# Publish bot templates

A template shares a bot's configuration without sharing the owner's conversations, memories, workspace, credentials or browser state. Templates describe either one bot or a group of bots.


# Repository layout

``` text
shinbot-templates.json
LICENSE
templates/
  research-pair/
    template.json
```

`template.json`:

``` json
{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "id": "research-pair",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "name": "Research pair",
  "description": "Research and writing for a shared project.",
  "kind": "group",
  "license": "MIT",
  "profiles": [
    {
      "name": "Researcher",
      "instructions": "Check primary sources and save findings in the notebook.",
      "starters": ["Help me research a topic and keep a source list."],
      "browser": "group"
    },
    {
      "name": "Writer",
      "instructions": "Turn shared research notes into a draft. Preserve source links.",
      "browser": "group"
    }
  ]
}
```

Use `kind: "bot"` with exactly one profile for an individual template. A group can contain up to 12 profiles.


# Profile fields

| Field | Meaning |
|----|----|
| `name` | Required name, up to 80 characters |
| `color` | `blue`, `teal`, `amber`, `rose`, `violet` or `slate`; omit it to assign a colour during import |
| `description` | Short role description, up to 500 characters |
| `instructions` | Working instructions, up to 12,000 characters |
| `starters` | Up to six nonempty prompts, each up to 1,000 characters |
| `browser` | `private`, `group` or `shared`; defaults to `private` |
| `provider`, `model` | Set both for a model override, or omit both to inherit the installation's model |

Group browser sharing requires a group template. Imports use private or newly created group profiles by default. Access to existing shared sign-ins requires an explicit choice in the import preview. Importing a template does not grant permissions or enable scheduled jobs.

Template IDs use lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens, beginning with a letter. Versions use `MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`. Include an accepted license, such as MIT, and the corresponding license text. Unknown fields are rejected so spelling mistakes do not silently change behavior.


# Validate and share

From a ShinBot source checkout:

``` sh
uv run python scripts/build_templates.py /path/to/your-bot-templates
```

The builder validates every `templates/*/template.json` and writes `shinbot-templates.json` with paths and SHA-256 hashes. Commit that catalog with the templates. Users can add the repository from Home or run:

``` sh
shinbot bots add-repository your-name/your-bot-templates
```

You can also export an existing bot and import the file directly:

``` sh
shinbot bots export BOT_ID ./template.json
shinbot bots import ./template.json
```

Read the instructions before sharing an export: configuration can still contain names or private information that someone typed into a profile. Test with a new installation, check that inherited model settings work, and keep shared-browser access optional.

Submit official templates through pull requests to [shinbot-official-templates](https://github.com/adarshdigievo/shinbot-official-templates). Starter examples are included in the ShinBot checkout under `marketplaces/templates/`.