simple_english 0.5.0 → 0.13.1

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data/README.md

@@ -4,25 +4,57 @@
 
 # simple_english
 
-> Write for human readers, not for reviewers or another AI.
+> Write plain English for humans. Keep the agent honest.
 
-AI writes your docs and code comments in seconds. This linter cuts
-the slop it leaves behind. Every finding says what to write
-instead.
+You can teach an agent plain-English prose with a skill or a
+prompt. It writes clean prose in the first paragraph and slop again
+by the third. This linter keeps the agent honest: it reads what the
+agent wrote and names every broken rule. Send the findings back, and
+the agent corrects its own text.
 
-```console
-$ printf "The config was written by setup — don't edit it; the daemon caches rules, making the first lint slow." > note.md
-$ se note.md
-note.md:1:12-26: [SE_ACTIVE_VOICE] "was written by" - Use the active voice. Say who does the action.
-note.md:1:73-81: [SE_ING_AFTER_COMMA] ", making" - Start a new sentence instead of the -ing phrase.
-note.md:1:37-40: [SE_NO_CONTRACTIONS] "n't" - Write the words in full. No contractions.
-note.md:1:33-34: [SE_NO_EMDASH] "—" - Write two sentences, or use a comma.
-note.md:1:48-49: [SE_NO_SEMICOLON] ";" - Write two sentences, or name the relation.
-```
+<table>
+<tr>
+<th width="50%">Before</th>
+<th width="50%">After</th>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td valign="top">
+
+> Your API keys are rotated by the service every 90 days — you will need to update them if you get a 401; don't panic, simply re-run the setup command, which regenerates the credentials without any downtime. <!-- se: ignore -->
+
+</td>
+<td valign="top">
+
+> The service rotates your API keys every 90 days. If you get a 401, update them. Do not panic. Re-run the setup command. It regenerates the credentials without any downtime.
 
-Markdown prose plus code comments in Python, Ruby, JavaScript,
-TypeScript, Go, Rust, Java, C#, C++, Kotlin, bash, and YAML. Output as
-plain text, JSON, or SARIF.
+</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+The linter covers Markdown prose plus code comments in Python, Ruby,
+JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Rust, Java, C, C++, and C#. It also
+reads Objective-C, Kotlin, Swift, Scala, Dart, PHP, Perl, Elixir,
+Lua, R, Haskell, Zig, SQL, and bash. It reads comments in config
+formats and markup as well: YAML, TOML, INI, Makefile, Dockerfile,
+HTML, and XML. Findings print as plain text, JSON, or SARIF.
+
+If your language is not on the list, [open an issue](https://github.com/TonyCTHsu/simple-english/issues).
+
+## Agent integrations
+
+Plug the linter into your coding agent. It writes plain English on
+the first pass and checks its own draft before you read the file.
+
+| Coding agent | Ships as | Docs |
+|---|---|---|
+| `pi` | npm package `pi-simple-english` | [README](integrations/pi/README.md) |
+| `claude-code` | plugin `simple-english` | [README](integrations/claude-code/README.md) |
+| `codex` | plugin `simple-english` | [README](integrations/codex/README.md) |
+| `cursor` | plugin folder `simple-english` | [README](integrations/cursor/README.md) |
+| `opencode` | plugin `simple-english` | [README](integrations/opencode/README.md) |
+| `vscode-copilot` | config wiring | [README](integrations/vscode-copilot/README.md) |
+
+If your agent is not on the list, [open an issue](https://github.com/TonyCTHsu/simple-english/issues).
 
 ## The rules
 
@@ -36,53 +68,52 @@ plain text, JSON, or SARIF.
 - **Code comments:** same pattern rules, with line and column range.
 - **Counts (Markdown only):** 20 words per sentence in list items, 25 in paragraphs, six sentences per paragraph at most.
 
-The full list, with a wrong and a right example for each rule:
-[docs/RULES.md](docs/RULES.md).
+The full list, with a wrong and a right example for each rule [docs/RULES.md](docs/RULES.md).
 
 ## Install
 
-**Requirements:** On macOS, Homebrew covers everything. On Linux,
-Windows, or CI, you need Ruby 3.3 or newer and Java 11 or newer for
-LanguageTool. The Docker image bundles both.
+### Prerequisites
 
-### Homebrew (macOS)
+The gem needs Ruby 3.3 or newer. On a Mac, the system Ruby (2.6) is too
+old. Install one, for example with Homebrew:
 
 ```bash
-brew install TonyCTHsu/tap/simple-english
-brew services start simple-english
+brew install ruby
 ```
 
-Homebrew installs Ruby and Java alongside, so the machine needs
-neither. The service keeps a background daemon running. Its first
-start downloads LanguageTool (about 300 MB), and later lints take
-milliseconds. Run `brew services stop simple-english` to stop it.
-
-### Ruby gem (Linux, Windows, CI)
+Homebrew's Ruby is not on the `PATH` by default, and neither are gem
+binaries. Put both in your shell profile:
 
 ```bash
-gem install simple_english
-se setup    # run once: downloads LanguageTool, locates Java, verifies both
-se README.md
+echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/ruby/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
+echo 'export GEM_HOME="$HOME/.gem"' >> ~/.zshrc
+echo 'export PATH="$GEM_HOME/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
 ```
 
-If `java` is not on PATH, set `SE_JAVA` to your java binary.
+Then open a new terminal. A version manager such as `mise` or `rbenv`
+works too.
 
-### Container
+### Ruby gem (macOS arm64, Linux x86-64 and arm64)
 
-The image holds Ruby, Java, and LanguageTool, so it needs no setup:
+```bash
+gem install simple_english
+```
+
+### Homebrew (macOS arm64)
 
 ```bash
-docker run -v "$PWD":/work ghcr.io/tonycthsu/simple-english:latest docs/
+brew install TonyCTHsu/tap/simple-english
 ```
 
-### Git repository
+### Container
 
-Run `bundle install`, then use `bin/se`.
+```bash
+docker run --rm -v "$PWD":/work ghcr.io/tonycthsu/simple-english .
+```
 
 ## Usage
 
-Lint files, directories, or stdin. From a checkout, the same commands
-run through `bin/se`:
+Lint files, directories, or stdin:
 
 ```bash
 se README.md
@@ -113,34 +144,72 @@ se --format sarif src/ > results.sarif
 
 - `0`: no findings
 - `1`: findings
-- `2`: setup error
+- `2`: input, configuration, installation, or daemon error
+
+### MCP server
+
+Start an MCP stdio server with one tool, `lint`. Any MCP
+client can call it.
+
+```
+se mcp
+```
 
 ### CI
 
-Gate the prose in the pull request that changes it. The plain run
-fails the build on findings, and the SARIF report puts them inline:
+Gate the pull request's prose in GitHub Actions. The lint fails the build on findings:
 
 ```yaml
 name: lint-docs
 on: [pull_request]
-permissions:
-  security-events: write
 jobs:
   lint:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
-      - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
-      - run: gem install simple_english
-      - run: se setup
-      - run: se --format sarif . > lint.sarif
-      - run: se .
+      - uses: TonyCTHsu/simple-english@v0.13.1
+        with:
+          files: |
+            docs/
+            README.md
+```
+
+To see the findings inline in the pull request, lint with
+`format: sarif` and upload the report. Add
+`permissions: {security-events: write}` to the workflow:
+
+```yaml
+      - uses: TonyCTHsu/simple-english@v0.13.1
+        with:
+          format: sarif
       - uses: github/codeql-action/upload-sarif@v3
         with:
-          sarif_file: lint.sarif
+          sarif_file: simple-english.sarif
         if: always()
 ```
 
+Any CI can run the lint. Install the gem, run `se lint .`, and fail the
+build on exit code 1.
+
+### Git hooks
+
+Install the gem once, then wire your hook runner. The command to run
+is `se lint`.
+
+#### Pre-commit framework
+
+```yaml
+# .pre-commit-config.yaml
+repos:
+  - repo: https://github.com/TonyCTHsu/simple-english
+    rev: v0.13.1
+    hooks:
+      - id: se-lint
+```
+
+For Husky with lint-staged, map every staged file to `se lint`. For
+Lefthook, run `se lint {staged_files}` in a `pre-commit` command.
+
 ## Config and suppressions
 
 ### Config file
@@ -152,10 +221,27 @@ ignore:
   - vendor/**
 disabled-rules:
   - SE_NO_EMDASH
+rule-ignores:
+  SE_MODAL_RESTRICTED:
+    - .agents/skills/**
 ```
 
 `ignore` globs: `**` crosses directories, `*` stays in one segment.
 
+`disabled-rules` drops a rule from every file. `rule-ignores` drops
+a rule only on the listed paths. The rule still fires everywhere
+else. It covers prose that plays by different rules, like spec
+text that quotes a standard's "SHOULD": <!-- se: ignore=SE_MODAL_RESTRICTED -->
+
+```yaml
+rule-ignores:
+  SE_MODAL_RESTRICTED:
+    - .agents/skills/**
+```
+
+With that config, `SE_MODAL_RESTRICTED` fires in `docs/` and the
+README, and stays quiet under `.agents/skills/`.
+
 ### Inline suppressions
 
 A line containing `se: ignore` suppresses findings reported on that
@@ -175,57 +261,33 @@ In a code comment:
 # Don't touch this constant. se: ignore=SE_NO_CONTRACTIONS
 ```
 
-## The background daemon
-
-The CLI runs a small background server on your machine. The first
-lint starts it, which takes about 15 seconds. Later lints take
-milliseconds.
-
-The first lint after a gem update prints a warning. Run `se serve --detached` then.
-It stops the old daemon and starts the new one in the
-background. You never talk to the daemon directly. Its HTTP
-interface is internal and can change in any release.
-
-## Scope
-
-The rule set comes from the Plain-mode rules of the MIT-licensed
-SimpleEnglish project. This tool does not check ASD-STE100 compliance.
-This repo holds no ASD-STE100 text. If you need full compliance, read
-the free standard at <https://www.asd-ste100.org/>.
-
 ## FAQ
 
-### Have you thought about an agent skill?
-
-The [SimpleEnglish project](https://github.com/AminBlg/SimpleEnglish)
-ships one. Its skill guides an agent while it writes. This tool does
-the other half of the work. It checks the result against fixed
-rules. Use both: the skill helps the first draft, and the linter
-catches what the agent missed.
-
 ### Why not Vale?
 
-We ported all 67 rules to Vale and ran the corpus on both engines.
+We ported rules to Vale and ran the corpus on both engines.
 About 60 rules behave the same. Vale has no check for the em-dash
 and semicolon rules: its checks see words, not punctuation. Its
 tagger also mislabels verbs, so the condition-first rule stays
-silent. The rules here are LanguageTool XML with examples that CI
-verifies. Closing the Vale gaps needs scripts or an external
+silent. Closing the Vale gaps needs scripts or an external
 tagger, and that erases Vale's main advantage: one binary with no
 service behind it.
 
-## Agent integrations
+## Compliance
 
-Pi, Claude Code, and Codex can lint the prose they write. The adapters
-live under `integrations/`, unreleased. Try them from a checkout:
+This tool does not check ASD-STE100 compliance. This repo holds no
+ASD-STE100 text. For full compliance, read the free standard at
+<https://www.asd-ste100.org/>.
 
-```bash
-claude --plugin-dir integrations/claude-code   # the hook feeds findings back
-pi install integrations/pi -l                  # the se_lint tool
-se mcp                                         # an MCP server, for any MCP client
-```
+The tool checks no external style standard. The rules are this repo's
+own, but they draw on the [GOV.UK A to Z style
+guide](https://guidance.publishing.service.gov.uk/writing-to-gov-uk-standards/style-guides/a-to-z-style-guide/)
+and the [US plain language
+guide](https://digital.gov/guides/plain-language/).
 
-See [docs/DEVELOPMENT.md](docs/DEVELOPMENT.md) for the full story.
+The rule sources are `rules/simple-english.xml` for pattern rules and
+`lib/simple_english/lint/counts.rb` for counting rules. The full list
+sits in [docs/RULES.md](docs/RULES.md).
 
 ## Develop
 

data/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# Third-party notices
+
+Files under `licenses/` carry the license texts and upstream notices
+for third-party software distributed inside this gem. Simple English's
+own code is MIT-licensed; see `LICENSE`.
+
+## Lint engine
+
+Each platform gem ships a compiled lint engine at
+`libexec/simple_english/languagetool-server`. The binary is built with
+GraalVM Community Edition 25.0.2 and contains code from the
+components below. The authoritative list of components inside a given
+binary is the CycloneDX SBOM published with each release
+(`dist/languagetool-server-<platform>.sbom.json`).
+
+| Component | License | Notice |
+|---|---|---|
+| LanguageTool 6.6 (`languagetool-core`, `languagetool-server`, `languagetool-gui-commons`, `language-en`, `language-ca`, `language-es`, `language-pt`), unmodified except for a build-time copy of `rules/simple-english.xml` into the English rules | LGPL-2.1 | `licenses/LGPL-2.1.txt` |
+| English word-list and POS data (12dicts, AGID, Moby/WordNet POS) | upstream terms, public domain | `licenses/languagetool-resource-en/` |
+| `at.favre.lib:bcrypt` 0.10.2 | Apache-2.0 | |
+| `ch.qos.logback:logback-classic` 1.5.18 | EPL-1.0 or LGPL-2.1 | |
+| `co.elastic.logging:logback-ecs-encoder` 1.3.2 | Apache-2.0 | |
+| `com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind` 2.18.0 | Apache-2.0 | |
+| `commons-cli:commons-cli` 1.9.0 | Apache-2.0 | |
+| `commons-codec:commons-codec` 1.17.1 | Apache-2.0 | |
+| `edu.washington.cs.knowitall:opennlp-*` models 1.5 | Apache-2.0 | |
+| `io.lettuce:lettuce-core` 6.5.4 | MIT | |
+| `io.prometheus:simpleclient_*` 0.16.0 | Apache-2.0 | |
+| `org.apache.opennlp:opennlp-tools` 1.9.4 | Apache-2.0 | |
+| `org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client` 3.4.1 | LGPL-2.1 | `licenses/LGPL-2.1.txt` |
+| `org.mybatis:mybatis` 3.5.16 | Apache-2.0 | |
+| `org.slf4j:slf4j-api` 2.0.16 | MIT | |
+| GraalVM and OpenJDK runtime code | GPLv2 with the Classpath Exception | `licenses/OpenJDK-LICENSE.txt` |
+
+The engine uses logback under its LGPL-2.1 option, not its EPL-1.0
+option.
+
+## LGPL 2.1 obligations
+
+LanguageTool is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License
+2.1. This gem distributes a binary statically linked with
+LanguageTool, which LGPL 2.1 section 6 permits when recipients can
+study, modify, and rebuild the LGPL part:
+
+- The license text ships with every gem (`licenses/LGPL-2.1.txt`).
+- The corresponding LanguageTool source is the `v6.6` tag at
+  https://github.com/languagetool-org/languagetool/tree/v6.6
+- The gem's MIT license permits reverse engineering, so you may
+  debug the binary and your modifications to it.
+- You can rebuild the engine against a modified LanguageTool: change
+  the version in `native/languagetool/pom.xml` and follow the
+  rebuild steps in `native/languagetool/README.md` under "Changing
+  the native engine".
+
+Written offer under section 6(c): we give any recipient the
+machine-readable materials that section 6(a) names, for at least three
+years after each release, at no charge. Ask in an issue at
+https://github.com/TonyCTHsu/simple-english/issues. The materials are
+the LanguageTool `v6.6` source, the resolved classpath of
+`native/languagetool/pom.xml` as Maven Central artifacts, the
+reachability metadata under `native/languagetool/config/`, and the
+build scripts `native/languagetool/build.rb` and `Rakefile` with the
+`rules/simple-english.xml` overlay. You need them to modify
+LanguageTool and relink a working engine.
+
+## OpenJDK and GraalVM source
+
+The binary embeds OpenJDK and GraalVM Community runtime code under
+GPLv2 with the Classpath Exception. The corresponding source is
+public: https://github.com/openjdk/jdk and
+https://github.com/oracle/graal. The release SBOM names the versions
+the binary embeds.

data/docs/RULES.md

@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Use the simple past. Say when it happened.
 
 ### SE_ING_AFTER_COMMA: No -ing after a comma
 
-Start a new sentence instead of the -ing phrase.
+Write a new sentence, or put the condition first. A trailing -ing phrase hides who does what and when.
 
 - Wrong: The tool runs, making it easy.
 - Right: The tool runs. It is easy.
@@ -477,6 +477,92 @@ Delete it.
 - Wrong: let's dive in. Read the log.
 - Right: Read the log.
 
+### SE_SLOP_EMPOWER: allow, not empower
+
+Write allow.
+
+- Wrong: The setting empowers the user to edit files.
+- Right: The setting allows the user to edit files.
+
+### SE_SLOP_COLLABORATE: work with, not collaborate or liaise
+
+Write work with.
+
+- Wrong: The team collaborates with the owners.
+- Right: The team works with the owners.
+
+### SE_SLOP_INITIATE: start, not initiate
+
+Write start.
+
+- Wrong: Initiate the build.
+- Right: Start the build.
+
+### SE_SLOP_GOING_FORWARD: from now on, not going forward
+
+Write from now on.
+
+- Wrong: Going forward, read the log.
+- Right: From now on, read the log.
+
+### SE_SLOP_TACKLE: solve, not tackle
+
+Write solve or deal with.
+
+- Wrong: The team tackled the problem.
+- Right: The team solved the problem.
+
+### SE_HIDDEN_VERB_DECISION: decide, not make a decision
+
+Write decide.
+
+- Wrong: Make a decision before the release.
+- Right: Decide before the release.
+
+### SE_HIDDEN_VERB_ASSISTANCE: help, not provide assistance
+
+Write help.
+
+- Wrong: The tool provides assistance to new users.
+- Right: The tool helps new users.
+
+### SE_HIDDEN_VERB_CONSIDERATION: consider, not take into consideration
+
+Write consider.
+
+- Wrong: Take the failure into consideration before you restart.
+- Right: Consider the failure before you restart.
+
+### SE_HIDDEN_VERB_ABLE: can, not is able to
+
+Write can.
+
+- Wrong: The tool is able to read the log.
+- Right: The tool can read the log.
+
+### SE_NUMBER_WORDS: numerals, not compound number words
+
+#### spelled with a space
+
+Write the numeral, such as 24.
+
+- Wrong: The log keeps twenty four hours.
+- Right: The log keeps 24 hours.
+
+#### spelled with a hyphen
+
+Write the numeral, such as 24.
+
+- Wrong: The job runs for twenty-four hours.
+- Right: The job runs for 24 hours.
+
+#### standalone teens and tens
+
+Write the numeral, such as 12.
+
+- Wrong: The retry waits fifteen seconds.
+- Right: The retry waits 15 seconds.
+
 ## Counting rules
 
 These rules run in Ruby on Markdown text. Code comments do not use

data/lib/simple_english/cli.rb

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
-# The command-line interface: Thor commands for lint, serve, and
-# setup. bin/se is a thin runner over this, so the installed
-# gem's RubyGems shim can load it.
+# The command-line interface: Thor commands for lint and serve, plus
+# a no-op setup for older callers. bin/se is a thin runner over this,
+# so the installed gem's RubyGems shim can load it.
 
 require "thor"
 require_relative "../simple_english"
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ module SimpleEnglish
     # names. Thor only falls back to the default task when the first
     # argument is an option, so route them to lint explicitly.
     def self.start(given_args = ARGV, config = {})
+      # GUI apps (Claude Desktop) and cron spawn this CLI without a
+      # locale, so Ruby reads stdin and files as US-ASCII and chokes on
+      # non-ASCII prose (issue 95). Prose is UTF-8 by spec.
+      Encoding.default_external = Encoding::UTF_8
       first = given_args.first
       if first && !all_commands.key?(first) &&
           (first == "-" || !first.start_with?("-"))
@@ -32,10 +36,6 @@ module SimpleEnglish
       start(argv)
     end
 
-    # How each Install.java_source found its java, for `se setup`'s
-    # report line.
-    JAVA_SOURCES = {env: "SE_JAVA", path: "PATH", homebrew: "Homebrew fallback"}.freeze
-
     default_task :lint
     desc "lint FILE_OR_DIR...", "Lint Markdown prose and code comments (- reads stdin)"
     method_option :format, type: :string, default: "text", enum: %w[text json sarif],
@@ -59,18 +59,22 @@ module SimpleEnglish
           warn "error: file not readable: #{path}"
           return 2
         end
-        text = (path == "-") ? $stdin.read : File.read(path)
-        findings = SimpleEnglish.lint_file(path, text)
+        # The lintable gate in Linter reads lintable files itself. A
+        # non-lintable path must not cost a full read here.
+        findings =
+          if path == "-"
+            SimpleEnglish::Linter.lint_text($stdin.read, config: config)
+          else
+            SimpleEnglish::Linter.lint_file(path, config: config)
+          end
         return 2 if findings.nil? # already warned why
-        SimpleEnglish::Config.filter(config, path, findings).each do |finding|
-          results << [path, finding]
-        end
+        findings.each { |finding| results << [path, finding] }
       end
       self.class.report(results, options[:format])
       results.empty? ? 0 : 1
     end
 
-    desc "version", "Print the gem version. The container image tag is v plus this."
+    desc "version", "Print the gem version"
     def version
       puts SimpleEnglish::VERSION
       0
@@ -112,26 +116,9 @@ module SimpleEnglish
       2
     end
 
-    desc "setup", "Download LanguageTool and locate Java. Idempotent."
+    desc "setup", "Do nothing; the lint engine ships with the gem"
     def setup
-      install = SimpleEnglish::Install.from_env
-      lt = SimpleEnglish::LanguageTool.install(install.cache_dir)
-      return 2 unless lt
-      puts "LanguageTool #{SimpleEnglish::LanguageTool::LT_VERSION}: " \
-        "#{lt["downloaded"] ? "downloaded to" : "already present at"} #{lt["dir"]}"
-      unless install.java?
-        warn "error: #{install.java_message}"
-        return 2
-      end
-      puts "Java: #{install.java} (#{JAVA_SOURCES[install.java_source]})"
-      unless SimpleEnglish::LanguageTool.smoke(install)
-        warn "error: LanguageTool smoke test failed. The download may be corrupt. " \
-          "Delete #{lt["dir"]} and rerun `se setup`."
-        return 2
-      end
-      puts "Smoke test: passed"
-      puts
-      puts "se finds them automatically. Nothing to export."
+      puts "nothing to set up; the lint engine ships with the gem"
       0
     end
 

data/lib/simple_english/client/daemon.rb

@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ module SimpleEnglish
       # Preflight everything the spawn needs: a missing prerequisite
       # must fail fast with the real blocker named, not spawn a
       # doomed child and wait out 90 s.
-      unless File.exist?(install.server_jar) && install.java?
-        warn(install.java? ? install.setup_error : install.java_message)
+      unless install.executable?
+        warn install.setup_error
         return false
       end
       # One boot at a time: a concurrent lint that also found the
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ module SimpleEnglish
       with_spawn_lock do
         daemon = info
         unless daemon
-          warn "se: daemon not running; starting it (first lint takes ~15s)..."
+          warn "se: daemon not running; starting it (first lint may take a few seconds)..."
           spawn_daemon
           daemon = wait_for { info }
         end
@@ -185,10 +185,9 @@ module SimpleEnglish
         "(#{VERSION}). #{fix} Linting against it meanwhile."
     end
 
-    # A per-user lock keyed by the port, independent of the
-    # installation cache: daemon ownership is scoped to the port,
-    # so two lints with different SE_CACHE_DIR values still
-    # coordinate. flock releases when the block ends, even on
+    # A per-user lock keyed by the port: daemon ownership is scoped
+    # to the port, so concurrent lints coordinate across installs.
+    # flock releases when the block ends, even on
     # failure.
     def with_spawn_lock
       dir = File.join(Dir.home, ".cache", "simple_english")