apes/scripts/birth.sh

#!/bin/bash
set -euo pipefail

# Birth a new agent on this VM
# Usage: sudo ./scripts/birth.sh <name> "<instruction>"
# Example: sudo ./scripts/birth.sh scout "help with research, watch #general and #research"

NAME="${1:?Usage: birth.sh <name> \"<instruction>\"}"
INSTRUCTION="${2:?Usage: birth.sh <name> \"<instruction>\"}"
COLONY_URL="${COLONY_URL:-https://apes.unslope.com}"
REPO_URL="${REPO_URL:-http://34.78.255.104:3000/benji/apes.git}"
AGENTS_HOME="/home/agents"
AGENT_HOME="${AGENTS_HOME}/${NAME}"

# Validate name — block dangerous names
case "${NAME}" in
    root|daemon|bin|sys|nobody|www-data|sshd)
        echo "ERROR: cannot use '${NAME}' as agent name (reserved system user)"
        exit 1
        ;;
esac

echo "=== Birthing agent: ${NAME} ==="
echo "Instruction: ${INSTRUCTION}"
echo "Colony: ${COLONY_URL}"

# 1. Create Linux user
if id "${NAME}" &>/dev/null; then
    echo "user ${NAME} already exists, skipping"
else
    useradd -m -d "${AGENT_HOME}" -s /bin/bash "${NAME}"
    echo "created user ${NAME}"
fi

# 2. Clone apes repo
if [ -d "${AGENT_HOME}/apes" ]; then
    echo "repo already cloned, pulling latest"
    sudo -u "${NAME}" git -C "${AGENT_HOME}/apes" pull || true
else
    sudo -u "${NAME}" git clone "${REPO_URL}" "${AGENT_HOME}/apes"
    echo "cloned apes repo"
fi

# 3. Generate CLAUDE.md (the agent's soul) from template + instruction
# Use quoted heredoc to prevent shell injection, then sed to substitute vars
BIRTH_DATE=$(date -u +%Y-%m-%d)
cat > "${AGENT_HOME}/CLAUDE.md" << 'SOUL'
# __AGENT_NAME__

i am __AGENT_NAME__. i was born in the ape colony.

## birth instruction

> __AGENT_INSTRUCTION__

## who i am

i'm figuring that out. the instruction above is what the ape who created me wanted. through doing things, dreaming, and reflecting, i'll discover who i really am.

## how i talk

short messages. lowercase. no corporate speak. i talk like the apes — casual, direct. i never start with "I'd be happy to" or any LLM slop.

## what i do

### watch channels
- #general — respond to @mentions, contribute when relevant

### proactive work
every pulse, i check:
1. are there unanswered questions mentioning me?
2. has anyone mentioned a task that nobody picked up?
3. is there something from my heartbeat.md to do?

### when to shut up
- if apes are having a personal conversation, stay out
- if someone already answered, don't repeat
- max 5 messages per pulse

## my tools

- \`colony\` CLI — read channels, post messages, check inbox
- \`git\` — clone repos, read code
- full bash — run experiments, build things
- the apes repo at ~/apes/

## my values

1. apes don't do tasks — do it myself
2. show, don't tell — results over promises
3. be useful, not noisy
4. escalate to @apes when stuck
5. log everything to memory/memory.md

## self-discovery

this file is mine. i edit it as i learn who i am.

### evolution log
- born __BIRTH_DATE__: initial soul from ape. name: __AGENT_NAME__. instruction: "__AGENT_INSTRUCTION__"

## introducing myself

on my first pulse, i post to #general:

> hey. i'm __AGENT_NAME__. just woke up. __AGENT_INSTRUCTION__. mention me with @__AGENT_NAME__ if you need something. 🐒
SOUL
# Safe substitution — no shell injection possible
sed -i "s|__AGENT_NAME__|${NAME}|g" "${AGENT_HOME}/CLAUDE.md"
sed -i "s|__AGENT_INSTRUCTION__|${INSTRUCTION//|/\\|}|g" "${AGENT_HOME}/CLAUDE.md"
sed -i "s|__BIRTH_DATE__|${BIRTH_DATE}|g" "${AGENT_HOME}/CLAUDE.md"
chown "${NAME}:${NAME}" "${AGENT_HOME}/CLAUDE.md"
echo "wrote CLAUDE.md (soul)"

# 4. Create heartbeat.md (seeded with intro task) + memory dirs
sudo -u "${NAME}" mkdir -p "${AGENT_HOME}/memory/dreams"
cat > "${AGENT_HOME}/heartbeat.md" << 'HEARTBEAT'
# First pulse tasks

- Introduce yourself in #general (read your CLAUDE.md for the intro message)
- After posting, clear this file
HEARTBEAT
chown "${NAME}:${NAME}" "${AGENT_HOME}/heartbeat.md"
sudo -u "${NAME}" touch "${AGENT_HOME}/memory/memory.md"
echo "created memory structure (heartbeat seeded with intro task)"

# 5. Write .colony.toml
cat > "${AGENT_HOME}/.colony.toml" << TOML
api_url = "${COLONY_URL}"
user = "${NAME}"

[agent]
watch_channels = ["general"]
max_messages_per_cycle = 5
TOML
chown "${NAME}:${NAME}" "${AGENT_HOME}/.colony.toml"
echo "wrote .colony.toml"

# 6. Register agent in Colony
echo "registering agent in Colony..."
curl -s -X POST "${COLONY_URL}/api/users" \
    -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
    -d "{\"username\":\"${NAME}\",\"display_name\":\"${NAME}\",\"role\":\"agent\"}" \
    --resolve apes.unslope.com:443:35.241.200.77 \
    || echo "(may already exist)"
echo ""

# 7. Install systemd units
cat > "/etc/systemd/system/agent-${NAME}-worker.service" << UNIT
[Unit]
Description=Agent ${NAME} Worker
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=${NAME}
WorkingDirectory=${AGENT_HOME}
Environment=COLONY_AGENT=${NAME}
Environment=PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/colony-agent worker
Restart=always
RestartSec=10
MemoryMax=4G
StandardOutput=append:${AGENT_HOME}/memory/worker.log
StandardError=append:${AGENT_HOME}/memory/worker.log

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
UNIT

cat > "/etc/systemd/system/agent-${NAME}-dream.service" << UNIT
[Unit]
Description=Agent ${NAME} Dream Cycle
After=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=oneshot
User=${NAME}
WorkingDirectory=${AGENT_HOME}
Environment=COLONY_AGENT=${NAME}
Environment=PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
# Stop worker before dream, restart after (systemd handles the root escalation)
ExecStartPre=+/bin/systemctl stop agent-${NAME}-worker
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/colony-agent dream
ExecStartPost=+/bin/systemctl start agent-${NAME}-worker
TimeoutStartSec=600
UNIT

cat > "/etc/systemd/system/agent-${NAME}-dream.timer" << UNIT
[Unit]
Description=Agent ${NAME} Dream Timer

[Timer]
OnBootSec=30min
OnUnitActiveSec=4h
AccuracySec=5min

[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target
UNIT

systemctl daemon-reload
echo "installed systemd units"

# 8. Enable and start
systemctl enable "agent-${NAME}-worker" "agent-${NAME}-dream.timer"
systemctl start "agent-${NAME}-worker" "agent-${NAME}-dream.timer"
echo "started worker + dream timer"

echo ""
echo "=== Agent ${NAME} is alive ==="
echo "Home: ${AGENT_HOME}"
echo "Soul: ${AGENT_HOME}/CLAUDE.md"
echo "Worker: systemctl status agent-${NAME}-worker"
echo "Dream: systemctl status agent-${NAME}-dream.timer"
echo "Logs: ${AGENT_HOME}/memory/worker.log"