feat: add setup flow for dedicated research agent

README.md

@@ -505,6 +505,7 @@ look up best practices for k8s backup retention
 ```
 
 If the `research` agent is not configured, Flynn returns a setup hint with available agent names.
+`flynn setup` can configure this under the Security section.
 
 ## Running as Service
 

config/default.yaml

@@ -486,3 +486,20 @@ hooks:
 #       summarize emails, triage inbox items, and prepare quick replies.
 #       Be concise and match the operator's tone. Skip marketing emails.
 #       Never send messages without explicit instruction — draft only.
+
+# Optional: explicit intent rules for agent routing.
+# If enabled, these rules are evaluated before default sender/channel routing.
+# The research agent can already be auto-routed by prefix (`research ...`, `look up ...`)
+# when agent_configs.research exists and intents are disabled.
+#
+# intents:
+#   enabled: true
+#   match_threshold: 0.7
+#   rules:
+#     - name: route-research
+#       patterns: ["research *", "look up *", "lookup *"]
+#       target:
+#         type: agent
+#         name: research
+#       priority: 10
+#       enabled: true

docs/plans/state.json

@@ -3,6 +3,22 @@
   "updated_at": "2026-02-17",
   "description": "Tracks the status of all Flynn plans and implementation phases",
   "plans": {
+    "setup-research-agent-enablement": {
+      "status": "completed",
+      "date": "2026-02-17",
+      "updated": "2026-02-17",
+      "summary": "Extended setup Security flow to provision a dedicated research sub-agent (`agent_configs.research`) with selectable tier, so `/research` and research-prefix auto-routing work immediately after setup. Added builder/test coverage and documented optional explicit intents routing example in default config.",
+      "files_modified": [
+        "src/cli/setup/config.ts",
+        "src/cli/setup/security.ts",
+        "src/cli/setup/config.test.ts",
+        "src/cli/setup/sections.test.ts",
+        "config/default.yaml",
+        "README.md",
+        "docs/plans/state.json"
+      ],
+      "test_status": "pnpm test:run src/cli/setup/config.test.ts src/cli/setup/sections.test.ts passing + pnpm typecheck passing"
+    },
     "research-prefix-auto-routing": {
       "status": "completed",
       "date": "2026-02-17",

src/cli/setup/config.test.ts

@@ -85,6 +85,15 @@ describe('ConfigBuilder', () => {
     expect(obj.server.token).toBe('my-secret-token');
   });
 
+  it('enables research agent config', () => {
+    const builder = new ConfigBuilder();
+    builder.setResearchAgentEnabled({ modelTier: 'complex' });
+    const obj = builder.build();
+    expect(obj.agent_configs?.research?.model_tier).toBe('complex');
+    expect(obj.agent_configs?.research?.tool_profile).toBe('messaging');
+    expect(typeof obj.agent_configs?.research?.system_prompt).toBe('string');
+  });
+
   it('applies operator automation pack defaults', () => {
     const builder = new ConfigBuilder();
     builder.applyOperatorPack({

src/cli/setup/config.ts

@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@ export interface SetupConfig {
   sandbox?: { enabled?: boolean };
   pairing?: { enabled?: boolean };
   tools?: { profile?: string };
+  agent_configs?: Record<string, {
+    model_tier?: 'fast' | 'default' | 'complex' | 'local';
+    tool_profile?: string;
+    system_prompt?: string;
+  }>;
+  intents?: {
+    enabled?: boolean;
+    match_threshold?: number;
+    rules?: Array<Record<string, unknown>>;
+  };
   automation?: {
     cron?: Array<Record<string, unknown>>;
     webhooks?: Array<Record<string, unknown>>;
@@ -62,6 +72,10 @@ interface OperatorPackOptions {
   enableMinioSync?: boolean;
 }
 
+interface ResearchAgentOptions {
+  modelTier: 'fast' | 'default' | 'complex' | 'local';
+}
+
 export class ConfigBuilder {
   private config: SetupConfig;
 
@@ -157,6 +171,22 @@ export class ConfigBuilder {
     this.config.tools = { profile };
   }
 
+  setResearchAgentEnabled(options: ResearchAgentOptions): void {
+    const agentConfigs = (this.config.agent_configs ?? {}) as Record<string, Record<string, unknown>>;
+    const existing = (agentConfigs.research ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
+    agentConfigs.research = {
+      ...existing,
+      model_tier: options.modelTier,
+      tool_profile: 'messaging',
+      system_prompt: [
+        'You are a research agent. Find, verify, and synthesize information for the operator.',
+        'Prefer primary sources and include concrete dates and links when available.',
+        'Keep output structured and concise.',
+      ].join(' '),
+    };
+    this.config.agent_configs = agentConfigs;
+  }
+
   setWebhooksEnabled(secret?: string): void {
     const automation = (this.config.automation ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
     if (secret) {

src/cli/setup/sections.test.ts

@@ -52,14 +52,16 @@ describe('setupMemory', () => {
 });
 
 describe('setupSecurity', () => {
-  it('enables sandbox and pairing', async () => {
-    const rl = mockReadline(['y', 'y', '']);
+  it('enables sandbox, pairing, and research agent', async () => {
+    const rl = mockReadline(['y', 'y', '', '', '']);
     const p = createPrompter(rl);
     const builder = new ConfigBuilder();
     await setupSecurity(p, builder);
     const config = builder.build();
     expect(config.sandbox!.enabled).toBe(true);
     expect(config.pairing!.enabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(config.agent_configs?.research?.model_tier).toBe('complex');
+    expect(config.agent_configs?.research?.tool_profile).toBe('messaging');
   });
 });
 

src/cli/setup/security.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ const TOOL_PROFILES = [
   { label: 'full (unrestricted)', value: 'full' },
 ];
 
+const RESEARCH_AGENT_TIERS = [
+  { label: 'complex (recommended)', value: 'complex' as const },
+  { label: 'default', value: 'default' as const },
+  { label: 'fast', value: 'fast' as const },
+  { label: 'local', value: 'local' as const },
+];
+
 export async function setupSecurity(p: Prompter, builder: ConfigBuilder): Promise<void> {
   p.println('  Docker sandboxing runs tool commands in isolated containers.');
   p.println('  Requires Docker installed and running.');
@@ -34,4 +41,14 @@ export async function setupSecurity(p: Prompter, builder: ConfigBuilder): Promis
   p.println('    minimal     — status checks only (read-only, safest)');
   const profile = await p.choose('Tool policy profile:', TOOL_PROFILES);
   builder.setToolProfile(profile);
+
+  p.println();
+  p.println('  Research agent adds a dedicated specialist for deep web research.');
+  p.println('  Enables /research command and automatic routing for messages starting with "research ..." or "look up ...".');
+  const enableResearchAgent = await p.confirm('Enable a dedicated research agent?', true);
+  if (enableResearchAgent) {
+    const tier = await p.choose('Research agent model tier:', RESEARCH_AGENT_TIERS);
+    builder.setResearchAgentEnabled({ modelTier: tier });
+    p.println(`✓ Research agent enabled (tier=${tier})`);
+  }
 }