mattias-modernpath · Sep 29, 2026 · Sep 27, 2026 · Sep 29, 2026 · Sep 29, 2026 · Sep 29, 2026
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ serialization shapes; it does not contain a project's live delivery state.
   rather than redefine the process. They name the project's sanctioned tool
   for the process store and its channel for surfacing tooling gaps; the rule
   that binds both is `PROCESS.md` "State records and reconciliation".
-- `CLAUDE.md` files are compatibility pointers; they do not override these
-  instructions.
 
 If project instructions conflict with a process rule, stop the affected
 transition and report the conflict rather than creating a silent local variant.
@@ -32,13 +30,16 @@ on a decision, or what is blocked:
 1. read the project's root `AGENTS.md` for project-specific rules;
 2. read this file and `PROCESS.md`;
 3. enter the session with `skills/rdd-start/SKILL.md` — it verifies the store
-   binding and active release before any selection; then use
+   binding before selection and the active release for normal delivery; then use
    `skills/rdd-deliver/SKILL.md` for end-to-end delivery, or the applicable
    focused `skills/rdd-*/SKILL.md` when the request explicitly ends at one
-   process pass; use `skills/rdd-verify/SKILL.md` for reverse-engineered
-   `PENDING_VERIFICATION` rows, and `skills/rdd-reverse-engineer/SKILL.md` to
+   process pass; use `skills/rdd-verify/SKILL.md` for entered verification work
+   requiring new tests, and `skills/rdd-reverse-engineer/SKILL.md` to
    establish an authorized as-built baseline or propose DERIVED additions to
    an existing requirement corpus;
+   use `skills/rdd-reverse-engineer-verify/SKILL.md` and
+   `skills/rdd-reverse-engineer-accept/SKILL.md` for source-scoped baselines
+   with existing proof (one human acceptance directly to DONE);
    `skills/rdd-audit/SKILL.md` is a shared utility other passes invoke, not a
    phase;
 4. read the relevant product sources, requirement records, optional epic, and

diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
diff --git a/PROCESS.md b/PROCESS.md
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -10,11 +10,13 @@ EPIC -- optionally groups --> UR and/or SR
 UR -> acceptance scenario -> TEST_CASE -> TEST_RESULT
 UR acceptance scenario -- may require --> SR
 SR -> CODE -> TEST_CASE -> TEST_RESULT
+```
 
-Each selected trace passes planning, technical review, human entry, red-first
+Normal development passes planning, technical review, human entry, red-first
 evidence, implementation, cleanup, verification, delivery, reconciliation,
-and human completion.
-```
+and human completion. An eligible source-scoped baseline uses existing-proof
+verification and one human acceptance instead; publication alone proves neither
+verification nor delivery.
 
 Product repositories hold authoritative process records in one selected store,
 alongside specifications, code, tests, evidence, and attributable gate answers.
@@ -27,7 +29,8 @@ or the other, never both at once.
 
 1. [`AGENTS.md`](AGENTS.md) — binding agent rules.
 2. [`PROCESS.md`](PROCESS.md) — the complete canonical process.
-3. [`skills/rdd-deliver/SKILL.md`](skills/rdd-deliver/SKILL.md) — complete-loop
+3. [`skills/rdd-start/SKILL.md`](skills/rdd-start/SKILL.md) — session entry and scope routing.
+4. [`skills/rdd-deliver/SKILL.md`](skills/rdd-deliver/SKILL.md) — complete-loop
    orchestration; use the other `skills/rdd-*/SKILL.md` files for explicitly
    bounded passes.
 
@@ -42,8 +45,7 @@ apply that model; `file-state/` serializes its records without redefining it.
 |---|---|
 | `AGENTS.md` | shared agent policy and canonical entry point |
 | `PROCESS.md` | complete canonical process |
-| `CLAUDE.md` | root compatibility entry required for Claude discovery |
-| `skills/` | full-loop orchestration plus focused procedures for discovery, planning, review, building, triage, completion, and as-built verification; corpus adoption for codebases without requirement records (`rdd-reverse-engineer`); a shared document/citation auditing utility (`rdd-audit`) |
+| `skills/` | delivery orchestration and focused passes; `rdd-verify` for entered verification work; `rdd-reverse-engineer` for baseline publication or DERIVED additions; `rdd-reverse-engineer-verify` and `rdd-reverse-engineer-accept` for eligible existing baselines; `rdd-audit` for documents and citations |
 | `file-state/` | canonical serialization shapes for Epic, requirement, gate, work-selection, and backlog/gap records |
 
 ## Distribution
@@ -53,9 +55,9 @@ for ModernPath workspaces, the `modernpath` CLI — embeds a byte-identical
 snapshot of these files and installs it under `.modernpath/rdd/`, so in a
 consuming repository the canonical process resolves at
 `.modernpath/rdd/PROCESS.md` with every `skills/rdd-*/SKILL.md` beside it.
-The installer also registers the skills and hooks with each agentic platform
-in use (for example `.claude/skills/`) and writes managed instruction blocks
-pointing agents at the installed paths.
+Platform-specific metadata, compatibility files, registration and hooks belong
+to the distribution tool. This repository supplies the shared instructions and
+skills; the installer supplies the adapters for each platform in use.
 
 In a store-backed consuming repository the tooling additionally materializes
 two uncommitted projections (for ModernPath workspaces,

diff --git a/file-state/BACKLOG.md b/file-state/BACKLOG.md
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ inferred one to `DERIVED` plus its confirmation gate.
 
 ## Triage backlog
 
-Discoveries with unclear ownership or a cross-cutting concern, held until a
-human assigns them. An item that already has an owner and a source is a
-requirement and does not belong here.
+Discoveries awaiting classification or assignment. Route them using the
+discovery table in `PROCESS.md`; an owner and a source alone do not establish
+a requirement.
 
 ## BACKLOG-«NNN» — «Discovery in one line»
 
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ requirement and does not belong here.
 ## Gap records
 
 A capability or specification deficiency linked to the traces it affects. A gap
-is a disclosed absence, not a deferral: deferral postpones work that is already
-a requirement, a gap names something no requirement yet covers.
+is a disclosed absence. Deferral records a decision to postpone requirement work;
+it does not resolve a gap in an affected trace.
 
 ## GAP-«AREA»-«NNN» — «Missing capability or specification»
 
@@ -45,3 +45,6 @@ a requirement, a gap names something no requirement yet covers.
 
 Every open gap affecting an item in a completion gate's scope must be disclosed
 in that gate before it is answered.
+Acknowledging a gap does not resolve it or waive missing trace evidence. A scope
+decision that removes the affected obligation is recorded on that requirement
+and its gates before the gap is closed.
diff --git a/file-state/GATES.md b/file-state/GATES.md
@@ -9,17 +9,17 @@
 - **Source store/revision:** «database revision or repository SHA»
 - **Context / release:** «scope»
 
-Trace gates and human gates are recorded in the same file because a human gate
-is addressable only through the trace gates that gate it. A human gate with no
-recorded prerequisite trace gate is unreadable, not implicitly open.
+Human gates name every prerequisite required by their transition. A gate with
+missing required prerequisites cannot open. An empty prerequisite set is valid
+only where `PROCESS.md` explicitly permits it, such as an attributable demotion.
 
 ## GATE-«AREA»-«NNN» — «Transition or decision purpose»
 
 - **Kind:** trace or human / «confirmation, entry, decision, demotion, cold-review, start-review, completion»
 - **Transition / purpose:** «exact state transition, or the decision being asked»
-- **Exact scope:** «named EPIC/UR/SR ids this gate covers; one answer may cover an Epic and named members»
+- **Exact scope:** «named EPIC/UR/SR ids, or the immutable source inventory for baseline authorization before requirements exist»
 - **Prerequisites:** «gate ids that must be PASS before this one may leave DRAFT, or none»
-- **Fingerprint:** «content/code fingerprint the gate was evaluated at»
+- **Fingerprint:** «approval-scope or evidence fingerprint and the exact inputs evaluated, per PROCESS.md»
 - **State:** «trace: PENDING / PASS / FAIL / STALE — human: DRAFT / OPEN / ANSWERED / CLOSED / SUPERSEDED»
 - **Verdict / answer:** «trace verdict with exact blockers, or the human answer as given»
 - **Actor / evaluator:** «real human actor and role for a human gate; evaluating agent or check for a trace gate»

diff --git a/file-state/REQUIREMENTS.md b/file-state/REQUIREMENTS.md
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@
 
 The RED/Passing split carries each result's role; `Outcome`, `Environment`,
 and `Fingerprint` carry the remaining mandated evidence-record fields.
+RED is required only on the applicable normal-development path; the
+existing-baseline path does not fabricate it.
 
 ### Gates and delivery
 
 - **Confirmation gates:** «GATES.md gate ids, or N/A»
-- **Entry gates:** «GATES.md gate ids»
-- **Start/review gates:** «GATES.md gate ids»
-- **Completion gates:** «GATES.md gate ids»
+- **Entry gates:** «GATES.md gate ids; N/A for the dedicated existing-baseline path»
+- **Start/review gates:** «GATES.md gate ids, or N/A»
+- **Completion gates:** «normal completion or dedicated existing-baseline GATES.md gate ids»
 - **Delivered revision:** «repository + revision or not delivered»
 - **Gaps / deferrals / blockers / notes:** «refs or none»