diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index d189eb2..21610e6 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -1,55 +1,73 @@
-# AGENTS.md — Rules for AI Agents
+# Rules for coding agents
 
-## Before Every Commit
+This file holds the rules for coding agents working in this repository.
+`CONVENTIONS.md` defines the architecture. `REPO_POLICIES.md` defines the
+repository standards. Both are copies of shared documents. Do not edit them
+here.
 
-1. **Format**: `make fmt`
-2. **Check**: `make check` — the tests and the linter, which run in Docker, and
-   the format check: all passing, zero issues
+## Before every commit
 
-Never run `go test`, `golangci-lint` or `gofmt` directly; use the `make`
-targets.
+1. Run `make fmt`.
+2. Run `make check`. It runs the tests and the linter in Docker, then the format
+   check. All three must pass with no findings.
 
-No commit lands on main with lint errors, test failures, or formatting issues.
+Never run `go test`, `golangci-lint` or `gofmt` directly. Use the `make` targets
+instead, such as `make test` and `make lint`.
 
-## Code Style
+## Branches and pull requests
 
-- Follow CONVENTIONS.md exactly — it defines the architecture
-- All exported types, functions, methods, and vars must have doc comments
-- All packages must have a package doc comment
-- JSON tags use camelCase (not snake_case)
-- No magic numbers — use named constants
-- No inline error handling (`if err := ...; err != nil`) — use plain assignment
-- Blank line before every `return` statement
-- Blank line separating embedded fields from regular fields in structs
-- Blank imports must have a justification comment
+- Never commit to `main` or `next` directly. Every change is a pull request from
+  a feature branch into `next`.
+- Only the owner merges `next` into `main`.
+- A pull request that closes an issue has the title `Description (closes #N)`.
+- One logical change per commit.
+- Commit messages are in the imperative mood and short.
 
-## Git Workflow
+## Code style
 
-- **Never commit directly to main** — all changes go on feature branches
-- Merge to main only when ready and passing all checks
-- PR titles: `Description (closes #N)` when closing an issue
-- One logical change per commit
-- Commit messages: imperative mood, concise
+- Follow `CONVENTIONS.md`.
+- Outside test files, every package has a package doc comment.
+- Outside test files, every exported type, function and variable has a doc
+  comment.
+- JSON tags are camelCase. The HTTP API's `last_id`, `pow_token` and
+  `hashcash_bits` stay as they are, each with a `//nolint:tagliatelle` comment.
+- Prefer named constants to magic numbers. The `mnd` linter checks for them
+  outside test files.
+- No inline error handling such as `if err := f(); err != nil`. Assign the error
+  on its own line, then test it.
+- A `return` that follows another statement in its block has a blank line before
+  it.
+- A blank line between the embedded fields of a struct and its other fields.
+- Outside test files, every blank import has a comment saying why it is there.
 
 ## Architecture
 
-- Dependency injection via Uber fx — all components are fx providers
-- `internal/` for all application packages — one package per concern
-- Handlers return `http.HandlerFunc` using the closure pattern
-- Request/response structs defined inside handler closures
-- Models embed `models.Base` for database access to relation methods
-- Database migrations in `internal/db/schema/` — embedded via `go:embed`
-- SQLite by default (pure Go driver: modernc.org/sqlite)
+- The server uses `go.uber.org/fx` for dependency injection.
+  `cmd/neoircd/main.go` lists its `fx` providers, such as `db.New` and
+  `handlers.New`.
+- Application packages live under `internal/`, one package per concern.
+- `pkg/irc` holds the IRC command names and numeric reply codes.
+- The `web` package embeds the built web client.
+- Each exported `Handle…` method of `Handlers` returns an `http.HandlerFunc`.
+- A request struct is defined inside the method that decodes it.
+- The server uses the database only through the methods of `db.Database`.
+- The database migrations live in `internal/db/schema/` and are embedded with
+  `go:embed`.
+- The database is SQLite, through the pure Go driver `modernc.org/sqlite`.
 
 ## Testing
 
-- Table-driven tests preferred
-- Use `testing.T` helpers, not assertion libraries
-- Test files live next to the code they test
-- `_test.go` suffix, same package for white-box testing
+- Prefer table-driven tests.
+- Use `testing.T` helpers, not assertion libraries.
+- A test file lives next to the code it tests and ends in `_test.go`.
+- The linter requires each test file to be in the package's external test
+  package, such as `handlers_test`. It allows `export_test.go` and files ending
+  in `_internal_test.go` in the package itself.
+- An `export_test.go` file gives the external tests access to the package's
+  unexported code.
 
 ## Dependencies
 
-- Required libraries are listed in CONVENTIONS.md §1
-- No new dependencies without justification
-- Pure Go preferred (no CGO)
+- The required libraries are listed in `CONVENTIONS.md` §1.
+- No new dependency without a reason given in the pull request.
+- Prefer dependencies written in pure Go, which build without cgo.