"Enable native Warp authentication and routing for Task Master to leverage existing Warp subscriptions without API key management or Claude Code hour limits."

Motivation

My entire agentic environment is built on Warp. As a Warp subscriber, I want to use Task Master through my existing Warp credentials rather than managing separate API keys or relying on Claude Code (which has hour limits and cutoffs). This would provide:

• Seamless integration with my existing workflow
• No additional API key management overhead
• Leveraging my existing Warp subscription investment
• Avoiding usage caps and interruptions from other platforms
• Unified authentication and billing through Warp

Proposed Solution

Implement native Warp credential detection and authentication in Task Master with the following approach:

High-level Overview:

• Add Warp as a primary authentication method with automatic credential detection
• Route Task Master operations through Warp's API when Warp credentials are available
• Maintain backward compatibility by falling back to legacy API methods (Anthropic API keys, Claude Code) only when Warp is unavailable
• Prioritize Warp routing for subscribers to maximize their subscription benefits

Relevant Technologies:

• Warp API/SDK integration
• Warp credential store access
• OAuth or token-based authentication with Warp services
• Environment variable detection for Warp configuration

Architecture Fit:

• Add Warp as the first authentication provider in the credential chain
• Extend existing credential management to support Warp tokens
• Update routing logic to prefer Warp endpoints when credentials are present

High-Level Workflow

1. Credential Detection Phase

   • Check for Warp credentials in standard locations (config files, environment variables, credential store)
   • Validate Warp subscription status and authentication

2. Authentication Setup

   • If Warp credentials found: authenticate with Warp API
   • If authentication successful: set Warp as primary provider
   • If Warp unavailable: fall back to existing methods (Anthropic API, Claude Code)

3. Request Routing

   • Route all Task Master operations through Warp API when authenticated
   • Handle Warp-specific rate limits and quotas
   • Provide clear feedback on which provider is being used

4. Graceful Degradation

   • On Warp API failures, optionally fall back to secondary methods with user notification
   • Cache authentication state to minimize overhead

Key Elements

• Warp credential auto-discovery from standard Warp configuration locations
• Priority-based authentication chain: Warp → Anthropic API → Claude Code
• Transparent routing with user visibility into active provider
• Configuration option to explicitly enable/disable Warp routing
• Subscription validation to ensure user has active Warp access
• Token refresh mechanism for long-running Task Master sessions
• Enhanced status reporting showing current authentication provider
• Environment variable support (e.g., TASKMASTER_PREFER_WARP=true)
• Fallback behavior configuration (strict Warp-only vs. graceful fallback)

Example Workflow

# User runs Task Master with Warp credentials configured
$ task-master "Analyze this codebase and suggest improvements"
→ Detecting authentication methods...
→ ✓ Warp credentials found and validated
→ Using Warp API (subscription active)
→ Processing task...
→ [Task execution proceeds through Warp]

# If Warp credentials not available
$ task-master "Analyze this codebase and suggest improvements"
→ Detecting authentication methods...
→ ⚠ Warp credentials not found
→ Falling back to Anthropic API
→ Processing task...

# Explicit Warp-only mode
$ TASKMASTER_WARP_ONLY=true task-master "Analyze this codebase"
→ Detecting authentication methods...
→ ✗ Warp credentials required but not found
→ Error: Warp-only mode enabled but credentials unavailable

Implementation Considerations

Dependencies:

• Warp API/SDK or HTTP client for Warp endpoints
• Access to Warp credential storage mechanism
• Documentation on Warp authentication flow

Backward Compatibility:

• Existing API key configurations must continue working
• Users without Warp should experience no change in behavior
• Default behavior should maintain current functionality (opt-in for Warp)
• Migration path for users transitioning from API keys to Warp

Performance Impacts:

• Minimal overhead from credential detection (cached after first check)
• Warp API response times should be comparable to direct Anthropic API
• Token refresh operations should be async and non-blocking

Security:

• Secure credential storage following Warp's best practices
• No credential logging or exposure in error messages
• Token expiration and refresh handling
• Respect Warp's security policies and requirements

Configuration:

• Environment variables: WARP_API_KEY, TASKMASTER_PREFER_WARP, TASKMASTER_WARP_ONLY
• Config file options for authentication priority
• Clear documentation on credential setup

Out of Scope (Future Considerations)

• Multi-account Warp support: Managing multiple Warp credentials/profiles
• Warp workspace integration: Deep integration with Warp's workspace features
• Usage analytics dashboard: Detailed tracking of Warp vs. other provider usage
• Cost optimization features: Automatic routing based on rate limits or costs
• Warp-specific features: Leveraging unique Warp capabilities beyond basic API access
• SSO integration: Enterprise single sign-on through Warp
• Offline mode: Caching and local execution when Warp is temporarily unavailable