fraware · Oct 15, 2026 · Oct 15, 2026 · Oct 15, 2026 · Oct 15, 2026 · Oct 15, 2026
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -188,27 +188,28 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
       contents: read
-      checks: write
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4.4.0
         with:
-          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha || github.sha }}
+          # GitHub's pull_request github.sha is the synthetic merge preview.
+          ref: ${{ github.sha }}
+          fetch-depth: 2
           persist-credentials: false
-      - name: Strict emit-check on known-bad diff
+      - name: Strict Action must reject caller-selected unbound input
         id: ovk
         continue-on-error: true
         uses: ./
         with:
           mode: strict
           use-check: "true"
-          emit-check: "true"
+          emit-check: "false"
           changed-files: examples/ci_secrets/workflow_secrets_on_pr.diff
           post-comment: "false"
-      - name: Assert strict block and observable check
+      - name: Assert unsafe input refused before verification
         run: |
           test "${{ steps.ovk.outcome }}" = "failure"
-          test "${{ steps.ovk.outputs.recommendation }}" = "block"
-          test "${{ steps.ovk.outputs.exit_code }}" = "1"
+          test ! -f ovk-source-binding.json
+          test ! -f ovk-evidence.json
 
   action_default_diff_dogfood:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -217,7 +218,8 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4.4.0
         with:
-          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha || github.sha }}
+          # Match the actual GitHub event checkout subject, not PR-head.
+          ref: ${{ github.sha }}
           fetch-depth: 2
           persist-credentials: false
       - name: Exercise automatic diff collection
@@ -231,6 +233,20 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           test -f ovk-evidence.json
           test -f ovk-evidence-quality.json
+          test -f ovk-source-binding.json
+          python - <<'PY'
+          import json
+          import os
+          from pathlib import Path
+          r = json.loads(Path("ovk-source-binding.json").read_text())
+          assert r["evaluated_checkout_commit_sha"] == os.environ["GITHUB_SHA"]
+          assert r["evidence_subject_sha"] == os.environ["GITHUB_SHA"]
+          if os.environ["GITHUB_EVENT_NAME"] == "pull_request":
+              assert r["input_comparison"] == "event_base_to_verified_merge_preview"
+              assert r["input_structurally_bound_to_checkout"] is True
+          assert r["bound_into_signed_evidence_envelope"] is False
+          assert r["production_reliance_authorized"] is False
+          PY
           ovk evidence-quality ovk-evidence.json
 
   package:

diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
@@ -1,11 +1,202 @@
-Apache License
-Version 2.0, January 2004
-http://www.apache.org/licenses/
 
-Copyright 2026 fraware
+                                 Apache License
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-Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
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diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 include README.md
 include LICENSE
+include NOTICE
 recursive-include schemas *.json
 recursive-include templates *.intent.json
 recursive-include adapters *.json

diff --git a/NOTICE b/NOTICE
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Open Verification Kernel
+
+Copyright 2026 fraware
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See the LICENSE file for the complete terms.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 [![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-Apache--2.0-blue.svg)](LICENSE)
 [![Python](https://img.shields.io/badge/python-3.10%2B-blue.svg)](pyproject.toml)
 [![FormalPR-Bench](https://img.shields.io/endpoint?url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fraware/open-verification-kernel/main/docs/benchmarks/leaderboard-badge.json)](docs/benchmarks/latest-leaderboard-summary.json)
-[![Docs](https://img.shields.io/badge/docs-v1.3.0--rc.1-green.svg)](docs/README.md)
+[![Docs](https://img.shields.io/badge/docs-development--candidate-informational.svg)](docs/README.md)
 
 [Quick start](#quick-start) · [Add to CI](#github-actions) · [Contribute](#contribute) · [Documentation](docs/README.md)
 
@@ -95,10 +95,12 @@ ovk repair-suggest --evidence ovk-evidence.json
 
 ---
 
-## Quick start
+## Quick start (local development snapshot)
 
 **Requirements:** Python 3.10+
 
+These commands clone current, unreleased development `main`. They are for local inspection and experimentation; they do **not** install an attributable published release or qualify a strict production gate.
+
 ```bash
 git clone https://github.com/fraware/open-verification-kernel.git
 cd open-verification-kernel
@@ -129,7 +131,7 @@ Installation, package, optional-solver, and signing paths: [docs/INTEGRATION.md]
 
 ## GitHub Actions
 
-Add OVK to a pull request workflow. Start in **advisory** mode (reports findings without failing the job); move to **strict** only for lanes/profiles whose signal and trusted inputs you have calibrated for that repository.
+Add OVK to a pull request workflow in **advisory** mode, with the repository maintainer's consent and no merge-blocking authority. The current public source profiles lack independent strict qualification; strict enforcement is a separate release, evidence, and source-model security decision.
 
 ```yaml
 name: Verify PR
@@ -139,25 +141,30 @@ on:
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
-  pull-requests: write
-  checks: write   # required when emit-check: true
 
 jobs:
   ovk:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: fraware/open-verification-kernel@v1.3.0-rc.1
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 2
+          persist-credentials: false
+      # SHA of the latest published v1.2.1 release's direct source commit.
+      # Change this only after reviewing the release identity and limits.
+      - uses: fraware/open-verification-kernel@a27d5720f4350c00bca34f71d991c31f5a2f38c7
+        env:
+          OVK_PACKAGE_VERSION: "1.2.1"
         with:
-          mode: advisory          # switch to strict only after calibration
-          use-check: "true"       # analyze the PR diff automatically
-          emit-check: "true"      # optional; requires checks: write
-          post-comment: "true"    # requires pull-requests: write
+          mode: advisory          # reviewed, non-blocking compatibility pilot
+          use-check: "true"       # legacy automatic PR-diff path; not a signed receipt
+          emit-check: "false"     # no check-write authority
+          post-comment: "false"   # no comment-write authority
 ```
 
-Pin target is `v1.3.0-rc.1` only after the attributable tag/release exists. Until then, do not treat that tag as a live install surface; see [docs/CURRENT_RELEASE_STATUS.md](docs/CURRENT_RELEASE_STATUS.md).
+**Release safety boundary (verified 2026-10-15):** `v1.3.0-rc.1` is not published or tagged. This example runs **historical `v1.2.1` code**, pinned to its original source commit; it does not include the draft guarantee-continuity feature or the new fail-closed installer. **The `v1.2.1` Action falls back to its checkout if the requested PyPI version fails to install.** Do not treat that installation as independently authenticated solely because `OVK_PACKAGE_VERSION` is set. The old Git tag is unsigned, and its GitHub Release is not marked immutable. The corrected installation contract in draft PR #220 takes effect only in a later, independently authorized release. Until then use the checkout examples for development or a separately governed, consenting **advisory-only** experiment. See [release status](docs/CURRENT_RELEASE_STATUS.md), [pilot playbook](docs/EXTERNAL_PILOT_PLAYBOOK.md), and [launch checklist](docs/DEVELOPER_PREVIEW_READINESS.md).
 
-Copy a full consumer example: [`examples/github_workflows/external_consumer.yml`](examples/github_workflows/external_consumer.yml)
+Copy the **minimal advisory-only** consumer example: [`examples/github_workflows/external_consumer.yml`](examples/github_workflows/external_consumer.yml). It uses the historical Action and discloses its fallback limitation; it does not enable strict enforcement or require write tokens.
 
 ---