Remove the workflow field from profile files (#922)

Author: TheGreatAxios

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ parallel copies under `docs/` or `scripts/notes/`. At cut time: rename
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Removed
+
+- Profile files no longer accept a `workflow` field. Workflows start only from
+  slash commands; a leftover key is rejected on load rather than ignored. The
+  `--no-workflow` CLI flag is unchanged.
+
 ## [0.3.22] - 2026-09-11
 
 ### Added

docs/IMPLEMENTATION.md

@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ Profiles supply per-project or named-profile overrides for `model`, `systemPromp
 }
 ```
 
-`resolveProfile` merges a named profile with the project profile, with **project profile field values overriding the named profile's**. The resolved `model` feeds into provider resolution and the director; `systemPromptExtensions` are appended to the system prompt. Workflow profile metadata is deprecated because workflows are started only by explicit slash commands. CLI flags (`--model`, `--profile`) still win over profile values during config resolution.
+`resolveProfile` merges a named profile with the project profile, with **project profile field values overriding the named profile's**. The resolved `model` feeds into provider resolution and the director; `systemPromptExtensions` are appended to the system prompt. CLI flags (`--model`, `--profile`) still win over profile values during config resolution.
 
 ### Provider Configuration
 

src/config/index.ts

@@ -506,8 +506,6 @@ export interface Config {
    */
   resumeMode?: "id" | "pick";
 
-  // Deprecated workflow profile metadata; workflows are manual-only slash commands.
-  workflow?: string;
   // Deprecated no-op retained for CLI compatibility.
   noWorkflow: boolean;
   /**
@@ -988,7 +986,6 @@ export async function loadConfig(
     noWorkflow,
     ...(resumeMode !== undefined ? { resumeMode, skipInitialTask } : {}),
     ...(resumePicker ? { resumePicker: true } : {}),
-    ...(profile.workflow !== undefined ? { workflow: profile.workflow } : {}),
     ...(settings?.defaultProvider !== undefined
       ? { globalDefaultProvider: settings.defaultProvider }
       : {}),

src/config/profiles.ts

@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ const ProfileSchema = type({
   "profile?": "string",
   "model?": "string",
   "systemPromptExtensions?": "string[]",
-  "workflow?": "string",
   // Per-call inactivity timeout in milliseconds. If the provider yields no
   // inference event for this many ms, the call is aborted and the user sees
   // "Request timed out". Default in the inference harness is 120_000 (2 min).

src/profiles.test.ts

@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ test("loadProfile rejects unknown keys", async () => {
   await expect(loadProfile(path)).rejects.toThrow(/unknownKey must be removed/);
 });
 
+test("loadProfile rejects a workflow field", async () => {
+  const dir = makeTmp();
+  await mkdir(dir, { recursive: true });
+  const path = join(dir, "profile.json");
+  await writeJson(path, { workflow: "build" });
+  await expect(loadProfile(path)).rejects.toThrow(/workflow must be removed/);
+});
+
 test("loadProfile rejects non-array systemPromptExtensions", async () => {
   const dir = makeTmp();
   await mkdir(dir, { recursive: true });

tests/unit/config.test.ts

@@ -81,6 +81,21 @@ test("loadConfig --no-auto disables auto mode", async () => {
   });
 });
 
+test("loadConfig --no-workflow remains a recognized flag", async () => {
+  await withSettings(async ({ cwd, globalSettingsPath }) => {
+    const { impl } = offlineFetch();
+    const config = await loadConfig(
+      ["--cwd", cwd, "--no-workflow", "do something"],
+      {
+        globalSettingsPath,
+        pricing: { fetchImpl: impl },
+      },
+    );
+    expect(config.configured).toBe(true);
+    if (config.configured) expect(config.noWorkflow).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
 test("loadConfig uses the injected pricing fetchImpl instead of the network", async () => {
   await withSettings(async ({ cwd, globalSettingsPath }) => {
     resetPricingMetadataRefreshForTests();