feat(claude): advisor tool support, per session and as an App Settings default

Claude Code's advisor tool (code.claude.com/docs/en/advisor) lets the session's
main model consult a second, stronger model at decision points: before
committing to an approach, on a recurring error, and before declaring a task
done. Codeman can now start claude sessions with one.

- `advisorModel` field on POST /api/sessions, /api/quick-start and
  /api/ralph-loop/start (fable, opus, sonnet or a full model id in those
  families; haiku cannot advise and is refused). Stored on the session and
  persisted, so respawn, boot restore and reboot restore keep it. Remote and
  docker quick-starts refuse it, as they refuse effort.
- App Settings, Models, "Advisor" segment (Default / Sonnet / Opus / Fable),
  synced as `claudeAdvisorModel`. Run, resume and the Ralph wizard send it.
  Default sends nothing, leaving the CLI's own /advisor choice in charge.
- Carried as the `advisorModel` key in the launch's single --settings JSON,
  merged with ultracode and the statusLine exporter, never the --advisor
  flag: `claude --advisor haiku` exits 1 at launch, which would leave a dead
  pane on every respawn, while the settings key degrades to no advisor. A
  launch without an advisor is byte-identical to before.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/web/public/index.html

@@ -2172,6 +2172,19 @@
                       <option value="ultracode">Ultracode</option>
                     </select>
                   </div>
+                  <div class="set-row set-row-block" data-search="advisor fable opus sonnet second opinion review consult">
+                    <div class="set-row-text">
+                      <span class="set-row-label">Advisor</span>
+                      <span class="set-row-desc">A stronger model Claude consults before big decisions, on repeated errors and before calling a task done. Uses extra tokens. Switchable in-session with /advisor.</span>
+                    </div>
+                    <div class="set-segment" id="appSettingsAdvisorSegment" role="radiogroup" aria-label="Advisor"></div>
+                    <select id="appSettingsClaudeAdvisor" class="set-select set-field-hidden" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">
+                      <option value="">Default</option>
+                      <option value="sonnet">Sonnet</option>
+                      <option value="opus">Opus</option>
+                      <option value="fable">Fable</option>
+                    </select>
+                  </div>
                 </div>
               </div>
 

src/web/public/ralph-wizard.js

@@ -1038,6 +1038,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
       const ralphGlobalSettings = this.loadAppSettingsFromStorage();
       const envOverrides = this.buildEnvOverrides(this.getCaseSettings(config.caseName), ralphGlobalSettings);
       const effort = this.getEffortSetting(ralphGlobalSettings);
+      const advisorModel = this.getAdvisorSetting(ralphGlobalSettings);
       const res = await fetch('/api/ralph-loop/start', {
         method: 'POST',
         headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
@@ -1050,6 +1051,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
           planItems: enabledItems?.length ? enabledItems : undefined,
           ...(Object.keys(envOverrides).length > 0 ? { envOverrides } : {}),
           ...(effort ? { effort } : {}),
+          ...(advisorModel ? { advisorModel } : {}),
         }),
       });
       const data = await res.json();

src/web/public/session-ui.js

@@ -169,6 +169,17 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
     return valid.includes(effort) ? effort : undefined;
   },
 
+  /**
+   * Resolve the advisor model for new Claude sessions from global settings.
+   * Returns 'fable' | 'opus' | 'sonnet', or undefined (= leave it to the CLI's own
+   * /advisor choice). Sent as the `advisorModel` payload field; the backend merges it
+   * into the launch's `claude --settings` JSON, so /advisor still switches it in-session.
+   */
+  getAdvisorSetting(globalSettings) {
+    const advisor = globalSettings?.claudeAdvisorModel;
+    return ['fable', 'opus', 'sonnet'].includes(advisor) ? advisor : undefined;
+  },
+
   // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
   // Quick Start
   // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
@@ -1965,6 +1976,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
       const envOverrides = this.buildEnvOverrides(caseSettings, globalSettings);
       const hasEnvOverrides = Object.keys(envOverrides).length > 0;
       const effort = this.getEffortSetting(globalSettings);
+      const advisorModel = this.getAdvisorSetting(globalSettings);
       // Explicit Claude Model choice (App Settings) wins over the legacy 1M Opus
       // toggles; both flow as `modelOverride` → the case's .claude/settings.local.json
       const useOpus1m = caseSettings.opusContext1m || globalSettings.opusContext1mEnabled;
@@ -1980,6 +1992,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
             workingDir, name,
             ...(hasEnvOverrides ? { envOverrides } : {}),
             ...(effort ? { effort } : {}),
+            ...(advisorModel ? { advisorModel } : {}),
             ...(modelOverride !== undefined ? { modelOverride } : {}),
           })
         }).then(r => r.json())

src/web/public/settings-ui.js

@@ -527,6 +527,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
     document.getElementById('appSettingsOpusContext1m').checked = settings.opusContext1mEnabled ?? false;
     document.getElementById('appSettingsRemoteAutoReconnect').checked = settings.remoteAutoReconnect ?? true;
     document.getElementById('appSettingsThinkingEffort').value = settings.thinkingEffort ?? '';
+    document.getElementById('appSettingsClaudeAdvisor').value = settings.claudeAdvisorModel ?? '';
     // CPU Priority settings
     const niceSettings = settings.nice || {};
     document.getElementById('appSettingsNiceEnabled').checked = niceSettings.enabled ?? false;
@@ -627,6 +628,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
     this._syncSettingsChips();
     this._syncModelCards();
     this._syncEffortSegment();
+    this._syncAdvisorSegment();
     // Back to the top of the document (one scroll, not a tab reset). Updates is
     // first now: the version this install is running, and whether a newer one is
     // waiting, are the two things worth seeing before any preference. The rest of
@@ -718,6 +720,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
     if (!modal || !doc || typeof modal.querySelectorAll !== 'function') return;
     this._buildModelCards();
     this._buildEffortSegment();
+    this._buildAdvisorSegment();
     // Rebuilt on every open: admin-ui.js appends its Users entry to the rail
     // after the first open, and the menu must not drift from the rail.
     this._buildSettingsJumpMenu();
@@ -993,8 +996,28 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
   },
 
   _buildEffortSegment() {
-    const select = document.getElementById('appSettingsThinkingEffort');
-    const seg = document.getElementById('appSettingsEffortSegment');
+    this._buildSelectSegment('appSettingsThinkingEffort', 'appSettingsEffortSegment');
+  },
+
+  _syncEffortSegment() {
+    this._syncSelectSegment('appSettingsThinkingEffort', 'appSettingsEffortSegment');
+  },
+
+  _buildAdvisorSegment() {
+    this._buildSelectSegment('appSettingsClaudeAdvisor', 'appSettingsAdvisorSegment');
+  },
+
+  _syncAdvisorSegment() {
+    this._syncSelectSegment('appSettingsClaudeAdvisor', 'appSettingsAdvisorSegment');
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Build a radio segment as a view over a hidden <select>, which stays the single
+   * source of truth for load/save (the same contract as the model cards).
+   */
+  _buildSelectSegment(selectId, segId) {
+    const select = document.getElementById(selectId);
+    const seg = document.getElementById(segId);
     if (!select || !seg || seg.dataset.built === '1' || !select.options) return;
     seg.innerHTML = '';
     [...select.options].forEach(opt => {
@@ -1005,16 +1028,16 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
       btn.textContent = opt.textContent;
       btn.addEventListener('click', () => {
         select.value = opt.value;
-        this._syncEffortSegment();
+        this._syncSelectSegment(selectId, segId);
       });
       seg.appendChild(btn);
     });
     seg.dataset.built = '1';
   },
 
-  _syncEffortSegment() {
-    const select = document.getElementById('appSettingsThinkingEffort');
-    const seg = document.getElementById('appSettingsEffortSegment');
+  _syncSelectSegment(selectId, segId) {
+    const select = document.getElementById(selectId);
+    const seg = document.getElementById(segId);
     if (!select || !seg) return;
     seg.querySelectorAll('button').forEach(btn => {
       const on = btn.dataset.value === (select.value || '');
@@ -2214,6 +2237,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
       opusContext1mEnabled: document.getElementById('appSettingsOpusContext1m').checked,
       remoteAutoReconnect: document.getElementById('appSettingsRemoteAutoReconnect').checked,
       thinkingEffort: document.getElementById('appSettingsThinkingEffort').value,
+      claudeAdvisorModel: document.getElementById('appSettingsClaudeAdvisor').value,
       // CPU Priority settings
       nice: {
         enabled: document.getElementById('appSettingsNiceEnabled').checked,

src/web/public/terminal-ui.js

@@ -3155,6 +3155,7 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
       const globalSettings = this.loadAppSettingsFromStorage();
       const envOverrides = this.buildEnvOverrides(this.getCaseSettings(caseName), globalSettings);
       const effort = this.getEffortSetting(globalSettings);
+      const advisorModel = this.getAdvisorSetting(globalSettings);
       // `resumeSessionId` is a Claude conversation UUID (server reads it from
       // ~/.claude/projects); an external-CLI row has no such thing, so sending
       // it there gets silently ignored while the OMITTED `mode` field defaults
@@ -3204,6 +3205,8 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
           ...modeConfig,
           ...(Object.keys(envOverrides).length > 0 ? { envOverrides } : {}),
           ...(effort ? { effort } : {}),
+          // The advisor is a claude-only feature; other CLIs would carry it inertly.
+          ...(advisorModel && effectiveMode === 'claude' ? { advisorModel } : {}),
         }),
       });
       const createData = await createRes.json();

src/web/reboot-restore-registry.ts

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  *   session record involved. A dropped plan therefore returns the user to
  *   resuming by hand, one at a time, which is where they are without this
  *   feature. What the plan held that a transcript does not is the owner, the
- *   name, the env overrides, the effort and the lineage.
+ *   name, the env overrides, the effort, the advisor model and the lineage.
  * - Module-level singleton in the style of `web/approval-inbox.ts`: no `Session`
  *   import and no IO, which keeps it unit-testable and cycle-free.
  * - Spending is take-then-build: `take()` removes entries synchronously, before

src/web/routes/ralph-routes.ts

@@ -293,6 +293,7 @@ export function registerRalphRoutes(
       planItems,
       envOverrides,
       effort,
+      advisorModel,
     } = parseBody(RalphLoopStartSchema, req.body);
 
     // Multi-user: cases live in the requesting user's space.
@@ -343,6 +344,7 @@ export function registerRalphRoutes(
       allowedTools: rlClaudeModeConfig.allowedTools,
       envOverrides,
       effort,
+      advisorModel,
       owner: rlOwner,
     });
 

src/web/routes/reboot-restore-routes.ts

@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ export function registerRebootRestoreRoutes(app: FastifyInstance, ctx: RebootRes
               (saved as { __envOverrides?: Record<string, string> }).__envOverrides
             ),
             effort: saved.effort,
+            advisorModel: saved.advisorModel,
             attachmentHistory:
               (saved as { __attachmentHistory?: SessionAttachmentHistoryItem[] }).__attachmentHistory ??
               saved.attachmentHistory,

src/web/routes/session-routes.ts

@@ -1130,6 +1130,7 @@ export function registerSessionRoutes(
       resumeSessionId: validatedResumeId,
       envOverrides: await clampEnvOverridesForOwner(owner, body.envOverrides),
       effort: body.effort,
+      advisorModel: body.advisorModel,
       tmuxHistoryLimit: terminalHistoryConfig.tmuxHistoryLimit,
       remote,
       owner,
@@ -3393,6 +3394,7 @@ export function registerSessionRoutes(
       ompConfig,
       envOverrides,
       effort,
+      advisorModel,
       parentSessionId,
       agentOrigin,
       customModel,
@@ -3440,6 +3442,7 @@ export function registerSessionRoutes(
       if (
         (envOverrides && Object.keys(envOverrides).length > 0) ||
         effort ||
+        advisorModel ||
         modelOverride !== undefined ||
         codexConfig ||
         geminiConfig ||
@@ -3453,7 +3456,7 @@ export function registerSessionRoutes(
       ) {
         return createErrorResponse(
           ApiErrorCode.INVALID_INPUT,
-          'envOverrides, effort, modelOverride, per-CLI config, and custom model endpoints are not supported for remote cases (they do not cross ssh). Configure the remote command via the host command override instead.'
+          'envOverrides, effort, advisorModel, modelOverride, per-CLI config, and custom model endpoints are not supported for remote cases (they do not cross ssh). Configure the remote command via the host command override instead.'
         );
       }
 
@@ -3510,6 +3513,7 @@ export function registerSessionRoutes(
       if (
         (envOverrides && Object.keys(envOverrides).length > 0) ||
         effort ||
+        advisorModel ||
         codexConfig ||
         geminiConfig ||
         antigravityConfig ||
@@ -3522,7 +3526,7 @@ export function registerSessionRoutes(
       ) {
         return createErrorResponse(
           ApiErrorCode.INVALID_INPUT,
-          'envOverrides, effort, per-CLI config, and custom model endpoints are not supported for docker cases (they do not cross into the container). Configure the container via the docker host command override instead.'
+          'envOverrides, effort, advisorModel, per-CLI config, and custom model endpoints are not supported for docker cases (they do not cross into the container). Configure the container via the docker host command override instead.'
         );
       }
 
@@ -3977,6 +3981,7 @@ export function registerSessionRoutes(
       ompConfig: qsResolvedOmpConfig,
       envOverrides: qsCustomModelEnvOverrides,
       effort,
+      advisorModel,
       remote,
       docker,
       resumeSessionId: dockerResumeId,

src/web/schemas.ts

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { MAX_WAKE_MACS } from '../config/remote-wake-limits.js';
 import { MAX_INPUT_LENGTH } from '../config/terminal-limits.js';
 import { enabledCliIds, enabledClis } from '../config/cli-registry/registry.js';
 import type { SessionMode } from '../types.js';
+import { isAdvisorModel } from '../types/session.js';
 
 // ========== Path Validation ==========
 
@@ -251,6 +252,20 @@ const safeEnvOverridesSchema = z
  */
 const effortLevelSchema = z.enum(['low', 'medium', 'high', 'xhigh', 'max', 'ultracode']).optional();
 
+/**
+ * Claude advisor model for new sessions: `fable`/`opus`/`sonnet` or a full model id in one of
+ * those families (isAdvisorModel). Merged into the launch `--settings` JSON as `advisorModel`,
+ * a soft default that /advisor still switches in-session. The allowlist is also the injection
+ * guard for the single-quoted `--settings` argument.
+ */
+const advisorModelSchema = z
+  .string()
+  .max(64)
+  .refine((value) => isAdvisorModel(value), {
+    message: 'advisorModel must be fable, opus, sonnet or a full claude-fable/opus/sonnet model id',
+  })
+  .optional();
+
 // ========== Session Routes ==========
 
 /**
@@ -524,6 +539,8 @@ export const CreateSessionSchema = z.object({
   envOverrides: safeEnvOverridesSchema,
   /** Claude CLI effort level (soft default via --settings, switchable in-session via /effort) */
   effort: effortLevelSchema,
+  /** Claude advisor model (soft default via --settings, switchable in-session via /advisor) */
+  advisorModel: advisorModelSchema,
   /** Model override to write to .claude/settings.local.json (e.g., "opus[1m]"). Empty string clears. */
   modelOverride: z.string().max(50).optional(),
   openCodeConfig: OpenCodeConfigSchema,
@@ -1055,6 +1072,8 @@ export const QuickStartSchema = z.object({
   envOverrides: safeEnvOverridesSchema,
   /** Claude CLI effort level (soft default via --settings, switchable in-session via /effort) */
   effort: effortLevelSchema,
+  /** Claude advisor model (soft default via --settings, switchable in-session via /advisor) */
+  advisorModel: advisorModelSchema,
   /**
    * Who is spawning this worker (`codeman-skill` from the packaged agent skill), or,
    * equivalently, the `X-Codeman-Agent-Origin` header; the body wins when both are
@@ -1374,6 +1393,12 @@ export const SettingsUpdateSchema = z
     // auto-reattached.
     remoteAutoReconnect: z.boolean().optional(),
     thinkingEffort: z.string().max(20).optional(),
+    /** Advisor model for new Claude sessions ('' = leave it to the CLI's own /advisor choice). */
+    claudeAdvisorModel: z
+      .string()
+      .max(64)
+      .refine((value) => value === '' || isAdvisorModel(value), { message: 'Invalid advisor model' })
+      .optional(),
     // UI visibility
     showFontControls: z.boolean().optional(),
     showSystemStats: z.boolean().optional(),
@@ -1862,6 +1887,8 @@ export const RalphLoopStartSchema = z.object({
   envOverrides: safeEnvOverridesSchema,
   /** Claude CLI effort level (soft default via --settings, switchable in-session via /effort) */
   effort: effortLevelSchema,
+  /** Claude advisor model (soft default via --settings, switchable in-session via /advisor) */
+  advisorModel: advisorModelSchema,
   planItems: z
     .array(
       z.object({

src/web/server.ts

@@ -3489,6 +3489,7 @@ export class WebServer extends EventEmitter {
               ompConfig: muxSession.mode === 'omp' ? savedState?.ompConfig : undefined,
               envOverrides: savedEnvOverrides,
               effort: savedState?.effort,
+              advisorModel: savedState?.advisorModel,
               attachmentHistory: savedAttachmentHistory,
               // The pane's last Enter. Without it the response viewer would show
               // the launch conversation until the user types again, even though