Introduction

Scout is a branch-oriented management plane for hierarchical Zenoh networks. It gives operators one public command surface for Branch lifecycle, Router configuration, Clients, Data Areas, Grants, Changes, and evidence.

Each recursive Branch cell owns one controller, issuer, Router, admin, and bounded namespace. A child keeps operating from local state while its parent is unavailable and reports that limitation explicitly.

Start with the product

Verify an installed release, initialize a root Branch, add a child Branch, connect one Client, and apply an enforced Grant through the same commands the end-to-end suite asserts:

1. Check the requirements.
2. Install and initialize Scout.
3. Follow the product walkthrough.

For a qualified three-Branch ancestor path, use the full network sequence.

Operator objects

• A Branch is one recursively complete management cell.
• A Branch Router is the Branch’s one managed Zenoh Router.
• A Client is an enrolled application identity.
• A Data Area names a bounded key-expression namespace.
• A Grant authorizes a Client or peer Branch.
• A Change is the explicit review → stage → apply lifecycle for rendered configuration or policy.

Every state conclusion names or carries its evidence. Scout does not infer application delivery from topology, current health from stale observation, or enforcement from desired policy alone.

Choose a path

I want to…	Start here
Initialize one Branch	Start Scout
Complete the two-Branch journey	Product walkthrough
Share along an ancestor path	Full network sequence
Look up a command	Command reference
Adapt a shipped recipe	Recipe reference
Understand evidence wording	Operational truth