{"id":"lsm-tombstone-is-empty-bytes","text":"Deletion is represented as `TOMBSTONE = b\"\"` (empty bytes), which means empty-byte-string values and deleted keys are indistinguishable at the storage layer.","truth_value":"IN","source":"entries/2026/05/28/log-structured-merge-tree-lsm.md","source_url":"","source_hash":"","justifications":[],"dependents":[],"metadata":{"example":"TOMBSTONE = b\"\"\ndef delete(self, key):\n    self.put(key, TOMBSTONE)"},"explanation":{"steps":[{"node":"lsm-tombstone-is-empty-bytes","truth_value":"IN","reason":"premise"}]}}