Use native Chrome for Reddit login handoff

docker/entrypoint.sh

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ GEOMETRY="${SCREEN_GEOMETRY:-1280x800x24}"
 BROWSER_SESSION_DIR="${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR:-/app/data/browser-session}"
 CHROME_CDP_PORT="${CHROME_CDP_PORT:-9222}"
 GOOGLE_CHROME_BIN="${GOOGLE_CHROME_BIN:-google-chrome}"
+NATIVE_LOGIN_EXIT_CODE=75
 export CHROME_CDP_URL="${CHROME_CDP_URL:-http://127.0.0.1:${CHROME_CDP_PORT}}"
 export DISPLAY=":${DISPLAY_NUM}"
 
@@ -107,13 +108,46 @@ websockify --web "${NOVNC_WEB_DIR}" "${NOVNC_PORT}" "localhost:${VNC_PORT}" \
   >/var/log/websockify.log 2>&1 &
 NOVNC_PID=$!
 
-# Start the installed consumer Google Chrome directly. Playwright attaches only
-# after Chrome is running, so the human login is not performed in a browser
-# process launched with Playwright's automation arguments.
 CHROME_PID=""
-CHROME_READY=0
+BOT_PID=""
-if command -v "${GOOGLE_CHROME_BIN}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+GATE_PID=""
-  echo "[entrypoint] starting Google Chrome for interactive login"
+
+clear_chrome_locks() {
+  rm -f \
+    "${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR}/SingletonLock" \
+    "${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR}/SingletonSocket" \
+    "${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR}/SingletonCookie" \
+    2>/dev/null || true
+}
+
+stop_chrome() {
+  if [ -n "${CHROME_PID}" ]; then
+    kill "${CHROME_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
+    wait "${CHROME_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
+    CHROME_PID=""
+  fi
+  clear_chrome_locks
+}
+
+start_native_login_chrome() {
+  unset CHROME_CDP_URL
+  echo "[entrypoint] starting native Google Chrome login with DevTools disabled"
+  "${GOOGLE_CHROME_BIN}" \
+    --user-data-dir="${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR}" \
+    --no-first-run \
+    --no-default-browser-check \
+    --disable-dev-shm-usage \
+    --no-sandbox \
+    --start-maximized \
+    https://www.reddit.com/login/ \
+    >/var/log/google-chrome-native.log 2>&1 &
+  CHROME_PID=$!
+}
+
+start_controlled_chrome() {
+  export CHROME_CDP_URL="http://127.0.0.1:${CHROME_CDP_PORT}"
+  local chrome_ready=0
+  echo "[entrypoint] starting Google Chrome for authenticated bot control"
   "${GOOGLE_CHROME_BIN}" \
     --user-data-dir="${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR}" \
     --remote-debugging-address=127.0.0.1 \
@@ -133,37 +167,63 @@ if command -v "${GOOGLE_CHROME_BIN}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     fi
     if curl -fsS "${CHROME_CDP_URL}/json/version" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
       echo "[entrypoint] Google Chrome is ready after ${i} checks"
-      CHROME_READY=1
+      chrome_ready=1
       break
     fi
     sleep 0.2
   done
-fi
 
-if [ "${CHROME_READY}" != "1" ]; then
+  if [ "${chrome_ready}" != "1" ]; then
-  echo "[entrypoint] WARNING: Google Chrome failed to start; using Playwright fallback" >&2
+    echo "[entrypoint] WARNING: Google Chrome failed to start; using Playwright fallback" >&2
-  if [ -n "${CHROME_PID}" ]; then
+    stop_chrome
-    kill "${CHROME_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
+    unset CHROME_CDP_URL
-    wait "${CHROME_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
   fi
-  rm -f \
+}
-    "${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR}/SingletonLock" \
-    "${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR}/SingletonSocket" \
-    "${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR}/SingletonCookie" \
-    2>/dev/null || true
-  CHROME_PID=""
-  unset CHROME_CDP_URL
-fi
 
 cleanup() {
   echo "[entrypoint] shutting down"
-  if [ -n "${CHROME_PID}" ]; then
+  [ -n "${BOT_PID}" ] && kill "${BOT_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
-    kill "${CHROME_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
+  [ -n "${GATE_PID}" ] && kill "${GATE_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
-  fi
+  stop_chrome
   kill "${NOVNC_PID}" "${X11VNC_PID}" "${XVFB_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
   wait || true
 }
 trap cleanup TERM INT EXIT
 
-echo "[entrypoint] launching bot"
+if ! command -v "${GOOGLE_CHROME_BIN}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-exec node dist/index.js
+  echo "[entrypoint] WARNING: Google Chrome is unavailable; using Playwright fallback" >&2
+  unset CHROME_CDP_URL
+else
+  start_controlled_chrome
+fi
+
+while true; do
+  echo "[entrypoint] launching bot"
+  set +e
+  node dist/index.js &
+  BOT_PID=$!
+  wait "${BOT_PID}"
+  BOT_EXIT=$?
+  BOT_PID=""
+  set -e
+
+  if [ "${BOT_EXIT}" -ne "${NATIVE_LOGIN_EXIT_CODE}" ]; then
+    exit "${BOT_EXIT}"
+  fi
+
+  echo "[entrypoint] bot requested native Reddit login mode"
+  stop_chrome
+  start_native_login_chrome
+  node dist/native-login-gate.js &
+  GATE_PID=$!
+  wait "${GATE_PID}"
+  GATE_EXIT=$?
+  GATE_PID=""
+  if [ "${GATE_EXIT}" -ne 0 ]; then
+    exit "${GATE_EXIT}"
+  fi
+
+  echo "[entrypoint] human completed login handoff; enabling authenticated control"
+  stop_chrome
+  start_controlled_chrome
+done

public/index.html

@@ -4079,6 +4079,11 @@
         const res = await fetch('/api/login/start', { method: 'POST' });
         if (!res.ok) {
           alert('Failed to open Reddit login page. Check the server logs.');
+          return;
+        }
+        const data = await res.json();
+        if (data.restarting) {
+          window.setTimeout(() => window.location.reload(), 1500);
         }
       } catch (err) {
         alert('Failed to open Reddit login page: ' + err);

src/bootstrap.ts

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import {
   authenticateCurrentAccount,
   type AuthenticatedAccount,
 } from './services/account-auth-context.js';
+import { ProcessNativeLoginHandoff } from './services/native-login-handoff.js';
 
 export interface AppContainer {
   config: Config;
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ export async function bootstrap(config: Config, logger: Logger): Promise<AppCont
   if (!loggedIn) {
     logger.warn('Session invalid or not logged in.');
 
-    if (config.reddit.username && config.reddit.password) {
+    if (!config.web.enabled && config.reddit.username && config.reddit.password) {
       logger.info('Credentials found in config/env. Attempting automated login...');
       loggedIn = await browserClient.login();
     }
@@ -327,6 +328,7 @@ export async function bootstrap(config: Config, logger: Logger): Promise<AppCont
     webServer.setStrategySelector(strategySelector);
     webServer.setBrowserClient(browserClient);
     webServer.setAccountAuthContext(accountAuth);
+    webServer.setNativeLoginHandoff(new ProcessNativeLoginHandoff());
     webServer.setOnConfigChange(() => logger.info('Runtime config updated via dashboard'));
   }
 

src/browser/client.ts

@@ -216,16 +216,8 @@ export class BrowserClient {
 
   async login(): Promise<boolean> {
     if (this.usingExternalChrome) {
-      try {
+      this.sessionState = 'login-required';
-        const page = await this.getPage();
+      this.logger.warn('Native Reddit login required. Start it from the dashboard before signing in through VNC.');
-        await page.bringToFront();
-        await page.goto('https://www.reddit.com/login', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
-        this.sessionState = 'login-required';
-        this.logger.warn('Interactive Reddit login required. Open the VNC page and sign in using Google Chrome.');
-      } catch (error) {
-        this.sessionState = classifyRedditSessionError(error);
-        this.logger.error('Failed to open Google Chrome for interactive login:', error);
-      }
       return false;
     }
 

src/native-login-gate.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+import http, { type Server } from 'node:http';
+import { pathToFileURL } from 'node:url';
+
+export interface NativeLoginGateOptions {
+  publicVncUrl: string;
+  onComplete: () => void;
+}
+
+function escapeHtml(value: string): string {
+  return value.replace(/[&<>"']/g, (character) => ({
+    '&': '&amp;',
+    '<': '&lt;',
+    '>': '&gt;',
+    '"': '&quot;',
+    "'": '&#39;',
+  })[character] ?? character);
+}
+
+function loginPage(publicVncUrl: string): string {
+  const safeVncUrl = escapeHtml(publicVncUrl);
+  return `<!doctype html>
+<html lang="en">
+<head>
+  <meta charset="utf-8">
+  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
+  <title>Reddit login required</title>
+  <style>
+    body { margin: 0; font: 16px system-ui, sans-serif; color: #f5f5f5; background: #111; }
+    main { max-width: 1100px; margin: 24px auto; padding: 0 20px; }
+    .notice { padding: 18px; border: 1px solid #3c765f; border-radius: 12px; background: #17251f; }
+    iframe { width: 100%; height: 70vh; margin-top: 18px; border: 1px solid #444; border-radius: 10px; background: #000; }
+    button, a { display: inline-block; margin: 14px 8px 0 0; padding: 11px 16px; border: 0; border-radius: 8px; font-weight: 700; }
+    button { color: white; background: #ff4500; cursor: pointer; }
+    a { color: white; background: #444; text-decoration: none; }
+    #status { margin-left: 8px; color: #b9dfcf; }
+  </style>
+</head>
+<body><main>
+  <section class="notice">
+    <strong>Chrome is running without automation.</strong>
+    <p>Log in to Reddit in the browser below. Only after Reddit shows you as signed in, click <em>I'm logged in - connect the bot</em>. Chrome will restart with the same profile and the bot will verify both Reddit and Matrix before any bot logic can run.</p>
+    <button id="complete" type="button">I'm logged in - connect the bot</button>
+    <a href="${safeVncUrl}" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Open VNC in a new tab</a>
+    <span id="status"></span>
+  </section>
+  <iframe src="${safeVncUrl}" title="Reddit login browser"></iframe>
+  <script>
+    document.getElementById('complete').addEventListener('click', async () => {
+      const button = document.getElementById('complete');
+      const status = document.getElementById('status');
+      button.disabled = true;
+      status.textContent = 'Restarting Chrome and verifying your account...';
+      const response = await fetch('/complete', { method: 'POST' });
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        button.disabled = false;
+        status.textContent = 'Could not start verification. Please try again.';
+        return;
+      }
+      setTimeout(() => window.location.reload(), 3000);
+    });
+  </script>
+</main></body></html>`;
+}
+
+export function createNativeLoginGate(options: NativeLoginGateOptions): Server {
+  return http.createServer((request, response) => {
+    if (request.method === 'POST' && request.url === '/complete') {
+      response.writeHead(202, { 'content-type': 'application/json' });
+      response.end(JSON.stringify({ ok: true, restarting: true }));
+      options.onComplete();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (request.method !== 'GET') {
+      response.writeHead(405).end();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    response.writeHead(200, {
+      'content-type': 'text/html; charset=utf-8',
+      'cache-control': 'no-store',
+    });
+    response.end(loginPage(options.publicVncUrl));
+  });
+}
+
+function run(): void {
+  const port = Number.parseInt(process.env.WEB_PORT ?? '3000', 10);
+  const publicBase = (process.env.NOVNC_PUBLIC_URL ?? `http://localhost:${process.env.NOVNC_PORT ?? '6080'}`).replace(/\/$/, '');
+  const publicVncUrl = `${publicBase}/vnc.html?autoconnect=1&resize=scale&reconnect=1`;
+  let server: Server;
+  server = createNativeLoginGate({
+    publicVncUrl,
+    onComplete: () => setTimeout(() => server.close(() => process.exit(0)), 250).unref(),
+  });
+  server.listen(port, () => {
+    process.stdout.write(`[native-login] waiting for human login on port ${port}\n`);
+  });
+}
+
+const entryUrl = process.argv[1] ? pathToFileURL(process.argv[1]).href : '';
+if (import.meta.url === entryUrl) run();

src/services/native-login-handoff.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+export interface NativeLoginHandoff {
+  request(): void;
+}
+
+export interface ProcessNativeLoginHandoffOptions {
+  exitCode?: number;
+  delayMs?: number;
+  exit?: (code: number) => void;
+}
+
+export class ProcessNativeLoginHandoff implements NativeLoginHandoff {
+  private requested = false;
+  private readonly exitCode: number;
+  private readonly delayMs: number;
+  private readonly exit: (code: number) => void;
+
+  constructor(options: ProcessNativeLoginHandoffOptions = {}) {
+    this.exitCode = options.exitCode ?? 75;
+    this.delayMs = options.delayMs ?? 250;
+    this.exit = options.exit ?? ((code) => process.exit(code));
+  }
+
+  request(): void {
+    if (this.requested) return;
+    this.requested = true;
+    setTimeout(() => this.exit(this.exitCode), this.delayMs).unref();
+  }
+}

src/web/context.ts

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import type { OpenRouterClient } from '../ai/openrouter.js';
 import type { StrategySelector } from '../services/strategy-selector.js';
 import type { BrowserClient } from '../browser/client.js';
 import type { AccountAuthContext } from '../services/account-auth-context.js';
+import type { NativeLoginHandoff } from '../services/native-login-handoff.js';
 import type { ActivityLog } from './activity-log.js';
 import type { LogBroadcaster } from './log-broadcaster.js';
 import type { RuntimeConfig } from './types.js';
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ export interface WebContext {
     strategySelector?: StrategySelector;
     browser?: BrowserClient;
     accountAuth?: AccountAuthContext;
+    nativeLogin?: NativeLoginHandoff;
   };
 
   /** Bot pause/resume toggle read by the main loop. */

src/web/routes/login.ts

@@ -41,24 +41,22 @@ export function createLoginRouter(ctx: WebContext): Router {
     }
   });
 
-  // Navigate the headed Chromium running under Xvfb to reddit.com/login so
+  // Restart into a completely native Chrome process. The container supervisor
-  // the human watching the noVNC stream can complete the flow.
+  // does not enable DevTools until the human explicitly completes the handoff.
   router.post('/login/start', async (_req, res) => {
-    const browser = ctx.services.browser;
+    const nativeLogin = ctx.services.nativeLogin;
-    if (!browser) {
+    if (!nativeLogin) {
-      res.status(503).json({ ok: false, error: 'browser not initialised' });
+      res.status(503).json({ ok: false, error: 'native login unavailable' });
       return;
     }
     try {
-      ctx.services.accountAuth?.invalidate('Interactive Reddit login requested');
+      ctx.services.accountAuth?.invalidate('Native Reddit login requested');
-      const page = await browser.getPage();
+      nativeLogin.request();
-      await page.bringToFront().catch(() => undefined);
+      ctx.logger.info('Restarting into native Chrome login mode; bot logic remains locked');
-      await page.goto('https://www.reddit.com/login', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+      res.status(202).json({ ok: true, restarting: true });
-      ctx.logger.info('Opened Reddit login page for human completion via VNC');
-      res.json({ ok: true });
     } catch (error) {
-      ctx.logger.error('Failed to open login page:', error);
+      ctx.logger.error('Failed to start native login mode:', error);
-      res.status(500).json({ ok: false, error: 'navigation failed' });
+      res.status(500).json({ ok: false, error: 'handoff failed' });
     }
   });
 

src/web/server.ts

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import type { OpenRouterClient } from '../ai/openrouter.js';
 import type { StrategySelector } from '../services/strategy-selector.js';
 import type { BrowserClient } from '../browser/client.js';
 import type { AccountAuthContext } from '../services/account-auth-context.js';
+import type { NativeLoginHandoff } from '../services/native-login-handoff.js';
 import { ActivityLog } from './activity-log.js';
 import { LogBroadcaster } from './log-broadcaster.js';
 import type { WebContext } from './context.js';
@@ -180,6 +181,10 @@ export class WebServer {
     this.services.accountAuth = accountAuth;
   }
 
+  setNativeLoginHandoff(nativeLogin: NativeLoginHandoff): void {
+    this.services.nativeLogin = nativeLogin;
+  }
+
   logActivity(type: ActivityItem['type'], message: string, recipient?: string, imageUrl?: string): void {
     this.activity.push(type, message, recipient, imageUrl);
   }

tests/browser-external-chrome.test.ts

@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ describe('BrowserClient external Chrome', () => {
     expect(runtime.launchPersistentContext).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
   });
 
-  it('opens the login page for a human without submitting credentials', async () => {
+  it('does not control external Chrome during native human login', async () => {
     process.env.CHROME_CDP_URL = 'http://127.0.0.1:9222';
     const page = {
       goto: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
@@ -79,11 +79,8 @@ describe('BrowserClient external Chrome', () => {
     await client.initialize();
 
     await expect(client.login()).resolves.toBe(false);
-    expect(page.bringToFront).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(page.bringToFront).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(page.goto).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+    expect(page.goto).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-      'https://www.reddit.com/login',
-      { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' },
-    );
     expect(page.fill).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(client.getSessionState()).toBe('login-required');
   });

tests/login-status.test.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import express from 'express';
 import type { AddressInfo } from 'node:net';
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 import { classifyRedditSessionError } from '../src/browser/client.js';
 import { createLoginRouter } from '../src/web/routes/login.js';
 
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@ async function request(app: express.Express, path: string): Promise<Response> {
   return fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}${path}`);
 }
 
+async function post(app: express.Express, path: string): Promise<Response> {
+  const server = app.listen(0);
+  servers.push(server);
+  await new Promise<void>((resolve) => server.once('listening', resolve));
+  const { port } = server.address() as AddressInfo;
+  return fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}${path}`, { method: 'POST' });
+}
+
 afterEach(async () => {
   await Promise.all(
     servers.splice(0).map(
@@ -105,4 +113,27 @@ describe('Reddit session status', () => {
     ).toBe('unreachable');
     expect(classifyRedditSessionError(new Error('login form was not found'))).toBe('login-required');
   });
+
+  it('starts a native Chrome login handoff without controlling the attached page', async () => {
+    const requestNativeLogin = vi.fn();
+    const getPage = vi.fn();
+    const invalidate = vi.fn();
+    const app = express();
+    app.use(createLoginRouter({
+      services: {
+        accountAuth: { invalidate },
+        browser: { getPage },
+        nativeLogin: { request: requestNativeLogin },
+      },
+      logger: { info: vi.fn(), error: vi.fn() },
+    } as never));
+
+    const response = await post(app, '/login/start');
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(202);
+    expect(await response.json()).toEqual({ ok: true, restarting: true });
+    expect(invalidate).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Native Reddit login requested');
+    expect(requestNativeLogin).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(getPage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });

tests/native-login-gate.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import type { AddressInfo } from 'node:net';
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { createNativeLoginGate } from '../src/native-login-gate.js';
+
+const servers: Array<ReturnType<typeof createNativeLoginGate>> = [];
+
+afterEach(async () => {
+  await Promise.all(servers.splice(0).map((server) => new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    server.close(() => resolve());
+  })));
+});
+
+describe('native Reddit login gate', () => {
+  it('serves VNC guidance and completes only after the explicit handoff', async () => {
+    const onComplete = vi.fn();
+    const server = createNativeLoginGate({
+      publicVncUrl: 'https://red-vnc.example/vnc.html',
+      onComplete,
+    }).listen(0);
+    servers.push(server);
+    await new Promise<void>((resolve) => server.once('listening', resolve));
+    const { port } = server.address() as AddressInfo;
+
+    const page = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/`);
+    const html = await page.text();
+    expect(html).toContain('Chrome is running without automation');
+    expect(html).toContain('https://red-vnc.example/vnc.html');
+    expect(html).toContain("fetch('/complete', { method: 'POST' })");
+    expect(onComplete).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    const completed = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/complete`, { method: 'POST' });
+    expect(completed.status).toBe(202);
+    expect(await completed.json()).toEqual({ ok: true, restarting: true });
+    expect(onComplete).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+});

tests/vnc-entrypoint.test.ts

@@ -23,17 +23,23 @@ describe('VNC container entrypoint', () => {
     expect(script.indexOf('SingletonLock')).toBeLessThan(script.indexOf('launching bot'));
   });
 
-  it('launches regular Google Chrome before the bot and exposes its local CDP endpoint', () => {
+  it('supports a native login phase with no DevTools before the controlled browser starts', () => {
     const script = fs.readFileSync(path.resolve('docker/entrypoint.sh'), 'utf8');
 
     expect(script).toContain('google-chrome');
     expect(script).toContain('--user-data-dir="${BROWSER_SESSION_DIR}"');
+    expect(script).toContain('start_native_login_chrome');
+    expect(script).toContain('https://www.reddit.com/login/');
+    expect(script).toContain('node dist/native-login-gate.js');
+    expect(script).toContain('NATIVE_LOGIN_EXIT_CODE');
     expect(script).toContain('--remote-debugging-port="${CHROME_CDP_PORT}"');
     expect(script).toContain('export CHROME_CDP_URL=');
     expect(script).not.toContain('--enable-automation');
-    expect(script.indexOf('starting Google Chrome')).toBeLessThan(
+    const nativeFunction = script.slice(
-      script.indexOf('launching bot'),
+      script.indexOf('start_native_login_chrome()'),
+      script.indexOf('start_controlled_chrome()'),
     );
+    expect(nativeFunction).not.toContain('--remote-debugging');
   });
 
   it('installs the stable Google Chrome package rather than Chrome for Testing', () => {