fix(skills): mount update dialog inside the link-routing provider and fold freshness into the setup rails

The dialog hosts a live terminal pane that requires the link-routing
preference context; mounted outside the provider it crashed the renderer
the moment an eligible update existed (caught by live QA — unit tests
mock the terminal). It now mounts inside the provider behind its own
recoverable boundary.

The separate 'Check for skill updates' settings button is gone: the
setup rails' own pill now carries freshness (Update available / Up to
date, falling back to Installed for blocked or unrecognized copies and
for non-local runtimes the local-only scan cannot vouch for), and
Re-check refreshes both installation detection and the freshness
inventory. Wired for the CLI, Orchestration, Computer Use, and
Per-Workspace Environments rails.

src/renderer/src/App.tsx

@@ -2825,12 +2825,20 @@ function App(): React.JSX.Element {
             >
               <RecentTabSwitcher />
             </RecoverableRenderErrorBoundary>
+            {/* Why: the dialog hosts a live terminal pane, which requires the
+                link-routing preference context; mounting outside crashes it. */}
+            <RecoverableRenderErrorBoundary
+              boundaryId="overlay.skill-freshness-update-dialog"
+              surface="overlay"
+              compact
+            >
+              <SkillFreshnessUpdateDialog />
+            </RecoverableRenderErrorBoundary>
           </LinkRoutingPreferenceDialogProvider>
         </ConfirmationDialogProvider>
       </TooltipProvider>
       <Toaster closeButton toastOptions={{ className: 'font-sans text-sm' }} />
       <SkillFreshnessNudge />
-      <SkillFreshnessUpdateDialog />
       <PinnedTabCloseDialog />
       {/* Why: rendered last so it sits after all -webkit-app-region:drag elements
           in DOM order. Electron's hit-test for drag regions is DOM-order-based and

src/renderer/src/components/settings/AgentSkillSetupPanel.tsx

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useState, type ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { Copy, Loader2, RefreshCw, Terminal } from 'lucide-react'
 import { toast } from 'sonner'
 import { IntegrationStatusPill } from '../integration-status-pill'
+import { SkillFreshnessStatusPill } from '../skills/SkillFreshnessStatusPill'
 import { OnboardingInlineCommandTerminal } from '../onboarding/OnboardingInlineCommandTerminal'
 import { Button } from '../ui/button'
 import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from '../ui/tooltip'
@@ -47,6 +48,10 @@ type AgentSkillSetupPanelProps = {
   openingHint?: ReactNode
   footer?: ReactNode
   onRecheck: () => void | Promise<unknown>
+  // Why: when set, the installed pill reflects skill freshness and Re-check also
+  // refreshes the freshness inventory. Callers omit it for non-local runtimes,
+  // which the local-host-only freshness scan cannot vouch for.
+  freshnessSkillName?: string
 }
 
 export function AgentSkillSetupPanel({
@@ -79,7 +84,8 @@ export function AgentSkillSetupPanel({
   actionHint,
   openingHint,
   footer,
-  onRecheck
+  onRecheck,
+  freshnessSkillName
 }: AgentSkillSetupPanelProps): React.JSX.Element {
   const [terminalOpen, setTerminalOpen] = useState(false)
   const [terminalCommand, setTerminalCommand] = useState<string | null>(null)
@@ -211,7 +217,12 @@ export function AgentSkillSetupPanel({
           variant="ghost"
           size="sm"
           className="gap-1.5"
-          onClick={() => void onRecheck()}
+          onClick={() => {
+            void onRecheck()
+            if (freshnessSkillName) {
+              notifyInstalledAgentSkillsChanged()
+            }
+          }}
           disabled={loading}
         >
           <RefreshCw className={cn('size-3.5', loading && 'animate-spin')} />
@@ -264,12 +275,16 @@ export function AgentSkillSetupPanel({
                     )}
                   </IntegrationStatusPill>
                 ) : installed ? (
-                  <IntegrationStatusPill tone="connected">
-                    {translate(
-                      'auto.components.settings.AgentSkillSetupPanel.9fcebceb2a',
-                      'Installed'
-                    )}
-                  </IntegrationStatusPill>
+                  freshnessSkillName ? (
+                    <SkillFreshnessStatusPill skillName={freshnessSkillName} />
+                  ) : (
+                    <IntegrationStatusPill tone="connected">
+                      {translate(
+                        'auto.components.settings.AgentSkillSetupPanel.9fcebceb2a',
+                        'Installed'
+                      )}
+                    </IntegrationStatusPill>
+                  )
                 ) : (
                   <IntegrationStatusPill tone="attention">
                     {translate(

src/renderer/src/components/settings/CliSection.tsx

@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import { Button } from '../ui/button'
 import { Label } from '../ui/label'
 import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipProvider, TooltipTrigger } from '../ui/tooltip'
 import { AgentSkillSetupPanel } from './AgentSkillSetupPanel'
-import { SkillFreshnessCheckButton } from '../skills/SkillFreshnessCheckButton'
 import { CliRegistrationDialog } from './CliRegistrationDialog'
 import {
   buildSkillCommandForRuntime,
@@ -391,9 +390,8 @@ export function CliSection({
                     }))
               }}
               onRecheck={refreshCliSkill}
+              freshnessSkillName={agentRuntime.runtime === 'host' ? ORCA_CLI_SKILL_NAME : undefined}
             />
-
-            <SkillFreshnessCheckButton className="mt-3" />
           </div>
         ) : null}
       </div>

src/renderer/src/components/settings/ComputerUseSkillSetupPanel.tsx

@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ export function ComputerUseSkillSetupPanel(): React.JSX.Element {
           : ensureOrcaCliAvailableForAgentSkillTerminal())
       }}
       onRecheck={refreshComputerUseSkill}
+      freshnessSkillName={
+        activeSkillRuntime.agentRuntime?.runtime === 'wsl' ? undefined : COMPUTER_USE_SKILL_NAME
+      }
     />
   )
 }

src/renderer/src/components/settings/EphemeralVmsPane.tsx

@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ export function EphemeralVmsPane(): React.JSX.Element {
             : ensureOrcaCliAvailableForAgentSkillTerminal())
         }}
         onRecheck={refreshSkill}
+        freshnessSkillName={
+          activeSkillRuntime.agentRuntime?.runtime === 'wsl' ? undefined : EPHEMERAL_VMS_SKILL_NAME
+        }
       />
 
       <div className="space-y-3 rounded-lg border border-border/60 bg-card/30 p-4">

src/renderer/src/components/settings/OrchestrationSetupCard.tsx

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   ORCHESTRATION_SKILL_INSTALL_COMMAND,
   ORCHESTRATION_SKILL_UPDATE_COMMAND
 } from '@/lib/orchestration-install-command'
+import { ORCHESTRATION_SKILL_NAME } from '@/lib/agent-feature-install-commands'
 import type { InstalledAgentSkillState } from '@/hooks/useInstalledAgentSkills'
 import { useActiveProjectSkillRuntime } from '@/hooks/useActiveProjectSkillRuntime'
 import { AgentSkillSetupPanel } from './AgentSkillSetupPanel'
@@ -75,6 +76,9 @@ export function OrchestrationSetupCard(props: {
           : ensureOrcaCliAvailableForAgentSkillTerminal())
       }}
       onRecheck={skill.refresh}
+      freshnessSkillName={
+        activeSkillRuntime.agentRuntime?.runtime === 'wsl' ? undefined : ORCHESTRATION_SKILL_NAME
+      }
     />
   )
 

src/renderer/src/components/skills/SkillFreshnessCheckButton.test.tsx

@@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
-// @vitest-environment happy-dom
-
-import { act } from 'react'
-import { createRoot, type Root } from 'react-dom/client'
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
-import { SkillFreshnessCheckButton } from './SkillFreshnessCheckButton'
-import {
-  consumeSkillFreshnessUpdateDialogRequest,
-  subscribeSkillFreshnessUpdateDialog
-} from './skill-freshness-update-dialog'
-
-let root: Root | null = null
-let container: HTMLDivElement | null = null
-
-async function renderButton(): Promise<void> {
-  container = document.createElement('div')
-  document.body.appendChild(container)
-  root = createRoot(container)
-  await act(async () => {
-    root?.render(<SkillFreshnessCheckButton />)
-  })
-}
-
-describe('SkillFreshnessCheckButton', () => {
-  beforeEach(() => {
-    consumeSkillFreshnessUpdateDialogRequest()
-  })
-
-  afterEach(async () => {
-    if (root) {
-      await act(async () => root?.unmount())
-    }
-    root = null
-    container?.remove()
-    container = null
-  })
-
-  it('requests the update dialog when clicked', async () => {
-    const listener = vi.fn()
-    const unsubscribe = subscribeSkillFreshnessUpdateDialog(listener)
-    await renderButton()
-
-    const button = container?.querySelector('button')
-    expect(button?.textContent).toContain('Check for skill updates')
-    await act(async () => {
-      button?.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('click', { bubbles: true }))
-    })
-
-    expect(listener).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
-    expect(consumeSkillFreshnessUpdateDialogRequest()).toBe(true)
-    unsubscribe()
-  })
-})

src/renderer/src/components/skills/SkillFreshnessCheckButton.tsx

@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-import { RefreshCw } from 'lucide-react'
-import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
-import { requestSkillFreshnessUpdateDialog } from './skill-freshness-update-dialog'
-
-// Compact re-entry point for the freshness update dialog, mounted at App root.
-// Works even when nothing is outdated: the dialog then shows the up-to-date or
-// diagnostic state.
-export function SkillFreshnessCheckButton({
-  className
-}: {
-  className?: string
-}): React.JSX.Element {
-  return (
-    <Button
-      type="button"
-      variant="outline"
-      size="sm"
-      className={className}
-      onClick={() => requestSkillFreshnessUpdateDialog()}
-    >
-      <RefreshCw className="size-3.5" />
-      {translate(
-        'auto.components.skills.SkillFreshnessCheckButton.label',
-        'Check for skill updates'
-      )}
-    </Button>
-  )
-}

src/renderer/src/components/skills/SkillFreshnessStatusPill.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+
+import { act } from 'react'
+import { createRoot, type Root } from 'react-dom/client'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import type { SkillFreshnessInventory } from '../../../../shared/skill-freshness'
+import { SkillFreshnessStatusPill } from './SkillFreshnessStatusPill'
+
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  inventory: null as SkillFreshnessInventory | null
+}))
+
+vi.mock('@/hooks/useSkillFreshness', () => ({
+  useSkillFreshness: () => ({
+    inventory: mocks.inventory,
+    loading: false,
+    error: null,
+    refresh: vi.fn()
+  })
+}))
+
+function inventory(
+  entries: { name: string; status: 'current' | 'outdated' | 'unrecognized' }[],
+  eligibleUpdateNames: string[]
+): SkillFreshnessInventory {
+  return {
+    schemaVersion: 1,
+    installations: entries.map((entry, index) => ({
+      id: `${entry.name}-${index}`,
+      name: entry.name,
+      description: null,
+      rootId: 'home-agents',
+      providers: ['agent-skills'],
+      sourceKind: 'home',
+      sourceLabel: 'Agent skills home',
+      unresolvedPath: `/home/.agents/skills/${entry.name}`,
+      resolvedPath: `/home/.agents/skills/${entry.name}`,
+      physicalIdentity: `physical-${entry.name}-${index}`,
+      topology: 'canonical-copy',
+      status: entry.status,
+      installedReleaseRevision: 1,
+      installedAppVersion: '1.0.0',
+      currentReleaseRevision: 2,
+      currentPackageDigest: 'current',
+      currentAppVersion: '2.0.0',
+      observedPackageDigest: 'old',
+      errorCategory: null
+    })),
+    eligibleUpdateNames,
+    scannedAt: 1
+  }
+}
+
+let root: Root | null = null
+let container: HTMLDivElement | null = null
+
+async function renderPill(skillName: string): Promise<HTMLDivElement> {
+  container = document.createElement('div')
+  document.body.appendChild(container)
+  root = createRoot(container)
+  await act(async () => {
+    root?.render(<SkillFreshnessStatusPill skillName={skillName} />)
+  })
+  return container
+}
+
+describe('SkillFreshnessStatusPill', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    mocks.inventory = null
+  })
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    if (root) {
+      await act(async () => root?.unmount())
+    }
+    root = null
+    container?.remove()
+    container = null
+  })
+
+  it('shows Update available for an eligible outdated skill', async () => {
+    mocks.inventory = inventory([{ name: 'orca-cli', status: 'outdated' }], ['orca-cli'])
+
+    expect((await renderPill('orca-cli')).textContent).toBe('Update available')
+  })
+
+  it('shows Up to date when every placement is current', async () => {
+    mocks.inventory = inventory([{ name: 'orca-cli', status: 'current' }], [])
+
+    expect((await renderPill('orca-cli')).textContent).toBe('Up to date')
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to Installed for a blocked outdated placement', async () => {
+    mocks.inventory = inventory(
+      [
+        { name: 'orca-cli', status: 'outdated' },
+        { name: 'orca-cli', status: 'unrecognized' }
+      ],
+      []
+    )
+
+    expect((await renderPill('orca-cli')).textContent).toBe('Installed')
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to Installed before the inventory loads', async () => {
+    expect((await renderPill('orca-cli')).textContent).toBe('Installed')
+  })
+})

src/renderer/src/components/skills/SkillFreshnessStatusPill.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { useSkillFreshness } from '@/hooks/useSkillFreshness'
+import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
+import { IntegrationStatusPill } from '@/components/integration-status-pill'
+
+// Why: the setup rails' Installed pill is presence-only; when freshness knows a
+// safe update exists (or that every copy is current) the pill should say so.
+// Falls back to plain Installed for blocked/unrecognized copies so an unsafe
+// placement is never advertised as updatable here.
+export function SkillFreshnessStatusPill({ skillName }: { skillName: string }): React.JSX.Element {
+  const { inventory } = useSkillFreshness()
+  if (inventory?.eligibleUpdateNames.includes(skillName)) {
+    return (
+      <IntegrationStatusPill tone="attention">
+        {translate(
+          'auto.components.skills.SkillFreshnessStatusPill.updateAvailable',
+          'Update available'
+        )}
+      </IntegrationStatusPill>
+    )
+  }
+  const placements = inventory?.installations.filter(
+    (installation) => installation.name === skillName
+  )
+  if (
+    placements &&
+    placements.length > 0 &&
+    placements.every((installation) => installation.status === 'current')
+  ) {
+    return (
+      <IntegrationStatusPill tone="connected">
+        {translate('auto.components.skills.SkillFreshnessStatusPill.upToDate', 'Up to date')}
+      </IntegrationStatusPill>
+    )
+  }
+  return (
+    <IntegrationStatusPill tone="connected">
+      {translate('auto.components.skills.SkillFreshnessStatusPill.installed', 'Installed')}
+    </IntegrationStatusPill>
+  )
+}

src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json

@@ -3641,8 +3641,10 @@
           "checkNow": "Check now",
           "close": "Close"
         },
-        "SkillFreshnessCheckButton": {
-          "label": "Check for skill updates"
+        "SkillFreshnessStatusPill": {
+          "updateAvailable": "Update available",
+          "upToDate": "Up to date",
+          "installed": "Installed"
         }
       },
       "sidebar": {

src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/es.json

@@ -3641,8 +3641,10 @@
           "checkNow": "Comprobar ahora",
           "close": "Cerrar"
         },
-        "SkillFreshnessCheckButton": {
-          "label": "Buscar actualizaciones de skills"
+        "SkillFreshnessStatusPill": {
+          "updateAvailable": "Actualización disponible",
+          "upToDate": "Actualizado",
+          "installed": "Instalado"
         }
       },
       "sidebar": {

src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ja.json

@@ -3641,8 +3641,10 @@
           "checkNow": "今すぐ確認",
           "close": "閉じる"
         },
-        "SkillFreshnessCheckButton": {
-          "label": "スキルの更新を確認"
+        "SkillFreshnessStatusPill": {
+          "updateAvailable": "更新があります",
+          "upToDate": "最新です",
+          "installed": "インストール済み"
         }
       },
       "sidebar": {

src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ko.json

@@ -3641,8 +3641,10 @@
           "checkNow": "지금 확인",
           "close": "닫기"
         },
-        "SkillFreshnessCheckButton": {
-          "label": "스킬 업데이트 확인"
+        "SkillFreshnessStatusPill": {
+          "updateAvailable": "업데이트 가능",
+          "upToDate": "최신 상태",
+          "installed": "설치됨"
         }
       },
       "sidebar": {

src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/zh.json

@@ -3641,8 +3641,10 @@
           "checkNow": "立即检查",
           "close": "关闭"
         },
-        "SkillFreshnessCheckButton": {
-          "label": "检查技能更新"
+        "SkillFreshnessStatusPill": {
+          "updateAvailable": "有可用更新",
+          "upToDate": "已是最新",
+          "installed": "已安装"
         }
       },
       "sidebar": {