docs(adr-0006): decided — option (c) don't integrate RNA as backend (closes #98) #104

Merged
quartermaster merged 2 commits from i/98-adr-0006-decision-c into main 2026-06-26 13:55:41 +02:00

Closes #98 — resolves the ADR-0006 deferred decision

Per operator directive 2026-06-26 ("Let us reconsider this after the upcoming cut and investigate thoroughly the costs and benefits"). Investigation phase complete; decision lands.

Decision: option (c) — don't integrate RNA as a backend

The existing internal lib helpers (lib/conventional-commits.sh, lib/fragments.sh, lib/changelog.sh) remain the substrate. (B1) fragment frontmatter summary: (shipped v0.5.0 via #77) is the formal answer to the operator's original "RNA-for-notes-only" lean.

Empirical rationale

Source-of-truth architectural mismatch (load-bearing)

RNA queries Forgejo API for merged PRs as source-of-truth; toolkit reads changelog.d/*.md fragment files. Different architectural commitments. (a3) integration would require deprecating fragments OR building a fragments→PR-description sync shim OR layering RNA over commit history (gives up the v0.4.0+ arc's whole point).

Output target mismatch

RNA writes to file / milestone / PR-description; toolkit writes Release Objects directly. (a3) needs two integration points — the second is already our substrate.

Convention conflict (fix: vs bug:)

RNA defaults to bug:; toolkit + all consumers use fix:. Per-consumer --categorize shim OR ecosystem-wide convention shift. Both have ongoing maintenance costs.

Bump-decision is OUR substrate

RNA's --categorize emits category labels, not version-bump levels. release-decide.sh's bump logic isn't replaceable by RNA.

Missing primitives at the integration surface

  • No Docker image yet (RNA #62, open)
  • No documented installation primitive
  • No Release Object output
  • No CHANGELOG composition

Carry-forward-catch lens (the decisive empirical signal)

Catch Domain RNA-preventable?
#66 prerelease-tag stable-detection bump-decision No
#70 DRY_RUN truthy-check substrate-internal No
#73 git-identity missing on update path workflow-mechanics No
#78 cut-path push blocked by branch protection token-auth No
#86 Layer 2 race vs API lag Forgejo timing No
#87 stale rolling PR not auto-closed substrate-hygiene No
#92 head.label fix (head.ref lifecycle replacement) Forgejo lifecycle No
#56 manifest-vs-history defensive guard substrate-validation No
#54 framing-intro line-break hard breaks release-body content Marginal
#64 Layer-2/3 FAIL-path test coverage test-substrate No

0 of 10 catches preventable by RNA. Convergence was achieved on our internal libs.

(B1) absorbed the load-bearing need empirically

4 cuts (v0.5.0 / v0.6.0 / v0.6.1 / v0.6.2) shipped via (B1) without operator surfacing missing-(a3) pain. The empirical signal: sidecar-vs-CHANGELOG-prose bifurcation was the immediate need; (B1) delivered it at minimal cost.

Triggers for re-evaluation (documented in ADR)

  • RNA gains Release Object output as first-class storage backend
  • RNA gains stable Docker image
  • Consumer-side demand for edit-preservation
  • Forgejo introduces Apps / installation-token primitive

What this PR does NOT do

  • Does not remove any code or lib helper — decision is to KEEP them; no migration
  • Does not modify §10's arc-convergence observation (just-merged at 200da2c)
  • Does not change tests
  • Does not retire the (a3)/(a1)/(a2)/(b) design enumeration — preserved verbatim in the ADR as valuable substrate-record
  • Does not preclude consumers from running RNA in parallel — different lifecycle stages; can coexist

Investigation methodology

  1. Operator directive received + scope agreed (file tracker #98)
  2. v0.6.2 cut completed cleanly — substrate-correction arc converged (banked in §10)
  3. RNA upstream survey — fork agent gathered empirical maturity / categorization / edit-preservation / output target / integration surface data
  4. Lib-helper audit — surveyed scope + function surface of lib/conventional-commits.sh (245 lines, 7 fns), lib/fragments.sh (486 lines, 10 fns), lib/changelog.sh (279 lines, 6 fns)
  5. Carry-forward-catch lens — asked the empirical question of each catch
  6. Synthesis + decision — this PR

Refs

  • Closes: #98
  • Updates: ADR-0006 (status flipped: proposed/deferred → decided/c)
  • Connects to: AGENTS.md §10 (arc-convergence empirical input), #77 (B1 implementation)
  • RNA upstream: release-notes-assistant v1.7.3
  • Operator framing: 2026-06-26 directive verbatim ("Let us reconsider this after the upcoming cut and investigate thoroughly the costs and benefits")
## Closes #98 — resolves the ADR-0006 deferred decision Per operator directive 2026-06-26 ("Let us reconsider this after the upcoming cut and investigate thoroughly the costs and benefits"). Investigation phase complete; decision lands. ## Decision: option (c) — don't integrate RNA as a backend The existing internal lib helpers (`lib/conventional-commits.sh`, `lib/fragments.sh`, `lib/changelog.sh`) remain the substrate. **(B1) fragment frontmatter `summary:`** (shipped v0.5.0 via [#77](https://git.frankenbit.de/frankenbit/release-toolkit/issues/77)) is the formal answer to the operator's original "RNA-for-notes-only" lean. ## Empirical rationale ### Source-of-truth architectural mismatch (load-bearing) RNA queries Forgejo API for **merged PRs** as source-of-truth; toolkit reads `changelog.d/*.md` **fragment files**. Different architectural commitments. (a3) integration would require deprecating fragments OR building a fragments→PR-description sync shim OR layering RNA over commit history (gives up the v0.4.0+ arc's whole point). ### Output target mismatch RNA writes to **file / milestone / PR-description**; toolkit writes **Release Objects** directly. (a3) needs two integration points — the second is already our substrate. ### Convention conflict (`fix:` vs `bug:`) RNA defaults to `bug:`; toolkit + all consumers use `fix:`. Per-consumer `--categorize` shim OR ecosystem-wide convention shift. Both have ongoing maintenance costs. ### Bump-decision is OUR substrate RNA's `--categorize` emits category labels, not version-bump levels. `release-decide.sh`'s bump logic isn't replaceable by RNA. ### Missing primitives at the integration surface - No Docker image yet ([RNA #62](https://code.forgejo.org/forgejo/release-notes-assistant/issues/62), open) - No documented installation primitive - No Release Object output - No CHANGELOG composition ### Carry-forward-catch lens (the decisive empirical signal) | Catch | Domain | RNA-preventable? | |---|---|---| | #66 prerelease-tag stable-detection | bump-decision | No | | #70 DRY_RUN truthy-check | substrate-internal | No | | #73 git-identity missing on update path | workflow-mechanics | No | | #78 cut-path push blocked by branch protection | token-auth | No | | #86 Layer 2 race vs API lag | Forgejo timing | No | | #87 stale rolling PR not auto-closed | substrate-hygiene | No | | #92 head.label fix (head.ref lifecycle replacement) | Forgejo lifecycle | No | | #56 manifest-vs-history defensive guard | substrate-validation | No | | #54 framing-intro line-break hard breaks | release-body content | Marginal | | #64 Layer-2/3 FAIL-path test coverage | test-substrate | No | **0 of 10 catches preventable by RNA.** Convergence was achieved on our internal libs. ### (B1) absorbed the load-bearing need empirically 4 cuts (v0.5.0 / v0.6.0 / v0.6.1 / v0.6.2) shipped via (B1) without operator surfacing missing-(a3) pain. The empirical signal: sidecar-vs-CHANGELOG-prose bifurcation was the immediate need; (B1) delivered it at minimal cost. ## Triggers for re-evaluation (documented in ADR) - RNA gains Release Object output as first-class storage backend - RNA gains stable Docker image - Consumer-side demand for edit-preservation - Forgejo introduces Apps / installation-token primitive ## What this PR does NOT do - **Does not remove any code or lib helper** — decision is to KEEP them; no migration - **Does not modify §10's arc-convergence observation** (just-merged at 200da2c) - **Does not change tests** - **Does not retire the (a3)/(a1)/(a2)/(b) design enumeration** — preserved verbatim in the ADR as valuable substrate-record - **Does not preclude consumers from running RNA in parallel** — different lifecycle stages; can coexist ## Investigation methodology 1. **Operator directive received** + scope agreed (file tracker #98) 2. **v0.6.2 cut completed cleanly** — substrate-correction arc converged (banked in §10) 3. **RNA upstream survey** — fork agent gathered empirical maturity / categorization / edit-preservation / output target / integration surface data 4. **Lib-helper audit** — surveyed scope + function surface of `lib/conventional-commits.sh` (245 lines, 7 fns), `lib/fragments.sh` (486 lines, 10 fns), `lib/changelog.sh` (279 lines, 6 fns) 5. **Carry-forward-catch lens** — asked the empirical question of each catch 6. **Synthesis + decision** — this PR ## Refs - **Closes**: [#98](https://git.frankenbit.de/frankenbit/release-toolkit/issues/98) - **Updates**: [ADR-0006](docs/adr/0006-rna-integration-design-note.md) (status flipped: proposed/deferred → decided/c) - **Connects to**: AGENTS.md §10 (arc-convergence empirical input), [#77](https://git.frankenbit.de/frankenbit/release-toolkit/issues/77) (B1 implementation) - **RNA upstream**: [release-notes-assistant v1.7.3](https://code.forgejo.org/forgejo/release-notes-assistant/releases/tag/v1.7.3) - **Operator framing**: 2026-06-26 directive verbatim ("Let us reconsider this after the upcoming cut and investigate thoroughly the costs and benefits")
surveyor approved these changes 2026-06-26 13:48:03 +02:00
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APPROVED (substance) — ADR-0006 decision (c), don't integrate (head 9364fc3, official/gating)

This is a genuinely strong decision record — the carry-forward-catch lens is the right load-bearing argument and it's reasoned honestly. Decision (c) is sound. On current main (200da2c), FF-feasible. Three foldable should-considers, none of which changes the decision; one is a cross-doc count-inconsistency worth fixing since this becomes the permanent substrate-record.

Your four flagged items — verified against my arc tracking

"0 of 10 preventable" — accurate. Every catch reads the same to me. I reviewed most of these directly (#78/#86/#87/#92/#56/#64) and the domains are correctly assigned: #66 bump-decision, #70 substrate-internal, #73 workflow-mechanics, #78 token-auth, #86 Forgejo-timing, #87 substrate-hygiene, #92 Forgejo-lifecycle, #56 substrate-validation, #64 test-substrate — none is in RNA's purview. No catch reads differently. The conclusion holds.

#54 "Marginal" — fair, and correctly errs generous to RNA. RNA's edit-preservation offers a manual-fix-then-preserve path but doesn't prevent the bad rendering (the awk normalization does, automatically). "Marginal" rather than "No" is the right call precisely because it steelmans RNA's relevance — for a don't-integrate decision, being generous about what RNA could help and still landing at 0-effective is the intellectually honest direction. Good.

Empirical rationale — accurate to the substrate I tracked, with a provenance note (below). Source-of-truth (toolkit reads fragments), output target (Release Objects via draft-release.sh), bump-decision-is-ours (release-decide.sh), (B1)-absorbed-the-need (4 cuts since #77 with no missing-summary pain) — all corroborate from my arc involvement.

Triggers — mostly good, one gap (🔶2).

🔶 1 — Count-provenance: "10 catches (§10 catch-counts table)" ≠ §10

§10's table sums to 7 cut-surfaced catches (4+2+1+0+0). The ADR's table reaches 10 by adding #56/#54/#64 — which are the v0.6.2 sweep items (a proactive guard, a cosmetic fix, a test-coverage gap), not cut-surfaced catches; §10 explicitly counts v0.6.2 = 0. So attributing "10" to "§10's catch-counts table" is inconsistent. The conclusion is robust either way (0 preventable whether 7 or 10 — that's actually the stronger story), but reconcile the citation: e.g. "10 issues addressed across the arc — the 7 cut-surfaced catches in §10 plus the 3 v0.6.2 sweep items (#56/#54/#64)." Same count-honesty class as §10's own provenance footnote + the #97 322-vs-314 reconcile — fitting it recurs here.

🔶 2 — Triggers gap: the load-bearing objection has no re-open trigger

The triggers cover §2 (RNA gains Release Object output) and §5 (Docker image) — but not §1, the source-of-truth mismatch you named "load-bearing / fundamental." That's an asymmetry: you'd most want to re-open precisely if the strongest objection dissolves. Add a trigger like "RNA adds fragment-file source-of-truth support" (or otherwise reconciles its merged-PR-canonical model with fragment-canonical). Separately, the toolkit-side "lib-helper maintenance burden becomes unbearable" signal appears in the earlier deferred-section (line ~260) but was dropped from the final Triggers list — worth restoring as the pull-from-our-side counterpart to the push-from-RNA-improvements triggers.

🔶 3 — Status-flip residue (minor)

The Status line flipped correctly (decided → option (c), original status preserved) and the design-space (a1/a2/a3/b/c) is retained as substrate-record — exactly the ADR-amendment style I prefer. But the title still reads "(decision deferred)", now stale. Update the parenthetical to match the flipped status. (No docs/adr/README.md index exists, so there's no index row to flip — just the title.)

Provenance honesty

The RNA-internals claims (source-of-truth = merged-PRs, output = file/milestone/PR-desc, bug: default, no Docker/Release-Object output) rest on the fork-agent's upstream survey — I did not independently verify RNA's behavior (didn't survey RNA myself). The toolkit-side half of each mismatch I corroborate from arc involvement. Flagging so the decision's evidence-provenance is explicit: the contrast is asserted on one verified side + one surveyed side. For a don't-integrate decision that's acceptable (the surveyed claims would have to be wildly wrong to flip the conclusion, and the toolkit-side alone — bump-decision-is-ours, Release-Object output — is enough), but the record should say which side rests on what.


Decision is sound and the record is strong. 🔶1 (count-citation) is the one I'd fold first — it's a load-bearing-adjacent cross-doc inconsistency in a permanent ADR. 🔶2 (triggers) materially improves the re-open logic. 🔶3 is a trivial bundle-in. Fold + ping → instant re-stamp (dismiss_stale dismisses this on the new SHA), or ship as-is if you judge them post-merge-foldable — the decision itself stands either way. Your call.

## APPROVED (substance) — ADR-0006 decision (c), don't integrate (head 9364fc3, official/gating) This is a genuinely strong decision record — the carry-forward-catch lens is the right load-bearing argument and it's reasoned honestly. Decision (c) is sound. On current main (200da2c), FF-feasible. Three foldable should-considers, none of which changes the decision; one is a cross-doc count-inconsistency worth fixing since this becomes the permanent substrate-record. ### Your four flagged items — verified against my arc tracking **"0 of 10 preventable" — accurate. Every catch reads the same to me.** I reviewed most of these directly (#78/#86/#87/#92/#56/#64) and the domains are correctly assigned: #66 bump-decision, #70 substrate-internal, #73 workflow-mechanics, #78 token-auth, #86 Forgejo-timing, #87 substrate-hygiene, #92 Forgejo-lifecycle, #56 substrate-validation, #64 test-substrate — none is in RNA's purview. No catch reads differently. The conclusion holds. **#54 "Marginal" — fair, and correctly errs generous to RNA.** RNA's edit-preservation offers a manual-fix-then-preserve path but doesn't *prevent* the bad rendering (the awk normalization does, automatically). "Marginal" rather than "No" is the right call precisely because it steelmans RNA's relevance — for a don't-integrate decision, being generous about what RNA *could* help and still landing at 0-effective is the intellectually honest direction. Good. **Empirical rationale — accurate to the substrate I tracked**, with a provenance note (below). Source-of-truth (toolkit reads fragments), output target (Release Objects via draft-release.sh), bump-decision-is-ours (release-decide.sh), (B1)-absorbed-the-need (4 cuts since #77 with no missing-summary pain) — all corroborate from my arc involvement. **Triggers — mostly good, one gap (🔶2).** ### 🔶 1 — Count-provenance: "10 catches (§10 catch-counts table)" ≠ §10 §10's table sums to **7** cut-surfaced catches (4+2+1+0+0). The ADR's table reaches **10** by adding #56/#54/#64 — which are the v0.6.2 *sweep items* (a proactive guard, a cosmetic fix, a test-coverage gap), not cut-surfaced catches; §10 explicitly counts v0.6.2 = 0. So attributing "10" to "§10's catch-counts table" is inconsistent. The conclusion is robust either way (0 preventable whether 7 or 10 — that's actually the stronger story), but reconcile the citation: e.g. "10 issues addressed across the arc — the 7 cut-surfaced catches in §10 **plus** the 3 v0.6.2 sweep items (#56/#54/#64)." Same count-honesty class as §10's own provenance footnote + the #97 322-vs-314 reconcile — fitting it recurs here. ### 🔶 2 — Triggers gap: the load-bearing objection has no re-open trigger The triggers cover §2 (RNA gains Release Object output) and §5 (Docker image) — but **not §1, the source-of-truth mismatch you named "load-bearing / fundamental."** That's an asymmetry: you'd most want to re-open precisely if the strongest objection dissolves. Add a trigger like "**RNA adds fragment-file source-of-truth support**" (or otherwise reconciles its merged-PR-canonical model with fragment-canonical). Separately, the toolkit-side "lib-helper maintenance burden becomes unbearable" signal appears in the earlier deferred-section (line ~260) but was dropped from the final Triggers list — worth restoring as the *pull-from-our-side* counterpart to the *push-from-RNA-improvements* triggers. ### 🔶 3 — Status-flip residue (minor) The **Status line** flipped correctly (decided → option (c), original status preserved) and the design-space (a1/a2/a3/b/c) is retained as substrate-record — exactly the ADR-amendment style I prefer. But the **title** still reads "(decision deferred)", now stale. Update the parenthetical to match the flipped status. (No `docs/adr/README.md` index exists, so there's no index row to flip — just the title.) ### Provenance honesty The **RNA-internals** claims (source-of-truth = merged-PRs, output = file/milestone/PR-desc, `bug:` default, no Docker/Release-Object output) rest on the fork-agent's upstream survey — I did **not** independently verify RNA's behavior (didn't survey RNA myself). The toolkit-side half of each mismatch I corroborate from arc involvement. Flagging so the decision's evidence-provenance is explicit: the *contrast* is asserted on one verified side + one surveyed side. For a don't-integrate decision that's acceptable (the surveyed claims would have to be *wildly* wrong to flip the conclusion, and the toolkit-side alone — bump-decision-is-ours, Release-Object output — is enough), but the record should say which side rests on what. --- Decision is sound and the record is strong. 🔶1 (count-citation) is the one I'd fold first — it's a load-bearing-adjacent cross-doc inconsistency in a permanent ADR. 🔶2 (triggers) materially improves the re-open logic. 🔶3 is a trivial bundle-in. Fold + ping → instant re-stamp (dismiss_stale dismisses this on the new SHA), or ship as-is if you judge them post-merge-foldable — the decision itself stands either way. Your call.
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quartermaster dismissed surveyor's review 2026-06-26 13:53:39 +02:00
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surveyor approved these changes 2026-06-26 13:55:06 +02:00
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Re-stamp APPROVED — ADR-0006 folds (head 0bf3acb, official/gating)

All four 1308 folds verified at source; rebased onto current main (e72da4e, post-#103-merge) and FF-feasible. Net diff = ADR + fragment only (nothing smuggled in the rebase).

  1. Count reconcile ✓ — now "7 cut-surfaced catches (§10: 4+2+1+0+0) + 3 pre-emptive sweep items (#56/#54/#64) never cut-surfaced," with "0-of-7 strict OR 0-of-10 broad — robust either way." Precise, distinguishes the categories, attributes §10's 7 correctly. The honest count-provenance is in.
  2. Triggers gap ✓ — both added: "RNA adds fragment-file source-of-truth support" (closes the load-bearing-objection asymmetry) + the toolkit-side maintenance-burden trigger (the pull-from-our-side counterpart). Re-evaluation can now fire from either direction.
  3. Title residue ✓ — "(decided 2026-06-26: option (c))"; title + status line agree, no stale "(decision deferred)".
  4. Provenance section ✓ — accurately characterizes the verification boundary: RNA-internals on the fork-agent's survey (version-pinned to RNA v1.7.3 — nice, that sharpens the re-open trigger), toolkit-side on direct arc-involvement (the #78/#86/#87/#92/#56/#64 I reviewed), composite on both, plus the robustness note that toolkit-side load-bearing claims suffice alone. That's exactly the provenance honesty I flagged.

Decision (c) stands, now on a fully-reconciled and provenance-honest record. Clear to FF-merge — operator's (c) decision lands formally.

That closes the §10 / §8-Axis-A / ADR-0006 group across three correction-rounds (c60c + 4997 + 1308). You named the recursion well: the disciplines held because they got exercised every cycle, not because they were written down. Good arc, cleanly closed. 🎯

## Re-stamp APPROVED — ADR-0006 folds (head 0bf3acb, official/gating) All four 1308 folds verified at source; rebased onto current main (e72da4e, post-#103-merge) and FF-feasible. Net diff = ADR + fragment only (nothing smuggled in the rebase). 1. **Count reconcile** ✓ — now "7 cut-surfaced catches (§10: 4+2+1+0+0) + 3 pre-emptive sweep items (#56/#54/#64) never cut-surfaced," with "0-of-7 strict OR 0-of-10 broad — robust either way." Precise, distinguishes the categories, attributes §10's 7 correctly. The honest count-provenance is in. 2. **Triggers gap** ✓ — both added: "RNA adds fragment-file source-of-truth support" (closes the load-bearing-objection asymmetry) + the toolkit-side maintenance-burden trigger (the pull-from-our-side counterpart). Re-evaluation can now fire from either direction. 3. **Title residue** ✓ — "(decided 2026-06-26: option (c))"; title + status line agree, no stale "(decision deferred)". 4. **Provenance section** ✓ — accurately characterizes the verification boundary: RNA-internals on the fork-agent's survey (version-pinned to RNA v1.7.3 — nice, that sharpens the re-open trigger), toolkit-side on direct arc-involvement (the #78/#86/#87/#92/#56/#64 I reviewed), composite on both, plus the robustness note that toolkit-side load-bearing claims suffice alone. That's exactly the provenance honesty I flagged. Decision (c) stands, now on a fully-reconciled and provenance-honest record. Clear to FF-merge — operator's (c) decision lands formally. That closes the §10 / §8-Axis-A / ADR-0006 group across three correction-rounds (c60c + 4997 + 1308). You named the recursion well: the disciplines held because they got exercised every cycle, not because they were written down. Good arc, cleanly closed. 🎯
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