Glossary & Impact Map

Version: 1.6.2 | Last updated: 2026-03-24 Purpose: List of terminologies, variables, and fields used in PARA Workspace. Each entry = 5 standardized fields (graph-ready design).

active_plan

• Definition: Path to the active implementation plan. Supports local path and @{ecosystem}/ cross-project prefix.
• Defined in: kernel/schema/project.schema.json (type: string|null)
• Used in:
  • /open (Step 5) — read plan summary
  • /open (Step 5.5) — roadmap context (v1.6.1)
  • /end (Step 4) — check plan progress
  • /end (Step 4.5) — roadmap status sync (v1.6.1)
  • /plan (create Step 2.8, Step 10, review Step 1, Step 6.5) — activate/read/lifecycle plan
  • /para-audit (update Step 3) — validate field exists
• Impact on change: 4 workflows. If @ prefix syntax changes → update resolution logic in 4 places.
• Notes: Only points to detail plans, never points to roadmaps. Roadmaps serve as reference context (v1.6.1).
• Related: ecosystem, type, satellites, roadmap, detail_plan

type

• Definition: Project type. standard = normal project, ecosystem = meta-project coordinating satellites.
• Defined in: kernel/schema/project.schema.json (enum: standard|ecosystem, default: standard)
• Used in:
  • /open (Step 2) — ecosystem detection
  • /open (Step 7) — skip git for ecosystem
  • /end (Step 3.5) — skip git suggestions
  • /new-project (Step 2) — prompt project type
  • /para-audit (update Step 3) — validate consistency
• Impact on change: 5 workflows. If new enum value added → update 5 places.
• Related: ecosystem, satellites

ecosystem

• Definition: Parent ecosystem name (meta-project slug). Set on satellite projects.
• Defined in: kernel/schema/project.schema.json (type: string|null, pattern: kebab-case)
• Used in:
  • /open (Step 2) — note parent ecosystem
  • /open (Step 5) — resolve @ prefix
  • /para-audit (update Step 3) — cross-reference with satellites list
  • /new-project (Step 2) — prompt ecosystem name
• Impact on change: 4 workflows. If naming convention changes → rename all satellite project.md.
• Related: type, satellites, active_plan

satellites

• Definition: List of satellite project slugs. Only valid when type: ecosystem.
• Defined in: kernel/schema/project.schema.json (type: array|null, items: kebab-case)
• Used in:
  • /open (Step 2, Step 8) — display satellite list in report
  • /para-audit (update Step 3) — cross-reference with satellite ecosystem fields
• Impact on change: 2 workflows. Low impact — display + validation only.
• Related: type, ecosystem

profile

• Definition: Profile preset used during workspace init. Directs departments/capabilities.
• Defined in: kernel/schema/workspace.schema.json + project.schema.json (enum: dev|general|marketer|ceo)
• Used in:
  • para init CLI — select profile
  • para scaffold CLI — set in .project.yml
  • Profile presets (templates/profiles/*/preset.yaml) — directory structure
  • /new-project (Step 2) — inherit from workspace
• Impact on change: Schema (2 files), CLI (2 commands), templates (4 presets), workflows (1). Very High.
• Related: kernel_version

kernel_version

• Definition: Kernel version at the time of init/update. SemVer format.
• Defined in: kernel/schema/workspace.schema.json + project.schema.json (type: string, pattern: semver)
• Used in:
  • .para-workspace.yml — workspace level
  • project.md — project level
  • para update CLI — compat check
  • para migrate CLI — version diff
  • Catalog catalog.yml — kernel_min/kernel_max constraints
  • /para-audit (update Step 1) — detect version change
• Impact on change: Schema (2), CLI (2), catalog (every workflow entry), audit (1). Very High.
• Related: profile

has_rules

• Definition: Boolean indicating if project has custom rules. DEPRECATED v1.6.2 — completely replaced by agent map.
• Defined in: kernel/schema/project.schema.json (type: boolean, default: false, deprecated)
• Used in:
  • /open (Step 2.5c) — fallback only when agent.rules is absent (backward compat)
  • /plan (Step 2.7 D2) — fallback for project rules loading
  • /para-audit (update Step 5) — legacy migration detection
• Impact on change: 3 workflows (fallback paths only). Can be safely removed after all projects migrate to agent map.
• Notes: Replaced by agent map (v1.6.2). /open checks agent.rules first, fallbacks to has_rules.
• Related: agent

agent

• Definition: Agent configuration map for project-level indices. Contains rules (boolean) and skills (boolean).
• Defined in: kernel/schema/project.schema.json (type: object|null, v1.6.2+)
• Used in:
  • /open (Step 2.5c) — gate rules/skills index loading
  • /plan (Step 2.7 D2-D3) — load project rules/skills constraints
  • /para-audit (update Step 3, 5) — schema compliance + index consistency
  • context-rules.md (§4) — Two-Tier project index loading
• Impact on change: 4 workflows + 2 rules. Successor to has_rules.
• Related: has_rules (deprecated predecessor)

proactive_trigger_check

• Definition: Safety mechanism (v1.6.2) — agent scans ALL trigger tables (rules.md + skills.md, workspace + project level) BEFORE any side-effect action. Principle: “Check THEN act”.
• Defined in: Convention — agent-behavior.md §4 + context-rules.md §4 (v1.6.2)
• Used in:
  • agent-behavior.md §4 — Context Recovery + proactive check clause
  • context-rules.md §4 — Agent Index Loading procedure
  • /open Step 2.5 — initial load establishing trigger awareness
  • All workflows Step 0 — Pre-flight re-reads (Layer 3 defense)
• Impact on change: 2 rules + 8 workflows. Core behavioral constraint.
• Related: agent, has_rules

strategy

• Definition: docs/strategy/ directory containing strategic documents (vision, decisions, product flows). Detected via filesystem, requires no schema fields.
• Defined in: Convention — no schema (v1.6.1). Detected by existence of docs/strategy/.
• Used in:
  • /docs (Step 3.5) — strategy docs discovery + suggestion to create
  • /plan (Step 2.5) — brainstorm/strategy priority (D7, skip brainstorm if strategy newer)
  • /plan (Step 2.9) — strategy context loading for detail plans
  • /open (Step 2 ext) — strategy summary loading (~30 tokens)
  • /open (Step 5.5) — strategy cascade detection (D10)
  • /end (Step 3.2) — strategy change detection → SYNC entries
• Impact on change: 4 workflows. If folder path changes → update all glob patterns.
• Related: roadmap, detail_plan, active_plan

roadmap

• Definition: plans/*-roadmap.md — living index of detail plans linked by phases. Never archived, never set as active_plan. Recognized via naming convention.
• Defined in: Convention — pattern [scope]-roadmap.md (v1.6.1). No schema field.
• Used in:
  • /plan (Step 2.8) — plan type selection (detect existing roadmaps)
  • /plan (Step 2.9) — extract target phase for detail plan scope
  • /plan (Step 10) — auto-update roadmap status when detail plan activated
  • /plan (review Step 6.5) — roadmap lifecycle (mark done, suggest next)
  • /open (Step 5.5) — roadmap context loading (phase overview)
  • /end (Step 3.2) — roadmap change detection
  • /end (Step 4.5) — roadmap status sync
• Impact on change: 3 workflows. If naming convention changes → update all glob patterns.
• Related: strategy, detail_plan, active_plan

detail_plan

• Definition: plans/*.md (excluding roadmaps) — task-level implementation plan for a specific feature/version. IS active_plan. Archived to plans/done/ when completed.
• Defined in: Convention — any plans/*.md minus *-roadmap.md (v1.6.1).
• Used in:
  • /plan (Step 2.8) — plan type selection (counts active plans)
  • /plan (Step 9-10) — save + activate into active_plan
  • /plan (review Step 6) — archive to plans/done/
  • All workflows indirectly via active_plan indicator.
• Impact on change: Indirect effect via active_plan. Low standalone impact.
• Related: roadmap, strategy, active_plan

Impact Summary