feat: background tasks

Adds Background Tasks — recurring background agents the user can set up to either keep a digest current (daily email summary, top HN stories, weather brief) or perform a recurring action (draft a reply, post to Slack, call an API). Each task is a persistent set of instructions plus optional triggers (schedule, time-of-day window, or matching incoming Gmail / calendar event). The agent reads the verbs in the instructions on every run and picks the right mode automatically. User-facing surfaces: - New "Background tasks" entry in the sidebar, with a table listing every task, its schedule, last run, and an active toggle. - A detail page per task with a max-width reader showing the task's current output and a control sidebar for editing instructions, triggers, and reviewing run history. - "New task" can open in a free-form box where the user describes what they want and Copilot sets it up end-to-end, or in a structured form for manual setup. - "Edit with Copilot" hand-off from the detail view, pre-seeded with the task's context. Under the hood: - The event pipeline that previously powered live-notes is now a generic consumer registry. Live-notes and background tasks both subscribe; incoming events are routed to candidates from both concurrently. - Schedule helpers and the agent-message trigger block are factored out of live-notes into shared modules. Both features use the same building blocks now. - Copilot's proactive routing is reframed: anything recurring (cadence words, watch / monitor verbs, action verbs, event-conditional asks) now flows to background tasks. Live-notes load only on explicit mention. - A small reliability fix for the run-creation fallback chain: an empty-string model/provider passed by an LLM tool call now correctly falls through to the default instead of being persisted as a real value. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-05-28 19:05:31 +02:00 · 2026-05-12 17:43:25 +05:30 · 2026-05-12 17:43:25 +05:30 · b01af12148
commit b01af12148
parent 13fa80c687
45 changed files with 4025 additions and 594 deletions
--- a/apps/x/apps/main/src/ipc.ts
+++ b/apps/x/apps/main/src/ipc.ts
@ -57,6 +57,16 @@ import {
  deleteLiveNote,
  listLiveNotes,
 } from '@x/core/dist/knowledge/live-note/fileops.js';
+import { runBackgroundTask } from '@x/core/dist/background-tasks/runner.js';
+import { backgroundTaskBus } from '@x/core/dist/background-tasks/bus.js';
+import {
+  fetchTask,
+  patchTask,
+  createTask,
+  deleteTask,
+  listTasks,
+  readRunIds as readTaskRunIds,
+} from '@x/core/dist/background-tasks/fileops.js';
 import { browserIpcHandlers } from './browser/ipc.js';

 /**
@ -389,6 +399,19 @@ export function startLiveNoteAgentWatcher(): void {
  });
 }

+let backgroundTaskAgentWatcher: (() => void) | null = null;
+export function startBackgroundTaskAgentWatcher(): void {
+  if (backgroundTaskAgentWatcher) return;
+  backgroundTaskAgentWatcher = backgroundTaskBus.subscribe((event) => {
+    const windows = BrowserWindow.getAllWindows();
+    for (const win of windows) {
+      if (!win.isDestroyed() && win.webContents) {
+        win.webContents.send('bg-task-agent:events', event);
+      }
+    }
+  });
+}
+
 export function stopRunsWatcher(): void {
  if (runsWatcher) {
    runsWatcher();
@ -866,6 +889,73 @@ export function setupIpcHandlers() {
      const notes = await listLiveNotes();
      return { notes };
    },
+    // Bg-task handlers
+    'bg-task:run': async (_event, args) => {
+      const result = await runBackgroundTask(args.slug, 'manual', args.context);
+      return {
+        success: !result.error,
+        runId: result.runId,
+        summary: result.summary,
+        error: result.error,
+      };
+    },
+    'bg-task:get': async (_event, args) => {
+      try {
+        const task = await fetchTask(args.slug);
+        return { success: true, task };
+      } catch (err) {
+        return { success: false, error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err) };
+      }
+    },
+    'bg-task:patch': async (_event, args) => {
+      try {
+        const task = await patchTask(args.slug, args.partial);
+        return { success: true, task };
+      } catch (err) {
+        return { success: false, error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err) };
+      }
+    },
+    'bg-task:create': async (_event, args) => {
+      try {
+        const { slug } = await createTask({
+          name: args.name,
+          instructions: args.instructions,
+          ...(args.triggers ? { triggers: args.triggers } : {}),
+          ...(args.model ? { model: args.model } : {}),
+          ...(args.provider ? { provider: args.provider } : {}),
+        });
+        return { success: true, slug };
+      } catch (err) {
+        return { success: false, error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err) };
+      }
+    },
+    'bg-task:delete': async (_event, args) => {
+      try {
+        await deleteTask(args.slug);
+        return { success: true };
+      } catch (err) {
+        return { success: false, error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err) };
+      }
+    },
+    'bg-task:stop': async (_event, args) => {
+      try {
+        const task = await fetchTask(args.slug);
+        if (!task?.lastRunId) {
+          return { success: false, error: 'No active run for this task' };
+        }
+        await runsCore.stop(task.lastRunId, false);
+        return { success: true };
+      } catch (err) {
+        return { success: false, error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err) };
+      }
+    },
+    'bg-task:list': async (_event, args) => {
+      return listTasks(args);
+    },
+    'bg-task:listRunIds': async (_event, args) => {
+      const runIds = await readTaskRunIds(args.slug, args.limit);
+      return { runIds };
+    },
    // Billing handler
    'billing:getInfo': async () => {
      return await getBillingInfo();
--- a/apps/x/apps/main/src/main.ts
+++ b/apps/x/apps/main/src/main.ts
@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
  startRunsWatcher,
  startServicesWatcher,
  startLiveNoteAgentWatcher,
+  startBackgroundTaskAgentWatcher,
  startWorkspaceWatcher,
  stopRunsWatcher,
  stopServicesWatcher,
@ -25,7 +26,10 @@ import { init as initAgentRunner } from "@x/core/dist/agent-schedule/runner.js";
 import { init as initAgentNotes } from "@x/core/dist/knowledge/agent_notes.js";
 import { init as initCalendarNotifications } from "@x/core/dist/knowledge/notify_calendar_meetings.js";
 import { init as initLiveNoteScheduler } from "@x/core/dist/knowledge/live-note/scheduler.js";
-import { init as initLiveNoteEventProcessor } from "@x/core/dist/knowledge/live-note/events.js";
+import { init as initEventProcessor, registerConsumer } from "@x/core/dist/events/init.js";
+import { liveNoteEventConsumer } from "@x/core/dist/knowledge/live-note/event-consumer.js";
+import { init as initBackgroundTaskScheduler } from "@x/core/dist/background-tasks/scheduler.js";
+import { backgroundTaskEventConsumer } from "@x/core/dist/background-tasks/event-consumer.js";
 import { init as initLocalSites, shutdown as shutdownLocalSites } from "@x/core/dist/local-sites/server.js";
 import { shutdown as shutdownAnalytics } from "@x/core/dist/analytics/posthog.js";
 import { identifyIfSignedIn } from "@x/core/dist/analytics/identify.js";
@ -331,11 +335,21 @@ app.whenReady().then(async () => {
  // start live-note agent event watcher (forwards bus → renderer)
  startLiveNoteAgentWatcher();

+  // start bg-task agent event watcher (forwards bus → renderer)
+  startBackgroundTaskAgentWatcher();
+
  // start live-note scheduler (cron / window)
  initLiveNoteScheduler();

-  // start live-note event processor (consumes events/pending/, routes to matching live notes)
-  initLiveNoteEventProcessor();
+  // start bg-task scheduler (cron / window)
+  initBackgroundTaskScheduler();
+
+  // register event consumers and start the shared event processor
+  // (consumes $WorkDir/events/pending/, routes events to all consumers
+  // concurrently for Pass-1, then fires each consumer's candidates in parallel)
+  registerConsumer(liveNoteEventConsumer);
+  registerConsumer(backgroundTaskEventConsumer);
+  initEventProcessor();

  // start gmail sync
  initGmailSync();
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { useDebounce } from './hooks/use-debounce';
 import { SidebarContentPanel } from '@/components/sidebar-content';
 import { SuggestedTopicsView } from '@/components/suggested-topics-view';
 import { LiveNotesView } from '@/components/live-notes-view';
+import { BgTasksView } from '@/components/bg-tasks-view';
 import { SidebarSectionProvider } from '@/contexts/sidebar-context';
 import {
  Conversation,
@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ const TITLEBAR_BUTTON_GAPS_COLLAPSED = 0
 const GRAPH_TAB_PATH = '__rowboat_graph_view__'
 const SUGGESTED_TOPICS_TAB_PATH = '__rowboat_suggested_topics__'
 const LIVE_NOTES_TAB_PATH = '__rowboat_live_notes__'
+const BG_TASKS_TAB_PATH = '__rowboat_bg_tasks__'
 const BASES_DEFAULT_TAB_PATH = '__rowboat_bases_default__'

 const clampNumber = (value: number, min: number, max: number) =>
@ -306,6 +308,7 @@ const getAncestorDirectoryPaths = (path: string): string[] => {
 const isGraphTabPath = (path: string) => path === GRAPH_TAB_PATH
 const isSuggestedTopicsTabPath = (path: string) => path === SUGGESTED_TOPICS_TAB_PATH
 const isLiveNotesTabPath = (path: string) => path === LIVE_NOTES_TAB_PATH
+const isBgTasksTabPath = (path: string) => path === BG_TASKS_TAB_PATH
 const isBaseFilePath = (path: string) => path.endsWith('.base') || path === BASES_DEFAULT_TAB_PATH

 const getSuggestedTopicTargetFolder = (category?: string) => {
@ -365,6 +368,12 @@ const buildSuggestedTopicExplorePrompt = ({
 const buildLiveNoteSetupPrompt = () =>
  'I want to set up a Live note / task.'

+const buildBgTaskSetupPrompt = (description: string) =>
+  `Create a background task for me. Here's what I want it to do:\n\n${description}`
+
+const buildBgTaskEditPrompt = (slug: string) =>
+  `Let's tweak the background task \`${slug}\`. Please load the \`background-task\` skill first, read the task's current \`bg-tasks/${slug}/task.yaml\`, then ask me what I want to change.`
+
 const normalizeUsage = (usage?: Partial<LanguageModelUsage> | null): LanguageModelUsage | null => {
  if (!usage) return null
  const hasNumbers = Object.values(usage).some((value) => typeof value === 'number')
@ -700,6 +709,7 @@ function App() {
  const [isBrowserOpen, setIsBrowserOpen] = useState(false)
  const [isSuggestedTopicsOpen, setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen] = useState(false)
  const [isLiveNotesOpen, setIsLiveNotesOpen] = useState(false)
+  const [isBgTasksOpen, setIsBgTasksOpen] = useState(false)
  const [expandedFrom, setExpandedFrom] = useState<{
    path: string | null
    graph: boolean
@ -1030,6 +1040,7 @@ function App() {
    if (isGraphTabPath(tab.path)) return 'Graph View'
    if (isSuggestedTopicsTabPath(tab.path)) return 'Suggested Topics'
    if (isLiveNotesTabPath(tab.path)) return 'Live notes'
+    if (isBgTasksTabPath(tab.path)) return 'Background tasks'
    if (tab.path === BASES_DEFAULT_TAB_PATH) return 'Bases'
    if (tab.path.endsWith('.base')) return tab.path.split('/').pop()?.replace(/\.base$/i, '') || 'Base'
    return tab.path.split('/').pop()?.replace(/\.md$/i, '') || tab.path
@ -2742,7 +2753,7 @@ function App() {
      setActiveFileTabId(existingTab.id)
      setIsGraphOpen(false)
      setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-      setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+      setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
      setSelectedPath(path)
      return
    }
@ -2751,7 +2762,7 @@ function App() {
    setActiveFileTabId(id)
    setIsGraphOpen(false)
    setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-    setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+    setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
    setSelectedPath(path)
  }, [fileTabs, dismissBrowserOverlay])

@ -2770,14 +2781,14 @@ function App() {
      setSelectedPath(null)
      setIsGraphOpen(true)
      setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-      setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+      setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
      return
    }
    if (isSuggestedTopicsTabPath(tab.path)) {
      setSelectedPath(null)
      setIsGraphOpen(false)
      setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(true)
-      setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+      setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
      return
    }
    if (isLiveNotesTabPath(tab.path)) {
@ -2789,7 +2800,7 @@ function App() {
    }
    setIsGraphOpen(false)
    setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-    setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+    setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
    setSelectedPath(tab.path)
  }, [fileTabs, isRightPaneMaximized, dismissBrowserOverlay])

@ -2818,7 +2829,7 @@ function App() {
        setSelectedPath(null)
        setIsGraphOpen(false)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
          return []
      }
      const idx = prev.findIndex(t => t.id === tabId)
@ -2832,12 +2843,12 @@ function App() {
          setSelectedPath(null)
          setIsGraphOpen(true)
          setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-          setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+          setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
        } else if (isSuggestedTopicsTabPath(newActiveTab.path)) {
          setSelectedPath(null)
          setIsGraphOpen(false)
          setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(true)
-          setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+          setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
        } else if (isLiveNotesTabPath(newActiveTab.path)) {
          setSelectedPath(null)
          setIsGraphOpen(false)
@ -2846,7 +2857,7 @@ function App() {
        } else {
          setIsGraphOpen(false)
          setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-          setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+          setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
              setSelectedPath(newActiveTab.path)
        }
      }
@ -2877,7 +2888,7 @@ function App() {
    dismissBrowserOverlay()
    handleNewChat()
    // Left-pane "new chat" should always open full chat view.
-    if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen) {
+    if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen) {
      setExpandedFrom({
        path: selectedPath,
        graph: isGraphOpen,
@ -2891,8 +2902,8 @@ function App() {
    setSelectedPath(null)
    setIsGraphOpen(false)
    setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-    setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
-  }, [chatTabs, activeChatTabId, dismissBrowserOverlay, handleNewChat, selectedPath, isGraphOpen, isSuggestedTopicsOpen, isLiveNotesOpen])
+    setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
+  }, [chatTabs, activeChatTabId, dismissBrowserOverlay, handleNewChat, selectedPath, isGraphOpen, isSuggestedTopicsOpen, isLiveNotesOpen, isBgTasksOpen])

  // Sidebar variant: create/switch chat tab without leaving file/graph context.
  const handleNewChatTabInSidebar = useCallback(() => {
@ -3024,7 +3035,7 @@ function App() {

  const handleOpenFullScreenChat = useCallback(() => {
    // Remember where we came from so the close button can return
-    if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen) {
+    if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen) {
      setExpandedFrom({
        path: selectedPath,
        graph: isGraphOpen,
@ -3037,19 +3048,19 @@ function App() {
    setSelectedPath(null)
    setIsGraphOpen(false)
    setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-    setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
-  }, [selectedPath, isGraphOpen, isSuggestedTopicsOpen, isLiveNotesOpen, dismissBrowserOverlay])
+    setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
+  }, [selectedPath, isGraphOpen, isSuggestedTopicsOpen, isLiveNotesOpen, isBgTasksOpen, dismissBrowserOverlay])

  const handleCloseFullScreenChat = useCallback(() => {
    if (expandedFrom) {
      if (expandedFrom.graph) {
        setIsGraphOpen(true)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
      } else if (expandedFrom.suggestedTopics) {
        setIsGraphOpen(false)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(true)
-        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
      } else if (expandedFrom.liveNotes) {
        setIsGraphOpen(false)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
@ -3057,7 +3068,7 @@ function App() {
      } else if (expandedFrom.path) {
        setIsGraphOpen(false)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
        setSelectedPath(expandedFrom.path)
      }
      setExpandedFrom(null)
@ -3072,7 +3083,7 @@ function App() {
    if (selectedPath) return { type: 'file', path: selectedPath }
    if (isGraphOpen) return { type: 'graph' }
    return { type: 'chat', runId }
-  }, [selectedBackgroundTask, isLiveNotesOpen, isSuggestedTopicsOpen, selectedPath, isGraphOpen, runId])
+  }, [selectedBackgroundTask, isLiveNotesOpen, isBgTasksOpen, isSuggestedTopicsOpen, selectedPath, isGraphOpen, runId])

  const appendUnique = useCallback((stack: ViewState[], entry: ViewState) => {
    const last = stack[stack.length - 1]
@ -3140,6 +3151,30 @@ function App() {
    setActiveFileTabId(id)
  }, [fileTabs])

+  const ensureBgTasksFileTab = useCallback(() => {
+    const existing = fileTabs.find((tab) => isBgTasksTabPath(tab.path))
+    if (existing) {
+      setActiveFileTabId(existing.id)
+      return
+    }
+    const id = newFileTabId()
+    setFileTabs((prev) => [...prev, { id, path: BG_TASKS_TAB_PATH }])
+    setActiveFileTabId(id)
+  }, [fileTabs])
+
+  const openBgTasksView = useCallback(() => {
+    setSelectedPath(null)
+    setIsGraphOpen(false)
+    setIsBrowserOpen(false)
+    setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
+    setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
+    setSelectedBackgroundTask(null)
+    setExpandedFrom(null)
+    setIsRightPaneMaximized(false)
+    setIsBgTasksOpen(true)
+    ensureBgTasksFileTab()
+  }, [ensureBgTasksFileTab])
+
  const applyViewState = useCallback(async (view: ViewState) => {
    switch (view.type) {
      case 'file':
@ -3149,7 +3184,7 @@ function App() {
        // visible in the middle pane.
        setIsBrowserOpen(false)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
        setExpandedFrom(null)
        // Preserve split vs knowledge-max mode when navigating knowledge files.
        // Only exit chat-only maximize, because that would hide the selected file.
@ -3164,7 +3199,7 @@ function App() {
        setSelectedPath(null)
        setIsBrowserOpen(false)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
        setExpandedFrom(null)
        setIsGraphOpen(true)
        ensureGraphFileTab()
@ -3177,7 +3212,7 @@ function App() {
        setIsGraphOpen(false)
        setIsBrowserOpen(false)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
        setExpandedFrom(null)
        setIsRightPaneMaximized(false)
        setSelectedBackgroundTask(view.name)
@ -3190,7 +3225,7 @@ function App() {
        setIsRightPaneMaximized(false)
        setSelectedBackgroundTask(null)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(true)
-        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
        ensureSuggestedTopicsFileTab()
        return
      case 'live-notes':
@ -3212,7 +3247,7 @@ function App() {
        setIsRightPaneMaximized(false)
        setSelectedBackgroundTask(null)
        setIsSuggestedTopicsOpen(false)
-        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false)
+        setIsLiveNotesOpen(false); setIsBgTasksOpen(false)
        if (view.runId) {
          await loadRun(view.runId)
        } else {
@ -3542,7 +3577,7 @@ function App() {
  }, [])

  // Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+L to toggle main chat view
-  const isFullScreenChat = !selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !selectedBackgroundTask && !isBrowserOpen
+  const isFullScreenChat = !selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !isBgTasksOpen && !selectedBackgroundTask && !isBrowserOpen
  useEffect(() => {
    const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
      if ((e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey) && e.key === 'l') {
@ -3615,17 +3650,19 @@ function App() {
    const handleTabKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
      const mod = e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey
      if (!mod) return
-      const rightPaneAvailable = Boolean((selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen) && isChatSidebarOpen)
+      const rightPaneAvailable = Boolean((selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen) && isChatSidebarOpen)
      const targetPane: ShortcutPane = rightPaneAvailable
        ? (isRightPaneMaximized ? 'right' : activeShortcutPane)
        : 'left'
-      const inFileView = targetPane === 'left' && Boolean(selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen)
+      const inFileView = targetPane === 'left' && Boolean(selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen)
      const selectedKnowledgePath = isGraphOpen
        ? GRAPH_TAB_PATH
        : isSuggestedTopicsOpen
          ? SUGGESTED_TOPICS_TAB_PATH
          : isLiveNotesOpen
            ? LIVE_NOTES_TAB_PATH
+          : isBgTasksOpen
+            ? BG_TASKS_TAB_PATH
          : selectedPath
      const targetFileTabId = activeFileTabId ?? (
        selectedKnowledgePath
@ -3680,7 +3717,7 @@ function App() {
    }
    document.addEventListener('keydown', handleTabKeyDown)
    return () => document.removeEventListener('keydown', handleTabKeyDown)
-  }, [selectedPath, isGraphOpen, isSuggestedTopicsOpen, isLiveNotesOpen, isChatSidebarOpen, isRightPaneMaximized, activeShortcutPane, chatTabs, fileTabs, activeChatTabId, activeFileTabId, closeChatTab, closeFileTab, switchChatTab, switchFileTab])
+  }, [selectedPath, isGraphOpen, isSuggestedTopicsOpen, isLiveNotesOpen, isBgTasksOpen, isChatSidebarOpen, isRightPaneMaximized, activeShortcutPane, chatTabs, fileTabs, activeChatTabId, activeFileTabId, closeChatTab, closeFileTab, switchChatTab, switchFileTab])

  const toggleExpand = (path: string, kind: 'file' | 'dir') => {
    if (kind === 'file') {
@ -3705,7 +3742,7 @@ function App() {
          }),
        },
      }))
-      if (!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !selectedBackgroundTask) {
+      if (!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !isBgTasksOpen && !selectedBackgroundTask) {
        setIsChatSidebarOpen(false)
        setIsRightPaneMaximized(false)
      }
@ -3831,14 +3868,14 @@ function App() {
    },
    openGraph: () => {
      // From chat-only landing state, open graph directly in full knowledge view.
-      if (!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !selectedBackgroundTask) {
+      if (!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !isBgTasksOpen && !selectedBackgroundTask) {
        setIsChatSidebarOpen(false)
        setIsRightPaneMaximized(false)
      }
      void navigateToView({ type: 'graph' })
    },
    openBases: () => {
-      if (!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !selectedBackgroundTask) {
+      if (!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !isBgTasksOpen && !selectedBackgroundTask) {
        setIsChatSidebarOpen(false)
        setIsRightPaneMaximized(false)
      }
@ -4428,7 +4465,7 @@ function App() {
  const selectedTask = selectedBackgroundTask
    ? backgroundTasks.find(t => t.name === selectedBackgroundTask)
    : null
-  const isRightPaneContext = Boolean(selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBrowserOpen)
+  const isRightPaneContext = Boolean(selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen || isBrowserOpen)
  const isRightPaneOnlyMode = isRightPaneContext && isChatSidebarOpen && isRightPaneMaximized
  const shouldCollapseLeftPane = isRightPaneOnlyMode
  const openMarkdownTabs = React.useMemo(() => {
@ -4445,7 +4482,7 @@ function App() {
  return (
    <TooltipProvider delayDuration={0}>
      <SidebarSectionProvider defaultSection="tasks" onSectionChange={(section) => {
-        if (section === 'knowledge' && !selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen) {
+        if (section === 'knowledge' && !selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !isBgTasksOpen) {
          void navigateToView({ type: 'file', path: BASES_DEFAULT_TAB_PATH })
        }
      }}>
@ -4478,7 +4515,7 @@ function App() {
                onNewChat: handleNewChatTab,
                onSelectRun: (runIdToLoad) => {
                  cancelRecordingIfActive()
-                  if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBrowserOpen) {
+                  if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen || isBrowserOpen) {
                    setIsChatSidebarOpen(true)
                  }

@ -4489,7 +4526,7 @@ function App() {
                    return
                  }
                  // In two-pane mode (file/graph/browser), keep the middle pane and just swap chat context in the right sidebar.
-                  if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBrowserOpen) {
+                  if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen || isBrowserOpen) {
                    setChatTabs(prev => prev.map(t => t.id === activeChatTabId ? { ...t, runId: runIdToLoad } : t))
                    loadRun(runIdToLoad)
                    return
@ -4513,14 +4550,14 @@ function App() {
                      } else {
                        // Only one tab, reset it to new chat
                        setChatTabs([{ id: tabForRun.id, runId: null }])
-                        if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBrowserOpen) {
+                        if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen || isBrowserOpen) {
                          handleNewChat()
                        } else {
                          void navigateToView({ type: 'chat', runId: null })
                        }
                      }
                    } else if (runId === runIdToDelete) {
-                      if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBrowserOpen) {
+                      if (selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen || isBrowserOpen) {
                        setChatTabs(prev => prev.map(t => t.id === activeChatTabId ? { ...t, runId: null } : t))
                        handleNewChat()
                      } else {
@ -4552,6 +4589,8 @@ function App() {
              onOpenSuggestedTopics={() => void navigateToView({ type: 'suggested-topics' })}
              isLiveNotesOpen={isLiveNotesOpen}
              onOpenLiveNotes={() => void navigateToView({ type: 'live-notes' })}
+              isBgTasksOpen={isBgTasksOpen}
+              onOpenBgTasks={openBgTasksView}
            />
            <SidebarInset
              className={cn(
@ -4571,7 +4610,7 @@ function App() {
                canNavigateForward={canNavigateForward}
                collapsedLeftPaddingPx={collapsedLeftPaddingPx}
              >
-                {(selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen) && fileTabs.length >= 1 ? (
+                {(selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen) && fileTabs.length >= 1 ? (
                  <TabBar
                    tabs={fileTabs}
                    activeTabId={activeFileTabId ?? ''}
@ -4579,7 +4618,7 @@ function App() {
                    getTabId={(t) => t.id}
                    onSwitchTab={switchFileTab}
                    onCloseTab={closeFileTab}
-                    allowSingleTabClose={fileTabs.length === 1 && (isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || (selectedPath != null && isBaseFilePath(selectedPath)))}
+                    allowSingleTabClose={fileTabs.length === 1 && (isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen || (selectedPath != null && isBaseFilePath(selectedPath)))}
                  />
                ) : (
                  <TabBar
@ -4632,7 +4671,7 @@ function App() {
                    <TooltipContent side="bottom">Version history</TooltipContent>
                  </Tooltip>
                )}
-                {!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !selectedTask && !isBrowserOpen && (
+                {!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !isBgTasksOpen && !selectedTask && !isBrowserOpen && (
                  <Tooltip>
                    <TooltipTrigger asChild>
                      <button
@ -4647,7 +4686,7 @@ function App() {
                    <TooltipContent side="bottom">New chat tab</TooltipContent>
                  </Tooltip>
                )}
-                {!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !isBrowserOpen && expandedFrom && (
+                {!selectedPath && !isGraphOpen && !isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isLiveNotesOpen && !isBgTasksOpen && !isBrowserOpen && expandedFrom && (
                  <Tooltip>
                    <TooltipTrigger asChild>
                      <button
@ -4662,7 +4701,7 @@ function App() {
                    <TooltipContent side="bottom">Restore two-pane view</TooltipContent>
                  </Tooltip>
                )}
-                {(selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen) && (
+                {(selectedPath || isGraphOpen || isSuggestedTopicsOpen || isLiveNotesOpen || isBgTasksOpen) && (
                  <Tooltip>
                    <TooltipTrigger asChild>
                      <button
@ -4704,6 +4743,17 @@ function App() {
                    }}
                  />
                </div>
+              ) : isBgTasksOpen ? (
+                <div className="flex-1 min-h-0 flex flex-col overflow-hidden">
+                  <BgTasksView
+                    onCreateWithCopilot={(description) => {
+                      submitFromPalette(buildBgTaskSetupPrompt(description), null)
+                    }}
+                    onEditWithCopilot={(slug) => {
+                      submitFromPalette(buildBgTaskEditPrompt(slug), null)
+                    }}
+                  />
+                </div>
              ) : selectedPath && isBaseFilePath(selectedPath) ? (
                <div className="flex-1 min-h-0 flex flex-col overflow-hidden">
                  <BasesView
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/bg-tasks-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/bg-tasks-view.tsx
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/compact-conversation.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/compact-conversation.tsx
@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { Streamdown } from 'streamdown'
+import {
+    type ConversationItem,
+    type ToolCall,
+    isChatMessage,
+    isErrorMessage,
+    isToolCall,
+    getToolDisplayName,
+    toToolState,
+    normalizeToolOutput,
+} from '@/lib/chat-conversation'
+import { Tool, ToolHeader, ToolContent, ToolTabbedContent } from '@/components/ai-elements/tool'
+
+/**
+ * Compact rendering of a run's conversation log — used by the live-note panel's
+ * "Last run" tab and the bg-task sidebar's "Runs history" drill-down. Keep this
+ * the single source of truth so the two surfaces stay visually aligned.
+ *
+ * - User messages: right-aligned secondary bubble, plain text.
+ * - Assistant messages: full-width markdown.
+ * - Tool calls: collapsible `Tool` row with tabbed input/output.
+ * - Errors: destructive-tinted banner.
+ */
+export function CompactConversation({ items }: { items: ConversationItem[] }) {
+    return (
+        <div className="flex flex-col gap-2.5">
+            {items.map((item) => {
+                if (isErrorMessage(item)) {
+                    return (
+                        <div key={item.id} className="rounded-md border border-destructive/30 bg-destructive/10 px-3 py-2 text-xs text-destructive">
+                            {item.message}
+                        </div>
+                    )
+                }
+                if (isToolCall(item)) return <CompactToolRow key={item.id} tool={item} />
+                if (isChatMessage(item)) {
+                    const isUser = item.role === 'user'
+                    return (
+                        <div key={item.id} className={isUser ? 'flex justify-end' : ''}>
+                            <div className={isUser
+                                ? 'max-w-[85%] rounded-lg bg-secondary px-3 py-2 text-xs text-foreground whitespace-pre-wrap break-words'
+                                : 'w-full text-xs text-foreground'}>
+                                {isUser ? (
+                                    item.content
+                                ) : (
+                                    <Streamdown className="prose prose-sm dark:prose-invert max-w-none [&>*:first-child]:mt-0 [&>*:last-child]:mb-0 [&_p]:my-1.5 [&_ul]:my-1.5 [&_ol]:my-1.5 [&_pre]:my-2 [&_pre]:text-[11px] [&_code]:text-[11px]">
+                                        {item.content}
+                                    </Streamdown>
+                                )}
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                    )
+                }
+                return null
+            })}
+        </div>
+    )
+}
+
+function CompactToolRow({ tool }: { tool: ToolCall }) {
+    const [open, setOpen] = useState(false)
+    const title = getToolDisplayName(tool)
+    const state = toToolState(tool.status)
+    const errorText = tool.status === 'error' && typeof tool.result === 'string' ? tool.result : undefined
+    return (
+        <Tool open={open} onOpenChange={setOpen} className="mb-0 text-xs">
+            <ToolHeader title={title} type={`tool-${tool.name}` as `tool-${string}`} state={state} />
+            <ToolContent>
+                <ToolTabbedContent
+                    input={tool.input}
+                    output={normalizeToolOutput(tool.result, tool.status) ?? undefined}
+                    errorText={errorText}
+                />
+            </ToolContent>
+        </Tool>
+    )
+}
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/live-note-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/live-note-sidebar.tsx
@ -15,13 +15,8 @@ import type { Run } from '@x/shared/dist/runs.js'
 import type z from 'zod'
 import { useLiveNoteAgentStatus } from '@/hooks/use-live-note-agent-status'
 import { formatRelativeTime } from '@/lib/relative-time'
-import {
-  type ConversationItem, type ToolCall,
-  isChatMessage, isToolCall, isErrorMessage,
-  getToolDisplayName, toToolState, normalizeToolOutput,
-} from '@/lib/chat-conversation'
 import { runLogToConversation } from '@/lib/run-to-conversation'
-import { Tool, ToolHeader, ToolContent, ToolTabbedContent } from '@/components/ai-elements/tool'
+import { CompactConversation } from '@/components/compact-conversation'

 export type OpenLiveNotePanelDetail = {
  filePath: string
@ -767,60 +762,6 @@ function LastRunTab({ live }: { live: LiveNote }) {
  )
 }

-function CompactConversation({ items }: { items: ConversationItem[] }) {
-  return (
-    <div className="flex flex-col gap-2.5">
-      {items.map((item) => {
-        if (isErrorMessage(item)) {
-          return (
-            <div key={item.id} className="rounded-md border border-destructive/30 bg-destructive/10 px-3 py-2 text-xs text-destructive">
-              {item.message}
-            </div>
-          )
-        }
-        if (isToolCall(item)) return <CompactToolRow key={item.id} tool={item} />
-        if (isChatMessage(item)) {
-          const isUser = item.role === 'user'
-          return (
-            <div key={item.id} className={isUser ? 'flex justify-end' : ''}>
-              <div className={isUser
-                ? 'max-w-[85%] rounded-lg bg-secondary px-3 py-2 text-xs text-foreground whitespace-pre-wrap break-words'
-                : 'w-full text-xs text-foreground'}>
-                {isUser ? (
-                  item.content
-                ) : (
-                  <Streamdown className="prose prose-sm dark:prose-invert max-w-none [&>*:first-child]:mt-0 [&>*:last-child]:mb-0 [&_p]:my-1.5 [&_ul]:my-1.5 [&_ol]:my-1.5 [&_pre]:my-2 [&_pre]:text-[11px] [&_code]:text-[11px]">
-                    {item.content}
-                  </Streamdown>
-                )}
-              </div>
-            </div>
-          )
-        }
-        return null
-      })}
-    </div>
-  )
-}
-
-function CompactToolRow({ tool }: { tool: ToolCall }) {
-  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false)
-  const title = getToolDisplayName(tool)
-  const state = toToolState(tool.status)
-  const errorText = tool.status === 'error' && typeof tool.result === 'string' ? tool.result : undefined
-  return (
-    <Tool open={open} onOpenChange={setOpen} className="mb-0 text-xs">
-      <ToolHeader title={title} type={`tool-${tool.name}` as `tool-${string}`} state={state} />
-      <ToolContent>
-        <ToolTabbedContent
-          input={tool.input}
-          output={normalizeToolOutput(tool.result, tool.status) ?? undefined}
-          errorText={errorText}
-        />
-      </ToolContent>
-    </Tool>
-  )
-}

 function TriggersEditor({
  draft,
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/sidebar-content.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/sidebar-content.tsx
@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
  Table2,
  Plug,
  Lightbulb,
+  ListChecks,
  LoaderIcon,
  Settings,
  Square,
@ -217,6 +218,8 @@ type SidebarContentPanelProps = {
  onOpenSuggestedTopics?: () => void
  isLiveNotesOpen?: boolean
  onOpenLiveNotes?: () => void
+  isBgTasksOpen?: boolean
+  onOpenBgTasks?: () => void
 } & React.ComponentProps<typeof Sidebar>

 const sectionTabs: { id: ActiveSection; label: string }[] = [
@ -477,6 +480,8 @@ export function SidebarContentPanel({
  onOpenSuggestedTopics,
  isLiveNotesOpen = false,
  onOpenLiveNotes,
+  isBgTasksOpen = false,
+  onOpenBgTasks,
  ...props
 }: SidebarContentPanelProps) {
  const { activeSection, setActiveSection } = useSidebarSection()
@ -493,6 +498,7 @@ export function SidebarContentPanel({
  const isBrowserQuickActionSelected = isBrowserOpen && !isSearchOpen && !isMeetingQuickActionSelected
  const isSuggestedTopicsQuickActionSelected = isSuggestedTopicsOpen && !isBrowserOpen
  const isLiveNotesQuickActionSelected = isLiveNotesOpen && !isBrowserOpen
+  const isBgTasksQuickActionSelected = isBgTasksOpen && !isBrowserOpen

  const handleRowboatLogin = useCallback(async () => {
    try {
@ -666,6 +672,21 @@ export function SidebarContentPanel({
              <span>Suggested Topics</span>
            </button>
          )}
+          {onOpenBgTasks && (
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={onOpenBgTasks}
+              className={cn(
+                "flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-md px-2 py-1.5 text-sm transition-colors",
+                isBgTasksQuickActionSelected
+                  ? "bg-sidebar-accent text-sidebar-accent-foreground"
+                  : "text-sidebar-foreground/80 hover:bg-sidebar-accent hover:text-sidebar-accent-foreground"
+              )}
+            >
+              <ListChecks className="size-4" />
+              <span>Background tasks</span>
+            </button>
+          )}
          {onOpenLiveNotes && (
            <button
              type="button"
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/use-bg-task-agent-status.ts
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/use-bg-task-agent-status.ts
@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import z from 'zod';
+import { useSyncExternalStore } from 'react';
+import { BackgroundTaskAgentEvent } from '@x/shared/dist/background-task.js';
+
+export type BackgroundTaskAgentStatus = 'idle' | 'running' | 'done' | 'error';
+
+export interface BackgroundTaskAgentState {
+    status: BackgroundTaskAgentStatus;
+    runId?: string;
+    summary?: string | null;
+    error?: string | null;
+}
+
+// Module-level store — shared across all hook consumers, subscribed once.
+// We replace the Map on every mutation so useSyncExternalStore detects the change.
+let store = new Map<string, BackgroundTaskAgentState>();
+const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
+let subscribed = false;
+
+function updateStore(fn: (prev: Map<string, BackgroundTaskAgentState>) => void) {
+    store = new Map(store);
+    fn(store);
+    for (const listener of listeners) listener();
+}
+
+function ensureSubscription() {
+    if (subscribed) return;
+    subscribed = true;
+    window.ipc.on('bg-task-agent:events', ((event: z.infer<typeof BackgroundTaskAgentEvent>) => {
+        const key = event.slug;
+
+        if (event.type === 'background_task_agent_start') {
+            updateStore(s => s.set(key, { status: 'running', runId: event.runId }));
+        } else if (event.type === 'background_task_agent_complete') {
+            updateStore(s => s.set(key, {
+                status: event.error ? 'error' : 'done',
+                runId: event.runId,
+                summary: event.summary ?? null,
+                error: event.error ?? null,
+            }));
+            // Auto-clear after 5 seconds
+            setTimeout(() => {
+                updateStore(s => s.delete(key));
+            }, 5000);
+        }
+    }) as (event: z.infer<typeof BackgroundTaskAgentEvent>) => void);
+}
+
+function subscribe(onStoreChange: () => void): () => void {
+    ensureSubscription();
+    listeners.add(onStoreChange);
+    return () => { listeners.delete(onStoreChange); };
+}
+
+function getSnapshot(): Map<string, BackgroundTaskAgentState> {
+    return store;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns a Map of all bg-task agent run states, keyed by `slug`.
+ *
+ * Usage in the detail view:
+ *   const status = useBackgroundTaskAgentStatus();
+ *   const state = status.get(slug) ?? { status: 'idle' };
+ *
+ * Usage for a global indicator:
+ *   const status = useBackgroundTaskAgentStatus();
+ *   const anyRunning = [...status.values()].some(s => s.status === 'running');
+ */
+export function useBackgroundTaskAgentStatus(): Map<string, BackgroundTaskAgentState> {
+    return useSyncExternalStore(subscribe, getSnapshot);
+}