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Generated Glue And Factories

Morph discovery is manifest-driven, but code still needs concrete factories and registration points.

That is where generated glue comes in.

Why Generated Glue Exists​

Generated glue connects:

  • package manifests
  • feature descriptors
  • factory functions
  • registry discovery

It keeps package registration consistent without forcing authors to hand-maintain large manual tables.

Where glue lives in this repo​

Generated and emitted registration in this repo is centered under:

  • src/nir/morph/codegen/ — the codegen tool and emitters that turn manifest graphs into generated outputs
  • src/nir/morph/MorphManifest.* and src/nir/morph/MorphPipeline.cpp — manifest loading + plugin library load/registration logic
  • morphs/<Package>/plugin/*MorphLibrary.cpp — each package’s exported MorphlangMorphLibrary descriptor and C entry

The codegen entry binary is src/nir/morph/codegen/Main.cpp (accepts --source-root, --domain, and multiple --*-out outputs). The plugin loader expects packages to export the canonical symbol name MORPHLANG_MORPH_LIBRARY_ENTRY (see MorphPipeline.cpp).

Factory Macros And Public Surfaces​

Some public framework headers expose factory macros for package authors.

Examples include macros for:

  • execution artifacts
  • execution engines
  • build pipelines

These exist so package-owned code can register concrete implementations through a stable public surface.

What Package Authors Should Expect​

A feature usually needs all three layers:

  1. manifest declaration
  2. package-owned implementation
  3. generated or framework-recognized registration glue

If one layer is missing, ownership becomes fragile.

What Not To Do​

Do not replace generated glue with:

  • handwritten global registration tables in core
  • random manual build wiring outside package manifests
  • one-off package export hacks that bypass the normal flow

If generated glue is too limited, widen the generator or public SDK surface.

Generated Glue Rule​

Treat generated glue as part of the package system, not as a place to avoid the package system.

It exists to preserve explicit ownership, not to hide it.

Next Steps​