Architecture

Architecture

Start here if you want the public product shape before Runtime implementation details.

Core value

CARVES is a local control layer for long-running AI project work.

It gives large projects four things that plain chat does not keep stable:

• Project progression: a visible path from goal to card, plan, evidence, and review.
• Project memory: durable context about goals, boundaries, decisions, evidence, and handoff notes.
• Evidence: reviewable proof before accepting a result.
• Human control: accept, reject, and replan stay explicit.

Public product chain

1. Guard checks AI-generated patch boundaries.
2. Handoff records session continuity for the next human or agent.
3. Audit discovers local Guard and Handoff evidence.
4. Shield evaluates shield-evidence.v0 into local G/H/A, Lite score, and badge output.
5. Matrix proves the local composition path and records a summary-only bundle.

What matters publicly

• CARVES is useful because it keeps AI work moving through a stable project structure.
• Long project memory means continuity of engineering context, not a magic memory database.
• Matrix is the composition proof layer, not a fifth governance engine.
• Shield output is a local self-check, not certification.
• Runtime owns product truth and compatibility wrappers.
• Site projects the public story and does not own product truth.