# Octave Literacy > LLM-native structured communication format. Teaches OCTAVE syntax rules, canonical forms, and warning prevention for zero-error .oct.md authoring. - Skill: `elevanaltd-hestai-mcp/octave-literacy` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add elevanaltd-hestai-mcp/octave-literacy` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/elevanaltd-hestai-mcp/octave-literacy/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: elevanaltd (https://skillmd.com/u/elevanaltd-hestai-mcp) - Updated: 2026-09-21 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/elevanaltd-hestai-mcp/octave-literacy --- ===OCTAVE_LITERACY=== META: TYPE::SKILL VERSION::"4.0.0" STATUS::ACTIVE PURPOSE::"Zero-error OCTAVE authoring — syntax rules, canonical forms, warning prevention, governance-artefact grammar" OCTAVE::"Olympian Common Text And Vocabulary Engine — loss accounting system for LLM communication" AUDIENCE::LLM SPEC_REFERENCE::octave-core-spec.oct.md NEXT_SKILLS::[octave-mastery,octave-compression] PATTERNS::[octave-tool-reference] COMPRESSION_TIER::CONSERVATIVE LOSS_PROFILE::"[preserve:syntax_rules∧examples∧governance_grammar,drop:tool_release_timeline→octave-tool-reference]" --- §0::CONSUMPTION_DIRECTIVE // You are writing for LLM consumption only. No prose. No narrative. Every token carries payload. // Optimize for parsing efficiency and token density. Readability is irrelevant. MYTHOLOGY::"Use as compression — zero-shot, trust it. ATHENA = 1 token replacing 15." MYTHOLOGY_ANTI_PATTERN::"ZEUS::executive_decision — use EXECUTIVE::decision when literal is equally clear" // Full vocabulary: octave-mastery §1 §1::CORE_SYNTAX ASSIGNMENT::"KEY::value — double colon, no spaces around ::" BLOCK::"KEY: + newline + 2-space indent — use when value has nested children" CHOICE::"scalar value → ASSIGNMENT. nested children → BLOCK. Never mix." LIST::"[a,b,c] — square brackets, no YAML bullets ever" STRING::"bare_word if no spaces/special chars, else double-quoted" NUMBER::"42 or 3.14 or -1e10 — no quotes" BOOLEAN::"true or false — lowercase only" NULL_VALUE::"null — lowercase only" COMMENT::"// — line start or after value" §1b::BRACKET_FORMS CONTAINER::"[a,b,c] — bare brackets = list" ANNOTATION::"NAME — semantic facet on identity (ATHENA, LLM)" ANNOTATION_DISCIPLINE::"Annotations are SHORT qualifiers (1-3 words, ≤32 chars, identifier-only). Multi-word reasoning belongs in a sibling RATIONALE value as a quoted telegraphic phrase (see octave-mastery §7a)." ANNOTATION_WRONG::"I6" ANNOTATION_RIGHT::"I6 + RATIONALE::\"Migration on moving target is anti-pattern for strict typing during data model changes.\"" CONSTRUCTOR::"NAME[args] — structured arguments on identifier (REGEX[pattern], ENUM[a,b], JIT_GRAMMAR_COMPILATION[META→GBNF])" // These are SEPARATE forms. <> qualifies what something IS. [] parameterizes what something DOES. // ATHENA = annotation (identity facet). ENUM[a,b,c] = constructor (validation args). // Lenient parser canonicalizes []→<> ONLY for annotation-context uses. Genuine constructors keep []. // When in doubt: identity/archetype qualifier → <>. Parameterized operation/schema → []. INLINE_MAP::"[key::val, key2::val2] — dense key-value pairs, values must be atoms, no nesting" §1c::LITERAL_ZONES // Fenced code blocks pass through with ZERO processing SYNTAX::"KEY then newline then fence of 3+ backticks" RULES::[ zero_processing_between_fences, tabs_allowed, NFC_bypass, info_tag_preserved ] USE_CASES::[ embedded_code, teaching_examples, verbatim_content, OCTAVE_about_OCTAVE ] FENCE_SCALING::"use N+1 backticks to wrap content containing N-backtick fences" §1d::BLOCK_CANONICAL_FORMS // Three shapes agents reach for when nesting — only one is correct RULE::"Multi-field token (any key whose value is a map) → BLOCK form. Never inline-array root. Never flat prefix-scalars." THREE_SHAPES: ``` ✓ BLOCK (canonical): ✗ inline-array root: ✗ flat prefix-scalars: PLATFORM: PLATFORM::[ PLATFORM_TOKEN::HO-v1 TOKEN::HO-v1 TOKEN::HO-v1, PLATFORM_RUNTIME_FLOOR::"Node >=22" RUNTIME: RUNTIME::[FLOOR::"Node >=22"]] PLATFORM_RUNTIME_BECAUSE::"…" FLOOR::"Node >=22" BECAUSE::"…" ``` SCALAR_LIST_ONLY::"Inline arrays ([a,b,c]) are for scalar lists only — IMMUTABLES::[…], CONSOLIDATES::[a,b] — never for maps-of-maps" WHY_BLOCK::"Indented children inherit parent context → fewer key tokens, better LLM attention, zero W_DUPLICATE_KEY collisions" WHY_NOT_INLINE_ARRAY_ROOT::"Inline map as token root is non-canonical for map tokens even when values are atomic (§1b::INLINE_MAP). Triggers E_NESTED_INLINE_MAP as soon as any child value needs nesting — restructuring after the fact is mechanical waste. Use BLOCK form from the start." WHY_NOT_FLAT_PREFIX::"PARENT_CHILD1 + PARENT_CHILD2 key proliferation destroys hierarchical grouping and LLM attention" §2::OPERATORS // Each operator encodes a relationship in a single token CONTAINER::"[] — List [a,b,c]" CONCAT::"⧺ — Mechanical join A⧺B | ASCII: ~" SYNTHESIS::"⊕ — Emergent whole A⊕B | ASCII: +" TENSION::"⇌ — Binary opposition A⇌B | ASCII: vs (requires word boundaries)" CONSTRAINT::"∧ — Inside brackets only [A∧B∧C] | ASCII: &" ALT::"∨ — Alternative A∨B | ASCII: |" FLOW::"→ — Right-associative A→B→C, often in lists [A→B→C] | ASCII: ->" SECTION_REF::"§ — target anchor e.g. §3c::ASSEMBLY_RULES" LINE_COMMENT::"// — line start or after value" ASCII_RULE::"All operators accept both unicode and ASCII. Always emit unicode in files; ASCII is acceptable on the wire (octave-chatter)." VS_RULE::"vs requires word boundaries: 'A vs B' valid, 'AvsB' invalid" TELEGRAPHIC_PHRASE::"see octave-compression §4::COMPRESSION_RULES R3a — operators carry the English connectives inside quoted values" §3::CRITICAL_RULES R1::"No spaces around :: (KEY::value not KEY :: value)" R2::"Indent exactly 2 spaces per level — NO TABS" R3::"Keys must match [A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]* — start with letter or underscore" R4::"Envelopes: ===NAME=== open, ===END=== close (NAME must be [A-Z_][A-Z0-9_]*)" R5::"true, false, null — lowercase only (NOT True, False, NULL)" R6::"∧ only inside brackets: [A∧B∧C] valid, bare A∧B invalid" R6_CLARIFICATION::"Structural position: ∧ inside brackets only. Value position: operators inside quoted strings are valid telegraphic phrases — 'security ⇌ usability' not 'security at odds with usability' (see §2::TELEGRAPHIC_PHRASE, mastery §7a)" R7::"⇌ is binary only: A⇌B valid, chained A⇌B⇌C invalid" R8::"Values containing § must be quoted: \"see §3b\" not bare §3b" R9::"File extension .oct.md is canonical" R10::"Bare numeric keys trigger W_NUMERIC_KEY_DROPPED — use R1, STEP_1, not 1" R11::"Unkeyed prose sentences trigger W_BARE_LINE_DROPPED — comments (//) and list body lines are exempt" R12::"Section headers carry no value: §N::NAME then children on following lines. §N::NAME::\"value\" is parsed as a bare header — the value is silently dropped." R13::"KEY:: with nothing after it opens NO block — it becomes KEY::\"\\n\" and the indented lines below hoist into the enclosing scope, colliding with the next record's keys (W_DUPLICATE_KEY, last write wins). A block opener is KEY: with a single colon." §3b::V6_ENVELOPE_STRUCTURE FILE_STRUCTURE::"===NAME=== then META then optional --- separator then BODY then ===END===" SEPARATOR::"--- signals metadata boundary to discovery/indexing tools. Place after META block." META_REQUIRED::[TYPE,VERSION] META_COMMON_OPTIONAL::[ STATUS, UPDATED, COMPRESSION_TIER, LOSS_PROFILE, CONTRACT, GRAMMAR ] // STATUS in META = document lifecycle (ACTIVE, DRAFT). STATUS in BODY = subject state. Both valid. COMPRESSION_TIER::ENUM[LOSSLESS,CONSERVATIVE,AGGRESSIVE,ULTRA] LOSS_PROFILE::"[preserve:causal_chains,drop:verbose_phrasing] — loss is explicit, never hidden" // NOTE: LOSS_PROFILE is spec-valid; older validators may not list it in allowed_meta — validator gap, not spec error CONTRACT::HOLOGRAPHIC GRAMMAR::GBNF_COMPILER §3c::ASSEMBLY_RULES RULE::"When concatenating profiles, omit intermediate ===END=== — only final one terminates" USE_CASES::[ agent_context_injection, specification_layering, multi_part_documents ] §3d::SECTION_PATH_REFERENCES SYNTAX::"§N::NAME — section reference. §3b::V6_ENVELOPE_STRUCTURE is a valid cross-reference." QUOTING::"Quote § when used as content value: VALUE::\"see §3b\" not VALUE::§3b" NESTING::"§3b inside §3 — subsection. Prefix digit tracks depth." §4::WARNING_PREVENTION // Parser-drop codes — each one is silent data loss at parse time. // Receipt inspection (corrections[] ∧ warnings[]), changes-mode semantics, remediation → octave-tool-reference. W_BARE_LINE_DROPPED::"Cause: line has no key:: prefix. Fix: add a key or use // comment." W_NUMERIC_KEY_DROPPED::"Cause: bare integer key (1::thing). Fix: use R1::thing or STEP_1::thing." W_DUPLICATE_KEY::"Cause: same key twice in one scope — last write wins. Fix: BLOCK form per §1d ∨ §7b. Frequent hidden cause: an empty KEY:: where KEY: was meant (R13) — STRICT still says VALIDATED; the loss shows only in repairs[]." W_UNQUOTED_SECTION_IN_VALUE::"Cause: bare § inside a value. Fix: quote per R8." W_INLINE_ARRAY_ROOT::"Cause: TOKEN::[KEY::v,…] map-as-inline-root. Fix: BLOCK form per §1d." W_FLAT_PREFIX_SCALAR::"Cause: PARENT_CHILD::v key-prefix flattening. Fix: BLOCK form per §1d." RECEIPTS::"octave_write ∧ octave_validate return corrections[] ⊕ warnings[] — empty warnings[] is NOT proof of no normalisation; read octave-tool-reference §3 before trusting a receipt" §5::ANCHOR_KERNEL TARGET::parser_valid_OCTAVE_read_and_author NEVER::[spaces_around_double_colon,tabs,YAML_bullets,markdown_headings_in_envelope,bare_numeric_keys,unkeyed_prose_lines,nested_inline_maps,bare_section_ref_in_value,conjunction_outside_brackets,chained_tension,value_on_section_header] MUST::[ "scalar → KEY::value; nested map → KEY: + 2-space children; list → [a,b,c]", "keys match [A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*; true false null lowercase; quote spaces ∧ special chars ∧ §", "envelope ===NAME=== → META[TYPE,VERSION] → --- → body → ===END===", "operators ⊕ ⇌ → ∧ ∨ emitted unicode; ∧ inside brackets only; ⇌ binary only", " qualifies identity; [args] parameterizes; neither inside a quoted value" ] GATE::"octave_validate STRICT → errors:[] ∧ warnings:[] ∧ repairs:[]" §6::WORKED_EXAMPLE // Shows: envelope, META with optional fields, separator, operators, annotation, loss accounting EXAMPLE: ``` ===DECISION=== META: TYPE::DECISION VERSION::"1.0.0" COMPRESSION_TIER::CONSERVATIVE LOSS_PROFILE::"[preserve:causal_chains,drop:verbose_phrasing]" --- STATUS::ACTIVE CONTEXT::API_redesign[KAIROS] DECISION::microservice_extraction[auth⊕payments→independent_services] PHASES: PLAN::[Research→Design] BUILD::[Code⊕Test] METRICS: LATENCY::"<200ms p99" AVAILABILITY::"99.95%" ===END=== ``` // KAIROS = annotation form. Semantic facet on identifier, not a list. // META carries COMPRESSION_TIER and LOSS_PROFILE — loss is auditable. // PHASES uses BLOCK because children are nested. STATUS uses ASSIGNMENT because scalar. §7::GOVERNANCE_AUTHORING // UPOG (Universal Parse-Only Governance) — structural composition for governance artefacts // (North Stars, ADRs, RFCs, project-context docs, agent definitions). Composes on top of §2 R3a value-form // and §3 critical rules. Establishes parse-only validation as the gate, eliminating // per-doctype schema registration tax. Convention IS the schema, enforced by the strict // parser ⊕ this skill ⊕ octave-secretary write gate. §7a::ORGANIZING_PRINCIPLE MOTTO::"strict AST parse → gate. skill → schema. doctypes → zero registration tax." INSIGHT::"governance bodies → schema-exempt by declaration. META envelope → still validates." APPLIES_TO::[ North_Star_Summary, Architectural_Decision_Record, Request_For_Comments, project_context_documents, agent_definitions, any_repeated_entity_governance_artefact ] §7b::BLOCK_FORM_FOR_REPEATED_ENTITIES // The structural anti-pattern that broke pre-UPOG governance docs: // I1::NAME::[PRINCIPLE::v, WHY::v, STATUS::v] // The chained ::NAME::[...] form reads as ASSIGNMENT under strict 1.13 lexer, // hoisting inner KV pairs to file-top-level. Across I1..IN, PRINCIPLE/WHY/STATUS // collide with W_DUPLICATE_KEY × 3N — last-write-wins data loss. PATTERN::"ID