Frontmatter6 fields
- Trust
- UnverifiedDefault
- Status
- StableDefault
type- Decision
title- Product Interface Direction
description- Organize the CLI around one primary path and optional workflows over one OKF knowledge base.
tagstimestampdecision_status- accepted
Product Interface Direction
Decision
Open Knowledge gives one lifecycle from repository Markdown to published OKF knowledge. Managed product interfaces use the same OKF Markdown bundle.
These interfaces include search, the viewer, MCP, agents, jobs, exports, and runtime generations.
The CLI exposes one primary workflow and one advanced group:
| Workflow | Commands |
|---|---|
| Start here | setup, check, search, view, review, publish, upgrade |
| Advanced | Direct validation, governance, query, export, runtime, connection, automation, and inspection commands |
Existing commands remain available. Root help places the lower-level commands under Advanced.
Interface Rules
- Root help starts with user outcomes.
- Command pages contain the command details.
- Each capability has one canonical command.
- Deterministic OKF operations do not require a model, network, or service.
- Service roles use the same validation, publication, retrieval, and export contracts.
- Provider configuration stays under
automation deploy. - Runtime operations stay under
automation runtime.
The primary lifecycle is:
okn setup
okn check Wiki
okn search Wiki "release workflow"
okn view Wiki
okn review Wiki
okn publish Wiki --plan
Setup accepts ordinary Markdown without YAML frontmatter or an authored link graph. It provides path selection and two results: a managed copy or in-place adoption. The plan shows all writes before apply.
If the source has no Markdown, setup creates a tailored agent task. The continuation offers installed agents first, then copy and save choices.
Search accepts unmanaged Markdown and marks it as unmanaged. Check reports UNMANAGED, and publish refuses unmanaged input. Review is optional agent work after deterministic checks. Upgrade is the explicit format migration path.
Use advanced commands when direct control of a layer is necessary. These commands include validate, audit, eval, query, export, and mcp.
Use the top-level connect command to add a connection. Use the top-level disconnect command to remove a connection.
Commands remain separate when they have different process or security boundaries. The local view, stdio mcp, and hosted runtime are separate interfaces.