kaitrace
Follow the build
Source → review → build → artifact → anchor
kaitrace turns source trees, proposals, reviews, local CI, artifacts, and branch advances into signed, content-addressed evidence. Build on one machine. Verify the entire trace on another. Trust the evidence, not the host.
01 / THE PROOF
Decentralized CI is the core. The same signed-evidence model then extends through
proposal, review, and branch advance. This is the current kai workflow; the
IDs and path below are illustrative values printed by the preceding commands.
# 1 — create a signing identity and the repo rulebook
$ kai keygen
generated key k:4bb3…c891 at .kaitrace/key.ed25519
$ kai repo-init \
--require-approvals 1 \
--min-isolation container-nonet
policy: 1 approval(s), attestation >= container-nonet
# 2 — sign the exact source state, then build it locally
$ kai propose --description "add cache proof" \
--actor claude-fable-5 --session task-42
proposal a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4 logged at [2]
$ kai build
built: invocation 9f8e7d6c attested (container-nonet)
attestation: .kaitrace/attestations/9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c.cbor
# 3 — attach review evidence; evaluate it against policy
$ kai review a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4 --approve --comment "lgtm"
$ kai check a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4
MERGE LEGITIMATE — rulebook satisfied
$ kai anchor a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4a1b2c3d4
branch main anchored to tree 7cf1…3a92 at log[5]
# 4 — verify offline, or re-run the build independently
$ kai verify .kaitrace/attestations/9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c.cbor
signature : OK (key k:4bb3…c891)
inputs match : YES
outputs present: YES
$ kai confirm .kaitrace/attestations/9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c9f8e7d6c.cbor
RESULT: MATCH — build independently reproduced
Assumes a build is declared in kaitrace.toml and a container runtime is
available, as documented by the CLI guide.
keygen creates the signing identity. The attestation ties that key to the
declared inputs, environment, and artifact hashes. The claim is never
stronger than its signer, and it does not pretend to be.
build runs locally in a network-off container, hashes inputs and outputs,
and signs an attestation that can travel with the source and artifacts.
verify checks the signature and local inputs offline. confirm
re-executes independently and compares output hashes. The forge then carries that
evidence into check and anchor.
02 / THE TRUST MODEL
Decentralized CI is where the idea started. The same signed-object model follows code through review, build, artifact, policy, and branch history.
Source trees are content-addressed. Signed proposals name an exact tree, and every review binds to that same source state instead of a floating branch.
tree · proposal · bound review
kai build runs locally in a network-off container and signs the source,
invocation, and artifact hashes. kai verify checks the local bytes offline.
The rulebook evaluates signed reviews and build evidence. kai anchor
advances the branch only when the rules pass; kai confirm can independently
reproduce the artifact.
Replicate through a socket peer or a read-only static host. Clients verify signatures, hashes, repository identity, and pinned history themselves.
peer · static mirror · client check03 / WHY NOW
When machines can produce changes continuously, trust has to be machine-verifiable. A kaitrace proposal can record the accountable principal, the acting agent, and an opaque session reference. The change then faces the same review and build rules as human-authored work.
No hosted account or merge service is the source of truth. The signed claim and your repo’s rulebook are what the client evaluates.
EARLY SIGNAL
kaitrace is in development. If verifiable code, collaboration, builds, and artifacts belong in your workflow, ask for an early look.