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Lytos

Manifest

The manifest is the first pillar of Lytos: Intent.

It answers the question every AI agent needs before doing anything useful: what is this project, and why does it exist?

What it contains

Section titled “What it contains”

The manifest is a single file — manifest.md — placed at the root of .lytos/. It defines:

SectionWhat it answers
IdentityName, description, owner, repo, version
Why this project existsThe problem it solves, the value it creates
What it is / is notClear boundaries to prevent scope creep
Tech stackLanguage, framework, database, CI/CD, hosting
Project vocabularyDomain terms the AI must understand
Fundamental constraintsNon-negotiable rules (offline-first, zero deps, no telemetry…)
Development principlesHow to decide when two approaches seem equal

Why it matters

Section titled “Why it matters”

“Delegating to AI without structure is outsourcing without a brief.”

Without a manifest, an AI agent produces generic code. It doesn’t know if your project is a library or a SaaS, if you prefer REST or GraphQL, if you deploy to AWS or a Raspberry Pi.

The manifest is read at the start of every session. It’s the first thing the agent loads, before skills, rules, or memory.

Example

Section titled “Example”
## Identity


| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Name | bookshelf-api |
| Description | REST API for managing book collections |
| Owner | Jane Doe (@janedoe) |
| Stack | Python 3.12, FastAPI, PostgreSQL, Docker |


## Why this project exists


Libraries need a modern API to manage their collections.
The existing system is a 15-year-old PHP monolith.


## Fundamental constraints


- All endpoints must return JSON
- No breaking changes without a deprecation period
- Response time < 200ms for read operations

Best practices

Section titled “Best practices”
  • Be specific, not aspirational. Write what the project is, not what you wish it were.
  • Update it when the project evolves. The manifest is a living document.
  • Keep it under 150 lines. If it’s longer, some content belongs in memory or rules.

Learn more

Section titled “Learn more”