zooper-lib · DirtyNative · Feb 20, 2026 · Feb 20, 2026
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,25 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+- Added `@OperationTarget()` and `@OperationFor(...)` annotations in `continuum` to support operation-driven mutation without requiring `AggregateRoot`.
+
+### Changed
+
+- `continuum_generator` now discovers operation targets via `@OperationTarget()` (and still supports `AggregateRoot` as a legacy marker).
+- `continuum_lints` now applies missing-handler and missing-creation-factory checks to `@OperationTarget()` classes.
+- `EventSourcingStore` and `StateBasedStore` now accept `targets:` instead of `aggregates:` (with `aggregates:` kept as a deprecated alias).
+- State-based persistence now prefers `TargetPersistenceAdapter<T>`; `AggregatePersistenceAdapter<T>` remains as a deprecated alias for backward compatibility.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Example `abstract_interface_targets.dart` is now discoverable by codegen by marking its target types with `@OperationTarget()`.
+
+### Deprecated
+
+- Deprecated `@AggregateEvent(...)` in favor of operation-oriented annotations.
+
 ## [5.1.0] - 2026-02-20
 
 ### Added

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ Continuum provides a comprehensive event sourcing framework for Dart application
 | Layer | Package | Purpose |
 |-------|---------|---------|
 | 0 | **`continuum`** | Core types: annotations, events, identity, dispatch registries |
-| 0 | **`continuum_generator`** | Code generator for aggregate and event boilerplate |
+| 0 | **`continuum_generator`** | Code generator for operation and event boilerplate |
 | 1 | **`continuum_uow`** | Unit of Work session engine: sessions, transactional runner, commit handler |
 | 2 | **`continuum_event_sourcing`** | Event sourcing persistence: event stores, serialization, projections |
-| 2 | **`continuum_state`** | State-based persistence: REST/DB adapter-driven aggregate persistence |
+| 2 | **`continuum_state`** | State-based persistence: REST/DB adapter-driven target persistence |
 | 3 | **`continuum_store_memory`** | In-memory EventStore for testing |
 | 3 | **`continuum_store_hive`** | Hive-backed EventStore for local persistence |
 | 3 | **`continuum_store_sembast`** | Sembast-backed EventStore for cross-platform persistence |
@@ -70,10 +70,12 @@ import 'package:continuum/continuum.dart';
 
 part 'shopping_cart.g.dart';
 
-class ShoppingCart extends AggregateRoot<String> with _$ShoppingCartEventHandlers {
+@OperationTarget()
+class ShoppingCart with _$ShoppingCartEventHandlers {
+  String id;
   List<String> items;
 
-  ShoppingCart._({required super.id, required this.items});
+  ShoppingCart._({required this.id, required this.items});
   static ShoppingCart createFromCartCreated(CartCreated event) {
     return ShoppingCart._(id: event.cartId, items: []);
   }
@@ -84,7 +86,7 @@ class ShoppingCart extends AggregateRoot<String> with _$ShoppingCartEventHandler
   }
 }
 
-@AggregateEvent(of: ShoppingCart, type: 'cart.created', creation: true)
+@OperationFor(type: ShoppingCart, key: 'cart.created', creation: true)
 class CartCreated implements ContinuumEvent {
   final String cartId;
 
@@ -121,7 +123,7 @@ import 'continuum.g.dart';
 
 final store = EventSourcingStore(
   eventStore: InMemoryEventStore(),
-  aggregates: $aggregateList,
+  targets: $aggregateList,
 );
 
 final session = store.openSession();
@@ -144,7 +146,7 @@ import 'continuum.g.dart';
 
 final store = StateBasedStore(
   adapters: {ShoppingCart: CartApiAdapter(httpClient)},
-  aggregates: $aggregateList,
+  targets: $aggregateList,
 );
 
 final session = store.openSession();
@@ -159,7 +161,7 @@ await session.saveChangesAsync(); // Adapter persists to backend
 
 ### continuum
 
-Core library providing annotations (`@Aggregate`, `@AggregateEvent`, `@Projection`), event contracts (`ContinuumEvent`), identity types (`EventId`, `StreamId`), dispatch registries, `EventApplicationMode`, and core exceptions.
+Core library providing annotations (`@OperationTarget`, `@OperationFor`, `@Projection`), event contracts (`ContinuumEvent`), identity types (`EventId`, `StreamId`), dispatch registries, `EventApplicationMode`, and core exceptions.
 
 ### continuum_generator
 
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ Sembast-backed `EventStore` implementation for cross-platform local persistence.
 
 ### continuum_lints
 
-Custom lint rules for `@Aggregate` and `@Projection` classes.
+Custom lint rules for operation targets and projections.
 
 ## License
 

diff --git a/doc/draft/extract-unit-of-work-package.md b/doc/draft/extract-unit-of-work-package.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Layer 3 ─ Store implementations
 
 | Layer | Package | Contains |
 |---|---|---|
-| 0 | `continuum` | `Operation`, `ContinuumEvent`, `@AggregateEvent`, `@Projection`, `AggregateFactoryRegistry`, `EventApplierRegistry`, `EventApplicationMode`, `StreamId`, `GeneratedAggregate`, codegen annotations, all operation/event base contracts |
+| 0 | `continuum` | `Operation`, `ContinuumEvent`, `@OperationTarget`, `@OperationFor`, `@Projection`, `AggregateFactoryRegistry`, `EventApplierRegistry`, `EventApplicationMode`, `StreamId`, `GeneratedAggregate`, codegen annotations, all operation/event base contracts |
 | 1 | `continuum_uow` | `Session`, `SessionBase`, `TrackedEntity`, `SessionStore`, `TransactionalRunner`, `CommitHandler`, `ConcurrencyException`, `InvalidOperationException`, `UnsupportedOperationException`, `PartialSaveException` |
 | 2a | `continuum_es` | `EventSourcingStore`, `SessionImpl`, `EventStore`, `AtomicEventStore`, `EventSerializer`, `EventSerializerRegistry`, `JsonEventSerializer`, `StoredEvent`, `ExpectedVersion`, `StreamAppendBatch`, `ProjectionEventStore`, all projection types |
 | 2b | `continuum_state` | `StateBasedStore`, `StateBasedSession`, `AggregatePersistenceAdapter`, `PermanentAdapterException`, `TransientAdapterException` |
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ These are Continuum core — the mutation framework primitives:
 
 - `Operation` marker interface
 - `ContinuumEvent` (`implements Operation` + `BoundedDomainEvent` integration)
-- `@AggregateEvent`, `@Projection` annotations
+- `@OperationTarget`, `@OperationFor`, `@Projection` annotations
 - `AggregateFactoryRegistry`, `EventApplierRegistry`
 - `EventApplicationMode`
 - `StreamId`

diff --git a/doc/draft/session-store-architecture.md b/doc/draft/session-store-architecture.md
@@ -224,14 +224,14 @@ This is a **store-level or session-level configuration**, not a per-event decisi
 // Eager (default) — events mutate the aggregate immediately
 final store = EventSourcingStore(
   eventStore: SembastEventStore(database),
-  aggregates: [$User, $Playlist],
+  targets: [$User, $Playlist],
   applicationMode: EventApplicationMode.eager,
 );
 
 // Deferred — events are recorded but applied only on successful save
 final store = EventSourcingStore(
   eventStore: SembastEventStore(database),
-  aggregates: [$User, $Playlist],
+  targets: [$User, $Playlist],
   applicationMode: EventApplicationMode.deferred,
 );
 ```
@@ -1064,7 +1064,7 @@ State-Based:    applyAsync → save to Backend        → commitHandler → proj
 // main.dart
 final store = EventSourcingStore(
   eventStore: SembastEventStore(database),
-  aggregates: [$AudioFile, $Playlist],
+  targets: [$AudioFile, $Playlist],
 );
 
 final runner = TransactionalRunner(

diff --git a/packages/continuum/README.md b/packages/continuum/README.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ dev_dependencies:
 
 ## What This Package Provides
 
-- **Annotations**: `@AggregateEvent()`, `@Projection()`
+- **Annotations**: `@OperationTarget()`, `@OperationFor(...)`, `@Projection()`
 - **Event contract**: `ContinuumEvent` interface
 - **Identity types**: `EventId`, `StreamId`
 - **Operation enum**: `Operation.create`, `Operation.mutate`
@@ -48,18 +48,20 @@ Continuum is organized into four layers:
 
 ## Quick Start
 
-### Define Your Aggregate
+### Define Your Target
 
 ```dart
 import 'package:continuum/continuum.dart';
 
 part 'user.g.dart';
 
-class User extends AggregateRoot<String> with _$UserEventHandlers {
+@OperationTarget()
+class User with _$UserEventHandlers {
+  String id;
   String name;
   String email;
 
-  User._({required super.id, required this.name, required this.email});
+  User._({required this.id, required this.name, required this.email});
 
   static User createFromUserRegistered(UserRegistered event) {
     return User._(id: event.userId, name: event.name, email: event.email);
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ class User extends AggregateRoot<String> with _$UserEventHandlers {
 ```dart
 import 'package:continuum/continuum.dart';
 
-@AggregateEvent(of: User, type: 'user.registered', creation: true)
+@OperationFor(type: User, key: 'user.registered', creation: true)
 class UserRegistered implements ContinuumEvent {
   UserRegistered({
     required this.userId,
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ dart run build_runner build
 
 This creates:
 - `user.g.dart` with `_$UserEventHandlers` mixin
-- `lib/continuum.g.dart` with `$aggregateList`
+- `lib/continuum.g.dart` with `$aggregateList` (auto-discovered operation targets)
 
 ## Custom Lints (Recommended)
 

diff --git a/...le/lib/abstract_interface_aggregates.dart → ...ample/lib/abstract_interface_targets.dart b/...le/lib/abstract_interface_aggregates.dart → ...ample/lib/abstract_interface_targets.dart
@@ -1,28 +1,28 @@
-/// Example: Abstract and Interface Aggregates
+/// Example: Abstract and Interface Targets
 ///
 /// This example demonstrates that Continuum can generate event handlers and
-/// dispatch logic for aggregates declared as an `abstract class` or an
+/// dispatch logic for targets declared as an `abstract class` or an
 /// `interface class`.
 library;
 
 import 'package:bounded/bounded.dart';
 import 'package:continuum/continuum.dart';
 
-part 'abstract_interface_aggregates.g.dart';
+part 'abstract_interface_targets.g.dart';
 
 void main() {
   print('═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════');
-  print('Example: Abstract and Interface Aggregates');
+  print('Example: Abstract and Interface Targets');
   print('═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════');
   print('');
 
-  _runAbstractAggregateExample();
+  _runAbstractTargetExample();
   print('');
-  _runInterfaceAggregateExample();
+  _runInterfaceTargetExample();
 }
 
-void _runAbstractAggregateExample() {
-  print('ABSTRACT AGGREGATE');
+void _runAbstractTargetExample() {
+  print('ABSTRACT TARGET');
 
   final user = AbstractUser(
     id: const AbstractUserId('abstract-user-1'),
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ void _runAbstractAggregateExample() {
   print('  ✓ Event dispatch works via AbstractUserBase');
 }
 
-void _runInterfaceAggregateExample() {
-  print('CONCRETE AGGREGATE');
+void _runInterfaceTargetExample() {
+  print('CONCRETE TARGET');
 
   final user = UserContract(
     id: const UserContractId('contract-user-1'),
@@ -66,23 +66,25 @@ final class AbstractUserId extends TypedIdentity<String> {
   const AbstractUserId(super.value);
 }
 
-/// An abstract aggregate base type.
+/// An abstract target base type.
 ///
 /// The generator produces:
 /// - `mixin _$AbstractUserBaseEventHandlers`
 /// - `extension $AbstractUserBaseEventDispatch on AbstractUserBase`
-abstract class AbstractUserBase extends AggregateRoot<AbstractUserId> with _$AbstractUserBaseEventHandlers {
+@OperationTarget()
+abstract class AbstractUserBase with _$AbstractUserBaseEventHandlers {
   AbstractUserBase({
-    required AbstractUserId id,
+    required this.id,
     required this.email,
     required this.name,
-  }) : super(id);
+  });
 
+  final AbstractUserId id;
   String email;
   final String name;
 }
 
-/// A concrete implementation of the abstract aggregate.
+/// A concrete implementation of the abstract target.
 class AbstractUser extends AbstractUserBase {
   AbstractUser({
     required super.id,
@@ -100,12 +102,15 @@ final class UserContractId extends TypedIdentity<String> {
   const UserContractId(super.value);
 }
 
-/// A concrete implementation of the interface aggregate.
-class UserContract extends AggregateRoot<UserContractId> with _$UserContractEventHandlers {
+/// A concrete implementation of the interface target.
+@OperationTarget()
+class UserContract with _$UserContractEventHandlers {
   UserContract({
-    required UserContractId id,
+    required this.id,
     required this.displayName,
-  }) : super(id);
+  });
+
+  final UserContractId id;
 
   String displayName;
 
@@ -116,7 +121,7 @@ class UserContract extends AggregateRoot<UserContractId> with _$UserContractEven
 }
 
 /// Event that changes an abstract user's email.
-@AggregateEvent(of: AbstractUserBase, type: 'example.abstract_user.email_changed')
+@OperationFor(type: AbstractUserBase, key: 'example.abstract_user.email_changed')
 class AbstractUserEmailChanged implements ContinuumEvent {
   AbstractUserEmailChanged({
     required this.newEmail,
@@ -155,8 +160,8 @@ class AbstractUserEmailChanged implements ContinuumEvent {
   };
 }
 
-/// Event that renames a user implementing an interface aggregate.
-@AggregateEvent(of: UserContract, type: 'example.contract_user.renamed')
+/// Event that renames a user implementing an interface target.
+@OperationFor(type: UserContract, key: 'example.contract_user.renamed')
 class ContractUserRenamed implements ContinuumEvent {
   ContractUserRenamed({
     required this.newDisplayName,