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+# Gitea Actions operational quirks (molecule-core)
+
+Documents persistent operational findings about Gitea Actions runner behaviour
+that differ from GitHub Actions and require workarounds in workflow YAML or
+runbooks.
+
+> Last updated: 2026-05-11 (core-devops-agent)
+
+---
+
+## Gitea 1.22.6 runner network isolation
+
+### Finding
+
+The Gitea Actions runner (container on host `5.78.80.188`) cannot reach the
+git remote (`https://git.moleculesai.app`) over HTTPS from inside the runner
+container. Any `git fetch`, `git clone`, or `git push` command that contacts
+the remote times out at 12–15 s.
+
+This is **not a Gitea Actions bug** — it is an operator-level network policy
+where the runner container's network namespace is restricted from reaching the
+Gitea host HTTPS endpoint. The runner can reach external hosts (GitHub,
+Docker Hub, PyPI) normally.
+
+### Impact
+
+Workflows that rely on `git fetch origin <ref>` or `actions/checkout` with
+`fetch-depth: 0` (full history) will hang or time out.
+
+Specifically:
+- `actions/checkout@v*` with `fetch-depth: 0` hangs (fetching full repo
+  history takes >30 s before hitting the timeout).
+- `git fetch origin main --depth=1` times out at ~15 s.
+- `git clone <url>` times out at ~15 s.
+
+### Affected workflows
+
+| Workflow | Issue | Workaround |
+|---|---|---|
+| `harness-replays.yml` detect-changes job | `git fetch origin main --depth=1` times out | Added `timeout 20` + graceful fallback to `run=true` (always run harness) per PR #441 |
+| `publish-workspace-server-image.yml` | In-image `git clone` of workspace templates | Pre-clone manifest deps before compose build (Task #173 pattern) |
+| Any workflow using `fetch-depth: 0` | Full history fetch times out | Use `fetch-depth: 1` + explicit `git fetch` for needed refs |
+
+### How to diagnose
+
+```bash
+# From inside the runner (add as a debug step):
+timeout 20 git fetch origin main --depth=1
+# If this times out: runner cannot reach git remote
+```
+
+### Verification
+
+Confirmed 2026-05-11 by running `timeout 20 git fetch origin main --depth=1`
+in the `detect-changes` job of `harness-replays.yml` — consistently times
+out at 15 s. Runner can reach `https://api.github.com` and `https://pypi.org`
+without issue.
+
+### References
+
+- PR #441: fix for `harness-replays.yml` detect-changes
+- Task #173: pre-clone manifest deps pattern for compose build
+- internal#102: tracking customer-private + marketplace third-party repos
+- `feedback_oss_first_repo_visibility_default`: 5 workspace-template repos
+  flipped public to allow pre-clone without auth
+
+---
+
+## `continue-on-error` only works at step level, not job level
+
+### Finding
+
+Gitea Actions (1.22.6) does not honour `continue-on-error: true` at the **job**
+level the way GitHub Actions does. A job with `continue-on-error: true` that
+fails still reports `status: failure` in the commit status API.
+
+Only `continue-on-error: true` at the **step** level works as expected.
+
+### Impact
+
+If you want a job to always "pass" in the status API (so dependent jobs can
+run and the overall CI does not show `failure`), you must add
+`continue-on-error: true` to every step that can fail, AND ensure each step
+exits with code 0 (e.g., append `|| true` to commands that might fail).
+
+### Affected workflows
+
+| Workflow | Fix |
+|---|---|
+| `harness-replays.yml` detect-changes | Added `continue-on-error: true` to fetch step + decide step; added `|| true` to `DIFF=$(git diff ...)` per PR #441 |
+
+### How to diagnose
+
+```yaml
+# WRONG — job reports as failure despite flag
+jobs:
+  my-job:
+    continue-on-error: true   # ← ignored by Gitea
+    steps:
+      - run: git diff ...    # ← if this fails, job = failure
+        # job-level flag does not help
+
+# RIGHT — step-level flag prevents step from failing
+jobs:
+  my-job:
+    steps:
+      - run: git diff ... || true  # ← step exits 0
+        continue-on-error: true     # ← belt and suspenders
+```
+
+### References
+
+- Gitea Actions quirk #10 (from migration checklist)
+- PR #441: fix applied to `harness-replays.yml`
+
+---
+
+## `workflow_dispatch.inputs` not supported
+
+Gitea 1.22.6 parser rejects `workflow_dispatch.inputs`. Drop from all workflow
+YAML files ported from GitHub Actions. Manual triggers should use
+`workflow_dispatch` without `inputs:`.
+
+**Reference**: `feedback_gitea_workflow_dispatch_inputs_unsupported`
+
+---
+
+## `merge_group` not supported
+
+Gitea has no merge queue concept. Drop `merge_group:` triggers from all
+workflow YAML files.
+
+---
+
+## `environment:` blocks not supported
+
+Gitea has no environments concept. Drop `environment:` from all workflow YAML
+files. Secrets and variables are repo-level.
+
+---
+
+## `fetch-depth: 0` on `actions/checkout` times out
+
+`actions/checkout` with `fetch-depth: 0` triggers a full repo history fetch
+which exceeds the runner's network timeout to the git remote (~15 s).
+
+**Workaround**: Use `fetch-depth: 1` (default) and add explicit
+`git fetch origin <ref> --depth=1` for any additional refs needed.
+
+**Reference**: PR #441 detect-changes fetch step.