05 – Glossary
This document defines core terms used throughout Cosmos. It provides short, consistent definitions for quick reference or onboarding.
✨ Star
A single package. Contains metadata (star.toml), an optional source tarball, and optional install script or Nova logic.
☁️ Nebula
A special Star with type = "nebula". It has no source or install script, only dependencies. Used to group other Stars under one installable unit.
🌌 Galaxy
A package repository. A folder containing Star definitions, source tarballs, and a meta.toml with metadata and a list of available Stars. Can be hosted over HTTP, Git, USB, or locally.
🌍 Constellation
A named group of Stars for preset installs. Defined in constellation.toml. Not tracked in the Universe, used only at install time.
🚀 Universe
The installed package state of the system. Tracked in universe.toml. Records Star name, version, and installed file paths.
✨ Stellar
The builder tool used by maintainers to scaffold, validate, and package Stars. Not required for system usage.
🔮 Nova
A Lua-based scripting engine embedded into Cosmos for safe, portable install/build scripts. Replaces shell scripts. Sandbox-enforced.
Nova scripts are executed from a temporary directory and receive the install_root variable injected automatically.
They can use limited built-in helpers such as run, copy, mkdir, and symlink for common operations.
🌐 Galaxy Cache
Local directory of synced Galaxies used for install/update/search. Read by Cosmos CLI.
📁 Config
Main configuration file: /etc/cosmos/config.toml. Defines cache directory, install root, and Galaxy sources.
🫠 Real Root
The actual installation target directory. Passed into Nova and used as the base for all file operations.
☄️ Tarball
A .tar.gz archive containing the package's installable files. Built by Stellar. Referenced by source field in star.toml.
This glossary ensures all Cosmos tools, docs, and discussions refer to the same concepts consistently and clearly.