# Define Contract

> A technique for publishing the operations, shapes and guarantees of a boundary before implementing either side of it.

Record: `lexicon:define-contract`
Kind: technique
Layer: [Contracts Core](https://banes-lab.com/records/layer/contracts-core.md)
Canonical: https://banes-lab.com/ontology/lexicon#lexicon-define-contract

Listed in [Lexicon terms](https://banes-lab.com/api/records/lexicon.md), after [Consumer-Driven Contract Tests](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/consumer-driven-contract-tests.md) and before [Standardize the Interface](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/standardize-the-interface.md).

## Category

- [Contracts / Interfaces / Compatibility](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon-category/contracts-interfaces-compatibility.md)

## Refactors

- [Schema Drift](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/schema-drift.md)
- [Implicit Contract](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/implicit-contract.md)
- [Distributed Monolith](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/distributed-monolith.md)
- [Inappropriate Intimacy](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/inappropriate-intimacy.md)
- [Pattern Cargo Cult](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/pattern-cargo-cult.md)
- [Explicit Boundaries](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/explicit-boundaries.md)
- [Contract-First Design](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/contract-first-design.md)
- [API Contract](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/api-contract.md)
- [Schema Contract](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/schema-contract.md)
- [Predictability](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/predictability.md)
- [Correctness](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/correctness.md)
- [Design Review](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/design-review.md)
- [Self-Describing API](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/self-describing-api.md)
- [Pipeline Architecture](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/pipeline-architecture.md)
- [Component-Based Architecture](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/component-based-architecture.md)

## Linked from

- [Anti-patterns](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-anti-patterns.md)
- [Domain Architecture](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-domain-architecture.md)
- [Contracts / Interfaces / Compatibility](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-contracts-interfaces-compatibility.md)
- [Correctness / Determinism / Verification](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-correctness-determinism-verification.md)
- [Architecture Review / Evolution / Governance Artifacts](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-architecture-review-evolution-governance-artifacts.md)
- [Metadata / Self-Description / Declarative Systems](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-metadata-self-description-declarative-systems.md)
- [Streaming / Pipeline / Dataflow Processing](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-streaming-pipeline-dataflow-processing.md)
- [Codebase / System Architecture Styles](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-codebase-system-architecture-styles.md)