add-aerospace-entry

name	add-aerospace-entry
description	Add an AeroSpace window rule to assign an app/window to a workspace (macOS only)
compatibility	macOS with AeroSpace window manager
metadata	{"author":"ruinous.ai","version":"1.2"}
parameters	{"host":{"type":"string","description":"Target host (defaults to current hostname)","required":false,"placeholder":"jbookpro"},"mode":{"type":"select","description":"How to identify the target","required":true,"options":[{"label":"Interactive (Recommended)","description":"List running apps/windows and select interactively"},{"label":"By app-id","description":"Provide the bundle ID directly (e.g., com.spotify.client)"},{"label":"By window title","description":"Match windows by title regex"}]},"workspace":{"type":"string","description":"Target workspace (A-Z, 1-9)","required":true,"placeholder":"S"},"layout":{"type":"select","description":"Window layout mode","required":false,"options":[{"label":"Tiled (default)","description":"Window participates in tiling layout"},{"label":"Floating","description":"Window floats above tiled windows"}]}}

Add AeroSpace Entry

Add a window detection rule to AeroSpace configuration for automatic workspace assignment on macOS.

Platform Check

This skill is macOS only. Before proceeding:

uname -s  # Must return "Darwin"

If not Darwin, inform user: "AeroSpace is macOS-only. This skill cannot run on Linux/NixOS."

Parameter Handling

If parameters are missing from $ARGUMENTS, use mcp_question to gather them:

mcp_question({
  questions: [
    {
      question: "How do you want to identify the target window/app?",
      header: "Selection Mode",
      options: [
        { label: "Interactive (Recommended)", description: "List running apps and select" },
        { label: "By app-id", description: "I know the bundle ID" },
        { label: "By window title", description: "Match by window title regex" }
      ]
    }
  ]
})

Expected $ARGUMENTS format: [app-id|window-title] <workspace> [floating]

• Example: com.spotify.client S (assign Spotify to workspace S)
• Example: "- Jade (Work)$" B (assign Chrome Work profile to workspace B)
• Example: com.apple.finder floating (make Finder windows float)

Discovery Commands

List All Running Apps

aerospace list-apps --json

Output format:

[
  {
    "app-bundle-id": "com.spotify.client",
    "app-name": "Spotify",
    "app-pid": 12345
  }
]

List All Windows

aerospace list-windows --all --json

Output format:

[
  {
    "app-name": "Google Chrome",
    "window-id": 55,
    "window-title": "GitHub - Google Chrome - Jade (Work)"
  }
]

Configuration File Location

Determine Target Host

1. Get current hostname (default):

   hostname
   

2. If host parameter provided in $ARGUMENTS, use that instead.

3. Find the aerospace.toml for the target host:

   # List all available aerospace configs
   find hosts -name "aerospace.toml" -path "*/users/*" 2>/dev/null
   

   Known locations:

   • hosts/jbookpro/users/jmeskill/aerospace.toml
   • hosts/jmacmini/users/jmeskill/aerospace.toml
   • hosts/jpex/users/jmeskill/aerospace.toml
   • hosts/jpex/users/messybot/aerospace.toml
   • hosts/studio/users/jmeskill/aerospace.toml

4. Config path pattern:

   hosts/<hostname>/users/<username>/aerospace.toml
   

   Default username is jmeskill unless host has a different primary user.

5. If no aerospace.toml exists for the target host, inform user:

   "No aerospace.toml found for host '<hostname>'. Available hosts: jbookpro, jmacmini, jpex, studio"
   

TOML Entry Patterns

Basic App Assignment (by app-id)

[[on-window-detected]]
if.app-id = 'com.spotify.client'
run = 'move-node-to-workspace S'

Window Title Matching (for apps with multiple windows/profiles)

[[on-window-detected]]
if.app-id = 'com.google.Chrome'
if.window-title-regex-substring = '- Jade (Work)$'
run = 'move-node-to-workspace B'

Floating Window

[[on-window-detected]]
if.app-id = 'com.apple.finder'
run = 'layout floating'
check-further-callbacks = true

Combined: Float + Move to Workspace

[[on-window-detected]]
if.app-id = 'tv.plex.desktop'
run = 'layout floating'
check-further-callbacks = true

[[on-window-detected]]
if.app-id = 'tv.plex.desktop'
run = 'move-node-to-workspace P'

Steps

1. Interactive Mode (Recommended)

1. Run discovery commands:

   aerospace list-apps --json
   aerospace list-windows --all --json
   

2. Present options to user:

   mcp_question({
     questions: [
       {
         question: "Which app do you want to configure?",
         header: "Select App",
         multiple: false,
         options: [
           // Generated from aerospace list-apps output
           { label: "Spotify", description: "com.spotify.client" },
           { label: "Discord", description: "com.hnc.Discord" },
           // ... etc
         ]
       }
     ]
   })
   

3. If app has multiple windows (like Chrome), ask about title matching:

   mcp_question({
     questions: [
       {
         question: "This app has multiple windows. Match by title?",
         header: "Title Filter",
         options: [
           { label: "All windows", description: "Any window from this app" },
           { label: "By title pattern", description: "Match specific window titles" }
         ]
       }
     ]
   })
   

4. Ask for workspace:

   mcp_question({
     questions: [
       {
         question: "Which workspace should this app/window go to?",
         header: "Workspace",
         options: [
           { label: "A", description: "AI Space" },
           { label: "B", description: "Browser (Work)" },
           { label: "C", description: "Chat Space" },
           { label: "E", description: "Element" },
           { label: "F", description: "Fantastical" },
           { label: "G", description: "Glance" },
           { label: "M", description: "Mail" },
           { label: "N", description: "Claude" },
           { label: "O", description: "Obsidian" },
           { label: "S", description: "Spotify" },
           { label: "T", description: "Todoist" },
           { label: "W", description: "WezTerm" },
           { label: "X", description: "Telegram/Discord" },
           { label: "Y", description: "Available" },
           { label: "1", description: "Messages" },
           { label: "2", description: "Personal Browser" }
         ]
       }
     ]
   })
   

5. Ask about floating:

   mcp_question({
     questions: [
       {
         question: "Should this window float or tile?",
         header: "Layout",
         options: [
           { label: "Tiled (default)", description: "Participate in tiling layout" },
           { label: "Floating", description: "Float above tiled windows" }
         ]
       }
     ]
   })
   

2. Read Current Config

# Use the determined host from step above
cat hosts/<hostname>/users/<username>/aerospace.toml

Identify the appropriate section for the new entry:

• Floating windows section (after line ~203)
• Chrome-related section (around line ~227)
• Full Screen apps section (around line ~255)
• Or create a new section with a comment

3. Generate TOML Entry

Based on user selections, generate the appropriate [[on-window-detected]] block.

4. Insert Entry

Use mcp_edit to add the entry in the appropriate location:

• Group with similar apps (Chrome entries together, etc.)
• Add a comment if it's a new category
• Maintain consistent formatting

5. Remind User to Deploy

Since aerospace.toml is managed by Nix, changes require deployment:

"Entry added. Run `just deploy <hostname>` to apply changes."

The config will take effect after:

1. just deploy <hostname> completes
2. AeroSpace automatically reloads on config file change (or manually via aerospace reload-config)

Existing Workspace Assignments (for reference)

Workspace	Current Apps
1	Messages
2	Chrome (Personal - "- Jade$")
A	Gemini AI apps
B	Chrome (Work - "- Jade (Work)$")
C	Chat (Google Chat)
E	Element
F	Fantastical
G	Glance
M	Mimestream (Mail)
N	Claude Desktop
O	Obsidian
S	Spotify
T	Todoist
W	WezTerm
X	Telegram, Discord

Floating Apps (for reference)

• Finder
• Plex
• 1Password
• LuLu Alert windows
• Chrome Picture-in-Picture

Example Workflow

User: /add-aerospace-entry

Agent: [Detects hostname: jmacmini]
Agent: [Finds config: hosts/jmacmini/users/jmeskill/aerospace.toml]
Agent: [Runs aerospace list-apps --json]
Agent: "Which app do you want to configure?"
  - Antigravity (com.google.antigravity)
  - Spotify (com.spotify.client)
  - Discord (com.hnc.Discord)
  - [Enter other...]

User: Selects "Antigravity"

Agent: "Which workspace should this app go to?"
  - A (AI Space)
  - Y (Available)
  - [Enter other...]

User: Selects "Y"

Agent: "Should this window float or tile?"
  - Tiled (default)
  - Floating

User: Selects "Tiled (default)"

Agent: 
1. Adds to aerospace.toml:
   ```toml
   # Y - Antigravity Space
   
   [[on-window-detected]]
   if.app-id = 'com.google.antigravity'
   run = 'move-node-to-workspace Y'

2. Also enables the workspace keybinding if not already active:
   • Uncomments alt-y = 'workspace Y'
   • Uncomments alt-shift-y = 'move-node-to-workspace Y'

Agent: "Added Antigravity to workspace Y. Run just deploy jmacmini to apply."

### Specifying a Different Host

User: /add-aerospace-entry jbookpro

Agent: [Uses specified host: jbookpro] Agent: [Finds config: hosts/jbookpro/users/jmeskill/aerospace.toml] Agent: [Proceeds with normal workflow...]

## Post-Completion Checklist

- [ ] App/window identified correctly
- [ ] TOML entry syntax is valid
- [ ] Entry placed in appropriate section
- [ ] Workspace keybinding enabled (if using new workspace)
- [ ] User informed to run `just deploy <hostname>`