// GLOSSARY -- AGENTIC FINANCE
What is a Spending Policy DSL?
A specialized language for defining agent spending rules — readable, auditable, and composable without general-purpose code.
WHY IT MATTERS
Policies need review by security, compliance, developers, and auditors. A DSL provides precise yet readable common language.
Expresses: "allow USDC up to $500, to 'vendors' group, rolling $5,000/day, alert at 20 tx/hour." More expressive than contracts, more auditable than code.
Enables composability — individual policies combine and reuse across agents.
HOW POLICYLAYER USES THIS
PolicyLayer uses a declarative DSL — readable, auditable, composable. Policies evaluate in real-time against every transaction.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why not just JSON config?
JSON can express rules but lacks readability and composability. A DSL provides operators, logical combinators, and template support that make complex policies manageable.
Learning curve?
Minimal for simple policies. The DSL reads like English and provides templates for common patterns. Complex policies require deeper knowledge.
Version control?
Yes — policies are text files that can be stored in git, diff'd, and reviewed through standard code review processes.