Docs / The format
Rings
Every section carries a ring, fixed, guided or free, that tells the next model how much it may change and who decides.
Every section heading names its ring after a middle dot: ## Behaviour · fixed. The ring tells the next model how much freedom it has. Fixed rules keep your product recognisable; the free ring is where every model generation gets better.
| Ring | What it means for the next edition | Typical sections |
|---|---|---|
| fixed | Rebuilt exactly. Changes only through a recorded decision. | Behaviour, Contracts, Face, texts |
| guided | The model may propose a better way, with a measurable gain. Accepting it becomes a decision. | Build: stack, architecture, libraries |
| free | Every edition may improve it without asking. Only the checks decide. | Implementation, internal names, algorithms, layout details |
The same request, three rings
A single request meets the three rings differently. Here someone asks for speed and for stacked vouchers.
| Ring | The agent's answer | Result |
|---|---|---|
| free | Speed: prices computed in one pass, photos load lazily. | done |
| guided | Build: compute prices at the edge. Faster, but needs a decision. | proposal |
| fixed | C2 stays: one voucher per order. Reason: decision/one-voucher, stacked discounts were abused. | declined |
Choosing a ring
- Fix what users and other systems notice: amounts, flows, texts, URLs, APIs, stored data, the look of key screens.
- Guide what is expensive to change back: the database, the framework, where code runs.
- Free everything else. Writing the Free section down is what lets a better model improve it.
- Start with fewer fixed rules. A fixed rule without a check is only a wish; tighten as your checks grow.