Protocols

Vocabulary for modeling a protocol as data — the conventions, rules, and worked examples that govern how a system is used or implemented. Vocabulary only; the organizations that steward protocols live in the stewards package.

The protocols vocabulary treats a specification as a graph rather than prose. A Protocol groups its concerns into Conventions; each convention carries Rules (what must hold) and Examples (what conformance looks like). Protocol Layer classifies where a convention sits in a layered architecture. This package is deliberately vocabulary-only — Steward instances and the lineage properties that once lived here were moved out so the vocabulary stays free of any particular catalog of organizations.

Communication LayerConventionCreated DateISO date (yyyy-mm-dd) on which the protocol was first publishedDescriptionExplanation of what the example demonstrates. May embed [[reference]] links to related Kanonak resources.Discovery LayerExampleForbidden RuleA rule that MUST NOT be followedGovernance LayerGuidance LayerHas ConventionLinks a protocol to a convention it definesHas Forbidden RuleA forbidden rule (MUST NOT) that is part of this conventionHas Invalid ExampleAn invalid example illustrating a violation of this conventionHas Recommended RuleA recommended rule (SHOULD) that is part of this conventionHas Required RuleA required rule (MUST) that is part of this conventionHas Valid ExampleA valid example illustrating conformance to this conventionIntegration LayerInvalid ExampleAn example that violates a conventionLayerLinks a protocol to the layer of the agentic stack it occupiesProtocolA protocol - a named set of conventions governing how a system is used or implementedProtocol LayerA layer in the agentic protocol stack describing what role a protocol plays (tool access, agent-to-agent communication, discovery, guidance, governance)RationaleThe reasoning behind the rule. May embed [[reference]] links to related resources and to the prior art it draws on.Recommended RuleA rule that SHOULD be followedRequired RuleA rule that MUST be followedRuleSpecification URLA URL pointing to the canonical specification for the protocolStewardAn organization or body that governs, maintains, or sponsors a protocol. Steward instances are open-world reference data and live in the kanonak.org/stewards…StewardLinks a protocol to the organization that governs or maintains it. Accepts either a single Steward reference or a YAML list of Steward references when a…Steward URLThe primary public URL for a steward organizationSummaryBrief description of what this convention covers. May embed [[reference]] links to related Kanonak resources.TextThe normative text of the rule. May embed [[reference]] links to the Kanonak resources the rule governs.Tool LayerValid ExampleAn example that conforms to a conventionValueThe literal value demonstrated by the example