feat: rrule support for automations

apps/emdash-desktop/package.json

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
     "nbranch": "^0.1.1",
     "node-pty": "1.1.0",
     "pidusage": "^4.0.1",
+    "rrule": "^2.8.1",
     "smol-toml": "^1.6.0",
     "ssh2": "^1.17.0",
     "ts-pattern": "^5.9.0",

apps/emdash-desktop/src/main/core/automations/automation-scheduler.db.test.ts

@@ -294,6 +294,28 @@ describe('AutomationScheduler bootstrap self-healing', () => {
     expect(countRunsByStatus(fixture, 'scheduled', 'automation-1')).toBe(1);
   });
 
+  it('schedules an RRULE run using the stored DTSTART anchor', async () => {
+    const now = Date.UTC(2026, 6, 6, 9, 0, 1);
+    vi.setSystemTime(now);
+
+    seedProject(fixture);
+    seedAutomation(fixture, {
+      triggerConfig: JSON.stringify({
+        kind: 'rrule',
+        expr: 'DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260701T090000\nRRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO',
+        tz: 'UTC',
+      }),
+    });
+
+    const scheduler = new AutomationScheduler(makeCallbacks(), doneExecutor);
+    await scheduler.reload();
+
+    const row = fixture.sqlite
+      .prepare('SELECT scheduled_at AS scheduledAt FROM automation_runs WHERE automation_id = ?')
+      .get('automation-1') as { scheduledAt: number } | undefined;
+    expect(row?.scheduledAt).toBe(Date.UTC(2026, 6, 13, 9, 0, 0));
+  });
+
   it('does not create a duplicate when a scheduled run already exists', async () => {
     const now = Date.UTC(2026, 4, 15, 12, 0, 0);
     vi.setSystemTime(now);

apps/emdash-desktop/src/main/core/automations/repo.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { randomUUID } from 'node:crypto';
-import { Cron } from 'croner';
 import { and, asc, eq, inArray, isNull, sql } from 'drizzle-orm';
 import { generateRandom } from '@main/core/tasks/name-generation/generateTaskName';
 import { db } from '@main/db/client';
@@ -29,16 +28,17 @@ import type {
   TriggerConfig,
 } from '@shared/core/automations/config';
 import { storedAutomationTaskConfig } from '@shared/core/automations/config';
-import { getLocalTimeZone } from '@shared/core/automations/timezone';
-import { assertValidCronTrigger } from '@shared/core/automations/validation';
-
-const DEFAULT_TZ = getLocalTimeZone();
+import {
+  assertValidTrigger,
+  getNextTriggerRunAt,
+  normalizeTriggerConfig,
+} from '@shared/core/automations/validation';
 
 function assertValidAutomationInput(input: {
   triggerConfig: TriggerConfig;
   conversationConfig: ConversationConfig;
 }): void {
-  assertValidCronTrigger(input.triggerConfig);
+  assertValidTrigger(input.triggerConfig);
   if (!input.conversationConfig.prompt.trim()) {
     throw new Error('conversation_config_prompt_required');
   }
@@ -196,10 +196,7 @@ export function getNextRunAt(
   trigger: TriggerConfig,
   from: number | Date = new Date()
 ): number | null {
-  const next = new Cron(trigger.expr, { timezone: trigger.tz || DEFAULT_TZ }).nextRun(
-    from instanceof Date ? from : new Date(from)
-  );
-  return next?.getTime() ?? null;
+  return getNextTriggerRunAt(trigger, from);
 }
 
 export async function listAutomations(projectId?: string): Promise<Automation[]> {
@@ -255,18 +252,18 @@ export async function createAutomation(input: CreateAutomationParams): Promise<A
     throw new Error('project_not_found');
   }
 
+  const now = Date.now();
+  const triggerConfig = normalizeTriggerConfig(input.triggerConfig, now);
   assertValidAutomationInput({
-    triggerConfig: input.triggerConfig,
+    triggerConfig,
     conversationConfig: input.conversationConfig,
   });
-
-  const now = Date.now();
   const [row] = await db
     .insert(automations)
     .values({
       id: randomUUID(),
       name: input.name.trim(),
-      triggerConfig: input.triggerConfig,
+      triggerConfig,
       conversationConfig: input.conversationConfig,
       taskConfig: input.taskConfig ?? null,
       projectId: input.projectId,
@@ -300,7 +297,10 @@ export async function updateAutomationSettings(
     if (!existingRow) return null;
 
     const existing = mapAutomationRow(existingRow);
-    const finalTriggerConfig = patch.triggerConfig ?? existing.triggerConfig;
+    const normalizedPatchTriggerConfig = patch.triggerConfig
+      ? normalizeTriggerConfig(patch.triggerConfig)
+      : undefined;
+    const finalTriggerConfig = normalizedPatchTriggerConfig ?? existing.triggerConfig;
     const finalConversationConfig = patch.conversationConfig ?? existing.conversationConfig;
     const finalProjectId = patch.projectId !== undefined ? patch.projectId : existing.projectId;
 
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ export async function updateAutomationSettings(
     const values: Partial<typeof automations.$inferInsert> = { updatedAt: Date.now() };
     if (patch.projectId !== undefined) values.projectId = patch.projectId;
     if (patch.triggerConfig !== undefined) {
-      values.triggerConfig = patch.triggerConfig;
+      values.triggerConfig = normalizedPatchTriggerConfig;
     }
     if (patch.conversationConfig !== undefined) {
       values.conversationConfig = patch.conversationConfig;

apps/emdash-desktop/src/main/core/telemetry/automation-telemetry.ts

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function automationTelemetryProps(automation: Automation) {
   return {
     automation_id: automation.id,
     project_id: automation.projectId,
-    trigger_kind: 'cron' as const,
+    trigger_kind: automation.triggerConfig?.kind ?? 'cron',
   };
 }
 

apps/emdash-desktop/src/renderer/features/automations/automation-run-format.ts

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ const FORM_ERROR_MESSAGES: Record<string, string> = {
   automation_run_already_queued: 'This automation already has a queued or running run',
   automation_run_not_found: 'This automation run no longer exists',
   cron_invalid: 'Enter a valid schedule',
+  rrule_invalid: 'Enter a valid RRULE schedule',
   deadline_policy_invalid: 'Choose a valid deadline policy',
   deadline_ms_invalid: 'Choose a positive deadline duration',
   run_update_failed: 'The automation run could not be updated',

apps/emdash-desktop/src/renderer/features/automations/components/AutomationDetailView.tsx

@@ -48,8 +48,15 @@ export const AutomationDetailView = observer(function AutomationDetailView({
 
   useAutomationEventBridge(automation.id);
 
-  const { formState, setCronExpr, handlePromptBlur, handleNameBlur, saveError } =
-    useAutomationSettingsAutoSave(automation);
+  const {
+    formState,
+    setCronExpr,
+    saveCurrentTrigger,
+    saveTriggerKind,
+    handlePromptBlur,
+    handleNameBlur,
+    saveError,
+  } = useAutomationSettingsAutoSave(automation);
   const { name, setName } = formState;
 
   const { runNow } = useAutomations();
@@ -131,6 +138,8 @@ export const AutomationDetailView = observer(function AutomationDetailView({
               setCronError(null);
             }}
             onCronErrorClear={() => setCronError(null)}
+            onTriggerKindChange={saveTriggerKind}
+            onRRuleExprBlur={saveCurrentTrigger}
             onPromptBlur={handlePromptBlur}
             error={saveError}
           />

apps/emdash-desktop/src/renderer/features/automations/components/AutomationRow.tsx

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { Switch } from '@renderer/lib/ui/switch';
 import { cn } from '@renderer/utils/utils';
 import type { Automation } from '@shared/core/automations/automation';
 import type { AutomationRunStatus } from '@shared/core/automations/automation-run';
+import { formatTriggerScheduleLabel } from '@shared/core/automations/validation';
 import { formatRunTriggerKindLabel } from '../automation-run-format';
 
 const RUN_STATUS_ICON: Record<
@@ -62,13 +63,16 @@ export const AutomationRow = observer(function AutomationRow({
   const taskStore = taskId && projectId ? getTaskStore(projectId, taskId) : undefined;
   const agentStatus = taskStore ? taskAgentStatus(taskStore) : null;
 
-  const expr = automation.triggerConfig?.expr ?? null;
-  const cronLabel = expr
+  const trigger = automation.triggerConfig ?? null;
+  const scheduleLabel = trigger
     ? (() => {
+        if ((trigger.kind ?? 'cron') === 'rrule') {
+          return formatTriggerScheduleLabel(trigger);
+        }
         try {
-          return cronstrue.toString(expr.trim());
+          return cronstrue.toString(trigger.expr.trim());
         } catch {
-          return expr;
+          return trigger.expr;
         }
       })()
     : null;
@@ -106,10 +110,10 @@ export const AutomationRow = observer(function AutomationRow({
             <AgentStatusIndicator status={agentStatus} />
           </div>
           <div className="flex shrink-0 flex-row items-center gap-1 text-xs text-foreground-muted">
-            {cronLabel && (
+            {scheduleLabel && (
               <span className="flex items-center gap-1 rounded-md bg-background-1 px-2 py-1 text-foreground-muted group-hover:bg-background-2">
                 <Clock className="size-3 shrink-0" />
-                <span className="shrink-0">{cronLabel}</span>
+                <span className="shrink-0">{scheduleLabel}</span>
               </span>
             )}
             <div className="flex max-w-32 flex-row items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md bg-background-1 px-2 py-1 text-foreground-muted group-hover:bg-background-2">

apps/emdash-desktop/src/renderer/features/automations/components/AutomationSettingsFields.tsx

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { WorkspaceSettingsSection } from '@renderer/features/tasks/task-config/w
 import { CronPicker } from '@renderer/lib/CronPicker';
 import { useFeatureFlag } from '@renderer/lib/hooks/useFeatureFlag';
 import { Field, FieldError, FieldGroup } from '@renderer/lib/ui/field';
+import { Input } from '@renderer/lib/ui/input';
 import { Label } from '@renderer/lib/ui/label';
 import type { AutomationFormState } from '../useAutomationFormState';
 
@@ -15,6 +16,8 @@ interface AutomationSettingsFieldsProps {
   cronError: string | null;
   onCronExprChange: (expr: string) => void;
   onCronErrorClear: () => void;
+  onTriggerKindChange?: (kind: NonNullable<AutomationFormState['triggerKind']>) => void;
+  onRRuleExprBlur?: () => void;
   onPromptBlur?: () => void;
   error?: string | null;
 }
@@ -24,12 +27,18 @@ export function AutomationSettingsFields({
   cronError,
   onCronExprChange,
   onCronErrorClear,
+  onTriggerKindChange,
+  onRRuleExprBlur,
   onPromptBlur,
   error,
 }: AutomationSettingsFieldsProps) {
   const {
     initialConversation,
+    triggerKind,
+    setTriggerKind,
     cronExpr,
+    rruleExpr,
+    setRRuleExpr,
     workspaceConfig,
     effectiveProjectId,
     isUnborn,
@@ -53,9 +62,31 @@ export function AutomationSettingsFields({
           <CronPicker
             value={cronExpr}
             onChange={(nextCronExpr) => {
+              setTriggerKind('cron');
               onCronExprChange(nextCronExpr);
               onCronErrorClear();
             }}
+            custom={{
+              selected: (triggerKind ?? 'cron') === 'rrule',
+              onSelect: () => {
+                setTriggerKind('rrule');
+                onCronErrorClear();
+                onTriggerKindChange?.('rrule');
+              },
+              content: (
+                <Input
+                  value={rruleExpr}
+                  onChange={(event) => {
+                    setRRuleExpr(event.target.value);
+                    onCronErrorClear();
+                  }}
+                  onBlur={onRRuleExprBlur}
+                  spellCheck={false}
+                  className="h-7 min-w-0 flex-1 font-mono text-xs"
+                  placeholder="FREQ=WEEKLY"
+                />
+              ),
+            }}
           />
           {cronError && <FieldError>{cronError}</FieldError>}
         </Field>

apps/emdash-desktop/src/renderer/features/automations/components/CreateAutomationView.tsx

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { Label } from '@renderer/lib/ui/label';
 import { SheetFooter } from '@renderer/lib/ui/sheet';
 import type { Automation } from '@shared/core/automations/automation';
 import type { ConversationConfig } from '@shared/core/automations/config';
-import { assertValidCronTrigger } from '@shared/core/automations/validation';
+import { assertValidTrigger, normalizeTriggerConfig } from '@shared/core/automations/validation';
 import { formatAutomationError } from '../automation-run-format';
 import type { BuiltinAutomationTemplate } from '../automation-template';
 import { emptyStateAutomationTemplates } from '../builtin-catalog';
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ export const CreateAutomationView = observer(function CreateAutomationView({
     setError(null);
     const taskConfig = buildTaskConfig(effectiveProjectId);
     if (!taskConfig) return;
+    const normalizedTriggerConfig = normalizeTriggerConfig(triggerConfig);
     try {
-      assertValidCronTrigger(triggerConfig);
+      assertValidTrigger(normalizedTriggerConfig);
     } catch (validationError) {
       setCronError(formatAutomationError(validationError));
       return;
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ export const CreateAutomationView = observer(function CreateAutomationView({
       const trimmedName = name.trim();
       const saved = await create.mutateAsync({
         name: trimmedName,
-        triggerConfig,
+        triggerConfig: normalizedTriggerConfig,
         conversationConfig,
         taskConfig,
         projectId: effectiveProjectId,

apps/emdash-desktop/src/renderer/features/automations/rrule-form-utils.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { buildRRuleTriggerExpr } from './rrule-form-utils';
+
+describe('buildRRuleTriggerExpr', () => {
+  it('preserves the stored DTSTART when saving an edited RRULE line', () => {
+    expect(
+      buildRRuleTriggerExpr(
+        'FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO',
+        'DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Berlin:20260706T090000\nRRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO'
+      )
+    ).toBe('DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Berlin:20260706T090000\nRRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO');
+  });
+
+  it('keeps full RRULE input with its own DTSTART unchanged', () => {
+    expect(
+      buildRRuleTriggerExpr(
+        'DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260706T120000\nRRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO',
+        'DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Berlin:20260706T090000\nRRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO'
+      )
+    ).toBe('DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260706T120000\nRRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO');
+  });
+});

apps/emdash-desktop/src/renderer/features/automations/rrule-form-utils.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+export function getStoredDtstartLine(expr: string): string | null {
+  return expr.split('\n').find((line) => /^DTSTART(?:;[^:]*)?:/i.test(line)) ?? null;
+}
+
+export function getEditableRRuleExpr(expr: string): string {
+  const rruleLine = expr.split('\n').find((line) => /^RRULE:/i.test(line));
+  return rruleLine ? rruleLine.replace(/^RRULE:/i, '') : expr;
+}
+
+function withRRulePrefix(expr: string): string {
+  return /^RRULE\b/im.test(expr) ? expr : `RRULE:${expr}`;
+}
+
+export function buildRRuleTriggerExpr(expr: string, storedExpr?: string): string {
+  const trimmed = expr.trim();
+  if (/^DTSTART(?:;[^:]*)?:/im.test(trimmed)) return trimmed;
+
+  const dtstartLine = storedExpr ? getStoredDtstartLine(storedExpr) : null;
+  return dtstartLine ? `${dtstartLine}\n${withRRulePrefix(trimmed)}` : trimmed;
+}