Rewrite the README as a user guide

[onechat] / README.rst

diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 46de601203c1dcac3933e5c621406c1e286a0738..8002ea095f9ea275e8ad56b4687c62aa5ee702f6 100644 (file)
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -2,31 +2,24 @@
  OneChat
 #########
 
  OneChat
 #########
 

-OneChat is a Go program. It prints its name. It is in early development.
+OneChat is one AI agent in a single chat that never ends. A daemon owns
+the agent and its memory, and you talk to it from a terminal client,
+Telegram, and through your WhatsApp chats. It is in early development.

 Linux is supported.
 
 Linux is supported.
 

-****************
- Data directory
-****************
-
-OneChat keeps its data and its token file in one directory. It uses the
-first of these:
-
-#. ``ONECHAT_DIR``, when it is set.
-#. ``$XDG_DATA_HOME/onechat``, when ``XDG_DATA_HOME`` is an absolute
-   path. A relative value is ignored.
-#. ``~/.local/share/onechat``. With no home directory, OneChat exits
-   with an error.
+*******
+ Setup
+*******

 
 

-OneChat creates the directory with mode 0700.
+Data directory
+==============

 
 

-***************
- Configuration
-***************
+OneChat keeps all its data in one directory, with mode 0700. It uses
+``ONECHAT_DIR`` when it is set, else ``$XDG_DATA_HOME/onechat``, else
+``~/.local/share/onechat``. The development shell sets ``ONECHAT_DIR``
+to ``.devenv/onechat`` in the checkout.

 
 

-``config.json`` in the data directory holds the settings. OneChat does
-not create it. A missing file or field takes the default, and an unknown
-field is an error.
+Optional settings go in ``config.json`` in the data directory:

 
 .. code:: json
 
 
 .. code:: json
 


@@ -35,85 +28,213 @@ field is an error.
      "compactor": {"model": "gpt-6.1-sol", "effort": "high"}
    }
 
      "compactor": {"model": "gpt-6.1-sol", "effort": "high"}
    }
 

-``endpoint``
-   ``chatgpt`` (the default) sends model calls to the ChatGPT backend
-   with the subscription login. ``api`` sends them to the OpenAI API
-   with the key in ``OPENAI_API_KEY``, which must then be set. With
-   ``chatgpt``, OneChat ignores ``OPENAI_API_KEY``.
+``endpoint`` is ``chatgpt`` (the ChatGPT subscription, the default) or
+``api`` (the OpenAI API, with ``OPENAI_API_KEY`` set). ``compactor`` is
+the model and effort of the memory summaries.

 
 

-``compactor``
-   The model and the reasoning effort of the summaries. The defaults are
-   ``gpt-6.1-sol`` and ``high``.
+Login
+=====

 
 

-*******
- Login
-*******
+.. code:: console
+
+   onechat login
+
+Open the link on any device and enter the code. Device code login must
+be allowed in the ChatGPT security settings. Do not share the login with
+the Codex CLI: each program logs the other out.
+
+Telegram
+========
+
+#. Make a bot with BotFather and keep its token.
+#. Find your numeric Telegram user ID.
+#. Write both to ``telegram.json`` in the data directory, with mode
+   0600:
+
+.. code:: json
+
+   {"token": "123456:ABC-token-from-BotFather", "owner": 123456789}

 
 

-The ``chatgpt`` endpoint needs a login with a ChatGPT account:
+Start the daemon and write to the bot in a private chat. It answers only
+you.
+
+WhatsApp
+========
+
+Link your WhatsApp account as a linked device from the terminal client
+or Telegram:
+
+``/whatsapp pair PHONE``
+   Gives a pairing code. On the phone, open Linked devices, Link a
+   device, Link with phone number instead, and enter the code.
+
+``/whatsapp status``
+   Shows the link and the routes of chats to child agents.
+
+``/whatsapp unlink``
+   Ends the link.
+
+The session file gives full access to the account. If it leaks, remove
+the device in Linked devices on the phone.
+
+User service
+============
+
+Run the daemon as a systemd user service. Keep the ``result-service``
+link, so that Nix keeps the package:

 
 .. code:: console
 
 
 .. code:: console
 

-   onechat login
+   nix build --out-link result-service
+   systemctl --user link --force "$PWD/result-service/share/systemd/user/onechat.service"
+   systemctl --user edit onechat.service

 
 

-The command shows a link and a code. Open the link on any device, enter
-the code, and approve the login. Device code login must be allowed in
-the ChatGPT security settings. OneChat writes the tokens to
-``auth.json`` in the data directory, with mode 0600, and refreshes them
-before they expire. The file belongs to OneChat only. Do not share it
-with the Codex CLI, because each program rotates the refresh token and
-logs the other out.
+In the editor, set the data directory, and the tools that the agent may
+use in its shell:

 
 

-*******
- Probe
-*******
+.. code:: ini

 
 

-``onechat probe LOG COUNT`` measures the compactor on a log. It appends
-the first COUNT messages of LOG, one JSON object ``{"kind", "text"}`` on
-each line, to a new chat in ``probe/`` in the data directory, and builds
-its tree with real model calls. The calls use the quota of the account.
-The run stops at the first failed call, or when the used percent of a
-quota window grows by more than 15 points. At the end it reports the
-calls per message, the cached share of the input tokens, the retries,
-the line sizes, and the quota at the first and the last call.
+   [Service]
+   Environment="ONECHAT_DIR=DATA_DIR"
+   Environment="PATH=TOOLS_PATH"

 
 

-A test writes a generated log of readable made-up messages:
+Then start it, and let it run while you are logged out:

 
 .. code:: console
 
 
 .. code:: console
 

-   ONECHAT_PROBE_LOG=probe.jsonl go test -run TestProbeLogHasTheSyntheticMix
+   systemctl --user daemon-reload
+   systemctl --user enable --now onechat.service
+   loginctl enable-linger "$USER"

 
 

-*************
- Development
-*************
+After a ``git pull``, ``bin/service-update`` builds and restarts it.
+Never run two daemons on the same data.

 
 

-Nix supplies the Go toolchain and all tools. Enter the development shell
-with direnv:
+Backups
+=======

 
 .. code:: console
 
 
 .. code:: console
 

-   direnv allow
+   onechat backup BACKUP_DIR/onechat.tar.gz
+   ONECHAT_DIR=EMPTY_DIR onechat restore BACKUP_DIR/onechat.tar.gz

 
 

-Or enter it directly:
+A backup runs while the daemon runs. Restore needs a stopped daemon and
+an empty directory. **An archive holds your logins, the bot token, and
+the WhatsApp link**, so keep it private.
+
+For a daily backup with the last 14 kept, save this script, with
+``BACKUP_DIR`` replaced by a private directory outside the data
+directory:
+
+.. code:: sh
+
+   #!/bin/sh
+   set -eu
+   umask 077
+   cd BACKUP_DIR
+   onechat backup "onechat-$(date +%F).tar.gz"
+   ls -1 onechat-????-??-??.tar.gz | sort -r | tail -n +15 | xargs -r rm --
+
+and run it from a ``Type=oneshot`` user service with the same
+``ONECHAT_DIR`` and an ``OnCalendar=daily`` timer.
+
+*********
+ Talking
+*********

 
 .. code:: console
 
 
 .. code:: console
 

-   nix develop
+   onechat
+
+``onechat`` connects to the running daemon. Each line is a message, and
+replies show with Markdown styles and tables. These lines are commands:
+
+``/stop``
+   Interrupts the running turn.
+
+``/stop NAME``
+   Stops the subagent NAME.
+
+``/whatsapp ...``
+   The WhatsApp commands above.
+
+In Telegram, write as in the client. ``onechat help`` lists all
+commands.
+
+*********************
+ What the agent does
+*********************
+
+Memory
+   The agent remembers the whole chat as summaries that it can open
+   again, so it never starts over. ``agent/instructions.md`` holds your
+   lasting preferences. The agent can propose a change to it and makes
+   the change only after you agree.
+
+Tools
+   The agent runs shell commands as you, in its working directory, with
+   no sandbox.
+
+Subagents
+   For long tasks it starts subagents in the background, such as
+   ``GreenOtter``, and gets their reports as messages.
+
+Child agents
+   A child is a permanent agent for one area of your life, such as
+   ``House``, with its own memory. The root creates it, talks to it, and
+   hears from it only what needs you. Children never send WhatsApp
+   messages; they draft replies for you to approve.

 
 

-The shell sets ``ONECHAT_DIR`` to ``.devenv/onechat`` in the checkout,
-unless it is already set. Development data goes there, and Git ignores
-``.devenv``.
+WhatsApp
+   The agent reads your chats in batches and wakes for a private message
+   or a mention of you. It finds chats and sends messages only when you
+   ask. It proposes to route a chat that is only about one area to the
+   child of that area, and sets the route after you agree.

 
 

-Build and run:
+Schedules
+   Ask for reminders and timed tasks, such as "every weekday at 8, tell
+   me what my groups talked about". Each run uses the quota, so runs are
+   at least 5 minutes apart.
+
+Import
+   Old WhatsApp chats can join the memory in date order. Stop the
+   daemon, export the chat as a ZIP, and run the plan before the import.
+   The import rebuilds the target's memory with model calls:

 
 .. code:: console
 
 
 .. code:: console
 

-   nix build
-   ./result/bin/onechat
+   onechat import -n [--agent NAME] CHAT.zip
+   onechat import [--agent NAME] CHAT.zip
+
+*****
+ Log
+*****
+
+The daemon writes short events with ``key=value`` attributes to the user
+journal, at three levels: info, warning for a failure that is retried or
+loses nothing, and error for a failure that loses data or stops work.
+
+.. code:: console
+
+   journalctl --user -u onechat -f
+   journalctl --user -u onechat -p warning

 
 

-Format and check all files:
+*************
+ Development
+*************
+
+Nix supplies the Go toolchain and all tools. Enter the development shell
+with ``direnv allow`` or ``nix develop``. Then:

 
 .. code:: console
 
 
 .. code:: console
 

+   nix build
+   ./result/bin/onechat version

    bin/format
    bin/check
    nix flake check
    bin/format
    bin/check
    nix flake check

+
+``onechat version`` prints ``yyyy-mm-dd-gitshort`` for a Nix build and
+``dev`` for a direct Go build. ``bin/check`` runs the linters and a
+short replay of a synthetic log, and ``nix flake check`` also runs the
+full replay of 100,000 messages. ``onechat probe LOG COUNT`` measures
+the memory summaries on a log with real model calls.