Convention: Dictionary Authority
Convention: Dictionary Authority
Establishes dictionary definitions as the source of truth for all platform terminology.
Rule
Dictionary definitions (
definition-* notes) are the authoritative source of truth for platform terminology. If a template, SOP, convention, project page, or ticket uses a term that contradicts its dictionary definition, the definition takes precedence and the conflicting document must be updated to conform.Rationale
Without a single source of truth for terminology, the same word means different things in different contexts. "App" meant one thing in the project template, another in a ticket, and a third in conversation. This causes agents to make wrong assumptions, tickets to be scoped incorrectly, and architecture decisions to drift. The dictionary is the Kantian foundation — working definitions established before work begins. Per Lucas (2026-04-12): "if there is a discrepancy between the dictionary and any note or project, the dictionary should take precedence and give direction."
Examples
| Correct | Incorrect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Project page says "Boards implement user stories through architecture" (matches <code>definition-board</code>) | Project page says "The board tracks task status" | The definition says boards implement stories, not track tasks. Update the project page. |
| Ticket says "westside-app is the authenticated SvelteKit frontend" (matches <code>definition-app</code>) | Ticket says "westside-app is the landing site" | The definition says the landing page is a route inside the app, not the app itself. |
| Agent checks <code>definition-division</code> before using "division" in a Westside ticket | Agent assumes "division" means organizational unit | In Westside context, division means Kings/Queens age-group split. The definition is authoritative. |
Enforcement
Convention only (for now). Agents should check definitions when using platform terms in tickets and scope documents. Future: a
/define skill will enforce lookup-or-create on unfamiliar terms. Future: hook enforcement on issue creation to validate terminology against definitions.Related
sop-dictionary-entry— procedure for adding new definitionstemplate-project-page— project pages reference definitions for key termsdefinition-app,definition-board,definition-project— existing definitions