Cycle #27 ships a new test class systematizing the three-layer protocol
invariant framework.
## Context
After cycles #20–#26, the protocol has three distinct invariant classes:
1. **Structural compliance** (#178): Does the envelope exist?
2. **Quality compliance** (#179): Is stderr silent + error message truthful?
3. **Cross-channel consistency** (#181 + NEW): Do multiple channels agree?
#181 revealed a critical gap: the second test class was incomplete.
Envelopes could be structurally valid, quality-compliant, but still
lie about their own state (envelope.exit_code != actual exit).
## New Test Class
TestCrossChannelConsistency in test_cross_channel_consistency.py captures
the third invariant layer with 5 dedicated tests:
1. envelope.command ↔ dispatched subcommand
2. envelope.output_format ↔ --output-format flag
3. envelope.timestamp ↔ actual wall clock (recent, <5s)
4. envelope.exit_code ↔ process exit code (cycle #26/#181 regression guard)
5. envelope boolean fields (found/handled/deleted) ↔ error block presence
Each test specifically targets cross-channel truth, not structure or quality.
## Why Separate Test Classes Matter
A command can fail all three ways independently:
| Failure mode | Exit/Crash | Test class | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural | stderr noise | TestParseErrorEnvelope | argparse leaks to stderr |
| Quality | correct shape, wrong message | TestParseErrorStderrHygiene | error instead of real message |
| Cross-channel | truthy field, lie about state | TestCrossChannelConsistency | exit_code: 0 but exit 1 |
#181 was invisible to the first two classes. A claw passing all structure/
quality tests could still be misled. The third class catches that.
## Audit Results (Cycle #27)
All 5 tests pass — no drift detected in any channel pair:
- ✅ Envelope command always matches dispatch
- ✅ Envelope output_format always matches flag
- ✅ Envelope timestamp always recent (<5s)
- ✅ Envelope exit_code always matches process exit (post-#181 guard)
- ✅ Boolean fields consistent with error block presence
The systematic audit proved the fix from #181 holds, and identified
no new cross-channel gaps.
## Test Impact
- 209 → 214 tests passing (+5)
- Zero regressions
- New invariant class now has dedicated test suite
- Future cross-channel bugs will be caught by this class
## Related
- #178 (#20): Parser-front-door structural contract
- #179 (#20): Stderr hygiene + real error message quality
- #181 (#26): Envelope exit_code must match process exit
- #182-N: Future cross-channel contract violations will be caught
by TestCrossChannelConsistency
This test class is evergreen — as new fields/channels are added to the
protocol, invariants for those channels should be added here, not mixed
with other test classes. Keeping invariant classes separate makes
regression attribution instant (e.g., 'TestCrossChannelConsistency failed'
= 'some truth channel disagreed').
Classification (per cycle #24 calibration):
- Red-state bug: ✗ (audit is green)
- Real friction: ✓ (structured audit of documented invariants)
- Proof of equilibrium: ✓ (systematic verification, no gaps found)
Source: Jobdori cycle #27 proactive invariant audit — following gaebal
guidance to probe documented invariants, not speculative gaps.
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