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+# Copilot Cloud Agent Instructions — XRPL-Standards
+
+## Repository Purpose
+
+This repository is the canonical home for **XRP Ledger Standards (XLSes)** — specifications and standards that govern the XRP Ledger ecosystem. Each XLS is a living document covering protocol amendments, system-level changes, or community/off-chain conventions. The full process is defined in [XLS-0001](../XLS-0001-xls-process/README.md) and summarized in [CONTRIBUTING.md](../CONTRIBUTING.md).
+
+---
+
+## Repository Layout
+
+```
+/
+├── XLS-NNNN-slug/          # One folder per XLS spec (4-digit zero-padded number + hyphenated title)
+│   └── README.md           # The XLS document itself (required)
+├── templates/
+│   ├── XLS_TEMPLATE.md     # Preamble + section scaffold for all new XLSes
+│   └── AMENDMENT_TEMPLATE.md  # Extra scaffold for Amendment-category XLSes (Section 3 onward)
+├── scripts/
+│   ├── requirements.txt    # Python deps (install with: pip install -r scripts/requirements.txt)
+│   ├── xls_parser.py       # Parses XLS README.md files and validates preamble metadata
+│   ├── validate_xls_template.py  # Validates XLS structure against templates (Beta CI)
+│   └── build_site.py       # Builds the GitHub Pages static site from XLS docs
+├── CONTRIBUTING.md         # How to contribute (summarises XLS-1)
+└── .github/
+    ├── pull_request_template.md
+    ├── workflows/           # CI workflows (see below)
+    └── scripts/             # Scripts used by CI (assign_xls_number.py, etc.)
+```
+
+---
+
+## XLS Document Format
+
+Every XLS lives at `XLS-NNNN-slug/README.md` and **must** start with an RFC-822-style `<pre>` preamble block:
+
+```
+<pre>
+  xls: [number]
+  title: [max 44 chars, no "XLS" prefix]
+  description: [max 140 chars, one sentence]
+  author: Name (@github-handle), Other Name <email@example.com>
+  category: [Amendment | System | Ecosystem | Meta]
+  status: [Draft | Final | Living | Deprecated | Stagnant | Withdrawn]
+  proposal-from: https://github.com/XRPLF/XRPL-Standards/discussions/NNN
+  created: YYYY-MM-DD
+  updated: YYYY-MM-DD          # optional
+  implementation: [url]        # optional, for Amendment/System XLSes
+  requires: [xls numbers]      # optional
+  withdrawal-reason: [reason]  # required only when status is Withdrawn
+</pre>
+```
+
+**Required sections** (all XLSes): Abstract, Rationale, Security Considerations.
+**Amendment XLSes** additionally require the sub-structure from `AMENDMENT_TEMPLATE.md` covering STypes, Ledger Entries, Transactions, Permissions, and RPCs as applicable.
+
+### Categories
+
+| Category | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `Amendment` | Requires an XRP Ledger amendment (on-chain protocol change via rippled) |
+| `System` | Affects XRPL protocol behavior (RPCs, P2P) but no amendment needed |
+| `Ecosystem` | Off-chain/community standards (metadata, registries, etc.) |
+| `Meta` | Standards about the XLS process itself |
+
+### Statuses
+
+`Idea` → `Proposal` → `Draft` → `Final` or `Living`
+
+Also: `Deprecated` (Final XLS no longer recommended), `Stagnant` (Draft inactive ≥6 months), `Withdrawn` (removed by author — number cannot be reused).
+
+---
+
+## How to Add a New XLS
+
+1. Start in GitHub Discussions (Idea or Proposal stage) — do **not** open a PR until there is community feedback.
+2. Create a directory named `XLS-draft-<short-title>/` (agents/authors must NOT self-assign numbers for XLS numbers > 95).
+3. Copy `templates/XLS_TEMPLATE.md` to `XLS-draft-<short-title>/README.md` and fill it in.
+4. Open a PR. CI will assign the official XLS number automatically after a maintainer with write access approves; the `assign-xls-number.yml` workflow renames the directory and updates the preamble. Authors should not assign their own XLS number.
+
+---
+
+## CI Workflows
+
+| Workflow | Trigger | What it does |
+|----------|---------|--------------|
+| `validate-xls.yml` | PRs, push to master | Runs `python scripts/xls_parser.py` — validates preamble of **all** XLS docs |
+| `validate-xls.yml` (beta job) | PRs | Runs `python scripts/validate_xls_template.py <changed files>` — checks section structure |
+| `assign-xls-number.yml` | PRs | Detects `XLS-draft-*` directories and assigns the next available XLS number after write-access approval |
+| `pre-commit.yml` | PRs, push to master | Runs pre-commit hooks (trailing whitespace, end-of-file, prettier) |
+| `deploy.yml` | Push to master | Builds and deploys the GitHub Pages site |
+| `discussions.yml` | Daily schedule | Closes/warns on stale GitHub Discussions (inactive ≥1 year) |
+| `close-xls-discussions.yml` | Push to master | Closes the GitHub Discussion linked in `proposal-from` when an XLS is merged |
+
+### Running Validation Locally
+
+```bash
+pip install -r scripts/requirements.txt
+
+# Validate all XLS preambles
+python scripts/xls_parser.py
+
+# Validate structure of changed files
+python scripts/validate_xls_template.py XLS-NNNN-slug/README.md
+
+# Build the static site
+python scripts/build_site.py
+```
+
+---
+
+## Code Style and Conventions
+
+- **Markdown formatting**: enforced by `prettier` via pre-commit. Run `pre-commit run --all-files` or let CI flag issues.
+- **No trailing whitespace**, files must end with a newline (`end-of-file-fixer` hook).
+- **Folder naming**: `XLS-NNNN-slug` with a 4-digit zero-padded number and lowercase hyphenated slug.
+- **Author format**: either `Name (@github-handle)` or `Name <email@example.com>` — both forms are parsed by `xls_parser.py`. Each author must have a name **and** a link; otherwise validation fails.
+- **Dates**: always `YYYY-MM-DD`.
+- **Section numbering**: XLS documents use numeric section headings (`## 1. Abstract`, `## 2. Motivation`, etc.).
+- **Python scripts** in `scripts/` use Python 3.11 and are run directly (no build step needed beyond `pip install -r scripts/requirements.txt`).
+- **Templates are normative**: sections from `XLS_TEMPLATE.md` and `AMENDMENT_TEMPLATE.md` are checked by `validate_xls_template.py`. Do not skip required sections or leave template placeholders (bracketed instructions) in merged XLS documents.
+
+---
+
+## PR Checklist (from `pull_request_template.md`)
+
+- Summarize the change and link any associated GitHub Discussion.
+- Check the type of change: New XLS Draft / XLS Update / XLS Status Change / Process/Meta / Infrastructure / Documentation.
+- Ensure the preamble is correct and complete.
+- Do not self-assign XLS numbers (for numbers > 95); use `XLS-draft-<slug>` naming.
+
+---
+
+## Known Gotchas
+
+- **Duplicate XLS numbers**: `xls_parser.py` fails if two folders resolve to the same number. Always use the `XLS-draft-*` naming convention and let CI assign the number.
+- **Self-assigned numbers > 95**: the `assign-xls-number.yml` workflow posts a warning comment and blocks the CI if a PR adds a numbered directory (> XLS-0095) without the `has-xls-number` label.
+- **Withdrawn XLSes** must include a `withdrawal-reason` field in the preamble or validation fails.
+- **Amendment XLSes cannot reach `Final`** until the corresponding rippled PR is merged; `System` XLSes require a merged implementation too.
+- **`proposal-from` is required** for all XLSes in the preamble. Missing it causes `validate_xls_preamble` to fail.
+- The `build_site.py` script outputs to `scripts/_site/` — this directory is ephemeral and not committed.
+- Pre-commit uses pinned SHAs (not tags) for hook repos — update them in `.pre-commit-config.yaml` if upgrading.