Proof Matrix

Page Maps

graph LR
  family["Python Programming"]
  program["Python Object-Oriented Programming"]
  section["Guides"]
  page["Proof Matrix"]
  capstone["Capstone evidence"]

  family --> program --> section --> page
  page -.applies in.-> capstone

flowchart LR
  claim["Name the exact claim"] --> class["Classify the claim type"]
  class --> route["Choose the first honest route"]
  route --> artifact["Inspect the first artifact"]
  artifact --> compare["Compare evidence to the owning boundary"]
  compare --> escalate["Escalate only if the claim is still not settled"]

Use this page when the design question is already clear and the remaining uncertainty is about proof. This is not the page for "what does the system do?" or "which module should I study?" It is the page for:

I think the claim is ____. What is the smallest honest route that can actually test it?

The main mistake this page is trying to prevent is proof inflation: reaching for the strongest command, the largest test sweep, or the most artifacts before the claim has earned that weight.

First classify the claim

Most OOP proof trouble comes from mixing unlike claims. Decide which family you are in before choosing a route.

Claim family	Typical question	First thing you need
semantics claim	what kind of thing is this object, and what does equality or representation mean	model and lifecycle surfaces
ownership claim	which object or boundary is authoritative for this rule	owner-facing files plus one supporting artifact
lifecycle claim	which states are legal and where illegal transitions are blocked	lifecycle tests and inspection outputs
collaboration claim	how several objects participate without stealing authority	aggregate, projection, and runtime relationship surfaces
persistence or runtime claim	how storage, publication, or coordination stay downstream of truth	repository/runtime boundaries plus saved evidence
public-trust claim	what is safe to expose, extend, or depend on	public route docs, extension surfaces, and stronger proof bundles

If you cannot classify the claim yet, step back to Pressure Routes or the relevant module page. Proof is premature until the claim itself is stable.

First honest routes by claim family

Claim family	First route	First artifact to inspect	Escalate to...
semantics	inspect	rules.txt, model.py, lifecycle-focused tests	capstone-verify-report if the claim reaches beyond one object contract
ownership	capstone-walkthrough or inspect	walkthrough.txt, application.py, model.py	capstone-verify-report if collaboration or runtime evidence is needed
lifecycle	inspect	rules.txt, snapshot.json, lifecycle tests	capstone-verify-report if the claim spans projections or persistence
collaboration	capstone-verify-report	history.txt, timeline.txt, projections.py, read_models.py	proof if the claim reaches public review or stewardship level
persistence or runtime	capstone-verify-report	pytest.txt, repository/runtime tests, saved bundles	proof if you need the full review route
public trust or extension	proof	extension docs, public tests, complete saved bundle set	only after smaller routes have already made the boundary legible

Concrete capstone claim routes

Exact claim	First route	First surface	Why this is the honest start
MonitoringPolicy owns lifecycle transitions	inspect	rules.txt, model.py, lifecycle tests	the claim is about domain legality, not full-system behavior
evaluation variation does not relocate ownership	capstone-walkthrough	walkthrough.txt, policies.py, model.py	the walkthrough shows the policy in use without pretending runtime owns the decision
projections stay downstream of truth	capstone-verify-report	history.txt, timeline.txt, read_models.py, projections.py	you need both executable confirmation and saved derived outputs
repository and runtime do not become domain owners	capstone-verify-report	pytest.txt, repository.py, runtime.py	the claim reaches beyond one file and needs cross-boundary evidence
the public learner route still tells the truth end to end	proof	walkthrough, inspection, and verification bundles together	this is an end-to-end claim and should be treated as one

Course-outcome to proof route

Course outcome	First route	First artifact
distinguish value, entity, policy, and adapter roles	inspect	model.py, rules.txt, lifecycle tests
defend the owner of a rule	capstone-walkthrough	walkthrough.txt, application.py, model.py
make illegal states harder to construct	inspect	lifecycle tests and snapshot.json
preserve invariants through collaboration	capstone-verify-report	history.txt, timeline.txt, aggregate and projection surfaces
keep storage and runtime outside the model	capstone-verify-report	repository.py, runtime.py, executable review bundle
defend public seams and extension governance	proof	public docs, extension surfaces, full saved bundle set

Escalation rules

Move to a stronger route only when one of these is true:

• the first route answers only part of the claim
• the claim crosses more boundaries than the first artifact can cover
• the first artifact and the owning code disagree
• you now need public review confidence rather than local design confidence

Do not escalate just because a stronger route exists.

Bad proof habits

• starting with proof because it feels safer than judgment
• reading raw tests first when a saved bundle would answer the question faster
• using one artifact as if it proved semantics, ownership, runtime, and public trust all at once
• treating a green command as proof without checking whether the output actually addresses the claim

Good proof habits

• write the claim in one sentence before choosing a route
• inspect the first artifact before opening more code
• compare the evidence with the claimed owner directly
• stop as soon as the claim is honestly settled

When this page is not enough

If you know the claim family but still do not know which route feels proportionate, move to Proof Ladder. If you know the route but not the capstone surface, move to Capstone Map.

Exit check

Leave this page only when you can say:

My claim is ____, it is a ____ claim, the first honest route is ____, and the first artifact I should inspect is ____.