Policies
A policy is an ordered or parallel bundle of guardrail steps. Create one with New policy in the Guardrails page header, then edit the flow in the builder at /guardrails/policies/[id].
Create a policy
New policy opens Create policy:
- Name and an optional Description
- Start from a template or Blank policy. Templates add their Garden guardrails as steps and create any that aren't configured yet:
- Data protection: Detect PII, Secrets present
- Prompt attack defense: Detect jailbreak, Data exfiltration, Malicious code fences
- Safe customer chat: Toxic language (rules), Insults & personal attacks, Harmful violence, Harmful self-harm
- How steps run: Run in order (recommended) or Run all at once
Create and open builder creates the policy and opens the builder. A new policy is not enforced until you attach it.
Execution
| Mode | UI label | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
PARALLEL | Run all at once | Every step runs; any failing step blocks the request |
FLOW | Run in order | Steps run in order, and each step decides what happens next (see Steps) |
Switch modes in the builder's Pipeline panel.
Steps
Each step references a configured guardrail (Garden, custom or vendor). Use Add a step to add one. Select a step to Change its guardrail, move it up or down, or remove it.
In Run in order, each step has three outcomes:
| Outcome | Choices (default first) |
|---|---|
| When it passes | Run next step, Allow request, Block request |
| When it fails | Block request, Run next step, Allow request |
| If it can't run | Same as when it fails, Block request, Run next step, Allow request |
Allow request stops and lets the request through, skipping later steps. After the last step the request is allowed. A guardrail that redacts on a match passes the redacted text on; other guardrails fail the check.
In Run all at once there are no per-step choices: every step runs and any failure blocks.
Builder
- The header shows the policy's state (On / Off), step count, mode and how many places it applies.
- Try it runs a sample Prompt or Response through the pipeline on screen, including unsaved changes, without calling the gateway. Each step shows its result.
- Where it applies lists attachments and adds new ones (Attachments). It uses the last saved pipeline.
- Changes show an Unsaved changes bar; Save or Save policy stores them. Policy actions → Delete policy removes the policy, which stops applying everywhere it was attached.
Only writable platform admins can change a policy in the builder. Everyone else can view and test it.
Enable / disable
The Policy on switch in the builder header turns a policy on or off. A disabled policy is not evaluated, even if it still has attachments. Use this as a kill switch without deleting attachments.
Policy directory
The Policies tab lists each policy with On / Off, description, mode, numbered steps and Applies to (its attachments). Not applied anywhere · not enforced flags policies without attachments. Search by name. Open builder (or View for non-admins) opens the builder; admins can also delete from here. An empty directory offers Create a policy.
Who can write
Creating, editing and deleting policies is a platform-admin write. Everyone can browse the directory.
Next: attach the policy.