KOS glossary
The terms you will meet in setup, project context, and everyday use.
Workspace terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Vault | The folder containing your Markdown notes and supporting files; Obsidian can open it as a vault |
| KOS | The workspace structure, instructions and tooling around knowledge and context |
| Project | A bounded body of work with an objective, current state and next action |
| Context | Information the current task needs, loaded from relevant files |
| Durable memory | Approved facts and decisions stored in files, not model training |
| Handoff | The latest execution state and exact next step |
Tool and release terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Agent | An AI tool that reads or acts on files under its granted permissions |
| Adapter | Instructions that bridge a provider’s loading conventions to KOS context |
| Skill | Reusable instructions for a bounded task |
| Power-Up | A packaged extension with its own lifecycle and permission declarations |
| Core contract | The shared compatibility baseline; it is not a paid plan |
| Edition | A distribution such as Community or Pro |
| Starter Kit | The package that installs Community; its version differs from the installed edition |
| Review | Human inspection of a proposed change |
| Approval | Explicit acceptance of particular decisions or actions, within a stated scope |
Installation terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Community Edition | The free, open-source KOS edition installed by the Starter Kit |
| Installer | The distribution-specific tool that plans, applies and validates supported setup or maintenance operations |
| Receipt | An installer-owned record of installation identity and provenance; not a file to edit to bypass a block |
| Transaction | A recorded installer operation with evidence used for verification and recovery; not a full-vault backup |
| Role folder | The configured directory serving a purpose such as projects, templates or attachments |
One distinction to keep
A file may be present without being loaded, and loaded without being approved. Verify all three when the result matters.
Versions, sources & verification
Reviewed against: Starter Kit 1.2.0 / Community 1.0.0; KOS Pro 1.1.0 / Core 1.0.0.
Agent runtime behavior has not been tested for this article. Run the verification steps with your selected agent.
- Release source on GitHub ↗
- KOS Pro 1.1.0 supplied release notes, installer reference and scripts
Source review confirms the documented interface. It does not replace testing your vault, tools, or recovery copy.