Add Smart Approvals guardian review across core, app-server, and TUI (#13860)

## Summary
- add `approvals_reviewer = "user" | "guardian_subagent"` as the runtime
control for who reviews approval requests
- route Smart Approvals guardian review through core for command
execution, file changes, managed-network approvals, MCP approvals, and
delegated/subagent approval flows
- expose guardian review in app-server with temporary unstable
`item/autoApprovalReview/{started,completed}` notifications carrying
`targetItemId`, `review`, and `action`
- update the TUI so Smart Approvals can be enabled from `/experimental`,
aligned with the matching `/approvals` mode, and surfaced clearly while
reviews are pending or resolved

## Runtime model
This PR does not introduce a new `approval_policy`.

Instead:
- `approval_policy` still controls when approval is needed
- `approvals_reviewer` controls who reviewable approval requests are
routed to:
  - `user`
  - `guardian_subagent`

`guardian_subagent` is a carefully prompted reviewer subagent that
gathers relevant context and applies a risk-based decision framework
before approving or denying the request.

The `smart_approvals` feature flag is a rollout/UI gate. Core runtime
behavior keys off `approvals_reviewer`.

When Smart Approvals is enabled from the TUI, it also switches the
current `/approvals` settings to the matching Smart Approvals mode so
users immediately see guardian review in the active thread:
- `approval_policy = on-request`
- `approvals_reviewer = guardian_subagent`
- `sandbox_mode = workspace-write`

Users can still change `/approvals` afterward.

Config-load behavior stays intentionally narrow:
- plain `smart_approvals = true` in `config.toml` remains just the
rollout/UI gate and does not auto-set `approvals_reviewer`
- the deprecated `guardian_approval = true` alias migration does
backfill `approvals_reviewer = "guardian_subagent"` in the same scope
when that reviewer is not already configured there, so old configs
preserve their original guardian-enabled behavior

ARC remains a separate safety check. For MCP tool approvals, ARC
escalations now flow into the configured reviewer instead of always
bypassing guardian and forcing manual review.

## Config stability
The runtime reviewer override is stable, but the config-backed
app-server protocol shape is still settling.

- `thread/start`, `thread/resume`, and `turn/start` keep stable
`approvalsReviewer` overrides
- the config-backed `approvals_reviewer` exposure returned via
`config/read` (including profile-level config) is now marked
`[UNSTABLE]` / experimental in the app-server protocol until we are more
confident in that config surface

## App-server surface
This PR intentionally keeps the guardian app-server shape narrow and
temporary.

It adds generic unstable lifecycle notifications:
- `item/autoApprovalReview/started`
- `item/autoApprovalReview/completed`

with payloads of the form:
- `{ threadId, turnId, targetItemId, review, action? }`

`review` is currently:
- `{ status, riskScore?, riskLevel?, rationale? }`
- where `status` is one of `inProgress`, `approved`, `denied`, or
`aborted`

`action` carries the guardian action summary payload from core when
available. This lets clients render temporary standalone pending-review
UI, including parallel reviews, even when the underlying tool item has
not been emitted yet.

These notifications are explicitly documented as `[UNSTABLE]` and
expected to change soon.

This PR does **not** persist guardian review state onto `thread/read`
tool items. The intended follow-up is to attach guardian review state to
the reviewed tool item lifecycle instead, which would improve
consistency with manual approvals and allow thread history / reconnect
flows to replay guardian review state directly.

## TUI behavior
- `/experimental` exposes the rollout gate as `Smart Approvals`
- enabling it in the TUI enables the feature and switches the current
session to the matching Smart Approvals `/approvals` mode
- disabling it in the TUI clears the persisted `approvals_reviewer`
override when appropriate and returns the session to default manual
review when the effective reviewer changes
- `/approvals` still exposes the reviewer choice directly
- the TUI renders:
- pending guardian review state in the live status footer, including
parallel review aggregation
  - resolved approval/denial state in history

## Scope notes
This PR includes the supporting core/runtime work needed to make Smart
Approvals usable end-to-end:
- shell / unified-exec / apply_patch / managed-network / MCP guardian
review
- delegated/subagent approval routing into guardian review
- guardian review risk metadata and action summaries for app-server/TUI
- config/profile/TUI handling for `smart_approvals`, `guardian_approval`
alias migration, and `approvals_reviewer`
- a small internal cleanup of delegated approval forwarding to dedupe
fallback paths and simplify guardian-vs-parent approval waiting (no
intended behavior change)

Out of scope for this PR:
- redesigning the existing manual approval protocol shapes
- persisting guardian review state onto app-server `ThreadItem`s
- delegated MCP elicitation auto-review (the current delegated MCP
guardian shim only covers the legacy `RequestUserInput` path)

---------

Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>
This commit is contained in:
Charley Cunningham
2026-03-13 15:27:00 -07:00
committed by GitHub
parent e3cbf913e8
commit bc24017d64
106 changed files with 5525 additions and 364 deletions

View File

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use codex_protocol::approvals::NetworkApprovalContext as CoreNetworkApprovalCont
use codex_protocol::approvals::NetworkApprovalProtocol as CoreNetworkApprovalProtocol;
use codex_protocol::approvals::NetworkPolicyAmendment as CoreNetworkPolicyAmendment;
use codex_protocol::approvals::NetworkPolicyRuleAction as CoreNetworkPolicyRuleAction;
use codex_protocol::config_types::ApprovalsReviewer as CoreApprovalsReviewer;
use codex_protocol::config_types::CollaborationMode;
use codex_protocol::config_types::CollaborationModeMask as CoreCollaborationModeMask;
use codex_protocol::config_types::ForcedLoginMethod;
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ use codex_protocol::protocol::CodexErrorInfo as CoreCodexErrorInfo;
use codex_protocol::protocol::CreditsSnapshot as CoreCreditsSnapshot;
use codex_protocol::protocol::ExecCommandStatus as CoreExecCommandStatus;
use codex_protocol::protocol::GranularApprovalConfig as CoreGranularApprovalConfig;
use codex_protocol::protocol::GuardianRiskLevel as CoreGuardianRiskLevel;
use codex_protocol::protocol::HookEventName as CoreHookEventName;
use codex_protocol::protocol::HookExecutionMode as CoreHookExecutionMode;
use codex_protocol::protocol::HookHandlerType as CoreHookHandlerType;
@@ -256,6 +258,37 @@ impl From<CoreAskForApproval> for AskForApproval {
}
}
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema, TS)]
#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
#[ts(rename_all = "snake_case", export_to = "v2/")]
/// Configures who approval requests are routed to for review. Examples
/// include sandbox escapes, blocked network access, MCP approval prompts, and
/// ARC escalations. Defaults to `user`. `guardian_subagent` uses a carefully
/// prompted subagent to gather relevant context and apply a risk-based
/// decision framework before approving or denying the request.
pub enum ApprovalsReviewer {
User,
GuardianSubagent,
}
impl ApprovalsReviewer {
pub fn to_core(self) -> CoreApprovalsReviewer {
match self {
ApprovalsReviewer::User => CoreApprovalsReviewer::User,
ApprovalsReviewer::GuardianSubagent => CoreApprovalsReviewer::GuardianSubagent,
}
}
}
impl From<CoreApprovalsReviewer> for ApprovalsReviewer {
fn from(value: CoreApprovalsReviewer) -> Self {
match value {
CoreApprovalsReviewer::User => ApprovalsReviewer::User,
CoreApprovalsReviewer::GuardianSubagent => ApprovalsReviewer::GuardianSubagent,
}
}
}
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema, TS)]
#[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
#[ts(rename_all = "kebab-case", export_to = "v2/")]
@@ -519,6 +552,11 @@ pub struct ProfileV2 {
pub model_provider: Option<String>,
#[experimental(nested)]
pub approval_policy: Option<AskForApproval>,
/// [UNSTABLE] Optional profile-level override for where approval requests
/// are routed for review. If omitted, the enclosing config default is
/// used.
#[experimental("config/read.approvalsReviewer")]
pub approvals_reviewer: Option<ApprovalsReviewer>,
pub service_tier: Option<ServiceTier>,
pub model_reasoning_effort: Option<ReasoningEffort>,
pub model_reasoning_summary: Option<ReasoningSummary>,
@@ -618,6 +656,10 @@ pub struct Config {
pub model_provider: Option<String>,
#[experimental(nested)]
pub approval_policy: Option<AskForApproval>,
/// [UNSTABLE] Optional default for where approval requests are routed for
/// review.
#[experimental("config/read.approvalsReviewer")]
pub approvals_reviewer: Option<ApprovalsReviewer>,
pub sandbox_mode: Option<SandboxMode>,
pub sandbox_workspace_write: Option<SandboxWorkspaceWrite>,
pub forced_chatgpt_workspace_id: Option<String>,
@@ -2422,6 +2464,10 @@ pub struct ThreadStartParams {
#[experimental(nested)]
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub approval_policy: Option<AskForApproval>,
/// Override where approval requests are routed for review on this thread
/// and subsequent turns.
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub approvals_reviewer: Option<ApprovalsReviewer>,
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub sandbox: Option<SandboxMode>,
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
@@ -2484,6 +2530,8 @@ pub struct ThreadStartResponse {
pub cwd: PathBuf,
#[experimental(nested)]
pub approval_policy: AskForApproval,
/// Reviewer currently used for approval requests on this thread.
pub approvals_reviewer: ApprovalsReviewer,
pub sandbox: SandboxPolicy,
pub reasoning_effort: Option<ReasoningEffort>,
}
@@ -2536,6 +2584,10 @@ pub struct ThreadResumeParams {
#[experimental(nested)]
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub approval_policy: Option<AskForApproval>,
/// Override where approval requests are routed for review on this thread
/// and subsequent turns.
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub approvals_reviewer: Option<ApprovalsReviewer>,
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub sandbox: Option<SandboxMode>,
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
@@ -2564,6 +2616,8 @@ pub struct ThreadResumeResponse {
pub cwd: PathBuf,
#[experimental(nested)]
pub approval_policy: AskForApproval,
/// Reviewer currently used for approval requests on this thread.
pub approvals_reviewer: ApprovalsReviewer,
pub sandbox: SandboxPolicy,
pub reasoning_effort: Option<ReasoningEffort>,
}
@@ -2607,6 +2661,10 @@ pub struct ThreadForkParams {
#[experimental(nested)]
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub approval_policy: Option<AskForApproval>,
/// Override where approval requests are routed for review on this thread
/// and subsequent turns.
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub approvals_reviewer: Option<ApprovalsReviewer>,
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub sandbox: Option<SandboxMode>,
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
@@ -2635,6 +2693,8 @@ pub struct ThreadForkResponse {
pub cwd: PathBuf,
#[experimental(nested)]
pub approval_policy: AskForApproval,
/// Reviewer currently used for approval requests on this thread.
pub approvals_reviewer: ApprovalsReviewer,
pub sandbox: SandboxPolicy,
pub reasoning_effort: Option<ReasoningEffort>,
}
@@ -3758,6 +3818,10 @@ pub struct TurnStartParams {
#[experimental(nested)]
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub approval_policy: Option<AskForApproval>,
/// Override where approval requests are routed for review on this turn and
/// subsequent turns.
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub approvals_reviewer: Option<ApprovalsReviewer>,
/// Override the sandbox policy for this turn and subsequent turns.
#[ts(optional = nullable)]
pub sandbox_policy: Option<SandboxPolicy>,
@@ -4194,6 +4258,53 @@ impl ThreadItem {
}
}
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema, TS)]
#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
#[ts(export_to = "v2/")]
/// [UNSTABLE] Lifecycle state for a guardian approval review.
pub enum GuardianApprovalReviewStatus {
InProgress,
Approved,
Denied,
Aborted,
}
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema, TS)]
#[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
#[ts(export_to = "v2/")]
/// [UNSTABLE] Risk level assigned by guardian approval review.
pub enum GuardianRiskLevel {
Low,
Medium,
High,
}
impl From<CoreGuardianRiskLevel> for GuardianRiskLevel {
fn from(value: CoreGuardianRiskLevel) -> Self {
match value {
CoreGuardianRiskLevel::Low => Self::Low,
CoreGuardianRiskLevel::Medium => Self::Medium,
CoreGuardianRiskLevel::High => Self::High,
}
}
}
/// [UNSTABLE] Temporary guardian approval review payload used by
/// `item/autoApprovalReview/*` notifications. This shape is expected to change
/// soon.
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema, TS)]
#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
#[ts(export_to = "v2/")]
pub struct GuardianApprovalReview {
pub status: GuardianApprovalReviewStatus,
#[serde(alias = "risk_score")]
#[ts(type = "number | null")]
pub risk_score: Option<u8>,
#[serde(alias = "risk_level")]
pub risk_level: Option<GuardianRiskLevel>,
pub rationale: Option<String>,
}
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, JsonSchema, TS)]
#[serde(tag = "type", rename_all = "camelCase")]
#[ts(tag = "type", rename_all = "camelCase")]
@@ -4625,6 +4736,40 @@ pub struct ItemStartedNotification {
pub turn_id: String,
}
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, JsonSchema, TS)]
#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
#[ts(export_to = "v2/")]
/// [UNSTABLE] Temporary notification payload for guardian automatic approval
/// review. This shape is expected to change soon.
///
/// TODO(ccunningham): Attach guardian review state to the reviewed tool item's
/// lifecycle instead of sending separate standalone review notifications so the
/// app-server API can persist and replay review state via `thread/read`.
pub struct ItemGuardianApprovalReviewStartedNotification {
pub thread_id: String,
pub turn_id: String,
pub target_item_id: String,
pub review: GuardianApprovalReview,
pub action: Option<JsonValue>,
}
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, JsonSchema, TS)]
#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
#[ts(export_to = "v2/")]
/// [UNSTABLE] Temporary notification payload for guardian automatic approval
/// review. This shape is expected to change soon.
///
/// TODO(ccunningham): Attach guardian review state to the reviewed tool item's
/// lifecycle instead of sending separate standalone review notifications so the
/// app-server API can persist and replay review state via `thread/read`.
pub struct ItemGuardianApprovalReviewCompletedNotification {
pub thread_id: String,
pub turn_id: String,
pub target_item_id: String,
pub review: GuardianApprovalReview,
pub action: Option<JsonValue>,
}
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, JsonSchema, TS)]
#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
#[ts(export_to = "v2/")]
@@ -6600,6 +6745,7 @@ mod tests {
request_permissions: true,
mcp_elicitations: false,
}),
approvals_reviewer: None,
service_tier: None,
model_reasoning_effort: None,
model_reasoning_summary: None,
@@ -6628,6 +6774,7 @@ mod tests {
request_permissions: false,
mcp_elicitations: true,
}),
approvals_reviewer: None,
sandbox_mode: None,
sandbox_workspace_write: None,
forced_chatgpt_workspace_id: None,
@@ -6651,6 +6798,39 @@ mod tests {
assert_eq!(reason, Some("askForApproval.granular"));
}
#[test]
fn config_approvals_reviewer_is_marked_experimental() {
let reason = crate::experimental_api::ExperimentalApi::experimental_reason(&Config {
model: None,
review_model: None,
model_context_window: None,
model_auto_compact_token_limit: None,
model_provider: None,
approval_policy: None,
approvals_reviewer: Some(ApprovalsReviewer::GuardianSubagent),
sandbox_mode: None,
sandbox_workspace_write: None,
forced_chatgpt_workspace_id: None,
forced_login_method: None,
web_search: None,
tools: None,
profile: None,
profiles: HashMap::new(),
instructions: None,
developer_instructions: None,
compact_prompt: None,
model_reasoning_effort: None,
model_reasoning_summary: None,
model_verbosity: None,
service_tier: None,
analytics: None,
apps: None,
additional: HashMap::new(),
});
assert_eq!(reason, Some("config/read.approvalsReviewer"));
}
#[test]
fn config_nested_profile_granular_approval_policy_is_marked_experimental() {
let reason = crate::experimental_api::ExperimentalApi::experimental_reason(&Config {
@@ -6660,6 +6840,7 @@ mod tests {
model_auto_compact_token_limit: None,
model_provider: None,
approval_policy: None,
approvals_reviewer: None,
sandbox_mode: None,
sandbox_workspace_write: None,
forced_chatgpt_workspace_id: None,
@@ -6679,6 +6860,7 @@ mod tests {
request_permissions: false,
mcp_elicitations: true,
}),
approvals_reviewer: None,
service_tier: None,
model_reasoning_effort: None,
model_reasoning_summary: None,
@@ -6704,6 +6886,55 @@ mod tests {
assert_eq!(reason, Some("askForApproval.granular"));
}
#[test]
fn config_nested_profile_approvals_reviewer_is_marked_experimental() {
let reason = crate::experimental_api::ExperimentalApi::experimental_reason(&Config {
model: None,
review_model: None,
model_context_window: None,
model_auto_compact_token_limit: None,
model_provider: None,
approval_policy: None,
approvals_reviewer: None,
sandbox_mode: None,
sandbox_workspace_write: None,
forced_chatgpt_workspace_id: None,
forced_login_method: None,
web_search: None,
tools: None,
profile: None,
profiles: HashMap::from([(
"default".to_string(),
ProfileV2 {
model: None,
model_provider: None,
approval_policy: None,
approvals_reviewer: Some(ApprovalsReviewer::GuardianSubagent),
service_tier: None,
model_reasoning_effort: None,
model_reasoning_summary: None,
model_verbosity: None,
web_search: None,
tools: None,
chatgpt_base_url: None,
additional: HashMap::new(),
},
)]),
instructions: None,
developer_instructions: None,
compact_prompt: None,
model_reasoning_effort: None,
model_reasoning_summary: None,
model_verbosity: None,
service_tier: None,
analytics: None,
apps: None,
additional: HashMap::new(),
});
assert_eq!(reason, Some("config/read.approvalsReviewer"));
}
#[test]
fn config_requirements_granular_allowed_approval_policy_is_marked_experimental() {
let reason =
@@ -7114,6 +7345,46 @@ mod tests {
);
}
#[test]
fn automatic_approval_review_deserializes_legacy_snake_case_risk_fields() {
let review: GuardianApprovalReview = serde_json::from_value(json!({
"status": "denied",
"risk_score": 91,
"risk_level": "high",
"rationale": "too risky"
}))
.expect("legacy snake_case automatic review should deserialize");
assert_eq!(
review,
GuardianApprovalReview {
status: GuardianApprovalReviewStatus::Denied,
risk_score: Some(91),
risk_level: Some(GuardianRiskLevel::High),
rationale: Some("too risky".to_string()),
}
);
}
#[test]
fn automatic_approval_review_deserializes_aborted_status() {
let review: GuardianApprovalReview = serde_json::from_value(json!({
"status": "aborted",
"riskScore": null,
"riskLevel": null,
"rationale": null
}))
.expect("aborted automatic review should deserialize");
assert_eq!(
review,
GuardianApprovalReview {
status: GuardianApprovalReviewStatus::Aborted,
risk_score: None,
risk_level: None,
rationale: None,
}
);
}
#[test]
fn core_turn_item_into_thread_item_converts_supported_variants() {
let user_item = TurnItem::UserMessage(UserMessageItem {
@@ -7420,6 +7691,7 @@ mod tests {
input: vec![],
cwd: None,
approval_policy: None,
approvals_reviewer: None,
sandbox_policy: None,
model: None,
service_tier: None,