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Field guide

Glossary

Short definitions for the words these apps depend on. Each one says what the term means, then what Seven Hills actually does with it.

A

APFSApple File System, the default format of modern Mac volumes.APFS snapshotA point-in-time copy of an APFS volume, used by local Time Machine snapshots and some system updates.Approval-gated actionAn operation the assistant prepares and does not perform until you approve it.Auto-SortDisk Housekeeper's sorter, driven by rules you write in plain English.AutopilotWatched-folder cleanup in Disk Housekeeper, still behind a preview.

C

Cargo cacheCargo's local copy of downloaded crates and related git checkouts.Citation groundingBinding each sentence of an answer to a source the system actually retrieved.ConfidenceCairn's indication of how firmly a cited sentence is supported.Conflicting sourcesTwo or more indexed sources that disagree, flagged rather than averaged away.Custom dictionaryA personal list of words and spellings a dictation tool should prefer.

D

DerivedDataXcode's build cache: indexes, module caches, and intermediate products that the next build can recreate.Developer cacheFiles a developer tool keeps so the next build or install can skip a download or a compile.

G

Gradle cacheGradle's user-level store of dependencies and build outputs.

H

Hotkey dictationHold a keyboard shortcut, speak, and have the text typed where the cursor already is.

K

Knowledge healthCairn's report on duplicates and outdated documents in the indexed knowledge.Knowledge indexThe local index Cairn builds so it can retrieve passages from your files and connected tools.

L

Liquid GlassApple's translucent, native design material introduced with the macOS 26 generation.Local speech modelA speech-to-text model stored and run on the computer, not on a remote server.Low-space alertA notice that free space on the Mac is low, separate from actually cleaning.

M

macOS 26The Mac operating system release that Seven Hills apps require, and the home of Liquid Glass on the Mac.Menu barThe system strip at the top of a Mac screen, where status items live.

N

node_modulesThe folder where a JavaScript project keeps its installed dependencies.npm cachenpm's on-disk store of package tarballs, reused by later installs.

O

On-device speech recognitionSpeech-to-text performed by a model running on the device, not on a vendor's server.

P

Preview before cleaningA required look at the files a clean will touch, before anything is removed.Purgeable spaceSpace the system may reclaim, which is not always free for a new file right now.

R

Retrieval-augmented generationAnswering by first retrieving passages from a known collection, then writing from those passages.

S

Savings historyA readable record of the space Disk Housekeeper saved on your Mac.Smart CleanDisk Housekeeper's cleaner for developer caches and node_modules, behind a preview.SnippetA saved expansion: a short trigger that inserts a longer piece of text.Source ageHow old the document behind a citation is, shown so you can judge currency.System DataThe Storage category macOS uses for files that do not fall into the named buckets.

T

TrashThe holding area macOS uses for files you have deleted but not yet erased.

V

Verified answerAn answer Cairn labels as verified, distinct from a health report about your files.

W

Watched folderA folder you explicitly ask Autopilot to keep an eye on.

X

XcodeApple's integrated development environment for building apps on Apple platforms.