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, and lineage
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, 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 Limbo as package facts, blobs, immutable nodes, and current state. Small request/result blobs live in the database. Large blobs live under Zinc's blob directory and are referenced by hash.

Run flow

shape file
  -> Circuitry facts
  -> selected package software
  -> selected context on stdin
  -> package request/result bytes
  -> lineage node

Boundary

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