# Phase 164: Hypothesis Route Transition Authority Surface - Context

**Gathered:** 2026-04-12
**Status:** Ready for execution

<domain>
## Phase Boundary

This phase owns the next post-`v1.89` research-control slice.

The phase should:

- derive a bounded route transition-authority summary from route transition
  commitment plus current route artifacts
- keep authority visibility explicit without widening into fresh runtime
  mutation
- coexist with current route transition-commitment, resumption, and helper
  mechanisms

</domain>

<decisions>
## Implementation Decisions

- **D-01:** Build on the existing route transition-commitment and helper
  surfaces instead of inventing a disconnected authority subsystem.
- **D-02:** Keep the first slice declarative and operator-visible: summarize
  whether the committed route is now the authoritative bounded truth, do not
  widen into fresh runtime mutation.
- **D-03:** Preserve the current action queue, transition commitment, and
  helper mechanisms as the execution-level machinery.
- **D-04:** Add one isolated acceptance lane so the transition-authority path
  can close independently.

</decisions>

<canonical_refs>
## Canonical References

- `.planning/REQUIREMENTS.md`
- `.planning/ROADMAP.md`
- `research/knowledge-hub/knowledge_hub/runtime_read_path_support.py`
- `research/knowledge-hub/knowledge_hub/topic_replay.py`
- `.planning/phases/164-hypothesis-route-transition-authority-surface/PHASE.md`

</canonical_refs>

<deferred>
## Deferred Ideas

- fresh runtime mutation after authority becomes explicit
- auto-asserting authority without durable route artifacts
- helper-driven continuation without an explicit authority surface

</deferred>

---

*Phase: 164-hypothesis-route-transition-authority-surface*
*Context gathered: 2026-04-12*
