---
slug: oip-what-is-token
title: What is a token?
canonical: https://miscsubjects.com/a/oip-what-is-token
---

## What a token is

A token is the credential part of a capability. It is the string you paste into a URL so the build knows who is asking and what they are allowed to do. The token is inside the `share` parameter of every Tap & Go drop.

## Why it matters

A model without a token can read public docs: the OIP articles, the capability tree, the why page. A model with a token can also invoke the objects the token is scoped for. The token is the boundary between reading and acting.

## What a token looks like

It is a long string in the query parameter: `?share=sh.1783120703.act.0.hbEUXxLh_gAw.CUpJ7aKrYJ3j9-Ma0x_wIi6THDxdaTnX4v3nc1kqih8`. Do not try to read it. It is opaque. Use `?explain=1&share=TOKEN` to see what it can do.

## Machine shape

The token resolves to a capability record in D1: `scope`, `key`, `expires_at`, `uses_remaining`, `revoked`, `fingerprint`. Every invocation checks the record before running. If the record is expired, revoked, or exhausted, the call fails closed.
## Latest clarity reviews (live)

Fresh models are sent this article's bundle and asked two separate questions: how clear is the machine JSON, and how clear is the English body. Scores are 0 to 10. The full history is in the append-only ledger.

- 2026-07-05 19:33 · model `gemini/gemini-2.5-flash` · NEEDS WORK · JSON 7/10 · English 7/10 · zero-context human 8/10

How the loop self-corrects: a failing review queues a model revision of this article (a new append-only version). A missing concept named by a reviewer queues a brand-new machine-written article, which then enters the same review cycle.

---

## Where OIP does this differently (required edge)

OIP difference: scoped, expiring, revocable, risk-capped — not a reusable password.

