# mothermachine

> A directory of software an agent can adapt or operate. Each Listing says which it is, how much is yours to change, and where the agent's reach ends. Every Listing has a free or open edition.

Use this site to answer "is there software that does X" and leave with a repo or interface URL, the commands to get it, the named files and variables to change, and the list of jobs an agent can and cannot do through its interface.

## Two capabilities

- Adaptable: the source is public and there is a named customization surface (env vars, config files, prompt files). `effort` says how much work: `config-only` < `light-edit` < `fork-and-modify`. `customization.editCount` is how many named things you touch.
- Operable: an agent can drive it through an interface. `operability` says who publishes that interface: `native` (built for agents), `official` (the builder ships it), `wrapped` (a third party does; `recommendedWrapper` names which), `config` (files only), `gui` (screen only, sorted last). `reach` lists the software's jobs, each `reachable: true|false|null` with evidence; `coverage` (`complete`, `partial`, `none`) is derived from it.

A Listing can be both. Provenance (vibe-coded, human-written, mixed, unknown) is recorded and never used to rank.

## How to query, cheapest first

1. `index/vocab.json`: every field's values with counts, and the glossary with synonyms, so you can map the user's words to ours.
2. One slice: `index/vertical/<vertical>.json`, `index/effort/<effort>.json`, or `index/operability/<level>.json`. `index/all.json` is the whole directory. Entries are minimal: slug, name, 20-word summary, vertical, shape, capabilities, effort, operability, coverage, interfaceKind, license, paid, url.
3. One Listing: `apps/<slug>.json` is the full record plus derived fields; `apps/<slug>.md` is the same as clean Markdown; `apps/<slug>.html` is the page.

Verticals: content-publishing, ecommerce, notes-knowledge, invoicing-finance, smb-ops-crm, support-bookkeeping, scheduling-staffing, video-streaming.

## Reading a record

- `evidence` and `confidence` exist for every classified field. Low confidence or an entry in `openQuestions` means the fact was not settled; say so rather than asserting it.
- `editions` lists how the software is offered. `paid: true` on an index entry means a priced edition exists, never that the free one is missing.
- `gotchas` are constraints that break a build (copyleft licence, unsigned binaries, follower minimums). Surface them before recommending.
- `accounts` and `modelStack.requiredKeys` are names only. Keys are never stored here.
- `fit` is the curator's 0 to 3 score per capability, used for ordering within a vertical.

## Pages

- Browse: index.html
- Vertical pages: verticals/<vertical>.html
- About, including how listings are classified: about.html
- List software: submit.html

The v1 feed under `api/` describes eight sample listings and is being retired; prefer `index/` and `apps/`.