Install without giving the agent your Poppy key.

Before installation

• Use a dedicated non-sensitive Poppy test board and chat.
• Download only the official wheel/source artifact and verify its checksum.
• Use Python 3.10 or newer in an isolated virtual environment.
• Do not paste a Poppy API URL, key, credential screenshot, or key-file contents into any AI conversation.
• If a reusable key previously entered an agent workflow, rotate it in Poppy before migration.

1. Create an isolated Python environment

python -m venv .venv
. .venv/bin/activate
python -m pip install ./tentaclaw_mcp-0.3.0-py3-none-any.whl
tentaclaw-mcp --version

On Windows PowerShell, activate with .\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1. The final artifact name must match the published release record.

2. Create the key file outside the agent

macOS or Linux

install -d -m 700 ~/.config/tentaclaw
install -m 600 /dev/null ~/.config/tentaclaw/poppy_api_key

Open that file yourself in a trusted local editor and paste only the key value. Do not use an AI tool, command argument, URL, chat, or committed configuration to write it.

Windows

Create %USERPROFILE%\.config\tentaclaw\poppy_api_key manually, restrict access to your user account with Windows ACLs, and enter the key in a trusted local editor. The v0.3.0 candidate performs strict file checks on POSIX; Windows ACL validation remains an operator responsibility.

3. Register the local MCP server

Use the configuration file for your exact supported client. It should contain only:

• the absolute path to tentaclaw-mcp or the Python module command;
• POPPY_API_KEY_FILE set to the absolute key-file path;
• optional non-secret board/chat allowlists and timeout limits.

Open client configuration guidance →

4. Verify in increasing order of authority

1. Run tentaclaw-mcp --doctor. Record only safe status—not board names, IDs, key values, prompts, or responses.
2. Start the MCP client and call tentaclaw_version.
3. Use a disposable board/chat and call boards, chats, and one harmless poppy_ask.
4. Create a disposable conversation and continue it once.
5. Confirm prompts and responses are absent from Tentaclaw logs and the raw key is unavailable to the agent.
6. Only then configure production board/chat allowlists.

5. Install only the skills you need

Copy reviewed skill directories into the client-supported skill location. Start with tentaclaw-setup and poppy-operator; add research or content workflow skills only for those use cases. Verify each skill bundle checksum and confirm it contains no secrets or fixed production destination IDs.

Skills manual →

Rotation, disable, and rollback

1. Stop the MCP client and Tentaclaw process.
2. If exposure is suspected, revoke and reissue the Poppy key before restart.
3. Remove or replace the local key file and review metadata-only audit events.
4. Restore the prior reviewed Tentaclaw artifact and client configuration.
5. Repeat the disposable canary validation before restoring production access.