---
title: Pinax — governed capability access
---

# Pinax — governed capability access

> _Pinax is the deterministic capability layer. It exposes governed tools through a small reviewed surface._

Pinax provides access to capabilities and patient-context reads. Token lifecycle and runtime identity remain in `n1r.core` and the existing auth boundary.

## What Pinax is

- A deterministic, governed capability layer.
- Discovery-first: orient, narrow, retrieve.
- A small shaped tool surface.
- A patient-context aware layer that uses the runtime token and scope it is handed.

## What Pinax is not

- Not an identity service.
- Not a token minting service.
- Not a hidden LLM.
- Not a raw mirror of `api-backend` routes.
- Not permission to let models pick arbitrary patient ids in tool arguments.

## The response shape

Every capability call should return either a result or one structured follow-up:

| Kind | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `result` | The request succeeded with shaped data |
| `clarify` | The request used an unknown or invalid value |
| `narrow` | The result set is too broad and needs another axis |
| `absent` | Nothing matched, with factual context |
| `need-input` | A required argument was missing |
## Why this shape matters

The response envelope keeps capability behavior explicit and reduces ambiguous empty or oversized raw responses.