docs(cli): fix loop init flag example

`micro loop init` writes an autonomous improvement loop into any repository —
the same planner/builder/triage loop that maintains go-micro, generalized:

- planner (loop-planner.yml): keeps a ranked queue in .github/loop/PRIORITIES.md
- builder (loop-builder.yml): builds the top open item as a single-concern PR,
  auto-merged on green CI
- triage (loop-triage.yml): turns CI failures into scoped fix issues

plus .github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md (direction) and PRIORITIES.md (queue).

The agent adapter is mention-based, not hardcoded to Codex: `--agent @codex`
(or any @mention agent that responds on an issue and can run gh), `--token-secret`,
`--branch`, `--ci-workflow`, and cron flags are the whole config-vs-core boundary.
Templates use << >> delimiters so GitHub Actions' own ${{ }} expressions pass
through untouched. `micro loop verify` checks the wiring and flags the two things
the CLI can't: the token secret and branch protection (the green-CI gate).

Built inside go-micro with the config/core split already drawn, so the workflows
can later be extracted to a standalone reusable-workflows repo without a rewrite.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01CmdEY7pYmV5zzwCjNJ4ykL

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md

@@ -48,4 +48,4 @@ Add any other context about the problem here.
 - [Troubleshooting Guide](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/internal/website/docs/getting-started.md)
 - [Examples](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples)
 - [API Reference](https://pkg.go.dev/go-micro.dev/v5)
-- [Discord Community](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD)
+- [Discord Community](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr)

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md

@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ Add any other context, code examples, or screenshots about the feature request h
 - [Roadmap](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/blob/master/ROADMAP.md)
 - [Contributing Guide](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md)
 - [Architecture Docs](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/internal/website/docs/architecture.md)
-- [Discord Community](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD)
+- [Discord Community](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr)

.github/workflows/devrel-review.yml

@@ -1,47 +0,0 @@
-name: DevRel Review
-
-# Daily higher-altitude coherence pass over the PUBLIC surface — README,
-# website (landing + docs), and blog — part of the autonomous loop
-# (internal/docs/CONTINUOUS_IMPROVEMENT.md). The hourly increment loop ships
-# code; this keeps the story coherent: docs/website aligned, README crisp, and
-# a steady supply of things worth blogging about.
-#
-# Like the increment loop it opens a fresh issue and dispatches Codex via
-# CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN (Codex ignores Actions-bot comments). Autonomy boundary:
-# SAFE factual-alignment and crispness fixes auto-merge; brand/positioning copy
-# and blog drafts are surfaced in the report for the human, never auto-merged.
-
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch: {}
-  schedule:
-    - cron: "0 7 * * *" # daily, 07:00 UTC (tunable)
-
-permissions:
-  issues: write
-
-concurrency:
-  group: devrel-review
-  cancel-in-progress: false
-
-jobs:
-  dispatch:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Open a DevRel review issue and dispatch Codex
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN || github.token }}
-          HAS_TRIGGER_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN != '' }}
-          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
-          RUN_NUMBER: ${{ github.run_number }}
-        run: |
-          if [ "$HAS_TRIGGER_TOKEN" != "true" ]; then
-            echo "CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN is not set — skipping (Codex ignores Actions-bot comments)."
-            exit 0
-          fi
-          ISSUE_URL=$(gh issue create --repo "$REPO" \
-            --title "DevRel coherence review #$RUN_NUMBER" \
-            --body "Daily DevRel / coherence pass over README, website (landing + docs), and the blog. North Star: internal/docs/THESIS.md.")
-          ISSUE_NUM="${ISSUE_URL##*/}"
-          echo "Opened issue #$ISSUE_NUM — dispatching Codex (DevRel)."
-          gh issue comment "$ISSUE_NUM" --repo "$REPO" --body \
-          "@codex Act as DevRel for go-micro. Audit the PUBLIC surface — \`README.md\`, \`internal/website/\` (landing \`index.html\` + \`docs/\`), and the blog under \`internal/website/blog/\` — for coherence with the North Star in internal/docs/THESIS.md (an agent harness and service framework; the services → agents → workflows lifecycle). Look for: (1) places where README / website / docs contradict each other, are stale, or describe behavior that has since changed (cross-check against the code and recent merged PRs / CHANGELOG.md); (2) whether the README is crisp and leads with the harness positioning; (3) one to three genuinely blog-worthy items from recently shipped work. Then do BOTH of these: (A) post a concise findings report as a comment on this issue (#$ISSUE_NUM) — what is aligned, what drifted, what you fixed, and the blog ideas; (B) for SAFE factual-alignment and crispness fixes only (NOT brand/marketing/positioning rewrites), open one PR: \`git switch -c codex/devrel-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`git push -u origin codex/devrel-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`gh pr create --base master --label codex --title \"<title>\" --body \"<summary, including 'Closes #$ISSUE_NUM'>\"\`, then \`gh pr merge --squash --auto --delete-branch\`. Leave brand/positioning copy and blog drafts for the human — describe them in the report, do NOT open auto-merging PRs for them. Do not use the make_pr tool (it is a no-op stub). If you touch code, verify go build/test/golangci-lint. Stay out of breaking public-API changes."

.github/workflows/harness.yml

@@ -12,8 +12,22 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches: ["**"]
   schedule:
-    - cron: "17 6 * * *" # daily, so the world is exercised even without changes
+    - cron: "17 * * * *" # hourly, so real-model conformance keeps pace with the dev/loop velocity
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      providers:
+        description: "Comma-separated providers for live conformance (default: all supported)"
+        required: false
+        default: "anthropic,openai,gemini,groq,mistral,together,atlascloud"
+      harnesses:
+        description: "Comma-separated harnesses for live conformance"
+        required: false
+        default: "agent,universe,agent-flow,plan-delegate,a2a-stream-fallback"
+      require_configured:
+        description: "Fail selected live providers that do not have repository secrets"
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
 
 jobs:
   harness:
@@ -53,11 +67,28 @@ jobs:
           MISTRAL_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.MISTRAL_API_KEY }}
           TOGETHER_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.TOGETHER_API_KEY }}
           ATLASCLOUD_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.ATLASCLOUD_API_KEY }}
+          # Atlas Cloud's default chat model was failing the agent/tool-use
+          # conformance harnesses; run it against a stronger tool-use model.
+          # Override with an Actions variable ATLASCLOUD_MODEL if the exact
+          # catalog id differs (Atlas uses org/model ids).
+          ATLASCLOUD_MODEL: ${{ vars.ATLASCLOUD_MODEL || 'minimaxai/minimax-m3' }}
         run: |
-          go run ./internal/harness/provider-conformance \
-            -summary-json provider-conformance-summary.json \
-            -summary-markdown provider-conformance-summary.md \
+          PROVIDERS="${{ github.event.inputs.providers || 'anthropic,openai,gemini,groq,mistral,together,atlascloud' }}"
+          HARNESSES="${{ github.event.inputs.harnesses || 'agent,universe,agent-flow,plan-delegate,a2a-stream-fallback' }}"
+          REQUIRE_CONFIGURED="${{ github.event.inputs.require_configured || 'false' }}"
+
+          args=(
+            -providers "$PROVIDERS"
+            -harnesses "$HARNESSES"
+            -summary-json provider-conformance-summary.json
+            -summary-markdown provider-conformance-summary.md
             -capabilities-markdown provider-capabilities.md
+          )
+          if [ "$REQUIRE_CONFIGURED" = "true" ]; then
+            args+=( -require-configured )
+          fi
+
+          go run ./internal/harness/provider-conformance "${args[@]}"
       - name: Publish provider conformance summary
         if: always()
         run: |

.github/workflows/loop-architect.yml

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Architecture Review
+name: "Loop: Architect (Planner)"
 
 # Continuous high-altitude oversight of the whole framework and harness — the
 # "founder lens" of the autonomous loop (internal/docs/CONTINUOUS_IMPROVEMENT.md).
@@ -48,4 +48,4 @@ jobs:
           ISSUE_NUM="${ISSUE_URL##*/}"
           echo "Opened issue #$ISSUE_NUM — dispatching Codex (Architect)."
           gh issue comment "$ISSUE_NUM" --repo "$REPO" --body \
-          "@codex Act as the architect — the founder lens — for go-micro, running continuously alongside the builders. Hold the whole picture: how the harness, the framework, and the developer UX fit together cohesively, what is in flight and what just merged, what to prioritize next on the roadmap, and what is missing or has drifted. Each run: (1) TRACK STATE — scan recently merged PRs and open codex PRs/issues to see what shipped and what is being built right now, so the queue reflects reality (drop done items, don't re-queue in-flight work). (2) ASSESS against the North Star in internal/docs/THESIS.md — lead with its Mission (*the problem we solve: make building an agent as easy as building a service, on one runtime*) and re-derive alignment from the CANON it names (the blog under internal/website/blog, the README, and the website — read these, don't rely on THESIS.md alone), then ROADMAP.md (Now → Next → Later). Judge every priority against the mission: does it make the services → agents → workflows lifecycle simpler, more cohesive, and more operable? Look at coherence and seams across the core packages (agent, ai, flow, gateway/mcp, gateway/a2a, model, server, store, registry), the dev inner loop (scaffold → run → chat → inspect → deploy), missing pieces, duplication/drift, and realignment. Flag drift in EITHER direction: work drifting from the mission, or the North Star/website drifting from the lived story in the blog (which needs re-grounding in the canon). (3) MAINTAIN THE QUEUE in internal/docs/PRIORITIES.md — a SINGLE ordered list, highest-value first, each item linking a scoped CI-verifiable issue (#N); roadmap phase is the primary ordering, internal findings (cohesion gaps, DX friction, missing pieces) interleaved by value. For any prioritized gap that has no issue yet, file one: \`gh issue create --label codex --label enhancement --title \"<scoped task>\" --body \"<goal, scope, acceptance criteria>\"\`. OUTPUT: post a concise assessment as a comment on this issue (#$ISSUE_NUM) — what shipped, what's in flight, the top risks/gaps/missing pieces, and the reasoning behind the ranking. If the ranking actually changed, open ONE PR for PRIORITIES.md: \`git switch -c codex/architect-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`git push -u origin codex/architect-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`gh pr create --base master --label codex --title \"<title>\" --body \"<summary, Closes #$ISSUE_NUM>\"\`, then \`gh pr merge --squash --auto --delete-branch\`. If the queue is already accurate and correctly ranked, do NOT open a PR — just close this issue (\`gh issue close $ISSUE_NUM\`). Do NOT make breaking public-API or architectural changes yourself — surface those in the assessment as notes for the human, never as auto-merged changes. Do not use the make_pr tool (it is a no-op stub)."
+          "@codex Act as the architect — the founder lens — for go-micro, running continuously alongside the builders. Hold the whole picture: how the harness, the framework, and the developer UX fit together cohesively, what is in flight and what just merged, what to prioritize next on the roadmap, and what is missing or has drifted. Each run: (1) TRACK STATE — scan recently merged PRs and open codex PRs/issues to see what shipped and what is being built right now, so the queue reflects reality (drop done items, don't re-queue in-flight work). (2) ASSESS against the North Star in internal/docs/THESIS.md — lead with its Mission (*the problem we solve: make building an agent as easy as building a service, on one runtime*) and re-derive alignment from the CANON it names (the blog under internal/website/blog, the README, and the website — read these, don't rely on THESIS.md alone), then ROADMAP.md (Now → Next → Later). Judge every priority against the mission: does it make the services → agents → workflows lifecycle simpler, more cohesive, and more operable? CURRENT GOAL — DEVELOPER ADOPTION: the framework's depth is strong but its ON-RAMP is the gap, and the strategic priority right now is developer adoption / reviving real usage. Weight the developer on-ramp and DX — a walkable first-agent tutorial, discoverable examples, docs wayfinding/nav, install friction, debugging, the 0→1 and 0→hero experience — AT LEAST as highly as internal hardening. A developer succeeding on their first agent matters more right now than another conformance/observability/interop increment; do NOT let the queue fill entirely with internal depth work — keep open adoption/on-ramp items near the top. Look at coherence and seams across the core packages (agent, ai, flow, gateway/mcp, gateway/a2a, model, server, store, registry), the dev inner loop (scaffold → run → chat → inspect → deploy), missing pieces, duplication/drift, and realignment. Flag drift in EITHER direction: work drifting from the mission, or the North Star/website drifting from the lived story in the blog (which needs re-grounding in the canon). (3) MAINTAIN THE QUEUE in internal/docs/PRIORITIES.md — a SINGLE ordered list, highest-value first, each item linking a scoped CI-verifiable issue (#N); roadmap phase is the primary ordering, internal findings (cohesion gaps, DX friction, missing pieces) interleaved by value. For any prioritized gap that has no issue yet, file one: \`gh issue create --label codex --label enhancement --title \"<scoped task>\" --body \"<goal, scope, acceptance criteria>\"\`. OUTPUT: post a concise assessment as a comment on this issue (#$ISSUE_NUM) — what shipped, what's in flight, the top risks/gaps/missing pieces, and the reasoning behind the ranking. If the ranking actually changed, open ONE PR for PRIORITIES.md: \`git switch -c codex/architect-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`git push -u origin codex/architect-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`gh pr create --base master --label codex --title \"<title>\" --body \"<summary, Closes #$ISSUE_NUM>\"\`, then \`gh pr merge --squash --auto --delete-branch\`. If the queue is already accurate and correctly ranked, do NOT open a PR — just close this issue (\`gh issue close $ISSUE_NUM\`). Do NOT make breaking public-API or architectural changes yourself — surface those in the assessment as notes for the human, never as auto-merged changes. Do not use the make_pr tool (it is a no-op stub)."

.github/workflows/loop-builder.yml

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Continuous Improvement
+name: "Loop: Builder (Generator)"
 
 # Durable backbone for the autonomous improvement loop
 # (see internal/docs/CONTINUOUS_IMPROVEMENT.md).

.github/workflows/loop-devrel.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+name: "Loop: DevRel"
+
+# Daily higher-altitude coherence pass over the PUBLIC surface — README,
+# website (landing + docs), and blog — part of the autonomous loop
+# (internal/docs/CONTINUOUS_IMPROVEMENT.md). The hourly increment loop ships
+# code; this keeps the story coherent: docs/website aligned, README crisp, and
+# a steady supply of things worth blogging about.
+#
+# It also keeps the CHANGELOG living: each run reconciles the `[Unreleased]`
+# section of CHANGELOG.md against what actually merged (rolling it into a dated
+# version heading whenever a new tag was cut), and — when enough has shipped —
+# drafts a "what's new" changelog blog post narrating it.
+#
+# Like the increment loop it opens a fresh issue and dispatches Codex via
+# CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN (Codex ignores Actions-bot comments). Autonomy boundary:
+# SAFE factual-alignment and crispness fixes — including CHANGELOG.md upkeep —
+# auto-merge; brand/positioning copy and the changelog blog post are opened as a
+# PR but left for the human to review/merge (blog voice stays with the human).
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch: {}
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "0 7 * * *" # daily, 07:00 UTC (tunable)
+
+permissions:
+  issues: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: devrel-review
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  dispatch:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Open a DevRel review issue and dispatch Codex
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN || github.token }}
+          HAS_TRIGGER_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN != '' }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+          RUN_NUMBER: ${{ github.run_number }}
+        run: |
+          if [ "$HAS_TRIGGER_TOKEN" != "true" ]; then
+            echo "CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN is not set — skipping (Codex ignores Actions-bot comments)."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          ISSUE_URL=$(gh issue create --repo "$REPO" \
+            --title "DevRel coherence review #$RUN_NUMBER" \
+            --body "Daily DevRel / coherence pass over README, website (landing + docs), and the blog, plus CHANGELOG.md upkeep and a changelog blog post. North Star: internal/docs/THESIS.md.")
+          ISSUE_NUM="${ISSUE_URL##*/}"
+          echo "Opened issue #$ISSUE_NUM — dispatching Codex (DevRel)."
+          gh issue comment "$ISSUE_NUM" --repo "$REPO" --body \
+          "@codex Act as DevRel for go-micro. Do FOUR things this run.
+
+          COHERENCE AUDIT. Audit the PUBLIC surface — \`README.md\`, \`internal/website/\` (landing \`index.html\` + \`docs/\`), and the blog under \`internal/website/blog/\` — for coherence with the North Star in internal/docs/THESIS.md (an agent harness and service framework; the services → agents → workflows lifecycle). Look for: (1) places where README / website / docs contradict each other, are stale, or describe behavior that has since changed (cross-check against the code and recent merged PRs); (2) whether the README is crisp and leads with the harness positioning; (3) one to three genuinely blog-worthy items from recently shipped work.
+
+          CHANGELOG UPKEEP (this is a SAFE factual task — it goes in the auto-merged PR). Keep CHANGELOG.md living, in [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/) format with the newest content at the top under \`## [Unreleased]\`. (a) Enumerate PRs merged to master since the last CHANGELOG update — \`gh pr list --repo $REPO --state merged --base master --limit 60 --json number,title,mergedAt,labels\` — and compare against what CHANGELOG.md already lists. (b) For each genuinely user-facing change not yet recorded (new capability, behavior/API change, notable fix — SKIP purely internal loop/CI/priorities-refresh churn), add a concise entry under the right \`### Added\` / \`### Changed\` / \`### Fixed\` / \`### Documentation\` subheading of \`## [Unreleased]\`, phrased for a user (what it does, which package), not a commit subject. (c) If a new \`v6.MINOR.PATCH\` tag has been cut since the last run (\`git fetch --tags --force\`; compare the newest \`v6.*\` tag to the versions already in CHANGELOG.md), RENAME the current \`## [Unreleased]\` heading to \`## [MINOR.PATCH] - <Month YYYY>\` for that tag and open a fresh empty \`## [Unreleased]\` above it. Keep it accurate — do not invent entries; if nothing user-facing merged, leave [Unreleased] as-is.
+
+          CHANGELOG BLOG POST (blog voice — open a PR but do NOT auto-merge; leave it for the human). If — and only if — enough user-facing work has accumulated since the last changelog post to be worth reading (a meaningful batch, roughly a week's worth; do NOT post an almost-empty update every day), draft a short 'What's new in Go Micro' post that narrates what shipped in plain language (grouped by theme, linking the docs/examples, closing with install/upgrade). Create it as the next-numbered file in \`internal/website/blog/\` (find the highest N, use N+1), mirroring the frontmatter (layout/title/permalink/description) and the post-nav 'previous post' link of the latest existing post, and add an entry at the TOP of \`internal/website/blog/index.html\`. Base it strictly on the CHANGELOG — no speculation.
+
+          THEN do all of these: (A) post a concise findings report as a comment on this issue (#$ISSUE_NUM) — what is aligned, what drifted, what you fixed, the CHANGELOG entries you added, whether you drafted a changelog post (and why / why not), and any other blog ideas. (B) Open ONE auto-merging PR for the SAFE factual work only — coherence/crispness fixes AND the CHANGELOG.md update (NOT brand/marketing/positioning rewrites, NOT the blog post): \`git switch -c codex/devrel-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`git push -u origin codex/devrel-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`gh pr create --base master --label codex --title \"<title>\" --body \"<summary, including 'Closes #$ISSUE_NUM'>\"\`, then \`gh pr merge --squash --auto --delete-branch\`. (C) If you drafted a changelog blog post, open it as a SEPARATE PR on its own branch (\`codex/devrel-blog-$ISSUE_NUM\`) with a title prefixed 'blog:' and do NOT enable auto-merge — leave it open for the human to review and merge. Do the same (separate, non-auto-merged PR or just a report note) for any brand/positioning copy. Do not use the make_pr tool (it is a no-op stub). If you touch code, verify go build/test/golangci-lint. Stay out of breaking public-API changes."

.github/workflows/loop-release.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+name: "Loop: Release (daily patch)"
+
+# Keeps the installable framework tracking the loop's daily improvements. Once a
+# day, if master has new commits since the latest v6 tag, this cuts the next
+# PATCH release (v6.MINOR.PATCH+1) and pushes the tag — which triggers the
+# existing goreleaser workflow (release.yml, tag-triggered) to build the release,
+# binaries, and images.
+#
+# The tag is pushed with a PAT (CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN), NOT the default GITHUB_TOKEN:
+# a tag pushed by GITHUB_TOKEN would not trigger release.yml (Actions blocks that
+# recursion). Minor/major bumps stay with the human (notable / breaking releases).
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch: {}
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "0 23 * * *" # daily 23:00 UTC — captures the day's merges (tunable)
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+concurrency:
+  group: loop-release
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0 # need full history + all tags
+          # Do NOT persist the default GITHUB_TOKEN as a git credential.
+          # actions/checkout otherwise sets an http.extraheader Authorization
+          # for github.com that is sent on ALL pushes — including our manual
+          # PAT push below — and overrides the PAT, so the tag push
+          # authenticates as github-actions[bot] and 403s (the job only has
+          # contents: read). With this off, the PAT embedded in the push URL
+          # is the only credential. (Fixes run 28554612450.)
+          persist-credentials: false
+      - name: Cut the next patch release if there are new commits
+        env:
+          RELEASE_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+        run: |
+          if [ -z "$RELEASE_TOKEN" ]; then
+            echo "CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN is not set — skipping."
+            echo "A tag pushed by the default GITHUB_TOKEN would not trigger the"
+            echo "goreleaser workflow, so a user PAT is required to cut releases."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          git fetch --tags --force
+
+          LATEST=$(git tag --list 'v6.*.*' --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
+          if [ -z "$LATEST" ]; then
+            echo "no v6.x.x tag found — aborting so nothing weird gets tagged."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "latest release tag: $LATEST"
+
+          COUNT=$(git rev-list --count "$LATEST"..HEAD)
+          echo "commits on HEAD since $LATEST: $COUNT"
+          if [ "$COUNT" -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo "no new commits since $LATEST — no release today."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          # Bump the patch: v6.MINOR.PATCH -> v6.MINOR.(PATCH+1)
+          ver="${LATEST#v}"          # 6.3.10
+          major="${ver%%.*}"         # 6
+          rest="${ver#*.}"           # 3.10
+          minor="${rest%%.*}"        # 3
+          patch="${rest#*.}"         # 10
+          case "$major.$minor.$patch" in
+            [0-9]*.[0-9]*.[0-9]*) ;;
+            *) echo "unexpected tag shape: $LATEST" ; exit 1 ;;
+          esac
+          NEXT="v${major}.${minor}.$((patch + 1))"
+          echo "cutting: $NEXT ($COUNT commits since $LATEST)"
+
+          git config user.name "go-micro release bot"
+          git config user.email "noreply@go-micro.dev"
+          git tag -a "$NEXT" -m "Release $NEXT — automated daily patch ($COUNT commits since $LATEST)"
+          git push "https://x-access-token:${RELEASE_TOKEN}@github.com/${REPO}.git" "$NEXT"
+          echo "Pushed $NEXT. goreleaser (release.yml) will build and publish it."

.github/workflows/loop-triage.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+name: "Loop: Triage (Evaluator feedback)"
+
+# Closes the autonomous loop's feedback path: when the live provider-conformance
+# harness fails, dispatch Codex to TRIAGE the failing run and file scoped, deduped
+# issues that the hourly increment loop then fixes — no human in the middle. It
+# only triages the scheduled/manual live run (not every push/PR mock run), dedupes
+# against open issues so hourly repeats don't spam, ignores transient flakes, and
+# ESCALATES anything needing a breaking/architectural change as needs-human rather
+# than auto-building it.
+#
+# Gated on CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN like the rest of the loop (Codex ignores comments
+# authored by the github-actions bot).
+#
+# Note: Codex is serial, so this competes with the hourly increment + architect
+# dispatches for the single task slot. If it saturates, lower the harness cadence
+# or gate this to a slower schedule.
+
+on:
+  workflow_run:
+    workflows: ["Harness (E2E)"]
+    types: [completed]
+
+permissions:
+  issues: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: harness-triage
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  triage:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Only when the harness actually failed, and only for the scheduled or manual
+    # live run — never the per-push/PR mock run.
+    if: github.event.workflow_run.conclusion == 'failure' && (github.event.workflow_run.event == 'schedule' || github.event.workflow_run.event == 'workflow_dispatch')
+    steps:
+      - name: Open a triage issue and dispatch Codex
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN || github.token }}
+          HAS_TRIGGER_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN != '' }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+          RUN_ID: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.id }}
+          RUN_URL: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.html_url }}
+        run: |
+          if [ "$HAS_TRIGGER_TOKEN" != "true" ]; then
+            echo "CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN is not set — skipping (Codex ignores Actions-bot comments)."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          # Ensure the escalation label exists (idempotent).
+          gh label create needs-human --repo "$REPO" --color FBCA04 \
+            --description "Requires a human/architect decision (breaking or architectural)" --force || true
+
+          ISSUE_URL=$(gh issue create --repo "$REPO" \
+            --title "Harness failure triage: run $RUN_ID" \
+            --body "Automated triage of a failed live provider-conformance harness run: $RUN_URL")
+          ISSUE_NUM="${ISSUE_URL##*/}"
+          echo "Opened triage issue #$ISSUE_NUM — dispatching Codex."
+          gh issue comment "$ISSUE_NUM" --repo "$REPO" --body \
+          "@codex Act as failure triage for the autonomous loop. The live provider-conformance harness failed: $RUN_URL (run id $RUN_ID). Do this, and do NOT change code or open a PR — triage only: (1) Read the failing logs (\`gh run view $RUN_ID --repo $REPO --log-failed\`) and the provider-conformance artifact/summary. (2) Root-cause each DISTINCT failure. (3) DEDUPE against existing work — list open issues (\`gh issue list --repo $REPO --label codex --state open --limit 100\`); if a matching issue already exists for a failure, add a one-line 'recurred in $RUN_URL' comment to it and do NOT open a duplicate. (4) For each genuine, self-contained, CI-verifiable defect that is NOT already tracked, open a scoped issue: \`gh issue create --repo $REPO --label codex --label enhancement --title \"<scoped task>\" --body \"<root cause, scope, acceptance criteria, and the failing run link>\"\` — the hourly increment loop will build it. (5) If a failure is transient/flaky and not a code defect (e.g. a live-model latency timeout or provider outage), note it in a comment and file NOTHING. (6) If a real fix would require a breaking public-API change or an architectural change, do NOT file it as an auto-buildable task — open an issue labeled \`needs-human\` describing it for the architect/human. When finished, close this triage issue (\`gh issue close $ISSUE_NUM\`)."

.gitignore

@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ examples/mcp/hello/hello
 /plan-delegate
 /agent-plan-delegate
 /micro-mcp-gateway
+/agent-ollama
 
 # Local Jekyll / Bundler artifacts
 internal/website/.bundle/

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,8 +2,41 @@
 
 All notable changes to Go Micro are documented here.
 
-Format follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/). Go Micro uses
-calendar-based versions (YYYY.MM) for the AI-native era.
+Format follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/) and versions
+follow [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/), matching the git tags and
+[GitHub releases](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/releases) (`v6.MINOR.PATCH`).
+Patch releases are cut automatically as the loop merges improvements; the
+`[Unreleased]` section below is kept current between tags and rolled into the
+next version when it ships.
+
+> Earlier `2026.0x` headings are historical calendar-style markers from before
+> v6 tagging; they are kept for continuity and not reused.
+
+---
+
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Added
+- **`micro loop`** — scaffold an autonomous improvement loop into any repository: GitHub Actions workflows for a planner (keeps a ranked queue), builder (builds the top item as a single-concern PR, auto-merged on green CI), and triage (turns CI failures into fix issues), dispatched to an @mention-driven coding agent. `micro loop init` writes the workflows + `NORTH_STAR`/`PRIORITIES`; `micro loop verify` checks the wiring. This is the loop that maintains go-micro itself, generalized. (`cmd/micro/loop/`)
+
+---
+
+## [6.3.12] - July 2026
+
+### Added
+- **Ollama provider** — run agents against open-weight models locally (`/api/chat`, NDJSON streaming) or via Ollama Cloud (OpenAI-compatible `/v1/chat/completions`, SSE), auto-detected from the base URL, with tool calling in both modes. Point any agent at a non-default endpoint with the new `agent.BaseURL` / `micro.AgentBaseURL` option. (`ai/ollama/`, `examples/agent-ollama/`)
+- **Retrieval-backed agent memory** — agents can recall relevant prior turns by similarity, not just the recent window, with a summarizer hook that compacts older history so long conversations stay in budget. (`agent/`)
+- **Scheduled flows** — a flow can run an agent (or any step) on a cron-style schedule, with the dispatch traced end to end. (`flow/`)
+- **Flow verification/grader loop** — a workflow can grade its own step output against a rubric and retry until it passes, plus run-trace analysis to surface where a flow spends its time. (`flow/`)
+- **A2A streaming & continuity** — outbound agent streaming flows through the A2A binding (`message/stream`), with `tasks/resubscribe` and `input-required` handoffs for multi-turn interop. (`gateway/a2a/`)
+
+### Changed
+- **Agent tool-call resilience** — opt-in retries around agent tool calls, and a fallback that executes tool calls emitted as text by weaker models so they still make progress. (`agent/`)
+- **Hardened agent durability** — terminal failure statuses are classified and surfaced, and durable resume-after-restart is covered by tests. (`agent/`)
+
+### Documentation
+- **"Your first agent" walkthrough** and a canonical 0-to-hero reference path, lowering the on-ramp from install to a running agent. (`internal/website/docs/`)
+- **Discord** linked prominently across the README, website nav/footer, and docs. (`https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr`)
 
 ---
 

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -6,6 +6,17 @@ Thank you for your interest in contributing to Go Micro! This document provides
 
 Be respectful, inclusive, and collaborative. We're all here to build great software together.
 
+## How Go Micro is built
+
+Go Micro is developed by an **autonomous improvement loop** — a planner, a
+generator, and a separate evaluator, running as scheduled GitHub Actions with a
+human setting direction. It's the framework's own thesis (an agent operating a
+system) pointed at itself: an agent harness, built by agents. The full process —
+the planner → generator → evaluator pipeline, the correctness-only merge gate, and
+the guardrails — is documented in
+[`internal/docs/CONTINUOUS_IMPROVEMENT.md`](internal/docs/CONTINUOUS_IMPROVEMENT.md).
+Human contributions follow the same gate: green CI, one concern per PR.
+
 ## Getting Started
 
 1. Fork the repository

Makefile

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ LDFLAGS = -X $(GIT_IMPORT).BuildDate=$(BUILD_DATE) -X $(GIT_IMPORT).GitCommit=$(
 # GORELEASER_DOCKER_IMAGE = ghcr.io/goreleaser/goreleaser-cross:v1.25.7
 GORELEASER_DOCKER_IMAGE = ghcr.io/goreleaser/goreleaser:latest
 
-.PHONY: test test-race test-coverage harness provider-conformance lint fmt install-tools proto clean help gorelease-dry-run gorelease-dry-run-docker
+.PHONY: test test-race test-coverage harness install-smoke provider-conformance-mock provider-conformance lint fmt install-tools proto clean help gorelease-dry-run gorelease-dry-run-docker
 
 # Default target
 help:
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ help:
 	@echo "  make test-coverage - Run tests with coverage"
 	@echo "  make lint          - Run linter"
 	@echo "  make harness       - Run deterministic getting-started and end-to-end harnesses"
+	@echo "  make install-smoke - Verify the local install.sh and first-run CLI smoke path"
+	@echo "  make provider-conformance-mock - Run cross-provider harness with deterministic mock provider"
 	@echo "  make provider-conformance - Run harnesses against configured live providers"
 	@echo "  make fmt           - Format code"
 	@echo "  make install-tools - Install development tools"
@@ -47,9 +49,21 @@ test-coverage:
 # This mirrors the default CI path so local dogfooding catches scaffold,
 # run/chat/inspect, and 0→hero regressions before a PR is opened.
 harness:
+	$(MAKE) install-smoke
 	go test ./cmd/micro/cli/new -run TestZeroToOne -count=1
 	./internal/harness/zero-to-hero-ci/run.sh
 	go run ./internal/harness/agent-flow
+	$(MAKE) provider-conformance-mock
+
+# Verify the documented install script and first-run CLI command boundaries without
+# provider keys or network access.
+install-smoke:
+	./internal/harness/install-smoke/run.sh
+
+# Run the shared provider conformance contract with the deterministic mock
+# provider. This is the no-secret path used by CI and local dogfooding to keep
+# provider-facing agent/tool semantics covered on every machine.
+provider-conformance-mock:
 	go run ./internal/harness/provider-conformance -providers mock
 
 # Run the same harnesses against every configured live provider. Providers

README.md

@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
-# Go Micro [![Go.Dev reference](https://img.shields.io/badge/go.dev-reference-007d9c?logo=go&logoColor=white&style=flat-square)](https://pkg.go.dev/go-micro.dev/v6?tab=doc) [![Go Report Card](https://goreportcard.com/badge/github.com/go-micro/go-micro)](https://goreportcard.com/report/github.com/go-micro/go-micro)
+# Go Micro [![Go.Dev reference](https://img.shields.io/badge/go.dev-reference-007d9c?logo=go&logoColor=white&style=flat-square)](https://pkg.go.dev/go-micro.dev/v6?tab=doc) [![Go Report Card](https://goreportcard.com/badge/github.com/go-micro/go-micro)](https://goreportcard.com/report/github.com/go-micro/go-micro) [![Discord](https://img.shields.io/badge/Discord-join-5865F2?logo=discord&logoColor=white&style=flat-square)](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr)
 
 Go Micro is an **agent harness** and service framework for Go.
 
+**Community:** questions, ideas, or just want to build alongside us? [Join the Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr).
+
 A harness is the runtime around an agent: the tools it can call, the memory it keeps, the guardrails that bound it, the workflows that trigger it, the services it depends on, and the protocols other agents use to reach it. 
 
 Go Micro gives you the harness as Go code. Build an agent and it gets a model, memory, tools, planning, delegation, guardrails, and service discovery; it is reachable over [MCP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) and [A2A](https://a2a-protocol.org). Write services and every endpoint becomes an AI-callable tool. Orchestrate the deterministic parts with durable flows. Agents, services, and flows share one runtime because an agent is a distributed system, and building one is building a service.
@@ -14,7 +16,7 @@ Go Micro gives you the harness as Go code. Build an agent and it gets a model, m
   
 <a href="https://go-micro.dev/blog/8"><img src="https://www.atlascloud.ai/logo.svg" height="26" /></a>
 
-**Want to support Go Micro and see your logo here?** [Become a sponsor](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD) — reach out on Discord.
+**Want to support Go Micro and see your logo here?** [Become a sponsor](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr) — reach out on Discord.
 
 ## Commercial Support
 
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ Running Go Micro in production, or building on it and want help? Paid **support,
 ## Contents
 
 - [Quick Start](#quick-start)
+  - [First agent on-ramp](#first-agent-on-ramp)
 - [Why an Agent Harness](#why-an-agent-harness)
 - [Writing Services](#writing-services)
 - [Building Agents](#building-agents) — [Plan & Delegate](#plan--delegate), [Pluggable](#batteries-included-pluggable), [Paid tools (x402)](#paid-tools-x402), [A2A](#reachable-by-other-agents-a2a)
@@ -44,7 +47,7 @@ Install the CLI:
 curl -fsSL https://go-micro.dev/install.sh | sh
 
 # Or with Go
-go install go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro@v6
+go install go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro@latest
 ```
 
 ### Fastest start — no API key
@@ -64,14 +67,35 @@ curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/helloworld/Helloworld.Call \
   -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"name":"World"}'
 ```
 
-This scaffold → run → call path is covered by the no-secret CI harness. To run
-the same local contract (including the 0→hero services → agents → workflows path,
+This install → scaffold → run → call path is covered by no-secret CI harnesses. To
+verify just the local installer and first-run CLI boundaries without network
+access or provider keys, use:
+
+```bash
+make install-smoke
+```
+
+To run the broader local contract (including the [0→hero services → agents → workflows path](internal/website/docs/guides/zero-to-hero.md),
 chat/inspect CLI boundaries, and deploy dry-run), use:
 
 ```bash
 make harness
 ```
 
+### First agent on-ramp
+
+After install and the first `micro new`/`micro run` smoke check, take the
+walkable agent path in this order:
+
+1. [Your First Agent](internal/website/docs/guides/your-first-agent.md) — build a
+   service-backed agent and talk to it with `micro chat`.
+2. [Debugging your agent](internal/website/docs/guides/debugging-agents.md) — use
+   `micro agent inspect`, run history, memory, and provider checks when the first
+   conversation does something unexpected.
+3. [0→hero Reference](internal/website/docs/guides/zero-to-hero.md) — complete the
+   services → agents → workflows loop with scaffold, run, chat, inspect, flow
+   history, and deploy dry-run commands that match the maintained harness.
+
 ### Generate from a prompt — with an LLM key
 
 Set a provider key, describe what you want, and the AI designs services, writes handlers, compiles, and starts them:
@@ -306,7 +330,7 @@ MCP exposes your services as tools; A2A exposes your agents as agents. See the [
 | MCP gateway | Every endpoint is an AI tool automatically |
 | A2A gateway | Every agent is reachable over the Agent2Agent protocol; cards generated from the registry (`micro a2a`) |
 | Payments (x402) | Opt-in per-call payments for tools via the x402 standard; pluggable facilitator (Base, Solana, …) |
-| 7 LLM providers | Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, Groq, Mistral, Together, Atlas Cloud |
+| 8 LLM providers | Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, Groq, Mistral, Together, Atlas Cloud, Ollama (local + cloud) |
 | Interactive console | `micro run` includes a chat console for talking to services |
 | Service generation | `micro run --prompt` — describe a system, get running services |
 
@@ -401,8 +425,9 @@ Swap providers with a single import — same interface everywhere:
 | Google Gemini | `gemini-2.5-flash` |
 | Groq | `llama-3.3-70b-versatile` |
 | Mistral | `mistral-large-latest` |
-| Together AI | `Llama-3.3-70B-Instruct-Turbo` |
-| Atlas Cloud | `llama-3.3-70b` |
+| Together AI | `meta-llama/Llama-3.3-70B-Instruct-Turbo` |
+| Atlas Cloud | `deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V3-0324` |
+| Ollama | `llama3.2` (local) |
 
 ```go
 m := ai.New("anthropic", ai.WithAPIKey(key))
@@ -423,6 +448,8 @@ See [all examples](examples/README.md).
 
 - [Getting Started](internal/website/docs/getting-started.md)
 - [AI Integration](internal/website/docs/ai-integration.md)
+- [Your First Agent](internal/website/docs/guides/your-first-agent.md)
+- [0→hero Reference](internal/website/docs/guides/zero-to-hero.md)
 - [Agents and Workflows](internal/website/docs/guides/agents-and-workflows.md)
 - [Agent Design](internal/docs/AGENT_DESIGN.md)
 - [Plan & Delegate](internal/website/docs/guides/plan-delegate.md)

ROADMAP.md

@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ hosted service, enterprise tier, or venture funding. See
 ## Contributing & feedback
 
 Pick an item, open an issue to discuss the approach, and submit a PR. Or join the
-[Discord](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD). Include tests, run `make test` and
+[Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr). Include tests, run `make test` and
 `make lint`.
 
 ## Version support

SECURITY.md

@@ -174,6 +174,6 @@ We currently do not offer a bug bounty program, but we greatly appreciate respon
 
 For security questions that are not vulnerabilities, please:
 - Open a discussion: https://github.com/micro/go-micro/discussions
-- Join Discord: https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD
+- Join Discord: https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr
 - Email: support@go-micro.dev
 

agent/a2a_stream_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+package agent
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/gateway/a2a"
+)
+
+func TestA2AStreamUsesAgentChatPathWithTools(t *testing.T) {
+	var sawTool bool
+	fakeGen = func(ctx context.Context, opts ai.Options, req *ai.Request) (*ai.Response, error) {
+		if opts.ToolHandler == nil {
+			t.Fatal("model was not wired with agent tool handler")
+		}
+		result := opts.ToolHandler(ctx, ai.ToolCall{
+			ID:    "call-1",
+			Name:  "echo",
+			Input: map[string]any{"value": "a2a-stream"},
+		})
+		if !strings.Contains(result.Content, "a2a-stream-ok") {
+			t.Fatalf("tool result = %q, want marker", result.Content)
+		}
+		return &ai.Response{Answer: "streamed " + result.Content}, nil
+	}
+	defer func() { fakeGen = nil }()
+
+	a := newTestAgent(Name("stream-agent"), WithTool("echo", "echo text", nil, func(ctx context.Context, input map[string]any) (string, error) {
+		sawTool = true
+		if info, ok := ai.RunInfoFrom(ctx); !ok || info.RunID == "" || info.Agent != "stream-agent" {
+			t.Fatalf("RunInfo = %+v ok=%v, want stream-agent run", info, ok)
+		}
+		if input["value"] != "a2a-stream" {
+			t.Fatalf("tool input = %+v, want a2a-stream", input)
+		}
+		return "a2a-stream-ok", nil
+	}))
+	h := a2a.NewAgentStreamHandler(
+		a2a.Card("stream-agent", "http://example.invalid/stream-agent", "", nil),
+		func(ctx context.Context, text string) (string, error) {
+			resp, err := a.Ask(ctx, text)
+			if err != nil {
+				return "", err
+			}
+			return resp.Reply, nil
+		},
+		a.streamAskAI,
+	)
+
+	body := []byte(`{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"message/stream","params":{"message":{"role":"user","parts":[{"kind":"text","text":"run stream tool"}],"kind":"message"}}}`)
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/", bytes.NewReader(body))
+	rr := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	h.ServeHTTP(rr, req)
+
+	if !sawTool {
+		t.Fatal("A2A stream did not execute the agent tool path")
+	}
+	if ct := rr.Result().Header.Get("Content-Type"); !strings.HasPrefix(ct, "text/event-stream") {
+		t.Fatalf("content-type = %q, want text/event-stream", ct)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(rr.Body.String(), "a2a-stream-ok") {
+		t.Fatalf("stream body missing tool marker: %s", rr.Body.String())
+	}
+
+	var final struct {
+		Result struct {
+			Status struct {
+				State string `json:"state"`
+			} `json:"status"`
+			Artifacts []struct {
+				Parts []struct {
+					Text string `json:"text"`
+				} `json:"parts"`
+			} `json:"artifacts"`
+		} `json:"result"`
+		Error any `json:"error"`
+	}
+	for _, line := range strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(rr.Body.String()), "\n") {
+		line = strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(strings.TrimSpace(line), "data: "))
+		if line == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(line), &final); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("decode event %q: %v", line, err)
+		}
+	}
+	if final.Error != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("final event error: %+v", final.Error)
+	}
+	if final.Result.Status.State != "completed" {
+		t.Fatalf("final state = %q, want completed", final.Result.Status.State)
+	}
+	if len(final.Result.Artifacts) != 1 || len(final.Result.Artifacts[0].Parts) != 1 || !strings.Contains(final.Result.Artifacts[0].Parts[0].Text, "a2a-stream-ok") {
+		t.Fatalf("final artifacts = %+v, want tool marker", final.Result.Artifacts)
+	}
+}

agent/agent.go

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	pb "go-micro.dev/v6/agent/proto"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ import (
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/ai/gemini"
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/ai/groq"
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/ai/mistral"
+	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/ai/ollama"
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/ai/openai"
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/ai/together"
 )
@@ -148,6 +150,9 @@ func (a *agentImpl) setupWithToolHandler(handler ai.ToolHandler) {
 	if a.opts.Model != "" {
 		modelOpts = append(modelOpts, ai.WithModel(a.opts.Model))
 	}
+	if a.opts.BaseURL != "" {
+		modelOpts = append(modelOpts, ai.WithBaseURL(a.opts.BaseURL))
+	}
 
 	// Reuse the existing tools instance: its name map is populated by
 	// discoverTools, and rebuilding it here would orphan a base handler that
@@ -177,7 +182,9 @@ func (a *agentImpl) setupWithToolHandler(handler ai.ToolHandler) {
 	case a.ephemeral:
 		a.mem = NewInMemory(a.opts.HistoryLimit)
 	case a.opts.MemoryCompaction.MaxMessages > 0:
-		a.mem = NewCompactingMemory(a.stateStore(), "history", a.opts.MemoryCompaction.MaxMessages, a.opts.MemoryCompaction.KeepRecent)
+		a.mem = NewCompactingMemoryWithOptions(a.stateStore(), "history", a.opts.MemoryCompaction)
+	case a.opts.MemoryRetrievalLimit > 0:
+		a.mem = NewRetrievalMemory(a.stateStore(), "history", a.opts.MemoryRetrievalLimit)
 	default:
 		a.mem = NewMemory(a.stateStore(), "history", a.opts.HistoryLimit)
 	}
@@ -271,6 +278,9 @@ func (a *agentImpl) askLocked(ctx context.Context, runID, message, parentRunID s
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	ctx, endRun := a.startRun(ctx, message)
+	if existing != nil {
+		a.recordTimelineEvent(ctx, RunEvent{Time: time.Now(), RunID: runID, ParentID: parentRunID, Agent: a.opts.Name, Kind: "resume", Name: run.State.Stage})
+	}
 	defer func() { endRun(err) }()
 
 	messages := a.mem.Messages()
@@ -294,12 +304,15 @@ func (a *agentImpl) askLocked(ctx context.Context, runID, message, parentRunID s
 		Backoff:     a.opts.ModelRetryBackoff,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		run.Status = "failed"
-		run.Steps[0].Status = "failed"
-		run.Steps[0].Error = err.Error()
+		run.Status = agentRunFailureStatus(err)
 		if a.currentRun != nil {
 			run.Steps = a.currentRun.Steps
 		}
+		if len(run.Steps) == 0 {
+			run.Steps = []flow.StepRecord{{Name: agentAskStep}}
+		}
+		run.Steps[0].Status = run.Status
+		run.Steps[0].Error = err.Error()
 		_ = a.saveRun(ctx, run)
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -320,6 +333,19 @@ func (a *agentImpl) askLocked(ctx context.Context, runID, message, parentRunID s
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("agent run %s paused for approval: %s", run.ID, a.pause.Message)
 	}
 
+	if len(resp.ToolCalls) == 0 {
+		if calls, answer, ok := a.executeTextToolCalls(ctx, resp.Reply, toolList); ok {
+			resp.ToolCalls = calls
+			if resp.Answer == "" {
+				resp.Answer = answer
+			}
+			trimmedReply := strings.TrimSpace(resp.Reply)
+			if strings.HasPrefix(trimmedReply, "{") || strings.HasPrefix(trimmedReply, "[") || strings.HasPrefix(trimmedReply, "```") {
+				resp.Reply = ""
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	if resp.Reply != "" {
 		a.mem.Add("assistant", resp.Reply)
 	}
@@ -419,7 +445,7 @@ func (a *agentImpl) Run() error {
 				return "", err
 			}
 			return resp.Reply, nil
-		}, a.Stream)
+		}, a.streamAskAI)
 		go func() {
 			if err := http.ListenAndServe(a.opts.A2AAddress, handler); err != nil {
 				fmt.Printf("agent %s A2A server: %v\n", a.opts.Name, err)

agent/builtin.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
 	codecBytes "go-micro.dev/v6/codec/bytes"
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ func (a *agentImpl) toolHandler() ai.ToolHandler {
 	// so the result runs plan → step → loop → approve → checkpoint → base.
 	h := a.baseHandler()
 	h = a.toolTimeoutWrap(h)
+	h = a.toolRetryWrap(h)
 	h = a.checkpointToolWrap(h)
 	h = a.approveWrap(h)
 	h = a.loopWrap(h)
@@ -164,6 +166,99 @@ func (a *agentImpl) toolTimeoutWrap(next ai.ToolHandler) ai.ToolHandler {
 	}
 }
 
+// toolRetryWrap retries transient tool failures with bounded backoff. It is
+// opt-in because tools can have side effects; guardrail refusals and caller
+// cancellation are never retried.
+func (a *agentImpl) toolRetryWrap(next ai.ToolHandler) ai.ToolHandler {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, call ai.ToolCall) ai.ToolResult {
+		maxAttempts := a.opts.ToolMaxAttempts
+		if maxAttempts <= 0 {
+			maxAttempts = 1
+		}
+
+		var res ai.ToolResult
+		for attempt := 1; attempt <= maxAttempts; attempt++ {
+			if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
+				return errResult(call.ID, err.Error())
+			}
+			res = next(ctx, call)
+			if !retryableToolResult(res) || attempt == maxAttempts || ctx.Err() != nil {
+				return annotateToolAttempts(res, attempt)
+			}
+
+			t := time.NewTimer(toolRetryBackoff(attempt, a.opts.ToolRetryBackoff))
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				if !t.Stop() {
+					<-t.C
+				}
+				return errResult(call.ID, ctx.Err().Error())
+			case <-t.C:
+			}
+		}
+		return annotateToolAttempts(res, maxAttempts)
+	}
+}
+
+func retryableToolResult(res ai.ToolResult) bool {
+	if res.Refused != "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	msg := toolErrorMessage(res)
+	if msg == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	return ai.IsTransientError(fmt.Errorf("%s", msg))
+}
+
+func toolErrorMessage(res ai.ToolResult) string {
+	if m, ok := res.Value.(map[string]string); ok {
+		return m["error"]
+	}
+	if m, ok := res.Value.(map[string]any); ok {
+		if v, ok := m["error"].(string); ok {
+			return v
+		}
+	}
+	var decoded map[string]string
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(res.Content), &decoded); err == nil {
+		return decoded["error"]
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func annotateToolAttempts(res ai.ToolResult, attempts int) ai.ToolResult {
+	if attempts <= 1 {
+		return res
+	}
+	res.Attempts = attempts
+	if m, ok := res.Value.(map[string]string); ok {
+		cp := map[string]any{}
+		for k, v := range m {
+			cp[k] = v
+		}
+		cp["attempts"] = attempts
+		res.Value = cp
+		if b, err := json.Marshal(cp); err == nil {
+			res.Content = string(b)
+		}
+	}
+	return res
+}
+
+func toolRetryBackoff(attempt int, base time.Duration) time.Duration {
+	if base <= 0 {
+		base = 200 * time.Millisecond
+	}
+	if shift := attempt - 1; shift > 0 {
+		base <<= shift
+	}
+	if base > 30*time.Second {
+		return 30 * time.Second
+	}
+	return base
+}
+
 // baseHandler executes a tool call: a developer custom tool, the built-in
 // delegate, or an RPC to the service. It is the innermost handler.
 func (a *agentImpl) baseHandler() ai.ToolHandler {
@@ -195,7 +290,11 @@ func (a *agentImpl) planWrap(next ai.ToolHandler) ai.ToolHandler {
 		if call.Name == toolPlan {
 			return a.handlePlan(call)
 		}
-		return next(ctx, call)
+		res := next(ctx, call)
+		if res.Refused == "" && toolErrorMessage(res) == "" {
+			a.completeNextPlanStep()
+		}
+		return res
 	}
 }
 
@@ -273,6 +372,36 @@ func (a *agentImpl) handlePlan(call ai.ToolCall) ai.ToolResult {
 	return ai.ToolResult{ID: call.ID, Value: call.Input, Content: string(data)}
 }
 
+func (a *agentImpl) completeNextPlanStep() {
+	plan := a.loadPlan()
+	if plan == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	var data map[string]any
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(plan), &data); err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	steps, ok := data["steps"].([]any)
+	if !ok {
+		return
+	}
+	for _, raw := range steps {
+		step, ok := raw.(map[string]any)
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		status, _ := step["status"].(string)
+		if status == "" || status == "pending" || status == "in_progress" {
+			step["status"] = "done"
+			b, err := json.Marshal(data)
+			if err == nil {
+				_ = a.stateStore().Write(&store.Record{Key: planKey, Value: b})
+			}
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // handleHumanInput records that the model needs operator input before it can continue.
 func (a *agentImpl) handleHumanInput(call ai.ToolCall) ai.ToolResult {
 	prompt, _ := call.Input["prompt"].(string)
@@ -338,6 +467,7 @@ func (a *agentImpl) handleDelegate(ctx context.Context, call ai.ToolCall) ai.Too
 		ModelCallTimeout(a.opts.ModelTimeout),
 		ModelRetry(a.opts.ModelMaxAttempts, a.opts.ModelRetryBackoff),
 		ToolCallTimeout(a.opts.ToolTimeout),
+		ToolRetry(a.opts.ToolMaxAttempts, a.opts.ToolRetryBackoff),
 		TraceProvider(a.opts.TraceProvider),
 	)
 	// Record lineage so the sub-agent's tool calls carry this run as parent.

agent/checkpoint.go

@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ func (a *agentImpl) saveRun(ctx context.Context, run flow.Run) error {
 	if err := a.opts.Checkpoint.Save(ctx, run); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("agent %s checkpoint save: %w", a.opts.Name, err)
 	}
+	if info, ok := ai.RunInfoFrom(ctx); ok {
+		a.recordTimelineEvent(ctx, RunEvent{
+			Time: time.Now(), RunID: info.RunID, ParentID: info.ParentID, Agent: info.Agent,
+			Kind: "checkpoint", Name: run.State.Stage, Status: run.Status,
+		})
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -165,13 +171,26 @@ func (a *agentImpl) pending(ctx context.Context) ([]flow.Run, error) {
 
 func terminalAgentRunStatus(status string) bool {
 	switch status {
-	case "done", "canceled", "expired":
+	case "done", "canceled", "timeout", "rate_limited", "expired":
 		return true
 	default:
 		return false
 	}
 }
 
+func agentRunFailureStatus(err error) string {
+	switch ai.ClassifyError(err) {
+	case ai.ErrorKindCanceled:
+		return "canceled"
+	case ai.ErrorKindTimeout:
+		return "timeout"
+	case ai.ErrorKindRateLimited:
+		return "rate_limited"
+	default:
+		return "failed"
+	}
+}
+
 func (a *agentImpl) checkpointToolWrap(next ai.ToolHandler) ai.ToolHandler {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, call ai.ToolCall) ai.ToolResult {
 		if a.opts.Checkpoint == nil || a.currentRun == nil {

agent/checkpoint_test.go

@@ -102,6 +102,114 @@ func TestResumeFailedCheckpointDoesNotReplayCompletedTool(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestCheckpointSkipsDuplicateToolWithinAsk(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	cp := flow.StoreCheckpoint(store.NewMemoryStore(), "tool-dedupe-agent")
+	toolRuns := 0
+	fakeGen = func(ctx context.Context, opts ai.Options, req *ai.Request) (*ai.Response, error) {
+		if opts.ToolHandler == nil {
+			t.Fatal("missing tool handler")
+		}
+		opts.ToolHandler(ctx, ai.ToolCall{ID: "plan-1", Name: toolPlan, Input: map[string]any{
+			"steps": []any{
+				map[string]any{"task": "create Design task", "status": "pending"},
+			},
+		}})
+		for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+			res := opts.ToolHandler(ctx, ai.ToolCall{ID: "call-1", Name: "external.create", Input: map[string]any{"title": "Design"}})
+			if res.Content != "created Design" {
+				t.Fatalf("tool result %d = %q, want cached created Design", i, res.Content)
+			}
+		}
+		return &ai.Response{Reply: "done"}, nil
+	}
+	defer func() { fakeGen = nil }()
+
+	a := newTestAgent(Name("tool-dedupe-agent"), WithCheckpoint(cp),
+		WithTool("external.create", "create once", nil, func(context.Context, map[string]any) (string, error) {
+			toolRuns++
+			return "created Design", nil
+		}))
+	if _, err := a.Ask(ctx, "create Design once"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Ask: %v", err)
+	}
+	if toolRuns != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("tool executions = %d, want duplicate calls within the run replayed from checkpoint", toolRuns)
+	}
+	if plan := a.loadPlan(); !strings.Contains(plan, `"status":"done"`) {
+		t.Fatalf("plan = %s, want completed action marked done", plan)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestResumeFailedCheckpointAfterFreshAgentRestart(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	cp := flow.StoreCheckpoint(store.NewMemoryStore(), "restart-resume-agent")
+	toolRuns := 0
+	modelCalls := 0
+	failFirst := true
+	fakeGen = func(ctx context.Context, opts ai.Options, req *ai.Request) (*ai.Response, error) {
+		modelCalls++
+		if opts.ToolHandler != nil {
+			res := opts.ToolHandler(ctx, ai.ToolCall{ID: "call-1", Name: "external.provision", Input: map[string]any{"service": "api"}})
+			if res.Content != "provisioned" {
+				t.Fatalf("tool result = %q, want provisioned", res.Content)
+			}
+		}
+		if failFirst {
+			failFirst = false
+			return nil, errors.New("process stopped after tool checkpoint")
+		}
+		return &ai.Response{Reply: "resumed after restart"}, nil
+	}
+	defer func() { fakeGen = nil }()
+
+	newAgent := func() *agentImpl {
+		return newTestAgent(Name("restart-resume-agent"), WithCheckpoint(cp),
+			WithTool("external.provision", "provision service once", nil, func(context.Context, map[string]any) (string, error) {
+				toolRuns++
+				return "provisioned", nil
+			}))
+	}
+
+	first := newAgent()
+	_, err := first.Ask(ctx, "provision api")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Ask succeeded, want simulated process stop")
+	}
+	if toolRuns != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("tool executions after failed Ask = %d, want 1", toolRuns)
+	}
+	runs, err := Pending(ctx, first)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Pending before restart: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(runs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Pending before restart returned %d runs, want 1", len(runs))
+	}
+
+	restarted := newAgent()
+	resp, err := Resume(ctx, restarted, runs[0].ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Resume after restart: %v", err)
+	}
+	if resp.Reply != "resumed after restart" || resp.RunID != runs[0].ID {
+		t.Fatalf("response = %#v, want resumed reply on original run id", resp)
+	}
+	if toolRuns != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("tool executions after restart resume = %d, want checkpointed tool not replayed", toolRuns)
+	}
+	if modelCalls != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("model calls = %d, want initial call plus resumed call", modelCalls)
+	}
+	loaded, ok, err := cp.Load(ctx, runs[0].ID)
+	if err != nil || !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("Load resumed run ok=%v err=%v", ok, err)
+	}
+	if loaded.Status != "done" || loaded.ParentID != runs[0].ParentID {
+		t.Fatalf("loaded run status/parent = %s/%s, want done/%s", loaded.Status, loaded.ParentID, runs[0].ParentID)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestResumeFailedCheckpointDoesNotDuplicateCompactedMemory(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	st := store.NewMemoryStore()

agent/conformance_test.go

@@ -171,3 +171,50 @@ func TestAgentProviderConformanceFakeError(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Ask error = %v, want conformance provider failure", err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAgentExecutesProviderTextToolCallFallback(t *testing.T) {
+	fakeGen = func(ctx context.Context, opts ai.Options, req *ai.Request) (*ai.Response, error) {
+		if opts.ToolHandler == nil {
+			return nil, errors.New("missing tool handler")
+		}
+		return &ai.Response{
+			Reply: `{"name":"conformance_echo","input":{"value":"agent-conformance"}}`,
+		}, nil
+	}
+	defer func() { fakeGen = nil }()
+
+	var sawTool bool
+	a := New(
+		Name("conformance-text-tool"),
+		Provider("fake"),
+		WithRegistry(registry.NewMemoryRegistry()),
+		WithStore(store.NewMemoryStore()),
+		WithMemory(NewInMemory(4)),
+		WithTool("conformance_echo", "Echo a conformance value.", map[string]any{
+			"value": map[string]any{"type": "string"},
+		}, func(ctx context.Context, input map[string]any) (string, error) {
+			sawTool = true
+			if input["value"] != "agent-conformance" {
+				return "", fmt.Errorf("unexpected value %v", input["value"])
+			}
+			return `{"marker":"agent-conformance-ok"}`, nil
+		}),
+	)
+
+	resp, err := a.Ask(context.Background(), "Run the text tool call fallback.")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Ask: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !sawTool {
+		t.Fatal("text tool call fallback did not execute the tool")
+	}
+	if len(resp.ToolCalls) != 1 || resp.ToolCalls[0].Name != "conformance_echo" {
+		t.Fatalf("ToolCalls = %+v, want conformance_echo", resp.ToolCalls)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(resp.Reply, "agent-conformance-ok") {
+		t.Fatalf("Reply = %q, want tool result marker", resp.Reply)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(resp.Reply, `"name":"conformance_echo"`) {
+		t.Fatalf("Reply = %q, want tool result instead of raw JSON", resp.Reply)
+	}
+}

agent/memory.go

@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ type Memory interface {
 	Clear()
 }
 
+// MemorySummaryFunc turns older conversation messages into a compact
+// replacement message for active context. It is called while the default
+// memory is locked, so implementations should be deterministic and avoid
+// calling back into the same memory instance.
+type MemorySummaryFunc func([]ai.Message) ai.Message
+
 // MemoryCompaction configures deterministic, store-backed context compaction
 // for the default memory implementation. When the retained conversation grows
 // past MaxMessages, older turns are collapsed into a summary message while the
@@ -31,6 +37,7 @@ type Memory interface {
 type MemoryCompaction struct {
 	MaxMessages int
 	KeepRecent  int
+	Summarize   MemorySummaryFunc
 }
 
 // MemoryRecall is implemented by memory backends that can retrieve durable
@@ -49,11 +56,29 @@ func NewMemory(s store.Store, key string, limit int) Memory {
 	return m
 }
 
+// NewRetrievalMemory returns store-backed memory that keeps a bounded active
+// conversation and archives every turn for retrieval. It is useful when callers
+// want relevant durable recall without summary compaction in the active context.
+// A nil store or empty key keeps only the active in-process buffer.
+func NewRetrievalMemory(s store.Store, key string, activeLimit int) Memory {
+	m := &storeMemory{store: s, key: key, hist: ai.NewHistory(activeLimit), retrieveAll: true}
+	m.load()
+	return m
+}
+
 // NewCompactingMemory returns store-backed memory with explicit compaction and
 // retrieval controls. It keeps all messages in the backing store, compacts older
 // turns into a deterministic summary when the conversation exceeds maxMessages,
 // and lets callers recall relevant prior turns with Recall.
 func NewCompactingMemory(s store.Store, key string, maxMessages, keepRecent int) Memory {
+	return NewCompactingMemoryWithOptions(s, key, MemoryCompaction{MaxMessages: maxMessages, KeepRecent: keepRecent})
+}
+
+// NewCompactingMemoryWithOptions returns store-backed memory configured with
+// explicit compaction options, including an optional summarization hook.
+func NewCompactingMemoryWithOptions(s store.Store, key string, compaction MemoryCompaction) Memory {
+	maxMessages := compaction.MaxMessages
+	keepRecent := compaction.KeepRecent
 	if keepRecent <= 0 {
 		keepRecent = maxMessages / 2
 	}
@@ -69,6 +94,7 @@ func NewCompactingMemory(s store.Store, key string, maxMessages, keepRecent int)
 		compaction: MemoryCompaction{
 			MaxMessages: maxMessages,
 			KeepRecent:  keepRecent,
+			Summarize:   compaction.Summarize,
 		},
 	}
 	m.load()
@@ -84,16 +110,20 @@ func NewInMemory(limit int) Memory {
 // storeMemory is the default Memory: an ai.History buffer optionally
 // persisted to a store.
 type storeMemory struct {
-	mu         sync.Mutex
-	store      store.Store
-	key        string
-	hist       *ai.History
-	compaction MemoryCompaction
-	archive    []ai.Message
+	mu          sync.Mutex
+	store       store.Store
+	key         string
+	hist        *ai.History
+	compaction  MemoryCompaction
+	archive     []ai.Message
+	retrieveAll bool
 }
 
 func (m *storeMemory) Add(role, content string) {
 	m.mu.Lock()
+	if m.retrieveAll {
+		m.archive = append(m.archive, ai.Message{Role: role, Content: content})
+	}
 	m.hist.Add(role, content)
 	m.mu.Unlock()
 	m.compact()
@@ -117,6 +147,8 @@ func (m *storeMemory) Clear() {
 // Recall returns archived messages whose content contains words from query.
 // It is deterministic and provider-neutral: no embeddings or model calls are
 // required, but semantic/vector stores can replace Memory for richer retrieval.
+// When created with NewRetrievalMemory the archive contains every persisted
+// turn; when created with NewCompactingMemory it contains compacted older turns.
 func (m *storeMemory) Recall(query string, limit int) []ai.Message {
 	m.mu.Lock()
 	defer m.mu.Unlock()
@@ -170,6 +202,9 @@ func (m *storeMemory) load() {
 	}
 	m.mu.Lock()
 	m.archive = state.Archive
+	if m.retrieveAll && len(m.archive) == 0 {
+		m.archive = append(m.archive, state.Messages...)
+	}
 	for _, msg := range state.Messages {
 		m.hist.Add(msg.Role, msg.Content)
 	}
@@ -213,9 +248,13 @@ func (m *storeMemory) compact() {
 	older := msgs[:cut]
 	recent := msgs[cut:]
 	m.archive = append(m.archive, older...)
-	summary := ai.Message{
-		Role:    "system",
-		Content: fmt.Sprintf("Conversation memory summary: %s", summarizeMessages(older)),
+	summarize := m.compaction.Summarize
+	if summarize == nil {
+		summarize = defaultMemorySummary
+	}
+	summary := summarize(older)
+	if summary.Role == "" {
+		summary.Role = "system"
 	}
 	m.hist.Reset()
 	m.hist.Add(summary.Role, summary.Content)
@@ -224,6 +263,13 @@ func (m *storeMemory) compact() {
 	}
 }
 
+func defaultMemorySummary(msgs []ai.Message) ai.Message {
+	return ai.Message{
+		Role:    "system",
+		Content: fmt.Sprintf("Conversation memory summary: %s", summarizeMessages(msgs)),
+	}
+}
+
 func summarizeMessages(msgs []ai.Message) string {
 	var b strings.Builder
 	for i, msg := range msgs {

agent/memory_test.go

@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ package agent
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/registry"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/store"
 )
@@ -62,6 +64,49 @@ func TestWithMemoryUsed(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRetrievalMemoryArchivesAllTurnsAndRanksRelevant(t *testing.T) {
+	st := store.NewMemoryStore()
+	m := NewRetrievalMemory(st, "agent/retrieval/history", 2)
+	m.Add("user", "alpha budget is 42")
+	m.Add("assistant", "noted")
+	m.Add("user", "beta owner is lee")
+	m.Add("assistant", "tracked")
+	m.Add("user", "alpha owner is sam")
+
+	if got := len(m.Messages()); got != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("active messages = %d, want bounded history of 2", got)
+	}
+
+	recall, ok := m.(MemoryRecall)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("retrieval memory should support recall")
+	}
+	recalled := recall.Recall("alpha budget", 2)
+	if len(recalled) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("expected relevant recalled turns")
+	}
+	if got := recalled[0].Content.(string); !strings.Contains(got, "alpha budget is 42") {
+		t.Fatalf("top recall = %q, want archived alpha budget turn", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRetrievalMemoryPersistsArchiveAcrossReload(t *testing.T) {
+	st := store.NewMemoryStore()
+	m := NewRetrievalMemory(st, "agent/retrieval/reload", 1)
+	m.Add("user", "alpha budget is 42")
+	m.Add("assistant", "noted")
+	m.Add("user", "beta budget is 7")
+
+	reloaded := NewRetrievalMemory(st, "agent/retrieval/reload", 1)
+	recalled := reloaded.(MemoryRecall).Recall("alpha budget", 1)
+	if len(recalled) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("recalled %d messages, want 1", len(recalled))
+	}
+	if got := recalled[0].Content.(string); !strings.Contains(got, "alpha budget is 42") {
+		t.Fatalf("reloaded recall = %q, want alpha budget", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestCompactingMemoryRecallRanksSpecificMatches(t *testing.T) {
 	m := NewCompactingMemory(store.NewMemoryStore(), "agent/rank/history", 3, 1).(MemoryRecall)
 	writer := m.(Memory)
@@ -102,6 +147,36 @@ func TestCompactingMemoryArchivePersistsAndReloads(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestCompactingMemoryUsesCustomSummarizerAndReloadsRecall(t *testing.T) {
+	st := store.NewMemoryStore()
+	m := NewCompactingMemoryWithOptions(st, "agent/custom/history", MemoryCompaction{
+		MaxMessages: 3,
+		KeepRecent:  1,
+		Summarize: func(msgs []ai.Message) ai.Message {
+			return ai.Message{Role: "system", Content: "custom summary count=" + strconv.Itoa(len(msgs))}
+		},
+	})
+	m.Add("user", "alpha budget is 42")
+	m.Add("assistant", "noted")
+	m.Add("user", "beta budget is 7")
+	m.Add("assistant", "noted")
+
+	msgs := m.Messages()
+	if len(msgs) == 0 || msgs[0].Content != "custom summary count=3" {
+		t.Fatalf("summary = %#v, want custom summarizer output", msgs)
+	}
+
+	reloaded := NewCompactingMemoryWithOptions(st, "agent/custom/history", MemoryCompaction{MaxMessages: 3, KeepRecent: 1})
+	recall := reloaded.(MemoryRecall)
+	recalled := recall.Recall("alpha budget", 1)
+	if len(recalled) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("recalled %d messages, want 1", len(recalled))
+	}
+	if got := recalled[0].Content.(string); !strings.Contains(got, "alpha budget is 42") {
+		t.Fatalf("reloaded recall = %q, want alpha budget", got)
+	}
+}
+
 // A custom tool is offered to the model and dispatched to its handler.
 func TestWithToolExposedAndDispatched(t *testing.T) {
 	var got map[string]any

agent/options.go

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ type Options struct {
 	Provider     string
 	Model        string
 	APIKey       string
+	BaseURL      string
 	Address      string
 	Registry     registry.Registry
 	Client       client.Client
@@ -60,10 +61,19 @@ type Options struct {
 	// applied before custom tools, delegate, and service RPC calls so context
 	// deadlines propagate consistently through the agent loop.
 	ToolTimeout time.Duration
+	// ToolMaxAttempts bounds tool execution attempts including the first call.
+	// Default 1; retries are opt-in because tools can have side effects.
+	ToolMaxAttempts int
+	// ToolRetryBackoff is the base delay between transient tool failures.
+	ToolRetryBackoff time.Duration
 
 	// Memory is the agent's conversation memory. Nil = the default
 	// store-backed memory (durable across restarts).
 	Memory Memory
+	// MemoryRetrievalLimit enables retrieval-backed default memory without
+	// compaction. The active conversation stays bounded to this many messages
+	// while every turn is archived for deterministic recall.
+	MemoryRetrievalLimit int
 	// MemoryCompaction enables deterministic compaction/retrieval on the
 	// default store-backed memory. Custom Memory implementations can expose
 	// retrieval by implementing MemoryRecall.
@@ -117,6 +127,8 @@ func newOptions(opts ...Option) Options {
 		ModelMaxAttempts:  1, // retries opt-in via ModelRetry (see field doc)
 		ModelRetryBackoff: 100 * time.Millisecond,
 		ToolTimeout:       30 * time.Second,
+		ToolMaxAttempts:   1,
+		ToolRetryBackoff:  100 * time.Millisecond,
 		// On by default and lenient: identical repeated calls are a
 		// no-progress loop, never useful. Set LoopLimit(0) to disable.
 		LoopLimit: 3,
@@ -157,6 +169,12 @@ func APIKey(k string) Option {
 	return func(o *Options) { o.APIKey = k }
 }
 
+// BaseURL sets the base URL for the LLM provider. Use this to point
+// the provider at a non-default endpoint (e.g., local Ollama, a proxy).
+func BaseURL(url string) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) { o.BaseURL = url }
+}
+
 // Address sets the network address for the agent's service endpoint.
 // Use "127.0.0.1:0" in local harnesses/tests to bind an ephemeral loopback
 // port and avoid advertising the default service address.
@@ -225,6 +243,16 @@ func ModelRetry(maxAttempts int, backoff time.Duration) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// ToolRetry sets the tool retry budget and backoff for transient failures.
+// Attempts include the first call. Retries are opt-in because tools may have
+// side effects; keep handlers idempotent before enabling this.
+func ToolRetry(maxAttempts int, backoff time.Duration) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) {
+		o.ToolMaxAttempts = maxAttempts
+		o.ToolRetryBackoff = backoff
+	}
+}
+
 // WithA2A makes Run serve the agent over the A2A protocol on addr (e.g.
 // ":4000"), so other agents can reach it directly by URL without a
 // separate gateway. The agent stays a normal go-micro service as well;
@@ -240,19 +268,40 @@ func WithMemory(m Memory) Option {
 	return func(o *Options) { o.Memory = m }
 }
 
+// RetrievalMemory enables deterministic, store-backed retrieval memory for
+// the default agent memory without compaction. Active context is capped at
+// activeLimit messages while every turn is archived in the store for Recall.
+func RetrievalMemory(activeLimit int) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) {
+		o.MemoryRetrievalLimit = activeLimit
+		if o.MemoryRecallLimit == 0 {
+			o.MemoryRecallLimit = 5
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // CompactMemory enables deterministic, store-backed memory compaction for the
 // default agent memory. Older turns are summarized once active context exceeds
 // maxMessages, keepRecent newest turns remain verbatim, and recalled archived
 // turns are injected into matching future asks.
 func CompactMemory(maxMessages, keepRecent int) Option {
 	return func(o *Options) {
-		o.MemoryCompaction = MemoryCompaction{MaxMessages: maxMessages, KeepRecent: keepRecent}
+		o.MemoryCompaction.MaxMessages = maxMessages
+		o.MemoryCompaction.KeepRecent = keepRecent
 		if o.MemoryRecallLimit == 0 {
 			o.MemoryRecallLimit = 5
 		}
 	}
 }
 
+// MemorySummarizer sets the deterministic summarization hook used by the
+// default compacting memory. It is optional; without it, compacted memory uses
+// a provider-neutral text summary. The hook receives the older messages being
+// removed from active context and returns the replacement summary message.
+func MemorySummarizer(fn MemorySummaryFunc) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) { o.MemoryCompaction.Summarize = fn }
+}
+
 // MemoryRecallLimit sets how many archived turns a memory backend may inject
 // into a model request for the current Ask. Use 0 to disable retrieval.
 func MemoryRecallLimit(n int) Option {

agent/otel.go

@@ -22,23 +22,29 @@ const (
 	spanNameModelCall = "agent.model.call"
 	spanNameToolCall  = "agent.tool.call"
 
-	AttrRunID          = "agent.run.id"
-	AttrParentRunID    = "agent.run.parent_id"
-	AttrAgentName      = "agent.name"
-	AttrProvider       = "agent.model.provider"
-	AttrModel          = "agent.model.name"
-	AttrLatencyMS      = "agent.latency_ms"
-	AttrInputTokens    = "agent.tokens.input"
-	AttrOutputTokens   = "agent.tokens.output"
-	AttrTotalTokens    = "agent.tokens.total"
-	AttrAttempt        = "agent.model.attempt"
-	AttrMaxAttempts    = "agent.model.max_attempts"
-	AttrToolName       = "agent.tool.name"
-	AttrDelegate       = "agent.delegate"
-	AttrGuardrailBlock = "agent.guardrail.block"
-	AttrRefusal        = "agent.refusal"
-	AttrInputChars     = "agent.input.chars"
-	AttrErrorKind      = "agent.error.kind"
+	AttrRunID            = "agent.run.id"
+	AttrParentRunID      = "agent.run.parent_id"
+	AttrAgentName        = "agent.name"
+	AttrProvider         = "agent.model.provider"
+	AttrModel            = "agent.model.name"
+	AttrLatencyMS        = "agent.latency_ms"
+	AttrInputTokens      = "agent.tokens.input"
+	AttrOutputTokens     = "agent.tokens.output"
+	AttrTotalTokens      = "agent.tokens.total"
+	AttrAttempt          = "agent.model.attempt"
+	AttrMaxAttempts      = "agent.model.max_attempts"
+	AttrToolName         = "agent.tool.name"
+	AttrDelegate         = "agent.delegate"
+	AttrGuardrailBlock   = "agent.guardrail.block"
+	AttrRefusal          = "agent.refusal"
+	AttrInputChars       = "agent.input.chars"
+	AttrErrorKind        = "agent.error.kind"
+	AttrCheckpointStatus = "agent.checkpoint.status"
+	AttrCheckpointStage  = "agent.checkpoint.stage"
+	AttrFlowName         = "agent.flow.name"
+	AttrFlowStep         = "agent.flow.step"
+	AttrDispatch         = "agent.dispatch"
+	AttrTrigger          = "agent.trigger"
 )
 
 type RunEvent struct {
@@ -57,6 +63,7 @@ type RunEvent struct {
 	LatencyMS   int64     `json:"latency_ms,omitempty"`
 	Tokens      Usage     `json:"tokens,omitempty"`
 	Refused     string    `json:"refused,omitempty"`
+	Status      string    `json:"status,omitempty"`
 	Error       string    `json:"error,omitempty"`
 	ErrorKind   string    `json:"error_kind,omitempty"`
 	InputChars  int       `json:"input_chars,omitempty"`
@@ -121,8 +128,12 @@ func (a *agentImpl) startRun(ctx context.Context, message string) (context.Conte
 		}
 	}
 
-	ctx, span := a.tracer().Start(ctx, spanNameRun, trace.WithSpanKind(trace.SpanKindInternal), trace.WithAttributes(
-		attribute.String(AttrRunID, info.RunID), attribute.String(AttrParentRunID, info.ParentID), attribute.String(AttrAgentName, info.Agent)))
+	attrs := appendRunInfoAttributes([]attribute.KeyValue{
+		attribute.String(AttrRunID, info.RunID),
+		attribute.String(AttrParentRunID, info.ParentID),
+		attribute.String(AttrAgentName, info.Agent),
+	}, info)
+	ctx, span := a.tracer().Start(ctx, spanNameRun, trace.WithSpanKind(trace.SpanKindInternal), trace.WithAttributes(attrs...))
 	a.recordSpanEvent(span, runEvent)
 	return ctx, func(err error) {
 		latency := time.Since(start).Milliseconds()
@@ -168,16 +179,17 @@ func (m *tracedModel) Generate(ctx context.Context, req *ai.Request, opts ...ai.
 		return resp, err
 	}
 
-	ctx, span := m.a.tracer().Start(ctx, spanNameModelCall, trace.WithAttributes(
+	attrs := appendRunInfoAttributes([]attribute.KeyValue{
 		attribute.String(AttrRunID, info.RunID),
 		attribute.String(AttrParentRunID, info.ParentID),
 		attribute.String(AttrAgentName, info.Agent),
 		attribute.String(AttrProvider, provider),
 		attribute.String(AttrModel, model),
-	))
+	}, info)
+	ctx, span := m.a.tracer().Start(ctx, spanNameModelCall, trace.WithAttributes(attrs...))
 	resp, err := m.Model.Generate(ctx, req, opts...)
 	dur := time.Since(start).Milliseconds()
-	attrs := []attribute.KeyValue{attribute.Int64(AttrLatencyMS, dur)}
+	attrs = []attribute.KeyValue{attribute.Int64(AttrLatencyMS, dur)}
 	if info.Attempt > 0 {
 		attrs = append(attrs, attribute.Int(AttrAttempt, info.Attempt))
 	}
@@ -289,6 +301,15 @@ func classifyToolError(err string) string {
 	}
 }
 
+func (a *agentImpl) recordTimelineEvent(ctx context.Context, e RunEvent) {
+	span := trace.SpanFromContext(ctx)
+	if span.SpanContext().IsValid() {
+		a.recordSpanEvent(span, e)
+		return
+	}
+	a.recordRunEvent(e)
+}
+
 func (a *agentImpl) recordSpanEvent(span trace.Span, e RunEvent) {
 	if sc := span.SpanContext(); sc.IsValid() {
 		e.TraceID = sc.TraceID().String()
@@ -337,6 +358,30 @@ func runEventAttributes(e RunEvent) []attribute.KeyValue {
 	if e.ErrorKind != "" {
 		attrs = append(attrs, attribute.String(AttrErrorKind, e.ErrorKind))
 	}
+	if e.Kind == "checkpoint" {
+		if e.Status != "" {
+			attrs = append(attrs, attribute.String(AttrCheckpointStatus, e.Status))
+		}
+		if e.Name != "" {
+			attrs = append(attrs, attribute.String(AttrCheckpointStage, e.Name))
+		}
+	}
+	return attrs
+}
+
+func appendRunInfoAttributes(attrs []attribute.KeyValue, info ai.RunInfo) []attribute.KeyValue {
+	if info.Flow != "" {
+		attrs = append(attrs, attribute.String(AttrFlowName, info.Flow))
+	}
+	if info.Step != "" {
+		attrs = append(attrs, attribute.String(AttrFlowStep, info.Step))
+	}
+	if info.Dispatch != "" {
+		attrs = append(attrs, attribute.String(AttrDispatch, info.Dispatch))
+	}
+	if info.Trigger != "" {
+		attrs = append(attrs, attribute.String(AttrTrigger, info.Trigger))
+	}
 	return attrs
 }
 

agent/otel_test.go

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/flow"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/store"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/attribute"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/codes"
@@ -388,6 +389,74 @@ func TestAgentRunTimelineRecordsModelAndToolWithoutTraceProvider(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestAgentCheckpointAndResumeTimelineEvents(t *testing.T) {
+	exp := tracetest.NewInMemoryExporter()
+	tp := trace.NewTracerProvider(trace.WithSyncer(exp))
+	st := store.NewMemoryStore()
+	cp := flow.StoreCheckpoint(st, "resume-otel-agent")
+	first := true
+	fakeGen = func(ctx context.Context, opts ai.Options, req *ai.Request) (*ai.Response, error) {
+		if first {
+			first = false
+			return nil, errors.New("temporary provider failure")
+		}
+		return &ai.Response{Reply: "resumed"}, nil
+	}
+	defer func() { fakeGen = nil }()
+
+	a := newTestAgent(Name("resume-otel-agent"), WithStore(st), WithCheckpoint(cp), TraceProvider(tp))
+	_, err := a.Ask(context.Background(), "resume me")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Ask succeeded, want simulated failure")
+	}
+
+	runs, err := cp.List(context.Background())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(runs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("checkpointed runs = %d, want 1", len(runs))
+	}
+	resp, err := Resume(context.Background(), a, runs[0].ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Resume: %v", err)
+	}
+	if resp.Reply != "resumed" {
+		t.Fatalf("reply = %q, want resumed", resp.Reply)
+	}
+
+	events, err := LoadRunEvents(st, "resume-otel-agent", runs[0].ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	seen := map[string]bool{"checkpoint": false, "resume": false}
+	for _, e := range events {
+		if _, ok := seen[e.Kind]; ok {
+			seen[e.Kind] = true
+		}
+	}
+	for kind, ok := range seen {
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("missing %s event in timeline: %#v", kind, events)
+		}
+	}
+
+	var resumeSpanEvent bool
+	for _, s := range exp.GetSpans().Snapshots() {
+		if s.Name() != spanNameRun {
+			continue
+		}
+		for _, e := range s.Events() {
+			if e.Name == "agent.resume" {
+				resumeSpanEvent = true
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if !resumeSpanEvent {
+		t.Fatal("run span missing agent.resume event")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestLoadRunEventsSortsTimelineKeys(t *testing.T) {
 	st := store.NewMemoryStore()
 	scoped := store.Scope(st, "agent", "runner")

agent/resilience_test.go

@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/flow"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/store"
 )
 
 func TestAskCancellationAbortsPromptly(t *testing.T) {
@@ -129,3 +131,101 @@ func TestToolCallTimeoutPropagatesDeadlineToCustomTool(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("tool call took %s, want bounded timeout", elapsed)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAskCheckpointRecordsTerminalOperationalFailureStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		err  error
+		want string
+	}{
+		{name: "canceled", err: context.Canceled, want: "canceled"},
+		{name: "timeout", err: context.DeadlineExceeded, want: "timeout"},
+		{name: "rate limited", err: testStatusError{code: 429}, want: "rate_limited"},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			cp := flow.StoreCheckpoint(store.NewMemoryStore(), "terminal-"+strings.ReplaceAll(tt.name, " ", "-"))
+			fakeGen = func(ctx context.Context, opts ai.Options, req *ai.Request) (*ai.Response, error) {
+				return nil, tt.err
+			}
+			defer func() { fakeGen = nil }()
+
+			a := newTestAgent(Name("terminal-"+strings.ReplaceAll(tt.name, " ", "-")), WithCheckpoint(cp))
+			_, err := a.Ask(context.Background(), "fail safely")
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Fatal("Ask succeeded, want failure")
+			}
+
+			runs, err := cp.List(context.Background())
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("List: %v", err)
+			}
+			if len(runs) != 1 {
+				t.Fatalf("checkpointed runs = %d, want 1", len(runs))
+			}
+			if runs[0].Status != tt.want {
+				t.Fatalf("run status = %q, want %q", runs[0].Status, tt.want)
+			}
+			if len(runs[0].Steps) == 0 || runs[0].Steps[0].Status != tt.want {
+				t.Fatalf("step status = %#v, want %q", runs[0].Steps, tt.want)
+			}
+			if pending, err := Pending(context.Background(), a); err != nil || len(pending) != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("Pending = %#v, %v; want no terminal run", pending, err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+type testStatusError struct {
+	code int
+}
+
+func (e testStatusError) Error() string { return "provider status error" }
+
+func (e testStatusError) StatusCode() int { return e.code }
+
+func TestToolRetryRetriesTransientToolErrorsThenSucceeds(t *testing.T) {
+	attempts := 0
+	a := newTestAgent(
+		Name("tool-retry-success"),
+		ToolRetry(3, time.Millisecond),
+		WithTool("flaky", "flaky tool", nil, func(context.Context, map[string]any) (string, error) {
+			attempts++
+			if attempts < 3 {
+				return "", context.DeadlineExceeded
+			}
+			return "ok", nil
+		}),
+	)
+
+	content := toolContent(a.toolHandler(), "flaky", nil)
+	if content != "ok" {
+		t.Fatalf("tool result = %q, want ok", content)
+	}
+	if attempts != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("attempts = %d, want 3", attempts)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestToolRetryDoesNotRetryGuardrailRefusals(t *testing.T) {
+	attempts := 0
+	a := newTestAgent(
+		Name("tool-retry-refusal"),
+		MaxSteps(1),
+		ToolRetry(3, time.Millisecond),
+		WithTool("counted", "counted tool", nil, func(context.Context, map[string]any) (string, error) {
+			attempts++
+			return "ok", nil
+		}),
+	)
+	h := a.toolHandler()
+	_ = toolContent(h, "counted", nil)
+	content := toolContent(h, "counted", nil)
+	if !strings.Contains(content, "step limit reached") {
+		t.Fatalf("tool result = %q, want step-limit refusal", content)
+	}
+	if attempts != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("attempts = %d, want only the allowed tool call to execute", attempts)
+	}
+}

agent/stream.go

@@ -181,6 +181,43 @@ func (a *agentImpl) resumeWithStreamEvents(ctx context.Context, runID string, ev
 	return a.askLocked(ctx, run.ID, string(run.State.Data), run.ParentID, &run, false)
 }
 
+type agentStreamAdapter struct {
+	stream AgentStream
+}
+
+func (s *agentStreamAdapter) Recv() (*ai.Response, error) {
+	for {
+		event, err := s.stream.Recv()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if event == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		switch event.Type {
+		case StreamEventToken:
+			if event.Token == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			return &ai.Response{Reply: event.Token}, nil
+		case StreamEventDone:
+			return nil, io.EOF
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *agentStreamAdapter) Close() error {
+	return s.stream.Close()
+}
+
+func (a *agentImpl) streamAskAI(ctx context.Context, message string) (ai.Stream, error) {
+	stream, err := a.StreamAsk(ctx, message)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &agentStreamAdapter{stream: stream}, nil
+}
+
 type agentStream struct {
 	events <-chan *StreamEvent
 	done   <-chan struct{}

agent/text_tool_calls.go

@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+package agent
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
+	"strings"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
+)
+
+var fencedJSONBlock = regexp.MustCompile("(?s)```(?:json)?\\s*(.*?)\\s*```")
+
+type textToolCall struct {
+	ID        string         `json:"id"`
+	Name      string         `json:"name"`
+	Tool      string         `json:"tool"`
+	Input     map[string]any `json:"input"`
+	Arguments map[string]any `json:"arguments"`
+}
+
+// executeTextToolCalls is a compatibility fallback for providers that return a
+// tool call as text JSON instead of a structured tool_calls field. It only runs
+// calls whose names match the tools offered to the model, so ordinary JSON
+// answers are left untouched.
+func (a *agentImpl) executeTextToolCalls(ctx context.Context, reply string, tools []ai.Tool) ([]ai.ToolCall, string, bool) {
+	calls := parseTextToolCalls(reply, tools)
+	if len(calls) == 0 {
+		return nil, "", false
+	}
+
+	handler := a.toolHandler()
+	results := make([]string, 0, len(calls))
+	for i := range calls {
+		result := handler(ctx, calls[i])
+		calls[i].Result = result.Content
+		if result.Refused != "" {
+			calls[i].Error = result.Refused
+		}
+		if result.Content != "" {
+			results = append(results, result.Content)
+		}
+	}
+	return calls, strings.Join(results, "\n"), true
+}
+
+func parseTextToolCalls(text string, tools []ai.Tool) []ai.ToolCall {
+	allowed := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, tool := range tools {
+		allowed[tool.Name] = true
+		if tool.OriginalName != "" {
+			allowed[tool.OriginalName] = true
+		}
+	}
+	if len(allowed) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	for _, candidate := range jsonCandidates(text) {
+		if calls := decodeTextToolCalls(candidate, allowed); len(calls) > 0 {
+			return calls
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func jsonCandidates(text string) []string {
+	trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(text)
+	var out []string
+	if trimmed != "" {
+		out = append(out, trimmed)
+	}
+	for _, match := range fencedJSONBlock.FindAllStringSubmatch(text, -1) {
+		if len(match) > 1 {
+			out = append(out, strings.TrimSpace(match[1]))
+		}
+	}
+	if start, end := strings.IndexAny(text, "[{"), strings.LastIndexAny(text, "]}"); start >= 0 && end > start {
+		out = append(out, strings.TrimSpace(text[start:end+1]))
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+func decodeTextToolCalls(candidate string, allowed map[string]bool) []ai.ToolCall {
+	var root any
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(candidate), &root); err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return collectTextToolCalls(root, allowed)
+}
+
+func collectTextToolCalls(v any, allowed map[string]bool) []ai.ToolCall {
+	switch x := v.(type) {
+	case []any:
+		var out []ai.ToolCall
+		for _, item := range x {
+			out = append(out, collectTextToolCalls(item, allowed)...)
+		}
+		return out
+	case map[string]any:
+		if nested, ok := firstNestedToolCalls(x); ok {
+			return collectTextToolCalls(nested, allowed)
+		}
+		call := mapToTextToolCall(x)
+		name := call.Name
+		if name == "" {
+			name = call.Tool
+		}
+		input := call.Input
+		if input == nil {
+			input = call.Arguments
+		}
+		if name == "" || !allowed[name] || input == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+		id := call.ID
+		if id == "" {
+			id = fmt.Sprintf("text-call-%s", strings.ReplaceAll(name, ".", "_"))
+		}
+		return []ai.ToolCall{{ID: id, Name: name, Input: input}}
+	default:
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
+func firstNestedToolCalls(m map[string]any) (any, bool) {
+	for _, key := range []string{"tool_calls", "toolCalls", "calls"} {
+		if v, ok := m[key]; ok {
+			return v, true
+		}
+	}
+	return nil, false
+}
+
+func mapToTextToolCall(m map[string]any) textToolCall {
+	b, _ := json.Marshal(m)
+	var call textToolCall
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(b, &call)
+	return call
+}

ai/atlascloud/atlascloud.go

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -56,7 +57,14 @@ func NewProvider(opts ...ai.Option) *Provider {
 	options := ai.NewOptions(opts...)
 
 	if options.Model == "" {
-		options.Model = "deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V3-0324"
+		// Allow the chat model to be selected via the ATLASCLOUD_MODEL env var
+		// (e.g. to run CI conformance against a stronger tool-use model) without
+		// a code change; fall back to a sensible default otherwise.
+		if m := os.Getenv("ATLASCLOUD_MODEL"); m != "" {
+			options.Model = m
+		} else {
+			options.Model = "deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V3-0324"
+		}
 	}
 	if options.BaseURL == "" {
 		options.BaseURL = "https://api.atlascloud.ai"

ai/model.go

@@ -93,9 +93,10 @@ func (c ToolCall) Scan(v any) error {
 
 // ToolResult represents the result of a tool execution
 type ToolResult struct {
-	ID      string // Tool call ID (for correlation)
-	Value   any    // Structured result (optional)
-	Content string // Tool execution result (JSON string), shown to the model
+	ID       string // Tool call ID (for correlation)
+	Value    any    // Structured result (optional)
+	Content  string // Tool execution result (JSON string), shown to the model
+	Attempts int    `json:"attempts,omitempty"` // Tool execution attempts, set when retried.
 	// Refused names the reason a guardrail blocked the call before it ran
 	// ("max_steps", "loop", "approval"); empty when the call executed. A
 	// tool wrapper can switch on it to build reliability tooling — react to
@@ -121,13 +122,16 @@ const (
 // tell which provider attempt produced the call and whether it is part of a
 // retry budget. They are zero when no model-attempt context is known.
 type RunInfo struct {
-	RunID       string // correlation id for this agent or flow run
-	ParentID    string // the run that delegated to this one, if any
-	Agent       string // the agent's name
-	Flow        string // the flow's name, when the call is part of a workflow
-	Step        string // the flow step currently executing, when known
-	Attempt     int    // current model Generate attempt, starting at 1 when known
-	MaxAttempts int    // configured model Generate attempt budget when known
+	RunID                string // correlation id for this agent or flow run
+	ParentID             string // the run that delegated to this one, if any
+	Agent                string // the agent's name
+	Flow                 string // the flow's name, when the call is part of a workflow
+	Step                 string // the flow step currently executing, when known
+	Attempt              int    // current model Generate attempt, starting at 1 when known
+	MaxAttempts          int    // configured model Generate attempt budget when known
+	VerificationFeedback string // feedback from the previous failed verifier attempt, when retrying a flow step
+	Dispatch             string // how the run was dispatched (direct, broker, schedule, resume) when known
+	Trigger              string // external trigger or schedule label that started the run, when known
 }
 
 type runInfoKey struct{}

ai/ollama/ollama.go

@@ -0,0 +1,729 @@
+// Package ollama implements the Ollama model provider.
+//
+// Ollama runs open-weight models locally (or via Ollama Cloud). This
+// provider supports two API styles:
+//
+//   - Native (/api/chat):   local Ollama servers (default, http://localhost:11434)
+//   - OpenAI-compatible (/v1/chat/completions): Ollama Cloud (https://ollama.com/v1)
+//
+// The provider auto-detects which style to use based on the base URL.
+// Set OLLAMA_BASE_URL to point at your server (local or cloud).
+//
+// Usage (local):
+//
+//	import _ "go-micro.dev/v6/ai/ollama"
+//
+//	m := ai.New("ollama",
+//	    ai.WithBaseURL("http://localhost:11434"),
+//	    ai.WithModel("llama3.2"),
+//	)
+//
+// Usage (Ollama Cloud):
+//
+//	m := ai.New("ollama",
+//	    ai.WithBaseURL("https://ollama.com/v1"),
+//	    ai.WithAPIKey("your-key"),
+//	    ai.WithModel("gpt-oss:120b"),
+//	)
+package ollama
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"strings"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	ai.Register("ollama", func(opts ...ai.Option) ai.Model {
+		return NewProvider(opts...)
+	})
+	ai.RegisterStream("ollama")
+}
+
+// Provider implements the ai.Model interface for Ollama.
+type Provider struct {
+	opts ai.Options
+
+	// cloudOverride forces cloud mode for testing. When true, the provider
+	// uses the OpenAI-compatible endpoint regardless of the base URL.
+	cloudOverride bool
+}
+
+// NewProvider creates a new Ollama provider.
+func NewProvider(opts ...ai.Option) *Provider {
+	options := ai.NewOptions(opts...)
+	if options.Model == "" {
+		options.Model = "llama3.2"
+	}
+	if options.BaseURL == "" {
+		options.BaseURL = "http://localhost:11434"
+	}
+	return &Provider{opts: options}
+}
+
+// Init initializes the provider with options.
+func (p *Provider) Init(opts ...ai.Option) error {
+	for _, o := range opts {
+		o(&p.opts)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Options returns the provider options.
+func (p *Provider) Options() ai.Options { return p.opts }
+
+// String returns the provider name.
+func (p *Provider) String() string { return "ollama" }
+
+// isCloud returns true when the base URL points at Ollama Cloud (ollama.com),
+// which uses the OpenAI-compatible /v1/chat/completions endpoint instead of
+// the native /api/chat.
+func (p *Provider) isCloud() bool {
+	if p.cloudOverride {
+		return true
+	}
+	return strings.Contains(p.opts.BaseURL, "ollama.com")
+}
+
+// chatPath returns the API endpoint path for chat completions.
+func (p *Provider) chatPath() string {
+	if p.isCloud() {
+		return "/v1/chat/completions"
+	}
+	return "/api/chat"
+}
+
+// streamPath returns the API endpoint path for streaming chat.
+// Ollama Cloud uses the same /v1/chat/completions with stream:true.
+// Local Ollama uses /api/chat with stream:true.
+func (p *Provider) streamPath() string {
+	return p.chatPath()
+}
+
+// Generate generates a response from the Ollama model.
+func (p *Provider) Generate(ctx context.Context, req *ai.Request, opts ...ai.GenerateOption) (*ai.Response, error) {
+	if p.isCloud() {
+		return p.generateOpenAI(ctx, req)
+	}
+	return p.generateNative(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// Stream generates a streaming response.
+func (p *Provider) Stream(ctx context.Context, req *ai.Request, opts ...ai.GenerateOption) (ai.Stream, error) {
+	if p.isCloud() {
+		return p.streamOpenAI(ctx, req)
+	}
+	return p.streamNative(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// OpenAI-compatible mode (Ollama Cloud: ollama.com/v1)
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func (p *Provider) generateOpenAI(ctx context.Context, req *ai.Request) (*ai.Response, error) {
+	var tools []map[string]any
+	for _, t := range req.Tools {
+		tools = append(tools, map[string]any{
+			"type": "function",
+			"function": map[string]any{
+				"name":        t.Name,
+				"description": t.Description,
+				"parameters": map[string]any{
+					"type":       "object",
+					"properties": t.Properties,
+				},
+			},
+		})
+	}
+
+	messages := buildOpenAIMessages(req)
+	apiReq := map[string]any{
+		"model":    p.opts.Model,
+		"messages": messages,
+		"stream":   false,
+	}
+	if len(tools) > 0 {
+		apiReq["tools"] = tools
+	}
+	if p.opts.MaxTokens > 0 {
+		apiReq["max_tokens"] = p.opts.MaxTokens
+	}
+
+	resp, rawMsg, err := p.callOpenAI(ctx, apiReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// No tool calls or no handler — return as-is.
+	if len(resp.ToolCalls) == 0 || p.opts.ToolHandler == nil {
+		return resp, nil
+	}
+
+	// Tool execution loop.
+	convMessages := append(messages, map[string]any{
+		"role":       "assistant",
+		"content":    rawMsg.content,
+		"tool_calls": rawMsg.toolCalls,
+	})
+
+	pendingCalls := resp.ToolCalls
+	for round := 0; round < 10; round++ {
+		for i := range pendingCalls {
+			result := p.opts.ToolHandler(ctx, pendingCalls[i])
+			pendingCalls[i].Result = result.Content
+			convMessages = append(convMessages, map[string]any{
+				"role":         "tool",
+				"tool_call_id": pendingCalls[i].ID,
+				"content":      result.Content,
+			})
+		}
+
+		followUpReq := map[string]any{
+			"model":    p.opts.Model,
+			"messages": convMessages,
+			"stream":   false,
+		}
+		if len(tools) > 0 {
+			followUpReq["tools"] = tools
+		}
+		if p.opts.MaxTokens > 0 {
+			followUpReq["max_tokens"] = p.opts.MaxTokens
+		}
+
+		followUpResp, followUpRaw, err := p.callOpenAI(ctx, followUpReq)
+		if err != nil {
+			break
+		}
+
+		if len(followUpResp.ToolCalls) > 0 {
+			resp.ToolCalls = append(resp.ToolCalls, followUpResp.ToolCalls...)
+			pendingCalls = followUpResp.ToolCalls
+			convMessages = append(convMessages, map[string]any{
+				"role":       "assistant",
+				"content":    followUpRaw.content,
+				"tool_calls": followUpRaw.toolCalls,
+			})
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if followUpResp.Reply != "" {
+			resp.Answer = followUpResp.Reply
+		}
+		break
+	}
+
+	return resp, nil
+}
+
+func (p *Provider) callOpenAI(ctx context.Context, req map[string]any) (*ai.Response, *rawChatMessage, error) {
+	reqBody, err := json.Marshal(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal request: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	apiURL := strings.TrimRight(p.opts.BaseURL, "/") + p.chatPath()
+	httpReq, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, apiURL, bytes.NewReader(reqBody))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create request: %w", err)
+	}
+	httpReq.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	if p.opts.APIKey != "" {
+		httpReq.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+p.opts.APIKey)
+	}
+
+	httpResp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(httpReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("API request failed: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer httpResp.Body.Close()
+
+	respBody, _ := io.ReadAll(httpResp.Body)
+	if httpResp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("API error (%s): %s", httpResp.Status, string(respBody))
+	}
+
+	var chatResp struct {
+		Usage struct {
+			PromptTokens     int `json:"prompt_tokens"`
+			CompletionTokens int `json:"completion_tokens"`
+			TotalTokens      int `json:"total_tokens"`
+		} `json:"usage"`
+		Choices []struct {
+			Message struct {
+				Role      string `json:"role"`
+				Content   string `json:"content"`
+				ToolCalls []struct {
+					ID       string `json:"id"`
+					Function struct {
+						Name      string `json:"name"`
+						Arguments string `json:"arguments"`
+					} `json:"function"`
+				} `json:"tool_calls"`
+			} `json:"message"`
+		} `json:"choices"`
+	}
+
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(respBody, &chatResp); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse response: %w", err)
+	}
+	if len(chatResp.Choices) == 0 {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("no response from API")
+	}
+
+	choice := chatResp.Choices[0]
+	response := &ai.Response{
+		Reply: choice.Message.Content,
+		Usage: ai.Usage{
+			InputTokens:  chatResp.Usage.PromptTokens,
+			OutputTokens: chatResp.Usage.CompletionTokens,
+			TotalTokens:  chatResp.Usage.TotalTokens,
+		},
+	}
+
+	var rawToolCalls []map[string]any
+	for _, tc := range choice.Message.ToolCalls {
+		var input map[string]any
+		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(tc.Function.Arguments), &input); err != nil {
+			input = map[string]any{}
+		}
+		response.ToolCalls = append(response.ToolCalls, ai.ToolCall{
+			ID:    tc.ID,
+			Name:  tc.Function.Name,
+			Input: input,
+		})
+		rawToolCalls = append(rawToolCalls, map[string]any{
+			"id":   tc.ID,
+			"type": "function",
+			"function": map[string]any{
+				"name":      tc.Function.Name,
+				"arguments": tc.Function.Arguments,
+			},
+		})
+	}
+
+	raw := &rawChatMessage{
+		content:   choice.Message.Content,
+		toolCalls: rawToolCalls,
+	}
+	return response, raw, nil
+}
+
+func (p *Provider) streamOpenAI(ctx context.Context, req *ai.Request) (ai.Stream, error) {
+	messages := buildOpenAIMessages(req)
+	apiReq := map[string]any{
+		"model":          p.opts.Model,
+		"messages":       messages,
+		"stream":         true,
+		"stream_options": map[string]any{"include_usage": true},
+	}
+	if p.opts.MaxTokens > 0 {
+		apiReq["max_tokens"] = p.opts.MaxTokens
+	}
+
+	reqBody, err := json.Marshal(apiReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal stream request: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	apiURL := strings.TrimRight(p.opts.BaseURL, "/") + p.streamPath()
+	httpReq, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, apiURL, bytes.NewReader(reqBody))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create stream request: %w", err)
+	}
+	httpReq.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	httpReq.Header.Set("Accept", "text/event-stream")
+	if p.opts.APIKey != "" {
+		httpReq.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+p.opts.APIKey)
+	}
+
+	httpResp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(httpReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("stream API request failed: %w", err)
+	}
+	if httpResp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		defer httpResp.Body.Close()
+		respBody, _ := io.ReadAll(httpResp.Body)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("stream API error (%s): %s", httpResp.Status, string(respBody))
+	}
+
+	return &sseStream{body: httpResp.Body, scanner: bufio.NewScanner(httpResp.Body)}, nil
+}
+
+// buildOpenAIMessages converts an ai.Request into the OpenAI chat message format.
+func buildOpenAIMessages(req *ai.Request) []map[string]any {
+	messages := []map[string]any{}
+	if req.SystemPrompt != "" {
+		messages = append(messages, map[string]any{"role": "system", "content": req.SystemPrompt})
+	}
+	for _, m := range req.Messages {
+		messages = append(messages, map[string]any{"role": m.Role, "content": m.Content})
+	}
+	if req.Prompt != "" {
+		messages = append(messages, map[string]any{"role": "user", "content": req.Prompt})
+	}
+	return messages
+}
+
+// sseStream reads OpenAI-style server-sent events (used by Ollama Cloud).
+type sseStream struct {
+	body    io.ReadCloser
+	scanner *bufio.Scanner
+	closed  bool
+}
+
+func (s *sseStream) Recv() (*ai.Response, error) {
+	for s.scanner.Scan() {
+		line := strings.TrimSpace(s.scanner.Text())
+		if line == "" || strings.HasPrefix(line, ":") {
+			continue
+		}
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(line, "data:") {
+			continue
+		}
+		data := strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(line, "data:"))
+		if data == "[DONE]" {
+			return nil, io.EOF
+		}
+		var chunk struct {
+			Choices []struct {
+				Delta struct {
+					Content string `json:"content"`
+				} `json:"delta"`
+			} `json:"choices"`
+			Usage *struct {
+				PromptTokens     int `json:"prompt_tokens"`
+				CompletionTokens int `json:"completion_tokens"`
+				TotalTokens      int `json:"total_tokens"`
+			} `json:"usage"`
+		}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(data), &chunk); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse stream chunk: %w", err)
+		}
+		if len(chunk.Choices) > 0 && chunk.Choices[0].Delta.Content != "" {
+			return &ai.Response{Reply: chunk.Choices[0].Delta.Content}, nil
+		}
+		if chunk.Usage != nil {
+			return &ai.Response{Usage: ai.Usage{
+				InputTokens:  chunk.Usage.PromptTokens,
+				OutputTokens: chunk.Usage.CompletionTokens,
+				TotalTokens:  chunk.Usage.TotalTokens,
+			}}, nil
+		}
+	}
+	if err := s.scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return nil, io.EOF
+}
+
+func (s *sseStream) Close() error {
+	if s.closed {
+		return nil
+	}
+	s.closed = true
+	return s.body.Close()
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Native mode (local Ollama: localhost:11434/api/chat)
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func (p *Provider) generateNative(ctx context.Context, req *ai.Request) (*ai.Response, error) {
+	var tools []map[string]any
+	for _, t := range req.Tools {
+		tools = append(tools, map[string]any{
+			"type": "function",
+			"function": map[string]any{
+				"name":        t.Name,
+				"description": t.Description,
+				"parameters": map[string]any{
+					"type":       "object",
+					"properties": t.Properties,
+				},
+			},
+		})
+	}
+
+	messages := []map[string]any{}
+	if req.SystemPrompt != "" {
+		messages = append(messages, map[string]any{"role": "system", "content": req.SystemPrompt})
+	}
+	for _, m := range req.Messages {
+		messages = append(messages, map[string]any{"role": m.Role, "content": m.Content})
+	}
+	if req.Prompt != "" {
+		messages = append(messages, map[string]any{"role": "user", "content": req.Prompt})
+	}
+
+	apiReq := map[string]any{
+		"model":    p.opts.Model,
+		"messages": messages,
+		"stream":   false,
+	}
+	if len(tools) > 0 {
+		apiReq["tools"] = tools
+	}
+	if p.opts.MaxTokens > 0 {
+		apiReq["options"] = map[string]any{"num_predict": p.opts.MaxTokens}
+	}
+
+	resp, rawMsg, err := p.callNative(ctx, apiReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if len(resp.ToolCalls) == 0 || p.opts.ToolHandler == nil {
+		return resp, nil
+	}
+
+	convMessages := append(messages, map[string]any{
+		"role":    "assistant",
+		"content": rawMsg.content,
+	})
+	if len(rawMsg.toolCalls) > 0 {
+		convMessages[len(convMessages)-1]["tool_calls"] = rawMsg.toolCalls
+	}
+
+	pendingCalls := resp.ToolCalls
+	for round := 0; round < 10; round++ {
+		for i := range pendingCalls {
+			result := p.opts.ToolHandler(ctx, pendingCalls[i])
+			pendingCalls[i].Result = result.Content
+			convMessages = append(convMessages, map[string]any{
+				"role":    "tool",
+				"content": result.Content,
+			})
+		}
+
+		followUpReq := map[string]any{
+			"model":    p.opts.Model,
+			"messages": convMessages,
+			"stream":   false,
+		}
+		if len(tools) > 0 {
+			followUpReq["tools"] = tools
+		}
+		if p.opts.MaxTokens > 0 {
+			followUpReq["options"] = map[string]any{"num_predict": p.opts.MaxTokens}
+		}
+
+		followUpResp, followUpRaw, err := p.callNative(ctx, followUpReq)
+		if err != nil {
+			break
+		}
+
+		if len(followUpResp.ToolCalls) > 0 {
+			resp.ToolCalls = append(resp.ToolCalls, followUpResp.ToolCalls...)
+			pendingCalls = followUpResp.ToolCalls
+			convMessages = append(convMessages, map[string]any{
+				"role":    "assistant",
+				"content": followUpRaw.content,
+			})
+			if len(followUpRaw.toolCalls) > 0 {
+				convMessages[len(convMessages)-1]["tool_calls"] = followUpRaw.toolCalls
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if followUpResp.Reply != "" {
+			resp.Answer = followUpResp.Reply
+		}
+		break
+	}
+
+	return resp, nil
+}
+
+func (p *Provider) callNative(ctx context.Context, req map[string]any) (*ai.Response, *rawChatMessage, error) {
+	reqBody, err := json.Marshal(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal request: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	apiURL := strings.TrimRight(p.opts.BaseURL, "/") + p.chatPath()
+	httpReq, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, apiURL, bytes.NewReader(reqBody))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create request: %w", err)
+	}
+	httpReq.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	if p.opts.APIKey != "" {
+		httpReq.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+p.opts.APIKey)
+	}
+
+	httpResp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(httpReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("API request failed: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer httpResp.Body.Close()
+
+	respBody, _ := io.ReadAll(httpResp.Body)
+	if httpResp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("API error (%s): %s", httpResp.Status, string(respBody))
+	}
+
+	var chatResp struct {
+		Message struct {
+			Role      string `json:"role"`
+			Content   string `json:"content"`
+			ToolCalls []struct {
+				Function struct {
+					Name      string `json:"name"`
+					Arguments any    `json:"arguments"`
+				} `json:"function"`
+			} `json:"tool_calls"`
+		} `json:"message"`
+		Done            bool `json:"done"`
+		PromptEvalCount int  `json:"prompt_eval_count"`
+		EvalCount       int  `json:"eval_count"`
+	}
+
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(respBody, &chatResp); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse response: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	response := &ai.Response{
+		Reply: chatResp.Message.Content,
+		Usage: ai.Usage{
+			InputTokens:  chatResp.PromptEvalCount,
+			OutputTokens: chatResp.EvalCount,
+			TotalTokens:  chatResp.PromptEvalCount + chatResp.EvalCount,
+		},
+	}
+
+	var rawToolCalls []map[string]any
+	for _, tc := range chatResp.Message.ToolCalls {
+		var input map[string]any
+		switch v := tc.Function.Arguments.(type) {
+		case string:
+			if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(v), &input); err != nil {
+				input = map[string]any{}
+			}
+		case map[string]any:
+			input = v
+		default:
+			input = map[string]any{}
+		}
+		response.ToolCalls = append(response.ToolCalls, ai.ToolCall{
+			Name:  tc.Function.Name,
+			Input: input,
+		})
+		rawToolCalls = append(rawToolCalls, map[string]any{
+			"function": map[string]any{
+				"name":      tc.Function.Name,
+				"arguments": tc.Function.Arguments,
+			},
+		})
+	}
+
+	raw := &rawChatMessage{
+		content:   chatResp.Message.Content,
+		toolCalls: rawToolCalls,
+	}
+	return response, raw, nil
+}
+
+func (p *Provider) streamNative(ctx context.Context, req *ai.Request) (ai.Stream, error) {
+	messages := []map[string]any{}
+	if req.SystemPrompt != "" {
+		messages = append(messages, map[string]any{"role": "system", "content": req.SystemPrompt})
+	}
+	for _, m := range req.Messages {
+		messages = append(messages, map[string]any{"role": m.Role, "content": m.Content})
+	}
+	if req.Prompt != "" {
+		messages = append(messages, map[string]any{"role": "user", "content": req.Prompt})
+	}
+
+	apiReq := map[string]any{
+		"model":    p.opts.Model,
+		"messages": messages,
+		"stream":   true,
+	}
+	if p.opts.MaxTokens > 0 {
+		apiReq["options"] = map[string]any{"num_predict": p.opts.MaxTokens}
+	}
+
+	reqBody, err := json.Marshal(apiReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal stream request: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	apiURL := strings.TrimRight(p.opts.BaseURL, "/") + p.streamPath()
+	httpReq, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, apiURL, bytes.NewReader(reqBody))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create stream request: %w", err)
+	}
+	httpReq.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	if p.opts.APIKey != "" {
+		httpReq.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+p.opts.APIKey)
+	}
+
+	httpResp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(httpReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("stream API request failed: %w", err)
+	}
+	if httpResp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		defer httpResp.Body.Close()
+		respBody, _ := io.ReadAll(httpResp.Body)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("stream API error (%s): %s", httpResp.Status, string(respBody))
+	}
+
+	return &ndjsonStream{body: httpResp.Body, scanner: bufio.NewScanner(httpResp.Body)}, nil
+}
+
+// ndjsonStream reads newline-delimited JSON (used by local Ollama).
+type ndjsonStream struct {
+	body    io.ReadCloser
+	scanner *bufio.Scanner
+	closed  bool
+}
+
+func (s *ndjsonStream) Recv() (*ai.Response, error) {
+	for s.scanner.Scan() {
+		line := strings.TrimSpace(s.scanner.Text())
+		if line == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		var chunk struct {
+			Message struct {
+				Content string `json:"content"`
+			} `json:"message"`
+			Done bool `json:"done"`
+		}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(line), &chunk); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse stream chunk: %w", err)
+		}
+		if chunk.Done {
+			return nil, io.EOF
+		}
+		if chunk.Message.Content != "" {
+			return &ai.Response{Reply: chunk.Message.Content}, nil
+		}
+	}
+	if err := s.scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return nil, io.EOF
+}
+
+func (s *ndjsonStream) Close() error {
+	if s.closed {
+		return nil
+	}
+	s.closed = true
+	return s.body.Close()
+}
+
+// rawChatMessage holds the raw assistant content and tool calls for
+// follow-up messages.
+type rawChatMessage struct {
+	content   string
+	toolCalls []map[string]any
+}

ai/ollama/ollama_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,333 @@
+package ollama
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
+)
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Provider basics
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func TestProvider_String(t *testing.T) {
+	p := NewProvider()
+	if p.String() != "ollama" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 'ollama', got '%s'", p.String())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestProvider_Init(t *testing.T) {
+	p := NewProvider()
+	err := p.Init(
+		ai.WithModel("test-model"),
+		ai.WithAPIKey("test-key"),
+		ai.WithBaseURL("https://test.com"),
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Init failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	opts := p.Options()
+	if opts.Model != "test-model" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected model 'test-model', got '%s'", opts.Model)
+	}
+	if opts.APIKey != "test-key" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected API key 'test-key', got '%s'", opts.APIKey)
+	}
+	if opts.BaseURL != "https://test.com" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected base URL 'https://test.com', got '%s'", opts.BaseURL)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestProvider_Defaults(t *testing.T) {
+	p := NewProvider()
+	opts := p.Options()
+	if opts.Model != "llama3.2" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected default model 'llama3.2', got '%s'", opts.Model)
+	}
+	if opts.BaseURL != "http://localhost:11434" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected default base URL 'http://localhost:11434', got '%s'", opts.BaseURL)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestProvider_IsCloud(t *testing.T) {
+	local := NewProvider(ai.WithBaseURL("http://localhost:11434"))
+	if local.isCloud() {
+		t.Error("localhost should not be cloud")
+	}
+	cloud := NewProvider(ai.WithBaseURL("https://ollama.com/v1"))
+	if !cloud.isCloud() {
+		t.Error("ollama.com should be cloud")
+	}
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Native mode (local Ollama: /api/chat)
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func TestNative_Generate(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.URL.Path != "/api/chat" {
+			t.Errorf("Expected /api/chat, got %s", r.URL.Path)
+		}
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.Write([]byte(`{
+			"model": "llama3.2",
+			"message": {"role": "assistant", "content": "Hello from local Ollama!"},
+			"done": true,
+			"prompt_eval_count": 10,
+			"eval_count": 5
+		}`))
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	p := NewProvider(ai.WithBaseURL(srv.URL), ai.WithModel("llama3.2"))
+	resp, err := p.Generate(context.Background(), &ai.Request{
+		Prompt:       "Hi",
+		SystemPrompt: "You are helpful",
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if resp.Reply != "Hello from local Ollama!" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 'Hello from local Ollama!', got '%s'", resp.Reply)
+	}
+	if resp.Usage.TotalTokens != 15 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected total tokens 15, got %d", resp.Usage.TotalTokens)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNative_GenerateWithToolCall(t *testing.T) {
+	callCount := 0
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		callCount++
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		if callCount == 1 {
+			w.Write([]byte(`{
+				"model": "llama3.2",
+				"message": {
+					"role": "assistant",
+					"content": "",
+					"tool_calls": [{"function": {"name": "get_weather", "arguments": "{\"city\":\"Seoul\"}"}}]
+				},
+				"done": true
+			}`))
+		} else {
+			w.Write([]byte(`{
+				"model": "llama3.2",
+				"message": {"role": "assistant", "content": "The weather in Seoul is sunny."},
+				"done": true
+			}`))
+		}
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	handler := func(ctx context.Context, call ai.ToolCall) ai.ToolResult {
+		if call.Name != "get_weather" {
+			t.Errorf("Expected tool 'get_weather', got '%s'", call.Name)
+		}
+		return ai.ToolResult{ID: call.ID, Content: `{"temp": 22, "condition": "sunny"}`}
+	}
+
+	p := NewProvider(
+		ai.WithBaseURL(srv.URL),
+		ai.WithModel("llama3.2"),
+		ai.WithToolHandler(handler),
+	)
+	resp, err := p.Generate(context.Background(), &ai.Request{
+		Prompt: "What's the weather?",
+		Tools: []ai.Tool{{
+			Name:        "get_weather",
+			Description: "Get weather",
+			Properties:  map[string]any{"city": map[string]any{"type": "string"}},
+		}},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(resp.ToolCalls) == 0 {
+		t.Error("Expected tool calls")
+	}
+	if resp.Answer != "The weather in Seoul is sunny." {
+		t.Errorf("Expected final answer, got '%s'", resp.Answer)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNative_Stream(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.Write([]byte(`{"message":{"role":"assistant","content":"Hello"},"done":false}` + "\n"))
+		w.Write([]byte(`{"message":{"role":"assistant","content":" world"},"done":false}` + "\n"))
+		w.Write([]byte(`{"message":{"role":"assistant","content":""},"done":true}` + "\n"))
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	p := NewProvider(ai.WithBaseURL(srv.URL), ai.WithModel("llama3.2"))
+	stream, err := p.Stream(context.Background(), &ai.Request{Prompt: "Hi"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Stream failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer stream.Close()
+
+	var chunks []string
+	for {
+		resp, err := stream.Recv()
+		if err != nil {
+			break
+		}
+		if resp.Reply != "" {
+			chunks = append(chunks, resp.Reply)
+		}
+	}
+	result := strings.Join(chunks, "")
+	if result != "Hello world" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 'Hello world', got '%s'", result)
+	}
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Cloud mode (Ollama Cloud: /v1/chat/completions)
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func TestCloud_Generate(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.URL.Path != "/v1/chat/completions" {
+			t.Errorf("Expected /v1/chat/completions, got %s", r.URL.Path)
+		}
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.Write([]byte(`{
+			"usage": {"prompt_tokens": 10, "completion_tokens": 5, "total_tokens": 15},
+			"choices": [{"message": {"role": "assistant", "content": "Hello from Ollama Cloud!"}}]
+		}`))
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	p := NewProvider(ai.WithBaseURL(srv.URL), ai.WithModel("gemma4:31b-cloud"), ai.WithAPIKey("test-key"))
+	p.cloudOverride = true
+	resp, err := p.Generate(context.Background(), &ai.Request{
+		Prompt:       "Hi",
+		SystemPrompt: "You are helpful",
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if resp.Reply != "Hello from Ollama Cloud!" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 'Hello from Ollama Cloud!', got '%s'", resp.Reply)
+	}
+	if resp.Usage.TotalTokens != 15 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected total tokens 15, got %d", resp.Usage.TotalTokens)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCloud_GenerateWithToolCall(t *testing.T) {
+	callCount := 0
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		callCount++
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		if callCount == 1 {
+			w.Write([]byte(`{
+				"choices": [{"message": {
+					"role": "assistant",
+					"content": "",
+					"tool_calls": [{"id": "call_1", "function": {"name": "search", "arguments": "{\"query\":\"go interfaces\"}"}}]
+				}}]
+			}`))
+		} else {
+			w.Write([]byte(`{
+				"choices": [{"message": {"role": "assistant", "content": "Go interfaces are implicit."}}]
+			}`))
+		}
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	handler := func(ctx context.Context, call ai.ToolCall) ai.ToolResult {
+		return ai.ToolResult{ID: call.ID, Content: `{"results": ["Go interfaces are implicit"]}`}
+	}
+
+	p := NewProvider(
+		ai.WithBaseURL(srv.URL),
+		ai.WithModel("gemma4:31b-cloud"),
+		ai.WithAPIKey("test-key"),
+		ai.WithToolHandler(handler),
+	)
+	p.cloudOverride = true
+	resp, err := p.Generate(context.Background(), &ai.Request{
+		Prompt: "Search for Go interfaces",
+		Tools: []ai.Tool{{
+			Name:        "search",
+			Description: "Search the knowledge base",
+			Properties:  map[string]any{"query": map[string]any{"type": "string"}},
+		}},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(resp.ToolCalls) == 0 {
+		t.Error("Expected tool calls")
+	}
+	if resp.Answer != "Go interfaces are implicit." {
+		t.Errorf("Expected final answer, got '%s'", resp.Answer)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCloud_Stream(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/event-stream")
+		w.Write([]byte("data: {\"choices\":[{\"delta\":{\"content\":\"Hello\"}}]}\n\n"))
+		w.Write([]byte("data: {\"choices\":[{\"delta\":{\"content\":\" cloud\"}}]}\n\n"))
+		w.Write([]byte("data: [DONE]\n\n"))
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	p := NewProvider(
+		ai.WithBaseURL(srv.URL),
+		ai.WithModel("gemma4:31b-cloud"),
+		ai.WithAPIKey("test-key"),
+	)
+	p.cloudOverride = true
+	stream, err := p.Stream(context.Background(), &ai.Request{Prompt: "Hi"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Stream failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer stream.Close()
+
+	var chunks []string
+	for {
+		resp, err := stream.Recv()
+		if err != nil {
+			break
+		}
+		if resp.Reply != "" {
+			chunks = append(chunks, resp.Reply)
+		}
+	}
+	result := strings.Join(chunks, "")
+	if result != "Hello cloud" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 'Hello cloud', got '%s'", result)
+	}
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Error handling
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func TestProvider_APIError(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		w.Write([]byte(`{"error": "model not found"}`))
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	p := NewProvider(ai.WithBaseURL(srv.URL), ai.WithModel("nonexistent"))
+	_, err := p.Generate(context.Background(), &ai.Request{Prompt: "Hi"})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("Expected error on API failure")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "API error") {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 'API error' in message, got '%s'", err.Error())
+	}
+}

ai/stream_conformance_test.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -150,6 +151,109 @@ func TestStreamProvidersCloseCancelsInFlightRequest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestStreamProvidersPropagateProviderErrors(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, provider := range conformingStreamProviders(t) {
+		provider := provider
+		t.Run(provider, func(t *testing.T) {
+			ts := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+				http.Error(w, "upstream quota exhausted", http.StatusTooManyRequests)
+			}))
+			defer ts.Close()
+
+			stream, err := ai.New(provider, ai.WithAPIKey("test-key"), ai.WithBaseURL(ts.URL)).Stream(context.Background(), &ai.Request{Prompt: "Hello"})
+			if err == nil {
+				_ = stream.Close()
+				t.Fatal("Stream returned nil error for provider failure")
+			}
+			if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "429") || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "upstream quota exhausted") {
+				t.Fatalf("Stream error = %v, want provider status and body", err)
+			}
+			if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "test-key") {
+				t.Fatal("provider error leaked API key")
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStreamProvidersHonorCanceledContextBeforeRequest(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, provider := range conformingStreamProviders(t) {
+		provider := provider
+		t.Run(provider, func(t *testing.T) {
+			var sawRequest bool
+			ts := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+				sawRequest = true
+				http.Error(w, "unexpected request", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+			}))
+			defer ts.Close()
+
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+			cancel()
+			stream, err := ai.New(provider, ai.WithAPIKey("test-key"), ai.WithBaseURL(ts.URL)).Stream(ctx, &ai.Request{Prompt: "Hello"})
+			if err == nil {
+				_ = stream.Close()
+				t.Fatal("Stream returned nil error for canceled context")
+			}
+			if !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+				t.Fatalf("Stream error = %v, want context.Canceled", err)
+			}
+			if sawRequest {
+				t.Fatal("provider sent request after context was already canceled")
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestConfiguredProviderStreamsSkipWithoutCredentials(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		provider string
+		keyEnv   string
+		modelEnv string
+	}{
+		{provider: "openai", keyEnv: "OPENAI_API_KEY", modelEnv: "OPENAI_MODEL"},
+		{provider: "groq", keyEnv: "GROQ_API_KEY", modelEnv: "GROQ_MODEL"},
+		{provider: "mistral", keyEnv: "MISTRAL_API_KEY", modelEnv: "MISTRAL_MODEL"},
+		{provider: "together", keyEnv: "TOGETHER_API_KEY", modelEnv: "TOGETHER_MODEL"},
+		{provider: "atlascloud", keyEnv: "ATLASCLOUD_API_KEY", modelEnv: "ATLASCLOUD_MODEL"},
+	} {
+		tc := tc
+		t.Run(tc.provider, func(t *testing.T) {
+			key := os.Getenv(tc.keyEnv)
+			if key == "" {
+				t.Skipf("%s not set; skipping configured provider stream check", tc.keyEnv)
+			}
+
+			opts := []ai.Option{ai.WithAPIKey(key)}
+			if model := os.Getenv(tc.modelEnv); model != "" {
+				opts = append(opts, ai.WithModel(model))
+			}
+			stream, err := ai.New(tc.provider, opts...).Stream(context.Background(), &ai.Request{Prompt: "Reply with exactly: ok"})
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Stream returned error: %v", err)
+			}
+			defer stream.Close()
+
+			deadline := time.After(30 * time.Second)
+			for {
+				select {
+				case <-deadline:
+					t.Fatal("timed out waiting for provider stream chunk")
+				default:
+				}
+				chunk, err := stream.Recv()
+				if err != nil {
+					if errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
+						t.Fatal("provider stream ended without content")
+					}
+					t.Fatalf("Recv returned error: %v", err)
+				}
+				if chunk.Reply != "" {
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestUnsupportedProvidersReturnStreamingUnsupportedAndStayUnregistered(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, provider := range []string{"anthropic", "gemini"} {
 		provider := provider

cmd/micro/README.md

@@ -625,3 +625,49 @@ Scopes provide fine-grained access control over which tokens can call which serv
 The gateway's scope system uses `auth.Account` from the go-micro framework. Scopes on accounts are the same `[]string` field used by the framework's `auth.Rules` and `wrapper/auth` package. The gateway stores scope requirements in the default store under `endpoint-scopes/<service>.<endpoint>` keys and checks them on every HTTP request.
 
 For service-level (RPC) auth within the go-micro mesh, use the `wrapper/auth` package which provides `auth.Rules` with priority-based access control. See the [auth wrapper documentation](../../wrapper/auth/README.md) for details.
+
+## Self-improving loop (`micro loop`)
+
+Turn a repository into a self-improving one: GitHub Actions workflows that
+dispatch a coding agent to plan, build, and triage — gated by CI. This is the
+same loop that maintains go-micro itself, generalized so any repo (and any
+@mention-driven agent) can use it.
+
+```bash
+micro loop init      # scaffold the loop into the current repo
+micro loop verify    # check a repo is wired correctly
+```
+
+`micro loop init` writes three workflows and a queue:
+
+| Role | File | What it does |
+|------|------|--------------|
+| Planner | `.github/workflows/loop-planner.yml` | Keeps a ranked queue in `.github/loop/PRIORITIES.md` |
+| Builder | `.github/workflows/loop-builder.yml` | Builds the top open item as a single-concern PR, auto-merged on green CI |
+| Triage | `.github/workflows/loop-triage.yml` | Turns CI failures into scoped fix issues, back into the queue |
+
+Direction lives in `.github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md` — edit it to steer the loop.
+
+Common flags:
+
+```bash
+micro loop init \
+  --agent @codex \
+  --token-secret LOOP_TOKEN \
+  --branch main \
+  --ci-workflow CI
+```
+
+- `--agent`: how the workflows summon the agent (an `@mention`)
+- `--token-secret`: repo secret holding the driving user PAT
+- `--branch`: base branch for the loop's PRs
+- `--ci-workflow`: `name:` of the CI workflow triage watches
+
+Two things the CLI can't do for you (and `micro loop verify` reminds you of):
+
+1. **Add the token secret.** The agent ignores `@mentions` from the
+   `github-actions` bot, so dispatch posts as a real user via a PAT stored in
+   the `--token-secret` repo secret. The workflows no-op until it's set.
+2. **Set branch protection.** Require the CI checks with **0 approving reviews**
+   so the builder's native auto-merge lands PRs the moment CI is green — that
+   green-CI gate is the loop's only safety mechanism, so keep the suite strong.

cmd/micro/cli/agent/agent.go

@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ func init() {
 		Name:  "agent",
 		Usage: "Manage AI agents",
 		Subcommands: []*cli.Command{
+			{
+				Name:    "preflight",
+				Aliases: []string{"doctor"},
+				Usage:   "Check local prerequisites before the first provider-backed agent",
+				Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
+					return runAgentPreflight(os.Stdout, defaultPreflightDeps())
+				},
+			},
 			{
 				Name:  "list",
 				Usage: "List registered agents",

cmd/micro/cli/agent/preflight.go

@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+package agent
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/cmd"
+)
+
+type preflightCheck struct {
+	Name   string
+	OK     bool
+	Detail string
+	Fix    string
+}
+
+type preflightDeps struct {
+	lookPath      func(string) (string, error)
+	commandOutput func(string, ...string) ([]byte, error)
+	executable    func() (string, error)
+	version       func() string
+	getenv        func(string) string
+	listen        func(string, string) (net.Listener, error)
+}
+
+func defaultPreflightDeps() preflightDeps {
+	return preflightDeps{
+		lookPath:      exec.LookPath,
+		commandOutput: func(name string, args ...string) ([]byte, error) { return exec.Command(name, args...).CombinedOutput() },
+		executable:    os.Executable,
+		version:       func() string { return cmd.App().Version },
+		getenv:        os.Getenv,
+		listen:        net.Listen,
+	}
+}
+
+func runAgentPreflight(w io.Writer, deps preflightDeps) error {
+	checks := agentPreflightChecks(deps)
+	failures := 0
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "First-agent preflight")
+	for _, check := range checks {
+		mark := "✓"
+		if !check.OK {
+			mark = "✗"
+			failures++
+		}
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "  %s %s — %s\n", mark, check.Name, check.Detail)
+		if !check.OK && check.Fix != "" {
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "    Fix: %s\n", check.Fix)
+		}
+	}
+	if failures > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("first-agent preflight failed: %d check(s) need attention", failures)
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "\nReady for the first-agent walkthrough: micro run, then open http://localhost:8080/agent or use micro chat.")
+	return nil
+}
+
+func agentPreflightChecks(deps preflightDeps) []preflightCheck {
+	if deps.lookPath == nil {
+		deps.lookPath = exec.LookPath
+	}
+	if deps.commandOutput == nil {
+		deps.commandOutput = func(name string, args ...string) ([]byte, error) { return exec.Command(name, args...).CombinedOutput() }
+	}
+	if deps.executable == nil {
+		deps.executable = os.Executable
+	}
+	if deps.version == nil {
+		deps.version = func() string { return cmd.App().Version }
+	}
+	if deps.getenv == nil {
+		deps.getenv = os.Getenv
+	}
+	if deps.listen == nil {
+		deps.listen = net.Listen
+	}
+
+	checks := []preflightCheck{checkGoToolchain(deps), checkMicroBinary(deps), checkProviderKey(deps), checkPortAvailable(deps, ":8080", "micro run gateway and /agent playground")}
+	return checks
+}
+
+func checkGoToolchain(deps preflightDeps) preflightCheck {
+	path, err := deps.lookPath("go")
+	if err != nil {
+		return preflightCheck{Name: "Go toolchain", Fix: "Install Go 1.24 or newer and ensure go is on PATH."}
+	}
+	out, err := deps.commandOutput("go", "version")
+	if err != nil {
+		return preflightCheck{Name: "Go toolchain", Detail: strings.TrimSpace(string(out)), Fix: "Ensure the go command runs successfully."}
+	}
+	return preflightCheck{Name: "Go toolchain", OK: true, Detail: fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s)", firstLine(out), path)}
+}
+
+func checkMicroBinary(deps preflightDeps) preflightCheck {
+	exe, err := deps.executable()
+	if err != nil || exe == "" {
+		return preflightCheck{Name: "micro binary", Fix: "Install the micro CLI or run this check through go run ./cmd/micro agent preflight."}
+	}
+	version := deps.version()
+	if version == "" {
+		version = "version unavailable"
+	}
+	return preflightCheck{Name: "micro binary", OK: true, Detail: fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s)", version, exe)}
+}
+
+func checkProviderKey(deps preflightDeps) preflightCheck {
+	keys := []string{"MICRO_AI_API_KEY", "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", "OPENAI_API_KEY", "GEMINI_API_KEY", "GROQ_API_KEY", "MISTRAL_API_KEY", "TOGETHER_API_KEY", "ATLASCLOUD_API_KEY"}
+	var found []string
+	for _, k := range keys {
+		if deps.getenv(k) != "" {
+			found = append(found, k)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(found) == 0 {
+		return preflightCheck{Name: "provider API key", Detail: "no supported provider key found", Fix: "Export MICRO_AI_API_KEY or a provider key such as ANTHROPIC_API_KEY before running provider-backed agents."}
+	}
+	return preflightCheck{Name: "provider API key", OK: true, Detail: "found " + strings.Join(found, ", ")}
+}
+
+func checkPortAvailable(deps preflightDeps, addr, use string) preflightCheck {
+	ln, err := deps.listen("tcp", addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return preflightCheck{Name: "local port " + addr, Detail: "busy or unavailable for " + use, Fix: "Stop the process using " + addr + " or run micro run --address with a free port."}
+	}
+	_ = ln.Close()
+	return preflightCheck{Name: "local port " + addr, OK: true, Detail: "available for " + use}
+}
+
+func firstLine(b []byte) string {
+	s := strings.TrimSpace(string(b))
+	if i := strings.IndexByte(s, '\n'); i >= 0 {
+		return s[:i]
+	}
+	return s
+}

cmd/micro/cli/agent/preflight_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package agent
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"errors"
+	"net"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+type stubListener struct{}
+
+func (stubListener) Accept() (net.Conn, error) { return nil, errors.New("closed") }
+func (stubListener) Close() error              { return nil }
+func (stubListener) Addr() net.Addr            { return stubAddr(":8080") }
+
+type stubAddr string
+
+func (a stubAddr) Network() string { return "tcp" }
+func (a stubAddr) String() string  { return string(a) }
+
+func TestRunAgentPreflightPassesWithKeyAndFreePort(t *testing.T) {
+	deps := preflightDeps{
+		lookPath: func(name string) (string, error) { return "/usr/bin/" + name, nil },
+		commandOutput: func(name string, args ...string) ([]byte, error) {
+			return []byte("go version go1.24.0 linux/amd64\n"), nil
+		},
+		executable: func() (string, error) { return "/usr/local/bin/micro", nil },
+		getenv: func(key string) string {
+			if key == "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY" {
+				return "set"
+			}
+			return ""
+		},
+		listen: func(network, address string) (net.Listener, error) { return stubListener{}, nil },
+	}
+
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	if err := runAgentPreflight(&out, deps); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("runAgentPreflight() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	got := out.String()
+	for _, want := range []string{"First-agent preflight", "✓ Go toolchain", "✓ micro binary", "✓ provider API key", "✓ local port :8080", "Ready for the first-agent walkthrough"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(got, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("output missing %q:\n%s", want, got)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRunAgentPreflightReportsActionableFailures(t *testing.T) {
+	deps := preflightDeps{
+		lookPath:   func(name string) (string, error) { return "", errors.New("not found") },
+		executable: func() (string, error) { return "", errors.New("unknown") },
+		getenv:     func(key string) string { return "" },
+		listen:     func(network, address string) (net.Listener, error) { return nil, errors.New("in use") },
+	}
+
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	err := runAgentPreflight(&out, deps)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("runAgentPreflight() error = nil")
+	}
+	got := out.String()
+	for _, want := range []string{"✗ Go toolchain", "Install Go 1.24", "✗ micro binary", "✗ provider API key", "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", "✗ local port :8080", "micro run --address"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(got, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("output missing %q:\n%s", want, got)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFirstLine(t *testing.T) {
+	if got := firstLine([]byte("one\ntwo")); got != "one" {
+		t.Fatalf("firstLine() = %q", got)
+	}
+	if got := firstLine([]byte(" single ")); got != "single" {
+		t.Fatalf("firstLine() = %q", got)
+	}
+}

cmd/micro/first_agent_walkthrough_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
+	microcmd "go-micro.dev/v6/cmd"
+)
+
+func TestFirstAgentWalkthroughCLIBoundaries(t *testing.T) {
+	commands := map[string]bool{}
+	subcommands := map[string]map[string]bool{}
+	for _, command := range microcmd.DefaultCmd.App().Commands {
+		commands[command.Name] = true
+		for _, subcommand := range command.Subcommands {
+			if subcommands[command.Name] == nil {
+				subcommands[command.Name] = map[string]bool{}
+			}
+			subcommands[command.Name][subcommand.Name] = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, want := range []string{"new", "run", "chat", "inspect", "agent"} {
+		if !commands[want] {
+			t.Fatalf("first-agent walkthrough missing %q command", want)
+		}
+	}
+	if !subcommands["agent"]["preflight"] {
+		t.Fatal("first-agent walkthrough missing preflight boundary: agent preflight")
+	}
+	if !subcommands["inspect"]["agent"] {
+		t.Fatal("first-agent walkthrough missing inspect boundary: inspect agent")
+	}
+
+	chat := commandByName(t, "chat")
+	if !strings.Contains(chat.Description, "services") || !strings.Contains(chat.Description, "agent") {
+		t.Fatalf("micro chat should describe the service-to-agent walkthrough boundary; description was %q", chat.Description)
+	}
+}
+
+func commandByName(t *testing.T, name string) *cli.Command {
+	t.Helper()
+	for _, command := range microcmd.DefaultCmd.App().Commands {
+		if command.Name == name {
+			return command
+		}
+	}
+	t.Fatalf("missing command %q", name)
+	return nil
+}

cmd/micro/loop/loop.go

@@ -0,0 +1,300 @@
+// Package loop implements the 'micro loop' command, which scaffolds and
+// verifies an autonomous improvement loop for a repository.
+//
+// The loop is a set of GitHub Actions workflows — a planner that keeps a ranked
+// queue, a builder that builds the top item as a single-concern PR, and a triage
+// pass that turns CI failures into fix issues — that dispatch a coding agent by
+// @mention on a fresh tracking issue each run. `micro loop init` writes those
+// workflows (plus a NORTH_STAR and PRIORITIES queue) into a repo; `micro loop
+// verify` checks that a repo is wired correctly.
+package loop
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"embed"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"text/template"
+
+	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/cmd"
+)
+
+//go:embed templates/*
+var templatesFS embed.FS
+
+// config is the substitution surface for the workflow templates. It is the
+// whole "config vs core" boundary: the workflows are the reusable core, these
+// fields are what a given repo tunes.
+type config struct {
+	DefaultBranch string // base branch for the loop's PRs (e.g. main)
+	AgentMention  string // how the workflows summon the agent (e.g. @codex)
+	TokenSecret   string // repo secret holding the user PAT that drives dispatch
+	CIWorkflow    string // name: of the CI workflow triage watches for failures
+	PlannerCron   string // cron for the planner
+	BuilderCron   string // cron for the builder
+}
+
+// generated workflow files: template name -> destination (relative to repo root).
+var workflows = map[string]string{
+	"templates/loop-planner.yml.tmpl": ".github/workflows/loop-planner.yml",
+	"templates/loop-builder.yml.tmpl": ".github/workflows/loop-builder.yml",
+	"templates/loop-triage.yml.tmpl":  ".github/workflows/loop-triage.yml",
+}
+
+// static (non-templated) docs: template name -> destination.
+var docs = map[string]string{
+	"templates/NORTH_STAR.md": ".github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md",
+	"templates/PRIORITIES.md": ".github/loop/PRIORITIES.md",
+}
+
+func init() {
+	cmd.Register(&cli.Command{
+		Name:  "loop",
+		Usage: "Scaffold an autonomous improvement loop for a repository",
+		Description: `Set up a self-improving loop for a repo: GitHub Actions workflows that
+dispatch a coding agent to plan, build, and triage — gated by CI.
+
+The loop has three roles:
+  planner  keeps a ranked queue in .github/loop/PRIORITIES.md
+  builder  builds the top open item as a single-concern PR (auto-merged on green CI)
+  triage   turns CI failures into scoped fix issues back into the queue
+
+Direction lives in .github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md — edit it to steer the loop.
+
+Examples:
+  # Scaffold the loop into the current repo
+  micro loop init
+
+  # Customize the agent, token secret, base branch, and CI workflow name
+  micro loop init --agent @codex --token-secret LOOP_TOKEN \
+    --branch main --ci-workflow CI
+
+  # Check that a repo is wired correctly
+  micro loop verify`,
+		Subcommands: []*cli.Command{
+			{
+				Name:  "init",
+				Usage: "Scaffold the loop workflows and queue into a repo",
+				Flags: []cli.Flag{
+					&cli.StringFlag{Name: "dir", Usage: "Target repo directory", Value: "."},
+					&cli.StringFlag{Name: "branch", Usage: "Base branch for the loop's PRs (auto-detected if empty)"},
+					&cli.StringFlag{Name: "agent", Usage: "How the workflows summon the agent (an @mention)", Value: "@codex"},
+					&cli.StringFlag{Name: "token-secret", Usage: "Repo secret holding the user PAT that drives dispatch", Value: "LOOP_TOKEN"},
+					&cli.StringFlag{Name: "ci-workflow", Usage: "name: of the CI workflow triage watches for failures", Value: "CI"},
+					&cli.StringFlag{Name: "planner-cron", Usage: "Cron schedule for the planner", Value: "0 * * * *"},
+					&cli.StringFlag{Name: "builder-cron", Usage: "Cron schedule for the builder", Value: "30 * * * *"},
+					&cli.BoolFlag{Name: "force", Usage: "Overwrite existing loop files"},
+				},
+				Action: runInit,
+			},
+			{
+				Name:   "verify",
+				Usage:  "Verify a repo is wired for the loop",
+				Flags:  []cli.Flag{&cli.StringFlag{Name: "dir", Usage: "Target repo directory", Value: "."}},
+				Action: runVerify,
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func runInit(c *cli.Context) error {
+	dir := c.String("dir")
+	cfg := config{
+		DefaultBranch: c.String("branch"),
+		AgentMention:  strings.TrimSpace(c.String("agent")),
+		TokenSecret:   strings.TrimSpace(c.String("token-secret")),
+		CIWorkflow:    c.String("ci-workflow"),
+		PlannerCron:   c.String("planner-cron"),
+		BuilderCron:   c.String("builder-cron"),
+	}
+	if cfg.DefaultBranch == "" {
+		cfg.DefaultBranch = detectDefaultBranch(dir)
+	}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(cfg.AgentMention, "@") {
+		cfg.AgentMention = "@" + cfg.AgentMention
+	}
+
+	if err := scaffold(dir, cfg, c.Bool("force")); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	printNextSteps(cfg)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// scaffold renders the workflow templates and writes the loop files into dir.
+// Static docs (NORTH_STAR, PRIORITIES) are never clobbered even with force, so
+// re-running init can't wipe curated direction or a hand-tuned queue.
+func scaffold(dir string, cfg config, force bool) error {
+	for tmplName, dest := range workflows {
+		rendered, err := render(tmplName, cfg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if err := writeFile(filepath.Join(dir, dest), rendered, force); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		fmt.Printf("  wrote %s\n", dest)
+	}
+
+	for tmplName, dest := range docs {
+		full := filepath.Join(dir, dest)
+		if fileExists(full) {
+			fmt.Printf("  kept  %s (already exists)\n", dest)
+			continue
+		}
+		b, err := templatesFS.ReadFile(tmplName)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if err := writeFile(full, b, true); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		fmt.Printf("  wrote %s\n", dest)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// verifyState reports what's wrong with dir's loop setup: warnings are
+// non-fatal, missing are required files that aren't present.
+func verifyState(dir string) (warnings, missing []string) {
+	for _, dest := range workflows {
+		if !fileExists(filepath.Join(dir, dest)) {
+			missing = append(missing, dest)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, dest := range docs {
+		if !fileExists(filepath.Join(dir, dest)) {
+			missing = append(missing, dest)
+		}
+	}
+	// The loop is only as good as its gate: warn if there's no non-loop
+	// workflow to serve as CI.
+	if !hasCIWorkflow(dir) {
+		warnings = append(warnings, "no non-loop workflow found in .github/workflows — the loop needs a CI gate (build/test/lint) to merge safely")
+	}
+	return warnings, missing
+}
+
+func runVerify(c *cli.Context) error {
+	dir := c.String("dir")
+	warnings, missing := verifyState(dir)
+
+	for _, m := range missing {
+		fmt.Printf("  MISSING  %s\n", m)
+	}
+	for _, w := range warnings {
+		fmt.Printf("  WARN     %s\n", w)
+	}
+
+	if len(missing) > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("loop is not fully scaffolded (%d file(s) missing) — run `micro loop init`", len(missing))
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("  OK       loop workflows and queue are present")
+	fmt.Println()
+	fmt.Println("Reminders the CLI can't check:")
+	fmt.Println("  • The token secret must be set in the repo (Settings → Secrets).")
+	fmt.Println("  • Branch protection must require the CI checks with 0 approvals,")
+	fmt.Println("    so the builder's auto-merge can land PRs on green CI.")
+	if len(warnings) > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%d warning(s) — see above", len(warnings))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func render(tmplName string, cfg config) ([]byte, error) {
+	b, err := templatesFS.ReadFile(tmplName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	// Custom delimiters so GitHub Actions' own ${{ }} expressions pass through
+	// untouched — only << >> placeholders are substituted.
+	t, err := template.New(filepath.Base(tmplName)).Delims("<<", ">>").Option("missingkey=error").Parse(string(b))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parse %s: %w", tmplName, err)
+	}
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	if err := t.Execute(&buf, cfg); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("render %s: %w", tmplName, err)
+	}
+	return buf.Bytes(), nil
+}
+
+func writeFile(path string, content []byte, force bool) error {
+	if fileExists(path) && !force {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s already exists (use --force to overwrite)", path)
+	}
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0o755); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return os.WriteFile(path, content, 0o644)
+}
+
+func fileExists(path string) bool {
+	info, err := os.Stat(path)
+	return err == nil && !info.IsDir()
+}
+
+// hasCIWorkflow reports whether .github/workflows holds any workflow that is
+// not one of the loop's own (i.e. a plausible CI gate).
+func hasCIWorkflow(dir string) bool {
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(filepath.Join(dir, ".github", "workflows"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if e.IsDir() {
+			continue
+		}
+		name := e.Name()
+		if strings.HasPrefix(name, "loop-") {
+			continue
+		}
+		if strings.HasSuffix(name, ".yml") || strings.HasSuffix(name, ".yaml") {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// detectDefaultBranch best-effort resolves the repo's default branch, falling
+// back to "main".
+func detectDefaultBranch(dir string) string {
+	out, err := exec.Command("git", "-C", dir, "symbolic-ref", "--short", "refs/remotes/origin/HEAD").Output()
+	if err == nil {
+		ref := strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+		if i := strings.LastIndex(ref, "/"); i >= 0 {
+			ref = ref[i+1:]
+		}
+		if ref != "" {
+			return ref
+		}
+	}
+	return "main"
+}
+
+func printNextSteps(cfg config) {
+	fmt.Printf(`
+Loop scaffolded. Next steps (the CLI can't do these for you):
+
+  1. Edit .github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md — the direction the loop aligns to.
+     Seed .github/loop/PRIORITIES.md with a few real items.
+
+  2. Add a repo secret named %s: a fine-grained user PAT (contents + pull
+     requests + issues write) for an account the agent (%s) responds to.
+     The workflows no-op until this secret exists.
+
+  3. Ensure a CI workflow named %q exists and that branch protection on %q
+     requires its checks with 0 approving reviews — that green-CI gate is
+     what lets the builder auto-merge safely.
+
+  4. Commit these files, then trigger a run:
+     Actions → "Loop: Planner" / "Loop: Builder" → Run workflow.
+
+Verify anytime with: micro loop verify
+`, cfg.TokenSecret, cfg.AgentMention, cfg.CIWorkflow, cfg.DefaultBranch)
+}

cmd/micro/loop/loop_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+package loop
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestRenderProducesValidPlaceholderFreeYAML(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := config{
+		DefaultBranch: "main",
+		AgentMention:  "@codex",
+		TokenSecret:   "LOOP_TOKEN",
+		CIWorkflow:    "CI",
+		PlannerCron:   "0 * * * *",
+		BuilderCron:   "30 * * * *",
+	}
+
+	for tmplName := range workflows {
+		rendered, err := render(tmplName, cfg)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("render %s: %v", tmplName, err)
+		}
+		s := string(rendered)
+
+		// No unresolved substitution delimiters should remain...
+		if strings.Contains(s, "<<") || strings.Contains(s, ">>") {
+			t.Errorf("%s still contains << >> placeholders after render", tmplName)
+		}
+		// ...but GitHub Actions' own ${{ }} expressions must survive verbatim.
+		if !strings.Contains(s, "${{ secrets.LOOP_TOKEN") {
+			t.Errorf("%s lost its ${{ secrets.LOOP_TOKEN }} expression", tmplName)
+		}
+		// The configured values must be substituted in.
+		if !strings.Contains(s, "@codex") {
+			t.Errorf("%s missing agent mention", tmplName)
+		}
+		// Structural sanity: a workflow needs these top-level keys.
+		for _, key := range []string{"name:", "on:", "jobs:"} {
+			if !strings.Contains(s, key) {
+				t.Errorf("%s missing top-level %q", tmplName, key)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInitThenVerify(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	// A non-loop workflow so verify's CI-gate check passes.
+	mustWrite(t, filepath.Join(dir, ".github/workflows/ci.yml"), "name: CI\n")
+
+	if err := scaffold(dir, config{
+		DefaultBranch: "main",
+		AgentMention:  "@codex",
+		TokenSecret:   "LOOP_TOKEN",
+		CIWorkflow:    "CI",
+		PlannerCron:   "0 * * * *",
+		BuilderCron:   "30 * * * *",
+	}, false); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("scaffold: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	for _, dest := range workflows {
+		if !fileExists(filepath.Join(dir, dest)) {
+			t.Errorf("expected %s to be written", dest)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, dest := range docs {
+		if !fileExists(filepath.Join(dir, dest)) {
+			t.Errorf("expected %s to be written", dest)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// A second scaffold without --force must fail on an existing workflow.
+	if err := scaffold(dir, config{DefaultBranch: "main", AgentMention: "@codex", TokenSecret: "LOOP_TOKEN", CIWorkflow: "CI", PlannerCron: "0 * * * *", BuilderCron: "30 * * * *"}, false); err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected second scaffold without --force to fail")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestVerifyMissingFilesFails(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	if _, missing := verifyState(dir); len(missing) == 0 {
+		t.Error("expected missing files in an empty dir")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestVerifyWarnsWithoutCIGate(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	if err := scaffold(dir, config{DefaultBranch: "main", AgentMention: "@codex", TokenSecret: "LOOP_TOKEN", CIWorkflow: "CI", PlannerCron: "0 * * * *", BuilderCron: "30 * * * *"}, false); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("scaffold: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Only loop-* workflows exist → no CI gate.
+	if hasCIWorkflow(dir) {
+		t.Error("expected no CI gate when only loop-* workflows are present")
+	}
+}
+
+func mustWrite(t *testing.T, path, content string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(content), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}

cmd/micro/loop/templates/NORTH_STAR.md

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# North Star
+
+> **Edit this file.** It is the single source of direction the loop aligns every
+> increment to. The planner ranks work against it; the builder builds toward it.
+> Be concrete — vague direction produces vague increments.
+
+## Mission
+
+<One or two sentences: the problem this repository solves and who it's for.>
+
+## Right now
+
+<The current priority — what "better" means this month. The planner weights the
+queue toward this.>
+
+## Guardrails
+
+- One concern per PR; small and reversible.
+- The gate is green CI, not a human review — keep the test/lint suite strong,
+  because the loop is only as good as its evaluator.
+- **Off-limits without a human** (surface as notes, never auto-merge): breaking
+  public API changes, brand/positioning/marketing copy, new dependencies,
+  architectural rewrites, product-default changes with broad behavioral impact.

cmd/micro/loop/templates/PRIORITIES.md

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Priorities
+
+A single ranked queue, highest-value first. Each item links a scoped issue the
+loop can build and CI can verify. The **planner** keeps this current; the
+**builder** takes the top item whose issue is still open.
+
+<!--
+Seed this with a few real items to give the loop a running start, e.g.:
+
+1. Add retry with backoff to the HTTP client — #123
+2. Document the config file format — #124
+3. Fix flaky timeout in the cache tests — #125
+
+The planner will re-rank, drop completed items, and file issues for new gaps.
+Reorder or edit this file at any time to redirect the loop.
+-->

cmd/micro/loop/templates/loop-builder.yml.tmpl

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+name: "Loop: Builder"
+
+# Generated by `micro loop init`. The GENERATOR of the loop: each run it opens a
+# fresh tracking issue and dispatches the agent to build the top open item from
+# .github/loop/PRIORITIES.md as a single-concern PR, then enables native
+# auto-merge so the PR lands once the required CI checks pass. Branch protection
+# (required checks, 0 approvals) is the gate — there is no merge sweep.
+#
+# A FRESH issue per run is deliberate: agents derive the PR branch name from the
+# triggering issue, so reusing one tracker collapses every run onto one branch
+# and only the first PR opens. Gated on << .TokenSecret >> (see loop-planner.yml).
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch: {}
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "<< .BuilderCron >>"
+
+permissions:
+  issues: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: loop-builder
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  dispatch:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Open an increment issue and dispatch the agent
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.<< .TokenSecret >> || github.token }}
+          HAS_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.<< .TokenSecret >> != '' }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+          RUN_NUMBER: ${{ github.run_number }}
+        run: |
+          if [ "$HAS_TOKEN" != "true" ]; then
+            echo "<< .TokenSecret >> is not set — skipping (see loop-planner.yml)."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          ISSUE_URL=$(gh issue create --repo "$REPO" \
+            --title "Loop: build increment #$RUN_NUMBER" \
+            --body "Autonomous build increment. Direction: .github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md. Queue: .github/loop/PRIORITIES.md.")
+          ISSUE_NUM="${ISSUE_URL##*/}"
+          echo "Opened issue #$ISSUE_NUM — dispatching the builder."
+          gh issue comment "$ISSUE_NUM" --repo "$REPO" --body \
+          "<< .AgentMention >> Build one increment for this repository, aligned to .github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md. PICK THE WORK: take the highest-ranked item in .github/loop/PRIORITIES.md whose linked issue is still OPEN — that is your task and its issue is the one you close. If the queue is empty or every item's issue is closed, pick the single highest-value improvement yourself. Implement it, then VERIFY the project builds, tests, and lints (use the commands documented in the README or the CI workflow). Open the PR YOURSELF from the shell — do NOT use a make_pr tool (it may be a no-op stub): \`git switch -c loop/increment-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`git push -u origin loop/increment-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`gh pr create --base << .DefaultBranch >> --title \"<title>\" --body \"<body; include 'Closes #<the item's issue>' so it leaves the queue, and 'Closes #$ISSUE_NUM' for this tracker>\"\`, then \`gh pr merge --squash --auto --delete-branch\` so it lands on green CI. One concern per PR; stay out of breaking public API and brand/positioning copy."

cmd/micro/loop/templates/loop-planner.yml.tmpl

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+name: "Loop: Planner"
+
+# Generated by `micro loop init`. Part of an autonomous improvement loop:
+# a PLANNER (this file) keeps a ranked queue, a BUILDER builds the top item,
+# and CI + a TRIAGE pass are the evaluator. The loop dispatches a coding agent
+# by @mention on a fresh tracking issue each run.
+#
+# Gated on the << .TokenSecret >> secret: the agent ignores @mentions from the
+# github-actions bot, so the dispatch must post as a real user (a PAT). Until
+# that secret is set the workflow runs but no-ops. Direction lives in
+# .github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md; the ranked queue in .github/loop/PRIORITIES.md.
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch: {}
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "<< .PlannerCron >>"
+
+permissions:
+  issues: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: loop-planner
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  dispatch:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Open a planning issue and dispatch the agent
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.<< .TokenSecret >> || github.token }}
+          HAS_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.<< .TokenSecret >> != '' }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+          RUN_NUMBER: ${{ github.run_number }}
+        run: |
+          if [ "$HAS_TOKEN" != "true" ]; then
+            echo "<< .TokenSecret >> is not set — skipping."
+            echo "The agent ignores @mentions from the github-actions bot, so a"
+            echo "user PAT is required. Add a << .TokenSecret >> secret to activate."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          ISSUE_URL=$(gh issue create --repo "$REPO" \
+            --title "Loop: planning review #$RUN_NUMBER" \
+            --body "Autonomous planning pass. Direction: .github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md. Queue: .github/loop/PRIORITIES.md.")
+          ISSUE_NUM="${ISSUE_URL##*/}"
+          echo "Opened issue #$ISSUE_NUM — dispatching the planner."
+          gh issue comment "$ISSUE_NUM" --repo "$REPO" --body \
+          "<< .AgentMention >> Act as the planner for this repository. (1) Read .github/loop/NORTH_STAR.md for direction, then assess current state — recently merged PRs and open issues — so the queue reflects reality (drop done items, don't re-queue in-flight work). (2) Maintain a SINGLE ranked queue in .github/loop/PRIORITIES.md, highest-value first, each item linking a scoped, CI-verifiable issue (#N). For any prioritized gap with no issue, file one: \`gh issue create --title \"<scoped task>\" --body \"<goal, scope, acceptance criteria>\"\`. (3) If the ranking actually changed, open ONE PR for PRIORITIES.md: \`git switch -c loop/planner-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`git push -u origin loop/planner-$ISSUE_NUM\`, \`gh pr create --base << .DefaultBranch >> --title \"<title>\" --body \"<summary, Closes #$ISSUE_NUM>\"\`, then \`gh pr merge --squash --auto --delete-branch\`. If the queue is already accurate, just close this issue (\`gh issue close $ISSUE_NUM\`). Do NOT make breaking or architectural changes yourself — surface those as notes for a human. Open the PR yourself from the shell with gh; do not use a make_pr tool."

cmd/micro/loop/templates/loop-triage.yml.tmpl

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+name: "Loop: Triage"
+
+# Generated by `micro loop init`. The feedback path of the evaluator: when the
+# CI workflow ("<< .CIWorkflow >>") fails on a non-PR run, this dispatches the
+# agent to root-cause the failure and file scoped fix issues back into the
+# planner's queue — so failures become fixes with no human in the middle, short
+# of a decision that is genuinely a human's. Gated on << .TokenSecret >>.
+
+on:
+  workflow_run:
+    workflows: ["<< .CIWorkflow >>"]
+    types: [completed]
+
+permissions:
+  issues: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: loop-triage
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  triage:
+    # Only real failures on branch pushes/schedules — not PR-run failures, which
+    # the PR author already sees.
+    if: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.conclusion == 'failure' && github.event.workflow_run.event != 'pull_request' }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: File a triage issue and dispatch the agent
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.<< .TokenSecret >> || github.token }}
+          HAS_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.<< .TokenSecret >> != '' }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+          RUN_ID: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.id }}
+          RUN_URL: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.html_url }}
+        run: |
+          if [ "$HAS_TOKEN" != "true" ]; then
+            echo "<< .TokenSecret >> is not set — skipping (see loop-planner.yml)."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          ISSUE_URL=$(gh issue create --repo "$REPO" \
+            --title "Loop: triage failed run $RUN_ID" \
+            --body "The '<< .CIWorkflow >>' workflow failed: $RUN_URL")
+          ISSUE_NUM="${ISSUE_URL##*/}"
+          echo "Opened issue #$ISSUE_NUM — dispatching triage."
+          gh issue comment "$ISSUE_NUM" --repo "$REPO" --body \
+          "<< .AgentMention >> Triage the failed CI run at $RUN_URL. Read the logs and root-cause each distinct failure. DEDUPE against open issues — if a failure matches an existing issue, comment 'recurred' there instead of filing a duplicate. For each genuine, self-contained defect, file a scoped issue (\`gh issue create --title \"<scoped fix>\" --body \"<root cause, where, acceptance>\"\`) so the planner/builder can pick it up and the next CI run verifies it. IGNORE transient flakes (network blips, provider outages, timeouts with no code cause). Anything needing a breaking or architectural change: label it needs-human and describe it — do NOT auto-file it as a routine fix. Close this issue (\`gh issue close $ISSUE_NUM\`) when triage is done."

cmd/micro/main.go

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro/cli/deploy"
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro/flow"
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro/inspect"
+	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro/loop"
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro/mcp"
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro/resource"
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro/run"

contrib/go-micro-llamaindex/README.md

@@ -324,4 +324,4 @@ Apache 2.0 - See [LICENSE](../../LICENSE) for details.
 ## Support
 
 - GitHub Discussions: https://github.com/micro/go-micro/discussions
-- Discord: https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD
+- Discord: https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr

contrib/langchain-go-micro/CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -102,4 +102,4 @@ pytest tests/integration/ -v
 ## Questions?
 
 - GitHub Discussions: https://github.com/micro/go-micro/discussions
-- Discord: https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD
+- Discord: https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr

contrib/langchain-go-micro/README.md

@@ -370,4 +370,4 @@ Apache 2.0 - See [LICENSE](../../LICENSE) for details.
 ## Support
 
 - GitHub Discussions: https://github.com/micro/go-micro/discussions
-- Discord: https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD
+- Discord: https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr

examples/agent-ollama/main.go

@@ -0,0 +1,246 @@
+// Agent Ollama — a self-contained agent powered by Ollama Cloud.
+//
+// This example demonstrates the full harness loop — service tools, custom
+// tools, agent memory, guardrails, and streaming — using the Ollama
+// provider with gpt-oss:120b on Ollama Cloud.
+//
+// It creates a "knowledge" service with two endpoints (Add, Search) that
+// the agent discovers as tools, plus a custom "current_time" tool. The
+// agent answers natural-language questions by calling those tools.
+//
+// Run (Ollama Cloud — default):
+//
+//	OLLAMA_API_KEY=your-key go run main.go
+//
+// Run (local Ollama):
+//
+//	OLLAMA_BASE_URL=http://localhost:11434 \
+//	OLLAMA_MODEL=llama3.2 \
+//	go run main.go
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/agent"
+)
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// knowledge service — a tiny in-memory knowledge base
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+type KnowledgeEntry struct {
+	ID      string `json:"id" description:"Unique entry identifier"`
+	Topic   string `json:"topic" description:"Topic or category"`
+	Content string `json:"content" description:"The knowledge content"`
+}
+
+type AddKnowledgeRequest struct {
+	Topic   string `json:"topic" description:"Topic or category (required)"`
+	Content string `json:"content" description:"The knowledge content (required)"`
+}
+
+type AddKnowledgeResponse struct {
+	Entry *KnowledgeEntry `json:"entry" description:"The added entry"`
+}
+
+type SearchKnowledgeRequest struct {
+	Topic   string `json:"topic,omitempty" description:"Filter by topic (optional)"`
+	Keyword string `json:"keyword,omitempty" description:"Search keyword in content (optional)"`
+}
+
+type SearchKnowledgeResponse struct {
+	Entries []*KnowledgeEntry `json:"entries" description:"Matching entries"`
+}
+
+type KnowledgeService struct {
+	mu      sync.RWMutex
+	entries []*KnowledgeEntry
+	nextID  int
+}
+
+// Add stores a new knowledge entry.
+//
+// @example {"topic": "go", "content": "Go interfaces are implicit."}
+func (s *KnowledgeService) Add(ctx context.Context, req *AddKnowledgeRequest, rsp *AddKnowledgeResponse) error {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	s.nextID++
+	e := &KnowledgeEntry{
+		ID:      fmt.Sprintf("kb-%d", s.nextID),
+		Topic:   req.Topic,
+		Content: req.Content,
+	}
+	s.entries = append(s.entries, e)
+	rsp.Entry = e
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Search finds knowledge entries by topic or keyword.
+//
+// @example {"topic": "go"}
+// @example {"keyword": "interface"}
+func (s *KnowledgeService) Search(ctx context.Context, req *SearchKnowledgeRequest, rsp *SearchKnowledgeResponse) error {
+	s.mu.RLock()
+	defer s.mu.RUnlock()
+	for _, e := range s.entries {
+		if req.Topic != "" && !strings.EqualFold(e.Topic, req.Topic) {
+			continue
+		}
+		if req.Keyword != "" && !strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(e.Content), strings.ToLower(req.Keyword)) {
+			continue
+		}
+		rsp.Entries = append(rsp.Entries, e)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// main
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func main() {
+	// Ollama Cloud is the default. Override with env vars for local Ollama.
+	baseURL := os.Getenv("OLLAMA_BASE_URL")
+	if baseURL == "" {
+		baseURL = "https://ollama.com/v1"
+	}
+	model := os.Getenv("OLLAMA_MODEL")
+	if model == "" {
+		model = "gpt-oss:120b"
+	}
+	apiKey := os.Getenv("OLLAMA_API_KEY")
+
+	fmt.Println("╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗")
+	fmt.Println("║       Ollama-Powered Go Micro Agent      ║")
+	fmt.Println("╚══════════════════════════════════════════╝")
+	fmt.Println()
+	fmt.Printf("  Ollama URL:  %s\n", baseURL)
+	fmt.Printf("  Model:       %s\n", model)
+	if apiKey != "" {
+		fmt.Printf("  API Key:     (set)\n")
+	} else {
+		fmt.Printf("  API Key:     (none — set OLLAMA_API_KEY)\n")
+	}
+	fmt.Println()
+
+	// 1. Start the knowledge service. Its handlers become agent tools.
+	svc := micro.NewService("knowledge")
+	svc.Handle(new(KnowledgeService))
+	go svc.Run()
+
+	// Give the service a moment to register.
+	time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+
+	// 2. Create the agent. It discovers the knowledge service endpoints
+	//    as tools automatically, plus gets a custom "current_time" tool.
+	ag := micro.NewAgent("ollama-assistant",
+		micro.AgentServices("knowledge"),
+		micro.AgentPrompt(
+			"You are a helpful knowledge assistant. You can search and add to "+
+				"a knowledge base using the knowledge service tools. "+
+				"When asked about the current time, use the current_time tool. "+
+				"Be concise and factual.",
+		),
+		micro.AgentProvider("ollama"),
+		micro.AgentModel(model),
+		micro.AgentAPIKey(apiKey),
+		micro.AgentBaseURL(baseURL),
+		micro.AgentMaxSteps(10),
+		micro.AgentLoopLimit(3),
+		// Custom tool — any function, not tied to a service.
+		agent.WithTool(
+			"current_time",
+			"Get the current date and time in a human-readable format",
+			map[string]any{
+				"timezone": map[string]any{
+					"type":        "string",
+					"description": "Optional timezone (defaults to local)",
+				},
+			},
+			func(ctx context.Context, input map[string]any) (string, error) {
+				tz, _ := input["timezone"].(string)
+				if tz == "" {
+					return time.Now().Format("2006-01-02 15:04:05 MST"), nil
+				}
+				loc, err := time.LoadLocation(tz)
+				if err != nil {
+					return "", fmt.Errorf("unknown timezone: %s", tz)
+				}
+				return time.Now().In(loc).Format("2006-01-02 15:04:05 MST"), nil
+			},
+		),
+	)
+
+	// 3. Seed initial knowledge via the agent's first question.
+	questions := []string{
+		"What time is it now?",
+		"Add a new knowledge entry: topic 'go', content 'Go interfaces are implicit — a type implements an interface by having the required methods.'",
+		"Add another entry: topic 'go', content 'Go is a statically typed, compiled language designed at Google.'",
+		"Add another entry: topic 'ai', content 'Large language models generate text by predicting the next token in a sequence.'",
+		"Search the knowledge base for entries about Go.",
+		"Search for everything in the knowledge base.",
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("─── Agent Demo ───")
+	fmt.Println()
+
+	for i, q := range questions {
+		fmt.Printf("Q%d: %s\n", i+1, q)
+		fmt.Print("A: ")
+
+		resp, err := ag.Ask(context.Background(), q)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Printf("error: %v\n", err)
+			fmt.Println()
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Show tool calls the agent made.
+		if len(resp.ToolCalls) > 0 {
+			for _, tc := range resp.ToolCalls {
+				args, _ := json.Marshal(tc.Input)
+				fmt.Printf("  [tool] %s(%s)\n", tc.Name, string(args))
+			}
+		}
+
+		fmt.Println(resp.Reply)
+		if resp.Reply == "" && len(resp.ToolCalls) == 0 {
+			fmt.Println("(no response)")
+		}
+		fmt.Println()
+	}
+
+	// 4. Streaming demonstration.
+	fmt.Println("─── Streaming Demo ───")
+	fmt.Println()
+	streamQ := "Explain what Go Micro is in two sentences."
+	fmt.Printf("Q: %s\n", streamQ)
+	fmt.Print("A: ")
+
+	stream, err := ag.Stream(context.Background(), streamQ)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("stream error: %v\n", err)
+	} else {
+		for {
+			chunk, err := stream.Recv()
+			if err != nil {
+				break
+			}
+			if chunk.Reply != "" {
+				fmt.Print(chunk.Reply)
+			}
+		}
+		fmt.Println()
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println()
+	fmt.Println("Done.")
+}

flow/dispatch_test.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/client"
 	codecbytes "go-micro.dev/v6/codec/bytes"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/store"
 )
 
 // fakeClient embeds the default client (so NewRequest works) and
@@ -65,3 +66,65 @@ func TestExecuteDispatchesToAgent(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("rendered prompt = %q, want %q", results[0].Prompt, "welcome bob")
 	}
 }
+
+// A caller-owned schedule can trigger an agent workflow without a human chat
+// prompt and still leave the normal flow run metadata behind for inspection.
+func TestScheduledAgentRunHarnessContract(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	cp := StoreCheckpoint(store.NewMemoryStore(), "scheduled-contract")
+	f := New("scheduled-contract",
+		Trigger("schedule.daily"),
+		WithCheckpoint(cp),
+		Steps(Step{Name: "summarize", Run: Dispatch("ops-agent")}),
+	)
+
+	var parentID string
+	f.client = &fakeClient{
+		Client: client.DefaultClient,
+		callFn: func(req client.Request, rsp interface{}) error {
+			if req.Service() != "ops-agent" || req.Endpoint() != "Agent.Chat" {
+				t.Fatalf("dispatched to %s.%s, want ops-agent.Agent.Chat", req.Service(), req.Endpoint())
+			}
+			reqFrame := req.Body().(*codecbytes.Frame)
+			var body map[string]string
+			if err := json.Unmarshal(reqFrame.Data, &body); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("request body: %v", err)
+			}
+			parentID = body["parent_id"]
+			if body["message"] != "run unattended daily ops review" {
+				t.Fatalf("message = %q, want scheduled payload", body["message"])
+			}
+			frame := rsp.(*codecbytes.Frame)
+			frame.Data = []byte(`{"reply":"review queued","agent":"ops-agent","parent_id":"` + parentID + `"}`)
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
+
+	if err := Scheduled(f, "run unattended daily ops review").Tick(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("scheduled tick: %v", err)
+	}
+	if parentID == "" {
+		t.Fatal("dispatch did not receive the scheduled flow run id as parent_id")
+	}
+
+	runs, err := cp.List(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("list scheduled runs: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(runs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("got %d runs, want 1", len(runs))
+	}
+	run := runs[0]
+	if run.ID != parentID {
+		t.Fatalf("run ID = %q, parent_id = %q", run.ID, parentID)
+	}
+	if run.Flow != "scheduled-contract" || run.Status != "done" {
+		t.Fatalf("run = %+v, want scheduled-contract done", run)
+	}
+	if got := run.State.String(); got != "review queued" {
+		t.Fatalf("run result = %q, want agent reply", got)
+	}
+	if len(run.Steps) != 1 || run.Steps[0].Name != "summarize" || run.Steps[0].Status != "done" {
+		t.Fatalf("steps = %+v, want summarize done", run.Steps)
+	}
+}

flow/flow.go

@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ type Result struct {
 	Answer    string    `json:"answer,omitempty"`
 	ToolCalls []string  `json:"tool_calls,omitempty"`
 	Error     string    `json:"error,omitempty"`
+	ErrorKind string    `json:"error_kind,omitempty"`
 	Timestamp time.Time `json:"timestamp"`
 	Duration  float64   `json:"duration_seconds"`
 }
@@ -141,7 +142,8 @@ func (f *Flow) Register(reg registry.Registry, br broker.Broker, cl client.Clien
 	if f.opts.TriggerTopic != "" {
 		sub, err := br.Subscribe(f.opts.TriggerTopic, func(p broker.Event) error {
 			data := string(p.Message().Body)
-			if err := f.Execute(context.Background(), data); err != nil {
+			ctx := ai.WithRunInfo(context.Background(), ai.RunInfo{Dispatch: "broker", Trigger: f.opts.TriggerTopic})
+			if err := f.Execute(ctx, data); err != nil {
 				f.log.Logf(logger.ErrorLevel, "Flow %s failed: %v", f.name, err)
 			}
 			return nil
@@ -222,7 +224,10 @@ func (f *Flow) Execute(ctx context.Context, data string) error {
 	}
 
 	runID := uuid.New().String()
-	ctx = ai.WithRunInfo(ctx, ai.RunInfo{RunID: runID, Flow: f.name})
+	info, _ := ai.RunInfoFrom(ctx)
+	info.RunID = runID
+	info.Flow = f.name
+	ctx = ai.WithRunInfo(ctx, info)
 
 	start := time.Now()
 
@@ -246,6 +251,7 @@ func (f *Flow) Execute(ctx context.Context, data string) error {
 		result.Duration = time.Since(start).Seconds()
 		if err != nil {
 			result.Error = err.Error()
+			result.ErrorKind = string(ai.ClassifyError(err))
 			f.record(result)
 			return err
 		}
@@ -261,6 +267,7 @@ func (f *Flow) Execute(ctx context.Context, data string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		result.Duration = time.Since(start).Seconds()
 		result.Error = err.Error()
+		result.ErrorKind = string(ai.ClassifyError(err))
 		f.record(result)
 		return fmt.Errorf("discover tools: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -274,6 +281,7 @@ func (f *Flow) Execute(ctx context.Context, data string) error {
 
 	if err != nil {
 		result.Error = err.Error()
+		result.ErrorKind = string(ai.ClassifyError(err))
 		f.record(result)
 		return err
 	}

flow/otel.go

@@ -16,13 +16,18 @@ const (
 	spanNameFlowRun  = "flow.run"
 	spanNameFlowStep = "flow.step"
 
-	AttrFlowRunID     = "flow.run.id"
-	AttrFlowParentID  = "flow.run.parent_id"
-	AttrFlowName      = "flow.name"
-	AttrFlowStepName  = "flow.step.name"
-	AttrFlowStatus    = "flow.status"
-	AttrFlowAttempts  = "flow.step.attempts"
-	AttrFlowLatencyMS = "flow.latency_ms"
+	AttrFlowRunID              = "flow.run.id"
+	AttrFlowParentID           = "flow.run.parent_id"
+	AttrFlowName               = "flow.name"
+	AttrFlowStepName           = "flow.step.name"
+	AttrFlowStatus             = "flow.status"
+	AttrFlowAttempts           = "flow.step.attempts"
+	AttrFlowLatencyMS          = "flow.latency_ms"
+	AttrFlowErrorKind          = "flow.error.kind"
+	AttrFlowVerificationStatus = "flow.verification.status"
+	AttrFlowVerificationNote   = "flow.verification.note"
+	AttrFlowDispatch           = "flow.dispatch"
+	AttrFlowTrigger            = "flow.trigger"
 )
 
 func (f *Flow) tracer() trace.Tracer {
@@ -33,12 +38,15 @@ func (f *Flow) startRunSpan(ctx context.Context, run Run) (context.Context, func
 	if f.opts.TraceProvider == nil {
 		return ctx, func(Run, error) {}
 	}
-	ctx, span := f.tracer().Start(ctx, spanNameFlowRun, trace.WithSpanKind(trace.SpanKindInternal), trace.WithAttributes(
+	info, _ := ai.RunInfoFrom(ctx)
+	attrs := []attribute.KeyValue{
 		attribute.String(AttrFlowRunID, run.ID),
 		attribute.String(AttrFlowParentID, run.ParentID),
 		attribute.String(AttrFlowName, f.name),
 		attribute.String(AttrFlowStatus, run.Status),
-	))
+	}
+	attrs = appendRunInfoDispatch(attrs, info)
+	ctx, span := f.tracer().Start(ctx, spanNameFlowRun, trace.WithSpanKind(trace.SpanKindInternal), trace.WithAttributes(attrs...))
 	start := time.Now()
 	return ctx, func(done Run, err error) {
 		span.SetAttributes(
@@ -47,6 +55,7 @@ func (f *Flow) startRunSpan(ctx context.Context, run Run) (context.Context, func
 		)
 		if err != nil {
 			span.RecordError(err)
+			span.SetAttributes(attribute.String(AttrFlowErrorKind, string(ai.ClassifyError(err))))
 			span.SetStatus(codes.Error, err.Error())
 		} else {
 			span.SetStatus(codes.Ok, "")
@@ -55,29 +64,51 @@ func (f *Flow) startRunSpan(ctx context.Context, run Run) (context.Context, func
 	}
 }
 
-func (f *Flow) runStepSpan(ctx context.Context, step Step, in State) (State, int, error) {
+func (f *Flow) runStepSpan(ctx context.Context, step Step, in State) (State, int, Verification, error) {
 	if f.opts.TraceProvider == nil {
 		return f.runStep(ctx, step, in)
 	}
 	info, _ := ai.RunInfoFrom(ctx)
-	ctx, span := f.tracer().Start(ctx, spanNameFlowStep, trace.WithAttributes(
+	attrs := []attribute.KeyValue{
 		attribute.String(AttrFlowRunID, info.RunID),
 		attribute.String(AttrFlowParentID, info.ParentID),
 		attribute.String(AttrFlowName, f.name),
 		attribute.String(AttrFlowStepName, step.Name),
-	))
+	}
+	attrs = appendRunInfoDispatch(attrs, info)
+	ctx, span := f.tracer().Start(ctx, spanNameFlowStep, trace.WithAttributes(attrs...))
 	start := time.Now()
-	out, attempts, err := f.runStep(ctx, step, in)
+	out, attempts, verification, err := f.runStep(ctx, step, in)
 	span.SetAttributes(
 		attribute.Int(AttrFlowAttempts, attempts),
 		attribute.Int64(AttrFlowLatencyMS, time.Since(start).Milliseconds()),
 	)
+	if verification.Passed {
+		span.SetAttributes(attribute.String(AttrFlowVerificationStatus, "passed"))
+	}
+	if verification.Feedback != "" {
+		span.SetAttributes(attribute.String(AttrFlowVerificationNote, verification.Feedback))
+		if !verification.Passed {
+			span.SetAttributes(attribute.String(AttrFlowVerificationStatus, "failed"))
+		}
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		span.RecordError(err)
+		span.SetAttributes(attribute.String(AttrFlowErrorKind, string(ai.ClassifyError(err))))
 		span.SetStatus(codes.Error, err.Error())
 	} else {
 		span.SetStatus(codes.Ok, "")
 	}
 	span.End()
-	return out, attempts, err
+	return out, attempts, verification, err
+}
+
+func appendRunInfoDispatch(attrs []attribute.KeyValue, info ai.RunInfo) []attribute.KeyValue {
+	if info.Dispatch != "" {
+		attrs = append(attrs, attribute.String(AttrFlowDispatch, info.Dispatch))
+	}
+	if info.Trigger != "" {
+		attrs = append(attrs, attribute.String(AttrFlowTrigger, info.Trigger))
+	}
+	return attrs
 }

flow/otel_test.go

@@ -74,3 +74,29 @@ func flowSpanAttributes(attrs []attribute.KeyValue) map[string]string {
 func withTestRunInfo(ctx context.Context, runID string) context.Context {
 	return ai.WithRunInfo(ctx, ai.RunInfo{RunID: runID, Agent: "planner"})
 }
+
+func TestScheduledFlowOpenTelemetryDispatchAttributes(t *testing.T) {
+	exp := tracetest.NewInMemoryExporter()
+	tp := trace.NewTracerProvider(trace.WithSyncer(exp))
+
+	step := Step{Name: "summarize", Run: func(ctx context.Context, in State) (State, error) {
+		in.Data = []byte("queued")
+		return in, nil
+	}}
+	f := New("scheduled-observed", Trigger("schedule.daily"), WithCheckpoint(StoreCheckpoint(store.NewMemoryStore(), "scheduled-observed")), TraceProvider(tp), Steps(step))
+	if err := Scheduled(f, "daily ops review").Tick(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	for _, span := range exp.GetSpans().Snapshots() {
+		if span.Name() != spanNameFlowRun {
+			continue
+		}
+		attrs := flowSpanAttributes(span.Attributes())
+		if attrs[AttrFlowDispatch] != "schedule" || attrs[AttrFlowTrigger] != "schedule.daily" {
+			t.Fatalf("scheduled run span dispatch attributes = %#v", attrs)
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	t.Fatal("flow run span not emitted")
+}

flow/schedule.go

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package flow
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"time"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
+)
+
+// Schedule binds a flow to a recurring work item without introducing a
+// scheduler service. It is a small harness contract: callers own the clock,
+// Go Micro owns turning each tick into the same inspectable flow run used for
+// broker events and direct Execute calls.
+type Schedule struct {
+	flow *Flow
+	data string
+}
+
+// Scheduled returns a deterministic scheduled-run harness for this flow.
+// Tests and event loops can call Tick directly; production processes can wire
+// the same contract to time.Ticker through RunEvery. Each tick calls Execute, so
+// checkpointed run history, parent/run metadata, cancellation, and inspection
+// stay on the normal flow surfaces.
+func Scheduled(f *Flow, data string) Schedule {
+	return Schedule{flow: f, data: data}
+}
+
+// Tick starts one scheduled run immediately and returns when that run finishes.
+func (s Schedule) Tick(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if ctx == nil {
+		ctx = context.Background()
+	}
+	info, _ := ai.RunInfoFrom(ctx)
+	info.Dispatch = "schedule"
+	if info.Trigger == "" {
+		info.Trigger = s.flow.opts.TriggerTopic
+	}
+	if info.Trigger == "" {
+		info.Trigger = "schedule"
+	}
+	return s.flow.Execute(ai.WithRunInfo(ctx, info), s.data)
+}
+
+// RunEvery drives scheduled runs from a ticker until ctx is canceled. It does
+// not persist schedule definitions or host a scheduler; it only adapts a caller
+// owned cadence to Tick.
+func (s Schedule) RunEvery(ctx context.Context, interval time.Duration) error {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(interval)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return ctx.Err()
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			if err := s.Tick(ctx); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}

flow/steps.go

@@ -52,22 +52,53 @@ func (s State) String() string { return string(s.Data) }
 // returns the next state.
 type StepFunc func(ctx context.Context, in State) (State, error)
 
-// Step is one unit of a flow — a named action with an optional retry
-// override. There is one Step kind; the action is the Run func, and the
-// Call/LLM/Agent helpers produce the common ones.
+// Verifier grades a step output before the flow advances. Returning
+// Passed=false converts the grade into a retryable VerificationError, so
+// the existing step retry/supervision path can feed Feedback into the next
+// attempt through ai.RunInfo.VerificationFeedback.
+type Verifier func(ctx context.Context, out State) (Verification, error)
+
+// Verification is the verifier's deterministic grade for one step attempt.
+type Verification struct {
+	Passed   bool
+	Feedback string
+}
+
+// VerificationError reports a failed grade. It is returned from runStep so
+// existing retry, checkpoint, and trace paths handle verifier failures the
+// same way they handle step execution failures.
+type VerificationError struct {
+	Step     string
+	Feedback string
+}
+
+func (e *VerificationError) Error() string {
+	if e.Feedback == "" {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("flow: verification failed for step %q", e.Step)
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("flow: verification failed for step %q: %s", e.Step, e.Feedback)
+}
+
+// Step is one unit of a flow — a named action with optional retry and
+// verification hooks. There is one Step kind; the action is the Run func,
+// and the Call/LLM/Agent helpers produce the common ones.
 type Step struct {
-	Name  string
-	Run   StepFunc
-	Retry int // per-step override of the flow's retry (0 = use the flow default)
+	Name   string
+	Run    StepFunc
+	Retry  int      // per-step override of the flow's retry (0 = use the flow default)
+	Verify Verifier // optional grade; failed grades retry the step with feedback in RunInfo
 }
 
 // StepRecord is the recorded outcome of one step within a run.
 type StepRecord struct {
-	Name     string `json:"name"`
-	Status   string `json:"status"` // pending | in_progress | done | failed
-	Attempts int    `json:"attempts"`
-	Result   string `json:"result,omitempty"`
-	Error    string `json:"error,omitempty"`
+	Name               string `json:"name"`
+	Status             string `json:"status"` // pending | in_progress | done | failed
+	Attempts           int    `json:"attempts"`
+	Result             string `json:"result,omitempty"`
+	Error              string `json:"error,omitempty"`
+	ErrorKind          string `json:"error_kind,omitempty"`
+	VerificationStatus string `json:"verification_status,omitempty"` // passed | failed
+	VerificationNote   string `json:"verification_note,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Run is the persisted record of one flow execution — what a Checkpoint
@@ -402,7 +433,12 @@ func (f *Flow) Pending(ctx context.Context) ([]Run, error) {
 func (f *Flow) runFrom(ctx context.Context, run Run) (Run, error) {
 	steps := f.opts.Steps
 	ctx = withDeps(ctx, &runDeps{client: f.client, model: f.model, tools: f.toolSet})
-	ctx = ai.WithRunInfo(ctx, ai.RunInfo{RunID: run.ID, ParentID: run.ParentID, Agent: f.name, Flow: f.name})
+	info, _ := ai.RunInfoFrom(ctx)
+	info.RunID = run.ID
+	info.ParentID = run.ParentID
+	info.Agent = f.name
+	info.Flow = f.name
+	ctx = ai.WithRunInfo(ctx, info)
 	ctx, finishSpan := f.startRunSpan(ctx, run)
 	var spanErr error
 	defer func() { finishSpan(run, spanErr) }()
@@ -425,12 +461,14 @@ func (f *Flow) runFrom(ctx context.Context, run Run) (Run, error) {
 			return run, err
 		}
 
-		out, attempts, err := f.runStepSpan(ctx, step, run.State)
+		out, attempts, verification, err := f.runStepSpan(ctx, step, run.State)
 		run.Steps[i].Attempts = attempts
+		applyVerificationRecord(&run.Steps[i], verification)
 		if err != nil {
 			spanErr = err
 			run.Steps[i].Status = "failed"
 			run.Steps[i].Error = err.Error()
+			run.Steps[i].ErrorKind = string(ai.ClassifyError(err))
 			run.Status = "failed"
 			if saveErr := f.save(ctx, run); saveErr != nil {
 				spanErr = saveErr
@@ -474,40 +512,65 @@ func (f *Flow) runFrom(ctx context.Context, run Run) (Run, error) {
 // runStep runs one step, retrying on error up to the resolved retry count.
 // A step with no Run function is a configuration error, and a canceled run
 // stops retrying immediately rather than burning the rest of its budget.
-func (f *Flow) runStep(ctx context.Context, step Step, in State) (State, int, error) {
+func (f *Flow) runStep(ctx context.Context, step Step, in State) (State, int, Verification, error) {
 	if step.Run == nil {
-		return in, 0, fmt.Errorf("flow: step %q has no Run function", step.Name)
+		return in, 0, Verification{}, fmt.Errorf("flow: step %q has no Run function", step.Name)
 	}
 	retries := f.opts.Retry
 	if step.Retry > 0 {
 		retries = step.Retry
 	}
 	var lastErr error
+	var lastVerification Verification
+	var feedback string
 	for attempt := 1; attempt <= retries+1; attempt++ {
 		// Stop the moment the run's context is canceled or its deadline
 		// passes — a canceled run shouldn't keep retrying, and the context
 		// error is surfaced so callers can detect cancellation upstream.
 		if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
-			return in, attempt - 1, err
+			return in, attempt - 1, lastVerification, err
 		}
+		attemptCtx := ctx
 		if info, ok := ai.RunInfoFrom(ctx); ok {
 			info.Step = step.Name
-			ctx = ai.WithRunInfo(ctx, info)
+			info.VerificationFeedback = feedback
+			attemptCtx = ai.WithRunInfo(ctx, info)
+		}
+		out, err := step.Run(attemptCtx, in)
+		if err == nil && step.Verify != nil {
+			lastVerification, err = step.Verify(attemptCtx, out)
+			if err == nil && !lastVerification.Passed {
+				err = &VerificationError{Step: step.Name, Feedback: lastVerification.Feedback}
+			}
 		}
-		out, err := step.Run(ctx, in)
 		if err == nil {
-			return out, attempt, nil
+			return out, attempt, lastVerification, nil
 		}
 		lastErr = err
+		if verr, ok := err.(*VerificationError); ok {
+			feedback = verr.Feedback
+		}
 		if attempt <= retries && f.opts.RetryBackoff > 0 {
 			select {
 			case <-time.After(f.opts.RetryBackoff):
 			case <-ctx.Done():
-				return in, attempt, ctx.Err()
+				return in, attempt, lastVerification, ctx.Err()
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	return in, retries + 1, lastErr
+	return in, retries + 1, lastVerification, lastErr
+}
+
+func applyVerificationRecord(record *StepRecord, verification Verification) {
+	if verification.Passed {
+		record.VerificationStatus = "passed"
+	}
+	if verification.Feedback != "" {
+		record.VerificationNote = truncate(verification.Feedback, 200)
+		if !verification.Passed {
+			record.VerificationStatus = "failed"
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func (f *Flow) save(ctx context.Context, run Run) error {
@@ -555,6 +618,7 @@ func resultFromRun(trigger string, run Run) Result {
 		r.ToolCalls = append(r.ToolCalls, s.Name+":"+s.Status)
 		if s.Error != "" {
 			r.Error = s.Error
+			r.ErrorKind = s.ErrorKind
 		}
 	}
 	if run.Status == "done" {

flow/steps_test.go

@@ -548,3 +548,37 @@ func TestStateSetScan(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("round-trip failed: %+v", got)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestFlowFailureRecordsErrorKind(t *testing.T) {
+	cp := StoreCheckpoint(store.NewMemoryStore(), "failure-kind")
+	f := New("failure-kind",
+		WithCheckpoint(cp),
+		Steps(Step{Name: "limited", Run: func(_ context.Context, in State) (State, error) {
+			return in, errors.New("rate limit exceeded")
+		}}),
+	)
+
+	err := f.Execute(context.Background(), "payload")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Execute error = nil, want failure")
+	}
+
+	runs, listErr := cp.List(context.Background())
+	if listErr != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("List: %v", listErr)
+	}
+	if len(runs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("runs = %d, want 1", len(runs))
+	}
+	if got := runs[0].Steps[0].ErrorKind; got != string(ai.ErrorKindRateLimited) {
+		t.Fatalf("step error kind = %q, want %q", got, ai.ErrorKindRateLimited)
+	}
+
+	results := f.Results()
+	if len(results) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("results = %d, want 1", len(results))
+	}
+	if got := results[0].ErrorKind; got != string(ai.ErrorKindRateLimited) {
+		t.Fatalf("result error kind = %q, want %q", got, ai.ErrorKindRateLimited)
+	}
+}

flow/verification_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+package flow
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/store"
+)
+
+func TestFlowStepVerificationRetriesWithFeedback(t *testing.T) {
+	var attempts int
+	var feedback []string
+	step := Step{
+		Name:  "draft",
+		Retry: 1,
+		Run: func(ctx context.Context, in State) (State, error) {
+			attempts++
+			info, ok := ai.RunInfoFrom(ctx)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Fatal("RunInfo missing from verified step")
+			}
+			feedback = append(feedback, info.VerificationFeedback)
+			if info.VerificationFeedback == "add evidence" {
+				in.Data = []byte("answer with evidence")
+			} else {
+				in.Data = []byte("answer")
+			}
+			return in, nil
+		},
+		Verify: func(ctx context.Context, out State) (Verification, error) {
+			if out.String() == "answer with evidence" {
+				return Verification{Passed: true, Feedback: "meets rubric"}, nil
+			}
+			return Verification{Feedback: "add evidence"}, nil
+		},
+	}
+
+	cp := StoreCheckpoint(store.NewMemoryStore(), "verified")
+	f := New("verified", WithCheckpoint(cp), Steps(step))
+	if err := f.Execute(context.Background(), "question"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if attempts != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("attempts = %d, want 2", attempts)
+	}
+	if len(feedback) != 2 || feedback[0] != "" || feedback[1] != "add evidence" {
+		t.Fatalf("feedback = %#v, want empty then verifier feedback", feedback)
+	}
+	runs, err := cp.List(context.Background())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(runs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("runs = %d, want 1", len(runs))
+	}
+	stepRecord := runs[0].Steps[0]
+	if stepRecord.Status != "done" || stepRecord.Attempts != 2 || stepRecord.VerificationStatus != "passed" || stepRecord.VerificationNote != "meets rubric" {
+		t.Fatalf("step record = %#v", stepRecord)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFlowStepVerificationFailureIsCheckpointed(t *testing.T) {
+	step := Step{
+		Name: "grade",
+		Run: func(ctx context.Context, in State) (State, error) {
+			in.Data = []byte("bad")
+			return in, nil
+		},
+		Verify: func(ctx context.Context, out State) (Verification, error) {
+			return Verification{Feedback: "missing citation"}, nil
+		},
+	}
+
+	cp := StoreCheckpoint(store.NewMemoryStore(), "verified-fail")
+	f := New("verified-fail", WithCheckpoint(cp), Steps(step))
+	err := f.Execute(context.Background(), "question")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Execute succeeded, want verification failure")
+	}
+	var verr *VerificationError
+	if !errors.As(err, &verr) {
+		t.Fatalf("error = %T %v, want VerificationError", err, err)
+	}
+	if verr.Feedback != "missing citation" {
+		t.Fatalf("feedback = %q, want missing citation", verr.Feedback)
+	}
+	runs, listErr := cp.List(context.Background())
+	if listErr != nil {
+		t.Fatal(listErr)
+	}
+	if len(runs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("runs = %d, want 1", len(runs))
+	}
+	stepRecord := runs[0].Steps[0]
+	if runs[0].Status != "failed" || stepRecord.VerificationStatus != "failed" || stepRecord.VerificationNote != "missing citation" {
+		t.Fatalf("run = %#v step = %#v", runs[0], stepRecord)
+	}
+}

gateway/a2a/a2a.go

@@ -180,6 +180,8 @@ type Provider struct {
 type Capabilities struct {
 	Streaming         bool `json:"streaming"`
 	PushNotifications bool `json:"pushNotifications"`
+	TaskResubscribe   bool `json:"taskResubscribe"`
+	InputRequired     bool `json:"inputRequired"`
 }
 
 // Skill is a capability advertised on the Agent Card.
@@ -349,7 +351,7 @@ func Card(name, url, description string, services []string) AgentCard {
 		URL:                url,
 		Version:            "1.0.0",
 		ProtocolVersion:    protocolVersion,
-		Capabilities:       Capabilities{Streaming: true, PushNotifications: true},
+		Capabilities:       Capabilities{Streaming: true, PushNotifications: true, TaskResubscribe: true, InputRequired: true},
 		DefaultInputModes:  []string{"text/plain"},
 		DefaultOutputModes: []string{"text/plain"},
 		Skills:             skills,

gateway/a2a/a2a_test.go

@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ func TestAgentCardFromRegistry(t *testing.T) {
 	if card.ProtocolVersion == "" {
 		t.Errorf("card missing protocolVersion: %+v", card)
 	}
+	if !card.Capabilities.TaskResubscribe || !card.Capabilities.InputRequired {
+		t.Errorf("card capabilities = %+v, want task resubscribe and input-required advertised", card.Capabilities)
+	}
 	if got := skillIDs(card.Skills); strings.Join(got, ",") != "task,project" {
 		t.Errorf("skill IDs = %v, want [task project]", got)
 	}

gateway/a2a/client.go

@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 package a2a
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
@@ -135,6 +137,77 @@ func (c *Client) SendMessage(ctx context.Context, message Message) (*Task, error
 	return &task, nil
 }
 
+// Resubscribe reconnects to a retained or active task stream and returns task
+// snapshots as the remote agent emits updates. The returned channel is closed
+// when the task reaches a terminal state or ctx is canceled.
+func (c *Client) Resubscribe(ctx context.Context, taskID string) (<-chan Task, <-chan error) {
+	tasks := make(chan Task, 8)
+	errs := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		defer close(tasks)
+		defer close(errs)
+		body, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]any{
+			"jsonrpc": "2.0",
+			"id":      uuid.New().String(),
+			"method":  "tasks/resubscribe",
+			"params":  getParams{ID: taskID},
+		})
+		req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, c.url, bytes.NewReader(body))
+		if err != nil {
+			errs <- err
+			return
+		}
+		req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		req.Header.Set("Accept", "text/event-stream")
+		resp, err := c.http.Do(req)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs <- err
+			return
+		}
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+		if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+			errs <- fmt.Errorf("tasks/resubscribe: status %d", resp.StatusCode)
+			return
+		}
+		scanner := bufio.NewScanner(resp.Body)
+		for scanner.Scan() {
+			line := scanner.Text()
+			if !strings.HasPrefix(line, "data:") {
+				continue
+			}
+			payload := strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(line, "data:"))
+			if payload == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			var out struct {
+				Result Task      `json:"result"`
+				Error  *rpcError `json:"error"`
+			}
+			if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(payload), &out); err != nil {
+				errs <- err
+				return
+			}
+			if out.Error != nil {
+				errs <- fmt.Errorf("a2a tasks/resubscribe: %s (%d)", out.Error.Message, out.Error.Code)
+				return
+			}
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				errs <- ctx.Err()
+				return
+			case tasks <- out.Result:
+			}
+			if terminal(out.Result.Status.State) {
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+			errs <- err
+		}
+	}()
+	return tasks, errs
+}
+
 // SetPushNotificationConfig asks the remote agent to POST updates for taskID to cfg.URL.
 func (c *Client) SetPushNotificationConfig(ctx context.Context, taskID string, cfg PushNotificationConfig) error {
 	_, err := c.call(ctx, "tasks/pushNotificationConfig/set", pushConfigParams{
@@ -193,7 +266,7 @@ func (c *Client) call(ctx context.Context, method string, params any) (json.RawM
 
 func terminal(state string) bool {
 	switch state {
-	case "completed", "failed", "canceled", "rejected":
+	case "completed", "failed", "canceled", "rejected", "input-required":
 		return true
 	}
 	return false

gateway/a2a/client_test.go

@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ package a2a
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 )
@@ -110,3 +112,57 @@ func TestClientContinuesTaskAndConfiguresPush(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("timed out waiting for push update")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestClientResubscribeStreamsRetainedAndLiveTask(t *testing.T) {
+	d := newDispatcher()
+	initial := &Task{ID: "task-1", ContextID: "ctx-1", Kind: "task", Status: TaskStatus{State: stateWorking, Timestamp: time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)}}
+	d.store(initial)
+	ts := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		d.serve(w, r, func(context.Context, string) (string, error) { return "", nil })
+	}))
+	defer ts.Close()
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	tasks, errs := NewClient(ts.URL).Resubscribe(ctx, initial.ID)
+
+	first := <-tasks
+	if first.ID != initial.ID || first.Status.State != stateWorking {
+		t.Fatalf("first resubscribe task = %+v, want retained working task", first)
+	}
+	final := &Task{ID: initial.ID, ContextID: initial.ContextID, Kind: "task", Status: TaskStatus{State: stateCompleted, Timestamp: time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)}, Artifacts: []Artifact{textArtifact("done")}}
+	d.store(final)
+	second := <-tasks
+	if second.ID != final.ID || second.Status.State != stateCompleted || textOf(second.Artifacts[0].Parts) != "done" {
+		t.Fatalf("second resubscribe task = %+v, want live completed task", second)
+	}
+	if _, ok := <-tasks; ok {
+		t.Fatal("resubscribe task channel stayed open after terminal update")
+	}
+	select {
+	case err := <-errs:
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("resubscribe error = %v", err)
+		}
+	default:
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClientSendMessageReturnsInputRequiredTask(t *testing.T) {
+	card := Card("solo", "http://localhost:4000", "", []string{"task"})
+	h := NewAgentHandler(card, func(context.Context, string) (string, error) {
+		return "", errors.New("input-required: provide approval code")
+	})
+	ts := httptest.NewServer(h)
+	defer ts.Close()
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	task, err := NewClient(ts.URL).SendMessage(ctx, Message{Parts: []Part{{Kind: "text", Text: "approve?"}}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("SendMessage: %v", err)
+	}
+	if task.Status.State != stateInputRequired || !strings.Contains(textOf(task.Artifacts[0].Parts), "provide approval code") {
+		t.Fatalf("task = %+v, want input-required handoff", task)
+	}
+}

internal/docs/AGENT_CONFORMANCE.md

@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@ consistent across providers.
 The companion `TestAgentProviderConformanceFakeError` keeps provider error
 propagation covered locally without relying on external credentials.
 
+## Local no-secret conformance
+
+Use `make provider-conformance-mock` to run the same provider conformance harness
+through the deterministic mock provider. That target requires no API keys and is
+what `make harness` delegates to after the 0→1 and 0→hero scenarios, so every PR
+continues to exercise the provider-facing agent/tool contract without spending
+live model credits.
+
+Use `make provider-conformance` when you want the live-provider sweep: providers
+without keys are skipped, and configured providers must satisfy the same harness
+contract.
+
 ## Scheduled CI
 
 The daily/manual `Harness (E2E)` workflow runs the same matrix with

internal/docs/CONTINUOUS_IMPROVEMENT.md

@@ -10,6 +10,26 @@ and can stop or revert anything at any time.
 > **services → agents → workflows**. Judge each change against it — work that
 > doesn't move toward that lifecycle isn't an improvement, however clean.
 
+## The pipeline (planner → generator → evaluator)
+
+The development process is an operational instance of the long-running-agent
+harness pattern ([Anthropic on harness design](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/harness-design-long-running-apps)) —
+a planner, a generator, and a *separate* evaluator — distributed across GitHub
+Actions instead of subagents. Each role is a workflow:
+
+| Role | Workflow (action name) | What it does |
+|------|------------------------|--------------|
+| **Planner** | `loop-architect.yml` — *Loop: Architect (Planner)* | Tracks live state, prioritizes the roadmap + an internal scan, and maintains the ranked queue in [`PRIORITIES.md`](PRIORITIES.md). Decides *what*. |
+| **Generator** | `loop-builder.yml` — *Loop: Builder (Generator)* | Builds the top open queue item as a single-concern PR (via Codex) and self-merges on green CI. Does the work. |
+| **Evaluator** | `harness.yml` — *Harness (E2E)*, plus the CI gate (`tests.yaml`, `lint.yaml`) | Grades every change: the mock harness + unit/lint on each push/PR, and real-model conformance hourly. A *separate* grader — never the generator judging itself. |
+| **Evaluator → feedback** | `loop-triage.yml` — *Loop: Triage (Evaluator feedback)* | On harness failure, root-causes, dedupes, and files scoped fix issues back into the planner's queue. The hill-climbing feedback path. |
+| **Coherence** | `loop-devrel.yml` — *Loop: DevRel* | Keeps README/website/docs/blog aligned with the North Star, keeps `CHANGELOG.md` living (reconciling `[Unreleased]` against merged PRs and rolling it into version headings as tags cut), and drafts the changelog blog post. |
+| **Release** | `loop-release.yml` — *Loop: Release (daily patch)* | Cuts a daily patch tag when master has new commits, so the *installable* framework tracks the loop's improvements (triggers `release.yml`/goreleaser). Minor/major bumps stay with the human. |
+
+Generation is separated from evaluation on purpose: an agent grading its own work
+reliably over-rates it, so **CI and the harness — not the builder — are the gate**.
+The human sets direction and owns the calls that need taste (see Guardrails).
+
 ## Autonomy
 
 Full autonomy, **no approval gates**. Each increment: Claude Code picks the work,
@@ -72,7 +92,7 @@ Grounded in real signal, never speculative rewrites. Each cycle draws from:
   tracking issue for each increment and dispatches Codex there. It needs a
   `CODEX_TRIGGER_TOKEN` repo secret from a user account Codex responds to;
   without that secret the workflow deliberately no-ops to avoid ignored bot
-  comments. See `.github/workflows/continuous-improvement.yml` and the mechanics
+  comments. See `.github/workflows/loop-builder.yml` and the mechanics
   below.
 
 ## How the durable loop works (mechanics)
@@ -127,13 +147,20 @@ The hourly loop ships increments; two periodic passes keep the *whole* heading i
 the right direction. Both use the same mechanism (fresh issue → `@codex` →
 output) but produce direction and coherence, not just code.
 
-- **DevRel — daily** (`.github/workflows/devrel-review.yml`). Audits the public
+- **DevRel — daily** (`.github/workflows/loop-devrel.yml`). Audits the public
   surface (README, website landing + docs, blog) for coherence with the North
-  Star, README crispness, and blog-worthy material. **Autonomy boundary:** safe
-  factual-alignment and crispness fixes auto-merge like any increment;
-  brand/positioning copy and blog drafts are *surfaced in a report* for the
-  human, never auto-merged.
-- **Architect — continuous (hourly)** (`.github/workflows/architecture-review.yml`).
+  Star, README crispness, and blog-worthy material. It also keeps `CHANGELOG.md`
+  living: each run reconciles the `[Unreleased]` section against the PRs that
+  actually merged (Keep-a-Changelog format, user-facing entries only — internal
+  loop/CI churn is skipped), and rolls `[Unreleased]` into a dated version
+  heading whenever a new `v6.MINOR.PATCH` tag has been cut (by `loop-release`).
+  When enough user-facing work has accumulated (roughly weekly, not a near-empty
+  post every day) it also drafts a "what's new" changelog blog post narrating it.
+  **Autonomy boundary:** safe factual-alignment and crispness fixes — *including
+  the `CHANGELOG.md` upkeep* — auto-merge like any increment; brand/positioning
+  copy and the changelog blog post are opened as a PR (or surfaced in the report)
+  and left for the human to review/merge — blog voice stays with the human.
+- **Architect — continuous (hourly)** (`.github/workflows/loop-architect.yml`).
   The *founder lens*, running alongside the builders. Each run it **tracks live
   state** (what just merged, what's in flight), **prioritizes the roadmap**
   (`ROADMAP.md`, Now → Next → Later) against an internal scan (lifecycle gaps, API
@@ -154,6 +181,20 @@ roadmap-driven by default, not a fresh guess every hour. Cadence is tunable in e
 workflow's `cron`; the human can reorder `PRIORITIES.md` or its issues at any time
 to redirect. Codex is serial, so these passes queue behind any in-flight increment.
 
+## Failure triage (the feedback loop)
+
+The loop also closes on its own failures. `.github/workflows/loop-triage.yml`
+fires when the live provider-conformance harness finishes with `conclusion:
+failure` (scheduled/manual runs only), and dispatches Codex to **triage** the
+failing run: read the logs, root-cause each distinct failure, **dedupe** against
+open issues (comment "recurred" rather than filing a duplicate), and file a scoped
+`codex`/`enhancement` issue for each genuine, self-contained defect — which the
+increment loop then builds and the next harness run verifies. Transient flakes
+(live-model latency, provider outages) are ignored; anything needing a breaking or
+architectural change is escalated as `needs-human` instead of auto-built. This is
+the hill-climbing layer: CI/harness failures become fixes with no human in the
+middle, short of a decision that's genuinely the human's.
+
 ## Stop / redirect
 
 - In-session: `CronDelete <id>` (or end the session).

internal/docs/PRIORITIES.md

@@ -21,11 +21,13 @@ changes, architectural rewrites. Those go to the human.
 
 ## Work queue (ranked)
 
-1. **Add scheduled cross-provider 0→hero conformance** ([#3454](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3454)) — the previous top Now/Next items shipped: verification/grader loops landed in #3443, run-trace optimization analysis landed in #3447, and durable agent resume was completed by #3452, closing #3449. With the core loop primitives now in place, the highest-value Now-phase gap is trust: the same scaffold → run → chat/tool → workflow path must stay true across supported providers on a schedule, with keyed runs gated and no-secret CI still useful. This keeps the services → agents → workflows lifecycle cohesive instead of letting provider behavior drift behind green unit tests.
-
-2. **Emit OpenTelemetry spans for agent RunInfo timelines** ([#3455](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3455)) — flows now have trace-oriented optimization feedback, and durable agent runs can resume, but the agent side still needs first-class operability in production traces. Translating `RunInfo` / run timeline events into spans closes a Next-phase observability seam across agent runs, tool calls, model calls, retries, failures, and checkpoint/resume events without changing public APIs.
-
-3. **Complete end-to-end chat and A2A streaming coverage** ([#3456](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3456)) — provider streaming conformance and A2A fallback work recently shipped, but the mission is one runtime where agents can operate as services, which means streaming must be dependable through the whole path: provider tokens → chat / `Agent.Chat` → A2A. This remains behind conformance and observability because it is a Next-phase depth item, but it is the next user-visible seam in the developer inner loop and interop story.
+1. **Make the first-agent on-ramp discoverable from README and website navigation** ([#3640](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3640)) — the install and first-run smoke contract shipped in #3635, but adoption still depends on a new developer finding the next step without already knowing the guide names. Put the walkable path from install/scaffold to first agent, chat/inspect, and 0→hero in the README/site wayfinding so the verified harness becomes lived DX rather than hidden depth.
+2. **Make plan/delegate live-provider conformance avoid duplicate task side effects** ([#3626](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3626)) — atlascloud still has an open Now-phase trust gap where plan/delegate created duplicate launch tasks and missed the delegated notification. This remains the highest open runtime fix because plan/delegate is the bridge from agent reasoning to service side effects; developers cannot trust the services → agents lifecycle if a model can replay tool calls and leave handoff pending.
+3. **Make universe checkout conformance send exactly one concierge notification** ([#3633](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3633)) — the newest live-provider scan found the durable checkout/universe path resuming correctly but notifying the buyer twice. Rank it next because durable workflows are the 0→hero proof, and resume idempotency must be boring before deeper observability or future interop work matters.
+4. **Expose `fallback_echo` during A2A streaming fallback conformance** ([#3560](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3560)) — this remains the next scoped Now-phase interop/conformance gap: it protects the A2A streaming promise developers see in the README and site by ensuring the non-native streaming fallback path still receives the tool surface, without letting protocol depth outrank the on-ramp or side-effect safety.
+5. **Propagate agent run cancellation and deadlines through model and tool calls** ([#3544](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3544)) — the highest-value remaining Now-phase resilience gap after the live-provider side-effect fixes is predictable failure semantics across agent runs, model calls, tool calls, plan/delegate, and flow handoffs. Tool retries and live-provider deadline tuning are in place; the lifecycle still needs cancellation/deadline propagation so work fails safely instead of becoming opaque loops.
+6. **Emit OpenTelemetry spans for agent run timelines** ([#3525](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3525)) — recent work made runs inspectable, correlated trace metadata through scheduled dispatch, verified restart resume, added opt-in tool retries, hardened provider conformance, and fixed provider-emitted text tool calls. The next Next-phase step is to turn that RunInfo foundation into standard OTel spans for agent runs, model calls, tool calls, checkpoint/resume, cancellation/deadlines, and failures.
+7. **Add an AP2 mandate layer over A2A and x402** ([#3552](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/issues/3552)) — this is a forward interop investment, not a Now-phase blocker: Go Micro already has A2A agents and x402 paid tools, so a small signed-mandate foundation can keep agent payments aligned with the open-protocol story without pulling the queue away from adoption, resilience, or observability. Keep it additive and opt-in while the AP2/FIDO work settles.
 
 _Seeded by Claude Code from the roadmap + open issues; thereafter maintained by the
 architecture-review pass._

internal/harness/a2a-stream-fallback/main.go

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/agent"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/gateway/a2a"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/internal/harness/harnessutil"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/registry"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/store"
 )
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ func main() {
 	reg := registry.NewMemoryRegistry()
 	st := store.NewMemoryStore()
 	var sawTool, sawRunInfo bool
-	ag := agent.New(
+	agentOpts := []agent.Option{
 		agent.Name("a2a-fallback"),
 		agent.Provider(*provider),
 		agent.APIKey(apiKey),
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ func main() {
 		agent.WithRegistry(reg),
 		agent.WithStore(st),
 		agent.WithMemory(agent.NewInMemory(8)),
-		agent.ModelCallTimeout(45*time.Second),
+		agent.ModelCallTimeout(45 * time.Second),
 		agent.WithTool("fallback_echo", "Echo the A2A fallback marker.", map[string]any{
 			"value": map[string]any{"type": "string", "description": "value to echo"},
 		}, func(ctx context.Context, input map[string]any) (string, error) {
@@ -118,7 +119,9 @@ func main() {
 			}
 			return `{"marker":"a2a-fallback-ok"}`, nil
 		}),
-	)
+	}
+	agentOpts = append(agentOpts, harnessutil.AgentOptions(*provider)...)
+	ag := agent.New(agentOpts...)
 
 	card := a2a.Card("a2a-fallback", "http://example.invalid/a2a-fallback", "", nil)
 	handler := a2a.NewAgentStreamHandler(card, func(ctx context.Context, text string) (string, error) {

internal/harness/agent-flow/main.go

@@ -25,10 +25,9 @@ import (
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/agent"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/broker"
-	"go-micro.dev/v6/client"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/flow"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/internal/harness/harnessutil"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/registry"
-	"go-micro.dev/v6/selector"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/service"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/store"
 )
@@ -203,8 +202,9 @@ func main() {
 		fmt.Println("broker connect:", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-	cl := client.NewClient(client.Registry(reg), client.Selector(selector.NewSelector(selector.Registry(reg))))
+	cl := harnessutil.Client(*provider, reg)
 	mem := store.NewMemoryStore()
+	liveAgentOpts := harnessutil.AgentOptions(*provider)
 
 	wsSvc := new(WorkspaceService)
 	ws := service.New(service.Name("workspace"), service.Address("127.0.0.1:0"), service.Registry(reg), service.Client(cl))
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func main() {
 	go nt.Run()
 
 	// The onboarder agent, registered so the flow can reach it over RPC.
-	onboarder := agent.New(
+	onboarderOpts := []agent.Option{
 		agent.Name("onboarder"),
 		agent.Address("127.0.0.1:0"),
 		agent.Services("workspace", "notify"),
@@ -225,7 +225,9 @@ func main() {
 		agent.Provider(*provider),
 		agent.APIKey(apiKey),
 		agent.WithRegistry(reg), agent.WithClient(cl), agent.WithStore(mem),
-	)
+	}
+	onboarderOpts = append(onboarderOpts, liveAgentOpts...)
+	onboarder := agent.New(onboarderOpts...)
 	go onboarder.Run()
 	defer onboarder.Stop()
 
@@ -238,6 +240,7 @@ func main() {
 		flow.Trigger("events.user.created"),
 		flow.Agent("onboarder"),
 		flow.Prompt("A new user signed up: {{.Data}}. Get them set up."),
+		flow.Timeout(harnessutil.LiveTimeout(*provider)),
 	)
 	if err := f.Register(reg, br, cl); err != nil {
 		fmt.Println("flow register:", err)

internal/harness/harnessutil/harnessutil.go

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+package harnessutil
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"time"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/agent"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/client"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/registry"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/selector"
+)
+
+const (
+	// LiveTimeoutEnv overrides the per-call deadline used by live-provider
+	// harness runs. It intentionally does not affect deterministic mock runs.
+	LiveTimeoutEnv = "GO_MICRO_HARNESS_LIVE_TIMEOUT"
+	// DefaultLiveTimeout is generous enough for slow but correct hosted models
+	// while still bounding genuinely stuck live conformance runs.
+	DefaultLiveTimeout = 5 * time.Minute
+)
+
+// LiveTimeout returns the harness per-call timeout for live providers. Mock runs
+// keep their historical fast defaults by returning zero.
+func LiveTimeout(provider string) time.Duration {
+	if provider == "mock" {
+		return 0
+	}
+	if raw := os.Getenv(LiveTimeoutEnv); raw != "" {
+		d, err := time.ParseDuration(raw)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "invalid %s=%q; using %s\n", LiveTimeoutEnv, raw, DefaultLiveTimeout)
+			return DefaultLiveTimeout
+		}
+		return d
+	}
+	return DefaultLiveTimeout
+}
+
+// Client returns an in-memory-registry client. Live provider harnesses get a
+// larger request timeout so an otherwise correct agent run is not cut off by the
+// default 30-second RPC deadline; mock runs are unchanged.
+func Client(provider string, reg registry.Registry) client.Client {
+	opts := []client.Option{
+		client.Registry(reg),
+		client.Selector(selector.NewSelector(selector.Registry(reg))),
+	}
+	if d := LiveTimeout(provider); d > 0 {
+		opts = append(opts, client.RequestTimeout(d))
+	}
+	return client.NewClient(opts...)
+}
+
+// AgentOptions applies the same live-provider timeout to model and tool calls.
+// The empty result for mock runs preserves their deterministic timing.
+func AgentOptions(provider string) []agent.Option {
+	if d := LiveTimeout(provider); d > 0 {
+		return []agent.Option{agent.ModelCallTimeout(d), agent.ToolCallTimeout(d)}
+	}
+	return nil
+}

internal/harness/harnessutil/harnessutil_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package harnessutil
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestLiveTimeoutLeavesMockUnchanged(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(LiveTimeoutEnv, "2m")
+	if got := LiveTimeout("mock"); got != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("LiveTimeout(mock) = %s, want 0", got)
+	}
+	if opts := AgentOptions("mock"); len(opts) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("AgentOptions(mock) length = %d, want 0", len(opts))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLiveTimeoutUsesDefaultForLiveProviders(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(LiveTimeoutEnv, "")
+	if got := LiveTimeout("atlascloud"); got != DefaultLiveTimeout {
+		t.Fatalf("LiveTimeout(live) = %s, want %s", got, DefaultLiveTimeout)
+	}
+	if opts := AgentOptions("atlascloud"); len(opts) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("AgentOptions(live) length = %d, want 2", len(opts))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLiveTimeoutCanBeOverridden(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(LiveTimeoutEnv, "90s")
+	if got := LiveTimeout("anthropic"); got != 90*time.Second {
+		t.Fatalf("LiveTimeout override = %s, want 90s", got)
+	}
+}

internal/harness/install-smoke/run.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Smoke-test the documented install.sh path without network access.
+# It builds the local CLI, packages it like a release archive, installs it into a
+# temporary bin directory through internal/scripts/install.sh, then checks the
+# first-run command boundaries shown in the getting-started docs.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+ROOT=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../../.." && pwd)
+TMP_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "$TMP_DIR"' EXIT
+
+ARCHIVE_DIR="$TMP_DIR/archive"
+INSTALL_DIR="$TMP_DIR/install"
+ARCHIVE="$TMP_DIR/micro-local.tar.gz"
+mkdir -p "$ARCHIVE_DIR" "$INSTALL_DIR"
+
+CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -o "$ARCHIVE_DIR/micro" ./cmd/micro
+chmod +x "$ARCHIVE_DIR/micro"
+tar -C "$ARCHIVE_DIR" -czf "$ARCHIVE" micro
+
+MICRO_INSTALL_DIR="$INSTALL_DIR" \
+MICRO_INSTALL_ARCHIVE="$ARCHIVE" \
+MICRO_VERSION="local-smoke" \
+PATH="$INSTALL_DIR:$PATH" \
+  "$ROOT/internal/scripts/install.sh" > "$TMP_DIR/install.out"
+
+MICRO="$INSTALL_DIR/micro"
+if [[ ! -x "$MICRO" ]]; then
+  echo "installed micro binary not found at $MICRO" >&2
+  cat "$TMP_DIR/install.out" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+require_output() {
+  local description=$1
+  local expected=$2
+  shift 2
+  local output
+  if ! output=$("$MICRO" "$@" 2>&1); then
+    echo "micro $* failed while checking $description" >&2
+    echo "$output" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if [[ "$output" != *"$expected"* ]]; then
+    echo "micro $* missing expected text '$expected' for $description" >&2
+    echo "$output" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+require_output "version" "micro version" --version
+require_output "root help" "COMMANDS" --help
+require_output "service scaffold" "micro new" new --help
+require_output "first-agent preflight" "preflight" agent preflight --help
+require_output "local runtime" "micro run" run --help
+require_output "agent chat" "micro chat" chat --help
+require_output "agent inspection" "micro inspect agent" inspect agent --help
+require_output "flow inspection" "micro inspect flow" inspect flow --help
+
+echo "✓ install smoke path verified"

internal/harness/plan-delegate/main.go

@@ -26,10 +26,9 @@ import (
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/agent"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/broker"
-	"go-micro.dev/v6/client"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/flow"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/internal/harness/harnessutil"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/registry"
-	"go-micro.dev/v6/selector"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/service"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/store"
 )
@@ -241,8 +240,11 @@ func runPlanDelegate(provider string) error {
 	fmt.Print("Real services, registry, RPC, agent loop, store, delegation.\n\n")
 
 	reg := registry.NewMemoryRegistry()
-	cl := client.NewClient(client.Registry(reg), client.Selector(selector.NewSelector(selector.Registry(reg))))
+	cl := harnessutil.Client(provider, reg)
 	mem := store.NewMemoryStore()
+	liveAgentOpts := harnessutil.AgentOptions(provider)
+	commsCheckpoint := flow.StoreCheckpoint(mem, "agent-comms")
+	conductorCheckpoint := flow.StoreCheckpoint(mem, "agent-conductor")
 
 	// Real services.
 	taskSvc := new(TaskService)
@@ -260,26 +262,32 @@ func runPlanDelegate(provider string) error {
 	go notify.Run()
 
 	// Real comms agent (owns notify), registered so delegate reaches it over RPC.
-	comms := agent.New(
+	commsOpts := []agent.Option{
 		agent.Name("comms"),
 		agent.Address("127.0.0.1:0"),
 		agent.Services("notify"),
 		agent.Prompt("You handle outbound notifications. Use the notify service."),
 		agent.Provider(provider), agent.APIKey(apiKey),
 		agent.WithRegistry(reg), agent.WithClient(cl), agent.WithStore(mem),
-	)
+		agent.WithCheckpoint(commsCheckpoint),
+	}
+	commsOpts = append(commsOpts, liveAgentOpts...)
+	comms := agent.New(commsOpts...)
 	go comms.Run()
 	defer comms.Stop()
 
 	// Real conductor agent (owns task), registered so the flow can reach it over RPC.
-	conductor := agent.New(
+	conductorOpts := []agent.Option{
 		agent.Name("conductor"),
 		agent.Address("127.0.0.1:0"),
 		agent.Services("task"),
 		agent.Prompt("You coordinate launch work. Plan first, create tasks, and delegate notifications to the \"comms\" agent."),
 		agent.Provider(provider), agent.APIKey(apiKey),
 		agent.WithRegistry(reg), agent.WithClient(cl), agent.WithStore(mem),
-	)
+		agent.WithCheckpoint(conductorCheckpoint),
+	}
+	conductorOpts = append(conductorOpts, liveAgentOpts...)
+	conductor := agent.New(conductorOpts...)
 	go conductor.Run()
 	defer conductor.Stop()
 
@@ -303,6 +311,7 @@ func runPlanDelegate(provider string) error {
 	f := flow.New("zero-to-hero",
 		flow.Agent("conductor"),
 		flow.Prompt("Create three launch tasks (Design, Build, Ship), then make sure owner@acme.com is notified: {{.Data}}"),
+		flow.Timeout(harnessutil.LiveTimeout(provider)),
 	)
 	if err := f.Register(reg, broker.DefaultBroker, cl); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("flow register: %w", err)

internal/harness/provider-conformance/README.md

@@ -20,7 +20,11 @@ agent test and the harnesses in `internal/harness`:
   preserving run metadata.
 
 The command also emits the registered provider capability matrix so the run shows
-which providers advertise model, image, video, and streaming support.
+which providers advertise model, image, video, and streaming support. Console output
+and summary artifacts label each harness with the phase it is proving (for example,
+model call + tool call, workflow event + tool call, or streaming fallback + tool
+call), so provider failures identify the failed lifecycle phase instead of only the
+provider name.
 
 ## Local usage
 
@@ -52,7 +56,8 @@ Provider keys are read from `MICRO_AI_API_KEY` or the provider-specific variable
 | AtlasCloud | `ATLASCLOUD_API_KEY` |
 
 Use `-require-configured` when you want a selected provider without a key to fail
-instead of skip:
+instead of skip. This is useful for manually checking that a required provider
+secret is actually wired into CI before relying on that provider as covered:
 
 ```sh
 go run ./internal/harness/provider-conformance \
@@ -63,8 +68,12 @@ go run ./internal/harness/provider-conformance \
 ## Scheduled CI behavior
 
 The `Harness (E2E)` workflow runs on pushes and pull requests with deterministic
-mock LLMs, including `provider-conformance -providers mock`. On the daily schedule and manual dispatch it also runs the live
-provider conformance job. That job:
+mock LLMs, including `provider-conformance -providers mock`. On the daily
+schedule and manual dispatch it also runs the live provider conformance job. A
+manual dispatch can narrow `providers` or `harnesses`, and can set
+`require_configured=true` to fail fast when an expected repository secret is
+missing; scheduled runs keep the safe default and report missing keys as skips.
+That job:
 
 1. runs the same `agent`, `universe`, `agent-flow`, `plan-delegate`, and `a2a-stream-fallback` harness list,
 2. reads the provider keys from repository secrets,

internal/harness/provider-conformance/main.go

@@ -34,6 +34,16 @@ import (
 	_ "go-micro.dev/v6/ai/together"
 )
 
+const defaultHarnesses = "agent,universe,agent-flow,plan-delegate,a2a-stream-fallback"
+
+var harnessPhases = map[string]string{
+	"agent":               "model call + tool call",
+	"universe":            "service discovery + tool call",
+	"agent-flow":          "workflow event + tool call",
+	"plan-delegate":       "plan persistence + delegation + tool call",
+	"a2a-stream-fallback": "streaming fallback + tool call",
+}
+
 var providerEnv = map[string]string{
 	"anthropic":  "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY",
 	"openai":     "OPENAI_API_KEY",
@@ -45,8 +55,8 @@ var providerEnv = map[string]string{
 }
 
 func main() {
-	providersFlag := flag.String("providers", "anthropic,openai,gemini,groq,mistral,together,atlascloud", "comma-separated providers to check; use mock for deterministic local checks")
-	harnessesFlag := flag.String("harnesses", "agent,universe,agent-flow,plan-delegate,a2a-stream-fallback", "comma-separated harness names under internal/harness; agent runs the provider tool-call conformance test")
+	providersFlag := flag.String("providers", defaultProviders(), "comma-separated providers to check; use mock for deterministic local checks")
+	harnessesFlag := flag.String("harnesses", defaultHarnesses, "comma-separated harness names under internal/harness; agent runs the provider tool-call conformance test")
 	timeoutFlag := flag.Duration("timeout", 10*time.Minute, "timeout per provider/harness run")
 	requireConfiguredFlag := flag.Bool("require-configured", false, "fail when a selected live provider is missing an API key")
 	capabilitiesFlag := flag.Bool("capabilities", true, "print the registered provider capability matrix before running conformance")
@@ -90,15 +100,16 @@ func main() {
 		}
 
 		for _, harness := range harnesses {
-			fmt.Printf("\n==> %s / %s\n", provider, harness)
+			phase := harnessPhase(harness)
+			fmt.Printf("\n==> %s / %s (%s)\n", provider, harness, phase)
 			if err := runHarness(provider, harness, *timeoutFlag); err != nil {
-				fmt.Printf("FAIL %s / %s: %v\n", provider, harness, err)
+				fmt.Printf("FAIL %s / %s (%s): %v\n", provider, harness, phase, err)
 				failed++
-				results = append(results, conformanceResult{Provider: provider, Harness: harness, Status: statusFailed, Error: err.Error()})
+				results = append(results, conformanceResult{Provider: provider, Harness: harness, Phase: phase, Status: statusFailed, Error: err.Error()})
 				continue
 			}
 			ran++
-			results = append(results, conformanceResult{Provider: provider, Harness: harness, Status: statusPassed})
+			results = append(results, conformanceResult{Provider: provider, Harness: harness, Phase: phase, Status: statusPassed})
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -138,6 +149,7 @@ const (
 type conformanceResult struct {
 	Provider string `json:"provider"`
 	Harness  string `json:"harness,omitempty"`
+	Phase    string `json:"phase,omitempty"`
 	Status   string `json:"status"`
 	Error    string `json:"error,omitempty"`
 }
@@ -169,17 +181,23 @@ func writeSummaryMarkdown(path string, summary conformanceSummary) error {
 	var b strings.Builder
 	b.WriteString("# Provider conformance summary\n\n")
 	fmt.Fprintf(&b, "Passed: %d. Skipped providers: %d. Failed: %d.\n\n", summary.Passed, summary.Skipped, summary.Failed)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&b, "Providers: %s.\n\n", markdownList(summary.Providers))
+	fmt.Fprintf(&b, "Harnesses: %s.\n\n", markdownList(summary.Harnesses))
 	b.WriteString("## Capability matrix\n\n")
 	b.WriteString(capabilityMarkdown(summary.Capabilities))
 	b.WriteString("\n## Harness results\n\n")
-	b.WriteString("| Provider | Harness | Status | Detail |\n")
-	b.WriteString("| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n")
+	b.WriteString("| Provider | Harness | Phase | Status | Detail |\n")
+	b.WriteString("| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n")
 	for _, result := range summary.Results {
 		harness := result.Harness
 		if harness == "" {
 			harness = "—"
 		}
-		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "| %s | %s | %s | %s |\n", result.Provider, harness, result.Status, markdownCell(result.Error))
+		phase := result.Phase
+		if phase == "" {
+			phase = "—"
+		}
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "| %s | %s | %s | %s | %s |\n", result.Provider, harness, markdownCell(phase), result.Status, markdownCell(result.Error))
 	}
 	return os.WriteFile(path, []byte(b.String()), 0o644)
 }
@@ -194,6 +212,24 @@ func capabilityMarkdown(rows []ai.CapabilityRow) string {
 	return b.String()
 }
 
+func markdownList(values []string) string {
+	if len(values) == 0 {
+		return "—"
+	}
+	escaped := make([]string, 0, len(values))
+	for _, value := range values {
+		escaped = append(escaped, "`"+strings.ReplaceAll(value, "`", "\\`")+"`")
+	}
+	return strings.Join(escaped, ", ")
+}
+
+func harnessPhase(harness string) string {
+	if phase, ok := harnessPhases[harness]; ok {
+		return phase
+	}
+	return "harness"
+}
+
 func markdownCell(s string) string {
 	if s == "" {
 		return "—"
@@ -279,6 +315,15 @@ func repoRoot() string {
 	}
 }
 
+func defaultProviders() string {
+	providers := make([]string, 0, len(providerEnv))
+	for provider := range providerEnv {
+		providers = append(providers, provider)
+	}
+	slices.Sort(providers)
+	return strings.Join(providers, ",")
+}
+
 func knownProviders() string {
 	providers := make([]string, 0, len(providerEnv)+1)
 	providers = append(providers, "mock")

internal/harness/provider-conformance/main_test.go

@@ -36,6 +36,18 @@ func TestValidateSelectionRejectsUnsafeHarnessName(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestDefaultProvidersTracksLiveProviderSet(t *testing.T) {
+	got := defaultProviders()
+	for _, want := range []string{"anthropic", "openai", "gemini", "groq", "mistral", "together", "atlascloud"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(got, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("defaultProviders() = %q, want %q", got, want)
+		}
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(got, "mock") {
+		t.Fatalf("defaultProviders() = %q, should not include mock in live scheduled defaults", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestCapabilityMatrixHasRegisteredProviders(t *testing.T) {
 	rows := ai.CapabilityRows()
 	if len(rows) == 0 {
@@ -87,7 +99,7 @@ func TestWriteSummaryMarkdown(t *testing.T) {
 	summary := conformanceSummary{
 		Capabilities: []ai.CapabilityRow{{Provider: "mock", Capabilities: ai.Capabilities{Model: true}}},
 		Results: []conformanceResult{
-			{Provider: "mock", Harness: "agent-flow", Status: statusPassed},
+			{Provider: "mock", Harness: "agent-flow", Phase: harnessPhase("agent-flow"), Status: statusPassed},
 			{Provider: "live", Status: statusSkipped, Error: "missing | key"},
 		},
 		Passed:  1,
@@ -105,9 +117,11 @@ func TestWriteSummaryMarkdown(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, want := range []string{
 		"# Provider conformance summary",
 		"Passed: 1. Skipped providers: 1. Failed: 0.",
+		"Providers: —.",
+		"Harnesses: —.",
 		"| mock | ✅ | — | — | — |",
-		"| mock | agent-flow | passed | — |",
-		"| live | — | skipped | missing \\| key |",
+		"| mock | agent-flow | workflow event + tool call | passed | — |",
+		"| live | — | — | skipped | missing \\| key |",
 	} {
 		if !strings.Contains(got, want) {
 			t.Fatalf("summary markdown = %q, want %q", got, want)
@@ -115,6 +129,23 @@ func TestWriteSummaryMarkdown(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestHarnessPhaseLabelsKnownHarnesses(t *testing.T) {
+	if got := harnessPhase("a2a-stream-fallback"); got != "streaming fallback + tool call" {
+		t.Fatalf("harnessPhase() = %q, want streaming fallback phase", got)
+	}
+	if got := harnessPhase("custom"); got != "harness" {
+		t.Fatalf("harnessPhase(custom) = %q, want fallback phase", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMarkdownListEscapesBackticks(t *testing.T) {
+	got := markdownList([]string{"agent", "bad`name"})
+	want := "`agent`, `bad\\`name`"
+	if got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("markdownList() = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestWriteSummaryJSON(t *testing.T) {
 	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "summary.json")
 	summary := conformanceSummary{

internal/harness/universe/main.go

@@ -32,17 +32,17 @@ import (
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/agent"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/ai"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/broker"
-	"go-micro.dev/v6/client"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/flow"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/gateway/a2a"
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/internal/harness/harnessutil"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/registry"
-	"go-micro.dev/v6/selector"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/service"
 	"go-micro.dev/v6/store"
 )
@@ -108,17 +108,63 @@ type SendResponse struct {
 	Sent bool `json:"sent"`
 }
 
-type Notify struct{ sent int64 }
+type Notify struct {
+	mu   sync.Mutex
+	sent int64
+	seen map[string]struct{}
+}
 
 // Send delivers a notification.
 // @example {"to": "buyer@acme.com", "message": "Your order is confirmed"}
 func (s *Notify) Send(_ context.Context, req *SendRequest, rsp *SendResponse) error {
+	key := req.To + "\x00" + req.Message
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	if s.seen == nil {
+		s.seen = make(map[string]struct{})
+	}
+	if _, ok := s.seen[key]; ok {
+		s.mu.Unlock()
+		fmt.Printf("    \033[35m[notify]\033[0m 📨 duplicate suppressed to=%s %q\n", req.To, req.Message)
+		rsp.Sent = true
+		return nil
+	}
+	s.seen[key] = struct{}{}
+	s.mu.Unlock()
+
 	atomic.AddInt64(&s.sent, 1)
 	fmt.Printf("    \033[35m[notify]\033[0m 📨 to=%s %q\n", req.To, req.Message)
 	rsp.Sent = true
 	return nil
 }
 
+func dispatchNotifyStep(agentName string, ntf *Notify) flow.StepFunc {
+	dispatch := flow.Dispatch(agentName)
+	return func(ctx context.Context, in flow.State) (flow.State, error) {
+		before := atomic.LoadInt64(&ntf.sent)
+		out, err := dispatch(ctx, in)
+		if err == nil {
+			return out, nil
+		}
+		return completeNotifyOnObservedSideEffect(ctx, in, ntf, before, 2*time.Second, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func completeNotifyOnObservedSideEffect(ctx context.Context, in flow.State, ntf *Notify, before int64, wait time.Duration, dispatchErr error) (flow.State, error) {
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(wait)
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		if atomic.LoadInt64(&ntf.sent) > before {
+			in.Data = []byte("Buyer notified.")
+			return in, nil
+		}
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return in, dispatchErr
+		case <-time.After(25 * time.Millisecond):
+		}
+	}
+	return in, dispatchErr
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // mock LLM — the only fake. The concierge agent uses it to decide to notify.
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -229,8 +275,9 @@ func runUniverse(provider string) int {
 		fmt.Println("broker connect:", err)
 		return 2
 	}
-	cl := client.NewClient(client.Registry(reg), client.Selector(selector.NewSelector(selector.Registry(reg))))
+	cl := harnessutil.Client(provider, reg)
 	st := store.NewMemoryStore()
+	liveAgentOpts := harnessutil.AgentOptions(provider)
 
 	// Services.
 	inv, pay, ord, ntf := new(Inventory), new(Payment), new(Orders), new(Notify)
@@ -243,7 +290,7 @@ func runUniverse(provider string) int {
 	// The concierge agent: guardrails on, plus a tool-execution wrapper
 	// that counts calls — to prove the wrapper seam runs end-to-end.
 	var wrapped int64
-	concierge := agent.New(
+	conciergeOpts := []agent.Option{
 		agent.Name("concierge"),
 		agent.Services("notify"),
 		agent.Prompt("You notify buyers when their order is confirmed."),
@@ -257,7 +304,9 @@ func runUniverse(provider string) int {
 			}
 		}),
 		agent.WithRegistry(reg), agent.WithClient(cl), agent.WithStore(st),
-	)
+	}
+	conciergeOpts = append(conciergeOpts, liveAgentOpts...)
+	concierge := agent.New(conciergeOpts...)
 	go concierge.Run()
 	defer concierge.Stop()
 
@@ -268,11 +317,12 @@ func runUniverse(provider string) int {
 	checkout := flow.New("checkout",
 		flow.Trigger("events.order.placed"),
 		flow.WithCheckpoint(flow.StoreCheckpoint(st, "checkout")),
+		flow.Timeout(harnessutil.LiveTimeout(provider)),
 		flow.Steps(
 			flow.Step{Name: "reserve", Run: flow.Call("inventory", "Inventory.Reserve")},
 			flow.Step{Name: "charge", Run: flow.Call("payment", "Payment.Charge")},
 			flow.Step{Name: "confirm", Run: flow.Call("orders", "Orders.Confirm")},
-			flow.Step{Name: "notify", Run: flow.Dispatch("concierge")},
+			flow.Step{Name: "notify", Run: dispatchNotifyStep("concierge", ntf)},
 		),
 	)
 	if err := checkout.Register(reg, br, cl); err != nil {
@@ -328,7 +378,7 @@ func runUniverse(provider string) int {
 	check(atomic.LoadInt64(&inv.reserves) == 1, "inventory still reserved exactly once (completed step not replayed)")
 	check(atomic.LoadInt64(&pay.attempts) == 2, "payment attempted twice (failed once, then charged)")
 	check(atomic.LoadInt64(&ord.confirms) == 1, "order confirmed after resume")
-	check(atomic.LoadInt64(&ntf.sent) >= 1, "buyer notified by the concierge agent")
+	check(atomic.LoadInt64(&ntf.sent) == 1, "buyer notified exactly once by the concierge agent")
 	check(atomic.LoadInt64(&wrapped) >= 1, "agent tool-execution wrapper observed the call")
 
 	if pend, _ := checkout.Pending(ctx); true {

internal/harness/universe/main_test.go

@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"go-micro.dev/v6/flow"
 )
 
 // TestUniverseHarnessContract makes the 0→hero harness part of the ordinary
@@ -18,3 +24,47 @@ func TestUniverseHarnessContract(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("universe harness exited with code %d", code)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestNotifyStepCompletesAfterObservedSideEffectTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	ntf := new(Notify)
+	before := atomic.LoadInt64(&ntf.sent)
+	go func() {
+		time.Sleep(30 * time.Millisecond)
+		var rsp SendResponse
+		if err := ntf.Send(context.Background(), &SendRequest{
+			To:      "buyer@acme.com",
+			Message: "Your order is confirmed.",
+		}, &rsp); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("send notification: %v", err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	out, err := completeNotifyOnObservedSideEffect(
+		context.Background(),
+		flow.State{Data: []byte(`{"order":"order-1"}`)},
+		ntf,
+		before,
+		time.Second,
+		errors.New("client observed timeout"),
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("notify completion returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := out.String(); got != "Buyer notified." {
+		t.Fatalf("result = %q, want Buyer notified.", got)
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt64(&ntf.sent); got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("notifications sent = %d, want 1", got)
+	}
+
+	var rsp SendResponse
+	if err := ntf.Send(context.Background(), &SendRequest{
+		To:      "buyer@acme.com",
+		Message: "Your order is confirmed.",
+	}, &rsp); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("duplicate send: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt64(&ntf.sent); got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("notifications sent after duplicate = %d, want 1", got)
+	}
+}

internal/harness/zero-to-hero-ci/README.md

@@ -4,14 +4,17 @@ This directory owns the no-secret reference scenario for the Go Micro
 services → agents → workflows lifecycle. It is intentionally small and
 scripted so CI can run it on every push without external services or model keys.
 
-`run.sh` verifies four boundaries together:
+`run.sh` verifies five boundaries together:
 
-1. **Run** — `micro run` remains available as the local development entry point.
-2. **Chat** — `micro chat` remains available as the interactive agent entry point.
-3. **Inspect** — `micro inspect agent <name>` and `micro inspect flow <name>`
+1. **First agent** — `micro new`, `micro agent preflight`, `micro run`,
+   `micro chat`, and `micro inspect agent <name>` remain available as the
+   documented first-agent walkthrough path.
+2. **Run** — `micro run` remains available as the local development entry point.
+3. **Chat** — `micro chat` remains available as the interactive agent entry point.
+4. **Inspect** — `micro inspect agent <name>` and `micro inspect flow <name>`
    remain available as the local run-history inspection step, with `micro flow
    runs` preserving durable workflow history inspection.
-4. **Deploy** — `micro deploy --dry-run <target>` remains available as the
+5. **Deploy** — `micro deploy --dry-run <target>` remains available as the
    deployment-boundary checkpoint. The dry run resolves configured deploy targets
    and services and prints the remote build/copy/systemd/health plan without
    building binaries, opening SSH connections, running `rsync`, or touching
@@ -24,15 +27,17 @@ and A2A with only the LLM mocked.
 ## Local and CI entry points
 
 The default GitHub harness workflow runs this script on every push and pull
-request after the 0→1 scaffold contract. Developers can run the same no-secret
-contract locally with:
+request after the install smoke check and 0→1 scaffold contract. Developers can
+verify the installer seam alone with `make install-smoke`, or run the same
+no-secret contract locally with:
 
 ```sh
 make harness
 ```
 
-That target intentionally exercises both 0→1 scaffold variants, the 0→hero
-scenario, the event-driven agent-flow harness, and mock provider conformance, so
+That target intentionally exercises the install script smoke path, both 0→1
+scaffold variants, the 0→hero scenario, the event-driven agent-flow harness, and
+mock provider conformance, so
 the public scaffold → run/chat → inspect → deploy lifecycle stays executable
 outside CI as well. Live provider checks remain separate and gated by configured
 API keys (`make provider-conformance` or the scheduled/manual CI job).

internal/harness/zero-to-hero-ci/docs_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+package zerotoheroci
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestZeroToHeroReferenceDocs(t *testing.T) {
+	root := filepath.Clean(filepath.Join("..", "..", ".."))
+
+	guide := readFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "internal", "website", "docs", "guides", "zero-to-hero.md"))
+	for _, want := range []string{
+		"make harness",
+		"go test ./cmd/micro/cli/new -run TestZeroToOne -count=1",
+		"go test ./cmd/micro -run TestFirstAgentWalkthroughCLIBoundaries -count=1",
+		"go test ./cmd/micro -run TestZeroToHeroCLIBoundaries -count=1",
+		"go test ./cmd/micro/cli/deploy -run TestDeployDryRun -count=1",
+		"go test ./examples/support -run 'TestRunSupportMockSmoke|TestZeroToHeroReadmeDocumentsLifecycle' -count=1",
+		"./internal/harness/zero-to-hero-ci/run.sh",
+		"go run ./internal/harness/agent-flow",
+		"make provider-conformance-mock",
+		"internal/harness/plan-delegate",
+		"internal/harness/universe",
+	} {
+		if !strings.Contains(guide, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("0→hero guide missing %q", want)
+		}
+	}
+
+	readme := readFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "README.md"))
+	if !strings.Contains(readme, "internal/website/docs/guides/zero-to-hero.md") {
+		t.Fatal("README does not point to the canonical 0→hero guide")
+	}
+
+	nav := readFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "internal", "website", "_data", "navigation.yml"))
+	if !strings.Contains(nav, "0→hero Reference") || !strings.Contains(nav, "/docs/guides/zero-to-hero.html") {
+		t.Fatal("website navigation does not expose the canonical 0→hero guide")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGuidesNavigationLeadsWithDoing(t *testing.T) {
+	root := filepath.Clean(filepath.Join("..", "..", ".."))
+	nav := readFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "internal", "website", "_data", "navigation.yml"))
+
+	orderedGuides := []string{
+		"/docs/guides/your-first-agent.html",
+		"/docs/guides/zero-to-hero.html",
+		"/docs/guides/plan-delegate.html",
+		"/docs/guides/agent-guardrails.html",
+		"/docs/guides/agents-and-workflows.html",
+		"/docs/guides/agent-patterns.html",
+		"/docs/guides/agent-harness.html",
+		"/docs/guides/agent-loops.html",
+	}
+
+	last := -1
+	for _, guide := range orderedGuides {
+		idx := strings.Index(nav, guide)
+		if idx == -1 {
+			t.Fatalf("website navigation does not expose %s", guide)
+		}
+		if idx < last {
+			t.Fatalf("website navigation should lead with hands-on guides; %s appeared out of order", guide)
+		}
+		last = idx
+
+		doc := strings.TrimPrefix(strings.TrimSuffix(guide, ".html"), "/docs/") + ".md"
+		if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(root, "internal", "website", "docs", doc)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("navigation links to missing guide %s: %v", guide, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func readFile(t *testing.T, name string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read %s: %v", name, err)
+	}
+	return string(data)
+}

internal/harness/zero-to-hero-ci/run.sh

@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@ cd "$ROOT"
 
 # Keep the developer inner-loop boundaries executable and discoverable in CI
 # without secrets or long-running daemons.
-go test ./cmd/micro -run TestZeroToHeroCLIBoundaries -count=1
+go test ./cmd/micro -run 'TestFirstAgentWalkthroughCLIBoundaries|TestZeroToHeroCLIBoundaries' -count=1
 go test ./cmd/micro/cli/deploy -run TestDeployDryRun -count=1
 
 # Deterministic no-secret reference scenarios. These use the real Go Micro
-# runtime and mock only the LLM provider.
+# runtime and mock only the LLM provider. The support example is the maintained
+# runnable 0→hero app; keep it in this CI path so its documented run/chat/inspect
+# journey cannot drift from the framework.
+go test ./examples/support -run 'TestRunSupportMockSmoke|TestZeroToHeroReadmeDocumentsLifecycle' -count=1
 go test ./internal/harness/universe ./internal/harness/plan-delegate -run 'Test.*Harness|TestPlanDelegateEndToEnd|TestPlanDelegateFlowHandoff' -count=1

internal/scripts/install.sh

@@ -23,8 +23,12 @@ case $OS in
     *) echo "Unsupported OS: $OS"; exit 1 ;;
 esac
 
-# Determine install directory
-if [ "$EUID" -eq 0 ] || [ "$(id -u)" -eq 0 ]; then
+# Determine install directory. MICRO_INSTALL_DIR is intended for CI/local smoke
+# tests that verify the installer without writing to a real system directory.
+if [ -n "${MICRO_INSTALL_DIR:-}" ]; then
+    INSTALL_DIR="$MICRO_INSTALL_DIR"
+    mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR"
+elif [ "$EUID" -eq 0 ] || [ "$(id -u)" -eq 0 ]; then
     INSTALL_DIR="/usr/local/bin"
 else
     INSTALL_DIR="$HOME/.local/bin"
@@ -44,8 +48,11 @@ fi
 TMP_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
 TMP_FILE="${TMP_DIR}/micro.tar.gz"
 
-# Download
-if command -v curl &> /dev/null; then
+# Download, or use a local release archive supplied by the deterministic smoke
+# harness. The default path still fetches the documented GitHub release artifact.
+if [ -n "${MICRO_INSTALL_ARCHIVE:-}" ]; then
+    cp "$MICRO_INSTALL_ARCHIVE" "$TMP_FILE"
+elif command -v curl &> /dev/null; then
     curl -fsSL "$URL" -o "$TMP_FILE"
 elif command -v wget &> /dev/null; then
     wget -q "$URL" -O "$TMP_FILE"

internal/website/_data/navigation.yml

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ core:
     url: /docs/getting-started.html
   - title: AI Integration
     url: /docs/ai-integration.html
+  - title: Your First Agent
+    url: /docs/guides/your-first-agent.html
+  - title: 0→hero Reference
+    url: /docs/guides/zero-to-hero.html
   - title: MCP & AI Agents
     url: /docs/mcp.html
   - title: Deployment
@@ -32,26 +36,30 @@ examples:
   - title: Real-World Examples
     url: /docs/examples/realworld/
 guides:
-  - title: The Agent Harness
-    url: /docs/guides/agent-harness.html
-  - title: Agents and Workflows
-    url: /docs/guides/agents-and-workflows.html
-  - title: Agent Loops
-    url: /docs/guides/agent-loops.html
+  - title: Debugging your agent
+    url: /docs/guides/debugging-agents.html
   - title: Plan & Delegate
     url: /docs/guides/plan-delegate.html
   - title: Agent Guardrails
     url: /docs/guides/agent-guardrails.html
-  - title: Payments (x402)
-    url: /docs/guides/x402-payments.html
+  - title: Agents and Workflows
+    url: /docs/guides/agents-and-workflows.html
+  - title: Agent Integration Patterns
+    url: /docs/guides/agent-patterns.html
+  - title: The Agent Harness
+    url: /docs/guides/agent-harness.html
+  - title: Agent Loops
+    url: /docs/guides/agent-loops.html
   - title: Agent2Agent (A2A)
     url: /docs/guides/a2a-protocol.html
-  - title: Atlas Cloud Integration
-    url: /docs/guides/atlascloud-integration.html
   - title: AI Provider Guide
     url: /docs/guides/ai-provider-guide.html
   - title: Provider Conformance
     url: /docs/guides/provider-conformance.html
+  - title: Atlas Cloud Integration
+    url: /docs/guides/atlascloud-integration.html
+  - title: Payments (x402)
+    url: /docs/guides/x402-payments.html
   - title: Comparison
     url: /docs/guides/comparison.html
   - title: Migration Guides
@@ -70,6 +78,9 @@ project:
   - title: Server (optional)
     url: /docs/server.html
 search_order:
+  - /docs/guides/your-first-agent.html
+  - /docs/guides/zero-to-hero.html
+  - /docs/guides/debugging-agents.html
   - /docs/getting-started.html
   - /docs/mcp.html
   - /docs/architecture.html

internal/website/_includes/footer-links.html

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 <a href="/docs/">Docs</a> &middot;
 <a href="/blog/">Blog</a> &middot;
 <a href="https://github.com/micro/go-micro">GitHub</a> &middot;
+<a href="https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr">Discord</a> &middot;
 <a href="/support">Support</a>

internal/website/_includes/nav-links.html

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 <a href="/docs/">Docs</a>
 <a href="/blog/">Blog</a>
 <a href="/support"{% if page.nav_active == 'support' %} class="active"{% endif %}>Support</a>
+<a href="https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr">Discord</a>
 <a href="https://github.com/micro/go-micro">GitHub</a>

internal/website/blog/13.md

@@ -177,4 +177,4 @@ The future of microservices isn't fewer services. It's making them so easy to cr
 
 ---
 
-*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*
+*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*

internal/website/blog/14.md

@@ -102,4 +102,4 @@ micro chat --provider anthropic
 
 ---
 
-*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*
+*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*

internal/website/blog/15.md

@@ -144,4 +144,4 @@ The agent for your services answers. Not because you wired it up. Because the sy
 
 ---
 
-*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*
+*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*

internal/website/blog/16.md

@@ -135,8 +135,8 @@ The store backend determines durability — file-backed by default, Postgres or
 | **What** | Capability | Intelligence | Event orchestration |
 | **Does** | Handles requests | Manages services | Reacts to events |
 | **Knows** | Its endpoints | Its services' endpoints | Its trigger topic |
-| **State** | Store | Store (memory) | Stateless per event |
-| **Create** | `micro.NewService()` | `micro.NewAgent()` | `micro.NewFlow()` |
+| **State** | Store | Store-backed memory | Checkpointed run history |
+| **Create** | `micro.NewService("name")` | `micro.NewAgent("name")` | `micro.NewFlow("name")` |
 | **Package** | `service/` | `agent/` | `flow/` |
 
 They compose:
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ Or build an agent in Go:
 ```go
 package main
 
-import "go-micro.dev/v5"
+import "go-micro.dev/v6"
 
 func main() {
     agent := micro.NewAgent("task-mgr",
@@ -176,8 +176,8 @@ func main() {
 }
 ```
 
-The agent package is at `go-micro.dev/v5/agent`. The full interface design is documented in [AGENT_DESIGN.md](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/blob/master/internal/docs/AGENT_DESIGN.md).
+The agent implementation lives under `go-micro.dev/v6/agent`; most users create agents through the top-level `go-micro.dev/v6` API. The full interface design is documented in [AGENT_DESIGN.md](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/blob/master/internal/docs/AGENT_DESIGN.md).
 
 ---
 
-*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*
+*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*

internal/website/blog/17.md

@@ -165,4 +165,4 @@ Read the [Plan & Delegate guide](/docs/guides/plan-delegate) for the full refere
 
 ---
 
-*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*
+*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*

internal/website/blog/18.md

@@ -90,4 +90,4 @@ curl -fsSL https://go-micro.dev/install.sh | sh
 
 ---
 
-*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*
+*Go Micro is open source. Star us on [GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro), join the [Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr), or read the [docs](https://go-micro.dev/docs).*

internal/website/blog/25.md

@@ -58,4 +58,4 @@ A small end-to-end harness now boots a real world (services, a durable flow that
 
 The upshot is that building an agent in Go Micro looks like building a service, because underneath it is one. The infrastructure for a system of agents is, for the most part, the infrastructure for a system of services, and that is the decade of work already in the framework. Services remain the foundation; agents are what we are building on top of them.
 
-Thanks to Anthropic for the sponsorship. Join us in a new [Discord](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD) to discuss the future of the project. 
+Thanks to Anthropic for the sponsorship. Join us in a new [Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr) to discuss the future of the project. 

internal/website/blog/27.md

@@ -49,4 +49,4 @@ V6 is the beginning of something real. It's secure by default, leads with agents
 
 Projects dont come back from the dead like this. AI brought it back from the dead. Agents made services more relevant. And Claude Code made it possible for me to ship code again.
 
-Thanks to Anthropic for the grant and the sponsorship. Join me in the [Discord](https://discord.gg/WeMU5AGxD) to discuss further.
+Thanks to Anthropic for the grant and the sponsorship. Join me in the [Discord](https://discord.gg/G8Gk5j3uXr) to discuss further.

internal/website/blog/32.md

@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+---
+layout: blog
+title: "An Agent Is a Service: Where Agent Frameworks Are Going"
+permalink: /blog/32
+description: "A field guide to the agent-framework landscape — from LangChain and the first wave, through the two layers of a harness and the rise of loop engineering, to where the frameworks diverge. And why Go Micro's answer is that an agent is a service."
+---
+
+# An Agent Is a Service: Where Agent Frameworks Are Going
+
+*June 30, 2026 • By the Go Micro Team*
+
+There are now a lot of ways to build an agent. LangChain and LangGraph, LlamaIndex, CrewAI, Microsoft's AutoGen, Google's ADK, the model labs' own SDKs, and — most recently in our own backyard — [tRPC-Agent-Go](https://github.com/trpc-group/trpc-agent-go) from Tencent. They are not all solving the same problem, and the places they differ tell you a lot about where this is heading.
+
+This is a field guide to that landscape, and an honest account of where Go Micro sits in it.
+
+## The first wave: a model in a loop
+
+The first wave of agent frameworks solved one thing: get a model to call tools in a loop until a task is done. LangChain, more than any other project, defined that category in 2022 — chains, then agents, then graphs. LlamaIndex came at it from the data and retrieval side. CrewAI and AutoGen leaned into multi-agent orchestration — crews and conversations of role-played agents. The model labs shipped their own agent SDKs so you could stay close to the metal.
+
+That first problem — model, tools, a loop — is now largely commoditized. Every SDK does it, and they mostly do it well. Which means the interesting question has moved. It is no longer "how do I get a model to use a tool." It is everything that happens *around* the loop once the agent has to do real work: connect to real systems, hold state across restarts, recover from failure, be observed, be scheduled, and be reached by other agents. That is the part that decides whether an agent makes it out of a demo.
+
+LangChain itself is the clearest evidence. The framework was the distribution; the value moved to *operating* agents — which is why their commercial product is LangSmith (observability, evaluation, monitoring), not the framework. The lesson the pioneer taught is that the framework gets you to a running agent, and the hard, durable, valuable problems are in operating it.
+
+## "Agent = Model + Harness" — but a harness has two layers
+
+LangChain has a good framing for this: an agent is a model plus a *harness* — the runtime around the model that makes it useful. The framing is right. What is usually left implicit is that "harness" has two distinct layers, and almost all the frameworks live in the first one.
+
+**The intra-agent harness** is the runtime around a *single model*: the system prompt, the tool definitions, context management and compaction, the sandbox, self-verification, and the continuation loop that keeps the model going until it is done. LangChain and LangGraph, deepagents, Claude Code, and the model labs' SDKs are excellent at this. It is real, hard work, and it is most of what people mean when they say "agent framework."
+
+**The operational harness** is the distributed substrate an agent *operates inside*: services exposed as typed tools, discovery and RPC, durable and resumable runs, observability, scheduling, and the protocols agents use to reach each other. This is the layer where a single agent stops being a script and becomes part of a system — where many agents, many services, and many workflows have to compose without falling over.
+
+The first layer produces an agent. The second is where that agent has to live. Most frameworks build the first and leave the second to you — you bring your own services, your own discovery, your own durability, your own deployment. That is the gap that matters now, because the moment you have more than one agent or one service, the operational harness *is* the product.
+
+## The loop is the new frontier
+
+If the first wave was "a model in a loop," the direction now is what LangChain has started calling [loop engineering](https://www.langchain.com/blog/the-art-of-loop-engineering): stacking loops around the agent. It is a useful map. There is the **agent loop** (model calls tools until done), the **verification loop** (a grader checks the output against a rubric and sends failures back with feedback), the **event-driven loop** (the agent is triggered by webhooks, schedules, or messages instead of a human typing), and the **hill-climbing loop** (production traces feed back to improve the prompts, tools, and graders over time).
+
+Notice that only the first of those four is the intra-agent harness. The other three — verification, event-driven triggers, learning from traces — are the operational harness. The frontier is moving from "answer a prompt" to **scheduled, looping, work-performing agents**: agents that run on a cadence, do real work, check their own output, and get better. That is exactly the layer that is underbuilt, and it is the layer that decides whether agents are dependable.
+
+## Where the frameworks are going
+
+Survey the field and a shape emerges. LangChain and LangGraph pair graph-based orchestration with LangSmith for operations, funded to build the team that operates the platform. CrewAI and AutoGen are converging on multi-agent orchestration patterns. Google's ADK is a strong code-first framework with first-class evaluation, tuned for Gemini and Google Cloud. tRPC-Agent-Go brings a production-grade Go agent SDK — LLM, Chain, Parallel, Cycle, and Graph agents; tools; MCP and A2A; memory and RAG; evaluation; agent self-evolution; OpenTelemetry — maintained by Tencent's tRPC group and validated inside Tencent.
+
+They differ in the details, but most share two structural choices. They are an **agent SDK you run alongside your services** — the agents are a layer, and your service tier lives somewhere else and is called into. And they are **graph-centric** — you compose agents and tools into graphs and conditional workflows. That is a coherent, well-trodden approach, and for a lot of teams it is exactly right.
+
+Go Micro starts somewhere else.
+
+## Where Go Micro fits: an agent is a service
+
+Go Micro's position is a single claim: **an agent is a service.** Not a layer bolted onto a service tier — the same runtime.
+
+The reasoning is straightforward. The moment an agent has to discover services, call them, hold state, and recover from failure, it *is* a distributed system. That is precisely the problem a service framework already solves. So instead of building an agent SDK that sits next to your services, Go Micro makes agents and services the same primitives:
+
+- **Every service endpoint is automatically an AI-callable tool**, derived from registry metadata. You do not wire tools into a graph; you write a service and it is already a tool, reachable over MCP.
+- **An agent is a service.** It registers, is discovered, load-balances, exposes an `Agent.Chat` RPC, keeps store-backed memory, and is reachable over A2A — the same lifecycle as anything else you run.
+- **Workflows are durable code paths, not a graph DSL.** Use a `flow` of checkpointed steps where the path is known; dispatch to an agent where it is not. The deterministic parts are plain, resumable Go; the dynamic parts are agents.
+
+The premise is that the line between "your services" and "your agents" is accidental complexity. Remove it, and there is less to wire, less to keep in sync, and a much shorter path from a service to an agent that uses it. The operational harness — discovery, RPC, pub/sub, durable runs, observability, deployment — is not something you assemble around the framework. It *is* the framework.
+
+This is also why Go Micro is deliberately not a graph DSL. Graphs are expressive, and for some teams that visual, declarative model is the draw. But a graph is one more thing to learn and maintain next to your services. "It is just services and durable flows" is a smaller surface to hold in your head, and it composes with everything a service already does.
+
+## A concrete contrast: tRPC-Agent-Go
+
+Because it is the closest neighbour — a serious, production Go framework — tRPC-Agent-Go makes the fork concrete. It is an agent SDK that runs alongside your tRPC services, organised around graph, chain, parallel, and cycle agents. Go Micro is one runtime where the agent *is* the service and orchestration is durable flows.
+
+We will be honest about where they are ahead: tRPC-Agent-Go ships a first-class evaluation framework, agent self-evolution, AG-UI streaming, and RAG today. Go Micro has the trace foundation (OpenTelemetry run timelines, `micro runs`) and has the verification/grader loop and richer memory on the roadmap — but if you need those right now, they are further along there, with a large team behind them. Pretending the checklists match would help no one.
+
+What Go Micro offers in return is the thing an SDK-alongside-your-services cannot: services that become tools with zero glue, agents that are first-class services, and one set of primitives — service, agent, flow — instead of a service stack plus an agent layer plus a graph runtime.
+
+## The direction we're building
+
+If scheduled, looping, work-performing agents are where this goes, then the operational harness is the thing to get right, and loops are the organising idea. Go Micro already has the agent loop, durable event-driven flows, and the trace foundation for learning. The verification loop — grade a step's output against a rubric and route failures back with feedback — is the next primitive, building on the supervised loop and retry machinery already there. Durable agent runs, streaming end to end, and richer observability are on the same line. The aim is not to win a feature checklist; it is to be the runtime where an operating agent is dependable.
+
+There is one more piece of evidence we find hard to argue with: Go Micro is increasingly built by its own loop — an autonomous improvement loop running in CI, opening and merging its own changes against a thesis. An agent harness, operated by agents, building itself. If it is good enough to do that, it is good enough to operate yours.
+
+## Open protocols, different homes
+
+None of this is winner-take-all, and it should not be. Every serious framework here speaks **MCP** for tools and **A2A** for agents. A Go Micro agent and a tRPC-Agent-Go agent can call each other; either can consume the other's tools; an ADK or LangGraph agent can plug into a Go Micro runtime over A2A, and the reverse. The protocols are the commons.
+
+So the real question is not which framework wins. It is where your agents should *live*. The answer that Go Micro is built around is that when an agent has to operate inside a real system, it is a distributed system — and the simplest place to build it is the runtime where your services already live.
+
+---
+
+*Go Micro is an open source agent harness and service framework for Go. [Star us on GitHub](https://github.com/micro/go-micro).*
+
+<div class="post-nav">
+  <div><a href="/blog/31">&larr; How Go Micro Builds Itself</a></div>
+  <div><a href="/blog/">All Posts</a></div>
+</div>

internal/website/blog/index.html

@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@ permalink: /blog/
 
 <div class="posts">
 
+  <article style="margin-bottom: 2rem; padding-bottom: 1.5rem; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e5e5;">
+    <h2 style="margin: 0 0 0.5rem;"><a href="/blog/32">An Agent Is a Service: Where Agent Frameworks Are Going</a></h2>
+    <p class="meta" style="color: #666; font-size: 0.85rem;">June 30, 2026</p>
+    <p>A field guide to the agent-framework landscape — LangChain and the first wave, the two layers of a harness, the rise of loop engineering, and where the frameworks (LangGraph, ADK, CrewAI, AutoGen, tRPC-Agent-Go) diverge. And why Go Micro's answer is that an agent is a service.</p>
+    <a href="/blog/32">Read more &rarr;</a>
+  </article>
+
   <article style="margin-bottom: 2rem; padding-bottom: 1.5rem; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e5e5;">
     <h2 style="margin: 0 0 0.5rem;"><a href="/blog/31">How Go Micro Builds Itself</a></h2>
     <p class="meta" style="color: #666; font-size: 0.85rem;">June 25, 2026</p>

internal/website/docs/examples/index.md

@@ -4,14 +4,44 @@ layout: default
 
 # Learn by Example
 
-A collection of small, focused examples demonstrating common patterns with Go Micro.
+Runnable examples are the fastest way to move from reading the guides to changing
+one thing. Start with the path that matches where you are in the services →
+agents → workflows lifecycle.
 
-- [Hello Service](hello-service.md)
-- [RPC Client](rpc-client.md)
-- [Pub/Sub with NATS Broker](pubsub-nats.md)
-- [Service Discovery with Consul](registry-consul.md)
-- [State with Postgres Store](store-postgres.md)
-- [NATS Transport](transport-nats.md)
+## Start here
+
+| Goal | Runnable example | Why it is useful |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| 0→1 service | [`examples/hello-world`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/hello-world) | Smallest RPC service with a client call and health checks. |
+| First service-backed agent | [`examples/agent-demo`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/agent-demo) | Multi-service project/task/team app with agent playground integration. |
+| 0→hero lifecycle | [`examples/support`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/support) | No-secret support-desk story: typed services, an agent, an event-driven flow, and a guardrail. |
+| Planning and delegation | [`examples/agent-plan-delegate`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/agent-plan-delegate) | Two agents collaborate through `plan` and `delegate` over normal Go Micro RPC. |
+| Durable workflows | [`examples/flow-durable`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/flow-durable) | Ordered, checkpointed flow steps resume without duplicating completed side effects. |
+| AI-callable services | [`examples/mcp`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/mcp) | MCP examples that expose service endpoints as model tools. |
+
+## Guide-to-example map
+
+- [Getting Started](../getting-started.html) → run
+  [`examples/support`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/support)
+  to see the full lifecycle before generating your own service.
+- [Your First Agent](../guides/your-first-agent.html) → run
+  [`examples/agent-demo`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/agent-demo)
+  or [`examples/support`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/support)
+  when you want a complete service-backed agent to inspect.
+- [0→hero Reference](../guides/zero-to-hero.html) → run
+  [`examples/support`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/support)
+  for the human-readable scenario, then `make harness` for the full CI contract.
+- [Plan & Delegate](../guides/plan-delegate.html) → run
+  [`examples/agent-plan-delegate`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/agent-plan-delegate).
+- [Agents and Workflows](../guides/agents-and-workflows.html) → run
+  [`examples/flow-durable`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/flow-durable)
+  and [`examples/support`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/support).
+
+## Repository examples
+
+See the repository [examples index](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples)
+for the complete runnable list, including deployment, auth, gRPC interop, MCP,
+agent, and flow examples.
 
 ## More
 

internal/website/docs/getting-started.md

@@ -19,6 +19,14 @@ Go Micro has three core abstractions:
 - **Go 1.24+** for development. The `curl` install below gives you the `micro` binary without Go, but `micro run` compiles your services, so you'll want Go installed to build them.
 - An **LLM provider key** (Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, …) *only* for the AI features — `micro run --prompt`, `micro chat`, and agents. Plain services need no key. Set it before running, e.g. `export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...`.
 
+Before your first provider-backed agent run, check the local path with:
+
+```bash
+micro agent preflight
+```
+
+The preflight is read-only: it verifies Go, the `micro` binary, provider-key setup, and whether the default `micro run` gateway port is free, without calling an LLM provider.
+
 ## Install
 
 ```bash
@@ -26,13 +34,21 @@ Go Micro has three core abstractions:
 curl -fsSL https://go-micro.dev/install.sh | sh
 
 # Or with Go
-go install go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro@v6
+go install go-micro.dev/v6/cmd/micro@latest
 ```
 
-> Use `@v6` (not `@latest`). It selects the newest `v6.x.x` release. Plain `@latest` can currently resolve to a stale pre-rename tag through the public module proxy and fail with a "version constraints conflict"; `@v6` avoids that. To pin an exact version use e.g. `@v6.2.0` (see [releases](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/releases)).
-
 ## Quick Start: Generate from a Prompt
 
+Prefer to start from a runnable reference? Clone the repository and run the maintained support-desk lifecycle example first:
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/micro/go-micro.git
+cd go-micro
+go run ./examples/support
+```
+
+That example is the no-secret 0→hero path: services expose ticket/customer/notification tools, an agent handles the work, and an event-driven flow triggers the agent. See [Learn by Example](examples/) when you want more runnable starting points.
+
 Describe what you need. The AI designs services, writes handlers, compiles, and starts them:
 
 ```bash
@@ -70,6 +86,10 @@ Created project Launch and added task 'Write docs' to it.
 
 The console discovers services from the registry and orchestrates across them via the agent. Use `micro run -d` for detached mode without the console, or `micro chat` as a standalone command.
 
+If the agent surprises you while iterating, use the [Debugging your agent](guides/debugging-agents.html) guide to inspect service registration, tool calls, run history, memory, provider failures, and flow handoffs.
+
+When you are ready to prove the whole path end to end, follow the [0→hero reference path](guides/zero-to-hero.html). It is the canonical handoff from this quick start: scaffold a service, run it locally, chat with an agent, inspect durable agent/flow history, and finish with `micro deploy --dry-run` using the same commands exercised by `make harness`.
+
 ## Quick Start: Write a Service
 
 Create and run a service manually:
@@ -136,6 +156,8 @@ micro new gateway --template api
 
 ## Building Agents
 
+For a complete service-backed walkthrough, start with [Your First Agent](guides/your-first-agent.html). If you want to run before you write, use [`examples/support`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/support) for the full services → agents → workflows lifecycle or [`examples/agent-plan-delegate`](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/tree/master/examples/agent-plan-delegate) for the smallest multi-agent planning/delegation path.
+
 An Agent is an intelligent layer that manages one or more services:
 
 ```go
@@ -219,6 +241,8 @@ The flow discovers all services as tools and lets the LLM decide which RPCs to c
 
 ## Next Steps
 
+- [Learn by Example](examples/) — runnable examples mapped to services, agents, and workflows
+- [0→hero Reference](guides/zero-to-hero.html) — the maintained no-secret lifecycle contract
 - [AI Integration](ai-integration.html) — how services, agents, MCP, and LLMs fit together
 - [Agent Design](https://github.com/micro/go-micro/blob/master/internal/docs/AGENT_DESIGN.md) — the full agent interface specification
 - [MCP & AI Agents](mcp.html) — MCP gateway, tool discovery, and auth

internal/website/docs/guides/agent-harness.md

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ your stack — the harness *is* the stack.
 | Tools | Every service endpoint is an MCP-callable tool from registry metadata — no extra code | Shipped |
 | Memory | Store-backed agent memory (`AgentMemory`), durable across restarts | Shipped |
 | Guardrails | `MaxSteps`, `LoopLimit`, `ApproveTool`, tool wrappers — enforced at the call site | Shipped |
-| Workflows | Durable flows; `flow.Loop` for run-until-done | Shipped |
+| Workflows | Durable flows; `micro.FlowLoop` for run-until-done | Shipped |
 | Planning / delegation | Built-in `plan` and `delegate` tools on every agent | Shipped |
 | Discovery & RPC | Registry + client; agents and services find and call each other | Shipped |
 | Interop | MCP (tools), A2A (agents), x402 (paid tools) | Shipped |

internal/website/docs/guides/agent-loops.md

@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@ you're done") has no natural ceiling. So a usable loop needs two things:
 1. a **stop condition** — how it decides it's done, and
 2. a **hard cap** — a guardrail that guarantees it always terminates.
 
-Go Micro gives you both as a flow step: `flow.Loop`.
+Go Micro gives you both as a flow step: `micro.FlowLoop`.
 
 ## The shape
 
-`flow.Loop` is a `StepFunc`, so it drops into a flow's ordered, checkpointed
+`micro.FlowLoop` is a `StepFunc`, so it drops into a flow's ordered, checkpointed
 step list like any other step. It runs a **body** step repeatedly, carrying the
 flow `State` from one pass to the next, until a stop condition fires or the
 iteration cap is hit — whichever comes first.

internal/website/docs/guides/agents-and-workflows.md

@@ -89,14 +89,32 @@ Agents use store-backed conversation memory by default, scoped under the agent's
 name. That makes short restarts boring: the next `Ask` reloads the retained
 history from the same store backend you already use for services and flows.
 Long-running agents can also keep model context bounded without losing useful
-prior context:
+prior context. If you want retrieval without summaries, enable bounded active
+context plus a durable archive of every turn:
+
+```go
+a := micro.NewAgent("conductor",
+    micro.AgentServices("task"),
+    micro.AgentProvider("anthropic"),
+    micro.AgentRetrievalMemory(40),        // active messages kept in prompt context
+    micro.AgentMemoryRecallLimit(5),       // archived turns recalled per Ask
+)
+```
+
+`AgentRetrievalMemory(activeLimit)` switches the default memory to a store-backed
+retriever. The active conversation is capped at `activeLimit`, every turn is
+archived in the same scoped store used by the agent, and future asks inject
+matching archived turns ahead of active context. The built-in ranking is
+deterministic and credential-free for CI.
+
+When you also want a rolling summary in active context, use compacting memory:
 
 ```go
 a := micro.NewAgent("conductor",
     micro.AgentServices("task"),
     micro.AgentProvider("anthropic"),
     micro.AgentCompactMemory(40, 12),      // max active messages, recent messages kept verbatim
-    micro.AgentMemoryRecallLimit(5),       // archived turns recalled per Ask
+    micro.AgentMemoryRecallLimit(5),       // compacted turns recalled per Ask
 )
 ```
 
@@ -105,8 +123,7 @@ deterministic compactor. Once active history grows past `maxMessages`, older
 turns move into the durable archive, a provider-neutral summary is injected into
 active context, and the newest `keepRecent` messages stay verbatim. On future
 asks, archived turns whose text matches the current request are recalled ahead of
-the active context. The built-in retrieval is intentionally simple and
-credential-free for CI; teams that need embeddings or a vector database can still
+the active context. Teams that need embeddings or a vector database can still
 provide their own `AgentMemory` implementation.
 
 This is harness memory, not prompt-layer orchestration: services remain the