Skip to main content

Glossary

New to building software with a coding agent? These definitions cover the words you will meet in Shaka's docs. The first section explains general software terms. The second explains how Shaka presents its workflow on a pull request.

General terms​

Repository​

A project's files and their full history, stored with Git. On GitHub, a repository also holds the project's issues and pull requests. People often shorten it to "repo."

Commit​

A saved snapshot of changes, with a message explaining them. Each commit has a unique ID, called a SHA, such as a419e92.

Branch​

A separate line of commits where you can work without changing anyone else's copy. A new feature or fix usually starts on its own branch.

Default branch​

The branch GitHub uses as the repository's starting point, often named main. Pull requests usually target it, though a project can use other branches for releases or ongoing work.

Worktree​

A separate checkout of the same repository in another folder. Worktrees let you work on different branches at the same time without mixing their files.

Pull request (PR)​

A request to merge a set of changes from one branch into another, usually the default branch. Pull requests let teams discuss and test changes before merging them. A squash merge makes the changes one commit on the target branch.

Test​

Code that checks other code. A test runs part of your app and confirms it behaves as expected. A good test fails when the behavior breaks.

CI (continuous integration)​

Checks that run automatically, usually on GitHub, each time you push to a PR. CI typically runs tests, linters, and security checks. A required check is one the repository says must pass before a merge.

Code review​

Reading a change to find mistakes before it is merged. A reviewer can be a person, an AI model, or both. A useful review looks for what is wrong, not just what changed.

Merge​

Adding a PR's changes to the target branch. After the merge, the change is part of the shared code.

Shaka workflow terms​

Seam​

The connection between Shaka and your repository: settings and scripts that run your project's setup, tests, and validation. See repository setup for the current files and their locations.

Merge policy: Ask and Auto​

Who merges a ready PR.

  • Ask is the default. The agent brings you the reviewed PR. You merge it on GitHub, or tell the agent to merge that commit.
  • Auto lets the agent merge when the configured checks, reviews, approvals, and repository restrictions allow it. Customizable merge limits cap changed files, changed lines, and commits. Exceeding a limit returns the task to Ask; failing required checks still blocks merging.

Consequential changes, such as trust, authentication, or release changes, still need explicit human review. See choose a merge policy.

Adversarial review​

A review that looks for faults in a change. Shaka uses a fresh session so the reviewer can examine the work without the implementation conversation. See settings for the current review options.

Current head​

The latest commit on a PR's branch. It identifies the version under review. When the code changes, Shaka refreshes the affected checks and review evidence before calling the PR ready. See the workflow for the current merge checks.

Walkthrough​

A code walkthrough explains why the implementation works as it does. The agent publishes it on the PR with links to the relevant code and evidence. See the workflow.

PR description​

The summary at the top of a PR. It tells a reader what changed, what needs a decision, and how the change was checked. The walkthrough gives more detail about implementation choices. See PR verification.

Usage​

The Usage and cost section in a PR description shows available token counts and estimated dollar cost, including local review. Missing usage is marked UNKNOWN.

WIP Details​

A collapsed section in the PR description while the work is unfinished. It names the owning agent chat, where the work stopped, and what comes next, so you or another agent can resume. See resume unfinished work.

Trusted GitHub actors​

Project contributors with write access and the people, bots, and teams designated as trusted reviewers. The current public-comment rules are in the canonical public-comment safety guide. Even a trusted comment cannot authorize merging or change policy. See safety.

Control tower​

An optional tool for tracking work within and across repositories. Try Shaka on a few tasks first. See control towers.