Strata

A deterministic binary data format with canonical encoding.

Designed for stable hashing, cross-language determinism, and safe transport.

View the Documentation

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Why Strata exists

Most data formats optimize for convenience.
Strata optimizes for correctness.

Strata exists to make structured data deterministic across languages, runtimes, and transports. If two systems encode the same value, they must produce the same bytes and the same hash.

Anything else is considered a bug.

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What it guarantees

• Canonical, unambiguous binary encoding
• Stable hashing over canonical bytes
• Identical behavior across independent implementations
• Strict decoding with explicit failure modes
• Transport-independent correctness (files, HTTP, streaming)

Determinism is not a best-effort goal.
It is the primary invariant.

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What it explicitly does not do

Strata intentionally does not handle:

• Schemas or validation rules
• Optional fields or defaults
• Streaming or framing protocols
• Compression
• Encryption or signatures
• Floating point numbers
• Implicit coercions or normalization

These concerns are deliberately kept outside the core format.

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Value model

Strata supports a small, fixed set of value types:

• null
• bool
• int (signed integer)
• string (UTF-8)
• bytes
• list
• map (string keys, canonical order)

There are no floats, no optional types, and no undefined behavior.

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Implementations

This repository contains independent implementations that must agree byte-for-byte:

Rust — strata-rs

• Reference implementation
• Defines canonical truth
• Full encoder, decoder, parser, formatter, and CLI
• Golden vectors and Northstar enforcement

JavaScript — strata-js

• Parity implementation with Rust
• Canonical encoding, hashing, and formatting
• Shared golden vectors and CI enforcement
• First-class DX APIs

If Rust and JavaScript ever disagree, that is a bug.

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Northstar invariants

Strata correctness is enforced through Northstar tests. Each Northstar defines and locks a specific invariant boundary.

Examples include:

• Cross-language determinism
• Raw wire determinism
• Framed streaming determinism

Northstars run in CI and block regressions.

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Stability & versioning

Strata uses semantic versioning with strict rules.

• v0.3.x: Canonical core frozen
• v0.4.x: Developer-experience and documentation only
  (no canonical, hashing, or semantic changes)

Any change affecting bytes, hashes, or semantics requires:

• a new minor version
• a new Northstar
• explicit documentation

Version numbers are contract boundaries, not cosmetics.

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Installation

Rust:

cargo add strata-rs

JavaScript:

npm install @emagjby/strata-js

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Status

Status: Stable

Strata’s canonical core is complete and production-ready. Future versions may expand tooling and ergonomics, but existing guarantees will not be weakened retroactively.

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Documentation is hosted with support from
GitBook.