Verify the sample on your computer

Check the signed evidence independently of the demo page. This is a technical walkthrough using a terminal and Node.js 20 or later. No Real Press account is needed.

Prefer the browser exercise? Return to the fingerprint check. That exercise compares text only. The verifier below also checks the signature, log proofs and draft sequence.

1. Save these three files together

Use a new folder so the commands below can find all three downloads. The verifier archive contains the standalone source, schemas, instructions and Apache-2.0 license.

The evidence file contains the signed sample and its proofs. The test log key file tells the verifier which key to use for this synthetic log. It is not a production trust source.

2. Install once, then verify offline

Open a terminal in the folder containing the three files. Check that node --version reports version 20 or later and npm is installed. Then run:

tar -xzf realpress-prototype-verifier-0.1.0.tgz
cd package
npm install --ignore-scripts
node cli.mjs verify ../sample-evidence.json --offline --trust ../sample-log-trust.json --json

Installing dependencies needs an internet connection. After installation, you can disconnect before running the final command: verification makes no network requests. Python is not needed for this sample.

3. Read the result and its limits

The unchanged sample should report:

"result": "verified_with_degradation"

This means the supplied signature and log proofs check out, with limits that still matter. It does not mean everything about the author or document has been verified.

Signature and log proofs
The signed record, its log inclusion and the supplied draft sequence pass.
Author identity
A server-held test key signed the record. No person’s identity is independently verified.
Time
No external timestamp proof is included. Time is not established, and waiting will not update this static sample.
Key status and draft coverage
The verifier has not checked whether the key was withdrawn. The snapshots do not form a complete editing history.

The result makes no conclusion about AI use or who composed each passage.

If something does not work

  • If Node.js or npm is not found, install Node.js 20 or later, reopen your terminal and retry.
  • If a file is missing, check its name and make sure the two JSON files are next to the extracted package folder.
  • If a dependency is missing, run npm install --ignore-scripts from inside package while connected.
  • If verification reports failed, download fresh copies of both sample files and retry. Do not change signed fields to force a pass.

The https://log.real.press/v1 address in the sample is a synthetic log identifier, not a live website. The bundled schemas also use URL identifiers; the verifier reads those schemas locally. None of these addresses needs to open in your browser.

For real evidence, obtain log verification keys independently from a trusted source. A key supplied alongside unfamiliar evidence does not establish that the log is trustworthy. Real complete evidence packages can expose private draft history; these downloads contain only test data.

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