Appendix F: Glossary

Purpose

This appendix defines the terms used throughout Learn Ricochet.

Terms

Term Meaning
Stack The runtime value stack. Words consume values from it and leave results on it.
Word A named operation such as println, json_decode, find_record, or tui_write.
Selector A generated OOP member word such as email.get or email.set.
Binding A named value created with var and read with $name.
Dynamic get Runtime name lookup, usually shaped as "name" get.
Block A quoted executable chunk such as [ 2 * ].
Result Explicit success or failure value. Use ok?, value, error, unwrap_or, map_result, and and_then.
Capability Host permission such as filesystem, HTTP, sockets, TUI, webview, process, PTY, or environment access.
Retained resource Host-managed resource kept behind an id, such as HTTP streams, sockets, process jobs, PTY sessions, or upload streams. Release retained resources when done.
MVC Model-view-controller web app structure. Routes call controller actions, controllers prepare response data, views render HTML, and models map to data.
Controller MVC class that implements request actions and returns responses.
Template directive View syntax such as {% collection "item" each %} or {% condition if %}.
Active Record Model mapping layer for existing database tables.
Migration Ordered schema change file. Ricochet supports SQL and native migration DSL files.
Seed Ordered data-loading file for development or fixture data.
Package Ricochet dependency project with manifest metadata.
Registry Package index and artifact store. Ricochet supports local/static and hosted registry workflows.
Static import Compile-time import such as "lib/report" import.
Dynamic import Runtime import such as "math_tools/stats" import_dynamic, returning a Result.
Macro Compile-time code generation hook invoked explicitly with "name" macro_call.
Bytecode Compiled .rcob artifact produced by rco build.
Image Persistent VM-state snapshot used by REPL image workflows.
Source emission Readable source-like view emitted from bytecode by rco emit-source.
DAP Debug Adapter Protocol integration used by editor debuggers.
LSP Language Server Protocol integration used for diagnostics, hover, completion, symbols, formatting, and rename.
TUI Terminal UI app using tui_* words and rco tui.
GUI Desktop webview app using webview_* words and rco gui or rco package --gui.
Update channel Release metadata JSON that describes candidate or stable artifacts, verification methods, rollout, and rollback policy.