GEPA optimizer broken and produces default prompt as instruction

[MrSpreadsheet]

ax/src/ax/dsp/optimizers/gepa.ts

Lines 836 to 851 in 95962ae

	private async getBaseInstruction<IN, OUT extends AxGenOut>(
	program: Readonly<AxGen<IN, OUT>>
	): Promise<string> {
	try {
	// If program exposes instruction via signature, prefer it
	const sig: any = program.getSignature?.();
	if (
	sig &&
	typeof sig.instruction === 'string' &&
	sig.instruction.length > 0
	) {
	return sig.instruction as string;
	}
	} catch {}
	return 'Follow the task precisely. Be concise, correct, and consistent.';
	}

This code is accessing sig.instruction, which isn't a property on AxSignature, and then defaults to 'Follow the task precisely. Be concise, correct, and consistent.'. My GEPA results always have the fallback string as the instruction. Troubleshooting this has cost me few bucks unfortunately.

I've only recently started using TypeScript, but I don't understand what's the point of using it if bugs like this are not caught. At the very least the error shouldn't just be swallowed like this in the catch statement.

[MrSpreadsheet]

@monotykamary seems to have been the one to add this feature via a PR

[markwitt1]

encountering the same issue. Any workarounds?

[google-labs-jules]

Jules is on it. When finished, you will see another comment and be able to review a PR.

[google-labs-jules]

Ready for a review! A PR has been created.

[markwitt1]

@google-labs-jules . it still doesnt work