feat(phase2): real say-hi chat + Connected node state on Meet-your-node

- Open your node: shows a 'Connected' badge (+ board name) once the board is claimed.
- Say hi: replaces the liveness-poll self-test with an actual round-trip to the
  agent on the team's own board — sends a greeting, shows the agent's reply, and
  only unlocks once it answers. New blocking /nodes/:teamId/say-hi route (greeting
  never flashes, so no hang risk) + bridge.sayHi + client sayHi(). The /prompt route
  stays fire-and-forget for the flash path.
- Pick your domain already captures to the store and syncs to the server DB via
  useCollectiveSync -> pushTeam, available to later steps/judging.
- Proceed gates on connected + agent-replied + domain. Tests updated + say-hi
  coverage (route + page).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <[email protected]>

api/src/app.ts

@@ -248,6 +248,22 @@ export function createApp(opts: AppOptions): Express {
     res.status(202).json({ accepted: true })
   })
 
+  // Onboarding "say hi": prompt the node and WAIT for its reply (blocking) so the
+  // participant sees their agent answer. Greeting only — never a flash turn.
+  app.post('/nodes/:teamId/say-hi', async (req, res) => {
+    if (!nodes) return res.status(503).json({ error: 'node bridge unavailable' })
+    const b = req.body ?? {}
+    const message = typeof b.message === 'string' && b.message.trim() ? b.message : 'Hi! Introduce yourself in one sentence.'
+    const agent = typeof b.agent === 'string' ? b.agent : undefined
+    try {
+      const reply = await nodes.sayHi(String(req.params.teamId), message, agent)
+      if (reply === null) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'no node registered for team' })
+      res.json({ reply })
+    } catch {
+      res.status(502).json({ error: 'your node did not answer — is it online?' })
+    }
+  })
+
   // Public liveness for a team's board — the wizard/self-test polls this after
   // a claim. Online reflects the bridge's live /health + SSE view.
   app.get('/nodes/:teamId/status', (req, res) => {

api/src/nodes-api.test.ts

@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ describe('node bridge + /nodes routes', () => {
       send: async (node, message, agent) => {
         sent.push({ node, message, agent })
       },
+      sendAndWait: async (node, message, agent) => {
+        sent.push({ node, message, agent })
+        return `echo: ${message}`
+      },
       subscribe: () => () => {}, // no live SSE in the unit test
     })
     app = createApp({ store, broadcast: () => {}, adminCode: ADMIN, judgeCode: JUDGE, nodes })
@@ -78,6 +82,20 @@ describe('node bridge + /nodes routes', () => {
     await request(app).post('/nodes/t1/prompt').send({ message: '  ' }).expect(400)
   })
 
+  it('say-hi waits for the node reply; 404s an unregistered team', async () => {
+    await request(app).post('/nodes/ghost/say-hi').send({}).expect(404)
+    await request(app)
+      .post('/nodes')
+      .set('x-access-code', ADMIN)
+      .send({ teamId: 't1', url: 'http://n', token: 'zc_secret' })
+      .expect(201)
+    const res = await request(app).post('/nodes/t1/say-hi').send({ agent: 'cloud' }).expect(200)
+    expect(res.body.reply).toMatch(/^echo: /)
+    // a default greeting is sent when no message is supplied
+    expect(sent.at(-1)?.message).toMatch(/introduce yourself/i)
+    expect(sent.at(-1)?.agent).toBe('cloud')
+  })
+
   it('503s when no bridge is configured', async () => {
     const bare = createApp({ store, broadcast: () => {}, adminCode: ADMIN, judgeCode: JUDGE })
     await request(bare).get('/nodes').set('x-access-code', ADMIN).expect(503)

api/src/nodes.ts

@@ -123,6 +123,22 @@ export async function sendPrompt(node: NodeRef, message: string, agent = 'defaul
   })
 }
 
+/**
+ * Prompt a node and WAIT for its reply text (the blocking `/webhook` response).
+ * Only for non-flashing turns (e.g. the onboarding greeting) — a flash turn must
+ * stay fire-and-forget via {@link sendPrompt} or it hangs the agent's task.
+ */
+export async function promptAndWait(node: NodeRef, message: string, agent = 'default'): Promise<string> {
+  const res = await fetch(`${node.url}/webhook?agent=${encodeURIComponent(agent)}`, {
+    method: 'POST',
+    headers: { authorization: `Bearer ${node.token}`, 'content-type': 'application/json' },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ message }),
+  })
+  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`webhook ${res.status}`)
+  const body = (await res.json().catch(() => ({}))) as { response?: string }
+  return (body.response ?? '').trim()
+}
+
 export interface SubscribeOptions {
   /** Aborts the whole reconnect loop when fired. */
   signal?: AbortSignal
@@ -219,6 +235,9 @@ export interface NodeBridge {
   remove(teamId: string): void
   list(): NodeView[]
   prompt(teamId: string, message: string, agent?: string): Promise<boolean>
+  /** Say-hi: prompt the node and return its reply text (blocking). `null` if the
+   *  team has no registered node. Non-flash use only (the greeting). */
+  sayHi(teamId: string, message: string, agent?: string): Promise<string | null>
   /** Stream one team's node activity to a participant. Returns an unsubscribe fn. */
   onTeamActivity(teamId: string, listener: (e: WsEvent) => void): () => void
   stopAll(): void
@@ -230,6 +249,7 @@ export interface NodeBridgeDeps {
   /** Injectable for tests. */
   ping?: (n: NodeRef) => Promise<boolean>
   send?: (n: NodeRef, m: string, agent?: string) => Promise<void>
+  sendAndWait?: (n: NodeRef, m: string, agent?: string) => Promise<string>
   subscribe?: (n: NodeRef, onEvent: (e: WsEvent) => void, onStatus: (online: boolean) => void) => () => void
 }
 
@@ -243,6 +263,7 @@ export function createNodeBridge(deps: NodeBridgeDeps): NodeBridge {
   const registry = deps.registry ?? createNodeRegistry()
   const ping = deps.ping ?? pingNode
   const send = deps.send ?? sendPrompt
+  const sendAndWait = deps.sendAndWait ?? promptAndWait
   const subscribe = deps.subscribe ?? ((n, on, onStatus) => subscribeNodeEvents(n, on, { onStatus }))
   const online = new Map<string, boolean>()
   const stops = new Map<string, () => void>()
@@ -287,6 +308,11 @@ export function createNodeBridge(deps: NodeBridgeDeps): NodeBridge {
       await send(node, message, agent)
       return true
     },
+    async sayHi(teamId, message, agent) {
+      const node = registry.get(teamId)
+      if (!node) return null
+      return sendAndWait(node, message, agent)
+    },
     onTeamActivity(teamId, listener) {
       let set = teamListeners.get(teamId)
       if (!set) {

src/components/OpenYourNode.tsx

@@ -58,9 +58,14 @@ export function OpenYourNode({ variant = 'hero', className }: OpenYourNodeProps)
       )}
     >
       <div>
-        <div className="text-xl font-bold tracking-tight">Open your node →</div>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          <span className="text-xl font-bold tracking-tight">Open your node →</span>
+          <span className="font-mono text-[9px] uppercase tracking-widest text-teal border border-teal/40 bg-teal/10 rounded px-1.5 py-0.5">
+            Connected
+          </span>
+        </div>
         <div className="font-mono text-[10px] text-muted-foreground mt-1 truncate max-w-xs">
-          {device.nodeUrl}
+          {device.port ? `${device.port} · ` : ''}{device.nodeUrl}
         </div>
       </div>
       <span className="w-2.5 h-2.5 rounded-full bg-teal animate-pulse shrink-0" aria-hidden />

src/lib/api.ts

@@ -161,6 +161,20 @@ export async function releaseBoard(kit: string, code: string): Promise<{ release
 
 // --- ZeroClaw node (participant) ------------------------------------------
 /** Send a prompt to the team's board, routed to a pre-provisioned agent alias. */
+/** Onboarding "say hi": prompt the team's node and wait for its reply text. */
+export async function sayHi(teamId: string, agent?: string, message?: string): Promise<string> {
+  const res = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/nodes/${encodeURIComponent(teamId)}/say-hi`, {
+    method: 'POST',
+    headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ agent, message }),
+  })
+  if (!res.ok) {
+    const body = (await res.json().catch(() => ({}))) as { error?: string }
+    throw new Error(body.error ?? `sayHi ${res.status}`)
+  }
+  return ((await res.json()) as { reply: string }).reply
+}
+
 export async function sendPrompt(teamId: string, message: string, agent?: string): Promise<void> {
   const res = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/nodes/${encodeURIComponent(teamId)}/prompt`, {
     method: 'POST',

src/pages/EnvSetup.test.tsx

@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
-import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, vi } from 'vitest'
-import { render, screen, fireEvent, act } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { render, screen, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { MemoryRouter } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { EnvSetup } from './EnvSetup'
 import { useSession } from '@/store/session'
-import { getNodeStatus } from '@/lib/api'
+import { sayHi } from '@/lib/api'
 
 vi.mock('@/lib/api', async (orig) => ({
   ...(await orig<typeof import('@/lib/api')>()),
-  getNodeStatus: vi.fn(),
+  sayHi: vi.fn(),
 }))
-const mockNodeStatus = vi.mocked(getNodeStatus)
+const mockSayHi = vi.mocked(sayHi)
 
 function renderPage() {
   return render(
@@ -21,13 +21,14 @@ function renderPage() {
 
 /** Connect a board with a live node URL — the common precondition. */
 function connect(nodeUrl: string | null = 'http://192.168.1.7:8080') {
-  useSession.getState().setDevice({ connected: true, port: 'board · KIT-01', uptimeS: 0, nodeUrl })
+  useSession.getState().setDevice({ connected: true, port: 'board · crimson-otter', uptimeS: 0, nodeUrl })
 }
 
 describe('EnvSetup — Meet your node', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     useSession.getState().reset()
     sessionStorage.clear()
+    mockSayHi.mockReset()
   })
 
   it('renders the phase strip set to setup and the heading', () => {
@@ -42,19 +43,17 @@ describe('EnvSetup — Meet your node', () => {
   it('prompts to claim a board first when not connected', () => {
     renderPage()
     expect(screen.getByText(/claim your board first/i)).toBeInTheDocument()
-    expect(screen.queryByRole('link', { name: /open your node/i })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /say hi to your agent/i })).toBeDisabled()
-    // say-hi is disabled with no device
-    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /say hi \/ confirm online/i })).toBeDisabled()
     expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /proceed/i })).toBeDisabled()
   })
 
-  it('renders the Open-your-node CTA to the board url when connected with a nodeUrl', () => {
+  it('shows the node as Connected with the board url when claimed', () => {
     connect('http://192.168.1.7:8080')
     renderPage()
     const link = screen.getByRole('link', { name: /open your node/i })
     expect(link).toHaveAttribute('href', 'http://192.168.1.7:8080')
     expect(link).toHaveAttribute('target', '_blank')
-    expect(link).toHaveAttribute('rel', 'noopener noreferrer')
+    expect(screen.getByText(/^connected$/i)).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
   it('falls back to the claim prompt when connected but there is no nodeUrl', () => {
@@ -64,39 +63,34 @@ describe('EnvSetup — Meet your node', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText(/claim your board first/i)).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
-  it('requires a domain even after the board is online', async () => {
+  it('says hi to the agent and shows its reply', async () => {
-    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    mockSayHi.mockResolvedValue("Hi! I'm your node — I can read your sensor and drive the matrix.")
-    try {
-      mockNodeStatus.mockResolvedValue({ teamId: 't', online: true })
     connect()
     renderPage()
 
-      fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /say hi \/ confirm online/i }))
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /say hi to your agent/i }))
-      await act(async () => {
+    expect(await screen.findByTestId('node-reply')).toHaveTextContent(/read your sensor/i)
-        await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(2000)
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /your node replied/i })).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
-      expect(screen.getByText(/online ✓/i)).toBeInTheDocument()
 
-      // online but no domain → still gated
+  it('requires a domain even after the agent replies', async () => {
+    mockSayHi.mockResolvedValue('hello there')
+    connect()
+    renderPage()
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /say hi to your agent/i }))
+    await screen.findByTestId('node-reply')
     expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /proceed/i })).toBeDisabled()
-    } finally {
-      vi.useRealTimers()
-    }
   })
 
-  it('keeps Proceed gated when a domain is named but the board is not confirmed online', () => {
+  it('keeps Proceed gated when a domain is named but the agent has not replied', () => {
     connect()
     useSession.getState().setDomain('air quality')
     renderPage()
     expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /proceed/i })).toBeDisabled()
   })
 
-  describe('say hi / online confirmation', () => {
+  it('enables Proceed once the agent has replied AND a domain is named', async () => {
-    beforeEach(() => vi.useFakeTimers())
+    mockSayHi.mockResolvedValue('hello there')
-    afterEach(() => vi.useRealTimers())
-
-    it('enables Proceed once online AND a domain is named, without polluting stats', async () => {
-      mockNodeStatus.mockResolvedValue({ teamId: 't', online: true })
     connect()
     useSession.getState().setDomain('structural stress')
     renderPage()
@@ -104,15 +98,17 @@ describe('EnvSetup — Meet your node', () => {
     const proceed = screen.getByRole('button', { name: /proceed/i })
     expect(proceed).toBeDisabled()
 
-      fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /say hi \/ confirm online/i }))
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /say hi to your agent/i }))
-      await act(async () => {
+    await screen.findByTestId('node-reply')
-        await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(2000)
-      })
-
-      expect(screen.getByText(/online ✓/i)).toBeInTheDocument()
     expect(proceed).toBeEnabled()
-      // confirmation polls must NOT be counted as workshop events
     expect(useSession.getState().stats.calls).toBe(0)
   })
+
+  it('surfaces an error when the node does not answer', async () => {
+    mockSayHi.mockRejectedValue(new Error('your node did not answer — is it online?'))
+    connect()
+    renderPage()
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /say hi to your agent/i }))
+    expect(await screen.findByRole('alert')).toHaveTextContent(/did not answer/i)
   })
 })

src/pages/EnvSetup.tsx

@@ -7,14 +7,10 @@ import { PhaseStrip } from '@/components/PhaseStrip'
 import { OpenYourNode } from '@/components/OpenYourNode'
 import { DomainPicker } from '@/components/DomainPicker'
 import { useSession } from '@/store/session'
-import { getNodeStatus } from '@/lib/api'
+import { sayHi } from '@/lib/api'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
-type SelfTest = 'idle' | 'running' | 'ok'
+type HiState = 'idle' | 'running' | 'ok'
-
-/** Say-hi confirmation: poll the claimed board's liveness this many times. */
-const SELFTEST_POLLS = 12
-const SELFTEST_POLL_MS = 500
 
 export function EnvSetup() {
   const navigate = useNavigate()
@@ -22,27 +18,27 @@ export function EnvSetup() {
   const device = useSession((s) => s.device)
   const domain = useSession((s) => s.domain)
   const completePhase = useSession((s) => s.completePhase)
-  const [selfTest, setSelfTest] = useState<SelfTest>('idle')
+  const [hi, setHi] = useState<HiState>('idle')
+  const [reply, setReply] = useState('')
+  const [hiError, setHiError] = useState<string | null>(null)
 
-  const runSelfTest = async () => {
+  const saidHi = async () => {
-    setSelfTest('running')
+    if (hi === 'running') return
-    // Confirm the claimed board is reachable and online.
+    setHi('running')
-    for (let i = 0; i < SELFTEST_POLLS; i++) {
+    setHiError(null)
+    setReply('')
     try {
-        const s = await getNodeStatus(teamId)
+      // Chat with the agent on the team's own board; a reply means it's live.
-        if (s.online) {
+      const r = await sayHi(teamId, 'cloud')
-          setSelfTest('ok')
+      setReply(r || '(your node replied)')
-          return
+      setHi('ok')
+    } catch (e) {
+      setHiError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Could not reach your node.')
+      setHi('idle')
     }
-      } catch {
-        /* board not registered yet / transient — keep polling */
-      }
-      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, SELFTEST_POLL_MS))
-    }
-    setSelfTest('idle') // couldn't confirm — let them retry
   }
 
-  const ready = device.connected && selfTest === 'ok' && domain.trim().length > 0
+  const ready = device.connected && hi === 'ok' && domain.trim().length > 0
 
   const onProceed = () => {
     completePhase('setup')
@@ -92,26 +88,54 @@ export function EnvSetup() {
           </CardHeader>
           <CardContent className="space-y-4">
             <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground leading-relaxed">
-              Open your node&rsquo;s dashboard and say hi — it introduces itself and lists the skills
+              Say hi to the agent running on your board. When it replies, your node is live and
-              it already has. Then confirm it&rsquo;s online here.
+              listening — and you&rsquo;re clear to name its domain.
             </p>
+
+            {/* the exchange */}
+            {(hi !== 'idle' || reply) && (
+              <div className="space-y-2" data-testid="say-hi-chat">
+                <div className="flex justify-end">
+                  <span className="rounded-lg bg-primary/10 text-foreground px-3 py-1.5 text-sm max-w-[80%]">Hi 👋</span>
+                </div>
+                {hi === 'running' && (
+                  <div className="flex items-center gap-2 font-mono text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
+                    <span className="w-2 h-2 rounded-full bg-amber animate-pulse" />
+                    your node is thinking…
+                  </div>
+                )}
+                {reply && (
+                  <div className="flex justify-start">
+                    <span className="rounded-lg border border-teal/40 bg-teal/5 px-3 py-1.5 text-sm max-w-[80%]" data-testid="node-reply">
+                      {reply}
+                    </span>
+                  </div>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            )}
+
             <Button
-              variant="outline"
+              variant={hi === 'ok' ? 'outline' : 'default'}
               className="w-full justify-start"
-              disabled={!device.connected || selfTest === 'running'}
+              disabled={!device.connected || hi === 'running'}
-              onClick={runSelfTest}
+              onClick={saidHi}
             >
               <span
                 className={cn(
                   'w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-3',
-                  selfTest === 'ok' ? 'bg-teal' : selfTest === 'running' ? 'bg-amber animate-pulse' : 'bg-muted-foreground',
+                  hi === 'ok' ? 'bg-teal' : hi === 'running' ? 'bg-amber animate-pulse' : 'bg-muted-foreground',
                 )}
               />
-              {selfTest === 'ok' ? 'Online ✓' : selfTest === 'running' ? 'Checking…' : 'Say hi / confirm online'}
+              {hi === 'ok' ? 'Your node replied ✓' : hi === 'running' ? 'Waiting for your node…' : 'Say hi to your agent'}
             </Button>
+            {hiError && (
+              <p role="alert" className="text-xs text-red-500 leading-relaxed">{hiError}</p>
+            )}
+            {!device.connected && (
               <p className="font-mono text-[10px] text-muted-foreground leading-relaxed">
-              Confirms the board is reachable and live. Does not count toward your session stats.
+                Bind your board in team registration first.
               </p>
+            )}
           </CardContent>
         </Card>