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+# FPGA synthesis automation guardrails
+
+This page defines the planning boundary for FPGA synthesis automation across
+the pccx Lab, Trace, and workflow surfaces. It is a guardrail note for evidence
+handling and flow orchestration before hosted execution paths are enabled.
+
+## Product boundary
+
+pccx can prepare synthesis plans, validate evidence, and summarize tool
+reports. Commercial FPGA implementation suites and cloud FPGA image flows stay
+behind explicit execution boundaries: user-owned environments, approved
+isolated workers, or prebuilt accelerator artifacts.
+
+The default product shape is artifact-first:
+
+- generate project scripts, constraints, and review packets
+- run open preflight checks where the target is supported
+- import simulation, timing, design-rule, waveform, and board-smoke artifacts
+- classify blockers before expensive implementation work begins
+- keep customer source, commercial tool access material, and raw board captures
+  out of shared reference material
+
+## Flow presets
+
+The workflow surface should expose execution modes as separate presets instead
+of one generic synthesis action.
+
+| Preset | Purpose | Execution boundary |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Artifact-first | Generate scripts and ingest reports | Planning and artifact review |
+| Open preflight | Run parser, lint, and structural checks | Open adapters only |
+| Local BYOL | Prepare commands for a user-owned tool install | Explicit preview and opt-in |
+| Dedicated worker | Execute in an approved isolated environment | Tenant-isolated path |
+| Cloud image handoff | Prepare image-flow artifacts for a user-owned cloud account | User owns account and billing |
+| Prebuilt accelerator | Analyze PCCX-owned accelerator artifacts | PCCX-owned build artifacts only |
+
+## Preflight rules
+
+The synthesis request should be blocked before dispatch when a required
+precondition is missing.
+
+| Rule | Blocks | Expected output |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `fpga.interface.modport_compat` | Interface names or exposed types that cannot be packaged by the selected flow | failing interface, top, and suggested wrapper action |
+| `fpga.top.wrapper_required` | A typed top that cannot be consumed by the selected integration path | plain wrapper requirement |
+| `fpga.ooc.final_artifact_gate` | Requesting final hardware output from an out-of-context module run | integration-stage handoff |
+| `fpga.axis.single_ready_driver` | Multiple consumers driving one stream-ready signal | mux, demux, or arbitration requirement |
+| `fpga.status.polling_semantics` | Host polling status exposed as a lossy event queue | latest or sticky status-register requirement |
+| `fpga.timing.evidence_ladder` | Treating synthesis completion as timing closure | stage-specific timing state |
+| `fpga.runtime.dma_provider_required` | Runtime test requesting physical DMA without a verified provider | provider fields or sysfs evidence |
+| `fpga.artifact.source_of_truth` | Stale status files conflicting with canonical reports | canonical evidence list |
+| `fpga.license.execution_boundary` | Unapproved commercial tool execution | blocked license state |
+| `fpga.security.customer_artifact_policy` | Customer source or raw captures entering shared material | retention and redaction action |
+
+## Evidence states
+
+Do not collapse FPGA progress into a single pass/fail label. The review packet
+should carry separate states for:
+
+- parser and lint status
+- simulation status
+- out-of-context synthesis status
+- integration status
+- implementation status
+- timing status
+- design-rule status
+- final artifact status
+- runtime smoke status
+- throughput evidence status
+
+Use blocked states when evidence is absent. A successful early stage must not
+be promoted beyond its own stage until final artifacts and runtime smoke
+evidence are present.
+
+## Queue model
+
+Each synthesis request should become a job graph. The first implementation can
+be planning-only, but the job shape should already match the future worker pool.
+
+Required job fields:
+
+- `job_id`
+- `target_ref`
+- `flow_preset`
+- `target_part_class`
+- `tool_policy`
+- `artifact_policy`
+- `state`
+- `blocking_rules`
+- `evidence_refs`
+
+Long-running implementation stages should run only in isolated work directories
+with command allowlists, timeouts, cancellation, and log redaction.
+
+## Trace and Evolve integration
+
+Trace should show synthesis automation as an evidence timeline with each
+hardware stage labeled separately. Recommended event groups:
+
+- `preflight`
+- `simulation`
+- `ooc_synthesis`
+- `integration`
+- `implementation`
+- `timing`
+- `design_rules`
+- `runtime_smoke`
+- `blocked`
+
+Evolve may propose RTL or constraint candidates only when the guardrails remain
+satisfied. Candidate scoring should reward timing improvement, regression
+preservation, single-driver interfaces, stable host-visible status semantics,
+and complete evidence. It should heavily penalize missing runtime providers,
+multi-driver introductions, incomplete stage evidence, and license-boundary
+violations.
+
+## Initial review packet shape
+
+```json
+{
+  "flow": "fpga_synthesis_preflight.v0",
+  "state": "blocked",
+  "flowPreset": "artifact-first",
+  "blockingRules": [
+    "fpga.ooc.final_artifact_gate",
+    "fpga.runtime.dma_provider_required"
+  ],
+  "evidenceRequired": [
+    "post_implementation_timing_report",
+    "design_rule_report",
+    "dma_provider"
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+The packet is deliberately data-only. It records requested actions and evidence
+requirements while commercial execution, hardware access, source publication,
+and repository mutation remain behind explicit approval boundaries.
diff --git a/docs/Lab/index.rst b/docs/Lab/index.rst
index 3ef1e56c..0d2cdba3 100644
--- a/docs/Lab/index.rst
+++ b/docs/Lab/index.rst
@@ -53,6 +53,13 @@ For the user-facing desktop app itself, see the separate
       ``generate_uvm_sequence``, ``list_uvm_strategies``) and the
       Phase 2 ``pccx-lsp`` provider traits + ``LspMultiplexer``.
 
+   .. grid-item-card:: :octicon:`shield-check;1em;sd-mr-1` FPGA synthesis guardrails
+      :link: fpga-synthesis-automation-guardrails
+      :link-type: doc
+
+      Artifact-first synthesis automation boundaries, preflight rules,
+      evidence states, queue fields, and Trace/Evolve review packet shape.
+
    .. grid-item-card:: :octicon:`milestone;1em;sd-mr-1` Research lineage
       :link: research
       :link-type: doc
@@ -70,6 +77,7 @@ For the user-facing desktop app itself, see the separate
    cli
    analyzer_api
    workflow_facade
+   fpga-synthesis-automation-guardrails
    research
    panels
    ipc