> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cogna8-io.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cogna8-io.gitbook.io/docs/core-concepts/state-items.md).

# State Items

A state item is the atomic unit of information in Cogna8. Every piece of meaningful information extracted from a conversation becomes a state item.

## Anatomy of a State Item

| Property          | Description                                                         |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Canonical Key** | Unique identifier for the concept                                   |
| **Value**         | The actual information content                                      |
| **Type**          | Governed classification based on the information's operational role |
| **Status**        | Current lifecycle status (e.g., active, pending, superseded)        |
| **Scope**         | Where this state applies (thread, entity, or global)                |
| **Evidence**      | Link back to the source message                                     |
| **Timestamps**    | When created, last updated, last confirmed                          |

{% hint style="info" %}
State items are **immutable once created**. When a value changes, the old item is superseded and a new item is created. This ensures the complete history is always preserved.
{% endhint %}

## State Items in the UI

State items appear as cards in the [State Panel](https://github.com/Cogna8/docs/blob/main/features/state-panel.md). Each card shows the key, value, type badge, status indicator, and criticality tier. Cards are color-coded by type and can be expanded for full details.

See [State Types](/docs/core-concepts/state-types.md) for the type classification system and [State Lifecycle](/docs/core-concepts/state-lifecycle.md) for status transitions.