Protocol

JEP defines a compact signed JSON event format for decision-related events.

The narrow core

The core is intentionally small. Identity, policy, evidence, archival, trust, and causal-chain semantics are externalized to profiles and extensions.

JEP-Core focuses on interoperability. Profiles define deployment-specific trust and validation rules.

Event structure

A JEP event defines 11 standard top-level fields. Six are always required; the remaining fields are conditional, recommended, or optional depending on the event.

jepREQUIRED

Wire-format major version. Use "1" for the current wire format.

verbREQUIRED

Event verb: "J", "D", "T", or "V".

whoREQUIRED

Actor identifier claimed by the event.

whenREQUIRED

Actor-supplied event timestamp in Unix seconds.

whatCONDITIONAL

Claim object, descriptor, or algorithm-tagged digest.

nonceREQUIRED

Replay-protection nonce.

audRECOMMENDED

Intended audience or validation context.

refCONDITIONAL

Typed reference or event-hash reference.

extOPTIONAL

Extension object.

ext_critOPTIONAL

List of critical extension identifiers.

sigREQUIRED

Detached signature container.

The six unconditionally required fields are jep, verb, who, when, nonce, and sig. Fields inside what — such as claim, subject, scope, result, evidence, and context — are semantic subfields, not additional JEP top-level fields.

Validation levels and verification scope

JEP allows verifiers to declare what level of validation was reached.

Examples: syntax, cryptographic validation, actor binding, chain integrity, extension processing, credential status, policy compliance, human review, external evidence, factual claim, archival integrity.

A verification event must declare its scope. Verification must not imply more than its declared scope.

References without overclaiming

A JEP reference can show that one event payload cryptographically or semantically referenced another object. A reference does not automatically prove causality, endorsement, truth, authorization, or completeness.

Event A→ ref →Event B

Reference is linkage, not automatic causality.

Trust profiles define deployment context

JEP-Core does not define a global identity or trust framework.

Trust profiles may define: actor identifier forms, key discovery, binding rules, accepted algorithms, revocation handling, credential use, policy hooks.

JEP can interoperate with different identity and credential systems without requiring one global identity model.

Privacy and deployment considerations

JEP events may reveal actor identity, subject identity, decision timing, delegation structure, workflow, tool usage, or audit relationships.

Deployments should consider: data minimization, retention policy, redaction, access control, audience separation, identifier unlinkability.

JEP can support privacy-preserving deployments when profiles apply appropriate minimization, retention, redaction, and access-control policies.

Complementary to agent protocols

JEP is not positioned as competing with transport, communication, identity, or runtime protocols.

JEP can complement: HTTP-based systems, MCP, A2A, ACP, AGTP, agent runtimes, audit systems, archival systems.

Transport protocols move messages. Runtime protocols coordinate actions. JEP structures judgment-related event records.