[desktop] "Could not start bb" most of the time

[mateusscheper]

Summary

Whenever I open the desktop application, it says:

Could not start bb

Port http://127.0.0.1:38886 is responding, but it does not look like bb: /api/v1/system/config returned This operation was aborted. Logs are under /home/{redacted}/.bb/logs/.

  bb
o Starting server
✓ Server listening on http://127.0.0.1:38886
o Starting host daemon

The port 38886 is not open, as the error wrongly states.

After closing and reopening a bunch of times, it randomly works.
Seems like a timing issue.

Versions and environment

bb 0.48, desktop.
Linux Mint 22.2 Cinnamon.

Steps to reproduce

1. Open the AppImage
2. See the issue.
3. Close and reopen a bunch of times
4. See the issue or see it working.

Expected vs actual

.

Evidence

server.1.log:

{"level":30,"time":1787751254799,"component":"server","bindHost":"127.0.0.1","port":38886,"dataDir":"/home/{redacted}/.bb","msg":"Server listening"}
{"level":30,"time":1787751255680,"component":"server","msg":"plugin connect@0.1.0 loaded"}
{"level":30,"time":1787751256152,"component":"server","msg":"plugin custom-instructions@0.1.0 loaded"}

host-daemon.1.log when it failed:

{"level":30,"time":1787679892565,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","count":1,"sessions":[{"environmentId":"env_kkmp3dm64d","idleForMs":1965781,"providerId":"codex","threadId":"thr_w5xstb6dey"}],"msg":"Reaped idle provider sessions"}
{"level":30,"time":1787680192462,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","count":1,"sessions":[{"environmentId":"env_8s9pd55trj","idleForMs":1877371,"providerId":"codex","threadId":"thr_6rq8ph7xcz"}],"msg":"Reaped idle provider sessions"}
{"level":30,"time":1787680492559,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","count":1,"sessions":[{"environmentId":"env_4xjm24m5pu","idleForMs":1870776,"providerId":"codex","threadId":"thr_yeqdi7yfvw"}],"msg":"Reaped idle provider sessions"}
{"level":30,"time":1787680794186,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","mode":"shutdown","reason":"SIGTERM","msg":"Shutting down host daemon"}
{"level":30,"time":1787680794201,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","code":1001,"reason":"server-shutdown","msg":"Disconnected from server"}
{"level":40,"time":1787680795202,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","err":{"type":"i$r","message":"fetch failed","error":{"type":"Error","message":"fetch failed","stack":"Error: fetch failed\n    at file:///tmp/.mount_bb-deslrbghO/resources/app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/bb-app/host-daemon/dist/daemon-bundle.mjs:743:337\n    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:104:5)"},"target":null,"currentTarget":null,"srcElement":null,"cancelable":false,"defaultPrevented":false,"timeStamp":16504113.287997,"returnValue":true,"bubbles":false,"composed":false,"eventPhase":0,"cancelBubble":false,"isTrusted":false},"msg":"WebSocket error"}

host-daemon.1.log when it opened successfully:

{"level":30,"time":1787751359899,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","dataDir":"/home/{redacted}/.bb","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","msg":"Host daemon connecting"}
{"level":30,"time":1787751360254,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","sessionId":"hses_da6gjp8j4t","msg":"Connected to server"}
{"level":30,"time":1787751360254,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","identity":{"hostId":"host_gsby8x555t","hostName":"Notebook","instanceId":"c724efa5-0fae-493a-bd4b-952a38010df6"},"msg":"Host daemon started"}
{"level":30,"time":1787751362062,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","pluginId":"keep-awake","startupDurationMs":118,"msg":"Host plugin worker ready"}
{"level":30,"time":1787751362246,"component":"host-daemon","serverUrl":"http://127.0.0.1:38886","pluginId":"provider-acp","startupDurationMs":187,"msg":"Host plugin worker ready"}

What you ruled out

Command sudo netstat -nlp | grep 38886 doesn't return anything, meaning nothing is running on port 38886.
Also, nmap -v localhost -p38886 shows it closed.

Suggested priority and effort (optional)

No response

Checks

• I reproduced this on the latest release or on main, or I say above that I could not.
• I searched open and closed issues for the same problem.
• If an agent wrote this, the body ends with > AGENT GENERATED and links the thread or report.