feat: add ai fallback chain with no-change sentinel

automation/patcher.py

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import re
 import shutil
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
-from dataclasses import dataclass
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from automation.config import RulesConfig
@@ -21,11 +21,36 @@ class PatchGenerationError(RuntimeError):
     pass
 
 
+NO_CHANGES_SENTINEL = "CASCADINGDEV_NO_CHANGES"
+COMMAND_DELIMITER = "||"
+
+
+def _parse_command_chain(raw: str) -> list[str]:
+    """
+    Split a fallback command string into individual commands.
+
+    Commands are separated by '||' to align with common shell semantics.
+    Whitespace-only segments are ignored.
+    """
+    parts = [segment.strip() for segment in raw.split(COMMAND_DELIMITER)]
+    commands = [segment for segment in parts if segment]
+    return commands or ["claude -p"]
+
+
 @dataclass
 class ModelConfig:
     """Configuration for invoking the AI model command."""
-    # The command to execute the AI model. Defaults to 'claude -p' or CDEV_AI_COMMAND env var.
+    raw: str | None = None
-    command: str = os.environ.get("CDEV_AI_COMMAND", "claude -p")
+    commands: list[str] = field(init=False, repr=False)
+
+    def __post_init__(self) -> None:
+        source = self.raw or os.environ.get("CDEV_AI_COMMAND", "claude -p")
+        self.commands = _parse_command_chain(source)
+
+    @property
+    def command(self) -> str:
+        """Return the primary command (first in the fallback chain)."""
+        return self.commands[0]
 
 
 def generate_output(
@@ -86,7 +111,9 @@ def generate_output(
     )
 
     # Call the AI model and get its raw output.
-    raw_patch = call_model(model, prompt, cwd=repo_root)
+    raw_patch, no_changes = call_model(model, prompt, cwd=repo_root)
+    if no_changes:
+        return
 
     # Use a temporary directory for storing intermediate patch files for debugging.
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="cdev-patch-") as tmpdir_str:
@@ -304,6 +331,7 @@ End with: <<<AI_DIFF_END>>>
 
 Only include the diff between these markers.
 If the output file doesn't exist, create it from scratch in the patch.
+If no changes are needed, output only this exact token (no diff): {no_change_token}
 """
 
 
@@ -337,10 +365,11 @@ def build_prompt(
         source_content=source_content.strip(),
         output_content=output_content.strip() or "(empty)", # Indicate if output content is empty.
         instruction=instruction.strip(),
+        no_change_token=NO_CHANGES_SENTINEL,
     )
 
 
-def call_model(model: ModelConfig, prompt: str, cwd: Path) -> str:
+def call_model(model: ModelConfig, prompt: str, cwd: Path) -> tuple[str, bool]:
     """
     Invokes the AI model command with the given prompt and captures its output.
 
@@ -350,33 +379,39 @@ def call_model(model: ModelConfig, prompt: str, cwd: Path) -> str:
         cwd: The current working directory for executing the command.
 
     Returns:
-        The raw string output from the AI model.
+        A tuple of (stdout, is_no_change_sentinel).
 
     Raises:
         PatchGenerationError: If the AI command fails or returns an API error.
     """
-    command = model.command
+    errors: list[str] = []
-    result = subprocess.run(
-        command,
-        input=prompt,
-        text=True,
-        capture_output=True,
-        cwd=str(cwd),
-        shell=True, # Use shell=True to allow command to be a string with arguments.
-    )
-    # The Claude CLI (and potentially others) might return a non-zero exit code
-    # even on successful responses if there are warnings or specific API behaviors.
-    # We prioritize stdout content over return code for initial check.
-    if result.stdout.strip():
-        # Check for specific API error messages in the output.
-        if "API Error:" in result.stdout and "Overloaded" in result.stdout:
-            raise PatchGenerationError("Claude API is overloaded (500 error) - please retry later")
-        return result.stdout
 
-    # If stdout is empty, then a non-zero return code indicates a true failure.
+    for command in model.commands:
-    if result.returncode != 0:
+        result = subprocess.run(
-        raise PatchGenerationError(f"AI command failed ({result.returncode}): {result.stderr.strip()}")
+            command,
-    return result.stdout
+            input=prompt,
+            text=True,
+            capture_output=True,
+            cwd=str(cwd),
+            shell=True,
+        )
+        raw_stdout = result.stdout or ""
+        stdout = raw_stdout.strip()
+        stderr = result.stderr.strip()
+
+        if stdout:
+            if stdout == NO_CHANGES_SENTINEL:
+                return raw_stdout, True
+            if "API Error:" in raw_stdout and "Overloaded" in raw_stdout:
+                raise PatchGenerationError("Claude API is overloaded (500 error) - please retry later")
+            return raw_stdout, False
+
+        if result.returncode == 0:
+            errors.append(f"{command!r} produced no output")
+        else:
+            errors.append(f"{command!r} exited with {result.returncode}: {stderr or 'no stderr'}")
+
+    raise PatchGenerationError("AI command(s) failed: " + "; ".join(errors))
 
 
 def extract_patch_with_markers(raw_output: str) -> str:
@@ -525,31 +560,49 @@ def apply_patch(repo_root: Path, patch_file: Path, patch_level: str, output_rel:
     """
     absolute_patch = patch_file.resolve()
 
-    # First, try a dry-run check with --check to see if the patch applies cleanly.
+    # Check if the output file is currently staged
-    check_args = ["git", "apply", patch_level, "--index", "--check", absolute_patch.as_posix()]
+    # If it is, unstage it so the patch applies to the working directory version
-    if run(check_args, cwd=repo_root, check=False).returncode == 0:
+    was_staged = False
-        # If it applies cleanly, perform the actual apply.
+    check_staged = run(
-        run(["git", "apply", patch_level, "--index", absolute_patch.as_posix()], cwd=repo_root)
+        ["git", "diff", "--cached", "--name-only", "--", output_rel.as_posix()],
-        return
+        cwd=repo_root,
+        check=False
+    )
+    if check_staged.returncode == 0 and check_staged.stdout.strip():
+        # File is staged, unstage it temporarily
+        was_staged = True
+        run(["git", "reset", "HEAD", "--", output_rel.as_posix()], cwd=repo_root, check=False)
 
-    # If direct apply --check fails, try 3-way merge with a check first.
+    try:
-    three_way_check_args = ["git", "apply", patch_level, "--index", "--3way", "--recount", "--whitespace=nowarn", absolute_patch.as_posix()]
+        # First, try a dry-run check with --check to see if the patch applies cleanly.
-    if run(three_way_check_args + ["--check"], cwd=repo_root, check=False).returncode == 0:
+        check_args = ["git", "apply", patch_level, "--index", "--check", absolute_patch.as_posix()]
-        # If 3-way check passes, perform the actual 3-way apply.
+        if run(check_args, cwd=repo_root, check=False).returncode == 0:
-        run(three_way_check_args, cwd=repo_root)
+            # If it applies cleanly, perform the actual apply.
-        return
+            run(["git", "apply", patch_level, "--index", absolute_patch.as_posix()], cwd=repo_root)
-    
-    # Special handling for new files: if the patch creates a new file ('--- /dev/null'),
-    # a simple 'git apply' might work, followed by 'git add'.
-    text = patch_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-    if "--- /dev/null" in text:
-        # Try applying without --index and then explicitly add the file.
-        if run(["git", "apply", patch_level, absolute_patch.as_posix()], cwd=repo_root, check=False).returncode == 0:
-            run(["git", "add", "--", output_rel.as_posix()], cwd=repo_root)
             return
 
-    # If all attempts fail, raise an error.
+        # If direct apply --check fails, try 3-way merge with a check first.
-    raise PatchGenerationError("Failed to apply patch (strict and 3-way both failed)")
+        three_way_check_args = ["git", "apply", patch_level, "--index", "--3way", "--recount", "--whitespace=nowarn", absolute_patch.as_posix()]
+        if run(three_way_check_args + ["--check"], cwd=repo_root, check=False).returncode == 0:
+            # If 3-way check passes, perform the actual 3-way apply.
+            run(three_way_check_args, cwd=repo_root)
+            return
+
+        # Special handling for new files: if the patch creates a new file ('--- /dev/null'),
+        # a simple 'git apply' might work, followed by 'git add'.
+        text = patch_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        if "--- /dev/null" in text:
+            # Try applying without --index and then explicitly add the file.
+            if run(["git", "apply", patch_level, absolute_patch.as_posix()], cwd=repo_root, check=False).returncode == 0:
+                run(["git", "add", "--", output_rel.as_posix()], cwd=repo_root)
+                return
+
+        # If all attempts fail, raise an error.
+        raise PatchGenerationError("Failed to apply patch (strict and 3-way both failed)")
+    finally:
+        # If the file was staged before, re-stage it now (whether patch succeeded or failed)
+        if was_staged:
+            run(["git", "add", "--", output_rel.as_posix()], cwd=repo_root, check=False)
 
 
 def run(args: list[str], cwd: Path, check: bool = True) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:

automation/runner.py

@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
         return 0
 
     # Instantiate the model config and delegate to the processing pipeline.
-    model = ModelConfig(command=args.model or ModelConfig().command)
+    model = ModelConfig(args.model)
     return process(repo_root, rules, model)
 
 

tests/test_patcher.py

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ diff --git a/Docs/features/FR_1/discussions/example.discussion.sum.md b/Docs/fea
     patch_file = tmp_path / "patch.txt"
     patch_file.write_text(patch_text, encoding="utf-8")
 
-    model = ModelConfig(command=f"bash -lc 'cat {patch_file.as_posix()}'")
+    model = ModelConfig(f"bash -lc 'cat {patch_file.as_posix()}'")
     rules = RulesConfig(root=temp_repo, global_rules={"file_associations": {}, "rules": {}})
 
     generate_output(

tests/test_runner.py

@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ diff --git a/Docs/features/FR_1/discussions/example.discussion.sum.md b/Docs/fea
     patch_file.write_text(patch_text, encoding="utf-8")
 
     rules = RulesConfig.load(repo)
-    model = ModelConfig(command=f"bash -lc 'cat {patch_file.as_posix()}'")
+    model = ModelConfig(f"bash -lc 'cat {patch_file.as_posix()}'")
 
     rc = process(repo, rules, model)
     assert rc == 0