Loams: Design Invariants for AI-Native Storage

Research infrastructure can require vector search, lexical matching, structured metadata, and durable execution state. Combining independent systems introduces integration and operational work. Loams explores a shared substrate for these needs; this note does not establish that all research stacks require the same components.

Its formal classification is Layer 1 Platform + Layer 2 Engine Hybrid. Loams is an infrastructure instrument, not evidence for TC-H. The project record and evidence ledger govern its present maturity and measured claims.

The Layer 1 Constitutional Invariants

Under Operating Constraint OS-02, dependencies require a usable exit. The frozen record specifies three relevant design commitments; their presence in a design is distinct from successful independent validation.

1. Open formats: the object-storage design uses open formats such as Lance, Tantivy, and Iceberg so durable data can survive the serving layer.
2. Stateless query compute: query nodes reconstruct hot tiers from object storage. This commitment does not imply that every adjacent reactive or durable-execution component lacks its own state.
3. Compatibility exit: the design targets departure through compatible Qdrant or Elasticsearch interfaces. Its conformance suite and documented migration criteria must be evaluated before claiming the exit succeeds for a workload.

Cold-start, consistency, performance, and exit requirements remain testable commitments in the ledger. This editorial summary adds no evidence that their success criteria have been satisfied.