fix: refuse challenge remove while a community's settings.challenges still uses the package

README.md

@@ -487,21 +487,24 @@ EXAMPLES
 
 ## `bitsocial challenge remove NAME`
 
-Remove an installed challenge package
+Remove an installed challenge package. Refuses while a community's settings.challenges still names it, unless --force is passed
 
 ```
 USAGE
-  $ bitsocial challenge remove NAME --pkcRpcUrl <value> [--pkcOptions.dataPath <value>]
+  $ bitsocial challenge remove NAME --pkcRpcUrl <value> [--pkcOptions.dataPath <value>] [--force]
 
 ARGUMENTS
   NAME  The challenge package name (e.g., my-challenge or @scope/my-challenge)
 
 FLAGS
+  --force                        Remove without checking whether communities still use it (the daemon is not contacted
+                                 for the check)
   --pkcOptions.dataPath=<value>  Data path where challenges are installed
   --pkcRpcUrl=<value>            (required) [default: ws://localhost:9138/] URL to PKC RPC
 
 DESCRIPTION
-  Remove an installed challenge package
+  Remove an installed challenge package. Refuses while a community's settings.challenges still names it, unless --force
+  is passed
 
 ALIASES
   $ bitsocial challenge uninstall
@@ -512,27 +515,32 @@ EXAMPLES
   $ bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge
 
   $ bitsocial challenge remove @scope/my-challenge
+
+  $ bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge --force
 ```
 
 _See code: [src/cli/commands/challenge/remove.ts](https://github.com/bitsocialnet/bitsocial-cli/blob/v0.19.108/src/cli/commands/challenge/remove.ts)_
 
 ## `bitsocial challenge rm NAME`
 
-Remove an installed challenge package
+Remove an installed challenge package. Refuses while a community's settings.challenges still names it, unless --force is passed
 
 ```
 USAGE
-  $ bitsocial challenge rm NAME --pkcRpcUrl <value> [--pkcOptions.dataPath <value>]
+  $ bitsocial challenge rm NAME --pkcRpcUrl <value> [--pkcOptions.dataPath <value>] [--force]
 
 ARGUMENTS
   NAME  The challenge package name (e.g., my-challenge or @scope/my-challenge)
 
 FLAGS
+  --force                        Remove without checking whether communities still use it (the daemon is not contacted
+                                 for the check)
   --pkcOptions.dataPath=<value>  Data path where challenges are installed
   --pkcRpcUrl=<value>            (required) [default: ws://localhost:9138/] URL to PKC RPC
 
 DESCRIPTION
-  Remove an installed challenge package
+  Remove an installed challenge package. Refuses while a community's settings.challenges still names it, unless --force
+  is passed
 
 ALIASES
   $ bitsocial challenge uninstall
@@ -543,25 +551,30 @@ EXAMPLES
   $ bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge
 
   $ bitsocial challenge remove @scope/my-challenge
+
+  $ bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge --force
 ```
 
 ## `bitsocial challenge un NAME`
 
-Remove an installed challenge package
+Remove an installed challenge package. Refuses while a community's settings.challenges still names it, unless --force is passed
 
 ```
 USAGE
-  $ bitsocial challenge un NAME --pkcRpcUrl <value> [--pkcOptions.dataPath <value>]
+  $ bitsocial challenge un NAME --pkcRpcUrl <value> [--pkcOptions.dataPath <value>] [--force]
 
 ARGUMENTS
   NAME  The challenge package name (e.g., my-challenge or @scope/my-challenge)
 
 FLAGS
+  --force                        Remove without checking whether communities still use it (the daemon is not contacted
+                                 for the check)
   --pkcOptions.dataPath=<value>  Data path where challenges are installed
   --pkcRpcUrl=<value>            (required) [default: ws://localhost:9138/] URL to PKC RPC
 
 DESCRIPTION
-  Remove an installed challenge package
+  Remove an installed challenge package. Refuses while a community's settings.challenges still names it, unless --force
+  is passed
 
 ALIASES
   $ bitsocial challenge uninstall
@@ -572,25 +585,30 @@ EXAMPLES
   $ bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge
 
   $ bitsocial challenge remove @scope/my-challenge
+
+  $ bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge --force
 ```
 
 ## `bitsocial challenge uninstall NAME`
 
-Remove an installed challenge package
+Remove an installed challenge package. Refuses while a community's settings.challenges still names it, unless --force is passed
 
 ```
 USAGE
-  $ bitsocial challenge uninstall NAME --pkcRpcUrl <value> [--pkcOptions.dataPath <value>]
+  $ bitsocial challenge uninstall NAME --pkcRpcUrl <value> [--pkcOptions.dataPath <value>] [--force]
 
 ARGUMENTS
   NAME  The challenge package name (e.g., my-challenge or @scope/my-challenge)
 
 FLAGS
+  --force                        Remove without checking whether communities still use it (the daemon is not contacted
+                                 for the check)
   --pkcOptions.dataPath=<value>  Data path where challenges are installed
   --pkcRpcUrl=<value>            (required) [default: ws://localhost:9138/] URL to PKC RPC
 
 DESCRIPTION
-  Remove an installed challenge package
+  Remove an installed challenge package. Refuses while a community's settings.challenges still names it, unless --force
+  is passed
 
 ALIASES
   $ bitsocial challenge uninstall
@@ -601,6 +619,8 @@ EXAMPLES
   $ bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge
 
   $ bitsocial challenge remove @scope/my-challenge
+
+  $ bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge --force
 ```
 
 ## `bitsocial community create`
@@ -1160,7 +1180,8 @@ ARGUMENTS
   NAME  The page sort package name (e.g., my-page-sort or @scope/my-page-sort)
 
 FLAGS
-  --force                        Remove even if communities still use it, or if the daemon cannot be reached to check
+  --force                        Remove without checking whether communities still use it (the daemon is not contacted
+                                 for the check)
   --pkcOptions.dataPath=<value>  Data path where page sorts are installed
   --pkcRpcUrl=<value>            (required) [default: ws://localhost:9138/] URL to PKC RPC
 
@@ -1193,7 +1214,8 @@ ARGUMENTS
   NAME  The page sort package name (e.g., my-page-sort or @scope/my-page-sort)
 
 FLAGS
-  --force                        Remove even if communities still use it, or if the daemon cannot be reached to check
+  --force                        Remove without checking whether communities still use it (the daemon is not contacted
+                                 for the check)
   --pkcOptions.dataPath=<value>  Data path where page sorts are installed
   --pkcRpcUrl=<value>            (required) [default: ws://localhost:9138/] URL to PKC RPC
 
@@ -1224,7 +1246,8 @@ ARGUMENTS
   NAME  The page sort package name (e.g., my-page-sort or @scope/my-page-sort)
 
 FLAGS
-  --force                        Remove even if communities still use it, or if the daemon cannot be reached to check
+  --force                        Remove without checking whether communities still use it (the daemon is not contacted
+                                 for the check)
   --pkcOptions.dataPath=<value>  Data path where page sorts are installed
   --pkcRpcUrl=<value>            (required) [default: ws://localhost:9138/] URL to PKC RPC
 
@@ -1255,7 +1278,8 @@ ARGUMENTS
   NAME  The page sort package name (e.g., my-page-sort or @scope/my-page-sort)
 
 FLAGS
-  --force                        Remove even if communities still use it, or if the daemon cannot be reached to check
+  --force                        Remove without checking whether communities still use it (the daemon is not contacted
+                                 for the check)
   --pkcOptions.dataPath=<value>  Data path where page sorts are installed
   --pkcRpcUrl=<value>            (required) [default: ws://localhost:9138/] URL to PKC RPC
 

docs/challenges.md

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ bitsocial challenge install https://example.com/my-challenge-1.0.0.tar.gz
 bitsocial challenge install ./my-local-challenge
 ```
 
-All three commands take `--pkcOptions.dataPath` (default: the platform data dir from `env-paths("bitsocial")`, e.g. `~/.local/share/bitsocial` on Linux). `install` and `remove` also take `--pkcRpcUrl` (default `ws://localhost:9138`) to find the daemon to reload.
+All three commands take `--pkcOptions.dataPath` (default: the platform data dir from `env-paths("bitsocial")`, e.g. `~/.local/share/bitsocial` on Linux). `install` and `remove` also take `--pkcRpcUrl` (default `ws://localhost:9138`) to find the daemon to reload (and, for `remove`, to check which communities use the package).
 
 `remove` takes the package name, not the spec you installed from: `bitsocial challenge remove @bitsocial/mintpass-challenge`.
 
@@ -93,7 +93,27 @@ For larger changes, write the settings to a file and pass `--jsonFile <file>`; C
 
 ## Removing
 
-`challenge remove` deletes the directory and reloads the daemon. It does **not** check whether a community still names the package in `settings.challenges`. Check first with `bitsocial community get <address>`. (`page-sort remove` does refuse in that case; see [page-sorts.md](page-sorts.md#removing).)
+```bash
+bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge
+```
+
+`remove` first checks that the package is installed, without contacting the daemon. Then it connects to the daemon at `--pkcRpcUrl` and checks `settings.challenges` in every community, running or stopped. If any entry names the package, it refuses and lists them (oclif prefixes each output line with ` ›   `):
+
+```
+Error: Challenge "my-challenge" is still used by:
+  - mycommunity.bso settings.challenges[1]
+Change or remove those entries first, e.g. bitsocial community edit <address> --jsonFile <file with the new settings.challenges>,
+or pass --force to remove it anyway (those communities reject every publication and fail to start until their settings are fixed).
+```
+
+Otherwise it deletes the directory and reloads the daemon.
+
+The reason: pkc-js can't load a challenge whose name is no longer registered. A running community keeps advertising the old challenge but rejects every publication (`One of the community challenges is misconfigured`), and on its next start (including a daemon restart) `start()` throws and the community stays offline until its settings are changed.
+
+- **Only `name` entries count.** An entry with a `path` loads that file, so it doesn't use the package.
+- **A package named after a pkc-js built-in** (`question`, `text-math`, `fail`, `blacklist`, `whitelist`, `publication-match`) is refused the same way. Removing it hands the built-in back, so nothing breaks, but those communities switch to the built-in challenge. The refusal says so.
+- **The daemon must be running** for the check. If it can't be reached, `remove` refuses and says so.
+- **`--force`** skips the check and doesn't contact the daemon for it. After removing, it prints a warning that any community still naming the package rejects every publication and fails to start (or, for a built-in name, that it now uses the built-in).
 
 ## Troubleshooting
 

docs/page-sorts.md

@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ Quote the flags in the shell: the `[0]` brackets are glob characters, and zsh re
 bitsocial page-sort remove @pkcprotocol/active-page-sort
 ```
 
-Before deleting, `remove` connects to the daemon at `--pkcRpcUrl` and checks every community's `settings.pages`. If any entry names the package, it refuses and lists them (oclif prefixes each output line with ` ›   `):
+`remove` first checks that the package is installed, without contacting the daemon. Then it connects to the daemon at `--pkcRpcUrl` and checks every community's `settings.pages`. If any entry names the package, it refuses and lists them (oclif prefixes each output line with ` ›   `):
 
 ```
 Error: Page sort "@pkcprotocol/active-page-sort" is still used by:
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ or pass --force to remove it anyway (the communities keep publishing without thi
 The reason: a community whose `settings.pages` names a missing sort keeps publishing but skips that entry and logs an error on every start, so the board silently loses the sort.
 
 - **The daemon must be running** for the check. If it cannot be reached, `remove` refuses and says so.
-- **`--force`** skips the check, both for in-use packages and for an unreachable daemon.
+- **`--force`** skips the check and doesn't contact the daemon for it. After removing, it prints a warning that any community still naming the package keeps publishing without this sort.
 
 ## Troubleshooting
 

src/challenge-packages/challenge-utils.ts

@@ -61,3 +61,12 @@ export const hashChallengePackageContents = hashPackageContents;
 
 export const loadChallengesIntoPKC = (dataPath?: string): Promise<InstalledChallenge[]> =>
     loadPackagesIntoPKC(CHALLENGE_PACKAGE_KIND, dataPath);
+
+/** Where a community's settings.challenges names `challengeName`, e.g. "challenges[1]". An entry with a path loads that file instead. */
+export function findChallengeUsages(challengeSettings: { name?: string; path?: string }[] | undefined, challengeName: string): string[] {
+    const usages: string[] = [];
+    challengeSettings?.forEach((entry, index) => {
+        if (entry?.name === challengeName && !entry.path) usages.push(`challenges[${index}]`);
+    });
+    return usages;
+}

src/cli/commands/challenge/remove.ts

@@ -1,11 +1,20 @@
 import { Args, Flags } from "@oclif/core";
 import { BaseCommand } from "../../base-command.js";
 import defaults from "../../../common-utils/defaults.js";
-import { removePackage, PackageNotInstalledError, InvalidPackageNameError } from "../../../common-utils/package-registry.js";
-import { CHALLENGE_PACKAGE_KIND, reloadChallengesInDaemon } from "../../../challenge-packages/challenge-utils.js";
+import {
+    removePackage,
+    assertPackageInstalled,
+    collectPackageUsages,
+    isBuiltInPackageName,
+    PackageNotInstalledError,
+    InvalidPackageNameError,
+    assertValidPackageName
+} from "../../../common-utils/package-registry.js";
+import { CHALLENGE_PACKAGE_KIND, findChallengeUsages, reloadChallengesInDaemon } from "../../../challenge-packages/challenge-utils.js";
 
 export default class Remove extends BaseCommand {
-    static override description = "Remove an installed challenge package";
+    static override description =
+        "Remove an installed challenge package. Refuses while a community's settings.challenges still names it, unless --force is passed";
 
     static override aliases = ["challenge:uninstall", "challenge:rm", "challenge:un"];
 
@@ -20,30 +29,76 @@ export default class Remove extends BaseCommand {
         "pkcOptions.dataPath": Flags.directory({
             description: "Data path where challenges are installed",
             required: false
+        }),
+        force: Flags.boolean({
+            description: "Remove without checking whether communities still use it (the daemon is not contacted for the check)",
+            default: false
         })
     };
 
     static override examples = [
         "bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge",
-        "bitsocial challenge remove @scope/my-challenge"
+        "bitsocial challenge remove @scope/my-challenge",
+        "bitsocial challenge remove my-challenge --force"
     ];
 
     async run(): Promise<void> {
         const { args, flags } = await this.parse(Remove);
         const dataPath = flags["pkcOptions.dataPath"] || defaults.PKC_DATA_PATH;
 
         let removed: { version?: string };
+        let builtIn: boolean;
         try {
+            assertValidPackageName(args.name);
+            // Checked before the daemon, so a misspelled name says so rather than that the daemon is down
+            await assertPackageInstalled(CHALLENGE_PACKAGE_KIND, { name: args.name, dataPath });
+            builtIn = await isBuiltInPackageName(CHALLENGE_PACKAGE_KIND, args.name);
+            if (!flags.force) await this._refuseIfInUse(args.name, builtIn, flags.pkcRpcUrl.toString());
             removed = await removePackage(CHALLENGE_PACKAGE_KIND, { name: args.name, dataPath });
         } catch (err) {
             if (err instanceof PackageNotInstalledError || err instanceof InvalidPackageNameError) this.error(err.message);
             throw err;
         }
 
         this.log(`removed ${args.name}${removed.version ? `@${removed.version}` : ""}`);
+        if (flags.force)
+            this.warn(
+                `Skipped the in-use check. A community whose settings.challenges still names "${args.name}" ` +
+                    (builtIn
+                        ? `now uses the pkc-js built-in challenge of the same name.`
+                        : `rejects every publication and fails to start until that entry is changed.`)
+            );
 
         // Best-effort reload in the daemon at --pkcRpcUrl, so the removal takes effect
         // without a restart
         await reloadChallengesInDaemon(flags.pkcRpcUrl);
     }
+
+    // A community whose settings.challenges names an unregistered challenge rejects every publication, and pkc-js
+    // throws on its next start, so it goes offline (issue #176). A name that shadows a pkc-js built-in falls back to
+    // the built-in instead, which still changes how the community moderates. Ask the daemon which communities use it.
+    private async _refuseIfInUse(name: string, builtIn: boolean, pkcRpcUrl: string): Promise<void> {
+        let pkc: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof this._connectToPkcRpc>>;
+        try {
+            pkc = await this._connectToPkcRpc(pkcRpcUrl);
+        } catch (err) {
+            this.error(
+                `Could not check whether any community uses "${name}": ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}\n` +
+                    `Start the daemon and retry, or pass --force to remove it without checking.`
+            );
+        }
+        const usages = await collectPackageUsages(pkc, (settings) =>
+            findChallengeUsages(settings?.challenges, name).map((usage) => `settings.${usage}`)
+        );
+        if (usages.length === 0) return;
+        this.error(
+            `Challenge "${name}" is still used by:\n` +
+                usages.map((usage) => `  - ${usage}`).join("\n") +
+                `\nChange or remove those entries first, e.g. bitsocial community edit <address> --jsonFile <file with the new settings.challenges>,` +
+                ` or pass --force to remove it anyway ` +
+                (builtIn
+                    ? `(after removal, "${name}" falls back to the pkc-js built-in challenge of the same name).`
+                    : `(those communities reject every publication and fail to start until their settings are fixed).`)
+        );
+    }
 }