---
_version: '1'
uuid: 018d2d9f-a6bf-42be-b9cb-27cdc19fde59
created: 2025-07-22T13:15:55.552628457Z
parents:
- uuid: 2540b2c1-ea21-4732-aafb-ee1c836ca19b
fingerprint: 3ef22648c9e35771efb43c520376391d3bcecc21d4e0cb03a9bfdf946d04d7b9
hrid: USR-003
---
# SYS-003 Parent Requirement Links
## Statement
Requirements shall declare parent requirements in their YAML frontmatter as a list of parent references containing UUID, HRID, and fingerprint.
## Rationale
Hierarchical traceability links ensure requirements are properly decomposed from high-level user needs to detailed system specifications. Storing parent references as structured data (rather than free-text mentions) enables automated traceability analysis, impact assessment, and coverage reporting. The combination of UUID (for stable resolution), HRID (for human readability), and fingerprint (for change detection) provides both robust tooling support and clear documentation.
## Implementation Notes
- Parents stored as YAML list in frontmatter
- Each parent entry contains:
- `uuid`: Parent's unique identifier (for resolution)
- `hrid`: Parent's human-readable ID (for display/reference)
- `fingerprint`: SHA256 hash of parent content (for change detection)
- Multiple parents supported for cross-cutting concerns
- Tool validates all referenced parent UUIDs exist in the repository
## Verification
- Tool successfully parses parent links from frontmatter
- Tool resolves parent UUIDs to requirement objects
- Tool reports error for non-existent parent UUIDs
- Multiple parents per requirement are supported
- Parent links are bidirectionally navigable