# Lifecycle and approvals tools

Two tool groups govern agent lifecycle management and config changes.
Both are scoped to **direct children only** (topology-enforced: the
server rejects any name that is not a direct child of the calling
agent per `topology.json`). Privileged agents (e.g. ruth) may operate
on any sub-agent — the topology scope applies to all others.

## `lifecycle` tool group

No operator approval required. Direct children only.

### `kill(name)`

Graceful stop. Container state is preserved; recreating the agent
reuses prior config and credentials.

### `start(name)`

Start a stopped sub-agent.

### `restart(name)`

Stop + start in one call.

### `update(name)`

Rebuild: re-applies the current hyperhive flake + `agent.nix`,
then restarts. Idempotent — safe to call repeatedly. Used in response
to `needs_update` system events.

### `list_containers()`

List all **descendant** containers (children + their subtrees) with
running status. Topology-scoped to descendants only.

## `approvals` tool group

Config changes and new-agent spawns route through the operator
approval queue. Direct children only (topology-enforced).

### `request_init_config(name, description?)`

Step 1 of spawning a new direct child agent. Queues an `InitConfig`
approval; on operator approve, hive-c0re seeds the proposed config
repo at `/agents/<name>/config/agent.nix` with a default template and
delivers a `config_ready` system event. Then edit `agent.nix`, commit,
and call `request_apply_commit` with the commit sha — the first
`ApplyCommit` on a freshly-init'd config creates the container.

Fails if a proposed config repo for `name` already exists.
`name` is ≤ 9 characters. The operator can also spawn an empty agent
via the dashboard `◆ R3QU3ST SP4WN` button, which routes via
`HostRequest::RequestSpawn`.

### `request_apply_commit(agent, commit_ref, description?)`

Step 2 of spawning (or updating an existing child's config). Submit a
commit sha from the child's proposed config repo for operator
approval. On approve, hive-c0re rebuilds the container with the
pinned commit.

`commit_ref` must be a 7-40 char hex sha (branch/tag names are
rejected — the approval pins the exact commit). `agent` must be a
direct child. Topology-enforced.

### `request_update_meta_inputs(inputs?, description?)`

Queue an approval to run `nix flake update [inputs...]` on the meta
flake. Pass specific input names (e.g. `["bitburner-agent"]`) or omit
/ pass `[]` for all inputs. Returns immediately; the lock update runs
on operator approval.

Does NOT trigger container rebuilds — call `update(name)` on affected
agents after the approval resolves.

## Boundary summary

| Operation | Requires approval? | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| `kill` / `start` / `restart` / `update` | No | Direct children |
| `list_containers` | No | All descendants |
| `request_init_config` | Yes (InitConfig) | New direct child only |
| `request_apply_commit` | Yes (ApplyCommit) | Direct children |
| `request_update_meta_inputs` | Yes (MetaUpdate) | Meta flake (global) |

## See also

- [`docs/approvals.md`](../approvals.md) — full approval flow, kinds,
  helper events (`config_ready`, `approval_resolved`), flake.lock
  validation.