diff --git a/.github/labeler.yml b/.github/labeler.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e2314758
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/labeler.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# Copyright 2026 ResQ Software
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Path-based PR auto-labeling rules consumed by .github/workflows/labeler.yml
+# (actions/labeler@v5 schema). Keys are label names; values are file globs.
+
+'area:api':
+  - changed-files:
+      - any-glob-to-any-file:
+          - 'api-reference/**'
+          - 'specs/**'
+
+'area:i18n':
+  - changed-files:
+      - any-glob-to-any-file:
+          - 'ar/**'
+          - 'es/**'
+          - 'hi/**'
+          - 'zh/**'
+
+'area:ci':
+  - changed-files:
+      - any-glob-to-any-file:
+          - '.github/**'
+
+'area:design':
+  - changed-files:
+      - any-glob-to-any-file:
+          - 'custom.css'
+          - 'assets/**'
+          - 'logo/**'
+          - 'favicon.svg'
+
+'area:pwa':
+  - changed-files:
+      - any-glob-to-any-file:
+          - 'manifest.webmanifest'
+          - 'pwa/**'
+
+'area:content':
+  - changed-files:
+      - any-glob-to-any-file:
+          - '**/*.mdx'
+          - '**/*.md'
+      # Scope out paths owned by other labels so a single PR doesn't
+      # collect three labels for the same change.
+      - all-globs-to-all-files:
+          - '!api-reference/**'
+          - '!specs/**'
+          - '!ar/**'
+          - '!es/**'
+          - '!hi/**'
+          - '!zh/**'
+          - '!.github/**'
+          - '!AGENTS.md'
+          - '!CONTRIBUTING.md'
+          - '!README.md'
+          - '!LICENSE'
+
+'area:meta':
+  - changed-files:
+      - any-glob-to-any-file:
+          - 'docs.json'
+          - 'AGENTS.md'
+          - 'CONTRIBUTING.md'
+          - 'README.md'
+          - 'LICENSE'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/i18n-parity.yml b/.github/workflows/i18n-parity.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4a6e4bc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/i18n-parity.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+# Copyright 2026 ResQ Software
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# i18n parity check — informational only. Reports MDX/MD files in the
+# default-language tree that are missing from each locale (ar, es, hi,
+# zh). Does not block merges; translations lag deliberately.
+
+name: i18n parity
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - '**/*.mdx'
+      - '**/*.md'
+      - 'ar/**'
+      - 'es/**'
+      - 'hi/**'
+      - 'zh/**'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  parity:
+    name: locale parity
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Compare locale trees
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          locales=(ar es hi zh)
+          mapfile -t base < <(
+            find . -type f \( -name '*.mdx' -o -name '*.md' \) \
+              -not -path './ar/*' \
+              -not -path './es/*' \
+              -not -path './hi/*' \
+              -not -path './zh/*' \
+              -not -path './.github/*' \
+              -not -path './node_modules/*' \
+              -not -name 'README.md' \
+              -not -name 'AGENTS.md' \
+              -not -name 'CONTRIBUTING.md' \
+              | sed 's|^\./||' | sort
+          )
+          echo "base files: ${#base[@]}"
+          {
+            echo "## i18n parity report"
+            echo
+            echo "Base tree: ${#base[@]} translatable file(s)"
+            echo
+            for locale in "${locales[@]}"; do
+              if [[ ! -d "$locale" ]]; then
+                echo "- \`$locale/\` — locale directory missing"
+                continue
+              fi
+              missing=0
+              missing_list=""
+              for rel in "${base[@]}"; do
+                if [[ ! -f "$locale/$rel" ]]; then
+                  missing=$((missing+1))
+                  missing_list+="  - \`$locale/$rel\`"$'\n'
+                fi
+              done
+              total=${#base[@]}
+              translated=$((total - missing))
+              echo "- \`$locale/\` — $translated / $total translated ($missing missing)"
+              if (( missing > 0 )); then
+                echo
+                printf '%s' "$missing_list"
+              fi
+            done
+          } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+          echo "report written to step summary"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/labeler.yml b/.github/workflows/labeler.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..90cd7abf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/labeler.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Copyright 2026 ResQ Software
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Auto-label PRs by changed paths. Rules live in .github/labeler.yml.
+# Uses `pull_request_target` so forks get labeled too — this is safe
+# because the action only reads file paths, never executes PR code.
+
+name: labeler
+
+on:
+  pull_request_target:
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+  pull-requests: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  label:
+    name: label
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/labeler@v5
+        with:
+          configuration-path: .github/labeler.yml
+          sync-labels: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lychee.yml b/.github/workflows/lychee.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..874d4a44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/lychee.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# Copyright 2026 ResQ Software
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# External link checker. Scheduled weekly + on-demand only — external
+# link flake (rate limits, CDN hiccups) makes this unsuitable as a
+# blocking PR gate. Internal MDX link integrity is enforced by
+# `mint broken-links` in required.yml.
+
+name: lychee
+
+on:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '23 7 * * 1'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  links:
+    name: lychee (external links)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Restore lychee cache
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: .lycheecache
+          key: cache-lychee-${{ github.sha }}
+          restore-keys: cache-lychee-
+
+      - name: Run lychee
+        uses: lycheeverse/lychee-action@v2
+        with:
+          args: >-
+            --cache
+            --max-cache-age 1d
+            --no-progress
+            --exclude-mail
+            --accept 200,204,206,429
+            --max-retries 2
+            --retry-wait-time 5
+            './**/*.md'
+            './**/*.mdx'
+            './docs.json'
+          fail: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/required.yml b/.github/workflows/required.yml
index 7c3d2ec2..af62ad03 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/required.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/required.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 # Copyright 2026 ResQ Software
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 #
-# Minimal `required` status-check emitter — placeholder to satisfy the
-# org ruleset `default-branch-baseline` (id 15191038) while
-# language-specific reusable CI for this repo is still pending. Harden
-# this job (add `needs:` on real CI jobs) before the ruleset flips from
-# evaluate to active.
+# `required` status check — single aggregate gate referenced by the org
+# ruleset (default-branch-baseline). Real CI jobs run in parallel, and
+# the `required` job fails unless every dependency succeeds. Add new
+# blocking docs jobs to `needs:` rather than a new workflow, so the
+# protection contract stays one check.
 
 name: required
 
@@ -22,8 +22,84 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+  mintlify:
+    name: mintlify (broken links)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: '20'
+      - name: Install Mintlify CLI
+        run: npm install -g mint
+      - name: Check broken internal links
+        run: mint broken-links
+
+  spectral:
+    name: spectral (OpenAPI lint)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Advisory: action ref hardening will be handled by Dependabot SHA-pin PRs.
+    continue-on-error: true
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Lint OpenAPI specs
+        uses: stoplightio/spectral-action@v0.8.13 # TODO: dependabot will SHA-pin
+        with:
+          file_glob: 'specs/*.json'
+
+  pwa-manifest:
+    name: pwa manifest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Validate manifest.webmanifest
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          f=manifest.webmanifest
+          if [[ ! -f "$f" ]]; then
+            echo "::notice::$f not on this branch — skipping validation (manifest lives in feat/brand-assets PR)"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          jq -e . "$f" > /dev/null || { echo "::error::$f is not valid JSON"; exit 1; }
+          for field in name short_name start_url display icons; do
+            if ! jq -e "has(\"$field\")" "$f" > /dev/null; then
+              echo "::error::manifest missing required field: $field"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          done
+          mapfile -t srcs < <(jq -r '.icons[].src' "$f")
+          missing=0
+          for src in "${srcs[@]}"; do
+            path="${src#/}"
+            if [[ ! -f "$path" ]]; then
+              echo "::error::icon path not found on disk: $src"
+              missing=$((missing+1))
+            fi
+          done
+          if (( missing > 0 )); then
+            echo "::error::$missing icon(s) missing"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "manifest valid: ${#srcs[@]} icons resolved"
+
   required:
     name: required
+    needs: [mintlify, spectral, pwa-manifest]
+    if: always()
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - run: echo "ok — placeholder until language CI lands"
+      - name: Verify all gates passed
+        run: |
+          # spectral remains advisory (continue-on-error) until the action ref
+          # is verified post-Dependabot SHA-pin.
+          mintlify="${{ needs.mintlify.result }}"
+          spectral="${{ needs.spectral.result }}"
+          pwa="${{ needs.pwa-manifest.result }}"
+          echo "mintlify:            $mintlify"
+          echo "spectral (advisory): $spectral"
+          echo "pwa-manifest:        $pwa"
+          if [[ "$mintlify" != "success" || "$pwa" != "success" ]]; then
+            echo "::error::One or more required gates failed"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "All required gates passed"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale.yml b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..de808e6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# Copyright 2026 ResQ Software
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Stale issue/PR closer. Issues idle for 60 days get the `stale` label
+# and a nudge; closed 14 days later if still untouched. PRs are tighter
+# (30 + 14). Pinned, security, and roadmap items are exempt.
+
+name: stale
+
+on:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '12 1 * * *'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  issues: write
+  pull-requests: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  stale:
+    name: stale
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/stale@v9
+        with:
+          days-before-issue-stale: 60
+          days-before-issue-close: 14
+          days-before-pr-stale: 30
+          days-before-pr-close: 14
+          stale-issue-label: stale
+          stale-pr-label: stale
+          exempt-issue-labels: 'pinned,security,roadmap'
+          exempt-pr-labels: 'pinned,security'
+          stale-issue-message: |
+            This issue has been inactive for 60 days and is now marked stale.
+            It will be closed in 14 days unless there is new activity.
+          stale-pr-message: |
+            This PR has been inactive for 30 days and is now marked stale.
+            It will be closed in 14 days unless updated. Rebase or comment
+            to keep it open.
+          close-issue-message: Closed due to inactivity. Reopen if still relevant.
+          close-pr-message: Closed due to inactivity. Reopen and rebase to continue.
+          operations-per-run: 100