Core concepts

Narwhal assigns prefill and decode roles across dual-capability engines serving one model. A role move changes placement for new requests while model weights, KV paths, and resident requests stay on their engines.

Concepts

• Request flow and fleet topology
• Role control and capacity floors
• Failure, readmission, and state

Related reference material

• Backend continuation contract: producer ownership, local decode, descriptor validation, and timing boundaries.
• Configuration: placement policy, role guards, serving limits, and engine health.
• Measure a fleet: performance profiles, transfer checks, deployment load, and acceptance evidence.
• HTTP API: state-document definitions.
• Operate Narwhal: lifecycle and failover procedures.
• Source responsibilities: package ownership and import constraints.