# Phase `lvl5` — add a 5th level rung: `abra recipe lint` passes on the PR

**Mission (operator-specified):** extend the level ladder with one new top rung.
**Level 5 = `abra recipe lint` passes against the exact recipe ref under test (the PR
head on PR builds)**, earned only after the existing four rungs (install, upgrade,
backup/restore, functional) are all clean PASSes — standard ladder semantics, a gap caps.
The existing four levels and their meanings are UNCHANGED.

State files (phase-namespaced): `STATUS-lvl5.md`, `BACKLOG-lvl5.md`, `REVIEW-lvl5.md`,
`JOURNAL-lvl5.md`. DECISIONS.md shared (append).

---

## 1. Current system (file map — verified 2026-06-11)

- `runner/harness/level.py` (120 lines, PURE) — `RUNGS = ("install", "upgrade",
  "backup_restore", "functional")`, `RUNG_LABEL` 1–4, `compute_level()` (gap caps; N/A
  caps with distinct reason), `tier_to_rung`, `backup_restore_status`.
- `runner/harness/results.py:137-218` — `derive_rungs()` builds the rung dict from tier
  results; `compute_level` → results.json `level` + `cap_reason` + `capped`.
- `runner/harness/card.py` — `LEVEL_COLOR` map (line ~58), cap line hardcodes
  *"full clean climb — top level (4)"* (line ~246).
- `dashboard/dashboard.py` — `_LEVEL_COLOR` (line ~81), corner level badge `_level_pill`,
  `/badge/<recipe>.svg`.
- `tests/unit/test_level.py`, `test_results.py`, `test_card.py`, `test_dashboard.py`.
- **Lint today:** abra's pinned (non-chaos) deploy runs `abra recipe lint` internally and
  FATALs on R014 — see `runner/harness/abra.py:109-114`: the CI's mirror-origin repointing
  tripped a go-git path, which is why chaos deploys (the PR-testing path!) deliberately
  SKIP lint. So lint currently runs implicitly on some paths and not at all on others —
  the new rung makes it explicit, uniform, and visible.

## 2. Design requirements

1. **New rung `lint` appended after `functional`** → ladder install(1) upgrade(2)
   backup_restore(3) functional(4) **lint(5)**. `RUNG_LABEL[5] = "lint (abra recipe lint)"`
   (or similar). Full clean climb is now 5.
2. **What is linted:** the EXACT recipe tree/ref the run deployed (PR head on
   `!testme`/PR builds; the tested ref otherwise) — never some other branch. Run
   `abra recipe lint <recipe>` (the abra on the CI host) against the run's own checkout
   context. Capture rc + full output into the run artifacts (e.g. `lint.txt`), and put a
   pass/fail + short excerpt in results.json.
3. **Mirror-plumbing must not pollute recipe lint results (CRITICAL, see abra.py:109-114):**
   the R014/go-git failure caused by CI's origin-repointing is a HARNESS artifact, not a
   recipe defect. The lint rung must evaluate the recipe's content. Solve it properly
   (e.g. lint in a context where origin looks canonical, or pre-step the same
   stash/revert dance abra.py already does) — do NOT blanket-ignore lint rules to make
   the plumbing pass, and document exactly what (if anything) is filtered and why. Any
   filtering is a named, unit-tested, Adversary-reviewed decision.
4. **Verdict semantics UNCHANGED:** lint is a level rung, not a run gate. A lint failure
   caps the level at 4 with `cap_reason "L5 ... FAILED"`; it must NOT fail/flip the run
   verdict, and must be time-bounded + best-effort in execution (a wedged lint can never
   hang a run — hard timeout, ~60s class).
5. **No N/A escape hatch by default:** every recipe can be linted, so the rung is
   pass/fail in practice (keep "na" handling for totality, e.g. abra binary missing →
   "na" + loud log, capping at 4 — never silently "pass").
6. **All consumers updated coherently:** RUNGS/labels, results schema, card (color map +
   the hardcoded "top level (4)" line), dashboard pills/badge SVG/legend text, docs
   (testing.md / results docs / recipe-customization.md §levels if it references L4 as
   top), and every unit test that assumes 4 is the ceiling.
7. **History compatibility:** old results.json artifacts (level ≤ 4, no lint rung) must
   still render correctly in dashboard/card history views — no KeyErrors, no retroactive
   relabeling of old runs.

## 3. Work plan

**P1 — Ladder + plumbing.** level.py rung; lint executor (new `harness/lint.py` or a
clean home in abra.py) with timeout, artifact capture, mirror-context handling per §2.3;
derive_rungs wiring; results schema. Unit tests for: full climb = 5, lint fail caps at 4
with reason, lint na caps at 4, old-artifact rendering, mirror-filter decision (if any).

**P2 — Presentation.** Card, dashboard, badge, docs — a level-5 color/legend that reads
as "above functional". Regenerate anything generated.

**P3 — Reality pass over all enrolled recipes.** Run the lint rung against every enrolled
recipe's current main/HEAD (cheap — lint only, no deploys, respects the shared-checkout
rule below). Matrix in BACKLOG-lvl5.md: pass/fail + rule hits per recipe. For failing
recipes: the rung correctly caps them at ≤4 (that is WORKING AS DESIGNED, not a phase
blocker). Where the fix is mechanical and safe, open a PR against the recipe mirror
(NEVER push main / NEVER merge — operator decides), else file the finding in
DEFERRED.md with the rule output.

**P4 — Real-CI proof.** Full-stage runs on enough recipes to prove the rung end-to-end:
≥1 recipe reaching a genuine L5 (all five rungs green), ≥1 recipe lint-capped at L4 (a
real or synthesized lint failure — a throwaway branch with a deliberate lint violation is
fine), ≥2 runs via the drone `!testme` path showing the rung on a real PR, plus the
canary suite green. Card + dashboard visually verified (Read the PNGs/SVG output).

## 4. Gates

**M1 — Implementation complete (pre-merge).** Branch with P1+P2; Adversary cold-runs unit
suite + lint from a clean checkout; reviews the mirror-filter decision (§2.3) explicitly;
confirms verdict-neutrality by code inspection + a targeted test. PASS required before
merge to main.

**M2 — Proven in real CI.** P3 matrix complete for ALL enrolled recipes; P4 runs done
(L5 achieved, L4-capped demonstrated, drone path ×2, canaries green); old artifacts still
render; run durations not materially inflated (lint adds ≤ ~60s). Fresh Adversary PASS →
Builder writes `## DONE` to STATUS-lvl5.md.

## 5. Guardrails (binding)

- **Never make a run look greener than its tests** (the Phase-3 cardinal rule): the rung
  caps conservatively; no silent "pass" on lint errors, timeouts, or missing abra.
- **No gate weakening; no verdict changes.** Existing tests/assertions untouchable except
  where the L4-ceiling assumption itself must change — those edits are mechanical and the
  Adversary checks each one against the old intent.
- **Recipe mirrors:** lint findings in recipes → PRs or DEFERRED entries only; NEVER push
  recipe-mirror main, NEVER merge their PRs.
- **Shared checkout race:** NEVER git-checkout `~/.abra/recipes/<recipe>` on cc-ci while
  that recipe's CI build is running — the harness deploys from that tree. P3's lint-only
  sweep must use its own scratch clones or run when the recipe is not mid-build.
- Real-CI etiquette: ≤2-3 concurrent live deploys; teardown every dev deploy on every
  exit path; no secrets in logs/commits. Commit author `autonomic-bot
  <autonomic-bot@noreply.git.autonomic.zone>`; push after every commit.
- CI host has no python3 on default PATH for remote one-liners — use shell or the
  harness venv (`cc-ci-run`).

## 6. Definition of Done

Level 5 (= abra recipe lint passes on the tested ref) live on main and visible end-to-end
(results.json → card → dashboard → badge), all enrolled recipes linted and dispositioned,
≥1 real L5 and ≥1 genuine L4-cap demonstrated through real CI including the drone path,
old artifacts unharmed, M1+M2 fresh Adversary PASSes, no verdict or duration regressions.