Configuration and COVEN_HOME
Daemon configuration reference for COVEN_HOME, coven.sock, coven.sqlite3, daemon.json, and the current supported knobs.
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Coven's daemon configuration surface is deliberately small. The important knob is COVEN_HOME, the state directory that contains the local socket, ledger, event log, and daemon metadata.
Default layout
If COVEN_HOME is not set, Coven uses:
$HOME/.covenThe daemon expects this layout:
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
$COVEN_HOME/coven.sock | Unix socket for same-user local API access. |
$COVEN_HOME/coven.sqlite3 | SQLite ledger for sessions and append-only events. |
$COVEN_HOME/daemon.json | Daemon metadata such as pid, start time, and socket path. |
Do not commit this directory. It can contain prompts, model output, local paths, and operational metadata.
Relocate daemon state
Set COVEN_HOME before starting or restarting the daemon:
export COVEN_HOME="$HOME/.local/share/coven"
coven daemon restartAfter restart, confirm the selected socket and API contract:
coven daemon statusScripts that call the socket should derive the socket path from the same environment:
curl --unix-socket "$COVEN_HOME/coven.sock" \
http://localhost/api/v1/healthCurrent supported knobs
Supported today:
| Name | Scope |
|---|---|
COVEN_HOME | Moves daemon state, socket, ledger, and metadata. |
Not supported as daemon configuration yet:
| Name | Current posture |
|---|---|
coven.toml | Do not rely on it for daemon startup behavior. |
COVEN_SOCKET | The socket path is derived from COVEN_HOME. |
COVEN_LOG_LEVEL | Not a stable daemon configuration contract. |
COVEN_DAEMON_FOREGROUND | Not a stable daemon configuration contract. |
Those names may appear in future design discussions, but clients and operators should not depend on them until the Rust daemon documents support.
File permissions
The local trust boundary depends on filesystem permissions around $COVEN_HOME and coven.sock. The daemon should keep state private to the owning user. If another user can read or write the socket, that user can act as a local Coven client.
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