--- status: draft last_updated: 2026-05-10 --- # Call Protocol PendingRequestMap, CallHandler, call≡subscribe semantics, event types, error model, and access control. ## Overview The call protocol is the unified transport layer for all operation invocations. It provides a single event-based mechanism that works the same whether the call is local (in-process), remote (hub↔spoke over websocket), or streamed (subscription). It is built on `@alkdev/pubsub`. At the protocol level, `call` and `subscribe` are the same thing with different consumption patterns: - **`call`**: Publish `call.requested`, subscribe to `call.responded:{requestId}`, resolve on first response → `Promise` - **`subscribe`**: Publish `call.requested`, subscribe to `call.responded:{requestId}`, yield each response → `AsyncIterable` Both use the same event types, the same `requestId` correlation, and the same `PendingRequestMap`. `call` is semantically `subscribe().next()`. All responses are wrapped in `ResponseEnvelope` — see [response-envelopes.md](response-envelopes.md) for the full envelope type system. ## Event Types All communication flows through typed events. The event map is defined as `CallEventMap` using TypeBox schemas, compatible with `@alkdev/pubsub`'s `PubSubPublishArgsByKey`. ### `CallEventMap` ```ts const CallEventMap = { "call.requested": Type.Object({ requestId: Type.String(), operationId: Type.String(), input: Type.Unknown(), parentRequestId: Type.Optional(Type.String()), deadline: Type.Optional(Type.Number()), identity: Type.Optional(Type.Object({ id: Type.String(), scopes: Type.Array(Type.String()), resources: Type.Optional(Type.Record(Type.String(), Type.Array(Type.String()))), })), }), "call.responded": Type.Object({ requestId: Type.String(), output: ResponseEnvelopeSchema, }), "call.aborted": Type.Object({ requestId: Type.String(), }), "call.error": Type.Object({ requestId: Type.String(), code: Type.String(), message: Type.String(), details: Type.Optional(Type.Unknown()), }), } ``` `call.responded.output` uses `ResponseEnvelopeSchema` (defined in [response-envelopes.md](response-envelopes.md)). This means every response through the call protocol carries `data` and `meta` with source-discriminated metadata. Handlers do not construct this envelope manually — `CallHandler` wraps handler return values automatically. ### Request Correlation Every call has a unique `requestId` (UUID). Nested calls include `parentRequestId` to track the call chain. Responses and errors match to requests by `requestId`. ### Event Flow ``` Caller Handler │ │ │─── call.requested ───────────────>│ │ {requestId, operationId, │ │ input, identity, deadline} │ │ │ handler returns value │ │ CallHandler wraps in ResponseEnvelope │<── call.responded ────────────────│ │ {requestId, │ │ output: ResponseEnvelope} │ ``` On error: ``` │<── call.error ────────────────────│ │ {requestId, code, message, │ │ details} │ ``` On abort (caller cancels): ``` │─── call.aborted ─────────────────>│ │ {requestId} │ ``` ### Identity The `identity` field in `call.requested` carries the caller's security context through the call chain. Derived from keypal's `ApiKeyMetadata` — `scopes` maps directly, `resources` uses key format `"type:id"` with scope arrays. Checked by `CallHandler` against the operation's `AccessControl`. ## PendingRequestMap `PendingRequestMap` manages in-flight requests and provides the `call()` interface. It wraps `@alkdev/pubsub` internally. ### Construction ```ts const callMap = new PendingRequestMap(eventTarget?) ``` - Creates an internal `PubSub` using `createPubSub` - If `eventTarget` is provided, passes it to `createPubSub` for transport-level event routing (Redis, WebSocket, etc.) - Wires subscription handlers for `call.responded`, `call.error`, and `call.aborted` to route events back to waiting callers - Subscriptions use empty-string id (`subscribe("call.responded", "")`) to receive all events of each type. Events are unwrapped from `EventEnvelope` via `.payload` ### `call(operationId, input, options?)` ```ts async call( operationId: string, input: unknown, options?: { parentRequestId?: string; deadline?: number; identity?: Identity }, ): Promise ``` 1. Generate `requestId` via `crypto.randomUUID()` 2. Create a `PendingRequest` with `resolve`/`reject` from a new Promise 3. If `deadline` is set, start a timeout timer that rejects with `TIMEOUT` 4. Store `PendingRequest` in the internal map 5. Publish `call.requested` event with all fields 6. Return the Promise (resolves with `ResponseEnvelope` on `call.responded`, rejects on `call.error` or `call.aborted`) The resolved value is a `ResponseEnvelope` — consumers access typed data via `envelope.data` and source metadata via `envelope.meta`. Use `unwrap(envelope)` as a convenience for the common case where only `data` is needed. ### Internal Subscription Wiring On construction, three async loops subscribe to pubsub topics: - **`call.responded`**: Look up `PendingRequest` by `requestId`, clear timer if set, resolve with the `ResponseEnvelope` from `output` field. The envelope is already validated by `respond()`'s `isResponseEnvelope()` guard (or created by `CallHandler`'s wrapping logic), so no additional validation is needed at this point. - **`call.error`**: Look up `PendingRequest`, clear timer, reject with `CallError(code, message, details)` - **`call.aborted`**: Look up `PendingRequest`, clear timer, reject with `CallError(ABORTED, ...)` ### `respond(requestId, output)` Publishes `call.responded`. The `output` parameter must be a `ResponseEnvelope` — `isResponseEnvelope()` is checked and a non-envelope value throws. This enforces the invariant that all call protocol responses carry source metadata. In practice, `respond()` is called by `CallHandler` after wrapping the handler's return value. Direct calls to `respond()` with raw values are rejected. ### `emitError(requestId, code, message, details?)` Publishes `call.error`. Used by handlers to send errors. ### `abort(requestId)` Looks up the `PendingRequest`, clears its timer, publishes `call.aborted`, rejects the Promise with `CallError(ABORTED, ...)`. ## CallHandler `buildCallHandler` creates a function that bridges pubsub events to `OperationRegistry.execute()`. It takes full ownership of publishing `call.responded` — handlers return values; they do NOT publish events. ```ts function buildCallHandler(config: CallHandlerConfig): CallHandler interface CallHandlerConfig { registry: OperationRegistry eventTarget?: EventTarget } type CallHandler = (event: CallRequestedEvent) => Promise ``` ### Handler Flow 1. Look up spec by `operationId` from the registry via `getSpec()` 2. If not found, throw `CallError(OPERATION_NOT_FOUND, ...)` 3. Look up handler by `operationId` via `getHandler()` 4. If not found, throw `CallError(OPERATION_NOT_FOUND, "No handler registered for operation: ...")` 5. Check access control (see below) 6. Validate input with `validateOrThrow` 7. Execute operation handler 8. On success: apply the shared result pipeline (see [Response Envelopes → Shared Result Pipeline](response-envelopes.md#shared-result-pipeline)): - Detect: `isResponseEnvelope(result)` → pass through, otherwise `localEnvelope(result, operationId)` - Normalize: `Value.Cast(spec.outputSchema, envelope.data)` when `outputSchema` is not `Type.Unknown()` - Validate: `collectErrors(spec.outputSchema, envelope.data)` — warning-only - Publish `call.responded` via `callMap.respond(requestId, envelope)` 9. On failure: `mapError` converts the thrown value to `CallError`, publish `call.error` **Key change**: In the pre-envelope model, handlers were responsible for publishing `call.responded` themselves (the handler return value was discarded). In the envelope model, `CallHandler` owns wrapping and publishing. Handler return values are captured and wrapped. This ensures every response goes through the envelope pipeline — no raw values can bypass it. ### MCP and OpenAPI Handlers Adapter handlers (from `from_mcp` and `from_openapi`) return pre-built `ResponseEnvelope` instances via `mcpEnvelope()` and `httpEnvelope()` factory functions. When `CallHandler` detects `isResponseEnvelope()` on the result, it passes through without re-wrapping. This means adapter metadata (HTTP status codes, MCP `isError` flags) is preserved. For MCP results with `meta.isError: true`, the handler still returns an envelope — the error is represented as data, not thrown. Only thrown exceptions trigger `call.error`. ## Access Control ### Enforcement Point `CallHandler` enforces `AccessControl` before calling the handler directly. Direct `registry.execute()` calls bypass access control — this is by design for trusted internal calls. ### Flow ``` call.requested event arrives with Identity → Look up operation's AccessControl → Check requiredScopes (caller has ALL?) → Check requiredScopesAny (caller has ANY?) → Check resourceType/resourceAction against identity.resources → All pass → proceed to execute → Any fail → throw CallError(ACCESS_DENIED, ...) ``` ### `checkAccess` Implementation ```ts function checkAccess(accessControl: AccessControl, identity: Identity): boolean ``` 1. If `requiredScopes` is non-empty, verify `identity.scopes` contains every entry (AND) 2. If `requiredScopesAny` is non-empty, verify `identity.scopes` contains at least one entry (OR) 3. If `resourceType` and `resourceAction` are set, verify `identity.resources["{resourceType}:{resourceId}"]` includes `resourceAction` 4. Return `true` if all applicable checks pass Note: Access control without an `identity` in the `CallRequestedEvent` is **allowed** — unauthenticated calls are permitted if the `AccessControl` check passes (e.g., operations with empty `requiredScopes`). ## Error Model The call protocol uses a unified error model. Both infrastructure and domain errors flow through `CallError`. ### `CallError` ```ts class CallError extends Error { readonly code: CallErrorCode // InfrastructureErrorCode | string readonly details?: unknown } ``` ### Infrastructure Error Codes Reserved codes produced by `CallHandler` and `PendingRequestMap`: | Code | When | Details | |------|------|---------| | `OPERATION_NOT_FOUND` | No operation matches `operationId` | `{ operationId: string }` | | `ACCESS_DENIED` | Missing scopes | `{ requiredScopes?: string[] }` | | `VALIDATION_ERROR` | Input fails `inputSchema` check | Wrapped from `Value.Errors` | | `TIMEOUT` | Deadline exceeded | `{ deadline: number }` | | `ABORTED` | Call cancelled | — | | `EXECUTION_ERROR` | Handler threw, no `errorSchemas` match | `{ message: string }` | | `UNKNOWN_ERROR` | Non-Error thrown | `{ raw: string }` | ### Domain Error Propagation Operations declare their possible errors via `errorSchemas` on `IOperationDefinition`. When a handler throws, `mapError` matches the thrown error against declared schemas — falls back to `EXECUTION_ERROR` if no match. `errorSchemas` is the contract between operation and callers about what errors it might produce. No `errorSchemas` = safe default with `EXECUTION_ERROR` wrapper. ### `mapError` Resolution 1. If already a `CallError`, return as-is 2. If `Error` instance and `errorSchemas` provided, check if `error.message` includes any declared error code → return `CallError(code, message, error)` 3. If `Error` instance, return `CallError(EXECUTION_ERROR, error.message, error)` 4. Otherwise, return `CallError(UNKNOWN_ERROR, String(error), { raw: String(error) })` ## Nested Call Wiring Routing is an env construction concern, not a separate protocol layer. `buildEnv` creates the `OperationEnv`: - **Direct mode**: `buildEnv({ registry, context })` — env functions call `registry.execute()` directly, returning `Promise` - **Call protocol mode**: `buildEnv({ registry, context, callMap })` — env functions call `callMap.call()`, which resolves to `Promise`, publishing `call.requested` events with `parentRequestId` propagation `parentRequestId` enables call graph reconstruction and abort cascading — every nested call includes it. ## Transport Mapping The call protocol is transport-agnostic. The `PubSub` event target determines how events move: | Transport | Use Case | EventTarget impl | |-----------|----------|-----------------| | In-process | Local hub operations | Browser `EventTarget` (default) | | Redis | Cross-process events | `RedisEventTarget` (from `@alkdev/pubsub`) | | WebSocket | Hub ↔ spoke bidirectional | `WebSocketEventTarget` (future) | Same protocol, same event shapes, same `PendingRequestMap` — different `eventTarget`. ## Subscribe (Direct) The `subscribe()` function provides direct in-process subscription consumption: ```ts async function* subscribe( registry: OperationRegistry, operationId: string, input: unknown, context: OperationContext, ): AsyncGenerator ``` Gets the operation from the registry, casts its handler to `AsyncGenerator`, and yields each value wrapped in `ResponseEnvelope`. If a yielded value `isResponseEnvelope()`, it passes through (e.g., for adapter handlers). Otherwise, `localEnvelope(value, operationId)` wraps it with a fresh `timestamp` per yield. Properly cleans up with `generator.return()` in a `finally` block. Use `subscribe()` for in-process consumption. Use `PendingRequestMap.call()` for cross-transport invocation that resolves after one event. For cross-transport streaming, use `PendingRequestMap.subscribe()` to yield multiple events. ### Handler Separation The `subscribe()` function looks up both spec and handler separately from the registry: 1. `registry.getSpec(operationId)` — throws if spec not found 2. `registry.getHandler(operationId)` — throws if handler not found This allows spec-only registration for scenarios where handlers are provided separately (e.g., ujsx host interpretation, dynamic handler injection). ## Source vs. Spec Drift This section documents differences between the architecture spec (this document) and the current source code. Items marked **ADR-005** or **ADR-006** are planned changes not yet implemented. Items marked **Bug** are unintentional discrepancies. ### ADR-005 (Response Envelopes) — not yet implemented | What | Spec says | Source currently does | |------|----------|----------------------| | `CallEventSchema["call.responded"].output` | `ResponseEnvelopeSchema` | `Type.Unknown()` | | `CallHandler` behavior | Wraps handler return value, publishes `call.responded` | Discards handler return value; handler must publish itself | | `CallHandler` error handling | Publishes `call.error` via pubsub | Re-throws `CallError` (does not publish) | | `call()` return type | `Promise` | `Promise` | | `call()` resolution | Resolves with `ResponseEnvelope` from `output` field | Resolves with raw `unknown` from `output` | | `respond()` validation | Enforces `isResponseEnvelope()` guard, throws on raw values | Accepts `unknown`, no validation | | `subscribe()` yield type | `AsyncGenerator`, wraps yields | `AsyncGenerator`, yields raw values | | `buildEnv()` return types | `Promise` per function | `Promise` per function | ### ADR-006 (Unified Invocation Path) — not yet implemented | What | Spec says | Source currently does | |------|----------|----------------------| | `execute()` access control | Checks `accessControl` when `identity` present | Skips access control entirely | | `execute()` unauthenticated calls | Rejects with `ACCESS_DENIED` when `requiredScopes` non-empty and `identity` absent | Always allows (no access check) | | `CallHandler` calls `execute()` | Thin adapter that calls `registry.execute()` internally | Reimplements lookup, validation, and access control independently | | `buildEnv()` | Always uses `execute()`, no `callMap` option | Toggles between `execute()` and `callMap.call()` via `if (callMap)` | | `OperationContext.trusted` | New field for nested call bypass | Does not exist | | `execute()` return type | `Promise>` | `Promise` | | `execute()` error type | Throws `CallError` | Throws plain `Error` | ### Bugs | What | Description | |------|-------------| | `checkAccess()` resource check bypass | When `identity.resources` is `undefined` (falsy), the resource access check at `call.ts:248` (`if (resourceType && resourceAction && identity.resources)`) evaluates to `false` and falls through to `return true` — granting access even though `resourceType`/`resourceAction` are declared on the operation. This means an identity without any declared resources passes resource-level access control for operations that require it. ADR-006's default-deny rule (`ACCESS_DENIED` when required scopes/resources are missing) would fix this. | | `PendingRequestMap` type name conflict | `src/env.ts` exports a `PendingRequestMap` **interface** (reduced signature: missing `deadline`, `identity` typed as `unknown`). `src/call.ts` exports the **class** `PendingRequestMap` which has the full signature. `src/index.ts` re-exports the interface as `PendingRequestMap` and the class as `PendingRequestMapClass`. This naming creates confusion — the documented `PendingRequestMap` refers to the class, but importing the type gives the reduced interface. | ## References - [response-envelopes.md](response-envelopes.md) — `ResponseEnvelope` types, factory functions, detection, and integration points - [ADR-005](decisions/005-response-envelopes.md) — Design rationale for response envelopes - [api-surface.md](api-surface.md) — Public API surface (types and signatures) - [adapters.md](adapters.md) — MCP and OpenAPI adapter internals