smart-sourcing

# Smart Sourcing

Intelligent sourcing that requires citations only when the cost is justified by the value of verification.

## Philosophy

**Full sourcing is prohibitively expensive** (10-16x token increase). Smart sourcing targets high-value claims where verification materially improves accuracy.

## When to Source

### REQUIRE Sources

| Claim Type | Example | Why Source |
|------------|---------|------------|
| **Version numbers** | "Python 3.12 added..." | Versions change, easy to verify |
| **Performance claims** | "30% faster than..." | Quantitative claims need evidence |
| **Security recommendations** | "Use bcrypt for..." | Security advice must be current |
| **API specifications** | "The function accepts..." | APIs change between versions |
| **Release dates** | "Released in Q4 2025" | Factual, verifiable |
| **Pricing/limits** | "Free tier allows 1000 requests" | Business terms change |
| **Deprecated features** | "X was removed in version Y" | Breaking changes need verification |

### DO NOT Require Sources

| Claim Type | Example | Why No Source |
|------------|---------|---------------|
| **General concepts** | "Async improves concurrency" | Foundational knowledge |
| **Code examples** | Demonstrative snippets | Illustrative, not factual claims |
| **Opinion/preference** | "Consider using..." | Clearly framed as suggestion |
| **Common knowledge** | "Git tracks changes" | Universal understanding |
| **Logical derivations** | "Therefore, X implies Y" | Reasoning, not factual claim |
| **Syntax** | "Use `def` for functions" | Language documentation is stable |

## Decision Framework

```
Is this a factual claim?
├── No → No source needed
└── Yes → Would being wrong cause harm?
    ├── No (minor inconvenience) → No source needed
    └── Yes → Is verification cost-effective?
        ├── No (>5k tokens for low-value claim) → State uncertainty
        └── Yes → Perform web search, cite source
```

## Implementation

### Inline Citations

When sourcing is wa