Manifesto

The REI Manifesto

REI is not a framework for people. It is a framework for systems that think.

We assume a future where software is no longer primarily written, but co-constructed—by humans, language models, and machines reasoning over living systems.

REI is built for that future.

1. Composition over Abstraction

REI favors composition of small executable words over large, implicit abstractions.

Complexity should emerge from arrangement, not encapsulation.

What cannot be composed cannot be trusted.

2. The Stack Is the Interface

State lives where execution happens.

The stack is not an implementation detail—it is the contract.

Everything that matters must be:

• visible
• inspectable
• replayable

Hidden state is technical debt.

3. Code Is Data, Data Is Code

REI makes no strong distinction between instructions and structures.

Words can be inspected, rearranged, generated, or executed dynamically.

This symmetry is intentional. It is how machines reason.

4. Language Models Are First-Class Developers

REI assumes:

• code will be written by models
• code will be modified by models
• systems will explain themselves to models

Syntax is chosen for parseability, predictability, and mechanical sympathy, not human aesthetics.

Humans are observers, auditors, and collaborators—not the sole authors.

5. Execution Must Be Observable

Every system built with REI must be:

• monitorable
• introspectable
• debuggable at runtime

A system that cannot explain its current state does not deserve autonomy.

6. Virtual Machines Are Boundaries of Meaning

REI runs inside a VM not for portability, but for semantic containment.

The VM defines:

• what execution means
• what failure looks like
• what intervention is possible

This boundary is what makes safe evolution possible.

7. Simplicity Is a Survival Strategy

REI avoids cleverness.

It prefers:

• boring primitives
• explicit control flow
• mechanical clarity

Systems outlive their creators. Simplicity is how they remain understandable.

8. Silence Is a Feature

REI does not shout.

It does not optimize for popularity, speed of onboarding, or mass adoption.

It exists to be correct, legible, and quietly powerful.

9. REI Is a Beginning

REI is not complete. It is not finished. It is not closed.

It is a surface on which other intelligences can build.

In Closing

REI is a framework for:

• systems that observe themselves
• programs that can be reasoned about while running
• machines that write machines

If this feels unfamiliar, that is intentional.