> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nika.sh/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# tasks

> Contract, placement, related fields and source examples for this Nika YAML field.

[Language reference](/reference/language/overview) / `tasks`

## Meaning and placement

### document

The task map · the KEY is the task's identity (snake\_case · CEL-safe). Source order is presentation only — the graph alone schedules.

| Property             | Declaration               |
| -------------------- | ------------------------- |
| Requirement          | Required in this object   |
| Schema location      | `/properties/tasks`       |
| type                 | "object"                  |
| additionalProperties | \{"$ref": "#/$defs/task"} |

**In the same object:** [const](/reference/language/words/const) · [inputs](/reference/language/words/inputs) · [model](/reference/language/words/model) · [nika](/reference/language/words/nika) · [outputs](/reference/language/words/outputs) · [permits](/reference/language/words/permits) · [run](/reference/language/words/run) · [secrets](/reference/language/words/secrets)

[Schema source (use the pointer above)](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/schemas/workflow.schema.json)

## In a source template

Excerpt from `templates/agent-loop.nika.yaml`, source lines 52–61. This is a fragment, not a runnable workflow.

```yaml illustration theme={"system"}
  # two the agent may call. No `fs:` — see the note on `tools:` below.
  tools: ["nika:assert", "nika:done", "nika:jq"]

tasks:
  plan:
    infer:
      prompt: "Break '${{ inputs.goal }}' into at most 4 concrete steps."   # SLOT
      # SLOT: the spend ceiling for the planning call. Size it for the SEAT,
      # not for the answer: a reasoning model spends tokens thinking before
      # it emits the first brace, and a ceiling that cuts it off mid-thought
```

### Templates containing this field

| Template                                    | Source                                                                                                                                            |
| ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `templates/agent-loop.nika.yaml`            | [Line 55](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/agent-loop.nika.yaml#L55)            |
| `templates/api-upload-and-create.nika.yaml` | [Line 67](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/api-upload-and-create.nika.yaml#L67) |
| `templates/chain.nika.yaml`                 | [Line 45](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/chain.nika.yaml#L45)                 |
| `templates/classify-and-route.nika.yaml`    | [Line 76](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/classify-and-route.nika.yaml#L76)    |
| `templates/corpus-qa.nika.yaml`             | [Line 31](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/corpus-qa.nika.yaml#L31)             |
| `templates/docker-report.nika.yaml`         | [Line 47](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/docker-report.nika.yaml#L47)         |
| `templates/document-to-fields.nika.yaml`    | [Line 37](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/document-to-fields.nika.yaml#L37)    |
| `templates/etl-state.nika.yaml`             | [Line 61](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/etl-state.nika.yaml#L61)             |
| `templates/evaluate-and-optimize.nika.yaml` | [Line 38](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/evaluate-and-optimize.nika.yaml#L38) |
| `templates/fanout.nika.yaml`                | [Line 85](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/fanout.nika.yaml#L85)                |
| `templates/gate-and-act.nika.yaml`          | [Line 50](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/gate-and-act.nika.yaml#L50)          |
| `templates/human-gated-ship.nika.yaml`      | [Line 84](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/human-gated-ship.nika.yaml#L84)      |
| `templates/media-asset-pack.nika.yaml`      | [Line 52](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/media-asset-pack.nika.yaml#L52)      |
| `templates/website-brief.nika.yaml`         | [Line 49](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/blob/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6/templates/website-brief.nika.yaml#L49)         |

These are literal key occurrences in the source files, not an execution or conformance claim. [How to instantiate a template](/guides/templates).

## Contract and implementation

This page projects the named specification revision. Check [released engine status](/reference/status) and [the validation workflow](/guides/agent-authoring) before running a file. An optional field is not evidence that every engine supports every value.

Canonical identity: `language:word:tasks`. Spec revision: [`c5ebbb7b862b`](https://github.com/supernovae-st/nika-spec/tree/c5ebbb7b862b68bc6cf7235efba61173b844afc6).

[How documentation stays connected](/reference/knowledge-system).