fix(hosts): separate host and settings controls

The host picker nested its settings button inside the selection button, producing invalid interactive markup. Keep both controls independently reachable.

docs/plugins.md

@@ -374,10 +374,10 @@ changes both `usePaseo()` and `useRpc()` to that host's installation. An offline
 installation. A server handler owns an IPC-backed daemon session for the life of its subprocess.
 Use plugin RPC for plugin-specific backend behavior that is not a normal Paseo operation.
 
-Host-targeted clients and discovery are owned by `packages/app/src/plugins/hosts`, with per-installation
+Host handles and host-targeted clients are owned by `packages/app/src/plugins/hosts`. Its `projectHost` is the secret boundary; host target input uses the shared `parseHostTarget` grammar. Per-installation
 bindings supplied by the bundle loader. Bind the imperative getter to that installation; do not
 resolve ownership through a mutable current-plugin global. Keep observation ownership in this module
-and transport ownership in the app host runtime. See the [public host API contract](../public-docs/plugins/reference.md#discover-hosts-and-target-another-host).
+and transport ownership in the app host runtime. See the [public host API contract](../public-docs/plugins/reference.md#hosts).
 
 Each subprocess gets an exclusively owned `plugin:<id>` session. That identity is reserved from
 normal clients, never resumes another session, and is cleaned immediately on exit without reconnect
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ in-memory bundles usable, and a later catalog retries persistence.
 
 When the same plugin contribution exists on multiple hosts, Paseo shows it once in the sidebar and
 adds a host picker to the screen header. The selected host supplies the bundle, RPC transport, and
-query cache. Explicit SDK targets follow the [host API contract](../public-docs/plugins/reference.md#discover-hosts-and-target-another-host).
+query cache. Explicit SDK targets follow the [host API contract](../public-docs/plugins/reference.md#hosts).
 
 Workspace panels, Command Center items, and client slash commands are client contributions. The
 daemon transports their compiled bundle without interpreting placement or callbacks. Panel props

packages/app/src/components/hosts/host-picker.browser.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import React, { act } from "react";
+import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
+import { expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { HostPickerOption } from "./host-picker";
+
+const actions: string[] = [];
+function select() {
+  actions.push("select");
+}
+function openSettings() {
+  actions.push("settings");
+}
+
+it("keeps host selection and settings as separate accessible buttons", () => {
+  const container = document.createElement("div");
+  document.body.appendChild(container);
+  const root = createRoot(container);
+  actions.length = 0;
+  act(() =>
+    root.render(
+      <HostPickerOption
+        serverId="host-a"
+        label="Host A"
+        showActiveConnection={false}
+        active={false}
+        onPress={select}
+        onOpenHostSettings={openSettings}
+      />,
+    ),
+  );
+  const host = container.querySelector('button[aria-label="Host A"]');
+  const settings = container.querySelector('button[aria-label="Open Host A settings"]');
+  expect(host).not.toBeNull();
+  expect(settings).not.toBeNull();
+  expect(host?.contains(settings!)).toBe(false);
+  act(() => (settings as HTMLElement).click());
+  expect(actions).toEqual(["settings"]);
+  act(() => (host as HTMLElement).click());
+  expect(actions).toEqual(["settings", "select"]);
+  act(() => root.unmount());
+  container.remove();
+});

packages/app/src/components/hosts/host-picker.tsx

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { Combobox, ComboboxItem, type ComboboxProps } from "@/components/ui/comb
 import { useLocalDaemonServerId } from "@/hooks/use-is-local-daemon";
 import { useHostRuntimeSnapshot, type ActiveConnection } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
 import { orderHostsLocalFirst } from "@/types/host-connection";
+import { isWeb } from "@/constants/platform";
 import {
   ADD_HOST_OPTION_ID,
   ALL_HOSTS_OPTION_ID,
@@ -89,35 +90,33 @@ export function HostPickerOption({
   );
   const trailingSlot = useMemo(() => {
     if (!onOpenHostSettings) return undefined;
-    return (
-      <Pressable
-        onPress={handleSettingsPress}
-        hitSlop={8}
-        accessibilityRole="button"
-        accessibilityLabel={`Open ${label} settings`}
-      >
-        <Settings size={theme.iconSize.sm} color={theme.colors.foregroundMuted} />
-      </Pressable>
-    );
-  }, [
-    handleSettingsPress,
-    label,
-    onOpenHostSettings,
-    theme.colors.foregroundMuted,
-    theme.iconSize.sm,
-  ]);
+    return <View style={styles.settingsSlot} />;
+  }, [onOpenHostSettings]);
 
   return (
-    <ComboboxItem
-      label={label}
-      description={connectionLabel}
-      leadingSlot={leadingSlot}
-      trailingSlot={trailingSlot}
-      selected={selected}
-      active={active}
-      onPress={onPress}
-      testID={testID}
-    />
+    <View style={styles.optionContainer}>
+      <ComboboxItem
+        label={label}
+        description={connectionLabel}
+        leadingSlot={leadingSlot}
+        trailingSlot={trailingSlot}
+        selected={selected}
+        active={active}
+        onPress={onPress}
+        testID={testID}
+      />
+      {onOpenHostSettings ? (
+        <Pressable
+          style={styles.settingsAction}
+          onPress={handleSettingsPress}
+          hitSlop={8}
+          accessibilityRole="button"
+          accessibilityLabel={`Open ${label} settings`}
+        >
+          <Settings size={theme.iconSize.sm} color={theme.colors.foregroundMuted} />
+        </Pressable>
+      ) : null}
+    </View>
   );
 }
 
@@ -319,6 +318,15 @@ export function HostPicker({
 }
 
 const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
+  optionContainer: { position: "relative" },
+  settingsSlot: { width: theme.iconSize.sm, height: theme.iconSize.sm },
+  settingsAction: {
+    position: "absolute",
+    right: theme.spacing[3] + (isWeb ? 0 : theme.spacing[1]),
+    top: 0,
+    bottom: 0,
+    justifyContent: "center",
+  },
   statusDotSlot: {
     width: theme.iconSize.sm,
     height: theme.iconSize.sm,

packages/app/src/desktop/daemon/daemon-management-toggle.test.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { executeDaemonManagementToggle } from "./daemon-management-toggle";
-import type { DesktopDaemonStatus } from "./desktop-daemon";
+import { resolveDesktopDaemonServerId, type DesktopDaemonStatus } from "./desktop-daemon";
 
 const runningManagedStatus: DesktopDaemonStatus = {
   serverId: "desktop",
@@ -54,6 +54,29 @@ function makeDeps(overrides?: {
   };
 }
 
+it("retains the desktop identity when the daemon is stopped or status fails", async () => {
+  expect(
+    await resolveDesktopDaemonServerId({
+      getStatus: async () => ({ ...stoppedStatus, serverId: "" }),
+      getSavedId: async () => "desktop",
+    }),
+  ).toBe("desktop");
+  expect(
+    await resolveDesktopDaemonServerId({
+      getStatus: async () => {
+        throw new Error("offline");
+      },
+      getSavedId: async () => "desktop",
+    }),
+  ).toBe("desktop");
+  expect(
+    await resolveDesktopDaemonServerId({
+      getStatus: async () => runningManagedStatus,
+      getSavedId: async () => "old",
+    }),
+  ).toBe("desktop");
+});
+
 describe("executeDaemonManagementToggle", () => {
   describe("enable path (currentlyManaging: false)", () => {
     it("persists the new setting then starts the daemon", async () => {

packages/app/src/desktop/daemon/desktop-daemon.ts

@@ -186,6 +186,28 @@ export async function getDesktopDaemonStatus(): Promise<DesktopDaemonStatus> {
   return parseDesktopDaemonStatus(await invokeDesktopCommand("desktop_daemon_status"));
 }
 
+/** Resolve the identity even when the daemon has stopped. */
+export async function resolveDesktopDaemonServerId(
+  deps: {
+    getStatus(): Promise<DesktopDaemonStatus>;
+    getSavedId(): Promise<string | null>;
+  } = {
+    getStatus: getDesktopDaemonStatus,
+    getSavedId: () => invokeDesktopCommand<string | null>("desktop_daemon_identity"),
+  },
+): Promise<string | null> {
+  try {
+    const id = (await deps.getStatus()).serverId.trim();
+    if (id) return id;
+  } catch {
+    /* The persisted identity remains available if the status request fails. */
+  }
+  const id = await deps.getSavedId();
+  if (id === null) return null;
+  if (typeof id !== "string") throw new Error("Invalid desktop daemon identity");
+  return id.trim() || null;
+}
+
 export async function startDesktopDaemon(): Promise<DesktopDaemonStatus> {
   return parseDesktopDaemonStatus(await invokeDesktopCommand("start_desktop_daemon"));
 }

packages/app/src/plugins/catalog-sync-model.test.ts

@@ -132,12 +132,19 @@ function harness() {
       return {
         hosts: createPluginHosts(
           {
+            addHost: async () => ({ status: "cancelled" }),
             getHosts: () => [],
             getSnapshot: () => null,
             subscribeAll: () => () => {},
             subscribeHostList: () => () => {},
+            renameHost: async () => {},
+            setHostColor: async () => {},
+            setHostBadgeDisplay: async () => {},
+            removeHost: async () => {},
+            removeConnection: async () => {},
           },
           installation.lifetime.signal,
+          { openSettings() {}, isManagedLocalHost: async () => false },
         ),
         paseo: installation.paseo,
         i18n: installation.i18n,

packages/app/src/plugins/client-runtime.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import { createPlayAudio, type AudioEngine } from "@/audio";
 import { getHostRuntimeStore } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
+import {
+  resolveDesktopDaemonServerId,
+  shouldUseDesktopDaemon,
+} from "@/desktop/daemon/desktop-daemon";
 import { createPluginHosts } from "./hosts";
 import type { PluginClientOpenPanelOptions } from "@getpaseo/plugin/client";
 import {
@@ -26,7 +30,14 @@ export function createPluginClientRuntime(
     ...capabilities,
     i18n: installation.i18n,
     playAudio: createPlayAudio(audio, installation.lifetime.signal),
-    hosts: createPluginHosts(getHostRuntimeStore(), installation.lifetime.signal),
+    hosts: createPluginHosts(getHostRuntimeStore(), installation.lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings(serverId) {
+        createPluginNavigation({ serverId, workspaceId: null }).openHostSettings(serverId);
+      },
+      async isManagedLocalHost(serverId) {
+        return shouldUseDesktopDaemon() && (await resolveDesktopDaemonServerId()) === serverId;
+      },
+    }),
     addComposerPill(contribution) {
       return pluginButtonStore.addComposerPill(installation, contribution);
     },

packages/app/src/plugins/evaluate.test.ts

@@ -819,6 +819,14 @@ it("binds imported getters to each originating installation across delayed callb
     hosts: {
       getSnapshot: () => [],
       subscribe: () => () => {},
+      observeHosts: () => {
+        calls.push(`${installation}/observe`);
+        return () => {};
+      },
+      addHost: async (input) => {
+        calls.push(`${installation}/add:${input.connection}`);
+        return { status: "cancelled" };
+      },
       getPaseoClient(serverId) {
         calls.push(`${installation}/${serverId}`);
         return runtime.paseo;
@@ -826,11 +834,12 @@ it("binds imported getters to each originating installation across delayed callb
     },
   });
   const source = bundle(`
-    const { getPaseoClient } = require("@getpaseo/plugin/client");
+    const { getPaseoClient, observeHosts, addHost } = require("@getpaseo/plugin/client");
     getPaseoClient("entry-host");
+    observeHosts(() => {});
     plugin.addCommandCenterItem({
       id: "read", title: "Read", icon: "Server", context: "global",
-      onSelect: async () => { await Promise.resolve(); getPaseoClient("target-host"); },
+      onSelect: async () => { await Promise.resolve(); getPaseoClient("target-host"); await addHost({ connection: "example:6767" }); },
     });
   `);
   const first = runPluginClientBundle("same-id", source, hostRuntime("first"));
@@ -840,9 +849,13 @@ it("binds imported getters to each originating installation across delayed callb
   await second.commandCenterItems[0].onSelect({} as never);
   expect(calls).toEqual([
     "first/entry-host",
+    "first/observe",
     "second/entry-host",
+    "second/observe",
     "first/target-host",
+    "first/add:example:6767",
     "second/target-host",
+    "second/add:example:6767",
   ]);
   await first.cleanup();
   await second.cleanup();

packages/app/src/plugins/evaluate.ts

@@ -520,6 +520,10 @@ export function runPluginClientBundle(
         useSettings,
         openExternalUrl,
         getPaseoClient: (serverId: string) => runtime.hosts.getPaseoClient(serverId),
+        addHost: (input: Parameters<typeof runtime.hosts.addHost>[0]) =>
+          runtime.hosts.addHost(input),
+        observeHosts: (listener: Parameters<typeof runtime.hosts.observeHosts>[0]) =>
+          runtime.hosts.observeHosts(listener),
         useHosts: () =>
           React.useSyncExternalStore(
             runtime.hosts.subscribe,

packages/app/src/plugins/hosts/index.test.ts

@@ -1,17 +1,66 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { DaemonClient } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
 import { createPluginHosts, type PluginHostsSource } from "./index";
+import { resolveDesktopDaemonServerId } from "@/desktop/daemon/desktop-daemon";
 
 function registry() {
   const hosts = [
-    { serverId: "a", label: "Alpha", password: "secret" },
-    { serverId: "b", label: "Beta", password: "secret" },
+    {
+      serverId: "a",
+      label: "Alpha",
+      password: "secret",
+      appearance: { color: "none" as const, badgeDisplay: null },
+      connections: [
+        { id: "one", type: "directTcp" as const, endpoint: "localhost:6767", useTls: false },
+        { id: "two", type: "directSocket" as const, path: "/tmp/test" },
+      ],
+      lifecycle: {},
+      preferredConnectionId: null,
+      createdAt: "today",
+      updatedAt: "today",
+    },
+    {
+      serverId: "b",
+      label: "Beta",
+      password: "secret",
+      appearance: { color: "none" as const, badgeDisplay: null },
+      connections: [],
+      lifecycle: {},
+      preferredConnectionId: null,
+      createdAt: "today",
+      updatedAt: "today",
+    },
   ];
-  const snapshots = new Map<string, NonNullable<ReturnType<PluginHostsSource["getSnapshot"]>>>();
+  const snapshots = new Map<
+    string,
+    { connectionStatus: "online" | "offline" | "connecting"; client: DaemonClient | null }
+  >();
   const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
   const source: PluginHostsSource = {
+    addHost: async () => ({ status: "cancelled" }),
     getHosts: () => hosts,
-    getSnapshot: (id) => snapshots.get(id) ?? null,
+    getSnapshot: (id) => {
+      const value = snapshots.get(id);
+      return value
+        ? { ...value, activeConnectionId: null, lastError: null, lastOnlineAt: null }
+        : null;
+    },
+    renameHost: async (id, label) => {
+      hosts.find((candidate) => candidate.serverId === id)!.label = label;
+    },
+    setHostColor: async () => {},
+    setHostBadgeDisplay: async () => {},
+    removeHost: async (id) => {
+      const index = hosts.findIndex((host) => host.serverId === id);
+      if (index >= 0) hosts.splice(index, 1);
+      for (const l of listeners) l();
+    },
+    removeConnection: async (id, connectionId) => {
+      const host = hosts.find((candidate) => candidate.serverId === id)!;
+      host.connections = host.connections.filter((c) => c.id !== connectionId);
+      if (!host.connections.length) await source.removeHost(id);
+      else for (const l of listeners) l();
+    },
     subscribeAll(listener) {
       listeners.add(listener);
       return () => {
@@ -26,7 +75,10 @@ function registry() {
     },
   };
   const lifetime = new AbortController();
-  const runtime = createPluginHosts(source, lifetime.signal);
+  const runtime = createPluginHosts(source, lifetime.signal, {
+    openSettings() {},
+    isManagedLocalHost: async () => false,
+  });
   return {
     hosts,
     snapshots,
@@ -48,7 +100,7 @@ function connection(id: string) {
 describe("plugin host access", () => {
   it("publishes credential-free configured hosts and only changes snapshots when summaries change", () => {
     const h = registry();
-    expect(h.runtime.getSnapshot()).toEqual([
+    expect(h.runtime.getSnapshot()).toMatchObject([
       { serverId: "a", label: "Alpha", status: "offline" },
       { serverId: "b", label: "Beta", status: "offline" },
     ]);
@@ -68,6 +120,171 @@ describe("plugin host access", () => {
     expect(h.listeners.size).toBe(0);
   });
 
+  it("keeps handles stable, protects credentials, and stops observations on unload", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    const seen: unknown[] = [];
+    const stop = h.runtime.observeHosts((hosts) => seen.push(hosts));
+    const first = h.runtime.getSnapshot()[0];
+    function walk(value: unknown): void {
+      if (typeof value === "string") expect(value).not.toContain("secret");
+      if (!value || typeof value !== "object") return;
+      for (const [key, child] of Object.entries(value)) {
+        expect(key.toLowerCase()).not.toBe("password");
+        walk(child);
+      }
+    }
+    walk(h.runtime.getSnapshot());
+    h.hosts[0].label = "New name";
+    h.publish();
+    expect(h.runtime.getSnapshot()[0]).toBe(first);
+    expect(first.label).toBe("New name");
+    expect(seen).toHaveLength(2);
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+    h.publish();
+    expect(seen).toHaveLength(2);
+    await expect(first.remove()).rejects.toThrow("Plugin has stopped");
+    stop();
+  });
+
+  it("redacts saved passwords from mutation errors", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    h.source.renameHost = async () => {
+      throw new Error("Failed for secret");
+    };
+    await expect(h.runtime.getSnapshot()[0].update({ label: "New" })).rejects.not.toThrow("secret");
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+  });
+
+  it("isolates a throwing observer from other observers and registry mutations", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    let calls = 0;
+    h.runtime.observeHosts(() => {
+      if (calls++ > 0) throw new Error("plugin listener failed");
+    });
+    let delivered = 0;
+    h.runtime.observeHosts(() => {
+      delivered++;
+    });
+    await expect(h.runtime.getSnapshot()[0].removeConnection("one")).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+    expect(delivered).toBe(2);
+    expect(h.runtime.getSnapshot()[0].connections).toHaveLength(1);
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+  });
+
+  it("refuses to remove the last connection of the desktop daemon", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    const lifetime = new AbortController();
+    const runtime = createPluginHosts(h.source, lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async (id) => id === "a",
+    });
+    const host = runtime.getSnapshot()[0];
+    await host.removeConnection("one");
+    await expect(host.removeConnection("two")).rejects.toThrow("desktop daemon");
+    expect(host.connections).toHaveLength(1);
+    lifetime.abort();
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+  });
+
+  it("returns the projected handle after adding a host", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    h.source.addHost = async () => ({ status: "saved", serverId: "a" });
+    const result = await h.runtime.addHost({ connection: "tcp://example:6767?password=secret" });
+    expect(result.status).toBe("saved");
+    if (result.status !== "saved") throw new Error("expected saved host");
+    expect(result.host).toBe(h.runtime.getSnapshot()[0]);
+    expect(JSON.stringify(result)).not.toContain("secret");
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+    await expect(h.runtime.addHost({ connection: "example:6767" })).rejects.toThrow(
+      "Plugin has stopped",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("passes cancellation and authentication results without exposing credentials", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    for (const result of [
+      { status: "cancelled" as const },
+      { status: "password_required" as const, reason: "incorrect_password" as const },
+    ]) {
+      h.source.addHost = async () => result;
+      const returned = await h.runtime.addHost({
+        connection: "tcp://example:6767?password=secret",
+      });
+      expect(returned).toEqual(result);
+      for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(returned)) {
+        expect(key).not.toBe("password");
+        expect(value).not.toBe("secret");
+      }
+    }
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+  });
+
+  it("redacts encoded saved passwords in mutation errors", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    h.hosts[0].password = "two words";
+    h.source.renameHost = async () => {
+      throw new Error("failed for two%20words");
+    };
+    await expect(h.runtime.getSnapshot()[0].update({ label: "New" })).rejects.not.toThrow(
+      "two%20words",
+    );
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+  });
+
+  it("never exposes supplied passwords in add errors", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    h.source.addHost = async () => {
+      throw new Error("secret was rejected");
+    };
+    await expect(
+      h.runtime.addHost({ connection: "tcp://example:6767?password=secret" }),
+    ).rejects.not.toThrow("secret");
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+  });
+
+  it("removes a connection and then the last host connection", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    const host = h.runtime.getSnapshot()[0];
+    await host.removeConnection("one");
+    expect(host.connections.map((item) => item.id)).toEqual(["two"]);
+    await host.removeConnection("two");
+    expect(h.runtime.getSnapshot().map((entry) => entry.serverId)).toEqual(["b"]);
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+  });
+
+  it("rejects removal of the managed desktop daemon", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    const lifetime = new AbortController();
+    const runtime = createPluginHosts(h.source, lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async (id) => id === "a",
+    });
+    await expect(runtime.getSnapshot()[0].remove()).rejects.toThrow("desktop daemon");
+    expect(runtime.getSnapshot()).toHaveLength(2);
+    lifetime.abort();
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+  });
+
+  it("protects the desktop host after its daemon has stopped", async () => {
+    const h = registry();
+    const lifetime = new AbortController();
+    const runtime = createPluginHosts(h.source, lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async (id) =>
+        id ===
+        (await resolveDesktopDaemonServerId({
+          getStatus: async () => {
+            throw new Error("daemon stopped");
+          },
+          getSavedId: async () => "a",
+        })),
+    });
+    await expect(runtime.getSnapshot()[0].remove()).rejects.toThrow("desktop daemon");
+    expect(runtime.getSnapshot()).toHaveLength(2);
+    lifetime.abort();
+    h.lifetime.abort();
+  });
+
   it("rejects unknown and disconnected targets without falling through to another host", () => {
     const h = registry();
     h.snapshots.set("a", { connectionStatus: "online", client: connection("a") });
@@ -82,7 +299,10 @@ describe("plugin host access", () => {
     h.snapshots.set("b", { connectionStatus: "online", client });
     h.publish();
     const otherLifetime = new AbortController();
-    const other = createPluginHosts(h.source, otherLifetime.signal);
+    const other = createPluginHosts(h.source, otherLifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async () => false,
+    });
     const api = h.runtime.getPaseoClient("b");
     expect(api).toBe(h.runtime.getPaseoClient("b"));
     expect(api).not.toBe(other.getPaseoClient("b"));

packages/app/src/plugins/hosts/index.ts

@@ -1,31 +1,288 @@
 import { createPaseoApi, type PaseoApi } from "@getpaseo/client";
 import type { DaemonClient } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
-import type { PluginHostSummary } from "@getpaseo/plugin/client";
+import type {
+  PluginHost,
+  PluginHostConnection,
+  PluginHostPatch,
+  PluginHostAddInput,
+  PluginHostAddResult,
+} from "@getpaseo/plugin/client";
+import type { HostProfile } from "@/types/host-connection";
+import type { HostRuntimeSnapshot } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
+import {
+  parseHostPort,
+  serializeConnectionUri,
+  serializeRelayConnectionUri,
+  shouldUseTlsForDefaultHostedRelay,
+} from "@getpaseo/protocol/daemon-endpoints";
+import { parseHostTarget, serializeSocketHostTarget } from "@getpaseo/protocol/host-target";
+import {
+  DEFAULT_SSH_DAEMON_PORT,
+  serializeSshTransportUri,
+} from "@getpaseo/protocol/ssh-transport";
 
+type HostSnapshot = Pick<
+  HostRuntimeSnapshot,
+  | "connectionStatus"
+  | "client"
+  | "activeConnectionId"
+  | "lastError"
+  | "authFailureReason"
+  | "lastOnlineAt"
+>;
 export interface PluginHostsSource {
-  getHosts(): readonly { serverId: string; label: string }[];
-  getSnapshot(serverId: string): {
-    connectionStatus: PluginHostSummary["status"];
-    client: DaemonClient | null;
-  } | null;
+  addHost(
+    input: PluginHostAddInput,
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
+  ): Promise<
+    | { status: "saved"; serverId: string }
+    | { status: "password_required"; reason: "password_required" | "incorrect_password" }
+    | { status: "cancelled" }
+  >;
+  getHosts(): readonly HostProfile[];
+  getSnapshot(serverId: string): HostSnapshot | null;
   subscribeAll(listener: () => void): () => void;
   subscribeHostList(listener: () => void): () => void;
+  renameHost(serverId: string, label: string): Promise<void>;
+  setHostColor(serverId: string, color: PluginHost["appearance"]["color"]): Promise<void>;
+  setHostBadgeDisplay(
+    serverId: string,
+    badge: PluginHost["appearance"]["badgeDisplay"],
+  ): Promise<void>;
+  removeHost(serverId: string): Promise<void>;
+  removeConnection(serverId: string, connectionId: string): Promise<void>;
+}
+function redactSecret(message: string, secret: string | undefined): string {
+  if (!secret) return message;
+  for (const value of [
+    secret,
+    encodeURIComponent(secret),
+    new URLSearchParams({ password: secret }).toString().slice(9),
+  ]) {
+    message = message.split(value).join("[redacted]");
+  }
+  return message;
+}
+type ProjectedHost = Omit<PluginHost, "update" | "remove" | "removeConnection" | "openSettings">;
+function projectHost(profile: HostProfile, snapshot: HostSnapshot | null): ProjectedHost {
+  const connections: PluginHostConnection[] = profile.connections.map((connection) => {
+    switch (connection.type) {
+      case "directTcp":
+        return {
+          id: connection.id,
+          type: connection.type,
+          endpoint: connection.endpoint,
+          useTls: connection.useTls ?? false,
+          uri: serializeConnectionUri({
+            ...parseHostPort(connection.endpoint),
+            useTls: connection.useTls ?? false,
+          }),
+        };
+      case "directSocket":
+        return {
+          id: connection.id,
+          type: connection.type,
+          path: connection.path,
+          uri: serializeSocketHostTarget("unix", connection.path),
+        };
+      case "directPipe":
+        return {
+          id: connection.id,
+          type: connection.type,
+          path: connection.path,
+          uri: serializeSocketHostTarget("pipe", connection.path),
+        };
+      case "remoteSsh":
+        return {
+          id: connection.id,
+          type: connection.type,
+          host: connection.host,
+          ...(connection.sshPort === undefined ? {} : { sshPort: connection.sshPort }),
+          ...(connection.daemonPort === undefined ? {} : { daemonPort: connection.daemonPort }),
+          uri: serializeSshTransportUri({
+            host: connection.host,
+            sshPort: connection.sshPort,
+            daemonPort: connection.daemonPort ?? DEFAULT_SSH_DAEMON_PORT,
+          }),
+        };
+      case "relay": {
+        const useTls =
+          connection.useTls ?? shouldUseTlsForDefaultHostedRelay(connection.relayEndpoint);
+        return {
+          id: connection.id,
+          type: connection.type,
+          relayEndpoint: connection.relayEndpoint,
+          useTls,
+          daemonPublicKeyB64: connection.daemonPublicKeyB64,
+          ...(connection.minimumSecurityMode
+            ? { minimumSecurityMode: connection.minimumSecurityMode }
+            : {}),
+          uri: serializeRelayConnectionUri({
+            offer: {
+              v: 2,
+              serverId: profile.serverId,
+              daemonPublicKeyB64: connection.daemonPublicKeyB64,
+              relay: { endpoint: connection.relayEndpoint, useTls },
+              ...(connection.minimumSecurityMode
+                ? { minimumSecurityMode: connection.minimumSecurityMode }
+                : {}),
+            },
+          }),
+        };
+      }
+      case "routed":
+        return {
+          id: connection.id,
+          type: connection.type,
+          originServerId: connection.originServerId,
+          uri: null,
+        };
+    }
+  });
+  const error = snapshot?.lastError ?? null;
+  return {
+    serverId: profile.serverId,
+    label: profile.label,
+    status: snapshot?.connectionStatus ?? "offline",
+    appearance: { color: profile.appearance.color, badgeDisplay: profile.appearance.badgeDisplay },
+    connections,
+    activeConnectionId: snapshot?.activeConnectionId ?? null,
+    error: error ? redactSecret(error, profile.password) : null,
+    authFailureReason: snapshot?.authFailureReason ?? null,
+    lastOnlineAt: snapshot?.lastOnlineAt ?? null,
+    createdAt: profile.createdAt,
+    updatedAt: profile.updatedAt,
+  };
 }
 
 /** Each evaluated installation owns its borrowed APIs and registry subscriptions. */
-export function createPluginHosts(source: PluginHostsSource, signal: AbortSignal) {
+export function createPluginHosts(
+  source: PluginHostsSource,
+  signal: AbortSignal,
+  options: {
+    openSettings(serverId: string): void;
+    isManagedLocalHost(serverId: string): Promise<boolean>;
+  },
+) {
   const clients = new Map<
     string,
     { client: DaemonClient; api: PaseoApi; lifetime: AbortController }
   >();
   const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
-  let snapshot: readonly PluginHostSummary[] = [];
-  function readHosts(): readonly PluginHostSummary[] {
-    return source.getHosts().map(({ serverId, label }) => ({
-      serverId,
-      label,
-      status: source.getSnapshot(serverId)?.connectionStatus ?? "offline",
-    }));
+  let snapshot: readonly PluginHost[] = [];
+  let serialized = "";
+  const entries = new Map<string, { data: ProjectedHost; handle: PluginHost }>();
+  function assertHost(id: string) {
+    if (signal.aborted) throw new Error("Plugin has stopped");
+    if (!source.getHosts().some((host) => host.serverId === id))
+      throw new Error(`Unknown Paseo host: ${id}`);
+  }
+  async function perform(id: string, action: () => Promise<void>): Promise<void> {
+    const secret = source.getHosts().find((host) => host.serverId === id)?.password;
+    try {
+      await action();
+    } catch (error) {
+      const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+      // A cause would expose the original error, including any password.
+      // oxlint-disable-next-line preserve-caught-error
+      throw new Error(redactSecret(message, secret));
+    }
+  }
+  function readHosts(): { hosts: PluginHost[]; key: string } {
+    const projected = source
+      .getHosts()
+      .map((profile) => projectHost(profile, source.getSnapshot(profile.serverId)));
+    const ids = new Set(projected.map((host) => host.serverId));
+    for (const id of entries.keys()) if (!ids.has(id)) entries.delete(id);
+    const hosts = projected.map((data) => {
+      let entry = entries.get(data.serverId);
+      if (!entry) {
+        const id = data.serverId;
+        const read = () => entry!.data;
+        const handle: PluginHost = {
+          get serverId() {
+            return read().serverId;
+          },
+          get label() {
+            return read().label;
+          },
+          get status() {
+            return read().status;
+          },
+          get appearance() {
+            return read().appearance;
+          },
+          get connections() {
+            return read().connections;
+          },
+          get activeConnectionId() {
+            return read().activeConnectionId;
+          },
+          get error() {
+            return read().error;
+          },
+          get authFailureReason() {
+            return read().authFailureReason;
+          },
+          get lastOnlineAt() {
+            return read().lastOnlineAt;
+          },
+          get createdAt() {
+            return read().createdAt;
+          },
+          get updatedAt() {
+            return read().updatedAt;
+          },
+          async update(patch: PluginHostPatch) {
+            await perform(id, async () => {
+              assertHost(id);
+              if (patch.label !== undefined) await source.renameHost(id, patch.label);
+              if (patch.appearance?.color !== undefined) {
+                assertHost(id);
+                await source.setHostColor(id, patch.appearance.color);
+              }
+              if (patch.appearance?.badgeDisplay !== undefined) {
+                assertHost(id);
+                await source.setHostBadgeDisplay(id, patch.appearance.badgeDisplay);
+              }
+            });
+          },
+          async remove() {
+            await perform(id, async () => {
+              assertHost(id);
+              if (await options.isManagedLocalHost(id))
+                throw new Error("Cannot remove the desktop daemon host");
+              assertHost(id);
+              await source.removeHost(id);
+            });
+          },
+          async removeConnection(connectionId) {
+            await perform(id, async () => {
+              assertHost(id);
+              const isManaged = await options.isManagedLocalHost(id);
+              assertHost(id);
+              const host = source.getHosts().find((candidate) => candidate.serverId === id)!;
+              if (
+                isManaged &&
+                host.connections.length === 1 &&
+                host.connections[0].id === connectionId
+              ) {
+                throw new Error("Cannot remove the desktop daemon host");
+              }
+              await source.removeConnection(id, connectionId);
+            });
+          },
+          openSettings() {
+            assertHost(id);
+            options.openSettings(id);
+          },
+        };
+        entry = { data, handle };
+        entries.set(id, entry);
+      } else entry.data = data;
+      return entry.handle;
+    });
+    return { hosts, key: JSON.stringify(projected) };
   }
   function resolve(serverId: string): DaemonClient {
     if (signal.aborted) throw new Error("Plugin has stopped");
@@ -49,11 +306,16 @@ export function createPluginHosts(source: PluginHostsSource, signal: AbortSignal
       }
     }
     const next = readHosts();
-    if (JSON.stringify(snapshot) === JSON.stringify(next)) return;
-    snapshot = next;
+    if (serialized === next.key) return;
+    serialized = next.key;
+    snapshot = next.hosts;
     for (const listener of listeners) listener();
   }
-  snapshot = readHosts();
+  {
+    const initial = readHosts();
+    snapshot = initial.hosts;
+    serialized = initial.key;
+  }
   const unsubscribeRuntime = source.subscribeAll(refresh);
   const unsubscribeHosts = source.subscribeHostList(refresh);
   function stop() {
@@ -67,6 +329,46 @@ export function createPluginHosts(source: PluginHostsSource, signal: AbortSignal
   else signal.addEventListener("abort", stop, { once: true });
   return {
     getSnapshot: () => snapshot,
+    async addHost(input: PluginHostAddInput): Promise<PluginHostAddResult> {
+      if (signal.aborted) throw new Error("Plugin has stopped");
+      let result: Awaited<ReturnType<PluginHostsSource["addHost"]>>;
+      try {
+        result = await source.addHost(input, signal);
+      } catch (error) {
+        let secret: string | undefined;
+        try {
+          secret = parseHostTarget(input.connection).password;
+        } catch {
+          /* Invalid input has no parsed password. */
+        }
+        const message = redactSecret(
+          error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
+          secret,
+        );
+        // The original error can contain the supplied credential.
+        // oxlint-disable-next-line preserve-caught-error
+        throw new Error(message);
+      }
+      if (result.status !== "saved") return result;
+      const host = snapshot.find((item) => item.serverId === result.serverId);
+      if (!host) throw new Error(`Unknown Paseo host: ${result.serverId}`);
+      return { status: "saved", host };
+    },
+    observeHosts(listener: (hosts: readonly PluginHost[]) => void) {
+      if (signal.aborted) throw new Error("Plugin has stopped");
+      const notify = () => {
+        try {
+          listener(snapshot);
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error("[Plugins] Host observer failed", error);
+        }
+      };
+      listeners.add(notify);
+      notify();
+      return () => {
+        listeners.delete(notify);
+      };
+    },
     subscribe(listener: () => void) {
       if (signal.aborted) return () => {};
       listeners.add(listener);

packages/app/src/plugins/navigation.ts

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { buildSettingsHostRoute } from "@/utils/host-routes";
 import { buildPluginSettingsRoute } from "./settings/routes";
 import { router } from "expo-router";
 import type { PluginPanelLocation } from "@getpaseo/plugin/client";
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ import type { PluginNavigation } from "./actions";
 export function createPluginNavigation(input: {
   serverId: string;
   workspaceId: string | null;
-}): PluginNavigation {
+}): PluginNavigation & { openHostSettings(serverId: string): void } {
   const { serverId, workspaceId } = input;
   function placement(location: PluginPanelLocation) {
     if (location !== "explorer") return undefined;
@@ -20,6 +21,9 @@ export function createPluginNavigation(input: {
     return { mode: "pane" as const, paneId };
   }
   return {
+    openHostSettings(hostId) {
+      router.push(buildSettingsHostRoute(hostId));
+    },
     openSettings(pluginId, screenId) {
       router.push(buildPluginSettingsRoute(serverId, pluginId, screenId));
     },

packages/app/src/plugins/registry-lifecycle.test.ts

@@ -43,12 +43,19 @@ function registry(
       return {
         hosts: createPluginHosts(
           {
+            addHost: async () => ({ status: "cancelled" }),
             getHosts: () => [],
             getSnapshot: () => null,
             subscribeAll: () => () => {},
             subscribeHostList: () => () => {},
+            renameHost: async () => {},
+            setHostColor: async () => {},
+            setHostBadgeDisplay: async () => {},
+            removeHost: async () => {},
+            removeConnection: async () => {},
           },
           installation.lifetime.signal,
+          { openSettings() {}, isManagedLocalHost: async () => false },
         ),
         paseo: installation.paseo,
         i18n: installation.i18n,

packages/app/src/plugins/registry-requirements.test.ts

@@ -18,12 +18,19 @@ function registry(version: string) {
       return {
         hosts: createPluginHosts(
           {
+            addHost: async () => ({ status: "cancelled" }),
             getHosts: () => [],
             getSnapshot: () => null,
             subscribeAll: () => () => {},
             subscribeHostList: () => () => {},
+            renameHost: async () => {},
+            setHostColor: async () => {},
+            setHostBadgeDisplay: async () => {},
+            removeHost: async () => {},
+            removeConnection: async () => {},
           },
           installation.lifetime.signal,
+          { openSettings() {}, isManagedLocalHost: async () => false },
         ),
         paseo: installation.paseo,
         i18n: installation.i18n,

packages/app/src/runtime/host-confirmation.ts

@@ -55,24 +55,38 @@ export class HostConfirmations {
   }
 
   /** Resolves true without asking when the link matches a saved host exactly. */
-  confirmLink(offer: ConnectionOffer, savedHosts: HostProfile[]): Promise<boolean> {
+  confirmLink(
+    offer: ConnectionOffer,
+    savedHosts: HostProfile[],
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
+  ): Promise<boolean> {
     const connection = relayConnectionFromOffer(offer);
     const savedHost = savedHosts.find((host) => host.serverId === offer.serverId);
     if (savedHost && hostHasConnection(savedHost, connection)) return Promise.resolve(true);
-    return this.ask({
-      id: this.nextRequestId++,
-      serverId: offer.serverId,
-      keyFingerprint: formatDaemonKeyFingerprint(connection.daemonPublicKeyB64),
-      relayEndpoint: connection.relayEndpoint,
-      kind: savedHost ? "changedConnection" : "newHost",
-    });
+    if (signal?.aborted) return Promise.resolve(false);
+    return this.ask(
+      {
+        id: this.nextRequestId++,
+        serverId: offer.serverId,
+        keyFingerprint: formatDaemonKeyFingerprint(connection.daemonPublicKeyB64),
+        relayEndpoint: connection.relayEndpoint,
+        kind: savedHost ? "changedConnection" : "newHost",
+      },
+      signal,
+    );
   }
 
-  private ask(request: HostConfirmationRequest): Promise<boolean> {
+  private ask(request: HostConfirmationRequest, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<boolean> {
     // One question at a time: a newer one cancels the unanswered one.
     this.pending?.resolve(false);
     return new Promise<boolean>((resolve) => {
-      this.pending = { request, resolve };
+      const cancel = () => this.answer(request.id, false);
+      const finish = (approved: boolean) => {
+        signal?.removeEventListener("abort", cancel);
+        resolve(approved);
+      };
+      this.pending = { request, resolve: finish };
+      signal?.addEventListener("abort", cancel, { once: true });
       this.emit();
     });
   }

packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.test.ts

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import type { ConnectionOffer } from "@getpaseo/protocol/connection-offer";
 import type { SessionOutboundMessage } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
 import type { AgentPermissionRequest } from "@getpaseo/protocol/agent-types";
 import type { HostConnection, HostProfile } from "@/types/host-connection";
-import { defaultHostAppearance } from "@/hosts/appearance";
+import { defaultHostAppearance, selectHostBadges } from "@/hosts/appearance";
 import { useSessionStore, type Agent } from "@/stores/session-store";
 import { normalizeAgentSnapshot } from "@/utils/agent-snapshots";
 import { isAgentArchiving, setAgentArchiving } from "@/hooks/use-archive-agent";
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import type { ReplicaRow, ReplicaRowStore } from "./replica-cache/row-store";
 import { subscriptionFixture } from "./subscription-fixture";
 import { readDesktopManagedLocalCredential } from "@/desktop/daemon/local-credential";
 import type { HostConfirmationRequest } from "./host-confirmation";
+import { createPluginHosts } from "@/plugins/hosts";
 
 it("requests the managed connection credential through desktop main without a web hint", async () => {
   const requests: string[] = [];
@@ -4778,3 +4779,295 @@ describe("HostRuntimeStore initial connection hint bootstrap", () => {
     expect(store.getHosts()).toHaveLength(0);
   });
 });
+
+describe("adding hosts from plugin connection targets", () => {
+  it("does not save an unauthenticated target and retries with the password", async () => {
+    const store = createPairingStore({ password: "secret", serverIdForHost: () => "srv_direct" });
+    const requests = answerHostConfirmations(store, true);
+    expect(await store.addHost({ connection: "example.com:6767" })).toEqual({
+      status: "password_required",
+      reason: "password_required",
+    });
+    expect(store.getHosts()).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(
+      await store.addHost({ connection: "tcp://example.com:6767?password=secret", label: "Build" }),
+    ).toEqual({ status: "saved", serverId: "srv_direct" });
+    expect(store.getHosts()[0]).toMatchObject({
+      label: "Build",
+      password: "secret",
+      connections: [{ type: "directTcp", endpoint: "example.com:6767" }],
+    });
+    expect(requests).toHaveLength(0);
+    await waitForHostOnline(store, "srv_direct");
+    store.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+  it("persists the supplied password and reconnects after the app restarts", async () => {
+    const storage = createMemoryHostRuntimeStorage({ "@paseo:e2e": "1" });
+    const first = createPairingStore({
+      storage,
+      password: "secret",
+      serverIdForHost: () => "srv_direct",
+    });
+    const lifetime = new AbortController();
+    const plugin = createPluginHosts(first, lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async () => false,
+    });
+    const result = await plugin.addHost({ connection: "tcp://example.com:6767?password=secret" });
+    expect(result.status).toBe("saved");
+    expect(JSON.stringify(result)).not.toContain("secret");
+    const persisted = JSON.parse((await storage.getItem("@paseo:daemon-registry")) ?? "[]");
+    expect(persisted[0].password).toBe("secret");
+    lifetime.abort();
+    first.syncHosts([]);
+
+    const attempts: string[] = [];
+    const restarted = createPairingStore({
+      storage,
+      password: "secret",
+      connectAttempts: attempts,
+      serverIdForHost: () => "srv_direct",
+    });
+    await restarted.boot();
+    await waitForHostOnline(restarted, "srv_direct");
+    expect(attempts).toContain("direct:example.com:6767");
+    expect(restarted.getHosts()[0].password).toBe("secret");
+    const restartedLifetime = new AbortController();
+    const restartedPlugin = createPluginHosts(restarted, restartedLifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async () => false,
+    });
+    expect(JSON.stringify(restartedPlugin.getSnapshot())).not.toContain("secret");
+    restartedLifetime.abort();
+    restarted.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+
+  it("asks before saving a relay target and respects rejection", async () => {
+    const uri = "relay://relay.paseo.sh:443/srv_offer?key=pk_test_offer&ssl=true";
+    const rejected = createPairingStore();
+    const requests = answerHostConfirmations(rejected, false);
+    expect(await rejected.addHost({ connection: uri })).toEqual({ status: "cancelled" });
+    expect(requests).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(rejected.getHosts()).toHaveLength(0);
+    const accepted = createPairingStore();
+    const acceptedRequests = answerHostConfirmations(accepted, true);
+    expect(await accepted.addHost({ connection: uri, label: "Relay" })).toEqual({
+      status: "saved",
+      serverId: "srv_offer",
+    });
+    expect(acceptedRequests).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(accepted.getHosts()[0]).toMatchObject({
+      label: "Relay",
+      connections: [{ type: "relay" }],
+    });
+    accepted.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+  it.each([
+    ["ssh://deploy@build:2222?daemonPort=7777", "remoteSsh"],
+    ["unix:///tmp/paseo.sock", "directSocket"],
+    ["pipe://mypipe", "directPipe"],
+    ["wss://example.com/ws", "directTcp"],
+  ])("probes and saves %s", async (connection, type) => {
+    const store = createPairingStore({ serverIdForHost: () => "srv_target" });
+    expect(await store.addHost({ connection })).toEqual({
+      status: "saved",
+      serverId: "srv_target",
+    });
+    expect(store.getHosts()[0].connections[0].type).toBe(type);
+    store.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+  it("shares host changes between plugin handles, host settings, and sidebar badges", async () => {
+    const store = createPairingStore({
+      serverIdForHost: (host) => {
+        const connection = host.connections[0];
+        return connection?.type === "directTcp" ? connection.endpoint : "";
+      },
+    });
+    await store.addHost({ connection: "first:6767", label: "First" });
+    await store.addHost({ connection: "second:6767", label: "Second" });
+    await waitForHostOnline(store, "first:6767");
+    await waitForHostOnline(store, "second:6767");
+    const lifetime = new AbortController();
+    const plugin = createPluginHosts(store, lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async () => false,
+    });
+    expect(
+      plugin.getSnapshot().map((host) => [host.label, host.status, host.connections[0].uri]),
+    ).toEqual([
+      ["First", "online", "tcp://first:6767"],
+      ["Second", "online", "tcp://second:6767"],
+    ]);
+    await plugin.getSnapshot()[0].update({ label: "Build", appearance: { color: "sky" } });
+    expect(store.getHosts()[0]).toMatchObject({ label: "Build", appearance: { color: "sky" } });
+    expect(
+      selectHostBadges({ hosts: store.getHosts(), localServerId: null, enabled: true }).get(
+        "first:6767",
+      ),
+    ).toMatchObject({ label: "Build", color: "sky" });
+    lifetime.abort();
+    store.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "tcp://example.com:6767?ssl=true",
+    "ssh://deploy@build:2222?daemonPort=7777",
+    "unix:///tmp/paseo.sock",
+    "relay://relay.paseo.sh:443/srv_offer?key=pk_test_offer&ssl=true",
+  ])("recreates the projected connection on another device: %s", async (connection) => {
+    const first = createPairingStore({ serverIdForHost: (host) => host.serverId || "srv_target" });
+    answerHostConfirmations(first, true);
+    const result = await first.addHost({ connection });
+    if (result.status !== "saved") throw new Error("expected saved host");
+    const lifetime = new AbortController();
+    const plugin = createPluginHosts(first, lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async () => false,
+    });
+    const uri = plugin.getSnapshot().find((host) => host.serverId === result.serverId)
+      ?.connections[0].uri;
+    if (!uri) throw new Error("expected connection URI");
+    const second = createPairingStore({ serverIdForHost: (host) => host.serverId || "srv_target" });
+    answerHostConfirmations(second, true);
+    expect(await second.addHost({ connection: uri })).toEqual({
+      status: "saved",
+      serverId: result.serverId,
+    });
+    expect(second.getHosts()[0].connections).toEqual(first.getHosts()[0].connections);
+    lifetime.abort();
+    first.syncHosts([]);
+    second.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+
+  it("does not save an in-flight addition after its plugin stops", async () => {
+    const started = createDeferred<void>();
+    const probe = createDeferred<{
+      client: DaemonClient;
+      serverId: string;
+      hostname: string | null;
+    }>();
+    const store = new HostRuntimeStore({
+      storage: createMemoryHostRuntimeStorage(),
+      deps: {
+        createClient: () => new FakeDaemonClient() as unknown as DaemonClient,
+        connectToDaemon: async () => {
+          started.resolve(undefined);
+          return probe.promise;
+        },
+        getClientId: async () => "test",
+        readInitialConnectionHint: () => null,
+      },
+    });
+    const lifetime = new AbortController();
+    const plugin = createPluginHosts(store, lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async () => false,
+    });
+    const adding = plugin.addHost({ connection: "example.com:6767" });
+    await started.promise;
+    lifetime.abort();
+    probe.resolve({
+      client: makeConnectedProbeClient(5) as unknown as DaemonClient,
+      serverId: "srv",
+      hostname: null,
+    });
+    await expect(adding).rejects.toThrow("Plugin has stopped");
+    expect(store.getHosts()).toHaveLength(0);
+    store.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+
+  it("reports a stopped plugin when an aborted probe rejects authentication", async () => {
+    const started = createDeferred<void>();
+    const probe = createDeferred<{
+      client: DaemonClient;
+      serverId: string;
+      hostname: string | null;
+    }>();
+    const store = new HostRuntimeStore({
+      storage: createMemoryHostRuntimeStorage(),
+      deps: {
+        createClient: () => new FakeDaemonClient() as unknown as DaemonClient,
+        connectToDaemon: async () => {
+          started.resolve(undefined);
+          return probe.promise;
+        },
+        getClientId: async () => "test",
+        readInitialConnectionHint: () => null,
+      },
+    });
+    const lifetime = new AbortController();
+    const plugin = createPluginHosts(store, lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async () => false,
+    });
+    const adding = plugin.addHost({ connection: "example.com:6767" });
+    await started.promise;
+    lifetime.abort();
+    probe.reject(new DaemonAuthenticationError("password_required"));
+    await expect(adding).rejects.toThrow("Plugin has stopped");
+    expect(store.getHosts()).toHaveLength(0);
+    store.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+
+  it("dismisses an unanswered confirmation when the plugin stops", async () => {
+    const store = createPairingStore();
+    const lifetime = new AbortController();
+    const plugin = createPluginHosts(store, lifetime.signal, {
+      openSettings() {},
+      isManagedLocalHost: async () => false,
+    });
+    const pending = createDeferred<void>();
+    const unsubscribe = store.subscribeHostConfirmation(() => {
+      if (store.getPendingHostConfirmation()) pending.resolve(undefined);
+    });
+    const adding = plugin.addHost({
+      connection: "relay://relay.paseo.sh:443/srv_offer?key=pk_test_offer&ssl=true",
+    });
+    await pending.promise;
+    lifetime.abort();
+    await expect(adding).rejects.toThrow("Plugin has stopped");
+    expect(store.getPendingHostConfirmation()).toBeNull();
+    expect(store.getHosts()).toHaveLength(0);
+    unsubscribe();
+    store.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+
+  it("returns incorrect_password without saving and redacts failed probe errors", async () => {
+    let failure: "auth" | "network" = "auth";
+    const store = new HostRuntimeStore({
+      storage: createMemoryHostRuntimeStorage(),
+      deps: {
+        createClient: () => new FakeDaemonClient() as unknown as DaemonClient,
+        connectToDaemon: async () => {
+          if (failure === "auth") throw new DaemonAuthenticationError("incorrect_password");
+          throw new Error("connection failed for secret");
+        },
+        getClientId: async () => "test",
+        readInitialConnectionHint: () => null,
+      },
+    });
+    expect(await store.addHost({ connection: "tcp://example.com:6767?password=secret" })).toEqual({
+      status: "password_required",
+      reason: "incorrect_password",
+    });
+    expect(store.getHosts()).toHaveLength(0);
+    failure = "network";
+    await expect(
+      store.addHost({ connection: "tcp://example.com:6767?password=secret" }),
+    ).rejects.not.toThrow("secret");
+    expect(store.getHosts()).toHaveLength(0);
+    store.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects websocket paths and query options the app cannot represent", async () => {
+    const store = createPairingStore();
+    await expect(store.addHost({ connection: "wss://example.com/custom" })).rejects.toThrow(
+      "unsupported",
+    );
+    await expect(
+      store.addHost({ connection: "wss://example.com/ws?token=secret" }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow("unsupported");
+    expect(store.getHosts()).toHaveLength(0);
+    store.syncHosts([]);
+  });
+});

packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { watchdog } from "@/watchdog";
 import { createHostChannelTransport } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/hosts";
 import type { OwnedSubscription } from "@getpaseo/client";
 import type { HostDirectory } from "@getpaseo/protocol/hosts";
+import { parseHostTarget, type HostTarget } from "@getpaseo/protocol/host-target";
 import { useSyncExternalStore, useMemo } from "react";
 import AsyncStorage from "@react-native-async-storage/async-storage";
 import equal from "fast-deep-equal/es6";
@@ -1612,6 +1613,48 @@ interface AgentDirectoryRefreshInput {
   page?: FetchAgentsOptions["page"];
 }
 
+function directHostTarget(target: HostTarget, input: string): HostConnection {
+  let connection: HostConnection;
+  if (target.kind === "ssh") {
+    connection = createRemoteSshHostConnection(target.ssh);
+  } else {
+    if (/^wss?:\/\//.test(input.trim())) {
+      const url = new URL(target.url);
+      if (url.pathname !== "/ws" || url.search)
+        throw new Error("WebSocket path or query is unsupported by the app");
+    }
+    switch (target.connection.type) {
+      case "directTcp": {
+        const endpoint = normalizeHostPort(target.connection.endpoint);
+        connection = {
+          id: `direct:${endpoint}`,
+          type: "directTcp",
+          endpoint,
+          useTls: target.connection.useTls,
+        };
+        break;
+      }
+      case "directSocket":
+        connection = {
+          id: `socket:${target.connection.path}`,
+          type: "directSocket",
+          path: target.connection.path,
+        };
+        break;
+      case "directPipe":
+        connection = {
+          id: `pipe:${target.connection.path}`,
+          type: "directPipe",
+          path: target.connection.path,
+        };
+        break;
+      case "relay":
+        throw new Error("Unexpected relay target");
+    }
+  }
+  return connection;
+}
+
 export class HostRuntimeStore {
   private controllers = new Map<string, HostRuntimeController>();
   private hostObservations = new Map<
@@ -1964,6 +2007,66 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
     );
   }
 
+  /** Add a saved host using the shared connection grammar. */
+  async addHost(
+    input: {
+      connection: string;
+      label?: string;
+    },
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
+  ): Promise<
+    | { status: "saved"; serverId: string }
+    | { status: "password_required"; reason: "password_required" | "incorrect_password" }
+    | { status: "cancelled" }
+  > {
+    const target = parseHostTarget(input.connection);
+    await this.loadRegistry();
+    try {
+      if (signal?.aborted) throw new Error("Plugin has stopped");
+      if (target.kind === "socket" && target.connection.type === "relay") {
+        const approved = await this.confirmLink(target.connection.offer, signal);
+        if (signal?.aborted) throw new Error("Plugin has stopped");
+        if (!approved) return { status: "cancelled" };
+        const result = await this.probeAndUpsertOffer(
+          target.connection.offer,
+          target.password,
+          input.label,
+          signal,
+        );
+        return { status: "saved", serverId: result.serverId };
+      }
+      const connection = directHostTarget(target, input.connection);
+      const result = await this.probeAndUpsertConnection({
+        connection,
+        password: target.password,
+        label: input.label,
+        signal,
+      });
+      return { status: "saved", serverId: result.serverId };
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (signal?.aborted) {
+        // The failed probe can include a credential; do not attach it as a cause.
+        // oxlint-disable-next-line preserve-caught-error
+        throw new Error("Plugin has stopped");
+      }
+      const reason = getConnectionAuthFailureReason(error);
+      if (reason) return { status: "password_required", reason };
+      let message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+      if (target.password) {
+        for (const value of [
+          target.password,
+          encodeURIComponent(target.password),
+          new URLSearchParams({ password: target.password }).toString().slice(9),
+        ]) {
+          if (value) message = message.split(value).join("[redacted]");
+        }
+      }
+      // The original error can contain a credential; do not expose it as a cause.
+      // oxlint-disable-next-line preserve-caught-error
+      throw new Error(message);
+    }
+  }
+
   async upsertDirectConnection(input: {
     serverId: string;
     endpoint: string;
@@ -1993,6 +2096,7 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
     password?: string;
     label?: string;
     timeoutMs?: number;
+    signal?: AbortSignal;
   }): Promise<{ profile: HostProfile; serverId: string; hostname: string | null }> {
     if (input.connection.type === "relay") {
       throw new Error("Cannot probe a relay connection without a server id.");
@@ -2013,6 +2117,10 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
       connection: input.connection,
       ...(input.timeoutMs !== undefined ? { timeoutMs: input.timeoutMs } : {}),
     });
+    if (input.signal?.aborted) {
+      await client.close().catch(() => undefined);
+      throw new Error("Plugin has stopped");
+    }
     const profile = await this.upsertHostConnection({
       serverId,
       label: input.label ?? hostname ?? undefined,
@@ -2062,9 +2170,9 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
   // A pairing link (a URL, a QR code, or a pasted link) asks the user to
   // confirm when it adds a new host or changes a saved host's key, relay, or
   // TLS setting. The answer needs the saved hosts, so it waits for them to load.
-  private async confirmLink(offer: ConnectionOffer): Promise<boolean> {
+  private async confirmLink(offer: ConnectionOffer, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<boolean> {
     await this.loadRegistry();
-    return this.hostConfirmations.confirmLink(offer, this.hosts);
+    return this.hostConfirmations.confirmLink(offer, this.hosts, signal);
   }
 
   getPendingHostConfirmation(): HostConfirmationRequest | null {
@@ -2144,6 +2252,8 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
   private async probeAndUpsertOffer(
     offer: ConnectionOffer,
     password: string | undefined,
+    label?: string,
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
   ): Promise<{ profile: HostProfile; serverId: string; hostname: string | null }> {
     const connection = relayConnectionFromOffer(offer);
     const probeHost: HostProfile = {
@@ -2159,7 +2269,12 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
     };
     const { client, hostname } = await this.deps.connectToDaemon({ host: probeHost, connection });
     await client.close().catch(() => undefined);
-    const profile = await this.upsertConnectionFromOffer(offer, hostname ?? undefined, password);
+    if (signal?.aborted) throw new Error("Plugin has stopped");
+    const profile = await this.upsertConnectionFromOffer(
+      offer,
+      label ?? hostname ?? undefined,
+      password,
+    );
     return { profile, serverId: offer.serverId, hostname };
   }
 
@@ -2221,7 +2336,10 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
     }));
   }
 
-  async setHostBadgeDisplay(serverId: string, badgeDisplay: HostBadgeDisplay): Promise<void> {
+  async setHostBadgeDisplay(
+    serverId: string,
+    badgeDisplay: HostBadgeDisplay | null,
+  ): Promise<void> {
     await this.updateHostAppearance(serverId, (host) => ({
       ...host,
       appearance: { ...host.appearance, badgeDisplay },
@@ -3034,7 +3152,7 @@ export interface HostMutations {
   beginLinkPairing: () => LinkPairing;
   renameHost: (serverId: string, label: string) => Promise<void>;
   setHostColor: (serverId: string, color: HostColor) => Promise<void>;
-  setHostBadgeDisplay: (serverId: string, badgeDisplay: HostBadgeDisplay) => Promise<void>;
+  setHostBadgeDisplay: (serverId: string, badgeDisplay: HostBadgeDisplay | null) => Promise<void>;
   removeHost: (serverId: string) => Promise<void>;
   removeConnection: (serverId: string, connectionId: string) => Promise<void>;
 }

packages/desktop/src/daemon/daemon-manager.test.ts

@@ -152,6 +152,12 @@ describe("daemon-manager commands", () => {
     expect(mocks.runExternalCliJsonCommand).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("reads the desktop daemon identity after it has stopped", async () => {
+    mkdirSync(mocks.paseoHome);
+    writeFileSync(path.join(mocks.paseoHome, "server-id"), "srv_existing\n");
+    expect(await createDaemonCommandHandlers().desktop_daemon_identity()).toBe("srv_existing");
+  });
+
   it("reports an errored daemon when the local daemon state cannot be read", async () => {
     mkdirSync(mocks.paseoHome);
     writeFileSync(path.join(mocks.paseoHome, "paseo.pid"), "garbage");

packages/desktop/src/daemon/daemon-manager.ts

@@ -476,6 +476,14 @@ export function createDaemonCommandHandlers(): Record<string, DesktopCommandHand
       runningUnderARM64Translation: isRunningUnderARM64Translation(),
     }),
     desktop_daemon_status: () => resolveDesktopDaemonStatus(),
+    desktop_daemon_identity: () => {
+      try {
+        return readFileSync(path.join(getPaseoHome(), "server-id"), "utf8").trim() || null;
+      } catch (error) {
+        if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "ENOENT") return null;
+        throw error;
+      }
+    },
     desktop_local_credential: async (args) => {
       const instance = await readDaemonInstance(getPaseoHome());
       if (!instance?.desktopManaged || typeof args?.listen !== "string") return null;

packages/plugin/src/boundaries.test.ts

@@ -92,6 +92,18 @@ function typeErrors(code: string): string[] {
     .map((diagnostic) => ts.flattenDiagnosticMessageText(diagnostic.messageText, "\n"));
 }
 describe("plugin SDK import boundaries", () => {
+  it("exposes host handles and object-shaped additions from the client entry", () => {
+    expect(
+      typeErrors(`
+      import { addHost, observeHosts, useHosts, type PluginHost } from "@getpaseo/plugin/client";
+      const hosts: readonly PluginHost[] = useHosts();
+      const stop = observeHosts((value) => { void value[0]?.openSettings(); });
+      void addHost({ connection: "localhost:6767", label: "Local" });
+      void hosts; stop();
+    `),
+    ).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
   it("publishes process capabilities without their Windows implementation helpers", () => {
     expect(Object.keys(server).sort()).toEqual([
       "defineAgentTool",

packages/plugin/src/client/hosts.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import type { PluginHostSummary } from "./index.js";
+
+export type PluginHostStatus = PluginHostSummary["status"];
+export type PluginHostColor =
+  | "none"
+  | "violet"
+  | "sky"
+  | "emerald"
+  | "orange"
+  | "pink"
+  | "indigo"
+  | "teal"
+  | "red"
+  | "amber"
+  | "blue";
+export type PluginHostBadgeDisplay = "name" | "icon" | "hidden";
+export interface PluginHostAppearance {
+  readonly color: PluginHostColor;
+  /** Null uses the automatic local or remote default. */
+  readonly badgeDisplay: PluginHostBadgeDisplay | null;
+}
+/** Saved connection settings without credentials. Routed connections have no URI. */
+export type PluginHostConnection =
+  | {
+      readonly id: string;
+      readonly type: "directTcp";
+      readonly uri: string;
+      readonly endpoint: string;
+      readonly useTls: boolean;
+    }
+  | {
+      readonly id: string;
+      readonly type: "directSocket";
+      readonly uri: string;
+      readonly path: string;
+    }
+  | {
+      readonly id: string;
+      readonly type: "directPipe";
+      readonly uri: string;
+      readonly path: string;
+    }
+  | {
+      readonly id: string;
+      readonly type: "remoteSsh";
+      readonly uri: string;
+      readonly host: string;
+      readonly sshPort?: number;
+      readonly daemonPort?: number;
+    }
+  | {
+      readonly id: string;
+      readonly type: "relay";
+      readonly uri: string;
+      readonly relayEndpoint: string;
+      readonly useTls: boolean;
+      readonly daemonPublicKeyB64: string;
+      readonly minimumSecurityMode?: "protected";
+    }
+  | {
+      readonly id: string;
+      readonly type: "routed";
+      readonly uri: null;
+      readonly originServerId: string;
+    };
+export interface PluginHostPatch {
+  label?: string;
+  appearance?: Partial<PluginHostAppearance>;
+}
+export interface PluginHost extends PluginHostSummary {
+  readonly appearance: PluginHostAppearance;
+  readonly connections: readonly PluginHostConnection[];
+  readonly activeConnectionId: string | null;
+  readonly error: string | null;
+  readonly authFailureReason: "password_required" | "incorrect_password" | null;
+  readonly lastOnlineAt: string | null;
+  readonly createdAt: string;
+  readonly updatedAt: string;
+  update(patch: PluginHostPatch): Promise<void>;
+  /** Removes the host; throws for the desktop daemon host. */
+  remove(): Promise<void>;
+  /** Removing the last connection removes the host. */
+  removeConnection(connectionId: string): Promise<void>;
+  openSettings(): void;
+}
+export interface PluginHostAddInput {
+  /** Shared host connection grammar; may contain a password for the probe. */
+  connection: string;
+  label?: string;
+}
+export type PluginHostAddResult =
+  | { status: "saved"; host: PluginHost }
+  | { status: "password_required"; reason: "password_required" | "incorrect_password" }
+  | { status: "cancelled" };
+export declare function useHosts(): readonly PluginHost[];
+export declare function observeHosts(listener: (hosts: readonly PluginHost[]) => void): () => void;
+
+export declare function addHost(input: PluginHostAddInput): Promise<PluginHostAddResult>;

packages/plugin/src/client/index.ts

@@ -86,7 +86,20 @@ export interface PluginHostSummary {
   readonly status: "idle" | "connecting" | "online" | "offline" | "error";
 }
 /** Live configured hosts. Supplied by the app's client bundle loader. */
-export declare function useHosts(): readonly PluginHostSummary[];
+export declare const useHosts: typeof import("./hosts.js").useHosts;
+export declare const observeHosts: typeof import("./hosts.js").observeHosts;
+export declare const addHost: typeof import("./hosts.js").addHost;
+export type {
+  PluginHost,
+  PluginHostStatus,
+  PluginHostColor,
+  PluginHostBadgeDisplay,
+  PluginHostAppearance,
+  PluginHostConnection,
+  PluginHostPatch,
+  PluginHostAddInput,
+  PluginHostAddResult,
+} from "./hosts.js";
 /** Borrow an online host's API under this installation's lifetime. */
 export declare function getPaseoClient(serverId: string): import("@getpaseo/client").PaseoApi;
 /** Open an absolute HTTP(S) URL using the client platform’s external opener. */

packages/protocol/src/host-target.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,55 @@
 import { expect, test } from "vitest";
 import { parseHostTarget } from "./host-target.js";
+import { serializeSshTransportUri } from "./ssh-transport.js";
+import { serializeSocketHostTarget } from "./host-target.js";
+import {
+  parseConnectionUri,
+  serializeConnectionUri,
+  serializeRelayConnectionUri,
+} from "./daemon-endpoints.js";
+
+test("SSH and local socket targets round trip through their serializers", () => {
+  const ssh = parseHostTarget("ssh://deploy@build-box:2222?daemonPort=7777");
+  if (ssh.kind !== "ssh") throw new Error("expected SSH");
+  expect(parseHostTarget(serializeSshTransportUri(ssh.ssh))).toEqual(ssh);
+  for (const [type, path] of [
+    ["unix", "/tmp/paseo.sock"],
+    ["pipe", "\\\\.\\pipe\\paseo"],
+  ] as const) {
+    const target = parseHostTarget(`${type}://${path}`);
+    expect(parseHostTarget(serializeSocketHostTarget(type, path))).toEqual(target);
+  }
+});
+
+test("TCP and relay targets round trip through credential-free serializers", () => {
+  const tcp = parseConnectionUri("tcp://example.com:6767?ssl=true&password=secret");
+  const tcpUri = serializeConnectionUri(tcp);
+  expect(tcpUri).not.toContain("secret");
+  expect(parseHostTarget(tcpUri)).toMatchObject({
+    connection: { type: "directTcp", endpoint: "example.com:6767", useTls: true },
+  });
+  const relay = parseHostTarget(
+    "relay://relay.example:443/server?key=public&ssl=true&password=secret",
+  );
+  if (relay.kind !== "socket" || relay.connection.type !== "relay")
+    throw new Error("expected relay");
+  const relayUri = serializeRelayConnectionUri({ offer: relay.connection.offer });
+  expect(relayUri).not.toContain("secret");
+  expect(parseHostTarget(relayUri)).toMatchObject({ connection: relay.connection });
+});
+
+test.each([
+  ["example.com:6767", { type: "directTcp", endpoint: "example.com:6767", useTls: false }],
+  [
+    "tcp://example.com:6767?ssl=true",
+    { type: "directTcp", endpoint: "example.com:6767", useTls: true },
+  ],
+  ["wss://example.com/ws", { type: "directTcp", endpoint: "example.com:443", useTls: true }],
+  ["unix:///tmp/paseo.sock", { type: "directSocket", path: "/tmp/paseo.sock" }],
+  ["pipe://mypipe", { type: "directPipe", path: "mypipe" }],
+])("%s exposes its structured connection", (input, connection) => {
+  expect(parseHostTarget(input)).toMatchObject({ kind: "socket", connection });
+});
 
 test.each([
   ["127.0.0.1:6767", "tcp://127.0.0.1:6767"],

packages/protocol/src/host-target.ts

@@ -14,12 +14,23 @@ export type HostTarget =
   | {
       kind: "socket";
       url: string;
+      connection:
+        | { type: "directTcp"; endpoint: string; useTls: boolean }
+        | { type: "directSocket"; path: string }
+        | { type: "directPipe"; path: string }
+        | { type: "relay"; offer: ConnectionOffer };
       socketPath?: string;
       password?: string;
       offer?: ConnectionOffer;
       description: string;
     };
 
+/** Serialize a local socket target in the shared host grammar. */
+export function serializeSocketHostTarget(type: "unix" | "pipe", path: string): string {
+  if (!path || path === "~") throw new Error("Invalid socket path");
+  return `${type}://${path}`;
+}
+
 /** The shared saved-host and CLI grammar. Errors never echo credential-bearing input. */
 export function parseHostTarget(input: string): HostTarget {
   try {
@@ -57,6 +68,9 @@ function parse(input: string): HostTarget {
     const pipe = input.startsWith("pipe://") || input.startsWith("\\\\.\\pipe\\");
     return {
       kind: "socket",
+      connection: pipe
+        ? { type: "directPipe", path: socketPath }
+        : { type: "directSocket", path: socketPath },
       socketPath,
       url: pipe ? "ws://localhost/ws" : `ws+unix://${socketPath}:/ws`,
       description: `${pipe ? "pipe" : "unix"}://${socketPath}`,
@@ -67,6 +81,7 @@ function parse(input: string): HostTarget {
   const endpoint = validatedEndpoint(/^\d+$/.test(input) ? `127.0.0.1:${input}` : input);
   return {
     kind: "socket",
+    connection: { type: "directTcp", endpoint, useTls: false },
     url: buildDaemonWebSocketUrl(endpoint, { useTls: false }),
     description: `tcp://${endpoint}`,
   };
@@ -75,6 +90,7 @@ function relayTarget(offer: ConnectionOffer, password?: string): HostTarget {
   const endpoint = validatedEndpoint(offer.relay.endpoint);
   return {
     kind: "socket",
+    connection: { type: "relay", offer },
     url: buildRelayWebSocketUrl({
       endpoint,
       serverId: offer.serverId,
@@ -97,6 +113,7 @@ function tcpTarget(input: string): HostTarget {
   );
   return {
     kind: "socket",
+    connection: { type: "directTcp", endpoint, useTls: parts.useTls },
     url: buildDaemonWebSocketUrl(endpoint, { useTls: parts.useTls }),
     password: parts.password,
     description: `tcp://${endpoint}`,
@@ -109,7 +126,15 @@ function websocketTarget(input: string): HostTarget {
   // Unknown query parameters may themselves contain credentials; discovery shows only the origin.
   if (url.pathname === "/") url.pathname = "/ws";
   url.searchParams.delete("password");
-  return { kind: "socket", url: url.toString(), password, description: url.origin };
+  const useTls = url.protocol === "wss:";
+  const endpoint = `${url.hostname}:${url.port || (useTls ? "443" : "80")}`;
+  return {
+    kind: "socket",
+    connection: { type: "directTcp", endpoint, useTls },
+    url: url.toString(),
+    password,
+    description: url.origin,
+  };
 }
 
 function sshTarget(input: string): HostTarget {

packages/protocol/src/ssh-transport.ts

@@ -60,6 +60,19 @@ export function parseSshTransportUri(value: string): SshTransportTarget {
   };
 }
 
+/** Serialize an SSH target without daemon credentials. */
+export function serializeSshTransportUri(target: SshTransportTarget): string {
+  const host = validateSshHost(target.host);
+  const separator = host.lastIndexOf("@");
+  const username = separator < 0 ? "" : `${encodeURIComponent(host.slice(0, separator))}@`;
+  const hostname = host.slice(separator + 1);
+  const authority = hostname.includes(":") ? `[${hostname}]` : hostname;
+  const port = target.sshPort === undefined ? "" : `:${validatePort(target.sshPort, "SSH port")}`;
+  const daemonPort = validatePort(target.daemonPort, "Daemon port");
+  const query = daemonPort === DEFAULT_SSH_DAEMON_PORT ? "" : `?daemonPort=${daemonPort}`;
+  return `ssh://${username}${authority}${port}${query}`;
+}
+
 export function buildSshTunnelArgs(target: SshTransportTarget): string[] {
   const host = validateSshHost(target.host);
   const daemonPort = validatePort(target.daemonPort, "Daemon port");

packages/server/package.json

@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
     "speech:transcribe:local": "tsx scripts/transcribe-local-wav.ts",
     "test": "npm run test:unit && npm run test:integration",
     "test:unit": "vitest run --fileParallelism --exclude \"**/*.e2e.test.ts\"",
-    "test:integration": "vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/git-filename-diffs.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/checkout-diff-content.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/filesystem.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/file-download.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/cli-logs-follow.e2e.test.ts src/server/creation/creation.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/creation-status.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/terminal-workspace-sdk.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/terminal-worker-lifecycle.e2e.test.ts src/server/workspace-create-worktree-source.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/models.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/live-preferences.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/oversized-message.e2e.test.ts src/server/agent/model-catalog.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/plugin-paseo-api.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/usage-sources.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/lifecycle.e2e.test.ts src/server/connected-hosts/hosts.e2e.test.ts src/server/owned-subscriptions.e2e.test.ts && vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/agent/providers/omp/history.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/git-operations.e2e.test.ts src/server/session.create-agent-worktree-autoarchive.e2e.test.ts src/server/agent/providers/opencode-bridge.local.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/relay-transport.e2e.test.ts -t \"merges into|creates a worktree and auto-archives both|versioned runtime|oversized attachments|connected hosts|password-protected daemon refuses|replays selected OMP history\"",
+    "test:integration": "vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/git-filename-diffs.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/checkout-diff-content.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/create-agent-mode.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/filesystem.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/file-download.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/cli-logs-follow.e2e.test.ts src/server/creation/creation.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/creation-status.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/terminal-workspace-sdk.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/terminal-worker-lifecycle.e2e.test.ts src/server/workspace-create-worktree-source.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/models.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/live-preferences.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/oversized-message.e2e.test.ts src/server/agent/model-catalog.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/plugin-paseo-api.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/usage-sources.e2e.test.ts src/server/plugins/lifecycle.e2e.test.ts src/server/connected-hosts/hosts.e2e.test.ts src/server/owned-subscriptions.e2e.test.ts && vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/agent/providers/omp/history.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/git-operations.e2e.test.ts src/server/session.create-agent-worktree-autoarchive.e2e.test.ts src/server/agent/providers/opencode-bridge.local.e2e.test.ts src/server/daemon-e2e/relay-transport.e2e.test.ts -t \"merges into|creates a worktree and auto-archives both|versioned runtime|oversized attachments|connected hosts|password-protected daemon refuses|replays selected OMP history\"",
     "test:hub-cli-contract": "vitest run --maxWorkers=1 src/server/hub/hub-cli-contract.test.ts",
     "test:integration:all": "npm run test:e2e",
     "test:integration:real": "vitest run real.e2e.test.ts",

packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent-mode.test.ts

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ describe("resolveAndValidateCreateAgentMode", () => {
         availableModes: OPENCODE_MODES,
       }),
     ).toThrow(
-      "cannot inherit mode 'bypassPermissions' from caller (provider 'claude') for new agent (provider 'opencode'). Pass an explicit mode. Available modes for 'opencode': build, plan",
+      "cannot inherit mode 'bypassPermissions' from caller (provider 'claude') for new agent (provider 'opencode'). Pass an explicit mode in settings.modeId. Available modes for 'opencode': build, plan",
     );
   });
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ describe("resolveAndValidateCreateAgentMode", () => {
         availableModes: CODEX_MODES,
       }),
     ).toThrow(
-      "cannot inherit mode '<none>' from caller (provider 'opencode') for new agent (provider 'codex'). Pass an explicit mode. Available modes for 'codex': auto, full-access",
+      "cannot inherit mode '<none>' from caller (provider 'opencode') for new agent (provider 'codex'). Pass an explicit mode in settings.modeId. Available modes for 'codex': auto, full-access",
     );
   });
 
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ describe("resolveAndValidateCreateAgentMode", () => {
         targetUnattendedMode: "full-access",
       }),
     ).toThrow(
-      "cannot inherit mode 'default' from caller (provider 'claude') for new agent (provider 'codex'). Pass an explicit mode. Available modes for 'codex': auto, full-access",
+      "cannot inherit mode 'default' from caller (provider 'claude') for new agent (provider 'codex'). Pass an explicit mode in settings.modeId. Available modes for 'codex': auto, full-access",
     );
   });
 
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ describe("resolveAndValidateCreateAgentMode", () => {
         targetUnattendedMode: undefined,
       }),
     ).toThrow(
-      "cannot inherit mode 'bypassPermissions' from caller (provider 'claude') for new agent (provider 'zai-custom'). Pass an explicit mode. Available modes for 'zai-custom': unknown",
+      "cannot inherit mode 'bypassPermissions' from caller (provider 'claude') for new agent (provider 'zai-custom'). Pass an explicit mode in settings.modeId. Available modes for 'zai-custom': unknown",
     );
   });
 

packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent-mode.ts

@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export function resolveAndValidateCreateAgentMode(
   }
 
   throw new Error(
-    `cannot inherit mode '${formatCreateConfigParentMode(parent)}' from ${formatCreateConfigParentSource(parent)} for new agent (provider '${targetProvider}'). Pass an explicit mode. Available modes for '${targetProvider}': ${listModes(availableModes)}`,
+    `cannot inherit mode '${formatCreateConfigParentMode(parent)}' from ${formatCreateConfigParentSource(parent)} for new agent (provider '${targetProvider}'). Pass an explicit mode in settings.modeId. Available modes for '${targetProvider}': ${listModes(availableModes)}`,
   );
 }
 

packages/server/src/server/agent/providers/claude/agent.error-result.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { createTestLogger } from "../../../../test-utils/test-logger.js";
+import { collectSessionTurnEvents } from "../test-utils/session-stream-adapter.js";
+import { ClaudeAgentClient } from "./agent.js";
+import type { ClaudeQueryFactory } from "./query.js";
+
+const LIMIT = "You've hit your session limit · resets 5:20pm (Asia/Singapore)";
+
+interface ScriptedTurn {
+  // An API error reply as Claude Code writes it: a synthetic assistant message with `error`.
+  errorReply?: string;
+  // Assistant text the model wrote before or after it.
+  before?: string;
+  after?: string;
+  isError: boolean;
+  usage?: {
+    inputTokens: number;
+    cachedInputTokens: number;
+    outputTokens: number;
+    totalCostUsd: number;
+  };
+}
+
+// A query dependency that speaks Claude Code's stream interface, one scripted turn per prompt.
+function scriptedQuery(turns: ScriptedTurn[]): ClaudeQueryFactory {
+  return ({ prompt }) => {
+    let index = 0;
+    const assistant = (id: string, text: string, error?: string) => ({
+      type: "assistant",
+      session_id: "error-session",
+      parent_tool_use_id: null,
+      uuid: id,
+      message: {
+        id,
+        role: "assistant",
+        model: error ? "<synthetic>" : "claude-opus-5-5",
+        content: [{ type: "text", text }],
+        stop_reason: "stop_sequence",
+        usage: { input_tokens: 0, output_tokens: 0 },
+      },
+      ...(error ? { error } : {}),
+    });
+    const messages = (async function* () {
+      if (typeof prompt === "string") throw new Error("Expected streaming input");
+      for await (const _message of prompt) {
+        const turn = turns[index];
+        index += 1;
+        yield {
+          type: "system",
+          subtype: "init",
+          session_id: "error-session",
+          permissionMode: "default",
+          model: "claude-opus-5-5",
+        };
+        if (turn.before) yield assistant(`before-${index}`, turn.before);
+        if (turn.errorReply) yield assistant(`error-${index}`, turn.errorReply, "rate_limit");
+        if (turn.after) yield assistant(`after-${index}`, turn.after);
+        yield {
+          type: "result",
+          subtype: "success",
+          session_id: "error-session",
+          duration_ms: 1,
+          duration_api_ms: 0,
+          is_error: turn.isError,
+          num_turns: 1,
+          result: turn.isError ? (turn.errorReply ?? "") : (turn.after ?? turn.errorReply ?? ""),
+          stop_reason: "stop_sequence",
+          total_cost_usd: turn.usage?.totalCostUsd ?? 0,
+          usage: {
+            input_tokens: turn.usage?.inputTokens ?? 0,
+            output_tokens: turn.usage?.outputTokens ?? 0,
+            cache_read_input_tokens: turn.usage?.cachedInputTokens ?? 0,
+          },
+          modelUsage: {},
+          permission_denials: [],
+          uuid: `result-${index}`,
+        };
+      }
+    })();
+    return Object.assign(messages, {
+      close: () => {
+        void messages.return();
+      },
+      interrupt: async () => undefined,
+      setModel: async () => undefined,
+      setPermissionMode: async () => undefined,
+      supportedModels: async () => [],
+      supportedCommands: async () => [],
+    }) as ReturnType<ClaudeQueryFactory>;
+  };
+}
+
+async function runTurns(turns: ScriptedTurn[]) {
+  const client = new ClaudeAgentClient({
+    logger: createTestLogger(),
+    queryFactory: scriptedQuery(turns),
+    resolveBinary: async () => process.execPath,
+  });
+  const session = await client.createSession({
+    provider: "claude",
+    cwd: process.cwd(),
+  });
+  try {
+    const results = [];
+    for (const [index] of turns.entries()) {
+      results.push(await collectSessionTurnEvents(session, `turn ${index + 1}`));
+    }
+    return results;
+  } finally {
+    await session.close();
+  }
+}
+
+function assistantTexts(events: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof runTurns>>[number]): string[] {
+  return events.flatMap((event) =>
+    event.type === "timeline" && event.item.type === "assistant_message" ? [event.item.text] : [],
+  );
+}
+
+function terminal(events: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof runTurns>>[number]) {
+  return events.find(
+    (event) =>
+      event.type === "turn_completed" ||
+      event.type === "turn_failed" ||
+      event.type === "turn_canceled",
+  );
+}
+
+test("a turn Claude Code ends on an API error fails with the error, shown once", async () => {
+  const [limited, overloaded, next] = await runTurns([
+    { errorReply: LIMIT, isError: true },
+    {
+      before: "Checking the deploy doc.",
+      errorReply: "API Error: 529 Overloaded",
+      isError: true,
+    },
+    { after: "Done.", isError: false },
+  ]);
+
+  expect(terminal(limited)).toMatchObject({
+    type: "turn_failed",
+    error: LIMIT,
+  });
+  expect(assistantTexts(limited)).toEqual([]);
+
+  expect(terminal(overloaded)).toMatchObject({
+    type: "turn_failed",
+    error: "API Error: 529 Overloaded",
+  });
+  expect(assistantTexts(overloaded)).toEqual(["Checking the deploy doc."]);
+
+  // The session keeps working after a failed turn.
+  expect(terminal(next)).toMatchObject({ type: "turn_completed" });
+  expect(assistantTexts(next)).toEqual(["Done."]);
+});
+
+test("a failed turn retains its final token counts and cost", async () => {
+  const usage = {
+    inputTokens: 120,
+    cachedInputTokens: 80,
+    outputTokens: 30,
+    totalCostUsd: 0.012,
+  };
+  const [failed] = await runTurns([
+    { before: "Checking the deploy doc.", errorReply: LIMIT, isError: true, usage },
+  ]);
+
+  expect(failed).toContainEqual(
+    expect.objectContaining({ type: "usage_updated", usage: expect.objectContaining(usage) }),
+  );
+  expect(terminal(failed)).toMatchObject({ type: "turn_failed", error: LIMIT });
+  expect(assistantTexts(failed)).toEqual(["Checking the deploy doc."]);
+});
+
+test("an error reply the turn moves past is still shown", async () => {
+  const [recovered, completed] = await runTurns([
+    {
+      errorReply: "API Error: 529 Overloaded",
+      after: "Recovered.",
+      isError: false,
+    },
+    { errorReply: LIMIT, isError: false },
+  ]);
+
+  expect(terminal(recovered)).toMatchObject({ type: "turn_completed" });
+  expect(assistantTexts(recovered)).toEqual(["API Error: 529 Overloaded", "Recovered."]);
+
+  expect(terminal(completed)).toMatchObject({ type: "turn_completed" });
+  expect(assistantTexts(completed)).toEqual([LIMIT]);
+});

packages/server/src/server/agent/providers/claude/agent.ts

@@ -2389,6 +2389,12 @@ class ClaudeAgentSession implements AgentSession {
   private mainTurnInFlight = false;
   private foregroundHasVisibleActivity = false;
   private activeTurnHasAssistantText = false;
+  /**
+   * The reply Claude Code writes when a turn stops on an API error ("You've hit your session
+   * limit", "API Error: 529 ..."), held back until the result says whether the turn failed: a
+   * failed turn shows the same text as its error, so showing both would repeat it.
+   */
+  private withheldErrorReply: AgentTimelineItem[] = [];
   private readonly contextUsage: ClaudeContextUsageState;
   private userMessageIds: string[] = [];
   private readonly emittedUserMessageIds = new Set<string>();
@@ -2531,6 +2537,7 @@ class ClaudeAgentSession implements AgentSession {
     this.activeForegroundTurnId = turnId;
     this.foregroundHasVisibleActivity = false;
     this.activeTurnHasAssistantText = false;
+    this.withheldErrorReply = [];
     this.contextUsage.beginTurn();
     this.transitionTurnState("foreground", "foreground turn started");
     this.clearRecentStderr();
@@ -4419,6 +4426,21 @@ class ClaudeAgentSession implements AgentSession {
               }) satisfies AgentStreamEvent,
           );
 
+    if (!readClaudeParentToolUseId(message)) {
+      if (message.type === "assistant" && message.error) {
+        this.withheldErrorReply.push(...assistantTimelineEvents.map((event) => event.item));
+        return messageEvents;
+      }
+      if (
+        message.type === "assistant" ||
+        message.type === "user" ||
+        message.type === "stream_event"
+      ) {
+        const released: AgentStreamEvent[] = [];
+        this.releaseWithheldErrorReply(released);
+        return [...released, ...messageEvents, ...assistantTimelineEvents];
+      }
+    }
     return [...messageEvents, ...assistantTimelineEvents];
   }
 
@@ -4966,6 +4988,23 @@ class ClaudeAgentSession implements AgentSession {
     events: AgentStreamEvent[],
   ): void {
     const usage = this.convertUsage(message);
+    // Claude Code reports a turn that stopped on an API error (a usage limit, an overloaded or
+    // rejected request) as `success` with `is_error`, carrying the error text in `result`.
+    if (message.subtype === "success" && message.is_error) {
+      const withheld = this.withheldErrorReply;
+      this.withheldErrorReply = [];
+      const resultText = typeof message.result === "string" ? message.result.trim() : "";
+      const withheldText = withheld
+        .map((item) => (item.type === "assistant_message" ? item.text : ""))
+        .join("\n")
+        .trim();
+      if (usage) events.push({ type: "usage_updated", provider: "claude", usage });
+      events.push(...this.sidechainTracker.finishAll("failed"));
+      events.push(this.buildTurnFailedEvent(resultText || withheldText || "Claude run failed"));
+      return;
+    }
+    const releasedErrorReply = this.withheldErrorReply.length > 0;
+    this.releaseWithheldErrorReply(events);
     if (message.subtype === "success") {
       events.push(...this.sidechainTracker.finishAll("completed"));
       // Built-in slash commands (e.g. /voice, /usage, "Unknown command: …")
@@ -4975,7 +5014,12 @@ class ClaudeAgentSession implements AgentSession {
       // accounting from provider gateways does not duplicate streamed output.
       const resultText = typeof message.result === "string" ? message.result.trim() : "";
       const outputTokens = message.usage?.output_tokens;
-      if (resultText.length > 0 && outputTokens === 0 && !this.activeTurnHasAssistantText) {
+      if (
+        resultText.length > 0 &&
+        outputTokens === 0 &&
+        !this.activeTurnHasAssistantText &&
+        !releasedErrorReply
+      ) {
         events.push({
           type: "timeline",
           provider: "claude",
@@ -4997,6 +5041,14 @@ class ClaudeAgentSession implements AgentSession {
     events.push(this.buildTurnFailedEvent(errorMessage));
   }
 
+  private releaseWithheldErrorReply(events: AgentStreamEvent[]): void {
+    if (this.withheldErrorReply.length === 0) return;
+    for (const item of this.withheldErrorReply) {
+      events.push({ type: "timeline", item, provider: "claude" });
+    }
+    this.withheldErrorReply = [];
+  }
+
   private createClaudeSessionChangedNotice(
     oldSessionId: string,
     newSessionId: string,

packages/server/src/server/agent/providers/opencode/v2/permissions.test.ts

@@ -4,6 +4,102 @@ import { createTestLogger } from "../../../../../test-utils/test-logger.js";
 import type { V2Api } from "./api.js";
 import { OpenCodeV2AgentClient } from "./agent.js";
 import { V2Harness } from "../test-utils/v2-harness.js";
+import type { AgentPermissionResponse } from "../../../agent-sdk-types.js";
+
+describe("OpenCode v2 denial reasons", () => {
+  test.each<{
+    response: AgentPermissionResponse;
+    decision: "reject" | "once" | "always";
+    message?: string;
+  }>([
+    {
+      response: { behavior: "deny", message: "Use the existing file instead." },
+      decision: "reject",
+      message: "Use the existing file instead.",
+    },
+    { response: { behavior: "deny" }, decision: "reject" },
+    { response: { behavior: "allow" }, decision: "once" },
+    { response: { behavior: "allow", selectedActionId: "always" }, decision: "always" },
+  ])("preserves a permission response: $response", async ({ response, decision, message }) => {
+    const harness = new V2Harness();
+    let pending = true;
+    harness.api.permission.list = async () =>
+      pending
+        ? [{ id: "approval", sessionID: "session", action: "shell", resources: ["pwd"] }]
+        : [];
+    const replies: Parameters<V2Api["permission"]["reply"]>[0][] = [];
+    harness.api.permission.reply = async (input) => {
+      replies.push(input);
+      pending = false;
+    };
+    const client = new OpenCodeV2AgentClient({
+      logger: createTestLogger(),
+      runtime: harness.runtime,
+    });
+    const session = await client.createSession({ provider: "opencode", cwd: "/tmp/project" });
+    try {
+      await session.respondToPermission("approval", response);
+      expect(replies).toEqual([
+        {
+          sessionID: "session",
+          requestID: "approval",
+          decision,
+          ...(message === undefined ? {} : { message }),
+        },
+      ]);
+      expect(session.getPendingPermissions()).toEqual([]);
+    } finally {
+      await session.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  test.each([true, false])(
+    "explains cards superseded by a steer when clearing is %s",
+    async (clearPendingPermissions) => {
+      const harness = new V2Harness();
+      harness.autoComplete = false;
+      let pending = true;
+      harness.api.permission.list = async () =>
+        pending
+          ? [{ id: "approval", sessionID: "session", action: "shell", resources: ["pwd"] }]
+          : [];
+      const replies: Parameters<V2Api["permission"]["reply"]>[0][] = [];
+      harness.api.permission.reply = async (input) => {
+        replies.push(input);
+        pending = false;
+      };
+      const client = new OpenCodeV2AgentClient({
+        logger: createTestLogger(),
+        runtime: harness.runtime,
+      });
+      const session = await client.createSession({ provider: "opencode", cwd: "/tmp/project" });
+      try {
+        const { turnId } = await session.startTurn("Run pwd");
+        await expect.poll(() => harness.prompts).toEqual(["Run pwd"]);
+        await expect(
+          session.steerActiveTurn!("go ahead", { expectedTurnId: turnId, clearPendingPermissions }),
+        ).resolves.toEqual({ status: "accepted" });
+        expect(harness.prompts).toEqual(["Run pwd", "go ahead"]);
+        expect(replies).toEqual(
+          clearPendingPermissions
+            ? [
+                {
+                  sessionID: "session",
+                  requestID: "approval",
+                  decision: "reject",
+                  message:
+                    "The user answered with a message instead of approving. Their message follows.",
+                },
+              ]
+            : [],
+        );
+        expect(session.getPendingPermissions()).toHaveLength(clearPendingPermissions ? 0 : 1);
+      } finally {
+        await session.close();
+      }
+    },
+  );
+});
 
 describe("OpenCode v2 questions", () => {
   test("maps selected labels to native values and parses numeric and boolean answers", async () => {

packages/server/src/server/agent/providers/opencode/v2/permissions.ts

@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ export class SessionPermissions {
         sessionID: this.permissionOwners.get(requestId) ?? this.id,
         requestID: requestId,
         decision: permissionReply(response),
+        ...(response.behavior === "deny" && response.message !== undefined
+          ? { message: response.message }
+          : {}),
       });
     }
     this.resolvePending(requestId, response);

packages/server/src/server/agent/providers/opencode/v2/session.ts

@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ export class OpenCodeV2Session implements AgentSession {
         ),
       clearPermissions: async () => {
         for (const request of this.permissions.list())
-          await this.permissions.respondToPermission(request.id, { behavior: "deny" });
+          await this.permissions.respondToPermission(request.id, {
+            behavior: "deny",
+            message:
+              "The user answered with a message instead of approving. Their message follows.",
+          });
       },
     });
     this.usage = new SessionUsage({

packages/server/src/server/agent/tools/paseo-tools.ts

@@ -1590,7 +1590,7 @@ function createToolCatalog(
     {
       title: "Create agent",
       description:
-        "Create an agent. Agent-scoped creation defaults to your workspace and creates your subagent. Top-level creation without workspaceId creates a new local workspace. Requires provider/model (for example codex/gpt-5.4) and an initial prompt. Do not guess; call list_providers and list_models first if uncertain.",
+        "Create an agent. Agent-scoped creation defaults to your workspace and creates your subagent. Top-level creation without workspaceId creates a new local workspace. Requires provider/model (for example codex/gpt-5.4) and an initial prompt. For a different provider, set settings.modeId from inspect_provider; omission is accepted for targets with no modes and for unattended execution supported by the target. Do not guess; call list_providers and list_models first if uncertain.",
       inputSchema: createAgentInputSchema,
       outputSchema: {
         agentId: z.string(),

packages/server/src/server/daemon-e2e/create-agent-mode.e2e.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import { mkdir, mkdtemp, rm } from "node:fs/promises";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { Client } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/client/index.js";
+import { StreamableHTTPClientTransport } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/client/streamableHttp.js";
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { createDaemonTestContext } from "../test-utils/index.js";
+
+test("an attended MCP caller can discover and supply a cross-provider child mode", async () => {
+  const artifacts = path.join(process.cwd(), ".artifacts");
+  await mkdir(artifacts, { recursive: true });
+  const root = await mkdtemp(path.join(artifacts, "create-agent-mode-"));
+  const ctx = await createDaemonTestContext({ paseoHomeRoot: root, mcpEnabled: true });
+  const mcp = new Client({ name: "mode-contract-test", version: "1" });
+  try {
+    const parent = await ctx.client.createAgent({
+      provider: "claude",
+      cwd: root,
+      modeId: "default",
+      title: "Attended parent",
+    });
+    await mcp.connect(
+      new StreamableHTTPClientTransport(
+        new URL(`http://127.0.0.1:${ctx.daemon.port}/mcp/agents?callerAgentId=${parent.id}`),
+      ),
+    );
+    const { tools } = await mcp.listTools();
+    const create = tools.find((tool) => tool.name === "create_agent");
+    expect.soft(create?.description).toContain("settings.modeId");
+
+    const args = {
+      provider: "codex/gpt-5.4-mini",
+      title: "Cross-provider child",
+      initialPrompt: "Reply with OK",
+    };
+    const refused = await mcp.callTool({ name: "create_agent", arguments: args });
+    expect(refused.isError).toBe(true);
+    expect.soft(refused.content).toEqual([
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        type: "text",
+        text: expect.stringContaining("Pass an explicit mode in settings.modeId"),
+      }),
+    ]);
+    expect((await ctx.client.fetchAgents({ subscribe: {} })).entries).toHaveLength(1);
+
+    const inspected = await mcp.callTool({
+      name: "inspect_provider",
+      arguments: { provider: "codex" },
+    });
+    expect(inspected.isError).not.toBe(true);
+    expect(inspected.structuredContent).toMatchObject({
+      modes: expect.arrayContaining([expect.objectContaining({ id: "auto" })]),
+    });
+    const created = await mcp.callTool({
+      name: "create_agent",
+      arguments: { ...args, settings: { modeId: "auto" } },
+    });
+    expect(created.isError).not.toBe(true);
+    expect(created.structuredContent).toMatchObject({ type: "codex", currentModeId: "auto" });
+    const childId = (created.structuredContent as { agentId: string }).agentId;
+    expect((await ctx.client.fetchAgent(childId))?.agent.currentModeId).toBe("auto");
+    expect((await ctx.client.waitForFinish(childId, 5000)).status).toBe("idle");
+  } finally {
+    await mcp.close();
+    await ctx.cleanup();
+    await rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+}, 30_000);

plugin-examples/hosts/client/hosts.tsx

@@ -1,16 +1,32 @@
 import {
+  addHost,
   getPaseoClient,
   useHosts,
   usePaseo,
   type PluginSurfaceProps,
+  type PluginHost,
 } from "@getpaseo/plugin/client";
 import { useCallback, useMemo, useState } from "react";
-import { Pressable, Text, View } from "react-native";
+import { Pressable, Text, TextInput, View } from "react-native";
 
 export function Hosts({ theme }: PluginSurfaceProps) {
   const hosts = useHosts();
   const selected = usePaseo();
   const [result, setResult] = useState("");
+  const [connection, setConnection] = useState("");
+  const add = useCallback(async () => {
+    try {
+      const outcome = await addHost({ connection });
+      if (outcome.status === "saved") setResult(`Added ${outcome.host.label}`);
+      else if (outcome.status === "cancelled") setResult("Host addition cancelled");
+      else setResult("Add ?password= and retry");
+    } catch (error) {
+      setResult(error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error));
+    }
+  }, [connection]);
+  const addPressed = useCallback(() => {
+    void add();
+  }, [add]);
   const list = useCallback(
     async (serverId?: string) => {
       try {
@@ -33,27 +49,63 @@ export function Hosts({ theme }: PluginSurfaceProps) {
   const listSelected = useCallback(() => {
     void list();
   }, [list]);
-  const rows = hosts.map((host) => ({
-    serverId: host.serverId,
-    label: host.label,
-    status: host.status,
-    onPress() {
-      void list(host.serverId);
-    },
-  }));
   return (
     <View style={styles.root}>
+      <TextInput
+        value={connection}
+        onChangeText={setConnection}
+        placeholder="host:port, ssh://user@host, or a pairing link"
+      />
+      <Pressable accessibilityRole="button" onPress={addPressed}>
+        <Text style={styles.text}>Add host</Text>
+      </Pressable>
       <Pressable accessibilityRole="button" onPress={listSelected}>
         <Text style={styles.text}>List selected host agents</Text>
       </Pressable>
-      {rows.map((host) => (
-        <Pressable key={host.serverId} accessibilityRole="button" onPress={host.onPress}>
-          <Text style={styles.text}>
-            {host.label}: {host.status}
-          </Text>
-        </Pressable>
+      {hosts.map((host) => (
+        <HostRow key={host.serverId} host={host} color={theme.colors.foreground} list={list} />
       ))}
       <Text style={styles.text}>{result}</Text>
     </View>
   );
 }
+
+function HostRow({
+  host,
+  color,
+  list,
+}: {
+  host: PluginHost;
+  color: string;
+  list: (serverId: string) => Promise<void>;
+}) {
+  const style = useMemo(() => ({ color }), [color]);
+  const rowStyle = useMemo(() => ({ gap: 4 }), []);
+  const listAgents = useCallback(() => void list(host.serverId), [host, list]);
+  const update = useCallback(
+    () => void host.update({ label: `${host.label} (build)`, appearance: { color: "sky" } }),
+    [host],
+  );
+  const open = useCallback(() => host.openSettings(), [host]);
+  const remove = useCallback(() => void host.remove(), [host]);
+  return (
+    <View style={rowStyle}>
+      <Text style={style}>
+        {host.label}: {host.status} ·{" "}
+        {host.connections.map((connection) => connection.uri ?? "via another host").join(", ")}
+      </Text>
+      <Pressable accessibilityRole="button" onPress={listAgents}>
+        <Text style={style}>List agents</Text>
+      </Pressable>
+      <Pressable accessibilityRole="button" onPress={update}>
+        <Text style={style}>Rename and color</Text>
+      </Pressable>
+      <Pressable accessibilityRole="button" onPress={open}>
+        <Text style={style}>Host settings</Text>
+      </Pressable>
+      <Pressable accessibilityRole="button" onPress={remove}>
+        <Text style={style}>Remove host</Text>
+      </Pressable>
+    </View>
+  );
+}

plugin-examples/hosts/index.client.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useCallback } from "react";
 import type { PluginClientContext, PluginSidebarItemProps } from "@getpaseo/plugin/client";
+import { observeHosts } from "@getpaseo/plugin/client";
 import { SidebarRow } from "@getpaseo/plugin/client/ui";
 import { Hosts } from "./client/hosts";
 
@@ -11,5 +12,8 @@ function HostsItem({ currentScreen, openScreen }: PluginSidebarItemProps) {
 export default function contribute(client: PluginClientContext) {
   client.addScreen({ id: "main", title: "Host agents", Component: Hosts });
   client.addSidebarHeaderItem({ id: "hosts", title: "Host agents", Component: HostsItem });
-  return () => {};
+  return observeHosts((hosts) => {
+    for (const host of hosts)
+      if (host.authFailureReason) console.log(`${host.label} requires attention`);
+  });
 }

plugin-examples/hosts/paseo-plugin.json

@@ -1 +1 @@
-{ "id": "host-agents", "requirements": { "paseo": ">=0.8.0" } }
+{ "id": "host-agents", "requirements": { "paseo": ">=0.15.0" } }

public-docs/plugins/reference.md

@@ -2078,7 +2078,7 @@ function PullRequestAction({ theme }: PluginSurfaceProps) {
 
 The returned API covers projects, workspaces, agents, terminals, providers, and daemon config. See the [SDK API reference](/docs/sdk/reference) for its methods. Connection lifecycle methods are intentionally absent because Paseo owns the connection.
 
-### Discover hosts and target another host
+### Hosts
 
 Use `useHosts()` to display configured hosts and `getPaseoClient(serverId)` in an action callback
 to run SDK operations on one of them:
@@ -2124,14 +2124,36 @@ export function HostAgents({ theme }: Pick<PluginSurfaceProps, "theme">): ReactE
 }
 ```
 
-`useHosts(): readonly PluginHostSummary[]` includes offline hosts and updates when hosts,
-labels, or statuses change.
+`useHosts(): readonly PluginHost[]` includes offline hosts and updates when projected fields change.
+`observeHosts(listener)` immediately delivers the same list and returns an unsubscribe function.
+Set `requirements.paseo` in the manifest to the release that ships these host capabilities.
 
-| Summary field | Type or values                                               | Meaning                                                      |
-| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
-| `serverId`    | `string`                                                     | ID to pass to `getPaseoClient`.                              |
-| `label`       | `string`                                                     | Host's display name.                                         |
-| `status`      | `"idle"`, `"connecting"`, `"online"`, `"offline"`, `"error"` | Current app connection status. SDK calls require `"online"`. |
+| Host field                               | Meaning                                                                                                                    |
+| ---------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `serverId`                               | ID to pass to `getPaseoClient`.                                                                                            |
+| `label`                                  | Display name.                                                                                                              |
+| `status`                                 | `idle`, `connecting`, `online`, `offline`, or `error`. SDK calls require `online`.                                         |
+| `appearance`                             | `color` and `badgeDisplay`; `null` badge display uses the local or remote default.                                         |
+| `connections`                            | Saved connections with an ID, type, credential-free `uri`, and type-specific settings. Routed connections have a null URI. |
+| `activeConnectionId`                     | ID of the active connection, or null.                                                                                      |
+| `error`                                  | Current connection error, or null.                                                                                         |
+| `authFailureReason`                      | `password_required`, `incorrect_password`, or null.                                                                        |
+| `lastOnlineAt`, `createdAt`, `updatedAt` | ISO timestamps; `lastOnlineAt` can be null.                                                                                |
+
+Call `host.update({ label, appearance })`, `host.removeConnection(id)`, `host.remove()`,
+or `host.openSettings()` to manage a host. Updating `appearance.badgeDisplay` to null restores
+the automatic default. Removing the last connection removes the host. The desktop daemon host
+cannot be removed by a plugin.
+
+Use `addHost({ connection, label? })` with the [shared connection grammar](../cli.md#connected-hosts).
+A connection may include `?password=`. The password is used for the probe and saved locally; plugins
+cannot read it back. Relay targets and pairing links ask the user to confirm.
+
+| Result                                    | Meaning                                                                                                    |
+| ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `{ status: "saved", host }`               | The host or connection was saved.                                                                          |
+| `{ status: "password_required", reason }` | Nothing was saved; supply a password and retry. The reason is `password_required` or `incorrect_password`. |
+| `{ status: "cancelled" }`                 | The user declined the confirmation.                                                                        |
 
 `getPaseoClient(serverId: string): PaseoApi` borrows the host's authenticated app connection.
 Call it in client entry code or callbacks; it opens no socket and does not require the plugin
@@ -2145,13 +2167,13 @@ on the target daemon. Acquire the API when performing an action to use the curre
 | Connection settings change or the app switches connections, including automatic failover | The old API is released. Call `getPaseoClient(serverId)` again and recreate subscriptions.                                                                      |
 | Host is removed                                                                          | Its API is released; the removed ID is unknown.                                                                                                                 |
 | `client.dispose()`                                                                       | Releases that API and its observations. A later getter call returns a fresh API over the app connection. Disposing the old API again leaves the new API usable. |
-| Originating plugin unloads                                                               | All its borrowed APIs and observations are released, including those targeting other hosts. Retained handles cannot outlive the installation.                   |
+| Originating plugin unloads                                                               | Borrowed APIs and host observations are released. Later host handle calls throw `Plugin has stopped`.                                                           |
 | Surface host selection changes                                                           | `usePaseo()` follows the selected host. An explicitly acquired API keeps its original target.                                                                   |
 
 You can also release individual subscriptions through the normal SDK API.
 
-Plugins are trusted app code; cross-host access is intentional. Summaries contain no connection
-URLs or credentials, and borrowed APIs provide no connection lifecycle controls. See the
+Plugins see connection targets and daemon identities but cannot read saved passwords. Borrowed APIs
+provide no connection lifecycle controls. See the
 [host agents example](https://github.com/getpaseo/paseo/tree/main/plugin-examples/hosts).
 
 ## Add plugin-specific backend behavior

public-docs/plugins/reference.zh-CN.md

@@ -1779,7 +1779,7 @@ function PullRequestAction({ theme }: PluginSurfaceProps) {
 
 返回的 API 涵盖项目、工作区、Agent、终端、Provider 和 daemon 配置。其方法请参阅 [SDK API 参考](/docs/sdk/reference)。这里刻意没有连接生命周期方法，因为连接由 Paseo 负责。
 
-### 发现主机并指定另一台主机 {#discover-hosts-and-target-another-host}
+### 主机 {#hosts}
 
 使用 `useHosts()` 显示已配置的主机，并在操作回调中使用 `getPaseoClient(serverId)` 对其中一台主机
 执行 SDK 操作：
@@ -1825,13 +1825,33 @@ export function HostAgents({ theme }: Pick<PluginSurfaceProps, "theme">): ReactE
 }
 ```
 
-`useHosts(): readonly PluginHostSummary[]` 包括离线的主机，并在主机、标签或状态变化时更新。
+`useHosts(): readonly PluginHost[]` 包括离线主机，并在可见字段变化时更新。`observeHosts(listener)`
+立即提供相同的列表，并返回取消订阅函数。请将清单中的 `requirements.paseo` 设为提供这些主机能力的发布版本。
 
-| 摘要字段   | 类型或取值                                                   | 含义                                          |
-| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------- |
-| `serverId` | `string`                                                     | 传给 `getPaseoClient` 的 ID。                 |
-| `label`    | `string`                                                     | 主机的显示名称。                              |
-| `status`   | `"idle"`、`"connecting"`、`"online"`、`"offline"`、`"error"` | 当前应用的连接状态。SDK 调用需要 `"online"`。 |
+| 主机字段                                 | 含义                                                                                   |
+| ---------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `serverId`                               | 传给 `getPaseoClient` 的 ID。                                                          |
+| `label`                                  | 显示名称。                                                                             |
+| `status`                                 | `idle`、`connecting`、`online`、`offline` 或 `error`。SDK 调用需要 `online`。          |
+| `appearance`                             | `color` 和 `badgeDisplay`；`null` 使用本地主机或远程主机的默认显示方式。               |
+| `connections`                            | 已保存的连接，包括 ID、类型、不含凭据的 `uri` 和类型专属设置。路由连接的 URI 为 null。 |
+| `activeConnectionId`                     | 活动连接的 ID，或 null。                                                               |
+| `error`                                  | 当前连接错误，或 null。                                                                |
+| `authFailureReason`                      | `password_required`、`incorrect_password` 或 null。                                    |
+| `lastOnlineAt`、`createdAt`、`updatedAt` | ISO 时间戳；`lastOnlineAt` 可以为 null。                                               |
+
+调用 `host.update({ label, appearance })`、`host.removeConnection(id)`、`host.remove()` 或
+`host.openSettings()` 管理主机。将 `appearance.badgeDisplay` 更新为 null 可恢复自动默认值。
+移除最后一个连接会移除主机。插件不能移除桌面 daemon 主机。
+
+使用 `addHost({ connection, label? })` 和[共享连接语法](../cli.md#connected-hosts)。连接字符串可以包含
+`?password=`。密码用于探测并保存在本地，插件无法读回密码。中继目标和配对链接需要用户确认。
+
+| 结果                                      | 含义                                                                                 |
+| ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| `{ status: "saved", host }`               | 主机或连接已保存。                                                                   |
+| `{ status: "password_required", reason }` | 未保存任何内容；提供密码后重试。原因是 `password_required` 或 `incorrect_password`。 |
+| `{ status: "cancelled" }`                 | 用户拒绝了确认。                                                                     |
 
 `getPaseoClient(serverId: string): PaseoApi` 借用该主机已认证的应用连接。请在客户端入口代码或回调中
 调用它；它不会打开 socket，也不要求目标 daemon 上安装了该插件。在执行操作时再获取 API，以便使用当前的
@@ -1849,8 +1869,7 @@ export function HostAgents({ theme }: Pick<PluginSurfaceProps, "theme">): ReactE
 
 你也可以通过普通的 SDK API 释放单个订阅。
 
-插件是受信任的应用代码；跨主机访问是有意设计的。摘要中不包含连接 URL 或凭据，借用的 API 也不提供连接
-生命周期控制。请参阅[主机 Agent 示例](https://github.com/getpaseo/paseo/tree/main/plugin-examples/hosts)。
+插件可以查看连接目标和 daemon 身份，但不能读取已保存的密码。借用的 API 不提供连接生命周期控制。请参阅[主机 Agent 示例](https://github.com/getpaseo/paseo/tree/main/plugin-examples/hosts)。
 
 ## 添加插件特有的后端行为 {#add-plugin-specific-backend-behavior}