fix(#2698): keep isolated deployments on their own state and profile roots

README.md

@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@ Full list of environment variables:
 | `HERMES_WEBUI_EXTENSION_STYLESHEET_URLS` | *(unset)* | Optional comma-separated same-origin stylesheet URLs to inject; see [WebUI Extensions](docs/EXTENSIONS.md) |
 | `HERMES_HOME` | Windows: `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes`; POSIX: `~/.hermes` | Base directory for Hermes state (affects all paths) |
 | `HERMES_CONFIG_PATH` | `$HERMES_HOME/config.yaml` | Path to Hermes config file |
+| `HERMES_WEBUI_SERVER_CWD` | *(unset)* | Working directory for the server process. Defaults to the agent dir; point it at a writable workspace when the agent dir is read-only so fallback relative writes land somewhere writable |
 | `HERMES_WEBUI_AGENT_CACHE_MAX` | `25` | Max live agent instances kept warm in the in-memory LRU. Each pins a full conversation transcript, so this is the dominant lever on resident memory — lower it on installs with many long sessions to cap RAM (at the cost of more cold reloads) |
 | `HERMES_WEBUI_SESSIONS_MAX` | `100` | Max compact `Session` objects held in the in-memory LRU. Lighter than the agent cache; lower it on installs with hundreds of sessions |
 

api/config.py

@@ -70,9 +70,10 @@ TLS_ENABLED = TLS_CERT is not None and TLS_KEY is not None
 
 # ── State directory (env-overridable, never inside repo) ──────────────────────
 _DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME = _platform_default_hermes_home()
+_DEFAULT_STATE_HOME = Path(os.getenv("HERMES_HOME") or _DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME).expanduser()
 
 STATE_DIR = (
-    Path(os.getenv("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR", str(_DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME / "webui")))
+    Path(os.getenv("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR", str(_DEFAULT_STATE_HOME / "webui")))
     .expanduser()
     .resolve()
 )

api/profiles.py

@@ -133,17 +133,18 @@ def _is_isolated_profile_mode() -> bool:
     This indicates a single-profile deployment where the WebUI should pin to
     that profile and reject cross-profile operations.
 
-    HERMES_BASE_HOME env var, if set, overrides and forces non-isolated mode
+    Isolation is derived only from the literal ``*/profiles/<name>`` shape of
-    (allows deployments to explicitly opt out of isolation detection).
+    HERMES_HOME at startup. A normal multi-profile deployment points
+    HERMES_HOME at the base home (``~/.hermes``), which does not match the
+    shape, so isolation stays off. We deliberately do not key this off
+    HERMES_BASE_HOME: that variable normally points at the base home already,
+    so using it as an opt-out silently disables legitimate isolated-profile
+    deployments.
 
     Uses _INITIAL_HERMES_HOME (snapshotted at import time) to detect isolation,
     not the current os.environ value. init_profile_state() overwrites HERMES_HOME
     at startup, which would disable isolation detection if we read it here.
     """
-    # Explicit HERMES_BASE_HOME opt-out takes precedence
-    if os.getenv('HERMES_BASE_HOME', '').strip():
-        return False
-
     hermes_home = _INITIAL_HERMES_HOME
     if not hermes_home:
         return False
@@ -375,6 +376,10 @@ def _resolve_profile_home_for_name(name: str) -> Path:
     names fall back to the base home so traversal-shaped cookie values cannot
     influence filesystem paths.
     """
+    # In isolated mode, the pinned profile name, including a literal
+    # "default", must resolve to the configured startup HERMES_HOME.
+    if _is_isolated_profile_mode() and name == _isolated_profile_name():
+        return Path(_INITIAL_HERMES_HOME).expanduser()
     if not name or _is_root_profile(name):
         return _DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME
     if not _PROFILE_ID_RE.fullmatch(name):
@@ -1378,9 +1383,15 @@ def list_profiles_api() -> list:
         try:
             from hermes_cli.profiles import list_profiles
             infos = list_profiles()
-            # Find the current profile and return only that one
+            # When the isolated profile is literally named "default", upstream
+            # can surface the base-home row first. Only trust a row whose path
+            # resolves to the same directory as the isolated startup home.
             for p in infos:
-                if p.name == active:
+                try:
+                    same_home = Path(p.path).expanduser().resolve() == hermes_home.resolve()
+                except OSError:
+                    same_home = False
+                if p.name == active and same_home:
                     enabled_count, total_count = _get_profile_skills_stats(p.path)
                     return [{
                         'name': p.name,
@@ -1403,7 +1414,7 @@ def list_profiles_api() -> list:
         return [{
             'name': active,
             'path': str(hermes_home),
-            'is_default': False,
+            'is_default': _is_root_profile(active),
             'is_active': True,
             'gateway_running': False,
             'model': None,

api/routes.py

@@ -429,6 +429,7 @@ def _visible_pinned_lineage_ids(session_rows) -> set[str]:
 # module keep resolving without per-call-site refactors.
 from api.profiles import (  # noqa: F401, E402  (re-export)
     _profiles_match,
+    _is_isolated_profile_mode,
     get_active_profile_name,
     get_active_profile_name as _get_active_profile_name,
 )
@@ -445,6 +446,11 @@ def _all_profiles_query_flag(parsed_url) -> bool:
     return raw in ('1', 'true', 'yes', 'on')
 
 
+def _all_profiles_enabled(parsed_url) -> bool:
+    """Enable aggregate profile reads only when the request asks and mode allows it."""
+    return _all_profiles_query_flag(parsed_url) and not _is_isolated_profile_mode()
+
+
 def _session_visible_to_active_profile(session_profile, handler=None) -> bool:
     """Return whether a detail-load session belongs to the active profile.
 
@@ -1927,7 +1933,7 @@ def _build_session_list_cache_payload(
         other_profile_count = 0
     else:
         scoped = [s for s in merged if _profiles_match(s.get("profile"), active_profile)]
-        other_profile_count = len(merged) - len(scoped)
+        other_profile_count = 0 if _is_isolated_profile_mode() else len(merged) - len(scoped)
     diag_stage("messaging_dedupe")
     scoped = _keep_latest_messaging_session_per_source(
         scoped,
@@ -8175,7 +8181,7 @@ def handle_get(handler, parsed) -> bool:
             show_cron_sessions = bool(settings.get("show_cron_sessions"))
             agent_session_source_filter = settings.get("agent_session_source_filter")
             active_profile = get_active_profile_name()
-            all_profiles = _all_profiles_query_flag(parsed)
+            all_profiles = _all_profiles_enabled(parsed)
             key = _session_list_cache_key(
                 active_profile=active_profile,
                 all_profiles=all_profiles,
@@ -8213,17 +8219,20 @@ def handle_get(handler, parsed) -> bool:
         from api.profiles import get_active_profile_name
         active_profile = get_active_profile_name()
         all_projects = load_projects()
-        all_profiles = _all_profiles_query_flag(parsed)
+        isolated_profile_mode = _is_isolated_profile_mode()
+        all_profiles = _all_profiles_enabled(parsed)
         if all_profiles:
             scoped = all_projects
+            other_profile_count = 0
         else:
             scoped = [p for p in all_projects
                       if _profiles_match(p.get("profile"), active_profile)]
+            other_profile_count = 0 if isolated_profile_mode else len(all_projects) - len(scoped)
         return j(handler, {
             "projects": scoped,
             "all_profiles": all_profiles,
             "active_profile": active_profile,
-            "other_profile_count": len(all_projects) - len(scoped),
+            "other_profile_count": other_profile_count,
         })
 
     if parsed.path == "/api/prompts":
@@ -11191,7 +11200,7 @@ def _handle_sessions_search(handler, parsed):
     content_search = qs.get("content", ["1"])[0] == "1"
     from api.profiles import get_active_profile_name
     active_profile = get_active_profile_name()
-    all_profiles = _all_profiles_query_flag(parsed)
+    all_profiles = _all_profiles_enabled(parsed)
     sessions = all_sessions()
     if not all_profiles:
         sessions = [

bootstrap.py

@@ -494,7 +494,8 @@ def main() -> int:
 
     python_exe = ensure_python_has_webui_deps(discover_launcher_python(agent_dir), agent_dir)
     state_dir = Path(
-        os.getenv("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR", str(Path.home() / ".hermes" / "webui"))
+        os.getenv("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR")
+        or Path(os.getenv("HERMES_HOME") or (Path.home() / ".hermes")) / "webui"
     ).expanduser()
     state_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
@@ -505,7 +506,8 @@ def main() -> int:
     if agent_dir:
         os.environ["HERMES_WEBUI_AGENT_DIR"] = str(agent_dir)
 
-    server_cwd = str(agent_dir or REPO_ROOT)
+    # Let operators move fallback relative writes out of a read-only agent dir.
+    server_cwd = os.environ.get("HERMES_WEBUI_SERVER_CWD", "").strip() or str(agent_dir or REPO_ROOT)
     server_path = str(REPO_ROOT / "server.py")
     # Scheme the server will advertise (HTTPS when TLS cert+key are configured).
     scheme = "https" if _tls_probe_enabled() else "http"

tests/test_bootstrap_foreground.py

@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ def clean_env(monkeypatch):
         "HERMES_WEBUI_HOST",
         "HERMES_WEBUI_PORT",
         "HERMES_WEBUI_AGENT_DIR",
+        "HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR",
+        "HERMES_WEBUI_SERVER_CWD",
+        "HERMES_HOME",
     ):
         monkeypatch.delenv(name, raising=False)
 
@@ -346,6 +349,27 @@ class TestMainForegroundRouting:
             bs.main()
         assert len(execv_calls) == 1
 
+    def test_foreground_defaults_state_dir_to_hermes_home_webui(self, stub_main_dependencies, clean_env, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+        bs = stub_main_dependencies
+        hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes" / "profiles" / "webui"
+        hermes_home.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(hermes_home))
+        monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR", raising=False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "argv", ["bootstrap.py", "--foreground"])
+        monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "platform", "linux")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(os, "chdir", lambda p: None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(os, "access", lambda path, mode: True)
+
+        def fake_execv(*_args):
+            raise SystemExit(0)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(os, "execv", fake_execv)
+
+        with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+            bs.main()
+
+        assert os.environ["HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR"] == str(hermes_home / "webui")
+
 
 class TestForegroundEnvAndCwd:
     """The post-execv server.py inherits os.environ and cwd from us."""
@@ -384,6 +408,27 @@ class TestForegroundEnvAndCwd:
         assert len(chdir_calls) == 1
         assert chdir_calls[0] == str(agent_dir)
 
+    def test_foreground_chdirs_to_server_cwd_override_before_launch(self, setup, monkeypatch, clean_env, tmp_path):
+        bs, _agent_dir = setup
+        workspace = tmp_path / "workspace"
+        workspace.mkdir()
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_WEBUI_SERVER_CWD", str(workspace))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "argv", ["bootstrap.py", "--foreground"])
+        monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "platform", "linux")
+
+        chdir_calls = []
+        monkeypatch.setattr(os, "chdir", lambda p: chdir_calls.append(p))
+
+        def fake_execv(*_args):
+            raise SystemExit(0)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(os, "execv", fake_execv)
+
+        with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+            bs.main()
+
+        assert chdir_calls == [str(workspace)]
+
     def test_foreground_exports_resolved_env_vars(self, setup, monkeypatch, clean_env):
         bs, agent_dir = setup
         monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "argv", [

tests/test_issue1611_session_profile_filtering.py

@@ -106,6 +106,22 @@ def test_all_profiles_query_flag_false_values():
         assert _all_profiles_query_flag(u) is False, f"path {path!r} should be false"
 
 
+def test_all_profiles_enabled_in_normal_mode(monkeypatch):
+    """The aggregate toggle still works outside isolated-profile mode."""
+    import api.routes as routes
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(routes, "_is_isolated_profile_mode", lambda: False)
+    assert routes._all_profiles_enabled(urlparse('/api/sessions?all_profiles=1')) is True
+
+
+def test_all_profiles_disabled_in_isolated_mode(monkeypatch):
+    """An isolated deployment must ignore all_profiles=1 aggregate requests."""
+    import api.routes as routes
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(routes, "_is_isolated_profile_mode", lambda: True)
+    assert routes._all_profiles_enabled(urlparse('/api/sessions?all_profiles=1')) is False
+
+
 # ── No client-side CLI bypass ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 

tests/test_issue2698_isolated_hermes_home.py

@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ class TestIsolatedProfileModeDetection:
                     isolated = _is_isolated_profile_mode()
                     assert isolated is True, f"Expected isolated mode for {temp_single_profile}"
 
-    def test_hermes_base_home_override_forces_normal_mode(self, temp_single_profile):
+    def test_hermes_base_home_does_not_disable_isolation(self, temp_single_profile):
-        """HERMES_BASE_HOME env var override forces normal mode even with profile subdir."""
+        """HERMES_BASE_HOME must not disable isolation for a profiles/<name> path."""
         base_home = temp_single_profile.parent.parent
         with mock.patch.dict(
             os.environ,
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class TestIsolatedProfileModeDetection:
             with mock.patch("api.profiles._DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME", base_home):
                 with mock.patch("api.profiles._INITIAL_HERMES_HOME", str(temp_single_profile)):
                     isolated = _is_isolated_profile_mode()
-                    assert isolated is False
+                    assert isolated is True
 
 
 class TestListProfilesInIsolatedMode:
@@ -272,6 +272,54 @@ class TestIsolatedRuntimePinning:
         assert get_active_profile_name() == "default"
         assert get_active_hermes_home() == isolated_default
 
+    def test_explicit_profile_resolution_for_isolated_default_uses_pinned_home(self, temp_hermes_home, monkeypatch):
+        """Explicit default-profile resolution must stay on the isolated home."""
+        from api.profiles import get_hermes_home_for_profile, _resolve_profile_home_for_name
+
+        isolated_default = temp_hermes_home / "profiles" / "default"
+        isolated_default.mkdir()
+        for subdir in ["memories", "sessions", "skills", "skins", "logs", "plans", "workspace", "cron"]:
+            (isolated_default / subdir).mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(isolated_default))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_profiles_mod, "_DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME", temp_hermes_home)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_profiles_mod, "_INITIAL_HERMES_HOME", str(isolated_default))
+
+        assert _resolve_profile_home_for_name("default") == isolated_default
+        assert get_hermes_home_for_profile("default") == isolated_default
+        assert get_hermes_home_for_profile("default") != temp_hermes_home
+
+    def test_list_profiles_prefers_matching_isolated_default_home(self, temp_hermes_home, monkeypatch):
+        """The isolated profiles/default row must not collapse to the base-home row."""
+        isolated_default = temp_hermes_home / "profiles" / "default"
+        isolated_default.mkdir(parents=True)
+        for subdir in ["memories", "sessions", "skills", "skins", "logs", "plans", "workspace", "cron"]:
+            (isolated_default / subdir).mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+
+        class _Info:
+            def __init__(self, name, path, is_default):
+                self.name = name
+                self.path = path
+                self.is_default = is_default
+                self.gateway_running = False
+                self.model = None
+                self.provider = None
+                self.has_env = False
+
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(isolated_default))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_profiles_mod, "_DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME", temp_hermes_home)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_profiles_mod, "_INITIAL_HERMES_HOME", str(isolated_default))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_profiles_mod, "_get_profile_skills_stats", lambda _path: (0, 0))
+
+        with mock.patch("hermes_cli.profiles.list_profiles", return_value=[
+            _Info("default", temp_hermes_home, True),
+            _Info("default", isolated_default, False),
+        ]):
+            rows = list_profiles_api()
+
+        assert len(rows) == 1
+        assert Path(rows[0]["path"]) == isolated_default
+
 
 class TestProfileMutationsInIsolatedMode:
     """Test that create/delete/switch are rejected (403) in isolated mode."""

tests/test_issue4449_state_dir_contract.py

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+"""Regression tests for the #4449 state-dir contract folded into #4454."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import api.config as config
+
+
+def test_config_state_dir_defaults_to_hermes_home_webui(tmp_path):
+    hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes" / "profiles" / "isolated"
+    hermes_home.mkdir(parents=True)
+
+    old_home = os.environ.get("HERMES_HOME")
+    old_state_dir = os.environ.get("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR")
+    try:
+        os.environ["HERMES_HOME"] = str(hermes_home)
+        os.environ.pop("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR", None)
+
+        reloaded = importlib.reload(config)
+
+        assert reloaded.STATE_DIR == (hermes_home / "webui").resolve()
+    finally:
+        if old_home is None:
+            os.environ.pop("HERMES_HOME", None)
+        else:
+            os.environ["HERMES_HOME"] = old_home
+        if old_state_dir is None:
+            os.environ.pop("HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR", None)
+        else:
+            os.environ["HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR"] = old_state_dir
+        importlib.reload(config)