Filter policy playground

Design and test policies for the proposed ground-up MeshCore forwarding engine. The playground models phased evaluation, immutable receive-time matches, explicit priority and stop behavior, ACL ownership, compact typed conditions, and accumulated forwarding decisions.

Everything runs locally in this browser. Channel keys, packet facts, and policy drafts are not uploaded anywhere.

Engine design preview

This page targets the new policy-engine idea, not today's FPF7 file or existing set flood.* commands. Its readable policy language, JSON, and Base64 bundle are a prototype for design testing. Current firmware cannot install these policies yet.

Build a policy

The presets below reproduce common examples from Flood Filtering and Moderation in the proposed rule model.

Remote login and direct routes

This policy controls flood retransmission only. Direct packets carry a supplied route and stay outside the filter, matching today's firmware. Local packet delivery also happens independently of the relay decision. Rules that can limit relayed REQ, RESPONSE, TXT_MSG, ANON_REQ, or PATH traffic receive a prominent warning because they can still reduce multi-hop remote-login reach. The analyzer warns instead of silently exempting those floods, because an exemption would make the documented high-traffic rules behave differently.

Drop-in replacements for documented settings Choose one to load its proposed-engine equivalent.

Scope all authenticated #rgdata set flood.channel.scope #rgdata scope=BlackHole86 Scope unscoped #rgdata after hop 3 type=grp_data hops=4+ channel=#rgdata in=none scope=BlackHole86 Rewrite #usa to #BlackHole86 channel=#rgdata in=scope:usa scope=BlackHole86 Rate-limit source path 860C type=any prefix=860C rate=10/min Stop lower rules for short-hop #rgdata hops=0-2 channel=#rgdata priority=200 stop Six-rule high-traffic mesh preset req 3+ | response 9+ | grp_data 3+ | login paths 9+ Limit a Public display name public "Noisy User" rate=5/min Drop a passive-blacklist path set flood.filter any all path=blacklist Factory OTA and #wardriving rows ota suspend=tempradio | #wardriving hops=5+ Login and other wildcard scopes login:* | other:* path=bucket:2

Rule builder

Create a policy rule

Reset form

  <h3>Common match settings</h3>
  <div class="filter-form-grid">
    <label>
      Payload type or class
      <select data-field="type">
        <option value="any">Any payload type</option>
        <option value="class:group">Class: group text and data</option>
        <option value="class:login">Class: login/admin family</option>
        <option value="class:other">Class: every other payload</option>
        <option value="req">REQ</option>
        <option value="response">RESPONSE</option>
        <option value="txt_msg">TXT_MSG</option>
        <option value="ack">ACK</option>
        <option value="advert">ADVERT</option>
        <option value="grp_txt">GRP_TXT</option>
        <option value="grp_data">GRP_DATA</option>
        <option value="anon_req">ANON_REQ</option>
        <option value="path">PATH</option>
        <option value="trace">TRACE</option>
        <option value="multipart">MULTIPART</option>
        <option value="control">CONTROL</option>
        <option value="ota">OTA</option>
        <option value="13">Reserved type 13</option>
        <option value="14">Reserved type 14</option>
        <option value="raw_custom">RAW_CUSTOM</option>
      </select>
    </label>
    <label>
      Received hops
      <input data-field="hops" value="all" placeholder="all, 5+, 2-6, or 3">
    </label>
    <label>
      Authenticated channel (optional)
      <input data-field="channel" placeholder="#rgdata, public, or key">
    </label>
    <label>
      Original incoming scope
      <input data-field="incoming" list="policy-incoming-options" value="any" placeholder="any">
      <datalist id="policy-incoming-options">
        <option value="any"></option>
        <option value="none"></option>
        <option value="scoped"></option>
        <option value="allowed"></option>
        <option value="unknown"></option>
        <option value="scope:usa"></option>
        <option value="region:west"></option>
      </datalist>
    </label>
    <label>
      Path matcher
      <select data-field="path-kind">
        <option value="none">No path condition</option>
        <option value="prefix">Ordered 1/2/3-byte pbyte prefix</option>
        <option value="blacklist">Passive blacklist</option>
        <option value="bucket:1">Path bucket 1</option>
        <option value="bucket:2">Path bucket 2</option>
        <option value="bucket:3">Path bucket 3</option>
        <option value="bucket:4">Path bucket 4</option>
        <option value="bucket:5">Path bucket 5</option>
        <option value="bucket:6">Path bucket 6</option>
        <option value="loop:strict">Own-ID loop: strict</option>
        <option value="loop:moderate">Own-ID loop: moderate</option>
        <option value="loop:minimal">Own-ID loop: minimal</option>
      </select>
    </label>
    <label>
      Ordered pbyte prefix
      <input data-field="path-prefix" placeholder="86, 860C, or 860C,12A4">
    </label>
    <label>
      Decrypted sender (optional)
      <input data-field="sender" maxlength="31" placeholder="Noisy User">
    </label>
    <label>
      Temporary-radio state
      <select data-field="temp-radio">
        <option value="any">Either state</option>
        <option value="inactive">Inactive</option>
        <option value="active">Active</option>
      </select>
    </label>
  </div>

  <h3>Common actions</h3>
  <p class="filter-field-help">
    Choosing a phase-specific action automatically selects a compatible
    phase and ACL owner. Open the advanced section to inspect or override
    those choices.
  </p>
  <div class="filter-form-grid">
    <label>
      Forwarding verdict
      <select data-field="verdict">
        <option value="continue">No verdict change</option>
        <option value="drop">Drop / do not retransmit</option>
      </select>
    </label>
    <label>
      Region-gate decision
      <select data-field="scope-gate">
        <option value="unchanged">Leave global gate unchanged</option>
        <option value="require_allowed">Require original allowed region</option>
        <option value="bypass_global">Bypass global gate for this packet</option>
      </select>
    </label>
    <label>
      Scope rewrite target
      <select data-field="target-kind">
        <option value="none">Do not rewrite scope</option>
        <option value="scope">Regionless public scope</option>
        <option value="region">Configured region</option>
      </select>
    </label>
    <label>
      Target name
      <input data-field="target" placeholder="BlackHole86">
    </label>
    <label>
      Token rate per minute (optional)
      <input data-field="rate" type="number" min="1" max="65534" inputmode="numeric" placeholder="unlimited">
    </label>
    <label>
      Burst tokens
      <input data-field="burst" type="number" min="1" max="65534" inputmode="numeric" placeholder="defaults to rate">
    </label>
    <label>
      Rewrite timing
      <select data-field="timing">
        <option value="inherit">Inherit normal behavior</option>
        <option value="fast">Fast-track rewrite</option>
        <option value="normal">Normal queue timing</option>
        <option value="slow">Slow receive/transmit timing</option>
      </select>
    </label>
    <label>
      Queue priority
      <select data-field="queue">
        <option value="inherit">Inherit</option>
        <option value="high">High</option>
        <option value="normal">Normal</option>
        <option value="low">Low</option>
      </select>
    </label>
    <label>
      Retry path bucket
      <select data-field="retry-bucket">
        <option value="none">No retry action</option>
        <option value="bucket:1">Bucket 1</option>
        <option value="bucket:2">Bucket 2</option>
        <option value="bucket:3">Bucket 3</option>
        <option value="bucket:4">Bucket 4</option>
        <option value="bucket:5">Bucket 5</option>
        <option value="bucket:6">Bucket 6</option>
      </select>
    </label>
    <label>
      Retry attempts
      <input data-field="retry-attempts" type="number" min="1" max="10" inputmode="numeric" placeholder="1">
    </label>
    <label>
      Decision tag (optional)
      <input data-field="tag" maxlength="24" placeholder="blackhole-ingress">
    </label>
  </div>

  <details class="filter-advanced">
    <summary>Advanced execution, ownership, and flood route</summary>
    <p class="filter-field-help">
      Direct packets already carry a supplied path and are intentionally
      outside this engine. The route condition below only distinguishes
      unscoped floods from transport-scoped floods.
    </p>
    <div class="filter-form-grid">
      <label>
        Stable rule ID
        <input data-field="id" value="rule-1" maxlength="32" placeholder="blackhole-rewrite">
      </label>
      <label>
        Processing phase
        <select data-field="phase">
          <option value="scope_gate">1 - Incoming scope gate</option>
          <option value="rewrite">2 - Scope rewrite</option>
          <option value="forward">3 - Forwarding decision</option>
          <option value="content">4 - Decrypted content</option>
          <option value="schedule">5 - Scheduling and retry</option>
        </select>
      </label>
      <label>
        Rule owner / capability
        <select data-field="owner">
          <option value="scope">ACL 4 - Region/scope manager</option>
          <option value="filter">ACL 5 - Filter manager</option>
          <option value="admin">Administrator</option>
          <option value="system">Firmware-managed system rule</option>
        </select>
      </label>
      <label>
        Priority
        <input data-field="priority" type="number" min="0" max="255" inputmode="numeric" value="100">
      </label>
      <label>
        Mode
        <select data-field="mode">
          <option value="active">Active</option>
          <option value="shadow">Shadow - observe only</option>
          <option value="disabled">Disabled</option>
        </select>
      </label>
      <label>
        Stop behavior after a match
        <select data-field="stop">
          <option value="none">Continue processing</option>
          <option value="phase">Stop this phase</option>
          <option value="policy">Stop later policy phases</option>
        </select>
      </label>
      <label>
        Flood route
        <select data-field="route">
          <option value="flood">Either flood route</option>
          <option value="unscoped_flood">Unscoped flood only</option>
          <option value="scoped_flood">Transport-scoped flood only</option>
        </select>
      </label>
    </div>
  </details>

  <div class="filter-live-preview">
    <div>
      <span class="filter-preview-label">Readable policy definition</span>
      <code data-role="live-command"></code>
    </div>
    <p data-role="live-explanation"></p>
    <ul class="filter-inline-warnings" data-role="live-warnings" hidden></ul>
  </div>

  <div class="filter-builder-actions">
    <button class="filter-primary-action" type="button" data-role="save-rule">Add rule to policy</button>
    <button type="button" data-role="copy-live">Copy definition</button>
  </div>
</section>

<section class="filter-panel filter-policy" aria-labelledby="filter-policy-title">
  <div class="filter-panel-heading">
    <div>
      <p class="filter-eyebrow">Policy draft</p>
      <h2 id="filter-policy-title">Rules in execution order</h2>
    </div>
    <button type="button" data-role="clear-policy">Clear policy</button>
  </div>
  <div class="filter-policy-target">
    <label>
      Approximate target budget
      <select data-role="target-profile">
        <option value="stm32">Compact STM32 - 2 KB</option>
        <option value="nrf52" selected>nRF52 - 8 KB</option>
        <option value="esp32">Classic ESP32 - 16 KB</option>
        <option value="esp32_roomy">Roomy ESP32 - 64 KB</option>
      </select>
    </label>
  </div>
  <p class="filter-field-help">
    Rules match the same immutable packet facts. Ordering is phase, then
    descending priority, then stable rule ID. Drop decisions are sticky.
  </p>
  <div class="filter-empty-state" data-role="empty-policy">
    Add a rule or load an example to start exploring.
  </div>
  <ol class="filter-rule-list" data-role="rule-list"></ol>
  <div class="filter-policy-summary" data-role="policy-summary"></div>
  <ul class="filter-inline-warnings" data-role="policy-warnings" hidden></ul>
</section>

Immutable packet simulator

Explain an evaluation

Reset packet

Received route Unscoped flood Transport-scoped flood Payload type REQ RESPONSE TXT_MSG ACK ADVERT GRP_TXT GRP_DATA ANON_REQ PATH TRACE MULTIPART CONTROL OTA Reserved type 13 Reserved type 14 RAW_CUSTOM Received hops Authenticated channel Received pbyte path Original scope status Unscoped Allowed region Unknown or denied scope Original scope name Resolved region name Decrypted sender Passive blacklist result No match Matched Matching path buckets Own-ID loop result No loop match Strict only Moderate and strict Minimal, moderate, and strict Temporary radio is active

Run policy simulation

Import and explain

Paste readable policy or a saved draft

Accepts one-line policy set ... when ... do ... definitions, playground JSON, or a playground Base64 bundle.

Explain input Load into builder

Export

Move or save this design

Readable policy Policy JSON Playground Base64

Proposed human-readable definition. Current firmware does not accept it yet.

Structured draft used by this page.

Browser-playground interchange only. It is not the final packed firmware codec.

Copy visible export Download JSON

Proposed evaluation contract

The simulator uses these rules:

Only flood retransmission enters the policy. Direct routing and local packet delivery remain outside it.
Every matcher reads the same immutable receive-time packet facts.
Rules run by phase, descending priority, then stable rule ID.
A drop decision is sticky and cannot be undone by a later rule.
The first matching scope, timing, queue, and retry action in execution order wins.
All matching token-bucket rate constraints remain attached to the decision.
stop=phase skips later rules in that phase. stop=policy skips later configurable rules, but never mandatory packet validation or radio safety.
Shadow rules report what they would do without changing the decision or stopping other rules.
Expensive facts such as channel authentication, decryption, and path-table lookup are resolved once per packet and reused by every matching rule.

The byte-budget display is deliberately approximate until the packed firmware codec exists. It demonstrates why simple mappings should not reserve a maximum- sized structure for every possible condition and action.

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