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This glossary defines the key terms, concepts, and acronyms used throughout the kombify platform documentation.
Terms are organized alphabetically. Use your browser’s search (Ctrl/Cmd + F) to find specific terms quickly.

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A

A lightweight daemon that runs on each managed node. Agents communicate with kombify TechStack over gRPC using mTLS encryption, reporting node status and executing deployment commands.Related: Node Agents, mTLS
Optional services that extend a StackKit’s functionality. Add-ons are pre-configured components (like monitoring, backup, or SSO) that integrate seamlessly with the base stack.Example: Adding Grafana monitoring to the Base Kit.
The action of executing a validated deployment plan against real infrastructure. This happens after the plan has been reviewed and approved.Related: Plan, Deployment Flow

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B

A complete, validated deployment specification ready to be applied. Blueprints include resolved dependencies, configured services, and infrastructure definitions.
The initial setup process for a new node joining a kombify-managed infrastructure. This involves agent installation, certificate exchange, and initial configuration.Related: Self-Hosting Guide

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C

The central management layer (kombify TechStack) that orchestrates all infrastructure operations. It validates configurations, manages state, and coordinates deployments across nodes.
Configuration Unification Engine - A powerful data validation language used by StackKits for schema definitions. CUE provides type checking, validation, and default values for configurations.Example:
#Service: {
  name: string
  port: int & >0 & <65536
  enabled: *true | bool
}
Related: StackKits CUE Basics

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D

Continuous monitoring that compares actual infrastructure state against the desired state defined in kombination.yaml. When drift is detected, kombify can automatically remediate or alert.Related: Operations
A tool for defining multi-container Docker applications. kombify Simulate uses Docker Compose for container-based simulations.Related: Self-Hosting Guide

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E

The guided interface in kombify Cloud that helps beginners create a kombination.yaml by answering simple questions about their goals.Related: Getting Started
The backend system in kombify Simulate that creates virtual environments. Available engines include Docker, QEMU, and external providers.Related: Sim Configuration

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G

kombify’s core design principle: maximum guidance for beginners with full transparency and control for experts. Unlike “black box” solutions, Glass Box means you always understand and own your infrastructure.Related: Introduction
gRPC Remote Procedure Call - A high-performance RPC framework used for agent-to-core communication. All gRPC traffic is secured with mTLS.

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H

A personal or home-based computing environment used for learning, experimentation, or self-hosting services. kombify is designed to transform chaotic homelabs into professional, maintainable systems.
Regular status messages sent from agents to the control plane, confirming node availability and reporting current state. Default interval is 30 seconds.

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I

The user’s high-level goal expressed in natural language (e.g., “I want a secure photo cloud for my family”). kombify translates intent into technical specifications.
The practice of managing infrastructure through machine-readable configuration files rather than manual processes. kombify uses OpenTofu as its IaC engine.

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J

An async unit of work executed by kombify TechStack, such as provisioning nodes, applying configurations, or running health checks. Jobs are queued and executed with retry logic.

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K

The central specification file that defines your entire infrastructure. This YAML file declares which StackKit to use, which nodes to manage, and which services to deploy.Example:
stackkit: base-kit
nodes:
  - name: server-01
    type: local
services:
  - traefik
  - authelia
The simulation engine that creates realistic virtual environments for testing configurations before deploying to real hardware. Simulate supports Docker, QEMU, and external backends.Related: Sim Overview
The cloud management portal providing SSO, team collaboration, billing, and a unified dashboard for managing kombify tools.Related: Cloud Overview
The core orchestration engine that validates configurations, manages infrastructure state, and coordinates deployments using the Unifier and OpenTofu.Related: Stack Overview

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M

Mutual TLS - A security protocol where both client and server authenticate each other using certificates. All agent-core communication uses mTLS.
The process of transitioning from one configuration or system to another. kombify supports migrations between different StackKits and deployment targets.

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N

A physical or virtual machine managed by kombify. Nodes run the agent daemon and can host containers, VMs, or bare-metal services.

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O

An open-source Infrastructure as Code tool (fork of Terraform) used by kombify TechStack to provision and manage infrastructure resources.

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P

A preview of changes that will be made during deployment. Plans show resources to be created, modified, or destroyed before any changes are applied.
The embedded database used by kombify TechStack for storing configuration, state, and operational data.

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S

A virtual environment created by kombify Simulate that mimics real infrastructure for testing. Simulations can use Docker containers or QEMU VMs.
kombify’s architecture principle where all infrastructure changes flow from the specification file (kombination.yaml) through validation before execution.Related: Spec-Driven Architecture
A pre-packaged, validated infrastructure template that provides sensible defaults and best practices for common use cases. StackKits are defined using CUE schemas.Available StackKits:
  • base-kit (Base Kit) - Essential homelab with reverse proxy and SSO
  • ha-kit (High Availability Kit) - High-availability setup with failover (vision-only)
  • modern-homelab (Modern Homelab Kit) - Hybrid cloud+local infrastructure
Related: StackKits Overview

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T

A pre-configured VM or container image used by kombify Simulate to create simulation nodes quickly.

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U

The validation and resolution engine in kombify TechStack that processes kombination.yaml, applies StackKit rules, resolves dependencies, and generates deployment plans.Related: Unifier Engine

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V

The process of checking a configuration against StackKit schemas to ensure correctness before deployment. Validation catches errors early, preventing failed deployments.

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W

A managed node that receives and executes deployment instructions from the control plane.

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