diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fbb0258..c820c53 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Community plugins for [`lowfat`](https://github.com/zdk/lowfat) — each one com
 
 ## Quickstart
 
-Install `lowfat` first ([how](https://github.com/zdk/lowfat#install)), then:
+Install `lowfat` 0.9.0 or newer first ([how](https://github.com/zdk/lowfat#install)), then:
 
 ```sh
 # Clone every plugin into lowfat's scan directory
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ lowfat level         # show current level
 
 Override per-run with `LOWFAT_LEVEL=ultra lowfat terraform plan`.
 
-**Failure is always safe.** Every plugin opens each subcommand with `if exit failed: raw`, so when a command fails you get the full error — compile errors, terraform diagnostics, pytest tracebacks — even at `ultra`.
+**Failure is always safe.** Every plugin passes a failed command through raw, with `if exit failed: raw` or a `rule` that has `exit: failed`. So when a command fails you get the full error — compile errors, terraform diagnostics, pytest tracebacks — even at `ultra`.
 
 ## Troubleshooting
 
@@ -180,6 +180,29 @@ build|check:
 | `if exit failed:` … `elif level X:` … `else:` | Branch on exit code / level                             |
 | `match level: ultra: / lite: / else:`         | Compact alternative to an elif chain                    |
 | `cmd1\|cmd2:` / `*:`                          | Subcommand selector with alternation / catch-all        |
+| `rule name:` + `sub:` `level:` `exit:` `flag:` | Named rule: runs its `do:` body when every field holds  |
+
+### Named rules
+
+A named rule lists what it matches as fields. The first rule whose fields
+all hold runs, so shared policy is written once. Needs lowfat 0.9.0.
+See [`kubectl-compact`](kubectl/kubectl-compact/filter.lf) for a full file.
+
+```
+rule failed:
+    exit: failed
+    do: raw
+
+rule json:
+    flag: -o|--output json
+    do: truncate-json
+
+rule get:
+    sub: get
+    do:
+        drop-managed-fields-yaml
+        head 80
+```
 
 ### Test as you go
 
@@ -189,7 +212,7 @@ cat samples/build-full.txt | lowfat filter filter.lf --sub=build --explain
 lowfat plugin bench mytool-compact
 ```
 
-**Please keep the failure guard.** Every subcommand should open with `if exit failed: raw` (or a near-raw failure view) so agents get the full error when things break. PRs that filter the failure path will be asked to add it.
+**Please keep the failure guard.** Every subcommand should open with `if exit failed: raw` (or a near-raw failure view), or the file should start with a `rule` that has `exit: failed`, so agents get the full error when things break. PRs that filter the failure path will be asked to add it.
 
 ## Contributing
 
diff --git a/kubectl/kubectl-compact/filter.lf b/kubectl/kubectl-compact/filter.lf
index cec8149..e628490 100644
--- a/kubectl/kubectl-compact/filter.lf
+++ b/kubectl/kubectl-compact/filter.lf
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env lowfat-filter
 # kubectl-compact — compact kubectl/k output for LLM contexts.
 # env: $sub $level $exit $args
-# Every rule passes raw output straight through on a non-zero exit.
+# Rules run top to bottom. The first rule whose fields all hold wins.
 
 # `truncate-json` — shared with terraform-compact.
 include ../../lib/json.lf
@@ -24,80 +24,63 @@ define drop-describe-noise:
     drop /^\s+ConfigMapOptional:/
     drop /^\s+DownwardAPI:/
 
+# `get` YAML at each level. Macros cannot hold a `match`, so each level
+# gets its own macro and the rules below pick one.
+define compact-yaml-ultra:
+    drop-managed-fields-yaml
+    drop /^\s*$/
+    head 30
+
+define compact-yaml-lite:
+    drop-managed-fields-yaml
+    head 200
+
+define compact-yaml:
+    drop-managed-fields-yaml
+    drop /kubectl\.kubernetes\.io\/last-applied-configuration/
+    drop /^\s*f:[a-zA-Z]/
+    head 80
+
+# ── any subcommand ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# A failed command keeps its full error output.
+rule failed:
+    exit: failed
+    do: raw
+
+# AST-aware truncation: valid JSON in, valid JSON out.
+rule json:
+    flag: -o|--output json
+    do: truncate-json
+
 # ── get ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-# `-o json` → AST-aware truncation. `jsonpath`/unknown `-o` → raw for
-# downstream parsers. `-o yaml` or no `-o` → prune managedFields.
-get:
-    if exit failed:
-        raw
-    elif -o json:
-        truncate-json
-    elif --output json:
-        truncate-json
-    elif -o jsonpath:
-        raw
-    elif --output jsonpath:
-        raw
-    elif -o yaml:
+rule get-yaml:
+    sub: get
+    flag: -o|--output yaml
+    do:
         match level:
-            ultra:
-                drop-managed-fields-yaml
-                drop /^\s*$/
-                head 30
-            lite:
-                drop-managed-fields-yaml
-                head 200
-            else:
-                drop-managed-fields-yaml
-                drop /kubectl\.kubernetes\.io\/last-applied-configuration/
-                drop /^\s*f:[a-zA-Z]/
-                head 80
-    elif --output yaml:
-        match level:
-            ultra:
-                drop-managed-fields-yaml
-                drop /^\s*$/
-                head 30
-            lite:
-                drop-managed-fields-yaml
-                head 200
-            else:
-                drop-managed-fields-yaml
-                drop /kubectl\.kubernetes\.io\/last-applied-configuration/
-                drop /^\s*f:[a-zA-Z]/
-                head 80
-    elif -o:
-        raw
-    elif --output:
-        raw
-    else:
+            ultra: compact-yaml-ultra
+            lite:  compact-yaml-lite
+            else:  compact-yaml
+
+# Any other explicit format (`jsonpath`, `name`, `wide`, …) is headed for a
+# downstream parser and must stay byte-exact.
+rule formatted:
+    flag: -o|--output
+    do: raw
+
+# No `-o`: same pruning as YAML.
+rule get:
+    sub: get
+    do:
         match level:
-            ultra:
-                drop-managed-fields-yaml
-                drop /^\s*$/
-                head 30
-            lite:
-                drop-managed-fields-yaml
-                head 200
-            else:
-                drop-managed-fields-yaml
-                drop /kubectl\.kubernetes\.io\/last-applied-configuration/
-                drop /^\s*f:[a-zA-Z]/
-                head 80
+            ultra: compact-yaml-ultra
+            lite:  compact-yaml-lite
+            else:  compact-yaml
 
 # ── describe ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-describe:
-    if exit failed:
-        raw
-    elif -o json:
-        truncate-json
-    elif --output json:
-        truncate-json
-    elif -o:
-        raw
-    elif --output:
-        raw
-    else:
+rule describe:
+    sub: describe
+    do:
         match level:
             ultra:
                 keep /^(Name:|Namespace:|Labels:|Status:|Type |Node:|IP:|Events:|  Type|  ----|  Normal|  Warning|Conditions:|Ready|Replicas:)/
@@ -113,10 +96,9 @@ describe:
                 head 150
 
 # ── apply / delete ────────────────────────────────────────────────
-apply:
-    if exit failed:
-        raw
-    else:
+rule apply:
+    sub: apply
+    do:
         match level:
             ultra:
                 keep /(configured|created|unchanged|error|warning)/
@@ -126,10 +108,9 @@ apply:
             else:
                 head 40
 
-delete:
-    if exit failed:
-        raw
-    else:
+rule delete:
+    sub: delete
+    do:
         match level:
             ultra:
                 keep /(deleted|error|warning|not found)/
@@ -140,20 +121,18 @@ delete:
                 head 30
 
 # ── logs (always tail) ────────────────────────────────────────────
-logs:
-    if exit failed:
-        raw
-    else:
+rule logs:
+    sub: logs
+    do:
         match level:
             ultra: tail 50
             lite:  tail 200
             else:  tail 100
 
 # ── events ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-events:
-    if exit failed:
-        raw
-    else:
+rule events:
+    sub: events
+    do:
         match level:
             ultra:
                 keep /(Warning|Error|LAST SEEN|TYPE)/
@@ -164,10 +143,5 @@ events:
                 head 50
 
 # ── default ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-*:
-    if exit failed:  raw
-    elif -o json:    truncate-json
-    elif --output json: truncate-json
-    elif -o:         raw
-    elif --output:   raw
-    else:            head 40
+rule other:
+    do: head 40
diff --git a/kubectl/kubectl-compact/lowfat.toml b/kubectl/kubectl-compact/lowfat.toml
index 0d7b30c..b8e2acd 100644
--- a/kubectl/kubectl-compact/lowfat.toml
+++ b/kubectl/kubectl-compact/lowfat.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [plugin]
 name = "kubectl-compact"
-version = "0.6.1"
+version = "0.7.0"
 description = "Compact kubectl/k output for LLM contexts"
 author = "zdk"
 commands = ["kubectl", "k"]