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+# 1B Pre-Sort Pipeline Design
+
+## Purpose
+
+Batch-classify a JSONL corpus through Gemma3-1B to add `domain_1b` labels ({technical, creative, ethical, casual}). This pre-sorts the 88K Phase 0 seeds for reference distribution building (Phase 2b).
+
+## API
+
+```go
+// ClassifyCorpus reads JSONL from input, batch-classifies each entry's text
+// through model, and writes JSONL with domain_1b field added to output.
+// The original domain field is preserved for comparison.
+func ClassifyCorpus(ctx context.Context, model inference.TextModel,
+    input io.Reader, output io.Writer, opts ...ClassifyOption) (*ClassifyStats, error)
+```
+
+Caller manages model lifecycle — load once, classify multiple files.
+
+## Configuration
+
+```go
+type ClassifyOption func(*classifyConfig)
+
+type classifyConfig struct {
+    BatchSize      int    // default 8
+    PromptField    string // JSONL field containing text to classify (default "prompt")
+    PromptTemplate string // template with %s placeholder for text
+}
+
+func WithBatchSize(n int) ClassifyOption
+func WithPromptField(field string) ClassifyOption
+func WithPromptTemplate(tmpl string) ClassifyOption
+```
+
+## Data Flow
+
+```
+input JSONL → read line → unmarshal to map[string]any → extract prompt field
+    → accumulate batch (8 prompts) → model.Classify(ctx, batch, WithMaxTokens(1))
+    → parse token → map to 4-way domain → add "domain_1b" to map → marshal → write line
+```
+
+## Prompt Template
+
+Default:
+
+```
+Classify this text into exactly one category: technical, creative, ethical, casual.
+
+Text: %s
+
+Category:
+```
+
+Model generates one token. Map first character: t→technical, c→creative/casual (disambiguate by checking full token), e→ethical. Fallback: "unknown".
+
+## Token-to-Domain Mapping
+
+```go
+func mapTokenToDomain(token string) string
+```
+
+Strategy: lowercase the token text, match prefix:
+- "tech" → technical
+- "cre" → creative
+- "eth" → ethical
+- "cas" → casual
+- anything else → "unknown"
+
+## Return Type
+
+```go
+type ClassifyStats struct {
+    Total         int
+    Skipped       int            // malformed lines
+    ByDomain      map[string]int // domain_1b label → count
+    Duration      time.Duration
+    PromptsPerSec float64
+}
+```
+
+## Error Handling
+
+- Malformed JSON lines: skip, increment Skipped counter
+- Missing prompt field: skip, increment Skipped
+- Model Classify error: return immediately (GPU errors are fatal)
+- Partial batch at EOF: flush normally
+- Context cancellation: return partial stats + context error
+
+## File Location
+
+`classify.go` in root package. Build tag: none (but `inference` import means consumers need go-inference).
+
+**Important**: go-inference is a soft dependency. The classify.go file imports it, but the core grammar engine (PastTense, Gerund, etc.) does not. Consumers who only need grammar primitives never touch classify.go.
+
+## Testing
+
+- `classify_test.go`: unit tests with mock TextModel (satisfies interface, returns canned tokens)
+- `classify_integration_test.go` with `//go:build integration`: real model, real JSONL, validates throughput target (152+ prompts/sec)
+
+## Performance Target
+
+88K corpus at 152 prompts/sec = ~10 minutes. Batch size 8 balances throughput and memory.
+
+## Dependencies Added
+
+```
+require forge.lthn.ai/core/go-inference v0.0.0
+require forge.lthn.ai/core/go-mlx v0.0.0
+
+replace forge.lthn.ai/core/go-inference => ../go-inference
+replace forge.lthn.ai/core/go-mlx => ../go-mlx
+```
+
+go-mlx registers the "metal" backend via `init()` — import with blank identifier in integration tests and any CLI caller.