This list defines approved NemoClaw technical terms for explanatory text. It gives each term one project meaning and identifies alternatives that can make that meaning unclear.
This list is not a general English dictionary. It does not copy the ASD-STE100 dictionary, and its use does not establish ASD-STE100 compliance.
- Use the approved term with the meaning and form shown here.
- Treat an alternative as discouraged only when it refers to the same concept.
- Use a different term when it identifies a real difference. Define that difference at first use.
- Preserve literal identifiers, commands, output, API fields, quotations, and official third-party names.
- Apply the list to changed text. Report unrelated terminology debt in a focused follow-up.
| Use | Use as | Meaning | Avoid for this meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
AI |
Technical noun or adjective | Artificial intelligence. | A.I., ai in prose |
Amazon Bedrock |
Product name | The AWS managed foundation-model service. | Bedrock when the product is not already clear, amazon bedrock |
Anthropic |
Organization or provider name | Anthropic as an organization or inference provider. | anthropic in prose |
API |
Technical noun or adjective | An application programming interface. | Api, api in prose |
API key |
Technical noun | A credential whose type is an API key. | API Key, api key |
AppArmor |
Product name or adjective | The Linux mandatory-access-control system. | App Armor, apparmor in prose |
Apple silicon |
Platform name or adjective | Apple-designed Arm-based Mac hardware. | Apple Silicon, M-series Mac when the architecture matters |
ASD-STE100 |
Standard name | The Simplified Technical English standard referenced by this project. | STE100, ASD STE 100 |
AWS |
Product-family name or adjective | Amazon Web Services. Write Amazon Web Services (AWS) at first use for an audience that might not know the abbreviation. |
Aws, aws in prose |
Bash |
Shell name or adjective | The Bash command shell. Use bash for the command or a code-fence language. |
BASH, bash when the shell name is intended |
Brave Search |
Product name | The Brave Search web search service. Use Brave after the full name is clear. |
brave search, Brave on first use |
Brev |
Product name | The NVIDIA service used by deprecated remote-instance deployment flows and E2E infrastructure. | brev in prose |
CI |
Technical noun or adjective | Continuous integration. | ci, Ci |
CLI |
Technical noun | A command-line interface as a whole. | cli, Cli, command when one operation is intended |
Cloudflare Tunnel |
Product name | The Cloudflare service that exposes a configured dashboard through a named tunnel. | Cloudflare tunnel, cloudflared tunnel when the product is intended |
Colima |
Product name | The container runtime used by a supported macOS path. | colima in prose |
DCO |
Technical noun | The Developer Certificate of Origin declaration required for contributor PRs. | dco, sign-off when the declaration is intended |
DGX Spark |
Product name | The NVIDIA DGX Spark system. | Spark when the product is intended |
DGX Station |
Product name | The NVIDIA DGX Station system. | Station when the product is not already clear |
Discord |
Product name | The Discord messaging service. | discord in prose |
DNS |
Technical noun or adjective | The Domain Name System. | dns in prose |
Docker |
Product name or adjective | The Docker container platform. | docker in prose |
Docker Desktop |
Product name | The Docker Desktop application. | Docker desktop, docker desktop |
E2E |
Technical noun or adjective | End-to-end testing or evidence. Spell it out at first use when the audience is not expected to know the abbreviation. | e2e, E-2-E |
Fern |
Product name | The documentation platform that builds and publishes NemoClaw docs. | fern in prose |
Git |
Product name or adjective | The Git version-control system. Use git for the command. |
git when the product is intended |
GitHub |
Product name or adjective | The GitHub hosting and collaboration service. | Github, github in prose |
GitHub Actions |
Product name | The GitHub workflow service. | GitHub actions, Github Actions |
Google Gemini |
Product or provider name | The Google Gemini inference provider. Use Gemini after the full name is clear. |
google gemini, Gemini provider on first use |
GPU |
Technical noun or adjective | A graphics processing unit. | Gpu, gpu in prose |
Hermes |
Product name | The Hermes agent runtime. | hermes in prose |
Homebrew |
Product name or adjective | The macOS package manager and service path used by NemoClaw. Use brew for the command. |
homebrew in prose, Brew when the product is intended |
HTTP |
Technical noun or adjective | Hypertext Transfer Protocol without TLS. | Http, http in prose |
HTTPS |
Technical noun or adjective | HTTP protected by TLS. | Https, https in prose |
Hugging Face |
Product or organization name | The Hugging Face model and package services. | HuggingFace, hugging face |
IP address |
Technical noun | An Internet Protocol address. | IP when an address is intended, IP Address |
JavaScript |
Language name or adjective | The JavaScript programming language. | Javascript, javascript in prose |
JSON |
Technical noun or adjective | The JSON data format. | Json, json in prose |
Kubernetes |
Product name or adjective | The Kubernetes orchestration platform. | K8s in explanatory prose, kubernetes |
Landlock |
Product name or adjective | The Linux Landlock filesystem-access control system. | landlock in prose |
LangChain Deep Agents Code |
Product name | The full product name. Use Deep Agents Code after the full name is clear. |
DeepAgents Code, deep agents code in prose |
Linux |
Operating-system name or adjective | The Linux operating system. | linux in prose |
macOS |
Operating-system name or adjective | The Apple macOS operating system. | MacOS, Mac OS, OSX |
Markdown |
Format name or adjective | Markdown source or output. | markdown in prose |
MCP |
Technical noun or adjective | Model Context Protocol. Write the full name at first use on a page, followed by (MCP). |
mcp in prose |
MDX |
Technical noun or adjective | Markdown with JSX syntax. | Mdx, mdx in prose |
Microsoft Teams |
Product name | The Microsoft Teams messaging service. Use Teams after the full name is clear. |
MS Teams, microsoft teams |
mTLS |
Technical noun or adjective | Mutual TLS authentication. | MTLS, mtls |
NemoClaw |
Product name | The NVIDIA reference stack in this repository. | nemoclaw or Nemoclaw in prose |
Nemotron |
Model-family name | The NVIDIA Nemotron model family. | nemotron in prose |
NGC |
Product name or adjective | The NVIDIA NGC catalog and registry services. | Ngc, ngc in prose |
Node.js |
Runtime name or adjective | The Node.js JavaScript runtime. | NodeJS, Node, node.js in prose |
npm |
Product or command name | The npm package manager and registry. | NPM, Npm |
NVIDIA |
Organization name or adjective | NVIDIA as an organization or product modifier. | Nvidia, nvidia |
NVIDIA NIM |
Product name | NVIDIA NIM inference software. Use NIM after the full name is clear. |
Nvidia NIM, NIM on first use |
Ollama |
Product name or adjective | The Ollama local inference server. | ollama in prose |
OpenAI |
Organization or provider name | OpenAI as an organization or inference provider. | Open AI, openai in prose |
OpenClaw |
Product name | The OpenClaw agent runtime. | openclaw or Openclaw in prose |
OpenRouter |
Product or provider name | The OpenRouter inference service. | Open Router, openrouter in prose |
OpenShell |
Product name | The NVIDIA sandbox runtime and policy platform. | Open Shell, openShell, Openshell, openshell |
PyPI |
Product name | The Python Package Index. | Pypi, pypi in prose |
Python |
Language name or adjective | The Python programming language. | python in prose |
QR code |
Technical noun | A quick-response code used for device or channel pairing. | QR Code, qr code |
Slack |
Product name | The Slack messaging service. | slack in prose |
SSH |
Technical noun or adjective | Secure Shell remote access. | ssh in prose |
SSRF |
Technical noun or adjective | Server-side request forgery. Write the full term at first use on a page, followed by (SSRF). |
Ssrf, ssrf in prose |
Tavily Search |
Product name | The Tavily web search service. Use Tavily after the full name is clear. |
tavily search, Tavily on first use |
TCP |
Technical noun or adjective | Transmission Control Protocol. | Tcp, tcp in prose |
Telegram |
Product name | The Telegram messaging service. | telegram in prose |
TLS |
Technical noun or adjective | Transport Layer Security. | Tls, tls in prose |
TUI |
Technical noun | A terminal user interface. | Tui, tui in prose |
TypeScript |
Language name or adjective | The TypeScript programming language. | Typescript, typescript in prose |
Ubuntu |
Operating-system name or adjective | The Ubuntu Linux distribution. | ubuntu in prose |
UI |
Technical noun | A user interface. | Ui, ui in prose |
URL |
Technical noun | A uniform resource locator. | Url, url in prose |
Vitest |
Product name or adjective | The Vitest test runner. | vitest in prose |
vLLM |
Product name or adjective | The vLLM inference server. | VLLM, vllm in prose |
WeChat |
Product name | The WeChat messaging service. | Wechat, wechat in prose |
WhatsApp |
Product name | The WhatsApp messaging service. | Whatsapp, whatsapp in prose |
Windows |
Operating-system name or adjective | The Microsoft Windows operating system. | windows in prose |
WSL |
Technical noun or adjective | Windows Subsystem for Linux. Write the full name at first use on a page, followed by (WSL). |
Wsl, wsl in prose |
YAML |
Technical noun or adjective | The YAML data format. | yaml, Yaml |
Lowercase forms remain correct in commands, package names, file paths, environment variables, and other literal identifiers.
| Use | Use as | Meaning | Avoid for this meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
agent |
Technical noun | Software that uses a model and tools to do tasks. Add coding, supported, or another modifier when the agent type matters. |
assistant, bot, workload |
agent runtime |
Technical noun | Software that implements agent behavior, such as OpenClaw, Hermes, or Deep Agents Code. | agent framework, harness |
best-effort |
Adjective | Attempts a named control or operation without guaranteeing that it succeeds or remains enforced. State the failure or fallback result. | guaranteed, enforced |
blueprint |
Technical noun | The versioned YAML package that defines the sandbox shape, policies, inference profiles, and supporting assets. | template, recipe, configuration |
command |
Technical noun | One named CLI operation or a complete invocation. | CLI when one operation is intended |
compatible |
Adjective | Satisfies a stated technical contract. Compatibility alone does not establish product support. | supported |
configuration |
Technical noun | The settings that define behavior. Use config only in literal names or when the interface uses that label. |
config in explanatory prose, setup |
container |
Technical noun | An implementation-level operating-system container. Use sandbox for the OpenShell resource exposed to users. |
sandbox when the interface-level resource is intended |
credential |
Technical noun | Secret authentication material, including an API key, token, or password. Use the specific type when known. | key, API key when the type is unknown |
default sandbox |
Technical noun | The sandbox selected when the user does not supply a sandbox name. | primary sandbox, main sandbox |
endpoint |
Technical noun | A network destination that exposes an API. | provider, model, route |
gateway |
Technical noun | A service that coordinates requests for a runtime. Use OpenShell gateway or agent gateway when the type is not clear. |
server, control plane |
host |
Technical noun or adjective | The environment outside the sandbox that runs the CLI and host-side services. | local machine, workstation |
inference provider |
Technical noun | A named service configuration that selects and authenticates an inference service. | backend, endpoint, model provider |
inference route |
Technical noun | The gateway-managed path from inference.local to the selected provider and model. |
endpoint, provider |
integration layer |
Technical noun | Agent-specific configuration, plugins, wrappers, and runtime support that connect an agent runtime to OpenShell. | plugin when the integration is not a plugin |
manifest |
Technical noun | A declarative file that defines a project resource or supported integration. Name the manifest type at first use. | configuration file when the contract is a manifest |
messaging channel |
Technical noun | A supported messaging service through which an agent sends or receives messages. | messaging integration, connector |
model |
Technical noun | The model selection served through an inference provider. | provider, endpoint |
NemoClaw-managed |
Adjective | A resource whose lifecycle or configuration NemoClaw controls. | NemoClaw resource when ownership is unclear |
network policy |
Technical noun | Rules that control sandbox network egress. | firewall, allowlist, egress rules when the complete policy is intended |
plugin |
Technical noun | A package loaded through an agent runtime's plugin mechanism. | integration layer, extension |
policy preset |
Technical noun | A named set of policy entries that an operator can apply. Use preset after the full term is clear. |
policy template, network preset |
resource |
Technical noun | A named object whose lifecycle a system manages. Use the specific resource type when known. | asset, thing |
sandbox |
Technical noun | The isolated OpenShell runtime resource in which the selected agent runs. | container or pod when the interface-level resource is intended |
supported |
Adjective | Approved as a NemoClaw product surface with defined ownership, lifecycle, compatibility, security, and validation expectations. | compatible, works with |
workspace |
Technical noun | The directory tree available to the agent for user files and task state. | working directory when the broader tree is intended |
| Use | Use as | Meaning | Avoid for this meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
agent gateway |
Technical noun | The agent runtime service inside a sandbox that accepts agent requests. | OpenShell gateway, gateway when the type is unclear |
agent manifest |
Technical noun | The repository manifest that defines one supported agent runtime and its lifecycle integration. | agent configuration, runtime manifest |
base image |
Technical noun | The image from which NemoClaw builds an agent sandbox image. | parent image, default image |
blueprint runner |
Technical noun | The process that applies the NemoClaw blueprint and reconciles sandbox resources and agent-runtime lifecycle. | runner without the modifier, driver, agent runtime |
build context |
Technical noun | The files available to an image build. | build directory when file availability is intended |
build-time setting |
Technical noun | A value applied while NemoClaw builds an image. | runtime setting, build config |
dashboard |
Technical noun | The browser interface exposed by an agent runtime. | UI when the browser interface is intended |
driver |
Technical noun | An OpenShell compute implementation that creates and operates sandbox runtimes, such as the Docker driver. | agent driver, adapter |
gateway port |
Technical noun | A network port on which a named gateway listens. Name the gateway when needed. | service port when the gateway is intended |
host-side |
Adjective | Runs or exists on the host, outside a sandbox. | local, external |
in-sandbox |
Adjective | Runs or exists inside a sandbox. | internal, container-side |
lifecycle authority |
Technical noun | The component that owns create, start, stop, update, and delete decisions for a resource. | owner without the lifecycle responsibility |
locked npm cache seed |
Technical noun | The complete, integrity-verified set of registry archives reachable from one npm lockfile for a selected platform. | BuildKit cache, npm cache when the verified archive set is intended |
OpenShell gateway |
Technical noun | The host service that owns credentials, coordinates sandbox lifecycle, and proxies approved traffic. | agent gateway, gateway when the type is unclear |
port forward |
Technical noun or verb | A connection that maps a host port to a service inside a sandbox, or the act of creating that connection. | tunnel when no general tunnel exists |
provider profile |
Technical noun | An OpenShell declaration of one service provider's credentials, endpoints, allowed binaries, and access policy. | inference profile, provider settings |
runtime provider state mutation |
Technical noun | A bounded, provider-mediated protection transition or restore operation whose selected state, projection digest, active fence, and recovery contract are explicit. | state mutation without the runtime provider modifier, lifecycle mutation |
runtime setting |
Technical noun | A value applied when a process or sandbox runs. | build-time setting, runtime config |
sandbox image |
Technical noun | The built image used to create an agent sandbox. | base image, container |
sandbox registry |
Technical noun | NemoClaw state that records managed sandboxes and their selected agent types. | image registry, container registry |
service |
Technical noun | A long-running process that exposes a defined capability. Name the service at first use. | daemon unless the implementation detail matters |
state directory |
Technical noun | A directory reserved for persistent project or runtime state. | data folder, config directory |
terminal agent |
Technical noun | An agent whose primary user interface is an interactive terminal session. | terminal runtime |
terminal runtime |
Technical noun | The in-sandbox process environment that hosts a terminal agent. | terminal agent |
| Use | Use as | Meaning | Avoid for this meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
Anthropic Messages API |
Technical noun | The Anthropic request and response contract used by a compatible inference endpoint. | Anthropic API when the API family matters |
API family |
Technical noun | A request and response contract, such as Chat Completions, Responses, or Anthropic Messages. | provider, endpoint |
Chat Completions API |
Technical noun | The OpenAI-compatible chat completions request and response contract. | OpenAI API when the API family matters, chat API |
compatible endpoint |
Technical noun | A custom endpoint that implements a selected API family closely enough for NemoClaw validation. | supported provider, OpenAI endpoint |
context window |
Technical noun | The maximum combined input and output token capacity configured for a model. | context size, context length in explanatory prose |
custom endpoint |
Technical noun | A user-supplied inference endpoint that is not one of NemoClaw's named provider choices. | compatible endpoint before compatibility is validated |
hosted inference |
Technical noun | Inference served by a remote provider-operated service. | local inference, cloud model |
inference |
Technical noun | Model execution that produces a response from an input. | AI, generation when model execution is intended |
inference health |
Technical noun | The classification reported for a sandbox's inference route: the inference.local /v1/models probe result, and, when that route is reachable and the sandbox records a provider and a model, the result of one inference request sent over the same route. Values are healthy, unauthorized, reachable, unhealthy, unreachable, and not probed. |
model health, successful inference |
inference profile |
Technical noun | A blueprint selection that defines an inference provider type, provider name, endpoint, model, credential input, and route settings. | provider profile, model profile |
inference request |
Technical noun | One request sent through an inference route to a model. | API call when the inference purpose matters |
inference route reachability |
Technical noun | The reachable inference-health result produced when https://inference.local/v1/models returns HTTP 200 through 499. It does not establish valid credentials, successful model invocation, readiness, compatibility, or support. |
inference health, successful inference, validation request |
live route |
Technical noun | The provider and model route currently configured on the OpenShell gateway. | recorded route, active endpoint |
local inference |
Technical noun | Inference served by a model runtime that the operator runs locally. | hosted inference, local model when the service is intended |
managed inference |
Technical noun | Inference routed through OpenShell so the sandbox does not hold the upstream provider credential. | direct inference, hosted inference |
model capability |
Technical noun | A supported model behavior, such as tool calls, reasoning, or web search. | feature without naming the model behavior |
model ID |
Technical noun | The provider-defined identifier used to select a model. | model name when an exact identifier is required |
Model Router |
Product component name | The host-side router that selects among configured upstream models. | model gateway, router when the component is not clear |
output token |
Technical noun | A token generated in a model response. | completion token unless the API uses that field name |
provider credential |
Technical noun | A credential registered with OpenShell for one inference provider. | API key when the credential type is not known |
reasoning effort |
Technical noun | The configured amount of reasoning work requested from a compatible model. | reasoning level, thinking budget |
reasoning mode |
Technical noun | The endpoint-specific mechanism used to request or return model reasoning. | reasoning effort when the mechanism is intended |
recorded route |
Technical noun | The provider and model route stored for a sandbox. | live route, saved endpoint |
Responses API |
Technical noun | The OpenAI-compatible responses request and response contract. | OpenAI API when the API family matters, response API |
route drift |
Technical noun | A difference between a sandbox's recorded route and the gateway's live route. | configuration drift without naming the route |
routed inference |
Technical noun | Inference traffic sent through the managed inference.local route. |
direct inference, proxied AI |
streaming response |
Technical noun | A response delivered incrementally before the complete result is available. | live response, streamed output |
upstream endpoint |
Technical noun | The provider endpoint that OpenShell or Model Router contacts on behalf of a sandbox. | sandbox endpoint, route |
validation request |
Technical noun | An authenticated model request used to check a named endpoint, API family, model, and request shape. One success does not establish broader API conformance. | health check, smoke test |
warm-up |
Technical noun or adjective | A bounded preparatory request or session that loads a model or starts a runtime before user work. | validation when no contract is checked, warmup |
web search |
Technical noun | A model or agent capability that retrieves current information from the web. | browsing, internet access |
| Use | Use as | Meaning | Avoid for this meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
allowlist |
Technical noun or verb | An explicit set of allowed values, or the act of adding a value to that set. | whitelist |
baseline policy |
Technical noun | The agent-specific network policy applied before operator-selected presets and approvals. | default policy, base policy |
credential-bearing |
Adjective | Contains or can expose credential material. | secret when the content can include more than one secret type |
credential binding |
Technical noun | Metadata that associates a managed route or placeholder with a stored credential. | credential, mapping |
credential custody |
Technical noun | Responsibility for storing and controlling access to a credential value. | credential ownership |
credential-free |
Adjective | Contains no credential material and does not grant credential access. | safe, non-secret when absence of credentials is the exact claim |
credential placeholder |
Technical noun | A non-secret value that OpenShell replaces with a credential at an approved request boundary. | fake key, dummy credential |
credential rewrite |
Technical noun | Replacement of a credential placeholder with a stored credential during an approved request. | credential injection, secret substitution |
deny by default; deny-by-default |
Technical phrase; adjective | Block access unless a rule explicitly allows it. Use the hyphenated form before a noun. | default deny, closed by default |
DNS pinning |
Technical noun | Binding an approved hostname to validated address results to prevent resolution changes from bypassing policy. | DNS lock, host pinning |
egress |
Technical noun or adjective | Network traffic that leaves a sandbox. | outbound access when the policy direction matters |
egress rule |
Technical noun | One network-policy rule that controls outbound traffic. | network policy when one entry is intended |
endpoint rule |
Technical noun | A policy entry that matches a destination and its permitted protocol details. | endpoint, allowlist entry |
fail closed; fail-closed |
Technical phrase; adjective | Reject or stop an operation when required security evidence is absent or invalid. Use the hyphenated form before a noun. | fail safe, abort securely |
filesystem policy |
Technical noun | Rules that control sandbox access to filesystem paths. | file permissions when the complete policy is intended |
least privilege |
Technical noun | Grant only the access required for the stated operation. | minimal permissions, locked down |
link-local address |
Technical noun | An IP address valid only on the directly connected network segment. | local address, private IP address |
lockdown |
Technical noun | The protected filesystem, process, and restrictive network-policy posture restored by Shields up. | hardening, shields when the resulting posture is intended |
loopback address |
Technical noun | An IP address that refers to the same network host. | localhost when an address is intended, local address |
network namespace |
Technical noun | The operating-system isolation boundary for network devices, routes, and sockets. | network sandbox, container network |
policy |
Technical noun | Enforceable rules that allow, deny, or constrain an operation. Name the policy type at first use. | configuration, settings |
policy entry |
Technical noun | One declarative rule in a policy. | policy when one rule is intended, item |
policy key |
Technical noun | The stable identifier of a policy entry. | policy name, endpoint name |
policy tier |
Technical noun | A named network-policy posture offered during onboarding. | security level, policy mode |
private IP address |
Technical noun | An address in an IP range reserved for private networks. | local IP address, link-local address |
raw TLS passthrough |
Technical noun | Forwarding encrypted TLS bytes without application-layer inspection or credential rewriting. | HTTPS proxying, TLS termination |
read-only |
Adjective | Permits reads but not writes. | readonly, immutable unless change is impossible by design |
read-write |
Adjective | Permits both reads and writes. | writable when read access also matters |
redaction |
Technical noun | Removal or replacement of sensitive content before display, logging, or storage. | masking, sanitization |
root-owned |
Adjective | Owned by the operating-system root account. | privileged, protected |
sandbox boundary |
Technical noun | The isolation boundary between sandbox processes and host or external resources. | container boundary, security boundary without naming the sandbox |
seccomp |
Technical noun or adjective | Linux system-call filtering enforced for sandbox processes. | syscall sandbox, seccomp-BPF in general prose |
secret |
Technical noun or adjective | Sensitive authentication or cryptographic material that must not be exposed. | credential when the value is not used for authentication |
Shields down |
Product state or command name | The temporary state that relaxes selected NemoClaw lockdown controls. | permissive state, unlocked mode |
shields-down window |
Technical noun | The bounded time during which Shields down remains active before automatic restoration. | maintenance window, unlock period |
Shields up |
Product state or command name | The state that enforces NemoClaw lockdown controls. | secure mode, locked state |
trust boundary |
Technical noun | A boundary across which data or control changes its trust assumptions. | security boundary without naming the trust change |
trusted |
Adjective | Explicitly accepted as an input, identity, or component within a named trust boundary. | safe, secure |
untrusted |
Adjective | Not accepted as authoritative or safe without validation at a named trust boundary. | unsafe, external |
| Use | Use as | Meaning | Avoid for this meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
agent adapter |
Technical noun | The agent-specific integration that writes a managed MCP endpoint into an agent runtime's native configuration. | MCP bridge, MCP proxy, relay |
channel manifest |
Technical noun | The declarative record of messaging-channel packages, credentials, reachability, and policy requirements. | channel configuration, integration manifest |
channel reachability check |
Technical noun | A test that confirms required messaging-channel endpoints are reachable through the active network policy. | generic reachability check, health check |
direct message |
Technical noun | A message addressed to one user or one private conversation. Use DM only after the term is clear. |
private message when the channel calls it a direct message |
group message |
Technical noun | A message addressed to a multi-user conversation. | channel message when the service does not use channels |
managed MCP |
Technical noun or adjective | MCP access configured and mediated by NemoClaw and OpenShell. | built-in MCP, secure MCP |
MCP server |
Technical noun | A service that exposes tools through Model Context Protocol. | tool server, MCP provider |
MCP tool |
Technical noun | One callable operation exposed by an MCP server. | function, command |
messaging credential |
Technical noun | A credential used to authenticate a messaging channel. | channel key, bot token when the credential type is not known |
messaging relay |
Technical noun | A service that forwards messages between a messaging provider and an agent runtime. | API relay, dashboard relay, proxy |
public webhook |
Technical noun | A webhook endpoint reachable from the public internet. | public callback, open webhook |
sender allowlist |
Technical noun | The set of users or accounts allowed to send messages to an agent. | user whitelist, approved senders |
tool call |
Technical noun | One structured request from a model or agent to invoke a tool. | function call unless the API uses that term |
tool discovery |
Technical noun | Retrieval of the tools available from a configured tool service. | tool listing, capability scan |
webhook |
Technical noun | An HTTP endpoint that receives event callbacks from another service. | callback, hook |
| Use | Use as | Meaning | Avoid for this meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
backup |
Technical noun or verb | The process that creates recoverable copies of one or more sandboxes. Use snapshot for each resulting bundle. |
snapshot when the artifact is intended |
cleanup |
Technical noun | Removal of temporary, obsolete, or failed-operation artifacts. Name what is removed. | delete, destroy |
connect |
Technical verb | Establish an interactive session with a sandbox agent and restore required route or pairing state. | log in, attach |
create |
Technical verb | Make a new named resource without replacing an existing resource. | provision, generate |
delete |
Technical verb | Remove a named subordinate object, record, or file. Use destroy for a sandbox. |
destroy when a sandbox is intended, remove when deletion is guaranteed |
destroy |
Technical verb | Stop and delete a named sandbox and remove its registry entry through the destroy command. |
delete, uninstall |
doctor |
Technical noun or adjective | The diagnostic command or report that checks host and NemoClaw readiness. | health check, diagnostics command |
download |
Technical verb or noun | Transfer selected files from a sandbox to the host. | export, back up |
fresh onboarding |
Technical noun | Onboarding that discards the saved session, starts the wizard again, and reruns base-image resolution. It can later reuse or recreate a matching live sandbox. | clean install, guaranteed new sandbox |
health check |
Technical noun | A bounded check that reports whether a service or route responds as required. | readiness check when ability to begin work is intended, validation request |
install |
Technical verb or noun | Add NemoClaw software and required host components. | onboard, set up when the install operation is intended |
onboard; onboarding |
Technical verb; technical noun | Collect configuration and create or update the gateway, provider, policy, and sandbox resources. | install, setup, wizard |
persistence |
Technical noun | The property that named state remains available across specified lifecycle operations. Always name the lifecycle boundary. | permanent storage, persists without a boundary |
preflight |
Technical noun or adjective | A check performed before an operation to reject unmet prerequisites without beginning the operation. | pre-check, validation when no operation follows |
readiness check |
Technical noun | A check that verifies a service or resource can begin its intended work. | health check when basic responsiveness is intended |
rebuild |
Technical verb or noun | Recreate a sandbox container or image while preserving the supported state defined by the agent manifest. | reinstall, refresh, restart |
reconcile |
Technical verb | Bring observed resource state into agreement with recorded or desired state. | sync, refresh |
recover |
Technical verb | Repair a stopped or degraded agent runtime and its sandbox-scoped forwards. | rebuild, restart |
recreate |
Technical verb | Replace a resource by deleting and creating it again with the intended configuration. | restart, rebuild when state preservation is guaranteed |
remediation |
Technical noun | A specific action that corrects a verified failure or risk. | fix without naming the action, workaround |
rerun |
Technical verb or noun | Run a complete command, check, test, or workflow again from its start. | re-run, retry when only the failed operation repeats |
reset |
Technical verb or noun | Clear a named setting, credential, or state record so it can be established again. | delete, restore defaults without naming the target |
restart |
Technical verb or noun | Stop and start an existing process or service without replacing its configuration or resource identity. | rebuild, recreate |
restore |
Technical verb or noun | Apply state from a snapshot to a target sandbox. | recover, import |
resume |
Technical verb | Continue from recorded progress after a pause, interruption, or failed checkpoint without starting the complete workflow again. | restart, rerun |
retry |
Technical verb or noun | Attempt the same operation again after it did not complete. | rerun when the complete workflow starts again |
rollback |
Technical noun or verb | Return to a verified earlier state after an incomplete or unsafe change. | restore when applying a snapshot, revert when changing source text |
set up; setup |
Technical verb; noun or adjective | Use set up for the action and setup for a thing or state. Preserve setup in literal command names. |
setup as a verb, set-up as a noun |
snapshot |
Technical noun or verb | A versioned bundle of manifest-declared sandbox state and rebuild metadata, or the act of creating it. | backup when one stored artifact is intended |
start |
Technical verb or noun | Begin an existing stopped process, service, or sandbox without replacing it. | create, restart |
state |
Technical noun | Recorded data that persists resource configuration or runtime information across commands. | status when the current condition is intended |
status |
Technical noun | The reported current condition of a resource, service, command, or check. | state when persistent data is intended |
stop |
Technical verb or noun | End a running process, service, or sandbox while preserving its managed resource. | destroy, delete |
uninstall |
Technical verb or noun | Remove NemoClaw host software and managed resources according to the selected uninstall options. | destroy, delete |
update |
Technical verb or noun | Refresh the installed NemoClaw host software without by itself rebuilding registered sandboxes. | upgrade sandboxes, reinstall |
upgrade |
Technical verb or noun | Move a named installed component or managed resource to a newer version. Name the target. | update when only host software refresh is intended |
upload |
Technical verb or noun | Transfer selected files from the host to a sandbox. | import, restore |
Use a literal command name when it is more precise than the general operation.
For a persistence claim, name the applicable stop and start, restart, rebuild, recreate,
snapshot and restore, or destroy boundary.
| Use | Use as | Meaning | Avoid for this meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
accepted design decision |
Technical noun | A recorded maintainer decision that establishes product scope and its ownership, lifecycle, compatibility, security, and validation expectations. | proposal, design idea |
accepted issue |
Technical noun | An issue with an explicit maintainer decision that establishes the requested product scope. Open or assigned state alone is not acceptance. | open issue, approved request without evidence |
advisory |
Adjective or technical noun | Information that does not change a gate, approval, or merge state. | warning when no risk requires attention |
Announcement |
Technical noun | The post-tag release communication. | release entry |
approval-ready |
Adjective | All product, contributor, CI, merge-state, review, and test gates pass. | ready, good to go |
base SHA |
Technical noun | The target-branch commit used to evaluate the PR. | current base without a SHA |
behavior test |
Technical noun | A test named and organized around externally observable behavior. | implementation test, test case without the behavior |
blocked |
Adjective | A named decision, dependency, access problem, or input prevents progress. | stuck, cannot proceed without a reason |
blocking finding |
Technical noun | A finding that meets a defined condition preventing approval or merge. | concern, preference |
changed text |
Technical noun | Explanatory text added or modified by the diff. | the whole file when unchanged text is out of scope |
changelog |
Technical noun | The chronological collection of dated release entries. | release entry when one dated record is intended |
check |
Technical noun or verb | A named automated or manual evaluation that produces a result. | test when executable behavior is intended, gate when no policy requires it |
code-changing PR |
Technical noun | A PR that changes executable code, build inputs, policy, or behavior-affecting configuration. | code PR, feature PR |
commit |
Technical noun or verb | A Git revision, or the act of recording one. | change when a specific revision is intended |
commit SHA |
Technical noun | The immutable Git object identifier for a commit. | commit ID, hash when the object type matters |
commit under review |
Technical noun | The commit whose diff and evidence the reviewer evaluates. | exact head, review head, reviewed head |
contributor |
Technical noun | A person or agent that proposes or authors a repository change. | developer, submitter |
docs build |
Technical noun | The repository command and result that validate and render the documentation source. | docs test, site build |
documentation-only PR |
Technical noun | A PR whose diff changes explanatory documentation but no executable or behavior-affecting source. | docs PR when scope is not clear |
documentation writer review |
Technical noun | The required review that determines documentation impact for a code change and checks changed explanatory text against repository writing and documentation rules. | docs review, writing pass |
E2E test |
Technical noun | A test that exercises a complete user journey across integrated components. | integration test when the full journey is not exercised |
evidence |
Technical noun | A reproducible result or artifact tied to the revision, environment, and claim it supports. | proof without the supporting result, observation |
feature branch |
Technical noun | A non-default Git branch that contains one proposed change. | working branch, PR branch before a PR exists |
finding |
Technical noun | A review result that states an observed problem, its evidence, and the required or suggested action. | note, comment |
generated page |
Technical noun | A documentation page produced from source content and not edited directly. | source page, generated docs when one file is intended |
guide variant |
Technical noun | One agent-specific rendering of shared documentation source. | copy, flavor |
integration test |
Technical noun | A test of behavior across two or more real project components with external services mocked or isolated as required. | unit test, E2E test |
issue |
Technical noun | A tracked problem, request, or decision record in the repository. | ticket, bug when the issue type is not known |
latest PR commit |
Technical noun | The commit to which the PR source branch currently points. | current head, latest head, head when the Git object is intended |
live E2E |
Technical noun or adjective | An opt-in E2E test that changes real external state. | integration test, end-to-end test without the live qualifier |
maintainer |
Technical noun | A person with repository authority to make the stated project decision or action. | owner unless ownership is established, admin |
Markdown route |
Technical noun | A documentation URL that serves the page content in Markdown form for AI clients. | Markdown page, raw file URL |
merge state |
Technical noun | GitHub's reported ability to merge a PR and the reason when it cannot merge. | merge status, CI status |
package contract |
Technical noun | A testable requirement of the compiled or published package artifact. | integration contract, package test |
passing |
Adjective | A command exited with status 0, or a check concluded with SUCCESS. |
green when the result is not named |
PR |
Technical noun | A GitHub pull request. Write pull request (PR) at first use for an audience that might not know the abbreviation. |
change request, merge request |
pre-commit hook |
Technical noun | A repository hook that runs before Git records a commit. | precommit, lint hook |
pre-push hook |
Technical noun | A repository hook that runs before Git sends commits to a remote. | push hook, CI check |
regression test |
Technical noun | A test that fails for a previously observed defect and passes when the defect is corrected. | bug test, reproduction only |
release |
Technical noun or verb | A versioned distribution of NemoClaw, or the act of publishing it. | tag when publication is not established |
release entry |
Technical noun | The dated docs/changelog/YYYY-MM-DD.mdx record created before the tag. |
release notes when the dated entry is intended, Announcement |
release label |
Technical noun | A repository label that assigns an issue or PR to a target release. | version label, milestone |
release tag |
Technical noun | The signed or annotated Git tag that identifies a published version. | version, release when the Git object is intended |
release train |
Technical noun | The planned group of work targeted to one release version. | sprint, milestone |
required check |
Technical noun | A named GitHub check required by repository policy. | CI gate when no check is named |
review |
Technical noun or verb | An evaluation of a change against defined scope and acceptance criteria. Name the review type when it matters. | look over, audit unless it is an audit |
route-style link |
Technical noun | A relative documentation link written as a published route instead of a source filename. | file link, extensionless link |
source page |
Technical noun | An author-maintained documentation file from which one or more pages are built. | generated page, canonical page |
source test |
Technical noun | A test that imports and exercises project source rather than compiled artifacts. | unit test when test scope is intended, package contract |
supported surface |
Technical noun | A user-facing integration, workflow, configuration, or behavior accepted under the product scope gate. | feature, solution without support approval |
target version |
Technical noun | The exact release version to which work is assigned. | next release, current version |
test |
Technical noun or verb | A repeatable executable evaluation of specified behavior, or the act of running it. | check when no behavior executes, validation when input conformance is intended |
test title |
Technical noun | The behavior-oriented name of a test, with any issue reference in a final suffix. | test name when title conventions are intended |
tested |
Adjective | Has named test evidence for an exact revision, setup, and environment. Testing alone does not establish product support. | supported, works |
unit test |
Technical noun | A test of one source unit with external dependencies isolated. | integration test, source test when import origin is intended |
user approval |
Technical noun | Explicit consent from the affected user for a named action and scope. It does not establish product support, and product approval does not replace it. | accepted issue, accepted design decision, implied consent |
user-visible change |
Technical noun | A change to a command, output, configuration, workflow, or supported behavior. | improvement without the changed behavior |
validation |
Technical noun | Evaluation of an input, configuration, or result against a specified contract. | verification when establishing an operational claim, test when behavior executes |
verification |
Technical noun | Evidence-based confirmation that a stated result is true for the named revision and environment. | validation when checking input conformance, check without evidence |
Use this table to keep operational checks, evidence descriptions, technical compatibility, and product support separate. A result can support more than one claim only when its evidence meets each definition.
| Class | Claim | Establishes | Does not establish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operational | inference route reachability |
The named /v1/models route returned HTTP 200 through 499. |
Valid credentials, successful model invocation, readiness, compatibility, or support. |
| Operational | inference health |
The named /v1/models probe classification, plus the result of one inference request over the same route when NemoClaw sent one. |
Broader API conformance, other requests or models, readiness, compatibility, or support. |
| Operational | readiness check |
A service or resource meets named criteria to begin its intended work. | Broader reliability, compatibility, or support. |
| Operational | validation request |
One authenticated request succeeded for the named endpoint, API family, model, and request shape. | Broader API conformance, other requests or models, reliability, or support. |
| Evidence | verification |
Evidence confirms the stated result for the named revision and environment. | Compatibility or support unless the evidence and decision establish them. |
| Evidence | tested |
The exact revision, setup, and environment have named test evidence. | Compatibility beyond the tested criteria or support. |
| Technical | compatible |
The named technical contract is satisfied. | Product support. |
| Product | supported |
The product surface has accepted ownership, lifecycle, compatibility, security, and validation expectations. | User approval for a specific action. |
Exact product states remain valid technical terms. For example, use the OpenShell sandbox phase
Ready with its documented capitalization. Do not use ready as a general approval judgment.
The list has no fixed entry count. Expand it when repository usage proves that a term needs control, and remove an entry when the project no longer uses its concept or exact form. The section boundaries help writers find terms; they do not create separate vocabularies.
Add or change an entry only when it does at least one of these things:
- Resolves a recurring ambiguity across repository surfaces.
- Separates concepts whose difference affects behavior, security, support, or evidence.
- Preserves an exact product name or text form.
For each entry:
- Confirm the term against the applicable CLI, code, tests, and current documentation. Confirm an external product name against its official form.
- Select the shortest familiar term that preserves the current meaning.
- Define one meaning. Add another row when the same word has a different controlled meaning.
- List only alternatives that writers use for that same meaning.
- Keep entries alphabetical within their section.
Do not add every acceptable English word. Do not use this list to rename a command, identifier, schema field, UI label, or third-party product. Such a rename needs its own behavior or interface decision.