Agent Filesystem

AFS is a workspace system for agents, backed by Redis. Use it when you want a durable workspace that still feels like normal files and directories, with explicit checkpoints and easy movement between MCP, sync mode, and live mounts.

When to Use This Skill

Use for:

• Persistent agent workspaces that survive across sessions and machines
• Code, docs, or shared state that should live in a normal directory backed by Redis
• Saving and restoring workspace snapshots with explicit checkpoints
• Searching workspace contents with afs fs grep or MCP file tools
• Forking a workspace to run parallel experiments without losing the original

Avoid for:

• Large build output, media, or disposable artifacts
• Workflows that assume checkpoints happen automatically
• Old direct-command / redis-cli examples from module-era docs

Preferred Interfaces

1. afs mcp

Use afs mcp when the agent can talk over MCP and does not need a local directory.

2. Sync mode + afs CLI

Use sync mode when the agent or user wants a real local directory:

./afs ws mount my-project ~/my-project
cd ~/my-project

3. Live mount mode

Use ./afs config set --mode mount before mounting when you need the workspace exposed directly as a mount rather than through the sync daemon.

Common Flows

Create or import a workspace

./afs ws create my-project
./afs ws import my-project ./existing-dir
./afs ws list                          # verify the workspace exists

Start working locally

./afs ws mount my-project ~/my-project
./afs status                           # verify the mount is active
cd ~/my-project

Search a workspace

./afs fs grep --workspace my-project "TODO auth"
./afs fs grep --workspace my-project --path /src -E "timeout|retry"

Save and restore stable points

./afs cp create my-project before-refactor
./afs cp list my-project               # verify the checkpoint was saved
./afs cp restore my-project before-refactor
./afs cp list my-project               # confirm the restore completed

Fork work for a second line of effort

./afs ws fork my-project my-project-experiment
./afs ws list                          # verify the fork appears

Key Points

• Redis is the source of truth for the live workspace and checkpoint history.
• Sync mode gives you a normal local directory; mount mode exposes the live workspace directly.
• afs mcp and the CLI operate on the same workspace model.
• File edits change the live workspace immediately.
• Create checkpoints explicitly when you want a restore point.
• .afsignore controls what gets imported from an existing local directory.

Further Reading

• docs/guides/agent-filesystem.md — agent-facing usage guide
• docs/reference/cli.md — full CLI command reference
• docs/reference/mcp.md — MCP tool reference for agent integrations