MDL — Markdown Logged: An Open Trust Layer for Text (v1.1)

MDL (Markdown Logged) is a lightweight, cryptographically verifiable document format built on Markdown. Any .md file can be wrapped in a four-layer proof architecture without breaking human readability or requiring external infrastructure. Proof layers: SHA-256 hash (L1) · local entropy (L2) · real-world market anchor via Yahoo Finance (L3) · Ed25519 digital signature (L4). Core principle: a document is not trusted because it cannot be changed, but because any change is provably visible. This release contains the formal MDL v1.1 specification, Python implementation (CLI + modules), and example documents. The specification is published as its own .mdl file — MDL verifies itself. MDL is the reference implementation of Reality Proof — a method for binding digital content to time, origin, and real-world state.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-04-22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19698942
Primary Topic
Digital and Cyber Forensics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

MDL — Markdown Logged: An Open Trust Layer for Text (v1.1)

László Tatai
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Digital and Cyber Forensics
article

MDL — Markdown Logged: An Open Trust Layer for Text (v1.1)

László Tatai
article en

Abstract

MDL (Markdown Logged) is a lightweight, cryptographically verifiable document format built on Markdown. Any .md file can be wrapped in a four-layer proof architecture without breaking human readability or requiring external infrastructure. Proof layers: SHA-256 hash (L1) · local entropy (L2) · real-world market anchor via Yahoo Finance (L3) · Ed25519 digital signature (L4). Core principle: a document is not trusted because it cannot be changed, but because any change is provably visible. This release contains the formal MDL v1.1 specification, Python implementation (CLI + modules), and example documents. The specification is published as its own .mdl file — MDL verifies itself. MDL is the reference implementation of Reality Proof — a method for binding digital content to time, origin, and real-world state.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Digital and Cyber Forensics
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.