[rush] Dogfood the Rush daemon in rushstack: allow command-scoped plugins, add snapshot workflow and guide

README.md

@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ for large scale TypeScript monorepos.
 - [API Documenter](https://api-extractor.com/pages/setup/generating_docs/) - use TSDoc comments to publish an API documentation website
 - [Lockfile Explorer](https://lfx.rushstack.io/) - investigate and solve version conflicts for PNPM lockfiles
 - [TSDoc](https://tsdoc.org/) - the standard for doc comments in TypeScript code
+- [Dogfooding the Rush daemon](./docs/rush/dogfooding-rush-daemon.md) - contributor guide for building this repo
+  with the opt-in `rush-client` daemon, built from source
 
 ## Related Repos
 

apps/rush-cli-client/README.md

@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 Separate `rush-client` and `rushx-client` binaries, opt-in until cutover. Existing
 `rush`, `rushx`, and their reporter entrypoints are unchanged.
 
+To try the daemon on the rushstack repository itself before a release contains it, follow the
+[contributor dogfooding guide](../../docs/rush/dogfooding-rush-daemon.md).
+
 ## Native frontend dependency
 
 The dependency on `@microsoft/rush` is intentional: it is the version-selecting
@@ -116,9 +119,11 @@ changed configuration or command shape replaces the session and graph in the sam
 process. Environment, installed dependencies, implementation content, or selected
 Rush version changes require a process restart rather than patching the existing
 engine. Direct, inherited, and rig-based project configuration uses private native
-loaders and is rechecked before execution. External plugins, `.env`, phased
+loaders and is rechecked before execution. External plugins that participate in the
+requested command (unassociated plugins, plugins associated with it, or plugin command-line
+files that define it, its phases or parameters for either), `.env`, phased
 watch/install options, and unsupported event-hook scripts still use typed
-pre-execution fallback; this does not exclude the built-in `install` and `update`
+pre-execution fallback; plugins scoped only to other commands are permitted. This does not exclude the built-in `install` and `update`
 commands described above. The native Rush lock is held for preparation and each
 coalesced iteration, not while idle; native commands and `--no-daemon` can run
 after a completed request without stopping the daemon.

apps/rush-cli-client/src/bundledRushVersion.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Licensed under the MIT license.
+// See LICENSE in the project root for license information.
+
+import { JsonFile } from '@rushstack/node-core-library';
+
+/**
+ * The version of the bundled Rush engine, which is `Rush.version`, read without loading the engine.
+ */
+export const BUNDLED_RUSH_VERSION: string = JsonFile.load(
+  require.resolve('@microsoft/rush-lib/package.json')
+).version;

apps/rush-cli-client/src/daemonConnectionOptions.ts

@@ -3,17 +3,17 @@
 
 import * as fs from 'node:fs';
 
-import { Rush } from '@microsoft/rush-lib';
 import { JsonFile } from '@rushstack/node-core-library';
 import type { IConnectOrStartDaemonOptions } from '@rushstack/rush-client-core';
 import { computeDaemonWorkspaceKey, resolveDaemonPathsFromProcess } from '@rushstack/rush-daemon-transport';
 import { readDaemonInstallationMetadata } from '@rushstack/rush-daemon/lib/DaemonInstallation';
 import {
   DaemonLauncherUnavailableError,
-  getSelectedDaemonStartCommand,
-  selectDaemonLauncherAsync,
-  type IVersionSelectedDaemonLaunch
-} from '@rushstack/rush-daemon/lib/VersionSelectedDaemonLauncher';
+  getSelectedDaemonStartCommand
+} from '@rushstack/rush-daemon/lib/DaemonLaunchCommand';
+import type { IVersionSelectedDaemonLaunch } from '@rushstack/rush-daemon/lib/VersionSelectedDaemonLauncher';
+
+import { BUNDLED_RUSH_VERSION } from './bundledRushVersion';
 
 export function getDaemonConnectionOptions(
   repoRoot: string,
@@ -57,9 +57,13 @@ export async function getDaemonConnectionOptionsAsync(
     false
   );
   if (!autoStart) return { paths: options.paths };
-  // The bundled runtime is already loaded here; its bootstrap re-attests before binding.
-  if (rushVersion === Rush.version)
+  // The bundled runtime needs no selection; its bootstrap re-attests before binding.
+  if (rushVersion === BUNDLED_RUSH_VERSION)
     return getDaemonConnectionOptions(repoRoot, rushVersion, environment, true);
+  // Selecting another installation uses the engine's installer APIs, so it is loaded only when needed.
+  const { selectDaemonLauncherAsync } = await import(
+    '@rushstack/rush-daemon/lib/VersionSelectedDaemonLauncher'
+  );
   const launch: IVersionSelectedDaemonLaunch = await selectDaemonLauncherAsync({
     repoRoot: fs.realpathSync.native(repoRoot),
     rushVersion,

apps/rush-cli-client/src/launchClient.ts

@@ -4,12 +4,11 @@
 import * as path from 'node:path';
 
 import {
-  Rush,
-  RushConfiguration,
   daemonEnvironmentVariables,
   resolveDaemonConfiguration,
   type IDaemonConfigurationJson
-} from '@microsoft/rush-lib';
+} from '@microsoft/rush-lib/lib/api/DaemonConfiguration';
+import { tryFindRushJsonLocation } from '@microsoft/rush-lib/lib/api/RushJsonLocation';
 import { JsonFile } from '@rushstack/node-core-library';
 import {
   DaemonClientError,
@@ -22,9 +21,9 @@ import {
 } from '@rushstack/rush-client-core';
 import type { DaemonVerbosity, IDaemonRequestEnvelope } from '@rushstack/rush-daemon-protocol';
 import { ConsoleTerminalProvider } from '@rushstack/terminal';
-import { MinimalRushConfiguration } from '@microsoft/rush/lib/MinimalRushConfiguration';
-import { DaemonLauncherUnavailableError } from '@rushstack/rush-daemon/lib/VersionSelectedDaemonLauncher';
+import { DaemonLauncherUnavailableError } from '@rushstack/rush-daemon/lib/DaemonLaunchCommand';
 
+import { BUNDLED_RUSH_VERSION } from './bundledRushVersion';
 import { executeDaemonCommandAsync } from './daemonCommands';
 import { ClientOperationRenderer } from './ClientOperationRenderer';
 import { getDaemonConnectionOptionsAsync } from './daemonConnectionOptions';
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ interface IWorkspaceJson {
 export async function launchClientAsync(rushx: boolean): Promise<void> {
   const cwd: string = process.cwd();
   const environment: Readonly<NodeJS.ProcessEnv> = Object.freeze({ ...process.env });
-  const rushJsonPath: string | undefined = RushConfiguration.tryFindRushJsonLocation({ startingFolder: cwd });
+  const rushJsonPath: string | undefined = tryFindRushJsonLocation({ startingFolder: cwd });
   const workspace: IWorkspaceJson | undefined = rushJsonPath ? JsonFile.load(rushJsonPath) : undefined;
   const config: Readonly<Required<IDaemonConfigurationJson>> = resolveDaemonConfiguration(
     workspace?.daemon,
@@ -52,7 +51,8 @@ export async function launchClientAsync(rushx: boolean): Promise<void> {
     rushx,
     hasTerminal: !!(process.stdin.isTTY || process.stdout.isTTY || process.stderr.isTTY)
   });
-  const selectedVersion: string = environment.RUSH_PREVIEW_VERSION ?? workspace?.rushVersion ?? Rush.version;
+  const selectedVersion: string =
+    environment.RUSH_PREVIEW_VERSION ?? workspace?.rushVersion ?? BUNDLED_RUSH_VERSION;
   if (!rushx && route.commandName === 'daemon') {
     if ((route.argv[1] === 'start' || route.argv[1] === 'restart') && process.argv.includes('--no-daemon')) {
       throw new Error(`--no-daemon cannot be combined with daemon ${route.argv[1]}.`);
@@ -145,7 +145,11 @@ export async function launchClientAsync(rushx: boolean): Promise<void> {
     }
   };
   try {
-    if (rushx) MinimalRushConfiguration.loadFromDefaultLocation((line) => discoveryLines.push(line));
+    if (rushx) {
+      // Rushx discovery output needs the frontend's configuration loader, which loads the engine.
+      const { MinimalRushConfiguration } = await import('@microsoft/rush/lib/MinimalRushConfiguration');
+      MinimalRushConfiguration.loadFromDefaultLocation((line) => discoveryLines.push(line));
+    }
     await renderer.initializeAsync();
     outcome = await executeWithDaemonRestartAsync(client, connection, {
       request,
@@ -207,7 +211,7 @@ function launchInProcess(argv: ReadonlyArray<string>, rushx: boolean, selectedVe
   const executable: string = rushx ? 'rushx' : 'rush';
   const rushFolder: string = path.dirname(require.resolve('@microsoft/rush/package.json'));
   process.argv = [process.execPath, path.join(rushFolder, 'bin', executable), ...argv];
-  if (selectedVersion !== Rush.version) {
+  if (selectedVersion !== BUNDLED_RUSH_VERSION) {
     // Old Rush releases reject new RUSH_* names. Only strip this launcher's own inputs;
     // the request snapshot was captured earlier and is never mutated.
     for (const name of [...Object.values(daemonEnvironmentVariables), 'RUSH_DAEMON_EXPERIMENTAL']) {

apps/rush-cli-client/src/routing.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 // See LICENSE in the project root for license information.
 
 import type { IDaemonRequestAdmissionOptions } from '@rushstack/rush-daemon-protocol';
-import { RushXCommand, type IRushXCommandLineArguments } from '@microsoft/rush-lib';
+import {
+  parseRushXCommandLineArguments,
+  type IRushXCommandLineArguments
+} from '@microsoft/rush-lib/lib/cli/RushXCommandLineArguments';
 
 import { parseClientAdmissionControls, type IClientAdmissionControls } from './ClientAdmissionControls';
 
@@ -53,7 +56,7 @@ export function selectClientRoute(options: IClientRouteOptions): IClientRoute {
     ...(separator < 0 ? [] : controls.argv.slice(separator))
   ];
   const rushxArguments: IRushXCommandLineArguments | undefined = options.rushx
-    ? RushXCommand.parseArguments(argv, options.environment)
+    ? parseRushXCommandLineArguments(argv, options.environment)
     : undefined;
   const commandName: string | undefined = rushxArguments ? rushxArguments.commandName || undefined : argv[0];
   const reporterControls: boolean =

common/changes/@microsoft/rush/thelarkinn-client-startup-perf_2026-09-23-22-20-00.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "packageName": "@microsoft/rush",
+      "comment": "Speed up daemon requests: include the bundled implementation in the runtime fingerprint without resolving every file's real path on each request, and resolve rig profiles asynchronously when the daemon reloads project configuration.",
+      "type": "patch"
+    }
+  ],
+  "packageName": "@microsoft/rush"
+}

common/changes/@microsoft/rush/thelarkinn-dogfood-rush-daemon_2026-09-23-17-36-00.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "packageName": "@microsoft/rush",
+      "comment": "Allow daemon build and rebuild requests in repositories whose external Rush plugins are associated only with other commands, and reload the daemon generation when a configured plugin's autoinstaller package.json, cached manifest, or command-line.json changes.",
+      "type": "patch"
+    }
+  ],
+  "packageName": "@microsoft/rush"
+}

common/changes/@rushstack/rush-cli-client/thelarkinn-client-startup-perf_2026-09-23-22-20-00.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-cli-client",
+      "comment": "Start rush-client without loading the Rush engine, which removes about 1.5 seconds from every invocation on Windows.",
+      "type": "patch"
+    }
+  ],
+  "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-cli-client"
+}

common/changes/@rushstack/rush-cli-client/thelarkinn-dogfood-rush-daemon_2026-09-23-17-36-00.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-cli-client",
+      "comment": "Document the plugin narrowing and link the rushstack contributor guide for dogfooding the daemon from source.",
+      "type": "none"
+    }
+  ],
+  "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-cli-client"
+}

common/changes/@rushstack/rush-client-core/thelarkinn-client-startup-perf_2026-09-23-22-20-00.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-client-core",
+      "comment": "Keep waiting for a slow detached daemon start after the requesting client gives up, so later clients can use the daemon instead of finding an abandoned startup reservation.",
+      "type": "patch"
+    }
+  ],
+  "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-client-core"
+}

common/changes/@rushstack/rush-daemon/thelarkinn-client-startup-perf_2026-09-23-22-20-00.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-daemon",
+      "comment": "Move the daemon start command and launcher error into a module that does not load the Rush engine.",
+      "type": "none"
+    }
+  ],
+  "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-daemon"
+}

common/changes/@rushstack/rush-daemon/thelarkinn-dogfood-rush-daemon_2026-09-23-17-36-00.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-daemon",
+      "comment": "Document that external Rush plugins scoped only to other commands no longer prevent daemon builds.",
+      "type": "none"
+    }
+  ],
+  "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-daemon"
+}

common/changes/@rushstack/rush-daemon/thelarkinn-windows-hide-subprocess-consoles_2026-09-23-21-30-00.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-daemon",
+      "comment": "On Windows, keep tools started by the detached daemon (Git, tar and operation shells) from opening visible console windows.",
+      "type": "patch"
+    }
+  ],
+  "packageName": "@rushstack/rush-daemon"
+}

common/config/rush/deploy-rush-daemon-dogfood.json

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+/**
+ * This configuration file defines a deployment scenario for use with the "rush deploy" command.
+ * For full documentation, please see https://rushjs.io
+ *
+ * The "rush-daemon-dogfood" scenario extracts a stable, self-contained copy of the source-built
+ * "rush-client" and "rushx-client" binaries, including the daemon and the Rush engine they bundle.
+ * Contributors use it to try the opt-in Rush daemon on this repository before a release contains it:
+ * a daemon started from the copy keeps working while the workspace rebuilds its own Rush projects.
+ * See docs/rush/dogfooding-rush-daemon.md.
+ */
+{
+  "$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/rush/v5/deploy-scenario.schema.json",
+
+  "deploymentProjectNames": ["@rushstack/rush-cli-client"]
+}