v1.91.311.0 feat(pregate): sealed.allow_paths exceptions and opt-in case_insensitive deny globs (GSTA-145) (#3556)

* feat(pregate): sealed.allow_paths exceptions and opt-in case_insensitive deny globs (GSTA-145)

Co-authored-by: capy-ai[bot] <230910855+capy-ai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

* docs(changelog): sealed allow_paths and case_insensitive (Unreleased)

Co-authored-by: capy-ai[bot] <230910855+capy-ai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

* fix: pre-landing review fixes

Co-authored-by: capy-ai[bot] <230910855+capy-ai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

* docs(pregate): state exactly which allow_paths file names are refused

Co-authored-by: capy-ai[bot] <230910855+capy-ai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

* docs(troubleshooting): sealed allow_paths exemption and newer-gstack sealed keys

Co-authored-by: capy-ai[bot] <230910855+capy-ai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: capy-ai[bot] <230910855+capy-ai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,21 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [1.91.311.0] - 2026-10-29
+
+**A sealed policy can now refuse `sealed/<set>/tasks.json` while allowing the `MANIFEST.json` beside it, and can catch `HELDOUT/` with a `heldout` glob.** The sealed guard only had deny globs and one-commit waivers, so the gstack-evals layout, which keeps a public manifest of hashes and counts next to its sealed tasks, needed a fresh `.gstack/sealed-allow.tsv` line for every manifest commit (gstack-evals wiki/board/2026-10-28-gsta-9-sealed-manifest-glob-gap.md). Their first draft also wrote `sealed/**`, which never matched their nested `tasks/<id>/sealed/` directories, and garrytan/gstack-evals#3 (dc54796) hand-listed `Sealed/`, `HELDOUT/` and other case variants.
+
+### Added
+- **`sealed.allow_paths`** (`lib/sealed-guard.ts`): globs that exempt publishable files from `sealed.path` and `sealed.transcript`, applied after the deny globs and before sha waivers. They are read from the destination base branch only, so a push cannot widen its own exceptions; a pushed copy is still validated and refuses when malformed. Text rules still read an exempt file, so a manifest that quotes a sealed answer still refuses. An entry whose file name contains `**` or is only wildcards before its extension (`**`, `sealed/*`, `**/*.json`) is refused. Each exempt path prints `exempt <rule>  <file>  commit <sha> (sealed.allow_paths <glob>)` on every push.
+- **`sealed.case_insensitive: true`**: `paths` and `transcripts` match regardless of case, so `**/heldout/**` also refuses `HELDOUT/` and `HeldOut/`. The value is the base branch's OR the pushed one, because it only tightens. `allow_paths` never fold case. Separator and spelling variants such as `hold-out/` still need their own globs.
+
+### Changed
+- `gstack-pregate sealed` prints `exempt=<n>` after `waived=<n>` on its `SEALED:` line (`policy=` stays last), and `--json` carries an `exempt` array. Both bins build their error report through one `sealedErrorReport`.
+- An unknown `sealed` key now says to upgrade gstack if the key comes from a newer one. A gstack older than this release refuses `allow_paths` and `case_insensitive` this way on every push and `gstack-pregate run`, so a repository raises `min_gstack_version` before landing either key.
+- `docs/pregate.md` § Sealed output explains glob anchoring: patterns match from the repository root, so `sealed/**` misses `tasks/x/sealed/a.json` and the docs say to write `**/sealed/**`. It also documents case handling, exceptions and the version skew.
+
+### Gate integrity
+- This is a gate edit: `allow_paths` lets the sealed guard pass files it refused before, but only from the reviewed base branch. No existing test, threshold or allowlist changed. New cases in `test/sealed-guard.test.ts` (10) and `test/pregate-guards.test.ts` cover an allowed exception, a non-matching one, an exception added on the pushed head, a text rule inside an exempt file, transcripts, the waiver order, the error report, case folding in both directions and the root-anchoring example.
+
 ## [1.91.310.0] - 2026-10-29
 
 **The cookie workflow judge now asks for structured output, so a quote the model forgets to escape can no longer fail the gate.** Train 42 went red because both of its `setup-browser-cookies/SKILL.md workflow` samples came back as free text with a bare quote inside `reasoning` ("one --domain per run"), and neither parsed. The GSTA-91 comparison had measured that failure: 2 of 144 free-text samples failed to parse, against 0 of 72 with the schema.

VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.91.310.0
+1.91.311.0

agents-digest/gstack-AGENTS.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# gstack digest v1.91.310.0 — regenerate/re-copy after upgrading gstack
+# gstack digest v1.91.311.0 — regenerate/re-copy after upgrading gstack
 
 Behavioral rules from gstack (https://github.com/garrytan/gstack), compressed
 for agent hosts without a full skill install. The full skills add workflows,

bin/gstack-pregate

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ import { DEFAULT_STALL_TIMEOUT_S } from '../lib/pregate/context';
 import { cancelActive } from '../lib/pregate/supervise';
 import { defaultGh, evaluateRegate, renderRegate } from '../lib/pregate/regate';
 import { GATE_AHEAD_REL } from '../lib/restamp';
-import { evaluateSealed, publishedCommits, rangeCommits, renderSealed } from '../lib/sealed-guard';
+import { evaluateSealed, publishedCommits, rangeCommits, renderSealed, sealedErrorReport } from '../lib/sealed-guard';
 import { isUnavailable, loadPolicyFromBase, policyUnavailableLine, resolveBaseBranch } from '../lib/ship-policy';
 import { fromGateAhead } from '../lib/tree-receipt';
 
@@ -244,13 +244,13 @@ function cmdSealed(root: string, rest: string[], json: boolean): number {
   const baseRef = gitOut(root, ['rev-parse', '--verify', '--quiet', `refs/remotes/${remote}/${base}^{commit}`]) ? `refs/remotes/${remote}/${base}` : null;
   const remoteUrl = gitOut(root, ['remote', 'get-url', remote]);
   const report = 'error' in listed
-    ? { status: 'error' as const, error: listed.error, policyLabels: [], commits: 0, findings: [], waived: [], visibility: 'unknown' as const, visibilitySource: '', target: remoteUrl ?? remote }
+    ? sealedErrorReport(listed.error, remoteUrl ?? remote)
     : evaluateSealed({ repoRoot: root, targets: [{ commits: listed.commits, pushedSha }], baseRef, baseLabel: `${remote}/${base}`, remoteUrl, target: remoteUrl ?? remote });
   const blocks = report.status === 'refused' || report.status === 'error';
   if (json) { process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({ ...report, ok: !blocks }) + '\n'); return blocks ? EXIT.fail : EXIT.ok; }
   process.stderr.write(renderSealed(report, 'gstack-pregate sealed'));
   const policy = report.policyLabels.length ? report.policyLabels.join(' + ') : `no sealed key on ${baseRef ?? `${remote}/${base}`} or ${end}`;
-  process.stdout.write(`SEALED: ${report.status} findings=${report.findings.length} commits=${report.commits} visibility=${report.visibility}${report.visibility === 'unknown' ? ' (counted public)' : ''} waived=${report.waived.length} policy=${policy}\n`);
+  process.stdout.write(`SEALED: ${report.status} findings=${report.findings.length} commits=${report.commits} visibility=${report.visibility}${report.visibility === 'unknown' ? ' (counted public)' : ''} waived=${report.waived.length} exempt=${report.exempt.length} policy=${policy}\n`);
   return blocks ? EXIT.fail : EXIT.ok;
 }
 

bin/gstack-redact-prepush

@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import * as path from "path";
 import { normalizeWithMap, scan, type Finding, type ScanOptions } from "../lib/redact-engine";
 import { mkdirpSync } from "../lib/fs-utils";
 import { resolveStateRoot } from "../lib/state-root";
-import { evaluateSealed, publishedCommits, renderSealed, type SealedReport } from "../lib/sealed-guard";
+import { evaluateSealed, publishedCommits, renderSealed, sealedErrorReport, type SealedReport } from "../lib/sealed-guard";
 
 const ZERO = /^0+$/;
 let emptyTree: string | undefined;
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ function sealedForPush(refs: Array<{ localSha: string; remoteSha: string }>): Se
   const targets: Array<{ commits: string[]; pushedSha: string }> = [];
   for (const ref of refs) {
     const published = publishedCommits(".", { localSha: ref.localSha, remoteSha: ref.remoteSha, remoteName });
-    if ("error" in published) return { status: "error", error: published.error, policyLabels: [], commits: 0, findings: [], waived: [], visibility: "unknown", visibilitySource: "", target: remoteUrl ?? "the push target" };
+    if ("error" in published) return sealedErrorReport(published.error, remoteUrl ?? "the push target");
     targets.push({ commits: published.commits, pushedSha: ref.localSha });
   }
   return evaluateSealed({ repoRoot: ".", targets, baseRef: defaultRemoteBranch(), remoteUrl, target: remoteUrl ?? remoteName ?? "the push target" });

docs/pregate.md

@@ -768,11 +768,13 @@ with a timing flake: never raise the bound.
 
 ```json
 { "sealed": {
-    "paths": ["heldout/**"],
+    "paths": ["heldout/**", "**/sealed/**"],
     "transcripts": ["runs/**/transcript*.jsonl"],
+    "allow_paths": ["**/sealed/*/MANIFEST.json", "**/protected/MANIFEST.json"],
     "answer_markers": ["SEALED ANSWER:"],
     "seed_patterns": ["shuffle_seed=\\d+"],
-    "local_paths": true } }
+    "local_paths": true,
+    "case_insensitive": true } }
 ```
 
 A repo with a `sealed` key gets a configured local check against accidental
@@ -792,8 +794,38 @@ gstack-pregate sealed [--range <a..b>] [--remote origin] [--base <branch>] [--js
   in a later commit); `sealed.answer`, `sealed.seed` and `sealed.local_path`
   (`/home/<user>/`, `/Users/<user>/`, `C:\Users\<user>\`) check each commit's added
   lines. Findings print rule, `file[:line]` and commit, never the text.
+- **Globs.** `paths`, `transcripts` and `allow_paths` match the whole
+  repo-relative path from the repository root. `*` and `?` stay inside one
+  path segment; `**/` spans zero or more directories; a `**` not followed by
+  `/` matches across directories (`heldout/**` covers every depth under
+  `heldout/`); `[` and `{` are literal. So `sealed/**` misses `tasks/x/sealed/a.json`:
+  to guard a `sealed/` directory wherever it sits, write `**/sealed/**`.
+- **Case.** Matching is case-sensitive. `case_insensitive: true` folds case
+  for `paths` and `transcripts` only, so `**/heldout/**` also catches
+  `HELDOUT/` and `HeldOut/`. Separator and spelling variants (`hold-out/`,
+  `held_out/`, `heldout-v2/`) are not folded: list each as its own glob.
+  The effective value is the base branch's OR the pushed one (it only tightens).
+- **Exceptions.** `allow_paths` exempts publishable files that sit next to
+  sealed data (a `MANIFEST.json` of hashes and counts) from `sealed.path` and
+  `sealed.transcript`, applied after the deny globs and before waivers. They
+  are read from the destination base branch only: an exception a push adds
+  takes effect once it lands on the base branch, so a branch can never widen
+  its own. They never fold case. An entry whose file name contains `**`, or
+  is only wildcards before its extension (`**`, `sealed/*`, `**/*.json`,
+  `sealed/**.json`), is refused; a partial wildcard such as `MANIFEST*.json`
+  is accepted and matches every file it spells, so name the file. An exempt file is checked by the
+  text rules only, so configure `answer_markers` when you exempt files next to
+  sealed data. Each exempt path is listed on every push (`exempt <rule>
+  <file> commit <sha> (sealed.allow_paths <glob>)`) and counted as
+  `exempt=<n>` on the `SEALED:` line.
+- **Version skew.** A gstack older than the release whose CHANGELOG adds
+  `sealed.allow_paths` refuses `allow_paths` and `case_insensitive` as
+  unknown keys, so every push and `gstack-pregate run` in the repository
+  fail on that machine. Raise `min_gstack_version` in
+  `.gstack/ship-policy.json` to that release before landing either key.
 - **Policy.** The union of the destination base branch's `sealed` and the
-  pushed commit's: a push can tighten it, never relax it. A malformed or
+  pushed commit's: a push can tighten it, never relax it (`allow_paths` come
+  from the base branch alone, and a pushed deny glob cannot override one). A malformed or
   unreadable policy refuses. Waivers come only from the base branch's
   `.gstack/sealed-allow.tsv` (`rule<TAB>path<TAB>sha<TAB>reason`) and are
   listed on every push.

docs/troubleshooting.md

@@ -3152,7 +3152,10 @@ cannot be downgraded; every other check id in `warn` is honoured only from the
 base branch's copy or the user-owned file. For the user-owned file, edit it
 directly at the path the message names. A user file inside the repository, or
 reached through a symlink into it, is ignored rather than read (`--explain`
-names it).
+names it). An unknown `sealed` key that a newer gstack defines (such as
+`allow_paths` or `case_insensitive`) means this machine's gstack is older than
+the policy: upgrade gstack here, and raise `min_gstack_version` in the
+repository's `.gstack/ship-policy.json` before landing such a key.
 
 <a id="pregate-secrets"></a>
 ### `PREGATE_SECRETS`
@@ -3658,7 +3661,11 @@ finding: rule, `file[:line]`, commit. They never print the matched text.
 
 **Fix.** Remove the output from every published commit before the branch
 reaches the public repository (a later commit that deletes it still publishes
-it). A reviewed false positive gets one line in the base branch's
+it). A publishable file kept next to sealed data (a `MANIFEST.json` of hashes
+and counts) can be exempted from the path rules with a `sealed.allow_paths`
+glob in the base branch's `.gstack/pregate.json`; the text rules still read it
+([docs/pregate.md#sealed](pregate.md#sealed)). A reviewed false positive gets
+one line in the base branch's
 `.gstack/sealed-allow.tsv`: `rule<TAB>path<TAB>sha<TAB>reason`. A private
 destination sets `"visibility": "private"` under `sealed` in the base branch's
 `.gstack/pregate.json`. Capy's pull-request tool may not run local hooks, so

lib/pregate/config.ts

@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ export function explainConfig(): string {
     'local: <workflow.yml>/<job> lanes a local run satisfies (platform-agnostic toolchain, or CI off); their tests run here, not requires-remote',
     'guards: [{ id, when: [globs], command, fix?, timeout_s? }]: each guard whose globs match a touched file runs in its own process (--allow-repo-commands); a failure fails pregate with the guard id and fix; never downgradable',
     `serial_patterns: test-file globs the lanes check runs one process per file, apart from the unit files (default ${DEFAULT_SERIAL_PATTERNS.join(', ')})`,
-    'sealed: { paths, transcripts, answer_markers, seed_patterns, local_paths, visibility }: sealed or eval output the pre-push hook and `gstack-pregate sealed` refuse to publish to a public destination (docs/pregate.md#sealed)',
+    'sealed: { paths, transcripts, answer_markers, seed_patterns, local_paths, allow_paths, case_insensitive, visibility }: sealed or eval output the pre-push hook and `gstack-pregate sealed` refuse to publish to a public destination; allow_paths (base branch only) exempt publishable files from the path globs (docs/pregate.md#sealed)',
     'price_file: repo-relative path of the GSTACK_EVAL_CALLS v1 call-plan file `gstack-eval-plan price-gate` prices a paid gate from; never executed (docs/eval-calls.md)',
     'stall_timeout_s: seconds without test output before the lanes check kills the runner\'s process group and records it incomplete (default 300; 0 disables; --stall-timeout overrides)',
     'remote_gate: the repo\'s remote test gate command; under 8 cores the test tier becomes a requires-remote obligation naming it, and gstack-pregate --remote runs it (it must print PREGATE_REMOTE: tree=<tree> tests=<n> failed=<n>) (docs/pregate.md#remote-gate)',

lib/sealed-guard.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
  *   answer_markers  regexes for a quoted sealed answer in added text
  *   seed_patterns   regexes for a sampling seed in added text
  *   local_paths     true: a local home path (/home/<u>/, /Users/<u>/) in added text
+ *   allow_paths     globs exempt from the path rules (read from the base branch only; never folds case)
+ *   case_insensitive true: `paths` and `transcripts` match regardless of case
  *   visibility      "public" | "private": the destination override (reviewed on the base branch)
  *
  * The publication boundary is every commit the push publishes: the local sha
@@ -18,8 +20,9 @@
  * copies, independent of content (binary, empty, add-then-delete); text rules
  * see each commit's added lines. The effective policy is the union of the
  * destination base branch's `sealed` and the pushed one (a push can tighten,
- * never relax); waivers come only from the base branch's
- * `.gstack/sealed-allow.tsv`. A malformed or unreadable policy refuses (fail
+ * never relax); `allow_paths` exceptions come only from the base branch's
+ * policy and remove path findings before waivers, which come only from the
+ * base branch's `.gstack/sealed-allow.tsv`. A malformed or unreadable policy refuses (fail
  * closed). Visibility: the base override, else a cache under the state root
  * (a `public` answer for 24 h, a `private` one for 1 h before it may
  * downgrade a refusal), else `gh repo view` (5 s); unknown counts as public.
@@ -28,19 +31,20 @@
 import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
 import * as fs from 'node:fs';
 import * as path from 'node:path';
-import { containedRelative, globToRegExp, matchesAny } from './ship-policy';
+import { containedRelative, globToRegExp } from './ship-policy';
 import { resolveStateRoot } from './state-root';
 
 export const SEALED_CONFIG_PATH = '.gstack/pregate.json';
 export const SEALED_ALLOW_PATH = '.gstack/sealed-allow.tsv';
 export const VISIBILITY_OVERRIDE_KEY = 'sealed.visibility';
 export type SealedRule = 'sealed.path' | 'sealed.transcript' | 'sealed.answer' | 'sealed.seed' | 'sealed.local_path';
-export interface SealedPolicy { paths: string[]; transcripts: string[]; answer_markers: string[]; seed_patterns: string[]; local_paths: boolean; visibility?: 'public' | 'private' }
+export interface SealedPolicy { paths: string[]; transcripts: string[]; answer_markers: string[]; seed_patterns: string[]; local_paths: boolean; allow_paths: string[]; case_insensitive: boolean; visibility?: 'public' | 'private' }
 export interface SealedFinding { rule: SealedRule; file: string; line?: number; commit: string }
+export type ExemptFinding = SealedFinding & { glob: string };
 export interface AllowEntry { rule: string; path: string; sha: string; reason: string }
 export type Visibility = 'public' | 'private' | 'unknown';
 
-const KEYS = ['paths', 'transcripts', 'answer_markers', 'seed_patterns', 'local_paths', 'visibility'];
+const KEYS = ['paths', 'transcripts', 'answer_markers', 'seed_patterns', 'local_paths', 'allow_paths', 'case_insensitive', 'visibility'];
 const MAX_ENTRIES = 64;
 const MAX_REGEX = 256;
 const LOCAL_PATH_RE = /(?:^|[^A-Za-z0-9_.~-])(?:\/home\/[^/\s'"`]+\/|\/Users\/[^/\s'"`]+\/|[A-Za-z]:\\+Users\\+[^\\\s'"`]+\\)/;
@@ -50,9 +54,9 @@ const PRIVATE_TTL_MS = 3600_000;
 /** `<key>: <message>` errors for a `sealed` value; empty when valid. Shared with lib/pregate/config.ts. */
 export function sealedErrors(raw: unknown): Array<{ path: string; message: string }> {
   const errors: Array<{ path: string; message: string }> = [];
-  if (!raw || typeof raw !== 'object' || Array.isArray(raw)) return [{ path: 'sealed', message: 'must be an object { paths, transcripts, answer_markers, seed_patterns, local_paths, visibility }' }];
+  if (!raw || typeof raw !== 'object' || Array.isArray(raw)) return [{ path: 'sealed', message: `must be an object { ${KEYS.join(', ')} }` }];
   const o = raw as Record<string, unknown>;
-  for (const k of Object.keys(o)) if (!KEYS.includes(k)) errors.push({ path: `sealed.${k}`, message: `unknown key; valid keys: ${KEYS.join(', ')}` });
+  for (const k of Object.keys(o)) if (!KEYS.includes(k)) errors.push({ path: `sealed.${k}`, message: `unknown key; valid keys: ${KEYS.join(', ')} (if the key comes from a newer gstack, upgrade gstack on this machine)` });
   const list = (key: string, check: (s: string) => string | null) => {
     if (!(key in o)) return;
     const v = o[key];
@@ -62,8 +66,9 @@ export function sealedErrors(raw: unknown): Array<{ path: string; message: strin
   };
   const glob = (g: string) => { const why = containedRelative(g); if (why) return why; try { globToRegExp(g); return null; } catch (e: any) { return e.message; } };
   const regex = (r: string) => { if (!r || r.length > MAX_REGEX) return `must be 1-${MAX_REGEX} characters`; try { new RegExp(r); return null; } catch (e: any) { return `is not a valid regex (${e.message})`; } };
-  list('paths', glob); list('transcripts', glob); list('answer_markers', regex); list('seed_patterns', regex);
-  if ('local_paths' in o && typeof o.local_paths !== 'boolean') errors.push({ path: 'sealed.local_paths', message: 'must be true or false' });
+  const exception = (g: string) => { const name = g.split('/').pop()!; return glob(g) ?? (name.includes('**') || /^[*?]+(\.|$)/.test(name) ? 'has a wildcard file name, which would exempt whole directories or file types; name the file (e.g. **/sealed/*/MANIFEST.json)' : null); };
+  list('paths', glob); list('transcripts', glob); list('answer_markers', regex); list('seed_patterns', regex); list('allow_paths', exception);
+  for (const k of ['local_paths', 'case_insensitive']) if (k in o && typeof o[k] !== 'boolean') errors.push({ path: `sealed.${k}`, message: 'must be true or false' });
   if ('visibility' in o && o.visibility !== 'public' && o.visibility !== 'private') errors.push({ path: 'sealed.visibility', message: 'must be "public" or "private"' });
   return errors;
 }
@@ -88,15 +93,15 @@ export function sealedPolicyAt(repoRoot: string, treeish: string, label: string)
   const errors = sealedErrors(raw.sealed);
   if (errors.length) return { error: errors.map(e => `${e.path}: ${e.message}`).join('; '), label };
   const s = raw.sealed;
-  return { policy: { paths: s.paths ?? [], transcripts: s.transcripts ?? [], answer_markers: s.answer_markers ?? [], seed_patterns: s.seed_patterns ?? [], local_paths: s.local_paths === true, visibility: s.visibility }, label };
+  return { policy: { paths: s.paths ?? [], transcripts: s.transcripts ?? [], answer_markers: s.answer_markers ?? [], seed_patterns: s.seed_patterns ?? [], local_paths: s.local_paths === true, allow_paths: s.allow_paths ?? [], case_insensitive: s.case_insensitive === true, visibility: s.visibility }, label };
 }
 
-/** Base ∪ pushed: lists concatenate, `local_paths` ORs; visibility stays private only when the base says so and the push does not say public. */
+/** Base ∪ pushed: deny lists concatenate, `local_paths` and `case_insensitive` OR (both only tighten); `allow_paths` relax, so they come from the base alone; visibility stays private only when the base says so and the push does not say public. */
 export function unionPolicies(base: SealedPolicy | null, pushed: SealedPolicy | null): SealedPolicy | null {
   if (!base && !pushed) return null;
   const u = (k: 'paths' | 'transcripts' | 'answer_markers' | 'seed_patterns') => [...new Set([...(base?.[k] ?? []), ...(pushed?.[k] ?? [])])];
   const visibility = pushed?.visibility === 'public' || base?.visibility === 'public' ? 'public' : base?.visibility === 'private' ? 'private' : undefined;
-  return { paths: u('paths'), transcripts: u('transcripts'), answer_markers: u('answer_markers'), seed_patterns: u('seed_patterns'), local_paths: !!(base?.local_paths || pushed?.local_paths), visibility };
+  return { paths: u('paths'), transcripts: u('transcripts'), answer_markers: u('answer_markers'), seed_patterns: u('seed_patterns'), local_paths: !!(base?.local_paths || pushed?.local_paths), allow_paths: base?.allow_paths ?? [], case_insensitive: !!(base?.case_insensitive || pushed?.case_insensitive), visibility };
 }
 
 /** Reviewed waivers: `rule<TAB>path<TAB>sha<TAB>reason` lines in the base branch's allow file. */
@@ -126,12 +131,20 @@ export function rangeCommits(repoRoot: string, range: string): { commits: string
 
 const HEX = /^[0-9a-f]{40,64}$/;
 
+/** The first glob matching a repo-relative path, compiled once per list (`matchesAny` normalization); null when none does. */
+function globMatcher(globs: string[], ignoreCase: boolean): (file: string) => string | null {
+  const compiled = globs.map(g => { const re = globToRegExp(g); return { g, re: ignoreCase ? new RegExp(re.source, 'i') : re }; });
+  return file => { const norm = file.replace(/\\/g, '/').replace(/^\.\//, ''); return compiled.find(c => c.re.test(norm))?.g ?? null; };
+}
+
 /** Path rules over every added, renamed or copied path, per commit (merges: paths new against every parent). */
 function pathFindings(repoRoot: string, commits: string[], p: SealedPolicy): SealedFinding[] {
   if (!p.paths.length && !p.transcripts.length) return [];
   const r = git(repoRoot, ['-c', 'core.quotePath=false', 'diff-tree', '--stdin', '-r', '--root', '-M', '-C', '--cc', '--name-status', '-z'], commits.join('\n') + '\n');
   if (!r.ok) throw new Error(`git diff-tree failed: ${r.err.slice(0, 200)}`);
   const out: SealedFinding[] = [];
+  const transcript = globMatcher(p.transcripts, p.case_insensitive);
+  const sealedPath = globMatcher(p.paths, p.case_insensitive);
   const tokens = r.out.split('\0');
   let commit = '';
   for (let i = 0; i < tokens.length; i++) {
@@ -141,8 +154,8 @@ function pathFindings(repoRoot: string, commits: string[], p: SealedPolicy): Sea
     const renamed = /^[RC]\d*$/.test(t);
     const file = renamed ? tokens[i += 2]! : tokens[++i]!;
     if (!renamed && !t.includes('A')) continue;
-    if (matchesAny(p.transcripts, file)) out.push({ rule: 'sealed.transcript', file, commit });
-    else if (matchesAny(p.paths, file)) out.push({ rule: 'sealed.path', file, commit });
+    if (transcript(file)) out.push({ rule: 'sealed.transcript', file, commit });
+    else if (sealedPath(file)) out.push({ rule: 'sealed.path', file, commit });
   }
   return out;
 }
@@ -216,7 +229,7 @@ export function resolveVisibility(url: string | null, o: VisibilityOptions = {})
 
 export interface SealedReport {
   status: 'no-policy' | 'clear' | 'refused' | 'warned' | 'error';
-  policyLabels: string[]; commits: number; findings: SealedFinding[]; waived: Array<SealedFinding & { reason: string }>;
+  policyLabels: string[]; commits: number; findings: SealedFinding[]; exempt: ExemptFinding[]; waived: Array<SealedFinding & { reason: string }>;
   visibility: Visibility; visibilitySource: string; target: string; error?: string;
 }
 
@@ -225,9 +238,14 @@ export interface EvaluateOptions {
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv; gh?: VisibilityOptions['gh'];
 }
 
+/** A report for a failure before any policy is read (an unlisted range, an unreadable push); renders as a fail-closed refusal. */
+export function sealedErrorReport(error: string, target: string): SealedReport {
+  return { status: 'error', error, policyLabels: [], commits: 0, findings: [], exempt: [], waived: [], visibility: 'unknown', visibilitySource: '', target };
+}
+
 /** The whole guard for one push (or range): policies, commits, findings, waivers, visibility, verdict. */
 export function evaluateSealed(o: EvaluateOptions): SealedReport {
-  const blank = { policyLabels: [] as string[], commits: 0, findings: [] as SealedFinding[], waived: [] as Array<SealedFinding & { reason: string }>, visibility: 'unknown' as Visibility, visibilitySource: '', target: o.target };
+  const blank = { ...sealedErrorReport('', o.target), error: undefined };
   const base = o.baseRef ? sealedPolicyAt(o.repoRoot, o.baseRef, o.baseLabel ?? o.baseRef) : { policy: null, label: '(no destination base branch)' };
   if ('error' in base) return { ...blank, status: 'error', error: `the sealed policy on ${base.label} is unreadable: ${base.error}` };
   let policy: SealedPolicy | null = base.policy;
@@ -243,6 +261,13 @@ export function evaluateSealed(o: EvaluateOptions): SealedReport {
   let found: SealedFinding[];
   try { found = scanCommits(o.repoRoot, commits, policy); }
   catch (e: any) { return { ...blank, policyLabels: labels, commits: commits.length, status: 'error', error: `could not read the published commits: ${e.message}` }; }
+  const exception = globMatcher(policy.allow_paths, false);
+  const exempt: ExemptFinding[] = [];
+  found = found.filter(f => {
+    const glob = f.rule === 'sealed.path' || f.rule === 'sealed.transcript' ? exception(f.file) : null;
+    if (glob) exempt.push({ ...f, glob });
+    return !glob;
+  });
   const allow = allowEntriesAt(o.repoRoot, o.baseRef);
   const waived: SealedReport['waived'] = [];
   const findings = found.filter(f => {
@@ -252,7 +277,7 @@ export function evaluateSealed(o: EvaluateOptions): SealedReport {
   });
   const vis = policy.visibility ? { visibility: policy.visibility as Visibility, source: `${VISIBILITY_OVERRIDE_KEY} override` } : resolveVisibility(o.remoteUrl, { env: o.env, gh: o.gh });
   const status = findings.length === 0 ? 'clear' : vis.visibility === 'private' ? 'warned' : 'refused';
-  return { status, policyLabels: labels, commits: commits.length, findings, waived, visibility: vis.visibility, visibilitySource: vis.source, target: o.target };
+  return { status, policyLabels: labels, commits: commits.length, findings, exempt, waived, visibility: vis.visibility, visibilitySource: vis.source, target: o.target };
 }
 
 const where = (f: SealedFinding) => `${f.file || '(unknown file)'}${f.line ? `:${f.line}` : ''}`;
@@ -260,6 +285,7 @@ const where = (f: SealedFinding) => `${f.file || '(unknown file)'}${f.line ? `:$
 /** stderr text for a report: findings one per line (`<rule>  <file[:line]>  commit <sha12>`), never the matched text. */
 export function renderSealed(r: SealedReport, context: string): string {
   const lines: string[] = [];
+  for (const e of r.exempt) lines.push(`${context}: exempt ${e.rule}  ${where(e)}  commit ${e.commit.slice(0, 12)} (sealed.allow_paths ${e.glob})`);
   for (const w of r.waived) lines.push(`${context}: waived ${w.rule}  ${where(w)}  commit ${w.commit.slice(0, 12)} (${SEALED_ALLOW_PATH}: ${w.reason})`);
   const vis = `visibility: ${r.visibility}${r.visibility === 'unknown' ? ', counted public' : ''}; ${r.visibilitySource}`;
   const body = r.findings.map(f => `  ${f.rule}  ${where(f)}  commit ${f.commit.slice(0, 12)}`);
@@ -268,7 +294,7 @@ export function renderSealed(r: SealedReport, context: string): string {
     lines.push(`Fix the sealed policy (gstack-pregate validate), then retry; an unreadable policy never passes (SEALED_OUTPUT_REFUSED)`);
   } else if (r.status === 'refused') {
     lines.push(`\n⛔ ${context} BLOCKED the publication of ${r.target} (${vis}) — sealed or eval output in ${r.commits} published commit(s):`, ...body);
-    lines.push(`Remove it from every published commit before this branch reaches a public repository, or waive one reviewed finding with a \`rule<TAB>path<TAB>sha<TAB>reason\` line in the base branch's ${SEALED_ALLOW_PATH}. A private destination: set ${VISIBILITY_OVERRIDE_KEY} "private" in the base branch's ${SEALED_CONFIG_PATH} (SEALED_OUTPUT_REFUSED)`);
+    lines.push(`Remove it from every published commit before this branch reaches a public repository, exempt a publishable path with a sealed.allow_paths glob in the base branch's ${SEALED_CONFIG_PATH}, or waive one reviewed finding with a \`rule<TAB>path<TAB>sha<TAB>reason\` line in the base branch's ${SEALED_ALLOW_PATH}. A private destination: set ${VISIBILITY_OVERRIDE_KEY} "private" in the base branch's ${SEALED_CONFIG_PATH} (SEALED_OUTPUT_REFUSED)`);
   } else if (r.status === 'warned') {
     lines.push(`${context}: warning — sealed or eval output in a push to a private destination (${vis}); it would be refused for a public one:`, ...body);
   }

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "gstack",
-  "version": "1.91.310",
+  "version": "1.91.311",
   "description": "Garry's Stack — Claude Code skills + fast headless browser. One repo, one install, entire AI engineering workflow.",
   "license": "MIT",
   "type": "module",

test/pregate-guards.test.ts

@@ -193,6 +193,12 @@ describe('pregate config: sealed (CD4)', () => {
     expect(codes({ sealed: { seed_patterns: ['('] } })).toEqual(['PREGATE_CONFIG_INVALID:sealed.seed_patterns[0]']);
     expect(codes({ sealed: { visibility: 'internal' } })).toEqual(['PREGATE_CONFIG_INVALID:sealed.visibility']);
     expect(codes({ sealed: { block: true } })).toEqual(['PREGATE_CONFIG_INVALID:sealed.block']);
+    expect(codes({ sealed: { paths: ['**/sealed/**'], allow_paths: ['**/sealed/*/MANIFEST.json', '**/protected/MANIFEST.json'], case_insensitive: true } })).toEqual([]);
+    expect(codes({ sealed: { allow_paths: '**/sealed/*/MANIFEST.json' } })).toEqual(['PREGATE_CONFIG_INVALID:sealed.allow_paths']);
+    expect(codes({ sealed: { allow_paths: ['../x/MANIFEST.json'] } })).toEqual(['PREGATE_CONFIG_INVALID:sealed.allow_paths[0]']);
+    expect(codes({ sealed: { allow_paths: Array.from({ length: 65 }, (_, i) => `s${i}/MANIFEST.json`) } })).toEqual(['PREGATE_CONFIG_INVALID:sealed.allow_paths']);
+    expect(codes({ sealed: { allow_paths: ['**', 'sealed/**', 'sealed/*', '**/*.json', 'sealed/*.*', '**/sealed/**.json', '**/sealed/*/MANIFEST.json', '**/sealed/*/transcript-*.jsonl', '.hidden'] } })).toEqual([0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5].map(i => `PREGATE_CONFIG_INVALID:sealed.allow_paths[${i}]`));
+    expect(codes({ sealed: { case_insensitive: 'yes' } })).toEqual(['PREGATE_CONFIG_INVALID:sealed.case_insensitive']);
   });
 });
 

test/sealed-guard.test.ts

@@ -195,6 +195,143 @@ describe('gstack-pregate sealed (the standalone preflight before any push or PR
   });
 });
 
+const MANIFEST = { paths: ['**/sealed/**'], allow_paths: ['**/sealed/*/MANIFEST.json'], answer_markers: ['SEALED ANSWER:'] };
+function preflight(s: Scratch, args: string[] = []) {
+  const r = spawnSync(PREGATE, ['sealed', '--base', 'main', ...args], { cwd: s.work, encoding: 'utf8', timeout: 60_000, env: { ...process.env, ...s.env } });
+  return { code: r.status, out: r.stdout ?? '', err: r.stderr ?? '' };
+}
+function landOnMain(s: Scratch, files: Record<string, string>): void {
+  sh(s.work, s.env, ['checkout', '-q', 'main']);
+  write(s.work, files);
+  sh(s.work, s.env, ['add', '-A']); sh(s.work, s.env, ['commit', '-q', '-m', 'base change']); sh(s.work, s.env, ['push', '-q', 'origin', 'main']);
+  sh(s.work, s.env, ['checkout', '-q', 'results']);
+}
+
+describe('sealed.allow_paths: base-branch exceptions applied after the deny globs', () => {
+  test('a deny with an allowed exception refuses the sealed file, lists the manifest as exempt, and a manifest-only push passes', () => {
+    const s = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy(MANIFEST) });
+    commit(s, { 'sealed/s1/tasks.json': '{}\n', 'sealed/s1/MANIFEST.json': '{"n":1}\n', 'tasks/x/sealed/s2/MANIFEST.json': '{"n":2}\n' });
+    const r = hook(s);
+    expect(r.code).toBe(1);
+    expect(r.err).toMatch(/^  sealed\.path\s+sealed\/s1\/tasks\.json/m);
+    expect(r.err).not.toMatch(/^  sealed\.path\s+\S*MANIFEST\.json/m);
+    expect(r.err).toMatch(/exempt sealed\.path  sealed\/s1\/MANIFEST\.json  commit [0-9a-f]{12} \(sealed\.allow_paths \*\*\/sealed\/\*\/MANIFEST\.json\)/);
+    expect(r.err).toContain('exempt sealed.path  tasks/x/sealed/s2/MANIFEST.json');
+    const only = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy(MANIFEST) });
+    commit(only, { 'sealed/s1/MANIFEST.json': '{"n":1}\n' });
+    expect(hook(only).code).toBe(0);
+    const pre = preflight(only);
+    expect(pre.code).toBe(0);
+    expect(pre.out).toMatch(/^SEALED: clear findings=0 commits=1 visibility=unknown \(counted public\) waived=0 exempt=1 policy=/m);
+    const json = JSON.parse(preflight(only, ['--json']).out);
+    expect(json.exempt).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(json.exempt[0]).toMatchObject({ rule: 'sealed.path', file: 'sealed/s1/MANIFEST.json', glob: '**/sealed/*/MANIFEST.json' });
+  });
+
+  test('an exception that does not match still refuses: another case and another depth', () => {
+    for (const file of ['sealed/s1/manifest.json', 'sealed/s1/x/MANIFEST.json']) {
+      const s = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy(MANIFEST) });
+      commit(s, { [file]: '{}\n' });
+      const r = hook(s);
+      expect(r.code).toBe(1);
+      expect(r.err).toContain(`sealed.path  ${file}`);
+      expect(r.err).not.toContain('exempt sealed.');
+    }
+  });
+
+  test('an exception added on the pushed head is ignored, on top of a base list too; a malformed pushed allow_paths refuses', () => {
+    const fresh = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ paths: ['**/sealed/**'] }) });
+    commit(fresh, { '.gstack/pregate.json': policy(MANIFEST), 'sealed/s1/MANIFEST.json': '{}\n' });
+    const f = hook(fresh);
+    expect(f.code).toBe(1);
+    expect(f.err).toContain('sealed.path  sealed/s1/MANIFEST.json');
+    const extra = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy(MANIFEST) });
+    commit(extra, { '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ ...MANIFEST, allow_paths: [...MANIFEST.allow_paths, '**/sealed/*/notes.md'] }), 'sealed/s1/notes.md': 'n\n' });
+    expect(hook(extra).err).toContain('sealed.path  sealed/s1/notes.md');
+    const bad = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy(MANIFEST) });
+    commit(bad, { '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ ...MANIFEST, allow_paths: '**/sealed/*/MANIFEST.json' }), 'docs/x.md': 'x\n' });
+    const b = hook(bad);
+    expect(b.code).toBe(1);
+    expect(b.err).toContain('sealed.allow_paths');
+  });
+
+  test('an allowed manifest that quotes a sealed answer still refuses on the text rule', () => {
+    const s = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy(MANIFEST) });
+    commit(s, { 'sealed/s1/MANIFEST.json': '{"note":"SEALED ANSWER: b"}\n' });
+    const r = hook(s);
+    expect(r.code).toBe(1);
+    expect(r.err).toMatch(/sealed\.answer\s+sealed\/s1\/MANIFEST\.json:1/);
+    expect(r.err).toContain('exempt sealed.path  sealed/s1/MANIFEST.json');
+  });
+
+  test('an exception covers sealed.transcript too and is counted before a base sha waiver, never both', () => {
+    const s = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ paths: ['**/sealed/**'], transcripts: ['**/transcript*.jsonl'], allow_paths: ['**/sealed/*/transcript-public.jsonl'] }) });
+    const sha = commit(s, { 'sealed/s1/transcript-public.jsonl': '{}\n' });
+    landOnMain(s, { '.gstack/sealed-allow.tsv': `sealed.transcript\tsealed/s1/transcript-public.jsonl\t${sha.slice(0, 12)}\tsynthetic fixture\n` });
+    const pre = preflight(s);
+    expect(pre.code).toBe(0);
+    expect(pre.err).toContain('exempt sealed.transcript  sealed/s1/transcript-public.jsonl');
+    expect(pre.out).toMatch(/findings=0 .* waived=0 exempt=1 /);
+  });
+
+  test('a preflight error carries the same report shape: exit 1, SEALED: error with exempt=0, no stack trace', () => {
+    const s = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy(MANIFEST) });
+    commit(s, { 'docs/x.md': 'x\n' });
+    const r = preflight(s, ['--range', 'nosuch..HEAD']);
+    expect(r.code).toBe(1);
+    expect(r.out).toMatch(/^SEALED: error findings=0 commits=0 .* waived=0 exempt=0 /m);
+    expect(r.err).not.toMatch(/\n\s+at /);
+    expect(JSON.parse(preflight(s, ['--range', 'nosuch..HEAD', '--json']).out).exempt).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('sealed.case_insensitive: deny globs fold case, exceptions never do', () => {
+  test('off (the default), HELDOUT/ passes a lowercase deny glob; on, HELDOUT/, HeldOut/ and a Transcript refuse, and hold-out/ still passes', () => {
+    const off = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ paths: ['**/heldout/**'] }) });
+    commit(off, { 'HELDOUT/q.json': '{}\n' });
+    expect(hook(off).code).toBe(0);
+    const on = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ paths: ['**/heldout/**'], transcripts: ['runs/**/transcript*.jsonl'], case_insensitive: true }) });
+    commit(on, { 'HELDOUT/q.json': '{}\n', 'HeldOut/q.json': '{}\n', 'Runs/c1/Transcript.jsonl': '{}\n', 'hold-out/q.json': '{}\n' });
+    const r = hook(on);
+    expect(r.code).toBe(1);
+    expect(r.err).toContain('sealed.path  HELDOUT/q.json');
+    expect(r.err).toContain('sealed.path  HeldOut/q.json');
+    expect(r.err).toContain('sealed.transcript  Runs/c1/Transcript.jsonl');
+    expect(r.err).not.toContain('hold-out/q.json');
+  });
+
+  test('on, allow_paths stay case-sensitive: MANIFEST.json is exempt and manifest.json refuses', () => {
+    const s = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ ...MANIFEST, case_insensitive: true }) });
+    commit(s, { 'sealed/s1/MANIFEST.json': '{}\n', 'sealed/s1/manifest.json': '{}\n' });
+    const r = hook(s);
+    expect(r.code).toBe(1);
+    expect(r.err).toContain('exempt sealed.path  sealed/s1/MANIFEST.json');
+    expect(r.err).toMatch(/^  sealed\.path\s+sealed\/s1\/manifest\.json/m);
+  });
+
+  test('set only on the pushed head, it still tightens (base OR pushed)', () => {
+    const s = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ paths: ['**/heldout/**'] }) });
+    commit(s, { '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ paths: ['**/heldout/**'], case_insensitive: true }), 'HELDOUT/q.json': '{}\n' });
+    expect(hook(s).err).toContain('sealed.path  HELDOUT/q.json');
+  });
+});
+
+describe('root-anchoring (the docs/pregate.md example)', () => {
+  test('globs match from the repo root: sealed/** misses a nested sealed/ directory and **/sealed/** catches it at any depth', () => {
+    const docs = fs.readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, 'docs', 'pregate.md'), 'utf8');
+    expect(docs).toContain('`sealed/**` misses `tasks/x/sealed/a.json`');
+    expect(docs).toContain('write `**/sealed/**`');
+    const anchored = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ paths: ['sealed/**'] }) });
+    commit(anchored, { 'tasks/x/sealed/a.json': '{}\n' });
+    expect(hook(anchored).code).toBe(0);
+    const any = scratch({ '.gstack/pregate.json': policy({ paths: ['**/sealed/**'] }) });
+    commit(any, { 'tasks/x/sealed/a.json': '{}\n', 'sealed/b.json': '{}\n' });
+    const a = hook(any);
+    expect(a.err).toContain('sealed.path  tasks/x/sealed/a.json');
+    expect(a.err).toContain('sealed.path  sealed/b.json');
+  });
+});
+
 describe('visibility (cache under the state root; unknown counts as public)', () => {
   test('a public answer is cached; a cached private answer older than an hour is re-queried before it can downgrade; a failed lookup is unknown', () => {
     const state = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'sealed-vis-'));