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loops/autonomy: lanes cannot consume their own merged plugin fixes — need plugin sync + reload path (or documented restart cadence) #514

Description

@kyle-sexton

Category: operational · Source: operator direction, control-tower checkpoint 2026-07-19

Problem

Loop lanes routinely merge fixes to the very plugins they run on (babysit fixes babysit, work-lane fixes work-items). But a running lane keeps executing the skill version loaded at session start — merged improvements don't reach the lanes until the next morning refresh cycle (laptop git pull + plugin update + restart). The pipeline improves itself but can't consume its own improvements same-day.

Direction

Lanes should be able to get latest and reload plugins/skills on the fly:

  • Investigate what plugin sync/reload actually requires in Claude Code today: is a marketplace plugin update + skill reload possible mid-session without human interaction, or is it restart-gated / permission-gated?
  • If un-gated: add a refresh step to loop cadence (e.g. at cycle boundary after a merge touching an installed plugin, or a periodic check).
  • If human-gated: accept and document the fallback — merged skill fixes land at the morning restart; loop prompts must carry temporary workarounds for known-broken-but-fixed-on-main behavior until then (this is already the v6 prompt rule for unmerged fixes; extend it to merged-but-not-reloaded).
  • Restart-based refresh may be the honest mechanism regardless (session restart also resets context bloat — the daily harvest/reset cadence). If so, the decision is about restart FREQUENCY, not hot reload.

Triage questions


Reference: Boris Cherny, "Steps of AI Adoption" (Google Doc)

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priority: highSignificant impact, or blocks an imminent release; staff this cycle.status: readyTriaged, unblocked, and fully specified; eligible to pick up.

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