feat: JSON-based settings (settings.json + schema-driven UI)

[andrewchumchal]

Summary

Replace the fully hardcoded SettingsPanel.tsx with a schema-driven settings system backed by a user-editable settings.json file — modelled on VS Code's settings architecture.

Motivation

• The current SettingsPanel.tsx is ~1500 lines of hardcoded React. Extensions can never add their own settings without modifying core.
• Power users have no way to directly edit settings as text (copy/paste, version control, scripting).
• A schema-driven approach means the UI is generated from a definition, making it trivially extensible.

Proposed architecture

Storage

electron-store already writes JSON to userData/openconduit/. No backend change required — just expose the file path and add a "Open settings.json" command.

Schema

Each settings section is defined as a JSON Schema fragment:

interface SettingsContribution {
  title: string;
  order?: number;   // controls section ordering in the UI
  properties: Record<string, JSONSchemaProperty>;
}

Core registers its own contributions (providers, MCP, routing, etc.). Extensions will register theirs via the Extension Platform (#TBD).

Settings UI (revamped SettingsPanel)

• Schema-driven form renderer — inputs, toggles, arrays, and key-value pairs generated from schema type + description
• Search — filter settings by keyword across all sections
• Section navigation — left-side TOC (like VS Code)
• "Open settings.json" button → opens the raw file in the default editor (or an in-app JSON editor pane)
• Reset to default per-property button

Raw JSON editor

• In-app JSON editor pane (CodeMirror or Monaco) with schema validation
• Errors highlighted inline
• Changes saved on blur / explicit save

Migration plan

1. Add settings:open-file IPC + ⌘K command — expose the existing JSON file immediately (low risk, high value)
2. Introduce SettingsContribution type and register core sections against it
3. Rewrite SettingsPanel as a schema-driven renderer, section by section
4. Remove hardcoded JSX as each section is migrated

Acceptance criteria

• settings.json is openable via ⌘K command and a button in the Settings panel
• SettingsContribution type defined; core registers all existing sections
• Settings UI renders from schema (section nav, search, per-field reset)
• In-app JSON editor with schema validation
• Extensions can register their own SettingsContribution (see Extension Platform issue)
• No settings data is lost during migration

Related

• Extension Platform spec (TBD) — extensions contribute settings via their manifest
• feat: git-backed sync — conversations, prompts, and settings versioned in a local git repo #34 git-backed sync — settings.json could be included in the synced repo