maat check

Runs configured collectors and rules, prints current findings, and evaluates exit conditions.

maat check
maat check --ledger
maat check --show insights
maat check --show findings
maat check --show-baselined
maat check --silent

What it does

Without a ledger, maat check reports whatever the kernel finds in the current repository state. If check.strict is enabled, any finding makes the command fail.

With a ledger configured, maat check compares current findings against recorded decisions:

• unexpired baselines are hidden from normal output;
• active axioms can hide covered fingerprints;
• resolved findings that reappear are treated as regressions.

Rules always run against current repository facts. The ledger is applied after rules finish.

Insights run after that over all current findings from the same check, including current findings that are hidden from normal output because they are baselined or covered by an active axiom. This is intentional: a baseline suppresses enforcement, but it is still architectural debt and can matter for summaries, prioritization, and erosion-style analysis. Insights are read-only and do not affect the check exit code.

When configured insights run, maat check prints a warning that they analyze all current findings, including findings hidden by baselines or active axiom exceptions.

--show-baselined still only changes the current check output. It includes baselined findings that are present in this run; it does not print baselined findings that exist only in the ledger and no longer appear in the current repository state. Use maat visualize when you need to inspect ledger state.

Recording findings

--ledger appends new observed findings to the configured ledger.

maat check --ledger

Use this before maat baseline or maat resolve; both commands need the fingerprint to already exist in the ledger.

Options

Option	Purpose
--ledger	Save current findings to the configured ledger.
--show <mode>	Choose output sections: all (default), findings, or insights. This only controls printed sections; exit behavior and ledger writes are unchanged.
--show-baselined	Include baselined findings from the current run in output and exit code evaluation.
--silent	Suppress console output while preserving the command exit code.

Exit behavior

maat check exits non-zero when:

• a resolved fingerprint reappears;
• a baseline has expired;
• check.strict is enabled and visible findings remain.