> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hexgate.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Local override (HEXGATE_LOCAL_POLICY)

> Point an agent at a YAML file or bundle dir; hot-reload on save.

Point an agent at a local source and every tool call routes through the
[WASM engine](/policy/wasm-bundles) instead of pydantic — no platform needed. Two
shapes are accepted, and both **hot-reload on save** (no restart, no manual
rebuild between turns):

| `HEXGATE_LOCAL_POLICY=…`                           | What happens                                                         | When to use                                                               |
| -------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **`./bundle/`** (output of `hexgate policy build`) | Stat the bundle manifest each turn; reload if its mtime changed.     | Production-shaped local testing — exercises the exact signed-bundle path. |
| **`./policy.yaml`**                                | Stat the yaml each turn; recompile via `opa` when its mtime changed. | The tight dev loop — edit yaml, save, ask again. No build step.           |

```bash theme={null}
# Pre-built bundle dir — rebuild it mid-session, next chat picks it up
hexgate policy build policy.yaml --out ./bundle
HEXGATE_LOCAL_POLICY=./bundle hexgate chat --agent example_agent
# [hexgate] HEXGATE_LOCAL_POLICY active (bundle-dir): ./bundle (wasm_hash=7e6d1f8b..., unsigned)

# Raw yaml — edit policy.yaml in your editor, save, next chat sees the new policy
HEXGATE_LOCAL_POLICY=./policy.yaml hexgate chat --agent example_agent
# [hexgate] HEXGATE_LOCAL_POLICY active (yaml): ./policy.yaml (wasm_hash=ab12..., unsigned)
```

The bundle's integrity (files match the manifest) is verified on every reload — a
stale or corrupt bundle fails immediately, not at the first tool call. Yaml
sources default to **unsigned**; see [signing](/policy/signing) to sign each
recompile.

<Note>
  **Same refresh seam as the platform.** Under the hood both sources implement
  `PolicySource.fetch()`; the agent runtime calls it at the top of every turn and
  only swaps the active policy when the returned bundle is a new instance.
  Unchanged → identity match → no work. That's the same hot-reload path
  [`hexgate serve`](/cli/serve) uses for platform-edited YAML.
</Note>