Lifecycle

The Structured Path from Clause Conception to Governance-Approved Execution and Sunset

3.2.1 Clause Lifecycle in NSF: Overview

Every Smart Clause in the NSF protocol passes through a deterministic, audit-traceable, and governance-controlled lifecycle:

1. Draft – A new clause is proposed in SCL with supporting metadata

2. Simulate – The clause is linked to a simulation package and risk scenarios

3. Review – Governance DAOs validate, test, and vote on clause activation

4. Deploy – The clause becomes active and callable in the execution layer

5. Evolve – Forks, overrides, or jurisdictional adaptations may occur

6. Deprecate – Clause is replaced or retired, but its audit trail remains immutable

This lifecycle ensures all clauses are credible, auditable, and governed from proposal to sunset.

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3.2.2 Stage 1 – Draft

At the Draft stage:

• A clause is authored using SCL (Smart Clause Language)

• Metadata is declared: jurisdiction, clause type, inputs/outputs, credential impacts

• Linked clause references and reusable templates can be included

• The draft clause is:

  • Signed by the author (DID-anchored)

  • Versioned (v0.x.x)

  • Stored in the Draft Registry (a special namespace in the Registry Layer)

Draft clauses are non-executable and must not produce CACs.

Optional: Authors may include draft simulation stubs to describe intended behavior.

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3.2.3 Stage 2 – Simulate

To move from draft to deployable, every clause must be simulated.

This step involves:

• Selecting or creating a Simulation Package

• Binding the simulation to the clause input structure and logic

• Defining:

  • Forecast windows

  • Input datasets

  • Risk scenarios

  • Geographic overlays

  • Variable boundaries

The simulation package must be:

• Reproducible

• Signed by its authors

• Stored in the Simulation Layer

• Reviewed by domain-specific simulation validators

Simulation results are:

• Linked to the clause draft

• Included in governance DAO packets for review

• Made accessible for downstream foresight comparison

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3.2.4 Stage 3 – Review and DAO Governance

Once simulated, the clause is subject to:

1. Formal Review by relevant domain or jurisdictional DAOs

2. Public Comment period (optional or mandatory, per DAO rules)

3. Governance Voting based on:

   • Simulation results

   • Risk classification

   • Jurisdictional relevance

   • Credential dependencies

Each vote creates:

• A signed governance record

• A quorum trace

• A reference to the clause hash and simulation bundle

If the clause is approved, it is moved from Draft Registry to Active Registry, signed by the approving DAO.

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3.2.5 Stage 4 – Deploy

Upon successful governance vote:

• The clause becomes active and callable via Communication Layer APIs

• Is registered in the Global Clause Registry

• Can now:

  • Issue or revoke credentials

  • Trigger TEE/ZK execution

  • Be used as a reference in other clauses

  • Be linked in DAO proposals or compliance tools

At this stage:

• All executions produce CACs

• The clause enters the audit trail

• DAO oversight transitions from proposal authority to version governance

Each clause is deployed with a unique Clause ID, generated as:

Original: ICAO::Aviation::[email protected]
Forked:   India::DGCA::[email protected]

E.g., ICAO::Aviation::[email protected]

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3.2.6 Stage 5 – Evolution and Forking

After deployment, a clause may evolve through:

• Minor upgrades (e.g., patch to correct a logic error, without simulation rerun)

• Major upgrades (require new simulation + governance cycle)

• Forks (for jurisdictional customization or policy divergence)

Each change generates:

• A new clause ID

• Simulation comparison report (if relevant)

• Fork lineage in the Registry Layer

• Metadata tags to track:

  • Parent clause

  • DAO that authorized the fork

  • Jurisdiction of divergence

  • Compatibility impacts

Forks are not deletions—they are traceable expressions of institutional autonomy.

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3.2.7 Stage 6 – Deprecation

A clause may be deprecated due to:

• Incompatibility with new policies

• DAO vote to sunset based on audit/simulation outcomes

• Replacement by a new clause version

• Governance decision after failure, dispute, or override

Deprecation:

• Freezes the clause state

• Prevents new executions or CACs

• Marks status in the Global Clause Registry

• Retains full audit trace for every previous execution

Deprecated clauses remain discoverable, reviewable, and citable—but no longer active in production governance.

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3.2.8 Full Lifecycle Traceability

NSF ensures:

• Every clause has a governance-proven origin

• Every change is tracked in the version tree and registry index

• Every deployment is anchored to:

  • Simulation results

  • DAO governance

  • Audit-proven execution

• Every sunset is documented with cause, time, and jurisdictional signatures

This model creates multi-jurisdictional trust with complete memory—something no traditional legal or policy system offers.

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3.2.9 Tools Supporting Lifecycle Workflow

NSF provides:

• SCL IDEs for clause authorship and syntax validation

• Simulation runners and test harnesses

• Governance dashboard for DAO review and vote tracking

• Registry viewers for clause trace inspection

• Audit tools for historical replay

• Fork diff visualizers for policy comparison

• Lifecycle event emitters (subscribe to all clause state changes)

All tools are open, credential-accessible, and verifiably linked to clause states.

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3.2.10 Lifecycle as Governance Discipline

In NSF, the clause lifecycle:

• Prevents opaque policy changes

• Requires simulation before authority

• Enforces jurisdictional boundaries through transparent forks

• Tracks upgrades and deprecations across time and institutions

• Encodes governance as a live, inspectable process—not a paper trail

With this lifecycle, governance becomes verifiable software, not hidden process.

Every clause is:

• Proposed

• Simulated

• Reviewed

• Activated

• Executed

• Audited

• Upgraded

• Archived

All with proof, signatures, and jurisdictional trace.