How Sphere works Sphere connects intent to a checked result through one loop, always grounded in the system model — Architecture as Code, like a house blueprint that builders and inspectors share. ## The blueprint metaphor A SCAN/Sphere model is the living blueprint of your system: components, connections, technology, and decisions. Coding agents, planners, verifiers, and people all work from that same reality. Context is not rebuilt from scratch every time a change starts; the model, plans, and verification history accumulate so the next change begins informed. ## The loop 1. System model. Sphere holds a living model of your system. It is written in SCAN (open notation) and shown as a visual board. Sphere can reconcile the model with real repositories so the diagram matches what exists. 2. Approved goal. Someone states what they want in plain language. A person approves the goal before work starts. 3. Plan. Sphere works out which parts of the system the change touches and writes a plan: what will change, where, and how success will be checked (acceptance criteria and verification steps). 4. Revise and review. The plan is refined against the architecture and reviewed. A person approves it before anything is built. 5. Build. Sphere carries out the plan using coding agents in an isolated workspace so nothing touches the main line until it is checked. 6. Verify. Sphere runs the plan's checks: tests, guards and acceptance criteria. 7. Fix. If a check fails, Sphere diagnoses the failure and rebuilds, then verifies again — it doesn't only report the failure and stop. 8. Checked result. The change comes back verified and ready for human review and merge, with a record of what was done and why. ## What accumulates in the model Every plan, build and verification result is kept with the system model: up-to-date architecture, plan record, execution history, and verification record. That is what lets the next change start informed — and why multi-role teams can collaborate without re-explaining the system each time. ## Where people stay in control - Approving the goal. - Approving the plan before it is built. - Reviewing the verified result before it is merged. - Answering when Sphere needs a decision. Sphere proposes changes to the architecture model for review; it does not silently rewrite it. ## Where it runs Sphere Desktop (Windows and macOS) is the primary product surface: a chat-first architect/orchestrator with Plans, Runs, and Diagram beside Chat. It is rolling out in invitation waves — see sphere-desktop.md. The free SCAN whiteboard at app.spherescan.io is for drawing architecture only; it is not the full Sphere product. Work can run against a local workspace or managed infrastructure, depending on plan and deployment option. See trust-and-governance.