# Claude Code Journal

This journal tracks substantive work on documents, diagrams, and documentation content.

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1. **Task - Project initialization**: Created new JupyterLab extension `jupyterlab_nb_venv_kernels_ui_extension` using copier template<br>
   **Result**: Extension scaffolded with standard JupyterLab 4.x structure including TypeScript frontend (`src/index.ts`), Python package (`jupyterlab_nb_venv_kernels_ui_extension/__init__.py`), GitHub Actions workflows for build/release, Jest and Playwright test infrastructure, and Makefile for build automation. The extension will add context menu options "Show in File Browser" and "Open Terminal at location" when right-clicking kernel launcher buttons. Initial plugin stub activates and logs to console. Package configured with `@jupyterlab/application` v4.0.0 dependency. Git repository initialized with main branch, README updated with badges and brief features documentation.

2. **Task - Full extension implementation**: Implemented complete launcher context menu extension with server-side kernel path resolution<br>
   **Result**: Built a JupyterLab 4.x extension enabling right-click context menus on kernel launcher cards with two commands: "Show in File Browser" and "Open Terminal at Location". The implementation required solving several architectural challenges. First, JupyterLab's launcher cards (`.jp-LauncherCard`) don't natively expose kernel identity through data attributes accessible to context menu commands - the cards only have `data-category` for grouping. Solution: attached a document-level `contextmenu` event listener in capture phase (`src/index.ts:164-178`) that fires before JupyterLab's context menu system, extracting the kernel display name from `.jp-LauncherCard-label` text content and storing it in module-level variable `lastClickedKernelName`. This approach ensures the kernel identity is captured before the command executes. Second challenge: mapping kernel display name to filesystem path. Created Python server extension with REST endpoint `/api/kernel-path/<display_name>` (`handlers.py:14-69`) using `jupyter_client.kernelspec.KernelSpecManager.get_all_specs()` to iterate all kernelspecs and match by `display_name` field. Returns JSON with `kernel_name`, `display_name`, `resource_dir` (kernelspec location), `executable_path` (from `argv[0]`), and computed `env_path`. Third challenge: determining the "useful" path for navigation - users want the environment root, not the kernelspec directory. Implemented `_extract_env_path()` method (`handlers.py:71-133`) with regex pattern matching for: (1) conda environments matching `/envs/name/bin/python` or `/conda/name/bin/python` patterns, (2) base conda installations at `/opt/conda`, `~/miniconda3`, etc., (3) virtualenvs detected by presence of `pyvenv.cfg` file in parent of `bin/`, (4) uv-created environments which follow virtualenv structure, (5) fallback parsing of `/share/jupyter/kernels/` path structure. Frontend path handling (`src/index.ts:70-132`) reuses proven patterns from `jupyterlab_terminal_show_in_file_browser_extension`: `expandTilde()` resolves `~` in server root using regex extraction of home directory from absolute paths, `toRelativePath()` converts absolute filesystem paths to file browser-relative paths with graceful fallback to workspace root when kernel is outside Jupyter's serving directory. Context menu registration uses declarative approach via `schema/plugin.json` with `jupyter.lab.menus.context` array targeting selector `.jp-LauncherCard` at ranks 10 and 11. Added frontend dependencies to `package.json`: `@jupyterlab/filebrowser` (IDefaultFileBrowser for navigation), `@jupyterlab/launcher` (ILauncher interface), `@jupyterlab/terminal` (ITerminalTracker), `@jupyterlab/apputils` (showErrorMessage dialogs), `@jupyterlab/services` (ServerConnection for API calls), `@jupyterlab/coreutils` (URLExt, PageConfig utilities). Backend dependencies in `pyproject.toml`: `jupyter_server>=2.0.0` (APIHandler base class, tornado decorators), `jupyter_client>=8.0.0` (KernelSpecManager). Server extension auto-enablement configured via `jupyter-config/server-config/jupyterlab_nb_venv_kernels_ui_extension.json` mapped to `etc/jupyter/jupyter_server_config.d/` in wheel shared-data. Extension validated: `jupyter server extension list` shows enabled and OK, `jupyter labextension list` shows v0.1.1 enabled and OK. Kernel path resolution tested programmatically - correctly extracts `/opt/conda` from base Python, `/opt/conda/envs/myenv` from conda environments, and virtualenv roots when `pyvenv.cfg` exists.

3. **Task - Dynamic kernel provider support**: Added support for nb_conda_kernels and nb_venv_kernels dynamic kernel providers with project-aware path resolution<br>
   **Result**: Extended `handlers.py` to query dynamic kernel providers in addition to standard `KernelSpecManager`. Added `_get_all_kernelspecs()` method (`handlers.py:17-52`) that aggregates kernels from three sources: (1) standard `KernelSpecManager.get_all_specs()`, (2) `nb_conda_kernels.CondaKernelSpecManager` for conda environments, (3) `nb_venv_kernels.VEnvKernelSpecManager` for uv/venv environments. Each provider is wrapped in try/except to gracefully handle ImportError when not installed. This resolved "Kernel Not Found" errors for kernels like "Python [uv env:hk-cpfm]" that are dynamically provided by `nb_venv_kernels` and not visible to the standard kernelspec manager. Additionally rewrote `_extract_env_path()` (`handlers.py:108-209`) to navigate to project roots instead of environment directories. Key insight: `.venv/bin/python` often symlinks to system Python (e.g., `/opt/conda/bin/python3.12`), so symlink resolution must happen AFTER checking for `.venv` in the original path. New path resolution order: (1) `.venv` pattern on original path - returns project root one level up from `.venv`, (2) named virtualenv with `pyvenv.cfg` - returns venv directory itself, (3) conda local environment - returns project root two levels up, (4) global conda environment - returns env directory, (5) base conda - returns `/opt/conda` or similar, (6) kernelspec path parsing as fallback. Tested with real uv environment path `/home/lab/workspace/.../datascience/.venv/bin/python` correctly returning `/home/lab/workspace/.../datascience` (project root). Also pinned Node.js to `>=22,<25` in Makefile `install_dependencies` target because Node 25 has chalk incompatibility with `duplicate-package-checker-webpack-plugin` used by `@jupyterlab/builder`. Added `skipLibCheck: true` to `tsconfig.json` to fix lib0 type errors with newer TypeScript.

4. **Task - Terminal path and .venv fixes** (v1.0.12): Fixed terminal opening in wrong location and improved .venv detection for conda local environments<br>
   **Result**: Two bugs fixed. First, terminal was opening in wrong location because `terminal:create-new` command requires a relative path but we were passing absolute `targetPath`. Fixed in `src/index.ts:282-291` by converting to relative path using existing `toRelativePath()` function before passing to terminal command. Second, conda local environments with `.venv` in their path (e.g., `/project/.venv/conda-envs/envname/bin/python`) were navigating to the conda env directory instead of project root. Fixed in `handlers.py:139-147` by adding priority check that scans both original and symlink-resolved paths for `/.venv/` substring anywhere in the path, extracting everything before `/.venv/` as project root. This check runs before all other pattern matching to ensure `.venv` presence always triggers project-root navigation.

5. **Task - Local conda .venv path fix** (v1.0.13): Fixed navigation for local conda environments stored in `.venv` subdirectories<br>
   **Result**: Extended `.venv` detection in `handlers.py:139-157` to handle paths like `/project/.venv/envname/bin/python` where the environment directory is a subdirectory of `.venv`. Previous check only matched `/.venv/` with trailing slash. Added secondary check for `/.venv` anywhere in path that validates the segment boundary (empty remainder or starts with `/`) to avoid false positives on paths like `.venv-backup`. Now correctly extracts `/home/lab/workspace/test-project` from `/home/lab/workspace/test-project/.venv/test-project/bin/python`.

6. **Task - Resource_dir .venv detection** (v1.0.14): Fixed conda local environments where argv[0] is relative "python" instead of absolute path<br>
   **Result**: Root cause analysis revealed that conda local environments use relative `python` in kernelspec `argv[0]`, not an absolute path like `/project/.venv/envname/bin/python`. The `resource_dir` however contains the full path (e.g., `/project/.venv/envname/share/jupyter/kernels/python3`). Added priority check at the start of `_extract_env_path()` in `handlers.py:126-134` that inspects `resource_dir` for `/.venv/` pattern before checking `executable_path`. This ensures correct project root extraction regardless of whether the kernel uses absolute or relative python path. Verified fix extracts `/home/lab/workspace/test-project` from resource_dir `/home/lab/workspace/test-project/.venv/test-project/share/jupyter/kernels/python3` when executable_path is just `python`.

7. **Task - GitHub CI/CD workflows** (v1.0.14): Created GitHub Actions workflows matching jupyterlab_terminal_show_in_file_browser_extension<br>
   **Result**: Copied and adapted 6 workflow files from the sister extension to `.github/workflows/`: `build.yml` (build, test, package, integration tests, link checker), `check-release.yml` (validate release readiness), `enforce-label.yml` (PR label enforcement), `prep-release.yml` (Step 1 release preparation), `publish-release.yml` (Step 2 publish to npm/PyPI), `update-integration-tests.yml` (Playwright snapshot updates). Updated all package name references from `jupyterlab_terminal_show_in_file_browser_extension` to `jupyterlab_nb_venv_kernels_ui_extension` and PyPI name to `jupyterlab-nb-venv-kernels-ui-extension`. Also updated README with screenshot and reference to sister extension. Fixed CI `test_isolated` job to use Python 3.10 instead of 3.9 to match package requirement (`requires-python = ">=3.10"` in pyproject.toml) - original workflow used 3.9 which caused pip install to fail with "requires a different Python" error.

8. **Task - CHANGELOG and release** (v1.0.14): Created CHANGELOG.md with version history and tagged stable release<br>
   **Result**: Populated `CHANGELOG.md` with entries for versions 1.0.0 through 1.0.14 documenting key features and fixes: initial release with context menu commands, dynamic kernel provider support, project-aware `.venv` navigation, terminal path fixes, resource_dir detection for relative python paths, and CI/CD workflow setup. Tagged `STABLE_v1.0.14` and `RELEASE_1.0.14` for release tracking.

9. **Task - Unregister kernel context menu** (v1.1.4): Added "Unregister Kernel" context menu item for nb_venv_kernels managed environments<br>
   **Result**: Implemented new context menu command `launcher:unregister-venv-kernel` that allows users to unregister uv/venv kernels directly from the launcher. The menu item only appears for kernels managed by nb_venv_kernels (not conda environments). Frontend implementation in `src/index.ts` adds interfaces for nb_venv_kernels API responses (`IVenvEnvironment`, `IVenvEnvironmentsResponse`, `IUnregisterResponse`), helper functions `fetchVenvEnvironments()` to call `GET /nb-venv-kernels/environments`, `findVenvEnvironment()` to match kernel display name to venv environment, and `unregisterVenvKernel()` to call `POST /nb-venv-kernels/unregister`. Added `lastClickedVenvEnv` cache variable populated asynchronously on context menu open to enable synchronous `isVisible()` check. The command uses nb_venv_kernels' existing REST API directly - no custom backend handlers needed. Context menu entry added to `schema/plugin.json` at rank 12. Version bumped from 1.1.0 to 1.1.4 during build iterations. Fixed Node.js 24 compatibility issue by downgrading to Node.js 22 - chalk module in `duplicate-package-checker-webpack-plugin` has getter-only `default` property that Node 24 rejects.

10. **Task - Node.js 24 chalk compatibility fix** (v1.1.8): Fixed Node.js 24/25 compatibility with permanent yarn resolution<br>
    **Result**: The `@jupyterlab/builder` package depends on `duplicate-package-checker-webpack-plugin@^3.0.0` which uses `chalk@^2.3.0` (resolves to 2.4.2). Chalk 2.x has a compatibility issue with Node.js 24+ where `module.exports.default = module.exports` fails because `default` became a getter-only property in newer Node versions. Error was `TypeError: Cannot set property default of #<Chalk> which has only a getter`. Fixed by adding yarn resolution in `package.json`: `"duplicate-package-checker-webpack-plugin/chalk": "4.1.2"`. This forces the problematic plugin to use chalk 4.x which is compatible with Node.js 24+. Verified build succeeds with Node.js 24.10.0 - both `jlpm build:lib` and `jlpm build:labextension` complete successfully. Full `make install` passes. This is a permanent fix that doesn't require pinning Node.js to older versions.

11. **Task - Remove Node.js version restriction** (v1.1.15): Updated Makefile to allow any Node.js version<br>
    **Result**: With the chalk resolution fix in place, removed the `"nodejs>=22,<25"` version constraint from `Makefile:64` `install_dependencies` target. Now uses `conda install -y nodejs yarn --update-all` without version pinning. Verified build works with Node.js 25.2.1 and Yarn 4.12.0.

12. **Task - Remove environment feature** (v1.2.0): Added dangerous "Remove Environment" context menu item to physically delete local .venv folders<br>
    **Result**: Implemented new context menu command `launcher:remove-venv-environment` that allows users to permanently delete local virtual environments from the launcher. The feature requires nb_venv_kernels extension and only works for local environments (paths containing `.venv`). Added `isLocalVenvEnvironment()` helper function in `src/index.ts` to check if environment path contains `/.venv` or `\\.venv`. Added `removeDirectory()` function that converts absolute path to relative path and calls Jupyter's contents API (`DELETE /api/contents/<path>`) to remove the directory. The command first unregisters the kernel via nb_venv_kernels API, then removes the directory. Uses `showDialog` with `Dialog.warnButton` for confirmation - user must explicitly click "Remove" to proceed. All dialog bodies now use `Widget` instances instead of raw `HTMLDivElement` to satisfy TypeScript type requirements for JupyterLab's dialog API. Dialogs use multiple `<p>` elements for proper paragraph separation since `\n` doesn't render as line breaks in HTML. Also fixed unregister success message to show two separate paragraphs. Menu item registered in `schema/plugin.json` at rank 13. README updated with new features. Version bumped to 1.2.0 (minor version bump for new feature).

13. **Task - Remove environment bugfixes** (v1.2.5): Fixed path conversion for relative paths from nb_venv_kernels<br>
    **Result**: Three bugfixes for the Remove Environment feature. First, fixed incorrect "outside workspace" error when `env.path` from nb_venv_kernels is already a relative path (e.g., `private/henryk/henryk-analysis/.venv` instead of absolute `/home/lab/workspace/...`). Added check at start of `removeDirectory()` (`src/index.ts:256-259`) - if path doesn't start with `/`, use it directly as the relative path for the contents API. Second, added fallback logic for absolute paths when `serverRoot` is empty or `~` - extracts home-relative path using regex. Third, fixed confirmation dialog wording to say "remove virtual environment" instead of just "remove".

14. **Task - Auto-refresh kernel list** (v1.2.6): Added automatic kernel list refresh after unregister and remove operations<br>
    **Result**: After successful unregister or remove environment operations, the extension now calls `nb_venv_kernels:refresh` command to immediately refresh the kernel list in the launcher. Added constant `NB_VENV_KERNELS_REFRESH_CMD` (`src/index.ts:24`) for the command ID. Added `commands.execute(NB_VENV_KERNELS_REFRESH_CMD).catch(() => {})` after successful unregister (`src/index.ts:595-597`) and after successful remove (`src/index.ts:704-706`). The `.catch()` silently ignores errors if the refresh command is not available (graceful degradation).

15. **Task - Complete package rename and test suite** (v1.2.9): Renamed entire package from `jupyterlab_launcher_navigate_to_kernel_extension` to `jupyterlab_nb_venv_kernels_ui_extension` and implemented comprehensive test suite with 47 unit tests<br>
    **Result**: Executed complete package rename affecting 20+ files across the codebase. The rename involved both underscore (`jupyterlab_launcher_navigate_to_kernel_extension`) and hyphen (`jupyterlab-launcher-navigate-to-kernel-extension`) variants used in different contexts. Files modified include: `package.json` (npm package name, GitHub URLs, outputDir), `pyproject.toml` (project name, all path references), `src/index.ts` (plugin ID changed to `jupyterlab_nb_venv_kernels_ui_extension:plugin`), `schema/plugin.json`, `install.json`, `README.md` (badges, repository URLs), `RELEASE.md`, `.copier-answers.yml` (labextension_name, python_name), `.github/workflows/build.yml` and `check-release.yml` (package references), `.gitignore`, `.prettierignore`, `ui-tests/package.json`. Directory renames: `jupyterlab_launcher_navigate_to_kernel_extension/` -> `jupyterlab_nb_venv_kernels_ui_extension/` (Python package), renamed server config JSON and test spec files. Deleted `yarn.lock` and `package-lock.json` for clean regeneration. Updated git remote to `https://github.com/stellarshenson/jupyterlab_nb_venv_kernels_ui_extension.git`. Build verified with `make install` - extension installs and enables successfully. Added `test` target to `Makefile` running `jlpm test`. Updated `jest.config.js` to handle JupyterLab ESM module chain by adding `@jupyter/react-components`, `@lumino/`, `@microsoft/fast-element`, `@microsoft/fast-foundation`, and `exenv-es6` to transformIgnorePatterns whitelist. Created comprehensive test suite in `src/__tests__/jupyterlab_nb_venv_kernels_ui_extension.spec.ts` with 47 tests covering: `toRelativePath()` function (8 tests for path conversion, trailing slashes, tilde expansion), `expandTilde()` function (7 tests for Linux/macOS paths, edge cases), `isLocalVenvEnvironment()` function (7 tests for .venv detection, rejection of non-venv paths), command ID constants (4 tests verifying all 4 command IDs: `launcher:show-kernel-in-file-browser`, `launcher:open-terminal-at-kernel`, `launcher:unregister-venv-kernel`, `launcher:remove-venv-environment`), `IKernelPathResponse` interface (3 tests for system kernel, venv kernel, error response structures), `IVenvEnvironment` interface (4 tests for venv structure, conda vs venv distinction, custom names, non-existent environments), display name matching logic (7 tests for pattern matching used in `findVenvEnvironment()`), path handling edge cases (5 tests for relative paths, empty server root, home-relative extraction), `IUnregisterResponse` interface (2 tests for success/failure responses). Tests mirror the actual implementation logic from `index.ts` since direct plugin import triggers JupyterLab's complex ESM dependency chain that Jest cannot handle without extensive mocking. All 47 tests pass with `make test`. Added "Scan for Virtual Environments" menu item to the Kernel menu (`schema/plugin.json`) that invokes `nb_venv_kernels:scan` command - this feature was moved from nb_venv_kernels to this UI extension. Added package rename warning to README using GitHub `[!IMPORTANT]` alert.

16. **Task - Menu configuration tests** (v1.2.11): Added test coverage for schema/plugin.json menu configuration and published release<br>
    **Result**: Extended test suite from 47 to 53 tests by adding `schema/plugin.json menu configuration` describe block with 6 new tests: `should have jupyter.lab.menus configuration`, `should have main menu configuration`, `should have Kernel menu item targeting jp-mainmenu-kernel`, `should have nb_venv_kernels:scan command in Kernel menu`, `should have context menu configuration`, and `should have all context menu commands for .jp-LauncherCard`. Tests validate the declarative menu structure including the Kernel menu scan command and all four context menu commands. The schema is mirrored in the test file since TypeScript environment lacks Node.js types for file reading. Published v1.2.11 to npm and PyPI via `make publish`.

17. **Task - Remove duplicate menu and simplify** (v1.2.12): Removed duplicate Kernel menu item, updated README, simplified tests<br>
    **Result**: Discovered that both this extension and nb_venv_kernels were adding the "Scan for Virtual Environments" menu item to the Kernel menu - this extension via `schema/plugin.json` and nb_venv_kernels via code (`mainMenu.kernelMenu.addGroup`). Removed the `main` menu section from `schema/plugin.json` to eliminate duplication - the scan command is provided by nb_venv_kernels. Updated `README.md`: changed intro text to describe extension as complementing nb_venv_kernels, updated screenshot path to `.resources/screenshot-kernel-context-menu.png`, added "(dangerous)" to Remove Environment label, added hyperlinks to nb_venv_kernels GitHub for features that require it, removed Kernel Menu section. Simplified test suite from 50 tests to 3 focused tests verifying context menu configuration: all expected commands defined, all target `.jp-LauncherCard` selector, menu items in correct rank order.

18. **Task - Add spinner dialogs** (v1.2.16): Added on-screen loading dialogs with spinner for unregister and remove environment actions<br>
    **Result**: Implemented `showLoadingDialog(message)` function in `src/index.ts` that creates a modal dialog with an animated CSS spinner matching the nb_venv_kernels scanning dialog style. The dialog uses JupyterLab theme variables (`--jp-border-color2`, `--jp-brand-color1`) for consistent appearance. Both "Unregister Kernel" and "Remove Environment (dangerous)" commands now show the spinner dialog while the operation is in progress, providing visual feedback to the user. The dialog is disposed when the operation completes (success or failure) before showing the result message. Wrapped both command execute handlers in try/catch blocks to ensure the dialog is always dismissed even on unexpected errors.

19. **Task - Global conda environment dialog** (v1.2.19): Added informational dialog for global conda environments instead of navigating<br>
    **Result**: Modified backend `handlers.py` to return `is_global_conda` boolean flag alongside `env_path`. The `_extract_env_path()` method now returns a tuple `(path, is_global_conda)` where patterns 4, 5, and 6 (global conda envs at `/opt/conda/envs/*`, base conda at `/opt/conda`, and system Python with kernelspecs in `share/jupyter/kernels/`) return `True`. Frontend `src/index.ts` updated `IKernelPathResponse` interface to include the new field. Both "Show in File Browser" and "Open Terminal at Location" commands now check `kernelInfo.is_global_conda` and display an informational dialog explaining that global conda environments are not associated with any specific project location, showing the environment name and installation path.

20. **Task - Fix wrong-env removal on substring collision** (v1.2.20): Fixed unregister/remove acting on wrong env when names share a prefix<br>
    **Result**: `findVenvEnvironment` in `src/index.ts` matched display name to env via unbounded `displayName.includes(env.name)`. With envs named `demo` and `demo-prod`, right-click on `demo-prod` could resolve to `demo` because `"Python [uv env:demo-prod]".includes("demo")` is true on first iteration - wrong path then fed into `unregisterVenvKernel` and `removeDirectory`. Rewrote function to take optional `executablePath` from `fetchKernelPath`; matches `executablePath.startsWith(env.path + '/')` for deterministic prefix match. Absolute path with no match returns null (no fallback) - prevents the substring path from re-emerging. Fallback substring branch retained only for missing/relative paths and now sorts envs by name length descending. Updated `UNREGISTER_KERNEL_CMD` and `REMOVE_ENVIRONMENT_CMD` execute handlers to call `fetchKernelPath` first and pass `executable_path`. Tightened `setupContextMenuCapture` to clear `lastClickedKernelName` on every contextmenu event, eliminating stale-state leak across right-clicks. Added 7 unit tests covering the regression case, sibling-path rejection (`.venv-backup` vs `.venv`), conda exclusion, and substring fallback ordering.

21. **Task - Gate context menu to kernel cards via explicit descriptor** (v1.2.21): Context menu appeared on every launcher tile (Terminal, Text File, services); now only on kernel tiles<br>
    **Result**: Playwright inspection of the live launcher showed all `.jp-LauncherCard` elements share identical attributes - the only kernel signal JupyterLab gives is the `<img class="jp-Launcher-kernelIcon">` inside the card (non-kernel cards use an inline `<svg>`); `data-category` Notebook/Console is localization-fragile. Chosen approach: actively enrich every kernel card with our own descriptor rather than guessing at menu-display time. Added `KERNEL_CARD_ATTR = 'data-jp-kernel-display-name'` in `src/index.ts`; `observeLauncherCards(app.shell.node)` does an initial pass plus a `MutationObserver` (childList/subtree) so cards from later re-renders (env scan) also get stamped via `enrichKernelCard` - detects kernel-ness through the `jp-Launcher-kernelIcon` img, writes the display name as the attr value. Changed all four `schema/plugin.json` context selectors to `.jp-LauncherCard[data-jp-kernel-display-name]`. Removed `lastClickedKernelName`, `setupContextMenuCapture`, `extractKernelNameFromCard` and the capture listener; commands now read the name via `app.contextMenuHitTest(n => n.hasAttribute(KERNEL_CARD_ATTR))`. Added 5 enrichment tests, updated schema-mirror tests; 15 pass, build clean.

22. **Task - Fix relative env.path break in venv matching** (v1.2.22): Unregister/Remove reported "not managed by nb_venv_kernels" for every uv kernel<br>
    **Result**: Playwright probe of `/api/kernel-path/<name>` and `/nb-venv-kernels/environments` on the live server showed the mismatch: `KernelPathHandler` returns an absolute `executable_path` (`/home/lab/workspace/.../datascience/.venv/bin/python`) while nb_venv_kernels reports `env.path` relative to `workspace_root` (`delaval/.../datascience/.venv`). v1.2.20's path-based match did `executablePath.startsWith(env.path + '/')`, which never matched absolute-vs-relative, so `findVenvEnvironment` returned null for cp-kpi, cp-sim, kg-cli - all uv kernels. Worked in v1.2.19's substring match; the v1.2.20 path "fix" introduced the regression (journal entry 13 had already noted nb_venv_kernels returns relative paths). Added `absoluteEnvPath(envPath, workspaceRoot)` helper in `src/index.ts` to join relative env paths onto `workspace_root` (absolute paths pass through); the prefix check now compares against the resolved absolute path. Tracks `attemptedPathMatch` - returns null only if at least one env path resolved, else falls through to substring (handles old nb_venv_kernels without `workspace_root`). Updated test mirror; 3 new tests (relative-path match, prefix-sharing relative paths, missing-workspace_root fallback); 18 pass, build + lint clean.

23. **Task - Resolution spinner for Unregister/Remove** (v1.2.24): Click-to-first-dialog gap left users staring at nothing while env resolution did two server round-trips<br>
    **Result**: Both `UNREGISTER_KERNEL_CMD` and `REMOVE_ENVIRONMENT_CMD` in `src/index.ts` did `fetchKernelPath` + `findVenvEnvironment` before showing any UI; on a slow server that's a feedback-less window, so a user could think the click did nothing. Added a `showLoadingDialog('Resolving environment...')` immediately after the synchronous kernel-name check, wrapping the two `await`s in `try/finally` so the spinner is always disposed before the next thing appears (the Remove confirmation dialog, the "Cannot Remove"/"Cannot Unregister" error, or the existing progress spinner). `env` hoisted to a typed `let` since it's now assigned inside the `try`. Message kept generic (no kernel name) for consistency with the other spinner dialogs and the nb_venv_kernels scanning dialog. No new tests - pure UI feedback, no logic change; 18 tests still pass, build + lint clean.
