> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.parmanasystems.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Evaluate Parmana

> The shortest path from a fresh clone to a working local system, and what to read next.

<Warning>
  **Evaluation only.** Reading, building and running Parmana to assess it is
  permitted. Any other use needs a separate written agreement with Parmana
  Systems. See [License and evaluation](/license).
</Warning>

This page is for anyone assessing Parmana: an engineer trying it, a security reviewer, or an
auditor. It needs no accounts, credentials, database or network access beyond `npm ci`.
Auditors should continue with the [Audit guide](/evaluation/audit-guide) after step 2.

## Requirements

* Node.js 24.6 or later. The hybrid Ed25519 and ML-DSA-65 signatures use `node:crypto`,
  which supports ML-DSA from 24.6.
* npm, as bundled with Node.js.
* Git, and Bash for two tests that syntax check shell scripts. On Windows, Git for Windows
  provides it.
* Docker, only for the optional offline check in step 4.

Linux, macOS and Windows are supported.

## 1. Install, build and test

```bash theme={null}
git clone https://github.com/pavancharak/parmana.git
cd parmana
npm ci
npm run build
npm test
```

`npm run build` comes first because tests import the workspace packages from their built
`dist/` output; `npm test` refuses to run against stale output.

No `.env` is needed. The test setup uses the same local defaults as CI: the committed
`./policies`, in memory storage, and local Ed25519 keys generated for the run. Suites that
need live services (HubSpot, Supabase) skip. Expect about 2,880 passing tests and about 54
skipped.

## 2. Run every example

```bash theme={null}
npm run examples
```

This runs each tutorial in
[examples/tutorials/](https://github.com/pavancharak/parmana/tree/main/examples/tutorials)
against local mock connectors, with throwaway keys deleted afterwards. Several tutorials print
`FAILED` or `✗` on purpose: they show a forged, replayed or tampered request being refused.
The run ends with `All Parmana examples completed successfully.` and exit code `0`.

To see the whole chain in one walkthrough (policy evaluation, signed authorization, envelope
verification, credential isolation, connector execution and the signed Trust Record):

```bash theme={null}
npx tsx examples/tutorials/60-end-to-end-enterprise-execution/run.ts
```

`npm run preflight` runs everything a contributor runs before a change: typecheck, lint,
format check, the Python model check, every test, the build and every example.

## 3. Try the hosted sandbox (optional)

A public sandbox runs the same API with demo policies and a published demo approver key. Use
the [Playground](/playground), or the scripts in
[examples/sandbox-playground/](https://github.com/pavancharak/parmana/tree/main/examples/sandbox-playground)
from cURL, PowerShell, TypeScript or Python. See
[Live API and demos](/guides/live-api-and-demos).

## 4. Run the full stack with no internet route (optional, Docker)

```bash theme={null}
bash docker/local/offline-check/run.sh
```

This starts the server, Postgres and a stand in downstream system on a Docker network with no
route to the internet, approves a policy through maker checker, runs an approved and a refused
refund, and verifies the resulting Trust Record with only the public keys. See
[Offline verification](/self-hosted/offline-verification). CI runs the same check on every
change to the server image.

## 5. Verify a record without Parmana

Every approved action produces a signed Execution Trust Record. It can be checked with only the
record and the public keys, using [`@parmana/sign`](/sdks/parmana-sign/overview) (Apache 2.0,
a separate repository) or this repository's `scripts/verify-trust-record.ts`:

```bash theme={null}
npx tsx scripts/verify-trust-record.ts trust-record.json default=default.public.pem
```

See [Verify independently](/guides/verify-independently).

## What to read next

| If you want to | Read |
| - | - |
| Check what Parmana claims, and the evidence | [Claims and evidence](/evaluation/claims-and-evidence) |
| Review it for security or audit | [Audit guide](/evaluation/audit-guide) |
| Know what it does not do | [Limitations](/security/limitations) |
| Understand the design | [Architecture](/architecture/overview), then [How Parmana thinks](/how-parmana-thinks) |
| Read the code chapter by chapter | [The Parmana Handbook](/handbook/overview) |
| See every gap found and how it was closed | [docs/VERIFICATION-GAPS.md](https://github.com/pavancharak/parmana/blob/main/docs/VERIFICATION-GAPS.md) |

## Questions and feedback

Email [founder@parmanasystems.com](mailto:founder@parmanasystems.com) for questions, a guided
walkthrough or licensing. Report security issues privately as described in
[SECURITY.md](https://github.com/pavancharak/parmana/blob/main/SECURITY.md).


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.