[Bug]: Explainer delivery/finalize sidecars overwrite local JSON dependencies #1060

Archify version or commit

dev at f90a1930fec2822443d5db5d0d7e05bfdbe61267 (3.2.1-dev.1), Git checkout, macOS / Node.js 22.23.1.

Problem and user impact

Explainer local JSON dependencies are not included in the protected input paths for delivery/finalize sidecars. A normal deliver can report success while replacing its chart data file with provenance. finalize can overwrite chart data or an external native-diagram specification with its full receipt or summary and only then fail because the frozen dependency changed. Failed-delivery recording has the same gap when an HTML artifact already exists.

This is data loss in the input-preservation boundary. It does not require a renderer or layout change.

Exact command and minimal reproduction

Portable three-case script and measured SHA256/exit results. The script creates a new temporary directory and uses only synthetic data; no live Skill is installed.

In a new directory, save this as draft.json:

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "diagram_type": "explainer",
  "meta": {"id": "source-preservation", "title": "Recorded values", "locale": "en"},
  "answer": {"summary": "Compare the recorded values."},
  "panels": [{
    "id": "data", "title": "Which values differ?",
    "blocks": [{"id": "measurements", "type": "chart", "data": {
      "path": "page.delivery.json", "kind": "bar", "x": "name", "y": ["value"]
    }}]
  }],
  "sources": []
}

Save page.delivery.json with these exact data bytes, including a final newline:

[{"name":"North","value":60},{"name":"South","value":40}]

node /path/to/archify/archify/bin/archify.mjs deliver explainer draft.json page.html --json

Actual behavior / receipt

Exit 0, ok: true; the HTML exists, but page.delivery.json is now a delivery receipt (status: "current") rather than the original JSON array. Before: 58 bytes, SHA256 3c9e0c065492160425f92a4356920765826ee7a4125a638a3abaff157177ac9f. The reproduction script retains complete before/after bytes and receipts.

The same input-boundary gap is reproducible with:

The twelve-case local matrix includes CSV/PNG extension-rejection controls and invalid first delivery with no existing HTML; those preserve input bytes. The bug is not a claim that every resource format is vulnerable.

Expected behavior and proposed bounded scope

Please confirm whether one focused PR is welcome to:

• Protect declared local Explainer JSON chart/native-diagram dependencies from delivery provenance and finalize receipt/summary publication, using the existing physical path/alias rules.
• Reject collisions with actionable diagnostics before any destructive write, including preparation-error and failed-delivery-record paths. A successful prepared bundle alone is insufficient for the invalid-data redelivery case.
• Preserve input bytes and existing HTML/evidence on rejection; retain ordinary success, legitimate failed-delivery recording, receipt schemas, sidecar naming, resource freezing and containment behavior.
• Add public-CLI regressions for default/explicit paths, aliases, failure preservation and non-colliding repeat delivery, plus extracted-package checks and a short contract note. Keep renderer/Viewer/vendor behavior and dependencies unchanged.

Implementation, regressions and documentation are estimated at roughly 250–500 necessary lines, excluding the generated ZIP; no line-count target is proposed. I can prepare the focused PR after scope agreement. Focused filesystem/CLI comparisons should establish this input-preservation fix; it does not claim independent Agent-generation benefit.

Investigation and related work

• archify/bin/finalize.mjs: reservedFinalizePaths omits local Explainer dependencies; persistReceipts() runs before the first assertPreparedDependencies().
• archify/bin/archify.mjs: delivery provenance path resolution protects only the primary input; failed-provenance recording checks only input/artifact aliases.
• Searched existing open/closed issues and PRs. feat: add artifact evidence index command #1056 is a read-only provenance projection; test(recovery): preserve publication on invalid CLI arguments #858 tests invalid recovery arguments. Neither changes these sidecar write boundaries.
• Origin: code inspection and synthetic probes, with Codex investigation assistance under @To3akaRin's direction. No private repository or customer data is used.