Summary
one --agent flow validate should detect references to steps that run later in the same flow.
Problem
It is easy to write a flow that references $.steps.someLaterStep from an earlier step. That dependency is impossible at runtime, but today it can slip through because the flow is syntactically valid.
Examples of the kinds of mistakes this would catch:
- a
code step reading a future step's output
- a
flow input selector referencing a future sibling step
- a module-backed code step depending on a later persistence/render step
Requested behavior
During validation, flag same-flow references where a step depends on a later step in execution order.
Ideally this would work for:
- inline
code.source
- external
code.module files
- selectors inside step config such as flow inputs, file-write content, action data, and conditions
Validation UX
A useful error would include:
- the flow key
- the consumer step id
- the referenced future step id
- the location or source field where the reference was found
Why this would help
These are high-signal bugs because they are impossible dependencies, not ambiguous style issues.
Catching them in flow validate would prevent a whole class of silent runtime bugs and make complex orchestration flows much safer to evolve.
Summary
one --agent flow validateshould detect references to steps that run later in the same flow.Problem
It is easy to write a flow that references
$.steps.someLaterStepfrom an earlier step. That dependency is impossible at runtime, but today it can slip through because the flow is syntactically valid.Examples of the kinds of mistakes this would catch:
codestep reading a future step's outputflowinput selector referencing a future sibling stepRequested behavior
During validation, flag same-flow references where a step depends on a later step in execution order.
Ideally this would work for:
code.sourcecode.modulefilesValidation UX
A useful error would include:
Why this would help
These are high-signal bugs because they are impossible dependencies, not ambiguous style issues.
Catching them in
flow validatewould prevent a whole class of silent runtime bugs and make complex orchestration flows much safer to evolve.