# Meaning Must Not Depend on Path No canonical meaning, scope, or lifecycle state may be inferred from filesystem paths or branch names. ## What this forbids A design is invalid if it: - derives scope from folder structure or path patterns - infers experiment/attempt state from git branch names - uses file relocation as promotion - ties survivability to "champion" or merge status ## What this requires Systems MUST: - attach explicit scope metadata to all learnings, decisions, and overrides - own and enforce lifecycle state via tooling, not convention - express promotion as metadata transitions, not file moves - preserve learnings regardless of experiment success ## Operational test If moving a file changes what it means, the system is invalid. Any system that fails this test must be refactored before extension. ## Design consequences When this constraint bites, the system response is: - paths are non-authoritative - branch names are conveniences, not truth - oddkit must own state transitions and validate invariants - views replace directories as the primary navigation surface ## Relationship This constraint enforces: - `https://klappy.dev/page/canon/principles/scope-over-folders` - `https://klappy.dev/page/canon/principles/ritual-is-a-smell` and rests on: - `https://klappy.dev/page/canon/constraints/humans-are-variable-inputs`