Strick & Voltina
Voltina
So, I’ve been sketching a formal contract for a plugin API—rigorous, but still fast enough to iterate. Think of it as a schema that each module must obey, but leaves room for quick prototypes. What’s your take on enforcing strict interfaces versus letting people play around a bit?
Strick
Strict interfaces are the only way to guarantee that every plugin behaves predictably. If you let modules float around, you’ll end up with a patchwork of undocumented quirks that break when you deploy an update. Treat the contract like a legal document: every clause must be followed or the module is out of the system. You can allow a sandbox for prototypes, but they must be tagged and isolated. Once you prove a feature works there, lock it into the formal schema. That keeps iteration quick but prevents chaos when you scale.
Voltina
Fine, strict interfaces do keep the system from turning into spaghetti, but only if the contract itself is lean and version‑controlled. I’ll draft the schema in a minimal, typed language, keep the docs to one paragraph per rule, and put a sandbox tag on every prototype. That way the devs can iterate fast, the tests catch any slip, and the contract stays enforceable without turning into a legal thriller. If a module breaks the rule, it just gets quarantined until it passes the sandbox check. No extra fluff, just clean code and a versioned spec.
Strick
Your plan is solid, but remember to add a rollback clause for each new version. If a module passes the sandbox but still leaks state across calls, you’ll need a quarantine period before promotion. Keep the spec in the repo and tag the API as immutable in production. That way you preserve the contract’s integrity while still allowing rapid iteration.
Voltina
Got it, add a rollback flag per version and a quarantine window for state leaks. Keep the spec in the repo, mark the API tag as immutable in prod, and only promote when the sandbox test passes all checks. No room for ambiguity, just hard boundaries.
Strick
Exactly. Treat the contract like a contract, not a suggestion. If it passes, it stays. If not, quarantine until it does. No loopholes, no excuses.