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Log settings
Log settings define how a log behaves and how it is interpreted.
They do not change history. They control how future events are recorded and how the log is presented and organized.
What log settings affect
Log settings control things like:
- The type of log
- Available anchors
- Units and defaults
- Visibility and organization
Settings shape the rules of the log, not its timeline.
Log type
Each log has a type.
The log type determines which event types are available and how events affect state. A balanced log and a collection log share the same structure, but they interpret events differently.
The log type is chosen when the log is created and defines its core behavior.
Anchors and structure
Log settings define which anchors exist in the log.
Anchors provide the internal structure that events act on. Adding or removing anchors changes where value or items can exist going forward.
Anchor changes do not rewrite past events. They affect how future events are recorded.
Units and representation
For balanced logs, settings define the unit being tracked.
This might be a currency, time unit, or custom unit. The unit determines how quantities are displayed and interpreted.
Changing units affects presentation and validation, not recorded history.
Organization and visibility
Log settings control how a log appears in navigation and how it relates to other logs.
This includes naming, grouping, and hierarchy. These settings help keep large systems navigable without changing how logs function internally.
What log settings do not do
Log settings do not:
- Edit or remove events
- Change past outcomes
- Rewrite history
If you want to change what happened, you record a new event. Settings only influence how the log operates from that point forward.
A useful way to think about settings
Events describe what happened.
Log settings describe the rules under which future events will happen.
Keeping that distinction clear makes logs predictable and safe to evolve over time.