fix: v2.5.3 — Windows workspace folders, picker on top, no console flashes

A workspace could not be created on Windows: "cwd must be an absolute path"
for D:\…, because createLane/canonicalCwd tested for a leading "/".

- lanes.js: path.isAbsolute/path.resolve; canonicalCwd stops at any root (a
  missing drive looped forever); resolveLaneByCwd and /ensure accept "\" too
- native-dialog.js: the Windows picker gets an invisible TopMost owner form,
  shown first — an ownerless dialog from the background server opened behind
  the browser, or hidden
- windows-hide.js: every child process on Windows starts with windowsHide,
  required first by the server and the detached scripts (a console window
  flashed per git/npm call)
- Confirm/update/clear-data modals and the quota panel scroll instead of
  overflowing a short window

client/src/components/ConfirmModal.tsx

@@ -85,14 +85,14 @@ export function ConfirmModal({
     >
       <div
         ref={panelRef}
-        className="relative w-full max-w-md rounded-xl border border-border bg-surface-1 shadow-xl shadow-black/40"
+        className="relative flex max-h-full w-full max-w-md flex-col rounded-xl border border-border bg-surface-1 shadow-xl shadow-black/40"
         onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
         role="dialog"
         aria-modal="true"
         aria-labelledby={titleId}
         aria-describedby={message ? messageId : undefined}
       >
-        <div className="flex items-start gap-3 p-5">
+        <div className="flex min-h-0 items-start gap-3 overflow-y-auto p-5">
           {destructive && (
             <div className="w-9 h-9 rounded-lg bg-status-danger/10 border border-status-danger/20 flex items-center justify-center flex-shrink-0">
               <AlertTriangle className="w-4.5 h-4.5 text-status-danger" aria-hidden />

client/src/components/StatusBar.tsx

@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ function QuotaPanel({
       onMouseLeave={onLeave}
       onFocus={onEnter}
       onBlur={onLeave}
-      className="fixed bottom-7 right-2 z-[9999] w-[19rem] max-w-[calc(100vw-1rem)] rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface-2 px-3 py-2.5 text-[11px] leading-snug text-fg-primary shadow-lg shadow-black/20"
+      className="fixed bottom-7 right-2 z-[9999] max-h-[calc(100vh-2.5rem)] w-[19rem] max-w-[calc(100vw-1rem)] overflow-y-auto rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface-2 px-3 py-2.5 text-[11px] leading-snug text-fg-primary shadow-lg shadow-black/20"
     >
       <div className="mb-2 font-semibold">{t("statusBar.quotaTitle")}</div>
       {groups.map(([id, list]) => (

client/src/components/UpdateNotifier.tsx

@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ export function UpdateNotifier() {
           longest label is a whole sentence ("restarting the dashboard…"). */}
       <div
         ref={panelRef}
-        className="w-full max-w-2xl card shadow-2xl animate-slide-up overflow-hidden"
+        className="w-full max-w-2xl max-h-full flex flex-col card shadow-2xl animate-slide-up overflow-hidden"
       >
         {/* Header */}
         <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-3 px-5 py-4 border-b border-border">
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ export function UpdateNotifier() {
         </div>
 
         {/* Body */}
-        <div className="px-5 py-4 space-y-3">
+        <div className="min-h-0 overflow-y-auto px-5 py-4 space-y-3">
           <p className="text-sm text-fg-secondary leading-relaxed">
             {pluginManaged ? t("pluginAutoNote") : release ? t("releaseLead") : t("lead")}
           </p>

client/src/components/config/ConfirmDeleteModal.tsx

@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export function ConfirmDeleteModal<
         aria-modal="true"
         aria-labelledby="cc-confirm-delete-title"
         aria-describedby="cc-confirm-delete-body"
-        className="relative w-full max-w-lg rounded-xl border border-status-danger/40 bg-surface-1"
+        className="relative flex max-h-full w-full max-w-lg flex-col rounded-xl border border-status-danger/40 bg-surface-1"
         onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
       >
         <div className="border-b border-border px-4 py-2.5 flex items-center gap-2">
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export function ConfirmDeleteModal<
             {t("edit.confirmDelete")}
           </span>
         </div>
-        <div className="p-4 space-y-3">
+        <div className="min-h-0 overflow-y-auto p-4 space-y-3">
           <p id="cc-confirm-delete-body" className="text-xs text-fg-secondary leading-relaxed">
             {t("edit.confirmDeleteBody")}
           </p>

client/src/pages/Settings.tsx

@@ -1229,7 +1229,7 @@ function ClearDataDialog({
         aria-modal="true"
         aria-labelledby="clear-data-title"
         aria-describedby="clear-data-body"
-        className="card w-full max-w-md space-y-4 border-status-danger/40 p-5"
+        className="card max-h-full w-full max-w-md space-y-4 overflow-y-auto border-status-danger/40 p-5"
         onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
       >
         <h2

client/src/pages/__tests__/__snapshots__/screens.snapshot.test.tsx.snap

@@ -7233,7 +7233,7 @@ exports[`screen snapshots > Settings — about 1`] = `
             <p
               class="text-[10px] text-status-warning/90 mt-1"
             >
-              UI build v2.5.0 (rebuild client to match)
+              UI build v2.5.3 (rebuild client to match)
             </p>
           </div>
           <div

docs/PLUGINS.md

@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ waits on an install:
 2. **Superseded check** — if Claude Code records a DIFFERENT build of this plugin as installed, this one logs a line and does nothing else (see [A retired build never acts](#a-retired-build-never-acts)).
 3. **Node gate** — refuse below 22.5 with one line (see Prerequisites).
 4. **Lock** — atomic `mkdir` lock holding the PID; reclaimed when the owner is dead or the lock is older than 10 minutes, so two sessions cannot race the install or spawn two servers.
-5. **Install** — `npm install --omit=dev --ignore-scripts` into the runtime dir (never into the plugin cache, which is garbage-collected and replaced on every update). `--ignore-scripts` keeps the root `postinstall` from pulling the whole Vite client toolchain.
+5. **Install** — `npm install --omit=dev --ignore-scripts` into the runtime dir, run as the npm bundled with the node running the bootstrap (`npmCommand`: its `npm-cli.js` beside `process.execPath`, no shell, that node's directory first on PATH; `npm` on PATH only when that node ships none) — the update chain runs with the dashboard server's environment, whose PATH need not reach `npm.cmd` on Windows. The UI build below and the doctor's npm row use the same npm (never into the plugin cache, which is garbage-collected and replaced on every update). `--ignore-scripts` keeps the root `postinstall` from pulling the whole Vite client toolchain.
 6. **Legacy hook cleanup** — see above.
 7. **CLI** — write the `~/.local/bin/agenthub` launcher, never clobbering a `agenthub` the bootstrap did not write. It pins the node that ran the bootstrap and falls back to `node` on `PATH` when that binary is gone (a Homebrew Cellar or nvm path deleted by an upgrade).
 8. **UI build** — `client/` is copied into the runtime dir and built there (`npm ci --include=dev`, falling back to `npm install --include=dev`, then `npm run build`), landing in `runtime/client-dist` — the same directory the server serves from. `--include=dev` is required, not tidy: the entire build toolchain (`vite`, `typescript`, `@vitejs/plugin-react`, `tailwindcss`, `@types/*`) is a devDependency, and npm reads an inherited `NODE_ENV=production` as `--omit=dev`. Every bootstrap descended from the running server carries that env — the self-update chain, and any `SessionStart` fired by a `claude` inside a tmux pane the server started — so without the flag the install drops `vite` and the build dies on missing types. Skipped when a bundle for the current version already exists; a failure here does not fail the bootstrap (the API still works, and `/agenthub-open` can retry) but does mean `/run` 404s until it's fixed — and when a bundle from the PREVIOUS version is still on disk the failure is quieter still: the dashboard keeps serving the old UI against the new API, visible only as the Settings page's `UI build vX (rebuild client to match)` line.

openapi.yaml

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 openapi: 3.0.3
 info:
   title: Agent Dashboard for Claude Code API
-  version: 2.5.0
+  version: 2.5.3
   description: HTTP API for real-time Claude Code session monitoring, agent lifecycle tracking, analytics, pricing, hooks ingestion, and workflow intelligence.
   contact:
     name: Nguyễn Ngọc Trí Vĩ

package-lock.json

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "agenthub",
-  "version": "2.5.0",
+  "version": "2.5.3",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "agenthub",
-      "version": "2.5.0",
+      "version": "2.5.3",
       "hasInstallScript": true,
       "license": "UNLICENSED",
       "dependencies": {

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "agenthub",
-  "version": "2.5.0",
+  "version": "2.5.3",
   "bin": {
     "agenthub": "bin/agenthub.js"
   },

scripts/cc-update-all-helper.js

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
  * @author Nguyễn Ngọc Trí Vĩ <vinnt@smartgift.vn>
  */
 
+require("../server/lib/windows-hide").install(); // before child_process is read
 const fs = require("fs");
 const { rotateIfLarge } = require("./log-rotate");
 const path = require("path");

scripts/plugin-bootstrap.js

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
  * @author Nguyễn Ngọc Trí Vĩ <vinnt@smartgift.vn>
  */
 
+require("../server/lib/windows-hide").install(); // before child_process is read
 const fs = require("fs");
 const { rotateIfLarge } = require("./log-rotate");
 const os = require("os");
@@ -383,6 +384,29 @@ function linkCli(dir = cliDir(), root = PLUGIN_ROOT, nodePath = process.execPath
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------- dependencies */
 
+/**
+ * npm, run by the node executing this file: `{ file, args, env, shell }` for
+ * `spawnSync`. Its bundled `npm-cli.js` is found from `process.execPath`, so
+ * nothing depends on PATH — the self-update chain runs with the dashboard
+ * server's environment, and on Windows that PATH need not hold the directory
+ * of `npm.cmd` ("'npm.cmd' is not recognized"), even though node itself runs.
+ * PATH is still prefixed with that node's directory so npm's scripts (the UI
+ * build's `tsc`/`vite` shims) find the same node. A node with no bundled npm
+ * (a distro's split nodejs/npm packages) falls back to `npm` on PATH.
+ */
+function npmCommand(args, { execPath = process.execPath, env = process.env } = {}) {
+  const dir = path.dirname(execPath);
+  const pathKey = Object.keys(env).find((k) => k.toUpperCase() === "PATH") || "PATH";
+  const childEnv = { ...env, [pathKey]: [dir, env[pathKey]].filter(Boolean).join(path.delimiter) };
+  const cli = [
+    path.join(dir, "node_modules", "npm", "bin", "npm-cli.js"), // Windows layout
+    path.join(dir, "..", "lib", "node_modules", "npm", "bin", "npm-cli.js"), // Unix layout
+  ].find((p) => fs.existsSync(p));
+  if (cli) return { file: execPath, args: [cli, ...args], env: childEnv, shell: false };
+  const win = process.platform === "win32";
+  return { file: win ? "npm.cmd" : "npm", args, env: childEnv, shell: win };
+}
+
 /**
  * Install runtime dependencies into the runtime dir. `--ignore-scripts` keeps
  * the root postinstall from pulling the whole Vite client toolchain; the
@@ -395,12 +419,13 @@ function installDeps(rt = runtimeDir(), root = PLUGIN_ROOT) {
     const src = path.join(root, f);
     if (fs.existsSync(src)) fs.copyFileSync(src, path.join(rt, f));
   }
-  const npm = process.platform === "win32" ? "npm.cmd" : "npm";
-  const res = spawnSync(
-    npm,
-    ["install", "--omit=dev", "--ignore-scripts", "--no-audit", "--no-fund"],
-    { cwd: rt, stdio: "inherit", shell: process.platform === "win32" }
-  );
+  const npm = npmCommand(["install", "--omit=dev", "--ignore-scripts", "--no-audit", "--no-fund"]);
+  const res = spawnSync(npm.file, npm.args, {
+    cwd: rt,
+    stdio: "inherit",
+    env: npm.env,
+    shell: npm.shell,
+  });
   return res.status === 0;
 }
 
@@ -829,6 +854,43 @@ function main() {
   child.unref();
 }
 
+// Exported before the entry block below, not after it: `bootstrap()` requires
+// plugin-open.js, which requires this module back (`npmCommand`, `runtimeDir`),
+// and when this file is the entry that require resolves to whatever is on
+// module.exports at that moment — an empty object if it is assigned last.
+module.exports = {
+  MIN_NODE,
+  LOCK_STALE_MS,
+  KEEP_RETIRED_ROOTS,
+  supersededBy,
+  pruneRetiredPluginRoots,
+  installedPluginsPath,
+  pluginVersion,
+  runtimeDir,
+  statePath,
+  readState,
+  writeState,
+  depsHash,
+  fastPathOk,
+  nodeVersionOk,
+  lockPath,
+  lockIsStale,
+  acquireLock,
+  releaseLock,
+  isCheckoutHookEntry,
+  stripLegacyHooks,
+  hasLegacyHooks,
+  linkCli,
+  npmCommand,
+  installDeps,
+  serverIsLive,
+  liveServers,
+  livePids,
+  stopDashboard,
+  startDashboard,
+  bootstrap,
+};
+
 if (require.main === module) {
   const force = process.argv.includes("--force");
   if (force || process.argv.includes("--worker")) {
@@ -854,35 +916,3 @@ if (require.main === module) {
     }
   }
 }
-
-module.exports = {
-  MIN_NODE,
-  LOCK_STALE_MS,
-  KEEP_RETIRED_ROOTS,
-  supersededBy,
-  pruneRetiredPluginRoots,
-  installedPluginsPath,
-  pluginVersion,
-  runtimeDir,
-  statePath,
-  readState,
-  writeState,
-  depsHash,
-  fastPathOk,
-  nodeVersionOk,
-  lockPath,
-  lockIsStale,
-  acquireLock,
-  releaseLock,
-  isCheckoutHookEntry,
-  stripLegacyHooks,
-  hasLegacyHooks,
-  linkCli,
-  installDeps,
-  serverIsLive,
-  liveServers,
-  livePids,
-  stopDashboard,
-  startDashboard,
-  bootstrap,
-};

scripts/plugin-doctor.js

@@ -125,10 +125,9 @@ function runtimeDepsStatus(rt) {
 
 /** No npm, no dashboard bundle and no runtime install — both go through it. */
 function npmStatus() {
-  const res = spawnSync(process.platform === "win32" ? "npm.cmd" : "npm", ["-v"], {
-    encoding: "utf8",
-    shell: process.platform === "win32",
-  });
+  // The same npm the bootstrap and the UI build run (`npmCommand`), not PATH's.
+  const npm = boot.npmCommand(["-v"]);
+  const res = spawnSync(npm.file, npm.args, { encoding: "utf8", env: npm.env, shell: npm.shell });
   if (res.status !== 0) {
     return ["fail", "npm", "not runnable — the runtime install and the UI build both need it"];
   }

scripts/plugin-open.js

@@ -29,10 +29,12 @@ const boot = require("./plugin-bootstrap");
 const { resolveDashboardPort } = require("../server/lib/server-info");
 
 const PLUGIN_ROOT = path.resolve(__dirname, "..");
-const NPM = process.platform === "win32" ? "npm.cmd" : "npm";
+const NPM = "npm";
 
-function run(cmd, args, cwd, stdio) {
-  const res = spawnSync(cmd, args, { cwd, stdio, shell: process.platform === "win32" });
+/** `cmd` is always NPM: run through `boot.npmCommand`, never a PATH lookup. */
+function run(_cmd, args, cwd, stdio) {
+  const npm = boot.npmCommand(args);
+  const res = spawnSync(npm.file, npm.args, { cwd, stdio, env: npm.env, shell: npm.shell });
   return res.status === 0;
 }
 

scripts/plugin-update-helper.js

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
  * @author Nguyễn Ngọc Trí Vĩ <vinnt@smartgift.vn>
  */
 
+require("../server/lib/windows-hide").install(); // before child_process is read
 const fs = require("fs");
 const { rotateIfLarge } = require("./log-rotate");
 const path = require("path");

scripts/restart-helper.js

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  * @author Nguyễn Ngọc Trí Vĩ <vinnt@smartgift.vn>
  */
 
+require("../server/lib/windows-hide").install(); // before child_process is read
 const { spawn } = require("child_process");
 
 const [, , pidArg, entry] = process.argv;

server/__tests__/native-dialog.test.js

@@ -44,6 +44,16 @@ describe("native-dialog", () => {
     assert.ok(!args.slice(0, -2).join(" ").includes("shell script"));
   });
 
+  it("gives the Windows dialog a TopMost owner, so it does not open behind the browser", () => {
+    for (const kind of ["dir", "file"]) {
+      const [[cmd, args]] = nd.dialogCommands(kind, "C:\\x", "win32");
+      assert.equal(cmd, "powershell.exe");
+      const script = args.at(-1);
+      assert.match(script, /\$o\.TopMost = \$true;.*\$o\.Show\(\);.*\$d\.ShowDialog\(\$o\)/);
+      assert.ok(!script.includes("C:\\x"), "the folder travels in env, never the script");
+    }
+  });
+
   it(
     "answers the chosen path, null on Cancel, and falls through a missing program",
     {
@@ -95,10 +105,16 @@ describe("native-dialog", () => {
 
   it("tells a Cancel from a failure per program", () => {
     assert.equal(nd.isCancel("zenity", ""), true);
-    assert.equal(nd.isCancel("zenity", "Gtk-Message: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent"), true);
+    assert.equal(
+      nd.isCancel("zenity", "Gtk-Message: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent"),
+      true
+    );
     assert.equal(nd.isCancel("kdialog", "qt.qpa.xcb: could not connect to display :1"), false);
     assert.equal(nd.isCancel("osascript", "execution error: User canceled. (-128)"), true);
-    assert.equal(nd.isCancel("osascript", "execution error: No user interaction allowed. (-1713)"), false);
+    assert.equal(
+      nd.isCancel("osascript", "execution error: No user interaction allowed. (-1713)"),
+      false
+    );
     assert.equal(nd.isCancel("powershell.exe", ""), true);
     assert.equal(nd.isCancel("powershell.exe", "Add-Type : Cannot add type"), false);
   });

server/__tests__/plugin-bootstrap.test.js

@@ -651,3 +651,62 @@ describe("pruneRetiredPluginRoots", () => {
     assert.ok(fs.existsSync(sibling));
   });
 });
+
+describe("npmCommand", () => {
+  const tmp = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "agenthub-npmcmd-"));
+  after(() => fs.rmSync(tmp, { recursive: true, force: true }));
+  const cliAt = (...parts) => {
+    const p = path.join(tmp, ...parts);
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(p), { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(p, "");
+    return p;
+  };
+
+  it("runs the node's own bundled npm (Windows layout), no shell, no PATH lookup", () => {
+    // The "'npm.cmd' is not recognized" failure: the update chain's PATH had no npm.
+    const cli = cliAt("win", "node_modules", "npm", "bin", "npm-cli.js");
+    const execPath = path.join(tmp, "win", "node.exe");
+    const npm = boot.npmCommand(["install"], { execPath, env: { Path: "C:\\other" } });
+    assert.equal(npm.file, execPath);
+    assert.deepEqual(npm.args, [cli, "install"]);
+    assert.equal(npm.shell, false);
+    // Windows env keys keep their own case — a second "PATH" key would be ambiguous.
+    assert.equal(npm.env.Path, [path.dirname(execPath), "C:\\other"].join(path.delimiter));
+    assert.equal(npm.env.PATH, undefined);
+  });
+
+  it("finds the Unix layout (bin/node + lib/node_modules/npm)", () => {
+    const cli = cliAt("unix", "lib", "node_modules", "npm", "bin", "npm-cli.js");
+    const execPath = path.join(tmp, "unix", "bin", "node");
+    const npm = boot.npmCommand(["-v"], { execPath, env: { PATH: "/usr/bin" } });
+    assert.deepEqual(npm.args, [
+      path.join(tmp, "unix", "bin", "..", "lib", "node_modules", "npm", "bin", "npm-cli.js"),
+      "-v",
+    ]);
+    assert.ok(fs.existsSync(npm.args[0]) && path.resolve(npm.args[0]) === cli);
+    assert.equal(npm.env.PATH.split(path.delimiter)[0], path.dirname(execPath));
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to npm on PATH when the node has no bundled npm", () => {
+    const npm = boot.npmCommand(["-v"], { execPath: path.join(tmp, "bare", "node"), env: {} });
+    assert.equal(npm.file, process.platform === "win32" ? "npm.cmd" : "npm");
+    assert.deepEqual(npm.args, ["-v"]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("entry scripts export before they run", () => {
+  // plugin-bootstrap.js run as the entry calls bootstrap() → plugin-open.js,
+  // which requires plugin-bootstrap back and gets whatever module.exports holds
+  // at that moment. Assigned after the entry block it was still {}, and v2.5.1's
+  // update died with "boot.npmCommand is not a function". Requiring the module
+  // (as every other test here does) never takes that path, hence this check.
+  for (const file of ["plugin-bootstrap.js", "plugin-open.js"]) {
+    it(file, () => {
+      const src = fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, "..", "..", "scripts", file), "utf8");
+      const exportsAt = src.indexOf("\nmodule.exports = {");
+      const entryAt = src.indexOf("\nif (require.main === module)");
+      assert.ok(exportsAt > 0 && entryAt > 0, "both markers present");
+      assert.ok(exportsAt < entryAt, "module.exports must be assigned before the entry block");
+    });
+  }
+});

server/__tests__/windows-hide.test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/**
+ * @file Tests for server/lib/windows-hide.js: on win32 every child process,
+ * async or sync, is started with `windowsHide: true`; elsewhere nothing changes.
+ * @author Nguyễn Ngọc Trí Vĩ <vinnt@smartgift.vn>
+ */
+
+const { test } = require("node:test");
+const assert = require("node:assert/strict");
+const { install } = require("../lib/windows-hide");
+
+function fakeCp() {
+  const seen = [];
+  class ChildProcess {
+    spawn(options) {
+      seen.push(options);
+    }
+  }
+  const rec = (...args) => seen.push(args);
+  return { seen, cp: { ChildProcess, spawnSync: rec, execFileSync: rec, execSync: rec } };
+}
+
+test("win32: async spawns and every sync form get windowsHide", () => {
+  const { seen, cp } = fakeCp();
+  install(cp, "win32");
+  install(cp, "win32"); // idempotent: no double wrap
+
+  new cp.ChildProcess().spawn({ file: "git", windowsHide: false });
+  cp.execFileSync("git", ["status"]);
+  cp.execFileSync("git", ["status"], { cwd: "x" });
+  cp.execFileSync("git", { cwd: "x" });
+  cp.execSync("dir");
+  cp.spawnSync("git", ["log"], undefined);
+
+  assert.deepEqual(seen, [
+    { file: "git", windowsHide: true },
+    ["git", ["status"], { windowsHide: true }],
+    ["git", ["status"], { cwd: "x", windowsHide: true }],
+    ["git", { cwd: "x", windowsHide: true }],
+    ["dir", { windowsHide: true }],
+    ["git", ["log"], { windowsHide: true }],
+  ]);
+});
+
+test("other platforms are left alone", () => {
+  const { cp } = fakeCp();
+  const before = { ...cp, spawn: cp.ChildProcess.prototype.spawn };
+  install(cp, "linux");
+  assert.equal(cp.execSync, before.execSync);
+  assert.equal(cp.ChildProcess.prototype.spawn, before.spawn);
+});

server/index.js

@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
  * @author Nguyễn Ngọc Trí Vĩ <vinnt@smartgift.vn>
  */
 
+// First, before any module destructures child_process: no console window per
+// git/npm call on Windows (server/lib/windows-hide.js).
+require("./lib/windows-hide").install();
 if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) process.env.NODE_ENV = "production";
 
 // A server started from inside a Claude Code session (the bootstrap fallback,

server/lib/lanes.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
  * @author Nguyễn Ngọc Trí Vĩ <vinnt@smartgift.vn>
  */
 
+const path = require("node:path");
 const { db } = require("../db");
 const aiTools = require("./ai-tools");
 const {
@@ -182,17 +183,18 @@ function normalizeTitle(value) {
  */
 function canonicalCwd(cwd) {
   // A relative path must stay relative, so createLane still refuses it.
-  if (!cwd.startsWith("/")) return cwd;
-  const trimmed = cwd.replace(/\/+$/, "");
+  // path.isAbsolute, not a leading "/": a Windows cwd is `D:\…`.
+  if (!path.isAbsolute(cwd)) return cwd;
+  const trimmed = path.resolve(cwd);
   // A path that does not exist yet resolves through its deepest existing
   // ancestor, so /link/new and /real/new still name the same lane.
-  const path = require("node:path");
   const tail = [];
   for (let dir = trimmed; ; dir = path.dirname(dir)) {
     try {
-      return path.join(require("node:fs").realpathSync.native(dir || "/"), ...tail);
+      return path.join(require("node:fs").realpathSync.native(dir), ...tail);
     } catch {
-      if (dir === "/" || !dir) return trimmed;
+      // A root (`/`, `D:\` — a drive that does not exist) is its own dirname.
+      if (path.dirname(dir) === dir) return trimmed;
       tail.unshift(path.basename(dir));
     }
   }
@@ -210,7 +212,7 @@ function createLane({
   tool = "claude",
   router_profile = null,
 } = {}) {
-  if (!cwd || typeof cwd !== "string" || !cwd.startsWith("/")) {
+  if (!cwd || typeof cwd !== "string" || !path.isAbsolute(cwd)) {
     throw Object.assign(new Error("cwd must be an absolute path"), { code: "EBADCWD" });
   }
   validateKind(kind);
@@ -603,12 +605,13 @@ function recoverInterruptedProvisioning() {
  */
 function resolveLaneByCwd(cwd, tool) {
   if (!cwd || typeof cwd !== "string") return null;
-  const target = cwd.replace(/\/+$/, "");
+  // A Windows cwd ends in and nests under `\`.
+  const target = cwd.replace(/[\\/]+$/, "");
   let best = null;
   for (const lane of listLanes()) {
     if (tool && lane.tool !== tool) continue;
-    const base = lane.cwd.replace(/\/+$/, "");
-    if (target === base || target.startsWith(`${base}/`)) {
+    const base = lane.cwd.replace(/[\\/]+$/, "");
+    if (target === base || target.startsWith(`${base}/`) || target.startsWith(base + path.sep)) {
       if (!best || base.length > best.cwd.length) best = lane;
     }
   }

server/lib/native-dialog.js

@@ -95,7 +95,12 @@ function dialogCommands(kind, dir, platform = process.platform) {
           "-NoProfile",
           "-STA",
           "-Command",
-          `[Console]::OutputEncoding = [Text.Encoding]::UTF8; Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms; ${dialog}; if ($d.ShowDialog() -eq 'OK') { [Console]::Out.Write(${result}) } else { exit 1 }`,
+          // The server is a background process, and Windows will not let one
+          // bring a window to the front: an ownerless dialog opened BEHIND the
+          // browser (or hidden — the first ShowWindow of a process started
+          // with windowsHide). An invisible TopMost owner, shown first, takes
+          // that first ShowWindow and keeps the dialog on top.
+          `[Console]::OutputEncoding = [Text.Encoding]::UTF8; Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms; $o = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form; $o.TopMost = $true; $o.ShowInTaskbar = $false; $o.FormBorderStyle = 'None'; $o.Opacity = 0; $o.Width = 1; $o.Height = 1; $o.Show(); $o.Activate(); ${dialog}; if ($d.ShowDialog($o) -eq 'OK') { [Console]::Out.Write(${result}) } else { exit 1 }`,
         ],
       ],
     ];

server/lib/windows-hide.js

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/**
+ * @file Makes every child process on Windows start with `windowsHide: true`.
+ * The dashboard runs detached, with no console of its own, so Windows gave
+ * each console program it ran (git, npm, where, …) a NEW console window — a
+ * flash that stole focus on every poll. Node has no global default, so this
+ * patches `ChildProcess.prototype.spawn` (the one path spawn/exec/execFile/fork
+ * and their promisified forms all take) and wraps the sync exports. Require it
+ * FIRST in an entry point: a `const { execSync } = require("child_process")`
+ * evaluated before it keeps the unwrapped function. A no-op off Windows.
+ * @author Nguyễn Ngọc Trí Vĩ <vinnt@smartgift.vn>
+ */
+
+const DONE = Symbol.for("agenthub.windowsHide");
+
+function install(cp = require("child_process"), platform = process.platform) {
+  if (platform !== "win32" || cp[DONE]) return;
+  cp[DONE] = true;
+
+  const spawn = cp.ChildProcess.prototype.spawn;
+  cp.ChildProcess.prototype.spawn = function (options) {
+    options.windowsHide = true;
+    return spawn.call(this, options);
+  };
+
+  // spawnSync(cmd, args?, opts?), execFileSync(file, args?, opts?), execSync(cmd, opts?)
+  for (const name of ["spawnSync", "execFileSync", "execSync"]) {
+    const fn = cp[name];
+    cp[name] = function (...args) {
+      while (args.length > 1 && args[args.length - 1] == null) args.pop();
+      const last = args[args.length - 1];
+      if (args.length > 1 && typeof last === "object" && !Array.isArray(last)) {
+        args[args.length - 1] = { ...last, windowsHide: true };
+      } else {
+        args.push({ windowsHide: true });
+      }
+      return fn.apply(this, args);
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = { install };

server/routes/lanes.js

@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ router.post("/ensure", sameOriginGuard, (req, res) => {
   // it, a nested cwd still resolves to its owner, which is what the CLI and
   // other callers adopting "the lane I am inside" rely on.
   const found = lanesLib.resolveLaneByCwd(cwd, body.tool || "claude");
-  const strip = (p) => p.replace(/\/+$/, "");
+  const strip = (p) => p.replace(/[\\/]+$/, "");
   const owner = found && (body.exact !== true || strip(found.cwd) === strip(cwd)) ? found : null;
   if (owner) {
     // First-write wins on the title: an ensure-with-title on an existing lane

statusline/statusline.js

@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ function gitBranch(cwd) {
       cwd,
       timeout: 500,
       stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "ignore"],
+      windowsHide: true,
     })
       .toString()
       .trim();