# fpga.chat Market

Human page: https://fpga.chat/docs/market

Status: Private Alpha - Under Construction.

## Current scope

Market v1 is a GitHub-hosted FPGA core catalog and creator workflow for Build-compatible IP. It supports free/open listings and paid source-available submissions, but every publication still requires human review.

Available now:

- Public catalog page at https://fpga.chat/market.
- Core detail pages with license, top module, language, interfaces and evidence notes.
- Authenticated core submission form at https://fpga.chat/market/submit.
- Creator dashboard at https://fpga.chat/market/creator.
- License guide at https://fpga.chat/market/licenses.
- Catalog API at https://fpga.chat/api/market/cores.
- Static catalog export at https://fpga.chat/data/cores.json.

## Paid Build usage model

Paid cores are not sold through direct checkout in the Market. A paid core creates a revenue ledger event only when a reviewed paid core version is used inside a paid Build workflow.

Default split:

- Creator share: 80%.
- Platform fee: 20%.
- Payouts: manual during alpha.

Paid core source must remain in a public GitHub repository for review, but the selected commercial source-available license can restrict product use unless paid Build usage is recorded.

## Auto-validation pipeline

When a submission is created, a draft auto-validation run is queued. It is informational only and never replaces human review.

- GitHub raw fetch reads the declared manifest paths from a public GitHub repository through unauthenticated `raw.githubusercontent.com` and `api.github.com`.
- The core-manifest is validated against `schemas/core-manifest.schema.json`; the AccelFury af manifest is parsed for required fields (`core_id`, `top`, `interfaces`).
- An optional `/v1/af/check` agent-orchestrator bridge produces a draft compatibility verdict (ok, warn, fail or unavailable).
- The resulting statuses populate `af_status`, `verification_status` and a draft `build_compatible` flag, but publication still requires a moderator to confirm them in the admin panel.

## License wizard

The submission flow includes a 4-step license wizard:

1. Repository and manifest details.
2. License questionnaire: commercial use, copyleft tolerance, patent grant needs, paid monetization intent.
3. Top-3 license recommendations rendered side-by-side from the existing license templates (use-when, pros, cons, caution).
4. Pricing and verification fields, with explicit warnings if the license and pricing model are incompatible.

The wizard never auto-publishes a listing. It is a guided form that helps creators pick a license they can defend during review.

## Manual payouts

Payouts are processed manually in alpha. Creator earnings are tracked in the `market_core_usage_events` ledger; the admin team triggers transfers out-of-band on a defined cadence.

- Admins see aggregate unpaid creator share in the admin Market panel.
- Admins can export a CSV of unpaid earnings and mark a payout as paid with a reference and notes.
- Creators see a `Payout history` block on the creator dashboard plus the explicit notice that payouts are processed manually in alpha.

There is no Stripe Connect, no automated transfer and no KYC flow in alpha. Tax forms and identity verification are handled out-of-band by email with the creator.

## Compatibility checklist

A core is a stronger candidate when it includes:

- Public GitHub repository.
- License choice with clear commercial-use terms.
- Top module and source paths.
- Parameters, interfaces, clocks and reset assumptions.
- Simulation, synthesis or other tool evidence with version notes.
- Known limitations.
- AccelFury af metadata path or a clear plan for adding it.

## AccelFury af review

Market review expects compatibility evidence shaped around AccelFury af manifests and reports. The review can check manifest shape, packaging intent, simulation hooks and Build integration metadata. It does not prove timing closure, CDC/RDC signoff, bitstream readiness or vendor-tool signoff.

## Promotion rule

Submitted cores enter moderation first. A human review must check license, source availability, manifest shape, interface boundaries, verification evidence and AccelFury af compatibility before any public promotion or Build palette use.

## Hard boundaries

- No timing signoff claims.
- No CDC/RDC signoff claims.
- No unsourced board or pinout claims.
- No public-cloud vendor tool execution by default.
- Estimated resources remain estimates until backed by tool output.
- Direct marketplace checkout and automated payouts are not enabled in alpha.