Configuration Style Guide

These conventions make robots easier to upgrade and easier for teammates to understand.

Prefer small custom deltas

Let the engine’s shipped defaults stay authoritative. In custom config, override only what your robot truly needs:

• enable or disable features
• add local parameters and secrets
• add local commands
• intentionally redefine behavior

Keep transport details local to connectors

Put connector-specific identity and credential data in custom/conf/protocols/<protocol>.yaml, not in top-level robot config.

Treat usernames as canonical

The engine’s security and policy decisions are username-based. Make connector mappings resolve to the same canonical usernames that exist in UserRoster.

Prefer environments over ad-hoc branching logic

Use custom/conf/environments/<environment>.yaml and GOPHER_ENVIRONMENT to express development, staging, and production differences cleanly.