self-review 2026-07-22: persist canonical snapshot on write routes; newest-first tie-break in node listings

Durability: the 2026-07-21 fix stopped read routes writing the canonical
snapshot but left no save on ANY write path — every mutation lived in RAM
until a manual POST /api/save. Observed live: two restarts reverted the
store to a 17h-old snapshot, destroying same-day writes. persist_canonical()
now runs after node/edge create, knowledge capture, forget, strengthen, and
load-merge. ISE telemetry excluded deliberately (48h-pruned, loss-tolerant,
~2/min; snapshotting 28MB per heartbeat is waste).

Listing order: scan routes sort by salience with store-order ties, so
equal-salience telemetry (all ISEs are 0.3) returned OLDEST first — a
limited /api/nodes query silently returned a stale window, and a 41h-old
heartbeat series read as a live outage during this review. Ties now break
newest-first by created_at.

engram/dist/engram.c

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ 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 persist_canonical(void);
 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);
@@ -115,13 +116,22 @@ el_val_t route_stats(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+el_val_t persist_canonical(void) {
+  el_val_t dir_raw = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR"));
+  el_val_t dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_1 = 0; if (str_eq(dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_1 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_1 = (dir_raw); } _if_result_1; });
+  engram_save(el_str_concat(dir, EL_STR("/snapshot.json")));
+  return 1;
+  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 nt_raw = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("node_type"));
-  el_val_t node_type = ({ el_val_t _if_result_1 = 0; if (str_eq(nt_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_1 = (EL_STR("Memory")); } else { _if_result_1 = (nt_raw); } _if_result_1; });
+  el_val_t node_type = ({ el_val_t _if_result_2 = 0; if (str_eq(nt_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_2 = (EL_STR("Memory")); } else { _if_result_2 = (nt_raw); } _if_result_2; });
   el_val_t sal_raw = json_get_float(body, EL_STR("salience"));
-  el_val_t salience = ({ el_val_t _if_result_2 = 0; if ((sal_raw == el_from_float(0.0))) { _if_result_2 = (el_from_float(0.5)); } else { _if_result_2 = (sal_raw); } _if_result_2; });
+  el_val_t salience = ({ el_val_t _if_result_3 = 0; if ((sal_raw == el_from_float(0.0))) { _if_result_3 = (el_from_float(0.5)); } else { _if_result_3 = (sal_raw); } _if_result_3; });
   el_val_t id = engram_node(content, node_type, salience);
+  el_val_t saved = persist_canonical();
   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;
 }
@@ -148,7 +158,7 @@ el_val_t route_scan_nodes(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
 
 el_val_t route_scan_edges(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
   el_val_t dir_raw = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR"));
-  el_val_t dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_3 = 0; if (str_eq(dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_3 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_3 = (dir_raw); } _if_result_3; });
+  el_val_t dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_4 = 0; if (str_eq(dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_4 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_4 = (dir_raw); } _if_result_4; });
   el_val_t snap_path = el_str_concat(dir, EL_STR("/.scan-export.json"));
   engram_save(snap_path);
   el_val_t snap = fs_read(snap_path);
@@ -164,22 +174,22 @@ el_val_t route_scan_edges(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 q = ({ el_val_t _if_result_4 = 0; if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) { _if_result_4 = (query_param(path, EL_STR("q"))); } else { _if_result_4 = (json_get_string(body, EL_STR("query"))); } _if_result_4; });
+  el_val_t q = ({ el_val_t _if_result_5 = 0; if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) { _if_result_5 = (query_param(path, EL_STR("q"))); } else { _if_result_5 = (json_get_string(body, EL_STR("query"))); } _if_result_5; });
   el_val_t lim_url = query_int(path, EL_STR("limit"), 0);
   el_val_t lim_body = json_get_int(body, EL_STR("limit"));
-  el_val_t lim_either = ({ el_val_t _if_result_5 = 0; if ((lim_url > 0)) { _if_result_5 = (lim_url); } else { _if_result_5 = (lim_body); } _if_result_5; });
-  el_val_t limit = ({ el_val_t _if_result_6 = 0; if ((lim_either > 0)) { _if_result_6 = (lim_either); } else { _if_result_6 = (20); } _if_result_6; });
+  el_val_t lim_either = ({ el_val_t _if_result_6 = 0; if ((lim_url > 0)) { _if_result_6 = (lim_url); } else { _if_result_6 = (lim_body); } _if_result_6; });
+  el_val_t limit = ({ el_val_t _if_result_7 = 0; if ((lim_either > 0)) { _if_result_7 = (lim_either); } else { _if_result_7 = (20); } _if_result_7; });
   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_val_t _if_result_7 = 0; if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) { _if_result_7 = (query_param(path, EL_STR("q"))); } else { _if_result_7 = (json_get_string(body, EL_STR("query"))); } _if_result_7; });
+  el_val_t q = ({ el_val_t _if_result_8 = 0; if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) { _if_result_8 = (query_param(path, EL_STR("q"))); } else { _if_result_8 = (json_get_string(body, EL_STR("query"))); } _if_result_8; });
   if (str_eq(q, EL_STR(""))) {
     return err_json(EL_STR("missing query"));
   }
-  el_val_t d_raw = ({ el_val_t _if_result_8 = 0; if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) { _if_result_8 = (query_int(path, EL_STR("depth"), 3)); } else { _if_result_8 = (json_get_int(body, EL_STR("depth"))); } _if_result_8; });
-  el_val_t depth = ({ el_val_t _if_result_9 = 0; if ((d_raw > 0)) { _if_result_9 = (d_raw); } else { _if_result_9 = (3); } _if_result_9; });
+  el_val_t d_raw = ({ el_val_t _if_result_9 = 0; if (str_eq(method, EL_STR("GET"))) { _if_result_9 = (query_int(path, EL_STR("depth"), 3)); } else { _if_result_9 = (json_get_int(body, EL_STR("depth"))); } _if_result_9; });
+  el_val_t depth = ({ el_val_t _if_result_10 = 0; if ((d_raw > 0)) { _if_result_10 = (d_raw); } else { _if_result_10 = (3); } _if_result_10; });
   return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"results\":"), engram_activate_json(q, depth)), EL_STR("}"));
   return 0;
 }
@@ -188,10 +198,11 @@ 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 rel_raw = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("relation"));
-  el_val_t relation = ({ el_val_t _if_result_10 = 0; if (str_eq(rel_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_10 = (EL_STR("associates")); } else { _if_result_10 = (rel_raw); } _if_result_10; });
+  el_val_t relation = ({ el_val_t _if_result_11 = 0; if (str_eq(rel_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_11 = (EL_STR("associates")); } else { _if_result_11 = (rel_raw); } _if_result_11; });
   el_val_t w_raw = json_get_float(body, EL_STR("weight"));
-  el_val_t weight = ({ el_val_t _if_result_11 = 0; if ((w_raw == el_from_float(0.0))) { _if_result_11 = (el_from_float(0.5)); } else { _if_result_11 = (w_raw); } _if_result_11; });
+  el_val_t weight = ({ el_val_t _if_result_12 = 0; if ((w_raw == el_from_float(0.0))) { _if_result_12 = (el_from_float(0.5)); } else { _if_result_12 = (w_raw); } _if_result_12; });
   engram_connect(from_id, to_id, weight, relation);
+  el_val_t saved = persist_canonical();
   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;
 }
@@ -212,6 +223,7 @@ el_val_t route_strengthen(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
     return err_json(EL_STR("missing node_id"));
   }
   engram_strengthen(id);
+  el_val_t saved = persist_canonical();
   return ok_json();
   return 0;
 }
@@ -222,6 +234,7 @@ el_val_t route_forget(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
     return err_json(EL_STR("missing id"));
   }
   engram_forget(id);
+  el_val_t saved = persist_canonical();
   return ok_json();
   return 0;
 }
@@ -229,8 +242,8 @@ 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 p_raw = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("path"));
   el_val_t dir_raw = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR"));
-  el_val_t dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_12 = 0; if (str_eq(dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_12 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_12 = (dir_raw); } _if_result_12; });
-  el_val_t p = ({ el_val_t _if_result_13 = 0; if (str_eq(p_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_13 = (el_str_concat(dir, EL_STR("/snapshot.json"))); } else { _if_result_13 = (p_raw); } _if_result_13; });
+  el_val_t dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_13 = 0; if (str_eq(dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_13 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_13 = (dir_raw); } _if_result_13; });
+  el_val_t p = ({ el_val_t _if_result_14 = 0; if (str_eq(p_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_14 = (el_str_concat(dir, EL_STR("/snapshot.json"))); } else { _if_result_14 = (p_raw); } _if_result_14; });
   engram_save(p);
   return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"ok\":true,\"path\":\""), p), EL_STR("\"}"));
   return 0;
@@ -239,8 +252,8 @@ 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 p_raw = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("path"));
   el_val_t dir_raw = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR"));
-  el_val_t dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_14 = 0; if (str_eq(dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_14 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_14 = (dir_raw); } _if_result_14; });
-  el_val_t p = ({ el_val_t _if_result_15 = 0; if (str_eq(p_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_15 = (el_str_concat(dir, EL_STR("/snapshot.json"))); } else { _if_result_15 = (p_raw); } _if_result_15; });
+  el_val_t dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_15 = 0; if (str_eq(dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_15 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_15 = (dir_raw); } _if_result_15; });
+  el_val_t p = ({ el_val_t _if_result_16 = 0; if (str_eq(p_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_16 = (el_str_concat(dir, EL_STR("/snapshot.json"))); } else { _if_result_16 = (p_raw); } _if_result_16; });
   engram_load(p);
   return ok_json();
   return 0;
@@ -253,7 +266,7 @@ el_val_t route_health(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
 
 el_val_t route_sync(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
   el_val_t dir_raw = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR"));
-  el_val_t dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_16 = 0; if (str_eq(dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_16 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_16 = (dir_raw); } _if_result_16; });
+  el_val_t dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_17 = 0; if (str_eq(dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_17 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_17 = (dir_raw); } _if_result_17; });
   el_val_t snap_path = el_str_concat(dir, EL_STR("/.sync-export.json"));
   engram_save(snap_path);
   el_val_t snap = fs_read(snap_path);
@@ -277,6 +290,7 @@ el_val_t route_load_merge(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
   engram_load_merge(p);
   el_val_t added_n = (engram_node_count() - before_n);
   el_val_t added_e = (engram_edge_count() - before_e);
+  el_val_t saved = persist_canonical();
   return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"ok\":true,\"nodes_added\":"), int_to_str(added_n)), EL_STR(",\"edges_added\":")), int_to_str(added_e)), EL_STR(",\"node_count\":")), int_to_str(engram_node_count())), EL_STR("}"));
   return 0;
 }
@@ -291,7 +305,7 @@ el_val_t route_emit_ise(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
   el_val_t conf = el_from_float(0.8);
   el_val_t id = engram_node_full(content, EL_STR("InternalStateEvent"), EL_STR("state-event"), sal, imp, conf, EL_STR("Episodic"), EL_STR("[\"internal-state\",\"InternalStateEvent\"]"));
   el_val_t ret_raw = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_ISE_RETENTION_MS"));
-  el_val_t ret_ms = ({ el_val_t _if_result_17 = 0; if (str_eq(ret_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_17 = (172800000); } else { _if_result_17 = (str_to_int(ret_raw)); } _if_result_17; });
+  el_val_t ret_ms = ({ el_val_t _if_result_18 = 0; if (str_eq(ret_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_18 = (172800000); } else { _if_result_18 = (str_to_int(ret_raw)); } _if_result_18; });
   el_val_t pruned = engram_prune_telemetry(ret_ms);
   return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"ok\":true,\"id\":\""), id), EL_STR("\",\"pruned\":")), int_to_str(pruned)), EL_STR("}"));
   return 0;
@@ -303,26 +317,27 @@ el_val_t route_capture_knowledge(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body)
     return err_json(EL_STR("missing content"));
   }
   el_val_t title = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("title"));
-  el_val_t label = ({ el_val_t _if_result_18 = 0; if (str_eq(title, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_18 = (str_slice(content, 0, 60)); } else { _if_result_18 = (title); } _if_result_18; });
+  el_val_t label = ({ el_val_t _if_result_19 = 0; if (str_eq(title, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_19 = (str_slice(content, 0, 60)); } else { _if_result_19 = (title); } _if_result_19; });
   el_val_t category_raw = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("category"));
-  el_val_t category = ({ el_val_t _if_result_19 = 0; if (str_eq(category_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_19 = (EL_STR("other")); } else { _if_result_19 = (category_raw); } _if_result_19; });
+  el_val_t category = ({ el_val_t _if_result_20 = 0; if (str_eq(category_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_20 = (EL_STR("other")); } else { _if_result_20 = (category_raw); } _if_result_20; });
   el_val_t ktier_raw = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("tier"));
-  el_val_t ktier = ({ el_val_t _if_result_20 = 0; if (str_eq(ktier_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_20 = (EL_STR("note")); } else { _if_result_20 = (ktier_raw); } _if_result_20; });
+  el_val_t ktier = ({ el_val_t _if_result_21 = 0; if (str_eq(ktier_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_21 = (EL_STR("note")); } else { _if_result_21 = (ktier_raw); } _if_result_21; });
   el_val_t project = json_get_string(body, EL_STR("project"));
   el_val_t tags_raw = json_get_raw(body, EL_STR("tags"));
-  el_val_t tags_base = ({ el_val_t _if_result_21 = 0; if (str_eq(tags_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_21 = (EL_STR("[]")); } else { _if_result_21 = (tags_raw); } _if_result_21; });
+  el_val_t tags_base = ({ el_val_t _if_result_22 = 0; if (str_eq(tags_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_22 = (EL_STR("[]")); } else { _if_result_22 = (tags_raw); } _if_result_22; });
   el_val_t base_len = str_len(tags_base);
   el_val_t head = str_slice(tags_base, 0, (base_len - 1));
-  el_val_t sep = ({ el_val_t _if_result_22 = 0; if (str_eq(head, EL_STR("["))) { _if_result_22 = (EL_STR("")); } else { _if_result_22 = (EL_STR(",")); } _if_result_22; });
+  el_val_t sep = ({ el_val_t _if_result_23 = 0; if (str_eq(head, EL_STR("["))) { _if_result_23 = (EL_STR("")); } else { _if_result_23 = (EL_STR(",")); } _if_result_23; });
   el_val_t safe_cat = str_replace(category, EL_STR("\""), EL_STR("'"));
   el_val_t safe_tier = str_replace(ktier, EL_STR("\""), EL_STR("'"));
   el_val_t safe_proj = str_replace(project, EL_STR("\""), EL_STR("'"));
-  el_val_t proj_tag = ({ el_val_t _if_result_23 = 0; if (str_eq(safe_proj, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_23 = (EL_STR("")); } else { _if_result_23 = (el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR(",\"project:"), safe_proj), EL_STR("\""))); } _if_result_23; });
+  el_val_t proj_tag = ({ el_val_t _if_result_24 = 0; if (str_eq(safe_proj, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_24 = (EL_STR("")); } else { _if_result_24 = (el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR(",\"project:"), safe_proj), EL_STR("\""))); } _if_result_24; });
   el_val_t tags = el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(head, sep), EL_STR("\"category:")), safe_cat), EL_STR("\",\"tier:")), safe_tier), EL_STR("\"")), proj_tag), EL_STR("]"));
   el_val_t sal = el_from_float(0.5);
   el_val_t imp = el_from_float(0.5);
   el_val_t conf = el_from_float(0.9);
   el_val_t id = engram_node_full(content, EL_STR("Knowledge"), label, sal, imp, conf, EL_STR("Semantic"), tags);
+  el_val_t saved = persist_canonical();
   return el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"ok\":true,\"id\":\""), id), EL_STR("\"}"));
   return 0;
 }
@@ -417,10 +432,10 @@ el_val_t handle_request(el_val_t method, el_val_t path, el_val_t body) {
 int main(int _argc, char** _argv) {
   el_runtime_init_args(_argc, _argv);
   bind_raw = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_BIND"));
-  bind_str = ({ el_val_t _if_result_24 = 0; if (str_eq(bind_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_24 = (EL_STR(":8742")); } else { _if_result_24 = (bind_raw); } _if_result_24; });
+  bind_str = ({ el_val_t _if_result_25 = 0; if (str_eq(bind_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_25 = (EL_STR(":8742")); } else { _if_result_25 = (bind_raw); } _if_result_25; });
   port = parse_port(bind_str);
   data_dir_raw = env(EL_STR("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR"));
-  data_dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_25 = 0; if (str_eq(data_dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_25 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_25 = (data_dir_raw); } _if_result_25; });
+  data_dir = ({ el_val_t _if_result_26 = 0; if (str_eq(data_dir_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_26 = (EL_STR("/tmp/engram")); } else { _if_result_26 = (data_dir_raw); } _if_result_26; });
   snapshot_path = el_str_concat(data_dir, EL_STR("/snapshot.json"));
   engram_load(snapshot_path);
   boot_snap = fs_read(snapshot_path);

engram/src/server.el

@@ -85,6 +85,26 @@ fn route_stats(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
 // save/load with no "path" hit engram_save(""). Rewritten to the
 // `let x = if cond { a } else { b }` expression form (the pattern the newer
 // routes route_emit_ise/route_capture_knowledge already use correctly).
+// persist_canonical — save the canonical snapshot after a durable write.
+//
+// WHY (2026-07-22 self-review): the 2026-07-21 fix correctly stopped READ
+// routes from writing the canonical snapshot.json — but nothing was left
+// that saved it on WRITE. Every mutation (node create, edge create,
+// knowledge capture, forget, merge) lived only in RAM until someone POSTed
+// /api/save manually; a process restart silently discarded everything since
+// the last manual save. Observed live: two engram restarts during the
+// 2026-07-22 review reverted the store to a ~17h-old snapshot, destroying
+// same-day writes. Reads must never write the canonical; writes must always
+// persist it. ISE telemetry is deliberately excluded (48h-pruned, loss-
+// tolerant, ~2/min — snapshotting the whole store per heartbeat is waste;
+// any durable write that follows persists the pruning too).
+fn persist_canonical() -> Int {
+    let dir_raw: String = env("ENGRAM_DATA_DIR")
+    let dir: String = if str_eq(dir_raw, "") { "/tmp/engram" } else { dir_raw }
+    engram_save(dir + "/snapshot.json")
+    return 1
+}
+
 fn route_create_node(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
     let content: String = json_get_string(body, "content")
     let nt_raw: String = json_get_string(body, "node_type")
@@ -92,6 +112,7 @@ fn route_create_node(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
     let sal_raw: Float = json_get_float(body, "salience")
     let salience: Float = if sal_raw == 0.0 { 0.5 } else { sal_raw }
     let id: String = engram_node(content, node_type, salience)
+    let saved: Int = persist_canonical()
     "{\"id\":\"" + id + "\",\"content\":\"" + content + "\",\"node_type\":\"" + node_type + "\"}"
 }
 
@@ -159,6 +180,7 @@ fn route_create_edge(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
     let w_raw: Float = json_get_float(body, "weight")
     let weight: Float = if w_raw == 0.0 { 0.5 } else { w_raw }
     engram_connect(from_id, to_id, weight, relation)
+    let saved: Int = persist_canonical()
     "{\"ok\":true,\"from_id\":\"" + from_id + "\",\"to_id\":\"" + to_id + "\",\"relation\":\"" + relation + "\"}"
 }
 
@@ -173,6 +195,7 @@ 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)
+    let saved: Int = persist_canonical()
     ok_json()
 }
 
@@ -180,6 +203,7 @@ 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)
+    let saved: Int = persist_canonical()
     ok_json()
 }
 
@@ -244,6 +268,7 @@ fn route_load_merge(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
     engram_load_merge(p)
     let added_n: Int = engram_node_count() - before_n
     let added_e: Int = engram_edge_count() - before_e
+    let saved: Int = persist_canonical()
     "{\"ok\":true,\"nodes_added\":" + int_to_str(added_n) + ",\"edges_added\":" + int_to_str(added_e) + ",\"node_count\":" + int_to_str(engram_node_count()) + "}"
 }
 
@@ -342,6 +367,7 @@ fn route_capture_knowledge(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String
         sal, imp, conf,
         "Semantic", tags
     )
+    let saved: Int = persist_canonical()
     "{\"ok\":true,\"id\":\"" + id + "\"}"
 }
 

lang/releases/v1.0.0-20260501/el_runtime.c

@@ -6958,14 +6958,24 @@ el_val_t engram_search(el_val_t query, el_val_t limit) {
     return lst;
 }
 
-/* Sort node indices by salience desc (small N, insertion sort is fine). */
+/* Sort node indices by salience desc, tie-break created_at desc (newest
+ * first). The tie-break matters for telemetry: InternalStateEvent nodes all
+ * share salience 0.3, so before this the listing routes returned them in
+ * store order — OLDEST first — and any limited query (/api/nodes?...&limit=N)
+ * silently returned a stale window. A 41-hour-old heartbeat series read as a
+ * live outage during the 2026-07-22 self-review. Newest-first ties make
+ * limited scans return the recent window consumers actually want.
+ * (Small N, insertion sort is fine.) */
 static void engram_sort_indices_by_salience(int64_t* arr, int64_t n,
                                              const EngramNode* nodes) {
     for (int64_t i = 1; i < n; i++) {
         int64_t key = arr[i];
         double  ks  = nodes[key].salience;
+        int64_t kc  = nodes[key].created_at;
         int64_t j = i - 1;
-        while (j >= 0 && nodes[arr[j]].salience < ks) {
+        while (j >= 0 && (nodes[arr[j]].salience < ks ||
+                          (nodes[arr[j]].salience == ks &&
+                           nodes[arr[j]].created_at < kc))) {
             arr[j + 1] = arr[j];
             j--;
         }