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alknet/docs/architecture/README.md
glm-5.2 c62a6adc7b docs(architecture): resolve review #002 Tiers 1-3 — mechanical and consistency fixes 
Governance (Tier 2):
- Advance ADR-022 and ADR-023 from Proposed to Accepted (specs already
  depend on their types as source of truth)
- Amend ADR-015: mark Decision 3 and Assumption 6 as superseded by ADR-022;
  update handler_identity type to CompositionAuthority
- Amend ADR-002: note handle() signature revised by ADR-007 (BiStream → Connection)
- Amend ADR-004: note 'enrich/replace' AuthContext language superseded by
  ADR-011's immutability model; update to describe set_identity on Connection
- Update main README ADR table to show ADR-022/023 as Accepted

Spec-ADR consistency (Tier 3):
- Add abort_policy: AbortPolicy field to OperationContext struct (ADR-016
  Decision 6 mandated this but the spec omitted it)
- Define AbortPolicy enum (AbortDependents | ContinueRunning) with Default impl
- Add abort_policy to build_root_context and LocalOperationEnv::invoke()
- Define the OperationEnv trait explicitly with invoke() and
  invoke_with_policy() methods (was referenced as 'must remain a trait'
  but never defined)
- Specify From<StreamError> for HandlerError impl with exact variant mapping
- Add Connection::from_quinn() / from_iroh() constructors (was referenced
  as Connection::new() but never defined)
- Remove undefined CertAuthorityEntry placeholder from AuthPolicy v1 (will
  be added additively when alknet-ssh lands)
- Fix config.md key-differences table: rate limits are in DynamicConfig,
  not StaticConfig

Mechanical fixes (Tier 1):
- overview.md: 'closes the QUIC stream' → 'closes the connection' (stale
  from pre-ADR-007 model)
- overview.md: OQ-04 entry updated from stale 'defer to implementation'
  to 'resolved: static at startup'
- mnemonic-derivation.md: remove duplicate helper functions block (incomplete
  first copy, complete second copy)
- ADR-003: add iroh (feature-gated) to alknet-core dependency list, added
  by ADR-010
- ADR-021: fix ambiguous 'W1 drift issue from the vault review' cross-reference
- ADR-022: rephrase FromCall 'leaf locally' to 'leaf in the local registry'
- ADR-017: add error_schemas to from_call mirror list and services/schema
  step (inconsistency with ADR-023)
- ADR-016: fix self-referential citation ('ADR-016 Assumption 5' → 'Assumption 5')
- Add ScopedOperationEnv::empty(), allows(), new() and
  CompositionAuthority::none(), new() impl blocks (referenced but undefined)
- Add call.completed clarification for non-subscription calls
- Add services/schema leading-slash normalization note
- Crate README ADR tables: add missing ADR-013 (call), ADR-015 (core),
  ADR-006 + ADR-010 (vault)
- Vault README: add consolidated 'Known Source Drift' table tracking all
  four drift items (OsRng, unwrap, CURRENT_KEY_VERSION, spawn bug) in one
  place, including the two previously missing from README
2026-06-22 05:46:37 +00:00

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---
status: draft
last_updated: 2026-06-22-20
---
# Alknet Architecture
## Current State
**Pre-implementation.** The project has completed a pivot from a three-layer model to an ALPN-as-service model. The greenfield workspace contains only `alknet-vault` (stable — implementation exists) and research/reference material. Foundational ADRs (001–023) are in place, including the BiStream type definition (ADR-007), vault integration (ADR-008), ALPN router/endpoint (ADR-010), AuthContext structure (ADR-011), call protocol stream model (ADR-012), Rust as canonical implementation language (ADR-013), secret material flow with capability injection (ADR-014), privilege model with authority context (ADR-015), abort cascade for nested calls (ADR-016), call protocol client and adapter contract (ADR-017), vault standalone crate (ADR-018), vault assembly-layer-only access (ADR-019), HD derivation for encryption keys (ADR-020), key rotation via version-indexed paths (ADR-021), handler registration, provenance, and composition authority (ADR-022), and operation error schemas (ADR-023). The alknet-core, alknet-call, and alknet-vault crate specs are in draft.
**Next step**: Review the vault spec documents, then begin implementation. All open questions for the core and call crates are resolved; the vault crate has one deferred OQ (OQ-21, remote vault administration) that does not block implementation.
## Architecture Documents
| Document | Status | Description |
|----------|--------|-------------|
| [overview.md](overview.md) | draft | Workspace-level overview, crate graph, shared types, design principles |
| [open-questions.md](open-questions.md) | draft | Centralized OQ tracker with door-type classifications |
| [crates/core/README.md](crates/core/README.md) | draft | alknet-core crate index |
| [crates/core/core-types.md](crates/core/core-types.md) | draft | ProtocolHandler, HandlerError, Connection, BiStream, StreamError |
| [crates/core/endpoint.md](crates/core/endpoint.md) | draft | ALPN router, HandlerRegistry, accept loop, shutdown |
| [crates/core/auth.md](crates/core/auth.md) | draft | AuthContext, Identity, IdentityProvider, AuthToken, resolution flow |
| [crates/core/config.md](crates/core/config.md) | draft | StaticConfig, DynamicConfig, ArcSwap, ConfigReloadHandle |
| [crates/call/README.md](crates/call/README.md) | draft | alknet-call crate index |
| [crates/call/call-protocol.md](crates/call/call-protocol.md) | draft | CallAdapter, EventEnvelope framing, stream model, PendingRequestMap, bidirectional calls, streaming subscribe example |
| [crates/call/operation-registry.md](crates/call/operation-registry.md) | draft | OperationSpec, Handler, OperationRegistry, AccessControl, capability injection, service discovery, irpc integration |
| [crates/vault/README.md](crates/vault/README.md) | draft | alknet-vault crate index |
| [crates/vault/mnemonic-derivation.md](crates/vault/mnemonic-derivation.md) | draft | BIP39, SLIP-0010, BIP-0032, derivation paths, key types |
| [crates/vault/encryption.md](crates/vault/encryption.md) | draft | AES-256-GCM, EncryptedData, key versioning, salt (Phase B reserved) |
| [crates/vault/service.md](crates/vault/service.md) | draft | VaultServiceHandle lifecycle, actor dispatch, cache, error model |
| [crates/vault/protocol.md](crates/vault/protocol.md) | draft | VaultProtocol irpc messages, DerivedKey redaction, serialization |
## ADR Table
| ADR | Title | Status |
|-----|-------|--------|
| [001](decisions/001-alpn-protocol-dispatch.md) | ALPN-Based Protocol Dispatch | Accepted |
| [002](decisions/002-protocol-handler-trait.md) | ProtocolHandler Trait | Accepted |
| [003](decisions/003-crate-decomposition.md) | Crate Decomposition | Accepted |
| [004](decisions/004-auth-as-shared-core.md) | Auth as Shared Core (IdentityProvider) | Accepted |
| [005](decisions/005-irpc-as-call-protocol-foundation.md) | irpc as Call Protocol Foundation | Accepted |
| [006](decisions/006-alpn-convention-and-connection-model.md) | ALPN String Convention and Connection Model | Accepted |
| [007](decisions/007-bistream-type-definition.md) | BiStream Type Definition | Accepted |
| [008](decisions/008-secret-service-integration.md) | Vault Integration Point | Accepted |
| [009](decisions/009-one-way-door-decision-framework.md) | One-Way Door Decision Framework | Accepted |
| [010](decisions/010-alpn-router-and-endpoint.md) | ALPN Router and Endpoint | Accepted |
| [011](decisions/011-authcontext-structure.md) | AuthContext Structure and Resolution Flow | Accepted |
| [012](decisions/012-call-protocol-stream-model.md) | Call Protocol Stream Model | Accepted |
| [013](decisions/013-rust-canonical-implementation.md) | Rust as Canonical Implementation Language | Accepted |
| [014](decisions/014-secret-material-flow-and-capability-injection.md) | Secret Material Flow and Capability Injection | Accepted |
| [015](decisions/015-privilege-model-and-authority-context.md) | Privilege Model and Authority Context | Accepted |
| [016](decisions/016-abort-cascade-for-nested-calls.md) | Abort Cascade for Nested Calls | Accepted |
| [017](decisions/017-call-protocol-client-and-adapter-contract.md) | Call Protocol Client and Adapter Contract | Accepted |
| [018](decisions/018-vault-standalone-crate.md) | Vault as Standalone Crate | Accepted |
| [019](decisions/019-vault-assembly-layer-only.md) | Vault Assembly-Layer-Only Access | Accepted |
| [020](decisions/020-hd-derivation-for-encryption-keys.md) | HD Derivation for Encryption Keys | Accepted |
| [021](decisions/021-key-rotation-via-version-indexed-paths.md) | Key Rotation via Version-Indexed Paths | Accepted |
| [022](decisions/022-handler-registration-provenance-and-composition-authority.md) | Handler Registration, Provenance, and Composition Authority | Accepted |
| [023](decisions/023-operation-error-schemas.md) | Operation Error Schemas | Accepted |
## Open Questions
See [open-questions.md](open-questions.md) for the full tracker.
**Resolved one-way doors:**
- **OQ-01**: BiStream type — trait with Connection parameter (ADR-007)
- **OQ-02**: AuthContext timing — hybrid model (ADR-004)
- **OQ-03**: ALPN naming — `alknet/` prefix, no version (ADR-006)
- **OQ-05**: Multi-connectivity endpoint — quinn + iroh, both feature-gated (ADR-010)
- **OQ-06**: ALPN per connection, not per stream (ADR-006)
- **OQ-08**: Vault integration — CLI-embedded, assembly-layer only (ADR-008, ADR-014)
- **OQ-16**: Safe vault operations for call protocol exposure — none for now (ADR-014)
- **OQ-18**: Privilege model — `internal` = authority switch, External/Internal visibility, handler identity + scoped env (ADR-015)
- **OQ-17**: Abort cascade — `call.aborted` cascades to descendants; default `abort-dependents`, `continue-running` opt-in (ADR-016)
- **OQ-15**: Call protocol client and adapter contract — `CallClient` opens connections; `from_call` imports remote ops; connection direction independent of call direction (ADR-017)
**Resolved two-way doors:**
- **OQ-04**: Dynamic handler registration — static at startup (ADR-010)
- **OQ-07**: Call protocol scope — bidirectional streams, EventEnvelope, ID-based correlation (ADR-012)
- **OQ-11**: Handler-level auth resolution observability — handlers store resolved identity on Connection (Option B); two identity scopes: connection-level (observability) and per-request (ACL)
- **OQ-12**: TLS identity provisioning — two use cases: RFC 7250 raw keys (default, P2P) and X.509 certs (domain-hosted, browsers). ACME is a proven pattern.
- **OQ-13**: Operation path format — `/{service}/{op}` is the correct design for alknet-call, not a simplification
- **OQ-14**: Batch operation semantics — multiple correlated `call.requested` events is the correct protocol design, not a simplification
- **OQ-19**: Session-scoped registries — agent-written operations via `OperationEnv` trait layering; protocol doesn't need changes; `OperationEnv` must remain a trait
- **OQ-20**: Encryption key derivation — HD derivation from BIP39 seed, not PBKDF2; salt field unused in v2 (wire-format compat) (ADR-020)
- **OQ-22**: Key rotation — version-indexed derivation paths; `rotate` method re-encrypts (ADR-021)
- **OQ-23**: Handler identity registration path — registration bundle with provenance, composition authority, scoped env, capabilities (ADR-022)
- **OQ-24**: Operation error schemas — declared domain errors with typed `details` payload; adapter fidelity for `from_openapi`/`to_openapi` (ADR-023)
**Deferred (not active):**
- **OQ-09**: WASM target boundaries — design constraint, not deliverable
- **OQ-10**: Git adapter scope — start with smart protocol, add ERC721 later
- **OQ-21**: Remote vault access — protocol is remote-capable by construction (irpc `RemoteService`); enabling is a server-setup change with an auth-wrapping handler in the assembly layer; `Unlock`/`Lock` are local-only
## Document Lifecycle
| Status | Meaning | Transitions |
|--------|---------|-------------|
| `draft` | Under active development. May change significantly. | → `reviewed` when open questions are resolved |
| `reviewed` | Architecture is final. Implementation may begin. Changes require review. | → `stable` when implementation is complete and verified |
| `stable` | Locked. Changes require review and may warrant an ADR. | → `deprecated` when superseded |
| `deprecated` | Superseded. Kept for reference. | Removed when no longer referenced |
## References
- Pivot proposal: `docs/research/pivot/alpn-service-architecture.md`
- Cleanup plan: `docs/research/pivot/cleanup-plan.md`
- SDD process: `docs/sdd_process.md`
- Reference implementation: `/workspace/@alkdev/alknet-main/`
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