The Belief System

The “Old Web” relies on Surveillance (Cookies, Pixels, Tracking). It guesses who the user is by spying on them. Tract Stack relies on Conversation.

The Belief System is the core technology that powers our Adaptive Engine. It allows visitors to voluntarily declare who they are and what they want. In exchange, the site adapts instantly to match their needs.

The Philosophy: Ask, Don’t Steal

We facilitate Zero-Party Disclosure. Instead of stealing data from the user’s browser history, we simply ask them a question.

1. The Ask: The user sees a Belief Widget (e.g., “Are you a Developer or a Marketer?”).
2. The Handshake: The user answers.
3. The Memory: The system stores this “Belief” in a private, temporary session.
4. The Reveal: The content adapts immediately—without a page reload—revealing the “Hidden Doors” relevant to that user.

The Result: Authentic personalization without the creepiness of surveillance.

How Beliefs Work

A “Belief” is simply a piece of data attached to the user’s current session. It is temporary by default.

1. Identity Beliefs (Who are you?)

Used to sort the audience into roles.

• The Widget: “Identify As”
• The Data: UseCase=Developer, UseCase=Agency_Owner, Budget=Enterprise.
• The Adaptation: A Developer sees API docs. An Agency Owner sees ROI charts.

2. Scalar Beliefs (How do you feel?)

Used to measure the temperature of the room.

• Yes/No (yn): Simple binary choices. (“Do you want to see technical specs?”)
• Interest (interest): Engagement measurement. (“Are you interested in Wholesale Pricing?”)
• Likert Scale (likert): Nuanced opinion. (“Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree”).

Visibility Rules (The Velvet Rope)

You don’t write code to personalize the page. You just set the rules on your Panes.

Held Beliefs (The Ticket In)

“Show this content ONLY IF the user believes X.”

• Rule: UseCase=Developer
• Result: The “API Reference” pane becomes visible.
• Wildcards: UseCase=* (Show if they have told us any role).

Withheld Beliefs (The Bouncer)

“Hide this content IF the user believes Y.”

• Rule: Experience=Beginner
• Result: The “Advanced Configuration” pane is hidden to prevent confusion.

The Match-Across Logic

Real life is complex. Sometimes you need to check multiple IDs.

• AND Logic: Role=Dev AND Experience=Senior (Must match both).
• OR Logic: Role=Dev OR Role=CTO (Matches either).

The Widgets (The Interface)

How does the user tell you what they believe? Through Belief Widgets. These are not boring form fields. They are interactive elements placed inside the narrative flow.

• The Toggle: A quick switch. (e.g., “Show Technical Details”).
• The Dropdown: A scale of preference. (e.g., “How large is your team?”).
• The Identifier: A button group. (e.g., “I am a: Student | Professional | Hobbyist”).

The Physics (HTMX & Real-Time)

This is where the magic happens. In a traditional CMS, if you fill out a form, the page reloads. The spell is broken.

Tract Stack uses HTMX to handle the negotiation in the background.

1. User clicks “I am a Developer.”
2. The browser whispers to the server (POST).
3. The server updates the session.
4. The server instantly repaints only the parts of the page that need to change.

It is seamless. It is fast. It feels like a living application, not a static document.

Privacy & Persistence

• Session-Based: By default, beliefs live only as long as the visit. When they close the tab, the slate is wiped clean.
• Voluntary Sync: We offer an optional, fingerprint-based sync that allows beliefs to travel across tabs or devices, but only if you configure it.

We do not sell this data. We do not aggregate it. It belongs to the session, and the session belongs to the user.

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The “Free Web” Press by At Risk Media