Install
Build ka agent from source, rewrite the Ka pin, and verify with ka-agent doctor.
Introduction
ka agent is a resident assistant on the Ka coding engine: one always-on daemon per operator that keeps working across sessions and channels, with durable memory, tasks, approvals, and Telegram. All model reasoning and tool execution stay in Ka engines that ka agent starts, watches, and stops.
Status: M2 complete, early development. ka agent is incipient and moving fast; features, commands, config, and behavior may change without notice. Not ready for production use.
The problem it solves
Section titled “The problem it solves”Ka lives for one terminal session. When the session ends, nothing keeps working on your behalf: nothing remembers you across projects, answers from your phone, runs at 07:00, or waits for your approval while you are away.
ka agent is the missing layer: continuity with control. An assistant that persists and acts across time and channels, whose memory, permissions and external actions you can inspect, edit and veto.
Principles
Section titled “Principles”- Ka stays lightweight. ka agent never adds code, crates, features or dependencies to the Ka repository. Ka enforces this on its side with a dependency allowlist gate.
- ka agent is optional. Ka keeps working exactly as it does without ka agent installed; ka agent works against unmodified, released Ka versions.
- You control memory, permissions and actions. Stable memory is plain Markdown you can read and edit. Every grant is explicit and revocable. Every action with external effects is approved, logged and auditable. Nothing leaves the machine except model API calls and the channels you configure.
- Fail closed and boring. Unanswered approvals deny. Unknown state is reported, never guessed. Interrupted work is never auto-replayed.
- Small and verifiable first. One user, one channel, one workspace, then expand only behind exit criteria.
Ka vs ka agent
Section titled “Ka vs ka agent”| Ka (engine) | ka agent (resident layer) | |
|---|---|---|
| What | Turn engine, tools, permissions, providers, strands; CLI/TUI | Daemon, channels, memory, scheduler, approvals |
| Lifetime | One engine per session, while a surface holds it | Always on; engines are started and stopped by ka agent |
| State | Strand files (append-only JSONL) | State database, memory files, channel bindings |
| Ships as | ka binary + crates |
Separate repository and binary (ka-agent) |
Where to go next
Section titled “Where to go next”Quickstart
Your first resident session: local console chat, then Telegram.
Architecture
The crates, the KaPort boundary, and the worker supervision model.
Approvals
TTLs, deny-on-expiry, the audit chain, and budgets.