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Delimit Gov Health

delimit_gov_health

Verify the governance engine is healthy: confirms the policy kernel is loaded and backend reachable at session start or CI smoke check, ensuring gated deploys fail closed instead of silently no-op.

Instructions

Report whether the governance kernel and policy are reachable.

When to use: at session start as part of the standard orchestrator ritual (delimit_revive + delimit_ledger_context + this + inbox daemon), or as a CI smoke check before a gated deploy. Confirms the governance backend is reachable and the policy kernel is loaded so downstream gates will fail-closed correctly rather than silently no-op. When NOT to use: to evaluate whether a specific candidate action requires gating (use delimit_gov_evaluate), to read the rules themselves (delimit_gov_policy), or to check per-repo task state (delimit_gov_status).

Sibling contrast: delimit_gov_status reports per-repo workload (open tasks, recent decisions); this reports the engine layer itself (kernel boot status, policy load, backend integration). If a deploy gate is failing, run this first to rule out "engine down" before debugging policy logic.

Side effects: read-only and not license-gated. Invokes backends.governance_bridge.health and wraps the response through _with_next_steps. No ledger write, no notification, no evidence file. Safe to call on every session start without rate concern.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`repo`	No	Filesystem path to the repository. Default "." (cwd).	.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv4.7.9Jun 9, 2026
- addedInput schema / properties / repo / description
```
Added value: +"Filesystem path to the repository. Default \".\" (cwd)."
```
First observedv0.1.0Mar 22, 2026

TDQS

A3.9/5.0

Behavior1/5

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

The description claims 'read-only' and 'No ledger write, no notification, no evidence file,' but the annotation readOnlyHint is false. This is a direct annotation contradiction, which per the rubric forces a score of 1 regardless of the otherwise rich behavioral disclosure.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

The description is long but tightly organized with labeled sections: purpose, when to use, when not to use, sibling contrast, and side effects. Each section adds distinct value, and the core purpose is front-loaded in the first sentence.

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

Completeness5/5

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

The description covers the session-start and CI use cases, fail-closed behavior, explicit sibling distinctions, implementation details, and side-effect profile. The output schema exists, so the description does not need to document return values, and nothing necessary for correct invocation is missing.

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%: the only parameter, repo, is fully documented in the input schema with a type, default, and description. The tool description adds no parameter-specific detail, but with full schema coverage it does not need to, so 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 first sentence states a specific verb and resource: 'Report whether the governance kernel and policy are reachable.' The sibling contrast explicitly distinguishes this from delimit_gov_status, which reports per-repo workload, so an agent can tell it apart from similar 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?

The description gives explicit when-to-use context: session start orchestrator ritual and CI smoke check before a gated deploy. It also provides a when-NOT-to-use list with named alternatives (delimit_gov_evaluate, delimit_gov_policy, delimit_gov_status), which is exemplary routing 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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