# z3ed Documentation Consolidation Summary

**Date**: October 2, 2025  
**Action**: Documentation reorganization and consolidation  
**Status**: Complete

## What Changed

The z3ed documentation has been reorganized into a clean, hierarchical structure that eliminates redundancy and establishes clear sources of truth.

### Before Consolidation

- **15 active documents** in main folder (many overlapping)
- **19 archived documents** mixed with current docs
- No clear hierarchy or "source of truth"
- Redundant information across multiple files
- Difficult to find current vs historical information

### After Consolidation

- **3 core documents** (design, reference, implementation plan)
- **3 quick start guides** (focused and practical)
- **4 status documents** (clear current state)
- **19 archived documents** (properly organized with README)
- Clear documentation hierarchy
- Single source of truth for each topic

## Core Documentation Structure

### 1. Source of Truth Documents

#### E6-z3ed-cli-design.md (Updated)
**Purpose**: Architecture and design decisions  
**Content**:
- System overview and current state (Oct 2025)
- Design goals and architectural decisions
- Command structure
- Agentic workflow framework
- TUI architecture
- Implementation roadmap phases

**Role**: **PRIMARY SOURCE OF TRUTH** for design decisions

#### E6-z3ed-reference.md (New - Comprehensive)
**Purpose**: Technical reference for developers  
**Content Consolidated From**:
- IT-01-QUICKSTART.md (test harness details)
- AGENT_TEST_QUICKREF.md (CLI command details)
- IT-01-grpc-evaluation.md (gRPC technical details)
- GRPC_TEST_SUCCESS.md (implementation details)
- IT-01-PHASE3-COMPLETE.md (API learnings)
- Various troubleshooting docs

**Sections**:
1. Architecture Overview - Component diagrams and data flow
2. Command Reference - Complete CLI command documentation
3. Implementation Guide - Building, configuring, deploying
4. Testing & Validation - E2E tests, manual workflows, benchmarks
5. Development Workflows - Adding commands, RPCs, test patterns
6. Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions
7. API Reference - RPC schemas, resource catalog format
8. Platform Notes - macOS/Windows/Linux specifics

**Role**: **ONE-STOP TECHNICAL REFERENCE** for all implementation details

#### E6-z3ed-implementation-plan.md (Maintained)
**Purpose**: Project tracker and task backlog  
**Content**:
- Current priorities with time estimates
- Task backlog with status tracking
- Implementation phases (completed/active/planned)
- Known issues and blockers
- Timeline and milestones

**Role**: **LIVING TRACKER** for development progress

### 2. Quick Start Guides (Retained)

These focused guides provide fast onboarding for specific tasks:

- **IT-01-QUICKSTART.md** - Test harness quick start
- **AGENT_TEST_QUICKREF.md** - CLI agent test command reference
- **E2E_VALIDATION_GUIDE.md** - Complete validation checklist

**Why Retained**: Quick reference cards for common workflows

### 3. Status Documents (Retained)

Current status and planning documents:

- **README.md** - Documentation index and project overview
- **PROJECT_STATUS_OCT2.md** - Current project status snapshot
- **NEXT_PRIORITIES_OCT2.md** - Detailed next steps with implementation guides
- **WORK_SUMMARY_OCT2.md** - Recent accomplishments

**Why Retained**: Track current state and progress

### 4. Archive (Organized)

All historical and superseded documents moved to `archive/` with explanatory README:

**Technical Investigations**:
- IT-01-grpc-evaluation.md
- GRPC_TECHNICAL_NOTES.md
- DEPENDENCY_MANAGEMENT.md

**Implementation Progress Logs**:
- GRPC_TEST_SUCCESS.md
- IT-01-PHASE2-IMPLEMENTATION-GUIDE.md
- IT-01-PHASE3-COMPLETE.md
- IT-01-getting-started-grpc.md

**Session Summaries**:
- STATE_SUMMARY_2025-10-01.md
- STATE_SUMMARY_2025-10-02.md
- SESSION_SUMMARY_OCT2.md
- SESSION_SUMMARY_OCT2_EVENING.md
- PROGRESS_SUMMARY_2025-10-02.md

**Implementation Status Reports**:
- IMPLEMENTATION_PROGRESS_OCT2.md
- IMPLEMENTATION_STATUS_OCT2_PM.md
- RUNTIME_FIX_COMPLETE_OCT2.md
- QUICK_TEST_RUNTIME_FIX.md

**Planning & Organization**:
- DOCUMENTATION_CONSOLIDATION_OCT2.md
- DOCUMENTATION_REVIEW_OCT2.md
- FILE_MODIFICATION_CHECKLIST.md

## Information Mapping

### Where Did Content Go?

| Original Document(s) | New Location | Notes |
|---------------------|--------------|-------|
| IT-01-grpc-evaluation.md | E6-z3ed-reference.md § Implementation Guide | gRPC setup, Windows notes |
| GRPC_TEST_SUCCESS.md | E6-z3ed-reference.md § Testing & Validation | Phase 1 completion details |
| IT-01-PHASE2-IMPLEMENTATION-GUIDE.md | archive/ | Historical - covered in reference |
| IT-01-PHASE3-COMPLETE.md | E6-z3ed-reference.md § API Reference | ImGuiTestEngine API learnings |
| GRPC_TECHNICAL_NOTES.md | E6-z3ed-reference.md § Platform Notes | Technical quirks and workarounds |
| Various troubleshooting docs | E6-z3ed-reference.md § Troubleshooting | Consolidated common issues |
| Session summaries | archive/ | Historical snapshots |
| Status reports | archive/ | Superseded by PROJECT_STATUS_OCT2.md |

### Key Content Areas in E6-z3ed-reference.md

**Architecture Overview** (New comprehensive diagrams):
- System component stack
- Proposal lifecycle flow
- Data flow diagrams

**Command Reference** (Consolidated from multiple sources):
- All agent commands with examples
- ROM, palette, overworld, dungeon commands
- Complete option documentation

**Implementation Guide** (From multiple scattered docs):
- Building with gRPC (macOS, Windows, Linux)
- Starting test harness
- Testing with grpcurl
- Platform-specific setup

**Testing & Validation** (Consolidated from E2E guide + others):
- E2E test script
- Manual workflow testing
- Performance benchmarks

**Development Workflows** (New section):
- Adding new commands
- Adding new RPCs
- Adding test patterns
- Clear step-by-step guides

**Troubleshooting** (Consolidated from ~5 docs):
- Common issues
- Debug mode
- Platform quirks
- Solutions and workarounds

**API Reference** (Consolidated proto docs):
- RPC service definitions
- Request/Response schemas
- Resource catalog format
- Example payloads

**Platform Notes** (From various sources):
- macOS status and setup
- Windows status and caveats
- Linux expectations
- Detailed platform differences

## Benefits of New Structure

### For New Contributors

**Before**: "Where do I start? What's current?"  
**After**: Read README → E6-z3ed-cli-design.md → E6-z3ed-reference.md → Done

### For Developers

**Before**: Search 10+ docs for command syntax  
**After**: E6-z3ed-reference.md § Command Reference → Find answer in one place

### For AI/LLM Integration

**Before**: No clear machine-readable specs  
**After**: `docs/api/z3ed-resources.yaml` + E6-z3ed-reference.md § API Reference

### For Project Management

**Before**: Status scattered across session summaries  
**After**: PROJECT_STATUS_OCT2.md + E6-z3ed-implementation-plan.md

### For Troubleshooting

**Before**: Search multiple docs for error messages  
**After**: E6-z3ed-reference.md § Troubleshooting → All issues in one place

## Document Roles

| Document | Role | Update Frequency |
|----------|------|------------------|
| E6-z3ed-cli-design.md | Source of truth for design | When architecture changes |
| E6-z3ed-reference.md | Technical reference | When APIs/commands change |
| E6-z3ed-implementation-plan.md | Project tracker | Weekly/as needed |
| README.md | Documentation index | When structure changes |
| IT-01-QUICKSTART.md | Quick reference card | Rarely (stable API) |
| AGENT_TEST_QUICKREF.md | Quick reference card | When patterns added |
| E2E_VALIDATION_GUIDE.md | Testing checklist | When workflow changes |
| PROJECT_STATUS_OCT2.md | Status snapshot | Weekly |
| NEXT_PRIORITIES_OCT2.md | Task breakdown | Daily/weekly |
| Archive docs | Historical reference | Never (frozen) |

## Maintenance Guidelines

### When to Update Each Document

**E6-z3ed-cli-design.md**: Update when:
- Architecture changes (new components, flow changes)
- Design decisions made (document rationale)
- Major features completed (update "Current State")

**E6-z3ed-reference.md**: Update when:
- New commands added
- RPC methods added/changed
- API schemas change
- New troubleshooting issues discovered
- Platform-specific notes needed

**E6-z3ed-implementation-plan.md**: Update when:
- Tasks completed (mark ✅)
- New tasks identified (add to backlog)
- Priorities change
- Milestones reached

**Quick Start Guides**: Update when:
- Commands/flags change
- New workflows added
- Better examples found

**Status Documents**: Update on:
- Weekly basis (PROJECT_STATUS_OCT2.md)
- When priorities shift (NEXT_PRIORITIES_OCT2.md)
- After work sessions (WORK_SUMMARY_OCT2.md)

### Avoiding Future Bloat

**Don't create new docs for**:
- Session summaries → Use git commit messages or issue comments
- Progress reports → Update E6-z3ed-implementation-plan.md
- Technical investigations → Add to E6-z3ed-reference.md § relevant section
- Status snapshots → Update PROJECT_STATUS_OCT2.md

**Do create new docs for**:
- Major new subsystems (e.g., E6-policy-framework.md if complex)
- Platform-specific guides (e.g., E6-windows-setup.md if needed)
- Specialized workflows (e.g., E6-ci-cd-integration.md)

**Then consolidate** into main docs after 1-2 weeks once content stabilizes.

## Next Steps

1. **Review**: Check that no critical information was lost in consolidation
2. **Test**: Try following guides as a new user would
3. **Iterate**: Update based on feedback
4. **Maintain**: Keep docs current as code evolves

## Verification Checklist

- [x] All technical content from archived docs is in E6-z3ed-reference.md
- [x] Design decisions from multiple docs consolidated in E6-z3ed-cli-design.md
- [x] Clear hierarchy established (design → reference → implementation plan)
- [x] Archive folder has explanatory README
- [x] Main README updated with new structure
- [x] Quick start guides retained for fast onboarding
- [x] Status documents reflect current state
- [x] No orphaned references to deleted/moved docs

## Questions?

If you can't find something:

1. **Check E6-z3ed-reference.md first** - Most technical info is here
2. **Check E6-z3ed-cli-design.md** - For design rationale
3. **Check archive/** - For historical context
4. **Check git history** - Content may have evolved

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**Consolidation by**: GitHub Copilot  
**Reviewed by**: @scawful  
**Status**: Complete - Ready for team review
