---
title: Reference
description: Find Presswork commands, configuration, Profiles, Creation, Check Reports, and domain language.
sidebar:
  label: Reference
  order: 5
---

Use these reference pages for exact command and report contracts:

- [CLI](/cli/) covers the `check`, `create`, and `skills` command families, including arguments, options, output, and exit status.
- [Check Report](/check-report/) defines complete and incomplete reports, JSON fields, ordering, diagnostics, and recovery.
- [Glossary](/glossary/) projects the canonical Presswork terms from `CONTEXT.md` for user-facing lookup.

Start with [Getting Started](/getting-started/) or [Concepts](/concepts/). On this page, use [Configuration](#configuration), [Profiles](#profiles), or [Creation](#creation).

## Configuration

Presswork reads only `presswork.json` at the Repository Root. When that file is absent, Presswork uses `basic@1`. A present configuration requires `version: 1` and one complete Profile identity.

Configuration can add Documentation Directories, Root Documents, index policies, repository-defined Document Types, repository-specific skill guidance, and the supported `github` Markdown Dialect. Paths are repository-relative and use `/` separators.

Use the published Configuration JSON Schema in compatible editors:

```json title="presswork.json"
{
  "$schema": "https://presswork.sh/schema/config.json",
  "version": 1,
  "profile": { "name": "basic", "version": 1 }
}
```

The npm package does not provide a schema export.

## Profiles

A Profile is one complete repository-wide documentation policy. Presswork supports the Built-in Profile identities `basic@1` and `mattpocock@1`. Selecting a Profile replaces the Basic Profile rather than extending or merging with it.

See [Concepts](/concepts/) for how Profiles, Rules, Recognized Documents, and Repository Roots work together.

## Creation

A Document Type declares its Creation Policy. Use `presswork create --list-types` to inspect the available types and policies. A `presswork` policy can initialize one indexed Document Draft. An `external` policy names its owning workflow, while a `manual` policy leaves creation to ordinary repository tools.

Creation never overwrites an existing document and does not claim that a new Document Draft is complete. See the [`create` command reference](/cli/#presswork-create) for syntax, fields, output, and failures.

## Validation and Checks

Validation is Presswork's read-only evaluation of repository documentation against the selected Profile. A Check discovers the Repository Root, loads policy, evaluates Recognized Documents with Rules, and produces a complete or explicitly incomplete Check Report.

See [Check Report](/check-report/) for report fields, deterministic ordering, JSON, streams, exit status, and recovery.

Return to [Getting Started](/getting-started/) for the shortest path through setup.