Configuration File Structure
OrcBot uses a hierarchical YAML-based configuration system that supports multiple config file locations, environment variable overrides, and hot-reload capabilities.Configuration Priority
OrcBot reads configuration in this order (highest priority first):1
Environment Variables
Environment variables like
OPENAI_API_KEY, TELEGRAM_TOKEN take precedence2
Local Config
./orcbot.config.yaml in your current working directory3
Home Config
~/orcbot.config.yaml in your home directory4
Global Config
~/.orcbot/orcbot.config.yaml (default location)Basic Configuration File
Create your configuration file at~/.orcbot/orcbot.config.yaml:
Environment Variables
API Keys
Supported Environment Variables
Environment variables only override config values if the config file doesn’t already define them. Config files take precedence.
Hot-Reload Configuration
OrcBot automatically watches the configuration file for changes and reloads settings without restarting.How It Works
Live Update Example
1
Edit Config
Open
~/.orcbot/orcbot.config.yaml in your editor2
Change Settings
3
Save File
Save the file. OrcBot will log:
4
Changes Applied
New settings take effect immediately for the next action
Agent-Driven Config Management
OrcBot v2.0+ includes intelligent configuration where the agent can optimize settings based on task requirements.Policy-Based Security
Config keys are classified into three policy levels:- SAFE
- APPROVAL
- LOCKED
The agent can modify these autonomously without approval:
modelName- Switch between modelsmemoryContextLimit- Adjust context windowmaxStepsPerAction- Increase/decrease step budgetmaxMessagesPerAction- Control response verbosityreasoningExposeChecklist- Show/hide planning steps
Autonomous Optimization
The agent intelligently adjusts configuration when:- Code tasks need more capable models → auto-switch to GPT-4
- Complex tasks require more memory context → increase
memoryContextLimit - Multi-step workflows need higher step budgets → increase
maxStepsPerAction - LLM provider is unavailable → auto-fallback to alternatives
Using manage_config Skill
Server Mode Defaults
WhenserverMode: true is set, OrcBot applies conservative defaults optimized for headless deployments:
Configuration Syncing
OrcBot automatically syncs config changes across multiple config file locations while protecting secrets:Advanced Settings
Task Complexity Classifier
Skill Routing Rules
Configure intent-based skill selection:Autonomy Channel Policy
Control where the agent can send proactive updates:Direct Responses: Always allowed on any channel where the user messages the botProactive Updates: Only allowed on channels listed in
autonomyAllowedChannelsDefault: Empty [] means silent in backgroundMemory & Consolidation
Platform-Specific Paths
OrcBot automatically normalizes file paths for cross-platform compatibility:Accessing Config in Code
From Agent Instance
Listen for Config Changes
Troubleshooting
Config Not Loading
Environment Variables Not Working
Hot-Reload Not Working
Worker Corruption Repair
If you see paths likeorchestrator/instances/agent-xxx in your config: