PackOS

Purpose

PackOS is the validation and package layer for ECHO experiences. It is designed to make official packs reproducible, inspectable, channel-aware, and safer to release.

PackOS is not just a download list. It is the future contract between build outputs, release gates, launcher installs, and validated player experiences.

Core Concepts

Manifest

The manifest describes package identity, target experience, modules, dependencies, versions, expected files, runtime target, and release channel.

Lockfile

The lockfile records exact resolved versions and artifacts. It exists so the same release can be installed and repaired consistently.

Channel

Channels separate stable, testing, preview, internal, and future experimental delivery paths. Players should not need to understand every channel, but the launcher should.

Snapshot

Snapshots capture package state at a known point. They are useful for diagnostics, rollbacks, and reproducing a specific release.

Release Gate

Release gates define checks a package must pass before it becomes public. Examples include required metadata, missing dependency detection, invalid version checks, and integrity validation.

Launcher Relationship

ECHO Launcher is the player surface. PackOS is the package intelligence underneath it.

The launcher should eventually answer questions like:

• Is this install complete?
• Are any files stale or missing?
• Does this package match its lockfile?
• Is this channel safe for a normal player?
• Which runtime adapter should handle this experience?

Current Status

PackOS is in progress. Until public PackOS release validation is complete, some download metadata may remain manually configured in the website and release data. The docs should still describe the intended architecture clearly, without implying that every validation feature is already shipped.