From a93675cbe41dfaf543c70cad4dd4bfb607ff9a12 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Waishnav <86405648+Waishnav@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:07:44 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 1/8] refactor(agents): standardize on effort

---
 src/cli.test.ts                         |  6 ++--
 src/cli.ts                              | 18 ++++++------
 src/db/migrations.ts                    | 22 ++++++++++++--
 src/db/schema.ts                        |  2 +-
 src/local-agent-acp.test.ts             | 10 +++----
 src/local-agent-acp.ts                  | 16 +++++------
 src/local-agent-adapters.test.ts        | 24 ++++++++--------
 src/local-agent-adapters.ts             |  4 +--
 src/local-agent-claude.test.ts          |  8 +++---
 src/local-agent-claude.ts               |  8 +++---
 src/local-agent-codex.test.ts           |  2 +-
 src/local-agent-codex.ts                |  2 +-
 src/local-agent-daemon-lifecycle.ts     |  2 +-
 src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.test.ts | 10 +++----
 src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.ts      |  6 ++--
 src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts          |  8 +++---
 src/local-agent-manager.ts              | 18 ++++++------
 src/local-agent-opencode.test.ts        |  6 ++--
 src/local-agent-opencode.ts             | 12 ++++----
 src/local-agent-pi.test.ts              |  8 +++---
 src/local-agent-pi.ts                   |  8 +++---
 src/local-agent-profiles.test.ts        |  6 ++--
 src/local-agent-profiles.ts             |  8 +++---
 src/local-agent-runtime.ts              |  6 ++--
 src/local-agent-store.test.ts           | 14 +++++----
 src/local-agent-store.ts                | 18 ++++++------
 src/local-agent-targets.test.ts         | 28 +++++++++---------
 src/local-agent-targets.ts              | 38 ++++++++++++-------------
 src/server.ts                           |  8 +++---
 src/ui/card-types.ts                    |  2 +-
 src/ui/workspace-app.tsx                |  2 +-
 31 files changed, 175 insertions(+), 155 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/cli.test.ts b/src/cli.test.ts
index 534574b1c..5be303095 100644
--- a/src/cli.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli.test.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ try {
       "description: Read-only reviewer.",
       "provider: codex",
       "model: gpt-5.4",
-      "thinking: high",
+      "effort: high",
       "---",
       "",
       "Review only.",
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ try {
       profileName: "reviewer",
       provider: "codex",
       model: "gpt-5.4",
-      thinking: "high",
+      effort: "high",
     }).id,
     { status: "idle" },
   );
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ try {
       },
     });
 
-    assert.match(output, new RegExp(`${current.id} idle reviewer codex gpt-5\\.4 thinking=high`));
+    assert.match(output, new RegExp(`${current.id} idle reviewer codex gpt-5\\.4 effort=high`));
     assert.doesNotMatch(output, /profile reviewer/);
     assert.doesNotMatch(output, new RegExp(other.id));
 
diff --git a/src/cli.ts b/src/cli.ts
index 900680d1c..8e023d433 100644
--- a/src/cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli.ts
@@ -299,8 +299,8 @@ function printHelp(): void {
       "  devspace config get      Print persisted config",
       "  devspace config set publicBaseUrl <url|null>",
       "  devspace agents ls       List subagent sessions",
-      "  devspace agents run <profile-or-provider> [--model <model>] [--thinking <level>] <prompt>",
-      "  devspace agents continue <id> [--model <model>] [--thinking <level>] <prompt>",
+      "  devspace agents run <profile-or-provider> [--model <model>] [--effort <level>] <prompt>",
+      "  devspace agents continue <id> [--model <model>] [--effort <level>] <prompt>",
       "  devspace agents show <id>",
       "  devspace agents daemon <status|stop|logs>",
       "  devspace -v, --version   Print the installed version",
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ async function runAgentsRun(args: string[], json: boolean): Promise<void> {
     workspaceRoot: scope.workspaceRoot,
     workspaceId: scope.workspaceId,
     model: parsed.model,
-    thinking: parsed.thinking,
+    effort: parsed.effort,
   });
   const record = presentAgentResult(result, json);
   if (!record) return;
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ async function runAgentsContinue(args: string[], json: boolean): Promise<void> {
   const scope = resolveCurrentWorkspaceScope();
   const result = await client.continue(parsed.agentId, parsed.prompt, {
     model: parsed.model,
-    thinking: parsed.thinking,
+    effort: parsed.effort,
   }, scope);
   const record = presentAgentResult(result, json);
   if (!record) return;
@@ -488,11 +488,11 @@ function resolveCurrentWorkspaceScope(): { workspaceId: string; workspaceRoot: s
 
 function formatAgentLine(agent: Pick<
   LocalAgentRecord,
-  "id" | "status" | "profileName" | "provider" | "model" | "thinking"
+  "id" | "status" | "profileName" | "provider" | "model" | "effort"
 >): string {
   const model = agent.model ? ` ${agent.model}` : "";
-  const thinking = agent.thinking ? ` thinking=${agent.thinking}` : "";
-  return `${agent.id} ${agent.status} ${agent.profileName} ${agent.provider}${model}${thinking}`;
+  const effort = agent.effort ? ` effort=${agent.effort}` : "";
+  return `${agent.id} ${agent.status} ${agent.profileName} ${agent.provider}${model}${effort}`;
 }
 
 function presentAgentResult<T, E extends LocalAgentError>(
@@ -519,8 +519,8 @@ function printAgentsHelp(): void {
       "",
       "Usage:",
       "  devspace agents ls [--json]",
-      "  devspace agents run <profile-or-provider> [--model <model>] [--thinking <level>] [--json] <prompt>",
-      "  devspace agents continue <id> [--model <model>] [--thinking <level>] [--json] <prompt>",
+      "  devspace agents run <profile-or-provider> [--model <model>] [--effort <level>] [--json] <prompt>",
+      "  devspace agents continue <id> [--model <model>] [--effort <level>] [--json] <prompt>",
       "  devspace agents show <id> [--json]",
       "  devspace agents daemon <status|stop|logs> [--json]",
     ].join("\n"),
diff --git a/src/db/migrations.ts b/src/db/migrations.ts
index ce2722562..3f547ffee 100644
--- a/src/db/migrations.ts
+++ b/src/db/migrations.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ const migrations: Migration[] = [
     name: "local-agent-structured-errors",
     up: migrateLocalAgentStructuredErrors,
   },
+  {
+    version: 6,
+    name: "local-agent-effort-rename",
+    up: migrateLocalAgentEffortRename,
+  },
 ];
 
 export function migrateDatabase(sqlite: Database.Database): void {
@@ -162,7 +167,7 @@ function migrateLocalAgentSessions(sqlite: Database.Database): void {
       profile_name text not null,
       provider text not null,
       model text,
-      thinking text,
+      effort text,
       provider_session_id text,
       status text not null,
       latest_response text,
@@ -181,7 +186,7 @@ function migrateLocalAgentSessions(sqlite: Database.Database): void {
       on local_agent_sessions(provider_session_id);
   `);
 
-  addColumnIfMissing(sqlite, "local_agent_sessions", "thinking", "text");
+  addColumnIfMissing(sqlite, "local_agent_sessions", "effort", "text");
 }
 
 function migrateWorkspaceConversationBindings(sqlite: Database.Database): void {
@@ -208,6 +213,19 @@ function migrateLocalAgentStructuredErrors(sqlite: Database.Database): void {
   addColumnIfMissing(sqlite, "local_agent_sessions", "error_retryable", "text");
 }
 
+function migrateLocalAgentEffortRename(sqlite: Database.Database): void {
+  const columns = sqlite.prepare("pragma table_info(local_agent_sessions)").all() as Array<{
+    name: string;
+  }>;
+  const names = new Set(columns.map((column) => column.name));
+  if (names.has("effort")) return;
+  if (!names.has("thinking")) {
+    addColumnIfMissing(sqlite, "local_agent_sessions", "effort", "text");
+    return;
+  }
+  sqlite.exec("alter table local_agent_sessions rename column thinking to effort");
+}
+
 function addColumnIfMissing(
   sqlite: Database.Database,
   table: "workspace_sessions" | "local_agent_sessions",
diff --git a/src/db/schema.ts b/src/db/schema.ts
index 495f7169c..c16da8925 100644
--- a/src/db/schema.ts
+++ b/src/db/schema.ts
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export const localAgentSessions = sqliteTable(
     profileName: text("profile_name").notNull(),
     provider: text("provider").notNull(),
     model: text("model"),
-    thinking: text("thinking"),
+    effort: text("effort"),
     providerSessionId: text("provider_session_id"),
     status: text("status").notNull(),
     latestResponse: text("latest_response"),
diff --git a/src/local-agent-acp.test.ts b/src/local-agent-acp.test.ts
index bc6f335e5..6b5fd9e84 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-acp.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-acp.test.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const connection = {
           sessionId,
           configOptions: [
             { type: "select", category: "model", id: "model", options: [{ value: "model-a" }] },
-            { type: "select", category: "thought_level", id: "thinking", options: [{ value: "high" }] },
+            { type: "select", category: "thought_level", id: "effort", options: [{ value: "high" }] },
           ],
         };
       }
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ const firstResult = await runtime.run({
   prompt: "first",
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
   model: "model-a",
-  thinking: "high",
+  effort: "high",
   writeMode: "read_only",
 }, {
   onSessionId: (sessionId) => { sessionIds.push(sessionId); },
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ const warmResult = await runtime.run({
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
   providerSessionId: first.providerSessionId ?? undefined,
   model: "model-a",
-  thinking: "high",
+  effort: "high",
   writeMode: "full_access",
 }, {
   onSessionId: (sessionId) => { sessionIds.push(sessionId); },
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ const resumedPersistedResult = await resumedRuntime.run({
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
   providerSessionId: first.providerSessionId ?? undefined,
   model: "model-a",
-  thinking: "high",
+  effort: "high",
 });
 assert.equal(resumedPersistedResult.isOk(), true);
 if (resumedPersistedResult.isErr()) throw resumedPersistedResult.error;
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ assert.equal(resumedPersisted.finalResponse, "ACP response");
 assert.equal(
   requests.filter(({ method }) => method === "session/set_config_option").length,
   4,
-  "cold resume must not require config metadata just to preserve prior model/thinking state",
+  "cold resume must not require config metadata just to preserve prior model/effort state",
 );
 const resumeFailure = await resumedRuntime.run({
   prompt: "resumed",
diff --git a/src/local-agent-acp.ts b/src/local-agent-acp.ts
index 1ac3ecb2a..9bb675367 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-acp.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-acp.ts
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ export class AcpRuntime implements LocalAgentRuntime {
     if (!canConfigure) {
       const requested = [
         input.model && input.modelOverrideRequested ? "model" : undefined,
-        input.thinking && input.thinkingOverrideRequested ? "thinking" : undefined,
+        input.effort && input.effortOverrideRequested ? "effort" : undefined,
       ]
         .filter(Boolean)
         .join(" and ");
@@ -280,15 +280,15 @@ export class AcpRuntime implements LocalAgentRuntime {
       }
       // A durable resumed session keeps its previously selected provider
       // configuration. If resume does not re-advertise config options, do not
-      // force a redundant set operation for persisted model/thinking values.
+      // force a redundant set operation for persisted model/effort values.
       return;
     }
     if (input.model) {
       const config = resolveAcpModelConfigUpdate(metadata, input.model, this.provider, sessionId);
       await this.connection.agent.request("session/set_config_option", config);
     }
-    if (input.thinking) {
-      const config = resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate(metadata, input.thinking, this.provider, sessionId);
+    if (input.effort) {
+      const config = resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate(metadata, input.effort, this.provider, sessionId);
       await this.connection.agent.request("session/set_config_option", config);
     }
   }
@@ -547,17 +547,17 @@ export function resolveAcpModelConfigUpdate(
   });
 }
 
-export function resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate(
+export function resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate(
   session: unknown,
-  thinking: string,
+  effort: string,
   provider: string,
   sessionIdOverride?: string,
 ): { sessionId: string; configId: string; value: string } {
   return resolveAcpSelectConfigUpdate(session, {
     category: "thought_level",
-    label: "thinking option",
+    label: "reasoning effort option",
     provider,
-    value: thinking,
+    value: effort,
     sessionIdOverride,
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/local-agent-adapters.test.ts b/src/local-agent-adapters.test.ts
index 10bb9769d..c628ab685 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-adapters.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-adapters.test.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
   extractPiFinalResponse,
   extractPiProviderError,
   resolveAcpModelConfigUpdate,
-  resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate,
+  resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate,
 } from "./local-agent-adapters.js";
 import { removeDevspaceNodeModulesBinFromPath } from "./local-agent-path.js";
 import type { LocalAgentProvider } from "./local-agent-profiles.js";
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ assert.throws(
 );
 
 assert.deepEqual(
-  resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate({
+  resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate({
     sessionId: "session_1",
     newSessionResponse: {
       configOptions: [
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ assert.deepEqual(
 );
 
 assert.deepEqual(
-  resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate({
+  resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate({
     sessionId: "session_2",
     newSessionResponse: {
       configOptions: [
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ assert.deepEqual(
 );
 
 assert.throws(
-  () => resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate({
+  () => resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate({
     sessionId: "session_3",
     newSessionResponse: {
       configOptions: [
@@ -172,21 +172,21 @@ assert.throws(
 );
 
 assert.throws(
-  () => resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate(undefined, "high", "copilot"),
+  () => resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate(undefined, "high", "copilot"),
   /session metadata/,
 );
 
 assert.throws(
-  () => resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate({ newSessionResponse: { configOptions: [] } }, "high", "copilot"),
+  () => resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate({ newSessionResponse: { configOptions: [] } }, "high", "copilot"),
   /session id/,
 );
 
 assert.throws(
-  () => resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate({
+  () => resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate({
     sessionId: "session_4",
     newSessionResponse: { configOptions: [] },
   }, "high", "copilot"),
-  /does not expose a thinking option/,
+  /does not expose a reasoning effort option/,
 );
 
 {
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ assert.equal(
       {
         info: { id: "msg_assistant", role: "assistant" },
         parts: [
-          { type: "reasoning", text: "thinking" },
+          { type: "reasoning", text: "effort" },
           { type: "tool", tool: "grep", input: { pattern: "secret" }, output: "src/foo.ts" },
           { type: "text", text: "Final OpenCode response." },
         ],
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ assert.equal(
         id: "msg_assistant",
         type: "assistant",
         content: [
-          { type: "reasoning", text: "thinking" },
+          { type: "reasoning", text: "effort" },
           { type: "tool", name: "grep", state: { status: "completed", result: "src/foo.ts" } },
           { type: "text", text: "Final OpenCode v2 response." },
         ],
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ assert.equal(
         role: "assistant",
         structured: { summary: "structured answer" },
       },
-      parts: [{ type: "reasoning", text: "thinking" }],
+      parts: [{ type: "reasoning", text: "effort" }],
     },
   }),
   '{"summary":"structured answer"}',
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ assert.equal(
     data: {
       info: { id: "msg_tool_only", role: "assistant" },
       parts: [
-        { type: "reasoning", text: "thinking" },
+        { type: "reasoning", text: "effort" },
         { type: "tool", tool: "bash", input: { command: "cat src/secret.ts" }, output: "secret" },
       ],
     },
diff --git a/src/local-agent-adapters.ts b/src/local-agent-adapters.ts
index 475390e5b..c1b558ede 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-adapters.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-adapters.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {
   AcpLocalAgentDriver,
   resolveAcpCommand,
   resolveAcpModelConfigUpdate,
-  resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate,
+  resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate,
 } from "./local-agent-acp.js";
 import {
   ClaudeLocalAgentDriver,
@@ -72,5 +72,5 @@ export {
   extractPiProviderError,
   resolveAcpCommand,
   resolveAcpModelConfigUpdate,
-  resolveAcpThinkingConfigUpdate,
+  resolveAcpEffortConfigUpdate,
 };
diff --git a/src/local-agent-claude.test.ts b/src/local-agent-claude.test.ts
index 971342195..183d83ef1 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-claude.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-claude.test.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ const context: LocalAgentRuntimeContext = {
   provider: "claude",
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
   model: "sonnet",
-  thinking: "high",
+  effort: "high",
   writeMode: "read_only",
 };
 let factoryCalls = 0;
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ const firstResult = await runtime.run({
   prompt: "first",
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
   model: "sonnet",
-  thinking: "high",
+  effort: "high",
   writeMode: "read_only",
 }, {
   onSessionId: (sessionId) => { sessionIds.push(sessionId); },
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ const first = firstResult.value;
 const secondResult = await runtime.run({
   prompt: "second",
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
-  thinking: "low",
+  effort: "low",
   writeMode: "allowed",
 });
 assert.equal(secondResult.isOk(), true);
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ const second = secondResult.value;
 const third = await runtime.run({
   prompt: "third",
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
-  thinking: "high",
+  effort: "high",
   writeMode: "full_access",
 });
 assert.equal(third.isOk(), true);
diff --git a/src/local-agent-claude.ts b/src/local-agent-claude.ts
index d6f30d7b0..16feed692 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-claude.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-claude.ts
@@ -103,10 +103,10 @@ export class ClaudeQueryRuntime implements LocalAgentRuntime {
         }
         if (this.providerSessionId) await callbacks?.onSessionId?.(this.providerSessionId);
         const flagSettings = claudeAuthoritySettings(input.workspaceRoot, input.writeMode);
-        if (input.thinking) {
+        if (input.effort) {
           Object.assign(flagSettings, {
             alwaysThinkingEnabled: true,
-            effortLevel: input.thinking,
+            effortLevel: input.effort,
           });
         }
         await this.query.applyFlagSettings(flagSettings);
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ export class ClaudeLocalAgentDriver implements LocalAgentDriver {
           providerSessionId: context.providerSessionId,
           writeMode: context.writeMode,
           model: context.model,
-          thinking: context.thinking,
+          effort: context.effort,
         };
         const query = await this.factory({
           context,
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ export function claudeQueryOptions(
   return {
     cwd: input.workspaceRoot,
     ...(input.model ? { model: input.model } : {}),
-    ...(input.thinking ? { thinking: { type: "adaptive" }, effort: input.thinking } : {}),
+    ...(input.effort ? { thinking: { type: "adaptive" }, effort: input.effort } : {}),
     ...(context.providerSessionId ? { resume: context.providerSessionId } : {}),
     permissionMode,
     sandbox: authority.sandbox,
diff --git a/src/local-agent-codex.test.ts b/src/local-agent-codex.test.ts
index 9efd7be14..15a510f53 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-codex.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-codex.test.ts
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ readline.createInterface({ input: process.stdin }).on("line", (line) => {
       workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
       writeMode: "read_only",
       model: "gpt-5.4",
-      thinking: "high",
+      effort: "high",
     }, { onSessionId: (id) => { callbackSessionId = id; } });
     assert.equal(firstResult.isOk(), true);
     if (firstResult.isErr()) throw firstResult.error;
diff --git a/src/local-agent-codex.ts b/src/local-agent-codex.ts
index 0ebb0dd55..dac27cc35 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-codex.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-codex.ts
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ function turnParams(input: LocalAgentRunInput, threadId: string): Record<string,
     approvalPolicy: "never",
     sandboxPolicy: sandboxPolicyFor(input.writeMode),
     ...(input.model ? { model: input.model } : {}),
-    ...(input.thinking ? { effort: input.thinking } : {}),
+    ...(input.effort ? { effort: input.effort } : {}),
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/local-agent-daemon-lifecycle.ts b/src/local-agent-daemon-lifecycle.ts
index b15754b78..6c0426f88 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-daemon-lifecycle.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-daemon-lifecycle.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {
 } from "node:fs";
 import { join, resolve } from "node:path";
 
-export const LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSION = 1;
+export const LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSION = 2;
 export const LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_SOCKET_NAME = "agentd.sock";
 export const LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PID_NAME = "agentd.pid";
 export const LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_LOCK_NAME = "agentd.lock";
diff --git a/src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.test.ts b/src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.test.ts
index cd0463306..36e5e6c48 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.test.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
 
 const request = decodeLocalAgentDaemonRequest({
   requestId: "req_1",
-  protocolVersion: 1,
+  protocolVersion: 2,
   authToken: "test-secret",
   method: "agent.start",
   params: {
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ assert.match(encodeLocalAgentDaemonRequest(request), /"method":"agent.start"/);
 
 const whitespaceRequest = decodeLocalAgentDaemonRequest({
   requestId: "req_whitespace",
-  protocolVersion: 1,
+  protocolVersion: 2,
   authToken: "test-secret",
   method: "agent.start",
   params: {
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ assert.equal(whitespaceRequest.params.prompt, "  keep prompt whitespace  \n");
 assert.throws(
   () => decodeLocalAgentDaemonRequest({
     requestId: "req_2",
-    protocolVersion: 1,
+    protocolVersion: 2,
     authToken: "test-secret",
     method: "agent.start",
     params: { target: "reviewer", prompt: "" },
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ assert.equal(record.latestResponse, "  response whitespace  \n");
 
 const response = decodeLocalAgentDaemonResponse({
   requestId: "req_1",
-  protocolVersion: 1,
+  protocolVersion: 2,
   ok: true,
   result: record,
 });
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ assert.equal(response.ok, true);
 
 const errorResponse = decodeLocalAgentDaemonResponse(JSON.parse(encodeLocalAgentDaemonResponse({
   requestId: "req_error",
-  protocolVersion: 1,
+  protocolVersion: 2,
   ok: false,
   error: {
     code: "PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE",
diff --git a/src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.ts b/src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.ts
index f5824c668..b79773613 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-daemon-protocol.ts
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ export function decodeAgentRecord(value: unknown): LocalAgentRecord {
     profileName: requiredString(record?.profileName, "profileName"),
     provider: requiredString(record?.provider, "provider"),
     model: optionalString(record?.model),
-    thinking: optionalString(record?.thinking),
+    effort: optionalString(record?.effort),
     providerSessionId: optionalString(record?.providerSessionId),
     status,
     latestResponse: optionalContentString(record?.latestResponse),
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ function decodeStartInput(value: unknown): StartLocalAgentInput {
     workspaceRoot: requiredString(record?.workspaceRoot, "workspaceRoot"),
     workspaceId: requiredString(record?.workspaceId, "workspaceId"),
     model: optionalString(record?.model),
-    thinking: optionalString(record?.thinking),
+    effort: optionalString(record?.effort),
     writeMode: decodeWriteMode(record?.writeMode),
   };
 }
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ function decodeContinueInput(value: unknown): { id: string; prompt: string; scop
     scope: decodeWorkspaceScope(record?.scope),
     ...(overrides ? { overrides: {
       model: optionalString(overrides.model),
-      thinking: optionalString(overrides.thinking),
+      effort: optionalString(overrides.effort),
       writeMode: decodeWriteMode(overrides.writeMode),
     } } : {}),
   };
diff --git a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
index 3e9fd11da..895caf083 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
@@ -223,11 +223,11 @@ const timeoutServer = createNetServer((socket) => {
     if (request.method !== "hello") return;
     socket.end(encodeLocalAgentDaemonResponse({
       requestId: request.requestId,
-      protocolVersion: 1,
+      protocolVersion: 2,
       ok: true,
       result: {
         state: "ready",
-        protocolVersion: 1,
+        protocolVersion: 2,
         pid: process.pid,
         endpoint: timeoutPaths.endpoint,
         startedAt: "now",
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ const invalidServer = createNetServer((socket) => {
     if (!buffer.includes("\n")) return;
     socket.end(encodeLocalAgentDaemonResponse({
       requestId: "wrong_request_id",
-      protocolVersion: 1,
+      protocolVersion: 2,
       ok: true,
       result: {},
     }));
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ try {
 
   const unauthorized = await sendRawRequest(socketDaemon.paths.endpoint, JSON.stringify({
     requestId: "unauthorized",
-    protocolVersion: 1,
+    protocolVersion: 2,
     authToken: "wrong-secret",
     method: "hello",
     params: {},
diff --git a/src/local-agent-manager.ts b/src/local-agent-manager.ts
index 85a0e6ea4..16de67aa8 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-manager.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-manager.ts
@@ -38,13 +38,13 @@ export interface StartLocalAgentInput {
   workspaceRoot: string;
   workspaceId: string;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
   writeMode?: LocalAgentWriteMode;
 }
 
 export interface RunOverrides {
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
   writeMode?: LocalAgentWriteMode;
 }
 
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ export class LocalAgentManager {
       yield* manager.acceptingResult("start");
       const workspaceRoot = yield* manager.authorizeWorkspace(input.workspaceRoot, "start");
       const profiles = yield* Result.await(manager.loadProfilesResult(workspaceRoot, input.target));
-      const target = resolveLocalAgentTarget(input.target, profiles, input.model, input.thinking);
+      const target = resolveLocalAgentTarget(input.target, profiles, input.model, input.effort);
       if (!target) {
         return Result.err(new AgentTargetError({
           code: "UNKNOWN_TARGET",
@@ -129,11 +129,11 @@ export class LocalAgentManager {
         profileName: target.name,
         provider: target.provider,
         model: target.model,
-        thinking: target.thinking,
+        effort: target.effort,
       });
       return manager.begin(record, input.prompt, {
         model: target.model,
-        thinking: target.thinking,
+        effort: target.effort,
         writeMode: input.writeMode,
       });
     });
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ export class LocalAgentManager {
     const updated = this.store.updateResult(record.id, {
       status: "running",
       model: overrides.model ?? record.model,
-      thinking: overrides.thinking ?? record.thinking,
+      effort: overrides.effort ?? record.effort,
       latestResponse: undefined,
       error: undefined,
       errorCode: undefined,
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ export class LocalAgentManager {
         providerSessionId: record.providerSessionId,
         writeMode: input.value.writeMode,
         model: input.value.model,
-        thinking: input.value.thinking,
+        effort: input.value.effort,
         agentDir: this.agentDir,
       };
       const callbacks: LocalAgentRunCallbacks = {
@@ -401,9 +401,9 @@ export class LocalAgentManager {
       providerSessionId: record.providerSessionId,
       writeMode: overrides.writeMode ?? "allowed",
       model: record.model ?? profile?.model,
-      thinking: record.thinking ?? profile?.thinking,
+      effort: record.effort ?? profile?.effort,
       modelOverrideRequested: overrides.model !== undefined,
-      thinkingOverrideRequested: overrides.thinking !== undefined,
+      effortOverrideRequested: overrides.effort !== undefined,
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/src/local-agent-opencode.test.ts b/src/local-agent-opencode.test.ts
index 90c222146..7798d1d07 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-opencode.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-opencode.test.ts
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ const first = await pool.run(driver, {
     prompt: "first",
     workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
     model: "anthropic/sonnet",
-    thinking: "high",
+    effort: "high",
   });
 const second = await pool.run(driver, {
   agentId: "agt_two",
@@ -106,10 +106,10 @@ await pool.run(driver, {
   provider: "opencode",
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
 }, {
-  prompt: "thinking override",
+  prompt: "effort override",
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
   providerSessionId: firstRecord.providerSessionId ?? undefined,
-  thinking: "low",
+  effort: "low",
 }, {
   onSessionId: (id) => { callbackSessionId = id; },
 });
diff --git a/src/local-agent-opencode.ts b/src/local-agent-opencode.ts
index f7424c659..b2f86faa0 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-opencode.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-opencode.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export class OpencodeRuntime implements LocalAgentRuntime {
         try {
           await assertOpencodeHealthy(this.client);
           const resumed = Boolean(input.providerSessionId);
-          const initialModel = input.model ? parseOpencodeModel(input.model, input.thinking) : undefined;
+          const initialModel = input.model ? parseOpencodeModel(input.model, input.effort) : undefined;
           const sessionId = input.providerSessionId ?? await createOpencodeSession(this.client, input, initialModel);
           await callbacks?.onSessionId?.(sessionId);
           await this.client.v2.session.switchAgent({
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export class OpencodeRuntime implements LocalAgentRuntime {
             agent: opencodeAgentFor(input.writeMode),
           }, { throwOnError: true });
 
-          const model = initialModel ?? (input.thinking ? await modelWithThinking(this.client, sessionId, input.thinking) : undefined);
+          const model = initialModel ?? (input.effort ? await modelWithEffort(this.client, sessionId, input.effort) : undefined);
           if (model && (resumed || !initialModel)) {
             await this.client.v2.session.switchModel({ sessionID: sessionId, model }, { throwOnError: true });
           }
@@ -235,10 +235,10 @@ class OpencodeHealthError extends Error {
   }
 }
 
-async function modelWithThinking(
+async function modelWithEffort(
   client: OpencodeClientLike,
   sessionId: string,
-  thinking: string,
+  effort: string,
 ): Promise<ModelRef> {
   const result = await client.v2.session.get({ sessionID: sessionId }, { throwOnError: true });
   const model = result.data.data.model;
@@ -248,10 +248,10 @@ async function modelWithThinking(
       provider: "opencode",
       operation: "resolve_model",
       retryable: false,
-      message: "OpenCode did not return the current session model for a thinking override.",
+      message: "OpenCode did not return the current session model for an effort override.",
     });
   }
-  return { ...model, variant: thinking };
+  return { ...model, variant: effort };
 }
 
 async function promptOpencodeSession(
diff --git a/src/local-agent-pi.test.ts b/src/local-agent-pi.test.ts
index f43ded9f9..f404105e9 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-pi.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-pi.test.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class FakePiSession implements PiSessionLike {
   private readonly listeners = new Set<AgentSessionEventListener>();
   disposeCount = 0;
   model?: unknown;
-  thinking?: unknown;
+  effort?: unknown;
   activeTools: string[] = [];
   toolHistory: string[][] = [];
 
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class FakePiSession implements PiSessionLike {
   }
 
   setThinkingLevel(level: any): void {
-    this.thinking = level;
+    this.effort = level;
   }
 
   dispose(): void {
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ const first = await pool.run(driver, context, {
   prompt: "first",
   workspaceRoot: "/tmp/project",
   model: "provider/model",
-  thinking: "high",
+  effort: "high",
   writeMode: "read_only",
 }, {
   onSessionId: (sessionId) => { sessionIds.push(sessionId); },
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ if (second.isErr()) throw second.error;
 assert.equal(first.value.providerSessionId, "pi_session_1");
 assert.equal(second.value.finalResponse, "response:second");
 assert.deepEqual(sessions[0]?.model, { id: "model" });
-assert.equal(sessions[0]?.thinking, "high");
+assert.equal(sessions[0]?.effort, "high");
 assert.deepEqual(sessionIds, ["pi_session_1"]);
 assert.deepEqual(piToolsForWriteMode("allowed"), ["read", "grep", "find", "ls", "edit", "write", "bash"]);
 assert.ok(
diff --git a/src/local-agent-pi.ts b/src/local-agent-pi.ts
index cf9b4b72c..8880983b1 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-pi.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-pi.ts
@@ -155,8 +155,8 @@ export class PiSessionRuntime implements LocalAgentRuntime {
       }
       await this.session.setModel(model as never);
     }
-    if (input.thinking) {
-      this.session.setThinkingLevel(input.thinking as never);
+    if (input.effort) {
+      this.session.setThinkingLevel(input.effort as never);
     }
   }
 }
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ export class PiLocalAgentDriver implements LocalAgentDriver {
           providerSessionId: context.providerSessionId,
           writeMode: context.writeMode,
           model: context.model,
-          thinking: context.thinking,
+          effort: context.effort,
         };
         const session = await this.factory(context, input);
         return new PiSessionRuntime(session);
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ async function defaultPiSessionFactory(
       sessionManager: sessionManager as never,
       resourceLoader,
       ...(model ? { model: model as never } : {}),
-      ...(input.thinking ? { thinkingLevel: input.thinking as never } : {}),
+      ...(input.effort ? { thinkingLevel: input.effort as never } : {}),
       // Keep the full built-in registry available so warm turns can narrow or
       // broaden active tools without recreating the session.
       tools: [...PI_FULL_ACCESS_TOOLS],
diff --git a/src/local-agent-profiles.test.ts b/src/local-agent-profiles.test.ts
index 7665b9f8a..6868e140e 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-profiles.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-profiles.test.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ try {
       'description: "Project reviewer #1."',
       "provider: claude",
       "model: sonnet",
-      "thinking: high",
+      "effort: high",
       "---",
       "",
       "Project body.",
@@ -70,14 +70,14 @@ try {
   assert.equal(profiles[0]?.description, "Project reviewer #1.");
   assert.equal(profiles[0]?.provider, "claude");
   assert.equal(profiles[0]?.model, "sonnet");
-  assert.equal(profiles[0]?.thinking, "high");
+  assert.equal(profiles[0]?.effort, "high");
   assert.equal(profiles[0]?.body, "Project body.");
   assert.deepEqual(summarizeLocalAgentProfile(profiles[0]!), {
     name: "reviewer",
     description: "Project reviewer #1.",
     provider: "claude",
     model: "sonnet",
-    thinking: "high",
+    effort: "high",
   });
 
   await writeFile(
diff --git a/src/local-agent-profiles.ts b/src/local-agent-profiles.ts
index d41a7a64d..327028491 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-profiles.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-profiles.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export interface LocalAgentProfile {
   description: string;
   provider: LocalAgentProvider;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
   filePath: string;
   body: string;
   disabled: boolean;
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export interface LocalAgentProfileSummary {
   description: string;
   provider: LocalAgentProvider;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
 }
 
 interface ParsedFrontmatter {
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export function summarizeLocalAgentProfile(
     description: profile.description,
     provider: profile.provider,
     model: profile.model,
-    thinking: profile.thinking,
+    effort: profile.effort,
   };
 }
 
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ function profileFromFrontmatter(
     description,
     provider,
     model: readString(frontmatter, "model"),
-    thinking: readString(frontmatter, "thinking"),
+    effort: readString(frontmatter, "effort"),
     filePath,
     body,
     disabled: frontmatter.disabled === true,
diff --git a/src/local-agent-runtime.ts b/src/local-agent-runtime.ts
index 696682c9f..ecc40f545 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-runtime.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-runtime.ts
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ export interface LocalAgentRunInput {
   providerSessionId?: string;
   writeMode?: LocalAgentWriteMode;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
   modelOverrideRequested?: boolean;
-  thinkingOverrideRequested?: boolean;
+  effortOverrideRequested?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface LocalAgentRunResult {
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export interface LocalAgentRuntimeContext {
   providerSessionId?: string;
   writeMode?: LocalAgentWriteMode;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
   agentDir?: string;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/local-agent-store.test.ts b/src/local-agent-store.test.ts
index 131b25f2e..eaa3be30a 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-store.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-store.test.ts
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ try {
     profileName: "reviewer",
     provider: "codex",
     model: "gpt-5.4",
-    thinking: "high",
+    effort: "high",
   });
 
   assert.match(created.id, /^agt_[a-f0-9]{8}$/);
   assert.equal(created.status, "starting");
-  assert.equal(store.getById(created.id)?.thinking, "high");
+  assert.equal(store.getById(created.id)?.effort, "high");
   assert.equal(store.getById(created.id)?.profileName, "reviewer");
   assert.equal(store.getById(created.id.slice(0, 7)), undefined);
 
@@ -31,14 +31,14 @@ try {
     status: "error",
     latestResponse: "done",
     providerSessionId: "thread_123",
-    thinking: "medium",
+    effort: "medium",
     error: "Codex executable was not found.",
     errorCode: "PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE",
     errorRetryable: false,
   });
 
   assert.equal(updated.status, "error");
-  assert.equal(updated.thinking, "medium");
+  assert.equal(updated.effort, "medium");
   assert.equal(updated.errorCode, "PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE");
   assert.equal(updated.errorRetryable, false);
   assert.equal(store.getById("thread_123"), undefined);
@@ -103,13 +103,14 @@ assert.deepEqual(store.list({ workspaceRoot: join(root, "other") }), []);
   }
   legacy.prepare(`
     insert into local_agent_sessions (
-      id, workspace_root, profile_name, provider, status, error, created_at, updated_at
-    ) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
+      id, workspace_root, profile_name, provider, thinking, status, error, created_at, updated_at
+    ) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
   `).run(
     "agt_legacy",
     join(root, "legacy-project"),
     "reviewer",
     "codex",
+    "high",
     "error",
     "old error",
     "2026-08-01T00:00:00.000Z",
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ assert.deepEqual(store.list({ workspaceRoot: join(root, "other") }), []);
   stores.push(upgradedStore);
   const legacyRecord = upgradedStore.getById("agt_legacy");
   assert.equal(legacyRecord?.error, "old error");
+  assert.equal(legacyRecord?.effort, "high");
   assert.equal(legacyRecord?.errorCode, undefined);
   assert.equal(legacyRecord?.errorRetryable, undefined);
   const upgradedRecord = upgradedStore.update("agt_legacy", {
diff --git a/src/local-agent-store.ts b/src/local-agent-store.ts
index 16e5275c5..ef987a8e9 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-store.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-store.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export interface LocalAgentRecord {
   profileName: string;
   provider: string;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
   providerSessionId?: string;
   status: LocalAgentStatus;
   latestResponse?: string;
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export interface CreateLocalAgentRecordInput {
   profileName: string;
   provider: string;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
 }
 
 export interface LocalAgentWorkspaceScope {
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ interface LocalAgentRow {
   profile_name: string;
   provider: string;
   model: string | null;
-  thinking: string | null;
+  effort: string | null;
   provider_session_id: string | null;
   status: string;
   latest_response: string | null;
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ export class LocalAgentStore {
       profileName: input.profileName,
       provider: input.provider,
       model: input.model,
-      thinking: input.thinking,
+      effort: input.effort,
       status: "starting",
       createdAt: now,
       updatedAt: now,
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export class LocalAgentStore {
           profile_name,
           provider,
           model,
-          thinking,
+          effort,
           status,
           created_at,
           updated_at
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ export class LocalAgentStore {
         record.profileName,
         record.provider,
         record.model ?? null,
-        record.thinking ?? null,
+        record.effort ?? null,
         record.status,
         record.createdAt,
         record.updatedAt,
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ export class LocalAgentStore {
           profile_name = ?,
           provider = ?,
           model = ?,
-          thinking = ?,
+          effort = ?,
           provider_session_id = ?,
           status = ?,
           latest_response = ?,
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ export class LocalAgentStore {
         updated.profileName,
         updated.provider,
         updated.model ?? null,
-        updated.thinking ?? null,
+        updated.effort ?? null,
         updated.providerSessionId ?? null,
         updated.status,
         updated.latestResponse ?? null,
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ function rowToLocalAgentRecord(row: LocalAgentRow): LocalAgentRecord {
     profileName: row.profile_name,
     provider: row.provider,
     model: row.model ?? undefined,
-    thinking: row.thinking ?? undefined,
+    effort: row.effort ?? undefined,
     providerSessionId: row.provider_session_id ?? undefined,
     status: readStatus(row.status),
     latestResponse: row.latest_response ?? undefined,
diff --git a/src/local-agent-targets.test.ts b/src/local-agent-targets.test.ts
index 3f1ae08f0..e243579dd 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-targets.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-targets.test.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const profiles: LocalAgentProfile[] = [
     description: "Review changes.",
     provider: "codex",
     model: "gpt-5-codex",
-    thinking: "high",
+    effort: "high",
     filePath: "/workspace/.devspace/agents/reviewer.md",
     body: "Review carefully.",
     disabled: false,
@@ -32,35 +32,35 @@ assert.deepEqual(parseLocalAgentRunArgs(["codex", "hello", "world"]), {
   target: "codex",
   prompt: "hello world",
   model: undefined,
-  thinking: undefined,
+  effort: undefined,
 });
 
 assert.deepEqual(parseLocalAgentRunArgs(["codex", "--model", "gpt-5.1", "hello"]), {
   target: "codex",
   prompt: "hello",
   model: "gpt-5.1",
-  thinking: undefined,
+  effort: undefined,
 });
 
 assert.deepEqual(parseLocalAgentRunArgs(["codex", "--model=gpt-5.1", "hello"]), {
   target: "codex",
   prompt: "hello",
   model: "gpt-5.1",
-  thinking: undefined,
+  effort: undefined,
 });
 
-assert.deepEqual(parseLocalAgentRunArgs(["codex", "--thinking", "high", "hello"]), {
+assert.deepEqual(parseLocalAgentRunArgs(["codex", "--effort", "high", "hello"]), {
   target: "codex",
   prompt: "hello",
   model: undefined,
-  thinking: "high",
+  effort: "high",
 });
 
-assert.deepEqual(parseLocalAgentRunArgs(["codex", "--thinking=high", "hello"]), {
+assert.deepEqual(parseLocalAgentRunArgs(["codex", "--effort=high", "hello"]), {
   target: "codex",
   prompt: "hello",
   model: undefined,
-  thinking: "high",
+  effort: "high",
 });
 
 assert.throws(
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ assert.throws(
 );
 
 assert.throws(
-  () => parseLocalAgentRunArgs(["codex", "--thinking"]),
-  /Missing value for --thinking/,
+  () => parseLocalAgentRunArgs(["codex", "--effort"]),
+  /Missing value for --effort/,
 );
 
 {
@@ -79,14 +79,14 @@ assert.throws(
   assert.equal(target?.name, "reviewer");
   assert.equal(target?.provider, "codex");
   assert.equal(target?.model, "gpt-5-codex");
-  assert.equal(target?.thinking, "high");
+  assert.equal(target?.effort, "high");
 }
 
 {
   const target = resolveLocalAgentTarget("reviewer", profiles, "gpt-5.2", "xhigh");
   assert.equal(target?.kind, "profile");
   assert.equal(target?.model, "gpt-5.2");
-  assert.equal(target?.thinking, "xhigh");
+  assert.equal(target?.effort, "xhigh");
 }
 
 {
@@ -95,14 +95,14 @@ assert.throws(
   assert.equal(target?.name, "opencode");
   assert.equal(target?.provider, "opencode");
   assert.equal(target?.model, undefined);
-  assert.equal(target?.thinking, undefined);
+  assert.equal(target?.effort, undefined);
 }
 
 {
   const target = resolveLocalAgentTarget("opencode", profiles, "kimi-k2", "deep");
   assert.equal(target?.kind, "provider");
   assert.equal(target?.model, "kimi-k2");
-  assert.equal(target?.thinking, "deep");
+  assert.equal(target?.effort, "deep");
 }
 
 {
diff --git a/src/local-agent-targets.ts b/src/local-agent-targets.ts
index ab6faaf05..868aad309 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-targets.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-targets.ts
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@ export interface ParsedLocalAgentRunArgs {
   target: string;
   prompt: string;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
 }
 
 export interface ParsedLocalAgentContinueArgs {
   agentId: string;
   prompt: string;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
 }
 
 export type LocalAgentTarget =
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export type LocalAgentTarget =
       name: string;
       provider: LocalAgentProvider;
       model?: string;
-      thinking?: string;
+      effort?: string;
       profile: LocalAgentProfile;
     }
   | {
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@ export type LocalAgentTarget =
       name: LocalAgentProvider;
       provider: LocalAgentProvider;
       model?: string;
-      thinking?: string;
+      effort?: string;
     };
 
 export function parseLocalAgentRunArgs(args: string[]): ParsedLocalAgentRunArgs {
   const parsed = parseAgentPromptArgs(
     args,
-    'Usage: devspace agents run <profile-or-provider> [--model <model>] [--thinking <level>] "<prompt>"',
+    'Usage: devspace agents run <profile-or-provider> [--model <model>] [--effort <level>] "<prompt>"',
   );
   return parsed;
 }
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ export function parseLocalAgentRunArgs(args: string[]): ParsedLocalAgentRunArgs
 export function parseLocalAgentContinueArgs(args: string[]): ParsedLocalAgentContinueArgs {
   const parsed = parseAgentPromptArgs(
     args,
-    'Usage: devspace agents continue <id> [--model <model>] [--thinking <level>] "<prompt>"',
+    'Usage: devspace agents continue <id> [--model <model>] [--effort <level>] "<prompt>"',
   );
-  return { agentId: parsed.target, prompt: parsed.prompt, model: parsed.model, thinking: parsed.thinking };
+  return { agentId: parsed.target, prompt: parsed.prompt, model: parsed.model, effort: parsed.effort };
 }
 
 function parseAgentPromptArgs(
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ function parseAgentPromptArgs(
   }
 
   let model: string | undefined;
-  let thinking: string | undefined;
+  let effort: string | undefined;
   const promptParts: string[] = [];
   for (let index = 0; index < rest.length; index += 1) {
     const part = rest[index];
@@ -79,17 +79,17 @@ function parseAgentPromptArgs(
       model = value;
       continue;
     }
-    if (part === "--thinking") {
+    if (part === "--effort") {
       const value = rest[index + 1]?.trim();
-      if (!value) throw new Error("Missing value for --thinking.");
-      thinking = value;
+      if (!value) throw new Error("Missing value for --effort.");
+      effort = value;
       index += 1;
       continue;
     }
-    if (part?.startsWith("--thinking=")) {
-      const value = part.slice("--thinking=".length).trim();
-      if (!value) throw new Error("Missing value for --thinking.");
-      thinking = value;
+    if (part?.startsWith("--effort=")) {
+      const value = part.slice("--effort=".length).trim();
+      if (!value) throw new Error("Missing value for --effort.");
+      effort = value;
       continue;
     }
     promptParts.push(part ?? "");
@@ -100,14 +100,14 @@ function parseAgentPromptArgs(
     throw new Error(usage);
   }
 
-  return { target, prompt, model, thinking };
+  return { target, prompt, model, effort };
 }
 
 export function resolveLocalAgentTarget(
   target: string,
   profiles: LocalAgentProfile[],
   modelOverride?: string,
-  thinkingOverride?: string,
+  effortOverride?: string,
 ): LocalAgentTarget | undefined {
   const profile = profiles.find((candidate) => candidate.name === target);
   if (profile) {
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ export function resolveLocalAgentTarget(
       name: profile.name,
       provider: profile.provider,
       model: modelOverride ?? profile.model,
-      thinking: thinkingOverride ?? profile.thinking,
+      effort: effortOverride ?? profile.effort,
       profile,
     };
   }
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ export function resolveLocalAgentTarget(
       name: target,
       provider: target,
       model: modelOverride,
-      thinking: thinkingOverride,
+      effort: effortOverride,
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/src/server.ts b/src/server.ts
index 477986b72..a29cbc365 100644
--- a/src/server.ts
+++ b/src/server.ts
@@ -220,16 +220,16 @@ function formatVisibleAgent(agent: {
   name: string;
   provider: string;
   model?: string;
-  thinking?: string;
+  effort?: string;
   providerAvailable?: boolean;
   providerUnavailableReason?: string;
 }): string {
   const model = agent.model ? `, model ${agent.model}` : "";
-  const thinking = agent.thinking ? `, thinking ${agent.thinking}` : "";
+  const effort = agent.effort ? `, effort ${agent.effort}` : "";
   const availability = agent.providerAvailable === false
     ? `, unavailable: ${agent.providerUnavailableReason ?? "provider unavailable"}`
     : "";
-  return `${agent.name} (${agent.provider}${model}${thinking}${availability})`;
+  return `${agent.name} (${agent.provider}${model}${effort}${availability})`;
 }
 
 function formatUnavailableAgentProvider(provider: LocalAgentProviderAvailability): string {
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ const workspaceLocalAgentOutputSchema = z.object({
   description: z.string(),
   provider: z.string(),
   model: z.string().optional(),
-  thinking: z.string().optional(),
+  effort: z.string().optional(),
   providerAvailable: z.boolean().optional(),
   providerUnavailableReason: z.string().optional(),
 });
diff --git a/src/ui/card-types.ts b/src/ui/card-types.ts
index 0da0db2b1..77c928158 100644
--- a/src/ui/card-types.ts
+++ b/src/ui/card-types.ts
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ export interface ToolResultCard {
     description?: string;
     provider?: string;
     model?: string;
-    thinking?: string;
+    effort?: string;
     providerAvailable?: boolean;
     providerUnavailableReason?: string;
   }>;
diff --git a/src/ui/workspace-app.tsx b/src/ui/workspace-app.tsx
index 46d653765..0cb393734 100644
--- a/src/ui/workspace-app.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/workspace-app.tsx
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ function renderWorkspacePayload(container: HTMLElement, card: ToolResultCard): v
       agent.description,
       providerName ? `Provider: ${providerName}` : undefined,
       agent.model ? `Model: ${agent.model}` : undefined,
-      agent.thinking ? `Thinking: ${agent.thinking}` : undefined,
+      agent.effort ? `Effort: ${agent.effort}` : undefined,
       unavailable
         ? agent.providerUnavailableReason ?? "Provider unavailable"
         : undefined,

From da4cea8a37470c76ffc2b5f196d19e3e94183718 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Waishnav <86405648+Waishnav@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:07:48 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 2/8] docs(agents): document effort configuration

---
 docs/agent-profile-schema.md          | 12 ++++++------
 docs/chatgpt-coding-workflow.md       |  2 +-
 docs/configuration.md                 |  2 +-
 examples/agents/claude-implementer.md |  2 +-
 examples/agents/codex-explorer.md     |  2 +-
 examples/agents/codex-qa-tester.md    |  2 +-
 examples/agents/opencode-explorer.md  |  2 +-
 examples/agents/pi-reviewer.md        |  2 +-
 skills/subagent-delegation/SKILL.md   | 16 ++++++++--------
 9 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

diff --git a/docs/agent-profile-schema.md b/docs/agent-profile-schema.md
index 0f28e300b..4e2ca11af 100644
--- a/docs/agent-profile-schema.md
+++ b/docs/agent-profile-schema.md
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ name: reviewer
 description: Read-only reviewer for bugs, security risks, and missing tests.
 provider: codex
 model: gpt-5.4
-thinking: high
+effort: high
 disabled: false
 ---
 
@@ -100,16 +100,16 @@ model: gpt-5.4
 model: sonnet
 ```
 
-### `thinking`
+### `effort`
 
 Optional provider reasoning effort, thinking level, or model variant. If omitted,
 DevSpace lets the provider default apply. Values are provider-specific
 passthrough strings; DevSpace does not translate names between harnesses.
 
 ```yaml
-thinking: low
-thinking: high
-thinking: xhigh
+effort: low
+effort: high
+effort: xhigh
 ```
 
 DevSpace passes this through to providers that expose a matching control:
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ devspace agents show <id>
   "description": "Read-only reviewer for bugs, security risks, and missing tests.",
   "provider": "codex",
   "model": "gpt-5.4",
-  "thinking": "high"
+  "effort": "high"
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/chatgpt-coding-workflow.md b/docs/chatgpt-coding-workflow.md
index 20f263aad..1ec7fe57f 100644
--- a/docs/chatgpt-coding-workflow.md
+++ b/docs/chatgpt-coding-workflow.md
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ It also keeps compatibility with:
 When Subagents are enabled, DevSpace discovers agent profiles
 from `~/.devspace/agents/*.md` and project `.devspace/agents/*.md`.
 `open_workspace` exposes a compact catalog with profile names, descriptions,
-providers, and optional models/thinking levels so the model can choose a configured agent
+providers, and optional models/effort levels so the model can choose a configured agent
 without seeing provider-specific launch details.
 
 Example profiles are packaged under `examples/agents/` for users who want
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 2a22ea036..ff4fe8135 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ from:
 - project `.devspace/agents/*.md`
 
 `open_workspace` returns a compact catalog containing profile names,
-descriptions, providers, and optional models/thinking levels so the host model can choose an
+descriptions, providers, and optional models/effort levels so the host model can choose an
 agent without reading provider-specific launch details. `devspace agents ls`
 lists existing subagent sessions for the current workspace, scoped by the
 workspace environment injected into shell commands. The `subagent-delegation`
diff --git a/examples/agents/claude-implementer.md b/examples/agents/claude-implementer.md
index b907659fe..6f967b5f7 100644
--- a/examples/agents/claude-implementer.md
+++ b/examples/agents/claude-implementer.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ name: claude-implementer
 description: Implementation profile for multi-file changes, careful refactors, and failing test repair.
 provider: claude
 model: sonnet
-thinking: high
+effort: high
 ---
 
 Take ownership of the requested implementation while keeping the change narrow.
diff --git a/examples/agents/codex-explorer.md b/examples/agents/codex-explorer.md
index 93a92db6c..3645f2091 100644
--- a/examples/agents/codex-explorer.md
+++ b/examples/agents/codex-explorer.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ name: codex-explorer
 description: Read-only profile for bounded codebase questions, architecture tracing, and risk discovery.
 provider: codex
 model: gpt-5.4-mini
-thinking: high
+effort: high
 ---
 
 Investigate without editing. Use this profile to answer bounded questions such
diff --git a/examples/agents/codex-qa-tester.md b/examples/agents/codex-qa-tester.md
index f85706197..ae24b1a24 100644
--- a/examples/agents/codex-qa-tester.md
+++ b/examples/agents/codex-qa-tester.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ name: codex-qa-tester
 description: Manual QA profile for browser testing, workflow verification, and regression checks.
 provider: codex
 model: gpt-5.4-mini
-thinking: high
+effort: high
 ---
 
 Verify the requested user workflow from the outside, like a QA pass before
diff --git a/examples/agents/opencode-explorer.md b/examples/agents/opencode-explorer.md
index 250a4d84a..884be72db 100644
--- a/examples/agents/opencode-explorer.md
+++ b/examples/agents/opencode-explorer.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ name: opencode-explorer
 description: Read-only profile for fast relevant-file discovery and small architecture questions.
 provider: opencode
 model: opencode/deepseek-v4-flash-free
-thinking: high
+effort: high
 ---
 
 Find the answer quickly without editing. Use this profile when the main need is
diff --git a/examples/agents/pi-reviewer.md b/examples/agents/pi-reviewer.md
index 4ed2b9ded..e5a4a8a62 100644
--- a/examples/agents/pi-reviewer.md
+++ b/examples/agents/pi-reviewer.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ name: pi-reviewer
 description: Read-only review profile for quick risk checks and targeted implementation questions.
 provider: pi
 model: openai-codex/gpt-5.5
-thinking: high
+effort: high
 ---
 
 Review or investigate only the area requested. This profile is best for quick
diff --git a/skills/subagent-delegation/SKILL.md b/skills/subagent-delegation/SKILL.md
index 7bba04c7f..24fc72668 100644
--- a/skills/subagent-delegation/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/subagent-delegation/SKILL.md
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ profile is needed. Built-in providers are listed by `open_workspace`.
 `continue <id> "<prompt>"` sends a follow-up to an existing agent. Do not use
 `run <id>` for continuation.
 
-Continuation supports the same per-turn model and thinking overrides:
+Continuation supports the same per-turn model and effort overrides:
 
 ```bash
 devspace agents continue <id> --model <model> "<prompt>"
-devspace agents continue <id> --thinking <level> "<prompt>"
+devspace agents continue <id> --effort <level> "<prompt>"
 ```
 
 `show <id>` prints status and the latest response. If the agent is still
@@ -64,18 +64,18 @@ Choose profiles from the compact subagent profile catalog returned by
 profile fits and delegation is still appropriate, use a built-in provider name
 from `open_workspace`.
 
-Profiles may declare a model and optional thinking level. To override the
-configured/default provider model or thinking level for a run, pass `--model`
-or `--thinking`:
+Profiles may declare a model and optional effort level. To override the
+configured/default provider model or effort level for a run, pass `--model`
+or `--effort`:
 
 ```bash
 devspace agents run <profile-or-provider> --model <model> "<prompt>"
-devspace agents run <profile-or-provider> --thinking <level> "<prompt>"
+devspace agents run <profile-or-provider> --effort <level> "<prompt>"
 ```
 
-Use `--thinking` only when the user asks for a specific reasoning depth or when
+Use `--effort` only when the user asks for a specific reasoning depth or when
 the task clearly needs a different effort than the configured profile default.
-Thinking values are provider-specific passthrough values. Use names supported by
+Effort values are provider-specific passthrough values. Use names supported by
 the selected local agent harness; DevSpace does not translate values between
 providers.
 

From bdae5b954d1ef317d4aa5f09994ea7b5bb740eb4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Waishnav <86405648+Waishnav@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:09:59 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 3/8] test(db): track the effort migration

---
 src/oauth-store.test.ts | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/src/oauth-store.test.ts b/src/oauth-store.test.ts
index d3ecacb36..225f9fdf5 100644
--- a/src/oauth-store.test.ts
+++ b/src/oauth-store.test.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ async function testDatabaseConfiguration(stateDir: string): Promise<void> {
       { version: 3, name: "local-agent-sessions" },
       { version: 4, name: "workspace-conversation-bindings" },
       { version: 5, name: "local-agent-structured-errors" },
+      { version: 6, name: "local-agent-effort-rename" },
     ]);
   } finally {
     database.close();

From 5525b143f9fde7dbdfb6623bcbc20e89e35bac97 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Waishnav <86405648+Waishnav@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:09:59 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 4/8] fix(agents): replace idle legacy daemons

---
 src/local-agent-client.ts      | 64 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts | 80 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 144 insertions(+)

diff --git a/src/local-agent-client.ts b/src/local-agent-client.ts
index eeae963f6..17e1ff1ae 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-client.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-client.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import type { ServerConfig } from "./config.js";
 import {
   AgentDaemonInvalidRequestError,
   AgentDaemonInvalidResponseError,
+  AgentDaemonProtocolMismatchError,
   AgentDaemonStartupError,
   AgentDaemonTimeoutError,
   AgentDaemonUnauthorizedError,
@@ -219,12 +220,75 @@ export class LocalAgentClient {
           message: "Local agent daemon returned an invalid hello error.",
         }));
       }
+      if (
+        error.code === "DAEMON_PROTOCOL_MISMATCH"
+        && response.value.protocolVersion < LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSION
+      ) {
+        return this.replaceIdleOlderDaemon(authToken.value, response.value.protocolVersion, error);
+      }
       return error.code === "DAEMON_UNAVAILABLE" ? Result.ok(undefined) : Result.err(error);
     }
     const decoded = decodeValue(response.value.result, "hello", decodeDaemonStatus);
     return decoded.map((status) => status.state === "ready" ? status : undefined);
   }
 
+  private async replaceIdleOlderDaemon(
+    authToken: string,
+    protocolVersion: number,
+    mismatch: AgentDaemonProtocolMismatchError,
+  ): Promise<BetterResult<undefined, AgentDaemonError>> {
+    const statusResponse = await sendRequest(this.endpoint, {
+      requestId: randomUUID(),
+      protocolVersion,
+      authToken,
+      method: "hello",
+      params: {},
+    }, this.requestTimeoutMs);
+    if (statusResponse.isErr() || !statusResponse.value.ok) return Result.err(mismatch);
+    const status = decodeValue(statusResponse.value.result, "hello", decodeDaemonStatus);
+    if (status.isErr()) return status;
+    if (status.value.activeTurns > 0) {
+      return Result.err(new AgentDaemonProtocolMismatchError({
+        code: "DAEMON_PROTOCOL_MISMATCH",
+        operation: "startup",
+        retryable: true,
+        cause: mismatch,
+        message: "An older local agent daemon is still running active turns. Retry after they finish.",
+      }));
+    }
+
+    const stopResponse = await sendRequest(this.endpoint, {
+      requestId: randomUUID(),
+      protocolVersion,
+      authToken,
+      method: "daemon.stop",
+      params: {},
+    }, this.requestTimeoutMs);
+    if (stopResponse.isErr() || !stopResponse.value.ok) return Result.err(mismatch);
+
+    const deadline = Date.now() + this.startupTimeoutMs;
+    while (Date.now() < deadline) {
+      await delay(RETRY_DELAY_MS);
+      const probe = await sendRequest(this.endpoint, {
+        requestId: randomUUID(),
+        protocolVersion,
+        authToken,
+        method: "hello",
+        params: {},
+      }, Math.min(this.requestTimeoutMs, 250));
+      if (probe.isErr() && probe.error.code === "DAEMON_UNAVAILABLE") {
+        return Result.ok(undefined);
+      }
+    }
+    return Result.err(new AgentDaemonStartupError({
+      code: "DAEMON_STARTUP_FAILURE",
+      operation: "startup",
+      retryable: true,
+      cause: mismatch,
+      message: "The older local agent daemon did not stop in time for the upgrade.",
+    }));
+  }
+
   private async request<M extends LocalAgentDaemonRequest["method"]>(
     method: M,
     params: Extract<LocalAgentDaemonRequest, { method: M }>['params'],
diff --git a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
index 895caf083..d72a09c63 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
@@ -208,6 +208,86 @@ const startupFailure = await startupFailureClient.ensureReady();
 assert.equal(startupFailure.isErr(), true);
 if (startupFailure.isErr()) assert.equal(startupFailure.error.code, "DAEMON_STARTUP_FAILURE");
 
+const upgradeStateDir = join(root, "upgrade-state");
+await mkdir(upgradeStateDir, { recursive: true });
+const upgradePaths = localAgentDaemonPaths(upgradeStateDir);
+ensureLocalAgentDaemonSecret(upgradePaths);
+const legacyMethods: string[] = [];
+const legacyServer = createNetServer((socket) => {
+  let buffer = "";
+  socket.setEncoding("utf8");
+  socket.on("data", (chunk: string | Buffer) => {
+    buffer += chunk.toString();
+    const newline = buffer.indexOf("\n");
+    if (newline === -1) return;
+    const request = JSON.parse(buffer.slice(0, newline)) as {
+      requestId: string;
+      protocolVersion: number;
+      method: string;
+    };
+    legacyMethods.push(`${request.method}:${request.protocolVersion}`);
+    if (request.protocolVersion !== 1) {
+      socket.end(encodeLocalAgentDaemonResponse({
+        requestId: request.requestId,
+        protocolVersion: 1,
+        ok: false,
+        error: {
+          code: "DAEMON_PROTOCOL_MISMATCH",
+          message: "Unsupported daemon protocol version 2; expected 1.",
+          retryable: false,
+        },
+      }));
+      return;
+    }
+    const stopping = request.method === "daemon.stop";
+    socket.end(encodeLocalAgentDaemonResponse({
+      requestId: request.requestId,
+      protocolVersion: 1,
+      ok: true,
+      result: {
+        state: stopping ? "stopping" : "ready",
+        protocolVersion: 1,
+        pid: process.pid,
+        endpoint: upgradePaths.endpoint,
+        startedAt: "now",
+        activeTurns: 0,
+        runtimeCount: 0,
+        clientConnections: 1,
+      },
+    }), () => {
+      if (stopping) legacyServer.close();
+    });
+  });
+});
+await new Promise<void>((resolveListen, rejectListen) => {
+  legacyServer.once("error", rejectListen);
+  legacyServer.listen(upgradePaths.endpoint, resolveListen);
+});
+const replacementManager = new FakeManager();
+replacementManager.activeTurnCount = 0;
+const replacementDaemon = new LocalAgentDaemon({
+  stateDir: upgradeStateDir,
+  manager: replacementManager,
+  idleShutdownMs: 60_000,
+});
+let replacementSpawns = 0;
+const upgradeClient = new LocalAgentClient({
+  stateDir: upgradeStateDir,
+  startupTimeoutMs: 2_000,
+  requestTimeoutMs: 500,
+  spawnDaemon: () => {
+    replacementSpawns += 1;
+    void replacementDaemon.start();
+  },
+});
+try {
+  assert.equal(unwrap(await upgradeClient.ensureReady()).protocolVersion, 2);
+  assert.equal(replacementSpawns, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(legacyMethods.slice(0, 3), ["hello:2", "hello:1", "daemon.stop:1"]);
+} finally {
+  await replacementDaemon.close();
+}
+
 const timeoutStateDir = join(root, "request-timeout-state");
 await mkdir(timeoutStateDir, { recursive: true });
 const timeoutPaths = localAgentDaemonPaths(timeoutStateDir);

From dd0f8fd20ae19b47ad2baed8a7d14d40b7eca8a5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Waishnav <86405648+Waishnav@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:41:41 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 5/8] fix(db): preserve mixed-schema effort values

---
 src/db/migrations.ts          | 11 ++++++++++-
 src/local-agent-store.test.ts |  4 +++-
 2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/db/migrations.ts b/src/db/migrations.ts
index 3f547ffee..df192caa0 100644
--- a/src/db/migrations.ts
+++ b/src/db/migrations.ts
@@ -218,7 +218,16 @@ function migrateLocalAgentEffortRename(sqlite: Database.Database): void {
     name: string;
   }>;
   const names = new Set(columns.map((column) => column.name));
-  if (names.has("effort")) return;
+  if (names.has("effort")) {
+    if (names.has("thinking")) {
+      sqlite.exec(`
+        update local_agent_sessions
+        set effort = thinking
+        where effort is null and thinking is not null
+      `);
+    }
+    return;
+  }
   if (!names.has("thinking")) {
     addColumnIfMissing(sqlite, "local_agent_sessions", "effort", "text");
     return;
diff --git a/src/local-agent-store.test.ts b/src/local-agent-store.test.ts
index eaa3be30a..829940f92 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-store.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-store.test.ts
@@ -98,7 +98,9 @@ assert.deepEqual(store.list({ workspaceRoot: join(root, "other") }), []);
   const migration = legacy.prepare(
     "insert into devspace_schema_migrations (version, name, applied_at) values (?, ?, ?)",
   );
-  for (const [version, name] of [[1, "workspace-state"], [2, "oauth-state"], [3, "local-agent-sessions"], [4, "workspace-conversation-bindings"]] as const) {
+  // Leave migration 3 unapplied to exercise an interrupted legacy upgrade:
+  // it adds an empty effort column before migration 6 copies thinking values.
+  for (const [version, name] of [[1, "workspace-state"], [2, "oauth-state"], [4, "workspace-conversation-bindings"]] as const) {
     migration.run(version, name, "2026-08-01T00:00:00.000Z");
   }
   legacy.prepare(`

From e26517a76aa7c4648597819d7427b69c8dd409e0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Waishnav <86405648+Waishnav@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:41:41 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 6/8] fix(agents): tolerate concurrent daemon upgrades

---
 src/local-agent-client.ts      | 10 ++++-
 src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts | 67 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 76 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/src/local-agent-client.ts b/src/local-agent-client.ts
index 17e1ff1ae..f9858c0ae 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-client.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-client.ts
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ export class LocalAgentClient {
     authToken: string,
     protocolVersion: number,
     mismatch: AgentDaemonProtocolMismatchError,
-  ): Promise<BetterResult<undefined, AgentDaemonError>> {
+  ): Promise<BetterResult<LocalAgentDaemonStatus | undefined, AgentDaemonError>> {
     const statusResponse = await sendRequest(this.endpoint, {
       requestId: randomUUID(),
       protocolVersion,
@@ -279,6 +279,14 @@ export class LocalAgentClient {
       if (probe.isErr() && probe.error.code === "DAEMON_UNAVAILABLE") {
         return Result.ok(undefined);
       }
+      if (
+        probe.isOk()
+        && probe.value.protocolVersion >= LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSION
+      ) {
+        // Another client completed the replacement while this client was
+        // waiting for the old endpoint to disappear.
+        return this.tryHello();
+      }
     }
     return Result.err(new AgentDaemonStartupError({
       code: "DAEMON_STARTUP_FAILURE",
diff --git a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
index d72a09c63..6b2e86d9a 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
@@ -288,6 +288,73 @@ try {
   await replacementDaemon.close();
 }
 
+const replacementRaceStateDir = join(root, "upgrade-race-state");
+await mkdir(replacementRaceStateDir, { recursive: true });
+const replacementRacePaths = localAgentDaemonPaths(replacementRaceStateDir);
+ensureLocalAgentDaemonSecret(replacementRacePaths);
+let replacementRaceProtocol = 1;
+const replacementRaceServer = createNetServer((socket) => {
+  let buffer = "";
+  socket.setEncoding("utf8");
+  socket.on("data", (chunk: string | Buffer) => {
+    buffer += chunk.toString();
+    const newline = buffer.indexOf("\n");
+    if (newline === -1) return;
+    const request = JSON.parse(buffer.slice(0, newline)) as {
+      requestId: string;
+      protocolVersion: number;
+      method: string;
+    };
+    if (request.protocolVersion !== replacementRaceProtocol) {
+      socket.end(encodeLocalAgentDaemonResponse({
+        requestId: request.requestId,
+        protocolVersion: replacementRaceProtocol,
+        ok: false,
+        error: {
+          code: "DAEMON_PROTOCOL_MISMATCH",
+          message: `Unsupported daemon protocol version ${request.protocolVersion}.`,
+          retryable: false,
+        },
+      }));
+      return;
+    }
+    socket.end(encodeLocalAgentDaemonResponse({
+      requestId: request.requestId,
+      protocolVersion: replacementRaceProtocol,
+      ok: true,
+      result: {
+        state: request.method === "daemon.stop" ? "stopping" : "ready",
+        protocolVersion: replacementRaceProtocol,
+        pid: process.pid,
+        endpoint: replacementRacePaths.endpoint,
+        startedAt: "now",
+        activeTurns: 0,
+        runtimeCount: 0,
+        clientConnections: 1,
+      },
+    }), () => {
+      if (request.method === "daemon.stop") replacementRaceProtocol = 2;
+    });
+  });
+});
+await new Promise<void>((resolveListen, rejectListen) => {
+  replacementRaceServer.once("error", rejectListen);
+  replacementRaceServer.listen(replacementRacePaths.endpoint, resolveListen);
+});
+const replacementRaceClient = new LocalAgentClient({
+  stateDir: replacementRaceStateDir,
+  startupTimeoutMs: 500,
+  requestTimeoutMs: 100,
+  spawnDaemon: () => {
+    throw new Error("the replacement daemon is already running");
+  },
+});
+try {
+  assert.equal(unwrap(await replacementRaceClient.ensureReady()).protocolVersion, 2);
+} finally {
+  await new Promise<void>((resolveClose) => replacementRaceServer.close(() => resolveClose()));
+}
+
 const timeoutStateDir = join(root, "request-timeout-state");
 await mkdir(timeoutStateDir, { recursive: true });
 const timeoutPaths = localAgentDaemonPaths(timeoutStateDir);

From e0dc3e5747d51478ce7e55276a8ffa4ba851398f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Waishnav <86405648+Waishnav@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:44:23 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 7/8] test(agents): follow the current daemon protocol

---
 src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts | 10 ++++++++--
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
index 6b2e86d9a..da4002766 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { daemonExecArgv, LocalAgentClient } from "./local-agent-client.js";
 import { LocalAgentDaemon, type LocalAgentDaemonManager } from "./local-agent-daemon.js";
 import {
   ensureLocalAgentDaemonSecret,
+  LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSION,
   localAgentDaemonPaths,
 } from "./local-agent-daemon-lifecycle.js";
 import {
@@ -333,7 +334,9 @@ const replacementRaceServer = createNetServer((socket) => {
         clientConnections: 1,
       },
     }), () => {
-      if (request.method === "daemon.stop") replacementRaceProtocol = 2;
+      if (request.method === "daemon.stop") {
+        replacementRaceProtocol = LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSION;
+      }
     });
   });
 });
@@ -350,7 +353,10 @@ const replacementRaceClient = new LocalAgentClient({
   },
 });
 try {
-  assert.equal(unwrap(await replacementRaceClient.ensureReady()).protocolVersion, 2);
+  assert.equal(
+    unwrap(await replacementRaceClient.ensureReady()).protocolVersion,
+    LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+  );
 } finally {
   await new Promise<void>((resolveClose) => replacementRaceServer.close(() => resolveClose()));
 }

From e7e0bb47ebfad74ea44e9375e7a157da27ace63b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Waishnav <86405648+Waishnav@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:48:31 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 8/8] fix(agents): wait for daemon ownership handoff

---
 src/local-agent-client.ts      |  6 +++++-
 src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts | 13 ++++++++++++-
 2 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/local-agent-client.ts b/src/local-agent-client.ts
index f9858c0ae..eb47ebafa 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-client.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-client.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import {
 import {
   LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSION,
   ensureLocalAgentDaemonSecret,
+  isProcessAlive,
   localAgentDaemonPaths,
   readLocalAgentDaemonSecret,
   type LocalAgentDaemonPaths,
@@ -277,7 +278,10 @@ export class LocalAgentClient {
         params: {},
       }, Math.min(this.requestTimeoutMs, 250));
       if (probe.isErr() && probe.error.code === "DAEMON_UNAVAILABLE") {
-        return Result.ok(undefined);
+        if (!existsSync(this.paths.lockPath) || !isProcessAlive(status.value.pid)) {
+          return Result.ok(undefined);
+        }
+        continue;
       }
       if (
         probe.isOk()
diff --git a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
index da4002766..610241900 100644
--- a/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
+++ b/src/local-agent-daemon.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { LocalAgentDaemon, type LocalAgentDaemonManager } from "./local-agent-da
 import {
   ensureLocalAgentDaemonSecret,
   LOCAL_AGENT_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+  LocalAgentDaemonLock,
   localAgentDaemonPaths,
 } from "./local-agent-daemon-lifecycle.js";
 import {
@@ -213,6 +214,8 @@ const upgradeStateDir = join(root, "upgrade-state");
 await mkdir(upgradeStateDir, { recursive: true });
 const upgradePaths = localAgentDaemonPaths(upgradeStateDir);
 ensureLocalAgentDaemonSecret(upgradePaths);
+const legacyLock = new LocalAgentDaemonLock(upgradePaths);
+legacyLock.acquire();
 const legacyMethods: string[] = [];
 const legacyServer = createNetServer((socket) => {
   let buffer = "";
@@ -256,7 +259,11 @@ const legacyServer = createNetServer((socket) => {
         clientConnections: 1,
       },
     }), () => {
-      if (stopping) legacyServer.close();
+      if (stopping) {
+        legacyServer.close(() => {
+          setTimeout(() => legacyLock.release(), 50);
+        });
+      }
     });
   });
 });
@@ -272,20 +279,24 @@ const replacementDaemon = new LocalAgentDaemon({
   idleShutdownMs: 60_000,
 });
 let replacementSpawns = 0;
+let spawnedBeforeLegacyLockReleased = false;
 const upgradeClient = new LocalAgentClient({
   stateDir: upgradeStateDir,
   startupTimeoutMs: 2_000,
   requestTimeoutMs: 500,
   spawnDaemon: () => {
     replacementSpawns += 1;
+    spawnedBeforeLegacyLockReleased = existsSync(upgradePaths.lockPath);
     void replacementDaemon.start();
   },
 });
 try {
   assert.equal(unwrap(await upgradeClient.ensureReady()).protocolVersion, 2);
   assert.equal(replacementSpawns, 1);
+  assert.equal(spawnedBeforeLegacyLockReleased, false);
   assert.deepEqual(legacyMethods.slice(0, 3), ["hello:2", "hello:1", "daemon.stop:1"]);
 } finally {
+  legacyLock.release();
   await replacementDaemon.close();
 }