> Markdown twin of https://adna.network/glossary/glossary-what/
> Index: https://adna.network/llms.txt · Full corpus: https://adna.network/llms-full.txt
> State is a build-time snapshot generated 2026-08-30 (UTC); nothing here is live.

# what/ — aDNA Glossary

## Plain-Language Definition

The knowledge layer of an aDNA project — everything the project *knows*. This includes reference material, context for agents, decisions that have been made, and domain-specific knowledge objects.

## Technical Definition

The first leg of the [triad](/glossary/glossary-triad) ontology. `what/` contains knowledge objects, the context library, architecture decision records, and domain entities. Required subdirectory: `context/` (the agent context library). The classification question: "WHAT does this project know?" (aDNA Standard §3.1, §5.1)

## Usage Examples

- In this vault, `what/` contains `concepts/`, `tutorials/`, `patterns/`, `glossary/`, `comparisons/`, `use_cases/`, `context/`, `decisions/`, `docs/`, and `lattices/` — all knowledge, no operations.
- The glossary entry you are reading right now lives inside `what/glossary/`, because it answers the question "What does this project know about aDNA terminology?"

## See Also

- [Triad (concept)](/learn/concepts/triad)
- [how/](/glossary/glossary-how) | [who/](/glossary/glossary-who)
- [Context Library](/glossary/glossary-context-library)