A fork with an archived parent drops the 'following · N ahead' badge, and an admin can detach a fork from its parent #7477

When a fork's parent is archived, the fork no longer shows "following <parent> · N ahead". It shows one quiet line instead. A repository admin can now detach a fork from its parent, from Settings or through a new MCP detach tool. I ran the type check, design lint and 25 test files that cover the change; they pass, with one test edit described below.

Archived parent (first commit)

• On the fork's repo page and app page, the Following card is replaced by one line: "forked from owner/name (archived)". For an admin the line also has a "detach from it" link to the new card. This is archivedParentLine in src/web/pages/following.ts; followingOf returns nothing when the parent is archived.
• The ahead/behind count is no longer read from git when the parent is archived. "Propose upstream" is not offered to an archived parent (upstreamOffer).
• On an archived repository's forks page, forks are listed by name with no counts and no "nothing new" heading. Its forks in the family tree carry no badge (lineageOf). The terminal's forks screen does the same.
• clearForkParent in src/core/repos.ts replaces the inline UPDATE in the delete path, so delete and detach use one function.

Detach from parent (second commit)

• src/actions/detach.ts holds the logic. Like archive, it plans first. It is an admin's action only, never an agent's.
• The work runs in the background: detachFork copies in the objects the fork borrowed and drops the alternates link, then the parent is cleared and a repo.detached event is recorded. The progress state is kept in memory. If the forge restarts mid-way, the fork still names its parent and running the detach again finishes the job.
• Settings › Danger zone has a "Detach from parent" card (src/web/pages/detach.ts), posting to POST /:owner/:name/settings/detach. While it runs, the card says "repacking since …". If it fails, git's first line stays on the card.
• MCP detach { repo, dryRun? } is dry by default and needs an admin token to run. Calling it again shows the phase.
• How-to: docs/features/detach.md.

Tests

• test/fork-detach.test.ts covers:

- the badge before and after the parent is archived, on the fork page, the parent's forks page and the family tree; - a dry run that changes nothing; - after a detach: no alternates file, git fsck --full passes, history is intact, the parent is cleared, one event is recorded; - refusals for a non-admin and an rw token; - the Settings path from the quiet line to the card, with a cross-origin POST refused.

• test/mcp.test.ts lists every tool by name, so I added detach to that list; the test was right, it just needed the new tool.

Left as they were: the JSON API and MCP following still return the relation to an archived parent as data. Only the pages drop the badge.

To try it: archive a parent repository, then open one of its forks. Then go to the fork's Settings › Danger zone › Detach from parent, or call MCP detach with dryRun: false.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

Closes #7452

When a fork's parent is archived, the fork no longer shows "following <parent> · N ahead". It shows one quiet line instead. A repository admin can now detach a fork from its parent, from Settings or through a new MCP detach tool. I ran the type check, design lint and 25 test files that cover the change; they pass, with one test edit described below.

Archived parent (first commit)

• On the fork's repo page and app page, the Following card is replaced by one line: "forked from owner/name (archived)". For an admin the line also has a "detach from it" link to the new card. This is archivedParentLine in src/web/pages/following.ts; followingOf returns nothing when the parent is archived.
• The ahead/behind count is no longer read from git when the parent is archived. "Propose upstream" is not offered to an archived parent (upstreamOffer).
• On an archived repository's forks page, forks are listed by name with no counts and no "nothing new" heading. Its forks in the family tree carry no badge (lineageOf). The terminal's forks screen does the same.
• clearForkParent in src/core/repos.ts replaces the inline UPDATE in the delete path, so delete and detach use one function.

Detach from parent (second commit)

• src/actions/detach.ts holds the logic. Like archive, it plans first. It is an admin's action only, never an agent's.
• The work runs in the background: detachFork copies in the objects the fork borrowed and drops the alternates link, then the parent is cleared and a repo.detached event is recorded. The progress state is kept in memory. If the forge restarts mid-way, the fork still names its parent and running the detach again finishes the job.
• Settings › Danger zone has a "Detach from parent" card (src/web/pages/detach.ts), posting to POST /:owner/:name/settings/detach. While it runs, the card says "repacking since …". If it fails, git's first line stays on the card.
• MCP detach { repo, dryRun? } is dry by default and needs an admin token to run. Calling it again shows the phase.
• How-to: docs/features/detach.md.

Tests

• test/fork-detach.test.ts covers:

- the badge before and after the parent is archived, on the fork page, the parent's forks page and the family tree; - a dry run that changes nothing; - after a detach: no alternates file, git fsck --full passes, history is intact, the parent is cleared, one event is recorded; - refusals for a non-admin and an rw token; - the Settings path from the quiet line to the card, with a cross-origin POST refused.

• test/mcp.test.ts lists every tool by name, so I added detach to that list; the test was right, it just needed the new tool.

Left as they were: the JSON API and MCP following still return the relation to an archived parent as data. Only the pages drop the badge.

To try it: archive a parent repository, then open one of its forks. Then go to the fork's Settings › Danger zone › Detach from parent, or call MCP detach with dryRun: false.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

When a fork's parent is archived, the fork no longer shows "following <parent> · N ahead"; it shows one quiet line instead. A repository admin can detach a fork from its parent: on the web, in the terminal, or through MCP detach. This round fixes the parent-name leak @sentinel found and adds the terminal key. The type check, design lint and 15 test files pass.

Archived parent

• The repo page and the app page show "forked from owner/name (archived)" in place of the Following card. For an admin the line also links to the detach card.
• The ahead/behind count is no longer read from git when the parent is archived, and "Propose upstream" is not offered to it. The terminal's About card skips that read too.
• An archived repository's forks page lists its forks by name only, with no counts and no "nothing new" heading. Its forks in the family tree and on the terminal's forks screen carry no badge.

Detach from parent

• The logic is in src/actions/detach.ts. It plans first, like archive, and only an admin may do it, never an agent.
• It runs off the request path: detachFork copies in the borrowed objects and drops the alternates link, then the parent is cleared and a repo.detached event is recorded.
• The phase is kept in memory, one entry per fork that is detaching or whose last detach failed. If the forge restarts mid-way, running the detach again finishes it.
• Three ways in:

- Web: Settings › Danger zone › "Detach from parent" (src/web/pages/detach.ts), which shows the phase while it runs and git's error line if it fails. - Terminal: x on a fork's About card shows the plan and detaches only after a confirm. A detach row then shows the phase. - MCP: detach is a dry run unless dryRun: false, and needs an admin token.

• The parent is named only through forkParentFor. An admin who may no longer read a private parent sees "its parent" on the card and parent: null in the MCP plan. The event, which every reader of the fork sees, carries the parent's id, never its name.
• clearForkParent in src/core/repos.ts replaces the inline UPDATE in the delete path, so delete and detach share it.
• How-to: docs/features/detach.md. Because the README has a line cap, the pointer to it is appended to an existing line rather than added as a new one.

Tests

• test/fork-detach.test.ts covers:

- Archived parent: the badge is gone from the fork page, the forks page and the family tree. - Detach: the dry run changes nothing; afterwards there is no alternates file, git fsck --full passes, history is intact and the fork has no parent. - Refusals: a reader and an rw token are refused, and the Settings POST refuses a cross-origin request. - Private parent: its name appears nowhere — not on the card, in the plan or in the event.

• test/tui-about-detach.test.ts checks that a reader and an agent are not offered x, that an archived parent offers no o, and that x plans, can be cancelled, and detaches after the confirm.
• test/mcp.test.ts lists every tool by name, so detach was added to that list; the test itself was right.

Left as it was: the JSON API and MCP following still return the relation to an archived parent as data; only the pages drop the badge.

To try it: archive a parent repository and open one of its forks. Then detach it from Settings › Danger zone, with x on its About card in the terminal, or with MCP detach and dryRun: false.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

I left the code alone: the triage note is about the issue's place in the plan, not about the code. #7452 names no pillar, so it waits behind the Later gate. Choosing its pillar sets the forge's priorities, so I'm leaving that to a person rather than linking an umbrella myself. The closest fit is P3 Fork tree (umbrella #589); linking #589 to wait for #7452 would move it. There was nothing new to push; the branch already holds the reviewed work.

When a fork's parent is archived, the fork no longer shows "following <parent> · N ahead"; it shows one quiet line instead. A repository admin can detach a fork from its parent: on the web, in the terminal, or through MCP detach.

Archived parent

• The repo page and the app page show "forked from owner/name (archived)" in place of the Following card. For an admin the line also links to the detach card.
• The ahead/behind count is no longer read from git when the parent is archived, and "Propose upstream" is not offered to it. The terminal's About card skips that read too.
• An archived repository's forks page lists its forks by name only, with no counts and no "nothing new" heading. Its forks in the family tree and on the terminal's forks screen carry no badge.

Detach from parent

• The logic is in src/actions/detach.ts. It plans first, like archive, and only an admin may do it, never an agent.
• It runs off the request path: detachFork copies in the borrowed objects and drops the alternates link, then the parent is cleared and a repo.detached event is recorded.
• The phase is kept in memory, one entry per fork that is detaching or whose last detach failed. If the forge restarts mid-way, running the detach again finishes it.
• Three ways in:

- Web: Settings › Danger zone › "Detach from parent" (src/web/pages/detach.ts), which shows the phase while it runs and git's error line if it fails. - Terminal: x on a fork's About card shows the plan and detaches only after a confirm. A detach row then shows the phase. - MCP: detach is a dry run unless dryRun: false, and needs an admin token.

• The parent is named only through forkParentFor. An admin who may no longer read a private parent sees "its parent" on the card and parent: null in the MCP plan. The event, which every reader of the fork sees, carries the parent's id, never its name.
• clearForkParent in src/core/repos.ts replaces the inline UPDATE in the delete path, so delete and detach share it.
• How-to: docs/features/detach.md. Because the README has a line cap, the pointer to it is appended to an existing line rather than added as a new one.

Tests

• test/fork-detach.test.ts covers:

- Archived parent: the badge is gone from the fork page, the forks page and the family tree. - Detach: the dry run changes nothing; afterwards there is no alternates file, git fsck --full passes, history is intact and the fork has no parent. - Refusals: a reader and an rw token are refused, and the Settings POST refuses a cross-origin request. - Private parent: its name appears nowhere — not on the card, in the plan or in the event.

• test/tui-about-detach.test.ts checks that a reader and an agent are not offered x, that an archived parent offers no o, and that x plans, can be cancelled, and detaches after the confirm.
• test/mcp.test.ts lists every tool by name, so detach was added to that list; the test itself was right.

Left as it was: the JSON API and MCP following still return the relation to an archived parent as data; only the pages drop the badge.

To try it: archive a parent repository and open one of its forks. Then detach it from Settings › Danger zone, with x on its About card in the terminal, or with MCP detach and dryRun: false.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

When a fork's parent is archived, the fork no longer shows "following <parent> · N ahead"; it shows one quiet line instead. A repository admin can detach a fork from its parent: on the web, in the terminal, or through MCP detach.

This round fixes the last review point. The terminal's About card showed the detach phase, and git's failure line, to every reader of the fork. That row is now behind the same admin-only gate as the x key (src/tui/screens/about.ts). The issue still names no pillar; choosing one is left to a person, and P3 Fork tree (umbrella #589) is the closest fit.

Archived parent

• The repo page and the app page show "forked from owner/name (archived)" in place of the Following card. For an admin the line also links to the detach card.
• The ahead/behind count is no longer read from git when the parent is archived, and "Propose upstream" is not offered to it. The terminal's About card skips that read too.
• An archived repository's forks page lists its forks by name only, with no counts and no "nothing new" heading. Its forks in the family tree and on the terminal's forks screen carry no badge.

Detach from parent

• The logic is in src/actions/detach.ts. It plans first, like archive, and only an admin may do it, never an agent.
• It runs off the request path: detachFork copies in the borrowed objects and drops the alternates link, then the parent is cleared and a repo.detached event is recorded.
• The phase is kept in memory, one entry per fork that is detaching or whose last detach failed. If the forge restarts mid-way, running the detach again finishes it.
• Three ways in:

- Web: Settings › Danger zone › "Detach from parent" (src/web/pages/detach.ts), which shows the phase while it runs and git's error line if it fails. - Terminal: x on a fork's About card shows the plan and detaches only after a confirm. A detach row then shows the phase, to the admin only. - MCP: detach is a dry run unless dryRun: false, and needs an admin token.

• The parent is named only through forkParentFor. An admin who may no longer read a private parent sees "its parent" on the card and parent: null in the MCP plan. The event, which every reader of the fork sees, carries the parent's id, never its name.
• clearForkParent in src/core/repos.ts replaces the inline UPDATE in the delete path, so delete and detach share it.
• How-to: docs/features/detach.md. Because the README has a line cap, the pointer to it is appended to an existing line rather than added as a new one.

Tests

• test/fork-detach.test.ts covers:

- Archived parent: the badge is gone from the fork page, the forks page and the family tree. - Detach: the dry run changes nothing; afterwards there is no alternates file, git fsck --full passes, history is intact and the fork has no parent. - Refusals: a reader and an rw token are refused, and the Settings POST refuses a cross-origin request. - Private parent: its name appears nowhere — not on the card, in the plan or in the event.

• test/tui-about-detach.test.ts covers:

- Who is offered x: a reader and an agent are not. - Archived parent: no o to offer upstream. - The key: x plans, can be cancelled, and detaches after the confirm. - The phase row: About is drawn for the admin and for a reader while a detach runs; only the admin's shows the row. This test fails with the gate removed.

• test/mcp.test.ts lists every tool by name, so detach was added to that list; the test itself was right.

Left as it was: the JSON API and MCP following still return the relation to an archived parent as data; only the pages drop the badge.

To try it: archive a parent repository and open one of its forks. Then detach it from Settings › Danger zone, with x on its About card in the terminal, or with MCP detach and dryRun: false.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

When a fork's parent is archived, the fork no longer shows "following <parent> · N ahead"; it shows one quiet line instead. A repository admin can detach a fork from its parent: on the web, in the terminal, or through MCP detach.

This push fixes the red check. The test was wrong, not the code. test/tui-about-detach.test.ts polled every 10 ms for the detach job to exist. Under load the repack sometimes finished between two polls, the job was already gone, and the test ran out its 5 s timeout. It now waits for the fork to have no parent. The "repacking" row is still checked, in the next test, which draws About before the repack can finish. The git-heavy tests in that file and in test/fork-detach.test.ts now get 30 s. Both files pass locally, the terminal test three runs in a row, and test/flake.test.ts passes.

Archived parent

• The repo page and the app page show "forked from owner/name (archived)" in place of the Following card. For an admin the line also links to the detach card.
• The ahead/behind count is no longer read from git when the parent is archived, and "Propose upstream" is not offered to it. The terminal's About card skips that read too.
• An archived repository's forks page lists its forks by name only, with no counts and no "nothing new" heading. Its forks in the family tree and on the terminal's forks screen carry no badge.

Detach from parent

• The logic is in src/actions/detach.ts. It plans first, like archive, and only an admin may do it, never an agent.
• It runs off the request path: detachFork copies in the borrowed objects and drops the alternates link, then the parent is cleared and a repo.detached event is recorded.
• The phase is kept in memory, one entry per fork that is detaching or whose last detach failed. If the forge restarts mid-way, running the detach again finishes it.
• Three ways in:

- Web: Settings › Danger zone › "Detach from parent" (src/web/pages/detach.ts), which shows the phase while it runs and git's error line if it fails. - Terminal: x on a fork's About card shows the plan and detaches only after a confirm. A detach row then shows the phase, to the admin only. - MCP: detach is a dry run unless dryRun: false, and needs an admin token.

• The parent is named only through forkParentFor. An admin who may no longer read a private parent sees "its parent" on the card and parent: null in the MCP plan. The event, which every reader of the fork sees, carries the parent's id, never its name.
• clearForkParent in src/core/repos.ts replaces the inline UPDATE in the delete path, so delete and detach share it.
• How-to: docs/features/detach.md. Because the README has a line cap, the pointer to it is appended to an existing line rather than added as a new one.

Tests

• test/fork-detach.test.ts covers:

- Archived parent: the badge is gone from the fork page, the forks page and the family tree. - Detach: the dry run changes nothing; afterwards there is no alternates file, git fsck --full passes, history is intact and the fork has no parent. - Refusals: a reader and an rw token are refused, and the Settings POST refuses a cross-origin request. - Private parent: its name appears nowhere — not on the card, in the plan or in the event.

• test/tui-about-detach.test.ts covers:

- Who is offered x: a reader and an agent are not. - Archived parent: no o to offer upstream. - The key: x plans, can be cancelled, and detaches after the confirm. - The phase row: while a detach runs, only the admin's About shows it, not a reader's.

• test/mcp.test.ts lists every tool by name, so detach was added to that list; the test itself was right.

Left as it was: the JSON API and MCP following still return the relation to an archived parent as data; only the pages drop the badge. The issue still names no pillar; choosing one is left to a person, and P3 Fork tree (umbrella #589) is the closest fit.

To try it: archive a parent repository and open one of its forks. Then detach it from Settings › Danger zone, with x on its About card in the terminal, or with MCP detach and dryRun: false.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code