diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 92cf8206..b69af92e 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1619,6 +1619,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "hive-host-sock",
  "hive-priv-sock",
  "hive-sh4re",
+ "hive-types",
  "hmac 0.13.0",
  "indicatif",
  "libc",
@@ -1671,8 +1672,8 @@ name = "hive-host-sock"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "hive-sh4re",
+ "hive-types",
  "serde",
- "serde_json",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1758,6 +1759,14 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_json",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "hive-types"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "hivectl"
 version = "0.1.0"
@@ -1768,6 +1777,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "clap_complete",
  "hive-host-sock",
  "hive-sh4re",
+ "hive-types",
  "indicatif",
  "serde_json",
  "tokio",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 95993f7d..cc38c6fb 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ members = [
   "hive-priv",
   "hive-priv-sock",
   "hive-sh4re",
+  "hive-types",
   "hivectl",
 ]
 
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ hive-agent-sock = { path = "hive-agent-sock" }
 hive-claude = { path = "hive-claude" }
 hive-host-sock = { path = "hive-host-sock" }
 hive-priv-sock = { path = "hive-priv-sock" }
+hive-types = { path = "hive-types" }
 thiserror = "2"
 tower-http = { version = "0.7", features = ["fs"] }
 rmcp = { version = "2", default-features = false, features = [
diff --git a/hive-c0re/Cargo.toml b/hive-c0re/Cargo.toml
index 6c7edbeb..9f304815 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/Cargo.toml
+++ b/hive-c0re/Cargo.toml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ hive-agent-sock.workspace = true
 hive-sh4re.workspace = true
 hive-host-sock.workspace = true
 hive-priv-sock.workspace = true
+hive-types.workspace = true
 libc.workspace = true
 listenfd = "1"
 petgraph.workspace = true
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs b/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs
index d9518248..e091a686 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ pub async fn approve(coord: Arc<Coordinator>, id: i64) -> Result<()> {
             // Sub-second git seed + forge-remote wire. Routing through
             // the queue would surface a queue card that's gone before
             // the operator's eyes refocus. Run inline.
-            let agent = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(&approval.agent).map_err(|e| {
+            let agent = hive_types::Ident::parse(&approval.agent).map_err(|e| {
                 anyhow::anyhow!("approval {} has invalid agent name: {e}", approval.id)
             })?;
             let proposed_dir = Coordinator::agent_proposed_dir(&agent);
@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ pub async fn destroy(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>, name: &str, purge: bool) -> Resul
         // A malformed name can't have a persistent state tree (the state dir
         // is only ever created under a validated Ident), so its removal is a
         // no-op — skip the state-dir sweep and just clear the applied dir.
-        let state_dir = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name)
+        let state_dir = hive_types::Ident::parse(name)
             .ok()
             .map(|id| crate::paths::agent_state_dir(&id));
         for dir in state_dir
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/container_view.rs b/hive-c0re/src/container_view.rs
index 96fcb24d..abefef7b 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/container_view.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/container_view.rs
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ pub async fn build_all(coord: &Coordinator) -> Vec<ContainerView> {
         // Parse the nspawn machine suffix into an Ident once at this
         // enumeration origin; a suffix that isn't a valid ident isn't one
         // of our agents, so skip it.
-        let Ok(logical) = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(logical) else {
+        let Ok(logical) = hive_types::Ident::parse(logical) else {
             continue;
         };
         let deployed_full = locked
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ pub fn claude_has_session(dir: &Path) -> bool {
 /// the consolidated `hyperhive-harness.json`. Falls back to the legacy
 /// individual sentinel files written by older harness builds so in-place
 /// upgrades don't lose state during the transition window.
-fn read_harness_flags(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> (bool, bool) {
+fn read_harness_flags(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> (bool, bool) {
     let dir = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(name);
     if let Ok(raw) = std::fs::read_to_string(dir.join("hyperhive-harness.json"))
         && let Ok(v) = serde_json::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(&raw)
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ fn read_harness_flags(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> (bool, bool) {
     (rate_limited, needs_login)
 }
 
-fn auth_failed_sentinel(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> bool {
+fn auth_failed_sentinel(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> bool {
     read_harness_flags(name).1
 }
 
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ fn auth_failed_sentinel(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> bool {
 /// NB: callers building `AgentMeta` for a *stopped* container should
 /// clear the result — the on-disk status is a stale snapshot from
 /// before the stop. Use `read_agent_status_live` for that.
-pub fn read_agent_status(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> (Option<String>, Option<i64>) {
+pub fn read_agent_status(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> (Option<String>, Option<i64>) {
     let path = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(name).join("hyperhive-status");
     let meta = std::fs::metadata(&path).ok();
     // Read at most STATUS_MAX_CHARS * 4 + 2 bytes: 4 is the max UTF-8 byte
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ pub fn read_agent_status(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> (Option<String>, Optio
 /// Returned tuple is `(status_text, status_set_at, running)`.
 /// `name` is the logical agent name (same as the broker recipient).
 pub async fn read_agent_status_live(
-    name: &hive_host_sock::Ident,
+    name: &hive_types::Ident,
 ) -> (Option<String>, Option<i64>, bool) {
     if !lifecycle::is_running(name.as_str()).await {
         return (None, None, false);
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ pub async fn read_agent_status_live(
 /// so it always reflects the resolved priority (nix config > runtime
 /// override > default). Returns `None` when the field is absent or the
 /// harness has not yet started a turn.
-fn read_active_model(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> Option<String> {
+fn read_active_model(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> Option<String> {
     let path = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(name).join("hyperhive-harness.json");
     let raw = std::fs::read_to_string(path).ok()?;
     let v: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&raw).ok()?;
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs b/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs
index c2c76c72..707ac73c 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ impl Coordinator {
         // MANAGER_NAME const), so an invalid ident here is a construction
         // bug. This is the step-3 boundary between the Ident-threaded path
         // builders and the job_queue layer (threaded post hive-jobq cutover).
-        let name = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name)
+        let name = hive_types::Ident::parse(name)
             .expect("agent_paths: name must be a valid ident (validated at spawn/enqueue)");
         AgentPaths {
             agent: agent_dir,
@@ -1448,7 +1448,7 @@ impl Coordinator {
 
     /// Manager-editable proposed config repo. Bind-mounted into the manager
     /// container as `/agents/<name>/config/`.
-    pub fn agent_proposed_dir(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> PathBuf {
+    pub fn agent_proposed_dir(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> PathBuf {
         crate::paths::agent_state_dir(name).join("config")
     }
 
@@ -1456,14 +1456,14 @@ impl Coordinator {
     /// container at `/root/.claude` so OAuth state survives container
     /// destroy/recreate. Each agent owns its own token lineage — sharing
     /// would break on the first refresh-token rotation.
-    pub fn agent_claude_dir(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> PathBuf {
+    pub fn agent_claude_dir(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> PathBuf {
         crate::paths::agent_state_dir(name).join("claude")
     }
 
     /// Per-agent durable knowledge dir. Bind-mounted RW into the agent
     /// container at `/agents/{name}/state`. Survives destroy/recreate.
     /// Agent-visible — claude is told to write long-lived notes here.
-    pub fn agent_notes_dir(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> PathBuf {
+    pub fn agent_notes_dir(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> PathBuf {
         crate::paths::agent_state_dir(name).join("state")
     }
 
@@ -1473,7 +1473,7 @@ impl Coordinator {
     /// `hyperhive-turn-stats.sqlite`, `hyperhive-model`) — kept separate
     /// from the agent-visible `state/` so claude's "my notes" view is
     /// uncluttered and the host vacuum has a clean sweep root.
-    pub fn agent_harness_dir(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> PathBuf {
+    pub fn agent_harness_dir(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> PathBuf {
         crate::paths::agent_state_dir(name).join("harness")
     }
 
@@ -1483,14 +1483,14 @@ impl Coordinator {
     /// destroyed-but-kept tombstones; callers filter the latter by
     /// subtracting `lifecycle::list()`.
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn kept_state_names() -> Vec<hive_host_sock::Ident> {
+    pub fn kept_state_names() -> Vec<hive_types::Ident> {
         let Ok(rd) = std::fs::read_dir(crate::paths::agents_root()) else {
             return Vec::new();
         };
-        let mut out: Vec<hive_host_sock::Ident> = rd
+        let mut out: Vec<hive_types::Ident> = rd
             .flatten()
             .filter(|e| e.file_type().is_ok_and(|t| t.is_dir()))
-            .filter_map(|e| hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(&e.file_name().into_string().ok()?).ok())
+            .filter_map(|e| hive_types::Ident::parse(&e.file_name().into_string().ok()?).ok())
             .collect();
         out.sort();
         out
@@ -1503,7 +1503,7 @@ impl Coordinator {
     /// apply-commit spawns the container. Distinct from tombstones,
     /// which have an applied repo from a prior deploy.
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn pending_init_names() -> Vec<hive_host_sock::Ident> {
+    pub fn pending_init_names() -> Vec<hive_types::Ident> {
         Self::kept_state_names()
             .into_iter()
             .filter(|n| {
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/approvals.rs b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/approvals.rs
index d92ff1d9..04c1ee96 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/approvals.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/approvals.rs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ pub(super) fn gc_orphans(coord: &Coordinator, approvals: Vec<Approval>) -> Vec<A
             ) {
                 return true;
             }
-            let Ok(agent) = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(&a.agent) else {
+            let Ok(agent) = hive_types::Ident::parse(&a.agent) else {
                 let _ = coord.approvals.mark_failed(a.id, "invalid agent name");
                 tracing::warn!(id = a.id, agent = %a.agent, "auto-failed approval with invalid agent name");
                 return false;
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/mod.rs b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/mod.rs
index 8a25abec..00a65b4c 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/mod.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/mod.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ mod extra_forges;
 // owning agent-path facts) so every dashboard path-param validates through the
 // same type used to build agent paths. Re-exported so submodules + the socket
 // server reach it as `crate::dashboard::Ident`.
-pub(crate) use hive_host_sock::Ident;
+pub(crate) use hive_types::Ident;
 mod infra_containers;
 mod journal;
 mod lifecycle_ops;
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/permissions.rs b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/permissions.rs
index 39d03d37..4b0049b0 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/permissions.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/permissions.rs
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ pub(super) async fn get_stale_permissions(
     let kept: std::collections::HashSet<String> =
         crate::coordinator::Coordinator::kept_state_names()
             .into_iter()
-            .map(hive_host_sock::Ident::into_string)
+            .map(hive_types::Ident::into_string)
             .collect();
     // Known = live roster ∪ kept-state names.
     let known: std::collections::HashSet<&String> = live.iter().chain(kept.iter()).collect();
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/forge/repos.rs b/hive-c0re/src/forge/repos.rs
index ef5c74ee..a9fe91d8 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/forge/repos.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/forge/repos.rs
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ pub async fn ensure_meta_remote(name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     }
     // A malformed name has no proposed config repo (repos are only created
     // under a validated Ident), so there's nothing to wire — no-op.
-    let Ok(agent) = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name) else {
+    let Ok(agent) = hive_types::Ident::parse(name) else {
         return Ok(());
     };
     let proposed_dir = Coordinator::agent_proposed_dir(&agent);
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/host_config.rs b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/host_config.rs
index 3f280ee2..39195f96 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/host_config.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/host_config.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ pub const CONTAINER_MANAGER_APPLIED_MOUNT: &str = "/applied";
 /// state") for the rationale. Creates missing host-side directories so
 /// nspawn doesn't refuse to start; missing dirs are non-fatal.
 fn bind_child_agent_dirs(child: &str, binds: &mut Vec<BindMount>) {
-    let Ok(child) = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(child) else {
+    let Ok(child) = hive_types::Ident::parse(child) else {
         tracing::warn!(%child, "skipping child bind: invalid agent name");
         return;
     };
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ async fn set_nspawn_flags(
             read_only: false,
         });
     }
-    let agent_id = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(agent_name)
+    let agent_id = hive_types::Ident::parse(agent_name)
         .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid agent name {agent_name:?}: {e}"))?;
     let own_config = crate::paths::agent_state_dir(&agent_id).join("config");
     std::fs::create_dir_all(&own_config)
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/setup.rs b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/setup.rs
index da7888c4..39d037db 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/setup.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/setup.rs
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ pub fn ensure_state_dir(notes_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
 /// brand-new agent on a btrfs host gets a real subvolume. Subvolume creation
 /// is privileged, so it's delegated to hive-priv.
 pub async fn ensure_agent_state_subvolume(name: &str) -> Result<()> {
-    let agent = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name)
+    let agent = hive_types::Ident::parse(name)
         .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid agent name {name:?}: {e}"))?;
     let root = crate::paths::agent_state_dir(&agent);
     if root.exists() {
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs b/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
index 4674e6ec..eff37f84 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ pub fn admin_token_path() -> PathBuf {
 
 /// Token file inside the agent's bind-mounted state dir (visible as
 /// `/state/matrix-token` from inside the container).
-fn token_path(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> PathBuf {
+fn token_path(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> PathBuf {
     Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(name).join("matrix-token")
 }
 
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ fn password_path(name: &str) -> PathBuf {
 /// move credentials from old deployments to the new location. Safe to
 /// call after `destroy --purge` — the path will simply not exist and
 /// the migration is a no-op.
-fn legacy_password_path(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> PathBuf {
+fn legacy_password_path(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> PathBuf {
     Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(name).join("matrix-password")
 }
 
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ pub async fn ensure_user_for(
     register_token: &str,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
-    let agent = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name)
+    let agent = hive_types::Ident::parse(name)
         .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid agent name {name:?}: {e}"))?;
     let path = token_path(&agent);
     if path.exists()
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/meta.rs b/hive-c0re/src/meta.rs
index 2de62d64..55f4edf5 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/meta.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/meta.rs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ pub async fn sync_agents(hive: &HiveEnv, agents: &[AgentSpec]) -> Result<()> {
     let agent_names: Vec<String> = agents.iter().map(|a| a.name.clone()).collect();
     let pending: Vec<String> = crate::coordinator::Coordinator::pending_init_names()
         .into_iter()
-        .map(hive_host_sock::Ident::into_string)
+        .map(hive_types::Ident::into_string)
         .collect();
     crate::topology::reconcile(&agent_names, &pending)
         .with_context(|| format!("reconcile {}", crate::topology::topology_path().display()))?;
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/migrate.rs b/hive-c0re/src/migrate.rs
index 20cbe2c0..355bba5d 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/migrate.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/migrate.rs
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ pub async fn run(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>) -> Result<()> {
 /// and into the sibling harness dir. Best-effort: logs warnings but never
 /// fails. Idempotent — each file is only moved if present at the old path
 /// and absent at the new path.
-fn migrate_harness_files(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) {
+fn migrate_harness_files(name: &hive_types::Ident) {
     const HARNESS_FILES: &[&str] = &[
         "hyperhive-events.sqlite",
         "hyperhive-turn-stats.sqlite",
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ async fn rename_manager_container(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>) {
     }
 }
 
-async fn enumerate_agents() -> Vec<hive_host_sock::Ident> {
+async fn enumerate_agents() -> Vec<hive_types::Ident> {
     let containers = lifecycle::list().await.unwrap_or_default();
     containers
         .into_iter()
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ async fn enumerate_agents() -> Vec<hive_host_sock::Ident> {
             } else {
                 c.strip_prefix(AGENT_PREFIX)?
             };
-            hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name).ok()
+            hive_types::Ident::parse(name).ok()
         })
         .collect()
 }
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ async fn repoint_container(name: &str) -> Result<()> {
 /// Idempotent — skips when entry already present. Prevents a silent tool
 /// downgrade when upgrading from a build that relied on the manager-flavor
 /// fallback in `effective_tool_groups()`.
-fn backfill_manager_tool_groups(names: &[hive_host_sock::Ident]) {
+fn backfill_manager_tool_groups(names: &[hive_types::Ident]) {
     if !names.iter().any(|n| n.as_str() == MANAGER_NAME) {
         return; // ruth not deployed — nothing to backfill
     }
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/server.rs b/hive-c0re/src/server.rs
index 8bc16ebe..21089867 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/server.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/server.rs
@@ -83,11 +83,11 @@ async fn handle(stream: UnixStream, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> Result<()> {
 async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
     let result: anyhow::Result<HostResponse> = async {
         Ok(match req {
-            HostRequest::Spawn { name } => handle_spawn(&coord, name).await?,
+            HostRequest::Spawn { name } => handle_spawn(&coord, name.as_str()).await?,
             HostRequest::RequestSpawn { name } => {
                 tracing::info!(%name, "request_spawn");
                 let id = coord.approvals.submit_kind(
-                    name,
+                    name.as_str(),
                     hive_sh4re::ApprovalKind::Spawn,
                     "",
                     None,
@@ -97,8 +97,10 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
                 tracing::info!(%id, %name, "spawn approval queued");
                 HostResponse::success()
             }
-            HostRequest::Kill { name } => submit_single(&coord, name, Verb::Kill).await,
-            HostRequest::Restart { name } => submit_single(&coord, name, Verb::Restart).await,
+            HostRequest::Kill { name } => submit_single(&coord, name.as_str(), Verb::Kill).await,
+            HostRequest::Restart { name } => {
+                submit_single(&coord, name.as_str(), Verb::Restart).await
+            }
             HostRequest::RestartAll => handle_restart_all(&coord).await?,
             HostRequest::RestartScoped { scope, graceful } => {
                 handle_restart_scoped(&coord, scope, *graceful).await?
@@ -140,10 +142,12 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
                 handle_start(&coord, &agents, &infra).await?
             }
             HostRequest::Destroy { name, purge } => {
-                actions::destroy(&coord, name, *purge).await?;
+                actions::destroy(&coord, name.as_str(), *purge).await?;
                 HostResponse::success()
             }
-            HostRequest::Rebuild { name } => submit_single(&coord, name, Verb::Rebuild).await,
+            HostRequest::Rebuild { name } => {
+                submit_single(&coord, name.as_str(), Verb::Rebuild).await
+            }
             HostRequest::QueueDag { id } => {
                 // A multi-step op is one DAG now (no fan-out children to gather).
                 let dags = coord
@@ -179,7 +183,10 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
                 // skip both the messages and the disk write per the
                 // topology fast-path.
                 coord
-                    .reparent_with_notify(child, new_parent.as_deref())
+                    .reparent_with_notify(
+                        child.as_str(),
+                        new_parent.as_ref().map(hive_types::Ident::as_str),
+                    )
                     .await
                     .map_err(anyhow::Error::msg)?;
                 HostResponse::success()
@@ -188,8 +195,12 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
                 handle_matrix_create_user(name, password.as_deref()).await?
             }
             HostRequest::MatrixSyncAdmin => handle_matrix_sync_admin().await?,
-            HostRequest::MatrixPromoteUser { name } => handle_matrix_promote_user(name).await?,
-            HostRequest::MatrixResetPassword { name } => handle_matrix_reset_password(name).await?,
+            HostRequest::MatrixPromoteUser { name } => {
+                handle_matrix_promote_user(name.as_str()).await?
+            }
+            HostRequest::MatrixResetPassword { name } => {
+                handle_matrix_reset_password(name.as_str()).await?
+            }
             HostRequest::MatrixInvite { user, room } => {
                 handle_matrix_invite(user, room.as_deref()).await?
             }
@@ -197,10 +208,10 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
                 handle_forge_create_user(name, password.as_deref()).await?
             }
             HostRequest::ReconcileConfigStatus { agent, verbose } => {
-                crate::forge::reconcile_config_status(agent, *verbose).await?
+                crate::forge::reconcile_config_status(agent.as_str(), *verbose).await?
             }
             HostRequest::ReconcileConfigApply { agent, direction } => {
-                crate::forge::reconcile_config_apply(agent, *direction).await?
+                crate::forge::reconcile_config_apply(agent.as_str(), *direction).await?
             }
             HostRequest::GatewayCreateUser { username, password } => {
                 HostResponse::messages(vec![crate::gateway_nginx::create_user(username, password)?])
@@ -212,24 +223,30 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
                 HostResponse::messages(crate::gateway_nginx::list_users()?)
             }
             HostRequest::SetAgentGithubToken { agent, token } => {
-                handle_set_agent_github_token(agent, token).await?
+                handle_set_agent_github_token(agent.as_str(), token).await?
             }
             HostRequest::QuotaEnable => handle_quota_enable().await?,
-            HostRequest::QuotaLimit { name, limit } => handle_quota_limit(name, *limit).await?,
-            HostRequest::QuotaShow { name } => handle_quota_show(name.as_deref()).await?,
-            HostRequest::UpgradeSubvolume { name } => handle_upgrade_subvolume(name).await?,
+            HostRequest::QuotaLimit { name, limit } => {
+                handle_quota_limit(name.as_str(), *limit).await?
+            }
+            HostRequest::QuotaShow { name } => {
+                handle_quota_show(name.as_ref().map(hive_types::Ident::as_str)).await?
+            }
+            HostRequest::UpgradeSubvolume { name } => {
+                handle_upgrade_subvolume(name.as_str()).await?
+            }
             HostRequest::SnapshotSubvolume { name, label } => {
-                handle_snapshot_subvolume(name, label).await?
+                handle_snapshot_subvolume(name.as_str(), label).await?
             }
             HostRequest::DeleteSnapshot { name, label } => {
-                handle_delete_snapshot(name, label).await?
+                handle_delete_snapshot(name.as_str(), label).await?
             }
             HostRequest::SendSnapshot {
                 name,
                 label,
                 parent,
                 dest,
-            } => handle_send_snapshot(name, label, parent.as_deref(), dest).await?,
+            } => handle_send_snapshot(name.as_str(), label, parent.as_deref(), dest).await?,
         })
     }
     .await;
@@ -320,10 +337,8 @@ fn matrix_http_client() -> Result<reqwest::Client> {
 
 /// True when `name` has a state dir under the agents root, i.e. it's a
 /// managed agent rather than a bare (operator/human) matrix account.
-fn agent_exists(name: &str) -> Result<bool> {
-    let name = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name)
-        .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid agent name {name:?}: {e}"))?;
-    crate::paths::agent_state_dir(&name)
+fn agent_exists(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> Result<bool> {
+    crate::paths::agent_state_dir(name)
         .try_exists()
         .with_context(|| format!("check agent state dir for {name}"))
 }
@@ -338,7 +353,10 @@ async fn require_matrix_present() -> Result<()> {
     )
 }
 
-async fn handle_matrix_create_user(name: &str, password: Option<&str>) -> Result<HostResponse> {
+async fn handle_matrix_create_user(
+    name: &hive_types::Ident,
+    password: Option<&str>,
+) -> Result<HostResponse> {
     require_matrix_present().await?;
     let register_token =
         crate::matrix::ensure_register_token().context("read matrix register token")?;
@@ -353,12 +371,10 @@ async fn handle_matrix_create_user(name: &str, password: Option<&str>) -> Result
                 "matrix create-user: a password is for non-agent (operator) accounts only; '{name}' is an agent which authenticates via access_token"
             );
         }
-        crate::matrix::ensure_user_for(&client, name, &register_token)
+        crate::matrix::ensure_user_for(&client, name.as_str(), &register_token)
             .await
             .with_context(|| format!("matrix create-user {name}"))?;
-        let agent = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name)
-            .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid agent name {name:?}: {e}"))?;
-        let path = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(&agent).join("matrix-token");
+        let path = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(name).join("matrix-token");
         out.push(format!("matrix: provisioned agent user '{name}'"));
         out.push(format!("token persisted at: {}", path.display()));
     } else {
@@ -368,7 +384,7 @@ async fn handle_matrix_create_user(name: &str, password: Option<&str>) -> Result
         };
         let token = crate::matrix::provision_user_token(
             &client,
-            name,
+            name.as_str(),
             &register_token,
             &effective_password,
         )
@@ -391,7 +407,10 @@ async fn handle_matrix_create_user(name: &str, password: Option<&str>) -> Result
     Ok(HostResponse::messages(out))
 }
 
-async fn handle_forge_create_user(name: &str, password: Option<&str>) -> Result<HostResponse> {
+async fn handle_forge_create_user(
+    name: &hive_types::Ident,
+    password: Option<&str>,
+) -> Result<HostResponse> {
     if !crate::forge::is_present().await {
         anyhow::bail!(
             "hive-forge container not running — wait for hive-c0re to start it before provisioning forge users"
@@ -406,16 +425,14 @@ async fn handle_forge_create_user(name: &str, password: Option<&str>) -> Result<
                 "forge create-user: a password is for non-agent (operator) accounts only; '{name}' is an agent which authenticates via API token"
             );
         }
-        crate::forge::ensure_user_for(name)
+        crate::forge::ensure_user_for(name.as_str())
             .await
             .with_context(|| format!("forge create-user {name}"))?;
-        let agent = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name)
-            .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid agent name {name:?}: {e}"))?;
-        let path = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(&agent).join("forge-token");
+        let path = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(name).join("forge-token");
         out.push(format!("forge: provisioned agent user '{name}'"));
         out.push(format!("token persisted at: {}", path.display()));
     } else {
-        let token = crate::forge::provision_user_token(name, password)
+        let token = crate::forge::provision_user_token(name.as_str(), password)
             .await
             .with_context(|| format!("forge create-user {name}"))?;
         out.push(format!(
@@ -467,7 +484,7 @@ async fn handle_quota_show(name: Option<&str>) -> Result<HostResponse> {
         Some(n) => vec![n.to_owned()],
         None => Coordinator::kept_state_names()
             .into_iter()
-            .map(hive_host_sock::Ident::into_string)
+            .map(hive_types::Ident::into_string)
             .collect(),
     };
     let mut rows = Vec::with_capacity(agents.len());
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/config_approvals.rs b/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/config_approvals.rs
index c52f5ce7..e852892c 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/config_approvals.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/config_approvals.rs
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ pub(crate) fn submit_init_config(
     parent: Option<&str>,
     description: Option<String>,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<i64> {
-    let agent = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name)
+    let agent = hive_types::Ident::parse(name)
         .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid agent name {name:?}: {e}"))?;
     let proposed_dir = crate::coordinator::Coordinator::agent_proposed_dir(&agent);
     if proposed_dir.join(".git").exists() {
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/mod.rs b/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/mod.rs
index 152a5397..86b0a6a7 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/mod.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/mod.rs
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ async fn handle_get_agent_meta(
     // the OS level. Validate it before any path is built. The `None` default
     // (`target == agent`) is the caller's own authenticated name, already
     // valid — but validating unconditionally is simplest and harmless.
-    let target_id = match hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(target) {
+    let target_id = match hive_types::Ident::parse(target) {
         Ok(id) => id,
         Err(reason) => {
             return hive_agent_sock::Response::Err {
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ async fn handle_get_agent_meta(
 /// or the daemon not up yet) yields an empty list. The `MatrixIdentity`
 /// serde shape matches the snapshot entries; the snapshot's `live` field is
 /// ignored (only live accounts are written).
-fn read_agent_matrix_identities(agent: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> Vec<hive_sh4re::MatrixIdentity> {
+fn read_agent_matrix_identities(agent: &hive_types::Ident) -> Vec<hive_sh4re::MatrixIdentity> {
     let path = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(agent).join("matrix-accounts.json");
     std::fs::read_to_string(&path)
         .ok()
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ fn require_group(agent: &str, group: &str, action: &str) -> Option<Response> {
 /// `submit_init_config`, which builds filesystem paths from it, so validate
 /// before that.
 fn require_new_child(agent: &str, target: &str, action: &str) -> Option<Response> {
-    if let Err(reason) = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(target) {
+    if let Err(reason) = hive_types::Ident::parse(target) {
         return Some(Response::Err {
             message: format!("agent `{agent}` cannot {action} `{target}`: {reason}"),
         });
@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@ pub(crate) fn handle_send(
         // A name that doesn't parse as an Ident can't be a local agent, so
         // it collapses into the same "unknown recipient" error as a valid
         // name with no state dir.
-        let exists = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(&resolved)
+        let exists = hive_types::Ident::parse(&resolved)
             .is_ok_and(|id| crate::paths::agent_state_dir(&id).exists());
         if !exists {
             return Response::Err {
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/stats/container_stats.rs b/hive-c0re/src/stats/container_stats.rs
index ccf7cca5..b9fe1b9a 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/stats/container_stats.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/stats/container_stats.rs
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ async fn du_bytes(path: &std::path::Path) -> Option<u64> {
 /// agent's state-dir contribution was 0; with the writable rootfs nearly empty
 /// (almost everything is bind-mounted), that surfaced as all agents reporting
 /// 0 disk.
-async fn measure_agent_disk(name: &hive_host_sock::Ident) -> u64 {
+async fn measure_agent_disk(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> u64 {
     let state_dir = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(name);
     let rootfs = PathBuf::from(format!("{NIXOS_CONTAINERS_ROOT}/h-{name}"));
     let mut total = 0u64;
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/workers/crash_watch.rs b/hive-c0re/src/workers/crash_watch.rs
index 19166278..49111296 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/workers/crash_watch.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/workers/crash_watch.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ pub fn spawn(coord: Arc<Coordinator>) {
                 if lifecycle::is_running(&logical).await {
                     current_running.insert(logical.clone());
                 }
-                if hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(&logical)
+                if hive_types::Ident::parse(&logical)
                     .is_ok_and(|id| claude_has_session(&Coordinator::agent_claude_dir(&id)))
                 {
                     current_logged_in.insert(logical.clone());
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/workers/reminder_scheduler.rs b/hive-c0re/src/workers/reminder_scheduler.rs
index a0da2317..f05f8d92 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/workers/reminder_scheduler.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/workers/reminder_scheduler.rs
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ fn inline_fallback(req_path: &str, reason: &str, message: &str) -> String {
 /// inline-falls-back). `pub` because `socket_server::handle_remind`
 /// reuses it for the at-remind-time auto-file path.
 pub fn write_payload(agent: &str, host_path: &Path, message: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
-    let agent = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(agent)
+    let agent = hive_types::Ident::parse(agent)
         .map_err(|e| format!("invalid agent name {agent:?}: {e}"))?;
     let Some(parent) = host_path.parent() else {
         return Err("internal: host path has no parent".to_owned());
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ pub fn container_state_prefix(agent: &str) -> String {
 /// reason string on rejection. `pub` so `socket_server::handle_remind`
 /// can reuse it for the at-remind-time auto-file path.
 pub fn resolve_host_path(agent: &str, req_path: &str) -> Result<PathBuf, String> {
-    let agent = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(agent)
+    let agent = hive_types::Ident::parse(agent)
         .map_err(|e| format!("invalid agent name {agent:?}: {e}"))?;
     let prefix = container_state_prefix(agent.as_str());
     let Some(rel) = req_path.strip_prefix(&prefix) else {
diff --git a/hive-host-sock/Cargo.toml b/hive-host-sock/Cargo.toml
index 24152da4..b39f0f9e 100644
--- a/hive-host-sock/Cargo.toml
+++ b/hive-host-sock/Cargo.toml
@@ -8,7 +8,5 @@ workspace = true
 
 [dependencies]
 hive-sh4re.workspace = true
+hive-types.workspace = true
 serde.workspace = true
-
-[dev-dependencies]
-serde_json.workspace = true
diff --git a/hive-host-sock/src/lib.rs b/hive-host-sock/src/lib.rs
index 46d3ae58..1b5ffcdd 100644
--- a/hive-host-sock/src/lib.rs
+++ b/hive-host-sock/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use hive_sh4re::{AgentStatusRow, Approval, jobs};
+use hive_types::Ident;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 // ── Shared hive layout facts ──────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -55,152 +56,6 @@ pub fn container_name(name: &str) -> String {
     format!("{AGENT_PREFIX}{name}")
 }
 
-/// A validated hive identifier: 1-63 chars of `[a-z0-9-]`.
-///
-/// The single ident type for agent names, forge labels, and matrix / github
-/// account names — every value that becomes a filesystem path segment or an
-/// nspawn machine-name component. Constructed only through the validating
-/// [`Ident::parse`], so "this string passed the naming whitelist" is a fact
-/// the type carries instead of a convention every call site re-checks against
-/// a raw `String`. The charset is deliberately conservative — lowercase
-/// ascii, digits, and hyphen only (no underscore, dot, slash, or non-ASCII) —
-/// and length-capped, tracking `nixos-container` basename rules and keeping
-/// `../` traversal, unicode homoglyphs, and unbounded path segments out of
-/// any path built from it. Deserialization runs the same parse, so a value
-/// arriving over the wire is validated on the way in.
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, PartialOrd, Ord)]
-pub struct Ident(String);
-
-impl Ident {
-    /// Maximum length in bytes. A cap stops an unbounded operator-supplied
-    /// name from becoming an over-long path segment (a filesystem / `DoS`
-    /// footgun).
-    pub const MAX_LEN: usize = 63;
-
-    /// Parse + validate an identifier.
-    ///
-    /// # Errors
-    /// Returns `Err(reason)` — a caller-ready message — when `s` is empty,
-    /// longer than [`Ident::MAX_LEN`], or contains any byte outside
-    /// `[a-z0-9-]`.
-    pub fn parse(s: &str) -> Result<Self, &'static str> {
-        if s.is_empty() {
-            return Err("identifier must not be empty");
-        }
-        if s.len() > Self::MAX_LEN {
-            return Err("identifier must be 63 characters or fewer");
-        }
-        if !s
-            .bytes()
-            .all(|b| b.is_ascii_lowercase() || b.is_ascii_digit() || b == b'-')
-        {
-            return Err("identifier must contain only [a-z0-9-]");
-        }
-        Ok(Self(s.to_owned()))
-    }
-
-    /// The validated identifier as a string slice.
-    #[must_use]
-    pub fn as_str(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.0
-    }
-
-    /// Consume into the inner `String`.
-    #[must_use]
-    pub fn into_string(self) -> String {
-        self.0
-    }
-}
-
-impl std::fmt::Display for Ident {
-    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
-        f.write_str(&self.0)
-    }
-}
-
-impl AsRef<str> for Ident {
-    fn as_ref(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.0
-    }
-}
-
-/// Lets an `Ident` key a `HashMap`/`BTreeMap` be looked up with a `&str`.
-impl std::borrow::Borrow<str> for Ident {
-    fn borrow(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.0
-    }
-}
-
-impl serde::Serialize for Ident {
-    fn serialize<S: serde::Serializer>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error> {
-        serializer.serialize_str(&self.0)
-    }
-}
-
-impl<'de> serde::Deserialize<'de> for Ident {
-    fn deserialize<D: serde::Deserializer<'de>>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Self, D::Error> {
-        use serde::de::Error as _;
-        let s = String::deserialize(deserializer)?;
-        Ident::parse(&s).map_err(D::Error::custom)
-    }
-}
-
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod ident_tests {
-    use super::Ident;
-
-    #[test]
-    fn accepts_canonical_shapes() {
-        for ok in [
-            "damocles",
-            "hm1nd",
-            "agent-with-dashes",
-            "codeberg",
-            "acct-1",
-        ] {
-            assert!(Ident::parse(ok).is_ok(), "should accept {ok:?}");
-        }
-        assert!(
-            Ident::parse(&"a".repeat(Ident::MAX_LEN)).is_ok(),
-            "63 chars is the boundary"
-        );
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn rejects_bad_input() {
-        let too_long = "a".repeat(Ident::MAX_LEN + 1);
-        for bad in [
-            "",
-            &too_long,
-            "Alice",          // uppercase
-            "snake_case",     // underscore (tightened out)
-            "alice.bob",      // dot
-            "alice/bob",      // slash
-            "../etc/passwd",  // traversal
-            "damóclès",       // non-ASCII
-            "alice\u{2013}b", // en-dash homoglyph
-        ] {
-            assert!(Ident::parse(bad).is_err(), "should reject {bad:?}");
-        }
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn round_trips_and_serde_validates() {
-        let id = Ident::parse("damocles").unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(id.as_str(), "damocles");
-        // Serialize is transparent (just the inner string).
-        let json = serde_json::to_string(&id).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(json, "\"damocles\"");
-        // Deserialize runs the same parse.
-        let back: Ident = serde_json::from_str(&json).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(back, id);
-        assert!(
-            serde_json::from_str::<Ident>("\"BAD_NAME\"").is_err(),
-            "deserialize must reject an invalid ident"
-        );
-    }
-}
-
 /// Which way to reconcile an agent's config branches
 /// ([`HostRequest::ReconcileConfigApply`]).
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
@@ -221,23 +76,23 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// Create and start a sub-agent container directly, bypassing the
     /// approval queue. Privileged-context only. See
     /// `docs/approvals.md::Approval kinds (wire shapes)`.
-    Spawn { name: String },
+    Spawn { name: Ident },
     /// Submit a spawn request for the operator to approve. See
     /// `docs/approvals.md::Approval kinds (wire shapes)` (`Spawn`).
-    RequestSpawn { name: String },
+    RequestSpawn { name: Ident },
     /// Stop a managed container (graceful).
-    Kill { name: String },
+    Kill { name: Ident },
     /// Tear down a sub-agent container, optionally purging state.
     /// See `docs/approvals.md::Destroy semantics`.
     Destroy {
-        name: String,
+        name: Ident,
         #[serde(default)]
         purge: bool,
     },
     /// Stop and start a managed container without rebuilding config.
     /// For "kick the container" operations that don't touch the flake or
     /// nspawn flags. Mirrors `lifecycle::restart` (kill + start).
-    Restart { name: String },
+    Restart { name: Ident },
     /// Stop and restart all managed containers in sequence. Convenience
     /// wrapper for `hivectl agents restart-all`; iterates the live
     /// container list and restarts each one.
@@ -265,7 +120,7 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
         graceful: bool,
     },
     /// Apply pending config to a managed container.
-    Rebuild { name: String },
+    Rebuild { name: Ident },
     /// List managed containers.
     List,
     /// List managed agents with their full status + technical state
@@ -296,8 +151,8 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// Validation rules + bind-mount caveat documented in
     /// `docs/agent-hierarchy.md::Current state`.
     SetParent {
-        child: String,
-        new_parent: Option<String>,
+        child: Ident,
+        new_parent: Option<Ident>,
     },
     /// Stop managed containers hive-wide in one operator action
     /// (`hivectl stop`): agents plus the selected infra containers. `scope`
@@ -327,7 +182,7 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// [`HostResponse::messages`]. `password` is resolved by the client
     /// (inline flag or stdin) and `None` requests a random throwaway.
     MatrixCreateUser {
-        name: String,
+        name: Ident,
         #[serde(default)]
         password: Option<String>,
     },
@@ -337,11 +192,11 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// Promote a matrix user to homeserver admin via the admin API.
     /// Uses the daemon's system admin token; `server_name` is discovered
     /// from the running homeserver.
-    MatrixPromoteUser { name: String },
+    MatrixPromoteUser { name: Ident },
     /// Reset a matrix user's password via the admin API and persist the
     /// new password to the matrix creds dir so a later token mint can
     /// re-login. Returns the outcome in [`HostResponse::messages`].
-    MatrixResetPassword { name: String },
+    MatrixResetPassword { name: Ident },
     /// Invite a matrix user to the hive Space (default) or a specific
     /// `room`. Uses the daemon's admin token; idempotent
     /// (already-member / already-invited is a no-op).
@@ -357,7 +212,7 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// in [`HostResponse::messages`]. `password` is resolved client-side
     /// (inline flag or stdin) and only meaningful for non-agent accounts.
     ForgeCreateUser {
-        name: String,
+        name: Ident,
         #[serde(default)]
         password: Option<String>,
     },
@@ -369,7 +224,7 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// — never mutates either side. Backs `hivectl forge reconcile-config`
     /// (the diff it always shows first).
     ReconcileConfigStatus {
-        agent: String,
+        agent: Ident,
         #[serde(default)]
         verbose: bool,
     },
@@ -380,7 +235,7 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// local needs lifting branch protection — resolve via a config PR).
     /// Backs `hivectl forge reconcile-config --from <forge|local>`.
     ReconcileConfigApply {
-        agent: String,
+        agent: Ident,
         direction: ReconcileDirection,
     },
     /// Add or update a gateway HTTP-Basic user in the daemon's htpasswd file
@@ -403,7 +258,7 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// set-token`. `token` is resolved + non-empty-validated client-side
     /// (inline flag or stdin); the daemon just persists it. Read live by
     /// the agent's `gh` wrapper / git credential helper — no rebuild needed.
-    SetAgentGithubToken { agent: String, token: String },
+    SetAgentGithubToken { agent: Ident, token: String },
     /// Turn on btrfs qgroup accounting on the agent-state filesystem, via
     /// the privileged helper. Daemon-side equivalent of `hivectl quota
     /// enable`. Returns advisory lines in [`HostResponse::messages`].
@@ -414,7 +269,7 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// bare success — the client prints the confirmation from the value it
     /// sent.
     QuotaLimit {
-        name: String,
+        name: Ident,
         #[serde(default)]
         limit: Option<u64>,
     },
@@ -426,27 +281,27 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
     /// plain [`HostResponse::error`] so the client can print the enable hint.
     QuotaShow {
         #[serde(default)]
-        name: Option<String>,
+        name: Option<Ident>,
     },
     /// Migrate an agent's plain state dir to a btrfs subvolume via the
     /// privileged helper (`hivectl subvol upgrade`). The agent MUST already
     /// be stopped — the client orchestrates stop → this → start. Returns a
     /// bare success; the client prints its own progress lines.
-    UpgradeSubvolume { name: String },
+    UpgradeSubvolume { name: Ident },
     /// Create a read-only btrfs snapshot of an agent's state subvolume
     /// (`hivectl subvol snapshot create`). `label` is validated client-side
     /// AND by hive-priv. Returns the snapshot's host path in
     /// [`HostResponse::messages`].
-    SnapshotSubvolume { name: String, label: String },
+    SnapshotSubvolume { name: Ident, label: String },
     /// Delete a snapshot created by `SnapshotSubvolume` (`hivectl subvol
     /// snapshot delete`). Bare success; the client prints the confirmation.
-    DeleteSnapshot { name: String, label: String },
+    DeleteSnapshot { name: Ident, label: String },
     /// Export a snapshot to a local file via `btrfs send` (`hivectl subvol
     /// snapshot send`). `dest` is a bare filename (hive-priv rejects paths);
     /// `parent` names an optional parent snapshot for an incremental send.
     /// Returns the written file's host path in [`HostResponse::messages`].
     SendSnapshot {
-        name: String,
+        name: Ident,
         label: String,
         #[serde(default)]
         parent: Option<String>,
diff --git a/hive-types/Cargo.toml b/hive-types/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d472adb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hive-types/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[package]
+name = "hive-types"
+edition.workspace = true
+version.workspace = true
+
+[lints]
+workspace = true
+
+[dependencies]
+serde.workspace = true
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+serde_json.workspace = true
diff --git a/hive-types/src/lib.rs b/hive-types/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c6b6a536
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hive-types/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+//! Foundational shared newtypes for the hyperhive workspace.
+//!
+//! A zero-dependency (bar `serde`) leaf crate so every wire-type crate
+//! (`hive-sh4re`, `hive-host-sock`, `hive-agent-sock`) and both binaries
+//! (`hive-c0re`, `hivectl`) can type their agent-name fields as [`Ident`]
+//! and get serde-validated parsing at the socket boundary for free — with
+//! no cross-crate coupling and without growing `hive-sh4re`.
+
+/// A validated hive identifier: 1-63 chars of `[a-z0-9-]`.
+///
+/// The single ident type for agent names, forge labels, and matrix / github
+/// account names — every value that becomes a filesystem path segment or an
+/// nspawn machine-name component. Constructed only through the validating
+/// [`Ident::parse`], so "this string passed the naming whitelist" is a fact
+/// the type carries instead of a convention every call site re-checks against
+/// a raw `String`. The charset is deliberately conservative — lowercase
+/// ascii, digits, and hyphen only (no underscore, dot, slash, or non-ASCII) —
+/// and length-capped, tracking `nixos-container` basename rules and keeping
+/// `../` traversal, unicode homoglyphs, and unbounded path segments out of
+/// any path built from it. Deserialization runs the same parse, so a value
+/// arriving over the wire is validated on the way in.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, PartialOrd, Ord)]
+pub struct Ident(String);
+
+impl Ident {
+    /// Maximum length in bytes. A cap stops an unbounded operator-supplied
+    /// name from becoming an over-long path segment (a filesystem / `DoS`
+    /// footgun).
+    pub const MAX_LEN: usize = 63;
+
+    /// Parse + validate an identifier.
+    ///
+    /// # Errors
+    /// Returns `Err(reason)` — a caller-ready message — when `s` is empty,
+    /// longer than [`Ident::MAX_LEN`], or contains any byte outside
+    /// `[a-z0-9-]`.
+    pub fn parse(s: &str) -> Result<Self, &'static str> {
+        if s.is_empty() {
+            return Err("identifier must not be empty");
+        }
+        if s.len() > Self::MAX_LEN {
+            return Err("identifier must be 63 characters or fewer");
+        }
+        if !s
+            .bytes()
+            .all(|b| b.is_ascii_lowercase() || b.is_ascii_digit() || b == b'-')
+        {
+            return Err("identifier must contain only [a-z0-9-]");
+        }
+        Ok(Self(s.to_owned()))
+    }
+
+    /// The validated identifier as a string slice.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn as_str(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.0
+    }
+
+    /// Consume into the inner `String`.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn into_string(self) -> String {
+        self.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for Ident {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        f.write_str(&self.0)
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsRef<str> for Ident {
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.0
+    }
+}
+
+/// Lets an `Ident` key a `HashMap`/`BTreeMap` be looked up with a `&str`.
+impl std::borrow::Borrow<str> for Ident {
+    fn borrow(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl serde::Serialize for Ident {
+    fn serialize<S: serde::Serializer>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error> {
+        serializer.serialize_str(&self.0)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'de> serde::Deserialize<'de> for Ident {
+    fn deserialize<D: serde::Deserializer<'de>>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Self, D::Error> {
+        use serde::de::Error as _;
+        let s = String::deserialize(deserializer)?;
+        Ident::parse(&s).map_err(D::Error::custom)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod ident_tests {
+    use super::Ident;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn accepts_canonical_shapes() {
+        for ok in [
+            "damocles",
+            "hm1nd",
+            "agent-with-dashes",
+            "codeberg",
+            "acct-1",
+        ] {
+            assert!(Ident::parse(ok).is_ok(), "should accept {ok:?}");
+        }
+        assert!(
+            Ident::parse(&"a".repeat(Ident::MAX_LEN)).is_ok(),
+            "63 chars is the boundary"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_bad_input() {
+        let too_long = "a".repeat(Ident::MAX_LEN + 1);
+        for bad in [
+            "",
+            &too_long,
+            "Alice",          // uppercase
+            "snake_case",     // underscore (tightened out)
+            "alice.bob",      // dot
+            "alice/bob",      // slash
+            "../etc/passwd",  // traversal
+            "damóclès",       // non-ASCII
+            "alice\u{2013}b", // en-dash homoglyph
+        ] {
+            assert!(Ident::parse(bad).is_err(), "should reject {bad:?}");
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn round_trips_and_serde_validates() {
+        let id = Ident::parse("damocles").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(id.as_str(), "damocles");
+        // Serialize is transparent (just the inner string).
+        let json = serde_json::to_string(&id).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(json, "\"damocles\"");
+        // Deserialize runs the same parse.
+        let back: Ident = serde_json::from_str(&json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(back, id);
+        assert!(
+            serde_json::from_str::<Ident>("\"BAD_NAME\"").is_err(),
+            "deserialize must reject an invalid ident"
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hivectl/Cargo.toml b/hivectl/Cargo.toml
index 5107a6e3..aad05e71 100644
--- a/hivectl/Cargo.toml
+++ b/hivectl/Cargo.toml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ clap_complete.workspace = true
 clap-markdown = "0.1"
 hive-host-sock.workspace = true
 hive-sh4re.workspace = true
+hive-types.workspace = true
 indicatif.workspace = true
 serde_json.workspace = true
 tokio.workspace = true
diff --git a/hivectl/src/agents.rs b/hivectl/src/agents.rs
index 7c602acf..16fa73d6 100644
--- a/hivectl/src/agents.rs
+++ b/hivectl/src/agents.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ async fn agents_restart(socket: &Path, name: &str, no_wait: bool) -> Result<()>
     let resp = crate::client::request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::Restart {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
         },
     )
     .await
@@ -135,18 +135,23 @@ pub(crate) async fn run_agents(socket: &Path, cmd: AgentsCmd) -> Result<()> {
         AgentsCmd::Restart { name, no_wait } => agents_restart(socket, &name, no_wait).await,
         AgentsCmd::RestartAll { no_wait } => agents_restart_all(socket, no_wait).await,
         AgentsCmd::Spawn { name } => {
+            let name = crate::util::parse_ident(&name)?;
             render(crate::client::request(socket, HostRequest::Spawn { name }).await?)
         }
         AgentsCmd::RequestSpawn { name } => {
+            let name = crate::util::parse_ident(&name)?;
             render(crate::client::request(socket, HostRequest::RequestSpawn { name }).await?)
         }
         AgentsCmd::Kill { name } => {
+            let name = crate::util::parse_ident(&name)?;
             render(crate::client::request(socket, HostRequest::Kill { name }).await?)
         }
         AgentsCmd::Destroy { name, purge } => {
+            let name = crate::util::parse_ident(&name)?;
             render(crate::client::request(socket, HostRequest::Destroy { name, purge }).await?)
         }
         AgentsCmd::Rebuild { name } => {
+            let name = crate::util::parse_ident(&name)?;
             render(crate::client::request(socket, HostRequest::Rebuild { name }).await?)
         }
         AgentsCmd::SetParent {
@@ -154,7 +159,12 @@ pub(crate) async fn run_agents(socket: &Path, cmd: AgentsCmd) -> Result<()> {
             parent,
             root,
         } => {
-            let new_parent = if root { None } else { parent };
+            let child = crate::util::parse_ident(&child)?;
+            let new_parent = if root {
+                None
+            } else {
+                parent.map(|p| crate::util::parse_ident(&p)).transpose()?
+            };
             render(
                 crate::client::request(socket, HostRequest::SetParent { child, new_parent })
                     .await?,
diff --git a/hivectl/src/forge.rs b/hivectl/src/forge.rs
index 9f8128fe..bebad895 100644
--- a/hivectl/src/forge.rs
+++ b/hivectl/src/forge.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn forge_create_user(
     daemon_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::ForgeCreateUser {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
             password,
         },
         "forge",
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn forge_reconcile_config(
     daemon_request(
         socket,
         HostRequest::ReconcileConfigStatus {
-            agent: agent.to_owned(),
+            agent: crate::util::parse_ident(agent)?,
             verbose,
         },
         "forge",
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn forge_reconcile_config(
     daemon_request(
         socket,
         HostRequest::ReconcileConfigApply {
-            agent: agent.to_owned(),
+            agent: crate::util::parse_ident(agent)?,
             direction,
         },
         "forge",
diff --git a/hivectl/src/github.rs b/hivectl/src/github.rs
index ef296b1b..42ee792b 100644
--- a/hivectl/src/github.rs
+++ b/hivectl/src/github.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn github_set_token(
     daemon_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::SetAgentGithubToken {
-            agent: agent.to_owned(),
+            agent: crate::util::parse_ident(agent)?,
             token,
         },
         "github",
diff --git a/hivectl/src/matrix.rs b/hivectl/src/matrix.rs
index ca02cfdc..a75ce7bf 100644
--- a/hivectl/src/matrix.rs
+++ b/hivectl/src/matrix.rs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ async fn matrix_create_user(
     matrix_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::MatrixCreateUser {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
             password,
         },
     )
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ async fn matrix_promote_user(socket: &Path, name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     matrix_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::MatrixPromoteUser {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
         },
     )
     .await
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ async fn matrix_reset_password(socket: &Path, name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     matrix_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::MatrixResetPassword {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
         },
     )
     .await
diff --git a/hivectl/src/quota.rs b/hivectl/src/quota.rs
index f8cb30c4..15e5546d 100644
--- a/hivectl/src/quota.rs
+++ b/hivectl/src/quota.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn quota_show(socket: &Path, name: Option<&str>) -> Result<()>
     let resp = crate::client::request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::QuotaShow {
-            name: name.map(str::to_owned),
+            name: name.map(crate::util::parse_ident).transpose()?,
         },
     )
     .await
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn quota_limit(socket: &Path, name: &str, size: &str) -> Result
     daemon_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::QuotaLimit {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
             limit,
         },
         "quota",
diff --git a/hivectl/src/subvol.rs b/hivectl/src/subvol.rs
index eb4c4036..202d1aff 100644
--- a/hivectl/src/subvol.rs
+++ b/hivectl/src/subvol.rs
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ async fn subvol_upgrade(socket: &Path, name: &str, yes: bool) -> Result<()> {
     let upgrade = daemon_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::UpgradeSubvolume {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
         },
         "upgrade",
     )
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ async fn subvol_snapshot_create(socket: &Path, name: &str, label: String) -> Res
     daemon_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::SnapshotSubvolume {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
             label,
         },
         "snapshot",
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ async fn subvol_snapshot_delete(socket: &Path, name: &str, label: &str) -> Resul
     daemon_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::DeleteSnapshot {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
             label: label.to_owned(),
         },
         "snapshot delete",
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ async fn subvol_snapshot_send(
     daemon_request(
         socket,
         hive_host_sock::HostRequest::SendSnapshot {
-            name: name.to_owned(),
+            name: crate::util::parse_ident(name)?,
             label: label.to_owned(),
             parent: parent.map(str::to_owned),
             dest: dest.to_owned(),
diff --git a/hivectl/src/util.rs b/hivectl/src/util.rs
index a1d33dc7..ceec313a 100644
--- a/hivectl/src/util.rs
+++ b/hivectl/src/util.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,16 @@ use std::path::Path;
 
 use anyhow::{Context as _, Result, bail};
 
+/// Parse a CLI-supplied agent/account name into a validated
+/// [`hive_types::Ident`], mapping the parse error to an `anyhow` error that
+/// names the offending input. Used at hivectl's `HostRequest` construction
+/// sites so the wire `Ident` fields are built from validated names (the daemon
+/// re-validates on deserialize; parsing here gives the operator an immediate,
+/// local error instead of a round-trip rejection).
+pub(crate) fn parse_ident(name: &str) -> Result<hive_types::Ident> {
+    hive_types::Ident::parse(name).map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid agent name {name:?}: {e}"))
+}
+
 /// Send a provisioning request to the daemon and print its result lines.
 /// The daemon owns the provisioning logic; hivectl just relays the outcome,
 /// prefixing any error with `label` (e.g. `forge` / `github`).
@@ -115,7 +125,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn query_hive_urls(socket: &Path) -> Option<hive_host_sock::Hiv
 /// "needs root" error fixes that first-run footgun, where running a
 /// privileged verb without sudo reported as a missing agent.
 pub(crate) fn agent_exists(name: &str) -> Result<bool> {
-    let Ok(name) = hive_host_sock::Ident::parse(name) else {
+    let Ok(name) = hive_types::Ident::parse(name) else {
         bail!("invalid agent name {name:?}");
     };
     let root = hive_host_sock::agent_state_dir(&name);