Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)¶
Common questions about Task Ontology Kernel (TOK).
General¶
What is TOK?¶
Task Ontology Kernel (TOK) defines the ontological structure of tasks—their identity, state, lifecycle, dependencies, and evolution. It is the theoretical foundation that makes tasks a first-class system primitive, enabling AI-native execution, versioning, and governance.
What is the relationship between TOK and POG?¶
TOK is the ontological core within the POG ecosystem. POG (Prompt Orchestration Governance) defines the paradigm shift from prompts to governed tasks. POG Task is the concrete implementation. TOK provides the abstract, universal definition of what a task is and how it exists.
What is TOCA?¶
Task-Oriented Cognitive Architecture (TOCA) defines how tasks operate within cognitive systems. It provides a closed-loop architecture: Capture → Dispatch → Execute → Validate → Evolve. While TOK defines "what a task is," TOCA defines "how tasks are used in cognition."
How is TOK different from traditional task management?¶
Traditional task management (Jira, Trello, Asana) assumes humans interpret and execute tasks. TOK formalizes tasks as machine-executable primitives with structured Intent, Context, Strategy, and Evaluation layers, enabling AI Agents to autonomously execute, evolve, and govern tasks.
What does "Task-native" mean?¶
Task-native describes a system where the primary unit of execution, persistence, and evolution is a task, rather than code, API calls, or scripts. Code becomes a derivative artifact generated by task execution.
Architecture & Design¶
What are the four layers of a Task Object?¶
- Intent: The goal state, not execution steps.
- Context: Environment, resources, and historical records.
- Strategy: Task decomposition logic and tool preferences (evolvable).
- Evaluation: Definition of Done, automated tests, and human feedback.
What is the five-layer POG stack?¶
| Layer | Name | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Paradigm | POG | Why tasks replace prompts |
| Ontology | TOK | What a task is |
| Architecture | TOCA | How tasks operate in cognition |
| Primitive | POG Task | Minimal executable task unit |
| System | POG OS | Runtime and governance system |
How does TOK compare to Palantir Ontology?¶
Both use the same ontology-driven architectural pattern, but with different primitives. Palantir's primitive is Object (models reality), while TOK's primitive is Task (models intent). Palantir is passive (human-triggered), TOK is active (agent-autonomous).
What is Agent-Native execution?¶
In TOK, tasks are not directly executed as scripts. Instead, tasks are delegated to Agents who autonomously decide how to execute them—selecting tools, making LLM reasoning calls, or even spawning new tasks.
Technical¶
What format are TOK tasks defined in?¶
Tasks are defined in YAML and versioned via Git. The TOK Core Schema defines the standardized structure for task definition, execution contracts, lifecycle states, and versioning.
Can TOK be used outside software development?¶
Yes. TOK is designed as a cross-domain universal kernel. While POG Task is the first implementation focused on software development, the same TOK ontology can be applied to manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, or any domain requiring structured task management.
How does versioning work?¶
All task definitions and state transitions are stored as files and versioned via Git commits. This provides full lineage, diff capability, rollback support, and auditability—like Git for execution.