Guides¶

Use this shelf when you need route choice, proof sizing, or capstone entry help rather than another lesson page. The guides should send you back to learning quickly, not trap you in course-administration prose.

This shelf exists to support the course, not to replace it.

What this shelf is for¶

Use the guides shelf when you need help with one of these learner questions:

where should I start
which module or support page matches the pressure I have
what proof route is proportionate here
am I actually ready to move on
how should I enter the capstone without widening the question too early

If you need the concept itself, go back to the module. These pages are for routing, discipline, and support, not for replacing the lesson.

How to use this shelf¶

Open the guides only after you can already name the kind of help you need.

Use them for one of five jobs:

choose an entry route
choose a support route under pressure
decide whether your current proof is too heavy or too light
decide whether you are actually ready to move on
enter the capstone without losing the module idea

If you cannot name the job yet, go back to the module. The module should teach the idea; the guide should only help you move through it more deliberately.

Start with one learner question, not with the whole shelf¶

The easiest way to waste time here is to open several guide pages because they all look responsible.

That usually means you are avoiding the narrower question that actually matters.

A better habit is to say:

I am new and need the safest entry route
I am under pressure and need the smallest honest proof
I think I am ready to move on and want an exit bar
I know the claim and need the page that sizes the evidence
I need the capstone, but I do not yet know how small the route should stay

Once the question sounds that specific, the shelf becomes useful instead of sprawling.

Start with the guide that matches your situation¶

flowchart TD
  first["I am new here"] --> start["Start Here"]
  stuck["I am stuck or under pressure"] --> pressure["Pressure Routes"]
  plan["I want the full study plan"] --> course["Course Guide"]
  proof["I know the claim and need evidence"] --> matrix["Proof Matrix"]
  ready["I want to know if I can move on"] --> checkpoints["Module Checkpoints"]
  capstone["I need the repository without losing the lesson"] --> cap["Capstone Guide"]

Choose one lane¶

If you need...	Start here	Then use
the shortest honest entry	Start Here	Course Guide
the full support-page map	Course Guide	Learning Contract
a route shaped by urgency	Pressure Routes	Proof Ladder
module promises and exit bars	Module Promise Map	Module Checkpoints
workflow split decisions	Topic Boundaries	Boundary Review Prompts
capstone entry	Capstone Guide	Capstone Map

Use the shelf by job¶

Job	Best page	What that page should help you do
understand the module arc and support-page roles	Course Guide	see the whole study system without browsing blindly
hold the study discipline steady	Learning Contract	return to prediction, observation, and explanation
see the sequence justified	Module Dependency Map	know when to go forward and when to step back
rehearse the module-to-proof loop	Practice Map	choose the next exercise or evidence move
hold the review bar steady	Review Checklist	turn a vague concern into a keep, change, or reject judgment
sharpen a boundary decision	Boundary Review Prompts	reduce blur across workflow, policy, publish, or ownership layers
keep workflow-versus-policy scope explicit	Topic Boundaries	avoid stretching the course into a different course
route a claim to executable evidence	Proof Matrix	choose the first honest command and file surfaces
choose the smallest honest proof route	Proof Ladder	size the evidence instead of overshooting
confirm the local environment before public commands	Platform Setup	separate setup failures from real workflow questions

Cross into the capstone deliberately¶

If you need...	Best page
the capstone’s role in the course	Capstone Guide
the module-to-repository route	Capstone Map
a bounded first pass through the repository	Capstone Walkthrough
file responsibilities inside the repository	Capstone File Guide
ownership boundaries across workflow, policy, and publish surfaces	Capstone Architecture Guide
the shortest proof route for a concrete claim	Capstone Proof Guide
steward-level workflow review	Capstone Review Worksheet
safe evolution	Capstone Extension Guide

What a good pass through this shelf should produce¶

After using the guides well, you should come away with one of these:

one clearer next page
one clearer proof route
one clearer exit bar
one clearer capstone entry
one clearer reason to return to the module

If you come away only with more tabs open, the shelf was used too broadly.

Good stopping point¶

Stop when you can name:

the single next page you need
the question it is supposed to answer
why the rest of the shelf can stay closed for now