test(docs): enforce documentation freshness

scripts/ci-parity-gate.sh

@@ -57,36 +57,9 @@ if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/$BASE_BRANCH"; then
   fi
 fi
 
-# Hardening inventory freshness: the maintainability metrics artifact must be
-# regenerated within 30 days so the burndown stays current. Runs only after the
-# skip conditions above (CCS_SKIP_PREPUSH_GATE, detached HEAD, behind origin).
-HARDENING_JSON="docs/reports/hardening-inventory.json"
-if [[ ! -f "$HARDENING_JSON" ]]; then
-  echo "[X] Missing $HARDENING_JSON."
-  echo "    Regenerate with: bun run report:hardening"
-  exit 1
-fi
-HARDENING_TS=""
-# If the working-tree copy differs from HEAD (contributor regenerated but not
-# yet committed), use filesystem mtime; otherwise use the last commit time,
-# which is stable across CI clones (checkout resets mtimes) and so correctly
-# flags a stale committed artifact.
-if git diff --quiet -- "$HARDENING_JSON" 2>/dev/null && git diff --cached --quiet -- "$HARDENING_JSON" 2>/dev/null; then
-  HARDENING_TS=$(git log -1 --format=%ct -- "$HARDENING_JSON" 2>/dev/null)
-else
-  HARDENING_TS=$(stat -f %m "$HARDENING_JSON" 2>/dev/null || stat -c %Y "$HARDENING_JSON" 2>/dev/null)
-fi
-if [[ -n "$HARDENING_TS" ]]; then
-  NOW_TS=$(date +%s)
-  AGE_DAYS=$(( (NOW_TS - HARDENING_TS) / 86400 ))
-  if (( AGE_DAYS > 30 )); then
-    echo "[X] Hardening inventory is stale (${AGE_DAYS}d old; max 30d)."
-    echo "    Regenerate with: bun run report:hardening"
-    echo "    Then commit docs/reports/hardening-inventory.{json,md}."
-    exit 1
-  fi
-  echo "[i] Hardening inventory fresh (${AGE_DAYS}d old; max 30d)."
-fi
+# Age does not prove that generated metrics match the checked-out source tree.
+# Compare both inventory artifacts byte-for-byte before expensive parity checks.
+node scripts/hardening-inventory.js --check
 
 echo "[i] Running CI-parity local checks..."
 # `set -euo pipefail` above makes every step fail fast. Keep these commands