macOS app
The macOS app is the recommended Elephant Agent surface. It keeps the daily conversation and the inspection surfaces in one local workspace instead of forcing you to switch between a chat window, config files, and a separate dashboard. The long-term product shape is Mother in chat, Paths for ongoing life and work arcs, and inspectable settings for the model and runtime posture.
What the app owns
| Area | Use it for | Product boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Start from what Mother understands and what is alive now. | The person comes before any Step or delegation. |
| Chat / Wake | Talk to Mother and continue the same elephant. | New work should resume from the same path, not a blank prompt. |
| Paths | See ongoing directions, Steps, Flow state, and Checkpoints. | A Path can be work, health, learning, habits, recovery, or any long-running arc. |
| Learning Summaries | Review what each completed Step did, why, how, and what should be learned. | The human can check understanding before the loop closes. |
| Personal Model / You | Inspect Identity, World, Pulse, and Journey claims. | Claims stay correctable and evidence-backed. |
| Herd | Manage Mother and baby elephants. | Babies do bounded work; Mother keeps the Path coherent. |
| Skills | Inspect and enable workflow packages. | Skills help Mother and the Herd move Steps. |
| Messaging | Configure IM surfaces when you want them. | Messaging extends one elephant; it does not create a second memory. |
| Calendar / Reminders | Keep routines, reminders, and scheduled Path work visible. | Recurring work should remain inspectable and pausable. |
| Usage | Review token flow and runtime cost. | Usage is a ledger, not a quality score. |
| Settings | Choose providers, tools, advanced runtime posture, and app preferences. | Advanced controls stay visible without becoming the product center. |
When to use the CLI instead
Use CLI + Dashboard when you are on Linux, cloud, SSH, or a terminal-first workflow. The CLI path is fully supported, but it is not the default product shape for a macOS user who wants one local workspace.
| Need | Better surface |
|---|---|
| Full local desktop workspace | macOS app |
| Remote Linux or cloud machine | CLI + Dashboard |
| SSH-only machine | CLI + elephant dashboard --no-open |
| Scripted setup or automation | CLI |
Daily loop
- Open the app.
- Check Home if you need orientation.
- Use Chat / Wake for the actual conversation.
- Use Paths when a direction needs Steps, Flow state, or Checkpoints.
- When a baby completes a Step, read the Learning Summary and check that you understand what happened before the loop closes.
- Inspect or correct Personal Model claims when something feels stale.
- Adjust providers, skills, tools, messaging, reminders, and usage from visible app surfaces instead of hiding them in prompt text.
The app and CLI both operate on local Elephant Agent state. They are two surfaces over the same Personal Model, herd, episodes, and runtime posture.