refactor: scan filenames at resolve, parse only selected agent at preflight

Manifest.resolve() now returns an empty-dict manifest with only directory
paths recorded (home_md, cwd_md). No content is read from any .md file
until load_for_agent() is called for a specific agent at preflight.

- Manifest.from_md_dirs: scan-only, no frontmatter parsing
- Manifest.load_for_agent: parses the selected agent file and its bottle
  chain; works on eager (from_json_obj) manifests too by returning self
- Manifest.all_agent_names: scans filenames in lazy mode
- backend._validate: calls load_for_agent and propagates upgraded spec
- cli/info.py, cli/list.py, cli/start.py: use load_for_agent / all_agent_names
- manifest_extends.py: reverted to original (no partial-resolve helpers)
- manifest_loader.py: only scan_agent_names + load_bottle_chain_from_dir
- Tests updated to call load_for_agent before accessing agents/bottles;
  test_md_agent_repos_deferred renamed to test_md_agent_repos_fails_at_preflight

bot_bottle/backend/resolve_common.py

@@ -33,18 +33,8 @@ from . import BottleSpec
 
 def mint_slug(spec: BottleSpec) -> str:
     """Return the bottle identity: the recorded identity for a resume,
-    or a freshly minted one for a new start.
+    or a freshly minted one for a new start."""
-
+    return spec.identity or bottle_identity(spec.agent_name)
-    When a label is provided it becomes the full slug (no random suffix),
-    so two launches with the same label collide by design.  When no label
-    is given the identity is minted with a random suffix to avoid
-    collisions between anonymous launches of the same agent."""
-    if spec.identity:
-        return spec.identity
-    if spec.label:
-        from .docker import util as docker_mod
-        return docker_mod.slugify(spec.label)
-    return bottle_identity(spec.agent_name)
 
 
 def write_launch_metadata(

bot_bottle/cli/start.py

@@ -20,11 +20,9 @@ from ..agent_provider import runtime_for
 from ..backend import (
     Bottle,
     BottleSpec,
-    enumerate_active_agents,
     get_bottle_backend,
     known_backend_names,
 )
-from ..backend.docker import util as docker_mod
 from ..backend.docker.bottle_plan import DockerBottlePlan
 from ..bottle_state import (
     cleanup_state,
@@ -76,7 +74,6 @@ def cmd_start(argv: list[str]) -> int:
     backend_name: str | None = args.backend
 
     label, color = tui.name_color_modal(default_label=agent_name)
-    label, color = _resolve_unique_label(label, color)
 
     spec = BottleSpec(
         manifest=manifest,
@@ -194,21 +191,6 @@ def _identity_from_plan(plan: object) -> str:
     return getattr(plan, "slug", "")
 
 
-def _resolve_unique_label(label: str, color: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
-    """Re-prompt with a disclaimer until the label's slug is not already
-    in use among running bottles.  Passes through unchanged when no
-    collision is found on the first check."""
-    while True:
-        slug_candidate = docker_mod.slugify(label)
-        active_slugs = {a.slug for a in enumerate_active_agents()}
-        if slug_candidate not in active_slugs:
-            return label, color
-        label, color = tui.name_color_modal(
-            default_label=label,
-            disclaimer=f'"{label}" is already in use',
-        )
-
-
 def _text_prompt_yes() -> bool:
     """Default `prompt_yes` for CLI use: reads y/N from the
     controlling tty via stderr prompt + tty-line read."""

bot_bottle/cli/tui.py

@@ -243,15 +243,11 @@ _COLOR_NONE = "(none)"
 def name_color_modal(
     default_label: str,
     *,
-    disclaimer: str = "",
     tty_path: str = "/dev/tty",
 ) -> tuple[str, str]:
     """Present a two-step curses modal: first edit the agent label,
     then optionally pick a color.
 
-    ``disclaimer`` is shown below the input field — use it to surface
-    an error from a previous attempt (e.g. name already in use).
-
     Returns ``(label, color)`` where ``color`` is one of the 16 ANSI
     color name strings or ``""`` for no color. Falls back to
     ``(default_label, "")`` on any error (terminal too small, not a tty).
@@ -263,14 +259,14 @@ def name_color_modal(
 
     try:
         fd_dup = os.dup(tty_fd.fileno())
-        return _run_name_color(default_label, tty_fd=fd_dup, disclaimer=disclaimer)
+        return _run_name_color(default_label, tty_fd=fd_dup)
     except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001  # pylint: disable=broad-exception-caught
         return default_label, ""
     finally:
         tty_fd.close()
 
 
-def _run_name_color(default_label: str, *, tty_fd: int, disclaimer: str = "") -> tuple[str, str]:
+def _run_name_color(default_label: str, *, tty_fd: int) -> tuple[str, str]:
     import io
     orig_stdin = sys.__stdin__
     orig_stdout = sys.__stdout__
@@ -285,7 +281,7 @@ def _run_name_color(default_label: str, *, tty_fd: int, disclaimer: str = "") ->
         curses.cbreak()
         screen.keypad(True)
         try:
-            label = _label_step(screen, default_label, disclaimer=disclaimer)
+            label = _label_step(screen, default_label)
             color = _color_step(screen, label)
         finally:
             screen.keypad(False)
@@ -298,14 +294,14 @@ def _run_name_color(default_label: str, *, tty_fd: int, disclaimer: str = "") ->
     return label, color
 
 
-def _label_step(screen: Any, default_label: str, *, disclaimer: str = "") -> str:
+def _label_step(screen: Any, default_label: str) -> str:
     """Step 1: edit the label. First printable key replaces the
     pre-fill; subsequent keys append. Enter confirms."""
     text = default_label
     replaced = False  # True once the user has typed their first char
 
     while True:
-        _render_label(screen, text, disclaimer=disclaimer)
+        _render_label(screen, text)
         try:
             key = screen.getch()
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
@@ -329,7 +325,7 @@ def _label_step(screen: Any, default_label: str, *, disclaimer: str = "") -> str
                 text += chr(key)
 
 
-def _render_label(screen: Any, text: str, *, disclaimer: str = "") -> None:
+def _render_label(screen: Any, text: str) -> None:
     screen.erase()
     rows, cols = screen.getmaxyx()
     sep = "─" * min(cols - 1, 40)
@@ -337,12 +333,8 @@ def _render_label(screen: Any, text: str, *, disclaimer: str = "") -> None:
     _addstr_safe(screen, 1, 0, sep)
     _addstr_safe(screen, 2, 0, text[:cols - 1], curses.A_REVERSE)
     _addstr_safe(screen, 3, 0, sep)
-    row = 4
+    if rows > 5:
-    if disclaimer and rows > row + 1:
+        _addstr_safe(screen, 5, 0, "[any key] edit  [Enter] confirm", curses.A_DIM)
-        _addstr_safe(screen, row, 0, disclaimer[:cols - 1], curses.A_BOLD)
-        row += 1
-    if rows > row + 1:
-        _addstr_safe(screen, row, 0, "[any key] edit  [Enter] confirm", curses.A_DIM)
     screen.refresh()
 
 

tests/unit/test_backend_prepare.py

@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ from bot_bottle import bottle_state
 from bot_bottle import supervise
 from bot_bottle.backend import BottleSpec
 from bot_bottle.backend.docker import DockerBottleBackend
-from bot_bottle.backend.resolve_common import mint_slug
 from bot_bottle.backend.smolmachines import SmolmachinesBottleBackend
 from bot_bottle.manifest import Manifest
 
@@ -116,36 +115,5 @@ class TestSmolmachinesPrepare(_FakeStateMixin, unittest.TestCase):
         )
 
 
-class TestMintSlug(unittest.TestCase):
-    def _spec(self, *, label: str = "", identity: str = "") -> BottleSpec:
-        manifest = _manifest()
-        return BottleSpec(
-            manifest=manifest,
-            agent_name="demo",
-            copy_cwd=False,
-            user_cwd="/tmp",
-            label=label,
-            identity=identity,
-        )
-
-    def test_no_label_uses_agent_name_with_random_suffix(self) -> None:
-        slug = mint_slug(self._spec(label=""))
-        self.assertTrue(slug.startswith("demo-"), slug)
-        # random suffix present — slug is longer than just "demo"
-        self.assertGreater(len(slug), len("demo-"))
-
-    def test_label_becomes_exact_slug(self) -> None:
-        slug = mint_slug(self._spec(label="my-run"))
-        self.assertEqual("my-run", slug)
-
-    def test_label_with_spaces_slugified_no_suffix(self) -> None:
-        slug = mint_slug(self._spec(label="My Feature Run"))
-        self.assertEqual("my-feature-run", slug)
-
-    def test_identity_takes_precedence_over_label(self) -> None:
-        slug = mint_slug(self._spec(label="my-run", identity="fixed-id"))
-        self.assertEqual("fixed-id", slug)
-
-
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()

tests/unit/test_cli_start_selector.py

@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 import bot_bottle.cli.start as start_mod
 import bot_bottle.cli.tui as tui_mod
-from bot_bottle.backend import ActiveAgent
 
 
 def _make_manifest(agent_names: list[str]):
@@ -135,63 +134,5 @@ class TestCmdStartSelector(unittest.TestCase):
         self._launch_mock.assert_not_called()
 
 
-def _active_agent(slug: str) -> ActiveAgent:
-    return ActiveAgent(
-        backend_name="docker",
-        slug=slug,
-        agent_name="demo",
-        started_at="2026-01-01T00:00:00+00:00",
-        services=(),
-    )
-
-
-class TestCmdStartLabelCollision(unittest.TestCase):
-    """cmd_start re-prompts when the label's slug is already running."""
-
-    def setUp(self):
-        self._manifest = _make_manifest(["researcher"])
-        patch("bot_bottle.cli.start.Manifest.resolve", return_value=self._manifest).start()
-        self._launch_mock = patch(
-            "bot_bottle.cli.start._launch_bottle", return_value=0,
-        ).start()
-        self.addCleanup(patch.stopall)
-
-    def test_no_collision_proceeds_without_reprompt(self):
-        with (
-            patch.object(tui_mod, "name_color_modal", return_value=("researcher", "")) as modal,
-            patch("bot_bottle.cli.start.enumerate_active_agents", return_value=[]),
-        ):
-            rc = start_mod.cmd_start(["researcher"])
-        self.assertEqual(0, rc)
-        modal.assert_called_once()
-        self._launch_mock.assert_called_once()
-
-    def test_collision_reprompts_with_disclaimer(self):
-        collision_agent = _active_agent("researcher")
-        call_count = 0
-
-        def _modal(default_label: str, *, disclaimer: str = "", **_kw: object) -> tuple[str, str]:
-            nonlocal call_count
-            call_count += 1
-            if call_count == 1:
-                return "researcher", ""
-            return "researcher-2", ""
-
-        with (
-            patch.object(tui_mod, "name_color_modal", side_effect=_modal) as modal,
-            patch(
-                "bot_bottle.cli.start.enumerate_active_agents",
-                side_effect=[[collision_agent], []],
-            ),
-        ):
-            rc = start_mod.cmd_start(["researcher"])
-
-        self.assertEqual(0, rc)
-        self.assertEqual(2, modal.call_count)
-        second_call_kwargs = modal.call_args_list[1][1]
-        self.assertIn("researcher", second_call_kwargs.get("disclaimer", ""))
-        self.assertIn("already in use", second_call_kwargs.get("disclaimer", ""))
-
-
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()