Specification

Normative document for AI Parlance (v0.1). Defines grammar, semantics, builtins, policies, and block stability levels. Overview: Introduction. Syntax reference: Syntax.

Glossary

Term	Meaning
AI Parlance	AI-first declarative language used as IR between intent and generated code.
Block	Top-level construct (`entity`, `workflow`, …).
Transpiler	Generator that converts AI Parlance (+ AST) into target artifacts (Go, SQL, …).
AST	Syntax tree produced by the parser from `.aip` text; common transpiler input.
Builtin	Reserved function or command (`now()`, `notify()`, …).
Predicate	Boolean expression in `policy` (`authenticated`, `role(admin)`, …).

Scope and limits

AI Parlance currently covers:

data and API modeling (CRUD)
declarative authorization
limited domain workflows and events

It does not replace:

custom UI or design systems
complex algorithms or manual performance tuning
ad hoc integrations without a dedicated block
hand-written imperative SQL (a future custom block is reserved; not in v0.1)

Tool	Focus	AI Parlance
OpenAPI / AsyncAPI	HTTP / event contracts	Model + behavior + policy in one spec
Prisma / DBML	Data schema	Entities + relations + multi-target migrations
OPA / Cedar	Authorization	`policy` integrated with entities
Temporal / Cadence	Imperative orchestration	Declarative `workflow` for common rules

Pipeline

Prompt or human edit
↓
.aip text
↓
Parser → AST
↓
Semantic validator
↓
Transpilers (per target)
↓
Go, SQL, OpenAPI, workers, …

.aip is the source; the AST is internal. Agents and humans edit .aip, not the AST directly. Toolchain (v0.1): parser, validator, and transpilers are not published yet. This document is the normative source; see spec/v0.1/grammar.ebnf for machine-oriented grammar.

Required `app` block

Every v0.1 spec must start with exactly one app block (version tag recommended):

app MyApp @0.1 {
  database postgres
}

Add auth when using authenticated, role, or permission in policy. Minimal example: examples/minimal.aip.

Grammar (EBNF summary)

program        = { block } ;
block          = app_block | entity_block | crud_stmt | policy_block
               | index_block | api_block | workflow_block | event_block
               | lifecycle_block | seed_block | job_block | queue_block
               | ai_context_block ;

app_block      = "app" IDENT [ "@version" ] "{" app_member { app_member } "}" ;
entity_block   = "entity" IDENT "{" { field_decl | entity_modifier } "}" ;
field_decl     = IDENT ":" type_expr [ field_modifier { field_modifier } ] ;
crud_stmt      = "crud" IDENT ;
workflow_block = "workflow" IDENT "{" when_clause { stmt } "}" ;
when_clause    = "when" IDENT "." lifecycle_event ;

Field modifier order: required | optional → unique → default(...). Line comments: // to end of line (ignored by the parser).

Stability levels

Level	Blocks	Status v0.1
Core	`app`, `entity`, `crud`, inline field validation; inline `enum(…)` types; inline `belongs_to` relations	Stable
Infra	`index`, `api`, migrations, `seed`, naming; entity modifiers `timestamps`, `soft_delete`	Stable
Security	`auth` (on `app`), `policy`, predicates	Beta
Behavior	`workflow`, `event`, `lifecycle`, `job`, `queue`; workflow statements (`emit`, `create`, …)	Beta

Top-level enum { } / relation { } blocks and has_one / has_many / many_to_many are roadmap, not v0.1. Beta blocks may change syntax between minor v0.x releases. Core is stable within v0.1; the overall spec remains draft until a reference toolchain ships.

Implicit fields

Every entity receives automatically (unless id: uuid is explicit):

Field	Type	Notes
`id`	`uuid`	Primary key
`created_at`	`datetime`	Always injected (Core default)
`updated_at`	`datetime`	Always injected (Core default)

The timestamps modifier on entity is optional documentation sugar; it does not disable these fields. soft_delete on entity adds deleted_at: datetime optional.

Builtins

Name	Usage	Effect
`now()`	expressions	Current UTC datetime
`available_seller()`	workflow	Returns available `User` with seller role
`assign`	`assign Lead.seller seller`	Sets relation / FK field
`notify(recipient, message)`	workflow	Notification; `recipient` is a `User` variable, entity field, or string literal
`LeadExists(phone)`	condition	Duplicate check on normalized phone
`normalize_phone(value)`	expression	Normalizes phone for comparison
`emit EventName { … }`	workflow	Publishes declared domain event
`create Entity { … }`	workflow	Creates declared entity record
`reject "msg"`	workflow	Business error abort
`dispatch JobName`	workflow	Enqueues declared job

Unlisted builtins are invalid until added to the spec.

Lifecycle

System events (when triggers):

created | updated | deleted

lifecycle Lead {
  on created -> workflow LeadReceived
  before create {
    normalize_phone(Lead.phone)
  }
  after update {
    notify(Lead.seller, "Lead updated")
  }
}

when Lead.created in workflow equals on created in lifecycle. Prefer lifecycle when an entity has multiple hooks.

Workflow statements (v0.1)

Inside workflow / lifecycle hooks: var, if / reject, assign, create, emit, notify, dispatch (optional after + duration). Durations: 15m, 1h, 1d (see Workflows). Forward references are allowed: emit and create may reference event / entity blocks declared later in the file.

Policies

Predicates supported in v0.1:

Predicate	Meaning
`public`	No authentication
`authenticated`	Valid JWT/session
`role(name)`	Global role of authenticated user
`permission(name)`	Explicit granted permission
`owner(field)`	`auth.user_id` matches `field` (FK or id)
`owner_or_manager(field)`	`owner(field)` or `role(manager)` or `role(admin)`

policy Lead {
  read owner_or_manager(Lead.seller)
}

Requires Lead.seller as belongs_to User.

Default access

Entities without a policy block: transpilers should default to authenticated for CRUD when app has auth, or public when there is no auth. Explicit policy always wins.

Proposed (not in v0.1 grammar)

Top-level permission name declarations
endpoint blocks for per-route rate limits

Documented in Security as preview only until added to the grammar.

Validation

The semantic validator must reject:

missing or duplicate app block
references to missing entity / event / job
policy using authenticated or role without auth in app
owner(field) when field does not exist
workflow without when
duplicate or out-of-order modifiers (warning vs error per rule)
unregistered builtins

Transpiler matrix

Target	Artifacts	Status v0.1
PostgreSQL	DDL, migrations, indexes	Planned (primary language target)
MySQL	DDL, migrations	Planned (same `database mysql` in `app`; no transpiler yet)
Go	structs, handlers, JWT middleware	Planned
TypeScript	interfaces, guards	Planned
Python	models, decorators	Planned
PHP	classes, policies	Planned
OpenAPI	paths, schemas, security	Planned
Docs	Markdown / API reference	Planned
Tests	CRUD fixtures	Planned
Workers	queues, jobs from `workflow`	Planned

LLM inference cost applies to editing .aip, not offline transpilation.

Reference spec

Full CRM example: examples/crm-reference.aip Domain chapters (Database, Security, Workflows) document extensions relative to this file.

Overview

Reference

Domains

AI

Documentation Index

​Specification

​Glossary

​Scope and limits

​Pipeline

​Required app block

​Grammar (EBNF summary)

​Stability levels

​Implicit fields

​Builtins

​Lifecycle

​Workflow statements (v0.1)

​Policies

​Default access

​Proposed (not in v0.1 grammar)

​Validation

​Transpiler matrix

​Reference spec