diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index fb6a13a..b767b7d 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 Repository guidance for AI coding assistants and maintainers working on
 Threadmark.
 
-**Last updated:** 2026-05-19
+**Last updated:** 2026-05-21
 
 ## 1. Project Contract
 
@@ -131,6 +131,13 @@ git status --short --branch
 git log --oneline -10
 ```
 
+Use pull requests for repository changes instead of committing directly to
+`main`. Threadmark has a soft Hermes review loop that scans open PRs and
+privately reports on new PR head SHAs. It is advisory only: Hermes does not post
+to GitHub, approve, request changes, merge, commit, or push. The PR flow is
+still required because the review loop only sees open PRs. Maintainer-directed
+release or repository operations may still happen directly on `main`.
+
 Prefer focused changes that match existing package boundaries. Use `rg` for
 search. Respect `.gitignore`; generated artifacts, build output, and
 machine-local configuration are not source.
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 7239b5e..1724fa3 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -54,20 +54,38 @@ bin/threadmark install
 threadmark daemon restart
 ```
 
+## Pull Request Flow
+
+Use pull requests for normal repository changes. Direct commits to `main` should
+be reserved for maintainer-directed release or repository operations.
+
+Threadmark has a soft Hermes review loop for open pull requests. Hermes scans
+open PRs periodically and privately reviews PR head SHAs it has not seen before.
+If a PR gets new commits, Hermes should review the new head on the next scan. If
+no open PRs need review, it stays quiet.
+
+Hermes is advisory only. It does not post to GitHub, approve, request changes,
+merge, commit, or push. Maintainers and contributors remain responsible for
+deciding what to change and when to merge. The PR flow is still important
+because it gives the review loop something to inspect.
+
 ## Release Preparation
 
 Releases are prepared locally before the GitHub release workflow runs. The
 workflow is triggered by pushing a `v*` tag, so the source tree must already be
 stamped and tagged correctly before that push.
 
-The source-stamped version lives in one file:
+The source-stamped version lives in:
 
 ```text
 internal/buildinfo/version.go
+docs/index.html
 ```
 
-Both `threadmark` and `threadmarkd` read that value. Journal frontmatter also
-records that value when the daemon writes an entry.
+Both `threadmark` and `threadmarkd` read the value from
+`internal/buildinfo/version.go`. Journal frontmatter also records that value
+when the daemon writes an entry. The GitHub Pages landing page uses the
+`docs/index.html` stamp for its latest-release badge.
 
 GoReleaser stamps the same variable when it builds release archives:
 
@@ -86,8 +104,9 @@ scripts/prepare-release.sh v0.1.0
 ```
 
 The script requires a clean worktree on `main`, stamps
-`internal/buildinfo/version.go`, runs the release checks, commits the stamp, and
-creates an annotated local tag. It does not push.
+`internal/buildinfo/version.go` and the GitHub Pages release badge, runs the
+release checks, commits the stamp, and creates an annotated local tag. It does
+not push.
 
 Push in this order: