simplify desktop server connection resolution

apps/app/src/react-app/shell/debug-logger.ts

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type DevLogEntry = {
 let started = false;
 let flushTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
 let queue: DevLogEntry[] = [];
-let serverUrlRef: () => string = () => readFallbackServerUrl();
+let serverUrlRef: () => string | Promise<string> = () => readFallbackServerUrl();
 const pendingFetches = new Map<number, { url: string; method: string; startedAt: number }>();
 let nextFetchId = 1;
 let lastHeartbeat = Date.now();
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ function scheduleFlush() {
 
 async function flushQueue() {
   if (queue.length === 0) return;
-  const base = serverUrlRef();
+  const base = await serverUrlRef();
   if (!base) return;
 
   // Skip the POST entirely when we know the sink is disabled, otherwise
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ function isEnabled(): boolean {
   return true;
 }
 
-export function startDebugLogger(opts?: { serverUrl?: () => string }) {
+export function startDebugLogger(opts?: { serverUrl?: () => string | Promise<string> }) {
   if (started) return;
   if (!isEnabled()) return;
   started = true;

apps/app/src/react-app/shell/desktop-runtime-boot.ts

@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ let BOOT_STARTED = false;
  *   2) if a local workspace is selected, restart the embedded OpenWork server
  *   3) start the OpenCode engine pointed at the workspace
  *   4) activate the workspace in the orchestrator
- *   5) persist the resulting base URL + token into local OpenWork settings so the
- *      React routes (session-route / settings-route) see a live `readOpenworkServerSettings()`
+ *   5) notify React routes that fresh desktop runtime info is available. Electron
+ *      routes read live runtime info directly instead of persisting ephemeral
+ *      localhost ports/tokens into OpenWork settings.
  *
  * Safe to call multiple times — gated by a `didBoot` ref so it runs once per mount.
  */
@@ -112,15 +113,6 @@ export function useDesktopRuntimeBoot() {
           }
           const serverInfo = boot.openworkServer;
           if (serverInfo?.baseUrl) {
-            writeOpenworkServerSettings({
-              urlOverride: serverInfo.baseUrl,
-              token:
-                serverInfo.ownerToken?.trim() ||
-                serverInfo.clientToken?.trim() ||
-                undefined,
-              portOverride: serverInfo.port ?? undefined,
-              remoteAccessEnabled: serverInfo.remoteAccessEnabled === true,
-            });
             try {
               window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent("openwork-server-settings-changed"));
             } catch {

apps/app/src/react-app/shell/openwork-connection.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import {
+  normalizeOpenworkServerUrl,
+  readOpenworkServerSettings,
+} from "../../app/lib/openwork-server";
+import { openworkServerInfo, type OpenworkServerInfo } from "../../app/lib/desktop";
+import { isDesktopRuntime } from "../../app/utils";
+
+export type OpenworkConnectionSource = "desktop-runtime" | "stored-settings" | "empty";
+
+export type ResolvedOpenworkConnection = {
+  normalizedBaseUrl: string;
+  resolvedToken: string;
+  hostInfo: OpenworkServerInfo | null;
+  source: OpenworkConnectionSource;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Resolve the OpenWork server connection for routes that consume the server API.
+ *
+ * Local desktop-hosted servers expose ephemeral loopback ports and freshly
+ * minted tokens on every boot, so live runtime info is the source of truth
+ * there. Stored settings remain the fallback for remote/manual server
+ * connections and for desktop cases where the runtime bridge is unavailable.
+ */
+export async function resolveOpenworkConnection(): Promise<ResolvedOpenworkConnection> {
+  if (isDesktopRuntime()) {
+    try {
+      const info = await openworkServerInfo();
+      const normalizedBaseUrl =
+        normalizeOpenworkServerUrl(info.connectUrl ?? info.baseUrl ?? info.lanUrl ?? info.mdnsUrl ?? "") ??
+        "";
+      const resolvedToken = info.ownerToken?.trim() || info.clientToken?.trim() || "";
+      if (normalizedBaseUrl || resolvedToken) {
+        return {
+          normalizedBaseUrl,
+          resolvedToken,
+          hostInfo: info,
+          source: "desktop-runtime",
+        };
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // Fall through to stored settings for remote/manual connections.
+    }
+  }
+
+  const settings = readOpenworkServerSettings();
+  const normalizedBaseUrl = normalizeOpenworkServerUrl(settings.urlOverride ?? "") ?? "";
+  const resolvedToken = settings.token?.trim() ?? "";
+
+  return {
+    normalizedBaseUrl,
+    resolvedToken,
+    hostInfo: null,
+    source: normalizedBaseUrl || resolvedToken ? "stored-settings" : "empty",
+  };
+}

apps/app/src/react-app/shell/providers.tsx

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import { useEffect, type ReactNode } from "react";
 
 import { isWebDeployment } from "../../app/lib/openwork-deployment";
-import { hydrateOpenworkServerSettingsFromEnv, readOpenworkServerSettings } from "../../app/lib/openwork-server";
+import { hydrateOpenworkServerSettingsFromEnv } from "../../app/lib/openwork-server";
 import { isDesktopRuntime } from "../../app/utils";
 import { DenAuthProvider } from "../domains/cloud/den-auth-provider";
 import { DesktopConfigProvider } from "../domains/cloud/desktop-config-provider";
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { BootStateProvider } from "./boot-state";
 import { DesktopRuntimeBoot } from "./desktop-runtime-boot";
 import { startDebugLogger, stopDebugLogger } from "./debug-logger";
 import { MigrationPrompt } from "./migration-prompt";
+import { resolveOpenworkConnection } from "./openwork-connection";
 import { ReloadCoordinatorProvider } from "./reload-coordinator";
 
 function resolveDefaultServerUrl(): string {
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ export function AppProviders({ children }: AppProvidersProps) {
     // URL on every flush so reconnects after port changes still work. In prod
     // builds `startDebugLogger` is a no-op.
     startDebugLogger({
-      serverUrl: () => readOpenworkServerSettings().urlOverride?.trim() ?? "",
+      serverUrl: async () => (await resolveOpenworkConnection()).normalizedBaseUrl,
     });
     return () => {
       stopDebugLogger();

apps/app/src/react-app/shell/session-route.tsx

@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import { listCommands, shellInSession } from "../../app/lib/opencode-session";
 import {
   buildOpenworkWorkspaceBaseUrl,
   createOpenworkServerClient,
-  normalizeOpenworkServerUrl,
   readOpenworkServerSettings,
   writeOpenworkServerSettings,
   type OpenworkServerClient,
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@ import {
 import {
   engineInfo,
   revealDesktopItemInDir,
-  openworkServerInfo,
   openworkServerRestart,
   pickDirectory,
   resolveWorkspaceListSelectedId,
@@ -85,6 +83,7 @@ import { useReactRenderWatchdog } from "./react-render-watchdog";
 import { getModelBehaviorSummary } from "../../app/lib/model-behavior";
 import { filterProviderList, mapConfigProvidersToList } from "../../app/utils/providers";
 import { ensureDesktopLocalOpenworkConnection } from "./desktop-local-openwork";
+import { resolveOpenworkConnection } from "./openwork-connection";
 import { useReloadCoordinator } from "./reload-coordinator";
 
 type RouteWorkspace = OpenworkWorkspaceInfo & {
@@ -108,32 +107,6 @@ function folderNameFromPath(path: string) {
   return parts[parts.length - 1] ?? "workspace";
 }
 
-async function resolveRouteOpenworkConnection() {
-  const settings = readOpenworkServerSettings();
-  let normalizedBaseUrl = normalizeOpenworkServerUrl(settings.urlOverride ?? "") ?? "";
-  let resolvedToken = settings.token?.trim() ?? "";
-  let hostInfo: OpenworkServerInfo | null = null;
-
-  if (isDesktopRuntime()) {
-    try {
-      const info = await openworkServerInfo();
-      hostInfo = info;
-      // Desktop-hosted servers use a fresh loopback port and freshly minted
-      // owner token per boot. Prefer the live runtime info over localStorage;
-      // the stored URL/token can point at the previous process and produce
-      // ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED or 401 before the boot event refreshes settings.
-      normalizedBaseUrl =
-        normalizeOpenworkServerUrl(info.connectUrl ?? info.baseUrl ?? info.lanUrl ?? info.mdnsUrl ?? "") ??
-        normalizedBaseUrl;
-      resolvedToken = info.ownerToken?.trim() || info.clientToken?.trim() || resolvedToken;
-    } catch {
-      // ignore and fall back to stored settings only
-    }
-  }
-
-  return { normalizedBaseUrl, resolvedToken, hostInfo };
-}
-
 function isTransientStartupError(message: string | null | undefined) {
   const value = (message ?? "").toLowerCase();
   return (
@@ -483,7 +456,7 @@ export function SessionRoute() {
         }
       }
 
-      const { normalizedBaseUrl, resolvedToken, hostInfo } = await resolveRouteOpenworkConnection();
+      const { normalizedBaseUrl, resolvedToken, hostInfo } = await resolveOpenworkConnection();
       setOpenworkServerHostInfoState(hostInfo);
       if (!normalizedBaseUrl || !resolvedToken) {
         setClient(null);

apps/app/src/react-app/shell/settings-route.tsx

@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import { createClient } from "../../app/lib/opencode";
 import {
   buildOpenworkWorkspaceBaseUrl,
   createOpenworkServerClient,
-  normalizeOpenworkServerUrl,
   readOpenworkServerSettings,
   type OpenworkServerCapabilities,
   type OpenworkServerClient,
@@ -46,7 +45,6 @@ import {
   useWorkspaceShellLayout,
 } from "./workspace-shell-layout";
 import {
-  openworkServerInfo,
   pickDirectory,
   resolveWorkspaceListSelectedId,
   workspaceBootstrap,
@@ -65,6 +63,7 @@ import { ModelPickerModal } from "../domains/session/modals/model-picker-modal";
 import type { ModelOption, ModelRef } from "../../app/types";
 import { recordInspectorEvent } from "./app-inspector";
 import { ensureDesktopLocalOpenworkConnection } from "./desktop-local-openwork";
+import { resolveOpenworkConnection } from "./openwork-connection";
 import { abortSessionSafe } from "../../app/lib/opencode-session";
 import { useReloadCoordinator } from "./reload-coordinator";
 
@@ -173,27 +172,13 @@ function folderNameFromPath(path: string) {
   return parts[parts.length - 1] ?? "workspace";
 }
 
-async function resolveRouteOpenworkConnection() {
-  const settings = readOpenworkServerSettings();
-  let normalizedBaseUrl = normalizeOpenworkServerUrl(settings.urlOverride ?? "") ?? "";
-  let resolvedToken = settings.token?.trim() ?? "";
-
-  if (isDesktopRuntime()) {
-    try {
-      const info = await openworkServerInfo();
-      // Desktop-hosted servers use a fresh loopback port and freshly minted
-      // owner token per boot. Prefer the live runtime info over localStorage;
-      // stored settings may belong to a previous server process.
-      normalizedBaseUrl =
-        normalizeOpenworkServerUrl(info.connectUrl ?? info.baseUrl ?? info.lanUrl ?? info.mdnsUrl ?? "") ??
-        normalizedBaseUrl;
-      resolvedToken = info.ownerToken?.trim() || info.clientToken?.trim() || resolvedToken;
-    } catch {
-      // ignore and fall back to stored settings only
-    }
+function isLoopbackServerUrl(raw: string) {
+  try {
+    const parsed = new URL(raw);
+    return parsed.hostname === "127.0.0.1" || parsed.hostname === "localhost" || parsed.hostname === "::1";
+  } catch {
+    return false;
   }
-
-  return { normalizedBaseUrl, resolvedToken };
 }
 
 type PersistedThemeMode = "light" | "dark" | "system";
@@ -482,11 +467,13 @@ export function SettingsRoute() {
     () =>
       createOpenworkServerStore({
         startupPreference: () => {
-          // In Tauri desktop mode, prefer the embedded host server (hostInfo.baseUrl)
-          // unless the user has explicitly pinned a remote urlOverride.
+          // In desktop mode, loopback URLs are ephemeral local runtime details.
+          // Only non-loopback stored URLs indicate an explicit remote/manual
+          // server connection preference.
           if (!isDesktopRuntime()) return "server";
           const stored = readOpenworkServerSettings();
-          return stored.urlOverride?.trim() ? "server" : "local";
+          const urlOverride = stored.urlOverride?.trim() ?? "";
+          return urlOverride && !isLoopbackServerUrl(urlOverride) ? "server" : "local";
         },
         documentVisible: () => typeof document === "undefined" || document.visibilityState === "visible",
         developerMode: () => routeStateRef.current.developerMode,
@@ -703,7 +690,7 @@ export function SettingsRoute() {
           desktopWorkspaces = workspacesRef.current;
         }
       }
-      const { normalizedBaseUrl, resolvedToken } = await resolveRouteOpenworkConnection();
+      const { normalizedBaseUrl, resolvedToken } = await resolveOpenworkConnection();
 
       if (!normalizedBaseUrl || !resolvedToken) {
         setOpenworkClient(null);