feat: add release notifications and interactive updates

[nieomylnieja]

Motivation

Help users keep sloctl up to date without letting optional release notifications or failed updates stop the requested command.

Summary

• Added a cached release notice with inline highlights and a release link. Eligible interactive sessions receive the same notice for every installation method.
• Added Update, Skip, and Skip until next version for recognized Homebrew and Go installations on Linux and macOS. Homebrew detection resolves brew through PATH and checks that it owns the running executable.
• Made Windows notifications noninteractive in every terminal. Windows displays the release information and continues the requested command without reading input.
• Suppressed release checks for shell completion generation and tab completion so they cannot block shell startup or request update input.
• Preserved the terminal foreground for ordinary form text so choices remain readable when background detection is unavailable.
• Defaulted to Skip and recovered from fetch, cache, prompt, and updater errors. Updater output goes to stderr to preserve command stdout. A successful update exits without running the requested command.

Testing

Results and screenshots

The screenshots show actual terminal output from a v1.0.0 build and a local v1.1.0 release fixture. The Linux and macOS prompt captures include the theme fix in 7a44da8; the other captures use f27e9ec. These checks need no Nobl9 credentials.

Platform	Result
Linux, NixOS x86-64	The Go installation showed all three choices on light and dark backgrounds. Enter selected Skip and the version command exited 0 in both palettes. A real Go download failure also preserved the version output and exit status 0.
Windows 11 Pro x86-64, Dockur	MSYS2 mintty with ConPTY disabled printed the notice, highlights, release link, and version without input. Exit status was 0. This exercises the terminal that previously hung.
macOS 15.8 (24H23) x86-64, Dockur	Terminal showed all three Go-install choices on light and dark backgrounds. Enter selected Skip and exited 0 in both palettes. An unrecognized installation printed the same highlights without input. A real Go download failure preserved the version output and exit status 0.

Linux: light background, default Skip

Linux: dark background, readable update choices

Linux: failed Go update, original command recovered

Windows: notice and command completion without input

macOS: light background, default Skip

macOS: dark background, readable update choices

macOS: unrecognized installation, notice without input

macOS: failed Go update, original command recovered

Automated coverage

• The native Linux notification suite passed all 17 tests. It exercised update selection, Skip, EOF, invalid input, installation mismatches, Homebrew command resolution, and JSON stdout preservation after updater failure.
• Accessible-mode CLI tests verified typo retry and Skip on empty input or bare EOF. A numeric choice followed by EOF selected that action. Invalid input followed by EOF triggered Huh's panic, which sloctl recovered from before completing the requested command.
• CLI regression tests reproduced Bash startup and both dynamic completion requests with terminal input and stderr. They completed without input, notices, or release requests. Before the fix, both cases timed out at the update prompt.
• Shared Bats fixtures check identical highlights with and without update choices. Local fixture tests cover fetch, malformed-response, cache, and updater failures.
• The Windows regression tests cover notice-only behavior in legacy terminals, including accessible mode, and native consoles. They check that the command completes without input.

Manual testing: Linux laptop

Run these steps directly on your Linux laptop. This path needs no VM or container.

Manual setup

1. Check out this PR. Open two interactive Bash terminals in the repository root.

2. Use Go 1.26.6 or newer, Git, GNU Make, and Python 3 in both terminals. On NixOS, run this in each terminal:

   nix-shell -p go gnumake python3 git

   Keep stdin and stderr attached to the terminal when running sloctl.

3. In terminal 1, start the local release server and leave it running:

   export RELEASE_SERVER_BODY_FILE="$PWD/test/inputs/notifications/release-bodies/features-with-details.md"
   python3 test/inputs/notifications/release_server.py "$(mktemp)" 38080

4. In terminal 2, install the PR binary into a temporary Go installation directory:

   unset CI SLOCTL_NO_NOTIFICATIONS SLOCTL_ACCESSIBLE_MODE
   sloctl_test_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
   export GOBIN="$sloctl_test_dir/gobin"
   export XDG_CACHE_HOME="$sloctl_test_dir/cache"
   cache_dir="$XDG_CACHE_HOME/nobl9/sloctl"
   release_url="http://127.0.0.1:38080/repos/nobl9/sloctl/releases/latest"
   make install VERSION=v1.0.0 NOTIFICATIONS_RELEASE_URL="$release_url"
   installed="$GOBIN/sloctl"
   mkdir -p "$sloctl_test_dir/manual"
   cp "$installed" "$sloctl_test_dir/manual/sloctl"
   reset_notice() {
     rm -f "$cache_dir/notifications.json" \
       "$cache_dir/skip-v1.1.0" "$cache_dir/skip-v1.2.0"
   }

   This keeps the test binary and notification cache separate from your normal installation. Keep this terminal open for the checks below.

Manual checks

Run these commands in terminal 2.

1. Go installation and default Skip:

   reset_notice
   "$installed" version
   printf 'exit status: %s\n' "$?"

   Expect the release highlights, release link, and three choices. Update names go install github.com/nobl9/sloctl/cmd/sloctl@latest. Press Enter for Skip. Expect version output and exit status 0. Repeat on light and dark terminal backgrounds. All choices must remain readable.

2. Unrecognized installation:

   reset_notice
   "$sloctl_test_dir/manual/sloctl" version
   printf 'exit status: %s\n' "$?"

   Expect identical highlights and a release link, with no choices or input required. Expect version output and exit status 0.

3. Failed update recovery:

   reset_notice
   GOPROXY=http://127.0.0.1:1 GONOPROXY=none "$installed" version
   printf 'exit status: %s\n' "$?"

   Keep port 1 unused. Select Update. Expect a connection error, the original version output, and exit status 0.

4. Run reset_notice before each additional check, except where the table says to retain state:

   Check	Action and expected result
   Shell startup	Run eval "$("$installed" completion bash)", then complete -p sloctl. Expect a registered completion function without a notice or prompt.
   Explicit Skip	Run "$installed" version and select Skip. Expect version output and exit 0.
   Cache	After Skip, rerun without reset_notice. Expect only the version.
   Skip until next version	Select this choice. Remove only "$cache_dir/notifications.json" and rerun. The same release stays hidden. In terminal 1, stop the server and restart it with RELEASE_SERVER_TAG=v1.2.0 RELEASE_SERVER_HTML_URL=https://github.com/nobl9/sloctl/releases/tag/v1.2.0 python3 test/inputs/notifications/release_server.py "$(mktemp)" 38080. Remove only the timestamp file and rerun. Expect the new notice.
   Accessible mode	Run SLOCTL_ACCESSIBLE_MODE=1 "$installed" version. Expect numbered choices with Skip as the default. Enter or bare Ctrl+D skips, prints the version, and exits 0. On a fresh run, enter x, then 2. Expect a validation message, another prompt, then version output and exit 0.
   Cancellation	Run the normal form and press Ctrl+C. Expect exit 130 without version output.
   Fetch failure	Stop the server in terminal 1. Reset the notice and run "$installed" version. Expect the version and exit 0.
   Malformed response	In terminal 1, start RELEASE_SERVER_RAW_RESPONSE='{' python3 test/inputs/notifications/release_server.py "$(mktemp)" 38080. Reset and run sloctl. Expect the version and exit 0. Restore the normal server afterward.
   Opt-out	Run SLOCTL_NO_NOTIFICATIONS=1 "$installed" version, then CI=1 "$installed" version. Expect only the version in both cases.
   Successful update, optional	With the normal fixture and Go settings, select Update. Success exits 0 without running the version command. Restore the PR binary with the make install command above before further checks.

For Homebrew, use the optional Homebrew check before cleanup.

Cleanup: stop the server with Ctrl+C in terminal 1. In terminal 2, run rm -rf "$sloctl_test_dir", then close that test shell.

Manual testing: Windows with Dockur

Manual setup

1. On the Linux host, install Podman and meet the Dockur Windows requirements. Start the VM:

   windows_vm_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
   mkdir -p "$windows_vm_dir/storage"
   podman run --detach --name sloctl-windows-review \
     --device=/dev/kvm --device=/dev/net/tun --cap-add NET_ADMIN \
     --publish 127.0.0.1:18006:8006 --stop-timeout 120 \
     --env VERSION=11 --env RAM_SIZE=6G --env CPU_CORES=4 \
     --env DISK_SIZE=64G \
     --volume "$windows_vm_dir/storage:/storage" \
     docker.io/dockurr/windows:latest

2. Open http://127.0.0.1:18006 on the host. Let Windows install and complete setup with a local test account.

3. Inside Windows, install Go 1.26.6 or newer and MSYS2. In MSYS2, run pacman -S --needed git make python. Check out this PR inside the guest.

4. Open two MSYS2 terminals from guest PowerShell using the command below. Run it twice. This selects mintty with ConPTY disabled and preserves the Windows PATH:

   $env:MSYSTEM = 'UCRT64'
   $env:MSYS2_PATH_TYPE = 'inherit'
   & C:\msys64\usr\bin\mintty.exe --pcon off /usr/bin/bash --login

5. In both MSYS2 terminals, enter the repository root. Confirm that go env GOOS prints windows.

6. In guest terminal 1, start the local release server:

   export RELEASE_SERVER_BODY_FILE="$PWD/test/inputs/notifications/release-bodies/features-with-details.md"
   python3 test/inputs/notifications/release_server.py "$(mktemp)" 38080

7. In guest terminal 2, build the Windows executable:

   unset CI SLOCTL_NO_NOTIFICATIONS SLOCTL_ACCESSIBLE_MODE
   sloctl_test_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
   GOBIN="$(cygpath -w "$sloctl_test_dir")"
   export GOBIN
   cache_dir="$(cygpath -u "$LOCALAPPDATA")/nobl9/sloctl"
   release_url="http://127.0.0.1:38080/repos/nobl9/sloctl/releases/latest"
   make install VERSION=v1.0.0 NOTIFICATIONS_RELEASE_URL="$release_url"
   installed="$sloctl_test_dir/sloctl.exe"
   reset_notice() {
     rm -f "$cache_dir/notifications.json" \
       "$cache_dir/skip-v1.1.0" "$cache_dir/skip-v1.2.0"
   }

Manual checks

1. In guest terminal 2, run:

   reset_notice
   "$installed" version
   printf 'exit status: %s\n' "$?"

   Expect the highlights, release link, version output, and exit status 0. Windows must finish without choices or input, including for this Go installation.

2. Reset and repeat with SLOCTL_ACCESSIBLE_MODE=1 "$installed" version. Expect the same behavior.

3. Launch another mintty window with --pcon on instead of --pcon off. Repeat guest terminal 2 setup and check 1 in that window.

4. Run cygpath -w "$installed" to get the executable's full Windows path. In PowerShell, run & '<full Windows path>' version. In Command Prompt, run "<full Windows path>" version. Replace the placeholder with the printed path. Reset the notice from MSYS2 before each run. Expect the same notice and exit 0 without input.

5. Stop the server, reset, and rerun. Expect only the version and exit 0. Repeat with RELEASE_SERVER_RAW_RESPONSE='{' python3 test/inputs/notifications/release_server.py "$(mktemp)" 38080 in guest terminal 1.

6. Restore the normal server. After separate resets, run SLOCTL_NO_NOTIFICATIONS=1 "$installed" version and CI=1 "$installed" version. Expect only the version.

Cleanup: stop the guest fixture, run reset_notice, and close the guest shells. On the host, run podman stop sloctl-windows-review and podman rm sloctl-windows-review. The disk remains in $windows_vm_dir/storage.

Manual testing: macOS with Dockur

Manual setup

1. On the Linux host, install Podman and meet the Dockur macOS requirements. Start the VM:

   macos_vm_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
   mkdir -p "$macos_vm_dir/storage"
   podman run --detach --name sloctl-macos-review \
     --device=/dev/kvm --device=/dev/net/tun --cap-add NET_ADMIN \
     --publish 127.0.0.1:18007:8006 --stop-timeout 120 \
     --env VERSION=15 --env RAM_SIZE=6G --env CPU_CORES=4 \
     --env DISK_SIZE=64G \
     --volume "$macos_vm_dir/storage:/storage" \
     docker.io/dockurr/macos:latest

   These VM settings were exercised on Intel hardware. On AMD hosts, change CPU_CORES=4 to CPU_CORES=1 before starting the container.

2. Open http://127.0.0.1:18007 on the host. Use Disk Utility to format the new 64 GiB virtual disk as APFS. Select Reinstall macOS and complete setup with a local test account.

3. Inside macOS, install Go 1.26.6 or newer, Git, GNU Make, and Python 3. Check out this PR inside the guest.

4. Open two Terminal windows in the repository root. Run bash in each window.

5. In guest terminal 1, start the local release server:

   export RELEASE_SERVER_BODY_FILE="$PWD/test/inputs/notifications/release-bodies/features-with-details.md"
   python3 test/inputs/notifications/release_server.py "$(mktemp)" 38080

6. In guest terminal 2, install the PR binary into a temporary Go installation directory:

   unset CI SLOCTL_NO_NOTIFICATIONS SLOCTL_ACCESSIBLE_MODE
   sloctl_test_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
   export GOBIN="$sloctl_test_dir/gobin"
   cache_dir="$HOME/Library/Caches/nobl9/sloctl"
   release_url="http://127.0.0.1:38080/repos/nobl9/sloctl/releases/latest"
   make install VERSION=v1.0.0 NOTIFICATIONS_RELEASE_URL="$release_url"
   installed="$GOBIN/sloctl"
   mkdir -p "$sloctl_test_dir/manual"
   cp "$installed" "$sloctl_test_dir/manual/sloctl"
   reset_notice() {
     rm -f "$cache_dir/notifications.json" \
       "$cache_dir/skip-v1.1.0" "$cache_dir/skip-v1.2.0"
   }

Manual checks

Run these commands in guest terminal 2.

1. Go installation and default Skip:

   reset_notice
   "$installed" version
   printf 'exit status: %s\n' "$?"

   Expect the highlights, release link, and three choices. Press Enter for Skip. Expect version output and exit status 0.

2. Unrecognized installation:

   reset_notice
   "$sloctl_test_dir/manual/sloctl" version
   printf 'exit status: %s\n' "$?"

   Expect identical highlights, with no choices or input required, then version output and exit status 0.

3. Failed update recovery:

   reset_notice
   GOPROXY=http://127.0.0.1:1 GONOPROXY=none "$installed" version
   printf 'exit status: %s\n' "$?"

   Keep port 1 unused. Select Update. Expect a connection error, the original version output, and exit status 0.

4. Run reset_notice before each additional check, except where the table says to retain state:

   Check	Action and expected result
   Shell startup	Run eval "$("$installed" completion bash)", then complete -p sloctl. Expect a registered completion function without a notice or prompt.
   Explicit Skip	Run "$installed" version and select Skip. Expect version output and exit 0.
   Cache	After Skip, rerun without reset_notice. Expect only the version.
   Skip until next version	Select this choice. Remove only "$cache_dir/notifications.json" and rerun. The same release stays hidden. In guest terminal 1, stop the server and restart it with RELEASE_SERVER_TAG=v1.2.0 RELEASE_SERVER_HTML_URL=https://github.com/nobl9/sloctl/releases/tag/v1.2.0 python3 test/inputs/notifications/release_server.py "$(mktemp)" 38080. Remove only the timestamp file and rerun. Expect the new notice.
   Accessible mode	Run SLOCTL_ACCESSIBLE_MODE=1 "$installed" version. Expect numbered choices with Skip as the default. Enter or bare Ctrl+D skips, prints the version, and exits 0. On a fresh run, enter x, then 2. Expect a validation message, another prompt, then version output and exit 0.
   Cancellation	Run the normal form and press Ctrl+C. Expect exit 130 without version output.
   Fetch failure	Stop the server in guest terminal 1. Reset and run "$installed" version. Expect the version and exit 0.
   Malformed response	In guest terminal 1, start RELEASE_SERVER_RAW_RESPONSE='{' python3 test/inputs/notifications/release_server.py "$(mktemp)" 38080. Reset and run sloctl. Expect the version and exit 0. Restore the normal server afterward.
   Opt-out	Run SLOCTL_NO_NOTIFICATIONS=1 "$installed" version, then CI=1 "$installed" version. Expect only the version in both cases.
   Successful update, optional	With the normal fixture and Go settings, select Update. Success exits 0 without running the version command. Restore the PR binary with the make install command above before further checks.

For Homebrew, use the optional Homebrew check before cleanup.

Cleanup: stop the guest fixture, run reset_notice, and close the guest shells. On the host, run podman stop sloctl-macos-review and podman rm sloctl-macos-review. The disk remains in $macos_vm_dir/storage.

Homebrew check on Linux or macOS

The real Homebrew upgrade remains unrun locally. The official installer exited 1 in the Intel macOS guest with Homebrew on macOS is only supported on Apple Silicon processors!. The automated suite checks Homebrew command selection and failure recovery with a stub.

Run this optional check in a disposable Homebrew installation before platform cleanup. Install sloctl as described in the README. Use the PR binary and shell variables from that platform's setup:

brew_binary="$(brew --prefix --installed sloctl)/bin/sloctl"
cp "$installed" "$brew_binary"
reset_notice
"$brew_binary" version

Expect the same notice and choices, with brew upgrade sloctl as the update command. Check Skip, then reset and select Update. On success, expect exit 0 without the original version output. Restore the packaged binary with brew reinstall sloctl.

Release Notes

Added release notices with inline highlights and update choices for recognized Homebrew and Go installations on Linux and macOS. Windows displays release information without an update prompt. Fetch, cache, and updater failures let the requested command continue.