> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://robodex.gitbook.io/robodex-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://robodex.gitbook.io/robodex-docs/frontend/frontend-contracts.md).

# Frontend Contracts

Frontend contracts live in `apps/web/lib/types.ts`.

These types are the product-visible shape of generated robot data. They do not need to expose every internal research or pipeline field.

## Important contracts

| Type                      | Purpose                                    |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| `RobotDesignCandidate`    | Product-facing generated candidate         |
| `TaskIntent`              | Normalized task description                |
| `RobotDesignProgram`      | Program data when surfaced to the frontend |
| `GrammarHitl`             | Grammar-loop review payload                |
| `GenerateDesignsResponse` | Response from design generation            |
| `DesignSpecResponse`      | Design specification response              |
| `WorkspaceProject`        | Project metadata                           |
| `WorkspaceThread`         | Thread metadata                            |
| `ThreadMessage`           | User/assistant chat messages               |
| `ThreadArtifact`          | Generated artifacts attached to a thread   |
| `SimulationSpec`          | Simulation-check request and result        |
| `PolicySpec`              | Policy/training request and result         |

## Contract discipline

When changing a generated-design field, update all relevant places together:

* `apps/api/routes/designs.py`,
* `apps/api/workspace_sdk.py`,
* `apps/api/workspace_store.py` if persisted,
* `apps/web/lib/types.ts`,
* `apps/web/components/MorphologyViewer.tsx`,
* route or frontend contract tests.

## Candidate versus IR

`RobotDesignCandidate` is a product view. It is optimized for:

* display,
* review,
* selection,
* simple rendering,
* user explanation.

`RobotDesignIR` is a canonical robotics representation. It is optimized for:

* compilation,
* validation,
* simulation,
* deterministic downstream processing.

Do not collapse them unless the product and pipeline requirements truly become identical.

## Grammar HITL payload

The HITL payload is the safest place to expose structured generation context to the frontend. It can include:

* summary,
* compile-safe status,
* graph information,
* component program,
* selected program,
* validation messages,
* candidate metadata.

The frontend should display or inspect this data, not mutate it into a new source of truth.


---

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