Intelligencex Write Tool Authoring

Skill: intelligencex-write-tool-authoring

Use this skill when adding or refactoring write-capable (mutating) tools.

Goal

• Keep write tools consistent, low-maintenance, and safe by default.
• Reuse shared helpers instead of open-coding governance, schema, and response logic.

Required Build Pattern

1. Define schema with shared extensions:
   • Start with ToolSchema.Object(...).
   • Prefer .WithWriteGovernanceDefaults() for write tools.
   • For probe-aware auth flows prefer .WithWriteGovernanceAndAuthenticationProbe().
   • Use low-level .WithWriteGovernanceMetadata() / .WithAuthenticationProbeReference() only for advanced custom ordering.
2. Define write contract with shared factories:
   • Boolean intent: ToolWriteGovernanceConventions.BooleanFlagTrue(...).
   • String intent: ToolWriteGovernanceConventions.StringEquals(...).
3. Define authentication contract with shared factories:
   • Host-managed auth: ToolAuthenticationConventions.HostManaged(...).
   • Probe-aware auth: set supportsConnectivityProbe: true and probeToolName.
4. Return success with standardized write envelope:
   • Use ToolResponse.OkWriteActionModel(...) for mutating actions with dry-run/apply mode.

Write Intent Rules

• Write-intent argument must be explicit (send, apply, intent=read_write, etc.).
• Keep default behavior non-mutating when possible.
• Use explicit confirmation (allow_write or same as intent flag) for actual writes.

Governance Metadata Rules

• Always expose canonical metadata args in schema:
  • write_execution_id
  • write_actor_id
  • write_change_reason
  • write_rollback_plan_id
  • write_rollback_provider_id
  • write_audit_correlation_id
• Runtime policy decides which fields are required at execution time.

Authentication + Probe Rules

• When tool supports auth preflight probes:
  • set supportsConnectivityProbe: true and provide probeToolName.
  • expose auth_probe_id in schema using .WithWriteGovernanceAndAuthenticationProbe() (or .WithAuthenticationProbeReference() for custom pipelines).
  • do not hand-roll schema argument names; use ToolAuthenticationArgumentNames.
• For strict probe gating before writes:
  • validate probe references through ToolAuthenticationProbeValidator.
  • use a stable target fingerprint derived from endpoint/auth context.
  • keep probe max-age configurable in tool options.

Pack Guidance Rules

• Ensure tool catalog traits expose:
  • mutating action arguments
  • write-governance metadata arguments
• Ensure authentication metadata exposes:
  • supports_connectivity_probe
  • probe_tool_name (when probe-aware)
• Do not add tool-specific ad-hoc metadata fields when canonical ones fit.

Test Requirements

• Add or update:
  • schema contract/snapshot tests
  • registry/governance registration tests
  • authentication contract/registry tests (especially probe-aware contracts)
  • response envelope tests for write mode (dry-run vs apply)
• Prefer focused unit tests over broad end-to-end tests unless behavior spans components.

Automated Enforcement

• Internal maintainability rule IXTOOL001 validates write-capable tool schemas under IntelligenceX.Tools/**.
• Internal maintainability rule IXTOOL003 validates max_results metadata helper usage under IntelligenceX.Tools/**.
• The rule flags ToolDefinition entries with non-null writeGovernance that do not use:
  • WithWriteGovernanceDefaults()
  • WithWriteGovernanceAndAuthenticationProbe()
• IXTOOL003 flags direct meta.Add("max_results", ...) and requires AddMaxResultsMeta(...).
• Local verification command:
  • dotnet run --project IntelligenceX.Cli/IntelligenceX.Cli.csproj --framework net8.0 -- analyze run --workspace . --config .intelligencex/reviewer.json --out artifacts --pack intelligencex-maintainability-default --strict true
  • dotnet run --project IntelligenceX.Cli/IntelligenceX.Cli.csproj --framework net8.0 -- analyze gate --workspace . --config .intelligencex/reviewer.json

Reusable Scaffold Assets

• Tool template:
  • templates/write-tool-template.cs.txt
• Test template:
  • templates/write-tool-tests-template.cs.txt
• Pre-PR checklist helper:
  • scripts/new-write-tool-checklist.ps1

Suggested Execution Order

1. Copy the tool template and replace __PLACEHOLDER__ markers.
2. Register schema + write/auth contracts before implementing business logic.
3. Return mutating responses via ToolResponse.OkWriteActionModel(...).
4. Copy test template and wire tool-specific argument names and expected contracts.
5. Run checklist script and fix all failing checks before opening PR.

Special Cases (Read + Write Dual-Mode Tools)

• For tools that can run safely in read-only mode and mutating mode (for example shell tools):
  • keep read-only path default
  • require explicit intent switch for write path
  • enforce governance only on write-intent calls

Runtime Policy Integration (Host/Service)

• Do not hand-wire per-tool runtime guardrails in app code.
• Use centralized runtime policy bootstrap so host/service stay aligned:
  • write mode: enforced|yolo
  • audit sink mode/path: none|file|sqlite
  • auth runtime preset: default|strict|lab
  • run-as profile catalog path
• Ensure tool packs consume shared runtime dependencies through pack options (for example shared auth probe store) instead of creating private per-tool stores in each runtime host.