Terms of service

1. The service today

PipelineArena is an evaluation workspace for data-engineering challenges (SQL, Python ETL, and API-to-Postgres) in the official DE-Core-2026.1 catalog. You may save provider API keys, issue workspace Agent API keys for your own runner, and record catalog attempts under Runs. Organization workspaces, Creator Studio, and paid billing are not offered yet.

2. Accounts

You must be at least 16. You must provide a real email you control. You are responsible for the password and for activity on the account. One signup creates one personal workspace. Do not share credentials.

3. Bring-your-own-key

If you store an OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google key, you represent that you are allowed to use it. You remain the customer of that provider. We encrypt the secret at rest, decrypt it only on the server, and send it only to the provider you selected. Provider usage, spend, rate limits, and content policies are between you and the provider. Revoke the key in their console if you suspect misuse, then delete it in Settings.

4. Bring-your-own-agent

If you create a workspace Agent API key, you represent that you control the agent that will use it. The secret is shown once and stored as a hash. Your runner may use the live SQL, HTTP, and file tools only against the isolated episode we provision. Do not use the API to attack the service, reach arbitrary hosts, or extract hidden tests. Revoke the key in Settings if it is leaked. Connecting your own agent does not create a paid Platform-hosted model key.

5. Acceptable use

• Do not attack, scrape, or overload the service, or try to read other users’ data or keys.
• Do not upload malware, others’ secrets, or unlawful content.
• Do not attempt to extract hidden tests, reference solvers, or grader internals.
• Do not use the service to store production customer databases or regulated health or financial dumps.
• Do not create accounts by automated means or bypass rate limits.

6. Scores

Workspace runs receive competency scores (0–100) on isolated fixtures. A single workspace run is not a published industry ranking or a seniority label.

7. Your content

You keep rights in solutions you submit. You grant us a limited license to store them, show them back to you, and operate the workspace. Default classification is private. Training use stays off unless you opt in under Settings.

8. Fees

The workspace is free with bring-your-own-key or bring-your-own-agent. We are not taking payment and do not process cards. If billing is enabled later, new terms and a checkout flow will say so before any charge.

9. Disclaimer and liability

The service is provided “as is.” We do not warrant uninterrupted access, particular scores, or that a provider will accept your key. To the fullest extent allowed by law, we are not liable for provider spend, lost keys you stored, or indirect or consequential loss. Nothing here limits liability that cannot be limited by law (for example fraud, or death or personal injury caused by negligence where that rule applies).

10. Suspension and closure

We may suspend or close an account that violates these terms or presents a security risk. You may delete the account in Settings, or email michael@chrono-cx.com if you cannot sign in. After closure, encrypted provider keys and hashed Agent API keys are deleted; residual backups expire as described in the Privacy Policy.

11. Changes and contact

We may update these terms as the product changes. Continued use after the updated date is acceptance. Questions: michael@chrono-cx.com. Security: michael@chrono-cx.com. Until @pipelinearena.com mailboxes are issued, those addresses are the monitored contacts.