diff --git a/.github/release.yml b/.github/release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aecad37b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+changelog:
+  exclude:
+    labels:
+      - skip-changelog
+      - dependencies
+    authors:
+      - dependabot
+  categories:
+    - title: Features
+      labels:
+        - feat
+        - enhancement
+    - title: Fixes
+      labels:
+        - fix
+        - bug
+    - title: Security
+      labels:
+        - security
+    - title: Documentation
+      labels:
+        - docs
+    - title: CI/CD
+      labels:
+        - ci
+        - devops
+    - title: Maintenance
+      labels:
+        - chore
+        - refactor
+    - title: Other
+      labels:
+        - "*"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main-branch-flow.md b/.github/workflows/main-branch-flow.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4e21a33c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/main-branch-flow.md
@@ -0,0 +1,265 @@
+# Main Branch Delivery Flows
+
+This document explains what runs when code is proposed to `dev`/`main`, merged to `main`, and released.
+
+Use this with:
+
+- [`docs/ci-map.md`](../../docs/ci-map.md)
+- [`docs/pr-workflow.md`](../../docs/pr-workflow.md)
+- [`docs/release-process.md`](../../docs/release-process.md)
+
+## Event Summary
+
+| Event | Main workflows |
+| --- | --- |
+| PR activity (`pull_request_target`) | `pr-intake-checks.yml`, `pr-labeler.yml`, `pr-auto-response.yml` |
+| PR activity (`pull_request`) | `ci-run.yml`, `sec-audit.yml`, plus path-scoped workflows |
+| Push to `dev`/`main` | `ci-run.yml`, `sec-audit.yml`, plus path-scoped workflows |
+| Tag push (`v*`) | `pub-release.yml` publish mode, `pub-docker-img.yml` publish job |
+| Scheduled/manual | `pub-release.yml` verification mode, `sec-codeql.yml`, `feature-matrix.yml`, `test-fuzz.yml`, `pr-check-stale.yml`, `pr-check-status.yml`, `ci-queue-hygiene.yml`, `sync-contributors.yml`, `test-benchmarks.yml`, `test-e2e.yml` |
+
+## Runtime and Docker Matrix
+
+Observed averages below are from recent completed runs (sampled from GitHub Actions on February 17, 2026). Values are directional, not SLA.
+
+| Workflow | Typical trigger in main flow | Avg runtime | Docker build? | Docker run? | Docker push? |
+| --- | --- | ---:| --- | --- | --- |
+| `pr-intake-checks.yml` | PR open/update (`pull_request_target`) | 14.5s | No | No | No |
+| `pr-labeler.yml` | PR open/update (`pull_request_target`) | 53.7s | No | No | No |
+| `pr-auto-response.yml` | PR/issue automation | 24.3s | No | No | No |
+| `ci-run.yml` | PR + push to `dev`/`main` | 74.7s | No | No | No |
+| `sec-audit.yml` | PR + push to `dev`/`main` | 127.2s | No | No | No |
+| `workflow-sanity.yml` | Workflow-file changes | 34.2s | No | No | No |
+| `pr-label-policy-check.yml` | Label policy/automation changes | 14.7s | No | No | No |
+| `pub-docker-img.yml` (`pull_request`) | Docker build-input PR changes | 240.4s | Yes | Yes | No |
+| `pub-docker-img.yml` (`push`) | tag push `v*` | 139.9s | Yes | No | Yes |
+| `pub-release.yml` | Tag push `v*` (publish) + manual/scheduled verification (no publish) | N/A in recent sample | No | No | No |
+
+Notes:
+
+1. `pub-docker-img.yml` is the only workflow in the main PR/push path that builds Docker images.
+2. Container runtime verification (`docker run`) occurs in PR smoke only.
+3. Container registry push occurs on tag pushes (`v*`) only.
+4. `ci-run.yml` "Build (Smoke)" builds Rust binaries, not Docker images.
+
+## Step-By-Step
+
+### 1) PR from branch in this repository -> `dev`
+
+1. Contributor opens or updates PR against `dev`.
+2. `pull_request_target` automation runs (typical runtime):
+   - `pr-intake-checks.yml` posts intake warnings/errors.
+   - `pr-labeler.yml` sets size/risk/scope labels.
+   - `pr-auto-response.yml` runs first-interaction and label routes.
+3. `pull_request` CI workflows start:
+   - `ci-run.yml`
+   - `feature-matrix.yml` (Rust/workflow path scope)
+   - `sec-audit.yml`
+   - `sec-codeql.yml` (if Rust/codeql paths changed)
+     - path-scoped workflows if matching files changed:
+       - `pub-docker-img.yml` (Docker build-input paths only)
+       - `docs-deploy.yml` (docs + README markdown paths; deploy contract guard enforces promotion + rollback ref policy)
+       - `workflow-sanity.yml` (workflow files only)
+     - `pr-label-policy-check.yml` (label-policy files only)
+     - `ci-change-audit.yml` (CI/security path changes)
+     - `ci-provider-connectivity.yml` (probe config/script/workflow changes)
+     - `ci-reproducible-build.yml` (Rust/build reproducibility paths)
+4. In `ci-run.yml`, `changes` computes:
+   - `docs_only`
+   - `docs_changed`
+   - `rust_changed`
+   - `workflow_changed`
+5. `build` runs for Rust-impacting changes.
+6. On PRs, full lint/test/docs checks run by default for Rust-impacting changes:
+   - `lint`
+   - strict lint delta gate (inside `lint` job)
+   - `test`
+   - `flake-probe` (single-retry telemetry; optional block via `CI_BLOCK_ON_FLAKE_SUSPECTED`)
+   - `docs-quality`
+7. If root license files (`LICENSE-APACHE`, `LICENSE-MIT`) changed, `license-file-owner-guard` allows only PR author `willsarg`.
+8. `lint-feedback` posts actionable comment if lint/docs gates fail.
+9. `CI Required Gate` aggregates results to final pass/fail.
+10. Maintainer merges PR once checks and review policy are satisfied.
+11. Merge emits a `push` event on `dev` (see scenario 4).
+
+### 2) PR from fork -> `dev`
+
+1. External contributor opens PR from `fork/<branch>` into `zeroclaw:dev`.
+2. Immediately on `opened`:
+   - `pull_request_target` workflows start with base-repo context and base-repo token:
+     - `pr-intake-checks.yml`
+     - `pr-labeler.yml`
+     - `pr-auto-response.yml`
+   - `pull_request` workflows are queued for the fork head commit:
+     - `ci-run.yml`
+     - `sec-audit.yml`
+     - path-scoped workflows (`pub-docker-img.yml`, `workflow-sanity.yml`, `pr-label-policy-check.yml`) if changed files match.
+3. Fork-specific permission behavior in `pull_request` workflows:
+   - token is restricted (read-focused), so jobs that try to write PR comments/status extras can be limited.
+   - secrets from the base repo are not exposed to fork PR `pull_request` jobs.
+4. Approval gate possibility:
+   - if Actions settings require maintainer approval for fork workflows, the `pull_request` run stays in `action_required`/waiting state until approved.
+5. Event fan-out after labeling:
+   - manual label changes emit `labeled`/`unlabeled` events.
+   - those events retrigger only label-driven `pull_request_target` automation (`pr-auto-response.yml`); `pr-labeler.yml` now runs only on PR lifecycle events (`opened`/`reopened`/`synchronize`/`ready_for_review`) to reduce churn.
+6. When contributor pushes new commits to fork branch (`synchronize`):
+   - reruns: `pr-intake-checks.yml`, `pr-labeler.yml`, `ci-run.yml`, `sec-audit.yml`, and matching path-scoped PR workflows.
+   - does not rerun `pr-auto-response.yml` unless label/open events occur.
+7. `ci-run.yml` execution details for fork PR:
+   - `changes` computes `docs_only`, `docs_changed`, `rust_changed`, `workflow_changed`.
+   - `build` runs for Rust-impacting changes.
+   - `lint` (includes strict delta gate), `test`, and `docs-quality` run on PRs for Rust/docs-impacting changes without maintainer labels.
+   - `CI Required Gate` emits final pass/fail for the PR head.
+8. Fork PR merge blockers to check first when diagnosing stalls:
+   - run approval pending for fork workflows.
+   - `license-file-owner-guard` failing when root license files are modified by non-owner PR author.
+   - `CI Required Gate` failure caused by upstream jobs.
+   - repeated `pull_request_target` reruns from label churn causing noisy signals.
+9. After merge, normal `push` workflows on `dev` execute (scenario 4).
+
+### 3) PR to `main` (direct or from `dev`)
+
+1. Contributor or maintainer opens PR with base `main`.
+2. `ci-run.yml` and `sec-audit.yml` run on the PR, plus any path-scoped workflows.
+3. Maintainer merges PR once checks and review policy pass.
+4. Merge emits a `push` event on `main`.
+
+### 4) Push/Merge Queue to `dev` or `main` (including after merge)
+
+1. Commit reaches `dev` or `main` (usually from a merged PR), or merge queue creates a `merge_group` validation commit.
+2. `ci-run.yml` runs on `push` and `merge_group`.
+3. `feature-matrix.yml` runs on `push` to `dev` for Rust/workflow paths and on `merge_group`.
+4. `sec-audit.yml` runs on `push` and `merge_group`.
+5. `sec-codeql.yml` runs on `push`/`merge_group` when Rust/codeql paths change (path-scoped on push).
+6. `ci-supply-chain-provenance.yml` runs on push when Rust/build provenance paths change.
+7. Path-filtered workflows run only if touched files match their filters.
+8. In `ci-run.yml`, push/merge-group behavior differs from PR behavior:
+   - Rust path: `lint` (with strict delta gate), `test`, `build`, and binary-size regression (PR-only) are expected.
+   - Docs/non-rust paths: fast-path behavior applies.
+9. `CI Required Gate` computes overall push/merge-group result.
+
+## Docker Publish Logic
+
+Workflow: `.github/workflows/pub-docker-img.yml`
+
+### PR behavior
+
+1. Triggered on `pull_request` to `dev` or `main` when Docker build-input paths change.
+2. Runs `PR Docker Smoke` job:
+   - Builds local smoke image with Buildx builder.
+   - Verifies container with `docker run ... --version`.
+3. Typical runtime in recent sample: ~240.4s.
+4. No registry push happens on PR events.
+
+### Push behavior
+
+1. `publish` job runs on tag pushes `v*` only.
+2. Workflow trigger includes semantic version tag pushes (`v*`) only.
+3. Login to `ghcr.io` uses `${{ github.actor }}` and `${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}`.
+4. Tag computation includes semantic tag from pushed git tag (`vX.Y.Z`) + SHA tag (`sha-<12>`) + `latest`.
+5. Multi-platform publish is used for tag pushes (`linux/amd64,linux/arm64`).
+6. `scripts/ci/ghcr_publish_contract_guard.py` validates anonymous pullability and digest parity across `vX.Y.Z`, `sha-<12>`, and `latest`, then emits rollback candidate mapping evidence.
+7. A pre-push Trivy gate scans the release-candidate image (`CRITICAL` blocks publish, `HIGH` is advisory).
+8. After push, Trivy scans are emitted for version, SHA, and latest references.
+9. `scripts/ci/ghcr_vulnerability_gate.py` validates Trivy JSON outputs against `.github/release/ghcr-vulnerability-policy.json` and emits audit-event evidence.
+10. Typical runtime in recent sample: ~139.9s.
+11. Result: pushed image tags under `ghcr.io/<owner>/<repo>` with publish-contract + vulnerability-gate + scan artifacts.
+
+Important: Docker publish now requires a `v*` tag push; regular `dev`/`main` branch pushes do not publish images.
+
+## Release Logic
+
+Workflow: `.github/workflows/pub-release.yml`
+
+1. Trigger modes:
+   - Tag push `v*` -> publish mode.
+   - Manual dispatch -> verification-only or publish mode (input-driven).
+   - Weekly schedule -> verification-only mode.
+2. `prepare` resolves release context (`release_ref`, `release_tag`, publish/draft mode) and runs `scripts/ci/release_trigger_guard.py`.
+   - publish mode enforces actor authorization, stable annotated tag policy, `origin/main` ancestry, and `release_tag` == `Cargo.toml` version at the tag commit.
+   - trigger provenance is emitted as `release-trigger-guard` artifacts.
+3. `build-release` builds matrix artifacts across Linux/macOS/Windows targets.
+4. `verify-artifacts` runs `scripts/ci/release_artifact_guard.py` against `.github/release/release-artifact-contract.json` in verify-stage mode (archive contract required; manifest/SBOM/notice checks intentionally skipped) and uploads `release-artifact-guard-verify` evidence.
+5. In publish mode, workflow generates SBOM (`CycloneDX` + `SPDX`), `SHA256SUMS`, and a checksum provenance statement (`zeroclaw.sha256sums.intoto.json`) plus audit-event envelope.
+6. In publish mode, after manifest generation, workflow reruns `release_artifact_guard.py` in full-contract mode and emits `release-artifact-guard.publish.json` plus `audit-event-release-artifact-guard-publish.json`.
+7. In publish mode, workflow keyless-signs release artifacts and composes a supply-chain release-notes preface via `release_notes_with_supply_chain_refs.py`.
+8. In publish mode, workflow verifies GHCR release-tag availability.
+9. In publish mode, workflow creates/updates the GitHub Release for the resolved tag and commit-ish, combining generated supply-chain preface with GitHub auto-generated commit notes.
+
+Pre-release path:
+
+1. Pre-release tags (`vX.Y.Z-alpha.N`, `vX.Y.Z-beta.N`, `vX.Y.Z-rc.N`) trigger `.github/workflows/pub-prerelease.yml`.
+2. `scripts/ci/prerelease_guard.py` enforces stage progression, `origin/main` ancestry, and Cargo version/tag alignment.
+3. In publish mode, prerelease assets are attached to a GitHub prerelease for the stage tag.
+
+Canary policy lane:
+
+1. `.github/workflows/ci-canary-gate.yml` runs weekly or manually.
+2. `scripts/ci/canary_guard.py` evaluates metrics against `.github/release/canary-policy.json`.
+3. Decision output is explicit (`promote`, `hold`, `abort`) with auditable artifacts and optional dispatch signal.
+
+## Merge/Policy Notes
+
+1. Workflow-file changes (`.github/workflows/**`) are validated through `pr-intake-checks.yml`, `ci-change-audit.yml`, and `CI Required Gate` without a dedicated owner-approval gate.
+2. PR lint/test strictness runs by default for Rust-impacting changes; no maintainer label is required.
+3. `pr-intake-checks.yml` now blocks PRs missing a Linear issue key (`RMN-*`, `CDV-*`, `COM-*`) to keep execution mapped to Linear.
+4. `sec-audit.yml` runs on PR/push/merge queue (`merge_group`), plus scheduled weekly.
+5. `ci-change-audit.yml` enforces pinned `uses:` references for CI/security workflow changes.
+6. `sec-audit.yml` includes deny policy hygiene checks (`deny_policy_guard.py`) before cargo-deny.
+7. `sec-audit.yml` includes gitleaks allowlist governance checks (`secrets_governance_guard.py`) against `.github/security/gitleaks-allowlist-governance.json`.
+8. `ci-reproducible-build.yml` and `ci-supply-chain-provenance.yml` provide scheduled supply-chain assurance signals outside release-only windows.
+9. Some workflows are operational and non-merge-path (`pr-check-stale`, `pr-check-status`, `sync-contributors`, etc.).
+10. Workflow-specific JavaScript helpers are organized under `.github/workflows/scripts/`.
+11. `ci-run.yml` includes cache partitioning (`prefix-key`) across lint/test/build/flake-probe lanes to reduce cache contention.
+12. `ci-rollback.yml` provides a guarded rollback planning lane (scheduled dry-run + manual execute controls) with audit artifacts.
+13. `ci-queue-hygiene.yml` periodically deduplicates superseded queued runs for lightweight PR automation workflows to reduce queue pressure.
+
+## Mermaid Diagrams
+
+### PR to Dev
+
+```mermaid
+flowchart TD
+  A["PR opened or updated -> dev"] --> B["pull_request_target lane"]
+  B --> B1["pr-intake-checks.yml"]
+  B --> B2["pr-labeler.yml"]
+  B --> B3["pr-auto-response.yml"]
+  A --> C["pull_request CI lane"]
+  C --> C1["ci-run.yml"]
+  C --> C2["sec-audit.yml"]
+  C --> C3["pub-docker-img.yml (if Docker paths changed)"]
+  C --> C4["workflow-sanity.yml (if workflow files changed)"]
+  C --> C5["pr-label-policy-check.yml (if policy files changed)"]
+  C1 --> D["CI Required Gate"]
+  D --> E{"Checks + review policy pass?"}
+  E -->|No| F["PR stays open"]
+  E -->|Yes| G["Merge PR"]
+  G --> H["push event on dev"]
+```
+
+### Main Delivery and Release
+
+```mermaid
+flowchart TD
+  D0["Commit reaches dev"] --> B0["ci-run.yml"]
+  D0 --> C0["sec-audit.yml"]
+  PRM["PR to main"] --> QM["ci-run.yml + sec-audit.yml (+ path-scoped)"]
+  QM --> M["Merge to main"]
+  M --> A["Commit reaches main"]
+  A --> B["ci-run.yml"]
+  A --> C["sec-audit.yml"]
+  A --> D["path-scoped workflows (if matched)"]
+  T["Tag push v*"] --> R["pub-release.yml"]
+  W["Manual/Scheduled release verify"] --> R
+  T --> DP["pub-docker-img.yml publish job"]
+  R --> R1["Artifacts + SBOM + checksums + signatures + GitHub Release"]
+  W --> R2["Verification build only (no GitHub Release publish)"]
+  DP --> P1["Push ghcr image tags (version + sha + latest)"]
+```
+
+## Quick Troubleshooting
+
+1. Unexpected skipped jobs: inspect `scripts/ci/detect_change_scope.sh` outputs.
+2. CI/CD-change PR blocked: verify `@chumyin` approved review is present.
+3. Fork PR appears stalled: check whether Actions run approval is pending.
+4. Docker not published: confirm a `v*` tag was pushed to the intended commit.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-coverage.yml b/.github/workflows/test-coverage.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d7c899636
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-coverage.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+name: Test Coverage
+
+on:
+    push:
+        branches: [dev, main]
+        paths:
+            - "Cargo.toml"
+            - "Cargo.lock"
+            - "src/**"
+            - "crates/**"
+            - "tests/**"
+            - ".github/workflows/test-coverage.yml"
+    pull_request:
+        branches: [dev, main]
+        paths:
+            - "Cargo.toml"
+            - "Cargo.lock"
+            - "src/**"
+            - "crates/**"
+            - "tests/**"
+            - ".github/workflows/test-coverage.yml"
+    workflow_dispatch:
+
+concurrency:
+    group: test-coverage-${{ github.event.pull_request.number || github.ref || github.run_id }}
+    cancel-in-progress: true
+
+permissions:
+    contents: read
+
+env:
+    GIT_CONFIG_COUNT: "1"
+    GIT_CONFIG_KEY_0: core.hooksPath
+    GIT_CONFIG_VALUE_0: /dev/null
+    CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
+
+jobs:
+    coverage:
+        name: Coverage (non-blocking)
+        runs-on: [self-hosted, Linux, X64, aws-india, blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404, hetzner]
+        timeout-minutes: 90
+        env:
+            CARGO_HOME: ${{ github.workspace }}/.ci-rust/${{ github.run_id }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}-${{ github.job }}/cargo
+            RUSTUP_HOME: ${{ github.workspace }}/.ci-rust/${{ github.run_id }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}-${{ github.job }}/rustup
+            CARGO_TARGET_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/.ci-rust/${{ github.run_id }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}-${{ github.job }}/target
+        steps:
+            - name: Checkout
+              uses: actions/checkout@34e114876b0b11c390a56381ad16ebd13914f8d5 # v4
+
+            - name: Self-heal Rust toolchain cache
+              shell: bash
+              run: ./scripts/ci/self_heal_rust_toolchain.sh 1.92.0
+
+            - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@631a55b12751854ce901bb631d5902ceb48146f7 # stable
+              with:
+                  toolchain: 1.92.0
+                  components: llvm-tools-preview
+
+            - id: rust-cache
+              uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@779680da715d629ac1d338a641029a2f4372abb5 # v3
+              with:
+                  prefix-key: test-coverage
+                  cache-bin: false
+
+            - name: Install cargo-llvm-cov
+              shell: bash
+              run: cargo install cargo-llvm-cov --locked --version 0.6.16
+
+            - name: Run coverage (non-blocking)
+              id: cov
+              shell: bash
+              run: |
+                  set -euo pipefail
+                  mkdir -p artifacts
+                  set +e
+                  cargo llvm-cov --workspace --all-features --lcov --output-path artifacts/lcov.info
+                  status=$?
+                  set -e
+
+                  if [ "$status" -eq 0 ]; then
+                    echo "coverage_ok=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+                  else
+                    echo "coverage_ok=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+                    echo "::warning::Coverage generation failed (non-blocking)."
+                  fi
+
+            - name: Publish coverage summary
+              if: always()
+              shell: bash
+              run: |
+                  set -euo pipefail
+                  {
+                    echo "### Coverage Lane (non-blocking)"
+                    echo "- Coverage generation success: \`${{ steps.cov.outputs.coverage_ok || 'false' }}\`"
+                    echo "- rust-cache hit: \`${{ steps.rust-cache.outputs.cache-hit || 'unknown' }}\`"
+                    echo "- Artifact: \`artifacts/lcov.info\` (when available)"
+                  } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+
+            - name: Upload coverage artifact
+              if: always()
+              uses: actions/upload-artifact@b7c566a772e6b6bfb58ed0dc250532a479d7789f # v6.0.0
+              with:
+                  name: coverage-lcov
+                  path: artifacts/lcov.info
+                  if-no-files-found: ignore
+                  retention-days: 14
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 91ddc7fc7..044185093 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -81,6 +81,62 @@ Use this board for important notices (breaking changes, security advisories, mai
 - **Fully swappable:** core systems are traits (providers, channels, tools, memory, tunnels).
 - **No lock-in:** OpenAI-compatible provider support + pluggable custom endpoints.
 
+## Quick Start
+
+### Option 1: Homebrew (macOS/Linuxbrew)
+
+```bash
+brew install zeroclaw
+```
+
+### Option 2: Clone + Bootstrap
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/zeroclaw-labs/zeroclaw.git
+cd zeroclaw
+./bootstrap.sh
+```
+
+On Windows PowerShell:
+
+```powershell
+git clone https://github.com/zeroclaw-labs/zeroclaw.git
+cd zeroclaw
+.\bootstrap.ps1
+```
+
+> **Note:** Source builds require ~2GB RAM and ~6GB disk. For resource-constrained systems, use `./bootstrap.sh --prefer-prebuilt` to download a pre-built binary instead.
+
+### Option 3: Cargo Install
+
+```bash
+cargo install zeroclaw
+```
+
+### First Run
+
+```bash
+# Start the gateway (serves the Web Dashboard API/UI)
+zeroclaw gateway
+
+# Open the dashboard URL shown in startup logs
+# (default: http://127.0.0.1:3000/)
+
+# Or chat directly
+zeroclaw chat "Hello!"
+```
+
+For detailed setup options, see [docs/one-click-bootstrap.md](docs/one-click-bootstrap.md).
+
+### Installation Docs (Canonical Source)
+
+Use repository docs as the source of truth for install/setup instructions:
+
+- [README Quick Start](#quick-start)
+- [docs/one-click-bootstrap.md](docs/one-click-bootstrap.md)
+- [docs/getting-started/README.md](docs/getting-started/README.md)
+
+Issue comments can provide context, but they are not canonical installation documentation.
 ## Benchmark Snapshot (ZeroClaw vs OpenClaw, Reproducible)
 
 Local machine quick benchmark (macOS arm64, Feb 2026) normalized for 0.8GHz edge hardware.
diff --git a/bootstrap.ps1 b/bootstrap.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..73571d11e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,214 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env pwsh
+<#
+.SYNOPSIS
+  Windows bootstrap entrypoint for ZeroClaw.
+
+.DESCRIPTION
+  Provides the core bootstrap flow for native Windows:
+  - optional Rust toolchain install
+  - optional prebuilt binary install
+  - source build + cargo install fallback
+  - optional onboarding
+
+  This script is intentionally scoped to Windows and does not replace
+  Docker/bootstrap.sh flows for Linux/macOS.
+#>
+
+[CmdletBinding()]
+param(
+    [switch]$InstallRust,
+    [switch]$PreferPrebuilt,
+    [switch]$PrebuiltOnly,
+    [switch]$ForceSourceBuild,
+    [switch]$SkipBuild,
+    [switch]$SkipInstall,
+    [switch]$Onboard,
+    [switch]$InteractiveOnboard,
+    [string]$ApiKey = "",
+    [string]$Provider = "openrouter",
+    [string]$Model = ""
+)
+
+Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
+$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
+
+function Write-Info {
+    param([string]$Message)
+    Write-Host "==> $Message"
+}
+
+function Write-Warn {
+    param([string]$Message)
+    Write-Warning $Message
+}
+
+function Ensure-RustToolchain {
+    if (Get-Command cargo -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
+        Write-Info "cargo is already available."
+        return
+    }
+
+    if (-not $InstallRust) {
+        throw "cargo is not installed. Re-run with -InstallRust or install Rust manually from https://rustup.rs/"
+    }
+
+    Write-Info "Installing Rust toolchain via rustup-init.exe"
+    $tempDir = Join-Path $env:TEMP "zeroclaw-bootstrap-rustup"
+    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $tempDir -Force | Out-Null
+    $rustupExe = Join-Path $tempDir "rustup-init.exe"
+    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://win.rustup.rs/x86_64" -OutFile $rustupExe
+    & $rustupExe -y --profile minimal --default-toolchain stable
+
+    $cargoBin = Join-Path $env:USERPROFILE ".cargo\bin"
+    if (-not ($env:Path -split ";" | Where-Object { $_ -eq $cargoBin })) {
+        $env:Path = "$cargoBin;$env:Path"
+    }
+
+    if (-not (Get-Command cargo -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
+        throw "Rust installation did not expose cargo in PATH. Open a new shell and retry."
+    }
+}
+
+function Install-PrebuiltBinary {
+    $target = "x86_64-pc-windows-msvc"
+    $url = "https://github.com/zeroclaw-labs/zeroclaw/releases/latest/download/zeroclaw-$target.zip"
+    $tempDir = Join-Path $env:TEMP ("zeroclaw-prebuilt-" + [guid]::NewGuid().ToString("N"))
+    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $tempDir -Force | Out-Null
+    $archivePath = Join-Path $tempDir "zeroclaw-$target.zip"
+    $extractDir = Join-Path $tempDir "extract"
+    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $extractDir -Force | Out-Null
+
+    try {
+        Write-Info "Downloading prebuilt binary: $url"
+        Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $url -OutFile $archivePath
+        Expand-Archive -Path $archivePath -DestinationPath $extractDir -Force
+
+        $binary = Get-ChildItem -Path $extractDir -Recurse -Filter "zeroclaw.exe" | Select-Object -First 1
+        if (-not $binary) {
+            throw "Downloaded archive does not contain zeroclaw.exe"
+        }
+
+        $installDir = Join-Path $env:USERPROFILE ".cargo\bin"
+        New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $installDir -Force | Out-Null
+        $dest = Join-Path $installDir "zeroclaw.exe"
+        Copy-Item -Path $binary.FullName -Destination $dest -Force
+        Write-Info "Installed prebuilt binary to $dest"
+        return $true
+    }
+    catch {
+        Write-Warn "Prebuilt install failed: $($_.Exception.Message)"
+        return $false
+    }
+    finally {
+        Remove-Item -Path $tempDir -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+    }
+}
+
+function Invoke-SourceBuildInstall {
+    param(
+        [string]$RepoRoot
+    )
+
+    if (-not $SkipBuild) {
+        Write-Info "Running cargo build --release --locked"
+        & cargo build --release --locked
+    }
+    else {
+        Write-Info "Skipping build (-SkipBuild)"
+    }
+
+    if (-not $SkipInstall) {
+        Write-Info "Running cargo install --path . --force --locked"
+        & cargo install --path . --force --locked
+    }
+    else {
+        Write-Info "Skipping cargo install (-SkipInstall)"
+    }
+}
+
+function Resolve-ZeroClawBinary {
+    $cargoBin = Join-Path $env:USERPROFILE ".cargo\bin\zeroclaw.exe"
+    if (Test-Path $cargoBin) {
+        return $cargoBin
+    }
+
+    $fromPath = Get-Command zeroclaw -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+    if ($fromPath) {
+        return $fromPath.Source
+    }
+
+    return $null
+}
+
+function Run-Onboarding {
+    param(
+        [string]$BinaryPath
+    )
+
+    if (-not $BinaryPath) {
+        throw "Onboarding requested but zeroclaw binary is not available."
+    }
+
+    if ($InteractiveOnboard) {
+        Write-Info "Running interactive onboarding"
+        & $BinaryPath onboard --interactive
+        return
+    }
+
+    $resolvedApiKey = $ApiKey
+    if (-not $resolvedApiKey) {
+        $resolvedApiKey = $env:ZEROCLAW_API_KEY
+    }
+
+    if (-not $resolvedApiKey) {
+        throw "Onboarding requires -ApiKey (or ZEROCLAW_API_KEY) unless using -InteractiveOnboard."
+    }
+
+    $cmd = @("onboard", "--api-key", $resolvedApiKey, "--provider", $Provider)
+    if ($Model) {
+        $cmd += @("--model", $Model)
+    }
+    Write-Info "Running onboarding with provider '$Provider'"
+    & $BinaryPath @cmd
+}
+
+if ($IsLinux -or $IsMacOS) {
+    throw "bootstrap.ps1 is for Windows. Use ./bootstrap.sh on Linux/macOS."
+}
+
+if ($PrebuiltOnly -and $ForceSourceBuild) {
+    throw "-PrebuiltOnly cannot be combined with -ForceSourceBuild."
+}
+
+if ($InteractiveOnboard) {
+    $Onboard = $true
+}
+
+$repoRoot = Split-Path -Parent $PSCommandPath
+Set-Location $repoRoot
+
+Ensure-RustToolchain
+
+$didPrebuiltInstall = $false
+if (($PreferPrebuilt -or $PrebuiltOnly) -and -not $ForceSourceBuild) {
+    $didPrebuiltInstall = Install-PrebuiltBinary
+    if ($PrebuiltOnly -and -not $didPrebuiltInstall) {
+        throw "Prebuilt-only mode requested but prebuilt install failed."
+    }
+}
+
+if (-not $didPrebuiltInstall -and -not $PrebuiltOnly) {
+    Invoke-SourceBuildInstall -RepoRoot $repoRoot
+}
+
+$zeroclawBin = Resolve-ZeroClawBinary
+if (-not $zeroclawBin) {
+    throw "ZeroClaw binary was not found after bootstrap."
+}
+
+Write-Info "ZeroClaw bootstrap completed."
+Write-Info "Binary: $zeroclawBin"
+
+if ($Onboard) {
+    Run-Onboarding -BinaryPath $zeroclawBin
+}
diff --git a/docs/ci-map.md b/docs/ci-map.md
index 5edd7c76f..48dcbc4d1 100644
--- a/docs/ci-map.md
+++ b/docs/ci-map.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Merge-blocking checks should stay small and deterministic. Optional checks are u
     - Purpose: Rust validation (`cargo fmt --all -- --check`, `cargo clippy --locked --all-targets -- -D clippy::correctness`, strict delta lint gate on changed Rust lines, `test`, release build smoke) + docs quality checks when docs change (`markdownlint` blocks only issues on changed lines; link check scans only links added on changed lines)
     - Additional behavior: for Rust-impacting PRs and pushes, `CI Required Gate` requires `lint` + `test` + `restricted-hermetic` + `build` (no PR build-only bypass)
     - Additional behavior: includes `Restricted Hermetic Validation` lane (`./scripts/ci/restricted_profile.sh`) that runs a capability-aware subset with isolated `HOME`/workspace/config roots and no external provider credentials
+    - Additional behavior: PRs with Rust changes run a binary-size regression guard versus base commit (`check_binary_size_regression.sh`, default max increase 10%)
     - Additional behavior: rust-cache is partitioned per job role via `prefix-key` to reduce cache churn across lint/test/build/flake-probe lanes
     - Additional behavior: emits `test-flake-probe` artifact from single-retry probe when tests fail; optional blocking can be enabled with repository variable `CI_BLOCK_ON_FLAKE_SUSPECTED=true`
     - Additional behavior: PRs that change `.github/workflows/**` require at least one approving review from a login in `WORKFLOW_OWNER_LOGINS` (repository variable fallback: `theonlyhennygod,willsarg`)
@@ -42,10 +43,12 @@ Merge-blocking checks should stay small and deterministic. Optional checks are u
     - Additional behavior: owner routing + escalation policy is documented in `docs/operations/nightly-all-features-runbook.md`
 - `.github/workflows/sec-audit.yml` (`Security Audit`)
     - Purpose: dependency advisories (`rustsec/audit-check`, pinned SHA), policy/license checks (`cargo deny`), gitleaks-based secrets governance (allowlist policy metadata + expiry guard), and SBOM snapshot artifacts (`CycloneDX` + `SPDX`)
+- `.github/workflows/test-coverage.yml` (`Test Coverage`)
+    - Purpose: non-blocking coverage lane using `cargo-llvm-cov` with `lcov` artifact upload for trend tracking before hard-gating coverage
 - `.github/workflows/sec-codeql.yml` (`CodeQL Analysis`)
     - Purpose: static analysis for security findings on PR/push (Rust/codeql paths) plus scheduled/manual runs
 - `.github/workflows/ci-change-audit.yml` (`CI/CD Change Audit`)
-    - Purpose: machine-auditable diff report for CI/security workflow changes (line churn, new `uses:` references, unpinned action-policy violations, pipe-to-shell policy violations, broad `permissions: write-all` grants, new `pull_request_target` trigger introductions, new secret references)
+    - Purpose: machine-auditable diff report for CI/security workflow changes (line churn, new `uses:` references, unpinned action-policy violations, pipe-to-shell policy violations, broad `permissions: write-all` grants, unsafe workflow-script JS execution patterns, new `pull_request_target` trigger introductions, new secret references)
 - `.github/workflows/ci-provider-connectivity.yml` (`CI Provider Connectivity`)
     - Purpose: scheduled/manual/provider-list probe matrix with downloadable JSON/Markdown artifacts for provider endpoint reachability
 - `.github/workflows/ci-reproducible-build.yml` (`CI Reproducible Build`)
@@ -97,6 +100,7 @@ Merge-blocking checks should stay small and deterministic. Optional checks are u
 - `Nightly All-Features`: daily schedule and manual dispatch
 - `Release`: tag push (`v*`), weekly schedule (verification-only), manual dispatch (verification or publish)
 - `Security Audit`: push to `dev` and `main`, PRs to `dev` and `main`, weekly schedule
+- `Test Coverage`: push/PR on Rust paths to `dev` and `main`, manual dispatch
 - `Sec Vorpal Reviewdog`: manual dispatch only
 - `Workflow Sanity`: PR/push when `.github/workflows/**`, `.github/*.yml`, or `.github/*.yaml` change
 - `Dependabot`: all update PRs target `main` (not `dev`)
@@ -118,7 +122,7 @@ Merge-blocking checks should stay small and deterministic. Optional checks are u
 6. PR intake failures: inspect `.github/workflows/pr-intake-checks.yml` sticky comment and run logs. If intake policy changed recently, trigger a fresh `pull_request_target` event (for example close/reopen PR) because `Re-run jobs` can reuse the original workflow snapshot.
 7. Label policy parity failures: inspect `.github/workflows/pr-label-policy-check.yml`.
 8. Docs failures in CI: inspect `docs-quality` job logs in `.github/workflows/ci-run.yml`.
-9. Strict delta lint failures in CI: inspect `lint-strict-delta` job logs and compare with `BASE_SHA` diff scope.
+9. Strict delta lint failures in CI: inspect the `lint` job logs (`Run strict lint delta gate` step) and compare with `BASE_SHA` diff scope.
 
 ## Maintenance Rules
 
diff --git a/docs/one-click-bootstrap.md b/docs/one-click-bootstrap.md
index f2d8ddb37..8bf64269e 100644
--- a/docs/one-click-bootstrap.md
+++ b/docs/one-click-bootstrap.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 This page defines the fastest supported path to install and initialize ZeroClaw.
 
-Last verified: **February 20, 2026**.
+Last verified: **March 5, 2026**.
 
 ## Option 0: Homebrew (macOS/Linuxbrew)
 
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ cd zeroclaw
 ./bootstrap.sh
 ```
 
+Windows PowerShell equivalent:
+
+```powershell
+git clone https://github.com/zeroclaw-labs/zeroclaw.git
+cd zeroclaw
+.\bootstrap.ps1
+```
+
 What it does by default:
 
 1. `cargo build --release --locked`
@@ -65,6 +73,7 @@ Notes:
 - `--prefer-prebuilt` tries release binary download first, then falls back to source build.
 - `--prebuilt-only` disables source fallback.
 - `--force-source-build` disables pre-built flow entirely.
+- On Windows, use `bootstrap.ps1` (`-InstallRust`, `-PreferPrebuilt`, `-PrebuiltOnly`, `-ForceSourceBuild`).
 
 ## Option B: Remote one-liner
 
diff --git a/docs/operations/branch-protection.md b/docs/operations/branch-protection.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..30242d269
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/operations/branch-protection.md
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Branch Protection Baseline
+
+This document is the repository-side baseline for branch protection on `dev` and `main`.
+It should be updated whenever branch/ruleset policy changes.
+
+## Baseline Date
+
+- Baseline updated: 2026-03-05 (UTC)
+
+## Protected Branches
+
+- `dev`
+- `main`
+
+## Required Checks
+
+Required check names are versioned in [required-check-mapping.md](./required-check-mapping.md).
+At minimum, protect both branches with:
+
+- `CI Required Gate`
+- `Security Audit`
+- `Feature Matrix Summary`
+- `Workflow Sanity`
+
+## Required Branch Rules
+
+- Require a pull request before merging.
+- Require status checks before merging.
+- Require at least one approving review.
+- Require CODEOWNERS review for protected paths.
+- Dismiss stale approvals on new commits.
+- Restrict force-pushes.
+- Restrict bypass access to org owners/admins only.
+
+## Export Procedure
+
+Export live policy snapshots whenever branch protection changes:
+
+```bash
+mkdir -p docs/operations/branch-protection
+gh api repos/zeroclaw-labs/zeroclaw/branches/dev/protection \
+  > docs/operations/branch-protection/dev-protection.json
+gh api repos/zeroclaw-labs/zeroclaw/branches/main/protection \
+  > docs/operations/branch-protection/main-protection.json
+```
+
+If your org uses repository rulesets, also export:
+
+```bash
+gh api repos/zeroclaw-labs/zeroclaw/rulesets \
+  > docs/operations/branch-protection/rulesets.json
+```
+
+## Validation Checklist
+
+After updating branch protection:
+
+1. Confirm required check names exactly match [required-check-mapping.md](./required-check-mapping.md).
+2. Confirm merge queue compatibility for required workflows (`merge_group` on merge-critical workflows).
+3. Confirm direct pushes are blocked for non-admin users.
+4. Commit updated JSON snapshots under `docs/operations/branch-protection/`.
diff --git a/docs/operations/branch-protection/README.md b/docs/operations/branch-protection/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a272c6c06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/operations/branch-protection/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Branch Protection Snapshots
+
+This directory stores exported branch protection and ruleset JSON snapshots:
+
+- `dev-protection.json`
+- `main-protection.json`
+- `rulesets.json` (when repository rulesets are enabled)
+
+Generate snapshots with the commands documented in
+[../branch-protection.md](../branch-protection.md).
diff --git a/docs/operations/ci-cd-blacksmith-optimization-report-2026-03-05.md b/docs/operations/ci-cd-blacksmith-optimization-report-2026-03-05.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9ba7361de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/operations/ci-cd-blacksmith-optimization-report-2026-03-05.md
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+# CI/CD + Blacksmith Optimization Report
+
+Date: 2026-03-05 (UTC)
+
+## Scope
+
+This report summarizes repository changes applied to implement the CI/CD hardening
+and performance plan across security, signal quality, and runtime throughput.
+
+## Implemented Changes
+
+### 1) Release supply-chain hardening
+
+- `pub-release.yml` already installs Syft via pinned installer script with checksum validation (`scripts/ci/install_syft.sh`).
+- No remote `curl | sh` Syft install path remains in release workflow.
+
+### 2) Container vulnerability gate before push
+
+- Added pre-push Trivy gate in `.github/workflows/pub-docker-img.yml`.
+- New behavior:
+  - build local release-candidate image (`linux/amd64`)
+  - block publish on `CRITICAL` findings
+  - report `HIGH` findings as advisory warnings
+- Post-push Trivy evidence collection remains for release/sha/latest parity and audit artifacts.
+- Updated policy:
+  - `.github/release/ghcr-vulnerability-policy.json` now blocks `CRITICAL` only.
+  - `docs/operations/ghcr-vulnerability-policy.md` updated accordingly.
+
+### 3) `pull_request_target` safety contract enforcement
+
+- Added explicit safety contract in `docs/actions-source-policy.md`.
+- Extended `scripts/ci/ci_change_audit.py` policy checks to block newly introduced unsafe workflow-script JS patterns in `.github/workflows/scripts/**`:
+  - `eval(...)`
+  - `Function(...)`
+  - `vm.runInContext/runInNewContext/runInThisContext/new vm.Script`
+  - dynamic `child_process` execution APIs
+- Added/updated tests in `scripts/ci/tests/test_ci_scripts.py`.
+
+### 4) Branch protection baseline documentation
+
+- Added `docs/operations/branch-protection.md` with:
+  - protected branch baseline (`dev`, `main`)
+  - required checks and branch rules
+  - export commands for live policy snapshots
+- Added snapshot directory doc:
+  - `docs/operations/branch-protection/README.md`
+- Linked baseline in:
+  - `docs/pr-workflow.md`
+  - `docs/operations/required-check-mapping.md`
+
+### 5) PR lint/test defaults and CI signal quality
+
+- `ci-run.yml` already runs lint/test/build by default for Rust-impacting PRs (no `ci:full` label requirement).
+- Updated stale workflow docs (`.github/workflows/main-branch-flow.md`) to reflect actual behavior.
+
+### 6) Binary size guardrails (PR + release parity)
+
+- Added Windows binary size enforcement in `.github/workflows/pub-release.yml`.
+- Added PR binary-size regression job in `.github/workflows/ci-run.yml`:
+  - compares PR head binary vs base SHA binary
+  - default max allowed increase: `10%`
+  - fails PR merge gate when threshold is exceeded
+- Added helper script:
+  - `scripts/ci/check_binary_size_regression.sh`
+
+### 7) Blacksmith throughput and cache contention
+
+- Heavy CI jobs continue to run on Blacksmith-tagged runners.
+- Scoped Docker build cache keys added in `.github/workflows/pub-docker-img.yml`:
+  - separate scopes for PR smoke and release publish paths
+  - reduced cache contention across event types.
+
+### 8) CI telemetry improvements
+
+- Added per-job telemetry summaries in `ci-run.yml` for lint/test/build/binary-size lanes:
+  - rust-cache hit/miss output
+  - job duration (seconds)
+- Added binary-size regression summary output to step summary.
+
+### 9) Coverage follow-up (non-blocking)
+
+- Added non-blocking coverage workflow:
+  - `.github/workflows/test-coverage.yml`
+  - uses `cargo-llvm-cov` and uploads `lcov.info`
+  - does not gate merge by default.
+
+### 10) Developer experience follow-up
+
+- Added Windows bootstrap entrypoint:
+  - `bootstrap.ps1`
+- Updated setup docs:
+  - `README.md`
+  - `docs/one-click-bootstrap.md`
+- Added release note category config:
+  - `.github/release.yml`
+- Updated release docs:
+  - `docs/release-process.md`
+
+## Validation Performed
+
+- Targeted CI policy tests:
+  - `python3 -m unittest -k ci_change_audit scripts.ci.tests.test_ci_scripts`
+  - result: pass (8 tests)
+  - note: executed with hooks disabled via:
+    - `GIT_CONFIG_COUNT=1`
+    - `GIT_CONFIG_KEY_0=core.hooksPath`
+    - `GIT_CONFIG_VALUE_0=/dev/null`
+- Script syntax checks:
+  - `bash -n scripts/ci/check_binary_size_regression.sh` (pass)
+  - `python3 -m py_compile scripts/ci/ci_change_audit.py scripts/ci/ghcr_vulnerability_gate.py` (pass)
+- Diff hygiene:
+  - `git diff --check` (pass)
+
+## Known Follow-up
+
+- Live branch protection JSON export is documented but not committed in this change set
+  because local `gh` authentication token is currently invalid.
+  After re-authentication, run export commands in `docs/operations/branch-protection.md`
+  and commit:
+  - `docs/operations/branch-protection/dev-protection.json`
+  - `docs/operations/branch-protection/main-protection.json`
+  - `docs/operations/branch-protection/rulesets.json` (if applicable)
diff --git a/docs/operations/required-check-mapping.md b/docs/operations/required-check-mapping.md
index fe4aba9a7..4eebb7e02 100644
--- a/docs/operations/required-check-mapping.md
+++ b/docs/operations/required-check-mapping.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ Feature matrix lane check names (informational, non-required):
 2. Enumerate check/job names and compare to this mapping:
    - `gh run view <run_id> --repo zeroclaw-labs/zeroclaw --json jobs --jq '.jobs[].name'`
 3. If any merge-critical check name changed, update this file before changing branch protection policy.
+4. Export and commit branch/ruleset snapshots as documented in `docs/operations/branch-protection.md`.
 
 ## Notes
 
diff --git a/docs/pr-workflow.md b/docs/pr-workflow.md
index 7f21b7269..31e0262d1 100644
--- a/docs/pr-workflow.md
+++ b/docs/pr-workflow.md
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ Maintain these branch protection rules on `dev` and `main`:
 - Restrict force-push on protected branches.
 - Route normal contributor PRs to `main` by default (`dev` is optional for dedicated integration batching).
 - Allow direct merges to `main` once required checks and review policy pass.
+- Keep live export snapshots and policy baseline versioned in `docs/operations/branch-protection.md`.
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/docs/release-process.md b/docs/release-process.md
index feceea01b..1ca008c47 100644
--- a/docs/release-process.md
+++ b/docs/release-process.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 This runbook defines the maintainers' standard release flow.
 
-Last verified: **February 25, 2026**.
+Last verified: **March 5, 2026**.
 
 ## Release Goals
 
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ Publish-mode guardrails:
 - Trigger provenance is recorded in `release-trigger-guard.json` and `audit-event-release-trigger-guard.json`.
 - Multi-arch artifact contract is enforced by `.github/release/release-artifact-contract.json` through `release_artifact_guard.py`.
 - Release notes include a generated supply-chain evidence preface (`release-notes-supply-chain.md`) plus GitHub-generated commit-window notes.
+- GitHub release note categories are defined in `.github/release.yml` to keep generated notes grouped by label intent.
 
 ## Maintainer Procedure