Canonical verbs
10 verbs that cover core agent behaviors like analysis, summarization, formatting, description, and retrieval — without dictating how any particular runtime is implemented.
Commons
Commons Verbs (v1.0.0)
The canonical verb + schema public goods layer for autonomous agents.
10 universal verbs, each with a strict *.request and *.receipt
JSON Schema, aligned with x402 and compatible with ERC-8004.
Schemas are permanently free — the economics live in execution, not in the verb language.
What the Commons layer is
Commons is CommandLayer’s small, stable core: a shared language for what agents do when they analyze, summarize, clean, convert, and fetch. Each verb is pinned to a pair of JSON Schemas so clients and agents can agree on shapes, traceability, and receipts — without reinventing request formats on every integration.
Request / receipt pairs
Every verb has a *.request and *.receipt schema so calls are
traceable, idempotent, and easy to validate. The same patterns repeat across verbs and runtimes.
Aligned with x402 / ERC-8004
Schemas are designed to sit cleanly inside x402 envelopes and work with ERC-8004-style discovery and routing — Commons defines the semantics; x402 and ERC-8004 handle payment and finding agents.
Commons verbs — registry (v1.0.0)
Each row is a universal verb with its purpose and direct links to the
request and receipt JSON Schemas under
https://commandlayer.org. These schemas are pinned and free to use.
Commons schema index
These links are stable for v1.0.0. Future versions will ship under
/schemas/vX.Y.Z/... without breaking v1.0.0 — early builders can rely
on this version long-term.
| Verb | Purpose | Request schema | Receipt schema |
|---|---|---|---|
analyze |
Inspect content for patterns, signals, or properties. | request | receipt |
classify |
Assign labels or categories from a taxonomy. | request | receipt |
fetch |
Retrieve external data, documents, or resources. | request | receipt |
format |
Reformat content without changing the meaning. | request | receipt |
parse |
Turn unstructured content into structured output. | request | receipt |
summarize |
Compress content while preserving key information. | request | receipt |
clean |
Remove noise, normalize, and sanitize content. | request | receipt |
convert |
Change representation or format (with rules). | request | receipt |
describe |
Produce neutral, human-readable descriptions. | request | receipt |
explain |
Provide reasoning, rationale, or clarification. | request | receipt |
Stability & governance
Commons v1.0.0 is intentionally small and stable. Changes, if any, happen in new versions
(v1.1.0, v2.0.0) so agents can rely on these schemas long-term.
During the v1.0.0 cycle, the Commons set is curated under a single-maintainer model to keep the command language coherent and predictable for early builders. As the ecosystem grows, broader participation and formal governance can layer on without breaking this version — the Commons verbs are treated as semantic public goods for the agent economy.