1. Overview
Media centre application that plays a local library and keeps its library state in local databases.
Category: Media & Creative.
2. Version and scope assessed
Version assessed: Pinned evidence a097d6978028aef8840b23695a57c606697f156a.
3. Overall determination
Computing determination
4. Principle profile
| Order | Principle | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| I | Sovereignty | Not assessed |
| II | Longevity | Not assessed |
| III | Locality | ✓ Meets |
| IV | Transparency and Control | Not assessed |
5. Fundamental requirements
| Requirement | Status |
|---|---|
| E1 Independent access to essential information | ✓ Pass |
| E2 Practicable exit and migration | ? Not Verified |
| E3 Independent interpretation and recovery | ? Not Verified |
| E4 Continuing authority and custody over already-created work | ✓ Pass |
| E5 Governability of consequential actions | ? Not Verified |
6. Evidence and verification
- E1: Kodi stores settings, add-ons, playlists, databases, artwork, and other user changes in its data folder and documents full-folder backup. (source), confidence high
- E2: Kodi exports library metadata to NFO and image files that can be scanned into another installation, but complete migration of settings and add-ons was not tested. (source), confidence high
- E3: The export code distinguishes a dated videodb.xml folder with artwork directories from per-item NFO export; import reads that XML and reconstructs source paths only when the scraper add-on exists. The import code explicitly notes scraper settings are not exported. This route is therefore not demonstrated to recreate an entire profile. (source), confidence medium
- E4: Kodi runs against local or network media and keeps its user data in operator-controlled paths. (source), confidence high
- E5: Library cleanup distinguishes absent files under reachable sources from unavailable source directories. For unavailable sources, silent mode retains entries; interactive mode can ask, while missing files under reachable parents can be removed from the database without asking. This concerns library records/history, not an assertion that Clean Library deletes media bytes. (source), confidence medium
- sovereignty: A positive Sovereignty finding requires established E1, E2 and E4 in the declared scope. The existing access/exit/custody record for Kodi does not establish all three minimums. The prior positive finding is withdrawn; recorded storage and portability strengths remain facts, not a verified failure. (source), confidence medium
- longevity: E3 is not established for Kodi's existing essential-record scope. The previous Longevity finding is replaced by Not assessed, not a verified failure or a positive placeholder. (source), confidence medium
- locality: The primary media library can operate locally without a hosted account. (source), confidence high
- transparency: The positive control observations above do not yet establish whole-scope E5. The methodology requires that minimum before a positive Transparency and Control finding; the previous positive finding is therefore withdrawn to Not assessed, not changed to Does not meet. (source), confidence medium
- E3: Source distinguishes per-item NFO from a dated XML/artwork export and makes reconstruction depend on available scraper add-ons; scraper settings are not exported in that route. Complete watched/resume, profile, settings/add-on and media dependency recovery remains unestablished. (source), confidence medium
- E5: Library cleanup treats missing files on reachable sources differently from unavailable sources, with conditional prompts and silent retention. This concerns library records, not automatically media-byte deletion. Effective source/remove/add-on authority and correction of record/history loss remain insufficiently covered. (source), confidence medium
7. Migration and recovery
Native storage format: Media files in folders, with SQLite library databases.
Synchronization or runtime model: Local application; optional network sources.
Example export or inspection command (not verified against any particular version or data set): ls ~/.kodi/userdata/Database
8. Architectural strengths
Established strengths and their scope are recorded in the evidence and assessment findings on this page.
9. Architectural limitations
- Source/retained-input inspection only; no installation or application restore performed.
- Watched/resume/artwork round-trip comparison, independent database reading, profile migration/downgrade and observed cleanup/source-removal behavior remain untested.
10. Assessment findings and remaining work
Evidence update: 23 October 2026
- Resolved: The export code distinguishes a dated videodb.xml folder with artwork directories from per-item NFO export; import reads that XML and reconstructs source paths only when the scraper add-on exists. The import code explicitly notes scraper settings are not exported. This route is therefore not demonstrated to recreate an entire profile. Source.
- Resolved: Library cleanup distinguishes absent files under reachable sources from unavailable source directories. For unavailable sources, silent mode retains entries; interactive mode can ask, while missing files under reachable parents can be removed from the database without asking. This concerns library records/history, not an assertion that Clean Library deletes media bytes. Source.
- Open: Watched/resume/artwork round-trip comparison, independent database reading, profile migration/downgrade and observed cleanup/source-removal behavior remain untested. E5 needs effective cleanup/source/removal settings, add-on authority and recoverable library/history states; record cleanup and media deletion are distinct.
Assessment follow-up: These bounded findings are incorporated into the evidence above. Eligibility and principle ratings are deliberately unchanged; their reconciliation and any blank-status fixes are deferred to the next pass. Reproduction details and retained inputs are in evidence/third-pass/batch-11/.
Human-readable criteria: Can a creator archive source material and editable state, reopen the project after version changes, and export important work in interoperable formats?
Rating reconciliation: 24 October 2026
E3 and E5 remain Not Verified for the existing declared scope. Longevity and Transparency and Control are Not assessed pending their required minimums. Sovereignty is also Not assessed because the required access/exit/custody minimums are not all established. This is a targeted evidence decision, not a finding that the product fails. Existing E1, E4 and Locality findings were not re-certified.
Remaining: Watched/resume/artwork round-trip comparison, independent database reading, profile migration/downgrade and observed cleanup/source-removal behavior remain untested. E5 needs effective cleanup/source/removal settings, add-on authority and recoverable library/history states; record cleanup and media deletion are distinct.
Next without installing locally: Use a synthetic profile/database/NFO/artwork/media-reference packet with expected watched/resume records; inspect it independently and obtain same-version cleanup/source/add-on authority and restoration evidence.
The individual decision and provenance are retained in evidence/rating-reconciliation/batch-11/. Overall: Insufficient evidence.
Contribute verification evidence for Kodi
Have you tested clean-machine restoration, format migration, or failure rollback for Kodi? We welcome reproducible laboratory logs, synthetic test fixtures, and independent assessments to resolve open findings.
Read the evaluation protocol · Submit verification records on GitHub
Individually reconciled in rating batch 11 on 24 October 2026. E3/E5 remain Not Verified for explicit missing coverage; dependent unsupported findings corrected. Previously resolved questions are retained, not counted again. E1/E4/Locality were not re-certified by this targeted review. The assessment procedure is described in the methodology.