diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 2745075..5ce97b1 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 pub mod analyze;
+pub mod init;
 mod orders;
 pub mod quote;
 pub mod run;
 mod status;
 
 use crate::cli::analyze::AnalyzeArgs;
+use crate::cli::init::InitArgs;
 use crate::cli::orders::OrdersArgs;
 use crate::cli::quote::QuoteArgs;
 use crate::cli::run::RunCommandArgs;
@@ -21,6 +23,8 @@ pub struct Cli {
 pub enum Command {
     #[command(about = "Analyze stocks")]
     Analyze(AnalyzeArgs),
+    #[command(about = "Generate a starter config file")]
+    Init(InitArgs),
     #[command(about = "Fetch recent orders")]
     Orders(OrdersArgs),
     #[command(about = "Fetch quote")]
diff --git a/src/cli/init.rs b/src/cli/init.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5e682f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cli/init.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+use clap::{Args, ValueEnum};
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+#[derive(Args, Debug)]
+pub struct InitArgs {
+    /// Type of config to generate (greed, strategy, agent)
+    #[arg(value_name = "TYPE", value_enum)]
+    pub config_type: InitConfigType,
+
+    /// Path to write the template file (defaults to current directory)
+    #[arg(value_name = "PATH")]
+    pub path: Option<PathBuf>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, ValueEnum)]
+pub enum InitConfigType {
+    Greed,
+    Strategy,
+    Agent,
+}
diff --git a/src/config/agent.rs b/src/config/agent.rs
index abbda2e..8fdcbaa 100644
--- a/src/config/agent.rs
+++ b/src/config/agent.rs
@@ -92,7 +92,12 @@ impl AgentProvider {
 
 fn resolve_env_var_url(url: &str) -> Result<String, GreedError> {
     if let Some(var_name) = url.strip_prefix('$') {
-        Ok(env::var(var_name)?)
+        env::var(var_name).map_err(|_| {
+            GreedError::new(&format!(
+                "agent url environment variable '{}' is not set",
+                var_name
+            ))
+        })
     } else {
         Ok(url.to_string())
     }
@@ -173,7 +178,12 @@ mod tests {
             url: "$GREED_NONEXISTENT_VAR_XYZ".to_string(),
             model: "llama3".to_string(),
         };
-        assert!(provider.resolve_env_vars().is_err());
+        let err = provider.resolve_env_vars().unwrap_err();
+        assert!(
+            err.to_string()
+                .contains("agent url environment variable 'GREED_NONEXISTENT_VAR_XYZ' is not set"),
+            "unexpected error message: {err}"
+        );
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index ff1ac05..3dfa448 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ pub mod run;
 mod statistics;
 mod strategy;
 mod tactic;
+pub mod template;
 mod trading_days;
 
 pub async fn greed_loop(args: GreedRunnerArgs) -> Result<(), GreedError> {
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 5454072..cdfebc3 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ use clap::{CommandFactory, Parser};
 use log::LevelFilter;
 use simplelog::{ColorChoice, CombinedLogger, Config, ConfigBuilder, TermLogger, TerminalMode};
 
+use greed::error::GreedError;
 use greed::platform::args::PlatformArgs;
+use greed::template;
 use greed::{analyze_stocks, fetch_quote, fetch_recent_orders, fetch_status, greed_loop};
 
 use crate::cli::{Cli, Command};
@@ -22,6 +24,12 @@ async fn async_main(log_config: Config) {
     let cli = Cli::parse();
     let command = cli.command;
     match command {
+        Command::Init(args) => {
+            generate_config_template(args)
+                .await
+                .expect("config template generation failed");
+        }
+
         Command::Analyze(args) => {
             analyze_stocks(
                 &args.symbols,
@@ -64,6 +72,26 @@ async fn async_main(log_config: Config) {
     }
 }
 
+async fn generate_config_template(args: cli::init::InitArgs) -> Result<(), GreedError> {
+    use cli::init::InitConfigType;
+
+    let (tmpl, filename) = match args.config_type {
+        InitConfigType::Greed => (template::greed_config_template(), "greed.toml"),
+        InitConfigType::Strategy => (template::strategy_config_template(), "strategy.toml"),
+        InitConfigType::Agent => (template::agent_config_template(), "agent.toml"),
+    };
+
+    let output_path = match args.path {
+        Some(p) if p.is_dir() => p.join(filename),
+        Some(p) => p,
+        None => std::env::current_dir()?.join(filename),
+    };
+
+    tokio::fs::write(&output_path, tmpl).await?;
+    println!("Wrote template to {}", output_path.display());
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 fn create_log_config() -> Config {
     ConfigBuilder::new()
         .set_time_offset_to_local()
diff --git a/src/template.rs b/src/template.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c288616
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/template.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+pub fn greed_config_template() -> &'static str {
+    r#"# Greed configuration file
+
+# Platform to use for trading. Currently only "alpaca" is supported.
+platform = "alpaca"
+
+# How often (in seconds) to run the trading loop.
+interval = 60
+
+# Strategies allow you to compose multiple tactic configs together.
+# Each strategy references a file path or agent config, and gets a share of your portfolio.
+# [[strategies]]
+# name = "My Strategy"
+# portfolio_percent = 100.0   # Percentage of portfolio allocated to this strategy
+# path = "strategy.toml"      # Path to a local tactic config file
+# # OR use an AI agent strategy:
+# # agent_path = "agent.toml"
+
+# Tactics define buy/sell rules for individual assets.
+# [[tactics]]
+# name = "ETF"
+# [tactics.buy]
+# for = { stock = "VTI" }
+# when = { below_median_percent = 5.0, median_period = "month" }
+# do = { buy_percent = 10.0 }
+# [tactics.sell]
+# for = { stock = "VTI" }
+# when = { gain_above_percent = 5.0 }
+# do = { sell_all = true }
+"#
+}
+
+pub fn strategy_config_template() -> &'static str {
+    r#"# Strategy configuration file
+# A strategy defines buy/sell tactics for one or more assets.
+
+# Platform to use for trading. Currently only "alpaca" is supported.
+platform = "alpaca"
+
+# How often (in seconds) to run the trading loop.
+interval = 60
+
+# Each [[tactics]] block defines buy/sell rules for one asset.
+[[tactics]]
+name = "VTI"
+
+[tactics.buy]
+for = { stock = "VTI" }
+when = { below_median_percent = 1.0 }
+do = { buy_percent = 25 }
+
+[tactics.sell]
+for = { stock = "VTI" }
+when = { gain_above_percent = 1.0 }
+do = { sell_all = true }
+"#
+}
+
+pub fn agent_config_template() -> &'static str {
+    r#"# Agent configuration file
+# An agent uses an AI model to make trading decisions.
+
+# The system prompt that describes the agent's trading strategy and behavior.
+prompt = "You are a trading agent. Analyze the current portfolio and market conditions, then decide whether to buy or sell."
+
+# Provider configuration for the AI model.
+[agent_provider]
+# Provider type. Currently only "Ollama" is supported.
+type = "Ollama"
+# URL of the Ollama server. Can be a literal URL or an environment variable (e.g. "$OLLAMA_URL").
+url = "http://localhost:11434"
+# The model to use (e.g. "llama3", "mistral").
+model = "llama3"
+
+# Optional allowlist of stock symbols the agent is permitted to trade.
+# If empty, all symbols are allowed.
+# allow = ["VTI", "SPY"]
+
+# Optional denylist of stock symbols the agent is not permitted to trade.
+# deny = ["GME", "AMC"]
+
+# Tool permissions — set any to false to disable that capability for the agent.
+[tools]
+account = true
+positions = true
+open_orders = true
+quotes = true
+buy = true
+sell = true
+web_fetch = true
+read_note = true
+write_note = true
+"#
+}