nodmix 2026.5.25

package/docs/concepts/multi-agent.md

@@ -0,0 +1,619 @@
+---
+summary: "Multi-agent routing: isolated agents, channel accounts, and bindings"
+title: "Multi-agent routing"
+sidebarTitle: "Multi-agent routing"
+read_when: "You want multiple isolated agents (workspaces + auth) in one gateway process."
+status: active
+---
+
+Run multiple _isolated_ agents — each with its own workspace, state directory (`agentDir`), and session history — plus multiple channel accounts (e.g. two WhatsApps) in one running Gateway. Inbound messages are routed to the right agent through bindings.
+
+An **agent** here is the full per-persona scope: workspace files, auth profiles, model registry, and session store. `agentDir` is the on-disk state directory that holds this per-agent config at `~/.nodmix/agents/<agentId>/`. A **binding** maps a channel account (e.g. a Slack workspace or a WhatsApp number) to one of those agents.
+
+## What is "one agent"?
+
+An **agent** is a fully scoped brain with its own:
+
+- **Workspace** (files, AGENTS.md/SOUL.md/USER.md, local notes, persona rules).
+- **State directory** (`agentDir`) for auth profiles, model registry, and per-agent config.
+- **Session store** (chat history + routing state) under `~/.nodmix/agents/<agentId>/sessions`.
+
+Auth profiles are **per-agent**. Each agent reads from its own:
+
+```text
+~/.nodmix/agents/<agentId>/agent/auth-profiles.json
+```
+
+<Note>
+`sessions_history` is the safer cross-session recall path here too: it returns a bounded, sanitized view, not a raw transcript dump. Assistant recall strips thinking tags, `<relevant-memories>` scaffolding, plain-text tool-call XML payloads (including `<tool_call>...</tool_call>`, `<function_call>...</function_call>`, `<tool_calls>...</tool_calls>`, `<function_calls>...</function_calls>`, and truncated tool-call blocks), downgraded tool-call scaffolding, leaked ASCII/full-width model control tokens, and malformed MiniMax tool-call XML before redaction/truncation.
+</Note>
+
+<Warning>
+Never reuse `agentDir` across agents (it causes auth/session collisions). Agents
+can read through to the default/main agent's auth profiles when they do not have
+a local profile, but Nodmix does not clone OAuth refresh tokens into the
+secondary agent store. If you want an independent OAuth account, sign in from
+that agent; if you copy credentials manually, copy only portable static
+`api_key` or `token` profiles.
+</Warning>
+
+Skills are loaded from each agent workspace plus shared roots such as `~/.nodmix/skills`, then filtered by the effective agent skill allowlist when configured. Use `agents.defaults.skills` for a shared baseline and `agents.list[].skills` for per-agent replacement. See [Skills: per-agent vs shared](/tools/skills#per-agent-vs-shared-skills) and [Skills: agent skill allowlists](/tools/skills#agent-skill-allowlists).
+
+The Gateway can host **one agent** (default) or **many agents** side-by-side.
+
+<Note>
+**Workspace note:** each agent's workspace is the **default cwd**, not a hard sandbox. Relative paths resolve inside the workspace, but absolute paths can reach other host locations unless sandboxing is enabled. See [Sandboxing](/gateway/sandboxing).
+</Note>
+
+## Paths (quick map)
+
+- Config: `~/.nodmix/nodmix.json` (or `NODMIX_CONFIG_PATH`)
+- State dir: `~/.nodmix` (or `NODMIX_STATE_DIR`)
+- Workspace: `~/.nodmix/workspace` (or `~/.nodmix/workspace-<agentId>`)
+- Agent dir: `~/.nodmix/agents/<agentId>/agent` (or `agents.list[].agentDir`)
+- Sessions: `~/.nodmix/agents/<agentId>/sessions`
+
+### Single-agent mode (default)
+
+If you do nothing, Nodmix runs a single agent:
+
+- `agentId` defaults to **`main`**.
+- Sessions are keyed as `agent:main:<mainKey>`.
+- Workspace defaults to `~/.nodmix/workspace` (or `~/.nodmix/workspace-<profile>` when `NODMIX_PROFILE` is set).
+- State defaults to `~/.nodmix/agents/main/agent`.
+
+## Agent helper
+
+Use the agent wizard to add a new isolated agent:
+
+```bash
+nodmix agents add work
+```
+
+Then add `bindings` (or let the wizard do it) to route inbound messages.
+
+Verify with:
+
+```bash
+nodmix agents list --bindings
+```
+
+## Quick start
+
+<Steps>
+  <Step title="Create each agent workspace">
+    Use the wizard or create workspaces manually:
+
+    ```bash
+    nodmix agents add coding
+    nodmix agents add social
+    ```
+
+    Each agent gets its own workspace with `SOUL.md`, `AGENTS.md`, and optional `USER.md`, plus a dedicated `agentDir` and session store under `~/.nodmix/agents/<agentId>`.
+
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="Create channel accounts">
+    Create one account per agent on your preferred channels:
+
+    - Discord: one bot per agent, enable Message Content Intent, copy each token.
+    - Telegram: one bot per agent via BotFather, copy each token.
+    - WhatsApp: link each phone number per account.
+
+    ```bash
+    nodmix channels login --channel whatsapp --account work
+    ```
+
+    See channel guides: [Discord](/channels/discord), [Telegram](/channels/telegram), [WhatsApp](/channels/whatsapp).
+
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="Add agents, accounts, and bindings">
+    Add agents under `agents.list`, channel accounts under `channels.<channel>.accounts`, and connect them with `bindings` (examples below).
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="Restart and verify">
+    ```bash
+    nodmix gateway restart
+    nodmix agents list --bindings
+    nodmix channels status --probe
+    ```
+  </Step>
+</Steps>
+
+## Multiple agents = multiple people, multiple personalities
+
+With **multiple agents**, each `agentId` becomes a **fully isolated persona**:
+
+- **Different phone numbers/accounts** (per channel `accountId`).
+- **Different personalities** (per-agent workspace files like `AGENTS.md` and `SOUL.md`).
+- **Separate auth + sessions** (no cross-talk unless explicitly enabled).
+
+This lets **multiple people** share one Gateway server while keeping their AI "brains" and data isolated.
+
+## Cross-agent QMD memory search
+
+If one agent should search another agent's QMD session transcripts, add extra collections under `agents.list[].memorySearch.qmd.extraCollections`. Use `agents.defaults.memorySearch.qmd.extraCollections` only when every agent should inherit the same shared transcript collections.
+
+```json5
+{
+  agents: {
+    defaults: {
+      workspace: "~/workspaces/main",
+      memorySearch: {
+        qmd: {
+          extraCollections: [{ path: "~/agents/family/sessions", name: "family-sessions" }],
+        },
+      },
+    },
+    list: [
+      {
+        id: "main",
+        workspace: "~/workspaces/main",
+        memorySearch: {
+          qmd: {
+            extraCollections: [{ path: "notes" }], // resolves inside workspace -> collection named "notes-main"
+          },
+        },
+      },
+      { id: "family", workspace: "~/workspaces/family" },
+    ],
+  },
+  memory: {
+    backend: "qmd",
+    qmd: { includeDefaultMemory: false },
+  },
+}
+```
+
+The extra collection path can be shared across agents, but the collection name stays explicit when the path is outside the agent workspace. Paths inside the workspace remain agent-scoped so each agent keeps its own transcript search set.
+
+## One WhatsApp number, multiple people (DM split)
+
+You can route **different WhatsApp DMs** to different agents while staying on **one WhatsApp account**. Match on sender E.164 (like `+15551234567`) with `peer.kind: "direct"`. Replies still come from the same WhatsApp number (no per-agent sender identity).
+
+<Note>
+Direct chats collapse to the agent's **main session key**, so true isolation requires **one agent per person**.
+</Note>
+
+Example:
+
+```json5
+{
+  agents: {
+    list: [
+      { id: "alex", workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-alex" },
+      { id: "mia", workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-mia" },
+    ],
+  },
+  bindings: [
+    {
+      agentId: "alex",
+      match: { channel: "whatsapp", peer: { kind: "direct", id: "+15551230001" } },
+    },
+    {
+      agentId: "mia",
+      match: { channel: "whatsapp", peer: { kind: "direct", id: "+15551230002" } },
+    },
+  ],
+  channels: {
+    whatsapp: {
+      dmPolicy: "allowlist",
+      allowFrom: ["+15551230001", "+15551230002"],
+    },
+  },
+}
+```
+
+Notes:
+
+- DM access control is **global per WhatsApp account** (pairing/allowlist), not per agent.
+- For shared groups, bind the group to one agent or use [Broadcast groups](/channels/broadcast-groups).
+
+## Routing rules (how messages pick an agent)
+
+Bindings are **deterministic** and **most-specific wins**:
+
+<Steps>
+  <Step title="peer match">
+    Exact DM/group/channel id.
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="parentPeer match">
+    Thread inheritance.
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="guildId + roles">
+    Discord role routing.
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="guildId">
+    Discord.
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="teamId">
+    Slack.
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="accountId match for a channel">
+    Per-account fallback.
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="Channel-level match">
+    `accountId: "*"`.
+  </Step>
+  <Step title="Default agent">
+    Fallback to `agents.list[].default`, else first list entry, default: `main`.
+  </Step>
+</Steps>
+
+<AccordionGroup>
+  <Accordion title="Tie-breaking and AND semantics">
+    - If multiple bindings match in the same tier, the first one in config order wins.
+    - If a binding sets multiple match fields (for example `peer` + `guildId`), all specified fields are required (`AND` semantics).
+
+  </Accordion>
+  <Accordion title="Account-scope detail">
+    - A binding that omits `accountId` matches the default account only.
+    - Use `accountId: "*"` for a channel-wide fallback across all accounts.
+    - If you later add the same binding for the same agent with an explicit account id, Nodmix upgrades the existing channel-only binding to account-scoped instead of duplicating it.
+
+  </Accordion>
+</AccordionGroup>
+
+## Multiple accounts / phone numbers
+
+Channels that support **multiple accounts** (e.g. WhatsApp) use `accountId` to identify each login. Each `accountId` can be routed to a different agent, so one server can host multiple phone numbers without mixing sessions.
+
+If you want a channel-wide default account when `accountId` is omitted, set `channels.<channel>.defaultAccount` (optional). When unset, Nodmix falls back to `default` if present, otherwise the first configured account id (sorted).
+
+Common channels supporting this pattern include:
+
+- `whatsapp`, `telegram`, `discord`, `slack`, `signal`, `imessage`
+- `irc`, `line`, `googlechat`, `mattermost`, `matrix`, `nextcloud-talk`
+- `zalo`, `zalouser`, `nostr`, `feishu`
+
+## Concepts
+
+- `agentId`: one "brain" (workspace, per-agent auth, per-agent session store).
+- `accountId`: one channel account instance (e.g. WhatsApp account `"personal"` vs `"biz"`).
+- `binding`: routes inbound messages to an `agentId` by `(channel, accountId, peer)` and optionally guild/team ids.
+- Direct chats collapse to `agent:<agentId>:<mainKey>` (per-agent "main"; `session.mainKey`).
+
+## Platform examples
+
+<AccordionGroup>
+  <Accordion title="Discord bots per agent">
+    Each Discord bot account maps to a unique `accountId`. Bind each account to an agent and keep allowlists per bot.
+
+    ```json5
+    {
+      agents: {
+        list: [
+          { id: "main", workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-main" },
+          { id: "coding", workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-coding" },
+        ],
+      },
+      bindings: [
+        { agentId: "main", match: { channel: "discord", accountId: "default" } },
+        { agentId: "coding", match: { channel: "discord", accountId: "coding" } },
+      ],
+      channels: {
+        discord: {
+          groupPolicy: "allowlist",
+          accounts: {
+            default: {
+              token: "DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN_MAIN",
+              guilds: {
+                "123456789012345678": {
+                  channels: {
+                    "222222222222222222": { allow: true, requireMention: false },
+                  },
+                },
+              },
+            },
+            coding: {
+              token: "DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN_CODING",
+              guilds: {
+                "123456789012345678": {
+                  channels: {
+                    "333333333333333333": { allow: true, requireMention: false },
+                  },
+                },
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    }
+    ```
+
+    - Invite each bot to the guild and enable Message Content Intent.
+    - Tokens live in `channels.discord.accounts.<id>.token` (default account can use `DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN`).
+
+  </Accordion>
+  <Accordion title="Telegram bots per agent">
+    ```json5
+    {
+      agents: {
+        list: [
+          { id: "main", workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-main" },
+          { id: "alerts", workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-alerts" },
+        ],
+      },
+      bindings: [
+        { agentId: "main", match: { channel: "telegram", accountId: "default" } },
+        { agentId: "alerts", match: { channel: "telegram", accountId: "alerts" } },
+      ],
+      channels: {
+        telegram: {
+          accounts: {
+            default: {
+              botToken: "123456:ABC...",
+              dmPolicy: "pairing",
+            },
+            alerts: {
+              botToken: "987654:XYZ...",
+              dmPolicy: "allowlist",
+              allowFrom: ["tg:123456789"],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    }
+    ```
+
+    - Create one bot per agent with BotFather and copy each token.
+    - Tokens live in `channels.telegram.accounts.<id>.botToken` (default account can use `TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN`).
+
+  </Accordion>
+  <Accordion title="WhatsApp numbers per agent">
+    Link each account before starting the gateway:
+
+    ```bash
+    nodmix channels login --channel whatsapp --account personal
+    nodmix channels login --channel whatsapp --account biz
+    ```
+
+    `~/.nodmix/nodmix.json` (JSON5):
+
+    ```js
+    {
+      agents: {
+        list: [
+          {
+            id: "home",
+            default: true,
+            name: "Home",
+            workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-home",
+            agentDir: "~/.nodmix/agents/home/agent",
+          },
+          {
+            id: "work",
+            name: "Work",
+            workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-work",
+            agentDir: "~/.nodmix/agents/work/agent",
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+
+      // Deterministic routing: first match wins (most-specific first).
+      bindings: [
+        { agentId: "home", match: { channel: "whatsapp", accountId: "personal" } },
+        { agentId: "work", match: { channel: "whatsapp", accountId: "biz" } },
+
+        // Optional per-peer override (example: send a specific group to work agent).
+        {
+          agentId: "work",
+          match: {
+            channel: "whatsapp",
+            accountId: "personal",
+            peer: { kind: "group", id: "1203630...@g.us" },
+          },
+        },
+      ],
+
+      // Off by default: agent-to-agent messaging must be explicitly enabled + allowlisted.
+      tools: {
+        agentToAgent: {
+          enabled: false,
+          allow: ["home", "work"],
+        },
+      },
+
+      channels: {
+        whatsapp: {
+          accounts: {
+            personal: {
+              // Optional override. Default: ~/.nodmix/credentials/whatsapp/personal
+              // authDir: "~/.nodmix/credentials/whatsapp/personal",
+            },
+            biz: {
+              // Optional override. Default: ~/.nodmix/credentials/whatsapp/biz
+              // authDir: "~/.nodmix/credentials/whatsapp/biz",
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    }
+    ```
+
+  </Accordion>
+</AccordionGroup>
+
+## Common patterns
+
+<Tabs>
+  <Tab title="WhatsApp daily + Telegram deep work">
+    Split by channel: route WhatsApp to a fast everyday agent and Telegram to an Opus agent.
+
+    ```json5
+    {
+      agents: {
+        list: [
+          {
+            id: "chat",
+            name: "Everyday",
+            workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-chat",
+            model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
+          },
+          {
+            id: "opus",
+            name: "Deep Work",
+            workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-opus",
+            model: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-6",
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      bindings: [
+        { agentId: "chat", match: { channel: "whatsapp" } },
+        { agentId: "opus", match: { channel: "telegram" } },
+      ],
+    }
+    ```
+
+    Notes:
+
+    - If you have multiple accounts for a channel, add `accountId` to the binding (for example `{ channel: "whatsapp", accountId: "personal" }`).
+    - To route a single DM/group to Opus while keeping the rest on chat, add a `match.peer` binding for that peer; peer matches always win over channel-wide rules.
+
+  </Tab>
+  <Tab title="Same channel, one peer to Opus">
+    Keep WhatsApp on the fast agent, but route one DM to Opus:
+
+    ```json5
+    {
+      agents: {
+        list: [
+          {
+            id: "chat",
+            name: "Everyday",
+            workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-chat",
+            model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
+          },
+          {
+            id: "opus",
+            name: "Deep Work",
+            workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-opus",
+            model: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-6",
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      bindings: [
+        {
+          agentId: "opus",
+          match: { channel: "whatsapp", peer: { kind: "direct", id: "+15551234567" } },
+        },
+        { agentId: "chat", match: { channel: "whatsapp" } },
+      ],
+    }
+    ```
+
+    Peer bindings always win, so keep them above the channel-wide rule.
+
+  </Tab>
+  <Tab title="Family agent bound to a WhatsApp group">
+    Bind a dedicated family agent to a single WhatsApp group, with mention gating and a tighter tool policy:
+
+    ```json5
+    {
+      agents: {
+        list: [
+          {
+            id: "family",
+            name: "Family",
+            workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-family",
+            identity: { name: "Family Bot" },
+            groupChat: {
+              mentionPatterns: ["@family", "@familybot", "@Family Bot"],
+            },
+            sandbox: {
+              mode: "all",
+              scope: "agent",
+            },
+            tools: {
+              allow: [
+                "exec",
+                "read",
+                "sessions_list",
+                "sessions_history",
+                "sessions_send",
+                "sessions_spawn",
+                "session_status",
+              ],
+              deny: ["write", "edit", "apply_patch", "browser", "canvas", "nodes", "cron"],
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      bindings: [
+        {
+          agentId: "family",
+          match: {
+            channel: "whatsapp",
+            peer: { kind: "group", id: "120363999999999999@g.us" },
+          },
+        },
+      ],
+    }
+    ```
+
+    Notes:
+
+    - Tool allow/deny lists are **tools**, not skills. If a skill needs to run a binary, ensure `exec` is allowed and the binary exists in the sandbox.
+    - For stricter gating, set `agents.list[].groupChat.mentionPatterns` and keep group allowlists enabled for the channel.
+
+  </Tab>
+</Tabs>
+
+## Per-agent sandbox and tool configuration
+
+Each agent can have its own sandbox and tool restrictions:
+
+```js
+{
+  agents: {
+    list: [
+      {
+        id: "personal",
+        workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-personal",
+        sandbox: {
+          mode: "off",  // No sandbox for personal agent
+        },
+        // No tool restrictions - all tools available
+      },
+      {
+        id: "family",
+        workspace: "~/.nodmix/workspace-family",
+        sandbox: {
+          mode: "all",     // Always sandboxed
+          scope: "agent",  // One container per agent
+          docker: {
+            // Optional one-time setup after container creation
+            setupCommand: "apt-get update && apt-get install -y git curl",
+          },
+        },
+        tools: {
+          allow: ["read"],                    // Only read tool
+          deny: ["exec", "write", "edit", "apply_patch"],    // Deny others
+        },
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+}
+```
+
+<Note>
+`setupCommand` lives under `sandbox.docker` and runs once on container creation. Per-agent `sandbox.docker.*` overrides are ignored when the resolved scope is `"shared"`.
+</Note>
+
+**Benefits:**
+
+- **Security isolation**: restrict tools for untrusted agents.
+- **Resource control**: sandbox specific agents while keeping others on host.
+- **Flexible policies**: different permissions per agent.
+
+<Note>
+`tools.elevated` is **global** and sender-based; it is not configurable per agent. If you need per-agent boundaries, use `agents.list[].tools` to deny `exec`. For group targeting, use `agents.list[].groupChat.mentionPatterns` so @mentions map cleanly to the intended agent.
+</Note>
+
+See [Multi-agent sandbox and tools](/tools/multi-agent-sandbox-tools) for detailed examples.
+
+## Related
+
+- [ACP agents](/tools/acp-agents) — running external coding harnesses
+- [Channel routing](/channels/channel-routing) — how messages route to agents
+- [Presence](/concepts/presence) — agent presence and availability
+- [Session](/concepts/session) — session isolation and routing
+- [Sub-agents](/tools/subagents) — spawning background agent runs