helixevo 0.4.1 → 0.5.0

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ All notable changes to HelixEvo are documented here.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [0.5.0] - 2026-03-24
+
+### Added
+- New `helixevo ontology` command for ontology frontier status, refresh, review, and deprecation control
+- New `~/.helix/ontology/` persistence model with kernel snapshot, frontier concepts, approved extensions, review decisions, and native ontology change events
+- New `/ontology` dashboard route and `/api/ontology` operator control surface for governed semantic review
+
+### Changed
+- Overview semantic-backbone summaries now expose hybrid native + derived ontology state instead of only compatibility-era framing
+- Dashboard Guide, Commands, and README now document ontology frontier control alongside co-evolution and topology control
+
 ## [0.4.1] - 2026-03-24
 
 ### Changed

package/README.md

@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ helixevo dashboard
 | `helixevo generalize` | Promote cross-project patterns ↑ |
 | `helixevo specialize --project <name>` | Create project-specific skills ↓ |
 | `helixevo graph` | View skill network in terminal |
+| `helixevo ontology` | Refresh, review, and govern ontology frontier concepts |
 | `helixevo topology` | Prepare, apply, roll back, and inspect reviewed topology execution |
 | `helixevo research` | Proactive web research for skill improvement |
 | `helixevo dashboard [--port <n>]` | Open web dashboard, preferring localhost:3847 and falling forward if occupied |
@@ -109,6 +110,10 @@ helixevo graph --mermaid          # Open in browser as Mermaid diagram
 helixevo graph --obsidian ~/vault # Sync to Obsidian vault
 helixevo graph --rebuild          # Re-infer relationships (LLM call)
 helixevo graph --optimize         # Detect structural candidates + refresh topology review queue
+helixevo ontology --status        # Show ontology kernel / frontier / extension state
+helixevo ontology --refresh       # Derive frontier concepts from recurring evidence
+helixevo ontology --review <id> --decision promote
+                                   # Promote a reviewed frontier concept into approved extensions
 helixevo topology --status        # Show reviewed topology execution state
 helixevo topology --prepare <id>  # Prepare an accepted topology candidate
 helixevo topology --apply <id>    # Apply a safe prepared topology plan
@@ -144,7 +149,13 @@ All data is stored in `~/.helix/`:
 ├── topology-apply-plans.json # Prepared reviewed topology plans
 ├── topology-executions.jsonl # Prepared/applied/rolled-back execution ledger
 ├── topology-artifacts.jsonl  # Evidence artifacts for reviewed structural execution
-├── evolution-artifacts.jsonl # Evolution evidence artifacts per proposal/iteration
+├── evolution-artifacts.jsonl # Evolution + ontology-review evidence artifacts
+├── ontology/
+│   ├── kernel.json          # Materialized ontology kernel snapshot
+│   ├── extensions.json      # Approved ontology extensions
+│   ├── frontier.json        # Provisional frontier concepts awaiting review
+│   ├── reviews.jsonl        # Ontology review decisions
+│   └── change-log.jsonl     # Native ontology change events
 ├── frontier.json            # Pareto frontier (top-k configurations)
 ├── evolution-history.json   # All evolution runs + proposals
 ├── skill-tests.jsonl       # Regression test cases
@@ -171,9 +182,10 @@ helixevo dashboard --port 3900
 ```
 
 **Tabs:**
-- **Overview** — Premium control cockpit with frontier signals, brain foundation, semantic backbone, pressure counts, topology review visibility, and prepared/applied structural state
+- **Overview** — Premium control cockpit with frontier signals, brain foundation, semantic backbone, pressure counts, ontology frontier visibility, topology review visibility, and prepared/applied structural state
 - **Skill Network** — Interactive graph, premium inspector, co-evolution routing signals, and topology review/execution handoff links
 - **Co-Evolution** — Operator cockpit for routed pressure response, governance mode visibility, promotion queues, transfer evidence, and topology handoff
+- **Ontology** — Semantic control surface for kernel visibility, frontier concept review, approved ontology extensions, and native ontology change events
 - **Topology** — Governance steering plus a persistent operator pipeline for review → prepare → apply → rollback across merge / split / promote / rewire / consolidate candidates
 - **Projects** — Project intake studio, live project analysis, gap routing, per-project pressure hotspots, and promotion feeders
 - **Evolution** — Timeline of evolution runs with judge scores, artifact provenance, and activation-aware context
@@ -212,6 +224,7 @@ Failures → Cluster → Propose → Replay → Multi-Judge → Regression → C
 
 **Brain foundation:**
 - **Ontology** defines the stable semantic kernel for skills, projects, tasks, capabilities, artifacts, and mutations.
+- **Ontology frontier and extensions** let new semantic concepts emerge as provisional hypotheses, pass explicit review, and become approved extensions without free-form drift.
 - **Activation traces** record which skills and gaps were active during capture and project analysis.
 - **Pressure signals** turn failures and project gaps into explicit adaptation demand.
 - **Pressure interventions** record how HelixEvo responded across research, specialize, evolve, generalize, and manual-review lanes.

package/dashboard/app/api/ontology/route.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
+import { spawn } from 'child_process'
+import { existsSync } from 'fs'
+import { join } from 'path'
+import { loadOntologyControlSummary } from '@/lib/data'
+
+export const dynamic = 'force-dynamic'
+
+function resolveOntologyRunner(): { cmd: string; argsPrefix: string[] } {
+  const candidates = [
+    join(process.cwd(), '..', 'dist', 'cli.js'),
+    join(process.cwd(), 'dist', 'cli.js'),
+  ]
+
+  for (const candidate of candidates) {
+    if (existsSync(candidate)) return { cmd: process.execPath, argsPrefix: [candidate] }
+  }
+
+  return { cmd: 'helixevo', argsPrefix: [] }
+}
+
+function runOntologyCommand(args: string[]): Promise<{ success: boolean; output: string }> {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const runner = resolveOntologyRunner()
+    const child = spawn(runner.cmd, [...runner.argsPrefix, 'ontology', ...args], {
+      env: { ...process.env },
+      stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'pipe'],
+    })
+
+    let output = ''
+    child.stdout?.on('data', (chunk: Buffer) => {
+      output += chunk.toString()
+    })
+    child.stderr?.on('data', (chunk: Buffer) => {
+      output += chunk.toString()
+    })
+    child.on('close', (code) => {
+      resolve({ success: code === 0, output })
+    })
+    child.on('error', (err) => {
+      resolve({ success: false, output: `Error: ${err.message}` })
+    })
+  })
+}
+
+export async function GET() {
+  return NextResponse.json(loadOntologyControlSummary())
+}
+
+export async function POST(request: Request) {
+  const body = await request.json() as {
+    action?: 'refresh' | 'review' | 'deprecate'
+    conceptId?: string
+    decision?: 'promote' | 'reject' | 'defer'
+    rationale?: string
+  }
+
+  if (!body.action) {
+    return NextResponse.json({ success: false, error: 'action is required' }, { status: 400 })
+  }
+
+  let args: string[] = []
+  if (body.action === 'refresh') {
+    args = ['--refresh']
+  } else if (body.action === 'review') {
+    if (!body.conceptId || !body.decision) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ success: false, error: 'conceptId and decision are required for review' }, { status: 400 })
+    }
+    args = ['--review', body.conceptId, '--decision', body.decision]
+    if (body.rationale?.trim()) args.push('--rationale', body.rationale.trim())
+  } else if (body.action === 'deprecate') {
+    if (!body.conceptId) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ success: false, error: 'conceptId is required for deprecate' }, { status: 400 })
+    }
+    args = ['--deprecate', body.conceptId]
+    if (body.rationale?.trim()) args.push('--rationale', body.rationale.trim())
+  }
+
+  const result = await runOntologyCommand(args)
+  if (!result.success) {
+    return NextResponse.json({ success: false, error: result.output || 'Ontology command failed' }, { status: 500 })
+  }
+
+  return NextResponse.json({
+    success: true,
+    output: result.output,
+    dashboard: loadOntologyControlSummary(),
+  })
+}

package/dashboard/app/coevolution/client.tsx

@@ -103,6 +103,14 @@ type Summary = {
 
 interface Props {
   summary: Summary
+  ontology: {
+    ontologyLoop: {
+      frontier: number
+      reviewOpen: number
+      extensions: number
+      changeEvents: number
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 function consoleTone(state: RunState): 'neutral' | 'green' | 'red' | 'yellow' {
@@ -145,7 +153,7 @@ function formatMode(mode: Summary['governance']['activeMode']) {
   return mode.split('-').join(' ')
 }
 
-export default function CoEvolutionClient({ summary }: Props) {
+export default function CoEvolutionClient({ summary, ontology }: Props) {
   const [runState, setRunState] = useState<RunState>('idle')
   const [activeCommand, setActiveCommand] = useState<CommandName | null>(null)
   const [output, setOutput] = useState('')
@@ -246,6 +254,7 @@ export default function CoEvolutionClient({ summary }: Props) {
           { label: `${summary.pressureLifecycle.open} open`, tone: summary.pressureLifecycle.open > 0 ? 'yellow' : 'green' },
           { label: `${summary.pressureMotifs.promotionReady} promotion-ready motifs`, tone: summary.pressureMotifs.promotionReady > 0 ? 'purple' : 'neutral' },
           { label: `${summary.topologyReviews.open} topology reviews`, tone: summary.topologyReviews.open > 0 ? 'yellow' : 'green' },
+          { label: `${ontology.ontologyLoop.frontier} ontology frontier`, tone: ontology.ontologyLoop.reviewOpen > 0 ? 'blue' : 'neutral' },
           { label: `${summary.recentTransfers.length} recent transfers`, tone: summary.recentTransfers.length > 0 ? 'green' : 'neutral' },
           { label: formatMode(summary.governance.activeMode), tone: toneForMode(summary.governance.activeMode) },
         ]}
@@ -264,6 +273,7 @@ export default function CoEvolutionClient({ summary }: Props) {
               <button onClick={() => handleRun('research')} disabled={runState === 'running'} className="badge badge-blue" style={{ border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Run research</button>
               <button onClick={() => handleRun('evolve')} disabled={runState === 'running'} className="badge badge-green" style={{ border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Run evolve</button>
               <button onClick={() => handleRun('generalize')} disabled={runState === 'running'} className="badge badge-purple" style={{ border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Run generalize</button>
+              <Link href="/ontology" className="badge badge-gray">Open ontology</Link>
               <Link href="/topology" className="badge badge-gray">Open topology</Link>
             </div>
           </div>

package/dashboard/app/coevolution/page.tsx

@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import { loadCoEvolutionSummary } from '@/lib/data'
+import { loadCoEvolutionSummary, loadOntologySummary } from '@/lib/data'
 import CoEvolutionClient from './client'
 
 export const dynamic = 'force-dynamic'
 
 export default function CoEvolutionPage() {
   const summary = loadCoEvolutionSummary()
-  return <CoEvolutionClient summary={summary} />
+  const ontology = loadOntologySummary()
+  return <CoEvolutionClient summary={summary} ontology={ontology} />
 }

package/dashboard/app/commands/page.tsx

@@ -131,6 +131,29 @@ const COMMANDS: CommandInfo[] = [
     needsLLM: true,
     runnable: { command: 'graph-rebuild', label: 'Rebuild Graph', icon: 'M13.828 10.172a4 4 0 00-5.656 0l-4 4a4 4 0 105.656 5.656l1.102-1.101m-.758-4.899a4 4 0 005.656 0l4-4a4 4 0 00-5.656-5.656l-1.1 1.1', color: 'var(--purple)' },
   },
+  {
+    name: 'ontology',
+    description: 'Govern the ontology frontier explicitly. Refresh provisional concepts from recurring evidence, review them with promote/reject/defer decisions, and deprecate approved extensions without allowing free-form semantic drift.',
+    usage: 'helixevo ontology [options]',
+    examples: [
+      { cmd: 'helixevo ontology --status', desc: 'Show kernel, frontier, extension, and change-log counts' },
+      { cmd: 'helixevo ontology --refresh', desc: 'Derive frontier concepts from recurring capability, pressure, and topology evidence' },
+      { cmd: 'helixevo ontology --review ontology_capability_ui --decision promote', desc: 'Promote a frontier concept into approved ontology extensions' },
+      { cmd: 'helixevo ontology --deprecate ontology_capability_ui', desc: 'Deprecate an approved ontology extension' },
+    ],
+    options: [
+      { flag: '--status', desc: 'Show ontology kernel, frontier, extension, and review state' },
+      { flag: '--refresh', desc: 'Refresh frontier concepts from recurring evidence' },
+      { flag: '--review <conceptId>', desc: 'Review a frontier concept' },
+      { flag: '--decision <promote|reject|defer>', desc: 'Decision for --review' },
+      { flag: '--rationale <text>', desc: 'Optional review or deprecate rationale' },
+      { flag: '--deprecate <conceptId>', desc: 'Deprecate an approved ontology extension' },
+      { flag: '--verbose', desc: 'Show detailed frontier concepts, extensions, and change events' },
+    ],
+    category: 'network',
+    needsLLM: false,
+    note: 'Milestone 8 keeps ontology growth governed: concepts begin in the frontier, require explicit review, and only then become approved extensions.',
+  },
   {
     name: 'topology',
     description: 'Move reviewed topology candidates through an explicit structural execution pipeline. Prepare accepted candidates, apply only the safe subset, inspect snapshots and artifacts, and roll back applied structural overrides when needed.',

package/dashboard/app/guide/page.tsx

@@ -467,6 +467,11 @@ helixevo topology --status`}</Code>
                 desc: 'Inspect the network and, with --optimize, refresh topology review candidates for structural issues and opportunities.',
                 flags: ['--mermaid', '--obsidian <vault>', '--rebuild', '--optimize', '--verbose'],
               },
+              {
+                cmd: 'helixevo ontology',
+                desc: 'Govern the ontology frontier explicitly. Refresh concept hypotheses from recurring evidence, review them with promote/reject/defer decisions, and deprecate approved extensions without allowing free-form semantic drift.',
+                flags: ['--status', '--refresh', '--review <conceptId>', '--decision <promote|reject|defer>', '--rationale <text>', '--deprecate <conceptId>', '--verbose'],
+              },
               {
                 cmd: 'helixevo topology',
                 desc: 'Move accepted topology review through prepare, apply, and rollback. This is the explicit control surface for reviewed structural execution.',
@@ -668,6 +673,7 @@ helixevo topology --status`}</Code>
               ['Overview', 'var(--blue)', 'Top-level cockpit for frontier state, brain foundation, pressure totals, topology review counts, and prepared/applied structural state.'],
               ['Co-Evolution', 'var(--purple)', 'The response cockpit. Use it to inspect routed pressure, governance mode, promotion queue, interventions, and transfer evidence.'],
               ['Skill Network', 'var(--green)', 'Graph-level understanding: relationships, co-evolution signals, inspector context, and structural handoff links.'],
+              ['Ontology', 'var(--blue)', 'Semantic control surface for kernel visibility, frontier review, approved extensions, and ontology change events.'],
               ['Topology', 'var(--yellow)', 'Governed plasticity surface for review decisions, accepted-ready queue, prepared plans, apply, rollback, and execution history.'],
               ['Projects', 'var(--blue)', 'Project intake and project-aware pressure surface. Best for capability gaps, activation traces, and promotion feeders.'],
               ['Research', 'var(--purple)', 'Discovery-oriented view grounded in current pressure and routed recommendations rather than disconnected idea generation.'],
@@ -1080,6 +1086,12 @@ generation: 3
 ├── skill-graph.json         # Cached network (nodes + edges + ontology version)
 ├── canary-registry.json     # Active canary deployments
 ├── knowledge-buffer.json    # Research discoveries + drafts
+├── ontology/
+│   ├── kernel.json          # Materialized ontology kernel snapshot
+│   ├── extensions.json      # Approved ontology extensions
+│   ├── frontier.json        # Provisional frontier concepts awaiting review
+│   ├── reviews.jsonl        # Ontology review decisions
+│   └── change-log.jsonl     # Native ontology change events
 ├── general/                 # Skills (SKILL.md files)
 │   ├── my-skill/SKILL.md
 │   └── ...
@@ -1091,6 +1103,7 @@ generation: 3
             {[
               ['Observation memory', 'var(--blue)', 'failures.jsonl + activation-traces.jsonl capture what happened, where it happened, and which skills were active.'],
               ['Pressure & response memory', 'var(--yellow)', 'pressure-signals.jsonl + pressure-interventions.jsonl + transfer-events.jsonl describe demand, routing, and reusable promotion evidence.'],
+              ['Ontology frontier memory', 'var(--blue)', 'ontology/kernel.json + ontology/frontier.json + ontology/extensions.json + ontology/reviews.jsonl + ontology/change-log.jsonl preserve semantic kernel state, provisional concepts, approved extensions, and review/change lineage.'],
               ['Governance & review memory', 'var(--purple)', 'governance-state.json + topology-review-candidates.json + topology-review-decisions.jsonl preserve why structural decisions are being made.'],
               ['Topology execution memory', 'var(--green)', 'topology-overrides.json + topology-snapshots.json + topology-apply-plans.json + topology-executions.jsonl + topology-artifacts.jsonl preserve reviewed structural execution and rollback.'],
               ['Evaluation & frontier memory', 'var(--blue)', 'evolution-history.json + evolution-artifacts.jsonl + skill-tests.jsonl + canary-registry.json + frontier.json preserve proof, guardrails, and best configurations.'],
@@ -1171,7 +1184,8 @@ generation: 3
               <ul className="guide-list" style={{ marginTop: 8 }}>
                 <li>full-spectrum autonomous destructive self-restructuring</li>
                 <li>broad automatic merge / split / prune application</li>
-                <li>fully operational dynamic ontology evolution</li>
+                <li>broad automatic semantic remapping across historical data</li>
+                <li>full kernel mutation or free-form ontology drift</li>
                 <li>complete autonomous structural governance without operator oversight</li>
               </ul>
             </div>

package/dashboard/app/ontology/client.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,247 @@
+'use client'
+
+import Link from 'next/link'
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { ConsolePanel } from '@/components/console-panel'
+import { MetricCard } from '@/components/metric-card'
+import { PageHero } from '@/components/page-hero'
+import { SectionFrame } from '@/components/section-frame'
+import type { OntologyControlDashboardSummary, OntologyReviewDecisionStatus } from '@/lib/data'
+
+type RunState = 'idle' | 'running' | 'success' | 'error'
+
+function consoleTone(state: RunState): 'neutral' | 'green' | 'red' | 'yellow' {
+  if (state === 'success') return 'green'
+  if (state === 'error') return 'red'
+  return 'neutral'
+}
+
+function toneForConcept(kind: string): 'blue' | 'green' | 'purple' | 'yellow' | 'neutral' {
+  if (kind === 'capability') return 'blue'
+  if (kind === 'pressure-type') return 'yellow'
+  if (kind === 'topology-motif') return 'purple'
+  return 'neutral'
+}
+
+function formatDate(value: string | undefined) {
+  if (!value) return '—'
+  return new Date(value).toLocaleString()
+}
+
+function formatMode(value: string) {
+  return value.replace(/-/g, ' ')
+}
+
+export default function OntologyClient({ initialDashboard }: { initialDashboard: OntologyControlDashboardSummary }) {
+  const [dashboard, setDashboard] = useState(initialDashboard)
+  const [runState, setRunState] = useState<RunState>('idle')
+  const [output, setOutput] = useState('')
+  const [pendingKey, setPendingKey] = useState<string | null>(null)
+
+  const runAction = async (action: 'refresh' | 'review' | 'deprecate', payload: { conceptId?: string; decision?: OntologyReviewDecisionStatus; rationale?: string }, label: string) => {
+    setPendingKey(payload.conceptId ?? action)
+    setRunState('running')
+    setOutput('')
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch('/api/ontology', {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ action, ...payload }),
+      })
+      const data = await res.json()
+      if (!res.ok || !data.success) {
+        setRunState('error')
+        setOutput(data.error ?? `${label} failed`)
+        return
+      }
+      setDashboard(data.dashboard)
+      setRunState('success')
+      setOutput(data.output || `${label} completed`)
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      setRunState('error')
+      setOutput(err instanceof Error ? err.message : `${label} failed`)
+    } finally {
+      setPendingKey(null)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div style={{ display: 'grid', gap: 22 }}>
+      <PageHero
+        eyebrow="Semantic plasticity"
+        title="Ontology Frontier Control"
+        description="Inspect the stable kernel, review frontier concept hypotheses derived from recurring evidence, promote durable concepts into approved extensions, and keep semantic plasticity governed rather than free-form."
+        chips={[
+          { label: `${dashboard.summary.frontier} frontier`, tone: dashboard.summary.frontier > 0 ? 'yellow' : 'neutral' },
+          { label: `${dashboard.summary.reviewOpen} open review`, tone: dashboard.summary.reviewOpen > 0 ? 'yellow' : 'green' },
+          { label: `${dashboard.summary.extensions} approved extensions`, tone: dashboard.summary.extensions > 0 ? 'blue' : 'neutral' },
+          { label: `${dashboard.summary.changeEvents} change events`, tone: dashboard.summary.changeEvents > 0 ? 'purple' : 'neutral' },
+          { label: formatMode(dashboard.governance.activeMode), tone: dashboard.governance.activeMode === 'transfer-focused' ? 'purple' : dashboard.governance.activeMode === 'project-critical' ? 'yellow' : 'blue' },
+        ]}
+        actions={
+          <div style={{ display: 'grid', gap: 12 }}>
+            <div className="hero-note-card">
+              <div className="hero-note-label">Native ontology state</div>
+              <div className="hero-note-title">Kernel + frontier + extensions</div>
+              <div className="hero-note-copy">Milestone 8 keeps the semantic kernel stable while letting new concepts emerge into a reviewable frontier before promotion.</div>
+            </div>
+            <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 10, flexWrap: 'wrap', justifyContent: 'flex-end' }}>
+              <button onClick={() => runAction('refresh', {}, 'ontology refresh')} disabled={runState === 'running'} className="badge badge-blue" style={{ border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Refresh ontology frontier</button>
+              <Link href="/coevolution" className="badge badge-gray">Open co-evolution</Link>
+              <Link href="/topology" className="badge badge-gray">Open topology</Link>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        }
+      />
+
+      <div style={{ display: 'grid', gridTemplateColumns: 'repeat(auto-fit, minmax(180px, 1fr))', gap: 16 }}>
+        <MetricCard label="Kernel concepts" value={dashboard.summary.kernelConcepts} sublabel={`${dashboard.kernel.relationFamilies.length} relation families`} tone="purple" icon="◎" />
+        <MetricCard label="Frontier hypotheses" value={dashboard.summary.frontier} sublabel={`${dashboard.summary.reviewOpen} open • ${dashboard.summary.deferred} deferred`} tone={dashboard.summary.reviewOpen > 0 ? 'yellow' : 'neutral'} icon="◇" />
+        <MetricCard label="Approved extensions" value={dashboard.summary.extensions} sublabel={`${dashboard.summary.deprecated} deprecated`} tone={dashboard.summary.extensions > 0 ? 'blue' : 'neutral'} icon="↑" />
+        <MetricCard label="Concept changes" value={dashboard.summary.changeEvents} sublabel={`${dashboard.summary.promoted} promoted • ${dashboard.summary.rejected} rejected`} tone={dashboard.summary.changeEvents > 0 ? 'green' : 'neutral'} icon="⇄" />
+      </div>
+
+      <SectionFrame
+        eyebrow="Kernel"
+        title="Stable semantic anchor"
+        description="The kernel remains the constitutional layer. Milestone 8 does not mutate it directly; it materializes and exposes it while adding governed extension growth around it."
+      >
+        <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8, flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
+          <span className="badge badge-gray">version {dashboard.kernel.version}</span>
+          <span className="badge badge-gray">{dashboard.kernel.entityNames.length} kernel entities</span>
+          <span className="badge badge-gray">{dashboard.kernel.mutationOperations.length} mutation operations</span>
+          <span className="badge badge-gray">{dashboard.kernel.invariantIds.length} invariants</span>
+        </div>
+        <div style={{ display: 'grid', gridTemplateColumns: 'repeat(auto-fit, minmax(220px, 1fr))', gap: 12, marginTop: 16 }}>
+          <div className="guide-dimension-card" style={{ borderLeftColor: 'var(--blue)' }}>
+            <div style={{ fontSize: 12, fontWeight: 700, color: 'var(--blue)' }}>Kernel pillars</div>
+            <div style={{ fontSize: 12, color: 'var(--text-dim)', marginTop: 8, lineHeight: 1.6 }}>{dashboard.kernel.pillars.join(' • ')}</div>
+          </div>
+          <div className="guide-dimension-card" style={{ borderLeftColor: 'var(--green)' }}>
+            <div style={{ fontSize: 12, fontWeight: 700, color: 'var(--green)' }}>Allowed layers</div>
+            <div style={{ fontSize: 12, color: 'var(--text-dim)', marginTop: 8, lineHeight: 1.6 }}>{dashboard.kernel.layers.join(' • ')}</div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </SectionFrame>
+
+      <SectionFrame
+        eyebrow="Frontier"
+        title="Reviewable concept hypotheses"
+        description="These concepts remain provisional until reviewed. Promotion materializes an approved extension; reject and defer preserve semantic memory without silent drift."
+      >
+        <div style={{ display: 'grid', gap: 12 }}>
+          {dashboard.frontier.length > 0 ? dashboard.frontier.map((concept) => (
+            <div key={concept.id} style={{ padding: '16px 18px', borderRadius: 18, border: '1px solid var(--border)', background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.74)' }}>
+              <div style={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', gap: 16, alignItems: 'flex-start', flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
+                <div style={{ display: 'grid', gap: 4, flex: 1 }}>
+                  <div style={{ fontSize: 13, fontWeight: 700, color: 'var(--text)' }}>{concept.name}</div>
+                  <div style={{ fontSize: 12, color: 'var(--text-dim)', lineHeight: 1.6 }}>{concept.description ?? concept.sourceSummary ?? 'Provisional ontology hypothesis.'}</div>
+                </div>
+                <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 6, flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
+                  <span className={`badge badge-${toneForConcept(concept.conceptKind)}`}>{concept.conceptKind}</span>
+                  <span className="badge badge-gray">{concept.reviewStatus}</span>
+                  <span className="badge badge-gray">{concept.observationCount ?? 0} obs</span>
+                  <span className="badge badge-gray">{((concept.confidence ?? 0) * 100).toFixed(0)}% confidence</span>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+              <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8, flexWrap: 'wrap', marginTop: 12 }}>
+                <span className="badge badge-gray">{(concept.projectIds?.length ?? 0)} projects</span>
+                <span className="badge badge-gray">{(concept.evidenceIds?.length ?? 0)} evidence ids</span>
+                <span className="badge badge-gray">last seen {formatDate(concept.lastObservedAt)}</span>
+              </div>
+              <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8, flexWrap: 'wrap', marginTop: 14 }}>
+                <button onClick={() => runAction('review', { conceptId: concept.id, decision: 'promote', rationale: `Promote ${concept.name} into approved ontology extension.` }, `promote ${concept.name}`)} disabled={pendingKey === concept.id} className="badge badge-blue" style={{ border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Promote</button>
+                <button onClick={() => runAction('review', { conceptId: concept.id, decision: 'defer', rationale: `Defer ${concept.name} for more evidence.` }, `defer ${concept.name}`)} disabled={pendingKey === concept.id} className="badge badge-purple" style={{ border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Defer</button>
+                <button onClick={() => runAction('review', { conceptId: concept.id, decision: 'reject', rationale: `Reject ${concept.name} as a weak or overlapping frontier concept.` }, `reject ${concept.name}`)} disabled={pendingKey === concept.id} className="badge badge-gray" style={{ border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Reject</button>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          )) : (
+            <div className="empty-state" style={{ padding: 24 }}>
+              <div className="empty-state-title">No ontology frontier concepts yet</div>
+              <div className="empty-state-desc">Run “Refresh ontology frontier” after pressure motifs, project gaps, or topology review patterns accumulate.</div>
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </SectionFrame>
+
+      <SectionFrame
+        eyebrow="Extensions"
+        title="Approved ontology extensions"
+        description="Promoted concepts live here as approved semantic vocabulary. Deprecation is bounded and explicit — there is no hidden semantic drift."
+      >
+        <div style={{ display: 'grid', gap: 12 }}>
+          {dashboard.extensions.length > 0 ? dashboard.extensions.map((concept) => (
+            <div key={concept.id} style={{ padding: '16px 18px', borderRadius: 18, border: '1px solid var(--border)', background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.74)' }}>
+              <div style={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', gap: 16, alignItems: 'flex-start', flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
+                <div style={{ display: 'grid', gap: 4, flex: 1 }}>
+                  <div style={{ fontSize: 13, fontWeight: 700, color: 'var(--text)' }}>{concept.name}</div>
+                  <div style={{ fontSize: 12, color: 'var(--text-dim)', lineHeight: 1.6 }}>{concept.description ?? concept.sourceSummary ?? 'Approved ontology extension.'}</div>
+                </div>
+                <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 6, flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
+                  <span className={`badge badge-${toneForConcept(concept.conceptKind)}`}>{concept.conceptKind}</span>
+                  <span className="badge badge-gray">{concept.status}</span>
+                  <span className="badge badge-gray">{(concept.evidenceIds?.length ?? 0)} evidence ids</span>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+              <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8, flexWrap: 'wrap', marginTop: 12 }}>
+                <span className="badge badge-gray">{(concept.projectIds?.length ?? 0)} projects</span>
+                <span className="badge badge-gray">created {formatDate(concept.createdAt)}</span>
+                {concept.status !== 'deprecated' ? (
+                  <button onClick={() => runAction('deprecate', { conceptId: concept.id, rationale: `Deprecate ontology extension ${concept.name} after operator review.` }, `deprecate ${concept.name}`)} disabled={pendingKey === concept.id} className="badge badge-gray" style={{ border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Deprecate</button>
+                ) : null}
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          )) : (
+            <div className="empty-state" style={{ padding: 24 }}>
+              <div className="empty-state-title">No approved extensions yet</div>
+              <div className="empty-state-desc">Promoted frontier concepts will appear here once they pass semantic review.</div>
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </SectionFrame>
+
+      <SectionFrame
+        eyebrow="Change log"
+        title="Recent semantic transitions"
+        description="Every meaningful ontology action should leave behind a visible change trail instead of becoming invisible semantic drift."
+      >
+        <div style={{ display: 'grid', gap: 10 }}>
+          {dashboard.recentChanges.length > 0 ? dashboard.recentChanges.map((event) => (
+            <div key={event.id} style={{ padding: '14px 16px', borderRadius: 18, border: '1px solid var(--border)', background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.72)' }}>
+              <div style={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', gap: 16, flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
+                <div style={{ fontSize: 12.5, fontWeight: 700, color: 'var(--text)' }}>{event.changeType}</div>
+                <span className="badge badge-gray">{formatDate(event.timestamp)}</span>
+              </div>
+              <div style={{ fontSize: 12, color: 'var(--text-dim)', marginTop: 6, lineHeight: 1.6 }}>{event.reason}</div>
+              <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8, flexWrap: 'wrap', marginTop: 10 }}>
+                <span className="badge badge-gray">{event.conceptIds.join(', ')}</span>
+                <span className="badge badge-gray">{(event.evidenceIds?.length ?? 0)} evidence ids</span>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          )) : (
+            <div className="empty-state" style={{ padding: 24 }}>
+              <div className="empty-state-title">No ontology changes logged yet</div>
+              <div className="empty-state-desc">Refresh the frontier or review a concept to create the first native ontology events.</div>
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </SectionFrame>
+
+      <ConsolePanel
+        title="Ontology console"
+        tone={consoleTone(runState)}
+        actions={<span className="badge badge-gray">{runState === 'running' ? 'running' : runState === 'success' ? 'success' : runState === 'error' ? 'error' : 'idle'}</span>}
+      >
+        <pre style={{ margin: 0, whiteSpace: 'pre-wrap', fontSize: 12, lineHeight: 1.7, color: 'var(--text-dim)' }}>
+          {runState === 'running'
+            ? 'Running ontology control…\n\n' + (output || '')
+            : runState === 'success'
+              ? (output || 'Ontology action completed.')
+              : runState === 'error'
+                ? (output || 'Ontology action failed.')
+                : 'Refresh the frontier or review concepts to inspect semantic changes.'}
+        </pre>
+      </ConsolePanel>
+    </div>
+  )
+}

package/dashboard/app/ontology/page.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import OntologyClient from './client'
+import { loadOntologyControlSummary } from '@/lib/data'
+
+export const dynamic = 'force-dynamic'
+
+export default function OntologyPage() {
+  const dashboard = loadOntologyControlSummary()
+  return <OntologyClient initialDashboard={dashboard} />
+}

package/dashboard/app/page.tsx

@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ export default function Overview() {
       <SectionFrame
         eyebrow="Brain foundation"
         title="Semantic backbone"
-        description="A compatibility-era view of the living brain, derived from the current skill graph, evolution history, and captured failures while native ontology events are being wired in."
-        actions={<span className="badge badge-gray">{ontology.source === 'graph' ? `Ontology ${ontology.specVersion}` : 'Compatibility-derived'}</span>}
+        description="A hybrid ontology view of the living brain, combining derived skill-graph semantics with native ontology frontier, extension, and semantic review activity."
+        actions={<span className="badge badge-gray">{ontology.source === 'hybrid-native-derived' ? `Ontology ${ontology.specVersion} · hybrid native + derived` : ontology.source === 'graph' ? `Ontology ${ontology.specVersion}` : 'Compatibility-derived'}</span>}
       >
         <div style={{ display: 'grid', gridTemplateColumns: 'repeat(auto-fit, minmax(180px, 1fr))', gap: 16 }}>
           <MetricCard
@@ -143,6 +143,14 @@ export default function Overview() {
             href="/topology"
             icon="⇄"
           />
+          <MetricCard
+            label="Ontology frontier"
+            value={ontology.ontologyLoop.frontier}
+            sublabel={`${ontology.ontologyLoop.reviewOpen} open • ${ontology.ontologyLoop.extensions} approved extensions`}
+            tone={ontology.ontologyLoop.reviewOpen > 0 ? 'yellow' : ontology.ontologyLoop.extensions > 0 ? 'blue' : 'neutral'}
+            href="/ontology"
+            icon="◎"
+          />
           <MetricCard
             label="Observed mutation verbs"
             value={ontology.mutationOperationsObserved}
@@ -166,8 +174,10 @@ export default function Overview() {
           <span className="badge badge-gray">{coevolution.crossProjectGapAreas.length} cross-project gap motifs</span>
           <span className="badge badge-gray">{ontology.pressureMotifs.promotionReady} motifs currently recommend generalize</span>
           <span className="badge badge-gray">{ontology.transferEvents.total} transfer events logged ({ontology.transferEvents.realized} realized)</span>
+          <span className="badge badge-gray">ontology → {ontology.ontologyLoop.frontier} frontier • {ontology.ontologyLoop.extensions} extensions • {ontology.ontologyLoop.changeEvents} changes</span>
           <span className="badge badge-gray">topology → {ontology.topologyReviews.open} open • {ontology.topologyReviews.accepted} accepted • {ontology.topologyReviews.generatedFromManualReview} manual-route</span>
           <span className="badge badge-gray">execution → {ontology.topologyExecution.prepared} prepared • {ontology.topologyExecution.applied} applied • {ontology.topologyExecution.rolledBack} rolled back</span>
+          <Link href="/ontology" className="badge badge-blue" style={{ textDecoration: 'none' }}>Open ontology control</Link>
           <Link href="/topology" className="badge badge-blue" style={{ textDecoration: 'none' }}>Open topology control</Link>
           <span className="badge badge-gray">governance: {ontology.governance.activeMode.replace(/-/g, ' ')} ({ontology.governance.source})</span>
           <span className="badge badge-gray">routes → research {ontology.governedRoutes.research} • specialize {ontology.governedRoutes.specialize} • evolve {ontology.governedRoutes.evolve} • generalize {ontology.governedRoutes.generalize} • manual-review {ontology.governedRoutes['manual-review']}</span>

package/dashboard/app/topology/client.tsx

@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ export default function TopologyClient({
             </div>
             <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 10, flexWrap: 'wrap', justifyContent: 'flex-end' }}>
               <button onClick={handleOptimize} disabled={runState === 'running'} className="badge badge-blue" style={{ border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Run graph optimize</button>
+              <Link href="/ontology" className="badge badge-gray">Open ontology</Link>
               <Link href="/coevolution" className="badge badge-gray">Open co-evolution</Link>
               <Link href="/network" className="badge badge-gray">Open network</Link>
             </div>

package/dashboard/components/sidebar-nav.tsx

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ interface NavItem {
 const WORKSPACE_NAV: NavItem[] = [
   { href: '/', label: 'Overview', icon: 'M3 12l2-2m0 0l7-7 7 7M5 10v10a1 1 0 001 1h3m10-11l2 2m-2-2v10a1 1 0 01-1 1h-3m-4 0a1 1 0 01-1-1v-4a1 1 0 011-1h2a1 1 0 011 1v4a1 1 0 01-1 1' },
   { href: '/network', label: 'Skill Network', icon: 'M13.828 10.172a4 4 0 00-5.656 0l-4 4a4 4 0 105.656 5.656l1.102-1.101m-.758-4.899a4 4 0 005.656 0l4-4a4 4 0 00-5.656-5.656l-1.1 1.1' },
+  { href: '/ontology', label: 'Ontology', icon: 'M12 3l8 4.5v9L12 21l-8-4.5v-9L12 3zm0 4.2l-4 2.25v4.95l4 2.25 4-2.25V9.45L12 7.2zm0 0V21' },
   { href: '/topology', label: 'Topology', icon: 'M4 7h6m4 0h6M7 4v6m10-6v6M5 17h14M12 10v10' },
   { href: '/coevolution', label: 'Co-Evolution', icon: 'M4 12h4m8 0h4M12 4v4m0 8v4M7.05 7.05l2.83 2.83m4.24 4.24l2.83 2.83m0-9.9l-2.83 2.83m-4.24 4.24l-2.83 2.83' },
   { href: '/evolution', label: 'Evolution', icon: 'M13 7h8m0 0v8m0-8l-8 8-4-4-6 6' },