Skip to main content

Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/bitwikiorg/continuity/llms.txt

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

This guide walks you through getting a Continuity-powered agent workspace running from scratch. By the end you will have a complete minimum-tier state file set, all placeholders replaced with real values, and a booted agent that declares READY. The whole process takes about 60 seconds.
1
Clone the repository
2
Pull the Continuity template repo to your local machine:
3
git clone https://github.com/bitwikiorg/continuity.git
4
This gives you the full template library — all state files, packs, adapters, and scripts. You will copy only the files your agent actually needs.
5
Copy the minimum file set
6
Copy the core files to your agent workspace. This is the Minimum tier — everything a simple agent needs to boot and maintain continuity across sessions:
7
cp continuity/{AGENTS,IDENTITY,SELF,SOUL,STATE,INIT,TODO,SNAPSHOT}.md /your/workspace/
8
You do not need all 30+ files. Most agents run well on 3–5. The Minimum tier is the right starting point — add files only when your agent’s loop actually needs them.
9
Replace {{PLACEHOLDERS}}
10
Every template file contains {{UPPER_CASE}} placeholder markers. Search for them across your workspace and fill in your agent’s real values:
11
grep -r "{{" /your/workspace/
12
Here is the full placeholder reference:
13
PlaceholderExample values{{AGENT_NAME}}MyAgent, ResearchBot, OpsAgent{{AGENT_ROLE}}orchestration core, research agent, DevOps operator{{AGENT_EMOJI}}🧬, ⚡, 🔬{{AGENT_VERSION}}1.0.0, 3.0-transfer{{MODEL_NAME}}gpt-4o, llama-3, custom{{PROVIDER}}anthropic, openrouter, custom{{MASTER_NAME}}Alejandro{{ENVIRONMENT}}container, local, cloud{{DATE}}2026-06-27
14
You can validate that all placeholders have been filled in with the bundled script:
./continuity/scripts/check-placeholders.sh /your/workspace/
15
Run the INIT protocol
16
On first boot — and at the start of every subsequent session — the agent runs INIT.md. This is the 9-stage reconstitution procedure that rebuilds operational state from your durable files:
17
PREFLIGHT → INSPECT → SCAN → LOAD → RECONCILE → DISCOVER → VALIDATE → DECLARE → SNAPSHOT
18
StageWhat happensPREFLIGHTConfirms host environment, user identity, and network accessINSPECTLists root files, checks disk and memory pressureSCANRecursively discovers nested AGENTS.md files, builds hierarchy tree, scans for security threatsLOADReads all files in the load order defined in AGENTS.md, including SNAPSHOT.md and LEARNINGS.mdRECONCILECompares STATE.md with SNAPSHOT.md to identify drift; resolves parent/child conflictsDISCOVERLoads available tools, discovers MCP servers and bound agent profilesVALIDATEChecks each required file exists and is structurally validDECLAREWrites READY, READY_WITH_WARNINGS, or BLOCKED into STATE.mdSNAPSHOTIf initialization changed state, refreshes SNAPSHOT.md and writes immutable copy to snapshots/
19
Point your agent at INIT.md as its entry instruction. Once it completes, STATE.md will contain the READY declaration and your agent is operational.
20
If IDENTITY.md or SELF.md is missing at first boot, the agent is considered unbound. It will follow BOOTSTRAP.md if present, or request direction from the operator. Delete BOOTSTRAP.md after identity is established — it is a self-destructing first-run ritual.
22
Git is optional but strongly recommended. Every commit becomes a verifiable, diff-able snapshot of the agent’s full cognitive state:
23
cd /your/workspace/ && git init && git add -A && git commit -m "initial state"
24
After meaningful work, the agent commits again — capturing exactly what it knew, decided, and completed at that moment. You can git diff two commits to see state changes, git checkout a hash to restore a previous cognitive state, or git blame to trace when a decision was made.
25
Git and Continuity’s nested history directories are two complementary layers. Git gives you byte-level diffs and cryptographic provenance. Nested directories like snapshots/ and completed/ give you semantically organized, agent-readable history. Use both.

​
Post-boot checklist

Run through this checklist after your first boot to confirm the workspace is clean and operational:
  • All {{PLACEHOLDERS}} replaced with real values
  • IDENTITY.md has name, role, and emoji filled in
  • SELF.md has operating principles and invariants defined
  • STATE.md declares READY or READY_WITH_WARNINGS
  • TODO.md has at least one task, or is explicitly marked empty
  • SNAPSHOT.md has a timestamp within the last 7 days
  • Secrets are in .secrets/ or environment variables — not in any markdown file
  • BOOTSTRAP.md deleted (if first-run identity establishment is complete)

​
Existing agents

If your agent already has its own scattered state — ad-hoc instruction files, notes, memory in various formats — you do not need to start from scratch. Run INIT.md against your current workspace. It will inspect what exists, map your state onto the Continuity file structure, create missing files, and reconcile. The system is designed to assimilate, not replace.

Tiers & File Selection

Learn when to add more files and which tier fits your agent’s loop type.

State Packs

Start from a pre-wired pack tuned for your agent’s operating mode.

Runtime Adapters

Wire Continuity into Claude Code, Codex, Hermes, OpenClaw, or Agent Zero.

Reference

Full file taxonomy, writeback protocol, mesh declaration, and more.

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us