feat(code): default-on Code surface, github→code tab alias (cave-m6ys)

playwright.config.ts

@@ -121,11 +121,6 @@ export default defineConfig({
     reuseExistingServer: false,
     env: {
       COVEN_CAVE_E2E: "1",
-      // The dedicated Code surface (cave-k0ua) is validated flag-ON here so
-      // tests/code-surface.spec.ts and the mobile drill-in spec exercise the
-      // real landing; existing specs never asserted the GitHub sidebar row,
-      // and ?mode=github stays canonical either way.
-      NEXT_PUBLIC_CAVE_CODE_SURFACE: "1",
       // Keep app-owned preferences and backdrop bytes out of the developer's
       // real ~/.coven directory. A per-config UUID prevents concurrent runs or
       // later PID reuse from sharing stale state while remaining stable for

src/components/chat-rail-modern-redesign.test.ts

@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ assert.match(
 );
 assert.match(
   workspace,
-  /const targetMode = \(e as CustomEvent<\{ mode\?: string \}>\)\.detail\?\.mode;[\s\S]*?if \(targetMode === "code" && !caveCodeSurface\(\)\)[\s\S]*?setMode\(targetMode as WorkspaceMode\)/,
-  "The navigate listener redirects flag-off code links, then calls setMode with other requested modes",
+  /const targetMode = \(e as CustomEvent<\{ mode\?: string \}>\)\.detail\?\.mode;[\s\S]*?setMode\(targetMode as WorkspaceMode\)/,
+  "The navigate listener funnels every requested mode through setMode (aliases resolve there)",
 );
 
 // ── Uppercase counted section headers (RESULTS) + compact Projects header ────

src/components/code-surface-mode.test.ts

@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@ import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises";
 // predecessor (code-view.test.ts) was the retirement guard keeping it deleted.
 // The owner requested a Codex-style multi-session coding surface — diffs,
 // files, terminal, per-session PR context, worktrees, branches, with GitHub
-// absorbed as a tab — so the mode returned, flag-gated by caveCodeSurface()
-// (NEXT_PUBLIC_CAVE_CODE_SURFACE). These pins document the sanctioned shape:
-// the surface exists, the flag gates entry, and Chat's own code rail stays
-// untouched until the flagged follow-up that slims it.
+// absorbed as a tab — so the mode returned behind caveCodeSurface(). Phase 2
+// (cave-m6ys) made it default-on: the flag is retired, the standalone GitHub
+// surface/row is absorbed ("github" is a tab alias in MODE_ALIASES), and
+// Chat's own code rail stays untouched until the flagged follow-up that
+// slims it. These pins document that sanctioned shape.
 
 const workspace = await readFile(new URL("./workspace.tsx", import.meta.url), "utf8");
 const sidebar = await readFile(new URL("./sidebar-minimal.tsx", import.meta.url), "utf8");
@@ -35,30 +36,33 @@ assert.match(
 );
 assert.match(
   workspace,
-  /mode === "code" \? \(\s*<CodeView/,
-  "Workspace renders CodeView on the code mode",
+  /mode === "code" \|\| mode === "github" \? \([\s\S]{0,300}?<CodeView/,
+  "Workspace renders CodeView on the code mode and the absorbed github alias",
 );
 assert.match(
   lazySurfaces,
   /const loadCodeView = \(\) => import\("@\/components\/code-view"\)\.then\(\(m\) => m\.CodeView\)/,
   "CodeView stays code-split behind lazy-surfaces — its chunk must not join the boot bundle",
 );
 
-// Flag gating: while caveCodeSurface() is off, "code" deep links keep the
-// retirement-era fallback (newest repo chat); with it on they land on the
-// surface. Both behaviors live in the same navigate-mode branch.
-assert.match(
+// Default-on (cave-m6ys): the build-time flag is retired. No workspace wiring
+// may resurrect a gate in front of the surface, and the vocabulary records
+// GitHub's absorption — "github" is an alias landing on Code's GitHub tab.
+const featureFlags = await readFile(new URL("../lib/feature-flags.ts", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+assert.doesNotMatch(
+  featureFlags,
+  /caveCodeSurface|CAVE_CODE_SURFACE/,
+  "the Code-surface feature flag is retired — default-on, no env gate",
+);
+assert.doesNotMatch(
   workspace,
-  /if \(targetMode === "code" && !caveCodeSurface\(\)\) \{[\s\S]*?filter\(\(s\) => s\.project_root\)[\s\S]*?openFamiliarSession\(repoSession\.id, repoSession\.familiarId\)[\s\S]*?setMode\("chat"\)/,
-  "flag-off code deep-links redirect to the newest repo chat or Chat fallback",
+  /caveCodeSurface/,
+  "no flag-off fallbacks survive in the Workspace wiring",
 );
-// The setMode funnel is the choke point for every other entry (?mode= deep
-// link, persisted last-surface restore): flag off, "code" lands on Chat
-// instead of rendering a gated surface.
 assert.match(
-  workspace,
-  /if \(next === "code" && !caveCodeSurface\(\)\) \{[\s\S]{0,600}?setModeRaw\("chat"\);\s*return;/,
-  "setMode funnels flag-off code requests to Chat",
+  modeType,
+  /github: "code"/,
+  "MODE_ALIASES routes the absorbed GitHub surface onto Code (cave-m6ys)",
 );
 
 // File/diff links from inbox cards etc. still target Chat's code rail this
@@ -77,21 +81,21 @@ assert.match(
   "keyboard surface order keeps the primary cluster without Code",
 );
 
-// ── Sidebar row swap ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// ── Sidebar row ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-// One quiet slot, two vocabularies: flag on → Code row (GitHub becomes a tab
-// inside the surface); flag off → the standalone GitHub row, byte-identical to
-// the pre-flag sidebar. The conditional spread keeps FOLDER_MODES a single
-// literal so palette/mobile/canonical-name extraction regexes stay valid.
+// One quiet slot, one vocabulary (cave-m6ys): the Code row owns it and keeps
+// carrying the assigned-work badge; the standalone GitHub row is gone for
+// good — its surface lives under Code's GitHub tab and mode "github" aliases
+// there, so old muscle memory and deep links still land on the content.
 assert.match(
   sidebar,
-  /\.\.\.\(caveCodeSurface\(\)\s*\?\s*\[\{ id: "code", label: "Code", iconName: "ph:code"/,
-  "flag on: the Code quiet row takes the GitHub slot",
+  /\{ id: "code", label: "Code", iconName: "ph:code"[\s\S]{0,200}?badge: \(p\) => badgeText\(p\.githubAssignedCount\)/,
+  "the Code quiet row owns the slot and carries the assigned-work badge",
 );
-assert.match(
+assert.doesNotMatch(
   sidebar,
-  /\{ id: "github", label: "GitHub", iconName: "ph:github-logo"/,
-  "flag off: the GitHub row literal survives in FOLDER_MODES",
+  /id: "github"/,
+  "no standalone GitHub row survives in FOLDER_MODES",
 );
 assert.match(
   codeView,

src/components/code-view.tsx

@@ -3,15 +3,16 @@
 /**
  * CodeView — the dedicated Code surface (cave-k0ua): a Codex-style
  * multi-session coding tab. Reverses the earlier Code-mode retirement on the
- * owner's request; gated by caveCodeSurface() (NEXT_PUBLIC_CAVE_CODE_SURFACE).
+ * owner's request; default-on since phase 2 (cave-m6ys).
  *
  * Phase 3+ (this shape): top-level Sessions/GitHub tabs, the session rail
  * (grouped by project, git-attribution badges, + New session) and the
  * per-session workbench (Diff | Files | Terminal | PR) with the follow-up
  * composer (code-composer.tsx). New sessions start via code-new-session.tsx —
  * project + familiar + optional fresh worktree. The inspector and mobile
  * layout land in follow-up PRs. GitHub mounts whole under the GitHub tab
- * (its sidebar row hides when the flag is on).
+ * (the standalone GitHub surface and its sidebar row were absorbed; the
+ * "github" workspace mode is now a tab alias landing here).
  */
 
 import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
@@ -38,6 +39,9 @@ const LazyGitHubView = dynamic(
 
 export type CodeViewProps = {
   sessions: SessionRow[];
+  /** Landing tab override — the "github" mode alias mounts CodeView on its
+   *  GitHub tab (deep-link continuity for the absorbed standalone surface). */
+  initialTopTab?: CodeTopTab;
   onJumpToSession: (sessionId: string, familiarId?: string | null) => void;
   onFocusCard: (cardId: string) => void;
   githubTarget?: GitHubItemTarget | null;
@@ -46,6 +50,7 @@ export type CodeViewProps = {
 
 export function CodeView({
   sessions,
+  initialTopTab,
   onJumpToSession,
   onFocusCard,
   githubTarget,
@@ -71,7 +76,7 @@ export function CodeView({
     window.history.replaceState(null, "", window.location.pathname + (query ? `?${query}` : "") + window.location.hash);
   }, []);
   const [topTab, setTopTab] = useState<CodeTopTab>(
-    githubTarget ? "github" : deepLink?.topTab ?? "sessions",
+    githubTarget ? "github" : deepLink?.topTab ?? initialTopTab ?? "sessions",
   );
   // Selection is tri-state for the mobile drill-in: `undefined` = nothing
   // chosen yet (auto-pick allowed), `null` = the user explicitly went Back to

src/components/github-native-open.test.ts

@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ assert.match(
 );
 assert.match(
   workspace,
-  /<GitHubView[\s\S]{0,200}initialTarget=\{githubTarget\}/,
-  "the GitHub surface receives the deep-link target",
+  /<CodeView[\s\S]{0,300}githubTarget=\{githubTarget\}/,
+  "the Code surface receives the deep-link target (GitHub is its tab, cave-m6ys)",
 );
 assert.match(
   workspace,
-  /if \(mode !== "github" && githubTarget\) setGithubTarget\(null\);/,
+  /if \(mode !== "github" && mode !== "code" && githubTarget\) setGithubTarget\(null\);/,
   "leaving the surface clears the target so later visits don't re-open a stale item",
 );
 

src/components/lazy-surfaces.tsx

@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ export type WarmableSidebarSurface =
   | "grimoire"
   | "agents";
 
-export const GitHubView = dynamic(
-  timed("github", loadGitHubView),
-  { ssr: false, loading: SurfaceFallback },
-);
+// The standalone GitHubView dynamic wrapper is gone (cave-m6ys): GitHub
+// mounts only as Code's GitHub tab (code-view.tsx owns that lazy import).
+// loadGitHubView stays for preloadSidebarSurface — warming the chunk still
+// pays off when the user opens the tab.
 
 // Code surface (cave-k0ua): hosts diffs, file tree + editor, terminal and the
 // GitHub tab — its chunk (CodeMirror et al.) must stay out of the boot bundle.

src/components/sidebar-minimal.test.ts

@@ -292,8 +292,8 @@ assert.doesNotMatch(
 
 assert.match(
   source,
-  /\{ id: "github", label: "GitHub", iconName: "ph:github-logo"/,
-  "GitHub is visible by default",
+  /\{ id: "code", label: "Code", iconName: "ph:code"/,
+  "Code is visible by default (GitHub lives on its GitHub tab, cave-m6ys)",
 );
 
 // Recent Activity items must navigate: RecentActivityRollup's onClick calls

src/components/sidebar-minimal.tsx

@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import {
 import { sidebarRowState, type SidebarRowState } from "@/lib/sidebar-nav-state";
 import { RecentActivityRollup } from "@/components/recent-activity-rollup";
 import { SidebarFooter } from "@/components/sidebar-footer";
-import { caveCodeSurface } from "@/lib/feature-flags";
 import type { ResolvedFamiliar } from "@/lib/familiar-resolve";
 import type { SessionRow } from "@/lib/types";
 import type { InboxItem } from "@/lib/cave-inbox";
@@ -132,15 +131,11 @@ const FOLDER_MODES: Array<FolderModeRow> = [
   // Submissions (OpenCoven runtime/harness submit) is hidden from the nav; the
   // mode + page remain reachable programmatically but aren't surfaced here.
   //
-  // Code ⇄ GitHub row swap (cave-k0ua): behind caveCodeSurface(), the Codex-
-  // style Code surface takes over this quiet slot and GitHub becomes a tab
-  // inside it (the row keeps carrying the assigned-work badge). Flag off keeps
-  // the standalone GitHub row exactly as before. A conditional spread keeps
-  // FOLDER_MODES one literal, so the palette, mobile tabs, and the
-  // canonical-name pins all derive from whichever vocabulary is active.
-  ...(caveCodeSurface()
-    ? [{ id: "code", label: "Code", iconName: "ph:code", description: "Multi-session coding — diffs, files, branches, worktrees, and GitHub", badge: (p) => badgeText(p.githubAssignedCount), quiet: true } satisfies FolderModeRow]
-    : [{ id: "github", label: "GitHub", iconName: "ph:github-logo", description: "Issues and PRs assigned to you", badge: (p) => badgeText(p.githubAssignedCount), quiet: true } satisfies FolderModeRow]),
+  // Code (cave-k0ua, default-on since cave-m6ys): the Codex-style coding
+  // surface owns this quiet slot; GitHub is a tab inside it (the row keeps
+  // carrying the assigned-work badge). The standalone GitHub row is gone —
+  // mode "github" is a tab alias that lands on Code's GitHub tab.
+  { id: "code", label: "Code", iconName: "ph:code", description: "Multi-session coding — diffs, files, branches, worktrees, and GitHub", badge: (p) => badgeText(p.githubAssignedCount), quiet: true },
 ];
 
 // Rows actually rendered in the sidebar — everything except on-demand surfaces

src/components/workspace-alias-modes.test.ts

@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@ assert.match(
   "the roles/capabilities aliases render the Marketplace hub on their sections (keyed remount)",
 );
 
+assert.equal(MODE_ALIASES.github, "code");
+assert.match(
+  workspace,
+  /mode === "code" \|\| mode === "github"[\s\S]{0,500}?<CodeView\s+key=\{mode\}[\s\S]{0,200}?initialTopTab=\{mode === "github" \? "github" : undefined\}/,
+  "the github alias renders the Code surface on its GitHub tab (keyed remount, cave-m6ys)",
+);
+
 // ── Every mode-string entry point validates/routes through the shared
 //    vocabulary instead of ad-hoc special cases ──────────────────────────────
 

src/components/workspace.tsx

@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ import {
   FamiliarsView,
   FamiliarWorkQueueView,
   FamiliarGlyphPicker,
-  GitHubView,
   CodeView,
   GrimoireView,
   InboxEscalationsView,
@@ -87,7 +86,6 @@ import {
   ShortcutsSheet,
 } from "@/components/lazy-surfaces";
 import { WorkspaceSidebar } from "@/components/workspace-sidebar";
-import { caveCodeSurface } from "@/lib/feature-flags";
 import { CHAT_OPEN_PROJECTS_EVENT, CHAT_FOCUS_PROJECT_EVENT, CHAT_OPEN_COVEN_EVENT, markCovenTabPending, markProjectsTabPending } from "@/lib/chat-tab-events";
 import { HomeComposer } from "@/components/home-composer";
 import { ChatSurface } from "@/components/chat-surface";
@@ -367,15 +365,6 @@ export function Workspace() {
       setModeRaw("inbox");
       return;
     }
-    if (next === "code" && !caveCodeSurface()) {
-      // The Code surface is flag-gated (cave-k0ua). While off, "code" is a
-      // valid mode string (deep links, persisted last-surface) but must not
-      // render — land on Chat, the retirement-era fallback. The
-      // cave:navigate-mode handler upgrades this to "newest repo session"
-      // before reaching here.
-      setModeRaw("chat");
-      return;
-    }
     setModeRaw(next);
   }, []);
   // Chat mode replaces the global nav with the project-grouped Chats sidebar.
@@ -514,11 +503,13 @@ export function Workspace() {
   }>({ fireAt: "", title: "", whenText: "" });
   const [editingReminder, setEditingReminder] = useState<InboxItem | null>(null);
   // Deep-link target for the native GitHub surface (a GitHub-event inbox
-  // notification's PR/issue). Cleared on leaving the surface so a later manual
-  // visit doesn't re-open a stale item.
+  // notification's PR/issue). GitHub lives on the Code surface's GitHub tab
+  // (cave-m6ys), so the target survives within the whole surface — mode
+  // "github" (the tab alias) or "code" — and clears on leaving it so a later
+  // manual visit doesn't re-open a stale item.
   const [githubTarget, setGithubTarget] = useState<GitHubItemTarget | null>(null);
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (mode !== "github" && githubTarget) setGithubTarget(null);
+    if (mode !== "github" && mode !== "code" && githubTarget) setGithubTarget(null);
   }, [mode, githubTarget]);
   const [toasts, setToasts] = useState<Toast[]>([]);
   const [glyphPickerFor, setGlyphPickerFor] = useState<Familiar | null>(null);
@@ -1779,22 +1770,8 @@ export function Workspace() {
     const onNavigate = (e: Event) => {
       const targetMode = (e as CustomEvent<{ mode?: string }>).detail?.mode;
       if (!targetMode) return;
-      // Legacy fallback while the Code surface flag is off: redirect to the
-      // most-recent repo session in chat (the retirement-era behavior). With
-      // the flag on, "code" falls through to setMode and lands on the surface.
-      if (targetMode === "code" && !caveCodeSurface()) {
-        const repoSession = [...sessionsRef.current]
-          .filter((s) => s.project_root)
-          .sort((a, b) => (b.updated_at || b.created_at).localeCompare(a.updated_at || a.created_at))[0];
-        if (repoSession) {
-          openFamiliarSession(repoSession.id, repoSession.familiarId);
-        } else {
-          setMode("chat");
-        }
-        return;
-      }
-      // Alias modes (flow, journal, groupchat, …) need no special-casing:
-      // setMode's alias funnel routes them via MODE_ALIASES.
+      // Alias modes (flow, journal, groupchat, github, …) need no
+      // special-casing: setMode's alias funnel routes them via MODE_ALIASES.
       setMode(targetMode as WorkspaceMode);
     };
     window.addEventListener("cave:navigate-mode", onNavigate as EventListener);
@@ -2855,16 +2832,14 @@ export function Workspace() {
         navigationRequest={browserNavigationQueue[0] ?? null}
         onNavigationConsumed={acknowledgeBrowserNavigation}
       />
-    ) : mode === "github" ? (
-      <GitHubView
-        onJumpToSession={openFamiliarSession}
-        onFocusCard={(cardId) => onPaletteIntent({ kind: "focus-card", cardId })}
-        initialTarget={githubTarget}
-        onTasksRefresh={() => void loadGitHubTasks(true)}
-      />
-    ) : mode === "code" ? (
+    ) : mode === "code" || mode === "github" ? (
+      // "github" is a tab alias (cave-m6ys): the standalone surface was
+      // absorbed as Code's GitHub tab. Keyed remount so ?mode=github deep
+      // links land on the tab even when Code is already the active surface.
       <CodeView
+        key={mode}
         sessions={sessions}
+        initialTopTab={mode === "github" ? "github" : undefined}
         onJumpToSession={openFamiliarSession}
         onFocusCard={(cardId) => onPaletteIntent({ kind: "focus-card", cardId })}
         githubTarget={githubTarget}

src/lib/feature-flags.ts

@@ -6,15 +6,3 @@ function envFlag(value: string | undefined): boolean {
 export function caveChatoutCodex(): boolean {
   return envFlag(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_CAVE_CHATOUT_CODEX);
 }
-
-/**
- * Dedicated Code surface (cave-k0ua): the Codex-style multi-session coding
- * tab. While flagged off, the sidebar keeps the GitHub row and `?mode=code`
- * deep links fall back to the legacy redirect (most-recent repo chat). When
- * on, the Code row replaces the GitHub row (GitHub mounts as a tab inside
- * Code). NEXT_PUBLIC_ env vars are inlined at build time, so both branches
- * of the swap stay in the bundle but the choice is fixed per build.
- */
-export function caveCodeSurface(): boolean {
-  return envFlag(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_CAVE_CODE_SURFACE);
-}

src/lib/sidebar-nav-state.test.ts

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ test("deep-linkable modes hosted by another surface light the host row (cave-s9p
   assert.equal(sidebarRowState("inbox", "calendar"), "active", "calendar renders on Schedules");
   assert.equal(sidebarRowState("board", "familiar-work-queue"), "active", "the Queue is a Tasks-hub tab");
   assert.equal(sidebarRowState("inbox", "flow"), "active", "retired flow remaps to Schedules");
+  assert.equal(sidebarRowState("code", "github"), "active", "github is Code's GitHub tab (cave-m6ys)");
 });
 
 test("Journal is a Memories tab — the Memories (grimoire) row hosts it", () => {