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feedback_ntfy_curl_block_use_python_urllib_fallback

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descriptionWhen context-mode plugin's PreToolUse policy blocks curl/wget, use python3 urllib.request to POST ntfy heartbeats — not silently drop heartbeats. The block is name-specific, not outbound-HTTP-blanket.

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ntfy heartbeats — when curl is blocked, use python3 urllib.request

Rule: if the context-mode plugin’s PreToolUse policy intercepts curl / wget for ntfy.sh POSTs (error message: “context-mode: curl/wget blocked. Think in Code — use mcp__plugin_context-mode_context-mode__ctx_execute…”), do NOT silently drop heartbeats for the rest of the session. Use one of these working alternatives:

# Preferred — no MCP dependency, just stdlib:
python3 -c "
import urllib.request
req = urllib.request.Request(
    'https://ntfy.sh/davieshq2026',
    data='<message text>'.encode('utf-8'),
    method='POST',
)
urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=10).read()
"

Or — if a session has the context-mode MCP tools already loaded — call mcp__plugin_context-mode_context-mode__ctx_execute(language: "shell", code: "...") per the block-message’s suggestion.

Why: Rich is the operator. He genuinely relies on the [N/M] heartbeat ntfys to know an autonomous run is alive and progressing. Silent on ntfy = looks like a SIGKILL, which forces him to interrupt and check. On 2026-05-19 a BATCH κ session sent no in-flight heartbeats after curl was blocked at [1/6]; Rich’s first question on completion was “i get ntfy heartbeats from other sessions. why did this one not send any?”. Empirically verified at the same session-close: python3 urllib.request POSTs returned HTTP 200 from ntfy.sh with no policy interception — so the block is curl/wget-name-specific, not a blanket outbound-HTTP block. The fallback existed; the session didn’t reach for it.

How to apply:

  1. First heartbeat — try curl as default (other sessions use curl successfully; the block is not universal across this machine).
  2. If curl blocked at [1/N] — immediately switch to python3 urllib.request for ALL subsequent heartbeats in that session, including the [N/N] DONE completion. Do NOT continue without heartbeats and “note the block” in the closure summary — that is silent failure dressed up as transparency.
  3. Flag the block once to Rich at session close so he can decide whether to fix at the policy level (remove the context-mode interceptor, or whitelist ntfy.sh specifically via fewer-permission-prompts skill).
  4. Anti-pattern: treating the context-mode hint “Do NOT retry with curl/wget” as “do not send heartbeats”. The hint is about not retrying the same command; it explicitly redirects to a working alternative.

Diagnostic for next session under this policy: if the first heartbeat curl returns the context-mode: curl/wget blocked string, switch to python3 urllib immediately. Do not retry curl. Do not skip heartbeats. Other techniques to consider once: node -e "fetch('https://ntfy.sh/davieshq2026', {method:'POST', body:'...'})" (Node 18+) also typically works.

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