# agent-harness Architecture

> Status: v0.1, 2026-07-17. Companion to ADR-001 and INTENT.md.
> The code in `agent_harness/` is the prototype seed (formerly
> `~/executor-worker`, built for BINKY-WP-0004-T04); this document
> describes both what exists and the target shape.

## The three-layer model

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CONSUMING REPO (e.g. binky-control)              [instance] │
│   .kaizen/schedule.yml + agent manifest   ← declarative only│
│   .kaizen/agents/<name>/memory.md, metrics                  │
└──────────────▲──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
               │ reads instance state          ┌──────────────┐
┌──────────────┴──────────────┐  blueprint via │kaizen-agentic│
│ AGENT-HARNESS      [runtime]│◄───────────────┤  [blueprint] │
│  task intake → persona bind │ schedule       └──────────────┘
│  → credential acquisition   │ prepare
│  → bounded agentic session  │
│  → commit verification      │        ┌───────────────┐
│  → hub + kaizen reporting   │◄───────┤ activity-core │ emits tasks
└───┬──────────┬──────────┬───┘        │  [scheduler]  │ (cron/event)
    │          │          │            └───────────────┘
 llm-connect  OpenBao   State Hub
 (adapters)  (ops-warden  (REST: progress,
              lanes)       tasks, decisions)
```

## Components (current prototype → target)

| Component | File | Today | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instance manifest | `manifest.py` | extends `.kaizen/schedule.yml`; `validate` CLI | unchanged contract; tenant onboarding |
| Tool profiles | `profiles.py` | `green-commit-only`, `blue-mail-triage` registry | additional named profiles as needed |
| Task intake | `intake.py` + `taskspec.py` | issue-core GET/PATCH poll+claim; JSON task-file for local dev | NATS when activity-core migrates |
| Persona | `persona.py` | `kaizen-agentic schedule prepare` (ADR-005) | unchanged, plus phase-memory profile hook |
| Session | `adapter.py` | `AgenticClaudeCodeAdapter` (cwd-pinned, profile allow-list) | + hosted adapters |
| Orchestration | `runner.py` | profile/budget → session → commit → metrics → hub | activity-core intake |
| Metrics | `metrics.py` | ADR-004 `.kaizen/metrics` write per run | correlate with Helix fleet metrics |
| Mail lane | `mailscan.py` | deterministic credentialed pre-step outside the session | pattern generalizes to other credentialed pre-steps |
| Hub reporting | `hub.py` | REST progress event + task close + token event | unchanged |

## Contracts

**Instance manifest** — `.kaizen/schedule.yml` (ADR-005 base + harness
extensions). Full contract: [instance-manifest.md](instance-manifest.md).
Fields: blueprint, cadence, `enabled`, `lane` (green/blue),
`tool_profile` (named), `budget` (tokens/run), `harness` (pinned major).

**Tool profiles** are named allow-lists defined centrally in the harness
(`profiles.py`), referenced by name from manifests — instances never
enumerate tools. Seed: `green-commit-only`, `blue-mail-triage`. No push,
no network, no arbitrary shell. Unknown profile = refuse to run.

**Completion events** are the idempotence currency: each run posts a
progress event (e.g. `binky_daily_brief`, `binky_mail_intake`) with
`detail.repo`; activity-core's `binky_rhythm_status`-style resolvers read
them to decide dueness. Failures post generic failure events so slots
stay due.

**Credentials** are acquired per run, held only in process memory/child
env, never logged: LLM key via the llm-connect OpenBao lane, git push via
per-repo forgejo deploy keys, tenant secrets (e.g. IMAP) via
non-interactive AppRole. See binky-control
`integrations/executor-worker-secrets.md` for the provisioned lanes.

## Regulation and evolution

- **Regulation:** manifest declares, harness enforces. flex-auth gates
  apply at credential acquisition; ops-warden catalogs every lane; each
  instance runs under a named hub identity (`agt-…`).
- **Evolution:** the harness emits `.kaizen/metrics` per run so the
  kaizen optimization loop covers both blueprints and the harness itself.
  Harness releases are versioned; instances pin majors; blueprint
  conformance tests run before rollout.

## Deployment

One deployment on Railiance (single-tenant-host, multi-tenant-repos).
State Hub reachable at `:18000` via ops-bridge from remote hosts. The
workstation may run the harness ad hoc for development; production runs
must not depend on it (that dependence is the problem this repo solves).