Glossary

Site. One PlatformKit website and its configuration, content, visual design, and site-specific features. The generic demo and this documentation site are separate sites.

The kit. @platform-kit/kit — shared code for content processing, the CLI, build and deploy, database declarations, APIs, and application services such as checkout, memberships, messaging, email, and print production.

The theme. @platform-kit/movable-types — the pages, components, admin screens, and styles that users see. A site can replace a theme component by name.

Form. A record under content/forms/ that defines its questions, answer types, conditions, and completion behavior. A form can have its own page, appear on a landing page, or be embedded on another site. See Forms.

Deployment shape. The site's runtime and publishing arrangement, declared with deployment: { backend, content, repo }: static serves built files without a backend; git uses a repository and backend, and published changes are committed and rebuilt; cloud uses a backend without a repository, and database rows are the source of truth. A backend site with row-backed content has a production CMS. See The three deployment shapes.

Row-backed content. Content stored in Supabase instead of files (CONTENT_STORE=cloud). Each record has a draft and a published version. Publishing makes the draft live; if the site has a repository in its publish cycle, publishing also commits the change and triggers a rebuild. See Cloud mode.

Content model. A site-defined record type, such as an event or teacher profile. The model specifies the fields; entries are stored under content/models/<key>/ and can be published on /c/<key>. See Content models.

Module. A feature group that a site enables or disables in platformkit.config.js, such as the store, forms, support desk, or email campaigns. A disabled module contributes no routes, navigation, admin screens, build steps, or deployment-secret requirements.

The admin. The site's editing and operations interface at /admin. Local development exposes the CMS. Production exposes content editing for row-backed sites and operational screens according to the site's modules and the staff member's role. Static sites do not deploy an admin or authentication.

Collection. A group of records with the same fields, such as articles, books, products, pages, or email designs. File-backed collections are stored under content/.

Published. A record's visibility setting. An unpublished record stays editable but is excluded from the public site and its indexes. Its file remains in a file-backed site; its draft remains in cloud storage.

Frontmatter. The structured fields between the opening --- lines of a markdown record. Editors change these through form controls in the admin; developers can edit them in the file.

Look. A site's colour palette and font tokens. The site registers available looks in its configuration and selects one in Site settings.

Landing page / section. A public page assembled from ordered sections such as a hero, pricing block, or FAQ. Editors add, configure, and reorder sections in the page builder.

Strings. Editable interface copy—labels, buttons, empty states, prompts—stored in markdown under content/app/ui/. Editors manage it in Settings → UI strings. Theme defaults are used wherever the site has no override.

Companion. A record paired with a book. It can contain chapter summaries, key ideas, quiz questions, and a short recommendation blurb.

Highlight (a mark). An editorial underline included in a book's text and marked with a colour. It is separate from highlights a reader adds.

Edition. A specific printed or downloadable version of a book, defined by its contents, trim, and cover. The build creates the edition files; the store can sell them.

Offer / sku / key. An offer is an item the store sells. Its sku is the offer's URL-safe identifier and may change; its permanent key is the identity used to match the offer with Stripe records and purchases.

Tier. A membership level with a rank. Multiple offers, such as weekly and monthly plans, can provide the same tier; a higher rank includes lower-ranked tiers.

Session. A bookable appointment, such as a coaching call. The sessions module can use PlatformKit's scheduler or cal.com; each session record sets its price and access rules.

Coaching chat. Private conversations between members and coaches, with one thread for each member–coach pair.

Support desk. A public chat widget for guests and signed-in readers, connected to a staff inbox. It is separate from coaching chat.

Funnel / blast / prompt. A funnel sends a sequence of scheduled emails to matching accounts. A blast sends one campaign to an audience. A prompt is a funnel step that appears in the browser as a support-chat prompt instead of an email.

Audience. Rules that determine which accounts qualify for a campaign, based on account activity, purchases, memberships, reading, or other supported account data.

Migration plan. The proposed database changes needed to match the declared schema, including supported renames, schema differences, and the data script. Preview it with platformkit migrate --plan; deploy applies the plan after its safety checks.

Database declaration. Schema files that describe the database's intended end state. PlatformKit compares that declaration with the database; sites do not write migrations.

Supabase. The backend PlatformKit uses for Postgres, authentication, file storage, and edge functions. Local development runs a Supabase stack in Docker.

Edge function. Server-side code deployed to Supabase for work such as checkout, webhooks, support requests, email, or push notifications.

Instrument. An optional site module for assessments, scoring, and results pages, such as diagnostics or personality and word tests.

OpenSpec. The workflow used to propose and implement platform changes: define the requirements, implement the tasks, then verify each requirement before archiving the change.