# Domain and Artifact Boundary Specification

Status: Draft
Scope: Packer domain core boundary
Purpose: Define what the packer owns, what it emits, and where its responsibility stops.

## Authority and Precedence

This specification consolidates the initial packer agenda and decision wave into normative form.

Runtime-side reading semantics for `assets.pa` are defined upstream in `../runtime/docs/runtime/specs/13-cartridge.md` and `../runtime/docs/runtime/specs/15-asset-management.md`.

## Normative Inputs

- project workspace with `assets/`
- packer registry and control data under `assets/.prometeu/`
- managed asset roots anchored by `asset.json`

## Core Rules

1. The packer owns asset workspace management and artifact production.
2. The packer emits the runtime-facing asset artifact `assets.pa`.
3. The packer may emit companion build artifacts for Studio and tooling.
4. The packer does not own cartridge shipping/publication.
5. A future shipper is a consumer of packer artifacts, not a co-author of the asset contract.
6. Runtime reading semantics are not redefined by the packer.
7. The packer must stop at artifact publication, not cartridge assembly.

## Packer-Owned Artifacts

The packer owns production of at least:

- `assets.pa`
- `build/asset_table.json`
- `build/preload.json`
- `build/asset_table_metadata.json`
- `asset.json`
- `assets/.prometeu/index.json`

## Runtime-Facing Boundary

`assets.pa` is the authoritative runtime-facing artifact.

Rules:

- the internal header of `assets.pa` is the runtime-facing source of truth for asset table and preload data;
- companion JSON outputs must not replace the internal header as the runtime contract;
- offsets and preload semantics must remain aligned with runtime specs.

## Future Shipper Boundary

The future shipper may consume packer artifacts to assemble cartridges.

Rules:

- the packer must not depend on a concrete shipper implementation now;
- shipper-specific workflow detail is deferred;
- published artifact names and meanings must remain documented and stable enough for later consumption.

## Non-Goals

- cartridge assembly flow
- package distribution format design
- runtime asset loading implementation detail

## Exit Criteria

This specification is complete enough when:

- packer ownership is unambiguous;
- runtime-facing artifact authority is explicit;
- future shipper integration is bounded without overdesign.