# Amicus Bootstrap Manager
The **Bootstrap Manager** is a specialized Synapse Node responsible for the initial orchestration and continued health of a cluster swarm.
## 1. Responsibilities
* **Initialization:** Scaffolds the `.ai/` directory and creates the initial task backlog.
* **Delegation:** Assigns tasks to optimal nodes based on their reported model strengths.
* **Pruning:** Periodically cleans the `messages` stream and archives `completed` tasks.
* **Human Liaison:** Acts as the primary point of contact for the human user when decisions are required.
## 2. Model Selection
The Bootstrap Manager SHOULD use the **least expensive available model** (e.g., `gemini-1.5-flash`, `gpt-4o-mini`). It does not require high "Architectural" power, only coordination capability.
## 3. Lifecycle & Recovery
* **Startup:** Registers itself as `role: bootstrap_manager`.
* **Heartbeat:** MUST maintain a fresh heartbeat.
* **Failure:** If the Bootstrap Manager dies, the `HeartbeatMonitor` will:
1. Flag the system state with a high-priority alert.
2. Set `ask_user: True`.
3. Inject a recovery task into `next_steps`.
## 4. Restoring the Manager
If the manager is missing, any active node can see the recovery task. The user can talk to a standard chat agent and provide the `prompts/BOOTSTRAP_MANAGER.md` instruction set to bring a new manager online.
