Settings schema unification and file watching

Cargo.toml

@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ tokio = { version = "1.36.0", features = ["full"] }
 runtimelib = { version = "1.3.0", default-features = false }
 jupyter-protocol = "1.2.1"
 thiserror = "1"
+schemars = "1"
+notify = "8"
+notify-debouncer-mini = "0.7"
 
 [workspace.lints.rust]
 dead_code = "warn"

contributing/runtimed.md

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ The runtime daemon manages prewarmed Python environments shared across notebook
 
 | Task | Command |
 |------|---------|
+| Install daemon from source | `cargo xtask install-daemon` |
 | Run daemon | `cargo run -p runtimed` |
 | Run with debug logs | `RUST_LOG=debug cargo run -p runtimed` |
 | Check status | `cargo run -p runt-cli -- pool status` |
@@ -65,15 +66,32 @@ The notebook app automatically tries to connect to or start the daemon on launch
 runtimed::client::ensure_daemon_running(None).await
 ```
 
+### Install daemon from source
+
+When you change daemon code and want the installed service to pick it up:
+
+```bash
+cargo xtask install-daemon
+```
+
+This builds runtimed in release mode, stops the running service, replaces the binary, and restarts it. You can verify the version with:
+
+```bash
+cat ~/.cache/runt/daemon.json   # check "version" field
+```
+
 ### Manual: Run daemon separately
 
-For debugging daemon-specific code, run it in a separate terminal:
+For debugging daemon-specific code, stop the installed service and run from source:
 
 ```bash
-# Terminal 1: Run daemon
+# Stop the installed service first
+launchctl bootout gui/$(id -u)/io.runtimed
+
+# Run daemon with debug logs
 RUST_LOG=debug cargo run -p runtimed
 
-# Terminal 2: Test with runt CLI
+# In another terminal, test with runt CLI
 cargo run -p runt-cli -- pool ping
 cargo run -p runt-cli -- pool status
 cargo run -p runt-cli -- pool take uv

crates/notebook/Cargo.toml

@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ toml = "0.8"
 serde_yaml = "0.9"
 pathdiff = "0.2"
 pyproject-toml = "0.13"
+schemars = { workspace = true }
 
 # Conda environment support via rattler
 rattler = "0.39"

crates/notebook/src/conda_env.rs

@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ pub async fn create_prewarmed_conda_environment(
 
     // Build dependency list: ipykernel + ipywidgets + user-configured defaults
     let mut deps_list = vec!["ipykernel".to_string(), "ipywidgets".to_string()];
-    let extra: Vec<String> = crate::settings::load_settings().default_conda_packages;
+    let extra: Vec<String> = crate::settings::load_settings().conda.default_packages;
     if !extra.is_empty() {
         info!("[prewarm] Including default packages: {:?}", extra);
         deps_list.extend(extra);

crates/notebook/src/lib.rs

@@ -1849,7 +1849,7 @@ async fn start_default_python_kernel_impl(
         // Include default uv packages from settings
         let default_deps: Vec<String> = {
             let s = settings::load_settings();
-            s.default_uv_packages
+            s.uv.default_packages
         };
         if !default_deps.is_empty() {
             info!(
@@ -2050,7 +2050,7 @@ async fn start_default_python_kernel_impl(
         let mut conda_deps_list = vec!["ipykernel".to_string()];
         {
             let s = settings::load_settings();
-            let extra = s.default_conda_packages;
+            let extra = s.conda.default_packages;
             if !extra.is_empty() {
                 info!("[prewarm:conda] Including default packages: {:?}", extra);
                 conda_deps_list.extend(extra);
@@ -2914,18 +2914,38 @@ async fn set_default_python_env(env_type: String) -> Result<(), String> {
 }
 
 /// Get synced settings from the Automerge settings document via runtimed.
-/// Returns an error if the daemon is unavailable — the frontend should
-/// keep its local state (localStorage) rather than overwriting with defaults.
+/// Falls back to reading settings.json when the daemon is unavailable,
+/// so the frontend always gets real settings instead of hardcoded defaults.
 #[tauri::command]
 async fn get_synced_settings() -> Result<runtimed::settings_doc::SyncedSettings, String> {
-    runtimed::sync_client::try_get_synced_settings()
-        .await
-        .map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+    match runtimed::sync_client::try_get_synced_settings().await {
+        Ok(settings) => Ok(settings),
+        Err(e) => {
+            log::warn!(
+                "[settings] Daemon unavailable ({}), falling back to settings.json",
+                e
+            );
+            let local = settings::load_settings();
+            Ok(runtimed::settings_doc::SyncedSettings {
+                theme: local.theme,
+                default_runtime: local.default_runtime.to_string(),
+                default_python_env: local.default_python_env.to_string(),
+                uv: local.uv,
+                conda: local.conda,
+            })
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /// Persist a setting to local settings.json (for keys that have local representation).
 fn save_setting_locally(key: &str, value: &serde_json::Value) -> Result<(), String> {
     match key {
+        "theme" => {
+            let value_str = value.as_str().ok_or("expected string")?;
+            let mut s = settings::load_settings();
+            s.theme = value_str.to_string();
+            settings::save_settings(&s).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+        }
         "default_runtime" => {
             let value_str = value.as_str().ok_or("expected string")?;
             let runtime: Runtime =
@@ -2948,16 +2968,15 @@ fn save_setting_locally(key: &str, value: &serde_json::Value) -> Result<(), Stri
         "uv.default_packages" => {
             let packages = json_value_to_string_vec(value);
             let mut s = settings::load_settings();
-            s.default_uv_packages = packages;
+            s.uv.default_packages = packages;
             settings::save_settings(&s).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
         }
         "conda.default_packages" => {
             let packages = json_value_to_string_vec(value);
             let mut s = settings::load_settings();
-            s.default_conda_packages = packages;
+            s.conda.default_packages = packages;
             settings::save_settings(&s).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
         }
-        // Theme has no local fallback in settings.json (handled by localStorage)
         _ => Ok(()),
     }
 }

crates/notebook/src/runtime.rs

@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 //! Runtime type for notebooks - Python or Deno
 
+use schemars::JsonSchema;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 /// Supported notebook runtime environments
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize, Default)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize, Default, JsonSchema)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
 pub enum Runtime {
     #[default]