---
title: Workspace Trust
url: https://arcana.otnelhq.com/docs/trust
---

# Workspace Trust



Workspace trust is a security feature that prevents untrusted project code from executing automatically. When you open a repository that contains project plugins, tools, or local MCP servers, Arcana requires explicit trust before loading that code.




## Why Workspace Trust?



Projects can include:



- **Project plugins** — JavaScript/TypeScript modules that extend Arcana
- **Project tools** — Custom tools available to the agent
- **Local MCP servers** — Model Context Protocol servers defined in the project



These can execute arbitrary code on your machine. Workspace trust ensures you explicitly approve each project before Arcana runs its code.




## Trusting a Workspace



In the project directory, run:



```
arcana trust
```



This records a fingerprint of the workspace (based on the git remote URL and current branch) in `~/.arcana/workspace-trust.json`. Arcana will then load project plugins, tools, and MCP servers from that workspace.




## How It Works



1. **Fingerprinting** — When you run `arcana trust`, Arcana records the git remote URL and branch as a trusted fingerprint.
2. **Verification** — On subsequent sessions in that workspace, Arcana checks if the current workspace matches a trusted fingerprint.
3. **Blocking** — If the workspace is not trusted, project plugins, tools, and local MCP are disabled.




## Environment Variables



| Env var | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `ARCANA_DISABLE_WORKSPACE_TRUST=1` | Skip trust checks (development only) |
| `ARCANA_TRUST_WORKSPACE=1` | Force-trust for CI environments |




## Trust Data



Trust fingerprints are stored in:



```
~/.arcana/workspace-trust.json
```



You can manually edit this file to remove trusted workspaces, or use the CLI:



```
# View trusted workspaces
arcana trust list

# Show trust status for current workspace
arcana trust status

# Revoke trust for current workspace
arcana trust revoke

# Revoke trust for a specific path
arcana trust revoke /path/to/workspace
```




## Best Practices



- **Only trust repositories you control** — Don't trust random repos you clone.
- **Review before trusting** — Check what plugins/tools/MCP servers the project defines before running `arcana trust`.
- **Use CI trust for automation** — Set `ARCANA_TRUST_WORKSPACE=1` in CI pipelines where you need project plugins.
- **Keep trust scoped** — Trust is per-branch by default. Different branches of the same repo require separate trust.