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+---
+id: 20260529-180257-profile-registry-config-file
+slug: profile-registry-config-file
+title: Move profile registry out of manifest files
+status: open
+kind: bug
+priority: P1
+labels: [manifest, profiles, config]
+created_at: 2026-05-29T18:02:57Z
+updated_at: 2026-05-29T18:02:57Z
+assignee: null
+legacy_ticket: null
+---
+
+## Background
+
+The initial Nix manifest profiles implementation made profile discovery/default/alias metadata available from `[profiles]` sections inside `manifest.toml`. That is a design error.
+
+A manifest is the Pod runtime configuration contract: model, scope, tools, memory, web, permissions, prompts, and other settings that are already selected for a Pod. Profile registry/default/alias metadata is application/project UX configuration used before a Pod manifest exists. Putting registry metadata inside `manifest.toml` makes the manifest both the runtime config and the profile selector config, contradicting the profile design.
+
+This was caught immediately after merge, before compatibility needs exist. Do not keep backward compatibility for `[profiles]` in manifest files.
+
+## Requirements
+
+- Move profile registry/default/alias configuration out of manifest files.
+  - User registry file: `<config_dir>/profiles.toml`.
+  - Project registry file: closest `.insomnia/profiles.toml` found by walking up from the cwd.
+  - Builtin profile discovery can remain under bundled resources.
+- Remove manifest-file profile registry parsing.
+  - `manifest.toml` must not be the source for profile registry/default/alias data.
+  - `INSOMNIA_USER_MANIFEST` must not affect profile registry discovery.
+  - `PodManifestConfig` / `PodManifest` must remain runtime config only.
+- Use a top-level `profiles.toml` schema rather than nesting under `[profiles]`.
+  - Example:
+    ```toml
+    default = "coder"
+
+    [profile]
+    coder = "profiles/coder.nix"
+
+    [alias]
+    work = "coder"
+    ```
+  - The existing table form for entries may remain useful:
+    ```toml
+    [profile.coder]
+    path = "profiles/coder.nix"
+    description = "Project coder"
+    ```
+- Keep existing profile selection semantics.
+  - `default`, unqualified names, source-qualified names, aliases, ambiguity handling, and default markers should continue to work.
+  - Unqualified alias/default targets remain source-local by default.
+  - TUI fresh-spawn profile row and manifest-cascade opt-out should continue to work.
+- Update docs and tests.
+  - Documentation must describe `profiles.toml`, not `[profiles]` in `manifest.toml`.
+  - Tests should create `.insomnia/profiles.toml` / user `profiles.toml`, not `.insomnia/manifest.toml`, for registry behavior.
+  - Add coverage proving `[profiles]` in `manifest.toml` is ignored for discovery.
+
+## Acceptance criteria
+
+- User profile registry is discovered from `<config_dir>/profiles.toml`.
+- Project profile registry is discovered from closest `.insomnia/profiles.toml`.
+- `[profiles]` in user/project `manifest.toml` is not read for profile registry/default/alias discovery.
+- `INSOMNIA_USER_MANIFEST` does not change profile registry discovery.
+- Existing CLI/TUI selector behavior still works with `profiles.toml`.
+- Docs no longer instruct users to put profile registry metadata in `manifest.toml`.
+- Focused manifest/tui/pod/client profile tests pass.
+- `cargo fmt --check`
+- Relevant checks pass.
diff --git a/work-items/open/20260529-180257-profile-registry-config-file/thread.md b/work-items/open/20260529-180257-profile-registry-config-file/thread.md
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+<!-- event: create author: tickets.sh at: 2026-05-29T18:02:57Z -->
+
+## Created
+
+Created by tickets.sh create.
+
+---