---
title: Self-update poll loop
modified: 2026-06-04
tags:
  - how-to
status: active
requires:
  - release-poll-version-check
  - self-update-opt-in-flag
---

# Self-update poll loop

The background task that ties the flag to the version check. This card alone
yields a working **notify-only** daemon ("update available: vX.Y.Z" in the
log) — the apply path layers on after.

## Deliverables

- Spawn a `tokio` task modelled on `spawn_sync_loop`
  (`crates/hephd/src/server.rs`): `tokio::time::interval` ticking at the
  configured cadence, guarded so it's a no-op unless `--self-update` is set.
- Each tick: run the [[release-poll-version-check]]. On "newer available", log
  it (and, once the apply path exists, hand off to [[cargo-install-from-tag]]).
- Errors (forge unreachable, bad JSON) are logged and the loop continues —
  same resilience pattern the sync loop uses. A flaky forge must never crash or
  block the daemon.

## Done when

With `--self-update` on and a stubbed/real "newer" release, the daemon logs an
update-available line once per detection; with the flag off, no task runs.
Requires [[release-poll-version-check]] and [[self-update-opt-in-flag]]. Part of
[[hephd-self-update]].