Change default sync_minutes from 0 to 10 in config, implement light...

[scaler-toad]

Summary

Change default sync_minutes from 0 to 10 in config, implement lightweight staleness check for ribbits that compares HEAD vs origin

Linear: PLF-3250

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Category: feature | Size: small

Suggested reviewers: @HergenD

Slack context

Implement two changes:

1. Change default sync_minutes from 0 to 10

In internal/config/config.go, the defaults() function (line 154) does not set Repos, so SyncMinutes defaults to Go's zero value (0 = disabled). Add a Repos field to the returned struct:

Repos: ReposConfig{
    SyncMinutes: 10,
},

Also update the comment on line 42 from // periodic git fetch interval; 0 = disabled (default) to // periodic git fetch interval; 0 = disabled, default 10.

2. Add lightweight staleness check to ribbits

In internal/ribbit/ribbit.go, add a package-level helper function:

// stalenessNote returns a Slack-formatted warning if the repo's HEAD differs
// from origin/HEAD (i.e. the local checkout is behind remote). Returns empty
// string if the check cannot be performed or the repo is up to date.
func stalenessNote(repoPath string) string {
    headCmd := exec.Command("git", "rev-parse", "HEAD")
    headCmd.Dir = repoPath
    headOut, err := headCmd.Output()
    if err != nil {
        return ""
    }
    originCmd := exec.Command("git", "rev-parse", "origin/HEAD")
    originCmd.Dir = repoPath
    originOut, err := originCmd.Output()
    if err != nil {
        return ""
    }
    if strings.TrimSpace(string(headOut)) == strings.TrimSpace(string(originOut)) {
        return ""
    }
    return "\n\n:warning: _Note: this repo may be slightly stale — the local checkout is behind origin. Answers are based on what's currently checked out._"
}

Add os/exec to the import block (it is not currently imported in ribbit.go).

In Engine.Respond(), after the agent result is obtained and the empty-check passes (around line 162), append the staleness note:

note := stalenessNote(repoPath)
return &Response{Text: result.Result + note}, nil

The note is appended only when HEAD and origin/HEAD differ, which is a purely local ref comparison with no network cost.

---

🐸 Created by toad tadpole

[HergenD]

Review

Config change (config.go) — Looks good ✓

Default SyncMinutes: 10 in defaults() and updated comment — clean and correct.

Staleness note (ribbit.go) — Needs fixes

1. origin/HEAD is unreliable (main issue)

origin/HEAD is a symref pointing to the remote's default branch. It's only set by git clone and rarely updated by git fetch. On many setups it doesn't exist at all, so git rev-parse origin/HEAD will fail and the function silently returns "" every time — effectively a no-op.

The intended comparison is HEAD vs the remote's latest. This should use origin/<DefaultBranch> (e.g. origin/main) instead. The function signature would need the default branch name passed in, which is available on the RepoConfig.

2. No tests

stalenessNote has no test coverage. A simple test with a temp git repo (init + commit + add remote) would verify both the stale and up-to-date paths.

3. exec.Command without context (minor)

Uses exec.Command instead of exec.CommandContext — inconsistent with the rest of the codebase. Not critical since rev-parse is near-instant.

4. Merge conflict (heads up)

The return &Response{Text: result.Result}, nil line this PR modifies has moved on the target branch due to recent changes. Will need a rebase.