aiwg/agentic/code/frameworks/sdlc-complete/schemas/flows/tool-grounding.yaml

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# Tool Grounding Requirements Schema
# Based on REF-018 ReAct Research
# Issue: #163

$schema: "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
$id: "https://aiwg.io/schemas/tool-grounding/v1"
title: "Tool Grounding Requirements Schema"
description: |
  Schema defining tool grounding requirements to prevent hallucinations
  and ensure factual accuracy per REF-018 ReAct methodology.

type: object
required:
  - version
  - grounding_rules
  - verification_protocol

properties:
  version:
    type: string
    pattern: "^\\d+\\.\\d+\\.\\d+$"
    default: "1.0.0"

  grounding_rules:
    $ref: "#/$defs/GroundingRules"

  verification_protocol:
    $ref: "#/$defs/VerificationProtocol"

  claim_types:
    $ref: "#/$defs/ClaimTypes"

$defs:
  GroundingRules:
    type: object
    description: "Rules for grounding claims in tool observations"
    properties:
      mandatory_grounding:
        type: array
        description: "Claims that MUST be grounded via tool use"
        items:
          type: string
        default:
          - file_contents
          - file_existence
          - file_location
          - code_behavior
          - test_results
          - error_messages
          - api_responses
          - configuration_values
          - dependency_versions
          - git_state

      recommended_grounding:
        type: array
        description: "Claims that SHOULD be grounded when possible"
        items:
          type: string
        default:
          - performance_characteristics
          - code_patterns
          - architecture_decisions
          - historical_changes

      grounding_not_required:
        type: array
        description: "Claims that don't require tool grounding"
        items:
          type: string
        default:
          - general_programming_knowledge
          - language_syntax
          - well_known_patterns
          - mathematical_facts

  VerificationProtocol:
    type: object
    description: "Protocol for verifying grounded claims"
    properties:
      before_claim:
        type: object
        properties:
          check_required:
            type: boolean
            default: true
          verification_steps:
            type: array
            items:
              type: string
            default:
              - "Identify claim type"
              - "Determine if grounding required"
              - "Select appropriate verification tool"
              - "Execute verification action"
              - "Wait for observation"
              - "Make claim based on observation"

      claim_format:
        type: object
        properties:
          include_source:
            type: boolean
            default: true
            description: "Include source reference in claim"
          include_timestamp:
            type: boolean
            default: false
            description: "Include when claim was verified"
          format_template:
            type: string
            default: "[Claim] (Source: [tool/observation])"

      on_verification_failure:
        type: object
        properties:
          actions:
            type: array
            items:
              type: string
            default:
              - "Do not make the claim"
              - "Report verification failure"
              - "Suggest alternative approach"
          allow_unverified_claim:
            type: boolean
            default: false

  ClaimTypes:
    type: object
    description: "Specific claim types and their grounding requirements"
    properties:
      file_claims:
        type: object
        properties:
          existence:
            type: object
            properties:
              required_tool:
                type: string
                default: "Glob"
              verification:
                type: string
                default: "File path appears in glob results"
              example:
                type: string
                default: "File src/auth.ts exists (verified via Glob '**/*.ts')"

          content:
            type: object
            properties:
              required_tool:
                type: string
                default: "Read"
              verification:
                type: string
                default: "Content directly observed via Read tool"
              example:
                type: string
                default: "Line 42 contains 'const TTL = 60' (Read src/config.ts)"

          location:
            type: object
            properties:
              required_tool:
                type: string
                default: "Grep"
              verification:
                type: string
                default: "Pattern found at specified location"
              example:
                type: string
                default: "authenticate() defined at src/auth.ts:15 (Grep 'function authenticate')"

      code_claims:
        type: object
        properties:
          behavior:
            type: object
            properties:
              required_tool:
                type: string
                default: "Bash (test runner)"
              verification:
                type: string
                default: "Behavior confirmed via test execution"
              example:
                type: string
                default: "Function returns error on invalid input (npm test --grep 'invalid input')"

          syntax:
            type: object
            properties:
              required_tool:
                type: string
                default: "Bash (type checker/linter)"
              verification:
                type: string
                default: "No syntax errors from checker"
              example:
                type: string
                default: "Code compiles without errors (tsc --noEmit passed)"

      state_claims:
        type: object
        properties:
          git_state:
            type: object
            properties:
              required_tool:
                type: string
                default: "Bash (git commands)"
              verification:
                type: string
                default: "Git command output confirms state"
              example:
                type: string
                default: "Working directory clean (git status shows 'nothing to commit')"

          dependency_state:
            type: object
            properties:
              required_tool:
                type: string
                default: "Read (package.json) or Bash (npm list)"
              verification:
                type: string
                default: "Version confirmed in manifest or npm output"
              example:
                type: string
                default: "lodash@4.17.21 installed (npm list lodash)"

# Grounding validation protocol
grounding_validation:
  pre_claim_check:
    description: "Validate claim grounding before making assertion"
    steps:
      - identify_claim_type
      - check_if_grounding_required
      - if_required:
          - verify_tool_observation_exists
          - verify_observation_supports_claim
          - format_claim_with_source
      - if_not_required:
          - make_claim_directly

  post_claim_audit:
    description: "Audit claims for proper grounding"
    checks:
      - claim_has_source_reference
      - source_matches_observation
      - observation_timestamp_recent
      - no_extrapolation_beyond_observation

# Hallucination prevention
hallucination_prevention:
  high_risk_patterns:
    description: "Patterns that frequently lead to hallucination"
    patterns:
      - pattern: "Assuming file contents without reading"
        mitigation: "Always Read before claiming content"

      - pattern: "Assuming code behavior without testing"
        mitigation: "Run tests to verify behavior"

      - pattern: "Assuming error causes without observing"
        mitigation: "Check actual error messages"

      - pattern: "Assuming configuration without checking"
        mitigation: "Read config files directly"

      - pattern: "Assuming git state without status"
        mitigation: "Run git status/diff/log"

  forbidden_claim_patterns:
    description: "Claim patterns that are forbidden"
    patterns:
      - "The file probably contains..."
      - "This should work because..."
      - "The error is likely..."
      - "I assume the config has..."
      - "Based on typical patterns..."

  required_claim_patterns:
    description: "Required claim patterns"
    patterns:
      - "The file contains [X] (Read src/file.ts:42)"
      - "The test passes (npm test output: 'PASS')"
      - "The error message is [X] (observed in output)"
      - "Config value is [X] (Read .env)"

# Agent protocol integration
agent_protocol:
  before_any_claim:
    description: "Protocol before making factual claims"
    steps:
      - determine_claim_type
      - check_grounding_requirement
      - if_required_and_not_grounded:
          - execute_verification_tool
          - wait_for_observation
          - extract_relevant_facts
      - make_grounded_claim

  during_tao_loop:
    description: "Integration with TAO loop"
    integration:
      - thought_phase: "Identify what claims need grounding"
      - action_phase: "Execute grounding verification tools"
      - observation_phase: "Extract facts for grounded claims"

  metrics:
    description: "Grounding metrics to track"
    metrics:
      - grounding_rate: "% of claims properly grounded"
      - hallucination_rate: "% of claims without grounding"
      - verification_success_rate: "% of verifications that succeed"
      - false_claim_rate: "% of grounded claims that are wrong"

# Storage
storage:
  grounding_logs: ".aiwg/ralph/{loop_id}/grounding/"
  audit_reports: ".aiwg/reports/grounding/"

# References
references:
  research:
    - "@.aiwg/research/findings/REF-018-react.md"
  implementation:
    - "#163"
  related:
    - "@.claude/rules/tao-loop.md"
    - "@.claude/rules/thought-protocol.md"
    - "@.aiwg/research/synthesis/topic-04-tool-grounding.md"