Arthexis Sigils Cookbook

Sigils are bracketed tokens such as [ENV.SMTP_PASSWORD] that Arthexis expands at runtime. They make it possible to reference configuration secrets, system metadata, or records stored in other apps without duplicating values across the project. This cookbook explains how the system resolves sigils, how to inspect the available prefixes, and how to introduce new ones safely.

• 1. When to use sigils
• 2. Syntax reference
• 3. Built-in prefixes
• 4. Managing Sigil Roots
• 5. Troubleshooting and observability

1. When to use sigils

Use sigils whenever an integration needs values that already live elsewhere in the platform. Common examples include:

• Expanding environment-specific credentials ([ENV.SMTP_PASSWORD], [ENV.DATABASE_URL]).
• Reusing Django settings in templates or background tasks ([CONF.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL]).
• Pulling metadata about the running node ([SYS.ROLE], [SYS.VERSION]).
• Looking up Django model fields by natural keys without additional queries (for example [USER=username.email]).

Because sigils resolve just before the data is used, they keep configurations DRY and ensure updates propagate everywhere without editing multiple files.