> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sightmap.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Sightmap Conformance: The Rules Implementations Must Follow

> Understand the requirements and fixtures used to test a Sightmap implementation.

An implementation conforms when it handles every defined input according to the spec.

## The rules

A conforming implementation:

* **MUST** accept any file that validates against [`sightmap.schema.json`](https://github.com/sightmap/sightmap/blob/main/spec/v1/sightmap.schema.json), and reject any that doesn't.
* **MUST** implement [route matching](/spec/views#most-specific-wins) as specified: most-specific-wins for views and all-matches-apply for requests.
* **MUST** implement [global vs view-scoped](/spec/views#scoped-vs-global) precedence.
* **SHOULD** surface applicable [`memory`](/spec/memory) entries when the parent definition is active.
* **MAY** ignore fields it doesn't use.
* **MAY** add non-standard behavior as long as it doesn't change the meaning of conforming inputs.

The full statement is in the [schema reference](/reference/schema#conformance).

Individual sections add requirements for specific features, including [component references](/spec/components#component-references) and [dependencies](/reference/schema#dependencies).

Any tool that writes `.sightmap/*.yaml` files MUST produce the [canonical YAML format](https://github.com/sightmap/sightmap/blob/main/spec/v1/canonical-format.md). The `1NN` conformance fixtures test that output byte for byte.

## The executable definition

Each [conformance fixture](/reference/conformance-fixtures) contains a simulated `.sightmap/` directory and an `expected.json` file. The file has a `cases` array of `{ command, args, expected }` assertions for implementation test runners. Implementations are expected to pass the shared fixtures.

If a fixture disagrees with `sightmap.schema.json` or the normative spec text, the schema and spec text win. The fixture must be corrected.

See [Conformance fixtures](/reference/conformance-fixtures) for the catalog, how to run them, and how to contribute one.

## Next

The full field-by-field contract is in the [Schema reference](/reference/schema).