Give your agents
limits they can
work within.
Tool access is not authority. A credential lets an agent call refund. It cannot say whether this refund is valid now or how much the agent has already authorized today. KIFF checks the proposed action against live state, permissions, and remaining limits before your code runs it.
Actions inside the boundary can run without a click. Approval cases stay with your people. Over-limit actions stop. Your rules decide, not another model's opinion.
Drop the MIT Guard into an existing agent, or call Cloud over HTTP. KIFF constrains existing authority; it does not grant permission or execute the action.
kiffer, v., to properly enjoy something. That is what a bounded agent is for. How limits work →
Correct in every way, and still refused.
A limit is not a second opinion on one action. It is a ceiling on the total, checked after everything else has already said yes. Here is one agent with €1,100 of refund authority for the day.
There is no approval card on that last one, by design. A cap that produces a request someone clicks through at the end of a long day is not a cap. More room is a raised limit, which leaves a record of somebody raising it.
None of that is visible when it works, which is why it is usually written last and discovered in production. It is the part we built, and the point of building it is not the refusal. It is that actions inside the boundary can run without anyone reading them first.
What a limit is, and what it deliberately is not →Your agent proposes it. A human still clicks it.
The work moved into a queue: open, skim, agree, click. When every proposal waits for the same manual step, deployment still runs on human throughput.
A tool credential cannot settle whether this action is authorized now. That takes shared state, permissions, approvals, and cumulative limits across the operation.
Review the exceptions. Let the boundary clear the routine. allowed work runs · approval cases wait · limits refuseTurn business truth into a system agents can act through.
Model the lifecycle once: what happened, what is true now, what actions are possible, and who has authority. Humans, agents, services, and integrations then participate in the same operational loop. The technical term is runtime authorization for agent actions; the business result is authority with limits.
Different frameworks. Same reality.
Keep Agno, LangGraph, OpenAI, Google ADK, Strands, n8n, or your own stack. KIFF Guard connects their pre-execution seam to the same operational domain, so state, rules, and history survive every model and framework change.
pip install kiff-guard # or: npm i @kiff/kiff-guardPick your stack. The KIFF side is identical everywhere, the same three-field contract; only the adapter and one attach line change.
from kiff_guard import Guard, HTTPClient, ToolMap
from kiff_guard.adapters.agno import agno_hook
tm = ToolMap().bind("refund_order", action="REFUND_ORDER",
entity_type="Order", entity_arg="order_id")
guard = Guard(client=HTTPClient(api_key=KEY, tool_map=tm),
tenant="acme", agent="refunds", mode="enforce")
guard.connect(adapter="agno")
agent = Agent(model=..., tools=[refund_order],
tool_hooks=[agno_hook(guard)]) # decides before the tool runsfrom kiff_guard import Guard, HTTPClient, ToolMap
from kiff_guard.adapters.langgraph import kiff_wrap_tool_call
tm = ToolMap().bind("refund_order", action="REFUND_ORDER",
entity_type="Order", entity_arg="order_id")
guard = Guard(client=HTTPClient(api_key=KEY, tool_map=tm),
tenant="acme", agent="refunds", mode="enforce")
guard.connect(adapter="langgraph")
agent = create_agent(model=..., tools=[refund_order],
middleware=[kiff_wrap_tool_call(guard)])from kiff_guard import Guard, HTTPClient, ToolMap
from kiff_guard.adapters.openai_agents import kiff_tool_input_guardrail
tm = ToolMap().bind("refund_order", action="REFUND_ORDER",
entity_type="Order", entity_arg="order_id")
guard = Guard(client=HTTPClient(api_key=KEY, tool_map=tm),
tenant="acme", agent="refunds", mode="enforce")
guard.connect(adapter="openai-agents")
@function_tool(tool_input_guardrails=[kiff_tool_input_guardrail(guard)])
def refund_order(order_id: str, amount: int, reason: str): ...from kiff_guard import Guard, HTTPClient, ToolMap
from kiff_guard.adapters.google_adk import kiff_before_tool_callback
tm = ToolMap().bind("refund_order", action="REFUND_ORDER",
entity_type="Order", entity_arg="order_id")
guard = Guard(client=HTTPClient(api_key=KEY, tool_map=tm),
tenant="acme", agent="refunds", mode="enforce")
guard.connect(adapter="google-adk")
agent = Agent(tools=[refund_order],
before_tool_callback=kiff_before_tool_callback(guard))from kiff_guard import Guard, HTTPClient, ToolMap
from kiff_guard.adapters.pydantic_ai import kiff_before_tool_execute
tm = ToolMap().bind("refund_order", action="REFUND_ORDER",
entity_type="Order", entity_arg="order_id")
guard = Guard(client=HTTPClient(api_key=KEY, tool_map=tm),
tenant="acme", agent="refunds", mode="enforce")
guard.connect(adapter="pydantic-ai")
agent = Agent(model=...,
before_tool_execute=kiff_before_tool_execute(guard))from kiff_guard import Guard, HTTPClient, ToolMap
from kiff_guard.adapters.strands import kiff_hook_provider
tm = ToolMap().bind("refund_order", action="REFUND_ORDER",
entity_type="Order", entity_arg="order_id")
guard = Guard(client=HTTPClient(api_key=KEY, tool_map=tm),
tenant="acme", agent="refunds", mode="enforce")
guard.connect(adapter="strands")
agent = Agent(model=..., tools=[refund_order],
hooks=[kiff_hook_provider(guard)])from kiff_guard import Guard, HTTPClient, ToolMap
from kiff_guard.adapters.microsoft_agent_framework import kiff_guard_middleware
tm = ToolMap().bind("refund_order", action="REFUND_ORDER",
entity_type="Order", entity_arg="order_id")
guard = Guard(client=HTTPClient(api_key=KEY, tool_map=tm),
tenant="acme", agent="refunds", mode="enforce")
guard.connect(adapter="ms-agent-framework")
agent = Agent(tools=[refund_order],
middleware=[kiff_guard_middleware(guard)])from kiff_guard import Guard, HTTPClient, ToolMap
from kiff_guard.adapters.hermes import register_kiff_guard
tm = ToolMap().bind("refund_order", action="REFUND_ORDER",
entity_type="Order", entity_arg="order_id")
guard = Guard(client=HTTPClient(api_key=KEY, tool_map=tm),
tenant="acme", agent="refunds", mode="enforce")
guard.connect(adapter="hermes")
register_kiff_guard(ctx, guard) # in your Hermes plugin's register()import { Guard, HTTPClient, ToolMap } from "@kiff/kiff-guard";
import { registerKiffGuard } from "@kiff/kiff-guard/adapters/openclaw";
const tm = new ToolMap().bind("refund_order", {
action: "REFUND_ORDER", entityType: "Order", entityArg: "order_id" });
const client = new HTTPClient({ apiKey: KEY, toolMap: tm });
const guard = new Guard({ client, tenant: "acme", agent: "refunds", mode: "enforce" });
registerKiffGuard(ctx, guard); // in your OpenClaw plugin# No adapter needed. Wrap the one function that moves money.
def issue_refund(order, amount):
d = kiff.decide("REFUND_ORDER", entity=order, amount=amount)
if not d.allowed:
return d # blocked or held, never execute
payments.refund(order, amount) # your code, unchanged# No SDK. Any language. POST the proposed action; act only on "allowed".
curl -s https://api.kiff.dev/v1/proposals/decide \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $KIFF_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"id":"rd-4471","entity_id":"order-4471","entity_type":"Order",
"action_name":"REFUND_ORDER","actor_id":"refunds",
"parameters":{"amount":8400,"reason":"damaged"}}'
# -> {"outcome":"allowed"} then POST .../execute for a signed receipt// same three-field contract on every stack: entity + action + parameters -> one verdict.
One place where the operation stays true.
KIFF Cloud runs the operational reality your agents share: current state, action decisions, approvals, and signed history in one place. The next agent enters that reality instead of reconstructing it.
Each one was fine. The tenth was not.
Your agent is almost certainly bounded already. Whatever platform gave it the refund tool scoped what it may call, from which state, with which parameters, and it is right every time it checks. It checks one call at a time, so ten correct refunds is ten correct decisions.
Put a boundary around the next action you ship.
Bring one consequential action in your existing agent and application. We model the minimum operational domain around it, connect Guard and Cloud, and leave a shared reality for the next agent.
Thirty minutes, founder-led. Bring a repository or the shape of your setup; you keep the findings whether or not KIFF is the right answer.
Which consequential actions your agents can reach today.
Where nothing on the path is able to say no.
What you could produce if a customer or regulator asked.
A clear view of the gap, whether or not that involves us.
Let your coding agent define the operational reality.
The guard connects your runtime. The domain is the contract it decides against, install the KIFF domain skill and your coding agent writes and extends your kiff.yaml against the real grammar: states, approvals, permissions, executors.
curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md \ -o .cursor/rules/kiff-domains.mdc
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md -o .cursor/rules/kiff-domains.mdc` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
mkdir -p .kiro/skills/kiff-domains && curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md \ -o .kiro/skills/kiff-domains/SKILL.md
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `mkdir -p .kiro/skills/kiff-domains && curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md -o .kiro/skills/kiff-domains/SKILL.md` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> AGENTS.md
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> AGENTS.md` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/kiff-domains && curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md \ -o ~/.claude/skills/kiff-domains/SKILL.md
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/kiff-domains && curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md -o ~/.claude/skills/kiff-domains/SKILL.md` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
mkdir -p ~/.copilot/skills/kiff-domains && curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md \ -o ~/.copilot/skills/kiff-domains/SKILL.md
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `mkdir -p ~/.copilot/skills/kiff-domains && curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md -o ~/.copilot/skills/kiff-domains/SKILL.md` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> GEMINI.md
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> GEMINI.md` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> AGENTS.md
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> AGENTS.md` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> AGENTS.md
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> AGENTS.md` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> AGENTS.md
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md >> AGENTS.md` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
mkdir -p .windsurf/rules && curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md \ -o .windsurf/rules/kiff-domains.md
Instructions for your agent
Set up the KIFF domain skill in this project: run `mkdir -p .windsurf/rules && curl -fsSL https://kiff.dev/skills/kiff-domains.md -o .windsurf/rules/kiff-domains.md` to add the skill, read it, then help me author a kiff.yaml domain for my riskiest action (states, actions, approvals, permissions, executors) and connect it to KIFF Cloud, validate with POST /v1/me/domain/validate, then PUT /v1/me/domain.
// then ask your agent: "add an ISSUE_CREDIT action to the refund domain, PAID-only"
Two places an agent is already acting.
Not a list of markets. These are the two where the action is already being taken without a person, and the total is countable, euros in the first, how many times in the second. Start with one action in one of them.
Open your assistant with a prompt to read llms-full.txt and answer from it.
Start with the action you review most.
Run the boundary against your own traffic. See which proposals it would allow, hold, or refuse, then set the ceiling from your evidence. Add the next action to the same operational domain instead of rebuilding state, authority, approvals, and history.
Running on your own infrastructure? The framework is open source →