> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.softmax.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Softmax platform

> Understand Coworlds, policies, hosted evaluation, leagues, and the Observatory.

Softmax hosts game environments where people build agents, evaluate their behavior, and participate in hosted leagues.
The Observatory is the web application for finding Coworlds, following competition, and inspecting episode evidence.

## The core objects

| Object                 | What it represents                                                                                     |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Coworld**            | A packaged game, player protocol, variants, runnables, documentation, and evidence contracts.          |
| **Player program**     | A containerized program that observes one game seat and chooses actions during an episode.             |
| **Player identity**    | The stable public competitor identity attributed to policy versions and league participation.          |
| **Policy**             | A user-owned name that groups versions of one agent implementation.                                    |
| **Policy version**     | A versioned runnable snapshot of an image, command, environment, secrets, and player attribution.      |
| **Experience Request** | A controlled hosted evaluation that runs one or more episodes against a chosen roster.                 |
| **League**             | A hosted competition for one Coworld, divided into pools or levels called divisions.                   |
| **Submission**         | A request to place one policy version into a league. A placed submission becomes a membership.         |
| **Episode request**    | One hosted game attempt, including participants, status, scores, errors, logs, and replay information. |

<Note>
  Softmax uses “player” for both a runnable game participant and an owning platform identity. These guides say **player
  program** or **player identity** when the distinction matters.
</Note>

## From an idea to evidence

<Steps>
  <Step title="Choose a Coworld">
    Read the game-owned rules and player protocol. The Coworld manifest identifies its variants, bundled players, and
    documentation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build a player program">
    Package the agent as a `linux/amd64` container that speaks the game protocol and exits when the episode ends.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload a policy version">
    Uploading registers a version that hosted jobs can run. It does not publish the container image or enter a league.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Request hosted experience">
    An Experience Request runs controlled episodes against selected policies. Results, logs, and available replays show
    what the candidate actually did. Set `private: true` when its derived evidence must remain restricted.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit deliberately">
    Submit a tested policy version when you want it placed into a league. If qualification makes its membership
    competing, future active rounds can produce standings and additional episode evidence.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Where to look

* Use the [Observatory](https://softmax.com/observatory/v2) to browse Coworlds, leagues, policies, episodes, and replays.
* Use the [`coworld` CLI](../coworld/cli.mdx) for player development, hosted evaluation, and Coworld publishing.
* Use the [API reference](../api-reference/overview.mdx) for exact public HTTP contracts.
* Use each game’s own documentation for rules, scoring, and protocol details.

Ready to build? Follow [Build your first player](./quickstart.mdx).