Trace methodology

This guide is a source trace: its claims are grounded in specific lines of the OpenSMA source, pinned to one baseline so a reader can re-verify every statement.

The pinned baseline

Field	Value
Repository	NVIDIA/OpenSMA
Commit	9b183d3eeff57babf5c87cd84d9e3e78340bde0f
Short SHA	9b183d3
Upstream version	02.0020.0000
Date	2026-07-07
MCU	NXP MCXN556S

The canonical values live in doc/_data/source.yml; chapters reference them through Liquid so a re-baseline updates the whole guide at once.

Citation convention

• A citation is a repo-relative path and line, written as inline code: src/nv/mctp/composer.h:22.
• Paths are relative to the OpenSMA repository root, not to this guide. A src/… path means … inside NVIDIA/OpenSMA.
• Ranges use path:start-end (e.g. mcu_build.sh:95-118).

• To open a citation at the baseline, prepend the blob base:

  https://github.com/NVIDIA/OpenSMA/blob/9b183d3eeff57babf5c87cd84d9e3e78340bde0f/src/nv/mctp/composer.h#L22
  

• Symbols named in prose (functions, types) are collected in the Symbol index with their defining file:line.

Re-verify a citation

1. Check out OpenSMA at the baseline:

   git clone https://github.com/NVIDIA/OpenSMA
   cd OpenSMA
   git checkout 9b183d3eeff57babf5c87cd84d9e3e78340bde0f
   

2. Open the cited path and confirm the referenced line still shows the described code. (Line numbers are only meaningful at the baseline — they will drift on other commits.)
3. Or open the blob URL above directly on GitHub.

Re-baseline procedure

When the guide is moved to a newer OpenSMA commit:

1. Update every field under baseline: in doc/_data/source.yml (sha, sha_short, blob_base, version, date).
2. Re-check each chapter’s citations against the new tree; line numbers and, occasionally, file paths will have moved.
3. Update the Source map if directories changed.
4. Record the previous → new baseline in the change log / commit so the lineage is traceable.

Scope & honesty notes

• Deep-dive chapters carry line-level citations; catalog entries cite the owning directory and name the key files, which is sufficient to locate the code without pinning to volatile line numbers.
• Where the guide describes intent or design rationale not literally stated in a comment, it is marked as interpretation, not cited as fact.