64 lines
2.2 KiB
Markdown
64 lines
2.2 KiB
Markdown
|
# 7. JSON output for LLM prompt injection
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
**Date:** 2026-07-03
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
**Status:** Accepted
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
## Context
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The text table output is human-readable but not directly usable by an LLM. To use Dervish conventions in another agent or coding session, the output must be parsed, reformatted, and injected into a prompt — an extra friction step.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
An LLM consuming conventions needs:
|
||
|
|
- Structured data it can read directly (no parsing).
|
||
|
|
- All metadata per convention (grammar, imports, args, files, packages).
|
||
|
|
- Compact enough to fit in context without overflow.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
## Decision
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Add a `--json` flag that outputs a structured JSON array instead of the text table.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
JSON structure:
|
||
|
|
```json
|
||
|
|
[{
|
||
|
|
"language": ".kt",
|
||
|
|
"conventions": [{
|
||
|
|
"label": "every → assertEquals → verify",
|
||
|
|
"method_count": 16,
|
||
|
|
"algorithm": "CRX",
|
||
|
|
"grammar": "every+.assertEquals.verify+.any?",
|
||
|
|
"mdl_score": 8.64,
|
||
|
|
"imports": ["import io.mockk.every", "..."],
|
||
|
|
"packages": ["eu/corentic/springrag/agent/capability"],
|
||
|
|
"arg_patterns": {
|
||
|
|
"assertEquals": {
|
||
|
|
"occurrences": 42,
|
||
|
|
"arg_count": {"min": 2, "max": 3, "common": 2},
|
||
|
|
"patterns": [{"count": 30, "args": 2, "types": ["lit", "var"]}]
|
||
|
|
}
|
||
|
|
}
|
||
|
|
}],
|
||
|
|
"total_methods": 665
|
||
|
|
}]
|
||
|
|
```
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Also accepts `--format json` and `--format text` for explicit control.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
## Consequences
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
**Positive:**
|
||
|
|
- LLM consumes the JSON directly — no parsing step needed.
|
||
|
|
- All metadata in one object per convention — imports, args, files, packages all together.
|
||
|
|
- `--json` is a single flag — the default text output remains for human review.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
**Negative:**
|
||
|
|
- JSON is more verbose than text (full import list instead of truncated preview).
|
||
|
|
- No easy way to limit output size — a large codebase produces JSON that may overflow context.
|
||
|
|
- Mitigation: `--include` flag filters files before analysis.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
## Alternatives Considered
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
- **YAML output**: More readable, but less universally parseable by LLMs.
|
||
|
|
- **CSV output**: Too flat for nested data (arg_patterns, imports list).
|
||
|
|
- **Custom prompt template**: Would need per-framework templates. JSON is framework-agnostic.
|
||
|
|
- **No structured output**: User must pipe through `jq` or manual reformatting. Bad UX.
|