Part 1

Foundations

The mental model and the vocabulary before any code. If Vivarium is new to you, start here: it explains what the framework is for, names every primitive from first principles, and shows how the pieces layer.

What is Vivarium?

The two spines, the rebuild tax it removes, and the discovery loop that makes it trustworthy.

Core concepts

The whole vocabulary from first principles — stores, processes, steps, wiring, apply, and sites/fill/ground.

The stack

How the four packages layer in strict dependency order, and why that acyclicity is the separation of concerns.

Suggested path

Read What is Vivarium? for the mental model, then Core concepts for the vocabulary everything else builds on, then The stack to see how the packages fit.