# Alto Configure

> Use when configuring ALTO settings including arbiter thresholds, permissions, or verification hooks. Applies during setup orchestrator "Configure ALTO" selection, build orchestrator checkpoints, or when user requests configuration changes.

- Skill: `majiayu000/alto-configure` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add majiayu000/alto-configure`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/majiayu000/alto-configure/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: majiayu000 (https://skillmd.com/u/majiayu000)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/majiayu000/alto-configure

---


# ALTO Configuration

Shared configuration procedures for setup and build orchestrators.

## Arbiter Thresholds

Use `AskUserQuestion`:
- Header: "Autonomy"
- Question: "How much autonomy should ALTO have before checkpoints?"
- Options:
  1. Label: "Conservative", Description: "500 lines, 20 files, checkpoint every 2 tasks"
  2. Label: "Balanced (Recommended)", Description: "2000 lines, 50 files, checkpoint every 3 tasks"
  3. Label: "Autonomous", Description: "5000 lines, 100 files, checkpoint every 5 tasks"

**After user answers**, write `runs/arbiter/config.json`:

| Selection | max_lines | max_files | task_interval |
|-----------|-----------|-----------|---------------|
| Conservative | 500 | 20 | 2 |
| Balanced | 2000 | 50 | 3 |
| Autonomous | 5000 | 100 | 5 |

## Permissions

Use `AskUserQuestion`:
- Header: "Permissions"
- Question: "What permission level for bash commands?"
- Options:
  1. Label: "Supervised (Recommended)", Description: "Prompt for git, npm, docker"
  2. Label: "Autonomous", Description: "Auto-approve most commands"
  3. Label: "Locked", Description: "Prompt for everything"

If NOT "Supervised": Tell user to update `devenv.nix`:
```nix
alto.permissions.profile = "autonomous";  # or "locked"
```
Then `alto-restart`. (Permissions require Nix change - orchestrator cannot modify at runtime.)

## Verification (Existing Projects Only)

Read `runs/verification-config.json`, display current config, then use `AskUserQuestion`:
- Header: "Verification"
- Question: "How would you like to adjust verification?"
- Options:
  1. Label: "Keep current", Description: "No changes"
  2. Label: "Add pattern", Description: "Add verification for new file type"
  3. Label: "Edit command", Description: "Change existing command"
  4. Label: "Remove pattern", Description: "Remove file type verification"

**Orchestrator writes** the JSON file after user answers.

## New Projects

Skip verification. Say: "Verification starts empty. QA agent configures it when tooling is set up."

## Key Rules

1. Orchestrator writes JSON files - never ask user to edit JSON manually
2. Orchestrator confirms changes after writing
3. Only permissions require user edit (devenv.nix + alto-restart)