Repository manualdocs/TEMPLATE_SYSTEM_GUIDE.md

Template System Guide

Canonical documentation rendered from the repository docs/ folder.

Template System Guide

This guide is the authoritative operational reference for Template System Guide in MD 2.0.3.

1. Registry and families

Registry and families is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

2. Prompt routing contract

Prompt routing contract is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

3. Resolution algorithm

Resolution algorithm is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

4. Documentation templates

Documentation templates is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

5. Deck templates

Deck templates is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

6. Report templates

Report templates is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

7. Visual templates

Visual templates is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

8. Core templates

Core templates is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

9. Conformance and evaluation

Conformance and evaluation is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

10. Adding or modifying templates

Adding or modifying templates is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.

11. Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting is governed by explicit machine-readable policies and validated artifacts. Operators must preserve evidence, authority, compatibility, deterministic exit behavior, and honest limitations.

Required behavior

Resolve canonical sources before acting.
Record the selected contract and any exception.
Use least privilege and deterministic verification.
Emit telemetry without storing secrets.
Preserve cross-links, ownership, and review triggers.

Verification

[ ] Static structure is valid.
[ ] Runtime behavior matches the documented contract.
[ ] Failure behavior is explicit and fail-closed.
[ ] Cross-platform or cross-format parity is checked where applicable.
[ ] Residual unknowns are visible.