dsh-openkapsel
OpenKapsel workspace bridge for the DeepSeek Harness. It turns a remote
OpenKapsel workspace into model-visible tools: supply the read-only workspace
URL ending in /w/<READ_TOKEN> and its matching control token, and the agent
can list/read/write files, run Shell tasks, and call the other OpenKapsel REST
surfaces. The model has no host filesystem or host Shell tool in the bundled
remote-only preset.
The bridge reuses the workspace-published openkapsel-rest skill's Python
helpers (openkapsel_http.py and openkapsel_config.py), vendored under
skill/. Each kapsel_* tool invokes one of those two fixed scripts through
the harness host Shell service. The model cannot choose the script or use that
service as a Shell tool. Authentication, Context attribution
(plan_id/taskname/message), REST error decoding, and credential renewal
stay owned by the maintained skill code. Every helper subprocess receives an
explicit DSH workspace-write policy rooted at that agent's private state
directory; the executor also controls any platform temporary-directory access.
Compatibility and permissions
| Area | Requirements and scope |
|---|
| DSH | Tested with DSH 0.1.2-rc.1, the web profile, and the bundled OpenKapsel Remote preset. The preset's persona field was updated for DSH 0.1.5-rc.2; an existing session's command picker was confirmed working after the update. Other profiles are not verified. |
| Node.js | Package declares >=18; the test matrix covers Node.js 22 and 24. Use a version supported by your DSH installation; Node.js 18 is not covered by this project's CI. |
| Python | Python 3.10+ on the Host's PATH: python on Windows, python3 on macOS/Linux. The test matrix covers 3.10 and 3.14. |
| Host platform | macOS/Linux use DSH's Bash executor; Windows uses DSH's PowerShell executor without Bash. GitHub installation and Host startup verified on macOS. Windows installation and actual plugin use confirmed by user testing (2026-09-09). Linux/Windows automated tests are configured in CI. |
| External service | Requires a reachable, user-selected OpenKapsel Server and its Workspace URL/control token. Requests and their supplied file contents or commands are sent to that server. |
| Local access | Runs fixed Python helpers through DSH's Shell service and writes session credentials under $DSH_HOME/state/dsh-openkapsel (default ~/.dsh/state/dsh-openkapsel). Model-facing host file/Shell tools and run_code are denied. |
| Credentials | Stores the read URL and control token under the user's DSH state directory. Unix uses 0600 files and 0700 directories; Windows relies on the containing user directory's ACL (chmod does not enforce Unix permissions there). Automatic renewal may replace stored credentials. |
| Remote permissions | Can read, modify, and run Shell commands within the remote token's grants. Typed tools are conveniences; the server enforces authorization for generic REST calls too. |
| DSH policy | read-only denies remote mutations and Shell; a one-call approval may authorize a retry. workspace-write and danger-full-access both remain bounded by the remote token. |
| License | MIT. This is a community plugin, not an official DeepSeek product. |
Why the internal transport remains Python
An installed Cordis package could implement the transport in Node. This bridge
keeps Python because the existing helpers already own renewal, authentication,
error decoding, and Context merging. Reusing them avoids a second protocol
implementation that could drift as OpenKapsel evolves. This does not grant the
model a local Shell: script paths are plugin-owned constants and arguments
travel as JSON on stdin to a fixed Python bootstrap.
Requires python on Windows or python3 on macOS/Linux on PATH.
Layout
index.js Host-side Cordis plugin and typed remote tools
bundle.js Profile bootstrap that installs only the preset
cordis.patch.yml DSH bundle entry point (no global tool guard)
preset-install.js Shared, update-safe preset installer
skill/openkapsel-rest/ Vendored REST skill and fixed Python helpers
preset/kapsel/ Remote-only agent preset shown in DSH's mode picker
bin/install-preset.js Installs the preset into the DSH user preset root
cordis.example.yml Annotated bridge row
tests/ Tool-catalog and remote-isolation tests
Install
Install from GitHub into the DSH web profile:
dsh plugin --profile web add github:zzzmmmnn/dsh-openkapsel
No manual symlink or local source checkout is required. DSH manages the package
as a profile dependency. Its dsh.bundle patch loads a lightweight bootstrap
when the profile starts. The bootstrap installs the OpenKapsel Remote preset;
it does not register tools, enable the remote-only guard, or change the default
preset. Tools and the guard load only when you select OpenKapsel Remote.
Untouched package-managed presets update automatically on startup. Existing
identical manual installations are adopted. Locally modified presets are
preserved and reported instead of overwritten. To explicitly replace one:
dsh plugin --profile web exec dsh-openkapsel-install-preset --force
The target is $DSH_HOME/.agent-presets/kapsel, or
~/.dsh/.agent-presets/kapsel when DSH_HOME is unset. Restart DSH. New sessions can then
select OpenKapsel Remote beside the shipped modes. Existing non-empty
sessions keep their original preset. Supply your OpenKapsel Workspace URL and
matching control token through kapsel_config to connect the remote workspace.
The installer command without --force remains available for manual setup.
Removing the package does not delete the copied preset or session credentials.
After uninstalling, remove $DSH_HOME/.agent-presets/kapsel if no other profile
uses it. The preset root is shared by profiles using the same DSH_HOME.
Version 0.7.1 changes the bundled preset's persona field from text to
prefix, as required by DSH 0.1.5-rc.2. The old field can prevent existing
OpenKapsel sessions from mounting after a DSH upgrade. Restart DSH after
updating the plugin so the bootstrap can refresh an untouched installed preset;
if you customized that preset, use the --force installer command above only
when you intend to replace your changes.
Version 0.7.0's packed bundle was installed into a fresh temporary DSH profile
on macOS: profile composition, Web Host startup, and automatic preset creation
passed without changing the default standard preset. The new bootstrap also
has automated installation, update, customization-preservation, and isolation tests.
The earlier GitHub installation and profile-scoped installer were verified locally;
the installed package passed its tests and the DSH web Host started
successfully on macOS. Windows installation and actual plugin use were also
confirmed by user testing on 2026-09-09. On Windows, run these same commands from PowerShell;
ensure python --version resolves to Python 3.10 or newer. Bash is not required.
Remote-only preset
Select OpenKapsel Remote in the DSH preset picker:
DSH preset picker with OpenKapsel Remote selected and its English description visible
Do not add dsh-openkapsel to standard or minimal: both expose host-local
tools. The bundled preset intentionally omits host Bash/PowerShell,
filesystem/search/editor, job control, local AGENTS.md discovery, and local
skill discovery. It retains only the OpenKapsel bridge plus skill,
ask_user_question, and todo_write.
The plugin also installs a fail-closed tool guard. Accidentally composing an
undeclared or local tool therefore causes execution to be denied even if a
future preset edit makes that tool visible to the model. DSH's optional
run_code presentation transport is denied. Remote-only mode explicitly selects
native tools, so model-authored code is not executed through a host code runtime.
DSH sandbox-mode mapping
The bridge resolves the current policy from ctx.sandboxPolicy for every tool
call:
| DSH mode | Remote OpenKapsel behavior |
|---|
read-only | Allows configuration, status, Discovery, filesystem reads, and generic GET/HEAD; denies remote mutations and Shell execution |
workspace-write | Allows every capability granted by the OpenKapsel token |
danger-full-access | Same bridge behavior as workspace-write; it never widens the OpenKapsel token |
A denied mutation can be retried with a one-call approval request:
{
"sandbox_permissions": "workspace-write",
"justification": "Update the requested remote configuration file once."
}
The plugin delegates the request to DSH's approval service before contacting
the remote mutation endpoint. Approval does not change the session's durable
sandbox mode. Rejection, cancellation, a missing approval channel, malformed
fields, and non-widening requests all fail closed.
The bridge row inside the bundled preset is:
- id: tool-kapsel
name: 'dsh-openkapsel'
config:
taskname: dsh
enforceRemoteOnly: true
dsh-openkapsel consumes the host shell, tools, skills, and sandboxPolicy services and
publishes none. Mount it in the dedicated agent preset, not globally.
Usage
kapsel_config(workspace_url, control_token) stores credentials in this
DSH session's private plugin state, then selects or creates an active root
Plan for mutation attribution. Re-run it to switch workspaces or rotate
credentials.skill("openkapsel-rest") loads the authoritative REST reference before
nontrivial operations.- Operate through the remote tools:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|
kapsel_config / kapsel_status | Configure or inspect the active workspace |
kapsel_plan_update | Update, reparent, cancel, or complete a Plan with a structured debrief |
kapsel_fs_list / kapsel_fs_read / kapsel_fs_stat | Read-side filesystem |
kapsel_fs_write / kapsel_fs_replace | Remote text write/edit |
kapsel_shell_exec / kapsel_task_output | Run a Shell task on the server or a mapped client and poll its output |
kapsel_mappings | List mapped client directories, online status, and execution policy |
kapsel_fs_copy / kapsel_fs_move / kapsel_transfer | Copy or move across workspace and client storage, then inspect/cancel/resume asynchronous transfers |
kapsel_recycle | List, restore, or explicitly purge an item in the selected storage root |
kapsel_client_task | List, start, inspect, feed stdin to, interrupt, or kill a process on a connected client |
kapsel_http | Context, Memory, sharing, preview, schedules, and other REST surfaces |
For client mappings, first call kapsel_mappings and inspect the client's reported platform and sandbox mode. kapsel_client_task takes an argv array and a client export-relative cwd; it does not use the server Shell. Client task output is returned as base64 with a next_offset cursor. An unsandboxed client task has that client's OS-account permissions. Mutating actions use the same DSH approval and OpenKapsel Plan attribution as the existing write tools. The bundled skill's references/mappings.md details the REST responses and failure states.
kapsel_shell_exec accepts target: "auto" (default), "server", or
"client". Auto selects a connected client when cwd is inside its mapping
(for example laptop/project), otherwise the server. A missing/denied client
fails without server fallback. The client needs OpenKapsel 1.60.0+ and an
enabled writable execution mapping. Its own OS, sandbox, and limits apply;
server /env settings are not injected. The returned task ID works with
kapsel_task_output and the standard /tasks controls via kapsel_http.
Client stdout/stderr are combined in stdout; client stdin chunks are at most
16 KiB. Use kapsel_client_task when literal client argv is needed.
kapsel_http.json is always a JSON object. Endpoint fields belong inside it,
not beside it. Context-management endpoints are handled specially because
their plan_id fields describe the Context graph rather than ordinary
operation attribution; prefer kapsel_plan_update for Plan changes.
Each DSH agent is keyed separately by agent.id. Credentials live under
$DSH_HOME/state/dsh-openkapsel/<sha256(agent.id)>/.openkapsel.env; active Plan and
taskname values are held in an agent-keyed WeakMap. The local project cwd is
not used for credentials or remote-workspace selection. An absolute stateDir
plugin option can replace the default private state root.
For a recorded mutation, taskname is resolved from the current tool call,
then the selected active Plan/session value, then the value set by
kapsel_config, then the plugin's preset configuration, and finally dsh.
Empty and whitespace-only values do not suppress this fallback. The active
Plan is selected automatically when plan_id is omitted; selecting a
persisted Plan after a Host restart also restores that Plan's taskname. A
missing or blank message receives a short default operation message.
Security notes
Typed tools are convenience wrappers, not an additional permission boundary.
kapsel_http exposes the REST surfaces available to the selected credential;
the remote server enforces endpoint, path, and capability authorization. DSH
read-only mode additionally denies mutating HTTP methods and Shell execution.
This assumes that GET/HEAD endpoints honor read semantics; project application
routes implement their own behavior and authorization.
The current DSH Shell service accepts a command string, not an argv array.
The bridge sends helper paths and arguments as ASCII JSON on stdin to a fixed
Python bootstrap. Model input never enters the Host Shell command text. NUL
arguments are rejected. Generated tests round-trip quotes, newlines,
substitutions, backslashes, empty strings, and Unicode through Bash on Unix and
PowerShell 7/Windows PowerShell 5.1 on Windows. Helpers retain their DSH sandbox
policy, and their exit codes propagate through PowerShell.
Version 0.5.0 renames the package, installer command, and default state directory
to dsh-openkapsel. Reinstall the preset and initialize credentials again after
upgrading. To reuse an existing private state directory, explicitly configure
stateDir to that directory. Tool names (kapsel_*) and the kapsel preset ID
remain stable.
Development checks
Run npm ci and npm test. GitHub Actions checks Node.js 22/24 with Python
3.10/3.14 on Linux and Windows, including helper argument round-trip and remote
permission tests.
Operational notes
- The control token is stored only in the session-private credential file with
Unix mode
0600 (Windows uses inherited directory ACLs). Neither the token nor its host-private path is returned in tool
results.
- The read token in the workspace URL is read-only; the control token unlocks
writes, Shell, Context, Memory, and sharing.
- Every mutation is attributed to an active Plan with a
taskname and
message.
- Tokens go only to the workspace origin or documented transfer paths, never to
preview or public-share URLs.
- The model-facing guard permits only
kapsel_*, skill,
ask_user_question, and todo_write.
Verification
npm test
The tests assert that the bundled preset contains no local Shell/filesystem
provider and run two simulated DSH agents against separate HTTP workspaces. The
integration test verifies that each remote workspace receives only its own
write, the local sentinel remains unchanged, and credentials exist only under
the private state root.
Read-only RPC tools
Version 0.9.0 adds kapsel_git (status/diff/diff_stat/log/show/ls_files),
kapsel_fs_read_many, kapsel_fs_manifest, and kapsel_fs_search.
Requires OpenKapsel 1.57.0 for this contract. Git queries are read-only and
independent of Shell/client execution permission, including read-only mappings.
Git uses bounded sanitized local snapshots; inspect the shell reference for
supported repository layouts, local disk overhead, and limits. There is no Git
task/polling API. Arbitrary Shell/client commands remain permission-gated.
The generic HTTP tool recognizes exactly POST fs/read_many and fs/manifest
as read-only: neither requires mutation approval nor creates a Plan. Other POST
operations retain their existing guard. Query values may be arrays to send
repeated parameters, e.g. include: ["*.py", "*.js"] or file: ["a", "b"].
The vendored REST skill is synchronized with the main OpenKapsel project.
Client reconnects and portable text
The bundled REST references track OpenKapsel 1.60.1. Reconnect persistence needs
client 1.58.0+; explicit text codecs and literal newline handling need server
1.59.0+ and client file API v3 for direct mapped RPC.
A network disconnect does not stop tasks in the running client process.
Reconnect and list/query the original task IDs to retrieve output and exit
status, including tasks that completed offline, or to send stdin/interrupt/kill.
Deadlines continue offline. Uncollected results remain in bounded client memory;
the registry limit is max_tasks + 4. Reading through completed output marks a
result collected; collected results have one-hour/four-record retention and may
be evicted earlier for capacity. Client process restarts do not restore tasks.
Do not automatically replay a start whose response was lost.
Text APIs default to UTF-8 without using the host locale. For a non-default
encoding use kapsel_http: pass encoding in the query for GET fs/read,
in json for POST fs/read_many, fs/write, or fs/replace, and in each
json.items[] entry for fs/replace/batch. Typed file tools still use their
existing default encoding; they do not expose this new field.
Supported codecs include UTF-8/BOM, explicit-endian UTF-16, Big5, GBK/GB18030,
Windows-1252, Latin-1, ASCII, and Shift-JIS. See the bundled files reference for
exact codec names and BOM rules. There is no guessing or lossy conversion.
LF, CRLF, and CR remain literal: exact replacements must match original endings,
and new text chooses its own endings. UTF-8-only byte cursors and search retain
their existing restrictions.
