## Summary
Speeds up **time-to-HTTP-ready** for `fn dashboard` and `fn serve` after
the PostgreSQL cutover without reintroducing the historical 3s
cwd-engine race that degraded webhooks.
- **Dashboard store share (serve parity):** inject the factory-booted
`TaskStore` as `externalTaskStore` so cwd `ensureEngine` does not open a
second pool; share only when store root matches project working
directory (multi-project safe).
- **Serve multi-project:** stop awaiting `startAll()` before listen;
await only the primary engine; background the rest + reconciliation.
- **Defer non-route-critical engine work:** ordered OAuth (refresh →
monitor), automation schedule syncs, and auto-merge **enqueue** after
the engine handle is returnable.
- **Critical-path merge status clear:** still clear stale
`merging`/`merging-pr` before ready so manual merge is not blocked after
crash.
- **Serve `--paused`:** apply `enginePaused` before
`ensureEngine`/`startAll` (dashboard ordering).
- **Stop safety:** generation counter so deferred tails cannot resume
after `stop()` clears `shuttingDown`.
- **Phase timing:** shared `phaseTime` helper, factory substep logs,
serve time-to-listen.
Plan: `docs/plans/2026-07-14-001-feat-faster-startup-plan.md`
## Test plan
- [x] `packages/engine` — `project-engine-manager.test.ts` (path-matched
external store)
- [x] `packages/engine` — `project-engine-deferred-startup.test.ts`
(status clear, OAuth order, stop generation)
- [x] `packages/cli` — `startup-phase.test.ts`
- [x] `packages/cli` — `serve.test.ts` (60 tests, including `--paused`)
- [ ] Local: warm `fn dashboard` / `fn serve` and compare `startup phase
*` / `time-to-listen` logs
- [ ] `pnpm smoke:boot` (real serve `/api/health` on ephemeral port)
<!-- This is an auto-generated comment: release notes by coderabbit.ai
-->
## Summary by CodeRabbit
* **Performance**
* Improved dashboard and serve startup times, including faster
time-to-listen and time-to-ready.
* Moved non-essential background initialization off the critical startup
path.
* Parallelized dashboard service initialization where possible.
* **Reliability**
* Improved multi-project startup handling and project selection.
* Prevented cross-project task-store sharing.
* Added safer shutdown behavior for partially completed startup.
* **Diagnostics**
* Added startup phase timing logs to help identify performance
bottlenecks.
* **Tests**
* Expanded coverage for deferred startup, shutdown, project isolation,
and startup timing.
<!-- end of auto-generated comment: release notes by coderabbit.ai -->
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