State the architecture you expect

01 · Declare

Choose where to declare intent

Repository intent lives in enola-intent.yaml. A cluster can declare the same schema beside its repository list and override a repository file wholesale. A Markdown decision page can opt in with an enola_intent: frontmatter block; Enola reads that block, not the page body.

A repository declaration can name the service, the seams it consumes and serves, its layer order outermost first, and the external dependencies it expects:

enola-intent.yamlyaml

service:
  name: backend
  description: order and payment API
consumes:
  - {repo: payments, via: http}
serves:
  - {via: http, description: public REST API}
layers:
  - {name: handlers, paths: ["app/handlers/**"]}
  - {name: domain, paths: ["app/domain/**"]}
  - {name: storage, paths: ["app/storage/**"]}
dependencies:
  - {name: jwt, ecosystem: rubygems, purpose: "token verification", safety_path: true}

Layer paths are repository-relative exact paths or prefix/** subtrees. Run enola constraints lint to see how many measured modules each layer selects before enforcing it.

Components and rules are constraints: they live in enola-intent.yaml or enola/constraints/*.yaml, never on a page. See Policy as Code.

02 · Before the edit

Find the rules for a change

Question	Tool
Which declarations cover this target?	governing_intent
Which rules, exemptions, and guidance apply?	constraints_for
What would these paths or this patch affect?	plan_check or enola plan

Check planned pathsshell

enola plan --paths internal/auth,internal/api

03 · Modes

Choose how each rule behaves

Mode	Behavior
ratchet	Default. Existing debt can remain; new violations fail the check.
advisory	Reports evidence without failing the check.
strict	Any violation fails unless it is recorded in the suppression ledger.

Exemptions name specific allowed violations and remain visible. Guidance gives advice before an edit; it is not a violation.

04 · Evidence

Understand the evidence limits

Enola evaluates declarations against the graph it extracted. Unsupported syntax, dynamic behavior, generated code, or missing provider facts can leave relationships unseen. Receipts record extractor and provider provenance; coverage reports show unresolved boundaries.

Enola checks declared intent against facts in the snapshot. Review the evidence and coverage before treating a missing relationship as proof that none exists.

05 · Full schema

Use the canonical reference for authoring

For the declaration schema, page frontmatter, vocabularies and how intent findings are graded, read INTENT.md. Components, the 21 rule forms, recipes, modes and exemptions are covered on Policy as Code and in CONSTRAINTS.md. Provider contracts are in PROVIDERS.md.