Manifests
The typed resource catalog loaded by the SDK and cached by the worker.
Manifests
A Manifest is the runtime catalog for Nenjo. It is the typed view of the platform resources that an SDK Provider can execute.
The SDK does not reach into the dashboard database directly. It receives manifests through a ManifestLoader, merges them, and then uses the result to build agents and routines.
Manifest Contents
| Resource | What the runtime uses it for |
|---|---|
| Projects | Project identity, slug, description, settings, and runtime context |
| Agents | Prompt config, model assignment, platform scopes, assigned domains, abilities, and MCP servers |
| Models | Provider name, model name, temperature, and optional base URL |
| Routines | Task-targetable workflow graphs: steps and directed edges |
| Councils | Multi-agent groups with a leader and delegation strategy |
| Domains | Activatable execution modes with prompt addons, scopes, abilities, and MCP server assignments |
| MCP servers | External tool servers and transport details |
| Abilities | Reusable sub-execution modes exposed as tools to agents |
| Context blocks | MiniJinja templates injected into prompts |
| Knowledge packs | Searchable source material exposed through generic knowledge tools |
Loading and Merging
ManifestLoader is an async trait:
#[async_trait::async_trait]
pub trait ManifestLoader: Send + Sync {
async fn load(&self) -> anyhow::Result<Manifest>;
}Provider::builder() can accept a complete manifest with with_manifest() or one or more loaders with with_loader().
When manifests are merged, most resource arrays are appended. Context blocks are different: if two blocks share the same name, the later block wins. This makes local prompt context overlays possible without replacing the whole manifest.
Worker Cache
On startup, the worker fetches the bootstrap manifest from the platform API and writes it into the local manifests directory.
Cache path under .nenjo/manifests | Contents |
|---|---|
auth.json | User, organization, and API-key identity returned by bootstrap |
nats.json | Event bus connection settings returned by bootstrap |
projects.json | Project manifests |
routines.json | Routine manifests |
models.json | Model manifests |
agents.json | Agent manifests with decrypted prompt config when enrollment allows it |
councils.json | Council manifests |
mcp_servers.json | MCP server manifests |
domains/**/*.json | Domain manifests stored as a tree |
abilities/**/*.json | Ability manifests stored as a tree |
context_blocks/**/*.json | Context block manifests stored as a tree |
The worker also resolves package and Library knowledge metadata so agents can use knowledge tools without loading full documents into every prompt.
Agent Manifest Shape
An agent manifest contains the fields the runtime needs to build an AgentRunner:
| Field | Runtime meaning |
|---|---|
prompt_config | System prompt, developer prompt, task/chat/gate templates, and memory profile |
model_id | Points to the model manifest used for LLM calls |
platform_scopes | Controls which platform tools are added to the agent |
domain_ids | Domains available to the agent |
ability_ids | Abilities exposed as sub-execution tools |
mcp_servers | External MCP server names assigned to the agent |
prompt_locked | Indicates whether prompt updates should be blocked by platform tooling |
Routine Manifest Shape
A routine manifest is a graph:
| Part | Runtime meaning |
|---|---|
metadata.entry_steps | Explicit entry step slugs when present |
steps | Agent, council, gate, terminal, and terminal-fail nodes |
edges | Directed connections between steps |
edge.condition | always, on_pass, or on_fail |
The routine executor validates and walks this graph, then builds the needed agents from the same provider. Manual and scheduled tasks both target this same manifest shape; scheduling is task state, not routine metadata.
Local Context Loader
The worker also has a small local loader for Markdown context files. Files under .nenjo/context/*.md become context blocks with:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
name | File name without .md |
path | local |
template | File contents |
This is useful for local guidance that should join the platform manifest at runtime.