Make the interests table the only source of standing interests (step 3)

The OPML file and the profile's ## Interests section become one-time import inputs; the prompt groups by the stored category and the OPML config key is gone. Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01K9PrjtUS16PAQve8D4bHgc
2026-09-13 05:20:16 +00:00
parent f0c0927ab8
commit a78e44f56e
14 changed files with 190 additions and 237 deletions
@@ -37,12 +37,9 @@ impl From<figment::Error> for ConfigError {
 /// Legacy/alternate env var for the rating-link HMAC key (spec §1).
 pub const ENV_SECRET_ALIAS: &str = "DAILY_EPUB_SECRET";

-/// Root configuration document (§3.14).
-///
-/// Unknown *top-level* keys are ignored on purpose: the prefix `DAILY_EPUB_` is
-/// shared with plain operator env vars such as [`ENV_SECRET_ALIAS`].
+/// Root configuration document; unknown keys fail so retired settings stay visible.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
-#[serde(default)]
+#[serde(deny_unknown_fields, default)]
 pub struct Config {
    /// IANA tz used for day boundaries and `--date` (§3.14, notes §2).
    pub timezone: String,
@@ -65,8 +62,6 @@ pub struct Config {
    pub database_path: PathBuf,
    /// Default artifact output directory (overridden by `generate --out`).
    pub out_dir: PathBuf,
-    /// Scour interests OPML used to seed the taste profile (§3.6).
-    pub interests_opml: PathBuf,
    /// Hand-maintained reader profile loaded for every curation run (§8.2).
    pub profile_path: PathBuf,

@@ -99,7 +94,6 @@ impl Default for Config {
            world_briefing: true,
            database_path: PathBuf::from("/var/lib/daily-epub/daily-epub.db"),
            out_dir: PathBuf::from("/var/lib/daily-epub/out"),
-            interests_opml: PathBuf::from("data/scour-interests.opml"),
            profile_path: PathBuf::from("data/profile.md"),
            miniflux: MinifluxConfig::default(),
            llm: LlmConfig::default(),
@@ -934,7 +928,11 @@ impl Config {
                fig = fig.merge(Toml::file(p));
            }
        }
-        Ok(fig.merge(Env::prefixed(ENV_PREFIX).split(ENV_SPLIT)))
+        Ok(fig.merge(
+            Env::prefixed(ENV_PREFIX)
+                .ignore(&["secret"])
+                .split(ENV_SPLIT),
+        ))
    }

    /// The file `load` reads: the explicit `--config` path, else `./config.toml`
@@ -1059,7 +1057,6 @@ impl Config {
        });
        lines.push(file_line("database_path", &self.database_path));
        lines.push(file_line("profile_path", &self.profile_path));
-        lines.push(file_line("interests_opml", &self.interests_opml));
        for (role, name) in self.llm.roles() {
            match self.providers.get(name) {
                Some(provider) => lines.push(provider_line(&format!("llm.{role}"), name, provider)),
@@ -2018,7 +2015,7 @@ mod tests {
        for (key, default) in defaults.as_object().expect("config is a table") {
            let section = match key.as_str() {
                "curation" | "llm" | "providers" | "voyage" | "editorial" => key,
-                "target_article_count" | "profile_path" | "interests_opml" => key,
+                "target_article_count" | "profile_path" => key,
                _ => continue,
            };
            let documented = documented
@@ -19,9 +19,10 @@ use sha2::{Digest as _, Sha256};
 use sqlx::Row as _;

 use crate::config::{Config, VoyageConfig};
-use crate::curate::{approx_tokens, profile, prompt_text};
+use crate::curate::{approx_tokens, prompt_text};
 use crate::db::{Db, fmt_ts};
 use crate::http::RetryPolicy;
+use crate::interests;
 use crate::types::{Article, ArticleId};

 /// The only place the Voyage key comes from (§4.3).
@@ -898,14 +899,7 @@ pub async fn plan_backfill(
        }
    }

-    let interests =
-        match profile::load_standing_interests(&config.interests_opml, &config.profile_path) {
-            Ok(interests) => interests,
-            Err(error) => {
-                tracing::warn!(%error, "could not load standing interests; skipping them");
-                Vec::new()
-            }
-        };
+    let interest_names = interests::names(db).await?;

    let mut plan = BackfillPlan::default();
    let mut keep = |articles: Vec<Article>, misses: Vec<(ArticleId, i64)>| -> Vec<Article> {
@@ -922,8 +916,8 @@ pub async fn plan_backfill(
    let other_misses = service.uncached_articles(&others).await?;
    plan.others = keep(others, other_misses);

-    let interest_misses = service.uncached_interests(&interests).await?;
-    plan.cached += interests.len() - interest_misses.len();
+    let interest_misses = service.uncached_interests(&interest_names).await?;
+    plan.cached += interest_names.len() - interest_misses.len();
    plan.estimated_tokens += interest_misses
        .iter()
        .map(|interest| approx_tokens(interest) as i64)
@@ -1391,7 +1385,7 @@ mod tests {

    #[tokio::test]
    async fn backfill_prioritizes_the_learned_set_and_is_idempotent() {
-        let (dir, db) = db_with_articles(&[1, 2, 3]).await;
+        let (_dir, db) = db_with_articles(&[1, 2, 3]).await;
        // Article 1 is rated, article 2 is published, article 3 is neither.
        sqlx::query(
            "INSERT INTO rating_events (article_id, kind, source, label, value, event_at)
@@ -1418,16 +1412,11 @@ mod tests {

        let config = Config {
            voyage: small_config(),
-            interests_opml: dir.path().join("interests.opml"),
-            profile_path: dir.path().join("profile.md"),
            ..Config::default()
        };
-        std::fs::write(
-            &config.interests_opml,
-            "<opml><body><outline text=\"Writerdeck\"/></body></opml>",
-        )
-        .unwrap();
-        std::fs::write(&config.profile_path, "# Reader profile\n").unwrap();
+        interests::add(&db, "Writerdeck", Some("Publishing"), Timestamp::now())
+            .await
+            .unwrap();

        let backend = Arc::new(MockBackend::auto(4));
        let svc = service(db.clone(), config.voyage.clone(), backend.clone());
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 //! Every run rebuilds one byte-stable prompt from the hand-maintained profile,
 //! standing interests, stored weekly adjustments, and current explicit verdicts.

-use std::collections::BTreeSet;
 use std::fmt::Write as _;
 use std::path::Path;

@@ -13,6 +12,7 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};

 use super::llm::LlmClient;
 use crate::db::{Db, KV_PROFILE_VERSION, KV_TASTE_PROFILE};
+use crate::interests;
 use crate::types::{Facets, RatedArticle, TasteProfile};

 pub const REBUILD_INTERVAL_DAYS: i64 = 7;
@@ -29,50 +29,9 @@ pub const NO_LEARNED_ADJUSTMENTS: &str = "No reader ratings have been collected
 const EDITOR_IN_CHIEF_FRAMING: &str = "You are the editor-in-chief of *The Daily EPUB*, a personal morning newspaper assembled every day for exactly one reader. Everything you are asked to do — score, select, place, summarize, introduce — serves his taste, not a general audience's. When a judgement call is close, re-read this profile and decide the way he would.";

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Interest and profile-file parsing
+// Profile-file parsing
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

-pub fn parse_interests(opml_path: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<String>> {
-    let raw = std::fs::read_to_string(opml_path)
-        .with_context(|| format!("reading the interests OPML at {}", opml_path.display()))?;
-    let interests = parse_interests_str(&raw);
-    if interests.is_empty() {
-        anyhow::bail!(
-            "no <outline text=\"…\"> interests found in {}",
-            opml_path.display()
-        );
-    }
-    tracing::debug!(count = interests.len(), "parsed scour interests");
-    Ok(interests)
-}
-
-pub fn parse_interests_str(raw: &str) -> Vec<String> {
-    let mut seen = BTreeSet::new();
-    let mut out = Vec::new();
-    for chunk in raw.split("text=\"").skip(1) {
-        let Some((value, _)) = chunk.split_once('"') else {
-            continue;
-        };
-        let name = xml_unescape(value).trim().to_string();
-        if !name.is_empty() && seen.insert(name.to_lowercase()) {
-            out.push(name);
-        }
-    }
-    out
-}
-
-fn xml_unescape(s: &str) -> String {
-    if !s.contains('&') {
-        return s.to_string();
-    }
-    s.replace("&lt;", "<")
-        .replace("&gt;", ">")
-        .replace("&quot;", "\"")
-        .replace("&apos;", "'")
-        .replace("&#39;", "'")
-        .replace("&amp;", "&")
-}
-
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct ProfileFile {
    /// Original Markdown with every `## Interests` section removed.
@@ -116,7 +75,7 @@ pub fn load_profile(path: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<ProfileFile> {
    match std::fs::read_to_string(path) {
        Ok(raw) => Ok(parse_profile_str(&raw)),
        Err(error) if error.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {
-            tracing::warn!(path = %path.display(), "profile file is missing; using OPML interests only");
+            tracing::warn!(path = %path.display(), "profile file is missing; using empty profile prose");
            Ok(ProfileFile {
                body: String::new(),
                interests: Vec::new(),
@@ -128,30 +87,7 @@ pub fn load_profile(path: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<ProfileFile> {
    }
 }

-/// Load the exact standing-interest union used in the system prompt.
-pub fn load_standing_interests(
-    opml_path: &Path,
-    profile_path: &Path,
-) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<String>> {
-    let opml = parse_interests(opml_path)?;
-    let profile = load_profile(profile_path)?;
-    Ok(union_interests(opml, profile.interests))
-}
-
-fn union_interests(opml: Vec<String>, profile: Vec<String>) -> Vec<String> {
-    let mut seen = BTreeSet::new();
-    let mut out = Vec::new();
-    for interest in opml.into_iter().chain(profile) {
-        let interest = interest.trim();
-        if !interest.is_empty() && seen.insert(interest.to_lowercase()) {
-            out.push(interest.to_string());
-        }
-    }
-    out
-}
-
 pub mod themes;
-pub use themes::group_into_themes;

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Prompt assembly
@@ -174,7 +110,7 @@ fn one_line(text: &str) -> String {
 /// Assemble sections in the exact cache-friendly order required by §8.4.
 pub fn build(
    profile_body: &str,
-    interests: &[String],
+    grouped: &[(String, Vec<String>)],
    learned_adjustments: &str,
    ratings: &[RatedArticle],
    verdict_limit: usize,
@@ -193,8 +129,8 @@ pub fn build(

    doc.push_str("## Standing interests\n\n");
    doc.push_str("These are his subscribed interest topics, grouped. They raise the floor for a match, but never cap the paper: an outstanding article on none of these still belongs.\n\n");
-    for (theme, members) in group_into_themes(interests) {
-        let _ = writeln!(doc, "- **{}**: {}", theme, members.join(", "));
+    for (category, members) in grouped {
+        let _ = writeln!(doc, "- **{}**: {}", category, members.join(", "));
    }

    doc.push_str("\n## Learned adjustments (rebuilt weekly from ratings)\n\n");
@@ -272,26 +208,27 @@ async fn store_version(db: &Db, version: i64, built_at: Timestamp) -> anyhow::Re

 async fn prompt_inputs(
    db: &Db,
-    opml_path: &Path,
    profile_path: &Path,
-) -> anyhow::Result<(ProfileFile, Vec<String>, Vec<RatedArticle>, String)> {
-    let opml = parse_interests(opml_path)?;
+) -> anyhow::Result<(
+    ProfileFile,
+    Vec<(String, Vec<String>)>,
+    Vec<RatedArticle>,
+    String,
+)> {
    let profile = load_profile(profile_path)?;
-    let interests = union_interests(opml, profile.interests.clone());
+    let grouped = interests::grouped(db).await?;
    let ratings = db.current_ratings(RATINGS_LOOKBACK_DAYS).await?;
    let learned = db.kv_get(KV_LEARNED_ADJUSTMENTS).await?.unwrap_or_default();
-    Ok((profile, interests, ratings, learned))
+    Ok((profile, grouped, ratings, learned))
 }

 /// Rebuild the complete system prompt from its live inputs on every run.
 pub async fn load_or_build(
    db: &Db,
-    opml_path: &Path,
    profile_path: &Path,
    verdict_limit: usize,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<TasteProfile> {
-    let (profile_file, interests, ratings, learned) =
-        prompt_inputs(db, opml_path, profile_path).await?;
+    let (profile_file, grouped, ratings, learned) = prompt_inputs(db, profile_path).await?;
    let (version, built_at) = match stored_version(db).await? {
        Some(stored) => stored,
        None => {
@@ -303,7 +240,7 @@ pub async fn load_or_build(
    let profile = TasteProfile {
        text: build(
            &profile_file.body,
-            &interests,
+            &grouped,
            &learned,
            &ratings,
            verdict_limit,
@@ -315,7 +252,10 @@ pub async fn load_or_build(
    db.kv_set(KV_TASTE_PROFILE, &profile.text).await?;
    tracing::debug!(
        version,
-        interests = interests.len(),
+        interests = grouped
+            .iter()
+            .map(|(_, members)| members.len())
+            .sum::<usize>(),
        verdicts = ratings.len().min(verdict_limit),
        chars = profile.text.len(),
        "rebuilt the taste profile prompt"
@@ -334,7 +274,6 @@ pub async fn is_stale(db: &Db) -> anyhow::Result<bool> {
 pub async fn weekly_rebuild_if_due(
    db: &Db,
    llm: &LlmClient,
-    opml_path: &Path,
    profile_path: &Path,
    verdict_limit: usize,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<Option<TasteProfile>> {
@@ -346,9 +285,7 @@ pub async fn weekly_rebuild_if_due(
        return Ok(None);
    }
    tracing::info!("taste profile is over a week old; rebuilding learned adjustments");
-    Ok(Some(
-        rebuild(db, llm, opml_path, profile_path, verdict_limit).await?,
-    ))
+    Ok(Some(rebuild(db, llm, profile_path, verdict_limit).await?))
 }

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -429,15 +366,12 @@ pub fn build_rebuild_prompt(ratings: &[RatedArticle]) -> String {
 pub async fn rebuild(
    db: &Db,
    llm: &LlmClient,
-    opml_path: &Path,
    profile_path: &Path,
    verdict_limit: usize,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<TasteProfile> {
-    // Read the prompt inputs first: a rebuild that dies on a missing OPML must
-    // stay due and must not have spent a model call getting there.
-    let opml = parse_interests(opml_path)?;
+    // Read the prompt inputs before spending a model call.
    let profile_file = load_profile(profile_path)?;
-    let interests = union_interests(opml, profile_file.interests.clone());
+    let grouped = interests::grouped(db).await?;
    let ratings = db.current_ratings(RATINGS_LOOKBACK_DAYS).await?;
    let previous = db.kv_get(KV_LEARNED_ADJUSTMENTS).await?.unwrap_or_default();
    let learned = if ratings.is_empty() {
@@ -473,7 +407,7 @@ pub async fn rebuild(
    let profile = TasteProfile {
        text: build(
            &profile_file.body,
-            &interests,
+            &grouped,
            &learned,
            &ratings,
            verdict_limit,
@@ -495,18 +429,15 @@ pub async fn rebuild(
 mod tests {
    use super::*;

-    const OPML_PATH: &str = concat!(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"), "/data/scour-interests.opml");
    const PROFILE_PATH: &str = concat!(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"), "/data/profile.md");

    #[test]
-    fn profile_interests_are_removed_and_union_case_insensitively() {
+    fn profile_interests_are_removed_for_the_importer() {
        let parsed = parse_profile_str(
            "# P\n\n## Interests\n- Rust\nBoston Tech\n- rust\n\n## Notes\nKeep this.\n",
        );
        assert_eq!(parsed.body, "# P\n\n## Notes\nKeep this.\n");
        assert_eq!(parsed.interests, ["Rust", "Boston Tech", "rust"]);
-        let union = union_interests(vec!["rust".into(), "E-Ink".into()], parsed.interests);
-        assert_eq!(union, ["rust", "E-Ink", "Boston Tech"]);
    }

    #[test]
@@ -526,7 +457,7 @@ mod tests {
        };
        let prompt = build(
            "# Reader profile\n\nProfile prose.",
-            &["Rust".into()],
+            &[("Software".into(), vec!["Rust".into(), "SQLite".into()])],
            "- Adjust.",
            &[rating],
            60,
@@ -539,17 +470,16 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(
            framing < profile && profile < interests && interests < learned && learned < verdicts
        );
+        assert!(prompt.contains("- **Software**: Rust, SQLite"));
        assert!(prompt.contains("NOT FOR ME | A title | A feed | A summary with whitespace."));
    }

    #[test]
-    fn shipped_profile_and_opml_parse() {
+    fn shipped_profile_parses() {
        let profile = load_profile(Path::new(PROFILE_PATH)).unwrap();
        assert!(profile.body.contains("## Who he is"));
        assert!(!profile.body.contains("## Interests"));
        assert!(profile.interests.is_empty());
-        let interests = parse_interests(Path::new(OPML_PATH)).unwrap();
-        assert!(interests.iter().any(|interest| interest == "Rust"));
    }

    #[test]
@@ -594,19 +524,21 @@ mod tests {
        let db = Db::open_and_migrate(&dir.path().join("profile.db"))
            .await
            .unwrap();
-        let opml = dir.path().join("interests.opml");
        let profile_path = dir.path().join("profile.md");
-        std::fs::write(&opml, r#"<outline text="Rust"/>"#).unwrap();
+        interests::add(&db, "Rust", Some("Software"), Timestamp::now())
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
        std::fs::write(
            &profile_path,
            "# Reader profile\n\nOriginal prose.\n\n## Interests\n- Custom Topic\n",
        )
        .unwrap();

-        let first = load_or_build(&db, &opml, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
+        let first = load_or_build(&db, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
        assert_eq!(first.version, 1);
        assert!(first.text.contains("Original prose."));
-        assert!(first.text.contains("Custom Topic"));
+        assert!(first.text.contains("- **Software**: Rust"));
+        assert!(!first.text.contains("Custom Topic"));
        assert!(!first.text.contains("## Interests"));

        std::fs::write(
@@ -614,11 +546,11 @@ mod tests {
            "# Reader profile\n\nChanged prose.\n\n## Interests\n- Another Topic\n",
        )
        .unwrap();
-        let second = load_or_build(&db, &opml, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
+        let second = load_or_build(&db, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
        assert_eq!(second.version, first.version);
        assert_eq!(second.built_at, first.built_at);
        assert!(second.text.contains("Changed prose."));
-        assert!(second.text.contains("Another Topic"));
+        assert!(!second.text.contains("Another Topic"));
        assert!(!second.text.contains("Original prose."));

        let missing = load_profile(&dir.path().join("missing.md")).unwrap();
@@ -637,11 +569,12 @@ mod tests {
        let db = Db::open_and_migrate(&dir.path().join("profile.db"))
            .await
            .unwrap();
-        let opml = dir.path().join("interests.opml");
        let profile_path = dir.path().join("profile.md");
-        std::fs::write(&opml, r#"<outline text="Rust"/>"#).unwrap();
+        interests::add(&db, "Rust", Some("Software"), Timestamp::now())
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
        std::fs::write(&profile_path, "# Reader profile\n\nLikes depth.\n").unwrap();
-        let initial = load_or_build(&db, &opml, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
+        let initial = load_or_build(&db, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
        assert_eq!(initial.version, 1);

        sqlx::query(
@@ -677,7 +610,7 @@ mod tests {
            UsageMeter::for_provider(&ProviderConfig::deepseek()),
            backend.clone(),
        );
-        let rebuilt = rebuild(&db, &llm, &opml, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
+        let rebuilt = rebuild(&db, &llm, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
        assert_eq!(rebuilt.version, 2);
        assert!(rebuilt.text.contains("Rank first-hand reports higher."));
        assert!(
@@ -700,16 +633,16 @@ mod tests {
        let db = Db::open_and_migrate(&dir.path().join("profile.db"))
            .await
            .unwrap();
-        let opml = dir.path().join("interests.opml");
        let profile_path = dir.path().join("profile.md");
-        std::fs::write(&opml, r#"<outline text="Rust"/>"#).unwrap();
+        interests::add(&db, "Rust", Some("Software"), Timestamp::now())
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
        std::fs::write(&profile_path, "# Reader profile\n\nLikes depth.\n").unwrap();
-        let initial = load_or_build(&db, &opml, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
+        let initial = load_or_build(&db, &profile_path, 60).await.unwrap();
        assert_eq!(initial.version, 1);

-        // The OPML goes missing the way a relative path does under a service
-        // whose working directory is not the checkout.
-        std::fs::remove_file(&opml).unwrap();
+        std::fs::remove_file(&profile_path).unwrap();
+        std::fs::create_dir(&profile_path).unwrap();

        let backend = Arc::new(MockBackend::new());
        let llm = LlmClient::with_backend(
@@ -718,10 +651,10 @@ mod tests {
            UsageMeter::for_provider(&ProviderConfig::deepseek()),
            backend.clone(),
        );
-        let error = rebuild(&db, &llm, &opml, &profile_path, 60)
+        let error = rebuild(&db, &llm, &profile_path, 60)
            .await
-            .expect_err("a missing OPML fails the rebuild");
-        assert!(format!("{error:#}").contains("reading the interests OPML"));
+            .expect_err("an unreadable profile fails the rebuild");
+        assert!(format!("{error:#}").contains("reading the reader profile"));

        // Still version 1, so the profile stays stale and the rebuild is retried.
        assert_eq!(stored_version(&db).await.unwrap().unwrap().0, 1);
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 //! Interest queries stay here so the central database layer remains focused on
 //! the pipeline's shared records.

-use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::collections::{BTreeSet, HashMap};

 use anyhow::{Result, bail};
 use jiff::Timestamp;
@@ -64,6 +64,35 @@ pub struct Rates {

 const INTEREST_COLUMNS: &str = "id, name, category, created_at, categorized_at";

+/// Parse an OPML export for the one-time interests importer.
+pub fn parse_opml(raw: &str) -> Vec<String> {
+    let mut seen = BTreeSet::new();
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    for chunk in raw.split("text=\"").skip(1) {
+        let Some((value, _)) = chunk.split_once('"') else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        let name = xml_unescape(value).trim().to_string();
+        if !name.is_empty() && seen.insert(name.to_lowercase()) {
+            out.push(name);
+        }
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+fn xml_unescape(value: &str) -> String {
+    if !value.contains('&') {
+        return value.to_string();
+    }
+    value
+        .replace("&lt;", "<")
+        .replace("&gt;", ">")
+        .replace("&quot;", "\"")
+        .replace("&apos;", "'")
+        .replace("&#39;", "'")
+        .replace("&amp;", "&")
+}
+
 fn interest_from(row: &sqlx::sqlite::SqliteRow) -> Interest {
    Interest {
        id: row.get("id"),
@@ -326,6 +355,29 @@ mod tests {
        (dir, db)
    }

+    #[test]
+    fn opml_parser_unescapes_trims_and_deduplicates_names() {
+        let interests = parse_opml(
+            r#"<opml><body>
+                <outline text=" Rust "/>
+                <outline text="E-Ink &amp; RSS"/>
+                <outline text="rust"/>
+                <outline text="Quotes &quot;and&quot; apostrophes &apos;x&apos; &#39;y&#39;"/>
+                <outline text="Markup &lt;tag&gt;"/>
+                <outline text=""/>
+            </body></opml>"#,
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            interests,
+            [
+                "Rust",
+                "E-Ink & RSS",
+                "Quotes \"and\" apostrophes 'x' 'y'",
+                "Markup <tag>",
+            ]
+        );
+    }
+
    async fn seed_article(db: &Db, id: ArticleId) {
        sqlx::query(
            "INSERT INTO articles (id, canonical_url, title, first_seen) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)",
@@ -724,7 +724,6 @@ async fn cmd_profile_rebuild(config: &Config, db: &Db) -> Result<String> {
    use curate::llm::{Llms, provider_meters};
    let profile = curate::profile::load_or_build(
        db,
-        &config.interests_opml,
        &config.profile_path,
        config.curation.feedback.verdicts_in_prompt,
    )
@@ -749,7 +748,6 @@ async fn cmd_profile_rebuild(config: &Config, db: &Db) -> Result<String> {
    let rebuilt = curate::profile::rebuild(
        db,
        llm,
-        &config.interests_opml,
        &config.profile_path,
        config.curation.feedback.verdicts_in_prompt,
    )
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ use crate::types::{
    Article, ArticleId, Artifact, BehindThePaper, Candidate, Colophon, Edition, Issue, IssueMeta,
    Lineup, Models, TokenUsage, reading_minutes,
 };
-use crate::{comments, dedupe, discovery, epub, http, miniflux, publish, social, world};
+use crate::{comments, dedupe, discovery, epub, http, interests, miniflux, publish, social, world};

 /// One `generate` invocation's inputs — the CLI flags, already parsed (§2).
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
@@ -943,15 +943,14 @@ async fn prepare_features(
        }
    };
    report.counts.embedded = article_embeddings.len() as i64;
-    let interests =
-        match profile::load_standing_interests(&config.interests_opml, &config.profile_path) {
-            Ok(interests) => interests,
-            Err(error) => {
-                tracing::warn!(%error, "could not load standing interests for embeddings");
-                Vec::new()
-            }
-        };
-    let interest_embeddings = match service.interests(&interests).await {
+    let interest_names = match interests::names(db).await {
+        Ok(interests) => interests,
+        Err(error) => {
+            tracing::warn!(%error, "could not load standing interests for embeddings");
+            Vec::new()
+        }
+    };
+    let interest_embeddings = match service.interests(&interest_names).await {
        Ok(embeddings) => embeddings,
        Err(error) => {
            report.warn(format!("interest embedding stage degraded: {error}"));
@@ -1138,7 +1137,6 @@ async fn build_llms(
 ) -> Llms {
    let profile = match profile::load_or_build(
        ctx.db,
-        &ctx.config.interests_opml,
        &ctx.config.profile_path,
        ctx.config.curation.feedback.verdicts_in_prompt,
    )
@@ -1168,7 +1166,6 @@ async fn build_llms(
    match profile::weekly_rebuild_if_due(
        ctx.db,
        rebuild_client,
-        &ctx.config.interests_opml,
        &ctx.config.profile_path,
        ctx.config.curation.feedback.verdicts_in_prompt,
    )
@@ -1577,12 +1574,9 @@ mod tests {
        config.curation.blocked_domains = vec!["blocked.example".into()];
        config.voyage.output_dimension = 4;
        config.target_article_count = 1;
-        config.interests_opml = dir.path().join("interests.opml");
-        std::fs::write(
-            &config.interests_opml,
-            "<opml><body><outline text=\"Writerdeck\"/></body></opml>",
-        )
-        .unwrap();
+        interests::add(&db, "Writerdeck", Some("Publishing"), Timestamp::now())
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
        config.profile_path = dir.path().join("profile.md");
        std::fs::write(&config.profile_path, "# Reader profile\n").unwrap();

@@ -1708,6 +1702,7 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(report.voyage_tokens > 0);
        // One batch for the two articles, one for the interest.
        assert_eq!(backend.calls(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(backend.requests()[1].input, ["Writerdeck"]);
        let signals = &features
            .iter()
            .find(|candidate| candidate.article.id == a)
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 //! Dashboard: the profile page (`/dashboard/profile`, web plan §11).
 //!
-//! Edits `profile.md` with version history, shows what the loader parses out
-//! of it, the standing OPML interests by theme, the stored system prompt and
-//! the weekly learned adjustments, and offers the `profile-rebuild` job.
+//! Edits `profile.md` with version history and shows the stored interests,
+//! system prompt, and weekly learned adjustments.

 use std::path::Path;

@@ -18,6 +17,7 @@ use sqlx::Row;

 use crate::curate::profile::{self, KV_LEARNED_ADJUSTMENTS, ProfileFile, REBUILD_INTERVAL_DAYS};
 use crate::db::{Db, DbError, KV_TASTE_PROFILE};
+use crate::interests;
 use crate::server::AppState;
 use crate::web::session::{AuthSession, Viewer};
 use crate::web::{Flash, Html, Page, WebError, format_time, take_flash};
@@ -104,8 +104,7 @@ fn read_profile(path: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<Option<String>> {
    }
 }

-/// The live preview of what the loader extracts (§11): the passthrough body
-/// and the `## Interests` lines.
+/// The live preview of the prose that reaches the prompt.
 pub fn preview(content: &str) -> ProfileFile {
    profile::parse_profile_str(content)
 }
@@ -191,7 +190,7 @@ async fn versions(db: &Db, config: &crate::config::Config) -> Result<Vec<Version
 // Page
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

-struct ThemeView {
+struct CategoryView {
    name: String,
    members: String,
    count: usize,
@@ -207,12 +206,10 @@ struct ProfileTemplate {
    bytes: usize,
    max_bytes: usize,
    preview_body: String,
-    preview_interests: Vec<String>,
    versions: Vec<VersionView>,
-    opml_path: String,
-    opml_count: usize,
-    opml_error: String,
-    themes: Vec<ThemeView>,
+    interest_count: usize,
+    category_count: usize,
+    categories: Vec<CategoryView>,
    prompt: String,
    prompt_chars: usize,
    prompt_version: String,
@@ -254,20 +251,17 @@ async fn show(
    let content = stored.unwrap_or_default();
    let parsed = preview(&content);

-    let (opml_count, opml_error, themes) = match profile::parse_interests(&config.interests_opml) {
-        Ok(interests) => {
-            let themes = profile::group_into_themes(&interests)
-                .into_iter()
-                .map(|(name, members)| ThemeView {
-                    name,
-                    count: members.len(),
-                    members: members.join(", "),
-                })
-                .collect();
-            (interests.len(), String::new(), themes)
-        }
-        Err(error) => (0, format!("{error:#}"), Vec::new()),
-    };
+    let grouped = interests::grouped(db).await.map_err(WebError::Internal)?;
+    let interest_count = grouped.iter().map(|(_, members)| members.len()).sum();
+    let category_count = grouped.len();
+    let categories = grouped
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|(name, members)| CategoryView {
+            name,
+            count: members.len(),
+            members: members.join(", "),
+        })
+        .collect();

    let prompt = db.kv_get(KV_TASTE_PROFILE).await?.unwrap_or_default();
    let learned = db.kv_get(KV_LEARNED_ADJUSTMENTS).await?.unwrap_or_default();
@@ -297,12 +291,10 @@ async fn show(
        max_bytes: MAX_PROFILE_BYTES,
        content,
        preview_body: parsed.body,
-        preview_interests: parsed.interests,
        versions: versions(db, &config).await?,
-        opml_path: config.interests_opml.display().to_string(),
-        opml_count,
-        opml_error,
-        themes,
+        interest_count,
+        category_count,
+        categories,
        prompt_chars: prompt.len(),
        prompt_verdicts: count_verdict_lines(&prompt),
        prompt,
@@ -516,15 +508,15 @@ mod tests {
            .unwrap();
        let config = Config {
            profile_path: dir.path().join("profile.md"),
-            interests_opml: dir.path().join("interests.opml"),
            ..Config::default()
        };
        std::fs::write(&config.profile_path, "# Original\n\nProse.\n").unwrap();
-        std::fs::write(
-            &config.interests_opml,
-            r#"<outline text="Rust"/><outline text="Boston"/>"#,
-        )
-        .unwrap();
+        interests::add(&db, "Rust", Some("Software"), Timestamp::now())
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        interests::add(&db, "Boston", Some("Places"), Timestamp::now())
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
        db.kv_set(
            KV_TASTE_PROFILE,
            "system prompt text\n\n## Recent verdicts\n\nLOVED | x\n",
@@ -617,7 +609,7 @@ mod tests {
    }

    #[tokio::test]
-    async fn profile_page_shows_editor_preview_interests_prompt_and_rebuild_form() {
+    async fn profile_page_shows_editor_standing_interests_prompt_and_rebuild_form() {
        let (_dir, _state, app, cookie) = setup().await;
        let response = get(&app, Some(&cookie)).await;
        assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
@@ -625,7 +617,8 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(body.contains("# Original"));
        assert!(body.contains("Prose."));
        assert!(body.contains("Rust, Boston") || body.contains("Rust") && body.contains("Boston"));
-        assert!(body.contains("2 interests"));
+        assert!(body.contains("2 standing interests in 2 categories"));
+        assert!(body.contains("Interests page"));
        assert!(body.contains("system prompt text"));
        assert!(body.contains("Rank depth higher."));
        assert!(body.contains("never built"));
@@ -666,7 +659,7 @@ mod tests {

        let page = text(get(&app, Some(&cookie)).await).await;
        assert!(page.contains("Saved; the next run rebuilds the system prompt."));
-        assert!(page.contains("Writerdeck"));
+        assert!(page.contains("section is ignored"));
        assert!(page.contains("# Original"));
        assert!(page.contains(">tyler<"));

@@ -246,7 +246,6 @@ const PATH_KEYS: &[&str] = &[
    "database_path",
    "out_dir",
    "profile_path",
-    "interests_opml",
    "publish.epub_dir",
    "publish.xtc_dir",
    "xtc.settings",
@@ -295,7 +294,6 @@ pub const SETTINGS_HELP: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
    ("database_path", "SQLite file; parent directories are created on demand."),
    ("out_dir", "Where generate writes artifacts before publishing (overridden by --out)."),
    ("profile_path", "Hand-maintained reader profile, loaded every run."),
-    ("interests_opml", "Scour interests OPML merged with the profile interests."),
    ("miniflux.base_url", "Miniflux root (no /v1)."),
    ("miniflux.public_url", "Browser-facing Miniflux web UI URL for dashboard links. Defaults to miniflux.base_url."),
    ("miniflux.api_key", "X-Auth-Token for Miniflux. Required; environment only."),
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 {% extends "layout.html" %}{% block content %}<section class="dashboard profile">
 <header class="page-head"><div>
 <h1>Profile</h1>
-<p class="page-desc">The standing taste file the curator reads before every run: what you like, what the OPML declares, and what the editor model has learned from your verdicts.</p>
+<p class="page-desc">The standing taste file the curator reads before every run, alongside stored interests and what the editor model has learned from your verdicts.</p>
 </div><div class="page-actions"><a class="btn" href="/dashboard/ratings">Ratings</a><a class="btn" href="/dashboard/settings#curation.feedback">Feedback settings</a></div></header>

 <div class="profile-grid grid gap-6 lg:grid-cols-2">
 <div class="profile-editor min-w-0">
 <h3 class="font-mono text-base">profile.md</h3>
-<p class="meta mt-1 text-xs"><code>{{ path }}</code>{% if !exists %} — <strong class="text-down">missing</strong>; saving creates it{% else %} · {{ bytes }} bytes{% endif %} · limit {{ max_bytes }} bytes. Any <code>## Interests</code> section is parsed one interest per line; everything else goes into the system prompt verbatim.</p>
+<p class="meta mt-1 text-xs"><code>{{ path }}</code>{% if !exists %} — <strong class="text-down">missing</strong>; saving creates it{% else %} · {{ bytes }} bytes{% endif %} · limit {{ max_bytes }} bytes. Any <code>## Interests</code> section is ignored; everything else goes into the system prompt verbatim.</p>
 <form method="post" action="/dashboard/profile" class="profile-form mt-3">
 <textarea name="content" rows="24" spellcheck="true" required class="w-full font-mono text-sm">{{ content }}</textarea>
 <div class="mt-3 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-3"><button class="btn-primary" type="submit">Save</button> <span class="meta text-xs">The next run rebuilds the system prompt from the saved file.</span></div>
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@
 <p class="meta mt-1 text-xs">A live read of the text on the left, exactly as <code>curate::profile</code> splits it.</p>
 <h4 class="mt-4 page-eyebrow">Passthrough sections</h4>
 {% if preview_body.trim().is_empty() %}<p class="meta mt-1 text-sm">Nothing passes through — the file is empty or only has an Interests section.</p>{% else %}<pre class="preview mt-2">{{ preview_body }}</pre>{% endif %}
-<h4 class="mt-5 page-eyebrow">Extracted <code>## Interests</code> lines</h4>
-{% if preview_interests.is_empty() %}<p class="meta mt-1 text-sm">None. The prompt uses the OPML interests alone.</p>{% else %}<ul class="mt-2 list-disc space-y-1 pl-5 text-sm marker:text-muted">{% for interest in preview_interests %}<li>{{ interest }}</li>{% endfor %}</ul>{% endif %}
 </div>
 </div>

@@ -40,9 +38,8 @@
 {% endif %}

 <h2>Standing interests</h2>
-<p class="meta text-sm"><code>{{ opml_path }}</code> · {{ opml_count }} interests, grouped the way the system prompt lists them. The union of these and the <code>## Interests</code> lines above is what the prompt uses; edit the OPML file to change them.</p>
-{% if !opml_error.is_empty() %}<p class="error">{{ opml_error }}</p>{% endif %}
-{% if !themes.is_empty() %}<dl class="kv themes">{% for theme in themes %}<dt class="text-ink">{{ theme.name }} <span class="meta">({{ theme.count }})</span></dt><dd class="text-muted">{{ theme.members }}</dd>{% endfor %}</dl>{% endif %}
+<p class="meta text-sm">{{ interest_count }} standing interests in {{ category_count }} categories — manage them on the <a href="/dashboard/interests">Interests page</a>.</p>
+{% if !categories.is_empty() %}<dl class="kv themes">{% for category in categories %}<dt class="text-ink">{{ category.name }} <span class="meta">({{ category.count }})</span></dt><dd class="text-muted">{{ category.members }}</dd>{% endfor %}</dl>{% endif %}

 <h2>Learned adjustments</h2>
 <p class="meta text-sm">Rebuilt weekly from ratings by the editor model (prompt version {{ prompt_version }}, built {{ prompt_built_at }}, {{ learned_age }}). {% if rebuild_due %}<strong class="text-warn">A rebuild is due</strong> — the next run performs it, or start it now.{% else %}The next scheduled rebuild is at least {{ rebuild_interval_days }} days after the last one; the next run performs it when due.{% endif %}</p>