nika:wait

control flow and run-stream primitives

1. nika:assertcore1 required

   Fail-fast guard: fail the task when condition is false (else no-op).

   condition*

   booleanthe resolved boolean to check

   message

   stringfailure message

2. nika:donecore

   Mark the current agent loop complete (the loop-completion sentinel · agent loops only).

   result

   optional final value (any JSON)

3. nika:emitcore1 required

   Emit a custom machine event for subscribers/journal (distinct from log).

   event_type*

   string^[a-z][a-z0-9_.-]*$

   payload

   any JSON value

4. nika:logcore1 required

   Emit a human-readable diagnostic log line to the run stream (best-effort · never fails).

   level

   stringdebug | info | warn | error (default info)

   message*

   stringthe log message

   data

   optional structured context (any JSON)

5. nika:promptcore1 required

   Ask a human (confirm|input|choice). Blocks until answered; uses default when headless.

   mode

   stringconfirm (default) | input | choice

   message*

   stringthe question

   choices

   arraychoice mode only

   default

   fallback when no human can answer

6. nika:waitcore

   Pause: relative duration (e.g. "30s") XOR absolute until (ISO 8601). Exactly one.

   duration

   stringGo-duration string · relative

   until

   stringISO 8601 timestamp · absolute

   timeout

   stringoptional cap for absolute wait

workspace files — read, write, search (permits.fs-gated)

1. nika:editfile3 required

   In-place literal find/replace (all occurrences · count caps it). NOT regex.

   path*

   stringfile to edit

   find*

   stringthe literal string to find

   replace*

   stringthe replacement

   count

   integercap replacements

2. nika:globfile1 required

   Glob match · returns paths sorted lexicographically.

   pattern*

   stringe.g. ./src/**/*.rs

   exclude

   a glob pattern or a list of them to drop from the result

3. nika:grepfile1 required

   Recursive regex search · returns {path,line,match} sorted by (path,line).

   pattern*

   stringRE2-class regex

   path

   stringroot to search (default .)

   case_insensitive

   boolean

4. nika:readfile1 required

   Read a file · returns its text (or opaque bytes with binary: true).

   path*

   stringfile path

   binary

   booleanreturn opaque bytes (default false)

5. nika:writefile2 required

   Write a file · returns the path. overwrite defaults true · create_dirs defaults false.

   path*

   stringdestination path

   content*

   stringthe content to write

   overwrite

   boolean

   create_dirs

   boolean

pure JSON/data transforms — no I/O

1. nika:convertdata3 required

   Convert between json·yaml·toml·csv (from/to · identity rejected).

   input*

   the data (string for text formats)

   from*

   stringjson|yaml|toml|csv

   to*

   stringjson|yaml|toml|csv

   has_header

   booleanCSV only (default true)

   formula_guard

   booleanCSV only · prefix formula-triggering cells (=+-@) with ' against spreadsheet injection · default false (alters data)

2. nika:datedata1 required

   Timestamp arithmetic · op-discriminated (now|add|subtract|format|parse|diff) · strftime grammar · ISO 8601 out.

   op*

   stringnow | add | subtract | format | parse | diff

   tz

   stringIANA timezone (now · default UTC)

   base

   stringISO 8601 base (add/subtract)

   duration

   stringISO 8601 span like PT1h (add/subtract)

   input

   stringthe timestamp to render (format) or the text to read (parse)

   format

   stringstrftime grammar e.g. %Y-%m-%d (format/parse)

   start

   stringISO 8601 (diff)

   end

   stringISO 8601 (diff)

   unit

   stringseconds (default) | milliseconds | minutes | hours | days | weeks (diff)

3. nika:hashdata1 required

   Content hashing · blake3 (default) | sha256 | sha512 · hex (default) or base64.

   content*

   stringthe content to hash

   algo

   stringblake3 | sha256 | sha512

   encoding

   stringhex | base64

4. nika:jqdata1 required

   Run a jq expression over input · THE data-transform language (map·filter·select·reshape). Emits exactly one value.

   expression*

   stringthe jq program

   input

   any JSON value (or an array for multi-input ops)

5. nika:json_diffdata2 required

   JSON diff · returns an RFC 6902 JSON Patch.

   before*

   the original value

   after*

   the new value

6. nika:json_merge_patchdata2 required

   RFC 7396 merge patch (null deletes a key) over a target object.

   target*

   object

   patch*

   object

7. nika:uuiddata

   Generate a UUID · v7 (default · sortable) or v4 (random).

   version

   stringv7 (default) | v4

8. nika:validatedata2 required

   Validate data against a JSON Schema · returns {valid, errors} (invalid data is a report, not a failure).

   data*

   the value (or a YAML string with format: yaml)

   schema*

   a JSON Schema

   format

   stringjson (default) | yaml

network egress (permits.net-gated)

1. nika:fetchnetwork

   HTTP request + content extraction · returns the extracted body (non-2xx is an error). SSRF-defended.

   url

   stringthe URL

   method

   stringGET (default) | POST | PUT | DELETE | PATCH | HEAD

   headers

   objectstring map · auth rides here: { x-api-key: "${{ secrets.KEY }}" }

   body

   request body (objects auto-JSON) · at most one of body/form/multipart

   form

   objectapplication/x-www-form-urlencoded scalar fields · POST/PUT/PATCH only

   multipart

   arraymultipart/form-data parts · {name, value} text or {name, path, filename?, content_type?} file (path is permits.fs.read-gated · ≤32 MiB total) · POST/PUT/PATCH only

   traverse

   objectbounded same-origin crawl · { max_pages: 1..=25 (required), respect_robots?: bool (default true) } · GET only · excludes mode/selector/jq/body/form/multipart · emits { url, page_count, pages[], assets } page digests

   mode

   stringmarkdown (default) | article | text | selector | jq | metadata | links | feed | sitemap | raw

   selector

   stringCSS selector (mode: selector only)

   jq

   stringa jq expression (mode: jq only · the one data language)

2. nika:notifynetwork2 required

   Send a notification · v0.1 engines support the webhook channel.

   channel

   stringwebhook (v0.1) | slack | email | discord | sms (gated)

   target*

   stringthe webhook URL

   message*

   stringthe alert text

   severity

   stringinfo (default) | warn | error

   data

   optional structured context (any JSON · rides the payload beside the message)

the workflow looking at itself

1. nika:composeintrospection1 required

   Statically check a Nika workflow draft you wrote · returns the full `nika check` verdict as JSON (conformance + secret-flow + permits + the termination/cost certificate) · NEVER executes it. Iterate until valid, then deliver the draft. Agent loops only.

   workflow_yaml*

   stringthe complete workflow YAML draft

2. nika:inspectintrospection1 required

   Introspect the running workflow · view: cost | records | dag_info | threads.

   view*

   stringcost | records | dag_info | threads

images, audio, charts — assets, not blobs

1. nika:chartmedia3 required

   Render a DETERMINISTIC chart artifact from rows + a semantic spec (bar | line | area_band | scatter | heatmap) — byte-identical SVG saved at `out`, sha256 in outputs (the trace-chain receipt) · optional Vega-Lite sibling via compile_to. Pure compute + one permit-gated write: no network, no clock, re-runs are idempotent.

   data*

   stringrows · array of flat objects (strings + numbers) · or { path: <json file> }

   semantics

   objectfield → usd | duration_ms | tokens | count | delta | percent | timestamp | category (drives formatting + palettes · delta ⇒ diverging anchored 0)

   chart*

   object{ type, x, y, y_lo?, y_hi? (area_band bounds), y2? (actual overlay), color? (series split · heatmap value), title?, width?, height? } — x/y/… are field names

   out*

   stringartifact path ending .svg (fs-permit gated · parents created · idempotent)

   compile_to

   stringvega_lite — also writes the .vl.json sibling next to the svg

2. nika:image_fxmedia3 required

   Apply deterministic artistic effects to a PNG (dither · palette · duotone · pixelate · halftone · grain · vignette · chromatic_aberration · scanlines · glitch · ascii) — byte-identical forever for identical input+args; the recipe rides the artifact (tEXt) and outputs carry path + sha256, bytes never inline.

   input*

   stringsource PNG path (read · permit-gated fs.read · PNG v1: produce upstream via image_generate format png)

   out*

   stringoutput artifact path (.png · .txt/.ans for ascii text/ansi emits) — rides the declared permits.fs boundary

   ops*

   arrayordered single-key op maps · resize{width,height,filter} · crop{x,y,width,height} · levels{brightness,contrast} · grayscale · palette_map{palette} · dither{mode,palette} · duotone{dark,light} · pixelate{block} · halftone{cell,angle} · grain{intensity} · vignette{strength} · chromatic_aberration{shift} · scanlines{strength,period} · glitch{line_shift,channel_shift,blocks} · ascii{cols,emit} (ascii must be last)

   seed

   integerstochastic-op seed (grain · glitch) · default 0 · the seed IS the style

3. nika:image_generatemedia2 required

   Generate image assets (local compat servers · openai gpt-image-2 · gemini gemini-3.1-flash-image · xai grok-imagine-image · mock for offline runs) — saves files under output_dir and returns paths + dimensions + sha256 (+ a provenance manifest); image bytes never ride outputs.

   provider

   stringlocal | openai | gemini | xai | mock (inferred from model: when omitted · local is never inferred)

   model

   stringprovider model id · defaults: stablediffusion (local · LocalAI convention) · gpt-image-2 · gemini-3.1-flash-image · grok-imagine-image · mock-image-1

   prompt*

   stringthe creative brief the provider renders

   mode

   stringgenerate (default · text→image) | edit (source image(s) + instruction)

   image

   stringmode:edit · one source image PATH (read · permit-gated fs.read)

   images

   stringmode:edit · source image PATHS (multi-ref · capped per provider)

   mask

   stringmode:edit · optional pixel-mask PATH (openai/local only · refused elsewhere)

   n

   integervariant count 1..=10 (gemini runs n sequential calls)

   aspect_ratio

   string1:1 | 16:9 | 9:16 | 4:3 | 3:4 | 3:2 | 2:3 | 21:9

   size

   stringexact WIDTHxHEIGHT (gpt-image-2 arbitrary /16 sizes · gemini folds to a size class) or auto — an exact size wins over aspect_ratio

   quality

   stringauto (default) | low | medium | high | ultra (folds to high on openai · model-tier on gemini)

   format

   stringpng (default) | jpeg | webp — magic bytes are the authority on what lands

   compression

   integer0..=100 · jpeg/webp only (openai output_compression)

   background

   stringauto (default) | transparent (needs png/webp and a supporting model) | opaque

   seed

   integergemini best-effort · openai has no seed (warned + dropped)

   reference_images

   arraymedia roadmap — rejected loudly in V1

   provider_options

   objectvetted pass-through · openai {moderation, user} · gemini {thinking_level, image_size} · xai {user, resolution}

   output_dir*

   stringdirectory the assets land in (rides the declared permits.fs boundary)

   filename_prefix

   stringfilename stem (else metadata.page_slug, else `image`) — sanitized, traversal-free

   save

   booleanV1 contract: stays true — assets land on disk, never inline

   manifest

   booleanwrite the provenance manifest JSON beside the assets (default true)

   metadata

   objectfree provenance fields (campaign · page_slug · locale …) echoed to output + manifest

   timeout_ms

   integerper-request deadline · default 180000 · 1000..=600000

   debug

   booleanecho the sanitized raw provider response (base64 stripped)

4. nika:tts_generatemedia2 required

   Synthesize speech audio (local compat servers · openai gpt-4o-mini-tts · elevenlabs · mock for offline runs) — saves ONE audio file under output_dir and returns path + format + sha256 + duration (+ a provenance manifest); audio bytes never ride outputs.

   provider

   stringlocal | openai | elevenlabs | mock (inferred from model: when omitted · local is never inferred)

   model

   stringprovider model id · defaults: tts-1 (local · LocalAI convention) · gpt-4o-mini-tts · eleven_multilingual_v2 · mock-tts-1

   text*

   stringthe text to speak · ≤4096 chars (fan long scripts out with for_each)

   voice

   stringprovider voice · defaults: alloy (openai/local) · Rachel's id (elevenlabs) · sine (mock)

   format

   stringmp3 | wav | auto (default · provider-native · the saved extension follows the bytes)

   speed

   number0.25..=4.0 (openai/local · warned-dropped elsewhere)

   output_dir*

   stringdirectory the audio lands in (created if missing · fs-permit gated)

   filename_prefix

   stringfilename stem (default: metadata.page_slug, else `speech`)

   manifest

   booleanwrite the sidecar provenance manifest (default true)

   metadata

   objectfree-form provenance echoed into output + manifest

   timeout_ms

   integerper-request cap · default 120000 (local 300000) · max 600000