> Markdown twin of https://adna.network/reference/specification/16-tool-integration-tiers/
> Index: https://adna.network/llms.txt · Full corpus: https://adna.network/llms-full.txt
> State is a build-time snapshot generated 2026-08-30 (UTC); nothing here is live.

# 16. Tool Integration Tiers — aDNA Specification

> **Scan**: Three tiers — core standard (Tier 1, universal), frontmatter querying (Tier 2, any YAML reader), environment-specific (Tier 3, IDE/plugin). Aggregation points.

*Decisions: C13, D22*

## 16.1 Three-Tier Model

| Tier | Scope | Examples | Universal? |
|------|-------|----------|-----------|
| **Tier 1** | Core standard | YAML frontmatter, markdown, directory structure, naming conventions | Yes — works with any tool |
| **Tier 2** | Frontmatter querying | Dataview, custom scripts, CI/CD that reads frontmatter | Recommended — any tool that parses YAML |
| **Tier 3** | Environment-specific | IDE extensions, knowledge-base plugins, graph view, canvas | No — tool-specific |

Everything in this standard is Tier 1 unless noted otherwise. Tier 1 features work with any tool that can read files and directories.

```mermaid
flowchart TB
    subgraph T1["Tier 1 — Core Standard (Universal)"]
        F1["YAML frontmatter"]
        F2["Markdown files"]
        F3["Directory structure"]
        F4["Naming conventions"]
    end

    subgraph T2["Tier 2 — Frontmatter Querying"]
        F5["Dataview queries"]
        F6["Shell scripts"]
        F7["CI/CD pipelines"]
    end

    subgraph T3["Tier 3 — Environment-Specific"]
        F8["Obsidian plugins"]
        F9["IDE extensions"]
        F10["Graph / canvas views"]
    end

    T1 -->|"any YAML reader"| T2
    T2 -->|"specific tools"| T3

    style T1 fill:#22c55e,color:#fff
    style T2 fill:#3b82f6,color:#fff
    style T3 fill:#8b5cf6,color:#fff
```

## 16.2 Aggregation Points

The following cross-directory views are useful in any aDNA instance. Their implementation is Tier 2/3 (tool-specific):

| Aggregation Point | Aggregates | Purpose |
|-------------------|-----------|---------|
| Active missions overview | `how/missions/` | All missions with current status |
| Context index | `what/context/` | All topics with token budgets |
| Session history | `how/sessions/history/` | Recent sessions with outcomes |
| Coordination status | `who/coordination/` | Active cross-agent notes |

Implementation examples: Dataview queries, shell scripts that parse frontmatter, CI/CD dashboard panels. Any tool that can read YAML frontmatter can implement these views.

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