build: remove private QA package compat shims

src/infra/npm-update-compat-sidecars.ts

@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-const LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR = ["qa", "channel"].join("-");
-const LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR = ["qa", "lab"].join("-");
-
-type NpmUpdateCompatSidecar = {
-  path: string;
-  content: string;
-};
-
-const EMPTY_RUNTIME_SIDECAR = "export {};\n";
-
-export const NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECARS = [
-  {
-    path: `dist/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}/runtime-api.js`,
-    content: EMPTY_RUNTIME_SIDECAR,
-  },
-  {
-    path: `dist/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}/runtime-api.js`,
-    content: EMPTY_RUNTIME_SIDECAR,
-  },
-] as const satisfies readonly NpmUpdateCompatSidecar[];
-
-export const NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS = new Set<string>(
-  NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECARS.map((entry) => entry.path),
-);
-
-export const NPM_UPDATE_OMITTED_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ROOTS = new Set<string>([
-  `dist/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}`,
-  `dist/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}`,
-  "dist/extensions/qa-matrix",
-]);

src/infra/package-dist-inventory.test.ts

@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ describe("package dist inventory", () => {
 
       await expect(writePackageDistInventory(packageRoot)).resolves.toEqual([
         "dist/current-BR6xv1a1.js",
-        "dist/extensions/qa-channel/runtime-api.js",
       ]);
       await expect(collectPackageDistInventoryErrors(packageRoot)).resolves.toEqual([]);
 
@@ -65,6 +64,18 @@ describe("package dist inventory", () => {
         "index.js",
       );
       const omittedQaLabPluginSdk = path.join(packageRoot, "dist", "plugin-sdk", "qa-lab.js");
+      const omittedQaChannelPluginSdk = path.join(
+        packageRoot,
+        "dist",
+        "plugin-sdk",
+        "qa-channel.js",
+      );
+      const omittedQaChannelProtocolPluginSdk = path.join(
+        packageRoot,
+        "dist",
+        "plugin-sdk",
+        "qa-channel-protocol.js",
+      );
       const omittedQaLabTypes = path.join(
         packageRoot,
         "dist",
@@ -135,6 +146,8 @@ describe("package dist inventory", () => {
       await fs.writeFile(omittedQaLabChunk, "export {};\n", "utf8");
       await fs.writeFile(omittedQaMatrixChunk, "export {};\n", "utf8");
       await fs.writeFile(omittedQaLabPluginSdk, "export {};\n", "utf8");
+      await fs.writeFile(omittedQaChannelPluginSdk, "export {};\n", "utf8");
+      await fs.writeFile(omittedQaChannelProtocolPluginSdk, "export {};\n", "utf8");
       await fs.writeFile(omittedQaLabTypes, "export {};\n", "utf8");
       await fs.writeFile(omittedQaRuntimeChunk, "export {};\n", "utf8");
       await fs.writeFile(omittedRuntimeDepsStamp, "{}\n", "utf8");
@@ -150,9 +163,7 @@ describe("package dist inventory", () => {
       );
       await fs.writeFile(omittedMap, "{}", "utf8");
 
-      await expect(writePackageDistInventory(packageRoot)).resolves.toEqual([
-        "dist/extensions/qa-channel/runtime-api.js",
-      ]);
+      await expect(writePackageDistInventory(packageRoot)).resolves.toEqual([]);
     });
   });
 

src/infra/package-dist-inventory.ts

@@ -1,24 +1,29 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
-import { NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS } from "./npm-update-compat-sidecars.js";
 
 export const PACKAGE_DIST_INVENTORY_RELATIVE_PATH = "dist/postinstall-inventory.json";
 const LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR = ["qa", "channel"].join("-");
 const LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR = ["qa", "lab"].join("-");
-const LEGACY_VERIFIER_COMPAT_INVENTORY_PATHS = [
-  `dist/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}/runtime-api.js`,
-];
 const OMITTED_QA_EXTENSION_PREFIXES = [
   `dist/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}/`,
   `dist/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}/`,
   "dist/extensions/qa-matrix/",
 ];
-const OMITTED_PRIVATE_QA_PLUGIN_SDK_PREFIXES = [`dist/plugin-sdk/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}/`];
+const OMITTED_PRIVATE_QA_PLUGIN_SDK_PREFIXES = [
+  `dist/plugin-sdk/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}/`,
+  `dist/plugin-sdk/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}/`,
+];
 const OMITTED_PRIVATE_QA_PLUGIN_SDK_FILES = new Set([
+  `dist/plugin-sdk/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}.d.ts`,
+  `dist/plugin-sdk/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}.js`,
+  `dist/plugin-sdk/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}-protocol.d.ts`,
+  `dist/plugin-sdk/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}-protocol.js`,
   `dist/plugin-sdk/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}.d.ts`,
   `dist/plugin-sdk/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}.js`,
   "dist/plugin-sdk/qa-runtime.d.ts",
   "dist/plugin-sdk/qa-runtime.js",
+  `dist/plugin-sdk/src/plugin-sdk/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}.d.ts`,
+  `dist/plugin-sdk/src/plugin-sdk/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}-protocol.d.ts`,
   `dist/plugin-sdk/src/plugin-sdk/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}.d.ts`,
   "dist/plugin-sdk/src/plugin-sdk/qa-runtime.d.ts",
 ]);
@@ -28,6 +33,7 @@ const OMITTED_DIST_SUBTREE_PATTERNS = [
   /^dist\/extensions\/[^/]+\/node_modules(?:\/|$)/u,
   /^dist\/extensions\/[^/]+\/\.openclaw-runtime-deps-[^/]+(?:\/|$)/u,
   /^dist\/extensions\/qa-matrix(?:\/|$)/u,
+  new RegExp(`^dist/plugin-sdk/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_CHANNEL_DIR}(?:/|$)`, "u"),
   new RegExp(`^dist/plugin-sdk/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}(?:/|$)`, "u"),
 ] as const;
 const INSTALL_STAGE_DEBRIS_DIR_PATTERN = /^\.openclaw-install-stage(?:-[^/]+)?$/iu;
@@ -67,9 +73,6 @@ function isPackagedDistPath(relativePath: string): boolean {
   if (relativePath === "dist/plugin-sdk/.tsbuildinfo") {
     return false;
   }
-  if (LEGACY_VERIFIER_COMPAT_INVENTORY_PATHS.includes(relativePath)) {
-    return true;
-  }
   if (
     OMITTED_PRIVATE_QA_PLUGIN_SDK_PREFIXES.some((prefix) => relativePath.startsWith(prefix)) ||
     OMITTED_PRIVATE_QA_PLUGIN_SDK_FILES.has(relativePath) ||
@@ -219,12 +222,9 @@ export async function assertNoBundledRuntimeDepsStagingDebris(packageRoot: strin
 
 export async function writePackageDistInventory(packageRoot: string): Promise<string[]> {
   await assertNoBundledRuntimeDepsStagingDebris(packageRoot);
-  const inventory = [
-    ...new Set([
-      ...(await collectPackageDistInventory(packageRoot)),
-      ...LEGACY_VERIFIER_COMPAT_INVENTORY_PATHS,
-    ]),
-  ].toSorted((left, right) => left.localeCompare(right));
+  const inventory = [...new Set(await collectPackageDistInventory(packageRoot))].toSorted(
+    (left, right) => left.localeCompare(right),
+  );
   const inventoryPath = path.join(packageRoot, PACKAGE_DIST_INVENTORY_RELATIVE_PATH);
   await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(inventoryPath), { recursive: true });
   await fs.writeFile(inventoryPath, `${JSON.stringify(inventory, null, 2)}\n`, "utf8");
@@ -269,9 +269,6 @@ export async function collectPackageDistInventoryErrors(packageRoot: string): Pr
 
   for (const relativePath of expectedFiles) {
     if (!actualSet.has(relativePath)) {
-      if (NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS.has(relativePath)) {
-        continue;
-      }
       errors.push(`missing packaged dist file ${relativePath}`);
     }
   }

src/infra/update-global.test.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import { bundledDistPluginFile } from "../../test/helpers/bundled-plugin-paths.j
 import { BUNDLED_RUNTIME_SIDECAR_PATHS } from "../plugins/runtime-sidecar-paths.js";
 import { withTempDir } from "../test-helpers/temp-dir.js";
 import { captureEnv } from "../test-utils/env.js";
-import { NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS } from "./npm-update-compat-sidecars.js";
 import {
   PACKAGE_DIST_INVENTORY_RELATIVE_PATH,
   writePackageDistInventory,
@@ -39,14 +38,6 @@ async function writeGlobalPackageJson(packageRoot: string, version = "1.0.0") {
   );
 }
 
-async function writeCompatSidecars(packageRoot: string) {
-  for (const relativePath of NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS) {
-    const absolutePath = path.join(packageRoot, relativePath);
-    await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(absolutePath), { recursive: true });
-    await fs.writeFile(absolutePath, "export {};\n", "utf-8");
-  }
-}
-
 async function writeBundledPluginPackageJson(
   packageRoot: string,
   pluginId: string,
@@ -399,7 +390,6 @@ describe("update global helpers", () => {
   it("checks installed dist against the packaged inventory", async () => {
     await withTempDir({ prefix: "openclaw-update-global-pkg-" }, async (packageRoot) => {
       await writeGlobalPackageJson(packageRoot);
-      await writeCompatSidecars(packageRoot);
       for (const relativePath of BUNDLED_RUNTIME_SIDECAR_PATHS) {
         const absolutePath = path.join(packageRoot, relativePath);
         await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(absolutePath), { recursive: true });
@@ -428,7 +418,6 @@ describe("update global helpers", () => {
   it("ignores bundled plugin install stages during installed dist verification", async () => {
     await withTempDir({ prefix: "openclaw-update-global-plugin-stage-" }, async (packageRoot) => {
       await writeGlobalPackageJson(packageRoot);
-      await writeCompatSidecars(packageRoot);
       await fs.mkdir(path.join(packageRoot, "dist", "extensions", "brave"), { recursive: true });
       await writePackageDistInventory(packageRoot);
 
@@ -456,7 +445,6 @@ describe("update global helpers", () => {
   it("does not require private QA sidecars when the inventory is missing", async () => {
     await withTempDir({ prefix: "openclaw-update-global-legacy-" }, async (packageRoot) => {
       await writeGlobalPackageJson(packageRoot);
-      await writeCompatSidecars(packageRoot);
 
       await expect(collectInstalledGlobalPackageErrors({ packageRoot })).resolves.toEqual([]);
     });
@@ -467,7 +455,6 @@ describe("update global helpers", () => {
       { prefix: "openclaw-update-global-missing-inventory-new-" },
       async (packageRoot) => {
         await writeGlobalPackageJson(packageRoot, "2026.4.15");
-        await writeCompatSidecars(packageRoot);
 
         await expect(collectInstalledGlobalPackageErrors({ packageRoot })).resolves.toContain(
           `missing package dist inventory ${PACKAGE_DIST_INVENTORY_RELATIVE_PATH}`,
@@ -511,7 +498,6 @@ describe("update global helpers", () => {
       { prefix: "openclaw-update-global-critical-sidecars-" },
       async (packageRoot) => {
         await writeGlobalPackageJson(packageRoot, "2026.4.15");
-        await writeCompatSidecars(packageRoot);
         await writeBundledPluginPackageJson(packageRoot, "matrix", "@openclaw/matrix");
         await writePackageDistInventory(packageRoot);
 
@@ -527,7 +513,6 @@ describe("update global helpers", () => {
       { prefix: "openclaw-update-global-stale-private-qa-" },
       async (packageRoot) => {
         await writeGlobalPackageJson(packageRoot, "2026.4.15");
-        await writeCompatSidecars(packageRoot);
         await writeBundledPluginPackageJson(packageRoot, "qa-lab", "@openclaw/qa-lab");
         await writePackageDistInventory(packageRoot);
 

src/infra/update-global.ts

@@ -5,10 +5,6 @@ import path from "node:path";
 import { BUNDLED_RUNTIME_SIDECAR_PATHS } from "../plugins/runtime-sidecar-paths.js";
 import { normalizeLowercaseStringOrEmpty } from "../shared/string-coerce.js";
 import { pathExists } from "../utils.js";
-import {
-  NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS,
-  NPM_UPDATE_OMITTED_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ROOTS,
-} from "./npm-update-compat-sidecars.js";
 import {
   collectPackageDistInventory,
   PACKAGE_DIST_INVENTORY_RELATIVE_PATH,
@@ -46,6 +42,11 @@ const NPM_GLOBAL_INSTALL_OMIT_OPTIONAL_FLAGS = [
   ...NPM_GLOBAL_INSTALL_QUIET_FLAGS,
 ] as const;
 const FIRST_PACKAGED_DIST_INVENTORY_VERSION = { major: 2026, minor: 4, patch: 15 };
+const OMITTED_PRIVATE_QA_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ROOTS = new Set([
+  "dist/extensions/qa-channel",
+  "dist/extensions/qa-lab",
+  "dist/extensions/qa-matrix",
+]);
 
 function normalizePackageTarget(value: string): string {
   return value.trim();
@@ -187,25 +188,18 @@ async function collectInstalledPackageDistErrors(params: {
 }
 
 async function collectLegacyInstalledPackageDistPaths(packageRoot: string): Promise<string[]> {
-  const expectedFiles = new Set(NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS);
-  for (const relativePath of await collectCriticalInstalledPackageDistPaths(packageRoot)) {
-    expectedFiles.add(relativePath);
-  }
-  return [...expectedFiles].toSorted((left, right) => left.localeCompare(right));
+  return await collectCriticalInstalledPackageDistPaths(packageRoot);
 }
 
 async function collectCriticalInstalledPackageDistPaths(packageRoot: string): Promise<string[]> {
   const expectedFiles = new Set<string>();
   await Promise.all(
     BUNDLED_RUNTIME_SIDECAR_PATHS.map(async (relativePath) => {
-      if (NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS.has(relativePath)) {
-        return;
-      }
       const pluginRoot = resolveBundledPluginRoot(relativePath);
       if (pluginRoot === null) {
         return;
       }
-      if (NPM_UPDATE_OMITTED_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ROOTS.has(pluginRoot)) {
+      if (OMITTED_PRIVATE_QA_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ROOTS.has(pluginRoot)) {
         return;
       }
       if (
@@ -239,18 +233,12 @@ async function collectInstalledPathErrors(params: {
         ? actualSet.has(relativePath)
         : await pathExists(path.join(params.packageRoot, relativePath));
     if (!exists) {
-      if (NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS.has(relativePath)) {
-        continue;
-      }
       errors.push(params.missingMessage(relativePath));
     }
   }
   if (actualSet !== null && params.unexpectedMessage) {
     const expectedSet = new Set(params.expectedFiles);
     for (const relativePath of params.actualFiles ?? []) {
-      if (NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS.has(relativePath)) {
-        continue;
-      }
       if (!expectedSet.has(relativePath)) {
         errors.push(params.unexpectedMessage(relativePath));
       }

src/plugins/contracts/plugin-sdk-subpaths.test.ts

@@ -354,6 +354,8 @@ describe("plugin-sdk subpath exports", () => {
       "lobster",
       "pairing-access",
       "provider-model-definitions",
+      "qa-channel",
+      "qa-channel-protocol",
       "reply-prefix",
       "secret-input-schema",
       "signal-core",