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 (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:
UserPromptSubmit hook<synapse-rules> XML block appended to each promptWhat 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-proSYNAPSE runs automatically via the Claude Code hook. To check status:
*synapse status
This shows: active domains, current bracket, session info, and loaded layers.
| 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 |
*synapse create
This walks you through creating a new domain file + manifest entry. See references/domains.md for the full domain guide.
SYNAPSE operates as a 4-layer architecture:
.claude/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
.claude/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.
| 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 |
Templates for creating custom domains and manifest entries are maintained at:
.claude/commands/synapse/templates/domain-template.claude/commands/synapse/templates/manifest-entry-templateSee assets/README.md for details.
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
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
.claude/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 |
.claude/commands/synapse/manager.md | CRUD command router |