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Use metric signature $(-,+,+,+)$ and units $c=1$. Write ${\dot{x}}^{\mu }=d{x}^{\mu }/d\lambda$ in this part. Varying the worldline einbein, without first fixing it, givesThe canonical four-momentum is $p_{\mu }=m{g}_{\mu \nu }{\dot{x}}^{\nu }/e$, so the same mass shell constraint is the mass shell $g^{\mu \nu }{p}_{\mu }{p}_{\nu }=-m^2$.

The Euler-Lagrange equation for the trajectory isMultiplying by $e$ and then by the inverse metric, and collecting the metric tensor derivatives into the Christoffel symbols, givesThis is a geodesic equation in a possibly nonaffine parameter.

Under a change of parameter, $e^{\prime }({\lambda }^{\prime })=e(\lambda )d\lambda /d{\lambda }^{\prime }$, so $ed\lambda$ is invariant. On the positive branch, the mass shell constraint identifies this invariant with the proper time increment $ds=\sqrt{-g_{\mu \nu }d{x}^{\mu }d{x}^{\nu }}=ed\lambda$. Choosing ${\lambda }^{\prime }=s$ therefore sets $e^{\prime }=1$. The trajectory equation is then the affinely parametrized geodesic equation and its tangent has norm minus one. This is proper-time gauge for a massive worldline einbein. The mass shell constraint must still be imposed: fixing $e$ in the action before varying would lose it. A fixed parameter interval can retain a proper-time modulus; here changing to the actual proper-time interval is permitted.

Use metric signature $(-,+,+,+)$ and a future-oriented worldline. Variation of the worldline einbein gives the mass-shell condition; variation of momentum givesEliminating $p$ first leaves $L={\dot{x}}^2/(2e)-e{m}^2/2$. Its $e$ equation is ${\dot{x}}^2=-e^2{m}^2$. Choose the positive lapse branch $e=\sqrt{-{\dot{x}}^2}/m$; substituting gives $L=-m\sqrt{-{\dot{x}}^2}$. Thus $\boxed{S=-m\int \sqrt{-g_{\mu \nu }d{x}^{\mu }d{x}^{\nu }}=-m\int d\tau }$, the proper time action. The lapse branch fixes the sign convention. Eliminating auxiliary variables on their algebraic equations preserves the worldline equations, which are timelike geodesics up to parametrization.

Use $\delta F=ϵ\{F,\phi \}$ with the canonical Poisson bracket. The first-class constraint generatesIndeed the variation of the relativistic particle phase-space action isThe transformation is therefore a gauge invariance when its parameter vanishes at the time endpoints, or suitable boundary conditions remove the total derivative.

On a fixed interval of parameter length $\Delta t$, the proper-time modulusis unchanged by these gauge transformations. Choosing $ϵ(t)={\int }_{t_i}^t(s-e(u))du$ sets $e+\delta e=s$, with $ϵ(t_i)=ϵ(t_f)=0$. Thus the nonconstant part of the worldline einbein can be fixed, but its constant modulus must still be integrated over. Fixing $e=1$ as well would remove inequivalent values of the proper-time modulus; it is legitimate only if the parameter interval is allowed to vary instead. The name proper-time modulus refers to the Schwinger proper-time parameter; after eliminating $p$, the geometric proper length for a massive on-shell trajectory is $M\int edt$ in this normalization.

For the gauge fixing functional $F=e-s$, its variation is $\delta F=\dot{ϵ}$. The Faddeev-Popov determinant is consequentlyThe Grassmann Gaussian integral represents this determinant using anticommuting Faddeev-Popov ghost fields $b,c$:The phase and normalization of the determinant depend on the measure convention. Its domain carries the chosen boundary conditions: on an interval the constant modulus is excluded from the gauge-fixed directions, and on a periodic worldline the constant ghost zero mode in field theory is removed with the residual gauge volume treated separately. A bare determinant with such zero modes left in would vanish.

For a relativistic particle, the Hamiltonian gauge parameter changes the worldline einbein by its time derivative. Fixing the einbein to a constant therefore gives a Faddeev-Popov determinant of ${\partial }_t$, represented by anticommuting FP ghosts. Gauge zero modes and the proper-time modulus are treated separately. The displayed phase convention gives the odd canonical bracket $\{b,c\}=-i$.

For the relativistic particle action $S=(m/2)\int [g_{\mu \nu }{\dot{x}}^{\mu }{\dot{x}}^{\nu }/e-e]d\lambda$, varying the worldline einbein gives $g_{\mu \nu }{\dot{x}}^{\mu }{\dot{x}}^{\nu }=-e^2$. On the positive-einbein branch the proper time satisfies $ds=ed\lambda$. A reparametrization with ${\lambda }^{\prime }=s$ sets the transformed einbein to one, making the geodesic equation affinely parametrized. This gauge choice is made after retaining the einbein mass shell constraint; fixing the action first would discard that equation. If the parameter interval is held fixed at both ends, its integrated proper length is a modulus and cannot be arbitrarily changed by endpoint-preserving transformations.

The constant mode of the worldline einbein is not removed by gauge transformations whose parameters vanish at the ends of a fixed interval. This Schwinger proper-time parameter remains integrated over after gauge fixing. For $\phi =(p^2+M^2)/2$, the geometric on-shell proper length is $M\int edt$.

The worldline einbein imposes the relativistic mass-shell condition. With the Minkowski metric of signature $(-,+,\dots ,+)$, its first-class constraint is $\phi =(p^2+M^2)/2$.

On a unit interval with gauge parameters vanishing at its ends, $e=s+\dot{ϵ}$ separates the worldline einbein into its invariant average $s$ and a canonical gauge transformation. The Jacobian for nonconstant modes is $\det {\partial }_t$ between the appropriate boundary-condition spaces. On a circle its prime excludes the constant gauge-parameter zero mode. This Faddeev-Popov determinant can be represented by anticommuting $b,c$ fields with an action proportional to $\int b\dot{c}dt$.