Registry stack documentation: machine-readable Markdown.
Index of all pages: https://docs.registrystack.org/llms.txt
Full corpus: https://docs.registrystack.org/llms-full.txt

# evidencectl request prepare command reference

> Generated syntax and options for evidencectl request prepare.

{/* Generated from Clap command definitions by scripts/generate-cli-reference.mjs. Run npm run generate. */}

Prepare the request, authorization header, and verification context.

## Contract status

This page is generated from the public Clap command tree. Hidden implementation commands are omitted.

## Usage

```text
evidencectl request prepare [OPTIONS] --purpose <PURPOSE> --name <NAME> <--subject <SUBJECT>|--subjects-file <PATH>> <QUESTION>
```

## Constraints

| Condition | Requirement |
| --- | --- |
| Command invocation | Exactly one of `--subject <SUBJECT>`, `--subjects-file <PATH>` is required. |

## Arguments

| Argument | Always required | Default | Values | Environment | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `<QUESTION>` | Yes | n/a | n/a | n/a | Question defined by the active local project |

## Options

| Option | Always required | Repeatable | Default | Values | Environment | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `--purpose <PURPOSE>` | Yes | No | n/a | n/a | n/a | Exact purpose declared by the question |
| `--subject <SUBJECT>` | No | Yes | n/a | n/a | n/a | Subject selector. Repeat role:field=value for a multi-subject question |
| `--subjects-file <PATH>` | No | No | n/a | n/a | n/a | Owner-only JSON file containing the complete subject selector set |
| `--name <NAME>` | Yes | No | n/a | n/a | n/a | Safe name for this retained request |
| `--client <CLIENT>` | No | No | n/a | n/a | n/a | Registered local application used to request authorization |
| `--format <FORMAT>` | No | No | `signed-jws` | `signed-jws`, `sd-jwt-vc` | n/a | Response format to request and verify |
| `-h, --help` | No | No | n/a | n/a | n/a | Print help |

## Generation contract

Run `npm run generate` from `docs/site` after changing a public command, argument, option, default, environment binding, or help description.