Prepare v18.1.0 release

[flyingrobots]

Summary

• Promote v18.1.0 release notes/signposts into the public docs surface.
• Keep the consolidated docs topology centered on README, ARCHITECTURE, CHANGELOG, and docs/topics.
• Consume the upstreamed @git-stunts/alfred@0.10.4 timeout fix and remove the local alfred patch.

Issue

Refs #673

Release notes

See the dated 18.1.0 entry in CHANGELOG.md for the full release notes.

Dependency status

• @git-stunts/alfred@0.10.4 is published and the git-warp patch was removed.
• @git-stunts/trailer-codec remains patched because upstream npm publishing is blocked by registry authorization; tracked in Restore npm publishing and decide v2/v3 consumer path trailer-codec#3.

Test plan

• npm install
• npm run lint
• npm run typecheck
• GIT_STUNTS_DOCKER=1 npm run test -- test/unit/scripts/dependency-hygiene.test.ts (Vitest ran 568 files / 7,293 tests)
• npm run release:prep
• pre-push IRONCLAD M9 gate

ADR checks

• This PR does not implement ADR 2 without satisfying ADR 3.
• This PR does not touch persisted op formats; ADR 3 readiness issue linkage is not required.
• This PR does not touch wire compatibility; canonical-only wire gates are unchanged.
• This PR does not touch schema constants; patch and checkpoint namespaces are unchanged.

[coderabbitai]

📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

The PR updates release-facing documentation to mark v18.1.0 as current, adds matching release notes, and refreshes the @git-stunts/alfred dependency patch plus its hygiene test and patch README.

Changes

Release documentation

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Release posture and notes ARCHITECTURE.md, CHANGELOG.md, README.md, docs/topics/README.md	ARCHITECTURE.md adds a release posture section for v18.1.0, CHANGELOG.md updates the release entry, and README.md plus docs/topics/README.md add release sections linking to the changelog.

Alfred dependency refresh

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Timeout handling patch package.json, patches/@git-stunts+alfred+0.10.3.patch, patches/README.md, test/unit/scripts/dependency-hygiene.test.ts	@git-stunts/alfred is bumped to ^0.10.4, the local patch rewrites timeout handling and cleanup, and the patch README/test drop the removed patch entry.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 3 (Moderate) | ⏱️ ~20 minutes

Possibly related issues

• git-stunts/git-warp#673 — The release-target updates across CHANGELOG.md, README.md, ARCHITECTURE.md, and docs/topics/README.md match the release signpost narrative described in that issue.

Poem

A bunny hops through docs so neat,
With v18.1.0 on every sheet.
A patch gets a tidy little tune,
And changelog moons shine late afternoon.
🐇✨

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 5

✅ Passed checks (5 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Title check	✅ Passed	The title is concise and accurately summarizes the main change: preparing the v18.1.0 release.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Out of Scope Changes check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Description check	✅ Passed	The PR description matches the required template with summary, issue, test plan, and ADR checks filled in.

_{✏️ Tip: You can configure your own custom pre-merge checks in the settings.}

✨ Finishing Touches

📝 Generate docstrings

• Create stacked PR
• Commit on current branch

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Commit unit tests in branch release/v18.1.0

---

_{Comment @coderabbitai help to get the list of available commands.}

[github-actions]

Release Preflight

• package version: 18.1.0
• prerelease: false
• npm dist-tag on release: latest
• npm pack dry-run: passed
• jsr publish dry-run: passed

If you tag this commit as v18.1.0, release workflow will publish.

[flyingrobots]

@codex Self-audit found one release-blocking documentation accuracy issue before merge.

Severity	Type	File	Lines	Issue	Recommended mitigation prompt
P3	Documentation accuracy / release-state wording	README.md	51-52	README says the GitHub release "will be published after" the tag lands. That wording becomes stale immediately after the release is cut and would ship inside the released artifact.	Update the latest release paragraph to point at CHANGELOG.md as the durable in-repo release notes and avoid future-tense GitHub-release publication claims.

This is self-discovered, not from an unresolved review thread. I will fix it in a follow-up commit and report the verification commands.

[github-actions]

Release Preflight

• package version: 18.1.0
• prerelease: false
• npm dist-tag on release: latest
• npm pack dry-run: passed
• jsr publish dry-run: passed

If you tag this commit as v18.1.0, release workflow will publish.

[flyingrobots]

Code Lawyer Activity Summary

#	Source	Severity	File / Surface	Issue	Commit	Outcome
1	Self-audit	P3	README.md	Future-tense GitHub release wording would become stale in the released artifact.	18b2739	Fixed; README now points to durable in-repository release notes.
2	PR / CodeRabbit pre-merge check	P5	PR description	Missing required ## ADR checks section from the repository PR template.	N/A metadata-only	Fixed; PR body now has Summary, Issue, Test plan, and ADR checks sections.

Verification:

• GraphQL review-thread sweep: zero unresolved review threads.
• RED check for README stale phrase failed before the fix; GREEN check passed after.
• RED check for missing PR ## ADR checks failed before the metadata fix; GREEN check passed after.
• npm run lint passed locally.
• git diff --check passed locally.
• Pre-push IRONCLAD M9 gate passed locally on push.
• PR CI is green: link check, issue reference, coverage, Node/Bun/Deno tests, type firewall, release preflight, and CodeRabbit.

Merge-gate residual: PR still has 0 submitted human approvals, so the formal two-approval gate remains locked even though technical checks are green.