feat(frontends,conversations,telegram): the agent can hand a file to the human

A phone that slept brings back an SSE socket that never errored and never
delivers: the panel read as live for hours while showing nothing new. Every
chunk now marks the connection alive and a watchdog drops the socket after
40s of silence - twice the server's keepalive - so the loop reconnects.
Each attempt gets its own controller, which is what lets the watchdog (and
a manual refresh) end one connection without ending the loop.

The connection is admitted in one dot beside the rail's search box, tapped
to reconnect at once rather than waiting out the backoff - the pill that
used to say this was dropped in the redesign and the panel had no way to
own up to being stale.

With nothing picked, the shell lands on the freshest open master instead of
a prompt to pick something: what a phone wants when the panel opens. An
explicit pick, and following the active note, still win.

.env.example

@@ -28,3 +28,7 @@ RAYCAST_BEARER=
 # токен от @BotFather, свой user id - @userinfobot
 TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=
 TELEGRAM_USER_ID=
+
+# Откуда тулза send_file имеет право брать файлы (через ':').
+# Папка входящих вложений разрешена всегда, её дописывает сам фронтенд.
+SEND_FILE_ROOTS=/mnt/hole/shared

README.md

@@ -22,9 +22,13 @@ is a full setup built on them.
   the envelope, the in-process gateway tools.
 - **jobs/** - cron, webhook and event jobs on pgqueuer, deferred injects,
   the subscription budget.
-- **frontends/** - the windows: Telegram (master = General, topic = branch),
+- **frontends/** - the windows: Telegram (master = General, topic = branch,
+  files out of the agent through `send_file`),
   markdown files in a vault, `/api` + the admin SPA, an Anthropic-compatible
-  `/anthropic/v1/messages`, MCP re-exposure at `/mcp/<name>`.
+  `/anthropic/v1/messages`, MCP re-exposure at `/mcp/<name>`, and
+  `WebhookFrontend` for a window a setup declares itself - its own request
+  and response schema, its own agent, its own token scope
+  (`docs/FRONTEND-PLUGINS.md`).
 - **mcp/** - MCP servers a setup declares (stdio, http, python tools),
   aggregated in-process and handed to agents by name.
 - **vault/** - watching a directory of notes for the envelope.

src/beaver_gateway/app.py

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import asyncio
 import functools
 import logging
 from contextlib import AsyncExitStack
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
 import psycopg
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ from beaver_gateway.frontends.bearer import require_token
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.root import build_root_app
 from beaver_gateway.jobs.scheduler import Scheduler
 from beaver_gateway.mcp.internal_app import build_internal_app
-from beaver_gateway.security.auth import TokenStore
+from beaver_gateway.security.auth import TokenStore, scopes_with
 from beaver_gateway.storage import (
     Database,
     PostgresSessionStore,
@@ -194,6 +195,8 @@ async def run(gateway: Gateway, settings: Settings) -> None:
             pool=pool,
             scheduler=scheduler,
             public_url=gateway.public_url.rstrip("/") if gateway.public_url else None,
+            scopes=scopes_with(fe.scope for fe in gateway.frontends),
+            send_file_roots=_roots(settings.send_file_roots),
         )
         for fe in gateway.frontends:
             fe.configure(runtime)
@@ -296,6 +299,10 @@ async def _serve_internal_mcp(app: Starlette, *, settings: Settings) -> None:
     await uvicorn.Server(config).serve()
 
 
+def _roots(value: str) -> tuple[Path, ...]:
+    return tuple(Path(p) for p in value.split(":") if p.strip())
+
+
 class _LateConversations:
     conversations: Conversations | None = None
 

src/beaver_gateway/config.py

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import re
 import sys
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 
 __all__ = ["ConfigError", "Gateway", "load"]
 
+_SCOPE = re.compile(r"[a-z][a-z0-9_-]*")
+
 
 @dataclass(slots=True)
 class Gateway:
@@ -135,6 +138,12 @@ def _validate(gw: Gateway, path: Path) -> None:
                 f"got {type(f).__name__}"
             )
             raise ConfigError(msg)
+        if f.scope is not None and not _SCOPE.fullmatch(f.scope):
+            msg = (
+                f"{path}: gateway.frontends[{i}] has scope {f.scope!r}; "
+                f"a frontend scope is a lowercase name like 'voice', never '*'"
+            )
+            raise ConfigError(msg)
     names: set[str] = set()
     for i, j in enumerate(gw.jobs):
         if not isinstance(j, Job):

src/beaver_gateway/conversations/envelope.py

@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ class RecallContext:
     text: str
     kind: str
     now: datetime
+    agent: str = ""
+    """Agent whose turn it is; a setup with several tells them apart by it."""
 
 
 @dataclass(slots=True)
@@ -40,7 +42,12 @@ class Envelope:
     texts: EnvelopeTexts = field(default_factory=EnvelopeTexts)
 
     def build(
-        self, *, now: datetime | None = None, text: str = "", kind: str = "master"
+        self,
+        *,
+        now: datetime | None = None,
+        text: str = "",
+        kind: str = "master",
+        agent: str = "",
     ) -> str:
         now = now or datetime.now(UTC)
         changes = self.watch.take() if self.watch is not None else []
@@ -59,20 +66,26 @@ class Envelope:
             texts=self.texts,
         )
         self.last_at = now
-        block = self.recall_block(text=text, kind=kind, now=now)
+        block = self.recall_block(text=text, kind=kind, now=now, agent=agent)
         return f"{out}\n{block}" if block else out
 
     def recall_only(
-        self, *, text: str, kind: str, now: datetime | None = None
+        self, *, text: str, kind: str, now: datetime | None = None, agent: str = ""
     ) -> str | None:
-        block = self.recall_block(text=text, kind=kind, now=now or datetime.now(UTC))
+        block = self.recall_block(
+            text=text, kind=kind, now=now or datetime.now(UTC), agent=agent
+        )
         return f"{self.texts.header}\n{block}" if block else None
 
-    def recall_block(self, *, text: str, kind: str, now: datetime) -> str | None:
+    def recall_block(
+        self, *, text: str, kind: str, now: datetime, agent: str = ""
+    ) -> str | None:
         if self.recall is None or not text.strip():
             return None
         try:
-            block = self.recall(RecallContext(text=text, kind=kind, now=now))
+            block = self.recall(
+                RecallContext(text=text, kind=kind, now=now, agent=agent)
+            )
         except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001
             _log.exception("recall hook failed")
             return None

src/beaver_gateway/conversations/messaging.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Putting words into a conversation: a message, an inject, ``say``, ``schedule``."""
+"""Putting words into a conversation: a message, an inject, ``say``, a file."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import logging
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, cast
 
 from beaver_gateway.conversations.turns import Turns
+from beaver_gateway.frontends.files import SendFileError
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from datetime import datetime
@@ -110,6 +111,31 @@ class Messaging(Turns):
             turn_id=runner.turn_id if runner is not None else None,
         )
 
+    async def send_file(
+        self, conv: Conversation, path: str, *, caption: str = "", method: str = "auto"
+    ) -> str:
+        """Hand a file to the human: this conversation's window, else the master's."""
+        for target in (conv, await self.open_master()):
+            if target is None:
+                continue
+            for fe in self._frontends:
+                if target.kind in fe.kinds and fe.sends_files:
+                    note = await fe.send_file(
+                        target, path, caption=caption, method=method
+                    )
+                    _log.info("send_file[%s]: %s", target.external_id, note)
+                    return note
+        msg = (
+            "nowhere to send: no frontend that sends files shows this "
+            "conversation, and there is no open master"
+        )
+        raise SendFileError(msg)
+
+    def file_note(self) -> str:
+        """What the ``send_file`` tool tells the model about roots and size."""
+        sender = next((f for f in self._frontends if f.sends_files), None)
+        return sender.file_note() if sender else "no frontend here sends files"
+
     async def schedule(
         self,
         conv: Conversation,

src/beaver_gateway/conversations/texts.py

@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ class UserSaid:
     title: str | None
     text: str
     at: datetime
+    agent: str = ""
+    """Agent whose turn it is; a setup with several tells them apart by it."""
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)

src/beaver_gateway/conversations/tools.py

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from claude_agent_sdk import create_sdk_mcp_server, tool
 
 from beaver_gateway.conversations.injects import URGENCY
 from beaver_gateway.conversations.kinds import as_kind
+from beaver_gateway.frontends.files import AUTO, METHODS, SendFileError
 from beaver_gateway.security.redact import redact_data
 
 URGENCY_HELP = (
@@ -42,7 +43,23 @@ SAY_IN_USER_TURN = (
     "reply text reaches them by itself - put what you wanted to say into the "
     "reply instead of repeating it here"
 )
-TOOL_NAMES = ("read_conversation", "spawn", "say", "schedule", "inject", "close_chat")
+TOOL_NAMES = (
+    "read_conversation",
+    "spawn",
+    "say",
+    "schedule",
+    "inject",
+    "close_chat",
+    "send_file",
+)
+SEND_FILE_HELP = (
+    "Send a file from disk to the human, into this conversation's window (the "
+    "master's if it has none): {note}. `method` is how Telegram renders it; "
+    "`auto` reads the extension - image is a photo, mp3/flac/m4a audio, ogg "
+    "voice, mp4/mov video, anything else a document. Photo and video are "
+    "recompressed, so pass `document` when the bytes must arrive untouched. "
+    "`caption` takes the same markdown as your replies."
+)
 
 
 def build_tool_server(
@@ -232,6 +249,33 @@ def _tools(conversations: Conversations, key: str) -> list[SdkMcpTool[Any]]:
         )
         return _text(f"queued #{item.id}")
 
+    @tool(
+        "send_file",
+        SEND_FILE_HELP.format(note=conversations.file_note()),
+        {
+            "type": "object",
+            "properties": {
+                "path": {"type": "string", "description": "absolute path on disk"},
+                "caption": {"type": "string"},
+                "method": {"type": "string", "enum": [AUTO, *METHODS], "default": AUTO},
+            },
+            "required": ["path"],
+        },
+    )
+    async def send_file(args: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        conv = await current()
+        try:
+            return _text(
+                await conversations.send_file(
+                    conv,
+                    str(args["path"]),
+                    caption=str(args.get("caption") or ""),
+                    method=str(args.get("method") or AUTO),
+                )
+            )
+        except SendFileError as exc:
+            return _error(str(exc))
+
     @tool(
         "close_chat",
         "Close this deep chat once the current reply is finished: the "
@@ -248,7 +292,7 @@ def _tools(conversations: Conversations, key: str) -> list[SdkMcpTool[Any]]:
             return _error(str(exc))
         return _text("ok: the chat closes after this reply")
 
-    return [read_conversation, spawn, say, schedule, inject, close_chat]
+    return [read_conversation, spawn, say, schedule, inject, send_file, close_chat]
 
 
 def _text(text: str) -> dict[str, Any]:

src/beaver_gateway/conversations/turns.py

@@ -336,9 +336,11 @@ class Turns(Seeds):
         if self._envelope is None:
             return None
         if conv.kind == "master":
-            return self._envelope.build(text=text, kind="master")
+            return self._envelope.build(text=text, kind="master", agent=conv.agent_name)
         if conv.kind == "branch":
-            return self._envelope.recall_only(text=text, kind="branch")
+            return self._envelope.recall_only(
+                text=text, kind="branch", agent=conv.agent_name
+            )
         return None
 
     async def _note_user(self, conv: Conversation, text: str) -> None:
@@ -350,6 +352,7 @@ class Turns(Seeds):
             title=conv.title,
             text=text,
             at=datetime.now(UTC),
+            agent=conv.agent_name,
         )
         try:
             result = self._user_sink(message)

src/beaver_gateway/frontends/api/frontend.py

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from beaver_gateway.frontends.sse import (
 )
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.urls import frontend_url
 from beaver_gateway.security import audit
-from beaver_gateway.security.auth import VALID_SCOPES, hash_token
+from beaver_gateway.security.auth import hash_token
 from beaver_gateway.storage import (
     create_token,
     list_audit_records,
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ def build_app(  # noqa: PLR0915
                         k: fe.agent_for(k) for k in fe.kinds if fe.agent_for(k)
                     },
                     "path": fe.path,
+                    "scope": fe.scope,
                     "url": frontend_url(request, runtime, fe),
                 }
                 for fe in runtime.frontends
@@ -814,6 +815,19 @@ def build_app(  # noqa: PLR0915
             "content": content,
         }
 
+    @app.get("/scopes")
+    async def scopes(request: Request) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        await require_token(request, runtime, scope=ADMIN_SCOPE)
+        by_frontend = {
+            fe.scope: fe.name or fe.path or "" for fe in runtime.frontends if fe.scope
+        }
+        return {
+            "scopes": [
+                {"scope": s, "frontend": by_frontend.get(s)}
+                for s in sorted(runtime.scopes)
+            ]
+        }
+
     @app.get("/tokens")
     async def tokens(request: Request) -> dict[str, Any]:
         await require_token(request, runtime, scope=ADMIN_SCOPE)
@@ -828,7 +842,7 @@ def build_app(  # noqa: PLR0915
         data = await body_of(request)
         name = text_of(data, "name").strip()
         scope = str(data.get("scope") or "*")
-        if scope not in VALID_SCOPES:
+        if scope not in runtime.scopes:
             raise HTTPException(status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST, f"invalid scope {scope!r}")
         plaintext = secrets.token_urlsafe(32)
         async with runtime.db.session() as session:

src/beaver_gateway/frontends/base.py

@@ -10,8 +10,12 @@ from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
+from beaver_gateway.frontends.files import SendFileError
+from beaver_gateway.security.auth import BUILTIN_SCOPES
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Awaitable, Callable, Mapping, Sequence
+    from pathlib import Path
 
     from starlette.types import ASGIApp
 
@@ -54,6 +58,10 @@ class GatewayRuntime:
     scheduler: Any = None
     public_url: str | None = None
     """``Gateway.public_url``; ``None`` derives the origin from the request."""
+    scopes: frozenset[str] = BUILTIN_SCOPES
+    """Every token scope this gateway knows: the builtins plus each frontend's."""
+    send_file_roots: tuple[Path, ...] = ()
+    """Directories ``send_file`` may read, from ``SEND_FILE_ROOTS``."""
 
 
 class Frontend(ABC):
@@ -64,6 +72,10 @@ class Frontend(ABC):
     is for non-HTTP work (polling, vault mirrors) and defaults to nothing.
     ``landing`` marks the app that ``/`` redirects to.
 
+    ``scope`` is the token scope this frontend's routes are gated by; a
+    frontend that names its own scope gets keys nobody else's token opens,
+    and ``POST /api/tokens`` will mint them (see ``security/auth.py``).
+
     A frontend that shows conversations declares ``name`` (the binding
     key) and ``kinds`` (which conversation kinds it shows). The first
     frontend whose ``materialize`` returns a binding is the *home* of
@@ -76,6 +88,9 @@ class Frontend(ABC):
     kinds: tuple[Kind, ...] = ()
     path: str | None = None
     landing: bool = False
+    scope: str | None = None
+    sends_files: bool = False
+    """Whether ``send_file`` reaches a human through this frontend."""
 
     @abstractmethod
     def configure(self, runtime: GatewayRuntime) -> None: ...
@@ -95,3 +110,19 @@ class Frontend(ABC):
     async def mark_closed(self, conv: Conversation) -> bool:  # noqa: ARG002
         """Show in the window that the conversation is over (a renamed topic)."""
         return False
+
+    async def send_file(
+        self,
+        conv: Conversation,  # noqa: ARG002
+        path: str,  # noqa: ARG002
+        *,
+        caption: str = "",  # noqa: ARG002
+        method: str = "auto",  # noqa: ARG002
+    ) -> str:
+        """Put a file in this conversation's window; the answer goes to the model."""
+        msg = f"frontend {self.name!r} cannot send files"
+        raise SendFileError(msg)
+
+    def file_note(self) -> str:
+        """Roots and ceiling, for the tool description the model reads."""
+        return ""

src/beaver_gateway/frontends/files.py

@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+"""What an agent may hand to a human: an allowed path, a ceiling, a method.
+
+The ceiling and the method names belong to the frontend's API; the check
+lives here so every frontend refuses the same way, in words the model reads.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import mimetypes
+from dataclasses import dataclass, replace
+from pathlib import Path
+
+__all__ = ["AUTO", "DEFAULTS", "METHODS", "SendFileError", "SendFiles", "method_for"]
+
+AUTO = "auto"
+METHODS = ("document", "photo", "audio", "voice", "video", "video_note", "animation")
+
+_BY_SUFFIX = {
+    ".jpg": "photo",
+    ".jpeg": "photo",
+    ".png": "photo",
+    ".webp": "photo",
+    ".gif": "animation",
+    ".mp3": "audio",
+    ".flac": "audio",
+    ".m4a": "audio",
+    ".wav": "audio",
+    ".aac": "audio",
+    ".ogg": "voice",
+    ".oga": "voice",
+    ".opus": "voice",
+    ".mp4": "video",
+    ".m4v": "video",
+    ".mov": "video",
+}
+_BY_TYPE = {"image": "photo", "audio": "audio", "video": "video"}
+
+
+class SendFileError(Exception):
+    """Why a file was not sent, worded for the model that asked."""
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)
+class SendFiles:
+    """Which files a frontend accepts from an agent and how big they may be."""
+
+    roots: tuple[Path, ...] = ()
+    """Directories a path must resolve inside; nothing outside is sendable."""
+    max_bytes: int = 50 * 1024 * 1024
+    """Upload ceiling of the API behind the frontend; the Bot API gives 50 MB."""
+
+    def with_roots(self, *roots: Path) -> SendFiles:
+        return replace(self, roots=tuple(dict.fromkeys((*self.roots, *roots))))
+
+    @property
+    def note(self) -> str:
+        """Roots and ceiling as one line for the tool description."""
+        where = ", ".join(str(r) for r in self.roots) or "none, so nothing is sendable"
+        return f"paths under {where}, up to {mb(self.max_bytes)} MB"
+
+    def resolve(self, raw: str) -> Path:
+        path = Path(raw.strip()).expanduser().resolve()
+        if not any(path.is_relative_to(r.expanduser().resolve()) for r in self.roots):
+            msg = f"{path} is outside the allowed roots ({self.note}); copy it there"
+            raise SendFileError(msg)
+        if not path.is_file():
+            msg = f"{path} is not a file"
+            raise SendFileError(msg)
+        size = path.stat().st_size
+        if size > self.max_bytes:
+            msg = (
+                f"{path.name} is {mb(size)} MB, over the {mb(self.max_bytes)} MB limit"
+            )
+            raise SendFileError(msg)
+        return path
+
+
+DEFAULTS = SendFiles()
+
+
+def method_for(path: Path, method: str = AUTO) -> str:
+    if method and method != AUTO:
+        if method not in METHODS:
+            msg = f"unknown method {method!r}; one of: {', '.join((AUTO, *METHODS))}"
+            raise SendFileError(msg)
+        return method
+    guessed = _BY_SUFFIX.get(path.suffix.lower())
+    if guessed:
+        return guessed
+    mime, _ = mimetypes.guess_type(path.name)
+    return _BY_TYPE.get(mime.split("/")[0], "document") if mime else "document"
+
+
+def mb(size: int) -> str:
+    return f"{round(size / 1024 / 1024, 2):g}"

src/beaver_gateway/frontends/telegram/frontend.py

@@ -21,10 +21,13 @@ from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
 
 from aiogram import Bot
 from aiogram.client.default import DefaultBotProperties
-from aiogram.exceptions import TelegramAPIError
+from aiogram.client.session.aiohttp import AiohttpSession
+from aiogram.client.telegram import TelegramAPIServer
+from aiogram.exceptions import TelegramAPIError, TelegramNetworkError
 from aiogram.types import (
     BotCommand,
     CallbackQuery,
+    FSInputFile,
     InlineKeyboardButton,
     InlineKeyboardMarkup,
     Message,
@@ -33,10 +36,17 @@ from aiogram.types import (
 )
 
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.base import Frontend
+from beaver_gateway.frontends.files import (
+    DEFAULTS,
+    SendFileError,
+    SendFiles,
+    mb,
+    method_for,
+)
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram.drafts import Draft
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram.inbox import Inbox
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram.outbox import Outbox
-from beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram.render import chunks, status_label
+from beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram.render import chunks, status_label, to_html
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram.texts import TelegramTexts
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -53,6 +63,8 @@ _log = logging.getLogger("beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram")
 FRONTEND = "telegram"
 _DONE = "done"
 _COMMANDS = ("merge", "new", "chat", "status", "help", "start")
+_CAPTION = 1024
+_NO_CAPTION = ("video_note",)
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)
@@ -134,6 +146,7 @@ class _Album:
 class TelegramFrontend(Frontend):
     name = FRONTEND
     kinds = ("master", "branch")
+    sends_files = True
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -144,6 +157,8 @@ class TelegramFrontend(Frontend):
         branch_agent: str | None = None,
         chat_id: int | None = None,
         attachments: Attachments = EPHEMERAL,
+        send_files: SendFiles = DEFAULTS,
+        api_base_url: str | None = None,
         draft_interval: float = 0.7,
         master_topic: str = "🦫 General",
         queued_reaction: str = "👀",
@@ -159,6 +174,8 @@ class TelegramFrontend(Frontend):
         self.master_agent = master_agent
         self.branch_agent = branch_agent
         self.attachments = attachments
+        self.send_files = send_files
+        self.api_base_url = api_base_url
         self.master_topic = master_topic
         self.draft_interval = draft_interval
         self.queued_reaction = queued_reaction
@@ -187,7 +204,14 @@ class TelegramFrontend(Frontend):
             raise RuntimeError(msg)
         self._runtime = runtime
         if self._bot is None:
-            self._bot = Bot(self._token, default=DefaultBotProperties(parse_mode=None))
+            self._bot = Bot(
+                self._token,
+                session=self._session(),
+                default=DefaultBotProperties(parse_mode=None),
+            )
+        self.send_files = self.send_files.with_roots(
+            *runtime.send_file_roots, self.attachments.root
+        )
         self._inbox = Inbox(
             runtime.db, self._bot, handler=self._handle, poll_timeout=self.poll_timeout
         )
@@ -195,6 +219,16 @@ class TelegramFrontend(Frontend):
             runtime.db, self._bot, bus=runtime.bus, backoff=self.outbox_backoff
         )
 
+    def _session(self) -> AiohttpSession | None:
+        """A local Bot API server instead of api.telegram.org (2 GB uploads)."""
+        if not self.api_base_url:
+            return None
+        return AiohttpSession(
+            api=TelegramAPIServer.from_base(
+                self.api_base_url.rstrip("/"), is_local=True
+            )
+        )
+
     async def serve(self) -> None:
         me = await self.bot.get_me()
         _log.info(
@@ -251,6 +285,44 @@ class TelegramFrontend(Frontend):
         self._topic_names[target[1]] = f"{prefix}{name}"
         return True
 
+    def file_note(self) -> str:
+        return self.send_files.note
+
+    async def send_file(
+        self, conv: Conversation, path: str, *, caption: str = "", method: str = "auto"
+    ) -> str:
+        """Upload the file into this conversation's topic, caption and all."""
+        target = await self._target_of(conv)
+        if target is None:
+            msg = f"conversation {conv.external_id} has no Telegram window"
+            raise SendFileError(msg)
+        file = self.send_files.resolve(path)
+        how = method_for(file, method)
+        rest = caption.strip()
+        payload: dict[str, Any] = {
+            "message_thread_id": target[1],
+            how: FSInputFile(file),
+        }
+        if how == "audio":
+            payload["title"] = file.stem
+        if rest and how not in _NO_CAPTION and len(rest) <= _CAPTION:
+            payload |= {"caption": to_html(rest), "parse_mode": "HTML"}
+            rest = ""
+        try:
+            await getattr(self.bot, f"send_{how}")(target[0], **payload)
+        except TelegramNetworkError as exc:
+            msg = f"Telegram did not answer while sending {file.name}: {exc}"
+            raise SendFileError(msg) from exc
+        except TelegramAPIError as exc:
+            msg = f"Telegram refused {file.name} as {how}: {exc}"
+            raise SendFileError(msg) from exc
+        except (OSError, TimeoutError) as exc:
+            msg = f"sending {file.name} failed: {exc}"
+            raise SendFileError(msg) from exc
+        if rest:
+            await self._deliver(conv, rest)
+        return f"sent {file.name} as {how}, {mb(file.stat().st_size)} MB"
+
     @property
     def bot(self) -> Bot:
         if self._bot is None:

src/beaver_gateway/frontends/telegram/texts.py

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ TOOL_LABELS: dict[str, str] = {
     "mcp__gateway__say": "speaking",
     "mcp__gateway__schedule": "setting a reminder",
     "mcp__gateway__inject": "passing to another conversation",
+    "mcp__gateway__send_file": "sending a file",
 }
 
 

src/beaver_gateway/security/auth.py

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from argon2.exceptions import InvalidHashError, VerifyMismatchError
 from beaver_gateway.storage import list_active_tokens, touch_token
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from collections.abc import Mapping
+    from collections.abc import Iterable, Mapping
 
     from beaver_gateway.storage import Database
 
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ class TokenStoreError(ValueError):
     """Malformed ``BOOTSTRAP_TOKENS`` value or duplicate token."""
 
 
-VALID_SCOPES: frozenset[str] = frozenset({"*", "messages", "mcp", "admin", "api"})
-"""The scopes a ``Token.scope`` may hold.
+BUILTIN_SCOPES: frozenset[str] = frozenset({"*", "messages", "mcp", "admin", "api"})
+"""The scopes the gateway's own frontends define.
 
 * ``*`` — wildcard, may use any frontend
 * ``messages`` — Anthropic Messages frontend only
@@ -45,16 +45,24 @@ VALID_SCOPES: frozenset[str] = frozenset({"*", "messages", "mcp", "admin", "api"
 * ``admin`` — reserved for programmatic admin access; the AdminFrontend
   itself authenticates via session cookies, not bearer tokens, so this
   scope is unused today.
+
+A setup's own frontend adds its scope on top; see :func:`scopes_with` and
+``GatewayRuntime.scopes``, which is what ``POST /api/tokens`` validates.
 """
 
 
+def scopes_with(extra: Iterable[str | None]) -> frozenset[str]:
+    """The builtin scopes plus every frontend's own; ``None`` entries drop out."""
+    return BUILTIN_SCOPES | {s for s in extra if s}
+
+
 @dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)
 class TokenIdentity:
     """What :meth:`TokenStore.verify` resolves to on success.
 
     ``token_id`` is the DB row id for persisted tokens, or ``None`` for
     an env-bootstrap match (those have no DB row to touch). ``scope``
-    gates which frontend the token may hit (see :data:`VALID_SCOPES`);
+    gates which frontend the token may hit (see :data:`BUILTIN_SCOPES`);
     bootstrap tokens implicitly get ``"*"``.
     """
 
@@ -67,8 +75,8 @@ class TokenIdentity:
 
         ``"*"`` is the wildcard; an exact match satisfies a single scope.
         Unknown ``required`` values intentionally fall through to a
-        strict equality check — callers should pass one of
-        :data:`VALID_SCOPES`.
+        strict equality check — callers should pass a scope the runtime
+        knows (:data:`BUILTIN_SCOPES` plus every frontend's own).
         """
         return self.scope in ("*", required)
 
@@ -325,11 +333,12 @@ class TokenStore:
 
 
 __all__ = [
-    "VALID_SCOPES",
+    "BUILTIN_SCOPES",
     "TokenIdentity",
     "TokenStore",
     "TokenStoreError",
     "hash_token",
+    "scopes_with",
 ]
 
 

src/beaver_gateway/settings.py

@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     """``Accept-Language`` sent to the Raycast API and the default locale for
     auto ``UserPreferences``. One value per gateway (one shared Client)."""
 
+    send_file_roots: str = "/mnt/hole/shared"
+    """Directories the ``send_file`` tool may read, separated by ``:``. A
+    frontend always adds the inbox its own attachments land in."""
+
     bootstrap_tokens: str = ""
     """Out-of-band token seed: ``name1:value1,name2:value2``. Layers
     alongside DB-issued tokens; used for first-run setup and recovery."""

tests/test_envelope.py

@@ -219,3 +219,25 @@ async def test_failing_recall_or_sink_never_blocks_the_turn(world: World) -> Non
     assert prompt.startswith("hello\n\n" + HEADER)
     assert root.exists()
     await asyncio.sleep(0)
+
+
+async def test_the_recall_hook_and_the_sink_see_whose_turn_it_is(world: World) -> None:
+    root, watch = vault()
+    seen: list[RecallContext] = []
+
+    def recall(ctx: RecallContext) -> str | None:
+        seen.append(ctx)
+        return None if ctx.agent == "a" else "👤 указатель"
+
+    noted: list[UserSaid] = []
+    world.conversations._envelope = Envelope(watch=watch, tz="UTC", recall=recall)  # noqa: SLF001
+    world.conversations._user_sink = noted.append  # noqa: SLF001
+    master = await world.conversations.create(kind="master", agent="a", origin="test")
+    append(root / "люди" / "Прохор.md", "новое\n")
+    watch.note(root / "люди" / "Прохор.md")
+    await world.conversations.post(master, "что там у Прохор")
+    await world.settle(master, 1)
+    assert [ctx.agent for ctx in seen] == ["a"]
+    assert [m.agent for m in noted] == ["a"]
+    assert "👤" not in ScriptedClient.instances[0].prompts[0]
+    await asyncio.sleep(0)

tests/test_scopes.py

@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import httpx
+import pytest
+from fastapi import FastAPI, Request
+
+from beaver_gateway.app import AgentRegistry, McpRegistry
+from beaver_gateway.frontends.api.frontend import build_app as build_api
+from beaver_gateway.frontends.base import Frontend, GatewayRuntime
+from beaver_gateway.frontends.bearer import require_token
+from beaver_gateway.security.auth import BUILTIN_SCOPES, TokenStore, scopes_with
+from beaver_gateway.storage import Database
+
+ROOT = {"Authorization": "Bearer root-key"}
+VOICE = {"Authorization": "Bearer voice-key"}
+OPS = {"Authorization": "Bearer ops-key"}
+
+
+class Speaker(Frontend):
+    """A frontend a setup declares, gated by a scope of its own."""
+
+    name = "voice"
+    path = "/voice"
+    scope = "voice"
+
+    def configure(self, runtime: GatewayRuntime) -> None:
+        self.runtime = runtime
+
+    def app(self) -> FastAPI:
+        app = FastAPI()
+
+        @app.post("/")
+        async def ask(request: Request) -> dict[str, str]:
+            return {"by": await require_token(request, self.runtime, scope=self.scope)}
+
+        return app
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+async def runtime() -> GatewayRuntime:
+    root = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="beaver-scopes-"))
+    db = Database(f"sqlite:///{root / 's.db'}")
+    await db.create_all()
+    speaker = Speaker()
+    rt = GatewayRuntime(
+        agents=AgentRegistry([]),
+        mcps=McpRegistry([]),
+        backends={},
+        token_store=TokenStore(
+            db,
+            bootstrap={"root": "root-key", "voice": "voice-key", "ops": "ops-key"},
+            bootstrap_scopes={"voice": "voice", "ops": "api"},
+        ),
+        db=db,
+        frontends=(speaker,),
+        scopes=scopes_with(fe.scope for fe in (speaker,)),
+    )
+    speaker.configure(rt)
+    yield rt
+    await db.dispose()
+
+
+def api(runtime: GatewayRuntime) -> httpx.AsyncClient:
+    return httpx.AsyncClient(
+        transport=httpx.ASGITransport(app=build_api(runtime)), base_url="http://t"
+    )
+
+
+def frontend(runtime: GatewayRuntime) -> httpx.AsyncClient:
+    fe = runtime.frontends[0]
+    return httpx.AsyncClient(
+        transport=httpx.ASGITransport(app=fe.app()), base_url="http://t"
+    )
+
+
+def test_a_frontend_scope_joins_the_builtin_vocabulary() -> None:
+    assert "voice" not in BUILTIN_SCOPES
+    assert scopes_with(["voice", None, "api"]) == BUILTIN_SCOPES | {"voice"}
+
+
+async def test_the_scope_of_a_frontend_is_listed_with_its_name(
+    runtime: GatewayRuntime,
+) -> None:
+    async with api(runtime) as client:
+        listed = await client.get("/scopes", headers=ROOT)
+    scopes = listed.json()["scopes"]
+    assert {"scope": "voice", "frontend": "voice"} in scopes
+    assert {"scope": "api", "frontend": None} in scopes
+
+
+async def test_tokens_mint_for_a_declared_scope_and_not_for_an_unknown_one(
+    runtime: GatewayRuntime,
+) -> None:
+    async with api(runtime) as client:
+        minted = await client.post(
+            "/tokens", json={"name": "esp32-hall", "scope": "voice"}, headers=ROOT
+        )
+        unknown = await client.post(
+            "/tokens", json={"name": "nope", "scope": "kitchen"}, headers=ROOT
+        )
+    assert minted.status_code == 201
+    assert minted.json()["token"]["scope"] == "voice"
+    assert unknown.status_code == 400
+    assert "kitchen" in unknown.json()["error"]
+
+
+async def test_the_route_opens_for_its_own_scope_only(runtime: GatewayRuntime) -> None:
+    async with frontend(runtime) as client:
+        own = await client.post("/", headers=VOICE)
+        other = await client.post("/", headers=OPS)
+        wildcard = await client.post("/", headers=ROOT)
+        anonymous = await client.post("/")
+    assert own.status_code == 200
+    assert own.json()["by"] == "voice"
+    assert other.status_code == 403
+    assert wildcard.status_code == 200
+    assert anonymous.status_code == 401
+
+
+async def test_a_minted_token_reaches_the_frontend_it_was_minted_for(
+    runtime: GatewayRuntime,
+) -> None:
+    async with api(runtime) as client:
+        plaintext = (
+            await client.post(
+                "/tokens", json={"name": "esp32-hall", "scope": "voice"}, headers=ROOT
+            )
+        ).json()["plaintext"]
+    async with frontend(runtime) as client:
+        opened = await client.post("/", headers={"X-Api-Key": plaintext})
+    assert opened.status_code == 200
+    assert opened.json()["by"] == "esp32-hall"

tests/test_telegram.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import asyncio
 import base64
 import contextlib
+import functools
 import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
 from types import SimpleNamespace
@@ -14,7 +15,9 @@ from claude_agent_sdk import PermissionResultAllow, PermissionResultDeny
 
 from beaver_gateway.app import McpRegistry
 from beaver_gateway.backends.transcript import build_entries
+from beaver_gateway.conversations.tools import _tools
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.base import GatewayRuntime
+from beaver_gateway.frontends.files import SendFileError, SendFiles, method_for
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram import Attachments, TelegramFrontend
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram.drafts import Draft
 from beaver_gateway.frontends.telegram.render import (
@@ -36,6 +39,8 @@ class FakeBot:
     def __init__(self) -> None:
         self.updates: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
         self.sent: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        self.files: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        self.reject_files = False
         self.drafts: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
         self.edits: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
         self.topics: list[str] = []
@@ -132,6 +137,21 @@ class FakeBot:
     async def download(self, file_id, destination=None) -> None:
         Path(destination).write_bytes(b"data")
 
+    async def _upload(self, method: str, chat_id: int, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+        if self.reject_files:
+            raise TelegramBadRequest(
+                method=SendMessage(chat_id=0, text="x"),
+                message="Bad Request: PHOTO_INVALID_DIMENSIONS",
+            )
+        self._message_id += 1
+        self.files.append({"method": method, "chat_id": chat_id, **kwargs})
+        return SimpleNamespace(message_id=self._message_id)
+
+    def __getattr__(self, name: str) -> Any:
+        if name.startswith("send_"):
+            return functools.partial(self._upload, name.removeprefix("send_"))
+        raise AttributeError(name)
+
     # helpers for tests
     def push(self, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
         payload["update_id"] = 1000 + len(self.updates)
@@ -1035,3 +1055,142 @@ async def test_question_survives_a_gateway_restart(stack: Stack) -> None:
     await stack.until(lambda: stack.sent_with("ok:Красный"), what="answer as message")
     row = await stack.world.conversations.get(master.external_id)
     assert row.flags.get("ask") is None
+
+
+def _sendable(name: str, body: bytes = b"x") -> tuple[Path, Path]:
+    root = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="beaver-send-")).resolve()
+    file = root / name
+    file.write_bytes(body)
+    return root, file
+
+
+def test_send_files_takes_only_paths_inside_its_roots() -> None:
+    root, note = _sendable("note.txt")
+    outside = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="beaver-out-")).resolve()
+    (outside / "secret.txt").write_bytes(b"y")
+    (root / "escape.txt").symlink_to(outside / "secret.txt")
+    files = SendFiles(roots=(root,))
+
+    assert files.resolve(f"{root}/../{root.name}/./note.txt") == note
+
+    for bad in (
+        str(outside / "secret.txt"),
+        f"{root}/../{outside.name}/secret.txt",
+        str(root / "escape.txt"),
+    ):
+        with pytest.raises(SendFileError, match="outside the allowed roots"):
+            files.resolve(bad)
+    with pytest.raises(SendFileError, match="is not a file"):
+        files.resolve(str(root / "gone.txt"))
+    with pytest.raises(SendFileError, match="outside the allowed roots"):
+        SendFiles().resolve(str(note))
+
+
+def test_send_files_stops_a_file_over_the_limit() -> None:
+    root, big = _sendable("big.bin", b"0" * (2 * 1024 * 1024))
+    files = SendFiles(roots=(root,), max_bytes=1024 * 1024)
+    with pytest.raises(SendFileError, match="big.bin is 2 MB, over the 1 MB limit"):
+        files.resolve(str(big))
+    assert SendFiles(roots=(root,), max_bytes=4 * 1024 * 1024).resolve(str(big)) == big
+    assert files.note == f"paths under {root}, up to 1 MB"
+
+
+def test_method_follows_the_extension_unless_it_is_given() -> None:
+    picked = {
+        name: method_for(Path(name))
+        for name in ("a.JPG", "b.gif", "c.mp3", "d.ogg", "e.mov", "f.zip", "g.svg")
+    }
+    assert picked == {
+        "a.JPG": "photo",
+        "b.gif": "animation",
+        "c.mp3": "audio",
+        "d.ogg": "voice",
+        "e.mov": "video",
+        "f.zip": "document",
+        "g.svg": "photo",
+    }
+    assert method_for(Path("a.jpg"), "document") == "document"
+    with pytest.raises(SendFileError, match="unknown method 'sticker'"):
+        method_for(Path("a.jpg"), "sticker")
+
+
+async def _send(stack: Stack, conv, **args: Any) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    tool = next(
+        t
+        for t in _tools(stack.world.conversations, conv.external_id)
+        if t.name == "send_file"
+    )
+    return await tool.handler(args)
+
+
+async def test_send_file_lands_in_the_topic_of_the_conversation(stack: Stack) -> None:
+    stack.bot.message("work", thread=11)
+    await stack.until(lambda: stack.sent_with("work"), what="branch reply")
+    branch = await stack.world.conversations.find_bound(
+        frontend="telegram", external_id=f"{USER}/11"
+    )
+    root, shot = _sendable("график.png", b"png")
+    stack.tg.send_files = SendFiles(roots=(root,))
+
+    result = await _send(stack, branch, path=str(shot), caption="**вот**")
+
+    assert result["content"][0]["text"].startswith("sent график.png as photo")
+    (sent,) = stack.bot.files
+    assert sent["method"] == "photo"
+    assert sent["message_thread_id"] == 11
+    assert sent["photo"].path == shot
+    assert sent["caption"] == "<b>вот</b>" and sent["parse_mode"] == "HTML"
+
+
+async def test_long_caption_follows_the_file_as_a_message(stack: Stack) -> None:
+    stack.bot.message("hi")
+    await stack.until(lambda: stack.sent_with("hi"), what="reply")
+    master = await stack.world.conversations.find_bound(
+        frontend="telegram", external_id=GENERAL
+    )
+    root, doc = _sendable("отчёт.pdf")
+    stack.tg.send_files = SendFiles(roots=(root,))
+
+    await _send(stack, master, path=str(doc), caption="долго " * 300)
+
+    (sent,) = stack.bot.files
+    assert sent["method"] == "document" and "caption" not in sent
+    await stack.until(lambda: stack.sent_with("долго"), what="caption message")
+
+
+async def test_send_file_without_a_window_falls_back_to_the_master(
+    stack: Stack,
+) -> None:
+    stack.bot.message("hi")
+    await stack.until(lambda: stack.sent_with("hi"), what="reply")
+    job = await stack.world.conversations.spawn(
+        kind="job", agent="a", seed="brief", text="job", parent=None, origin="test"
+    )
+    root, song = _sendable("Пикник.mp3")
+    stack.tg.send_files = SendFiles(roots=(root,))
+
+    await _send(stack, job, path=str(song))
+
+    (sent,) = stack.bot.files
+    assert sent["method"] == "audio" and sent["title"] == "Пикник"
+    assert (sent["chat_id"], sent["message_thread_id"]) == (USER, 901)
+
+
+async def test_a_refused_upload_comes_back_to_the_agent(stack: Stack) -> None:
+    stack.bot.message("hi")
+    await stack.until(lambda: stack.sent_with("hi"), what="reply")
+    master = await stack.world.conversations.find_bound(
+        frontend="telegram", external_id=GENERAL
+    )
+    root, shot = _sendable("bad.png")
+    stack.tg.send_files = SendFiles(roots=(root,))
+    stack.bot.reject_files = True
+
+    result = await _send(stack, master, path=str(shot))
+
+    assert result["is_error"]
+    assert "Telegram refused bad.png as photo" in result["content"][0]["text"]
+
+    outside = await _send(stack, master, path="/etc/passwd")
+    assert outside["is_error"]
+    assert "outside the allowed roots" in outside["content"][0]["text"]

ui/src/lib/api/client.ts

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import type {
   LimitsResponse,
   MemoryFile,
   MemoryTree,
+  ScopeRow,
   SearchResponse,
   SessionsResponse,
   TokenRow,
@@ -351,6 +352,10 @@ export class ApiClient {
     });
   }
 
+  scopes(): Promise<{ scopes: ScopeRow[] }> {
+    return this.get("/api/scopes");
+  }
+
   createToken(
     name: string,
     scope: string

ui/src/lib/api/types.ts

@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ export interface FrontendInfo {
   kinds: Kind[];
   name: string;
   path: string | null;
+  scope: string | null;
   type: string;
   url: string | null;
 }
@@ -245,6 +246,11 @@ export interface MemoryFile {
   size: number;
 }
 
+export interface ScopeRow {
+  frontend: string | null;
+  scope: string;
+}
+
 export interface TokenRow {
   created_at: string;
   id: number;

ui/src/lib/components/endpoints.svelte

@@ -117,7 +117,17 @@
         };
       default:
         return {
-          endpoints: base ? [{ hint: "", label: "base", url: base }] : [],
+          endpoints: base
+            ? [
+                {
+                  hint: fe.scope
+                    ? `POST the frontend's own payload; bearer with scope ${fe.scope}`
+                    : "",
+                  label: "base",
+                  url: base,
+                },
+              ]
+            : [],
           frontend: fe,
           note: "",
         };

ui/src/routes/system/tokens/+page.svelte

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   import CopyIcon from "@lucide/svelte/icons/copy";
   import PlusIcon from "@lucide/svelte/icons/plus";
   import { toast } from "svelte-sonner";
-  import type { TokenRow } from "$lib/api/types";
+  import type { ScopeRow, TokenRow } from "$lib/api/types";
   import EmptyState from "$lib/components/empty-state.svelte";
   import ErrorNote from "$lib/components/error-note.svelte";
   import { Button } from "$lib/components/ui/button";
@@ -15,13 +15,23 @@
   import { session } from "$lib/session.svelte";
   import { cn } from "$lib/utils";
 
-  const SCOPES = [
-    { hint: "every frontend", value: "*" },
-    { hint: "conversations API and SSE (panel, plugin)", value: "api" },
-    { hint: "Anthropic /v1/messages", value: "messages" },
-    { hint: "MCP server", value: "mcp" },
-    { hint: "tokens and audit over the API", value: "admin" },
-  ];
+  const HINTS: Record<string, string> = {
+    "*": "every frontend",
+    admin: "tokens and audit over the API",
+    api: "conversations API and SSE (panel, plugin)",
+    mcp: "MCP server",
+    messages: "Anthropic /v1/messages",
+  };
+
+  let scopes = $state<ScopeRow[]>([]);
+  const options = $derived(
+    scopes.map((row) => ({
+      hint: row.frontend
+        ? `the ${row.frontend} frontend`
+        : (HINTS[row.scope] ?? ""),
+      value: row.scope,
+    }))
+  );
 
   let tokens = $state<TokenRow[] | null>(null);
   let includeRevoked = $state(false);
@@ -49,6 +59,21 @@
     load(includeRevoked);
   });
 
+  $effect(() => {
+    const { client } = session;
+    if (!client) {
+      return;
+    }
+    client
+      .scopes()
+      .then(({ scopes: rows }) => {
+        scopes = rows;
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        scopes = [];
+      });
+  });
+
   async function create() {
     const { client } = session;
     if (!client) {
@@ -254,7 +279,7 @@
         >
           <Select.Trigger class="w-full">{scope}</Select.Trigger>
           <Select.Content>
-            {#each SCOPES as option (option.value)}
+            {#each options as option (option.value)}
               <Select.Item label={option.value} value={option.value}>
                 <span class="flex flex-col">
                   <span>{option.value}</span>