Know-how updates¶
Labmill's knowledge about clusters (how to choose the software, how to fix common failures, what your institution's storage folders are) improves over time. When Labmill uses a relay service (a broker, see Starting Labmill), you don't have to install a new version of the app to get it. Without a broker, Labmill uses the know-how that came with the app.
How it works¶
- While Labmill is open, it quietly asks the broker whether newer cluster know-how exists for your institution. This runs in the background and never delays your chat.
- A newer set is downloaded and checked before it is kept: every file must match its published checksum. A set that fails the check is thrown away and Labmill keeps using what it has.
- A downloaded set is used from the next start of labmill, never in the middle of a conversation, so the advice in a chat stays consistent.
- When Labmill notices that newer know-how exists, it shows a one-line notice in the chat: "Updated cluster know-how is available; Labmill uses it from the next start."
- If you are offline, or the service has nothing newer, Labmill uses the know-how that came with the app. Nothing breaks.
- After you install a newer version of the app itself, the know-how that came with it is used until the next download.
- You only ever receive the know-how for your own institution, plus the general parts.
Your own changes always win¶
If you keep your own modified copies of the skills in Labmill's skills folder (~/.config/labmill/skills), those files are used instead of the downloaded or built-in ones. Labmill tells you once per session: "Using your own modified skills from
If you also use the same skills in Claude Code, see the Claude Code page: those copies are separate and are updated by you.