diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4cbf986..3e2de1f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -26,6 +26,20 @@ yarn-debug.log*
 yarn-error.log*
 *.tsbuildinfo
 lib/
+.next/
+out/
+.vercel/
+
+# Generated media / release artifacts
+*.zip
+*.tar
+*.tar.gz
+*.tgz
+*.pptx
+cci-pptx/
+cci-slides/
+cci-slides-img/
+pptx_images/
 
 # IDE
 .vscode/
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dee89a7..42229c6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -82,6 +82,23 @@ Canonical package names for `v0.5.0` are `carapace-sdk` on npm and
 
 <br/>
 
+## Audit-Friendly Clone
+
+The current `main` tree is intentionally small, but historical side-branch blobs
+can make a normal full clone slow. For standards review, security scanning, or
+docs work, use a blobless sparse clone:
+
+```bash
+git clone --filter=blob:none --sparse https://github.com/relayforge-ai/carapace-protocol.git
+cd carapace-protocol
+git sparse-checkout set README.md docs carapace python typescript tests
+```
+
+See [Repository Weight](docs/REPOSITORY_WEIGHT.md) for the current weight audit,
+known historical artifact sources, and cleanup plan.
+
+<br/>
+
 ## Quick Start
 
 **JavaScript/TypeScript:**
diff --git a/docs/REPOSITORY_WEIGHT.md b/docs/REPOSITORY_WEIGHT.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39a447f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/REPOSITORY_WEIGHT.md
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+# Repository Weight
+
+Carapace Protocol should stay lightweight enough for standards review,
+security scanning, and first-time contributor onboarding. Do not use a normal
+full clone when auditing historical repository weight; it can download large
+historical blobs that are not present on `main`.
+
+## Current State
+
+Checked on 2026-06-14:
+
+- GitHub reported repository disk usage: about 1,190,853 KB.
+- The current `main` tree contains 92 files totaling about 942 KB.
+- A metadata-only scan of 305 reachable commits / 286 unique trees found about
+  1.26 GB of unique historical blob bytes.
+- After deleting stale merged side-branch refs, the active remote-ref scan
+  contained 40 commits / 28 unique trees / about 1.34 MB of unique blob bytes.
+
+The current default branch is small. The repository weight comes from historical
+objects reachable from side branches and tags, not from the present `main`
+working tree.
+
+## Known Large Historical Sources
+
+The largest reachable historical objects are generated presentation and image
+artifacts under paths such as:
+
+- `cci-pptx/`
+- `cci-slides/`
+- `cci-slides-img/`
+- `pptx_images/`
+
+The largest single historical commit observed in the scan was
+`aed9e24ef1fdff749703bf1e75d8524748f716d5`, reachable from
+`origin/sheldon/dawes-public-publish` at the time of inspection. A smaller
+historical source was committed framework build output under
+`wizard/.next/cache/` in commit `9c5547024d14338b9d5d28cb97b8ad4871aebb25`.
+
+On 2026-06-14, the stale `sheldon/dawes-public-publish` remote branch was
+deleted after confirming it was not protected, was not the default branch, had
+no open pull request, and was the only live ref keeping those large generated
+artifacts reachable. Other merged stale side branches were also deleted, leaving
+`main` and active work branches as the only remote heads.
+
+## Audit-Friendly Clone
+
+Use a blobless sparse clone for audits, docs work, and lightweight protocol
+review:
+
+```bash
+git clone --filter=blob:none --sparse https://github.com/relayforge-ai/carapace-protocol.git
+cd carapace-protocol
+git sparse-checkout set README.md docs carapace python typescript tests
+```
+
+To inspect commit and tree history without downloading historical blobs:
+
+```bash
+git fetch --filter=blob:none --tags origin '+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*'
+git rev-list --all --count
+```
+
+Avoid commands that force blob materialization, such as opening historical
+binary files or running size checks that call `git cat-file` on every blob.
+
+## Cleanup Plan
+
+1. Confirm whether the side branch containing generated presentation assets is
+   still needed.
+2. Move any asset bundles that must remain public to GitHub Releases, Git LFS,
+   or external artifact storage.
+3. Remove stale refs that keep bulky generated artifacts reachable.
+4. If a history rewrite is required, coordinate it as a breaking maintenance
+   event and notify downstream consumers before force-pushing.
+5. Re-check `gh repo view relayforge-ai/carapace-protocol --json diskUsage`
+   after GitHub has had time to prune unreachable objects.
+
+## Guardrails
+
+Generated decks, slide images, and build caches do not belong in this protocol
+repository. `.gitignore` blocks the known bulky paths and framework cache
+directories so new commits do not reintroduce the same problem.