The Project Kernel

The Project Kernel is the single source of truth for your application. It is a strictly typed JSON object that captures every architectural, product, and design decision before a single line of code is written.

Why a Kernel?

Traditional software projects rely on scattered documents—Google Docs, Linear tickets, Slack messages. This works for humans, but AI agents need structure.

If you feed an LLM loose documents, it "hallucinates" the connections. If you feed it a Kernel, it executes based on defined relationships.

Anatomy of a Kernel

A Kernel is composed of 5 primary sections:

json

1{
2  "identity": {
3    "name": "Project Alpha",
4    "core_job": "Automate tax filing for freelancers"
5  },
6  "users": [
7    { "role": "Freelancer", "pain_points": ["Complexity", "Fear of audit"] }
8  ],
9  "features": [
10    { "name": "Receipt Scanner", "complexity": "High", "priority": "P0" }
11  ],
12  "tech_stack": {
13    "frontend": "Next.js 14",
14    "backend": "Supabase",
15    "ai": "OpenAI GPT-4o"
16  },
17  "context": {
18    "integrations": ["Stripe", "Plaid"],
19    "constraints": ["Must be mobile responsive"]
20  }
21}

The Build Process

Building a kernel is not just "saving a form." When you click Build Kernel, a background agent performs Context Enrichment:

Tech Stack Detection: If you say "React", the agent infers "Vite" or "Next.js" based on your project type.
Gap Analysis: It checks if you forgot critical components (e.g., "You mentioned payments but no Auth provider.")
Web Research: It searches for the latest documentation for your chosen libraries to ensure the generated code is up-to-date.

Locking the Kernel

The Kernel has two states: Draft and Locked.

Draft: You can edit answers, chat with the intake agent, and potential refactor the vision.
Locked: The specs are frozen. This is required before generating the full Doc Pack.

[!WARNING] Unlocking a Kernel after generating docs is possible, but it invalidates the existing documentation. You will need to regenerate the pack to ensure consistency.