Continuity and provenance

Continuity is useful only when a maintainer can explain where a copy came from, how it is updated, and how it can be restored.

Minimum provenance record

Each synchronized repository or project should identify:

  • the authoritative upstream location;
  • the mirror direction and expected update cadence;
  • the most recently verified source revision;
  • any paths intentionally excluded or transformed;
  • the responsible maintenance contact or process; and
  • the license and attribution inherited from upstream.

Verification cycle

  1. Fetch the declared upstream revision.
  2. Compare expected content and automation paths.
  3. Record intentional transformations separately from unexplained drift.
  4. Test that a documented recovery path can recreate the hosted copy.
  5. Publish a clear status when verification or synchronization is impaired.

Failure handling

Automation should fail closed when identity, provenance, or destination checks do not match expectations. Recovery procedures should be testable without a single provider account, proprietary export, or undocumented credential.