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Normative

In Spec Graph, normative means: a statement that is required for conformance.

If content is normative, an implementing agent or team must treat it as binding:

  • it must be implemented
  • it must be respected during manifestation
  • it must pass its verification criteria

Normative Content​

In practice, these fields are normative:

  • expectation (behavior nodes)
  • statement (contract-style nodes)
  • constraints
  • verification

If two implementations differ on normative content, they are not equivalent under the same spec graph.

Informative Content​

Informative content explains intent and context, but does not impose implementation requirements.

Typical informative fields include:

  • metadata.rationale
  • metadata.notes
  • optional contextual metadata (tags, ownership, references)

Informative content can guide humans and agents, but it is not itself a conformance target.

Non-Normative Content​

Grouping nodes are non-normative organizational structure:

  • feature
  • layer

These nodes shape navigation and scope, not runtime behavior.

Quick Test​

Use this test when deciding if content is normative:

  1. If this statement is violated, is the implementation non-conformant?
  2. If yes, it is normative.
  3. If no, it is informative/non-normative.

Why This Distinction Matters​

Clear normative boundaries prevent ambiguity during manifestation. They keep the graph executable as a contract, while still allowing supporting context for collaboration and review.