diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 199e310..398cfc9 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -4,15 +4,20 @@ This file provides guidance to Claude Code (claude.ai/code) when working with co
 
 ## Overview
 
-**CascadingDev (CDev)** is a Git-native AI-human collaboration framework that automates documentation, discussion summaries, and code review directly within repositories. It's a tooling project that generates installer bundles which users run to scaffold new projects with the CDev workflow.
+**CascadingDev (CDev) - Simplified** is the core of a Git-native AI-human collaboration framework. This simplified version focuses on:
+
+- Git pre-commit hooks with safety checks
+- Cascading `.ai-rules.yml` system
+- Ramble GUI for structured feature requests
+- Installer bundle generation
+
+For advanced discussion orchestration, see [Orchestrated Discussions](https://gitea.brrd.tech/rob/orchestrated-discussions).
 
 ### Key Concept: Two Repositories
 
 - **CascadingDev repo** (this codebase): The tooling that builds installer bundles
 - **User's project repo**: A new repository scaffolded by running the installer bundle
 
-This CLAUDE.md describes working on the CascadingDev tooling itself.
-
 ## Repository Architecture
 
 ### Directory Structure
@@ -33,28 +38,13 @@ CascadingDev/
 │       └── create_feature.py # CLI for feature creation
 ├── tools/                   # Build and test scripts
 │   ├── build_installer.py   # Creates install/ bundle
-│   ├── bundle_smoke.py      # End-to-end installer test
 │   └── smoke_test.py        # Basic validation
 ├── install/                 # Build output (git-ignored)
-│   └── cascadingdev-<ver>/  # Distributable installer bundle
-├── docs/                    # System design documentation
-│   ├── DESIGN.md            # Comprehensive architecture doc
-│   └── INSTALL.md           # Installation instructions
-└── VERSION                  # Semantic version (e.g., 0.1.0)
+└── VERSION                  # Semantic version
 ```
 
-### Core Workflow
-
-1. **Development**: Modify code in `src/cascadingdev/` or assets in `assets/`
-2. **Build**: Run `cdev build` to create installer bundle in `install/cascadingdev-<ver>/`
-3. **Test**: Run `cdev smoke` or `cdev bundle-smoke` to validate
-4. **Package**: Run `cdev pack` to create distributable ZIP
-5. **Release**: Run `cdev release --kind [major|minor|patch]` to bump version and rebuild
-
 ## Common Commands
 
-### Development Workflow
-
 ```bash
 # Initial setup
 python3 -m venv .venv
@@ -64,84 +54,13 @@ pip install --upgrade pip wheel PySide6
 # Install in development mode
 pip install -e .
 
-# Check environment and required files
-cdev doctor
-
-# Build the installer bundle (without version bump)
+# Build the installer bundle
 cdev build
 
-# Run basic validation
-cdev smoke
-
-# Bump version and rebuild (default: patch)
-cdev release --kind [major|minor|patch]
-
-# Create distributable ZIP
-cdev pack
-
-# Test the bundle end-to-end
-cdev bundle-smoke --keep --target /tmp/test-project
-```
-
-### Testing the Installer
-
-```bash
-# Build and test-install into a temporary folder
-cdev build
+# Test-install into a temporary folder
 python install/cascadingdev-*/setup_cascadingdev.py --target /tmp/myproject --no-ramble
-
-# Or use bundle-smoke for automated testing
-cdev bundle-smoke --target /tmp/test --keep
 ```
 
-### Working with Git
-
-The current branch is `converge-cli`. This repository doesn't have a configured main branch, so when creating PRs, verify the target branch with the maintainer.
-
-## Build System
-
-### How the Build Works
-
-The build process (`tools/build_installer.py`) creates a standalone installer bundle:
-
-1. Reads version from `VERSION` file
-2. Creates `install/cascadingdev-<version>/` directory
-3. Copies essential files from `assets/` to bundle:
-   - Templates (*.md, policies.yml, .ai-rules.yml)
-   - Git hooks (pre-commit)
-   - Runtime scripts (ramble.py, create_feature.py)
-4. Copies `src/cascadingdev/setup_project.py` as the installer entry point
-5. Creates bundle-local `INSTALL.md` and `VERSION`
-
-**Important**: All user-facing files must live in `assets/`. The build script is the single point that defines what gets shipped.
-
-### Bundle Contents
-
-The installer bundle is self-contained and requires only Python 3.10+ stdlib (PySide6 optional for GUI):
-
-- `setup_cascadingdev.py` - Main installer script
-- `ramble.py` - Optional GUI for creating first feature
-- `create_feature.py` - CLI tool for creating features (also copied to user projects)
-- `assets/` - All templates, hooks, and configuration files
-- `VERSION` - Version metadata
-- `INSTALL.md` - Bundle-local instructions
-
-### What Gets Shipped vs. What Stays
-
-**Shipped to user projects:**
-- `USER_GUIDE.md` - Daily usage instructions
-- `.ai-rules.yml` - Cascading rules system configuration
-- `pre-commit` hook - Discussion/summary automation
-- Feature templates (feature_request.md, discussion templates)
-- `policies.yml` - Process configuration
-- `create_feature.py` - Feature creation tool
-
-**Stays in CascadingDev repo:**
-- `DESIGN.md` - System architecture (27k+ tokens)
-- `README.md` - Project overview
-- Development tools and tests
-- Source code in `src/`
-
 ## Key Concepts
 
 ### Cascading Rules System
@@ -154,183 +73,29 @@ Rules are hierarchical: nearest file takes precedence.
 
 ### Pre-commit Hook
 
-The bash pre-commit hook (`assets/hooks/pre-commit`) is the core automation engine:
+The bash pre-commit hook (`assets/hooks/pre-commit`) provides:
 - Scans for potential secrets (blocks commit on match)
 - Ensures discussion files have companion `.sum.md` summary files
-- Creates summary templates with marker blocks for AI-maintained content
+- Uses flock to prevent git corruption from concurrent commits
 - Fast and lightweight (pure bash, no Python dependencies)
 
-### Stage-Per-Discussion Model
+Environment variables:
+- `CDEV_SKIP_HOOK=1` - Skip all hook checks
+- `CDEV_SKIP_SUMMARIES=1` - Skip summary file generation
 
-User projects organize features into stages with separate discussion files:
-- `feature.discussion.md` - Initial feature discussion
-- `design.discussion.md` - Design discussion
-- `implementation.discussion.md` - Implementation tracking
-- `testing.discussion.md` - Test planning
-- `review.discussion.md` - Final review
+### Build System
 
-Each has a `.sum.md` companion maintained by the hook.
+The build process (`tools/build_installer.py`) creates a standalone installer bundle:
+1. Reads version from `VERSION` file
+2. Creates `install/cascadingdev-<version>/` directory
+3. Copies essential files from `assets/` to bundle
+4. Copies `src/cascadingdev/setup_project.py` as the installer entry point
 
-### Installation Flow
+## Related Projects
 
-When a user runs `setup_cascadingdev.py`:
-1. Prompts for target directory (or uses `--target`)
-2. Creates canonical folder structure (Docs/features/, process/, etc.)
-3. Copies templates and hooks from bundle
-4. Initializes git repository
-5. Installs pre-commit hook
-6. Optionally launches Ramble GUI for first feature request
-7. Creates initial commit to activate the hook
+This project is part of a stack:
 
-## Python Module Structure
-
-### `src/cascadingdev/cli.py`
-
-Main CLI entry point registered as `cdev` command in pyproject.toml.
-
-Commands:
-- `doctor` - Validate environment and required files
-- `smoke` - Run basic smoke tests
-- `build` - Build installer bundle
-- `release` - Bump version and rebuild
-- `pack` - Create distributable ZIP
-- `bundle-smoke` - End-to-end installer validation
-
-### `src/cascadingdev/setup_project.py`
-
-Standalone installer script (copied to bundle as `setup_cascadingdev.py`). Must work with stdlib only.
-
-Key functions:
-- `ensure_dir()`, `write_if_missing()`, `copy_if_missing()` - File operations
-- `load_template_with_meta()` - Parse templates with JSON metadata
-- `render_placeholders()` - Simple {Token} replacement
-- `meta_ramble_config()` - Extract Ramble GUI configuration from template metadata
-
-### `src/cascadingdev/utils.py`
-
-Shared utilities for version management and subprocess execution.
-
-## Design Philosophy
-
-### Git-Native
-
-Everything lives in Git as Markdown. No external databases, dashboards, or SaaS dependencies.
-
-### Self-Documenting
-
-The first feature request in a user's project defines the entire project. Subsequent features extend that foundation.
-
-### Deterministic & Reproducible
-
-The installer bundle is unzip-and-run. No network dependencies during installation (except optional PySide6).
-
-### Lightweight & Fast
-
-Pre-commit hook is pure bash for speed. Python orchestration is optional and non-blocking.
-
-## Important Notes
-
-### When Modifying Templates
-
-After changing any file in `assets/`, you must rebuild:
-```bash
-cdev build
-```
-
-The build script copies from `assets/` to `install/`. Changes don't take effect until rebuilt.
-
-### When Adding New Templates
-
-1. Add template to `assets/templates/`
-2. Update `tools/build_installer.py` to copy it
-3. Update `src/cascadingdev/setup_project.py` if installer needs to process it
-4. Rebuild and test with `cdev build && cdev bundle-smoke`
-
-### Secret Detection
-
-The pre-commit hook includes basic secret scanning using regex patterns. It blocks commits containing:
-- API keys (`api_key`, `api-key`)
-- Secrets (`secret`)
-- Access tokens (`access_token`, `access-token`)
-- Private keys (`private_key`, `private-key`)
-
-Followed by 12+ alphanumeric characters. Use `--no-verify` for false positives, but add proper allowlisting.
-
-### Python Version Requirement
-
-Minimum Python 3.10 required. The installer uses modern type hints and f-strings.
-
-## Architecture Patterns
-
-### Assets as Single Source of Truth
-
-All shipped files originate in `assets/`. The build process is the only consumer. This ensures:
-- No duplicate maintenance
-- Clear separation of dev vs. shipped files
-- Easy auditing of what gets distributed
-
-### Bundle Installer Pattern
-
-The installer is self-contained and portable:
-- Single entry point (`setup_cascadingdev.py`)
-- Stdlib-only dependencies (except optional GUI)
-- Embeds all necessary assets
-- Can be zipped and distributed
-
-### Template Metadata System
-
-Templates can include JSON metadata in HTML comments:
-```markdown
-<!--META {"fields": ["title", "author"], "validators": {"title": "required"}} -->
-```
-
-The installer extracts metadata to configure Ramble GUI forms without hardcoding.
-
-## Common Development Patterns
-
-### Adding a New CLI Command
-
-1. Edit `src/cascadingdev/cli.py`
-2. Add subparser with `sub.add_parser("command_name", help="...")`
-3. Handle in main() with `if args.cmd == "command_name":`
-4. Create corresponding tool script in `tools/` if needed
-
-### Modifying the Pre-commit Hook
-
-1. Edit `assets/hooks/pre-commit` (bash script)
-2. Test locally by copying to a test repo's `.git/hooks/`
-3. Rebuild bundle with `cdev build`
-4. Test with `cdev bundle-smoke`
-
-### Testing Changes
-
-Always test in a fresh project:
-```bash
-cdev build
-cdev bundle-smoke --target /tmp/test-$(date +%s) --keep
-cd /tmp/test-*
-# Verify the installation worked correctly
-```
-
-## Maintenance Notes
-
-### Version Management
-
-Version is stored in `VERSION` file at repo root. Use `cdev release` to bump:
-- `--kind major` - Breaking changes (0.1.0 → 1.0.0)
-- `--kind minor` - New features (0.1.0 → 0.2.0)
-- `--kind patch` - Bug fixes (0.1.0 → 0.1.1)
-
-### Documentation
-
-- `DESIGN.md` - Comprehensive system design (very large, 27k+ tokens)
-- `README.md` - Public-facing overview
-- `USER_GUIDE.md` - Shipped to user projects, daily usage instructions
-- `CLAUDE.md` - This file, for AI assistant context
-
-### When DESIGN.md Is Too Large
-
-The design document is extensive. For specific questions:
-- Read specific sections with offset/limit parameters
-- Focus on repository structure and workflow sections
-- Refer to code comments in `setup_project.py` for installation details
+1. **[SmartTools](https://gitea.brrd.tech/rob/SmartTools)** - AI provider abstraction
+2. **[Orchestrated Discussions](https://gitea.brrd.tech/rob/orchestrated-discussions)** - Multi-agent discussion orchestration
+3. **[Ramble](https://gitea.brrd.tech/rob/ramble)** - AI-powered structured field extraction GUI
+4. **[Artifact Editor](https://gitea.brrd.tech/rob/artifact-editor)** - AI-enhanced diagram and model creation
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c98fc9f..1ffec64 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,21 +1,26 @@
-# CascadingDev (CDev)
+# CascadingDev (CDev) - Simplified
 
-**CDev** — short for *Cascading Development* — is a **Git-native AI–human collaboration framework** that automates documentation, discussion summaries, and code review directly within your repository.  
-It lets you build self-documenting projects where AI assists in generating and maintaining feature discussions, design docs, and implementation plans — all version-controlled alongside your code.
+**CDev** — short for *Cascading Development* — is a **Git-native AI–human collaboration framework** that uses git hooks and cascading rules to enhance your development workflow.
+
+This is the **simplified version** focused on core functionality:
+- Git pre-commit hooks with safety checks
+- Cascading `.ai-rules.yml` system
+- Ramble GUI for capturing structured feature requests
+
+For advanced discussion orchestration features, see [Orchestrated Discussions](https://gitea.brrd.tech/rob/orchestrated-discussions).
 
 ---
 
-## ✨ Key Features
-- **Git-Integrated Workflow** — every discussion, decision, and artifact lives in Git.
-- **Cascading Rules System** — nearest `.ai-rules.yml` defines how automation behaves.
-- **Stage-Per-Discussion Model** — separate files for feature, design, implementation, testing, and review.
-- **Pre-commit Hook** — automatically maintains summaries, diagrams, and vote tallies.
-- **Ramble GUI** — friendly PySide6/PyQt5 dialog for capturing structured feature requests.
-- **Deterministic Builds** — a reproducible installer bundle you can unzip and run anywhere.
+## Key Features
+
+- **Cascading Rules System** — nearest `.ai-rules.yml` defines behavior at each directory level
+- **Pre-commit Hook** — secret scanning, discussion summary creation, git corruption prevention
+- **Ramble GUI** — PySide6/PyQt5 dialog for capturing structured feature requests
+- **Deterministic Builds** — reproducible installer bundle
 
 ---
 
-## 🚀 Quick Start (Developers)
+## Quick Start
 
 ```bash
 # 1. Create and activate a virtual environment
@@ -26,5 +31,46 @@ pip install --upgrade pip wheel PySide6
 # 2. Build the installer bundle
 python tools/build_installer.py
 
-# 3. Test-install into a temporary folder
-python install/cascadingdev-*/setup_cascadingdev.py --target /tmp/myproject --no-ramble
+# 3. Install into a project folder
+python install/cascadingdev-*/setup_cascadingdev.py --target /path/to/myproject
+```
+
+## Project Structure
+
+```
+CascadingDev/
+├── assets/
+│   ├── hooks/pre-commit     # Git pre-commit hook
+│   ├── runtime/             # Runtime scripts (ramble.py, create_feature.py)
+│   └── templates/           # Discussion and rule templates
+├── src/cascadingdev/        # Python package
+│   ├── setup_project.py     # Project initialization
+│   ├── cli.py               # Command-line interface
+│   └── ...
+├── tools/                   # Build and test tools
+└── docs/                    # Documentation
+```
+
+## Pre-commit Hook Features
+
+The pre-commit hook provides:
+
+1. **Secret Scanning** - Prevents accidental commit of API keys and secrets
+2. **Summary Files** - Auto-creates `.sum.md` companion files for discussions
+3. **Concurrency Safety** - Uses flock to prevent git corruption from parallel commits
+
+Environment variables:
+- `CDEV_SKIP_HOOK=1` - Skip all hook checks
+- `CDEV_SKIP_SUMMARIES=1` - Skip summary file generation
+
+## Related Projects
+
+This project is part of a three-layer stack:
+
+1. **[SmartTools](https://gitea.brrd.tech/rob/SmartTools)** - AI provider abstraction and tool execution
+2. **[Orchestrated Discussions](https://gitea.brrd.tech/rob/orchestrated-discussions)** - Multi-agent discussion orchestration
+3. **[Ramble](https://gitea.brrd.tech/rob/ramble)** - AI-powered structured field extraction GUI
+
+## License
+
+MIT
diff --git a/assets/hooks/pre-commit b/assets/hooks/pre-commit
index 263214d..1bdcb44 100755
--- a/assets/hooks/pre-commit
+++ b/assets/hooks/pre-commit
@@ -1,18 +1,59 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Safety settings: exit on errors, treat unset variables as errors, and catch pipeline failures
+#
+# CascadingDev Pre-commit Hook
+# =============================
+# This hook provides safety checks during git commits.
+#
+# What it does:
+#   1. Scans for potential secrets in staged changes
+#   2. Creates companion summary files (.sum.md) for discussion files
+#
+# Environment Variables:
+#   CDEV_SKIP_HOOK=1      Skip all checks (hook exits immediately)
+#   CDEV_SKIP_SUMMARIES=1 Skip summary file generation
+#
+# Safety: Exits on errors to prevent broken commits
 set -euo pipefail
 
-# Find and navigate to the git repo root (or current dir if not in a repo) so file paths work correctly regardless of where the commit command is run
+if [[ -n "${CDEV_SKIP_HOOK:-}" ]]; then
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Navigate to git repository root so all file paths work correctly
 ROOT="$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || echo ".")"
 cd "$ROOT"
 
+# ============================================================================
+# CRITICAL: Acquire Hook Execution Lock
+# ============================================================================
+# Prevents concurrent hook executions from corrupting Git repository.
+# Race condition scenario:
+#   - Process A runs `git add file1.md`, computes blob SHA, starts writing to .git/objects/
+#   - Process B runs `git add file2.md` concurrently
+#   - Blob object creation fails, leaving orphaned SHA in index
+#   - Result: "error: invalid object 100644 <SHA> for '<file>'"
+#
+# Solution: Use flock to ensure only one hook instance runs at a time.
+# The lock is automatically released when this script exits.
+# ============================================================================
+LOCK_FILE="${ROOT}/.git/hooks/pre-commit.lock"
+exec 9>"$LOCK_FILE"
+
+if ! flock -n 9; then
+  echo >&2 "[pre-commit] Another pre-commit hook is running. Waiting for lock..."
+  flock 9  # Block until lock is available
+  echo >&2 "[pre-commit] Lock acquired, continuing..."
+fi
+
+# Cleanup: Remove lock file on exit
+trap 'rm -f "$LOCK_FILE"' EXIT
+
 # -------- collect staged files ----------
-# Get list of staged added/modified files into STAGED array, exit early if none found
 mapfile -t STAGED < <(git diff --cached --name-only --diff-filter=AM || true)
 [ "${#STAGED[@]}" -eq 0 ] && exit 0
 
 # -------- tiny secret scan (fast, regex only) ----------
-# Abort commit if staged changes contain potential secrets (api keys, tokens, etc.) matching common patterns
+# Abort commit if staged changes contain potential secrets matching common patterns
 DIFF="$(git diff --cached)"
 if echo "$DIFF" | grep -Eqi '(api[_-]?key|secret|access[_-]?token|private[_-]?key)[:=]\s*[A-Za-z0-9_\-]{12,}'; then
   echo >&2 "[pre-commit] Possible secret detected in staged changes."
@@ -21,13 +62,13 @@ if echo "$DIFF" | grep -Eqi '(api[_-]?key|secret|access[_-]?token|private[_-]?ke
 fi
 
 # -------- ensure discussion summaries exist (companion files) ----------
-# Create and auto-stage a summary template file for any discussion file that doesn't already have one
-ensure_summary() {
-  local disc="$1"
-  local dir; dir="$(dirname "$disc")"
-  local sum="$dir/$(basename "$disc" .md).sum.md"
-  if [ ! -f "$sum" ]; then
-    cat > "$sum" <<'EOF'
+if [[ -z "${CDEV_SKIP_SUMMARIES:-}" ]]; then
+  ensure_summary() {
+    local disc="$1"
+    local dir; dir="$(dirname "$disc")"
+    local sum="$dir/$(basename "$disc" .md).sum.md"
+    if [ ! -f "$sum" ]; then
+      cat > "$sum" <<'EOF'
 # Summary — <Stage Title>
 
 <!-- SUMMARY:DECISIONS START -->
@@ -68,21 +109,16 @@ READY: 0 • CHANGES: 0 • REJECT: 0
 - Design/Plan: ../design/design.md
 <!-- SUMMARY:LINKS END -->
 EOF
-    git add "$sum"
-  fi
-}
+      git add "$sum"
+    fi
+  }
 
-# Process each staged discussion file and ensure it has a summary
-for f in "${STAGED[@]}"; do
-  case "$f" in
-    Docs/features/*/discussions/*.discussion.md) ensure_summary "$f";;
-  esac
-done
-
-# -------- future orchestration (non-blocking status) ----------
-# Run workflow status check if available, but don't block commit if it fails
-if [ -x "automation/workflow.py" ]; then
-  python3 automation/workflow.py --status || true
+  # Process each staged discussion file and ensure it has a summary
+  for f in "${STAGED[@]}"; do
+    case "$f" in
+      Docs/features/*/discussions/*.discussion.md) ensure_summary "$f";;
+    esac
+  done
 fi
 
 exit 0