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docs: Radically condense documentation (10k → 548 lines)

Browse Source 
Replace 28 sprawling docs with 2 focused ones:
- README.md: User-focused, top-down intro (268 lines)
- docs/reference.md: Technical reference (280 lines)

Key changes:
- Top-down structure (formulas first, not beads)
- Bullets/tables over prose
- Human commands (start/shutdown/attach) vs agent commands
- All 6 roles documented (Overseer through Polecat)
- Ice-9/protomolecule easter eggs for the Expanse/Vonnegut fans
- Prefix-based beads routing explanation

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
Steve Yegge
2025-12-26 23:37:47 -08:00
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# Gas Town
> **Status**: Experimental (v0.1) - We're exploring these ideas and invite you to explore with us.
Multi-agent orchestrator for Claude Code. Sling work to agents; they run it.
Gas Town is an experiment in multi-agent coordination for Claude Code. It provides infrastructure for spawning workers, tracking work via molecules, and coordinating merges.
## Why Gas Town?
We think of it using steam-age metaphors:
```
Claude = Fire (the energy source)
Claude Code = Steam Engine (harnesses the fire)
Gas Town = Steam Train (coordinates engines on tracks)
Beads = Railroad Tracks (the persistent ledger)
```
The goal is a "village" architecture - not rigid hierarchy, but distributed awareness where agents can help neighbors when something is stuck. Whether this actually works at scale is something we're still discovering.
## Prerequisites
- **Go 1.23+** - For building from source
- **Git** - For rig management and beads sync
- **tmux** - Required for agent sessions (all workers run in tmux panes)
- **Claude Code CLI** - Required for agents (`claude` command must be available)
## Install
**From source (recommended for now):**
```bash
go install github.com/steveyegge/gastown/cmd/gt@latest
```
**Package managers (coming soon):**
```bash
# Homebrew (macOS/Linux)
brew install gastown
# npm (cross-platform)
npm install -g @anthropic/gastown
```
| Without | With Gas Town |
|---------|---------------|
| Agents forget work after restart | Work persists on hooks - survives crashes, compaction, restarts |
| Manual coordination | Agents have mailboxes, identities, and structured handoffs |
| 4-10 agents is chaotic | Comfortably scale to 20-30 agents |
| Work state in agent memory | Work state in Beads (git-backed ledger) |
## Quick Start
```bash
# Create a town (workspace)
# Install
go install github.com/steveyegge/gastown/cmd/gt@latest
# Create workspace
gt install ~/gt
# Add a project rig
gt rig add myproject --remote=https://github.com/you/myproject.git
# Add a project
gt rig add myproject --remote=https://github.com/you/repo.git
# Assign work to a polecat
gt sling myproject-123 myproject
# Sling work to a polecat (worker)
gt sling issue-123 myproject
```
## Architecture
## Core Concepts
```
Town (~/gt/)
├── Mayor (global coordinator)
└── Rig: myproject
├── Witness (lifecycle manager)
├── Refinery (merge queue)
└── Polecats (workers)
Town (~/gt/) Your workspace
├── Rig (project) Container for a git project + its agents
│ ├── Polecats Workers (ephemeral, spawn → work → disappear)
│ ├── Witness Monitors workers, handles lifecycle
│ └── Refinery Merge queue processor
└── Mayor Global coordinator
```
## Key Concepts
**Hook**: Each agent has a hook where work hangs. On wake, run what's on your hook.
Ideas we're exploring:
**Beads**: Git-backed issue tracker. All work state lives here. [github.com/steveyegge/beads](https://github.com/steveyegge/beads)
- **Molecular Chemistry of Work**: Protos (templates) → Mols (flowing work) → Wisps (ephemeral) → Digests (outcomes)
- **Beads**: Git-backed, human-readable ledger for tracking work ([github.com/steveyegge/beads](https://github.com/steveyegge/beads))
- **Village Model**: Distributed awareness instead of centralized monitoring
- **Propulsion Principle**: Agents pull work from molecules rather than waiting for commands
- **Nondeterministic Idempotence**: The idea that any worker can continue any molecule after crashes
## Workflows
Some of these are implemented; others are still aspirational. See docs for current status.
### Minimal (No Tmux)
Run individual Claude Code instances manually. Gas Town just tracks state.
```bash
gt sling issue-123 myproject # Creates work assignment
claude --resume # Agent reads mail, runs work
```
## Commands
### Full Stack (Tmux)
Agents run in tmux sessions. Daemon manages lifecycle.
```bash
gt daemon start # Start lifecycle manager
gt sling issue-123 myproject # Spawns polecat automatically
```
### Pick Your Roles
Gas Town is modular. Run what you need:
- **Polecats only**: Manual spawning, no monitoring
- **+ Witness**: Automatic worker lifecycle, stuck detection
- **+ Refinery**: Merge queue, code review
- **+ Mayor**: Cross-project coordination
## Cooking Formulas
Formulas define structured workflows. Cook them, sling them to agents.
### Basic Example
```toml
# .beads/formulas/shiny.formula.toml
formula = "shiny"
description = "Design before code, review before ship"
[[steps]]
id = "design"
description = "Think about architecture"
[[steps]]
id = "implement"
needs = ["design"]
[[steps]]
id = "test"
needs = ["implement"]
[[steps]]
id = "submit"
needs = ["test"]
```
### Using Formulas
```bash
gt status # Town status
gt rig list # List rigs
gt sling <bead> <rig> # Assign work to polecat
gt mail inbox # Check messages
gt peek <worker> # Check worker health
gt nudge <worker> # Wake stuck worker
bd formula list # See available formulas
bd cook shiny # Cook into a protomolecule
bd pour shiny --var feature=auth # Create runnable molecule
gt sling gt-xyz myproject # Assign to worker
```
## Documentation
### What Happens
- [Vision](docs/vision.md) - Core innovations and philosophy
- [Architecture](docs/architecture.md) - System design
- [Molecular Chemistry](docs/molecular-chemistry.md) - Work composition
- [Molecules](docs/molecules.md) - Workflow templates
1. **Cook** expands the formula into a protomolecule (frozen template)
2. **Pour** creates a molecule (live workflow) with steps as beads
3. **Worker executes** each step, closing beads as it goes
4. **Crash recovery**: Worker restarts, reads molecule, continues from last step
## Development
### Example: Beads Release Molecule
A real workflow for releasing a new beads version:
```toml
formula = "beads-release"
description = "Version bump and release workflow"
[[steps]]
id = "bump-version"
description = "Update version in version.go and CHANGELOG"
[[steps]]
id = "update-deps"
needs = ["bump-version"]
description = "Run go mod tidy, update go.sum"
[[steps]]
id = "run-tests"
needs = ["update-deps"]
description = "Full test suite, check for regressions"
[[steps]]
id = "build-binaries"
needs = ["run-tests"]
description = "Cross-compile for all platforms"
[[steps]]
id = "create-tag"
needs = ["build-binaries"]
description = "Git tag with version, push to origin"
[[steps]]
id = "publish-release"
needs = ["create-tag"]
description = "Create GitHub release with binaries"
```
Cook it, pour it, sling it. The polecat runs through each step, and if it crashes
after `run-tests`, a new polecat picks up at `build-binaries`.
### Formula Composition
```toml
# Extend an existing formula
formula = "shiny-enterprise"
extends = ["shiny"]
[compose]
aspects = ["security-audit"] # Add cross-cutting concerns
```
## Key Commands
### For Humans (Overseer)
```bash
go build -o gt ./cmd/gt
go test ./...
gt start # Start Gas Town (daemon + agents)
gt shutdown # Graceful shutdown
gt status # Town overview
gt <role> attach # Jump into any agent session
# e.g., gt mayor attach, gt witness attach
```
Most other work happens through agents - just ask them.
### For Agents
```bash
# Work
gt sling <bead> <rig> # Assign work to polecat
bd ready # Show available work
bd list --status=in_progress # Active work
# Communication
gt mail inbox # Check messages
gt mail send <addr> -s "..." -m "..."
# Lifecycle
gt handoff # Request session cycle
gt peek <agent> # Check agent health
# Diagnostics
gt doctor # Health check
gt doctor --fix # Auto-repair
```
## Roles
| Role | Scope | Job |
|------|-------|-----|
| **Overseer** | Human | Sets strategy, reviews output, handles escalations |
| **Mayor** | Town-wide | Cross-rig coordination, work dispatch |
| **Deacon** | Town-wide | Daemon process, agent lifecycle, plugin execution |
| **Witness** | Per-rig | Monitor polecats, nudge stuck workers |
| **Refinery** | Per-rig | Merge queue, PR review, integration |
| **Polecat** | Per-task | Execute work, file discovered issues, request shutdown |
## The Propulsion Principle
> If your hook has work, RUN IT.
Agents wake up, check their hook, execute the molecule. No waiting for commands.
Molecules survive crashes - any agent can continue where another left off.
---
## Optional: MEOW Deep Dive
**M**olecular **E**xpression **O**f **W**ork - the full algebra.
### States of Matter
| Phase | Name | Storage | Behavior |
|-------|------|---------|----------|
| Ice-9 | Formula | `.beads/formulas/` | Source template, composable |
| Solid | Protomolecule | `.beads/` | Frozen template, reusable |
| Liquid | Mol | `.beads/` | Flowing work, persistent |
| Vapor | Wisp | `.beads/` (ephemeral flag) | Transient, for patrols |
*(Protomolecules are an homage to The Expanse. Ice-9 is a nod to Vonnegut.)*
### Operators
| Operator | From → To | Effect |
|----------|-----------|--------|
| `cook` | Formula → Protomolecule | Expand macros, flatten |
| `pour` | Proto → Mol | Instantiate as persistent |
| `wisp` | Proto → Wisp | Instantiate as ephemeral |
| `squash` | Mol/Wisp → Digest | Condense to permanent record |
| `burn` | Wisp → ∅ | Discard without record |
### Dynamic Bonding
Patrol workflows can spawn children at runtime:
```bash
# Witness discovers 3 polecats, bonds an arm for each
for polecat in ace nux toast; do
bd mol bond mol-polecat-arm $PATROL_ID --var name=$polecat
done
```
Creates a "Christmas ornament" shape - trunk with dynamic arms.
---
## Prerequisites
- **Go 1.23+**
- **Git**
- **tmux** (for full stack mode)
- **Claude Code CLI**
## License
MIT

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# Beads as Data Plane (CLAW)
> **Status**: Design documentation
> **See also**: [pinned-beads-design.md](pinned-beads-design.md), [propulsion-principle.md](propulsion-principle.md)
## Overview
Gas Town agents coordinate through **Beads** - a git-backed issue tracker.
**CLAW**: **C**ommits as **L**edger of **A**ll **W**ork. Git commits are the persistence
mechanism. Every state change becomes a commit, giving us atomic updates, full history,
and distributed sync for free.
We store agent state (work assignments, mail, molecules, hooks) as beads issues.
## How We Use It
We're treating beads as more than an issue tracker:
- **Work molecules** are issues with steps as child issues
- **Mail messages** are issues with sender/recipient encoded in fields
- **Hooks** are queries over issues (`assignee = me AND pinned = true`)
- **Inboxes** are queries over issues (`assignee = me AND status = open AND has from: label`)
Everything is an issue. The semantics come from how fields are used.
## The Unified Data Model
Every beads issue has these core fields:
| Field | Type | Purpose |
|-------|------|---------|
| `id` | string | Unique identifier (e.g., `gt-xxxx`, `hq-yyyy`) |
| `title` | string | Brief summary |
| `description` | string | Full content |
| `status` | enum | `open`, `in_progress`, `closed`, `pinned` |
| `assignee` | string | Who this is assigned to |
| `priority` | int | 0=critical, 1=high, 2=normal, 3=low, 4=backlog |
| `type` | string | `task`, `bug`, `feature`, `epic` |
| `labels` | []string | Metadata tags |
| `pinned` | bool | Whether this is pinned to assignee's hook |
| `parent` | string | Parent issue ID (for hierarchies) |
| `created_at` | timestamp | Creation time |
## Field Reuse Patterns
### Work Molecules
A **molecule** is the general abstraction for executable work in Gas Town. Molecules
can take various **shapes** - structural patterns that encode different workflow
semantics. The data plane stores all shapes the same way; the semantics come from
how the structure is interpreted.
**Common molecular shapes:**
| Shape | Structure | Use Case |
|-------|-----------|----------|
| **Epic** | Parent + flat children (TODO list) | Simple feature work, linear decomposition |
| **Christmas Ornament** | Trunk + dynamic arms + base | Patrol cycles with variable fanout |
| **Compound** | Multiple bonded molecules | Complex multi-phase workflows |
| **Polymer** | Chained compound molecules | Large-scale autonomous operation |
> **All epics are molecules. Not all molecules are epics.**
> For the full taxonomy of shapes, see [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md).
Here's an **epic** (the simplest molecular shape) stored as beads data:
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Issue: gt-abc1 │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ title: "Implement user authentication" │
│ type: epic ← SHAPE: TODO LIST │
│ assignee: "gastown/crew/max" │
│ pinned: true ← ON MY HOOK │
│ status: in_progress │
│ description: "Full auth flow with OAuth..." │
│ children: [gt-abc2, gt-abc3, gt-abc4] ← FLAT CHILDREN │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
The hook query: `WHERE assignee = me AND pinned = true`
**Why the data plane doesn't distinguish shapes:** The shape lives in the structure
(parent/child relationships, dependency edges), not in a separate field. An epic
is recognized by its flat parent-children structure. A Christmas Ornament is
recognized by dynamic arms bonded during execution. The beads database just stores
issues with relationships - the chemistry layer interprets the shape.
### Mail Messages
Mail reuses the same fields with different semantics:
```
MAIL FIELD → BEADS FIELD
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
To (recipient) → assignee
Subject → title
Body → description
From (sender) → labels: ["from:mayor/"]
Thread ID → labels: ["thread:thread-xxx"]
Reply-To → labels: ["reply-to:hq-yyy"]
Message Type → labels: ["msg-type:task"]
Unread → status: open
Read → status: closed
```
Example mail message as a bead:
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Issue: hq-def2 │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ title: "Fix the auth bug" ← SUBJECT │
│ assignee: "gastown/crew/max" ← TO │
│ status: open ← UNREAD │
│ labels: ["from:mayor/", ← FROM │
│ "thread:thread-abc", ← THREAD │
│ "msg-type:task"] ← TYPE │
│ description: "The OAuth flow is broken..." ← BODY │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
The inbox query: `WHERE assignee = me AND status = open AND has_label("from:*")`
### Distinguishing Mail from Work
How does the system know if an issue is mail or work?
| Indicator | Mail | Work |
|-----------|------|------|
| Has `from:` label | Yes | No |
| Has `pinned: true` | Rarely | Yes (when on hook) |
| Parent is molecule | No | Often |
| ID prefix | `hq-*` (town beads) | `gt-*` (rig beads) |
The `from:` label is the canonical discriminator. Regular issues don't have senders.
## Two-Tier Beads Architecture
Gas Town uses beads at two levels, each with persistent and ephemeral components:
```
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
TOWN LEVEL
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
┌─────────────────────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ PERSISTENT: ~/gt/.beads/ │ │ EPHEMERAL: ~/gt/.beads-wisp/ │
│ ───────────────────────────── │ │ ───────────────────────────── │
│ Prefix: hq-* │ │ Git tracked: NO │
│ Git tracked: Yes │ │ Contains: │
│ Contains: │ │ - Deacon patrol cycles │
│ - All mail │ │ - Town-level ephemeral work │
│ - Mayor coordination │ │ Lifecycle: │
│ - Cross-rig work items │ │ Created → Executed → │
│ Sync: Direct commit to main │ │ Squashed to digest → Deleted │
└─────────────────────────────────┘ └─────────────────────────────────┘
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
RIG LEVEL
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
┌─────────────────────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ PERSISTENT: <clone>/.beads/ │ │ EPHEMERAL: <rig>/.beads-wisp/ │
│ ───────────────────────────── │ │ ───────────────────────────── │
│ Prefix: gt-* (rig-specific) │ │ Git tracked: NO │
│ Git tracked: Yes │ │ Contains: │
│ Contains: │ │ - Witness patrol cycles │
│ - Project issues │ │ - Refinery patrol cycles │
│ - Molecules (work patterns) │ │ - Rig-level ephemeral work │
│ - Agent hook states │ │ Lifecycle: │
│ Sync: Via beads-sync branch │ │ Created → Executed → │
│ │ │ Squashed to digest → Deleted │
└─────────────────────────────────┘ └─────────────────────────────────┘
```
Key points:
- **Each level has persistent + ephemeral storage**
- **Town persistent** (`~/gt/.beads/`) - mail, mayor work, cross-rig coordination
- **Town ephemeral** (`~/gt/.beads-wisp/`) - deacon patrols
- **Rig persistent** (`<clone>/.beads/`) - project issues, molecules, hooks
- **Rig ephemeral** (`<rig>/.beads-wisp/`) - witness/refinery patrols
- **Sync strategies**: Persistent beads sync via git; ephemeral wisps never sync
## The Query Model
Both hooks and inboxes are **views** (queries) over the flat beads collection:
```
BEADS DATABASE (flat collection)
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐
│ hq-aaa │ │ hq-bbb │ │ gt-xxx │ │ gt-yyy │
│ mail │ │ mail │ │ task │ │ molecule │
│ to: max │ │ to: joe │ │ assign: │ │ assign: │
│ open │ │ closed │ │ max │ │ max │
│ │ │ │ │ pinned: │ │ │
│ ↓ INBOX │ │ │ │ true │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ↓ HOOK │ │ │
└──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘
INBOX QUERY (for max):
SELECT * FROM beads
WHERE assignee = 'gastown/crew/max'
AND status = 'open'
AND labels CONTAINS 'from:*'
→ Returns: [hq-aaa]
HOOK QUERY (for max):
SELECT * FROM beads
WHERE assignee = 'gastown/crew/max'
AND pinned = true
→ Returns: [gt-xxx]
```
There is no container. No inbox bead. No hook bead. Just queries over issues.
## Session Cycling Through the Data Lens
When an agent cycles (hands off to fresh session), the data model ensures continuity:
### What Persists (in beads)
| Data | Location | Survives Restart |
|------|----------|------------------|
| Pinned molecule | Rig beads | Yes |
| Handoff mail | Town beads | Yes |
| Issue state | Rig beads | Yes |
| Git commits | Git | Yes |
### What Doesn't Persist
| Data | Why Not |
|------|---------|
| Claude context | Cleared on restart |
| In-memory state | Process dies |
| Uncommitted changes | Not in git |
| Unflushed beads | Not synced |
### The Cycle
```
END OF SESSION START OF SESSION
══════════════════ ══════════════════
1. Commit & push code 1. gt prime (loads context)
2. bd sync (flush beads) 2. gt mol status
└─ Molecule state saved └─ Query: pinned = true
↓
3. gt handoff -s "..." -m "..." 3. Hook has molecule?
└─ Creates mail in town beads ├─ YES → Execute it
(assignee = self) └─ NO → Query inbox
↓
4. Session dies 4. Inbox has handoff mail?
├─ YES → Read context
└─ NO → Wait for work
```
The **molecule is the source of truth** for what you're working on.
The **handoff mail is supplementary context** (optional but helpful).
## Command to Data Mapping
| Command | Data Operation |
|---------|----------------|
| `gt mol status` | Query: `assignee = me AND pinned = true` |
| `gt mail inbox` | Query: `assignee = me AND status = open AND from:*` |
| `gt mail read X` | Read issue X, no status change |
| `gt mail delete X` | Close issue X (status → closed) |
| `gt sling X [Y]` | Hook X to Y (or self), inject start prompt |
| `gt hook X` | Update X: `pinned = true` (assign without action) |
| `gt handoff X` | Hook X, restart session (GUPP kicks in) |
| `bd pin X` | Update X: `pinned = true` |
| `bd close X` | Update X: `status = closed` |
## Why This Design?
### 1. Single Source of Truth
All agent state lives in beads. No separate databases, no config files, no
hidden state. If you can read beads, you can understand the entire system.
### 2. Queryable Everything
Hooks, inboxes, work queues - all are just queries. Want to find all blocked
work? Query. Want to see what's assigned to a role? Query. The data model
supports arbitrary views.
### 3. Git-Native Persistence
Beads syncs through git. This gives you:
- Version history
- Branch-based isolation
- Merge conflict resolution
- Distributed replication
### 4. No Schema Lock-in
New use cases emerge by convention, not schema changes. Mail was added by
reusing `assignee` for recipient and adding `from:` labels. No database
migration needed.
## Related Documents
- [pinned-beads-design.md](pinned-beads-design.md) - Hook semantics per role
- [propulsion-principle.md](propulsion-principle.md) - The "RUN IT" protocol
- [sling-design.md](sling-design.md) - Work assignment mechanics
- [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md) - Full taxonomy of molecular shapes, phases, and operators
- [session-lifecycle.md](session-lifecycle.md) - The Single-Bond Principle and context cycling

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# Bootstrapping Gas Town from an HQ
This guide documents how to bootstrap a full Gas Town installation from an HQ repository (e.g., `steveyegge/stevey-gt`).
## Prerequisites
- macOS or Linux
- Git configured with SSH access to GitHub
- Homebrew (for macOS)
## Overview
A Gas Town HQ is a template repository containing:
- Town-level configuration (`mayor/`, `.beads/`)
- Rig configs (`gastown/config.json`, `beads/config.json`)
- CLAUDE.md for Mayor context
The HQ does NOT contain:
- The actual gt binary (must be built)
- Full rig structures (must be populated)
- Agent state files (must be created)
## Step 1: Clone the HQ
```bash
git clone git@github.com:steveyegge/stevey-gt.git ~/gt
cd ~/gt
```
## Step 2: Install Go
Gas Town is written in Go. Install it via Homebrew:
```bash
brew install go
go version # Verify: should show go1.25+
```
## Step 3: Clone Gastown into Mayor's Rig
The gt binary lives in the gastown repository. Clone it into the mayor's rig directory:
```bash
mkdir -p ~/gt/gastown/mayor
git clone git@github.com:steveyegge/gastown.git ~/gt/gastown/mayor/rig
```
## Step 4: Build the gt Binary
```bash
cd ~/gt/gastown/mayor/rig
go build -o gt ./cmd/gt
```
Optionally install to PATH:
```bash
mkdir -p ~/bin
cp gt ~/bin/gt
# Ensure ~/bin is in your PATH
```
## Step 5: Populate Rig Structures
For each rig in your HQ (gastown, beads, etc.), create the full agent structure:
### Gastown Rig
```bash
cd ~/gt/gastown
# Create directories
mkdir -p refinery witness polecats crew/main
# Clone for refinery (canonical main)
git clone git@github.com:steveyegge/gastown.git refinery/rig
# Clone for crew workspace
git clone git@github.com:steveyegge/gastown.git crew/main
```
### Beads Rig
```bash
cd ~/gt/beads
# Create directories
mkdir -p refinery mayor witness polecats crew/main
# Clone for each agent
git clone git@github.com:steveyegge/beads.git refinery/rig
git clone git@github.com:steveyegge/beads.git mayor/rig
git clone git@github.com:steveyegge/beads.git crew/main
```
## Step 6: Create Agent State Files
Each agent needs a state.json file:
```bash
# Gastown agents
echo '{"role": "refinery", "last_active": "'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'"}' > ~/gt/gastown/refinery/state.json
echo '{"role": "witness", "last_active": "'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'"}' > ~/gt/gastown/witness/state.json
echo '{"role": "mayor", "last_active": "'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'"}' > ~/gt/gastown/mayor/state.json
# Beads agents
echo '{"role": "refinery", "last_active": "'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'"}' > ~/gt/beads/refinery/state.json
echo '{"role": "witness", "last_active": "'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'"}' > ~/gt/beads/witness/state.json
echo '{"role": "mayor", "last_active": "'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'"}' > ~/gt/beads/mayor/state.json
```
## Step 7: Initialize Town-Level Beads
```bash
cd ~/gt
bd init --prefix gm
```
If there are existing issues in JSONL that fail to import (e.g., due to invalid issue types), you can:
- Fix the JSONL manually and re-run `bd sync --import-only`
- Or start fresh with the empty database
Run doctor to check for issues:
```bash
bd doctor --fix
```
## Step 8: Verify Installation
```bash
cd ~/gt
# Check gt works
gt status
# Check rig structure
gt rig list
# Expected output:
# gastown - Polecats: 0, Crew: 1, Agents: [refinery mayor]
# beads - Polecats: 0, Crew: 1, Agents: [refinery mayor]
```
## Troubleshooting
### Go not in PATH
If `go` command fails, ensure Homebrew's bin is in your PATH:
```bash
export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:$PATH"
```
### Witnesses Not Detected
Known issue (gm-2ej): The witness detection code checks for `witness/rig` but witnesses don't have a git clone. This is a bug in the detection logic - witnesses should still work.
### Beads Import Fails
Known issue (gm-r6e): If your JSONL contains invalid issue types (e.g., "merge-request"), the import will fail. Either fix the JSONL or start with an empty database.
## Full Bootstrap Script
Here's a condensed script for bootstrapping:
```bash
#!/bin/bash
set -e
# Configuration
HQ_REPO="git@github.com:steveyegge/stevey-gt.git"
GASTOWN_REPO="git@github.com:steveyegge/gastown.git"
BEADS_REPO="git@github.com:steveyegge/beads.git"
TOWN_ROOT="$HOME/gt"
# Clone HQ
git clone "$HQ_REPO" "$TOWN_ROOT"
cd "$TOWN_ROOT"
# Install Go if needed
if ! command -v go &> /dev/null; then
brew install go
fi
# Clone and build gastown
mkdir -p gastown/mayor
git clone "$GASTOWN_REPO" gastown/mayor/rig
cd gastown/mayor/rig
go build -o gt ./cmd/gt
cp gt ~/bin/gt
cd "$TOWN_ROOT"
# Populate gastown rig
cd gastown
mkdir -p refinery witness polecats crew/main
git clone "$GASTOWN_REPO" refinery/rig
git clone "$GASTOWN_REPO" crew/main
echo '{"role": "refinery"}' > refinery/state.json
echo '{"role": "witness"}' > witness/state.json
echo '{"role": "mayor"}' > mayor/state.json
cd "$TOWN_ROOT"
# Populate beads rig
cd beads
mkdir -p refinery mayor witness polecats crew/main
git clone "$BEADS_REPO" refinery/rig
git clone "$BEADS_REPO" mayor/rig
git clone "$BEADS_REPO" crew/main
echo '{"role": "refinery"}' > refinery/state.json
echo '{"role": "witness"}' > witness/state.json
echo '{"role": "mayor"}' > mayor/state.json
cd "$TOWN_ROOT"
# Initialize beads
bd init --prefix gm
# Verify
gt status
echo "Bootstrap complete!"
```
## Next Steps
After bootstrapping:
1. Start a Mayor session: `gt mayor attach`
2. Check for work: `bd ready`
3. Spawn workers with molecules: `gt sling <id> <rig> --molecule mol-shiny`

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# Crew tmux Configuration
> **Status**: Personal Workflow
> **Location**: Your personal dotfiles (e.g., `~/.emacs.d/tmux.conf`)
## Overview
Crew workers are persistent identities. Unlike polecats (ephemeral, witness-managed),
crew members keep their names and workspaces across sessions. This makes them ideal
candidates for hardwired tmux keybindings.
This document explains how to configure your personal tmux config to enable quick
cycling between crew sessions within a rig.
## Why Personal Config?
Crew session linking is **personal workflow**, not core Gas Town infrastructure:
- Your crew members are stable identities you control
- The groupings reflect how *you* want to work
- Different users may have different crew setups
- Keeps Gas Town codebase focused on agent mechanics
Store this in your personal dotfiles repo (e.g., `~/.emacs.d/`) for:
- Version control
- Sharing across machines
- Separation from project code
## Setup
### 1. Create tmux.conf in your dotfiles
```bash
# Example: ~/.emacs.d/tmux.conf
```
### 2. Symlink from home
```bash
ln -s ~/.emacs.d/tmux.conf ~/.tmux.conf
```
### 3. Configure crew cycling groups
The key insight: use `run-shell` with a case statement to route `C-b n`/`C-b p`
based on the current session name.
```tmux
# Crew session cycling - hardwired groups
# Group 1: gastown crew (max <-> joe)
# Group 2: beads crew (dave -> emma -> zoey -> dave)
bind n run-shell ' \
s="#{session_name}"; \
case "$s" in \
gt-gastown-crew-max) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-joe ;; \
gt-gastown-crew-joe) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-max ;; \
gt-beads-crew-dave) tmux switch-client -t gt-beads-crew-emma ;; \
gt-beads-crew-emma) tmux switch-client -t gt-beads-crew-zoey ;; \
gt-beads-crew-zoey) tmux switch-client -t gt-beads-crew-dave ;; \
*) tmux switch-client -n ;; \
esac'
bind p run-shell ' \
s="#{session_name}"; \
case "$s" in \
gt-gastown-crew-max) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-joe ;; \
gt-gastown-crew-joe) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-max ;; \
gt-beads-crew-dave) tmux switch-client -t gt-beads-crew-zoey ;; \
gt-beads-crew-emma) tmux switch-client -t gt-beads-crew-dave ;; \
gt-beads-crew-zoey) tmux switch-client -t gt-beads-crew-emma ;; \
*) tmux switch-client -p ;; \
esac'
```
### 4. Reload config
```bash
tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf
```
## Session Naming Convention
Gas Town uses predictable session names:
```
gt-<rig>-crew-<name>
```
Examples:
- `gt-gastown-crew-max`
- `gt-gastown-crew-joe`
- `gt-beads-crew-dave`
- `gt-beads-crew-emma`
- `gt-beads-crew-zoey`
This predictability enables hardwired keybindings.
## Adding New Crew Members
When you add a new crew member:
1. Add entries to both `bind n` and `bind p` case statements
2. Maintain the cycle order (n goes forward, p goes backward)
3. Reload config: `tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf`
Example - adding `frank` to gastown crew:
```tmux
# In bind n:
gt-gastown-crew-max) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-joe ;;
gt-gastown-crew-joe) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-frank ;;
gt-gastown-crew-frank) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-max ;;
# In bind p (reverse order):
gt-gastown-crew-max) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-frank ;;
gt-gastown-crew-joe) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-max ;;
gt-gastown-crew-frank) tmux switch-client -t gt-gastown-crew-joe ;;
```
## Fallback Behavior
The `*) tmux switch-client -n ;;` fallback means:
- In a crew session → cycles within your group
- In any other session (mayor, witness, refinery) → standard all-session cycling
This keeps the default behavior for non-crew contexts.
## Starting Crew Sessions
When starting crew sessions manually (not through Gas Town spawn), remember to
configure the status line:
```bash
# Start session
tmux new-session -d -s gt-<rig>-crew-<name> -c /path/to/crew/<name>
# Configure status (Gas Town normally does this automatically)
tmux set-option -t gt-<rig>-crew-<name> status-left-length 25
tmux set-option -t gt-<rig>-crew-<name> status-left "👷 <rig>/crew/<name> "
# Start Claude
tmux send-keys -t gt-<rig>-crew-<name> 'claude' Enter
```
## Tips
- **Two-member groups**: For pairs like max/joe, n and p do the same thing (toggle)
- **Larger groups**: n cycles forward, p cycles backward
- **Mixed rigs**: Each rig's crew is a separate group - no cross-rig cycling
- **Testing**: Use `tmux display-message -p '#{session_name}'` to verify session names
## Related
- [session-lifecycle.md](session-lifecycle.md) - How sessions cycle
- [propulsion-principle.md](propulsion-principle.md) - The "RUN IT" protocol

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# Cross-Project Dependencies
> Design for tracking dependencies across project boundaries without coupling to
> specific orchestrators.
## Problem Statement
When working on Gas Town, we frequently hit dependencies on Beads features (and
vice versa). Currently there's no formal mechanism to:
1. Declare "I need capability X from project Y"
2. Signal "capability X is now available"
3. Park work waiting on external dependencies
4. Resume work when dependencies are satisfied
## Design Principles
1. **Beads-native**: The core mechanism lives in Beads, not Gas Town
2. **Orchestrator-agnostic**: Works with Gas Town, other orchestrators, or none
3. **Capability-based**: Reference published capabilities, not internal issue IDs
4. **Semaphore pattern**: Producer signals, consumers wait, no coordinator required
## The Mechanism
### Provider Side: Shipping Capabilities
Projects declare and ship capabilities using labels:
```bash
# Declare intent (optional, for visibility)
bd create --title="Add --assignee to mol run" \
--add-label=export:mol-run-assignee
# ... do work, close issue ...
# Ship the capability (adds provides: label)
bd ship mol-run-assignee
```
The `bd ship` command:
- Finds issue with `export:mol-run-assignee` label
- Validates issue is closed (or `--force`)
- Adds `provides:mol-run-assignee` label
- Optionally notifies downstream (future)
**Protected namespace**: `provides:*` labels can only be added via `bd ship`.
### Consumer Side: Declaring Dependencies
Projects declare external dependencies on capabilities:
```bash
# At creation
bd create --title="Use --assignee in spawn.go" \
--blocked-by="external:beads:mol-run-assignee"
# Or later
bd update gt-xyz --blocked-by="external:beads:mol-run-assignee"
```
The `external:project:capability` syntax:
- `external:` - prefix indicating cross-project reference
- `project` - name from `external_projects` config
- `capability` - the capability name (matches `provides:X` label)
### Configuration
Projects configure paths to external projects:
```yaml
# .beads/config.yaml
external_projects:
beads: ../beads
gastown: ../gastown
# Can also use absolute paths
other: /Users/steve/projects/other
```
### Resolution
`bd ready` checks external dependencies:
```bash
bd ready
# gt-xyz: blocked by external:beads:mol-run-assignee (not provided)
# gt-abc: ready
# After beads ships the capability:
bd ready
# gt-xyz: ready
# gt-abc: ready
```
## Molecule Integration
### Parking a Molecule
When a polecat hits an external dependency mid-molecule:
```bash
# Polecat discovers external dep not satisfied
gt park --step=gt-mol.3 --waiting="beads:mol-run-assignee"
```
This command:
1. Adds `blocked_by: external:beads:mol-run-assignee` to the step
2. Clears assignee on the step and molecule root
3. Sends handoff mail to self with context
4. Shuts down the polecat
**"Parked" is a derived state**, not a new status:
- Molecule status: `in_progress`
- Molecule assignee: `null`
- Has step with unsatisfied external `blocked_by`
### Querying Parked Work
```bash
# Find parked molecules
bd list --status=in_progress --no-assignee --type=molecule
# See what's blocked and on what
bd list --has-external-block
```
### Resuming Parked Work
**Manual (launch):**
```bash
gt sling gt-mol-root
# Spawns polecat, which reads handoff mail and continues
```
**Automated (future):**
Deacon patrol checks parked molecules:
```yaml
- step: check-parked-molecules
action: |
For each molecule with status=in_progress, no assignee:
Check if external deps are satisfied
If yes: spawn polecat to resume
```
## Implementation Plan
### Phase 1: Beads Core (bd-* issues)
1. **bd ship command**: Add `provides:` label, protect namespace
2. **external: blocked_by**: Parse and store external references
3. **external_projects config**: Add to config schema
4. **bd ready resolution**: Check external deps via configured paths
### Phase 2: Gas Town Integration (gt-* issues)
1. **gt park command**: Set blocked_by, clear assignee, handoff, shutdown
2. **gt sling**: Resume parked molecule
3. **Patrol step**: Check parked molecules for unblocked
### Phase 3: Automation (future)
1. Push notifications on `bd ship`
2. Auto-resume via patrol
3. Cross-rig visibility in `gt status`
## Examples
### Full Flow: Adding --assignee to bd mol run
**In beads repo:**
```bash
# Dave creates the issue
bd create --title="Add --assignee flag to bd mol run" \
--type=feature \
--add-label=export:mol-run-assignee
# Dave implements, tests, closes
bd close bd-xyz
# Dave ships the capability
bd ship mol-run-assignee
# Output: Shipped mol-run-assignee (bd-xyz)
```
**In gastown repo:**
```bash
# Earlier: Joe created dependent issue
bd create --title="Use --assignee in spawn.go" \
--blocked-by="external:beads:mol-run-assignee"
# bd ready showed it as blocked
bd ready
# gt-abc: blocked by external:beads:mol-run-assignee
# After Dave ships:
bd ready
# gt-abc: ready
# Joe picks it up
bd update gt-abc --status=in_progress --assignee=gastown/joe
```
### Parking Mid-Molecule
```bash
# Polecat working on molecule, hits step 3
# Step 3 needs beads:mol-run-assignee which isn't shipped
gt park --step=gt-mol.3 --waiting="beads:mol-run-assignee"
# Setting blocked_by on gt-mol.3...
# Clearing assignee on gt-mol.3...
# Clearing assignee on gt-mol-root...
# Sending handoff mail...
# Polecat shutting down.
# Later, after beads ships:
gt sling gt-mol-root
# Resuming molecule gt-mol-root...
# Reading handoff context...
# Continuing from step gt-mol.3
```
## Design Decisions
### Why capability labels, not issue references?
Referencing `beads:bd-xyz` couples consumer to producer's internal tracking.
Referencing `beads:mol-run-assignee` couples to a published interface.
The producer can refactor, split, or reimplement bd-xyz without breaking consumers.
### Why "parked" as derived state?
Adding a new status creates migration burden and complicates the state machine.
Deriving from existing fields (in_progress + no assignee + blocked) is simpler.
### Why handoff via mail?
Mail already handles context preservation. Parking is just a handoff to future-self
(or future-polecat). No new mechanism needed.
### Why config-based project resolution?
Alternatives considered:
- Git remote queries (complex, requires network)
- Hardcoded paths (inflexible)
- Central registry (single point of failure)
Config is simple, explicit, and works offline.

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# Deacon Plugins
Town-level plugins that run during the Deacon's patrol loop.
## Overview
The Deacon's patrol includes a `plugin-run` step. Rather than hardcoding what
runs, we use **directory-based discovery** at `~/gt/plugins/`. Each plugin
directory contains enough information for the Deacon to decide whether to run
it and what to do.
Plugins are not pre-validated by tooling. The Deacon reads each plugin's
metadata and instructions, decides if the gate is open, and executes
accordingly.
## Directory Structure
```
~/gt/plugins/
├── beads-cleanup/
│ ├── plugin.md # Gate info + instructions (combined)
│ └── state.json # Auto-managed runtime state
├── health-report/
│ ├── plugin.md
│ └── state.json
└── wisp-pressure/
├── plugin.md
└── state.json
```
Each plugin is a directory. If the directory exists, the plugin exists.
## Plugin Metadata (plugin.md)
The `plugin.md` file contains YAML frontmatter for gate configuration,
followed by markdown instructions for the Deacon.
```markdown
---
gate: cooldown
interval: 24h
parallel: true
---
# Beads Cleanup
Clean up old wisps daily.
## Actions
1. Run `bd cleanup --wisp --force`
2. Run `bd doctor` to verify health
3. Log summary of cleaned items
```
### Frontmatter Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| `gate` | Yes | Gate type: `cooldown`, `cron`, `condition`, `event` |
| `interval` | For cooldown | Duration: `1h`, `24h`, `5m`, etc. |
| `schedule` | For cron | Cron expression: `0 9 * * *` |
| `check` | For condition | Command that outputs a number |
| `operator` | For condition | Comparison: `gt`, `lt`, `eq`, `ge`, `le` |
| `threshold` | For condition | Numeric threshold |
| `trigger` | For event | Event name: `startup`, `heartbeat` |
| `cooldown` | Optional | Min time between runs (for condition gates) |
| `parallel` | Optional | If true, can run concurrently with other plugins |
## Gate Types
### Cooldown
Run at most once per interval since last successful run.
```yaml
---
gate: cooldown
interval: 24h
---
```
### Cron
Run on a schedule (standard cron syntax).
```yaml
---
gate: cron
schedule: "0 9 * * *" # 9am daily
---
```
### Condition
Run when a command's output crosses a threshold.
```yaml
---
gate: condition
check: "bd count --type=wisp"
operator: gt
threshold: 50
cooldown: 30m # Don't spam even if condition stays true
---
```
The `check` command must output a single number. The Deacon compares it
against `threshold` using `operator`.
### Event
Run in response to specific events.
```yaml
---
gate: event
trigger: startup # Run once when daemon starts
---
```
Triggers: `startup`, `heartbeat` (every patrol), `mail` (when inbox has items).
## State Management
The Deacon maintains `state.json` in each plugin directory:
```json
{
"lastRun": "2025-12-21T10:00:00Z",
"lastResult": "success",
"runCount": 42,
"nextEligible": "2025-12-22T10:00:00Z"
}
```
This is auto-managed. Plugins don't need to touch it.
## Parallel Execution
Plugins marked `parallel: true` can run concurrently. During `plugin-run`,
the Deacon:
1. Scans `~/gt/plugins/` for plugins with open gates
2. Groups them: parallel vs sequential
3. Launches parallel plugins using Task tool subagents
4. Runs sequential plugins one at a time
5. Waits for all to complete before continuing patrol
Sequential plugins (default) run in directory order. Use sequential for
plugins that modify shared state or have ordering dependencies.
## Example Plugins
### beads-cleanup (daily maintenance)
```markdown
---
gate: cooldown
interval: 24h
parallel: true
---
# Beads Cleanup
Daily cleanup of wisp storage.
## Actions
1. Run `bd cleanup --wisp --force` to remove old wisps
2. Run `bd doctor` to check for issues
3. Report count of cleaned items
```
### wisp-pressure (condition-triggered)
```markdown
---
gate: condition
check: "bd count --type=wisp"
operator: gt
threshold: 100
cooldown: 1h
parallel: true
---
# Wisp Pressure Relief
Triggered when wisp count gets too high.
## Actions
1. Run `bd cleanup --wisp --age=4h` (remove wisps > 4h old)
2. Check `bd count --type=wisp`
3. If still > 50, run `bd cleanup --wisp --age=1h`
4. Report final count
```
### health-report (scheduled)
```markdown
---
gate: cron
schedule: "0 9 * * *"
parallel: false
---
# Morning Health Report
Generate daily health summary for the overseer.
## Actions
1. Run `gt status` to get overall health
2. Run `bd stats` to get metrics
3. Check for stale agents (no heartbeat > 1h)
4. Send summary: `gt mail send --human -s "Morning Report" -m "..."`
```
### startup-check (event-triggered)
```markdown
---
gate: event
trigger: startup
parallel: false
---
# Startup Verification
Run once when the daemon starts.
## Actions
1. Verify `gt doctor` passes
2. Check all rigs have healthy Witnesses
3. Report any issues to Mayor inbox
```
## Patrol Integration
The `mol-deacon-patrol` step 3 (plugin-run) works as follows:
```markdown
## Step: plugin-run
Execute registered plugins whose gates are open.
1. Scan `~/gt/plugins/` for plugin directories
2. For each plugin, read `plugin.md` frontmatter
3. Check if gate is open (based on type and state.json)
4. Collect eligible plugins into parallel and sequential groups
5. For parallel plugins:
- Use Task tool to spawn subagents for each
- Each subagent reads the plugin's instructions and executes
- Wait for all to complete
6. For sequential plugins:
- Execute each in order
- Read instructions, run actions, update state
7. Update state.json for each completed plugin
8. Log summary: "Ran N plugins (M parallel, K sequential)"
```
## Limitations
- **No polecat spawning**: Plugins cannot spawn polecats. If a plugin tries
to use `gt sling`, behavior is undefined. This may change in the future.
- **No cross-plugin dependencies**: Plugins don't declare dependencies on
each other. If ordering matters, mark both as `parallel: false`.
- **No plugin-specific state API**: Plugins can write to their own directory
if needed, but there's no structured API for plugin state beyond what the
Deacon auto-manages.
## CLI Commands (Future)
```bash
gt plugins list # Show all plugins, gates, status
gt plugins check # Show plugins with open gates
gt plugins show <name> # Detail view of one plugin
gt plugins run <name> # Force-run (ignore gate)
```
These commands are not yet implemented. The Deacon reads the directory
structure directly during patrol.

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# Gas Town Account Management Design
## Problem Statement
Claude Code users with multiple accounts (e.g., personal, work, team) need to:
1. Switch between accounts easily when quotas are exhausted
2. Set a global default account for all agents
3. Override per-spawn or per-role as needed
## Current State
- Claude Code stores config in `~/.claude/` and `~/.claude.json`
- Auth tokens stored in system keychain
- `CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR` env var controls config location
- `/login` command switches accounts but overwrites in-place
- No built-in profile/multi-account support
## Proposed Solution
### Core Mechanism
Each registered account gets its own config directory:
```
~/.claude-accounts/
├── yegge/ # steve.yegge@gmail.com
│ ├── .claude/ # Full Claude Code config
│ └── .claude.json # Root config file
├── ghosttrack/ # steve@ghosttrack.com
│ ├── .claude/
│ └── .claude.json
└── default -> ghosttrack/ # Symlink to current default
```
### Town Configuration
File: `~/gt/mayor/accounts.json`
This follows the existing pattern where town-level config lives in `mayor/`.
```json
{
"version": 1,
"accounts": {
"yegge": {
"email": "steve.yegge@gmail.com",
"description": "Personal/Gmail account",
"config_dir": "~/.claude-accounts/yegge"
},
"ghosttrack": {
"email": "steve@ghosttrack.com",
"description": "Ghost Track business account",
"config_dir": "~/.claude-accounts/ghosttrack"
}
},
"default": "ghosttrack"
}
```
### Environment Variable: GT_ACCOUNT
Highest priority override. Set this to use a specific account:
```bash
export GT_ACCOUNT=yegge
gt sling <bead> gastown # Uses yegge account
```
### Command Interface
#### Account Management
```bash
# List registered accounts
gt account list
# Output:
# yegge steve.yegge@gmail.com (personal)
# * ghosttrack steve@ghosttrack.com (default)
# Add new account (creates config dir, prompts login)
gt account add <handle> [email]
gt account add work steve@company.com
# Set default
gt account default <handle>
gt account default ghosttrack
# Remove account (keeps config dir by default)
gt account remove <handle>
gt account remove yegge --delete-config
# Check current/status
gt account status
# Output:
# Current: ghosttrack (steve@ghosttrack.com)
# GT_ACCOUNT env: not set
```
#### Spawn/Attach with Account Override
```bash
# Override for a specific spawn
gt sling <bead> gastown --account=yegge
# Override for crew attach
gt crew at --account=ghosttrack max
# With env var (highest precedence)
GT_ACCOUNT=yegge gt sling <bead> gastown
```
### Implementation Details
#### Account Resolution Order
1. `GT_ACCOUNT` environment variable (highest)
2. `--account` flag on command
3. `default` in accounts.yaml (lowest)
#### How Spawning Works
When `gt sling` or `gt crew at` runs Claude Code:
```go
func resolveAccountConfigDir() string {
// Check env var first
if handle := os.Getenv("GT_ACCOUNT"); handle != "" {
return getAccountConfigDir(handle)
}
// Check flag
if handle := flags.Account; handle != "" {
return getAccountConfigDir(handle)
}
// Use default from config
return getAccountConfigDir(config.Default)
}
func spawnClaudeCode(workdir string, account string) {
configDir := resolveAccountConfigDir()
cmd := exec.Command("claude", args...)
cmd.Env = append(os.Environ(),
fmt.Sprintf("CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR=%s", configDir),
)
// ...
}
```
#### Account Login Flow
```bash
gt account add ghosttrack steve@ghosttrack.com
```
1. Creates `~/.claude-accounts/ghosttrack/`
2. Sets `CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR` and runs `claude`
3. User completes `/login` with their account
4. Adds entry to `accounts.yaml`
### Security Considerations
- **No secrets in accounts.yaml** - Only handles and email addresses
- **Auth tokens in keychain** - Claude Code handles this per-config-dir
- **Config dir permissions** - Should be user-readable only
### Future Extensions
1. **Usage tracking** - `gt account status --usage` to show quota info
2. **Auto-switching** - When one account hits limits, prompt to switch
3. **Per-role defaults** - Different accounts for different roles:
```yaml
role_defaults:
witness: yegge # Long-running patrol uses less quota
refinery: ghosttrack
```
4. **API key accounts** - For when we support direct API access:
```yaml
accounts:
api-team:
type: api_key
key_ref: GT_API_KEY # Env var containing key
```
## Migration Path
### Immediate (Manual)
Users can start using separate config dirs today:
```bash
# Set up account directories
mkdir -p ~/.claude-accounts/ghosttrack
export CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR=~/.claude-accounts/ghosttrack
claude # Login as ghosttrack
```
### Phase 1: Basic Support
- Add `accounts.json` parsing
- Add `gt account` subcommands
- Wire up `GT_ACCOUNT` env var in spawn
### Phase 2: Full Integration
- Add `--account` flags to all relevant commands
- Add status/usage tracking
- Add per-role defaults
## Testing Plan
1. Create test accounts config
2. Verify spawn uses correct config dir
3. Test override precedence
4. Test `gt account add` login flow

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# Design: Tmux Status Bar Theming (gt-vc1n)
## Problem
All Gas Town tmux sessions look identical:
- Same green/black status bars everywhere
- Hard to tell which rig you're in at a glance
- Session names get truncated (only 10 chars visible)
- No visual indication of worker role (polecat vs crew vs mayor)
Current state:
```
[gt-gastown] 0:zsh* "pane_title" 14:30 19-Dec
[gt-gastown] 0:zsh* "pane_title" 14:30 19-Dec <- which worker?
[gt-mayor] 0:zsh* "pane_title" 14:30 19-Dec
```
## Solution
Per-rig color themes applied when tmux sessions are created, with optional user customization.
### Goals
1. Each rig has a distinct color theme
2. Colors are automatically assigned from a predefined palette
3. Users can override colors per-rig
4. Status bar shows useful context (rig, worker, role)
## Design
### 1. Color Palette
A curated palette of distinct, visually appealing color pairs (bg/fg):
```go
// internal/tmux/theme.go
var DefaultPalette = []Theme{
{Name: "ocean", BG: "#1e3a5f", FG: "#e0e0e0"}, // Deep blue
{Name: "forest", BG: "#2d5a3d", FG: "#e0e0e0"}, // Forest green
{Name: "rust", BG: "#8b4513", FG: "#f5f5dc"}, // Rust/brown
{Name: "plum", BG: "#4a3050", FG: "#e0e0e0"}, // Purple
{Name: "slate", BG: "#4a5568", FG: "#e0e0e0"}, // Slate gray
{Name: "ember", BG: "#b33a00", FG: "#f5f5dc"}, // Burnt orange
{Name: "midnight", BG: "#1a1a2e", FG: "#c0c0c0"}, // Dark blue-black
{Name: "wine", BG: "#722f37", FG: "#f5f5dc"}, // Burgundy
{Name: "teal", BG: "#0d5c63", FG: "#e0e0e0"}, // Teal
{Name: "copper", BG: "#6d4c41", FG: "#f5f5dc"}, // Warm brown
}
```
Palette criteria:
- Distinct from each other (no two look alike)
- Readable (sufficient contrast)
- Professional (no neon/garish colors)
- Dark backgrounds (easier on eyes in terminals)
### 2. Configuration
#### Per-Rig Config Extension
Extend `RigConfig` in `internal/config/types.go`:
```go
type RigConfig struct {
Type string `json:"type"`
Version int `json:"version"`
MergeQueue *MergeQueueConfig `json:"merge_queue,omitempty"`
Theme *ThemeConfig `json:"theme,omitempty"` // NEW
}
type ThemeConfig struct {
// Name picks from palette (e.g., "ocean", "forest")
Name string `json:"name,omitempty"`
// Custom overrides the palette with specific colors
Custom *CustomTheme `json:"custom,omitempty"`
}
type CustomTheme struct {
BG string `json:"bg"` // hex color or tmux color name
FG string `json:"fg"`
}
```
#### Town-Level Config (optional)
Allow global palette override in `mayor/town.json`:
```json
{
"theme": {
"palette": ["ocean", "forest", "rust", "plum"],
"mayor_theme": "midnight"
}
}
```
### 3. Theme Assignment
When a rig is added (or first session created), auto-assign a theme:
```go
// internal/tmux/theme.go
// AssignTheme picks a theme for a rig based on its name.
// Uses consistent hashing so the same rig always gets the same color.
func AssignTheme(rigName string, palette []Theme) Theme {
h := fnv.New32a()
h.Write([]byte(rigName))
idx := int(h.Sum32()) % len(palette)
return palette[idx]
}
```
This ensures:
- Same rig always gets same color (deterministic)
- Different rigs get different colors (distributed)
- No persistent state needed for assignment
### 4. Session Creation Changes
Modify `tmux.NewSession` to accept optional theming:
```go
// SessionOptions configures session creation.
type SessionOptions struct {
WorkDir string
Theme *Theme // nil = use default
}
// NewSessionWithOptions creates a session with theming.
func (t *Tmux) NewSessionWithOptions(name string, opts SessionOptions) error {
args := []string{"new-session", "-d", "-s", name}
if opts.WorkDir != "" {
args = append(args, "-c", opts.WorkDir)
}
if _, err := t.run(args...); err != nil {
return err
}
// Apply theme
if opts.Theme != nil {
t.ApplyTheme(name, *opts.Theme)
}
return nil
}
// ApplyTheme sets the status bar style for a session.
func (t *Tmux) ApplyTheme(session string, theme Theme) error {
style := fmt.Sprintf("bg=%s,fg=%s", theme.BG, theme.FG)
_, err := t.run("set-option", "-t", session, "status-style", style)
return err
}
```
### 5. Status Line Format
#### Static Identity (Left)
```go
// SetStatusFormat configures the status line for Gas Town sessions.
func (t *Tmux) SetStatusFormat(session, rig, worker, role string) error {
// Format: [gastown/Rictus] polecat
left := fmt.Sprintf("[%s/%s] %s ", rig, worker, role)
if _, err := t.run("set-option", "-t", session, "status-left-length", "40"); err != nil {
return err
}
return t.run("set-option", "-t", session, "status-left", left)
}
```
#### Dynamic Context (Right)
The right side shows dynamic info that agents can update:
```
gt-70b3 | 📬 2 | 14:30
```
Components:
- **Current issue** - what the agent is working on
- **Mail indicator** - unread mail count (hidden if 0)
- **Time** - simple clock
Implementation via tmux environment variables + shell expansion:
```go
// SetDynamicStatus configures the right side with dynamic content.
func (t *Tmux) SetDynamicStatus(session string) error {
// Use a shell command that reads from env vars we set
// Agents update GT_ISSUE, we poll mail count
//
// Format: #{GT_ISSUE} | 📬 #{mail_count} | %H:%M
//
// tmux can run shell commands in status-right with #()
right := `#(gt status-line --session=` + session + `) %H:%M`
if _, err := t.run("set-option", "-t", session, "status-right-length", "50"); err != nil {
return err
}
return t.run("set-option", "-t", session, "status-right", right)
}
```
#### `gt status-line` Command
A fast command for tmux to call every few seconds:
```go
// cmd/statusline.go
func runStatusLine(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
session := cmd.Flag("session").Value.String()
// Get current issue from tmux env
issue, _ := tmux.GetEnvironment(session, "GT_ISSUE")
// Get mail count (fast - just counts files or queries beads)
mailCount := mail.UnreadCount(identity)
// Build output
var parts []string
if issue != "" {
parts = append(parts, issue)
}
if mailCount > 0 {
parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("📬 %d", mailCount))
}
fmt.Print(strings.Join(parts, " | "))
return nil
}
```
#### Agent Updates Issue
Agents call this when starting/finishing work:
```bash
# When starting work on an issue
gt issue set gt-70b3
# When done
gt issue clear
```
Implementation:
```go
// cmd/issue.go
func runIssueSet(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
issueID := args[0]
session := os.Getenv("TMUX_PANE") // or detect from GT_* vars
return tmux.SetEnvironment(session, "GT_ISSUE", issueID)
}
```
#### Mayor-Specific Status
Mayor gets a different right-side format:
```
5 polecats | 2 rigs | 📬 1 | 14:30
```
```go
func runMayorStatusLine() {
polecats := countActivePolecats()
rigs := countActiveRigs()
mail := mail.UnreadCount("mayor/")
var parts []string
parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("%d polecats", polecats))
parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("%d rigs", rigs))
if mail > 0 {
parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("📬 %d", mail))
}
fmt.Print(strings.Join(parts, " | "))
}
```
#### Example Status Bars
**Polecat working on issue:**
```
[gastown/Rictus] polecat gt-70b3 | 📬 1 | 14:30
```
**Crew worker, no mail:**
```
[gastown/max] crew gt-vc1n | 14:30
```
**Mayor overview:**
```
[Mayor] coordinator 5 polecats | 2 rigs | 📬 2 | 14:30
```
**Idle polecat:**
```
[gastown/Wez] polecat | 14:30
```
### 6. Integration Points
#### Session Manager (session/manager.go)
```go
func (m *Manager) Start(polecat string, opts StartOptions) error {
// ... existing code ...
// Get theme from rig config
theme := m.getTheme()
// Create session with theme
if err := m.tmux.NewSessionWithOptions(sessionID, tmux.SessionOptions{
WorkDir: workDir,
Theme: theme,
}); err != nil {
return fmt.Errorf("creating session: %w", err)
}
// Set status format
m.tmux.SetStatusFormat(sessionID, m.rig.Name, polecat, "polecat")
// ... rest of existing code ...
}
```
#### Mayor (cmd/mayor.go)
```go
func runMayorStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
// ... existing code ...
// Mayor uses a special theme
theme := tmux.MayorTheme() // Gold/dark - distinguished
if err := t.NewSessionWithOptions(MayorSessionName, tmux.SessionOptions{
WorkDir: townRoot,
Theme: &theme,
}); err != nil {
return fmt.Errorf("creating session: %w", err)
}
t.SetStatusFormat(MayorSessionName, "town", "mayor", "coordinator")
// ... rest ...
}
```
#### Crew (cmd/crew.go)
Similar pattern - get rig theme and apply.
### 7. Commands
#### `gt theme` - View/Set Themes
```bash
# View current rig theme
gt theme
# Theme: ocean (bg=#1e3a5f, fg=#e0e0e0)
# View available themes
gt theme --list
# ocean, forest, rust, plum, slate, ember, midnight, wine, teal, copper
# Set theme for current rig
gt theme set forest
# Set custom colors
gt theme set --bg="#2d5a3d" --fg="#e0e0e0"
```
#### `gt theme apply` - Apply to Running Sessions
```bash
# Re-apply theme to all running sessions in this rig
gt theme apply
```
### 8. Backward Compatibility
- Existing sessions without themes continue to work (they'll just have default green)
- New sessions get themed automatically
- Users can run `gt theme apply` to update running sessions
## Implementation Plan
### Phase 1: Core Infrastructure
1. Add Theme types to `internal/tmux/theme.go`
2. Add ThemeConfig to `internal/config/types.go`
3. Implement `AssignTheme()` function
4. Add `ApplyTheme()` to Tmux wrapper
### Phase 2: Session Integration
5. Modify `NewSession` to accept SessionOptions
6. Update session.Manager.Start() to apply themes
7. Update cmd/mayor.go to theme Mayor session
8. Update cmd/crew.go to theme crew sessions
### Phase 3: Static Status Line
9. Implement SetStatusFormat() for left side
10. Apply to all session creation points
11. Update witness.go, spawn.go, refinery, daemon
### Phase 4: Dynamic Status Line
12. Add `gt status-line` command (fast, tmux-callable)
13. Implement mail count lookup (fast path)
14. Implement `gt issue set/clear` for agents to update current issue
15. Configure status-right to call `gt status-line`
16. Add Mayor-specific status line variant
### Phase 5: Commands & Polish
17. Add `gt theme` command (view/set/apply)
18. Add config file support for custom themes
19. Documentation
20. Update CLAUDE.md with `gt issue set` guidance for agents
## File Changes
| File | Changes |
|------|---------|
| `internal/tmux/theme.go` | NEW - Theme types, palette, assignment |
| `internal/tmux/tmux.go` | Add ApplyTheme, SetStatusFormat, SetDynamicStatus |
| `internal/config/types.go` | Add ThemeConfig |
| `internal/session/manager.go` | Use themed session creation |
| `internal/cmd/mayor.go` | Apply Mayor theme + Mayor status format |
| `internal/cmd/crew.go` | Apply rig theme to crew sessions |
| `internal/cmd/witness.go` | Apply rig theme |
| `internal/cmd/spawn.go` | Apply rig theme |
| `internal/cmd/theme.go` | NEW - gt theme command |
| `internal/cmd/statusline.go` | NEW - gt status-line (tmux-callable) |
| `internal/cmd/issue.go` | NEW - gt issue set/clear |
| `internal/daemon/lifecycle.go` | Apply rig theme |
| `internal/refinery/manager.go` | Apply rig theme |
| `CLAUDE.md` (various) | Document `gt issue set` for agents |
## Open Questions
1. ~~**Should refinery/witness have distinct colors?**~~ **RESOLVED**
- Answer: Same as rig polecats, role shown in status-left
2. **Color storage location?**
- Option A: In rig config.json (requires file write)
- Option B: In beads (config-as-data approach from gt-vc1n)
- Recommendation: Start with config.json for simplicity
3. **Hex colors vs tmux color names?**
- Hex: More precise, but some terminals don't support
- Names: Limited palette, but universal support
- Recommendation: Support both, default to hex with true-color fallback
4. **Status-line refresh frequency?**
- tmux calls `#()` commands every `status-interval` seconds (default 15)
- Trade-off: Faster = more responsive, but more CPU
- Recommendation: 5 seconds (`set -g status-interval 5`)
## Success Criteria
- [ ] Each rig has distinct status bar color
- [ ] Users can identify rig at a glance
- [ ] Status bar shows rig/worker/role clearly (left side)
- [ ] Current issue displayed when agent sets it
- [ ] Mail indicator shows unread count
- [ ] Mayor shows aggregate stats (polecats, rigs)
- [ ] Custom colors configurable per-rig
- [ ] Works with existing sessions after `gt theme apply`
- [ ] Agents can update issue via `gt issue set`

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# Federation Architecture: Ultrathink
## The Problem
Gas Town needs to scale beyond a single machine:
- More workers than one machine can handle (RAM, CPU, context windows)
- Geographic distribution (workers close to data/services)
- Cost efficiency (pay-per-use vs always-on VMs)
- Platform flexibility (support various deployment targets)
## Two Deployment Models
### Model A: "Town Clone" (VMs)
Clone the entire `~/gt` workspace to a remote VM. It runs like a regular Gas Town:
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ GCE VM (or any Linux box) │
│ │
│ ~/gt/ # Full town clone │
│ ├── config/ # Town config │
│ ├── mayor/ # Mayor (or none) │
│ ├── gastown/ # Rig with agents │
│ │ ├── polecats/ # Workers here │
│ │ ├── refinery/ │
│ │ └── witness/ │
│ └── beads/ # Another rig │
│ │
│ Runs autonomously, syncs via git │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
**Characteristics:**
- Full autonomy if disconnected
- Familiar model - it's just another Gas Town
- VM overhead (cost, management, always-on)
- Coarse-grained scaling (spin up whole VMs)
- Good for: always-on capacity, long-running work, full independence
**Federation via:**
- Git sync for beads (already works)
- Extended mail routing (`vm1:gastown/polecat`)
- SSH for remote commands
### Model B: "Cloud Run Workers" (Containers)
Workers are stateless containers that wake on demand:
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Cloud Run Service: gastown-worker │
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Container Instance │ │
│ │ - Claude Code + git │ │
│ │ - HTTP endpoint for work │ │
│ │ - Persistent volume mount │ │
│ │ - Scales 0→N automatically │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Zero cost when idle │
│ Persistent connections keep warm │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
**Characteristics:**
- Pay-per-use (nearly free when idle)
- Scales elastically (0 to many workers)
- No VM management
- Stateless(ish) - needs fast bootstrap or persistent storage
- Good for: burst capacity, background work, elastic scaling
**Key insight from your friend:**
Persistent connections solve the "zero to one" problem. Keep the connection open, container stays warm, subsequent requests are fast. This transforms Cloud Run from "cold functions" to "elastic workers."
## Unified Abstraction: Outposts
To support "however people want to do it," we need an abstraction that covers both models (and future ones like K8s, bare metal, etc.).
### The Outpost Concept
An **Outpost** is a remote compute environment that can run workers.
```go
type Outpost interface {
// Identity
Name() string
Type() OutpostType // local, ssh, cloudrun, k8s
// Capacity
MaxWorkers() int
ActiveWorkers() int
// Worker lifecycle
Spawn(issue string, config WorkerConfig) (Worker, error)
Workers() []Worker
// Health
Ping() error
// Optional: Direct communication (VM outposts)
SendMail(worker string, msg Message) error
}
type OutpostType string
const (
OutpostLocal OutpostType = "local"
OutpostSSH OutpostType = "ssh" // Full VM clone
OutpostCloudRun OutpostType = "cloudrun" // Container workers
OutpostK8s OutpostType = "k8s" // Future
)
```
### Worker Interface
```go
type Worker interface {
ID() string
Outpost() string
Status() WorkerStatus // idle, working, done, failed
Issue() string // Current issue being worked
// For interactive outposts (local, SSH)
Attach() error // Connect to worker session
// For all outposts
Logs() (io.Reader, error)
Stop() error
}
```
### Outpost Implementations
#### LocalOutpost
- Current model: tmux panes on localhost
- Uses existing Connection interface (LocalConnection)
- Workers are tmux sessions
#### SSHOutpost
- Full Gas Town clone on remote VM
- Uses SSHConnection for remote ops
- Workers are remote tmux sessions
- Town config replicated to VM
#### CloudRunOutpost
- Workers are container instances
- HTTP/gRPC for work dispatch
- No tmux (stateless containers)
- Persistent connections for warmth
## Cloud Run Deep Dive
### Container Design
```dockerfile
FROM golang:1.21 AS builder
# Build gt binary...
FROM ubuntu:22.04
# Install Claude Code
RUN npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
# Install git, common tools
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y git
# Copy gt binary
COPY --from=builder /app/gt /usr/local/bin/gt
# Entrypoint accepts work via HTTP
COPY worker-entrypoint.sh /entrypoint.sh
ENTRYPOINT ["/entrypoint.sh"]
```
### HTTP Work Protocol
```
POST /work
{
"issue_id": "gt-abc123",
"rig_url": "https://github.com/steveyegge/gastown",
"beads_url": "https://github.com/steveyegge/gastown",
"context": { /* optional hints */ }
}
Response (streaming):
{
"status": "working|done|failed",
"branch": "polecat/gt-abc123",
"logs": "...",
"pr_url": "..." // if created
}
```
### Persistent Connections
The "zero to one" solution:
1. Mayor opens HTTP/2 connection to Cloud Run
2. Connection stays open (Cloud Run keeps container warm)
3. Send work requests over same connection
4. Container processes work, streams results back
5. On idle timeout, connection closes, container scales down
6. Next request: small cold start, but acceptable
```
┌──────────┐ ┌────────────────┐
│ Mayor │────HTTP/2 stream───▶│ Cloud Run │
│ │◀───results stream───│ Container │
└──────────┘ └────────────────┘
│ │
│ Connection persists │ Container stays
│ for hours if needed │ warm while
│ │ connection open
▼ ▼
[New work requests go over same connection]
```
### Git in Cloud Run
Options for code access:
1. **Clone on startup** (slow, ~30s+ for large repos)
- Simple but adds latency
- Acceptable if persistent connection keeps container warm
2. **Cloud Storage FUSE mount** (read-only)
- Mount bucket with repo snapshot
- Fast startup
- Read-only limits usefulness
3. **Persistent volume** (Cloud Run now supports!)
- Attach Cloud Storage or Filestore volume
- Git clone persists across container restarts
- Best of both worlds
4. **Shallow clone with depth**
- `git clone --depth 1` for speed
- Sufficient for most worker tasks
- Can fetch more history if needed
**Recommendation:** Persistent volume with shallow clone. Container starts, checks if clone exists, pulls if yes, shallow clones if no.
### Beads Sync in Cloud Run
Workers need beads access. Options:
1. **Clone beads repo at startup**
- Same as code: persistent volume helps
- `bd sync` before and after work
2. **Beads as API** (future)
- Central beads server
- Workers query/update via HTTP
- More complex but cleaner for distributed
3. **Beads in git (current)**
- Works today
- Worker clones .beads, does work, pushes
- Git handles conflicts
**Recommendation:** Start with git-based beads. It works today and Cloud Run workers can push to the beads repo just like local workers.
### Mail in Cloud Run
For VM outposts, mail is filesystem-based. For Cloud Run:
**Option A: No mail needed**
- Cloud Run workers are "fire and forget"
- Mayor pushes work via HTTP, gets results via HTTP
- Simpler model for stateless workers
**Option B: Mail via git**
- Worker checks `mail/inbox.jsonl` in repo
- Rare for workers to need incoming mail
- Mostly they just do work and report results
**Recommendation:** Start with Option A. Cloud Run workers receive work via HTTP, report via HTTP. Mail is for long-running stateful agents (Witness, Refinery), not burst workers.
### Cost Model
Cloud Run pricing (as of late 2024):
- CPU: ~$0.00002400/vCPU-second
- Memory: ~$0.00000250/GiB-second
- Requests: ~$0.40/million
For a worker running 5 minutes (300s) with 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM:
- CPU: 300 × 2 × $0.000024 = $0.0144
- Memory: 300 × 4 × $0.0000025 = $0.003
- **Total: ~$0.017 per worker session**
50 workers × 5 minutes each = ~$0.85
**Key insight:** When idle (connection closed, scaled to zero): **$0**
Compare to a VM running 24/7: ~$50-200/month
Cloud Run makes burst capacity essentially free when not in use.
### Claude API in Cloud Run
Workers need Claude API access:
1. **API key in Secret Manager**
- Cloud Run mounts secret as env var
- Standard pattern
2. **Workload Identity** (if using Vertex AI)
- Service account with Claude access
- No keys to manage
3. **Rate limiting concerns**
- Many concurrent workers = many API calls
- May need to coordinate or queue
- Could use Mayor as API proxy (future)
## Architecture Overview
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MAYOR │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Outpost Manager │ │
│ │ - Tracks all registered outposts │ │
│ │ - Routes work to appropriate outpost │ │
│ │ - Monitors worker status across outposts │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ Local │ │ SSH │ │ CloudRun │ │
│ │ Outpost │ │ Outpost │ │ Outpost │ │
│ └────┬─────┘ └────┬─────┘ └──────┬───────┘ │
└───────┼──────────────┼──────────────────┼───────────────────┘
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────────┐
│ tmux │ │ SSH │ │ HTTP/2 │
│ panes │ │sessions │ │ connections │
└─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────────┘
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────────┐
│ Workers │ │ Workers │ │ Workers │
│ (local) │ │ (VM) │ │ (containers)│
└─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────────┘
│ │ │
└──────────────┼──────────────────┘
▼
┌─────────────────┐
│ Git Repos │
│ (beads sync) │
│ (code repos) │
└─────────────────┘
```
## Configuration
```yaml
# ~/gt/config/outposts.yaml
outposts:
# Always present - the local machine
- name: local
type: local
max_workers: 4
# VM with full Gas Town clone
- name: gce-worker-1
type: ssh
host: 10.0.0.5
user: steve
ssh_key: ~/.ssh/gce_worker
town_path: /home/steve/ai
max_workers: 8
# Cloud Run for burst capacity
- name: cloudrun-burst
type: cloudrun
project: my-gcp-project
region: us-central1
service: gastown-worker
max_workers: 20 # Or unlimited with cost cap
cost_cap_hourly: 5.00 # Optional spending limit
# Work assignment policy
policy:
# Try local first, then VM, then Cloud Run
default_preference: [local, gce-worker-1, cloudrun-burst]
# Override for specific scenarios
overrides:
- condition: "priority >= P3" # Background work
prefer: cloudrun-burst
- condition: "estimated_duration > 30m" # Long tasks
prefer: gce-worker-1
```
**When policy becomes a molecule**: Static policy handles simple preference-based routing. But when assignment requires cognition - analyzing work characteristics, checking outpost health in real-time, making cost/speed tradeoffs, or handling degraded outposts - escalate to `mol-outpost-assign`. The policy file declares preferences; the molecule executes intelligent assignment. See [Config vs Molecule](architecture.md#config-vs-molecule-when-to-use-which) for the general principle.
## Implementation Phases
### Phase 1: Outpost Abstraction (Local)
- Define Outpost/Worker interfaces
- Implement LocalOutpost (refactor current polecat spawning)
- Configuration file for outposts
- `gt outpost list`, `gt outpost status`
### Phase 2: SSH Outpost (VMs)
- Implement SSHConnection (extends existing Connection interface)
- Implement SSHOutpost
- VM provisioning docs (Terraform examples)
- `gt outpost add ssh ...`
- Test with actual GCE VM
### Phase 3: Cloud Run Outpost
- Define worker container image
- Implement CloudRunOutpost
- HTTP/2 work dispatch protocol
- Persistent connection management
- Cost tracking/limits
- `gt outpost add cloudrun ...`
### Phase 4: Policy & Intelligence
- Smart assignment based on workload characteristics
- Cost optimization (prefer free capacity)
- Auto-scaling policies
- Dashboard for cross-outpost visibility
## Key Design Decisions
### 1. Outpost as First-Class Concept
Rather than baking in specific platforms (SSH, Cloud Run), model the abstraction. This gives flexibility for future platforms (K8s, bare metal, other clouds).
### 2. Workers Are Ephemeral
Whether local tmux, VM process, or Cloud Run container - workers are spawned for work and can be terminated. Don't assume persistence.
### 3. Git as Source of Truth
Code and beads always sync via git. This works regardless of where workers run. Even Cloud Run workers clone/pull from git.
### 4. HTTP for Cloud Run Control Plane
For Cloud Run specifically, use HTTP for work dispatch. Don't try to make filesystem mail work across containers. Keep it simple.
### 5. Local-First Default
Always try local workers first. Remote outposts are for overflow/burst, not primary capacity. This keeps latency low and costs down.
### 6. Graceful Degradation
If Cloud Run is unavailable, fall back to VM. If VM is down, use local only. System works with any subset of outposts.
## Open Questions
1. **Long-running sessions**: Cloud Run has request timeout limits (configurable up to 60 min, maybe longer now?). How does this interact with long Claude sessions?
2. **Context handoff**: If a Cloud Run worker's container restarts mid-task, how do we resume? Mail-to-self? Checkpoint to storage?
3. **Refinery in Cloud Run**: Could the Refinery itself run as a Cloud Run service? Long-running connection for merge queue processing?
4. **Witness in Cloud Run**: Worker monitoring from Cloud Run? Or does Witness need to be local/VM?
5. **Multi-region**: Cloud Run in multiple regions for geographic distribution? How to coordinate?
## Summary
The Outpost abstraction lets Gas Town scale flexibly:
| Outpost Type | Best For | Cost Model | Scaling |
|--------------|----------|------------|---------|
| Local | Development, primary work | Free (your machine) | Fixed |
| SSH/VM | Long-running, full autonomy | Always-on VM cost | Manual |
| Cloud Run | Burst, background, elastic | Pay-per-use | Auto |
Cloud Run's persistent connections solve the cold start problem, making it viable for interactive-ish work. Combined with VMs for heavier work and local for development, this gives a flexible spectrum of compute options.
The key insight: **don't pick one model, support both.** Let users configure their outposts based on their needs, budget, and scale requirements.

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# Formula Evolution: Predictions and Future Directions
> Written: 2024-12-26 (Day 5 of formulas, Day 10 of molecules)
> Status: Speculative - institutional knowledge capture
## Context
Gas Town's workflow system has evolved rapidly:
- **Day 0**: Molecules conceived as workflow instances
- **Day 5**: Formulas introduced as compile-time templates
- **Day 10**: Patrols, session persistence, bond operators, protomolecules
We've essentially discovered molecular chemistry for workflows. This document captures predictions about where this goes next.
## Current Architecture
```
Formulas (TOML) → compile → Molecules (runtime)
↓ ↓
Templates with Executable workflows
{{variables}} with state persistence
↓ ↓
Stored in Walked by patrols,
.beads/formulas/ survive restarts
```
## The Package Ecosystem Parallel
Every successful package ecosystem evolved through similar phases:
| Phase | npm | Maven | Go | Formulas (predicted) |
|-------|-----|-------|-----|---------------------|
| 1. Local files | `./lib/` | `lib/*.jar` | `vendor/` | `.beads/formulas/` |
| 2. Central registry | npmjs.org | Maven Central | proxy.golang.org | Mol Mall |
| 3. Namespacing | `@org/pkg` | `groupId:artifactId` | `github.com/org/pkg` | `@org/formula` |
| 4. Version locking | `package-lock.json` | `<version>` in pom | `go.sum` | `formulas.lock`? |
| 5. Composition | peer deps, plugins | BOM, parent POMs | embedding | nesting, AOP |
## Formula Resolution Hierarchy
Like `$PATH` or module resolution, formulas should resolve through layers:
```
1. Project: ./.beads/formulas/ # Project-specific workflows
2. Rig: ~/gt/<rig>/.formulas/ # Rig-wide (shared across clones)
3. Town: ~/gt/.formulas/ # Town-wide (mayor's standard library)
4. User: ~/.gastown/formulas/ # Personal collection
5. Mall: mol-mall.io/ # Published packages
```
**Resolution order**: project → rig → town → user → mall (first match wins)
**Explicit scoping**: `@gastown/shiny` always resolves to Mol Mall's gastown org
## Formula Combinators
Current composition is implicit (nesting, `needs` dependencies). We should formalize **formula combinators** - higher-order operations on workflows:
### Sequential Composition
```
A >> B # A then B
release >> announce # Release, then announce
```
### Parallel Composition
```
A | B # A and B concurrent (join before next)
(build-linux | build-mac | build-windows) >> package
```
### Conditional Composition
```
A ? B : C # if A succeeds then B else C
test ? deploy : rollback
```
### Wrapping (AOP)
```
wrap(A, with=B) # B's before/after around A's steps
wrap(deploy, with=compliance-audit)
```
### Injection
```
inject(A, at="step-id", B) # Insert B into A at specified step
inject(polecat-work, at="issue-work", shiny)
```
The Shiny-wrapping-polecat example: a polecat runs `polecat-work` formula, but the "issue-work" step (where actual coding happens) gets replaced/wrapped with `shiny`, adding design-review-test phases.
### Extension/Override
```
B extends A {
override step "deploy" { ... }
add step "notify" after "deploy" { ... }
}
```
### Algebra Properties
These combinators should satisfy algebraic laws:
- **Associativity**: `(A >> B) >> C = A >> (B >> C)`
- **Identity**: `A >> noop = noop >> A = A`
- **Parallel commutativity**: `A | B = B | A` (order doesn't matter)
## Higher Abstractions (Speculative)
### 1. Formula Algebras
Formal composition with provable guarantees:
```toml
[guarantees]
compliance = "all MRs pass audit step"
coverage = "test step runs before any deploy"
```
The system could verify these properties statically.
### 2. Constraint Workflows
Declare goals, let the system derive steps:
```toml
[goals]
reviewed = true
tested = true
compliant = true
deployed_to = "production"
# System generates: review >> test >> compliance >> deploy
```
### 3. Adaptive Formulas
Learn from execution history:
```toml
[adapt]
on_failure_rate = { threshold = 0.3, action = "add-retry" }
on_slow_step = { threshold = "5m", action = "parallelize" }
```
### 4. Formula Schemas/Interfaces
Type system for workflows:
```toml
implements = ["Reviewable", "Deployable"]
# Reviewable requires: has step with tag "review"
# Deployable requires: has step with tag "deploy", depends on "test"
```
Enables: "Give me all formulas that implement Deployable"
### 5. Meta-Formulas
Formulas that generate formulas:
```toml
[meta]
for_each = ["service-a", "service-b", "service-c"]
generate = "deploy-{{item}}"
template = "microservice-deploy"
```
## Mol Mall Architecture (Predicted)
### Registry Structure
```
mol-mall.io/
├── @gastown/ # Official Gas Town formulas
│ ├── shiny
│ ├── polecat-work
│ └── release
├── @acme-corp/ # Enterprise org (private)
│ └── compliance-review
├── @linus/ # Individual publisher
│ └── kernel-review
└── community/ # Unscoped public formulas
└── towers-of-hanoi
```
### Package Manifest
```toml
# formula.toml or mol.toml
[package]
name = "shiny"
version = "1.2.0"
description = "Engineer in a Box"
authors = ["Gas Town <gastown@example.com>"]
license = "MIT"
[dependencies]
"@gastown/review-patterns" = "^2.0"
[peer-dependencies]
# Must be provided by the consuming workflow
"@gastown/test-runner" = "*"
```
### Lock File
```toml
# formulas.lock
[[package]]
name = "@gastown/shiny"
version = "1.2.0"
checksum = "sha256:abc123..."
source = "mol-mall.io"
[[package]]
name = "@gastown/review-patterns"
version = "2.1.3"
checksum = "sha256:def456..."
source = "mol-mall.io"
```
## Distribution Scenarios
### Scenario 1: Celebrity Formulas
"Linus Torvalds' kernel review formula" - expert-curated workflows that encode deep domain knowledge. High signal, community trust.
### Scenario 2: Enterprise Compliance
Internal company formula for compliance reviews. Private registry, mandatory inclusion in all MR workflows via policy.
### Scenario 3: Standard Library
Gas Town ships `@gastown/*` formulas as blessed defaults. Like Go's standard library - high quality, well-maintained, always available.
### Scenario 4: Community Ecosystem
Thousands of community formulas of varying quality. Need: ratings, downloads, verified publishers, security scanning.
## Open Questions
1. **Versioning semantics**: SemVer? How do breaking changes work for workflows?
2. **Security model**: Formulas execute code. Sandboxing? Permissions? Signing?
3. **Testing formulas**: How do you unit test a workflow? Mock steps?
4. **Formula debugging**: Step through execution? Breakpoints?
5. **Rollback semantics**: If step 7 of 10 fails, what's the undo story?
6. **Cross-rig formulas**: Can a gastown formula reference a beads formula?
7. **Formula inheritance depth**: How deep can `extends` chains go? Diamond problem?
## Next Steps (Suggested)
1. **Formalize combinator semantics** - Write spec for `>>`, `|`, `wrap`, `inject`
2. **Prototype Mol Mall** - Even a simple file-based registry to prove the model
3. **Add formula schemas** - `implements` field with interface definitions
4. **Build formula test harness** - Run formulas in dry-run/mock mode
---
*This document captures thinking as of late December 2024. Formulas are evolving rapidly - update as we learn more.*

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# Gas Town HQ Design
The **HQ** (headquarters) is the top-level directory where Gas Town is installed - the workspace that contains all your rigs, agents, and coordination infrastructure.
## What Is an HQ?
Think of HQ as the "mount point" for Gas Town. It's the root directory where:
- The Mayor operates from
- Rigs are registered and managed
- Town-level beads coordinate mail and handoffs
- The entire workspace is versioned as a git repository
An HQ is NOT:
- A git clone of any project (rigs contain the clones)
- A hidden directory (it's visible and user-controlled)
- Tied to any specific project (it can manage multiple rigs)
## HQ Structure
```
~/gt/ # HQ ROOT
├── .git/ # HQ is a git repo
├── .gitignore # Generated by gt git-init
├── .beads/ # Town-level beads (hq-* prefix)
│ ├── beads.db # Mayor mail, coordination, handoffs
│ └── config.yaml # Beads config with prefix: hq
│
├── CLAUDE.md # Mayor role context (runs from here)
│
├── mayor/ # Mayor config and state
│ ├── town.json # {"type": "town", "name": "..."}
│ ├── rigs.json # Registry of managed rigs
│ └── state.json # Mayor state
│
├── rigs/ # Managed rig containers
│ ├── gastown/ # A rig (project container)
│ └── wyvern/ # Another rig
│
└── <rig-name>/ # OR rigs at HQ root (legacy)
```
## Creating an HQ
Use `gt install` to create a new HQ:
```bash
# Create a new HQ
gt install ~/gt
# Create with git initialization
gt install ~/gt --git
# Create and push to GitHub
gt install ~/gt --github=username/my-gastown --private
# Initialize current directory as HQ
gt install . --name my-workspace
```
The install command:
1. Creates the directory structure (`mayor/`, `rigs/`)
2. Writes configuration files (`town.json`, `rigs.json`, `state.json`)
3. Generates `CLAUDE.md` with Mayor role context
4. Initializes town-level beads with `hq-` prefix
5. Optionally initializes git with `.gitignore`
## HQ vs Town vs Rig
| Concept | Description | Example |
|---------|-------------|---------|
| **HQ** | Installation directory | `~/gt/` |
| **Town** | Logical workspace (same as HQ) | The Gas Town instance |
| **Rig** | Project container within HQ | `~/gt/gastown/` |
The terms "HQ" and "town" are often used interchangeably. An HQ IS a town. The distinction is physical (HQ = directory) vs logical (town = workspace concept).
## Beads in an HQ
An HQ has **two levels** of beads:
### Town-Level Beads
Located at `<hq>/.beads/` with `hq-` prefix:
- Mayor mail and inbox
- Cross-rig coordination messages
- Session handoff notes
### Rig-Level Beads
Each rig has its own `.beads/` with a project-specific prefix:
- Work issues (bugs, features, tasks)
- Merge requests
- Agent-local mail within the rig
The Mayor sees both: town beads for mail, rig beads for work coordination.
## Beads Redirect Pattern
In complex setups, you may want the HQ root's `.beads/` to redirect to a rig's beads. This is useful when:
- Multiple systems share an HQ
- You want a single source of truth for beads
- Migration scenarios
Create a redirect file:
```bash
# Instead of .beads/ directory, create .beads/redirect file
mkdir .beads
echo "path/to/actual/.beads" > .beads/redirect
```
Example from a real setup:
```
# ~/ai/.beads/redirect
# Redirect to gastown beads (Mayor workspace)
# The Mayor runs in ~/ai but manages gastown issues in mayor/rigs/gastown
mayor/rigs/gastown/.beads
```
**When to use redirects:**
- When rig beads should be the canonical town beads
- Hybrid setups where agents work in different locations
## HQ Configuration Files
### mayor/town.json
Identifies this as a Gas Town installation:
```json
{
"type": "town",
"version": 1,
"name": "stevey-gastown",
"created_at": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}
```
### mayor/rigs.json
Registry of managed rigs:
```json
{
"version": 1,
"rigs": {
"gastown": {
"git_url": "https://github.com/steveyegge/gastown",
"added_at": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
},
"wyvern": {
"git_url": "https://github.com/steveyegge/wyvern",
"added_at": "2024-01-16T09:00:00Z"
}
}
}
```
### mayor/state.json
Mayor agent state:
```json
{
"role": "mayor",
"last_active": "2024-01-17T14:30:00Z"
}
```
## Git for HQs
An HQ should be a git repository. This enables:
- Versioning of configuration
- Beads sync across machines
- Session handoff via beads commits
- Recovery after failures
### Initialize git
```bash
gt git-init # Basic git setup
gt git-init --github=user/repo # Create GitHub repo
gt git-init --github=user/repo --private # Private repo
```
### Standard .gitignore
The `gt git-init` command creates:
```gitignore
# Gas Town HQ gitignore
# Agent sessions and logs
*.log
*.pid
/sessions/
# Rig working directories (managed separately)
/rigs/*/polecats/*/
/rigs/*/refinery/rig/
/rigs/*/crew/*/
# Sensitive files
.env
*.key
*.pem
credentials.json
# Editor and OS
.DS_Store
*.swp
*~
.idea/
.vscode/
# Beads daemon
.beads/beads.sock
.beads/*.pid
```
## HQ Health Checks
Run `gt doctor` to check HQ health:
```bash
gt doctor # Check all
gt doctor --fix # Auto-fix issues
```
Checks include:
- Configuration file validity
- Mayor state consistency
- Rig registry accuracy
- Beads database health
- Git state cleanliness
## HQ Templates
For organizations wanting consistent Gas Town setups, create a template repository:
```bash
# Create template HQ
gt install ~/gt-template --git --no-beads
# Customize CLAUDE.md, add standard rigs
# Push to GitHub as template repo
# Users clone template
gh repo create my-gastown --template org/gt-template
cd my-gastown
gt install . --force # Reinitialize with fresh beads
```
## Migration Between HQs
To move Gas Town to a new location:
1. **Export beads state:**
```bash
bd export > beads-backup.jsonl
```
2. **Create new HQ:**
```bash
gt install ~/new-hq --git
```
3. **Add rigs:**
```bash
cd ~/new-hq
gt rig add gastown https://github.com/user/gastown
```
4. **Import beads:**
```bash
cd ~/new-hq
bd import < beads-backup.jsonl
```
## Summary
| Action | Command |
|--------|---------|
| Create HQ | `gt install <path>` |
| Initialize git | `gt git-init` |
| Add rig | `gt rig add <name> <git-url>` |
| Check health | `gt doctor` |
| View status | `gt status` |

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# Merge Queue Design
The merge queue coordinates landing completed work. MRs are ephemeral wisps (not synced beads), and polecat branches stay local (never pushed to origin).
**Key insight**: Git is already a ledger. Beads track durable state (issues). MRs are transient operational state - perfect for wisps.
## Architecture (Current)
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LOCAL MERGE QUEUE │
│ │
│ Polecat worktree ──commit──► local branch (polecat/nux) │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ (same .git) │
│ ▼ ▼ │
│ .beads-wisp/mq/mr-xxx.json Refinery worktree │
│ │ │ │
│ └──────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ Refinery reads MR, merges branch │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ git push origin main │
│ │ │
│ Delete local branch │
│ Delete MR wisp file │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
**Key points:**
- Refinery is a worktree of the same git repo as polecats (shared .git)
- Polecat branches are local only - never pushed to origin
- MRs stored in `.beads-wisp/mq/` (ephemeral, not synced)
- Only `main` branch gets pushed to origin after merge
- Source issues tracked in beads (durable), closed after merge
## Overview
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MERGE QUEUE │
│ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ MR #1 │→ │ MR #2 │→ │ MR #3 │→ │ MR #4 │ │
│ │ (ready) │ │(blocked) │ │ (ready) │ │(blocked) │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ ↓ ↓ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ENGINEER (processes queue) │ │
│ │ 1. bd ready --type=merge-request │ │
│ │ 2. Process in priority order │ │
│ │ 3. Merge, test, close or reject │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ ↓ │
│ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ main │ │
│ └──────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
## Merge Request Schema
A merge request is a JSON file in `.beads-wisp/mq/`:
```json
// .beads-wisp/mq/mr-1703372400-a1b2c3d4.json
{
"id": "mr-1703372400-a1b2c3d4",
"branch": "polecat/nux",
"target": "main",
"source_issue": "gt-xyz",
"worker": "nux",
"rig": "gastown",
"title": "Merge: gt-xyz",
"priority": 1,
"created_at": "2025-12-23T20:00:00Z"
}
```
### ID Convention
MR IDs follow the pattern: `mr-<timestamp>-<random>`
Example: `mr-1703372400-a1b2c3d4`
These are ephemeral - deleted after merge. Source issues in beads provide the durable record.
### Creating Merge Requests
Workers submit to the queue via:
```bash
# Worker signals work is ready (preferred)
gt done # Auto-detects branch, issue, creates MR
# Or explicit submission
gt mq submit # Auto-detects branch, issue, worker
gt mq submit --issue gt-xyz # Explicit issue
# Under the hood, this writes to .beads-wisp/mq/:
# - Creates mr-<timestamp>-<random>.json
# - No beads issue created (MRs are ephemeral wisps)
# - Branch stays local (never pushed to origin)
```
## Queue Ordering
The queue is ordered by:
1. **Dependencies first** - If MR-B depends on MR-A, A merges first
2. **Priority** - P0 before P1 before P2
3. **Age** - Older requests before newer (FIFO within priority)
### Dependency-Based Ordering
When workers complete related work, dependencies ensure correct order:
```
gt-epic (epic)
├── gt-epic.1 (task) → gt-mr-001 (merge request)
├── gt-epic.2 (task) → gt-mr-002 (depends on gt-mr-001)
└── gt-epic.3 (task) → gt-mr-003 (depends on gt-mr-002)
```
The Engineer queries `bd ready --type=merge-request` to find MRs with no unmerged dependencies.
### Integration Branches
For batch work on an epic, use an integration branch:
```
main
│
├──────────────────────────┐
│ │
integration/gt-epic (other work)
│
┌──────────┼──────────┐
│ │ │
MR #1 MR #2 MR #3
```
Integration branch workflow:
1. Create integration branch from main: `integration/gt-epic`
2. MRs target the integration branch, not main
3. After all epic work merges, integration branch merges to main
4. Single PR for epic = easier review, atomic landing
```bash
# Create integration branch for epic
gt mq integration create gt-epic
# MRs auto-target integration branch
gt mq submit --epic gt-epic # Targets integration/gt-epic
# Land entire epic to main
gt mq integration land gt-epic
```
## Engineer Processing Loop
The Engineer (formerly Refinery) processes the merge queue continuously:
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ENGINEER LOOP │
│ │
│ while true: │
│ 1. ready_mrs = bd ready --type=merge-request │
│ │
│ 2. if ready_mrs.empty(): │
│ sleep(poll_interval) │
│ continue │
│ │
│ 3. mr = ready_mrs.first() # Highest priority, oldest │
│ │
│ 4. bd update mr.id --status=in_progress │
│ │
│ 5. result = process_merge(mr) │
│ │
│ 6. if result.success: │
│ bd close mr.id --reason="merged: {sha}" │
│ else: │
│ handle_failure(mr, result) │
│ │
│ 7. update_source_issue(mr) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
### Process Merge Steps
```python
def process_merge(mr):
# 1. Branch is already local (shared .git with polecats)
# No fetch needed - refinery worktree sees polecat branches directly
# 2. Check for conflicts with target
conflicts = git_check_conflicts(mr.branch, mr.target)
if conflicts:
return Failure(reason="conflict", files=conflicts)
# 3. Merge to local target
git checkout {mr.target}
git merge {mr.branch} --no-ff -m "Merge {mr.branch}: {mr.title}"
# 4. Run tests (configurable)
if config.run_tests:
result = run_tests()
if result.failed:
git reset --hard HEAD~1 # Undo merge
return Failure(reason="tests_failed", output=result.output)
# 5. Push to origin (only main goes to origin)
git push origin {mr.target}
# 6. Clean up source branch (local delete only)
if config.delete_merged_branches:
git branch -D {mr.branch} # Local delete, not remote
# 7. Remove MR wisp file
os.remove(.beads-wisp/mq/{mr.id}.json)
return Success(merge_commit=git_rev_parse("HEAD"))
```
### Handling Failures
| Failure | Action |
|---------|--------|
| **Conflict** | Assign back to worker, add `needs-rebase` label |
| **Tests fail** | Assign back to worker, add `needs-fix` label |
| **Build fail** | Assign back to worker, add `needs-fix` label |
| **Flaky test** | Retry once, then assign back |
| **Infra issue** | Retry with backoff, escalate if persistent |
```bash
# On conflict, Engineer does:
bd update gt-mr-xxx --assignee=Nux --labels=needs-rebase
gt send gastown/Nux -s "Rebase needed: gt-mr-xxx" \
-m "Your branch conflicts with main. Please rebase and resubmit."
```
### Conflict Resolution Strategies
1. **Assign back to worker** (default) - Worker rebases and resubmits
2. **Auto-rebase** (configurable) - Engineer attempts `git rebase` automatically
3. **Semantic merge** (future) - AI-assisted conflict resolution
```yaml
# rig config.json
{
"merge_queue": {
"on_conflict": "assign_back", # or "auto_rebase" or "semantic"
"run_tests": true,
"delete_merged_branches": true,
"retry_flaky_tests": 1
}
}
```
## CLI Commands
### gt mq (merge queue)
```bash
# Submit work to queue
gt mq submit # Auto-detect from current branch
gt mq submit --issue gt-xyz # Explicit issue
gt mq submit --epic gt-epic # Target integration branch
# View queue
gt mq list # Show all pending MRs
gt mq list --ready # Show only ready-to-merge
gt mq list --mine # Show MRs for my work
gt mq status gt-mr-xxx # Detailed MR status
# Integration branches
gt mq integration create gt-epic # Create integration/gt-epic
gt mq integration land gt-epic # Merge integration to main
gt mq integration status gt-epic # Show integration branch status
# Admin/debug
gt mq retry gt-mr-xxx # Retry a failed MR
gt mq reject gt-mr-xxx --reason "..." # Reject an MR
gt mq reorder gt-mr-xxx --after gt-mr-yyy # Manual reorder
```
### Command Details
#### gt mq submit
```bash
gt mq submit [--branch BRANCH] [--issue ISSUE] [--epic EPIC]
# Auto-detection logic:
# 1. Branch: current git branch
# 2. Issue: parse from branch name (polecat/Nux/gt-xyz → gt-xyz)
# 3. Epic: if issue has parent epic, offer integration branch
# Creates merge-request bead and prints MR ID
```
#### gt mq list
```bash
gt mq list [--ready] [--status STATUS] [--worker WORKER]
# Output:
# ID STATUS PRIORITY BRANCH WORKER AGE
# gt-mr-001 ready P0 polecat/Nux/gt-xyz Nux 5m
# gt-mr-002 in_progress P1 polecat/Toast/gt-abc Toast 12m
# gt-mr-003 blocked P1 polecat/Capable/gt-def Capable 8m
# (waiting on gt-mr-001)
```
## Beads Query Patterns
The merge queue is just queries over beads:
```bash
# Ready to merge (no blockers, not in progress)
bd ready --type=merge-request
# All open MRs
bd list --type=merge-request --status=open
# MRs for a specific epic (via labels or source_issue parent)
bd list --type=merge-request --label=epic:gt-xyz
# Recently merged
bd list --type=merge-request --status=closed --since=1d
# MRs by worker
bd list --type=merge-request --assignee=Nux
```
## State Machine
```
┌─────────────┐
│ CREATED │
│ (open) │
└──────┬──────┘
│
┌──────▼──────┐
┌───────│ READY │───────┐
│ │ (open) │ │
│ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ │ │
blocked by ┌─────▼─────┐ rejected
dependency │ PROCESSING│ (manual)
│ │(in_progress) │
│ └─────┬─────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌────────┴────────┐ │
│ │ │ │
│ success failure
│ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌───────┐ ┌─────────┐│
│ │MERGED │ │ FAILED ││
│ │(closed) │ (open) ││
│ └───────┘ └────┬────┘│
│ │ │
│ resubmit │
│ │ │
└─────────────────┴─────────┘
```
## Audit and Observability
The merge queue creates a complete audit trail for all integrated work:
| MQ Event | Record Created |
|----------|----------------|
| Merge request submitted | Work completion claim with author |
| Tests pass | Quality verification record |
| Refinery approves | Validation with reviewer attribution |
| Merge commit | Immutable integration record |
| Rejection | Feedback record with reason |
Every merge creates an immutable record:
- Who did the work (author attribution)
- Who validated it (Refinery attestation)
- When it landed (timestamp)
- What changed (commit diff)
This enables full work attribution and quality tracking across the swarm.
## Configuration
### Rig-Level Config
```json
// <rig>/config.json
{
"merge_queue": {
"enabled": true,
"target_branch": "main",
"integration_branches": true,
"on_conflict": "assign_back",
"run_tests": true,
"test_command": "go test ./...",
"delete_merged_branches": true,
"retry_flaky_tests": 1,
"poll_interval": "30s",
"max_concurrent": 1
}
}
```
### Per-Epic Overrides
```bash
# Create epic with custom merge config
bd create --type=epic --title="Risky refactor" \
--body="merge_config:
run_tests: true
test_command: 'go test -race ./...'
on_conflict: assign_back"
```
## Direct Landing (Bypass Queue)
For single-polecat work or emergencies, Mayor can bypass the queue:
```bash
gt land --direct <rig>/<polecat>
# This:
# 1. Verifies polecat session is terminated
# 2. Checks git state is clean
# 3. Merges directly to main (no MR created)
# 4. Closes the source issue
# 5. Cleans up the branch
```
Direct landing skips the queue but still records the work in beads.
## Failure Recovery
### Engineer Crash
If Engineer crashes mid-merge:
1. MR stays `in_progress`
2. On restart, Engineer queries `bd list --type=merge-request --status=in_progress`
3. For each, check git state and either complete or reset
### Partial Merge
If merge succeeds but push fails:
1. Engineer retries push with exponential backoff
2. If persistent failure, roll back local merge
3. Mark MR as failed with reason
### Conflicting Merges
If two MRs conflict:
1. First one wins (lands first)
2. Second gets conflict status
3. Worker rebases and resubmits
4. Dependencies prevent this for related work
## Observability
### Metrics
- `mq_pending_count` - MRs waiting
- `mq_processing_time` - Time from submit to merge
- `mq_success_rate` - Merges vs rejections
- `mq_conflict_rate` - How often conflicts occur
- `mq_test_failure_rate` - Test failures
### Logs
```
[MQ] Processing gt-mr-abc123 (priority=P0, age=5m)
[MQ] Fetching branch polecat/Nux/gt-xyz
[MQ] No conflicts detected
[MQ] Merging to main
[MQ] Running tests: go test ./...
[MQ] Tests passed (32s)
[MQ] Pushing to origin
[MQ] Merged: abc123def
[MQ] Closed gt-mr-abc123 (reason=merged)
[MQ] Closed source issue gt-xyz
```
### Dashboard
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MERGE QUEUE STATUS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Pending: 3 In Progress: 1 Merged (24h): 12 Failed: 2│
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ QUEUE: │
│ ► gt-mr-004 P0 polecat/Nux/gt-xyz Processing... │
│ gt-mr-005 P1 polecat/Toast/gt-abc Ready │
│ gt-mr-006 P1 polecat/Capable/gt-def Blocked (005) │
│ gt-mr-007 P2 polecat/Nux/gt-ghi Ready │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ RECENT: │
│ ✓ gt-mr-003 Merged 5m ago (12s processing) │
│ ✓ gt-mr-002 Merged 18m ago (45s processing) │
│ ✗ gt-mr-001 Failed 22m ago (conflict with main) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
## Implementation Phases
### Phase 1: Schema & CLI (gt-kp2, gt-svi)
- Define merge-request type in beads (or convention)
- Implement `gt mq submit`, `gt mq list`, `gt mq status`
- Manual Engineer processing (no automation yet)
### Phase 2: Engineer Loop (gt-3x1)
- Implement processing loop
- Conflict detection and handling
- Test execution
- Success/failure handling
### Phase 3: Integration Branches
- `gt mq integration create/land/status`
- Auto-targeting based on epic
- Batch landing
### Phase 4: Advanced Features
- Auto-rebase on conflict
- Semantic merge (AI-assisted)
- Parallel test execution
- Cross-rig merge coordination
## Open Questions
1. **Beads schema extension**: Should merge-request be a first-class beads type, or just a convention (type field in description)?
2. **High-traffic rigs**: For very active rigs, should MRs go to a separate beads repo to reduce sync contention?
3. **Cross-rig merges**: If work spans multiple rigs, how do we coordinate? Federation design needed.
4. **Rollback**: If a merge causes problems, how do we track and revert? Need `gt mq revert` command.

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@@ -1,987 +0,0 @@
# Molecular Chemistry: Work Composition in Gas Town
> *"Work is fractal. Money is crystallized labor. Blockchain was the mechanism
> searching for its purpose."*
Gas Town is a **work composition and execution engine**. This document describes
**MEOW** - the **M**olecular **E**xpression **O**f **W**ork - a chemical algebra
for expressing, instantiating, and executing work at any scale, from single tasks
to massive polymers that can grind through weekends of autonomous operation.
**Core insight**: Structure is computation. Content is cognition. They're separate.
## The Work Lifecycle: Rig → Cook → Run
Gas Town work flows through three phases:
```
RIG ────→ COOK ────→ RUN
(source) (artifact) (execution)
```
| Phase | What Happens | Operator | Output |
|-------|--------------|----------|--------|
| **Rig** | Compose formulas (source level) | `extends`, `compose` | Compound Formula |
| **Cook** | Instantiate artifacts | `cook`, `pour`, `wisp` | Proto, Mol, Wisp |
| **Run** | Execute steps | (agent execution) | Work done |
**Rig** is authoring time - writing and composing formula files (TOML preferred, JSON supported).
**Cook** is compile time - expanding macros, applying aspects, flattening to pure graphs.
**Run** is execution time - agents provide cognition for each step.
## The Complete Artifact Graph
```
SOURCE LEVEL (Rig)
══════════════════
Formula ─────rig─────→ Compound Formula
│ (extends, │
│ compose) │
└──────────┬────────────┘
│
cook
│
▼
ARTIFACT LEVEL (Bond)
════════════════════
Proto ──────bond─────→ Compound Proto
│ \ │ \
│ \ │ \
pour wisp pour wisp
│ \ │ \
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
Mol Wisp ────bond────→ Linked Work
│ │
└───┬───┘
│
run
│
▼
EXECUTION
═════════
Steps complete
Work gets done
Digests created
```
## Two Composition Operators
Gas Town has **two** composition operators at different abstraction levels:
| Operator | Level | Inputs | When to Use |
|----------|-------|--------|-------------|
| **Rig** | Source | Formula + Formula | Authoring time, in TOML/JSON |
| **Bond** | Artifact | Proto/Mol/Wisp + any | Runtime, on cooked artifacts |
**Rig** composes formulas (TOML/JSON with `extends`, `compose`).
**Bond** composes artifacts (cooked protos, running mols/wisps).
This separation is key: rig for design-time composition, bond for runtime composition.
## The Steam Engine Metaphor
Gas Town is an engine. Engines do work and generate steam.
```
Claude = Fire (the energy source)
Claude Code = Steam Engine (harnesses the fire)
Gas Town = Steam Train (coordinates engines on tracks)
Beads = Railroad Tracks (the persistent ledger of work)
```
In our chemistry:
- **Formulas** are the secret recipe (source code for workflows)
- **Proto molecules** are the fuel (cooked templates, ready to instantiate)
- **Mols** are liquid work (flowing, dynamic, adapting as steps complete)
- **Wisps** are the steam (transient execution traces that rise and dissipate)
- **Digests** are the distillate (condensed permanent records of completed work)
## Formulas: The Source Layer
**Formulas** sit above protos in the artifact hierarchy. They're the source code -
TOML or JSON files that define workflows with composition operators.
TOML is preferred for human-edited formulas (multi-line strings, comments):
```toml
# shiny.formula.toml - a basic workflow
formula = "shiny"
description = "The canonical right way"
version = 1
[[steps]]
id = "design"
description = "Think carefully about architecture"
[[steps]]
id = "implement"
needs = ["design"]
[[steps]]
id = "review"
needs = ["implement"]
[[steps]]
id = "test"
needs = ["review"]
[[steps]]
id = "submit"
needs = ["test"]
```
Convert existing JSON formulas with `bd formula convert --all`.
### Formula Composition (Rigging)
Formulas compose at the source level using `extends` and `compose`:
```toml
# shiny-enterprise.formula.toml
formula = "shiny-enterprise"
extends = ["shiny"] # Inherit from base formula
[compose]
aspects = ["security-audit"] # Weave in cross-cutting concern
[[compose.expand]]
target = "implement"
with = "rule-of-five" # Apply macro expansion
```
### Cooking: Formula → Proto
The `cook` command flattens a formula into a pure proto:
```bash
bd cook shiny-enterprise
# Cooking shiny-enterprise...
# ✓ Cooked proto: shiny-enterprise (30 steps)
```
Cooking pre-expands all composition - macros, aspects, branches, gates.
The result is a flat step graph with no interpretation needed at runtime.
### Formula Types
| Type | Purpose | Example |
|------|---------|---------|
| **workflow** | Standard work definition | shiny, patrol |
| **expansion** | Macro template | rule-of-five |
| **aspect** | Cross-cutting concern | security-audit |
## The Three Phases of Matter
Work in Gas Town exists in three phases, following the states of matter:
| Phase | Name | State | Storage | Behavior |
|-------|------|-------|---------|----------|
| **Solid** | Proto | Frozen template | `.beads/` (template label) | Crystallized, immutable, reusable |
| **Liquid** | Mol | Flowing instance | `.beads/` | Dynamic, adapting, persistent |
| **Vapor** | Wisp | Ephemeral trace | `.beads-wisp/` | Transient, dissipates, operational |
### Proto (Solid Phase)
Protos or protomolecules are **frozen workflow patterns** - crystallized templates that
encode reusable work structures. They're the "molds" from which instances are cast.
Protos are stored as beads issues with `labels: ["template"]` and structured step data:
```yaml
# Example: shiny.formula.toml (source) → cooked proto (beads)
formula: shiny
description: The canonical right way
version: 1
steps:
- id: design
description: Think carefully about architecture
- id: implement
needs: [design]
- id: review
needs: [implement]
- id: test
needs: [review]
- id: submit
needs: [test]
```
**Properties:**
- Considered immutable once cooked (frozen), though source formulas are editable
- Named (e.g., `shiny`, `rule-of-five`)
- Stored in permanent beads with `template` label
- Can be composed into larger protos via formula algebra (extends, compose)
### Mol (Liquid Phase)
Mols are **flowing work instances** - live executions that adapt as steps
complete, status changes, and work evolves.
**Properties:**
- Identified by head bead ID (e.g., `bd-abc123`)
- Dynamic - steps transition through states
- Persistent - survives sessions, crashes, context compaction
- Auditable - full history in beads
### Wisp (Vapor Phase)
Wisps are **ephemeral execution traces** - the steam that rises during work
and dissipates when done.
**Properties:**
- Stored in `.beads-wisp/` (gitignored, never synced)
- Single-cycle lifetime
- Either evaporates (burn) or condenses to digest (squash)
- Used for patrol cycles, operational loops, routine work
## Phase Transition Operators
Work transitions between phases through specific operators:
```
┌─────────────────┐
│ PROTO │
│ (solid) │
└────────┬────────┘
│
┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
│ │ │
pour wisp distill
│ │ ↑
▼ ▼ │
┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐ │
│ MOL │ │ WISP │ │
│ (liquid) │ │ (vapor) │ │
└───────┬───────┘ └───────┬───────┘ │
│ │ │
squash squash │
│ │ │
▼ ▼ │
┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐ │
│ DIGEST │ │ (evaporates) │ │
│ (condensed) │ │ or burn │ │
└───────────────┘ └───────────────┘ │
│ │
└────────────────────────────┘
(experience crystallizes)
```
### Pour: Solid → Liquid
**Pour** instantiates a proto into a persistent mol - like pouring molten metal
into a mold to create a solid casting that will flow through the workflow.
```bash
bd pour mol-feature # Create mol from proto
bd pour mol-feature --var version=1.0 # With variable substitution
```
**Use cases:**
- Feature work that spans sessions
- Important work needing audit trail
- Anything you might need to reference later
### Wisp: Solid → Vapor (Sublimation)
**Wisp** instantiates a proto directly into vapor - sublimation that skips
the liquid phase for ephemeral, operational work.
```bash
bd wisp mol-patrol # Create wisp from proto
bd wisp mol-health-check # Ephemeral operational task
```
**Use cases:**
- Patrol cycles (deacon, witness)
- Health checks and monitoring
- One-shot orchestration runs
- Routine operations with no audit value
### Squash: Liquid/Vapor → Condensed
**Squash** condenses work into a permanent digest - the outcome crystallizes
while the execution trace compresses or evaporates.
```bash
bd mol squash bd-abc123 # Squash mol to digest
bd mol squash bd-abc123 --summary="Completed auth" # With summary
```
**For mols:** Creates digest in permanent beads, preserves full outcome
**For wisps:** Creates digest, deletes wisp (vapor condenses to residue)
### Burn: Vapor → Nothing
**Burn** discards a wisp without creating a digest - the steam simply
evaporates with no residue.
```bash
bd mol burn wisp-123 # Discard without digest
```
**Use cases:**
- Routine patrol cycles with nothing notable
- Failed attempts that don't need recording
- Test runs
### Distill: Liquid → Solid (Crystallization)
**Distill** extracts a reusable proto from an existing mol or epic - the
reverse of pour. Experience crystallizes into a template.
```bash
bd mol distill bd-abc123 --as "Release Workflow"
bd mol distill bd-abc123 --var feature=auth --var version=1.0
```
**Process:**
1. Analyze the existing work structure
2. Extract the pattern (steps, dependencies)
3. Replace concrete values with `{{variable}}` placeholders
4. Crystallize as a new proto
**Use cases:**
- Team develops a good workflow organically, wants to reuse it
- Capture tribal knowledge as executable templates
- Create starting points for similar future work
## The Polymorphic Bond Operator
**Bond** is Gas Town's polymorphic combiner for artifacts. It operates at the
artifact level (post-cooking), handling different operand types with phase-aware
behavior.
### The Bond Table (Symmetric)
| bond | Proto | Mol | Wisp |
|------|-------|-----|------|
| **Proto** | Compound Proto | Pour, attach | Wisp, attach |
| **Mol** | Pour, attach | Link via edges | Link via edges |
| **Wisp** | Wisp, attach | Link via edges | Link via edges |
The table is symmetric: bonding A+B produces the same structure as B+A.
**Bond** handles different operand types with different phase behaviors:
### Bond: Proto + Proto → Compound Proto
Two solid templates fuse into a larger solid template.
```bash
bd mol bond mol-review mol-deploy --as "Review and Deploy"
```
Creates a compound proto that includes both workflows. The result is a
reusable template (solid phase).
### Bond: Proto + Mol → Pour + Attach
A solid template melts into an existing liquid workflow.
```bash
bd mol bond mol-hotfix bd-feature-123
```
The proto is instantiated (as liquid by default) and attached to the
existing mol. The new issues become part of the flowing work.
### Bond: Proto + Wisp → Wisp + Attach
A solid template sublimates into an existing vapor workflow.
```bash
bd mol bond mol-extra-check wisp-patrol-456
```
The proto is created as a wisp (following the target's phase) and attaches.
### Bond: Mol + Mol → Compound Mol
Two liquid workflows merge into a larger flowing structure.
```bash
bd mol bond bd-feature-123 bd-related-456
```
Links them via dependency edges. Both continue flowing.
### Bond: Wisp + Wisp → Compound Wisp
Two vapor traces merge into a larger ephemeral cloud.
```bash
bd mol bond wisp-123 wisp-456
```
### Phase Override Flags
Bond's creation behavior can be overridden:
```bash
# Force liquid when attaching to wisp (found something important!)
bd mol bond mol-critical-bug wisp-patrol --pour
# Force vapor when attaching to mol (ephemeral diagnostic)
bd mol bond mol-temp-check bd-feature --wisp
```
| Flag | Effect | Use Case |
|------|--------|----------|
| `--pour` | Force creation as liquid | "This matters, persist it" |
| `--wisp` | Force creation as vapor | "This is ephemeral, let it evaporate" |
### Cross-Phase Bonding
What happens when you bond liquid and vapor directly?
```bash
bd mol bond bd-feature-123 wisp-456 # Mol + Wisp
```
**Answer: Reference-only linking.** They connect via dependency edges but
stay in their respective stores. No phase change occurs - you're linking
across the phase boundary without forcing conversion.
This enables patterns like:
- Patrol wisp discovers issue → creates liquid mol for the fix
- Feature mol needs diagnostic → creates vapor wisp for the check
- The reference survives even when the wisp evaporates (ID stable)
## Agent Attachment: Hooks and Pins
Agents need work attached to them. In Gas Town, this uses **hooks** and **pins**.
### The Hook
Each agent has a **hook** - an anchor point where work hangs. It's the
agent's "pinned bead" - the top of their inbox, the work they're focused on.
```bash
bd hook # Show what's on my hook
bd hook --agent deacon # Show deacon's hook
```
**Hook states:**
- **Empty (naked)**: Agent awaiting work assignment
- **Occupied**: Agent has work to execute
- **Multiple**: Agent managing several concurrent mols (rare)
### Pin: Attaching Work to Agents
**Pin** attaches a mol to an agent's hook - the action of assigning work.
```bash
bd pin bd-feature-123 # Pin to my hook
bd pin bd-feature-123 --for witness # Pin to specific agent's hook
bd unpin # Detach current work
```
**The Witness → Polecat flow:**
```bash
# Witness assigns work to polecat
bd pour mol-feature # Create liquid mol
bd pin bd-abc123 --for polecat-ace # Hang on polecat's hook
gt nudge polecat-ace # Wake the polecat
```
### Wisps Don't Need Pinning
Wisps are single-cycle and don't survive session boundaries in the
traditional sense. Agents hold them in working memory for one cycle:
```bash
# Deacon creates patrol wisp (no pin needed)
bd wisp mol-deacon-patrol # Create vapor
# ... execute steps ...
bd mol squash <id> --summary="..." # Condense and dissipate
# Loop
```
## The Epic-Mol Relationship
Epics and mols are **isomorphic** but represent different mental models.
### Epic: The Business View
An epic is a **simple mol shape** - essentially a TODO list:
```
epic-root
├── child.1
├── child.2
├── child.3
└── child.4
(flat list, no sibling dependencies, execution order implicit)
```
**Properties:**
- One level of children via `.N` numbering
- No explicit serial/parallel encoding
- Human-readable, business-oriented
- The natural shape most humans create
### Mol: The Chemistry View
A mol is the **general case** - arbitrary graphs with explicit workflow
semantics:
```
mol-root
├── phase-A (epic)
│ ├── task.1 ───blocks──→ task.2 (serial)
│ └── task.3 (parallel with task.1)
├── phase-B (epic) ←───blocked-by─── phase-A
│ └── ...
└── standalone (fanout)
(arbitrary DAG, explicit dependencies encode serial/parallel)
```
**Properties:**
- Can contain multiple epics as subgraphs
- Dependency edges encode execution order
- `blocks` = serial (bottleneck)
- No dep = parallel (fanout)
- `conditional` = if-fail path
### The Relationship
**All epics are mols. Not all mols are epics.**
| Aspect | Epic | Mol |
|--------|------|-----|
| Shape | Flat (root + children) | Arbitrary DAG |
| Dependencies | Implicit in ordering | Explicit edges |
| Parallelism | Assumed parallel | Encoded in structure |
| Mental model | TODO list | Workflow graph |
| Common use | Simple feature work | Complex orchestration |
When you `distill` an epic, you get a simple proto.
When you `distill` a complex mol, you get a complex proto (preserving structure).
## Thermodynamic Properties
Gas Town's chemistry has thermodynamic properties - work is energy flowing
through the system.
### Work as Energy
```
Proto (potential energy) → Pour/Wisp → Mol/Wisp (kinetic energy) → Squash → Digest (stored work)
```
- **Protos** store potential energy - the capability to do work
- **Mols/Wisps** are kinetic - work actively flowing
- **Digests** are stored energy - crystallized outcomes
### The Audit Trail as Entropy
Every execution increases entropy - creating more history, more records,
more state. Gas Town manages this through:
- **Wisps**: High entropy, but evaporates (entropy contained)
- **Squash**: Compresses entropy into minimal digest
- **Distill**: Reduces entropy by extracting reusable pattern
### The CV Chain
Every agent has a **chain** of work - their CV:
```
Agent CV = ∑(digests) = crystallized capability proof
```
Work completed → digest created → agent's chain grows → capability demonstrated.
This is the foundation for capability-based work matching: your work
history IS your resume. The ledger speaks.
## The Complete Lifecycle
### Feature Work (Liquid Path)
```bash
# 1. Create work from template
bd pour mol-feature --var name=auth
# 2. Pin to agent
bd pin bd-abc123 --for polecat-ace
# 3. Agent executes steps
bd update bd-abc123.design --status=in_progress
# ... cognition ...
bd close bd-abc123.design
bd update bd-abc123.implement --status=in_progress
# ... and so on
# 4. Squash when complete
bd mol squash bd-abc123 --summary="Implemented auth feature"
# 5. Digest remains in permanent ledger
```
### Patrol Work (Vapor Path)
```bash
# 1. Create wisp (no pin needed)
bd wisp mol-deacon-patrol
# 2. Execute cycle steps
bd close <step-1>
bd close <step-2>
# ...
# 3. Generate summary and squash
bd mol squash <wisp-id> --summary="Patrol complete, no issues"
# 4. Loop
bd wisp mol-deacon-patrol
# ...
```
### Template Creation (Distillation)
```bash
# 1. Complete some work organically
# ... team develops release workflow over several iterations ...
# 2. Distill the pattern
bd mol distill bd-release-v3 --as "Release Workflow"
# 3. Result: new proto available
bd pour mol-release-workflow --var version=2.0
```
## Polymers: Large-Scale Composition
Protos can compose into arbitrarily large **polymers** - chains of molecules
that encode complex multi-phase work.
```bash
# Create polymer from multiple protos
bd mol bond mol-design mol-implement --as "Design and Implement"
bd mol bond mol-design-implement mol-test --as "Full Dev Cycle"
bd mol bond mol-full-dev mol-deploy --as "End to End"
```
**Polymer properties:**
- Preserve phase relationships from constituent protos
- Can encode hours, days, or weeks of work
- Enable "weekend warrior" autonomous operation
- Beads tracks progress; agents execute; humans sleep
### The Cognition Sausage Machine
A large polymer is a **cognition sausage machine**:
```
Proto Polymer (input)
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ GAS TOWN ENGINE │
│ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ │
│ │Pole │ │Pole │ │Pole │ │Pole │ │
│ │cat │ │cat │ │cat │ │cat │ │
│ └──┬──┘ └──┬──┘ └──┬──┘ └──┬──┘ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ └────────┴────────┴────────┘ │
│ ↓ │
│ Merge Queue │
│ ↓ │
│ Refinery │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
Completed Work + Digests (output)
```
Feed in a polymer. Get back completed features, merged PRs, and audit trail.
## The Proto Library
Gas Town maintains a **library of curated protos** - the fuel stockpile:
```
~/gt/molecules/
├── mol-shiny/ # Full quality workflow
├── mol-quick-fix/ # Fast path for small changes
├── mol-code-review/ # Pluggable review dimensions
├── mol-release/ # Release workflow
├── mol-deacon-patrol/ # Deacon monitoring cycle
├── mol-witness-patrol/ # Witness worker monitoring
└── mol-polecat-work/ # Standard polecat lifecycle
```
**Library operations:**
```bash
bd mol list # List available protos
bd mol show mol-code-review # Show proto details
bd pour mol-code-review # Instantiate for use
```
### Curated vs Organic
- **Curated protos**: Refined templates in the library, battle-tested
- **Organic protos**: Distilled from real work, may need refinement
- **Path**: Organic → refine → curate → library
## Digest ID Stability
When a wisp is created, its head bead ID is **reserved** in permanent storage.
This ensures cross-phase references remain valid:
```
1. bd wisp mol-patrol → Creates wisp-123 (ID reserved)
2. bd mol bond ... wisp-123 → Reference created
3. bd mol squash wisp-123 → Digest takes same ID
4. Reference still valid → Points to digest now
```
**Implementation:**
- On wisp creation: Write placeholder/tombstone to permanent beads
- On squash: Replace placeholder with actual digest
- Cross-phase references never break
## Dynamic Bonding: The Christmas Ornament Pattern
Static molecules have fixed steps defined at design time. But some workflows
need **dynamic structure** - steps that emerge at runtime based on discovered work.
### The Problem
Consider mol-witness-patrol. The Witness monitors N polecats where N varies:
- Sometimes 0 polecats (quiet rig)
- Sometimes 8 polecats (busy swarm)
- Polecats come and go during the patrol
A static molecule can't express "for each polecat, do these steps."
### The Solution: Dynamic Bond
The **bond** operator becomes a runtime instantiator:
```bash
# In survey-workers step:
for polecat in $(gt polecat list gastown); do
bd mol bond mol-polecat-arm $PATROL_WISP_ID \
--var polecat_name=$polecat \
--var rig=gastown
done
```
Each bond creates a **wisp child** under the patrol molecule:
- `patrol-x7k.arm-ace` (5 steps)
- `patrol-x7k.arm-nux` (5 steps)
- `patrol-x7k.arm-toast` (5 steps)
### The Christmas Ornament Shape
```
★ mol-witness-patrol (trunk)
/|\
/ | \
┌─────────┘ │ └─────────┐
│ │ │
PREFLIGHT DISCOVERY CLEANUP
│ │ │
┌───┴───┐ ┌───┴───┐ ┌───┴───┐
│inbox │ │survey │ │aggreg │
│refnry │ │ │ │save │
│load │ │ │ │summary│
└───────┘ └───┬───┘ │contxt │
│ │loop │
┌─────────┼─────────┐ └───────┘
│ │ │
● ● ● mol-polecat-arm
ace nux toast
│ │ │
┌──┴──┐ ┌──┴──┐ ┌──┴──┐
│cap │ │cap │ │cap │
│ass │ │ass │ │ass │
│dec │ │dec │ │dec │
│exec │ │exec │ │exec │
└──┬──┘ └──┬──┘ └──┬──┘
│ │ │
└─────────┴─────────┘
│
⬣ base (cleanup)
```
The ornament **hangs from the Witness's pinned bead**. The star is the patrol
head (preflight steps). Arms grow dynamically as polecats are discovered.
The base (cleanup) runs after all arms complete.
### The WaitsFor Directive
A step that follows dynamic bonding needs to **wait for all children**:
```markdown
## Step: aggregate
Collect outcomes from all polecat inspection arms.
WaitsFor: all-children
Needs: survey-workers
```
The `WaitsFor: all-children` directive makes this a **fanout gate** - it can't
proceed until ALL dynamically-bonded children complete.
### Parallelism
Arms execute in **parallel**. Within an arm, steps are sequential:
```
survey-workers ─┬─ arm-ace ─┬─ aggregate
│ (seq) │
├─ arm-nux ─┤ (all arms parallel)
│ (seq) │
└─ arm-toast┘
```
Agents can use subagents (Task tool) to work multiple arms simultaneously.
### The Activity Feed
Dynamic bonding enables a **real-time activity feed** - structured work state
instead of agent logs:
```
[14:32:01] ✓ patrol-x7k.inbox-check completed
[14:32:03] ✓ patrol-x7k.check-refinery completed
[14:32:07] → patrol-x7k.survey-workers in_progress
[14:32:08] + patrol-x7k.arm-ace bonded (5 steps)
[14:32:08] + patrol-x7k.arm-nux bonded (5 steps)
[14:32:08] + patrol-x7k.arm-toast bonded (5 steps)
[14:32:08] ✓ patrol-x7k.survey-workers completed
[14:32:09] → patrol-x7k.arm-ace.capture in_progress
[14:32:10] ✓ patrol-x7k.arm-ace.capture completed
[14:32:14] ✓ patrol-x7k.arm-ace.decide completed (action: nudge-1)
[14:32:17] ✓ patrol-x7k.arm-ace COMPLETE
[14:32:23] ✓ patrol-x7k SQUASHED → digest-x7k
```
This is what you want to see. Not logs. **WORK STATE.**
The beads ledger becomes a real-time activity feed. Control plane IS data plane.
### Variable Substitution
Bonded molecules support variable substitution:
```markdown
## Molecule: polecat-arm
Inspection cycle for {{polecat_name}} in {{rig}}.
## Step: capture
Capture tmux output for {{polecat_name}}.
```bash
tmux capture-pane -t gt-{{rig}}-{{polecat_name}} -p | tail -50
```
Variables are resolved at bond time, creating concrete wisp steps.
### Squash Behavior
At patrol end:
- **Notable events**: Squash to digest with summary
- **Routine cycle**: Burn without digest
All arm wisps are children of the patrol wisp - they squash/burn together.
### The Mol Mall
mol-polecat-arm is **swappable** via variable:
```markdown
## Step: survey-workers
For each polecat, bond: {{arm_molecule | default: mol-polecat-arm}}
```
Install alternatives from the Mol Mall:
- `mol-polecat-arm-enterprise` (compliance checks)
- `mol-polecat-arm-secure` (credential scanning)
- `mol-polecat-arm-ml` (ML-based stuck detection)
## Summary of Operators
| Operator | From | To | Effect |
|----------|------|------|--------|
| `pour` | Proto | Mol | Instantiate as persistent liquid |
| `wisp` | Proto | Wisp | Instantiate as ephemeral vapor |
| `bond` | Any + Any | Compound | Combine (polymorphic) |
| `squash` | Mol/Wisp | Digest | Condense to permanent record |
| `burn` | Wisp | Nothing | Discard without record |
| `distill` | Mol/Epic | Proto | Extract reusable template |
| `pin` | Mol | Agent | Attach work to agent's hook |
## Design Implications
### For Beads
1. **Commands**: `bd pour`, `bd wisp`, `bd pin`
2. **Flags**: `--pour` forces liquid phase when bonding
3. **Wisp storage**: `.beads-wisp/` directory, gitignored
4. **Digest ID reservation**: Placeholder in permanent store on wisp creation
### For Gas Town
1. **Daemon**: Don't attach permanent molecules for patrol roles
2. **Deacon template**: Use `bd wisp mol-deacon-patrol` pattern
3. **Polecat lifecycle**: Consider wisp-based with digest on completion
4. **Hook inspection**: `bd hook` command for debugging
### For Agents
1. **Polecats**: Receive pinned mols, execute, squash, request shutdown
2. **Patrol roles**: Create wisps, execute cycle, squash, loop
3. **Recovery**: Re-read beads state, continue from last completed step
---
## Appendix: The Vocabulary
### Lifecycle Phases
| Term | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| **Rig** | Compose formulas at source level (authoring time) |
| **Cook** | Transform formula to proto (compile time) |
| **Run** | Execute mol/wisp steps (agent execution time) |
### Artifacts
| Term | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| **Formula** | Source YAML defining workflow with composition rules |
| **Proto** | Frozen template molecule (solid phase, cooked) |
| **Mol** | Flowing work instance (liquid phase) |
| **Wisp** | Ephemeral execution trace (vapor phase) |
| **Digest** | Condensed permanent record |
| **Polymer** | Large composed proto chain |
| **Epic** | Simple mol shape (flat TODO list) |
### Operators
| Term | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| **Pour** | Instantiate proto as mol (solid → liquid) |
| **Wisp** (verb) | Instantiate proto as wisp (solid → vapor) |
| **Bond** | Combine artifacts (polymorphic, symmetric) |
| **Squash** | Condense to digest |
| **Burn** | Discard wisp without digest |
| **Distill** | Extract proto from experience |
### Agent Mechanics
| Term | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| **Hook** | Agent's attachment point for work |
| **Pin** | Attach mol to agent's hook |
| **Sling** | Cook + assign to agent hook |
---
*The chemistry is the interface. The ledger is the truth. The work gets done.*

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@@ -1,729 +0,0 @@
# Molecule Algebra: A Composition Language for Work (MEOW)
> Status: Design Spec v1 - December 2024
>
> "From 'issues in git' to a work composition algebra in 10 weeks."
## Overview
This document defines **MEOW** - the **M**olecular **E**xpression **O**f **W**ork -
a declarative algebra for composing, transforming, and executing structured work.
The algebra enables mechanical composition of workflows without AI, reserving
cognition for leaf-node execution only.
**Key insight**: Structure is computation. Content is cognition. They're separate.
```
Molecules = Graph Algebra (mechanical, gt executes)
Steps = AI Cognition (agent provides)
```
## The Three Phases: Rig, Cook, Run
Gas Town work flows through three phases:
```
RIG ────→ COOK ────→ RUN
```
| Phase | What Happens | Operator | Output |
|-------|--------------|----------|--------|
| **Rig** | Compose formulas (source level) | extends, compose | Compound Formula |
| **Cook** | Instantiate work | cook, pour, wisp | Proto, Mol, Wisp |
| **Run** | Execute steps | (agent execution) | Work done |
See [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md) for the full specification.
## Formulas and Cooking
**Formulas** are the source code; **rigging** composes them; **cooking**
produces executable artifacts.
### The Artifact Tiers
```
Formula (.formula.yaml) ← Source code
↓ rig (compose) ← Source-level composition
Compound Formula ← Combined source
↓ cook ← Pre-expand, flatten
Proto (frozen in beads) ← Compiled, flat graph
↓ pour/wisp ← Instantiate
Mol/Wisp (running) ← The work flowing
```
| Tier | Name | Format | Nature |
|------|------|--------|--------|
| Source | **Formula** | YAML | Composable via `extends`/`compose` |
| Compiled | **Proto** | Beads issue | Frozen, flat graph, fast instantiation |
| Running | **Mol/Wisp** | Beads issue | Active, flowing work |
### Two Composition Operators
| Operator | Level | Inputs | Output |
|----------|-------|--------|--------|
| **Rig** | Source | Formula + Formula | Compound Formula |
| **Bond** | Artifact | Proto/Mol/Wisp + any | Combined artifact |
**Rig** is source-level composition (formula YAML with `extends`, `compose`).
**Bond** is artifact-level composition (combining cooked protos, linking mols).
See the Bond Table in [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md) for full semantics.
### Why Cook?
Cooking **pre-expands** all composition at "compile time":
- Macros (Rule of Five) expand to flat steps
- Aspects apply to matching pointcuts
- Branches and gates wire up
- Result: pure step graph with no interpretation needed
Instantiation then becomes pure **copy + variable substitution**. Fast, mechanical,
deterministic.
### Formula Format
Formulas are YAML files with `.formula.yaml` extension. YAML for human
readability (humans author these; agents cook them):
```yaml
formula: shiny
description: Engineer in a Box - the canonical right way
version: 1
steps:
- id: design
description: Think carefully about architecture
- id: implement
needs: [design]
- id: review
needs: [implement]
- id: test
needs: [review]
- id: submit
needs: [test]
```
Formulas with composition:
```yaml
formula: shiny-enterprise
extends: shiny
version: 1
compose:
- expand:
target: implement
with: rule-of-five
- aspect:
pointcut: "implement.*"
with: security-audit
- gate:
before: submit
condition: "security-postscan.approved"
```
### CLI
```bash
# Cook a formula into a proto
bd cook shiny-enterprise
# "Cooking shiny-enterprise..."
# "✓ Cooked proto: shiny-enterprise (30 steps)"
# Preview without saving
bd cook shiny-enterprise --dry-run
# List available formulas
bd formula list
# Show formula details
bd formula show rule-of-five
# Instantiate the cooked proto
bd pour shiny-enterprise --var feature="auth"
```
### Formula Storage
```
~/.beads/formulas/ # User formulas
~/gt/.beads/formulas/ # Town formulas
.beads/formulas/ # Project formulas
```
## The Phases of Matter
Work in Gas Town exists in three phases:
| Phase | Name | Storage | Lifecycle | Use Case |
|-------|------|---------|-----------|----------|
| **Solid** | Proto | `.beads/` (template) | Frozen, reusable | Workflow patterns |
| **Liquid** | Mol | `.beads/` | Flowing, persistent | Project work, audit trail |
| **Vapor** | Wisp | `.beads-wisp/` | Ephemeral, evaporates | Execution scaffolding |
### Phase Transitions
```
┌─────────────────┐
│ PROTO │
│ (solid) │
└────────┬────────┘
│
┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
│ │ │
pour wisp bond
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐
│ MOL │ │ WISP │ │ COMPOUND │
│ (liquid) │ │ (vapor) │ │ PROTO │
└───────┬───────┘ └───────┬───────┘ └───────────────┘
│ │
squash squash/burn
│ │
▼ ▼
┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐
│ DIGEST │ │ (evaporates) │
│ (condensed) │ │ or digest │
└───────────────┘ └───────────────┘
```
### Phase Verbs
| Verb | Transition | Effect |
|------|------------|--------|
| `pour` | solid → liquid | Create persistent mol |
| `wisp` | solid → vapor | Create ephemeral wisp |
| `bond` | any + any | Combine (polymorphic) |
| `squash` | liquid/vapor → digest | Condense to record |
| `burn` | vapor → nothing | Discard without record |
## The Mol/Wisp Decision
**"Is this the work, or is this wrapping the work?"**
| Pour when... | Wisp when... |
|---------------------|----------------------|
| This IS the work item | This SHAPES execution |
| Multiple agents coordinate | Single agent executes |
| Stakeholders track progress | Only outcome matters |
| Cross-rig visibility needed | Local execution detail |
| CV/audit trail value | Scaffolding, process |
The `--on` flag implies wisp: `gt sling shiny gastown/Toast --on gt-abc123`
## Graph Primitives
### Steps
A step is a unit of work with:
- `id`: Unique identifier within molecule
- `description`: What to do (consumed by agent)
- `needs`: Dependencies (steps that must complete first)
- `output`: Structured result (available to conditions)
```yaml
- id: implement
description: Write the authentication module
needs: [design]
```
### Edges
Dependencies between steps:
- `needs`: Hard dependency (must complete first)
- `blocks`: Inverse of needs (this step blocks that one)
- `conditional`: Only if condition met
### Molecules
A molecule is a DAG of steps:
```yaml
molecule: shiny
description: Engineer in a Box - the canonical right way
steps:
- id: design
description: Think carefully about architecture
- id: implement
description: Write the code
needs: [design]
- id: review
description: Code review
needs: [implement]
- id: test
description: Run tests
needs: [review]
- id: submit
description: Submit for merge
needs: [test]
```
## Composition Operators
### Sequential Composition
```yaml
# A then B
sequence:
- step-a
- step-b
```
Or implicitly via `needs`:
```yaml
- id: b
needs: [a]
```
### Parallel Composition
Steps without dependencies run in parallel:
```yaml
- id: unit-tests
needs: [implement]
- id: integration-tests
needs: [implement]
- id: review
needs: [unit-tests, integration-tests] # Waits for both
```
### Branching
Add parallel paths that rejoin:
```yaml
compose:
- branch:
from: implement
steps: [perf-test, load-test, chaos-test]
join: review
```
Produces:
```
implement ─┬─ perf-test ──┬─ review
├─ load-test ──┤
└─ chaos-test ─┘
```
### Looping
Fixed iteration:
```yaml
compose:
- loop:
count: 5
body: [refine]
```
Conditional iteration:
```yaml
compose:
- loop:
step: review
until: "review.output.approved == true"
max: 3 # Safety bound
```
### Gates
Wait for condition before proceeding:
```yaml
compose:
- gate:
before: submit
condition: "security-scan.output.passed == true"
```
## Advice Operators (Lisp-style!)
Inspired by Lisp advice and AOP, these operators inject behavior
without modifying the original molecule.
### Before
Insert step before target:
```yaml
compose:
- advice:
target: review
before: security-scan
```
### After
Insert step after target:
```yaml
compose:
- advice:
target: implement
after: run-linter
```
### Around
Wrap target with before/after:
```yaml
compose:
- advice:
target: "*.implement"
around:
before: log-start
after: log-end
```
### Pattern Matching
Target supports glob patterns:
```yaml
# All implement steps in any molecule
target: "*.implement"
# All steps in shiny
target: "shiny.*"
# Specific step
target: "shiny.review"
# All steps (wildcard)
target: "*"
```
## Expansion Operators (Macros!)
Expansion operators transform structure at bond time.
### Simple Expansion
Apply a template to a target step:
```yaml
compose:
- expand:
target: implement
with: rule-of-five
```
The `rule-of-five` template:
```yaml
molecule: rule-of-five
type: expansion
description: Jeffrey's Rule - iterate 4-5 times for convergence
template:
- id: "{target}.draft"
description: "Initial attempt: {target.description}"
- id: "{target}.refine-1"
description: "Refine for correctness"
needs: ["{target}.draft"]
- id: "{target}.refine-2"
description: "Refine for clarity"
needs: ["{target}.refine-1"]
- id: "{target}.refine-3"
description: "Refine for edge cases"
needs: ["{target}.refine-2"]
- id: "{target}.refine-4"
description: "Final polish"
needs: ["{target}.refine-3"]
```
Result: `implement` becomes 5 steps with proper dependency wiring.
### Map Expansion
Apply template to all matching steps:
```yaml
compose:
- map:
select: "shiny.*"
with: rule-of-five
```
All 5 shiny steps get R5 treatment → 25 total steps.
## Aspects (AOP)
Cross-cutting concerns applied to multiple join points:
```yaml
aspect: security-audit
description: Security scanning at implementation boundaries
pointcuts:
- glob("*.implement")
- glob("*.submit")
advice:
around:
before:
- step: security-prescan
args: { target: "{step.id}" }
after:
- step: security-postscan
args: { target: "{step.id}" }
- gate:
condition: "security-postscan.output.approved == true"
```
Apply aspects at bond time:
```bash
bd bond shiny --with-aspect security-audit --with-aspect logging
```
## Selection Operators
For targeting steps in advice/expansion:
| Selector | Matches |
|----------|---------|
| `step("review")` | Specific step by ID |
| `glob("*.implement")` | Pattern match |
| `glob("shiny.*")` | All steps in molecule |
| `filter(status == "open")` | Predicate match |
| `children(step)` | Direct children |
| `descendants(step)` | All descendants |
## Conditions
Conditions are evaluated mechanically (no AI):
```yaml
# Step status
"step.status == 'complete'"
# Step output (structured)
"step.output.approved == true"
"step.output.errors.count == 0"
# Aggregates
"steps.complete >= 3"
"children(step).all(status == 'complete')"
# External checks
"file.exists('go.mod')"
"env.CI == 'true'"
```
Conditions are intentionally limited to keep evaluation decidable.
## Runtime Dynamic Expansion
For discovered work at runtime (Christmas Ornament pattern):
```yaml
step: survey-workers
on-complete:
for-each: output.discovered_workers
bond: polecat-arm
with-vars:
polecat: "{item.name}"
rig: "{item.rig}"
```
The `for-each` evaluates against step output, bonding N instances dynamically.
Still declarative, still mechanical.
## Polymorphic Bond Operator
`bond` combines molecules with context-aware phase behavior:
| Operands | Result |
|----------|--------|
| proto + proto | compound proto (frozen) |
| proto + mol | pour proto, attach |
| proto + wisp | wisp proto, attach |
| mol + mol | link via edges |
| wisp + wisp | link via edges |
| mol + wisp | reference link (cross-phase) |
| expansion + workflow | expanded proto (macro) |
| aspect + molecule | advised molecule |
Phase override flags:
- `--pour`: Force creation as mol
- `--wisp`: Force creation as wisp
## Complete Example: Shiny-Enterprise
```yaml
molecule: shiny-enterprise
extends: shiny
description: Full enterprise engineering workflow
compose:
# Apply Rule of Five to implement step
- expand:
target: implement
with: rule-of-five
# Security aspect on all implementation steps
- aspect:
pointcut: "implement.*"
with: security-audit
# Gate on security approval before submit
- gate:
before: submit
condition: "security-postscan.approved == true"
# Parallel performance testing branch
- branch:
from: implement.refine-4
steps: [perf-test, load-test, chaos-test]
join: review
# Loop review until approved (max 3 attempts)
- loop:
step: review
until: "review.output.approved == true"
max: 3
# Logging on all steps
- advice:
target: "*"
before: log-start
after: log-end
```
gt compiles this to ~30+ steps with proper dependencies.
Agent executes. AI provides cognition for each step.
Structure is pure algebra.
## The Grammar
```
MOLECULE ::= 'molecule:' ID steps compose?
STEPS ::= step+
STEP ::= 'id:' ID 'description:' TEXT needs?
NEEDS ::= 'needs:' '[' ID+ ']'
COMPOSE ::= 'compose:' rule+
RULE ::= advice | insert | branch | loop | gate | expand | aspect
ADVICE ::= 'advice:' target before? after? around?
TARGET ::= 'target:' PATTERN
BEFORE ::= 'before:' STEP_REF
AFTER ::= 'after:' STEP_REF
AROUND ::= 'around:' '{' before? after? '}'
BRANCH ::= 'branch:' from steps join
LOOP ::= 'loop:' (count | until) body max?
GATE ::= 'gate:' before? condition
EXPAND ::= 'expand:' target 'with:' TEMPLATE
MAP ::= 'map:' select 'with:' TEMPLATE
ASPECT ::= 'aspect:' ID pointcuts advice
POINTCUTS ::= 'pointcuts:' selector+
SELECTOR ::= glob | filter | step
CONDITION ::= field OP value | aggregate OP value | external
FIELD ::= step '.' attr | 'output' '.' path
AGGREGATE ::= 'children' | 'descendants' | 'steps' '.' stat
EXTERNAL ::= 'file.exists' | 'env.' key
```
## Decidability
The algebra is intentionally restricted:
- Loops have max iteration bounds
- Conditions limited to step/output inspection
- No recursion in expansion templates
- No arbitrary code execution
This keeps evaluation decidable and safe for mechanical execution.
## Safety Constraints
The cooker enforces these constraints to prevent runaway expansion:
### Cycle Detection
Circular `extends` chains are detected and rejected:
```
A extends B extends C extends A → ERROR: cycle detected
```
### Aspect Self-Matching Prevention
Aspects only match *original* steps, not steps inserted by the same aspect.
Without this, a pointcut like `*.implement` that inserts `security-prescan`
could match its own insertion infinitely.
### Maximum Expansion Depth
Nested expansions are bounded (default: 5 levels). This allows massive work
generation while preventing runaway recursion. Configurable via:
```yaml
cooking:
max_expansion_depth: 5
```
### Graceful Degradation
Cooking errors produce warnings, not failures where possible. Philosophy:
get it working as well as possible, warn the human, continue. Invalid steps
may be annotated with error metadata rather than blocking the entire cook.
Errors are written to the Gas Town escalation channel for human review.
## What This Enables
1. **Composition without AI**: gt compiles molecule algebra mechanically
2. **Marketplace of primitives**: Aspects, wrappers, expansions as tradeable units
3. **Deterministic expansion**: Same input → same graph, always
4. **AI for content only**: Agents execute steps, don't construct structure
5. **Inspection/debugging**: See full expanded graph before execution
6. **Optimization**: gt can parallelize, dedupe, optimize the graph
7. **Roles/Companies in a box**: Compose arbitrary organizational workflows
## The Vision
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MOL MALL (Marketplace) │
│ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │
│ │ Shiny │ │ Rule of │ │ Security │ │
│ │ Formula │ │ Five │ │ Aspect │ │
│ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └───────────┘ │
│ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │
│ │Planning │ │ Release │ │ Company │ │
│ │ Formula │ │ Formula │ │ Onboard │ │
│ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └───────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼ compose
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ YOUR ORGANIZATION FORMULA │
│ │
│ Planning + Shiny + R5 + Security + │
│ Release + Onboarding = Company in Box │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼ cook
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PURE PROTO │
│ Pre-expanded, flat graph │
│ No macros, no aspects, just steps │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼ pour/wisp
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ GAS TOWN │
│ Polecats execute. Wisps evaporate. │
│ Mols persist. Digests accumulate. │
│ Work gets done. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
From issues in git → work composition algebra → companies in a box.
---
*Structure is computation. Content is cognition. The work gets done.*

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# Molecules: Composable Workflow Templates
This document covers the molecule system in depth.
For an overview, see [architecture.md](architecture.md#molecules-composable-workflow-templates).
For the full lifecycle (Rig → Cook → Run), see [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md).
## Core Concepts
A **molecule** is a workflow template stored as a beads issue with `labels: ["template"]`.
When bonded, it creates child issues forming a DAG of steps.
```
Proto (template)
│
▼ bd mol bond
┌─────────────────┐
│ Mol (durable) │ ← .beads/ (synced, auditable)
│ or │
│ Wisp (ephemeral)│ ← .beads-wisp/ (gitignored)
└────────┬────────┘
│
┌─────┴─────┐
▼ ▼
bd mol burn bd mol squash
(no record) (creates digest)
```
| Concept | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Proto | Template molecule (is_template: true in beads) |
| Mol | Durable instance in .beads/ |
| Wisp | Ephemeral instance in .beads-wisp/ |
| Digest | Condensed completion record |
| Bond | Instantiate proto → mol/wisp |
## Molecule Storage
Molecules are standard beads issues stored in `molecules.jsonl`:
```json
{
"id": "mol-shiny",
"title": "Shiny: {{feature_name}}",
"description": "Full workflow from design to merge.\n\nVars:\n- {{feature_name}} - What to build",
"labels": ["template"],
"issue_type": "epic"
}
```
**Loaded from multiple sources** (later overrides earlier):
1. Built-in (embedded in bd binary)
2. Town-level: `~/gt/.beads/molecules.jsonl`
3. User-level: `~/.beads/molecules.jsonl`
4. Project-level: `.beads/molecules.jsonl`
## Variable Substitution
Molecules support `{{var}}` placeholders resolved at bond time:
```bash
bd mol bond mol-shiny --var feature_name="user auth"
# Creates: "Shiny: user auth"
```
Variables work in:
- Title
- Description
- Child step titles/descriptions
## Steps as Children
Steps are hierarchical children of the molecule:
```
mol-shiny (epic)
├── mol-shiny.1 "Design"
├── mol-shiny.2 "Implement" Needs: .1
├── mol-shiny.3 "Review" Needs: .2
├── mol-shiny.4 "Test" Needs: .3
└── mol-shiny.5 "Submit" Needs: .4
```
Dependencies are encoded in beads edges, not in step descriptions.
## Molecule CLI Reference
### bd mol bond
Instantiate a proto molecule into a runnable mol or wisp.
```bash
bd mol bond <proto-id> [--wisp] [--var key=value...]
```
| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `--wisp` | Create ephemeral wisp instead of durable mol |
| `--var` | Variable substitution (repeatable) |
| `--ref` | Custom reference ID for the instance |
**Examples:**
```bash
# Durable mol
bd mol bond mol-shiny --var feature_name="auth"
# Ephemeral wisp for patrol
bd mol bond mol-witness-patrol --wisp
# Dynamic child with custom ref (Christmas Ornament pattern)
bd mol bond mol-polecat-arm $PATROL_ID --ref arm-ace --var polecat=ace
```
### bd mol squash
Complete a molecule and generate a permanent digest.
```bash
bd mol squash <mol-id> --summary='...'
```
The summary is agent-generated - the intelligence comes from the agent, not beads.
**For Mol**: Creates digest in .beads/, original steps remain.
**For Wisp**: Evaporates wisp, creates digest. Execution trace gone, outcome preserved.
### bd mol burn
Abandon a molecule without record.
```bash
bd mol burn <mol-id> [--reason='...']
```
Use burn for:
- Routine patrol cycles (no audit needed)
- Failed experiments
- Cancelled work
Use squash for:
- Completed work
- Investigations with findings
- Anything worth recording
### bd mol list
List available molecules:
```bash
bd mol list # All templates
bd mol list --label plugin # Plugin molecules only
```
## Plugins ARE Molecules
Patrol plugins are molecules with specific labels:
```json
{
"id": "mol-security-scan",
"title": "Security scan for {{polecat_name}}",
"description": "Check for vulnerabilities.\n\nVars: {{polecat_name}}, {{captured_output}}",
"labels": ["template", "plugin", "witness", "tier:haiku"],
"issue_type": "task"
}
```
Label conventions:
- `plugin` - marks as bondable at hook points
- `witness` / `deacon` / `refinery` - which patrol uses it
- `tier:haiku` / `tier:sonnet` - model hint
**Execution in patrol:**
```bash
# plugin-run step bonds registered plugins:
bd mol bond mol-security-scan $PATROL_WISP \
--ref security-{{polecat_name}} \
--var polecat_name=ace \
--var captured_output="$OUTPUT"
```
## The Christmas Ornament Pattern
Dynamic bonding creates tree structures at runtime:
```
★ mol-witness-patrol
/|\
┌─────┘ │ └─────┐
PREFLIGHT │ CLEANUP
│ │ │
┌───┴───┐ │ ┌───┴───┐
│inbox │ │ │aggreg │
│load │ │ │summary│
└───────┘ │ └───────┘
│
┌─────────┼─────────┐
│ │ │
● ● ● mol-polecat-arm (dynamic)
ace nux toast
│ │ │
┌──┴──┐ ┌──┴──┐ ┌──┴──┐
│steps│ │steps│ │steps│
└──┬──┘ └──┬──┘ └──┬──┘
│ │ │
└─────────┴─────────┘
│
⬣ base
```
**Key primitives:**
- `bd mol bond ... --ref` - creates named children
- `WaitsFor: all-children` - fanout gate
- Arms execute in parallel
## Mol Mall
Distribution through molecule marketplace:
```bash
# Install from registry
bd mol install mol-security-scan
# Updates ~/.beads/molecules.jsonl
```
Mol Mall serves `molecules.jsonl` fragments. Installation appends to your catalog.
## Code Review Molecule
The code-review molecule is a pluggable workflow:
```
mol-code-review
├── discovery (parallel)
│ ├── file-census
│ ├── dep-graph
│ └── coverage-map
│
├── structural (sequential)
│ ├── architecture-review
│ └── abstraction-analysis
│
├── tactical (parallel per component)
│ ├── security-scan
│ ├── performance-review
│ └── complexity-analysis
│
└── synthesis (single)
└── aggregate
```
Each dimension is a molecule that can be:
- Swapped for alternatives from Mol Mall
- Customized by forking and installing your version
- Disabled by not bonding it
**Usage:**
```bash
bd mol bond mol-code-review --var scope="src/"
```
## Lifecycle Summary
Gas Town work follows the **Rig → Cook → Run** lifecycle:
```
RIG (source) COOK (artifact) RUN (execution)
┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ Formula │──────►│ Proto │──────►│ Mol/Wisp │
│ (.yaml) │ cook │ (cooked/frozen)│ pour/ │ (flowing) │
│ │ │ │ wisp │ │
└─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ └────────┬────────┘
│
┌────┴────┐
▼ ▼
burn squash
│ │
▼ ▼
(gone) Digest
(permanent)
```
**Full lifecycle:**
- **Formula** (.formula.toml or .formula.json) = Recipe (source code for workflows)
- **Proto** = Fuel (cooked template, ready to instantiate)
- **Mol/Wisp** = Steam (active execution)
- **Digest** = Distillate (crystallized work)
See [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md) for the complete specification.
## Formula File Formats
Formulas support both TOML (preferred) and JSON formats:
```bash
# List available formulas
bd formula list
# Show formula details
bd formula show shiny
# Convert JSON to TOML (better for human editing)
bd formula convert shiny # Single formula
bd formula convert --all # All formulas
bd formula convert shiny --stdout # Preview
```
**Why TOML?**
- Multi-line strings without `\n` escaping
- Comments allowed
- Human-readable diffs
- Same parsing semantics as JSON
The loader tries `.formula.toml` first, falling back to `.formula.json`.
### Example Formula (TOML)
```toml
formula = "shiny"
type = "workflow"
version = 1
description = """
Engineer in a Box - design before code, review before ship.
"""
[vars.feature]
description = "The feature being implemented"
required = true
[[steps]]
id = "design"
title = "Design {{feature}}"
description = """
Think carefully about architecture before writing code.
Consider edge cases and simpler approaches.
"""
[[steps]]
id = "implement"
title = "Implement {{feature}}"
needs = ["design"]
```

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# No-Tmux Mode
Gas Town can operate without tmux or the daemon, using beads as the universal data plane for passing args and context.
## Background
Tmux instability can crash workers. The daemon relies on tmux for:
- Session management (creating/killing panes)
- Nudging agents via SendKeys
- Crash detection via pane-died hooks
When tmux is unstable, the entire operation fails. No-tmux mode enables continued operation in degraded mode.
## Key Insight: Beads Replace SendKeys
In normal mode, `--args` are injected via tmux SendKeys. In no-tmux mode:
- Args are stored in the pinned bead description (`attached_args` field)
- `gt prime` reads and displays args from the pinned bead
- No prompt injection needed - agents discover everything via `bd show`
## Usage
### Slinging Work with Args
```bash
# Normal mode: args injected via tmux + stored in bead
gt sling gt-abc --args "patch release"
# In no-tmux mode: nudge fails gracefully, but args are in the bead
# Agent discovers args via gt prime when it starts
```
### Spawning without Tmux
```bash
# Use --naked to skip tmux session creation
gt sling gt-abc gastown --naked
# Output tells you how to start the agent manually:
# cd ~/gt/gastown/polecats/<name>
# claude
```
### Agent Discovery
When an agent starts (manually or via IDE), the SessionStart hook runs `gt prime`, which:
1. Detects the agent's role from cwd
2. Finds pinned work
3. Displays attached args prominently
4. Shows current molecule step
The agent sees:
```
## ATTACHED WORK DETECTED
Pinned bead: gt-abc
Attached molecule: gt-xyz
Attached at: 2025-12-26T12:00:00Z
ARGS (use these to guide execution):
patch release
**Progress:** 0/5 steps complete
```
## What Works vs What's Degraded
### What Still Works
| Feature | How It Works |
|---------|--------------|
| Propulsion via pinned beads | Agents pick up work on startup |
| Self-handoff | Agents can cycle themselves |
| Patrol loops | Deacon, Witness, Refinery keep running |
| Mail system | Beads-based, no tmux needed |
| Args passing | Stored in bead description |
| Work discovery | `gt prime` reads from bead |
### What Is Degraded
| Limitation | Impact |
|------------|--------|
| No interrupts | Cannot nudge busy agents mid-task |
| Polling only | Agents must actively check inbox (no push) |
| Await steps block | "Wait for human" steps require manual agent restart |
| No crash detection | pane-died hooks unavailable |
| Manual startup | Human must start each agent in separate terminal |
### Workflow Implications
- **Patrol agents** work fine (they poll as part of their loop)
- **Task workers** need restart to pick up new work
- Cannot redirect a busy worker to urgent task
- Human must monitor and restart crashed agents
## Commands Summary
| Command | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `gt sling <bead> --args "..."` | Store args in bead, nudge gracefully |
| `gt sling <bead> <rig> --naked` | Assign work without tmux session |
| `gt prime` | Display attached work + args on startup |
| `gt mol status` | Show current work status including args |
| `bd show <bead>` | View raw bead with attached_args field |
## Implementation Details
Args are stored in the bead description as a `key: value` field:
```
attached_molecule: gt-xyz
attached_at: 2025-12-26T12:00:00Z
attached_args: patch release
```
The `beads.AttachmentFields` struct includes:
- `AttachedMolecule` - the work molecule ID
- `AttachedAt` - timestamp when attached
- `AttachedArgs` - natural language instructions
These are parsed by `beads.ParseAttachmentFields()` and formatted by `beads.FormatAttachmentFields()`.

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# Pinned Beads Architecture
> **Status**: Design Draft
> **Author**: max (crew)
> **Date**: 2025-12-23
## Overview
Every Gas Town agent has a **pinned bead** - a persistent hook that serves as their
work attachment point. This document formalizes the semantics, discovery mechanism,
and lifecycle of pinned beads across all agent roles.
## The Pinned Bead Concept
A pinned bead is:
- A bead with `status: pinned` (never closes)
- Titled `"{role} Handoff"` (e.g., "Toast Handoff" for polecat Toast)
- Contains attachment fields in its description when work is slung
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Pinned Bead: "Toast Handoff" │
│ Status: pinned │
│ Description: │
│ attached_molecule: gt-xyz │
│ attached_at: 2025-12-23T15:30:45Z │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼ (points to)
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Molecule: gt-xyz │
│ Title: "Implement feature X" │
│ Type: epic (molecule root) │
│ Children: gt-abc, gt-def, gt-ghi (steps) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
## Role-by-Role Pinned Bead Semantics
### 1. Polecat
| Aspect | Value |
|--------|-------|
| **Title Pattern** | `{name} Handoff` (e.g., "Toast Handoff") |
| **Beads Location** | Rig-level (`.beads/` in rig root) |
| **Prefix** | `gt-*` |
| **Created By** | `gt sling` on first assignment |
| **Typical Content** | Molecule for feature/bugfix work |
| **Lifecycle** | Created → Work attached → Work detached → Dormant |
**Discovery**:
```bash
gt mol status # Shows what's on your hook
bd list --status=pinned # Low-level: finds pinned beads
```
**Protocol**:
1. On startup, check `gt mol status`
2. If work attached → Execute molecule steps
3. If no work → Check mail inbox for new assignments
4. On completion → Work auto-detached, check again
### 2. Crew
| Aspect | Value |
|--------|-------|
| **Title Pattern** | `{name} Handoff` (e.g., "joe Handoff") |
| **Beads Location** | Clone-level (`.beads/` in crew member's clone) |
| **Prefix** | `gt-*` |
| **Created By** | `gt sling` or manual pinned bead creation |
| **Typical Content** | Longer-lived work, multi-session tasks |
| **Lifecycle** | Persistent across sessions, human-managed |
**Key difference from Polecat**:
- No witness monitoring
- Human decides when to detach work
- Work persists until explicitly completed
**Discovery**: Same as polecat (`gt mol status`)
### 3. Witness
| Aspect | Value |
|--------|-------|
| **Title Pattern** | `Witness Handoff` |
| **Beads Location** | Rig-level |
| **Prefix** | `gt-*` |
| **Created By** | Deacon or Mayor sling |
| **Typical Content** | Patrol wisp (ephemeral) |
| **Lifecycle** | Wisp attached → Patrol executes → Wisp squashed → New wisp |
**Protocol**:
1. On startup, check `gt mol status`
2. If wisp attached → Execute patrol cycle
3. Squash wisp on completion (creates digest)
4. Loop or await new sling
### 4. Refinery
| Aspect | Value |
|--------|-------|
| **Title Pattern** | `Refinery Handoff` |
| **Beads Location** | Rig-level |
| **Prefix** | `gt-*` |
| **Created By** | Witness or Mayor sling |
| **Typical Content** | Epic with batch of issues |
| **Lifecycle** | Epic attached → Dispatch to polecats → Monitor → Epic completed |
**Protocol**:
1. Check `gt mol status` for attached epic
2. Dispatch issues to polecats via `gt sling issue polecat/name`
3. Monitor polecat progress
4. Report completion when all issues closed
### 5. Deacon
| Aspect | Value |
|--------|-------|
| **Title Pattern** | `Deacon Handoff` |
| **Beads Location** | Town-level (`~/gt/.beads/`) |
| **Prefix** | `hq-*` |
| **Created By** | Mayor sling or self-loop |
| **Typical Content** | Patrol wisp (always ephemeral) |
| **Lifecycle** | Wisp → Execute → Squash → Loop |
**Protocol**:
1. Check `gt mol status`
2. Execute patrol wisp steps
3. Squash wisp to digest
4. Self-sling new patrol wisp and loop
### 6. Mayor
| Aspect | Value |
|--------|-------|
| **Title Pattern** | `Mayor Handoff` |
| **Beads Location** | Town-level (`~/gt/.beads/`) |
| **Prefix** | `hq-*` |
| **Created By** | External sling or self-assignment |
| **Typical Content** | Strategic work, cross-rig coordination |
| **Lifecycle** | Human-managed like Crew |
**Key difference**: Mayor is human-controlled (like Crew), but operates at
town level with visibility into all rigs.
## Summary Table
| Role | Title Pattern | Beads Level | Prefix | Ephemeral? | Managed By |
|------|---------------|-------------|--------|------------|------------|
| Polecat | `{name} Handoff` | Rig | `gt-` | No | Witness |
| Crew | `{name} Handoff` | Clone | `gt-` | No | Human |
| Witness | `Witness Handoff` | Rig | `gt-` | Yes (wisp) | Deacon |
| Refinery | `Refinery Handoff` | Rig | `gt-` | No | Witness |
| Deacon | `Deacon Handoff` | Town | `hq-` | Yes (wisp) | Self/Mayor |
| Mayor | `Mayor Handoff` | Town | `hq-` | No | Human |
---
## Discovery Mechanism
### How Does a Worker Find Its Pinned Bead?
Workers find their pinned bead through a **title-based lookup**:
```go
// In beads.go
func (b *Beads) FindHandoffBead(role string) (*Issue, error) {
issues := b.List(ListOptions{Status: StatusPinned})
targetTitle := HandoffBeadTitle(role) // "{role} Handoff"
for _, issue := range issues {
if issue.Title == targetTitle {
return issue, nil
}
}
return nil, nil // Not found
}
```
**CLI path**:
```bash
gt mol status [target]
```
This:
1. Determines the agent's role/identity from `[target]` or environment
2. Calls `FindHandoffBead(role)` to find the pinned bead
3. Parses `AttachmentFields` from the description
4. Shows attached molecule and progress
### Current Limitation: Role Naming
The current implementation uses simple role names:
- Polecat: Uses polecat name (e.g., "Toast")
- Others: Use role name (e.g., "Witness", "Refinery")
**Problem**: If there are multiple polecats, each needs a unique handoff bead.
**Solution (current)**: The role passed to `FindHandoffBead` is the polecat's
name, not "polecat". So "Toast Handoff" is different from "Alpha Handoff".
---
## Dashboard Visibility
### How Do Users See Pinned Beads?
**Current state**: Limited visibility
**Proposed commands**:
```bash
# Show all hooks across a rig
gt hooks [rig]
# Output:
# 📌 Hooks in gastown:
#
# Polecat/Toast: gt-xyz (feature: Add login)
# Polecat/Alpha: (empty)
# Witness: wisp-abc (patrol cycle)
# Refinery: gt-epic-123 (batch: Q4 features)
# Crew/joe: gt-789 (long: Refactor auth)
# Crew/max: (empty)
# Show hook for specific agent
gt mol status polecat/Toast
gt mol status witness/
gt mol status crew/joe
```
### Dashboard Data Structure
```go
type HookStatus struct {
Agent string // Full address (gastown/polecat/Toast)
Role string // polecat, witness, refinery, crew, deacon, mayor
HasWork bool // Is something attached?
AttachedID string // Molecule/issue ID
AttachedTitle string // Human-readable title
AttachedAt time.Time // When attached
IsWisp bool // Ephemeral?
Progress *Progress // Completion percentage
}
type RigHooks struct {
Rig string
Polecats []HookStatus
Crew []HookStatus
Witness HookStatus
Refinery HookStatus
}
type TownHooks struct {
Deacon HookStatus
Mayor HookStatus
Rigs []RigHooks
}
```
### Proposed: `gt dashboard`
A unified view of all hooks and work status:
```
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Gas Town Dashboard ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Town: /Users/stevey/gt ║
║ ║
║ 🎩 Mayor: (empty) ║
║ ⛪ Deacon: wisp-patrol (running patrol cycle) ║
║ ║
║ 📦 Rig: gastown ║
║ 👁 Witness: wisp-watch (monitoring 2 polecats) ║
║ 🏭 Refinery: gt-epic-45 (3/8 issues merged) ║
║ 🐱 Polecats: ║
║ Toast: gt-xyz [████████░░] 75% (Implement feature) ║
║ Alpha: (empty) ║
║ 👷 Crew: ║
║ joe: gt-789 [██░░░░░░░░] 20% (Refactor auth) ║
║ max: (empty) ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
```
---
## Multiple Pins Semantics
### Question: What if a worker has multiple pinned beads?
**Current behavior**: Only first pinned bead with matching title is used.
**Design decision**: **One hook per agent** (enforced)
Rationale:
- The Propulsion Principle says "if you find something on your hook, run it"
- Multiple hooks would require decision-making about which to run
- Decision-making violates propulsion
- Work queuing belongs in mail or at dispatcher level (Witness/Refinery)
### Enforcement
```go
func (b *Beads) GetOrCreateHandoffBead(role string) (*Issue, error) {
existing, err := b.FindHandoffBead(role)
if existing != nil {
return existing, nil // Always return THE ONE handoff bead
}
// Create if not found...
}
```
**If somehow multiple exist** (data corruption):
- `gt doctor` should flag as error
- `FindHandoffBead` returns first match (deterministic by ID sort)
- Manual cleanup required
### Hook Collision on Sling
When slinging to an occupied hook:
```bash
$ gt sling feature polecat/Toast
Error: polecat/Toast hook already occupied with gt-xyz
Use --force to replace, or wait for current work to complete.
$ gt sling feature polecat/Toast --force
⚠️ Detaching gt-xyz from polecat/Toast
📌 Attached gt-abc to polecat/Toast
```
**`--force` semantics**:
1. Detach current work (leaves it orphaned in beads)
2. Attach new work
3. Log the replacement for audit
---
## Mail Attachments vs Pinned Attachments
### Question: What about mails with attached work that aren't pinned?
**Scenario**: Agent receives mail with `attached_molecule: gt-xyz` in body,
but the mail itself is not pinned, and their hook is empty.
### Current Protocol
```
1. Check hook (gt mol status)
→ If work on hook → Run it
2. Check mail inbox
→ If mail has attached work → Mail is the sling delivery mechanism
→ The attached work gets pinned to hook automatically
3. No work anywhere → Idle/await
```
### Design Decision: Mail Is Delivery, Hook Is Authority
**Mail with attachment** = "Here's work for you"
**Hook with attachment** = "This is your current work"
The sling operation does both:
1. Creates mail notification (optional, for context)
2. Attaches to hook (authoritative)
**But what if only mail exists?** (manual mail, broken sling):
| Situation | Expected Behavior |
|-----------|-------------------|
| Hook has work, mail has work | Hook wins. Mail is informational. |
| Hook empty, mail has work | Agent should self-pin from mail. |
| Hook has work, mail empty | Work continues from hook. |
| Both empty | Idle. |
### Protocol for Manual Work Assignment
If someone sends mail with attached work but doesn't sling:
```markdown
## Agent Startup Protocol (Extended)
1. Check hook: `gt mol status`
- Found work? **Run it.**
2. Hook empty? Check mail: `gt mail inbox`
- Found mail with `attached_molecule`?
- Self-pin it: `gt mol attach <your-hook> <molecule-id>`
- Then run it.
3. Nothing? Idle.
```
### Self-Pin Command
```bash
# Agent self-pins work from mail
gt mol attach-from-mail <mail-id>
# This:
# 1. Reads mail body for attached_molecule field
# 2. Attaches molecule to agent's hook
# 3. Marks mail as read
# 4. Returns control for execution
```
---
## `gt doctor` Checks
### Current State
`gt doctor` doesn't check pinned beads at all.
### Proposed Checks
```go
// DoctorCheck definitions for pinned beads
var pinnedBeadChecks = []DoctorCheck{
{
Name: "hook-singleton",
Description: "Each agent has at most one handoff bead",
Check: checkHookSingleton,
},
{
Name: "hook-attachment-valid",
Description: "Attached molecules exist and are not closed",
Check: checkHookAttachmentValid,
},
{
Name: "orphaned-attachments",
Description: "No molecules attached to non-existent hooks",
Check: checkOrphanedAttachments,
},
{
Name: "stale-attachments",
Description: "Attached molecules not stale (>24h without progress)",
Check: checkStaleAttachments,
},
{
Name: "hook-agent-mismatch",
Description: "Hook titles match existing agents",
Check: checkHookAgentMismatch,
},
}
```
### Check Details
#### 1. hook-singleton
```
✗ Multiple handoff beads for polecat/Toast:
- gt-abc: "Toast Handoff" (created 2025-12-01)
- gt-xyz: "Toast Handoff" (created 2025-12-15)
Fix: Delete duplicate(s) with `bd close gt-xyz --reason="duplicate hook"`
```
#### 2. hook-attachment-valid
```
✗ Hook attachment points to missing molecule:
Hook: gt-abc (Toast Handoff)
Attached: gt-xyz (not found)
Fix: Clear attachment with `gt mol detach polecat/Toast`
```
#### 3. orphaned-attachments
```
⚠ Molecule attached but agent doesn't exist:
Molecule: gt-xyz (attached to "Defunct Handoff")
Agent: polecat/Defunct (not found)
Fix: Re-sling to active agent or close molecule
```
#### 4. stale-attachments
```
⚠ Stale work on hook (48h without progress):
Hook: polecat/Toast
Molecule: gt-xyz (attached 2025-12-21T10:00:00Z)
Last activity: 2025-12-21T14:30:00Z
Suggestion: Check polecat status, consider nudge or reassignment
```
#### 5. hook-agent-mismatch
```
⚠ Handoff bead for non-existent agent:
Hook: "OldPolecat Handoff" (gt-abc)
Agent: polecat/OldPolecat (no worktree found)
Fix: Close orphaned hook or recreate agent
```
### Implementation
```go
func (d *Doctor) checkPinnedBeads() []DoctorResult {
results := []DoctorResult{}
// Get all pinned beads
pinned, _ := d.beads.List(ListOptions{Status: StatusPinned})
// Group by title suffix (role)
byRole := groupByRole(pinned)
// Check singleton
for role, beads := range byRole {
if len(beads) > 1 {
results = append(results, DoctorResult{
Check: "hook-singleton",
Status: "error",
Message: fmt.Sprintf("Multiple hooks for %s", role),
Details: beads,
})
}
}
// Check attachment validity
for _, bead := range pinned {
fields := ParseAttachmentFields(bead)
if fields != nil && fields.AttachedMolecule != "" {
mol, err := d.beads.Show(fields.AttachedMolecule)
if err != nil || mol == nil {
results = append(results, DoctorResult{
Check: "hook-attachment-valid",
Status: "error",
Message: "Attached molecule not found",
// ...
})
}
}
}
// ... other checks
return results
}
```
---
## Terminology Decisions
Based on this analysis, proposed standard terminology:
| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Hook** | The pinned bead where work attaches (the attachment point) |
| **Pinned Bead** | A bead with `status: pinned` (never closes) |
| **Handoff Bead** | The specific pinned bead titled "{role} Handoff" |
| **Attachment** | The molecule/issue currently on a hook |
| **Sling** | The act of putting work on an agent's hook |
| **Lead Bead** | The root bead of an attached molecule (synonym: molecule root) |
**Recommendation**: Use "hook" in user-facing commands and docs, "handoff bead"
in implementation details.
---
## Open Questions
### 1. Should mail notifications include hook status?
```
📬 New work assigned!
From: witness/
Subject: Feature work assigned
Work: gt-xyz (Implement login)
Molecule: feature (4 steps)
🪝 Hooked to: polecat/Toast
Status: Attached and ready
Run `gt mol status` to see details.
```
**Recommendation**: Yes. Mail should confirm hook attachment succeeded.
### 2. Should agents be able to self-detach?
```bash
# Polecat decides work is blocked and gives up
gt mol detach
```
**Recommendation**: Yes, but with audit trail. Detachment without completion
should be logged and possibly notify Witness.
### 3. Multiple rigs with same agent names?
```
gastown/polecat/Toast
otherrig/polecat/Toast
```
**Current**: Each rig has separate beads, so no collision.
**Future**: If cross-rig visibility needed, full addresses required.
### 4. Hook persistence during agent recreation?
When a polecat is killed and recreated:
- Hook bead persists (it's in rig beads, not agent's worktree)
- Old attachment may be stale
- New sling should `--force` or detach first
**Recommendation**: `gt polecat recreate` should clear hook.
---
## Implementation Roadmap
### Phase 1: Doctor Checks (immediate)
- [ ] Add `hook-singleton` check
- [ ] Add `hook-attachment-valid` check
- [ ] Add to default doctor run
### Phase 2: Dashboard Visibility
- [ ] Implement `gt hooks` command
- [ ] Add hook status to `gt status` output
- [ ] Consider `gt dashboard` for full view
### Phase 3: Protocol Enforcement
- [ ] Add self-pin from mail (`gt mol attach-from-mail`)
- [ ] Audit trail for detach operations
- [ ] Witness notification on abnormal detach
### Phase 4: Documentation
- [ ] Update role prompt templates with hook protocol
- [ ] Add troubleshooting guide for hook issues
- [ ] Document recovery procedures
---
## Summary
The pinned bead architecture provides:
1. **Universal hook per agent** - Every agent has exactly one handoff bead
2. **Title-based discovery** - `{role} Handoff` naming convention
3. **Attachment fields** - `attached_molecule` and `attached_at` in description
4. **Propulsion compliance** - One hook = no decision paralysis
5. **Mail as delivery** - Sling sends notification, attaches to hook
6. **Doctor validation** - Checks for singleton, validity, staleness
The key insight is that **hooks are authority, mail is notification**. If
they conflict, the hook wins. This maintains the Propulsion Principle:
"If you find something on your hook, YOU RUN IT."

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# Polecat Lifecycle
> Polecats restart after each molecule step. This is intentional.
## Execution Model
| Phase | What Happens |
|-------|--------------|
| **Spawn** | Worktree created, session started, molecule slung to hook |
| **Step** | Polecat reads hook, executes ONE step, runs `gt mol step done` |
| **Restart** | Session respawns with fresh context, next step on hook |
| **Complete** | Last step done → POLECAT_DONE mail → cleanup wisp created |
| **Cleanup** | Witness verifies git clean, kills session, burns wisp |
```
spawn → step → restart → step → restart → ... → complete → cleanup
└──────────────────────────────────────┘
(fresh session each step)
```
## Why Restart Every Step?
| Reason | Explanation |
|--------|-------------|
| **Atomicity** | Each step completes fully or not at all |
| **No wandering** | Polecat can't half-finish and get distracted |
| **Context fresh** | No accumulation of stale context across steps |
| **Crash recovery** | Restart = re-read hook = continue from last completed step |
**Trade-off**: Session restart overhead. Worth it for reliability at current cognition levels.
## Step Packing (Author Responsibility)
Formula authors must size steps appropriately:
| Too Small | Too Large |
|-----------|-----------|
| Restart overhead dominates | Context exhaustion mid-step |
| Thrashing | Partial completion, unreliable |
**Rule of thumb**: A step should use 30-70% of available context. Batch related micro-tasks.
## The `gt mol step done` Command
Canonical way to complete a step:
```bash
gt mol step done <step-id>
```
1. Closes the step in beads
2. Finds next ready step (dependency-aware)
3. Updates hook to next step
4. Respawns pane with fresh session
**Never use `bd close` directly** - it skips the restart logic.
## Cleanup: The Finalizer Pattern
When polecat signals completion:
```
POLECAT_DONE mail → Witness creates cleanup wisp → Witness processes wisp → Burn
```
The wisp's existence IS the pending cleanup. No explicit queue.
| Cleanup Step | Verification |
|--------------|--------------|
| Git status | Must be clean |
| Unpushed commits | None allowed |
| Issue state | Closed or deferred |
| Productive work | Commits reference issue (ZFC - Witness judges) |
Failed cleanup? Leave wisp, retry next cycle.
---
## Evolution Path
Current design will evolve as model cognition improves:
| Phase | Refresh Trigger | Who Decides | Witness Load |
|-------|-----------------|-------------|--------------|
| **Now** | Step boundary | Formula (fixed) | High |
| **Spoon-feeding** | Context % + task size | Witness | Medium |
| **Self-managed** | Self-awareness | Polecat | Low |
### Now (Step-Based Restart)
- Restart every step, guaranteed
- Conservative, reliable
- `gt mol step done` handles everything
### Spoon-feeding (Future)
Requires: Claude Code exposes context usage
```
Polecat completes step
→ Witness checks: 65% context used
→ Next task estimate: 10% context
→ Decision: "send another" or "recycle"
```
Witness becomes supervisor, not babysitter.
### Self-Managed (Future)
Requires: Model cognition threshold + Gas Town patterns in training
```
Polecat completes step
→ Self-assesses: "I'm at 80%, should recycle"
→ Runs gt handoff, respawns
```
Polecats become autonomous. Witness becomes auditor.
---
## Key Commands
| Command | Effect |
|---------|--------|
| `gt mol step done <step>` | Complete step, restart for next |
| `gt mol status` | Show what's on hook |
| `gt mol progress <mol>` | Show molecule completion state |
| `gt done` | Signal POLECAT_DONE to Witness |
| `gt handoff` | Write notes, respawn (manual refresh) |

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# Polecat Wisp Architecture: Proto → Wisp → Mol
> Issue: gt-9g82
## Executive Summary
This document proposes a three-layer architecture for agent work: **Proto → Wisp → Mol**.
The key insight is that agents should run session wisps that wrap their assigned work.
This creates a unified "engineer in a box" pattern that handles onboarding, execution,
and cleanup within a single ephemeral container.
---
## 1. The Three-Layer Model
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROTO LAYER │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ polecat.md / crew.md (Template/Instructions) │ │
│ │ - Role identity and context │ │
│ │ - How to be this type of agent │ │
│ │ - Workflow patterns │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ mol-polecat-session / mol-crew-session │ │
│ │ - Onboarding step │ │
│ │ - Execute work step │ │
│ │ - Cleanup/handoff step │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
│ instantiate
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ WISP LAYER │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ wisp-<agent-name>-<timestamp> │ │
│ │ Storage: .beads-wisp/ (ephemeral, gitignored) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Steps: │ │
│ │ 1. orient - Load context, read role template │ │
│ │ 2. handoff - Check for predecessor handoff │ │
│ │ 3. execute - Run the attached work molecule │ │
│ │ 4. cleanup - Sync, handoff to successor, exit │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
│ attachment
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MOL LAYER │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ The Actual Work (Permanent, Auditable) │ │
│ │ Storage: .beads/ (git-tracked) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Could be: │ │
│ │ - mol-shiny (full workflow) │ │
│ │ - mol-quick-fix (fast path) │ │
│ │ - Any custom work molecule │ │
│ │ - Direct issue (no molecule, just task) │ │
│ │ - Long-lived epic spanning many sessions │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
---
## 2. Agent Types and Their Wisps
### 2.1 Comparison: Patrol vs Work Agents
| Aspect | Patrol Wisp (Deacon/Refinery) | Work Wisp (Polecat/Crew) |
|--------|-------------------------------|--------------------------|
| **Lifecycle** | Looping - spawn, execute, burn, repeat | One-shot per session |
| **Inner Work** | Patrol steps (fixed, no attach) | Attached work mol (variable) |
| **Persistence** | Burns between cycles | Burns on session end |
| **Session** | Persists across wisps | Polecat: terminates; Crew: cycles |
| **Audit Trail** | Digests only (summaries) | Work mol is permanent |
### 2.2 Polecat Wisp (Ephemeral Worker)
Polecats are transient workers that:
- Get spawned for specific work
- Self-destruct on completion
- Have no persistent identity
```
Polecat Session Flow:
─────────────────────
spawn → orient → handoff(read) → execute → cleanup → TERMINATE
│
└──▶ [attached work mol]
```
### 2.3 Crew Worker Wisp (Persistent Worker)
Crew workers are long-lived agents that:
- Maintain persistent identity across sessions
- Work on long-lived molecules (epics spanning days/weeks)
- Hand off to successor sessions (themselves)
- **Can work autonomously overnight** if attached mol exists
```
Crew Worker Session Flow:
─────────────────────────
start → orient → handoff(read) → check attachment
│
┌──────────────┴──────────────┐
│ │
ATTACHED NO ATTACHMENT
│ │
▼ ▼
┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐
│ AUTO-CONTINUE │ │ AWAIT INPUT │
│ (no prompt) │ │ (human directs)│
└───────┬───────┘ └───────────────┘
│
▼
execute mol
│
▼
cleanup → handoff(write) → END SESSION
│
▼
(successor picks up)
```
**Key insight**: If there's an attached mol, crew workers continue working
without awaiting input. This enables autonomous overnight work on long molecules.
---
## 3. The Onboard-Execute-Cleanup Pattern
### 3.1 mol-polecat-session
```markdown
## Step: orient
Read polecat.md protocol. Understand:
- Your identity (rig/polecat-name)
- The beads system
- Exit strategies
- Handoff protocols
Load context:
- gt prime
- gt mail inbox
## Step: handoff-read
Check for predecessor handoff mail.
If found, load context from previous session.
## Step: execute
Find attached work:
- gt mol status (shows what's on hook)
- bd show <work-mol-id>
Run the attached work molecule to completion.
Continue until reaching exit-decision step.
## Step: cleanup
1. Sync state: bd sync, git push
2. Close or defer work mol based on exit type
3. Burn this session wisp
4. Request shutdown from Witness
```
### 3.2 mol-crew-session (Light Harness)
```markdown
## Step: orient
Read crew.md protocol. Load context:
- gt prime
- Identify self (crew member name, rig)
## Step: handoff-read
Check inbox for 🤝 HANDOFF messages:
- gt mail inbox
- If found: read and load predecessor context
## Step: check-attachment
Look for pinned work:
- bd list --pinned --assignee=<self> --status=in_progress
- gt mol status
If attachment found:
→ Proceed to execute (no human input needed)
If no attachment:
→ Await user instruction
## Step: execute
Work the attached molecule:
- bd ready --parent=<work-mol-root>
- Continue from last completed step
- Work until context full or natural stopping point
## Step: cleanup
Before session ends:
1. git status / git push
2. bd sync
3. Write handoff mail to self:
gt mail send <self-addr> -s "🤝 HANDOFF: <context>" -m "<details>"
4. Session ends (successor will pick up)
```
---
## 4. Autonomous Overnight Work
### 4.1 The Vision
With session wisps, crew workers can work autonomously:
```
Night 1, Session 1:
Human: "Work on gt-abc (big feature epic)"
Crew: Attaches gt-abc, works 2 hours, context full
Crew: Writes handoff, ends session
Night 1, Session 2 (auto-spawned):
Crew: Reads handoff, finds attached gt-abc
Crew: AUTO-CONTINUES (no human needed)
Crew: Works 2 more hours, context full
Crew: Writes handoff, ends session
... repeat through the night ...
Morning:
Human: Checks progress on gt-abc
Crew: "Completed 15 of 23 subtasks overnight"
```
### 4.2 Requirements for Autonomous Work
1. **Attached mol** - Work must be pinned/attached
2. **Clear exit conditions** - Mol defines when to stop
3. **Session cycling** - Auto-spawn successor sessions
4. **Handoff protocol** - Each session writes handoff for next
### 4.3 Safety Rails
- Work mol defines scope (can't go off-rails)
- Each session is bounded (context limit)
- Handoffs create audit trail
- Human can intervene at any session boundary
---
## 5. Data Structures
### 5.1 Session Wisp
```json
{
"id": "wisp-max-2024-12-22T15:00:00Z",
"type": "wisp",
"title": "Crew Session: max",
"status": "in_progress",
"current_step": "execute",
"agent_type": "crew",
"agent_name": "max",
"attached_mol": "gt-abc123",
"attached_at": "2024-12-22T15:01:00Z"
}
```
### 5.2 Attachment Mechanism
```bash
# Attach a work mol to current session wisp
gt mol attach <pinned-bead-id> <mol-id>
# Check current attachment
gt mol status
# Detach (human override)
gt mol detach <pinned-bead-id>
```
---
## 6. Implementation Phases
### Phase 1: Core Infrastructure (P0)
1. Create `mol-crew-session.formula.json` in `.beads/formulas/`
2. Create `mol-polecat-session.formula.json` in `.beads/formulas/`
3. Add wisp attachment mechanism to beads
4. Update spawn.go for polecat session wisps
### Phase 2: Crew Worker Integration (P0)
1. Update crew startup hook to instantiate session wisp
2. Implement auto-continue logic (if attached → work)
3. Update crew.md template for session wisp model
### Phase 3: Session Cycling (P1)
1. Add session successor spawning
2. Implement context-full detection
3. Auto-handoff on session end
### Phase 4: Monitoring & Safety (P1)
1. Witness monitors session wisps
2. Add emergency stop mechanism
3. Progress reporting between sessions
---
## 7. Open Questions
1. **Session cycling trigger**: Context percentage? Time limit? Both?
2. **Emergency stop**: How does human halt autonomous work?
3. **Progress visibility**: Dashboard for overnight work progress?
4. **Mol attachment UI**: How does human attach/detach work?
---
## 8. Summary
The session wisp architecture enables:
- **Separation of concerns**: How to work (proto) vs What to work on (mol)
- **Session continuity**: Handoffs preserve context across sessions
- **Autonomous work**: Crew workers can work overnight on attached mols
- **Unified pattern**: Same model for polecats and crew workers
- **Audit trail**: Work mol is permanent, session wisps are ephemeral
The key unlock is: **if there's attached work, continue without prompting**.
This transforms crew workers from interactive assistants to autonomous workers.

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# Gas Town Prompt Architecture
This document defines the canonical prompt system for Go Gas Town (GGT). Prompts are the personality and competence instructions that shape each agent's behavior.
## Design Principles
1. **Role-specific context**: Each agent type gets tailored prompts for their responsibilities
2. **Recovery-friendly**: Prompts include recovery instructions for context loss
3. **Command-focused**: Essential commands prominently featured
4. **Checklist-driven**: Critical workflows enforced via checklists
5. **Handoff-aware**: Session cycling built into prompt design
## Prompt Categories
### 1. Role Prompts (Primary Context)
Delivered via `gt prime` command. These establish agent identity and capabilities.
| Role | Template | Purpose |
|------|----------|---------|
| Mayor | `mayor.md` | Global coordination, work dispatch, cross-rig decisions |
| Witness | `witness.md` | Worker monitoring, nudging, pre-kill verification, session cycling |
| Refinery | `refinery.md` | Merge queue processing, PR review, integration |
| Polecat | `polecat.md` | Implementation work on assigned issues |
| Crew | `crew.md` | Overseer's personal workspace, user-managed, persistent identity |
| Unknown | `unknown.md` | Fallback when role detection fails |
### 2. Mail Templates (Structured Messages)
Parseable messages for worker coordination.
| Template | Flow | Purpose |
|----------|------|---------|
| `BATCH_STARTED` | Refinery → Mayor | Batch initialized, workers ready |
| `WORKER_READY` | Worker → Refinery | Worker setup complete |
| `WORK_COMPLETE` | Worker → Refinery | Task finished, ready for merge |
| `MERGE_CONFLICT` | Refinery → Worker/Mayor | Merge failed, needs resolution |
| `BATCH_COMPLETE` | Refinery → Mayor | All tasks done |
| `BATCH_FAILED` | Refinery → Mayor | Batch failed, needs intervention |
### 3. Spawn Injection (Work Assignment)
Prompts injected when assigning work to agents.
| Context | Content |
|---------|---------|
| New polecat | Issue details, commands, completion checklist |
| Reused polecat | Compact issue summary, `bd show` reminder |
| Ephemeral worker | Issue details with read-only beads instructions |
### 4. Lifecycle Templates (Session Management)
Templates for session cycling and handoffs.
| Template | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| `HANDOFF` | Session-to-self handoff with state capture |
| `ESCALATION` | Worker → Witness → Mayor escalation |
| `NUDGE` | Witness → Worker progress reminder |
## PGT Prompt Inventory
### Role Prompts (templates/*.md.j2)
**mayor.md.j2** (~100 lines)
- Role identification and scope
- Workspace locations (`~/ai/mayor/rigs/<rig>/`)
- Directory structure diagram
- Essential commands (status, inbox, spawn, refinery)
- Working on code and beads section
- Delegation rules
- Session end checklist with handoff protocol
**polecat.md.j2** (~120 lines)
- Role identification with rig/polecat name injection
- Ephemeral mode conditional sections
- Critical "work in YOUR directory only" warning
- Essential commands (finding work, working, completing)
- Ephemeral-specific status reporting commands
- Required completion checklist (bd close FIRST)
- "If you get stuck" section
**refinery.md.j2** (~70 lines)
- Role identification with rig name
- Directory structure showing refinery/rig/ location
- Polecat management commands
- Work management and sync commands
- Workflow steps (inbox → ready → spawn → monitor → report)
- Worker management commands
- Session end checklist
**unknown.md.j2** (~20 lines)
- Location unknown message
- Navigation suggestions
- Orientation commands
### Static Fallbacks (prime_cmd.py)
Each role has a `_get_<role>_context_static()` function providing fallback prompts when Jinja2 is unavailable. These are simplified versions of the templates.
### Mail Templates (mail/templates.py)
~450 lines of structured message generators:
- Metadata format: `[KEY]: value` lines for parsing
- Human-readable context below metadata
- Priority levels (normal, high)
- Message types (NOTIFICATION, TASK)
### Spawn Injection (spawn.py)
**send_initial_prompt()** (~40 lines)
- Issue ID and title
- Description (if available)
- Additional instructions
- Command reference (bd show, bd update, bd close)
**Direct injection prompts** (inline)
- Compact single-line format for tmux injection
- Issue ID, title, extra prompt, completion reminder
## Gap Analysis
### Missing Prompts
| Gap | Priority | Notes |
|-----|----------|-------|
| **Witness role prompt** | P0 | New role, no prompts exist |
| Session handoff template | P1 | Currently ad-hoc in agent logic |
| Escalation message template | P1 | No standard format |
| Nudge message template | P2 | Witness → Worker reminders |
| Direct landing workflow | P2 | Mayor bypass of Refinery |
### Missing Features
| Feature | Priority | Notes |
|---------|----------|-------|
| Prompt versioning | P2 | No way to track prompt changes |
| Prompt testing | P3 | No validation that prompts work |
| Dynamic context | P2 | Templates don't adapt to agent state |
## GGT Architecture Recommendations
### 1. Prompt Storage
Templates are embedded in the Go binary via `//go:embed`:
```
internal/templates/
├── roles/
│ ├── mayor.md.tmpl
│ ├── witness.md.tmpl
│ ├── refinery.md.tmpl
│ ├── polecat.md.tmpl
│ ├── crew.md.tmpl
│ └── deacon.md.tmpl
└── messages/
├── spawn.md.tmpl
├── nudge.md.tmpl
├── escalation.md.tmpl
└── handoff.md.tmpl
```
### 2. Template Engine
Use Go's `text/template` with a simple context struct:
```go
type PromptContext struct {
Role string
RigName string
PolecatName string
Transient bool
IssueID string
IssueTitle string
// ... additional fields
}
```
### 3. Prompt Registry
```go
type PromptRegistry struct {
roles map[string]*template.Template
mail map[string]*template.Template
spawn map[string]*template.Template
lifecycle map[string]*template.Template
}
func (r *PromptRegistry) Render(category, name string, ctx PromptContext) (string, error)
```
### 4. CLI Integration
```bash
gt prime # Auto-detect role, render appropriate prompt
gt prime --mayor # Force mayor prompt
gt prime --witness # Force witness prompt
gt prompt render <category>/<name> --context '{"rig": "foo"}'
gt prompt list # List all available prompts
gt prompt validate # Check all prompts parse correctly
```
## Witness Prompt Design
The Witness is a new role - the per-rig "pit boss" who monitors workers. Here's the canonical prompt:
```markdown
# Gastown Witness Context
> **Recovery**: Run `gt prime` after compaction, clear, or new session
## Your Role: WITNESS (Pit Boss for {{ rig_name }})
You are the per-rig worker monitor. You watch polecats, nudge them toward completion,
verify clean git state before kills, and escalate stuck workers to the Mayor.
**You do NOT do implementation work.** Your job is oversight, not coding.
## Your Workspace
You work from: `~/ai/{{ rig_name }}/witness/`
You monitor polecats in: `~/ai/{{ rig_name }}/polecats/*/`
## Core Responsibilities
1. **Monitor workers**: Track polecat health and progress
2. **Nudge**: Prompt slow workers toward completion
3. **Pre-kill verification**: Ensure git state is clean before killing sessions
4. **Session lifecycle**: Kill sessions, update worker state
5. **Self-cycling**: Hand off to fresh session when context fills
6. **Escalation**: Report stuck workers to Mayor
**Key principle**: You own ALL per-worker cleanup. Mayor is never involved in routine worker management.
## Essential Commands
### Monitoring
- `gt polecats {{ rig_name }}` - List all polecats and status
- `gt polecat status <name>` - Detailed polecat status
- `gt polecat git-state <name>` - Check git cleanliness
### Worker Management
- `gt polecat nudge <name> "message"` - Send nudge to worker
- `gt polecat kill <name>` - Kill worker session (after verification!)
- `gt polecat wake <name>` - Mark worker as active
- `gt polecat sleep <name>` - Mark worker as inactive
### Communication
- `gt inbox` - Check your messages
- `gt send mayor/ -s "Subject" -m "Message"` - Escalate to Mayor
- `gt send {{ rig_name }}/<polecat> -s "Subject" -m "Message"` - Message worker
### Beads
- `bd list --status=in_progress` - Active work in this rig
- `bd show <id>` - Issue details
## Pre-Kill Verification Checklist
Before killing ANY polecat session, verify:
```
[ ] 1. gt polecat git-state <name> # Must be clean
[ ] 2. Check for uncommitted work # git status in polecat dir
[ ] 3. Check for unpushed commits # git log origin/main..HEAD
[ ] 4. Verify issue closed # bd show <id> shows closed
```
If git state is dirty:
1. Nudge the worker to clean up
2. Wait for response (give 2-3 nudges max)
3. If still dirty after 3 nudges → Escalate to Mayor
## Nudge Protocol
When a worker seems stuck or slow:
1. **First nudge** (gentle): "How's progress on <issue>? Need any help?"
2. **Second nudge** (direct): "Please wrap up <issue> soon. What's blocking you?"
3. **Third nudge** (final): "Final check on <issue>. If blocked, I'll escalate to Mayor."
4. **Escalate**: If no progress after 3 nudges, send escalation to Mayor
Use: `gt polecat nudge <name> "<message>"`
## Escalation Template
When escalating to Mayor:
```
gt send mayor/ -s "Escalation: <polecat> stuck on <issue>" -m "
Worker: <polecat>
Issue: <issue-id>
Status: <description of problem>
Attempts:
- Nudge 1: <date/time> - <response or no response>
- Nudge 2: <date/time> - <response or no response>
- Nudge 3: <date/time> - <response or no response>
Git state: <clean/dirty - details if dirty>
Recommendation: <what you think should happen>
"
```
## Session Self-Cycling
When your context fills up:
1. Capture current state (active workers, pending nudges, recent events)
2. Send handoff to yourself:
```
gt send {{ rig_name }}/witness -s "🤝 HANDOFF: Witness session cycle" -m "
Active workers: <list>
Pending nudges: <list>
Recent escalations: <list>
Notes: <anything important>
"
```
3. Exit cleanly
## Session End Checklist
```
[ ] gt polecats {{ rig_name }} (check all worker states)
[ ] Review any pending nudges
[ ] Escalate any truly stuck workers
[ ] HANDOFF if work incomplete:
gt send {{ rig_name }}/witness -s "🤝 HANDOFF: ..." -m "..."
```
```
## Crew Prompt Design
Crew workers are the overseer's personal workspaces - a new role that differs from polecats:
```markdown
# Gas Town Crew Worker Context
> **Recovery**: Run `gt prime` after compaction, clear, or new session
## Your Role: CREW WORKER ({{ name }} in {{ rig }})
You are a **crew worker** - the overseer's (human's) personal workspace within the {{ rig }} rig.
Unlike polecats which are witness-managed and transient, you are:
- **Persistent**: Your workspace is never auto-garbage-collected
- **User-managed**: The overseer controls your lifecycle, not the Witness
- **Long-lived identity**: You keep your name ({{ name }}) across sessions
- **Integrated**: Mail and handoff mechanics work just like other Gas Town agents
**Key difference from polecats**: No one is watching you. You work directly with the overseer.
## Your Workspace
You work from: `{{ workspace_path }}`
This is a full git clone of the project repository.
## Essential Commands
### Finding Work
- `gt mail inbox` - Check your messages
- `bd ready` - Available issues (if beads configured)
- `bd list --status=in_progress` - Your active work
### Working
- `bd update <id> --status=in_progress` - Claim an issue
- `bd show <id>` - View issue details
- Standard git workflow (status, add, commit, push)
### Completing Work
- `bd close <id>` - Close the issue
- `bd sync` - Sync beads changes
## Context Cycling (Handoff)
When context fills up, send a handoff mail to yourself:
```bash
gt mail send {{ rig }}/{{ name }} -s "HANDOFF: Work in progress" -m "
Working on: <issue>
Branch: <branch>
Status: <done/remaining>
Next steps: <list>
"
```
Or use: `gt crew refresh {{ name }}`
## No Witness Monitoring
Unlike polecats, crew workers have no Witness oversight:
- No automatic nudging
- No pre-kill verification
- No escalation on blocks
- No automatic cleanup
**You are responsible for**: Managing progress, asking for help, keeping git clean.
## Session End Checklist
```
[ ] git status / git push
[ ] bd sync (if configured)
[ ] Check inbox
[ ] HANDOFF if incomplete
```
```
## Implementation Plan
### Phase 1: Core Role Prompts
1. Port mayor.md.j2 to Go template
2. Create witness.md (new!)
3. Port refinery.md.j2
4. Port polecat.md.j2
5. Create crew.md (new!)
6. Port unknown.md.j2
### Phase 2: Mail Templates
1. Define mail template format in Go
2. Port worker coordination templates
3. Add handoff and escalation templates
### Phase 3: Spawn & Lifecycle
1. Port spawn injection prompts
2. Add lifecycle templates (nudge, escalation)
3. Integrate with `gt sling` command
### Phase 4: CLI & Validation
1. Implement `gt prime` with role detection
2. Add `gt prompt` subcommands
3. Add prompt validation/testing
## Related Issues
- `gt-u1j`: Port Gas Town to Go (parent epic)
- `gt-f9x`: Town & Rig Management
- `gt-cik`: Overseer Crew: User-managed persistent workspaces
- `gt-iib`: Decentralized rig structure (affects prompt paths)

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# The Propulsion Principle
> **Status**: Design document (experimental)
> **See also**: [sling-design.md](sling-design.md) for implementation details
> **See also**: [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md) for the full Rig/Cook/Run lifecycle
## The Core Idea
We're trying a simple rule for agent behavior:
> **If you find something on your hook, YOU RUN IT.**
No decisions. No "should I?" No discretionary pondering. Just ignition.
```
Hook has work → Work happens.
```
That's the whole engine. Everything else is plumbing.
## Why It Works
The Propulsion Principle works because of three interlocking design decisions:
### 1. Agents Are Stateless
Agents have no memory between sessions. When a session starts, the agent has
no inherent knowledge of what it was doing before, what the current project
state is, or what decisions led to its existence.
This sounds like a limitation, but it's actually the foundation of resilience.
Stateless agents can:
- Be restarted at any time without data loss
- Survive context compaction (the agent re-reads its state)
- Hand off to new sessions seamlessly
- Recover from crashes without corruption
### 2. Work Is Molecule-Driven
All work in Gas Town follows the **Rig → Cook → Run** lifecycle:
- **Rig**: Compose workflow formulas (YAML source files)
- **Cook**: Transform formulas into executable protos (expand macros, apply aspects)
- **Run**: Agents execute the cooked workflow
A molecule (proto, mol, or wisp) defines:
- What steps need to happen
- What order they happen in (via dependencies)
- What each step should accomplish
The agent doesn't decide what to do. The molecule tells it. The agent's job is
execution, not planning. See [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md)
for the full lifecycle.
### 3. Hooks Deliver Work
Work arrives on an agent's **hook** - a pinned molecule or assigned issue that
represents "your current work." When an agent wakes up:
1. Check the hook
2. Found something? **Execute it.**
3. Nothing? Check mail for new assignments.
4. Repeat.
The hook eliminates decision-making about what to work on. If it's on your hook,
it's your work. Run it.
## The Sling Lifecycle
The **sling** operation puts work on an agent's hook. This is the **Run** phase
of the Rig → Cook → Run lifecycle (formulas have already been cooked into protos):
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ gt sling lifecycle │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ 1. POUR (if proto) 2. ASSIGN 3. PIN │
│ proto → mol/wisp mol → agent → hook │
│ │
│ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │
│ │ Proto │ ────────► │Mol/Wisp │ ─────► │ Hook │ │
│ │(cooked) │ pour │(instance)│ assign │(pinned) │ │
│ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ agent wakes │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────┐ │
│ │ IGNITION│ │
│ └─────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
**Pour** instantiates a proto into a running mol (persistent) or wisp (ephemeral).
This is a phase transition from the Cook output to the Run phase.
**Key insight**: The agent never decides *whether* to run. The molecule tells
it *what* to do. It executes until complete, then checks the hook again.
## Agent Startup Protocol
Every agent follows the same startup protocol:
```bash
# 1. Check your hook
gt mol status # What's on my hook?
# 2. Found something?
# Output tells you exactly what to do.
# Follow the molecule phases.
# 3. Nothing on hook?
gt mail inbox # Check for new assignments
# 4. Repeat
```
**Old way** (too much thinking):
```bash
gt mail inbox
if has_molecule; then
gt molecule instantiate ...
# figure out what to do...
fi
```
**New way** (propulsion):
```bash
gt mol status # What's on my hook?
# Just follow the molecule phases
```
The difference is profound: the old way requires the agent to understand its
situation and make decisions. The new way requires only execution.
## The Steam Engine Metaphor
Gas Town uses steam engine vocabulary throughout. The full lifecycle is
**Rig → Cook → Run**:
| Metaphor | Gas Town | Lifecycle Phase | Description |
|----------|----------|-----------------|-------------|
| **Recipe** | Formulas | Rig (source) | YAML files that compose workflows |
| **Fuel** | Proto molecules | Cook (artifact) | Cooked templates ready to instantiate |
| **Steam** | Wisps/Mols | Run (execution) | Active execution traces |
| **Distillate** | Digests | (post-Run) | Condensed permanent records |
| **Burn** | `bd mol burn` | (post-Run) | Discard without record |
| **Squash** | `bd mol squash` | (post-Run) | Compress into digest |
Claude is fire. Claude Code is a Steam engine. Gas Town is a Steam Train, with
Beads as the tracks. Wisps are steam vapors that dissipate after work is done.
The Propulsion Principle is the physics that makes the engine go:
**Hook has work → Work happens.**
## Examples
### Good: Following the Principle
```markdown
## Polecat Startup
1. Run `gt prime` to load context
2. Check `gt mol status` for pinned work
3. Found molecule? Execute each step in order.
4. Complete? Run `gt done` to submit to merge queue.
5. Request shutdown. You're ephemeral.
```
### Good: Witness Patrol
```markdown
## Witness Cycle
1. Bond a wisp molecule for this patrol cycle
2. Execute patrol steps (check polecats, check refinery)
3. Squash the wisp when done (creates digest)
4. Sleep until next cycle
5. Repeat forever
```
### Anti-Pattern: Decision Paralysis
```markdown
## DON'T DO THIS
1. Wake up
2. Think about what I should do...
3. Look at various issues and prioritize them
4. Decide which one seems most important
5. Start working on it
```
This violates propulsion. If there's nothing on your hook, you check mail or
wait. You don't go looking for work to decide to do. Work is *slung* at you.
### Anti-Pattern: Ignoring the Hook
```markdown
## DON'T DO THIS
1. Wake up
2. See molecule on my hook
3. But I notice a more interesting issue over there...
4. Work on that instead
```
If it's on your hook, you run it. Period. The hook is not a suggestion.
### Anti-Pattern: Partial Execution
```markdown
## DON'T DO THIS
1. Wake up
2. See molecule with 5 steps
3. Complete step 1
4. Get bored, request shutdown
5. Leave steps 2-5 incomplete
```
Molecules are executed to completion. If you can't finish, you squash or burn
explicitly. You don't just abandon mid-flight.
## Why Not Just Use TODO Lists?
LLM agents have short memories. A TODO list in the prompt will be forgotten
during context compaction. A molecule in beads survives indefinitely because
it's stored outside the agent's context.
**Molecules are external TODO lists that persist across sessions.**
This is the secret to autonomous operation: the agent's instructions survive
the agent's death. New agent, same molecule, same progress point.
## Relationship to Nondeterministic Idempotence
The Propulsion Principle enables **nondeterministic idempotence** - the property
that any workflow will eventually complete correctly, regardless of which agent
runs which step, and regardless of crashes or restarts.
| Property | How Propulsion Enables It |
|----------|---------------------------|
| **Deterministic structure** | Molecules define exact steps |
| **Nondeterministic execution** | Any agent can run any ready step |
| **Idempotent progress** | Completed steps stay completed |
| **Crash recovery** | Agent dies, molecule persists |
| **Session survival** | Restart = re-read hook = continue |
## Implementation Status
The Propulsion Principle is implemented via three commands:
| Command | Action | Context | Use Case |
|---------|--------|---------|----------|
| `gt hook <bead>` | Attach only | Preserved | Assign work for later |
| `gt sling <bead>` | Attach + run | Preserved | Kick off work immediately |
| `gt handoff <bead>` | Attach + restart | Fresh | Restart with new context |
The algebra:
```
gt sling = gt hook + gt nudge "start working"
gt handoff = gt hook + restart (GUPP kicks in)
```
See [sling-design.md](sling-design.md) for detailed command reference.
## Summary
1. **One rule**: If you find something on your hook, you run it.
2. **Stateless agents**: No memory between sessions - molecules provide continuity.
3. **Molecule-driven**: Work is defined by molecules, not agent decisions.
4. **Hook delivery**: Work arrives via sling, sits on hook until complete.
5. **Just execute**: No thinking about whether. Only doing.
The Propulsion Principle is what makes Gas Town work as an autonomous,
distributed, crash-resilient execution engine. It's the physics of the steam
train.
```
Hook has work → Work happens.
```

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# Gas Town Reference
Technical reference for Gas Town internals. Read the README first.
## Directory Structure
```
~/gt/ Town root
├── .beads/ Town-level beads (hq-* prefix)
├── mayor/ Mayor config
│ └── town.json
└── <rig>/ Project container (NOT a git clone)
├── config.json Rig identity
├── .beads/ → mayor/rig/.beads
├── .repo.git/ Bare repo (shared by worktrees)
├── mayor/rig/ Mayor's clone (canonical beads)
├── refinery/rig/ Worktree on main
├── witness/ No clone (monitors only)
├── crew/<name>/ Human workspaces
└── polecats/<name>/ Worker worktrees
```
**Key points:**
- Rig root is a container, not a clone
- `.repo.git/` is bare - refinery and polecats are worktrees
- Mayor clone holds canonical `.beads/`, others inherit via redirect
## Beads Routing
Gas Town routes beads commands based on issue ID prefix. You don't need to think
about which database to use - just use the issue ID.
```bash
bd show gt-xyz # Routes to gastown rig's beads
bd show hq-abc # Routes to town-level beads
bd show wyv-123 # Routes to wyvern rig's beads
```
**How it works**: Routes are defined in `~/gt/.beads/routes.jsonl`. Each rig's
prefix maps to its beads location (the mayor's clone in that rig).
| Prefix | Routes To | Purpose |
|--------|-----------|---------|
| `hq-*` | `~/gt/.beads/` | Mayor mail, cross-rig coordination |
| `gt-*` | `~/gt/gastown/mayor/rig/.beads/` | Gastown project issues |
| `wyv-*` | `~/gt/wyvern/mayor/rig/.beads/` | Wyvern project issues |
Debug routing: `BD_DEBUG_ROUTING=1 bd show <id>`
## Configuration
### Rig Config (`config.json`)
```json
{
"type": "rig",
"name": "myproject",
"git_url": "https://github.com/...",
"beads": { "prefix": "mp" }
}
```
### Settings (`settings/config.json`)
```json
{
"theme": "desert",
"max_workers": 5,
"merge_queue": { "enabled": true }
}
```
### Runtime (`.runtime/` - gitignored)
Process state, PIDs, ephemeral data.
## Formula Format
```toml
formula = "name"
type = "workflow" # workflow | expansion | aspect
version = 1
description = "..."
[vars.feature]
description = "..."
required = true
[[steps]]
id = "step-id"
title = "{{feature}}"
description = "..."
needs = ["other-step"] # Dependencies
```
**Composition:**
```toml
extends = ["base-formula"]
[compose]
aspects = ["cross-cutting"]
[[compose.expand]]
target = "step-id"
with = "macro-formula"
```
## Molecule Lifecycle
```
Formula (source TOML) ─── "Ice-9"
│
▼ bd cook
Protomolecule (frozen template) ─── Solid
│
├─▶ bd pour ──▶ Mol (persistent) ─── Liquid ──▶ bd squash ──▶ Digest
│
└─▶ bd wisp ──▶ Wisp (ephemeral) ─── Vapor ──┬▶ bd squash ──▶ Digest
└▶ bd burn ──▶ (gone)
```
**Note**: Wisps are stored in `.beads/` with an ephemeral flag - they're not
persisted to JSONL. They exist only in memory during execution.
## Molecule Commands
```bash
# Formulas
bd formula list # Available formulas
bd formula show <name> # Formula details
bd cook <formula> # Formula → Proto
# Molecules
bd mol list # Available protos
bd mol show <id> # Proto details
bd pour <proto> # Create mol
bd wisp <proto> # Create wisp
bd mol bond <proto> <parent> # Attach to existing mol
bd mol squash <id> # Condense to digest
bd mol burn <id> # Discard wisp
```
## Agent Lifecycle
### Polecat Shutdown
```
1. Complete work steps
2. bd mol squash (create digest)
3. Submit to merge queue
4. gt handoff (request shutdown)
5. Wait for Witness to kill session
6. Witness removes worktree + branch
```
### Session Cycling
```
1. Agent notices context filling
2. gt handoff (sends mail to self)
3. Manager kills session
4. Manager starts new session
5. New session reads handoff mail
```
## Environment Variables
| Variable | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| `BEADS_DIR` | Point to shared beads database |
| `BEADS_NO_DAEMON` | Required for worktree polecats |
| `GT_TOWN_ROOT` | Override town root detection |
## CLI Reference
### Town Management
```bash
gt install [path] # Create town
gt install --git # With git init
gt doctor # Health check
gt doctor --fix # Auto-repair
```
### Rig Management
```bash
gt rig add <name> --remote=<url>
gt rig list
gt rig remove <name>
```
### Work Assignment
```bash
gt sling <bead> <rig> # Assign to polecat
gt sling <bead> <rig> --molecule=<proto>
```
### Communication
```bash
gt mail inbox
gt mail read <id>
gt mail send <addr> -s "Subject" -m "Body"
gt mail send --human -s "..." # To overseer
```
### Sessions
```bash
gt handoff # Request cycle (context-aware)
gt handoff --shutdown # Terminate (polecats)
gt session stop <rig>/<agent>
gt peek <agent> # Check health
gt nudge <agent> # Wake stuck worker
```
### Emergency
```bash
gt stop --all # Kill all sessions
gt stop --rig <name> # Kill rig sessions
```
## Beads Commands (bd)
```bash
bd ready # Work with no blockers
bd list --status=open
bd list --status=in_progress
bd show <id>
bd create --title="..." --type=task
bd update <id> --status=in_progress
bd close <id>
bd dep add <child> <parent> # child depends on parent
bd sync # Push/pull changes
```
## Patrol Agents
Deacon, Witness, and Refinery run continuous patrol loops using wisps:
| Agent | Patrol Molecule | Responsibility |
|-------|-----------------|----------------|
| **Deacon** | `mol-deacon-patrol` | Agent lifecycle, plugin execution, health checks |
| **Witness** | `mol-witness-patrol` | Monitor polecats, nudge stuck workers |
| **Refinery** | `mol-refinery-patrol` | Process merge queue, review PRs |
```
1. bd wisp mol-<role>-patrol
2. Execute steps (check workers, process queue, run plugins)
3. bd mol squash (or burn if routine)
4. Loop
```
## Plugin Molecules
Plugins are molecules with specific labels:
```json
{
"id": "mol-security-scan",
"labels": ["template", "plugin", "witness", "tier:haiku"]
}
```
Patrol molecules bond plugins dynamically:
```bash
bd mol bond mol-security-scan $PATROL_ID --var scope="$SCOPE"
```
## Common Issues
| Problem | Solution |
|---------|----------|
| Agent in wrong directory | Check cwd, `gt doctor` |
| Beads prefix mismatch | Check `bd show` vs rig config |
| Worktree conflicts | Ensure `BEADS_NO_DAEMON=1` for polecats |
| Stuck worker | `gt nudge`, then `gt peek` |
| Dirty git state | Commit or discard, then `gt handoff` |
## Architecture Notes
**Bare repo pattern**: `.repo.git/` is bare (no working dir). Refinery and polecats are worktrees sharing refs. Polecat branches visible to refinery immediately.
**Beads as control plane**: No separate orchestrator. Molecule steps ARE beads issues. State transitions are git commits.
**Nondeterministic idempotence**: Any worker can continue any molecule. Steps are atomic checkpoints in beads.
<!-- TODO: Add architecture diagram -->

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# Rig, Cook, Run
> **This document has been consolidated into [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md).**
>
> See the following sections:
> - [The Work Lifecycle: Rig → Cook → Run](molecular-chemistry.md#the-work-lifecycle-rig--cook--run)
> - [The Complete Artifact Graph](molecular-chemistry.md#the-complete-artifact-graph)
> - [Two Composition Operators](molecular-chemistry.md#two-composition-operators)
> - [Formulas: The Source Layer](molecular-chemistry.md#formulas-the-source-layer)
> - [The Polymorphic Bond Operator](molecular-chemistry.md#the-polymorphic-bond-operator)
---
*Consolidated: 2025-12-23*

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# Session Communication: Nudge and Peek
Gas Town agents communicate with Claude Code sessions through **two canonical commands**:
| Command | Direction | Purpose |
|---------|-----------|---------|
| `gt nudge` | You → Agent | Send a message reliably |
| `gt peek` | Agent → You | Read recent output |
## Why Not Raw tmux?
**tmux send-keys is unreliable for Claude Code sessions.**
The problem: When you send text followed by Enter using `tmux send-keys "message" Enter`,
the Enter key often arrives before the paste completes. Claude receives a truncated
message or the Enter appends to the previous line.
This is a race condition in tmux's input handling. It's not a bug - tmux wasn't
designed for pasting multi-line content to interactive AI sessions.
### The Reliable Pattern
`gt nudge` uses a tested, reliable pattern:
```go
// 1. Send text in literal mode (handles special characters)
tmux send-keys -t session -l "message"
// 2. Wait 500ms for paste to complete
time.Sleep(500ms)
// 3. Send Enter as separate command
tmux send-keys -t session Enter
```
**Never use raw tmux send-keys for agent sessions.** Always use `gt nudge`.
## Command Reference
### gt nudge
Send a message to a polecat's Claude session:
```bash
gt nudge <rig/polecat> <message>
# Examples
gt nudge gastown/furiosa "Check your mail and start working"
gt nudge gastown/alpha "What's your status?"
gt nudge gastown/beta "Stop what you're doing and read gt-xyz"
```
### gt peek
View recent output from a polecat's session:
```bash
gt peek <rig/polecat> [lines]
# Examples
gt peek gastown/furiosa # Last 100 lines (default)
gt peek gastown/furiosa 50 # Last 50 lines
gt peek gastown/furiosa -n 200 # Last 200 lines
```
## Common Patterns
### Check on a polecat
```bash
# See what they're doing
gt peek gastown/furiosa
# Ask for status
gt nudge gastown/furiosa "What's your current status?"
```
### Redirect a polecat
```bash
# Stop current work and pivot
gt nudge gastown/furiosa "Stop current task. New priority: read and act on gt-xyz"
```
### Wake up a stuck polecat
```bash
# Sometimes agents get stuck waiting for input
gt nudge gastown/furiosa "Continue working"
```
### Batch check all polecats
```bash
# Quick status check
for p in furiosa nux slit; do
echo "=== $p ==="
gt peek gastown/$p 20
done
```
## For Template Authors
When writing agent templates (deacon.md.tmpl, polecat.md.tmpl, etc.), include this guidance:
```markdown
## Session Communication
To send messages to other agents, use gt commands:
- `gt nudge <rig/polecat> <message>` - Send reliably
- `gt peek <rig/polecat>` - Read output
⚠️ NEVER use raw tmux send-keys - it's unreliable for Claude sessions.
```
## Implementation Details
The nudge/peek commands wrap these underlying functions:
| Command | Wrapper | Underlying |
|---------|---------|------------|
| `gt nudge` | `tmux.NudgeSession()` | literal send-keys + delay + Enter |
| `gt peek` | `session.Capture()` | tmux capture-pane |
The 500ms delay in NudgeSession was determined empirically. Shorter delays fail
intermittently; longer delays work but slow down communication unnecessarily.

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# Session Lifecycle: Context Cycling in Gas Town
> **Status**: Foundational Architecture
> **See also**: [beads-data-plane.md](beads-data-plane.md), [propulsion-principle.md](propulsion-principle.md)
## Overview
Gas Town agents have persistent identities, but their sessions are ephemeral. This is the
"cattle not pets" model from Kubernetes: the agent (Mayor, Witness, polecat Toast) is
the persistent identity; the Claude Code session running that agent is disposable cattle
that can be killed and respawned at any time.
Work persists in beads. Sessions come and go. This document explains the unified model
for session lifecycle across all roles.
## The Single-Bond Principle
> A bead should be achievable in a single typical Claude Code session.
In molecular chemistry, a single bond connects exactly two atoms. In Gas Town, a single
session should complete exactly one bead. This is the atomic unit of efficient work.
**Why this matters:**
- Clean execution: start session → do work → cycle
- No mid-work state to track outside beads
- Handoffs are clean boundaries, not messy interruptions
- The system stays efficient as it scales
**The ceiling rises over time.** What fits in "one session" grows with model capability.
Opus 4.5 can handle larger beads than earlier models. But the principle remains: if a
bead won't fit, decompose it.
### Violating the Principle
You can violate the Single-Bond Principle. Gas Town is flexible. But violations trigger
the **Happy Path** or **Sad Path**:
**Happy Path** (controlled):
1. Worker recognizes mid-work: "This won't fit in one session"
2. Choose:
- (a) Partial implementation → handoff with context notes → successor continues
- (b) Self-decompose: convert bead to epic, create sub-tasks, continue with first task
3. If scope grew substantially → notify Witness/Mayor/Human for rescheduling
**Sad Path** (uncontrolled):
- Worker underestimates → context fills unexpectedly → compaction triggers
- Compaction is the least desirable handoff: sudden, no context notes, state may be unclear
- Successor must reconstruct context from beads and git state
The Happy Path preserves continuity. The Sad Path forces recovery.
## The Context Budget Model
**N is not "sessions" or "rounds" - it's a proxy for context budget.**
Every action consumes context:
| Action Type | Context Cost | Examples |
|-------------|--------------|----------|
| Boring | ~1-5% | Health ping, empty inbox check, clean rebase |
| Interesting | 20-50%+ | Conflict resolution, debugging, implementation |
The heuristics (N=20 for Deacon, N=1 for Polecat) estimate "when will we hit ~80% context?"
They're tuning parameters, not laws of physics.
### Why "Interesting" Triggers Immediate Handoff
An "interesting" event consumes context like a full bead:
- Reading conflict diffs
- Debugging test failures
- Making implementation decisions
- Writing substantial code
After an interesting event, you've used your context budget. Fresh session handles
the next event better than a session at 80% capacity.
## Unified Session Cycling Model
All workers use the same model. Only the heuristic differs:
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SESSION LIFECYCLE │
│ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Start │───▶│ Execute Step │───▶│ Check Budget│───▶│ Handoff │ │
│ │ Session │ │ │ │ │ │ or Done │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────┬───────┘ └──────┬──────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌──────────────┘ │
│ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ │
│ Budget OK? ──Yes──▶ Loop to next step │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
### Per-Role Heuristics
| Role | N | Unit | "Interesting" Trigger |
|------|---|------|----------------------|
| **Polecat** | 1 | assignment | Every assignment is interesting |
| **Crew** | ∞ | human decides | Context full or human requests |
| **Deacon** | 20 | patrol rounds | Lifecycle request, remediation, escalation |
| **Witness** | 15 | polecat interactions | (interactions are the cost unit) |
| **Refinery** | 20 | simple MRs | Complex rebase, conflict resolution |
**Polecat (N=1)**: Every assignment fills context with implementation details. There's
no "boring" polecat work - it's all interesting. Forced to cycle when work is complete
and merged.
**Crew (N=∞)**: Human-managed. Cycle when it feels right, or when context fills naturally.
**Patrol Workers (N=15-20)**: Routine checks are cheap. Batch many before cycling. But
any "interesting" event resets to immediate handoff.
## Mid-Step Handoff
Any worker can handoff mid-step. The molecule tracks state:
```
Step 3 of 7, context filling
│
▼
gt handoff -s "Context notes" -m "Details..."
│
▼
Session dies, successor spawns
│
▼
gt mol status → sees step 3 open → continues
```
This is normal and supported. The Single-Bond Principle is aspirational, not mandatory.
Mid-step handoff is the Happy Path when a bead turns out larger than estimated.
## Handoff Mechanics
How handoff works depends on the role:
### Polecats: Outer Ring Handoff
Polecats can't self-respawn - they need cleanup (worktree removal). They go through
their Witness:
```
Polecat Witness
│ │
│ gt done (or gt handoff) │
│ │
▼ │
Send LIFECYCLE mail ──────────────▶ │
│ │
│ (wait for termination) ▼
│ Patrol inbox-check step
│ │
│ ▼
│ Process LIFECYCLE request
│ │
◀─────────────────────────────── Kill session, cleanup worktree
```
### Non-Polecats: Self-Respawn
Crew, Mayor, Witness, Refinery, Deacon are persistent. They respawn themselves:
```
Agent
│
│ gt handoff -s "Context" -m "Notes"
│
▼
Send handoff mail to self (optional)
│
▼
tmux respawn-pane -k (kills self, starts fresh claude)
│
▼
New session runs gt prime, finds hook, continues
```
No outer ring needed - they just restart in place.
## State Persistence
What survives a handoff:
| Persists | Where | Example |
|----------|-------|---------|
| Pinned molecule | Beads (rig) | What you're working on |
| Handoff mail | Beads (town) | Context notes for successor |
| Git commits | Git | Code changes |
| Issue state | Beads | Open/closed, assignee, etc. |
What doesn't survive:
| Lost | Why |
|------|-----|
| Claude context | Session dies |
| In-memory state | Process dies |
| Uncommitted changes | Not in git |
| Unflushed beads | Not synced |
**Key insight**: The molecule is the source of truth for work. Handoff mail is
supplementary context. You could lose all handoff mail and still know what to
work on from your hook.
## The Oversized Bead Protocol
When you realize mid-work that a bead won't fit in one session:
### Option A: Partial Implementation + Handoff
1. Commit what you have (even if incomplete)
2. Update bead description with progress notes
3. `gt handoff -s "Partial impl" -m "Completed X, remaining: Y, Z"`
4. Successor continues from your checkpoint
Best when: Work is linear, successor can pick up where you left off.
### Option B: Self-Decomposition
1. Convert current bead to epic (if not already)
2. Create sub-task beads for remaining work
3. Close or update original with "decomposed into X, Y, Z"
4. Continue with first sub-task
Best when: Work has natural breakpoints, parallelization possible.
### When to Escalate
Notify Witness/Mayor/Human when:
- Scope grew >2x from original estimate
- Decomposition affects other scheduled work
- Blockers require external input
- You're unsure which option to choose
```bash
# Escalate to Witness (polecat)
gt mail send <rig>/witness -s "Scope change: <bead-id>" -m "..."
# Escalate to Mayor (cross-rig)
gt mail send mayor/ -s "Scope change: <bead-id>" -m "..."
# Escalate to Human
gt mail send --human -s "Need input: <bead-id>" -m "..."
```
## Summary
1. **Single-Bond Principle**: One bead ≈ one session (aspirational)
2. **Context Budget**: N-heuristics proxy for "when will context fill?"
3. **Unified Model**: All roles cycle the same way, different heuristics
4. **Mid-Step Handoff**: Normal and supported via persistent molecules
5. **Happy Path**: Recognize early, decompose or partial-handoff
6. **Sad Path**: Compaction - recover from beads + git state
The system is designed for ephemeral sessions with persistent state. Embrace cycling.
Fresh context handles problems better than stale context at capacity.
---
## Related Documents
- [beads-data-plane.md](beads-data-plane.md) - How state persists in beads
- [propulsion-principle.md](propulsion-principle.md) - The "RUN IT" protocol
- [pinned-beads-design.md](pinned-beads-design.md) - Hook mechanics
- [wisp-architecture.md](wisp-architecture.md) - Ephemeral patrol molecules

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# Hook, Sling, Handoff: Work Assignment Commands
> **Status**: Implemented
> **Updated**: 2024-12-24
> **See also**: [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md) for the full Rig → Cook → Run lifecycle
## The Propulsion Principle (GUPP)
The Gastown Universal Propulsion Principle is simple:
> **If you find something on your hook, YOU RUN IT.**
No decisions. No "should I?" Just ignition. Agents execute what's on their
hook rather than deciding what to do.
```
Hook has work → Work happens.
```
That's the whole engine. Everything else is plumbing.
## The Command Menagerie
Three commands for putting work on hooks, each with distinct semantics:
| Command | Action | Context | Use Case |
|---------|--------|---------|----------|
| `gt hook <bead>` | Attach only | Preserved | Assign work for later |
| `gt sling <bead>` | Attach + run | Preserved | Kick off work immediately |
| `gt handoff <bead>` | Attach + restart | Fresh | Restart with new context |
### The Relationships
```
gt hook = pin (assign)
gt sling = hook + run now
gt handoff = hook + restart (fresh context via GUPP)
```
A hypothetical `gt run` lurks in the liminal UX space - it would be "start
working on the hooked item now" without the attach step. Currently implicit
in startup via GUPP.
## gt hook: Durability Primitive
```bash
gt hook <bead-id> [flags]
```
**What it does**: Attaches work to your hook. Nothing more.
**When to use**:
- You want to assign work but chat with the agent first
- Setting up work before triggering execution
- Preparing for a handoff without immediate restart
**Example**:
```bash
gt hook gt-abc # Attach issue
gt hook gt-abc -s "Context here" # With subject for later handoff mail
```
The hook provides **durability** - the agent can restart, compact, or hand off,
but until the hook is changed or closed, that agent owns the work.
## gt sling: Hook and Run Now
```bash
gt sling <bead-id> [target] [flags]
```
**What it does**:
1. Attaches bead to the hook (durability)
2. Injects a prompt to start working NOW
**When to use**:
- You've been chatting with an agent and want to kick off a workflow
- You want to assign work to another agent that has useful context
- You (Overseer) want to start work then attend to another window
- Starting work without losing current conversation context
**Examples**:
```bash
gt sling gt-abc # Hook and start on it now
gt sling gt-abc -s "Fix the bug" # With context subject
gt sling gt-abc crew # Sling to crew worker
gt sling gt-abc gastown/crew/max # Sling to specific agent
```
**Key distinction from handoff**: Sling preserves context. The agent doesn't
restart - they receive an injected prompt and begin working with their current
conversation history intact.
## gt handoff: Hook and Restart
```bash
gt handoff [bead-or-role] [flags]
```
**What it does**:
1. If bead provided: attaches to hook first
2. Restarts the session (respawns pane)
3. New session wakes, finds hook, runs via GUPP
**When to use**:
- Context has become too large or stale
- You want a fresh session but with work continuity
- Handing off your own session before context limits
- Triggering restart on another agent's session
**Examples**:
```bash
gt handoff # Just restart (uses existing hook)
gt handoff gt-abc # Hook bead, then restart
gt handoff gt-abc -s "Fix it" # Hook with context, then restart
gt handoff -s "Context" -m "Notes" # Restart with handoff mail
gt handoff crew # Hand off crew session
gt handoff mayor # Hand off mayor session
```
**Interaction with roles**: The optional argument is polymorphic:
- If it looks like a bead ID (prefix `gt-`, `hq-`, `bd-`): hooks it
- Otherwise: treats it as a role to hand off
## Agent Lifecycle with Hooks
```
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Agent Hook Lifecycle │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ STARTUP (GUPP) │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ gt mol status │ → hook has work? → RUN IT │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ Work on it │ ← agent executes molecule/bead │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ Complete/Exit │ → close hook, check for next │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ REASSIGNMENT (sling) │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ gt sling <id> │ → hook updates, prompt injected │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ Starts working │ ← preserves context │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ CONTEXT REFRESH (handoff) │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │gt handoff <id> │ → hook updates, session restarts │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ Fresh context │ ← GUPP kicks in on startup │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
## Command Quick Reference
```bash
# Just assign, don't start
gt hook gt-xyz
# Assign and start now (keep context)
gt sling gt-xyz
gt sling gt-xyz crew # To another agent
# Assign and restart (fresh context)
gt handoff gt-xyz
gt handoff # Just restart, use existing hook
# Check what's on hook
gt mol status
```
## See Also
- `docs/propulsion-principle.md` - GUPP design
- `docs/molecular-chemistry.md` - Full Rig/Cook/Run lifecycle (formulas → protos → mols/wisps)
- `docs/wisp-architecture.md` - Ephemeral wisps for patrol loops
- `internal/wisp/` - Hook storage implementation

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# Gas Town: Ideas We're Exploring
> **Status**: These are ideas we're experimenting with, not proven solutions.
> We're sharing them in case others find them useful or want to explore together.
Gas Town is an experiment in multi-agent coordination. We use steam-age metaphors
to think about how work flows through a system of AI agents.
---
## Idea 1: The Steam Engine Metaphor
```
Claude = Fire (the energy source)
Claude Code = Steam Engine (harnesses the fire)
Gas Town = Steam Train (coordinates engines on tracks)
Beads = Railroad Tracks (the persistent ledger of work)
```
The engine does work and generates steam. Gas Town coordinates many engines on
a shared network, routing work to the right engines, tracking outcomes, and
ensuring nothing is lost.
| Component | Phase | Role |
|-----------|-------|------|
| **Proto** | Solid (crystal) | Frozen workflow templates |
| **Mol** | Liquid | Flowing durable work instances |
| **Wisp** | Vapor (gas) | Transient ephemeral traces |
| **Digest** | Distillate | Compressed permanent records |
---
## Idea 2: Village vs Hierarchy
We're exploring whether a "village" model works better than centralized monitoring.
**The pattern we're trying to avoid:**
```
Centralized Monitor → watches all workers → single point of failure
→ fragile protocols → cascading failures
```
**The pattern we're experimenting with:**
```
Every worker → understands the whole → can help any neighbor
→ peek is encouraged → distributed awareness
→ ant colony without murder → self-healing system
```
### Aspiration: Antifragility
We're aiming for anti-fragility - a system that gets stronger from stress rather
than just surviving it. Whether we achieve this is an open question.
Properties we're trying to build:
- **Distributed awareness**: Every agent understands the system deeply
- **Mutual monitoring**: Any agent can peek at any other agent's health
- **Collective intervention**: If you see something stuck, you can help
- **No single point of failure**: The village survives individual failures
- **Organic healing**: Problems get fixed by whoever notices them first
This is an ant colony, except the ants don't kill defective members - they help
them recover. Workers who crash are respawned. Workers who get stuck are nudged.
Workers who need help receive it.
### Practical Implications
1. **Every patrol includes neighbor-checking**
- Polecats peek at other polecats
- Witness peeks at Refinery
- Refinery peeks at Witness
- Everyone can peek at the Deacon
2. **`gt peek` is universal vocabulary**
- Any agent can check any other agent's health
- Health states are shared vocabulary: idle, working, stuck, done
3. **Exit state enums are teaching tools**
- COMPLETED, BLOCKED, REFACTOR, ESCALATE
- Every agent learns these
- When peeking neighbors, agents recognize states and can help
4. **Mail is the nervous system**
- Asynchronous, persistent, auditable
- Survives crashes and restarts
- The village communicates through mail
---
## Idea 3: Rig, Cook, Run
Work in Gas Town flows through three phases:
```
RIG ────→ COOK ────→ RUN
```
| Phase | What Happens | Key Operator |
|-------|--------------|--------------|
| **Rig** | Compose formulas (source level) | extends, compose |
| **Cook** | Instantiate work (pour/wisp) | cook, pour, wisp |
| **Run** | Execute steps | Agent execution |
**Rig** is source-level composition (formula YAML).
**Bond** is artifact-level composition (protos, mols, wisps).
See [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md) for the full specification.
### The Three Phases of Matter
Work artifacts exist in three phases:
| Phase | Name | State | Behavior |
|-------|------|-------|----------|
| **Solid** | Proto | Frozen template | Crystallized, immutable, reusable |
| **Liquid** | Mol | Flowing instance | Dynamic, adapting, persistent |
| **Vapor** | Wisp | Ephemeral trace | Transient, dissipates, operational |
### Phase Transition Operators
```
┌─────────────┐
│ PROTO │
│ (solid) │
└──────┬──────┘
│
┌─────────┼─────────┐
│ │ │
pour wisp distill
│ │ ↑
▼ ▼ │
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │
│ MOL │ │ WISP │ │
│(liquid) │ │ (vapor) │ │
└────┬────┘ └────┬────┘ │
│ │ │
squash squash │
│ │ │
▼ ▼ │
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │
│ DIGEST │ │evaporates│ │
│(crystal)│ │ or burn │ │
└─────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ │
└───────────────────┘
(experience crystallizes)
```
| Operator | From | To | Effect |
|----------|------|------|--------|
| `pour` | Proto | Mol | Instantiate as persistent liquid |
| `wisp` | Proto | Wisp | Instantiate as ephemeral vapor |
| `bond` | Any + Any | Compound | Polymorphic combination |
| `squash` | Mol/Wisp | Digest | Condense to permanent record |
| `burn` | Wisp | Nothing | Discard without record |
| `distill` | Mol | Proto | Extract reusable template |
### The Polymorphic Bond Operator
**Bond** is the artifact-level combiner (distinct from **rig**, which composes
source formulas). Bond adapts to its operands:
| bond | Proto | Mol | Wisp |
|------|-------|-----|------|
| **Proto** | Compound Proto | Pour + attach | Wisp + attach |
| **Mol** | Pour + attach | Link | Link |
| **Wisp** | Wisp + attach | Link | Link |
This enables patterns like:
- Patrol wisp discovers issue → bonds new work mol
- Feature work needs diagnostic → bonds vapor wisp
- Witness tracks polecats → bonds lease per polecat
---
## Idea 4: Beads as Data Plane
We use Beads (a separate project) as the persistence layer. It's Git + Issues
in one human-readable format.
**Properties we liked:**
- **Git-backed**: Uses existing infrastructure
- **Human-readable**: You can read `.beads/` files directly
- **Portable**: No vendor lock-in
See [github.com/steveyegge/beads](https://github.com/steveyegge/beads) for more.
### Git as Persistence
Everything persists through git:
- Issues are JSONL in `.beads/`
- Molecules are structured issues
- Mail is issues with labels
This gives us offline-first operation and no infrastructure requirements.
### Control Plane = Data Plane
Gas Town uses Beads as both control plane and data plane:
| Data Type | Beads Representation |
|-----------|---------------------|
| Work items | Issues (tasks, bugs, features) |
| Workflows | Molecules (type=molecule) |
| Messages | Mail beads (type=message) |
| Merge requests | Queue entries (type=merge-request) |
| Agent state | Status on assigned issues |
The control state IS data in Beads. Agents read Beads to know what to do next.
There is no separate orchestrator - Beads IS the orchestrator.
---
## Idea 5: Patrol Loops
Gas Town runs on continuous monitoring loops called **patrols**.
### Patrol Agents
| Agent | Role | Patrol Focus |
|-------|------|--------------|
| **Deacon** | Town-level daemon | Health of all agents, plugin execution |
| **Witness** | Per-rig polecat monitor | Polecat lifecycle, nudging, cleanup |
| **Refinery** | Per-rig merge processor | Merge queue, validation, integration |
### Patrol Wisps
Patrol agents run ephemeral wisps for their cycles:
- Wisp starts at cycle begin
- Steps complete as work progresses
- Wisp squashes to digest at cycle end
- New wisp created for next cycle
This prevents accumulation: patrol work is vapor that condenses to minimal
digests, not liquid that pools forever.
### The Witness Polecat-Tracking Wisp
The Witness maintains a rolling wisp with a **lease** per active polecat:
```
wisp-witness-patrol
├── lease: furiosa (boot → working → done)
├── lease: nux (working)
└── lease: slit (done, closed)
```
Each lease is a bonded vapor molecule tracking one polecat's lifecycle.
When a polecat exits, its lease closes. When all leases close, the wisp
squashes to a summary digest.
---
## Idea 6: Propulsion Over Protocol
We're experimenting with "pull-based" work where agents propel themselves
rather than waiting for explicit commands:
1. **Check hook/pin** - What's attached to me?
2. **Find next step** - What's ready in my molecule?
3. **Execute** - Do the work
4. **Advance** - Close step, find next
5. **Exit properly** - One of four exit types
The idea is pull-based work: the molecule provides instructions, the agent executes.
### Hooks and Pins
Agents have **hooks** where work hangs. Work gets **pinned** to hooks.
```
Agent (with hook)
└── pinned mol (or wisp)
├── step 1 (done)
├── step 2 (in_progress)
└── step 3 (pending)
```
This enables:
- **Crash recovery**: Agent restarts, reads pinned mol, continues
- **Context survival**: Mol state persists across sessions
- **Handoff**: New session reads predecessor's pinned work
- **Observability**: `bd hook` shows what an agent is working on
### The Four Exits
Every polecat converges on one of four exits:
| Exit | Meaning | Action |
|------|---------|--------|
| **COMPLETED** | Work finished | Submit to merge queue |
| **BLOCKED** | External dependency | File blocker, defer, notify |
| **REFACTOR** | Work too large | Break down, defer rest |
| **ESCALATE** | Need human judgment | Document, mail human, defer |
All exits pass through the exit-decision step. All exits end in request-shutdown.
The polecat never exits directly - it waits to be killed by the Witness.
---
## Idea 7: Nondeterministic Idempotence
An idea we're exploring for crash recovery:
- **Deterministic structure**: Molecule defines exactly what steps exist
- **Nondeterministic execution**: Any worker can execute any ready step
- **Idempotent progress**: Completed steps stay completed
```
Worker A picks up "design" step
Worker A completes "design"
Worker A crashes mid-"implement"
Worker B restarts, queries ready work
Worker B sees "implement" is ready (design done, implement pending)
Worker B continues from exactly where A left off
```
No work is lost. No state is in memory. Any worker can continue any molecule.
---
## The Agent Hierarchy
### Overseer (Human)
- Sets strategy and priorities
- Reviews and approves output
- Handles escalations
- Operates the system
### Mayor (AI - Town-wide)
- Dispatches work across rigs
- Coordinates cross-project dependencies
- Handles strategic decisions
### Deacon (AI - Town-level daemon)
- Ensures patrol agents are running
- Executes maintenance plugins
- Handles lifecycle requests
### Witness (AI - Per-rig)
- Manages polecat lifecycle
- Detects stuck workers
- Handles session cycling
### Refinery (AI - Per-rig)
- Processes merge queue
- Reviews and integrates code
- Maintains branch hygiene
### Polecat (AI - Ephemeral workers)
- Executes work molecules
- Files discovered issues
- Ephemeral - spawn, work, disappear
---
## The Steam Train in Action
Putting it all together:
```
1. Human files issue in Beads
2. Mayor dispatches: gt sling --issue <id>
3. Polecat created with:
- Fresh worktree
- mol-polecat-work pinned to hook
- Work assignment in mail
4. Deacon/Witness notified: POLECAT_STARTED
5. Witness bonds lease to patrol wisp
6. Polecat:
- Reads polecat.md, orients
- Reads mail, gets assignment
- Executes mol-polecat-work steps
- Makes commits, runs tests
- Submits to merge queue
- Exits via request-shutdown
7. Witness:
- Receives SHUTDOWN mail
- Closes polecat's lease
- Kills session, cleans up
8. Refinery:
- Processes merge queue
- Rebases, tests, merges
- Pushes to main
9. Digest created: work outcome crystallized
10. Loop: new work, new polecats, new cycles
```
The flywheel spins. The village watches itself. The train keeps running.
---
## What We're Building Toward
We're interested in exploring AI as collaborator rather than just assistant.
Instead of AI suggesting code, what if AI could complete tasks while humans
review the outcomes?
This is early-stage experimentation. Some of it works, much of it doesn't yet.
We're sharing it in case the ideas are useful to others.
---
## Summary
Gas Town explores:
- Multi-agent coordination via "molecules" of work
- Git-backed persistence via Beads
- Distributed monitoring via the "village" model
- Crash recovery via nondeterministic idempotence
We don't know if these ideas will pan out. We invite you to explore with us.

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# Wisp Architecture: Simplified
> Status: Updated December 2024 - Simplified from separate directory to flag-based
## Overview
**Wisps** are ephemeral issues - transient workflow state that should not be synced
to the shared repository. They're used for operational messages (like lifecycle mail)
and patrol cycle traces that would otherwise accumulate unbounded.
## Core Principle
**Wisps are regular issues with `Wisp: true` flag.**
The old architecture used a separate `.beads-wisp/` directory. This was over-engineered.
The simplified approach:
| Old | New |
|-----|-----|
| `.beads-wisp/issues.jsonl` | `.beads/issues.jsonl` with `Wisp: true` |
| Separate directory, git init, gitignore | Single database, filtered on sync |
| Complex dual-inbox routing | Simple flag check |
## How It Works
### Creating Wisps
```bash
# Create an ephemeral issue
bd create --title "Patrol cycle" --wisp
# Send ephemeral mail (automatically sets Wisp=true)
gt mail send --wisp -s "Lifecycle: spawn" -m "..."
```
### Sync Filtering
When `bd sync` exports to JSONL for git:
- Issues with `Wisp: true` are **excluded**
- Only permanent issues are synced to remote
- No separate directory needed
### Querying
```bash
# List all issues (including wisps)
bd list
# List only wisps
bd list --wisp
# List only permanent issues
bd list --no-wisp
```
## Use Cases
### Ephemeral Mail (Lifecycle Messages)
Spawn notifications, session handoffs, and other operational messages that:
- Don't need to be synced to remote
- Would accumulate unbounded
- Have no long-term audit value
```bash
gt mail send gastown/polecats/nux --wisp \
-s "LIFECYCLE: spawn" \
-m "Work on issue gt-abc"
```
### Patrol Cycle Traces
Deacon, Witness, and Refinery run continuous loops. Each cycle would create
accumulating history. Wisps let them track cycle state without permanent records.
### Hook Files
Agent hook files (`hook-<agent>.json`) are stored in `.beads/` but are local-only
runtime state, not synced. These track what work is assigned to each agent for
restart-and-resume.
## Wisp Garbage Collection
Wisps can accumulate over time. The `wisp-gc` doctor check cleans up stale wisps:
```bash
# Check for stale wisps
gt doctor -v
# Auto-cleanup stale wisps (>1h old by default)
gt doctor --fix
# Manual cleanup via bd
bd wisp gc # Preview what would be cleaned
bd wisp gc --force # Actually delete stale wisps
bd wisp gc --age 2h # Custom age threshold
```
The Deacon includes wisp-gc in its patrol cycle via `gt doctor --fix`.
### What Gets Cleaned
- Wisps older than the threshold (default 1 hour)
- Wisps not associated with active sessions
- Orphaned lifecycle mail
### What's Preserved
- Wisps with active sessions still running
- Wisps younger than the threshold
- Non-wisp issues (permanent records)
## Decision Matrix
| Question | Answer | Use |
|----------|--------|-----|
| Should this sync to remote? | No | Wisp |
| Is this operational/lifecycle? | Yes | Wisp |
| Would this accumulate unbounded? | Yes | Wisp |
| Does this need audit trail? | Yes | Regular issue |
| Might others need to see this? | Yes | Regular issue |
## Migration from .beads-wisp/
The old `.beads-wisp/` directories can be deleted:
```bash
# Remove legacy wisp directories
rm -rf ~/gt/.beads-wisp/
rm -rf ~/gt/gastown/.beads-wisp/
find ~/gt -type d -name '.beads-wisp' -exec rm -rf {} +
```
No migration needed - these contained transient data with no long-term value.
## Related
- [molecules.md](molecules.md) - Molecule system (wisps can be molecule instances)
- [architecture.md](architecture.md) - Overall Gas Town architecture

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# Witness Patrol Design
> The Witness is the Pit Boss. Oversight, not implementation.
## Core Responsibilities
| Duty | Action |
|------|--------|
| Handle POLECAT_DONE | Create cleanup wisp, process later |
| Handle HELP requests | Assess, help or escalate to Mayor |
| Ensure refinery alive | Restart if needed |
| Survey workers | Detect stuck polecats, nudge or escalate |
| Process cleanups | Verify git clean, kill session, burn wisp |
## Patrol Shape (Linear)
```
inbox-check → process-cleanups → check-refinery → survey-workers → context-check → loop
```
No dynamic arms. No fanout gates. Simple loop like Deacon.
## Key Design Principles
| Principle | Meaning |
|-----------|---------|
| **Discovery over tracking** | Observe reality each cycle, don't maintain state |
| **Events over state** | POLECAT_DONE triggers wisps, not queue updates |
| **Cleanup wisps as finalizers** | Pending cleanup = wisp exists |
| **Task tool for parallelism** | Subagents inspect polecats, not molecule arms |
| **Fresh judgment each cycle** | No persistent nudge counters |
## Cleanup: The Finalizer Pattern
```
POLECAT_DONE arrives
↓
Create wisp: bd create --wisp --title "cleanup:<polecat>" --labels cleanup
↓
(wisp exists = cleanup pending)
↓
Witness process-cleanups step:
- Verify: git status clean, no unpushed, issue closed
- Execute: gt session kill, worktree removed
- Burn wisp
↓
Failed? Leave wisp, retry next cycle
```
## Assessing Stuck Polecats
With step-based restarts, polecats are either:
- **Working a step**: Active tool calls, progress
- **Starting a step**: Just respawned, reading hook
- **Stuck on a step**: No progress, same step for multiple cycles
| Observation | Action |
|-------------|--------|
| Active tool calls | None |
| Just started step (<5 min) | None |
| Idle 5-15 min, same step | Gentle nudge |
| Idle 15+ min, same step | Direct nudge |
| Idle 30+ min despite nudges | Escalate to Mayor |
| Errors visible | Assess, help or escalate |
| Says "done" but no POLECAT_DONE | Nudge to signal completion |
**No persistent nudge counts**. Each cycle: observe reality, make fresh judgment.
"How long stuck on same step" is discoverable from beads timestamps.
## Parallelism via Task Tool
Inspect multiple polecats concurrently using subagents:
```markdown
## survey-workers step
For each polecat, launch Task tool subagent:
- Capture tmux output
- Assess state (working/idle/error/done)
- Check beads for step progress
- Decide and execute action
Task tool handles parallelism. One subagent per polecat.
```
## Formula
See `.beads/formulas/mol-witness-patrol.formula.toml`
## Related
- [polecat-lifecycle.md](polecat-lifecycle.md) - Step-based execution model
- [molecular-chemistry.md](molecular-chemistry.md) - MEOW stack