mudler
diff --git a/‎cmd/local-ai/main.go‎
Lines changed: 3 additions & 2 deletions b/‎cmd/local-ai/main.go‎
Lines changed: 3 additions & 2 deletions
diff --git a/‎core/application/config_file_watcher.go‎
Lines changed: 19 additions & 195 deletions b/‎core/application/config_file_watcher.go‎
Lines changed: 19 additions & 195 deletions
diff --git a/‎core/application/runtime_settings_branding_test.go‎
Lines changed: 92 additions & 7 deletions b/‎core/application/runtime_settings_branding_test.go‎
Lines changed: 92 additions & 7 deletions
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/alecthomas/kong"
 	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
 	"github.com/mudler/LocalAI/core/cli"
+	"github.com/mudler/LocalAI/core/config"
 	"github.com/mudler/LocalAI/internal"
 	"github.com/mudler/xlog"
 
@@ -65,8 +66,8 @@ For documentation and support:
 			// denied". See cli.DefaultGeneratedContentPath.
 			"generatedcontentpath": cli.DefaultGeneratedContentPath(),
 			"uploadpath":           cli.DefaultUploadPath(),
-			"galleries":            `[{"name":"localai", "url":"github:mudler/LocalAI/gallery/index.yaml@master"}]`,
-			"backends":             `[{"name":"localai", "url":"github:mudler/LocalAI/backend/index.yaml@master"}]`,
+			"galleries":            config.DefaultGalleriesJSON,
+			"backends":             config.DefaultBackendGalleriesJSON,
 			"version":              internal.PrintableVersion(),
 		},
 	)
 
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"slices"
 	"time"
 
 	"dario.cat/mergo"
@@ -186,202 +185,27 @@ func readExternalBackendsJson(startupAppConfig config.ApplicationConfig) fileHan
 }
 
 func readRuntimeSettingsJson(startupAppConfig config.ApplicationConfig) fileHandler {
-	handler := func(fileContent []byte, appConfig *config.ApplicationConfig) error {
+	return func(fileContent []byte, appConfig *config.ApplicationConfig) error {
 		xlog.Debug("processing runtime_settings.json")
-
-		// Determine if settings came from env vars by comparing with startup config
-		// startupAppConfig contains the original values set from env vars at startup.
-		// If current values match startup values, they came from env vars (or defaults).
-		// We apply file settings only if current values match startup values (meaning not from env vars).
-		envWatchdogIdle := appConfig.WatchDogIdle == startupAppConfig.WatchDogIdle
-		envWatchdogBusy := appConfig.WatchDogBusy == startupAppConfig.WatchDogBusy
-		envWatchdogIdleTimeout := appConfig.WatchDogIdleTimeout == startupAppConfig.WatchDogIdleTimeout
-		envWatchdogBusyTimeout := appConfig.WatchDogBusyTimeout == startupAppConfig.WatchDogBusyTimeout
-		envWatchdogInterval := appConfig.WatchDogInterval == startupAppConfig.WatchDogInterval
-		envSingleBackend := appConfig.SingleBackend == startupAppConfig.SingleBackend
-		envMaxActiveBackends := appConfig.MaxActiveBackends == startupAppConfig.MaxActiveBackends
-		envMemoryReclaimerEnabled := appConfig.MemoryReclaimerEnabled == startupAppConfig.MemoryReclaimerEnabled
-		envMemoryReclaimerThreshold := appConfig.MemoryReclaimerThreshold == startupAppConfig.MemoryReclaimerThreshold
-		envThreads := appConfig.Threads == startupAppConfig.Threads
-		envContextSize := appConfig.ContextSize == startupAppConfig.ContextSize
-		envF16 := appConfig.F16 == startupAppConfig.F16
-		envDebug := appConfig.Debug == startupAppConfig.Debug
-		envCORS := appConfig.CORS == startupAppConfig.CORS
-		envCSRF := appConfig.DisableCSRF == startupAppConfig.DisableCSRF
-		envCORSAllowOrigins := appConfig.CORSAllowOrigins == startupAppConfig.CORSAllowOrigins
-		envP2PToken := appConfig.P2PToken == startupAppConfig.P2PToken
-		envP2PNetworkID := appConfig.P2PNetworkID == startupAppConfig.P2PNetworkID
-		envFederated := appConfig.Federated == startupAppConfig.Federated
-		envGalleries := slices.Equal(appConfig.Galleries, startupAppConfig.Galleries)
-		envBackendGalleries := slices.Equal(appConfig.BackendGalleries, startupAppConfig.BackendGalleries)
-		envAutoloadGalleries := appConfig.AutoloadGalleries == startupAppConfig.AutoloadGalleries
-		envAutoloadBackendGalleries := appConfig.AutoloadBackendGalleries == startupAppConfig.AutoloadBackendGalleries
-		envPIIDefaultDetectors := slices.Equal(appConfig.PIIDefaultDetectors, startupAppConfig.PIIDefaultDetectors)
-		envAgentJobRetentionDays := appConfig.AgentJobRetentionDays == startupAppConfig.AgentJobRetentionDays
-		envForceEvictionWhenBusy := appConfig.ForceEvictionWhenBusy == startupAppConfig.ForceEvictionWhenBusy
-		envLRUEvictionMaxRetries := appConfig.LRUEvictionMaxRetries == startupAppConfig.LRUEvictionMaxRetries
-		envLRUEvictionRetryInterval := appConfig.LRUEvictionRetryInterval == startupAppConfig.LRUEvictionRetryInterval
-
-		if len(fileContent) > 0 {
-			var settings config.RuntimeSettings
-			err := json.Unmarshal(fileContent, &settings)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-
-			// Apply file settings only if they don't match startup values (i.e., not from env vars)
-			if settings.WatchdogIdleEnabled != nil && !envWatchdogIdle {
-				appConfig.WatchDogIdle = *settings.WatchdogIdleEnabled
-				if appConfig.WatchDogIdle {
-					appConfig.WatchDog = true
-				}
-			}
-			if settings.WatchdogBusyEnabled != nil && !envWatchdogBusy {
-				appConfig.WatchDogBusy = *settings.WatchdogBusyEnabled
-				if appConfig.WatchDogBusy {
-					appConfig.WatchDog = true
-				}
-			}
-			if settings.WatchdogIdleTimeout != nil && !envWatchdogIdleTimeout {
-				dur, err := time.ParseDuration(*settings.WatchdogIdleTimeout)
-				if err == nil {
-					appConfig.WatchDogIdleTimeout = dur
-				} else {
-					xlog.Warn("invalid watchdog idle timeout in runtime_settings.json", "error", err, "timeout", *settings.WatchdogIdleTimeout)
-				}
-			}
-			if settings.WatchdogBusyTimeout != nil && !envWatchdogBusyTimeout {
-				dur, err := time.ParseDuration(*settings.WatchdogBusyTimeout)
-				if err == nil {
-					appConfig.WatchDogBusyTimeout = dur
-				} else {
-					xlog.Warn("invalid watchdog busy timeout in runtime_settings.json", "error", err, "timeout", *settings.WatchdogBusyTimeout)
-				}
-			}
-			if settings.WatchdogInterval != nil && !envWatchdogInterval {
-				dur, err := time.ParseDuration(*settings.WatchdogInterval)
-				if err == nil {
-					appConfig.WatchDogInterval = dur
-				} else {
-					xlog.Warn("invalid watchdog interval in runtime_settings.json", "error", err, "interval", *settings.WatchdogInterval)
-				}
-			}
-			// Handle MaxActiveBackends (new) and SingleBackend (deprecated)
-			if settings.MaxActiveBackends != nil && !envMaxActiveBackends {
-				appConfig.MaxActiveBackends = *settings.MaxActiveBackends
-				// For backward compatibility, also set SingleBackend if MaxActiveBackends == 1
-				appConfig.SingleBackend = (*settings.MaxActiveBackends == 1)
-			} else if settings.SingleBackend != nil && !envSingleBackend {
-				// Legacy: SingleBackend maps to MaxActiveBackends = 1
-				appConfig.SingleBackend = *settings.SingleBackend
-				if *settings.SingleBackend {
-					appConfig.MaxActiveBackends = 1
-				} else {
-					appConfig.MaxActiveBackends = 0
-				}
-			}
-			if settings.MemoryReclaimerEnabled != nil && !envMemoryReclaimerEnabled {
-				appConfig.MemoryReclaimerEnabled = *settings.MemoryReclaimerEnabled
-				if appConfig.MemoryReclaimerEnabled {
-					appConfig.WatchDog = true // Memory reclaimer requires watchdog
-				}
-			}
-			if settings.MemoryReclaimerThreshold != nil && !envMemoryReclaimerThreshold {
-				appConfig.MemoryReclaimerThreshold = *settings.MemoryReclaimerThreshold
-			}
-			if settings.ForceEvictionWhenBusy != nil && !envForceEvictionWhenBusy {
-				appConfig.ForceEvictionWhenBusy = *settings.ForceEvictionWhenBusy
-			}
-			if settings.LRUEvictionMaxRetries != nil && !envLRUEvictionMaxRetries {
-				appConfig.LRUEvictionMaxRetries = *settings.LRUEvictionMaxRetries
-			}
-			if settings.LRUEvictionRetryInterval != nil && !envLRUEvictionRetryInterval {
-				dur, err := time.ParseDuration(*settings.LRUEvictionRetryInterval)
-				if err == nil {
-					appConfig.LRUEvictionRetryInterval = dur
-				} else {
-					xlog.Warn("invalid LRU eviction retry interval in runtime_settings.json", "error", err, "interval", *settings.LRUEvictionRetryInterval)
-				}
-			}
-			if settings.Threads != nil && !envThreads {
-				appConfig.Threads = *settings.Threads
-			}
-			if settings.ContextSize != nil && !envContextSize {
-				appConfig.ContextSize = *settings.ContextSize
-			}
-			if settings.F16 != nil && !envF16 {
-				appConfig.F16 = *settings.F16
-			}
-			if settings.Debug != nil && !envDebug {
-				appConfig.Debug = *settings.Debug
-			}
-			if settings.CORS != nil && !envCORS {
-				appConfig.CORS = *settings.CORS
-			}
-			if settings.CSRF != nil && !envCSRF {
-				appConfig.DisableCSRF = *settings.CSRF
-			}
-			if settings.CORSAllowOrigins != nil && !envCORSAllowOrigins {
-				appConfig.CORSAllowOrigins = *settings.CORSAllowOrigins
-			}
-			if settings.P2PToken != nil && !envP2PToken {
-				appConfig.P2PToken = *settings.P2PToken
-			}
-			if settings.P2PNetworkID != nil && !envP2PNetworkID {
-				appConfig.P2PNetworkID = *settings.P2PNetworkID
-			}
-			if settings.Federated != nil && !envFederated {
-				appConfig.Federated = *settings.Federated
-			}
-			if settings.Galleries != nil && !envGalleries {
-				appConfig.Galleries = *settings.Galleries
-			}
-			if settings.BackendGalleries != nil && !envBackendGalleries {
-				appConfig.BackendGalleries = *settings.BackendGalleries
-			}
-			if settings.AutoloadGalleries != nil && !envAutoloadGalleries {
-				appConfig.AutoloadGalleries = *settings.AutoloadGalleries
-			}
-			if settings.AutoloadBackendGalleries != nil && !envAutoloadBackendGalleries {
-				appConfig.AutoloadBackendGalleries = *settings.AutoloadBackendGalleries
-			}
-			if settings.PIIDefaultDetectors != nil && !envPIIDefaultDetectors {
-				// Request-side default redaction reads this live via
-				// ResolvePIIPolicy, so a file edit takes effect on the next chat
-				// request. The MITM listener resolves its per-host detector map
-				// once at start, so a raw file edit reaches cloud-proxy traffic
-				// only after a restart or a POST /api/settings (which rebuilds
-				// the listener) — the admin UI uses the latter.
-				appConfig.PIIDefaultDetectors = append([]string(nil), (*settings.PIIDefaultDetectors)...)
-			}
-			if settings.AutoUpgradeBackends != nil {
-				appConfig.AutoUpgradeBackends = *settings.AutoUpgradeBackends
-			}
-			if settings.PreferDevelopmentBackends != nil {
-				appConfig.PreferDevelopmentBackends = *settings.PreferDevelopmentBackends
-			}
-			if settings.ApiKeys != nil {
-				// API keys from env vars (startup) should be kept, runtime settings keys replace all runtime keys
-				// If runtime_settings.json specifies ApiKeys (even if empty), it replaces all runtime keys
-				// Start with env keys, then add runtime_settings.json keys (which may be empty to clear them)
-				envKeys := startupAppConfig.ApiKeys
-				runtimeKeys := *settings.ApiKeys
-				// Replace all runtime keys with what's in runtime_settings.json
-				appConfig.ApiKeys = append(envKeys, runtimeKeys...)
-			}
-			if settings.AgentJobRetentionDays != nil && !envAgentJobRetentionDays {
-				appConfig.AgentJobRetentionDays = *settings.AgentJobRetentionDays
-			}
-
-			// If watchdog is enabled via file but not via env, ensure WatchDog flag is set
-			if !envWatchdogIdle && !envWatchdogBusy {
-				if settings.WatchdogEnabled != nil && *settings.WatchdogEnabled {
-					appConfig.WatchDog = true
-				}
-			}
+		if len(fileContent) == 0 {
+			return nil
 		}
-		xlog.Debug("runtime settings loaded from runtime_settings.json")
+		var settings config.RuntimeSettings
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(fileContent, &settings); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		// Same merge semantics as boot: env/CLI-claimed fields win, the
+		// file supplies the rest. This replaces the old inverted guard
+		// (apply only when live != startup snapshot) which skipped genuine
+		// manual edits of any field still at its boot value. Trade-off: a
+		// field previously changed via the API looks env-set to the
+		// baseline comparison, so a manual file edit of that field lands
+		// on the next restart instead of hot-applying.
+		appConfig.ApplyRuntimeSettingsAtStartup(&settings)
+		if settings.ApiKeys != nil {
+			appConfig.ApiKeys = config.MergeAPIKeys(startupAppConfig.ApiKeys, *settings.ApiKeys)
+		}
+		xlog.Debug("runtime settings applied from runtime_settings.json")
 		return nil
 	}
-	return handler
 }
@@ -157,20 +157,32 @@ var _ = Describe("loadRuntimeSettingsFromFile", func() {
 		})
 	})
 
-	// The live file watcher applies pii_default_detectors on a runtime change
-	// the same way it handles galleries/threads/etc.: env-set values (current
-	// == startup snapshot) are left alone, otherwise the file value is applied
-	// to the live config so request-side default redaction picks it up without
-	// a restart.
+	// The live file watcher delegates to ApplyRuntimeSettingsAtStartup, so a
+	// manual edit of runtime_settings.json behaves exactly like a boot-time
+	// load: env/CLI-claimed values win, the file supplies the rest, and the
+	// applied value reaches request-side default redaction without a restart.
 	Describe("file watcher: pii_default_detectors", func() {
-		It("applies a changed file value to the live config", func() {
+		It("applies a file value when the live config is still at its default", func() {
 			startup := config.ApplicationConfig{} // no env baseline
-			live := &config.ApplicationConfig{PIIDefaultDetectors: []string{"old"}}
+			live := config.NewApplicationConfig() // detectors at default (empty)
 			handler := readRuntimeSettingsJson(startup)
 			Expect(handler([]byte(`{"pii_default_detectors":["new-a","new-b"]}`), live)).To(Succeed())
 			Expect(live.PIIDefaultDetectors).To(Equal([]string{"new-a", "new-b"}))
 		})
 
+		It("defers a file edit of an already-customized value to the next restart", func() {
+			// The baseline comparison cannot tell an API-set value from an
+			// env-set one, so the watcher leaves it alone; the boot loader
+			// applies it on restart. Documented trade-off of the unified
+			// merge semantics (design doc 2026-07-16).
+			startup := config.ApplicationConfig{}
+			live := config.NewApplicationConfig()
+			live.PIIDefaultDetectors = []string{"old"}
+			handler := readRuntimeSettingsJson(startup)
+			Expect(handler([]byte(`{"pii_default_detectors":["from-file"]}`), live)).To(Succeed())
+			Expect(live.PIIDefaultDetectors).To(Equal([]string{"old"}))
+		})
+
 		It("leaves an env-controlled value untouched", func() {
 			startup := config.ApplicationConfig{PIIDefaultDetectors: []string{"from-env"}}
 			live := &config.ApplicationConfig{PIIDefaultDetectors: []string{"from-env"}}
@@ -262,6 +274,79 @@ var _ = Describe("loadRuntimeSettingsFromFile", func() {
 		})
 	})
 
+	// Issue #10845 root cause class: fields with non-zero boot defaults
+	// whose == 0 guards never fired, so the persisted value was ignored on
+	// every restart. The registry's baseline comparison fixes them; these
+	// specs pin that.
+	Describe("fields with non-zero defaults (silent restart loss)", func() {
+		It("loads a persisted lru_eviction_max_retries over the default 30", func() {
+			cfg := config.NewApplicationConfig()
+			cfg.DynamicConfigsDir = seedSettings(`{"lru_eviction_max_retries": 99}`)
+			loadRuntimeSettingsFromFile(cfg)
+			Expect(cfg.LRUEvictionMaxRetries).To(Equal(99))
+		})
+
+		It("loads a persisted tracing_max_items over the default 1024", func() {
+			cfg := config.NewApplicationConfig()
+			cfg.DynamicConfigsDir = seedSettings(`{"tracing_max_items": 4096}`)
+			loadRuntimeSettingsFromFile(cfg)
+			Expect(cfg.TracingMaxItems).To(Equal(4096))
+		})
+
+		It("loads a persisted agent_job_retention_days over the default 30", func() {
+			cfg := config.NewApplicationConfig()
+			cfg.DynamicConfigsDir = seedSettings(`{"agent_job_retention_days": 7}`)
+			loadRuntimeSettingsFromFile(cfg)
+			Expect(cfg.AgentJobRetentionDays).To(Equal(7))
+		})
+	})
+
+	// #10845: threads saved via the UI must survive a restart, while
+	// LOCALAI_THREADS/CLI still wins. WithThreads no longer eagerly
+	// resolves 0 to the physical-core count; application.New() does that
+	// after this loader has run.
+	Describe("performance fields", func() {
+		It("loads persisted threads when env/CLI left them unset", func() {
+			cfg := config.NewApplicationConfig(config.WithThreads(0))
+			cfg.DynamicConfigsDir = seedSettings(`{"threads": 4}`)
+			loadRuntimeSettingsFromFile(cfg)
+			Expect(cfg.Threads).To(Equal(4))
+		})
+
+		It("keeps an env/CLI thread count over the file", func() {
+			cfg := config.NewApplicationConfig(config.WithThreads(8))
+			cfg.DynamicConfigsDir = seedSettings(`{"threads": 4}`)
+			loadRuntimeSettingsFromFile(cfg)
+			Expect(cfg.Threads).To(Equal(8))
+		})
+
+		It("loads persisted context_size and f16", func() {
+			cfg := config.NewApplicationConfig()
+			cfg.DynamicConfigsDir = seedSettings(`{"context_size": 4096, "f16": true}`)
+			loadRuntimeSettingsFromFile(cfg)
+			Expect(cfg.ContextSize).To(Equal(4096))
+			Expect(cfg.F16).To(BeTrue())
+		})
+	})
+
+	// Option-less boot contract with core/cli/run.go: the kong threshold
+	// default (0.95) is injected unconditionally even when the reclaimer is
+	// disabled, so DefaultRuntimeBaseline's 0.95 overlay matches reality and
+	// a UI-persisted threshold is not mistaken for an env-set one. Both
+	// persisted fields must apply, and enabling the reclaimer must force the
+	// watchdog master flag (startup invariant).
+	Describe("memory reclaimer", func() {
+		It("applies a persisted enable + threshold on an option-less boot", func() {
+			cfg := config.NewApplicationConfig()
+			cfg.MemoryReclaimerThreshold = 0.95 // what run.go injects when no flag is passed
+			cfg.DynamicConfigsDir = seedSettings(`{"memory_reclaimer_enabled": true, "memory_reclaimer_threshold": 0.5}`)
+			loadRuntimeSettingsFromFile(cfg)
+			Expect(cfg.MemoryReclaimerEnabled).To(BeTrue())
+			Expect(cfg.MemoryReclaimerThreshold).To(Equal(0.5))
+			Expect(cfg.WatchDog).To(BeTrue(), "an enabled reclaimer must force the watchdog on")
+		})
+	})
+
 	// Backend logging capture. Worker/distributed mode force-enables it
 	// (core/services/worker.SetBackendLoggingEnabled(true)); single mode used
 	// to leave it off by default with no CLI flag, so the UI "Backend Logs"