hyperhive/docs/approvals.md

# Approvals + manager + helper events

The approval queue is hyperhive's pivot: nothing that changes the
shape of an agent (its config, whether it exists) happens without an
operator click. The manager (`hm1nd`) is the policy gate in front of
that queue; helper events are how it stays informed about what
happens after a decision lands.

## End-to-end approval flow

1. Manager edits files under `/agents/<name>/config/` (any tracked
   path, but `agent.nix` is the contract entry point) and commits
   with its own git identity.
2. Manager submits the commit sha via `request_apply_commit(agent,
   commit_ref)`.
3. **hive-c0re immediately fetches that commit from the proposed
   repo into the applied repo and tags it `proposal/<id>`.** The
   approval row stores both the manager-supplied sha and the
   canonical hive-c0re-vouched sha. From here on the proposed
   repo is irrelevant for this approval — the manager can amend,
   force-push, or `rm -rf` the proposed repo and the queued
   approval still points at an immutable git object inside
   applied.
4. Operator sees the diff on the dashboard, clicks ◆ APPR0VE (or
   `hive-c0re approve <id>` on the CLI).
5. hive-c0re moves the working tree to `proposal/<id>` and runs
   the build under a sequence of tags (see below). On success,
   `applied/main` fast-forwards to the proposal commit. On
   failure, main stays put and the working tree resets back to
   the previous deployed commit.
6. `HelperEvent::ApprovalResolved` (and `Rebuilt` for the
   ApplyCommit kind) land in the manager's inbox, carrying both
   the canonical sha and the terminal tag.

`Spawn` approvals follow the same shape but skip the commit-diff
step — the operator just sees the name. On approve, hive-c0re
creates the container in a background task while the dashboard
shows a spinner.

## Meta flake (in flight)

> The next overhaul (currently being implemented) introduces a
> single hive-c0re-owned meta repo at
> `/var/lib/hyperhive/meta/` that consumes every agent's
> applied repo as a flake input and owns the wrapper
> nixosConfiguration. Each agent's `applied/<n>/flake.nix`
> shrinks to `nixosModules.default = import ./agent.nix` —
> `agent.nix` becomes a plain NixOS module function (no
> extendModules / hyperhive input). Containers will run
> against `--flake /var/lib/hyperhive/meta#<n>`. Every
> approval that builds does
> `nix flake lock --update-input agent-<n>` in meta and
> commits the lock; meta's git log is the system-wide deploy
> trail. Manager additionally gets `/applied/<n>/.git`
> pre-registered as the `applied` remote inside its proposed
> repo, and `/meta` RO-bound for browsing the deploy log.
> Auto-migrates on startup. Sections below describe the
> current (still-deployed) tag-driven shape that the meta
> flake builds on top of.

## Two repos per agent

```
/var/lib/hyperhive/agents/<name>/config/    proposed — manager RW
└── <anything>                              # any files the manager
                                            # wants in the commit.
                                            # agent.nix is the
                                            # convention entry
                                            # point; flake.nix is
                                            # generated and not
                                            # tracked here.

/var/lib/hyperhive/applied/<name>/          applied — core-only
├── .git/                                   # tag-rich history
├── .gitignore                              # ignores flake.nix
├── flake.nix                               # hive-c0re-generated,
│                                           # untracked, rewritten
│                                           # on spawn/rebuild only
├── agent.nix                               # working tree of main
└── <other manager files>                   # also tracked
```

Why two physical repos: the manager's `/agents/<n>/config/` is
RW — a buggy or hostile agent can `git clean -fdx` its own
proposed tree. The applied repo is never bind-mounted (except
the read-only `.git` exposure described below) so a destructive
move inside the container cannot reach it.

The container's `--flake` ref is `<applied_dir>#default`. The
generated `flake.nix` extends
`hyperhive.nixosConfigurations.{agent-base|manager}` with
`./agent.nix` plus an inline module setting
`programs.git.config.user` (committer identity = the agent's name)
and `systemd.services.<harness>.environment` (`HIVE_PORT`,
`HIVE_LABEL`, `HIVE_DASHBOARD_PORT`).

### Tag state machine

Every approval id walks through a fixed set of tags on the
underlying commit inside the applied repo:

| Tag | When | Annotated? |
|---|---|---|
| `proposal/<id>` | request_apply_commit, after fetch | no |
| `approved/<id>` | operator approve | no |
| `building/<id>` | rebuild started | no |
| `deployed/<id>` | rebuild succeeded — `main` ff's here | no |
| `failed/<id>` | rebuild failed | yes (body = error) |
| `denied/<id>` | operator deny | yes (body = operator note) |

`applied/main` is always the latest `deployed/*`. `denied/` and
`failed/` are terminal; the manager submits a new commit + new
approval id to retry. Because tags are first-class git objects,
rejected and failed trees stay browsable forever — `git log
--tags` in the applied repo is the audit trail.

### Manager view of applied

`/applied/` is a **read-only bind-mount** of
`/var/lib/hyperhive/applied/` (the entire tree) inside the
manager container. The manager fetches tags into its proposed
clone with `git fetch /applied/<n>/.git
'refs/tags/*:refs/tags/applied/*'` and `git show` any
deployed / failed / denied tree to see what actually shipped,
what error blocked the last build, or what note the operator
left on a denial. The RO bind means git plumbing inside the
manager cannot corrupt the applied repos — and a single mount
covers every agent (existing + future) without rebuilding the
manager on each spawn.

## Migration from the pre-tag scheme

There is no in-place migration. Each existing agent must be
purged and re-spawned: `hive-c0re destroy --purge <name>` (or
PURG3 on the dashboard), then `request_spawn` and the operator
approves the fresh agent. The new agent starts with `deployed/0`
seeded by hive-c0re; the manager's first config edit becomes
`proposal/1` and walks the tag scheme from there. Pre-overhaul
tombstones lose their config history.

## Manager (`hm1nd`) is hive-c0re-managed

The manager container runs through the **same lifecycle as
sub-agents**. On `hive-c0re serve` startup, if `hm1nd` is missing,
hive-c0re creates it. The manager's flake lives at
`/var/lib/hyperhive/applied/hm1nd/`; its proposed config at
`/var/lib/hyperhive/agents/hm1nd/config/`. Manager can edit its own
`agent.nix` (visible inside the container at `/agents/hm1nd/config/`)
and submit `request_apply_commit("hm1nd", <sha>)` for operator
approval.

Differences from sub-agents:

- `flake.nix` extends `hyperhive.nixosConfigurations.manager`
  (vs `agent-base`).
- Container name is `hm1nd` (no `h-` prefix).
- Fixed web UI port (`MANAGER_PORT = 8000`).
- `set_nspawn_flags` adds two extra binds: `/var/lib/hyperhive/agents`
  → `/agents` (RW) so the manager can edit per-agent proposed repos,
  and `/var/lib/hyperhive/applied` → `/applied` (RO) so the manager
  can `git fetch` deployed/failed/denied tags from any agent's
  authoritative applied repo (see "Manager view of applied" below).
- First-deploy spawn bypasses the approval queue (manager is
  required infrastructure).
- Per-agent socket lives at `/run/hyperhive/manager/`, owned by
  `manager_server::start`.

**Migration note** (for older hosts): drop any `containers.hm1nd =
{ ... }` block from your host NixOS config. hyperhive creates and
updates the manager itself.

## Manager policy

From `hive-ag3nt/prompts/manager.md`: the manager does NOT
rubber-stamp sub-agent config requests. It verifies (role match,
package legitimacy, cheaper alternative, blast radius) before
committing and calling `request_apply_commit`.

For ambiguous cases or anything that needs human signal, the
manager calls `ask_operator(question, options?, multi?,
ttl_seconds?)` — queues the question on the dashboard and returns
the id immediately. The operator's answer arrives later as
`HelperEvent::OperatorAnswered` in the manager inbox. Storage is
`hive-c0re::operator_questions` (sqlite); the answer flow is:

```
POST /answer-question/{id}
  → OperatorQuestions::answer
  → notify_manager(OperatorAnswered { id, question, answer })
```

Two more paths resolve a pending question with a sentinel answer:

- `POST /cancel-question/{id}` (✗ CANC3L button on the dashboard)
  resolves with `[cancelled]`. The manager sees a terminal state
  and can fall back.
- `ttl_seconds` deadline: a tokio watchdog spawned at submit time
  fires `answer(id, "[expired]")` once the ttl runs out. Already-
  resolved races no-op. The dashboard surfaces a `⏳ MM:SS` chip
  on each pending question with a deadline.

## Helper events to the manager

`Coordinator::notify_manager(&HelperEvent)` enqueues an inbox
message from sender `system` with the event JSON in the body. The
manager harness no longer short-circuits these — they drive a
regular claude turn so the manager can react. Variants
(`hive_sh4re::HelperEvent`):

- `ApprovalResolved { id, agent, commit_ref, status, note }` —
  fired by `actions::approve` + `actions::deny` whenever an
  approval transitions to its terminal state.
- `Spawned { agent, ok, note }` — `actions::approve` (Spawn-kind)
  + admin `HostRequest::Spawn`.
- `Rebuilt { agent, ok, note }` — `auto_update::rebuild_agent`
  (covers startup scan + manual `/rebuild` from dashboard) +
  `actions::approve` (ApplyCommit).
- `Killed { agent }` — admin `HostRequest::Kill` + dashboard
  `/kill` + manager `Kill` MCP tool.
- `Destroyed { agent }` — `actions::destroy`.
- `ContainerCrash { agent, note }` — `crash_watch`: a previously-
  running container went away with no operator-initiated transient
  state (Stopping / Restarting / Destroying / Rebuilding). Manager
  can `start` it again or escalate.
- `NeedsLogin { agent }` — sub-agent has no claude session yet.
  Manager can't act directly (interactive OAuth); typically flags
  the operator.
- `LoggedIn { agent }` — sub-agent just completed login. Manager
  often greets the agent on this event.
- `NeedsUpdate { agent }` — sub-agent's recorded flake rev is
  stale. Manager calls `update(name)` to rebuild — idempotent,
  no approval required.
- `OperatorAnswered { id, question, answer }` — dashboard
  `/answer-question/{id}` after the operator submits the answer
  form.

To add a new event: new `HelperEvent` variant + call sites + update
`prompts/manager.md` so the manager knows the new shape.

## Auto-update on startup

`hive-c0re serve` runs `auto_update::run` in a background task right
after opening the coordinator. It enumerates managed containers and
rebuilds any whose recorded hyperhive rev differs from the current
one — sub-agents and manager go through the same `lifecycle::rebuild`
path.

"Rev" = canonical filesystem path of `cfg.hyperhiveFlake`. Marker
file: `/var/lib/hyperhive/applied/.<name>.hyperhive-rev`. If the
flake input has no canonical path (e.g. a `github:` URL),
auto-update is a no-op — rebuild manually.

The dashboard surfaces pending updates per agent: a clickable
"needs update ↻" badge appears whenever the marker differs from
current rev. The badge POSTs `/rebuild/<name>`, calling the same
`auto_update::rebuild_agent` path so manual triggers and the
startup scan can't drift. When at least one container is stale, a
top-level `↻ UPD4TE 4LL` button appears that loops over every
stale container.