# ADR-0005: Validated manifests and relational M0 foundation

**Status:** Accepted

## Context

The starter duplicated candidate metadata in Python and YAML and had no persistent schema. Design
invariants therefore could not be checked before M1/M2 work.

## Decision

Version-controlled YAML is the read-only M0 seed source and is parsed through strict Pydantic schemas.
PostgreSQL is the future operational source of truth using distinct SQLAlchemy entities and an Alembic
baseline. API routes consume a registry service rather than raw YAML or module constants. Audit events
are append-only and hash-chain ready. Canonical endpoints use `/api/v1`.

GPU allocation is an optional Compose overlay; the base development stack is CPU-compatible. Redis is
profiled until a queue-owning milestone needs it.

## Consequences

- Invalid capability/project/security manifests fail readiness and tests.
- The starter no longer presents seed metadata as a deployment.
- M1 can persist hardware without reshaping model lifecycle entities.
- Later schema changes require explicit Alembic operations; the metadata-driven creation is restricted
  to the reviewed initial baseline revision.