Terminology

This document defines the terms used throughout the Strata documentation. All terms are used consistently and precisely.

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Value

A Value is the abstract, language-independent representation of data in Strata.

Examples:

• null

• true

• 42

• "hello"

• [1, 2, 3]

• { key: "value" }

Values exist independently of encoding, storage, or transport.

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Canonical Encoding

Canonical encoding is the process of converting a Value into its single, unique binary representation.

In Strata:

• every Value has exactly one canonical encoding

• any deviation is invalid

• canonical encoding is fully deterministic

Canonical encoding produces Strata Core Binary.

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Strata Core Binary (.scb)

Strata Core Binary (.scb) is the canonical binary representation of a Value.

Properties:

• deterministic

• unambiguous

• hash-stable

• transport-agnostic

.scb is the source of truth for hashing, storage, and verification.

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Strata Text (.st)

Strata Text (.st) is a human-readable authoring format.

It exists to:

• write Strata data by hand

• review and debug structures

• generate canonical .scb

.st is not canonical. Only .scb is.

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Canonical Bytes

Canonical bytes are the exact byte sequence produced by canonical encoding.

They are:

• the input to hashing

• the unit of comparison

• the boundary of correctness

If canonical bytes differ, the Values are not equal.

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Hash

A Hash in Strata is the cryptographic digest of canonical bytes.

Rules:

• hashes are computed over .scb bytes only

• identical Values produce identical hashes

• hash stability is guaranteed within a version

Hashes are never computed over text, ASTs, or decoded structures.

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Determinism

Determinism means that Strata behavior does not depend on:

• programming language

• platform

• runtime

• implementation details

Given the same Value, all correct implementations produce identical results.

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Strict Decoding

Strict decoding means that malformed or non-canonical data is rejected explicitly.

Decoders must fail on:

• invalid tags

• truncated input

• invalid UTF-8

• trailing bytes

• malformed varints

There is no permissive mode.

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Non-Canonical Data

Non-canonical data is any input that does not follow canonical encoding rules.

Examples:

• duplicate map keys

• incorrect ordering

• malformed encodings

Non-canonical data may be inspectable, but it is never considered valid Strata.

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Golden Vectors

Golden vectors are authoritative test fixtures defining correct behavior.

They specify:

• exact canonical bytes

• expected hashes

• required failure modes

If an implementation disagrees with golden vectors, the implementation is wrong.

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Northstar

A Northstar is a formally defined invariant that governs Strata behavior.

Northstars:

• define guarantees

• lock behavior

• prevent regressions

• gate breaking changes

Any semantic or canonical change requires a new Northstar.

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Implementation

An implementation is a concrete realization of Strata in a specific language.

All implementations must:

• follow the same specification

• pass all golden vectors

• produce identical canonical output

Language differences are irrelevant.

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Summary

These terms define the vocabulary of Strata.

They are not interchangeable. They are not informal. They are the foundation of precise communication and reliable systems.