ALEF-PAT-021

output-schema-no-loop-exit

execute × no-termination-criterion · severity 6 · confidence 0.85

Agent loop has a schema for partial outputs but no schema for "done". Iteration continues indefinitely or until quota; "done" is never expressible.

diagnosed in the wild

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healed by ALEF

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cited in posts

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observable signature

{
  "behavior": "stopReason=toolUse AND tool.name==structured_output_tool AND loop continues"
}

fix archetypes

terminate-on-structured-toolcost: tiny
if last tool call name == structured_output_tool, finalize(tool.input); do not re-prompt

compounds with

ALEF-PAT-010

cite as

# In a PR description / issue / RFC:
fixes pattern ALEF-PAT-021 (output-schema-no-loop-exit)
ref: https://n50.io/patterns/021

# Machine query:
GET https://n50.io/api/patterns/021

# Scan your repo for this pattern:
npx @alef-prime/audit-agent-system . --pattern=021