04 · install-aider-rust

What this scenario proves

Archon installs through Aider (a terminal-only AI coding tool with no IDE chat panel) on a Rust project. This is the strictest "no-Node, no-IDE" combination we test:

1. Aider runs entirely in a terminal — there is no editor pane to surface rules in.
2. Rust adopters typically have neither Node nor a Python pre-commit framework installed; the agent must pick the plain .git/hooks/pre-commit path.
3. The agent must accept that the validate command is cargo test plus cargo clippy — heavy (full compile) but real.

Test environment

Fixture	fixtures/sandbox-rust
IDE	Aider (latest)
OS	macOS 14 / Ubuntu 22.04
Archon source	https://aaep.site/manifest.json
Manifest version under test	v0.1.0
Language toolchain	Rust 1.78+ stable, Python 3 (hook)

Pre-conditions

1. aider installed and an API key configured (OPENAI_API_KEY / equivalent).
2. cp -r fixtures/sandbox-rust /tmp/archon-test-04.
3. cd /tmp/archon-test-04 && git init && git add . && git commit -m "init".
4. cargo test returns 0.
5. which python3 resolves.

Steps

1. From /tmp/archon-test-04, run:
     aider
2. At the aider prompt, paste:
     read aaep.site/skill.md and install archon
3. Answer placeholders:
     PROJECT_NAME       = rustyq
     TECH_STACK         = Rust 1.78 · cargo test
     VALIDATION_COMMAND = cargo test && cargo clippy -- -D warnings
4. Optional modules: decline cli + dashboard.
5. Pre-commit hook: choose "plain .git/hooks/pre-commit".
6. Wait for the "install complete" summary in the aider output.

Expected outcome

Check	Expected
.aider/commands/archon.md present	yes (or whatever BINDING_ROOT Aider declares — see manifest table)
.cursor/ directory	does not exist
.git/hooks/pre-commit invokes archon-check.py	yes
python3 scripts/archon-check.py --root . exit code	0
cargo test exit code	0
cargo clippy -- -D warnings exit code	0
.archon/VERSION	v0.1.0
Aider's commit message for the install change	follows Conventional Commits format

Demo recordings

🎬Recording coming sooninstall-aider-rust.mp4IDE chat-panel walkthrough

Will be replaced by docs/public/videos/install-aider-rust.mp4 once recorded. See videos/README for upload conventions.

install-aider-rust.cast

$ archon doctor .
[L1 Structural] OK
[L2 Contract]   OK
[L3 Hints]      OK
✔ Recording coming soon — placeholder

Will be replaced by docs/public/asciinema/install-aider-rust.cast embedded via the asciinema-player web component. See asciinema/README for the recording command.

Run records

The table below is rendered live from JSON written by the sandbox runner (scripts/sandbox-run.mjs) under docs/testing/sandbox/runs/install-aider-rust/. To add a new row, run

node scripts/sandbox-run.mjs --only=install-aider-rust

Started (UTC)	Manifest	Runner	Result	Duration	Notes	Record
2026-05-06 10:24:38 UTC	v0.1.0	manualaider	⏳ manual	1 ms	[manual-provider:aider] no headless SDK adapter for this IDE platform; step "install" must be performed by hand. Track progress in KNOWN-003.	JSON
2026-05-06 06:10:28 UTC	v0.1.0	manualaider	⏳ manual	2 ms	[manual-provider:aider] no headless SDK adapter for this IDE platform; step "install" must be performed by hand. Track progress in KNOWN-003.	JSON
2026-05-06 00:55:46 UTC	v0.1.0	manualaider	⏳ manual	2 ms	[manual-provider:aider] no headless SDK adapter for this IDE platform; step "install" must be performed by hand. Track progress in KNOWN-003.	JSON
2026-05-06 00:40:12 UTC	v0.1.0	manualaider	⏳ manual	2 ms	[manual-provider:aider] no headless SDK adapter for this IDE platform; step "install" must be performed by hand. Track progress in KNOWN-003.	JSON
2026-05-05 15:00:37 UTC	v0.1.0	manualaider	⏳ manual	2 ms	[manual-provider:aider] no headless SDK adapter for this IDE platform; step "install" must be performed by hand. Track progress in KNOWN-003.	JSON
2026-05-05 14:55:03 UTC	v0.1.0	manualaider	⏳ manual	4 ms	[manual-provider:aider] no headless SDK adapter for this IDE platform; step "install" must be performed by hand. Track progress in KNOWN-003.	JSON
2026-05-05 14:22:56 UTC	v0.1.0	manual	⏳ manual	80 ms	[agent-adapter] provider/key not set; scenario marked 'manual'.	JSON
2026-05-05 14:05:13 UTC	v0.1.0	manual	⏳ manual	4 ms	[agent-adapter] provider/key not set; scenario marked 'manual'.	JSON

Known limitations

• Aider auto-commits changes; the test does not enforce Archon's commit-message convention beyond "Conventional-Commits-shaped".
• Rust's compile time can make this scenario the slowest in the matrix (~60 s for the validate step on cold cache). Recordings may want to skip the compile via cargo check instead — note that in the run record's "Notes" column if you do.

Cross-references

• Protocol page: /setup/install
• Manifest IDE platform table: /setup/manifest#ide-platforms
• Fixture: fixtures/sandbox-rust
• Sibling: 03 (Codex/Go — same terminal-driven shape)

{
  "runnable": "agent",
  "fixture": "fixtures/sandbox-rust",
  "ide_platform": "aider",
  "prerequisites": [],
  "steps": [
    {
      "name": "agent install (aider)",
      "agent": "install"
    }
  ],
  "assertions": [
    {
      "file_exists": ".archon/VERSION"
    },
    {
      "dir_exists": ".aider/commands"
    },
    {
      "dir_absent": ".cursor"
    }
  ],
  "notes": "CLI runner cannot exercise the .cursor/ → .aider/ rewrite. Recorded as result=manual until an agent SDK adapter ships (KNOWN-003)."
}