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Core Concepts

Anchorline combines append-only entries with flexible hierarchies. Understanding these concepts helps you model any workflow.

Logs and entries

  • A log is a container for entries. It can represent a budget, inventory list, collection, or anything you need to track.
  • An entry is immutable. Instead of editing existing entries, you append a new one that references the change.

Balance logs

Use balances when you track quantities that move up or down. Each entry includes direction (credit or debit), amount, and optional metadata. Balance logs maintain running totals and snapshots.

Typical balance log examples

  • Budget envelopes and cost centers
  • Quotas, credits, or internal chargebacks
  • Energy usage, carbon offsets, or other measurable resources

Collection logs

Collections track discrete items. Each entry represents an item or a mutation applied to that item (for example, adding a tag or updating a note). You can define custom fields with validation rules.

Typical collection examples

  • Inventory items with condition, owner, and storage metadata
  • Bookmarks with URL, description, and tag arrays
  • Recipes, ingredients, or product catalogs

Child logs

Child logs inherit the append-only behavior and link to parent logs. Parents show aggregate metrics while keeping each child’s history separate. Re-parenting a child log preserves its entries.

Workspace
└── Projects (Collection)
    ├── Project A (Balance)
    │   └── Expenses (Balance)
    └── Research Library (Collection)

Exports and comparisons

When you export data from Anchorline, append-only entries make it easier to compare snapshots over time and understand how things changed between them.

Audit timeline

Every change is timestamped and attributed to the actor. Filters let you focus on a subset of the log while still seeing related entries. This audit trail is key for collaborative work.

Next steps

  • Dive into recipes for practical setups.
  • Explore the API (alpha) to automate imports and exports.
← Inventory Tracking Collections and Tags →