> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Glossary

> Short definitions of the terms used in Iron Octopus and these docs, with links to where each is explained.

## A

**Acceptance.** The third feature stage, after Building. Iron Octopus evaluates every acceptance criterion and records a verdict with evidence. See [features](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/building-blocks/features.md).

**Acceptance criterion.** A statement of what must be true for a feature or work item to be done, written so it can be checked. Requirements are represented by acceptance criteria. See [requirements](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/building-blocks/requirements.md).

**AI worker.** A specialist configured for one kind of job, such as Planning, Coding, DevOps or Code Review. See [AI workers and teams](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/ai/workers-and-teams.md).

**Architecture.** A project's versioned blueprint: its parts, data, integrations and decisions. Iron Octopus plans features against the published version. See [your app's architecture](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/architecture/overview.md).

**Assessment.** A configured check, defined by a prompt, that evaluates a feature in Acceptance against your own standards. Assessments are optional.

**Ask.** A conversation with Iron Octopus about your work. It answers questions but can't change anything. See [Ask](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/home/ask.md).

## B

**Branch.** A separate line of work in a repository. Each feature is built on its own branch, and releasing merges it into the main branch. See [where your code lives](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/code/where-your-code-lives.md).

**Bug fix.** The kind of feature created to fix a defect in a released feature. See [defect reports](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/building-blocks/defect-reports.md).

**Building.** The second feature stage. Iron Octopus builds and reviews the work items.

## C

**Cancelled.** A stopped feature or initiative. A cancelled feature can be reopened in Planning.

**Confidence.** How sure review is about its decision, as a percentage. Iron Octopus approves a change itself only above the threshold for the change's risk level. See [review and rework](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/build/review-and-rework.md).

## D

**Defect report.** A problem you report, investigated with Iron Octopus and turned into a fix. See [defect reports](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/building-blocks/defect-reports.md).

**Dependency.** A feature that must be released before another can start building.

## E

**Evidence.** What a verdict is based on: reviewed files, review findings, test runs, artifacts, or a person's recorded result.

## F

**Feature.** One change to your app, and the unit you approve, build, check and release. See [features](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/building-blocks/features.md).

## G

**Gate.** A point in a runbook where work pauses until conditions are met, such as Planning → Building. See [built-in rules](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/rules/built-in-rules.md).

## H

**Human review.** Review by a person, required when a change is too risky, review isn't confident enough, or rework rounds run out. On screen: **Human review required**.

## I

**ID.** A permanent identifier made from the project key, a letter and a number: `BKG-I002` for an initiative, `BKG-F012` for a feature, `BKG-W031` for a work item.

**Initiative.** A goal too big for one feature, planned as several features in order. See [initiatives](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/building-blocks/initiatives.md).

## M

**Main branch.** The branch that holds your released code. Only releases change it.

## N

**Needs you.** The section of Home that lists every feature waiting for a person. See [Home and Needs you](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/home/needs-you.md).

## O

**Operational check.** Verifying a criterion by trying it in a running app. With default settings, Iron Octopus discloses these as gaps rather than passing them.

## P

**Planning.** The first feature stage. Iron Octopus drafts the acceptance criteria and work items, and you approve the plan.

**Policy.** What a runbook applies at a gate, made of rules.

**Project.** One app: its code, rules and work. See [projects](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/building-blocks/projects.md).

**Project key.** Two or three capital letters, such as `BKG`, that prefix every ID in a project. It never changes.

## R

**Release.** Merging a finished feature into the project's main branch. Releasing doesn't deploy your app. See [release a feature](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/build/release-a-feature.md).

**Released.** The final feature stage. A released feature never changes.

**Rework.** Sending a change back to be fixed after review finds issues.

**Risk level.** Low, Standard, High or Critical, classified for each change from what it touches. It sets how closely the change is reviewed. See [review and rework](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/build/review-and-rework.md#risk-levels).

**Rule.** A single decision a policy makes, such as whether a release needs approval. See [built-in rules](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/rules/built-in-rules.md).

**Runbook.** The whole process for a feature or work item, with its gates and rules. See [built-in rules](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/rules/built-in-rules.md).

## S

**Static review.** Checking acceptance criteria by reading the code and what the work produced, without running tests or the app. It's the default.

## T

**Team.** A group of AI workers, one per role, assigned to projects. Not a group of people.

## V

**Verdict.** The result of evaluating a criterion: Satisfied, Not satisfied, Unverifiable, Blocked or Not applicable.

## W

**Work item.** One piece of a feature's work, built and reviewed on its own. See [work items](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/building-blocks/work-items.md).

**Workspace.** Your company's account: members, projects, billing and rules. See [workspaces](https://docs.ironoctopus.ai/building-blocks/workspaces.md).


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