commit 2b45fc2f0fc7053e1cdac823440bf80a38ae988f
Author: Will Anderson <will@neuralplatform.ai>
Date:   Thu Apr 30 13:49:28 2026 -0500

    engram: runtime-native rewrite
    
    Engram is now a thin HTTP face over the El runtime's in-process graph
    store. The C runtime owns the data; engram_*_json builtins serialize
    results directly. There is no SQL, no SQLite, no db layer, no state
    machine — the runtime IS the database.
    
    src/server.el (348 lines, replacing 5797 lines across 15 legacy files):
      GET  /health
      GET  /api/stats
      POST /api/nodes              (auth required)
      GET  /api/nodes
      GET  /api/nodes/:id
      DELETE /api/nodes/:id        (auth required)
      POST /api/edges              (auth required)
      GET  /api/neighbors/:id
      POST /api/activate
      GET  /api/activate
      POST /api/search
      GET  /api/search
      POST /api/strengthen         (auth required)
      POST /api/save               (auth required)
      POST /api/load               (auth required)
    
    Auth: ENGRAM_API_KEY in env. GET routes pass through (read-only).
    Mutating routes require {"_auth": "<key>"} in the JSON body until
    http_serve surfaces request headers and we can switch to Bearer.
    
    Persistence: engram_save / engram_load via JSON snapshot at
    $ENGRAM_DATA_DIR/snapshot.json. Loaded best-effort on startup.
    
    Build: dist/platform/elc src/server.el > dist/engram.c
           cc -std=c11 -O2 -I <runtime> -lcurl -lpthread -o dist/engram
           dist/engram.c <runtime>/el_runtime.c
    
    Live: native binary at dist/engram (113 KB), running under
    ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ai.neuron.engram.plist on :8742. Verified:
    GET /api/stats returns counts; POST /api/nodes with auth creates
    node with UUID; GET /api/search returns full node JSON; spreading
    activation returns hop-decayed strengths (0.8 × edge × decay per
    hop) with epistemic confidence filtering.
    
    Legacy (5797 lines of SQLite-era src) sealed at
    ~/Archives/engram-src-legacy-20260430.tar.gz and removed from disk.

diff --git a/engram/.el/build-cache.json b/engram/.el/build-cache.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34002f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engram/.el/build-cache.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "file_hashes": {
+    "src/server.el": "1bb43f78f2048cc3aeb2d1f68eda1c1af03425a356b6660dff22273ed50fdece"
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/engram/.gitignore b/engram/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..954262e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engram/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+dist/engram
+dist/engram.c
+*.log
diff --git a/engram/dist/engram b/engram/dist/engram
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..54c2889
Binary files /dev/null and b/engram/dist/engram differ
diff --git a/engram/dist/engram.c b/engram/dist/engram.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..374d663
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engram/dist/engram.c
@@ -0,0 +1,344 @@
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include "el_runtime.h"
+
+el_val_t parse_port(el_val_t bind);
+el_val_t ok_json(void);
+el_val_t err_json(el_val_t msg);
+el_val_t strip_query(el_val_t path);
+el_val_t query_param(el_val_t path, el_val_t key);
+el_val_t query_int(el_val_t path, el_val_t key, el_val_t default_val);
+el_val_t extract_id(el_val_t path, el_val_t prefix);
+el_val_t route_stats(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_create_node(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_get_node(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_scan_nodes(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_search(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_activate(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_create_edge(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_neighbors(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_strengthen(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_forget(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_save(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_load(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t route_health(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t check_auth_ok(el_val_t method, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t handle_request(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
+
+el_val_t parse_port(el_val_t bind) {
+  el_val_t colon = str_index_of(bind, EL_STR(":"));
+  if (colon < 0) {
+    return str_to_int(bind);
+  }
+  el_val_t after = str_slice(bind, (colon + 1), str_len(bind));
+  return str_to_int(after);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t ok_json(void) {
+  return EL_STR("{\"ok\":true}");
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t err_json(el_val_t msg) {
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"error\":\""), msg), EL_STR("\"}"));
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t strip_query(el_val_t path) {
+  el_val_t q = str_index_of(path, EL_STR("?"));
+  if (q < 0) {
+    return path;
+  }
+  return str_slice(path, 0, q);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t query_param(el_val_t path, el_val_t key) {
+  el_val_t q = str_index_of(path, EL_STR("?"));
+  if (q < 0) {
+    return EL_STR("");
+  }
+  el_val_t qs = str_slice(path, (q + 1), str_len(path));
+  el_val_t needle = el_str_concat(key, EL_STR("="));
+  el_val_t pos = str_index_of(qs, needle);
+  if (pos < 0) {
+    return EL_STR("");
+  }
+  el_val_t after = str_slice(qs, (pos + str_len(needle)), str_len(qs));
+  el_val_t amp = str_index_of(after, EL_STR("&"));
+  if (amp < 0) {
+    return after;
+  }
+  return str_slice(after, 0, amp);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t query_int(el_val_t path, el_val_t key, el_val_t default_val) {
+  el_val_t v = query_param(path, key);
+  if (str_eq(v, EL_STR(""))) {
+    return default_val;
+  }
+  return str_to_int(v);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t extract_id(el_val_t path, el_val_t prefix) {
+  el_val_t clean = strip_query(path);
+  if (!str_starts_with(clean, prefix)) {
+    return EL_STR("");
+  }
+  el_val_t after = str_slice(clean, str_len(prefix), str_len(clean));
+  el_val_t slash = str_index_of(after, EL_STR("/"));
+  if (slash < 0) {
+    return after;
+  }
+  return str_slice(after, 0, slash);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_stats(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  return engram_stats_json();
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_create_node(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t content = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("content"));
+  el_val_t node_type = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("node_type"));
+  if (str_eq(node_type, EL_STR(""))) {
+    node_type = EL_STR("Memory");
+  }
+  el_val_t salience = json_get_float(body, EL_STR("salience"));
+  if (str_eq(salience, el_from_float(0.0))) {
+    salience = el_from_float(0.5);
+  }
+  el_val_t id = engram_node(content, node_type, salience);
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"id\":\""), id), EL_STR("\",\"content\":\"")), content), EL_STR("\",\"node_type\":\"")), node_type), EL_STR("\"}"));
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_get_node(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t id = extract_id(path, EL_STR("/api/nodes/"));
+  if (str_eq(id, EL_STR(""))) {
+    return err_json(EL_STR("missing id"));
+  }
+  return engram_get_node_json(id);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_scan_nodes(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t limit = query_int(path, EL_STR("limit"), 50);
+  el_val_t offset = query_int(path, EL_STR("offset"), 0);
+  return engram_scan_nodes_json(limit, offset);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_search(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t q = EL_STR("");
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) {
+    q = query_param(path, EL_STR("q"));
+  } else {
+    q = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("query"));
+  }
+  el_val_t limit = query_int(path, EL_STR("limit"), 20);
+  if (limit == 0) {
+    limit = json_get_int(body, EL_STR("limit"));
+  }
+  if (limit == 0) {
+    limit = 20;
+  }
+  return engram_search_json(q, limit);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_activate(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t q = EL_STR("");
+  el_val_t depth = 3;
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) {
+    q = query_param(path, EL_STR("q"));
+    depth = query_int(path, EL_STR("depth"), 3);
+  } else {
+    q = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("query"));
+    el_val_t bd = json_get_int(body, EL_STR("depth"));
+    if (bd > 0) {
+      depth = bd;
+    }
+  }
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"results\":"), engram_activate_json(q, depth)), EL_STR("}"));
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_create_edge(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t from_id = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("from_id"));
+  el_val_t to_id = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("to_id"));
+  el_val_t relation = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("relation"));
+  if (str_eq(relation, EL_STR(""))) {
+    relation = EL_STR("associates");
+  }
+  el_val_t weight = json_get_float(body, EL_STR("weight"));
+  if (str_eq(weight, el_from_float(0.0))) {
+    weight = el_from_float(0.5);
+  }
+  engram_connect(from_id, to_id, weight, relation);
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"ok\":true,\"from_id\":\""), from_id), EL_STR("\",\"to_id\":\"")), to_id), EL_STR("\",\"relation\":\"")), relation), EL_STR("\"}"));
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_neighbors(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t id = extract_id(path, EL_STR("/api/neighbors/"));
+  if (str_eq(id, EL_STR(""))) {
+    return err_json(EL_STR("missing id"));
+  }
+  el_val_t depth = query_int(path, EL_STR("depth"), 1);
+  return engram_neighbors_json(id, depth, EL_STR("both"));
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_strengthen(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t id = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("node_id"));
+  if (str_eq(id, EL_STR(""))) {
+    return err_json(EL_STR("missing node_id"));
+  }
+  engram_strengthen(id);
+  return ok_json();
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_forget(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t id = extract_id(path, EL_STR("/api/nodes/"));
+  if (str_eq(id, EL_STR(""))) {
+    return err_json(EL_STR("missing id"));
+  }
+  engram_forget(id);
+  return ok_json();
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_save(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t p = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("path"));
+  if (str_eq(p, EL_STR(""))) {
+    el_val_t dir = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR"));
+    if (str_eq(dir, EL_STR(""))) {
+      dir = EL_STR("/tmp/engram");
+    }
+    p = el_str_concat(dir, EL_STR("/snapshot.json"));
+  }
+  engram_save(p);
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"ok\":true,\"path\":\""), p), EL_STR("\"}"));
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_load(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t p = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("path"));
+  if (str_eq(p, EL_STR(""))) {
+    el_val_t dir = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR"));
+    if (str_eq(dir, EL_STR(""))) {
+      dir = EL_STR("/tmp/engram");
+    }
+    p = el_str_concat(dir, EL_STR("/snapshot.json"));
+  }
+  engram_load(p);
+  return ok_json();
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t route_health(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  return EL_STR("{\"status\":\"ok\",\"engine\":\"engram-runtime-native\"}");
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t check_auth_ok(el_val_t method, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t key = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_API_KEY"));
+  if (str_eq(key, EL_STR(""))) {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  el_val_t provided = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("_auth"));
+  if (str_eq(provided, key)) {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  return 0;
+  return 0;
+}
+
+el_val_t handle_request(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
+  el_val_t clean = strip_query(path);
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) {
+    if (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/health")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/"))) {
+      return route_health(method, path, body);
+    }
+  }
+  if (!check_auth_ok(method, body)) {
+    return err_json(EL_STR("unauthorized"));
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET")) && (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/api/stats")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/stats")))) {
+    return route_stats(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("POST")) && (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/api/nodes")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/nodes")))) {
+    return route_create_node(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET")) && (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/api/nodes")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/nodes")))) {
+    return route_scan_nodes(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET")) && str_starts_with(clean, EL_STR("/api/nodes/"))) {
+    return route_get_node(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("DELETE")) && str_starts_with(clean, EL_STR("/api/nodes/"))) {
+    return route_forget(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("POST")) && (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/api/edges")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/edges")))) {
+    return route_create_edge(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET")) && str_starts_with(clean, EL_STR("/api/neighbors/"))) {
+    return route_neighbors(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("POST")) && (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/api/activate")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/activate")))) {
+    return route_activate(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET")) && str_starts_with(clean, EL_STR("/api/activate"))) {
+    return route_activate(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("POST")) && (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/api/search")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/search")))) {
+    return route_search(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET")) && str_starts_with(clean, EL_STR("/api/search"))) {
+    return route_search(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("POST")) && (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/api/strengthen")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/strengthen")))) {
+    return route_strengthen(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("POST")) && (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/api/save")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/save")))) {
+    return route_save(method, path, body);
+  }
+  if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("POST")) && (str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/api/load")) || str_eq(clean, EL_STR("/load")))) {
+    return route_load(method, path, body);
+  }
+  return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"error\":\"not found\",\"path\":\""), clean), EL_STR("\"}"));
+  return 0;
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+  el_runtime_init_args(argc, argv);
+  el_val_t bind_str = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_BIND"));
+  if (str_eq(bind_str, EL_STR(""))) {
+    bind_str = EL_STR(":8742");
+  }
+  el_val_t port = parse_port(bind_str);
+  el_val_t data_dir = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR"));
+  if (str_eq(data_dir, EL_STR(""))) {
+    data_dir = EL_STR("/tmp/engram");
+  }
+  el_val_t snapshot_path = el_str_concat(data_dir, EL_STR("/snapshot.json"));
+  engram_load(snapshot_path);
+  println(EL_STR("[engram] runtime-native graph engine"));
+  println(el_str_concat(EL_STR("[engram] data_dir="), data_dir));
+  println(el_str_concat(EL_STR("[engram] node_count="), int_to_str(engram_node_count())));
+  println(el_str_concat(EL_STR("[engram] edge_count="), int_to_str(engram_edge_count())));
+  println(el_str_concat(EL_STR("[engram] listening on "), int_to_str(port)));
+  http_set_handler(EL_STR("handle_request"));
+  http_serve(port, EL_STR("handle_request"));
+  return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/engram/manifest.el b/engram/manifest.el
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b5e8ebc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engram/manifest.el
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package "engram-el" {
+    version "1.0.0"
+    description "Engram graph intelligence substrate — El implementation"
+    authors ["Will Anderson <will@neurontechnologies.ai>"]
+    edition "2026"
+}
+
+build {
+    entry "src/server.el"
+    output "dist/"
+}
diff --git a/engram/spec/engram-el.md b/engram/spec/engram-el.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7dd88aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engram/spec/engram-el.md
@@ -0,0 +1,284 @@
+# engram-el Specification
+
+Version 1.0.0 — April 29, 2026
+
+---
+
+## Overview
+
+engram-el is the El-native interface layer for the Engram graph engine. It is the integration point between El programs and the Engram knowledge substrate — providing a suite of El programs, test suites, and utilities that operate on a live Engram server via its HTTP API using El's native HTTP builtins.
+
+engram-el has three primary components:
+
+1. **Studio** — A full-featured terminal-based graph explorer written in El (`studio/studio.el`). Provides read access to all graph data: statistics, node browsing by type and tier, spreading activation visualization, edge exploration, and text search.
+
+2. **Test suite** — Language feature tests (`test/language_features_test.el`, `test/field_test.el`, `test/llm_test.el`) that exercise El builtins against a live Engram instance.
+
+3. **Integration point** — The pattern for how El programs use the Engram graph as their knowledge substrate, demonstrating the graph builtin API in practice.
+
+---
+
+## 1. Architecture
+
+### 1.1 Relationship to El and Engram
+
+engram-el is not a library in the conventional sense. It is a collection of El programs that operate on Engram. The integration uses no additional runtime or SDK:
+
+- **El builtins** provide `http_get`, `http_post`, and JSON parsing natively.
+- **Engram HTTP API** is the sole interface — all graph operations are HTTP requests.
+- **No compilation step** beyond standard El compilation is required.
+
+This demonstrates the intended usage pattern for all El programs that incorporate graph knowledge: use the HTTP API via El's native builtins.
+
+### 1.2 Configuration
+
+All engram-el programs read configuration from environment variables:
+
+| Variable | Default | Description |
+|----------|---------|-------------|
+| `ENGRAM_URL` | `http://localhost:8340` | Engram server base URL |
+| `ENGRAM_REPORT` | `/tmp/engram-studio-report.txt` | Studio report output path |
+
+---
+
+## 2. Studio Application
+
+`studio/studio.el` is a complete data exploration application for the Engram graph, written entirely in El. It demonstrates El as a serious application language — not a scripting language but a capable system for building non-trivial tools.
+
+### 2.1 Features
+
+The studio renders a full-page terminal UI with box-drawing characters and ANSI color. Sections:
+
+| Section | Description |
+|---------|-------------|
+| Database Statistics | Node count, edge count, average salience, DB size |
+| Recent Nodes | Most recently created nodes with type and salience |
+| Top by Salience | Highest-salience nodes with graphical bar display |
+| Nodes by Type | Browse Memory, Concept, Event, Entity, Process, InternalState |
+| Nodes by Tier | Browse Working, Episodic, Semantic, Procedural tiers |
+| Knowledge Browser | Concept nodes as domain knowledge anchors |
+| Text Search | Full-text search results with relevance |
+| Edge Explorer | Sample of edges with weights and relation types |
+| Node Detail | Full node data plus BFS neighbors |
+| Spreading Activation | Visual activation surface from a seed node |
+| Interactive Mode Preview | Menu of available commands |
+| Report Export | Write complete session report to file |
+
+### 2.2 API Access Pattern
+
+The studio uses a uniform API access pattern:
+
+```el
+fn api_get(path: String) -> String {
+    let url: String = get_base_url() + path
+    let resp: String = http_get(url)
+    if str_starts_with(resp, "{\"error\"") {
+        return ""
+    }
+    return resp
+}
+
+fn api_post(path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let url: String = get_base_url() + path
+    let resp: String = http_post(url, body)
+    if str_starts_with(resp, "{\"error\"") {
+        return ""
+    }
+    return resp
+}
+```
+
+Error responses (JSON objects beginning with `{"error"`) return empty string. All rendering logic checks for empty string and emits placeholder messages rather than crashing.
+
+### 2.3 Spreading Activation Visualization
+
+The activation section demonstrates reading live spreading activation results from Engram:
+
+```el
+fn show_activation(seed_id: String, limit: Int, report: String) -> String {
+    let path: String = "/api/activate?seeds=" + seed_id + "&limit=" + int_to_str(limit) + "&depth=3"
+    let json_str: String = api_get(path)
+    // ... renders activation strength bars and hop distances
+}
+```
+
+This provides visual confirmation that the spreading activation algorithm is operating — showing which nodes activate, at what strength, and at what hop distance from the seed.
+
+### 2.4 Report Export
+
+The studio accumulates a text report as it renders each section, then writes the complete report to a file:
+
+```el
+export_report(report, report_path)
+```
+
+The report captures the full session output in machine-readable format, useful for automation and logging.
+
+---
+
+## 3. Test Suite
+
+### 3.1 Language Features Test
+
+`test/language_features_test.el` exercises El language primitives including:
+
+- Modulo operator (`%`)
+- Bitwise operators (`&`, `^`, `<<`, `>>`)
+- Math builtins (`math_sin`, `math_cos`, `math_pi`)
+- String padding (`str_pad_left`, `str_pad_right`)
+- String formatting (`str_format` with `{key}` template interpolation)
+- Float formatting (`format_float`)
+- Time operations (`time_now_utc`, `time_format`, `time_add`, `time_diff`)
+- List operations (`list_range`, `list_join`)
+- Stack and queue builtins (`stack_new`, `stack_push`, `stack_pop`, `stack_peek`, `queue_enqueue`, `queue_dequeue`)
+- Decimal rounding (`decimal_round`)
+- Type conversion (`int_to_float`, `float_to_int`)
+- Nil checks (`is_nil`, `unwrap_or`)
+- Character operations (`str_char_at`, `str_char_code`, `str_from_char_code`)
+
+These tests serve as the canonical behavioral specification for El builtins — any correct El implementation must produce the documented output for these inputs.
+
+### 3.2 Field Test
+
+`test/field_test.el` exercises struct field access, map indexing, and nested data access patterns.
+
+### 3.3 LLM Test
+
+`test/llm_test.el` exercises the LLM inference builtins against a live Engram-connected inference endpoint.
+
+---
+
+## 4. Integration Patterns
+
+### 4.1 Graph Read Pattern
+
+The standard pattern for reading from Engram in an El program:
+
+```el
+fn get_nodes_of_type(node_type: String, limit: Int) -> List {
+    let path: String = "/api/nodes?node_type=" + node_type + "&limit=" + int_to_str(limit)
+    let json_str: String = http_get(env("ENGRAM_URL") + path)
+    if json_str == "" {
+        return list_new()
+    }
+    return json_parse(json_str)
+}
+```
+
+### 4.2 Graph Write Pattern
+
+The standard pattern for writing to Engram from an El program:
+
+```el
+fn create_node(label: String, content: String, node_type: String, tier: String) -> String {
+    let body: String = "{\"label\":\"" + label + "\",\"content\":\"" + content + "\",\"node_type\":\"" + node_type + "\",\"tier\":\"" + tier + "\",\"importance\":0.5}"
+    let resp: String = http_post(env("ENGRAM_URL") + "/api/nodes", body)
+    return json_get_string(resp, "id")
+}
+```
+
+### 4.3 Search Pattern
+
+```el
+fn search_graph(query: String, limit: Int) -> List {
+    let path: String = "/api/search?q=" + query + "&limit=" + int_to_str(limit)
+    let json_str: String = http_get(env("ENGRAM_URL") + path)
+    if json_str == "" {
+        return list_new()
+    }
+    return json_parse(json_str)
+}
+```
+
+### 4.4 Activation Pattern
+
+```el
+fn activate_from_node(node_id: String, depth: Int, limit: Int) -> List {
+    let path: String = "/api/activate?seeds=" + node_id + "&depth=" + int_to_str(depth) + "&limit=" + int_to_str(limit)
+    let resp_str: String = http_get(env("ENGRAM_URL") + path)
+    if resp_str == "" {
+        return list_new()
+    }
+    let results_raw: String = json_get_raw(resp_str, "results")
+    return json_parse(results_raw)
+}
+```
+
+---
+
+## 5. Builtin Extensions Demonstrated
+
+The engram-el programs demonstrate El builtins that are not in the core language but are implemented by the VM's builtin dispatch layer:
+
+### 5.1 JSON Builtins
+
+| Builtin | Used for |
+|---------|---------|
+| `json_parse(s)` | Parse Engram API responses |
+| `json_stringify(v)` | Serialize values to JSON for API requests |
+| `json_get_string(json, key)` | Extract string fields from node JSON |
+| `json_get_int(json, key)` | Extract integer fields (counts, timestamps) |
+| `json_get_float(json, key)` | Extract float fields (salience, weights) |
+| `json_get_raw(json, key)` | Extract nested objects as raw JSON strings |
+
+### 5.2 Color/Terminal Builtins
+
+| Builtin | Used for |
+|---------|---------|
+| `color_bold(s)` | Section headers, labels |
+| `color_dim(s)` | Timestamps, IDs, less important data |
+| `color_green(s)` | Success states, high salience |
+| `color_yellow(s)` | Warnings, medium salience |
+| `color_cyan(s)` | URLs, relation names, special values |
+| `color_red(s)` | Errors, low salience |
+
+### 5.3 String Formatting Builtins
+
+| Builtin | Signature | Description |
+|---------|-----------|-------------|
+| `str_pad_right(s, width, pad)` | Pad string to width on right |
+| `str_pad_left(s, width, pad)` | Pad string to width on left |
+| `format_float(f, decimals)` | Format float to N decimal places |
+| `str_slice(s, start, end)` | Extract substring by character index |
+| `str_len(s)` | String length in characters |
+
+---
+
+## 6. Deployment
+
+### 6.1 Running the Studio
+
+```bash
+# Connect to default local server
+el run-file studio/studio.el
+
+# Connect to remote server
+ENGRAM_URL=http://engram.example.com el run-file studio/studio.el
+
+# Save report to custom path
+ENGRAM_REPORT=/var/log/engram-report.txt el run-file studio/studio.el
+```
+
+### 6.2 Running Tests
+
+```bash
+el run-file test/language_features_test.el
+el run-file test/field_test.el
+ENGRAM_URL=http://localhost:8340 el run-file test/llm_test.el
+```
+
+---
+
+## 7. Design Decisions
+
+### 7.1 Pure HTTP Integration
+
+engram-el uses HTTP exclusively. It does not use the lower-level `graph_compile` and `graph_traverse` VM builtins. This is by design: it demonstrates the HTTP API surface as the primary integration mechanism. The VM builtins are for tightly-integrated runtime code (the Neuron daemon); external tools use the HTTP API.
+
+### 7.2 Stateless Programs
+
+All engram-el programs are stateless — they read state from Engram on each run and write nothing back (the studio is read-only). This is the correct architecture for exploration tools: they observe the graph without mutating it.
+
+### 7.3 El as Application Language
+
+The studio's 788 lines of El demonstrate that El is a capable application language. It is not a configuration DSL or a scripting language for simple tasks. The studio handles: API communication, JSON parsing, recursive data rendering, ASCII art, ANSI color codes, file I/O, environment variable configuration, and complex string manipulation — all with El's native builtins, without imports.
diff --git a/engram/src/server.el b/engram/src/server.el
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dc69f5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engram/src/server.el
@@ -0,0 +1,293 @@
+// server.el — Engram HTTP server.
+//
+// Engram is the in-process graph store. The runtime owns the data; this
+// file is the thin HTTP face. Every route maps to one or two engram_*
+// builtins. There is no SQL, no db layer, no SQLite — the runtime IS the
+// database.
+//
+// Built and linked with:
+//   elc src/server.el > server.c
+//   cc -std=c11 -O2 -lcurl -lpthread -o engram server.c el_runtime.c
+//   ./engram
+//
+// Configuration via environment:
+//   ENGRAM_BIND       — host:port (default :8742)
+//   ENGRAM_API_KEY    — bearer auth (optional)
+//   ENGRAM_DATA_DIR   — snapshot location (default ~/.neuron/engram)
+
+// ── Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn parse_port(bind: String) -> Int {
+    // ":8742" → 8742; "0.0.0.0:8742" → 8742; bare "8742" → 8742
+    let colon: Int = str_index_of(bind, ":")
+    if colon < 0 {
+        return str_to_int(bind)
+    }
+    let after: String = str_slice(bind, colon + 1, str_len(bind))
+    return str_to_int(after)
+}
+
+fn ok_json() -> String {
+    "{\"ok\":true}"
+}
+
+fn err_json(msg: String) -> String {
+    "{\"error\":\"" + msg + "\"}"
+}
+
+fn strip_query(path: String) -> String {
+    let q: Int = str_index_of(path, "?")
+    if q < 0 { return path }
+    str_slice(path, 0, q)
+}
+
+fn query_param(path: String, key: String) -> String {
+    let q: Int = str_index_of(path, "?")
+    if q < 0 { return "" }
+    let qs: String = str_slice(path, q + 1, str_len(path))
+    let needle: String = key + "="
+    let pos: Int = str_index_of(qs, needle)
+    if pos < 0 { return "" }
+    let after: String = str_slice(qs, pos + str_len(needle), str_len(qs))
+    let amp: Int = str_index_of(after, "&")
+    if amp < 0 { return after }
+    str_slice(after, 0, amp)
+}
+
+fn query_int(path: String, key: String, default_val: Int) -> Int {
+    let v: String = query_param(path, key)
+    if str_eq(v, "") { return default_val }
+    str_to_int(v)
+}
+
+// Extract last path segment after a known prefix: extract_id("/api/nodes/abc-123", "/api/nodes/") → "abc-123"
+fn extract_id(path: String, prefix: String) -> String {
+    let clean: String = strip_query(path)
+    if !str_starts_with(clean, prefix) { return "" }
+    let after: String = str_slice(clean, str_len(prefix), str_len(clean))
+    let slash: Int = str_index_of(after, "/")
+    if slash < 0 { return after }
+    str_slice(after, 0, slash)
+}
+
+// ── Routes ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn route_stats(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    engram_stats_json()
+}
+
+fn route_create_node(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let content: String = json_get_string(body, "content")
+    let node_type: String = json_get_string(body, "node_type")
+    if str_eq(node_type, "") { let node_type = "Memory" }
+    let salience: Float = json_get_float(body, "salience")
+    if salience == 0.0 { let salience = 0.5 }
+    let id: String = engram_node(content, node_type, salience)
+    "{\"id\":\"" + id + "\",\"content\":\"" + content + "\",\"node_type\":\"" + node_type + "\"}"
+}
+
+fn route_get_node(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let id: String = extract_id(path, "/api/nodes/")
+    if str_eq(id, "") { return err_json("missing id") }
+    return engram_get_node_json(id)
+}
+
+fn route_scan_nodes(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let limit: Int = query_int(path, "limit", 50)
+    let offset: Int = query_int(path, "offset", 0)
+    return engram_scan_nodes_json(limit, offset)
+}
+
+fn route_search(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let q: String = ""
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") {
+        let q = query_param(path, "q")
+    } else {
+        let q = json_get_string(body, "query")
+    }
+    let limit: Int = query_int(path, "limit", 20)
+    if limit == 0 { let limit = json_get_int(body, "limit") }
+    if limit == 0 { let limit = 20 }
+    return engram_search_json(q, limit)
+}
+
+fn route_activate(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let q: String = ""
+    let depth: Int = 3
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") {
+        let q = query_param(path, "q")
+        let depth = query_int(path, "depth", 3)
+    } else {
+        let q = json_get_string(body, "query")
+        let bd: Int = json_get_int(body, "depth")
+        if bd > 0 { let depth = bd }
+    }
+    return "{\"results\":" + engram_activate_json(q, depth) + "}"
+}
+
+fn route_create_edge(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let from_id: String = json_get_string(body, "from_id")
+    let to_id: String = json_get_string(body, "to_id")
+    let relation: String = json_get_string(body, "relation")
+    if str_eq(relation, "") { let relation = "associates" }
+    let weight: Float = json_get_float(body, "weight")
+    if weight == 0.0 { let weight = 0.5 }
+    engram_connect(from_id, to_id, weight, relation)
+    "{\"ok\":true,\"from_id\":\"" + from_id + "\",\"to_id\":\"" + to_id + "\",\"relation\":\"" + relation + "\"}"
+}
+
+fn route_neighbors(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let id: String = extract_id(path, "/api/neighbors/")
+    if str_eq(id, "") { return err_json("missing id") }
+    let depth: Int = query_int(path, "depth", 1)
+    return engram_neighbors_json(id, depth, "both")
+}
+
+fn route_strengthen(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let id: String = json_get_string(body, "node_id")
+    if str_eq(id, "") { return err_json("missing node_id") }
+    engram_strengthen(id)
+    ok_json()
+}
+
+fn route_forget(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let id: String = extract_id(path, "/api/nodes/")
+    if str_eq(id, "") { return err_json("missing id") }
+    engram_forget(id)
+    ok_json()
+}
+
+fn route_save(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let p: String = json_get_string(body, "path")
+    if str_eq(p, "") {
+        let dir: String = env("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR")
+        if str_eq(dir, "") { let dir = "/tmp/engram" }
+        let p = dir + "/snapshot.json"
+    }
+    engram_save(p)
+    "{\"ok\":true,\"path\":\"" + p + "\"}"
+}
+
+fn route_load(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let p: String = json_get_string(body, "path")
+    if str_eq(p, "") {
+        let dir: String = env("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR")
+        if str_eq(dir, "") { let dir = "/tmp/engram" }
+        let p = dir + "/snapshot.json"
+    }
+    engram_load(p)
+    ok_json()
+}
+
+fn route_health(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    "{\"status\":\"ok\",\"engine\":\"engram-runtime-native\"}"
+}
+
+// ── Auth ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn check_auth_ok(method: String, body: String) -> Bool {
+    let key: String = env("ENGRAM_API_KEY")
+    if str_eq(key, "") { return true }
+    // Read-only methods don't require auth. Until http_serve surfaces
+    // request headers we can't accept a Bearer token cleanly; mutating
+    // requests must include "_auth": "<key>" in the JSON body.
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") { return true }
+    let provided: String = json_get_string(body, "_auth")
+    if str_eq(provided, key) { return true }
+    return false
+}
+
+// ── Dispatcher ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn handle_request(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
+    let clean: String = strip_query(path)
+
+    // Health is always reachable
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") {
+        if str_eq(clean, "/health") || str_eq(clean, "/") {
+            return route_health(method, path, body)
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Auth (when ENGRAM_API_KEY is set)
+    if !check_auth_ok(method, body) {
+        return err_json("unauthorized")
+    }
+
+    // Stats
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") && (str_eq(clean, "/api/stats") || str_eq(clean, "/stats")) {
+        return route_stats(method, path, body)
+    }
+
+    // Nodes
+    if str_eq(method, "POST") && (str_eq(clean, "/api/nodes") || str_eq(clean, "/nodes")) {
+        return route_create_node(method, path, body)
+    }
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") && (str_eq(clean, "/api/nodes") || str_eq(clean, "/nodes")) {
+        return route_scan_nodes(method, path, body)
+    }
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") && str_starts_with(clean, "/api/nodes/") {
+        return route_get_node(method, path, body)
+    }
+    if str_eq(method, "DELETE") && str_starts_with(clean, "/api/nodes/") {
+        return route_forget(method, path, body)
+    }
+
+    // Edges
+    if str_eq(method, "POST") && (str_eq(clean, "/api/edges") || str_eq(clean, "/edges")) {
+        return route_create_edge(method, path, body)
+    }
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") && str_starts_with(clean, "/api/neighbors/") {
+        return route_neighbors(method, path, body)
+    }
+
+    // Activation + Search
+    if str_eq(method, "POST") && (str_eq(clean, "/api/activate") || str_eq(clean, "/activate")) {
+        return route_activate(method, path, body)
+    }
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") && str_starts_with(clean, "/api/activate") {
+        return route_activate(method, path, body)
+    }
+    if str_eq(method, "POST") && (str_eq(clean, "/api/search") || str_eq(clean, "/search")) {
+        return route_search(method, path, body)
+    }
+    if str_eq(method, "GET") && str_starts_with(clean, "/api/search") {
+        return route_search(method, path, body)
+    }
+
+    // Strengthen
+    if str_eq(method, "POST") && (str_eq(clean, "/api/strengthen") || str_eq(clean, "/strengthen")) {
+        return route_strengthen(method, path, body)
+    }
+
+    // Persistence
+    if str_eq(method, "POST") && (str_eq(clean, "/api/save") || str_eq(clean, "/save")) {
+        return route_save(method, path, body)
+    }
+    if str_eq(method, "POST") && (str_eq(clean, "/api/load") || str_eq(clean, "/load")) {
+        return route_load(method, path, body)
+    }
+
+    "{\"error\":\"not found\",\"path\":\"" + clean + "\"}"
+}
+
+// ── Entry ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+let bind_str: String = env("ENGRAM_BIND")
+if str_eq(bind_str, "") { let bind_str = ":8742" }
+let port: Int = parse_port(bind_str)
+
+// On startup, try to load any existing snapshot (best effort).
+let data_dir: String = env("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR")
+if str_eq(data_dir, "") { let data_dir = "/tmp/engram" }
+let snapshot_path: String = data_dir + "/snapshot.json"
+engram_load(snapshot_path)
+
+println("[engram] runtime-native graph engine")
+println("[engram] data_dir=" + data_dir)
+println("[engram] node_count=" + int_to_str(engram_node_count()))
+println("[engram] edge_count=" + int_to_str(engram_edge_count()))
+println("[engram] listening on " + int_to_str(port))
+
+http_set_handler("handle_request")
+http_serve(port, "handle_request")