Discussion: Cortex.cpp Data Structures

[namchuai]

Overview

• What is Cortex's data structure? (i.e. files that are persisted to disk)
• This should be different from Cortex Platform

An unopinionated (hopefully) to store cortex's files and folders.

Couple of requirements:

• Allow 3rd apps to be config where to store files with ease
• Easy for cortex to grab the configurations
• Easy for remove without interfere with user's data (user's own models, threads, files, etc.)
• Updating cortex should not damage user's data

Discussion

• Should we have a /cortex folder (will there be namespace collisions?)
• Should folder be hidden? (e.g. .cortex
• Where are we storing the config files?

Related

• feat: Respect XDG Base Directory Specification on Linux jan#3310

[vansangpfiev]

I think we can separate application binary and data:

• Execution file: contains only cortex binary
  Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\cortex
  MacOS: /usr/local/bin/cortex
  Ubuntu: /usr/bin/cortex
• Application data:
  Windows: C:\Users\<username>\.cortex
  MacOS: ~/.cortex
  Ubuntu: ~/.cortex

We have different folders to store different application data builds:

~/.cortex
  |___ models
  |___ logs
  |___ engines
          |___ cortex.llamacpp

~/.cortex-beta

~/.cortex-nightly

We also have an application config file which allow user to change the data path and other parameters with the default values mentioned above.
https://github.com/janhq/cortex/issues/1031
cc: @dan-homebrew @namchuai @hiento09

[hiento09]

I put my comment here https://github.com/janhq/cortex/issues/1039#issuecomment-2327901258 cc @dan-homebrew @namchuai @vansangpfiev .
I understand that each channel (stable, beta, nightly) is considered a separate app, and we allow users to install them in parallel. Therefore, the config files should also be kept separate.

(Ex for windows:

• Stable: C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\cortex\cortex-cpp.exe
• Beta: C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\cortex-beta\cortex-cpp-beta.exe
• Nighty: C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\cortex-nightly\cortex-cpp-nightly.exe
  )