vscode-k9

Overview

VS Code extension providing syntax highlighting, language configuration, and snippets for K9 contractile validator files.

K9 is the deployment validation language used by the contractile system. It supports two formats:

• .k9 (Kennel format) — YAML-like declarative syntax for validators, recipes, and pedigree metadata

• .k9.ncl (Yard/Hunt Nickel format) — Nickel-based programmable validators with contracts and type safety

Features

• Two TextMate grammars: one for .k9 (Kennel) and one for .k9.ncl (Nickel)

• Language configuration for both formats with bracket matching and comment toggling

• 13 snippets across both languages for common K9 patterns

• Semantic coloring for trust levels: kennel (highest), yard (medium), hunt (lowest)

• K9 magic number (K9!) highlighting

Installation

Install from the VS Code marketplace:

ext install hyperpolymath.vscode-k9

Or install from VSIX:

code --install-extension vscode-k9-0.1.0.vsix

K9 Kennel Format (.k9)

Highlights:

Element	Scope
Magic number (K9!)	keyword.control.magic
Trust levels (kennel, yard, hunt)	entity.name.type.trust-level
Pedigree fields (name, version, etc.)	keyword.other.pedigree
Security levels	constant.language.security-level
Key-value pairs	entity.name.tag / string.unquoted
Comments, strings, numbers, booleans	Standard scopes

K9 Nickel Format (.k9.ncl)

Highlights:

Element	Scope
let bindings	keyword.other.let / variable.other.binding
Contracts and types	entity.name.type.contract
import statements	keyword.control.import
Record literals	punctuation.definition.record
Recipe/validator blocks	keyword.other.recipe
Security level annotations	constant.language.security-level
Nickel keywords	keyword.control
Built-in types (Str, Num, Bool, etc.)	support.type.builtin
String interpolation (%\{…​\})	meta.interpolation

Snippets

K9 Kennel (.k9)

Prefix	Name	Description
k9	K9 Magic Header	File header with magic number and pedigree
validator	Validator	Validator block with checks
recipe	Recipe	Recipe with inputs/outputs/constraints
dep	Dependency	Dependency entry with trust level
kennel	Kennel Trust	Set trust to kennel (highest)
yard	Yard Trust	Set trust to yard (medium)
hunt	Hunt Trust	Set trust to hunt (lowest)

K9 Nickel (.k9.ncl)

Prefix	Name	Description
k9ncl	K9 Nickel Validator	Complete validator template
let	Let Binding	Let binding with contract
rec	Record	Record literal
contract	Contract	Custom Nickel contract
import	Import	Import statement
recipe	Recipe	Nickel recipe block

License

SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0

(PMPL-1.0-or-later preferred; MPL-2.0 required for VS Code marketplace)

See LICENSE for the full MPL-2.0 text. See LICENSE-PMPL for the PMPL-1.0-or-later text.