From e72b012f1bf500a6dbb1f6c00d7977cd3d0b8dba Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: galuis116 <galuis116@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:35:02 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] fix(engine): cap idea-intake acceptanceHints entry length

acceptanceHints is a renter-supplied string[] of the same shape as
constraints, which already enforces IDEA_CONSTRAINT_MAX_CHARS per
entry. acceptanceHints had no equivalent bound, so an unbounded entry
could dominate the public acceptance-criteria surface it's later
folded into, contradicting the module's own stated invariant that
every renter freeform text field is length-capped.

Closes #7243
---
 packages/loopover-engine/src/idea-intake.ts |  5 ++--
 test/unit/idea-intake-bridge.test.ts        | 29 +++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 32 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/packages/loopover-engine/src/idea-intake.ts b/packages/loopover-engine/src/idea-intake.ts
index 0f3b98f361..a5f8d14eb6 100644
--- a/packages/loopover-engine/src/idea-intake.ts
+++ b/packages/loopover-engine/src/idea-intake.ts
@@ -102,8 +102,9 @@ export function validateIdeaSubmission(raw: unknown): IdeaValidationResult {
     else if (constraints.some((c) => c.length > IDEA_CONSTRAINT_MAX_CHARS)) errors.push("constraint_too_long");
   }
   const acceptanceHints = input.acceptanceHints;
-  if (acceptanceHints !== undefined && (!Array.isArray(acceptanceHints) || !acceptanceHints.every((h) => typeof h === "string"))) {
-    errors.push("acceptance_hints_invalid");
+  if (acceptanceHints !== undefined) {
+    if (!Array.isArray(acceptanceHints) || !acceptanceHints.every((h) => typeof h === "string")) errors.push("acceptance_hints_invalid");
+    else if (acceptanceHints.some((h) => h.length > IDEA_CONSTRAINT_MAX_CHARS)) errors.push("acceptance_hint_too_long");
   }
   const priority = input.priority;
   if (priority !== undefined && priority !== "normal" && priority !== "high") errors.push("priority_invalid");
diff --git a/test/unit/idea-intake-bridge.test.ts b/test/unit/idea-intake-bridge.test.ts
index c8f0d4875d..c057f8453f 100644
--- a/test/unit/idea-intake-bridge.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/idea-intake-bridge.test.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,35 @@ describe("validateIdeaSubmission", () => {
     expect(validateIdeaSubmission(validIdea({ priority: "urgent" as unknown as IdeaSubmission["priority"] })).ok).toBe(false);
     expect(validateIdeaSubmission(validIdea({ priority: "normal" })).ok).toBe(true);
   });
+
+  it("caps acceptanceHints entry length at IDEA_CONSTRAINT_MAX_CHARS, same bound as constraints (#7243)", () => {
+    const atCap = validateIdeaSubmission(validIdea({ acceptanceHints: ["h".repeat(IDEA_CONSTRAINT_MAX_CHARS)] }));
+    expect(atCap.ok).toBe(true);
+
+    const overCap = validateIdeaSubmission(validIdea({ acceptanceHints: ["h".repeat(IDEA_CONSTRAINT_MAX_CHARS + 1)] }));
+    expect(overCap.ok).toBe(false);
+    if (!overCap.ok) expect(overCap.errors).toContain("acceptance_hint_too_long");
+  });
+
+  it("does not raise acceptance_hint_too_long for a malformed (non-array) acceptanceHints — shape error only", () => {
+    const r = validateIdeaSubmission(validIdea({ acceptanceHints: "x".repeat(IDEA_CONSTRAINT_MAX_CHARS + 1) as unknown as string[] }));
+    expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
+    if (!r.ok) {
+      expect(r.errors).toContain("acceptance_hints_invalid");
+      expect(r.errors).not.toContain("acceptance_hint_too_long");
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("collects an over-length acceptanceHints entry alongside other unrelated errors in one pass", () => {
+    const r = validateIdeaSubmission({
+      title: "t",
+      body: "b",
+      targetRepo: "o/n",
+      acceptanceHints: ["h".repeat(IDEA_CONSTRAINT_MAX_CHARS + 1)],
+    });
+    expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
+    if (!r.ok) expect(r.errors).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(["id_required", "acceptance_hint_too_long"]));
+  });
 });
 
 describe("buildTaskGraph — spec §4 Example A (simple idea → one issue → go)", () => {