v1.5.16

DeepScientist v1.5.16 is primarily about making Copilot real.

If v1.5.15 established DeepScientist as a usable local-first research operating system, v1.5.16 makes it much easier to choose the right operating mode from the start.

The biggest product change is a clean split between:

• Copilot: a quieter, user-directed workspace that waits for your first real instruction
• Autonomous: the standard DeepScientist path that starts moving immediately and keeps the quest advancing on its own

Around that core change, this release also improves Git visibility inside the workspace, reduces local launch friction, fixes important Codex compatibility issues, and substantially expands the documentation around startup, workspace modes, auth, and controller behavior.

Highlights

1. Copilot is now a first-class workspace mode

v1.5.16 introduces a real Copilot workspace mode instead of treating every project start as the same launch style.

What this means in practice:

• you can now create a project that stays idle after creation
• DeepScientist waits for your first real instruction instead of immediately entering the autonomous research loop
• continuation behavior is intentionally more conservative in Copilot mode
• the distinction is now reflected in startup UX, prompts, docs, and runtime behavior

This is the most important change in the release.

2. New launch-mode split: Copilot vs Autonomous

Project start now explicitly separates launch intent.

Instead of a single undifferentiated creation path, DeepScientist now exposes a clearer choice between:

• Copilot Mode
• Autonomous Mode

This changes more than wording. It affects:

• whether the quest starts running immediately
• whether the system parks after the current requested unit
• how continuation should behave
• how much autonomous routing is appropriate

New docs explain this split directly:

• docs/en/20_WORKSPACE_MODES_GUIDE.md
• docs/zh/20_WORKSPACE_MODES_GUIDE.md

3. Dedicated Copilot project creation flow

v1.5.16 adds a dedicated Copilot creation flow with a much lower-friction path into an interactive workspace.

New Copilot creation capabilities include:

• starter card selection
• optional connector binding during creation
• live preview of the selected project display style
• card background and accent customization
• clearer “idle by default” framing

This makes Copilot much more usable for repo inspection, paper reading, debugging, experiment planning, and request-scoped collaboration.

4. Git visibility inside the workspace is much stronger

This release improves the Git-facing workspace experience substantially.

New and improved capabilities include:

• Git commit viewer support inside the plugin/workspace system
• better commit-level diff inspection
• snapshot vs diff switching while inspecting commit changes
• stronger Git operation visibility in lab/canvas-related surfaces
• better Git-oriented artifact and projection handling

This matters because Git is increasingly part of durable research state, not just an implementation detail.

5. Local browser auth is now optional and disabled by default

A notable behavior change in v1.5.16:

• local browser auth is now optional
• default startup no longer requires the local browser password gate
• if you want the password gate, start with ds --auth true

This lowers friction for normal local-first usage while preserving an explicit browser gate when users want it.

Related docs:

• docs/en/19_LOCAL_BROWSER_AUTH.md
• docs/zh/19_LOCAL_BROWSER_AUTH.md

6. Codex compatibility and runtime behavior improved

This release includes several important Codex-side fixes:

• MiniMax Codex compatibility was repaired
• Codex profile handling and model: inherit guidance were improved
• the Codex runner runtime-home semantics were corrected so DeepScientist no longer drops existing user Codex customizations on the same machine

A particularly important fix in the v1.5.16 line:

• DeepScientist now runs Codex from an isolated .ds/codex-home
• that runtime home first inherits the configured real Codex home semantics
• this preserves existing auth, config, skills, agents, and prompts
• quest-local .codex prompts/skills are then overlaid on top

This fixes a real mismatch where plain terminal codex and DeepScientist-launched codex could previously see different environments.

Detailed change areas

Copilot and workspace behavior

Major work landed across the workspace surface, project creation flow, shell layout, and runtime semantics:

• explicit Copilot vs Autonomous startup split
• new CreateCopilotProjectPage
• new launch-mode visuals and launch-mode dialogs
• improved Copilot composer / dock / pane layout behavior
• better session compatibility handling in the UI
• improved event/session restoration behavior
• better Copilot-facing onboarding and create-flow copy
• E2E coverage for Copilot workspace flows

Projects / landing / startup UX

The launch and projects surfaces received a broad refresh:

• refreshed landing / hero flow
• improved Start Research and launch-mode selection experience
• stronger project preview cards
• better onboarding flow wording and step coverage
• improved project opening and display preview behavior

Git / canvas / explorer improvements

Work in this release continues the shift toward Git as a visible part of the research operating system:

• Git commit viewer plugin
• improved Git diff viewer behavior
• stronger Git projection support in artifacts and quest state
• improved branch/canvas-related API and tests
• additional Git operation event coverage

Runtime / daemon / API

Several backend layers changed materially:

• daemon API and app changes
• artifact service expansion
• quest service and stage view updates
• bash_exec service updates
• prompt builder changes
• Copilot-specific prompt path via system_copilot.md
• session and ACP compatibility improvements
• more test coverage across daemon API, MCP, prompts, git branch canvas, and Codex runner behavior

Docs and release polish

Documentation changed heavily in this release and is much more aligned with current runtime behavior.

New or significantly updated topics include:

• workspace modes
• local browser auth
• external controller guide
• quick start
• settings reference
• Codex provider setup
• runtime and canvas behavior
• prompt / skills / MCP behavior
• README refresh in both English and Chinese

Packaging and release-side polish also improved:

• better release build handling
• updated ignore/package boundaries
• published npm package for 1.5.16

Upgrade notes

Browser auth behavior changed

If you were used to the local browser password flow, note that:

• auth is now disabled by default
• to enable it explicitly, use:

ds --auth true

Copilot is now a separate startup path

If you want a quiet project shell that waits for your first instruction, choose Copilot.

If you want DeepScientist to immediately start converting the startup contract into real work, choose Autonomous.

Codex runtime-home semantics changed

For Codex users, the runtime-home model is now cleaner:

• quest-local .codex/ remains the quest overlay location
• actual runtime Codex home now lives under .ds/codex-home

This should improve compatibility, especially for users with an existing global Codex setup.

Why this release matters

v1.5.15 already had the broad DeepScientist shape.

v1.5.16 makes that shape much more practical.

The most important product difference is that DeepScientist now has a clearer answer to two very different ways people want to work:

• “Stay quiet, wait for me, help me one unit at a time”
• “Take the quest and keep moving”

That split is what makes the new Copilot path matter.

Around that core change, this release also tightens the runtime, improves Git inspection, reduces local launch friction, and brings the docs much closer to the actual system.

Version

• npm package: @researai/deepscientist@1.5.16
• npm release: already published
• git tag: v1.5.16