Theory

Updated

October 30, 2026

Theory: Air-Gap is a Closed Universe of Bytes

Offline forges must import Git, packages, container images, and CI images as files. TCO includes humans who carry those files.

Invariants

  1. git bundle and registry exports are the transport.
  2. Data residency is a legal constraint on where disks live.
  3. SLAs are people and spare capacity, not a YAML flag.
connected world --bundle/image-->  sneakernet  -->  air-gapped forge

What can break

  • CI that docker pulls from the internet on an air-gapped runner.

How to read this chapter

Air-gap, hybrid, residency, support/SLA, TCO.