refactor: break up think_once() into _generate_thought() and _finalize_thought()

Extracts the dedup retry loop and post-hook/broadcast pipeline into
focused helpers, reducing think_once() from 118 lines to ~20.

Fixes #513

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/timmy/thinking.py

@@ -257,6 +257,28 @@ class ThinkingEngine:
             )
             return None
 
+        content, seed_type = await self._generate_thought(prompt)
+        if not content:
+            return None
+
+        thought = self._store_thought(content, seed_type)
+        self._last_thought_id = thought.id
+
+        await self._finalize_thought(thought)
+        return thought
+
+    async def _generate_thought(self, prompt: str | None = None) -> tuple[str | None, str]:
+        """Generate novel thought content via the dedup retry loop.
+
+        Gathers context, builds the LLM prompt, calls the agent, and
+        retries with a fresh seed if the result is too similar to recent
+        thoughts.
+
+        Returns:
+            A (content, seed_type) tuple. *content* is ``None`` when the
+            cycle should be skipped (agent failure, empty response, or
+            all retries exhausted).
+        """
         memory_context = self._load_memory_context()
         system_context = self._gather_system_snapshot()
         recent_thoughts = self.get_recent_thoughts(limit=5)
@@ -284,11 +306,11 @@ class ThinkingEngine:
                 raw = await self._call_agent(full_prompt)
             except Exception as exc:
                 logger.warning("Thinking cycle failed (Ollama likely down): %s", exc)
-                return None
+                return None, seed_type
 
             if not raw or not raw.strip():
                 logger.debug("Thinking cycle produced empty response, skipping")
-                return None
+                return None, seed_type
 
             content = raw.strip()
 
@@ -308,48 +330,28 @@ class ThinkingEngine:
                     "Thought still repetitive after %d retries, discarding",
                     self._MAX_DEDUP_RETRIES + 1,
                 )
-                return None
+                return None, seed_type
 
-        if not content:
+        return content, seed_type
-            return None
 
-        thought = self._store_thought(content, seed_type)
+    async def _finalize_thought(self, thought: Thought) -> None:
-        self._last_thought_id = thought.id
+        """Run post-hooks, log, journal, and broadcast a stored thought."""
-
-        # Post-hook: check memory status periodically
         self._maybe_check_memory()
-
-        # Post-hook: distill facts from recent thoughts periodically
         await self._maybe_distill()
-
-        # Post-hook: file Gitea issues for actionable observations
         await self._maybe_file_issues()
-
-        # Post-hook: check workspace for new messages from Hermes
         await self._check_workspace()
-
-        # Post-hook: proactive memory status audit
         self._maybe_check_memory_status()
-
-        # Post-hook: update MEMORY.md with latest reflection
         self._update_memory(thought)
-
-        # Log to swarm event system
         self._log_event(thought)
-
-        # Append to daily journal file
         self._write_journal(thought)
-
-        # Broadcast to WebSocket clients
         await self._broadcast(thought)
 
         logger.info(
             "Thought [%s] (%s): %s",
             thought.id[:8],
-            seed_type,
+            thought.seed_type,
             thought.content[:80],
         )
-        return thought
 
     def get_recent_thoughts(self, limit: int = 20) -> list[Thought]:
         """Retrieve the most recent thoughts."""

tests/timmy/test_thinking.py

@@ -250,6 +250,99 @@ def test_continuity_includes_recent(tmp_path):
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# _generate_thought helper
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_generate_thought_returns_content_and_seed_type(tmp_path):
+    """_generate_thought should return (content, seed_type) on success."""
+    from timmy.thinking import SEED_TYPES
+
+    engine = _make_engine(tmp_path)
+
+    with patch.object(engine, "_call_agent", return_value="A novel idea."):
+        content, seed_type = await engine._generate_thought()
+
+    assert content == "A novel idea."
+    assert seed_type in SEED_TYPES
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_generate_thought_with_prompt(tmp_path):
+    """_generate_thought(prompt=...) should use 'prompted' seed type."""
+    engine = _make_engine(tmp_path)
+
+    with patch.object(engine, "_call_agent", return_value="A prompted idea."):
+        content, seed_type = await engine._generate_thought(prompt="Reflect on joy")
+
+    assert content == "A prompted idea."
+    assert seed_type == "prompted"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_generate_thought_returns_none_on_agent_failure(tmp_path):
+    """_generate_thought should return (None, ...) when the agent fails."""
+    engine = _make_engine(tmp_path)
+
+    with patch.object(engine, "_call_agent", side_effect=Exception("Ollama down")):
+        content, seed_type = await engine._generate_thought()
+
+    assert content is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_generate_thought_returns_none_on_empty(tmp_path):
+    """_generate_thought should return (None, ...) when agent returns empty."""
+    engine = _make_engine(tmp_path)
+
+    with patch.object(engine, "_call_agent", return_value="   "):
+        content, seed_type = await engine._generate_thought()
+
+    assert content is None
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# _finalize_thought helper
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_finalize_thought_calls_all_hooks(tmp_path):
+    """_finalize_thought should call all post-hooks, log, journal, and broadcast."""
+    engine = _make_engine(tmp_path)
+    thought = engine._store_thought("Test finalize.", "freeform")
+
+    with (
+        patch.object(engine, "_maybe_check_memory") as m_mem,
+        patch.object(engine, "_maybe_distill", new_callable=AsyncMock) as m_distill,
+        patch.object(engine, "_maybe_file_issues", new_callable=AsyncMock) as m_issues,
+        patch.object(engine, "_check_workspace", new_callable=AsyncMock) as m_ws,
+        patch.object(engine, "_maybe_check_memory_status") as m_status,
+        patch.object(engine, "_update_memory") as m_update,
+        patch.object(engine, "_log_event") as m_log,
+        patch.object(engine, "_write_journal") as m_journal,
+        patch.object(engine, "_broadcast", new_callable=AsyncMock) as m_broadcast,
+    ):
+        await engine._finalize_thought(thought)
+
+    m_mem.assert_called_once()
+    m_distill.assert_awaited_once()
+    m_issues.assert_awaited_once()
+    m_ws.assert_awaited_once()
+    m_status.assert_called_once()
+    m_update.assert_called_once_with(thought)
+    m_log.assert_called_once_with(thought)
+    m_journal.assert_called_once_with(thought)
+    m_broadcast.assert_awaited_once_with(thought)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# think_once (async)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_think_once_stores_thought(tmp_path):
     """think_once should store a thought in the DB."""