feat(llm): add QMD_ALLOW_LLM env override for the CI kill-switch

[kingkillery]

Problem

LlamaCpp hard-disables all LLM operations (expandQuery, generate, rerank, embedBatch) whenever process.env.CI is set:

Error: LLM operations are disabled in CI (set CI=true)

The guard exists for a good reason — CI test pipelines shouldn't download/load multi-GB models — but CI=1 is also set by coding-agent harnesses (Claude Code, Codex, and similar tools set it for every shell they spawn). In those sessions qmd vsearch / qmd query fail hard, with no way to override.

Change

Add an explicit QMD_ALLOW_LLM environment override:

Value	Behavior
1 / true	LLM ops enabled, even when CI is set
0 / false	LLM ops force-disabled, even outside CI
unset	unchanged — original !!process.env.CI detection

Also consolidates the four duplicated inline guard throws into a single assertLlmEnabled() helper whose error message states the remedy:

LLM operations are disabled (CI env detected or QMD_ALLOW_LLM=0). Set QMD_ALLOW_LLM=1 to override.

Compatibility

• Default behavior is byte-for-byte unchanged when QMD_ALLOW_LLM is unset — test:unit (which relies on CI=true to stay model-free) is unaffected.
• QMD_ALLOW_LLM=0 gives non-CI environments a way to guarantee no model loads, which wasn't possible before.

Verification

• tsc -p tsconfig.build.json --noEmit — clean
• vitest run test/llm.test.ts under CI=true with the override unset — 30 passed, 31 skipped (model-gated), 0 failed
• Manually verified in an agent session (CI=1): qmd vsearch previously threw, works with QMD_ALLOW_LLM=1, and still throws with the override unset

[PowderAddicts]

Dear tobi/qmd, We would like to acknowledge that we have received your request and a ticket has been created. A support representative will be reviewing your request and will send you a personal response.(usually within 24-48 hours). Thank you for your patience.

…

On Wed, Jul 22 2026, at 07:40 PM, tobi/qmd ***@***.***> wrote: Problem LlamaCpp hard-disables all LLM operations ( expandQuery, generate, rerank, embedBatch) whenever process.env.CI is set: Error: LLM operations are disabled in CI (set CI=true) The guard exists for a good reason — CI test pipelines shouldn't download/load multi-GB models — but CI=1 is also set by coding-agent harnesses (Claude Code, Codex, and similar tools set it for every shell they spawn). In those sessions qmd vsearch / qmd query fail hard, with no way to override. Change Add an explicit QMD_ALLOW_LLM environment override: Value Behavior 1 / true LLM ops enabled, even when CI is set 0 / false LLM ops force-disabled, even outside CI unset unchanged — original !!process.env.CI detection Also consolidates the four duplicated inline guard throws into a single assertLlmEnabled() helper whose error message states the remedy: LLM operations are disabled (CI env detected or QMD_ALLOW_LLM=0). Set QMD_ALLOW_LLM=1 to override. Compatibility * Default behavior is byte-for-byte unchanged when QMD_ALLOW_LLM is unset — test:unit (which relies on CI=true to stay model-free) is unaffected. QMD_ALLOW_LLM=0 gives non-CI environments a way to guarantee no model loads, which wasn't possible before. Verification tsc -p tsconfig.build.json --noEmit — clean vitest run test/llm.test.ts under CI=true with the override unset — 30 passed, 31 skipped (model-gated), 0 failed * Manually verified in an agent session ( CI=1): qmd vsearch previously threw, works with QMD_ALLOW_LLM=1, and still throws with the override unset You can view, comment on, or merge this pull request online at: #780 (#780) Commit Summary cb0729e feat(llm): add QMD_ALLOW_LLM env override for CI kill-switch (cb0729e) File Changes ( 1 file) (https://github.com/tobi/qmd/pull/780/files) M src/llm.ts (26) (https://github.com/tobi/qmd/pull/780/files#diff-9d1147e1eeafc554ffa50a5890c4cc45e3ca64c5cbdce2c20c5b181b40550b4b) Patch Links: https://github.com/tobi/qmd/pull/780.patch (https://github.com/tobi/qmd/pull/780.patch) https://github.com/tobi/qmd/pull/780.diff (https://github.com/tobi/qmd/pull/780.diff) — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or (#780?email_source=notifications&email_token=BRF3HG4NHSXMBTVPX5GTCX35GEKBVA5CNFSNUABEM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2QOVWGYUTFOF2WK43UF42DCMJRGIYTSOJXG6THEZLBONXW5KTTOVRHGY3SNFRGKZFFMV3GK3TUVRTG633UMVZF6Y3MNFRWW) unsubscribe. (https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BRF3HG5YACKUTOGDWDSKQH35GEKBVAVCNFSNUABGKJSXA33TNF2G64TZHMYTCMJSGM3DKMZQGE5US43TOVSTWNBZGUZDKMZSGY4DNILWAI) Triage notifications, keep track of coding agent tasks and review pull requests on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS and (https://github.com/notifications/mobile/ios/BRF3HG77BKNYN6JNNQ5Y6AL5GEKBVA5CNFSNUABEM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2QOVWGYUTFOF2WK43UF42DCMJRGIYTSOJXG6THEZLBONXW5KTTOVRHGY3SNFRGKZFFMV3GK3TUVJTG633UMVZF62LPOM) Android. Download it today! (https://github.com/notifications/mobile/android/BRF3HG7RCSYXD4MODE5XDQT5GEKBVA5CNFSNUABEM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2QOVWGYUTFOF2WK43UF42DCMJRGIYTSOJXG6THEZLBONXW5KTTOVRHGY3SNFRGKZFFMV3GK3TUVZTG633UMVZF6YLOMRZG62LE) You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Message ID: <tobi/qmd/pull/780 @ github . com> [ { ***@***.***": "http://schema.org", ***@***.***": "EmailMessage", "potentialAction": { ***@***.***": "ViewAction", "target": "#780?email_source=notifications\u0026email_token=BRF3HG2AX6VTBJIEG3IXHND5GEKBVA5CNFSNUABEM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2QOVWGYUTFOF2WK43UF42DCMJRGIYTSOJXG6THEZLBONXW5KTTOVRHGY3SNFRGKZFFMV3GK3TUVNTW2YLJNRPWG3DJMNVQ", "url": "#780?email_source=notifications\u0026email_token=BRF3HG2AX6VTBJIEG3IXHND5GEKBVA5CNFSNUABEM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2QOVWGYUTFOF2WK43UF42DCMJRGIYTSOJXG6THEZLBONXW5KTTOVRHGY3SNFRGKZFFMV3GK3TUVNTW2YLJNRPWG3DJMNVQ", "name": "View Pull Request" }, "description": "View this Pull Request on GitHub", "publisher": { ***@***.***": "Organization", "name": "GitHub", "url": "https://github.com" } } ]