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package/bin/skills/outlines/SKILL.md

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+---
+name: outlines
+description: Guarantee valid JSON/XML/code structure during generation, use Pydantic models for type-safe outputs, support local models (Transformers, vLLM), and maximize inference speed with Outlines - dottxt.ai's structured generation library
+version: 1.0.0
+author: Synthetic Sciences
+license: MIT
+tags: [Prompt Engineering, Outlines, Structured Generation, JSON Schema, Pydantic, Local Models, Grammar-Based Generation, vLLM, Transformers, Type Safety]
+dependencies: [outlines, transformers, vllm, pydantic]
+---
+
+# Outlines: Structured Text Generation
+
+## When to Use This Skill
+
+Use Outlines when you need to:
+- **Guarantee valid JSON/XML/code** structure during generation
+- **Use Pydantic models** for type-safe outputs
+- **Support local models** (Transformers, llama.cpp, vLLM)
+- **Maximize inference speed** with zero-overhead structured generation
+- **Generate against JSON schemas** automatically
+- **Control token sampling** at the grammar level
+
+**GitHub Stars**: 8,000+ | **From**: dottxt.ai (formerly .txt)
+
+## Installation
+
+```bash
+# Base installation
+pip install outlines
+
+# With specific backends
+pip install outlines transformers  # Hugging Face models
+pip install outlines llama-cpp-python  # llama.cpp
+pip install outlines vllm  # vLLM for high-throughput
+```
+
+## Quick Start
+
+### Basic Example: Classification
+
+```python
+import outlines
+from typing import Literal
+
+# Load model
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+
+# Generate with type constraint
+prompt = "Sentiment of 'This product is amazing!': "
+generator = outlines.generate.choice(model, ["positive", "negative", "neutral"])
+sentiment = generator(prompt)
+
+print(sentiment)  # "positive" (guaranteed one of these)
+```
+
+### With Pydantic Models
+
+```python
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+import outlines
+
+class User(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    age: int
+    email: str
+
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+
+# Generate structured output
+prompt = "Extract user: John Doe, 30 years old, john@example.com"
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, User)
+user = generator(prompt)
+
+print(user.name)   # "John Doe"
+print(user.age)    # 30
+print(user.email)  # "john@example.com"
+```
+
+## Core Concepts
+
+### 1. Constrained Token Sampling
+
+Outlines uses Finite State Machines (FSM) to constrain token generation at the logit level.
+
+**How it works:**
+1. Convert schema (JSON/Pydantic/regex) to context-free grammar (CFG)
+2. Transform CFG into Finite State Machine (FSM)
+3. Filter invalid tokens at each step during generation
+4. Fast-forward when only one valid token exists
+
+**Benefits:**
+- **Zero overhead**: Filtering happens at token level
+- **Speed improvement**: Fast-forward through deterministic paths
+- **Guaranteed validity**: Invalid outputs impossible
+
+```python
+import outlines
+
+# Pydantic model -> JSON schema -> CFG -> FSM
+class Person(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    age: int
+
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+
+# Behind the scenes:
+# 1. Person -> JSON schema
+# 2. JSON schema -> CFG
+# 3. CFG -> FSM
+# 4. FSM filters tokens during generation
+
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, Person)
+result = generator("Generate person: Alice, 25")
+```
+
+### 2. Structured Generators
+
+Outlines provides specialized generators for different output types.
+
+#### Choice Generator
+
+```python
+# Multiple choice selection
+generator = outlines.generate.choice(
+    model,
+    ["positive", "negative", "neutral"]
+)
+
+sentiment = generator("Review: This is great!")
+# Result: One of the three choices
+```
+
+#### JSON Generator
+
+```python
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+
+class Product(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    price: float
+    in_stock: bool
+
+# Generate valid JSON matching schema
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, Product)
+product = generator("Extract: iPhone 15, $999, available")
+
+# Guaranteed valid Product instance
+print(type(product))  # <class '__main__.Product'>
+```
+
+#### Regex Generator
+
+```python
+# Generate text matching regex
+generator = outlines.generate.regex(
+    model,
+    r"[0-9]{3}-[0-9]{3}-[0-9]{4}"  # Phone number pattern
+)
+
+phone = generator("Generate phone number:")
+# Result: "555-123-4567" (guaranteed to match pattern)
+```
+
+#### Integer/Float Generators
+
+```python
+# Generate specific numeric types
+int_generator = outlines.generate.integer(model)
+age = int_generator("Person's age:")  # Guaranteed integer
+
+float_generator = outlines.generate.float(model)
+price = float_generator("Product price:")  # Guaranteed float
+```
+
+### 3. Model Backends
+
+Outlines supports multiple local and API-based backends.
+
+#### Transformers (Hugging Face)
+
+```python
+import outlines
+
+# Load from Hugging Face
+model = outlines.models.transformers(
+    "microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct",
+    device="cuda"  # Or "cpu"
+)
+
+# Use with any generator
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, YourModel)
+```
+
+#### llama.cpp
+
+```python
+# Load GGUF model
+model = outlines.models.llamacpp(
+    "./models/llama-3.1-8b-instruct.Q4_K_M.gguf",
+    n_gpu_layers=35
+)
+
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, YourModel)
+```
+
+#### vLLM (High Throughput)
+
+```python
+# For production deployments
+model = outlines.models.vllm(
+    "meta-llama/Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct",
+    tensor_parallel_size=2  # Multi-GPU
+)
+
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, YourModel)
+```
+
+#### OpenAI (Limited Support)
+
+```python
+# Basic OpenAI support
+model = outlines.models.openai(
+    "gpt-4o-mini",
+    api_key="your-api-key"
+)
+
+# Note: Some features limited with API models
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, YourModel)
+```
+
+### 4. Pydantic Integration
+
+Outlines has first-class Pydantic support with automatic schema translation.
+
+#### Basic Models
+
+```python
+from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
+
+class Article(BaseModel):
+    title: str = Field(description="Article title")
+    author: str = Field(description="Author name")
+    word_count: int = Field(description="Number of words", gt=0)
+    tags: list[str] = Field(description="List of tags")
+
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, Article)
+
+article = generator("Generate article about AI")
+print(article.title)
+print(article.word_count)  # Guaranteed > 0
+```
+
+#### Nested Models
+
+```python
+class Address(BaseModel):
+    street: str
+    city: str
+    country: str
+
+class Person(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    age: int
+    address: Address  # Nested model
+
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, Person)
+person = generator("Generate person in New York")
+
+print(person.address.city)  # "New York"
+```
+
+#### Enums and Literals
+
+```python
+from enum import Enum
+from typing import Literal
+
+class Status(str, Enum):
+    PENDING = "pending"
+    APPROVED = "approved"
+    REJECTED = "rejected"
+
+class Application(BaseModel):
+    applicant: str
+    status: Status  # Must be one of enum values
+    priority: Literal["low", "medium", "high"]  # Must be one of literals
+
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, Application)
+app = generator("Generate application")
+
+print(app.status)  # Status.PENDING (or APPROVED/REJECTED)
+```
+
+## Common Patterns
+
+### Pattern 1: Data Extraction
+
+```python
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+import outlines
+
+class CompanyInfo(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    founded_year: int
+    industry: str
+    employees: int
+
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, CompanyInfo)
+
+text = """
+Apple Inc. was founded in 1976 in the technology industry.
+The company employs approximately 164,000 people worldwide.
+"""
+
+prompt = f"Extract company information:\n{text}\n\nCompany:"
+company = generator(prompt)
+
+print(f"Name: {company.name}")
+print(f"Founded: {company.founded_year}")
+print(f"Industry: {company.industry}")
+print(f"Employees: {company.employees}")
+```
+
+### Pattern 2: Classification
+
+```python
+from typing import Literal
+import outlines
+
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+
+# Binary classification
+generator = outlines.generate.choice(model, ["spam", "not_spam"])
+result = generator("Email: Buy now! 50% off!")
+
+# Multi-class classification
+categories = ["technology", "business", "sports", "entertainment"]
+category_gen = outlines.generate.choice(model, categories)
+category = category_gen("Article: Apple announces new iPhone...")
+
+# With confidence
+class Classification(BaseModel):
+    label: Literal["positive", "negative", "neutral"]
+    confidence: float
+
+classifier = outlines.generate.json(model, Classification)
+result = classifier("Review: This product is okay, nothing special")
+```
+
+### Pattern 3: Structured Forms
+
+```python
+class UserProfile(BaseModel):
+    full_name: str
+    age: int
+    email: str
+    phone: str
+    country: str
+    interests: list[str]
+
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, UserProfile)
+
+prompt = """
+Extract user profile from:
+Name: Alice Johnson
+Age: 28
+Email: alice@example.com
+Phone: 555-0123
+Country: USA
+Interests: hiking, photography, cooking
+"""
+
+profile = generator(prompt)
+print(profile.full_name)
+print(profile.interests)  # ["hiking", "photography", "cooking"]
+```
+
+### Pattern 4: Multi-Entity Extraction
+
+```python
+class Entity(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    type: Literal["PERSON", "ORGANIZATION", "LOCATION"]
+
+class DocumentEntities(BaseModel):
+    entities: list[Entity]
+
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, DocumentEntities)
+
+text = "Tim Cook met with Satya Nadella at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond."
+prompt = f"Extract entities from: {text}"
+
+result = generator(prompt)
+for entity in result.entities:
+    print(f"{entity.name} ({entity.type})")
+```
+
+### Pattern 5: Code Generation
+
+```python
+class PythonFunction(BaseModel):
+    function_name: str
+    parameters: list[str]
+    docstring: str
+    body: str
+
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+generator = outlines.generate.json(model, PythonFunction)
+
+prompt = "Generate a Python function to calculate factorial"
+func = generator(prompt)
+
+print(f"def {func.function_name}({', '.join(func.parameters)}):")
+print(f'    """{func.docstring}"""')
+print(f"    {func.body}")
+```
+
+### Pattern 6: Batch Processing
+
+```python
+def batch_extract(texts: list[str], schema: type[BaseModel]):
+    """Extract structured data from multiple texts."""
+    model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+    generator = outlines.generate.json(model, schema)
+
+    results = []
+    for text in texts:
+        result = generator(f"Extract from: {text}")
+        results.append(result)
+
+    return results
+
+class Person(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    age: int
+
+texts = [
+    "John is 30 years old",
+    "Alice is 25 years old",
+    "Bob is 40 years old"
+]
+
+people = batch_extract(texts, Person)
+for person in people:
+    print(f"{person.name}: {person.age}")
+```
+
+## Backend Configuration
+
+### Transformers
+
+```python
+import outlines
+
+# Basic usage
+model = outlines.models.transformers("microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct")
+
+# GPU configuration
+model = outlines.models.transformers(
+    "microsoft/Phi-3-mini-4k-instruct",
+    device="cuda",
+    model_kwargs={"torch_dtype": "float16"}
+)
+
+# Popular models
+model = outlines.models.transformers("meta-llama/Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct")
+model = outlines.models.transformers("mistralai/Mistral-7B-Instruct-v0.3")
+model = outlines.models.transformers("Qwen/Qwen2.5-7B-Instruct")
+```
+
+### llama.cpp
+
+```python
+# Load GGUF model
+model = outlines.models.llamacpp(
+    "./models/llama-3.1-8b.Q4_K_M.gguf",
+    n_ctx=4096,         # Context window
+    n_gpu_layers=35,    # GPU layers
+    n_threads=8         # CPU threads
+)
+
+# Full GPU offload
+model = outlines.models.llamacpp(
+    "./models/model.gguf",
+    n_gpu_layers=-1  # All layers on GPU
+)
+```
+
+### vLLM (Production)
+
+```python
+# Single GPU
+model = outlines.models.vllm("meta-llama/Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct")
+
+# Multi-GPU
+model = outlines.models.vllm(
+    "meta-llama/Llama-3.1-70B-Instruct",
+    tensor_parallel_size=4  # 4 GPUs
+)
+
+# With quantization
+model = outlines.models.vllm(
+    "meta-llama/Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct",
+    quantization="awq"  # Or "gptq"
+)
+```
+
+## Best Practices
+
+### 1. Use Specific Types
+
+```python
+# ✅ Good: Specific types
+class Product(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    price: float  # Not str
+    quantity: int  # Not str
+    in_stock: bool  # Not str
+
+# ❌ Bad: Everything as string
+class Product(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    price: str  # Should be float
+    quantity: str  # Should be int
+```
+
+### 2. Add Constraints
+
+```python
+from pydantic import Field
+
+# ✅ Good: With constraints
+class User(BaseModel):
+    name: str = Field(min_length=1, max_length=100)
+    age: int = Field(ge=0, le=120)
+    email: str = Field(pattern=r"^[\w\.-]+@[\w\.-]+\.\w+$")
+
+# ❌ Bad: No constraints
+class User(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    age: int
+    email: str
+```
+
+### 3. Use Enums for Categories
+
+```python
+# ✅ Good: Enum for fixed set
+class Priority(str, Enum):
+    LOW = "low"
+    MEDIUM = "medium"
+    HIGH = "high"
+
+class Task(BaseModel):
+    title: str
+    priority: Priority
+
+# ❌ Bad: Free-form string
+class Task(BaseModel):
+    title: str
+    priority: str  # Can be anything
+```
+
+### 4. Provide Context in Prompts
+
+```python
+# ✅ Good: Clear context
+prompt = """
+Extract product information from the following text.
+Text: iPhone 15 Pro costs $999 and is currently in stock.
+Product:
+"""
+
+# ❌ Bad: Minimal context
+prompt = "iPhone 15 Pro costs $999 and is currently in stock."
+```
+
+### 5. Handle Optional Fields
+
+```python
+from typing import Optional
+
+# ✅ Good: Optional fields for incomplete data
+class Article(BaseModel):
+    title: str  # Required
+    author: Optional[str] = None  # Optional
+    date: Optional[str] = None  # Optional
+    tags: list[str] = []  # Default empty list
+
+# Can succeed even if author/date missing
+```
+
+## Comparison to Alternatives
+
+| Feature | Outlines | Instructor | Guidance | LMQL |
+|---------|----------|------------|----------|------|
+| Pydantic Support | ✅ Native | ✅ Native | ❌ No | ❌ No |
+| JSON Schema | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Yes |
+| Regex Constraints | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
+| Local Models | ✅ Full | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Full | ✅ Full |
+| API Models | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Full | ✅ Full | ✅ Full |
+| Zero Overhead | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ⚠️ Partial | ✅ Yes |
+| Automatic Retrying | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
+| Learning Curve | Low | Low | Low | High |
+
+**When to choose Outlines:**
+- Using local models (Transformers, llama.cpp, vLLM)
+- Need maximum inference speed
+- Want Pydantic model support
+- Require zero-overhead structured generation
+- Control token sampling process
+
+**When to choose alternatives:**
+- Instructor: Need API models with automatic retrying
+- Guidance: Need token healing and complex workflows
+- LMQL: Prefer declarative query syntax
+
+## Performance Characteristics
+
+**Speed:**
+- **Zero overhead**: Structured generation as fast as unconstrained
+- **Fast-forward optimization**: Skips deterministic tokens
+- **1.2-2x faster** than post-generation validation approaches
+
+**Memory:**
+- FSM compiled once per schema (cached)
+- Minimal runtime overhead
+- Efficient with vLLM for high throughput
+
+**Accuracy:**
+- **100% valid outputs** (guaranteed by FSM)
+- No retry loops needed
+- Deterministic token filtering
+
+## Resources
+
+- **Documentation**: https://outlines-dev.github.io/outlines
+- **GitHub**: https://github.com/outlines-dev/outlines (8k+ stars)
+- **Discord**: https://discord.gg/R9DSu34mGd
+- **Blog**: https://blog.dottxt.co
+
+## See Also
+
+- `references/json_generation.md` - Comprehensive JSON and Pydantic patterns
+- `references/backends.md` - Backend-specific configuration
+- `references/examples.md` - Production-ready examples
+
+