Constraint Handling

Master constraint handling to build safe, compliant agents that operate within defined limits

Types of Constraints

Not all constraints are created equal. Understanding the difference between hard constraints (must be satisfied) and soft constraints (preferred but flexible) is crucial for building effective agent systems.

Hard Constraints (Non-Negotiable)

Cannot be violated under any circumstances. Violation immediately blocks the action or aborts the operation. Used for safety, security, legal compliance, and critical business rules.

Rule:if (constraint_violated) → BLOCK

Constraint Categories

🛡️

Safety Constraints

Prevent harmful or dangerous actions. Examples include data deletion limits, system access restrictions, resource usage caps.

Type: HardScope: System-wide
💰

Resource Constraints

Control consumption of finite resources. Budget limits, API quotas, compute time, memory usage, rate limits.

Type: MixedScope: Per-operation
⚖️

Policy Constraints

Enforce organizational rules and regulations. Business policies, legal requirements, ethical guidelines, compliance standards.

Type: HardScope: Domain-specific
🎯

Quality Constraints

Maintain output standards and performance levels. Accuracy thresholds, response time targets, completeness requirements.

Type: SoftScope: Output validation

Interactive: Violation Severity

Adjust the severity to see how agents should respond to different levels of constraint violations

5/10 - Moderate Violation
MinorModerateCritical

Recommended Response

🔔 Require Approval

Moderate violation. Pause operation and request human approval before proceeding.

await requestApproval("Moderate constraint violation")