Architecture Map

Sophia divides its systems based on what each part is permitted to control, rather than what is easiest to write.

================================================================================
                         HARDWARE AND KERNEL
================================================================================
 [ physical input devices ]                                  [ display output ]
            │                                                        ▲
            │ raw input via libinput                                 │ DRM/KMS
            ▼                                                        │

================================================================================
                    SOPHIA ENGINE: COMPOSITOR AUTHORITY
================================================================================
 ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
 │ Scene graph | spatial hit-testing | damage tracking | frame scheduling     │
 │ Atomic visual commits | rendering | scanout                                │
 └───────────────┬───────────────────┬────────────────────┬───────────────────┘
          ▲      │                   │                    │      ▲
          │      │ opaque snapshots  │ portal events      │      │ descriptors & chrome
          │      ▼                   ▼                    ▼      │
 ┌───────────────┐        ┌────────────────┐       ┌─────────────────────────┐
 │  SOPHIA WM    │        │ SOPHIA PORTALS │       │      SOPHIA SHELL       │
 │ blind policy  │        │ allow/deny     │       │ panels & switchers      │
 │ layout/focus  │        │ handoff/revoke │       │ work area reservations  │
 └───────┬───────┘        └────────┬───────┘       └────────────┬────────────┘
         │                         │                            ▲
         │ layout proposals        │ portal commands            │ sanitized metadata
         │ [sophia_wm_v1]          │ [sophia_portal_v1]         │ & UI descriptors
         ▼                         ▼                            │ [sophia_shell_v1]

================================================================================
                         PROTOCOL AUTHORITY LAYER
================================================================================
 ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
 │ Sophia X Server Frontend: X11 resources, selections, grabs, protocol checks │
 └────────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────┘
                                  │
                                  │ namespace-checked surface transactions
                                  │ routed input / configure / lifecycle
                                  ▲

================================================================================
                         SANDBOXED CLIENT NAMESPACES
================================================================================
 ┌────────────────────────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
 │ Namespace A: trusted               │     │ Namespace B: untrusted          │
 │ X terminal | trusted local tools   │  X  │ X browser | untrusted X app     │
 └────────────────────────────────────┘     └─────────────────────────────────┘

System Subcomponents

Sophia Engine: The visual authority. It manages physical input, visual state, frame scheduling, transaction commits, rendering, and display output.
Sophia X Server Frontend: A clean, modern X11 frontend. It presents the established X11 API, translates protocol state into Sophia surface transactions, and performs X11 delivery rules. It does not control layout or scanout.
Sophia WM (Window Manager): A dedicated policy process handling layout, focus, keybindings, workspaces, and launch decisions. It operates entirely on opaque layout nodes and SurfaceId handles.
Sophia Portals: Mechanisms for deliberate cross-namespace transfers, such as clipboard sharing, drag-and-drop, and screen capture.
Metadata Broker and Chrome: Translates protocol metadata into redacted compositor UI without exposing namespaces to the window manager.
Sophia Shell: A separately confined client that specifies shell UI, such as panels and switchers, and requests work-area reservations. The Engine renders and presents that UI.

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