AGENTS.md — rano

Guidelines for AI coding agents working in this Rust codebase.

RULE 0 - THE FUNDAMENTAL OVERRIDE PREROGATIVE

If I tell you to do something, even if it goes against what follows below, YOU MUST LISTEN TO ME. I AM IN CHARGE, NOT YOU.

RULE NUMBER 1: NO FILE DELETION

YOU ARE NEVER ALLOWED TO DELETE A FILE WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION. Even a new file that you yourself created, such as a test code file. You have a horrible track record of deleting critically important files or otherwise throwing away tons of expensive work. As a result, you have permanently lost any and all rights to determine that a file or folder should be deleted.

YOU MUST ALWAYS ASK AND RECEIVE CLEAR, WRITTEN PERMISSION BEFORE EVER DELETING A FILE OR FOLDER OF ANY KIND.

Irreversible Git & Filesystem Actions — DO NOT EVER BREAK GLASS

Absolutely forbidden commands: git reset --hard, git clean -fd, rm -rf, or any command that can delete or overwrite code/data must never be run unless the user explicitly provides the exact command and states, in the same message, that they understand and want the irreversible consequences.
No guessing: If there is any uncertainty about what a command might delete or overwrite, stop immediately and ask the user for specific approval. "I think it's safe" is never acceptable.
Safer alternatives first: When cleanup or rollbacks are needed, request permission to use non-destructive options (git status, git diff, git stash, copying to backups) before ever considering a destructive command.
Mandatory explicit plan: Even after explicit user authorization, restate the command verbatim, list exactly what will be affected, and wait for a confirmation that your understanding is correct. Only then may you execute it—if anything remains ambiguous, refuse and escalate.
Document the confirmation: When running any approved destructive command, record (in the session notes / final response) the exact user text that authorized it, the command actually run, and the execution time. If that record is absent, the operation did not happen.

Git Branch: ONLY Use `main`, NEVER `master`

The default branch is main. The master branch exists only for legacy URL compatibility.

All work happens on main — commits, PRs, feature branches all merge to main
Never reference master in code or docs — if you see master anywhere, it's a bug that needs fixing
The master branch must stay synchronized with main — after pushing to main, also push to master:
```
git push origin main:master
```

If you see master referenced anywhere:

Update it to main
Ensure master is synchronized: git push origin main:master

Toolchain: Rust & Cargo

We only use Cargo in this project, NEVER any other package manager.

Edition: Rust 2024 (nightly toolchain — see rust-toolchain.toml)
Dependency versions: Explicit versions for stability
Configuration: Single-crate project (no workspace)
Unsafe code: Not explicitly forbidden, but avoided where possible

Key Dependencies

Crate	Purpose
`rusqlite`	SQLite database for durable event logging (bundled)
`serde`	Serialization/deserialization (derive feature)
`toml`	TOML config file parsing (provider configuration)
`libc`	Low-level C interop (signal handling, TTY detection)
`pcap`	Optional libpcap packet capture for DNS/SNI domain attribution

Dev Dependencies

Crate	Purpose
`tempfile`	Temporary file creation for config validation tests

Feature Flags

[features]
default = []
pcap = ["dep:pcap"]   # libpcap-based DNS/TLS SNI domain attribution (requires root/CAP_NET_RAW)

Release Profile

The release build optimizes for performance (this is a CLI binary):

[profile.release]
# Uses default Cargo release settings (opt-level 3)

Code Editing Discipline

No Script-Based Changes

NEVER run a script that processes/changes code files in this repo. Brittle regex-based transformations create far more problems than they solve.

Always make code changes manually, even when there are many instances
For many simple changes: use parallel subagents
For subtle/complex changes: do them methodically yourself

No File Proliferation

If you want to change something or add a feature, revise existing code files in place.

NEVER create variations like:

mainV2.rs
main_improved.rs
main_enhanced.rs

New files are reserved for genuinely new functionality that makes zero sense to include in any existing file. The bar for creating new files is incredibly high.

Backwards Compatibility

We do not care about backwards compatibility—we're in early development with no users. We want to do things the RIGHT way with NO TECH DEBT.

Never create "compatibility shims"
Never create wrapper functions for deprecated APIs
Just fix the code directly

Compiler Checks (CRITICAL)

After any substantive code changes, you MUST verify no errors were introduced:

# Check for compiler errors and warnings (all targets)
cargo check --all-targets

# Check for clippy lints
cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D warnings

# Verify formatting
cargo fmt --check

If you see errors, carefully understand and resolve each issue. Read sufficient context to fix them the RIGHT way.

Testing

Testing Policy

Source files include inline #[cfg(test)] unit tests alongside the implementation. Tests must cover:

Happy path
Edge cases (empty input, max values, boundary conditions)
Error conditions

E2E tests live in tests/e2e/ and scripts/e2e/.

Unit Tests

# Run all tests
cargo test

# Run with output
cargo test -- --nocapture

# Run tests with pcap feature enabled
cargo test --features pcap

# Run all tests with all features
cargo test --all-features

Test Categories

Location	Focus Areas
`src/main.rs` (inline)	CLI arg parsing, provider matching, JSON/pretty formatting, SQLite schema, ancestry chains, glob matching, alert logic, export formatting, diff computation, status templates, report queries
`src/config_validation.rs` (inline)	Config file parsing, TOML validation, boolean/enum/integer value checks, unknown keys, path validation
`src/pcap_capture.rs` (inline)	Domain cache lookup/eviction, DNS response parsing, TLS SNI extraction, IPv4/IPv6 packet parsing, VLAN tagged frames
`tests/e2e/`	Report output, provider config overrides, SQLite batching under load, stats views, diff command, help command, status command
`scripts/e2e/`	Alert thresholds, config validation, export formats, pcap attribution, presets, process ancestry

Test Fixtures

Test fixtures are stored in tests/fixtures/:

report_latest.json / report_latest.txt — expected report output
pcap/ — pcap capture files for offline DNS/SNI testing

Third-Party Library Usage

If you aren't 100% sure how to use a third-party library, SEARCH ONLINE to find the latest documentation and current best practices.

rano — This Project

This is the project you're working on. rano (rust_agent_network_observer) is a network observer CLI for AI coding processes that tracks outbound connections from Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, and their descendants — live in the terminal and durably in SQLite.

What It Does

Polls /proc to map sockets to PIDs, tags connections by AI provider (anthropic, openai, google), and prints live events + stats while logging a complete queryable history to SQLite. Optional libpcap mode adds DNS response and TLS SNI hostname attribution.

Architecture

Target Processes (claude / codex / gemini PIDs)
                │
                ▼
        /proc Poller
  sockets ↔ inodes ↔ PIDs
                │
                ▼
    Provider Attribution
  comm/cmdline → provider tag
                │
      ┌─────────┴─────────┐
      ▼                   ▼
 Live Output         SQLite Logger
 pretty/json         events + views
                          │
      ┌───────┬───────────┼───────────┐
      ▼       ▼           ▼           ▼
   Report   Export      Diff       Status
   command  CSV/JSONL   command    shell prompt

Project Structure

rano/
├── Cargo.toml                  # Package manifest (single crate, no workspace)
├── rust-toolchain.toml         # Stable Rust toolchain
├── src/
│   ├── main.rs                 # Core binary: monitoring, CLI, reporting, export, diff, status (~10K lines)
│   ├── config_validation.rs    # Config file validation (KV + TOML)
│   └── pcap_capture.rs         # DNS/SNI packet capture and domain cache
├── tests/
│   ├── e2e/                    # E2E shell test scripts
│   └── fixtures/               # Test fixtures (report snapshots, pcap files)
├── scripts/
│   └── e2e/                    # E2E test harness (lib.sh, run.sh, feature scripts)
├── docs/                       # Design documents (alerts, exports, pcap, presets, providers, reports)
├── install.sh                  # Cross-platform installer (Linux/macOS)
└── .github/workflows/          # CI configuration

Key Source Modules

File	Key Types & Functions	Purpose
`src/main.rs`	`MonitorArgs`, `Cli`, `Command`	CLI argument parsing with manual arg parser (no clap)
`src/main.rs`	`Provider`, `ProviderMatcher`	Provider attribution (anthropic/openai/google/unknown)
`src/main.rs`	`ConnKey`, `ConnInfo`, `NetEntry`	Connection tracking state
`src/main.rs`	`SqliteWriter`, `SqliteEvent`, `SqliteMsg`	Async batched SQLite event logging
`src/main.rs`	`Stats`, `RunContext`	Live statistics and session context
`src/main.rs`	`AlertConfig`, `AlertState`, `AlertKind`	Alerting subsystem (domain patterns, thresholds, cooldowns)
`src/main.rs`	`RetryTracker`, `RetryWarning`	Connection retry storm detection
`src/main.rs`	`AncestryCache`	Process ancestry chain resolution with TTL-based caching
`src/main.rs`	`PresetLoader`, `PresetInfo`	Built-in and user-defined configuration presets
`src/main.rs`	`ExportArgs`, `ExportFilter`	CSV/JSONL export with time/provider/domain filters
`src/main.rs`	`DiffArgs`, `DiffResult`	Session comparison (new/removed/changed domains, processes, providers)
`src/main.rs`	`StatusArgs`, `StatusData`	Shell prompt integration with template expansion
`src/main.rs`	`ReportArgs`, `ReportFilter`	Session report generation (JSON + pretty)
`src/main.rs`	`OutputStyle`, `AnsiColor`, `LogWriter`	Color themes (vivid/mono/colorblind) and file logging
`src/config_validation.rs`	`ConfigValidator`, `ValidationResult`	KV config + TOML provider config validation
`src/pcap_capture.rs`	`DomainCache`, `PcapHandle`, `PcapMsg`	DNS response + TLS SNI capture and IP-to-hostname cache

Commands

Command	Description
`rano` (default)	Monitor outbound connections with live events and stats
`rano report`	Generate reports from SQLite event history
`rano export`	Export events to CSV or JSONL with filters
`rano diff`	Compare two monitoring sessions for behavioral changes
`rano status`	One-line status output for shell prompt integration
`rano config check`	Validate configuration files
`rano config show`	Display resolved configuration
`rano config paths`	Show config file search paths
`rano update`	Self-update the installed binary

Configuration Files

Path	Format	Purpose
`~/.config/rano/config.conf`	`key=value`	Default monitor settings
`~/.rano.toml` / `~/.config/rano/rano.toml`	TOML	Provider pattern customization
`~/.config/rano/presets/*.conf`	`key=value`	User-defined presets

Built-in Presets

Preset	Description
`audit`	Security review / minimal noise
`quiet`	Reduce terminal output
`live`	Real-time monitoring focus
`verbose`	Maximum detail

Key Design Decisions

No clap or structopt — manual argument parser keeps binary small and dependency-free
/proc polling — avoids ptrace or intrusive hooks, works without elevated privileges
Provider attribution by substring matching — comm + cmdline checked against configurable pattern lists
Async SQLite batching — dedicated writer thread with bounded channel, configurable batch size and flush interval
Process ancestry caching — 30-second TTL with staleness detection (comm name change invalidation)
Dual domain resolution modes — PTR (unprivileged) or pcap (DNS + TLS SNI, requires root/CAP_NET_RAW)
Session-based reporting — each run generates a unique run_id for later querying/diffing
Alert cooldown deduplication — prevents alert spam with configurable cooldown per alert signature
Glob matching — hand-rolled glob_match_impl() for domain pattern alerts (no regex dep)
RFC 4180 CSV export — proper field escaping for Excel compatibility
Template-based status — {active}, {anthropic}, etc. for shell prompt integration

MCP Agent Mail — Multi-Agent Coordination

A mail-like layer that lets coding agents coordinate asynchronously via MCP tools and resources. Provides identities, inbox/outbox, searchable threads, and advisory file reservations with human-auditable artifacts in Git.

Why It's Useful

Prevents conflicts: Explicit file reservations (leases) for files/globs
Token-efficient: Messages stored in per-project archive, not in context
Quick reads: resource://inbox/..., resource://thread/...

Same Repository Workflow

Register identity:

ensure_project(project_key=<abs-path>)
register_agent(project_key, program, model)

Reserve files before editing:

file_reservation_paths(project_key, agent_name, ["src/**"], ttl_seconds=3600, exclusive=true)

Communicate with threads:

send_message(..., thread_id="FEAT-123")
fetch_inbox(project_key, agent_name)
acknowledge_message(project_key, agent_name, message_id)

Quick reads:

resource://inbox/{Agent}?project=<abs-path>&limit=20
resource://thread/{id}?project=<abs-path>&include_bodies=true

Macros vs Granular Tools

Prefer macros for speed: macro_start_session, macro_prepare_thread, macro_file_reservation_cycle, macro_contact_handshake
Use granular tools for control: register_agent, file_reservation_paths, send_message, fetch_inbox, acknowledge_message

Common Pitfalls

"from_agent not registered": Always register_agent in the correct project_key first
"FILE_RESERVATION_CONFLICT": Adjust patterns, wait for expiry, or use non-exclusive reservation
Auth errors: If JWT+JWKS enabled, include bearer token with matching kid

Beads (br) — Dependency-Aware Issue Tracking

Beads provides a lightweight, dependency-aware issue database and CLI (br - beads_rust) for selecting "ready work," setting priorities, and tracking status. It complements MCP Agent Mail's messaging and file reservations.

Important: br is non-invasive—it NEVER runs git commands automatically. You must manually commit changes after br sync --flush-only.

Conventions

Single source of truth: Beads for task status/priority/dependencies; Agent Mail for conversation and audit
Shared identifiers: Use Beads issue ID (e.g., br-123) as Mail thread_id and prefix subjects with [br-123]
Reservations: When starting a task, call file_reservation_paths() with the issue ID in reason

Typical Agent Flow

Pick ready work (Beads):

br ready --json  # Choose highest priority, no blockers

Reserve edit surface (Mail):

file_reservation_paths(project_key, agent_name, ["src/**"], ttl_seconds=3600, exclusive=true, reason="br-123")

Announce start (Mail):

send_message(..., thread_id="br-123", subject="[br-123] Start: <title>", ack_required=true)

Work and update: Reply in-thread with progress

Complete and release:

br close 123 --reason "Completed"
br sync --flush-only  # Export to JSONL (no git operations)

release_file_reservations(project_key, agent_name, paths=["src/**"])

Final Mail reply: [br-123] Completed with summary

Mapping Cheat Sheet

Concept	Value
Mail `thread_id`	`br-###`
Mail subject	`[br-###] ...`
File reservation `reason`	`br-###`
Commit messages	Include `br-###` for traceability

bv — Graph-Aware Triage Engine

bv is a graph-aware triage engine for Beads projects (.beads/beads.jsonl). It computes PageRank, betweenness, critical path, cycles, HITS, eigenvector, and k-core metrics deterministically.

Scope boundary: bv handles what to work on (triage, priority, planning). For agent-to-agent coordination (messaging, work claiming, file reservations), use MCP Agent Mail.

CRITICAL: Use ONLY --robot-* flags. Bare bv launches an interactive TUI that blocks your session.

The Workflow: Start With Triage

bv --robot-triage is your single entry point. It returns:

quick_ref: at-a-glance counts + top 3 picks
recommendations: ranked actionable items with scores, reasons, unblock info
quick_wins: low-effort high-impact items
blockers_to_clear: items that unblock the most downstream work
project_health: status/type/priority distributions, graph metrics
commands: copy-paste shell commands for next steps

bv --robot-triage        # THE MEGA-COMMAND: start here
bv --robot-next          # Minimal: just the single top pick + claim command

Command Reference

Planning:

Command	Returns
`--robot-plan`	Parallel execution tracks with `unblocks` lists
`--robot-priority`	Priority misalignment detection with confidence

Graph Analysis:

Command	Returns
`--robot-insights`	Full metrics: PageRank, betweenness, HITS, eigenvector, critical path, cycles, k-core, articulation points, slack
`--robot-label-health`	Per-label health: `health_level`, `velocity_score`, `staleness`, `blocked_count`
`--robot-label-flow`	Cross-label dependency: `flow_matrix`, `dependencies`, `bottleneck_labels`
`--robot-label-attention [--attention-limit=N]`	Attention-ranked labels

History & Change Tracking:

Command	Returns
`--robot-history`	Bead-to-commit correlations
`--robot-diff --diff-since <ref>`	Changes since ref: new/closed/modified issues, cycles

Other:

Command	Returns
`--robot-burndown <sprint>`	Sprint burndown, scope changes, at-risk items
`--robot-forecast <id\|all>`	ETA predictions with dependency-aware scheduling
`--robot-alerts`	Stale issues, blocking cascades, priority mismatches
`--robot-suggest`	Hygiene: duplicates, missing deps, label suggestions
`--robot-graph [--graph-format=json\|dot\|mermaid]`	Dependency graph export
`--export-graph <file.html>`	Interactive HTML visualization

Scoping & Filtering

bv --robot-plan --label backend              # Scope to label's subgraph
bv --robot-insights --as-of HEAD~30          # Historical point-in-time
bv --recipe actionable --robot-plan          # Pre-filter: ready to work
bv --recipe high-impact --robot-triage       # Pre-filter: top PageRank
bv --robot-triage --robot-triage-by-track    # Group by parallel work streams
bv --robot-triage --robot-triage-by-label    # Group by domain

Understanding Robot Output

All robot JSON includes:

data_hash — Fingerprint of source beads.jsonl
status — Per-metric state: computed|approx|timeout|skipped + elapsed ms
as_of / as_of_commit — Present when using --as-of

Two-phase analysis:

Phase 1 (instant): degree, topo sort, density
Phase 2 (async, 500ms timeout): PageRank, betweenness, HITS, eigenvector, cycles

jq Quick Reference

bv --robot-triage | jq '.quick_ref'                        # At-a-glance summary
bv --robot-triage | jq '.recommendations[0]'               # Top recommendation
bv --robot-plan | jq '.plan.summary.highest_impact'        # Best unblock target
bv --robot-insights | jq '.status'                         # Check metric readiness
bv --robot-insights | jq '.Cycles'                         # Circular deps (must fix!)

UBS — Ultimate Bug Scanner

Golden Rule: ubs <changed-files> before every commit. Exit 0 = safe. Exit >0 = fix & re-run.

Commands

ubs file.rs file2.rs                    # Specific files (< 1s) — USE THIS
ubs $(git diff --name-only --cached)    # Staged files — before commit
ubs --only=rust,toml src/               # Language filter (3-5x faster)
ubs --ci --fail-on-warning .            # CI mode — before PR
ubs .                                   # Whole project (ignores target/, Cargo.lock)

Output Format

Warning  Category (N errors)
    file.rs:42:5 – Issue description
    Suggested fix
Exit code: 1

Parse: file:line:col -> location | Suggested fix -> how to fix | Exit 0/1 -> pass/fail

Fix Workflow

Read finding -> category + fix suggestion
Navigate file:line:col -> view context
Verify real issue (not false positive)
Fix root cause (not symptom)
Re-run ubs <file> -> exit 0
Commit

Bug Severity

Critical (always fix): Memory safety, use-after-free, data races, SQL injection
Important (production): Unwrap panics, resource leaks, overflow checks
Contextual (judgment): TODO/FIXME, println! debugging

RCH — Remote Compilation Helper

RCH offloads cargo build, cargo test, cargo clippy, and other compilation commands to a fleet of 8 remote Contabo VPS workers instead of building locally. This prevents compilation storms from overwhelming csd when many agents run simultaneously.

RCH is installed at ~/.local/bin/rch and is hooked into Claude Code's PreToolUse automatically. Most of the time you don't need to do anything if you are Claude Code — builds are intercepted and offloaded transparently.

To manually offload a build:

rch exec -- cargo build --release
rch exec -- cargo test
rch exec -- cargo clippy

Quick commands:

rch doctor                    # Health check
rch workers probe --all       # Test connectivity to all 8 workers
rch status                    # Overview of current state
rch queue                     # See active/waiting builds

If rch or its workers are unavailable, it fails open — builds run locally as normal.

Note for Codex/GPT-5.2: Codex does not have the automatic PreToolUse hook, but you can (and should) still manually offload compute-intensive compilation commands using rch exec -- <command>. This avoids local resource contention when multiple agents are building simultaneously.

ast-grep vs ripgrep

Use ast-grep when structure matters. It parses code and matches AST nodes, ignoring comments/strings, and can safely rewrite code.

Refactors/codemods: rename APIs, change import forms
Policy checks: enforce patterns across a repo
Editor/automation: LSP mode, --json output

Use ripgrep when text is enough. Fastest way to grep literals/regex.

Recon: find strings, TODOs, log lines, config values
Pre-filter: narrow candidate files before ast-grep

Rule of Thumb

Need correctness or applying changes -> ast-grep
Need raw speed or hunting text -> rg
Often combine: rg to shortlist files, then ast-grep to match/modify

Rust Examples

# Find structured code (ignores comments)
ast-grep run -l Rust -p 'fn $NAME($$$ARGS) -> $RET { $$$BODY }'

# Find all unwrap() calls
ast-grep run -l Rust -p '$EXPR.unwrap()'

# Quick textual hunt
rg -n 'println!' -t rust

# Combine speed + precision
rg -l -t rust 'unwrap\(' | xargs ast-grep run -l Rust -p '$X.unwrap()' --json

Morph Warp Grep — AI-Powered Code Search

Use mcp__morph-mcp__warp_grep for exploratory "how does X work?" questions. An AI agent expands your query, greps the codebase, reads relevant files, and returns precise line ranges with full context.

Use ripgrep for targeted searches. When you know exactly what you're looking for.

Use ast-grep for structural patterns. When you need AST precision for matching/rewriting.

When to Use What

Scenario	Tool	Why
"How does the alert system work?"	`warp_grep`	Exploratory; don't know where to start
"Where is the SQLite schema defined?"	`warp_grep`	Need to understand architecture
"Find all uses of `Provider::Anthropic`"	`ripgrep`	Targeted literal search
"Find files with `println!`"	`ripgrep`	Simple pattern
"Replace all `unwrap()` with `expect()`"	`ast-grep`	Structural refactor

warp_grep Usage

mcp__morph-mcp__warp_grep(
  repoPath: "/dp/rano",
  query: "How does the provider attribution work?"
)

Returns structured results with file paths, line ranges, and extracted code snippets.

Anti-Patterns

Don't use warp_grep to find a specific function name -> use ripgrep
Don't use ripgrep to understand "how does X work" -> wastes time with manual reads
Don't use ripgrep for codemods -> risks collateral edits

Beads Workflow Integration

This project uses beads_rust (br) for issue tracking. Issues are stored in .beads/ and tracked in git.

Important: br is non-invasive—it NEVER executes git commands. After br sync --flush-only, you must manually run git add .beads/ && git commit.

Essential Commands

# View issues (launches TUI - avoid in automated sessions)
bv

# CLI commands for agents (use these instead)
br ready              # Show issues ready to work (no blockers)
br list --status=open # All open issues
br show <id>          # Full issue details with dependencies
br create --title="..." --type=task --priority=2
br update <id> --status=in_progress
br close <id> --reason "Completed"
br close <id1> <id2>  # Close multiple issues at once
br sync --flush-only  # Export to JSONL (NO git operations)

Workflow Pattern

Start: Run br ready to find actionable work
Claim: Use br update <id> --status=in_progress
Work: Implement the task
Complete: Use br close <id>
Sync: Run br sync --flush-only then manually commit

Key Concepts

Dependencies: Issues can block other issues. br ready shows only unblocked work.
Priority: P0=critical, P1=high, P2=medium, P3=low, P4=backlog (use numbers, not words)
Types: task, bug, feature, epic, question, docs
Blocking: br dep add <issue> <depends-on> to add dependencies

Session Protocol

Before ending any session, run this checklist:

git status              # Check what changed
git add <files>         # Stage code changes
br sync --flush-only    # Export beads to JSONL
git add .beads/         # Stage beads changes
git commit -m "..."     # Commit everything together
git push                # Push to remote

Best Practices

Check br ready at session start to find available work
Update status as you work (in_progress -> closed)
Create new issues with br create when you discover tasks
Use descriptive titles and set appropriate priority/type
Always br sync --flush-only && git add .beads/ before ending session

Landing the Plane (Session Completion)

When ending a work session, you MUST complete ALL steps below.

MANDATORY WORKFLOW:

File issues for remaining work - Create issues for anything that needs follow-up
Run quality gates (if code changed) - Tests, linters, builds
Update issue status - Close finished work, update in-progress items
Sync beads - br sync --flush-only to export to JSONL
Hand off - Provide context for next session

cass — Cross-Agent Session Search

cass indexes prior agent conversations (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini, ChatGPT, etc.) so we can reuse solved problems.

Rules: Never run bare cass (TUI). Always use --robot or --json.

Examples

cass health
cass search "async runtime" --robot --limit 5
cass view /path/to/session.jsonl -n 42 --json
cass expand /path/to/session.jsonl -n 42 -C 3 --json
cass capabilities --json
cass robot-docs guide

Tips

Use --fields minimal for lean output
Filter by agent with --agent
Use --days N to limit to recent history

stdout is data-only, stderr is diagnostics; exit code 0 means success.

Treat cass as a way to avoid re-solving problems other agents already handled.

Note for Codex/GPT-5.2

You constantly bother me and stop working with concerned questions that look similar to this:

Unexpected changes (need guidance)

- Working tree still shows edits I did not make in Cargo.toml, Cargo.lock, src/main.rs, src/patterns.rs. Please advise whether to keep/commit/revert these before any further work. I did not touch them.

Next steps (pick one)

1. Decide how to handle the unrelated modified files above so we can resume cleanly.

NEVER EVER DO THAT AGAIN. The answer is literally ALWAYS the same: those are changes created by the potentially dozen of other agents working on the project at the same time. This is not only a common occurrence, it happens multiple times PER MINUTE. The way to deal with it is simple: you NEVER, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, stash, revert, overwrite, or otherwise disturb in ANY way the work of other agents. Just treat those changes identically to changes that you yourself made. Just fool yourself into thinking YOU made the changes and simply don't recall it for some reason.

Note on Built-in TODO Functionality

Also, if I ask you to explicitly use your built-in TODO functionality, don't complain about this and say you need to use beads. You can use built-in TODOs if I tell you specifically to do so. Always comply with such orders.

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AGENTS.md — rano

RULE 0 - THE FUNDAMENTAL OVERRIDE PREROGATIVE

RULE NUMBER 1: NO FILE DELETION

Irreversible Git & Filesystem Actions — DO NOT EVER BREAK GLASS

Git Branch: ONLY Use main, NEVER master

Toolchain: Rust & Cargo

Key Dependencies

Dev Dependencies

Feature Flags

Release Profile

Code Editing Discipline

No Script-Based Changes

No File Proliferation

Backwards Compatibility

Compiler Checks (CRITICAL)

Testing

Testing Policy

Unit Tests

Test Categories

Test Fixtures

Third-Party Library Usage

rano — This Project

What It Does

Architecture

Project Structure

Key Source Modules

Commands

Configuration Files

Built-in Presets

Key Design Decisions

MCP Agent Mail — Multi-Agent Coordination

Why It's Useful

Same Repository Workflow

Macros vs Granular Tools

Common Pitfalls

Beads (br) — Dependency-Aware Issue Tracking

Conventions

Typical Agent Flow

Mapping Cheat Sheet

bv — Graph-Aware Triage Engine

The Workflow: Start With Triage

Command Reference

Scoping & Filtering

Understanding Robot Output

jq Quick Reference

UBS — Ultimate Bug Scanner

Commands

Output Format

Fix Workflow

Bug Severity

RCH — Remote Compilation Helper

ast-grep vs ripgrep

Rule of Thumb

Rust Examples

Morph Warp Grep — AI-Powered Code Search

When to Use What

warp_grep Usage

Anti-Patterns

Beads Workflow Integration

Essential Commands

Workflow Pattern

Key Concepts

Session Protocol

Best Practices

Landing the Plane (Session Completion)

cass — Cross-Agent Session Search

Examples

Tips

Note for Codex/GPT-5.2

Note on Built-in TODO Functionality

Git Branch: ONLY Use `main`, NEVER `master`