[Epic] Scalar array types

[jsimnz]

At the moment Defra doesn't support scalar array/list types. Which is a notable missing feature.

The primary reason for this was waiting for a proper List/Array CRDT type to use for the array, otherwise it would need to be implemented using the Last-Write-Wins register, and that imposes some challenges for updating a list, like having to specify the entire array whenever changes are made.

We can get a PoC implementation going so there's a reference we can improve on, but the correct approach requires a List/Array MerkleCRDT.

• feat: Add support for lwwr scalar arrays (full replace on update) #115
• Make current inline-array types non-nillable #607
• Gql types permit nonsensical inline array filters  #528
• Aggregate: Filter for inline arrays #392
• No support for nil items within an inline array #425
• [Hackathon]: Explore N dimensional, circle-bufferable, array-based datatype #569

[AndrewSisley]

Some notes:

• Currently updates stick to JSON merge patch, which doesn't appear to support recursive indexing - meaning to stick to it arrays would need to be fully specified. Or we will need to break from JSON merge patch.

I can see a few simple implementation options here, that are not exclusive and we could add one at a time:

1. standard lwwr with full replace (JSON merge patch compliant) - horrible for quite a few use-cases though as noted in description, but much easier for others
2. point based patching - specify an index and value and lww on that index
3. range based patching - same as above but with a range
4. resize operations (maybe end only for now, or things might get complicated?)

Suggest we implement (1) to start with, then add the others (plus some) later? Could be handy to know verse's use-cases to know what to prioritize/get-ideas-for-other-fanciness

[AndrewSisley]

Remaining item is hackathon item, closing epic