Boundaries and Layout

SchemaBoundary and layout containers solve independent problems.

Construct	Purpose	Changes database schema?	Creates UI structure?
`SchemaBoundary`	Optionally tags collections with feature ownership	Adds `featureTags` to the orchestration result; collections compile normally	No
`FormStep`	Defines a step around child render nodes	No	Yes
`ConditionalBlock`	Defines conditional visibility	No	Yes
`MultiPopulator`	Defines repeated entries and binds them to JSONB or a secondary collection	No; the referenced field or collection owns storage	Yes
`OrCondition`	Defines alternative paths	No	Yes

A boundary needs no group or step

const tagged = createFormSchemaOrchestrator([
  SchemaBoundary(
    { featureId: 'crm', name: 'CRM' },
    contacts,
    projects,
  ),
])

This compiles direct render_collection nodes and records:

tagged.featureTags.contact === 'crm'
tagged.featureTags.project === 'crm'

The untagged form is equally valid:

const direct = createFormSchemaOrchestrator([contacts, projects])

Use a boundary only when feature ownership is useful.

Repeaters separate interaction from persistence

MultiPopulator always represents an array of repeated entries in the form state. Its output says where that array will be persisted:

Output strategy	Schema owner	Repeater entry shape
`separateTable`	A child or explicitly referenced collection	The collection's fields
`jsonb`	An existing `RAW_JSON` or `ARRAY` field with `.strategy('jsonb')`	The repeater's `entryFields`

The repeater does not create storage invisibly. A secondary-table collection still compiles as a normal collection. A JSONB field still belongs to its parent collection and appears in databaseSchema.toJSONSchema().

This distinction keeps three concepts separate:

MultiPopulator controls repeated form state.
output binds that state to a persistence target.
The target field or collection defines the physical schema.

Add layout only for real interaction structure

const stepped = createFormSchemaOrchestrator([
  FormStep('project', { showTitle: true }, projects),
  FormStep('contacts', { showTitle: true }, contacts),
])

In the public 0.9.50 types, a SchemaBoundary accepts collections and nested boundaries—not layout containers. Keep boundaries and layout as separate top-level shapes.

Next: Schema Declaration Overview.