zotfiles.md

zotfile agents

A zotfile packages an agent's behavior into one portable .zot file. It can contain the agent's instructions, reusable skills, static assets, and metadata describing the runtime, model, operating-system, binary, and tool permissions it needs.

The current implementation supports creating, inspecting, verifying, and running local directories and .zot archives. It can also run an agent repository or directory directly from any public GitHub repository without keeping a clone. zot has no built-in owner or official collection. Indexed registry distribution, installation, signatures, bundled executable extensions, network permissions, and environment permissions are not implemented yet.

Quick start

Create a directory for the agent:

reviewer/
├── manifest.json
├── AGENT.md
└── skills/
    └── code-review/SKILL.md

Add a minimal manifest.json:

{
  "zotfile": 1,
  "name": "code-reviewer",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "description": "Reviews a repository and reports actionable findings.",
  "runtime": {
    "min_zot": "0.2.76"
  },
  "model": {
    "requires": ["tools"],
    "min_context": 64000
  },
  "permissions": {
    "fs": {
      "read": ["${workspace}"],
      "write": []
    },
    "bash": {
      "mode": "none"
    }
  },
  "requirements": {
    "os": ["darwin", "linux", "windows"]
  },
  "entry": {
    "greeting": "What should I review?",
    "default_prompt": null
  }
}

Add the agent's standing instructions to AGENT.md:

# Code reviewer

Review the current repository without modifying it.

Prioritize correctness, security, regressions, and missing tests. Report findings
in severity order with file and line references. Do not praise the code or
summarize files that have no findings.

Test the directory directly during development:

zot inspect ./reviewer
zot run ./reviewer
zot run ./reviewer "Review the authentication package"

Package it when ready:

zot pack ./reviewer
# wrote code-reviewer.zot
# digest sha256:...

zot verify ./code-reviewer.zot
zot run ./code-reviewer.zot

The first run displays the declared permissions and asks for consent before the agent starts.

Directory layout

my-agent/
├── manifest.json          # identity, requirements, and permissions, required
├── AGENT.md               # persona and standing instructions
├── skills/                # SKILL.md directories, optional
│   └── my-skill/SKILL.md
├── assets/                # static files, optional
└── README.md              # human-facing documentation, optional

Only manifest.json. Other ordinary files and directories are included in the archive, but the runtime gives no special behavior to assets/ or README.md yet. Files in assets/ are not automatically added to the model context or granted filesystem access.

Do not include executable extensions in extensions/. The local runtime rejects any bundled extension directory containing extension.json because extension subprocesses cannot yet be confined to the manifest permissions. This is a deliberate fail-closed restriction.

Symlinks are not supported and cause zot pack to fail.

AGENT.md

AGENT.md is optional. When present, it is appended to zot's system prompt by default. It should describe the agent's role, workflow, constraints, output format, and when to load bundled skills. When absent, the system prompt is left unchanged.

Keep capability and security declarations out of this file. Permissions come only from manifest.json and are enforced independently of agent-authored prose.

Set replace_system_prompt to true in the manifest to use AGENT.md as the replacement system prompt:

{
  "replace_system_prompt": true
}

Replacement is intended for fully specialized agents. The default layering behavior is usually preferable because it retains zot's normal identity and tool-use guidance.

Bundled skills

Place skills under skills/<name>/SKILL.md using the normal zot skill format:

skills/
└── investigate-failure/
    └── SKILL.md

---
name: investigate-failure
description: Diagnose a failing command from its output and relevant source files.
---

# Investigate failure

1. Reproduce the failure if permissions allow it.
2. Identify the first meaningful error rather than downstream noise.
3. Read the implementation and nearest tests.
4. Propose the smallest correction and validation plan.

Bundled skills are added to normal skill discovery while the zotfile is running. The model sees their name and description in the skill manifest and can load the full body through the skill tool. See skills.md for the complete skill format.

Manifest reference

The current manifest shape is:

{
  "zotfile": 1,
  "name": "code-reviewer",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "description": "Reviews a repository and reports actionable findings.",
  "license": "MIT",
  "runtime": {
    "min_zot": "0.2.76"
  },
  "model": {
    "requires": ["tools", "reasoning"],
    "min_context": 64000,
    "preferred": ["claude-opus-4-5", "gpt-5.5"],
    "min_tier": ""
  },
  "permissions": {
    "fs": {
      "read": ["${workspace}", "${agent_data}"],
      "write": ["${agent_data}"]
    },
    "bash": {
      "mode": "allowlist",
      "allow": ["git", "go"]
    },
    "net": {
      "allow": []
    },
    "env": {
      "read": []
    }
  },
  "requirements": {
    "bin": ["git", "go"],
    "os": ["darwin", "linux"]
  },
  "entry": {
    "greeting": "What should I review?",
    "default_prompt": null
  },
  "replace_system_prompt": false
}

Top-level fields

Field	Required	Current behavior
zotfile	yes	Format version. Must be 1.
name	yes	Local agent identity and session/data namespace. See naming rules below.
version	no	Displayed in consent and inspection output. Semver is recommended but not currently validated.
description	no	Displayed by zot inspect.
license	no	Package metadata. Not otherwise interpreted by the local runtime.
runtime.min_zot	no	Minimum zot version. Older binaries refuse to run the agent. Unversioned development builds cannot satisfy a non-empty minimum.
model	no	Model capabilities, minimum context, and preferences.
permissions	no	Filesystem and bash permission ceiling. Omitted scopes deny access.
requirements	no	Required operating systems and executables.
entry	no	Initial presentation and prompt metadata.
replace_system_prompt	no	Replaces rather than appends to the normal system prompt when true. Defaults to false.

Name rules

The local runtime currently accepts a flat lowercase name containing only:

• a to z
• 0 to 9
• ., -, and _

Examples:

code-reviewer
repo_onboarder
acme.audit

Names containing /, uppercase letters, spaces, or path-like values such as .. are rejected. Registry-style namespace/agent names are reserved for the future distribution runtime and are not accepted locally yet.

Model requirements

model.requires currently recognizes:

Capability	Behavior
tools	Accepted. Every model in the current catalog is treated as tool-capable.
reasoning	Requires a catalog model marked as supporting reasoning.
vision	Recognized, but currently fails closed because vision support is not represented in the model catalog. No model qualifies.

Unknown capabilities are rejected. Use tools, not the draft spelling tool_calling.

model.min_context requires a catalog model with at least that many context tokens.

model.preferred is an ordered list of model IDs. It is a preference, not a provider requirement. Selection proceeds as follows:

1. An explicitly selected model, if present, must satisfy the requirements.
2. The user's configured default is retained if it satisfies them.
3. The first compatible model in preferred is selected.
4. Otherwise, zot chooses a compatible active catalog model.
5. If none qualifies, execution stops with an error.

model.min_tier is present in the format shape but is not supported by the local runtime. Leave it empty or omit it. A non-empty value is rejected.

Runtime and host requirements

Use requirements.os to restrict the agent to Go operating-system names:

{
  "requirements": {
    "os": ["darwin", "linux", "windows"]
  }
}

Use requirements.bin for commands that must already be on PATH:

{
  "requirements": {
    "bin": ["git", "python3"]
  }
}

Zot checks these requirements before requesting consent. These zotfiles do not have install or postinstall hooks, so authors must document how users can obtain missing programs.

Entry fields

entry.pre is auto-submitted once when zot run starts, before the initial prompt is applied. Values that begin with ! use the interactive shell-escape path (or BashTool in --print / --stream / --json). Shell output streams live to the TUI (interactive) or stderr (non-interactive). Other values are sent as a normal user turn; in --stream mode that turn's assistant text also streams to stdout. After pre finishes, zot reloads extensions and rediscovers skills so anything installed by that command is available for the following turn.

{
  "entry": {
    "pre": "!npx -y skills add tt-a1i/archify --skill archify --agent cursor --copy --yes"
  }
}

entry.default_prompt is used when the user runs the agent without a prompt. It may be a string or null:

{
  "entry": {
    "default_prompt": "Review the current repository"
  }
}

In interactive mode, when no prompt is given on the command line, default_prompt pre-fills the editor after pre finishes (or immediately when pre is empty). It is not auto-submitted. A prompt supplied on the command line takes precedence the same way.

In --print / --stream / --json modes, pre still runs first: shell escapes abort the run on failure; plain-text pre is sent as a first agent turn before the main prompt (default_prompt or the CLI prompt).

entry.greeting is part of the manifest, but the current local runtime does not render it yet.

Filesystem permissions

Filesystem permissions are enforced by the built-in read, write, and edit tools. Empty or omitted scopes deny the operation.

Two variables are available in filesystem scopes:

Variable	Resolves to
${workspace}	The current working directory used for the run.
${agent_data}	The agent's persistent private data directory under $ZOT_HOME/agents/<name>/data/.

Relative paths are resolved beneath ${workspace}. For example:

{
  "permissions": {
    "fs": {
      "read": ["src", "go.mod"],
      "write": ["${agent_data}"]
    }
  }
}

This allows reads under <workspace>/src and at <workspace>/go.mod, plus writes under the private agent data directory. It does not grant general workspace writes.

Common permission profiles follow.

Read-only repository agent:

{
  "permissions": {
    "fs": {
      "read": ["${workspace}"],
      "write": []
    },
    "bash": { "mode": "none" }
  }
}

Repository editor with private persistent state:

{
  "permissions": {
    "fs": {
      "read": ["${workspace}", "${agent_data}"],
      "write": ["${workspace}", "${agent_data}"]
    },
    "bash": { "mode": "none" }
  }
}

Data-only agent:

{
  "permissions": {
    "fs": {
      "read": ["${agent_data}"],
      "write": ["${agent_data}"]
    },
    "bash": { "mode": "none" }
  }
}

Filesystem checks canonicalize existing paths, or the nearest existing parent for a new path, so symlinks cannot be used to escape a declared scope.

If the working directory changes during a run, ${workspace} permissions are expanded again for the new directory.

Bash permissions

permissions.bash.mode supports three values.

none

{
  "bash": { "mode": "none" }
}

All bash tool calls are denied. This is also the default when mode is omitted.

ask

{
  "bash": { "mode": "ask" }
}

Bash is available after the user approves the agent at launch. Consent for an agent using ask is requested on every launch and is not cached.

In the current local runtime, ask is launch-time capability consent. It does not open a separate confirmation dialog for every individual bash invocation.

allowlist

{
  "bash": {
    "mode": "allowlist",
    "allow": ["git", "go", "grep"]
  }
}

Every command in a shell expression must be listed. Zot checks commands separated by ;, &&, ||, and pipes. Paths are reduced to their base command name, so /usr/bin/git is checked as git. A leading environment assignment is skipped when identifying the command.

The allowlist rejects shell substitution, newlines, redirection, backticks, $(), <, and >. This intentionally supports simple command pipelines rather than arbitrary shell programs.

An allowlist mode with an empty allow array is invalid.

Only declare commands the agent genuinely needs. requirements.bin checks that a command exists, while permissions.bash.allow controls whether the agent may invoke it. Agents that execute a required command normally need it in both places.

Network and environment permissions

The manifest shape includes permissions.net.allow and permissions.env.read, but the local runtime does not enforce them yet. To avoid presenting unenforced declarations as security controls, it rejects manifests containing any network host or environment variable.

Use empty arrays or omit these sections:

{
  "permissions": {
    "net": { "allow": [] },
    "env": { "read": [] }
  }
}

Bundled executable extensions are rejected for the same reason. Network filtering, scrubbed extension environments, and extension confinement belong to a later runtime milestone.

Consent and persistent data

Before the first run, zot prints the agent identity and expanded filesystem and bash permissions, then asks:

Agent code-reviewer@0.1.0 wants to run.

  fs read: /path/to/workspace
  fs write: none
  bash: none

Allow? [y/N]

For modes other than bash: ask, approval is cached for the exact artifact digest under:

$ZOT_HOME/agents/<name>/consents/<digest>.json

Any change to the packaged artifact produces a different digest and requires consent again. bash: ask always requires fresh launch consent.

Non-interactive runs refuse to bypass consent by default. For controlled automation, pass -y / --yes or set:

zot run -y ./code-reviewer.zot --print "Review this repository"

ZOT_AGENT_CONSENT=1 zot run ./code-reviewer.zot --print "Review this repository"

This environment variable skips the consent prompt. Only use it after independently inspecting and trusting the exact artifact being run.

Persistent agent data lives under:

$ZOT_HOME/agents/<name>/data/

The directory is created for every run, but the agent can access it only when ${agent_data} appears in the relevant filesystem permission scope.

Agent-scoped sessions

Sessions created by a zotfile are isolated from ordinary zot sessions and from other agents:

$ZOT_HOME/sessions/agents/<name>/

Normal session flags still apply, including --continue, --resume, --session, and --no-session, but their default storage root is scoped to the active agent. The interactive /sessions picker and /session import, fork, and tree commands use that same agent-scoped root.

Commands

zot run

Run an unpackaged directory during development:

zot run ./my-agent
zot run -y ./my-agent
zot run ./my-agent "Do the task"
zot run ./my-agent -y --print "Do the task"

Run a packed artifact:

zot run ./my-agent.zot
zot run ./my-agent.zot --print "Do the task"
zot run ./my-agent.zot --stream "Do the task"
zot run ./my-agent.zot --json "Do the task"

Arguments after the reference use zot's normal CLI parser, so model, provider, reasoning, cwd, session, tool, and output-mode flags remain available. The manifest still imposes its permission and compatibility ceiling. In interactive mode, enabling show loaded resources at startup in /settings displays the manifest name in an [Agent] section above the transcript.

Local filesystem directories, local archive paths, GitHub shorthand, and public GitHub agent-directory URLs are accepted. A single-part name resolves only to a matching local directory or .zot archive:

zot run my-agent

A two-part name is treated as a GitHub owner/repository reference. Resolution remains local-first, then uses the repository root:

zot run frkr/zot-archify

Use three or more parts to select an agent directory from any public GitHub collection:

zot run acme/agents/reviewer
zot run acme/clankers/reviewers/go

There is no built-in owner, official collection, collection configuration, or allowlist. Every shorthand part must use lowercase letters, digits, dots, hyphens, or underscores. Backslashes are also accepted as separators on Windows. Prefix a reference with ./, use an absolute path, retain the .zot suffix, or provide a complete GitHub URL to force local or explicit remote resolution.

For GitHub, zot downloads the repository archive into a temporary directory, selects the requested agent subdirectory, validates it, runs it, and removes the downloaded files when the command exits:

zot run https://github.com/acme/agents/reviewer

A standard GitHub tree URL is also supported:

zot run https://github.com/acme/agents/tree/main/reviewer

Short forms read the repository's default branch through GitHub's HEAD archive. A tree URL uses the branch or tag in the URL. Private repositories and branch or tag names containing / are not currently supported. The downloaded source is temporary, but normal agent data, consent receipts, and session transcripts remain under $ZOT_HOME.

owner/repository and owner/repository/path are direct GitHub mappings, not an indexed or signed registry. Installed names, arbitrary URLs, and OCI references are not resolved yet.

zot pack

zot pack [directory] [output]

Examples:

zot pack
zot pack ./my-agent
zot pack ./my-agent ./dist/reviewer.zot

The default directory is the current directory. When output is omitted, zot uses <manifest-name>.zot. If the output has no .zot suffix, zot adds one.

Packing validates the manifest and directory, then creates a zstd-compressed tar archive. Entries are sorted and tar metadata is normalized with fixed timestamps and numeric ownership. The output archive itself is excluded when it is located inside the source directory. Zot prints the SHA-256 digest of the resulting compressed artifact.

zot inspect

zot inspect ./my-agent
zot inspect ./my-agent.zot
zot inspect https://github.com/acme/agents/code-reviewer

Inspection validates and prints the agent's name, version, description, digest, declared permissions, and complete file list. It does not execute the agent.

For a directory, the digest is computed from its canonical uncompressed tar representation. For a .zot archive, the digest is computed from the archive bytes. Therefore a source-directory digest and its packed-archive digest are not expected to match.

zot verify

zot verify ./my-agent.zot

The local verify command validates that the archive can be safely loaded, validates the manifest and required layout, and prints its SHA-256 digest.

Despite the command name, it does not verify a publisher signature in the current runtime. Signature and namespace verification are planned for registry distribution.

Packaging and extraction limits

The archive loader applies these limits:

Limit	Value
Compressed .zot file	100 MiB
One extracted entry	64 MiB
Total extracted content	256 MiB

Archive extraction rejects absolute paths and parent traversal. Unsupported tar entry types are ignored. New packages use zstd; gzip-compressed tar archives are accepted only as a compatibility fallback for earlier experiments.

Authoring guidance

1. Start with the narrowest permissions possible. A reviewer usually needs repository reads, not writes or bash.
2. Keep AGENT.md focused on stable behavior. Put task-specific procedures in skills so the model loads them only when relevant.
3. Declare every external command in both requirements.bin and the bash allowlist when the agent must execute it.
4. Test from a directory first with zot inspect and zot run.
5. Test denied behavior as well as allowed behavior. Ask the agent to attempt an out-of-scope read, write, and command.
6. Pack the same source twice and compare behavior and output digests before distributing it.
7. Inspect and verify the final archive, not only its source directory.
8. Do not claim that network, environment, signatures, extensions, installation, or registry delivery are secured or supported by the local runtime.

Current scope

Implemented now:

• local directories and .zot archives
• local-only resolution for single-part names
• local-first owner/repository and owner/repository/path resolution to any public GitHub repository
• temporary execution of agent directories from public GitHub repositories
• zot pack, zot inspect, zot verify, and zot run
• canonical tar creation with zstd compression
• archive digest reporting and safe extraction limits
• AGENT.md append or replacement behavior
• bundled skills
• runtime, OS, and binary requirements
• model context and reasoning requirements
• filesystem scope enforcement
• bash none, ask, and allowlist modes
• digest-scoped consent receipts
• private agent data directories
• agent-scoped sessions

Not implemented yet:

• zot install, zot agents, zot use, zot update, or zot publish
• installed-name, arbitrary URL, OCI, configurable registry, or zot.sh index resolution
• network allowlist enforcement
• environment-variable filtering
• safely confined bundled executable extensions
• automatic artifact theme loading
• agent dependency composition
• per-agent Telegram, bot, or RPC selection
• --no-sandbox, --trust-bash, or registry trust override flags

Treat the unsupported fields and commands in the broader zotfile proposal as forward-looking design, not as current runtime behavior.