diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e0b66e8..49a9c5d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,8 +1,61 @@
-# Extended Data Workspace
+# Extended Data
 
 ![Extended Data — structured values crossing clear data boundaries](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jbcom/extended-data/main/docs/assets/extended-data-hero.png)
 
-This repository is a `uv` workspace for the Extended Data package family.
+Extended Data is a Python package family for moving structured values across
+clear boundaries: parsing input, normalizing and transforming it, preserving
+ergonomic container behavior, and exporting a plain built-in value when it is
+time to write or hand data to another library.
+
+Start with the [documentation site](https://extended-data.dev), especially the
+[Getting Started](https://extended-data.dev/guides/getting-started.html) and
+[Package Surface](https://extended-data.dev/guides/package-surface.html) guides.
+
+## Install and choose a layer
+
+```bash
+pip install extended-data
+```
+
+Most application code needs only these three choices:
+
+1. Use `extended_data.primitives` for a single deterministic conversion,
+   serialization operation, transform, or redaction step.
+2. Use `ExtendedData(value)` at an uncertain data boundary. It returns the
+   right extended shape (`ExtendedDict`, `ExtendedList`, `ExtendedString`, and
+   so on) while retaining normal Python collection behavior.
+3. Use `DataFile` or `DataWorkflow` when reading, merging, transforming, or
+   writing a structured artifact is the actual unit of work.
+
+```python
+from extended_data import DataWorkflow, ExtendedData
+from extended_data.primitives import decode_json, encode_yaml
+
+incoming = decode_json('{"service": {"name": "api"}}')
+config = ExtendedData(incoming).merge({"replicas": 2})
+
+result = (
+    DataWorkflow.from_value(config)
+    .transform("unhump")
+    .result()
+)
+
+assert result.as_extended()["service"]["name"] == "api"
+assert "replicas: 2" in encode_yaml(result.as_builtin())
+```
+
+`ExtendedData` promotes nested values as they enter or mutate containers. Use
+`as_builtin()` (or `to_builtin()`) at an explicit export boundary when an API,
+serializer, or third-party library needs ordinary Python `dict`, `list`,
+`str`, and scalar values.
+
+## Consumers that generate or operate code
+
+Automated and agentic consumers should use the same public contract as human
+callers: import pure functions from `extended_data.primitives`, promote unknown
+payloads with `ExtendedData`, and lower values only at explicit boundaries.
+The [agentic consumer guide](https://extended-data.dev/guides/agentic-consumers.html)
+sets out the safe integration rules, test plugin, and package ownership limits.
 
 ## Packages
 
@@ -11,14 +64,17 @@ This repository is a `uv` workspace for the Extended Data package family.
 | `extended-data` | `packages/extended-data` | Runtime data primitives, containers, IO, workflows, inputs, logging, docs, and CLI |
 | `pytest-extended-data` | `packages/pytest-extended-data` | Reusable pytest fixtures and assertion helpers for Extended Data consumers |
 
-The workspace root is not a published Python distribution.
+The workspace root is not a published Python distribution. Install a package,
+not the repository root, in downstream applications.
 
 ## Common Commands
 
 ```bash
 uv sync --all-packages --all-extras --dev
 tox -e lint,typecheck,audit,py311,py312,py313,py314,examples,docs,build
+pnpm docs:validate
 ```
 
-The Sourcey documentation site lives in `docs/` and deploys to
-<https://extended-data.dev>. It is separate from the Python `uv` workspace.
+The Sourcey documentation source lives in `docs/` and deploys to
+<https://extended-data.dev>. It is independently locked from the Python `uv`
+workspace so documentation builds remain deterministic.
diff --git a/docs/guides/agentic-consumers.md b/docs/guides/agentic-consumers.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8d4494
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/guides/agentic-consumers.md
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# Agentic Consumers
+
+`extended-data` is useful to code-generating tools and agent runtimes for the
+same reason it is useful to application code: it makes a data boundary
+explicit. It is not an agent framework, a vendor SDK, a credential manager, or
+a place to put provider-specific control flow.
+
+## Use the public data contract
+
+Use the smallest layer that completes the task:
+
+1. Import one pure operation from `extended_data.primitives` for parsing,
+   coercion, normalization, encoding, matching, or redaction.
+2. Promote uncertain structured input with `ExtendedData(value)` when the
+   shape can be a mapping, sequence, or scalar.
+3. Use `DataFile` or `DataWorkflow` for a named file or transformation
+   boundary. Keep the result as extended data until the caller explicitly
+   needs built-ins.
+
+```python
+from extended_data import ExtendedData
+from extended_data.primitives import decode_json, redact_sensitive_data
+
+raw = decode_json('{"service": {"name": "api"}, "token": "do-not-log"}')
+payload = ExtendedData(raw).merge({"replicas": 2})
+safe_for_diagnostics = redact_sensitive_data(payload.as_builtin())
+
+assert payload["service"]["name"].upper_first() == "Api"
+assert safe_for_diagnostics["token"] == "[REDACTED]"
+```
+
+## Preserve the boundary
+
+Do not flatten a value merely to call a method. Nested literals are promoted
+when they enter Extended Data containers, so normal indexing and mutation keep
+the Tier 2 methods available. Conversely, call `as_builtin()` or `to_builtin()`
+only when crossing into a serializer, an external API client, or a library
+whose contract specifically requires built-in Python values.
+
+Treat redaction as a diagnostic boundary, not as a substitute for access
+control. Redact before a value is logged, displayed, or attached to an error;
+do not place credentials in prompts, source files, fixtures, or workflow
+metadata.
+
+## Keep ownership clear
+
+This package owns data mechanics only. It must not acquire provider SDKs,
+vendor API clients, secret-sync behavior, MCP adapters, agent runtime state, or
+framework-specific tools. Those integrations belong to `vendor-fabric` and
+`agentic-fabric`; they should consume this package's public data contract
+instead of extending its internals.
+
+Do not restore removed compatibility imports such as `extended_data.connectors`
+or `extended_data.secrets`. A failed import is an intentional migration signal.
+
+## Test downstream integrations
+
+Install `pytest-extended-data` in a consumer's test environment to get a small
+representative payload, the polymorphic factory, and assertions for the plain
+export boundary:
+
+```bash
+uv add --dev pytest-extended-data
+```
+
+```python
+from pytest_extended_data import assert_builtin_round_trip
+
+
+def test_export_contract(extended_data_value):
+    assert_builtin_round_trip(
+        extended_data_value,
+        {"service": {"name": "api", "ports": [8080, 8443]}, "enabled": True},
+    )
+```
+
+Before generating a broad integration, consult the [Package Surface](package-surface.md),
+[containers guide](../core/containers.md), and generated [API reference](../reference/index.md).
+They are the source of truth for stable imports and behavior.
diff --git a/docs/sourcey.config.ts b/docs/sourcey.config.ts
index 733e378..0cb86c6 100644
--- a/docs/sourcey.config.ts
+++ b/docs/sourcey.config.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const generatedApiPages = readdirSync(join(import.meta.dirname, "reference/gener
   .sort();
 
 const pages = {
-  gettingStarted: ["guides/getting-started", "guides/package-surface"],
+  gettingStarted: ["guides/getting-started", "guides/package-surface", "guides/agentic-consumers"],
   core: ["core/primitives", "core/containers", "core/workflows"],
   operations: ["operations/inputs", "operations/logging"],
   examples: ["examples/core", "examples/inputs", "examples/logging"],
diff --git a/packages/extended-data/pyproject.toml b/packages/extended-data/pyproject.toml
index 6d58aea..ccfe308 100644
--- a/packages/extended-data/pyproject.toml
+++ b/packages/extended-data/pyproject.toml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ classifiers = [
 ]
 dependencies = [
     "deepmerge>=2.0",
-    "gitpython>=3.1.54",
+    "gitpython>=3.1.58",
     "inflection>=0.5.1",
     "num2words>=0.5.14",
     "orjson>=3.10.7",
diff --git a/packages/extended-data/src/extended_data/primitives/types.py b/packages/extended-data/src/extended_data/primitives/types.py
index 477e198..c49c658 100644
--- a/packages/extended-data/src/extended_data/primitives/types.py
+++ b/packages/extended-data/src/extended_data/primitives/types.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
     - DATE_PATTERN: Regex for matching ISO 8601 date strings.
     - DATETIME_PATTERN: Regex for matching ISO 8601 datetime strings.
     - TIME_PATTERN: Regex for matching time strings.
-    - PATH_PATTERN: Regex for matching Unix and Windows-style paths.
     - INTEGER_PATTERN: Regex for matching integer strings.
     - NUMBER_PATTERN: Regex for matching numeric strings.
     - TRUTHY_PATTERN: Regex for matching truthy strings.
@@ -54,13 +53,38 @@
     r"^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}[T ]\d{2}:\d{2}(:\d{2})?(?:\.\d+)?(?:Z|[+-]\d{2}:\d{2})?$"
 )  # Matches extended datetime formats like YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM[:SS][.fff][Z|±hh:mm]
 TIME_PATTERN: re.Pattern[str] = re.compile(r"^\d{2}:\d{2}(:\d{2}(\.\d{1,6})?)?$")  # Matches HH:MM[:SS] and microseconds
-PATH_PATTERN: re.Pattern[str] = re.compile(r'^(?:[a-zA-Z]:)?[\\/](?:[^<>:"|?*\n]+[\\/])*[^<>:"|?*\n]*$')
 INTEGER_PATTERN: re.Pattern[str] = re.compile(r"^-?\d+$")
 NUMBER_PATTERN: re.Pattern[str] = re.compile(r"^-?\d+(\.\d+)?$")
 TRUTHY_PATTERN: re.Pattern[str] = re.compile(r"^(y|yes|t|true|on|1)$", re.IGNORECASE)
 FALSY_PATTERN: re.Pattern[str] = re.compile(r"^(n|no|f|false|off|0)$", re.IGNORECASE)
 
 
+def _is_valid_absolute_path_string(value: str) -> bool:
+    """Return whether *value* is a portable absolute-path representation.
+
+    Path recognition is intentionally a small sequence of bounded operations,
+    rather than a nested regular expression. This helper accepts POSIX,
+    UNC-style, and drive-qualified Windows absolute paths without depending on
+    the operating system running the library. It rejects characters that are
+    invalid in Windows path components and control characters that should not
+    reach a filesystem boundary.
+    """
+    starts_with_separator = value.startswith(("/", "\\"))
+    starts_with_drive = (
+        len(value) >= 3
+        and value[0] in "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
+        and value[1] == ":"
+        and value[2] in {"/", "\\"}
+    )
+    if not (starts_with_separator or starts_with_drive):
+        return False
+
+    return not any(
+        character in '<>:"|?*\n\r\x00' and not (character == ":" and index == 1 and starts_with_drive)
+        for index, character in enumerate(value)
+    )
+
+
 class ConversionError(ValueError):
     """Custom error class for handling conversion failures.
 
@@ -222,9 +246,9 @@ def string_to_path(val: str | bytes | os.PathLike[str] | None, raise_on_error: b
                 if raise_on_error:
                     raise ConversionError(Path, val) from exc
                 return None
-        # Ensure val is converted to string before matching
+        # Normalize before applying portable, linear-time path validation.
         val = str(val)
-        if not PATH_PATTERN.match(val):
+        if not _is_valid_absolute_path_string(val):
             raise ConversionError(Path, val)
         return Path(val)
     except (ValueError, TypeError) as exc:
@@ -435,8 +459,8 @@ def reconstruct_special_type(converted_obj: str, fail_silently: bool = False) ->
             return string_to_date(converted_obj)
         if TIME_PATTERN.match(converted_obj):
             return string_to_time(converted_obj)
-        if PATH_PATTERN.match(converted_obj):
-            return pathlib.Path(converted_obj)
+        if _is_valid_absolute_path_string(converted_obj):
+            return Path(converted_obj)
         if TRUTHY_PATTERN.match(converted_obj) or FALSY_PATTERN.match(converted_obj):
             return string_to_bool(converted_obj)
         if NUMBER_PATTERN.match(converted_obj):
diff --git a/packages/extended-data/tests/core/test_type_utils.py b/packages/extended-data/tests/core/test_type_utils.py
index 7a21149..2443c46 100644
--- a/packages/extended-data/tests/core/test_type_utils.py
+++ b/packages/extended-data/tests/core/test_type_utils.py
@@ -717,6 +717,27 @@ def test_reconstruct_special_type_fail_silently() -> None:
     assert reconstruct_special_type("not a number", fail_silently=True) == "not a number"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "value",
+    [
+        "/" + ("safe/" * 10_000) + "forbidden?",
+        "/path/with:colon",
+        "/path/with\nnewline",
+        "relative/path",
+        "C:relative\\path",
+    ],
+)
+def test_string_to_path_rejects_invalid_or_adversarial_path_text(value: str) -> None:
+    """Reject invalid paths without a backtracking regular-expression matcher."""
+    assert string_to_path(value) is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("value", ["/srv/config.yaml", r"C:\\config\\app.yaml", "D:/config/app.yaml"])
+def test_path_reconstruction_supports_portable_absolute_paths(value: str) -> None:
+    """Recognize supported absolute path forms when reconstructing values."""
+    assert reconstruct_special_type(value) == Path(value)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     ("obj", "expected"),
     [
diff --git a/packages/extended-data/tests/examples/test_safe_examples.py b/packages/extended-data/tests/examples/test_safe_examples.py
index 92ea684..cc98a41 100644
--- a/packages/extended-data/tests/examples/test_safe_examples.py
+++ b/packages/extended-data/tests/examples/test_safe_examples.py
@@ -64,6 +64,13 @@ def _readme_usage_snippet() -> str:
     return match.group("code")
 
 
+def _markdown_python_block(path: Path, block_number: int) -> str:
+    """Return a one-based Python fence from a public Markdown document."""
+    blocks = [match.group("code") for match in PYTHON_MARKDOWN_BLOCK_RE.finditer(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))]
+    assert len(blocks) >= block_number, f"{path} is missing Python block {block_number}"
+    return blocks[block_number - 1]
+
+
 def _rst_python_code_blocks(text: str) -> list[str]:
     blocks: list[str] = []
     lines = text.splitlines()
@@ -155,6 +162,34 @@ def test_readme_usage_snippet_runs(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert result.returncode == 0, f"README usage snippet failed\nSTDOUT:\n{result.stdout}\nSTDERR:\n{result.stderr}"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("markdown_path", "block_number"),
+    [
+        (WORKSPACE_ROOT / "README.md", 1),
+        (WORKSPACE_ROOT / "docs" / "guides" / "getting-started.md", 1),
+        (WORKSPACE_ROOT / "docs" / "guides" / "agentic-consumers.md", 1),
+    ],
+)
+def test_public_quickstart_snippets_run(markdown_path: Path, block_number: int, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Keep the primary human and agent-facing quickstarts executable."""
+    env = os.environ.copy()
+    env.pop("OVERRIDE_STDIN", None)
+
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        [sys.executable, "-c", _markdown_python_block(markdown_path, block_number)],
+        cwd=tmp_path,
+        env=env,
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        timeout=15,
+        check=False,
+    )
+
+    assert result.returncode == 0, (
+        f"{markdown_path.name} Python block {block_number} failed\nSTDOUT:\n{result.stdout}\nSTDERR:\n{result.stderr}"
+    )
+
+
 def test_documentation_python_snippets_compile() -> None:
     """Documentation snippets may be conceptual, but they should remain valid Python."""
     markdown_paths = [REPO_ROOT / "README.md"]
diff --git a/packages/pytest-extended-data/README.md b/packages/pytest-extended-data/README.md
index afdbce2..ef1eab3 100644
--- a/packages/pytest-extended-data/README.md
+++ b/packages/pytest-extended-data/README.md
@@ -16,3 +16,22 @@ The plugin is exposed through the standard `pytest11` entry point. It provides:
 - `extended_data_value`: the payload wrapped as an `ExtendedData` value.
 - `assert_extended_shape(value, shape)`: assertion helper for shape checks.
 - `assert_builtin_round_trip(value, expected)`: assertion helper for export-boundary checks.
+
+Use the fixtures as consumer-facing contract checks, rather than duplicating
+private container implementation details in every downstream package:
+
+```python
+def test_configuration_boundary(extended_data_value):
+    assert extended_data_value["service"]["name"] == "api"
+    assert extended_data_value.as_builtin() == {
+        "service": {"name": "api", "ports": [8080, 8443]},
+        "enabled": True,
+    }
+```
+
+The runtime package deliberately has no pytest plugin. Install this package
+only in test environments so production dependencies remain focused on data
+handling.
+
+See the [Package Surface guide](https://extended-data.dev/guides/package-surface.html)
+for the runtime and plugin split.
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index b518f06..68cc6ba 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "extended-data"
-version = "8.5.0"
+version = "8.5.1"
 source = { editable = "packages/extended-data" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "deepmerge" },
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ requires-dist = [
     { name = "coverage", extras = ["toml"], marker = "extra == 'tests'", specifier = ">=7.6.0" },
     { name = "deepmerge", specifier = ">=2.0" },
     { name = "extended-data", extras = ["tests", "typing"], marker = "extra == 'dev'", editable = "packages/extended-data" },
-    { name = "gitpython", specifier = ">=3.1.54" },
+    { name = "gitpython", specifier = ">=3.1.58" },
     { name = "hypothesis", marker = "extra == 'tests'", specifier = ">=6.100.2" },
     { name = "inflection", specifier = ">=0.5.1" },
     { name = "mypy", marker = "extra == 'typing'", specifier = ">=1.20.1" },
@@ -506,14 +506,14 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "gitpython"
-version = "3.1.54"
+version = "3.1.59"
 source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "gitdb" },
 ]
-sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/5e/d5/3da0b92033887033f4c27f2dd109a303c4ca62813c7b3bb2511edb4777de/gitpython-3.1.54.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:53f2085e24a2cda300eed7c3fc5f1559ae289634b725e98acaf4791940247aa0", size = 225076, upload-time = "2026-07-22T04:08:51.403Z" }
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/ca/dc/126b28e76b24a9268ba931ad3e012f71ebdadf62fd9f17758f7074bb0b20/gitpython-3.1.59.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:0a1475cfdc38a5bfba1a3e9a4a9da52a39749ecec322b772915c019f94e5b7e4", size = 230445, upload-time = "2026-08-10T12:03:20.271Z" }
 wheels = [
-    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/d1/b9/876f442a28df5c068ca69b0122d5c35e65fd2d2fa9992ea5cb5944ea00a6/gitpython-3.1.54-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:b90d7b3d9bc0238681d24369130826f0dcdb0ceaa45db67cf1d4ffa4c302dedf", size = 216575, upload-time = "2026-07-22T04:08:50.05Z" },
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/ef/ed/ae57eb7d344f43f87b74b3a281ead6ec7d6394eef72a7b1dcb28dd089550/gitpython-3.1.59-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:67a82f537384578643624c8b2c531938a9b82be431663e575dcf638526631d4c", size = 220996, upload-time = "2026-08-10T12:03:18.804Z" },
 ]
 
 [[package]]