Give each Nookin a purpose

Start with your primary Nookin

With Nookins stopped, edit config/agents.d/main.yaml below the selected home. Keep the generated structure and review display_name, instructions, and permissions. Leave routes: {}, links: {}, and addons: [] during the initial local test.

Before adding another agent, add primary: true to main.yaml. Exactly one agent must be primary when there is more than one. The primary agent's generated administration permission belongs only on that agent.

Add another role

Create config/agents.d/research.yaml for a small research helper:

display_name: Research
instructions: >-
  Help organize research notes. Explain uncertainty and suggest a clear next step.
model_chain: []
features: {}
web:
  access: disabled
  domains: []
workspace:
  capabilities: []
  allowed_network_domains: []
routes: {}
links: {}
addons: []

An empty model_chain inherits the installation default. This starting example grants no optional features, web access, workspace capabilities, messaging routes, or inter-agent links. A research-themed name does not itself grant web access.

Agent IDs contain letters, digits, _ or -, are at most 64 characters, and begin with a letter or digit. Your chosen names belong to you; the Nookins brand does not replace them.

Validate before applying

Keep the service stopped and use your selected home:

"$NOOKINS_HOME/bin/nookins" config validate
"$NOOKINS_HOME/bin/nookins" config apply --offline --dry-run
"$NOOKINS_HOME/bin/nookins" config apply --offline

Check the intended agent count and routes in the dry run before applying. Then restart and test each agent locally. Do not apply offline while a foreground supervisor owns the runtime.

Coming from Ward

Whole-install Ward migration is retired. Preserve Ward and its backups. Reenter selected agent definitions using current YAML rather than copying the old top-level configuration or changing its schema number.

You can bring over reviewed text from persona.md, tools.md, and heartbeat.md into the matching agents/ID/ directory in the new home. Review instructions and remove stale paths or commands. Do not copy databases, ownership records, secrets, WhatsApp history, or linked-device sessions. Native Nookins agents should be updated in place, not recreated.

Keep Ward stopped before connecting the same messaging account to Nookins.

Follow Move from Ward for the complete procedure, AI prompt, cutover and recovery steps.