Primitives.org.aiVerb
Actions and operations in your domain
Verb
Verbs represent actions and operations that can be performed on Things in your domain.
Context Defines Meaning
Every Verb exists within a Domain namespace - and that namespace IS the $context. The verb "approve" means something different at a bank vs. a publishing company:
// In bank.do namespace/context
const Approve = Verb('approve', {
object: 'LoanApplication',
effect: (app) => ({ ...app, status: 'funded' }),
})
// In publisher.do namespace/context
const Approve = Verb('approve', {
object: 'Manuscript',
effect: (doc) => ({ ...doc, status: 'ready-for-print' }),
})The namespace provides context for AI to understand not just WHAT action to take, but HOW it should behave in YOUR domain.
Overview
A Verb defines an operation with its parameters, preconditions, and effects. Verbs create Actions when applied to specific things, and emit Events when executed.
import { Verb } from 'ai-database'
// Define a verb
const Approve = Verb('approve', {
subject: 'User',
object: 'Document',
preconditions: (user, doc) => doc.status === 'pending',
effect: (user, doc) => ({ ...doc, status: 'approved', approvedBy: user.id }),
})
// Use the verb
await Approve(currentUser, document)Defining Verbs
Verbs capture the semantics of domain operations:
import { Verb } from 'ai-database'
const Ship = Verb('ship', {
subject: 'Warehouse',
object: 'Order',
preconditions: (warehouse, order) =>
order.status === 'paid' && warehouse.hasInventory(order.items),
effect: (warehouse, order) => ({
...order,
status: 'shipped',
shippedFrom: warehouse.id,
shippedAt: new Date(),
}),
})Verb Conjugation
Verbs automatically conjugate for different contexts:
const verb = Verb('create')
verb.infinitive // "create"
verb.pastTense // "created"
verb.present // "creates"
verb.gerund // "creating"Events from Verbs
When a verb executes, it emits an event:
// Executing a verb
const result = await Ship(warehouse, order)
// Emits event:
// {
// type: 'Order.shipped',
// subject: warehouse,
// object: order,
// timestamp: Date,
// result: { ...updatedOrder }
// }Built-in Verbs
Common CRUD verbs are built-in:
import { create, read, update, delete as remove, list } from 'ai-database'
await create(Customer, { name: 'Acme' })
await read(Customer, 'cust_123')
await update(Customer, 'cust_123', { tier: 'pro' })
await remove(Customer, 'cust_123')
await list(Customer, { tier: 'pro' })See Also
- Domain - The namespace that IS the context
- Noun - Types that verbs operate on
- Thing - Instances that verbs act upon
- Action - Bound verb invocations
- Event - Records of verb execution
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