Settings

Settings centralizes app-level configuration and operational visibility. It is where users adjust appearance, manage Aavrit connection state, review privacy preferences, set archive defaults, check runtime availability, review update information, access help links, and export diagnostics.

Settings does not change the contents of existing archives unless a workflow explicitly performs an archive operation. Many settings affect future workflows or local app behavior only.

Appearance

Users can choose:

• light theme
• dark theme
• system theme

The selected appearance setting is saved locally.

Aavrit

The Aavrit settings section manages connection to an external Aavrit server. Available controls include:

• entering an Aavrit server URL
• connecting to a public or private Aavrit server
• logging in to a private Aavrit server
• disconnecting Aavrit
• requesting a custom Aavrit server
• refreshing server diagnostics

Server diagnostics can show:

• server status
• health
• latency
• key ID
• signature algorithm
• public-key SHA-256 fingerprint

These diagnostics help users understand which Aavrit server and key identity are active.

Privacy

Privacy settings control local activity metadata. Available controls include:

• local activity log mode: off, minimal, or detailed
• activity retention: 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, 1 year, or forever
• redacted diagnostics export
• clear activity log

The activity log does not store archive contents or user secrets. It records operational metadata such as archive action, status, mode, duration, and selected safe details.

Tamper-Evident Activity Chain

Each new activity entry can include a previous entry hash and current entry hash. Settings shows the audit chain status as:

• verified
• partial
• legacy
• broken
• empty

This is not a blockchain or remote audit system. It is a local tamper-evidence mechanism for detecting whether the local activity log was modified or partially migrated.

Archive Defaults

Archive defaults let users choose safe starting values for new Encode and TimeCapsule workflows. Available controls include:

• default PQC storage: embedded .avk or separate .avkkey
• default TimeCapsule provider: drand or Aavrit
• reset safe defaults

These defaults affect new workflows only. Existing archives are not changed.

Runtime

Runtime settings show whether critical local components are available. Visible status includes:

• native Rust crypto availability
• OpenSSL PQC provider availability
• Avikal version
• preview root
• log directory

Runtime also includes a button to clean all preview files.

Updates

The Updates tab checks GitHub releases for a newer Avikal version. It does not silently install updates.

Instead, it shows release information and opens the release or download page so the user can review and install manually. Visible update details can include current version, latest version, platform, install type, and available release assets.

Help And Legal

The Help & Legal tab opens external resources in the system browser. Links include documentation, support, security, release notes, licenses, and third-party notices.

Diagnostics

Diagnostics lets users export local operational metadata for troubleshooting. Visible diagnostics include:

• activity entry count
• export format
• app and backend version
• audit chain status
• raw activity log path
• preview root path
• log directory path

Users can export the activity audit log as Markdown.