Status: implemented

Implemented — this change has shipped.

RFC 0061: Keep protocol version labels synchronized

Summary

Correct the two stale release labels in spec/UW_PROTOCOL_v1.md from 2.15.0 and 2.8.0 to the authoritative Protocol version 2.17.0, and extend verify-versions so the compatibility matrix, executable protocol constant, and both labels fail together if they drift again. This is an editorial integrity repair: it changes no protocol behavior, schema, type, calculation, or conformance requirement.

Motivation

VERSIONS.md is the authoritative release matrix and packages/uwmd-core/src/protocol.ts exports PROTOCOL_VERSION = '2.17.0'. The protocol document nevertheless advertised 2.15.0 in its status line and called itself 2.8.0 in §0.3. A consumer scraping either label could therefore pin the wrong release even though the executable implementation and matrix agreed. The existing version gate compared only the matrix and executable constant, so both stale labels remained invisible to CI.

Proposed change

In spec/UW_PROTOCOL_v1.md:

• the document status line says protocol 2.17.0;
• §0.3 says the current Protocol version is 2.17.0.

scripts/verify-versions.mjs MUST read those two locations and require both to equal the UW Protocol row in the current VERSIONS.md matrix and PROTOCOL_VERSION. The gate reports a distinct failure for a missing or mismatched status-line or §0.3 label.

Compatibility analysis

Existing .uw.md files remain valid. Reader, Editor, Calc Host, and Agent Host behavior is unchanged. Module manifests and requirements are unchanged. This repair only makes the protocol document accurately identify the release whose rules it already contains.

Conformance impact

No conformance fixture changes. The version-integrity gate is repository tooling, not a new document-conformance requirement.

Reference implementation

• Files affected: spec/UW_PROTOCOL_v1.md, scripts/verify-versions.mjs, and release/status documentation.
• API surface: none.
• Test plan: run npm run verify-versions, then the full build, test, conformance, schema, lint, lockfile, and package gates.

Alternatives considered

Leaving the prose advisory was rejected because both locations present themselves as the current Protocol version. Removing the duplicated labels was rejected because the status line and versioning section are useful to readers; making them mechanically checked retains that value without accepting drift.

Unresolved questions

None. VERSIONS.md remains authoritative for release state; the protocol document and runtime constant are checked mirrors.

Prior art

The repository already applies the same single-source-and-checked-mirrors pattern to package manifests and Format/Protocol constants in verify-versions.