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fix(js): reflection context is always an object for runAction#4910

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Ehesp wants to merge 1 commit intofirebase:mainfrom
Ehesp:reflection-action-context
Open

fix(js): reflection context is always an object for runAction#4910
Ehesp wants to merge 1 commit intofirebase:mainfrom
Ehesp:reflection-action-context

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@Ehesp
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@Ehesp Ehesp commented Mar 12, 2026

In the reflection API, when we POST /api/runAction, the reflection server forwards context from the request body. When the client (e.g. Dev UI) omits it, context is undefined and is passed through to action.run():

const { key, input, context, telemetryLabels } = request.body;
// ...
await action.run(input, { context, ... });

That leads to runWithContext(undefined, actFn). In that case no context is stored in async context, so getContext() / ai.currentContext() returns undefined for the whole run. Any code that assumes a run-scoped context object then breaks. So if something like a plugin wants to write to context, e.g. getContext().someKey = value, getContext() is undefined.

So the actual problem is in code that writes to context (plugins or flows) and assumes getContext() is a mutable object. The reflection fix (defaulting to {}) makes that assumption valid for runs started via the reflection API.

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Summary of Changes

Hello, I'm Gemini Code Assist1! I'm currently reviewing this pull request and will post my feedback shortly. In the meantime, here's a summary to help you and other reviewers quickly get up to speed!

This pull request addresses a subtle but critical issue in the reflection API's handling of action contexts. Previously, if a client did not explicitly provide a context when calling POST /api/runAction, the context parameter would be undefined, leading to getContext() returning undefined throughout the action's execution. This change ensures that context is always an object, even if empty, thereby maintaining the expected behavior for any code that relies on a mutable context object.

Highlights

  • Context Handling: Ensured that the context parameter passed to action.run() always defaults to an empty object ({}) if it is undefined.
  • Bug Fix: Resolved an issue where getContext() could return undefined for the entire run if the client omitted context in POST /api/runAction requests.
  • Plugin Compatibility: Prevented potential errors in plugins and flows that assume getContext() returns a mutable object, making their assumption valid for runs initiated via the reflection API.

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Changelog
  • js/core/src/reflection.ts
    • Modified the action.run calls within the ReflectionServer class to explicitly set the context parameter to context || {}.
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Code Review

This pull request addresses a bug where runAction in the reflection API could pass an undefined context, leading to potential runtime errors. The proposed change ensures the context is always an object by defaulting to {} when it's not provided, which is a correct and robust fix. I've added one suggestion to refactor the implementation slightly to avoid code duplication and improve long-term maintainability.

};
const result = await action.run(input, {
context,
context: context || {},
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medium

While this correctly fixes the issue, the same logic context || {} is duplicated for the non-streaming case on line 307. To improve maintainability and adhere to the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle, you could define the default context before the if (stream === 'true') block and reuse it in both action.run calls.

For example:

const { key, input, context, telemetryLabels } = request.body;
const effectiveContext = context || {};
// ...
// in streaming case:
await action.run(input, {
  context: effectiveContext,
  // ...
});
// ...
// in non-streaming case:
await action.run(input, {
  context: effectiveContext,
  // ...
});

This would centralize the logic for handling the context.

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