arifOS — Constitutional AI Kernel

Memory Governor · Kernel

arif_memory

Destructive

KERNEL 555 · Governed memory of the kernel itself: six tiers (L1–L6) with per-mode gating. recall, inspect, and audit are read paths; remember, revise, promote, and forget mutate tiers — promote and forget additionally require human_approval=true. Use for cross-session lessons, canon, and memory audit; external evidence belongs to arif_observe and reasoning artifacts to arif_think. Modes: recall, inspect, attest, remember, promote, revise, forget, audit, metabolize.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`mode`	No	'recall' (default) — semantic search of stored memories; 'inspect' — read one memory in full; 'attest' — vouch for a memory's accuracy; 'remember' — store new text; 'promote' — move a memory up a tier; 'revise' — replace a memory's text; 'forget' — remove a memory (gated); 'audit' — integrity scan; 'metabolize' — compact and consolidate tiers.	recall
`tier`	No	Which memory tier to target, 'L1'–'L6' (L1 = hot working memory, L6 = sealed canon).
`query`	No	What to search for, in plain language (mode=recall/audit), e.g. 'past deploy rollback steps'.
`content`	No	The text to store (mode=remember) — write it as a self-contained lesson or fact.
`payload`	No	Extra mode-specific fields as JSON — e.g. {"truth_class": "DERIVED", "provenance": "CI log"} for remember.
`to_tier`	No	Destination tier when promoting, e.g. 'L4'.
`actor_id`	No	Your agent identity, e.g. 'kimi-code/FI-008' — recorded in the audit log.
`lease_id`	No	Id of a short-lived permission grant (lease) authorizing this write, when one was issued to you.
`trace_id`	No	Correlation id of your choosing (e.g. 'req-8f3a') to find this call later in the logs.
`memory_id`	No	UUID of the memory entry to inspect/revise/forget — it was returned when the memory was created or last listed.
`session_id`	No	Session id returned by arif_init; attributes this call to your governed session.
`new_content`	No	Replacement text for the memory (mode=revise) — must refer to the same memory_id.
`session_token`	No	Session Continuity Token (SCT) returned by arif_init — proves the session is yours.
`human_approval`	No	Set true ONLY when the human owner explicitly approved this promote/forget — the gate refuses without it.
`idempotency_key`	No	Client-chosen key (e.g. 'memo-42'); retries with the same key will not store duplicates.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed15 schema fields changedOct 1, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / actor_id / description

Previous value: -"Calling actor (F11 attribution)."New value: +"Your agent identity, e.g. 'kimi-code/FI-008' — recorded in the audit log."

changedInput schema / properties / content / description

Previous value: -"Text body for remember mode."New value: +"The text to store (mode=remember) — write it as a self-contained lesson or fact."

changedInput schema / properties / human_approval / description

Previous value: -"Explicit human approval for promote/forget gates."New value: +"Set true ONLY when the human owner explicitly approved this promote/forget — the gate refuses without it."

changedInput schema / properties / idempotency_key / description

Previous value: -"Idempotency key for write operations."New value: +"Client-chosen key (e.g. 'memo-42'); retries with the same key will not store duplicates."

changedInput schema / properties / lease_id / description

Previous value: -"Governed lease ID."New value: +"Id of a short-lived permission grant (lease) authorizing this write, when one was issued to you."

changedInput schema / properties / memory_id / description

Previous value: -"Target memory UUID (inspect/promote/revise/forget)."New value: +"UUID of the memory entry to inspect/revise/forget — it was returned when the memory was created or last listed."

changedInput schema / properties / mode / description

Previous value: -"Operation mode: recall, inspect, attest, remember, promote, revise, forget, audit, metabolize."New value: +"'recall' (default) — semantic search of stored memories; 'inspect' — read one memory in full; 'attest' — vouch for a memory's accuracy; 'remember' — store new text; 'promote' — move a memory up a tier; 'revise' — replace a memory's text; 'forget' — remove a memory (gated); 'audit' — integrity scan; 'metabolize' — compact and consolidate tiers."

changedInput schema / properties / new_content / description

Previous value: -"Replacement content for revise."New value: +"Replacement text for the memory (mode=revise) — must refer to the same memory_id."

changedInput schema / properties / payload / description

Previous value: -"Mode-specific params dict (truth_class, provenance, structured, etc.)."New value: +"Extra mode-specific fields as JSON — e.g. {\"truth_class\": \"DERIVED\", \"provenance\": \"CI log\"} for remember."

changedInput schema / properties / query / description

Previous value: -"Semantic search query (recall/audit)."New value: +"What to search for, in plain language (mode=recall/audit), e.g. 'past deploy rollback steps'."

changedInput schema / properties / session_id / description

Previous value: -"Governing session."New value: +"Session id returned by arif_init; attributes this call to your governed session."

changedInput schema / properties / session_token / description

Previous value: -"SCT from arif_init."New value: +"Session Continuity Token (SCT) returned by arif_init — proves the session is yours."

changedInput schema / properties / tier / description

Previous value: -"Memory tier L1–L6."New value: +"Which memory tier to target, 'L1'–'L6' (L1 = hot working memory, L6 = sealed canon)."

changedInput schema / properties / to_tier / description

Previous value: -"Destination tier for promote."New value: +"Destination tier when promoting, e.g. 'L4'."

changedInput schema / properties / trace_id / description

Previous value: -"Trace ID for audit."New value: +"Correlation id of your choosing (e.g. 'req-8f3a') to find this call later in the logs."

Changed15 schema fields changedOct 1, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / actor_id / description

Previous value: -"Your agent identity, e.g. 'kimi-code/FI-008' — recorded in the audit log."New value: +"Calling actor (F11 attribution)."

changedInput schema / properties / content / description

Previous value: -"The text to store (mode=remember) — write it as a self-contained lesson or fact."New value: +"Text body for remember mode."

changedInput schema / properties / human_approval / description

Previous value: -"Set true ONLY when the human owner explicitly approved this promote/forget — the gate refuses without it."New value: +"Explicit human approval for promote/forget gates."

changedInput schema / properties / idempotency_key / description

Previous value: -"Client-chosen key (e.g. 'memo-42'); retries with the same key will not store duplicates."New value: +"Idempotency key for write operations."

changedInput schema / properties / lease_id / description

Previous value: -"Id of a short-lived permission grant (lease) authorizing this write, when one was issued to you."New value: +"Governed lease ID."

changedInput schema / properties / memory_id / description

Previous value: -"UUID of the memory entry to inspect/revise/forget — it was returned when the memory was created or last listed."New value: +"Target memory UUID (inspect/promote/revise/forget)."

changedInput schema / properties / mode / description

Previous value: -"'recall' (default) — semantic search of stored memories; 'inspect' — read one memory in full; 'attest' — vouch for a memory's accuracy; 'remember' — store new text; 'promote' — move a memory up a tier; 'revise' — replace a memory's text; 'forget' — remove a memory (gated); 'audit' — integrity scan; 'metabolize' — compact and consolidate tiers."New value: +"Operation mode: recall, inspect, attest, remember, promote, revise, forget, audit, metabolize."

changedInput schema / properties / new_content / description

Previous value: -"Replacement text for the memory (mode=revise) — must refer to the same memory_id."New value: +"Replacement content for revise."

changedInput schema / properties / payload / description

Previous value: -"Extra mode-specific fields as JSON — e.g. {\"truth_class\": \"DERIVED\", \"provenance\": \"CI log\"} for remember."New value: +"Mode-specific params dict (truth_class, provenance, structured, etc.)."

changedInput schema / properties / query / description

Previous value: -"What to search for, in plain language (mode=recall/audit), e.g. 'past deploy rollback steps'."New value: +"Semantic search query (recall/audit)."

changedInput schema / properties / session_id / description

Previous value: -"Session id returned by arif_init; attributes this call to your governed session."New value: +"Governing session."

changedInput schema / properties / session_token / description

Previous value: -"Session Continuity Token (SCT) returned by arif_init — proves the session is yours."New value: +"SCT from arif_init."

changedInput schema / properties / tier / description

Previous value: -"Which memory tier to target, 'L1'–'L6' (L1 = hot working memory, L6 = sealed canon)."New value: +"Memory tier L1–L6."

changedInput schema / properties / to_tier / description

Previous value: -"Destination tier when promoting, e.g. 'L4'."New value: +"Destination tier for promote."

changedInput schema / properties / trace_id / description

Previous value: -"Correlation id of your choosing (e.g. 'req-8f3a') to find this call later in the logs."New value: +"Trace ID for audit."

Changed15 schema fields changedSep 25, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / actor_id / description

Previous value: -"Calling actor (F11 attribution)."New value: +"Your agent identity, e.g. 'kimi-code/FI-008' — recorded in the audit log."

changedInput schema / properties / content / description

Previous value: -"Text body for remember mode."New value: +"The text to store (mode=remember) — write it as a self-contained lesson or fact."

changedInput schema / properties / human_approval / description

Previous value: -"Explicit human approval for promote/forget gates."New value: +"Set true ONLY when the human owner explicitly approved this promote/forget — the gate refuses without it."

changedInput schema / properties / idempotency_key / description

Previous value: -"Idempotency key for write operations."New value: +"Client-chosen key (e.g. 'memo-42'); retries with the same key will not store duplicates."

changedInput schema / properties / lease_id / description

Previous value: -"Governed lease ID."New value: +"Id of a short-lived permission grant (lease) authorizing this write, when one was issued to you."

changedInput schema / properties / memory_id / description

Previous value: -"Target memory UUID (inspect/promote/revise/forget)."New value: +"UUID of the memory entry to inspect/revise/forget — it was returned when the memory was created or last listed."

changedInput schema / properties / mode / description

Previous value: -"Operation mode: recall, inspect, attest, remember, promote, revise, forget, audit, metabolize."New value: +"'recall' (default) — semantic search of stored memories; 'inspect' — read one memory in full; 'attest' — vouch for a memory's accuracy; 'remember' — store new text; 'promote' — move a memory up a tier; 'revise' — replace a memory's text; 'forget' — remove a memory (gated); 'audit' — integrity scan; 'metabolize' — compact and consolidate tiers."

changedInput schema / properties / new_content / description

Previous value: -"Replacement content for revise."New value: +"Replacement text for the memory (mode=revise) — must refer to the same memory_id."

changedInput schema / properties / payload / description

Previous value: -"Mode-specific params dict (truth_class, provenance, structured, etc.)."New value: +"Extra mode-specific fields as JSON — e.g. {\"truth_class\": \"DERIVED\", \"provenance\": \"CI log\"} for remember."

changedInput schema / properties / query / description

Previous value: -"Semantic search query (recall/audit)."New value: +"What to search for, in plain language (mode=recall/audit), e.g. 'past deploy rollback steps'."

changedInput schema / properties / session_id / description

Previous value: -"Governing session."New value: +"Session id returned by arif_init; attributes this call to your governed session."

changedInput schema / properties / session_token / description

Previous value: -"SCT from arif_init."New value: +"Session Continuity Token (SCT) returned by arif_init — proves the session is yours."

changedInput schema / properties / tier / description

Previous value: -"Memory tier L1–L6."New value: +"Which memory tier to target, 'L1'–'L6' (L1 = hot working memory, L6 = sealed canon)."

changedInput schema / properties / to_tier / description

Previous value: -"Destination tier for promote."New value: +"Destination tier when promoting, e.g. 'L4'."

changedInput schema / properties / trace_id / description

Previous value: -"Trace ID for audit."New value: +"Correlation id of your choosing (e.g. 'req-8f3a') to find this call later in the logs."

Changed2 schema fields changedSep 17, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / mode / description

Previous value: -"Operation mode: recall, inspect, attest, remember, promote, revise, forget, audit, etc."New value: +"Operation mode: recall, inspect, attest, remember, promote, revise, forget, audit, metabolize."

changedInput schema / properties / mode / enum

Previous value: -[
-  "recall",
-  "inspect",
-  "attest",
-  "remember",
-  "promote",
-  "revise",
-  "forget",
-  "audit"
-]New value: +[
+  "recall",
+  "inspect",
+  "attest",
+  "remember",
+  "promote",
+  "revise",
+  "forget",
+  "audit",
+  "metabolize"
+]

Changed60 schema fields changedSep 11, 2026

removedInput schema / properties / _envelope

Removed value: -{
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Envelope"
-}

addedInput schema / properties / actor_id / description
```
Added value: +"Calling actor (F11 attribution)."
```

removedInput schema / properties / applicability

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / aspect

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / caller_chain

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "items": {},
-      "type": "array"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / cascade

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "boolean"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / content / description
```
Added value: +"Text body for remember mode."
```

removedInput schema / properties / correction_event

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / decision_lifecycle

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / embedding_ref

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / from_tier

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / future_value

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / graph_first

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "boolean"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / human_approval / description

Added value: +"Explicit human approval for promote/forget gates."

removedInput schema / properties / hybrid

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "boolean"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / idempotency_key / description
```
Added value: +"Idempotency key for write operations."
```

removedInput schema / properties / include

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "items": {
-        "type": "string"
-      },
-      "type": "array"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / include_contested

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "boolean"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / include_proof

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "boolean"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / lease_id / description
```
Added value: +"Governed lease ID."
```

removedInput schema / properties / memory_authority

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / memory_class

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / memory_id / description

Added value: +"Target memory UUID (inspect/promote/revise/forget)."

removedInput schema / properties / metadata

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / minimised_vault_record

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "boolean"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / mode / description

Added value: +"Operation mode: recall, inspect, attest, remember, promote, revise, forget, audit, etc."

addedInput schema / properties / new_content / description
```
Added value: +"Replacement content for revise."
```

removedInput schema / properties / new_structured

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / new_truth_class

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / organ_staleness_band

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

changedInput schema / properties / payload / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "additionalProperties": true,
-    "type": "object"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

addedInput schema / properties / payload / description

Added value: +"Mode-specific params dict (truth_class, provenance, structured, etc.)."

removedInput schema / properties / policy

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / policy_basis

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / progressive_level

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / promotion_reason

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / provenance

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / query / description

Added value: +"Semantic search query (recall/audit)."

removedInput schema / properties / redact_pii

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "boolean"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / require_human_ack

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "boolean"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / required_floors_satisfied

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "items": {
-        "type": "string"
-      },
-      "type": "array"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / resolution_kind

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / scope

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / seal_id

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / session_id / description
```
Added value: +"Governing session."
```
addedInput schema / properties / session_token / description
```
Added value: +"SCT from arif_init."
```

removedInput schema / properties / source_receipts

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "items": {
-        "additionalProperties": true,
-        "type": "object"
-      },
-      "type": "array"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / structured

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / supersedes_memory_id

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / temporal_as_of

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / tier / description
```
Added value: +"Memory tier L1–L6."
```

removedInput schema / properties / tier_hint

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / time_window_hours

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "integer"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / timestamp

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / to_tier / description
```
Added value: +"Destination tier for promote."
```

removedInput schema / properties / tombstone_text

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / top_k

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "integer"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

addedInput schema / properties / trace_id / description
```
Added value: +"Trace ID for audit."
```

removedInput schema / properties / truth_class

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "type": "object"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

removedInput schema / properties / vault_version

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null
-}

Changed4 schema fields changedJul 12, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / applicability

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedInput schema / properties / decision_lifecycle

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedInput schema / properties / future_value

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

addedInput schema / properties / memory_authority

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

Changed1 schema field changedJul 9, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / session_token

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null
+}

AddedJul 7, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already mark destructiveHint=true RF, but the description adds valuable specifics: it categorizes read paths ('recall, inspect, and audit') vs. mutating modes ('remember, revise, promote, and forget') and highlights the human_approval=true gate for promote/forget. This goes beyond annotations to explain which operations are destructive and what guardrails apply. It does not contradict annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is compact and front-loaded with the core concept ('Governed memory of the kernel itself'), then the next sentence covers reading vs. mutation, then usage guidance, then a mode list (which is somewhat redundant with the schema but serves as a quick reference). It earns its length with no fluff, though the 'KERNEL 555' preamble adds a little flavor without substance.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a complex tool with 15 optional parameters and no output schema, the description gives the essential context: purpose, modes, tier system, gating, and sibling boundaries. It explains the tool's role in the environment and how to use it, while the schema handles parameter details. Some specifics like return-value behavior are absent but not required without an output schema.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% for all 15 parameters, so the schema already documents each parameter. The description does not add new parameter semantics beyond noting that promote/forget require human_approval=true, which is also in the schema. Baseline 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb ('governed memory') and resource ('kernel itself'), defines six tiers (L1–L6), and explicitly differentiates from siblings: 'external evidence belongs to arif_observe and reasoning artifacts to arif_think.' An agent can immediately tell this is the memory-management tool, not the observe or think tools.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

'Use for cross-session lessons, canon, and memory audit' gives positive use cases, while 'external evidence belongs to arif_observe and reasoning artifacts to arif_think' provides clear exclusions and routes to alternatives. This is explicit when-to-use and when-not-to-use guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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Memory Governor · Kernel

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TDQS

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