---
id: release-n1-growth-posture
name: N-1 growth-posture review — conscious acceptance (or hygiene)
status: pending
depends_on: []
scope: narrow
risk: low
impact: component
level: implementation
tags: [wave-8, sqlite-engine, docs]
---

## Description

Review 001's N-1 (deferred by design to the release pass): three
engine-layer table families grow without internal hygiene caps, and
the release review must **consciously accept them or add engine-side
hygiene** (`docs/reviews/001-waves-1-2-general-review.md` §N-1, §7's
wave-6 release-review bullet):

1. `__alkstore_dead` with `dead_letter_retention_s = NULL` (the
   default — the doc text is honest that retention is opt-in)
2. `__alkstore_notifications` rows pruned only at attach (D-16's 10k
   cap triggers only next attach — an idle-but-listening process
   never prunes)
3. `__alkstore_stream` (growth is the contract's durable-log posture;
   `trim_to` is consumer-invoked per ADR-015)

None is wrong for v1; all three are documented engine-internal. The
expected disposition is conscious acceptance with the documentation
sharpened — review 001 specifically suggested the notify one "may want
an 'attach is not the only prune site' note in the sqlite engine's
docs (cadence recipes)". But the acceptance must be a *decision made
this session against the implemented engines* (the review predates
waves 3–7): re-read the three growth paths as implemented, confirm the
review's characterization still holds (the mem engine's postures are
new since — its notify/stream growth is process-lifetime-bounded by
design; say so in the record), and land the acceptance:

- The acceptance record (all three paths, per engine, with the
  rationale) — `deployment.md`'s durability/growth posture is the
  natural home; coordinate with `release-deployment-matrix` (this
  task's outcome is an input to that pass — land the substance here,
  let the matrix pass fold it into the final text).
- The notify prune-cadence note in `engine-sqlite.md` (or wherever the
  engine spec's cadence guidance lives) if accepted.
- If any path instead warrants engine-side hygiene (a cap, a sweep
  integration), that is a scope change — raise with the user before
  building; the default is acceptance.

## Acceptance Criteria

- [ ] The three growth paths re-read as implemented (SQLite + pg +
      mem); the review's characterization confirmed or corrected in
      the record
- [ ] The conscious-acceptance decision recorded per engine (or a
      user-approved hygiene scope change, which would be a follow-up
      task)
- [ ] The notify prune-cadence note landed in the SQLite engine's docs
- [ ] The acceptance substance positioned for the deployment-matrix
      final pass to fold in
- [ ] Workspace gates green (docs-only expected)

## References

- docs/reviews/001-waves-1-2-general-review.md §N-1, §7
- docs/architecture/deployment.md (Durability knobs; the matrix this
  feeds)
- docs/architecture/engine-sqlite.md (the cadence-recipes home)
- docs/architecture/decisions/024-mem-engine.md (the mem postures new
  since the review)

## Notes

> To be filled by implementation agent

## Summary

> To be filled on completion