Foundation
Architecture
Merkle tree verification. Append-only history. Ed25519 signing. Decentralized verification. The same cryptographic primitive as blockchain, without the computational overhead.
Foundation
Why Git
Git provides structural tamper evidence through its Merkle tree — the same cryptographic primitive that underpins blockchain, without the computational overhead. Verification is mathematical, not policy-based.
Merkle Tree Verification
Every commit produces a cryptographic hash. Altering any record invalidates all subsequent hashes. Tampering is structurally detectable by any observer.
Append-Only History
Records are added, never modified. No silent edits. No retroactive changes. The commit log is the authoritative, immutable record of every action taken.
Ed25519 Signing
Each record is cryptographically signed at the commit level. Authorship and integrity are independently verifiable without relying on a central authority.
Decentralized Verification
Any party with a repository clone can verify the complete history independently. No central authority required. No trust assumptions beyond the mathematics.
| Capability | etchgit | Database | Blockchain | Memory Tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamper-evident | ||||
| Append-only | ||||
| Decentralized | ||||
| Zero operational cost | ||||
| Agent-owned | ||||
| Open protocol | ||||
| Cryptographic signing | ||||
| Portable identity | ||||
| Regulatory compliance |
Capability Comparison
Ten-axis evaluation across identity infrastructure approaches