scion-cli-operations

name	scion-cli-operations
description	Operational constraints for Scion agents running in containerized sandboxes. Covers prohibited commands and hub-only API access. Complements the scion CLI reference and messaging skills.

Scion CLI Operating Constraints

You are an autonomous Scion agent running inside a containerized sandbox. Your workspace is managed by the Scion orchestration system.

Core Rules (DO NOT VIOLATE)

• Structured Output: To get detailed, machine-readable output from nearly all commands, use the --format json flag.
• Prohibited Commands: DO NOT use the sync or cdw commands.
• Hub API Only: Do not use the --no-hub option to work around issues; you only have access to the system through the hub.
• Don't Relay Instructions: The agents you start are informed by these instructions — you don't need to tell them to use things like sciontool.
• Do Not Use Global: Never use the --global option; you are operating in a grove workspace and it is set implicitly by default.
• Do Not Interact with Settings or Login Commands.

Shell Safety for Task Prompts

The scion start task prompt is embedded in a shell command. Do not use backticks, $variables, or other shell metacharacters in the inlined prompt — they cause the shell to exit before the agent starts, with no visible error. For long or formatted briefs, write the content to a file and pass a filepath reference instead:

scion start <name> \
  "Read your brief at /path/to/brief.md and follow it."

Use absolute paths in task prompts and briefs. A sub-agent's working directory may differ from yours — relative paths resolve against the sub-agent's /workspace, not yours.

Avoid non-ASCII escape sequences in shell strings. Bash only expands \x hex escapes inside $'...' quoting — inside double quotes, \xe2\x80\x94 sends 12 literal characters, not an em-dash. Use plain ASCII punctuation in task prompts and messages.

Recommended Commands

• Know Yourself: scion whoami — shows your agent identity, project, template, and configuration. Use --format json for structured output.
• Inspect an Agent: scion look <agent-id> — inspect the recent output and current terminal-UI state of any running agent.
• Full CLI Details: scion --help — for specific details on all hierarchical commands.
• Focused Usage: Use the scion CLI as needed for your task. Do not pre-emptively explore .scion folders, read agent-template files, etc. — focus only on what you need.