Customize the default config with firma config

firma run works out of the box with no prior setup: it auto-scaffolds a default config the first time it runs in a directory. firma config lets you override those defaults — posture, mappings, authority mode, workspace path, and more. Run it when you want control over what firma run uses, or to update an existing config.

Usage shapes

firma config                          # interactive wizard
firma config --yes                    # non-interactive defaults
firma config --output-dir .local      # specific output directory
firma config --yes --mode agent-local \
  --name codex --posture dev \
  --mapping anthropic                 # scripted full setup

Config lands in .firma/ inside the current directory, or an explicit --output-dir:

Form	Destination
(default)	`.firma/` in current directory
`--output-dir <path>`	`<path>` verbatim

Modes

Mode	What it scaffolds
`agent-local`	Sidecar + co-located mini-authority (`[authority]` + `[sidecar.authority]`)
`agent-remote`	Sidecar only, pointing at an existing authority (`[sidecar.authority]`)
`authority`	Standalone authority server — no sidecar config

Flags

firma config [--mode <mode>]
             [--name <name>] [--posture <posture>] [--mapping <mapping>]
             [--requested-action <action>] [--extra-hosts <hosts>]
             [--workspace <dir>] [--output-dir <dir>] [--state-dir <dir>]
             [--authority-url <url>] [--authority-ca-cert <path>]
             [--authority-pub-key <path>] [--authority-listen <addr>]
             [--yes] [--force] [--dry-run] [--list-templates]

Flag	Default	Description
`--mode`	wizard / `agent-local`	What to configure: `agent-local`, `agent-remote`, or `authority`
`--name` / `-n`	wizard / `my-agent`	Agent slug — written as `agent_id` in `[sidecar.preflight]`
`--posture`	wizard / `dev`	Cedar policy posture written under `policies/`
`--mapping`	wizard / `anthropic`	Mapping file(s) to include — repeat for multiple
`--requested-action`	derived from posture	Preflight requested actions — repeat or comma-separate
`--extra-hosts`	none	Comma-separated extra hosts the agent may reach
`--workspace`	CWD	Agent RW path written to `firma.toml` `[run.profiles.generic]` bwrap mount
`--output-dir` / `-o`	`.firma` in CWD	Where `firma.toml`, policies, and mappings are written
`--state-dir`	`$FIRMA_STATE_DIR` / XDG	Keys, revocations, generated CA
`--authority-listen`	`127.0.0.1:50051`	gRPC listen address (`agent-local` / `authority` modes only)
`--authority-url`	wizard prompt	Authority URL for `agent-remote` mode
`--authority-ca-cert`	wizard prompt	Authority CA cert PEM path for `agent-remote` mode
`--authority-pub-key`	derived from state dir	Authority public key path
`--yes` / `-y`	off	Skip all prompts; use existing values or flag defaults
`--force`	off	Overwrite existing files including the authority keypair
`--dry-run`	off	Print generated files to stdout without writing to disk
`--list-templates`	off	Print the posture × mapping catalogue and exit

An explicit --posture rewrites the selected policies/<posture>.cedar file even without --force; other existing generated files are still preserved unless --force is set.

Re-running on an existing config

When firma config finds firma.toml in the target directory, it reads the current values and uses them as defaults for every prompt and non-interactive run. Pass only the flags you want to change; everything else is preserved.

Changing an existing local-authority config to --mode agent-remote normally removes the top-level [authority] section from the generated firma.toml; otherwise firma run starts the Authority locally instead of using only the remote Authority. Non-force runs warn about that. Interactive runs ask whether to keep the section and use that answer to rewrite firma.toml; non-interactive non-force runs preserve the existing file. --force overwrites the config directly and removes the section.

# Keep everything, just rename the agent
firma config --yes --name new-agent

# Preview what would change without writing
firma config --yes --dry-run

Scaffolded layout

<output-dir>/                    # project-local config dir
  firma.toml                    # unified config (authority + sidecar + run profiles)
  mapping-rules.toml            # base routing rules
  mappings/<name>.toml          # one file per selected mapping
  policies/<posture>.cedar      # Cedar enforcement policy
  issuance-policies/
    issuance.cedar              # token issuance policy

<state-dir>/                     # user-global state (XDG default)
  authority.key                 # Ed25519 signing key — never commit
  authority.pub                 # matching public key
  audit.key                     # audit signing key
  revocations.txt               # empty revocations list
  tls/                          # self-signed TLS material
  generated-firma-ca/           # populated by sidecar on first start

Generated `firma.toml` structure

agent-local emits both sections. agent-remote emits only the [sidecar.authority] connect block. authority mode emits only [authority].

[authority]                   # agent-local and authority modes
listen_addr   = "127.0.0.1:50051"
key_file      = "/path/to/state/authority.key"
# ...

[sidecar.authority]           # agent-local and agent-remote modes
url             = "http://127.0.0.1:50051"
ca_cert_path    = "/path/to/state/tls/authority-ca.crt"
public_key_path = "/path/to/state/authority.pub"
# ... plus connect_timeout_secs / reconnect_* / revocation_* tuning

# Uncomment for remote Authorities that require Sidecar PSK authentication.
# [sidecar.authority.credentials]
# workspace_id = "ws-acme"
# sidecar_id = "sc-eu-1"
# pre_shared_key_env = "FIRMA_SIDECAR_PSK"

[sidecar.preflight]
agent_id          = "my-agent"
requested_actions = ["credential.read", "code.read", ...]

Implicit init on `firma run`

firma run checks for a discoverable firma.toml at launch. If none is found, it scaffolds one with non-interactive defaults and proceeds. This keeps firma run codex working from a fresh clone without any prior setup.

Common gotchas

Wizard refuses to run in CI. firma config without --yes requires a TTY. Pass --yes in non-interactive contexts.

firma.toml already exists. By design, existing files are preserved. Use --force to overwrite, or remove the file by hand for a clean slate.

Keys must not go in the config dir. Keys live in <state-dir>, not <output-dir>. Do not commit authority.key. Add .firma/*.key to .gitignore.