SETUP_DIAGNOSTICS

First-run storage diagnostics

Run a read-only local health check before creating or opening a workspace:

ancestry --json database diagnose

The command never creates a database, writes a credential, or reports a secret value. It checks SQLCipher availability, the configured credential-store read path, workspace-directory access, and existing workspace permissions.

Diagnostic codes

Code	Meaning	Required action
SQLCIPHER_READY	The SQLCipher driver imports and reports a cipher version.	Continue.
SQLCIPHER_UNAVAILABLE	SQLCipher is missing, failed to initialize, or the driver does not report encryption support.	Install a supported SQLCipher-enabled build; never use plaintext SQLite.
KEYRING_READY	The configured credential backend can be queried without writing.	Continue.
KEYRING_READ_FAILED	The credential backend cannot be queried.	Repair/unlock the OS credential store and rerun diagnostics.
DATABASE_DIRECTORY_MISSING	The workspace parent does not exist yet.	Create an owner-only data directory before first use.
DATABASE_DIRECTORY_UNWRITABLE	The workspace parent cannot be written or traversed.	Select a writable directory owned by the current user.
DATABASE_DIRECTORY_READY	The workspace parent is writable.	Continue.
DATABASE_PERMISSIONS_WEAK	An existing workspace grants group/other permissions.	Restrict the file to owner-only permissions.

Diagnostics are advisory until the database is opened. Database initialization and opening remain fail-closed for plaintext files, missing keys, wrong keys, and failed integrity checks.

Platform recovery

• macOS: unlock the login keychain, then ensure the application can access it in Keychain Access. Reinstall the supported SQLCipher wheel if the command reports SQLCIPHER_UNAVAILABLE.
• Windows: unlock or repair Credential Manager and use a user-writable data directory. Do not replace an existing workspace key when DATABASE_KEY_MISSING is reported; restore the matching key from secure backup instead.
• Linux desktop: install and unlock a supported Secret Service/keyring backend for the desktop session. Ensure the workspace directory is owned by the current user.
• Headless CI: use the documented environment-injection fallback only for ephemeral test secrets. Do not write secrets into configuration files, command arguments, logs, or repository artifacts.

PLAINTEXT_DATABASE_REJECTED, DATABASE_INTEGRITY_FAILED, and DATABASE_KEY_MISSING are fail-closed protections. Stop using the affected file and follow the encrypted-backup recovery process; never force a plaintext fallback or generate a replacement key for an existing workspace.