herdr-throwaway-repro

Herdr throwaway reproduction

Use a disposable named Herdr session when a reproduction needs a real Herdr server, panes, PTYs, agents, or socket API without risking the user's main session.

The temporary TUI only keeps the disposable session attached and supplies terminal geometry. Drive the reproduction from the parent session through Herdr's CLI/API. Do not manually operate the nested TUI unless the bug specifically requires client input.

Non-negotiable safety

• Never run the reproduction in the default session.
• Never stop, restart, delete, or kill the main Herdr server.
• Never use pkill, broad process matching, or guessed PIDs for cleanup.
• Create a unique session name. Never reuse or delete an unrelated named session.
• Create a new outer pane and close only that pane during cleanup.
• Read workspace, tab, pane, terminal, and agent IDs from command output. Never construct them.
• Use /var/tmp for reproduction directories and potentially large artifacts.
• Do not approve destructive or unnecessary agent actions.
• Do not spend paid agent tokens without the user's approval. Use the requested low-cost model and the smallest useful prompts.

Learn the installed interface first

The installed binary is the authority. CLI syntax may have changed since this skill was written.

Confirm the caller is inside Herdr and inspect the relevant help before doing anything:

test "${HERDR_ENV:-}" = 1
herdr --version
herdr --help
herdr session
herdr pane
herdr agent

Inspect nested command help before using unfamiliar or potentially mutating commands. Do not run bare herdr for discovery because it launches or attaches the TUI.

Record which Herdr binary and version the reproduction tests. If testing a checkout build, follow the repository's instructions for running that build instead of silently substituting the installed binary.

Create the outer pane

Create a sibling shell pane in the current tab without moving focus. Use an available Herdr layout tool when the harness provides one. Otherwise use the installed pane split command after checking its help.

Use /var/tmp or a dedicated reproduction directory as the new pane's cwd. Save the returned outer pane ID. This is the only parent-session pane that cleanup may close.

Start the disposable session

Choose a short unique name such as repro-<topic>-<timestamp>.