> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.quanux.org/symphony/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# qxctl knowledge lifecycle: Profile, Boot, and Apply

> Manage protected lifecycle profiles, ownership, observations, boots, and apply-compatible transitions through qxctl with strict compare-and-swap safeguards.

The `qxctl knowledge lifecycle ...` grammar administers protected profiles, ownership, observations, boot journals, and apply-compatible transitions. Every mutation is compare-and-swap and every apply is bound to exact evidence.

## Profile

Set the protected lifecycle profile for a TOPS:

```bash Profile compare-and-swap theme={null}
qxctl knowledge lifecycle profile set \
  --tops-id UUID \
  --input FILE \
  --expected-profile-digest absent|DIGEST
```

Supply `absent` for a first-time profile or the exact digest reported by an earlier read.

## Ownership

* `ownership status`: inspect one configured shared root
* `ownership reconcile`: refresh its evidence
* `ownership adopt`: adopt only after reviewing every conservative legacy claim
* `ownership release`: release only for one exact legacy receipt intentionally made reclaimable

<Warning>
  Never delete or rewrite the root-local registry or its `symphony-root-ownership/1` receipt-layout compatibility fence by hand. Older lifecycle clients must encounter that fence and stop on their existing unknown-package blocker.
</Warning>

## Observe, report, boot

* `observe`: emit disposable fixed-layout receipt evidence
* `report`: produce a fresh disposable plan
* `boot`: durable report-only progression with a stable operation ID and exact journal state
* `status`: v1 inspection
* `recover --discover`: recover a unique v1 chain when ordinary status cannot validate local state

## Apply-compatible profiles

For an `apply-compatible` profile, call `apply` only with the exact boot source digest, apply-journal compare-and-swap, applied-state compare-and-swap, stable operation ID, and explicit staged roots:

```bash Apply theme={null}
qxctl knowledge lifecycle apply \
  --tops-id UUID \
  --operation-id OPID \
  --boot-source-digest DIGEST \
  --expected-apply-journal-digest DIGEST \
  --expected-applied-state-digest DIGEST \
  --staged-root PATH
```

Use `apply-status` for attempt observation or bounded `apply-recover` for durable recovery. Never choose an action manually or edit protected state.

<Note>
  A timestamp-only observation refresh must change document evidence without advancing stable semantic identities.
</Note>

## Related surfaces

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Session coordinator" icon="gears" href="/symphony/symphony/engines/coordinator">
    The engine behind lifecycle plan and apply coordination.
  </Card>

  <Card title="qxctl engines" icon="cube" href="/symphony/symphony/qxctl/engines">
    Manage engine bindings referenced by lifecycle plans.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


## Related topics

- [qxctl knowledge: Cross-Vector Lifecycle Administration](/symphony/symphony/qxctl/knowledge.md)
- [qxctl: Symphony Agentic Administrative Command Line](/symphony/symphony/qxctl/overview.md)
- [Symphony Vector Engines: Independent Installation Overview](/symphony/symphony/engines/overview.md)
- [qxctl knowledge engines: Bind, Doctor, Migrate Registry](/symphony/symphony/qxctl/engines.md)
- [SEV: Symphony Evolution Vector for Planned Changes](/symphony/symphony/skv/sev.md)