---
slug: "Canary"
name: "Canary"
type: "Protocols"
layer: "Society"
ref: "Canary#d38c"
sema_id: "sema:Canary#mh:SHA-256:d38cd019553857aa7518559542b5400b658f87eb08e6f4dae9be4fd496ce691e"
tags: ["Society","Protocols"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json
url: https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/Canary/
related: ["Agent","Greet","Mode","Probe","Work","DogfoodFirst","OsmoticFilter","Rollout"]
---

# Canary

Expendable agent tests the full coordination path before real commit

Layer: Society · Category: Protocols

## Mechanism

Expendable [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md) tests full coordination path before committing real resources. Spawn CANARY with: limited resources (bounded blast radius), defined scope, telemetry hooks. Canary executes FULL coordination path ([Greet](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Greet.md)→[Probe](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Probe.md)→negotiate→partial-execute). Reports TELEMETRY: {path_viable, latency_profile, error_events, partner_behavior_observations, recommendation: proceed|caution|abort}. Lifecycle options: DESTROY (discard after test), RECYCLE (reset for another test), PROMOTE (canary becomes real [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md), continues [Work](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Work.md)), ABSORB (real [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md) inherits canary's progress). In adversarial environments, canary can run in STEALTH [Mode](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Mode.md) (indistinguishable from real [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md)) to prevent partners gaming the test. It extends the logic of a single [Probe](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Probe.md) into a full-lifecycle agent deployment with bounded blast radius.

## Invariants

- The canary completes before real resources are committed.
- The canary exercises the real coordination path — [Greet](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Greet.md), [Probe](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Probe.md), negotiate, partial-execute — not a simulation.
- Telemetry resolves to one of proceed, caution or abort.

## Preconditions

- Telemetry collection is in place before the canary is spawned
- A case within the canary's declared scope

## Postconditions

- A telemetry report carrying a recommendation, and the declared lifecycle step taken

## Failure modes

- Gaming: the canary is treated differently than a real [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md) would be. STEALTH [Mode](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Mode.md) raises the cost of detection without removing it.
- Test conditions do not match production conditions.
- Cost of the canary exceeds the benefit for simple paths.
- Conditions change between the canary test and real execution.
- Canary success does not guarantee real success on non-deterministic paths.

## Builds on

- [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md) (Mind; References)
- [Greet](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Greet.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Mode](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Mode.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Probe](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Probe.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Work](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Work.md) (Infrastructure; References)

## Used by

- [DogfoodFirst](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/DogfoodFirst.md) (Mind; References)
- [OsmoticFilter](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/OsmoticFilter.md) (Society; References)
- [Rollout](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Rollout.md) (Society; Composes with)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:Canary#mh:SHA-256:d38cd019553857aa7518559542b5400b658f87eb08e6f4dae9be4fd496ce691e`
- Ref: `Canary#d38c`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:Canary#mh:SHA-256:92d292bbdbb6aac871cdbff1b32a7878d1585750a76511870311159c39e0ee87`
  - `sema:Canary#mh:SHA-256:e78e513e7df0ad5a179c62c69261c4ce0d763f18aff8da449b15562522f503e2`
  - `sema:Canary#mh:SHA-256:bda6d48ae1b1895bb1ce0fe6012c6fed5baaff392755f2ed802b400481522b5f`
  - `sema:Canary#mh:SHA-256:d7fc49dec224a25b326fefaa0e7f0d3ac70c7b5ae0bfb5af6763d4280f576dbb`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/Canary/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/#Canary)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Canary.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json)