Canonical defined term

Runtime

The executing environment and active process state in which software or a model operates.

Stable record: K01-TERM-017
Claim status: RESEARCH FINDING
Last reviewed: 2026-08-16
Research cutoff: 2026-08-16
Source type: DEFINED TERM
Currentness: Current for release 2.1.0; external sources require periodic revalidation.
Correction state: No unresolved public correction recorded for this release.
Machine record: Static JSON record

Plain-language definition

Runtime evidence identifies versions, dependencies, authority and state at a particular time.

The definition is intentionally bounded. It identifies the property or role under discussion without converting terminology into a claim of deployment, recognition, personhood, citizenship, sovereignty, or authority.

Technical definition

Within the K01 knowledge model, Runtime is represented as a stable term object with code K01-TERM-017, canonical URL, claim status, topic owner, source links, related terms, last-reviewed date, research cutoff, and correction state. Relevant implementation components for the owning topic include service inventories; dependency graphs; reproducible images; recovery objectives; signed releases; failover; resource accounting.

Legal or policy use

Infrastructure access remains subject to contracts, property rules, sanctions, safety requirements and sector-specific regulation.

When a statute, regulation, standard, or external institution uses a different definition, that source-specific meaning controls the analysis of that source. The project definition is not silently substituted into current law.

What the term implies

The term implies that the stated property should be evaluated using the evidence appropriate to runtime availability, energy, hardware, storage, networking, portability, recovery and capacity allocation. It supports precise reference, comparison, data exchange, and correction across public prose and machine records.

What the term does not imply

A runtime process alone does not establish persistent identity, lawful authority or consciousness.

It also does not convert a valid signature, credential, database record, model hash, or website into factual truth or legal authority without additional evidence and a competent decision.

Commonly confused terms

Confusion is resolved by asking which property is actually at issue: technical control, continuity, evidence, authority, legal recognition, operation, or normative status.

Operational test

Name the subject and purpose.
Identify the source definition and jurisdiction or technical context.
Collect evidence for the specific property.
Record currentness and limitations.
Route any governance, registry, assurance, or capital decision to the proper authority.

Sources

NIST SP 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework Version 1.1 — NIST; SP 800-218 SSDF Version 1.1; Version 1.2 initial public draft tracked separately; Version 1.1 final; Version 1.2 initial public draft. Exact claim-support entries: 2. Revalidated 2026-08-14T22:04:09Z.
Supply-chain Levels for Software Artifacts (SLSA) Specification v1.2 — OpenSSF; SLSA v1.2; Approved. Exact claim-support entries: 2. Revalidated 2026-08-14T22:04:09Z.
in-toto Attestation Framework — in-toto project; Current project framework; Open standard; CNCF graduated project. Exact claim-support entries: 1. Revalidated 2026-08-14T22:04:09Z.
NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5, Release 5.2.0 Security and Privacy Controls — NIST; SP 800-53 Rev. 5, Release 5.2.0; Final control catalog with 2025 minor release. Exact claim-support entries: 2. Revalidated 2026-08-14T22:04:09Z.

Stable term code: K01-TERM-017. Last reviewed 2026-08-16.