Contradiction Detection

Sometimes the code is not wrong; the intent is outdated. An expectation that was reasonable when it was accepted may have become a stale assumption — and the abstraction built to honour it may now be slowing delivery.

This is a leaf under Trace Feedback.

Worked example

Intent:
  The payment provider will change frequently.

Observation:
  The same provider has been stable for 24 months and the abstraction is slowing delivery.

Assessment:
  Expectation may be stale.

Suggested action:
  Ask human whether to simplify or preserve abstraction.

Resolving a contradiction

Because the question is whether the intent itself still holds, the suggested action is not an automatic repair. Alloy surfaces an The Intent Contradiction Assistant and asks a human whether to simplify (retire the now-stale expectation and its abstraction) or preserve it. The decision then flows through Record Lifecycle as the affected intent record is updated or deprecated.

Contrast this with Drift Detection, where the intent is still valid and it is the code that has drifted.

Source: Integration Architecture §16.4.