{
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "generatedAt": "2026-05-16T02:08:45.557Z",
  "recommendation": "Stay file-backed Markdown/JSON for the next publishing phase.",
  "decision": "Edxperimental Labs should keep articles in content/articles/*.md with visual metadata in content/articles/*.visual.json until publishing needs shift from founder-led research operations to multi-editor draft collaboration.",
  "rationale": "The current system already provides version control, reviewable diffs, generated public drafts, source registries, article indexes, visual sidecars, and Command-K discovery without adding CMS tokens, preview routes, editor permissions, or live-content caching complexity.",
  "triggerToRevisit": "Revisit MDX or a CMS after there are at least two non-technical editors, a need for browser-based draft preview, or a repeat publishing cadence where Git-based edits become the bottleneck.",
  "sourceLinks": [
    {
      "label": "Next.js MDX guide",
      "href": "https://nextjs.org/docs/app/guides/mdx",
      "signal": "MDX is a good next step when article bodies need React components inside content while staying file-backed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Sanity and Next.js",
      "href": "https://www.sanity.io/docs/nextjs/introduction",
      "signal": "Sanity becomes useful when structured content, collaboration, Draft Mode, and visual editing outweigh repository simplicity."
    },
    {
      "label": "Sanity Visual Editing with Next.js App Router",
      "href": "https://www.sanity.io/docs/nextjs/visual-editing-with-next-js-app-router",
      "signal": "Visual editing adds live preview and click-to-edit workflows, but also requires Draft Mode, live content wiring, and production-readiness checks."
    }
  ],
  "scorecard": [
    {
      "option": "File-backed Markdown + visual JSON",
      "fit": 94,
      "verdict": "Use now",
      "strengths": [
        "Versioned diffs",
        "No external CMS dependency",
        "Works with current generators",
        "Easy review artifacts"
      ],
      "risks": [
        "No browser editor",
        "Requires repository access",
        "Less comfortable for non-technical collaborators"
      ]
    },
    {
      "option": "MDX in the app repo",
      "fit": 78,
      "verdict": "Next technical upgrade",
      "strengths": [
        "React components inside articles",
        "Keeps Git review",
        "Good for custom diagrams and calculators"
      ],
      "risks": [
        "More build complexity",
        "Content authors can break components",
        "Still not a full editor workflow"
      ]
    },
    {
      "option": "Sanity CMS with Visual Editing",
      "fit": 62,
      "verdict": "Defer until editor scale",
      "strengths": [
        "Draft preview",
        "Structured content",
        "Click-to-edit",
        "Non-technical editor workflow"
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Tokens and permissions",
        "Preview/Draft Mode wiring",
        "Live content caching complexity",
        "More operational surface"
      ]
    },
    {
      "option": "Full custom CMS",
      "fit": 31,
      "verdict": "Avoid for now",
      "strengths": [
        "Maximum control",
        "Can match internal workflow exactly"
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Large build cost",
        "Authentication and moderation burden",
        "Distracts from research and benchmarks"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "operatingLoop": [
    [
      "Author",
      "Write or update content/articles/*.md plus source links and reviewer ownership."
    ],
    [
      "Visualize",
      "Update the matching .visual.json sidecar for charts, tables, maps, and control rooms."
    ],
    [
      "Generate",
      "Run pnpm articles:kit to export drafts, visual packets, source registry, and article source index."
    ],
    [
      "Verify",
      "Run pnpm lint, pnpm build, and SITE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:3000 pnpm verify:site against Webpack dev."
    ],
    [
      "Publish",
      "Commit the content files, generated reports, and tracker update together so every article has a source trail."
    ]
  ],
  "migrationTriggers": [
    "Sanjay and Saujas want non-developer browser editing for articles or case studies.",
    "Draft review needs authenticated preview links instead of public Markdown exports.",
    "Content reuse across pages requires structured fields beyond the current frontmatter and sidecar schema.",
    "The article cadence exceeds what Git review plus generated packets can comfortably support."
  ],
  "path": "/reports/editorial/publishing-workflow-decision.json",
  "markdownPath": "/reports/editorial/publishing-workflow-decision.md"
}