Initialize a Symbiont-governed project. Creates agent definitions, Cedar policies, and configuration files. Use when setting up a new project with AI agent governance or adding Symbiont to an existing project.

Initialize Symbiont Project

Set up a governed agent project in the current directory.

Steps

Check if symbiont.toml already exists. If so, ask before overwriting.

Create the directory structure:

agents/          # Agent DSL definitions
policies/        # Cedar policy files
.symbiont/       # Local governance config and audit logs

Create symbiont.toml with sensible defaults:

[runtime]
security_tier = "tier1"   # Docker isolation
log_level = "info"

[policy]
engine = "cedar"
enforcement = "strict"

[schemapin]
mode = "tofu"  # Trust-On-First-Use

Create a starter agent at agents/assistant.dsl:

metadata {
    version = "1.0.0"
    description = "Default governed assistant"
}

agent assistant(input: Query) -> Response {
    capabilities = ["read", "analyze"]

    policy default_access {
        allow: read(input) if true
        deny: write(any) if not approved
        audit: all_operations
    }

    with memory = "session" {
        result = process(input)
        return result
    }
}

Create a starter Cedar policy at policies/default.cedar:

// Default: allow read operations, require approval for writes
permit(
    principal,
    action == Action::"read",
    resource
);

forbid(
    principal,
    action == Action::"write",
    resource
) unless {
    principal.approved == true
};

Create .symbiont/local-policy.toml with default deny rules:

[deny]
paths = [".env", ".ssh/", ".aws/", ".gnupg/", "credentials"]
commands = ["rm -rf", "git push --force", "mkfs", "dd if="]
branches = ["main", "master", "production"]

Create AGENTS.md manifest for the project.
Report what was created and suggest next steps.

symbi-init

Initialize Symbiont Project

Steps