Complete Phase 17 parity fixture suite

docs/architecture.md

@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ Implemented today:
 - Explicit runtime support for `--modules spoken_word` through the production runner path.
 
 Not implemented in CLI runtime path today:
-- Python parity fixture suite and parity verification workflow.
 - Operational hardening tasks beyond current runtime/reporting/diagnostics behavior.
 - Rollout and Python retirement work.
 
@@ -66,7 +65,8 @@ Phase sequencing note:
 - Phase 14 homophones module implementation and explicit runtime wiring are complete;
 - Phase 15 spoken-word module implementation and explicit runtime wiring are complete;
 - Phase 16 default full pipeline integration is complete;
-- next recommended phase is Phase 17 (Python parity fixture suite).
+- Phase 17 parity fixture suite is complete;
+- next recommended phase is Phase 18 (operational hardening and subprocess integration).
 
 ## Actual Go package layout
 
@@ -184,6 +184,12 @@ Current runtime flow (`internal/cli/run.go`):
 15. Optionally write `--report-json`; always write run-dir `report.json`.
 16. Apply work-dir retention.
 
+Parity fixture status:
+- representative Python-parity fixture coverage exists under `internal/cli/testdata/parity`;
+- parity tests use fake structured LLM responses for deterministic behavior, including default full-pipeline shape assertions;
+- parity comparisons intentionally ignore nondeterministic metadata (timestamps, run IDs, temp paths, token usage) and remain strict for deterministic contract fields (transcript content, module order/instance naming, applied/skipped/rejected counts, and status).
+- intentional Python-vs-Go differences and open parity gaps are documented in `docs/python-parity.md`.
+
 Important behavior details:
 - Glossary is validated and is used for explicit glossary/grammar/homophones/spoken_word module correction paths.
 - Default production CLI behavior now executes the full production module sequence unless `--modules` override is supplied.
@@ -254,6 +260,7 @@ Current caveat:
 Current runtime boundary:
 - the default CLI runtime path (without explicit module selection) instantiates the full production module sequence.
 - LLM calls are exercised in production in both default full-pipeline runs and explicit `--modules` runs, and in tests when fake/injected clients are used.
+- normal `go test ./...` does not require real LLM credentials or Python dependencies.
 
 `internal/framework/llm` also provides:
 - a bounded `Scheduler` for controlled concurrent LLM calls with reliable permit release;