Boundary Rules

These rules are non-negotiable.

They exist because violating them previously caused architectural collapse.

Rule 1: Only the Player Knows About Time

Time is not content.

Time exists only in the time-based engine.

• Schema does not know time
• Renderer does not know time
• Browser does not know time
• UI does not know time

If time appears anywhere else, the system is broken.

Rule 2: JSON Is Not a Runtime Format

JSON is consumed once.

After rendering:

• engines do not read JSON
• UI does not inspect JSON
• controls do not reason about schema

Rule 3: Rendering Happens Exactly Once

Data is converted to HTML in one place only.

Multiple render passes create divergence and bugs.

Rule 4: Engines Do Not Inspect Slides

Engines treat slides as opaque.

They do not parse content, inspect structure, or modify markup.

Rule 5: UI Is Replaceable

UI is the outermost layer.

It can be replaced without affecting the system.

Why These Rules Matter

These boundaries keep the system:

• testable
• predictable
• maintainable

Breaking a boundary feels convenient once. It costs months later.