Quick reference links: [Reference](/docs/reference) · [Commands](/docs/reference/commands) · [Proof Artifact Classes](/docs/reference/proof-artifact-classes) · [Glossary](/docs/glossary) · [man witnessops(7)](/docs/man/witnessops) (current page)

WITNESSOPS(7)                    Operator Manual                     WITNESSOPS(7)

NAME
     witnessops - operator manual reference for governed execution commands

PURPOSE
     Non-indexed operator-manual page for /docs/man/witnessops.
     Use this page for authoritative command usage semantics and artifact expectations.

WHEN TO USE THIS PAGE
     Use this page when you need to:
       1. confirm command lifecycle order and invocation shape
       2. confirm expected run artifacts for review and handoff
       3. confirm manual-reference boundaries before policy or approval decisions

SYNOPSIS
     new-engagement <engagement-name>
     runbook-exec <runbook-id> --target <target> --engagement <engagement-name> [--no-scope] [--lab]
     runbook-state <engagement-name> <run-id> [--json]
     runbook-approve <engagement-name> <run-id> --approve [--by <operator>]
     runbook-resume <engagement-name> <run-id>

COMMAND USAGE SEMANTICS
     new-engagement
         Initializes ops/engagements/<engagement-name>/ and creates workspace structure.
         Does not set scope and does not execute runbooks.

     runbook-exec
         Validates inputs, enforces scope by default, executes ordered runbook steps.
         Terminal runs emit state.json, manifest.json, hash-manifest.txt,
         runbook-summary.md, and receipt.json.

     runbook-state
         Read-only run inspection.
         Reports status; does not mutate run state, approval state, or step flow.

     runbook-approve
         Records explicit approval metadata for the current gate.
         Approval records permission only; use runbook-resume to continue execution.

     runbook-resume
         Continues from the next incomplete step under normal governed checks.
         Does not bypass future scope checks or future approval gates.

SCOPE BOUNDARIES AND NON-CLAIMS
     This page is a manual reference surface. It does not:
       - approve actions or authorize exceptions
       - replace governance policy or approver accountability
       - decide escalation outcomes for operators
       - replace evidence interpretation or verifier judgment
       - claim canonical bundle-verification or corpus-lane guarantees

CANONICAL CROSSLINKS
     Governance and authorization:
       /docs/governance
       /docs/governance/authorization-model

     Decision procedures:
       /docs/decisions/scope-check
       /docs/decisions/escalation
       /docs/decisions/evidence-required

     Evidence contracts:
       /docs/evidence/receipts
       /docs/evidence/receipt-spec

     Reference contracts:
       /docs/reference
       /docs/reference/commands
       /docs/reference/proof-artifact-classes

CLOSURE
     Rewrite lane closure: /docs/man/witnessops rewrite ends here.
     Next lane: navigation normalization.

WITNESSOPS                           2026-04-17                          WITNESSOPS(7)