feat(semif): 0.1.3 — order averaging, fast kernels, bug-hunt hardening (Prime)

Order averaging (Prime, after the 739aa03 spike):
- A decision may set orderings: rotations|all (all only for <= 4 options). Every
  ordering goes to the engine in one shared batch.
- The reply keeps each native result and adds combined {probabilities (log-mean),
  top, agreement, spread}.
- Through the service on SemIf's labelled sets (252 rows): 78.6% -> 88.1%
  (group-bootstrap 95% CI +5.1..+14.3). Unanimous agreement is 94.5% accurate.

Fast kernels: flash-linear-attention 0.5.2 and causal-conv1d 1.7.0 are now the
default build. A/B on the empty GPU 3:
- parity with upstream went from 142/144 to 144/144;
- a ~2k-token /decide went from 169 to 92 ms server-side;
- short 3-rotation batches cost ~3-6 ms more.
triton builds a C shim at runtime, so the image carries gcc. Without it the
warm-up failed and startup failed closed.

Heid bug-hunt panel (4/4 arms, thread 01M3H3F4RR7XBP90KQ3A39H4SX), folded:
- Startup validation: VRAM cap 0 no longer means uncapped (C1); limits must be
  >= 1 (S1); the token must be visible ASCII (S2); the calibration file must
  exist and parse, with T in [0.05, 20] (S8, and C3's NaN leg).
- The body limit is checked before a chunk is kept, and a Unicode-digit
  Content-Length no longer crashes (C2, S3).
- Failures while building the response now get the 500 envelope (C3).
- 429 busy past SEMIF_MAX_QUEUE requests in progress (C6).
- The engine releases memory on every non-validation failure, unchained after
  gc; an empty OOM message is handled; 'out of memory' RuntimeErrors map to 503
  (C4, C5, S9).
- The entry point forces HF_HUB_OFFLINE (S10). README wording fixed (S5, S6).
- New guard tests close the gaps the arms' mutation grids exposed: early stop of
  the body read, a shared-route lock, calibration pass-through, the gc cycle,
  the exact caps, TorchEngine.load's arch and device checks, and the offline
  entry point.
86 tests.

Deployed on fv-ml1 GPU 1: parity 144/144, OOM and burst release verified, shared
capacity 63/51/26/16 rows at ~140/520/1960/3900 prefix tokens.

persistent-memory.md

@@ -144,33 +144,17 @@ _As of 2026-09-27 ~0255 PT._
 
 ### SemIf on fv-ml1 GPU 1 (2026-09-27, Prime)
 
-- **LIVE: `semif-serve` 0.1.2** at `http://10.251.50.54:8032` (`semif.fv.internal`). It wraps the SemIf
+- **LIVE: `semif-serve` 0.1.3** at `http://10.251.50.54:8032` (`semif.fv.internal`), with order averaging
-  option-logit scorers (pinned `23cf1f39`, Qwen3.5-4B `851bf6e8`, BF16); token `semif/api-token`.
+  and the fast kernels. SemIf `23cf1f39`, Qwen3.5-4B `851bf6e8`, BF16; token `semif/api-token`. Code +
-  Code + contract: `services/semif-serve/`; stack `stacks/semif`. **No consumer yet.**
+  contract: `services/semif-serve/`; stack `stacks/semif`. **No consumer yet.**
-- Acceptance: 142/144 top choice vs upstream (both misses are exact bf16 ties), 144/144 prompt hashes,
+- 0.1.3 acceptance: 144/144 parity with upstream; averaging through the service 78.6% → 88.1%
-  deterministic, negative control 14/144. It holds 12 GiB hard with release after a burst (~8.7 GB resting).
+  (95% CI +5.1..+14.3); unanimous rotations 94.5% accurate. Latency, envelope and the fast-kernel A/B
-- Latency from nh3-dev: `/decide` short 71 ms end to end (38 ms server); 3 rotations 113 ms; ~2k-token
+  are in `stacks/semif/README.md`.
-  state 210 ms (`services/semif-serve/spike/latency-2026-09-27.txt`).
+- The heid bug-hunt panel (thread `01M3H3F4RR7XBP90KQ3A39H4SX`) is triaged and folded into 0.1.3:
-- **NEXT, in this order (Prime 0250):**
+  C1–C6, S1–S3, S5, S6, S8–S10 fixed with tests; S4 settled; S7 (publish on all interfaces) accepted
-  1. **Build order-averaging into semif-serve as 0.1.3.** Spike (`739aa03`): 3 rotations, log-mean,
+  as LAN + auth.
-     take accuracy 78.6% → 87.7% (group-bootstrap 95% CI +4.7..+13.8 pts); unanimous rows are 94.4%
+- NVFP4 is not worth it (see the SemIf detail files). Prime's probes (2AM/2PM, dragon/lottery) are
-     accurate, split rows 75.8%. Design: opt-in `orderings: rotations|all` (all only ≤ 4 options),
+  recorded in [[2026-09-27-semif-order-averaging]].
-     every ordering in one shared batch, per-ordering SemIf results returned unchanged + a
-     `combined` block (log-mean probabilities, top, agreement, per-option spread). Orderings count
-     toward `max_decisions`. Contract amendment → TDD → deploy → acceptance (authored144 accuracy
-     with/without; 2AM/2PM agreement as controls).
-  2. **Trial the fast kernels** (`causal_conv1d`, `flash-linear-attention`). Today transformers runs
-     Qwen3.5's reference PyTorch paths and logs that they are "much slower". Adopt only if the
-     authored144 parity re-check holds.
-  3. **heid bug-hunt panel** on 0.1.2 is pending (thread `01M3H3F4RR7XBP90KQ3A39H4SX`). Triage and fold
-     its findings into 0.1.3.
-- NVFP4 is not worth it: the SemIf scorer runs on transformers, not vLLM; quant noise lands on the scores
-  and would need its own calibration; BF16 already fits. SemIf's own MLX 4-bit run moved authored144
-  0.813 → 0.789 (one run each, so indicative only).
-- Prime's probes (single scenarios, not benchmarks): at 2AM vs 2PM, booty-call probability averaged over
-  all orderings goes 0.42 → 0.05; a baby dragon reads life-changing 0.65 / world-changing 0.25 with only
-  2/3 rotations agreeing (one ordering said 0.925), the lottery ticket reads life-changing unanimously,
-  and the paperclip control reads trivial 0.999.
 
 ### restic: credential leak fixed (2026-09-27, Prime)
 

services/semif-serve/Dockerfile

@@ -22,18 +22,26 @@ l.write_text(re.sub(r'(name = "semif-serve"\nversion = )"[^"]+"', r'\1"0.0.0"',
 EOF
 
 FROM python:3.12-slim-bookworm
+# EXTRAS picks the optional dependency sets. Default (adopted 2026-09-27): the model plus
+# Qwen3.5's fast kernels (fla + causal-conv1d). "--extra model" alone gives the reference
+# PyTorch paths.
+ARG EXTRAS="--extra model --extra fast"
 COPY --from=ghcr.io/astral-sh/uv:0.6.9 /uv /bin/uv
 ENV UV_COMPILE_BYTECODE=1 UV_LINK_MODE=copy UV_PYTHON_DOWNLOADS=never
-# git: semif-phase1 installs from a pinned GitHub commit.
+# git: semif-phase1 installs from a pinned GitHub commit. The fast extra also needs a C
+# compiler AT RUNTIME: triton builds its CUDA driver shim on first use, and without gcc the
+# warm-up dies with "Failed to find C compiler" (seen 2026-09-27; startup failed closed).
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends git ca-certificates \
+    && if echo "$EXTRAS" | grep -q -- '--extra fast'; then \
+         apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends gcc libc6-dev; fi \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 WORKDIR /app
 COPY --from=deps /deps/pyproject.toml /deps/uv.lock ./
 RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.cache/uv \
-    uv sync --frozen --no-dev --extra model --no-install-project
+    uv sync --frozen --no-dev $EXTRAS --no-install-project
 COPY pyproject.toml uv.lock ./
 COPY src ./src
-RUN uv sync --frozen --no-dev --extra model --no-editable --no-cache
+RUN uv sync --frozen --no-dev $EXTRAS --no-editable --no-cache
 RUN groupadd --system --gid 10001 semif \
     && useradd --system --uid 10001 --gid 10001 --no-create-home --shell /usr/sbin/nologin semif
 USER semif
@@ -41,6 +49,7 @@ ENV PATH=/app/.venv/bin:$PATH \
     HF_HOME=/hf \
     HF_HUB_OFFLINE=1 \
     HF_HUB_DISABLE_TELEMETRY=1 \
+    TRITON_CACHE_DIR=/tmp/triton-cache \
     NVIDIA_DRIVER_CAPABILITIES=compute,utility
 EXPOSE 8000
 # One worker (INV-2): the model and the inference lock live in this one process.

services/semif-serve/acceptance/averaging-2026-09-27-v0.1.3.json

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{
+ "rows": 252,
+ "groups": 72,
+ "accuracy_plain": 0.7857,
+ "accuracy_rotations": 0.881,
+ "delta_95ci": [
+  0.0512,
+  0.1429
+ ],
+ "unanimous": {
+  "rows": 163,
+  "accuracy": 0.9448
+ },
+ "split": {
+  "rows": 89,
+  "accuracy": 0.764
+ }
+}

services/semif-serve/acceptance/averaging.py

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"""Order-averaging acceptance through the SERVICE (0.1.3): the same 252 labelled rows as the spike
+(SemIf authored144 + perturbations108), each scored twice: plain /decide (the caller's order), and
+/decide with orderings=rotations (combined.top). Paired group bootstrap for the accuracy delta.
+    SEMIF_DIR=... SEMIF_URL=... SEMIF_TOKEN=... uv run --with httpx python averaging.py out.json
+"""
+import json, os, random, statistics as st, sys
+from pathlib import Path
+import httpx
+
+S, U = Path(os.environ["SEMIF_DIR"]), os.environ["SEMIF_URL"]
+H = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['SEMIF_TOKEN']}"}
+rows = []
+for name in ("authored144", "perturbations108"):
+    rows += [dict(json.loads(l), set=name) for l in (S / f"benchmarks/data/{name}.jsonl").read_text().splitlines() if l.strip()]
+out = []
+with httpx.Client(timeout=120) as c:
+    for r in rows:
+        base = {k: r[k] for k in ("id", "state", "question", "options")}
+        plain = c.post(f"{U}/decide", headers=H, json=base).json()
+        avg = c.post(f"{U}/decide", headers=H, json={**base, "orderings": "rotations"}).json()
+        gold = r["options"][r["label"]]["id"]
+        top_plain = plain["option_ids"][plain["probabilities"].index(max(plain["probabilities"]))]
+        out.append({"group": r["group_id"], "plain": top_plain == gold, "rotations": avg["combined"]["top"] == gold,
+                    "agreement": avg["combined"]["agreement"]})
+groups = {}
+for o in out:
+    groups.setdefault(o["group"], []).append(o)
+rng, keys, deltas = random.Random(7), list(groups), []
+for _ in range(10000):
+    sample = [o for g in (rng.choice(keys) for _ in keys) for o in groups[g]]
+    deltas.append(st.fmean(o["rotations"] for o in sample) - st.fmean(o["plain"] for o in sample))
+deltas.sort()
+unan = [o for o in out if o["agreement"] == 1.0]
+split = [o for o in out if o["agreement"] < 1.0]
+report = {"rows": len(out), "groups": len(groups),
+          "accuracy_plain": round(st.fmean(o["plain"] for o in out), 4),
+          "accuracy_rotations": round(st.fmean(o["rotations"] for o in out), 4),
+          "delta_95ci": [round(deltas[250], 4), round(deltas[9750], 4)],
+          "unanimous": {"rows": len(unan), "accuracy": round(st.fmean(o["rotations"] for o in unan), 4)},
+          "split": {"rows": len(split), "accuracy": round(st.fmean(o["rotations"] for o in split), 4) if split else None}}
+json.dump(report, open(sys.argv[1], "w"), indent=1)
+print(json.dumps(report))

services/semif-serve/acceptance/result-2026-09-27-v0.1.3.json

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+{
+ "url": "http://10.251.50.54:8032",
+ "health": {
+  "status": "ok",
+  "semif_commit": "23cf1f39fc9534fe81437200959b6dfc7106e45a",
+  "model": {
+   "source": "Qwen/Qwen3.5-4B",
+   "revision": "851bf6e806efd8d0a36b00ddf55e13ccb7b8cd0a",
+   "dtype": "bfloat16",
+   "device": "cuda:0",
+   "torch_version": "2.10.0+cu128",
+   "transformers_version": "5.17.0",
+   "device_name": "NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Max-Q Workstation Edition",
+   "allocated_gib": 7.84,
+   "reserved_gib": 8.12
+  },
+  "vram_cap_gib": 12.0,
+  "max_tokens": 4096,
+  "max_decisions": 64,
+  "workloads": []
+ },
+ "1_parity_vs_upstream": {
+  "rows": 144,
+  "top_choice_agree": 144,
+  "max_abs_prob_gap": 0.049096847865749194
+ },
+ "1_prompt_sha256_equal": 144,
+ "2_noise_floor_a_vs_b": {
+  "rows": 144,
+  "top_choice_agree": 144,
+  "max_abs_prob_gap": 0.0
+ },
+ "3_negative_rotated_options": {
+  "rows": 144,
+  "top_choice_agree": 14,
+  "max_abs_prob_gap": 0.9985836128543327
+ },
+ "4_shared_vs_direct": {
+  "groups": 36,
+  "rows": 72,
+  "top_choice_agree": 72,
+  "max_abs_prob_gap": 0.046346781311727814
+ },
+ "5_speed_21_binary": {
+  "prefix_tokens": 62,
+  "shared_s": {
+   "runs": [
+    0.139055563005968,
+    0.1375489159981953,
+    0.13897942200128455
+   ],
+   "median": 0.13897942200128455
+  },
+  "sequential_decide_s": {
+   "runs": [
+    0.9357447380025405,
+    0.9384197259932989,
+    0.939685705001466
+   ],
+   "median": 0.9384197259932989
+  }
+ }
+}

services/semif-serve/pyproject.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "semif-serve"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 description = "HTTP wrapper around SemIf's direct and shared option-logit scorers"
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
 dependencies = [
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ model = [
   "torch==2.10.0",
 ]
 
+# Qwen3.5's fast kernels. Without them transformers runs its reference PyTorch paths
+# ("correct but much slower"). Trialled 2026-09-27; adopted only if parity with upstream holds.
+fast = [
+  "flash-linear-attention==0.5.2",
+  "causal-conv1d @ https://github.com/Dao-AILab/causal-conv1d/releases/download/v1.7.0/causal_conv1d-1.7.0+cu12torch2.10cxx11abiTRUE-cp312-cp312-linux_x86_64.whl ; sys_platform == 'linux' and platform_machine == 'x86_64'",
+]
+
 [dependency-groups]
 dev = ["pytest==8.4.2", "httpx==0.28.1"]
 

services/semif-serve/semif-serve.contract.md

@@ -45,6 +45,37 @@ probabilities}` with `softmax(option_logits / T)`. The argmax never changes. The
 native `probabilities` and `probability_status` stay untouched. An unknown
 `workload` is a 422. With no `workload`, no `calibrated` key appears.
 
+**Order averaging (0.1.3, Prime 2026-09-27).** A decision (the `/decide` body, or an
+entry in `decisions`) may set `orderings`, whose default is `"none"`:
+
+- `"rotations"`: the n cyclic shifts of the caller's option list, starting with
+  the caller's order, so every option sits in every position exactly once.
+- `"all"`: every permutation (n!), the caller's order first. It is allowed only
+  when n ≤ 4, else 422.
+
+Every ordering of every decision in the request becomes its own SemIf row
+(`id` = `"<id>#o<k>"`, same state and question, reordered options). **All rows go
+to the engine in ONE `shared` call**, which includes `/decide`. The result for an
+averaged decision is:
+
+```
+{id, option_ids (caller's order),
+ combined: {method, orderings: n, probabilities, top, agreement, spread: {option_id: [min, max]}},
+ orderings: [the SemIf result for each ordering, unchanged]}
+```
+
+- `probabilities`: per ordering, log-softmax of `option_logits`; averaged per
+  option id; renormalised; reported in the caller's order.
+- `agreement`: the fraction of orderings whose top option equals `combined.top`.
+- `spread`: each option's min and max native probability across orderings.
+
+Every expanded row counts toward `SEMIF_MAX_DECISIONS`. `workload` together with
+`orderings` is a 422, because a temperature is fitted per method and none is
+fitted on combined scores yet. Decisions without `orderings` keep the exact
+pre-0.1.3 result shape. Averaging cancels any additive position bias exactly.
+Measured by the 2026-09-27 spike: 3 rotations take SemIf's labelled sets from
+78.6% to 87.7% accuracy, and unanimous agreement is 94.4% accurate.
+
 ## Invariants
 
 - **INV-1 pass-through.** `option_ids`, `probabilities`, `option_logits`,
@@ -64,10 +95,18 @@ native `probabilities` and `probability_status` stay untouched. An unknown
   baseline by more than 512 MiB, the engine calls `empty_cache()`. A burst must not
   keep the card's shared headroom: on 2026-09-27 a 64-decision request left the
   process holding 12.6 GB, leaving scriberr 3.5 GB.
+  **Any other scorer failure except `ValueError`** also releases before it is
+  reported: it is logged with its traceback, then re-raised unchained as
+  `ScoringFailed` after `gc.collect()` + `empty_cache()` (bug hunt C5). A
+  `RuntimeError` whose message says "out of memory" (cuBLAS/cuDNN allocation
+  failures) counts as an OOM → 503 (S9). An OOM with an empty message is reported
+  as "CUDA out of memory" rather than crashing the handler (C4).
 - **INV-5 no network at runtime.** Weights come from the mounted HF cache at the
-  pinned revision (`HF_HUB_OFFLINE=1`).
+  pinned revision. The entry point sets `HF_HUB_OFFLINE=1` itself before torch or
+  transformers load, so this holds outside the image too (S10).
 - **INV-6 constant-time auth.** Token comparison uses `hmac.compare_digest`. The
-  token is ≥ 32 characters, and startup refuses a shorter one.
+  token is ≥ 32 characters of visible ASCII (33–126). Startup refuses anything
+  else, because a CR, LF or NUL in the token can never arrive in a header (S2).
 
 ## Limits and errors
 
@@ -75,15 +114,21 @@ native `probabilities` and `probability_status` stay untouched. An unknown
   422, never truncated (SemIf raises).
 - `SEMIF_MAX_DECISIONS` (default 64) caps `decisions` per shared request. It must
   hold 1..max entries, else 422.
-- Request body ≤ `SEMIF_MAX_BODY_BYTES` (default 1 MiB), else 413.
+- Request body ≤ `SEMIF_MAX_BODY_BYTES` (default 1 MiB), else 413. The limit is
+  checked **before** each chunk is kept, so no more than the limit is ever held
+  (C2). A declared `Content-Length` is trusted only if it is ASCII digits (S3).
+- **Admission:** at most `SEMIF_MAX_QUEUE` (default 32) POSTs may be in progress,
+  counting both queued and scoring. The next one is refused with 429 `busy`
+  before its body is read (C6).
 
 | status | code | when |
 |---|---|---|
 | 401 | `unauthorized` | missing or wrong bearer |
 | 413 | `request_too_large` | body over the limit |
 | 422 | `invalid_request` | bad JSON shape, a SemIf `ValueError` (validation, token limit, tokenisation), unknown workload, too many decisions |
+| 429 | `busy` | `SEMIF_MAX_QUEUE` requests already in progress |
 | 503 | `out_of_memory` | CUDA OOM during scoring |
-| 500 | `scoring_failed` | any other scorer exception |
+| 500 | `scoring_failed` | any other scorer exception, **or a failure while building the response** from a scorer result (calibration, averaging): always the envelope, never a bare 500 (C3) |
 
 The error body is `{error: {code, message}}`.
 
@@ -92,7 +137,16 @@ The error body is `{error: {code, message}}`.
 `SEMIF_API_TOKEN` (required), `SEMIF_MODEL` (default `Qwen/Qwen3.5-4B`),
 `SEMIF_REVISION` (default the pinned SHA), `SEMIF_DEVICE` (default `cuda`),
 `SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB`, `SEMIF_MAX_TOKENS`, `SEMIF_MAX_DECISIONS`,
-`SEMIF_MAX_BODY_BYTES`, `SEMIF_CALIBRATION` (path to a JSON `{workload: T}`; T > 0).
+`SEMIF_MAX_BODY_BYTES`, `SEMIF_MAX_QUEUE`, `SEMIF_CALIBRATION` (path to a JSON
+`{workload: T}`).
+
+Startup validates every value and refuses a bad one with a `ValueError` naming
+the variable (C1, S1, S8):
+- the VRAM cap, when set, is finite and > 0 (`0` used to mean uncapped);
+- every limit is an integer ≥ 1;
+- each T is a finite number, not a bool, in [0.05, 20] (a tiny T overflowed to
+  NaN, and the response then failed to render);
+- the calibration file must exist and parse.
 
 ## Tests (TDD, fake scorer: no torch, no model)
 
@@ -109,7 +163,13 @@ alone; any
 other exception → 500; malformed
 JSON or a wrong body shape → 422; too many decisions → 422; an oversized body → 413; requests
 are serialised (two concurrent calls never overlap inside the scorer); `/health`
-answers while a scorer call is blocked.
+answers while a scorer call is blocked. **Averaging:** `rotations` sends n rows
+in one shared call, each option once per position, with ids `<id>#o<k>`, and
+cancels a position bias exactly; `all` sends n! rows and is 422 above 4 options;
+agreement and spread are computed from the orderings; a mixed shared request
+(averaged + plain) is one engine call, with results in request order and plain
+results unchanged; expanded rows count toward the cap; `workload` + `orderings`
+→ 422.
 
 ## Acceptance (on fv-ml1, real model; not unit tests)
 

services/semif-serve/spike/latency-2026-09-27-v0.1.3.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+condition                      e2e p50 (runs)               server p50 (runs)
+health (floor)                   33.5 [31.7-34.7]           -
+decide, short (~130 tok)         69.3 [68.8-70.1]             35.3 [35.3-35.4]
+decide, long (~2,000 tok)       130.5 [129.5-130.5]           92.1 [91.7-92.4]
+shared, 3 rotations (short)     115.0 [112.4-115.7]           77.9 [77.1-79.3]
+shared, 6 orderings (short)     118.3 [117.5-118.7]           81.2 [80.2-81.3]
+shared, 3 rotations (long)      199.5 [196.6-201.0]          158.2 [157.7-158.3]

services/semif-serve/src/semif_serve/app.py

@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import hmac
+import itertools
 import math
 import threading
-from typing import Any
+from typing import Any, Literal
 
 from fastapi import FastAPI, Request
 from fastapi.concurrency import run_in_threadpool
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ class Decision(BaseModel):
     id: str
     question: str
     options: list[Option]
+    orderings: Literal["none", "rotations", "all"] = "none"
 
     def row(self, state: State) -> dict:
         """The SemIf row shape: exactly id, state, question, options."""
@@ -64,6 +66,75 @@ def _first_error(exc: ValidationError) -> str:
     return f"{where}: {first.get('msg', 'invalid')}"
 
 
+MAX_OPTIONS_FOR_ALL = 4
+
+
+def ordering_perms(decision: Decision) -> list[tuple[int, ...]]:
+    """Index permutations of the caller's options, the caller's own order first."""
+    n = len(decision.options)
+    if decision.orderings == "rotations":
+        return [tuple((start + k) % n for k in range(n)) for start in range(n)]
+    if n > MAX_OPTIONS_FOR_ALL:
+        raise ApiError(422, "invalid_request",
+                       f"orderings 'all' allows at most {MAX_OPTIONS_FOR_ALL} options ({n} given); use 'rotations'")
+    return list(itertools.permutations(range(n)))
+
+
+def expanded_rows(decision: Decision, state: State, perms: list[tuple[int, ...]]) -> list[dict]:
+    base = decision.row(state)
+    return [{**base, "id": f"{decision.id}#o{k}", "options": [base["options"][i] for i in perm]}
+            for k, perm in enumerate(perms)]
+
+
+def combine(decision: Decision, results: list[dict]) -> dict:
+    """Average per-ordering log-softmax by option id; the native results ride along unchanged."""
+    option_ids = [o.id for o in decision.options]
+    logp: dict[str, list[float]] = {i: [] for i in option_ids}
+    probs: dict[str, list[float]] = {i: [] for i in option_ids}
+    tops = []
+    for result in results:
+        logits = result["option_logits"]
+        top = max(logits)
+        lse = top + math.log(sum(math.exp(x - top) for x in logits))
+        for oid, x, p in zip(result["option_ids"], logits, result["probabilities"]):
+            logp[oid].append(x - lse)
+            probs[oid].append(p)
+        tops.append(result["option_ids"][logits.index(top)])
+    means = [sum(logp[i]) / len(logp[i]) for i in option_ids]
+    peak = max(means)
+    weights = [math.exp(m - peak) for m in means]
+    combined_p = [w / sum(weights) for w in weights]
+    winner = option_ids[combined_p.index(max(combined_p))]
+    return {
+        "id": decision.id,
+        "option_ids": option_ids,
+        "combined": {
+            "method": decision.orderings,
+            "orderings": len(results),
+            "probabilities": combined_p,
+            "top": winner,
+            "agreement": tops.count(winner) / len(tops),
+            "spread": {i: [min(probs[i]), max(probs[i])] for i in option_ids},
+        },
+        "orderings": results,
+    }
+
+
+async def read_limited(stream, declared: str | None, limit: int) -> bytes:
+    """Read a request body, refusing it once it would exceed `limit` bytes. The check runs BEFORE a
+    chunk is kept, and nothing after the crossing chunk is read (bug hunt C2). A declared length is
+    trusted only as ASCII digits: `"²".isdigit()` is True but `int("²")` raises (S3)."""
+    too_large = ApiError(413, "request_too_large", f"request body exceeds {limit} bytes")
+    if declared is not None and declared.isascii() and declared.isdigit() and int(declared) > limit:
+        raise too_large
+    body = bytearray()
+    async for chunk in stream:
+        if len(body) + len(chunk) > limit:
+            raise too_large
+        body.extend(chunk)
+    return bytes(body)
+
+
 def calibrated_view(result: dict, workload: str, temperature: float) -> dict:
     """softmax(option_logits / T): the native fields are left exactly as SemIf returned them (INV-1)."""
     scaled = [x / temperature for x in result["option_logits"]]
@@ -77,6 +148,27 @@ def create_app(settings: Settings, engine: Any) -> FastAPI:
     app = FastAPI(title="semif-serve")
     expected = f"Bearer {settings.api_token}".encode()
     inference = threading.Lock()   # INV-2: one scorer call at a time, off the event loop
+    in_progress = 0                 # POSTs admitted and not yet answered (bug hunt C6)
+
+    def admit():
+        nonlocal in_progress
+        if in_progress >= settings.max_queue:
+            raise ApiError(429, "busy", f"{in_progress} requests already in progress (limit {settings.max_queue})")
+        in_progress += 1
+
+    def leave():
+        nonlocal in_progress
+        in_progress -= 1
+
+    def build(fn, *args):
+        """Response construction from a scorer result (calibration, averaging) maps its failures to
+        the 500 envelope too, instead of escaping as a bare 500 (bug hunt C3)."""
+        try:
+            return fn(*args)
+        except ApiError:
+            raise
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
+            raise ApiError(500, "scoring_failed", f"building the response failed: {type(exc).__name__}: {exc}") from exc
 
     def locked(fn, *args):
         with inference:
@@ -94,22 +186,10 @@ def create_app(settings: Settings, engine: Any) -> FastAPI:
     async def api_error(_request: Request, exc: ApiError):
         return error(exc.status, exc.code, exc.message)
 
-    async def read_limited(request: Request) -> bytes:
-        limit = settings.max_body_bytes
-        too_large = ApiError(413, "request_too_large", f"request body exceeds {limit} bytes")
-        declared = request.headers.get("content-length")
-        if declared is not None and declared.isdigit() and int(declared) > limit:
-            raise too_large
-        body = bytearray()
-        async for chunk in request.stream():   # also caps bodies that declare no length
-            body.extend(chunk)
-            if len(body) > limit:
-                raise too_large
-        return bytes(body)
-
     async def parse(request: Request, model: type[BaseModel]):
         try:
-            return model.model_validate_json(await read_limited(request))
+            return model.model_validate_json(
+                await read_limited(request.stream(), request.headers.get("content-length"), settings.max_body_bytes))
         except ValidationError as exc:
             raise ApiError(422, "invalid_request", _first_error(exc)) from exc
 
@@ -142,20 +222,59 @@ def create_app(settings: Settings, engine: Any) -> FastAPI:
                 "vram_cap_gib": settings.vram_cap_gib, "max_tokens": settings.max_tokens,
                 "max_decisions": settings.max_decisions, "workloads": sorted(settings.calibration)}
 
+    async def score_batch(decisions: list[Decision], state: State, workload: str | None) -> tuple[list[dict], dict]:
+        """One engine.shared call for every row of every decision; results in request order."""
+        plan = []            # (decision, perms or None, row count)
+        rows: list[dict] = []
+        for d in decisions:
+            if d.orderings == "none":
+                plan.append((d, None, 1))
+                rows.append(d.row(state))
+            else:
+                if workload is not None:
+                    raise ApiError(422, "invalid_request",
+                                   "workload calibration is not available together with orderings")
+                perms = ordering_perms(d)
+                plan.append((d, perms, len(perms)))
+                rows.extend(expanded_rows(d, state, perms))
+        if not 1 <= len(rows) <= settings.max_decisions:
+            raise ApiError(422, "invalid_request",
+                           f"this request expands to {len(rows)} scored rows; the limit is 1..{settings.max_decisions}")
+        temperature = temperature_for(workload)
+        results, timing = await score(engine.shared, rows)
+        out, cursor = [], 0
+        for d, perms, count in plan:
+            chunk = results[cursor:cursor + count]
+            cursor += count
+            out.append(build(with_calibration, chunk[0], workload, temperature) if perms is None
+                       else build(combine, d, chunk))
+        return out, timing
+
     @app.post("/decide")
     async def decide(request: Request):
-        body = await parse(request, DecideBody)
+        admit()
-        temperature = temperature_for(body.workload)
+        try:
-        return with_calibration(await score(engine.direct, body.row(body.state)), body.workload, temperature)
+            body = await parse(request, DecideBody)
+            if body.orderings != "none":
+                results, _timing = await score_batch([body], body.state, body.workload)
+                return results[0]
+            temperature = temperature_for(body.workload)
+            result = await score(engine.direct, body.row(body.state))
+            return build(with_calibration, result, body.workload, temperature)
+        finally:
+            leave()
 
     @app.post("/decide/shared")
     async def decide_shared(request: Request):
-        body = await parse(request, SharedBody)
+        admit()
-        if not 1 <= len(body.decisions) <= settings.max_decisions:
+        try:
-            raise ApiError(422, "invalid_request",
+            body = await parse(request, SharedBody)
-                           f"decisions must hold 1..{settings.max_decisions} entries, got {len(body.decisions)}")
+            if not 1 <= len(body.decisions) <= settings.max_decisions:
-        temperature = temperature_for(body.workload)
+                raise ApiError(422, "invalid_request",
-        results, timing = await score(engine.shared, [d.row(body.state) for d in body.decisions])
+                               f"decisions must hold 1..{settings.max_decisions} entries, got {len(body.decisions)}")
-        return {"results": [with_calibration(r, body.workload, temperature) for r in results], "timing": timing}
+            results, timing = await score_batch(body.decisions, body.state, body.workload)
+            return {"results": results, "timing": timing}
+        finally:
+            leave()
 
     return app

services/semif-serve/src/semif_serve/config.py

@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
-"""Settings for semif-serve. Contract: semif-serve.contract.md § Configuration."""
+"""Settings for semif-serve. Contract: semif-serve.contract.md § Configuration.
+
+Every value is validated at startup and a bad one is refused with a ValueError naming the
+variable: a service that starts and then rejects every request (or runs uncapped) is worse
+than one that does not start (bug hunt 2026-09-27: C1, S1, S2, S8).
+"""
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import json
@@ -8,6 +13,7 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from pathlib import Path
 
 MIN_TOKEN_CHARS = 32
+MIN_TEMPERATURE, MAX_TEMPERATURE = 0.05, 20.0
 SEMIF_COMMIT = "23cf1f39fc9534fe81437200959b6dfc7106e45a"
 DEFAULT_MODEL = "Qwen/Qwen3.5-4B"
 DEFAULT_REVISION = "851bf6e806efd8d0a36b00ddf55e13ccb7b8cd0a"
@@ -23,35 +29,71 @@ class Settings:
     max_tokens: int = 4096
     max_decisions: int = 64
     max_body_bytes: int = 1024 * 1024
+    max_queue: int = 32
     calibration: dict[str, float] = field(default_factory=dict)
 
     @classmethod
     def from_env(cls, env: Mapping[str, str]) -> "Settings":
         token = env.get("SEMIF_API_TOKEN", "")
-        if len(token) < MIN_TOKEN_CHARS:   # INV-6
+        # INV-6: visible ASCII only. A CR, LF or NUL can never arrive in a header, so a token
-            raise ValueError(f"SEMIF_API_TOKEN must be at least {MIN_TOKEN_CHARS} characters")
+        # carrying one would lock every caller out while /health still said ok.
-        cap = env.get("SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB")
+        if len(token) < MIN_TOKEN_CHARS or not all(33 <= ord(c) <= 126 for c in token):
+            raise ValueError(f"SEMIF_API_TOKEN must be at least {MIN_TOKEN_CHARS} visible ASCII characters")
         return cls(
             api_token=token,
             model=env.get("SEMIF_MODEL", DEFAULT_MODEL),
             revision=env.get("SEMIF_REVISION", DEFAULT_REVISION),
             device=env.get("SEMIF_DEVICE", "cuda"),
-            vram_cap_gib=float(cap) if cap else None,
+            vram_cap_gib=_positive_float(env, "SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB"),
-            max_tokens=int(env.get("SEMIF_MAX_TOKENS", 4096)),
+            max_tokens=_positive_int(env, "SEMIF_MAX_TOKENS", 4096),
-            max_decisions=int(env.get("SEMIF_MAX_DECISIONS", 64)),
+            max_decisions=_positive_int(env, "SEMIF_MAX_DECISIONS", 64),
-            max_body_bytes=int(env.get("SEMIF_MAX_BODY_BYTES", 1024 * 1024)),
+            max_body_bytes=_positive_int(env, "SEMIF_MAX_BODY_BYTES", 1024 * 1024),
+            max_queue=_positive_int(env, "SEMIF_MAX_QUEUE", 32),
             calibration=_load_calibration(env.get("SEMIF_CALIBRATION")),
         )
 
 
+def _positive_int(env: Mapping[str, str], name: str, default: int) -> int:
+    raw = env.get(name)
+    if raw is None:
+        return default
+    try:
+        value = int(raw)
+    except ValueError:
+        raise ValueError(f"{name} must be an integer, got {raw!r}") from None
+    if value < 1:
+        raise ValueError(f"{name} must be >= 1, got {value}")
+    return value
+
+
+def _positive_float(env: Mapping[str, str], name: str) -> float | None:
+    """Unset means no cap. When set it must be finite and > 0: `0` used to slip through as 'no cap'."""
+    raw = env.get(name)
+    if raw is None or raw == "":
+        return None
+    try:
+        value = float(raw)
+    except ValueError:
+        raise ValueError(f"{name} must be a number, got {raw!r}") from None
+    if not math.isfinite(value) or value <= 0:
+        raise ValueError(f"{name} must be a finite number > 0, got {raw!r}")
+    return value
+
+
 def _load_calibration(path: str | None) -> dict[str, float]:
-    """{workload: T}, every T a finite number > 0 (T scales option logits before softmax)."""
+    """{workload: T}; T scales option logits before softmax, so it is kept in a sane range
+    (a tiny T overflows to NaN and the response then fails to render)."""
     if not path:
         return {}
-    table = json.loads(Path(path).read_text())
+    try:
+        table = json.loads(Path(path).read_text())
+    except (OSError, ValueError) as exc:
+        raise ValueError(f"SEMIF_CALIBRATION {path!r} could not be read as JSON: {exc}") from None
     if not isinstance(table, dict) or not all(
-        isinstance(t, (int, float)) and not isinstance(t, bool) and math.isfinite(t) and t > 0
+        isinstance(t, (int, float)) and not isinstance(t, bool) and math.isfinite(t)
+        and MIN_TEMPERATURE <= t <= MAX_TEMPERATURE
         for t in table.values()
     ):
-        raise ValueError("SEMIF_CALIBRATION must be a JSON object of workload -> finite temperature > 0")
+        raise ValueError(f"SEMIF_CALIBRATION must be a JSON object of workload -> temperature in "
+                         f"[{MIN_TEMPERATURE}, {MAX_TEMPERATURE}]")
     return {str(k): float(v) for k, v in table.items()}

services/semif-serve/src/semif_serve/engine.py

@@ -7,10 +7,14 @@ unit-tested against a fake torch (tests/test_engine.py).
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import gc
+import logging
+import traceback
 from typing import Any, Callable
 
 from .config import Settings
-from .errors import OutOfMemory
+from .errors import OutOfMemory, ScoringFailed
+
+log = logging.getLogger("semif_serve.engine")
 
 RELEASE_SLACK_BYTES = 512 * 2**20
 WARMUP_ROW = {
@@ -24,6 +28,11 @@ WARMUP_ROW = {
 }
 
 
+def _first_line(exc: BaseException) -> str:
+    lines = str(exc).splitlines()
+    return lines[0] if lines else ""
+
+
 class TorchEngine:
     def __init__(self, torch: Any, model: Any, tokenizer: Any, metadata: dict, settings: Settings,
                  direct_fn: Callable, shared_fn: Callable, release_above_bytes: int | None = None):
@@ -46,7 +55,7 @@ class TorchEngine:
             arch = f"sm_{major}{minor}"
             if arch not in torch.cuda.get_arch_list():            # INV-3: no silent PTX/CPU fallback
                 raise RuntimeError(f"torch {torch.__version__} has no kernels for {arch}: {torch.cuda.get_arch_list()}")
-            if settings.vram_cap_gib:                              # INV-4: cap BEFORE the weights land
+            if settings.vram_cap_gib is not None:                  # INV-4: cap BEFORE the weights land
                 total = torch.cuda.get_device_properties(0).total_memory
                 fraction = settings.vram_cap_gib * 2**30 / total
                 if not 0 < fraction <= 1:
@@ -82,17 +91,28 @@ class TorchEngine:
     def _guard(self, fn, *args):
         try:
             result = fn(*args)
+        except ValueError:
+            raise                            # validation: SemIf raises it before any GPU work
         except self._torch.cuda.OutOfMemoryError as exc:
-            message = str(exc).splitlines()[0]
+            failure, message = OutOfMemory, _first_line(exc) or "CUDA out of memory"
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — every other failure is released and reported below
+            message = _first_line(exc)
+            if "out of memory" in message.lower():      # cuBLAS/cuDNN allocation failures
+                failure = OutOfMemory
+            else:
+                failure, message = ScoringFailed, f"{type(exc).__name__}: {message}"
+                # Formatted text, not exc_info: a log record that keeps the traceback object alive
+                # (pytest's capture handler does; so would any buffering handler) pins the tensors.
+                log.error("scorer failed:\n%s", traceback.format_exc())
         else:
             self._release_burst()
             return result
-        # INV-4, outside the except block on purpose: the torch exception's traceback holds the
+        # INV-4, outside the except block on purpose: the exception's traceback holds the failed
-        # failed scorer's frames, and with them its tensors (the replicated prefix cache). Raising
+        # scorer's frames, and with them its tensors (the replicated prefix cache). Raising inside
-        # inside the block, or `from exc`, would chain to it and keep GiBs allocated after the 503.
+        # the block, or `from exc`, would chain to it and keep GiBs allocated after the response.
         gc.collect()
         self._torch.cuda.empty_cache()
-        raise OutOfMemory(message)
+        raise failure(message)
 
     def direct(self, row: dict) -> dict:
         return self._guard(self._direct, self._model, self._tokenizer, row, self._metadata, self._settings.max_tokens)

services/semif-serve/src/semif_serve/errors.py

@@ -3,3 +3,8 @@
 
 class OutOfMemory(RuntimeError):
     """The engine ran out of GPU memory during a request and has already released its cache (INV-4)."""
+
+
+class ScoringFailed(RuntimeError):
+    """A scorer call failed for a reason other than validation or OOM. Raised unchained, after the
+    failed call's memory has been released; the original traceback is logged, not carried (INV-4)."""

services/semif-serve/src/semif_serve/main.py

@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ from .config import Settings
 
 def app_from_env() -> FastAPI:
     settings = Settings.from_env(os.environ)
+    # INV-5: never download at runtime, inside the image or out of it (bug hunt S10). Set before
+    # torch / transformers / huggingface_hub are imported, since they read it at import time.
+    os.environ["HF_HUB_OFFLINE"] = "1"
+    os.environ["TRANSFORMERS_OFFLINE"] = "1"
     from .engine import TorchEngine   # torch loads only here, never in the unit tests
 
     return create_app(settings, TorchEngine.load(settings))

services/semif-serve/tests/test_app.py

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 """semif-serve HTTP behaviour against a fake engine (no torch, no model).
 Contract: services/semif-serve/semif-serve.contract.md"""
+import json
+
 import pytest
 from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
 
@@ -231,3 +233,104 @@ def test_health_reports_the_pins_limits_and_workloads():
     body = client.get("/health").json()
     assert body == {"status": "ok", "semif_commit": SEMIF_COMMIT, "model": FakeEngine().health(),
                     "vram_cap_gib": 12.0, "max_tokens": 4096, "max_decisions": 8, "workloads": ["alerts", "triage"]}
+
+
+def test_a_body_of_exactly_the_limit_is_accepted():
+    body = json.dumps(ROW).encode()
+    client = make_client(max_body_bytes=len(body))
+    assert client.post("/decide", content=body, headers={**AUTH, "content-type": "application/json"}).status_code == 200
+
+
+def test_a_non_ascii_digit_content_length_is_ignored_not_a_crash():
+    """HTTP clients cannot send one (httpx refuses; h11 rejects it), so check the reader directly."""
+    import asyncio
+    from semif_serve.app import read_limited
+
+    async def body():
+        yield b"{}"
+
+    assert asyncio.run(read_limited(body(), "²", 100)) == b"{}"      # int("²") would raise
+
+
+def test_exactly_max_decisions_is_accepted():
+    decisions = [{"id": str(i), "question": "Q?", "options": OPTIONS} for i in range(3)]
+    client = make_client(max_decisions=3)
+    assert client.post("/decide/shared", json={"state": "s", "decisions": decisions}, headers=AUTH).status_code == 200
+
+
+def test_calibration_leaves_every_native_field_alone():
+    engine = FakeEngine(logits=(3.0, 1.0))
+    body = make_client(engine, calibration={"triage": 2.0}).post(
+        "/decide", json={**ROW, "workload": "triage"}, headers=AUTH).json()
+    body.pop("calibrated")
+    assert body == engine.direct(ROW)
+
+
+class MalformedEngine(FakeEngine):
+    def direct(self, row):
+        return {"id": row["id"], "option_ids": ["yes", "no"], "probabilities": [0.5, 0.5]}   # no option_logits
+
+    def shared(self, rows):
+        return [self.direct(r) for r in rows], {}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("path, body", [
+    ("/decide", {**ROW, "workload": "triage"}),
+    ("/decide", {**ROW, "orderings": "rotations"}),
+])
+def test_a_malformed_scorer_result_is_an_envelope_500_not_a_bare_one(path, body):
+    client = make_client(MalformedEngine(), calibration={"triage": 2.0})
+    response = client.post(path, json=body, headers=AUTH)
+    assert response.status_code == 500
+    assert response.json()["error"]["code"] == "scoring_failed"
+
+
+class SharedSlowEngine(SlowEngine):
+    def shared(self, rows):
+        return [self.direct(r) for r in rows], {}
+
+
+def test_shared_requests_are_serialised_too():
+    from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+    engine = SharedSlowEngine()
+    body = {"state": "s", "decisions": [{"id": "a", "question": "Q?", "options": OPTIONS}]}
+    with make_client(engine) as client, ThreadPoolExecutor(3) as pool:
+        futures = [pool.submit(client.post, "/decide/shared", json=body, headers=AUTH) for _ in range(3)]
+        assert engine.entered.wait(5)
+        engine.release.set()
+        assert [f.result().status_code for f in futures] == [200] * 3
+    assert engine.peak == 1
+
+
+def test_more_than_max_queue_requests_in_progress_get_429_busy():
+    from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+    engine = SlowEngine()
+    with make_client(engine, max_queue=2) as client, ThreadPoolExecutor(3) as pool:
+        held = [pool.submit(client.post, "/decide", json={**ROW, "id": f"r{i}"}, headers=AUTH) for i in range(2)]
+        assert engine.entered.wait(5)
+        import time
+        deadline = time.monotonic() + 5
+        while engine.inside + 0 < 1 and time.monotonic() < deadline:
+            time.sleep(0.01)
+        time.sleep(0.2)                                       # let the second request reach the queue
+        extra = client.post("/decide", json={**ROW, "id": "extra"}, headers=AUTH)
+        assert extra.status_code == 429 and extra.json()["error"]["code"] == "busy"
+        engine.release.set()
+        assert [f.result().status_code for f in held] == [200, 200]
+    assert make_client(FakeEngine(), max_queue=2).post("/decide", json=ROW, headers=AUTH).status_code == 200
+
+
+def test_read_limited_stops_reading_at_the_crossing_chunk():
+    import asyncio
+    from semif_serve.app import ApiError, read_limited
+    consumed = []
+
+    async def chunks():
+        for i in range(10):
+            consumed.append(i)
+            yield b"x" * 100
+
+    with pytest.raises(ApiError) as info:
+        asyncio.run(read_limited(chunks(), None, 250))
+    assert info.value.status == 413
+    assert consumed == [0, 1, 2]          # the third chunk crosses 250 and is never kept; nothing after is read

services/semif-serve/tests/test_config.py

@@ -34,3 +34,45 @@ def test_a_calibration_table_needs_positive_finite_numbers(tmp_path, table):
     cal.write_text(json.dumps(table))
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="SEMIF_CALIBRATION"):
         Settings.from_env({"SEMIF_API_TOKEN": TOKEN, "SEMIF_CALIBRATION": str(cal)})
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("var, value", [
+    ("SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB", "0"), ("SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB", "-4"), ("SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB", "nan"), ("SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB", "inf"),
+    ("SEMIF_MAX_TOKENS", "0"), ("SEMIF_MAX_DECISIONS", "-1"), ("SEMIF_MAX_BODY_BYTES", "0"), ("SEMIF_MAX_QUEUE", "0"),
+    ("SEMIF_MAX_TOKENS", "lots"), ("SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB", "twelve"),
+])
+def test_out_of_range_or_unparseable_values_are_refused_naming_the_variable(var, value):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=var):
+        Settings.from_env({"SEMIF_API_TOKEN": TOKEN, var: value})
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("token", ["x" * 31 + "\n", "x" * 30 + "\r\n", "x" * 32 + "\x00", "x" * 16 + " " + "x" * 16,
+                                   "é" * 32])
+def test_a_token_with_non_visible_ascii_is_refused(token):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="SEMIF_API_TOKEN"):
+        Settings.from_env({"SEMIF_API_TOKEN": token})
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("table", [{"w": True}, {"w": 1e-300}, {"w": 0.04}, {"w": 21}])
+def test_a_temperature_must_be_a_real_number_in_range(tmp_path, table):
+    cal = tmp_path / "cal.json"
+    cal.write_text(json.dumps(table))
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="SEMIF_CALIBRATION"):
+        Settings.from_env({"SEMIF_API_TOKEN": TOKEN, "SEMIF_CALIBRATION": str(cal)})
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("content", [None, "{not json"])
+def test_a_missing_or_malformed_calibration_file_is_a_named_startup_error(tmp_path, content):
+    cal = tmp_path / "cal.json"
+    if content is not None:
+        cal.write_text(content)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="SEMIF_CALIBRATION"):
+        Settings.from_env({"SEMIF_API_TOKEN": TOKEN, "SEMIF_CALIBRATION": str(cal)})
+
+
+def test_in_range_edges_are_accepted(tmp_path):
+    cal = tmp_path / "cal.json"
+    cal.write_text(json.dumps({"lo": 0.05, "hi": 20}))
+    s = Settings.from_env({"SEMIF_API_TOKEN": "!" + "~" * 31, "SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB": "0.5", "SEMIF_MAX_QUEUE": "1",
+                           "SEMIF_CALIBRATION": str(cal)})
+    assert (s.vram_cap_gib, s.max_queue, s.calibration) == (0.5, 1, {"lo": 0.05, "hi": 20.0})

services/semif-serve/tests/test_engine.py

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import pytest
 
 from semif_serve.config import Settings
 from semif_serve.engine import TorchEngine
-from semif_serve.errors import OutOfMemory
+from semif_serve.errors import OutOfMemory, ScoringFailed
 
 
 class FakeTorch:
@@ -81,3 +81,33 @@ def test_a_burst_is_returned_to_the_driver_after_the_call(reserved_after, releas
                          direct_fn=scorer, shared_fn=scorer, release_above_bytes=8 * 2**30 + 512 * 2**20)
     assert engine.direct({}) == {"ok": True}
     assert ReservingTorch.cuda.emptied == released
+
+
+def cyclic_tensor():
+    """A tensor held in a reference cycle, as real frames and tensors often are: only gc frees it."""
+    t = Tensor()
+    t.self_ref = t
+    FakeTorch.cuda.watched.append(weakref.ref(t))
+    return t
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("raised, expected_type, expected_message", [
+    (lambda: FakeTorch.cuda.OutOfMemoryError(""), OutOfMemory, "CUDA out of memory"),
+    (lambda: RuntimeError("CUBLAS_STATUS_ALLOC_FAILED: CUDA error: out of memory"), OutOfMemory,
+     "CUBLAS_STATUS_ALLOC_FAILED: CUDA error: out of memory"),
+    (lambda: RuntimeError("Invalid native prefix cache"), ScoringFailed, "RuntimeError: Invalid native prefix cache"),
+    (lambda: KeyError("option_logits"), ScoringFailed, "KeyError: 'option_logits'"),
+])
+def test_every_non_validation_failure_is_released_unchained_after_gc(raised, expected_type, expected_message):
+    FakeTorch.cuda.empties.clear(), FakeTorch.cuda.watched.clear()
+
+    def scorer(*_args):
+        kv_cache = cyclic_tensor()   # noqa: F841 — alive in this frame when it raises
+        raise raised()
+
+    engine = TorchEngine(FakeTorch, None, None, {}, Settings(api_token="t" * 40), direct_fn=scorer, shared_fn=scorer)
+    with pytest.raises(expected_type) as info:
+        engine.shared([])
+    assert str(info.value) == expected_message
+    assert info.value.__cause__ is None and info.value.__context__ is None
+    assert FakeTorch.cuda.empties == [True]          # gc freed the cycle BEFORE the cache was emptied

services/semif-serve/tests/test_engine_load.py

@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+"""TorchEngine.load and the entry point, against fake torch/semif modules (INV-3, INV-4, INV-5).
+The bug hunt found load() had no test at all: removing the arch check survived every test."""
+import os
+import sys
+import types
+
+import pytest
+
+from semif_serve.config import Settings
+
+TOKEN = "t" * 40
+
+
+class Param:
+    def __init__(self, device):
+        self.device = types.SimpleNamespace(type=device)
+
+
+class Model:
+    def __init__(self, device):
+        self._device = device
+
+    def parameters(self):
+        yield Param(self._device)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def fakes(monkeypatch):
+    calls = []
+    cuda = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        is_available=lambda: True,
+        get_device_capability=lambda _i=0: (12, 0),
+        get_arch_list=lambda: ["sm_90", "sm_120"],
+        get_device_properties=lambda _i=0: types.SimpleNamespace(total_memory=96 * 2**30),
+        set_per_process_memory_fraction=lambda f, _i=0: calls.append(("cap", round(f, 4))),
+        memory_reserved=lambda _i=0: 8 * 2**30,
+        OutOfMemoryError=type("OutOfMemoryError", (RuntimeError,), {}),
+        empty_cache=lambda: calls.append(("empty",)),
+    )
+    torch = types.SimpleNamespace(cuda=cuda, __version__="2.10.0+cu128")
+    state = {"device": "cuda", "warmup_raises": None}
+
+    def load_causal_model(model, revision, device, dtype):
+        calls.append(("load", model, revision, device, dtype))
+        return Model(state["device"]), object(), {"source": model}
+
+    def score(model, tok, row, meta, max_tokens):
+        calls.append(("score", row["id"]))
+        if state["warmup_raises"]:
+            raise state["warmup_raises"]
+        return {"id": row["id"]}
+
+    core = types.ModuleType("semif_phase1.core")
+    core.load_causal_model = load_causal_model
+    direct = types.ModuleType("semif_phase1.direct")
+    direct.score = score
+    shared = types.ModuleType("semif_phase1.shared")
+    shared.score_shared = lambda *a: ([], {})
+    pkg = types.ModuleType("semif_phase1")
+    for name, mod in {"torch": torch, "semif_phase1": pkg, "semif_phase1.core": core,
+                      "semif_phase1.direct": direct, "semif_phase1.shared": shared}.items():
+        monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, name, mod)
+    return torch, calls, state
+
+
+def test_load_caps_before_the_weights_land_then_warms_up(fakes):
+    from semif_serve.engine import TorchEngine
+    _torch, calls, _ = fakes
+    TorchEngine.load(Settings(api_token=TOKEN, vram_cap_gib=12.0))
+    assert [c[0] for c in calls] == ["cap", "load", "score"]
+    assert calls[0] == ("cap", round(12 / 96, 4))
+    assert calls[2] == ("score", "semif-serve-warmup")
+
+
+def test_load_refuses_a_card_torch_has_no_kernels_for(fakes):
+    from semif_serve.engine import TorchEngine
+    torch, calls, _ = fakes
+    torch.cuda.get_arch_list = lambda: ["sm_80", "sm_90"]
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="sm_120"):
+        TorchEngine.load(Settings(api_token=TOKEN))
+    assert not any(c[0] == "load" for c in calls)
+
+
+def test_load_refuses_a_model_that_landed_on_the_wrong_device(fakes):
+    from semif_serve.engine import TorchEngine
+    _torch, _calls, state = fakes
+    state["device"] = "cpu"
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="landed on cpu"):
+        TorchEngine.load(Settings(api_token=TOKEN))
+
+
+def test_load_fails_closed_when_the_warmup_decision_fails(fakes):
+    from semif_serve.engine import TorchEngine
+    from semif_serve.errors import ScoringFailed
+    _torch, _calls, state = fakes
+    state["warmup_raises"] = RuntimeError("Failed to find C compiler")
+    with pytest.raises(ScoringFailed, match="C compiler"):
+        TorchEngine.load(Settings(api_token=TOKEN))
+
+
+def test_the_entry_point_forces_offline_mode_before_the_engine_loads(fakes, monkeypatch):
+    import semif_serve.engine as engine_mod
+    from semif_serve import main
+    seen = {}
+    monkeypatch.delenv("HF_HUB_OFFLINE", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SEMIF_API_TOKEN", TOKEN)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(engine_mod.TorchEngine, "load",
+                        classmethod(lambda cls, s: seen.update(offline=os.environ.get("HF_HUB_OFFLINE")) or object()))
+    main.app_from_env()
+    assert seen["offline"] == "1"

services/semif-serve/tests/test_orderings.py

@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+"""Order averaging (0.1.3). Contract: semif-serve.contract.md § Order averaging."""
+import math
+
+import pytest
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+
+from semif_serve.app import create_app
+from semif_serve.config import Settings
+
+TOKEN = "t" * 40
+AUTH = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {TOKEN}"}
+OPTS = [{"id": "casual", "description": "A casual outing"},
+        {"id": "date", "description": "A romantic date"},
+        {"id": "booty", "description": "A booty call"}]
+ROW = {"id": "q", "state": "It's 2AM and I'm bored.", "question": "What is this?", "options": OPTS}
+BASE = {"casual": 1.0, "date": -1.0, "booty": 0.5}   # what the model "really" thinks
+BIAS = 2.5                                            # added to whichever option is listed first
+
+
+def softmax(xs):
+    top = max(xs)
+    w = [math.exp(x - top) for x in xs]
+    return [v / sum(w) for v in w]
+
+
+class BiasedEngine:
+    """Scores each option as BASE[id], plus BIAS for the first-listed option, the way a small model leans."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.shared_calls, self.direct_calls = [], []
+
+    def health(self):
+        return {}
+
+    def _score(self, row):
+        ids = [o["id"] for o in row["options"]]
+        logits = [BASE[i] + (BIAS if k == 0 else 0.0) for k, i in enumerate(ids)]
+        return {"id": row["id"], "option_ids": ids, "probabilities": softmax(logits), "option_logits": logits,
+                "prompt_sha256": row["id"], "probability_status": "uncalibrated"}
+
+    def direct(self, row):
+        self.direct_calls.append(row)
+        return self._score(row)
+
+    def shared(self, rows):
+        self.shared_calls.append(rows)
+        return [self._score(r) for r in rows], {"batch_size": len(rows)}
+
+
+def client(engine, **kw):
+    return TestClient(create_app(Settings(api_token=TOKEN, **kw), engine))
+
+
+def test_rotations_send_one_shared_call_with_every_option_once_per_position_and_cancel_the_bias():
+    engine = BiasedEngine()
+    body = client(engine).post("/decide", json={**ROW, "orderings": "rotations"}, headers=AUTH).json()
+    assert engine.direct_calls == [] and len(engine.shared_calls) == 1
+    rows = engine.shared_calls[0]
+    assert [r["id"] for r in rows] == ["q#o0", "q#o1", "q#o2"]
+    assert [[o["id"] for o in r["options"]] for r in rows] == [
+        ["casual", "date", "booty"], ["date", "booty", "casual"], ["booty", "casual", "date"]]
+    assert all(r["state"] == ROW["state"] and r["question"] == ROW["question"] for r in rows)
+
+    assert body["id"] == "q" and body["option_ids"] == ["casual", "date", "booty"]
+    combined = body["combined"]
+    assert combined["method"] == "rotations" and combined["orderings"] == 3
+    # the first-position bias is additive, and every option sat first exactly once, so it cancels exactly
+    assert combined["probabilities"] == pytest.approx(softmax([BASE["casual"], BASE["date"], BASE["booty"]]))
+    assert combined["top"] == "casual"
+    # the bias is strong enough that every ordering's first option wins: casual, date, booty
+    tops = [max(zip(r["option_logits"], r["option_ids"]))[1] for r in body["orderings"]]
+    assert tops == ["casual", "date", "booty"]
+    assert combined["agreement"] == pytest.approx(1 / 3)
+    assert body["orderings"] == [engine._score(r) for r in rows]          # native results, unchanged
+    for oid in ("casual", "date", "booty"):
+        ps = [dict(zip(r["option_ids"], r["probabilities"]))[oid] for r in body["orderings"]]
+        assert combined["spread"][oid] == pytest.approx([min(ps), max(ps)])
+
+
+def test_all_sends_every_permutation_with_the_callers_order_first():
+    engine = BiasedEngine()
+    body = client(engine).post("/decide", json={**ROW, "orderings": "all"}, headers=AUTH).json()
+    rows = engine.shared_calls[0]
+    orders = [tuple(o["id"] for o in r["options"]) for r in rows]
+    assert len(orders) == 6 and len(set(orders)) == 6 and orders[0] == ("casual", "date", "booty")
+    assert body["combined"]["orderings"] == 6 and body["combined"]["method"] == "all"
+
+
+def test_all_above_four_options_is_422_before_the_engine_runs():
+    engine = BiasedEngine()
+    five = [{"id": f"o{i}", "description": f"Option {i}"} for i in range(5)]
+    r = client(engine).post("/decide", json={**ROW, "options": five, "orderings": "all"}, headers=AUTH)
+    assert r.status_code == 422 and "rotations" in r.json()["error"]["message"]
+    assert engine.shared_calls == []
+
+
+def test_a_mixed_shared_request_is_one_engine_call_with_results_in_request_order():
+    engine = BiasedEngine()
+    body = {"state": ROW["state"], "decisions": [
+        {"id": "plain", "question": "Q1?", "options": OPTS},
+        {"id": "avg", "question": "Q2?", "options": OPTS, "orderings": "rotations"},
+        {"id": "plain2", "question": "Q3?", "options": OPTS[:2]}]}
+    out = client(engine).post("/decide/shared", json=body, headers=AUTH).json()
+    assert len(engine.shared_calls) == 1
+    assert [r["id"] for r in engine.shared_calls[0]] == ["plain", "avg#o0", "avg#o1", "avg#o2", "plain2"]
+    ids = [r["id"] for r in out["results"]]
+    assert ids == ["plain", "avg", "plain2"]
+    assert out["results"][0] == engine._score(engine.shared_calls[0][0])   # plain results keep the old shape
+    assert "combined" in out["results"][1] and "combined" not in out["results"][2]
+    assert out["timing"] == {"batch_size": 5}
+
+
+def test_expanded_rows_count_toward_the_cap():
+    engine = BiasedEngine()
+    r = client(engine, max_decisions=5).post("/decide/shared", json={"state": "s", "decisions": [
+        {"id": "a", "question": "Q?", "options": OPTS, "orderings": "rotations"},
+        {"id": "b", "question": "Q?", "options": OPTS, "orderings": "rotations"}]}, headers=AUTH)
+    assert r.status_code == 422 and "6 scored rows" in r.json()["error"]["message"]
+    assert engine.shared_calls == []
+
+
+def test_workload_with_orderings_is_422_and_workload_alone_still_calibrates():
+    engine = BiasedEngine()
+    c = client(engine, calibration={"triage": 2.0})
+    r = c.post("/decide", json={**ROW, "orderings": "rotations", "workload": "triage"}, headers=AUTH)
+    assert r.status_code == 422 and engine.shared_calls == []
+    assert "calibrated" in c.post("/decide", json={**ROW, "workload": "triage"}, headers=AUTH).json()
+
+
+def test_an_unknown_orderings_value_is_422():
+    r = client(BiasedEngine()).post("/decide", json={**ROW, "orderings": "shuffle"}, headers=AUTH)
+    assert r.status_code == 422

services/semif-serve/uv.lock

@@ -51,6 +51,26 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/12/b8/4bd346e22b28902df4d651910f5242c28d84e4a5c2435ca5c3f797ed7e2e/anyio-4.15.1-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:6152fdbbf9a77fdec97731721bebf7c4c44f7c29b424b0065826173efc7ed101", size = 132079 },
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "causal-conv1d"
+version = "1.7.0"
+source = { url = "https://github.com/Dao-AILab/causal-conv1d/releases/download/v1.7.0/causal_conv1d-1.7.0+cu12torch2.10cxx11abiTRUE-cp312-cp312-linux_x86_64.whl" }
+dependencies = [
+    { name = "ninja" },
+    { name = "packaging" },
+    { name = "torch" },
+]
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://github.com/Dao-AILab/causal-conv1d/releases/download/v1.7.0/causal_conv1d-1.7.0+cu12torch2.10cxx11abiTRUE-cp312-cp312-linux_x86_64.whl", hash = "sha256:8e81f8c76435ad31aa41edc6c0c9d26de971a293b190183d2816da71547614d7" },
+]
+
+[package.metadata]
+requires-dist = [
+    { name = "ninja" },
+    { name = "packaging" },
+    { name = "torch" },
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "certifi"
 version = "2026.7.22"
@@ -106,6 +126,15 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/98/59/239c7259e669c46ddbcac0aa60e3a0ef00bfeaaa687f905b24dd6a7a10fe/cuda_pathfinder-1.8.2-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:4e65059febdb4d19d5cbc4798677e19db2b582f2f702f457b609e571690d357e", size = 62551 },
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "einops"
+version = "0.8.2"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/2c/77/850bef8d72ffb9219f0b1aac23fbc1bf7d038ee6ea666f331fa273031aa2/einops-0.8.2.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:609da665570e5e265e27283aab09e7f279ade90c4f01bcfca111f3d3e13f2827", size = 56261 }
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/2a/09/f8d8f8f31e4483c10a906437b4ce31bdf3d6d417b73fe33f1a8b59e34228/einops-0.8.2-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:54058201ac7087911181bfec4af6091bb59380360f069276601256a76af08193", size = 65638 },
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "fastapi"
 version = "0.118.0"
@@ -129,6 +158,31 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/bc/ac/8b9c6dc2aa7e9cf5582e20a337006c3428c3d752c2255dbaca2c78a8be45/filelock-4.0.4-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:0df72be195ca7892216d16f2edce8d9b93a571f02402972020a8cff84c594c7b", size = 108629 },
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "fla-core"
+version = "0.5.2"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+dependencies = [
+    { name = "einops" },
+]
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/94/85/20bdc0fbbbaeec27b5b198e0dbbbc51161a267066a4aebd9e4b413637c6c/fla_core-0.5.2.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:9360fc412f784c1c8f05c320ec2902d5d968764178c9b8a92efc919e17a39680", size = 587835 }
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/2d/ed/dfe19c4da779957eb6a42a26812f9b4e2280bf757a17a71933ff59ffcb98/fla_core-0.5.2-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:5e830c85bad3d0d34677f98ac7074d08687a3756f0f0499d95ceb96eb6920761", size = 819225 },
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "flash-linear-attention"
+version = "0.5.2"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+dependencies = [
+    { name = "fla-core" },
+    { name = "transformers" },
+]
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/d2/76/c180949eae5161b9fcf4c928cab52f0c257ce84c1a59b4462b1d2b6e5883/flash_linear_attention-0.5.2.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:c053d3a75c8f5b725063f719ae6bce0f4d9dac6da32735be8ae7d485a6c9820f", size = 208110 }
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/90/d2/2070e3cf2148c5cce99ca4876633c4b7b89ec085323600bd3d47aeacd306/flash_linear_attention-0.5.2-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:dcf405d81f5426393b59037097aa700d0f4a841465d5028d5aa543f4502f2400", size = 399590 },
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "fsspec"
 version = "2026.9.0"
@@ -351,6 +405,24 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/7e/cd/fe58041e9011f307c490e3e17dd48cc516448f7c698a3f2d9d9d65d7e6a8/networkx-3.7-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:e3fd2c13a7814cee3746340d8d7f8598a67f16a58bf47fb7f8793fab6efca1b0", size = 2142205 },
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ninja"
+version = "1.13.2"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/ac/92/410b7917d16ab54c04b05cc32b9284803671d91cf79d33be6009c28d4ea8/ninja-1.13.2.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:525bfa3fc88aa30a4467df270fd5be6f9fcae8061d54d4df74ea1dc5abd5a975", size = 243739 }
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/48/23/fcbe234a66966e35928c47b86336f92a7612db4781665f4e5f5fddef9630/ninja-1.13.2-py3-none-manylinux2014_ppc64le.manylinux_2_17_ppc64le.whl", hash = "sha256:227cbc3ae3e5e429692388103cae8c09451df086cd2d342dae0795af0d162547", size = 197676 },
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+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "numpy"
 version = "2.2.6"
@@ -919,7 +991,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "semif-serve"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "fastapi" },
@@ -927,6 +999,10 @@ dependencies = [
 ]
 
 [package.optional-dependencies]
+fast = [
+    { name = "causal-conv1d", marker = "platform_machine == 'x86_64' and sys_platform == 'linux'" },
+    { name = "flash-linear-attention" },
+]
 model = [
     { name = "semif-phase1" },
     { name = "torch" },
@@ -940,12 +1016,14 @@ dev = [
 
 [package.metadata]
 requires-dist = [
+    { name = "causal-conv1d", marker = "platform_machine == 'x86_64' and sys_platform == 'linux' and extra == 'fast'", url = "https://github.com/Dao-AILab/causal-conv1d/releases/download/v1.7.0/causal_conv1d-1.7.0+cu12torch2.10cxx11abiTRUE-cp312-cp312-linux_x86_64.whl" },
     { name = "fastapi", specifier = "==0.118.0" },
+    { name = "flash-linear-attention", marker = "extra == 'fast'", specifier = "==0.5.2" },
     { name = "semif-phase1", marker = "extra == 'model'", git = "https://github.com/TheoLeeCJ/SemIf-OpenJev?rev=23cf1f39fc9534fe81437200959b6dfc7106e45a" },
     { name = "torch", marker = "extra == 'model'", specifier = "==2.10.0", index = "https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu128" },
     { name = "uvicorn", specifier = "==0.37.0" },
 ]
-provides-extras = ["model"]
+provides-extras = ["model", "fast"]
 
 [package.metadata.requires-dev]
 dev = [

stacks/semif/.env.example

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # semif — copy to /opt/docker/compose/semif/.env on fv-ml1 (mode 0600).
 # Built on fv-ml1 from services/semif-serve (see README "Building").
-IMAGE=semif-serve:0.1.2
+IMAGE=semif-serve:0.1.3
 PORT=8032
 HOST_IP=10.251.50.54
 # fv-ml1 GPU 1 = the utility card (vllm-coder, erp, meromero, scriberr).

stacks/semif/README.md

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ service. The contract is `services/semif-serve/semif-serve.contract.md`.
 | **Model** | `Qwen/Qwen3.5-4B` @ `851bf6e806efd8d0a36b00ddf55e13ccb7b8cd0a`, BF16, from `/tank/aimodels/huggingface` (read-only, offline) |
 | **SemIf** | commit `23cf1f39fc9534fe81437200959b6dfc7106e45a`; torch `2.10.0+cu128`, transformers `5.17.0`, the same stack SemIf's committed predictions were made on |
 | **Image** | `semif-serve:<version>`, built on fv-ml1 from `services/semif-serve/` |
-| **State** | none. Weights re-download at the pinned revision. No backup needed beyond the host's `/opt/docker` restic. |
+| **State** | none. If the weights are ever lost, re-pull them by hand at the pinned revision (the service itself never downloads: `HF_HUB_OFFLINE=1`, read-only mount). No backup needed beyond the host's `/opt/docker` restic. |
 
 ## API
 
@@ -34,6 +34,18 @@ curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $T" http://10.251.50.54:8032/decide -d '{
   the state once and scores every criterion in one batch. Use it when many questions
   share one long state.
 - `GET /health`: the pins, limits and calibrated workloads.
+- **Order averaging (0.1.3):** add `"orderings": "rotations"` to a decision, or
+  `"all"` for ≤ 4 options. The option list is asked in every rotation inside ONE
+  shared batch. The reply keeps each ordering's native result under `orderings` and adds
+  `combined: {method, orderings, probabilities, top, agreement, spread}`. **Use it for
+  anything real:** a small model leans toward the first-listed option on ambiguous
+  inputs, and averaging cancels that. Through the service on SemIf's labelled sets,
+  accuracy goes from 78.6% to **88.1%** (group-bootstrap 95% CI +5.1..+14.3 pts, 252
+  rows). **`agreement` is the cheap confidence signal**: unanimous rows are 94.5%
+  accurate, split rows 76.4%. The orderings count toward the decision cap. `workload`
+  calibration is not available together with `orderings` yet (422).
+- Past `MAX_QUEUE` (32) requests in progress, new POSTs get `429 busy` before their
+  body is read.
 
 ## ⚠ Probabilities are uncalibrated
 
@@ -57,18 +69,55 @@ not squeeze scriberr, which shares GPU 1. A request that would exceed the cap ge
 behaviours were verified on the card (0.1.0 held 11.9 GiB after an OOM, and 12.6 GB
 after a large request; 0.1.2 returns to 7.85 GiB in both cases).
 
-**What fits under 12 GiB** (measured, `/decide/shared`, binary decisions):
+**What fits under 12 GiB** (measured on 0.1.3, `/decide/shared`, binary decisions;
+0.1.2 figures in brackets, before the fast kernels):
 
-| state size (prefix tokens) | max decisions in one request |
+| state size (prefix tokens) | max rows in one request |
 |---|---|
-| ~140 | 52 |
+| ~140 | 63 (52) |
-| ~520 | 43 |
+| ~520 | 51 (43) |
-| ~1,960 | 19 |
+| ~1,960 | 26 (19) |
-| ~3,900 | 13 |
+| ~3,900 | 16 (13) |
+
+Rows = decisions × orderings, so `rotations` over 3 options uses 3 rows per decision.
 
 `/decide` fits at the full 4,096-token limit. Past the table you get a 503, so split
 the decisions across requests.
 
+## Fast kernels (0.1.3)
+
+The image ships Qwen3.5's fast kernels, `flash-linear-attention` 0.5.2 and
+`causal-conv1d` 1.7.0 (a prebuilt cu12/torch2.10 wheel). Without them transformers
+logs that it falls back to "much slower" reference PyTorch paths. They are adopted
+because an A/B on the empty GPU 3 showed:
+- **parity improved**: 144/144 vs upstream (142/144 without), so upstream evidently
+  ran with them;
+- **long inputs got much faster**: a ~2,000-token `/decide` went from 169 to 92 ms
+  server-side.
+
+Short 3-rotation batches cost ~3–6 ms more; everything else is equal or faster.
+⚠ triton builds a C shim at runtime, so the image carries `gcc`. Without it the
+warm-up fails, and startup fails closed. Build without the kernels:
+`--build-arg EXTRAS="--extra model"`.
+
+## Latency (0.1.3, from nh3-dev, 3 runs × 20, network floor ~33 ms)
+
+| request | end to end | server |
+|---|---|---|
+| `/decide`, short (~130 tok) | 69 ms | 35 ms |
+| `/decide`, ~2,000-token state | 131 ms | 92 ms |
+| 3 rotations, short | 115 ms | 78 ms |
+| 6 orderings, short | 118 ms | 81 ms |
+| 3 rotations, ~2,000-token state | 200 ms | 158 ms |
+
+## Acceptance (2026-09-27, v0.1.3)
+
+Raw: `services/semif-serve/acceptance/result-2026-09-27-v0.1.3.json`,
+`averaging-2026-09-27-v0.1.3.json`. v0.1.3 matches upstream on **144/144** (identical
+prompt hashes, max prob gap 0.049), is deterministic, fails the negative control as it
+should (14/144), and shared matches direct on 72/72. The v0.1.2 table below is the
+reference-kernel baseline.
+
 ## Acceptance (2026-09-27, v0.1.2)
 
 Raw: `services/semif-serve/acceptance/result-2026-09-27-v0.1.2.json`.

stacks/semif/compose.yaml

@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ services:
       SEMIF_VRAM_CAP_GIB: ${VRAM_CAP_GIB:?set VRAM_CAP_GIB}
       SEMIF_MAX_TOKENS: ${MAX_TOKENS:-4096}
       SEMIF_MAX_DECISIONS: ${MAX_DECISIONS:-64}
+      # POSTs in progress (queued + scoring) before new ones get 429 busy.
+      SEMIF_MAX_QUEUE: ${MAX_QUEUE:-32}
       SEMIF_CALIBRATION: /conf/calibration.json
     volumes:
       # Pinned weights, read offline (HF_HUB_OFFLINE=1 in the image). Never downloads.