Learning Castle Supersession and Retirement Schema

Canonical ID: /learning-castle/0118. This schema controls how an older Castle node, owner or route is replaced without creating two live canonical truths. Supersession preserves history, redirects machine resolution to the stronger verified object, and retires obsolete live authority without deleting the record.

schema: learning_castle_supersession_retirement
version: 0.1
castle_id: /learning-castle/0118
object_type: lifecycle_control
purpose: canonical_transition_without_duplicate_live_authority
may_supersede: true_after_validation
may_retire_live_authority: true_after_handoff
may_delete_history: false
may_leave_two_live_canonical_owners: false
may_promote_without_admission: false
canonical_return: /learning-castle/0019

Lifecycle States

lifecycle_state:
  active
  candidate_successor
  supersession_prepared
  successor_validated
  handoff_active
  superseded
  retired
  historical

rule:
  historical_record_remains_queryable
  retired_object_may_remain_public_if_useful
  retired_object_must_not_continue_claiming_canonical_authority

Supersession Record

supersession_record:
  old_object
  new_object
  old_owner_scope
  new_owner_scope
  reason
  evidence
  admission_record
  validation_status
  return_status
  inbound_handoff_status
  outbound_handoff_status
  machine_resolution_target
  effective_state
  audit_note

reason:
  stronger_owner
  merged_scope
  route_repair
  stale_architecture
  duplicate_owner_resolution
  improved_canonical_boundary

Supersession Conditions

supersede only_if:
  successor_passed_admission
  AND successor_validation = PASS
  AND successor_scope_is_clear
  AND no_unresolved_owner_conflict
  AND required_return_exists
  AND critical_inbound_routes_have_handoff
  AND critical_outbound_routes_have_handoff

never_supersede because:
  newer_date
  prettier_page
  longer_article
  temporary_traffic_spike
  keyword_similarity
  administrative_convenience

Handoff Runtime

ACTIVE_OLD
-> CANDIDATE_SUCCESSOR
-> ADMISSION_PASS
-> SUPERSESSION_PREPARED
-> VALIDATION_PASS
-> HANDOFF_INBOUND_ROUTES
-> HANDOFF_OUTBOUND_ROUTES
-> VERIFY_RETURN_PATHS
-> SWITCH_MACHINE_RESOLUTION
-> MARK_OLD_SUPERSEDED
-> RETIRE_OLD_AUTHORITY
-> PRESERVE_HISTORICAL_RECORD
-> SENTRY_MONITORS_NEW_ROUTE
-> WATCHTOWER_OBSERVES_CHANGE

Retirement Rules

retirement_does_not_mean_delete
retired_page_may_remain_public_if_it_still_serves_a_bounded_job
retired_page_must_point_machine_resolution_to_successor
retired_edge_must_not_remain_preferred_if_successor_edge_is_verified
retired_owner_must_not_reassert_broader_scope
historical_identity_must_be_preserved_for_audit_and_context

Split and Merge Rules

if_one_owner_splits:
  define_new_scopes
  admit_each_successor
  preserve_old_as_historical_parent_or_context_if_useful

if_multiple_owners_merge:
  prove_scope_can_be_owned_coherently
  admit_new_owner
  handoff_each_old_owner
  retire_duplicate_live_authority

rule:
  merger_or_split_must_improve_clarity_not_merely_reduce_page_count

Rollback Condition

rollback_machine_resolution if:
  successor_breaks_critical_routes
  OR successor_owner_scope_proves_invalid
  OR required_returns_fail
  OR new_owner_conflict_appears

rollback_action:
  restore_last_verified_owner
  mark_successor_bounded_or_failed
  preserve_audit_history
  send_to_validation

Machine Relationships

Supersession begins only after the Admission Schema has validated the successor. It uses the Registry to switch machine resolution, the Edge Schema and Return Schema to verify handoff continuity, and the Validation Schema before old authority is retired. The Sentry guards the new live route and the Watchtower observes post-handoff behaviour.

The Castle may change its owner map without erasing how it got there.