# Didactyl — Genesis Bootstrapping

See also: [CONTEXT.md](CONTEXT.md) · [SKILLS.md](SKILLS.md) · [README.md](../README.md)

## Purpose

`genesis.jsonc` is the first-run bootstrap document for a Didactyl agent.

It defines initial identity, admin policy, startup events (including startup skills), and baseline runtime settings so the agent can publish itself onto Nostr.

After bootstrap, the long-term direction is **nsec-only startup** with state recovered from Nostr events.

---

## File Format

`genesis.jsonc` is JSONC (JSON + comments).

Minimum practical sections:

- `key.nsec` (or runtime `--nsec` / `DIDACTYL_NSEC`)
- `admin.pubkey`
- `startup_events` (must include kind `10002` relay tags)
- `encrypted_events` with a `kind:30078` / `d_tag:user-settings` payload containing `global_llm` and `didactyl`

Typical optional sections:

- `dm_protocol`
- `tools`
- `security`
- `admin_context`
- `api`
- Startup skills in `startup_events` (typically private kind `31124`, e.g. `d=identity_and_rules` and `d=dm_history`)

---

## First-Run Flow

On first run, the agent:

1. Loads `genesis.jsonc`.
2. Derives keys (from `key.nsec` or runtime nsec override).
3. Connects to relay set from startup kind `10002` tags.
4. Publishes/reconciles startup events.
5. Initializes runtime services (DM subscriptions, triggers, API if enabled).

First-run detection is based on querying own kind `10002` relay-list availability.

---

## Subsequent-Run Flow

On subsequent runs, the agent can start with nsec supplied via:

- CLI: `--nsec <nsec_or_hex>`
- Environment: `DIDACTYL_NSEC`

Optional runtime API overrides:

- `--api-port <port>`
- `--api-bind <address>`

Subsequent-run bootstrap-event republishing is skipped when prior kind `10002` state is found.

---

## Interactive Setup (Zero-Argument Startup)

When Didactyl is run with **no arguments**:

```bash
./didactyl
```

it enters an interactive setup wizard instead of immediately trying to load `./genesis.jsonc`.

Wizard entry choices:

- **New agent** — generate/provide identity, configure admin + LLM + relays
- **Existing agent** — provide nsec and recover relay/admin/LLM config from Nostr
- **Load genesis** — load a specified genesis file path

Menu UX conventions:

- Single-letter hotkeys (case-insensitive)
- First-letter menu mnemonics (e.g., `N` for New, `E` for Existing)
- `q` / `x` exits or backs out of menus

Security behavior:

- nsec entry is masked in terminal
- writing genesis with nsec is explicit and warned
- recommended export mode is genesis without nsec plus runtime `--nsec`/`DIDACTYL_NSEC`

---

## Encrypted Config Events

Didactyl uses encrypted runtime config in two ways:

1. At bootstrap time via `genesis.jsonc` `encrypted_events` entries
2. At runtime via encrypted kind `30078` self-events (`config_store` / `config_recall`)

`encrypted_events` format:

- `kind` (currently `30078`)
- `d_tag` (required: `user-settings`)
- `content` (JSON string payload to encrypt and publish)

`d=user-settings` payload shape:

```json
{
  "v": 2,
  "updatedAt": 0,
  "global_llm": {
    "provider": "openai",
    "api_key": "sk-...",
    "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
    "base_url": "https://api.openai.com/v1",
    "max_tokens": 512,
    "temperature": 0.7
  },
  "didactyl": {
    "admin_pubkey": "npub1...",
    "dm_protocol": "nip04"
  }
}
```

These values are encrypted to self with NIP-44 before publish.

---

## Relay Bootstrap Strategy

`startup_events` must include kind `10002` relay tags (`["r", "wss://..."]`).

That relay list is used as the initial network attachment for querying existing state and publishing startup events.

`encrypted_events` are a separate section and are not part of relay-list derivation.

---

## Migration Notes (v0.2.0)

- Legacy `config.jsonc` and template-DSL context files have been removed from the active startup model.
- Startup skills are defined directly in `startup_events` as kind `31123`/`31124` events.
- Typical default DM stack is two startup skills with tags:
  - `d=identity_and_rules` with `trigger=dm` and `filter={"from":"admin"}`
  - `d=dm_history` with `trigger=dm` and `filter={"from":"admin"}`
- Skill content is plain markdown with inline variables such as `{{my_kind0_profile}}`, `{{my_npub}}`, and `{{nostr_dm_history({"format":"text","limit":12})}}`.

---

## Security Notes

- Keep nsec secret.
- Prefer environment or secure credential injection for production nsec handling.
- Avoid publishing plaintext sensitive config; use encrypted `config_store` for long-term state.