docs: ICP brand voice terminology — onchain, offchain, governance language#277
Merged
Conversation
Replace "onchain"/"on-chain" with specific attributes (on the network, canister code, network-enforced, etc.) and "decentralized" with precise alternatives (distributed, community-governed, governed by the NNS) across 27 concept, guide, and reference pages. Domain exceptions kept for DeFi/MEV context and governance API identifiers per brand voice rules.
Use offchain/crosschain (no hyphen) consistently, matching tamperproof style. Replace "tokenize your application" in choose-your-path.md with precise language: "issue a governance token and transfer control".
github-actions
Bot
added
the
interface-spec
mraszyk
approved these changes
May 27, 2026
"Distributed" and "decentralized" are not synonyms: distributed describes architecture (nodes, data spread), decentralized describes governance (no single controlling party). The brand voice rule only bans "decentralized" as a marketing pitch; using it to describe governance trust level is correct and precise.
Restores original "isn't decentralized" phrasing; the replacement added context but changed the meaning in a governance-trust context where "decentralized" is the correct term.
Replaces ambiguous "no direct network effect" (reads as the economics term) with "non-binding vote", the standard term for a vote that signals consensus without triggering protocol changes.
"Onchain AI" names a platform property; "AI inference" names what the developer is doing, which is the right framing for a guides page. Updates two internal links in application-canisters.md.
venkkatesh-sekar
approved these changes
May 27, 2026
Kamirus
approved these changes
May 27, 2026
marc0olo
commented
May 27, 2026
marc0olo
commented
May 27, 2026
marc0olo
commented
May 27, 2026
marc0olo
commented
May 27, 2026
marc0olo
commented
May 27, 2026
marc0olo
commented
May 27, 2026
marc0olo
commented
May 27, 2026
marc0olo
commented
May 27, 2026
marc0olo
commented
May 27, 2026
- settings.mdx: DAO-governed → Community-governed, token-holder → asset-holder - canister-migration.md: offchain systems → external third-party/external systems - ai-inference.mdx: offchain dependencies → external dependencies - choose-your-path.md: governance token → governance asset - sns-framework.md: SNS token holders → SNS asset holders - chain-fusion/index.md: network oracle → system service description - https-outcalls.mdx: remove redundant "fetch offchain data" - launching.md: DAO → SNS, offchain services → external services - management-canister.md: Offchain availability → Availability, offchain → client-side
…-cryptography The body sentence explains the distinctive property; the label just needs to be recognizable. Follows the same pattern as sibling bullets.
marc0olo
changed the title
This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters.
Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters
Sign up for free
to join this conversation on GitHub.
Already have an account?
Sign in to comment
4 participants
Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.This suggestion is invalid because no changes were made to the code.Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is closed.Suggestions cannot be applied while viewing a subset of changes.Only one suggestion per line can be applied in a batch.Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.Applying suggestions on deleted lines is not supported.You must change the existing code in this line in order to create a valid suggestion.Outdated suggestions cannot be applied.This suggestion has been applied or marked resolved.Suggestions cannot be applied from pending reviews.Suggestions cannot be applied on multi-line comments.Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is queued to merge.Suggestion cannot be applied right now. Please check back later.
Summary
onchain/on-chainwith precise attribute language (e.g. "runs on the network", "canister code", "network-enforced") across 26 pages. Domain exceptions retained for DeFi/MEV context and governance API identifiers per brand voice rules.tamperproof:offchain,crosschain. Replaces "tokenize your application" with "issue a governance asset and transfer control".decentralizedin governance/trust contexts where it describes no-single-party control (not a marketing claim). Replacesdistributedback todecentralizedwhere the PR had incorrectly substituted it.onchain-aipage toai-inference; updates title and internal links.Onchain encryptionheading withEncryptionin chain-key-cryptography concept page.DAO-governed→Community-governed,token holders→asset holders,offchain systems→external systems,offchain dependencies→external dependencies,network oracle→ descriptive system service label,Offchain availability→Availability/client-sidein the IC interface spec.28 files changed, 42 insertions, 42 deletions.
Why a separate PR
These changes were originally part of #272. Splitting them out so reviewers can focus on the structural content changes in #272 without terminology noise.
Merge this PR first. Once merged, #272 will be rebased on top of it and the two terminology commits removed from that branch.
Sync recommendation
hand-written