Slate Absolute API Replan

Goal

Reopen packages/slate despite the stale tranche-3 closeout read and drive it toward the best honest public API:

• transaction-first writes
• snapshot/store-first reads
• field-style editor state removed from the normal public shape where the live repo allows it
• explicit compatibility cuts when the old surface blocks the better API
• no material perf regression against the current core floor

Current Read

• the existing tranche doc says packages/slate is closed and tranche 4 is next
• that read is stale for the current north star
• the architecture contract now points at a better core than the retrofit API: transaction-first, snapshot/store-first, React-friendly, package-split preserved
• the user has now chosen the perfect redesign as the live doctrine, not a deferred future lane
• the current required decision is not “what support package is next”
• the current required decision is “which slate public surfaces stay primary, which become advanced runtime tools, and which get cut or demoted”
• completion target for this lane is now met:
  • the slate core API direction is settled enough to become the live claim
  • remaining hard cuts are explicitly deferred post-RC
• the first standalone broad oracle run is red again:
  • bun test ./packages/slate/test/snapshot-contract.ts --bail 1
• latest broad oracle read after the first slice:
  • the stale implicit-merge move_node row is gone
  • the standalone oracle is now green:
    • bun test ./packages/slate/test/snapshot-contract.ts --bail 1
• package-floor read after the same slice:
  • bun test ./packages/slate/test is green again
  • the old 55-row cluster is now cut at one explicit owner:
    • /Users/zbeyens/git/slate-v2/packages/slate/test/fixture-claim-overrides.ts
• current verification read:
  • bunx turbo build --filter=./packages/slate green
  • bunx turbo typecheck --filter=./packages/slate green
  • bun run lint:fix green
  • bun run lint green
• this slice is now closed
• latest API-direction slice after that:
  • historical note: this slice moved operation reads toward explicit operation access; the current live BaseEditor does not expose editor.operations as a normal field
  • Editor.getOperations(editor) / editor.getOperations() are now the canonical operations read surface
  • Editor.withTransaction(editor, tx => ...) now exposes live draft state through the transaction argument:
    • tx.children
    • tx.selection
    • tx.marks
    • tx.operations
• latest docs-stack slice after that:
  • the perfect redesign is now the live doctrine across docs/slate-v2/**
  • support packages are explicitly blocked until the slate core redesign settles
  • the native transaction/store-first direction is no longer described as a deferred future lane
• latest code slice after that:
  • internal hot paths no longer need editor.children directly for live draft reads in:
    • transforms-text/delete-text.ts
    • utils/get-default-insert-location.ts
  • those reads now route through Editor.getChildren(editor)
• latest follow-on slice after that:
  • current contract tests for app-owned normalization/extension wrappers now prefer Editor.getChildren(editor) over editor.children for live draft reads
  • insertText no longer pays snapshot-read tax in its null-selection guard; it uses an explicit public-selection helper instead
• latest write-hierarchy slice after that:
  • transaction-owned source paths now call tx.apply(op) instead of editor.apply(op) where the transaction already exists:
    • interfaces/transforms/general.ts
    • editor/insert-break.ts
    • transforms-node/move-nodes.ts
    • transforms-text/delete-text.ts
• current write-hierarchy read:
  • tx.apply(op) is no longer decorative
  • but too much helper/transform source still bypasses it and goes straight to editor.apply(op)
• latest write-hierarchy slice after that:
  • the internal applyOperation(editor, op) helper now routes helper/transform code through the active transaction writer when one exists
  • more helper paths no longer call raw editor.apply(op) directly:
    • interfaces/transforms/text.ts
    • transforms-selection/select.ts
    • transforms-selection/deselect.ts
    • transforms-selection/set-selection.ts
    • transforms-node/remove-nodes.ts
    • transforms-node/set-nodes.ts
    • transforms-node/split-nodes.ts
    • transforms-node/insert-nodes.ts
    • transforms-node/merge-nodes.ts
• latest write-hierarchy slice after that:
  • tx.apply(op) is now backed by the base core writer instead of delegating through an overridden editor.apply
  • transaction-owned writes now survive a wrapped editor.apply and still hit the core transaction path directly
• latest public-write slice after that:
  • Editor.apply(editor, op) is now the explicit public single-op writer over that same transaction path
  • wrapped editor.apply(op) no longer owns the public single-op path by default
  • current contract proof for that path is live in:
    • packages/slate/test/surface-contract.ts
    • packages/slate/test/transaction-contract.ts
• latest publish-order slice after that:
  • commit subscribers now fire before editor.onChange()
  • editor.onChange() is now classified as a compatibility callback over the snapshot-store path, not the primary commit owner
  • current contract proof for that path is live in:
    • packages/slate/test/snapshot-contract.ts
• latest fixture-owner slice after that:
  • exact interfaces/Editor/** fixtures now prefer explicit read APIs over ambient property mirrors
  • remaining direct property pressure is concentrated in explicit compatibility-owner files instead of spread across the wider interface tree
  • current inventory read:
    • source direct property reads:
      • editor.children: 0
      • editor.selection: 2
      • editor.marks: 4
    • test direct property reads:
      • editor.children: 9
      • editor.selection: 4
      • editor.marks: 1
  • remaining owner files are now down to:
    • src/core/public-state.ts
    • src/interfaces/editor.ts
    • test/accessor-transaction.test.ts
    • test/interfaces-contract.ts
    • test/snapshot-contract.ts
    • test/surface-contract.ts
    • test/transaction-contract.ts
  • direct editor.marks property writes are now explicitly proved in:
    • packages/slate/test/snapshot-contract.ts
• 2026-04-27 correction:
  • this inventory is historical, not the current live API fact
  • current live BaseEditor no longer declares editor.children, editor.selection, editor.marks, or editor.operations as normal fields
  • current code should use getChildren, getSelection, getSnapshot, getOperations, and transaction APIs instead
  • remaining hard-cut candidates are public-looking escape hatches: instance editor.apply(op), reset-style setChildren, and broad live accessors
  • <Slate onChange> belongs to the React adapter surface, not core editor state
• latest normalization-claim slice after that:
  • the default-vs-explicit normalization truth is no longer an open owner row
  • the live docs, broad oracle, and explicit-cut registry now agree that: heavier adjacent-text/spacer cleanup stays explicit-only
  • the old package-floor fixture cluster is already classified at one owner owner:
    • packages/slate/test/fixture-claim-overrides.ts

Execution Repo

• /Users/zbeyens/git/slate-v2

Scope Lock

• allowed:
  • /Users/zbeyens/git/slate-v2/packages/slate/**
  • /Users/zbeyens/git/slate-v2/scripts/benchmarks/**
  • /Users/zbeyens/git/slate-v2/package.json
• docs sync allowed when truth changes:
  • /Users/zbeyens/git/plate-2/docs/slate-v2/**
  • /Users/zbeyens/git/plate-2/docs/plans/**
• out of scope unless a kept slate proof or perf owner forces it:
  • slate-history
  • slate-hyperscript
  • slate-dom
  • slate-react

Current Tactic

• treat the perfect redesign as the live queue, not a future note
• rewrite the control/docs stack so it stops encoding the old parity-first or support-packages-next story
• use the updated docs stack as the source of truth for the next code slice in packages/slate
• keep the current perf floor as a hard guardrail while the public API shifts

Rejected Tactics / Pivot History

• rejected: treating green package-local gates as proof that packages/slate is done
• rejected: moving to tranche 4 while the slate API direction is still undecided
• rejected: deferring the native transaction/store-first redesign to a later roadmap lane
• rejected: preserving mutable singleton editor state by default just because the recovered retrofit surface currently ships
• rejected: reopening benchmark-package farming; the perf owner lane is already complete enough to act as a regression floor
• rejected: restoring legacy default adjacent-text auto-merge into ordinary move_node just to satisfy a stale snapshot row when the live docs already define that cleanup as explicit-only
• historical rejection, superseded by later API work:
  • editor.children, editor.selection, editor.marks, and editor.operations are not normal live fields on the current BaseEditor
  • do not use this old rejection as evidence that those fields still need a fresh hard cut

Remaining Kept-Owner Ledger

None blocking this slate core lane.

Current hard-cut ledger:

• already cut as normal core fields:
  • editor.children
  • editor.selection
  • editor.marks
  • editor.operations
• still worth cutting or fencing before publish:
  • instance editor.apply(op) as an ordinary app write path
  • reset-style setChildren
  • broad live accessors as normal app-facing reads
  • any docs or examples that teach live runtime reads before snapshots
• keep <Slate onChange> classified as React adapter output, not a core editor field
• do not reintroduce field-style compatibility mirrors before publish
• keep CustomTypes cut unless later code work proves reopening it earns its cost

Perf Owner Status

• core benchmark package exists and is live
• current compare owners are:
  • bun run bench:core:normalization:compare:local
  • bun run bench:core:observation:compare:local
  • bun run bench:core:huge-document:compare:local
• current read from the control docs:
  • normalization is no longer the blocker
  • observation is bounded-but-still-slower
  • huge-document typing is bounded-but-still-slower

Current Gates

• correctness owner:
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bun test ./packages/slate/test/snapshot-contract.ts --bail 1
• package floor:
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bun test ./packages/slate/test
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bunx turbo build --filter=./packages/slate
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bunx turbo typecheck --filter=./packages/slate
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bun run lint:fix
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bun run lint
• perf floor:
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bun run bench:slate:6038:local
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bun run bench:core:normalization:compare:local
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bun run bench:core:observation:compare:local
  • cd .tmp/slate-v2 && bun run bench:core:huge-document:compare:local

Next Move

1. treat the slate core API direction as settled enough to unblock tranche 4
2. carry the deferred post-RC cut ledger forward explicitly
3. keep the current core perf read as the regression floor for later packages
4. do not reopen slate core design questions without new contrary evidence

Continue Checkpoint

• verdict:
  • replan
• latest landed API redesign owner:
  • editor.operations is not a normal current BaseEditor field
  • Editor.getOperations(editor) is the explicit operations read surface
  • withTransaction(tx => ...) is now an explicit draft-access API
  • Editor.apply(editor, op) is now the explicit public single-op writer
  • subscribe(...) is now the primary post-commit API ahead of editor.onChange()
• latest hard-cut or demotion decision:
  • ordinary structural ops do not regain legacy automatic adjacent-text merge just to satisfy one stale oracle row
  • that row is the thing to demote, not the engine
• latest hard-cut or demotion decision:
  • editor.operations no longer owns the internal queue directly
  • field-style editor state is not the current normal API
  • the redesign itself is no longer deferred
• latest hard-cut or demotion decision:
  • instance editor.apply(op) is no longer the public default write path
  • it survives as compatibility pressure over a stronger explicit writer
• latest hard-cut or demotion decision:
  • editor.onChange() is no longer treated as the primary commit API
  • it survives as a legacy compatibility callback after commit subscribers
• latest hard-cut or demotion decision:
  • editor.children / editor.selection / editor.marks are no longer normal current BaseEditor fields
  • do not reopen them as compatibility mirrors
• latest hard-cut or demotion decision:
  • remaining cleanup applies to instance editor.apply(op), reset-style setChildren, broad live accessors, and docs/examples that teach them as normal DX
  • editor.onChange() should be discussed only as React adapter output when referring to current live shape
• remaining unresolved API decisions:
  • no blocking slate core API-direction decisions remain in this lane
  • only post-RC cut/defer judgments remain
  • any further meaningful execution changes package/tranche ownership
• latest current-vs-legacy compare read:
  • normalization compare is no longer the blocker
  • observation compare is bounded-but-still-slower
  • huge-document typing compare is bounded-but-still-slower
• drift read:
  • current work still points toward the better API
  • the main drift risk is letting RC-scope compatibility mirrors linger without an explicit cut/defer judgment
• next move after this checkpoint:
  • stop here for this execution owner
  • do not invent more packages/slate churn under a completed lane
  • next likely owner: create or switch to the next tranche owner only when the user explicitly wants support-package work

Repeated Continue Rule

• this execution owner is complete
• repeated continue calls against this same owner without a new scope or new contrary evidence should return:
  • replan
• reason:
  • the next honest move changes package/tranche ownership
  • more packages/slate work here would be invented churn, not progress
• repeat-count:
  • 44
• latest reaffirmation:
  • repeated continue was received again against the same completed owner with no new scope, evidence, or blocker change
  • verdict still stays replan

Latest Slice

• narrowed packages/slate/src/core/normalize-node.ts so adjacent-text canonicalization is explicit-only instead of ordinary-op default behavior
• updated broad current-contract proof in:
  • packages/slate/test/snapshot-contract.ts
• added one explicit-cut registry for stale legacy fixture rows in:
  • packages/slate/test/fixture-claim-overrides.ts
• taught packages/slate/test/index.spec.ts to skip that explicit-cut family from one owner
• historical note: this slice moved operation reads toward explicit operation access; the current live BaseEditor does not expose editor.operations as a normal field. Files touched at the time:
  • packages/slate/src/core/public-state.ts
  • packages/slate/src/core/apply.ts
  • packages/slate/src/interfaces/editor.ts
  • packages/slate/src/create-editor.ts
  • packages/slate/src/editor/without-normalizing.ts
• landed an explicit draft-access transaction surface:
  • Editor.withTransaction(editor, tx => ...)
• landed the first explicit transaction-owned write surface:
  • tx.apply(op)
• pushed tx.apply(op) into transaction-owned source paths in:
  • packages/slate/src/interfaces/transforms/general.ts
  • packages/slate/src/editor/insert-break.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-node/move-nodes.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-text/delete-text.ts
• landed applyOperation(editor, op) as the internal writer helper in:
  • packages/slate/src/core/public-state.ts
• moved additional helper/transform code onto that writer helper in:
  • packages/slate/src/interfaces/transforms/text.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-selection/select.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-selection/deselect.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-selection/set-selection.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-node/remove-nodes.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-node/set-nodes.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-node/split-nodes.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-node/insert-nodes.ts
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-node/merge-nodes.ts
• hardened tx.apply(op) so it now bypasses an overridden editor.apply and writes through the base core writer in:
  • packages/slate/src/core/public-state.ts
  • packages/slate/src/create-editor.ts
• landed Editor.apply(editor, op) as the explicit public single-op writer in:
  • packages/slate/src/interfaces/editor.ts
• proved that the public single-op writer bypasses wrapped editor.apply(op) and reuses the transaction path in:
  • packages/slate/test/surface-contract.ts
• proved that behavior in:
  • packages/slate/test/transaction-contract.ts
• moved commit subscribers ahead of editor.onChange() in:
  • packages/slate/src/core/public-state.ts
• classified editor.onChange() as a compatibility callback with current proof in:
  • packages/slate/test/snapshot-contract.ts
• moved exact interfaces/Editor/** fixture reads off ambient mutable properties and onto explicit read APIs in:
  • packages/slate/test/interfaces/Editor/**
• moved broad harness convenience reads off ambient mutable properties in:
  • packages/slate/test/index.spec.ts
  • packages/slate/test/legacy-fixture-utils.ts
• rewrote the stray convenience setup fixture in:
  • packages/slate/test/transforms/mergeNodes/path/non-selectable-ancestor.ts
• historical note: direct editor.marks property writes were proved as compatibility pressure in:
  • packages/slate/test/snapshot-contract.ts
• moved internal hot-path live draft reads off editor.children in:
  • packages/slate/src/transforms-text/delete-text.ts
  • packages/slate/src/utils/get-default-insert-location.ts
• moved current non-legacy contract wrappers off editor.children in:
  • packages/slate/test/normalization-contract.ts
  • packages/slate/test/extension-contract.ts
• kept insertText off raw editor.selection without paying snapshot tax by adding an explicit public-selection helper in:
  • packages/slate/src/core/public-state.ts
  • packages/slate/src/interfaces/transforms/text.ts
• fixed the real null-state bug in:
  • packages/slate/src/core/public-state.ts
  • CURRENT_SELECTION / CURRENT_MARKS no longer fall through stale public state when the live value is actually null
• synced the docs/slate-v2/** stack to the perfect-redesign read:
  • overview.md
  • master-roadmap.md
  • release-readiness-decision.md
  • replacement-gates-scoreboard.md
  • true-slate-rc-proof-ledger.md
  • fresh-branch-migration-plan.md
  • release-file-review-ledger.md
  • references/architecture-contract.md
  • references/slate-batch-engine.md
  • commands/launch-next-ralph-batch.md
  • commands/reinterview-remaining-scope.md
  • commands/replan-remaining-work.md
  • ledgers/README.md
  • ledgers/slate-legacy-draft-contract-corpus.md
  • ledgers/slate-editor-api.md
  • ledgers/slate-transforms-api.md
  • slate-tranche-3-execution.md
• captured the learning in:
  • docs/solutions/developer-experience/2026-04-19-slate-explicit-normalization-cuts-should-live-in-one-fixture-override-registry.md