Change Sequence

A safe infra change starts with the repository contract, not the source file. Use this path for dataset identity, run placement, persisted records, artifact inspection, overrides, sweeps, provenance, or reference adapters.

Before Editing

Write one sentence in this form:

A <reader or caller> will observe <changed repository behavior> when <declared input or state> occurs.

If the sentence describes command wording, receiver execution, signal behavior, or navigation science, route it through the ownership decision before editing infra.

Safe Change Path

1. Identify every writer and reader of the changed state. Include older persisted records and feature-disabled callers where relevant.
2. Open the owning contract from the map below and state the invariant that changes or remains fixed.
3. Decide compatibility before changing fields, paths, schema versions, public exports, precedence, or refusal behavior.
4. Change the narrowest owner. Keep command policy and producer meaning in their packages.
5. Add or revise focused evidence for accepted, refused, and contradictory inputs.
6. Update the reader guide and operator-facing guidance in the same change when observable behavior moves.
7. Review the final diff from the caller's perspective: can someone understand the new state without knowing the implementation layout?
8. Record exact automated checks and any behavior supported only by source or contract review.

Contract And Evidence Map

changed family	contract to read	evidence to select
registry, sidecar, capture provenance	Dataset guide	dataset and raw-IQ module tests
run identity, layout, manifest, report, history	Run layout guide	named persistence review and focused tests added for changed behavior
artifact explanation or validation	Validation guide	artifact inspection module tests
override or sweep behavior	Override guide and experiment guide	override integration and module tests
configuration or repository provenance	Hashing guide	focused hash or front-end provenance tests
reference alignment or lower-owner validation bridge	Validation guide	named adapter review plus producer-package proof
public imports or feature gates	Public API contract	curated export review and boundary guardrail

Use Test Strategy to calibrate the proof claim and Definition of Done for the compatibility and handoff record. If no dedicated test protects the changed behavior, state that gap explicitly and add focused proof when the behavior is stable enough to assert.