Robert Allan JamesandClaude Sonnet 5
f75228dda5
No document like this existed. Covers every core C-primitive FORTH word (~470 registrations, 435 unique names after collapsing double-registered ones) across all 36 src/word_source/*.c files plus src/starkernel/capsule/mama_forth_words.c, organized into 34 category sections matching the module order in register_forth79_words(). Each entry has word name, stack effect, and a one-sentence description pulled from the doc comment above its implementation (or inferred where none existed). Explicitly scoped to core primitives, not the ~330 FORTH-defined words inside .4th capsules -- those track individual experiments/policies rather than the language itself and would need their own document with a different update cadence. Resolved, not just noted, the two real name collisions in the live dictionary: [ ] STATE (dictionary_manipulation_words.c vs. defining_words.c) and MOD /MOD */ */MOD (arithmetic_words.c vs. mixed_arithmetic_words.c) -- checked actual registration order in word_registry.c against the newest-first FIND search to determine which implementation is actually reachable by name, rather than guessing. Includes a "keeping this current" section documenting how to extend it when words are added/removed/re-registered. Also includes BLOCK_MAP.md/artemis.img/amd64.csv regenerated by builds during this session, and a qemu boot log/DoE run that weren't from any command in this session -- kept per repo convention, logs are audit artifacts, not deleted. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
capsules/
FORTH personality files loaded by the VM at boot. A capsule is an immutable, content-addressed payload; its XXHash64 hash is its identity. Any mutation changes the hash and the birth protocol rejects the image.
Key files
| File | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
init.4th |
(m) MAMA_INIT |
Default Mama VM personality — loaded at LBN 2048 |
ACL.4th |
user | Word-level ACL system; self-activating at boot |
zuse.4th |
user | Bootstrap superuser; loaded by ACL.4th |
doe.4th |
user | DoE workload words (EXEC-DOE) — opt-in |
init-0.4th … init-9.4th |
(p) |
Numbered personality variants |
init-l8-*.4th |
(p) |
L8 Jacquard mode variants (stable/volatile/diverse/temporal/transition/omni) |
hermes/init.4th |
(p) |
Hermes baby VM personality |
artemis/init.4th |
(p) |
Artemis baby VM personality |
Block namespace
Block ranges are shared across all loaded capsules — collisions cause silent word-definition overwrites.
| Range | Owner |
|---|---|
| 2048–2099 | init.4th |
| 2100–2199 | doe.4th |
| 3000–3999 | workload capsules |
| 4000+ | user-defined (ACL.4th, zuse.4th, …) |
Each block is limited to 1024 bytes. Verify with wc -c before committing.
See also
experiments/bare_metal/README.md— DoE protocols and block namespace rulesdocs/03-architecture/word-acl/DESIGN.md— ACL system designtools/mkcapsule.c— assembles capsules intocapsule_generated.c- Project root