Knowledge Base Foundation

Before You Start

Read these docs to orient yourself:

1. docs/glossary.md - Terminology (Cell, Charm, Space, Spell, etc.)
2. docs/specs/recipe-construction/overview.md - Authoritative system design
3. AGENTS.md - Documentation reading list and codebase guidelines

Source Hierarchy

When sources conflict, this is the authoritative order:

1. Specs (Highest Authority)

docs/specs/ - Technical specifications with unambiguous intent

When specs contradict other docs, specs win.

2. Working Code

Tests and patterns that demonstrate actual behavior:

• packages/patterns/ - Pattern examples showing what works
• **/test/** - Test files proving expected behavior

These show reality, not aspirations.

3. Runtime Code

Core system implementation:

• packages/runner/ - Execution engine
• packages/runner/src/builder/ - Compilation
• packages/memory/ - Storage layer

Code is always right about what it does.

4. Plain Text Docs (Lowest Authority)

docs/common/ - Guides, tutorials, learning materials

Good for learning, but may contain outdated or speculative information. Validate against code when precision matters.

The Rule

Concrete beats abstract. Specifications beat speculation. Code beats comments. Tests beat documentation.

When Sources Conflict

1. Check specs first (docs/specs/)
2. Look at working code (tests, patterns)
3. Read runtime implementation
4. Use docs/common as learning guide only
5. If still unclear, surface the conflict explicitly