STABLE LKP-0001

Core Protocol Specification

Version 1.0.0 | Published: June 26, 2026

1. Abstract

The Living Knowledge Protocol (LKP) defines a set of technical and ethical standards for the publication and maintenance of digital knowledge. Unlike static publication models, LKP treats knowledge as a continuous process, requiring active maintenance, transparency of sources, and machine-readability.

2. Terminology (Normative)

The keywords "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119.

Living Document

A digital resource that implements LKP-0003 metadata and is subject to active revision.

Reality Grounding

The process of anchoring claims in observable, verifiable data or primary sources.

Revision Trace

A documented history of changes made to a Living Document.

3. Compliance Requirements

To be considered "LKP Compliant", a digital resource MUST meet the following criteria:

3.1 Active Maintenance (Living Site)

  • The resource MUST be part of a domain that declares a Living Site status.
  • The resource SHOULD be reviewed at least once every 180 days to ensure its continued relevance to the Real.

3.2 Source Transparency

  • Every major claim within the document MUST be accompanied by a reference to a primary or verifiable secondary source.
  • Sources SHOULD be accessible via a persistent URI where possible.

3.3 Machine Interoperability

  • The resource MUST include LKP-0003 compliant JSON-LD metadata in the document header.
  • The resource SHOULD be discoverable via a root-level lkp.json manifest.

4. The Five Principles (Detailed)

4.1 Principle 1: Living Site

A site is not a finished product but an evolving organism. Implementation requires a clear indication of the site's maintenance status and a public roadmap or changelog.

4.2 Principle 2: Living Knowledge

Knowledge is a hypothesis subject to improvement. Implementation requires the ability to revise any page without breaking canonical links and a clear "Last Modified" date for every substantive change.

4.3 Principle 3: Source Verified

Trust is built on evidence. Implementation requires a structured bibliography or inline citation system and disclosure of potential conflicts of interest in source selection.

4.4 Principle 4: Reality Grounded

Observation takes precedence over belief. Implementation requires prioritization of empirical data and willingness to correct errors when reality provides new evidence.

4.5 Principle 5: Biospheric

Knowledge serves life. Implementation requires consideration for the long-term impact of information and promotion of resilience and biospheric health.

5. Security and Integrity

Revisions MUST be cryptographically signed or logged in a tamper-evident system for Level 4 compliance. Metadata MUST be protected against unauthorized modification to prevent "Knowledge Hijacking".

Knowledge is progressing. The Real remains.