Rebuild a DSH profile with --from-default-profile

--from-default-profile does not “upgrade” a profile; it replaces the directory with a fresh template copy. The new profile keeps only the template’s current bundle list, and everything in the old directory—dependencies, user patches, local edits—is deleted. It is the right tool when a custom profile is broken or badly drifted, not when you want to preserve configuration.

DeepSeek Harness: What is replaced and what survives

The boundary is hard: template content stays, old directory content disappears. Compare:(source)

The new manifest has empty dependencies and an empty user patch. It does not read a local template profile of the same name, does not copy its dependencies or patches, and does not persist inherited fields. Later changes to the template list do not rewrite the new profile.

That is why this is a reset, not an upgrade. If you want to keep plugins and only refresh the base combination, edit dsh.profile.bundles or reinstall plugins instead.

DeepSeek Harness: Three situations where it fits

It fits when the target profile is no longer trustworthy and a clean template is the fastest way back. Three cases:(source)

1. Rescue profile — dsh rescue --from-default-profile web rebuilds rescue from the web template. Expected: a clean, startable Web profile.
2. Reproduce default behavior — rebuild a suspect profile and compare. Expected: rule out local configuration.
3. Discard an experiment — reset a failed profile instead of cleaning it item by item. Expected: a fresh template, then reinstall what you need.

If you only need a new profile, create one directly with a new name; the flag is destructive only when the target already exists.

DeepSeek Harness: Command and execution order

The launcher stages first, moves second, and deletes the old directory last; that order explains why recovery is possible. The chain:(source)

1. Validate the target name — it cannot be a bundled profile name in any case. Expected: use a custom name such as rescue.
2. Assemble in staging — create .staging-* next to the target and write the template copy. Expected: the old directory stays usable during assembly.
3. Move into place — move the new directory to the target, then delete the old one. Expected: one complete copy at the target.
4. Commit before startup — replacement finishes before bundle resolution and app startup. Expected: a later startup failure does not roll back.

Example:

# Rebuild the custom rescue profile from the web template
dsh rescue --from-default-profile web

# Start it normally afterward
dsh rescue

Success does not print an extra “replaced” message; do not re-run the command just because the output is quiet.

DeepSeek Harness: Failure and rollback

The official recovery has two levels: automatic restore on move failure, then a previous directory if restore also fails. The order:(source)

1. Move fails — the launcher tries to restore the old directory. Expected: the target is still the old profile.
2. Restore fails — the old directory stays under $DSH_HOME/profiles/.<name>.staging-*/previous. Expected: you can move it back manually.
3. Process stops between renames — a previous directory is also left behind. Expected: do not clear .staging-* before checking it.
4. Concurrent replacements — at least one succeeds and the target keeps one complete copy. Expected: do not run multiple rebuilds in parallel.

Manual recovery:

ls -d "$DSH_HOME"/profiles/.rescue.staging-*/previous
# Confirm package.json and cordis.patch.yml exist before moving it back
mv "$DSH_HOME/profiles/.rescue.staging-xxxx/previous" "$DSH_HOME/profiles/rescue"

Rename the incomplete new directory before deleting it. If the previous copy is also incomplete, deleting both loses everything.

DeepSeek Harness: When not to use it

If the goal is “keep configuration while upgrading”, this is the wrong tool. Three alternatives:(source)

1. Update the bundle list — edit dsh.profile.bundles and restart. Expected: dependencies and patches survive.
2. Reinstall specific plugins — dsh plugin --profile <name> add/update. Expected: only plugins change.
3. Clear one patch file — rewrite or remove cordis.patch.yml. Expected: installed dependencies remain.

Even when a rebuild is necessary, back up the whole profile first. The previous-directory recovery covers replacement failures, not “I rebuilt and only then remembered I needed the old config”.

DeepSeek Harness FAQ

Why is the plugin list empty after a rebuild? The new manifest has empty dependencies and only the template bundles. Reinstall plugins and restart.

Can I use this flag on web itself? No. The target cannot be a bundled profile name. Create a custom name with the web template, for example dsh web2 --from-default-profile web.

Does a failed startup restore the old profile? No. Replacement commits before startup; a later failure leaves the new profile. Recover manually from the previous directory.

The short version: --from-default-profile rebuilds, it does not upgrade. Back up first, and use it only when clean-slate is the goal.