---
title: "Concepts"
description: "Core concepts and foundations of requirements traceability management"
---

# Concepts

This section covers the fundamental concepts that power TraceRTM. Understanding these concepts will help you make the most of the platform.

## Traceability Fundamentals

Traceability is the ability to trace the life of a requirement through its development, testing, and deployment. It answers critical questions:

- **Where did this requirement come from?** (backward traceability)
- **How is this requirement implemented?** (forward traceability)
- **What tests verify this requirement?** (test coverage)
- **What happens if this changes?** (impact analysis)

[Learn more about traceability →](/docs/wiki/concepts/traceability/what-is)

## Core Concepts at a Glance

### Artifacts

Artifacts are the building blocks of traceability. They represent discrete units of work:

| Artifact Type | Description | Examples |
|--------------|-------------|----------|
| Requirements | What the system should do | User stories, features, specifications |
| Design | How the system is structured | Architecture, wireframes, data models |
| Code | Implementation of requirements | Modules, classes, functions |
| Tests | Verification of behavior | Unit tests, integration tests, acceptance tests |

[Explore artifact types →](/docs/wiki/concepts/artifacts)

### Relationships (Links)

Links connect artifacts and form the traceability graph:

```
REQUIREMENT ──implements──> CODE ──tests──> TEST
     │                                        │
     └──────────verified_by───────────────────┘
```

Link types include:
- `implements` / `realized_by`
- `tests` / `verified_by`
- `depends_on` / `blocks`
- `parent_of` / `child_of`

[Learn about relationships →](/docs/wiki/concepts/relationships)

### Workflows

Workflows define how artifacts move through states:

```
DRAFT → IN_PROGRESS → REVIEW → DONE
```

TraceRTM supports multiple workflow patterns:
- Agile/Scrum workflows
- Waterfall/V-model workflows
- Hybrid approaches
- Custom workflows

[Explore workflows →](/docs/wiki/concepts/workflows)

### Metadata & Custom Fields

Every artifact carries metadata that enables filtering, searching, and reporting:

- **Standard fields**: ID, title, status, owner, priority
- **Custom fields**: Sprint, story points, risk level, regulatory classification
- **Computed fields**: Coverage percentage, child count, link count

[Learn about metadata →](/docs/wiki/concepts/metadata)

### Versioning & Baselines

TraceRTM tracks changes over time:

- **Versions**: Every change creates a new version
- **Baselines**: Snapshots of requirements at a point in time
- **Branching**: Work on variations without affecting the main line
- **Merging**: Combine changes from different branches

[Learn about versioning →](/docs/wiki/concepts/versioning)

### Integrations

Connect TraceRTM with your existing tools:

- **Issue Trackers**: Jira, Azure DevOps, GitHub Issues
- **Source Control**: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
- **CI/CD**: Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI
- **Documentation**: Confluence, Notion

[Explore integrations →](/docs/wiki/concepts/integrations)

## Traceability Matrix

The Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) is the central deliverable:

```
                    TESTS
REQUIREMENTS    T-001  T-002  T-003  Coverage
─────────────────────────────────────────────
REQ-001           ✓      ✓             67%
REQ-002           ✓      ✓      ✓     100%
REQ-003                                 0%
─────────────────────────────────────────────
```

The matrix shows:
- Which requirements have tests
- Coverage gaps (REQ-003 has no tests)
- Over-testing (multiple tests per requirement)

## Key Benefits

### For Project Managers
- **Visibility**: See project status at a glance
- **Risk Management**: Identify gaps before they become problems
- **Change Control**: Understand impact before approving changes

### For Developers
- **Context**: Understand why code exists
- **Impact**: Know what breaks when you change something
- **Documentation**: Traceability is living documentation

### For QA Teams
- **Coverage**: Know what's tested and what isn't
- **Prioritization**: Focus on high-risk areas
- **Regression**: Identify tests affected by changes

### For Compliance
- **Audit Trails**: Every change is recorded
- **Evidence**: Demonstrate complete coverage
- **Standards**: Meet regulatory requirements

## Concept Map

```
                    ┌─────────────┐
                    │   PROJECT   │
                    └──────┬──────┘
                           │
          ┌────────────────┼────────────────┐
          │                │                │
    ┌─────▼─────┐   ┌──────▼──────┐   ┌────▼────┐
    │ ARTIFACTS │   │  WORKFLOWS  │   │  USERS  │
    └─────┬─────┘   └─────────────┘   └─────────┘
          │
    ┌─────┴─────┐
    │           │
┌───▼───┐ ┌─────▼─────┐
│ LINKS │ │  METADATA │
└───────┘ └───────────┘
```

## Dive Deeper

<div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 gap-4 my-6">

### Traceability
- [What is Traceability?](/docs/wiki/concepts/traceability/what-is)
- [Types of Traceability](/docs/wiki/concepts/traceability/types)
- [Benefits](/docs/wiki/concepts/traceability/benefits)
- [Best Practices](/docs/wiki/concepts/traceability/best-practices)

### Artifacts
- [Requirements](/docs/wiki/concepts/artifacts/requirements)
- [Design Artifacts](/docs/wiki/concepts/artifacts/design)
- [Test Cases](/docs/wiki/concepts/artifacts/test-cases)
- [Code Artifacts](/docs/wiki/concepts/artifacts/code)

### Relationships
- [Link Types](/docs/wiki/concepts/relationships/types)
- [Relationship Mapping](/docs/wiki/concepts/relationships/mapping)
- [Visualization](/docs/wiki/concepts/relationships/visualization)
- [Impact Analysis](/docs/wiki/concepts/relationships/impact-analysis)

### Workflows
- [Agile Workflows](/docs/wiki/concepts/workflows/agile)
- [Waterfall Workflows](/docs/wiki/concepts/workflows/waterfall)
- [Custom Workflows](/docs/wiki/concepts/workflows/custom)
- [Automation](/docs/wiki/concepts/workflows/automation)

</div>

## Related Topics

- [Getting Started](/docs/getting-started) - Set up your first project
- [Data Model](/docs/getting-started/core-concepts/data-model) - Technical details
- [Best Practices](/docs/wiki/best-practices) - Industry guidance

