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Control Tower

Definition

The API-first integration layer that makes Shrubbery the universal receipt for commitments across external systems. The Control Tower encompasses the Inbox API, the Sync API, API Tokens, and the External System mapping that ties them together.

Avoid: integration hub, API layer, webhook system.

Role

The Control Tower is the collective name for Epic 3 of the Shrubbery engine — the surface that elevates Shrubbery from a standalone tool to a meta-layer over existing trackers. While in-app capture paths (Smart Paste, URL Drop, Manual Contract) require the Lead to be present at creation time, the Control Tower allows external systems to push commitments in and pull status back out programmatically.

The three components:

  • Inbox API (POST /api/v1/inbox) — external system creates a Draft Shrubbery. The Lead reviews and promotes it.
  • Sync API (POST /api/v1/sync) — external system closes a Shrubbery by (external_system, external_id).
  • API Tokens — bearer credentials the Lead mints in /settings to authenticate both endpoints.

The Control Tower does not replace the consent-first protocol. Inbox-created rows still land in Draft and require the Lead to send them before the Knight is notified. The Handshake requirement is unchanged regardless of how the row was created.

Lifecycle

Not a stateful concept. The Control Tower describes an integration surface, not an entity with transitions.

Last updated: 22 June 2026