FAQ

Do I need an account?

No. The entire local loop (init, start, note, decision, risk, checkpoint, stop, verify, inspect, scopes, serve, doctor) works without an account and without network access. You sign in only for share.

Does PatchArc install Git hooks or change my repository?

No. The observer reads Git plumbing on a 1.5-second poll. It writes only inside .patcharc/, and init appends two lines to .gitignore so nothing local is ever committed — the key, session database, capsules, and observer files are all ignored, while config.yaml stays tracked for the team.

Is my code sent anywhere?

Not by the local loop. share uploads the sealed capsule, which contains commit metadata and patches for the commits in the Arc, the review, and the scope index. Nothing else. The cloud re-verifies it and publishes a link.

Is there any telemetry?

None. The CLI makes no network calls except login, share, and logout.

Can someone fake a capsule?

They can create their own, signed with their own key. They cannot alter yours without verify failing, and the cloud will not publish a capsule that fails verification. A capsule proves integrity and which key sealed it, not that its claims are true; see Trust model.

Does the review use AI?

No. It is computed from the recorded evidence. AI summaries are planned as an optional layer and are not generated in 0.2.0.

Are secrets redacted?

Yes, at seal time. The engine with thirteen detectors runs over every diff when patcharc stop seals the capsule, and the signed manifest/redaction.json records exactly what was removed. Six detectors are enabled by default; enable the rest in .patcharc/config.yaml. Still read a capsule before you share it — redaction is a guardrail, not a guarantee. See Redaction.

Who can open my ArcLink?

Only you, by default: share reads share.default from your repository config, which starts as private, and private links render for signed-in members of the owning account. Pass --visibility public to create a link anyone with the URL can open; the slug is random (96+ bits) and unlisted. Revoke a link with DELETE /v1/shares/<id>; it answers 410 immediately.

Does it work with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor?

Yes in the sense that their commits are recorded like any commits. Transcript capture is not built yet. See Working with AI coding agents.

Does it support monorepos?

Yes: ten workspace detectors (pnpm, npm and yarn workspaces, Nx, Rush, Bazel, go.work, Cargo, Maven, Gradle, .NET), or explicit scopes in config.yaml.

What about test results?

Not parsed in 0.2.0; the Verification section reads zero. Put the result in a note for now.

Which platforms?

macOS (Apple silicon and Intel), Linux (amd64, arm64), Windows (amd64, arm64). It is a single binary with no runtime dependencies.

Is it open source?

No. The CLI is proprietary software that is free to use under the Community plan, and the hosted service is a paid product in early access. The capsule format is documented so a capsule can be opened, read, and verified without the service. See the license.

What does it cost?

Community is free with no limits on local use. Pro and Team prices on the pricing page are early-access terms; billing is not switched on, and the cloud features of those tiers are planned rather than live.

How do I delete everything?

Delete .patcharc/ in each repository and ~/.patcharc/. For uploaded capsules, DELETE /v1/capsules/<id>; for your account, email privacy@patcharc.dev.