What is the 'Neural Link'?

The Neural Link is a bi-directional bridge that connects AI agents (like Gemini or Claude) directly to the Neo.mjs runtime. It allows agents to 'see' the application's Scene Graph, inspect component state, verify event listeners, and even mutate the running application in real-time. This turns the application into a 'glass box' for AI, enabling autonomous debugging and feature development.

Why is Neo.mjs called an 'Application Engine' instead of a framework?

Traditional frameworks are general-purpose libraries (like a Toyota) that help you organize code, but they compile away into ephemeral DOM nodes. Neo.mjs is a precision-engineered runtime (like an F1 car), similar to Unreal Engine for games. It maintains a persistent 'Scene Graph' of objects in a separate worker thread. These objects retain their identity, state, and relationships, allowing for advanced capabilities like multi-window orchestration, runtime permutation, and deep AI introspection that are impossible with 'melted plastic' DOM-based frameworks.

What is 'Context Engineering'?

Context Engineering is the practice of curating the environment and information flow for AI agents to maximize their autonomy. In Neo.mjs, this is implemented via three Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers: a Knowledge Base for semantic code understanding, a Memory Core for learning from past sessions, and a GitHub Workflow server for project management. This ecosystem allows agents to work as fully integrated members of the development team.

What is 'Object Permanence' in the context of Neo.mjs?

In Neo.mjs, UI components are persistent JavaScript objects living in the App Worker, not just transient rendering results. This 'Object Permanence' means a component (like a Dashboard) maintains its state (scroll position, user input, internal logic) even if it is detached from the DOM or moved to a different browser window. This is the 'Lego Technic' approach versus the 'Duplo' approach of traditional frameworks.

What is an 'Agent Operating System'?

Neo.mjs v11 introduced the concept of an Agent OS, where the platform itself provides the tools and interfaces for AI agents to operate. It combines a standalone, type-safe AI SDK for autonomous 'Code Execution' with the Neural Link for runtime control. This enables agents to monitor, debug, and heal the application autonomously, effectively acting as an operating system for synthetic intelligence.

How does Neo.mjs handle multi-window applications?

Neo.mjs uses shared web workers to run a single application instance across multiple browser windows. All windows share the same application state and data in real-time. Components can even move between windows while retaining their JavaScript instances. This enables desktop-class experiences like multi-window IDEs, browser-based email clients, and multi-screen control rooms.

What makes Neo.mjs different from React, Angular, or Vue?

Neo.mjs is fundamentally different in its architecture: (1) It uses True Multithreading via web workers to prevent UI jank, (2) It is an AI-Native Application Engine with built-in bridges for AI collaboration, and (3) It treats components as persistent objects in a Scene Graph, enabling native multi-window support and runtime permutation.

Frontmatter

id	8694
title	Service Worker: Robust Version Synchronization (Boot Check & 404 Recovery)
state	Closed
labels	enhancementaicore
assignees	tobiu
createdAt	Jan 16, 2026, 5:39 AM
updatedAt	Jan 16, 2026, 5:45 AM
githubUrl	https://github.com/neomjs/neo/issues/8694
author	tobiu
commentsCount	1
parentIssue	null
subIssues	[]
subIssuesCompleted	0
subIssuesTotal	0
blockedBy	[]
blocking	[]
closedAt	Jan 16, 2026, 5:45 AM

Service Worker: Robust Version Synchronization (Boot Check & 404 Recovery)

Name: Neo.mjs Application Engine
Author: Neo.mjs

Closed v11.23.0 enhancementaicore

tobiu commented on Jan 16, 2026, 5:39 AM

To strictly enforce version synchronization between the Client (App/Main) and the Service Worker, ensuring users never get stuck in a "Zombie" state (Old App + New SW + Deleted Assets):

Boot-Time Version Check:
- Update ServiceBase to handle getVersion message.
- Update main.addon.ServiceWorker to query the SW version upon connection.
- If Client.version !== SW.version, trigger immediate location.reload(true).
Runtime 404 Recovery (Safety Net):
- Update ServiceBase.onFetch to intercept 404s on guarded paths (dist/production, etc.).
- If a 404 occurs (implying a race condition where SW updated mid-session or cache was lost), send Neo.Main.reloadWindow({force: true}) to the client.
- Throttle this to prevent loops.

This two-pronged approach ensures:

Fast Failure: We catch the mismatch at boot time before assets fail.
Resilience: We recover if the update happens during the session.

tobiu added the enhancement label on Jan 16, 2026, 5:39 AM

tobiu added the ai label on Jan 16, 2026, 5:39 AM

tobiu added the core label on Jan 16, 2026, 5:39 AM

tobiu referenced in commit 76f0d23 - "enhancement: Service Worker: Robust Version Synchronization (Boot Check & 404 Recovery) (#8694)" on Jan 16, 2026, 5:44 AM

tobiu Jan 16, 2026, 5:45 AM

Input from Gemini 3 Pro:

✦I have implemented the robust version synchronization strategy.

Changes Implemented:

Boot-Time Version Check (src/main/addon/ServiceWorker.mjs):

Upon establishing a connection with the Service Worker, the client now queries the SW version (getVersion action).

If a mismatch is detected (Client.version !== SW.version), the client immediately triggers location.reload(true) to fetch fresh assets. This prevents the "Zombie App" state at the earliest possible moment.

Runtime 404 Recovery (src/worker/ServiceBase.mjs):

Implemented on404(event) handler in ServiceBase.

Updated onFetch to invoke on404 when a request returns status 404.

Configured to guard critical paths: /dist/production/, /dist/esm/, and /src/.

If a 404 occurs on these paths, the SW sends a remoteMethod message to Neo.Main.reloadWindow with force: true.

Added a 5-second throttle (lastReload) to prevent infinite reload loops in case of persistent server errors.

Core Support (src/Main.mjs):

Updated Neo.Main.reloadWindow to accept a {force: true} parameter, which maps to location.reload(true).

Outcome: Users encountering a version mismatch (either at boot due to stale index, or mid-session due to an update) will now experience a single automatic hard reload instead of a crash or blank page. The system is protected against infinite loops.

tobiu closed this issue on Jan 16, 2026, 5:45 AM

tobiu assigned to @tobiu on Jan 16, 2026, 5:45 AM