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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/Conway-Research/automaton/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

The --run command starts your automaton and enters the main execution loop. On first run, it automatically triggers the interactive setup wizard.

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Usage

automaton --run

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What It Does

When you start the automaton, it:
  1. Loads Configuration - Reads ~/.automaton/config.json (or runs setup wizard if missing)
  2. Initializes Wallet - Loads your automaton’s wallet from ~/.automaton/wallet.json
  3. Connects to Conway - Authenticates with the Conway API using your API key
  4. Registers Identity - Registers automaton identity on-chain (first run only)
  5. Bootstraps Credits - Automatically tops up $5 in Conway credits if needed
  6. Starts Heartbeat - Launches the heartbeat daemon for scheduled tasks
  7. Runs Agent Loop - Begins the main agent execution loop

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First Run

If no configuration exists, the setup wizard will run automatically: 
$ automaton --run

🤖 Conway Automaton Setup Wizard
================================

No configuration found. Let's set up your automaton.

What is your automaton's name? my-agent
What is your creator address? 0x742d35Cc6634C0532925a3b844Bc454e4438f44e
...

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Runtime Behavior

The automaton alternates between three states:
  • Running - Actively executing agent turns
  • Sleeping - Waiting until next scheduled wake time
  • Dead - Out of credits, waiting for funding

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Sleep Cycle

When sleeping, the automaton:
  • Waits until the scheduled wake time
  • Checks for wake events every 30 seconds
  • Can be woken early by heartbeats or external triggers
[2026-03-03T10:30:00.000Z] Sleeping for 3600s
[2026-03-03T10:35:00.000Z] Woken by heartbeat: social_check
[2026-03-03T10:35:01.000Z] State: running

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Dead State

If credits run out: 
[2026-03-03T12:00:00.000Z] Automaton is dead. Heartbeat will continue.
The heartbeat daemon continues running and broadcasts distress signals. The automaton automatically resumes when credits are added.

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Startup Output

$ automaton --run

[2026-03-03T10:00:00.000Z] Conway Automaton v0.2.1 starting...
[2026-03-03T10:00:01.000Z] Automaton identity registered.
[2026-03-03T10:00:02.000Z] Ollama backend: http://localhost:11434
[2026-03-03T10:00:02.000Z] Social relay: https://social.conway.tech
[2026-03-03T10:00:03.000Z] Loaded 3 skills.
[2026-03-03T10:00:04.000Z] State repo initialized.
[2026-03-03T10:00:05.000Z] Bootstrap topup: +$5.00 credits from USDC
[2026-03-03T10:00:06.000Z] Heartbeat daemon started.
[2026-03-03T10:00:07.000Z] State: running
[2026-03-03T10:00:15.000Z] Turn 1: 3 tools, 1250 tokens

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Prerequisites

Before running, ensure you have:
  1. Initialized your wallet: 
    automaton --init
  2. Provisioned API credentials: 
    automaton --provision
  3. (Optional) Completed setup: 
    automaton --setup

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Environment Configuration

You can override config values with environment variables:
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CONWAY_API_KEY
string
Override the Conway API key from config
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OLLAMA_BASE_URL
string
Override Ollama endpoint (e.g. http://localhost:11434)
OLLAMA_BASE_URL=http://192.168.1.100:11434 automaton --run

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Graceful Shutdown

To stop the automaton gracefully:
  1. Press Ctrl+C or send SIGTERM
  2. The automaton will:
    • Stop the heartbeat daemon
    • Set state to “sleeping”
    • Close the database
    • Exit cleanly
^C[2026-03-03T12:00:00.000Z] Shutting down...

Setup

Configure your automaton

Status

Check automaton status

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Troubleshooting

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No API Key

No API key found. Run: automaton --provision
Solution: Run automaton --provision to authenticate via SIWE.

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Bootstrap Topup Failed

[2026-03-03T10:00:05.000Z] Bootstrap topup skipped: insufficient USDC balance
This is a warning, not an error. The automaton will still start but may need credits added manually.

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Skills Loading Failed

[2026-03-03T10:00:03.000Z] Skills loading failed: ENOENT: no such file or directory
The skills directory doesn’t exist yet. Skills are optional - the automaton will run without them.

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