diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index eaa4a15..35b08fd 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -24,6 +24,23 @@ and the boundary between Mission Core and vendor-specific integration code.
 - Do not install or alter Homebrew/system components unless the user explicitly
   authorizes that concrete change.
 
+## Local operator resource envelope
+
+- The operator Mac has 18 GB of physical memory. Treat local memory and swap as
+  a hard shared limit, not as disposable build capacity.
+- Run frontend tests, production builds, Docker builds, runtime startup, and
+  browser QA sequentially. Do not launch parallel heavy local jobs.
+- Do not run load or stress tests on the Mac. Run bounded synthetic load only on
+  Worker 006, and remove every temporary process after the measurement.
+- Use only the canonical Mission Core endpoint on port `8000`; do not start
+  duplicate application servers to work around stale state.
+- Before a memory-intensive local operation, inspect current memory pressure and
+  active Docker workload. Prefer focused tests and existing build artifacts when
+  they are sufficient for acceptance.
+- Docker Desktop's configured VM ceiling is not evidence that the host can
+  safely supply that memory. Do not change Docker Desktop CPU or memory limits
+  without explicit owner approval.
+
 ## Evidence rules
 
 - Reference inputs under `docs/reference/` are immutable; write corrections in
@@ -40,6 +57,28 @@ and the boundary between Mission Core and vendor-specific integration code.
 Follow the gates in `docs/01_IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md`. Do not build heavy
 decoders before BLE/Wi-Fi/data-session evidence exists.
 
+## Docker runtime governance
+
+- Every new or migrated durable NODE.DC-owned Docker container, Compose project,
+  network, named volume, and first-party image uses the lowercase `ndc-`
+  namespace. The prefix is mandatory for anything that may leave a laboratory
+  workstation; a legacy project/network name may survive only behind a bounded,
+  documented migration barrier.
+- Do not retag or rename unrelated third-party runtime owned by another product.
+  Express NODE.DC ownership through the managed object name and
+  `com.nodedc.product`, `com.nodedc.stack`, `com.nodedc.role`, and
+  `com.nodedc.managed-by` labels.
+- One operator-managed contour may be one Compose project while still using
+  separate single-purpose containers. Do not merge a broker, normalizer,
+  database, or application process into a multi-process container merely to
+  make Docker Desktop show one row.
+- Treat Compose and worker orchestration declarations as the source of truth.
+  A live `docker rename` is allowed only as a bounded migration with exact
+  predecessor IDs, a persisted declaration change, rollback, and post-change
+  health acceptance.
+- Keep bounded legacy-name fallback only for an explicit migration window.
+  New defaults, UI probes, runbooks, and durable runtime names must use `ndc-`.
+
 ## Product UI governance
 
 - For every Control Station, LAB, viewer, or product-presentation change, use