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07 reference glossary
Comprehensive terminology and definitions for the Coherence - Agentic Persona Mapping (APM) framework.
- Core Coherence Concepts
- Specialized Agent System
- Enhanced TTS Audio System
- Slash Command Interface
- Unified Context Engineering
- Native Sub-Agent Integration
- Directory Structure
- Framework Integration
Coherence
The primary orchestration system that provides unified context engineering and intelligent coordination across all specialized personas. Activated via the /coherence command.
Coherence Framework The unified system architecture that coordinates specialized agents with enhanced context sharing and orchestrated intelligence.
Coherence Orchestrator
The central coordination agent that manages all 11 specialized personas with unified context engineering. Primary activation via /coherence command with legacy aliases.
Context Engineering The advanced system for sharing information and context between specialized personas to enable orchestrated intelligence and coordinated responses.
Agent Coordination The intelligent system that manages interaction and information flow between multiple specialized personas to ensure coherent and non-conflicting work.
Agentic Persona Mapping (APM) A framework that maps distinct AI personas to specific roles in software development teams, now enhanced with Coherence orchestration and unified context engineering.
APM Root ({{APM_ROOT}})
The base directory containing all APM framework files, typically located at {{PROJECT_ROOT}}/.apm.
Acceptance Criteria Specific conditions that must be met for a user story to be considered complete. APM agents automatically track and update acceptance criteria progress in the backlog.
Activation Command
A slash command (e.g., /developer, /qa, /architect) that activates a specific persona and transitions Claude into that role.
Archiving The process of moving completed session notes from the active directory to the archive directory for long-term storage and organization.
Backlog Management
The systematic tracking and updating of user stories, epics, and tasks in backlog.md. All APM personas are required to update the backlog when completing work.
Build Distribution
The process of generating APM installation packages from source templates and configurations, handled by build-distribution.sh.
Claude Code Anthropic's CLI tool that APM integrates with, providing the underlying command execution and file management capabilities.
Coordination The process by which multiple parallel agents communicate and synchronize their work to avoid conflicts and ensure coherent outcomes.
Command Pipeline The sequence of operations executed when an APM command is invoked, including session management, voice notifications, and persona activation.
Specialized Personas The 11 distinct AI agents that handle different aspects of software development: Analyst, Architect, Developer, Project Manager, Product Owner, QA Engineer, Scrum Master, Design Architect, plus the Coherence Orchestrator.
Slash Command Activation
The unified system for activating personas using native Claude Code slash commands (e.g., /developer, /qa, /architect) integrated with Claude Code's command interface.
TTS Manager The unified Text-to-Speech management system that coordinates voice notifications across all platforms and personas.
TTS Providers The multiple voice synthesis systems supported by Coherence: Discord TTS, ElevenLabs, Piper TTS, and System TTS.
Unified Voice System The streamlined voice notification architecture that provides consistent audio feedback across Linux, macOS, Windows, and WSL platforms.
Voice Scripts
Platform-specific shell scripts (e.g., speakDeveloper.sh) located in .apm/agents/voice/ that provide persona-specific audio notifications.
Voice Notification Audio feedback system that confirms persona activation and provides audible updates during development workflows.
Slash Commands The 67 available slash commands accessible through Claude Code's slash command interface, covering all development workflows and persona activations.
Slash Command Router The intelligent system that processes and routes the 67 available slash commands to appropriate persona or workflow handlers.
Command Interface The unified system providing access to all 67 Coherence commands through consistent slash command syntax.
Command Consistency The standardized interface ensuring all commands follow uniform patterns and provide predictable functionality.
Orchestrated Intelligence The coordinated AI responses enabled by enhanced context sharing between specialized personas, ensuring coherent and intelligent interactions.
Context Sharing The advanced information flow system that allows specialized personas to share knowledge and maintain coherent understanding across sessions.
Context Preservation The system that maintains persona-specific knowledge and project context across session boundaries and persona transitions.
Intelligent Coordination The advanced system that manages interactions between multiple personas to ensure coherent responses and avoid conflicts.
Information Flow The enhanced system for sharing context and knowledge between specialized personas to enable coordinated responses.
Dual Directory System
The separation of concerns between .apm/ (core framework) and .claude/ (Claude Code integration) directories for clear organization.
Design Architect
An APM persona specializing in user interface design, user experience architecture, and design system creation. Activated with /design-architect.
Developer Agent
An APM persona focused on code implementation, testing, and technical documentation. Activated with /developer or /dev.
Dynamic Persona Switching
The ability to transition between different persona types during a session without losing context, using commands like /handoff and /switch.
Epic A large user story or feature that spans multiple sprints and contains multiple smaller user stories. APM tracks epic progress and completion percentages.
Handoff
A direct transition from one persona to another without session compaction, preserving full context. Executed via the /handoff command.
Persona A specialized AI role with specific capabilities, responsibilities, and behavioral patterns. APM includes 9 core personas: Orchestrator, Analyst, Architect, Developer, PM, PO, QA, SM, and Design Architect.
Persona Activation The process of transforming Claude into a specific persona role, including loading relevant context, activating voice notifications, and applying behavioral rules.
Persona Capability A specific skill or function that a persona can perform, such as "code_implementation" for developers or "test_planning" for QA.
Product Manager (PM)
An APM persona responsible for project planning, resource management, risk assessment, and timeline coordination. Activated with /pm.
Product Owner (PO)
An APM persona handling backlog management, priority setting, stakeholder communication, and product vision. Activated with /po.
QA Agent
An APM persona specializing in test planning, test execution, defect management, and quality metrics. Activated with /qa.
Scrum Master (SM)
An APM persona focused on ceremony facilitation, impediment removal, team coaching, and process improvement. Activated with /sm.
System Architect
An APM persona handling system design, technical specifications, architecture documentation, and technology recommendations. Activated with /architect.
Active Session A currently running APM session with an associated session note file that tracks objectives, progress, and decisions in real-time.
Archive Directory
The storage location ({{APM_ROOT}}/session_notes/archive/) for completed and historical session notes.
Context Continuity The preservation of project knowledge and decision history across session boundaries through structured session notes and backlog updates.
Current Session Note
The active session note file being updated during the current APM session, following the naming convention YYYY-MM-DD-HH-mm-ss-Description.md.
Session Compaction
The process of summarizing and archiving a session before transitioning to a new persona, triggered by the /switch command.
Session Duration The length of time an APM session remains active, tracked automatically and displayed in session summaries.
Session ID
A unique identifier for each APM session, typically formatted as YYYY-MM-DD-HH-mm-ss based on the session start time.
Session Management The systematic creation, updating, and archiving of session notes to maintain project continuity and decision tracking.
Session Note A markdown file that documents session objectives, progress, decisions, issues, and next steps. Created automatically for each APM session.
Session Transition The process of moving from one persona to another, which can be direct (handoff) or with compaction (switch).
Wrap Command
The /wrap command that archives current session notes and creates a comprehensive session summary before ending an APM session.
Concurrent Execution The ability to run multiple APM agents simultaneously using Claude Code's native sub-agent architecture, providing 4-8x Conflict Resolution The automated process of detecting and resolving conflicts when multiple parallel agents work on related files or tasks.
Coordination Protocol The system of communication and synchronization between parallel agents to ensure coherent and non-conflicting work.
Dependency Management The intelligent tracking and resolution of dependencies between parallel tasks to ensure proper execution order.
Native Sub-Agent Claude Code's built-in parallel execution system that APM v4.0.0 uses for true concurrent processing, replacing the legacy Task tool system.
Native Sub-Agent Architecture APM v4.0.0's modernized execution system that leverages Claude Code's native parallel processing capabilities for maximum performance and stability.
Parallel Agent An individual sub-agent executing concurrently with other agents as part of a parallel command execution.
Parallel Command
An APM command that launches multiple sub-agents concurrently, such as /implementation-sprint or /qa-framework.
Parallel Coordination The system that manages communication and synchronization between multiple concurrent agents.
Performance Multiplier The speed improvement achieved through parallel execution, with APM v4.0.0 delivering 4-8x average
Resource Management The system that allocates and manages computational resources across multiple parallel agents to ensure optimal performance.
Sub-Agent An individual agent instance running as part of a parallel execution, each handling a specific subset of the overall task.
Synchronization The process of coordinating activities and sharing information between parallel agents to maintain consistency.
AI/ML Analytics Advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities integrated into the QA framework for predictive analysis and optimization.
Anomaly Detection ML-powered system that identifies unusual patterns in test execution, performance metrics, or quality indicators with 94% precision.
Fail-Fast Strategy A test optimization approach that runs tests most likely to fail first, reducing overall testing time and providing faster feedback.
Framework Integration The seamless integration of QA tools and processes into the Coherence system workflow, including automated testing and quality metrics.
Performance Testing Automated load testing and performance validation capabilities integrated into the QA framework.
Predictive Testing ML-powered test failure prediction system with
QA Framework Comprehensive quality assurance system with integrated AI/ML capabilities for testing, security scanning, and performance validation.
Quality Metrics Measurable indicators of software quality tracked and reported by the QA framework, including test coverage, defect rates, and performance benchmarks.
Risk-Based Testing A testing strategy that prioritizes tests based on risk assessment and failure probability predictions.
Regression Suite Comprehensive set of tests designed to verify that new changes don't break existing functionality.
Security Scanning Automated SAST (Static Application Security Testing) and DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing) capabilities.
Test Optimization AI-powered system that reduces test execution time by up to 63% through intelligent test ordering and parallel execution strategies.
Test Prediction Machine learning system that predicts test failures based on code changes, historical data, and dependency analysis.
Claude Code Integration The seamless integration between APM and Claude Code's native systems, including command processing, file operations, and sub-agent execution.
Configuration Schema JSON schema definitions that validate APM configuration files and ensure proper system setup.
Hook System Integration points that allow APM to intercept and modify Claude Code operations, including pre/post tool use and prompt enhancement.
Hook Script Python scripts that execute at specific integration points to provide custom functionality like MCP Plopdock integration.
Master Persona Definition
JSON configuration files in /installer/personas/_master/ that serve as the single source of truth for persona definitions.
MCP Plopdock Model Context Protocol debug host integration that manages development servers and provides persistent execution environments.
Modernization The comprehensive update of APM v4.0.0 that replaced legacy systems with native sub-agent architecture and unified persona definitions.
Template Generation The automated process of generating APM configuration files and documentation from master templates during build/installation.
Template Variable
Placeholder values in template files (e.g., {{APM_ROOT}}) that are replaced with actual values during generation.
Template System The unified system for generating all APM files from templates, ensuring consistency and eliminating code duplication.
Command Recognition The system that identifies and executes native Claude Code slash commands when users type slash commands like "/coherence", "developer", or "qa".
Cross-Platform Compatibility APM's ability to function across different operating systems (Linux, macOS, Windows, WSL) with appropriate adaptations.
Environment Variable Configuration values passed through the system environment to control APM behavior and integration settings.
Integration Point Specific locations in the Claude Code workflow where APM can inject custom functionality through hooks or commands.
Interoperability The ability of APM to work seamlessly with external tools and systems like Git, CI/CD pipelines, and project management tools.
Voice Notification Audio feedback system that provides spoken confirmations and updates during persona activation and task completion.
Voice Script
Shell scripts (e.g., speakDeveloper.sh) that generate text-to-speech output for persona-specific notifications.
Agile Integration APM's built-in support for agile development methodologies, including sprint planning, backlog management, and iterative development.
Automated Documentation System for automatically generating and updating project documentation based on code changes and session activities.
Backlog Health The overall quality and organization of the product backlog, including story grooming status, acceptance criteria completeness, and priority ordering.
Build Integration The connection between APM and build/deployment systems for automated testing and continuous integration.
Continuous Integration The integration of APM with CI/CD pipelines for automated testing, quality checks, and deployment processes.
Code Review Workflow Structured process for peer review of code changes, facilitated by APM personas and integrated into the development flow.
Development Server Management APM's integration with MCP Plopdock for persistent development server management across Claude Code sessions.
Documentation Strategy Comprehensive approach to maintaining project documentation through automated generation and persona-driven updates.
Git Integration APM's ability to work with Git repositories for version control, branch management, and commit tracking.
Grooming The process of refining user stories in the backlog, including adding acceptance criteria, estimating points, and ensuring clarity.
Iterative Development Development approach supported by APM where features are built incrementally with continuous feedback and refinement.
Sprint Planning The process of selecting and planning work for upcoming sprints, facilitated by APM's backlog management and capacity tracking.
Story Points Relative estimation units used to size user stories and track team velocity in agile development.
Velocity Tracking The measurement of team productivity over time based on completed story points and sprint capacity.
Version Control Integration APM's ability to work with version control systems for tracking changes, managing branches, and maintaining history.
Workflow Automation The use of APM to automate repetitive development tasks and enforce consistent processes across the team.
| Acronym | Full Form | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| APM | Agentic Persona Mapping | The core framework for AI persona-based development |
| AP | Agent Persona | Prefix for APM agent roles (Coherence Orchestrator, AP Developer, etc.) |
| AI/ML | Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning | Advanced analytics capabilities in QA framework |
| CLI | Command Line Interface | Text-based interface for system interaction |
| CI/CD | Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment | Automated build and deployment pipeline |
| DAST | Dynamic Application Security Testing | Runtime security scanning |
| JSON | JavaScript Object Notation | Data format used for configuration files |
| MCP | Model Context Protocol | Protocol for AI model communication and debugging |
| PM | Project Manager | APM persona for project coordination |
| PO | Product Owner | APM persona for product management |
| QA | Quality Assurance | APM persona and framework for testing |
| SAST | Static Application Security Testing | Code-level security analysis |
| SM | Scrum Master | APM persona for agile process facilitation |
| TTS | Text-to-Speech | Technology for voice notifications |
| UI/UX | User Interface/User Experience | Design aspects handled by Design Architect persona |
| WSL | Windows Subsystem for Linux | Windows compatibility layer for Linux tools |
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Activation Commands:
/persona-name(e.g.,/developer,/qa) -
Parallel Commands:
/parallel-command(e.g.,/implementation-sprint) -
Session Commands:
/handoff,/switch,/wrap -
Framework Commands:
/qa-framework,/coherence
-
Session Notes:
YYYY-MM-DD-HH-mm-ss-Description.md -
Persona Configs:
persona-name.persona.json -
Voice Scripts:
speakPersonaName.sh -
Templates:
filename.extension.template
-
APM Root:
{{PROJECT_ROOT}}/.apm/ -
Personas:
{{APM_ROOT}}/agents/personas/ -
Session Notes:
{{APM_ROOT}}/session_notes/ -
Configuration:
{{APM_ROOT}}/config/
Glossary Version: v4.2.0 "Enhanced TTS Audio Experience"
Last Updated: August 19, 2025
Framework: Coherence - Agentic Persona Mapping
Total Terms: 150+ comprehensive definitions updated for v4.2.0