kandev/docs/decisions/2026-08-01-repository-task-executor-defaults.md

ADR-2026-08-01-repository-task-executor-defaults: Resolve Task Executor Policy Before Last-Used Profile

Status: accepted Date: 2026-08-01 Area: frontend

Context

ADR 0028 made task_create_last_used.executor_profile_id portable and backend-owned. The task dialog consumed that profile before resolving the task source and workspace executor default, so a single Local task could make later ordinary repository-backed tasks default to Local across browsers and upgrades. That portable convenience preference conflicts with Worktree's role as the isolation-first fallback.

Decision

Task creation separates executor policy from profile convenience. The dialog first resolves an eligible executor from the task source and explicit workspace default: unmanaged local paths and repository-less tasks prefer direct Local, a valid workspace default wins for ordinary repository tasks, and otherwise Worktree is preferred. The backend-owned last-used profile is restored only when it belongs to that resolved executor; it never switches executors.

Manual profile selection still applies to the task being created and successful creation still records the selected profile under users.settings.task_create_last_used. No persistence schema or API contract changes.

Consequences

• Ordinary repository tasks return to an isolation-first Worktree default after a one-off Local task, including in another browser or after an update.
• Explicit Local workspace defaults and explicit local-path/repository-less sources keep their current behavior.
• A single global last-used profile cannot remember a preferred profile for every executor. After crossing executor types, the dialog may use the resolved executor's first profile.
• The policy can be implemented and tested entirely in the frontend selection logic.

Alternatives Considered

1. Always force Worktree for every repository task. Rejected because it would ignore an explicit workspace default and remove an intentional configuration surface.
2. Remove last-used executor persistence. Rejected because profile restoration remains useful when the saved profile belongs to the executor selected by policy.
3. Persist one last-used profile per executor. Rejected for this repair because it expands the user-settings contract and requires migration and UI semantics beyond the reported regression.