🤖 fix: retry workspace creation with hash suffix on name collision

When creating a new workspace fails because a workspace with the same
name already exists, automatically retry with a random 4-char suffix
(e.g., 'my-workspace-ab12'). Retries up to 3 times before failing.

This applies to both:
- Auto-generated workspace names (from first message)
- User-specified workspace names (via WORKSPACE_CREATE IPC)

_Generated with mux_

Author: ibetitsmike

src/node/services/ipcMain.ts

@@ -44,6 +44,25 @@ import { PTYService } from "@/node/services/ptyService";
 import type { TerminalWindowManager } from "@/desktop/terminalWindowManager";
 import type { TerminalCreateParams, TerminalResizeParams } from "@/common/types/terminal";
 import { ExtensionMetadataService } from "@/node/services/ExtensionMetadataService";
+
+
+/** Maximum number of retry attempts when workspace name collides */
+const MAX_WORKSPACE_NAME_COLLISION_RETRIES = 3;
+
+/**
+ * Checks if an error indicates a workspace name collision
+ */
+function isWorkspaceNameCollision(error: string | undefined): boolean {
+  return error?.includes("Workspace already exists") ?? false;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Generates a unique workspace name by appending a random suffix
+ */
+function appendCollisionSuffix(baseName: string): string {
+  const suffix = Math.random().toString(36).substring(2, 6);
+  return `${baseName}-${suffix}`;
+}
 import { generateWorkspaceName } from "./workspaceTitleGenerator";
 /**
  * IpcMain - Manages all IPC handlers and service coordination
@@ -307,18 +326,40 @@ export class IpcMain {
 
       const initLogger = this.createInitLogger(workspaceId);
 
-      const createResult = await runtime.createWorkspace({
-        projectPath,
-        branchName,
-        trunkBranch: recommendedTrunk,
-        directoryName: branchName,
-        initLogger,
-      });
+      // Retry workspace creation with hash suffix on name collision
+      let currentBranchName = branchName;
+      let createResult;
+      for (let attempt = 0; attempt <= MAX_WORKSPACE_NAME_COLLISION_RETRIES; attempt++) {
+        createResult = await runtime.createWorkspace({
+          projectPath,
+          branchName: currentBranchName,
+          trunkBranch: recommendedTrunk,
+          directoryName: currentBranchName,
+          initLogger,
+        });
+
+        if (createResult.success) {
+          break;
+        }
+
+        // If collision and not last attempt, retry with suffix
+        if (isWorkspaceNameCollision(createResult.error) && attempt < MAX_WORKSPACE_NAME_COLLISION_RETRIES) {
+          log.debug(`Workspace name collision for "${currentBranchName}", retrying with suffix`);
+          currentBranchName = appendCollisionSuffix(branchName);
+          continue;
+        }
 
-      if (!createResult.success || !createResult.workspacePath) {
+        // Non-collision error or exhausted retries
         return Err({ type: "unknown", raw: createResult.error ?? "Failed to create workspace" });
       }
 
+      if (!createResult!.success || !createResult!.workspacePath) {
+        return Err({ type: "unknown", raw: createResult!.error ?? "Failed to create workspace" });
+      }
+
+      // Use the final branch name (may have suffix if collision occurred)
+      branchName = currentBranchName;
+
       const projectName =
         projectPath.split("/").pop() ?? projectPath.split("\\").pop() ?? "unknown";
 
@@ -337,7 +378,7 @@ export class IpcMain {
           config.projects.set(projectPath, projectConfig);
         }
         projectConfig.workspaces.push({
-          path: createResult.workspacePath!,
+          path: createResult!.workspacePath!,
           id: workspaceId,
           name: branchName,
           createdAt: metadata.createdAt,
@@ -359,7 +400,7 @@ export class IpcMain {
           projectPath,
           branchName,
           trunkBranch: recommendedTrunk,
-          workspacePath: createResult.workspacePath,
+          workspacePath: createResult!.workspacePath!,
           initLogger,
         })
         .catch((error: unknown) => {
@@ -618,19 +659,40 @@ export class IpcMain {
 
         const initLogger = this.createInitLogger(workspaceId);
 
-        // Phase 1: Create workspace structure (FAST - returns immediately)
-        const createResult = await runtime.createWorkspace({
-          projectPath,
-          branchName,
-          trunkBranch: normalizedTrunkBranch,
-          directoryName: branchName, // Use branch name as directory name
-          initLogger,
-        });
+        // Phase 1: Create workspace structure with retry on name collision
+        let currentBranchName = branchName;
+        let createResult;
+        for (let attempt = 0; attempt <= MAX_WORKSPACE_NAME_COLLISION_RETRIES; attempt++) {
+          createResult = await runtime.createWorkspace({
+            projectPath,
+            branchName: currentBranchName,
+            trunkBranch: normalizedTrunkBranch,
+            directoryName: currentBranchName,
+            initLogger,
+          });
 
-        if (!createResult.success || !createResult.workspacePath) {
+          if (createResult.success) {
+            break;
+          }
+
+          // If collision and not last attempt, retry with suffix
+          if (isWorkspaceNameCollision(createResult.error) && attempt < MAX_WORKSPACE_NAME_COLLISION_RETRIES) {
+            log.debug(`Workspace name collision for "${currentBranchName}", retrying with suffix`);
+            currentBranchName = appendCollisionSuffix(branchName);
+            continue;
+          }
+
+          // Non-collision error or exhausted retries
           return { success: false, error: createResult.error ?? "Failed to create workspace" };
         }
 
+        if (!createResult!.success || !createResult!.workspacePath) {
+          return { success: false, error: createResult!.error ?? "Failed to create workspace" };
+        }
+
+        // Use the final branch name (may have suffix if collision occurred)
+        branchName = currentBranchName;
+
         const projectName =
           projectPath.split("/").pop() ?? projectPath.split("\\").pop() ?? "unknown";
 
@@ -656,7 +718,7 @@ export class IpcMain {
           }
           // Add workspace to project config with full metadata
           projectConfig.workspaces.push({
-            path: createResult.workspacePath!,
+            path: createResult!.workspacePath!,
             id: workspaceId,
             name: branchName,
             createdAt: metadata.createdAt,
@@ -684,7 +746,7 @@ export class IpcMain {
             projectPath,
             branchName,
             trunkBranch: normalizedTrunkBranch,
-            workspacePath: createResult.workspacePath,
+            workspacePath: createResult!.workspacePath!,
             initLogger,
           })
           .catch((error: unknown) => {