{"slug":"oip-cron-recursion","title":"Cron and recursive review","body":"## What this article explains\n\nThis article explains how the Object Invocation Protocol (OIP) build uses scheduled background tasks, called cron, to manage recurring jobs. It focuses on the OIP review loop. The OIP review loop is a process that automatically checks and scores articles. Cron ensures these tasks run one at a time. This prevents the system from becoming overwhelmed.\n\n## OIP Build Overview\n\nThe OIP build is hosted at miscsubjects.com. In OIP, directory rows are the objects. An object is a piece of data or code that can be invoked. You can invoke these objects using the `/api/dispatch` route. A route is a specific Uniform Resource Locator (URL) where an Application Programming Interface (API) can be accessed. An API is a set of rules that lets different software programs talk to each other.\n\nTo invoke an object, you can use a `POST` request to `/api/dispatch`. This request includes a `key` and a `body`. For example: `POST /api/dispatch {key: \"my-object\", body: \"some data\"}`. You can also use a `GET` request: `/api/dispatch?invoke=KEY&body=...`. Every invocation is recorded in an append-only ledger. An append-only ledger is a record that only allows new entries to be added, never changed or deleted. Each invocation gets a receipt. You can view a receipt at `/api/dispatch?receipt=inv_ID`.\n\n## OIP Review Loop\n\nThe OIP review loop is a core process. It manages tasks for reviewing articles. A cron-gated tick runs this loop. Cron means a scheduled background tick. This tick calls `PROTOCOL_RUN` for the `oip-review` role. This action claims one article review task. It then asks a fresh AI model to score the article. The model checks the article's machine-native JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and its English clarity. JSON is a standard format for sending data. The system stores the model's score in the ledger. Finally, it closes the task. This loop ensures articles are regularly checked for quality. More details about the OIP review loop can be found in the dedicated article at `/a/oip-review-loop`.\n\n## Why one task per tick\n\nRunning one task per tick keeps the review loop inspectable. Inspectable means easy to check and understand. Each review creates a task row. It also generates a protocol invocation. A protocol invocation is a command to run a specific set of rules. This leads to a ledger event. A ledger event is a record of an action. Finally, it produces a receipt. This clear process helps track every step. It also prevents recursion from becoming an an unbounded blob. An unbounded blob is a process that grows without limits.\n\n## OIP vs. MCP\n\nThe Object Invocation Protocol (OIP) differs from the Model Context Protocol (MCP). MCP is an open standard. In MCP, an AI model connects to an MCP server over a session. A server is a computer program that provides data or services to other computer programs. The MCP server exposes tools, resources, and prompts. The model can call these. MCP is not a content-management system.\n\nOIP uses plain Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and receipts. A URL is a web address. OIP does not use a persistent session. A persistent session means a continuous connection. Any model that can open a URL can act within OIP. This makes OIP very flexible.\n\n## Machine shape\n\nThe recursive job object includes several fields. These fields define the job. They are `role`, `post_to`, `slug`, `model`, `questions`, `ledger_event`, `invocation`, and `followups`.\n## Latest clarity reviews (live)\n\nFresh models are sent this article's bundle and asked two separate questions: how clear is the machine JSON, and how clear is the English body. Scores are 0 to 10. The full history is in the append-only ledger.\n\n- 2026-07-03 00:01 · model `@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast` · NEEDS WORK · JSON 9/10 · English 8/10 · zero-context human 6/10\n  - gaps named: OIP build overview; OIP object model; Directory rows and dispatch\n\nHow the loop self-corrects: a failing review queues a model revision of this article (a new append-only version). A missing concept named by a reviewer queues a brand-new machine-written article, which then enters the same review cycle.","register":"oip_protocol","tags":["oip","object-invocation-protocol","protocol-specification","machine-native-json","primer"],"style":{"accent":"#16324f","measure":860},"claims":[{"id":"oip-c1","tier":"system","text":"The OIP article layer is generated from live directory rows, so it documents the objects that actually run the reference implementation.","who_claims":"system/oip_articles","source_ids":["oip-s3","oip-s4"]},{"id":"oip-c2","tier":"system","text":"The OIP operating path is caller to directory object to dispatch runner to invocation ledger to receipt.","who_claims":"system/oip_articles","source_ids":["oip-s1"]},{"id":"oip-c3","tier":"system","text":"Every executable capability in the reference implementation is reachable as an OIP object with a human article, a machine document, invocation history, and receipt path.","who_claims":"system/oip_articles","source_ids":["oip-s2","oip-s3"]},{"id":"oip-c4","tier":"system","text":"Tap & Go is the copy primitive: one drop carries credential, protocol, tree, search, execute, and receipt instructions without a separate token-map-bundle assembly step.","who_claims":"system/oip_articles","source_ids":["oip-s2"]},{"id":"oip-c5","tier":"system","text":"OIP receipts are the proof object for actions: they record request, response, actor, links, replay, repair, and lineage.","who_claims":"system/oip_articles","source_ids":["oip-s2","oip-s5"]}],"sources":[{"id":"oip-s1","type":"protocol","title":"BUILD_SPEC object invocation path","url":"https://miscsubjects.com/api/file/docs/BUILD_SPEC.md","summary":"Defines directory rows, dispatch, ledger, and the escalation path for changing the build.","quote":"Run anything: POST https://miscsubjects.com/api/dispatch {key, body}","claim_ids":["oip-c2"],"link_status":"ok","hash":"oipbuildspec0001"},{"id":"oip-s2","type":"protocol","title":"Object Invocation Protocol spec","url":"https://miscsubjects.com/api/file/docs/OIP.md","summary":"Defines OIP surfaces, invariant loop, receipt/replay/repair, and invocation envelopes.","quote":"identify, explain, invoke, ledger, yield","claim_ids":["oip-c3","oip-c4","oip-c5"],"link_status":"ok","hash":"oipspec00000002"},{"id":"oip-s3","type":"protocol","title":"Live OIP capability tree","url":"https://miscsubjects.com/api/dispatch?map=1&format=markdown","summary":"Public recursive capability tree.","quote":"root > shelf > system article > capability article > receipt","claim_ids":["oip-c1","oip-c3"],"link_status":"ok","hash":"oipmap0000000002"},{"id":"oip-s4","type":"protocol","title":"Directory row documentation","url":"https://miscsubjects.com/api/dispatch?key=OIP_TREE&format=markdown","summary":"Capability articles are generated from live rows.","quote":"Machine Contract","claim_ids":["oip-c1"],"link_status":"ok","hash":"oiprow0000000003"},{"id":"oip-s5","type":"protocol","title":"Invocation ledger","url":"https://miscsubjects.com/api/invocations","summary":"Append-only invocation records and receipt links.","quote":"invocations","claim_ids":["oip-c5"],"link_status":"ok","hash":"oipinvocations0005"}],"prov":{"model":"system/oip_articles","action":"generate"}}