feat: restore saved images at server startup

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 ### Added
 
+- Server startup restoration with `--restore <file>` / `RUNA_RESTORE`, reusing
+  snapshot validation and actor scheduling rules without merging bundled
+  sources or falling back to a fresh image on errors.
+
 - Explicit versioned disk image save/restore through the CLI, REPL, protocol and
   VS Code commands. Preserve source/history, actor identities, committed state,
   mailbox envelopes and retained logs; reject unfinished handlers, pause runnable

README.md

@@ -89,6 +89,21 @@ cargo run -p runa-cli -- save /path/to/image.runa.json
 cargo run -p runa-cli -- restore /path/to/image.runa.json
 ```
 
+To open the snapshot when starting the server, use:
+
+```sh
+cargo run -p runa -- --restore /path/to/image.runa.json
+# Alternatively:
+RUNA_RESTORE=/path/to/image.runa.json mise run start
+```
+
+`--restore` overrides `RUNA_RESTORE`. Startup restoration validates the snapshot
+before accepting clients and does not add or overwrite bundled sources.
+Missing, malformed or incompatible snapshots fail startup rather than silently
+starting a fresh image. Without either option, startup loads the bundled counter
+source as before. Restored actors follow the same status rules as live restore;
+the server does not execute messages until scheduler ticks are requested.
+
 The REPL also accepts `save <file>` and `restore <file>`. VS Code provides
 **Runa: Save Image...** and **Runa: Restore Image...**. Paths refer to the
 server's filesystem, not the client's. Saving requires a new destination file.

crates/runa/src/main.rs

@@ -12,19 +12,28 @@ struct Args {
     /// Loopback WebSocket listen address (port 0 selects an ephemeral port).
     #[arg(long, env = "RUNA_LISTEN", default_value = "127.0.0.1:3737")]
     listen: SocketAddr,
+    /// Restore a server-local image snapshot instead of loading bundled sources.
+    #[arg(long, env = "RUNA_RESTORE")]
+    restore: Option<String>,
 }
 
-fn initial_image() -> io::Result<Server> {
+fn initial_image(restore: Option<&str>) -> io::Result<Server> {
     let mut server = Server::new();
+    let command = match restore {
+        Some(file) => Command::RestoreImage {
+            file: file.to_owned(),
+        },
+        None => Command::WriteSource {
+            path: "actors/counter".to_owned(),
+            expected_source_id: None,
+            source: include_str!("../../../runa-std/actors/counter.rn").to_owned(),
+        },
+    };
     server
         .dispatch(Request {
             version: PROTOCOL_VERSION,
-            request_id: "bootstrap-counter".to_owned(),
+            request_id: "bootstrap-image".to_owned(),
-            command: Command::WriteSource {
+            command,
-                path: "actors/counter".to_owned(),
-                expected_source_id: None,
-                source: include_str!("../../../runa-std/actors/counter.rn").to_owned(),
-            },
         })
         .result
         .map_err(|error| io::Error::other(error.message))?;
@@ -34,7 +43,7 @@ fn initial_image() -> io::Result<Server> {
 fn main() -> ExitCode {
     let args = Args::parse();
     match bind_loopback_listener(args.listen)
-        .and_then(|listener| serve_websocket(listener, initial_image()?))
+        .and_then(|listener| serve_websocket(listener, initial_image(args.restore.as_deref())?))
     {
         Ok(()) => ExitCode::SUCCESS,
         Err(error) => {
@@ -67,4 +76,20 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(Args::try_parse_from(["runa", "--stdio"]).is_err());
         assert!(Args::try_parse_from(["runa", "extra"]).is_err());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn clap_accepts_restore_and_rejects_missing_file() {
+        let args = Args::try_parse_from(["runa", "--restore", "/images/saved image.json"]).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(args.restore.as_deref(), Some("/images/saved image.json"));
+        assert!(Args::try_parse_from(["runa", "--restore"]).is_err());
+        let command = <Args as clap::CommandFactory>::command();
+        let restore = command
+            .get_arguments()
+            .find(|argument| argument.get_id() == "restore")
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            restore.get_env(),
+            Some(std::ffi::OsStr::new("RUNA_RESTORE"))
+        );
+    }
 }

crates/runa/tests/local_client.rs

@@ -39,9 +39,23 @@ fn install_counter_fixture(client: &mut WebSocketClient) {
 }
 
 fn start_server_with(args: &[&str], listen_env: &str) -> (ServerProcess, SocketAddr) {
-    let child = ProcessCommand::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_runa"))
+    start_server_with_restore(args, listen_env, None)
+}
+
+fn start_server_with_restore(
+    args: &[&str],
+    listen_env: &str,
+    restore: Option<&str>,
+) -> (ServerProcess, SocketAddr) {
+    let mut command = ProcessCommand::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_runa"));
+    command
         .args(args)
         .env("RUNA_LISTEN", listen_env)
+        .env_remove("RUNA_RESTORE");
+    if let Some(file) = restore {
+        command.env("RUNA_RESTORE", file);
+    }
+    let child = command
         .stdin(Stdio::null())
         .stdout(Stdio::null())
         .stderr(Stdio::piped())
@@ -78,6 +92,7 @@ fn server_clap_supports_env_overrides_help_and_explicit_errors() {
         let output = ProcessCommand::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_runa"))
             .args(args)
             .env_remove("RUNA_LISTEN")
+            .env_remove("RUNA_RESTORE")
             .output()
             .unwrap();
         assert!(!output.status.success());
@@ -86,12 +101,167 @@ fn server_clap_supports_env_overrides_help_and_explicit_errors() {
     let help = ProcessCommand::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_runa"))
         .arg("--help")
         .env_remove("RUNA_LISTEN")
+        .env_remove("RUNA_RESTORE")
         .output()
         .unwrap();
     assert!(help.status.success());
     let help = String::from_utf8(help.stdout).unwrap();
     assert!(help.contains("127.0.0.1:3737"));
     assert!(help.contains("RUNA_LISTEN"));
+    assert!(help.contains("RUNA_RESTORE"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn startup_restore_uses_saved_image_without_bundled_sources_and_honors_env_overrides() {
+    use runa_image_api::ImageApi;
+    use std::num::NonZeroUsize;
+
+    let directory = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = directory.path().join("saved image.json");
+    let file = path.to_str().unwrap();
+    let mut image = ImageApi::new();
+    image
+        .write_source(
+            "tests/startup",
+            None,
+            "pub fn handle(ctx, state, sender, message) { state + message }",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+    let actor = image
+        .spawn(
+            "tests/startup",
+            Value::Integer(8),
+            NonZeroUsize::new(2).unwrap(),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+    let paused = image
+        .spawn(
+            "tests/startup",
+            Value::Integer(9),
+            NonZeroUsize::new(2).unwrap(),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+    image.pause(paused).unwrap();
+    image.send(actor, Value::Integer(3)).unwrap();
+    let mut server = runa::Server::with_image_api(image);
+    server
+        .dispatch(runa_protocol::Request {
+            version: runa_protocol::PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+            request_id: "save-startup".into(),
+            command: Command::SaveImage { file: file.into() },
+        })
+        .result
+        .unwrap();
+    let saved_bytes = std::fs::read(&path).unwrap();
+
+    for (args, env) in [
+        (
+            vec!["--listen", "127.0.0.1:0", "--restore", file],
+            Some("missing.json"),
+        ),
+        (vec!["--listen", "127.0.0.1:0"], Some(file)),
+    ] {
+        let (_server, address) = start_server_with_restore(&args, "invalid", env);
+        let mut client = WebSocketClient::connect(address).unwrap();
+        let Reply::Sources(sources) = client
+            .request(Command::ListSources)
+            .unwrap()
+            .result
+            .unwrap()
+        else {
+            panic!("expected sources")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(sources.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(sources[0].path, "tests/startup");
+        let Reply::Actor(before) = client
+            .request(Command::InspectActor {
+                actor_ref: actor.to_string(),
+            })
+            .unwrap()
+            .result
+            .unwrap()
+        else {
+            panic!("expected actor")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(before.state, Value::Integer(8));
+        assert_eq!(before.incarnation, 2);
+        assert_eq!(before.status, runa_protocol::ActorStatusDto::Idle);
+        client
+            .request(Command::Tick {
+                ticks: 1,
+                instruction_budget: 1000,
+            })
+            .unwrap()
+            .result
+            .unwrap();
+        let Reply::Actor(after) = client
+            .request(Command::InspectActor {
+                actor_ref: actor.to_string(),
+            })
+            .unwrap()
+            .result
+            .unwrap()
+        else {
+            panic!("expected actor")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(after.state, Value::Integer(11));
+        let Reply::Actor(after) = client
+            .request(Command::InspectActor {
+                actor_ref: paused.to_string(),
+            })
+            .unwrap()
+            .result
+            .unwrap()
+        else {
+            panic!("expected actor")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(after.state, Value::Integer(9));
+        assert_eq!(after.status, runa_protocol::ActorStatusDto::Paused);
+        client.close().unwrap();
+    }
+    // The file and its original lifecycle statuses are not changed by startup.
+    assert_eq!(std::fs::read(path).unwrap(), saved_bytes);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn startup_restore_failures_exit_without_advertising_a_live_image() {
+    let directory = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let invalid = directory.path().join("invalid.json");
+    std::fs::write(&invalid, "{").unwrap();
+    let missing = directory.path().join("missing.json");
+    let incompatible = directory.path().join("incompatible.json");
+    let mut snapshot =
+        serde_json::to_value(runa_image_api::ImageApi::new().snapshot().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    snapshot["version"] = 999.into();
+    std::fs::write(&incompatible, serde_json::to_vec(&snapshot).unwrap()).unwrap();
+    for file in [
+        invalid.to_str().unwrap(),
+        missing.to_str().unwrap(),
+        incompatible.to_str().unwrap(),
+        "",
+    ] {
+        let output = ProcessCommand::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_runa"))
+            .args(["--listen", "127.0.0.1:0", "--restore", file])
+            .env_remove("RUNA_LISTEN")
+            .env_remove("RUNA_RESTORE")
+            .output()
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(!output.status.success());
+        let error = String::from_utf8(output.stderr).unwrap();
+        assert!(error.contains("runa:"), "{error}");
+        assert!(!error.contains("listening on"), "{error}");
+    }
+    let output = ProcessCommand::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_runa"))
+        .args(["--listen", "127.0.0.1:0"])
+        .env("RUNA_RESTORE", missing)
+        .output()
+        .unwrap();
+    assert!(!output.status.success());
+    assert!(
+        !String::from_utf8(output.stderr)
+            .unwrap()
+            .contains("listening on")
+    );
 }
 
 fn watcher(address: SocketAddr) -> tungstenite::WebSocket<std::net::TcpStream> {
@@ -286,6 +456,7 @@ impl Drop for ServerProcess {
 fn websocket_server_accepts_local_protocol_requests() {
     let child = ProcessCommand::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_runa"))
         .args(["--listen", "127.0.0.1:0"])
+        .env_remove("RUNA_RESTORE")
         .stdout(Stdio::null())
         .stderr(Stdio::piped())
         .spawn()

docs/architecture.md

@@ -324,6 +324,10 @@ mailbox envelopes/capacities and retained logs are included. See
 [runtime guarantees](runtime.md#image-save-and-restore) for exact scope.
 SQLite-backed per-transition durability, supervised recovery and execution-stack
 restoration remain planned.
+The server can explicitly open a snapshot on startup using `--restore` or
+`RUNA_RESTORE`, with the same validation and scheduling rules as live restore.
+Restored images are not merged with bundled sources, and failed restoration
+does not fall back to a new image or serve clients.
 
 ## 11. Workspace Boundaries and Dependency Direction
 

docs/runtime.md

@@ -449,6 +449,15 @@ capacity, and successful message effects.
 
 ## Image save and restore
 
+The server accepts `--restore <file>` or `RUNA_RESTORE` to open an image at
+startup; the explicit flag takes precedence. Startup uses the same restore
+validation and incarnation/status rules as the protocol operation, without
+bootstrapping bundled sources into the restored image. The listener is not
+advertised and clients are not served until restoration succeeds. File,
+validation or compilation failures exit with an error; there is no fallback
+to a fresh image. Without a restore option, the bundled counter source is loaded
+as before. No automatic scheduler ticks or failed-message retries are introduced.
+
 `save <new-file>` and `restore <file>` are available in the CLI/REPL and through
 the trusted image protocol. Files are server-local, versioned JSON with a
 64 MiB limit. Saving writes a temporary file in the destination directory,
@@ -497,7 +506,7 @@ changes after the last successful save can be lost on process exit.
 ## Limits
 
 This is not yet a full image: no per-transition durable mailboxes,
-transactional outbox, supervisors, GUI, or automatic image bootstrap.
+transactional outbox, supervisors, GUI, or automatic checkpoint recovery.
 Behavior registry and mailbox data survive process exit only in explicit saves;
 installation requires an idle handler boundary and does not upgrade active
 execution. The example counter script is bundled through `include_str!`.

vscode/README.md

@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ machine running the extension host, not necessarily the desktop.
 
 ### Disk image save/restore
 
+To reconnect to a saved image after stopping the server, start it with
+`cargo run -p runa -- --restore /path/to/image.runa.json` or set `RUNA_RESTORE`
+when using `mise run start`, then connect normally. Startup restoration adds
+no bundled sources and executes no automatic ticks.
+
 **Runa: Save Image...** prompts for a new file on the server's filesystem.
 It saves the whole image at a handler boundary and leaves runnable actors
 paused. Unfinished handlers, including paused/awaiting execution, reject saving

vscode/integration/server.ts

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export async function startImage(): Promise<{
     process.platform === "win32" ? "runa.exe" : "runa",
   );
   const child = spawn(executable, ["--listen", "127.0.0.1:0"], {
+    env: { ...process.env, RUNA_RESTORE: undefined },
     stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "pipe"],
   });
   let diagnostics = "";