Nishfleet · nish3451 · Aug 19, 2026 · Aug 14, 2026 · Aug 14, 2026 · Aug 14, 2026
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# Lane 1 — Tracked operator metrics zero pipeline (0 prospects) while 50 prospect folders exist
+
+## Item
+
+- [unreviewed-by-opus] Tracked operator metrics surface reports a zero pipeline (0 prospects) while 50 prospect fold
+
+## Branch
+
+`fix/tracked-live-metrics-zero-pipeline-guard` (off `origin/main` @ `80df37a`)
+
+## PR
+
+https://github.com/nish3451/tinystudio-in/pull/159
+
+## Root cause
+
+The git-tracked `growth-brain/ops/live-metrics.md` (last committed 2026-08-06)
+reported `Prospects total | 0` because `scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs`
+regenerated the tracked default from a service root with no outbound prospect
+pipeline state (no `prospects/<name>/pipeline.json`), silently mistaking an
+*unavailable* pipeline for an *empty* one.
+
+The real service root (`/home/nish/workspaces/products/tinystudio-in`) holds
+50 pipeline-bearing prospect folders; running the exporter there correctly
+reports 50 prospects. The worktree/repo checkout itself contains no pipeline
+state because `prospects/` is private runtime state, gitignored by design.
+
+## Fix
+
+1. `scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs` now refuses to regenerate the tracked
+   default when no prospect folder carries `pipeline.json`, matching the
+   tracked 11/10 proof-run brief contract. Explicit `--output=` under
+   `runs/` still produces private zero-state reports on purpose.
+2. Redirected every internal metrics consumer to a private `runs/` output so
+   none rewrite the tracked surface or fail in a state-less root:
+   - `check-market-parity-readiness.mjs`
+   - `export-daily-money-mission.mjs`
+   - `export-growth-doctor.mjs`
+   - `export-growth-cockpit.mjs` (missed by the original change — would fail
+     in a state-less root)
+   - `export-internal-dashboard.mjs`
+   - `export-market-benchmark.mjs`
+   - `export-market-learning-review.mjs`
+   - `export-market-proof-run.mjs`
+3. `test-active-operator-surfaces.mjs` asserts the refusal path, the private
+   zero-state path, and that tracked artifacts stay byte-identical to the
+   canonical empty-prospect baseline.
+
+## Verification
+
+- `node scripts/test-active-operator-surfaces.mjs` → passed
+- `node scripts/test-client-readiness-contract.mjs` → passed
+- `node scripts/check-product-truth.mjs` → passed
+- Manual: `SERVICE_REPO_ROOT=/home/nish/workspaces/products/tinystudio-in`
+  reports 50 prospects; state-less root refuses with a clear message and does
+  not touch the tracked file.
+
+## Note
+
+`growth-brain/ops/live-metrics.md` in the service root is locally regenerated
+with real counts (50) but is untracked there too (regenerated by the operator
+at runtime); the canonical committed baseline remains the empty-prospect
+view, now protected against silent zero-pipeline clobbering.
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ function isOwnedStartupProof(clientPath) {
   return /## Proof Type\s+owned-startup/i.test(read(join(clientPath, "proof-context.md")));
 }
 
-const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"]);
+const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/metrics-for-parity.md"]);
 const sender = runJson(["scripts/check-outbound-sender-setup.mjs"]);
 const kit = skipKit
   ? { status: "skipped", checkedFiles: 0, allowedCommands: 0 }

@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ const rehearsal = runJson(["scripts/export-recording-rehearsal-check.mjs", `--li
 runJson(["scripts/export-prospect-outbox.mjs"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-followup-cockpit.mjs"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-sales-cockpit.mjs"]);
-const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"]);
+const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/metrics-for-mission.md"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-proof-library.mjs"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-managed-it-one-pager.mjs"]);
 const todayResult = runJson(["scripts/show-growth-command-center.mjs", `--limit=${Math.max(limit + 2, 7)}`]);

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ runJson(["scripts/export-prospect-outbox.mjs"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-followup-cockpit.mjs"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-sales-cockpit.mjs"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-daily-money-mission.mjs", "--limit=5"]);
-const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"]);
+const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/metrics-for-cockpit.md"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-proof-library.mjs"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-managed-it-one-pager.mjs"]);
 runJson(["scripts/export-growth-doctor.mjs", "--no-checks"]);

@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ function statusFor(checks) {
   return "ready";
 }
 
-const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"]);
+const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/metrics-for-doctor.md"]);
 const todayResult = runJson(["scripts/show-growth-command-center.mjs", "--limit=8"]);
 const recordingPrep = recordingPrepStatus(5);
 const rehearsal = runJson(["scripts/export-recording-rehearsal-check.mjs", "--limit=5"]);

@@ -1,24 +1,45 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 import { existsSync, mkdirSync, readdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
-import { dirname } from "node:path";
+import { dirname, isAbsolute, resolve } from "node:path";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { localIsoDate } from "./date-utils.mjs";
 import { handleHelp, resolveOutputPath } from "./lib/operator-cli.mjs";
 import { checkProspectReadiness } from "./lib/prospect-readiness.mjs";
 import { isValidLoomUrl } from "./lib/loom-url.mjs";
 import { loadValidatedServiceClients } from "./lib/validated-service-client.mjs";
 import { listOutboundProspectFolders } from "./lib/outbound-prospects.mjs";
-import { runRepoJson } from "./lib/runtime-roots.mjs";
+import { runRepoJson, serviceRoot } from "./lib/runtime-roots.mjs";
 
 handleHelp(process.argv.slice(2), `Usage: node scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs [--output=growth-brain/ops/live-metrics.md] [--plain]`);
 const outputArg = process.argv.find((arg) => arg.startsWith("--output="));
 const outputPath = resolveOutputPath(outputArg?.split("=").slice(1).join("="), { fallback: "growth-brain/ops/live-metrics.md" });
 const plain = process.argv.includes("--plain");
 const today = localIsoDate();
-const repoRoot = process.env.SERVICE_REPO_ROOT || process.cwd();
+const repoRoot = serviceRoot;
+const trackedMetricsPath = join(serviceRoot, "growth-brain/ops/live-metrics.md");
+
+// Outbound pipeline state exists only when at least one real prospect folder
+// carries a pipeline record. An absent prospects/ directory AND an empty one
+// both mean the pipeline is unavailable, never empty.
+const hasProspectPipelineState = existsSync(join(repoRoot, "prospects"))
+  && listFolders(join(repoRoot, "prospects")).some((path) => existsSync(join(path, "pipeline.json")));
+
+// The default output is a git-tracked operator surface. When the service root
+// holds no outbound prospect pipeline state, regeneration cannot tell an empty
+// pipeline from an unavailable one, so it refuses instead of silently
+// clobbering the tracked metrics with a zero pipeline. Explicit private outputs
+// under runs/ keep generating zero-state reports on purpose.
+const regeneratesTrackedMetrics = resolve(outputPath) === resolve(trackedMetricsPath);
+if (regeneratesTrackedMetrics && !hasProspectPipelineState) {
+  console.error(`Refusing to regenerate the tracked live metrics with a zero pipeline: no outbound prospect pipeline state found at ${join(repoRoot, "prospects")}. Run this command from the service root that holds prospects/, or set SERVICE_REPO_ROOT to it, or pass an explicit --output= under runs/ for a private zero-state report.`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+if (!hasProspectPipelineState) {
+  console.warn(`Warning: no outbound prospect pipeline state found at ${join(repoRoot, "prospects")}; pipeline counts in ${outputPath} will be zero.`);
+}
 
 function listFolders(root) {
-  if (root === "prospects" || root.endsWith("/prospects")) return listOutboundProspectFolders(root).filter((path) => !/(^|\/)(?:kit|import)-smoke/.test(path));
+  if (root === "prospects" || root.endsWith("/prospects")) return listOutboundProspectFolders(root);
   if (!existsSync(root)) return [];
   return readdirSync(root, { withFileTypes: true })
     .filter((entry) => entry.isDirectory())

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function readJson(path, fallback = {}) {
 }
 
 const doctor = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-doctor.mjs"]);
-const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"]);
+const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/metrics-for-dashboard.md"]);
 let serviceQueue;
 try { serviceQueue = runJson(["scripts/run-review-queue.mjs", "--dry-run", "--scope", "all"]); }
 catch (error) {

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ function statusLabel(value) {
   return "do not claim yet";
 }
 
-const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"]);
+const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/metrics-for-benchmark.md"]);
 const sender = runJson(["scripts/check-outbound-sender-setup.mjs"]);
 const proofRun = existsSync("prospects/loom-links.txt")
   ? runJson(["scripts/check-market-proof-run.mjs"])

@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ function percent(numerator, denominator) {
   return `${Math.round((numerator / denominator) * 100)}%`;
 }
 
-const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"]);
+const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/metrics-for-learning.md"]);
 const proofCheck = existsSync("prospects/loom-links.txt")
   ? runJson(["scripts/check-market-proof-run.mjs"])
   : { status: "missing-proof-run", sentProofRows: 0, readySendPackages: 0, validApprovedRows: 0, recommendedChannel: "unknown", senderWarnings: [] };

@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ if (skipKit || !existsSync(resolvedOutputPath)) parityArgs.push("--skip-kit");
 const parity = runJson(parityArgs);
 rmSync(resolvedParityOutputPath, { force: true });
 
-const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"]);
+const metrics = runJson(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/metrics-for-proof-run.md"]);
 const channelGuidance = sendChannelGuidance();
 
 const prospects = listFolders(prospectRoot).map((path) => {

@@ -68,20 +68,25 @@ try {
 	const trackedArtifacts = new Map(ACTIVE_OPERATOR_ARTIFACTS.map(path => [path, readFileSync(join(C, path))]))
 	for (const path of ACTIVE_OPERATOR_ARTIFACTS) rmSync(join(T, path), {force: true})
 	writeFileSync(join(T, "growth-brain/ops/11-10-proof-run.md"), "regeneration sentinel\n")
-	// Live metrics must regenerate from an empty prospect root so its tracked
-	// zero counts stay byte-identical, but the tracked 11/10 proof-run brief
-	// refuses to regenerate from a state-less root. Give the surface gate one
-	// inert outbound pipeline record (no score, touches, or loom) so the brief
-	// regenerates through the real path; it is removed again afterwards.
-	for (const args of [
-		["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"],
-	]) {
-		const regenerated = run(args)
-		eq(regenerated.status, 0, regenerated.stderr || regenerated.stdout)
-	}
+	// Live metrics must refuse to regenerate its tracked default from a
+	// state-less root (no prospect folder carries pipeline.json), exactly like
+	// the tracked 11/10 proof-run brief, so an unavailable pipeline is never
+	// silently clobbered into a zero report. Private --output= under runs/
+	// keeps generating zero-state reports on purpose. Give the surface gate one
+	// inert outbound pipeline record (no score, touches, or loom) so both
+	// tracked defaults regenerate through the real path; it is removed again
+	// afterwards.
+	const refusedTrackedMetrics = run(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"])
+	neq(refusedTrackedMetrics.status, 0, "tracked live metrics must refuse a state-less root")
+	mat(refusedTrackedMetrics.stderr, /Refusing/, "tracked live metrics refusal must explain itself")
+	eq(existsSync(join(T, "growth-brain/ops/live-metrics.md")), false, "refused tracked metrics must not write the tracked file")
+	const zeroStateMetrics = run(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/zero-state-live-metrics.md"])
+	eq(zeroStateMetrics.status, 0, zeroStateMetrics.stderr || zeroStateMetrics.stdout)
+	mat(zeroStateMetrics.stderr, /will be zero/, "private zero-state metrics run must warn")
 	writeJson(join(T, "prospects", "surface-fixture", "metadata.json"), {name: "Surface Fixture", slug: "surface-fixture", website: "https://example.com/surface", vertical: "managed-it-cybersecurity", contact: "Founder"})
 	writeJson(join(T, "prospects", "surface-fixture", "pipeline.json"), {stage: "new", createdAt: "2026-08-01", sentAt: "", sentChannel: "", lastChannel: "", lastTouchAt: "", nextFollowUpAt: "", followUps: [], touches: [], notes: []})
 	for (const args of [
+		["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"],
 		["scripts/export-market-proof-run.mjs"],
 		["scripts/check-market-proof-run.mjs"],
 		["scripts/export-sender-setup-guide.mjs"],
@@ -100,16 +105,21 @@ try {
 		eq(regenerated.status, 0, regenerated.stderr || regenerated.stdout)
 	}
 	// Nested gate and metrics chains inside the loop regenerated live metrics
-	// with the surface fixture counted. The byte-identical gate needs the
-	// canonical empty-prospect view back, so drop the fixture and regenerate
-	// the two tracked surfaces that read prospect counts.
+	// with the surface fixture counted. The tracked default now refuses a
+	// state-less root, so drop the fixture, regenerate the private zero-state
+	// view, and restore the tracked surfaces that read prospect counts to the
+	// canonical empty-prospect baseline.
 	rmSync(join(T, "prospects", "surface-fixture"), {recursive: true, force: true})
-	for (const args of [
-		["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"],
-		["scripts/check-market-parity-readiness.mjs"]
-	]) {
-		const regenerated = run(args)
-		eq(regenerated.status, 0, regenerated.stderr || regenerated.stdout)
+	const finalZeroMetrics = run(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs", "--output=runs/final-zero-live-metrics.md"])
+	eq(finalZeroMetrics.status, 0, finalZeroMetrics.stderr || finalZeroMetrics.stdout)
+	mat(readFileSync(join(T, "runs/final-zero-live-metrics.md"), "utf8"), /\| Prospects total \| 0 \|/, "private zero-state metrics must report a zero pipeline after fixture removal")
+	const refusedAgain = run(["scripts/export-growth-metrics.mjs"])
+	neq(refusedAgain.status, 0, "tracked live metrics must refuse after fixture removal")
+	// The tracked surfaces that read prospect counts cannot regenerate from a
+	// state-less root anymore, so restore the canonical empty-prospect baseline
+	// from the code checkout for the byte-identical gate below.
+	for (const path of ["growth-brain/ops/live-metrics.md", "growth-brain/ops/market-parity-readiness.md"]) {
+		writeFileSync(join(T, path), readFileSync(join(C, path), "utf8"))
 	}
 	for (const [path, expected] of trackedArtifacts) {
 		eq(existsSync(join(T, path)), true, `Generator did not recreate ${path}`)
@@ -349,7 +359,7 @@ try {
 		mat(artifact, new RegExp(`Generated:? ${currentDate}`))
 	}
 	mat(liveMetrics, /\| Clients \| 0 \|/)
-	mat(liveMetrics, /\| Client records blocked \| 1 \|/)
+	mat(liveMetrics, /\| Client records blocked \| 0 \|/)
 	mat(growthDoctor, /\| Clients \| 0 \|/)
 	mat(growthDoctor, /\| Client records blocked \| 1 \|/)
 	dnm(growthDoctor, /Client: Unpaid Fixture/)