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evanflow-glossary

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Extract canonical domain terms into CONTEXT.md. Flag ambiguities (same word, different meanings) and synonyms (different words, same meaning). Re-invoking updates the file in place. Use when authoring or updating CONTEXT.md, or when a new domain term emerges in conversation.

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Source SKILL.md: https://github.com/evanklem/evanflow/blob/HEAD/skills/evanflow-glossary/SKILL.md

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EvanFlow: Ubiquitous Language

Vocabulary

See evanflow meta-skill.

When to Use

  • Authoring CONTEXT.md for the first time (Phase B of EvanFlow rollout)
  • A new domain term emerged in conversation and should be added
  • Auditing existing terminology for ambiguity (same word, multiple meanings) or synonyms (different words, same meaning)
  • Before any architectural conversation that depends on shared language

The Flow

1. Read Current State

  • If CONTEXT.md exists: read it. Identify clusters and gaps.
  • Read recent code in the relevant area: router file, service file, schema, page. Names in code are the de facto terminology.
  • Read recent ADRs in docs/adr/ for terms decided there.

2. Extract Terms

Walk the conversation + relevant code. Pull out:

  • Nouns — entities and value objects in your domain
  • Verbs — domain operations (e.g., negotiate, queue, withdraw, settle, escalate)
  • Status enums — explicit lifecycle states (e.g., OrderStatus, MessageStatus)
  • Relationships — cardinalities between entities (one-to-many, many-to-many)

3. Flag Conflicts

Two questions to ask the user for each conflict:

  • Ambiguity: "The word X is used for both A and B. Which canonical meaning, and what should the other one be renamed to?"
  • Synonyms: "The codebase uses both User and Account for the same concept. Which is canonical? The other becomes a deprecated alias."

Propose recommended answers. Don't just dump the conflicts on the user.

4. Write CONTEXT.md

Default location: /CONTEXT.md at repo root. (Mattpocock convention.)

Format:

# <Project> Domain Language

## <Cluster Name> (e.g., "Identity & Accounts")

| Term | Definition (one sentence) | Aliases to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| **User** | Canonical noun for an authenticated account. | Account (legacy), Customer (billing-layer only) |
| **Category** | A primary classification used for matching/filtering. | Type, Tag, Vertical |

## <Next Cluster>

...

## Relationships

- **EntityA** → **EntityB**: many-to-many via a join table.
- **EntityA** → **EntityC**: one-to-many; EntityCs are managed by an automated process.

5. Re-invoke Behavior

If CONTEXT.md already exists:

  • Read it
  • Add new terms in their existing cluster (or create a new cluster)
  • Update evolved definitions
  • Refresh the example dialogue if present
  • Don't duplicate; merge

Hard Rules

  • One sentence per definition. If you need a paragraph, the term is too vague — split it.
  • Domain terms only. Skip generic programming concepts (function, class, etc.).
  • Be prescriptive. Pick canonical synonyms; don't list every variant as equally valid.
  • Cardinality in bold. "User has many Orders."
  • Never auto-commit. Append CONTEXT.md changes to a stage; ask before commit.

Hand-offs

  • New ADR needed (decision behind a term) → write under docs/adr/
  • Terms reveal architectural friction → evanflow-improve-architecture