feat: the write path — apply estimate/priority changes to gitea (P4-3 apply_changes)

The first write path. Read, forecast, and calibration were all real; now you can
*manage* CommiTea from CommiTea. Estimates/priority are exclusive label axes, so
a change is a label swap — proposed, approved, then written. Nothing is assumed.

core (@commitea/core):
- planIssueChange(current, change): pure diff planner — swaps the est/*|p/* axis,
  clears on null, dedups a doubled axis; returns the resulting label set + a
  before/after diff + noop flag. describeChange() renders "est/2d → est/5d".
- request() seam extended for writes (method/body, JSON, 204). client gains
  listLabels() (name→id) and setIssueLabels() (PUT /issues/{n}/labels).

app:
- main bridge gitea:applyChange — resolves plan.labels → ids (cached, refetch on
  miss), PUTs, returns the plan + fresh issue. Token never leaves main.
- preload + global.d.ts expose applyChange; useBacklog returns a refetch so a
  write re-reconciles the board + forecast.
- Issue screen: an Adjust button (shown only when configured) opens a
  propose-approve Dialog — estimate/priority pickers, live "est/3d → est/8d"
  consequence, Apply/Cancel. AppShell wires it, reflects new labels on the open
  issue immediately, and refetches.

Verified: 83 core tests green (7 apply-changes + 2 client-write new), desktop
typecheck clean, 14 fixture e2e green. Live spec exercises propose + CANCEL (no
mutation); the real PUT was verified once manually (change #2 est/3d→est/8d→200,
reverted clean). Icon: pencil (no sliders-horizontal in the set).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

apps/desktop/e2e/live-backlog.spec.ts

@@ -45,6 +45,21 @@ test.describe('live backlog', () => {
     await expect(win.getByText(/cold-start · \d+\/20|curve active · n ≥ 20/)).toBeVisible()
     await win.screenshot({ path: join(here, '.artifacts', 'screens', 'live-calibration.png'), fullPage: true, animations: 'disabled' })
 
+    // Write path (apply_changes): open the top scheduled issue, propose an
+    // estimate change, and confirm the propose-approve diff renders — then CANCEL
+    // so the live run never mutates the real repo (the PUT is unit-tested; a
+    // one-off change→revert verified it against gitea manually).
+    await rail.getByRole('button', { name: 'Morning service' }).click()
+    await win.getByRole('main').getByRole('link').first().click()
+    await expect(win.getByText(/· stephen\/commitea/)).toBeVisible()
+    await win.getByRole('button', { name: 'Adjust' }).click()
+    await expect(win.getByText('Adjust estimate & priority')).toBeVisible()
+    await win.getByRole('combobox').first().selectOption('est/8d')
+    await expect(win.getByText('Proposed label change')).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(win.getByText(/est\/8d/).last()).toBeVisible()
+    await win.screenshot({ path: join(here, '.artifacts', 'screens', 'live-apply-change.png'), fullPage: true, animations: 'disabled' })
+    await win.getByRole('button', { name: 'Cancel' }).click() // no mutation
+
     await app.close()
   })
 })

apps/desktop/src/main/gitea.ts

@@ -9,7 +9,14 @@
 import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { dirname, join } from 'node:path'
 
-import { createGiteaClient, type GiteaConfig, type LifecycleEvent } from '@commitea/core'
+import {
+  createGiteaClient,
+  type GiteaConfig,
+  type GiteaLabel,
+  type IssueChange,
+  type LifecycleEvent,
+  planIssueChange,
+} from '@commitea/core'
 import { ipcMain } from 'electron'
 
 /** Walk up from cwd looking for a .env.local with a GITEA_TOKEN (dev convenience). */
@@ -71,4 +78,31 @@ export function registerGiteaIpc(): void {
     if (!client) return null
     return client.getIssue(index)
   })
+
+  // Cached label list for name→id resolution; refreshed on demand if a name misses.
+  let labelCache: GiteaLabel[] | null = null
+  async function resolveLabelIds(names: string[]): Promise<number[]> {
+    if (!client) return []
+    const lookup = () => new Map(labelCache!.map((l) => [l.name, l.id]))
+    if (!labelCache) labelCache = await client.listLabels()
+    let byName = lookup()
+    if (names.some((n) => !byName.has(n))) {
+      labelCache = await client.listLabels() // a name we don't know — refetch once
+      byName = lookup()
+    }
+    return names.map((n) => byName.get(n)).filter((id): id is number => id != null)
+  }
+
+  // The write path (apply_changes). Additive label swaps, applied only after the
+  // renderer's propose-approve. Returns the plan + the freshly-read issue.
+  ipcMain.handle('gitea:applyChange', async (_event, change: IssueChange) => {
+    if (!client) return { ok: false as const, reason: 'unconfigured' as const }
+    const current = await client.getIssue(change.issue)
+    const plan = planIssueChange(current.labels, change)
+    if (plan.noop) return { ok: true as const, plan, issue: current }
+    const ids = await resolveLabelIds(plan.labels)
+    await client.setIssueLabels(change.issue, ids)
+    const issue = await client.getIssue(change.issue)
+    return { ok: true as const, plan, issue }
+  })
 }

apps/desktop/src/preload/index.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ const api = {
     reconcile: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('gitea:reconcile'),
     /** One issue by index, normalized (or null if unconfigured). */
     getIssue: (index: number) => ipcRenderer.invoke('gitea:getIssue', index),
+    /** Apply an estimate/priority change (the write path); resolves to the plan + fresh issue. */
+    applyChange: (change: unknown) => ipcRenderer.invoke('gitea:applyChange', change),
   },
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/issue-screen.tsx

@@ -1,17 +1,33 @@
 // Issue detail — human intent (gitea) on the left, machine-derived (pm-state) on the right
-import React from 'react'
+import React, { useState } from 'react'
+
+import {
+  describeChange,
+  type EstimateLabel,
+  ESTIMATE_LABELS,
+  type IssueChange,
+  planIssueChange,
+  type PriorityLabel,
+  PRIORITY_LABELS,
+} from '@commitea/core'
 
 import { ISSUE_DETAIL, type IssueDetail, type IssueRef } from '../../data/fixtures.js'
-import { Badge, Button, Card, Icon, Tag } from '../ui/index.js'
+import { Badge, Button, Card, Dialog, Icon, Select, Tag } from '../ui/index.js'
+
+const NONE = '—'
 
 export function IssueScreen({
   issue,
   onBack,
   onOpenIssue,
+  canWrite = false,
+  onApplyChange,
 }: {
   issue: IssueRef
   onBack: () => void
   onOpenIssue: (issue: IssueRef) => void
+  canWrite?: boolean
+  onApplyChange?: (change: IssueChange) => Promise<{ ok: boolean }>
 }) {
   const det: IssueDetail = ISSUE_DETAIL[issue.id] || {
     state: 'triage',
@@ -40,6 +56,44 @@ export function IssueScreen({
     } as Record<string, { tone: 'warn' | 'neutral' | 'info' | 'ok'; label: string }>
   )[det.state] || { tone: 'neutral', label: det.state }
 
+  // ---- propose-approve write path (apply_changes) ----
+  const labels = issue.labels ?? []
+  const curEstimate = labels.find((l) => l.startsWith('est/')) ?? ''
+  const curPriority = labels.find((l) => l.startsWith('p/')) ?? ''
+  const [adjustOpen, setAdjustOpen] = useState(false)
+  const [estimate, setEstimate] = useState(curEstimate)
+  const [priority, setPriority] = useState(curPriority)
+  const [applying, setApplying] = useState(false)
+
+  const openAdjust = () => {
+    setEstimate(curEstimate)
+    setPriority(curPriority)
+    setAdjustOpen(true)
+  }
+
+  // the concrete changes this dialog would apply, one per axis that differs
+  const pendingChanges: IssueChange[] = []
+  if (estimate !== curEstimate)
+    pendingChanges.push({ kind: 'reestimate', issue: issue.id, estimate: (estimate || null) as EstimateLabel | null })
+  if (priority !== curPriority)
+    pendingChanges.push({ kind: 'reprioritize', issue: issue.id, priority: (priority || null) as PriorityLabel | null })
+
+  const diffs = pendingChanges.map((c) => describeChange(planIssueChange(labels, c)))
+
+  const apply = async () => {
+    if (!onApplyChange || pendingChanges.length === 0) return
+    setApplying(true)
+    try {
+      for (const c of pendingChanges) await onApplyChange(c)
+      setAdjustOpen(false)
+    } finally {
+      setApplying(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  const estOptions = [{ value: '', label: NONE }, ...ESTIMATE_LABELS.map((l) => ({ value: l, label: l }))]
+  const prioOptions = [{ value: '', label: NONE }, ...PRIORITY_LABELS.map((l) => ({ value: l, label: l }))]
+
   return (
     <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 16 }}>
       {/* breadcrumb + header */}
@@ -65,10 +119,69 @@ export function IssueScreen({
               </span>
             </div>
           </div>
-          <Button variant="secondary" icon="arrow-up-right">Open in Gitea</Button>
+          <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8, flexShrink: 0 }}>
+            {canWrite ? (
+              <Button variant="secondary" icon="pencil" onClick={openAdjust}>
+                Adjust
+              </Button>
+            ) : null}
+            <Button variant="secondary" icon="arrow-up-right">Open in Gitea</Button>
+          </div>
         </header>
       </div>
 
+      <Dialog
+        open={adjustOpen}
+        onClose={() => setAdjustOpen(false)}
+        title="Adjust estimate & priority"
+        footer={
+          <>
+            <Button variant="ghost" onClick={() => setAdjustOpen(false)}>
+              Cancel
+            </Button>
+            <Button onClick={apply} disabled={pendingChanges.length === 0 || applying}>
+              {applying ? 'Applying…' : 'Apply to gitea'}
+            </Button>
+          </>
+        }
+      >
+        <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 14 }}>
+          <Select
+            label="Estimate"
+            options={estOptions}
+            value={estimate}
+            onChange={(e) => setEstimate(e.target.value)}
+          />
+          <Select
+            label="Priority"
+            options={prioOptions}
+            value={priority}
+            onChange={(e) => setPriority(e.target.value)}
+          />
+        </div>
+        <div style={{ marginTop: 14, minHeight: 40 }}>
+          {pendingChanges.length === 0 ? (
+            <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent)', color: 'var(--ink-3)', margin: 0 }}>
+              No change yet — pick a different estimate or priority.
+            </p>
+          ) : (
+            <>
+              <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-overline)', letterSpacing: 'var(--letter-spacing-wide)', textTransform: 'uppercase', color: 'var(--ink-3)', margin: '0 0 6px' }}>
+                Proposed label change
+              </p>
+              {diffs.map((d) => (
+                <div key={d} style={{ font: '500 13px var(--font-mono)', color: 'var(--ink-1)' }}>
+                  {d}
+                </div>
+              ))}
+              <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', margin: '8px 0 0' }}>
+                Writes the label to gitea and re-runs the plan. Nothing else changes.
+              </p>
+            </>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </Dialog>
+
       <div style={{ display: 'grid', gridTemplateColumns: '1fr 300px', gap: 16, alignItems: 'start' }}>
         {/* left: human intent */}
         <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 16 }}>

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/shell/app-shell.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 
 import logoIcon from '../../design/assets/logo-icon.png'
+import type { IssueChange } from '@commitea/core'
+
 import type { IssueRef } from '../../data/fixtures.js'
 import { backlogCalibration, forecastBacklog, issuesToBoardColumns, scheduleFocus } from '../../lib/backlog.js'
 import { useBacklog } from '../../lib/use-backlog.js'
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ export function AppShell() {
   const [offline, setOffline] = useState(false)
   const [issue, setIssue] = useState<IssueRef | null>(null)
   const [readIds, setReadIds] = useState<number[]>([])
-  const backlog = useBacklog()
+  const [backlog, refetchBacklog] = useBacklog()
   const boardColumns =
     backlog.status === 'ready' ? issuesToBoardColumns(backlog.issues, backlog.timelines) : undefined
   const focus =
@@ -107,6 +109,17 @@ export function AppShell() {
     setView('issue')
   }
 
+  // The write path: apply through the bridge, reflect the new labels on the open
+  // issue immediately, and re-reconcile so the board + forecast catch up.
+  const applyChange = async (change: IssueChange) => {
+    const res = await window.commitea.gitea.applyChange(change)
+    if (res.ok) {
+      setIssue((cur) => (cur && cur.id === res.issue.number ? { ...cur, labels: res.issue.labels } : cur))
+      refetchBacklog()
+    }
+    return res
+  }
+
   const NAV: NavEntry[] = [
     { id: 'standup', label: 'Standup', icon: 'sun' },
     { id: 'focus', label: 'Morning service', icon: 'coffee' },
@@ -206,7 +219,13 @@ export function AppShell() {
         return <SettingsScreen dark={dark} setDark={setDark} />
       case 'issue':
         return issue ? (
-          <IssueScreen issue={issue} onBack={() => setView(prevView)} onOpenIssue={openIssue} />
+          <IssueScreen
+            issue={issue}
+            onBack={() => setView(prevView)}
+            onOpenIssue={openIssue}
+            canWrite={backlog.status === 'ready'}
+            onApplyChange={applyChange}
+          />
         ) : null
       case 'states':
         return <StatesScreen onCapture={() => setView('capture')} />

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/global.d.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
-import type { DependencyEdge, GiteaIssue, GiteaMilestone, LifecycleEvent } from '@commitea/core'
+import type {
+  DependencyEdge,
+  GiteaIssue,
+  GiteaMilestone,
+  IssueChange,
+  LabelPlan,
+  LifecycleEvent,
+} from '@commitea/core'
+
+/** The result of a write through the bridge. */
+export type ApplyChangeResult =
+  | { ok: false; reason: 'unconfigured' }
+  | { ok: true; plan: LabelPlan; issue: GiteaIssue }
 
 /** The gitea bridge exposed by the preload over IPC (main-process backed). */
 export interface GiteaBridge {
@@ -12,6 +24,7 @@ export interface GiteaBridge {
     timelines: Record<number, LifecycleEvent[]>
   }>
   getIssue(index: number): Promise<GiteaIssue | null>
+  applyChange(change: IssueChange): Promise<ApplyChangeResult>
 }
 
 declare global {

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/lib/use-backlog.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 
 import type { DependencyEdge, GiteaIssue, GiteaMilestone, LifecycleEvent } from '@commitea/core'
 
@@ -15,12 +15,15 @@ export type BacklogState =
     }
 
 /**
- * Reconcile the managed repo once on mount, through the main-process bridge.
- * `unconfigured` means no token — the UI falls back to demo fixtures. Errors
- * (network, bad token) surface as `error`.
+ * Reconcile the managed repo through the main-process bridge. Runs once on
+ * mount; the returned `refetch` re-reconciles after a write so the board and
+ * forecast reflect the change. `unconfigured` means no token — the UI falls
+ * back to demo fixtures. Errors (network, bad token) surface as `error`.
  */
-export function useBacklog(): BacklogState {
+export function useBacklog(): [BacklogState, () => void] {
   const [state, setState] = useState<BacklogState>({ status: 'loading' })
+  const [nonce, setNonce] = useState(0)
+  const refetch = useCallback(() => setNonce((n) => n + 1), [])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     let alive = true
@@ -46,7 +49,7 @@ export function useBacklog(): BacklogState {
     return () => {
       alive = false
     }
-  }, [])
+  }, [nonce])
 
-  return state
+  return [state, refetch]
 }