The explorer draws why a flow exists and what checks its outcomes

examples/traceos-itself/observations/2026-09.jsonl

@@ -323,3 +323,5 @@
 {"assertion": "assert.reconcile.unverifiable-is-not-verified", "reference": "traceos/engine.py#Git", "observed_at": "2026-09-11T18:26:51.128266Z", "observed_ref": "03c9e6937f7b43525007da01fe2bb234d8c41712", "observed_blob": "a870a87f68df6f8f3608f43fe3e353e63c56e170", "observed_norm": "8d3e91f52e26d5b2f015b02c910bef33b0ea54e0", "supports": "supports", "observer": "agent", "kind": "implementation", "observed_symbol": "ab57e29fc8ce1e431dc098f762decf18e309ef3e"}
 {"assertion": "assert.understand.observes-before-asserting", "reference": "skills/understanding-system/SKILL.md#Record Evidence references, then observe", "observed_at": "2026-09-11T18:26:51.264951Z", "observed_ref": "03c9e6937f7b43525007da01fe2bb234d8c41712", "observed_blob": "7d4ed02c376c5ef0facae5ec50e75069e92355a2", "observed_norm": "cae3a5732f59f4ca4c57d9c39a483e748566b39d", "supports": "supports", "observer": "agent", "kind": "documentation", "observed_symbol": "9062a1bf06b12d7e23b7cdd9b7774c4de38d04a0"}
 {"assertion": "assert.understand.observes-before-asserting", "reference": "traceos/engine.py#observe", "observed_at": "2026-09-11T18:26:51.398497Z", "observed_ref": "03c9e6937f7b43525007da01fe2bb234d8c41712", "observed_blob": "a870a87f68df6f8f3608f43fe3e353e63c56e170", "observed_norm": "8d3e91f52e26d5b2f015b02c910bef33b0ea54e0", "supports": "supports", "observer": "agent", "kind": "implementation", "observed_symbol": "d4a3dae251d0a995e6decdb6ce84fd030ec7f3cd"}
+{"assertion": "assert.render.no-second-implementation", "reference": "traceos/explore.py#build", "observed_at": "2026-09-11T18:32:03.938884Z", "observed_ref": "4c34ce50d7b9682d0a9f9f669bae32da51c7925c", "observed_blob": "1574df8387a10f539acf564db1d2bba1815e0fd1", "observed_norm": "268333d35517dc625b97afe48071c6c420e6c7cf", "supports": "supports", "observer": "agent", "kind": "implementation", "observed_symbol": "6efad87df1b56fd5471729be3f974b6e22e5d7d8"}
+{"assertion": "assert.render.no-second-implementation", "reference": "tests/run_tests.py#tool_explore", "observed_at": "2026-09-11T18:32:04.072064Z", "observed_ref": "4c34ce50d7b9682d0a9f9f669bae32da51c7925c", "observed_blob": "a606ebde9c7623449f35cf98c6cfce3aa0252d17", "observed_norm": "dfce6a969090055d37d4a2d9ff0e571705741370", "supports": "supports", "observer": "agent", "kind": "test", "observed_symbol": "f058ed9593e81cf743f1153c09d6b227eca935e3"}

tests/run_tests.py

@@ -1429,6 +1429,34 @@ def tool_explore():
     page = E.build(EXAMPLE, None, repo_files, contexts)
     model = T.Model(EXAMPLE)
 
+    # INV-027 / INV-028 in the one artifact a reader looks at first. Three outcome
+    # states must be distinguishable, not two: a checked outcome, a check nobody has
+    # run, and no check at all.
+    itself = E.build(ROOT / "examples" / "traceos-itself", ROOT, None, [{}])
+    check(
+        "TOOL explore",
+        "a Flow's Intents are rendered, labelled as provenance not truth",
+        "provenance, never truth" in itself and "intent.a-view-is-not-a-source" in itself,
+    )
+    check(
+        "TOOL explore",
+        "an outcome shows the check that verifies it",
+        'class="conf confirmed">' in itself or "checked</span>" in itself,
+    )
+    check(
+        "TOOL explore",
+        "a Flow with no Intent says so rather than rendering an empty list",
+        "no Intent declares why this Flow exists" in itself,
+    )
+    # The third state, which traceos-itself no longer has: an outcome nobody checks.
+    # Asserting only against a model where every outcome is checked is a test that
+    # cannot fail for the case it is named after.
+    check(
+        "TOOL explore",
+        "an outcome with no declared check is drawn differently, not omitted",
+        "no check declared" in page,
+    )
+
     embedded = json.loads(re.search(r"const IMPACT = (\{.*?\});\n", page, re.S).group(1))
     drifted = [
         loc for loc, result in embedded.items() if T.impact(model, [loc]) != result

traceos/explore.py

@@ -236,15 +236,56 @@ def conf_of(aid: str) -> str:
     for fid, flow in ordered:
         trig = flow.get("trigger", {})
         trig_text = trig.get("ref") or trig.get("semantic") or trig.get("actor") or ""
+
+        def outcome_check(outcome: dict) -> str:
+            """INV-027 rendered as three states, never two.
+
+            A declared check, a declared check nobody has run, and no check at all are
+            different situations, and an explorer that drew them the same way would be
+            the silent boundary INV-025 forbids - in the one place a reader looks first.
+            """
+            verified_by = outcome.get("verified_by")
+            if not verified_by:
+                return '<span class="pill nocheck">no check declared</span>'
+            conf = conf_of(verified_by) if verified_by in model.assertions else None
+            if conf is None:
+                return (
+                    f'<span class="pill refuted">check missing: {e(verified_by)}</span>'
+                )
+            latest = T.latest_observation(model, verified_by)
+            if latest is None:
+                return (
+                    f'<span class="pill nocheck">never checked</span> '
+                    f'<span class="mono dim">{e(verified_by)}</span>'
+                )
+            if latest.get("supports") == "refutes":
+                return (
+                    f'<span class="pill refuted">REFUTED</span> '
+                    f'<span class="mono dim">{e(verified_by)}</span>'
+                )
+            return (
+                f'<span class="conf {conf}">{CONF_GLYPH[conf]} checked</span> '
+                f'<span class="mono dim">{e(verified_by)}</span>'
+            )
+
         outcomes = "".join(
             f'<li><span class="mono">{e(o["id"])}</span> → '
             + ", ".join(
                 f"<code>{e(s['subject'])}={e(str(s['value']))}</code>"
                 for s in o.get("states") or []
             )
+            + f"<br>{outcome_check(o)}"
             + "</li>"
             for o in flow.get("outcomes") or []
         )
+
+        intents = "".join(
+            f'<li><span class="mono dim">{e(iid)}</span><br>'
+            f"{e((model.intents.get(iid) or {}).get('statement', '(not declared)'))}"
+            f'<br><span class="pill rec">{e(((model.intents.get(iid) or {}).get("record") or {}).get("locator", "no record"))}</span>'
+            "</li>"
+            for iid in flow.get("realizes") or []
+        )
         assertions = "".join(
             f'<li><span class="conf {conf_of(a["id"])}">'
             f"{CONF_GLYPH[conf_of(a['id'])]} {conf_of(a['id'])}</span> "
@@ -270,7 +311,9 @@ def conf_of(aid: str) -> str:
   </header>
   <div class="graph">{flow_svg(model, fid)}</div>
   <div class="cols">
-    <div><h4>Outcomes <span class="dim">declared, bound to states</span></h4>
+    <div><h4>Why <span class="dim">provenance, never truth (INV-028)</span></h4>
+      <ul>{intents or '<li class="dim">no Intent declares why this Flow exists</li>'}</ul></div>
+    <div><h4>Outcomes <span class="dim">and what checks them (INV-027)</span></h4>
       <ul>{outcomes or '<li class="dim">none declared</li>'}</ul></div>
     <div><h4>Assertions</h4><ul>{assertions or '<li class="dim">none</li>'}</ul></div>
   </div>
@@ -454,6 +497,9 @@ def conf_of(aid: str) -> str:
   border:1px solid var(--line); color:var(--muted); white-space:nowrap }}
 .pill.current, .pill.ok, .pill.confirmed {{ color:var(--ok); border-color:var(--ok) }}
 .pill.likely, .pill.warn, .pill.cov {{ color:var(--warn); border-color:var(--warn) }}
+.pill.refuted {{ color:var(--err); border-color:var(--err); font-weight:600 }}
+.pill.nocheck {{ color:var(--muted); border-style:dashed }}
+.pill.rec {{ color:var(--muted); font-size:10px }}
 .pill.uncertain, .pill.bad, .pill.error, .pill.err {{ color:var(--err);
   border-color:var(--err) }}
 .graph {{ overflow-x:auto; padding:6px 0 10px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);