truthmark/docs/README.md

---
status: active
doc_type: index
last_reviewed: 2026-06-20
source_of_truth:
  - docs/ai/repo-rules.md
  - ../.truthmark/config.yml
---

# Truthmark Docs Index

## Purpose

`docs/` is Truthmark's repository documentation tree. It keeps repository-wide agent rules, reusable standards, current architecture, current lane-separated truth docs, and non-canonical research notes separate from onboarding copy.

`AGENTS.md` is the agent entry point, but it delegates repository-wide rules to [docs/ai/repo-rules.md](ai/repo-rules.md). [README.md](../README.md) remains the human onboarding and product entry point. [docs/user-guide.md](user-guide.md) owns detailed human-facing command, workflow, and configuration guidance. `.truthmark/config.yml` defines the committed hierarchy contract.

## Scope

This doc defines the current structure, navigation map, and maintenance expectations of Truthmark's canonical `docs/` tree.

## Authority Source

Repository-wide conflict order and completion policy live in [docs/ai/repo-rules.md](ai/repo-rules.md). Use this index for navigation and document-class guidance; it does not restate the full authority hierarchy.

[README.md](../README.md) may help with onboarding and positioning, but it must not override current-state docs or repository-wide agent rules.

## Audience Split

### Agent-centric docs

- `docs/ai/` for repository rules and agent onboarding
- `docs/truthmark/routes/` for routing metadata
- `docs/standards/` for reusable constraints and completion rules
- `docs/truthmark/product/` for product capability promises, boundaries, and acceptance criteria
- `docs/truthmark/engineering/` for current implementation behavior, architecture, contracts, workflows, and operations
- `docs/architecture/` for repository-specific architecture guardrails
- `docs/research/` for non-canonical research and planning notes
- `docs/truthmark/templates/` for editable scaffold templates used to create new docs
- `docs/truthmark/engineering/contracts/` for stable contracts the CLI exposes

### Human-centric docs

- [README.md](../README.md) for onboarding and positioning
- [docs/user-guide.md](user-guide.md) for detailed usage, command, workflow, configuration, routing, Portal, and example guidance

## Directory Map

| Path                          | Type              | Primary audience | Purpose                                                                               |
| ----------------------------- | ----------------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `docs/ai/`                    | agent rules       | agent            | Repository-wide rules and fast onboarding                                             |
| `docs/truthmark/routes/`      | routing           | both             | Truth-routing metadata such as `areas.md` and `areas/**/*.md`                         |
| `docs/standards/`             | standard          | agent            | Reusable constraints, verification rules, completion gates                            |
| `docs/truthmark/product/`     | product truth     | agent            | Product capability promises, boundaries, decisions, and acceptance criteria           |
| `docs/truthmark/engineering/` | engineering truth | agent            | Current implementation behavior for init, check, contracts, workflows, and operations |
| `docs/architecture/`          | architecture      | agent            | Repository-specific architecture guardrails                                           |
| `docs/research/`              | research          | human            | Non-canonical research, comparison, and planning notes                                |
| `docs/truthmark/templates/`   | template          | both             | Editable templates for scaffolded docs; templates are not Truth Sync targets          |
| `docs/user-guide.md`          | guide             | human            | Detailed usage guide kept out of the root README so onboarding stays concise          |

## Frontmatter Policy

Canonical docs should include frontmatter and keep these fields current:

- `status`
- `doc_type`
- `last_reviewed`
- `source_of_truth`

## Update Rules

- When repository-wide agent policy changes, update [docs/ai/repo-rules.md](ai/repo-rules.md).
- When code-to-doc routing changes, update [docs/truthmark/routes/areas.md](truthmark/routes/areas.md) in the same change.
- When package versions or release/version policy change, apply [docs/standards/versioning.md](standards/versioning.md) before accepting the version.
- When PR or release source text is needed, write a `changes/` note using [docs/standards/change-notes.md](standards/change-notes.md).
- When `truthmark init` or scaffolded files change, update the relevant truth or architecture doc, not only [README.md](../README.md).
- When `truthmark check` changes what it validates or how it reports diagnostics, update both the current truth doc and the contract doc.
- When major product, onboarding, install, command, positioning, or workflow behavior changes, review the root [README.md](../README.md) and update it if the human entry point would otherwise be stale.
- Keep planning or proposal material outside the canonical current-state docs until it becomes implemented truth.
- When current behavior changes for architecture, contracts, or lane-separated truth docs, update the owning canonical doc's `Product Decisions` and `Rationale` sections in the same change.
- Do not keep parallel documentation trees for the same subject.

## Important Truthmark-Specific Caveat

New repositories should run `truthmark config` before `truthmark init` so teams can review the committed hierarchy contract before workflow surfaces are installed. The current scaffold writes a root route index plus one child route file under the configured routing root.

## Recommended Reading Order

### For humans

1. [README.md](../README.md)
2. [docs/user-guide.md](user-guide.md), when command or workflow detail is needed
3. [.truthmark/config.yml](../.truthmark/config.yml)
4. [docs/ai/repo-rules.md](ai/repo-rules.md)
5. [docs/truthmark/engineering/architecture/overview.md](truthmark/engineering/architecture/overview.md)
6. the relevant product, engineering, or standard doc for the area being changed

### For agents

1. [docs/ai/repo-rules.md](ai/repo-rules.md)
2. [docs/ai/agent-onboarding.md](ai/agent-onboarding.md), when routing is unclear or cross-area
3. [docs/truthmark/routes/areas.md](truthmark/routes/areas.md), when mapping code to canonical truth
4. [docs/truthmark/engineering/architecture/overview.md](truthmark/engineering/architecture/overview.md), when changing module boundaries
5. the relevant standard, product truth, and engineering truth docs for the task

Use the route files under [docs/truthmark/routes/](truthmark/routes/) when designing areas for larger API, frontend, infrastructure, or monorepo repositories.

## Maintenance Principle

The canonical tree should stay small, explicit, and current. Historical notes are useful for traceability, but current behavior belongs in the nearest maintained document class, not in old plans or chat summaries.

## Product Decisions

- Decision (2026-05-15): The docs index owns navigation and document-class guidance for the canonical tree, while [docs/ai/repo-rules.md](ai/repo-rules.md) owns repository-wide authority order and completion policy.
- Decision (2026-06-20): The root README is the concise human storefront. Detailed human-facing command, workflow, configuration, routing, Portal, and example material belongs in [docs/user-guide.md](user-guide.md).

## Rationale

Keeping the docs index focused on navigation avoids loading duplicated authority prose while still giving agents and maintainers one stable place to resolve where current truth should live before they edit deeper canonical docs.

Keeping the root README concise reduces evaluator friction while preserving detailed operational guidance in a linked guide.