Glossary
Key terms used throughout CRAFT documentation. Definitions here align with the product's source-of-truth specifications.
- Actions
- The default tab in the CRAFT add-in. Shows context-aware suggestions based on your current host state and selection. The primary surface for running automations. When you select objects in your CAD host, the Actions panel updates to show relevant automations for that context.
- Adapt
- Modify an existing capability with bounded variation. Adapt preserves the connection to the original and is suggested when a similar capability already exists. The adapted version inherits provenance from the original.
- Automation
- A self-contained, versioned operation that runs inside your CAD host. The preferred product-level term for what you create, run, and share in CRAFT (internally tracked as a Workflow artifact type). Each automation has a unique identifier, semantic version, and defined state (draft, published, or deprecated). See also: Capability.
- Execution Blocked
- A status in the Gate output indicating that execution is hard-blocked and cannot be overridden by the user. Common causes: insufficient seat, dependency failure, or unacknowledged data disclosure. See Gate reference.
- Canonical Signature
- A content hash computed using deterministic serialization of an artifact or component definition. Used for identity and integrity verification.
- Capability
- The primary reusable unit in CRAFT. A registry-governed, contract-defined operation identified by a unique registry identifier. Capabilities are the foundation that automations are built from. The system prefers retrieving and composing existing capabilities over generating new ones.
- Component
- A reusable building block within an automation. Components come in three tiers: primitive (wraps a single host API operation), composite (assembled from other components), and algorithm (parametric or generative logic). Each component has a verifiable identity used for integrity checking.
- Egress Disclosure
- The section of the Gate output that shows whether an operation will make network calls, send host context externally, or collect telemetry. All three fields default to disabled. If any field is enabled, the user must explicitly acknowledge before proceeding. Acknowledgment is per-operation.
- Execution Plan
- The detailed plan of what an automation will do. Generated deterministically from the requirement specification and templates. You review the execution plan through the Preview/Validate Gate before approving any operation.
- Export
- Packaging an automation as a portable zip archive for sharing. The export includes the manifest, artifact definition, lockfile, and attribution metadata. Requires a Creator seat.
- Fork
- Create a new, independent derivative from an existing capability. Fork gives the new automation a fresh identity while tracking its provenance back to the original. Use fork when you need to diverge significantly from the source.
- Gate
- The Preview/Validate Gate — a mandatory inspection step that runs before every consequential operation (run, export, import, publish, validate). The Gate produces 7 required outputs, enforces fail-closed behavior, and cannot be bypassed. See Preview, Validate & Gate.
- Import
- Receiving an automation package (zip archive) from another CRAFT user. The Gate verifies package integrity and signature before allowing the import. Any authenticated user can import and view; running requires a Runner seat.
- Library
- A browsable surface showing published, reusable capabilities. Available as a top-level tab in the CRAFT add-in. Supports searching, inspecting provenance, adapting existing capabilities, and forking new derivatives.
- Lockfile
- A file recording the exact resolved dependency versions used by an automation. The lockfile ensures reproducible re-runs — the same lockfile produces the same execution plan. If dependencies become outdated, the Gate blocks execution until they are refreshed.
- Machine Fingerprint
- A device identifier used to bind activation tokens to a specific machine. Ensures that activation tokens cannot be transferred between machines.
- Passive Registry
- The shared artifact store hosted on the CRAFT server. It accepts, stores, and serves signed automation packages. The registry does not execute, modify, or interpret automations. It is read-only from the client's perspective once artifacts are published.
- Preset
- A user-saved parameter configuration for personal reuse. Presets are stored locally on your machine and are not published to the shared library. One of the three save paths available after creating an automation in the Quick Builder.
- Publish
- The act of promoting an automation artifact to the shared registry. Published artifacts are immutable, signed by the CRAFT signing key, and versioned with semantic versioning. Requires a Creator seat on a Team or Enterprise tier.
- Quick Builder
- The guided authoring surface for creating automations. Follows a structured flow: describe your task, check for similar existing capabilities, configure parameters, preview through the Gate, and choose a save path (Run Once, Save Preset, or Save as Automation).
- Quick Start
- A wizard mode in the Quick Builder that starts from a curated starting point. The starting point pre-fills most wizard parameters, letting you get to the Gate and run quickly. Compare with Custom mode, which walks through all parameters.
- Custom
- A wizard mode in the Quick Builder that walks through the full parameter flow (host, task type, entities, filters, output fields). Use Custom mode when no starting point matches your task or when you need precise control over every parameter. Compare with Quick Start mode.
- Requirement Specification
- A structured record of the user's answers during the wizard, captured within the automation package. The same requirement specification always produces the same execution plan (deterministic generation).
- Save Paths
- After the Gate passes, the Quick Builder offers three save paths: Run Once (execute without saving), Save Preset (save parameters locally for personal reuse), or Save as Automation (publish to the registry for team reuse).
- Seat
- An entitlement type that determines which operations a user can perform. The three seat types are Runner, Creator, and Approver/Maintainer. Seats are additive — each higher seat includes all lower capabilities.
- Starting Point
- A curated, built-in seed that pre-fills the wizard for common tasks. Shown during cold start or when creating a new automation. Starting points help new users get productive quickly by providing a pre-configured foundation for typical tasks.
- Tier
- The underlying license level that determines collaboration capabilities. The three tiers are Individual, Team, and Enterprise. Users see these as packaging profiles: Free, Pro, Studio, and Enterprise. Publishing to the shared registry requires a team-level plan (Pro or Studio with team registry access) or Enterprise.
- Trust Anchor
- A public key used to verify artifact signatures. Trust anchors are embedded in the CRAFT client by default (no network fetch). Organizations can configure additional trust anchors through the admin interface. Each trust anchor has a key ID, algorithm, validity period, and status.
- Validate
- A read-only operation that runs the full Gate inspection without executing the automation. Available to any authenticated user, regardless of seat type. Validate is informational only — it never modifies your model or data.
- Workflow
- The internal artifact type name for a packaged automation. In all product contexts, “automation” is the preferred term. See: Automation.