diff --git a/examples/1603-platform-stb-image.sx b/examples/1603-platform-stb-image.sx
index de91481..94c0a37 100644
--- a/examples/1603-platform-stb-image.sx
+++ b/examples/1603-platform-stb-image.sx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #import "modules/std.sx";
-stb :: #import "modules/ffi/stb.sx";
+stb :: #import "vendors/stb_image/stb_image.sx";
 
 main :: () -> i32 {
     w: i32 = 0;
diff --git a/examples/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.sx b/examples/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea325de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+// The sx library ships stb_image: `#import "vendors/stb_image/
+// stb_image.sx"` resolves through the stdlib search paths and the
+// implementation compiles through the object cache. Decodes a 2x2
+// 24-bit BMP built in memory — fully deterministic: dimensions,
+// channel count, and the top-left pixel (blue) are pinned.
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+stb :: #import "vendors/stb_image/stb_image.sx";
+
+main :: () -> i32 {
+    // BITMAPFILEHEADER (14) + BITMAPINFOHEADER (40) + 2 rows of
+    // 2 BGR pixels padded to 4-byte rows (8 each) = 70 bytes.
+    // Bottom row: red, green; top row: blue, white (BMP is bottom-up).
+    bmp : [70]u8 = .{
+        66, 77, 70, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 54, 0, 0, 0,
+        40, 0, 0, 0, 2, 0, 0, 0, 2, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 24, 0,
+        0, 0, 0, 0, 16, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
+        0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
+        0, 0, 255, 0, 255, 0, 0, 0,
+        255, 0, 0, 255, 255, 255, 0, 0,
+    };
+
+    w : i32 = 0;
+    h : i32 = 0;
+    ch : i32 = 0;
+    img := stb.stbi_load_from_memory(@bmp[0], 70, @w, @h, @ch, 3);
+    if xx img == 0 {
+        print("decode failed\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+    p : [*]u8 = xx img;
+    print("decoded {}x{} ({} channels)\n", w, h, ch);
+    print("top-left pixel: {} {} {}\n", p[0], p[1], p[2]);
+    stb.stbi_image_free(xx img);
+    0
+}
diff --git a/examples/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.sx b/examples/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3f6e2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// The sx library ships stb_truetype: `#import "vendors/stb_truetype/
+// stb_truetype.sx"` resolves through the stdlib search paths and the
+// implementation compiles through the object cache. Loads the system
+// Helvetica collection and pins INVARIANTS only (font versions vary
+// across macOS releases): init succeeds, the pixel-height scale is
+// positive, the ascender is positive and the descender negative.
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+fs :: #import "modules/std/fs.sx";
+tt :: #import "vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.sx";
+
+main :: () -> i32 {
+    data := fs.read_file("/System/Library/Fonts/Helvetica.ttc");
+    if data == null {
+        print("font missing\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+    bytes := data!;
+
+    off := tt.stbtt_GetFontOffsetForIndex(bytes.ptr, 0);
+    print("font offset >= 0: {}\n", off >= 0);
+
+    info : *void = xx context.allocator.alloc_bytes(256);
+    ok := tt.stbtt_InitFont(info, bytes.ptr, off);
+    print("init ok: {}\n", ok != 0);
+
+    px : f32 = 32.0;
+    scale := tt.stbtt_ScaleForPixelHeight(info, px);
+    print("scale > 0: {}\n", scale > 0.0);
+
+    ascent : i32 = 0;
+    descent : i32 = 0;
+    linegap : i32 = 0;
+    tt.stbtt_GetFontVMetrics(info, @ascent, @descent, @linegap);
+    print("ascent > 0, descent < 0: {} {}\n", ascent > 0, descent < 0);
+    0
+}
diff --git a/examples/expected/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.exit b/examples/expected/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.exit
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..573541a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/expected/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.exit
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0
diff --git a/examples/expected/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.stderr b/examples/expected/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.stderr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/examples/expected/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.stdout b/examples/expected/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.stdout
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a5559b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/expected/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.stdout
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+decoded 2x2 (3 channels)
+top-left pixel: 0 0 255
diff --git a/examples/expected/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.exit b/examples/expected/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.exit
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..573541a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/expected/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.exit
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0
diff --git a/examples/expected/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.stderr b/examples/expected/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.stderr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/examples/expected/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.stdout b/examples/expected/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.stdout
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e38258
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/expected/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.stdout
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+font offset >= 0: true
+init ok: true
+scale > 0: true
+ascent > 0, descent < 0: true true
diff --git a/library/modules/ffi/stb.sx b/library/modules/ffi/stb.sx
deleted file mode 100644
index 2197cce..0000000
--- a/library/modules/ffi/stb.sx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-#import c {
-    #include "vendors/stb_image/stb_image.h";
-    #source "vendors/stb_image/stb_image_impl.c";
-
-    #include "vendors/stb_image/stb_image_write.h";
-    #source "vendors/stb_image/stb_image_write_impl.c";
-};
diff --git a/library/modules/ffi/stb_truetype.sx b/library/modules/ffi/stb_truetype.sx
index b1cc40b..bcf5dcc 100644
--- a/library/modules/ffi/stb_truetype.sx
+++ b/library/modules/ffi/stb_truetype.sx
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-#import c {
-    #include "vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.h";
-    #source "vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype_impl.c";
+// Font stack for the ui modules: the sx-shipped stb_truetype
+// (vendors/stb_truetype/) plus the in-repo text-shaping companions
+// (file_utils, kb_text_shape — repo-root vendors/, not yet promoted
+// to the library).
+#import "vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.sx";
 
+#import c {
     #include "vendors/file_utils/file_utils.h";
     #source "vendors/file_utils/file_utils.c";
 
diff --git a/library/modules/ui/glyph_cache.sx b/library/modules/ui/glyph_cache.sx
index 7195555..275133c 100755
--- a/library/modules/ui/glyph_cache.sx
+++ b/library/modules/ui/glyph_cache.sx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #import "modules/gpu/types.sx";
 #import "modules/gpu/api.sx";
 #import "modules/ffi/stb_truetype.sx";
-#import "modules/ffi/stb.sx";
+#import "vendors/stb_image/stb_image.sx";
 #import "modules/ui/types.sx";
 
 // Cached glyph data with UV coordinates into the atlas texture
diff --git a/library/vendors/stb_image/README.md b/library/vendors/stb_image/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a59a717
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/vendors/stb_image/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# vendors/stb_image — image decode/encode for sx programs
+
+- stb_image: **v2.30**; stb_image_write: **v1.16** (version comments at
+  the top of each header)
+- Source: <https://github.com/nothings/stb> (`stb_image.h`,
+  `stb_image_write.h`)
+- License: public domain / MIT, dual (see the headers' license blocks)
+- Files: `c/stb_image.h` + `c/stb_image_impl.c`, `c/stb_image_write.h`
+  + `c/stb_image_write_impl.c` (each impl .c defines the
+  `*_IMPLEMENTATION` macro and includes its header)
+
+`#import "vendors/stb_image/stb_image.sx"` resolves through the stdlib
+search paths; the decls (`stbi_load`, `stbi_load_from_memory`,
+`stbi_image_free`, `stbi_write_png`, …) are synthesized from the
+headers, and the implementation compiles once per machine through sx's
+object cache. `examples/1625-vendor-stb-image-decode.sx` pins an
+in-memory BMP decode in the sx suite.
+
+To upgrade: replace the headers under `c/` with newer upstream copies,
+update this file, and rebuild (the object cache keys on source bytes).
diff --git a/vendors/stb_image/stb_image.h b/library/vendors/stb_image/c/stb_image.h
similarity index 100%
rename from vendors/stb_image/stb_image.h
rename to library/vendors/stb_image/c/stb_image.h
diff --git a/vendors/stb_image/stb_image_impl.c b/library/vendors/stb_image/c/stb_image_impl.c
similarity index 100%
rename from vendors/stb_image/stb_image_impl.c
rename to library/vendors/stb_image/c/stb_image_impl.c
diff --git a/vendors/stb_image/stb_image_write.h b/library/vendors/stb_image/c/stb_image_write.h
similarity index 100%
rename from vendors/stb_image/stb_image_write.h
rename to library/vendors/stb_image/c/stb_image_write.h
diff --git a/vendors/stb_image/stb_image_write_impl.c b/library/vendors/stb_image/c/stb_image_write_impl.c
similarity index 100%
rename from vendors/stb_image/stb_image_write_impl.c
rename to library/vendors/stb_image/c/stb_image_write_impl.c
diff --git a/library/vendors/stb_image/stb_image.sx b/library/vendors/stb_image/stb_image.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b7cc55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/vendors/stb_image/stb_image.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+// =====================================================================
+// vendors/stb_image — Sean Barrett's stb_image (decode) and
+// stb_image_write (encode) as one `#import c` unit (c/, see README.md
+// for versions + provenance).
+//
+// `#import "vendors/stb_image/stb_image.sx"` gives any sx program
+// image decode/encode with no system dependency and no build flags:
+// the decls are synthesized from the headers, and the implementation
+// compiles through sx's content-addressed object cache — once per
+// machine, not once per run.
+// =====================================================================
+
+#import c {
+    #include "c/stb_image.h";
+    #source  "c/stb_image_impl.c";
+
+    #include "c/stb_image_write.h";
+    #source  "c/stb_image_write_impl.c";
+};
diff --git a/library/vendors/stb_truetype/README.md b/library/vendors/stb_truetype/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5b19c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/vendors/stb_truetype/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# vendors/stb_truetype — font parsing/rasterization for sx programs
+
+- Version: **v1.26** (version comment at the top of the header)
+- Source: <https://github.com/nothings/stb> (`stb_truetype.h`)
+- License: public domain / MIT, dual (see the header's license block)
+- Files: `c/stb_truetype.h` + `c/stb_truetype_impl.c` (the impl .c
+  defines `STB_TRUETYPE_IMPLEMENTATION` and includes the header)
+
+`#import "vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.sx"` resolves through the
+stdlib search paths; the decls (`stbtt_InitFont`,
+`stbtt_ScaleForPixelHeight`, `stbtt_GetFontVMetrics`,
+`stbtt_MakeGlyphBitmap`, …) are synthesized from the header, and the
+implementation compiles once per machine through sx's object cache.
+`stbtt_fontinfo` is opaque on the sx side: allocate a 256-byte blob
+and pass its pointer (modules/ui/glyph_cache.sx is the reference
+consumer; `examples/1626-vendor-stb-truetype-metrics.sx` pins font
+init + metrics in the sx suite).
+
+To upgrade: replace `c/stb_truetype.h` with a newer upstream copy,
+update this file, and rebuild (the object cache keys on source bytes).
diff --git a/vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.h b/library/vendors/stb_truetype/c/stb_truetype.h
similarity index 100%
rename from vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.h
rename to library/vendors/stb_truetype/c/stb_truetype.h
diff --git a/vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype_impl.c b/library/vendors/stb_truetype/c/stb_truetype_impl.c
similarity index 100%
rename from vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype_impl.c
rename to library/vendors/stb_truetype/c/stb_truetype_impl.c
diff --git a/library/vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.sx b/library/vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d85ee5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// =====================================================================
+// vendors/stb_truetype — Sean Barrett's stb_truetype (TTF/TTC
+// parsing, glyph metrics, bitmap rasterization) as a `#import c` unit
+// (c/, see README.md for version + provenance).
+//
+// `#import "vendors/stb_truetype/stb_truetype.sx"` gives any sx
+// program font loading with no system dependency: the decls are
+// synthesized from the header, and the implementation compiles
+// through sx's content-addressed object cache. `stbtt_fontinfo` is
+// opaque on the sx side — allocate a 256-byte blob and pass its
+// pointer (see modules/ui/glyph_cache.sx for the established idiom).
+// =====================================================================
+
+#import c {
+    #include "c/stb_truetype.h";
+    #source  "c/stb_truetype_impl.c";
+};