12.1 Conformance Targets

Using the correct reference, 1.3 "Implementations" reads:

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Different kinds of processors and artifacts qualify as implementations of the TOSCA simple profile. Those that this specification is explicitly mentioning or referring to fall into the following categories:

· TOSCA YAML service template: A YAML document artifact containing a (TOSCA) service template that represents a Cloud application.

· TOSCA processor: An engine or tool that is capable of parsing and interpreting a TOSCA YAML service template for a particular purpose. For example, the purpose could be validation, translation or visual rendering.

· TOSCA orchestrator (also called orchestration engine): A TOSCA processor that interprets a TOSCA YAML service template then instantiates and deploys the described application in a Cloud.

· TOSCA generator: A tool that generates a TOSCA YAML service template. An example of generator is a modeling tool capable of generating or editing a TOSCA YAML service template (often such a tool would also be a TOSCA processor).

· TOSCA archive (or TOSCA Cloud Service Archive, or “CSAR”): a package artifact that contains a TOSCA YAML service template and other artifacts usable by a TOSCA orchestrator to deploy an application.

The above list is not exclusive. The above definitions should be understood as referring to and implementing the TOSCA simple profile as described in this document (abbreviated here as “TOSCA” for simplicity).
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If these are considered to be conformance targets, they are fatally vague.

Take:

"TOSCA YAML service template: A YAML document artifact containing a (TOSCA) service template that represents a Cloud application."

as an example.

YAML document artifact - occurs once, here, no further definition.

(TOSCA) service template - occurs once, here, no further definition.

Cloud application - bingo, we find 3.8 Topology Template definition, 3.9 Service Template definition

With some renaming, such as Service Templates instead of 3 ToSCA Simple Profile definitions in YAML, and assuming definition of a YAML document artifact, one possible construction of a valid conformance target could read:

TOSCA service template: A YAML document artifact (ref to def) that contains a service template (ref to def) that represents a Cloud application (ref to defs).

and in the conformance clause, you can use MUST, SHOULD, MAY to define the capabilities of a TOSCA service template.

BTW, repeating YAML is awkward and unnecessary. You have already stated this is a profile written in YAML. Isn't that enough?

The rest of the conformance targets are equally vague.