hive-c0re: default new agents to root instead of under the bootstrap container

docs/agent-hierarchy.md

@@ -67,9 +67,11 @@ where system-level facts live.
    empty map → every agent treated as root (safe degradation for
    fresh installs that haven't run `meta::sync_agents` yet).
 2. **Reconcile**: `meta::sync_agents` calls `topology::reconcile`
-   alongside its `flake.nix` regeneration. New agents land at their
+   alongside its `flake.nix` regeneration. New agents default to root
-   default position (manager as parent, manager itself as root);
+   (null parent) — an agent-requested sub-agent already carries an
-   removed agents drop. Existing entries are preserved as-is so
+   explicit requester-as-parent edge from its `init_config` approval, so
+   only user/operator-initiated spawns hit this default, and those are
+   roots; removed agents drop. Existing entries are preserved as-is so
    operator overrides stick across regenerations. Pending-init agents
    (an operator-approved proposed config repo but no container yet —
    `Coordinator::pending_init_names`) are kept too, so the

hive-c0re/src/topology.rs

@@ -175,9 +175,12 @@ pub fn write(topology: &BTreeMap<String, Option<String>>) -> std::io::Result<()>
     std::fs::write(&path, format!("{text}\n"))
 }
 
-/// Compute the default topology for a fresh install: every non-manager
+/// Compute the default topology for a fresh install: every agent is a
-/// agent has the manager as parent; manager itself is root. Used by
+/// root (parent = null). There is no structural "manager" — agents
-/// `meta::sync_agents` on first call to seed `topology.json`.
+/// arrange themselves via explicit parent edges (an agent-requested
+/// sub-agent gets a requester-as-parent edge at `init_config`; the
+/// operator reparents via the dashboard / `RequestSetParent` API).
+/// Used by `meta::sync_agents` on first call to seed `topology.json`.
 ///
 /// As soon as an explicit write lands (dashboard / `RequestSetParent`
 /// API), this seeding stops touching pre-existing entries —
@@ -192,14 +195,7 @@ pub fn write(topology: &BTreeMap<String, Option<String>>) -> std::io::Result<()>
 pub fn default_seed(agent_names: &[String]) -> BTreeMap<String, Option<String>> {
     let mut out = BTreeMap::new();
     for name in agent_names {
-        if name == crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME {
+        out.insert(name.clone(), None);
-            out.insert(name.clone(), None);
-        } else {
-            out.insert(
-                name.clone(),
-                Some(crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME.to_owned()),
-            );
-        }
     }
     out
 }
@@ -355,12 +351,14 @@ pub fn apply_reconcile(
     let mut changed = false;
     for name in agent_names {
         if !next.contains_key(name) {
-            let parent = if name == crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME {
+            // A new agent with no declared parent defaults to root
-                None
+            // (parent = null). Agent-requested sub-agents always carry an
-            } else {
+            // explicit requester-as-parent edge (written at init_config
-                Some(crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME.to_owned())
+            // approval), so they never hit this default — only
-            };
+            // user/operator-initiated spawns do, and those are roots. No
-            next.insert(name.clone(), parent);
+            // agent is structurally privileged here: "root-ness" is just
+            // a null parent.
+            next.insert(name.clone(), None);
             changed = true;
         }
     }
@@ -491,26 +489,19 @@ mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
     #[test]
-    fn default_seed_makes_manager_root_others_children() {
+    fn default_seed_makes_every_agent_root() {
+        // No structural manager: every agent defaults to root (null
+        // parent). Explicit edges (init_config / dashboard) are layered
+        // on later.
         let agents = vec![
             "alice".to_owned(),
             crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME.to_owned(),
             "bob".to_owned(),
         ];
         let seed = default_seed(&agents);
-        assert_eq!(
+        assert_eq!(seed.get(crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME), Some(&None));
-            seed.get(crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME),
+        assert_eq!(seed.get("alice"), Some(&None));
-            Some(&None),
+        assert_eq!(seed.get("bob"), Some(&None));
-            "manager should be root"
-        );
-        assert_eq!(
-            seed.get("alice"),
-            Some(&Some(crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME.to_owned()))
-        );
-        assert_eq!(
-            seed.get("bob"),
-            Some(&Some(crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME.to_owned()))
-        );
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -665,17 +656,17 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn apply_reconcile_adds_missing_live_agent_under_manager() {
+    fn apply_reconcile_adds_missing_live_agent_as_root() {
+        // A live agent with no prior topology entry defaults to root
+        // (null parent) — no structural manager to hang it under.
         let live = vec![
             crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME.to_owned(),
             "newbie".to_owned(),
         ];
         let (next, changed) = apply_reconcile(&BTreeMap::new(), &live, &[]);
         assert!(changed);
-        assert_eq!(
+        assert_eq!(next.get("newbie"), Some(&None));
-            next.get("newbie"),
+        assert_eq!(next.get(crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME), Some(&None));
-            Some(&Some(crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME.to_owned()))
-        );
     }
 
     #[test]