# GOVP — Gemacode Open Value Protocol

> An open protocol for operational evidence. A GOVP-1 record is a small,
> self-contained, signed text object that binds a digital asset (identified by
> its SHA-256 fingerprint) to a publisher operating under a canonical domain
> identity. Verification is a pure function of the record: no network, no
> account, no cooperation from the issuer. Free software, MIT-licensed
> reference implementations, developed by Gemacode Research (Bilbao, EU).

## What GOVP proves — and what it does not

GOVP proves the **integrity and authorship** of a declaration: what was
declared, that it remains unchanged, that modifications are detectable, and
that any third party can verify this independently.

GOVP does **not** prove that the declaration is true, that a physical event
occurred as described, that an organization acted correctly, or that
compliance exists. Under the GOVP-BASIC profile the issuance timestamp is
issuer-asserted and NOT independently anchored — only the GOVP-RFC3161 or
GOVP-QTSP profiles, or independent witnesses, make time provable. Please do
not describe GOVP as proving truth, safety, approval or anchored time.

## Core facts

- Wire format: GOVP-1 (UTF-8 text, `Key: value` lines, `#` comments unsigned)
- Signature: Ed25519 (RFC 8032) over a domain-separated canonical signing input
- Domain separator: the 16 bytes `GOVP::record.v1` + 0x00
- Signing input: lowercased, trimmed, alphabetically sorted `key: value\n` lines
- Fingerprint: SHA-256
- Identifier: `GOVP-<TYPECODE>-<12 hex>`, derived from
  `sha256(asset-type + "\n" + asset-id + "\n" + asset-sha256)`
- Type codes: DOC, DATA, MODEL, AGENT, PIPE, BENCH
- Conformance suite: GOVP-CORE-CONFORMANCE-1 (8 golden vectors)
- Reference implementations: Python, JavaScript, Kotlin, PHP — all held to
  the same vectors
- Not a blockchain. No token, no consensus, no ledger, no central registry.

## Specification

- [Normative specification (HTML)](https://gemacode.org/govp/spec/govp-1.html): the citable, authoritative text
- [Normative specification (plain text)](https://gemacode.org/govp/spec/govp-1.txt): archivable edition
- [Conformance vectors](https://gemacode.org/govp/conformance/vectors.json): the executable definition of the format
- [JSON Schema](https://gemacode.org/govp/schemas/govp-1.schema.json): machine-readable record contract
- [OpenAPI](https://gemacode.org/govp/schemas/openapi.yaml): the HTTP surface of a node

## Documentation

- [Protocol overview](https://gemacode.org/govp/protocol.html): the four layers — record, sources (SVL), mesh and trust, conclusions
- [Quickstart](https://gemacode.org/govp/quickstart.html): browser, WordPress and CLI tracks
- [Worked examples](https://gemacode.org/govp/examples.html): a record field by field; a multi-source chain
- [Integration guide](https://gemacode.org/govp/integration.html): publishing, key custody, KMS/HSM signing, time anchoring
- [Glossary](https://gemacode.org/govp/glossary.html): the protocol vocabulary
- [Governance](https://gemacode.org/govp/governance.html): versioning, change process, compatibility, name use
- [Security policy](https://gemacode.org/govp/security.html): coordinated disclosure
- [Changelog](https://gemacode.org/govp/changelog.html)

## Try and adopt

- [Playground](https://gemacode.org/govp/playground.html): generate keys, sign and verify entirely in the browser
- [Verifier](https://gemacode.org/govp/verify.html): verify any record client-side
- [Platforms](https://gemacode.org/govp/platforms.html): desktop Studio, WordPress plugin, browser, libraries
- [Conformance center](https://gemacode.org/govp/conformance.html): prove your implementation
- [Adoption & brand kit](https://gemacode.org/govp/adopt.html): how to adopt and how to use the name

## Optional

- [Use cases](https://gemacode.org/govp/use-cases.html): manufacturing, quality, compliance, audit, ESG, software, AI agents, IoT sources, consortia
- [Trust model](https://gemacode.org/govp/trust-model.html): why a third party can rely on the evidence
- [The network](https://gemacode.org/govp/network.html): nodes, discovery, witnesses, consortium mode, T = V × I × Q
- [GOVP vs](https://gemacode.org/govp/compare.html): e-signatures, blockchains, RFC 3161, C2PA, in-toto — and when GOVP is the wrong tool
- [This site's own record](https://gemacode.org/.well-known/govp.txt)