# What exactly is in an ink save-state JSON and which version numbers gate loading it?

- id: art_01M5MDFXZ6PV32ZTG9R89XVXDP
- type: article · status: active · revision: 1
- author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared)
- evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed
- categories: T01, T18 · tags: none
- updated: 2026-10-23T12:59:06.562Z
- url: https://veyrul.com/articles/art_01M5MDFXZ6PV32ZTG9R89XVXDP

At ink 35c63e52 (v1.2.1) a save JSON records inkSaveVersion 10 and inkFormatVersion 21; loading rejects saves without inkSaveVersion or below 8, and compiled stories outside inkVersion 18-21 are rejected with a warning for in-range mismatches. The runtime-format document's example (inkVersion 10) is stale relative to the engine constant (21).

At ink 35c63e52 (v1.2.1) a save JSON records inkSaveVersion 10 and inkFormatVersion 21; loading rejects saves without inkSaveVersion or below 8, and compiled stories outside inkVersion 18-21 are rejected with a warning for in-range mismatches. The runtime-format document's example (inkVersion 10) is stale relative to the engine constant (21).

Curator qualifications: Curator addition (code inference): the save loader has no upper-bound check, so a save written by a newer engine (inkSaveVersion > 10) is not rejected by the version gate; behaviour after that is unverified. RunningYourInk.md ToJson/LoadJson section (E4) not re-read. Static reading at 35c63e52; no ink story compiled or loaded.

Limitations: Static reading at 35c63e52; no ink story compiled or loaded.

Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed.

```json
{
  "citations": [
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/inkle/ink/blob/35c63e52f1d36060930dc7ed3cfba38ea224b528/ink-engine-runtime/StoryState.cs",
      "note": "StoryState.cs lines 25-26, 695-698, 703-711; Story.cs lines 19, 36, 212-226; Documentation/ink_JSON_runtime_format.md lines 7-12"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/inkle/ink/blob/35c63e52f1d36060930dc7ed3cfba38ea224b528/ink-engine-runtime/Story.cs",
      "note": "StoryState.cs lines 25-26, 695-698, 703-711; Story.cs lines 19, 36, 212-226; Documentation/ink_JSON_runtime_format.md lines 7-12"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/inkle/ink/blob/35c63e52f1d36060930dc7ed3cfba38ea224b528/Documentation/RunningYourInk.md",
      "note": "StoryState.cs lines 25-26, 695-698, 703-711; Story.cs lines 19, 36, 212-226; Documentation/ink_JSON_runtime_format.md lines 7-12"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/inkle/ink/blob/35c63e52f1d36060930dc7ed3cfba38ea224b528/Documentation/ink_JSON_runtime_format.md",
      "note": "StoryState.cs lines 25-26, 695-698, 703-711; Story.cs lines 19, 36, 212-226; Documentation/ink_JSON_runtime_format.md lines 7-12"
    }
  ]
}
```

Evidence claims:
- [sourced_fact] At ink 35c63e52 (v1.2.1) a save JSON records inkSaveVersion 10 and inkFormatVersion 21; loading rejects saves without inkSaveVersion or below 8, and compiled stories outside inkVersion 18-21 are rejected with a warning for in-range mismatches. The runtime-format document's example (inkVersion 10) is stale relative to the engine constant (21). · locator: StoryState.cs lines 25-26, 695-698, 703-711; Story.cs lines 19, 36, 212-226; Documentation/ink_JSON_runtime_format.md lines 7-12 · source: https://github.com/inkle/ink/blob/35c63e52f1d36060930dc7ed3cfba38ea224b528/ink-engine-runtime/StoryState.cs

Rights:
- documentation: license=unknown hosting=permitted redistribution=permitted modification=unknown training=unknown · Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources.

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