Skip to content

Ikanos — Schema Overview

The Ikanos Specification defines a standard, language-agnostic interface for describing modular, composable capabilities. A capability consumes external APIs (sources) and exposes adapters that allow other systems to interact with it.

A capability focuses on declaring the integration intent — what a system needs to consume and what it exposes — rather than implementation details. This higher-level abstraction makes capabilities naturally suitable for AI-driven discovery, orchestration, and integration.

Schema version covered on this page: 1.0.0-alpha3. Source of truth: ikanos-schema.json · Interactive viewer

Document shapes

Ikanos supports two document shapes:

  1. Full capability — ikanos + capability, optionally with root consumes and binds.
  2. Shared consumes — ikanos + root consumes, without capability. Used as an import target via from: / import:.
ikanos: "1.0.0-alpha3"
info: {...}             # recommended metadata (display, description, …)
capability: {...}       # required for runnable capabilities
consumes: [...]         # optional root-level (also valid as standalone shared doc)
binds: [...]            # optional, externalized variables

Core objects

Object Purpose
Capability Root technical configuration — consumes, exposes, aggregates, binds
Consumes External sources the capability uses (details)
Exposes Server adapters the capability provides (details)
Resources / Operations Endpoints and HTTP operations on consumes and REST exposes
Namespace Unique identifier for routing between consumes and exposes
MCP / Skill / Control servers Specialized expose adapters (exposes)
Aggregates Reusable, transport-neutral domain flows (details)
Steps Ordered orchestration units (details)
Bind Declared external bindings for variable injection

The Ikanos Specification builds on conventions from OpenAPI, Arazzo, and OpenCollections, but covers a different scope.

OpenAPI Arazzo OpenCollections Ikanos
Focus What an API is How calls are sequenced How to use an API What a capability consumes and exposes
Scope Single API surface Workflows across APIs Runnable collections Modular capability spanning many APIs
Best for API contracts, SDKs Multi-step workflows Shareable runnable examples Composable capabilities, AI integration
Analogy Parts list Assembly sequence Step-by-step guide Product blueprint

OpenAPI tells you the shape of the door. Arazzo describes the sequence of doors to walk through. OpenCollections lets you walk through them. Ikanos combines these three concerns into a single coherent spec.

Format rules

  • Documents are authored in YAML (1.2 syntax).
  • All field names are case-sensitive.
  • Objects expose fixed fields (declared names) and patterned fields (regex-named).
  • The ikanos field is required at the root and pins the schema version (currently 1.0.0-alpha3).

Subpages

Page Covers
Consumes HTTP source adapters — auth, resources, operations, input/output parameters
Exposes REST, MCP, Skill, and Control adapters
Steps Multi-step orchestration with call and lookup
Aggregates Reusable flows, semantics, ref, hints derivation

For end-to-end examples see Tutorials → Track 1.