The Decision Integrity Protocol (DIP) defines a standard for producing cryptographically verifiable records of automated decisions.
The protocol separates decision execution from decision verification.
decision ↓ Documentation Engine (dip-cli) ↓ Decision Artifact (artifact.json) ↓ Proof Generation ↓ Proof (proof.json) ↓ Portable Bundle (decision.dip) ↓ Independent Verification
The artifact is the signed representation of the decision.
It contains:
- decision content
- artifact identifier
- cryptographic signature
A proof demonstrates that the artifact was included in the decision ledger.
Proofs use a Merkle inclusion proof derived from the registry log.
A DIP bundle is a portable archive containing:
artifact.json proof.json
The bundle format uses the .dip extension.
Verification validates:
- artifact signature
- artifact integrity
- proof correctness
Verification must work without requiring access to the original system.
If verification succeeds:
artifact + proof + verifier = truth
The decision record is considered cryptographically valid.