Heartbeat

The heartbeat service lets Kyber proactively check in or perform tasks on a schedule, independent of user messages.

How it works

The heartbeat runs as part of the gateway process. It periodically wakes the agent to perform configured tasks — like checking for updates, monitoring systems, or sending daily summaries.

Configuration

Heartbeat behavior is defined in the workspace file ~/.kyber/workspace/HEARTBEAT.md. The agent reads this file to understand what it should do during heartbeat wake-ups.

Example HEARTBEAT.md:

# Heartbeat Tasks
 
When woken by the heartbeat:
 
1. Check if there are any unread messages that need follow-up
2. Review memory for any pending reminders
3. If it's morning (before 10am), prepare a brief daily summary

Difference from cron

• Cron runs specific messages on a fixed schedule
• Heartbeat is a general-purpose wake-up that lets the agent decide what to do based on context

Use cron for predictable, repeating tasks. Use heartbeat for open-ended proactive behavior.