synapse

name	synapse
description	This skill should be used when users want to understand the SYNAPSE context engine, manage domains, configure context rules, or troubleshoot rule injection. Use when asked about SYNAPSE architecture, domain management, star-commands, context brackets, or the 8-layer processing pipeline.

SYNAPSE Context Engine

Overview

SYNAPSE (Synkra Adaptive Processing & State Engine) is the unified context engine for AIOX. It injects contextual rules into every prompt via an 8-layer processing pipeline, adapting to context window usage through bracket-aware filtering.

What it does:

• Injects rules per-prompt via Codex's UserPromptSubmit hook
• Processes 8 layers (L0 Constitution through L7 Star-Commands) sequentially
• Adapts injection volume based on context brackets (FRESH/MODERATE/DEPLETED/CRITICAL)
• Integrates with agent state (active agent, workflow, task, squad)
• Outputs <synapse-rules> XML block appended to each prompt

What it replaces: SYNAPSE replaces the legacy CARL system with full feature parity plus 8 new capabilities including agent-scoped domains, workflow activation, and CRUD management commands.

Architecture model: Open Core — the 8-layer engine lives in aiox-core (open source), memory integration is feature-gated in aiox-pro.

Quick Start

Verify SYNAPSE is Active

SYNAPSE runs automatically via the Codex hook. To check status:

*synapse status

This shows: active domains, current bracket, session info, and loaded layers.

Basic Commands

Command	What it does
*synapse status	Show current engine state
*synapse domains	List all registered domains
*synapse debug	Show detailed debug info (manifest parse, load times, rule counts)
*synapse help	Show all available synapse commands
*brief	Switch to brief response mode
*dev	Switch to developer mode (code-focused)
*review	Switch to code review mode

Create a Custom Domain

*synapse create

This walks you through creating a new domain file + manifest entry. See references/domains.md for the full domain guide.

Architecture

SYNAPSE operates as a 4-layer architecture:

.Codex/hooks/synapse-engine.js          # Layer 1: Hook Entry (~50 lines)
        |
        v imports
.aiox-core/core/synapse/                 # Layer 2: Engine Modules
|-- engine.js                            #   SynapseEngine class
|-- layers/                              #   8 layer processors (L0-L7)
|-- session/session-manager.js           #   Session state (JSON v2.0)
|-- domain/domain-loader.js              #   Manifest + domain parser
|-- context/context-tracker.js           #   Bracket calculation
|-- memory/memory-bridge.js              #   Pro-gated MIS consumer
|-- output/formatter.js                  #   <synapse-rules> XML
        |
        v reads/writes
.synapse/                                # Layer 3: Runtime Data
|-- manifest                             #   Central domain registry (KEY=VALUE)
|-- constitution, global, context        #   Core domains (L0, L1)
|-- agent-*, workflow-*                  #   Scoped domains (L2, L3)
|-- commands                             #   Star-command definitions (L7)
|-- sessions/, cache/                    #   Session state (gitignored)
        |
        v user-invoked
.Codex/commands/synapse/                # Layer 4: CRUD Commands + Skill Docs
|-- manager.md                           #   Router/dispatcher
|-- tasks/ (6 tasks)                     #   create, add, edit, toggle, command, suggest

Key principle: SYNAPSE is a consumer of existing systems (UAP for session state, MIS for memories). It never rewrites code from other epics.

References

Reference Guides

Guide	Description
domains.md	Domain types (L0-L7), KEY=VALUE format, creation guide
commands.md	Star-commands, *synapse sub-commands, CRUD operations
manifest.md	Manifest format specification, all valid keys
brackets.md	Context bracket system, token budgets, layer activation
layers.md	8-layer processor architecture, priority, conflict resolution

Assets (Templates)

Templates for creating custom domains and manifest entries are maintained at:

• Domain template: .Codex/commands/synapse/templates/domain-template
• Manifest entry template: .Codex/commands/synapse/templates/manifest-entry-template

See assets/README.md for details.

CRUD Commands

For domain management operations, use the SYNAPSE manager:

Command	Purpose
*synapse create	Create new domain + manifest entry
*synapse add	Add rule to existing domain
*synapse edit	Edit or remove rule by index
*synapse toggle	Toggle domain active/inactive
*synapse command	Create new star-command
*synapse suggest	Suggest best domain for a rule

Full details: references/commands.md

Key Files

File	Purpose
.Codex/hooks/synapse-engine.js	Hook entry point (UserPromptSubmit)
.aiox-core/core/synapse/engine.js	SynapseEngine orchestrator
.synapse/manifest	Domain registry (KEY=VALUE)
.synapse/commands	Star-command definitions
.Codex/commands/synapse/manager.md	CRUD command router