## summary exploration to replace static peer endpoints with signed identity tokens as the primary peer endpoint selection method, while keeping the existing bucket-based ownership model intact.

## what changed - added identity token and transport-hint fields to node lease metadata in [crates/logic/lib.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/logic/lib.rs) and [crates/celld/ownership_store.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/ownership_store.rs) - added staged peer transport policy support: - locator identity preference in [crates/logic/lib.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/logic/lib.rs) and [crates/celld/main.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/main.rs) - relay token and alias preference in [crates/logic/lib.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/logic/lib.rs), [crates/celld/peer_transport.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/peer_transport.rs), and [crates/celld/main.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/main.rs) - quic capability url preference in [crates/logic/lib.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/logic/lib.rs), [crates/celld/peer_transport.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/peer_transport.rs), and [crates/celld/main.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/main.rs) - commitment lookup preference in [crates/celld/peer_transport.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/peer_transport.rs) and [crates/celld/main.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/main.rs) - added peer transport resolver logic in core runtime and dispatch paths in [crates/celld/peer_transport.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/peer_transport.rs) and [crates/celld/main.rs](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/crates/celld/main.rs) - documented staged behavior and new env vars in [docs/README.md](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/docs/README.md) - added a local-only fabric dev harness and deployable example projects in [dev-harness/fabric/README.md](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/dev-harness/fabric/README.md), [dev-harness/fabric/examples/README.md](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/dev-harness/fabric/examples/README.md), and [dev-harness/fabric/examples](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/dev-harness/fabric/examples) - updated the root readme to describe identity-based peer endpoint selection in [README.md](https://github.com/maceip/celld-fabric/blob/main/README.md) ## why tho reverse dns and static IPs (that we get for free from aws) are location labels, not identity: they can be reassigned, changed, or cached stale, so the same ip↔hostname pair can point to a different machine over time. TLS endpoint trust is tied to hostname/cert binding, so when addresses churn, host-based verification tracks routing details instead of a durable peer identity, increasing ambiguity in who is actually at the other end.

## rollout plan - start with preferred modes that keep fallback behavior - validate mixed-fleet behavior and failure handling - move to stricter modes only after token coverage is complete

## notes this is not a full network rewrite. it is a compatibility-first change to peer endpoint selection that reduces direct dependence on bare ip:port in the normal path. the beauty in using s3 for the control plane & universal façade was motivation in using DNS similarly