# `4.8.0` First-Class Chat Environment Selection

Status: Planned

## Goal

Make curated environment choice part of the normal chat-host path so full
project work is not implicitly tied to one default environment.

## Public API Changes

Environment selection should become first-class in the chat-host path:

- `pyro mcp serve` should accept an explicit environment
- `pyro host connect` should accept and preserve an explicit environment
- `pyro host print-config` and `pyro host repair` should preserve the selected
  environment where relevant
- named modes should be able to recommend a default environment when one is
  better for the workflow, without removing explicit user choice

## Implementation Boundaries

- keep environment selection aligned with the existing curated environment
  catalog
- avoid inventing host-specific environment behavior for the same mode
- keep the default environment path simple for the quickest evaluator flow
- ensure the chosen environment is visible from generated config, help text, and
  diagnostics

## Non-Goals

- no custom user-built environment pipeline in this milestone
- no per-host environment negotiation logic
- no attempt to solve arbitrary dependency installation through environment
  sprawl alone

## Acceptance Scenarios

- a user can choose a build-oriented environment such as `debian:12-build`
  before connecting the chat host
- host helpers, raw server startup, and printed configs all preserve the same
  environment choice
- docs can teach whole-project development without pretending every project fits
  the same default environment

## Required Repo Updates

- README, install docs, integrations docs, public contract, and host examples
  updated to show environment selection in the chat-host path
- help text updated for raw server startup and host helpers
- at least one guest-backed smoke scenario updated to prove a non-default
  environment in the chat-host flow