ontoref/reflection/templates/update-ontology-prompt.md

# Ontoref Protocol Update — Ontology Enrichment Prompt

**Purpose:** Bring `{project_name}` up to the current ontoref protocol version and enrich its
ontology to reflect the project's actual state. Run this prompt in the project's Claude Code
session with ontoref available.

**Substitutions required before use:**
- `{project_name}` — kebab-case project identifier
- `{project_dir}` — absolute path to project root

**Requires:** `ontoref` installed globally (`just install-daemon` from the ontoref repo).

---

## Bootstrap — source ontoref env vars

Before running any direct `nickel export` command, source the ontoref env into the current
shell. This sets `NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH` and `ONTOREF_ROOT` without launching a full command:

```sh
cd {project_dir}
. $(which ontoref) --env-only
# NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH and ONTOREF_ROOT are now available in this shell session
```

All `nickel export` commands in this prompt assume these vars are set.

---

## Context for the agent

You are enriching the ontoref ontology for project `{project_name}`. The ontology lives in
`.ontology/` and the reflection layer in `reflection/`. Your goal is to make the ontology
reflect current architectural reality — not aspirational state, not stale state.

Read the project's `.claude/CLAUDE.md` and any `CLAUDE.md` at root before starting. Understand
what the project actually does. All changes must pass `nickel export` cleanly.

---

## Phase 1 — Infrastructure: add missing v2 files

Run the infrastructure detection and update steps. These are additive — nothing is overwritten.

```sh
cd {project_dir}

# Step 1a: detect missing files
test -f .ontology/manifest.ncl    && echo "manifest: present"    || echo "manifest: MISSING"
test -f .ontology/connections.ncl && echo "connections: present" || echo "connections: MISSING"

# Step 1b: add manifest.ncl if missing (template installed with ontoref)
test -f .ontology/manifest.ncl || \
  sed 's/{{ project_name }}/{project_name}/g' \
    "$ONTOREF_ROOT/templates/ontology/manifest.ncl" > .ontology/manifest.ncl

# Step 1c: add connections.ncl if missing
test -f .ontology/connections.ncl || \
  sed 's/{{ project_name }}/{project_name}/g' \
    "$ONTOREF_ROOT/templates/ontology/connections.ncl" > .ontology/connections.ncl

# Step 1d: validate both files parse
nickel export --import-path "$NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH" .ontology/manifest.ncl \
  > /dev/null && echo "manifest: ok"

nickel export --import-path "$NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH" .ontology/connections.ncl \
  > /dev/null && echo "connections: ok"
```

If either validation fails, read the file, fix the import path or schema mismatch, and revalidate
before continuing.

---

## Phase 2 — Audit: understand current state

Run these commands and read the output before making any changes to core.ncl or state.ncl.

```sh
# Full project self-description (identity, axioms, practices, gate)
ontoref describe project

# Semantic diff vs HEAD — shows what changed since last commit
ontoref describe diff

# What modes are available, what gates allow
ontoref describe guides

# Current gate state and dimension health
ontoref describe gate

# API surface available (requires daemon running)
ontoref describe api
```

Read the output of each command. Note:
- Which dimensions are in non-ideal states and why
- Which practices have no corresponding nodes in core.ncl
- What the diff reports as added/removed/changed since HEAD
- Whether the gate is aligned with what the project actually does today

---

## Phase 3 — Enrich core.ncl

Open `.ontology/core.ncl`. For each of the following, apply only what is actually true:

### 3a. Nodes — add missing, update stale descriptions

For any practice or capability the project has implemented since the last ontology update,
add a node with:
- `id` — kebab-case, stable identifier
- `level` — `'Axiom | 'Tension | 'Practice | 'Project | 'Moment`
- `description` — one sentence, present tense, what it IS (not what it should be)
- `adrs` — list any ADR IDs that govern this node

Do NOT add aspirational nodes. If a feature is not yet implemented, do not add it.

### 3b. Edges — declare real dependencies

For any new nodes, declare edges to the nodes they depend on or implement:

```nickel
{ from = "new-node-id", to = "existing-node-id", kind = 'Implements }
```

Valid edge kinds: `'Implements | 'Depends | 'Extends | 'Supersedes | 'Tensions`

### 3c. Tensions — update descriptions

For tension nodes (`level = 'Tension`), update the description to reflect the current root cause
if it has changed. Tensions describe real trade-offs the project has made, not theoretical ones.

After editing, validate:
```sh
nickel export --import-path "$NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH" .ontology/core.ncl > /dev/null
```

---

## Phase 4 — Update state.ncl

Open `.ontology/state.ncl`. For each dimension:

1. Read `current_state` and `transition` conditions
2. Check whether a transition condition has been met based on recent work
3. If the project has advanced: update `current_state` to the new state
4. Update `blocker` and `catalyst` to reflect current reality (not stale reasoning)

Do NOT advance a dimension optimistically. Only advance if the transition condition is
demonstrably met (code exists, tests pass, ADR written — not "in progress").

After editing:
```sh
nickel export --import-path "$NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH" .ontology/state.ncl > /dev/null
```

---

## Phase 5 — Fill manifest.ncl

Open `.ontology/manifest.ncl`. Declare any content assets the project has:

- Branding assets (logos, icons) in `assets/branding/` or equivalent
- Architecture diagrams in `docs/`, `assets/`, or `architecture/`
- Screenshots or demo recordings
- Agent prompt templates in `reflection/templates/`
- Mode step templates in `reflection/templates/`

For each asset, use `m.make_asset` with accurate `source_path` (relative to project root),
correct `kind`, and a one-sentence `description`. Only declare assets that actually exist on disk.

Check:
```sh
ls assets/ 2>/dev/null; ls docs/ 2>/dev/null; ls reflection/templates/ 2>/dev/null
```

After editing:
```sh
nickel export --import-path "$NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH" .ontology/manifest.ncl > /dev/null
```

---

## Phase 6 — Declare connections.ncl

Open `.ontology/connections.ncl`. Declare cross-project relationships if they exist:

- `upstream` — projects this one depends on or consumes APIs from
- `downstream` — projects that consume this one's APIs or outputs
- `peers` — symmetric sibling services with shared concerns

For each connection: `project` must be a slug registered in the shared daemon, `node` is an
ontology node id in that project, `via` is `"http" | "local" | "nats"`.

If no cross-project relationships exist, leave all arrays empty — that is valid and correct.
Do NOT invent connections.

After editing:
```sh
nickel export --import-path "$NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH" .ontology/connections.ncl > /dev/null
```

---

## Phase 7 — Migrate ADR check_hint (if present)

Check for deprecated `check_hint` fields:
```sh
grep -rl 'check_hint' {project_dir}/adrs/ 2>/dev/null
```

If any files are found, for each ADR:

1. Read the `check_hint` string — it describes what to verify
2. Map it to the closest typed `check` variant:
   - Shell command → `'NuCmd { cmd = "...", expect_exit = 0 }`
   - File search (grep/rg) → `'Grep { pattern = "...", paths = ["..."], must_be_empty = true }`
   - Cargo.toml dep check → `'Cargo { crate = "...", forbidden_deps = ["..."] }`
   - File presence → `'FileExists { path = "...", present = true }`
   - API response → `'ApiCall { endpoint = "...", json_path = "...", expected = ... }`
3. Replace `check_hint` with `check` using the typed variant
4. Validate:
```sh
nickel export --import-path "$NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH" adrs/adr-NNN-*.ncl > /dev/null
```

---

## Phase 8 — Final validation

Run all validations in sequence:

```sh
# All .ontology/ files
for f in .ontology/core.ncl .ontology/state.ncl .ontology/gate.ncl \
         .ontology/manifest.ncl .ontology/connections.ncl; do
  nickel export --import-path "$NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH" "$f" > /dev/null \
    && echo "ok: $f" || echo "FAIL: $f"
done

# All ADRs
for f in adrs/adr-*.ncl; do
  nickel export --import-path "$NICKEL_IMPORT_PATH" "$f" > /dev/null \
    && echo "ok: $f" || echo "FAIL: $f"
done

# Re-run describe diff to confirm changes are coherent
ontoref describe diff

# Final project state
ontoref describe project
```

---

## Delivery

Report:
1. Files changed and what was changed in each
2. Nodes added / updated / removed in core.ncl
3. Dimension state transitions applied in state.ncl
4. Assets declared in manifest.ncl
5. Connections declared in connections.ncl
6. ADRs migrated from check_hint to typed check
7. Any validation errors that could not be resolved (with reason)

Do NOT commit. The developer reviews the diff before committing.