> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openlegion.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# The Operator

> The reserved agent that manages your fleet on your behalf

`operator` is a reserved agent ID auto-created at startup. In managed hosting it is your primary chat partner — the agent you talk to when you say "spin up a new researcher", "what's my fleet doing today", or "apply the sales template".

## What makes the operator different

|                     | Worker agent                           | Operator                                                                                |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Resources           | 384 MB RAM / 0.15 CPU                  | **128 MB RAM / 0.05 CPU**                                                               |
| Heartbeat           | Configurable                           | **Force-locked to `every 15m`**                                                         |
| Control-plane flags | Default `false`                        | Default `true` (manage fleet/projects/agents, view metrics, route tasks, request creds) |
| Tool surface        | Standard tools + per-agent permissions | Standard tools + operator-only tools (`fleet_tool`, `operator_tools`)                   |
| Auto-created        | No                                     | Yes — at engine startup, reserved ID                                                    |

## Operator-only tools

### `fleet_tool`

* `list_templates` — see the 13 [fleet templates](/features/coordination#fleet-templates).
* `apply_template` — materialize a template (per-slot, **not atomic** — mid-loop failures leave partial fleets).

### `operator_tools`

A broad control-plane surface:

* **Inspection**: `inspect_agents`, `inspect_projects`, `list_pending`, `list_agent_queue`, `get_team_outputs`, `summarize_project_progress`.
* **Project management**: `manage_project`, `create_project`, `add_agents_to_project`, `remove_agents_from_project`, `update_project_context`, `set_project_goal`.
* **Agent management**: `manage_agent`, `create_agent`, `edit_agent` (soft/hard split with 5 min / 30 min TTL), `manage_task`.
* **Edit lifecycle** (legacy): `propose_edit`, `confirm_edit`, `undo_change`, `cancel_pending_action`, `archive_audit_before`.
* **Observation**: `save_observations` (operator-owned `OBSERVATIONS.md`).

## Soft vs hard edits

Operator edits to other agents split by risk:

| Class    | Fields                                                                         | TTL    | Confirmation                                                |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Soft** | `instructions`, `soul`, `heartbeat`, `heartbeat_schedule`, `interface`, `role` | 5 min  | Auto-applied with Undo window                               |
| **Hard** | `model`, `permissions`, `budget`, `thinking`                                   | 30 min | Requires `confirm_edit` (CLI: `openlegion confirm <nonce>`) |

Both soft and hard edits go through the **Pending actions** surface — visible in the dashboard's Needs-You panel and via `openlegion pending` on the CLI.

## Operator ceiling

The operator can do a lot, but **cannot**:

* Grant `can_spawn=true` to any agent (subagent/agent spawning requires explicit human approval outside chat).
* Grant `can_use_wallet=true` to any agent (wallet access requires the same).

These ceilings are enforced in the permission matrix — even if the operator's own permissions are maxed out, those two fields are off-limits.

## Where you'll see the operator

* **CLI**: `openlegion start` opens the REPL with the operator selected by default. `/use operator` switches back.
* **Channels**: Once paired, the operator is the default agent for new conversations.
* **Dashboard**: The **Chat** tab targets the operator by default. **Settings → Operator** lets you edit its system prompts and instruction overrides.

## Reserved IDs

`operator` is one of three reserved agent IDs (`RESERVED_AGENT_IDS = {"mesh", "operator", "canary-probe"}`). You can't create a worker agent named `operator`, and the operator can't be deleted.