Cortex Project Templates and Variables

This documentation covers how templates and variables work in Cortex projects.

Template Overview

Templates in Cortex projects are primarily markdown files (.md) that contain variable placeholders. These templates can represent any type of document such as contracts, agreements, policies, or other text-based content.

Variable Placeholders

Variables in templates use the mustache-style double curly brace syntax:

{{variable_name}}

When the template is processed, these placeholders are replaced with actual values defined in variable files.

Example from NDA Template

The NDA template demonstrates how variables are used in practice:

This Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (this "**Agreement**") is entered into as of {{effective_date}} (the "**Effective Date**"), by and between:

**{{party_a}}**, a company organized under the laws of {{party_a_jurisdiction}}, having its principal place of business at {{party_a_address}} ("**{{party_a_short}}**"), and

**{{party_b}}**, a company organized under the laws of {{party_b_jurisdiction}}, having its principal place of business at {{party_b_address}} ("**{{party_b_short}}**").

This excerpt uses multiple variables:

• - When the agreement takes effect
• , , , - Details about the first party
• , , , - Details about the second party

Variable Definition

Variables are typically defined in a central variables.json file at the project level. While the NDA example doesn't include this file, it's referenced as the central place for variable definitions in a project.

A variables file might look like this:

{
  "effective_date": "January 1, 2025",
  "party_a": "ACME CORPORATION",
  "party_a_jurisdiction": "Delaware, United States",
  "party_a_address": "123 Main Street, Anytown, USA",
  "party_a_short": "ACME",
  "party_b": "TECH SOLUTIONS, INC.",
  "party_b_jurisdiction": "California, United States",
  "party_b_address": "456 Tech Drive, Silicon Valley, CA",
  "party_b_short": "Tech Solutions",
  "term_years": "3",
  "survival_years": "5",
  "governing_law": "the State of Delaware, United States",
  "dispute_resolution": "binding arbitration in Delaware",
  "party_a_signatory": "John Smith",
  "party_a_title": "Chief Executive Officer",
  "party_b_signatory": "Jane Doe",
  "party_b_title": "President",
  "signature_date": "January 1, 2025"
}

Variable Types

Variables in Cortex projects can be of various types:

1. Strings: Text values like company names, addresses, or legal clauses
2. Numbers: Numerical values like term lengths or monetary amounts
3. Dates: For effective dates, signature dates, etc.

Variable Usage in Tests

Variables are also referenced in test files to validate their usage:

- name: Has Proper Term Length
  assert: regex
  pattern: "period of \\{\\{term_years\\}\\} years"
  validate: "$term_years <= 5"

This test validates that:

1. The template contains the pattern period of years
2. The term_years variable value is less than or equal to 5

Best Practices for Variables

Naming Conventions

• Use descriptive, clear names
• For related variables, use a common prefix (e.g., party_a_name, party_a_address)
• Use snake_case for consistency
• Avoid abbreviations unless they're standard in the domain

Organization

• Group related variables together in the variables file
• Include comments to explain complex variables or those with specific formatting requirements
• Consider using nested structures for complex relationships

Documentation

• Document the purpose and expected format of each variable
• Indicate which variables are required versus optional
• Provide examples of valid values

Variable Resolution

When processing templates, the Cortex system:

1. Reads the template file
2. Identifies all variable placeholders
3. Looks up each variable in the variables file
4. Replaces each placeholder with its corresponding value
5. Outputs the processed document with all variables resolved

Template Flexibility

Cortex templates are highly flexible:

• Templates can contain any markdown content
• Variable placeholders can appear anywhere in the template
• Templates can use conditional logic and other advanced features (depending on the implementation)
• Multiple templates can use the same variables
• Templates can be organized in any directory structure

Summary

Templates and variables are core components of Cortex projects, providing a flexible system for creating customizable documents. By separating the document structure (templates) from the specific information (variables), Cortex enables efficient creation of standardized yet customizable content.