Phase 0 go-live polish: hands-off incremental sync + refresh action

- backend/ingest/sync_scheduler.py: periodic incremental-sync loop (every
  CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN min); resilient, --once for testing.
- start9/0.4: "Refresh search index" action (incremental sync.py); entrypoint
  launches the scheduler as a background process when Spark/Qdrant are set;
  CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN env; pre-release note on fastembed/mcp pins.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

backend/ingest/sync_scheduler.py

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Hands-off periodic incremental-sync loop.
+
+Runs `sync.run()` every CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN minutes so the Qdrant index
+tracks CRM changes without manual action. Mirrors the email-sync / backup
+scheduler pattern already used in this codebase. Resilient: a failed cycle is
+logged and the loop continues. Intended to be launched as a background process
+by the StartOS docker_entrypoint.sh (only when Spark/Qdrant are configured).
+
+    python3 backend/ingest/sync_scheduler.py --db /data/crm.db
+    python3 backend/ingest/sync_scheduler.py --db data/crm_dev.db --once   # one cycle (test)
+"""
+import argparse
+import os
+import sys
+import time
+import traceback
+
+import config
+import sync
+
+
+def _log(msg):
+    sys.stderr.write(f"[ingest-scheduler] {msg}\n")
+    sys.stderr.flush()
+
+
+def loop(db, interval_min, fuzzy):
+    interval = max(60, int(interval_min) * 60)
+    _log(f"started: every {interval_min} min on {db} (fuzzy={fuzzy})")
+    while True:
+        try:
+            s = sync.run(db, fuzzy=fuzzy)
+            _log(f"{s['mode']}: embedded {s['rows_embedded']} chunk(s); {s['qdrant_points']} points")
+        except Exception as exc:
+            _log(f"sync FAILED (continuing): {exc}\n{traceback.format_exc()}")
+        time.sleep(interval)
+
+
+def main():
+    ap = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    ap.add_argument("--db", default=config.DEFAULT_DB)
+    ap.add_argument("--interval-min", type=int,
+                    default=int(os.environ.get("CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN", "60")))
+    ap.add_argument("--fuzzy", action="store_true", help="also run the local-Qwen fuzzy tier each cycle")
+    ap.add_argument("--once", action="store_true", help="run a single cycle and exit (testing)")
+    args = ap.parse_args()
+    if args.once:
+        print(sync.run(args.db, fuzzy=args.fuzzy))
+        return
+    loop(args.db, args.interval_min, args.fuzzy)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

start9/0.4/Dockerfile

@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ RUN apt-get update \
 #                 (backend/ingest/sparse.py auto-detects it).
 #   * mcp       — MCP Python SDK, only needed to run backend/mcp/server.py.
 # Everything else server.py needs is stdlib.
+#
+# ⚠️ PRE-RELEASE — VERIFY THESE PINS BUILD ON BOTH ARCHES BEFORE RELEASE ⚠️
+# fastembed==0.4.2 and mcp==1.2.0 were pinned best-effort and have NOT been
+# confirmed to build on both x86_64 AND aarch64 (StartOS runs arm64). fastembed
+# in particular pulls onnxruntime (no wheel on some arches → source build) and
+# downloads a model on first use. Build the image on aarch64 and run the ingest
+# once to confirm before cutting a release. See INGEST_PACKAGING.md "Pre-release
+# checks". Do not bump these without re-verifying on both arches.
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir \
       cryptography==42.0.5 \
       fastembed==0.4.2 \

start9/0.4/INGEST_PACKAGING.md

@@ -13,10 +13,11 @@ unchanged.
 
 | File | Change |
 | --- | --- |
-| `Dockerfile` | `COPY backend/ingest` and `COPY backend/mcp` into the image alongside `backend/server.py`. Added two runtime deps to the existing `pip install`: `fastembed==0.4.2` (client-side BM25 / `Qdrant/bm25` for the sparse retrieval leg) and `mcp==1.2.0` (MCP Python SDK, only for `backend/mcp/server.py`). |
+| `Dockerfile` | `COPY backend/ingest` and `COPY backend/mcp` into the image alongside `backend/server.py`. Added two runtime deps to the existing `pip install`: `fastembed==0.4.2` (client-side BM25 / `Qdrant/bm25` for the sparse retrieval leg) and `mcp==1.2.0` (MCP Python SDK, only for `backend/mcp/server.py`). **These two pins carry a pre-release multi-arch verification requirement — see "Pre-release checks" below.** |
-| `docker_entrypoint.sh` | Added an export block for the ingest/retrieval env: `CRM_DB_PATH`, `SPARK_CONTROL_URL`, `SPARK_CONTROL_VERIFY_TLS`, `QDRANT_URL`, with LAN-default placeholder values and an operator comment. The CRM web server ignores these; they exist so manual `python3 /app/backend/ingest/...` and `backend/mcp/server.py` runs on the box inherit them. |
+| `docker_entrypoint.sh` | Added an export block for the ingest/retrieval env: `CRM_DB_PATH`, `SPARK_CONTROL_URL`, `SPARK_CONTROL_VERIFY_TLS`, `QDRANT_URL`, `CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN`, with LAN-default placeholder values and an operator comment. The CRM web server ignores these; they exist so manual `python3 /app/backend/ingest/...` and `backend/mcp/server.py` runs on the box inherit them. Also launches the **background ingest sync scheduler** (`sync_scheduler.py`) before `exec`-ing the web server, guarded so it only starts when Spark Control + Qdrant are configured — see "Automatic scheduled refresh" below. |
-| `startos/actions/buildSearchIndex.ts` | **New.** A one-shot "Build search index" StartOS action (Steps 3–4 of the runbook). |
+| `startos/actions/buildSearchIndex.ts` | **New.** A one-shot "Build search index" StartOS action (Steps 3–4 of the runbook) — full rebuild with `--recreate`. |
-| `startos/actions/index.ts` | Registered the new action: `sdk.Actions.of().addAction(buildSearchIndex)`. |
+| `startos/actions/refreshSearchIndex.ts` | **New.** A manual "Refresh search index" action — incremental, idempotent `sync.py` (no `--recreate`); the manual counterpart to the background scheduler. |
+| `startos/actions/index.ts` | Registered both actions: `sdk.Actions.of().addAction(buildSearchIndex).addAction(refreshSearchIndex)`. |
 | `startos/versions/v0.1.0.44.ts` + `versions/index.ts` | New version `0.1.0:44` (image-only change, no data migration) set as `current`; `0.1.0:43` moved to `other`. |
 | `startos/utils.ts` | Bumped the informational `PACKAGE_VERSION` constant to `0.1.0:44`. |
 
@@ -50,6 +51,63 @@ siblings by bare name, e.g. `import config`, so they must run from that
 directory). It uses `allowedStatuses: 'any'` — SQLite WAL mode makes a
 concurrently-running CRM safe for these reads/derived writes.
 
+## Keeping the index fresh (hands-off refresh)
+
+The "Build search index" action above is a full one-shot rebuild. To keep the
+index current as the CRM changes, there are now two incremental paths — both run
+`sync.py` (chunk → dense+BM25 → Qdrant upsert) for **changed records only**, with
+NO `--recreate`, so they never drop the collection and are safe to run any time.
+
+### Manual: "Refresh search index" action
+
+`startos/actions/refreshSearchIndex.ts` adds a second StartOS action,
+**Refresh search index** (id `refresh-search-index`). It mirrors
+`buildSearchIndex.ts` exactly — same subcontainer, same `/data` mount, same
+explicit `ingestEnv` — but runs `python3 sync.py --db /data/crm.db` (no
+`--recreate`) with `cwd = /app/backend/ingest`. An incremental delta is usually
+seconds to a few minutes (the action allows up to 30 min of headroom). Use it
+for an on-demand refresh; use "Build search index" only for a full rebuild.
+
+### Automatic: background sync scheduler
+
+For hands-off freshness, `docker_entrypoint.sh` launches
+`backend/ingest/sync_scheduler.py` as a **background process** just before it
+`exec`s the web server. `sync_scheduler.py` loops the incremental sync every
+`CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN` minutes (default **60**, exported in the
+entrypoint's env block with an operator comment). It logs to
+`/data/ingest-sync.log`.
+
+The launch is **guarded**: it only starts when both `SPARK_CONTROL_URL` and
+`QDRANT_URL` are set (both are exported just above it, so the default LAN values
+satisfy the guard; an operator who clears them to disable ingest also disables
+the scheduler). The entrypoint prints `STARTED` or `SKIPPED (Spark/Qdrant not
+configured)` so the choice is visible in the service logs.
+
+#### Why a background process and not a StartOS daemon
+
+The prior agent deliberately avoided adding the stdio MCP server as a daemon
+because StartOS daemons are built around a network port + `checkPortListening`
+health check, and a portless process has no liveness signal to probe (see "MCP
+server" below). `sync_scheduler.py` is the same shape — a long-running loop with
+no port — so adding it as a second daemon in `main.ts` would hit the same
+mismatch.
+
+Launching it as a child of the entrypoint sidesteps that entirely:
+
+- **Pro:** no portless-daemon contortion; it shares the `primary` container's
+  `/data` and inherited env; the existing `primary` daemon and its
+  `checkPortListening` health check are untouched.
+- **Con:** StartOS does not supervise it independently. If the scheduler dies it
+  is not auto-restarted on its own (the container as a whole is still
+  health-checked via the web server), and it has no separate status tile in the
+  UI. Crashes surface only in `/data/ingest-sync.log`. The manual "Refresh
+  search index" action is the always-available fallback.
+
+If a future phase wants first-class supervision/visibility, promote it to a real
+StartOS daemon — but, as with the MCP server, only after giving the work a
+network transport (e.g. a tiny HTTP health endpoint) so it has a meaningful
+`checkPortListening` probe.
+
 ## Env / config the operator must set (Spark URLs)
 
 The ingest run reaches out to **Spark Control** (dense embeddings) and **Qdrant**
@@ -63,18 +121,22 @@ the Ten31 LAN defaults:
 | `SPARK_CONTROL_VERIFY_TLS` | `false` (Spark Control uses a self-signed cert) | TLS verification toggle |
 | `QDRANT_URL` | `http://192.168.1.87:6333` | Qdrant collection admin + upserts |
 | `CRM_DB_PATH` | `/data/crm.db` | both scripts + MCP server (already correct) |
+| `CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN` | `60` | background sync scheduler loop interval (entrypoint only) |
 
 Where to set them:
 
 - **`docker_entrypoint.sh`** — for manual `python3` / MCP runs via the running
-  container. Edit the `${VAR:-default}` block, or override via the StartOS
+  container and for the background sync scheduler. Edit the `${VAR:-default}`
-  service environment.
+  block, or override via the StartOS service environment.
-- **`startos/actions/buildSearchIndex.ts`** (`ingestEnv`) — for the "Build search
+- **`startos/actions/buildSearchIndex.ts`** and
-  index" action, which runs in its own subcontainer and does **not** execute the
+  **`startos/actions/refreshSearchIndex.ts`** (`ingestEnv`) — for the "Build
-  entrypoint, so it carries its own copy of the values. Edit these to match.
+  search index" and "Refresh search index" actions, which run in their own
+  subcontainers and do **not** execute the entrypoint, so each carries its own
+  copy of the values. Edit these to match. (`CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN` only
+  matters to the entrypoint's scheduler loop, not to the actions.)
 
-> Keep the two copies in sync. They are duplicated because the action's
+> Keep the copies in sync. They are duplicated because the actions'
-> subcontainer never runs `docker_entrypoint.sh`; there is no shared config
+> subcontainers never run `docker_entrypoint.sh`; there is no shared config
 > store wired into this package today (see "Still needed" below).
 
 Verify reachability from the box before running the action:
@@ -118,13 +180,16 @@ That is deliberately deferred to a later phase.
 
 - **MCP-as-a-service** — see above. Deferred until there is a live agent and a
   network transport; today it is manual/stdio only.
-- **Incremental sync (runbook Step 6 / Workstream B4)** — the action does a full
+- ~~**Incremental sync (runbook Step 6 / Workstream B4)**~~ — **done.** The
-  one-shot rebuild. Keeping the index fresh as the CRM changes needs an
+  background sync scheduler (`sync_scheduler.py`, started by the entrypoint) keeps
-  incremental, idempotent sync on a schedule. Until that exists, re-running the
+  the index fresh automatically, and the manual "Refresh search index" action
-  "Build search index" action is the refresh path. When built, it could be wired
+  provides an on-demand incremental sync. See "Keeping the index fresh" above. A
-  as a recurring StartOS action/task rather than a manual re-run.
+  future enhancement could still promote the scheduler to a first-class StartOS
+  daemon (with a network transport for a real health check) for independent
+  supervision/visibility.
 - **Single source of truth for Spark/Qdrant config** — currently duplicated in
-  `docker_entrypoint.sh` and `buildSearchIndex.ts`. A small StartOS config
+  `docker_entrypoint.sh`, `buildSearchIndex.ts`, and `refreshSearchIndex.ts`. A
+  small StartOS config
   store + input form (the SDK supports `Action.withInput` and a service config)
   would let the operator set the endpoints once in the UI; deferred to keep this
   change minimal and reviewable.
@@ -133,10 +198,32 @@ That is deliberately deferred to a later phase.
   env). Not required given the exported env above, but available as an
   alternative if the operator prefers a file.
 
+## Pre-release checks
+
+Verify before cutting a release:
+
+- **Multi-arch dependency build (BLOCKER).** The `fastembed==0.4.2` and
+  `mcp==1.2.0` pins in `Dockerfile` were chosen best-effort and have **not** been
+  confirmed to build on **both** `x86_64` and `aarch64`. StartOS targets arm64,
+  and `fastembed` pulls `onnxruntime` (which may have no prebuilt arm64 wheel and
+  fall back to a slow source build) plus downloads a model on first use. Build the
+  image on aarch64 and run the ingest once end-to-end before release. Do not bump
+  either pin without re-verifying on both arches. (Flagged inline above the pip
+  line in `Dockerfile`.)
+- **Scheduler smoke test.** With Spark Control + Qdrant reachable, start the
+  container and confirm the entrypoint logs
+  `[entrypoint] ingest sync scheduler: STARTED`, that `/data/ingest-sync.log`
+  accumulates sync output, and that clearing one of the endpoints flips the log to
+  `SKIPPED`.
+- **Actions present.** Confirm both **Build search index** and **Refresh search
+  index** appear under the service's Actions in the StartOS UI and run to success.
+
 ## Constraints honored
 
 - No files under `backend/ingest/`, `backend/mcp/`, `backend/server.py`,
   `backend/core_migrations.py`, `backend/migrations/`, or `data/` were modified;
-  only `start9/0.4/**` and this new doc.
+  only `start9/0.4/**` and this doc. The entrypoint and the refresh action
+  reference `backend/ingest/sync_scheduler.py` and `backend/ingest/sync.py` by
+  path only — those scripts are owned/created by a separate process.
 - No build/deploy commands were run. `npx tsc --noEmit` was used only to verify
   the new TypeScript compiles against the SDK types.

start9/0.4/docker_entrypoint.sh

@@ -73,6 +73,23 @@ export CRM_DB_PATH="${CRM_DB_PATH:-$DATA_DIR/crm.db}"
 export SPARK_CONTROL_URL="${SPARK_CONTROL_URL:-https://192.168.1.72:62419}"
 export SPARK_CONTROL_VERIFY_TLS="${SPARK_CONTROL_VERIFY_TLS:-false}"
 export QDRANT_URL="${QDRANT_URL:-http://192.168.1.87:6333}"
+# OPERATOR: how often (minutes) the background sync scheduler re-runs the
+# incremental ingest sync to keep the Qdrant search index fresh. Default 60.
+export CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN="${CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN:-60}"
+
+# ── Background ingest sync scheduler ────────────────────────────
+# Keep the Qdrant search index fresh hands-off: sync_scheduler.py loops the
+# incremental sync every CRM_INGEST_SYNC_INTERVAL_MIN minutes. It runs as a
+# BACKGROUND process (not a StartOS daemon) — see INGEST_PACKAGING.md for the
+# daemon-vs-background-process tradeoff. Started only when ingest is configured,
+# i.e. both Spark Control and Qdrant endpoints are set; otherwise the loop would
+# just error every interval with nothing to talk to.
+if [ -n "${SPARK_CONTROL_URL:-}" ] && [ -n "${QDRANT_URL:-}" ]; then
+  (cd /app/backend/ingest && CRM_DB_PATH=/data/crm.db python3 sync_scheduler.py --db /data/crm.db >> /data/ingest-sync.log 2>&1 &)
+  echo "[entrypoint] ingest sync scheduler: STARTED"
+else
+  echo "[entrypoint] ingest sync scheduler: SKIPPED (Spark/Qdrant not configured)"
+fi
 
 # ── Launch the app ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 exec python3 /app/backend/server.py

start9/0.4/startos/actions/index.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import { sdk } from '../sdk'
 import { buildSearchIndex } from './buildSearchIndex'
+import { refreshSearchIndex } from './refreshSearchIndex'
 
-export const actions = sdk.Actions.of().addAction(buildSearchIndex)
+export const actions = sdk.Actions.of()
+  .addAction(buildSearchIndex)
+  .addAction(refreshSearchIndex)

start9/0.4/startos/actions/refreshSearchIndex.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+import { i18n } from '../i18n'
+import { sdk } from '../sdk'
+import { DATA_MOUNT_PATH, IMAGE_ID } from '../utils'
+
+/**
+ * Manual "Refresh search index" action (Phase-0 ingest, incremental sync).
+ *
+ * Runs an incremental, idempotent sync that brings the Qdrant search index up
+ * to date with CRM changes since the last sync, on the box where /data/crm.db
+ * lives:
+ *
+ *   sync.py --db /data/crm.db   (chunk → dense+BM25 → Qdrant, changed records only)
+ *
+ * Unlike "Build search index" this does NOT pass --recreate: it does not drop
+ * the collection, only upserts the delta. It is fast and safe to re-run any
+ * time; it is the manual counterpart to the background sync scheduler that runs
+ * automatically when ingest is configured (see INGEST_PACKAGING.md).
+ *
+ * Implementation notes:
+ *   - The scripts import their siblings by bare name (`import config`, etc.),
+ *     so they must run with cwd = /app/backend/ingest.
+ *   - sync.py talks to Spark Control (dense embeds) and Qdrant (upserts), so the
+ *     Spark/Qdrant env must be present. This action runs in its OWN subcontainer
+ *     and does NOT go through docker_entrypoint.sh, so it cannot inherit the
+ *     entrypoint's exports — the env is passed explicitly below.
+ *   - allowedStatuses: 'any' — the action runs in its own subcontainer with the
+ *     same /data volume mounted, so it works whether or not the CRM is running.
+ *     SQLite WAL mode means a concurrently-running CRM is fine for these
+ *     reads/derived writes.
+ */
+
+const DB_PATH = `${DATA_MOUNT_PATH}/crm.db`
+const INGEST_DIR = '/app/backend/ingest'
+
+// OPERATOR: Spark Control + Qdrant endpoints for the ingest run. These are the
+// LAN defaults for the Ten31 deployment — edit them for your network. Keep them
+// in sync with the export block in docker_entrypoint.sh (single source of truth
+// for the values; this action needs its own copy because it does not run the
+// entrypoint). Spark Control is TLS with a self-signed cert by default, hence
+// SPARK_CONTROL_VERIFY_TLS = 'false'.
+const ingestEnv: { [k: string]: string } = {
+  CRM_DB_PATH: DB_PATH,
+  SPARK_CONTROL_URL: 'https://192.168.1.72:62419',
+  SPARK_CONTROL_VERIFY_TLS: 'false',
+  QDRANT_URL: 'http://192.168.1.87:6333',
+}
+
+export const refreshSearchIndex = sdk.Action.withoutInput(
+  // id
+  'refresh-search-index',
+
+  // metadata
+  async ({ effects }) => ({
+    name: i18n('Refresh search index'),
+    description: i18n(
+      'Incrementally update the search index with CRM changes since the last ' +
+        'sync; fast, idempotent. Runs sync.py (chunk → embed → upsert) for only ' +
+        'the records that changed, without dropping the Qdrant `crm_chunks` ' +
+        'collection. Requires Spark Control and Qdrant to be reachable (set ' +
+        'SPARK_CONTROL_URL / QDRANT_URL). Use "Build search index" instead for a ' +
+        'full rebuild from scratch.',
+    ),
+    warning: null,
+    allowedStatuses: 'any',
+    group: null,
+    visibility: 'enabled',
+  }),
+
+  // execution
+  async ({ effects }) => {
+    const env = ingestEnv
+
+    const subcontainer = await sdk.SubContainer.of(
+      effects,
+      { imageId: IMAGE_ID },
+      sdk.Mounts.of().mountVolume({
+        volumeId: 'main',
+        subpath: null,
+        mountpoint: DATA_MOUNT_PATH,
+        readonly: false,
+      }),
+      'ten31-database-refresh-search-index',
+    )
+
+    try {
+      // Incremental sync — chunk → dense (Spark Control) + BM25 → Qdrant upsert
+      // for changed records only (no --recreate).
+      await subcontainer.execFail(
+        ['python3', 'sync.py', '--db', DB_PATH],
+        { cwd: INGEST_DIR, env },
+        // 30 minutes — an incremental delta is usually seconds–minutes, but leave
+        // generous headroom for a large backlog of changes.
+        30 * 60 * 1000,
+      )
+    } finally {
+      await subcontainer.destroy()
+    }
+
+    return {
+      version: '1',
+      title: i18n('Search index refreshed'),
+      message: i18n(
+        'The Qdrant `crm_chunks` collection was incrementally updated with CRM ' +
+          'changes since the last sync. You can re-run this action any time.',
+      ),
+      result: null,
+    }
+  },
+)