Imported from ActiveInferenceInstitute/GeneralizedNotationNotation (
docs/active_inference/AGENTS.md). Install upstream withnpx skills add ActiveInferenceInstitute/GeneralizedNotationNotation --skill active_inference. Copyright stays with the author.
active_inference
Overview
This directory contains comprehensive documentation for Active Inference and the Free Energy Principle as implemented within the GNN (Generalized Notation Notation) framework.
Status: ✅ Documentation Module
Version: 1.0
Last Updated: February 2026
Purpose
Central documentation hub for all theoretical, computational, and implementation aspects of Active Inference within the GNN ecosystem. This module provides signposting to all related documentation and source code.
Contents
Files: 15 | Subdirectories: 0
Navigation Files
| File | Description | Lines |
|---|---|---|
| README.md | Directory overview and navigation | ~250 |
| AGENTS.md | Technical scaffolding (this file) | ~200 |
Theory & Foundations
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| fep_foundations.md | Free Energy Principle theoretical foundations |
| active_inference_theory.md | Core Active Inference theory and concepts |
| variational_inference.md | Variational Free Energy and Bayesian inference |
| expected_free_energy.md | Expected Free Energy and policy selection |
| generative_models.md | A, B, C, D matrices and model specification |
| pomdp_foundations.md | POMDP formalism and Active Inference |
Implementation References
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| implementation_pymdp.md | PyMDP Python implementation |
| implementation_rxinfer.md | RxInfer.jl message passing |
| implementation_activeinference_jl.md | ActiveInference.jl framework |
| computational_patterns.md | Common algorithmic patterns |
Integration & Applications
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| gnn_integration.md | GNN syntax for Active Inference models |
| applications_examples.md | Use cases and practical examples |
| glossary.md | Terminology reference |
Quick Navigation
This Directory
- README.md: Start here for overview
- glossary.md: Terminology reference
Theory Foundations
- fep_foundations.md: FEP theory
- active_inference_theory.md: Active Inference core
- variational_inference.md: VFE details
- expected_free_energy.md: EFE and action
Implementation
- implementation_pymdp.md: Python via PyMDP
- implementation_rxinfer.md: Julia via RxInfer
- implementation_activeinference_jl.md: Julia via ActiveInference.jl
Source Code Signposting
Execution Engines
| Component | Source Path | Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| PyMDP Runner | src/gnn/execute/pymdp/ |
implementation_pymdp.md |
| RxInfer Runner | src/gnn/execute/rxinfer/ |
implementation_rxinfer.md |
| ActiveInference.jl | src/gnn/execute/activeinference_jl/ |
implementation_activeinference_jl.md |
Analysis Tools
| Component | Source Path |
|---|---|
| Main Analyzer | src/gnn/analysis/analyzer.py |
| PyMDP Analyzer | src/gnn/analysis/pymdp/analyzer.py |
| PyMDP Visualizer | src/gnn/analysis/pymdp/visualizer.py |
| Post-Simulation | src/gnn/analysis/post_simulation.py |
| ActiveInference.jl Analyzer | src/gnn/analysis/activeinference_jl/analyzer.py |
Core GNN
| Component | Source Path |
|---|---|
| GNN Parser | src/gnn/ |
| Type Checker | src/gnn/type_checker/ |
| Validation | src/gnn/validation/ |
| Export | src/gnn/export/ |
Related Documentation Signposting
Implementation Guides
| Resource | Path | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PyMDP | docs/pymdp/ |
Complete PyMDP documentation |
| RxInfer | docs/rxinfer/ |
RxInfer.jl documentation |
| ActiveInference.jl | docs/activeinference_jl/ |
ActiveInference.jl docs |
| POMDP | docs/pomdp/ |
POMDP theoretical foundations |
GNN Core
| Resource | Path | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GNN Overview | docs/gnn/gnn_overview.md |
Core GNN concepts |
| GNN Syntax | docs/gnn/reference/gnn_syntax.md |
Syntax specification |
| Neurosymbolic | docs/gnn/advanced/gnn_llm_neurosymbolic_active_inference.md |
LLM + Active Inference |
| GNN Examples | docs/gnn/tutorials/gnn_examples_doc.md |
Example models |
LLM Integration
| Resource | Path | Description |
|---|---|---|
| DSPy | docs/other/dspy/ |
DSPy integration |
| LLM | docs/llm/ |
LLM documentation |
Pipeline Integration
This documentation integrates with the 25-step GNN processing pipeline:
Relevant Pipeline Steps
| Step | Name | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | GNN | Model parsing |
| 5 | Type Checker | Type validation |
| 6 | Validation | Model validation |
| 12 | Execute | Active Inference execution |
| 13 | LLM | LLM-enhanced analysis |
| 16 | Analysis | Post-simulation analysis |
See src/gnn/AGENTS.md for complete pipeline documentation.
Key Concepts Reference
| Concept | Symbol | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Variational Free Energy | F, VFE | Upper bound on surprise |
| Expected Free Energy | G, EFE | Future free energy for policies |
| Likelihood Matrix | A | P(o|s) - observations given states |
| Transition Matrix | B | P(s'|s,a) - state transitions |
| Preference Vector | C | log-preference weights over o — unnormalized, any real values; consumers apply softmax |
| Initial State Prior | D | P(s₀) - initial belief |
| Precision | γ, β | Inverse variance / confidence |
Standards and Guidelines
All documentation in this module adheres to:
- Technical Accuracy: Verified mathematical formulations
- Signposting: Clear links to source code and related docs
- Modularity: Self-contained documents with cross-references
- Consistency: Uniform notation and terminology
- GNN Standards: Following project documentation standards
Status: ✅ Production Ready
Compliance: GNN documentation standards
Maintenance: Regular updates with new research