Infrastructure · Data Structures

Chain

Sequential data container (linked list)

Definition

Mechanism

A concrete sequential data structure: a list of linked nodes where each node (except the last) points to exactly one successor. Chain is the instantiated storage object — distinct from the more abstract Sequence (which describes temporal ordering semantics) and from the branching Tree topology. Chain is the canonical spatial form for strictly sequential, non-branching data.

Invariants

  1. Connectivity: Node(N) must point to Node(N+1).
  2. Acyclicity: No loops permitted.

Risks

Failure modes

None stated.

Relationships

Builds on

References

Tree

Branching reasoning topology

Used by

References

Mind

BackwardChain

Goal-driven reasoning from target to preconditions

Society

PromptChain

Sequential LLM calls with validation gates

Mind

ReAct

Interleaved thought-action-observation cycle

Mind

Reason

Execute a cognitive topology

Solution

The fractal unit of completed work

Reference

Data schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "nodes",
    "edges",
    "root_id"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "nodes": {
      "type": "array"
    },
    "edges": {
      "type": "array"
    },
    "root_id": {
      "type": "string"
    }
  }
}

Identity

Ref
Chain#3ba0
Sema ID
sema:Chain#mh:SHA-256:3ba084dba5cf36bbdd43d03306c187ca75a2e3f448b555e257c26aab9b71c4fb
Ring
2
Tier
1
Updated
2026-11-11
Supersedes
  • sema:Linear#mh:SHA-256:81affcd5f7c1ea56b7572799fc235cf95d4e3c692de77c9eb8c01930b8e1d41c
  • sema:Chain#mh:SHA-256:57119a990ff1c50eda6cb301dfec09450d2cbb21659ca541560b6bbb2ece0332
  • sema:Chain#mh:SHA-256:0bd807adb8a1d11a55f3971e7b6c079301039c8707b9106d871662d25e915e09