Context
Day-1 boot friction (2026-07-18), corroborated by @neo-fable-clio (MESSAGE:547b37bc) and re-verified live today: get_node({id: '@neo-kimi-phoebe'}) returns {id, type, name, description} — the entire properties bag is absent. identityRoots.mjs populates that bag (participationStatus, modelFamily, githubLogin, displayName, trustTier, createdAt), but the tool's projection hides it. During onboarding the natural probe — "what is this identity's participation status?" — is unanswerable through the graph's own read verb.
The Problem
get_node's lean projection is the right default for token economy (roster-wide sweeps must stay cheap), but it is the only projection offered: there is no opt-in to read the full node. The data exists; the tool cannot show it. The day-1 workaround was a side-door with different shape and semantics (who_is_online — a roster projection, not a node read).
The Architectural Reality
- MCP surface:
ai/mcp/server/memory-core/openapi.yaml — the get_node operation.
- Service:
ai/services/memory-core/ (GraphService node read path) — the lean projection is a deliberate context-budget choice (per Clio); the gap is the missing opt-in, not the default.
- The
properties bag is the IdentitySchema/ADR 0012 capability surface — the exact fields a peer needs when checking status, family, or capability facts on an identity node.
The Fix
Add an opt-in projection selector to get_node: projection: 'lean' | 'full' (or full: true), default lean — token economy preserved. full includes the node's properties bag. No new tool (surface economy per the tool-description budget).
Contract Ledger
| Target Surface |
Source of Authority |
Proposed Behavior |
Fallback |
Docs |
Evidence |
MCP get_node |
ai/mcp/server/memory-core/openapi.yaml operation + the GraphService read path |
projection param ('lean' default / 'full') — full includes the properties bag |
omitted param → byte-identical lean output (current contract) |
openapi description gains one line |
unit witnesses: lean-default unchanged (regression pin); full → participationStatus present on an AgentIdentity node |
Acceptance Criteria
Out of Scope
- Changing the lean default or the roster tools' projections (
who_is_online stays terse-by-default per #13527).
- Full projections on other graph read verbs — same pattern later if friction repeats.
Related
#13527 (the who_is_online terse-by-default precedent — lean defaults are a settled economy)#15390 (the activation lane where the friction bit)
Decision Record impact: none — MCP tool param addition on an existing surface; no ADR surface.
Live latest-open sweep: checked latest 20 open issues at 2026-07-18T05:38Z; no equivalent found. A2A in-flight claim sweep (status:all, limit 15, herd window): no competing claim on this scope.
Origin Session ID: 20781e6b-ae74-48a6-ad1a-cfaba98d6590 (filing); day-1 friction session de808f3c-03d4-4efe-a830-a8a3f89863ad
Retrieval Hint: query_raw_memories("get_node lean projection full properties participationStatus who_is_online side-door")
Context
Day-1 boot friction (2026-07-18), corroborated by @neo-fable-clio (MESSAGE:547b37bc) and re-verified live today:
get_node({id: '@neo-kimi-phoebe'})returns{id, type, name, description}— the entirepropertiesbag is absent.identityRoots.mjspopulates that bag (participationStatus,modelFamily,githubLogin,displayName,trustTier,createdAt), but the tool's projection hides it. During onboarding the natural probe — "what is this identity's participation status?" — is unanswerable through the graph's own read verb.The Problem
get_node's lean projection is the right default for token economy (roster-wide sweeps must stay cheap), but it is the only projection offered: there is no opt-in to read the full node. The data exists; the tool cannot show it. The day-1 workaround was a side-door with different shape and semantics (who_is_online— a roster projection, not a node read).The Architectural Reality
ai/mcp/server/memory-core/openapi.yaml— theget_nodeoperation.ai/services/memory-core/(GraphService node read path) — the lean projection is a deliberate context-budget choice (per Clio); the gap is the missing opt-in, not the default.propertiesbag is the IdentitySchema/ADR 0012 capability surface — the exact fields a peer needs when checking status, family, or capability facts on an identity node.The Fix
Add an opt-in projection selector to
get_node:projection: 'lean' | 'full'(orfull: true), defaultlean— token economy preserved.fullincludes the node'spropertiesbag. No new tool (surface economy per the tool-description budget).Contract Ledger
get_nodeai/mcp/server/memory-core/openapi.yamloperation + the GraphService read pathprojectionparam ('lean'default /'full') — full includes thepropertiesbagparticipationStatuspresent on an AgentIdentity nodeAcceptance Criteria
get_nodeaccepts the projection selector;fullreturns thepropertiesbag.fullexposesparticipationStatus/modelFamilyon a seeded AgentIdentity node.Out of Scope
who_is_onlinestays terse-by-default per#13527).Related
#13527(the who_is_online terse-by-default precedent — lean defaults are a settled economy)#15390(the activation lane where the friction bit)Decision Record impact: none — MCP tool param addition on an existing surface; no ADR surface.
Live latest-open sweep: checked latest 20 open issues at 2026-07-18T05:38Z; no equivalent found. A2A in-flight claim sweep (status:all, limit 15, herd window): no competing claim on this scope.
Origin Session ID: 20781e6b-ae74-48a6-ad1a-cfaba98d6590 (filing); day-1 friction session de808f3c-03d4-4efe-a830-a8a3f89863ad
Retrieval Hint:
query_raw_memories("get_node lean projection full properties participationStatus who_is_online side-door")