1. devices_connected (always on, never gated): a top-level /api/status field next to
loop_lag = LIVE WS socket count from the heartbeat connection map (getConnectedCount),
NOT devices.status='online' (which lags by the offline-timeout). The single
most-glanced operational number, so it can't disappear when debug is off. Also dropped
4 dead per-poll COUNT(*) queries the route computed but never returned.
2. debug block behind an admin flag: new minimal app_settings KV table (none existed;
ai_settings is per-workspace, white_labels is branding) + lib/app-settings.js (cached,
refresh-on-write so status polls read a cached boolean, not a DB row).
routes/status.js includes `debug` ONLY when status_debug_enabled is on (persisted value
overrides the STATUS_DEBUG_ENABLED env default); when off the key is omitted entirely.
3. Admin toggle: GET/PUT /api/admin/status-debug (requirePlatformAdmin, mirrors the
branding endpoints) + a checkbox in the Admin tab "Status endpoint" section
(mirrors the branding checkbox). Takes effect on the next poll, no restart.
Tests: devices_connected always present+numeric and rises with a live socket (booted +
socket.io-client); debug present by default, admin flips OFF -> key omitted (loop_lag +
devices_connected remain) -> ON again, no restart; non-admin 403, anon 401; unit coverage
for getConnectedCount + app-settings default/override. Suite 289/289.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
