> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://astronomer.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Otto settings

<Info>
  **Labs**

  This feature is in [Labs](/docs/astro/feature-previews).
</Info>

This page is the reference for every place Otto reads configuration from. For deep dives on specific subsystems, see [Permissions](/docs/astro/otto-permissions), [Extensions](/docs/astro/otto-extensions), [Memory](/docs/astro/otto-memory), and [Skills](/docs/astro/otto-skills).

## File layout

Otto reads from your project repository and your home directory:

```text expandable wrap theme={null}
your-project/                          # Astro project root
├── .agents/
│   └── skills/                        # Project skills shared across agent harnesses
│       └── <skill-name>/SKILL.md
└── .astro/
    ├── config.yaml                    # Astro CLI project config (Otto reads otto.* and dev.mode)
    ├── memory/                        # Shared project memory (committed, team-visible)
    │   ├── MEMORY.md
    │   └── *.md
    └── otto/
        ├── permissions.json           # Allow, ask, and deny rules
        ├── extensions.json            # Per-project extension toggles
        └── skills/                    # Project skills authored by your team
            └── <skill-name>/SKILL.md

~/                                     # Your home directory
├── .agents/
│   └── skills/                        # User skills shared across agent harnesses
│       └── <skill-name>/SKILL.md
├── .astro/
│   ├── config.yaml                    # Astro CLI global config
│   ├── bin/
│   │   └── otto                       # Otto binary, downloaded on first launch
│   ├── memory/
│   │   ├── MEMORY.md                  # Local user memory (all projects, this computer)
│   │   ├── *.md
│   │   └── <project-slug>/            # Local project memory (this project, this computer)
│   │       └── *.md
│   └── otto/
│       ├── settings.json              # Otto user settings
│       ├── sessions/                  # Session history (JSONL)
│       ├── skills/                    # User skills authored by you
│       │   └── <skill-name>/SKILL.md
│       ├── cache/skills/              # Hosted skill cache (1-hour TTL)
│       └── logs/cli.log               # CLI-side log (rotates at 1 MiB)
```

## Settings precedence

When the same setting is defined in multiple places, Otto resolves it in this order, with earlier entries overriding later ones:

1. CLI flag passed to `astro otto` (for example, `--model`, `--allowed-tools`, `--no-extension`)
2. Environment variable (for example, `OTTO_DISABLED_EXTENSIONS`)
3. Project file (`.astro/otto/permissions.json`, `.astro/otto/extensions.json`, `.astro/config.yaml`)
4. User file (`~/.astro/otto/settings.json`, `~/.astro/config.yaml`)
5. Built-in default

## Environment variables

The `astro otto` command sets several environment variables automatically based on your `astro login` context and the current project. You don't need to configure these manually.

| Variable             | Description                                                   |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `ASTRO_TOKEN`        | Bearer token for the Astronomer Gateway                       |
| `ASTRO_DOMAIN`       | Astronomer domain (for example, `astronomer.io`)              |
| `ASTRO_ORGANIZATION` | Organization ID for gateway routing                           |
| `AIRFLOW_API_URL`    | Local Airflow REST API URL, auto-discovered from proxy routes |
| `AIRFLOW_USERNAME`   | Defaults to `admin` when Airflow is connected                 |
| `AIRFLOW_PASSWORD`   | Defaults to `admin` when Airflow is connected                 |

The CLI also keeps your Astro access token refreshed in the background for the duration of the session, so long-lived sessions don't hit authentication errors.

You can set the following variables yourself to control Otto behavior:

| Variable                   | Description                                                                      |
| -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `OTTO_EXTENSIONS`          | Comma-separated allowlist of extensions to enable. Disables anything not listed. |
| `OTTO_DISABLED_EXTENSIONS` | Comma-separated denylist of extensions to disable.                               |
| `OTTO_LOG_LEVEL`           | Log verbosity. Useful for debugging.                                             |

## Auto-update

The first time you run `astro otto`, the Astro CLI downloads the Otto binary to `~/.astro/bin/otto`. After that, the CLI checks for new Otto releases once per day in the background and prints a hint to stderr when an update is available. Updates are applied manually with `astro otto update`.

Otto versions independently of the Astro CLI. You don't need to upgrade the Astro CLI to pick up new Otto features or fixes. Check your installed version with `astro otto version`.

To opt out of the daily update check, set `astro config set -g otto.auto_update false`.

## See also

* [Permissions](/docs/astro/otto-permissions) — Allow, ask, and deny rules for tool calls.
* [Extensions](/docs/astro/otto-extensions) — Toggle bundled extensions.
* [Memory](/docs/astro/otto-memory) — Memory tiers and file format.
* [Skills](/docs/astro/otto-skills) — Skill catalog and local skill authoring.
* [`astro otto` CLI reference](/docs/cli/v1.43/astro-otto) — Flags and subcommands.
* [Configure the Astro CLI](/docs/cli/v1.43/configure-cli) — Full Astro CLI config reference.