Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/plawio/veto/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
The veto init command sets up Veto in your project by creating the configuration directory and default policy files.
Syntax
Description
Initializes Veto by creating:
veto/
veto.config.yaml # Main configuration file
rules/
defaults.yaml # Default rules template
.env.example # Example environment variables
.gitignore to exclude sensitive Veto files.
Options
Force Overwrite
Overwrite existing files if Veto is already initialized.
Example:
Policy Pack
Start with a built-in policy pack:
@veto/financial - Financial transaction policies@veto/communication - Email/messaging policies@veto/browser-automation - Browser automation policies@veto/data-access - Database/API access policies@veto/coding-agent - Filesystem/shell command policies@veto/deployment - Deployment/release policies
Example:
veto init --pack @veto/financial
Quiet Mode
Suppress output messages.
Example:
Skip Confirmation
Skip confirmation prompts (useful for automation).
Example:
Examples
Basic Initialization
Output:
Initializing Veto...
Created veto/
Created veto/rules/
Created veto/veto.config.yaml
Created veto/rules/defaults.yaml
Created veto/.env.example
Updated .gitignore
Veto initialized successfully!
Next steps:
1. Add your validation rules in veto/rules/
2. Use Veto in your application (local mode is default):
3. Optional: set VETO_API_KEY to switch to cloud mode
import { Veto } from "veto-sdk";
const veto = await Veto.init();
const tools = veto.wrapTools(myTools);
Initialize with Policy Pack
veto init --pack @veto/financial
veto/rules/defaults.yaml that extends the financial policy pack:
# Extends built-in financial policy pack
extends: '@veto/financial'
rules:
# Customize inherited rules or add new ones
- id: block-large-transfers
name: Block Large Transfers
description: Block transfers over $10,000
enabled: true
severity: critical
action: block
tools:
- transfer_funds
conditions:
- field: arguments.amount
operator: greater_than
value: 10000
Force Reinitialize
Overwrites existing configuration files. Useful for resetting to defaults.
Automated Setup (CI)
veto init --yes --quiet
echo $? # Check exit code: 0 = success, 1 = failure
Created Files
veto/veto.config.yaml
Main configuration file:
# Veto Configuration
version: 1
# Rules configuration
rules:
directory: rules
recursive: true
# Validation mode
mode: local # local, cloud, kernel, or custom
veto/rules/defaults.yaml
Default rules template:
rules:
# Example: Block dangerous shell commands
- id: block-rm-rf
name: Block rm -rf
description: Prevent destructive filesystem operations
enabled: true
severity: critical
action: block
tools:
- execute_shell_command
conditions:
- field: arguments.command
operator: contains
value: 'rm -rf'
veto/.env.example
Example environment variables:
# Veto Cloud (optional)
VETO_API_KEY=your-api-key-here
VETO_API_URL=https://api.veto.so
# Local mode (default)
# No environment variables needed for local mode
.gitignore Updates
Adds these entries to your .gitignore:
# Veto
veto/.env
veto/logs/
Validation
Check if Veto is initialized:
Output:
Veto Doctor
===========
✓ Runtime: Node.js v20.11.0
✓ Veto directory: /path/to/project/veto
✓ Config file: veto.config.yaml
✓ Rules loaded: 1 rule from 1 file
Common Issues
Already Initialized
If Veto is already initialized:
Output:
Veto is already initialized in this directory.
Use --force to overwrite existing files.
Invalid Policy Pack
If you specify an invalid pack:
veto init --pack @veto/invalid
Invalid --pack value: Policy pack '@veto/invalid' not found.
Available packs:
@veto/financial
@veto/communication
@veto/browser-automation
@veto/data-access
@veto/coding-agent
@veto/deployment
Permission Errors
If you get permission errors:
Error: EACCES: permission denied, mkdir 'veto'
# Check directory permissions
ls -la
# Run with appropriate permissions
sudo veto init # (not recommended)
# Or fix directory ownership
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER .
Best Practices
1. Initialize Early
Run veto init when starting a new agent project:
mkdir my-agent-app
cd my-agent-app
npm init -y
npm install veto-sdk
veto init
2. Choose the Right Pack
Select a policy pack that matches your agent’s domain:
# Financial agent
veto init --pack @veto/financial
# Browser automation agent
veto init --pack @veto/browser-automation
# General-purpose agent
veto init # No pack, start from scratch
3. Commit Configuration
Commit veto/ to version control:
git add veto/
git commit -m "Initialize Veto policies"
4. Keep Secrets Separate
Never commit .env files:
# Copy example to .env
cp veto/.env.example veto/.env
# Edit with your keys
vim veto/.env
# .env is already in .gitignore
Next Steps
