System-definition artifact

Type: kb/types/definition.md · Status: current · Tags: learning-theory

A system-definition artifact is a retained artifact whose operative part is consumed through a path that defines, configures, constrains, routes, validates, evaluates, or trains future behavior. The term is shorthand for a high-authority behavioral authority family, not an intrinsic artifact class.

Scope

System-definition artifacts include retained artifacts used with force such as:

  • instruction - prompts, rules, standing guidance, playbooks, persona files
  • configuration or routing - tool allowlists, route tables, scheduler policies, context-loading rules
  • validation or enforcement - schemas, tests, validators, guardrails, permission policies
  • evaluation - rubrics, acceptance checks, reviewer gates, benchmark criteria
  • learning input - trace datasets, reward signals, training records, preference labels

The artifact may be prose, symbolic, distributed-parametric, or mixed. A Markdown file, schema, script, vector index, checkpoint, or training dataset can all be system-definition artifacts when the consumption path gives them behavior-shaping force.

Exclusions

Declared intent is not enough. A policy document is not a system-definition artifact for a given system if no component reads, invokes, validates against, routes through, or learns from it.

The term does not replace the four artifact-analysis fields. A precise record still names storage substrate, representational form, lineage, and behavioral authority.

Misuse Cases

  • Treating "system-definition" as a representational form, as if all system-definition artifacts were prose prompts or symbolic code.
  • Calling every important artifact system definition. A canonical API spec is a knowledge artifact when read as reference and a system-definition artifact when a validator, generator, or runtime consumes it to constrain behavior.
  • Ignoring lineage for generated system-definition artifacts. High-authority derived views need explicit source, invalidation, and regeneration rules.

Relevant Notes:

  • behavioral authority - parent field: system-definition artifact is an authority-path family
  • knowledge artifact - contrast: retained artifacts consumed as evidence, reference, context, explanation, or advice
  • lineage - interaction: high-authority derived artifacts need stronger invalidation discipline