RFC‑002 — Corridor Universes (Dev / Test / QA / Prod)

Status: Drafted
Author(s): Nawder Loswin, Copilot
Created: 2025‑10‑23
Lineage: Follows RFC‑001 (Triadic Validator Framework); precedes RFC‑003 (Attestation & Badges), RFC‑004 (Entft Invariants)

Abstract#

The Corridor Universes Model defines a four‑layer environment architecture — Dev, Test, QA, and Prod — designed to enforce safety, lineage, and attestation across universe‑scale simulations and AI‑augmented workflows.
Artifacts must pass triadic validation (causal, functional, cognitive) before promotion.
Rollback and forensic capture are built into the corridor design.

This RFC establishes the structural backbone for controlled evolution of artifacts within TriadicFrameworks.

Motivation#

Unstructured experimentation risks contaminating stable universes.
The Corridor Universes model provides:

• safe sandboxes for exploration
• deterministic replay for testing
• adversarial stress environments for QA
• narrow, invariant corridors for production

This mirrors proven software lifecycles but extends them into resonance‑time environments, corridor physics, and validator‑grade lineage systems.

Corridor Layers#

1. Dev Universe#

Purpose: rapid iteration, stochastic exploration
Constraints: minimal, exploratory
Validation: lightweight triadic checks
Notes: entropy budgets are intentionally loose; ideal for prototyping and chaotic ideation.

2. Test Universe#

Purpose: deterministic replay and reproducibility
Constraints: seeded inputs, fixed entropy budgets
Validation: constraint coverage, lineage traceability
Notes: artifacts must demonstrate stable behavior under controlled conditions.

3. QA Universe#

Purpose: edge‑case stress, chaos testing
Constraints: rupture hygiene, failure catalogs
Validation: resilience under adversarial conditions
Notes: designed to break things safely; drift amplification permitted for diagnostic capture.

4. Prod Universe#

Purpose: narrow corridor, stable operation
Constraints: strict invariants, resonance budgets
Validation: full triadic proofs; attestation receipts required
Notes: only artifacts with complete lineage manifests and validator‑grade receipts may enter.

Promotion Gates#

Artifacts may only advance if they satisfy corridor‑specific gates:

• Dev → Test

  • deterministic seed replay
  • lineage manifest present

• Test → QA

  • constraint coverage ≥ 95%
  • failure catalog updated

• QA → Prod

  • attestation receipt signed
  • rollback plan precomputed

Promotion is strictly one‑directional unless rollback is triggered.

Rollback & Forensics#

Rollback#

Each promotion stores a restore point.
Demotion is automatic on invariant breach.

Forensics#

Failed promotions trigger capture of:

• inputs
• seeds
• diffs
• constraint violations
• lineage anomalies

Curators review forensic bundles before re‑admission.

Specification#

Environment Manifests#

Define corridor constraints, entropy budgets, invariants, and resonance envelopes.

Example schema:
/docs/schemas/corridor_env_manifest.json

Environment manifests ensure that each corridor maintains its structural identity and safety envelope.

Validator Echo#

“Corridors are not walls.
They are rails — guiding artifacts from chaos to clarity.”