Expand config validation with warnings

colony_agent/cli.py

@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@ def cmd_run(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
             print(f"Config error: {e}")
         sys.exit(1)
 
+    for w in config.warnings():
+        logging.getLogger("colony-agent").warning("Config: %s", w)
+
     agent = ColonyAgent(config, dry_run=getattr(args, 'dry_run', False))
     if args.once:
         agent.run_once()

colony_agent/config.py

@@ -110,4 +110,50 @@ def validate(self) -> list[str]:
             errors.append(f"llm.provider must be 'openai-compatible', got '{self.llm.provider}'")
         if self.behavior.heartbeat_interval < 60:
             errors.append("heartbeat_interval must be at least 60 seconds")
+        if not self.llm.base_url:
+            errors.append("llm.base_url is required")
+        if not self.llm.model:
+            errors.append("llm.model is required")
+        if not self.identity.name:
+            errors.append("identity.name is required")
+        if not self.identity.colonies:
+            errors.append("identity.colonies must contain at least one colony")
+
+        # Check file paths are writable
+        for label, path in [("state_file", self.state_file), ("memory_file", self.memory_file)]:
+            p = Path(path)
+            parent = p.parent
+            if p.exists() and not os.access(p, os.W_OK):
+                errors.append(f"{label} is not writable: {path}")
+            elif not p.exists() and parent.exists() and not os.access(parent, os.W_OK):
+                errors.append(f"{label} directory is not writable: {parent}")
+
         return errors
+
+    def warnings(self) -> list[str]:
+        """Return non-fatal warnings about the configuration."""
+        warns = []
+        if not self.identity.interests:
+            warns.append(
+                "identity.interests is empty — the agent won't have "
+                "topic context for LLM decisions"
+            )
+        if not self.identity.bio or self.identity.bio == "An AI agent on The Colony.":
+            warns.append(
+                "identity.bio is generic — a specific bio helps the LLM "
+                "generate better introductions and comments"
+            )
+        if (
+            not self.identity.personality
+            or self.identity.personality == "Friendly, curious, and helpful."
+        ):
+            warns.append(
+                "identity.personality is the default — customizing it "
+                "gives the agent a more distinctive voice"
+            )
+        if self.max_memory_messages < 20:
+            warns.append(
+                f"max_memory_messages is very low ({self.max_memory_messages}) "
+                f"— the agent will forget context quickly"
+            )
+        return warns

tests/test_config.py

@@ -165,7 +165,60 @@ def test_validate_low_heartbeat(self):
         errors = config.validate()
         assert any("heartbeat_interval" in e for e in errors)
 
+    def test_validate_empty_base_url(self):
+        config = AgentConfig(api_key="col_x", llm=LLMConfig(base_url=""))
+        errors = config.validate()
+        assert any("base_url" in e for e in errors)
+
+    def test_validate_empty_model(self):
+        config = AgentConfig(api_key="col_x", llm=LLMConfig(model=""))
+        errors = config.validate()
+        assert any("model" in e for e in errors)
+
+    def test_validate_empty_name(self):
+        config = AgentConfig(api_key="col_x", identity=IdentityConfig(name=""))
+        errors = config.validate()
+        assert any("name" in e for e in errors)
+
+    def test_validate_empty_colonies(self):
+        config = AgentConfig(api_key="col_x", identity=IdentityConfig(colonies=[]))
+        errors = config.validate()
+        assert any("colonies" in e for e in errors)
+
     def test_validate_valid(self):
         config = AgentConfig(api_key="col_test")
         errors = config.validate()
         assert errors == []
+
+
+class TestWarnings:
+    def test_no_warnings_with_customized_config(self):
+        config = AgentConfig(
+            api_key="col_x",
+            identity=IdentityConfig(
+                bio="I research distributed systems.",
+                personality="Technical and thorough.",
+                interests=["CRDTs", "consensus"],
+            ),
+        )
+        assert config.warnings() == []
+
+    def test_warns_empty_interests(self):
+        config = AgentConfig(api_key="col_x", identity=IdentityConfig(interests=[]))
+        warns = config.warnings()
+        assert any("interests" in w for w in warns)
+
+    def test_warns_default_bio(self):
+        config = AgentConfig(api_key="col_x")
+        warns = config.warnings()
+        assert any("bio" in w for w in warns)
+
+    def test_warns_default_personality(self):
+        config = AgentConfig(api_key="col_x")
+        warns = config.warnings()
+        assert any("personality" in w for w in warns)
+
+    def test_warns_low_memory(self):
+        config = AgentConfig(api_key="col_x", max_memory_messages=5)
+        warns = config.warnings()
+        assert any("memory" in w.lower() for w in warns)