-account.js";
 import { repoCheckFacts } from "../dist/pulls.js";
 
 const ADMIN = "mesh-admin";
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@ interface Account { admin: boolean; password: string; active: boolean }
 interface Token { id: number; name: string; sha1: string; user: string; scopes: string[] }
 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 repoFaults = { refuse: new Set<string>(), permission: new Set<string>() };
+function addRepo(full: string, isPrivate: boolean, ownerVisibility = "public"): ForgeRepo {
+  const [owner, name] = full.split("/");
+  const r = { owner, name, full, private: isPrivate, ownerVisibility, collaborators: new Map<string, string>() };
+  forgeRepos.push(r);
+  return r;
+}
+const repoJSON = (r: ForgeRepo) => ({ full_name: r.full, name: r.name, owner: { login: r.owner, visibility: r.ownerVisibility },
+  private: r.private, archived: r.archived === true });
+
 function fakeForge() {
   const users = new Map<string, Account>([[ADMIN, { admin: true, password: PASSWORD, active: true }]]);
   const tokens: Token[] = [];
@@ -61,6 +73,13 @@ function fakeForge() {
     return null;
   };
   const isAdmin = (u: string | null) => u !== null && users.get(u)?.admin === true;
+  const permissionOf = (u: string | null, r: ForgeRepo): string => {
+    if (isAdmin(u)) return "admin";
+    if (u === r.owner) return "owner";
+    if (r.owner === "novox" && teams.some((t) => t.members.has(u ?? "") && t.units.units_map?.["repo.code"] === "write")) return "write";
+    if (u && r.collaborators.has(u)) return r.collaborators.get(u)!;
+    return !r.private && r.ownerVisibility === "public" ? "read" : "none";
+  };
 
   const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
     const url = new URL(req.url ?? "/", "http://fake");
@@ -176,7 +195,35 @@ function fakeForge() {
       if (!writes) return json(res, 403, { message: "write on code required" });
       return json(res, 201, { context: (await read(req)).context, creator: { login: me } });
     }
-    if (req.method === "GET" && p === "/repos/search") return json(res, 200, { data: [] });
+    // Every repository of every owner, and who reads it (readall.ts): the site administrator reads all; the tools' account
+    // a repository of novox through its team, a public one of a public owner, and one it is a collaborator of.
+    if (req.method === "GET" && p === "/repos/search") {
+      const page = Number(url.searchParams.get("page") ?? "1");
+      const seen = forgeRepos.filter((r) => permissionOf(me, r) !== "none");
+      return json(res, 200, { data: page === 1 ? seen.map(repoJSON) : [] });
+    }
+    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 || permissionOf(me, repo) === "none") return json(res, 404, { message: "repository does not exist" });
+      if (req.method === "GET" && !m[3]) {
+        const mine = permissionOf(me, repo);
+        return json(res, 200, { ...repoJSON(repo), permissions: { pull: true, push: ["write", "admin", "owner"].includes(mine), admin: ["admin", "owner"].includes(mine) } });
+      }
+      const user = decodeURIComponent(m[3] ?? "");
+      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) });
+      }
+      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.
+        if (!isAdmin(me) && me !== repo.owner) return json(res, 403, { message: "user should be an owner or a collaborator with admin write of a repository" });
+        if (repoFaults.refuse.has(repo.full)) return json(res, 422, { message: "the forge would not have it" });
+        repo.collaborators.set(user, (await read(req))?.permission ?? "write");
+        return json(res, 204, null);
+      }
+    }
     return json(res, 404, { message: "no such route in the fake" });
   });
   return new Promise<{ url: string; users: typeof users; tokens: typeof tokens; teams: typeof teams; calls: string[]; mainRules: typeof mainRules;
@@ -402,3 +449,197 @@ test("a mint with keep-main-rules false (the default) writes no branch protectio
   const writes = forge.calls.slice(from).filter((c: string) => /branch_protections/.test(c) && !/^GET /.test(c) && !/^(GET|HEAD) /.test(c));
   assert.deepEqual(writes, []);
 });
+
+// The mesh's accounts read every repository (readall.ts; the operator, 2026-10-26): jschoubben/car-hunter and
+// jschoubben/snake, private repositories of a user, answered the tools 404 while that user's public ones were seen; and
+// once the tools' account read them, the build modules' fetch as nox-builder still could not.
+
+test("the start's pass gives each of the mesh's accounts read, as a collaborator that reads only, on each repository it could not read, and on no other; an account the forge does not hold is said, not refused", async () => {
+  const env = await environment();
+  await fresh(env).listRepos(); // the account and its team exist, as after any mint
+  forge.users.set(BUILDER_ACCOUNT, { admin: false, password: "unused", active: true }); // made by the forge-account provider
+  forge.users.delete(AGENT_ACCOUNT); // no machine's key asked for it yet
+  forgeRepos.splice(0);
+  addRepo("novox/hq", true);
+  addRepo("jschoubben/txt-game", false);
+  addRepo("jschoubben/car-hunter", true);
+  addRepo("jschoubben/snake", true);
+  addRepo("shy/open", false, "limited");
+  addRepo("elsewhere/secret", true);
+  const { GiteaAdmin } = await import("../dist/client.js");
+  const { ReadAll, readAllTools } = await import("../dist/readall.js");
+  const lines: string[] = [];
+  const readAll = new ReadAll(GiteaAdmin.fromEnv(env), meshAccounts(), (l: string) => lines.push(l));
+  assert.deepEqual(readAll.accounts, [TOOLS_ACCOUNT, BUILDER_ACCOUNT, AGENT_ACCOUNT]);
+  const [unreadableTool, grantTool] = readAllTools(() => readAll);
+
+  // What the tool says before, per account: the four the tools' account cannot read, each with why; the builders'
+  // account, in no write team here, also not novox/hq; nox-agent not on the forge.
+  const before = await unreadableTool.run({}) as any;
+  assert.equal(before.checked, 6);
+  const of = (account: string) => before.unreadable.filter((u: any) => u.account === account).map((u: any) => u.repository).sort();
+  assert.deepEqual(of(TOOLS_ACCOUNT), ["elsewhere/secret", "jschoubben/car-hunter", "jschoubben/snake", "shy/open"]);
+  assert.deepEqual(of(BUILDER_ACCOUNT), ["elsewhere/secret", "jschoubben/car-hunter", "jschoubben/snake", "novox/hq", "shy/open"]);
+  assert.deepEqual(before.accounts, [{ account: TOOLS_ACCOUNT, unreadable: 4 }, { account: BUILDER_ACCOUNT, unreadable: 5 }]);
+  assert.deepEqual(before.absent, [AGENT_ACCOUNT]);
+  assert.match(before.unreadable.find((u: any) => u.account === BUILDER_ACCOUNT && u.repository === "jschoubben/car-hunter").why,
+    /a private repository of jschoubben, on which nox-builder is no collaborator/);
+  const builderOnly = await unreadableTool.run({ accounts: [BUILDER_ACCOUNT] }) as any;
+  assert.deepEqual(builderOnly.accounts, [{ account: BUILDER_ACCOUNT, unreadable: 5 }]);
+  await assert.rejects(unreadableTool.run({ accounts: ["someone"] }), /not one of the mesh's accounts/);
+  assert.match(before.unreadable.find((u: any) => u.repository === "jschoubben/car-hunter").why,
+    /a private repository of jschoubben, on which mesh-tools is no collaborator/);
+  assert.match(before.unreadable.find((u: any) => u.repository === "shy/open").why, /visibility is limited/);
+  assert.deepEqual((await fresh(env).listAllRepos()).map((r) => r.full_name).sort(), ["jschoubben/txt-game", "novox/hq"]);
+
+  // The account's own token cannot grant itself: the forge asks the repository's administration (the reason for the admin login).
+  const own = (await readFile(join(env.MESH_GITEA_STATE_DIR, "token"), "utf8")).trim();
+  const self = await fetch(`${forge.url}/api/v1/repos/jschoubben/car-hunter/collaborators/${TOOLS_ACCOUNT}`,
+    { method: "PUT", headers: { Authorization: `token ${own}`, "Content-Type": "application/json" }, body: JSON.stringify({ permission: "read" }) });
+  assert.equal(self.status, 404, "a repository the account cannot read is not even there for it");
+
+  const from = forge.calls.length;
+  const r = await readAll.atStart();
+  const grantedTo = (account: string) => r.granted.filter((x: any) => x.account === account).map((x: any) => x.repository).sort();
+  assert.deepEqual(grantedTo(TOOLS_ACCOUNT), ["elsewhere/secret", "jschoubben/car-hunter", "jschoubben/snake", "shy/open"]);
+  assert.deepEqual(grantedTo(BUILDER_ACCOUNT), ["elsewhere/secret", "jschoubben/car-hunter", "jschoubben/snake", "novox/hq", "shy/open"]);
+  assert.deepEqual(r.refused, []);
+  assert.deepEqual(r.absent, [AGENT_ACCOUNT]);
+  const puts = forge.calls.slice(from).filter((c) => c.startsWith("PUT "));
+  assert.equal(puts.length, 9, "the repositories each read already were left alone, and the absent account was asked nothing");
+  assert.ok(!puts.some((c) => c.includes(AGENT_ACCOUNT)));
+  assert.ok(puts.every((c) => c.endsWith(` as ${ADMIN}`)), "only the administrator's login grants");
+  for (const repo of forgeRepos.filter((x) => x.collaborators.size)) {
+    for (const [account, permission] of repo.collaborators) assert.equal(permission, "read", `${account} on ${repo.full} reads only`);
+  }
+  assert.equal(forgeRepos.find((x) => x.full === "jschoubben/car-hunter")!.collaborators.get(BUILDER_ACCOUNT), "read");
+  assert.match(lines.join("\n"), /6 looked at; mesh-tools 4 granted read now .*; nox-builder 5 granted read now .*; not on the forge yet, so not granted: nox-agent/);
+
+  // The account made later is granted by hand (or at the next pass), its rows like any other.
+  forge.users.set(AGENT_ACCOUNT, { admin: false, password: "unused", active: true });
+  const agent = await grantTool.run({ accounts: [AGENT_ACCOUNT], repositories: ["jschoubben/car-hunter"] }) as any;
+  assert.deepEqual(agent.granted, [{ account: AGENT_ACCOUNT, repository: "jschoubben/car-hunter" }]);
+  assert.deepEqual(agent.absent, []);
+  forge.users.delete(AGENT_ACCOUNT);
+
+  // After: the account's own token sees every repository, and the tool names none.
+  assert.equal((await fresh(env).listAllRepos()).length, 6);
+  assert.deepEqual(((await unreadableTool.run({})) as any).unreadable, []);
+  // Granting again asks nothing of the forge but reads.
+  const again = forge.calls.length;
+  assert.deepEqual(((await grantTool.run({})) as any).granted, []);
+  assert.ok(forge.calls.slice(again).every((c) => c.startsWith("GET ")));
+});
+
+test("on the forge's events: a repository made is granted read at once, a known readable one asks nothing, a refusal is said, not thrown", async () => {
+  const env = await environment();
+  await fresh(env).listRepos();
+  forgeRepos.splice(0);
+  addRepo("jschoubben/txt-game", false);
+  const { GiteaAdmin } = await import("../dist/client.js");
+  const { ReadAll, readAllTools } = await import("../dist/readall.js");
+  const lines: string[] = [];
+  forge.users.set(BUILDER_ACCOUNT, { admin: false, password: "unused", active: true });
+  const readAll = new ReadAll(GiteaAdmin.fromEnv(env), [TOOLS_ACCOUNT, BUILDER_ACCOUNT], (l: string) => lines.push(l));
+  await readAll.atStart();
+
+  const cases: { name: string; event: string; repo: string; make?: boolean; refuse?: boolean; unanswered?: boolean; asks: boolean; reads: string }[] = [
+    { name: "a repository made", event: "forge.repository.created", repo: "jschoubben/new-private", make: true, asks: true, reads: "read" },
+    { name: "a fork made", event: "forge.fork", repo: "someone/fork", make: true, asks: true, reads: "read" },
+    { name: "a push to a repository seen readable", event: "forge.push", repo: "jschoubben/txt-game", asks: false, reads: "read" },
+    { name: "a push to a private repository never seen", event: "forge.push", repo: "jschoubben/quiet", make: true, asks: true, reads: "read" },
+    { name: "a repository the forge refuses the grant on", event: "forge.repository.created", repo: "jschoubben/stuck", make: true, refuse: true, asks: true, reads: "none" },
+    { name: "a repository whose permission the forge will not answer", event: "forge.repository.created", repo: "jschoubben/mute", make: true, unanswered: true, asks: true, reads: "none" },
+  ];
+  for (const c of cases) {
+    if (c.make) addRepo(c.repo, true);
+    if (c.refuse) repoFaults.refuse.add(c.repo);
+    if (c.unanswered) repoFaults.permission.add(c.repo);
+    const from = forge.calls.length;
+    const [owner, repo] = c.repo.split("/");
+    await readAll.onEvent({ name: c.event, body: { owner, repo } });
+    assert.equal(forge.calls.length > from, c.asks, `${c.name}: asks the forge`);
+    for (const account of [TOOLS_ACCOUNT, BUILDER_ACCOUNT]) {
+      assert.equal(forgeRepos.find((x) => x.full === c.repo)!.collaborators.get(account) ?? (c.make ? "none" : "read"), c.reads, `${c.name}: ${account}`);
+    }
+  }
+  assert.match(lines.join("\n"), /mesh-tools could not be given read on jschoubben\/stuck — .*422/);
+  assert.match(lines.join("\n"), /nox-builder was given read on someone\/fork, on the forge's forge.fork/);
+  const named = await (readAllTools(() => readAll)[1].run({ repositories: ["jschoubben/stuck"] })) as any;
+  assert.deepEqual(named.refused.map((x: any) => `${x.account} ${x.repository}`), [`${TOOLS_ACCOUNT} jschoubben/stuck`, `${BUILDER_ACCOUNT} jschoubben/stuck`]);
+  await assert.rejects(readAllTools(() => readAll)[1].run({ repositories: ["no-slash"] }), /not a repository/);
+  assert.match(lines.join("\n"), /could not be given read on jschoubben\/mute — its permission could not be read — .*500/);
+  // A whole pass goes past the repository it cannot judge: every other one is still granted, and the listing names it.
+  addRepo("jschoubben/after-mute", true);
+  const pass = await readAll.grant();
+  assert.ok(pass.granted.some((x: any) => x.repository === "jschoubben/after-mute" && x.account === BUILDER_ACCOUNT), "the pass did not stop at the repository it could not judge");
+  assert.ok(pass.refused.some((x: any) => x.repository === "jschoubben/mute" && /permission could not be read/.test(x.why)));
+  const listed = await readAllTools(() => readAll)[0].run({}) as any;
+  assert.equal(listed.unreadable.find((u: any) => u.repository === "jschoubben/mute").permission, "unknown");
+  repoFaults.refuse.clear();
+  repoFaults.permission.clear();
+});
+
+// The merging account writes every repository that builds a registered module, and no other (writes.ts; the operator,
+// 2026-10-26; issue 1945): car-hunter #2 was approved and its commit status refused 403, mesh-tools reading only there.
+
+test("the merging account is given write on each repository the indexer's modules name, read back and said; the operator's other repositories stay read-only; the tools say both", async () => {
+  const env = await environment();
+  const client = fresh(env);
+  await client.listRepos(); // the account and its team exist, as after any mint
+  forgeRepos.splice(0);
+  addRepo("novox/hq", true);
+  for (const full of ["jschoubben/car-hunter", "jschoubben/snake", "jschoubben/dotfiles"]) addRepo(full, true).collaborators.set(TOOLS_ACCOUNT, "read");
+  const { GiteaAdmin } = await import("../dist/client.js");
+  const { DeliveredWrites, writeTools, WRITABLE_EVENT } = await import("../dist/writes.js");
+  const lines: string[] = [];
+  const said: { type: string; body: any }[] = [];
+  const writes = new DeliveredWrites(GiteaAdmin.fromEnv(env), TOOLS_ACCOUNT, "novox", (l: string) => lines.push(l),
+    async (type: string, body: unknown) => { said.push({ type, body }); });
+  const [unwritableTool, grantTool] = writeTools(() => writes);
+  await assert.rejects(grantTool.run({}), /not known yet/, "nothing is granted before the indexer's modules were read");
+  assert.equal((await client.getRepo("jschoubben", "car-hunter")).writes, false, "the statuses' answer says the account cannot write");
+
+  // 1945/AC1: the watch hands the indexer's modules; a user's repository a module builds from is made writable, once.
+  await writes.take({ key: "car-hunter", op: "put", value: { v: 1, repository: "jschoubben/car-hunter", commit: "c" }, current: true });
+  await writes.take({ key: "gitea", op: "put", value: { v: 1, repository: "novox/hq", commit: "c" }, current: true });
+  await writes.take({ key: "broken", op: "put", value: { v: 1, repository: "no-slash" }, current: true });
+  const from = forge.calls.length;
+  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("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 } }]);
+  assert.match(lines.join("\n"), /mesh-tools was given write on jschoubben\/car-hunter, which builds the registered module car-hunter/);
+  assert.match(lines.join("\n"), /broken names no repository/);
+
+  // 1945/AC2: a delivered repository the forge refuses is said, in its words, by the listing and the grant; the operator's
+  // repository no module builds from is left read-only, named with why, and a grant naming it asks the forge nothing.
+  repoFaults.refuse.add("jschoubben/snake");
+  await writes.take({ key: "snake", op: "put", value: { v: 1, repository: "jschoubben/snake" } });
+  assert.match(lines.join("\n"), /could not be given write on jschoubben\/snake, which builds snake — .*422/);
+  const listed = await unwritableTool.run({}) as any;
+  assert.deepEqual(listed.unwritable.map((u: any) => [u.repository, u.permission]), [["jschoubben/snake", "read"]]);
+  assert.match(listed.unwritable[0].why, /builds snake.*gitea_grant_write/);
+  const all = await grantTool.run({}) as any;
+  assert.deepEqual(all.delivered, ["jschoubben/car-hunter", "jschoubben/snake", "novox/hq"]);
+  assert.deepEqual(all.already, ["jschoubben/car-hunter", "novox/hq"]);
+  assert.deepEqual(all.granted, []);
+  assert.match(all.refused.find((x: any) => x.repository === "jschoubben/snake").why, /422.*would not have it/);
+  assert.deepEqual(all.left_read_only.map((x: any) => x.repository), ["jschoubben/dotfiles"]);
+  assert.match(all.left_read_only[0].why, /builds no registered module/);
+  const puts = forge.calls.length;
+  const named = await grantTool.run({ repositories: ["jschoubben/dotfiles"] }) as any;
+  assert.deepEqual([named.granted, named.left_read_only.map((x: any) => x.repository)], [[], ["jschoubben/dotfiles"]]);
+  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();
+  const after = await grantTool.run({ repositories: ["jschoubben/snake"] }) as any;
+  assert.deepEqual(after.granted, ["jschoubben/snake"]);
+  assert.deepEqual(((await unwritableTool.run({})) as any).unwritable, []);
+  // 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/test/trunk.test.ts

@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ test("both statuses say the head and the trunk commit the verdict judged, first,
   const [old] = statusesFor({ ...c, trunk: undefined, gate: { verdict: "pass", summary: "every machine composes" } });
   assert.equal(old.description, "pass: every machine composes");
   assert.equal(trunkNamed(old.description), undefined);
+  // ADR 0548 §8: a carried verdict's line names the head on the new trunk first, so the merge tool merges it on that trunk.
+  assert.equal(trunkNamed(`pass ${HEAD.slice(0, 12)} on ${MOVED.slice(0, 12)} | carried from ${TRUNK.slice(0, 12)}, mesh-catalog 0123456789ab | unit 0 run, 4 kept`),
+    MOVED.slice(0, 12));
 });
 
 test("a trunk's move puts an open head's merge check out of date, naming both commits, unless a check is on its way", () => {

modules/gitea/tools-account.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,15 @@
 import { keepMainRules } from "./mainrules.js";
 
 export const TOOLS_ACCOUNT = "mesh-tools";
+/** The build modules' account, whose keys fetch over ssh (internal/forgeaccount BuilderUser, ADR 0466 §3). */
+export const BUILDER_ACCOUNT = "nox-builder";
+/** The machines' agents' account, whose keys ssh-client reports (internal/forgeaccount AgentUser, ADR 0410 §1). */
+export const AGENT_ACCOUNT = "nox-agent";
+/** Every forge account the mesh's own parts use: each reads every repository on the forge (readall.ts; the operator,
+ *  2026-10-26). internal/forgeaccount's test holds the two Go names to its own constants. */
+export function meshAccounts(tools: string = TOOLS_ACCOUNT): string[] {
+  return [tools, BUILDER_ACCOUNT, AGENT_ACCOUNT];
+}
 /** The organisation whose repositories are the mesh's, and the team through which the tools' account writes there. */
 export const TOOLS_ORG = "novox";
 export const TOOLS_TEAM = "mesh-tools";

modules/gitea/tools/index.ts

@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ function allGiteaTools(gitea: GiteaClient, admin?: () => GiteaAdmin): ToolDefini
     },
     {
       name: "gitea_commit_statuses",
-      description: "Read a commit's statuses — or a pull request's head's — as the forge keeps them: the newest of each context (mesh/check, mesh/delivery, …) with its state, description, link, when it was set and by whom; and whether the branch it merges into would let it merge, every status that branch's protection requires being a success. Reads only.",
+      description: "Read a commit's statuses — or a pull request's head's — as the forge keeps them: the newest of each context (mesh/check, mesh/delivery, …) with its state, description, link, when it was set and by whom; and whether the branch it merges into would let it merge, every status that branch's protection requires being a success; for a pull request, also the forge's own mergeable (false while it is in conflict with its base or the forge is still working that out); and merge.writes, whether the mesh's merging account may write the repository at all (false: its statuses and its merge are refused until gitea_grant_write). Reads only.",
       input: {
         owner: { type: "string", description: "the repository owner" },
         repo: { type: "string", description: "the repository name" },
@@ -508,11 +508,12 @@ function allGiteaTools(gitea: GiteaClient, admin?: () => GiteaAdmin): ToolDefini
         if (!owner || !repo) throw new Error("name the repository: owner and repo");
         if (!Number.isInteger(number) || number < 0) throw new Error(`${args.number} is not a pull request's number`);
         let pull: { number: number; title: string; state: string; merged: boolean; base?: string; head?: string;
-          head_sha?: string; merge_commit_sha?: string; html_url: string } | undefined;
+          head_sha?: string; merge_commit_sha?: string; merged_at?: string; html_url: string; mergeable?: boolean } | undefined;
         if (number > 0) {
           const p = await gitea.getPullRequest(owner, repo, number);
           pull = { number: p.number, title: p.title, state: p.state, merged: p.merged, base: p.base, head: p.head,
-            head_sha: p.head_sha, merge_commit_sha: p.merge_commit_sha, html_url: p.html_url };
+            head_sha: p.head_sha, merge_commit_sha: p.merge_commit_sha, merged_at: p.merged_at, html_url: p.html_url,
+            ...(p.mergeable === undefined ? {} : { mergeable: p.mergeable }) };
           if (!ref) ref = p.head_sha ?? "";
           if (!base) base = p.base ?? "";
           if (!ref) throw new Error(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} names no head commit`);
@@ -527,8 +528,18 @@ function allGiteaTools(gitea: GiteaClient, admin?: () => GiteaAdmin): ToolDefini
         } catch (err) {
           unreadable = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
         }
+        // Whether this account may write the repository at all (issue 1945): a commit status and a merge need it, and a
+        // repository of a user it only reads refuses both 403. Not said when the forge would not answer.
+        let writes: boolean | undefined;
+        try {
+          writes = (await gitea.getRepo(owner, repo)).writes;
+        } catch {
+          writes = undefined;
+        }
+        const merge = mergeableUnder(base, rule, statuses, unreadable);
         return { commit: combined.sha || ref, pull, combined: combined.state, statuses,
-          merge: mergeableUnder(base, rule, statuses, unreadable) };
+          merge: writes === undefined ? merge : { ...merge, writes,
+            ...(writes ? {} : { cannot_write: `the forge account cannot write ${owner}/${repo}: gitea_grant_write` }) } };
       },
     },
     {

modules/gitea/writes.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,246 @@
+// The account that sets commit statuses and merges writes every repository that builds a registered module, and no other
+// (the operator, 2026-10-26: "yes the mesh should get write access", on the repositories the mesh delivers; novox/hq issue
+// 1945). car-hunter #2 (a repository of a user, not of the organisation novox) was approved, and mesh-delivery's first
+// act, its commit status, was refused 403: the tools' account was only a collaborator that reads there (readall.ts).
+//
+// **Which account.** The tools' account, `mesh-tools`: the gitea module's own tools set every commit status and merge
+// (gitea_commit_status, gitea_merge_pull_request) with its token. The build modules' `nox-builder` and the machines'
+// `nox-agent` only fetch, and keep read (readall.ts).
+//
+// **Which repositories: the indexer's word, read over the bus.** mesh-delivery-indexer keeps every registered module in its
+// state `modules` (mesh-sdk go/delivery ModulesBucket), each value naming the repository it builds from. This module reads
+// that state (its manifest's `reads`) with a watch: the watch hands the latest value of every key when it starts, and then
+// every change, so a repository is granted at the module's start and when a module of it is first registered. Nothing
+// polls. A repository of the organisation needs nothing: the organisation's team writes it (tools-account.ts). Every other
+// repository of a user (the operator's dotfiles, say) is left as it is: read only.
+//
+// **Every grant is read back** from the forge (its permission for the account), and said on the bus as
+// `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.
+//
+// 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";
+
+/** 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";
+/** The event said once an account writes a repository it could not write before. */
+export const WRITABLE_EVENT = "repo.writable";
+
+/** What the module asks of the forge for this, with the site administrator's login (GiteaAdmin, client.ts). */
+export interface WriteForge {
+  everyRepository(): Promise<ForgeRepository[]>;
+  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>;
+}
+
+/** One change of the indexer's modules state, as the SDK's state watch hands it. */
+export interface ModulesChange {
+  key: string;
+  op: "put" | "delete";
+  value?: unknown;
+  revision?: number;
+  current?: boolean;
+}
+
+export interface Written {
+  account: string;
+  /** The repositories that build a registered module, as the indexer says now. */
+  delivered: string[];
+  /** Made writable now, each read back from the forge. */
+  granted: string[];
+  /** Written already (the organisation's team, or a collaborator that writes). */
+  already: 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. */
+  left_read_only: { repository: string; permission: string; why: string }[];
+}
+
+const WRITES = new Set(["write", "admin", "owner"]);
+const said = (err: unknown): string => (err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err));
+
+function split(full: string): [string, string] {
+  const [owner, name, ...rest] = String(full ?? "").split("/");
+  if (!owner || !name || rest.length) throw new Error(`"${full}" is not a repository: say owner/name`);
+  return [owner, name];
+}
+
+export class DeliveredWrites {
+  /** Module to the repository it builds from, as the indexer's state says. */
+  readonly modules = new Map<string, string>();
+  /** Whether the watch has handed the indexer's state at all: until then, which repositories are delivered is not known. */
+  heard = false;
+  /** Repositories seen written by the account in this process: a module registered again asks nothing more. */
+  readonly writable = new Set<string>();
+
+  constructor(private readonly forge: WriteForge, readonly account: string, readonly org: string,
+    private readonly log: (line: string) => void = (l) => console.log(`[gitea] ${l}`),
+    private readonly emit: (type: string, body: unknown) => Promise<void> = async () => {}) {}
+
+  /** The repositories that build a registered module, sorted. */
+  delivered(): string[] {
+    return [...new Set(this.modules.values())].sort();
+  }
+
+  /** One change of the indexer's modules: a repository newly delivered is made writable now. Never throws. */
+  async take(change: ModulesChange): Promise<void> {
+    this.heard = true;
+    if (change.op === "delete") {
+      this.modules.delete(change.key);
+      return;
+    }
+    const repository = String((change.value as { repository?: unknown } | undefined)?.repository ?? "").trim();
+    try {
+      split(repository);
+    } catch {
+      this.log(`${INDEXER_MODULES} ${change.key} names no repository (${JSON.stringify(repository)}): no write is granted for it`);
+      return;
+    }
+    this.modules.set(change.key, repository);
+    if (this.writable.has(repository)) return;
+    try {
+      const r = await this.grant([repository]);
+      for (const g of r.granted) this.log(`${this.account} was given write on ${g}, which builds the registered module ${change.key}`);
+      for (const x of r.refused) this.log(`${this.account} could not be given write on ${x.repository}, which builds ${change.key} — ${x.why}`);
+    } catch (err) {
+      this.log(`whether ${this.account} writes ${repository} (module ${change.key}) could not be settled — ${said(err)}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /** Grant write on every delivered repository the account cannot write (or on those named, each of which must be
+   *  delivered); with none named, also say which repositories it cannot write are left so, and why. */
+  async grant(only?: string[]): Promise<Written> {
+    if (!this.heard) {
+      throw new Error(`which repositories build a registered module is not known yet: ${INDEXER_MODULES} has not been read ` +
+        "(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 named = only && only.length ? only.map((x) => String(x).trim()) : null;
+    const targets: string[] = [];
+    for (const full of named ?? delivered) {
+      split(full);
+      if (delivered.includes(full)) targets.push(full);
+      else result.left_read_only.push({ repository: full, permission: "unchanged",
+        why: "builds no registered module (the indexer names none from it), so the account is given no write there" });
+    }
+    for (const full of targets) {
+      const [owner, name] = split(full);
+      let permission: string;
+      try {
+        if (!(await this.forge.repository(owner, name))) {
+          result.refused.push({ repository: full, why: "the forge holds no repository by that name" });
+          continue;
+        }
+        permission = await this.forge.repositoryPermission(owner, name, this.account);
+      } catch (err) {
+        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) {
+        // 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;
+      }
+      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;
+      }
+      this.writable.add(full);
+      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)}`));
+    }
+    if (!named) {
+      for (const repo of await this.forge.everyRepository()) {
+        if (repo.owner === this.org || delivered.includes(repo.full_name)) continue;
+        let permission: string;
+        try {
+          permission = await this.forge.repositoryPermission(repo.owner, repo.name, this.account);
+        } catch (err) {
+          permission = `unknown — ${said(err)}`;
+        }
+        if (WRITES.has(permission)) continue;
+        result.left_read_only.push({ repository: repo.full_name, permission,
+          why: "builds no registered module (the indexer names none from it), so the account is given no write there" });
+      }
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  /** 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 }[] }> {
+    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 }[] = [];
+    for (const full of delivered) {
+      const [owner, name] = split(full);
+      let permission: string;
+      try {
+        permission = await this.forge.repositoryPermission(owner, name, this.account);
+      } catch (err) {
+        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;
+      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 };
+  }
+}
+
+type Tool = { name: string; description: string; input: Record<string, unknown>; run: (args: Readonly<Record<string, unknown>>) => Promise<unknown> };
+
+/** The two tools: which delivered repositories the merging account cannot write, and the grant now. */
+export function writeTools(writes: () => DeliveredWrites): Tool[] {
+  return [
+    {
+      name: "gitea_unwritable_repos",
+      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.",
+      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). " +
+        "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 " +
+        "was written already, what the forge refused in its own words, and which other repositories it left read-only " +
+        "and why (they build no registered module). Needs the site administrator's login, used for this grant alone.",
+      input: {
+        repositories: { type: "array", items: { type: "string" }, description: "owner/name of each repository; empty or absent, every delivered one" },
+      },
+      run: async (args) => writes().grant(Array.isArray(args.repositories) ? args.repositories.map(String) : undefined),
+    },
+  ];
+}

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

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ var Kept = []announce.State{
 	{Name: "toolchains", Readable: true},
 	{Name: "keys", Readable: true},
 	{Name: "steps", Readable: true},
+	{Name: "pauses", Readable: true},
 }
 
 // keepStates announces Kept as this module's (stdio.Keeps): main calls it before it serves.

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

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ func (m *Module) askSteps(steps []StepTool) buildstep.AskSteps {
 			return delivery.ToolchainUsed{Version: installed, Recipe: m.Recipe.Version()}, nil
 		},
 		Kept:    m.KeptLookup,
+		Has:     m.Has,
 		Release: func(ws string) error { return m.spaces().Release(ws) },
 		Logf:    m.Say,
 	}
@@ -80,19 +81,23 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 		source = buildstep.SeatAsks{Language: delivery.AskGo}
 	}
 	capacity := m.Capacity
+	// 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
 	if capacity == nil {
 		capacity = buildstep.NodeCapacity(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCapacities, m.Node, m.Say)
+		watch = buildstep.WatchConfigServed
 	}
 	ask := m.askSteps(steps)
 	var load func(string) ([]byte, error)
-	if m.ReadSteps.Get != nil {
+	if m.ReadPauses.Get != nil {
 		load = func(key string) ([]byte, error) {
-			raw, err := m.ReadSteps.Get(key)
+			raw, err := m.ReadPauses.Get(key)
 			return raw, err
 		}
 	}
-	return &buildstep.Puller{Source: source, Language: delivery.AskGo, Node: m.Node, Put: m.Steps, Load: load,
-		Capacity: capacity, Logf: m.Say,
+	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,
 		Run: func(ctx context.Context, a delivery.StepAsk) (any, error) {
 			if err := m.Check(ctx); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
@@ -111,3 +116,11 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 func (m *Module) SeatTools(p *buildstep.Puller) []stdio.Tool {
 	return buildstep.SeatTools(Seat, "Go", p)
 }
+
+// StepEndTool ends one step left running (issue 1890); the module's steps state is the one it reads and writes.
+const StepEndTool = "build_go_step_end"
+
+// stepScan is the module's steps state as buildstep reads it.
+func (m *Module) stepScan() buildstep.Scan {
+	return buildstep.ScanOf(stdio.State(delivery.StepsState))
+}

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

@@ -183,12 +183,12 @@ func (m *Module) buildEnv(dir string) []string {
 	} else if modfile, ok := m.pinModfile(dir); ok {
 		mod += " -modfile=" + modfile // a pin on a pull request's head the fetch placed beside the workspace (pins.go)
 	}
-	return []string{
+	return append([]string{
 		"CGO_ENABLED=0",
 		"GOFLAGS=" + recipeFlags + " " + mod,
 		"GOTOOLCHAIN=local",
 		"GOMODCACHE=" + filepath.Join(m.Cache, "gomod"),
 		"GOCACHE=" + filepath.Join(m.Cache, "gobuild"),
 		"GOPROXY=off",
-	}
+	}, m.threadEnv()...)
 }

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

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
 // The runners of a digest or test step: this installed program, or the candidate's compiled from the workspace.
@@ -108,7 +110,7 @@ func (m *Module) mergeCommit(ctx context.Context, workspace string) (string, err
 	r := m.Run(ctx, nil, "git", "-C", filepath.Join(m.Work, workspace, "tree"), "rev-parse", "HEAD")
 	commit := strings.TrimSpace(r.Stdout)
 	if r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "" || commit == "" {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("the workspace's commit: git rev-parse: %s", firstLine(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr))
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("the workspace's commit: git rev-parse: %s", forgekey.Said(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr))
 	}
 	return commit, nil
 }

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

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildcpu"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
+)
+
+// The processors a step may take (novox/hq ADR 0553, issue 1806). The node-engine holds this module's runtime, with
+// every other build module's of the node, in one slice at idle priority under the node's one share of its processors:
+// that quota bounds the total. Threads only size each step: the share the composer gives (buildstep.NodeLimits) over
+// this module's own capacity, so a step does not wait in the kernel's throttle. Without the composer's share there is
+// no slice to size a step to, and no thread limit is set.
+
+// cpuLimits is what one step is held to now.
+func (m *Module) cpuLimits() buildcpu.Limits {
+	slots := 1
+	switch {
+	case m.Capacity != nil:
+		slots = m.Capacity()
+	case m.Settings != "":
+		slots = buildstep.NodeCapacity(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCapacities, m.Node, nil)()
+	}
+	return buildstep.NodeLimits(slots)
+}
+
+// threadEnv is the environment (nothing without a share) every go command of a step is given for its threads: GOMAXPROCS sets its -p, the compiler's
+// concurrency, a test binary's processors and -parallel.
+func (m *Module) threadEnv() []string {
+	return buildcpu.Env(m.cpuLimits().Threads)
+}
+
+// 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()}
+}

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

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/fs"
@@ -19,6 +20,8 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
 )
 
 // DigestVersion is the form of the digest's text: changed whenever what the digest hashes changes in kind.
@@ -39,6 +42,33 @@ const besideVariable = "MESH_CHECK_BESIDE"
 // test log) with each verdict.
 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
+// of the node they run on (issue 890; mesh-sdk delivery.AskNeeds): `node-build-node` for tests that read the Node build
+// module's installed toolchain. The digest reports it (DigestResult.Needs); a check ask leaves such a package untested on
+// a node that lacks it, and the checker asks it again of a node that has it. A marker beside the tests, as
+// ReadsOutsideMarker is, and not a manifest field: it is a property of the package's tests, read only where they are
+// run, and the manifest describes the module on the machines. The unit level is never given anything of the node (ADR
+// 0533 §1), so a marker binds the integration level alone. Blank lines and lines starting with # are not read.
+const NeedsMarker = "check-needs"
+
+// readNeeds is what the marker in dir names; nil when there is none.
+func readNeeds(dir string) ([]string, error) {
+	raw, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, NeedsMarker))
+	if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var needs []string
+	for _, l := range strings.Split(string(raw), "\n") {
+		if l = strings.TrimSpace(l); l != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(l, "#") {
+			needs = append(needs, l)
+		}
+	}
+	return needs, nil
+}
+
 // integrationTags are the build tags of the integration level, its run and its digest alike: integration, and isolation
 // for the bubblewrap proofs (mesh-sdk's and the build modules'), which a build node can run.
 var integrationTags = []string{"integration", "isolation"}
@@ -101,6 +131,8 @@ type DigestResult struct {
 	// 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 []string `json:"reads_outside,omitempty"`
+	// 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
 	// runner workspace.
 	JudgedBy string `json:"judged_by,omitempty"`
@@ -206,12 +238,13 @@ func (m *Module) digestHere(ctx context.Context, workspace, level string) (Diges
 		if err != nil {
 			return DigestResult{}, err
 		}
-		if err := digestModule(&res, pkgs, tree, header, besideHeader); err != nil {
+		if err := digestModule(&res, pkgs, tree, header, besideHeader, level == LevelIntegration); err != nil {
 			return DigestResult{}, err
 		}
 	}
 	sort.Strings(res.WithoutTests)
 	sort.Strings(res.ReadsOutside)
+	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)
@@ -256,7 +289,7 @@ func parsePackages(out string) (map[string]*goPackage, error) {
 
 // digestModule adds to res the digest of each root package of one go.mod directory. A root is a package of the main
 // module that is listed, not only a dependency, and not a variant of another.
-func digestModule(res *DigestResult, pkgs map[string]*goPackage, tree string, header, beside []string) error {
+func digestModule(res *DigestResult, pkgs map[string]*goPackage, tree string, header, beside []string, needs bool) error {
 	roots := []string{}
 	for path, p := range pkgs {
 		if p.ForTest == "" && !p.DepOnly && !p.Standard && !strings.HasSuffix(path, ".test") && p.Module != nil && p.Module.Main {
@@ -274,6 +307,15 @@ func digestModule(res *DigestResult, pkgs map[string]*goPackage, tree string, he
 		if testMain == nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("go list gave no test binary for %s", path)
 		}
+		if needs {
+			n, err := readNeeds(root.Dir)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("%s: its %s: %w", path, NeedsMarker, err)
+			}
+			if len(n) > 0 {
+				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.

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

@@ -213,6 +213,16 @@ func TestAPackageWithTheReadsOutsideMarkerIsNeverKept(t *testing.T) {
 	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])
 	}
+
+	// Issue 890/AC3: a package whose directory carries the needs marker is named with its needs at the integration level,
+	// comments and blank lines not read, and at the unit level not at all.
+	edit(t, tree, "a/"+NeedsMarker, "# its integration tests copy the installed Node toolchain\n\nnode-build-node\n")
+	if n := digests(t, m, LevelIntegration).Needs; len(n) != 1 || n[0].Package != a || strings.Join(n[0].Needs, ",") != "node-build-node" {
+		t.Errorf("the integration level's needs = %+v, want %s needing node-build-node", n, a)
+	}
+	if n := digests(t, m, LevelUnit).Needs; len(n) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("the unit level names needs: %+v", n)
+	}
 }
 
 // Issue 1935: a catalogue module's packages read ../../module.json and the module's files: a change to them changes the

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

@@ -1,112 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"encoding/json"
-	"os"
-	"strings"
-	"testing"
-)
-
-// A failed test keeps the lines that say why it failed, not the lines it logged first (issue 1901). The fixture is
-// the real `go test -json` of a test that logs a line and then fails with a multi-line t.Fatalf.
-func TestAFailedTestKeepsItsFatalMessageAfterItsLogLines(t *testing.T) {
-	raw, err := os.ReadFile("testdata/captured/go-test-json-log-then-fatal.jsonl")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	res := &TestResult{}
-	rd := newReader(res, ".")
-	rd.read(string(raw))
-	rd.finish()
-	if len(res.Failed) != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("failures = %+v, want one", res.Failed)
-	}
-	f := res.Failed[0]
-	for _, want := range []string{"3 subscription(s) derive to a subject no emitter owns:", "a.b.c", "d.e.f", "g.h.i"} {
-		if !strings.Contains(f.Output, want) {
-			t.Errorf("1901/AC1: output lacks %q: %q", want, f.Output)
-		}
-	}
-	if want := "3 subscription(s) derive to a subject no emitter owns:"; f.Cause != want && !strings.HasSuffix(f.Cause, want) {
-		t.Errorf("1901/AC1: cause = %q, want the t.Fatalf line, not the t.Logf line", f.Cause)
-	}
-}
-
-// A failure longer than the bound keeps its last lines, where the cause is, and says how many earlier lines it dropped.
-func TestAFailureLongerThanTheBoundKeepsItsLastLines(t *testing.T) {
-	var lines []string
-	for i := 0; i < 400; i++ {
-		lines = append(lines, "    x_test.go:1: log line "+strings.Repeat("y", 40))
-	}
-	lines = append(lines, "    x_test.go:9: the real cause", "--- FAIL: TestX (0.00s)")
-	out := clip(lines, "")
-	if len(out) > outputBytes+100 {
-		t.Errorf("1901/AC1: kept %d bytes, bound is %d", len(out), outputBytes)
-	}
-	if !strings.HasSuffix(out, "the real cause\n--- FAIL: TestX (0.00s)") || !strings.Contains(out, "\n... (") {
-		t.Errorf("1901/AC1: out = %q...%q", out[:40], out[len(out)-60:])
-	}
-}
-
-// An older checker, which knows no "cause" field, still reads the new build module's answer, and the output it gets
-// holds at least what the older build module kept (its first lines, for an output shorter than the bound).
-func TestAnOlderCheckerReadsTheNewFailureAndGetsAtLeastWhatItKept(t *testing.T) { // 1901/AC3
-	raw, err := os.ReadFile("testdata/captured/go-test-json-log-then-fatal.jsonl")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	res := &TestResult{}
-	rd := newReader(res, ".")
-	rd.read(string(raw))
-	rd.finish()
-	b, err := json.Marshal(res.Failed)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	var old []struct {
-		Package string `json:"package"`
-		Test    string `json:"test,omitempty"`
-		Output  string `json:"output,omitempty"`
-	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &old); err != nil || len(old) != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("1901/AC3: an older checker refused the answer: %v, %d failures", err, len(old))
-	}
-	first := strings.SplitN(old[0].Output, "\n", 2)[0]
-	if first == "" || !strings.Contains(old[0].Output, "judged against") || !strings.Contains(old[0].Output, "3 subscription(s)") {
-		t.Errorf("1901/AC3: older checker's output = %q", old[0].Output)
-	}
-}
-
-// A long failure, whose earlier lines are left out, still starts with a real line for an older checker, which keeps only the
-// first non-empty line of the output cut to 120 characters, and not with the marker.
-func TestALongFailureStillStartsWithARealLineForAnOlderChecker(t *testing.T) { // 1901/AC3
-	var lines []string
-	for i := 0; i < 400; i++ {
-		lines = append(lines, "    x_test.go:1: log line "+strings.Repeat("y", 40))
-	}
-	lines = append(lines, "    x_test.go:9: the real cause", "--- FAIL: TestX (0.00s)")
-	oldFirst := func(out string) string { // the older checker's rule (judge.go firstLine)
-		for _, l := range strings.Split(out, "\n") {
-			if l = strings.TrimSpace(l); l != "" {
-				if len(l) > 120 {
-					l = l[:120]
-				}
-				return l
-			}
-		}
-		return ""
-	}
-	for _, cause := range []string{"the real cause", ""} {
-		out := clip(lines, cause)
-		got := oldFirst(out)
-		if strings.HasPrefix(got, "... (") || got == "" {
-			t.Errorf("1901/AC3: cause %q: an older checker would read %q", cause, got)
-		}
-		if cause != "" && got != cause {
-			t.Errorf("1901/AC3: older checker reads %q, want the cause", got)
-		}
-		if !strings.HasSuffix(out, "--- FAIL: TestX (0.00s)") {
-			t.Errorf("1901/AC3: the last lines are lost: %q", out[len(out)-40:])
-		}
-	}
-}

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

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
 var commitOK = regexp.MustCompile(`^[0-9a-f]{40}$`)
@@ -255,7 +256,7 @@ func (m *Module) downloadAndVerify(ctx context.Context, dir, d string) error {
 func (m *Module) goModDirs(ctx context.Context, tree string) ([]string, error) {
 	r := m.Run(ctx, nil, "git", "-C", tree, "ls-files", "--", "go.mod", "*/go.mod")
 	if r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("git ls-files: %s", firstLine(r.Err+" "+r.Stderr))
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("git ls-files: %s", forgekey.Said(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr))
 	}
 	dirs := []string{}
 	for _, l := range strings.Split(r.Stdout, "\n") {
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@ func (m *Module) goEnv() []string {
 	if m.GoModCache != "" {
 		modcache = m.GoModCache
 	}
-	return []string{
+	return append([]string{
 		"GOTOOLCHAIN=local",
 		"GOFLAGS=-mod=mod",
 		"GOMODCACHE=" + modcache,
@@ -300,7 +301,7 @@ func (m *Module) goEnv() []string {
 		"GOPRIVATE=git.novox.be",
 		"GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0",
 		"GIT_SSH_COMMAND=ssh -o BatchMode=yes",
-	}
+	}, m.threadEnv()...)
 }
 
 // goEnvFor is goEnv for a command run in dir: a directory that vendors (vendor/modules.txt) is read from its vendor
@@ -331,10 +332,11 @@ func (m *Module) clock() time.Time {
 func (m *Module) now() time.Time { return m.clock() }
 
 // causeLine is the first line of a go command's output that says something other than Go's own progress: `go:
-// downloading ...` comes first when Go fetches a module, and the cause of a failure on a later line.
+// downloading ...` comes first when Go fetches a module, and `# <package>` heads a compile error of go build or go vet
+// (issue 1703: the reason said only the package), and the cause of a failure on a later line.
 func causeLine(s string) string {
 	for _, l := range strings.Split(s, "\n") {
-		if l = strings.TrimSpace(l); l != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(l, "go: downloading ") {
+		if l = strings.TrimSpace(l); l != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(l, "go: downloading ") && !strings.HasPrefix(l, "# ") {
 			return l
 		}
 	}

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

@@ -302,3 +302,16 @@ func TestWorkAndCacheAreTheDirectoriesTheManifestPlacesOutsideTheHome(t *testing
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// issue 1703: a go command's reason is its cause, not Go's progress nor go build's `# <package>` heading.
+func TestCauseLineSkipsProgressAndThePackageHeading(t *testing.T) {
+	for in, want := range map[string]string{
+		"go: downloading x v1\n# git.example/m/cmd\n./main.go:3:2: undefined: y\n": "./main.go:3:2: undefined: y",
+		"\ngo: example.com/x@v1: reading: 404\n":                                   "go: example.com/x@v1: reading: 404",
+		"go: downloading x v1\n":                                                   "go: downloading x v1",
+	} {
+		if got := causeLine(in); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("causeLine(%q) = %q, want %q", in, got, want)
+		}
+	}
+}

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

@@ -5,10 +5,13 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
+	"runtime"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildcpu"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/health"
@@ -28,6 +31,7 @@ func toolchainValues(env []string) []string {
 // 1572/AC1 (ADR 0477 §1): every environment a step gives its go commands says GOTOOLCHAIN=local, once, and names no
 // release.
 func TestEveryStepEnvironmentSaysGotoolchainLocal(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("MESH_BUILD_CPU_SHARE", "50")
 	m := &Module{Cache: t.TempDir()}
 	vend := t.TempDir()
 	os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(vend, "vendor"), 0o755)
@@ -41,6 +45,24 @@ func TestEveryStepEnvironmentSaysGotoolchainLocal(t *testing.T) {
 		if got := toolchainValues(env); len(got) != 1 || got[0] != "GOTOOLCHAIN=local" {
 			t.Errorf("%s: GOTOOLCHAIN settings %v, want exactly GOTOOLCHAIN=local", name, got)
 		}
+		// Issue 1806: and its threads, its part of the node's processor cap (probeEnv runs no build).
+		if procs := strings.Count(strings.Join(env, "\n"), "GOMAXPROCS="); name != "probeEnv" && procs != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("%s: GOMAXPROCS said %d times, want once: %v", name, procs, env)
+		}
+	}
+	// Without the composer's share no thread limit; with it, the share over its own three slots (ADR 0553 §4).
+	t.Setenv("MESH_BUILD_CPU_SHARE", "")
+	m = &Module{Cache: t.TempDir(), Node: "shanks", Capacity: func() int { return 3 }}
+	if l := m.cpuLimits(); l.Threads != 0 || strings.Contains(strings.Join(m.goEnv(), " "), "GOMAXPROCS=") {
+		t.Errorf("without the share: %+v, goEnv %v", l, m.goEnv())
+	}
+	t.Setenv("MESH_BUILD_CPU_SHARE", "50")
+	want := buildcpu.Threads(50, runtime.NumCPU(), 3)
+	if l := m.cpuLimits(); l.Slots != 3 || !strings.Contains(strings.Join(m.goEnv(), " "), "GOMAXPROCS="+strconv.Itoa(want)) {
+		t.Errorf("limits %+v, goEnv %v; want %d threads", l, m.goEnv(), want)
+	}
+	if st := m.cpuStatus(); st["limits"].(buildcpu.Limits) != m.cpuLimits() {
+		t.Errorf("the status says %v", st)
 	}
 }
 

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

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func (m *Module) isolation(workspace string, write bool) buildstep.Isolation {
 		Workspace:   filepath.Join(m.Work, workspace),
 		Caches:      m.caches(),
 		WriteCaches: write,
-		Env:         []string{"PATH=" + path, "LC_ALL=C"},
+		Env:         append([]string{"PATH=" + path, "LC_ALL=C"}, m.threadEnv()...),
 	}
 }
 

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

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep/conformance"
+)
+
+// 1901/AC7: the module's own parse path (readGoTest, then the level's judging) keeps the failure contract on every captured
+// go test -json case of the SDK's conformance kit, and its result names the module that sent it.
+func TestTheTestStepKeepsTheFailureContract(t *testing.T) {
+	conformance.Run(t, conformance.GoTest, func(o conformance.Output) []buildstep.Failure {
+		res := &TestResult{Level: LevelUnit, By: buildstep.By("mesh-build-go")}
+		readGoTest(res, ".", o.Stdout)
+		res.judge(Bounds{Run: UnitBound})
+		if res.Passed {
+			t.Errorf("a failed run judged passed: %+v", res)
+		}
+		return res.Failed
+	})
+}

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

@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
 )
 
 // levelArg is the first argument that makes this binary a step's shut-off process: the integration level's, and, when
@@ -140,6 +142,49 @@ func (m *Module) nodeToolchains() []string {
 	return []string{dir}
 }
 
+// nodeToolchainMark is the file the Node build module writes in a toolchain directory once it is installed whole
+// (mesh-build-node toolchain.go installedMark).
+const nodeToolchainMark = ".installed"
+
+// Has says whether this node has a need a check ask or a package's tests name (issue 890, ADR 0552; mesh-sdk
+// delivery.AskNeeds), read from the node itself at every ask: node-build-node when the Node build module's toolchains
+// directory, given to the integration level as nodeToolchains gives it, holds a toolchain installed whole (its mark and
+// its package-lock.json readable by this account), and node, npm and bwrap are installed: what mesh-build-node's
+// integration tests (realMachine) look for before they run. Any other need it lacks.
+func (m *Module) Has(need string) bool {
+	if m.HasNeed != nil {
+		return m.HasNeed(need)
+	}
+	switch need {
+	case delivery.NeedNodeBuildNode:
+		dirs := m.nodeToolchains()
+		if len(dirs) == 0 {
+			return false
+		}
+		for _, p := range []string{"node", "npm", "bwrap"} {
+			if _, err := exec.LookPath(p); err != nil {
+				return false
+			}
+		}
+		entries, err := os.ReadDir(dirs[0])
+		if err != nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		for _, e := range entries {
+			dir := filepath.Join(dirs[0], e.Name())
+			if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, nodeToolchainMark)); err != nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			if f, err := os.Open(filepath.Join(dir, "package-lock.json")); err == nil {
+				f.Close()
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 func lastLine(s string) string {
 	lines := strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(s), "\n")
 	return strings.TrimSpace(lines[len(lines)-1])

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

@@ -6,13 +6,12 @@ package main
 // step that could not run.
 
 import (
-	"bufio"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
-	"regexp"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 )
 
 // The two levels (ADR 0445 §2).
@@ -31,33 +30,14 @@ type Bounds struct {
 	Setup, Run time.Duration
 }
 
-// PackageResult is one package's part of a level.
-type PackageResult struct {
-	Dir     string  `json:"dir"`
-	Package string  `json:"package"`
-	Passed  bool    `json:"passed"`
-	Elapsed float64 `json:"elapsed"`
-	Tests   int     `json:"tests"`
-	// NoTests is a package with no test files (at this level: a file with the other level's build tag is none).
-	NoTests bool `json:"no_tests,omitempty"`
-}
-
-// TestTime is one test and the time it took.
-type TestTime struct {
-	Package string  `json:"package"`
-	Test    string  `json:"test"`
-	Elapsed float64 `json:"elapsed"`
-}
-
-// Failure is a test that failed, or a package that failed with no test to name (a build that failed, a TestMain that
-// panicked); Output is the last lines it wrote, up to outputBytes (issue 1901), and Cause the first line of what the
-// test reported as its error (t.Error, t.Fatal), without its file and line, when go test said which lines those were.
-type Failure struct {
-	Package string `json:"package"`
-	Test    string `json:"test,omitempty"`
-	Output  string `json:"output,omitempty"`
-	Cause   string `json:"cause,omitempty"`
-}
+// PackageResult, TestTime and Failure are the SDK's failure contract (buildstep, issue 1901), with the JSON names this
+// module always sent: a Failure names its test, its file, its cause (never empty, never a passing line) and its own
+// output up to 4096 bytes, cause first.
+type (
+	PackageResult = buildstep.GoPackage
+	TestTime      = buildstep.TestTime
+	Failure       = buildstep.Failure
+)
 
 // TestResult is what a test step passes with.
 type TestResult struct {
@@ -91,188 +71,23 @@ type TestResult struct {
 	// JudgedBy is the program that ran the level (ADR 0535 §5): "installed", or "candidate <merge commit>" under the
 	// runner workspace.
 	JudgedBy string `json:"judged_by,omitempty"`
+	// By is the build module and the SDK it was built with (buildstep.By): the checker names it when a failure hides
+	// its cause.
+	By string `json:"by,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// event is one line of `go test -json` (test2json, and the build events go test adds).
-type event struct {
-	Action      string
-	Package     string
-	Test        string
-	Output      string
-	OutputType  string // "error" for a t.Error or t.Fatal message, "error-continue" for its further lines (go test -json)
-	ImportPath  string
-	FailedBuild string
-	Elapsed     float64
-}
-
-// outputBytes is the most a failure keeps of its output, and outputLineBytes the most of one line. **A failure keeps its
-// last lines** (issue 1901): a test logs before it fails, so the lines that say why are at the end, and the first
-// fifteen lines kept before lost them (the verdict of group r4g kept a t.Logf line, not the t.Fatalf after it). Four
-// kilobytes holds a long assertion message and stays far under a bus message's or a verdict's bound.
-const (
-	outputBytes     = 4096
-	outputLineBytes = 1024
-)
-
-// reader collects the events of one go.mod directory's `go test -json` into a result.
-type reader struct {
-	res      *TestResult
-	dir      string
-	pkgs     map[string]*PackageResult
-	order    []string
-	builds   map[string][]string // build output by import path
-	pkgOut   map[string][]string
-	testOut  map[string][]string // by package + "\x00" + test
-	causes   map[string]string   // the first error line of a test, by the same key
-	times    []TestTime
-	failedIn map[string]bool // packages with a failed test
-}
-
-func newReader(res *TestResult, dir string) *reader {
-	return &reader{res: res, dir: dir, pkgs: map[string]*PackageResult{}, builds: map[string][]string{},
-		pkgOut: map[string][]string{}, testOut: map[string][]string{}, causes: map[string]string{}, failedIn: map[string]bool{}}
-}
-
-// read takes go test's output. Lines that are not events are kept for a failure that has nothing else to say.
-func (r *reader) read(out string) (noise []string) {
-	sc := bufio.NewScanner(strings.NewReader(out))
-	sc.Buffer(make([]byte, 1<<20), 1<<26)
-	for sc.Scan() {
-		var ev event
-		if err := json.Unmarshal(sc.Bytes(), &ev); err != nil {
-			if l := strings.TrimSpace(sc.Text()); l != "" {
-				noise = append(noise, l)
-			}
-			continue
-		}
-		r.event(ev)
-	}
-	return noise
-}
-
-func (r *reader) pkg(name string) *PackageResult {
-	p := r.pkgs[name]
-	if p == nil {
-		p = &PackageResult{Dir: r.dir, Package: name}
-		r.pkgs[name] = p
-		r.order = append(r.order, name)
-	}
-	return p
-}
-
-func keep(lines []string, out string) []string {
-	if t := strings.TrimRight(out, "\r\n"); t != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(t, "=== ") {
-		lines = append(lines, t)
-	}
-	return lines
-}
-
-func (r *reader) event(ev event) {
-	switch {
-	case ev.Package == "" && ev.ImportPath != "":
-		if ev.Action == "build-output" {
-			r.builds[ev.ImportPath] = keep(r.builds[ev.ImportPath], ev.Output)
-		}
-	case ev.Package == "":
-	case ev.Test == "":
-		p := r.pkg(ev.Package)
-		switch ev.Action {
-		case "output":
-			r.pkgOut[ev.Package] = keep(r.pkgOut[ev.Package], ev.Output)
-		case "pass":
-			p.Passed, p.Elapsed = true, ev.Elapsed
-		case "fail":
-			p.Passed, p.Elapsed = false, ev.Elapsed
-			if ev.FailedBuild != "" {
-				r.pkgOut[ev.Package] = append(r.builds[ev.FailedBuild], r.pkgOut[ev.Package]...)
-			}
-		case "skip":
-			p.Passed, p.NoTests = true, true
-		}
-	default:
-		key := ev.Package + "\x00" + ev.Test
-		switch ev.Action {
-		case "output":
-			r.testOut[key] = keep(r.testOut[key], ev.Output)
-			if ev.OutputType == "error" && r.causes[key] == "" {
-				r.causes[key] = errorWords(ev.Output)
-			}
-		case "pass", "fail", "skip":
-			p := r.pkg(ev.Package)
-			p.Tests++
-			r.res.Tests++
-			if ev.Action == "skip" {
-				r.res.Skipped++
-			}
-			r.times = append(r.times, TestTime{Package: ev.Package, Test: ev.Test, Elapsed: ev.Elapsed})
-			if ev.Action == "fail" {
-				r.failedIn[ev.Package] = true
-				r.res.Failed = append(r.res.Failed, Failure{Package: ev.Package, Test: ev.Test, Output: clip(r.testOut[key], r.causes[key]), Cause: r.causes[key]})
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// clip joins the last lines of a failure's output that fit outputBytes, each cut to outputLineBytes, and says how many
-// earlier lines it left out. **When it leaves lines out, its first line is still a real one** (issue 1901/AC3): the failure's
-// cause, or failing that the first non-empty line of the output, then the marker. An older checker takes only the first
-// non-empty line of the output, and a marker there would be less than the older pair kept.
-func clip(lines []string, cause string) string {
-	size, from := 0, len(lines)
-	for from > 0 {
-		n := len(cutLine(lines[from-1])) + 1
-		if size+n > outputBytes && from < len(lines) {
-			break
-		}
-		size += n
-		from--
-	}
-	kept := make([]string, 0, len(lines)-from+1)
-	if from > 0 {
-		head := strings.TrimSpace(cause)
-		for i := 0; head == "" && i < from; i++ {
-			head = strings.TrimSpace(lines[i])
-		}
-		if head != "" {
-			kept = append(kept, cutLine(head))
-		}
-		kept = append(kept, fmt.Sprintf("... (%d earlier lines)", from))
-	}
-	for _, l := range lines[from:] {
-		kept = append(kept, cutLine(l))
-	}
-	return strings.Join(kept, "\n")
-}
-
-// cutLine cuts a line to outputLineBytes, on a character boundary.
-func cutLine(l string) string {
-	if len(l) <= outputLineBytes {
-		return l
-	}
-	return strings.ToValidUTF8(l[:outputLineBytes], "") + "..."
-}
-
-var fileAndLine = regexp.MustCompile(`^\S+\.go:\d+: `)
-
-// errorWords is the words of an error line of a test: trimmed, without the file and line go test put before them.
-func errorWords(out string) string {
-	return strings.TrimSpace(fileAndLine.ReplaceAllString(strings.TrimSpace(out), ""))
-}
-
-// finish moves what was read into the result: the packages in order, a failure for each failed package that has no
-// failed test to name it, and the tests' times.
-func (r *reader) finish() {
-	for _, name := range r.order {
-		p := r.pkgs[name]
-		if !p.Passed && !r.failedIn[name] {
-			r.res.Failed = append(r.res.Failed, Failure{Package: name, Output: clip(r.pkgOut[name], "")})
-		}
-		if !p.NoTests && p.Elapsed > r.res.Elapsed {
-			r.res.Elapsed = p.Elapsed
-		}
-		r.res.Packages = append(r.res.Packages, *p)
-	}
-	r.res.Slowest = append(r.res.Slowest, r.times...)
+// readGoTest reads one go.mod directory's `go test -json` into res through the SDK's reader (issue 1901: one failure
+// contract for every build module, buildstep.Failure), and answers the lines that were no event and how many packages
+// it named.
+func readGoTest(res *TestResult, dir, out string) (noise []string, packages int) {
+	read := buildstep.ReadGoTest(out, dir)
+	res.Tests += read.Tests
+	res.Skipped += read.Skipped
+	res.Failed = append(res.Failed, read.Failed...)
+	res.Packages = append(res.Packages, read.Packages...)
+	res.Slowest = append(res.Slowest, read.Times...)
+	res.Elapsed = max(res.Elapsed, read.Elapsed)
+	return read.Noise, len(read.Packages)
 }
 
 // judge sets Passed and Why from what was read and the bounds. A level with no failure, over no bound, passes; with no

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"
 )
 
@@ -103,8 +104,7 @@ func (m *Module) lint(ctx context.Context, run forgekey.Runner, tree, d string,
 	}
 	var failed []Failure
 	if len(files) > 0 {
-		failed = append(failed, Failure{Package: d, Test: "gofmt",
-			Output: "not as gofmt writes them (run gofmt -w): " + strings.Join(files, ", ")})
+		failed = append(failed, buildstep.ConsoleFailure(d, "gofmt", "not as gofmt writes them (run gofmt -w): "+strings.Join(files, ", ")))
 	}
 	sets := [][]string{nil}
 	if len(tags) > 0 {
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func (m *Module) lint(ctx context.Context, run forgekey.Runner, tree, d string,
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s in %s could not be run: %s", name, d, firstLine(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr))
 		}
 		if r.Status != 0 {
-			failed = append(failed, Failure{Package: d, Test: name, Output: strings.TrimSpace(r.Stderr + "\n" + r.Stdout)})
+			failed = append(failed, buildstep.ConsoleFailure(d, name, r.Stderr+"\n"+r.Stdout))
 		}
 	}
 	return failed, nil

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

@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 	"os"
 	"os/user"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
@@ -40,6 +42,8 @@ func main() {
 		Emit:                func(t string, b any) error { return stdio.Emit(t, b) },
 		Steps:               stdio.State(delivery.StepsState).Put,
 		ReadSteps:           readOf(stdio.State(delivery.StepsState)),
+		Pauses:              stdio.State(delivery.PausesState).Put,
+		ReadPauses:          readOf(stdio.State(delivery.PausesState)),
 		ReadToolchainsState: readOf(stdio.State(delivery.ToolchainsState)),
 		Ctx:                 ctx,
 		Say:                 logf,
@@ -68,7 +72,13 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	steps := m.StepTools()
+	booted := time.Now()
 	puller := m.Puller(steps, nil)
+	m.Held = puller
+	if m.Node != "" {
+		// A step a previous process left running is ended (issue 1890); this process's own steps start after booted.
+		go buildstep.EndStaleAtStart(ctx, m.stepScan(), m.Node, booted, logf)
+	}
 	if m.Node != "" {
 		// The seat's asks, pulled once Serve has the runtime's channel; a pull before it is said and tried again.
 		go func() { _ = puller.Pull(ctx) }()

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

@@ -92,9 +92,13 @@ func TestManifestKeepsItsStatesClaimsItsBuildSeatAndDeclaresItsHealthTool(t *tes
 	states := []string{}
 	for _, s := range m.State {
 		states = append(states, s.Name)
+		// A step's key is per step and dropped after its age, so the bucket cannot fill; a pause has no age.
+		if (s.Name == "steps") != (s.TTLSeconds > 0) {
+			t.Errorf("state %s has ttl-seconds %d: only steps has an age", s.Name, s.TTLSeconds)
+		}
 	}
 	slices.Sort(states)
-	if want := []string{"keys", "steps", "toolchains"}; !slices.Equal(states, want) {
+	if want := []string{"keys", "pauses", "steps", "toolchains"}; !slices.Equal(states, want) {
 		t.Errorf("state = %v, want %v", states, want)
 	}
 	if len(m.Claims) != 1 || m.Claims[0].Name != Seat {

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

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"syscall"
 
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
 // mirrorLocks hold one mutex per mirror of this process; the lock file beside the mirror holds off another process.
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ func (m *Module) dissociate(ctx context.Context, dir string) error {
 		return nil // no mirror was used
 	}
 	if r := m.Run(ctx, []string{"GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0"}, "git", "-C", dir, "repack", "-a", "-d", "-q"); r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("git repack in %s: %s", dir, firstLine(r.Err+" "+r.Stderr))
+		return fmt.Errorf("git repack in %s: %s", dir, forgekey.Said(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr))
 	}
 	return os.Remove(alternates)
 }

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

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -121,20 +122,35 @@ func TestTwoUpdatesOfOneMirrorNeverRunAtOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// A mirror that cannot be updated does not fail the fetch: the fetch goes on without it.
+// A mirror that cannot be updated does not fail the fetch: the fetch goes on without it, and the line saying so carries
+// git's own words. The forge's refusal of a repository its account cannot read came out as "git -C: error:" (ace,
+// 2026-10-26: git writes a bare "error:" line before the forge's message).
 func TestAMirrorThatCannotBeUpdatedLetsTheFetchGoOnWithoutIt(t *testing.T) {
 	f := &fakeStep{gomods: "go.mod\n"}
 	f.rule = func(line string) (r runAnswer, ok bool) {
 		if strings.Contains(line, "mirror") && strings.Contains(line, " fetch ") {
-			return runAnswer{Status: 1, Stderr: "fatal: no space left\n"}, true
+			return runAnswer{Status: 128, Stderr: "error: \nerror: User: 22:nox-builder with Key: 30:mesh:ace.mesh-build-go is not authorized to read jschoubben/car-hunter.\nerror: \nfatal: Could not read from remote repository.\n"}, true
 		}
 		return r, false
 	}
 	m, states := fetchModule(t, f)
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	var said []string
+	m.Say = func(format string, a ...any) {
+		mu.Lock()
+		defer mu.Unlock()
+		said = append(said, fmt.Sprintf(format, a...))
+	}
 	ws := fetchOnce(t, m, states, fetchArgs).Workspace
 	if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(m.Work, ws, "tree", ".git", "objects", "info", "alternates")); err == nil {
 		t.Errorf("the workspace borrows from a mirror that is not there")
 	}
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+	all := strings.Join(said, "\n")
+	if !strings.Contains(all, "is not used: git fetch: error: User: 22:nox-builder with Key: 30:mesh:ace.mesh-build-go is not authorized to read jschoubben/car-hunter.; fatal: Could not read from remote repository.") {
+		t.Errorf("the mirror's line lost git's words:\n%s", all)
+	}
 }
 
 func sleepABit() { time.Sleep(30 * time.Millisecond) }

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

@@ -28,7 +28,12 @@ type Module struct {
 	// Toolchains and Steps are the Put of the states of those names.
 	Toolchains, Steps buildstep.Put
 	// ReadSteps and ReadToolchainsState read those two states back for the read tools (issue 1562).
+	// Held is the puller whose running asks a step-end tool will not end (issue 1890); nil in a test.
+	Held                           *buildstep.Puller
 	ReadSteps, ReadToolchainsState StateRead
+	// Pauses is the Put of the pauses state, which keeps the node's pause key without an age; ReadPauses reads it back.
+	Pauses     buildstep.Put
+	ReadPauses StateRead
 	// Emit tells the bus an event (stdio.Emit); nil emits nothing. The guard emits toolchain.reported after each write of
 	// the toolchains key, so the indexer, which holds no timer, learns that the bucket exists (issue 1444).
 	Emit func(eventType string, body any) error
@@ -70,6 +75,8 @@ type Module struct {
 	// NodeToolchains is where the Node build module keeps its installed toolchains, bound read-only into the
 	// integration level (ADR 0533 §1); NodeToolchains when empty. A test points it elsewhere.
 	NodeToolchains string
+	// HasNeed answers Has in place of the node's own reading; a test's.
+	HasNeed func(need string) bool
 	// StartBus starts the throwaway bus of a run in dir and answers its address and what stops it (the module's own
 	// program, StartBus in bus.go, when nil).
 	StartBus func(ctx context.Context, dir string) (url string, stop func(), err error)
@@ -118,6 +125,7 @@ func (m *Module) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 			m.Say("the toolchain: %v", err)
 		}
 		m.CleanWorkspaces(time.Now())
+		buildstep.EndStaleRound(m.stepScan(), m.Node, m.Say) // asks past the step bound, on the module's own round (issue 1890)
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return
@@ -181,13 +189,14 @@ func (m *Module) Short(run func(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) (any,
 }
 
 // Status is what the module reports of itself: the node, the recipe, the toolchain found and why it refuses, if it
-// does.
+// does, and the processors its steps may take (issue 1806).
 func (m *Module) Status(ctx context.Context) map[string]any {
 	err := m.Check(ctx)
 	installed, _ := m.Probe(ctx)
 	out := map[string]any{
 		"node": m.Node, "recipe": m.Recipe.Version(), "installed": installed,
 		"postgres-major": m.Recipe.PostgresMajor, "nats-server": m.Recipe.NatsServer, "refusing": err != nil,
+		"cpu": m.cpuStatus(),
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		out["why"] = err.Error()

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

@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ func TestAGoThatCannotBeRunRefusesEveryStepAndHealthIsUnhealthy(t *testing.T) {
 		{Name: "short_probe", Run: run},
 	}, m.StepTools()...)
 	for _, tool := range m.Tools(steps) {
-		if tool.Name == StatusTool || tool.Name == HealthTool || tool.Name == StepReadTool || tool.Name == StepsReadTool || tool.Name == ToolchainsReadTool || tool.Name == ReleaseTool {
+		if tool.Name == StatusTool || tool.Name == HealthTool || tool.Name == StepReadTool || tool.Name == StepsReadTool || tool.Name == ToolchainsReadTool || tool.Name == ReleaseTool || tool.Name == StepEndTool {
 			continue
 		}
 		var reason string

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

@@ -71,6 +71,47 @@ func TestANodeWithoutNodeToolchainsRunsTheLevelWithNothingMoreBound(t *testing.T
 	if slices.Contains(s.roBinds, missing) {
 		t.Errorf("a missing %s is bound: %v", missing, s.roBinds)
 	}
+
+	// Issue 890/AC4: such a node lacks node-build-node; one with an installed toolchain and node and npm has it; nothing
+	// else is had.
+	bin := t.TempDir()
+	for _, p := range []string{"node", "npm", "bwrap"} {
+		if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(bin, p), []byte("#!/bin/sh\n"), 0o755); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	t.Setenv("PATH", bin)
+	m := &Module{NodeToolchains: missing}
+	if m.Has(delivery.NeedNodeBuildNode) {
+		t.Error("a node with no Node toolchain has node-build-node")
+	}
+	installed := t.TempDir()
+	m.NodeToolchains = installed
+	if m.Has(delivery.NeedNodeBuildNode) {
+		t.Error("a node with an empty toolchains directory has node-build-node")
+	}
+	half := filepath.Join(installed, "0.1.0")
+	if err := os.Mkdir(half, 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(half, "package-lock.json"), []byte("{}"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if m.Has(delivery.NeedNodeBuildNode) {
+		t.Error("a toolchain without its installed mark counts")
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(half, nodeToolchainMark), nil, 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !m.Has(delivery.NeedNodeBuildNode) || m.Has("gpu") {
+		t.Errorf("with a toolchain installed: node-build-node %v, gpu %v; want true, false", m.Has(delivery.NeedNodeBuildNode), m.Has("gpu"))
+	}
+	if err := os.Remove(filepath.Join(bin, "bwrap")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if m.Has(delivery.NeedNodeBuildNode) {
+		t.Error("a node with no bubblewrap installed has node-build-node")
+	}
 }
 
 // 1891 (ADR 0533 §1): the unit level is not given them.

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

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
 const forgePrefix = "git.novox.be/novox/"
@@ -125,7 +127,7 @@ func (m *Module) placePin(ctx context.Context, root string, p pin, failure strin
 	repository := "novox/" + p.repo
 	r := m.Run(ctx, []string{"GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0"}, "git", "-c", "credential.helper=", "ls-remote", m.remote(repository), "refs/pull/*/head")
 	if r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "" {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("the pin of %s at commit %s: listing the pull requests of %s: %s", p.module, p.short, repository, firstLine(r.Err+" "+r.Stderr))
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("the pin of %s at commit %s: listing the pull requests of %s: %s", p.module, p.short, repository, forgekey.Said(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr))
 	}
 	commit, ref := "", ""
 	for _, l := range strings.Split(r.Stdout, "\n") {

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

@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@ package main
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
@@ -39,6 +42,53 @@ func readOf(s stdio.KeptState) StateRead {
 	}}
 }
 
+// MaxStateReads is the most values one read tool reads from a state in a call, and stateReadParallel how many of them
+// are in flight at once. Every value is a round trip from the tool through the runtime to the bus, so a call that read
+// every key of a large state one after the other outlasted the call's 30 s (issue 1827: 1164 keys, 20 MB).
+const (
+	MaxStateReads     = 1000
+	stateReadParallel = 16
+)
+
+// readValues reads the values of keys, stateReadParallel at a time, in the order of keys (nil for a key with none). It
+// stops starting reads after the first error and returns it.
+func readValues(keys []string, get func(string) (json.RawMessage, error)) ([]json.RawMessage, error) {
+	out := make([]json.RawMessage, len(keys))
+	var (
+		wg   sync.WaitGroup
+		mu   sync.Mutex
+		fail error
+		next = make(chan int)
+	)
+	for w := 0; w < stateReadParallel && w < len(keys); w++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			for i := range next {
+				raw, err := get(keys[i])
+				mu.Lock()
+				if err != nil && fail == nil {
+					fail = err
+				}
+				mu.Unlock()
+				out[i] = raw
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	for i := range keys {
+		mu.Lock()
+		stop := fail != nil
+		mu.Unlock()
+		if stop {
+			break
+		}
+		next <- i
+	}
+	close(next)
+	wg.Wait()
+	return out, fail
+}
+
 // stepKey is the key of a step of this node: the id alone, or the whole key <node>.<id> as a step tool answered it.
 func (m *Module) stepKey(id string) (string, error) {
 	id = strings.TrimSpace(id)
@@ -78,29 +128,44 @@ type StepLine struct {
 	Started string `json:"started"`
 	Ended   string `json:"ended,omitempty"`
 	Reason  string `json:"reason,omitempty"`
+	What    string `json:"what,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// RecentSteps are this node's steps, the latest started first, at most limit (ten when limit is not above zero).
-func (m *Module) RecentSteps(limit int) ([]StepLine, error) {
+// RecentSteps are this node's steps, the latest started first, at most limit (ten when limit is not above zero). Only
+// the node's own keys (<node>.) are listed and the newest max(limit*4, 100) of them read (at most MaxStateReads): a step's
+// id is base-36 milliseconds and random digits, so its string order is its start order. cut says older steps were not
+// read. The values still order the lines, since an ask step's id carries the ask time.
+func (m *Module) RecentSteps(limit int) (lines []StepLine, cut bool, err error) {
 	if limit <= 0 {
 		limit = 10
 	}
 	if m.ReadSteps.Keys == nil || m.ReadSteps.Get == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the steps state cannot be read here")
+		return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("the steps state cannot be read here")
 	}
+	start := time.Now()
 	keys, err := m.ReadSteps.Keys()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, false, err
+	}
+	own := keys[:0:0]
+	for _, k := range keys {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(k, m.Node+".") {
+			if node, _, err := delivery.ParseStepKey(k); err == nil && node == m.Node {
+				own = append(own, k)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	sort.Sort(sort.Reverse(sort.StringSlice(own)))
+	if n := min(max(limit*4, 100), MaxStateReads); len(own) > n {
+		own, cut = own[:n], true
+	}
+	raws, err := readValues(own, m.ReadSteps.Get)
+	log.Printf("steps read: %d of %d keys listed read in %v (cut %v)", len(own), len(keys), time.Since(start).Round(time.Millisecond), cut)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, cut, err
 	}
 	var steps []delivery.Step
-	for _, k := range keys {
-		if node, _, err := delivery.ParseStepKey(k); err != nil || node != m.Node {
-			continue
-		}
-		raw, err := m.ReadSteps.Get(k)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	for _, raw := range raws {
 		if len(raw) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -116,13 +181,13 @@ func (m *Module) RecentSteps(limit int) ([]StepLine, error) {
 	}
 	out := make([]StepLine, 0, len(steps))
 	for _, s := range steps {
-		l := StepLine{ID: s.ID, Tool: s.Tool, State: s.State, Started: s.Started.UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z"), Reason: s.Reason}
+		l := StepLine{ID: s.ID, Tool: s.Tool, State: s.State, Started: s.Started.UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z"), Reason: s.Reason, What: s.What}
 		if !s.Ended.IsZero() {
 			l.Ended = s.Ended.UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z")
 		}
 		out = append(out, l)
 	}
-	return out, nil
+	return out, cut, nil
 }
 
 // ReadToolchains is every key of the toolchains state (<node>.<language>) with its stored value.
@@ -130,24 +195,30 @@ func (m *Module) ReadToolchains() (map[string]delivery.Toolchain, error) {
 	if m.ReadToolchainsState.Keys == nil || m.ReadToolchainsState.Get == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the toolchains state cannot be read here")
 	}
+	start := time.Now()
 	keys, err := m.ReadToolchainsState.Keys()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	cut := len(keys) > MaxStateReads
+	if cut {
+		keys = keys[:MaxStateReads] // a node has a key per language: far fewer in practice
+	}
+	raws, err := readValues(keys, m.ReadToolchainsState.Get)
+	log.Printf("toolchains read: %d keys read in %v (cut %v: keys past %d were not read)", len(keys), time.Since(start).Round(time.Millisecond), cut, MaxStateReads)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	out := map[string]delivery.Toolchain{}
-	for _, k := range keys {
-		raw, err := m.ReadToolchainsState.Get(k)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	for i, raw := range raws {
 		if len(raw) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
 		t, err := delivery.DecodeToolchain(raw)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", k, err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", keys[i], err)
 		}
-		out[k] = t
+		out[keys[i]] = t
 	}
 	return out, nil
 }
@@ -171,8 +242,13 @@ func (m *Module) ReadTools() []stdio.Tool {
 			Input: map[string]any{"type": "object", "properties": map[string]any{
 				"limit": map[string]any{"type": "integer", "description": "how many, at most; 10 when left out"}}},
 			Run: func(args map[string]any) (any, error) {
-				steps, err := m.RecentSteps(intArg(args["limit"]))
-				return map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "steps": steps}, err
+				steps, cut, err := m.RecentSteps(intArg(args["limit"]))
+				ans := map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "steps": steps}
+				if cut {
+					ans["cut"] = true
+					ans["note"] = fmt.Sprintf("this node has more steps stored than one call reads; older steps were not read (ask for a larger limit, at most %d reads)", MaxStateReads)
+				}
+				return ans, err
 			}},
 		{Name: ToolchainsReadTool,
 			Description: "What the module's toolchains state holds: each key <node>.<language> with the version installed, the " +

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

@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"slices"
 	"strings"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ func TestStepsToolListsRecentStepsOfThisNode(t *testing.T) {
 	t0 := time.Date(2026, 10, 21, 9, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
 	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "a", Tool: "build_go_fetch", Node: "ace", State: delivery.StepPassed, Started: t0, Ended: t0, Result: json.RawMessage(`1`)})
 	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "b", Tool: "build_go_test", Node: "ace", State: delivery.StepRunning, Started: t0.Add(time.Minute)})
-	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "c", Tool: "build_go_build", Node: "ace", State: delivery.StepFailed, Started: t0.Add(2 * time.Minute), Reason: "boom"})
+	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "c", Tool: "build_go_build", Node: "ace", State: delivery.StepFailed, Started: t0.Add(2 * time.Minute), Reason: "boom", What: "check ask, novox/x@abc"})
 	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "d", Tool: "build_go_build", Node: "g14", State: delivery.StepPassed, Started: t0.Add(time.Hour)})
 	m := readModule(steps, fakeState{})
 	out, err := tool(t, m, StepsReadTool)(map[string]any{})
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ func TestStepsToolListsRecentStepsOfThisNode(t *testing.T) {
 	if !slices.Equal(ids, []string{"c", "b", "a"}) {
 		t.Errorf("ids = %v, want c b a", ids)
 	}
-	if lines[0].Reason != "boom" || lines[0].State != delivery.StepFailed {
+	if lines[0].Reason != "boom" || lines[0].What != "check ask, novox/x@abc" || lines[0].State != delivery.StepFailed {
 		t.Errorf("first = %+v", lines[0])
 	}
 	out, _ = tool(t, m, StepsReadTool)(map[string]any{"limit": float64(1)})
@@ -145,3 +147,62 @@ func TestReadToolsAreInTheManifestAndNeedNoToolchain(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("the read refused: %v", err)
 	}
 }
+
+// 1827: on the live shape (4 nodes, 600 steps each; a steps state of 1164 keys / 20 MB timed out at 30 s) the steps tool
+// lists, then reads only this node's keys, in parallel, at most MaxStateReads of them, and says when it cut.
+func TestRecentStepsReadsOnlyTheNodesKeysInParallelAndBounded(t *testing.T) {
+	t0 := time.Date(2026, 10, 25, 9, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	for _, row := range []struct {
+		perNode, limit int
+		reads          int64
+		steps          int
+		cut            bool
+	}{
+		{20, 0, 20, 10, false},
+		{600, 0, 100, 10, true},
+		{1500, 300, MaxStateReads, 300, true},
+	} {
+		var reads, inFlight, maxFlight atomic.Int64
+		stored := map[string][]byte{}
+		for _, n := range []string{"ace", "g14", "novox", "shanks"} {
+			for i := 0; i < row.perNode; i++ {
+				b, _ := delivery.EncodeStep(delivery.Step{ID: fmt.Sprintf("s%04d", i), Tool: "t", Node: n, State: delivery.StepPassed, Started: t0.Add(time.Duration(i) * time.Second)})
+				stored[n+".s"+fmt.Sprintf("%04d", i)] = b
+			}
+		}
+		m := &Module{Node: "shanks"}
+		m.ReadSteps = StateRead{
+			Keys: func() ([]string, error) {
+				var k []string
+				for key := range stored {
+					k = append(k, key)
+				}
+				return k, nil
+			},
+			Get: func(key string) (json.RawMessage, error) {
+				reads.Add(1)
+				now := inFlight.Add(1)
+				for o := maxFlight.Load(); now > o && !maxFlight.CompareAndSwap(o, now); o = maxFlight.Load() {
+				}
+				time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+				inFlight.Add(-1)
+				if !strings.HasPrefix(key, "shanks.") {
+					t.Errorf("read %s, a key of another node", key)
+				}
+				return stored[key], nil
+			},
+		}
+		start := time.Now()
+		lines, cut, err := m.RecentSteps(row.limit)
+		if err != nil || len(lines) != row.steps || cut != row.cut || reads.Load() != row.reads {
+			t.Errorf("%d a node: %d steps, cut %v, %d reads, err %v; want %d, %v, %d", row.perNode, len(lines), cut, reads.Load(), err, row.steps, row.cut, row.reads)
+		}
+		if row.cut && len(lines) > 0 && lines[0].ID != fmt.Sprintf("s%04d", row.perNode-1) {
+			t.Errorf("%d a node: newest answered %s", row.perNode, lines[0].ID)
+		}
+		if maxFlight.Load() < 2 {
+			t.Errorf("%d a node: values read one at a time", row.perNode)
+		}
+		t.Logf("%d a node: %d reads in %v (one after the other: %v)", row.perNode, reads.Load(), time.Since(start), time.Duration(reads.Load())*time.Millisecond)
+	}
+}

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

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
@@ -181,7 +182,7 @@ func (m *Module) runLevel(ctx context.Context, tree string, o levelOpts) (*TestR
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	res := &TestResult{Level: o.level, Packages: []PackageResult{}, Setup: o.setup.Seconds(), Store: o.store, Bus: o.bus}
+	res := &TestResult{Level: o.level, Packages: []PackageResult{}, Setup: o.setup.Seconds(), Store: o.store, Bus: o.bus, By: buildstep.By("mesh-build-go")}
 	byDir, err := packagesByDir(tree, dirs, o.packages)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -194,10 +195,10 @@ func (m *Module) runLevel(ctx context.Context, tree string, o levelOpts) (*TestR
 	// The directories that hold a selected package run side by side, up to the bound, each into a result of its own;
 	// the results join in directory order, so the answer does not depend on which ended first (ADR 0536 §3).
 	type dirRun struct {
-		res   *TestResult
-		rd    *reader
-		r     runAnswer
-		noise []string
+		res      *TestResult
+		r        runAnswer
+		noise    []string
+		packages int
 	}
 	var todo []string
 	for _, d := range dirs {
@@ -252,9 +253,7 @@ func (m *Module) runLevel(ctx context.Context, tree string, o levelOpts) (*TestR
 			dr := &runs[i]
 			dr.res = &TestResult{}
 			dr.r = run(ctx, append(m.goEnvFor(filepath.Join(tree, d)), o.env...), "go", args...)
-			dr.rd = newReader(dr.res, d)
-			dr.noise = dr.rd.read(dr.r.Stdout)
-			dr.rd.finish()
+			dr.noise, dr.packages = readGoTest(dr.res, d, dr.r.Stdout)
 		}()
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
@@ -263,7 +262,7 @@ func (m *Module) runLevel(ctx context.Context, tree string, o levelOpts) (*TestR
 	}
 	for i, d := range todo {
 		dr := runs[i]
-		if (dr.r.Status != 0 || dr.r.Err != "") && len(dr.rd.pkgs) == 0 {
+		if (dr.r.Status != 0 || dr.r.Err != "") && dr.packages == 0 {
 			// go test said nothing a test said: it could not run (a go.mod it cannot read, a toolchain it cannot find).
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("go test in %s: %s", d, firstLine(dr.r.Err+"\n"+strings.Join(dr.noise, "\n")+"\n"+dr.r.Stderr))
 		}

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/testdata/captured/README

@@ -25,3 +25,7 @@ The tar streams (the archives gunzipped) of the three archives above, captured t
 gunzip and sha256) at origin/main 0205b8f7 on 2026-10-21: directory f8af1d94...d1b6, within 294e2bec...07fb, file
 055cffc2...428e. The digests above hold the gzip bytes of go1.27.1. The first try of issue 1589 on the merge check's build node answered
 other digests; the tests therefore compare the stream always and the digest only under go1.27.1.
+
+The go-test-json-*.jsonl captures of issue 1901 (2026-10-23 and 2026-10-25) moved to mesh-sdk's conformance kit
+(go/buildstep/conformance/captured/go, with their description) on 2026-10-26, with the reader they test: the build module
+reads go test -json through buildstep.ReadGoTest and runs the kit (kit_test.go).

modules/mesh-build-go/cmd/mesh-build-go/testdata/captured/go-test-json-log-then-fatal.jsonl

@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-{"Action":"start","Package":"x"}
-{"Action":"run","Package":"x","Test":"TestThree"}
-{"Action":"output","Package":"x","Test":"TestThree","Output":"=== RUN   TestThree\n","OutputType":"frame"}
-{"Action":"output","Package":"x","Test":"TestThree","Output":"    a_test.go:4: judged against /var/lib/mesh-build-go-work/id/beside/mesh-catalog as cloned\n"}
-{"Action":"output","Package":"x","Test":"TestThree","Output":"    a_test.go:5: 3 subscription(s) derive to a subject no emitter owns:\n","OutputType":"error"}
-{"Action":"output","Package":"x","Test":"TestThree","Output":"          a.b.c\n","OutputType":"error-continue"}
-{"Action":"output","Package":"x","Test":"TestThree","Output":"          d.e.f\n","OutputType":"error-continue"}
-{"Action":"output","Package":"x","Test":"TestThree","Output":"          g.h.i\n","OutputType":"error-continue"}
-{"Action":"output","Package":"x","Test":"TestThree","Output":"--- FAIL: TestThree (0.00s)\n","OutputType":"frame"}
-{"Action":"fail","Package":"x","Test":"TestThree","Elapsed":0}
-{"Action":"output","Package":"x","Output":"FAIL\n","OutputType":"frame"}
-{"Action":"output","Package":"x","Output":"FAIL\tx\t0.002s\n","OutputType":"frame"}
-{"Action":"fail","Package":"x","Elapsed":0.002}

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

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 )
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ func (m *Module) Tools(steps []StepTool) []stdio.Tool {
 		tools = append(tools, t)
 	}
 	tools = append(tools, m.ReadTools()...)
+	tools = append(tools, buildstep.StepEndTool(StepEndTool, m.Node, m.stepScan(), m.Held))
 	tools = append(tools, m.releaseTool())
 	return append(tools,
 		stdio.Tool{Name: StatusTool,

modules/mesh-build-go/go.mod

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module meshbuildgo
 go 1.26.0
 
 require (
-	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024214154-bc16740feb0d
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026191742-47a66e3c0dc8
 	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 v0.1.14-0.20261024214154-bc16740feb0d h1:oJREw0ggKqJWJ5DEISSL0i2ZC5XqdXAidxo9NJ74TCc=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024214154-bc16740feb0d/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026191742-47a66e3c0dc8 h1:6OaUWIjcpXOtnu70zeqH0VEaF4oGykrxGpFkaFOzCmY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026191742-47a66e3c0dc8/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

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   "state": [
     "toolchains",
     "keys",
-    "steps"
+    {"name": "steps", "ttl-seconds": 172800}, "pauses"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
     "build_go_release",
     "build_go_step",
     "build_go_steps",
+    "build_go_step_end",
     "build_go_toolchains",
     "build_go_status",
     "build_go_health"

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

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 var Kept = []announce.State{
 	{Name: "keys", Readable: true},
 	{Name: "steps", Readable: true},
+	{Name: "pauses", Readable: true},
 }
 
 // keepStates announces Kept as this module's (stdio.Keeps): main calls it before it serves.

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

@@ -37,16 +37,20 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 		source = buildstep.SeatAsks{Language: delivery.AskImage}
 	}
 	capacity := m.Capacity
+	// 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
 	if capacity == nil {
 		capacity = buildstep.NodeCapacity(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCapacities, m.Node, m.Say)
+		watch = buildstep.WatchConfigServed
 	}
 	ask := m.askSteps(steps)
 	var load func(string) ([]byte, error)
-	if m.ReadSteps.Get != nil {
-		load = func(key string) ([]byte, error) { return m.ReadSteps.Get(key) }
+	if m.ReadPauses.Get != nil {
+		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, Load: load,
-		Capacity: capacity, Logf: m.Say,
+	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,
 		Run: func(ctx context.Context, a delivery.StepAsk) (any, error) {
 			if err := m.Check(ctx); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
@@ -62,3 +66,11 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 func (m *Module) SeatTools(p *buildstep.Puller) []stdio.Tool {
 	return buildstep.SeatTools(Seat, "image", p)
 }
+
+// StepEndTool ends one step left running (issue 1890); the module's steps state is the one it reads and writes.
+const StepEndTool = "build_image_step_end"
+
+// stepScan is the module's steps state as buildstep reads it.
+func (m *Module) stepScan() buildstep.Scan {
+	return buildstep.ScanOf(stdio.State(delivery.StepsState))
+}

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

@@ -155,14 +155,18 @@ func (m *Module) build(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) (any, error) {
 	}
 
 	local := localName(workspace, manifest.Module, art.Name)
-	argv := append(m.storeFlags(), "bud", "--isolation", "oci", "--tag", local, "--file", dockerfile)
+	// --network pasta: a RUN step's network is pasta's, in user space. buildah's default for a rootless RUN is a
+	// netavark bridge whose nftables rules cannot be applied for an account without a user session, so every RUN
+	// failed before it started ("setup network: netavark: nftables error"; issue 1703, reproduced with buildah 1.45.2).
+	argv := append(m.storeFlags(), "bud", "--isolation", "oci", "--network", "pasta", "--tag", local, "--file", dockerfile)
 	if art.Target != "" {
 		argv = append(argv, "--target", art.Target)
 	}
 	argv = append(argv, imageArgs(manifest)...)
 	argv = append(argv, contextDir)
 	if r := m.Run(ctx, m.env(), "buildah", argv...); r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("buildah bud of %s: %s", art.Name, lastLine(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr+"\n"+r.Stdout))
+		m.sayFailure("buildah bud of "+art.Name+" of "+manifest.Module, r)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("buildah bud of %s: %s", art.Name, cause(r))
 	}
 	defer m.remove(local)
 	digest, err := m.localDigest(ctx, local)
@@ -204,8 +208,11 @@ func localName(workspace, module, artifact string) string {
 func (m *Module) localDigest(ctx context.Context, name string) (string, error) {
 	r := m.Run(ctx, m.env(), "buildah", append(m.storeFlags(), "images", "--no-trunc", "--format", "{{.Digest}}", name)...)
 	digest := strings.TrimSpace(r.Stdout)
-	if r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "" || !digestOK.MatchString(digest) {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("the digest of the image %s could not be read: %s", name, lastLine(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr+"\n"+r.Stdout))
+	if r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("the digest of the image %s could not be read: %s", name, cause(r))
+	}
+	if !digestOK.MatchString(digest) {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("the digest of the image %s could not be read: buildah images answered %q, not a digest", name, cutFront(digest, CauseBytes))
 	}
 	return digest, nil
 }
@@ -216,17 +223,6 @@ var digestOK = regexp.MustCompile(`^sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$`)
 func (m *Module) remove(name string) {
 	r := m.Run(m.Ctx, m.env(), "buildah", append(m.storeFlags(), "rmi", "--force", name)...)
 	if (r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "") && m.Say != nil {
-		m.Say("the image %s could not be removed from the store: %s", name, lastLine(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr))
+		m.Say("the image %s could not be removed from the store: %s", name, cause(r))
 	}
 }
-
-// lastLine is the last line of a command's output that says something: buildah's error is its last line.
-func lastLine(s string) string {
-	lines := strings.Split(s, "\n")
-	for i := len(lines) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
-		if l := strings.TrimSpace(lines[i]); l != "" {
-			return l
-		}
-	}
-	return ""
-}

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

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ func setup(t *testing.T, edit func(string) string) (*Module, *fake, *keptStates)
 // Dockerfile of the module's own directory and that directory as the context, the target, the pinned base as a build
 // argument; no mount, no credential file, a runtime directory of its own, and it answers the image's digest.
 func TestBuildRunsBuildahRootlessAndAnswersTheDigest(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("MESH_BUILD_CPU_SHARE", "50") // the composer's share (ADR 0553): buildah is given its threads
 	m, f, states := setup(t, same)
 	res, st := runBuild(t, m, states, nil)
 	if st.State != delivery.StepPassed {
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ func TestBuildRunsBuildahRootlessAndAnswersTheDigest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	dir := filepath.Join(m.Work, "ws1", "tree", "modules", "demo")
 	for _, want := range []string{
-		"--root " + m.Store + "/root", "--runroot " + m.Store + "/run", "--isolation oci",
+		"--root " + m.Store + "/root", "--runroot " + m.Store + "/run", "--isolation oci", "--network pasta",
 		"--file " + dir + "/Dockerfile", "--target final",
 		"--build-arg DEMO_BASE=docker.io/library/busybox@sha256:0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001",
 	} {
@@ -110,6 +112,9 @@ func TestBuildRunsBuildahRootlessAndAnswersTheDigest(t *testing.T) {
 		if !strings.Contains(env, "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR="+m.Store+"/xdg") {
 			t.Errorf("the environment of %q lacks the module's own runtime directory: %s", c.line, env)
 		}
+		if !strings.Contains(env, "GOMAXPROCS=") {
+			t.Errorf("the environment of %q gives buildah no thread limit under a share (ADR 0553): %s", c.line, env)
+		}
 	}
 	// The image is removed from the store once the digest is read, so the store does not grow with every build.
 	if len(f.called("rmi")) != 1 {
@@ -117,16 +122,50 @@ func TestBuildRunsBuildahRootlessAndAnswersTheDigest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// 1703c: a failing Dockerfile step fails the step, saying buildah's last line.
-func TestBuildFailsWithBuildahsLastLine(t *testing.T) {
-	m, f, states := setup(t, same)
-	f.failBud = "Error: building at STEP \"RUN false\": exit status 1"
-	_, st := runBuild(t, m, states, nil)
-	if st.State != delivery.StepFailed || !strings.Contains(st.Reason, `STEP "RUN false"`) {
-		t.Errorf("step = %+v", st)
+// 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) {
+	steps := "STEP 1/3: FROM docker.io/library/alpine\nSTEP 2/3: RUN apk add --no-cache ca-certificates\nfetch https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/x\n"
+	long := strings.Repeat("x", 2*CauseBytes)
+	cases := map[string]struct {
+		ran     forgekey.Ran
+		want    []string
+		wantNot []string
+	}{
+		"buildah's RUN failure": {forgekey.Ran{Status: 1, Stdout: steps + "STEP 3/3: COPY . /app\n",
+			Stderr: "error running container: from /usr/bin/crun creating container for [/bin/sh -c apk add]: sd-bus call: Interactive authentication required.\nError: building at STEP \"RUN apk add --no-cache ca-certificates\": while running runtime: exit status 1\n"},
+			[]string{"exit status 1", "Interactive authentication required", `building at STEP "RUN apk add`}, []string{"STEP 3/3", "COPY"}},
+		"a failed RUN": {forgekey.Ran{Status: 1, Stdout: steps, Stderr: "Error: building at STEP \"RUN false\": exit status 1\n"},
+			[]string{`STEP "RUN false"`}, []string{"dl-cdn"}},
+		"a long stderr is bounded, its end kept": {forgekey.Ran{Status: 125, Stdout: steps, Stderr: "early noise\n" + long + "\nError: the end\n"},
+			[]string{"Error: the end"}, []string{"early noise", long}},
+		"nothing on stderr": {forgekey.Ran{Status: 2, Stdout: steps}, []string{"exit status 2", "nothing on stderr", "dl-cdn"}, nil},
+		"never ran":         {forgekey.Ran{Err: "ENOENT"}, []string{"ENOENT", "wrote nothing"}, nil},
 	}
-	if len(f.called("push")) != 0 {
-		t.Error("a failed build pushed")
+	for name, c := range cases {
+		m, f, states := setup(t, same)
+		f.failBud = c.ran
+		_, st := runBuild(t, m, states, nil)
+		if st.State != delivery.StepFailed {
+			t.Errorf("%s: step = %+v, want failed", name, st)
+			continue
+		}
+		for _, w := range c.want {
+			if !strings.Contains(st.Reason, w) {
+				t.Errorf("%s: the reason %q lacks %q", name, st.Reason, w)
+			}
+		}
+		for _, w := range c.wantNot {
+			if strings.Contains(st.Reason, w) {
+				t.Errorf("%s: the reason %q carries %q", name, st.Reason, w)
+			}
+		}
+		if len(st.Reason) > CauseBytes+200 {
+			t.Errorf("%s: the reason is %d bytes, more than its bound", name, len(st.Reason))
+		}
+		if len(f.called("push")) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("%s: a failed build pushed", name)
+		}
 	}
 }
 

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

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+package main
+
+// Why a command failed, as the command said it (issue 1703). buildah writes its progress (STEP n/m, the RUN's own
+// output) on stdout and its error on stderr, so the last line of both together is a STEP line and hides the error:
+// a failure's reason is stderr's last lines, never stdout's, and the whole tail of stderr is said in the journal.
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+	"unicode/utf8"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
+)
+
+// CauseBytes bounds what a failure's reason carries of the command's output; TailBytes bounds what the journal gets.
+const (
+	CauseBytes = 600
+	TailBytes  = 4096
+)
+
+// cause says why a command failed: its exit status (or why it never ran to one) and the last lines it wrote on stderr,
+// at most CauseBytes of them, joined with " | ". Only when stderr is empty does stdout's tail stand in, said as such.
+func cause(r forgekey.Ran) string {
+	head := exitOf(r)
+	if said := tailLines(r.Stderr, CauseBytes, " | "); said != "" {
+		return head + ": " + said
+	}
+	if said := tailLines(r.Stdout, CauseBytes, " | "); said != "" {
+		return head + ", nothing on stderr; stdout ends: " + said
+	}
+	return head + ", and it wrote nothing"
+}
+
+// exitOf is how a command ended: why it never ran to an exit status, or the status.
+func exitOf(r forgekey.Ran) string {
+	if r.Err != "" {
+		return r.Err
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("exit status %d", r.Status)
+}
+
+// tailLines is the last non-empty lines of s, trimmed, joined with sep, at most max bytes: the lines are taken whole
+// from the end while they fit, and when even the last one does not, its end is kept behind "…".
+func tailLines(s string, max int, sep string) string {
+	var lines []string
+	for _, l := range strings.Split(s, "\n") {
+		if l = strings.TrimSpace(l); l != "" {
+			lines = append(lines, l)
+		}
+	}
+	var keep []string
+	n := 0
+	for i := len(lines) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+		add := len(lines[i])
+		if len(keep) > 0 {
+			add += len(sep)
+		}
+		if n+add > max {
+			if len(keep) == 0 {
+				keep = append(keep, "…"+cutFront(lines[i], max-len("…")))
+			}
+			break
+		}
+		keep = append([]string{lines[i]}, keep...)
+		n += add
+	}
+	return strings.Join(keep, sep)
+}
+
+// cutFront is the last at most max bytes of s, starting on a whole character.
+func cutFront(s string, max int) string {
+	if max <= 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	if len(s) <= max {
+		return s
+	}
+	s = s[len(s)-max:]
+	for len(s) > 0 && !utf8.RuneStart(s[0]) {
+		s = s[1:]
+	}
+	return s
+}
+
+// sayFailure writes the tail of a failed command's stderr (and of its stdout, where buildah's RUN output goes) to the
+// journal, so what the reason had to leave out can still be read there.
+func (m *Module) sayFailure(what string, r forgekey.Ran) {
+	m.say("%s failed (%s); stderr ends:\n%s\nstdout ends:\n%s", what, exitOf(r),
+		tailLines(r.Stderr, TailBytes, "\n"), tailLines(r.Stdout, TailBytes, "\n"))
+}

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

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildcpu"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
+)
+
+// The processors a step may take (novox/hq ADR 0553, issue 1806). The node-engine holds this module's runtime, with
+// every other build module's of the node, in one slice at idle priority under the node's one share of its processors:
+// that quota bounds the total. Threads only size each step: the share the composer gives (buildstep.NodeLimits) over
+// this module's own capacity, so a step does not wait in the kernel's throttle. Without the composer's share there is
+// no slice to size a step to, and no thread limit is set.
+
+// cpuLimits is what one step is held to now.
+func (m *Module) cpuLimits() buildcpu.Limits {
+	slots := 1
+	switch {
+	case m.Capacity != nil:
+		slots = m.Capacity()
+	case m.Settings != "":
+		slots = buildstep.NodeCapacity(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCapacities, m.Node, nil)()
+	}
+	return buildstep.NodeLimits(slots)
+}
+
+// threadEnv is the environment (nothing without a share) buildah is given for its threads (it is a Go program). What a build's RUN lines start
+// runs in the container's own environment, inside the runtime's cgroup: the slice's quota and the nice level bind it.
+func (m *Module) threadEnv() []string {
+	return buildcpu.Env(m.cpuLimits().Threads)
+}
+
+// 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()}
+}

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

@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ type fake struct {
 	calls   []cmdRecord
 	digest  string // what `buildah images` prints
 	pushes  int
-	refuse  int // the first n pushes answer "connection refused"
-	failBud string
+	refuse  int          // the first n pushes answer "connection refused"
+	failBud forgekey.Ran // what a failing buildah bud answers; a zero Status is a passing bud
 	// digestFile: "" writes the digest, "none" writes no file, "empty" writes an empty one.
 	digestFile string
 	// registry: repository:tag -> digest
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ func (f *fake) run(ctx context.Context, env []string, name string, args ...strin
 	case name == "buildah" && strings.Contains(line, "--version"):
 		return forgekey.Ran{Stdout: "buildah version 1.45.1 (image-spec 1.1.0, runtime-spec 1.1.0)\n"}
 	case name == "buildah" && strings.Contains(line, " bud "):
-		if f.failBud != "" {
-			return forgekey.Ran{Status: 1, Stderr: "STEP 1/2: FROM x\n" + f.failBud + "\n"}
+		if f.failBud.Status != 0 || f.failBud.Err != "" {
+			return f.failBud
 		}
 	case name == "buildah" && strings.Contains(line, " images "):
 		return forgekey.Ran{Stdout: f.digest + "\n"}

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

@@ -203,6 +203,8 @@ func TestARealBuildIsRootlessWithNoSocketAndNoWayOut(t *testing.T) {
 	imageModule(t, m, "FROM "+base+"\nRUN echo b > /proc/sysrq-trigger\n", nil)
 	if _, st := buildReal(t, m, states); st.State != delivery.StepFailed {
 		t.Errorf("a write to the host's /proc/sysrq-trigger passed: %+v", st)
+	} else if strings.Contains(st.Reason, "setup network") {
+		t.Errorf("the RUN never started, so the write was not what failed (issue 1703): %s", st.Reason)
 	}
 }
 

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

@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 	"os"
 	"os/user"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
@@ -29,13 +31,15 @@ func logf(format string, a ...any) { fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[mesh-build-image]
 func main() {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	m := &Module{
-		Node:      strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv("MESH_NODE")),
-		Steps:     stdio.State(delivery.StepsState).Put,
-		ReadSteps: readOf(stdio.State(delivery.StepsState)),
-		Ctx:       ctx,
-		Say:       logf,
-		Work:      WorkDir,
-		Store:     StoreDir,
+		Node:       strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv("MESH_NODE")),
+		Steps:      stdio.State(delivery.StepsState).Put,
+		ReadSteps:  readOf(stdio.State(delivery.StepsState)),
+		Pauses:     stdio.State(delivery.PausesState).Put,
+		ReadPauses: readOf(stdio.State(delivery.PausesState)),
+		Ctx:        ctx,
+		Say:        logf,
+		Work:       WorkDir,
+		Store:      StoreDir,
 	}
 	m.Floor = floorOf(m.Node)
 	if u, err := user.Current(); err == nil {
@@ -55,7 +59,13 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	steps := m.StepTools()
+	booted := time.Now()
 	puller := m.Puller(steps, nil)
+	m.Held = puller
+	if m.Node != "" {
+		// A step a previous process left running is ended (issue 1890); this process's own steps start after booted.
+		go buildstep.EndStaleAtStart(ctx, m.stepScan(), m.Node, booted, logf)
+	}
 	if m.Node != "" {
 		// The seat's asks, pulled once Serve has the runtime's channel; a pull before it is said and tried again.
 		go func() { _ = puller.Pull(ctx) }()

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

@@ -97,9 +97,13 @@ func TestManifestKeepsItsStatesClaimsItsBuildSeatAndDeclaresItsHealthTool(t *tes
 	states := []string{}
 	for _, s := range m.State {
 		states = append(states, s.Name)
+		// A step's key is per step and dropped after its age, so the bucket cannot fill; a pause has no age.
+		if (s.Name == "steps") != (s.TTLSeconds > 0) {
+			t.Errorf("state %s has ttl-seconds %d: only steps has an age", s.Name, s.TTLSeconds)
+		}
 	}
 	slices.Sort(states)
-	if want := []string{"keys", "steps"}; !slices.Equal(states, want) {
+	if want := []string{"keys", "pauses", "steps"}; !slices.Equal(states, want) {
 		t.Errorf("state = %v, want %v", states, want)
 	}
 	if len(m.Claims) != 1 || m.Claims[0].Name != Seat || !slices.Equal(m.Claims[0].Serves, []string{"current", "pause", "resume"}) {

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

@@ -22,8 +22,13 @@ type Module struct {
 	// Account and UID are the account the module runs as; Home is its home.
 	Account, UID, Home string
 	// Steps is the Put of the steps state; ReadSteps reads it back for the read tools.
-	Steps     buildstep.Put
+	Steps buildstep.Put
+	// Held is the puller whose running asks a step-end tool will not end (issue 1890); nil in a test.
+	Held      *buildstep.Puller
 	ReadSteps StateRead
+	// Pauses is the Put of the pauses state, which keeps the node's pause key without an age; ReadPauses reads it back.
+	Pauses     buildstep.Put
+	ReadPauses StateRead
 	// Ctx is the process's context, which a step runs under (the tool call's is cut at 30 s, the step's is not).
 	Ctx context.Context
 	Say func(format string, a ...any)
@@ -101,6 +106,7 @@ func (m *Module) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 			m.Say("this machine cannot build images: %v", err)
 		}
 		m.CleanWorkspaces(m.clock())
+		buildstep.EndStaleRound(m.stepScan(), m.Node, m.Say) // asks past the step bound, on the module's own round (issue 1890)
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return
@@ -125,7 +131,8 @@ func (m *Module) Health(ctx context.Context) health.Answer {
 // Status is what the module reports of itself.
 func (m *Module) Status(ctx context.Context) map[string]any {
 	l, err := m.look(ctx)
-	out := map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "account": m.Account, "buildah": l.Buildah, "subuids": l.UIDs, "subgids": l.GIDs, "refusing": err != nil}
+	out := map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "account": m.Account, "buildah": l.Buildah, "subuids": l.UIDs, "subgids": l.GIDs, "refusing": err != nil,
+		"cpu": m.cpuStatus()}
 	if err != nil {
 		out["why"] = err.Error()
 	}

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

@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func (m *Module) storeFlags() []string {
 // error, and the next look refuses with it.
 func (m *Module) env() []string {
 	_ = m.ensureRuntimeDir()
-	return []string{"XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=" + m.runtimeDir()}
+	return append([]string{"XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=" + m.runtimeDir()}, m.threadEnv()...)
 }
 
 // runtimeDir is buildah's runtime directory, inside the store.

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

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
 // RegistryWait is how long a call waits for a registry that refuses connections, longer than the nightly collection
@@ -47,13 +49,15 @@ func (m *Module) push(ctx context.Context, workspace, module, local string, res
 	dest := addr + "/" + repository + ":" + tag
 	digestFile := filepath.Join(m.Work, workspace, "pushed."+tag)
 	argv := append(m.storeFlags(), "push", "--tls-verify=false", "--digestfile", digestFile, local, "docker://"+dest)
+	var last forgekey.Ran
 	if err := m.waitForRegistry(ctx, addr, "buildah push "+dest, func() error {
-		r := m.Run(ctx, m.env(), "buildah", argv...)
-		if r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "" {
-			return errors.New(lastLine(r.Err + "\n" + r.Stderr + "\n" + r.Stdout))
+		last = m.Run(ctx, m.env(), "buildah", argv...)
+		if last.Status != 0 || last.Err != "" {
+			return errors.New(cause(last))
 		}
 		return nil
 	}); err != nil {
+		m.sayFailure("buildah push "+dest, last)
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("pushing %s: %w", dest, err)
 	}
 	var served string

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

@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@ package main
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
@@ -38,6 +41,53 @@ func readOf(s stdio.KeptState) StateRead {
 	}}
 }
 
+// MaxStateReads is the most values one read tool reads from a state in a call, and stateReadParallel how many of them
+// are in flight at once. Every value is a round trip from the tool through the runtime to the bus, so a call that read
+// every key of a large state one after the other outlasted the call's 30 s (issue 1827: 1164 keys, 20 MB).
+const (
+	MaxStateReads     = 1000
+	stateReadParallel = 16
+)
+
+// readValues reads the values of keys, stateReadParallel at a time, in the order of keys (nil for a key with none). It
+// stops starting reads after the first error and returns it.
+func readValues(keys []string, get func(string) (json.RawMessage, error)) ([]json.RawMessage, error) {
+	out := make([]json.RawMessage, len(keys))
+	var (
+		wg   sync.WaitGroup
+		mu   sync.Mutex
+		fail error
+		next = make(chan int)
+	)
+	for w := 0; w < stateReadParallel && w < len(keys); w++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			for i := range next {
+				raw, err := get(keys[i])
+				mu.Lock()
+				if err != nil && fail == nil {
+					fail = err
+				}
+				mu.Unlock()
+				out[i] = raw
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	for i := range keys {
+		mu.Lock()
+		stop := fail != nil
+		mu.Unlock()
+		if stop {
+			break
+		}
+		next <- i
+	}
+	close(next)
+	wg.Wait()
+	return out, fail
+}
+
 // stepKey is the key of a step of this node: the id alone, or the whole key <node>.<id> as a step tool answered it.
 func (m *Module) stepKey(id string) (string, error) {
 	id = strings.TrimSpace(id)
@@ -77,29 +127,44 @@ type StepLine struct {
 	Started string `json:"started"`
 	Ended   string `json:"ended,omitempty"`
 	Reason  string `json:"reason,omitempty"`
+	What    string `json:"what,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// RecentSteps are this node's steps, the latest started first, at most limit (ten when limit is not above zero).
-func (m *Module) RecentSteps(limit int) ([]StepLine, error) {
+// RecentSteps are this node's steps, the latest started first, at most limit (ten when limit is not above zero). Only
+// the node's own keys (<node>.) are listed and the newest max(limit*4, 100) of them read (at most MaxStateReads): a step's
+// id is base-36 milliseconds and random digits, so its string order is its start order. cut says older steps were not
+// read. The values still order the lines, since an ask step's id carries the ask time.
+func (m *Module) RecentSteps(limit int) (lines []StepLine, cut bool, err error) {
 	if limit <= 0 {
 		limit = 10
 	}
 	if m.ReadSteps.Keys == nil || m.ReadSteps.Get == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the steps state cannot be read here")
+		return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("the steps state cannot be read here")
 	}
+	start := time.Now()
 	keys, err := m.ReadSteps.Keys()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, false, err
+	}
+	own := keys[:0:0]
+	for _, k := range keys {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(k, m.Node+".") {
+			if node, _, err := delivery.ParseStepKey(k); err == nil && node == m.Node {
+				own = append(own, k)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	sort.Sort(sort.Reverse(sort.StringSlice(own)))
+	if n := min(max(limit*4, 100), MaxStateReads); len(own) > n {
+		own, cut = own[:n], true
+	}
+	raws, err := readValues(own, m.ReadSteps.Get)
+	log.Printf("steps read: %d of %d keys listed read in %v (cut %v)", len(own), len(keys), time.Since(start).Round(time.Millisecond), cut)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, cut, err
 	}
 	var steps []delivery.Step
-	for _, k := range keys {
-		if node, _, err := delivery.ParseStepKey(k); err != nil || node != m.Node {
-			continue
-		}
-		raw, err := m.ReadSteps.Get(k)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	for _, raw := range raws {
 		if len(raw) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -115,13 +180,13 @@ func (m *Module) RecentSteps(limit int) ([]StepLine, error) {
 	}
 	out := make([]StepLine, 0, len(steps))
 	for _, s := range steps {
-		l := StepLine{ID: s.ID, Tool: s.Tool, State: s.State, Started: s.Started.UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z"), Reason: s.Reason}
+		l := StepLine{ID: s.ID, Tool: s.Tool, State: s.State, Started: s.Started.UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z"), Reason: s.Reason, What: s.What}
 		if !s.Ended.IsZero() {
 			l.Ended = s.Ended.UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z")
 		}
 		out = append(out, l)
 	}
-	return out, nil
+	return out, cut, nil
 }
 
 // ReadTools are the module's read tools. All are read-only.
@@ -143,8 +208,13 @@ func (m *Module) ReadTools() []stdio.Tool {
 			Input: map[string]any{"type": "object", "properties": map[string]any{
 				"limit": map[string]any{"type": "integer", "description": "how many, at most; 10 when left out"}}},
 			Run: func(args map[string]any) (any, error) {
-				steps, err := m.RecentSteps(intArg(args["limit"]))
-				return map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "steps": steps}, err
+				steps, cut, err := m.RecentSteps(intArg(args["limit"]))
+				ans := map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "steps": steps}
+				if cut {
+					ans["cut"] = true
+					ans["note"] = fmt.Sprintf("this node has more steps stored than one call reads; older steps were not read (ask for a larger limit, at most %d reads)", MaxStateReads)
+				}
+				return ans, err
 			}},
 	}
 }

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

@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
 )
@@ -39,8 +43,67 @@ func TestTheReadToolsAnswerAStepsResult(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(got.Result, &back); err != nil || back.Digest != res.Digest {
 		t.Errorf("result = %s, %v", got.Result, err)
 	}
-	lines, err := m.RecentSteps(0)
+	lines, _, err := m.RecentSteps(0)
 	if err != nil || len(lines) != 1 || lines[0].Tool != BuildTool {
 		t.Errorf("steps = %+v, %v", lines, err)
 	}
 }
+
+// 1827: on the live shape (4 nodes, 600 steps each; a steps state of 1164 keys / 20 MB timed out at 30 s) the steps tool
+// lists, then reads only this node's keys, in parallel, at most MaxStateReads of them, and says when it cut.
+func TestRecentStepsReadsOnlyTheNodesKeysInParallelAndBounded(t *testing.T) {
+	t0 := time.Date(2026, 10, 25, 9, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	for _, row := range []struct {
+		perNode, limit int
+		reads          int64
+		steps          int
+		cut            bool
+	}{
+		{20, 0, 20, 10, false},
+		{600, 0, 100, 10, true},
+		{1500, 300, MaxStateReads, 300, true},
+	} {
+		var reads, inFlight, maxFlight atomic.Int64
+		stored := map[string][]byte{}
+		for _, n := range []string{"ace", "g14", "novox", "shanks"} {
+			for i := 0; i < row.perNode; i++ {
+				b, _ := delivery.EncodeStep(delivery.Step{ID: fmt.Sprintf("s%04d", i), Tool: "t", Node: n, State: delivery.StepPassed, Started: t0.Add(time.Duration(i) * time.Second)})
+				stored[n+".s"+fmt.Sprintf("%04d", i)] = b
+			}
+		}
+		m := &Module{Node: "shanks"}
+		m.ReadSteps = StateRead{
+			Keys: func() ([]string, error) {
+				var k []string
+				for key := range stored {
+					k = append(k, key)
+				}
+				return k, nil
+			},
+			Get: func(key string) (json.RawMessage, error) {
+				reads.Add(1)
+				now := inFlight.Add(1)
+				for o := maxFlight.Load(); now > o && !maxFlight.CompareAndSwap(o, now); o = maxFlight.Load() {
+				}
+				time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+				inFlight.Add(-1)
+				if !strings.HasPrefix(key, "shanks.") {
+					t.Errorf("read %s, a key of another node", key)
+				}
+				return stored[key], nil
+			},
+		}
+		start := time.Now()
+		lines, cut, err := m.RecentSteps(row.limit)
+		if err != nil || len(lines) != row.steps || cut != row.cut || reads.Load() != row.reads {
+			t.Errorf("%d a node: %d steps, cut %v, %d reads, err %v; want %d, %v, %d", row.perNode, len(lines), cut, reads.Load(), err, row.steps, row.cut, row.reads)
+		}
+		if row.cut && len(lines) > 0 && lines[0].ID != fmt.Sprintf("s%04d", row.perNode-1) {
+			t.Errorf("%d a node: newest answered %s", row.perNode, lines[0].ID)
+		}
+		if maxFlight.Load() < 2 {
+			t.Errorf("%d a node: values read one at a time", row.perNode)
+		}
+		t.Logf("%d a node: %d reads in %v (one after the other: %v)", row.perNode, reads.Load(), time.Since(start), time.Duration(reads.Load())*time.Millisecond)
+	}
+}

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

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 )
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ func (m *Module) Tools(steps []StepTool) []stdio.Tool {
 		tools = append(tools, t)
 	}
 	tools = append(tools, m.ReadTools()...)
+	tools = append(tools, buildstep.StepEndTool(StepEndTool, m.Node, m.stepScan(), m.Held))
 	tools = append(tools, m.releaseTool())
 	return append(tools,
 		stdio.Tool{Name: StatusTool,

modules/mesh-build-image/go.mod

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module meshbuildimage
 go 1.26.0
 
 require (
-	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261023213200-403a5d72ab93
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261026142629-ff81bdf8cc8f
 	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 v0.1.14-0.20261023213200-403a5d72ab93 h1:FAiFY2KBKEoZSH49OZTt7/zRBIQxyl5g/KhYrpggbN4=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261023213200-403a5d72ab93/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+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=
 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

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   ],
   "state": [
     "keys",
-    "steps"
+    {"name": "steps", "ttl-seconds": 172800}, "pauses"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
     "build_image_release",
     "build_image_step",
     "build_image_steps",
+    "build_image_step_end",
     "build_image_status",
     "build_image_health"
   ],

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

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ var Kept = []announce.State{
 	{Name: "toolchains", Readable: true},
 	{Name: "keys", Readable: true},
 	{Name: "steps", Readable: true},
+	{Name: "pauses", Readable: true},
 }
 
 // keepStates announces Kept as this module's (stdio.Keeps): main calls it before it serves.

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

@@ -45,16 +45,20 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 		source = buildstep.SeatAsks{Language: delivery.AskNode}
 	}
 	capacity := m.Capacity
+	// 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
 	if capacity == nil {
 		capacity = buildstep.NodeCapacity(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCapacities, m.Node, m.Say)
+		watch = buildstep.WatchConfigServed
 	}
 	ask := m.askSteps(steps)
 	var load func(string) ([]byte, error)
-	if m.ReadSteps.Get != nil {
-		load = func(key string) ([]byte, error) { return m.ReadSteps.Get(key) }
+	if m.ReadPauses.Get != nil {
+		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, Load: load,
-		Capacity: capacity, Logf: m.Say,
+	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,
 		Run: func(ctx context.Context, a delivery.StepAsk) (any, error) {
 			if err := m.Prepare(ctx); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
@@ -70,3 +74,11 @@ func (m *Module) Puller(steps []StepTool, source buildstep.AskSource) *buildstep
 func (m *Module) SeatTools(p *buildstep.Puller) []stdio.Tool {
 	return buildstep.SeatTools(Seat, "Node", p)
 }
+
+// StepEndTool ends one step left running (issue 1890); the module's steps state is the one it reads and writes.
+const StepEndTool = "build_node_step_end"
+
+// stepScan is the module's steps state as buildstep reads it.
+func (m *Module) stepScan() buildstep.Scan {
+	return buildstep.ScanOf(stdio.State(delivery.StepsState))
+}

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

@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ import (
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
-// realMachine gives the tests the real toolchain of the module's own lock and makes two workspaces holding one fixture
-// bundle. The toolchain is the one this node's installed Node build module keeps (ADR 0533 §1): the integration level
-// is given its toolchains read-only and no network, so it is copied into the test's own cache from there. Only where
-// no toolchain is installed (a desk) is it installed with `npm ci --ignore-scripts` from the mesh's registry, as the
-// module does, which needs the network.
+// realMachine gives the tests the real toolchain of the module's own lock and makes three workspaces holding one fixture
+// bundle. The toolchain is the one this node's installed Node build module keeps (ADR 0533 §1), copied into the test's
+// own cache: the integration level is given its toolchains read-only and no network, so it is never installed from the
+// registry here. Where no Node build module has installed one (a node without it, a desk), the test is skipped by
+// name: an install from the public registry inside a shut-off level only fails, after 70 s of npm's retries.
 func realMachine(t *testing.T) (*Module, string) {
 	t.Helper()
 	for _, p := range []string{"node", "npm", "bwrap"} { // bwrap: tsc, esbuild and the scripts run shut off (1309)
@@ -44,16 +44,19 @@ func realMachine(t *testing.T) (*Module, string) {
 	run := forgekey.ExecRunnerFor(0)
 	m := &Module{Node: "ace", Recipe: lock, Work: work, Run: run, Ctx: context.Background(),
 		Toolchain: &Toolchain{Paths: Paths{Home: home, Cache: cache}, Run: run, Registry: func() (Registry, error) {
-			return Registry{URL: "https://git.novox.be/api/packages/novox/npm/"}, nil
+			return Registry{}, fmt.Errorf("the integration test installs no toolchain from a registry: it has no network")
 		}}}
 	withStore(t, m)
-	if from := installedToolchain(t, filepath.Join(CacheDir, "toolchain"), filepath.Join(home, "toolchain", "package-lock.json")); from != "" {
-		copyToolchain(t, from, m.Toolchain.Paths.Dir(m.Recipe.Version()))
+	from := installedToolchain(t, filepath.Join(CacheDir, "toolchain"), filepath.Join(home, "toolchain", "package-lock.json"))
+	if from == "" {
+		t.Skipf("NOT RUN: no Node toolchain is installed under %s for this account to read (no Node build module on this node); "+
+			"the integration level has no network to install one, so this runs on a node that holds the Node build module", filepath.Join(CacheDir, "toolchain"))
 	}
-	if err := m.Toolchain.Ensure(context.Background(), m.Recipe.Version()); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("no toolchain of this lock is installed under %s, and installing it from the registry failed: %v", filepath.Join(CacheDir, "toolchain"), err)
+	copyToolchain(t, from, m.Toolchain.Paths.Dir(m.Recipe.Version()))
+	if err := m.Toolchain.Ensure(context.Background(), m.Recipe.Version()); err != nil { // present: opens it, installs nothing
+		t.Fatalf("the toolchain copied from %s cannot be used: %v", from, err)
 	}
-	for _, id := range []string{"w1", "w2"} {
+	for _, id := range []string{"w1", "w2", "w3"} {
 		for p, body := range map[string]string{
 			"modules/m/module.json":    `{"module":"m","build":{"artifacts":[{"name":"tools","kind":"bundle","language":"typescript","entrypoints":["tools/index.js"]}]}}`,
 			"modules/m/package.json":   `{"name":"m","type":"module","scripts":{"test":"node -e \"process.exit(0)\""}}`,
@@ -65,10 +68,36 @@ func realMachine(t *testing.T) (*Module, string) {
 	return m, work
 }
 
-// 1490/AC2: a fixture TypeScript bundle importing @novox/mesh-sdk, built twice by the real tsc and esbuild, has equal
-// digests, and its archive holds the bundled .js, the .serve.mjs launcher and package.json.
-func TestAFixtureBundleBuiltTwiceHasOneDigest(t *testing.T) {
+// 1490/AC2, 1491 and issue 1869, in one test so the toolchain is copied once: the real type-check and test script of the
+// fixture pass the unit level; a package whose test imports its own build output (as mesh-sdk's do) passes the unit level,
+// the test step emitting it with the real tsc, shut off, before the test script runs; and the fixture TypeScript bundle
+// importing @novox/mesh-sdk, built twice by the real tsc and esbuild, has equal digests, its archive holding the bundled
+// .js, the .serve.mjs launcher and package.json. The unit levels run in w3, so the two builds' workspaces stay alike.
+func TestTheFixturePassesTheUnitLevelAndBuildsTwiceToOneDigest(t *testing.T) {
 	m, work := realMachine(t)
+	out, err := m.test(context.Background(), map[string]any{"workspace": "w3", "module": "modules/m", "level": "unit"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if r := out.(*TestResult); !r.Passed || r.NoTests || len(r.Ran) != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("the fixture's unit level: result = %+v", r)
+	}
+	for p, body := range map[string]string{
+		"modules/p/package.json":  `{"name":"p","type":"module","scripts":{"build":"tsc","test":"node --test test/a.test.mjs","prepare":"tsc"}}`,
+		"modules/p/tsconfig.json": `{"compilerOptions":{"module":"NodeNext","moduleResolution":"NodeNext","target":"ES2022","outDir":"dist","rootDir":"src"},"include":["src"]}`,
+		"modules/p/src/index.ts":  "export const answer: number = 42;\n",
+		"modules/p/test/a.test.mjs": "import { test } from 'node:test';\nimport assert from 'node:assert';\nimport { answer } from '../dist/index.js';\n" +
+			"test('the build is there', () => assert.equal(answer, 42));\n",
+	} {
+		write(t, filepath.Join(work, "w3", "tree", filepath.FromSlash(p)), body, 0o644)
+	}
+	out, err = m.test(context.Background(), map[string]any{"workspace": "w3", "module": "modules/p", "level": "unit"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if r := out.(*TestResult); !r.Passed || !slices.Equal(r.Ran, []string{"build", "test"}) {
+		t.Errorf("the package importing its build: result = %+v", r)
+	}
 	var digests []string
 	for _, id := range []string{"w1", "w2"} {
 		out, err := m.build(context.Background(), map[string]any{"workspace": id, "module": "modules/m", "artifact": "tools"})
@@ -89,43 +118,6 @@ func TestAFixtureBundleBuiltTwiceHasOneDigest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// 1491: the real type-check and test script of the same fixture pass the unit level.
-func TestTheFixturePassesTheUnitLevel(t *testing.T) {
-	m, _ := realMachine(t)
-	out, err := m.test(context.Background(), map[string]any{"workspace": "w1", "module": "modules/m", "level": "unit"})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if r := out.(*TestResult); !r.Passed || r.NoTests || len(r.Ran) != 2 {
-		t.Errorf("result = %+v", r)
-	}
-}
-
-// Issue 1869: a package whose test imports its own build output (as mesh-sdk's do) passes the unit level: the test step
-// emits it with the real tsc, shut off, before the test script runs.
-func TestAPackageWhoseTestsImportItsBuildPassesTheUnitLevel(t *testing.T) {
-	if _, err := exec.LookPath("bwrap"); err != nil {
-		t.Skip("NOT RUN: no bubblewrap installed where this check runs; every build node has it (the module declares it)")
-	}
-	m, work := realMachine(t)
-	for p, body := range map[string]string{
-		"modules/p/package.json":  `{"name":"p","type":"module","scripts":{"build":"tsc","test":"node --test test/a.test.mjs","prepare":"tsc"}}`,
-		"modules/p/tsconfig.json": `{"compilerOptions":{"module":"NodeNext","moduleResolution":"NodeNext","target":"ES2022","outDir":"dist","rootDir":"src"},"include":["src"]}`,
-		"modules/p/src/index.ts":  "export const answer: number = 42;\n",
-		"modules/p/test/a.test.mjs": "import { test } from 'node:test';\nimport assert from 'node:assert';\nimport { answer } from '../dist/index.js';\n" +
-			"test('the build is there', () => assert.equal(answer, 42));\n",
-	} {
-		write(t, filepath.Join(work, "w1", "tree", filepath.FromSlash(p)), body, 0o644)
-	}
-	out, err := m.test(context.Background(), map[string]any{"workspace": "w1", "module": "modules/p", "level": "unit"})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if r := out.(*TestResult); !r.Passed || !slices.Equal(r.Ran, []string{"build", "test"}) {
-		t.Errorf("result = %+v", r)
-	}
-}
-
 // installedToolchain is the toolchain directory under toolchains that this node's Node build module installed: the
 // one installed from the lock at lockPath, byte for byte, or, when the change carries a lock no delivered release has
 // installed yet, the one installed last, said in the test's log (ADR 0533 §3: a new lock is proven by the module that

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

@@ -267,3 +267,38 @@ func TestTheLaunchersAreTheSDKsRule(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("launchers %v, mesh-sdk's rule %v", got, want)
 	}
 }
+
+// issue 1703: a failed command's reason keeps stderr's end and stdout's start, each bounded, so a long stdout (npm's
+// progress) never pushes npm's error out, and tsc's first error on stdout stays in.
+func TestRanFailedKeepsTheError(t *testing.T) {
+	noise := strings.Repeat("npm progress line\n", 200)
+	cases := map[string]struct {
+		ran     forgekey.Ran
+		want    []string
+		wantNot []string
+	}{
+		"passed":           {forgekey.Ran{Stdout: "ok"}, nil, nil},
+		"npm, long stdout": {forgekey.Ran{Status: 1, Stdout: noise, Stderr: "npm ERR! early\n" + noise + "npm ERR! code E404\n"}, []string{"status 1", "npm ERR! code E404"}, []string{"npm ERR! early"}},
+		"tsc on stdout":    {forgekey.Ran{Status: 2, Stdout: "src/a.ts(1,7): error TS2322: wrong\n" + noise}, []string{"error TS2322"}, nil},
+		"never ran":        {forgekey.Ran{Err: "ENOENT"}, []string{"ENOENT"}, nil},
+	}
+	for name, c := range cases {
+		got := ranFailed(c.ran)
+		if c.want == nil && got != "" {
+			t.Errorf("%s: %q, want none", name, got)
+		}
+		for _, w := range c.want {
+			if !strings.Contains(got, w) {
+				t.Errorf("%s: %q lacks %q", name, got, w)
+			}
+		}
+		for _, w := range c.wantNot {
+			if strings.Contains(got, w) {
+				t.Errorf("%s: %q carries %q", name, got, w)
+			}
+		}
+		if len(got) > failedBytes+100 {
+			t.Errorf("%s: %d bytes, past its bound", name, len(got))
+		}
+	}
+}

modules/mesh-build-node/cmd/mesh-build-node/check-needs

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Its integration tests copy the Node toolchain the Node build module installed on this node and run node and npm
+# (realMachine, build_integration_test.go): they run only where the node holds node-build-node (issue 890).
+node-build-node

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

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
@@ -54,14 +55,15 @@ type TestResult struct {
 	// the catalogue's TypeScript against the bounds is a later release's (R4f), not this one's gate.
 	OverBound bool      `json:"over_bound"`
 	Failed    []Failure `json:"failed,omitempty"`
+	// By is the build module and the SDK it was built with (buildstep.By): the checker names it when a failure hides
+	// its cause.
+	By string `json:"by,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// 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"`
-	Output  string `json:"output,omitempty"`
-}
+// Failure is the SDK's failure contract (buildstep.Failure, issue 1901): a failing test of the test script, read from
+// node's TAP reporter, or a type-check or build that failed, each with its cause (never empty, never a passing line) and
+// its own output up to 4096 bytes, cause first.
+type Failure = buildstep.Failure
 
 func (m *Module) testTool() StepTool {
 	return StepTool{
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@ func (m *Module) test(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) (any, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	res := &TestResult{Workspace: workspace, Module: module, Level: level}
+	res := &TestResult{Workspace: workspace, Module: module, Level: level, By: buildstep.By("mesh-build-node")}
 	script := "test"
 	if level == "integration" {
 		script = "test:integration"
@@ -128,12 +130,12 @@ 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) error {
+	ran := func(name string, r forgekey.Ran, report string) 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 {
-			failed = append(failed, Failure{Package: where, Test: name, Output: lines(r.Stdout + "\n" + r.Stderr)})
+			failed = append(failed, testFailures(where, name, dir, r, report)...)
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -148,17 +150,23 @@ 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); 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(), "npm_config_cache=" + filepath.Join(m.Toolchain.Paths.Cache, "npm")}
+		// node --test writes its TAP report to a file of the workspace (issue 1901), whatever the script prints itself
+		report := filepath.Join(root, ".mesh-node-test-"+level+".tap")
+		_ = os.Remove(report)
+		env := []string{"PATH=" + binDir(root) + ":" + pathOrDefault(), "npm_config_cache=" + filepath.Join(m.Toolchain.Paths.Cache, "npm"),
+			"NODE_OPTIONS=" + buildstep.NodeTestOptions(report)}
 		r := m.runIn(ctx, root, false, dir, env, "npm", scriptArgs(script)...)
 		run = m.now().Sub(start)
-		if err := ran(script, r); err != nil {
+		tap, _ := os.ReadFile(report)
+		_ = os.Remove(report)
+		if err := ran(script, r, string(tap)); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		res.Ran = append(res.Ran, script)
@@ -166,7 +174,7 @@ 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, fmt.Sprintf("%s failed in %s: %s", f.Test, f.Package, firstLine(f.Output)))
+		why = append(why, failureWhy(f))
 	}
 	if level == "unit" {
 		res.Elapsed, res.Bound = (check + run).Seconds(), UnitBound.Seconds()
@@ -188,18 +196,23 @@ func (m *Module) test(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) (any, error) {
 	return res, nil
 }
 
-// lines is the first lines of a command's output.
-func lines(out string) string {
-	var keep []string
-	for _, l := range strings.Split(out, "\n") {
-		if l = strings.TrimSpace(l); l != "" {
-			keep = append(keep, l)
-			if len(keep) == 15 {
-				break
-			}
-		}
+// testFailures is the module's parse path of a command that failed (the conformance kit runs it, issue 1901): the test
+// script's failing tests from node's TAP report, or, for the type-check or the build, or a script whose report names no
+// failing test, the command's own output with the line that names its error as the cause.
+func testFailures(where, name, dir string, r forgekey.Ran, report string) []Failure {
+	if name == "test" || name == "test:integration" {
+		return buildstep.ReadTAP(where, name, dir, report, r.Stdout+"\n"+r.Stderr)
 	}
-	return strings.Join(keep, "\n")
+	return []Failure{buildstep.ConsoleFailure(where, name, r.Stdout+"\n"+r.Stderr)}
+}
+
+// failureWhy is the words of one failure: the test or check that failed, where, and its cause.
+func failureWhy(f Failure) string {
+	file := ""
+	if f.File != "" {
+		file = " (" + f.File + ")"
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s failed in %s%s: %s", f.Test, f.Package, file, firstLine(f.Cause))
 }
 
 func firstLine(s string) string {

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

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
 )
 
@@ -198,4 +199,8 @@ func TestTheTestScriptFindsTscAndEsbuildOnItsPath(t *testing.T) {
 	if npm.name != "npm" || !strings.HasPrefix(path, bin+":") {
 		t.Errorf("npm ran with PATH %q, want %s first", path, bin)
 	}
+	// 1901/AC7: the test script runs under node's TAP reporter, written to a file of the workspace the step reads
+	if !slices.Contains(npm.env, "NODE_OPTIONS="+buildstep.NodeTestOptions(filepath.Join(work, "w1", ".mesh-node-test-unit.tap"))) {
+		t.Errorf("npm ran with %v, want NODE_OPTIONS naming the TAP reporter and its file", npm.env)
+	}
 }

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

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildcpu"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
+)
+
+// The processors a step may take (novox/hq ADR 0553, issue 1806). The node-engine holds this module's runtime, with
+// every other build module's of the node, in one slice at idle priority under the node's one share of its processors:
+// that quota bounds the total. Threads only size each step: the share the composer gives (buildstep.NodeLimits) over
+// this module's own capacity, so a step does not wait in the kernel's throttle. Without the composer's share there is
+// no slice to size a step to, and no thread limit is set.
+
+// cpuLimits is what one step is held to now.
+func (m *Module) cpuLimits() buildcpu.Limits {
+	slots := 1
+	switch {
+	case m.Capacity != nil:
+		slots = m.Capacity()
+	case m.Settings != "":
+		slots = buildstep.NodeCapacity(m.Settings, buildstep.DefaultCapacities, m.Node, nil)()
+	}
+	return buildstep.NodeLimits(slots)
+}
+
+// threadEnv is the environment (nothing without a share) every command of a step is given for its threads: GOMAXPROCS for esbuild and every Go
+// program, UV_THREADPOOL_SIZE for Node's worker pool.
+func (m *Module) threadEnv() []string {
+	return buildcpu.Env(m.cpuLimits().Threads)
+}
+
+// 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()}
+}

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

@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ func (m *Module) fetchInto(ctx context.Context, req buildstep.FetchRequest, grou
 func (m *Module) typeScriptModules(ctx context.Context, tree string) (dirs []string, packages map[string]bool, err error) {
 	r := m.Run(ctx, m.baseEnv(), "git", "-C", tree, "ls-files", "--", "module.json", "*/module.json")
 	if r.Status != 0 || r.Err != "" {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("git ls-files: %s", firstLine(r.Err+" "+r.Stderr))
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("git ls-files: %s", forgekey.Said(r.Err+"\n"+r.Stderr))
 	}
 	packages = map[string]bool{}
 	for _, l := range strings.Split(r.Stdout, "\n") {

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

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -225,6 +226,7 @@ func mustReadDir(t *testing.T, dir string) []string {
 // are given PATH, HOME and the locale and their own words; and the real clean runner, run on `env` here, prints only
 // those.
 func TestNoCommandOfTheStepSeesATokenOfTheProcess(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("MESH_BUILD_CPU_SHARE", "50")
 	t.Setenv("MESH_BUS_CREDENTIAL", "hunter2")
 	t.Setenv("NPM_TOKEN", "hunter3")
 	files := typeScriptModule(`{"dependencies":{"lodash":"^4"}}`)
@@ -245,6 +247,11 @@ func TestNoCommandOfTheStepSeesATokenOfTheProcess(t *testing.T) {
 		if len(c.env) < 3 || !strings.HasPrefix(c.env[0], "PATH=") || !strings.HasPrefix(c.env[1], "HOME=") || c.env[2] != "LC_ALL=C" {
 			t.Errorf("%s was given %v, want PATH, HOME and the locale first", c.name, c.env)
 		}
+		// And its threads, its part of the node's share the composer gave (ADR 0553).
+		if !slices.ContainsFunc(c.env, func(e string) bool { return strings.HasPrefix(e, "GOMAXPROCS=") }) ||
+			!slices.ContainsFunc(c.env, func(e string) bool { return strings.HasPrefix(e, "UV_THREADPOOL_SIZE=") }) {
+			t.Errorf("%s was given %v, without its threads", c.name, c.env)
+		}
 	}
 	// The runner main wires: what it hands a command is exactly what the step gave.
 	ran := forgekey.ExecRunnerClean(10*time.Second)(context.Background(), append(m.baseEnv(), "ONLY=this"), "env")

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

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func (m *Module) isolation(root string, write bool) buildstep.Isolation {
 		ReadOnly:    []string{m.toolchainDir()},
 		Caches:      []string{m.npmCache()},
 		WriteCaches: write,
-		Env:         []string{"PATH=" + pathOrDefault(), "LC_ALL=C"},
+		Env:         append([]string{"PATH=" + pathOrDefault(), "LC_ALL=C"}, m.threadEnv()...),
 	}
 }
 

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

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep/conformance"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
+)
+
+// 1901/AC7: the module's own parse path (testFailures, as the test step calls it on a command that failed) keeps the
+// failure contract on every captured node --test and tsc case of the SDK's conformance kit.
+func TestTheTestStepKeepsTheFailureContract(t *testing.T) {
+	conformance.Run(t, conformance.NodeTest, func(o conformance.Output) []buildstep.Failure {
+		return testFailures(".", "test", o.Dir, forgekey.Ran{Status: 1, Stdout: o.Stdout, Stderr: o.Stderr}, o.Report)
+	})
+	conformance.Run(t, conformance.TypeCheck, func(o conformance.Output) []buildstep.Failure {
+		return testFailures(".", "type-check", o.Dir, forgekey.Ran{Status: 2, Stdout: o.Stdout, Stderr: o.Stderr}, "")
+	})
+}

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

@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 	"os"
 	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
@@ -46,6 +48,8 @@ func main() {
 		Emit:                func(t string, b any) error { return stdio.Emit(t, b) },
 		Steps:               stdio.State(delivery.StepsState).Put,
 		ReadSteps:           readOf(stdio.State(delivery.StepsState)),
+		Pauses:              stdio.State(delivery.PausesState).Put,
+		ReadPauses:          readOf(stdio.State(delivery.PausesState)),
 		ReadToolchainsState: readOf(stdio.State(delivery.ToolchainsState)),
 		Work:                WorkDir,
 		Run:                 forgekey.ExecRunnerClean(0),
@@ -67,7 +71,13 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	steps := m.StepTools()
+	booted := time.Now()
 	puller := m.Puller(steps, nil)
+	m.Held = puller
+	if m.Node != "" {
+		// A step a previous process left running is ended (issue 1890); this process's own steps start after booted.
+		go buildstep.EndStaleAtStart(ctx, m.stepScan(), m.Node, booted, logf)
+	}
 	if m.Node != "" {
 		// The seat's asks, pulled once Serve has the runtime's channel; a pull before it is said and tried again.
 		go func() { _ = puller.Pull(ctx) }()

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

@@ -94,9 +94,13 @@ func TestManifestKeepsItsStatesClaimsItsBuildSeatAndDeclaresItsHealthTool(t *tes
 	states := []string{}
 	for _, s := range m.State {
 		states = append(states, s.Name)
+		// A step's key is per step and dropped after its age, so the bucket cannot fill; a pause has no age.
+		if (s.Name == "steps") != (s.TTLSeconds > 0) {
+			t.Errorf("state %s has ttl-seconds %d: only steps has an age", s.Name, s.TTLSeconds)
+		}
 	}
 	slices.Sort(states)
-	if want := []string{"keys", "steps", "toolchains"}; !slices.Equal(states, want) {
+	if want := []string{"keys", "pauses", "steps", "toolchains"}; !slices.Equal(states, want) {
 		t.Errorf("state = %v, want %v", states, want)
 	}
 	if len(m.Claims) != 1 || m.Claims[0].Name != Seat || !slices.Equal(m.Claims[0].Serves, []string{"current", "pause", "resume"}) {

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

@@ -42,7 +42,12 @@ type Module struct {
 	// Toolchains and Steps are the Put of the states of those names.
 	Toolchains, Steps buildstep.Put
 	// ReadSteps and ReadToolchainsState read those two states back for the read tools (issue 1562).
+	// Held is the puller whose running asks a step-end tool will not end (issue 1890); nil in a test.
+	Held                           *buildstep.Puller
 	ReadSteps, ReadToolchainsState StateRead
+	// Pauses is the Put of the pauses state, which keeps the node's pause key without an age; ReadPauses reads it back.
+	Pauses     buildstep.Put
+	ReadPauses StateRead
 	// Emit tells the bus an event (stdio.Emit); nil emits nothing. The guard emits toolchain.reported after each write of
 	// the toolchains key, so the indexer, which holds no timer, learns that the bucket exists (issue 1444).
 	Emit func(eventType string, body any) error
@@ -134,6 +139,7 @@ func (m *Module) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 			m.Say("the toolchain: %v", err)
 		}
 		m.CleanWorkspaces(m.now())
+		buildstep.EndStaleRound(m.stepScan(), m.Node, m.Say) // asks past the step bound, on the module's own round (issue 1890)
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return
@@ -199,7 +205,8 @@ func (m *Module) Status(ctx context.Context) map[string]any {
 	err := m.Check(ctx)
 	installed, _ := m.Probe(ctx)
 	r := m.recipe()
-	out := map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "recipe": r.Version(), "installed": installed, "refusing": err != nil}
+	out := map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "recipe": r.Version(), "installed": installed, "refusing": err != nil,
+		"cpu": m.cpuStatus()}
 	if m.Toolchain != nil {
 		out["toolchain-dir"] = m.Toolchain.Paths.Dir(r.Version())
 		out["toolchain-installed"] = m.Toolchain.Present(r.Version())
@@ -224,7 +231,7 @@ const defaultPath = "/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin"
 // files and git configuration) and a fixed locale. A command is given these and its own words, never this process's
 // environment, which holds the module's bus credentials (ADR 0466 §4).
 func (m *Module) baseEnv() []string {
-	return []string{"PATH=" + pathOrDefault(), "HOME=" + m.Toolchain.homeOrEmpty(), "LC_ALL=C"}
+	return append([]string{"PATH=" + pathOrDefault(), "HOME=" + m.Toolchain.homeOrEmpty(), "LC_ALL=C"}, m.threadEnv()...)
 }
 
 func pathOrDefault() string {

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

@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func TestANodeThatCannotBeRunRefusesEveryStepAndHealthIsUnhealthy(t *testing.T)
 		{Name: "short_probe", Run: run},
 	}, (&Module{}).StepTools()...)
 	for _, tool := range m.Tools(steps) {
-		if tool.Name == StatusTool || tool.Name == HealthTool || tool.Name == StepReadTool || tool.Name == StepsReadTool || tool.Name == ToolchainsReadTool || tool.Name == ReleaseTool {
+		if tool.Name == StatusTool || tool.Name == HealthTool || tool.Name == StepReadTool || tool.Name == StepsReadTool || tool.Name == ToolchainsReadTool || tool.Name == ReleaseTool || tool.Name == StepEndTool {
 			continue
 		}
 		var reason string

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

@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@ package main
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
@@ -39,6 +42,53 @@ func readOf(s stdio.KeptState) StateRead {
 	}}
 }
 
+// MaxStateReads is the most values one read tool reads from a state in a call, and stateReadParallel how many of them
+// are in flight at once. Every value is a round trip from the tool through the runtime to the bus, so a call that read
+// every key of a large state one after the other outlasted the call's 30 s (issue 1827: 1164 keys, 20 MB).
+const (
+	MaxStateReads     = 1000
+	stateReadParallel = 16
+)
+
+// readValues reads the values of keys, stateReadParallel at a time, in the order of keys (nil for a key with none). It
+// stops starting reads after the first error and returns it.
+func readValues(keys []string, get func(string) (json.RawMessage, error)) ([]json.RawMessage, error) {
+	out := make([]json.RawMessage, len(keys))
+	var (
+		wg   sync.WaitGroup
+		mu   sync.Mutex
+		fail error
+		next = make(chan int)
+	)
+	for w := 0; w < stateReadParallel && w < len(keys); w++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			for i := range next {
+				raw, err := get(keys[i])
+				mu.Lock()
+				if err != nil && fail == nil {
+					fail = err
+				}
+				mu.Unlock()
+				out[i] = raw
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	for i := range keys {
+		mu.Lock()
+		stop := fail != nil
+		mu.Unlock()
+		if stop {
+			break
+		}
+		next <- i
+	}
+	close(next)
+	wg.Wait()
+	return out, fail
+}
+
 // stepKey is the key of a step of this node: the id alone, or the whole key <node>.<id> as a step tool answered it.
 func (m *Module) stepKey(id string) (string, error) {
 	id = strings.TrimSpace(id)
@@ -78,29 +128,44 @@ type StepLine struct {
 	Started string `json:"started"`
 	Ended   string `json:"ended,omitempty"`
 	Reason  string `json:"reason,omitempty"`
+	What    string `json:"what,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// RecentSteps are this node's steps, the latest started first, at most limit (ten when limit is not above zero).
-func (m *Module) RecentSteps(limit int) ([]StepLine, error) {
+// RecentSteps are this node's steps, the latest started first, at most limit (ten when limit is not above zero). Only
+// the node's own keys (<node>.) are listed and the newest max(limit*4, 100) of them read (at most MaxStateReads): a step's
+// id is base-36 milliseconds and random digits, so its string order is its start order. cut says older steps were not
+// read. The values still order the lines, since an ask step's id carries the ask time.
+func (m *Module) RecentSteps(limit int) (lines []StepLine, cut bool, err error) {
 	if limit <= 0 {
 		limit = 10
 	}
 	if m.ReadSteps.Keys == nil || m.ReadSteps.Get == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the steps state cannot be read here")
+		return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("the steps state cannot be read here")
 	}
+	start := time.Now()
 	keys, err := m.ReadSteps.Keys()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, false, err
+	}
+	own := keys[:0:0]
+	for _, k := range keys {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(k, m.Node+".") {
+			if node, _, err := delivery.ParseStepKey(k); err == nil && node == m.Node {
+				own = append(own, k)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	sort.Sort(sort.Reverse(sort.StringSlice(own)))
+	if n := min(max(limit*4, 100), MaxStateReads); len(own) > n {
+		own, cut = own[:n], true
+	}
+	raws, err := readValues(own, m.ReadSteps.Get)
+	log.Printf("steps read: %d of %d keys listed read in %v (cut %v)", len(own), len(keys), time.Since(start).Round(time.Millisecond), cut)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, cut, err
 	}
 	var steps []delivery.Step
-	for _, k := range keys {
-		if node, _, err := delivery.ParseStepKey(k); err != nil || node != m.Node {
-			continue
-		}
-		raw, err := m.ReadSteps.Get(k)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	for _, raw := range raws {
 		if len(raw) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -116,13 +181,13 @@ func (m *Module) RecentSteps(limit int) ([]StepLine, error) {
 	}
 	out := make([]StepLine, 0, len(steps))
 	for _, s := range steps {
-		l := StepLine{ID: s.ID, Tool: s.Tool, State: s.State, Started: s.Started.UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z"), Reason: s.Reason}
+		l := StepLine{ID: s.ID, Tool: s.Tool, State: s.State, Started: s.Started.UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z"), Reason: s.Reason, What: s.What}
 		if !s.Ended.IsZero() {
 			l.Ended = s.Ended.UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z")
 		}
 		out = append(out, l)
 	}
-	return out, nil
+	return out, cut, nil
 }
 
 // ReadToolchains is every key of the toolchains state (<node>.<language>) with its stored value.
@@ -130,24 +195,30 @@ func (m *Module) ReadToolchains() (map[string]delivery.Toolchain, error) {
 	if m.ReadToolchainsState.Keys == nil || m.ReadToolchainsState.Get == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the toolchains state cannot be read here")
 	}
+	start := time.Now()
 	keys, err := m.ReadToolchainsState.Keys()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	cut := len(keys) > MaxStateReads
+	if cut {
+		keys = keys[:MaxStateReads] // a node has a key per language: far fewer in practice
+	}
+	raws, err := readValues(keys, m.ReadToolchainsState.Get)
+	log.Printf("toolchains read: %d keys read in %v (cut %v: keys past %d were not read)", len(keys), time.Since(start).Round(time.Millisecond), cut, MaxStateReads)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	out := map[string]delivery.Toolchain{}
-	for _, k := range keys {
-		raw, err := m.ReadToolchainsState.Get(k)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	for i, raw := range raws {
 		if len(raw) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
 		t, err := delivery.DecodeToolchain(raw)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", k, err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", keys[i], err)
 		}
-		out[k] = t
+		out[keys[i]] = t
 	}
 	return out, nil
 }
@@ -171,8 +242,13 @@ func (m *Module) ReadTools() []stdio.Tool {
 			Input: map[string]any{"type": "object", "properties": map[string]any{
 				"limit": map[string]any{"type": "integer", "description": "how many, at most; 10 when left out"}}},
 			Run: func(args map[string]any) (any, error) {
-				steps, err := m.RecentSteps(intArg(args["limit"]))
-				return map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "steps": steps}, err
+				steps, cut, err := m.RecentSteps(intArg(args["limit"]))
+				ans := map[string]any{"node": m.Node, "steps": steps}
+				if cut {
+					ans["cut"] = true
+					ans["note"] = fmt.Sprintf("this node has more steps stored than one call reads; older steps were not read (ask for a larger limit, at most %d reads)", MaxStateReads)
+				}
+				return ans, err
 			}},
 		{Name: ToolchainsReadTool,
 			Description: "What the module's toolchains state holds: each key <node>.<language> with the version installed, the " +

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

@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"slices"
 	"strings"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ func TestStepsToolListsRecentStepsOfThisNode(t *testing.T) {
 	t0 := time.Date(2026, 10, 21, 9, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
 	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "a", Tool: "build_node_fetch", Node: "ace", State: delivery.StepPassed, Started: t0, Ended: t0, Result: json.RawMessage(`1`)})
 	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "b", Tool: "build_node_test", Node: "ace", State: delivery.StepRunning, Started: t0.Add(time.Minute)})
-	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "c", Tool: "build_node_build", Node: "ace", State: delivery.StepFailed, Started: t0.Add(2 * time.Minute), Reason: "boom"})
+	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "c", Tool: "build_node_build", Node: "ace", State: delivery.StepFailed, Started: t0.Add(2 * time.Minute), Reason: "boom", What: "check ask, novox/x@abc"})
 	putStep(t, steps, delivery.Step{ID: "d", Tool: "build_node_build", Node: "g14", State: delivery.StepPassed, Started: t0.Add(time.Hour)})
 	m := readModule(steps, fakeState{})
 	out, err := tool(t, m, StepsReadTool)(map[string]any{})
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ func TestStepsToolListsRecentStepsOfThisNode(t *testing.T) {
 	if !slices.Equal(ids, []string{"c", "b", "a"}) {
 		t.Errorf("ids = %v, want c b a", ids)
 	}
-	if lines[0].Reason != "boom" || lines[0].State != delivery.StepFailed {
+	if lines[0].Reason != "boom" || lines[0].What != "check ask, novox/x@abc" || lines[0].State != delivery.StepFailed {
 		t.Errorf("first = %+v", lines[0])
 	}
 	out, _ = tool(t, m, StepsReadTool)(map[string]any{"limit": float64(1)})
@@ -145,3 +147,62 @@ func TestReadToolsAreInTheManifestAndNeedNoToolchain(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("the read refused: %v", err)
 	}
 }
+
+// 1827: on the live shape (4 nodes, 600 steps each; a steps state of 1164 keys / 20 MB timed out at 30 s) the steps tool
+// lists, then reads only this node's keys, in parallel, at most MaxStateReads of them, and says when it cut.
+func TestRecentStepsReadsOnlyTheNodesKeysInParallelAndBounded(t *testing.T) {
+	t0 := time.Date(2026, 10, 25, 9, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	for _, row := range []struct {
+		perNode, limit int
+		reads          int64
+		steps          int
+		cut            bool
+	}{
+		{20, 0, 20, 10, false},
+		{600, 0, 100, 10, true},
+		{1500, 300, MaxStateReads, 300, true},
+	} {
+		var reads, inFlight, maxFlight atomic.Int64
+		stored := map[string][]byte{}
+		for _, n := range []string{"ace", "g14", "novox", "shanks"} {
+			for i := 0; i < row.perNode; i++ {
+				b, _ := delivery.EncodeStep(delivery.Step{ID: fmt.Sprintf("s%04d", i), Tool: "t", Node: n, State: delivery.StepPassed, Started: t0.Add(time.Duration(i) * time.Second)})
+				stored[n+".s"+fmt.Sprintf("%04d", i)] = b
+			}
+		}
+		m := &Module{Node: "shanks"}
+		m.ReadSteps = StateRead{
+			Keys: func() ([]string, error) {
+				var k []string
+				for key := range stored {
+					k = append(k, key)
+				}
+				return k, nil
+			},
+			Get: func(key string) (json.RawMessage, error) {
+				reads.Add(1)
+				now := inFlight.Add(1)
+				for o := maxFlight.Load(); now > o && !maxFlight.CompareAndSwap(o, now); o = maxFlight.Load() {
+				}
+				time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+				inFlight.Add(-1)
+				if !strings.HasPrefix(key, "shanks.") {
+					t.Errorf("read %s, a key of another node", key)
+				}
+				return stored[key], nil
+			},
+		}
+		start := time.Now()
+		lines, cut, err := m.RecentSteps(row.limit)
+		if err != nil || len(lines) != row.steps || cut != row.cut || reads.Load() != row.reads {
+			t.Errorf("%d a node: %d steps, cut %v, %d reads, err %v; want %d, %v, %d", row.perNode, len(lines), cut, reads.Load(), err, row.steps, row.cut, row.reads)
+		}
+		if row.cut && len(lines) > 0 && lines[0].ID != fmt.Sprintf("s%04d", row.perNode-1) {
+			t.Errorf("%d a node: newest answered %s", row.perNode, lines[0].ID)
+		}
+		if maxFlight.Load() < 2 {
+			t.Errorf("%d a node: values read one at a time", row.perNode)
+		}
+		t.Logf("%d a node: %d reads in %v (one after the other: %v)", row.perNode, reads.Load(), time.Since(start), time.Duration(reads.Load())*time.Millisecond)
+	}
+}

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

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 )
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ func (m *Module) Tools(steps []StepTool) []stdio.Tool {
 		tools = append(tools, t)
 	}
 	tools = append(tools, m.ReadTools()...)
+	tools = append(tools, buildstep.StepEndTool(StepEndTool, m.Node, m.stepScan(), m.Held))
 	tools = append(tools, m.releaseTool())
 	return append(tools,
 		stdio.Tool{Name: StatusTool,

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

@@ -180,14 +180,28 @@ func (m *Module) runIn(ctx context.Context, root string, write bool, dir string,
 	return run(ctx, extra, "env", append([]string{"-C", dir, name}, args...)...)
 }
 
-// ranFailed says why a command did not pass, or "" when it did.
+// ranFailed says why a command did not pass, or "" when it did (issue 1703): its exit status, the end of what it wrote
+// on stderr (npm's error is its last lines) and the start of what it wrote on stdout (tsc writes its errors there,
+// first first), each bounded, so a long stdout never pushes stderr's error out of the reason.
 func ranFailed(r forgekey.Ran) string {
 	if r.Status == 0 && r.Err == "" {
 		return ""
 	}
-	out := strings.TrimSpace(r.Stdout + "\n" + r.Stderr)
-	if len(out) > 1500 {
-		out = out[:1500] + " ..."
+	why := fmt.Sprintf("status %d %s", r.Status, r.Err)
+	if e := strings.TrimSpace(r.Stderr); e != "" {
+		if len(e) > failedBytes/2 {
+			e = "... " + e[len(e)-failedBytes/2:]
+		}
+		why += ": stderr: " + e
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("status %d %s: %s", r.Status, r.Err, out)
+	if o := strings.TrimSpace(r.Stdout); o != "" {
+		if len(o) > failedBytes/2 {
+			o = o[:failedBytes/2] + " ..."
+		}
+		why += ": stdout: " + o
+	}
+	return why
 }
+
+// failedBytes bounds what ranFailed carries of a command's output, stderr and stdout half each.
+const failedBytes = 1500