The terms that matter
The architecture uses a tight vocabulary. Knowing which terms are durable truth and which are command language removes most confusion.
5 min read
Vocabulary rule
A command word is not always the owner name
Terms like proposal are useful in the command surface but do not always map to the durable object that owns the workflow.
Trouble spot
Review session and review are different
One belongs to repo workflow truth, the other to hosted review truth.
Practical use
Use the glossary while reading flows
This page is most helpful when a workflow or subsystem page introduces a term that sounds familiar but means something precise here.
How to use this glossary
When two terms sound close, assume they are different until proven otherwise. The architecture intentionally separates local workflow truth, hosted review truth, and remote authority.
Use the 'Why it matters' column to see why a term exists, not only how it is defined.
Core terms
| Term | Meaning | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | A local workbook work unit in the workspace. | Most local commands target an entry identifier, not a remote workbook identifier. |
| Workspace truth | Persistent local truth under `.agent-sheet`. | It records what exists locally before any repo or hosted flow begins. |
| Local change batch | A durable local editing record, not a snapshot diff. | It captures local collaborative editing truth. |
| Proposal | A command and read-model term in sheet-git. | It helps the user operate the workflow but is not the deepest durable owner. |
| Review session | Repo and workflow truth for a reviewable lineage. | It organizes review lifecycle from the local workflow side. |
| Hosted revision | The hosted review artifact exposed to reviewers. | Bob reads this surface instead of local repo state. |
| Replay run | Execution truth for pushing approved lineage to origin. | It tracks whether origin replay has happened or is in progress. |
| Pull projection | Workflow truth for local catch-up after remote progression. | It tells the system what confirmed remote state has been materialized locally. |
| Origin sync state | Entry-level projection of remote attach and sync state. | It helps local tools explain whether an entry is attached, clean, or needs recovery. |
| Clean attached baseline | A clean local baseline created from an attached remote workbook. | The system must not misread this state as a local draft. |
| Truth owner | The package with final authority over a model and its state transitions. | It is the main question behind every architecture boundary. |
| Runtime seam | The stable contract between shells and the execution runtime. | It keeps workbook execution safe and predictable across shells. |
Common mix-ups
- proposal is not the same thing as review session
- review session is not the same thing as hosted review
- approved does not mean replayed to origin
- policy owner does not equal persistence owner
- public surface does not mean every deep import is supported