RFC-RFCSTD-0003                                                  Appendix A
Category: Standards Track                                         Glossary

Appendix A: Glossary

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Term Definitions

Specification RFC

An RFC of Kind: Specification that defines how to implement an architecture without containing code. Specification RFCs bridge Architecture RFCs (conceptual) and actual implementation.

Prerequisite

Something that MUST or SHOULD exist before implementation can begin. Prerequisites are categorized as:

Phase

A sequential unit of implementation work. Each phase follows the structure:

Task → Test → Iterate

Phases are:

• Sequential (must complete in order)
• Checkpoint-based (verification before proceeding)
• Isolated (failure doesn't corrupt previous phases)
• Reversible (rollback procedure documented)

Resource

Something created during implementation—typically a Kubernetes resource, configuration, or infrastructure component. Resources are documented in tables, not code.

Validation Criterion

A deterministic, binary check that verifies implementation correctness. Criteria are:

Test Category

A classification of tests with defined purpose, scope, and acceptance criteria. Common categories:

Risk

Something that can go wrong during or after implementation. Risks have:

Caveat

A known limitation or constraint of the implementation. Caveats are not risks—they are expected behaviors that users should be aware of.

Loophole

An edge case that the implementation may not fully address. Loopholes should document how they are addressed (or acknowledge if unaddressed).

Deterministic

A validation is deterministic if it produces the same result regardless of who performs it or when. Deterministic validations:

• Have a single, unambiguous pass condition
• Use objective measurements
• Are reproducible

Abbreviations

End of Appendix A — RFC-RFCSTD-0003