It is both the documentation and the thing, almost always at 100% fidelity.  That&#x27;s unusual, actually.<p>When you make a machine part, first you make a solid model.  Then you use that solid model to make manufacturing drawings (where the tolerances and details are called out).  This comprises the &quot;intent&quot;.  Then you use the solid model and the manufacturing drawings to create one or more gcode programs that runs on the CNC machines.  Then the programs along with tool specifications and clamping setups are all used together to try and make the part.  During machining many checks are performed and once the part is done, it&#x27;s usually checked again on a computerized measurement device.  If you did everything just right and everyone was careful, hopefully the part you produced is within the tolerances and your part is to spec.  This is the artifact.<p>By contrast the code is (apart from bugs in the compiler or bit errors in the RAM) perfectly translated from the intent (the code) to the artifact (the executable).<p>The differences are staggering.