PLAYBOOK Format Specification

Version: 1.0.0-draft.1

Date: December 2025

Author: Jonathan D.A. Jewell
1. Abstract

This document specifies the PLAYBOOK.scm file format, a Scheme-based grammar for encoding Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and incident response logic. It enables Project-Wharf and Valence Shell to execute verified recovery sequences when architectural or security constraints are violated.
2. Status of This Memo

This document specifies an experimental protocol for the Hyperpolymath community. It follows the Declarative-Declarative engineering model to ensure that system recovery is as formally verified as the system's steady state.
3. Copyright Notice

Copyright (c) 2025 Jonathan D.A. Jewell. MIT License.
4. Introduction
4.1. Purpose

PLAYBOOK.scm files address the need for Reflective Recovery. While META.scm describes the what and STATE.scm describes the is, PLAYBOOK.scm codifies the action required to return the system from an invalid state to a valid one.
4.2. Design Goals

    Deterministic Execution: Eliminates "human-in-the-loop" ambiguity during high-stress incidents.

    Formal Verifiability: Procedures can be proven safe by Echidna before being applied.

    Tooling Transparency: Actions are executed via Valence Shell or Oil Shell in a way that is auditable in real-time.

5. Terminology

    Procedure: A named sequence of steps triggered by a specific system condition.

    Condition: A logical predicate (often based on STATE.scm values) that triggers a procedure.

    Actuator: The tool (e.g., /nick-shells, /svalinn) that executes a step.

6. File Structure
6.1. Module Declaration

PLAYBOOK files MUST contain a module declaration referencing the project and the playbook export:
Scheme

(define-module (project-name playbook)
  #:export (incident-response-procedures))

6.2. Section Definitions

The primary section is an association list of procedures.
7. Core Sections
7.1. Incident Procedures (incident-procedures)
7.1.1. Structure
Scheme

(define incident-procedures
  '((procedure-name
     (condition . trigger-symbol)
     (priority . level-symbol)
     (steps . (list-of-actions)))
    ...))

7.1.2. Priority Levels

    emergency: Immediate action required; potential for data loss or total blackout.

    critical: High-impact service degradation.

    medium: Operational drift; requires correction but not immediate shutdown.

    low: Optimisation or "Slop" cleanup.

8. Data Types

Refer to the META.scm specification (Section 9) for primitive and composite types. PLAYBOOK.scm adds the Action Tuple: (step-number (actuator-call arguments)).
9. Processing Model
9.1. The Resolution Loop

    Sensor Input: Mercury/Praxis detects a deviation.

    State Update: Librarian updates STATE.scm.

    Playbook Match: Wharf scans incident-procedures for a matching condition.

    Verification: Echidna verifies the procedure doesn't violate META.scm constraints.

    Execution: Valence Shell executes the steps in sequence.

10. Appendix A: Complete Example
Scheme

;;; PLAYBOOK.scm — Automated Recovery Procedures
;;; example-project

(define-module (example-project playbook)
  #:export (incident-procedures))

(define incident-procedures
  '((yacht-integrity-failure
     (condition . checksum-mismatch)
     (priority . emergency)
     (steps . 
       ((1 (call "januskey" 'revoke-all))
        (2 (call "svalinn" 'terminate-target))
        (3 (call "must-spec" 'redeploy-clean))
        (4 (notify "vext" "Integrity breach resolved via redeploy")))))

    (slop-threshold-reached
     (condition . complexity-high)
     (priority . low)
     (steps .
       ((1 (call "slopctl" 'quarantine))
        (2 (call "feedback-a-tron" 'log-optimization-request)))))))

Integration with The Librarian

The Librarian (now a modular Satellite in /robot-repo-cleaner) will be the primary entity that "reads" these Playbooks during its audit. If a repo lacks a PLAYBOOK.scm, the Librarian will flag it in the status_matrix.scm as "Non-Recoverable".

Would you like me to generate the first PLAYBOOK.scm for /project-wharf based on this spec? This would give you a functional recovery model for the Separation of Administration from Runtime.


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