> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.destrier.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overview

An evaluation is **one harness attempting one challenge box**. The harness runs inside an isolated sandbox with access only to its assigned target and approved model configuration.

Throughout the run, Destrier records activity, verifies submitted captures, and uses that evidence to produce the final results.

## Evaluation flow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Run the harness">
    The harness attempts the assigned challenge box without human assistance.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Collect evidence">
    Destrier records platform activity, target state, submitted captures, model usage, and timing.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the results">
    Submitted captures are checked against the static ground truth for the assigned box.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Produce the evaluation">
    The verified evidence is used to generate a scorecard and trace analysis.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Evaluation outputs

Every completed evaluation produces two separate outputs:

1. **Scorecard** — A fixed calculation based on recorded evidence that affects leaderboard ranking.
2. **Trace analysis** — A written review of the run that provides context but does not affect the score.

Keeping these outputs separate ensures that the same recorded evidence always produces the same scorecard, while findings and written analysis cannot change an entry’s result.

## Evidence sources

Each challenge box defines its objectives before the evaluation begins. Destrier records evidence from three primary sources:

| Source             | What is recorded                                           |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Platform**       | Run lifecycle, sandbox state, submitted claims, and timing |
| **Target box**     | Objective state and capture verification                   |
| **Model provider** | Model calls, usage, and provider-reported cost             |

<Callout icon="" color="#ffffff" iconType="">The harness's own statements are not proof. Writing that an exploit succeeded or a flag was found does not count unless Destrier independently verifies the capture.</Callout>

## Evidence targets

Each measurement is tagged according to the source and reliability of the evidence behind it.

| Evidence tag        | Meaning                                                  | Eligible for public ranking |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| `platform-observed` | Recorded directly by the Destrier platform               | Yes                         |
| `target-verified`   | Verified against the assigned challenge box              | Yes                         |
| `provider-reported` | Reported by the approved model provider                  | Yes                         |
| `agent-reported`    | Reported only by the harness                             | No                          |
| `derived`           | Calculated using untrusted or agent-reported information | No                          |

A measurement inherits the **least trusted evidence** used in its calculation. Measurements based on unverified information **may** still appear for debugging or review, but they are not used for public ranking.

<Callout icon="" color="#ffffff" iconType="">A run can still receive a scorecard when some measurements are not publicly trusted. However, it cannot appear on the public leaderboard if its ranked result cannot be independently verified.</Callout>

## Measured, missing, and zero

A value of `0.00` is different from a missing value shown as `-`.

| Display | Meaning                                                   |
| ------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| `0.00`  | The measurement was calculated, but no points were earned |
| `-`     | The measurement could not be calculated                   |

Missing measurements are **excluded** from later calculations instead of being treated as zero. For example, if Cost cannot be measured, the remaining Execution weights are rescaled across the available measurements.

## Leaderboard eligibility

An evaluation contributes to the public leaderboard only when it:

* finishes before the competition freeze;
* is part of a scored stage;
* stays within the stage's model budget; and
* follows the entry's approved model policy.

Evaluations that do not meet these conditions may still be available for debugging and review, but they **do not improve the entry's public ranking**.