Runtime Conditions

Code does not execute in a vacuum. Some code requires the user to have granted a permission. Some code requires a specific OS version, a feature flag, an environment variable, or a configuration file. These runtime conditions are structural facts about a scope group — they determine the operational prerequisites and influence how the group must be tested, staged, and deployed. This lens catalogs every runtime condition the code depends on.

Signals and Indicators

Permission requests:

• iOS/macOS: requestWhenInUseAuthorization() (location), requestAccess(to:) (contacts, calendar, photos), AVCaptureDevice.requestAccess(for:) (camera/microphone), requestAuthorization() (HealthKit, Motion), UNUserNotificationCenter.requestAuthorization(options:) (notifications)
• Android: ActivityCompat.requestPermissions() calls; manifest <uses-permission> declarations; runtime permission checks ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission()
• Web: navigator.permissions.query(), navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(), navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia(), Notification.requestPermission()
• Windows: capability declarations in Package.appxmanifest; DeviceAccessInformation checks

Entitlement declarations (iOS/macOS):

• .entitlements file entries: com.apple.security.network.client, com.apple.security.network.server, com.apple.developer.healthkit, com.apple.developer.icloud-container-identifiers, com.apple.developer.associated-domains, com.apple.security.app-sandbox
• App Groups entitlement — code using shared containers requires this entitlement and implies coordination with an app extension

Minimum OS version checks:

• Swift: if #available(iOS 16.0, *), @available(iOS 16.0, *), #unavailable
• Kotlin/Android: if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S), @RequiresApi
• C#/Windows: ApiInformation.IsTypePresent(), Environment.OSVersion comparisons
• Web: feature detection — if ('serviceWorker' in navigator), if (window.PaymentRequest), CSS.supports()

Environment variable and configuration checks:

• Direct ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["KEY"] (Swift), System.getenv("KEY") (Java/Kotlin/C), process.env.KEY (Node.js), Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable() (C#)
• Configuration file loading: .env files, appsettings.json, Info.plist key reads (Bundle.main.infoDictionary), AndroidManifest.xml metadata reads
• Build-time conditionals: #if DEBUG, #if FEATURE_X, BuildConfig.DEBUG (Android), #if os(iOS), conditional compilation flags

Feature flag gates:

• Remote config reads: RemoteConfig.sharedInstance().configValue(forKey:) (Firebase), LaunchDarkly.shared.variation(), Unleash, custom feature flag service calls
• A/B test enrollment checks
• Killswitch patterns — code guarded by isFeatureEnabled booleans fetched at startup

Required configuration values:

• API key reads that crash or return early if missing — these imply a configuration prerequisite
• Database connection string requirements
• OAuth client ID / redirect URI reads
• SSL certificate pinning configurations

Boundary Detection

1. Permission-gated code clusters. Files that all request or check the same permission belong together — they share an operational prerequisite and a failure mode when the permission is denied.
2. Entitlements define hard boundaries. Code that requires an entitlement cannot run without it. If one candidate group requires an entitlement that others do not, they are distinct operational units.
3. OS version gates mark optional feature envelopes. Code behind @available(iOS 16.0, *) is conditionally executable — flag it as a version-gated feature within its scope group. If it constitutes a large portion of the group, it may warrant its own scope group.
4. Environment-specific code belongs in a configuration scope group. Code that reads environment variables, loads config files, or applies build-time conditionals is configuration infrastructure — it typically belongs in one scope group rather than scattered.
5. Feature-flagged code is pre-production. Large blocks of feature-flagged code indicate in-flight work. Document the flags but do not create scope groups around unenabled code paths.
6. Remote config dependencies imply a network prerequisite. Code that requires a remote config fetch before it can function has an implicit startup dependency — note this as an operational ordering constraint.

Findings Format

RUNTIME CONDITIONS FINDINGS
============================

Permission Requirements:
  - <Permission> (<platform>) — requested in: <file list>
    Denial behavior: <what happens if denied — e.g., "feature disabled gracefully" | "hard crash" | "unclear">

Entitlements (iOS/macOS):
  - <entitlement key> — required by: <file list>

Minimum OS/Platform Version Gates:
  - <Version check> — files: <list>, guarded code: <brief description>

Environment/Configuration Prerequisites:
  - <Key or config file> — read in: <file list>, required vs optional: <required|optional>

Feature Flags:
  - <Flag name> (<system>) — guards: <file list or feature description>

Configuration Infrastructure Files:
  - <file> — purpose: <description>

Runtime Condition Anomalies:
  - <description — e.g., "Camera permission requested in 4 separate files with no centralized request handler">

Recommended Scope Group Candidates:
  - <Name> — <primary runtime condition>, <one-line rationale>

Change History