The same Markdown sources power the human handbook, native-agent tools and external-agent lookups. They describe VersoFold's behavior and workflows. They are not project instructions, user authorization or evidence about a manuscript.
When to consult the handbook
The agent receives a short notice that documentation exists, not the entire handbook. Consult it only when the user explicitly asks for documentation or how to use VersoFold or when stuck on a specific VersoFold capability required for the task.
Do not perform a documentation scan at the beginning of every conversation. Do not preload every guide. Search for the obstacle and read the relevant section. Continue to inspect actual project files before making claims or editing them.
Example triggers include “How do I use a shared-body variant?”, “Use the handbook to explain error bands”, or uncertainty about the app's required table publishing sequence. A normal request to improve prose does not require opening the handbook.
Native and MCP tools
search_documentation accepts a literal multiword query and optional result limit. It searches guide metadata and body sections, returning guide/section IDs, headings, excerpts and line ranges.
{"query":"table publish", "limit":5}read_documentation without an ID returns the catalog. With an ID it returns bounded Markdown and a section outline. Specify a section ID from the search/outline when only that part is needed.
{"id":"tables", "section":"save-publish-and-insert-are-separate"}A read can also use startLine and maxLines (up to 160). Follow the returned continuation object when the selected material is longer than the bounded response. Continuations retain the selected section and advance source line numbers.
These read-only tools do not require a model call of their own, modify the manuscript or read private project files. They are available across applicable native reading/editing scopes and the external MCP catalog. Grants for other tools remain unchanged.
HTTP and filesystem access
The running server exposes only bundled public guides at these relative URLs:
| Route | Result |
|---|---|
/documentation/index.json | Guide IDs, titles, groups, summaries, source paths and Markdown URLs. |
/documentation/search?q=page%20budget | Ranked section matches with excerpts and locations. |
/documentation/page-layout.md | One complete canonical Markdown guide. |
/documentation/handbook.md | All chapters for an explicitly requested full export. |
Use the running app's origin; do not assume the port is always 3055. These endpoints contain product documentation, not workspace state. They are available without exposing the owner's reference library, conversations or files.
In the source repository, begin with docs/guide/README.md, then read the relevant docs/guide/<id>.md. The packaged desktop build includes the same files. A paper workspace is not the application repository, so do not try to find these paths with manuscript-only file tools; use the dedicated documentation tools instead.
Cite the answer precisely
Tell the user the workflow in ordinary language and link the relevant guide/section where useful. For example, a local app link can use /?guide=tables§ion=save-publish-and-insert-are-separate.
Distinguish documented capability from an executed operation. Reading how to compile is not a build result; reading how to verify references is not evidence that a reference was checked. If the current tool catalog lacks a documented capability, explain the scope/availability rather than inventing a call.
Do not include review invitation tokens, account details or workspace secrets in help links. A copied local guide link works only where that VersoFold server is reachable.
Maintain documentation alongside features
Each guide uses a level-one title, descriptive level-two/three headings, ordinary Markdown links, ordered procedures and fenced examples. Headings outside code fences become stable section IDs; duplicate headings receive suffixes. Search and agent reads share the same section parser.
When a feature changes, update its guide and the shared catalog if the title, category or keywords changed. Keep instructions grounded in the actual interface, state what saves/publishes/applies an edit, explain stale-data behavior and link related workflows. Preserve useful section IDs where possible so saved links remain meaningful.
Do not present planned features as available. Describe external submission/service requirements as things to check against their current official instructions; a local handbook cannot guarantee a remote policy is unchanged.