A certification layer for vector retrieval. Every query returns (results, certificate), where the certificate is independently verifiable and asserts either success under declared admissibility constraints (POS) or impossibility with a structural obstruction (NEG).
CVRE wraps any vector search backend as a constrained oracle. It enforces explicit admissibility rules on how the oracle may be queried and emits a verifier-checkable certificate describing what was done and why the outcome is valid.
CVRE is not a vector database. It is a certification and verification layer.
Each run declares:
- Objective (e.g., ε-ANN)
- Admissibility constraints (locality, capacity, non-amplification)
- Transcript commitments and capacity ledger
Return value:
- results
- certificate.json
Baseline objective: ε-Approximate Nearest Neighbor (ε-ANN)
A result v is valid if: dist(q, v) ≤ (1 + ε) · d*(q)
Objectives are explicit and verifier-checked.
POS certificates assert the objective was achieved under the declared constraints. NEG certificates assert impossibility under those constraints and include an obstruction witness.
Certificates are standalone JSON artifacts verifiable offline.
CVRE distinguishes algorithmic failure from structural impossibility. NEG certificates name an obstruction class and include the minimal witness required by the verifier.
cvre/ cvre/ demos/ docs/ paper/ schemas/ tests/ tools/
README.md STATUS.md CITATION.cff
git clone https://github.com/inaciovasquez2020/cvre.git cd cvre
python3 -m venv .venv source .venv/bin/activate python -m pip install -e . pytest -q
Schemas live in schemas/. Certificates validate deterministically against the schemas.
See STATUS.md for canonical state and freeze policy.
CVRE is aligned with URF admissibility principles. Upstream references: https://github.com/inaciovasquez2020/urf-core https://github.com/inaciovasquez2020/scientific-infrastructure
@software{Vasquez_CVRE_2026, author = {Vasquez, Inacio F.}, title = {CVRE: Certified Vector Retrieval Engine}, year = {2026}, url = {https://github.com/inaciovasquez2020/cvre} }
MIT
Inacio F. Vasquez Independent Researcher