Z Engine documentation
Start with the part that matches what you want to do. These pages are also published as a website, with search: arshadbarves.github.io/z-engine.
| I want to… | Read |
|---|---|
| use the app: set it up, run tasks, configure it | User guide |
| understand how it works, with or without a programming background | How Z Engine works |
| look up a term | Glossary |
| change the code | AGENTS.md (structure contract), engine architecture, style guide, GUI guide |
| keep the docs in sync with a change | Documentation contract |
| see what changed between versions | Changelog |
The user guide
Written for everyone who uses the app, including people who do not program. It is organized by task, like Claude Code's documentation: getting started, everyday use, permissions and safety, agents, plan mode, commands and skills, memory and context, hooks, MCP and code intelligence, verification, models and cost, a full settings reference, where your data lives, and troubleshooting.
How Z Engine works
Every feature and every crate is explained in three layers, so you can stop reading when you have what you need:
- In plain words: what it is, without jargon.
- How it works: the mechanism, step by step.
- For developers: the crates, files and types involved, and how to extend them.
Other documents
- status.md: how the v2 rewrite was delivered, and the release checks.