> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.useshipd.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Glossary

> One definition for every shipd term. The docs use these words and only these words.

## Overview

Each term below has exactly one meaning across the shipd docs, dashboard, CLI, and SDK. If another tool calls it something else, that name is listed under **Also called** so you can map it — the docs themselves don't use those names.

## Terms

| Term | Definition | Also called |
| - | - | - |
| **Flag** | A named value your app reads at runtime: boolean, variant, number, or JSON. | feature flag, feature toggle, switch, gate |
| **Flag definition** | A flag's key, type, variants, description, tags, and lifecycle. Written in `shipd.config.ts`. Shared by every environment in the project. | flag schema |
| **Flag state** | Whether a flag is enabled, its targeting rules, and its fallthrough in one environment. Edited in the dashboard. | environment config |
| **Boolean flag** | A flag whose value is `true` or `false`. Read with `isEnabled`. | feature gate |
| **Variant flag** | A flag whose value is one of a fixed list of strings. Read with `getVariant`. | multivariate flag, experiment |
| **Number flag** | A flag whose value is a number. Read with `getNumber`. | numeric config |
| **JSON flag** | A flag whose value is any JSON value. Read with `getJson`. | remote config, dynamic config |
| **`shipd.config.ts`** | The file that declares your project's flag definitions with `defineFlags`. | flagfile, manifest |
| **Default** | In `shipd.config.ts`: the fallthrough `shipd push` sets in the environment it targets (it resets the fallthrough whenever they differ). In the SDK's `defaults` option: the value returned when the SDK has no snapshot or the flag isn't in it. | fallback value |
| **Fallthrough** | What an environment serves when no targeting rule matches. Also served, skipping all rules, when the flag is disabled. | default serve, default rule, off variation |
| **Targeting rule** | An ordered condition list plus a serve. The first rule whose conditions all match decides the value. | rule, targeting |
| **Serve** | The value a rule or fallthrough returns: a fixed value or a weighted serve. | variation, return value |
| **Weighted serve** | A serve that splits users across values by percentage, stickily. Used for A/B tests. | percentage split, traffic allocation |
| **Percentage rollout** | A rule condition that matches a stable percentage of users, bucketed by flag key and `userId`. | gradual rollout, canary |
| **Audience** | A reusable set of conditions defined once per project and referenced from rules. Evaluated locally. The condition kind is `segment`. | segment, cohort |
| **Evaluation context** | Who is asking: `userId`, `attributes`, and `segmentIds`. Passed per call or set with `identify`. | user context, user object |
| **Attribute** | A key-value pair in the evaluation context, such as `plan: "pro"`. Rules match on attributes. | trait, property, custom attribute |
| **`identify`** | An SDK call that sets the user for later evaluations on a client. Its `traits` become attributes. | set user, login context |
| **Evaluation** | Computing a flag's value for a context, in memory, from a snapshot. | flag check |
| **Local evaluation** | shipd's model: the SDK evaluates in your process, never over the network. | in-process evaluation |
| **Snapshot** | The JSON document containing everything needed to evaluate every flag in one environment. Versioned per environment. | ruleset, config payload |
| **Organization** | Your company account: members, roles, billing, SSO. | tenant, account |
| **Project** | A product or codebase inside an organization. Owns flag definitions. | app, workspace |
| **Environment** | A deployment target inside a project, such as `development` or `production`. Owns flag state, SDK keys, and a snapshot. At most one per project is marked production. | stage |
| **SDK key** | A credential that lets an SDK download one environment's snapshot. `shipd_sdk_server_…` or `shipd_sdk_client_…`. | client-side ID, mobile key, SDK token |
| **Management API key** | A personal credential for the CLI and API, bound to one organization, project, and environment. `shipd_mgmt_…`. Created by `shipd login`. | personal API key, access token |
| **Service account token** | A credential for CI and automation with explicit scopes. `shipd_sa_…`. | bot token, CI token |
| **Push** | `shipd push`: apply `shipd.config.ts` to shipd, then generate types. | deploy, sync |
| **Pull** | `shipd pull`: rewrite `shipd.config.ts` from shipd. | export |
| **Archive** | Remove a flag from use without deleting its history. Archived flags leave the snapshot. | delete |
| **Approval policy** | A rule that requires review before certain flag state changes apply. | change request, four-eyes |
| **Edge** | The globally distributed service SDKs download snapshots from: `https://edge.useshipd.com`. | CDN, data plane, relay |
| **Control plane** | The API, dashboard, and database where you define and change flags: `https://api.useshipd.com`. | management API, backend |

## Related

* [Core concepts](/core-concepts)
* [Keys and tokens](/concepts/keys)


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