diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
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+# Binding ownership policy for codebase-memory-mcp.
+#
+# This repository is user-owned, so ownership is expressed with individual
+# GitHub handles rather than organization teams.
+#
+# IMPORTANT: CODEOWNERS is a merge gate, not a reviewer directory. Do not add
+# delegated reviewers here unless they are allowed to satisfy the binding
+# code-owner approval requirement. Add advisory area reviewers to
+# MAINTAINERS.md first.
+
+# Default owner gate: every pull request must cross the project owner's desk.
+* @DeusData
+
+# Security-sensitive and authority-sensitive surfaces.
+/.github/ @DeusData
+/scripts/ @DeusData
+/Makefile.cbm @DeusData
+/SECURITY.md @DeusData
+/docs/SECURITY-DISCLOSURE.md @DeusData
+/CONTRIBUTING.md @DeusData
+/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md @DeusData
+/DCO @DeusData
+/LICENSE @DeusData
+/MAINTAINERS.md @DeusData
+
+# Release and distribution surfaces.
+/pkg/ @DeusData
+/install.sh @DeusData
+/install.ps1 @DeusData
+/server.json @DeusData
+/glama.json @DeusData
+/flake.nix @DeusData
+/flake.lock @DeusData
+/THIRD_PARTY.md @DeusData
+/vendored/ @DeusData
+/internal/cbm/vendored/ @DeusData
+
+# Core product surfaces.
+/src/foundation/ @DeusData
+/src/store/ @DeusData
+/src/cypher/ @DeusData
+/src/graph_buffer/ @DeusData
+/src/mcp/ @DeusData
+/src/cli/ @DeusData
+/src/discover/ @DeusData
+/src/watcher/ @DeusData
+/src/pipeline/ @DeusData
+/src/git/ @DeusData
+/src/semantic/ @DeusData
+/src/simhash/ @DeusData
+/src/traces/ @DeusData
+/src/ui/ @DeusData
+
+# Extraction, language support, and graph UI.
+/internal/cbm/ @DeusData
+/tools/ @DeusData
+/graph-ui/ @DeusData
+
+# Test and reproduction infrastructure.
+/tests/ @DeusData
+/test-infrastructure/ @DeusData
diff --git a/MAINTAINERS.md b/MAINTAINERS.md
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+++ b/MAINTAINERS.md
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+# Maintainers
+
+This document separates advisory review responsibility from binding merge
+authority.
+
+codebase-memory-mcp is currently a user-owned repository. Because GitHub teams
+are not available here, all delegated ownership is expressed with individual
+GitHub handles.
+
+## Authority Model
+
+| Role | Scope | Authority |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Project owner | Entire repository | Final roadmap, security, release, workflow, and merge authority. |
+| Release operator | Dry-run and release preparation | May prepare release notes, run checklists, and request dry runs when explicitly delegated. May not publish without owner approval. |
+| Area reviewer | One technical area | May review, test, reproduce, and recommend merge for that area. Approval is advisory until the project owner approves. |
+| Triage collaborator | Issues and discussions | May label, deduplicate, reproduce, and request information. No merge or release authority. |
+
+The binding rule is intentionally simple: all pull requests require
+`@DeusData` approval before merge. `MAINTAINERS.md` routes review; it does not
+override `.github/CODEOWNERS`.
+
+## Project Owner
+
+| Handle | Responsibilities |
+| --- | --- |
+| `@DeusData` | Final authority for merge decisions, releases, security handling, CI policy, repository settings, and maintainer promotion. |
+
+## Area Review Map
+
+Use this map to request informed review. Entries marked `TBD` are open slots
+for future co-maintainers.
+
+| Area | Paths | Advisory reviewers | Owner gate |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| MCP protocol and tool surface | `src/mcp/`, `tests/test_mcp.c` | TBD | `@DeusData` |
+| CLI, install, update, editor integration | `src/cli/`, `src/git/`, `install.sh`, `install.ps1`, `tests/test_cli.c` | TBD | `@DeusData` |
+| Indexing pipeline and graph construction | `src/pipeline/`, `src/discover/`, `src/watcher/`, `tests/test_pipeline.c`, `tests/test_incremental.c` | TBD | `@DeusData` |
+| Language extraction and LSP resolution | `internal/cbm/`, `tools/`, `tests/test_*_lsp.c`, `tests/test_extraction.c`, `tests/test_grammar_*.c` | TBD | `@DeusData` |
+| Store, query, and graph buffers | `src/store/`, `src/cypher/`, `src/graph_buffer/`, `src/simhash/`, `src/semantic/`, `tests/test_store_*.c`, `tests/test_cypher.c` | TBD | `@DeusData` |
+| Foundation/runtime portability | `src/foundation/`, `vendored/`, `tests/test_*` foundation coverage | TBD | `@DeusData` |
+| Graph UI backend and frontend | `src/ui/`, `graph-ui/`, `tests/test_ui.c`, `tests/test_httpd.c` | TBD | `@DeusData` |
+| Tests, repro, smoke, and soak infrastructure | `tests/`, `tests/repro/`, `test-infrastructure/`, `scripts/test.sh`, `scripts/smoke-test.sh`, `scripts/soak-test.sh` | TBD | `@DeusData` |
+| Packaging and distribution | `pkg/`, `install.sh`, `install.ps1`, `server.json`, `glama.json`, `flake.nix`, `flake.lock`, `THIRD_PARTY.md`, `scripts/gen-third-party-notices.sh`, `scripts/gen-ui-licenses.py`, release archive contents | TBD | `@DeusData` |
+| Security and supply chain | `SECURITY.md`, `docs/SECURITY-DISCLOSURE.md`, `scripts/security-*`, `scripts/*license*`, `scripts/*allowlist*`, `.github/workflows/codeql.yml`, `.github/workflows/scorecard.yml` | `@DeusData` only initially | `@DeusData` |
+| CI and release operations | `.github/workflows/`, `scripts/ci/`, `Makefile.cbm` | `@DeusData` only initially | `@DeusData` |
+| Governance and contribution policy | `.github/CODEOWNERS`, `MAINTAINERS.md`, `CONTRIBUTING.md`, `CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md`, `DCO`, `LICENSE`, `.github/pull_request_template.md`, issue templates | `@DeusData` only initially | `@DeusData` |
+
+## Operational Authority
+
+Operational authority is stricter than code review authority.
+
+| Operation | Current authority | Delegation rule |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| PR validation (`pr.yml`, DCO, CodeQL) | Automatic | Anyone may trigger it by opening or updating a PR. Required checks must pass. |
+| Dry run (`dry-run.yml`) | `@DeusData` | May be delegated to release operators after trust is established. Dry-run delegation does not imply release authority. |
+| Smoke/soak/repro manual runs | `@DeusData` | May be delegated to area reviewers for diagnosis, but results are advisory. |
+| Release workflow (`release.yml`) | `@DeusData` only | Owner-only until a release operator is explicitly promoted. Publishing, replacing releases, and tag movement remain owner-gated. |
+| Package registry publishing | `@DeusData` only | Owner-only initially because registry credentials and public packages are irreversible operational surfaces. |
+| Security advisory handling | `@DeusData` only | Do not delegate across advisories. Keep private reports isolated. |
+| Workflow, ruleset, CODEOWNERS, and branch protection changes | `@DeusData` only | Owner-only because these define authority itself. |
+
+Before granting a collaborator `Write` access, verify that they should be able
+to run manual GitHub Actions workflows in this user-owned repository. Prefer
+`Triage` for issue-only delegation. If `Write` becomes necessary, use protected
+branches, required code-owner review, and protected release environments where
+available so release jobs still require `@DeusData` approval.
+
+## Promotion Path
+
+Promotion is gradual and reversible.
+
+| Stage | Requirements | Capabilities |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Trusted contributor | Focused PRs, clean DCO, responsive review cycles. | No elevated access. |
+| Triage collaborator | Consistent issue reproduction and respectful scope control. | Issue triage and review requests. |
+| Area reviewer | Sustained, technically accurate reviews in one area. | Advisory review listing in this file. |
+| Release operator | Proven reliability on dry runs, packaging, and release checklists. | May run delegated dry runs and prepare releases. |
+| Full maintainer | Long-term trust across code, security, release, and governance. | Only after explicit owner decision and updated policy. |
+
+## High-Risk Change Rules
+
+These changes always require project-owner review, even if an area reviewer
+approves:
+
+- MCP tool behavior, tool outputs, or protocol capabilities.
+- New process execution, shell invocation, network access, or file access.
+- CI, release, package publishing, installer, or updater changes.
+- Vendored dependency changes, generated grammar changes, or license policy.
+- Security disclosure process, advisories, allowlists, and audit scripts.
+- Repository governance, branch protection, CODEOWNERS, or maintainer roles.
+
+## Review Expectations
+
+- Keep PRs scoped to one issue or one logical change.
+- Reproduce bugs with a failing test before fixing.
+- Treat area-reviewer approval as a technical recommendation, not final merge
+  authority.
+- Do not self-approve high-risk changes.
+- Resolve conflicts of interest by asking another reviewer and the owner.