Treat the specification as the conformance authority¶
- Status: accepted
- Date: 2026-09-06
Context and Problem Statement¶
When Merovingian's behaviour and another Matrix implementation's disagree, something has to decide which is right. Synapse is the reference implementation in practice, and copying it is the path of least resistance.
Considered Options¶
- The specification is the authority
- Match Synapse's observed behaviour
- Use judgement per case
Decision Outcome¶
Chosen option: "The specification is the authority. Not Synapse, not other implementations, not intuition." An expected value in a conformance test may only be changed by citing the spec section and version that justifies it.
Positive Consequences¶
- Conformance tests are auditable: every expectation traces to a citation.
- A deliberate deviation must be argued explicitly rather than absorbed — which is why ADR-0013 and ADR-0034 exist as records rather than as quiet code.
Negative Consequences¶
- Where the spec is ambiguous and Synapse has settled on one reading, interoperating may still require matching Synapse. That case must be recorded as a deviation with its reasoning, not treated as conformance.