v4.3.0 - Plugin System v2, Requesty, Prompt Cache & Release Hardening

[siddsachar]

v4.3.0 - Plugin System v2, Requesty, Prompt Cache & Release Hardening

This release builds on v4.2.0 with a broad extension, provider, workflow, and
release-readiness pass. It completes Plugin System v2, adds plugin-owned
channels and marketplace tooling, introduces Requesty as a first-class
provider, makes prompt context and Anthropic prompt-cache behavior explicit,
moves workflows to profile-first agent execution, adds Developer Studio
worktrees, replaces the macOS tray fallback with a native tray host, removes
the old Thoth rebrand migration from startup, and hardens CI, dependency, and
installer validation before the 4.3.0 release.

Plugin System v2 & Marketplace

• Manifest v2 contract - defines schema_version: 2 plugin manifests with
  supported extension surfaces for native tools, plugin-packaged MCP servers,
  bundled skills, and channels.
• Declarative plugin metadata - adds validation for plugin IDs, versions,
  minimum Row-Bot versions, permissions, settings, secrets, auth declarations,
  health checks, and supported provides entries.
• Plugin API expansion - extends plugins.api with public tool, channel,
  attachment, outbound callback, result, settings, secret, webhook, pairing,
  allowlist, and health-check helpers so plugins can integrate without
  importing Row-Bot internals.
• Native Plugin Center - expands the in-app plugin UI to render metadata,
  permissions, settings, secrets, auth status, health checks, tools, channels,
  bundled skills, logs, marketplace updates, enablement, reload, and uninstall
  controls from Row-Bot-owned UI.
• Marketplace install/update flow - adds cached marketplace indexes,
  checksum-aware local or remote installs, stale-cache fallback, installed
  version/update metadata, disabled-by-default installation, and immediate
  runtime refresh after plugin changes.
• Plugin developer tools - adds plugin linking, reload, doctor, validation,
  local marketplace index generation, devtool helpers, and examples for native
  tools, settings/secrets, MCP-backed tools, and fake channels.
• Plugin templates - adds native-tool, MCP-tool, and channel templates under
  src/row_bot/plugins/templates/ for repeatable plugin authoring.
• Plugin safety sandbox - tightens loader validation around dangerous
  constructs, unsupported extension surfaces, UI framework imports, Row-Bot
  internal imports, old Thoth manifests, stale code, plugin dependencies, and
  runtime refresh behavior.
• Plugin skill scoping - keeps plugin-provided skills tied to plugin
  enablement and Agent Profile tool boundaries, so selected-tool profiles do
  not receive unrelated plugin instructions.
• Plugin MCP bridge - lets plugin-packaged MCP server declarations follow
  plugin enablement and appear or disappear with the owning plugin's runtime
  inventory.

Plugin Channels, Messaging & Bot Auth

• Public plugin channel runtime - adds a core bridge that lets plugin-owned
  channels route inbound messages through Row-Bot's normal channel, agent,
  Goal Mode, approval, media, and generated-file delivery paths.
• Plugin channel attachment handling - reuses the shared channel media
  pipeline for plugin-channel audio transcription, image analysis, document
  extraction, inbox persistence, workspace copy, size limits, and generated
  image/video/file delivery.
• Plugin webhooks - adds namespaced plugin webhook registration under
  /plugin-webhooks/{plugin_id}/{name}, with webhook handlers disabled when
  the owning plugin is disabled, unloaded, uninstalled, or fails load.
• Bot Framework auth helpers - adds plugin-facing helpers for Bot Framework
  JWT validation, OpenID/JWKS discovery, issuer/audience checks, and
  display-safe failure reporting.
• Channel registry integration - teaches the channel registry and tool
  factory how to include plugin-owned channels while preserving native channel
  capability checks and generated send/photo/document tools.
• Thread-scoped channel commands - fixes Telegram model switching and
  related channel commands so model changes stay scoped to the active channel
  thread instead of leaking across conversations.
• Channel output assembly - centralizes channel answer/tool-report assembly
  so plugin and native channel responses have the same readable final shape.
• Channel UI polish - refreshes channel monitor and sidebar status surfaces
  so running native and plugin channels stay visible without crowding the
  conversation list.

Providers, Prompt Context & Workflow Agents

• Requesty provider - adds Requesty as a first-class OpenAI-compatible
  provider with provider definition, setup/settings support, auth mapping,
  catalog URL handling, provider-qualified refs, and routing through the shared
  OpenAI-compatible transport.
• Requesty catalog normalization - maps Requesty's context_window,
  supports_tool_calling, supports_reasoning, supports_vision,
  modality, task, and metadata fields into Row-Bot capability snapshots.
• Requesty surface filtering - filters embedding, audio, image, video,
  moderation, realtime, and other non-chat Requesty rows out of Brain/agent
  surfaces while preserving vision and tool-capable chat models.
• Provider credential dialogs - moves provider credential collection into
  row-specific dialogs so Settings can avoid exposing or confusing unrelated
  provider secret fields.
• Provider selection hardening - improves provider resolution, catalog
  cache behavior, readiness checks, and Quick Choice compatibility for
  provider-qualified refs, Requesty, xAI OAuth, and existing providers.
• Explicit prompt context contract - splits prompt assembly into named
  stable and ephemeral sections so identity, profile, platform, self-knowledge,
  tools, skills, plugins, background overrides, memory recall, date/time,
  Developer, Designer, channel, and history context have deterministic cache
  behavior.
• Anthropic prompt-cache markers - applies Anthropic cache_control
  markers only to eligible stable system content for the direct Anthropic API,
  while keeping conversation history and ephemeral turn data unmarked.
• Prompt cache metrics - normalizes provider prompt-cache read/write token
  counts across common metadata shapes for diagnostics and status reporting.
• Profile-first workflow agents - migrates workflows toward Agent Profile
  execution, maps compatible legacy workflow policies to built-in or generated
  profiles, preserves review/blocked status when policy cannot be mapped, and
  surfaces migration notes in workflow editing.
• Workflow profile defaults - adds a default workflow Agent Profile path so
  new workflows start from explicit profile policy rather than implicit legacy
  skill/tool snapshots.

Developer Studio, UI & Desktop Polish

• Developer worktrees - adds durable per-thread, child-agent, and workflow
  worktree allocation with owner records, branch naming, base branch/commit
  tracking, cleanup state, metadata, and failure preservation.
• Worktree seeding - can seed a Developer worktree from current staged,
  unstaged, and untracked changes or from the last commit, while requiring a
  real Git repository root and safe path handling.
• Developer workspace UI refresh - reorganizes Developer Studio around
  workspace identity, thread selection, profile/run controls, branch controls,
  inspector panels, responsive layout, and safer overflow behavior.
• Recent workspace visibility - fixes Developer Studio so all recent
  workspaces can be shown instead of being hidden by an overly narrow recent
  list.
• Sidebar pinning and thread actions - adds thread pinning, places the pin
  toggle before other row actions, and updates thread action helpers so pinned
  chat and Developer threads sort predictably.
• Natural progress updates - improves long-running interactive status text
  so agent runs can report progress in a more human, less repetitive way while
  preserving durable run state.
• Monochrome sidebar cleanup - refreshes sidebar iconography, status
  badges, action placement, and monitor styling for a cleaner desktop shell.
• Streaming/render reliability - hardens streaming reattach, grouped tool
  trace rendering, final content persistence, generated media handling, and
  disconnected-client timer behavior across chat, Developer, workflows, and
  channels.
• Native macOS tray host - adds a native Objective-C macOS tray helper and
  launcher integration so packaged macOS tray content stays visible and uses
  platform-native status item behavior.
• Startup speed and legacy cleanup - removes the old automatic
  Thoth-to-Row-Bot rebrand migration and post-migration notice from the hot
  startup path, keeping current startup focused on Row-Bot data only.

Docs, CI, Packaging & Supply Chain

• Public docs completion pass - completes the user-guide pass across
  Docusaurus docs, generated reference pages, settings/home/chat/integration
  pages, real UI screenshot metadata, Pagefind integration, and docs validation.
• Plugin documentation - adds the Plugin System v2 technical reference,
  authoring workflow, validation commands, marketplace fixture layout, and
  plugin test guidance.
• Prompt cache documentation - adds the prompt context/cache contract with
  stable/ephemeral section inventory, provider gating rules, and verification
  expectations.
• Installer verification plan - adds the installer and CI verification plan
  covering local pre-push checks, PR gates, manual Installer Verify workflow,
  release artifact builds, and deferred clean-machine smoke coverage.
• Test matrix source of truth - adds scripts/run_test_matrix.py with fast,
  contracts, subsystem, coverage, deterministic, installer, app-smoke, PR, and
  release lanes aligned with repository ownership rules.
• Dependency discipline - moves dependency truth to pyproject.toml and
  uv.lock, adds locked requirements.txt export/check tooling, uses uv for
  Dependabot updates, and verifies runtime extras before release builds.
• Supply-chain CI - adds UV lockfile, OSV scanner, lint advisory/blocking,
  live e2e, and installer verification workflows, with vulnerable-package
  baselines tracked in osv-scanner.toml.
• Release workflow hardening - updates release CI to run the release matrix,
  verify version consistency, build/smoke Windows, Linux, and macOS artifacts,
  upload SHA256 manifests, and keep Windows signing local-only.
• Installer payload coverage - updates Windows, macOS, and Linux builders,
  installer docs, dependency setup, source payload comments, macOS tray
  bundling, Linux smoke paths, and packaged runtime dependency checks.
• Agent instructions - adds canonical AGENTS.md, a Claude companion file,
  updated contribution guidance, and clearer PR-template release/test prompts.

Tests & Release Validation

• Plugin coverage - adds contract and subsystem tests for manifest v2,
  plugin API, registry/loader, state, installer, marketplace, UI contracts,
  devtools, webhooks, bot auth, plugin channels, plugin MCP tools, and plugin
  skill scoping.
• Channel coverage - adds channel contracts, registry tests, approval
  tests, plugin-channel runtime tests, channel model routing tests, and
  streaming/tool-output coverage.
• Provider coverage - adds Requesty tests plus broader provider catalog,
  runtime, selection, prompt-cache metric, prompt-cache payload, API-key dialog,
  readiness, and optional dependency coverage.
• Workflow coverage - adds profile-first workflow runtime, migration,
  approvals, graph, delegate-agent step, and profile override coverage.
• Developer coverage - adds Developer import gate, runtime command/process,
  sandbox, inspector snapshot, worktree manager, workspace thread, and UI
  contract coverage.
• Installer/release coverage - adds installer metadata, CLI smoke,
  release workflow contract, coverage summary, test matrix runner, dependency
  metadata, optional import, Linux support, and app port/startup coverage.
• Migrated subsystem coverage - adds contracts, fixtures, helper packages,
  source-test maps, legacy inventory, coverage inventory, deterministic
  subsystem lanes, and many focused tests while keeping retired monolith shim
  files out of new substantive coverage.
• Regression coverage - adds focused tests for memory graph regressions,
  condition operators, workflow audit fixes, thread pinning, tool config
  isolation, UI home contracts, sidebar grouping, and startup hardening.

Breaking Changes And Caveats

• Plugin System v2 intentionally supports only native tools, plugin-packaged
  MCP servers, bundled skills, and channels. Plugins cannot add arbitrary app
  panels, custom NiceGUI, JavaScript, provider runtimes, memory providers,
  workflow triggers, general hooks, or custom settings tabs.
• Plugin manifests must use schema_version: 2 and provides.native_tools;
  old Thoth plugin manifests or plugin code that imports Row-Bot internals are
  rejected or quarantined instead of loaded.
• Plugins install disabled by default. Users must review permissions, configure
  required settings/secrets, run health checks where relevant, and enable the
  plugin before it contributes tools, skills, MCP servers, or channels.
• Plugin channel adapters route through Row-Bot core for execution, approvals,
  media, Goal Mode, pairing, and webhook lifecycle. URL-only attachments are
  not fetched by core through the public plugin API.
• Requesty uses provider id requesty and provider-qualified refs such as
  model:requesty:provider/model. Its catalog is filtered so non-chat media,
  audio, embedding, moderation, and realtime rows do not appear as Brain/agent
  choices.
• Direct Anthropic is the only provider receiving Anthropic prompt-cache
  markers in this rollout. Anthropic-compatible providers such as MiniMax,
  OpenCode Anthropic Messages, and Claude Subscription do not receive
  cache_control markers until explicitly proven compatible.
• Current Row-Bot startup no longer runs the old automatic Thoth-to-Row-Bot
  rebrand migration. Users still on Thoth or very early Row-Bot builds should
  first install and launch a previous migration-capable Row-Bot release, then
  upgrade to 4.3.0.
• Windows signing remains local-only, and macOS notarization plus final
  clean-machine Windows/macOS/Linux smoke tests are still manual release gates
  after release artifacts are built.

Files Changed

File	Change
src/row_bot/plugins/manifest.py, api.py, loader.py, registry.py, state.py	Implements Plugin System v2 manifest validation, public plugin API, loader sandboxing, runtime registration, enablement state, and reload behavior.
src/row_bot/plugins/marketplace.py, installer.py, ui_marketplace.py, ui_plugin_dialog.py, ui_settings.py	Adds marketplace caching/install/update flows and expands Plugin Center UI for settings, secrets, auth, health, logs, tools, skills, channels, and enablement.
src/row_bot/plugins/channel_runtime.py, webhooks.py, bot_framework_auth.py, mcp.py, devtools.py	Adds public plugin channel execution, namespaced plugin webhooks, Bot Framework auth validation, plugin MCP integration, and local plugin developer commands.
src/row_bot/plugins/templates/*, examples/plugins/*, scripts/validate_plugin.py, scripts/build_plugin_index.py	Adds plugin templates, example plugins, standalone plugin validation, and local marketplace index generation.
src/row_bot/channels/*, src/row_bot/slash_commands.py, src/row_bot/tools/__init__.py	Integrates plugin-owned channels, shared channel output assembly, generated channel tools, thread-scoped model commands, and channel runtime/tool registration updates.
src/row_bot/providers/requesty.py, providers/catalog.py, providers/selection.py, providers/runtime.py, providers/readiness.py	Adds Requesty provider support and hardens provider catalog normalization, model selection, runtime routing, and readiness behavior.
src/row_bot/prompt_context.py, prompt_cache.py, agent.py, agent_context.py, models.py	Adds explicit prompt section stability, direct-Anthropic cache marker gating, prompt-cache metrics, and model/provider context handling.
src/row_bot/tasks.py, src/row_bot/ui/task_dialog.py, tests/subsystem/workflows/*	Moves workflows toward profile-first agent execution with profile migration, defaults, review notes, and focused workflow coverage.
src/row_bot/developer/worktrees.py, developer/ui.py, developer/runtime.py, developer/storage.py, developer/git.py	Adds durable Developer worktrees, worktree seeding, recent workspace fixes, and refreshed Developer Studio UI/runtime behavior.
src/row_bot/ui/sidebar.py, thread_actions.py, iconography.py, streaming.py, render.py, chat.py, command_center.py	Adds thread pinning and UI polish while hardening streaming, transcript rendering, activity surfaces, and generated media handling.
src/row_bot/launcher.py, installer/macos/RowBotTrayHost.m, installer/build_mac_app.sh, installer/build_mac_release.sh	Adds native macOS tray hosting and launcher/build integration for visible packaged tray behavior.
src/row_bot/migration/row_bot_legacy_rebrand.py, src/row_bot/ui/post_migration.py, tests/test_row_bot_legacy_rebrand.py, tests/test_post_migration_notice.py	Removes the old automatic Thoth rebrand migration and post-migration notice from current startup.
.github/workflows/*, scripts/run_test_matrix.py, scripts/export_locked_requirements.py, scripts/verify_runtime_dependencies.py, osv-scanner.toml	Adds release/test matrix automation, lockfile/export checks, runtime dependency verification, OSV scanning, live e2e, installer verify, and release workflow hardening.
pyproject.toml, uv.lock, requirements.txt, .github/dependabot.yml	Moves dependency ownership to pyproject/uv lockfiles and keeps generated installer requirements in sync.
installer/row_bot_setup.iss, installer/README.md, installer/build_installer.ps1, installer/build_linux_app.sh, installer/install_deps.bat	Updates versioned installer metadata, payload validation, installer docs, Linux smoke paths, and Windows dependency setup.
docs/PLUGIN_SYSTEM_V2.md, docs/PROMPT_CONTEXT_AND_CACHE.md, docs/INSTALLER_CI_VERIFICATION_PLAN.md, docs/RELEASING.md, docs/SOURCE_LAYOUT.md	Adds plugin, prompt-cache, installer/CI verification, release, and source-layout documentation.
docs-site/*, docs-content/*, scripts/docs/*	Completes the public docs/user-guide pass, generated reference content, metadata, screenshots, search, and validation tooling.
AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, CONTRIBUTING.md, .github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md	Adds and updates contributor/agent guidance, release-sensitive testing prompts, and project instructions.
tests/contracts/*, tests/subsystem/*, tests/fixtures/*, tests/helpers/*, tests/integration/wiki_vault/*	Adds deterministic contract, subsystem, fixture, inventory, source-test-map, wiki-vault, installer, provider, plugin, channel, workflow, Developer, MCP, memory, and regression coverage.
tests/test_suite.py, tests/integration_tests.py, tests/test_memory_e2e.py	Retires legacy monolith tests into compatibility shims while moved coverage lives in focused deterministic lanes.

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This discussion was created from the release v4.3.0 - Plugin System v2, Requesty, Prompt Cache & Release Hardening.