0.64.0

Removed

• The protocol alias binary. The CLI has one name: use aep. Release archives, task install and aep drive step maps name only aep; a command step whose program is protocol is no longer resolved to the driving build, and the driven-step shell admits only aep. Evidence the CLI mints names its verifier tool aep and records the grouped command path (aep observe trace evidence …, aep govern validate …).

Fixed

• A stamped Git-pinned protocol snapshot is trusted without opening a directory. The stamp also records every directory's length, times, inode, device and mode beside every file's, and the trusted path stats each recorded entry instead of listing the tree: adding, removing or renaming an entry moves its directory's mtime and ctime. A format-1 stamp is ignored and replaced after one full verification; any mismatch still verifies in full, and the 2 s racy window now also covers directories. On a revision carrying its own planning store, aep plan artifact new task made 424 directory opens under protocol-sources and now makes 40, all from loading the protocol tree (123 file opens, unchanged); aep plan artifact list makes 20 (was 404).
• aep plan artifact validate on an aep.project/5 store refuses a hand-edited status on an artifact that was never moved. With no transitions, status must be the kind's initial state, unless the artifact's Git history begins in an older document format (it was migrated); then it must keep the status its first committed aep.planning-md/3 version carried.
• validate enforces immutability against Git (git-native design § 5, § 6): a committed evidence file under .engineering/evidence/ that differs from its committed blob is refused, and so is a review-result whose title or body differs from its first committed aep.planning-md/3 version, even after the edit is committed. A move on a review result still validates. Outside a Git work tree both checks are skipped.