# Subprocess Integration

This guide explains how a parent process can invoke Audita and consume its results.
The [CLI reference](../cli.md) owns command syntax, streams, and exit semantics;
[configuration](../config.md) owns discovery and precedence.

## Invocation

Use an argument array with the transcript path and required glossary argument,
following the [process examples](../cli.md#process-examples). For machine workflows,
select explicit transcript and report destinations rather than depending on the
working directory or run-directory retention. Supplying a configuration path also
makes file selection predictable; inherited environment overrides still apply.

Resolve the executable deliberately and set the child's working directory so
relative input/output paths and reported artifact paths have a known base.
Read stdout and stderr concurrently to avoid pipe blocking, and impose timeout
or cancellation in the parent process when needed.

## Result Handling

Interpret the exit result according to the
[CLI output and exit contract](../cli.md#process-output-and-exit-behavior).
Consume transcript/report data through the
[output-file contract](output-files.md), and treat stderr as human-readable detail.
The report supplements the exit result: it may be absent after early failures,
and output may have been written before a later reporting or cleanup failure.

If processing fails, preserve available evidence and follow
[operations recovery](../operations.md#failure-inspection-and-recovery).
For reports retained outside the run directory, account for the
[artifact lifecycle](../operations.md#retention-behavior) before dereferencing
reported paths. Neither the existence of an output file nor a diagnostics path
alone establishes successful completion.

## Related Contracts

- [Transcript and glossary inputs](transcript-glossary-files.md)
- [LLM endpoint compatibility](openai-compatible-llm.md)
- [Configuration inspection commands](../cli.md#configuration-commands)