Keep nested help commands with application handlers

docs/roadmap/remediation.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Performance implementation review findings
 
-Status: R-01 requires remediation.
+Status: R-01 complete; all recorded remediation work is addressed.
 
 Date: 2026-10-09.
 
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ The selected structure is present:
   configuration framing scans only the YAML preamble while retaining the
   selected full native and framed buffers.
 
-These changes implement PF-01–PF-06. The dispatch defect below is an ownership
+These changes implement PF-01–PF-06. The review identified an ownership
-regression in the session integration, rather than a missing subsystem. The
+regression in the session integration, corrected under R-01 below. The
 [internal overview](../internal/overview.md) owns the maintained package inventory.
 
 ## R-01: restrict built-in help interception to the root command
@@ -78,14 +78,14 @@ accepts it. No such additional restriction was selected.
 
 Required work:
 
-- [ ] Identify the root built-in help command by its complete selected path
+- [x] Identify the root built-in help command by its complete selected path
   or an equivalent explicit reserved-command identity. A root-path check such
   as `len(parsed.Path) == 1 && parsed.Path[0] == "help"` is sufficient for the
   current registry. Other runnable declarations must continue to their handler.
-- [ ] Add a public behavior regression for an application-owned nested `help`
+- [x] Add a public behavior regression for an application-owned nested `help`
   command. Verify it receives its typed input and that its handler outcome is
   preserved. Keep local `--help` and `help session help` as metadata operations.
-- [ ] Retain existing root help, invalid-target, usage, fresh-invocation,
+- [x] Retain existing root help, invalid-target, usage, fresh-invocation,
   registration-refresh, and diagnostic behavior. Use existing coverage where
   sufficient; verify the relevant regression and default suite after the fix.
 
@@ -93,7 +93,33 @@ Do not remediate this by rejecting nested `help` names or imposing new command
 naming rules. Keep the session optimization and established ownership boundary.
 Mark this item complete only after the correction and its evidence are recorded.
 
-## Evidence and limits
+### Completion evidence
+
+**Completed:** `App.Execute` now recognizes the built-in help command only when
+its selected path is the root `help` command. Nested application commands keep
+their existing handler path and naming freedom; session reuse is retained.
+
+The public regression `TestExecuteRunsApplicationOwnedNestedHelp` verifies a
+required typed operand reaches the nested handler and preserves its domain,
+status, and cause. Local `session help --help` and explicit `help session help`
+render the command's metadata without invoking that handler or requiring its
+execution operand.
+
+The regression first failed against the original dispatcher with the reported
+unexpected-input-type failure and passed after the correction. Focused validation
+and the full default suite passed with readonly, offline module access:
+
+```sh
+GOWORK=off GOTOOLCHAIN=local GOPROXY=off GONOPROXY=none GOSUMDB=off go test -mod=readonly -count=1 . -run '^TestExecuteRunsApplicationOwnedNestedHelp$'
+GOWORK=off GOTOOLCHAIN=local GOPROXY=off GONOPROXY=none GOSUMDB=off go test -mod=readonly -count=1 ./...
+```
+
+Existing root help, invalid-target, usage, fresh-invocation, registration-refresh,
+and diagnostic tests passed. Changed Go files were formatted; document links
+and whitespace checks passed. No new public contract or command-name restriction
+was introduced.
+
+## Original review evidence and limits
 
 - Reviewed the production diffs, changed behavioral tests, benchmark fixtures,
   architecture documentation, and completion/measurement records. Traced cache

execute.go

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func (a *App) Execute(ctx context.Context, args []string, streams Streams) Outco
 	if err := command.payload.checkInput(input); err != nil {
 		return current.present(Usage(err), parsed.Path)
 	}
-	if command.name == "help" {
+	if len(parsed.Path) == 1 && parsed.Path[0] == "help" {
 		help, ok := input.(*helpInput)
 		if !ok {
 			return current.present(Failure(errors.New("built-in help input has an unexpected type")), parsed.Path)

execute_external_test.go

@@ -340,6 +340,61 @@ func TestExecuteHelpSkipsRequiredInputsAndRejectsNilContext(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestExecuteRunsApplicationOwnedNestedHelp(t *testing.T) {
+	type input struct{ topic commandkit.Supplied[string] }
+	var received []input
+	domainCause := errors.New("application help result")
+	help, err := commandkit.NewCommand(commandkit.CommandSpec[input]{
+		Name:        "help",
+		Description: "Explain a session topic.",
+		Arguments: []commandkit.Argument[input]{commandkit.ValueArgument(
+			commandkit.ArgumentMeta{Name: "TOPIC"}, true,
+			func(value string) (string, error) { return value, nil },
+			func(target *input, value commandkit.Supplied[string]) { target.topic = value },
+		)},
+		Run: func(_ commandkit.Invocation, value input) commandkit.Outcome {
+			received = append(received, value)
+			return commandkit.Domain("session-help", 7, domainCause)
+		},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	session, err := commandkit.Group("session", "Session commands.", help)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	app, err := commandkit.New(commandkit.Identity{Name: "example"}, session)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	var diagnostic bytes.Buffer
+	outcome := app.Execute(context.Background(), []string{"session", "help", "restore"}, commandkit.Streams{Err: &diagnostic})
+	if outcome.Kind != commandkit.OutcomeDomain || outcome.Domain != "session-help" || outcome.Status != 7 || !errors.Is(outcome.Cause, domainCause) {
+		t.Fatalf("nested help handler outcome = %#v, diagnostics %q", outcome, diagnostic.String())
+	}
+	if len(received) != 1 || received[0].topic != (commandkit.Supplied[string]{Value: "restore", Set: true}) {
+		t.Fatalf("nested help handler input = %#v", received)
+	}
+
+	for _, args := range [][]string{{"session", "help", "--help"}, {"help", "session", "help"}} {
+		t.Run(strings.Join(args, " "), func(t *testing.T) {
+			var output, diagnostics bytes.Buffer
+			outcome := app.Execute(context.Background(), args, commandkit.Streams{Out: &output, Err: &diagnostics})
+			if outcome.Kind != commandkit.OutcomeSuccess || outcome.Status != 0 || diagnostics.Len() != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("metadata help outcome = %#v, diagnostics %q", outcome, diagnostics.String())
+			}
+			if !strings.Contains(output.String(), "Explain a session topic.") || !strings.Contains(output.String(), "TOPIC") {
+				t.Fatalf("metadata help omitted nested command details: %q", output.String())
+			}
+			if len(received) != 1 {
+				t.Fatalf("metadata help invoked the application handler: %#v", received)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHelpRendersRegisteredMetadataAndResolvesExactPaths(t *testing.T) {
 	type input struct {
 		count commandkit.Supplied[int]