A standard is a ratified rule that governs how the system is built. It is the canonical reference, not a suggestion.
Definition
A standard is an identified, versioned rule with a stated scope and compliance tier. It defines required behavior, not preference.
Purpose
- Make required behavior explicit and verifiable.
- Keep independent implementations interoperable.
- Separate what is mandatory from what is optional.
Principles
identified— every standard has a stable reference and version.scoped— applicability and boundaries are stated.tiered— required, recommended, optional, deprecated.verifiable— compliance is checkable, not assumed.
Anti-patterns
- A standard with no owner or version.
- Mandatory and optional rules left ambiguous.
- Compliance claimed without verification.
- A standard that outlives its scope.
Output Standard
Each standard states its id, version, scope, tier, and verification method — adoptable without interpretation.
Related
Specifies entry contracts, value metrics, and layer boundaries.
Contact
For architecture review or partnership, write to hi@std.md.