Architecture

Architecture

Zinc is the runtime and lineage layer between Circuitry shapes, package software, and Limbo storage.

Circuitry  -> shape facts
Zinc       -> package resolution, execution context, lineage, heads
Packages   -> software behavior and output meaning
Limbo      -> rows and byte blobs

Layer responsibilities

Layer	What it owns
Circuitry	Shape fields, variable flow, diagnostics, and host-field preservation.
Zinc	Package identity, selected context, request/output bytes, lineage nodes, heads, and config.
Packages	Software behavior, settings interpretation, model calls, command policy, and output schemas.
Limbo	Row storage and byte blobs.

Storage shape

Zinc stores lineage in four tables:

lineage_meta(key, value)
lineage_blobs(id, size, bytes, path, at)
lineage_nodes(id, kind, key, parent, request, output, at)
lineage_heads(kind, key, node, at)

Nodes are immutable. Heads move. Reverting means moving a head to an existing node.

Run flow

shape file
  -> Circuitry facts
  -> selected package software
  -> selected context on stdin
  -> package output bytes
  -> lineage node
  -> moved head

Boundary

Zinc keeps package behavior outside the core. Packages define software, settings, and output meaning; Zinc records the bytes and moves pointers.