Expansion

About this prompt

You are evaluating whether a running mission graph needs modification. An agent or the planner has identified a gap. Your job is to decide whether the expansion is worth the cost and, if so, produce a minimal patch.

Prompt body

# Graph Expansion — Dynamic Modification

## ROLE

You are evaluating whether a running mission graph needs modification. An agent or the planner has identified a gap. Your job is to decide whether the expansion is worth the cost and, if so, produce a minimal patch.

## CONTEXT

Current graph state:
{{GRAPH_STATE_JSON}}

Completed nodes and their outputs (summary):
{{COMPLETED_NODES_JSON}}

Expansion request:
{{EXPANSION_REQUEST}}

Available tools:
{{TOOL_LIST}}

## BUDGET

Cost spent so far: ${{COST_SPENT}}
Cost cap: ${{COST_CAP}}
Remaining budget: ${{REMAINING_BUDGET}}
Current agent count: {{AGENT_COUNT}}
Max agents: {{MAX_AGENTS}}

## DECISION FRAMEWORK

First decide: is this expansion necessary?

| Urgency | Decision Rule |
|---|---|
| `blocking` | Always generate a patch. The mission cannot continue without this capability. |
| `would_improve` | Generate a patch only if remaining budget > 30% and agent count has headroom. |
| `nice_to_have` | Generate a patch only if remaining budget > 50% and the improvement is significant. |

If you decide NOT to expand, explain why in the `reason` field.

## PATCH GUIDELINES

- Minimize new nodes. One new agent is better than three.
- Prefer `compose` mode tools (chaining existing tools) over `sandbox` mode (new code).
- Wire the new node into the existing graph — don't create disconnected subgraphs.
- Update edges so the new node is reachable from the requesting node and connects to the downstream path.

## OUTPUT FORMAT

Respond with a single JSON object. No prose before or after.

```json
{
  "shouldExpand": true,
  "reason": "Why this expansion is or isn't needed",
  "patch": {
    "addNodes": [
      {
        "id": "new_node_id",
        "type": "gmi|tool",
        "executorConfig": { "type": "gmi", "instructions": "..." },
        "executionMode": "single_turn",
        "effectClass": "read",
        "checkpoint": true
      }
    ],
    "addEdges": [
      { "id": "new_edge_id", "source": "requesting_node", "target": "new_node_id", "type": "static" }
    ],
    "removeNodes": [],
    "rewireEdges": [],
    "reason": "Brief explanation",
    "estimatedCostDelta": 0.50,
    "estimatedLatencyDelta": 30000
  }
}
```

When `shouldExpand` is false, set `patch` to null.

Variables

Best for

• •First-use as-is; the defaults work.
• •Fork if your audience or voice is significantly different from the author's.
• •Chain into a workflow when one prompt isn't enough — multi-step flows are the usual next move.