Dataface Tasks
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    Unify IDE preview and inspector on one extension-managed dft serve

    IDIDE_EXTENSION-UNIFY_IDE_PREVIEW_AND_INSPECTOR_ON_ONE_EXTENSION_MANAGED_DFT_SERVE
    Statusnot_started
    Priorityp2
    Milestonem2-internal-adoption-design-partners
    Ownerhead-of-engineering

    Problem

    Design and implement a single extension-managed dft serve runtime for both preview and inspector so the IDE stops mixing direct dft render calls with a separate inspect server lifecycle. Cover variable state, unsaved editor refresh semantics, route design, server discovery/reuse, and migration of preview/open-in-browser/inspector flows onto the shared server.

    Context

    • The extension currently mixes direct render calls with a separate inspect-server lifecycle, which creates duplicated runtime management and stale-state risk inside the IDE.
    • A single extension-managed dft serve runtime could simplify preview and inspector coordination, but only if it handles unsaved edits, variable state, and extension-host lifecycle cleanly.
    • This task should define the runtime contract before implementation so preview and inspector stop behaving like loosely related subsystems.

    Possible Solutions

    • A - Keep preview and inspector on separate runtime paths and patch the rough edges: lower immediate change cost, but it preserves the architectural split.
    • B - Recommended: converge both surfaces on one extension-managed dft serve runtime: unify state management, reduce duplicate process handling, and make the IDE contract easier to reason about.
    • C - Push all runtime responsibility onto external user-managed commands: simpler for the extension, but much worse for the intended analyst workflow.

    Plan

    1. Document the current preview and inspector runtime paths, including state management, process lifecycle, and failure modes.
    2. Design the single dft serve contract the extension should own, including unsaved edits, variable state, restart behavior, and how webviews consume the runtime.
    3. Implement the convergence in the extension-managed surfaces with focused safeguards for stale state and extension-host lifecycle changes.
    4. Add integration-style extension tests and runbook notes that prove preview and inspector now share one reliable runtime model.

    Implementation Progress

    QA Exploration

    • [ ] QA exploration completed (or N/A for non-UI tasks)

    Review Feedback

    • [ ] Review cleared