diff --git a/.agents/subplans/01-language-and-stdlib.md b/.agents/subplans/01-language-and-stdlib.md
index 51e3592..9f85fdd 100644
--- a/.agents/subplans/01-language-and-stdlib.md
+++ b/.agents/subplans/01-language-and-stdlib.md
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 # Subplan 01 - sx Language And Standard Library
 
+> **Status (2026-06-11):** largely superseded by sx itself. Slice 1 shipped
+> as-built with a different design — there is no `pub`; aliases are the
+> re-export mechanism and `modules/std.sx` is the barrel. Slice 2 is settled
+> (`!` error channel, `catch (e)` bindings). Slices 5–7 partially shipped
+> (`std.fs`, `std.process`, `std.hash` SHA-256, `std.json`, `std.cli`,
+> `std.log`). Still open: Unicode/String model (Slice 3),
+> HashMap/StringBuilder (Slice 4), bytes/paths (Slice 5 remainder),
+> time/random/encoding (Slice 6 remainder), config (Slice 7 remainder), and
+> HTTP/TLS/SQLite/archive/testing helpers (Slice 8). See "sx Foundation
+> Status" in `PLAN.md`.
+
 ## Goal
 
 Build the language and std primitives required before the distribution platform
diff --git a/.agents/subplans/08-orchestration-and-qa.md b/.agents/subplans/08-orchestration-and-qa.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 192eed5..0000000
--- a/.agents/subplans/08-orchestration-and-qa.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,200 +0,0 @@
-# Subplan 08 - Orchestration, Checkpoints, And QA
-
-## Goal
-
-Keep agent work resumable, auditable, and constrained.
-
-## Required Files
-
-- `.agents/ORCHESTRATION.md`
-- `.agents/CHECKPOINT.md`
-- `.agents/checkpoint.json`
-- `.agents/subplans/README.md`
-- `.agents/runs/<run-id>/...`
-
-## Run Creation
-
-For each substantial task:
-
-1. Create `.agents/runs/<run-id>/`.
-2. Copy relevant acceptance criteria into `brief.md`.
-3. Record the active branch.
-4. Record allowed write paths.
-5. Update checkpoint before invoking Opus.
-
-Manager planning sessions count as substantial tasks when the user expects
-observability. Create a run record for planning work too, with Codex manager as
-the active agent.
-
-## Agent Liveness
-
-Each active run should include:
-
-```txt
-.agents/runs/<run-id>/
-  state.json
-  agents.json
-```
-
-`state.json` records:
-
-- run id
-- current phase
-- current branch
-- input artifact
-- input hash
-- expected output artifact
-- retry count
-- next action
-- blocker, if any
-
-`agents.json` records:
-
-- role
-- status: queued, running, completed, failed, dead, restarted
-- started_at
-- heartbeat_at
-- lease_expires_at
-- thread id, process id, or tool call id when available
-- last_error
-
-## Status And Progress Tail
-
-Use the local status command from the workspace root:
-
-```sh
-node .agents/scripts/status.mjs --tail 40
-```
-
-For a browser dashboard:
-
-```sh
-node .agents/scripts/observe.mjs --port 4317
-```
-
-Then open `http://127.0.0.1:4317`.
-
-The command reads:
-
-- `.agents/checkpoint.json`
-- every `.agents/runs/<run-id>/state.json`
-- every `.agents/runs/<run-id>/agents.json`
-
-It prints:
-
-- all known runs
-- current phase and branch
-- all recorded agents and their lease status
-- expired leases
-- blockers
-- the next action
-- the tail of the active run's progress file
-
-Progress files are checked in this order:
-
-- `progress.log`
-- `implementation-log.md`
-- `validation.md`
-- `opus-proposal.md`
-- `snarky-review.md`
-
-Managers should append progress events to `progress.log` whenever possible.
-Human-readable phase artifacts still stay in their named markdown files.
-
-## Agent Restart Policy
-
-If an agent dies, the manager restarts the role from durable files, not memory.
-
-Snarky restart:
-
-- Read `PLAN.md`, `.agents/ORCHESTRATION.md`, checkpoint files, and active run
-  artifacts.
-- Re-run the current Snarky phase using the same input artifact.
-- Replace only the expected Snarky output for that phase.
-
-Opus proposal/review restart:
-
-- Re-run the same `opus-runner` planning tool with the same input artifact.
-- Keep previous failed output, if any, as diagnostic context.
-- Do not advance until the expected output validates.
-- Use a lease and CLI/tool timeout of at least 30 minutes.
-
-Opus implementation restart:
-
-- Check current branch.
-- Check dirty state.
-- If the branch is clean, retry the same implementation instruction.
-- If the branch is dirty, manager must inspect the diff and decide whether to
-  continue, ask Opus to repair, or ask the user.
-- Never auto-reset or discard partial Opus edits.
-- Use a lease and CLI/tool timeout of at least 30 minutes.
-
-Retry limits:
-
-- Retry a dead planning phase up to 2 times.
-- Retry an implementation phase up to 1 time without user input.
-- After the retry cap, record a blocker in checkpoint files.
-
-## Checkpoint Policy
-
-Update checkpoints:
-
-- at the start of a run
-- after Snarky brief
-- after Opus proposal
-- after concern resolution
-- before Opus implementation
-- after implementation
-- after validation
-- before ending the turn
-
-Checkpoint must include:
-
-- timestamp
-- current phase
-- current branch
-- active run id
-- completed artifacts
-- next action
-- blockers
-- commands/checks already run
-
-## Validation Layers
-
-Manager validation:
-
-- git branch and diff check
-- out-of-scope file check
-- syntax checks
-- unit/integration tests when available
-- browser/screenshot checks for UI work when available
-
-Snarky validation:
-
-- product requirements
-- acceptance criteria
-- install flow accuracy
-- scope discipline
-
-Opus validation:
-
-- layout/design quality
-- interaction clarity
-- technical design concerns
-
-## Resume Procedure
-
-After power loss or interruption:
-
-1. Read `.agents/CHECKPOINT.md`.
-2. Read `.agents/checkpoint.json`.
-3. Check git branch and dirty state.
-4. Read the active run directory if present.
-5. Continue from `next_action`.
-6. Do not assume an Opus implementation completed unless validation is recorded.
-
-## Current Known Setup Issue
-
-The distribution workspace is not currently a git repository. Branch-based Opus
-implementation requires initializing git or moving these files into a repo with
-a clean baseline commit.
diff --git a/.agents/subplans/README.md b/.agents/subplans/README.md
index fc97f0b..fd7fdf1 100644
--- a/.agents/subplans/README.md
+++ b/.agents/subplans/README.md
@@ -1,31 +1,25 @@
 # Detailed Subplan Index
 
-These subplans break `PLAN.md` into implementation slices that can be handed to
-Snarky and Opus without reloading the whole plan every time.
+These subplans break `PLAN.md` into implementation slices.
 
 ## Reading Order
 
-1. `01-language-and-stdlib.md`
+1. `01-language-and-stdlib.md` (largely superseded — see "sx Foundation
+   Status" in `PLAN.md` for the as-built state and remaining gaps)
 2. `02-domain-and-storage.md`
 3. `03-cli-and-ci.md`
 4. `04-http-api-and-install.md`
 5. `05-artifact-validation.md`
 6. `06-admin-ui.md`
 7. `07-packaging-nas.md`
-8. `08-orchestration-and-qa.md`
 
-## Session Contract
+## Working Contract
 
-- Read `PLAN.md`, `.agents/ORCHESTRATION.md`, `.agents/CHECKPOINT.md`, and
-  the active subplan before doing work.
-- Keep work sequential. Do not use parallel implementation agents.
-- Use git branches for implementation. Do not use worktrees.
-- For product or UX scope, Snarky writes acceptance criteria and has final say.
-- For layout and visual design, Opus has final say.
-- For technical problems, consult Opus and resolve by consensus.
-- Opus is the only role that writes application code during Opus phases.
-- Update `.agents/CHECKPOINT.md` and `.agents/checkpoint.json` after every
-  completed slice, before any risky handoff, and after validation.
+- The multi-agent flow harness is retired; work happens directly in-session.
+- Read `PLAN.md` and the active subplan before doing work. The active
+  milestone slice plan and step progress live in `current/`.
+- Implementation is branch-based; `make test` must be green at each step
+  boundary.
 
 ## Slice Exit Criteria
 
@@ -35,10 +29,3 @@ Every slice should finish with:
 - Tests/checks run listed.
 - Known risks listed.
 - Next slice named.
-- Checkpoint updated.
-
-## Current Priority
-
-The first blocking priority is `01-language-and-stdlib.md`. Product code should
-wait until the required `sx` primitives exist or an explicit temporary shim is
-approved.
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c074109..453c227 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -26,9 +26,13 @@ build:
 test: build
 	@SX="$(SX)" ./tests/run.sh
 
-# Placeholder for the end-to-end publish flow — becomes real in P3.4.
-publish-example:
-	@echo "publish-example: not implemented yet (becomes real in P3.4)"
+# End-to-end local publish of examples/dist.json into a fresh .sx-tmp/
+# store, emitting the machine-readable JSON result on stdout. Depends on
+# `build` so build/dist exists; the store is reset first so re-runs don't
+# collide on the release id.
+publish-example: build
+	@rm -rf .sx-tmp/publish-example
+	./$(BUILD_DIR)/dist ci publish --manifest examples/dist.json --local-store .sx-tmp/publish-example --json
 
 clean:
 	@rm -rf $(BUILD_DIR)
diff --git a/PLAN.md b/PLAN.md
index b05f9a5..4c1ce0e 100644
--- a/PLAN.md
+++ b/PLAN.md
@@ -156,48 +156,53 @@ Deployment direction:
 - UGREEN NAS deployment through Docker/Container Manager is a first-version
   requirement.
 
-## sx Foundation Work
+## sx Foundation Status
 
-Before the product can be implemented well, `sx` needs a stronger language and
-standard library foundation.
+Re-evaluated 2026-06-11 against the current sx tree. The original foundation
+asks have largely landed, with one design difference: sx has no `pub` keyword.
+Visibility is import-scoped; aliases are the re-export mechanism
+(`print :: core.print`), and a module's namespace tail carries one level into
+flat importers. `modules/std.sx` is the curated barrel this plan asked for.
 
-Language/module needs:
+Delivered in sx and used by this repo:
 
-- `pub` exports so std modules do not leak private helpers.
-- Alias imports and curated namespace barrels.
-- Namespace member re-export syntax such as `pub print :: core.print`.
-- Error handling that follows the real sx model. `!` is an error channel, not a
-  generic result wrapper.
+- Module system: alias imports, alias re-exports, namespace barrels,
+  one-level carry, dir-vs-file ambiguity rejection.
+- Error handling: the `!` error channel with `raise`/`catch`/`onfail`
+  (bindings take parens), `?T` optionals.
+- `std` modules under `modules/std/`: core, fmt, list, mem (typed allocator
+  helpers over `alloc_bytes`/`dealloc_bytes`), fs, process, socket (raw TCP),
+  json, xml, cli, hash (streaming SHA-256), log (leveled, no timestamps yet),
+  test (bare assert).
 
-Standard library needs, at overview level:
+Still missing from sx — the forward wishlist; each item either blocks a later
+subplan or has an explicit local workaround:
 
-- Collections: extended `List`, `HashMap`
+- Collections: `HashMap` (linear scan over `List` pairs meanwhile).
 - Strings: validated UTF-8 `String`, `StringBuilder`, explicit Unicode model
-- Bytes and paths
-- Filesystem and process APIs
-- Time, random, hashing, and encoding
-- JSON, URL, MIME, config, CLI, and logging
-- HTTP server/client and TLS boundary
-- SQLite
-- Archive inspection
-- Testing helpers
-
-Unicode must be specified precisely:
-
-- `String` is validated UTF-8 bytes.
-- Byte length, scalar values, grapheme clusters, and display width are distinct.
-- APIs must clearly say which unit they operate on.
-- Invalid UTF-8 must not silently become a `String`.
+  (byte length, scalar values, grapheme clusters, and display width are
+  distinct; invalid UTF-8 must not silently become a `String`).
+- Bytes and a full path module (only `path_join`/`basename`/`dirname` today).
+- Time/clock (publish shims `time(2)` via FFI), random, encodings
+  (base64url, percent).
+- HTTP server/client and TLS boundary — blocks subplan 04 and remote publish
+  (subplan 03 Slice 3).
+- SQLite — blocks subplan 02 Slice 2 (`db.json` stands in).
+- Archive inspection — blocks deep IPA/APK validation (subplan 05).
+- Config layering (env/file/CLI) and richer testing helpers.
 
 ## Implementation Phases
 
-Phase 0 - sx language/module prerequisites:
+Phase 0 - sx language/module prerequisites (done, as-built):
 
-- Add `pub` support, alias imports, and namespace member re-exports.
+- Delivered in sx via alias re-exports and namespace barrels; there is no
+  `pub` keyword.
 
-Phase 1 - standard library foundation:
+Phase 1 - standard library foundation (partial):
 
-- Build the std primitives needed for CLI, HTTP, storage, validation, and tests.
+- Delivered: fs, process, json, cli, hash, log, test, socket, mem.
+- Outstanding: HashMap, StringBuilder/Unicode model, time, random, encodings,
+  HTTP/TLS, SQLite, archive (see "sx Foundation Status").
 
 Phase 2 - product domain:
 
@@ -305,21 +310,10 @@ verifiable from the repo:
 
 ## Detailed Execution
 
-`PLAN.md` is the overview. Detailed implementation breakdowns live in
-`.agents/subplans/`.
+`PLAN.md` is the overview. Slice breakdowns live in `.agents/subplans/`
+(01–07). The active milestone slice plan and step progress live in `current/`
+(`PLAN.md`, `CHECKPOINT-DISTRIBUTION.md`).
 
-Before starting or resuming work, read:
-
-- `.agents/ORCHESTRATION.md`
-- `.agents/CHECKPOINT.md`
-- `.agents/checkpoint.json`
-- the active `.agents/subplans/*.md` file
-
-The workflow is sequential and branch-based:
-
-- Codex manages orchestration and validation.
-- Snarky owns product briefs and final product acceptance.
-- Opus owns layout/design decisions.
-- Opus is the only role that writes code during Opus implementation phases.
-- Implementation uses git branches, not worktrees.
-- Checkpoints are updated after every completed slice and before stopping work.
+The multi-agent flow harness that originally executed this plan is retired;
+work proceeds directly in-session, branch-based, with `make test` green at
+each step boundary.
diff --git a/src/dist.sx b/src/dist.sx
index 1a17673..90ad89c 100644
--- a/src/dist.sx
+++ b/src/dist.sx
@@ -2,29 +2,33 @@
 // dist.sx — the `dist` distribution CLI entry point (subplan 03, Slice 1).
 //
 // Wires the real process argv (via `std.cli`'s `os_args`) to subcommand
-// handlers through `cli.parse`. The three groups/commands are dispatched
-// to STUB handlers for now — they acknowledge and emit a known result; the
-// real publish/promote/rollback logic lands in P3.4/P3.5.
+// handlers through `cli.parse`.
 //
-//   dist ci publish
-//   dist release promote
-//   dist release rollback
+//   dist ci publish        local publish pipeline (P3.4a/b) — see publish.sx
+//   dist release promote   point a channel at a release (P3.5) — see release/ops.sx
+//   dist release rollback  channel pointer to the previous release (P3.5)
 //
 // EXIT-CODE CONTRACT (sysexits, via std.cli): success ends with
 // `exit_ok()` (EX_OK = 0); a no-command / unknown-or-missing
 // group/command/flag ends with `exit_usage()` (EX_USAGE = 64). An
-// explicit `-h`/`--help` is not an error and ends 0.
+// explicit `-h`/`--help` is not an error and ends 0. A command that parsed
+// correctly but FAILED in execution (publish abort) ends 1 — under `--json`
+// the failure is also a single machine-readable error object on stdout
+// (`{"status":"error","error":{code,message}}`).
 //
 // `--json` PURITY: every command accepts the reserved global `--json`
 // flag (surfaced by the parser as `parsed.json`). In json mode stdout
 // carries ONLY the machine-readable JSON object (emitted via `std.json`,
-// isolated in `json_out.sx`); ALL human-readable text (help, progress,
-// errors) goes to stderr. In non-json mode human text on stdout is fine.
+// isolated in `json_out.sx` / `publish.sx`); ALL human-readable text (help,
+// progress, errors) goes to stderr. In non-json mode human text on stdout
+// is fine.
 // =====================================================================
 
 #import "modules/std.sx";
 #import "modules/std/cli.sx";
 jout :: #import "json_out.sx";
+pl   :: #import "publish/publish.sx";
+ops  :: #import "release/ops.sx";
 
 // Direct stderr writer (fd 2), so human help/usage/progress never lands on
 // stdout's data stream. `out` (std builtin) targets stdout (fd 1).
@@ -39,7 +43,7 @@ emit_human :: (s: string, json_mode: bool) {
     if json_mode { eputs(s); } else { out(s); }
 }
 
-HELP :: "dist — application distribution CLI\n\nUsage:\n  dist <group> <command> [flags]\n\nGroups & commands:\n  ci\n    ci publish            publish a release from CI (stub)\n  release\n    release promote       promote a release onto a channel (stub)\n    release rollback      roll a channel back to a prior release (stub)\n\nGlobal flags:\n  --json                  emit machine-readable JSON on stdout; human text to stderr\n  -h, --help              show this help and exit\n\nExit codes:\n  0   success\n  64  usage error (no command, or an unknown/missing command or flag)\n";
+HELP :: "dist — application distribution CLI\n\nUsage:\n  dist <group> <command> [flags]\n\nGroups & commands:\n  ci\n    ci publish            publish a release from CI\n      --manifest <path>     publish manifest (dist.json) to read\n      --local-store <dir>   local artifact store + db.json directory\n  release\n    release promote       point a channel at a release\n      --app <slug>          app the channel belongs to\n      --channel <name>      channel to move\n      --release <id>        release id to promote\n      --local-store <dir>   local artifact store + db.json directory\n    release rollback      move a channel back to its previous release\n      --app <slug>          app the channel belongs to\n      --channel <name>      channel to roll back\n      --local-store <dir>   local artifact store + db.json directory\n\nGlobal flags:\n  --json                  emit machine-readable JSON on stdout; human text to stderr\n  -h, --help              show this help and exit\n\nExit codes:\n  0   success\n  1   command failed (publish/promote/rollback aborted; JSON error under --json)\n  64  usage error (no command, or an unknown/missing command or flag)\n";
 
 // True if `name` appears as a token in `args`.
 has_flag :: (args: []string, name: string) -> bool {
@@ -61,45 +65,123 @@ error_phrase :: (e: CliError) -> string {
     return "usage error";
 }
 
-// ── Stub handlers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-// Honest stubs: acknowledge the command and emit a known result. NO real
-// publish/promote/rollback logic (that is P3.4/P3.5).
+// ── Handlers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+// A command that parsed correctly but failed in execution exits 1 —
+// distinct from the parser's EX_USAGE (64), so CI can tell "you called it
+// wrong" from "the publish itself aborted".
+exit_command_failed :: () -> noreturn { process.exit(1); }
+
+// Report a failed command and exit 1: the human sentence goes to stderr;
+// under `--json` the machine-readable error object is the only thing on
+// stdout (the purity contract holds on failure paths too).
+report_failure :: (cmd: string, fail: jout.CliFailure, json_mode: bool) -> noreturn {
+    eputs(concat(concat(concat(concat("dist: ", cmd), " failed: "), fail.message), "\n"));
+    if json_mode {
+        raw : [4096]u8 = ---;
+        werr := false;
+        n := jout.write_error(fail, string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = 4096 }) catch { werr = true; 0 };
+        if !werr {
+            out(string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = n });
+            out("\n");
+        }
+    }
+    exit_command_failed();
+}
+
+// `dist ci publish` — the real local publish pipeline (P3.4a). Runs the
+// publish, then renders the outcome: in json mode a single stable JSON
+// object on stdout with the human progress note on stderr (the `--json`
+// purity contract); otherwise a readable summary on stdout. A failed
+// publish reports through `report_failure` (stderr sentence, JSON error
+// object under --json, exit 1).
 handle_ci_publish :: (p: *Parsed, json_mode: bool) {
-    ack("ci publish", json_mode);
+    manifest_path := p.value_of("manifest");
+    store_dir := p.value_of("local-store");
+
+    fail : jout.CliFailure = .{};
+    o, e := pl.run_publish(manifest_path, store_dir, @fail);
+    if e {
+        report_failure("ci publish", fail, json_mode);
+    }
+
+    if !e {
+        if !json_mode {
+            out(pl.human_summary(@o));
+            return;
+        }
+
+        eputs("dist: ci publish ok\n");
+        raw : [16384]u8 = ---;
+        werr := false;
+        n := pl.write_json(@o, string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = 16384 }) catch { werr = true; 0 };
+        if werr {
+            eputs("dist: internal error: JSON serialization failed\n");
+            exit_usage();
+        }
+        out(string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = n });
+        out("\n");
+    }
 }
+
+// `dist release promote` — point an (app, channel) at a release over the
+// persisted store (P3.5). Same rendering contract as publish: JSON object
+// on stdout under --json (human note on stderr), readable summary
+// otherwise, `report_failure` on abort.
 handle_release_promote :: (p: *Parsed, json_mode: bool) {
-    ack("release promote", json_mode);
+    fail : jout.CliFailure = .{};
+    o, e := ops.run_promote(p.value_of("local-store"), p.value_of("app"),
+                            p.value_of("channel"), p.value_of("release"), @fail);
+    if e {
+        report_failure("release promote", fail, json_mode);
+    }
+    if !e {
+        if !json_mode {
+            out(ops.promote_human(@o));
+            return;
+        }
+        eputs("dist: release promote ok\n");
+        raw : [4096]u8 = ---;
+        werr := false;
+        n := ops.write_promote_json(@o, string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = 4096 }) catch { werr = true; 0 };
+        if werr {
+            eputs("dist: internal error: JSON serialization failed\n");
+            exit_command_failed();
+        }
+        out(string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = n });
+        out("\n");
+    }
 }
+
+// `dist release rollback` — move an (app, channel) back to its previous
+// published release (P3.5). Rendering contract as above.
 handle_release_rollback :: (p: *Parsed, json_mode: bool) {
-    ack("release rollback", json_mode);
+    fail : jout.CliFailure = .{};
+    o, e := ops.run_rollback(p.value_of("local-store"), p.value_of("app"),
+                             p.value_of("channel"), @fail);
+    if e {
+        report_failure("release rollback", fail, json_mode);
+    }
+    if !e {
+        if !json_mode {
+            out(ops.rollback_human(@o));
+            return;
+        }
+        eputs("dist: release rollback ok\n");
+        raw : [4096]u8 = ---;
+        werr := false;
+        n := ops.write_rollback_json(@o, string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = 4096 }) catch { werr = true; 0 };
+        if werr {
+            eputs("dist: internal error: JSON serialization failed\n");
+            exit_command_failed();
+        }
+        out(string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = n });
+        out("\n");
+    }
 }
 
-// Emit a stub command's acknowledgement. In json mode: a single JSON
-// object on stdout (and a human progress note on stderr). Otherwise: a
-// human acknowledgement on stdout.
-ack :: (cmd: string, json_mode: bool) {
-    if !json_mode {
-        out(concat(concat("dist: ", cmd), " (stub) ok\n"));
-        return;
-    }
-
-    eputs(concat(concat("dist: ", cmd), " (stub) acknowledged\n"));
-
-    raw : [4096]u8 = ---;
-    werr := false;
-    n := jout.write_stub(cmd, string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = 4096 }) catch { werr = true; 0 };
-    if werr {
-        eputs("dist: internal error: JSON serialization failed\n");
-        exit_usage();
-    }
-    out(string.{ ptr = @raw[0], len = n });
-    out("\n");
-}
-
-// Route a parsed (group, command) to its stub handler. `parse` only
-// returns a (group, command) present in the table, so one arm always
-// matches.
+// Route a parsed (group, command) to its handler. `parse` only returns a
+// (group, command) present in the table, so one arm always matches.
 dispatch :: (p: *Parsed, json_mode: bool) {
     if p.group == "ci"      and p.command == "publish"  { handle_ci_publish(p, json_mode);      return; }
     if p.group == "release" and p.command == "promote"  { handle_release_promote(p, json_mode); return; }
@@ -131,14 +213,28 @@ main :: () -> ! {
     }
 
     // Command table + flag specs live in this scope; `Parsed` holds VIEWS
-    // into them, used before `main` returns. Per-command flags arrive with
-    // the real handlers in P3.4/P3.5 — the global `--json` is recognized by
-    // the parser without being declared here.
-    no_flags : []FlagSpec = .[];
+    // into them, used before `main` returns. Every value flag below is
+    // required; the global `--json` is recognized by the parser without
+    // being declared here.
+    publish_flags : []FlagSpec = .[
+        FlagSpec.{ name = "manifest",    takes_value = true, required = true },
+        FlagSpec.{ name = "local-store", takes_value = true, required = true },
+    ];
+    promote_flags : []FlagSpec = .[
+        FlagSpec.{ name = "app",         takes_value = true, required = true },
+        FlagSpec.{ name = "channel",     takes_value = true, required = true },
+        FlagSpec.{ name = "release",     takes_value = true, required = true },
+        FlagSpec.{ name = "local-store", takes_value = true, required = true },
+    ];
+    rollback_flags : []FlagSpec = .[
+        FlagSpec.{ name = "app",         takes_value = true, required = true },
+        FlagSpec.{ name = "channel",     takes_value = true, required = true },
+        FlagSpec.{ name = "local-store", takes_value = true, required = true },
+    ];
     cmds : []Command = .[
-        Command.{ group = "ci",      command = "publish",  flags = no_flags },
-        Command.{ group = "release", command = "promote",  flags = no_flags },
-        Command.{ group = "release", command = "rollback", flags = no_flags },
+        Command.{ group = "ci",      command = "publish",  flags = publish_flags },
+        Command.{ group = "release", command = "promote",  flags = promote_flags },
+        Command.{ group = "release", command = "rollback", flags = rollback_flags },
     ];
 
     diag : Diag = .{};
diff --git a/src/infra/.gitkeep b/src/infra/.gitkeep
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/src/json_out.sx b/src/json_out.sx
index 6af9e25..5ecd16a 100644
--- a/src/json_out.sx
+++ b/src/json_out.sx
@@ -9,15 +9,28 @@
 #import "modules/std.sx";
 #import "modules/std/json.sx";
 
-// Serialize a stub command's machine result — `{ "command": <cmd>,
-// "status": "ok", "stub": true }` — into the caller-owned `dst`, returning
-// the number of bytes written. Overflow surfaces on the error channel.
-write_stub :: (cmd: string, dst: []u8) -> (s64, !JsonError) {
+// A machine-readable command failure: a stable dotted `code` naming the
+// failing stage and sub-reason (e.g. "validation.digest_mismatch") plus a
+// human sentence. Pipelines fill one of these at the raise site, so the
+// CLI can report precisely what failed without the error channel having to
+// carry data.
+CliFailure :: struct {
+    code: string = "";
+    message: string = "";
+}
+
+// Serialize a failure as the `--json` error object — `{ "status": "error",
+// "error": { "code": <code>, "message": <message> } }` — into the
+// caller-owned `dst`, returning the bytes written. Overflow surfaces on
+// the error channel.
+write_error :: (f: CliFailure, dst: []u8) -> (s64, !JsonError) {
     gpa := GPA.init();
     obj : Object = .{};
-    obj.put("command", .str(cmd),    xx gpa);
-    obj.put("status",  .str("ok"),   xx gpa);
-    obj.put("stub",    .bool_(true),  xx gpa);
+    obj.put("status", .str("error"), xx gpa);
+    eo : Object = .{};
+    eo.put("code",    .str(f.code),    xx gpa);
+    eo.put("message", .str(f.message), xx gpa);
+    obj.put("error", .object(eo), xx gpa);
     root : Value = .object(obj);
     n := try write_to_buffer(root, dst);
     return n;
diff --git a/src/manifest/manifest.sx b/src/manifest/manifest.sx
index 82fd50d..2e2c0ff 100644
--- a/src/manifest/manifest.sx
+++ b/src/manifest/manifest.sx
@@ -25,7 +25,11 @@
 
 #import "modules/std.sx";
 #import "modules/std/json.sx";
-#import "modules/fs.sx";
+// Also reached through an alias so the json reader is called as `jsonp.parse`
+// — a bare `parse` would bind to `std.cli`'s `parse` once both modules share
+// one program (the `dist` CLI), which returns a different type.
+jsonp :: #import "modules/std/json.sx";
+#import "modules/std/fs.sx";
 #import "../domain/platform.sx";
 #import "../domain/validate.sx";
 
@@ -49,12 +53,20 @@ ManifestErr :: error {
 // One artifact entry. `platform` + `path` are required; `filename`,
 // `content_type`, and `metadata` are optional overrides that default to ""
 // when absent. `metadata` is an opaque string mirroring Artifact.metadata.
+//
+// `size` / `sha256` are OPTIONAL declared expectations the publisher checks
+// the on-disk file against: present -> that value IS the expectation;
+// absent (`size == -1` / `sha256 == ""`) -> the publisher derives the
+// expectation from the stored object, so a no-declaration manifest still
+// validates trivially.
 ManifestArtifact :: struct {
     platform: Platform;
     path: string;
     filename: string;
     content_type: string;
     metadata: string;
+    size: s64 = -1;
+    sha256: string = "";
 }
 
 // A single publish: which app/version/channel, and the artifacts that make
@@ -71,7 +83,7 @@ Manifest :: struct {
 // Copy `s` into `alloc`-owned, null-terminated storage so the manifest
 // survives the source bytes / parse scratch being dropped.
 dup_str :: (s: string, alloc: Allocator) -> string {
-    raw : [*]u8 = xx alloc.alloc(s.len + 1);
+    raw : [*]u8 = xx alloc.alloc_bytes(s.len + 1);
     if s.len > 0 { memcpy(raw, s.ptr, s.len); }
     raw[s.len] = 0;
     return string.{ ptr = raw, len = s.len };
@@ -107,6 +119,16 @@ opt_str :: (o: Object, key: string, alloc: Allocator) -> (string, !ManifestErr)
     return dup_str(val.str, alloc);
 }
 
+// Optional integer field. Absent -> `default` (a documented default, not a
+// silent one); present-but-not-an-integer -> WrongType.
+opt_int :: (o: Object, key: string, default: s64) -> (s64, !ManifestErr) {
+    v := obj_find(o, key);
+    if v == null { return default; }
+    val := v!;
+    if val != .int_ { raise error.WrongType; }
+    return val.int_;
+}
+
 // Required array field. Absent -> MissingField; present-but-not-an-array ->
 // WrongType.
 req_arr :: (o: Object, key: string) -> (Array, !ManifestErr) {
@@ -141,6 +163,8 @@ artifact_from_json :: (o: Object, alloc: Allocator) -> (ManifestArtifact, !Manif
     a.filename     = try opt_str(o, "filename", alloc);
     a.content_type = try opt_str(o, "content_type", alloc);
     a.metadata     = try opt_str(o, "metadata", alloc);
+    a.size         = try opt_int(o, "size", -1);
+    a.sha256       = try opt_str(o, "sha256", alloc);
     return a;
 }
 
@@ -151,7 +175,7 @@ artifact_from_json :: (o: Object, alloc: Allocator) -> (ManifestArtifact, !Manif
 // (WrongType), a missing/empty required field (MissingField), and an unknown
 // artifact platform (UnknownPlatform). All strings are copied into `alloc`.
 parse_manifest :: (src: string, alloc: Allocator) -> (Manifest, !ManifestErr) {
-    root, pe := parse(src, alloc);
+    root, pe := jsonp.parse(src, alloc);
     if pe { raise error.BadJson; }
     if root != .object { raise error.WrongType; }
     ro := root.object;
diff --git a/src/publish/publish.sx b/src/publish/publish.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5766bb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/publish/publish.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,408 @@
+// =====================================================================
+// publish.sx — the local `dist ci publish` pipeline (subplan 03, Slice 1).
+// Wires the prior modules into one end-to-end publish:
+//
+//   manifest (P3.2) -> store (P2.2) -> common validation (P3.3) ->
+//   repository transaction + audit (P2.3) -> db.json persistence (P2.3)
+//
+// `run_publish(manifest_path, store_dir)` validates the manifest, LOADS any
+// prior `<store>/db.json` so separate invocations share state (a new version
+// accumulates; a duplicate release id is rejected), finds or creates the app,
+// drafts a release, content-addresses every artifact into
+// `<store>/objects/<sha256>`, validates each stored file, commits the whole
+// aggregate through the integrity-checked repo transaction (channel
+// promotion included), records an audit event per upload / publish /
+// promotion, persists the merged `<store>/db.json`, and returns a
+// `PublishOutcome` the CLI renders as stable JSON or a human summary.
+//
+// DECLARED-vs-DERIVED EXPECTATIONS (PO ruling): a manifest artifact may
+// DECLARE `size` / `sha256`; when it does, that value is the expectation the
+// common validation pass checks the on-disk file against. When it does NOT
+// (size == -1 / sha256 == ""), the expectation is DERIVED from the stored
+// object — the size read off disk and the sha256 returned by the store — so
+// a no-declaration manifest validates trivially.
+//
+// FAILURE CONTRACT (P3.4b): every abort happens BEFORE `db.save`, and the
+// repo transaction rolls itself back, so a failed publish never changes
+// db.json — no partially-published release, no moved channel pointer. Each
+// raise site first writes a `jout.CliFailure` (stable dotted code + human
+// message naming the offending input) for the CLI to report.
+//
+// LOCAL DOWNLOAD URL FORM: `file://<abs-store>/objects/<sha256>`, where
+// <abs-store> is the `--local-store` directory resolved to an absolute path
+// (left as-is if already absolute, else joined onto the process cwd).
+//
+// ALLOCATION: everything the published `Repo` and the returned outcome hold
+// is allocated from `context.allocator` (the process-lifetime default), so a
+// one-shot publish never frees and never dangles.
+// =====================================================================
+
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+#import "modules/std/json.sx";
+#import "modules/std/fs.sx";
+#import "../domain/platform.sx";
+#import "../domain/app.sx";
+#import "../domain/release.sx";
+#import "../domain/artifact.sx";
+#import "../domain/channel.sx";
+#import "../domain/audit.sx";
+#import "../store/store.sx";
+#import "../repo/repo.sx";
+#import "../validation/artifact_file.sx";
+mani :: #import "../manifest/manifest.sx";
+db   :: #import "../repo/db.sx";
+jout :: #import "../json_out.sx";
+
+// libc handles the two facts the publish needs from the OS: the wall-clock
+// time stamped onto the release / audit events, and the process cwd used to
+// absolutize a relative `--local-store` into the download URL.
+cstd     :: #library "c";
+c_time   :: (tloc: *s64) -> s64 #foreign cstd "time";
+c_getcwd :: (buf: [*]u8, size: usize) -> *u8 #foreign cstd "getcwd";
+
+// Failure classes for the publish pipeline. One distinct tag per stage so
+// the CLI (and P3.4b) can report precisely where a publish stopped.
+//   Manifest    — the manifest failed to load / parse / validate.
+//   Store       — an artifact's bytes could not be content-addressed.
+//   Validation  — a stored artifact failed the common validation pass.
+//   Transaction — the repo's integrity-checked publish rejected the aggregate.
+//   Persist     — db.json could not be loaded at startup or written at the end.
+PublishError :: error {
+    Manifest,
+    Store,
+    Validation,
+    Transaction,
+    Persist,
+}
+
+// One artifact as the CLI reports it: its id, platform, size, content
+// digest, and the local download URL its bytes live at.
+PublishedArtifact :: struct {
+    id: string;
+    platform_name: string;
+    size_bytes: s64;
+    sha256: string;
+    url: string;
+}
+
+// The machine-readable result of a successful publish: the release identity
+// and the artifacts that were stored under it.
+PublishOutcome :: struct {
+    release_id: string;
+    app_id: string;
+    version: string;
+    channel: string;
+    artifacts: List(PublishedArtifact);
+}
+
+// ── helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// Current wall-clock time as unix epoch seconds (time(2) via a local slot,
+// so no null pointer is needed).
+now_secs :: () -> s64 {
+    t : s64 = 0;
+    return c_time(@t);
+}
+
+// Resolve `dir` to an absolute path: returned unchanged when already
+// absolute, else joined onto the process cwd. Falls back to `dir` if the
+// cwd can't be read.
+abs_store :: (dir: string) -> string {
+    if dir.len > 0 and dir[0] == 47 { return dir; }   // 47='/' already absolute
+    buf : [4096]u8 = ---;
+    r := c_getcwd(@buf[0], 4096);
+    if cast(s64) r == 0 { return dir; }
+    n := 0;
+    while buf[n] != 0 { n += 1; }
+    cwd := string.{ ptr = @buf[0], len = n };
+    return path_join(cwd, dir);
+}
+
+// The content type to record when the manifest doesn't declare one — the
+// canonical type for the platform's artifact form (each is on the common
+// validation allow-list).
+default_content_type :: (p: Platform) -> string {
+    if p == .ios         { return "application/octet-stream"; }
+    if p == .android_apk { return "application/vnd.android.package-archive"; }
+    if p == .macos       { return "application/x-apple-diskimage"; }
+    if p == .linux       { return "application/octet-stream"; }
+    return "application/x-msdownload";   // windows
+}
+
+// ── failure detail ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// The error channel carries only a tag; the precise reason (which manifest
+// field, which validation check, which artifact) is written into the
+// caller's `jout.CliFailure` at the raise site, as a stable dotted code +
+// a human sentence naming the offending input where one exists.
+
+manifest_code :: (e: mani.ManifestErr) -> string {
+    if e == error.BadJson         { return "manifest.bad_json"; }
+    if e == error.WrongType       { return "manifest.wrong_type"; }
+    if e == error.MissingField    { return "manifest.missing_field"; }
+    if e == error.UnknownPlatform { return "manifest.unknown_platform"; }
+    if e == error.MissingArtifact { return "manifest.missing_artifact"; }
+    return "manifest.io";
+}
+
+manifest_message :: (e: mani.ManifestErr, path: string) -> string {
+    if e == error.BadJson         { return concat("manifest is not valid JSON: ", path); }
+    if e == error.WrongType       { return concat("manifest field has the wrong JSON type: ", path); }
+    if e == error.MissingField    { return concat("manifest is missing a required field: ", path); }
+    if e == error.UnknownPlatform { return concat("manifest names an unknown platform id: ", path); }
+    if e == error.MissingArtifact { return concat("manifest references an artifact file that does not exist: ", path); }
+    return concat("manifest file could not be read: ", path);
+}
+
+validation_code :: (r: ValidationReason) -> string {
+    if r == .missing_file        { return "validation.missing_file"; }
+    if r == .size_mismatch       { return "validation.size_mismatch"; }
+    if r == .digest_mismatch     { return "validation.digest_mismatch"; }
+    if r == .content_type_denied { return "validation.content_type_denied"; }
+    return "validation.extension_mismatch";
+}
+
+validation_message :: (r: ValidationReason, path: string) -> string {
+    if r == .missing_file        { return concat("artifact file disappeared before validation: ", path); }
+    if r == .size_mismatch       { return concat("artifact size does not match the declared size: ", path); }
+    if r == .digest_mismatch     { return concat("artifact sha256 does not match the declared digest: ", path); }
+    if r == .content_type_denied { return concat("artifact content type is not on the allow-list: ", path); }
+    return concat("artifact extension does not match its platform: ", path);
+}
+
+// ── pipeline ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+run_publish :: (manifest_path: string, store_dir: string, fail_out: *jout.CliFailure) -> (PublishOutcome, !PublishError) {
+    alloc := context.allocator;
+
+    // 1. Validate the manifest (parse + on-disk artifact existence).
+    m, me := mani.load_manifest(manifest_path, alloc);
+    if me {
+        fail_out.code    = manifest_code(me);
+        fail_out.message = manifest_message(me, manifest_path);
+        raise error.Manifest;
+    }
+
+    base_dir := dirname(manifest_path);
+    abs := abs_store(store_dir);
+    now := now_secs();
+
+    // Seed the Repo from any prior state so separate CLI invocations SHARE
+    // state through the store: a pre-existing `<store>/db.json` is loaded so
+    // find-or-create sees earlier apps and the integrity transaction sees
+    // earlier releases. A new version then ACCUMULATES (the app is found, not
+    // duplicated); re-publishing the SAME release id is rejected as a
+    // duplicate by the transaction. An absent db.json starts empty. The loaded
+    // model grows through its own owning allocator (`context.allocator`, the
+    // process-lifetime default), per the long-lived-container rule.
+    repo := Repo.init();
+    if exists(path_join(store_dir, "db.json")) {
+        loaded, le := db.load(store_dir);
+        if le {
+            fail_out.code    = "persist.load";
+            fail_out.message = concat("existing db.json under the store could not be loaded: ", store_dir);
+            raise error.Persist;
+        }
+        repo = loaded;
+    }
+    st := Store.init(store_dir);
+
+    // 2. Find or create the app (keyed by slug).
+    slug := m.app;
+    app_id := "";
+    existing := repo.find_app_by_slug(slug);
+    if existing == null {
+        app_id = concat("app-", slug);
+        repo.create_app(App.{
+            id = app_id, slug = slug, display_name = slug,
+            owner = "ci", visibility = .private,
+            created_at = now, updated_at = now,
+        });
+    } else {
+        found := existing!;
+        app_id = found.id;
+    }
+
+    // 3. Draft the release for this version/channel.
+    release_id := concat(concat(concat("rel-", slug), "-"), m.version);
+    rel := Release.{
+        id = release_id, app_id = app_id, version = m.version, build = 1,
+        channel = m.channel, notes = "", created_by = "ci",
+        created_at = now, published_at = now,
+    };
+
+    // 4. Per artifact: store by digest -> validate -> build the entity.
+    arts : List(Artifact) = .{};
+    out_arts : List(PublishedArtifact) = .{};
+
+    i := 0;
+    while i < m.artifacts.len {
+        ma := m.artifacts.items[i];
+        src := path_join(base_dir, ma.path);
+
+        // Content-address the bytes in memory via `put_bytes`. The streaming
+        // `put_file` path hashes through `hash.sha256_file`, which the sx
+        // LLVM backend miscompiles (codegen crash under `sx build`); reading
+        // the bytes and hashing them in memory yields the identical
+        // `objects/<sha256>` key with no streaming hash.
+        sb := read_file(src);
+        if sb == null {
+            fail_out.code    = "store.read";
+            fail_out.message = concat("artifact file could not be read: ", src);
+            raise error.Store;
+        }
+        bytes := sb!;
+        actual_size := bytes.len;
+
+        key, se := st.put_bytes(bytes);
+        if se {
+            fail_out.code    = "store.write";
+            fail_out.message = concat("artifact bytes could not be content-addressed into the store: ", src);
+            raise error.Store;
+        }
+
+        // Declared expectation when present; derived from the stored object
+        // otherwise (so a no-declaration manifest validates trivially).
+        exp_size := if ma.size >= 0 then ma.size else actual_size;
+        exp_sha  := if ma.sha256.len > 0 then ma.sha256 else key;
+        ct       := if ma.content_type.len > 0 then ma.content_type else default_content_type(ma.platform);
+
+        outcome := validate_artifact_file(src, exp_size, exp_sha, ma.platform, ct);
+        if outcome.status != .valid {
+            fail_out.code    = validation_code(outcome.reason);
+            fail_out.message = validation_message(outcome.reason, src);
+            raise error.Validation;
+        }
+
+        fname := if ma.filename.len > 0 then ma.filename else basename(src);
+        pname := db.platform_str(ma.platform);
+
+        art := Artifact.{
+            id = concat(concat(release_id, "-"), pname),
+            app_id = app_id, release_id = release_id,
+            platform = ma.platform, filename = fname, content_type = ct,
+            size_bytes = actual_size, sha256 = key, storage_key = key,
+            metadata = ma.metadata, validation_status = .valid,
+        };
+        arts.append(art, alloc);
+
+        url := concat(concat(concat("file://", abs), "/objects/"), key);
+        out_arts.append(PublishedArtifact.{
+            id = art.id, platform_name = pname, size_bytes = actual_size,
+            sha256 = key, url = url,
+        }, alloc);
+
+        i += 1;
+    }
+
+    // 5. Publish via the integrity-checked transaction (channel promotion
+    //    included). Rollback on failure is left intact for P3.4b.
+    chan := Channel.{
+        app_id = app_id, name = m.channel, current_release_id = "",
+        policy = .manual, rollout_percent = 100,
+    };
+    pe := false;
+    integ := false;
+    repo.publish(rel, @arts, chan) catch (e) { pe = true; integ = (e == error.Integrity); };
+    if pe {
+        if integ {
+            fail_out.code    = "transaction.integrity";
+            fail_out.message = concat("publish rejected: the release/artifact/channel aggregate is identity-inconsistent (e.g. duplicate release id): ", release_id);
+        } else {
+            fail_out.code    = "transaction.validation";
+            fail_out.message = concat("publish rejected: the release, an artifact, or the channel failed domain validation: ", release_id);
+        }
+        raise error.Transaction;
+    }
+
+    // Audit trail — only after a committed publish: one upload event per
+    // artifact, one publish event, one channel-promotion event.
+    j := 0;
+    while j < arts.len {
+        aid := arts.items[j].id;
+        repo.create_audit_event(AuditEvent.{
+            id = concat("evt-upload-", aid), actor = "ci",
+            action = "artifact.upload", target_type = "artifact",
+            target_id = aid, metadata = "", created_at = now,
+        });
+        j += 1;
+    }
+    repo.create_audit_event(AuditEvent.{
+        id = concat("evt-publish-", release_id), actor = "ci",
+        action = "release.publish", target_type = "release",
+        target_id = release_id, metadata = "", created_at = now,
+    });
+    repo.create_audit_event(AuditEvent.{
+        id = concat(concat(concat("evt-promote-", app_id), "-"), m.channel),
+        actor = "ci", action = "channel.promote", target_type = "channel",
+        target_id = m.channel, metadata = "", created_at = now,
+    });
+
+    // 6. Persist the whole model under the store.
+    persist_err := false;
+    db.save(repo, store_dir) catch { persist_err = true; };
+    if persist_err {
+        fail_out.code    = "persist.save";
+        fail_out.message = concat("db.json could not be written under the store: ", store_dir);
+        raise error.Persist;
+    }
+
+    return PublishOutcome.{
+        release_id = release_id, app_id = app_id,
+        version = m.version, channel = m.channel,
+        artifacts = out_arts,
+    };
+}
+
+// ── rendering ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// Serialize a successful publish as one stable JSON object into the caller
+// buffer `dst`, returning the bytes written. Member order is fixed (status,
+// release{id,app_id,version,channel}, artifacts[]{id,platform,size_bytes,
+// sha256,url}) by `std.json`'s insertion-order guarantee. Overflow surfaces
+// on the error channel.
+write_json :: (o: *PublishOutcome, dst: []u8) -> (s64, !JsonError) {
+    gpa := GPA.init();
+    root : Object = .{};
+    root.put("status", .str("published"), xx gpa);
+
+    rel : Object = .{};
+    rel.put("id", .str(o.release_id), xx gpa);
+    rel.put("app_id", .str(o.app_id), xx gpa);
+    rel.put("version", .str(o.version), xx gpa);
+    rel.put("channel", .str(o.channel), xx gpa);
+    root.put("release", .object(rel), xx gpa);
+
+    arts : Array = .{};
+    i := 0;
+    while i < o.artifacts.len {
+        a := o.artifacts.items[i];
+        ao : Object = .{};
+        ao.put("id", .str(a.id), xx gpa);
+        ao.put("platform", .str(a.platform_name), xx gpa);
+        ao.put("size_bytes", .int_(a.size_bytes), xx gpa);
+        ao.put("sha256", .str(a.sha256), xx gpa);
+        ao.put("url", .str(a.url), xx gpa);
+        arts.add(.object(ao), xx gpa);
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    root.put("artifacts", .array(arts), xx gpa);
+
+    rootv : Value = .object(root);
+    n := try write_to_buffer(rootv, dst);
+    return n;
+}
+
+// A readable one-publish summary for non-json mode: the release line plus
+// one indented line per artifact (platform, digest, download URL).
+human_summary :: (o: *PublishOutcome) -> string {
+    s := concat("published release ", o.release_id);
+    s = concat(s, concat(" (", concat(o.app_id, concat(" ", concat(o.version, ")")))));
+    s = concat(s, concat(" on channel ", concat(o.channel, "\n")));
+    i := 0;
+    while i < o.artifacts.len {
+        a := o.artifacts.items[i];
+        s = concat(s, concat("  ", concat(a.platform_name, concat("  ", concat(a.sha256, concat("  ", concat(a.url, "\n")))))));
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    return s;
+}
diff --git a/src/release/ops.sx b/src/release/ops.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7532e37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/release/ops.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,298 @@
+// =====================================================================
+// ops.sx — standalone channel operations over the persisted store
+// (subplan 03 / P3.5): `dist release promote` and `dist release rollback`.
+//
+// Both load `<store>/db.json`, mutate ONE channel pointer, append an audit
+// event, and re-persist. They are the human counterpart to the CI publish:
+// CI writes releases; a release manager moves channel pointers.
+//
+// PROMOTE points an (app, channel) at a given release id. The release must
+// exist and belong to the app; it does NOT have to target that channel —
+// promotion across channels (a beta release promoted onto stable) is the
+// point of the command. A missing channel is created. The policy gate is
+// the v0 stub: `.manual` always allows.
+//
+// ROLLBACK moves the channel pointer to the PREVIOUS valid release for
+// that channel. "Previous" is publish order: among the app's PUBLISHED
+// releases targeting this channel (`release.channel == name`,
+// `published_at > 0` — rollback never selects an unpublished release), the
+// one immediately before the current pointer. When the current pointer is
+// not in that lineage (it was cross-promoted from another channel),
+// rollback returns to the channel's own latest release. At the earliest
+// release — or with no lineage at all — there is nothing to roll back to.
+//
+// FAILURE CONTRACT (mirrors P3.4b): every abort happens before `db.save`,
+// so a failed operation never changes db.json. Each raise site first
+// writes a `jout.CliFailure` (stable dotted code + human message).
+// =====================================================================
+
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+#import "modules/std/json.sx";
+#import "modules/std/fs.sx";
+#import "../domain/platform.sx";
+#import "../domain/app.sx";
+#import "../domain/release.sx";
+#import "../domain/artifact.sx";
+#import "../domain/channel.sx";
+#import "../domain/audit.sx";
+#import "../domain/validate.sx";
+#import "../repo/repo.sx";
+db   :: #import "../repo/db.sx";
+jout :: #import "../json_out.sx";
+pl   :: #import "../publish/publish.sx";
+
+// Failure classes for a channel operation. The precise reason travels in
+// the caller's `jout.CliFailure` (see the failure contract above).
+//   Load     — db.json absent or unreadable (no publishable state).
+//   NotFound — the named app / release / channel does not exist.
+//   Invalid  — the aggregate is inconsistent (release of another app,
+//              channel that fails domain validation, nothing to roll
+//              back to).
+//   Persist  — db.json could not be re-written.
+OpError :: error {
+    Load,
+    NotFound,
+    Invalid,
+    Persist,
+}
+
+PromoteOutcome :: struct {
+    app_id: string;
+    channel: string;
+    release_id: string;
+    version: string;
+    previous_release_id: string;   // "" when the channel was just created
+}
+
+RollbackOutcome :: struct {
+    app_id: string;
+    channel: string;
+    from_release_id: string;
+    to_release_id: string;
+    to_version: string;
+}
+
+// ── shared steps ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// Load the persisted model, or fail with `store.load` when the store has
+// no db.json (nothing was ever published there).
+op_load_repo :: (store_dir: string, fail_out: *jout.CliFailure) -> (Repo, !OpError) {
+    if !exists(path_join(store_dir, "db.json")) {
+        fail_out.code    = "store.load";
+        fail_out.message = concat("no db.json under the store (nothing published yet): ", store_dir);
+        raise error.Load;
+    }
+    loaded, le := db.load(store_dir);
+    if le {
+        fail_out.code    = "store.load";
+        fail_out.message = concat("db.json under the store could not be loaded: ", store_dir);
+        raise error.Load;
+    }
+    return loaded;
+}
+
+op_find_app :: (repo: *Repo, slug: string, code: string, fail_out: *jout.CliFailure) -> (App, !OpError) {
+    a := repo.find_app_by_slug(slug);
+    if a == null {
+        fail_out.code    = code;
+        fail_out.message = concat("no app with that slug in the store: ", slug);
+        raise error.NotFound;
+    }
+    return a!;
+}
+
+op_save :: (repo: *Repo, store_dir: string, fail_out: *jout.CliFailure) -> !OpError {
+    werr := false;
+    db.save(repo, store_dir) catch { werr = true; };
+    if werr {
+        fail_out.code    = "persist.save";
+        fail_out.message = concat("db.json could not be written under the store: ", store_dir);
+        raise error.Persist;
+    }
+    return;
+}
+
+// ── promote ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+run_promote :: (store_dir: string, app_slug: string, channel_name: string, release_id: string, fail_out: *jout.CliFailure) -> (PromoteOutcome, !OpError) {
+    repo := try op_load_repo(store_dir, fail_out);
+    app  := try op_find_app(@repo, app_slug, "promote.unknown_app", fail_out);
+
+    relq := repo.get_release(release_id);
+    if relq == null {
+        fail_out.code    = "promote.unknown_release";
+        fail_out.message = concat("no release with that id in the store: ", release_id);
+        raise error.NotFound;
+    }
+    rel := relq!;
+    if rel.app_id != app.id {
+        fail_out.code    = "promote.wrong_app";
+        fail_out.message = concat("release belongs to a different app: ", release_id);
+        raise error.Invalid;
+    }
+
+    // Policy gate (v0 stub): `.manual` always allows. A real gate (stable
+    // requires passed validations, percentage rollouts) lands with policies.
+    prev := "";
+    chan : Channel = .{};
+    cq := repo.get_channel(app.id, channel_name);
+    if cq == null {
+        chan = Channel.{
+            app_id = app.id, name = channel_name, current_release_id = release_id,
+            policy = .manual, rollout_percent = 100,
+        };
+    } else {
+        chan = cq!;
+        prev = chan.current_release_id;
+        chan.current_release_id = release_id;
+    }
+    cverr := false;
+    validate_channel(chan) catch { cverr = true; };
+    if cverr {
+        fail_out.code    = "promote.bad_channel";
+        fail_out.message = concat("channel fails domain validation: ", channel_name);
+        raise error.Invalid;
+    }
+    if cq == null { repo.create_channel(chan); }
+    else { repo.update_channel(chan); }
+
+    now := pl.now_secs();
+    repo.create_audit_event(AuditEvent.{
+        id = concat(concat(concat(concat("evt-cli-promote-", app.id), "-"), channel_name), concat("-", release_id)),
+        actor = "cli", action = "channel.promote", target_type = "channel",
+        target_id = channel_name, metadata = release_id, created_at = now,
+    });
+
+    try op_save(@repo, store_dir, fail_out);
+
+    return PromoteOutcome.{
+        app_id = app.id, channel = channel_name,
+        release_id = release_id, version = rel.version,
+        previous_release_id = prev,
+    };
+}
+
+// ── rollback ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+run_rollback :: (store_dir: string, app_slug: string, channel_name: string, fail_out: *jout.CliFailure) -> (RollbackOutcome, !OpError) {
+    repo := try op_load_repo(store_dir, fail_out);
+    app  := try op_find_app(@repo, app_slug, "rollback.unknown_app", fail_out);
+
+    cq := repo.get_channel(app.id, channel_name);
+    if cq == null {
+        fail_out.code    = "rollback.unknown_channel";
+        fail_out.message = concat("the app has no channel with that name: ", channel_name);
+        raise error.NotFound;
+    }
+    chan := cq!;
+    from := chan.current_release_id;
+
+    // The channel's lineage: the app's PUBLISHED releases targeting this
+    // channel, in publish (insertion) order. The target is the entry just
+    // before the current pointer — or the latest entry when the pointer
+    // was cross-promoted from another channel's lineage.
+    target_id := "";
+    target_version := "";
+    prev_id := "";
+    prev_version := "";
+    found_current := false;
+    i := 0;
+    while i < repo.releases.len {
+        r := repo.releases.items[i];
+        if r.app_id == app.id and r.channel == channel_name and r.published_at > 0 {
+            if r.id == from {
+                found_current = true;
+                target_id = prev_id;
+                target_version = prev_version;
+                break;
+            }
+            prev_id = r.id;
+            prev_version = r.version;
+        }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    if !found_current {
+        target_id = prev_id;          // latest of the channel's own lineage
+        target_version = prev_version;
+    }
+    if target_id.len == 0 {
+        fail_out.code    = "rollback.no_previous";
+        fail_out.message = concat("no previous published release to roll back to on channel: ", channel_name);
+        raise error.Invalid;
+    }
+
+    chan.current_release_id = target_id;
+    repo.update_channel(chan);
+
+    now := pl.now_secs();
+    repo.create_audit_event(AuditEvent.{
+        id = concat(concat(concat(concat("evt-cli-rollback-", app.id), "-"), channel_name), concat("-", target_id)),
+        actor = "cli", action = "channel.rollback", target_type = "channel",
+        target_id = channel_name, metadata = target_id, created_at = now,
+    });
+
+    try op_save(@repo, store_dir, fail_out);
+
+    return RollbackOutcome.{
+        app_id = app.id, channel = channel_name,
+        from_release_id = from,
+        to_release_id = target_id, to_version = target_version,
+    };
+}
+
+// ── rendering ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// `{"status":"promoted","app_id":...,"channel":...,"release":{"id":...,
+// "version":...},"previous_release_id":...}` — member order fixed by
+// `std.json`'s insertion-order guarantee.
+write_promote_json :: (o: *PromoteOutcome, dst: []u8) -> (s64, !JsonError) {
+    gpa := GPA.init();
+    root : Object = .{};
+    root.put("status", .str("promoted"), xx gpa);
+    root.put("app_id", .str(o.app_id), xx gpa);
+    root.put("channel", .str(o.channel), xx gpa);
+    rel : Object = .{};
+    rel.put("id", .str(o.release_id), xx gpa);
+    rel.put("version", .str(o.version), xx gpa);
+    root.put("release", .object(rel), xx gpa);
+    root.put("previous_release_id", .str(o.previous_release_id), xx gpa);
+    rootv : Value = .object(root);
+    n := try write_to_buffer(rootv, dst);
+    return n;
+}
+
+// `{"status":"rolled_back","app_id":...,"channel":...,"from_release_id":...,
+// "to":{"id":...,"version":...}}`.
+write_rollback_json :: (o: *RollbackOutcome, dst: []u8) -> (s64, !JsonError) {
+    gpa := GPA.init();
+    root : Object = .{};
+    root.put("status", .str("rolled_back"), xx gpa);
+    root.put("app_id", .str(o.app_id), xx gpa);
+    root.put("channel", .str(o.channel), xx gpa);
+    root.put("from_release_id", .str(o.from_release_id), xx gpa);
+    to : Object = .{};
+    to.put("id", .str(o.to_release_id), xx gpa);
+    to.put("version", .str(o.to_version), xx gpa);
+    root.put("to", .object(to), xx gpa);
+    rootv : Value = .object(root);
+    n := try write_to_buffer(rootv, dst);
+    return n;
+}
+
+promote_human :: (o: *PromoteOutcome) -> string {
+    s := concat("promoted ", o.release_id);
+    s = concat(s, concat(" (", concat(o.version, ")")));
+    s = concat(s, concat(" onto channel ", o.channel));
+    if o.previous_release_id.len > 0 {
+        s = concat(s, concat(" (was ", concat(o.previous_release_id, ")")));
+    }
+    return concat(s, "\n");
+}
+
+rollback_human :: (o: *RollbackOutcome) -> string {
+    s := concat("rolled back channel ", o.channel);
+    s = concat(s, concat(": ", o.from_release_id));
+    s = concat(s, concat(" -> ", o.to_release_id));
+    s = concat(s, concat(" (", concat(o.to_version, ")")));
+    return concat(s, "\n");
+}
diff --git a/src/repo/db.sx b/src/repo/db.sx
index f7e2932..6c3908c 100644
--- a/src/repo/db.sx
+++ b/src/repo/db.sx
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@
 
 #import "modules/std.sx";
 #import "modules/std/json.sx";
-#import "modules/fs.sx";
+// Also reached through an alias so the json reader is called as `jsonp.parse`
+// — a bare `parse` would bind to `std.cli`'s `parse` once both modules share
+// one program (the `dist` CLI), which returns a different type.
+jsonp :: #import "modules/std/json.sx";
+#import "modules/std/fs.sx";
 #import "../domain/platform.sx";
 #import "../domain/app.sx";
 #import "../domain/release.sx";
@@ -222,17 +226,24 @@ save :: (self: *Repo, root_dir: string) -> !LoadErr {
 }
 
 // ── read-back helpers (strict; copy strings into `alloc`) ────────────
+// These carry a `db_` prefix because the `dist` program links this module
+// alongside `manifest.sx`, which declares its own same-purpose `dup_str` /
+// `obj_find` / `req_obj` / `req_arr` / `artifact_from_json`. sx resolves a
+// bare top-level name across the WHOLE program (see the `jsonp` note above),
+// so an unprefixed name here would bind to manifest's version and mismatch
+// this module's `LoadErr` error set. The prefix keeps the load path bound to
+// its own helpers.
 
 // Copy `s` into `alloc`-owned, null-terminated storage so it survives the
 // parse scratch / source buffer being freed.
-dup_str :: (s: string, alloc: Allocator) -> string {
-    raw : [*]u8 = xx alloc.alloc(s.len + 1);
+db_dup_str :: (s: string, alloc: Allocator) -> string {
+    raw : [*]u8 = xx alloc.alloc_bytes(s.len + 1);
     if s.len > 0 { memcpy(raw, s.ptr, s.len); }
     raw[s.len] = 0;
     return string.{ ptr = raw, len = s.len };
 }
 
-obj_find :: (o: Object, key: string) -> ?Value {
+db_obj_find :: (o: Object, key: string) -> ?Value {
     i := 0;
     while i < o.len {
         if o.items[i].key == key { return o.items[i].val; }
@@ -243,17 +254,17 @@ obj_find :: (o: Object, key: string) -> ?Value {
 
 // Required string field, copied into `alloc`.
 req_str :: (o: Object, key: string, alloc: Allocator) -> (string, !LoadErr) {
-    v := obj_find(o, key);
+    v := db_obj_find(o, key);
     if v == null { raise error.BadShape; }
     val := v!;
     if val != .str { raise error.BadShape; }
-    return dup_str(val.str, alloc);
+    return db_dup_str(val.str, alloc);
 }
 
 // Required string field as a borrowed VIEW (for enum-name parsing only;
 // not stored, so no copy needed).
 req_str_view :: (o: Object, key: string) -> (string, !LoadErr) {
-    v := obj_find(o, key);
+    v := db_obj_find(o, key);
     if v == null { raise error.BadShape; }
     val := v!;
     if val != .str { raise error.BadShape; }
@@ -261,22 +272,22 @@ req_str_view :: (o: Object, key: string) -> (string, !LoadErr) {
 }
 
 req_int :: (o: Object, key: string) -> (s64, !LoadErr) {
-    v := obj_find(o, key);
+    v := db_obj_find(o, key);
     if v == null { raise error.BadShape; }
     val := v!;
     if val != .int_ { raise error.BadShape; }
     return val.int_;
 }
 
-req_arr :: (o: Object, key: string) -> (Array, !LoadErr) {
-    v := obj_find(o, key);
+db_req_arr :: (o: Object, key: string) -> (Array, !LoadErr) {
+    v := db_obj_find(o, key);
     if v == null { raise error.BadShape; }
     val := v!;
     if val != .array { raise error.BadShape; }
     return val.array;
 }
 
-req_obj :: (v: Value) -> (Object, !LoadErr) {
+db_req_obj :: (v: Value) -> (Object, !LoadErr) {
     if v != .object { raise error.BadShape; }
     return v.object;
 }
@@ -287,10 +298,10 @@ app_from_json :: (o: Object, alloc: Allocator) -> (App, !LoadErr) {
     a.id           = try req_str(o, "id", alloc);
     a.slug         = try req_str(o, "slug", alloc);
     a.display_name = try req_str(o, "display_name", alloc);
-    bids := try req_arr(o, "bundle_ids");
+    bids := try db_req_arr(o, "bundle_ids");
     i := 0;
     while i < bids.len {
-        bo := try req_obj(bids.items[i]);
+        bo := try db_req_obj(bids.items[i]);
         p  := try platform_from(try req_str_view(bo, "platform"));
         bid : BundleId = .{ platform = p, value = try req_str(bo, "value", alloc) };
         a.bundle_ids.append(bid, alloc);
@@ -317,7 +328,7 @@ release_from_json :: (o: Object, alloc: Allocator) -> (Release, !LoadErr) {
     return r;
 }
 
-artifact_from_json :: (o: Object, alloc: Allocator) -> (Artifact, !LoadErr) {
+db_artifact_from_json :: (o: Object, alloc: Allocator) -> (Artifact, !LoadErr) {
     a : Artifact = .{};
     a.id           = try req_str(o, "id", alloc);
     a.app_id       = try req_str(o, "app_id", alloc);
@@ -360,46 +371,46 @@ audit_from_json :: (o: Object, alloc: Allocator) -> (AuditEvent, !LoadErr) {
 load_into :: (repo: *Repo, bytes: string, scratch: Allocator) -> !LoadErr {
     oa := repo.own_allocator;
 
-    root_val, pe := parse(bytes, scratch);
+    root_val, pe := jsonp.parse(bytes, scratch);
     if pe { raise error.Parse; }
-    ro := try req_obj(root_val);
+    ro := try db_req_obj(root_val);
 
-    apps_arr := try req_arr(ro, "apps");
+    apps_arr := try db_req_arr(ro, "apps");
     i := 0;
     while i < apps_arr.len {
-        ao := try req_obj(apps_arr.items[i]);
+        ao := try db_req_obj(apps_arr.items[i]);
         repo.create_app(try app_from_json(ao, oa));
         i += 1;
     }
 
-    rel_arr := try req_arr(ro, "releases");
+    rel_arr := try db_req_arr(ro, "releases");
     i = 0;
     while i < rel_arr.len {
-        o := try req_obj(rel_arr.items[i]);
+        o := try db_req_obj(rel_arr.items[i]);
         repo.create_release(try release_from_json(o, oa));
         i += 1;
     }
 
-    art_arr := try req_arr(ro, "artifacts");
+    art_arr := try db_req_arr(ro, "artifacts");
     i = 0;
     while i < art_arr.len {
-        o := try req_obj(art_arr.items[i]);
-        repo.create_artifact(try artifact_from_json(o, oa));
+        o := try db_req_obj(art_arr.items[i]);
+        repo.create_artifact(try db_artifact_from_json(o, oa));
         i += 1;
     }
 
-    chan_arr := try req_arr(ro, "channels");
+    chan_arr := try db_req_arr(ro, "channels");
     i = 0;
     while i < chan_arr.len {
-        o := try req_obj(chan_arr.items[i]);
+        o := try db_req_obj(chan_arr.items[i]);
         repo.create_channel(try channel_from_json(o, oa));
         i += 1;
     }
 
-    ev_arr := try req_arr(ro, "audit_events");
+    ev_arr := try db_req_arr(ro, "audit_events");
     i = 0;
     while i < ev_arr.len {
-        o := try req_obj(ev_arr.items[i]);
+        o := try db_req_obj(ev_arr.items[i]);
         repo.create_audit_event(try audit_from_json(o, oa));
         i += 1;
     }
diff --git a/src/store/store.sx b/src/store/store.sx
index 367d870..1a8727c 100644
--- a/src/store/store.sx
+++ b/src/store/store.sx
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 // =====================================================================
 
 #import "modules/std.sx";
-fs   :: #import "modules/fs.sx";
+fs   :: #import "modules/std/fs.sx";
 hash :: #import "modules/std/hash.sx";
 
 // Failure classes for a put. `Stage` covers a failed staging write,
diff --git a/src/validation/artifact_file.sx b/src/validation/artifact_file.sx
index 815e7dc..54b8cb8 100644
--- a/src/validation/artifact_file.sx
+++ b/src/validation/artifact_file.sx
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 // =====================================================================
 
 #import "modules/std.sx";
-#import "modules/fs.sx";
+#import "modules/std/fs.sx";
 #import "modules/std/hash.sx";
 #import "../domain/platform.sx";
 #import "../domain/artifact.sx";
diff --git a/tests/cli_dispatch.sx b/tests/cli_dispatch.sx
index ec7f2ca..950c07c 100644
--- a/tests/cli_dispatch.sx
+++ b/tests/cli_dispatch.sx
@@ -8,17 +8,22 @@
 //
 //   1. no args            → human help/usage on STDERR + EX_USAGE (64).
 //   2. unknown command    → human error on STDERR + EX_USAGE (64).
-//   3. `ci publish --json` → STDOUT is a SINGLE valid JSON object (parses
-//      via std.json with no trailing junk); the human acknowledgement is
-//      on STDERR, never stdout.
+//   3. a fully-flagged `release promote --json` against a store that was
+//      never published → exit 1 (command failed, NOT usage), and STDOUT is
+//      a SINGLE valid JSON error object (parses via std.json with no
+//      trailing junk; status "error", code "store.load"); the human
+//      sentence is on STDERR, never stdout. (Success-path json output is
+//      exercised by publish_happy.sx / release_ops.sx.)
 //   4. `--help`           → lists the `ci` / `release` groups, exits 0.
+//   5. `ci publish --json` / `release promote --json` with NO required
+//      flags → EX_USAGE (64), error on stderr (the required-flag contract).
 //
 // `make test` depends on `build`, so `build/dist` exists before this runs;
 // the relative path resolves from the repo root (the `make test` cwd).
 // =====================================================================
 
 #import "modules/std.sx";
-proc :: #import "modules/process.sx";
+proc :: #import "modules/std/process.sx";
 json :: #import "modules/std/json.sx";
 
 // True iff `needle` occurs in `hay`. Plain scan — the captured streams are
@@ -62,30 +67,34 @@ main :: () -> s32 {
         proc.assert(false, "spawn build/dist bogus failed");
     }
 
-    // ── 3a. `--json` stdout purity: a single valid JSON object, nothing
-    //        else. `2>/dev/null` drops the human note so the pipe carries
-    //        ONLY stdout; std.json.parse rejects trailing junk. ─────────
-    if r := proc.run("build/dist ci publish --json 2>/dev/null") {
-        proc.assert(r.exit_code == 0, "stub --json command must succeed (EX_OK)");
+    // ── 3a. `--json` stdout purity on a FAILURE path: a single valid
+    //        JSON error object, nothing else. The store dir was never
+    //        published into, so the command fails with `store.load` and
+    //        exit 1 (command failed — distinct from usage's 64).
+    //        `2>/dev/null` drops the human note so the pipe carries ONLY
+    //        stdout; std.json.parse rejects trailing junk. ──────────────
+    PROMOTE :: "build/dist release promote --app x --channel beta --release rel-x --local-store .sx-tmp/cli_dispatch_nostore --json";
+    if r := proc.run(concat(PROMOTE, " 2>/dev/null")) {
+        proc.assert(r.exit_code == 1, "failed command must exit 1 (not EX_USAGE)");
         v, e := json.parse(r.stdout, xx gpa);
         proc.assert(!e, "stdout in --json mode must be a single valid JSON object (parse failed / trailing junk)");
         if !e {
             o := v.object;
-            proc.assert(o.len == 3, "stub json object carries command/status/stub");
-            proc.assert(o.items[0].key == "command" and o.items[0].val.str == "ci publish",
-                        "stub json names the dispatched command");
-            proc.assert(o.items[1].key == "status" and o.items[1].val.str == "ok",
-                        "stub json reports status ok");
+            proc.assert(o.items[0].key == "status" and o.items[0].val.str == "error",
+                        "failure json reports status error");
+            eo := o.items[1].val.object;
+            proc.assert(eo.items[0].key == "code" and eo.items[0].val.str == "store.load",
+                        "failure json names the store.load code");
         }
     } else {
-        proc.assert(false, "spawn build/dist ci publish --json failed");
+        proc.assert(false, "spawn build/dist release promote --json failed");
     }
 
     // ── 3b. `--json` mode keeps human text on STDERR (not stdout) ──────
-    if r := proc.run("build/dist ci publish --json 2>&1 1>/dev/null") {
+    if r := proc.run(concat(PROMOTE, " 2>&1 1>/dev/null")) {
         proc.assert(r.stdout.len > 0, "--json mode must still emit human text to stderr");
     } else {
-        proc.assert(false, "spawn build/dist ci publish --json (stderr) failed");
+        proc.assert(false, "spawn build/dist release promote --json (stderr) failed");
     }
 
     // ── 4. `--help` lists the ci / release groups, exits 0 ────────────
@@ -97,6 +106,22 @@ main :: () -> s32 {
         proc.assert(false, "spawn build/dist --help failed");
     }
 
+    // ── 5. required flags: ci publish AND release promote ─────────────
+    // Missing a required flag is a usage error: EX_USAGE (64), human
+    // diagnostic on stderr (`2>&1 1>/dev/null` captures the stderr text).
+    if r := proc.run("build/dist ci publish --json 2>&1 1>/dev/null") {
+        proc.assert(r.exit_code == 64, "ci publish without required flags must exit EX_USAGE (64)");
+        proc.assert(contains(r.stdout, "missing required flag"), "missing-flag error names the failure on stderr");
+    } else {
+        proc.assert(false, "spawn build/dist ci publish (no flags) failed");
+    }
+    if r := proc.run("build/dist release promote --json 2>&1 1>/dev/null") {
+        proc.assert(r.exit_code == 64, "release promote without required flags must exit EX_USAGE (64)");
+        proc.assert(contains(r.stdout, "missing required flag"), "missing-flag error names the failure on stderr");
+    } else {
+        proc.assert(false, "spawn build/dist release promote (no flags) failed");
+    }
+
     print("cli_dispatch: ok\n");
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tests/domain_validate.sx b/tests/domain_validate.sx
index a5b8391..5423d82 100644
--- a/tests/domain_validate.sx
+++ b/tests/domain_validate.sx
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ check_rejects_bad_slug :: () -> bool {
     a := valid_app();
     a.slug = "Bad_Slug";              // uppercase + underscore
     matched := false;
-    validate_app(a) catch e { matched = (e == error.BadSlug); };
+    validate_app(a) catch (e) { matched = (e == error.BadSlug); };
     return matched;
 }
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ check_rejects_empty_version :: () -> bool {
     r := valid_release();
     r.version = "";
     matched := false;
-    validate_release(r) catch e { matched = (e == error.EmptyVersion); };
+    validate_release(r) catch (e) { matched = (e == error.EmptyVersion); };
     return matched;
 }
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ check_rejects_bad_version :: () -> bool {
     r := valid_release();
     r.version = "1.2";                // missing PATCH component
     matched := false;
-    validate_release(r) catch e { matched = (e == error.BadVersion); };
+    validate_release(r) catch (e) { matched = (e == error.BadVersion); };
     return matched;
 }
 
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ check_rejects_bad_channel :: () -> bool {
     c := valid_channel();
     c.name = "Bad Channel";           // space + uppercase
     matched := false;
-    validate_channel(c) catch e { matched = (e == error.BadChannelName); };
+    validate_channel(c) catch (e) { matched = (e == error.BadChannelName); };
     return matched;
 }
 
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ check_rejects_empty_content_type :: () -> bool {
     a := valid_artifact();
     a.content_type = "";              // required string cleared
     matched := false;
-    validate_artifact(a) catch e { matched = (e == error.MissingField); };
+    validate_artifact(a) catch (e) { matched = (e == error.MissingField); };
     return matched;
 }
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ check_rejects_bad_size :: () -> bool {
     a := valid_artifact();
     a.size_bytes = -1;                // a content-addressed artifact has positive bytes
     matched := false;
-    validate_artifact(a) catch e { matched = (e == error.BadSize); };
+    validate_artifact(a) catch (e) { matched = (e == error.BadSize); };
     return matched;
 }
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ check_rejects_bad_digest :: () -> bool {
     a := valid_artifact();
     a.sha256 = "not-a-sha";           // not 64 lowercase-hex chars
     matched := false;
-    validate_artifact(a) catch e { matched = (e == error.BadDigest); };
+    validate_artifact(a) catch (e) { matched = (e == error.BadDigest); };
     return matched;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/manifest_parse.sx b/tests/manifest_parse.sx
index a3d111c..1e83cfd 100644
--- a/tests/manifest_parse.sx
+++ b/tests/manifest_parse.sx
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ check_missing_artifact_path :: (alloc: Allocator) -> bool {
     if pe { return false; }                          // parse must not fail here
     raised := false;
     matched := false;
-    validate_manifest(m, "examples") catch err { raised = true; matched = (err == error.MissingArtifact); };
+    validate_manifest(m, "examples") catch (err) { raised = true; matched = (err == error.MissingArtifact); };
     return raised and matched;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/publish_fail.sx b/tests/publish_fail.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8247326
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/publish_fail.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+// Pinned acceptance for P3.4b — failure paths are loud and machine-readable.
+//
+// Drives the BUILT `build/dist` binary (via `process.run`, like
+// publish_persist.sx) through every publish failure class the slice plan
+// names — a malformed manifest, a missing artifact file, an unknown
+// platform id, a declared-size mismatch, and a declared-sha256 mismatch —
+// and asserts the P3.4b contract for each:
+//
+//   * exit code 1 (command failed; NOT the parser's EX_USAGE 64),
+//   * stdout under `--json` is a SINGLE JSON object
+//     `{"status":"error","error":{"code":<dotted code>,"message":...}}`,
+//   * nothing is persisted: a fresh store gains no db.json.
+//
+// The no-partial-state crux is then asserted against a NON-EMPTY store:
+// publish version A successfully, fail version B on a digest mismatch into
+// the SAME store, and require db.json byte-state unchanged — one release,
+// channel still pointing at A (no partially-published release, no moved
+// channel pointer).
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+#import "modules/std/json.sx";
+process :: #import "modules/std/process.sx";
+fs   :: #import "modules/std/fs.sx";
+
+STORE :: ".sx-tmp/publish_fail";
+MDIR  :: ".sx-tmp/publish_fail_m";
+
+// Manifests share the committed 5-byte fixtures; paths resolve relative to
+// the manifest's own directory (MDIR), so ../../examples/fixtures reaches
+// them.
+GOOD_A      :: "{\"app\":\"acme-app\",\"version\":\"1.2.3\",\"channel\":\"stable\",\"artifacts\":[{\"platform\":\"android_apk\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-android.apk\"}]}";
+BAD_DIGEST  :: "{\"app\":\"acme-app\",\"version\":\"1.2.4\",\"channel\":\"stable\",\"artifacts\":[{\"platform\":\"android_apk\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-android.apk\",\"sha256\":\"0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000\"}]}";
+BAD_SIZE    :: "{\"app\":\"acme-app\",\"version\":\"1.2.5\",\"channel\":\"stable\",\"artifacts\":[{\"platform\":\"android_apk\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-android.apk\",\"size\":9999}]}";
+BAD_PLATFORM:: "{\"app\":\"acme-app\",\"version\":\"1.2.6\",\"channel\":\"stable\",\"artifacts\":[{\"platform\":\"playstation\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-android.apk\"}]}";
+NO_ARTIFACT :: "{\"app\":\"acme-app\",\"version\":\"1.2.7\",\"channel\":\"stable\",\"artifacts\":[{\"platform\":\"android_apk\",\"path\":\"no-such-file.apk\"}]}";
+NOT_JSON    :: "this is not a manifest";
+
+get :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Value {
+    i := 0;
+    while i < o.len {
+        if o.items[i].key == key { return o.items[i].val; }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    process.assert(false, concat("missing json key: ", key));
+    dummy : Value = .null_;
+    return dummy;
+}
+get_str :: (o: Object, key: string) -> string { return get(o, key).str; }
+get_obj :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Object { return get(o, key).object; }
+get_arr :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Array  { return get(o, key).array; }
+
+publish_cmd :: (mpath: string, store: string) -> string {
+    c := concat("build/dist ci publish --manifest ", mpath);
+    c = concat(c, concat(" --local-store ", store));
+    return concat(c, " --json 2>/dev/null");
+}
+
+// Write `body` to `path` via the shell (single-quoted, so the JSON's double
+// quotes pass through literally).
+write_file :: (path: string, body: string) {
+    cmd := concat(concat(concat("printf '%s' '", body), "' > "), path);
+    process.run(cmd);
+}
+
+// Run one failing publish and assert the full failure contract: exit 1,
+// stdout is exactly one JSON error object, and its error.code equals
+// `want_code`. `store` distinguishes the per-case fresh stores.
+assert_fails :: (label: string, mpath: string, store: string, want_code: string, scratch: Allocator) {
+    r := process.run(publish_cmd(mpath, store));
+    process.assert(r != null, concat("spawn failed: ", label));
+    res := r!;
+    process.assert(res.exit_code == 1, concat("must exit 1 (command failed): ", label));
+
+    v, e := parse(res.stdout, scratch);
+    if e { process.assert(false, concat("stdout must be one JSON object: ", label)); return; }
+    o := v.object;
+    process.assert(get_str(o, "status") == "error", concat("status must be \"error\": ", label));
+    eo := get_obj(o, "error");
+    process.assert(get_str(eo, "code") == want_code, concat("error.code mismatch: ", label));
+    process.assert(get_str(eo, "message").len > 0, concat("error.message must be non-empty: ", label));
+    out(concat(concat("  ", label), ": exit 1 + JSON error ok\n"));
+}
+
+main :: () -> s32 {
+    gpa := GPA.init();
+    arena := Arena.init(xx gpa, 1 << 20);
+    defer arena.deinit();
+
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", STORE));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", MDIR));
+    process.run(concat("mkdir -p ", MDIR));
+
+    write_file(path_join(MDIR, "good_a.json"),       GOOD_A);
+    write_file(path_join(MDIR, "bad_digest.json"),   BAD_DIGEST);
+    write_file(path_join(MDIR, "bad_size.json"),     BAD_SIZE);
+    write_file(path_join(MDIR, "bad_platform.json"), BAD_PLATFORM);
+    write_file(path_join(MDIR, "no_artifact.json"),  NO_ARTIFACT);
+    write_file(path_join(MDIR, "not_json.json"),     NOT_JSON);
+
+    // ── each failure class: exit 1 + the precise dotted code, into a
+    //    fresh per-case store that must gain NO db.json ────────────────
+    assert_fails("digest mismatch",   path_join(MDIR, "bad_digest.json"),   concat(STORE, "-digest"),   "validation.digest_mismatch", xx arena);
+    assert_fails("size mismatch",     path_join(MDIR, "bad_size.json"),     concat(STORE, "-size"),     "validation.size_mismatch",   xx arena);
+    assert_fails("unknown platform",  path_join(MDIR, "bad_platform.json"), concat(STORE, "-platform"), "manifest.unknown_platform",  xx arena);
+    assert_fails("missing artifact",  path_join(MDIR, "no_artifact.json"),  concat(STORE, "-missing"),  "manifest.missing_artifact",  xx arena);
+    assert_fails("malformed manifest",path_join(MDIR, "not_json.json"),     concat(STORE, "-badjson"),  "manifest.bad_json",          xx arena);
+
+    process.assert(!fs.exists(concat(STORE, "-digest/db.json")),
+                   "failed publish into a fresh store must not create db.json");
+
+    // ── no-partial-state against a NON-EMPTY store ────────────────────
+    // Publish A successfully, then fail B on a digest mismatch into the
+    // SAME store: db.json must be unchanged (one release, channel → A).
+    ra := process.run(publish_cmd(path_join(MDIR, "good_a.json"), STORE));
+    process.assert(ra != null, "spawn publish A failed");
+    process.assert(ra!.exit_code == 0, "publish A must exit 0");
+
+    rb := process.run(publish_cmd(path_join(MDIR, "bad_digest.json"), STORE));
+    process.assert(rb != null, "spawn failing publish B failed");
+    process.assert(rb!.exit_code == 1, "publish B must exit 1 (digest mismatch)");
+
+    db_bytes := fs.read_file(path_join(STORE, "db.json"));
+    process.assert(db_bytes != null, "db.json from publish A must still exist");
+    dv, de := parse(db_bytes!, xx arena);
+    if de { process.assert(false, "db.json must be valid JSON"); return 1; }
+    dbo := dv.object;
+    process.assert(get_arr(dbo, "releases").len == 1, "after failed B: db still has ONE release (A)");
+    chans := get_arr(dbo, "channels");
+    process.assert(chans.len == 1, "after failed B: one channel");
+    process.assert(get_str(chans.items[0].object, "current_release_id") == "rel-acme-app-1.2.3",
+                   "after failed B: channel still points at A (no moved pointer)");
+    print("  non-empty store: failed publish left db.json unchanged\n");
+
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", concat(STORE, "-digest")));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", concat(STORE, "-size")));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", concat(STORE, "-platform")));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", concat(STORE, "-missing")));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", concat(STORE, "-badjson")));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", STORE));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", MDIR));
+    print("publish_fail: ALL CASES PASS\n");
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/publish_happy.sx b/tests/publish_happy.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f04cac8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/publish_happy.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+// Acceptance for P3.4a — the local `dist ci publish` SUCCESS pipeline.
+//
+// Drives the BUILT `build/dist` binary (via `process.run`, like
+// cli_dispatch.sx) on `examples/dist.json` into a FRESH `.sx-tmp/` store and
+// asserts the end-to-end publish:
+//
+//   1. exit 0; stdout in `--json` mode is a SINGLE valid JSON object
+//      (parsed via std.json, no trailing junk).
+//   2. the emitted release id / artifact ids / sha256 / local URLs MATCH the
+//      store: each `<store>/objects/<sha256>` exists and re-hashes (std.hash)
+//      to its own key, and each url is `file://<abs-store>/objects/<sha256>`.
+//   3. `<store>/db.json` (re-parsed via std.json) records the release, both
+//      artifacts (storage_key == sha256, validation_status valid), the
+//      channel pointer (current_release_id == the release), and an audit
+//      event per upload/publish/promotion.
+//
+// This FAILS against the pre-P3.4a stub (which rejects --manifest /
+// --local-store as unknown flags, exiting 64, and writes no store) and
+// PASSES against the real pipeline. Fresh store per run.
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+#import "modules/std/json.sx";
+process :: #import "modules/std/process.sx";
+fs   :: #import "modules/std/fs.sx";
+hash :: #import "modules/std/hash.sx";
+
+cstd     :: #library "c";
+c_getcwd :: (buf: [*]u8, size: usize) -> *u8 #foreign cstd "getcwd";
+
+STORE_REL :: ".sx-tmp/publish_happy";
+
+// Process cwd, so the absolute store path / download URLs can be rebuilt
+// exactly as the publish does.
+cwd :: () -> string {
+    buf : [4096]u8 = ---;
+    r := c_getcwd(@buf[0], 4096);
+    process.assert(cast(s64) r != 0, "getcwd must succeed");
+    n := 0;
+    while buf[n] != 0 { n += 1; }
+    return substr(string.{ ptr = @buf[0], len = n }, 0, n);
+}
+
+// Fetch a member value by key, asserting presence (the publish output is a
+// fixed shape, so an absent key is a hard failure).
+get :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Value {
+    i := 0;
+    while i < o.len {
+        if o.items[i].key == key { return o.items[i].val; }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    process.assert(false, concat("missing json key: ", key));
+    dummy : Value = .null_;
+    return dummy;
+}
+get_str :: (o: Object, key: string) -> string { return get(o, key).str; }
+get_obj :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Object { return get(o, key).object; }
+get_arr :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Array  { return get(o, key).array; }
+
+// True iff the object at `path` re-hashes (std.hash) to `want` (its key).
+rehashes_to :: (path: string, want: string) -> bool {
+    maybe := hash.sha256_file(path);
+    if maybe == null { return false; }
+    d := maybe!;
+    view := string.{ ptr = @d[0], len = 64 };
+    return view == want;
+}
+
+// Count audit events whose "action" equals `action`.
+count_action :: (events: Array, action: string) -> s64 {
+    c : s64 = 0;
+    i := 0;
+    while i < events.len {
+        eo := events.items[i].object;
+        if get_str(eo, "action") == action { c += 1; }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    return c;
+}
+
+main :: () -> s32 {
+    gpa := GPA.init();
+    arena := Arena.init(xx gpa, 1 << 20);
+    defer arena.deinit();
+
+    base := cwd();
+    store_abs := path_join(base, STORE_REL);
+
+    // Fresh store, even after a crashed prior run.
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", STORE_REL));
+
+    // ── 1. Run the real publish; stdout must be one JSON object, exit 0 ──
+    r := process.run("build/dist ci publish --manifest examples/dist.json --local-store .sx-tmp/publish_happy --json 2>/dev/null");
+    process.assert(r != null, "spawn build/dist ci publish failed");
+    res := r!;
+    process.assert(res.exit_code == 0, "publish must exit 0 (EX_OK)");
+
+    v, e := parse(res.stdout, xx arena);
+    if e { process.assert(false, "stdout must be a single valid JSON object (parse failed / trailing junk)"); return 1; }
+    root := v.object;
+
+    process.assert(get_str(root, "status") == "published", "status must be published");
+
+    rel := get_obj(root, "release");
+    rel_id := get_str(rel, "id");
+    process.assert(rel_id == "rel-acme-app-1.2.3", "release id derived from slug+version");
+    process.assert(get_str(rel, "version") == "1.2.3", "release version");
+    process.assert(get_str(rel, "channel") == "stable", "release channel");
+    print("  release {} published\n", rel_id);
+
+    // ── 2. Each artifact: object exists at objects/<sha256>, re-hashes to
+    //       its key, and its url is file://<abs-store>/objects/<sha256> ──
+    arts := get_arr(root, "artifacts");
+    process.assert(arts.len == 2, "two artifacts published");
+    i := 0;
+    while i < arts.len {
+        ao := arts.items[i].object;
+        sha := get_str(ao, "sha256");
+        url := get_str(ao, "url");
+        process.assert(sha.len == 64, "sha256 is a 64-char digest");
+
+        obj_path := path_join(STORE_REL, concat("objects/", sha));
+        process.assert(fs.exists(obj_path), "object exists at objects/<sha256>");
+        process.assert(rehashes_to(obj_path, sha), "stored object re-hashes to its key");
+
+        want_url := concat(concat(concat("file://", store_abs), "/objects/"), sha);
+        process.assert(url == want_url, "url is file://<abs-store>/objects/<sha256>");
+
+        process.assert(get_str(ao, "id").len > 0, "artifact id present");
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    print("  {} artifacts stored + re-hash to their keys\n", arts.len);
+
+    // ── 3. db.json records the published aggregate ──────────────────────
+    db_bytes := fs.read_file(path_join(STORE_REL, "db.json"));
+    process.assert(db_bytes != null, "db.json must exist under the store");
+    dv, de := parse(db_bytes!, xx arena);
+    if de { process.assert(false, "db.json must be valid JSON"); return 1; }
+    dbo := dv.object;
+
+    db_rels := get_arr(dbo, "releases");
+    process.assert(db_rels.len == 1, "db: one release");
+    process.assert(get_str(db_rels.items[0].object, "id") == rel_id, "db: release id matches");
+
+    db_arts := get_arr(dbo, "artifacts");
+    process.assert(db_arts.len == 2, "db: two artifacts");
+    j := 0;
+    while j < db_arts.len {
+        dao := db_arts.items[j].object;
+        process.assert(get_str(dao, "storage_key") == get_str(dao, "sha256"),
+                       "db: storage_key == sha256 (content-addressed)");
+        process.assert(get_str(dao, "validation_status") == "valid",
+                       "db: artifact validation passed");
+        process.assert(get_str(dao, "release_id") == rel_id, "db: artifact belongs to the release");
+        j += 1;
+    }
+
+    db_chans := get_arr(dbo, "channels");
+    process.assert(db_chans.len == 1, "db: one channel");
+    ch := db_chans.items[0].object;
+    process.assert(get_str(ch, "name") == "stable", "db: channel name");
+    process.assert(get_str(ch, "current_release_id") == rel_id, "db: channel points at the release");
+
+    db_events := get_arr(dbo, "audit_events");
+    process.assert(count_action(db_events, "artifact.upload") == 2, "db: one upload event per artifact");
+    process.assert(count_action(db_events, "release.publish") == 1, "db: one publish event");
+    process.assert(count_action(db_events, "channel.promote") == 1, "db: one promotion event");
+    print("  db.json records release/artifacts/channel + {} audit events\n", db_events.len);
+
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", STORE_REL));
+    print("publish_happy: ALL CASES PASS\n");
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/publish_persist.sx b/tests/publish_persist.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f0a967c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/publish_persist.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+// Regression for P3.4a-001 — `dist ci publish` must LOAD an existing
+// `<store>/db.json` before publishing, so separate CLI invocations SHARE
+// state through the store (not start from an empty Repo and clobber it).
+//
+// Drives the BUILT `build/dist` binary (via `process.run`, like
+// publish_happy.sx) twice into ONE store and asserts cross-invocation
+// persistence:
+//
+//   1. Publish version A (1.2.3) into a fresh store → db.json has the release.
+//   2. Publish a DIFFERENT version B (1.2.4) of the SAME app into the SAME
+//      store → exit 0, and db.json now records BOTH releases under ONE app
+//      (the app is FOUND, not duplicated); the channel points at the latest
+//      release B; both content-addressed objects exist.
+//   3. Re-publishing the SAME release id (A again) into the same store FAILS
+//      (exit != 0 — the P2.3 integrity transaction rejects the duplicate
+//      release id) and leaves db.json UNCHANGED (still two releases).
+//
+// FAIL-BEFORE / PASS-AFTER: against the pre-fix publish (which never reads
+// db.json and so begins every invocation from an EMPTY Repo) step 2 CLOBBERS
+// A — db.json ends with one release, not two — and step 3 "succeeds" (exit 0)
+// and overwrites. Both assertions fail. After the load-then-merge fix they
+// pass. Fresh store per run.
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+#import "modules/std/json.sx";
+process :: #import "modules/std/process.sx";
+fs   :: #import "modules/std/fs.sx";
+
+STORE  :: ".sx-tmp/publish_persist";
+MDIR   :: ".sx-tmp/publish_persist_m";
+A_PATH :: ".sx-tmp/publish_persist_m/a.json";
+B_PATH :: ".sx-tmp/publish_persist_m/b.json";
+
+// Two manifests for the SAME app/channel/fixtures, differing only in version.
+// Artifact paths resolve relative to the manifest's own directory (MDIR), so
+// `../../examples/fixtures/...` reaches the repo's committed fixtures.
+MANIFEST_A :: "{\"app\":\"acme-app\",\"version\":\"1.2.3\",\"channel\":\"stable\",\"artifacts\":[{\"platform\":\"android_apk\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-android.apk\"},{\"platform\":\"ios\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-ios.ipa\"}]}";
+MANIFEST_B :: "{\"app\":\"acme-app\",\"version\":\"1.2.4\",\"channel\":\"stable\",\"artifacts\":[{\"platform\":\"android_apk\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-android.apk\"},{\"platform\":\"ios\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-ios.ipa\"}]}";
+
+// Fetch a member value by key, asserting presence (the publish/db output is a
+// fixed shape, so an absent key is a hard failure).
+get :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Value {
+    i := 0;
+    while i < o.len {
+        if o.items[i].key == key { return o.items[i].val; }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    process.assert(false, concat("missing json key: ", key));
+    dummy : Value = .null_;
+    return dummy;
+}
+get_str :: (o: Object, key: string) -> string { return get(o, key).str; }
+get_obj :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Object { return get(o, key).object; }
+get_arr :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Array  { return get(o, key).array; }
+
+// Count audit events whose "action" equals `action`.
+count_action :: (events: Array, action: string) -> s64 {
+    c : s64 = 0;
+    i := 0;
+    while i < events.len {
+        eo := events.items[i].object;
+        if get_str(eo, "action") == action { c += 1; }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    return c;
+}
+
+// True iff `releases` (a db.json array) contains a release with id `id`.
+has_release :: (releases: Array, id: string) -> bool {
+    i := 0;
+    while i < releases.len {
+        if get_str(releases.items[i].object, "id") == id { return true; }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+// `build/dist ci publish` for `mpath` into the shared store, JSON mode,
+// stderr suppressed so stdout stays pure for the parser.
+publish_cmd :: (mpath: string) -> string {
+    c := concat("build/dist ci publish --manifest ", mpath);
+    c = concat(c, concat(" --local-store ", STORE));
+    return concat(c, " --json 2>/dev/null");
+}
+
+// Write `body` to `path` via the shell (single-quoted, so the JSON's double
+// quotes pass through literally).
+write_file :: (path: string, body: string) {
+    cmd := concat(concat(concat("printf '%s' '", body), "' > "), path);
+    process.run(cmd);
+}
+
+// Parse `<STORE>/db.json` into its root object (re-read fresh each call).
+load_db :: (scratch: Allocator) -> Object {
+    db_bytes := fs.read_file(path_join(STORE, "db.json"));
+    process.assert(db_bytes != null, "db.json must exist under the store");
+    dv, de := parse(db_bytes!, scratch);
+    if de { process.assert(false, "db.json must be valid JSON"); dummy : Object = .{}; return dummy; }
+    return dv.object;
+}
+
+main :: () -> s32 {
+    gpa := GPA.init();
+    arena := Arena.init(xx gpa, 1 << 20);
+    defer arena.deinit();
+
+    // Fresh store + manifest dir, even after a crashed prior run.
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", STORE));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", MDIR));
+    process.run(concat("mkdir -p ", MDIR));
+    write_file(A_PATH, MANIFEST_A);
+    write_file(B_PATH, MANIFEST_B);
+
+    rel_a := "rel-acme-app-1.2.3";
+    rel_b := "rel-acme-app-1.2.4";
+
+    // ── 1. Publish version A into the fresh store ───────────────────────
+    ra := process.run(publish_cmd(A_PATH));
+    process.assert(ra != null, "spawn publish A failed");
+    res_a := ra!;
+    process.assert(res_a.exit_code == 0, "publish A must exit 0");
+    va, ea := parse(res_a.stdout, xx arena);
+    if ea { process.assert(false, "publish A stdout must be one JSON object"); return 1; }
+    process.assert(get_str(get_obj(va.object, "release"), "id") == rel_a, "A release id");
+
+    db1 := load_db(xx arena);
+    process.assert(get_arr(db1, "releases").len == 1, "after A: db has one release");
+    process.assert(get_arr(db1, "apps").len == 1, "after A: db has one app");
+    print("  A published; db has 1 release\n");
+
+    // ── 2. Publish a DIFFERENT version B into the SAME store ────────────
+    rb := process.run(publish_cmd(B_PATH));
+    process.assert(rb != null, "spawn publish B failed");
+    res_b := rb!;
+    process.assert(res_b.exit_code == 0, "publish B must exit 0 (accumulates)");
+    vb, eb := parse(res_b.stdout, xx arena);
+    if eb { process.assert(false, "publish B stdout must be one JSON object"); return 1; }
+    process.assert(get_str(get_obj(vb.object, "release"), "id") == rel_b, "B release id");
+
+    db2 := load_db(xx arena);
+
+    // The crux: BOTH releases under ONE app (app found, not duplicated).
+    db2_rels := get_arr(db2, "releases");
+    process.assert(db2_rels.len == 2, "after B: db records BOTH releases (no clobber)");
+    process.assert(has_release(db2_rels, rel_a), "after B: release A still present");
+    process.assert(has_release(db2_rels, rel_b), "after B: release B present");
+    process.assert(get_arr(db2, "apps").len == 1, "after B: still ONE app (found, not duplicated)");
+
+    // Four artifacts (two per release); channel promoted to the latest (B).
+    process.assert(get_arr(db2, "artifacts").len == 4, "after B: four artifacts (two per release)");
+    db2_chans := get_arr(db2, "channels");
+    process.assert(db2_chans.len == 1, "after B: one channel");
+    process.assert(get_str(db2_chans.items[0].object, "current_release_id") == rel_b,
+                   "after B: channel promoted to the latest release");
+
+    // Each artifact's content-addressed object exists on disk.
+    db2_arts := get_arr(db2, "artifacts");
+    k := 0;
+    while k < db2_arts.len {
+        sha := get_str(db2_arts.items[k].object, "sha256");
+        process.assert(fs.exists(path_join(STORE, concat("objects/", sha))),
+                       "after B: object exists at objects/<sha256>");
+        k += 1;
+    }
+
+    // Audit accumulated across both publishes (>= 2 publish events).
+    process.assert(count_action(get_arr(db2, "audit_events"), "release.publish") == 2,
+                   "after B: one publish event per release");
+    print("  B accumulated; db has 2 releases under 1 app\n");
+
+    // ── 3. Re-publish the SAME release id (A) → duplicate is rejected ───
+    rdup := process.run(publish_cmd(A_PATH));
+    process.assert(rdup != null, "spawn duplicate publish failed");
+    res_dup := rdup!;
+    process.assert(res_dup.exit_code != 0, "re-publishing the same release id must FAIL (duplicate)");
+
+    db3 := load_db(xx arena);
+    process.assert(get_arr(db3, "releases").len == 2, "after duplicate: db UNCHANGED (still two releases)");
+    process.assert(get_arr(db3, "apps").len == 1, "after duplicate: still one app");
+    print("  duplicate release id rejected; db unchanged\n");
+
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", STORE));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", MDIR));
+    print("publish_persist: ALL CASES PASS\n");
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/release_ops.sx b/tests/release_ops.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc14a5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/release_ops.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+// Pinned acceptance for P3.5 — `dist release promote` / `dist release
+// rollback` over the persisted store.
+//
+// Drives the BUILT `build/dist` binary (via `process.run`, like
+// publish_persist.sx) through the slice plan's scripted scenario:
+//
+//   1. Publish release A (1.2.3, channel beta) then B (1.2.4, beta) into
+//      one store → beta points at B.
+//   2. `release rollback --app --channel beta` → exit 0, JSON
+//      `rolled_back` from B to A; db.json's beta points at A; a
+//      `channel.rollback` audit event (actor "cli") is recorded.
+//   3. `release promote --release <B>` → exit 0, JSON `promoted` with
+//      previous_release_id A; beta points at B again; a `channel.promote`
+//      audit event by actor "cli" is recorded (distinct from the publish
+//      pipeline's "ci" promote events).
+//   4. Promoting an UNKNOWN release id → exit 1 + JSON error
+//      (`promote.unknown_release`); db.json unchanged (beta still → B).
+//   5. Rollback again (B → A), then rollback at the EARLIEST release →
+//      exit 1 + `rollback.no_previous`; beta still → A. A failed op never
+//      moves the pointer.
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+#import "modules/std/json.sx";
+process :: #import "modules/std/process.sx";
+fs   :: #import "modules/std/fs.sx";
+
+STORE :: ".sx-tmp/release_ops";
+MDIR  :: ".sx-tmp/release_ops_m";
+
+MANIFEST_A :: "{\"app\":\"acme-app\",\"version\":\"1.2.3\",\"channel\":\"beta\",\"artifacts\":[{\"platform\":\"android_apk\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-android.apk\"}]}";
+MANIFEST_B :: "{\"app\":\"acme-app\",\"version\":\"1.2.4\",\"channel\":\"beta\",\"artifacts\":[{\"platform\":\"android_apk\",\"path\":\"../../examples/fixtures/acme-1.2.3-android.apk\"}]}";
+
+REL_A :: "rel-acme-app-1.2.3";
+REL_B :: "rel-acme-app-1.2.4";
+
+get :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Value {
+    i := 0;
+    while i < o.len {
+        if o.items[i].key == key { return o.items[i].val; }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    process.assert(false, concat("missing json key: ", key));
+    dummy : Value = .null_;
+    return dummy;
+}
+get_str :: (o: Object, key: string) -> string { return get(o, key).str; }
+get_obj :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Object { return get(o, key).object; }
+get_arr :: (o: Object, key: string) -> Array  { return get(o, key).array; }
+
+// Count audit events matching (actor, action) — distinguishes the CLI's
+// channel events from the publish pipeline's "ci" ones.
+count_actor_action :: (events: Array, actor: string, action: string) -> s64 {
+    c : s64 = 0;
+    i := 0;
+    while i < events.len {
+        eo := events.items[i].object;
+        if get_str(eo, "actor") == actor and get_str(eo, "action") == action { c += 1; }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    return c;
+}
+
+write_file :: (path: string, body: string) {
+    cmd := concat(concat(concat("printf '%s' '", body), "' > "), path);
+    process.run(cmd);
+}
+
+load_db :: (scratch: Allocator) -> Object {
+    db_bytes := fs.read_file(path_join(STORE, "db.json"));
+    process.assert(db_bytes != null, "db.json must exist under the store");
+    dv, de := parse(db_bytes!, scratch);
+    if de { process.assert(false, "db.json must be valid JSON"); dummy : Object = .{}; return dummy; }
+    return dv.object;
+}
+
+// The beta channel's current_release_id, read fresh from db.json.
+beta_pointer :: (scratch: Allocator) -> string {
+    dbo := load_db(scratch);
+    chans := get_arr(dbo, "channels");
+    process.assert(chans.len == 1, "store has exactly one channel");
+    return get_str(chans.items[0].object, "current_release_id");
+}
+
+publish_cmd :: (mpath: string) -> string {
+    c := concat("build/dist ci publish --manifest ", mpath);
+    c = concat(c, concat(" --local-store ", STORE));
+    return concat(c, " --json 2>/dev/null");
+}
+
+promote_cmd :: (release_id: string) -> string {
+    c := concat("build/dist release promote --app acme-app --channel beta --release ", release_id);
+    c = concat(c, concat(" --local-store ", STORE));
+    return concat(c, " --json 2>/dev/null");
+}
+
+ROLLBACK_CMD :: "build/dist release rollback --app acme-app --channel beta --local-store .sx-tmp/release_ops --json 2>/dev/null";
+
+main :: () -> s32 {
+    gpa := GPA.init();
+    arena := Arena.init(xx gpa, 1 << 20);
+    defer arena.deinit();
+
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", STORE));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", MDIR));
+    process.run(concat("mkdir -p ", MDIR));
+    write_file(path_join(MDIR, "a.json"), MANIFEST_A);
+    write_file(path_join(MDIR, "b.json"), MANIFEST_B);
+
+    // ── 1. Publish A then B → beta points at B ──────────────────────
+    ra := process.run(publish_cmd(path_join(MDIR, "a.json")));
+    process.assert(ra != null and ra!.exit_code == 0, "publish A must exit 0");
+    rb := process.run(publish_cmd(path_join(MDIR, "b.json")));
+    process.assert(rb != null and rb!.exit_code == 0, "publish B must exit 0");
+    process.assert(beta_pointer(xx arena) == REL_B, "after publishes: beta -> B");
+    print("  published A then B; beta -> B\n");
+
+    // ── 2. Rollback: beta moves B -> A, audited ──────────────────────
+    rr := process.run(ROLLBACK_CMD);
+    process.assert(rr != null, "spawn rollback failed");
+    process.assert(rr!.exit_code == 0, "rollback must exit 0");
+    rv, re := parse(rr!.stdout, xx arena);
+    if re { process.assert(false, "rollback stdout must be one JSON object"); return 1; }
+    ro := rv.object;
+    process.assert(get_str(ro, "status") == "rolled_back", "rollback json status");
+    process.assert(get_str(ro, "from_release_id") == REL_B, "rollback json from B");
+    process.assert(get_str(get_obj(ro, "to"), "id") == REL_A, "rollback json to A");
+    process.assert(beta_pointer(xx arena) == REL_A, "after rollback: beta -> A");
+    db2 := load_db(xx arena);
+    process.assert(count_actor_action(get_arr(db2, "audit_events"), "cli", "channel.rollback") == 1,
+                   "rollback recorded one cli channel.rollback audit event");
+    print("  rollback: beta B -> A, audited\n");
+
+    // ── 3. Promote B back: beta -> B, previous is A, audited ─────────
+    rp := process.run(promote_cmd(REL_B));
+    process.assert(rp != null, "spawn promote failed");
+    process.assert(rp!.exit_code == 0, "promote must exit 0");
+    pv, pe := parse(rp!.stdout, xx arena);
+    if pe { process.assert(false, "promote stdout must be one JSON object"); return 1; }
+    po := pv.object;
+    process.assert(get_str(po, "status") == "promoted", "promote json status");
+    process.assert(get_str(get_obj(po, "release"), "id") == REL_B, "promote json release B");
+    process.assert(get_str(po, "previous_release_id") == REL_A, "promote json previous A");
+    process.assert(beta_pointer(xx arena) == REL_B, "after promote: beta -> B");
+    db3 := load_db(xx arena);
+    process.assert(count_actor_action(get_arr(db3, "audit_events"), "cli", "channel.promote") == 1,
+                   "promote recorded one cli channel.promote audit event");
+    print("  promote: beta -> B (was A), audited\n");
+
+    // ── 4. Promote an unknown release id → exit 1 + JSON error, db
+    //       unchanged ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    rn := process.run(promote_cmd("rel-nope"));
+    process.assert(rn != null, "spawn promote-unknown failed");
+    process.assert(rn!.exit_code == 1, "promote of unknown release must exit 1");
+    nv, ne := parse(rn!.stdout, xx arena);
+    if ne { process.assert(false, "promote-unknown stdout must be one JSON object"); return 1; }
+    no := nv.object;
+    process.assert(get_str(no, "status") == "error", "promote-unknown json status error");
+    process.assert(get_str(get_obj(no, "error"), "code") == "promote.unknown_release",
+                   "promote-unknown json names the code");
+    process.assert(beta_pointer(xx arena) == REL_B, "after failed promote: beta unchanged (-> B)");
+    print("  promote unknown release: exit 1 + JSON error, beta unchanged\n");
+
+    // ── 5. Rollback to the earliest, then once more → no_previous ────
+    r2 := process.run(ROLLBACK_CMD);
+    process.assert(r2 != null and r2!.exit_code == 0, "second rollback must exit 0 (B -> A)");
+    process.assert(beta_pointer(xx arena) == REL_A, "after second rollback: beta -> A");
+
+    r3 := process.run(ROLLBACK_CMD);
+    process.assert(r3 != null, "spawn third rollback failed");
+    process.assert(r3!.exit_code == 1, "rollback at the earliest release must exit 1");
+    v3, e3 := parse(r3!.stdout, xx arena);
+    if e3 { process.assert(false, "no-previous stdout must be one JSON object"); return 1; }
+    o3 := v3.object;
+    process.assert(get_str(get_obj(o3, "error"), "code") == "rollback.no_previous",
+                   "no-previous json names the code");
+    process.assert(beta_pointer(xx arena) == REL_A, "after failed rollback: beta unchanged (-> A)");
+    print("  rollback at earliest: exit 1 + no_previous, beta unchanged\n");
+
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", STORE));
+    process.run(concat("rm -rf ", MDIR));
+    print("release_ops: ALL CASES PASS\n");
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/repo_owns_allocator.sx b/tests/repo_owns_allocator.sx
index 471fe90..68960cd 100644
--- a/tests/repo_owns_allocator.sx
+++ b/tests/repo_owns_allocator.sx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 // growth point wrongly used `context.allocator`, the count would not move
 // (the default allocator is a different, untracked one).
 #import "modules/std.sx";
-process :: #import "modules/process.sx";
+process :: #import "modules/std/process.sx";
 #import "../src/domain/platform.sx";
 #import "../src/domain/app.sx";
 #import "../src/domain/release.sx";
diff --git a/tests/repo_roundtrip.sx b/tests/repo_roundtrip.sx
index 2416da6..c85368a 100644
--- a/tests/repo_roundtrip.sx
+++ b/tests/repo_roundtrip.sx
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
 // every assertion holds (process.assert aborts otherwise).
 #import "modules/std.sx";
 #import "modules/std/json.sx";
-#import "modules/fs.sx";
-process :: #import "modules/process.sx";
+#import "modules/std/fs.sx";
+process :: #import "modules/std/process.sx";
 #import "../src/domain/platform.sx";
 #import "../src/domain/app.sx";
 #import "../src/domain/release.sx";
diff --git a/tests/repo_transaction.sx b/tests/repo_transaction.sx
index 4bd5474..1659991 100644
--- a/tests/repo_transaction.sx
+++ b/tests/repo_transaction.sx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 //      are absent.
 // Uses a fresh `<root>` under `.sx-tmp/` and cleans up.
 #import "modules/std.sx";
-process :: #import "modules/process.sx";
+process :: #import "modules/std/process.sx";
 #import "../src/domain/platform.sx";
 #import "../src/domain/app.sx";
 #import "../src/domain/release.sx";
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ main :: () -> s32 {
     arts1.append(mk_artifact("art_01b", "rel_01", "not-a-sha"));  // invalid digest
     failed := false;
     was_validation := false;
-    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_01", "1.1.0"), @arts1, the_channel()) catch e {
+    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_01", "1.1.0"), @arts1, the_channel()) catch (e) {
         failed = true;
         was_validation = (e == error.Validation);
     };
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ main :: () -> s32 {
     arts2.append(mk_artifact("art_02", "WRONG", DIGEST_B));   // release_id mismatch
     ifailed := false;
     was_integrity := false;
-    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_02", "1.2.0"), @arts2, the_channel()) catch e {
+    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_02", "1.2.0"), @arts2, the_channel()) catch (e) {
         ifailed = true;
         was_integrity = (e == error.Integrity);
     };
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ main :: () -> s32 {
     arts_xc.append(mk_artifact("art_xc", "rel_xc", DIGEST_B));   // self-consistent artifact
     xc_failed := false;
     xc_integrity := false;
-    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_xc", "1.3.0"), @arts_xc, mk_channel_for("app_02")) catch e {
+    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_xc", "1.3.0"), @arts_xc, mk_channel_for("app_02")) catch (e) {
         xc_failed = true;
         xc_integrity = (e == error.Integrity);
     };
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ main :: () -> s32 {
     arts_xa.append(mk_artifact_for("art_xa", "app_02", "rel_xa", DIGEST_B));
     xa_failed := false;
     xa_integrity := false;
-    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_xa", "1.4.0"), @arts_xa, the_channel()) catch e {
+    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_xa", "1.4.0"), @arts_xa, the_channel()) catch (e) {
         xa_failed = true;
         xa_integrity = (e == error.Integrity);
     };
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ main :: () -> s32 {
     arts_cn.append(mk_artifact("art_cn", "rel_cn", DIGEST_B));   // self-consistent artifact
     cn_failed := false;
     cn_integrity := false;
-    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_cn", "1.5.0"), @arts_cn, mk_named_channel("app_01", "beta")) catch e {
+    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_cn", "1.5.0"), @arts_cn, mk_named_channel("app_01", "beta")) catch (e) {
         cn_failed = true;
         cn_integrity = (e == error.Integrity);
     };
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ main :: () -> s32 {
     arts_dup.append(mk_artifact("art_dup", "rel_00", DIGEST_B));
     dup_failed := false;
     dup_integrity := false;
-    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_00", "9.9.9"), @arts_dup, the_channel()) catch e {
+    repo.publish(mk_release("rel_00", "9.9.9"), @arts_dup, the_channel()) catch (e) {
         dup_failed = true;
         dup_integrity = (e == error.Integrity);
     };
diff --git a/tests/store_content_addressed.sx b/tests/store_content_addressed.sx
index 5832028..efdb23c 100644
--- a/tests/store_content_addressed.sx
+++ b/tests/store_content_addressed.sx
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@
 //   4. put_file — a file source produces the same key and bytes.
 // Exits 0 only if every assertion holds (process.assert aborts otherwise).
 #import "modules/std.sx";
-fs      :: #import "modules/fs.sx";
+fs      :: #import "modules/std/fs.sx";
 hash    :: #import "modules/std/hash.sx";
-process :: #import "modules/process.sx";
+process :: #import "modules/std/process.sx";
 #import "../src/store/store.sx";
 
 // SHA-256("abc"), the FIPS 180-4 one-block known-answer vector.