# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://nika.sh/spec/v1/workflow.schema.json
#
# 06 · Code-review agent — a loop you do not write.
#
# The first five files are graphs: you decide the steps. Here you decide the
# BOUNDS — which tools, how many turns, how many tokens — and the model
# decides the steps inside them. That is the whole trade, and the reason the
# grants below matter more than the prompt does.
#
# Demonstrates ·
#   - the `agent:` verb · model + tools, looping until done or out of budget
#   - `tools:` · a default-deny whitelist · the agent gets ONLY these
#   - `max_turns:` + `max_tokens_total:` · the two budget caps
#   - `nika:done` · the completion sentinel that lets the loop end cleanly
#   - the workflow boundary applies INSIDE the loop · granting the agent
#     `nika:read` is not enough, the files need `permits.fs.read` too
#
# Runs fully offline on a local tool-calling model, against a fixture
# committed next to this file. Measured: 2 turns, ~1.6k tokens of the 8000
# budget — it reads once, then reports. Wall clock is whatever your machine
# and a resident-or-cold model make it (30s and 5m both observed here).
#
# Needs · ollama with the model pulled · `ollama pull qwen3.5:4b`.
#
# Run · nika run examples/06-code-review.nika.yaml   (from the repo root ·
#   paths resolve against your working directory, not the file's location)

nika: v1
workflow:
  id: code-review

model: ollama/qwen3.5:4b   # local tool-calling model · zero key · the diff never leaves the machine

const:
  target: "./examples/fixtures/review-me.rs"

permits:
  tools: ["nika:done", "nika:read"]
  fs:
    # The agent may call `nika:read`, and it may read THIS file. Those are two
    # different permissions and both are required — a tool grant with no
    # `fs.read` behind it fails mid-loop with
    # « NIKA-SEC-004 · agent tool `nika:read` refused by the security boundary »,
    # after the model has already spent a turn deciding to read.
    #
    # To review your own file, change this line AND `const.target` together.
    # The permit does not follow the path around; that is what makes it a wall.
    # (A bound cannot interpolate — `${{ const.target }}` here is NIKA-AUTH-007.)
    read: ["./examples/fixtures/review-me.rs"]

tasks:
  review:
    agent:
      # Default-deny: this list IS the agent's universe. Anything not named
      # here does not exist as far as the loop is concerned — there is no
      # ambient toolbox to opt out of.
      tools:
        - "nika:read"   # open the file under review
        - "nika:done"   # say "finished" and end the loop cleanly
      # Two independent stops, because they fail differently: a model that
      # ping-pongs forever hits `max_turns`, a model that reads something huge
      # hits `max_tokens_total`. The loop also just ends when the model
      # returns no tool call.
      max_turns: 8
      max_tokens_total: 8000
      system: |
        You are a senior Rust reviewer.
        Read the file you are given with nika:read, then reply with your
        findings as a short markdown list — one line per finding, each
        starting with blocker/high/med/low. Then call nika:done.
      prompt: "Review ${{ const.target }} and report bugs and style issues."

# The agent's final message. It is free text — an agent answer is prose unless
# you constrain it, and constraining it is a separate job (see 04 for the
# schema machinery).
outputs:
  findings: ${{ tasks.review.output }}

the path · 06

Code-review agent — a loop you do not write.

run itnika try 06-code-review

06-code-review.nika.yaml

1# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.02# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://nika.sh/spec/v1/workflow.schema.json3#4# 06 · Code-review agent — a loop you do not write.5#6# The first five files are graphs: you decide the steps. Here you decide the7# BOUNDS — which tools, how many turns, how many tokens — and the model8# decides the steps inside them. That is the whole trade, and the reason the9# grants below matter more than the prompt does.10#11# Demonstrates ·12#   - the `agent:` verb · model + tools, looping until done or out of budget13#   - `tools:` · a default-deny whitelist · the agent gets ONLY these14#   - `max_turns:` + `max_tokens_total:` · the two budget caps15#   - `nika:done` · the completion sentinel that lets the loop end cleanly16#   - the workflow boundary applies INSIDE the loop · granting the agent17#     `nika:read` is not enough, the files need `permits.fs.read` too18#19# Runs fully offline on a local tool-calling model, against a fixture20# committed next to this file. Measured: 2 turns, ~1.6k tokens of the 800021# budget — it reads once, then reports. Wall clock is whatever your machine22# and a resident-or-cold model make it (30s and 5m both observed here).23#24# Needs · ollama with the model pulled · `ollama pull qwen3.5:4b`.25#26# Run · nika run examples/06-code-review.nika.yaml   (from the repo root ·27#   paths resolve against your working directory, not the file's location)2829nika: v130workflow:31  id: code-review3233model: ollama/qwen3.5:4b   # local tool-calling model · zero key · the diff never leaves the machine3435const:36  target: "./examples/fixtures/review-me.rs"3738⛨permits:39  ⛨tools: ["nika:done", "nika:read"]40  ⛨fs:41    # The agent may call `nika:read`, and it may read THIS file. Those are two42    # different permissions and both are required — a tool grant with no43    # `fs.read` behind it fails mid-loop with44    # « NIKA-SEC-004 · agent tool `nika:read` refused by the security boundary »,45    # after the model has already spent a turn deciding to read.46    #47    # To review your own file, change this line AND `const.target` together.48    # The permit does not follow the path around; that is what makes it a wall.49    # (A bound cannot interpolate — `${{ const.target }}` here is NIKA-AUTH-007.)50    ⛨read: ["./examples/fixtures/review-me.rs"]5152tasks:53  review:54    ✦agent:55      # Default-deny: this list IS the agent's universe. Anything not named56      # here does not exist as far as the loop is concerned — there is no57      # ambient toolbox to opt out of.58      tools:59        - "nika:read"   # open the file under review60        - "nika:done"   # say "finished" and end the loop cleanly61      # Two independent stops, because they fail differently: a model that62      # ping-pongs forever hits `max_turns`, a model that reads something huge63      # hits `max_tokens_total`. The loop also just ends when the model64      # returns no tool call.65      max_turns: 866      max_tokens_total: 800067      system: |68        You are a senior Rust reviewer.69        Read the file you are given with nika:read, then reply with your70        findings as a short markdown list — one line per finding, each71        starting with blocker/high/med/low. Then call nika:done.72      prompt: "Review ${{ const.target }} and report bugs and style issues."7374# The agent's final message. It is free text — an agent answer is prose unless75# you constrain it, and constraining it is a separate job (see 04 for the76# schema machinery).77outputs:78  findings: ${{ tasks.review.output }}79

nika-spec@6ac29351a · sha256 b5a6e43e79108d70…