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Getting Started

Requirements

Dependency Version
Python ≥ 3.12
PostgreSQL ≥ 14
Qdrant latest
Docker for services
Poetry for deps

You will also need an LLM resource — local model server or external API, your choice. Configure it via .env (see .env.example for the shape).

Installation

git clone https://github.com/DariuszNewecki/CORE.git
cd CORE
poetry install

cp .env.example .env
# Add your API keys to .env

make db-setup

Start the Services

CORE requires PostgreSQL and Qdrant running before any commands execute:

# Start services via Docker (or your preferred method)
docker compose up -d

# Verify database connection
poetry run core-admin database status

Your First Audit

Once installed, run a constitutional audit to see the current state of the codebase:

poetry run core-admin code audit

This runs the full constitutional rule library across all enforcement engines and reports:

  • Blocking violations — must be resolved before autonomous operation
  • Warnings — tracked but non-blocking
  • Advisory findings — informational

A clean audit (zero blocking violations) is the precondition for autonomous operation.

Sync the Vector Layer

CORE uses Qdrant for semantic search across constitutional documents and architectural papers. Sync the vector collections after installation:

poetry run core-admin vectors sync --write

This indexes .intent/ governance documents and .specs/ architectural papers into searchable vector collections. Context builds draw evidence from these collections.

Key Commands

Sync the knowledge graph after code changes:

poetry run core-admin dev sync --write

Check the governor dashboard — five-panel situational awareness:

poetry run core-admin runtime dashboard

Check infrastructure health:

poetry run core-admin admin status

View governance coverage:

poetry run core-admin constitution status

Understanding the Output

CORE's audit output is structured by policy domain. Each finding references:

  • The rule that fired
  • The file and line where the violation occurred
  • The enforcement engine that detected it
  • The enforcement strength (Blocking / Reporting / Advisory)

Blocking violations halt autonomous execution. They must be resolved — either by fixing the violation or by amending the constitution through the governed proposal process.

Next Steps