Structured Query Syntax

GNO supports a first-class multi-line query document syntax for query and ask flows.

Use existing GNO naming only:

auth flow
term: "refresh token" -oauth1
intent: how token rotation works
hyde: Refresh tokens rotate on each use and previous tokens are invalidated.

Rules

• Structured syntax is only activated for multi-line input.
• Blank lines are ignored.
• Recognized typed lines are:
  • term:
  • intent:
  • hyde:
• At most one hyde: line is allowed.
• Unknown typed prefixes like vector: are rejected.

Base Query

The query document still needs a base search query.

GNO resolves it in this order:

1. plain untyped lines joined together
2. otherwise all term: lines joined together
3. otherwise all intent: lines joined together

hyde: is never searched directly.

That means these are both valid:

auth flow
term: "refresh token"
intent: token rotation

term: "refresh token"
intent: token rotation

This is invalid:

hyde: hypothetical answer only

Compatibility

Structured query documents are additive:

• existing plain single-line queries still work
• existing --query-mode CLI flags still work
• existing API/MCP queryModes arrays still work

If both are supplied, GNO merges:

• query-document typed lines
• explicit queryModes

Validation still applies across the combined set, including the single-hyde rule.

Supported Surfaces

Current rollout:

• CLI: gno query, gno ask
• REST API: /api/query, /api/ask
• MCP: gno_query
• Web UI: Search and Ask text boxes
• SDK: client.query(...), client.ask(...)

Examples

CLI

gno query $'auth flow\nterm: "refresh token"\nintent: token rotation'

gno ask $'term: web performance budgets\nintent: latency and vitals' --no-answer

REST API

{
  "query": "auth flow\nterm: \"refresh token\"\nintent: token rotation"
}

SDK

const result = await client.query(
  'auth flow\\nterm: "refresh token"\\nintent: token rotation'
);