---
title: "Core Concepts"
description: "The mental model for TraceRTM: artifacts, relationships, views, and automation"
---

# Core Concepts

TraceRTM is built around a few durable ideas: artifacts, relationships, views, automation, and auditability. Understanding these will help you navigate every other page of the docs.

## Artifact model

- **Artifacts** are the primary records (feature, code, test, API, infra, wireframe, etc.).
- Every artifact belongs to a **project** and has required fields: `id`, `type`, `title`, `status`, `owner`, timestamps.
- Artifacts can carry **metadata** (typed custom fields), attachments, and history.

## Relationship graph

- Relationships connect artifacts and power traceability matrices.
- Categories: **hierarchical** (parent/child), **implementation** (implements/realizes), **testing** (tests/verifies), **dependency** (blocks/depends_on), **operational** (deploys_to/monitors).
- Links are directional and typed; integrity is enforced by the relationship engine.

## Views (16 professional lenses)

- Core: Feature, Code, Test, API.
- Design: Wireframe, Architecture, Domain Model, User Journey.
- Infrastructure: Database, Infrastructure, Configuration, Dependency.
- Operations: Data Flow, Security, Performance, Monitoring.
- Each view filters/organizes the same underlying graph so teams can work in their own lens without losing traceability.

## Workflows and states

- Each artifact type has a **state machine** (e.g., Draft → In Progress → Ready → Done).
- Transitions can be automated (webhooks, jobs, agents) and validated (required links, approvals).
- Workflow runs are auditable with timestamps, actor, inputs, and outputs.

## Automation and agents

- TraceRTM is **agent-native**: 1–1000 agents can create, extend, or collapse artifacts and links.
- Agents communicate over NATS; heartbeats and health checks keep the fleet observable.
- CRUD helpers support idempotent operations and conflict resolution.

## Event sourcing and audit

- All changes are event-sourced: every create/update/link/delink is recorded.
- Time travel is supported for investigations; projections feed search and reporting.
- Audit trails include actor (human or agent), reason, and diff.

## Data quality guardrails

- Required links per artifact type (e.g., a feature must link to at least one test).
- Validation on link types and direction to prevent invalid graph shapes.
- Soft-delete with reversible windows; background cleaners collapse duplicates.

## How to use these concepts

1. Create artifacts for your work items (features, code, tests, APIs).
2. Link them with the correct relationship types to build traceability.
3. Use views to slice the same graph for different roles.
4. Automate transitions and checks with agents, webhooks, or CLI/SDK.
5. Rely on the audit/event stream for compliance and debugging.

## Related topics

- [Relationship Types](/docs/wiki/concepts/relationship-types/)
- [Workflow States](/docs/wiki/concepts/workflow-states/)
- [Traceability Matrix](/docs/getting-started/core-concepts/workflows/)
