config: watch config.json5 with inotify, reload live on change

Both config halves (Config for the memory section, AppConfig globally)
are now reloaded whenever ~/.consciousness/config.json5 changes on
disk. So edits from vim, manual tweaks, or F6's own config_writer
calls all land without a restart. No more "reload the daemon to pick
up a config change."

Wires up the previously-unused Config::reload() (Kent flagged it as
"not dead, just not wired"). Pairs it with an AppConfig reload via
install_app(). Both run on the same file-change event.

Implementation:

- notify-debouncer-mini watches the config file's parent directory
  (editors usually replace-via-rename, so watching the file itself
  misses the new inode). Debounced at 200ms to coalesce the flurry
  of events editors produce around a single save.
- Filter for events whose path is the actual config file.
- On match: call reload() for Config, run build_figment + extract for
  AppConfig. If AppConfig parsing fails (editor mid-save with partial
  content), log and keep the old cached value.
- Watcher runs in its own named thread, fire-and-forget. If startup
  fails we just log and move on — worst case is no live reload, not
  a crash.

CliArgs + SubCmd both get Clone derives so the watcher can own a
snapshot of the startup args for future reloads. Watcher is kicked
off in user/mod.rs:start() right after load_session.

Co-Authored-By: Proof of Concept <poc@bcachefs.org>

Cargo.lock

@@ -497,6 +497,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "log",
  "memchr",
  "memmap2",
+ "notify-debouncer-mini",
  "paste",
  "peg",
  "ratatui",
@@ -1088,6 +1089,15 @@ version = "1.3.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "42703706b716c37f96a77aea830392ad231f44c9e9a67872fa5548707e11b11c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "fsevent-sys"
+version = "4.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "76ee7a02da4d231650c7cea31349b889be2f45ddb3ef3032d2ec8185f6313fd2"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "futures"
 version = "0.3.32"
@@ -1453,6 +1463,26 @@ version = "0.1.15"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c8fae54786f62fb2918dcfae3d568594e50eb9b5c25bf04371af6fe7516452fb"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "inotify"
+version = "0.11.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "bd5b3eaf1a28b758ac0faa5a4254e8ab2705605496f1b1f3fbbc3988ad73d199"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.11.0",
+ "inotify-sys",
+ "libc",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "inotify-sys"
+version = "0.1.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e05c02b5e89bff3b946cedeca278abc628fe811e604f027c45a8aa3cf793d0eb"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "instability"
 version = "0.3.12"
@@ -1562,6 +1592,26 @@ dependencies = [
  "thiserror 2.0.18",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "kqueue"
+version = "1.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "eac30106d7dce88daf4a3fcb4879ea939476d5074a9b7ddd0fb97fa4bed5596a"
+dependencies = [
+ "kqueue-sys",
+ "libc",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "kqueue-sys"
+version = "1.0.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ed9625ffda8729b85e45cf04090035ac368927b8cebc34898e7c120f52e4838b"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 1.3.2",
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "lab"
 version = "0.11.0"
@@ -1784,6 +1834,45 @@ dependencies = [
  "memchr",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "notify"
+version = "8.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4d3d07927151ff8575b7087f245456e549fea62edf0ec4e565a5ee50c8402bc3"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.11.0",
+ "fsevent-sys",
+ "inotify",
+ "kqueue",
+ "libc",
+ "log",
+ "mio",
+ "notify-types",
+ "walkdir",
+ "windows-sys 0.60.2",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "notify-debouncer-mini"
+version = "0.7.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "17849edfaabd9a5fef1c606d99cfc615a8e99f7ac4366406d86c7942a3184cf2"
+dependencies = [
+ "log",
+ "notify",
+ "notify-types",
+ "tempfile",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "notify-types"
+version = "2.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "42b8cfee0e339a0337359f3c88165702ac6e600dc01c0cc9579a92d62b08477a"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.11.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "num-conv"
 version = "0.2.1"
@@ -3810,7 +3899,16 @@ version = "0.52.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "282be5f36a8ce781fad8c8ae18fa3f9beff57ec1b52cb3de0789201425d9a33d"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-targets",
+ "windows-targets 0.52.6",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-sys"
+version = "0.60.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f2f500e4d28234f72040990ec9d39e3a6b950f9f22d3dba18416c35882612bcb"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-targets 0.53.5",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3828,14 +3926,31 @@ version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "9b724f72796e036ab90c1021d4780d4d3d648aca59e491e6b98e725b84e99973"
 dependencies = [
- "windows_aarch64_gnullvm",
+ "windows_aarch64_gnullvm 0.52.6",
- "windows_aarch64_msvc",
+ "windows_aarch64_msvc 0.52.6",
- "windows_i686_gnu",
+ "windows_i686_gnu 0.52.6",
- "windows_i686_gnullvm",
+ "windows_i686_gnullvm 0.52.6",
- "windows_i686_msvc",
+ "windows_i686_msvc 0.52.6",
- "windows_x86_64_gnu",
+ "windows_x86_64_gnu 0.52.6",
- "windows_x86_64_gnullvm",
+ "windows_x86_64_gnullvm 0.52.6",
- "windows_x86_64_msvc",
+ "windows_x86_64_msvc 0.52.6",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-targets"
+version = "0.53.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4945f9f551b88e0d65f3db0bc25c33b8acea4d9e41163edf90dcd0b19f9069f3"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-link",
+ "windows_aarch64_gnullvm 0.53.1",
+ "windows_aarch64_msvc 0.53.1",
+ "windows_i686_gnu 0.53.1",
+ "windows_i686_gnullvm 0.53.1",
+ "windows_i686_msvc 0.53.1",
+ "windows_x86_64_gnu 0.53.1",
+ "windows_x86_64_gnullvm 0.53.1",
+ "windows_x86_64_msvc 0.53.1",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3844,48 +3959,96 @@ version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "32a4622180e7a0ec044bb555404c800bc9fd9ec262ec147edd5989ccd0c02cd3"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_aarch64_gnullvm"
+version = "0.53.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a9d8416fa8b42f5c947f8482c43e7d89e73a173cead56d044f6a56104a6d1b53"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_aarch64_msvc"
 version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "09ec2a7bb152e2252b53fa7803150007879548bc709c039df7627cabbd05d469"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_aarch64_msvc"
+version = "0.53.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b9d782e804c2f632e395708e99a94275910eb9100b2114651e04744e9b125006"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_i686_gnu"
 version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "8e9b5ad5ab802e97eb8e295ac6720e509ee4c243f69d781394014ebfe8bbfa0b"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_i686_gnu"
+version = "0.53.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "960e6da069d81e09becb0ca57a65220ddff016ff2d6af6a223cf372a506593a3"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_i686_gnullvm"
 version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "0eee52d38c090b3caa76c563b86c3a4bd71ef1a819287c19d586d7334ae8ed66"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_i686_gnullvm"
+version = "0.53.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "fa7359d10048f68ab8b09fa71c3daccfb0e9b559aed648a8f95469c27057180c"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_i686_msvc"
 version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "240948bc05c5e7c6dabba28bf89d89ffce3e303022809e73deaefe4f6ec56c66"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_i686_msvc"
+version = "0.53.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1e7ac75179f18232fe9c285163565a57ef8d3c89254a30685b57d83a38d326c2"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_x86_64_gnu"
 version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "147a5c80aabfbf0c7d901cb5895d1de30ef2907eb21fbbab29ca94c5b08b1a78"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_x86_64_gnu"
+version = "0.53.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9c3842cdd74a865a8066ab39c8a7a473c0778a3f29370b5fd6b4b9aa7df4a499"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_x86_64_gnullvm"
 version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "24d5b23dc417412679681396f2b49f3de8c1473deb516bd34410872eff51ed0d"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_x86_64_gnullvm"
+version = "0.53.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0ffa179e2d07eee8ad8f57493436566c7cc30ac536a3379fdf008f47f6bb7ae1"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_x86_64_msvc"
 version = "0.52.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "589f6da84c646204747d1270a2a5661ea66ed1cced2631d546fdfb155959f9ec"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_x86_64_msvc"
+version = "0.53.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d6bbff5f0aada427a1e5a6da5f1f98158182f26556f345ac9e04d36d0ebed650"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "wit-bindgen"
 version = "0.51.0"

Cargo.toml

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ log = "0.4"
 serde = { version = "1", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = "1"
 json-five = "0.3"
+notify-debouncer-mini = "0.7"
 
 ratatui = { version = "0.30", features = ["unstable-rendered-line-info"] }
 tui-markdown = { git = "https://github.com/koverstreet/tui-markdown", subdirectory = "tui-markdown" }

src/config.rs

@@ -166,6 +166,63 @@ pub fn reload() -> bool {
     changed
 }
 
+/// Spawn a background thread that watches `~/.consciousness/config.json5`
+/// and reloads both the memory Config and the global AppConfig whenever
+/// the file changes on disk. Lets edits from vim / F6 hotkeys / manual
+/// tweaks land live without restarting the process.
+pub fn watch_config(cli: crate::user::CliArgs) {
+    use notify_debouncer_mini::{new_debouncer, notify::RecursiveMode};
+
+    let path = config_path();
+    // Watch the parent directory — editors often replace-via-rename, so
+    // watching the file itself misses the new inode.
+    let Some(parent) = path.parent().map(|p| p.to_path_buf()) else {
+        crate::dbglog!("[config] no parent for {}, skipping watch", path.display());
+        return;
+    };
+
+    std::thread::Builder::new()
+        .name("config-watcher".into())
+        .spawn(move || {
+            let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+            let mut debouncer = match new_debouncer(std::time::Duration::from_millis(200), tx) {
+                Ok(d) => d,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    crate::dbglog!("[config] watcher setup failed: {}", e);
+                    return;
+                }
+            };
+            if let Err(e) = debouncer.watcher()
+                .watch(&parent, RecursiveMode::NonRecursive)
+            {
+                crate::dbglog!("[config] watch({}) failed: {}", parent.display(), e);
+                return;
+            }
+            crate::dbglog!("[config] watching {}", path.display());
+
+            while let Ok(res) = rx.recv() {
+                let Ok(events) = res else { continue; };
+                if !events.iter().any(|e| e.path == path) { continue; }
+
+                // Reload both halves.
+                let mem_changed = reload();
+                let app_changed = match build_figment(&cli).extract::<AppConfig>() {
+                    Ok(app) => {
+                        install_app(app);
+                        true
+                    }
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        crate::dbglog!("[config] reload: AppConfig parse failed: {}", e);
+                        false
+                    }
+                };
+                crate::dbglog!("[config] reloaded (memory_changed={}, app_changed={})",
+                    mem_changed, app_changed);
+            }
+        })
+        .ok();
+}
+
 // ============================================================
 // Agent config (top-level settings)
 // ============================================================

src/user/mod.rs

@@ -228,6 +228,9 @@ fn restore_terminal(terminal: &mut ratatui::Terminal<CrosstermBackend<io::Stdout
 async fn start(cli: crate::user::CliArgs) -> Result<()> {
     let (config, _figment) = crate::config::load_session(&cli).await?;
 
+    // Pick up external edits (vim, F6 hotkeys, etc.) without restart.
+    crate::config::watch_config(cli.clone());
+
     if config.app.debug {
         unsafe { std::env::set_var("POC_DEBUG", "1") };
     }
@@ -599,7 +602,7 @@ async fn run(
 
 use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};
 
-#[derive(Parser, Debug, Default)]
+#[derive(Parser, Debug, Default, Clone)]
 #[command(name = "consciousness", about = "Substrate-independent AI agent")]
 pub struct CliArgs {
     /// Model override (selects a named entry from `models` in config.json5)
@@ -634,7 +637,7 @@ pub struct CliArgs {
     pub command: Option<SubCmd>,
 }
 
-#[derive(Subcommand, Debug)]
+#[derive(Subcommand, Debug, Clone)]
 pub enum SubCmd {
     /// Print new output since last read and exit
     Read {