Environment & Directory Layout

Reference for Repo Nexus runtime variables, directory layout conventions, and exit code specifications.

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Environment Variables

Configuration & Discovery

Variable	Description	Default
RNEX_CONFIG	Overrides the workspace manifest path (rnex.yaml).	rnex.yaml
RNEX_ROOT	Workspace root directory resolved by rnex.	$PWD or nearest parent with rnex.yaml
RNEX_LIB_DIR	Internal library directory containing shell helpers.	<install_root>/lib

Batch Execution Variables (rnex exec)

When rnex exec iterates through member repositories, it sets:

• RNEX_REPO_NAME: Name of the repository currently executing the command.
• RNEX_REPO_PATH: Relative path to the repository directory (e.g. ./repos/backend or <repos_dir>/backend).
• RNEX_REPO_BRANCH: Currently checked out Git branch or commit SHA.

Hook Execution Variables (rnex_hooks & git.hooks)

• RNEX_HOOK_EVENT: Name of the triggering event (e.g. after_sync, before_repo_add).
• RNEX_HOOK_ARGS: Full argument string passed to the event.
• RNEX_HOOK_ACTIVE: Guard variable indicating active hook execution (prevents recursive loops).

Plugin Execution Variables (rnex plugin)

• RNEX_PLUGIN_NAME: Target plugin name (e.g. karpathy-llm).
• RNEX_PLUGIN_COMMAND: Subcommand name (e.g. ingest or lint).
• RNEX_PLUGIN_ARGS: String of arguments passed to the plugin command.

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Directory Layout Reference

my-workspace/
├── .git/                            # Meta-repo Git directory
│   └── hooks/                       # Git hook wrappers generated from git.hooks
├── .gitignore                       # Managed deterministically via git.ignore
├── .ignore                          # Un-ignores <repos_dir>/* for code search tools
├── rnex.yaml                        # Shared team configuration manifest
├── .local.rnex.yaml                 # (Optional) Developer workstation overrides
│
├── .rnex/                           # Internal runtime harness (git-ignored)
│   ├── ai-instructions.md           # Master compiled AI instructions
│   ├── sync_stamp                   # Checksum stamp for configuration drift detection
│   ├── skills/                      # Standardized core agentic skills
│   └── plugins/                     # Scoped plugin directories
│       └── <plugin-name>/
│           ├── commands/            # Plugin CLI executable commands
│           ├── skills/              # Plugin-owned agentic skills
│           └── rules/               # Mirrored plugin rules
│
├── <repos_dir>/                     # Autonomous member repositories (default: repos/, configurable via repos_dir)
│   ├── <repo-a>/                    # Standard independent Git repository
│   │   ├── .git/
│   │   └── ...
│   └── <repo-b>/
│
├── custom-plugins/                  # (Optional) External workspace plugins (mounted via plugins.<name>.path)
│   └── <plugin-name>/               # External plugin bundle (plugin.yaml, hooks/, commands/, skills/)
│
├── AGENTS.md                        # Permanent AI context routing file
├── CLAUDE.md                        # Permanent Claude Code routing file
├── CODEX.md                         # Permanent OpenAI Codex routing file
├── GEMINI.md                        # Permanent Google Gemini routing file
├── .cursorrules                     # Permanent Cursor routing file
├── .windsurfrules                   # Permanent Windsurf routing file
└── .github/copilot-instructions.md  # Permanent GitHub Copilot routing file

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Process Exit Codes

Code	Meaning	Context
0	Success	Command completed successfully.
1	General Failure	Missing arguments, syntax error, failed workspace validation.
127	Command Not Found	Subcommand or requested executable not found.
N	Preserved Exit Code	In rnex exec or hooks, the non-zero exit code of any failing command is bubbled directly to the parent shell.