The author proposes a 5-layer framework to standardize "harness engineering":
1. **Constraint (Architecture):** Deterministic rules (linters, API contracts).
2. **Context (Dev):** Memory and knowledge injection.
3. **Execution (Platform):** Tool orchestration and sandboxing.
4. **Verification (Dev/QA):** Output validation and error loops.
5. **Lifecycle (SRE):** Monitoring, cost tracking, and recovery.
**Strategic Insight:** While platforms like Anthropic are increasingly absorbing the Context, Execution, and Lifecycle layers, developers must still own **Constraint** and **Verification**. To maximize efficiency on managed platforms, teams should prioritize deterministic constraints (Layer 1) to reduce token waste and improve reliability.
1. **Constraint (Architecture):** Deterministic rules (linters, API contracts).
2. **Context (Dev):** Memory and knowledge injection.
3. **Execution (Platform):** Tool orchestration and sandboxing.
4. **Verification (Dev/QA):** Output validation and error loops.
5. **Lifecycle (SRE):** Monitoring, cost tracking, and recovery.
**Strategic Insight:** While platforms like Anthropic are increasingly absorbing the Context, Execution, and Lifecycle layers, developers must still own **Constraint** and **Verification**. To maximize efficiency on managed platforms, teams should prioritize deterministic constraints (Layer 1) to reduce token waste and improve reliability.
