feat: move automations into a first-party plugin

plugins/ai/backend/tools/executor.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   createCurrentHostRepository,
   createCurrentSnippetRepository,
 } from "../../../../src/backend/database/repositories/factory.js";
-import { validateDefinition } from "../../../../src/backend/database/routes/automations.js";
+import { validateDefinition } from "../../../automations/backend/routes.js";
 import { resolveHostById } from "../../../../src/backend/hosts/host-resolver.js";
 import { execCommand } from "../../../../src/backend/hosts/metrics-shared/common-utils.js";
 import {

plugins/automations/backend/actions/host-targets.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import type { HostSelector } from "../../../types/automations.js";
-import { resolveHostById } from "../../hosts/host-resolver.js";
-import { createCurrentFleetRepository } from "../../database/repositories/factory.js";
-import { PermissionManager } from "../../utils/permission-manager.js";
+import type { HostSelector } from "../../../../src/types/automations.js";
+import { resolveHostById } from "../../../../src/backend/hosts/host-resolver.js";
+import { createCurrentFleetRepository } from "../../../../src/backend/database/repositories/factory.js";
+import { PermissionManager } from "../../../../src/backend/utils/permission-manager.js";
 import type { StepExecutionContext } from "./types.js";
 
 /** A host the caller is allowed to act on. `host` is always resolved. */
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ async function fleetHostIds(
 async function allAccessibleHostIds(userId: string): Promise<number[]> {
   try {
     const { createCurrentHostRepository } =
-      await import("../../database/repositories/factory.js");
+      await import("../../../../src/backend/database/repositories/factory.js");
     const hosts = await createCurrentHostRepository().listByUserId(userId);
     const ids = hosts.map((host) => host.id);
     const allowed =

plugins/automations/backend/actions/index.ts

@@ -1,22 +1,22 @@
 import {
   DEFAULT_STEP_TIMEOUT_MS,
   type Step,
-} from "../../../types/automations.js";
-import { execCommand } from "../../hosts/metrics-shared/common-utils.js";
+} from "../../../../src/types/automations.js";
+import { execCommand } from "../../../../src/backend/hosts/metrics-shared/common-utils.js";
 import {
   execElevated,
   shellSingleQuote,
-} from "../../hosts/metrics-shared/exec-elevated.js";
+} from "../../../../src/backend/hosts/metrics-shared/exec-elevated.js";
 import {
   createFleetSshFactory,
   getFleetPoolKey,
-} from "../../hosts/ssh-client-factory.js";
-import { withConnection } from "../../hosts/ssh-connection-pool.js";
-import { resolveSnippetCommand } from "../../database/routes/snippets-execution.js";
+} from "../../../../src/backend/hosts/ssh-client-factory.js";
+import { withConnection } from "../../../../src/backend/hosts/ssh-connection-pool.js";
+import { resolveSnippetCommand } from "../../../../src/backend/database/routes/snippets-execution.js";
 import {
   createCurrentAlertRepository,
   createCurrentSnippetRepository,
-} from "../../database/repositories/factory.js";
+} from "../../../../src/backend/database/repositories/factory.js";
 import { sendAutomationNotification } from "../notify.js";
 import { automationFetch } from "../http.js";
 import { renderRecord, renderTemplate } from "../template.js";
@@ -247,7 +247,8 @@ async function runTunnel(
   if (context.dryRun) return ok(`Would ${step.action} tunnel ${name}`);
 
   try {
-    const manager = await import("../../hosts/tunnel/manager.js");
+    const manager =
+      await import("../../../../src/backend/hosts/tunnel/manager.js");
     const config = manager.tunnelConfigs?.get(name);
     if (!config) return fail(`Tunnel "${name}" is not configured`);
 
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ async function runWol(
 
   try {
     const { sendWakeOnLan, isValidMac } =
-      await import("../../utils/wake-on-lan.js");
+      await import("../../../../src/backend/utils/wake-on-lan.js");
     if (!isValidMac(mac)) return fail(`Invalid MAC address: ${mac}`);
     await sendWakeOnLan(mac);
     return ok(`Sent magic packet to ${target.name}`);

plugins/automations/backend/actions/types.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { Step } from "../../../types/automations.js";
+import type { Step } from "../../../../src/types/automations.js";
 import type { TemplateContext } from "../template.js";
 
 /** What every executor returns. `output` is what later steps can read. */

plugins/automations/backend/conditions.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { MetricPath, Operator } from "../../types/automations.js";
+import type { MetricPath, Operator } from "../../../src/types/automations.js";
 
 /**
  * Operator evaluation and metric extraction.

plugins/automations/backend/docker-watcher.ts

@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
-import type { AutomationDefinition } from "../../types/automations.js";
-import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../database/repositories/factory.js";
-import { resolveHostById } from "../hosts/host-resolver.js";
-import { DataCrypto } from "../utils/data-crypto.js";
-import { execCommand } from "../hosts/metrics-shared/common-utils.js";
+import type { AutomationDefinition } from "../../../src/types/automations.js";
+import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../../../src/backend/database/repositories/factory.js";
+import { resolveHostById } from "../../../src/backend/hosts/host-resolver.js";
+import { DataCrypto } from "../../../src/backend/utils/data-crypto.js";
+import { execCommand } from "../../../src/backend/hosts/metrics-shared/common-utils.js";
 import {
   createFleetSshFactory,
   getFleetPoolKey,
-} from "../hosts/ssh-client-factory.js";
-import { withConnection } from "../hosts/ssh-connection-pool.js";
-import { statsLogger } from "../utils/logger.js";
+} from "../../../src/backend/hosts/ssh-client-factory.js";
+import { withConnection } from "../../../src/backend/hosts/ssh-connection-pool.js";
+import { statsLogger } from "../../../src/backend/utils/logger.js";
 import { onDockerEvent } from "./triggers.js";
 
 /**

plugins/automations/backend/engine.ts

@@ -2,16 +2,16 @@ import type {
   AutomationDefinition,
   RunStatus,
   Step,
-} from "../../types/automations.js";
+} from "../../../src/types/automations.js";
 import {
   DEFAULT_MAX_RUN_SECONDS,
   MAX_AUTOMATION_DEPTH,
   MAX_STEP_OUTPUT_BYTES,
-} from "../../types/automations.js";
-import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../database/repositories/factory.js";
-import { statsLogger } from "../utils/logger.js";
-import { resolveHostById } from "../hosts/host-resolver.js";
-import { notifyAutomationInternalEvent } from "../hosts/automation-events.js";
+} from "../../../src/types/automations.js";
+import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../../../src/backend/database/repositories/factory.js";
+import { statsLogger } from "../../../src/backend/utils/logger.js";
+import { resolveHostById } from "../../../src/backend/hosts/host-resolver.js";
+import { notifyAutomationInternalEvent } from "../../../src/backend/hosts/automation-events.js";
 import { executeStep } from "./actions/index.js";
 import type { StepExecutionContext, StepResult } from "./actions/types.js";
 import { compare } from "./conditions.js";

plugins/automations/backend/headless-viewer.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { statsLogger } from "../utils/logger.js";
+import { statsLogger } from "../../../src/backend/utils/logger.js";
 import { listAutomationWatchedHosts } from "./triggers.js";
 
 /**

plugins/automations/backend/http.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { safeOutboundFetch } from "../utils/safe-outbound-fetch.js";
-import { readNotificationPrivateAllowlist } from "../utils/notification-egress.js";
+import { safeOutboundFetch } from "../../../src/backend/utils/safe-outbound-fetch.js";
+import { readNotificationPrivateAllowlist } from "../../../src/backend/utils/notification-egress.js";
 
 /**
  * Outbound HTTP for automation steps and notification channels.

plugins/automations/backend/index.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+/**
+ * Automations - first-party, in-process plugin.
+ *
+ * This plugin runs on the main thread rather than in a worker for the same
+ * reason ai and fleets do (see src/backend/plugins/first-party.ts): its
+ * engine and scheduler write across hosts, snippets, fleets, and
+ * notification-channel repositories through the shared SSH pool via
+ * resolveHostById and withConnection, and its scheduler needs direct
+ * repository access plus event-bus subscription that the worker ctx's
+ * read-only ctx.hosts and single-postMessage ctx.http.route cannot support.
+ *
+ * Like fleets, this plugin does not own a live transport (no WebSocket
+ * server, no dedicated port), so it registers its Express router with the
+ * always-mounted /automations dispatcher in
+ * src/backend/database/routes/automation-dispatch.ts instead of getting its
+ * own port.
+ *
+ * routes.ts is what used to be src/backend/database/routes/automations.ts,
+ * moved here and rewritten from `export default router` into
+ * startAutomationsService()/stopAutomationsService(), called from
+ * activate()/deactivate() below. scheduler.ts owns the one setInterval the
+ * feature has always used for due schedules, dwell rechecks, docker-event
+ * polling and history pruning -- there is no ctx.schedule API for an
+ * in-process plugin, so it starts and stops the same way it always has. The
+ * automations/automationTriggerState/automationSchedules/automationRuns/
+ * automationRunSteps/automationChannels tables and their repository stay in
+ * core (src/backend/database/db/schema.ts,
+ * src/backend/database/repositories/automation-repository.ts) -- this plugin
+ * system has no owned-table migration mechanism of its own, and these tables
+ * carry FKs into core's hosts/users tables.
+ */
+
+import path from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+/**
+ * Loads a module by its path relative to this file's own directory.
+ *
+ * The plugin ships beside dist/backend, so in a built server the compiled
+ * .js for routes.js/scheduler.js sits right next to this .mjs, and core
+ * modules resolve via ../../../src/backend/... from there. Under
+ * vitest/dev nothing imports this plugin directly (the loader loads
+ * in-process plugins with a plain dynamic import, no tsx loader involved),
+ * so the only layout that needs to resolve here is the built one.
+ */
+async function loadRelative(relativePath) {
+  const here = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+  const target = path.join(here, `${relativePath}.js`);
+  return import(new URL(`file://${target.replace(/\\/g, "/")}`).href);
+}
+
+let routesModule = null;
+let schedulerModule = null;
+
+export async function activate(ctx) {
+  routesModule = await loadRelative("routes");
+  routesModule.startAutomationsService();
+
+  schedulerModule = await loadRelative("scheduler");
+  schedulerModule.startAutomationScheduler();
+
+  ctx.log.info(
+    "Automations router registered at /automations; scheduler started",
+  );
+}
+
+export async function deactivate() {
+  if (schedulerModule) {
+    schedulerModule.stopAutomationScheduler();
+    schedulerModule = null;
+  }
+  if (routesModule) {
+    routesModule.stopAutomationsService();
+    routesModule = null;
+  }
+}

plugins/automations/backend/notify.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { statsLogger } from "../utils/logger.js";
+import { statsLogger } from "../../../src/backend/utils/logger.js";
 import { automationFetch } from "./http.js";
 import type { TemplateContext } from "./template.js";
 

plugins/automations/backend/routes.ts

@@ -1,30 +1,30 @@
 import crypto from "node:crypto";
 import express, { type Request, type Response } from "express";
-import type { AuthenticatedRequest } from "../../../types/index.js";
+import type { AuthenticatedRequest } from "../../../src/types/index.js";
 import type {
   AutomationDefinition,
   Step,
   Trigger,
-} from "../../../types/automations.js";
-import { AUTOMATION_DEFINITION_VERSION } from "../../../types/automations.js";
-import { PermissionManager } from "../../utils/permission-manager.js";
-import { AuthManager } from "../../utils/auth-manager.js";
-import { databaseLogger } from "../../utils/logger.js";
+} from "../../../src/types/automations.js";
+import { AUTOMATION_DEFINITION_VERSION } from "../../../src/types/automations.js";
+import { PermissionManager } from "../../../src/backend/utils/permission-manager.js";
+import { AuthManager } from "../../../src/backend/utils/auth-manager.js";
+import { databaseLogger } from "../../../src/backend/utils/logger.js";
 import {
   getAuditUsername,
   getRequestMeta,
   logAudit,
-} from "../../utils/audit-logger.js";
-import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../repositories/factory.js";
-import type { AutomationRow } from "../repositories/automation-repository.js";
-import { AutomationEngine } from "../../automations/engine.js";
+} from "../../../src/backend/utils/audit-logger.js";
+import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../../../src/backend/database/repositories/factory.js";
+import type { AutomationRow } from "../../../src/backend/database/repositories/automation-repository.js";
+import { AutomationEngine } from "./engine.js";
+import { computeNextDueAt, isValidCron, isValidTimezone } from "./cron.js";
 import {
-  computeNextDueAt,
-  isValidCron,
-  isValidTimezone,
-} from "../../automations/cron.js";
+  registerAutomationsRouter,
+  unregisterAutomationsRouter,
+} from "../../../src/backend/database/routes/automation-dispatch.js";
 
-const router = express.Router();
+export const router = express.Router();
 
 const authManager = AuthManager.getInstance();
 const permissionManager = PermissionManager.getInstance();
@@ -819,4 +819,14 @@ function timingSafeEqual(a: string, b: string): boolean {
   return crypto.timingSafeEqual(left, right);
 }
 
-export default router;
+/** Called from activate(). Mounts this router at /automations via the shared
+ * dispatcher. */
+export function startAutomationsService(): void {
+  registerAutomationsRouter(router);
+}
+
+/** Called from deactivate(). /automations/* falls back to 404 until
+ * reactivated. */
+export function stopAutomationsService(): void {
+  unregisterAutomationsRouter();
+}

plugins/automations/backend/scheduler.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import type { AutomationDefinition } from "../../types/automations.js";
-import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../database/repositories/factory.js";
-import { DataCrypto } from "../utils/data-crypto.js";
-import { statsLogger } from "../utils/logger.js";
+import type { AutomationDefinition } from "../../../src/types/automations.js";
+import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../../../src/backend/database/repositories/factory.js";
+import { DataCrypto } from "../../../src/backend/utils/data-crypto.js";
+import { statsLogger } from "../../../src/backend/utils/logger.js";
 import { computeNextDueAt } from "./cron.js";
 import { hasDwelled, isCoolingDown } from "./conditions.js";
 import { pollDockerEvents } from "./docker-watcher.js";

plugins/automations/backend/triggers.ts

@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ import type {
   AutomationDefinition,
   HostSelector,
   Trigger,
-} from "../../types/automations.js";
-import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../database/repositories/factory.js";
-import type { AutomationEngineRow } from "../database/repositories/automation-repository.js";
-import { statsLogger } from "../utils/logger.js";
+} from "../../../src/types/automations.js";
+import { createCurrentAutomationRepository } from "../../../src/backend/database/repositories/factory.js";
+import type { AutomationEngineRow } from "../../../src/backend/database/repositories/automation-repository.js";
+import { statsLogger } from "../../../src/backend/utils/logger.js";
 import {
   compare,
   extractMetricValue,
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import {
   type MetricsSnapshot,
 } from "./conditions.js";
 import { AutomationEngine } from "./engine.js";
-import { pluginEvents, TOPICS } from "../plugins/events.js";
+import { pluginEvents, TOPICS } from "../../../src/backend/plugins/events.js";
 
 /**
  * Matches events against automation triggers and decides what fires.

plugins/automations/frontend/AutomationsPanel.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { getErrorMessage } from "../lib/error-message.js";
+import { getErrorMessage } from "@/lib/error-message.js";
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { toast } from "sonner";
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ import {
   type AutomationRow,
   type AutomationRunRow,
   type AutomationRunStepRow,
-} from "@/api/automations-api";
+} from "./automations-api";
 import {
   deleteNotificationChannel,
   getNotificationChannels,
   testNotificationChannel,
   type NotificationChannel,
 } from "@/api/alerts-api";
-import { NotificationChannelDialog } from "./NotificationChannelDialog";
+import { NotificationChannelDialog } from "@/sidebar/NotificationChannelDialog";
 import { getSnippets } from "@/api/snippets-api";
 import { getSSHHosts } from "@/api/ssh-host-management-api";
 import { listFleets } from "@/api/fleets-api";

plugins/automations/frontend/automations/AutomationEditor.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { getErrorMessage } from "../../lib/error-message.js";
+import { getErrorMessage } from "@/lib/error-message.js";
 import { useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { Plus } from "lucide-react";

plugins/automations/frontend/index.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+/**
+ * Frontend half of the automations plugin.
+ *
+ * AutomationsPanel is a left-sidebar railView panel (opened from the rail,
+ * not a Tab), the same shape as FleetsPanel/HostsPanel/AiPanel. None of those
+ * go through registerRailItem/registerTabComponent either -- per
+ * src/ui/shell/pluginLoader.ts's own comment, a rail-view panel like this is
+ * rendered directly by AppShell.tsx rather than registered at runtime, the
+ * same way ai's AiPanel is. AutomationsPanel is reached today through a
+ * direct relative import in AppShell.tsx
+ * (../../plugins/automations/frontend/AutomationsPanel) and in
+ * src/ui/shell/tabUtils.tsx (for its promotable/dockable tab surface), not
+ * through register() below.
+ *
+ * register()/unregister() still follow the same shape every other plugin's
+ * frontend entry does, so this is ready the moment a real frontend plugin
+ * loader exists -- see plugins/ssh-terminal/frontend/index.mjs and
+ * src/ui/tests/sidebar/plugin-extension-seam.test.tsx, which says outright
+ * "there is no plugin loader yet".
+ */
+
+export const id = "automations";
+export const railViewId = "automations";
+
+export async function register({ registerRailItem, icons }) {
+  registerRailItem?.({
+    id: railViewId,
+    icon: icons.Workflow,
+    labelKey: "nav.automations",
+    separatorAfter: true,
+  });
+}
+
+export async function unregister({ unregisterRailItem }) {
+  unregisterRailItem?.(railViewId);
+}

plugins/automations/manifest.json

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{
+  "id": "automations",
+  "name": "Automations",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "description": "Trigger-and-action automation engine: schedules, metric/status/docker-event triggers, and multi-step actions across managed hosts.",
+  "author": { "name": "Termix" },
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "repository": "https://github.com/Termix-SSH/Termix",
+  "category": "Infrastructure",
+  "icon": "Workflow",
+  "engine": { "termix": ">=2.9.0", "api": "1" },
+  "capabilities": {
+    "backend": true,
+    "frontend": true,
+    "electron": true,
+    "platforms": ["linux", "win32", "darwin"]
+  },
+  "permissions": ["process:transport-owner"],
+  "sidecars": []
+}

plugins/host-metrics/backend/automation-bridge.ts

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
  */
 
 import { pluginEvents, TOPICS } from "../../../src/backend/plugins/events.js";
-import type { MetricsSnapshot } from "../../../src/backend/automations/conditions.js";
+import type { MetricsSnapshot } from "../../automations/backend/conditions.js";
 
 export interface HostMetricsPayload {
   hostId: number;

plugins/host-metrics/backend/routes.ts

@@ -3046,7 +3046,7 @@ app.post("/metrics/connect-totp", async (req, res) => {
 
 // Lets automations keep metrics flowing for hosts they watch, through the same
 // viewer refcount the UI uses rather than around it.
-import("../../../src/backend/automations/headless-viewer.js")
+import("../../automations/backend/headless-viewer.js")
   .then(({ setViewerRegistry }) => {
     setViewerRegistry({
       registerViewer: (hostId, sessionId, userId) =>

src/backend/database/database.ts

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import vaultRoutes from "./routes/vault.js";
 import secretSourceRoutes from "./routes/secret-sources.js";
 import alertRulesRoutes from "./routes/alert-rules-routes.js";
 import aiDispatch from "./routes/ai-dispatch.js";
-import automationsRoutes from "./routes/automations.js";
+import automationsDispatch from "./routes/automation-dispatch.js";
 import syncRoutes from "./routes/sync.js";
 import pluginApiRoutes from "./routes/plugin-api-routes.js";
 import pluginRoutes from "./routes/plugins.js";
@@ -1776,7 +1776,7 @@ app.use("/vault", vaultRoutes);
 app.use("/secret-sources", secretSourceRoutes);
 // Before the alert routes, which are mounted at the root and would otherwise
 // have first claim on the path.
-app.use("/automations", automationsRoutes);
+app.use("/automations", automationsDispatch);
 app.use("/ai", aiDispatch);
 app.use("/", alertRulesRoutes);
 app.use("/sync", syncRoutes);

src/backend/database/routes/automation-dispatch.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+// Mounted at /automations. Automations ships as a first-party in-process
+// plugin (plugins/automations) rather than a route file imported directly
+// here, so this module exists to keep /automations/* working at its original
+// path without handing the plugin a reference to the shared app instance. The
+// plugin runtime registers its router via registerAutomationsRouter when it
+// activates, and clears it on deactivate, so a disabled plugin falls back to
+// the 404 below.
+//
+// Unlike /plugin-api, this dispatcher applies no auth of its own: it forwards
+// to exactly one first-party router (the Automations plugin's own), and every
+// route in that router already applies authenticateJWT/requireDataAccess
+// itself (including the intentionally unauthenticated webhook route, which
+// gates on its own token instead), the same as every other router mounted
+// alongside it here (/users, /host, /fleets, ...). /plugin-api gates at the
+// mount point because it forwards to arbitrary third-party plugin code that
+// cannot be assumed to gate itself; that reasoning does not apply to a single
+// first-party router that already does.
+
+import type { Request, Response, NextFunction, Router } from "express";
+import { databaseLogger } from "../../utils/logger.js";
+
+let activeRouter: Router | null = null;
+
+export function registerAutomationsRouter(router: Router): void {
+  activeRouter = router;
+  databaseLogger.info("Registered Automations plugin router", {
+    operation: "automations_dispatch_register",
+  });
+}
+
+export function unregisterAutomationsRouter(): void {
+  if (!activeRouter) return;
+  activeRouter = null;
+  databaseLogger.info("Unregistered Automations plugin router", {
+    operation: "automations_dispatch_register",
+  });
+}
+
+export default function automationsDispatch(
+  req: Request,
+  res: Response,
+  next: NextFunction,
+): void {
+  if (!activeRouter) {
+    res.status(404).json({ error: "Automations is not available" });
+    return;
+  }
+  activeRouter(req, res, next);
+}

src/backend/plugins/first-party.ts

@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@
  * reads/writes and a zip archive for its push/pull routes, and buffer
  * multipart file uploads. None of that fits the worker's single-exec
  * ctx.ssh or single-postMessage-reply ctx.http.route.
+ *
+ * automations is here for the same reason as ai, proxmox and fleets: it does
+ * not own a transport, but its engine and scheduler write across hosts,
+ * snippets, fleets and notification-channel repositories through the shared
+ * SSH pool via resolveHostById and withConnection, and its scheduler needs
+ * direct repository access plus subscription to the cross-plugin event bus
+ * (host metrics, status and health-check events) that the worker's read-only
+ * ctx.hosts and single-postMessage-reply ctx.http.route cannot support.
  */
 export const FIRST_PARTY_PLUGIN_IDS: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set([
   "ssh-terminal",
@@ -84,6 +92,7 @@ export const FIRST_PARTY_PLUGIN_IDS: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set([
   "proxmox",
   "remote-desktop",
   "fleets",
+  "automations",
 ]);
 
 export const TRANSPORT_OWNER_CAPABILITY = "process:transport-owner";

src/backend/starter.ts

@@ -299,12 +299,15 @@ async function provisionLocalDesktopUserIfNeeded(): Promise<void> {
     // ssh-terminal, docker and host-metrics plugins start their own servers,
     // so disabling any of them stops its WS/HTTP server. See
     // plugins/ssh-terminal, plugins/docker and plugins/host-metrics.
-    // AI, Proxmox, Remote Desktop and Fleets are also absent for the same
-    // reason: each plugin registers its router with its own dispatcher in
-    // database.ts on activate (/ai, /proxmox, /guacamole, /fleets), so
-    // disabling any of them makes its routes 404 instead of leaving a dead
-    // import here. See plugins/ai, plugins/proxmox, plugins/remote-desktop
-    // and plugins/fleets.
+    // AI, Proxmox, Remote Desktop, Fleets and Automations are also absent for
+    // the same reason: each plugin registers its router with its own
+    // dispatcher in database.ts on activate (/ai, /proxmox, /guacamole,
+    // /fleets, /automations), so disabling any of them makes its routes 404
+    // instead of leaving a dead import here. Automations' scheduler (due
+    // schedules, dwell rechecks, docker-event polling, history pruning) also
+    // starts from its own activate() rather than here. See plugins/ai,
+    // plugins/proxmox, plugins/remote-desktop, plugins/fleets and
+    // plugins/automations.
     await import("./hosts/tunnel/index.js");
     await import("./hosts/file-manager/index.js");
     await import("./hosts/tmux/index.js");
@@ -323,11 +326,6 @@ async function provisionLocalDesktopUserIfNeeded(): Promise<void> {
       });
     }
 
-    // After metrics, which the automation triggers and headless polling hook into.
-    const { startAutomationScheduler } =
-      await import("./automations/scheduler.js");
-    startAutomationScheduler();
-
     // Last, so a plugin's activate() sees a fully wired server. A plugin that
     // fails to load must not stop the backend, so this never rejects.
     try {

src/backend/tests/plugins/automations/conditions.test.ts

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
   metricStateKey,
   severityForValue,
   type MetricsSnapshot,
-} from "../../automations/conditions.js";
+} from "../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/conditions.js";
 
 const metrics: MetricsSnapshot = {
   cpu: { percent: 42.5, load: [1.5, 1.2, 0.9] },

src/backend/tests/plugins/automations/cron.test.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   isValidTimezone,
   nextCronRun,
   parseCron,
-} from "../../automations/cron.js";
+} from "../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/cron.js";
 
 describe("parseCron", () => {
   it("rejects anything that is not five fields", () => {

src/backend/tests/plugins/automations/docker-watcher.test.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
   diffContainerStates,
   parseContainerStates,
-} from "../../automations/docker-watcher.js";
+} from "../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/docker-watcher.js";
 
 /**
  * The polling side needs SSH, so what is tested here is the pure part: turning

src/backend/tests/plugins/automations/engine.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
-import type { AutomationDefinition, Step } from "../../../types/automations.js";
+import type {
+  AutomationDefinition,
+  Step,
+} from "../../../../types/automations.js";
 
 /**
  * The engine reaches the database through the repository factory and the
@@ -49,20 +52,21 @@ const repository = {
 
 const resolveHostById = vi.fn();
 
-vi.mock("../../hosts/host-resolver.js", () => ({
+vi.mock("../../../hosts/host-resolver.js", () => ({
   resolveHostById: (...args: unknown[]) => resolveHostById(...args),
 }));
 
-vi.mock("../../database/repositories/factory.js", () => ({
+vi.mock("../../../database/repositories/factory.js", () => ({
   createCurrentAutomationRepository: () => repository,
 }));
 
 const executeStep = vi.fn();
-vi.mock("../../automations/actions/index.js", () => ({
+vi.mock("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/actions/index.js", () => ({
   executeStep: (...args: unknown[]) => executeStep(...args),
 }));
 
-const { AutomationEngine } = await import("../../automations/engine.js");
+const { AutomationEngine } =
+  await import("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/engine.js");
 
 function defineAutomation(
   steps: Step[],

src/backend/tests/plugins/automations/headless-viewer.test.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 const listAutomationWatchedHosts = vi.fn();
-vi.mock("../../automations/triggers.js", () => ({
+vi.mock("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/triggers.js", () => ({
   listAutomationWatchedHosts: () => listAutomationWatchedHosts(),
 }));
 
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ const {
   reconcileHeadlessViewers,
   releaseHeadlessViewers,
   setViewerRegistry,
-} = await import("../../automations/headless-viewer.js");
+} =
+  await import("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/headless-viewer.js");
 
 const registry = {
   registerViewer: vi.fn(),

src/backend/tests/plugins/automations/notify.test.ts

@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 const automationFetch = vi.fn();
 
-vi.mock("../../automations/http.js", () => ({
+vi.mock("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/http.js", () => ({
   automationFetch: (...args: unknown[]) => automationFetch(...args),
 }));
 
 const { sendAutomationNotification } =
-  await import("../../automations/notify.js");
+  await import("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/notify.js");
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   automationFetch.mockReset();

src/backend/tests/plugins/automations/routes.test.ts

@@ -44,10 +44,15 @@ vi.mock("../../../database/repositories/factory.js", () => ({
 }));
 
 const run = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
-vi.mock("../../../automations/engine.js", () => ({
+vi.mock("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/engine.js", () => ({
   AutomationEngine: { getInstance: () => ({ run }) },
 }));
 
+vi.mock("../../../database/routes/automation-dispatch.js", () => ({
+  registerAutomationsRouter: vi.fn(),
+  unregisterAutomationsRouter: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
 vi.mock("../../../utils/permission-manager.js", () => ({
   PermissionManager: {
     getInstance: () => ({
@@ -80,23 +85,8 @@ vi.mock("../../../utils/audit-logger.js", () => ({
   getRequestMeta: () => ({ ipAddress: "127.0.0.1", userAgent: "test" }),
 }));
 
-const { default: router } =
-  await import("../../../database/routes/automations.js");
-
-function findHandler(method: string, path: string) {
-  const stack = (router as unknown as Router).stack as Array<{
-    route?: {
-      path: string;
-      methods: Record<string, boolean>;
-      stack: Array<{ handle: (req: Request, res: Response) => unknown }>;
-    };
-  }>;
-  const layer = stack.find(
-    (l) => l.route?.path === path && l.route?.methods[method],
-  );
-  if (!layer?.route) throw new Error(`No route for ${method} ${path}`);
-  return layer.route.stack[layer.route.stack.length - 1].handle;
-}
+const { router } =
+  await import("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/routes.js");
 
 /** Runs the whole middleware chain for the route, not just its handler. */
 async function invoke(

src/backend/tests/plugins/automations/template.test.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import {
   redactSecrets,
   renderRecord,
   renderTemplate,
-} from "../../automations/template.js";
+} from "../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/template.js";
 
 const context = {
   host: { id: 7, name: "Zeus", ip: "10.0.0.5", username: "root", port: 22 },

src/backend/tests/plugins/automations/triggers.test.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type {
   AutomationDefinition,
   Trigger,
-} from "../../../types/automations.js";
+} from "../../../../types/automations.js";
 
 /**
  * Trigger matching, dwell windows and cooldowns. The repository and the engine
@@ -42,16 +42,17 @@ const repository = {
   }),
 };
 
-vi.mock("../../database/repositories/factory.js", () => ({
+vi.mock("../../../database/repositories/factory.js", () => ({
   createCurrentAutomationRepository: () => repository,
 }));
 
 const run = vi.fn(async () => ({ runId: 1, status: "success" as const }));
-vi.mock("../../automations/engine.js", () => ({
+vi.mock("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/engine.js", () => ({
   AutomationEngine: { getInstance: () => ({ run }) },
 }));
 
-const triggers = await import("../../automations/triggers.js");
+const triggers =
+  await import("../../../../../plugins/automations/backend/triggers.js");
 
 function addAutomation(trigger: Trigger, overrides: Partial<FakeRow> = {}) {
   const definition: AutomationDefinition = { version: 1, trigger, steps: [] };

src/backend/tests/plugins/bundled-plugin.test.ts

@@ -283,3 +283,44 @@ describe("bundled fleets plugin", () => {
     expect(source).toMatch(/export async function deactivate/);
   });
 });
+
+describe("bundled automations plugin", () => {
+  it("ships a directory with a manifest and both entry points", () => {
+    const dir = path.join(getBundledPluginsDir(), "automations");
+
+    expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, "manifest.json"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, "backend", "index.mjs"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, "frontend", "index.mjs"))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("has a manifest that passes the real validator", () => {
+    const { manifest, errors } = parseManifest(
+      readBundledManifest("automations"),
+    );
+
+    expect(errors).toEqual([]);
+    expect(manifest?.id).toBe("automations");
+    expect(manifest?.category).toBe("Infrastructure");
+  });
+
+  it("declares the transport-owner capability and qualifies for the tier", () => {
+    const { manifest } = parseManifest(readBundledManifest("automations"));
+
+    expect(manifest?.permissions).toContain(TRANSPORT_OWNER_CAPABILITY);
+    expect(isFirstParty("automations")).toBe(true);
+    expect(runsInProcess("automations", manifest!.permissions)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("exports activate and deactivate from its backend entry", () => {
+    const entry = path.join(
+      getBundledPluginsDir(),
+      "automations",
+      "backend",
+      "index.mjs",
+    );
+    const source = fs.readFileSync(entry, "utf8");
+
+    expect(source).toMatch(/export async function activate/);
+    expect(source).toMatch(/export async function deactivate/);
+  });
+});

src/backend/tests/plugins/first-party.test.ts

@@ -39,9 +39,10 @@ function manifest(overrides: Record<string, unknown> = {}) {
 }
 
 describe("first-party allowlist", () => {
-  it("contains only ssh-terminal, docker, host-metrics, ai, proxmox, remote-desktop and fleets", () => {
+  it("contains only ssh-terminal, docker, host-metrics, ai, proxmox, remote-desktop, fleets and automations", () => {
     expect([...FIRST_PARTY_PLUGIN_IDS].sort()).toEqual([
       "ai",
+      "automations",
       "docker",
       "fleets",
       "host-metrics",
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ describe("first-party allowlist", () => {
     ]);
   });
 
-  it("recognises ssh-terminal, docker, host-metrics, ai, proxmox, remote-desktop and fleets and nothing else", () => {
+  it("recognises ssh-terminal, docker, host-metrics, ai, proxmox, remote-desktop, fleets and automations and nothing else", () => {
     expect(isFirstParty("ssh-terminal")).toBe(true);
     expect(isFirstParty("docker")).toBe(true);
     expect(isFirstParty("host-metrics")).toBe(true);
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ describe("first-party allowlist", () => {
     expect(isFirstParty("proxmox")).toBe(true);
     expect(isFirstParty("remote-desktop")).toBe(true);
     expect(isFirstParty("fleets")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isFirstParty("automations")).toBe(true);
     expect(isFirstParty("ssh-terminal-pro")).toBe(false);
     expect(isFirstParty("community-plugin")).toBe(false);
     expect(isFirstParty("")).toBe(false);
@@ -79,6 +81,10 @@ describe("runsInProcess", () => {
     expect(runsInProcess("remote-desktop", [TRANSPORT_OWNER_CAPABILITY])).toBe(
       true,
     );
+    expect(runsInProcess("fleets", [TRANSPORT_OWNER_CAPABILITY])).toBe(true);
+    expect(runsInProcess("automations", [TRANSPORT_OWNER_CAPABILITY])).toBe(
+      true,
+    );
 
     // On the list but not asking for it: stays in a worker, so the manifest
     // remains an honest description of what the plugin does.
@@ -88,6 +94,8 @@ describe("runsInProcess", () => {
     expect(runsInProcess("ai", ["hosts.read"])).toBe(false);
     expect(runsInProcess("proxmox", ["hosts.read"])).toBe(false);
     expect(runsInProcess("remote-desktop", ["hosts.read"])).toBe(false);
+    expect(runsInProcess("fleets", ["hosts.read"])).toBe(false);
+    expect(runsInProcess("automations", ["hosts.read"])).toBe(false);
 
     // Asking for it but not on the list.
     expect(
@@ -179,6 +187,18 @@ describe("manifest gate on the reserved capability", () => {
     expect(parsed?.id).toBe("proxmox");
   });
 
+  it("allows it for automations", () => {
+    const { manifest: parsed, errors } = parseManifest(
+      manifest({
+        id: "automations",
+        permissions: [TRANSPORT_OWNER_CAPABILITY],
+      }),
+    );
+
+    expect(errors).toEqual([]);
+    expect(parsed?.id).toBe("automations");
+  });
+
   it("still accepts an ordinary manifest that never mentions it", () => {
     const { manifest: parsed, errors } = parseManifest(
       manifest({ permissions: ["hosts.read"] }),

src/ui/AppShell.tsx

@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ const WorkspacesPanel = lazy(() =>
   })),
 );
 const AutomationsPanel = lazy(() =>
-  import("@/sidebar/AutomationsPanel").then((m) => ({
+  import("../../plugins/automations/frontend/AutomationsPanel").then((m) => ({
     default: m.AutomationsPanel,
   })),
 );

src/ui/features/ai/useMentions.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
 import { getSSHHosts } from "@/api/ssh-host-management-api";
 import { getSnippets } from "@/api/snippets-api";
-import { listAutomations } from "@/api/automations-api";
+import { listAutomations } from "../../../../plugins/automations/frontend/automations-api";
 
 /**
  * Backs the @-mention picker in the composer.

src/ui/shell/tabUtils.tsx

@@ -175,9 +175,11 @@ const SshToolsPanel = lazy(() =>
   import("@/sidebar/SshToolsPanel").then((m) => ({ default: m.SshToolsPanel })),
 );
 const AutomationsPanel = lazy(() =>
-  import("@/sidebar/AutomationsPanel").then((m) => ({
-    default: m.AutomationsPanel,
-  })),
+  import("../../../plugins/automations/frontend/AutomationsPanel").then(
+    (m) => ({
+      default: m.AutomationsPanel,
+    }),
+  ),
 );
 
 const AiPanel = lazy(() =>

src/ui/tests/plugins/automations/automations-editor.test.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import { defaultTrigger } from "@/sidebar/automations/TriggerCard";
-import { emptyDraft } from "@/sidebar/automations/AutomationEditor";
-import { newStepId } from "@/sidebar/automations/editor-types";
+import { defaultTrigger } from "../../../../../plugins/automations/frontend/automations/TriggerCard";
+import { emptyDraft } from "../../../../../plugins/automations/frontend/automations/AutomationEditor";
+import { newStepId } from "../../../../../plugins/automations/frontend/automations/editor-types";
 import { AUTOMATION_DEFINITION_VERSION } from "@/types/automations";
 
 describe("emptyDraft", () => {

tsconfig.plugins.json

@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
     "plugins/ai/backend/**/*.ts",
     "plugins/proxmox/backend/**/*.ts",
     "plugins/remote-desktop/backend/**/*.ts",
-    "plugins/fleets/backend/**/*.ts"
+    "plugins/fleets/backend/**/*.ts",
+    "plugins/automations/backend/**/*.ts"
   ],
   "exclude": ["src/**/*.test.ts"]
 }