Agent artifact lifecycle

Concepts: instances, versions, lifecycle

Source, collection, project

Three tiers keep authority visible.

Upstream is where an author releases a version. The collection is the operator-owned registered copy, including its pin, content hash, owner, and target profiles. A project instance is the materialized copy used by an agent tool.

Current

The project content and version match the collection record. No action is required.

Behind

The project still carries an older collection version. Preview, then deploy or sync the selected version.

Drift

The project content changed after deployment. Inspect the diff before choosing to preserve or reconcile it.

Unbound

No deployment relationship exists. Bind the project before SkillMeat can manage an instance there.

Versioned instances across three tiers

Read the authority path from the released source through the pinned collection to each project copy.

Three-tier artifact instance model with version history An upstream release at version 2.4 feeds an operator-owned collection pinned to version 2.3. Four project instances are current, behind, drifted, or unbound. A version rail shows snapshots and rollback. Authority and deployed state Upstream Author-owned release source Source repository github:org/agent-skills@v2.4 released · v2.4 New release is available upstream. add Collection Operator-owned registered copy release-reviewer pinned · v2.3 content hash · 91bd… owner · platform profiles · codex, claude_code deploy Project instances Project-owned materialized copies Project Av2.3 · current Project Bv2.1 · behind Project Cv2.3 · driftlocal modification Project Dnot bound sync check · preview Version rail Snapshots preserve recovery points while source and deployed versions move. v2.3 pinned v2.4 upstream v2.1 rollback snapshot markers Legend managed flow difference inspected canonical store project copy Three tiers, stacked Upstreamgithub:org/agent-skills@v2.4 · author-owned releaseadd · update ↓ Collectionrelease-reviewer · pinned v2.3 · hash 91bd… · operator-owneddeploy · sync pull ↓ Project instances A · v2.3 currentB · v2.1 behindC · v2.3 driftD · unbound sync check · preview ↑ Version railv2.3 pinnedv2.4v2.1 rollback Solid: managed flow · dashed/state labels: inspect before reconcile

Legend: canonical store · deployed copy · current · behind · drift · unbound

Available local mechanics · project states are illustrative

Lifecycle and lineage

A deployment should keep its history.

Follow an artifact from upstream authoring through registration and deployment. When a project copy changes, SkillMeat surfaces the drift and preserves the lineage needed to reconcile it deliberately.

Source to reconciliation

The content hash stays visible while the deployed state changes.

Artifact lifecycle and persistent lineage Five stages move from upstream through registration and deployment to detected drift and reconciliation. A persistent thread below shows the content hash changing during drift and returning to the registered hash after reconciliation. Lifecycle Every deployed copy keeps a visible path back to its registered source. Upstream authored Registered current Deployed matched Drift detected differs Reconciled matched Persistent lineage thread sha:3f9a… sha:3f9a… sha:3f9a… sha:b71c… (differs) sha:3f9a… Legend Lifecycle edge Drift Canonical store Matched state

Legend slot: lineage thread · state edge · drift

Lifecycle model · animation plays once