fix(windows): hide backend subprocess windows by default

[helix4u]

What does this PR do?

Suppresses Windows terminal/cmd/conhost flashes from Hermes background subprocesses by making hidden child process launches the default for Hermes Python backend entry points, then tightens the remaining no-window paths hit while reproducing Desktop startup/session-load flashes.

The main behavioral change is in hermes_bootstrap.py: on Windows, Hermes now patches subprocess.Popen at bootstrap time so raw Python subprocess.run(...) / Popen(...) call sites inherit CREATE_NO_WINDOW and hidden STARTUPINFO unless the caller explicitly asks for a new console. This matches the product expectation that Desktop/gateway/provider/session loading should not flash terminals while doing background work.

The PR also keeps the MCP stdio launcher hidden even through the MCP SDK fallback path, and routes several Git/GitHub/catalog/TUI helper subprocesses through the existing no-window subprocess helper.

This branch has been rebased onto current main after #53853 reverted the prior terminal-popup PR stack (#53791, #53810, #53829). It is intentionally a single squashed commit on top of that rollback.

This overlaps the Windows terminal-popup PR family, especially #53291, #41078, #53390, and #53542. This branch packages the local Windows/Desktop repro work as one reviewable bundle rather than another single callsite patch.

Related Issue

Fixes #53282
Related: #53370, #53342, #53273, #53065, #53016, #53424
Related PRs / overlap: #53291, #41078, #53390, #53542

Type of Change

• 🐛 Bug fix (non-breaking change that fixes an issue)
• ✨ New feature (non-breaking change that adds functionality)
• 🔒 Security fix
• 📝 Documentation update
• ✅ Tests (adding or improving test coverage)
• ♻️ Refactor (no behavior change)
• 🎯 New skill (bundled or hub)

Changes Made

• hermes_bootstrap.py: install a Windows-only, idempotent subprocess.Popen subclass wrapper from the existing bootstrap path so Python backend children default to hidden console/window settings.
• tools/mcp_tool.py: patch the MCP SDK stdio Windows process factory so configured stdio MCP servers keep CREATE_NO_WINDOW and hidden startup info even if AnyIO process creation falls back to synchronous subprocess.Popen.
• hermes_cli/banner.py, hermes_cli/copilot_auth.py, hermes_cli/main.py, hermes_cli/mcp_catalog.py, tui_gateway/server.py: route Git/GitHub/catalog/update/TUI helper subprocesses through Hermes' existing no-window subprocess helper.
• hermes_cli/main.py: preserve quarantined Windows entry-point shims if an install/update exits successfully without rewriting the replacement shim.
• apps/desktop/electron/windows-child-process.test.cjs: tighten desktop child-process invariants around hidden Windows child options.
• tests/hermes_cli/test_update_autostash.py, tests/hermes_cli/test_update_concurrent_quarantine.py: update focused tests for the update/quarantine behavior touched here.

How to Test

1. On Windows, launch Hermes Desktop from a GUI context and watch startup through blank/silent load, connecting screen, and session/sidebar load. No terminal/cmd/conhost windows should flash during those background transitions.
2. With a configured stdio MCP server such as Docker MCP, relaunch Desktop and verify MCP startup does not create visible terminal windows.
3. Send a simple prompt from Desktop and verify provider/session/tool initialization does not flash terminal windows.
4. Run the focused checks listed below.

Focused local checks run after rebase:

• git diff --check origin/main...HEAD
• venv\Scripts\python.exe -m py_compile hermes_bootstrap.py tools\mcp_tool.py hermes_cli\banner.py hermes_cli\copilot_auth.py hermes_cli\main.py hermes_cli\mcp_catalog.py tui_gateway\server.py
• No-spawn assertion that hermes_bootstrap patches subprocess.Popen, injects CREATE_NO_WINDOW, preserves explicit CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE, and adds hidden startup info.
• No-spawn assertion that the MCP stdio process factory is patched and injects CREATE_NO_WINDOW plus hidden startup info.

Not run locally:

• Full pytest tests/ -q. Local Windows full-suite runs have been unsafe/noisy in this checkout, and this PR was validated with focused compile/static/no-spawn checks plus manual Desktop observation.

Checklist

Code

• I've read the Contributing Guide
• My commit messages follow Conventional Commits (fix(scope):, feat(scope):, etc.)
• I searched for existing PRs to make sure this isn't a duplicate
• My PR contains only changes related to this fix/feature (no unrelated commits)
• I've run pytest tests/ -q and all tests pass
• I've added tests for my changes (required for bug fixes, strongly encouraged for features)
• I've tested on my platform: Windows 11 / Hermes Desktop local AppData checkout

Documentation & Housekeeping

• I've updated relevant documentation (README, docs/, docstrings) — or N/A
• I've updated cli-config.yaml.example if I added/changed config keys — or N/A
• I've updated CONTRIBUTING.md or AGENTS.md if I changed architecture or workflows — or N/A
• I've considered cross-platform impact (Windows, macOS) per the compatibility guide — or N/A
• I've updated tool descriptions/schemas if I changed tool behavior — or N/A

For New Skills

N/A

Screenshots / Logs

N/A. This is a Windows process-window visibility fix; local verification used no-spawn assertions and manual Desktop startup/prompt observation.

[alt-glitch]

This was generated by AI during triage.

Related to the open Windows console-flash cluster: #53358 (CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB under the Desktop Win32 Job Object), #53390 (copilot_auth gh-token site), #53542, #53291, #41078, and #44043 (tools_config subprocess calls), plus issue #53282 which this Fixes. This PR takes a different, broader approach -- a bootstrap-wide subprocess.Popen monkeypatch that makes hidden launches the default -- rather than patching individual call sites. Flagging the cluster so a maintainer can choose between this consolidated bundle and the per-callsite PRs; not closing either.

[tonydwb]

Code Review Summary

Verdict: Approved

Windows subprocess window hiding (11 files, +334/-63). Well-structured fix:

• Extends the existing hiddenWindowsChildOptions pattern to additional spawn sites (updater, etc.)
• Properly tests all call sites via requireAllHiddenChildOptions test helper
• Removes the windowsHide: false assertion that was covering one intentional case (now handled by the test helper)
• hermes_bootstrap.py changes add Windows-specific subprocess handling with proper platform guards

The test helper approach is thorough — it catches future regressions when new spawn sites are added. No concerns about the implementation.

[tonydwb]

Code Review Summary

Verdict: Approved

Comprehensive fix for Windows child process window flashing (11 files, +334/-63). Well-structured approach:

1. hermes_bootstrap.py: Adds apply_windows_subprocess_defaults() — process-wide Popen wrapper that defaults to CREATE_NO_WINDOW + hidden STARTUPINFO
2. hermes_cli/_subprocess_compat.py: Adds run() and popen() convenience wrappers with hidden defaults
3. All call sites updated to use the compat wrappers where appropriate
4. HERMES_ALLOW_VISIBLE_SUBPROCESSES=1 escape hatch for debugging
5. Tests extended with requireAllHiddenChildOptions helper to verify all updater spawn sites

The test helper approach is thorough — it catches future regressions when new spawn sites are added. The CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE guard ensures explicit console requests are respected.

No concerns. Ready to merge.

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Reviewed by Hermes Agent

[helix4u]

i mean... it's working wonders for me rn. so... idk.

[teknium1]

Closing as superseded by the consolidated Windows console-flash work tracked in #54220.

The relevant pieces from this PR/cluster have now landed through the targeted follow-up PRs #54236, #53892, and #54417, or are recorded in the umbrella tracker for any remaining native-Windows verification. Keeping this separate PR open would duplicate the tracker and the merged follow-up work.

Thanks for digging into this — the reports and PRs in this cluster helped identify the remaining spawn legs.

[helix4u]

rip. kinda still think we need that catch all for python in bootstrap or something similar. the shouldnt be a find and fix every place thing. and i'm getting them a lot again an main, just not as persistent. spurts.