---
title: "createArkor"
description: "Wrap a Trainer into an Arkor project manifest the CLI and Studio can discover."
---

```ts
import { createArkor } from "arkor";
import { trainer } from "./trainer";

export const arkor = createArkor({ trainer });
```

`createArkor` produces the project manifest that `arkor dev`, `arkor start`, and Studio's `/api/manifest` endpoint look for in `src/arkor/index.ts`. Today the manifest only carries a `Trainer`; the type reserves space for `deploy` and `eval` slots, but neither is implemented.

## Signature

```ts
function createArkor(input: ArkorInput): Arkor;

interface ArkorInput {
  trainer?: Trainer;
  // future: deploy?: Deploy;
  // future: eval?: Eval;
}

interface Arkor {
  readonly _kind: "arkor";
  readonly trainer?: Trainer;
  // future: readonly deploy?: Deploy;
  // future: readonly eval?: Eval;
}
```

The returned object is `Object.freeze`-d. There are no methods on it; the framework reads `_kind` and `trainer` directly.

## Parameters

- `trainer`: pass a `Trainer` produced by [`createTrainer`](/docs/framework/sdk/create-trainer). Optional in the type, but a manifest with no `trainer` cannot be run by `arkor start` (the runner throws ``Training entry must export `arkor` (from createArkor({...})) or `trainer` (from createTrainer({...})), or default-export one of them.``).

## Reserved fields

- `deploy` and `eval` slots. They appear in `ArkorInput` and `Arkor` as commented-out reserved fields. Passing them today is a type error, and there is no runtime path for them. Treat them as [roadmap markers](/docs/framework/roadmap#deploy-and-eval-slots), not as forward-compatible API.

## Behavior

### Recognized export shapes

`arkor start` (via `runTrainer`) inspects `src/arkor/index.ts` for one of three exports, in priority order:

1. `export const arkor = createArkor({ ... })` (preferred, what the templates produce)
2. `export const trainer = createTrainer({ ... })` (power-user shortcut, no manifest)
3. `export default ...` (either an `Arkor` manifest or a bare `Trainer`)

If none match, the runner throws with the message above. Templates always emit shape 1; pick that unless you know why you want one of the others.

## `isArkor`

```ts
import { isArkor } from "arkor";

if (isArkor(value)) {
  // value: Arkor
}
```

A small type guard exported alongside `createArkor` for code that consumes manifests dynamically. It checks that the value is a non-null object with `_kind === "arkor"` (it does **not** verify `Object.isFrozen`, even though `createArkor` itself produces a frozen value). Use it sparingly; in normal code the typed export from `index.ts` already gives you the right shape.

## See also

- [`createTrainer`](/docs/framework/sdk/create-trainer) for the `Trainer` you wrap
- [Project structure § `src/arkor/`](/docs/framework/concepts/project-structure#srcarkor) for where the manifest is read from
- [Roadmap § Deploy and eval slots](/docs/framework/roadmap#deploy-and-eval-slots) for the reserved fields' direction