feat(secrets): add phase 1 secrets tool and redaction hardening

Implements the first pragmatic slice of issue #3627 / #410:
- add agent-facing  tool with list/check/request/delete/inject
  actions
- reuse existing secure CLI secret capture path via getpass-backed callback
  so secret values never enter model context
- support  as an alias for the existing
   skill frontmatter
- redact execute_code stdout/stderr before returning tool output
- expand redaction patterns for Twilio SIDs and JWTs
- register the new tool in discovery/core toolsets and add regression tests

Gateway DM+delete secret capture remains scoped as follow-up work per the
Phase 1 issue discussion.

agent/anthropic_adapter.py

@@ -162,6 +162,21 @@ def _is_oauth_token(key: str) -> bool:
     return True
 
 
+def _requires_bearer_auth(base_url: str | None) -> bool:
+    """Return True for Anthropic-compatible providers that require Bearer auth.
+
+    Some third-party /anthropic endpoints implement Anthropic's Messages API but
+    require Authorization: Bearer instead of Anthropic's native x-api-key header.
+    MiniMax's global and China Anthropic-compatible endpoints follow this pattern.
+    """
+    if not base_url:
+        return False
+    normalized = base_url.rstrip("/").lower()
+    return normalized.startswith("https://api.minimax.io/anthropic") or normalized.startswith(
+        "https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic"
+    )
+
+
 def build_anthropic_client(api_key: str, base_url: str = None):
     """Create an Anthropic client, auto-detecting setup-tokens vs API keys.
 
@@ -180,7 +195,17 @@ def build_anthropic_client(api_key: str, base_url: str = None):
     if base_url:
         kwargs["base_url"] = base_url
 
-    if _is_oauth_token(api_key):
+    if _requires_bearer_auth(base_url):
+        # Some Anthropic-compatible providers (e.g. MiniMax) expect the API key in
+        # Authorization: Bearer even for regular API keys. Route those endpoints
+        # through auth_token so the SDK sends Bearer auth instead of x-api-key.
+        # Check this before OAuth token shape detection because MiniMax secrets do
+        # not use Anthropic's sk-ant-api prefix and would otherwise be misread as
+        # Anthropic OAuth/setup tokens.
+        kwargs["auth_token"] = api_key
+        if _COMMON_BETAS:
+            kwargs["default_headers"] = {"anthropic-beta": ",".join(_COMMON_BETAS)}
+    elif _is_oauth_token(api_key):
         # OAuth access token / setup-token → Bearer auth + Claude Code identity.
         # Anthropic routes OAuth requests based on user-agent and headers;
         # without Claude Code's fingerprint, requests get intermittent 500s.

agent/redact.py

@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ _PREFIX_PATTERNS = [
     r"sk_[A-Za-z0-9_]{10,}",            # ElevenLabs TTS key (sk_ underscore, not sk- dash)
     r"tvly-[A-Za-z0-9]{10,}",           # Tavily search API key
     r"exa_[A-Za-z0-9]{10,}",            # Exa search API key
+    r"AC[a-fA-F0-9]{32}",               # Twilio Account SID
+    r"SK[a-fA-F0-9]{32}",               # Twilio API Key SID / Secret SID-like identifiers
 ]
 
 # ENV assignment patterns: KEY=value where KEY contains a secret-like name
@@ -68,6 +70,17 @@ _TELEGRAM_RE = re.compile(
     r"(bot)?(\d{8,}):([-A-Za-z0-9_]{30,})",
 )
 
+# JWTs: three base64url-ish segments separated by dots.
+# Keep threshold moderately high to avoid redacting short dotted identifiers.
+_JWT_RE = re.compile(
+    r"\b([A-Za-z0-9_-]{12,}\.[A-Za-z0-9_-]{12,}\.[A-Za-z0-9_-]{12,})\b"
+)
+
+# Twilio auth tokens are commonly plain 32-char lowercase hex strings.
+# This may also match some MD5-like identifiers, but we prefer false positives
+# over leaking a credential into model context.
+_TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN_RE = re.compile(r"\b([a-f0-9]{32})\b")
+
 # Private key blocks: -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- ... -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
 _PRIVATE_KEY_RE = re.compile(
     r"-----BEGIN[A-Z ]*PRIVATE KEY-----[\s\S]*?-----END[A-Z ]*PRIVATE KEY-----"
@@ -140,6 +153,12 @@ def redact_sensitive_text(text: str) -> str:
         return f"{prefix}{digits}:***"
     text = _TELEGRAM_RE.sub(_redact_telegram, text)
 
+    # JWTs
+    text = _JWT_RE.sub(lambda m: _mask_token(m.group(1)), text)
+
+    # Twilio auth tokens / bare 32-char lowercase hex tokens
+    text = _TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN_RE.sub(lambda m: _mask_token(m.group(1)), text)
+
     # Private key blocks
     text = _PRIVATE_KEY_RE.sub("[REDACTED PRIVATE KEY]", text)
 

cli.py

@@ -492,6 +492,7 @@ from cron import get_job
 from tools.terminal_tool import cleanup_all_environments as _cleanup_all_terminals
 from tools.terminal_tool import set_sudo_password_callback, set_approval_callback
 from tools.skills_tool import set_secret_capture_callback
+from tools.secrets_tool import set_secrets_request_callback
 from hermes_cli.callbacks import prompt_for_secret
 from tools.browser_tool import _emergency_cleanup_all_sessions as _cleanup_all_browsers
 
@@ -2837,6 +2838,28 @@ class HermesCLI:
         print("  Example: python cli.py --toolsets web,terminal")
         print()
     
+    def _handle_profile_command(self):
+        """Display active profile name and home directory."""
+        from hermes_constants import get_hermes_home, display_hermes_home
+
+        home = get_hermes_home()
+        display = display_hermes_home()
+
+        profiles_parent = Path.home() / ".hermes" / "profiles"
+        try:
+            rel = home.relative_to(profiles_parent)
+            profile_name = str(rel).split("/")[0]
+        except ValueError:
+            profile_name = None
+
+        print()
+        if profile_name:
+            print(f"  Profile: {profile_name}")
+        else:
+            print("  Profile: default")
+        print(f"  Home:    {display}")
+        print()
+
     def show_config(self):
         """Display current configuration with kawaii ASCII art."""
         # Get terminal config from environment (which was set from cli-config.yaml)
@@ -3679,6 +3702,8 @@ class HermesCLI:
             return False
         elif canonical == "help":
             self.show_help()
+        elif canonical == "profile":
+            self._handle_profile_command()
         elif canonical == "tools":
             self._handle_tools_command(cmd_original)
         elif canonical == "toolsets":
@@ -3836,6 +3861,8 @@ class HermesCLI:
             self.console.print(f"  Status bar {state}")
         elif canonical == "verbose":
             self._toggle_verbose()
+        elif canonical == "yolo":
+            self._toggle_yolo()
         elif canonical == "reasoning":
             self._handle_reasoning_command(cmd_original)
         elif canonical == "compress":
@@ -4434,6 +4461,17 @@ class HermesCLI:
         }
         _cprint(labels.get(self.tool_progress_mode, ""))
 
+    def _toggle_yolo(self):
+        """Toggle YOLO mode — skip all dangerous command approval prompts."""
+        import os
+        current = bool(os.environ.get("HERMES_YOLO_MODE"))
+        if current:
+            os.environ.pop("HERMES_YOLO_MODE", None)
+            self.console.print("  ⚠ YOLO mode [bold red]OFF[/] — dangerous commands will require approval.")
+        else:
+            os.environ["HERMES_YOLO_MODE"] = "1"
+            self.console.print("  ⚡ YOLO mode [bold green]ON[/] — all commands auto-approved. Use with caution.")
+
     def _handle_reasoning_command(self, cmd: str):
         """Handle /reasoning — manage effort level and display toggle.
 
@@ -5550,6 +5588,7 @@ class HermesCLI:
         # Single-query and direct chat callers do not go through run(), so
         # register secure secret capture here as well.
         set_secret_capture_callback(self._secret_capture_callback)
+        set_secrets_request_callback(self._secret_capture_callback)
 
         # Refresh provider credentials if needed (handles key rotation transparently)
         if not self._ensure_runtime_credentials():
@@ -6255,6 +6294,7 @@ class HermesCLI:
         set_sudo_password_callback(self._sudo_password_callback)
         set_approval_callback(self._approval_callback)
         set_secret_capture_callback(self._secret_capture_callback)
+        set_secrets_request_callback(self._secret_capture_callback)
 
         # Ensure tirith security scanner is available (downloads if needed).
         # Warn the user if tirith is enabled in config but not available,
@@ -7458,6 +7498,7 @@ class HermesCLI:
             set_sudo_password_callback(None)
             set_approval_callback(None)
             set_secret_capture_callback(None)
+            set_secrets_request_callback(None)
             # Flush + shut down Honcho async writer (drains queue before exit)
             if self.agent and getattr(self.agent, '_honcho', None):
                 try:

environments/__init__.py

@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ Core layers:
 Concrete environments:
     - terminal_test_env/: Simple file-creation tasks for testing the stack
     - hermes_swe_env/: SWE-bench style tasks with Modal sandboxes
-    - endless_terminals/: Terminal tasks from HuggingFace dataset with Apptainer containers
 
 Benchmarks (eval-only):
     - benchmarks/terminalbench_2/: Terminal-Bench 2.0 evaluation

environments/endless_terminals/__init__.py

@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-"""Endless Terminals Environment - Terminal task training from HuggingFace dataset."""
-
-from .endless_terminals_env import EndlessTerminalsEnv, EndlessTerminalsEnvConfig
-
-__all__ = ["EndlessTerminalsEnv", "EndlessTerminalsEnvConfig"]

environments/endless_terminals/tinker_qwen.yaml

@@ -1,91 +0,0 @@
-# Endless Terminals - Qwen3-4B-Instruct-2507
-# Single config for both trainer (launch_training.py) and env (endless_terminals_env.py serve)
-#
-# Usage:
-#   Terminal 1: run-api
-#   Terminal 2: cd tinker-atropos && python launch_training.py --config ../environments/endless_terminals/tinker_qwen.yaml
-#   Terminal 3: python environments/endless_terminals/endless_terminals_env.py serve --config environments/endless_terminals/tinker_qwen.yaml
-
-env:
-  # Toolsets
-  enabled_toolsets: ["terminal", "file"]
-
-  # Model / tokenizer
-  tokenizer_name: "Qwen/Qwen3-4B-Instruct-2507"
-
-  # Agent configuration
-  max_agent_turns: 16
-  max_token_length: 2048
-  agent_temperature: 0.6
-  extra_body:
-    chat_template_kwargs:
-      enable_thinking: false
-  tool_call_parser: "hermes"
-
-  # Terminal backend
-  terminal_backend: "docker"
-
-  # Dataset settings
-  use_dataset: true
-  dataset_name: "obiwan96/endless-terminals"
-  dataset_split: "train"
-  dataset_cache_dir: "~/.cache/huggingface/datasets"
-  tasks_base_dir: "/Users/samherring/Desktop/Projects/Hermes-Agent/endless-terminals"
-
-  # Test execution
-  test_timeout_s: 180
-  default_docker_image: "ubuntu:22.04"
-  max_concurrent_containers: 16
-
-  # Training configuration
-  group_size: 16
-  batch_size: 64          # 4 groups × 16 rollouts per step
-  total_steps: 500
-  steps_per_eval: 5
-  min_items_sent_before_logging: 1
-  ensure_scores_are_not_same: true
-  max_num_workers: 2048
-  worker_timeout: 3600
-  inference_weight: 1.0
-  eval_limit_ratio: 0.1
-  rollout_server_url: "http://localhost:8000"
-
-  # Evaluation configuration
-  num_eval_tasks: 20
-  eval_split_ratio: 0.1
-
-  # Logging
-  use_wandb: true
-  wandb_name: "endless-terminals-qwen3-4b"
-
-  # System prompt
-  system_prompt: >
-    You are a skilled Linux system administrator and programmer.
-    You have access to a terminal and file tools to complete system administration
-    and programming tasks. Use the tools effectively to solve the given task,
-    and verify your solution works correctly before finishing.
-    Keep each command short and focused — break complex tasks into multiple steps
-    rather than writing long one-liners.
-
-tinker:
-  lora_rank: 32
-  learning_rate: 0.0000005
-  max_token_trainer_length: 32768
-  checkpoint_dir: "./temp/"
-  save_checkpoint_interval: 50
-  wandb_project: "endless-terminals"
-  wandb_group: null
-  wandb_run_name: "qwen3-4b"
-  tool_call_parser: "hermes"
-
-openai:
-  - model_name: "Qwen/Qwen3-4B-Instruct-2507"
-    base_url: "http://localhost:8001/v1"
-    api_key: "x"
-    weight: 1.0
-    num_requests_for_eval: 64
-    timeout: 600
-    server_type: "sglang"
-
-slurm: false
-testing: false

environments/hermes_base_env.py

@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ class HermesAgentBaseEnv(BaseEnv):
             return False
 
         server = self.server.servers[0]
+        # If the server is an OpenAI server (not VLLM/SGLang), use direct mode
         from atroposlib.envs.server_handling.openai_server import OpenAIServer
         return not isinstance(server, OpenAIServer)
 

environments/tool_call_parsers/hermes_parser.py

@@ -48,13 +48,7 @@ class HermesToolCallParser(ToolCallParser):
                 if not raw_json.strip():
                     continue
 
-                try:
-                    tc_data = json.loads(raw_json)
-                except json.JSONDecodeError:
-                    # Fix invalid backslash escapes from shell commands in JSON strings
-                    # e.g. \s \w \d \n (unescaped) → \\s \\w \\d \\n
-                    fixed = re.sub(r'\\([^"\\/bfnrtu0-9\n])', r'\\\\\1', raw_json)
-                    tc_data = json.loads(fixed)
+                tc_data = json.loads(raw_json)
                 tool_calls.append(
                     ChatCompletionMessageToolCall(
                         id=f"call_{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}",

gateway/config.py

@@ -27,9 +27,16 @@ def _coerce_bool(value: Any, default: bool = True) -> bool:
         return default
     if isinstance(value, bool):
         return value
+    if isinstance(value, int):
+        return value != 0
     if isinstance(value, str):
-        return value.strip().lower() in ("true", "1", "yes", "on")
-    return bool(value)
+        lowered = value.strip().lower()
+        if lowered in ("true", "1", "yes", "on"):
+            return True
+        if lowered in ("false", "0", "no", "off"):
+            return False
+        return default
+    return default
 
 
 def _normalize_unauthorized_dm_behavior(value: Any, default: str = "pair") -> str:

gateway/platforms/telegram.py

@@ -622,10 +622,19 @@ class TelegramAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
             # gateway command there automatically adds it to the Telegram menu.
             try:
                 from telegram import BotCommand
-                from hermes_cli.commands import telegram_bot_commands
+                from hermes_cli.commands import telegram_menu_commands
+                # Telegram allows up to 100 commands but has an undocumented
+                # payload size limit.  Skill descriptions are truncated to 40
+                # chars in telegram_menu_commands() to fit 100 commands safely.
+                menu_commands, hidden_count = telegram_menu_commands(max_commands=100)
                 await self._bot.set_my_commands([
-                    BotCommand(name, desc) for name, desc in telegram_bot_commands()
+                    BotCommand(name, desc) for name, desc in menu_commands
                 ])
+                if hidden_count:
+                    logger.info(
+                        "[%s] Telegram menu: %d commands registered, %d hidden (over 100 limit). Use /commands for full list.",
+                        self.name, len(menu_commands), hidden_count,
+                    )
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.warning(
                     "[%s] Could not register Telegram command menu: %s",

gateway/run.py

@@ -301,6 +301,50 @@ def _resolve_runtime_agent_kwargs() -> dict:
     }
 
 
+def _check_unavailable_skill(command_name: str) -> str | None:
+    """Check if a command matches a known-but-inactive skill.
+
+    Returns a helpful message if the skill exists but is disabled or only
+    available as an optional install. Returns None if no match found.
+    """
+    # Normalize: command uses hyphens, skill names may use hyphens or underscores
+    normalized = command_name.lower().replace("_", "-")
+    try:
+        from tools.skills_tool import SKILLS_DIR, _get_disabled_skill_names
+        disabled = _get_disabled_skill_names()
+
+        # Check disabled built-in skills
+        for skill_md in SKILLS_DIR.rglob("SKILL.md"):
+            if any(part in ('.git', '.github', '.hub') for part in skill_md.parts):
+                continue
+            name = skill_md.parent.name.lower().replace("_", "-")
+            if name == normalized and name in disabled:
+                return (
+                    f"The **{command_name}** skill is installed but disabled.\n"
+                    f"Enable it with: `hermes skills config`"
+                )
+
+        # Check optional skills (shipped with repo but not installed)
+        from hermes_constants import get_hermes_home
+        repo_root = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+        optional_dir = repo_root / "optional-skills"
+        if optional_dir.exists():
+            for skill_md in optional_dir.rglob("SKILL.md"):
+                name = skill_md.parent.name.lower().replace("_", "-")
+                if name == normalized:
+                    # Build install path: official/<category>/<name>
+                    rel = skill_md.parent.relative_to(optional_dir)
+                    parts = list(rel.parts)
+                    install_path = f"official/{'/'.join(parts)}"
+                    return (
+                        f"The **{command_name}** skill is available but not installed.\n"
+                        f"Install it with: `hermes skills install {install_path}`"
+                    )
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+    return None
+
+
 def _platform_config_key(platform: "Platform") -> str:
     """Map a Platform enum to its config.yaml key (LOCAL→"cli", rest→enum value)."""
     return "cli" if platform == Platform.LOCAL else platform.value
@@ -432,6 +476,13 @@ class GatewayRunner:
         self._honcho_managers: Dict[str, Any] = {}
         self._honcho_configs: Dict[str, Any] = {}
 
+        # Rate-limit compression warning messages sent to users.
+        # Keyed by chat_id — value is the timestamp of the last warning sent.
+        # Prevents the warning from firing on every message when a session
+        # remains above the threshold after compression.
+        self._compression_warn_sent: Dict[str, float] = {}
+        self._compression_warn_cooldown: int = 3600  # seconds (1 hour)
+
         # Ensure tirith security scanner is available (downloads if needed)
         try:
             from tools.tirith_security import ensure_installed
@@ -1651,6 +1702,11 @@ class GatewayRunner:
             # In DMs: offer pairing code. In groups: silently ignore.
             if source.chat_type == "dm" and self._get_unauthorized_dm_behavior(source.platform) == "pair":
                 platform_name = source.platform.value if source.platform else "unknown"
+                # Rate-limit ALL pairing responses (code or rejection) to
+                # prevent spamming the user with repeated messages when
+                # multiple DMs arrive in quick succession.
+                if self.pairing_store._is_rate_limited(platform_name, source.user_id):
+                    return None
                 code = self.pairing_store.generate_code(
                     platform_name, source.user_id, source.user_name or ""
                 )
@@ -1672,6 +1728,8 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                             "Too many pairing requests right now~ "
                             "Please try again later!"
                         )
+                    # Record rate limit so subsequent messages are silently ignored
+                    self.pairing_store._record_rate_limit(platform_name, source.user_id)
             return None
         
         # PRIORITY handling when an agent is already running for this session.
@@ -1817,7 +1875,13 @@ class GatewayRunner:
         
         if canonical == "help":
             return await self._handle_help_command(event)
+
+        if canonical == "commands":
+            return await self._handle_commands_command(event)
         
+        if canonical == "profile":
+            return await self._handle_profile_command(event)
+
         if canonical == "status":
             return await self._handle_status_command(event)
         
@@ -1830,6 +1894,9 @@ class GatewayRunner:
         if canonical == "verbose":
             return await self._handle_verbose_command(event)
 
+        if canonical == "yolo":
+            return await self._handle_yolo_command(event)
+
         if canonical == "provider":
             return await self._handle_provider_command(event)
         
@@ -1974,6 +2041,12 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                     if msg:
                         event.text = msg
                         # Fall through to normal message processing with skill content
+                else:
+                    # Not an active skill — check if it's a known-but-disabled or
+                    # uninstalled skill and give actionable guidance.
+                    _unavail_msg = _check_unavailable_skill(command)
+                    if _unavail_msg:
+                        return _unavail_msg
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.debug("Skill command check failed (non-fatal): %s", e)
         
@@ -2344,13 +2417,18 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                                         pass
 
                                 # Still too large after compression — warn user
+                                # Rate-limited to once per cooldown period per
+                                # chat to avoid spamming on every message.
                                 if _new_tokens >= _warn_token_threshold:
                                     logger.warning(
                                         "Session hygiene: still ~%s tokens after "
                                         "compression — suggesting /reset",
                                         f"{_new_tokens:,}",
                                     )
-                                    if _hyg_adapter:
+                                    _now = time.time()
+                                    _last_warn = self._compression_warn_sent.get(source.chat_id, 0)
+                                    if _hyg_adapter and _now - _last_warn >= self._compression_warn_cooldown:
+                                        self._compression_warn_sent[source.chat_id] = _now
                                         try:
                                             await _hyg_adapter.send(
                                                 source.chat_id,
@@ -2372,7 +2450,10 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                         if _approx_tokens >= _warn_token_threshold:
                             _hyg_adapter = self.adapters.get(source.platform)
                             _hyg_meta = {"thread_id": source.thread_id} if source.thread_id else None
-                            if _hyg_adapter:
+                            _now = time.time()
+                            _last_warn = self._compression_warn_sent.get(source.chat_id, 0)
+                            if _hyg_adapter and _now - _last_warn >= self._compression_warn_cooldown:
+                                self._compression_warn_sent[source.chat_id] = _now
                                 try:
                                     await _hyg_adapter.send(
                                         source.chat_id,
@@ -2999,6 +3080,36 @@ class GatewayRunner:
             return f"{header}\n\n{session_info}"
         return header
     
+    async def _handle_profile_command(self, event: MessageEvent) -> str:
+        """Handle /profile — show active profile name and home directory."""
+        from hermes_constants import get_hermes_home, display_hermes_home
+        from pathlib import Path
+
+        home = get_hermes_home()
+        display = display_hermes_home()
+
+        # Detect profile name from HERMES_HOME path
+        # Profile paths look like: ~/.hermes/profiles/<name>
+        profiles_parent = Path.home() / ".hermes" / "profiles"
+        try:
+            rel = home.relative_to(profiles_parent)
+            profile_name = str(rel).split("/")[0]
+        except ValueError:
+            profile_name = None
+
+        if profile_name:
+            lines = [
+                f"👤 **Profile:** `{profile_name}`",
+                f"📂 **Home:** `{display}`",
+            ]
+        else:
+            lines = [
+                "👤 **Profile:** default",
+                f"📂 **Home:** `{display}`",
+            ]
+
+        return "\n".join(lines)
+
     async def _handle_status_command(self, event: MessageEvent) -> str:
         """Handle /status command."""
         source = event.source
@@ -3065,12 +3176,69 @@ class GatewayRunner:
             from agent.skill_commands import get_skill_commands
             skill_cmds = get_skill_commands()
             if skill_cmds:
-                lines.append(f"\n⚡ **Skill Commands** ({len(skill_cmds)} installed):")
-                for cmd in sorted(skill_cmds):
+                lines.append(f"\n⚡ **Skill Commands** ({len(skill_cmds)} active):")
+                # Show first 10, then point to /commands for the rest
+                sorted_cmds = sorted(skill_cmds)
+                for cmd in sorted_cmds[:10]:
                     lines.append(f"`{cmd}` — {skill_cmds[cmd]['description']}")
+                if len(sorted_cmds) > 10:
+                    lines.append(f"\n... and {len(sorted_cmds) - 10} more. Use `/commands` for the full paginated list.")
         except Exception:
             pass
         return "\n".join(lines)
+
+    async def _handle_commands_command(self, event: MessageEvent) -> str:
+        """Handle /commands [page] - paginated list of all commands and skills."""
+        from hermes_cli.commands import gateway_help_lines
+
+        raw_args = event.get_command_args().strip()
+        if raw_args:
+            try:
+                requested_page = int(raw_args)
+            except ValueError:
+                return "Usage: `/commands [page]`"
+        else:
+            requested_page = 1
+
+        # Build combined entry list: built-in commands + skill commands
+        entries = list(gateway_help_lines())
+        try:
+            from agent.skill_commands import get_skill_commands
+            skill_cmds = get_skill_commands()
+            if skill_cmds:
+                entries.append("")
+                entries.append("⚡ **Skill Commands**:")
+                for cmd in sorted(skill_cmds):
+                    desc = skill_cmds[cmd].get("description", "").strip() or "Skill command"
+                    entries.append(f"`{cmd}` — {desc}")
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
+        if not entries:
+            return "No commands available."
+
+        from gateway.config import Platform
+        page_size = 15 if event.source.platform == Platform.TELEGRAM else 20
+        total_pages = max(1, (len(entries) + page_size - 1) // page_size)
+        page = max(1, min(requested_page, total_pages))
+        start = (page - 1) * page_size
+        page_entries = entries[start:start + page_size]
+
+        lines = [
+            f"📚 **Commands** ({len(entries)} total, page {page}/{total_pages})",
+            "",
+            *page_entries,
+        ]
+        if total_pages > 1:
+            nav_parts = []
+            if page > 1:
+                nav_parts.append(f"`/commands {page - 1}` ← prev")
+            if page < total_pages:
+                nav_parts.append(f"next → `/commands {page + 1}`")
+            lines.extend(["", " | ".join(nav_parts)])
+        if page != requested_page:
+            lines.append(f"_(Requested page {requested_page} was out of range, showing page {page}.)_")
+        return "\n".join(lines)
     
     async def _handle_provider_command(self, event: MessageEvent) -> str:
         """Handle /provider command - show available providers."""
@@ -3999,6 +4167,16 @@ class GatewayRunner:
         else:
             return f"🧠 ✓ Reasoning effort set to `{effort}` (this session only)"
 
+    async def _handle_yolo_command(self, event: MessageEvent) -> str:
+        """Handle /yolo — toggle dangerous command approval bypass."""
+        current = bool(os.environ.get("HERMES_YOLO_MODE"))
+        if current:
+            os.environ.pop("HERMES_YOLO_MODE", None)
+            return "⚠️ YOLO mode **OFF** — dangerous commands will require approval."
+        else:
+            os.environ["HERMES_YOLO_MODE"] = "1"
+            return "⚡ YOLO mode **ON** — all commands auto-approved. Use with caution."
+
     async def _handle_verbose_command(self, event: MessageEvent) -> str:
         """Handle /verbose command — cycle tool progress display mode.
 

hermes_cli/commands.py

@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ COMMAND_REGISTRY: list[CommandDef] = [
                aliases=("q",), args_hint="<prompt>"),
     CommandDef("status", "Show session info", "Session",
                gateway_only=True),
+    CommandDef("profile", "Show active profile name and home directory", "Info"),
     CommandDef("sethome", "Set this chat as the home channel", "Session",
                gateway_only=True, aliases=("set-home",)),
     CommandDef("resume", "Resume a previously-named session", "Session",
@@ -90,6 +91,8 @@ COMMAND_REGISTRY: list[CommandDef] = [
     CommandDef("verbose", "Cycle tool progress display: off -> new -> all -> verbose",
                "Configuration", cli_only=True,
                gateway_config_gate="display.tool_progress_command"),
+    CommandDef("yolo", "Toggle YOLO mode (skip all dangerous command approvals)",
+               "Configuration"),
     CommandDef("reasoning", "Manage reasoning effort and display", "Configuration",
                args_hint="[level|show|hide]",
                subcommands=("none", "low", "minimal", "medium", "high", "xhigh", "show", "hide", "on", "off")),
@@ -118,6 +121,8 @@ COMMAND_REGISTRY: list[CommandDef] = [
                "Tools & Skills", cli_only=True),
 
     # Info
+    CommandDef("commands", "Browse all commands and skills (paginated)", "Info",
+               gateway_only=True, args_hint="[page]"),
     CommandDef("help", "Show available commands", "Info"),
     CommandDef("usage", "Show token usage for the current session", "Info"),
     CommandDef("insights", "Show usage insights and analytics", "Info",
@@ -361,6 +366,69 @@ def telegram_bot_commands() -> list[tuple[str, str]]:
     return result
 
 
+def telegram_menu_commands(max_commands: int = 100) -> tuple[list[tuple[str, str]], int]:
+    """Return Telegram menu commands capped to the Bot API limit.
+
+    Priority order (higher priority = never bumped by overflow):
+      1. Core CommandDef commands (always included)
+      2. Plugin slash commands (take precedence over skills)
+      3. Built-in skill commands (fill remaining slots, alphabetical)
+
+    Skills are the only tier that gets trimmed when the cap is hit.
+    User-installed hub skills are excluded — accessible via /skills.
+
+    Returns:
+        (menu_commands, hidden_count) where hidden_count is the number of
+        skill commands omitted due to the cap.
+    """
+    all_commands = list(telegram_bot_commands())
+
+    # Plugin slash commands get priority over skills
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.plugins import get_plugin_manager
+        pm = get_plugin_manager()
+        plugin_cmds = getattr(pm, "_plugin_commands", {})
+        for cmd_name in sorted(plugin_cmds):
+            tg_name = cmd_name.replace("-", "_")
+            desc = "Plugin command"
+            if len(desc) > 40:
+                desc = desc[:37] + "..."
+            all_commands.append((tg_name, desc))
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+    # Remaining slots go to built-in skill commands (not hub-installed).
+    skill_entries: list[tuple[str, str]] = []
+    try:
+        from agent.skill_commands import get_skill_commands
+        from tools.skills_tool import SKILLS_DIR
+        _skills_dir = str(SKILLS_DIR.resolve())
+        _hub_dir = str((SKILLS_DIR / ".hub").resolve())
+        skill_cmds = get_skill_commands()
+        for cmd_key in sorted(skill_cmds):
+            info = skill_cmds[cmd_key]
+            skill_path = info.get("skill_md_path", "")
+            if not skill_path.startswith(_skills_dir):
+                continue
+            if skill_path.startswith(_hub_dir):
+                continue
+            name = cmd_key.lstrip("/").replace("-", "_")
+            desc = info.get("description", "")
+            # Keep descriptions short — setMyCommands has an undocumented
+            # total payload limit.  40 chars fits 100 commands safely.
+            if len(desc) > 40:
+                desc = desc[:37] + "..."
+            skill_entries.append((name, desc))
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+    # Skills fill remaining slots — they're the only tier that gets trimmed
+    remaining_slots = max(0, max_commands - len(all_commands))
+    hidden_count = max(0, len(skill_entries) - remaining_slots)
+    all_commands.extend(skill_entries[:remaining_slots])
+    return all_commands[:max_commands], hidden_count
+
+
 def slack_subcommand_map() -> dict[str, str]:
     """Return subcommand -> /command mapping for Slack /hermes handler.
 

hermes_cli/config.py

@@ -706,6 +706,14 @@ OPTIONAL_ENV_VARS = {
         "password": True,
         "category": "tool",
     },
+    "CAMOFOX_URL": {
+        "description": "Camofox browser server URL for local anti-detection browsing (e.g. http://localhost:9377)",
+        "prompt": "Camofox server URL",
+        "url": "https://github.com/jo-inc/camofox-browser",
+        "tools": ["browser_navigate", "browser_click"],
+        "password": False,
+        "category": "tool",
+    },
     "FAL_KEY": {
         "description": "FAL API key for image generation",
         "prompt": "FAL API key",

hermes_cli/doctor.py

@@ -406,8 +406,11 @@ def run_doctor(args):
     if terminal_env == "docker":
         if shutil.which("docker"):
             # Check if docker daemon is running
-            result = subprocess.run(["docker", "info"], capture_output=True)
-            if result.returncode == 0:
+            try:
+                result = subprocess.run(["docker", "info"], capture_output=True, timeout=10)
+            except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+                result = None
+            if result is not None and result.returncode == 0:
                 check_ok("docker", "(daemon running)")
             else:
                 check_fail("docker daemon not running")
@@ -426,12 +429,16 @@ def run_doctor(args):
         ssh_host = os.getenv("TERMINAL_SSH_HOST")
         if ssh_host:
             # Try to connect
-            result = subprocess.run(
-                ["ssh", "-o", "ConnectTimeout=5", "-o", "BatchMode=yes", ssh_host, "echo ok"],
-                capture_output=True,
-                text=True
-            )
-            if result.returncode == 0:
+            try:
+                result = subprocess.run(
+                    ["ssh", "-o", "ConnectTimeout=5", "-o", "BatchMode=yes", ssh_host, "echo ok"],
+                    capture_output=True,
+                    text=True,
+                    timeout=15
+                )
+            except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+                result = None
+            if result is not None and result.returncode == 0:
                 check_ok(f"SSH connection to {ssh_host}")
             else:
                 check_fail(f"SSH connection to {ssh_host}")

hermes_cli/setup.py

@@ -601,13 +601,15 @@ def _print_setup_summary(config: dict, hermes_home):
             Path(__file__).parent.parent / "node_modules" / ".bin" / "agent-browser"
         ).exists()
     )
-    if get_env_value("BROWSERBASE_API_KEY"):
+    if get_env_value("CAMOFOX_URL"):
+        tool_status.append(("Browser Automation (Camofox)", True, None))
+    elif get_env_value("BROWSERBASE_API_KEY"):
         tool_status.append(("Browser Automation (Browserbase)", True, None))
     elif _ab_found:
         tool_status.append(("Browser Automation (local)", True, None))
     else:
         tool_status.append(
-            ("Browser Automation", False, "npm install -g agent-browser")
+            ("Browser Automation", False, "npm install -g agent-browser or set CAMOFOX_URL")
         )
 
     # FAL (image generation)

hermes_cli/status.py

@@ -285,23 +285,31 @@ def show_status(args):
             _gw_svc = get_service_name()
         except Exception:
             _gw_svc = "hermes-gateway"
-        result = subprocess.run(
-            ["systemctl", "--user", "is-active", _gw_svc],
-            capture_output=True,
-            text=True
-        )
-        is_active = result.stdout.strip() == "active"
+        try:
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                ["systemctl", "--user", "is-active", _gw_svc],
+                capture_output=True,
+                text=True,
+                timeout=5
+            )
+            is_active = result.stdout.strip() == "active"
+        except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+            is_active = False
         print(f"  Status:       {check_mark(is_active)} {'running' if is_active else 'stopped'}")
         print("  Manager:      systemd (user)")
         
     elif sys.platform == 'darwin':
         from hermes_cli.gateway import get_launchd_label
-        result = subprocess.run(
-            ["launchctl", "list", get_launchd_label()],
-            capture_output=True,
-            text=True
-        )
-        is_loaded = result.returncode == 0
+        try:
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                ["launchctl", "list", get_launchd_label()],
+                capture_output=True,
+                text=True,
+                timeout=5
+            )
+            is_loaded = result.returncode == 0
+        except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+            is_loaded = False
         print(f"  Status:       {check_mark(is_loaded)} {'loaded' if is_loaded else 'not loaded'}")
         print("  Manager:      launchd")
     else:

hermes_cli/tools_config.py

@@ -273,6 +273,16 @@ TOOL_CATEGORIES = {
                 "browser_provider": "browser-use",
                 "post_setup": "browserbase",
             },
+            {
+                "name": "Camofox",
+                "tag": "Local anti-detection browser (Firefox/Camoufox)",
+                "env_vars": [
+                    {"key": "CAMOFOX_URL", "prompt": "Camofox server URL", "default": "http://localhost:9377",
+                     "url": "https://github.com/jo-inc/camofox-browser"},
+                ],
+                "browser_provider": "camofox",
+                "post_setup": "camofox",
+            },
         ],
     },
     "homeassistant": {
@@ -337,6 +347,28 @@ def _run_post_setup(post_setup_key: str):
         elif not node_modules.exists():
             _print_warning("    Node.js not found - browser tools require: npm install (in hermes-agent directory)")
 
+    elif post_setup_key == "camofox":
+        camofox_dir = PROJECT_ROOT / "node_modules" / "@askjo" / "camoufox-browser"
+        if not camofox_dir.exists() and shutil.which("npm"):
+            _print_info("    Installing Camofox browser server...")
+            import subprocess
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                ["npm", "install", "--silent"],
+                capture_output=True, text=True, cwd=str(PROJECT_ROOT)
+            )
+            if result.returncode == 0:
+                _print_success("    Camofox installed")
+            else:
+                _print_warning("    npm install failed - run manually: npm install")
+        if camofox_dir.exists():
+            _print_info("    Start the Camofox server:")
+            _print_info("      npx @askjo/camoufox-browser")
+            _print_info("    First run downloads the Camoufox engine (~300MB)")
+            _print_info("    Or use Docker: docker run -p 9377:9377 jo-inc/camofox-browser")
+        elif not shutil.which("npm"):
+            _print_warning("    Node.js not found. Install Camofox via Docker:")
+            _print_info("      docker run -p 9377:9377 jo-inc/camofox-browser")
+
     elif post_setup_key == "rl_training":
         try:
             __import__("tinker_atropos")
@@ -565,7 +597,9 @@ def _toolset_has_keys(ts_key: str) -> bool:
     if cat:
         for provider in cat.get("providers", []):
             env_vars = provider.get("env_vars", [])
-            if env_vars and all(get_env_value(e["key"]) for e in env_vars):
+            if not env_vars:
+                return True  # No-key provider (e.g. Local Browser, Edge TTS)
+            if all(get_env_value(e["key"]) for e in env_vars):
                 return True
         return False
 

honcho_integration/cli.py

@@ -10,16 +10,27 @@ import os
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
+from hermes_constants import get_hermes_home
 from honcho_integration.client import resolve_config_path, GLOBAL_CONFIG_PATH
 
 HOST = "hermes"
 
 
 def _config_path() -> Path:
-    """Return the active Honcho config path (instance-local or global)."""
+    """Return the active Honcho config path for reading (instance-local or global)."""
     return resolve_config_path()
 
 
+def _local_config_path() -> Path:
+    """Return the instance-local Honcho config path for writing.
+
+    Always returns $HERMES_HOME/honcho.json so each profile/instance gets
+    its own config file.  The global ~/.honcho/config.json is only used as
+    a read fallback (via resolve_config_path) for cross-app interop.
+    """
+    return get_hermes_home() / "honcho.json"
+
+
 def _read_config() -> dict:
     path = _config_path()
     if path.exists():
@@ -31,7 +42,7 @@ def _read_config() -> dict:
 
 
 def _write_config(cfg: dict, path: Path | None = None) -> None:
-    path = path or _config_path()
+    path = path or _local_config_path()
     path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     path.write_text(
         json.dumps(cfg, indent=2, ensure_ascii=False) + "\n",
@@ -95,13 +106,13 @@ def cmd_setup(args) -> None:
     """Interactive Honcho setup wizard."""
     cfg = _read_config()
 
-    active_path = _config_path()
+    write_path = _local_config_path()
+    read_path = _config_path()
     print("\nHoncho memory setup\n" + "─" * 40)
     print("  Honcho gives Hermes persistent cross-session memory.")
-    if active_path != GLOBAL_CONFIG_PATH:
-        print(f"  Instance config: {active_path}")
-    else:
-        print("  Config is shared with other hosts at ~/.honcho/config.json")
+    print(f"  Config: {write_path}")
+    if read_path != write_path and read_path.exists():
+        print(f"  (seeding from existing config at {read_path})")
     print()
 
     if not _ensure_sdk_installed():
@@ -189,7 +200,7 @@ def cmd_setup(args) -> None:
     hermes_host.setdefault("saveMessages", True)
 
     _write_config(cfg)
-    print(f"\n  Config written to {active_path}")
+    print(f"\n  Config written to {write_path}")
 
     # Test connection
     print("  Testing connection... ", end="", flush=True)
@@ -237,6 +248,7 @@ def cmd_status(args) -> None:
     cfg = _read_config()
 
     active_path = _config_path()
+    write_path = _local_config_path()
 
     if not cfg:
         print(f"  No Honcho config found at {active_path}")
@@ -259,6 +271,8 @@ def cmd_status(args) -> None:
     print(f"  Workspace:      {hcfg.workspace_id}")
     print(f"  Host:           {hcfg.host}")
     print(f"  Config path:    {active_path}")
+    if write_path != active_path:
+        print(f"  Write path:     {write_path}  (instance-local)")
     print(f"  AI peer:        {hcfg.ai_peer}")
     print(f"  User peer:      {hcfg.peer_name or 'not set'}")
     print(f"  Session key:    {hcfg.resolve_session_name()}")

model_tools.py

@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ def _discover_tools():
         "tools.tts_tool",
         "tools.todo_tool",
         "tools.memory_tool",
+        "tools.secrets_tool",
         "tools.session_search_tool",
         "tools.clarify_tool",
         "tools.code_execution_tool",

package.json

@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/NousResearch/Hermes-Agent#readme",
   "dependencies": {
-    "agent-browser": "^0.13.0"
+    "agent-browser": "^0.13.0",
+    "@askjo/camoufox-browser": "^1.0.0"
   },
   "engines": {
     "node": ">=18.0.0"

run_agent.py

@@ -5221,11 +5221,8 @@ class AIAgent:
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.warning("Session DB compression split failed — new session will NOT be indexed: %s", e)
 
-        # Reset context pressure warning and token estimate — usage drops
-        # after compaction.  Without this, the stale last_prompt_tokens from
-        # the previous API call causes the pressure calculation to stay at
-        # >1000% and spam warnings / re-trigger compression in a loop.
-        self._context_pressure_warned = False
+        # Update token estimate after compaction so pressure calculations
+        # use the post-compression count, not the stale pre-compression one.
         _compressed_est = (
             estimate_tokens_rough(new_system_prompt)
             + estimate_messages_tokens_rough(compressed)
@@ -5233,6 +5230,16 @@ class AIAgent:
         self.context_compressor.last_prompt_tokens = _compressed_est
         self.context_compressor.last_completion_tokens = 0
 
+        # Only reset the pressure warning if compression actually brought
+        # us below the warning level (85% of threshold).  When compression
+        # can't reduce enough (e.g. threshold is very low, or system prompt
+        # alone exceeds the warning level), keep the flag set to prevent
+        # spamming the user with repeated warnings every loop iteration.
+        if self.context_compressor.threshold_tokens > 0:
+            _post_progress = _compressed_est / self.context_compressor.threshold_tokens
+            if _post_progress < 0.85:
+                self._context_pressure_warned = False
+
         return compressed, new_system_prompt
 
     def _execute_tool_calls(self, assistant_message, messages: list, effective_task_id: str, api_call_count: int = 0) -> None:

scripts/install.sh

@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ print_banner() {
     echo ""
     echo -e "${MAGENTA}${BOLD}"
     echo "┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐"
-    echo "│             ⚕ Hermes Agent Installer                   │"
+    echo "│             ⚕ Hermes Agent Installer                    │"
     echo "├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤"
     echo "│  An open source AI agent by Nous Research.              │"
     echo "└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘"
@@ -699,14 +699,19 @@ install_deps() {
 
     # Install the main package in editable mode with all extras.
     # Try [all] first, fall back to base install if extras have issues.
-    if ! $UV_CMD pip install -e ".[all]" 2>/dev/null; then
+    ALL_INSTALL_LOG=$(mktemp)
+    if ! $UV_CMD pip install -e ".[all]" 2>"$ALL_INSTALL_LOG"; then
         log_warn "Full install (.[all]) failed, trying base install..."
+        log_info "Reason: $(tail -5 "$ALL_INSTALL_LOG" | head -3)"
+        rm -f "$ALL_INSTALL_LOG"
         if ! $UV_CMD pip install -e "."; then
             log_error "Package installation failed."
             log_info "Check that build tools are installed: sudo apt install build-essential python3-dev"
             log_info "Then re-run: cd $INSTALL_DIR && uv pip install -e '.[all]'"
             exit 1
         fi
+    else
+        rm -f "$ALL_INSTALL_LOG"
     fi
 
     log_success "Main package installed"
@@ -1070,7 +1075,14 @@ print_success() {
     echo ""
     echo -e "${YELLOW}⚡ Reload your shell to use 'hermes' command:${NC}"
     echo ""
-    echo "   source ~/.bashrc   # or ~/.zshrc"
+    LOGIN_SHELL="$(basename "${SHELL:-/bin/bash}")"
+    if [ "$LOGIN_SHELL" = "zsh" ]; then
+        echo "   source ~/.zshrc"
+    elif [ "$LOGIN_SHELL" = "bash" ]; then
+        echo "   source ~/.bashrc"
+    else
+        echo "   source ~/.bashrc   # or ~/.zshrc"
+    fi
     echo ""
 
     # Show Node.js warning if auto-install failed

skills/creative/ascii-video/references/composition.md

@@ -744,3 +744,149 @@ class PixelBlendStack:
             result = blend_canvas(result, canvas, mode, opacity)
         return result
 ```
+
+## Text Backdrop (Readability Mask)
+
+When placing readable text over busy multi-grid ASCII backgrounds, the text will blend into the background and become illegible. **Always apply a dark backdrop behind text regions.**
+
+The technique: compute the bounding box of all text glyphs, create a gaussian-blurred dark mask covering that area with padding, and multiply the background by `(1 - mask * darkness)` before rendering text on top.
+
+```python
+from scipy.ndimage import gaussian_filter
+
+def apply_text_backdrop(canvas, glyphs, padding=80, darkness=0.75):
+    """Darken the background behind text for readability.
+    
+    Call AFTER rendering background, BEFORE rendering text.
+    
+    Args:
+        canvas: (VH, VW, 3) uint8 background
+        glyphs: list of {"x": float, "y": float, ...} glyph positions
+        padding: pixel padding around text bounding box
+        darkness: 0.0 = no darkening, 1.0 = fully black
+    Returns:
+        darkened canvas (uint8)
+    """
+    if not glyphs:
+        return canvas
+    xs = [g['x'] for g in glyphs]
+    ys = [g['y'] for g in glyphs]
+    x0 = max(0, int(min(xs)) - padding)
+    y0 = max(0, int(min(ys)) - padding)
+    x1 = min(VW, int(max(xs)) + padding + 50)   # extra for char width
+    y1 = min(VH, int(max(ys)) + padding + 60)   # extra for char height
+    
+    # Soft dark mask with gaussian blur for feathered edges
+    mask = np.zeros((VH, VW), dtype=np.float32)
+    mask[y0:y1, x0:x1] = 1.0
+    mask = gaussian_filter(mask, sigma=padding * 0.6)
+    
+    factor = 1.0 - mask * darkness
+    return (canvas.astype(np.float32) * factor[:, :, np.newaxis]).astype(np.uint8)
+```
+
+### Usage in render pipeline
+
+Insert between background rendering and text rendering:
+
+```python
+# 1. Render background (multi-grid ASCII effects)
+bg = render_background(cfg, t)
+
+# 2. Darken behind text region
+bg = apply_text_backdrop(bg, frame_glyphs, padding=80, darkness=0.75)
+
+# 3. Render text on top (now readable against dark backdrop)
+bg = text_renderer.render(bg, frame_glyphs, color=(255, 255, 255))
+```
+
+Combine with **reverse vignette** (see shaders.md) for scenes where text is always centered — the reverse vignette provides a persistent center-dark zone, while the backdrop handles per-frame glyph positions.
+
+## External Layout Oracle Pattern
+
+For text-heavy videos where text needs to dynamically reflow around obstacles (shapes, icons, other text), use an external layout engine to pre-compute glyph positions and feed them into the Python renderer via JSON.
+
+### Architecture
+
+```
+Layout Engine (browser/Node.js)  →  layouts.json  →  Python ASCII Renderer
+         ↑                                                    ↑
+   Computes per-frame                               Reads glyph positions,
+   glyph (x,y) positions                            renders as ASCII chars
+   with obstacle-aware reflow                        with full effect pipeline
+```
+
+### JSON interchange format
+
+```json
+{
+  "meta": {
+    "canvas_width": 1080, "canvas_height": 1080,
+    "fps": 24, "total_frames": 1248,
+    "fonts": {
+      "body": {"charW": 12.04, "charH": 24, "fontSize": 20},
+      "hero": {"charW": 24.08, "charH": 48, "fontSize": 40}
+    }
+  },
+  "scenes": [
+    {
+      "id": "scene_name",
+      "start_frame": 0, "end_frame": 96,
+      "frames": {
+        "0": {
+          "glyphs": [
+            {"char": "H", "x": 287.1, "y": 400.0, "alpha": 1.0},
+            {"char": "e", "x": 311.2, "y": 400.0, "alpha": 1.0}
+          ],
+          "obstacles": [
+            {"type": "circle", "cx": 540, "cy": 540, "r": 80},
+            {"type": "rect", "x": 300, "y": 500, "w": 120, "h": 80}
+          ]
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+### When to use
+
+- Text that dynamically reflows around moving objects
+- Per-glyph animation (reveal, scatter, physics)
+- Variable typography that needs precise measurement
+- Any case where Python's Pillow text layout is insufficient
+
+### When NOT to use
+
+- Static centered text (just use PIL `draw.text()` directly)
+- Text that only fades in/out without spatial animation
+- Simple typewriter effects (handle in Python with a character counter)
+
+### Running the oracle
+
+Use Playwright to run the layout engine in a headless browser:
+
+```javascript
+// extract.mjs
+import { chromium } from 'playwright';
+const browser = await chromium.launch({ headless: true });
+const page = await browser.newPage();
+await page.goto(`file://${oraclePath}`);
+await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__ORACLE_DONE__ === true, null, { timeout: 60000 });
+const result = await page.evaluate(() => window.__ORACLE_RESULT__);
+writeFileSync('layouts.json', JSON.stringify(result));
+await browser.close();
+```
+
+### Consuming in Python
+
+```python
+# In the renderer, map pixel positions to the canvas:
+for glyph in frame_data['glyphs']:
+    char, px, py = glyph['char'], glyph['x'], glyph['y']
+    alpha = glyph.get('alpha', 1.0)
+    # Render using PIL draw.text() at exact pixel position
+    draw.text((px, py), char, fill=(int(255*alpha),)*3, font=font)
+```
+
+Obstacles from the JSON can also be rendered as glowing ASCII shapes (circles, rectangles) to visualize the reflow zones.

skills/creative/ascii-video/references/shaders.md

@@ -834,6 +834,39 @@ def sh_vignette(c, s=0.22):
     return np.clip(c * _vig_cache[k][:,:,None], 0, 255).astype(np.uint8)
 ```
 
+#### Reverse Vignette
+
+Inverted vignette: darkens the **center** and leaves edges bright. Useful when text is centered over busy backgrounds — creates a natural dark zone for readability without a hard-edged box.
+
+Combine with `apply_text_backdrop()` (see composition.md) for per-frame glyph-aware darkening.
+
+```python
+_rvignette_cache = {}
+
+def sh_reverse_vignette(c, strength=0.5):
+    """Center darkening, edge brightening. Cached."""
+    k = ('rv', c.shape[0], c.shape[1], round(strength, 2))
+    if k not in _rvignette_cache:
+        h, w = c.shape[:2]
+        Y = np.linspace(-1, 1, h)[:, None]
+        X = np.linspace(-1, 1, w)[None, :]
+        d = np.sqrt(X**2 + Y**2)
+        # Invert: bright at edges, dark at center
+        mask = np.clip(1.0 - (1.0 - d * 0.7) * strength, 0.2, 1.0)
+        _rvignette_cache[k] = mask[:, :, np.newaxis].astype(np.float32)
+    return np.clip(c.astype(np.float32) * _rvignette_cache[k], 0, 255).astype(np.uint8)
+```
+
+| Param | Default | Effect |
+|-------|---------|--------|
+| `strength` | 0.5 | 0 = no effect, 1.0 = center nearly black |
+
+Add to ShaderChain dispatch:
+```python
+elif name == "reverse_vignette":
+    return sh_reverse_vignette(canvas, kwargs.get("strength", 0.5))
+```
+
 #### Contrast
 ```python
 def sh_contrast(c, factor=1.3):

skills/creative/ascii-video/references/troubleshooting.md

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 | Random dark holes in output | Font missing Unicode glyphs | Validate palettes at init |
 | Audio-visual desync | Frame timing accumulation | Use integer frame counter, compute t fresh each frame |
 | Single-color flat output | Hue field shape mismatch | Ensure h,s,v arrays all (rows,cols) before hsv2rgb |
+| Text unreadable over busy bg | No contrast between text and background | Use `apply_text_backdrop()` (composition.md) + `reverse_vignette` shader (shaders.md) |
+| Text garbled/mirrored | Kaleidoscope or mirror shader applied to text scene | **Never apply kaleidoscope, mirror_h/v/quad/diag to scenes with readable text** — radial folding destroys legibility. Apply these only to background layers or text-free scenes |
 
 Common bugs, gotchas, and platform-specific issues encountered during ASCII video development.
 

tests/agent/test_redact.py

@@ -52,6 +52,21 @@ class TestKnownPrefixes:
         result = redact_sensitive_text("fal_abc123def456ghi789jkl")
         assert "abc123def456" not in result
 
+    def test_twilio_account_sid(self):
+        sid = "AC" + ("1" * 16) + ("a" * 16)
+        result = redact_sensitive_text(sid)
+        assert sid not in result
+
+    def test_twilio_auth_token_bare(self):
+        token = ("0" * 16) + ("a" * 16)
+        result = redact_sensitive_text(token)
+        assert token not in result
+
+    def test_jwt_bare(self):
+        jwt = "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJhIjoiYiIsImMiOiJkIiwicm9sZSI6ImFkbWluIn0.c2lnbmF0dXJlMTIzNDU2Nzg5MGFiY2RlZg"
+        result = redact_sensitive_text(jwt)
+        assert "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9" not in result
+
     def test_short_token_fully_masked(self):
         result = redact_sensitive_text("key=sk-short1234567")
         assert "***" in result

tests/agent/test_skill_commands.py

@@ -207,6 +207,46 @@ Generate some audio.
         assert len(calls) == 1
         assert calls[0][0] == "TENOR_API_KEY"
 
+    def test_requires_secrets_alias_triggers_secure_capture(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.delenv("TENOR_API_KEY", raising=False)
+        calls = []
+
+        def fake_secret_callback(var_name, prompt, metadata=None):
+            calls.append((var_name, prompt, metadata))
+            os.environ[var_name] = "stored-in-test"
+            return {
+                "success": True,
+                "stored_as": var_name,
+                "validated": False,
+                "skipped": False,
+            }
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            skills_tool_module,
+            "_secret_capture_callback",
+            fake_secret_callback,
+            raising=False,
+        )
+
+        with patch("tools.skills_tool.SKILLS_DIR", tmp_path):
+            _make_skill(
+                tmp_path,
+                "test-skill",
+                frontmatter_extra=(
+                    "requires_secrets:\n"
+                    "  - key: TENOR_API_KEY\n"
+                    "    description: Tenor API key\n"
+                    "    instructions: Find it in the Tenor dashboard\n"
+                ),
+            )
+            scan_skill_commands()
+            msg = build_skill_invocation_message("/test-skill", "do stuff")
+
+        assert msg is not None
+        assert len(calls) == 1
+        assert calls[0][0] == "TENOR_API_KEY"
+        assert "tenor" in (calls[0][2].get("required_for", "") or "").lower()
+
     def test_gateway_still_loads_skill_but_returns_setup_guidance(
         self, tmp_path, monkeypatch
     ):

tests/gateway/test_session_hygiene.py

@@ -212,6 +212,49 @@ class TestSessionHygieneWarnThreshold:
         assert post_compress_tokens < warn_threshold
 
 
+class TestCompressionWarnRateLimit:
+    """Compression warning messages must be rate-limited per chat_id."""
+
+    def _make_runner(self):
+        from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+        with patch("gateway.run.load_gateway_config"), \
+             patch("gateway.run.SessionStore"), \
+             patch("gateway.run.DeliveryRouter"):
+            from gateway.run import GatewayRunner
+            runner = GatewayRunner.__new__(GatewayRunner)
+            runner._compression_warn_sent = {}
+            runner._compression_warn_cooldown = 3600
+            return runner
+
+    def test_first_warn_is_sent(self):
+        runner = self._make_runner()
+        now = 1_000_000.0
+        last = runner._compression_warn_sent.get("chat:1", 0)
+        assert now - last >= runner._compression_warn_cooldown
+
+    def test_second_warn_suppressed_within_cooldown(self):
+        runner = self._make_runner()
+        now = 1_000_000.0
+        runner._compression_warn_sent["chat:1"] = now - 60  # 1 minute ago
+        last = runner._compression_warn_sent.get("chat:1", 0)
+        assert now - last < runner._compression_warn_cooldown
+
+    def test_warn_allowed_after_cooldown(self):
+        runner = self._make_runner()
+        now = 1_000_000.0
+        runner._compression_warn_sent["chat:1"] = now - 3601  # just past cooldown
+        last = runner._compression_warn_sent.get("chat:1", 0)
+        assert now - last >= runner._compression_warn_cooldown
+
+    def test_rate_limit_is_per_chat(self):
+        """Rate-limiting one chat must not suppress warnings for another."""
+        runner = self._make_runner()
+        now = 1_000_000.0
+        runner._compression_warn_sent["chat:1"] = now - 60  # suppressed
+        last_other = runner._compression_warn_sent.get("chat:2", 0)
+        assert now - last_other >= runner._compression_warn_cooldown
+
+
 class TestEstimatedTokenThreshold:
     """Verify that hygiene thresholds are always below the model's context
     limit — for both actual and estimated token counts.

tests/gateway/test_unauthorized_dm_behavior.py

@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ def _make_runner(platform: Platform, config: GatewayConfig):
     runner.adapters = {platform: adapter}
     runner.pairing_store = MagicMock()
     runner.pairing_store.is_approved.return_value = False
+    runner.pairing_store._is_rate_limited.return_value = False
     return runner, adapter
 
 
@@ -142,6 +143,56 @@ async def test_unauthorized_whatsapp_dm_can_be_ignored(monkeypatch):
     adapter.send.assert_not_awaited()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_rate_limited_user_gets_no_response(monkeypatch):
+    """When a user is already rate-limited, pairing messages are silently ignored."""
+    _clear_auth_env(monkeypatch)
+    config = GatewayConfig(
+        platforms={Platform.WHATSAPP: PlatformConfig(enabled=True)},
+    )
+    runner, adapter = _make_runner(Platform.WHATSAPP, config)
+    runner.pairing_store._is_rate_limited.return_value = True
+
+    result = await runner._handle_message(
+        _make_event(
+            Platform.WHATSAPP,
+            "15551234567@s.whatsapp.net",
+            "15551234567@s.whatsapp.net",
+        )
+    )
+
+    assert result is None
+    runner.pairing_store.generate_code.assert_not_called()
+    adapter.send.assert_not_awaited()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_rejection_message_records_rate_limit(monkeypatch):
+    """After sending a 'too many requests' rejection, rate limit is recorded
+    so subsequent messages are silently ignored."""
+    _clear_auth_env(monkeypatch)
+    config = GatewayConfig(
+        platforms={Platform.WHATSAPP: PlatformConfig(enabled=True)},
+    )
+    runner, adapter = _make_runner(Platform.WHATSAPP, config)
+    runner.pairing_store.generate_code.return_value = None  # triggers rejection
+
+    result = await runner._handle_message(
+        _make_event(
+            Platform.WHATSAPP,
+            "15551234567@s.whatsapp.net",
+            "15551234567@s.whatsapp.net",
+        )
+    )
+
+    assert result is None
+    adapter.send.assert_awaited_once()
+    assert "Too many" in adapter.send.await_args.args[1]
+    runner.pairing_store._record_rate_limit.assert_called_once_with(
+        "whatsapp", "15551234567@s.whatsapp.net"
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_global_ignore_suppresses_pairing_reply(monkeypatch):
     _clear_auth_env(monkeypatch)