---
slug: "Gate"
name: "Gate"
type: "Primitives"
layer: "Infrastructure"
ref: "Gate#664d"
sema_id: "sema:Gate#mh:SHA-256:664dd801873a87e8aa3d67499e27e7c47923d5c0cdd129af6c09a7531ed7de15"
tags: ["Infrastructure","Primitives"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json
url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Gate/
related: ["Condition","Decision","Branch","Check","ComputeBudget","DogfoodFirst","LayeredCheck","MintWhenFriction","PatternDiscovery","PhasedRefinement","Taper","TriGate"]
---

# Gate

Filter payload if the target condition is not met

Layer: Infrastructure · Category: Primitives

## Mechanism

Evaluates the truth-value of the target [Condition](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Condition.md) and yields a [Decision](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Decision.md): proceed if the condition holds, halt if not, or debt (proceed with obligation recorded) when configured. Unlike a silent filter, a Gate produces a first-class Decision artifact that downstream systems can route on. Whether a halt stops only the item or the enclosing flow is a descendant's choice.

## Invariants

- Idempotent: Re-evaluating the gate with the same context yields the same result (within validity window).
- Every evaluation yields a first-class [Decision](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Decision.md), including a false one.

## Failure modes

- Silent Loss: Important data dropped without alerting the operator.

## Parameters

- `on_failure` (Enum, {halt, debt}): What a false condition yields: halt, or debt where proceeding with a recorded obligation is configured. Both are {{decision}} values the mechanism names.

## Builds on

- [Condition](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Condition.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Decision](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Decision.md) (Infrastructure; Yields)

## Used by

- [Branch](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Branch.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Check](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Check.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [ComputeBudget](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/ComputeBudget.md) (Mind; References)
- [DogfoodFirst](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/DogfoodFirst.md) (Mind; References)
- [LayeredCheck](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/LayeredCheck.md) (Mind; Composes with)
- [MintWhenFriction](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/MintWhenFriction.md) (Mind; Composes with)
- [PatternDiscovery](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/PatternDiscovery.md) (Mind; Composes with)
- [PhasedRefinement](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/PhasedRefinement.md) (Society; Composes with)
- [Taper](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Taper.md) (Society; Composes with)
- [TriGate](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/TriGate.md) (Infrastructure; References)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:Gate#mh:SHA-256:664dd801873a87e8aa3d67499e27e7c47923d5c0cdd129af6c09a7531ed7de15`
- Ref: `Gate#664d`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:Gate#mh:SHA-256:206dc9be76b20fcc7c96b06c6c9eb8ce243565d02ce064b4206caaa46871a96d`
  - `sema:Gate#mh:SHA-256:bc636a863f99226e579fa58c6016053d5940510270fe7b4f3314a418408728e8`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Gate/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/#Gate)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Gate.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json)