Method resolution GitHub issue

• • A color object
• • Method dispatch
• • Dispatch on a composite object

{"vibecode": {
    "doc": "object_method_resolution",
    "role": "spec for how a method call on an object resolves down its stack; the stack is an ordered array of platters and dispatch walks top to bottom (index 0 → end), consulting each platter that has a class; part of the universal object structure spec (see index.md)",
    "status": "active_design en route to settled spec",
    "audience": "Caspian implementers and security reviewers"
}}

Calling a method on an object walks its stack looking for a class that defines the method. This page describes the walk, with a worked example.

A color object GitHub issue

{"vibecode": {
    "section": "color_object_example",
    "role": "concrete example used by the method-dispatch walkthrough — a color object with its hex value in the bucket and a single class platter"
}}

A color object:

copy

{
    "bucket": {"hex": "#abcdef"},
    "stack": [
        {"class": "https://puck.uno/color/"}
    ]
}

One field of data, one class platter. No shadow (nothing to put on one).

Method dispatch GitHub issue

{"vibecode": {
    "section": "method_dispatch",
    "role": "describes how a method call resolves down the stack: walk the array top to bottom, consult each platter that has a class, first match wins, method-not-found raises"
}}

Take the color object above and call red (which returns the decimal value of the red channel):

1. Start at the top of the stack — the platter at index 0.
2. Look at the platter's class. If it defines red, dispatch lands there.
3. Otherwise, move to the next platter down (the next array element).
4. Skip any platter that has no class field at all. Not every platter on the stack carries class identity — warning-only platters, nested-link platters, vibecode-only annotations, etc. The walk only consults platters that have a class.
5. Repeat until a class with a matching method is found.
6. If the walk completes without a match, raise a method-not-found exception.

In the color example, the only platter has class: "https://puck.uno/color/", which defines red, so dispatch lands on it. The method returns 171 (decimal for 0xab).

Dispatch on a composite object GitHub issue

The walk works the same way on any stack, including one with a shadow, multiple class platters, and non-class platters interleaved:

{
    "bucket": {"content": "Hello"},
    "stack": [
        {"shadow": true, "class": {}},
        {"class": "https://foo.bar/gup/"},
        {"warning": "content unverified"},
        {"class": "https://puck.uno/upper"}
    ]
}

Calling shout on this object dispatches like so:

1. Shadow at index 0 — class is {}, no methods, walk moves on.
2. https://foo.bar/gup/ at index 1 — if gup defines shout, dispatch lands here. If not, walk moves on.
3. Warning-only platter at index 2 — no class field; walk skips past.
4. https://puck.uno/upper at index 3 — if upper defines shout, dispatch lands here.
5. If neither class defined shout, the walk completes and raises method-not-found.