feat: add justification arg to prefix_rule() in *.rules (#8751)

Adds an optional `justification` parameter to the `prefix_rule()`
execpolicy DSL so policy authors can attach human-readable rationale to
a rule. That justification is propagated through parsing/matching and
can be surfaced to the model (or approval UI) when a command is blocked
or requires approval.

When a command is rejected (or gated behind approval) due to policy, a
generic message makes it hard for the model/user to understand what went
wrong and what to do instead. Allowing policy authors to supply a short
justification improves debuggability and helps guide the model toward
compliant alternatives.

Example:

```python
prefix_rule(
    pattern = ["git", "push"],
    decision = "forbidden",
    justification = "pushing is blocked in this repo",
)
```

If Codex tried to run `git push origin main`, now the failure would
include:

```
`git push origin main` rejected: pushing is blocked in this repo
```

whereas previously, all it was told was:

```
execpolicy forbids this command
```
This commit is contained in:
Michael Bolin
2026-01-05 13:24:48 -08:00
committed by GitHub
parent 07f077dfb3
commit cafb07fe6e
10 changed files with 310 additions and 24 deletions

View File

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ prefix_rule(
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git", "status"]),
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: None,
}],
},
evaluation
@@ -71,6 +72,84 @@ prefix_rule(
Ok(())
}
#[test]
fn justification_is_attached_to_forbidden_matches() -> Result<()> {
let policy_src = r#"
prefix_rule(
pattern = ["rm"],
decision = "forbidden",
justification = "destructive command",
)
"#;
let mut parser = PolicyParser::new();
parser.parse("test.rules", policy_src)?;
let policy = parser.build();
let evaluation = policy.check(
&tokens(&["rm", "-rf", "/some/important/folder"]),
&allow_all,
);
assert_eq!(
Evaluation {
decision: Decision::Forbidden,
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["rm"]),
decision: Decision::Forbidden,
justification: Some("destructive command".to_string()),
}],
},
evaluation
);
Ok(())
}
#[test]
fn justification_can_be_used_with_allow_decision() -> Result<()> {
let policy_src = r#"
prefix_rule(
pattern = ["ls"],
decision = "allow",
justification = "safe and commonly used",
)
"#;
let mut parser = PolicyParser::new();
parser.parse("test.rules", policy_src)?;
let policy = parser.build();
let evaluation = policy.check(&tokens(&["ls", "-l"]), &prompt_all);
assert_eq!(
Evaluation {
decision: Decision::Allow,
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["ls"]),
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: Some("safe and commonly used".to_string()),
}],
},
evaluation
);
Ok(())
}
#[test]
fn justification_cannot_be_empty() {
let policy_src = r#"
prefix_rule(
pattern = ["ls"],
decision = "prompt",
justification = " ",
)
"#;
let mut parser = PolicyParser::new();
let err = parser
.parse("test.rules", policy_src)
.expect_err("expected parse error");
assert!(
err.to_string()
.contains("invalid rule: justification cannot be empty")
);
}
#[test]
fn add_prefix_rule_extends_policy() -> Result<()> {
let mut policy = Policy::empty();
@@ -84,17 +163,19 @@ fn add_prefix_rule_extends_policy() -> Result<()> {
rest: vec![PatternToken::Single(String::from("-l"))].into(),
},
decision: Decision::Prompt,
justification: None,
})],
rules
);
let evaluation = policy.check(&tokens(&["ls", "-l", "/tmp"]), &allow_all);
let evaluation = policy.check(&tokens(&["ls", "-l", "/some/important/folder"]), &allow_all);
assert_eq!(
Evaluation {
decision: Decision::Prompt,
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["ls", "-l"]),
decision: Decision::Prompt,
justification: None,
}],
},
evaluation
@@ -142,6 +223,7 @@ prefix_rule(
rest: Vec::<PatternToken>::new().into(),
},
decision: Decision::Prompt,
justification: None,
}),
RuleSnapshot::Prefix(PrefixRule {
pattern: PrefixPattern {
@@ -149,6 +231,7 @@ prefix_rule(
rest: vec![PatternToken::Single("commit".to_string())].into(),
},
decision: Decision::Forbidden,
justification: None,
}),
],
git_rules
@@ -161,6 +244,7 @@ prefix_rule(
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git"]),
decision: Decision::Prompt,
justification: None,
}],
},
status_eval
@@ -174,10 +258,12 @@ prefix_rule(
RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git"]),
decision: Decision::Prompt,
justification: None,
},
RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git", "commit"]),
decision: Decision::Forbidden,
justification: None,
},
],
},
@@ -211,6 +297,7 @@ prefix_rule(
rest: vec![PatternToken::Alts(vec!["-c".to_string(), "-l".to_string()])].into(),
},
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: None,
})],
bash_rules
);
@@ -221,6 +308,7 @@ prefix_rule(
rest: vec![PatternToken::Alts(vec!["-c".to_string(), "-l".to_string()])].into(),
},
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: None,
})],
sh_rules
);
@@ -232,6 +320,7 @@ prefix_rule(
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["bash", "-c"]),
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: None,
}],
},
bash_eval
@@ -244,6 +333,7 @@ prefix_rule(
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["sh", "-l"]),
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: None,
}],
},
sh_eval
@@ -277,6 +367,7 @@ prefix_rule(
.into(),
},
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: None,
})],
rules
);
@@ -288,6 +379,7 @@ prefix_rule(
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["npm", "i", "--legacy-peer-deps"]),
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: None,
}],
},
npm_i
@@ -303,6 +395,7 @@ prefix_rule(
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["npm", "install", "--no-save"]),
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: None,
}],
},
npm_install
@@ -332,6 +425,7 @@ prefix_rule(
matched_rules: vec![RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git", "status"]),
decision: Decision::Allow,
justification: None,
}],
},
match_eval
@@ -378,10 +472,12 @@ prefix_rule(
RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git"]),
decision: Decision::Prompt,
justification: None,
},
RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git", "commit"]),
decision: Decision::Forbidden,
justification: None,
},
],
},
@@ -419,14 +515,17 @@ prefix_rule(
RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git"]),
decision: Decision::Prompt,
justification: None,
},
RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git"]),
decision: Decision::Prompt,
justification: None,
},
RuleMatch::PrefixRuleMatch {
matched_prefix: tokens(&["git", "commit"]),
decision: Decision::Forbidden,
justification: None,
},
],
},