祝融说。

This glossary applies to all three volumes, ensuring consistent terminology throughout. When an English term first appears in the Chinese text, it is annotated in parentheses after the Chinese term.

Important Notes

Terms are sorted alphabetically by their English name. Readers who encounter unfamiliar terms while reading can refer back to this glossary at any time.

A

AI Coding Assistant A code generation tool based on large language models that can understand natural language instructions and generate code. The examples in this tutorial use Claude Code as the runtime environment, but the methodology described applies to all similar tools.

Architecture Drift AI-generated code that deviates from the originally designed architectural blueprint. Manifests as three signals: foundation tampering (modifying core code that should not be changed), over-engineering (adding unnecessary complexity), and size explosion (uncontrolled expansion of a single file or module).

B

Blueprint The CONTEXT.md file, an architecture design document created before a project starts. It contains the system overview, tech stack, data model, API contracts, milestone dependency tree, and more. "No blueprint, no coding" is the first discipline.

Foreman Mode Refers to the role of engineer-orchestrator -- arranging the construction schedule, coordinating each phase, and inspecting quality, but not directly writing code.

C

CONTEXT.md The standard filename for the project blueprint. Serves as the working context for AI coding tools, containing all architectural decisions and domain terminology that need to be understood.

Code Decay The process by which code gradually loses its structural clarity through continuous modification. Typical manifestations include: a function expanding from 20 lines to 200 lines, blurring responsibility boundaries, and declining test coverage.

G

General Contractor Mode Refers to the role of engineer-orchestrator -- arranging the construction schedule, coordinating each phase, and inspecting quality, but not directly writing code.

I

Inspector Mode Refers to the role of engineer-inspector -- inspecting AI-generated code for compliance with the blueprint, and blocking architecture decay before it spreads.

Architect Mode Refers to the role of engineer-architect -- translating requirements into an executable architectural blueprint before a single line of code is written.

M

Milestone An independently verifiable functional unit. Each milestone should have clear inspection criteria, and only after passing can the next milestone proceed.

S

Six-Step Workflow The core process of AI coding, consisting of six steps: Decompose, Issue Instructions, Code, Inspect, Branch Decision, Update Blueprint.

Site Foreman Mode Refers to the role of engineer-workflow -- completing an entire feature, with every step inspected before being committed.

W

Workflow An automated execution process for a complete feature from requirements to delivery. Includes decomposition, coding, inspection, branch decision, and commit steps.

Three Disciplines + One Supplemental Principle

1. No Blueprint, No Coding -- Do not start coding without a blueprint.
2. No Inspection, No Commit -- Do not commit code without inspection.
3. When in Chaos, Rebuild -- When architecture drift is detected, roll back and rebuild rather than patching on a broken foundation.

Supplemental Principle: No Terminology, No Discussion -- Before discussing technical solutions, align on core domain terminology first. This is not a discipline (violating it will not cause the project to go out of control), but it significantly improves communication efficiency.

Six-Step Workflow

1. Decompose -- Break down the feature requirements into independently executable milestones.
2. Issue Instructions -- Clearly describe the current milestone's goal and inspection criteria to the AI.
3. Code -- The AI executes the coding.
4. Inspect -- Check whether the code meets the blueprint and inspection criteria.
5. Branch Decision -- Based on the inspection conclusion, decide the next step: PASS to commit, NEEDS_FIX to repair, REBUILD to rebuild.
6. Update Blueprint -- If new discoveries emerge during implementation, update the blueprint promptly.