yoi/.yoi/tickets/closed/20260601-125240-workspace-local-manifest-override/item.md

id	slug	title	status	kind	priority	labels	created_at	updated_at	assignee
20260601-125240-workspace-local-manifest-override	workspace-local-manifest-override	Support workspace-local manifest override layer	closed	task	P2	profile manifest config	2026-06-01T12:52:40Z	2026-06-01T13:19:36Z	null

Background

Workspace profiles are already discoverable through the nearest .yoi/profiles.toml, but local machine/workspace overrides currently require either changing profile inputs or using an explicit --manifest escape hatch. This makes it awkward to keep private local settings such as model choice, reasoning level, web/search enablement, or temporary scope adjustments out of reusable Profiles.

Add a workspace-local manifest override layer that is detected from the workspace .yoi directory and applied after Profile resolution. The intended file name is .yoi/override.local.toml; .yoi/override.toml can be considered only if it is intentionally trackable and the semantics are documented clearly.

Requirements

• Detect the nearest workspace-local override file while resolving a Profile/default startup path.
• Apply the override as a PodManifestConfig layer on top of the resolved Profile-generated manifest, before final PodManifest validation/snapshot persistence.
• Preserve the existing explicit --manifest <path> low-level escape hatch semantics; do not silently merge the workspace override into explicit manifest mode unless the implementation intentionally documents and tests that behavior.
• Resolve relative paths in the override file from the override file's parent directory.
• Record override provenance in the resolved manifest snapshot or diagnostics so local behavior is explainable.
• Prefer .yoi/override.local.toml as ignored/local state. If .yoi/override.toml is supported, define precedence and intended tracking policy.
• Do not reintroduce ambient manifest.toml cascade as the normal startup layer.
• Add focused tests for discovery, merge order, path base, and explicit-manifest behavior.
• Update design/development docs only where this is a durable configuration boundary.

Acceptance criteria

• A workspace .yoi/override.local.toml can override Profile-derived manifest settings during normal Profile/default startup.
• Override merge order is documented and tested: builtin/default/user/project Profile resolution first, workspace-local override second, final validation last.
• --manifest <path> behavior is tested and either remains override-free or has explicitly documented override semantics.
• .gitignore / docs clarify whether .yoi/override.local.toml is local-only.
• Validation includes relevant manifest/profile tests, cargo test -p manifest or narrower equivalent, ./tickets.sh doctor, git diff --check, and nix build .#yoi unless intentionally deferred with rationale.