Immutable. This exact content is served forever at /api/v1/blob/90119241f42f6143.
---
name: mission-brief
description: Compose a MissionBrief YAML block to prepend to any Agent dispatch to a warden. Use BEFORE spawning kernel-warden or any other warden. Fails if missing end-state, why, authority-bounds, or success-criteria.
---
# MissionBrief
Mandatory input contract for warden dispatch.
## When to invoke
- Before any `Agent` call targeting a warden agent (`kernel-warden`, future wardens).
- Optional for vanilla cavecrew agents during pilot, but encouraged.
## Schema
Prepend this YAML block (inside a fenced code block, language `yaml`) at the very top of the Agent prompt:
```yaml
mission-brief:
end-state: <one sentence, measurable. e.g., "Loop-detector streak counter resets on ACTION steps only; existing 2458 tests still pass.">
why: <one sentence, the constraint or motivation. e.g., "Observations resetting the streak masked IC-1 loop bug; project memory entry feedback_clean_types.md.">
key-tasks: <ordered list, ≤5 items>
authority-bounds:
paths: <glob list of paths the warden may Read/Edit>
commands: <list of bash commands the warden may run>
out-of-scope: <explicit list — refuse rather than escalate silently>
success-criteria: <deterministic gates: tests-green | file:line landmark | LOC delta ceiling | ablation-warden lift threshold>
retries-allowed: <integer, default 2>
```
## Validation rule
Refuse to dispatch if any required field (end-state, why, authority-bounds.paths, success-criteria) is missing or contains "TBD" / "TODO" / vague phrasing.
## Example
```yaml
mission-brief:
end-state: "loop-detector.ts:102 streak counter resets only on ACTION steps; 2458 tests green."
why: "IC-1 (Apr 12) regression — observations were resetting streak, masking infinite loops."
key-tasks:
- Read loop-detector.ts to locate streak-reset call sites
- Write failing test asserting streak persists across observation
- Implement guard
- Run typecheck + targeted test
- Run full reasoning package suite
authority-bounds:
paths:
- packages/reasoning/src/kernel/capabilities/reflect/loop-detector.ts
- packages/reasoning/src/kernel/capabilities/reflect/*.test.ts
commands:
- bunx turbo run typecheck --filter=@reactive-agents/reasoning
- bun test packages/reasoning/src/kernel/capabilities/reflect/
out-of-scope:
- Edits outside packages/reasoning/src/kernel/
- Changes to act.ts or terminate.ts
success-criteria: "Targeted test fails before, passes after; full reasoning suite green; no LOC delta > 30."
retries-allowed: 2
```
## Status
Ratified as permanent. See [[2026-09-03-warden-pilot-ratified]].