Program constitution
The rettX program is governed by a constitution that applies to
every repository in the ecosystem. The full versioned text lives in
the source tree at
.specify/memory/constitution.md;
this page summarises the principles for readers who want a quick
orientation.
The constitution exists because rettX is a distributed system operated by volunteers and small teams, and we cannot rely on shared tribal knowledge to keep things consistent or safe. The constitution is the source of shared knowledge.
Why a constitution?
Section titled “Why a constitution?”Three reasons:
- Patient safety and dignity are not a feature; they are the floor. Codifying that in writing makes it harder to compromise them under deadline pressure.
- Multiple repositories, one program. Six repositories that evolve independently still need to behave like one product to the people we serve.
- Continuity. Volunteers and contributors come and go. A written constitution is how the project’s values survive contributor turnover.
The principles
Section titled “The principles”The constitution defines eight principles. Three are flagged NON-NEGOTIABLE — they cannot be relaxed by any individual change:
| # | Principle | Status |
|---|---|---|
| I | Patient-first by design | NON-NEGOTIABLE |
| II | Consent and lawful basis | NON-NEGOTIABLE |
| III | Privacy and minimal data | NON-NEGOTIABLE |
| IV | Specification-driven development | Strong |
| V | Test and verification discipline | Strong |
| VI | Observable in production | Strong |
| VII | Open by default for governance, closed by default for application code | Strong |
| VIII | Internationalisation as a first-class concern | Strong |
Read the full text for each principle in the constitution itself.
Constitution checks
Section titled “Constitution checks”Every cross-cutting specification includes a Constitution check section. If a proposal cannot pass the check, it is rewritten or abandoned — not approved with caveats. This is what makes the constitution operational rather than aspirational.
Versioning
Section titled “Versioning”The constitution is semver-versioned. A change is:
- Major if it removes a principle, weakens a NON-NEGOTIABLE one, or otherwise breaks compatibility with existing specs.
- Minor if it adds a new principle or strengthens an existing one in a way that requires changes to in-flight specs.
- Patch for clarifications, typos, and editorial fixes.
The current version is recorded at the top of the constitution file.