---
description: "Read a cell's metadata and evidence"
---

# Read Cell

Read a cell's current state, metadata, and evidence.

## Usage

```python
from petri.graph.colony import deserialize_colony
from pathlib import Path
import json

# Read cell metadata
cell_dir = Path("$petri_dir/petri-dishes/{colony}/{level}-{seq}")
metadata = json.loads((cell_dir / "metadata.json").read_text())

# Read evidence
evidence = (cell_dir / "evidence.md").read_text()

# Load full colony graph
colony_dir = Path("$petri_dir/petri-dishes/{colony}")
graph, colony = deserialize_colony(colony_dir, dish_id="{dish_id}")

# Get specific cell
cell = graph.get_cell("{cell_id}")
```

## Cell File Structure

```
.petri/petri-dishes/{colony}/{level}-{seq}/
├── evidence.md      # Human-readable research/evidence
├── events.jsonl     # Append-only event log (source of truth)
└── metadata.json    # Cell attributes (status, level, dependencies)
```
