Desk Code Agent v0.2.0

Desk Code Agent v0.2.0

Status: public release

Desk Code Agent 0.2.0 makes the first-run experience honest, readable, and
useful. The desktop now opens to a guided empty state and can inspect an
existing local Git repository through the native Windows folder picker.

Highlights

• A clear three-step first-run guide with one primary Choose local folder
  action
• Native, bounded, read-only observation of repository-reported HEAD/ref text and a file manifest; referenced Git objects are not validated
• A persistent separation between real repository facts and deterministic demo
  data
• Larger typography, System/Dark/Light themes, 100/110/125% text sizing,
  density controls, stronger focus/contrast, and live reduced motion
• Responsive panels down to the native 760×520 minimum
• A redesigned GitHub README with current screenshots and a Traditional
  Chinese quick start

Open a repository

1. Install and launch Desk Code Agent from the Windows Start menu.
2. Select Choose local folder.
3. Pick a folder that is already a Git repository.

The repository remains in place. Selection makes no network or model call and
does not run hooks, acquire optional locks, check out files, or modify source.
Desk shows only the repository name, repository-reported branch and observed HEAD text, recognized manifests, and
a bounded file list; it does not render the absolute local path. Working-tree
cleanliness is intentionally not inspected because Git content comparison can
invoke repository-configured filters. The UI states that status is not checked
for safety instead of claiming clean or dirty.

Linked worktrees and submodule checkouts that use .git indirection are intentionally unsupported in this release. Select the primary checkout.

If a repository exists only on GitHub, clone it first with Git or GitHub
Desktop, then choose the local folder. URL cloning is not available in this
build.

Honest capability boundary

The selected-repository task runtime and semantic index are not connected in
this release. Run therefore remains disabled for a selected repository.
The optional guided demo is a deterministic fixture and is always labelled
DEMO DATA · NO REPOSITORY ACCESSED · ZERO MODEL CALLS.

Autonomous mutation and default retry remain disabled. The research result
remains RESEARCH_COMPLETE_INCONCLUSIVE_FORMATION_RESULT.

Windows packages

• Unsigned x64 MSI: Desk.Code.Agent_0.2.0_x64_en-US.msi — SHA-256
  279f4a8dc6c97db5e1af540627d3892c6827f2b607d25ecd72adc6ccfc854f86
• Unsigned x64 NSIS: Desk.Code.Agent_0.2.0_x64-setup.exe — SHA-256
  732b2319f9a1dd4618c650d7dd1c1d88b60358edc6ccc840f65139603c132b4b

The packages are unsigned because trusted signing credentials are deferred.
Windows may show its standard unknown-publisher or reputation warning. The
desktop requires WebView2; the default installer may download Microsoft's
WebView2 bootstrapper when the runtime is absent. That conditional path was
not exercised because the reference host already had WebView2 installed. The
release candidate was built on the Windows reference host, hash-verified,
installed, launched from the installed path, exercised through the native
folder picker against a real committed repository, removed its registration,
program files, shortcuts, and processes, and reinstalled successfully. The
WebView user profile may persist after uninstall; the fresh QA profile retained
browser state but contained zero selected-repository, canary, or private-path
scan hits.

Distribution evidence

• 205 locked Windows runtime dependencies inventoried
• 205/205 dependencies linked to authoritative license text
• 126 unique pinned third-party license texts
• 0 unresolved distributed-license blockers
• SPDX 2.3 SBOM, notices, inventory, and checksum manifest prepared
• Root license: Apache-2.0

Known limitations

• Task execution and semantic indexing are not connected to a repository
  selected in the desktop app.
• GitHub URL cloning is unavailable.
• Model runtime and weights are not bundled.
• Trusted Windows code signing is deferred.
• Human-observed Narrator spoken-output validation remains deferred; no
  accessibility certification is claimed.

Historical v0.1.0 assets, checksums, tag, notes, and media remain unchanged.

Desk Code Agent v0.1.0

Desk Code Agent v0.1.0

Status: public release

Desk Code Agent 0.1.0 is the first portfolio/public milestone for a local-first, verification-first software engineering workbench for small language models.

Highlights

• Local-first repository workspace and one shared local-model boundary
• Verification-first workflow with typed evidence and replayable events
• Bounded, path-scoped actions with deterministic verification
• Exact approval and byte-correct rollback
• Privacy-safe semantic observability with no retained raw output or edit body
• Research dashboard and portfolio-grade evidence visualization
• Calm desktop UI with reduced-motion support and deterministic media routes

Current supported capabilities

Production support is limited to deterministic repository/workspace infrastructure, bounded retrieval and citations, structured cross-file planning inside a read-only machine-checkable boundary, safety verification, and rollback. Repository navigation and explanation are assisted. Patch suggestion and semantic observability remain research-only. Bounded and autonomous mutation remain disabled.

Research-backed design decisions

• Model claims never override executable verification.
• The strongest scored practical 7B candidate reached 29/95 strict behavior and was not promoted.
• Bounded retry recovered 1/66 eligible failures and was not admitted.
• Privacy-safe L1 evidence improved supported T1–T9 coverage from 0/44 to 15/44 without retaining raw model output or edit bodies.
• The code-formation intervention remains inconclusive; zero recovery primary calls ran.

Research is closed at RESEARCH_COMPLETE_INCONCLUSIVE_FORMATION_RESULT.

Windows support

Windows 11 reference-hardware QA passed the native build, installed startup, WebView2, all 18 product surfaces, required scale checks, reduced motion, artifact paths, shutdown, uninstall, and reinstall. Human-observed Narrator spoken-output validation remains deferred; this release makes no accessibility-certification claim.

Packaging

• Unsigned x64 MSI release asset: Desk.Code.Agent_0.1.0_x64_en-US.msi — SHA-256 d91f4a516cea760114b380758a5c9a9e48ecd88db86fde262b2aac4e1975bfcf
• Unsigned x64 NSIS release asset: Desk.Code.Agent_0.1.0_x64-setup.exe — SHA-256 ee6877d02e20c346aa7446430ea3366eeaf15d85473c0f8f15dc196e3b9a89f0

Installer binaries are distributed only as GitHub Release assets, not in Git source history. Both v0.1.0 installers are unsigned and are identified as such in the release asset notes and checksum file.

Known limitations

• Autonomous mutation and default retry are disabled.
• The local model runtime and weights are configured separately and are not bundled.
• Narrator audible validation is deferred.
• Installers are unsigned; trusted Windows code signing is deferred future hardening.

License

Desk Code Agent is licensed under Apache-2.0. All ten formerly open distributed-package text gaps are closed with authoritative package, exact upstream-commit, or official license-custodian evidence. The final binary distribution gate has zero unresolved license blockers.