Configuration

Every PETROVA configuration knob is an environment variable. There is no config file — config-as-code wouldn’t survive the registry shape, and config-as-flags would clutter every invocation.

Environment variables

Variable	Default	Used by	Purpose
PETROVA_HOME	walks up from cwd looking for registry.yaml + spec/verbs/_common.schema.json; falls back to ~/code/workspace/petrova-hq	All commands	Path to the petrova-hq checkout. Skills derive everything from here.
PETROVA_WORKSPACE	parent directory of PETROVA_HOME	All commands	Where governed repos live (each at $PETROVA_WORKSPACE/<slug>).
PETROVA_GITHUB_TOKEN	(none)	Write verbs --apply	Fine-grained PAT. See auth.
PETROVA_APP_ID	(none)	Write verbs --apply	GitHub App numeric ID.
PETROVA_APP_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH	(none)	Write verbs --apply	Path to App private key (.pem).
PETROVA_APP_INSTALLATION_ID	(none)	Write verbs --apply	App installation ID.

Auth resolution order

cli/src/github-app.ts:resolveAuth():

1. If PETROVA_GITHUB_TOKEN set → use PAT.
2. Else if all three of PETROVA_APP_* set → use GitHub App.
3. Else → no auth (dry-run still works; --apply errors with AUTH_MISSING).

The PAT-first order is intentional: solo / dev iteration is more common than App-based automation, so the cheaper-to-rotate path wins precedence.

Examples

Solo dev (PAT)

# .envrc or shell rc
export PETROVA_GITHUB_TOKEN="$(op read 'op://PETROVA/PETROVA_GITHUB_TOKEN/credential')"

Multi-fleet (GitHub App)

export PETROVA_APP_ID=12345
export PETROVA_APP_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH=~/.petrova/petrova-app.private-key.pem
export PETROVA_APP_INSTALLATION_ID=67890

Custom workspace

# Repos cloned to ~/work/devarno/<slug>
export PETROVA_WORKSPACE=~/work/devarno

Override petrova root

# Run petrova from anywhere, pointing at a specific checkout
export PETROVA_HOME=/srv/petrova-hq

What is NOT configurable

• The verb catalogue — fixed at the 9 in spec/verbs/.
• The schema rules — schemas are authoritative.
• The privileged-paths denylist — hardcoded for safety.
• The default-branch name per repo — declared in registry.yaml, not env.
• Whether dry-run is the default — yes, always, no override.

See also

• Install — initial setup.
• Auth — credential setup.
• Output formats — table / json / markdown selection.