review(dream): harden line-age annotation per review feedback

Follow-up to #3212, fully backward compatible:

- Extract the 14-day staleness threshold as `_STALE_THRESHOLD_DAYS` module
  constant and pass it into the Phase 1 prompt template as
  `{{ stale_threshold_days }}`. The number lived in three places before
  (code threshold, prompt instruction, docstring); now there is one.
- Add `DreamConfig.annotate_line_ages` (default True = current behavior)
  and propagate it through `Dream.__init__` and the gateway wiring in
  cli/commands.py. Gives users a knob to disable the feature without a
  code patch if an LLM reacts poorly to the `← Nd` suffix.
- Harden `_annotate_with_ages` against dirty working trees: when HEAD
  blob line count disagrees with the working-tree content length, skip
  annotation entirely instead of assigning ages to the wrong lines. The
  previous `i >= len(ages)` guard only handled one direction of the
  mismatch.
- Inline-comment the `max_iterations` 10→15 bump with a pointer to
  exp002 so future blame has context.
- Add 4 regression tests: end-to-end `← 30d` reaches prompt, 14/15
  threshold boundary, `annotate_line_ages=False` bypasses git entirely
  (verified via `assert_not_called`), length-mismatch defense, and
  template-var rendering.

Made-with: Cursor

nanobot/agent/memory.py

@@ -552,6 +552,13 @@ class Consolidator:
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
+# Single source of truth for the staleness threshold used in _annotate_with_ages
+# *and* in the Phase 1 prompt template (passed as `stale_threshold_days`).
+# Keep code and prompt aligned — if you bump this, the LLM's instruction string
+# updates automatically.
+_STALE_THRESHOLD_DAYS = 14
+
+
 class Dream:
     """Two-phase memory processor: analyze history.jsonl, then edit files via AgentRunner.
 
@@ -568,6 +575,7 @@ class Dream:
         max_batch_size: int = 20,
         max_iterations: int = 10,
         max_tool_result_chars: int = 16_000,
+        annotate_line_ages: bool = True,
     ):
         self.store = store
         self.provider = provider
@@ -575,6 +583,10 @@ class Dream:
         self.max_batch_size = max_batch_size
         self.max_iterations = max_iterations
         self.max_tool_result_chars = max_tool_result_chars
+        # Kill switch for the git-blame-based per-line age annotation in Phase 1.
+        # Default True keeps the #3212 behavior; set False to feed MEMORY.md raw
+        # (e.g. if a specific LLM reacts poorly to the `← Nd` suffix).
+        self.annotate_line_ages = annotate_line_ages
         self._runner = AgentRunner(provider)
         self._tools = self._build_tools()
 
@@ -635,9 +647,12 @@ class Dream:
     def _annotate_with_ages(self, content: str) -> str:
         """Append per-line age suffixes to MEMORY.md content.
 
-        Each non-blank line gets a suffix like ``← 30d`` indicating how
+        Each non-blank line whose age exceeds ``_STALE_THRESHOLD_DAYS`` gets a
-        many days since it was last modified.  Lines ≤14 days old get no
+        suffix like ``← 30d`` indicating days since last modification.
-        suffix.  Returns the original content unchanged if git is unavailable.
+        Returns the original content unchanged if git is unavailable,
+        annotate fails, or the line count doesn't match the age count
+        (which can happen with an uncommitted working-tree edit — better to
+        skip annotation than to tag the wrong line).
         SOUL.md and USER.md are never annotated.
         """
         file_path = "memory/MEMORY.md"
@@ -651,14 +666,23 @@ class Dream:
 
         had_trailing = content.endswith("\n")
         lines = content.splitlines()
+        # If HEAD-blob line count disagrees with the working-tree content we
+        # received, ages would be assigned to the wrong lines — skip entirely
+        # and feed the LLM un-annotated content rather than misleading data.
+        if len(lines) != len(ages):
+            logger.debug(
+                "line_ages length mismatch for {} (lines={}, ages={}); skipping annotation",
+                file_path, len(lines), len(ages),
+            )
+            return content
+
         annotated: list[str] = []
-        for i, line in enumerate(lines):
+        for line, age in zip(lines, ages):
-            if not line.strip() or i >= len(ages):
+            if not line.strip():
                 annotated.append(line)
                 continue
-            d = ages[i].age_days
+            if age.age_days > _STALE_THRESHOLD_DAYS:
-            if d > 14:
+                annotated.append(f"{line}  \u2190 {age.age_days}d")
-                annotated.append(f"{line}  \u2190 {d}d")
             else:
                 annotated.append(line)
         result = "\n".join(annotated)
@@ -686,10 +710,14 @@ class Dream:
             f"[{e['timestamp']}] {e['content']}" for e in batch
         )
 
-        # Current file contents + per-line age annotations
+        # Current file contents + per-line age annotations (MEMORY.md only)
         current_date = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
         raw_memory = self.store.read_memory() or "(empty)"
-        current_memory = self._annotate_with_ages(raw_memory)
+        current_memory = (
+            self._annotate_with_ages(raw_memory)
+            if self.annotate_line_ages
+            else raw_memory
+        )
         current_soul = self.store.read_soul() or "(empty)"
         current_user = self.store.read_user() or "(empty)"
 
@@ -711,7 +739,11 @@ class Dream:
                 messages=[
                     {
                         "role": "system",
-                        "content": render_template("agent/dream_phase1.md", strip=True),
+                        "content": render_template(
+                            "agent/dream_phase1.md",
+                            strip=True,
+                            stale_threshold_days=_STALE_THRESHOLD_DAYS,
+                        ),
                     },
                     {"role": "user", "content": phase1_prompt},
                 ],

nanobot/cli/commands.py

@@ -871,6 +871,7 @@ def gateway(
         agent.dream.model = dream_cfg.model_override
     agent.dream.max_batch_size = dream_cfg.max_batch_size
     agent.dream.max_iterations = dream_cfg.max_iterations
+    agent.dream.annotate_line_ages = dream_cfg.annotate_line_ages
     from nanobot.cron.types import CronJob, CronPayload
     cron.register_system_job(CronJob(
         id="dream",

nanobot/config/schema.py

@@ -43,7 +43,12 @@ class DreamConfig(Base):
         validation_alias=AliasChoices("modelOverride", "model", "model_override"),
     )  # Optional Dream-specific model override
     max_batch_size: int = Field(default=20, ge=1)  # Max history entries per run
+    # Bumped from 10 to 15 in #3212 (exp002: +30% dedup, no accuracy loss; >15 plateaus).
     max_iterations: int = Field(default=15, ge=1)  # Max tool calls per Phase 2
+    # Per-line git-blame age annotation in Phase 1 prompt (see #3212). Default
+    # on — set to False to feed MEMORY.md raw if a specific LLM reacts poorly
+    # to the `← Nd` suffix or you want deterministic, git-independent prompts.
+    annotate_line_ages: bool = True
 
     def build_schedule(self, timezone: str) -> CronSchedule:
         """Build the runtime schedule, preferring the legacy cron override if present."""

nanobot/templates/agent/dream_phase1.md

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Staleness — MEMORY.md lines may have a ``← Nd`` suffix showing days since la
 - Age only indicates when content was last touched, not whether it should be removed
 - Use content judgment: user habits/preferences/personality traits are permanent regardless of age
 - Only prune content that is objectively outdated: passed events, resolved tracking, superseded approaches
-- Lines with ``← Nd`` (N>14) deserve closer review but are NOT automatically removable
+- Lines with ``← Nd`` (N>{{ stale_threshold_days }}) deserve closer review but are NOT automatically removable
 - When removing: prefer deleting individual items over entire sections
 
 Skill discovery — flag [SKILL] when ALL of these are true:

tests/agent/test_dream.py

@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
 
 from nanobot.agent.memory import Dream, MemoryStore
 from nanobot.agent.runner import AgentRunResult
 from nanobot.agent.skills import BUILTIN_SKILLS_DIR
+from nanobot.utils.gitstore import LineAge
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -175,3 +176,83 @@ class TestDreamRun:
         user_msg = call_args.kwargs.get("messages", call_args[1].get("messages"))[1]["content"]
         assert "## Current MEMORY.md" in user_msg
 
+    async def test_phase1_prompt_carries_age_suffix_for_stale_lines(
+        self, dream, mock_provider, mock_runner, store,
+    ):
+        """End-to-end: ages >14d must appear verbatim in the LLM prompt, ages ≤14d must not."""
+        # MEMORY.md fixture has 2 non-blank lines ("# Memory" and "- Project X active").
+        # Inject four ages to cover threshold boundaries: >14 suffix, ==14 no suffix, <14 no suffix.
+        store.write_memory("# Memory\n- Project X active\n- fresh item\n- edge case line")
+        store.append_history("some event")
+        mock_provider.chat_with_retry.return_value = MagicMock(content="[SKIP]")
+        mock_runner.run = AsyncMock(return_value=_make_run_result())
+
+        fake_ages = [
+            LineAge(age_days=30),   # "# Memory"        → should get ← 30d
+            LineAge(age_days=20),   # "- Project X..."  → should get ← 20d
+            LineAge(age_days=14),   # "- fresh item"    → ==14, threshold is strictly >14, no suffix
+            LineAge(age_days=5),    # "- edge case..."  → no suffix
+        ]
+        with patch.object(store.git, "line_ages", return_value=fake_ages):
+            await dream.run()
+
+        call_args = mock_provider.chat_with_retry.call_args
+        user_msg = call_args.kwargs.get("messages", call_args[1].get("messages"))[1]["content"]
+        memory_section = user_msg.split("## Current MEMORY.md")[1].split("## Current SOUL.md")[0]
+        assert "\u2190 30d" in memory_section
+        assert "\u2190 20d" in memory_section
+        assert "\u2190 14d" not in memory_section
+        assert "\u2190 5d" not in memory_section
+
+    async def test_phase1_skips_annotation_when_disabled(
+        self, dream, mock_provider, mock_runner, store,
+    ):
+        """`annotate_line_ages=False` must bypass the git lookup entirely and keep MEMORY.md raw."""
+        store.append_history("some event")
+        mock_provider.chat_with_retry.return_value = MagicMock(content="[SKIP]")
+        mock_runner.run = AsyncMock(return_value=_make_run_result())
+
+        dream.annotate_line_ages = False
+        # line_ages must be bypassed entirely — verify with a spy rather than a
+        # raising side_effect, because _annotate_with_ages catches Exception
+        # (which swallows AssertionError) and would hide an accidental call.
+        with patch.object(store.git, "line_ages") as mock_line_ages:
+            await dream.run()
+            mock_line_ages.assert_not_called()
+
+        call_args = mock_provider.chat_with_retry.call_args
+        user_msg = call_args.kwargs.get("messages", call_args[1].get("messages"))[1]["content"]
+        assert "\u2190" not in user_msg
+
+    async def test_phase1_skips_annotation_on_line_ages_length_mismatch(
+        self, dream, mock_provider, mock_runner, store,
+    ):
+        """If ages length != lines length (dirty working tree), skip annotation instead of mis-tagging."""
+        # MEMORY.md has 2 non-blank lines but we hand back only 1 age → mismatch.
+        store.append_history("some event")
+        mock_provider.chat_with_retry.return_value = MagicMock(content="[SKIP]")
+        mock_runner.run = AsyncMock(return_value=_make_run_result())
+
+        with patch.object(store.git, "line_ages", return_value=[LineAge(age_days=999)]):
+            await dream.run()
+
+        call_args = mock_provider.chat_with_retry.call_args
+        user_msg = call_args.kwargs.get("messages", call_args[1].get("messages"))[1]["content"]
+        memory_section = user_msg.split("## Current MEMORY.md")[1].split("## Current SOUL.md")[0]
+        # No age arrow at all — we refused to annotate rather than tag the wrong line.
+        assert "\u2190" not in memory_section
+
+    async def test_phase1_prompt_uses_threshold_from_template_var(
+        self, dream, mock_provider, mock_runner, store,
+    ):
+        """System prompt should reference the stale-threshold constant, not a hardcoded 14."""
+        store.append_history("some event")
+        mock_provider.chat_with_retry.return_value = MagicMock(content="[SKIP]")
+        mock_runner.run = AsyncMock(return_value=_make_run_result())
+
+        await dream.run()
+
+        system_msg = mock_provider.chat_with_retry.call_args.kwargs["messages"][0]["content"]
+        # The template renders with stale_threshold_days=14 → LLM must see "N>14"
+        assert "N>14" in system_msg
+