v0.18.0

Release notes generated intelligently using Release Notes Scribe

What's Changed

• Added plan_project() and PlannedSystem to compile and plan a project without constructing native SDK agents.

• Expanded the system API with agent input/output type lookup, output validation, context resolution, validation evidence, and run/thread cleanup helpers.

• Breaking API changes:

  • Renamed MaterializationResult to MaterializedSystem and structural_output_types to generated_types.
  • Replaced name-based input helpers with validate_input_for_agent() and serialize_input_for_agent(). Pass the native agent from system.agents; copied agents and agents from another system are rejected.
  • materialize() now requires keyword arguments for target and profile.
  • Trace sessions now take a materialized system; Google ADK and Strands trace routers use attach(system). Evaluation, assurance, and trace-conformance APIs now use planned systems instead of separate contract and plan arguments.
  • Replaced Strands provider validate_result() with system.validate_output_for_agent(agent, result.structured_output).
  • Removed report_provider_outcome() and report_provider_usage() aliases; use the corresponding record_* methods. Advanced OpenAI normalization helpers now live in contract4agents.tracing.openai.

• Fixed project checks incorrectly succeeding for missing paths or files used as project roots. These now report PARSE002.

• Compiler artifact checks now require an output directory and report COMPILE003 when it is missing.

• Simplified documentation and the first-project tutorial, and clarified CLI help around defining external contracts and building native SDK objects.

• Full changelog