Add markdown fallback for campaign project URLs

- Frontmatter 'project' field is now the source of truth - If not in frontmatter, fall back to searching markdown body - Add tests for markdown fallback functionality - Update error messages to mention both options Co-authored-by: mnkiefer <8320933+mnkiefer@users.noreply.github.com>
Copilot · Jan 30, 2026 · Jan 30, 2026 · Jan 30, 2026 · Jan 30, 2026 · Jan 30, 2026
commit 3ca85314c18772a8a2e8bea608f4d01025401348
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/campaign_project_validation.go b/pkg/workflow/campaign_project_validation.go
@@ -41,7 +41,10 @@ import (
 var campaignProjectValidationLog = logger.New("workflow:campaign_project_validation")
 
 // validateCampaignProject checks if a workflow with campaign characteristics has a project URL configured
-func (c *Compiler) validateCampaignProject(frontmatter map[string]any) error {
+// The project URL can be specified in two places with the following precedence:
+// 1. Frontmatter 'project' field (source of truth)
+// 2. Markdown body content (fallback)
+func (c *Compiler) validateCampaignProject(frontmatter map[string]any, markdownContent string) error {
 	campaignProjectValidationLog.Print("Checking campaign project requirements")
 
 	// Check if this workflow has campaign characteristics
@@ -53,33 +56,42 @@ func (c *Compiler) validateCampaignProject(frontmatter map[string]any) error {
 
 	campaignProjectValidationLog.Printf("Detected campaign workflow via %s", campaignSource)
 
-	// Check if project field exists
+	// Check if project field exists in frontmatter (source of truth)
 	projectData, hasProject := frontmatter["project"]
-	if !hasProject || projectData == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator requires a GitHub Project URL to track work items. Please add a 'project' field to the frontmatter with a valid GitHub Project URL (e.g., project: https://github.com/orgs/myorg/projects/123). Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
+	if hasProject && projectData != nil {
+		campaignProjectValidationLog.Print("Project field found in frontmatter (source of truth)")
+		// Validate frontmatter project field is not empty
+		switch v := projectData.(type) {
+		case string:
+			if strings.TrimSpace(v) == "" {
+				return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator requires a non-empty GitHub Project URL. Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
+			}
+			campaignProjectValidationLog.Printf("Valid project URL found in frontmatter: %s", v)
+		case map[string]any:
+			// Check if object has a URL field
+			if url, hasURL := v["url"]; !hasURL || url == nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator project configuration must include a 'url' field with a valid GitHub Project URL. Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
+			} else if urlStr, ok := url.(string); !ok || strings.TrimSpace(urlStr) == "" {
+				return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator project URL must be a non-empty string. Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
+			}
+			campaignProjectValidationLog.Print("Valid project configuration object found in frontmatter")
+		default:
+			return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator 'project' field must be a string URL or configuration object. Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
+		}
+		campaignProjectValidationLog.Print("Campaign project validation passed (frontmatter)")
+		return nil
 	}
 
-	// Validate project field is not empty
-	switch v := projectData.(type) {
-	case string:
-		if strings.TrimSpace(v) == "" {
-			return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator requires a non-empty GitHub Project URL. Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
-		}
-		campaignProjectValidationLog.Printf("Valid project URL found: %s", v)
-	case map[string]any:
-		// Check if object has a URL field
-		if url, hasURL := v["url"]; !hasURL || url == nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator project configuration must include a 'url' field with a valid GitHub Project URL. Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
-		} else if urlStr, ok := url.(string); !ok || strings.TrimSpace(urlStr) == "" {
-			return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator project URL must be a non-empty string. Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
-		}
-		campaignProjectValidationLog.Print("Valid project configuration object found")
-	default:
-		return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator 'project' field must be a string URL or configuration object. Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
+	// Fallback: Look for project URL in markdown content
+	campaignProjectValidationLog.Print("No project field in frontmatter, checking markdown content for project URL")
+	if hasProjectURLInMarkdown(markdownContent) {
+		campaignProjectValidationLog.Print("Valid project URL found in markdown content (fallback)")
+		campaignProjectValidationLog.Print("Campaign project validation passed (markdown fallback)")
+		return nil
 	}
 
-	campaignProjectValidationLog.Print("Campaign project validation passed")
-	return nil
+	// No project URL found in either frontmatter or markdown
+	return fmt.Errorf("campaign orchestrator requires a GitHub Project URL to track work items. Please add a 'project' field to the frontmatter with a valid GitHub Project URL (e.g., project: https://github.com/orgs/myorg/projects/123), or include a project URL in the markdown body. Campaign detected via: %s", campaignSource)
 }
 
 // detectCampaignWorkflow checks if a workflow has campaign characteristics
@@ -98,6 +110,23 @@ func detectCampaignWorkflow(frontmatter map[string]any) (bool, string) {
 	return false, ""
 }
 
+// hasProjectURLInMarkdown checks if the markdown content contains a GitHub Project URL
+// This serves as a fallback when the project field is not in the frontmatter
+func hasProjectURLInMarkdown(markdownContent string) bool {
+	// Use a simple string search for performance
+	// Check for the distinctive pattern of GitHub Project URLs
+	// Matches: https://github.com/orgs/{org}/projects/{number}
+	// or: https://github.com/users/{user}/projects/{number}
+	if strings.Contains(markdownContent, "https://github.com/orgs/") && strings.Contains(markdownContent, "/projects/") {
+		return true
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(markdownContent, "https://github.com/users/") && strings.Contains(markdownContent, "/projects/") {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
 // hasCampaignLabels checks if safe-outputs configuration includes campaign labels
 func hasCampaignLabels(frontmatter map[string]any) bool {
 	safeOutputs, ok := frontmatter["safe-outputs"].(map[string]any)

diff --git a/pkg/workflow/campaign_project_validation_test.go b/pkg/workflow/campaign_project_validation_test.go
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ import (
 
 func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
-		name        string
-		frontmatter map[string]any
-		expectError bool
-		errorMsg    string
+		name            string
+		frontmatter     map[string]any
+		markdownContent string
+		expectError     bool
+		errorMsg        string
 	}{
 		{
 			name: "campaign with agentic-campaign label and project URL - valid",
@@ -27,7 +28,8 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				"project": "https://github.com/orgs/test/projects/123",
 			},
-			expectError: false,
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     false,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "campaign with z_campaign_ label and project URL - valid",
@@ -39,7 +41,8 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				"project": "https://github.com/orgs/test/projects/456",
 			},
-			expectError: false,
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     false,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "campaign with campaign-id in repo-memory and project URL - valid",
@@ -51,7 +54,8 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				"project": "https://github.com/orgs/test/projects/789",
 			},
-			expectError: false,
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     false,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "campaign with agentic-campaign label but no project - error",
@@ -62,8 +66,9 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			expectError: true,
-			errorMsg:    "campaign orchestrator requires a GitHub Project URL",
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     true,
+			errorMsg:        "campaign orchestrator requires a GitHub Project URL",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "campaign with z_campaign_ label but empty project URL - error",
@@ -75,8 +80,9 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				"project": "",
 			},
-			expectError: true,
-			errorMsg:    "requires a non-empty GitHub Project URL",
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     true,
+			errorMsg:        "requires a non-empty GitHub Project URL",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "campaign with campaign-id but nil project - error",
@@ -88,8 +94,9 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				"project": nil,
 			},
-			expectError: true,
-			errorMsg:    "campaign orchestrator requires a GitHub Project URL",
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     true,
+			errorMsg:        "campaign orchestrator requires a GitHub Project URL",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "campaign with project config object - valid",
@@ -104,7 +111,8 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 					"max-updates": 100,
 				},
 			},
-			expectError: false,
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     false,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "campaign with project config but missing URL - error",
@@ -120,8 +128,9 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 					"max-updates": 100,
 				},
 			},
-			expectError: true,
-			errorMsg:    "project configuration must include a 'url' field",
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     true,
+			errorMsg:        "project configuration must include a 'url' field",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "non-campaign workflow without project - valid",
@@ -132,7 +141,8 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			expectError: false,
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     false,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "workflow with regular labels - valid",
@@ -143,7 +153,8 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			expectError: false,
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     false,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "campaign with multiple repo-memory entries - valid",
@@ -160,7 +171,8 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				"project": "https://github.com/orgs/test/projects/999",
 			},
-			expectError: false,
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     false,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "campaign via create-discussion labels - valid",
@@ -172,14 +184,65 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				"project": "https://github.com/orgs/test/projects/111",
 			},
-			expectError: false,
+			markdownContent: "",
+			expectError:     false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "campaign with project URL in markdown (orgs) - valid fallback",
+			frontmatter: map[string]any{
+				"safe-outputs": map[string]any{
+					"add-labels": map[string]any{
+						"allowed": []any{"agentic-campaign"},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			markdownContent: "Track progress at https://github.com/orgs/myorg/projects/144",
+			expectError:     false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "campaign with project URL in markdown (users) - valid fallback",
+			frontmatter: map[string]any{
+				"tools": map[string]any{
+					"repo-memory": map[string]any{
+						"campaign-id": "test",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			markdownContent: "See https://github.com/users/myuser/projects/42 for details",
+			expectError:     false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "campaign with frontmatter project (source of truth) even if markdown has URL",
+			frontmatter: map[string]any{
+				"safe-outputs": map[string]any{
+					"add-labels": map[string]any{
+						"allowed": []any{"agentic-campaign"},
+					},
+				},
+				"project": "https://github.com/orgs/correct/projects/1",
+			},
+			markdownContent: "Old URL: https://github.com/orgs/wrong/projects/999",
+			expectError:     false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "campaign without project in frontmatter or markdown - error",
+			frontmatter: map[string]any{
+				"safe-outputs": map[string]any{
+					"add-labels": map[string]any{
+						"allowed": []any{"agentic-campaign"},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			markdownContent: "No project URL here",
+			expectError:     true,
+			errorMsg:        "campaign orchestrator requires a GitHub Project URL",
 		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			compiler := NewCompiler()
-			err := compiler.validateCampaignProject(tt.frontmatter)
+			err := compiler.validateCampaignProject(tt.frontmatter, tt.markdownContent)
 
 			if tt.expectError {
 				require.Error(t, err, "Expected error but got none")
@@ -191,6 +254,57 @@ func TestValidateCampaignProject(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestHasProjectURLInMarkdown(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		markdown string
+		expected bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:     "project URL with orgs",
+			markdown: "Track at https://github.com/orgs/myorg/projects/123",
+			expected: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "project URL with users",
+			markdown: "See https://github.com/users/john/projects/42",
+			expected: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "no project URL",
+			markdown: "This is a regular workflow without project tracking",
+			expected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "github URL but not a project",
+			markdown: "See https://github.com/owner/repo",
+			expected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "partial match - has orgs but no projects",
+			markdown: "Visit https://github.com/orgs/myorg for more info",
+			expected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "partial match - has projects but no orgs",
+			markdown: "Check out our projects folder",
+			expected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "multiple project URLs",
+			markdown: "Old: https://github.com/orgs/old/projects/1\nNew: https://github.com/orgs/new/projects/2",
+			expected: true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result := hasProjectURLInMarkdown(tt.markdown)
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.expected, result, "Expected %v for markdown: %s", tt.expected, tt.markdown)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestDetectCampaignWorkflow(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name             string
@@ -487,13 +601,13 @@ func TestCampaignValidationIntegration(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	compiler := NewCompiler()
-	err := compiler.validateCampaignProject(frontmatter)
+	err := compiler.validateCampaignProject(frontmatter, "")
 	require.Error(t, err, "Should fail validation without project URL")
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "campaign orchestrator requires a GitHub Project URL")
 
 	// Add project URL and verify it passes
 	frontmatter["project"] = "https://github.com/orgs/test/projects/144"
-	err = compiler.validateCampaignProject(frontmatter)
+	err = compiler.validateCampaignProject(frontmatter, "")
 	assert.NoError(t, err, "Should pass validation with project URL")
 }
 
@@ -538,7 +652,7 @@ func TestCampaignValidationErrorMessages(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			compiler := NewCompiler()
-			err := compiler.validateCampaignProject(tt.frontmatter)
+			err := compiler.validateCampaignProject(tt.frontmatter, "")
 			require.Error(t, err, "Should fail validation")
 
 			errMsg := err.Error()

diff --git a/pkg/workflow/compiler_orchestrator_engine.go b/pkg/workflow/compiler_orchestrator_engine.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func (c *Compiler) setupEngineAndImports(result *parser.FrontmatterResult, clean
 
 	// Validate campaign orchestrator project requirements (applies to all workflows, not just strict mode)
 	orchestratorEngineLog.Print("Validating campaign orchestrator project requirements")
-	if err := c.validateCampaignProject(result.Frontmatter); err != nil {
+	if err := c.validateCampaignProject(result.Frontmatter, result.Markdown); err != nil {
 		orchestratorEngineLog.Printf("Campaign project validation failed: %v", err)
 		return nil, err
 	}