Your First Repo: Building Trust with Chemical Elements
Welcome to WarmHub! This guide will walk you through creating your very first repository and experiencing the power of building trust through verifiable assertions. By the end of this tutorial, you'll have created a repo, imported types, committed evidence about a chemical element, and created a replication linking your work to existing trusted data.
We're going to explore the fascinating world of chemical elements, and along the way, you'll discover how WarmHub turns simple facts into a rich web of interconnected, verifiable trust.
What You'll Build
In this guide, you'll:
Create your first WarmHub repository
Import types from the
warmhub-labs/Chemical-ElementsrepoReference an existing Chemical Element article from the authoritative repo
Commit evidence about that element's symbol using a trusted IUPAC source
Create a replication that links your evidence to the Chemical Elements repo
By the time you're done, you'll have contributed to the growing ecosystem of trust on WarmHub, experienced the power of cross-repo references, and learned the fundamental patterns you'll use in all your future repos.
Prerequisites
All you need is:
A WarmHub account (if you don't have one, sign up at app.warmhub.com)
About 15 minutes
A sense of curiosity and adventure!
Step 1: Creating Your Repository
Let's start by creating a place to store your assertions about chemical elements.
Log into WarmHub and navigate to your organization's page.
From any page, click the Home link at the top, then select your organization Label or Name from the table.
Click the "+ Create Repo" button in the upper right corner on the Repos page.
Give your repo a meaningful name and enter it in the Label field.
For this tutorial, let's call it: My Chemical Elements
WarmHub will automatically create a URL-safe name (My-Chemical-Elements) for you in the Name field. You can customize this if you'd like!
Set your repo to Public so others can see the trust you're building.
This is optional, but sharing knowledge is part of what makes WarmHub powerful!
Select a license for your data.
For learning purposes, the MIT License or Creative Commons licenses work great. Need help choosing? Check out choosealicense.com.
Add a description that explains your repo's purpose.
Try something like: "Learning to build trust by documenting chemical element properties"
Click "Create" and celebrate! You've just created your first WarmHub repository.
You'll be redirected to your brand new repo's landing page. Take a moment to look around—this is where your trust infrastructure will live.
What just happened? You've created a container for structured, verifiable assertions. Unlike a simple database or document, your repo is designed to capture not just data, but the provenance and relationships that make that data trustworthy.
For more details on repo creation and configuration, see Creating a Repo.
Step 2: Importing Types from Chemical Elements
Before we can add data, we need to define what kinds of things we can talk about. Fortunately, the warmhub-labs/Chemical-Elements repo already has all the types we need. Let's import them!
In your repo's sidebar, click on "Types".
You'll see that WarmHub has already imported some fundamental types from the warmhub/standard repo. These give you building blocks like measurements, opinions, and user inputs. By importing this repo, it will become the authoritative repo for your Chemical Elements repo.
Click the "Import Types" button in the upper right corner.
Search for "Chemical-Elements" in the import dialog.
You should see the warmhub-labs/Chemical-Elements repo appear in the results.
Click the "+" button next to warmhub-labs/Chemical-Elements.
This will import all the types from that repo, including:
Chemical-Element (Article): Represents an element defined by its atomic number
Symbol (Evidence): The abbreviated alphabetic symbol (like "H" for Hydrogen)
Name (Evidence): The element's name in various languages
Abridged-Standard-Atomic-Weight (Evidence): The element's atomic weight
IUPAC-Publication (Source): Publications from the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
Plus replication and reproduction types for building on existing assertions
Confirm the import and wait a moment while WarmHub brings in all the types.
Excellent work! You now have access to a rich type system for documenting chemical elements.
What just happened? By importing types, you've adopted a shared vocabulary. This means your assertions about chemical elements can be understood, compared, and built upon by anyone using these types. You're not just creating data—you're joining an ecosystem of interoperable trust.
Want to learn more about type importing? Check out Importing Types From Other Repos.
Step 3: Choosing Your Element
Now for the fun part—you'll need to pick a chemical element to work with! For this tutorial, we recommend choosing an element you find interesting. Here are some suggestions:
Hydrogen (H) - Atomic Number 1 - The simplest and most abundant element
Carbon (C) - Atomic Number 6 - The foundation of organic chemistry
Oxygen (O) - Atomic Number 8 - Essential for life as we know it
Iron (Fe) - Atomic Number 26 - The core of our planet
Gold (Au) - Atomic Number 79 - Prized throughout human history
For the rest of this guide, we'll use Hydrogen (H) as our example, but feel free to substitute your chosen element.
Once you've chosen an element, let's find it in the Chemical Elements repo:
Use the link below to open the Chemical Elements repo in a new tab:
Navigate to the Chemical-Element article for your element.
You can use the left sidebar to go to Data > Articles and search for your element's atomic number, or you can use the direct link below:
For Hydrogen, go to: https://app.warmhub.com/warmhub-labs/Chemical-Elements/data/Chemical-Element/1
For other elements, just change the number at the end to your element's atomic number (e.g., /6 for Carbon, /8 for Oxygen, /26 for Iron, /79 for Gold).
Select the atomic number to explore the element's page.
Take a look at what's already known about this element. You'll see:
The atomic number
Existing evidence like symbols, names, and atomic weights
The sources backing that evidence
Notice the wid (WarmHub ID) can be copied by clicking on the chain link next to the version dropdown at the top of the page 
. Copy this and we'll use it to reference this element in your repo!
What just happened? You've discovered that the Chemical Elements repo already contains the Article (the Chemical Element itself). Instead of duplicating this, you'll reference it from your repo. This is the power of WarmHub—building on existing trust rather than recreating it.
Step 4: Committing Evidence Through the Web Interface
Now let's add evidence about your element's symbol. We'll reference the existing Chemical Element article and use a trusted IUPAC publication as our source.
Return to the tab with your repo and click on "Data" in the sidebar.
This shows all the instances (data) in your repo.
Click the "Commit Data" button.
You'll see a list of options for committing new data through the web interface.
Select "+ Add new data to this repo"
Select the type you want to create.
For our example, we'll choose "Symbol" from the table. Remember, Symbol is Evidence about a Chemical Element's abbreviated symbol.
Optionally, give your Symbol a memorable ID. This makes it easier to reference later.
In the $id field, enter something like: "HydrogenSymbol" (or use your element's name)
You cn also choose to add a label in the $label field.
Reference the Chemical Element from the authoritative repo.
In the About section, you'll reference the existing Chemical Element:
In the $wref field, paste the wid of your element from the Chemical Elements repo
For Hydrogen, that's: http://repo.warmhub.com/warmhub-labs/Chemical-Elements/data/Chemical-Element/1
For other elements, replace 1 with your element's atomic number.
Set your certainty about this evidence.
In the Certainty section, express how confident you are:
belief: 1.0 (complete belief—this is well-established chemistry!)
disbelief: 0.0 (no disbelief)
uncertainty: 0.0 (no uncertainty)
Add the trusted IUPAC publication as your source.
In the Sources section, reference the authoritative IUPAC publication:
In the $wref field, enter:
http://repo.warmhub.com/warmhub-labs/Chemical-Elements/data/IUPAC-Publication/IUPAC_May_4_2022
Want to verify this source yourself? Check out the publication at: https://app.warmhub.com/warmhub-labs/Chemical-Elements/data/IUPAC-Publication/IUPAC_May_4_2022
This links to the official IUPAC document where you can confirm the element symbols!
Fill out the Elements-Symbol field.
Enter your element's symbol: "H" for Hydrogen (or your chosen element's symbol like "C", "O", "Fe", "Au", etc.)
Review your data and click "Commit".
WarmHub will process your commit and create your Symbol evidence instance, complete with references to the Chemical Element and IUPAC source.
In the Successful pop-up notification at the bottom right, click the link to explore your new evidence!
You'll see:
The symbol itself ("H")
What it's about (a link to the Hydrogen element in the Chemical Elements repo)
Where it came from (a link to the IUPAC publication)
How certain you are (your certainty opinion)
A unique WarmHub ID (wid) that can be used to reference this evidence
If the notification disappears before you click the link, use the left sidebar to select Data > Evidence, and then click on the symbol.
Congratulations! You've just created your first verifiable assertion on WarmHub—and you did it by building on existing trust infrastructure. Notice how your evidence doesn't duplicate the Chemical Element or the IUPAC publication; it references them, creating a web of interconnected trust.
What just happened? You created Evidence (the Symbol) backed by a trusted Source (the IUPAC publication) about an existing Article (the Chemical Element from another repo). This is incredibly powerful: you're not isolated in your own repo—you're participating in a shared ecosystem where trust builds upon trust. Your assertion is now connected to authoritative sources that anyone can verify.
For more details on committing data, see Committing Via Web Browser.
Step 5: Creating a Replication
Now comes the exciting part—explicitly linking your work to the broader ecosystem of trust! The warmhub-labs/Chemical-Elements repo already contains authoritative data about your element's symbol. Let's create a replication that says: "My evidence replicates (agrees with) the evidence in the Chemical Elements repo."
A replication is a special kind of assertion that says one piece of evidence replicates another—they independently arrived at the same conclusion.
This is where WarmHub's power really shines. You're not just copying data—you're explicitly stating a trust relationship between your assertion and an existing one.
In the tab where you have the WarmHub Chemical Elements repo open, navigate to Data > Evidence. Then, next to Instances of Evidence, use the Types dropdown to select Symbol.
Find the Symbol evidence for your element. For Hydrogen, search for a Symbol with "Elements-Symbol" = "H".
Copy the wid (WarmHub ID) from that Symbol instance by selecting the chain link at the top right of the summary card for your element. When you paste the link it will look something like: http://repo.warmhub.com/warmhub-labs/Chemical-Elements/data/symbol/[some-id]
Return to the tab with your repo and in the left sidebar, select Data. Then select "+ Commit Data". Then select "+ Add new data to this repo".
Select "SymbolReplication" as your type. Next to the search field, you may need to check the box for Show Reproductions, Replications & Certainties to make the type visible.
Fill out the SymbolReplication form:
$id (optional): Something like "HydrogenSymbolReplication"
Replicated: This is the original evidence you're replicating—the Symbol from Chemical Elements.
$wref: Paste the wid you copied from the Chemical Elements Symbol
Replicator: This is your evidence that replicates the original.
$wref: Enter the wid of your Symbol instance from your repo
You can find your Symbol's wid by navigating to it in your Data section. Right click Data in the left sidebar to open the page in a new tab. Then select Evidence, and then copy the link to your element.
Certainty: How certain are you that your evidence replicates the original?
belief: 1.0
disbelief: 0.0
uncertainty: 0.0
Commit your replication!
Click "Commit" and watch as WarmHub creates your replication assertion.
View the relationships.
Navigate to your Symbol instance and you'll now see it shows a relationship to the replicated Symbol in the Chemical Elements repo. Click through to explore the connections—you've created a link in the web of trust!
Amazing! You've just done something powerful: you've not only stated a fact (the symbol for your element), but you've also explicitly linked your statement to an authoritative source in another repo, creating a traceable chain of trust across repositories.
What just happened? You created a replication, which is a special assertion that says "this evidence replicates that evidence." This is more nuanced than just copying data—it's stating a trust relationship. It says: "I independently arrived at the same conclusion as this other evidence, based on the same or similar sources." This is how WarmHub enables reproducibility and builds consensus across distributed sources of truth. When multiple repos replicate the same evidence, confidence in that evidence grows.
Want to understand the difference between replications and reproductions? See Reproductions and Replications.
What You've Accomplished
Take a moment to appreciate what you've built in just a few minutes:
✅ Created a WarmHub repository configured for public trust-building
✅ Imported a rich type system for chemical elements
✅ Referenced existing Articles across repositories (the Chemical Element)
✅ Committed structured, verifiable evidence with authoritative sources (IUPAC)
✅ Created an explicit replication linking your work to existing evidence
✅ Joined the ecosystem of composable, interoperable trust on WarmHub
You haven't just stored data—you've created a piece of trust infrastructure. Your assertions are:
Structured: They follow well-defined types
Verifiable: They trace back to clear, checkable sources
Composable: They can be built upon by others
Interoperable: They reference and connect to data across repositories
Distributed: They participate in a web of trust that spans organizations
Next Steps: Keep Building!
Now that you understand the basics, here are some ways to deepen your WarmHub skills:
Expand Your Elements Repo
Add Symbol evidence for more chemical elements
Try adding Name evidence (elements have names like "Hydrogen")
Explore Abridged-Standard-Atomic-Weight evidence
Create replications for multiple pieces of evidence
Create your own Sources for evidence from textbooks or other materials
Learn Advanced Committing
Committing Data Using TypeScript SDK - Automate your commits with code
Personal Access Tokens - Set up API access for programmatic commits
Understand the WarmHub Model
Articles, Claims, Evidence, and Sources - Deep dive into the four root types
The Language of Digital Trust - Understand the philosophy behind WarmHub
Create Your Own Types
Creating Types - Design custom types for your domain
Auto Claims - Set up automated claim generation
Explore Other Use Cases
Units of Measurement Repo - Build a units of measurement system
SLA Tracking - Track service level agreements with WarmHub
Welcome to the Trust Revolution!
You've taken your first steps into a new paradigm of data management—one where provenance, verifiability, and composability are built into the foundation. Every assertion you make contributes to a growing web of interconnected trust.
The periodic table has 118 elements. How many will you document? What replications will you create? What cross-repo connections will you forge? What new types of trust will you build?
The possibilities are limitless. Welcome to WarmHub—let's build trust together.
Questions or feedback? Join our community discussions or reach out to the WarmHub team. We're excited to see what you'll build!
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