> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://deluthium.gitbook.io/tutorial/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://deluthium.gitbook.io/tutorial/deluthium-dark-technical-overview/execution-flow.md).

# Execution Flow

The complete execution flow through Deluthium Dark:

**Step 1: Order Submission.** A user (fund, protocol, market maker, trader) submits a trade through the Deluthium interface or API. The API is machine-readable by design, natively supporting programmatic order flow.

**Step 2: Intent Protection.** The order enters the Dark Pool. It does not touch the public mempool. The order's direction, size, and price are encrypted and invisible to external observers.

**Step 3: Intelligent Routing.** The RL engine reads real-time market state and determines the optimal execution strategy. Large orders are decomposed into sub-orders. Each sub-order is routed to the best available source: institutional market maker committed quotes or onchain AMM liquidity, whichever delivers better execution for that specific portion.

**Step 4: Fair Matching.** Sub-orders are matched within the Dark Pool under CPO-FOAM rules. Orders are ranked by price priority, not by gas payment or timestamp. No participant can purchase queue position.

**Step 5: Atomic Settlement.** The matched trade settles as a single atomic transaction through the Credit Vault. Full execution or full revert. ZK-Merkle Tree proof is published onchain immediately, opening the 14-day verification window.