kerno-environment-setup

Kerno MCP — environment setup (compose plan approval gate)

Use this workflow whenever the user asks to “set up the env”, “bootstrap”, “start the stack”, or similar. Those phrases are not approval of a compose plan.

Preconditions

1. kerno_healthcheck
2. If you changed code since Kerno last analyzed/snapshotted the workspace (or results look stale), call kerno_sync_workspace first (optionally inspect snapshot state via kerno_list_workspaces).
3. kerno_get_applications → pick app

Plan gate (mandatory — do not skip)

1. Call kerno_compose_plan with workspace_path and app.
2. If it returns no_plan_yet, call kerno_compose_plan_generate → complete with kerno_job.
3. Show the plan to the user and stop for approval.
   • Include a short summary (services, ports, test user if present).
   • Include the plan’s Open Questions section verbatim when it exists (or a faithful bullet list extracted from it).
   • Ask for explicit approval or requested changes.
4. If the user wants changes, call kerno_compose_plan_feedback with their free-text instruction → kerno_job → show updated plan → ask again.
5. Only after explicit user approval (e.g. “approved”, “looks good”, “use defaults”, or they answer each open question), call kerno_start_environment.

Required approval message template

### Compose plan review

**Summary:** <1–3 sentences>

**Open questions** (answer these or say “use Kerno defaults”):

1. <question 1>
2. <question 2>

**Planned services:** <postgres, redis, ...>

**Waiting for:** your approval before starting the build.

Start environment

1. Call kerno_start_environment with workspace_path and app (optional regenerate=true when explicitly requested).
2. Poll with kerno_job using sparse checks (wait=false every few minutes) or read log_path. Do not loop tightly.

During kerno_job (start_environment)

• If status === needs_user_feedback: stop immediately.
  • Paste result.question (and options if present) to the user.
  • Do not keep polling.
  • Call kerno_compose_plan_feedback with their answer, show the updated plan again, then re-run the approval gate before retrying kerno_start_environment.

After environment is up

1. Call kerno_compose_status and confirm ready_for_validation: true. Do not treat status: Up as sufficient.
2. Proceed to validation (kerno_validate) or scenario authoring (plan/implement baseline) as needed.

Anti-patterns

• Treating “setup the env” / “bootstrap” as approval of the compose plan or open questions.
• Calling kerno_start_environment without pasting Open Questions to the user.
• Continuing kerno_job polling when status is needs_user_feedback.