# PR-2 - PBX SYSC and HOSTCALL Loader Patching

## Goal

Teach the runtime to load canonical host bindings from PBX, resolve them at load time, validate ABI and capabilities, and rewrite pre-load host calls into final numeric syscalls.

This PR assumes PR-1 is already available, so cartridge capabilities are exposed to the loader as internal `CapFlags`.

## Why

Prometeu's hardware contract is:

- source- and SDK-level host APIs map to canonical identities `(module, name, version)`
- load-time resolution maps those identities to numeric syscall ids
- runtime execution is numeric-only via `SYSCALL <id>`

The runtime already has the important building blocks:

- canonical syscall registry
- load-time `resolve_program_syscalls`
- verifier support for numeric `SYSCALL <id>`
- VM dispatch by numeric id

What is missing is the PBX and loader wiring.

## Scope

In scope:

- add a mandatory PBX `SYSC` section
- extend each `SYSC` entry with ABI shape
- add pre-load opcode `HOSTCALL <sysc_index>`
- parse `SYSC` at load time
- resolve `SYSC` against the host syscall registry
- validate declared ABI against authoritative host metadata
- validate capabilities using cartridge-granted `CapFlags`
- reject unused `SYSC` entries
- reject out-of-bounds `HOSTCALL` indices
- patch all `HOSTCALL <sysc_index>` to `SYSCALL <id>`
- ensure verifier runs only on the patched image

Out of scope:

- compiler emission
- stdlib SDK pack format
- final external tooling for PBX generation
- platform policy beyond current manifest-derived granted capabilities

## Architectural Contract

### PBX `SYSC`

`SYSC` is a unique, deduplicated, program-wide table of declared host bindings.

Each entry carries:

- `module`
- `name`
- `version`
- `arg_slots`
- `ret_slots`

`SYSC` is mandatory for every valid PBX.
If the program requires no host bindings, `SYSC` is present with `count = 0`.

### Pre-load callsites

The compiler-side artifact form is:

```text
HOSTCALL <u32 sysc_index>
```

Rules:

- `sysc_index` is zero-based into the `SYSC` table
- code must not contain final `SYSCALL <id>` for unresolved host-backed SDK calls
- the final executable image given to the VM must contain no `HOSTCALL`

### Load-time responsibilities

The loader must:

1. parse `SYSC`
2. resolve each entry to `syscall_id`
3. validate `arg_slots` and `ret_slots`
4. validate capabilities
5. scan code for `HOSTCALL`
6. mark used `SYSC` indices
7. reject out-of-bounds indices
8. reject unused `SYSC` entries
9. rewrite `HOSTCALL <index>` into `SYSCALL <id>`
10. ensure no `HOSTCALL` remains
11. only then hand the image to the verifier

## PBX Format Changes

### `prometeu-bytecode`

Add a new section kind:

- `SYSC`

Recommended temporary binary layout:

```text
u32 count
repeat count times:
    u16 module_len
    [module_len bytes UTF-8]
    u16 name_len
    [name_len bytes UTF-8]
    u16 version
    u16 arg_slots
    u16 ret_slots
```

Rules:

- strings are UTF-8
- duplicate canonical identities are invalid
- malformed lengths are invalid
- missing `SYSC` is invalid

### Bytecode model changes

Extend `BytecodeModule` with a syscall declaration vector.

Suggested shape:

```rust
pub struct SyscallDecl {
    pub module: String,
    pub name: String,
    pub version: u16,
    pub arg_slots: u16,
    pub ret_slots: u16,
}
```

Then:

```rust
pub syscalls: Vec<SyscallDecl>
```

Serialization/deserialization must include section kind for `SYSC`.

## Opcode Changes

### Add `HOSTCALL`

Add a new opcode:

- `HOSTCALL`

Immediate:

- `u32 sysc_index`

Recommended behavior:

- valid only in pre-load artifact form
- not allowed to reach final verifier/VM execution path

Required code updates:

- opcode enum
- decoder
- opcode spec
- assembler
- disassembler

Verifier recommendation:

- the verifier does not need to support `HOSTCALL`
- it should continue to run after loader patching only

## Loader Integration

### Resolution

Use the existing canonical resolver in `prometeu-hal::syscalls`.

For each `SYSC` entry:

1. resolve `(module, name, version)`
2. obtain `SyscallResolved`
3. compare `arg_slots`
4. compare `ret_slots`
5. compare required capability against granted cartridge flags

If any check fails, load fails deterministically.

### Capability source

Capabilities come from the already-loaded cartridge manifest via PR-1.

This PR must not invent authority from PBX contents.

### Code patching

Recommended algorithm:

1. parse code buffer
2. whenever `HOSTCALL <index>` is found:
3. validate `index < syscalls.len()`
4. mark that `SYSC[index]` is used
5. rewrite opcode/immediate in place or rebuild the code buffer
6. emit final `SYSCALL <resolved_id>`

After scan:

1. every `SYSC` entry must be marked used
2. no `HOSTCALL` may remain

Either patching strategy is acceptable:

- mutate byte buffer in place
- rebuild a fresh patched buffer

The final `ProgramImage` must contain only numeric `SYSCALL <id>`.

## Verifier Contract

No verifier redesign is required.

The intended contract is:

- loader validates interface compatibility
- verifier validates final numeric program structure

This means:

- loader checks `SYSC`-declared ABI against host metadata
- verifier checks stack effects of final `SYSCALL <id>` using existing runtime metadata

This is intentional and not considered harmful duplication.

## Proposed Code Areas

### `prometeu-bytecode`

Likely files:

- `src/model.rs`
- `src/opcode.rs`
- `src/opcode_spec.rs`
- `src/decoder.rs`
- `src/assembler.rs`
- `src/disassembler.rs`
- `src/lib.rs`

### `prometeu-hal`

Likely files:

- `src/cartridge_loader.rs`
- possibly helper types or resolver glue near syscall loading logic

### `prometeu-vm`

Likely files:

- load path in `src/virtual_machine.rs`

Required behavior:

- patch before `Verifier::verify(...)`

## Implementation Plan

Implementation should be staged so each phase leaves the workspace in a coherent state and keeps the verifier/VM contract intact.

### Commit Checklist

1. `prometeu-bytecode: add SyscallDecl model and mandatory SYSC section`
2. `prometeu-bytecode: add SYSC parser validation and load errors`
3. `prometeu-bytecode: add phase-1 coverage for empty/valid/invalid SYSC`
4. `prometeu-bytecode: wire downstream constructors to new BytecodeModule.syscalls field`
5. `prometeu-bytecode: clean up naming/docs after phase-1 passes`

### Phase 1 - Extend PBX module format

Target crates:

- `crates/console/prometeu-bytecode`

Steps:

1. add `SyscallDecl` to `src/model.rs` and extend `BytecodeModule` with `syscalls: Vec<SyscallDecl>`
2. reserve a new section kind for `SYSC` in module serialization/deserialization
3. enforce the mandatory-section rule: valid PBS images always carry `SYSC`, including `count = 0`
4. reject malformed payloads, invalid UTF-8, and duplicate canonical identities during load
5. update `src/lib.rs` exports if needed so the VM and HAL can consume the new declarations

Checkpoint:

- `BytecodeLoader::load(...)` returns `BytecodeModule` with canonical syscall declarations preserved from PBX

### Phase 2 - Add pre-load opcode support

Target crates:

- `crates/console/prometeu-bytecode`

Steps:

1. add `HOSTCALL` to `src/opcode.rs` with a `u32` immediate
2. extend `src/opcode_spec.rs` and `src/decoder.rs` so the loader can scan and decode `HOSTCALL`
3. update `src/assembler.rs` and `src/disassembler.rs` so tests and fixtures can produce/read pre-load artifacts
4. keep the runtime contract explicit: `HOSTCALL` is representable in bytecode artifacts but must not survive loader patching

Checkpoint:

- bytecode tooling round-trips `HOSTCALL <index>` correctly, while runtime execution still depends on patched `SYSCALL <id>`

### Phase 3 - Bridge PBX declarations to host metadata

Target crates:

- `crates/console/prometeu-hal`

Steps:

1. add a resolver path that accepts program-owned syscall declarations instead of only `&'static str` identities
2. resolve each `(module, name, version)` against `src/syscalls.rs`
3. validate `arg_slots` and `ret_slots` against authoritative `SyscallMeta`
4. validate required capabilities against cartridge-derived `CapFlags`
5. return deterministic, load-facing errors for unknown syscalls, ABI mismatches, and missing capabilities

Design note:

- this phase likely needs a small owned-string adapter or a new helper alongside `resolve_program_syscalls(...)`, because PBX strings are runtime data, not `&'static str`

Checkpoint:

- given only `BytecodeModule.syscalls` plus granted `CapFlags`, the loader can produce a resolved table `sysc_index -> syscall_id`

### Phase 4 - Patch before verification

Target crates:

- `crates/console/prometeu-vm`

Steps:

1. add a load-time patching helper near `src/virtual_machine.rs` or a small dedicated module
2. run that helper immediately after `BytecodeLoader::load(...)` and before `Verifier::verify(...)`
3. scan `module.code`, decode every instruction, and rewrite `HOSTCALL <index>` into `SYSCALL <resolved_id>`
4. reject out-of-bounds `HOSTCALL` indices during the scan
5. track `SYSC` usage and reject declarations that are never referenced
6. assert that no `HOSTCALL` remains before handing code to the verifier
7. only then call `Verifier::verify(...)`, compute `max_stack_slots`, and build `ProgramImage::from(module)`

Why the sequencing matters:

- the current load path in `crates/console/prometeu-vm/src/virtual_machine.rs` verifies the raw module immediately after `BytecodeLoader::load(...)`
- `ProgramImage` currently stores only the final ROM/functions/constants and does not preserve a syscall declaration table, so patching must happen while the code is still a `BytecodeModule`

Checkpoint:

- the verifier sees only numeric `SYSCALL <id>` instructions, preserving the existing verifier and VM execution model

### Phase 5 - Tests and failure matrix

Target crates:

- `crates/console/prometeu-bytecode`
- `crates/console/prometeu-hal`
- `crates/console/prometeu-vm`

Steps:

1. add serialization/deserialization tests for missing, empty, valid, malformed, and duplicate `SYSC`
2. add opcode tests for `HOSTCALL` decoding and assembler/disassembler coverage
3. add resolver tests for unknown identity, ABI mismatch, and capability mismatch
4. add VM load-path tests proving patch-before-verify behavior
5. add an assertion that final executable images contain only numeric `SYSCALL`

Suggested PR slicing:

1. bytecode format + tests
2. `HOSTCALL` opcode plumbing
3. HAL resolution/ABI validation
4. VM loader patching
5. integration and regression tests

## Deterministic Load Errors

Load must fail for at least:

1. missing `SYSC`
2. malformed `SYSC`
3. invalid UTF-8
4. duplicate syscall identities
5. unknown syscall identity
6. ABI mismatch between `SYSC` and host metadata
7. missing capability
8. `HOSTCALL` with out-of-bounds `sysc_index`
9. declared `SYSC` entry unused by all `HOSTCALL`s
10. `HOSTCALL` still present after patch

## Acceptance Criteria

- PBX parser supports mandatory `SYSC`
- `BytecodeModule` carries syscall declarations
- runtime understands `HOSTCALL`
- loader resolves `SYSC` entries before verification
- loader validates `arg_slots` and `ret_slots`
- loader validates capabilities against cartridge flags
- loader rewrites `HOSTCALL` to `SYSCALL`
- verifier runs only on patched code
- final VM execution path remains numeric-only

## Tests

Add tests covering:

1. valid PBX with empty `SYSC` and no `HOSTCALL`
2. valid PBX with one syscall and one `HOSTCALL`
3. unknown syscall identity
4. capability mismatch
5. ABI mismatch
6. missing `SYSC`
7. duplicate `SYSC` entries
8. malformed `SYSC` payload
9. `HOSTCALL` index out of bounds
10. unused `SYSC` entry
11. patched image contains only `SYSCALL`

Prefer synthetic in-memory PBX images in tests.

## Definition of Done

After this PR:

- PBX declares canonical host bindings in `SYSC`
- pre-load code references those bindings with `HOSTCALL`
- the loader resolves and validates them during load
- the loader patches executable code to `SYSCALL <id>`
- the verifier and VM continue to operate on numeric syscalls only