---
phase: 11-developer-guide-api-reference
verified: 2026-03-20T20:00:00Z
status: passed
score: 8/8 must-haves verified
re_verification: false
---

# Phase 11: Developer Guide and API Reference Verification Report

**Phase Goal:** Plugin authors have a complete, accurate reference for every hookspec, custom note type, and config contract — and contributors have an architecture walkthrough that matches the current codebase

**Verified:** 2026-03-20T20:00:00Z
**Status:** PASSED
**Re-verification:** No — initial verification

---

## Goal Achievement

### Observable Truths

| # | Truth | Status | Evidence |
|---|-------|--------|----------|
| 1 | mkdocstrings[python]>=1.0.3 installed as dev dep with paths:[src] and allow_inspection:false | VERIFIED | `pyproject.toml` has `"mkdocstrings[python]>=1.0.3"` in dev group; `mkdocs.yml` block contains `paths: [src]` and `allow_inspection: false` |
| 2 | Plugin author can create a working plugin by following the tutorial (PLUGIN_API_VERSION, post_action, entry point) | VERIFIED | `docs/plugin-guide.md` 719 lines; 8-step tutorial includes complete `MyVaultPlugin` with `PLUGIN_API_VERSION = 1`, `post_action`, `declare_capabilities`, config schema, entry-point registration, and test |
| 3 | Every hookspec has its signature, return type, and behavior documented | VERIFIED | All 16 hookspecs present: 2 generic action (pre/post_action), 2 lifecycle (get_config_schema, initialize), 11 extension register_* hooks in table with return types, 1 security (declare_capabilities); signatures match `hookspecs.py` source |
| 4 | NoteTypeDefinition registration is demonstrated with a concrete example | VERIFIED | `docs/plugin-guide.md` lines 134-160 show `sprint` NoteTypeDefinition with transitions, template_name, required_sections; 9-field table at line 163 |
| 5 | Deprecated per-event hooks have a migration guide pointing to post_action | VERIFIED | Lines 629-643: all 9 deprecated hooks (post_create, post_update, post_close, post_reweave, post_session_start, post_session_close, post_check, post_init, post_init_profile) with exact parameter signatures from source and post_action migration patterns |
| 6 | docs/api-reference.md exists with 5 ::: directives for all plugin public API modules | VERIFIED | File has exactly 5 `:::` directives: ztlctl.plugins.hookspecs, ztlctl.plugins.contracts, ztlctl.plugins._version, ztlctl.actions.definitions, ztlctl.actions.registry |
| 7 | docs/development.md contains 4-layer action model with plugin integration points and CLI/MCP auto-generation | VERIFIED | Lines 91-115: "Action Model" section with 4-layer table (Data/Service/Controller/Registry), CLI/MCP auto-generation prose, 4 plugin integration points (pre_action, post_action, register_note_types, register_content_models), ServiceResult contract |
| 8 | CONTRIBUTING.md cross-links to developer guide; mkdocs.yml nav, llms.txt, llms-full.txt all wired | VERIFIED | CONTRIBUTING.md line 5: Developer Guide callout; line 47: cross-link to development/#action-model; mkdocs.yml 5-entry Developer Guide nav; llms.txt 5 Developer Guide entries; llms-full.txt 2+ occurrences; gen_llms_full_txt.py NAV_ORDER updated |

**Score:** 8/8 truths verified

---

## Required Artifacts

| Artifact | Expected | Status | Details |
|----------|----------|--------|---------|
| `pyproject.toml` | mkdocstrings[python]>=1.0.3 in dev deps | VERIFIED | Contains `"mkdocstrings[python]>=1.0.3"` in dev dependency group |
| `mkdocs.yml` | mkdocstrings plugin block with paths:[src], allow_inspection:false | VERIFIED | Plugin block present with full python handler config; 5-entry Developer Guide nav |
| `.github/workflows/docs.yml` | pip install includes mkdocstrings[python]>=1.0.3 | VERIFIED | `pip install ... "mkdocstrings[python]>=1.0.3"` on the docs build step |
| `docs/plugin-guide.md` | Tutorial + hookspec reference, 250+ lines, PLUGIN_API_VERSION | VERIFIED | 719 lines; 53 occurrences of key terms (PLUGIN_API_VERSION, post/pre_action, declare_capabilities, register_note_types) |
| `docs/api-reference.md` | 5 mkdocstrings ::: directives, 40+ lines | VERIFIED | Exactly 5 `:::` directives; 70 lines; correct module paths confirmed against source |
| `docs/development.md` | 4-layer action model, ActionRegistry, BaseController, ServiceResult | VERIFIED | 154 lines total; "Action Model" section at line 91; 6 occurrences of ActionRegistry/ServiceResult/BaseController |
| `CONTRIBUTING.md` | Cross-link to developer guide and development.md | VERIFIED | Developer Guide callout at line 5; architecture cross-link to development/#action-model at line 47 |
| `docs/dev/index.md` | 4-row table including plugin-guide.md and api-reference.md | VERIFIED | All 4 pages (Contributing, Plugin Authoring, API Reference, MCP Server) present |
| `docs/llms.txt` | Developer Guide section with Plugin Authoring and API Reference entries | VERIFIED | 5-entry Developer Guide section including both new pages |
| `docs/llms-full.txt` | Regenerated with plugin-guide and api-reference content | VERIFIED | 2+ occurrences of plugin-guide/api-reference references |
| `scripts/gen_llms_full_txt.py` | NAV_ORDER Developer Guide list with 5 files | VERIFIED | `["dev/index.md", "development.md", "plugin-guide.md", "api-reference.md", "mcp.md"]` |

---

## Key Link Verification

| From | To | Via | Status | Details |
|------|----|-----|--------|---------|
| `mkdocs.yml plugins.mkdocstrings.handlers.python` | `src/ztlctl` | `paths: [src]` | WIRED | `paths: [src]` and `allow_inspection: false` both present |
| `.github/workflows/docs.yml pip install` | `mkdocstrings[python]>=1.0.3` | pip install line | WIRED | Line confirmed in docs.yml |
| `docs/plugin-guide.md tutorial section` | `src/ztlctl/plugins/builtins/git.py` | inline code based on real plugin patterns | WIRED | Tutorial uses `pluggy.HookimplMarker("ztlctl")` pattern matching git.py source |
| `docs/plugin-guide.md hookspec reference` | `src/ztlctl/plugins/hookspecs.py` | 16 hookspecs with exact signatures | WIRED | `pre_action(self, action_name: str, kwargs: dict[str, Any]) -> ActionRejection | dict[str, Any] | None` matches source exactly |
| `docs/api-reference.md` | `src/ztlctl/plugins/hookspecs.py` | `::: ztlctl.plugins.hookspecs` directive | WIRED | Directive present at line 15 |
| `docs/api-reference.md` | `src/ztlctl/actions/registry.py` | `::: ztlctl.actions.registry` directive | WIRED | Directive present at line 62 |
| `CONTRIBUTING.md architecture section` | `docs/development.md#action-model` | cross-link | WIRED | Link to `development/#action-model` at CONTRIBUTING.md line 47 |
| `mkdocs.yml nav Developer Guide` | `docs/plugin-guide.md` | Plugin Authoring nav entry | WIRED | `- Plugin Authoring: plugin-guide.md` present |
| `scripts/gen_llms_full_txt.py NAV_ORDER` | `docs/plugin-guide.md` and `docs/api-reference.md` | NAV_ORDER Developer Guide list | WIRED | Both files in 5-item Developer Guide list |

---

## Requirements Coverage

| Requirement | Source Plan | Description | Status | Evidence |
|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------|----------|
| DVGD-01 | 11-02 | Plugin authoring guide — hookspecs, custom note types, config schemas, capability declarations, marketplace metadata | SATISFIED | `docs/plugin-guide.md` 719 lines covering all 5 areas; PluginMetadata marketplace section at line ~650 |
| DVGD-02 | 11-01, 11-03 | Auto-generated API reference from Python docstrings/type hints via griffe/mkdocstrings | SATISFIED | mkdocstrings wired in pyproject.toml, mkdocs.yml, and docs.yml; `docs/api-reference.md` with 5 `::: ztlctl.*` directives |
| DVGD-03 | 11-04 | ActionRegistry and controller architecture documentation for core contributors | SATISFIED | `docs/development.md` "Action Model" section covers 4-layer model with Data/Service/Controller/Registry table and CLI/MCP auto-generation explanation |
| DVGD-04 | 11-04 | Update CONTRIBUTING.md with current architecture walkthrough and link to developer guide | SATISFIED | CONTRIBUTING.md Developer Guide callout and architecture cross-link both present |

No orphaned requirements — all 4 DVGD requirement IDs claimed by plans are satisfied with implementation evidence.

---

## Anti-Patterns Found

No anti-patterns detected. No TODO/FIXME/placeholder markers found in any modified documentation files.

---

## Human Verification Required

### 1. mkdocs build output

**Test:** Run `mkdocs build` from project root
**Expected:** Exits 0, all 5 modules resolved by griffe via static AST, no errors (griffe cross-ref warnings are acceptable)
**Why human:** Build environment requires mkdocstrings and dev deps installed; cannot verify programmatically in this session. SUMMARY.md documents `mkdocs build` exiting 0 in 0.97s after Plan 04.

### 2. Plugin guide accuracy review

**Test:** Follow the tutorial in `docs/plugin-guide.md` steps 1-8 to build a minimal plugin
**Expected:** A plugin following the guide's `MyVaultPlugin` example loads and fires `post_action` without errors
**Why human:** End-to-end runnable correctness requires a Python environment with ztlctl installed.

---

## Gaps Summary

None. All 8 observable truths are verified. All 11 artifacts exist and are substantive. All 9 key links are wired. All 4 DVGD requirements are satisfied. Commits 4ad0005, 47e918a, e74ad3e, 5bb5e8f, 699fde8, and 16f847c all exist in git history and correspond to the work described in the summaries.

---

_Verified: 2026-03-20T20:00:00Z_
_Verifier: Claude (gsd-verifier)_
