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What is TRF?

The Simple Answer​

TRF (Traceability Report Framework) is a way to package and share proof that complex products meet safety and compliance requirements. Think of it as a "digital passport" for products that shows their entire development history.

The Problem TRF Solves​

Imagine you're building a car's autonomous driving system. You need to prove:

  • Every safety requirement has been tested
  • Every component has been validated
  • Every change is documented
  • Every risk has been addressed

Traditional approaches scatter this information across dozens of tools and thousands of documents. When an auditor asks "prove this system is safe," gathering the evidence can take weeks.

TRF solves this by creating a single, searchable package (TWPack) containing all traceability data.

Real-World Example​

A automotive supplier needs to deliver an ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) module. They must provide:

Without TRF:

  • 500+ PDF documents
  • Excel sheets with test results
  • Email chains for approvals
  • Screenshots from various tools
  • Weeks of manual compilation

With TRF:

  • One .twpack file
  • All artifacts digitally linked
  • Instant verification
  • Complete chain of custody
  • Generated in minutes

Core Components​

1. TWPack Files​

  • Self-contained ZIP archives
  • Contains all traceability data
  • Cryptographically signed
  • Version controlled

2. Artifacts​

The building blocks of traceability:

  • Requirements: What the system must do
  • Tests: How we verify it works
  • Designs: How it's built
  • Components: What it's built from

Connections showing relationships:

  • Requirement → Test (verified by)
  • Design → Requirement (implements)
  • Test → Result (produces)

4. Provenance​

Who, what, when, where:

  • Who created this data?
  • What tools were used?
  • When was it generated?
  • What's the source system?

Who Uses TRF?​

Automotive Industry​

  • OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers)
  • Tier 1, 2, 3 suppliers
  • Safety assessors
  • Certification bodies

Use Cases​

  • ISO 26262: Functional safety compliance
  • UN-R155/156: Cybersecurity requirements
  • ASPICE: Process maturity
  • AI/ML Systems: Model governance

Key Benefits​

For Engineers​

  • Automate compliance documentation
  • Reduce manual report creation
  • Focus on development, not paperwork

For Managers​

  • Real-time compliance status
  • Risk visibility
  • Faster time to market

For Auditors​

  • Complete evidence packages
  • Verifiable chain of custody
  • Reduced audit time

How It Works​

  1. Extract: Pull data from development tools
  2. Transform: Convert to TRF format
  3. Package: Create TWPack file
  4. Validate: Verify completeness
  5. Share: Distribute to stakeholders

TWPack Structure​

A TWPack is a ZIP file containing:

my-project.twpack/
├── manifest.json       # Package metadata
├── artifacts.jsonl     # All artifacts (requirements, tests, etc.)
├── links.jsonl        # Relationships between artifacts
├── provenance.json    # Creation information
└── attachments/       # Supporting files (optional)

Getting Started​

View a TWPack​

# Using TRF Viewer (desktop app)
trf-viewer my-project.twpack

Validate a TWPack​

# Check if pack is valid
npx @traceweave/trf-validator validate my-project.twpack

Create Your First Pack​

See Creating Your First Pack for a step-by-step guide.

Next Steps​

Summary​

TRF transforms compliance from a documentation burden into an automated, verifiable process. It's the bridge between development tools and compliance requirements, making it possible to prove product safety and quality with a single file.