Skip to content

10-minute Quickstart: Context Steward for Tech People

Goal: configure local context steward so you:

  1. do not lose context between sessions/agents,
  2. preserve literal raw history + compact context,
  3. avoid long-running memory leak risk (timer + one-shot mode).

1) Quick mental map

mindmap
  root((Context Steward Tech))
    Initial setup
      "Installer by actor"
      "Generates service+timer"
      "Enables systemd --user"
    Automatic cycle
      "Build literal raw"
      "Build compact pack"
      "Validate require-raw-transfer"
    Operational safety
      "Exclusive lock"
      "Per-cycle timeout"
      "Retention pruning"

2) One command per tech profile

bash python3 scripts/agent_context_bootstrap_local.py \ --profile codex \ --mode bootstrap \ --actor-login Kabehz \ --bootstrap-systemd-steward \ --steward-only-tech-people \ --steward-enable-now

If you need exact persona_key installation, use the commands below.

Angel (Junior Developer Track)

bash python3 scripts/install_context_steward_for_actor.py \ --persona-key angel \ --only-tech-people \ --apply \ --enable-now

Bosco (Infra IT Steward Track)

bash python3 scripts/install_context_steward_for_actor.py \ --persona-key bosco \ --only-tech-people \ --apply \ --enable-now

L0KY (Governance Lead)

bash python3 scripts/install_context_steward_for_actor.py \ --persona-key l0ky \ --only-tech-people \ --apply \ --enable-now

3) What installer does

  1. Reads gitops/repo-governance/plans/collaborator-governance-actors.tsv.
  2. Applies role preset by org unit (engineering/operations/governance).
  3. Creates in ~/.config/systemd/user/:
  4. atq-context-steward-<persona>.service
  5. atq-context-steward-<persona>.timer
  6. Enables timer when --enable-now is used.

4) Verification (copy/paste)

bash systemctl --user list-timers --all | rg atq-context-steward journalctl --user -u atq-context-steward-angel.service -n 100 --no-pager cat outputs/agent-context/context-pack-validation-latest.md cat outputs/agent-context/steward/context-steward-cycle-latest.json

Expected:

  • PASS in context-pack-validation-latest.md.
  • status = ok in context-steward-cycle-latest.json.

5) Preview only (no install)

bash python3 scripts/install_context_steward_for_actor.py \ --persona-key angel \ --only-tech-people

6) Common issues

  1. Actor not found in governance TSV
  2. validate persona_key/github_login values in TSV.

  3. if actor is not onboarded in TSV yet, use local fallback: bash python3 scripts/install_context_steward_for_actor.py --actor-login Kabehz --allow-unregistered-actor --only-tech-people --migrate-legacy-generic --apply --enable-now

  4. Recurring error from legacy generic commands (atq-context-steward.timer/service)

  5. do not use generic activate/verify commands.
  6. install per actor: bash python3 scripts/install_context_steward_for_actor.py --persona-key angel --only-tech-people --migrate-legacy-generic --apply --enable-now

  7. verify using per-persona unit: bash journalctl --user -u atq-context-steward-angel.service -n 100 --no-pager

  8. systemctl --user unavailable

  9. run in Linux environment with user units enabled.

  10. fallback: run manual one-shot: bash python3 scripts/agent_context_steward.py --mode once --profile codex --with-raw-transfer --require-raw-transfer

  11. raw_transfer validation failure

  12. regenerate using --with-raw-transfer.
  13. verify outputs/agent-context/raw/agent-context-raw-manifest-latest.json exists.