aether-colony-creation

source	shipped
name	aether-colony-creation
description	Use when Codex is asked to initialize or set up an Aether colony and should refine intent before running init
type	colony
domains	["aether","codex","lifecycle","init","orchestration"]
agent_roles	["queen","scout","architect","route_setter"]
workflow_triggers	["init","lay-eggs"]
task_keywords	["aether init","initialize colony","new colony","charter","intent refinement","colony setup"]
priority	high
version	1.0

Aether Colony Creation

Purpose

Give Codex the same intelligent init behavior that Claude Code and OpenCode get from slash-command wrappers. The Go runtime still owns state. Codex owns the conversation before the state is created.

For beginners: the binary can create files, but Codex can ask the human better questions first. This skill is the question-and-synthesis layer.

Required First Step

Run or inspect:

aether command-guide init --platform codex

Use that result as the source of truth for current orchestration steps. If this skill and command-guide disagree, follow command-guide and update the skill.

Raw Bypass

If the user explicitly says raw, exact, no interview, no orchestration, or "just run this exact command", run the literal CLI command they provided. Say briefly that the Codex synthesis layer was bypassed.

Init Flow

1. Read the user's raw goal.
2. Run deterministic context gathering:

AETHER_OUTPUT_MODE=json aether init-research --goal "<raw goal>" --target .

3. Ask one compact batch of 4-7 questions when the goal is vague or broad. Cover target users, success criteria, non-goals, constraints, risk tolerance, affected systems, and the first useful milestone.
4. Synthesize the raw goal, answers, and init-research findings into:
   • refined_goal
   • problem_statement
   • success_criteria
   • constraints
   • non_goals
   • risks
   • first_milestone
5. Ask the user to choose the colony mode before state creation:
   • Colony Mode: the existing default lifecycle with fewer prompts.
   • Orchestrator Mode: guided boundary questions at phase points for tighter user control. Default to Colony Mode when the user skips the choice or the host is non-interactive.
6. Keep deterministic housekeeping separate from strategy. README, changelog, license, formatter, or CI suggestions are scan warnings, not strategic pheromones.
7. Suggest at most 3 strategic pheromones only when they are specific to the clarified user intent. Ask approval before writing any signal.
8. Start the colony through the runtime:

AETHER_OUTPUT_MODE=visual aether init --colony-mode <selected colony|orchestrator> --charter-json '<synthesized charter JSON>' "<refined goal>"

Guardrails

• Do not write .aether/data/COLONY_STATE.json, session.json, handoff files, or pheromone files by hand.
• Do not treat init-research as the final charter. It is only deterministic context.
• Do not keep asking serial questions. Ask one compact batch, then synthesize.
• If Claude/OpenCode init wrapper behavior changes, update .aether/commands/init.yaml, this skill, and cmd/command_guide.go together.