Configuration¶
All configuration lives in a single .env file at the repo root. A commented template is provided at .env.example — copy it and fill in your values.
Security rule
.env is gitignored. Never commit it, paste it into a commit message, or include secrets in documentation. This is a governance requirement — not a suggestion.
Viewing the template¶
The most accurate and up-to-date reference for every available variable is the .env.example file in the repository. Every variable has an inline comment explaining what it does and when it is required.
Variable categories¶
The .env file is organized into sections:
Runtime¶
Variables that control how AEGIS connects to its runtime(s). The Odysseus connection URL is only needed if you run Odysseus as one of your engines — since Phase 3, AEGIS starts and runs without it.
Cognitive engines¶
API keys for cloud AI engines. You only need the keys for engines you intend to use — AEGIS will score and skip engines it cannot access.
| Variable | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY |
Optional | Enables the Anthropic adapter |
OPENAI_API_KEY |
Optional | Enables the OpenAI adapter |
| Ollama requires no key | — | Configured by host/port |
AEGIS will run without any cloud API keys if you have Ollama or Odysseus available locally.
Memory¶
Controls where and how AEGIS persists memory data.
Logging¶
Log level and output format. Defaults are sensible; you generally don't need to touch these until you're debugging.
After editing .env¶
Restart AEGIS for changes to take effect. There is no hot-reload for environment variables.