app-server: Update thread/name/set to support not-loaded threads (#13282)

Currently `thread/name/set` does only work for loaded threads.
Expand the scope to also support persisted but not-yet-loaded ones for a
more predictable API surface.
This will make it possible to rename threads discovered via
`thread/list` and similar operations.

codex-rs/app-server/README.md

@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ Example with notification opt-out:
 - `thread/status/changed` — notification emitted when a loaded thread’s status changes (`threadId` + new `status`).
 - `thread/archive` — move a thread’s rollout file into the archived directory; returns `{}` on success and emits `thread/archived`.
 - `thread/unsubscribe` — unsubscribe this connection from thread turn/item events. If this was the last subscriber, the server shuts down and unloads the thread, then emits `thread/closed`.
-- `thread/name/set` — set or update a thread’s user-facing name; returns `{}` on success. Thread names are not required to be unique; name lookups resolve to the most recently updated thread.
+- `thread/name/set` — set or update a thread’s user-facing name for either a loaded thread or a persisted rollout; returns `{}` on success. Thread names are not required to be unique; name lookups resolve to the most recently updated thread.
 - `thread/unarchive` — move an archived rollout file back into the sessions directory; returns the restored `thread` on success and emits `thread/unarchived`.
 - `thread/compact/start` — trigger conversation history compaction for a thread; returns `{}` immediately while progress streams through standard turn/item notifications.
 - `thread/backgroundTerminals/clean` — terminate all running background terminals for a thread (experimental; requires `capabilities.experimentalApi`); returns `{}` when the cleanup request is accepted.

codex-rs/app-server/src/codex_message_processor.rs

@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListParams;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListResponse;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadLoadedListParams;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadLoadedListResponse;
+use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadNameUpdatedNotification;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadReadParams;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadReadResponse;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadRealtimeAppendAudioParams;
@@ -2341,6 +2342,14 @@ impl CodexMessageProcessor {
 
     async fn thread_set_name(&self, request_id: ConnectionRequestId, params: ThreadSetNameParams) {
         let ThreadSetNameParams { thread_id, name } = params;
+        let thread_id = match ThreadId::from_string(&thread_id) {
+            Ok(id) => id,
+            Err(err) => {
+                self.send_invalid_request_error(request_id, format!("invalid thread id: {err}"))
+                    .await;
+                return;
+            }
+        };
         let Some(name) = codex_core::util::normalize_thread_name(&name) else {
             self.send_invalid_request_error(
                 request_id,
@@ -2350,15 +2359,43 @@ impl CodexMessageProcessor {
             return;
         };
 
-        let (_, thread) = match self.load_thread(&thread_id).await {
+        if let Ok(thread) = self.thread_manager.get_thread(thread_id).await {
-            Ok(v) => v,
+            if let Err(err) = thread.submit(Op::SetThreadName { name }).await {
-            Err(error) => {
+                self.send_internal_error(request_id, format!("failed to set thread name: {err}"))
-                self.outgoing.send_error(request_id, error).await;
+                    .await;
                 return;
             }
-        };
 
-        if let Err(err) = thread.submit(Op::SetThreadName { name }).await {
+            self.outgoing
+                .send_response(request_id, ThreadSetNameResponse {})
+                .await;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let thread_exists =
+            match find_thread_path_by_id_str(&self.config.codex_home, &thread_id.to_string()).await
+            {
+                Ok(Some(_)) => true,
+                Ok(None) => false,
+                Err(err) => {
+                    self.send_invalid_request_error(
+                        request_id,
+                        format!("failed to locate thread id {thread_id}: {err}"),
+                    )
+                    .await;
+                    return;
+                }
+            };
+
+        if !thread_exists {
+            self.send_invalid_request_error(request_id, format!("thread not found: {thread_id}"))
+                .await;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if let Err(err) =
+            codex_core::append_thread_name(&self.config.codex_home, thread_id, &name).await
+        {
             self.send_internal_error(request_id, format!("failed to set thread name: {err}"))
                 .await;
             return;
@@ -2367,6 +2404,13 @@ impl CodexMessageProcessor {
         self.outgoing
             .send_response(request_id, ThreadSetNameResponse {})
             .await;
+        let notification = ThreadNameUpdatedNotification {
+            thread_id: thread_id.to_string(),
+            thread_name: Some(name),
+        };
+        self.outgoing
+            .send_server_notification(ServerNotification::ThreadNameUpdated(notification))
+            .await;
     }
 
     async fn thread_unarchive(

codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/v2/thread_read.rs

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use codex_app_server_protocol::SessionSource;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadItem;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListParams;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListResponse;
+use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadNameUpdatedNotification;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadReadParams;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadReadResponse;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadResumeParams;
@@ -220,25 +221,6 @@ async fn thread_name_set_is_reflected_in_read_list_and_resume() -> Result<()> {
     let mut mcp = McpProcess::new(codex_home.path()).await?;
     timeout(DEFAULT_READ_TIMEOUT, mcp.initialize()).await??;
 
-    // `thread/name/set` operates on loaded threads (via ThreadManager). A rollout existing on disk
-    // is not enough; we must `thread/resume` first to load it into the running server.
-    let pre_resume_id = mcp
-        .send_thread_resume_request(ThreadResumeParams {
-            thread_id: conversation_id.clone(),
-            ..Default::default()
-        })
-        .await?;
-    let pre_resume_resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
-        DEFAULT_READ_TIMEOUT,
-        mcp.read_stream_until_response_message(RequestId::Integer(pre_resume_id)),
-    )
-    .await??;
-    let ThreadResumeResponse {
-        thread: pre_resumed,
-        ..
-    } = to_response::<ThreadResumeResponse>(pre_resume_resp)?;
-    assert_eq!(pre_resumed.id, conversation_id);
-
     // Set a user-facing thread title.
     let new_name = "My renamed thread";
     let set_id = mcp
@@ -253,6 +235,15 @@ async fn thread_name_set_is_reflected_in_read_list_and_resume() -> Result<()> {
     )
     .await??;
     let _: ThreadSetNameResponse = to_response::<ThreadSetNameResponse>(set_resp)?;
+    let notification = timeout(
+        DEFAULT_READ_TIMEOUT,
+        mcp.read_stream_until_notification_message("thread/name/updated"),
+    )
+    .await??;
+    let notification: ThreadNameUpdatedNotification =
+        serde_json::from_value(notification.params.expect("thread/name/updated params"))?;
+    assert_eq!(notification.thread_id, conversation_id);
+    assert_eq!(notification.thread_name.as_deref(), Some(new_name));
 
     // Read should now surface `thread.name`, and the wire payload must include `name`.
     let read_id = mcp

codex-rs/core/src/lib.rs

@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ pub use rollout::RolloutRecorder;
 pub use rollout::RolloutRecorderParams;
 pub use rollout::SESSIONS_SUBDIR;
 pub use rollout::SessionMeta;
+pub use rollout::append_thread_name;
 pub use rollout::find_archived_thread_path_by_id_str;
 #[deprecated(note = "use find_thread_path_by_id_str")]
 pub use rollout::find_conversation_path_by_id_str;

codex-rs/core/src/rollout/mod.rs

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub use list::find_thread_path_by_id_str as find_conversation_path_by_id_str;
 pub use list::rollout_date_parts;
 pub use recorder::RolloutRecorder;
 pub use recorder::RolloutRecorderParams;
+pub use session_index::append_thread_name;
 pub use session_index::find_thread_name_by_id;
 pub use session_index::find_thread_path_by_name_str;