## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip is the open-source app for managing AI agents, very
commonly self-hosted as a headless Docker container.
> - Its CLI authorizes board/admin actions through an interactive
browser-approval flow (`auth login`, and the auto-recover path behind
commands like `run list`).
> - That flow calls `openUrl()`, which `spawn`s the OS browser opener
(`xdg-open` on Linux).
> - In a headless container there is no `xdg-open`; `spawn` reports the
missing binary asynchronously via an `'error'` event, which the
surrounding `try/catch` cannot catch, so Node aborts the process before
the approval can be polled.
> - This makes CLI board auth impossible in the most common self-hosted
deployment shape.
> - This PR makes `openUrl` error-handled, async, and truthful, and adds
headless affordances.
> - The benefit is that board-authenticated CLI commands degrade
gracefully and work headless instead of crashing.
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
Closes#7941
## What Changed
- `openUrl` (`cli/src/client/board-auth.ts`) is now async and attaches
an `'error'` listener to the spawned opener: resolves `false` on async
spawn failure (missing binary) or sync throw, and `true` only on a
successful `'spawn'`. Fixes the unhandled-`'error'` crash and makes the
return value honest.
- `loginBoardCli` prints an accurate "couldn't open a browser" message,
supports `--no-browser` / `PAPERCLIP_NO_BROWSER` to skip the open
attempt, and renders the approval URL from `PAPERCLIP_PUBLIC_URL` (or
`publicBaseUrl`) so it's reachable from a remote operator's browser.
- Updated the three other `openUrl` call sites (`cloud.ts` ×2,
`company.ts`) to `await` it.
- Added the `auth login --no-browser` flag.
- Tests: new `open-url.test.ts` (launch → true, async ENOENT → false,
sync throw → false); extended auth-command-registration test for
`--no-browser`.
## Verification
- `pnpm --filter paperclipai typecheck` — clean.
- `pnpm exec vitest run cli/src/__tests__/open-url.test.ts
cli/src/__tests__/auth-command-registration.test.ts` — pass.
- Manual, in a headless container with no `xdg-open`: `pnpm paperclipai
auth login -C <company-id>` now prints the approval URL and waits
(previously crashed with `spawn xdg-open ENOENT`); `--no-browser` skips
the open attempt; `PAPERCLIP_PUBLIC_URL=...` renders a reachable
approval URL; completing approval in a browser stores the credential and
`run list` works.
## Risks
Low. `openUrl` became async; all four call sites updated to `await`.
Desktop behavior is unchanged (successful spawn still resolves true and
opens the browser). No API, schema, or migration changes.
## Model Used
Claude Opus 4.8 (`claude-opus-4-8`) via Claude Code, with extended
thinking and tool use, used to diagnose the bug and draft the fix and
tests. Human-reviewed and tested on a live headless deployment.
## Checklist
- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate
planned core work
- [x] I have searched GitHub for duplicate or related PRs and linked
them above
- [x] I have either (a) linked existing issues with `Fixes: #` / `Closes
#` / `Refs #` OR (b) described the issue in-PR
- [x] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or
links
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [ ] If this change affects the UI, I have included before/after
screenshots (N/A — CLI only)
- [ ] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [ ] All Paperclip CI gates are green
- [ ] Greptile is 5/5 with no open P2s, recommendations, or follow-ups
- [ ] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge
Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
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