Document the hook lifecycle, ingress rules, and longest-prefix routing behavior so the tree endpoint code is easier to follow. Keep the pass behavior-neutral while tightening local names and comments around non-obvious protocol paths.
Implement an aligned two-section frame format, a compiled prefix router, a minimal pending and active hook engine, and a header-first receive path that only decodes payloads on local delivery. Recreate the protocol-focused test suite and document the explicit framing deviation in src/protocol/PROTOCOL_CHANGES.md.
Move demo leaf echo behavior out of the core protocol runtime, treat procedure IDs as opaque protocol fields, and return direct registered children in endpoint introspection to match the spec.