When two layout files that reference the same ***Layout name*** come into a merge - it would seem to me that the `design` folder always takes preference. 

### Folder Structure

- `code`
   - `[vendorNameSpace]`
     - `[vendorModule] `
       - `view`
          - `frontend`
             - `layout`
                - `catalog_category_view.xml`
- `design`
   - `frontend`
      - `[thirdPartyThemeVendor]`
         - `[themeName]`
             - `Magento_Catalog`
                - `layout`
                   - `catalog_category_view.xml`

### Layout file 

- `code/[vendorNameSpace]/[vendorModule]/view/frontend/layout/catalog_category_view.xml` 

Whereas this references `template="category/desc_main_column.phtml"` within the `code`:

    <referenceContainer name="content">
        <block class="vendorNameSpace\vendorModule\Block\Category\View"
               name="category_desc_main_column" 
               template="category/desc_main_column.phtml"
               before="category.products"/>
    </referenceContainer>

Which, additionally - this is also references in the design folder - with the same `.xml`.

- `design/frontend/[thirdPartyThemeVendor]/themeName/Magento_Catalog/view/frontend/catalog_category_view.xml` 

This also references `category_desc_main_column` - but inherits from Magento core:

    <referenceContainer name="content">
        <block class="Magento\Catalog\Block\Category\View"
               name="category_desc_main_column" 
               template="category/desc_main_column.phtml"
               before="category.products"/>
    </referenceContainer>

Now on compile - these two get merged. The `design`  folder's `catalog_category_view.xml` gets *authority* as it seems to get added the merged `.xml` last. 

Regardless of how many other modules in `code` reference `name="category_desc_main_column"`. 

So in my thinking; Code has `module.xml` to allow sequencing of code dependencies. Although this wouldn't work as `design` isn't a **module** per say. 

## `module.xml`

Namespacing in themes work differently; as Module require modules to sequence against, not themes. 

<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:Module/etc/module.xsd">
    <module name="vendorNameSpace_vendorModule" setup_version="1.0.0">
        <sequence>
            <!-- Reference the design namespace? -->
            <module name="thirdPartyThemeVendor_Catalog" />
        </sequence>
    </module>
</config>

So in Magento 2, does `design` gets absolute authority on the say of a template in `.xml`?