Authority bootstrap
Validate an incoming authority source, derive the first PIC Context of Authority, and issue the PIC token that starts a protected lineage.
Authority continuity exchange
PIC-X
The open-source trust-plane component that turns token possession into verifiable authority continuity across services, workloads, and AI agents.
origin-boundlineage-awarenon-expanding
profile 0.2
Why it matters
Security breaks when authority loses its lineage.
Tokens prove possession. PIC-X asks the harder question: can this workload prove the authority lineage behind the action?
PIC-X bridges existing authority into PIC, derives the initial context, and issues signed artifacts that let workloads continue execution without expanding authority. It is the open-source path for making PIC testable in real infrastructure.
Learn about PIC-X
Follow the design series as the exchange layer takes shape.
Architecture notes, protocol artifacts, discovery metadata, and end-to-end exchange flows for engineers who want to understand, run, or contribute to PIC-X.
2026-08-01Nicola Gallo
Designing PIC-X: From Specification to Architecture to Code
Introduces PIC-X as the first open-source implementation component in the PIC software ecosystem, following the project from specification to architecture and code.
ArchitectureOpen source
Read article2026-08-01Nicola Gallo
Designing PIC-X: Deriving an Initial PIC Context of Authority
Defines the initial continuity exchange: validate OAuth authority, validate the initial proposal, derive PCA, issue PIC COSE artifacts, and return the first PIC Token JWT.
PCAToken exchange
Read article2026-08-01Nicola Gallo
Designing PIC-X: Exposing Configuration through .well-known/pic-x-configuration
Explains PIC-X discovery: server control-plane metadata, realm issuer discovery, endpoints, JWKS, capabilities, and the multi-realm trust model.
DiscoveryRealms
Read article2026-08-11Nicola Gallo
Designing PIC-X: PIC Token JWT and COSE Artifacts
Defines the PIC Token JWT and native COSE artifacts used by PIC Profile 0.2: PIC PCA COSE, PIC Continuity COSE, and PIC Continuity Transition COSE.
JWTCOSE
Read article2026-08-14Nicola Gallo
Designing PIC-X: Centralized Token Exchange End to End
Shows a complete centralized PIC Token Exchange flow from OAuth authority to PIC Token JWT 0, through continuity advancement, to the final attenuated authority state.
WalkthroughContinuity
Read articleWriting about PIC or PIC-X, or building on it? Add your article to src/data/picxArticles.json and open a pull request so the series can grow with the ecosystem.
Non-expanding hops
Accept only workload transitions that prove relationship, preserve lineage, and never add authority beyond the predecessor checkpoint.
Trust-plane settlement
Bring realm keys, discovery, PoR evidence, policy, revocation, and conformance checks into one exchange layer that can settle the next checkpoint.
Open source
PIC Exchange open source.
PIC-X is developed as an open-source project so implementers can inspect the exchange flow, test PIC authority continuity, and use it as a foundation for integrations, SDKs, runtimes, gateways, or other PIC-compatible infrastructure.
github.com/pic-protocol/pic-x