Release v1.2.0-rc8

Changelog for v1.2.0-rc8

What's Changed

• Prepare rc8 recut baseline (#50) (Jenner Torrence)
• Prepare rc7 recut baseline (ViperJuice)
• Refresh GARC plan after branch sync (ViperJuice)
• Fix index workflow PR checks (ViperJuice)
• Fix rc6 release gate drift (ViperJuice)
• Refresh GARC blocker plan state (ViperJuice)
• Add GA hardening release readiness evidence (ViperJuice)
• docs: record rc5 release evidence (ViperJuice)
• docs: register rc5 release evidence (ViperJuice)
• style: format release gate test (ViperJuice)
• fix: harden release changelog output (ViperJuice)
• Complete RC5 release gate parity (ViperJuice)
• Complete P34 public alpha recut (ViperJuice)
• Refresh index metadata (ViperJuice)
• Implement artifact identity hydration freshness phase (ViperJuice)
• Implement P29 incremental indexing repair (ViperJuice)
• Harden rc4 release readiness (ViperJuice)
• Update workflow actions for Node 24 (ViperJuice)
• Make cross-platform CI manual only (ViperJuice)
• Silence optional attestation skip warning (ViperJuice)
• Stop scheduled workflow noise (ViperJuice)
• Prepare rc4 release gates (ViperJuice)
• Add P26 private alpha evidence gate (ViperJuice)
• chore: add P24 and P25 release gates (ViperJuice)
• Document rc3 release and support truth (ViperJuice)
• docs: add P22 phase plan (ViperJuice)
• chore: unify P21 release contract (ViperJuice)
• chore: refresh index metadata (post-phase scheduler bump) (ViperJuice)
• merge(p20,sl-cleanup): align tests with rc2 + SL-2b _EXPORTER_REGISTRY (ViperJuice)
• chore: refresh index metadata (mid-phase scheduler bump) (ViperJuice)
• fix(p20,sl-cleanup): align tests with rc2 + SL-2b _EXPORTER_REGISTRY (ViperJuice)
• merge(p20,sl-docs): catalog rescan + p18/sandbox cross-links + SL-0 escapee fix + plan amendments (ViperJuice)
• docs(p20,sl-docs): catalog rescan + p18/sandbox cross-links + sl0 escapee fix + plan amendments (ViperJuice)
• merge(p20,sl-4): cut v1.2.0-rc2 — P20 GA-track ready-for-operator (ViperJuice)