A staging environment, a local build and a report-based reference each provide a different kind of evidence. None of them is the same as a production system.

What this note will cover

  • What a staging reference can and cannot show
  • Labelling local-only and report-only work honestly
  • Keeping status labels attached to project references
  • When a project name needs public-use permission

Why it matters

Honest status labels make engineering references more useful and more credible.