# hyperhive docs

Depth reference for hyperhive — the substrate, not the pitch (that's the
[top-level README](../README.md) / [website](https://hyperhive.darkest.space)).
Every page here stands alone; pick the one matching your task rather than
reading top to bottom. For the auto-generated NixOS options reference
(every `services.hyperhive.*` / `hyperhive.*` option, host and agent), see
[the options site](https://hyperhive.darkest.space/options/) instead —
this tree is prose, that one's generated straight from the module
declarations.

## Getting started

- **Bringing a fresh hive online?** → [`setup.md`](setup.md) (first-run
  `hivectl` bootstrap).
- **What does the dashboard look like, and how do I use it?** →
  [`web-ui/`](web-ui/README.md) — the operator-facing starting point;
  its own sub-pages ([`shape`](web-ui/shape.md),
  [`dashboard`](web-ui/dashboard.md), [`agent`](web-ui/agent.md),
  [`css-vars`](web-ui/css-vars.md)) go deeper into implementation.
- **What tools does an agent (or the operator) have available?** →
  [`tools/`](tools/README.md) — `hivectl` (yours) plus every agent's MCP
  tool surface (bash, forge, lifecycle, matrix, scheduling).

## Dashboard & agent UI internals

- **How does the per-agent terminal classify + colour events?** →
  [`terminal-rendering.md`](terminal-rendering.md).

## Turn loop, config, approvals

- **How does claude get its prompt, and what tools does it have?** →
  [`turn-loop/`](turn-loop/README.md) — the loop, binary shape, turn
  outcomes; sub-pages: [`claude-invocation`](turn-loop/claude-invocation.md),
  [`config`](turn-loop/config.md), [`mcp`](turn-loop/mcp.md).
- **How do config changes flow from manager to operator to container?** →
  [`approvals.md`](approvals.md) (two-step spawn, approval state machine,
  `flake.lock` validation).
- **What state survives destroy / purge / restart?** →
  [`persistence.md`](persistence.md).

## Trust boundary & security

- **What's the operator/agent trust boundary? What's a capability?** →
  [`boundary.md`](boundary.md).
- **Agent trust model, prompt-injection threat model, credential
  isolation?** → [`security.md`](security.md).
- **Who can do what to whom — agent hierarchy and privilege?** →
  [`agent-hierarchy.md`](agent-hierarchy.md).

## Accounts & integrations

- **How do per-agent forge accounts work? What does `forge_notify` poll,
  and how does it format wake messages?** → [`forge.md`](forge.md) (the
  hive's own Forgejo); [`tools/forge.md`](tools/forge.md) for the
  `hive-forge` CLI verbs agents actually call.
- **How does the matrix-tuwunel container work? Multiple accounts per
  agent?** → [`matrix.md`](matrix.md) (the homeserver);
  [`tools/matrix.md`](tools/matrix.md) for the MCP tool surface and
  `hyperhive.matrixAccounts`.
- **How do I give an agent a GitHub account (`gh` + `git push`)? How is
  the PAT injected?** → [`github.md`](github.md).
- **What does `hivectl` do? Provisioning, gateway users, container
  shells?** → [`tools/hivectl.md`](tools/hivectl.md) (the curated guide);
  [`tools/hivectl-cli.md`](tools/hivectl-cli.md) for the exhaustive,
  auto-generated flag reference.

## Networking & swarms

- **What nginx vhosts does the gateway serve? How does matrix
  discovery work?** → [`gateway.md`](gateway.md).
- **How does DNS resolution work in agent containers? What's the
  bridge network for?** → [`network.md`](network.md).
- **How do I connect two hives into a swarm?** → [`swarm/`](swarm/README.md)
  (peer hives, TLS trust).
- **Where do agent snapshots go? How does the swarm's `btrfs receive`
  endpoint authenticate a pushing hive?** →
  [`snapshot-store.md`](snapshot-store.md).

## Scheduler, CI, observability

- **How does the rebuild queue work? What are queue kinds and
  sources?** → [`coordinator.md`](coordinator.md).
- **How does the CI runner work? What's the auto-registration flow?** →
  [`ci.md`](ci.md).
- **How do I export Claude Code metrics (tokens, cost, tool calls) to
  Prometheus/Grafana?** → [`observability.md`](observability.md).

## Crate reference

- **What does a specific Rust crate do, on its own terms?** →
  [`crates/`](crates/README.md) — every workspace crate's own
  `README.md`, one level up from source (hyperhive#3051); the crate
  itself is still the source of truth, this is just a walkable mirror.

## Process & conventions

- **Naming, commit style, wire protocol, the `data-async` pattern?** →
  [`conventions.md`](conventions.md).
- **Why does the nspawn flag look like that?** → [`gotchas.md`](gotchas.md)
  (bind mounts, conf flags, other NixOS/nspawn quirks).
- **What is `/knowledge`? How does the hive-wide knowledge repo sync,
  and how do I contribute a document?** → [`knowledge.md`](knowledge.md).