Stable links stay honest.

Every release first uploads immutable files beneath its exact v<version>/ prefix. Fold reads every object back before the mutable latest aliases and signed root manifests advance.

Retention

• The current supported release and at least two preceding releases remain downloadable for at least 180 days after replacement.
• Signed manifests, inventories, checksums, public keys, release notes, and known-issue records are retained with their corresponding artifacts.
• A security-recalled installer may be removed sooner, but its version record and reason remain in the changelog; it is never relabeled as a newer build.
• Stable latest/ aliases point only to the release named by the root signed inventory.

Rollback

A rollback publishes a new, truthfully numbered release or restores the still-valid signed pointer to an already published version. Fold never assigns an older binary a dishonest newer version. Clients reject non-newer update versions.

Cleanup

Cleanup is a reviewed operator action after the retention window, supported-update matrix, and live pointer are checked. Publication itself never deletes an earlier release.