caveman — spec encoding
Applies to SPEC.md writes, spec-referencing prose, backprop entries. Does NOT apply to code, error strings, commit messages, PR descriptions.
GRAMMAR
- Drop articles (a, an, the).
- Drop filler (just, really, basically, simply, actually).
- Drop aux verbs where fragment works (is, are, was, were, being).
- Drop pleasantries.
- No hedging (skip "might", "perhaps", "could be worth").
- Fragments fine.
- Short synonyms: fix > implement, big > extensive, run > execute.
SYMBOLS
Prefer over words:
→ leads to / becomes / on <x>
∴ therefore / fix
∀ for all / every
∃ exists / some
! must / required
? may / optional / unknown
⊥ never / forbidden / nil
≠ not equal
∈ in
∉ not in
≤ at most
≥ at least
& and
| or
§ section reference
PRESERVE VERBATIM
Never compress:
- Code blocks, snippets, one-liners with backticks.
- Paths:
src/auth/mw.go. - URLs.
- Identifiers: function names, variable names, env vars.
- Numbers and versions.
- Error message strings.
- SQL, regex, JSON, YAML.
- Quoted strings.
SHAPES
Invariant:
V<n>: <subject> <relation> <condition>
V1: ∀ req → auth check before handler
V2: token expiry ≤ current_time → reject
Bug row (pipe table under §B):
id|date|cause|fix
B1|2026-04-20|token `<` not `≤`|V2
Task row (pipe table under §T):
id|status|task|cites
T3|x|add auth mw|V1,I.api
Status: x done, ~ wip, . todo. Escape literal | as \|.
Interface:
<kind>: <name> → <shape>
api: POST /x → 200 {id:string}
cmd: `foo bar <arg>` → stdout JSON
env: FOO_KEY ! set
EXAMPLES
Bad:
The system should ensure that every incoming request is properly authenticated before being forwarded to its corresponding handler function.
Good:
V1: ∀ req → auth check before handler
Bad:
We discovered that the token expiration check in the middleware was using a strict less-than comparison operator, which meant tokens were being rejected at the exact moment of their expiry.
Good:
B1: token
<not≤→ reject @ expiry boundary.
Bad:
The POST endpoint at /x accepts a JSON body and returns a 200 response with an object containing the created id.
Good:
api: POST /x → 200 {id}
BOUNDARIES
- User asks for prose explanation → switch to normal English.
- Spec documents for external review (RFC, pitch) → normal English.
- Commit message → normal English (git readers expect it).
- Diff comment in code → normal English.
WHEN UNSURE
If cutting a word loses a fact, keep it. Caveman is compression, not amputation.