Decode .scb -> inspect

The decode command reads Strata Core Binary (.scb) and renders a human-readable inspection view.

This operation is read-only. It does not normalize, rewrite, or reinterpret data.

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Purpose

decode exists to:

• Inspect canonical Strata Core Binary

• Verify encoded structure and values

• Debug or audit .scb payloads

• Confirm correctness after transport or storage

It is a visibility tool, not a transformation.

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Command

strata-js decode <input.scb>

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What "inspect" means

Inspection converts binary Strata values into a lossless, readable representation.

Important properties:

• Every decoded value maps directly to a Strata value type

• No implicit coercion is performed

• No re-encoding occurs

• Byte-level meaning is preserved

The output is intended for humans, not machines.

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Decoding pipeline

The command performs the following steps:

1. Read

   • Raw bytes are read exactly as stored

   • No framing or envelope is assumed

2. Decode

   • Tags and payloads are parsed

   • Canonical varints are decoded

   • UTF-8 is validated

   • Structural rules are enforced

3. Validate

   • Trailing bytes are rejected

   • Invalid tags or malformed data cause failure

   • Offsets are tracked precisely

4. Inspect

   • The decoded value is rendered as structured JSON-like output

   • Integers are rendered as strings (to preserve full precision)

   • Bytes are rendered as byte arrays

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Output format

Inspection output is not Strata Text.

It is an informational view designed to:

• Be readable

• Preserve meaning

• Avoid ambiguity

Examples of representation:

• int → stringified integer

• bytes → array of byte values

• map → key-value object

• list → ordered array

This output is not guaranteed to round-trip back into .scb.

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Error handling

Decoding fails if:

• An invalid tag is encountered

• A value is truncated

• UTF-8 is malformed

• Varints overflow or terminate incorrectly

• Trailing bytes exist

On failure:

• The command exits with a non-zero code

• The error offset is reported

• No partial output is printed

Errors are precise and positional.

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Canonical strictness

decode enforces strict canonical decoding:

• Non-canonical encodings are rejected

• Ambiguous encodings are rejected

• Extra bytes are rejected

If decoding succeeds, the input is valid Strata Core Binary.

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Relationship to encoding

Decoding does not imply re-encoding.

However:

• A decoded value may be re-encoded

• Re-encoding must produce byte-identical output

• Any mismatch indicates corruption or a bug

This property is enforced by Northstar tests.

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Example

strata-js decode payload.scb

This:

• Reads payload.scb

• Validates it fully

• Prints an inspection view to stdout

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Summary

decode is the lens into canonical data.

It answers one question:

“What does these exact bytes mean under Strata rules?”

Nothing more. Nothing less.