Core Concepts

Intrinsic vs. Parent-Dependent Properties

The framework operates with a clear distinction between intrinsic component properties (internal dimensions, styles, and contents that a component owns directly) and parent-dependent layout properties (sizing suggestions, margins, and alignments interpreted by the parent container).

Intrinsic Properties

Intrinsic properties are owned entirely by the control itself to define its internal visual landscape:

• direction: Flow or stacking orientation (horizontal or vertical).
• bg / fg: Background and foreground colors.
• padding: Inner spacing inside the container's border boundaries.
• inner: The array or object containing nested child elements.

Parent-Dependent Properties

Parent-dependent properties act as layout suggestions to the parent container. The parent container's layout solver (layout, canvas, scroll, wrap, etc.) has final authority on how to interpret, validate, and place these properties:

• width / height: Sizing requests (number, '100%', 'fill', 'content').
• margin: Spacing applied outside the element's box (collapsing adjacent sibling margins).
• halign / valign: Alignment along primary and non-primary flow dimensions.
• x / y: Absolute point coordinates (interpreted specifically by canvas).