Glossary

The ledger

Ledger

A chain of signed entries written in order, which can only be appended to; after a handover, a new key continues it. One for each role. (ledger)

Entry

One item of a ledger, carrying its author’s signature and the ID of the entry before it. (entry)

Content fingerprint

A 32-byte digest computed from a run of bytes; change one byte of the content and the fingerprint changes beyond recognition. (digest, SHA-256)

Create the ledger

The root of the ledger, its first entry. (genesis)

Anchored record

An entry that records the content fingerprint of one record. (history)

Note on entry

An entry that adds a note to an earlier entry. (annotation)

Adoption

An entry that brings anchors this key put on chain earlier into the ledger. (adoption)

Key change or handover

An entry that hands the ledger to a new key. (succession)

Deletion

An entry that marks a record as deleted; a reading convention of this app. (retraction)

Recorded for

The app, their identity, their reference and their role, optionally filled in when recording and written into the entry as they are.

Anchoring

Put on chain (anchor)

Send entries in an Ethereum transaction. (anchor)

Registry contract

A small contract on chain that emits an event for every fingerprint it receives, shared by everyone. (registry)

Pending

Entries written to the ledger and queued to be sent.

First anchor block time

The time of the block in which an entry first went on chain.

Ledger check

The result of comparing every local entry with the anchors on chain; “Confirmed” rests on it. (audit)

Auto put on chain

A setting that, when on, opens the “Put on chain” card right after writing.

Grants

Grant

An entry that lets an address use a record for a period of time, with the fingerprint of a terms file. (grant)

Revocation

An entry that revokes a grant. (revocation)

Terms file

The file that sets out what a grant means; the grant records its fingerprint. (terms)

Grant code

A line of text starting with zikaron-grant:, enough to verify the signature and validity.

Grant file

A .zkgrant file carrying the issuer’s ledger, enough for the full check.

Sublicense

A grant a User writes in their own ledger on the strength of a grant they hold, passing it on to someone else.

Credential

Proof of a grant for a third party: a text file and a QR code. (badge)

Revocation watch

The check after each re-verification for grants revoked and issuer ledgers handed over.

Presenting and verifying

Record kit

A folder exported from a ledger, holding the chosen entries, the original files and the on-chain proofs. (disclosure kit)

Six checks

The six items checked one by one when verifying a grant: grant signature, issuer ledger intact, in the issuer’s ledger, confirmed on chain, within validity, not revoked.

All passed, Has gaps, Failed

The three verdicts of a check. (GREEN, PARTIAL, FAIL)

Depth readings

Three numbers: first recorded, max depth and continuity. (depth)

Published address

The https address where you put record kits online.

Due diligence

Before taking a grant, checking whether active grants already in the other side’s ledger overlap the period you need.

Identities and data

Identity

A set of signing keys and the data under it. Either a recovery-phrase identity or a local-key identity.

Role

Recorder or User, each with its own key, address and ledger.

Identity chip

The card at the top of the sidebar showing the current identity; click it to switch, create or import identities.

Recovery phrase

12 words that derive a recovery-phrase identity’s two keys again.

Primary identity

The identity whose credentials can reset a forgotten passcode.

Passcode

8 letters or digits that open this machine’s key store.

Master key

The key that encrypts all local data, opened by the passcode.

Key store

The encrypted file on this machine that holds the keys.

Key file

One exported key in the standard keystore format, with a file password.

Whole-machine backup

One encrypted file holding every identity, key, data and setting, with the extension .zikaron.

Ledger mirror

A copy of the ledger exported for other tools to read.

Machine folder

Where the key store, the identity registry and the machine settings live; one per machine.

Data folder

Where one role of one identity keeps its ledger and settings.