## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip server starts up and sets internal `PAPERCLIP_API_URL` for
downstream services and adapters
> - The server startup code was unconditionally overwriting
`PAPERCLIP_API_URL` with `http://localhost:3100` (or equivalent based on
`config.host`)
> - In Kubernetes deployments, `PAPERCLIP_API_URL` is set via a
ConfigMap to the externally accessible load balancer URL (e.g.
`https://paperclip.example.com`)
> - Because the env var was unconditionally set after loading the
ConfigMap value, the ConfigMap-provided URL was ignored and replaced
with the internal localhost address
> - This caused downstream services (adapter env building) to use the
wrong URL, breaking external access
> - This pull request makes the assignment conditional — only set if not
already provided by the environment
> - External deployments can now supply `PAPERCLIP_API_URL` and it will
be respected; local development continues to work without setting it
## What Changed
- `server/src/index.ts`: Wrapped `PAPERCLIP_API_URL` assignment in `if
(!process.env.PAPERCLIP_API_URL)` guard so externally provided values
are preserved
- `server/src/__tests__/server-startup-feedback-export.test.ts`: Added
tests verifying external `PAPERCLIP_API_URL` is respected and fallback
behavior is correct
- `docs/deploy/environment-variables.md`: Updated `PAPERCLIP_API_URL`
description to clarify it can be externally provided and the load
balancer/reverse proxy use case
## Verification
- Run the existing test suite: `pnpm test:run
server/src/__tests__/server-startup-feedback-export.test.ts` — all 3
tests pass
- Manual verification: Set `PAPERCLIP_API_URL` to a custom value before
starting the server and confirm it is not overwritten
## Risks
- Low risk — purely additive conditional check; existing behavior for
unset env var is unchanged
## Model Used
MiniMax M2.7 — reasoning-assisted for tracing the root cause through the
startup chain (`buildPaperclipEnv` → `startServer` → `config.host` →
`HOST` env var)
## Checklist
- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [ ] If this change affects the UI, I have included before/after
screenshots
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge
---------
Co-authored-by: Pawla Abdul (Bot) <pawla@groombook.dev>
Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
- Restored docs/ directory that was accidentally deleted by `git add -A`
in the v0.2.3 release script
- Replaced generic "P" favicon with actual paperclip icon using brand
primary color (#2563EB)
- Added light/dark logo SVGs for Mintlify navbar (paperclip icon + wordmark)
- Updated docs.json with logo configuration for dark/light mode
- Fixed release.sh to stage only release-related files instead of `git add -A`
to prevent sweeping unrelated changes into release commits
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Chris Farhood
dotta