# Verifying Workflows
Source: https://docs.chain.link/cre/guides/operations/verifying-workflows-go
Last Updated: 2026-04-09

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt).

> **NOTE: Go**
>
> This page covers workflow verification for Go workflows. For TypeScript workflows, see [Verifying Workflows
> (TypeScript)](/cre/guides/operations/verifying-workflows-ts).

Workflow verification ensures the integrity and authenticity of your workflows across deployment, onchain execution, and third-party auditing. This guide explains how workflow IDs are computed, how to verify workflows in consumer contracts, and how to enable independent verification by third parties.

## Workflow ID

The workflow ID is a unique hash that serves as the primary identifier for your workflow throughout its lifecycle. It is computed locally during [`cre workflow deploy`](/cre/reference/cli/workflow#cre-workflow-deploy) from the following inputs:

- **workflowOwner**: The deployer's address
- **workflowName**: The name specified in your workflow
- **Compiled workflow binary**: The WASM binary produced from your workflow code
- **Config file contents**: The contents of your workflow's config file
- **Secrets hash**: An empty string placeholder for secrets

Because the workflow ID is derived from these inputs, it deterministically represents a specific version of your workflow code and configuration.

> **CAUTION: Workflow ID changes on updates**
>
> The workflow ID changes whenever you update your workflow code or config file, even if the workflow name stays the
> same. For example, if you change contract bindings, the compiled binary changes, which produces a new workflow ID.
> Plan for this when designing consumer contracts that permission on workflow ID.

Use [`cre workflow hash`](/cre/reference/cli/workflow#cre-workflow-hash) to inspect the workflow ID before deploying. This lets you preview the ID without submitting an onchain transaction.

For more details on deployment and updates, see [Deploying Workflows](/cre/guides/operations/deploying-workflows) and [Updating Deployed Workflows](/cre/guides/operations/updating-deployed-workflows).

## Verifying workflows onchain

When a workflow writes onchain, the consumer contract receives both the report data and metadata through the `onReport` callback. The metadata contains information you can use to verify the source of the report:

- **`workflowId`** (`bytes32`): The unique workflow hash
- **`workflowName`** (`bytes10`): The workflow name, hash-encoded
- **`workflowOwner`** (`address`): The address that deployed the workflow

See [Building Consumer Contracts](/cre/guides/workflow/using-evm-client/onchain-write/building-consumer-contracts) for the full `IReceiver` interface and metadata structure.

### Workflow name encoding

The `workflowName` in metadata is not stored as a plain string. It is a SHA256 hash of the workflow name, truncated to `bytes10`. See [how workflow names are encoded](/cre/guides/workflow/using-evm-client/onchain-write/building-consumer-contracts#how-workflow-names-are-encoded) for the full encoding process.

### Security best practices

Follow these practices to ensure only authorized workflows can interact with your consumer contract:

- **Verify `msg.sender`**: Always check that `msg.sender` is the expected forwarder address. See the [Forwarder Directory](/cre/guides/workflow/using-evm-client/forwarder-directory) for addresses by network.
- **Permission on workflow ID**: Use `setExpectedWorkflowId` from `ReceiverTemplate` to restrict which workflow can call your contract.

> **TIP: Permissioning without workflow ID**
>
> If you permission on `workflowId`, you must update it in your contract every time you update the workflow. An
> alternative is to use `setExpectedAuthor` and `setExpectedWorkflowName` from `ReceiverTemplate` instead. These values
> don't change when you update your workflow code, so your contract won't need updates after each workflow deployment.

## Third-party verification

Third-party verification allows customers or auditors to independently confirm that a deployed workflow matches its source code. The deployer shares the workflow source, and the verifier uses the CRE CLI to compute the workflow hash and compare it against the onchain workflow ID.

Go workflows are verifiable by default and do not require a template or Docker.

### Steps for the workflow developer

1. **Add a `.env.public` file** to your workflow folder with `GOTOOLCHAIN` set to the Go toolchain version you use to build the workflow. Pinning that version helps reproducible builds across machines and environments. Add this file *before* running `cre workflow deploy`.

   Example (replace with your own version—the tag below is not prescriptive):

   ```
   GOTOOLCHAIN=go1.23.0
   ```

   Use the same toolchain string you build with; `go version` reports it (for example `go1.23.0 linux/amd64` → use `go1.23.0`).

2. **Share your workflow source** with the verifier. Provide a zip archive or repository link that includes all workflow files, including `.env.public`. Exclude `.env` files that contain private keys or secrets.

### Steps for the verifier

1. [**Install the CRE CLI**](/cre/getting-started/cli-installation). No login or deploy access is required for hash verification.

2. **Unzip or clone** the shared workflow repository.

3. **Run `cre workflow hash`** to compute the workflow hash:

   ```bash
   cre workflow hash ./workflow-folder --public_key 0xYourDeployerAddress
   ```

   Replace `./workflow-folder` with the path to the workflow source and `0xYourDeployerAddress` with the deployer's public address.

4. **Compare the output** with the workflow ID observed onchain. The `Workflow hash` value in the output corresponds to the onchain workflow ID:

   ```
   Binary hash:   0dcbb19de3c22edfe61605a970eb6d42199df91ac3e992cd3f2e33cb13efbb4c
   Config hash:   3bdaebcc2f639d77cb248242c1d01c8651f540cdbf423d26fe3128516fd225b6
   Workflow hash: 004fff5bb1ae05cc16e453f8ad564f5e8b0eae1945ec22f3d0adfc0339954d56
   ```

   If the workflow hash matches the onchain workflow ID, the deployed workflow matches the shared source code.

> **TIP**
>
> Run `cre workflow hash -h` for full usage details and additional flags.

## Learn more

- [Deploying Workflows](/cre/guides/operations/deploying-workflows)
- [Updating Deployed Workflows](/cre/guides/operations/updating-deployed-workflows)
- [Building Consumer Contracts](/cre/guides/workflow/using-evm-client/onchain-write/building-consumer-contracts)
- [CRE CLI Workflow Reference](/cre/reference/cli/workflow)