Terminology

This glossary defines the key terms and concepts used throughout the Bivariant platform. Understanding these terms will help you navigate the documentation, platform interface, and community discussions more effectively.

Core Platform Concepts

Account

An individual user profile within the Bivariant platform. Accounts can be personal users or service accounts for automated systems. Each account has specific permissions and can belong to multiple organizations.

Agent

An AI-powered assistant configured to perform specific tasks or engage in conversations. Agents are defined within blueprints and can access various AI models, integrations, and knowledge sources to provide intelligent responses and automation.

API Key

A secure token that provides programmatic access to Bivariant APIs. API keys are scoped to specific organizations and can be configured with granular permissions to control access to different platform features.

App

An installed instance of a blueprint that provides specific business functionality within a space. Apps contain all the components defined in their blueprint, including agents, flows, collections, and integrations.

Blueprint

A reusable template that defines a complete AI application, including its data models, workflows, agents, integrations, and user interfaces. Blueprints can be installed multiple times to create apps.

Collection

A structured data container similar to a database table, but with more flexibility. Collections belong to bases and contain fields that define the data structure and records that store the actual data.

Flow

A visual workflow that defines a sequence of steps to automate business processes. Flows can include decision points, parallel execution, loops, and integration with external services.

Integration

A connection to an external service or API that allows Bivariant applications to interact with other systems. Integrations include authentication configuration and operation definitions.

Organization

The top-level entity that represents a company, department, or group. Organizations provide the highest level of data isolation and contain multiple spaces, users, and resources.

Space

An isolated environment within an organization where specific projects or teams can work. Spaces contain apps, data, and configurations that are separate from other spaces in the same organization.

Authentication & Security

Identity Provider

An external authentication service (like Google, Microsoft, or OIDC-compliant systems) that verifies user identities. Bivariant supports multiple identity providers for flexible authentication options.

OIDC (OpenID Connect)

An identity layer built on OAuth 2.0 that provides secure authentication and user information exchange. Bivariant uses OIDC for enterprise-grade authentication and single sign-on.

Permission

A specific right to perform an action on a resource within the platform. Permissions are granular and can be assigned directly to accounts or through roles.

Role

A collection of permissions that can be assigned to accounts. Roles provide a convenient way to manage access control by grouping related permissions together.

Service Account

A special type of account designed for automated systems and applications rather than human users. Service accounts typically have restricted permissions and are used for API access and system integrations.

Data Management

Asset

A file or media resource stored within the platform, such as images, documents, videos, or any other file type. Assets are organized hierarchically and can be associated with various platform entities.

Base

A logical container for related collections, similar to a database schema. Bases provide organizational structure and can contain multiple collections with related data.

Field

A column-like structure within a collection that defines a specific data attribute. Fields have types (text, number, date, etc.) and can include validation rules and formatting options.

Record

An individual data entry within a collection, similar to a row in a database table. Records contain values for each field defined in the collection schema.

Search Index

A specialized data structure that enables fast searching across platform content. Search indexes can be configured for different types of content and support both keyword and semantic search.

Workflow & Automation

Action

A single operation or task that can be performed within a flow or by an agent. Actions can interact with external APIs, process data, send notifications, or perform other business logic.

Condition

A logical test within a flow that determines which path the workflow should take. Conditions can evaluate data, check system state, or use complex business rules.

Step

An individual unit of work within a flow that represents a specific action, condition, or sub-process. Steps are connected to create the overall workflow logic.

Task

A unit of work that represents the execution of a specific operation, such as running a flow, calling an action, or processing data. Tasks have status tracking and can be monitored for completion.

Trigger

An event or condition that initiates the execution of a flow. Triggers can be time-based, data-driven, or event-driven (such as new conversations or API calls).

Communication & Collaboration

Channel

A communication medium through which users can interact with the platform, such as web widgets, mobile apps, email, or telephony systems.

Conversation

A thread of messages between users and/or AI agents. Conversations maintain context and history, enabling coherent multi-turn interactions.

Message

An individual communication within a conversation, which can contain text, files, or structured data. Messages can be sent by users, agents, or system processes.

Participant

An entity (user or agent) that is actively involved in a conversation. Participants have specific roles and permissions within the conversation context.

Development & Deployment

Artifact

A packaged and distributable version of a blueprint that can be shared through the marketplace. Artifacts include all necessary components and metadata for installation.

Configuration

Settings and parameters that control how platform components behave. Configurations can be applied at various levels (organization, space, app) and can be customized without modifying the underlying blueprints.

Dependency

A relationship where one blueprint requires another blueprint or external service to function properly. Dependencies are automatically resolved during blueprint installation.

Environment

A deployment context (such as development, staging, or production) that may have different configurations, resources, or data. Environments help manage the application lifecycle.

Version

A specific release of a blueprint, app, or other platform component. Versions follow semantic versioning (major.minor.patch) to indicate compatibility and change significance.

AI & Machine Learning

Context

Information that provides background or additional meaning for AI interactions, such as conversation history, user preferences, or relevant data. Context helps AI agents provide more accurate and relevant responses.

Embedding

A numerical representation of text or other data that captures semantic meaning. Embeddings enable semantic search and similarity matching across platform content.

Model

An AI system (such as GPT-4 or Claude) that can understand and generate text or perform other AI tasks. Bivariant supports multiple AI models from different providers.

Prompt

Instructions or context provided to an AI model to guide its responses. Prompts can be static templates or dynamically generated based on conversation context and data.

Vector Search

A search technique that uses mathematical vectors to find semantically similar content, even when exact keywords don't match. This enables more intelligent and context-aware search capabilities.

Marketplace & Commerce

Acquisition

The process of obtaining and installing an artifact from the marketplace. Acquisitions can be free downloads or paid purchases, depending on the artifact's pricing model.

License

Legal terms that define how a blueprint or artifact can be used, modified, and distributed. Licenses can range from open-source to commercial with various restrictions.

Marketplace

A platform where developers can publish, discover, and acquire blueprints and other artifacts. The marketplace includes both free and commercial offerings.

Pricing Plan

A monetization model for commercial artifacts, defining costs, usage limits, and payment terms. Pricing plans can include one-time purchases, subscriptions, or usage-based billing.

Review

User feedback and ratings for marketplace artifacts that help others evaluate quality and suitability. Reviews include ratings, comments, and usage experiences.

User Interface

Dashboard

A main interface screen that provides an overview of key information and quick access to frequently used features. Dashboards can be customized based on user roles and preferences.

Form

A user interface component that collects structured input from users. Forms can be simple data entry screens or complex multi-step processes with validation and conditional logic.

Screen

A user interface page or view within an application that presents information and allows user interaction. Screens are defined in blueprints and can be customized for different use cases.

Widget

A small, embeddable component that provides specific functionality, such as chat interfaces or data displays. Widgets can be embedded in external websites or applications.

Workflow Builder

A visual interface for creating and modifying flows. The workflow builder provides drag-and-drop functionality for designing complex business processes without coding.

Performance & Monitoring

Analytics

Data and insights about platform usage, performance, and user behavior. Analytics help organizations understand how their applications are being used and identify optimization opportunities.

Audit Log

A chronological record of user actions and system events for security and compliance purposes. Audit logs track who did what, when, and provide accountability.

Health Check

An automated test that verifies system components are functioning properly. Health checks monitor various aspects of the platform and alert administrators to potential issues.

Metric

A quantitative measurement of system performance or business outcomes. Metrics can track technical performance, user engagement, or business KPIs.

SLA (Service Level Agreement)

A formal commitment to specific performance standards, such as uptime, response time, or data availability. SLAs define expectations and consequences for service delivery.

Understanding these terms will help you navigate the Bivariant platform more effectively and communicate clearly with other users, developers, and support teams. As you become more familiar with the platform, these concepts will become second nature, enabling you to build sophisticated AI applications with confidence.