Pattern Abstract Grammar
Structured instructions for LLMs
KeywordsA1
The keywords fall into categories by the job they do in a line, and every keyword is uppercase because that is the form the model has seen most in code. Every keyword outside the prepositions grounds to a record in the ontology's reasoning collection, so the vocabulary is derived rather than invented, and the lists below are read from the grammar's own records.
Semantic operationsA1.1
A document names one of the semantic operations for every external effect. One adapter per harness maps each operation to a tool, and the short tool forms an adapter accepts are its aliases, never the grammar's vocabulary.
DISCOVER_RESOURCESFind resources by pattern · the adapter maps GLOB to it
DISCOVER_RESOURCES "<pattern>" INTO <resources>READ_RESOURCERead one resource · the adapter maps READ to it
READ_RESOURCE <resource> INTO <content>SEARCH_CONTENTSearch content for a term · the adapter maps GREP to it
SEARCH_CONTENT <content> FOR <term> INTO <matches>ANALYZE_CONTENTAnalyze content against criteria
ANALYZE_CONTENT <content> AGAINST <criteria> INTO <findings>EXTRACT_FACTSIsolate fields from content, preserving its meaning
EXTRACT_FACTS <fields> FROM <content> INTO <facts>CALCULATE_METRICDerive a measure from facts
CALCULATE_METRIC <measure> FROM <facts> INTO <value>COMPOSE_ARTIFACTCompose an artifact from facts using a shape
COMPOSE_ARTIFACT <artifact> FROM <facts> USING <shape>VALIDATE_ARTIFACTValidate an artifact against a schema
VALIDATE_ARTIFACT <artifact> AGAINST <schema>PERSIST_ARTIFACTPersist an artifact to a destination · the adapter maps WRITE and EDIT to it, and a refusal is named before it
PERSIST_ARTIFACT <artifact> TO <destination>EXECUTE_TOOLExecute a command with a bound · the adapter maps BASH to it
EXECUTE_TOOL <command> WITH timeout: <bound> INTO <result>REQUEST_DECISIONAsk a party to decide · the adapter maps ASK_USER to it, and resolves it absent for a bounded reader
REQUEST_DECISION <party> WITH options: [<a>, <b>] INTO <choice>REPORT_RESULTReport an artifact to the parties whose next work it creates
REPORT_RESULT <artifact> TO <parties>Node keywordsA1.2
These tokens make up the node form, which is the unit of a document. They cover the header with its four-slot tag, the contract, the substrate stage at which the node's artifact comes to be, and the slots and limits a document declares.
NODEA node header · the unit of a document, one decision, one gate
# NODE <n> — <NAME> [<layer> · <axis> · <math type> · yields: <shape>]CONTRACTA node's contract · input, transform, constraints, output, handoff
CONTRACT:YIELDSThe shape a node's decision resolves to
yields: <set | boolean | edge-list | ranking | procedure | artifact>GENESISThe substrate stage the node's artifact comes to be at · phase order follows it
@genesis: <existence | difference | relation | structure | transformation | constraint | emergence>PRESERVESThe distinctions a transform keeps · a lowering names what a later check needs
preserves: <distinction>, <distinction>OUTPUT_CONTRACTThe one record the next node reads, as an assignment
# OUTPUT CONTRACTLIMITA declared limit · stated where a reader would otherwise assume the opposite
LIMIT <name>: "<what the document cannot do>"SLOTA slot's state · resolved, absent or deferred, declared by the adapter
SLOT {<namespace>.<name>}: RESOLVED | ABSENT | DEFERREDValidation keywordsA1.3
These tokens make up the handoff gate. They cover a check with its evidence and the population it was measured over, the refusal before a write, the standing of the read set, and the three verdicts, with unknown routed to blocked.
ASSERTHard assertion
ASSERT conditionREQUIREPrerequisite check
REQUIRE dependencyHANDOFFGate marker · the evidence-bearing gate that closes a node
HANDOFF GATE (evidence-bearing):GATECheckpoint marker
HANDOFF GATE:CHECKA check in a gate · a claim about the output with the evidence that settles it
[check] <claim> (evidence: <what settles it>)POPULATIONThe set a check ranges over, measured · zero of zero is not evidence
over: <set> measured: <n> / <N>REFUSEWhere a node refuses to continue · named before the irreversible write
refuse: <condition> before <write>FRESHNESSThe fingerprints an artifact was derived from · a semantic property, never a timestamp
freshness: <inputs fingerprint> + <code fingerprint>STANDINGWhether the read set moved beneath the verdict · a non-empty moved set withdraws the standing, never the verdict
standing: moved-set <set>UNKNOWNThe third verdict · an unmeasured or unevidenced claim, never a pass
unknown → BLOCKEDBLOCKEDThe closure of an unknown or an unanswered decision · external input is owed
result: ... | unknown → BLOCKEDPROMOTEMove a candidate into accepted state · only on a clean verdict, never on production
promote: <candidate> ON clean verdictPUBLISHCross the boundary to the external system · the party that crosses it is named
publish: <artifact> BY <party>RESULTThe result line · the next node on pass, the repair owner on failure, blocked on unknown
result: pass → NODE <n+1> | <failure> → REPAIR (owner: <node>) | unknown → BLOCKEDREPAIRThe repair edge · re-enters at the earliest node that can supply the missing evidence
REPAIR (owner: NODE <n>)RULE_IDThe gate's identity, the node it closes
rule_id: "<NODE NAME>"Report keywordsA1.4
A verdict is written as a report so that a later checker can challenge it. The report's fields record what was measured, over what, from which inputs, and whether the three termination conditions coincide.
SUBJECTThe node or stage the report is about
subject: <node>VERDICTThe value returned · pass, fail or unknown
verdict: pass | fail | unknownDOMAINThe population declared and the population measured
domain: declared <N> measured <n>POPULATIONSThe partitions, each measured · their sum is the whole
populations: <part> <n>, <part> <n>INPUTSThe inputs read, by identity and fingerprint
inputs: <identity> <fingerprint>CODEThe fingerprint of the code that produced the verdict
code: <fingerprint>OUTPUTThe artifact written, by identity and fingerprint
output: <identity> <fingerprint>REFUSALSHow many times the stage refused, and why
refusals: <n> [<reason>]OBSERVEDWhat runtime observation located, kept apart from the verdict
observed: <n> [<location>]UNRESOLVEDWhat stays open, and why
unresolved: <n> [<reason>]COMPLETIONSaturated, complete and verified · the three that must coincide
completion: saturated <bool> complete <bool> verified <bool>Invariant keywordsA1.5
An invariant record states a property in a form that could be false, the set it quantifies over, the parties it binds, and the objector that would disagree if it stopped holding. A record with no objector declares none, and the missing check stands as declared debt.
INVARIANTThe record head · a property the topology relies on, with its set, its parties and its objector
INVARIANT <name>: <property> over: <set> binds: <parties> objector: <check | none>PROPERTYThe property, in a form that could be false
INVARIANT one-writer: a record has exactly one writer ...OVERThe set the property quantifies over
over: every record on the surfaceBINDSThe parties the property constrains · who must receive it
binds: every party writing thereOBJECTORWhat would disagree if the property stopped holding · a check, or none as declared debt
objector: [check] one open fence per record | noneMeta keywordsA1.6
The meta block and the node tags state what the document is for, which source grounds which, what it trusts, what it may touch and what it declares outside itself, and how far repair may recurse.
METAMetadata block
%% META %%:USETemplate usage
USE TEMPLATE nameCUEThe one-line reminder a reader executes at a node
@cue: "<reminder>"RECURSION_LIMITA bound on repair, declared in the meta block
recursion_limit: <bound>PURPOSEWhat a node decides, in one sentence
@purpose: "<what this node decides>"AXIS_QUESTIONThe question a node's axis asks
@axis_question: "<the question>"TRUSTWhat is trusted as evidence and what stays a claim
trust: tool_output = TRUSTED, prior_knowledge = UNTRUSTEDJURISDICTIONWhat the document may touch, and what is declared outside it
jurisdiction: <in scope> | external: <declared outside>PRIORITYThe authority tiers · which source grounds which, highest first
priority: <governing document> > <ontology> > <template> > <task>TEMPLATETemplate reference
USE TEMPLATE validationAction keywordsA1.7
A directive inside a node's transform opens with one of these verbs. Each grounds to a reasoning mode or a loop node, and the ones that name an effect lower to a semantic operation.
READInput acquisition · lowers to READ_RESOURCE
READ file INTO dataWRITEOutput generation · lowers to PERSIST_ARTIFACT
WRITE content TO fileEXECUTEAction invocation · lowers to EXECUTE_TOOL
EXECUTE command WITH paramsCREATEConstruction · lowers to COMPOSE_ARTIFACT
CREATE artifact FROM templateDELETERemoval · an irreversible write, refused before it lands
DELETE file_pathFINDDiscovery · lowers to DISCOVER_RESOURCES
FIND pattern IN scopeANALYZEInspection · lowers to ANALYZE_CONTENT
ANALYZE target FOR conditionVALIDATEVerification · lowers to VALIDATE_ARTIFACT
VALIDATE state AGAINST schemaVERIFYConfirmation against evidence
VERIFY conditionEXTRACTIsolation · lowers to EXTRACT_FACTS
EXTRACT data FROM sourceCOLLECTAggregation
COLLECT items INTO containerFILTERSelection
FILTER items WHERE conditionCOMPAREComparison
COMPARE a AGAINST bCONVERTTransformation · a lowering that names what it preserves
CONVERT data TO formatMERGECombination
MERGE sources INTO targetSPLITDivision
SPLIT data BY delimiterSORTOrdering
SORT items BY criteriaRANKPrioritization · the ranking a worth gate reads
RANK items BY scoreLINKAssociation · a declared edge, never a name match
LINK source TO targetREPORTOutput · lowers to REPORT_RESULT
REPORT findingsADDAdd to collection
ADD item TO listAPPENDAppend to end
APPEND value TO arrayINSERTInsert at position
INSERT item AT indexREMOVERemove from collection
REMOVE item FROM listMOVERelocation · a create at the destination, read before it lands
MOVE file TO destinationCOPYDuplication · a second derivation of one fact, declared as such
COPY file TO backupBACKUPPreservation of the last accepted state before a mutation
BACKUP file TO locationRESTORERecovery of the last accepted state
RESTORE FROM backupLOADResource acquisition · lowers to READ_RESOURCE
LOAD config FROM fileSENDCommunication · lowers to REPORT_RESULT
SEND message TO recipientWAITTiming control · waiting has a command
WAIT FOR conditionATTEMPTTrial operation
ATTEMPT operationFAILError termination · loud at the boundary
FAIL WITH messageEXITExit execution
EXIT 1RETURNReturn value · how a bounded reader ends
RETURN resultITERATERepetition
ITERATE operationINVESTIGATEDeep analysis
INVESTIGATE issueDETERMINEDecision making
DETERMINE outcomeENFORCEConstraint application
ENFORCE ruleEVIDENCEProof provision
EVIDENCE claimPROPAGATEChange distribution · the ripple through declared dependencies
PROPAGATE updatesFINALIZECompletion
FINALIZE operationREDUCEAggregation · a fusion that drops nothing live
REDUCE items TO valueRENAMEName modification · every referencing surface enumerated first
RENAME file TO newnameORDERArrangement
ORDER items BY keyMARKAnnotation
MARK item AS completePREDICTInfer a future state
PREDICT outcome FROM modelCLASSIFYGroup by kind
CLASSIFY item BY typeEXPLAINIdentify the mechanism
EXPLAIN behaviorREFLECTDiscover the principle behind the examples
REFLECT ON outcomeABSTRACTRemove irrelevant detail
ABSTRACT pattern FROM casesGENERALIZEExtend examples into a principle
GENERALIZE FROM examplesDESCRIBECharacterize an object
DESCRIBE structureFORMALIZEExpress symbolically
FORMALIZE rule AS predicateControl flow keywordsA1.8
These keywords mirror the flow control constructs of programming languages.
IFConditional execution
IF condition: actionELSEAlternative branch
ELSE: alternativeFORIteration start
FOR EACH item IN list:EACHIterator marker
FOR EACH x IN items:WHILEConditional loop
WHILE condition: actionTRYException handling start
TRY: risky_opCATCHException handler
CATCH: handle_errorEXCEPTException alternative
EXCEPT: recoveryFINALLYCleanup block
FINALLY: cleanupMATCHPattern matching
MATCH value:CASEMatch branch
CASE pattern: actionDEFAULTFallback case · a declared default, never a masked failure
DEFAULT: fallbackWHENEvent trigger
WHEN event: actionUNLESSNegated conditional
UNLESS condition: actionUNTILLoop terminator
UNTIL doneGUARDEarly exit check
GUARD cond ELSE: exitBREAKExit loop
BREAKCONTINUESkip iteration
CONTINUEGOTOJump to label
GOTO labelSTARTFlow start marker
START processENDFlow end marker
ENDSTOPTermination
STOPLOOPLoop marker
LOOP BACKTO stepSTEPStep marker
STEP 1: actionRULERule definition
RULE name: bodyINContainment test
item IN collectionMATCHESPattern test
value MATCHES patternDeclaration keywordsA1.9
These keywords declare the variables and types that hold a document's state.
SETVariable assignment
SET name = valueDECLARETyped declaration
DECLARE x: stringDEFINEConstant definition
DEFINE PI = 3.14LETLocal binding
LET temp = exprCONSTImmutable value
CONST MAX = 100Modifier keywordsA2.1
A modifier qualifies and strengthens a line inside a property. It never heads a block, because a block head states no set, no parties and no objector, and the invariant record carries all three.
MUSTMandatory requirement · a modifier inside a property
MUST validate firstNEVERProhibition · a modifier inside a property
NEVER delete without backupALWAYSInvariance · a modifier inside a property
ALWAYS log changesREQUIREDNecessity marker
REQUIRED fieldMANDATORYObligation marker
MANDATORY checkCRITICALRepair ordering among failures, never a softer verdict
CRITICAL validationABSOLUTENo exceptions
ABSOLUTE ruleFORBIDDENAbsolute prohibition
FORBIDDEN: direct DBCoordination keywordsA2.2
A shared surface makes this structure explicit. It consists of the surface, its records, each with exactly one writer, the addressed items inside them, the typed edges between records, the states derived from those edges, the reader classes, and the one operation that posts and waits. The waiting, locking and retry tokens describe the same model from one party's turn.
AWAITAsync wait · waiting has a command, a turn never ends to wait
AWAIT op INTO resultPARALLELConcurrent execution
PARALLEL: tasks ENDDELEGATETask handoff · a bounded reader receives a task and returns
DELEGATE task TO readerQUEUETask queuing
QUEUE operationRETRYRetry on failure · bounded by a declared limit
RETRY operationLOCKResource lock · the barrier around an exclusive write
LOCK resourceUNLOCKRelease lock
UNLOCK resourceSURFACEA file parties read and write · its key declared in the header, never derived from the path
SURFACE <key>:RECORDOne addressable claim inside a surface · exactly one writer
RECORD <id> subject: <key>ITEMAn addressed span inside a record · its id allocated by the tool
ITEM <id> TO <reader>: <claim>PARENTEdge · the target reduces this surface upward
PARENT <surface>SATISFIED_BYEdge · the record resolves when the artifact exists
SATISFIED_BY <artifact>BLOCKSEdge · the target cannot close first
BLOCKS <record>ANSWERSEdge · this record acts on the target
ANSWERS <record>REFUTESEdge · this record contradicts the target with evidence
REFUTES <record>SUPERSEDESEdge · this record replaces the target
SUPERSEDES <record>OPENDerived state · an unresolved outbound edge, never written
state: OPENABSORBEDDerived state · the satisfying artifact exists, so it is extracted, then deleted
state: ABSORBEDREADERA party's class, derived from what it received · participant or bounded
READER <party> AS participant | boundedBARRIERProceed with an exclusive write only once every peer is parked
BARRIER ON <surface>SWAPCompare-and-swap on the writer's own span · refuses an overlap with its diff
SWAP <span> AGAINST <read>WAITPost and wait as one operation · reports the diff since this reader last looked
WAIT ON <surface> AS <reader> INTO <diff>State machine keywordsA2.3
A state machine makes a lifetime explicit, meaning the states a thing can be in and the transitions that are legal between them. In a coordinated document a state is derived from the graph and never written, so the machine declares what may happen, not what has.
STATE_MACHINEMachine declaration · makes a lifetime or a derived-state set explicit
STATE_MACHINE workflow:STATEState definition · a state is derived from the graph, never written
STATE pending:TRANSITIONState change rule
TRANSITION FROM a TO bONEvent trigger
ON approvalFROMSource state
FROM pendingTOTarget state
TO approvedENTRYEntry action
ENTRY: notifyEXITExit action
EXIT: cleanupDAG keywordsA2.4
A dependency graph makes explicit what depends on what, as declared by the referent and never inferred from a name. The loop spine of a document is one such graph, and a repair edge is a back-edge on it.
DAGGraph declaration · makes a dependency graph explicit, and the loop spine is one
DAG pipeline:DEPENDS_ONDependencies · declared by the referent, never inferred from a name
DEPENDS_ON [a, b]AFTERSequencing
AFTER compileBEFOREReverse sequencing
BEFORE deployPARALLEL_GROUPParallel nodes · peers with no edge between them
PARALLEL_GROUP: a, bNODENode definition
NODE build:Priority queue keywordsA2.5
A priority queue makes a ranking explicit, with the candidates ordered by a declared worth. The branch ranking a worth gate emits is one, and a peek returns the selected branch.
PRIORITY_QUEUEQueue declaration · makes a ranking explicit, and the branch ranking a worth gate emits is one
PRIORITY_QUEUE branches:PRIORITYPriority value · utility minus cost
PRIORITY = 10ENQUEUEAdd to queue
ENQUEUE task TO qDEQUEUERemove from queue
DEQUEUE FROM qPEEKView top item · the selected branch
PEEK queueHEAPIFYReorder queue
HEAPIFY queueCOMPARE_BYComparison function
COMPARE_BY priorityFlowchart keywordsA2.6
A flowchart is the rendered projection of a declared structure. It shows a graph, a lifetime or a ranking to a reader, and it never carries a structure the document did not declare elsewhere.
FLOWCHARTFlow declaration · the rendered projection of a declared structure
FLOWCHART process:MERMAIDDiagram syntax · a rendering, never the structure itself
MERMAID flowchart:LAYOUTFlow direction
LAYOUT verticalSUBGRAPHNested group
SUBGRAPH auth:Document type keywordsA2.7
These keywords name the document type in a declaration of the form THIS {TYPE} {VERB} description.
AGENTAgent definition
THIS AGENT PERFORMS...WORKFLOWMulti-node process
THIS WORKFLOW EXECUTES...PROTOCOLStandard procedures
THIS PROTOCOL DEFINES...POLICYConstraint system
THIS POLICY ENFORCES...CHECKLISTTask tracking
THIS CHECKLIST PROVIDES...TEMPLATEReusable pattern
THIS TEMPLATE IMPLEMENTS...TASKSingle objective
THIS TASK EXECUTES...INSTRUCTIONGeneral guidance
THIS INSTRUCTION IS...PROMPTModel interaction
THIS PROMPT IS...COMMANDExecutable command
THIS COMMAND EXECUTES...TESTTest specification
THIS TEST PERFORMS...DEBUGDebugging session
THIS DEBUG RESOLVES...VERIFICATIONCompliance verification
THIS VERIFICATION PERFORMS...DISTILLATIONPattern distillation
THIS DISTILLATION DISTILLS...AUDITForensic audit
THIS AUDIT AUDITS...TRANSLATIONTranslation audit
THIS TRANSLATION AUDITS...COMPOSITIONDocument composition
THIS COMPOSITION RENDERS...Document verbsA2.8
These verbs follow the type in a document declaration.
ISIdentity
THIS INSTRUCTION IS...ENFORCESConstraint
THIS POLICY ENFORCES...EXECUTESAction
THIS WORKFLOW EXECUTES...HASPossession
THIS AGENT HAS...PERFORMSBehavior
THIS AGENT PERFORMS...PROVIDESOffering
THIS CHECKLIST PROVIDES...IMPLEMENTSRealization
THIS TEMPLATE IMPLEMENTS...DEFINESSpecification
THIS PROTOCOL DEFINES...MANAGESControl
THIS AGENT MANAGES...COORDINATESOrchestration
THIS WORKFLOW COORDINATES...GENERATESCreation
THIS TEMPLATE GENERATES...RESOLVESResolution
THIS DEBUG RESOLVES...FINDSDiscovery
THIS DEBUG FINDS...FIXESCorrection
THIS DEBUG FIXES...VERIFIESVerification
THIS VERIFICATION VERIFIES...CLASSIFIESClassification
THIS VERIFICATION CLASSIFIES...DISTILLSDistillation
THIS DISTILLATION DISTILLS...ABSTRACTSAbstraction
THIS DISTILLATION ABSTRACTS...ELIMINATESElimination
THIS DISTILLATION ELIMINATES...AUDITSAudit
THIS AUDIT AUDITS...MEASURESMeasurement
THIS AUDIT MEASURES...SCORESScoring
THIS AUDIT SCORES...CORRECTSCorrection
THIS TRANSLATION CORRECTS...RENDERSRendering
THIS COMPOSITION RENDERS...COMPOSESComposition
THIS COMPOSITION COMPOSES...FOLDSFolding
THIS COMPOSITION FOLDS...Contextual keywordsA2.9
These prepositions and connectors state the relation between the operands of a line.
INTODestination
READ file INTO dataWITHAssociation
EXECUTE WITH paramsUSINGInstrument
VALIDATE USING schemaASAlias/Role
BIND result AS aliasBETWEENRange
value BETWEEN 1 AND 10AGAINSTComparison target
VALIDATE AGAINST schemaBASED_ONFoundation
CREATE BASED_ON templateWITHOUTExclusion
EXECUTE WITHOUT loggingWHEREFilter condition
FIND WHERE x > 0CONTENTData marker
WRITE CONTENT dataNOTNegation
NOT conditionSTYLEFormatting
STYLE outputFORPurpose/Iteration
SEARCH FOR patternINContainment
FIND key IN objectFROMSource
EXTRACT FROM responseTOTarget
WRITE TO fileAn adapter's aliasesA3.1
The aliases below belong to one adapter, and they are shown as an instance of a binding rather than as grammar. The grammar carries no tool name, so a document names the operation, and the binding for a harness maps its short forms to the operation and the operation to whichever tool performs it there. Another harness ships another table, and the document does not change.
READAn alias for READ_RESOURCE
READ "<file>" INTO <content>WRITEAn alias for PERSIST_ARTIFACT
WRITE <content> TO <file>EDITAn alias for PERSIST_ARTIFACT over a span
EDIT <file> WITH before: "<span>", after: "<span>"GLOBAn alias for DISCOVER_RESOURCES
GLOB "<pattern>" INTO <files>GREPAn alias for SEARCH_CONTENT
GREP "<term>" IN <scope> INTO <matches>BASHAn alias for EXECUTE_TOOL
BASH "<command>" WITH timeout: <bound>WEB_FETCHAn alias for READ_RESOURCE over a remote address
WEB_FETCH "<address>" INTO <content>WEB_SEARCHAn alias for DISCOVER_RESOURCES over the web
WEB_SEARCH "<query>" INTO <hits>TASKAn alias for DELEGATE to a bounded reader
TASK "<objective>" WITH agent: <role> → <result>ASK_USERAn alias for REQUEST_DECISION
ASK_USER "<question>" WITH options: [<a>, <b>]