What this probe helps you decide
Whether the request is a fit for a governed FoldEngine probe, needs clarification, belongs in a paid product, or should be declined.
Best lifecycle moment
Early fit / routing, before paying for a report or sharing deeper context.
Identifying the target shape
The first governed probe identifies the target shape — web app, mobile app, library, stale fork, AI-assisted codebase, internal product, high-stakes domain, or custom/unknown — so the report language and recommended next move are meaningful to your repo. Routing the question this way is what makes the result more than a generic scan.
What you submit
A public URL or safe high-level project description, the decision you are trying to make, and permission/boundary notes. Do not submit secrets or private source code.
What product or surface this targets
Tell us the product, service, feature, SDK, app, workflow, dependency choice, AI-generated slice, or legacy module inside the repo/project that the probe should focus on. The repo is evidence; it is not automatically the whole target.
What we inspect
The request shape, visible evidence, project visibility, consent notes, and whether a bounded report can reasonably answer the question.
What you receive
A short fit-check response with three parts: (1) route recommendation — which paid probe fits, or why the request should be declined, (2) visible evidence/gap note — what we saw in the public surface, (3) next safe move — what to do next. This is not a full diagnostic report.
Stability Ledger
An accepted fit-check can become Ledger Entry 0: the first private record of the scoped surface, visible evidence, missing evidence, route recommendation, and next stabilizing move. Accepted probes can start or append to a private Stability Ledger; form submission alone does not automatically create one. See a public-safe Ledger Entry 0 sample.
Accept / decline / route
Every Free First Probe ends in one of three outcomes: accepted and routed to a specific paid probe, needs clarification with a note on what to resubmit, or declined with a reason (out of scope, private-only, or not a fit for any current probe).
Sample response
See the Free First Probe sample: a fit-check that routes an AI-generated Chrome extension to the AI Code Stability Probe.
What this does not include
- Full diagnostic report
- Implementation work
- Security audit
- Endorsement or certification
Boundary of claim
Fit check only. A Free First Probe does not guarantee a full report, paid acceptance, or a specific result.
Best-fit examples
- A public repo with a narrow question.
- A safe high-level project description.
- A buyer deciding which governed probe to request.