Stufe 2 (#764): Huelle ClawdDotNet.Shell mit eingebettetem Chromium

Avalonia 11.3.17 + CefGlue.Next 152 in eigenem Ordner shell/. Startet den
Manager (ManagerStarter, nach Core gezogen), holt ueber den lokalen Socket
einen Einmal-Link und zeigt die WebUI angemeldet; Taskleistensymbol mit
Zustand. ClawdDotNet ohne Schalter startet die Huelle, sonst den Browser.
publish.py baut sie mit (--no-shell zum Weglassen), unter Linux mit den
Chromium-Ressourcen neben libcef.so. --selftest fuer die Pruefung ohne Blick.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

ClawdDotNet.slnx

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     <Project Path="src/ClawdDotNet.Tools.WebFetch/ClawdDotNet.Tools.WebFetch.csproj" />
     <Project Path="src/ClawdDotNet.Tools.WebMonitor/ClawdDotNet.Tools.WebMonitor.csproj" />
     <Project Path="src/ClawdDotNet.Tools.TelegramClient/ClawdDotNet.Tools.TelegramClient.csproj" />
+    <Project Path="src/ClawdDotNet.Shell/ClawdDotNet.Shell.csproj" />
     <Project Path="src/ClawdDotNet.Tools.AgentComm/ClawdDotNet.Tools.AgentComm.csproj" />
     <Project Path="src/ClawdDotNet.Tools.AgentSpawn/ClawdDotNet.Tools.AgentSpawn.csproj" />
     <Project Path="src/ClawdDotNet.Tools.AgentEditor/ClawdDotNet.Tools.AgentEditor.csproj" />

deploy/publish.py

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 REPO = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 PROJECT = REPO / "src" / "ClawdDotNet.Desktop" / "ClawdDotNet.Desktop.csproj"
 MANAGER_PROJECT = REPO / "src" / "ClawdDotNet.ManagerApp" / "ClawdDotNet.ManagerApp.csproj"
+SHELL_PROJECT = REPO / "src" / "ClawdDotNet.Shell" / "ClawdDotNet.Shell.csproj"
 CONFIG = REPO / "deploy" / "packager.config.json"
 PACKAGER = Path(
     "J:/Softwareprojekte/Deploymentcenter/client-dotnet/Deploymentcenter.Packager"
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ def run(cmd: list[str], **kw) -> None:
         sys.exit(f"Abgebrochen (Rueckgabewert {result.returncode}): {cmd[0]}")
 
 
-def publish(rid: str, out_dir: Path) -> None:
+def publish(rid: str, out_dir: Path, include_shell: bool = True) -> None:
     if out_dir.exists():
         shutil.rmtree(out_dir)
     out_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
@@ -90,6 +91,9 @@ def publish(rid: str, out_dir: Path) -> None:
     ])
     merge_manager(manager_dir, out_dir)
 
+    if include_shell:
+        publish_shell(rid, out_dir, stamp)
+
     # #795: Die systemd-Vorlagen gehoeren ins Linux-Paket - sonst steht die Anleitung in
     # einem Repository, das auf der Zielmaschine niemand hat.
     if rid.startswith("linux"):
@@ -100,6 +104,44 @@ def publish(rid: str, out_dir: Path) -> None:
         print(f"  systemd-Vorlagen: {len(list(units.glob('*.service')))} nach systemd/")
 
 
+def publish_shell(rid: str, out_dir: Path, stamp: str) -> None:
+    """#764: Die Huelle - Fenster mit eingebettetem Chromium - nach shell/.
+
+    Eigener Ordner, weil sie Avalonia 11.3 mitbringt (CefGlue ist dagegen gebaut) und der
+    Instanzprozess weder Avalonia noch Chromium laden soll. Kein merge_manager: Die
+    Bibliotheken der Huelle sollen gerade NICHT neben denen der Instanz liegen.
+
+    build statt publish: Das Chromium-Laufzeitpaket kopiert seine Dateien nur im
+    AfterBuild-Ziel mit gesetzter Plattform; ein publish liess sie aus (23 MB statt
+    ~370 MB, und kein libcef). Unter Linux sucht Chromium icudtl.dat und die .pak-Dateien
+    neben libcef.so, das Paket legt sie nach Resources/ - sie werden hochgezogen.
+    """
+    shell_dir = out_dir / "shell"
+    if shell_dir.exists():
+        shutil.rmtree(shell_dir)
+
+    run([
+        "dotnet", "build", str(SHELL_PROJECT),
+        "-c", "Release", "-r", rid, "--self-contained", "false",
+        "-o", str(shell_dir), "--nologo", "-v", "q", stamp,
+    ])
+
+    resources = shell_dir / "Resources"
+    if rid.startswith("linux") and resources.is_dir():
+        for item in resources.iterdir():
+            target = shell_dir / item.name
+            if target.exists():
+                shutil.rmtree(target) if target.is_dir() else target.unlink()
+            shutil.move(str(item), str(target))
+        resources.rmdir()
+
+    for pdb in shell_dir.rglob("*.pdb"):
+        pdb.unlink()
+
+    size = sum(f.stat().st_size for f in shell_dir.rglob("*") if f.is_file())
+    print(f"  Huelle: {size / 1_048_576:.1f} MB nach shell/")
+
+
 def merge_manager(src: Path, dst: Path) -> None:
     """Legt den Manager neben die Instanz.
 
@@ -183,6 +225,8 @@ def main() -> None:
     parser.add_argument("--agent-file", type=Path,
                         help="vorhandene Kopie des update-agent statt Download; "
                              "die Pruefsumme wird trotzdem gegen installer.json geprueft")
+    parser.add_argument("--no-shell", action="store_true",
+                        help="die Huelle (Fenster mit Chromium, ~370 MB) nicht mitliefern")
     parser.add_argument("--dry-run", action="store_true",
                         help="nur bauen und pruefen, nicht hochladen")
     args = parser.parse_args()
@@ -193,7 +237,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     out_dir = Path(tempfile.gettempdir()) / f"clawddotnet-publish-{args.rid}"
 
     print("\n[1/3] dotnet publish")
-    publish(args.rid, out_dir)
+    publish(args.rid, out_dir, include_shell=not args.no_shell)
 
     print("\n[2/3] update-agent")
     if args.no_agent:

src/ClawdDotNet.Core/Instances/ManagerStarter.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.Net.Sockets;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using ClawdDotNet.Core.Storage;
+
+namespace ClawdDotNet.Core.Instances;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// #764: Finds the running instance manager, or starts it — for the two programs a person starts
+/// by hand: <c>ClawdDotNet</c> without a switch and the shell (<c>ClawdDotNet.Shell</c>).
+///
+/// <para><b>Never a second manager.</b> If the manager answers, it is left alone. If it runs as a
+/// systemd service on this machine, the service is started — starting the program next to it
+/// would put two managers on the same instances. Only otherwise is the manager program started
+/// directly.</para>
+/// </summary>
+public static class ManagerStarter
+{
+    public const int DefaultPort = 7000;
+    public const string ServiceUnit = "clawddotnet-manager.service";
+    private static readonly TimeSpan StartWait = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(30);
+
+    /// <summary>Where <c>manager.json</c> lives — and next to it the manager's local socket.</summary>
+    public static string ConfigDirectory => AppPaths.ConfigDirectory;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Makes sure the manager answers. Returns the port, or the reason it does not answer.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="searchFrom">Folder of the calling program; the manager is looked for there and one level up.</param>
+    public static async Task<(int Port, string? Problem)> EnsureRunningAsync(string searchFrom)
+    {
+        var port = Port(ConfigDirectory);
+        if (Answers(port))
+            return (port, null);
+
+        if (Start(searchFrom) is { } problem)
+            return (port, problem);
+
+        var until = DateTime.UtcNow + StartWait;
+        while (!Answers(port) && DateTime.UtcNow < until)
+            await Task.Delay(500).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+        return Answers(port)
+            ? (port, null)
+            : (port, $"The instance manager did not answer on port {port} within {StartWait.TotalSeconds:0} s. "
+                     + "Its log is under Logs/Manager in the data directory.");
+    }
+
+    public static bool Answers(int port)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            using var client = new TcpClient();
+            return client.ConnectAsync("127.0.0.1", port).Wait(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1)) && client.Connected;
+        }
+        catch (Exception)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The port from <c>manager.json</c>; the default on any doubt. Read as one field, not as the
+    /// manager's settings type, which the callers do not know.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static int Port(string configDirectory)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            var file = Path.Combine(configDirectory, "manager.json");
+            if (!File.Exists(file)) return DefaultPort;
+
+            using var doc = JsonDocument.Parse(File.ReadAllText(file));
+            return doc.RootElement.TryGetProperty("webUiPort", out var port)
+                   && port.ValueKind == JsonValueKind.Number
+                   && port.TryGetInt32(out var value)
+                   && value is > 0 and < 65536
+                ? value
+                : DefaultPort;
+        }
+        catch (Exception)
+        {
+            return DefaultPort;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <returns>Why the manager could not be started, or <c>null</c>.</returns>
+    private static string? Start(string searchFrom)
+    {
+        if (OperatingSystem.IsLinux() && Systemctl("cat", ServiceUnit) == 0)
+        {
+            return Systemctl("start", ServiceUnit) == 0
+                ? null
+                : $"systemctl --user start {ServiceUnit} failed; see journalctl --user -u {ServiceUnit}.";
+        }
+
+        if (FindExecutable(searchFrom) is not { } manager)
+            return "The instance manager (ClawdDotNet.Instanzmanager) was not found next to this program.";
+
+        try
+        {
+            // On Windows with its own console window: that is where the manager shows the access
+            // token on first start. Elsewhere a plain child that outlives the caller.
+            Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo(manager)
+            {
+                UseShellExecute = OperatingSystem.IsWindows(),
+                WorkingDirectory = Path.GetDirectoryName(manager)!
+            });
+            return null;
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            return $"The instance manager could not be started: {ex.Message}";
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static int Systemctl(string verb, string unit)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            var start = new ProcessStartInfo("systemctl") { RedirectStandardOutput = true, RedirectStandardError = true };
+            start.ArgumentList.Add("--user");
+            start.ArgumentList.Add(verb);
+            start.ArgumentList.Add(unit);
+            using var p = Process.Start(start)!;
+            p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
+            p.StandardError.ReadToEnd();
+            p.WaitForExit(30_000);
+            return p.HasExited ? p.ExitCode : -1;
+        }
+        catch (Exception)
+        {
+            return -1; // no systemd here
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Next to the caller, one level up (the shell lives in <c>shell/</c>), or in the build folders
+    /// of a development checkout.
+    ///
+    /// <para>Built from segments, not as a string: a path with backslashes is one file name on
+    /// Linux, and the search never found anything there (moved here from the old
+    /// <c>App.axaml.cs</c>).</para>
+    /// </summary>
+    public static string? FindExecutable(string searchFrom)
+    {
+        var name = OperatingSystem.IsWindows() ? "ClawdDotNet.Instanzmanager.exe" : "ClawdDotNet.Instanzmanager";
+
+        string[][] candidates =
+        [
+            [],
+            [".."],
+            ["..", "..", "..", "..", "ClawdDotNet.ManagerApp", "bin", "Debug", "net10.0"],
+            ["..", "..", "..", "..", "..", "src", "ClawdDotNet.ManagerApp", "bin", "Debug", "net10.0"]
+        ];
+
+        foreach (var segments in candidates)
+        {
+            var path = Path.GetFullPath(Path.Combine([searchFrom, .. segments, name]));
+            if (File.Exists(path)) return path;
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+}

src/ClawdDotNet.Desktop/LauncherRun.cs

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 using System.Diagnostics;
-using System.Net.Sockets;
+using ClawdDotNet.Core.Instances;
-using System.Text.Json;
 using ClawdDotNet.Core.Storage;
 
 namespace ClawdDotNet.Desktop;
@@ -11,47 +10,29 @@ namespace ClawdDotNet.Desktop;
 ///
 /// <para>Until #764 that opened the Avalonia window. The windows are gone; the web interface is
 /// the only one. What a person who starts the program wants is therefore: the instance manager
-/// running, and its web interface in front of them. Until the shell with its own window exists
+/// running, and its web interface in front of them — in the shell's window
-/// (#764, stage 2) the system browser shows it.</para>
+/// (<c>shell/ClawdDotNet.Shell</c>) where the package brings it, otherwise in the system
+/// browser.</para>
 ///
-/// <para><b>Never a second manager.</b> If the manager answers, it is left alone. If it runs as
+/// <para>The shell is a program of its own, in its own folder: it carries Avalonia 11.3 and
-/// a systemd service on this machine, the service is started — starting the program next to it
+/// Chromium, and the instance process — started once per instance by the manager — should load
-/// would put two managers on the same instances. Only otherwise is the manager program started
+/// neither.</para>
-/// directly.</para>
 /// </summary>
 internal static class LauncherRun
 {
     private const int ExitOk = 0;
     private const int ExitNoManager = 6;
 
-    private const int DefaultPort = 7000;
-    private const string ServiceUnit = "clawddotnet-manager.service";
-    private static readonly TimeSpan StartWait = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(30);
-
     public static async Task<int> RunAsync()
     {
-        var port = ManagerPort();
+        if (StartShell())
+            return ExitOk;
 
-        if (!Answers(port))
+        var (port, problem) = await ManagerStarter.EnsureRunningAsync(AppContext.BaseDirectory);
+        if (problem is not null)
         {
-            var problem = StartManager();
+            await Console.Error.WriteLineAsync(problem);
-            if (problem is not null)
+            return ExitNoManager;
-            {
-                await Console.Error.WriteLineAsync(problem);
-                return ExitNoManager;
-            }
-
-            var until = DateTime.UtcNow + StartWait;
-            while (!Answers(port) && DateTime.UtcNow < until)
-                await Task.Delay(500);
-
-            if (!Answers(port))
-            {
-                await Console.Error.WriteLineAsync(
-                    $"The instance manager did not answer on port {port} within {StartWait.TotalSeconds:0} s. "
-                    + "Its log is under Logs/Manager in the data directory.");
-                return ExitNoManager;
-            }
         }
 
         var url = $"http://localhost:{port}/";
@@ -60,121 +41,23 @@ internal static class LauncherRun
         return ExitOk;
     }
 
-    /// <returns>Why the manager could not be started, or <c>null</c>.</returns>
+    /// <summary>The shell starts the manager itself and signs its window in.</summary>
-    private static string? StartManager()
+    private static bool StartShell()
     {
-        if (OperatingSystem.IsLinux() && Systemctl("cat", ServiceUnit) == 0)
+        var name = OperatingSystem.IsWindows() ? "ClawdDotNet.Shell.exe" : "ClawdDotNet.Shell";
-        {
+        var shell = Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, "shell", name);
-            return Systemctl("start", ServiceUnit) == 0
+        if (!File.Exists(shell))
-                ? null
+            return false;
-                : $"systemctl --user start {ServiceUnit} failed; see journalctl --user -u {ServiceUnit}.";
-        }
-
-        if (FindManagerExecutable() is not { } manager)
-        {
-            return "The instance manager (ClawdDotNet.Instanzmanager) was not found next to this program.";
-        }
 
         try
         {
-            // On Windows with its own console window: that is where the manager shows the access
+            Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo(shell) { UseShellExecute = false, WorkingDirectory = Path.GetDirectoryName(shell)! });
-            // token on first start. Elsewhere a plain child that outlives us.
+            return true;
-            Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo(manager)
-            {
-                UseShellExecute = OperatingSystem.IsWindows(),
-                WorkingDirectory = Path.GetDirectoryName(manager)!
-            });
-            return null;
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
-            return $"The instance manager could not be started: {ex.Message}";
+            Console.Error.WriteLine($"The shell could not be started ({ex.Message}); opening the browser instead.");
-        }
-    }
-
-    private static bool Answers(int port)
-    {
-        try
-        {
-            using var client = new TcpClient();
-            return client.ConnectAsync("127.0.0.1", port).Wait(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1)) && client.Connected;
-        }
-        catch (Exception)
-        {
             return false;
         }
     }
-
-    private static int Systemctl(string verb, string unit)
-    {
-        try
-        {
-            var start = new ProcessStartInfo("systemctl") { RedirectStandardOutput = true, RedirectStandardError = true };
-            start.ArgumentList.Add("--user");
-            start.ArgumentList.Add(verb);
-            start.ArgumentList.Add(unit);
-            using var p = Process.Start(start)!;
-            p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
-            p.StandardError.ReadToEnd();
-            p.WaitForExit(30_000);
-            return p.HasExited ? p.ExitCode : -1;
-        }
-        catch (Exception)
-        {
-            return -1; // no systemd here
-        }
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Next to this program in an installation; the build folders in a development checkout.
-    ///
-    /// <para>Built from segments, not as a string: a path with backslashes is one file name on
-    /// Linux, and the search never found anything there (moved here from <c>App.axaml.cs</c>).</para>
-    /// </summary>
-    private static string? FindManagerExecutable()
-    {
-        var name = OperatingSystem.IsWindows() ? "ClawdDotNet.Instanzmanager.exe" : "ClawdDotNet.Instanzmanager";
-
-        var nextTo = Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, name);
-        if (File.Exists(nextTo)) return nextTo;
-
-        string[][] developmentPaths =
-        [
-            ["..", "..", "..", "..", "ClawdDotNet.ManagerApp", "bin", "Debug", "net10.0"],
-            ["..", "..", "..", "..", "..", "src", "ClawdDotNet.ManagerApp", "bin", "Debug", "net10.0"]
-        ];
-
-        foreach (var segments in developmentPaths)
-        {
-            var path = Path.GetFullPath(Path.Combine([AppContext.BaseDirectory, .. segments, name]));
-            if (File.Exists(path)) return path;
-        }
-
-        return null;
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// The port from <c>manager.json</c>; the default on any doubt. Read as one field, not as
-    /// the manager's settings type, which this program does not know.
-    /// </summary>
-    private static int ManagerPort()
-    {
-        try
-        {
-            var file = Path.Combine(AppPaths.ConfigDirectory, "manager.json");
-            if (!File.Exists(file)) return DefaultPort;
-
-            using var doc = JsonDocument.Parse(File.ReadAllText(file));
-            return doc.RootElement.TryGetProperty("webUiPort", out var port)
-                   && port.ValueKind == JsonValueKind.Number
-                   && port.TryGetInt32(out var value)
-                   && value is > 0 and < 65536
-                ? value
-                : DefaultPort;
-        }
-        catch (Exception)
-        {
-            return DefaultPort;
-        }
-    }
 }

src/ClawdDotNet.Shell/ClawdDotNet.Shell.csproj

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+
+  <!-- #764, stage 2: the shell - a window around the web interface, with a tray icon.
+
+       Its own program in its own folder (shell/ in the package), on purpose:
+       - Chromium (CefGlue.Next) is built against Avalonia 11.3; with Avalonia 12 it fails at
+         the first browser (TypeLoadException, tried 2026-10-02). Two Avalonia versions do not
+         fit into one output folder.
+       - The instance process is started once per instance by the manager and should load
+         neither Avalonia nor Chromium. -->
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
+    <!-- The Chromium runtime package for Linux copies libcef & co. only for OutputType Exe; WinExe
+         makes no difference on Linux anyway, but skipped the copy when building for linux-x64. -->
+    <OutputType Condition="$(RuntimeIdentifier.StartsWith('linux'))">Exe</OutputType>
+    <TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
+    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
+    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
+    <RootNamespace>ClawdDotNet.Shell</RootNamespace>
+    <AssemblyName>ClawdDotNet.Shell</AssemblyName>
+    <ApplicationIcon>Assets\app.ico</ApplicationIcon>
+    <!-- Without it Windows refuses the child window that hosts Chromium
+         ("Unable to create child window for native control host"). -->
+    <ApplicationManifest>app.manifest</ApplicationManifest>
+    <!-- CefGlue would raise the stack size of the apphost with editbin from Visual Studio;
+         the build machine does not need Visual Studio for that, Chromium's own processes are
+         started from this same executable and run with the default. -->
+    <IsEditbinEnabled>false</IsEditbinEnabled>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <PackageReference Include="Avalonia" Version="11.3.17" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Avalonia.Desktop" Version="11.3.17" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Avalonia.Themes.Fluent" Version="11.3.17" />
+    <!-- A slim Linux image often has no system font at all; the tray menu and the error text
+         need one. (The same reason the old desktop window shipped Barlow.) -->
+    <PackageReference Include="Avalonia.Fonts.Inter" Version="11.3.17" />
+    <PackageReference Include="CefGlue.Next.Avalonia" Version="152.7977.831" />
+    <PackageReference Include="CefGlue.Next.BrowserProcess.Core" Version="152.7977.831" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <AvaloniaResource Include="Assets\**" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <ProjectReference Include="..\ClawdDotNet.Core\ClawdDotNet.Core.csproj" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+</Project>

src/ClawdDotNet.Shell/Program.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+using System.Net.Http.Json;
+using Avalonia;
+using ClawdDotNet.Core.Instances;
+using ClawdDotNet.Core.Storage;
+using Xilium.CefGlue;
+using Xilium.CefGlue.BrowserProcess;
+using Xilium.CefGlue.Common;
+
+namespace ClawdDotNet.Shell;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// #764, stage 2: the shell. Starts the instance manager if it is not running, asks it for a
+/// one-time sign-in link over its local socket and shows the web interface in its own window,
+/// signed in. The manager keeps running when the window closes — it supervises the instances,
+/// the window only shows them.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class Program
+{
+    private const int ExitOk = 0;
+    private const int ExitNoManager = 6;
+
+    /// <summary>Where the window points; set before Avalonia starts.</summary>
+    internal static string StartUrl { get; private set; } = "";
+
+    internal static int ManagerPort { get; private set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// <c>--selftest</c>: load the page, report whether the sign-in worked and the code left the
+    /// address, then end. For checking a package on a machine where nobody looks at the screen.
+    /// </summary>
+    internal static bool SelfTest { get; private set; }
+
+    public static int Main(string[] args)
+    {
+        // Chromium starts its helper processes from this same executable; they end here.
+        CefSubProcess.Run(args, true);
+
+        SelfTest = args.Contains("--selftest");
+
+        // One shell per user is enough: a second one would only open a second window.
+        using var single = new Mutex(true, "ClawdDotNet.Shell." + Environment.UserName, out var first);
+        if (!first)
+            return ExitOk;
+
+        var (port, problem) = ManagerStarter.EnsureRunningAsync(AppContext.BaseDirectory).GetAwaiter().GetResult();
+        if (problem is not null)
+        {
+            Console.Error.WriteLine(problem);
+            return ExitNoManager;
+        }
+
+        ManagerPort = port;
+        StartUrl = SignInUrl(port);
+
+        // Without a display (a server, an SSH session) there is no window to show — the system
+        // browser is the next best thing, and on a server usually not there either. Say where to go.
+        if (OperatingSystem.IsLinux()
+            && string.IsNullOrEmpty(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("DISPLAY"))
+            && string.IsNullOrEmpty(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("WAYLAND_DISPLAY")))
+        {
+            Console.WriteLine($"No display. The web interface: http://localhost:{port}/");
+            return ExitOk;
+        }
+
+        var cache = Path.Combine(AppPaths.DataDirectory, "shell-cache");
+        var resources = ResourcesDirectory();
+
+        AppDomain.CurrentDomain.ProcessExit += (_, _) => CefRuntime.Shutdown();
+
+        return AppBuilder.Configure<ShellApp>()
+            .UsePlatformDetect()
+            .WithInterFont()
+            .AfterSetup(_ => CefRuntimeLoader.Initialize(
+                new CefSettings
+                {
+                    RootCachePath = cache,
+                    ResourcesDirPath = resources,
+                    LocalesDirPath = Path.Combine(resources, "locales"),
+                    LogSeverity = CefLogSeverity.Warning,
+                    LogFile = Path.Combine(AppPaths.DataDirectory, "Logs", "shell-cef.log")
+                },
+                // Without no-first-run Chromium waits behind a terms-of-service dialog that
+                // nobody can see inside this window (found on Linux, 2026-10-02).
+                [new KeyValuePair<string, string>("no-first-run", "1"),
+                 new KeyValuePair<string, string>("no-default-browser-check", "1")]))
+            .StartWithClassicDesktopLifetime(args);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// A one-time link from the manager's local socket; without it the plain address, where the
+    /// sign-in page asks for the token as before.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static string SignInUrl(int port)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            using var client = ManagerEndpoint.CreateClient(ManagerStarter.ConfigDirectory);
+            client.Timeout = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5);
+            var answer = client.PostAsync("/api/shell/login-code", null).GetAwaiter().GetResult();
+            if (answer.IsSuccessStatusCode
+                && answer.Content.ReadFromJsonAsync<LoginCode>().GetAwaiter().GetResult() is { Url: { Length: > 0 } url })
+                return url;
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex) when (ex is HttpRequestException or IOException or TaskCanceledException or TimeoutException)
+        {
+            Console.Error.WriteLine($"No one-time sign-in from the manager ({ex.Message}); the page will ask for the token.");
+        }
+
+        return $"http://localhost:{port}/";
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Chromium's resources (icudtl.dat, *.pak, locales). The Linux runtime package puts them into
+    /// Resources/, Chromium looks next to libcef — the package step moves them; this covers a
+    /// development build, where they are still in Resources/.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static string ResourcesDirectory()
+    {
+        var nested = Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, "Resources");
+        return File.Exists(Path.Combine(nested, "icudtl.dat")) ? nested : AppContext.BaseDirectory;
+    }
+
+    private sealed record LoginCode(string Code, string Url);
+}

src/ClawdDotNet.Shell/ShellApp.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+using System.Net.Http.Json;
+using Avalonia;
+using Avalonia.Controls;
+using Avalonia.Controls.ApplicationLifetimes;
+using Avalonia.Platform;
+using Avalonia.Themes.Fluent;
+using Avalonia.Threading;
+using ClawdDotNet.Core.Instances;
+using Xilium.CefGlue.Avalonia;
+
+namespace ClawdDotNet.Shell;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// #764: The window and the tray icon. Everything shown inside the window is the web interface;
+/// this class only hosts it and says, next to the clock, whether the instances run.
+/// </summary>
+internal sealed class ShellApp : Application
+{
+    private static readonly TimeSpan StatusInterval = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(15);
+
+    private Window? _window;
+    private TrayIcon? _tray;
+    private DispatcherTimer? _timer;
+
+    public override void Initialize() => Styles.Add(new FluentTheme());
+
+    public override void OnFrameworkInitializationCompleted()
+    {
+        if (ApplicationLifetime is IClassicDesktopStyleApplicationLifetime desktop)
+        {
+            var icon = new WindowIcon(AssetLoader.Open(new Uri("avares://ClawdDotNet.Shell/Assets/app.ico")));
+
+            _window = new Window
+            {
+                Title = "ClawdDotNet",
+                Icon = icon,
+                Width = 1360,
+                Height = 880,
+                MinWidth = 420,
+                MinHeight = 480,
+                WindowStartupLocation = WindowStartupLocation.CenterScreen,
+                Content = Browser(desktop)
+            };
+            desktop.MainWindow = _window;
+
+            _tray = new TrayIcon
+            {
+                Icon = icon,
+                ToolTipText = "ClawdDotNet",
+                Menu = new NativeMenu
+                {
+                    Items =
+                    {
+                        Item(Texts.Open, ShowWindow),
+                        new NativeMenuItemSeparator(),
+                        Item(Texts.Quit, () => desktop.Shutdown())
+                    }
+                }
+            };
+            _tray.Clicked += (_, _) => ShowWindow();
+            TrayIcon.SetIcons(this, [_tray]);
+
+            _timer = new DispatcherTimer { Interval = StatusInterval };
+            _timer.Tick += async (_, _) => await RefreshStatusAsync();
+            _timer.Start();
+            _ = RefreshStatusAsync();
+        }
+
+        base.OnFrameworkInitializationCompleted();
+    }
+
+    private static AvaloniaCefBrowser Browser(IClassicDesktopStyleApplicationLifetime desktop)
+    {
+        var browser = new AvaloniaCefBrowser { Address = Program.StartUrl };
+        if (!Program.SelfTest)
+            return browser;
+
+        browser.LoadEnd += (_, e) =>
+        {
+            if (!e.Frame.IsMain) return;
+            _ = Task.Run(async () =>
+            {
+                // The exchange runs after load; give it a moment.
+                await Task.Delay(3000);
+                var signedIn = await browser.EvaluateJavaScript<bool>("return !!sessionStorage.getItem('clawd.token')");
+                var hash = await browser.EvaluateJavaScript<string>("return location.hash");
+                Console.WriteLine($"SELFTEST status={e.HttpStatusCode} signedIn={signedIn} codeInAddress={hash.Contains("code=")}");
+                Dispatcher.UIThread.Post(() => desktop.Shutdown(signedIn && !hash.Contains("code=") ? 0 : 1));
+            });
+        };
+        return browser;
+    }
+
+    private static NativeMenuItem Item(string header, Action action)
+    {
+        var item = new NativeMenuItem(header);
+        item.Click += (_, _) => action();
+        return item;
+    }
+
+    private void ShowWindow()
+    {
+        if (_window is null) return;
+        _window.Show();
+        if (_window.WindowState == WindowState.Minimized)
+            _window.WindowState = WindowState.Normal;
+        _window.Activate();
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>The manager's own view of its instances, over the local socket — no token needed there.</summary>
+    private async Task RefreshStatusAsync()
+    {
+        string text;
+        try
+        {
+            using var client = ManagerEndpoint.CreateClient(ManagerStarter.ConfigDirectory);
+            client.Timeout = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(3);
+            var status = await client.GetFromJsonAsync<Status>("/api/shell/status");
+            text = status is null
+                ? Texts.ManagerUnknown
+                : !status.LicenseHolds ? Texts.NoLicense
+                : status.Troubled > 0 ? Texts.Troubled(status.Troubled, status.Instances)
+                : Texts.Running(status.Running, status.Instances);
+        }
+        catch (Exception)
+        {
+            text = Texts.ManagerDown;
+        }
+
+        if (_tray is not null)
+            _tray.ToolTipText = $"ClawdDotNet — {text}";
+    }
+
+    private sealed record Status(int Instances, int Running, int Troubled, bool LicenseHolds, int WebUiPort);
+}

src/ClawdDotNet.Shell/Texts.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+using System.Globalization;
+
+namespace ClawdDotNet.Shell;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// #764 / #661: The few texts of the shell itself — tray menu and tooltip. Everything else is the
+/// web interface with its language packs. English first, German as the first additional language,
+/// chosen by the system's UI language.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class Texts
+{
+    private static readonly bool German =
+        CultureInfo.CurrentUICulture.TwoLetterISOLanguageName.Equals("de", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+
+    public static string Open => German ? "ClawdDotNet öffnen" : "Open ClawdDotNet";
+    public static string Quit => German ? "Fenster beenden (Instanzen laufen weiter)" : "Quit window (instances keep running)";
+    public static string ManagerUnknown => German ? "Zustand unbekannt" : "state unknown";
+    public static string ManagerDown => German ? "Instanzmanager antwortet nicht" : "instance manager not answering";
+    public static string NoLicense => German ? "keine gültige Lizenz" : "no valid license";
+
+    public static string Running(int running, int total)
+        => German ? $"{running} von {total} Instanzen laufen" : $"{running} of {total} instances running";
+
+    public static string Troubled(int troubled, int total)
+        => German ? $"{troubled} von {total} Instanzen gestört" : $"{troubled} of {total} instances in trouble";
+}

src/ClawdDotNet.Shell/app.manifest

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<assembly manifestVersion="1.0" xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
+  <assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0" name="ClawdDotNet.Shell.app"/>
+  <compatibility xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:compatibility.v1">
+    <application>
+      <!-- Windows 10 / 11 -->
+      <supportedOS Id="{8e0f7a12-bfb3-4fe8-b9a5-48fd50a15a9a}" />
+    </application>
+  </compatibility>
+</assembly>