---
title: "Explanation"
description: "The ideas behind AlisX, the eight tools on the bench, and the reasoning behind how they work."
url: "https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/"
---
# Explanation

Explanation pages are for understanding. They discuss why the platform is shaped the way it is, how its pieces fit together and what trade-offs were made. Nothing here is a step to follow; for steps, see the [how-to guides](https://docs.alisx.com/how-to/index.md).

- [Platform overview](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/platform-overview.md): the bench and its eight tools, the nine stages a project runs through, and the three interfaces.
- [Context before code](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/ideate.md): why Alis Ideate Projects keep the source, Interviews ask the people who know, and Artifacts carry it to people who act on it.
- [Define, Build, Deploy](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/define-build-deploy.md): why Alis Build DBD has three steps and what each one guarantees.
- [Organisations, products and services](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/organisations-products-services.md): the hierarchy of Alis Build Environments, from a build environment down to a service, and the two repositories behind every product.
- [Deployment environments and versions](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/environments-and-versions.md): where a version runs, immutable versions, designated branches, the production gate.
- [Agents, skills and the CLI](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/agents-skills-cli.md): why the CLI is built for machines first, and how skills teach an agent the platform.
- [How skills work](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/skills.md): the loop from capture to feedback, why skills load live, where they come from, the safety scan and policy-aware search.
- [How artifacts work](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/artifacts.md): versions, publishing, links and who can open them, and what to check before you share.
- [How workstations work](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/workstations.md): your machine in a build environment, its addresses, why it sleeps rather than stops, ssh, work on a clock and sharing.
- [How build activity is measured](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/build-activity.md): build time, agent orchestration and the flow score on Activity, and why a day can have no score.
- [How Makefiles work](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/makefiles.md): Make's ideas, the Makefile contract every service follows and why, and the traps by symptom.
- [How code blocks work](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/code-blocks.md): a versioned snapshot of a working service, installed as a branch, with its own skill.
- [How releases work](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/releases.md): release the build and keep the source, what crosses into another product, and moving code to a new owner safely.
- [How AlisX Specialists work](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/specialists.md): who receives a ticket, where it stands, how AI helps and never answers for people, and who sees what.
- [Accounts and billing](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/accounts-and-billing.md): people, accounts, roles, Ideate access and Build access, the active account, one credit meter and the monthly invoice.