FAQ
Is Verist a framework or a library?
A library. It doesn't run your system. It gives you strict primitives (steps, artifacts, replay) that you wire into your own runner.
Can I use Verist with an agent framework?
Yes. Verist sits underneath agent frameworks to provide replay and diffs – the trust layer.
Why explicit state?
Replay only works when you can reconstruct exact inputs and state for a run. Hidden state makes decisions impossible to reproduce.
Do I need a database?
For production, yes. Verist assumes your database is the source of truth. For dev and tests, use createMemoryStore() from @verist/storage — no database required.
Where do I start?
Your First Step – a single file that gives you replay + diff without a full workflow. For a learning path, see Mental Map.
Replay vs recompute?
| Replay | Recompute | |
|---|---|---|
| Uses | Stored artifacts | Fresh adapters |
| Output | Byte-identical | May differ |
| Purpose | Audit, reproduce | Test changes, see diff |
When to use which
| Scenario | Use |
|---|---|
| Incident investigation | Replay |
| Bug reproduction | Replay |
| Model upgrade | Recompute |
| Prompt change | Recompute |
| What-if analysis | Recompute |
| Backfill on historic data | Batch + recompute |
Will recompute overwrite human changes?
No. Human overrides live in the overlay state and always take precedence.
Where do artifacts live?
You decide. Most teams store artifacts in a blob store with references in the database.
Can I use Verist without LLMs?
Yes. Verist works for any deterministic step. LLMs are the most common use case.