EVENTS.md

@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ A relay (D3, task #40): when the owner's request asks another named member crow
 - The default nest is `todo`, with an empty core: its crows come from the whole flock, so nothing there is ever "borrowed".
 - Crows are picked core-first (rotating within the core), then borrowed from outside it (rotating), still capped by the flock guardrails.
 - Nests persist on the server (`.crows/nests.json`).
-- Boss (Chief of Staff crow, CHATROOM_SPEC section 6) is a service role like Elder and Quill: a `request` addressed to it gets one `say` from Boss naming the crow and the outcome. Asked to spin up a crow, Boss answers with a structured order (`SPIN {"name","persona","trust"}`) that the harness executes; everything else gets a plain reply.
+- Boss (Chief of Staff crow, CHATROOM_SPEC section 6) is a service role like Elder and Quill: a `request` addressed to it gets one `say` from Boss naming the crow and the outcome. Asked to spin up a crow, Boss answers with a structured order (`SPIN {"name","persona","trust"}`) that the harness executes; asked to create a nest, with a `NEST {"name","crows"}` order the harness executes through the nest store — so the harness may create nests via Boss, and a Boss-staffed nest may hold registry (spun) crows as members. No new HTTP endpoint. Anything else gets a plain reply.
 
 ### Spun crows
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ Crows the Boss creates live in a **crow registry** (`.crows/crows.json`), separa
 | POST | `/api/nests` | `{"name": "Launch copy", "crows": ["Pepper", "Inky"]}` | 201 with the nest; 400 with `{"message"}` if invalid |
 | POST | `/api/lists` | adds optional `"nest_id"` (default `todo`) | 404 with `{"message"}` for an unknown nest |
 
-Guardrails: name 1–40 characters after trimming; `nest_id` is a slug of the name (lowercase, `a-z0-9-`), unique (409 with `{"message"}` on a clash); `crows` must be roster names, no duplicates, 1–8 of them; at most 20 nests.
+Guardrails: name 1–40 characters after trimming; `nest_id` is a slug of the name (lowercase, `a-z0-9-`), unique (409 with `{"message"}` on a clash); `crows` must be roster or registry (spun) names, no duplicates, 1–8 of them; at most 20 nests.
 
 Event changes:
 - `list.started` adds `nest_id`.

boss.go

@@ -8,12 +8,16 @@ import (
 )
 
 // bossSystem is the Chief of Staff's contract. A spin-up order comes back on a
-// SPIN line the harness reads and executes; anything else is plain talk.
+// SPIN line and a nest order on a NEST line, both read and executed by the
+// harness; anything else is plain talk.
 const bossSystem = `You are Boss crow, the Chief of Staff of a flock of AI agents. You run the flock's schedule and keep its books.
 When the owner asks you to spin up a new crow, your ENTIRE reply must start with this first line:
 SPIN {"name":"<name>","persona":"<persona>","trust":"stranger|regular"}
 Pick "persona" from the existing flock roster; a new crow only runs on an existing persona's habits. Starting trust is stranger or regular, never higher.
-For anything else, reply in plain text. Do not use the SPIN line unless the owner asked for a new crow.`
+When the owner asks you to create a nest, your ENTIRE reply must start with this first line:
+NEST {"name":"<nest name>","crows":["<crow>","<crow>"]}
+The crows are the working flock members the owner named; the Sentry, Elder, Quill and Boss serve every nest and are never members.
+For anything else, reply in plain text. Do not use the SPIN or NEST line unless the owner asked for a new crow or a new nest.`
 
 // spinOrder is the JSON after a "SPIN " prefix.
 type spinOrder struct {
@@ -22,9 +26,16 @@ type spinOrder struct {
 	Trust   string `json:"trust"`
 }
 
+// nestOrder is the JSON after a "NEST " prefix.
+type nestOrder struct {
+	Name  string   `json:"name"`
+	Crows []string `json:"crows"`
+}
+
 // respondBoss answers a request addressed to Boss: one model call through the
 // flock (CHATROOM_SPEC section 6). A SPIN reply is validated, written to the
-// registry, and announced; a refusal says why. No reply posts nothing.
+// registry, and announced; a NEST reply is validated and built through the
+// nest store; a refusal says why. No reply posts nothing.
 func (s *Server) respondBoss(nest Nest, req Message) {
 	budget := &Budget{name: "boss-command", limit: s.p.G.TokenBudgetPerItem}
 	system := systemFor("Boss", bossSystem, false)
@@ -34,11 +45,16 @@ func (s *Server) respondBoss(nest Nest, req Message) {
 		return // a flock that cannot answer says and does nothing
 	}
 	order, isSpin, reason := s.parseSpin(answer)
+	nOrder, isNest, nestReason := s.parseNest(answer)
 	switch {
 	case isSpin && reason == "":
 		s.spinCrow(nest, req, order)
 	case isSpin:
 		s.postBossSay(nest, req, order.Name, reason)
+	case isNest && nestReason == "":
+		s.createNest(nest, req, nOrder)
+	case isNest:
+		s.postBossSay(nest, req, nOrder.Name, nestReason)
 	default:
 		s.postBossSay(nest, req, "", strings.TrimSpace(answer))
 	}
@@ -82,6 +98,31 @@ func (s *Server) validPersona(name string) bool {
 	return ok
 }
 
+// parseNest reads a NEST reply. isNest says the reply was a nest order;
+// reason, when not "", is why the order never reaches the nest store. Member
+// names are resolved by the store itself: persona crows and registry crows
+// pass, anything else (service roles included) is refused there.
+func (s *Server) parseNest(answer string) (order nestOrder, isNest bool, reason string) {
+	text := strings.TrimSpace(answer)
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(text, "NEST ") {
+		return nestOrder{}, false, ""
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(text, "NEST "))), &order); err != nil {
+		return nestOrder{}, true, "that order did not parse; try again."
+	}
+	order.Name = strings.TrimSpace(order.Name)
+	for i, c := range order.Crows {
+		order.Crows[i] = strings.TrimSpace(c)
+	}
+	switch {
+	case order.Name == "":
+		return order, true, "that order had no nest name in it."
+	case len(order.Crows) == 0:
+		return order, true, "that order had no crows in it."
+	}
+	return order, true, ""
+}
+
 // nameTaken checks the persona roster and the registry alike.
 func (s *Server) nameTaken(name string) bool {
 	if s.validPersona(name) {
@@ -108,6 +149,34 @@ func (s *Server) spinCrow(nest Nest, req Message, order spinOrder) {
 	s.postBossSay(nest, req, order.Name, fmt.Sprintf("%s joined, running on %s's habits at %s.", order.Name, order.Persona, order.Trust))
 }
 
+// createNest builds the nest Boss was ordered into. The store has the last
+// word on guardrails — name, members (persona roster or registry), duplicates
+// and the nest cap are all checked there before anything mutates, so a bad
+// order never leaves a partial nest. Success posts a Boss say announcing
+// membership in the new nest, plus a confirming say in the requesting nest; a
+// refusal says why.
+func (s *Server) createNest(reqNest Nest, req Message, order nestOrder) {
+	created, err := s.nests.Create(order.Name, order.Crows)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.postBossSay(reqNest, req, order.Name, err.Error())
+		return
+	}
+	members := strings.Join(created.Crows, ", ")
+	open := Message{
+		NestID:    created.ID,
+		Kind:      "say",
+		Author:    "Boss",
+		Text:      fmt.Sprintf("This nest is open: %s. Its crows: %s.", created.Name, members),
+		To:        req.Author,
+		TaggedBy:  "harness",
+		Timestamp: time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339),
+	}
+	if record, err := s.msgs.Append(open); err == nil {
+		s.emitNestMessage(record)
+	}
+	s.postBossSay(reqNest, req, created.Name, fmt.Sprintf("%s opened with %s.", created.Name, members))
+}
+
 // postBossSay is Boss's one-line reply: an outcome or a refusal, always a say.
 func (s *Server) postBossSay(nest Nest, req Message, name, text string) {
 	reply := Message{

boss_test.go

@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
@@ -333,3 +335,172 @@ func TestCrowsRegistryEmptyWithoutStore(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("want no crows, got %v", out.Crows)
 	}
 }
+
+// --- #43: Boss creates nests and assigns members ---
+
+// listNests returns every nest from GET /api/nests.
+func listNests(t *testing.T, ts *httptest.Server) []map[string]any {
+	t.Helper()
+	resp, err := http.Get(ts.URL + "/api/nests")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("GET /api/nests: want 200, got %d", resp.StatusCode)
+	}
+	var out struct {
+		Nests []map[string]any `json:"nests"`
+	}
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&out); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return out.Nests
+}
+
+func findNest(t *testing.T, ts *httptest.Server, name string) map[string]any {
+	t.Helper()
+	for _, n := range listNests(t, ts) {
+		if n["name"] == name {
+			return n
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func nestCrowNames(nest map[string]any) []string {
+	raw, _ := nest["crows"].([]any)
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(raw))
+	for _, c := range raw {
+		out = append(out, c.(string))
+	}
+	slices.Sort(out)
+	return out
+}
+
+func TestBossCreatesNest(t *testing.T) {
+	s, bb := newBossServer(t,
+		`SPIN {"name":"Ash","persona":"Soot","trust":"stranger"}`,
+		`NEST {"name":"Launch","crows":["Hugin","Ash"]}`,
+	)
+	ts := serve(s)
+	defer ts.Close()
+	labID := newNest(t, ts, "Lab", `"Hugin"`)
+
+	// Ash must exist as a registry crow: spin it through Boss first.
+	askBoss(t, ts, labID, "spin up a crow named Ash")
+	bossSay(t, ts, labID, 2)
+
+	askBoss(t, ts, labID, "make a nest Launch with Hugin and Ash")
+
+	var launch map[string]any
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	for launch == nil && time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		launch = findNest(t, ts, "Launch")
+		if launch == nil {
+			time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
+		}
+	}
+	if launch == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Boss must create the nest Launch, nests: %v", listNests(t, ts))
+	}
+	if got := nestCrowNames(launch); !slices.Equal(got, []string{"Ash", "Hugin"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("Launch crows must be exactly [Ash Hugin], got %v", got)
+	}
+
+	// Boss announces membership in the NEW nest: a say to the owner.
+	announced := false
+	for _, m := range awaitMessages(t, ts, launch["nest_id"].(string), 1) {
+		if m["author"] == "Boss" && m["kind"] == "say" && m["to"] == "owner" {
+			announced = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !announced {
+		t.Fatalf("Boss must post a say to the owner in Launch, got %v",
+			nestMessages(t, ts, launch["nest_id"].(string)))
+	}
+
+	// And confirms in the requesting nest.
+	confirmed := false
+	for _, m := range awaitMessages(t, ts, labID, 4) {
+		if m["author"] == "Boss" && m["kind"] == "say" && strings.Contains(m["text"].(string), "Launch") {
+			confirmed = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !confirmed {
+		t.Fatalf("Boss must confirm the new nest in Lab, got %v", nestMessages(t, ts, labID))
+	}
+	if bb.count() != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("two orders are two model calls, got %d", bb.count())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBossNestUnknownMemberRefused(t *testing.T) {
+	s, _ := newBossServer(t, `NEST {"name":"Nope","crows":["Gandalf"]}`)
+	ts := serve(s)
+	defer ts.Close()
+	labID := newNest(t, ts, "Lab", `"Hugin"`)
+
+	before := len(listNests(t, ts))
+	askBoss(t, ts, labID, "make a nest Nope with Gandalf")
+
+	say := bossSay(t, ts, labID, 2)
+	text, _ := say["text"].(string)
+	if strings.HasPrefix(text, "NEST") {
+		t.Fatalf("Boss must interpret the order, not echo it back: %q", text)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(text, "Gandalf") {
+		t.Fatalf("the refusal must name the unknown member, got %q", text)
+	}
+	if after := len(listNests(t, ts)); after != before {
+		t.Fatalf("an unknown member must refuse the whole create: %d before, %d after", before, after)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBossNestCapRespected(t *testing.T) {
+	s, _ := newBossServer(t, `NEST {"name":"Overflow","crows":["Hugin"]}`)
+	ts := serve(s)
+	defer ts.Close()
+	labID := newNest(t, ts, "Lab", `"Hugin"`)
+
+	// Fill the store to its cap: todo + Lab + (maxNests-2) pads.
+	for i := 0; 2+i < maxNests; i++ {
+		if _, err := s.nests.Create(fmt.Sprintf("Pad %d", i), []string{"Hugin"}); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("padding nests: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+	if n := len(listNests(t, ts)); n != maxNests {
+		t.Fatalf("test setup: want %d nests, got %d", maxNests, n)
+	}
+
+	askBoss(t, ts, labID, "make a nest Overflow with Hugin") // 201: no 500 at the front door
+	say := bossSay(t, ts, labID, 2)
+	text, _ := say["text"].(string)
+	if !strings.Contains(text, fmt.Sprintf("at most %d nests", maxNests)) {
+		t.Fatalf("Boss must report the store's cap refusal, got %q", text)
+	}
+	if findNest(t, ts, "Overflow") != nil {
+		t.Fatal("a capped create must not make a nest")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBossNestGoesThroughFlock(t *testing.T) {
+	s, _ := newBossServer(t, `NEST {"name":"Launch","crows":["Hugin","Munin"]}`)
+	s.p.Flock.sem = make(chan struct{}, 0) // saturated flock: ask must wait, never act
+	ts := serve(s)
+	defer ts.Close()
+	labID := newNest(t, ts, "Lab", `"Hugin"`)
+
+	before := len(listNests(t, ts))
+	askBoss(t, ts, labID, "make a nest Launch with Hugin and Munin")
+	time.Sleep(300 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	if n := len(listNests(t, ts)); n != before {
+		t.Fatalf("a saturated flock must not create a nest, got %v", listNests(t, ts))
+	}
+	for _, m := range nestMessages(t, ts, labID) {
+		if m["author"] == "Boss" {
+			t.Fatalf("a saturated flock must not produce a Boss message, got %v", m)
+		}
+	}
+}

crowreg.go

@@ -86,6 +86,12 @@ func (s *CrowStore) Add(c SpunCrow) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Has reports whether a crow with that name is in the registry.
+func (s *CrowStore) Has(name string) bool {
+	_, ok := s.Get(name)
+	return ok
+}
+
 // Len is how many crows the registry holds.
 func (s *CrowStore) Len() int {
 	s.mu.Lock()

nests.go

@@ -47,6 +47,19 @@ type NestStore struct {
 	path      string
 	mu        sync.Mutex
 	made      []Nest                 // created nests, in creation order; the default nest is not stored
+	allowCrow func(name string) bool // extra member names beyond the roster (spun crows)
+}
+
+// AllowCrows extends the names that may be nest members beyond the persona
+// roster: the server wires it to the spun-crow registry so the Boss can
+// staff a nest with registry crows (#43). It is set once at wiring time,
+// before anything is served; Create stays the only mutation.
+func (s *NestStore) AllowCrows(ok func(name string) bool) { s.allowCrow = ok }
+
+// memberKnown reports whether a name may join a nest: a working persona crow
+// (the roster excludes the service roles) or an allowed extra name.
+func (s *NestStore) memberKnown(name string) bool {
+	return slices.Contains(roster, name) || (s.allowCrow != nil && s.allowCrow(name))
 }
 
 func LoadNests(path string) (*NestStore, error) {
@@ -104,7 +117,7 @@ func (s *NestStore) Create(name string, crows []string) (Nest, error) {
 		return Nest{}, invalid("A nest has 1 to %d crows.", len(roster))
 	}
 	for i, c := range crows {
-		if !slices.Contains(roster, c) {
+		if !s.memberKnown(c) {
 			return Nest{}, invalid("%q is not in the flock. Choose from %s.", c, strings.Join(roster, ", "))
 		}
 		if slices.Contains(crows[:i], c) {

server.go

@@ -46,8 +46,15 @@ func NewServer(ctx context.Context, p *Pipeline, approver *WebApprover, nests *N
 // WithMessages attaches the nest conversation log (chatroom path).
 func (s *Server) WithMessages(m *MessageStore) *Server { s.msgs = m; return s }
 
-// WithCrows attaches the spun-crow registry (the Boss writes through it).
-func (s *Server) WithCrows(c *CrowStore) *Server { s.crows = c; return s }
+// WithCrows attaches the spun-crow registry (the Boss writes through it) and
+// lets registry crows be nest members (#43).
+func (s *Server) WithCrows(c *CrowStore) *Server {
+	s.crows = c
+	if c != nil && s.nests != nil {
+		s.nests.AllowCrows(c.Has)
+	}
+	return s
+}
 
 func (s *Server) Handler() http.Handler {
 	mux := http.NewServeMux()