fix(brain,vision): strict-mode type correctness + clear pre-existing lint debt

src/cli/commands/brain.ts

@@ -120,12 +120,12 @@ experiment conclusions so mutual thinking compounds. See docs/guides/BRAIN.md.
       const ctx = openBrain();
       try {
         const q: BrainQuery = {
-          text: query,
           org: !!options.org,
-          agent: options.agent,
-          kind: options.kind as BrainKind | undefined,
           limit: parseInt(options.limit, 10),
           includeSuperseded: !!options.all,
+          ...(query ? { text: query } : {}),
+          ...(options.agent ? { agent: options.agent } : {}),
+          ...(options.kind ? { kind: options.kind as BrainKind } : {}),
         };
         const results = ctx.store.recall(q);
         if (options.json) {
@@ -266,8 +266,8 @@ experiment conclusions so mutual thinking compounds. See docs/guides/BRAIN.md.
   return cmd;
 }
 
-function splitList(v?: string): string[] | undefined {
-  if (!v) return undefined;
+function splitList(v?: string): string[] {
+  if (!v) return [];
   return v
     .split(',')
     .map((s) => s.trim())

src/cli/commands/vision.ts

@@ -177,15 +177,16 @@ limits (maxIterations, maxConsecutiveFailures, …). See docs/guides/VISION.md.
     .action((text, options) => {
       const p = paths(process.cwd());
       const inbox = new SignalInbox(p.signalsPath);
+      const refs = options.refs
+        ? String(options.refs)
+            .split(',')
+            .map((r: string) => r.trim())
+        : undefined;
       const s = inbox.add({
         text,
         severity: options.severity as SignalSeverity,
         source: options.source,
-        refs: options.refs
-          ? String(options.refs)
-              .split(',')
-              .map((r: string) => r.trim())
-          : undefined,
+        ...(refs ? { refs } : {}),
       });
       console.log(
         chalk.green('✓ signal queued'),
@@ -228,15 +229,16 @@ limits (maxIterations, maxConsecutiveFailures, …). See docs/guides/VISION.md.
           )
         );
       }
+      const max = options.once
+        ? 1
+        : options.max
+          ? parseInt(options.max, 10)
+          : undefined;
       await runLoop({
         dryRun,
-        max: options.once
-          ? 1
-          : options.max
-            ? parseInt(options.max, 10)
-            : undefined,
-        delegateCmd: options.delegateCmd,
         timeoutMs: parseInt(options.timeout, 10) * 1000,
+        ...(max !== undefined ? { max } : {}),
+        ...(options.delegateCmd ? { delegateCmd: options.delegateCmd } : {}),
       });
     });
 
@@ -284,7 +286,7 @@ async function runLoop(opts: {
 
     const result = await loop.run({
       dryRun: opts.dryRun,
-      maxIterations: opts.max,
+      ...(opts.max !== undefined ? { maxIterations: opts.max } : {}),
     });
     for (const d of result.decisions) console.log(fmtDecision(d));
 

src/cli/hermes-sm.ts

@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ const DEFAULT_CONFIG: HermesSMConfig = {
 function loadConfig(): HermesSMConfig {
   try {
     if (fs.existsSync(HERMES_CONFIG_PATH)) {
-      return { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, ...JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(HERMES_CONFIG_PATH, 'utf8')) };
+      return {
+        ...DEFAULT_CONFIG,
+        ...JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(HERMES_CONFIG_PATH, 'utf8')),
+      };
     }
   } catch {
     // Use defaults
@@ -121,9 +124,13 @@ function ensureDaemon(): void {
 
 function writeSessionHeartbeat(instanceId: string): NodeJS.Timeout {
   const sessionsDir = path.join(SM_DIR, 'sessions');
-  if (!fs.existsSync(sessionsDir)) fs.mkdirSync(sessionsDir, { recursive: true });
+  if (!fs.existsSync(sessionsDir))
+    fs.mkdirSync(sessionsDir, { recursive: true });
 
-  const heartbeatFile = path.join(sessionsDir, `session-${Date.now()}.heartbeat`);
+  const heartbeatFile = path.join(
+    sessionsDir,
+    `session-${Date.now()}.heartbeat`
+  );
   fs.writeFileSync(heartbeatFile, instanceId);
 
   // Update heartbeat every 60s
@@ -154,7 +161,11 @@ class HermesSM {
     const { instanceId, tracingEnabled, verboseTracing } = this.config;
 
     console.log(chalk.cyan('╭─ hermes-sm ─────────────────────────────╮'));
-    console.log(chalk.cyan(`│ Instance: ${instanceId.slice(0, 8)}                        │`));
+    console.log(
+      chalk.cyan(
+        `│ Instance: ${instanceId.slice(0, 8)}                        │`
+      )
+    );
     console.log(chalk.cyan('╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯'));
 
     // 1. Ensure daemon is running
@@ -193,7 +204,11 @@ class HermesSM {
         const handoff = store.getLatestHandoff(projectId);
         if (handoff) {
           handoffContext = handoff.content || '';
-          console.log(chalk.dim(`  ↳ Restored handoff: ${handoff.summary?.slice(0, 60) || 'previous session'}`));
+          console.log(
+            chalk.dim(
+              `  ↳ Restored handoff: ${handoff.summary?.slice(0, 60) || 'previous session'}`
+            )
+          );
         }
       } catch {
         // No handoff available
@@ -282,7 +297,9 @@ const smConfig = loadConfig();
 
 program
   .name('hermes-smd')
-  .description('Hermes with StackMemory context persistence, daemon auto-start, and desire-path tracking')
+  .description(
+    'Hermes with StackMemory context persistence, daemon auto-start, and desire-path tracking'
+  )
   .argument('[prompt...]', 'Initial prompt for hermes')
   .option('--resume <session>', 'Resume a Hermes session by ID')
   .option('-m, --model <model>', 'Model to use')

src/core/brain/__tests__/brain.test.ts

@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ describe('BrainStore', () => {
 
     const results = store.recall({ text: 'jitter' });
     expect(results).toHaveLength(1);
-    expect(results[0].conclusion).toBe('errors dropped 60%');
-    expect(results[0].agent).toBe('codex');
+    expect(results[0]?.conclusion).toBe('errors dropped 60%');
+    expect(results[0]?.agent).toBe('codex');
   });
 
   it('does not leak entries across repos by default', () => {

src/core/brain/brain-store.ts

@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ export class BrainStore {
 }
 
 function rowToEntry(row: BrainRow): BrainEntry {
-  return {
+  const entry: BrainEntry = {
     entryId: row.entry_id,
     workspaceId: row.workspace_id,
     projectId: row.project_id,
@@ -220,10 +220,11 @@ function rowToEntry(row: BrainRow): BrainEntry {
     refs: safeParse(row.refs),
     confidence: row.confidence,
     status: row.status as BrainEntry['status'],
-    supersededBy: row.superseded_by ?? undefined,
     createdAt: row.created_at,
     updatedAt: row.updated_at,
   };
+  if (row.superseded_by) entry.supersededBy = row.superseded_by;
+  return entry;
 }
 
 function safeParse(json: string): string[] {

src/core/brain/brain-sync.ts

@@ -187,12 +187,13 @@ export class BrainSync {
   async sync(): Promise<BrainSyncResult> {
     const pushed = await this.push();
     const pulled = await this.pull();
+    const error = pushed.error ?? pulled.error;
     return {
       success: pushed.success && pulled.success,
       pushed: pushed.pushed,
       pulled: pulled.pulled,
       applied: pulled.applied,
-      error: pushed.error ?? pulled.error,
+      ...(error ? { error } : {}),
     };
   }
 
@@ -229,7 +230,7 @@ function toWireEntry(row: Record<string, unknown>): BrainEntry {
       return [];
     }
   };
-  return {
+  const entry: BrainEntry = {
     entryId: String(row['entry_id']),
     workspaceId: String(row['workspace_id'] ?? ''),
     projectId: String(row['project_id']),
@@ -242,10 +243,11 @@ function toWireEntry(row: Record<string, unknown>): BrainEntry {
     refs: parse(row['refs']),
     confidence: Number(row['confidence'] ?? 0.7),
     status: String(row['status'] ?? 'active') as BrainEntry['status'],
-    supersededBy: (row['superseded_by'] as string | null) ?? undefined,
     createdAt: Number(row['created_at']),
     updatedAt: Number(row['updated_at']),
   };
+  if (row['superseded_by']) entry.supersededBy = String(row['superseded_by']);
+  return entry;
 }
 
 function errMsg(err: unknown): string {

src/core/vision/__tests__/vision.test.ts

@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ describe('parseVision', () => {
     ]);
     expect(v.scope).toEqual(['src/**']);
     expect(v.objectives).toHaveLength(3);
-    expect(v.objectives[1].done).toBe(true);
-    expect(v.objectives[0].done).toBe(false);
+    expect(v.objectives[1]?.done).toBe(true);
+    expect(v.objectives[0]?.done).toBe(false);
     expect(v.limits.maxIterations).toBe(5);
     expect(v.limits.maxConsecutiveFailures).toBe(2);
     expect(v.limits.requireApproval).toBe(false);
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ describe('scaffold + toggle', () => {
     writeFileSync(p, SAMPLE);
     const v = parseVision(SAMPLE);
     const target = v.objectives[0];
+    if (!target) throw new Error('expected an objective');
     expect(setObjectiveDone(p, target.id, true)).toBe(true);
     const after = parseVision(readFileSync(p, 'utf-8'));
     expect(after.objectives.find((o) => o.id === target.id)?.done).toBe(true);
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ describe('SignalInbox', () => {
     inbox.add({ text: 'critical thing', severity: 'critical' });
     inbox.add({ text: 'medium thing', severity: 'medium' });
     const pending = inbox.pending();
-    expect(pending[0].text).toBe('critical thing');
+    expect(pending[0]?.text).toBe('critical thing');
     expect(pending).toHaveLength(3);
   });
 

src/core/vision/signals.ts

@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ export class SignalInbox {
       source: input.source ?? 'manual',
       severity: input.severity ?? 'medium',
       text: input.text,
-      refs: input.refs,
       createdAt: Date.now(),
+      ...(input.refs ? { refs: input.refs } : {}),
     };
     appendFileSync(this.path, JSON.stringify(signal) + '\n');
     return signal;

src/core/vision/vision-file.ts

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ function splitSections(text: string): {
 
   for (const line of lines) {
     const h2 = line.match(/^##\s+(.+?)\s*$/);
-    if (h2) {
+    if (h2?.[1]) {
       current = { body: [] };
       sections.set(h2[1].toLowerCase(), current);
       continue;
@@ -69,22 +69,21 @@ function splitSections(text: string): {
 
 function bulletLines(body: string[]): string[] {
   return body
-    .map((l) => l.match(/^\s*[-*]\s+(.*\S)\s*$/))
-    .filter((m): m is RegExpMatchArray => !!m)
-    .map((m) => m[1].trim())
+    .map((l) => l.match(/^\s*[-*]\s+(.*\S)\s*$/)?.[1]?.trim())
+    .filter((s): s is string => !!s)
     .filter((s) => !/^\[[ xX]\]/.test(s)); // checklist handled separately
 }
 
 function parseObjectives(body: string[]): Objective[] {
   const objectives: Objective[] = [];
   for (const line of body) {
     const m = line.match(/^\s*[-*]\s+\[([ xX])\]\s+(.*\S)\s*$/);
-    if (!m) continue;
+    if (!m?.[2]) continue;
     const text = m[2].trim();
     objectives.push({
       id: objectiveId(text),
       text,
-      done: m[1].toLowerCase() === 'x',
+      done: (m[1] ?? '').toLowerCase() === 'x',
     });
   }
   return objectives;
@@ -94,7 +93,7 @@ function parseLimits(body: string[]): VisionLimits {
   const limits: VisionLimits = { ...DEFAULT_LIMITS };
   for (const line of body) {
     const m = line.match(/^\s*([a-zA-Z]+)\s*:\s*(.+?)\s*$/);
-    if (!m) continue;
+    if (!m?.[1] || m[2] === undefined) continue;
     const key = m[1] as keyof VisionLimits;
     const raw = m[2];
     if (!(key in limits)) continue;
@@ -142,10 +141,12 @@ export function setObjectiveDone(
   const lines = readFileSync(path, 'utf-8').split(/\r?\n/);
   let changed = false;
   for (let i = 0; i < lines.length; i++) {
-    const m = lines[i].match(/^(\s*[-*]\s+)\[([ xX])\]\s+(.*\S)\s*$/);
-    if (!m) continue;
+    const line = lines[i];
+    if (line === undefined) continue;
+    const m = line.match(/^(\s*[-*]\s+)\[([ xX])\]\s+(.*\S)\s*$/);
+    if (!m?.[3]) continue;
     if (objectiveId(m[3].trim()) === objId) {
-      lines[i] = `${m[1]}[${done ? 'x' : ' '}] ${m[3].trim()}`;
+      lines[i] = `${m[1] ?? ''}[${done ? 'x' : ' '}] ${m[3].trim()}`;
       changed = true;
       break;
     }

src/core/vision/vision-loop.ts

@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ export class VisionLoop {
       };
     }
     const idx = vision.objectives.findIndex((o) => !o.done);
-    if (idx >= 0) {
-      const o = vision.objectives[idx];
+    const o = idx >= 0 ? vision.objectives[idx] : undefined;
+    if (o) {
       return {
         kind: 'objective',
         id: o.id,

src/daemon/daemon-config.ts

@@ -169,9 +169,18 @@ export const DEFAULT_DAEMON_CONFIG: DaemonConfig = {
     enabled: true, // opt-out via STACKMEMORY_RESEARCH_STREAM=0
     interval: 360, // every 6 hours
     keywords: [
-      'agent', 'ai', 'llm', 'mcp', 'context', 'memory',
-      'orchestration', 'skill', 'workflow', 'automation',
-      'browser agent', 'coding assistant',
+      'agent',
+      'ai',
+      'llm',
+      'mcp',
+      'context',
+      'memory',
+      'orchestration',
+      'skill',
+      'workflow',
+      'automation',
+      'browser agent',
+      'coding assistant',
     ],
     maxSignalsPerScan: 50,
   },