Glossary

Canonical ontology

DFT term system

This ontology defines how core DFT terms are used across theory, architecture, applications, implementations, research, and citation health. Definitions clarify public usage; they do not imply external validation, certification, or peer review.

Digital Fabrica Theory

Class: root-theory

A source-bounded systems framework for coherent digital civilization.

Digital Fabrica Theory models digital systems as fabrics: structured, interoperable, traceable, and governable arrangements of identity, evidence, value, computation, governance, and execution.

Boundary: DFT is presented as an authorial and institutional research framework with formalization targets, not as an externally-validated universal theory.

Fabric

Class: fabric-primitive

A governed relational structure composed of fibers, bindings, routes, transformations, and evidence trails.

A fabric is more than a network. It is a structured system in which entities, states, rules, identities, transitions, and proofs of action remain legible across transformations.

Boundary: Fabric is a DFT modeling primitive. Its mathematical status depends on formal definitions and proof obligations.

Fiber

Class: fabric-primitive

A unit, strand, actor, resource, signal, or state participating in a fabric.

A fiber is a distinguishable component inside a fabric. It may represent an identity, process, contract, document, value unit, sensor stream, organization, or governance object.

Boundary: Fiber meaning is context-dependent and must be typed per implementation.

Binding

Class: fabric-primitive

A rule or relation that connects fibers into a stable structure.

A binding determines how fibers relate, transform, validate, synchronize, or constrain one another within a fabric.

Boundary: Bindings require explicit rules, assumptions, and failure modes in any formal model.

Invariant

Class: formalization-target

A property intended to remain stable under permitted transformations.

An invariant identifies what a fabric must preserve as it evolves: identity continuity, traceability, consent, state integrity, auditability, governance legitimacy, or value conservation.

Boundary: Invariants are formalization targets until mathematically or technically specified and reviewed.

DFDF

Class: architecture-layer

Digital Fabric Definition Framework.

DFDF defines the grammar of fabrics: fibers, bindings, routes, transformations, validation boundaries, and failure modes.

Boundary: Architecture model and formalization target; not a endorsed standard.

FNS

Class: architecture-layer

Fabric Network Stack.

FNS organizes inter-fabric communication, identity transport, state exchange, interoperability, and network-level coherence.

Boundary: Architecture model and implementation guide; not an audited network protocol unless separately documented.

IDFF

Class: architecture-layer

Interoperable Digital Fabric Framework.

IDFF describes how separate fabrics coordinate while preserving sovereignty, boundaries, source status, and governance logic.

Boundary: Coordination architecture; not a claim of universal interoperability across all systems.

SIDS

Class: architecture-layer

Sovereign Intelligent Data Systems.

SIDS defines evidence-aware, governance-aware, agent-ready data systems that preserve context, provenance, permissions, and decision boundaries.

Boundary: Architecture target; not a claim of deployed sovereign AI unless implementation evidence is published.

Citation Health

Class: evidence-primitive

Maintenance status for URLs, DOIs, archive mirrors, and source availability.

Citation health tracks whether a source record is findable, preserved, correctly linked, and clearly classified.

Boundary: Citation health is maintenance, not scientific validation.

Application

Class: application-class

A high-value domain where DFT becomes a full operating model.

Applications are full-spectrum domains such as governance, science coordination, energy, and enterprise cybernetic infrastructure.

Boundary: Application status does not imply completed deployment or market validation.

Implementation

Class: implementation-class

A concrete system applying one or more DFT fabric principles.

Implementations are downstream systems, protocols, products, marketplaces, or tools built using fabric logic in a particular sector.

Boundary: Implementation records provide applied evidence candidates, not full validation of DFT.

Fabric primitive model

What makes a system a fabric?

A DFT fabric is a governed relational structure. The primitive model below provides the minimum public vocabulary for theory, architecture, applications, and implementations.

Fiber

typed participant, object, resource, signal, or state

Binding

rule connecting fibers into a stable relation

Route

permitted path of movement or transformation

Invariant

property preserved under allowed transformations

Evidence

record that makes state, action, or authorship inspectable

Boundary

limit condition controlling claims, access, or validation