diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3fb0e24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# gitea
+
+Read `AI.md` and `IDEA.md` before acting on this project.
diff --git a/IDEA.md b/IDEA.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a163677
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IDEA.md
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# IDEA.md
+
+## Project variables
+
+project_name: gitea
+project_org: casjaysdevdocker
+internal_name: gitea
+internal_org: casjaysdevdocker
+
+## Notes
+
+Docker image project — containerized Gitea for `casjaysdevdocker/gitea`.
+Generated and maintained via the CasjaysDev `gen-dockerfile`/`gen-script` template
+system (`casjay-dotfiles/scripts`). `AI.md` in this repo is not a PART 0-6
+scaffold spec — it is a permanent maintenance runbook (Steps 1-9) for re-syncing
+generated files whenever the upstream templates change.