Configure a team preset

A team preset is data that chooses check policy and offers shared content without executing preset-supplied code. Use one when a team needs the same defaults across repositories or when a distribution should start from an organization-owned baseline.

Outcome

You will create a versioned preset, load it explicitly, verify its effective configuration, and decide how the team will publish the reference.

Create and test a preset

1. Create the JSON document.

   presets/platform.json

   {
     "schemaVersion": 1,
     "name": "Acme platform",
     "checks": {
       "enabled": ["INS-007"],
       "severity": { "INS-007": "error" },
       "thresholds": { "INS-007": { "approxTokens": 12000 } }
     },
     "requiredMcpServers": ["official/github"],
     "snippets": ["official/engineering"],
     "skills": [{ "id": "review", "source": "plugin:official" }],
     "allowedSkillSources": ["plugin:official", "directory:agenticskills"]
   }

2. Preview onboarding with the local file.

   aura setup --preset ./presets/platform.json --dry-run

3. Run interactive setup and review every offered item.

   aura setup --preset ./presets/platform.json

4. Inspect one effective check without scanning applications.

   aura check --preset ./presets/platform.json --explain INS-007

5. Publish the preset as one of the supported reference types: a plugin contribution, exact npm package version, credential-free HTTPS URL, file: URL, or path.

How precedence works

Later layers win:

distribution defaults → selected team preset → repository preset → manifest → CLI flags

Check activation, severity, and each complete threshold object follow that order. Required MCP servers and skill directories are additive. A user’s existing manifest skill selections remain authoritative after onboarding.

What just happened?

setup --preset stores the exact reference in the manifest so later runs can resolve the same team policy. The preset offers defaults; users still review content and Aura records their final desired state separately.

Downloaded npm presets are inspected as data. Aura does not install the package, import code, or run lifecycle scripts. Remote check resolution requires --online unless a valid cache entry is available.

Common failures

Symptom	Cause	Fix
Unknown check or catalog ID	The active distribution did not register that contribution	Correct the ID or compose the required plugin before loading the preset.
Remote preset is unavailable during check	Network access was not enabled and no cache exists	Use --online or establish the cache through setup.
A threshold fails configuration	The owning check rejected its complete threshold object	Use aura check --explain <id> and correct the named field.
Expected skills are hidden	allowedSkillSources omitted their source	Add the exact source IDs or omit the exhaustive allowlist.

Next steps

Preset schema referenceRead every field, reference type, limit, and security rule.

Build a distributionBundle a preset and trusted plugins in a branded executable.