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BunsDev merged 1 commit into from
Jun 13, 2026
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Update what-is-a-harness.mdx #20

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8 changes: 8 additions & 0 deletions content/docs/harnesses/what-is-a-harness.mdx
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Expand Up @@ -51,3 +51,11 @@ coven run claude "review this module"
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Use [Install harness CLIs](/docs/harnesses/installing) if either harness is missing, and [CLI run reference](/docs/cli/run) for command syntax.

## A note on the word "harness"

In Coven's software architecture, "harness" refers specifically to the PTY-driven adapter for an external coding-agent CLI (Codex, Claude Code, etc.). This is Coven's technical term for that adapter layer.

This is distinct from "harness engineering" in the broader AI literature — where "harness" (in Lopopolo's sense and related research) refers to the scaffolding humans design *around* agents: prompts, constraints, feedback loops, taste invariants, and evaluation mechanisms. That broader sense describes engineering choices, not a specific software component.

When Coven docs say "harness," they mean the PTY adapter. When AI research literature says "harness," it often means the engineered scaffolding. Both usages are legitimate in their contexts.
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