Sovereign server deployment
For regulated pilots, platform teams run a customer-hosted API server with OpenAI-compatible inference (typically vLLM), Chroma, Redis, and OIDC. This is not “Engine + Ollama on every laptop,” and it is not dual-plane multi-user (that programme is post-demo). Developers install the VS Code extension only and point it at your HTTPS endpoint.
Two deployment stories (do not conflate)
| Path | Who runs inference | Typical stack | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local-first (default) | Each developer machine | ContextMint Engine tray + Ollama | Individual pilots, demos, air-gapped laptops |
| Sovereign server (pilot) | Shared host in your DC / tenant | API containers + vLLM (or other OpenAI-compat) + OIDC | Bank / gov design partners needing one audit boundary |
Trust overview:
Trust & Security — deployment models.
Operator dogfood and flip checklist: product repo
documentation/GATE-SS-MVP-RUNBOOK.md.
What platform teams deploy
- API server — Docker Compose (deploy/docker-compose.server.yml) or equivalent; profile deployment_profile=server
- Inference — OpenAI-compatible endpoint (vLLM overlay common); set INFERENCE__OPENAI_COMPAT__BASE_URL
- Vectors — Chroma on shared storage for MVP; Qdrant is a later scale option
- Auth — AUTH__ENABLED=true, OIDC issuer/audience, strong JWT secret, workspace ACL as required
- Path alignment — ALLOWED_WORKSPACE_ROOTS must match mounts or Remote SSH paths the server can read
Env template:
deploy/profiles/server-sovereign.env.example.
Path alignment guide: product repo
documentation/SOVEREIGN-PATH-ALIGNMENT.md.
What developers do
- Install the ContextMint extension only (do not require Engine on every laptop).
- Set ContextMint.serverUrl to the team HTTPS API.
- Enable ContextMint.enterpriseMode and configure ContextMint.oidcProviderId.
- Open a workspace the server can index (Remote SSH or matching mount).
Health & readiness
- GET /api/health — shows deployment_profile and inference_provider
- GET /api/ready — fails closed when the inference provider is unreachable or the OIDC / auth checklist fails on server profile
Explicit non-goals (this page)
- Not dual-plane multi-user (local WIP + sovereign main) — that is GATE-SS-MU after the mid-Sept demo (eng ready; defaults off; PO dogfood open)
- Not full ownership / CODEOWNERS product (Block RO) — branch review may show thin owner teaser labels only; FOI claims stay gated
- Not Engine tray as the server control plane — operators use compose, logs, health endpoints, and Engine → Server Config for YAML overlays
- Not AG-INTEL tools (LSP/git/packs) on by default without overlay — enable via full-parity / ag-intel dogfood; agent/review/inline are Wave J1 default-on
- Not GATE-W1 / shipped Memory Tab product / GATE-AHA / GATE-FEATURE-LITE product / GATE-W2 product / GATE-W3 product / GATE-W4 product / GATE-V2-CORE product / GATE-V3 / Feature Registry product / Decision Graph product / GATE-EVIDENCE product / GATE-IMPACT product / GATE-EXPLAIN product / GATE-DRIFT product / GATE-SCORECARD product — Fabric list/get + shadow + Memory Tab + thin learner/decay + thin audit/RBAC foundations + Memory Tab filter/audit UX + domain filter thin + graph neighborhood thin + convention links thin + convention query thin + parity harness slices 1–4 + F5/scale eng closeout + Block UA Repository DNA thin + Block UB Feature Registry Lite thin + Block V CHRONOS/Health/Architecture Tab thin + Block W ORACLE basic + chain stubs + Block X Recipe A VLM (U22 paste ARGUS already shipped) + Block Y MESH skipped (GATE-W5 N/A) + Block Z GATE-V2-CORE eng composite (dogfood v2-core) + Block AA+AB Feature Registry eng (dogfood feature-registry; promote/correct/wizard) + Block AC Decision Graph eng (dogfood decision-graph; Decision View; not GATE-EVIDENCE product) + Block AD Blast/Impact eng (dogfood blast-impact) + Block AE Drift eng (dogfood drift-baselines; not GATE-DRIFT product) + Block AF Command Center + Scorecards eng (dogfood command-center; not GATE-SCORECARD product; not v3.0.0-mvp product tag; Impact sidebar; not GATE-IMPACT / not GATE-EXPLAIN product) exist behind fabric.* / chronos.* / oracle.* / chains.* / scorecards.* flags (defaults off for new Wave flags; wave eng ready; PO soak open; not GATE-W1 product; not GATE-AHA; not GATE-FEATURE-LITE product; not GATE-W2 product; not GATE-W3 product; not GATE-W4 product; not GATE-V2-CORE product; not GATE-V3; not Feature Registry product; not Decision Graph product; not GATE-EVIDENCE product; not GATE-IMPACT product; not GATE-EXPLAIN product; not GATE-DRIFT product; not GATE-SCORECARD product; not graph ORACLE; not MESH; ARGUS report-only); read_cutover stays false
Where settings live
- Server — config/contextmint.defaults.yaml (+ ~/.contextmint/server.defaults.yaml overlay). Browse grouped keys in Engine → Server Config or site Settings docs.
- VS Code extension — contextmint.* in VS Code Settings (ui.defaults.json). Points at ContextMint.serverUrl; does not replace server agent/review toggles.
- Desktop Engine — lifecycle (supervisor) + Server Config catalog mirrored from the same YAML defaults.
Full catalogs: Settings reference.
Related
- Installation & setup — local-first vs sovereign server
- BYOK & enterprise — optional cloud routing (off by default)
- Getting started — five-minute local path + enterprise notes
- Trust center