# Glossary The repository, package, versioning, and publishing terms used throughout Semifold. Source: https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/concepts/glossary/ Language: en Use this page when a Semifold term is unfamiliar or when two similar concepts need to be distinguished. ## Repository and packages [#repository-and-packages] ### Monorepo [#monorepo] A Git repository that contains more than one independently versioned package or project. A **polyglot monorepo** contains packages from multiple language ecosystems. ### Workspace [#workspace] The set of packages Semifold manages as one dependency graph. Semifold builds this graph from package manifests, built-in ecosystem adapters, repository-local plugins, and explicit `depends-on` relationships. ### Package [#package] One versioned unit in the workspace. A package has a stable `PackageId`, a manifest name, a version, a path, an ecosystem, and a publishability state. ### PackageId [#packageid] The stable identifier used as a key under `[packages]` in `.changes/config.toml` and in changesets. It does not have to equal the name published to a registry. ```toml [packages.web-bindings] path = "packages/web" resolver = "nodejs" ``` Here, `web-bindings` is the `PackageId`; the `name` in `package.json` may be different. ### Manifest [#manifest] The ecosystem-specific file that describes a package. Examples include `Cargo.toml`, `package.json`, `pyproject.toml`, `CMakeLists.txt`, and `vcpkg.json`. ## Ecosystems and extension [#ecosystems-and-extension] ### Ecosystem [#ecosystem] A package format and its surrounding version and publishing conventions, such as Cargo/crates.io or npm. Semifold identifies each ecosystem with a stable ID such as `rust`, `nodejs`, or `com.example.game`. ### Adapter and resolver [#adapter-and-resolver] An **adapter** is the implementation boundary that discovers packages, reads their versions and dependencies, and plans manifest edits. The configuration uses the historical name `resolver` to select an ecosystem and to define its publish commands and registry pre-check. ### Plugin [#plugin] A repository-local, single-file JavaScript implementation of an ecosystem adapter. A plugin can discover and inspect packages and plan version edits. It cannot write files, run commands, access host credentials, publish packages, or create Forge releases. ## Versioning [#versioning] ### Changeset [#changeset] A small Markdown file under `.changes/` that records which `PackageId` values changed, their requested version bump, their changelog category, and a human-readable summary. ### Bump level [#bump-level] The requested version increase: `patch`, `minor`, or `major`. Dependency propagation and release-channel rules may increase or add package bumps after the direct changesets are read. ### Changelog tag [#changelog-tag] A label such as `feat` or `fix` that chooses a changelog section. A tag categorizes a change; it does not select a release channel. ### Release channel [#release-channel] The publishing state of a package, such as `stable`, `rc`, or `beta`. Named channels affect version encoding and, for Node.js, should be paired with the corresponding npm dist-tag. ### Release plan [#release-plan] The immutable result displayed by `smif status`: target versions, reasons, dependency propagation, planned file edits, and a fingerprint. `smif version` computes and applies the same release decision from the same repository state. ## Publishing [#publishing] ### Publish plan [#publish-plan] The ordered work Semifold derives after versions and changelogs have been written. It contains registry checks, prepublish and publish commands, package ordering, and optional Forge work. ### Registry [#registry] The package service that stores published versions, such as crates.io, npm, or PyPI. Semifold can run an HTTP or command pre-check before executing a package's publish command. ### Forge [#forge] A source-hosting and release service. Semifold currently integrates with GitHub Releases and release assets independently from registry publishing. ### Dry run [#dry-run] A preview execution selected with `--dry-run`. File, registry, and Forge mutations are skipped. Read-only registry pre-checks still run, and a configured command runs only when it explicitly has `dry-run = true`. ## Where to continue [#where-to-continue] * [Understand Semifold](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/introduction/) for the complete product model. * [Configuration overview](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/configuration/overview/) for how these concepts appear in `.changes/config.toml`. * [Plugin system](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/plugins/overview/) for custom ecosystem support.