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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This FAQ addresses common questions about modeling assumptions, determinism, artifacts, and how to navigate the documentation. It emphasizes research‑first clarity with developer‑friendly pointers.

What does “deterministic” mean in Ascribe?

Determinism means that given the same configuration and random seed, the CRV/CIRVA loop produces the same trajectory and artifacts byte‑for‑byte. Timing is barriered—signals computed at time t take effect at time t+1—so comparisons are well‑posed. See crv.world and crv.world.model for stepping; artifacts are summarized in the Artifacts guide and schemas in crv.core.tables.

How should I think about identity and affect?

Identity and affect are structured, typed relations (not opaque blobs). You will see explicit tables such as crv.core.tables.identity_edges, “other→object,” and value readouts. This enables policy design, invariants, and audits that generalize across experiments. See the Concepts guide and package modules in crv.core.

What’s the quickest way to run and inspect a simulation?

Use the CLI:

  • Run a sim: uv run crv-abm-sim --steps 100 --seed 123 --out out/run
  • Open the app: uv run crv-app --run out/run

See the CLI and App guides.

How do I compare two ideas fairly?

Keep everything constant except the single assumption you’re testing. Reuse the same seed and policy; write outputs to distinct directories. Compare Arrow‑friendly tables directly (e.g., via Polars) and visualize with the app or a static report. See Workflows.

Where do I find the canonical API docs?

Start at the API Reference overview, then pick a package overview such as crv.world, crv.lab, crv.io, crv.core, crv.viz, or crv.mind. Module pages are canonical; package pages are overviews that link down.

What do the stability banners mean?

  • Stable API: intended to persist; changes will be additive.
  • Experimental API: available for use; may change as research hardens.
  • Unstable API: subject to change without notice.

The banner appears at the top of each package/module page when configured. See stability metadata under docs/metadata/stability.yml.

Can I run sweeps without external services?

Yes. Build offline valuation policies with crv.lab (e.g., mock mode) and reuse them across scenarios. This keeps experiments fast and comparable. See crv.lab and CLI.

How should I cite or archive results?

Export a static report with crv-viz-report and archive the run directory (including metadata.json). Include links to the API pages you rely on so stability is clear.

How do cross‑references work in these docs?

Cross‑references use automatic linking (mkdocs‑autorefs). When you mention a symbol or page like crv.world.events or Artifacts, links resolve across pages without manual anchors.

Where can I learn the broader research context?