diff --git a/XFF.md b/XFF.md
index cf5f77e..12bd0c1 100644
--- a/XFF.md
+++ b/XFF.md
@@ -10,6 +10,41 @@ xff walks each starting path and acts on the entries matching an expression, lik
 
 xff has two flavors selected by the program name: invoked as `find` it is strict find (only the standard vocabulary); invoked as `xff` it enables the modern extensions. An explicit `--config=find|xff` overrides the program name. Items marked as xff extensions below are the additions over find.
 
+## Configuration
+
+xff configuration. Options resolve from layered config tiers, then the command line; later layers win. A style (find / xff / rg) sets the baseline defaults, which the tiers and the command line then adjust. Run `--explain` to print exactly what resolved.
+
+### Layers (lowest to highest precedence)
+
+- `system config` - machine-wide defaults (+ a root-owned [policy] that can hard-deny arming)
+- `user config` - your personal defaults
+- `--xffrc=FILE` - an explicitly named file (repeatable) - a NON-ARMING tier
+- `command line` - flags and --config, highest
+
+There is no project / ancestor .xffrc discovery: config comes from the system and user files plus any `--xffrc` you name. `--no-config` ignores the discovered system/user files.
+
+### Choosing a style
+
+`--config=NAME` selects find / xff / rg (repeatable, last wins); see `--help=styles` for the table. The invocation name (argv[0]) is the leading selector, so a symlink named `find` runs the strict find style and `rg` the rg style; any other name (e.g. a `mytool` symlink) activates a same-named config block over the xff default. An explicit `--config` still stacks on top.
+
+### Arming dangerous directives
+
+A dangerous directive (the exec family -exec/-execdir/-ok/-capture, or -delete) carried by an --xffrc file is inert unless `--allow-exec` is set from a TRUSTED tier (the command line or the system/user config, never an --xffrc file itself). Unarmed lines are dropped with a warning; the root system [policy] can hard-deny even `--allow-exec`.
+
+### Config flags
+- `--config=NAME` - select a config style: find (strict), xff (evolved), rg (opinionated); repeatable _(global, xff)_
+  A config style sets the defaults for ignore files, hidden files, sizes, sort order, and case. find is strict find compatibility; xff keeps find's grammar but sorts and prints human sizes; rg is opinionated (respect .gitignore, skip hidden, smart case). Repeatable and layered, last one wins. See --help=styles for the per-style defaults.
+- `--no-config` - ignore discovered .xffrc files _(global, xff)_
+- `--xffrc=FILE` - also load a specific config file (a non-arming tier; see --allow-exec) _(global, xff)_
+  Loads FILE as a config tier above the user config (naming it is consent to LOAD it). It is a NON-ARMING tier: safe directives apply, but a dangerous one - the exec family (-exec/-execdir/-ok, -capture) or -delete - is inert unless --allow-exec is set from a trusted tier (the CLI or the user/system config, never from an --xffrc file itself). An unarmed dangerous line is dropped with a one-line warning. Repeatable; later files win.
+  Affects: --allow-exec
+  Affected by: --allow-exec
+- `--allow-exec` - arm dangerous directives loaded from an --xffrc file (exec family, -delete) _(global, xff)_
+  Permits the sensitive/destructive directives (the exec family -exec/-execdir/-ok and -capture, and the destructive -delete) carried by an --xffrc-loaded file to actually run. Honored only from a trusted tier - typed on the CLI, or set in the user/system config - never from an --xffrc file (so a named config cannot authorize itself). The root-owned system [policy] can hard-deny even this. Without it, such lines are inert (dropped + warned); -delete still obeys its own --safe/--dry-run guards.
+  Affects: --xffrc
+  Affected by: --xffrc
+- `--explain` - print the resolved configuration and exit _(global, xff)_
+
 ## Options
 
 ### Config
diff --git a/xff/cli/help.cc b/xff/cli/help.cc
index 75c4661..737db44 100644
--- a/xff/cli/help.cc
+++ b/xff/cli/help.cc
@@ -168,46 +168,6 @@ std::string RenderExpressions() {
   return out;
 }
 
-// The `--help=config` topic: how xff resolves options (layered tiers + the command line), how a
-// style is chosen (--config and the argv[0] invocation name), and how dangerous --xffrc directives
-// are armed. The config flags are pulled from the globals SOT via the "config" topic tag, so the
-// flag list here cannot drift; the layering / argv[0] / arming rules are prose.
-std::string RenderConfig() {
-  std::string out =
-      "xff configuration. Options resolve from layered config tiers, then the command line; later\n"
-      "layers win. A style (find / xff / rg) sets the baseline defaults, which the tiers and the\n"
-      "command line then adjust. Run --explain to print exactly what resolved.\n"
-      "\n"
-      "Layers, lowest to highest precedence:\n"
-      "  system config   machine-wide defaults (+ a root-owned [policy] that can hard-deny arming)\n"
-      "  user config     your personal defaults\n"
-      "  --xffrc=FILE    an explicitly named file (repeatable) - a NON-ARMING tier\n"
-      "  command line    flags and --config, highest\n"
-      "\n"
-      "There is no project / ancestor .xffrc discovery: config comes from the system and user files\n"
-      "plus any --xffrc you name. --no-config ignores the discovered system/user files.\n"
-      "\n"
-      "Choosing a style:\n"
-      "  --config=NAME selects find / xff / rg (repeatable, last wins); see --help=styles for the table.\n"
-      "  The invocation name (argv[0]) is the leading selector, so a symlink named `find` runs the\n"
-      "  strict find style and `rg` the rg style; any other name (e.g. a `mytool` symlink) activates a\n"
-      "  same-named config block over the xff default. An explicit --config still stacks on top.\n"
-      "\n"
-      "Arming dangerous directives:\n"
-      "  A dangerous directive (the exec family -exec/-execdir/-ok/-capture, or -delete) carried by an\n"
-      "  --xffrc file is inert unless --allow-exec is set from a TRUSTED tier (the command line or the\n"
-      "  system/user config, never an --xffrc file itself). Unarmed lines are dropped with a warning;\n"
-      "  the root system [policy] can hard-deny even --allow-exec.\n"
-      "\n"
-      "Config flags:\n";
-  for (const GlobalFlag& flag : Globals()) {
-    if (flag.topic == "config") {
-      absl::StrAppend(&out, RenderGlobalFlag(flag, /*with_details=*/true), "\n");
-    }
-  }
-  return out;
-}
-
 }  // namespace
 
 // The `--help=cookbook` topic (aliases examples / recipes), folded into --help=full: task-oriented
@@ -495,9 +455,6 @@ absl::StatusOr<std::string> RenderHelp(std::string_view topic) {
   if (topic == "expressions") {
     return RenderExpressions();  // the annotated Tests/Actions/Operators list, sans globals
   }
-  if (topic == "config") {
-    return RenderConfig();  // config tiers, style selection, and arming
-  }
   if (topic == "cookbook" || topic == "examples" || topic == "recipes") {
     return RenderCookbook();  // worked examples composing the building blocks end to end
   }
diff --git a/xff/cli/help_build.cc b/xff/cli/help_build.cc
index 6592361..80c7516 100644
--- a/xff/cli/help_build.cc
+++ b/xff/cli/help_build.cc
@@ -331,6 +331,57 @@ Section StatsSection() {
   return section;
 }
 
+// CONFIGURATION: how options resolve (layered tiers + the command line), how a style is
+// chosen (--config / argv[0]), and how dangerous --xffrc directives are armed. The flags
+// are pulled from the globals SOT via the "config" topic tag so the list cannot drift;
+// the layering / argv[0] / arming rules are prose. Standalone as `--help=config` (see
+// TopicReference) and folded into the full reference.
+Section ConfigSection() {
+  Section section{.title = "Configuration"};
+  section.children.push_back(ProseOf(
+      "xff configuration. Options resolve from layered config tiers, then the command line; later "
+      "layers win. A style (find / xff / rg) sets the baseline defaults, which the tiers and the "
+      "command line then adjust. Run `--explain` to print exactly what resolved."));
+
+  static constexpr std::array<DocPair, 4> kLayers = {{
+      {"system config", "machine-wide defaults (+ a root-owned [policy] that can hard-deny arming)"},
+      {"user config", "your personal defaults"},
+      {"--xffrc=FILE", "an explicitly named file (repeatable) - a NON-ARMING tier"},
+      {"command line", "flags and --config, highest"},
+  }};
+  Subsection layers{.title = "Layers (lowest to highest precedence)"};
+  layers.children.push_back(RowsOf(kLayers));
+  layers.children.push_back(ProseOf(
+      "There is no project / ancestor .xffrc discovery: config comes from the system and user files "
+      "plus any `--xffrc` you name. `--no-config` ignores the discovered system/user files."));
+  section.children.push_back(Content{.node = std::move(layers)});
+
+  Subsection style{.title = "Choosing a style"};
+  style.children.push_back(ProseOf(
+      "`--config=NAME` selects find / xff / rg (repeatable, last wins); see `--help=styles` for the "
+      "table. The invocation name (argv[0]) is the leading selector, so a symlink named `find` runs the "
+      "strict find style and `rg` the rg style; any other name (e.g. a `mytool` symlink) activates a "
+      "same-named config block over the xff default. An explicit `--config` still stacks on top."));
+  section.children.push_back(Content{.node = std::move(style)});
+
+  Subsection arming{.title = "Arming dangerous directives"};
+  arming.children.push_back(ProseOf(
+      "A dangerous directive (the exec family -exec/-execdir/-ok/-capture, or -delete) carried by an "
+      "--xffrc file is inert unless `--allow-exec` is set from a TRUSTED tier (the command line or the "
+      "system/user config, never an --xffrc file itself). Unarmed lines are dropped with a warning; the "
+      "root system [policy] can hard-deny even `--allow-exec`."));
+  section.children.push_back(Content{.node = std::move(arming)});
+
+  Subsection flags{.title = "Config flags"};
+  for (const GlobalFlag& flag : Globals()) {
+    if (flag.topic == "config") {
+      flags.children.push_back(FlagEntry(flag));
+    }
+  }
+  section.children.push_back(Content{.node = std::move(flags)});
+  return section;
+}
+
 // EXAMPLES: the cookbook recipes as structured nodes - each a subsection with the
 // verbatim command (an Example, kept copy-pastable) and its explanation (Prose, which
 // wraps). The recipe list is the SOT in help.cc, run end to end by cookbook_test.
@@ -476,6 +527,8 @@ std::optional<Document> TopicReference(std::string_view name) {
     doc.sections.push_back(GrammarsSection());
   } else if (name == "stats") {
     doc.sections.push_back(StatsSection());
+  } else if (name == "config") {
+    doc.sections.push_back(ConfigSection());
   } else {
     return std::nullopt;
   }
@@ -515,6 +568,7 @@ Document BuildReference() {
   };
 
   doc.sections.push_back(DescriptionSection());
+  doc.sections.push_back(ConfigSection());
   doc.sections.push_back(OptionsSection(/*with_details=*/true));
   doc.sections.push_back(ExpressionSection(/*with_details=*/true));
 
diff --git a/xff/cli/help_build_test.cc b/xff/cli/help_build_test.cc
index 06e89ec..4a69b47 100644
--- a/xff/cli/help_build_test.cc
+++ b/xff/cli/help_build_test.cc
@@ -76,9 +76,10 @@ TEST_F(BuildReferenceTest, PreambleComesFromTheSot) {
 
 TEST_F(BuildReferenceTest, SectionsAppearInReferenceOrder) {
   EXPECT_THAT(
-      SectionTitles(doc), ElementsAre(
-                              "Description", "Options", "Expression", "Fields", "Printf directives", "Time formats",
-                              "Size units", "Regex grammars", "Statistics", "Examples", "Exit status", "See also"));
+      SectionTitles(doc),
+      ElementsAre(
+          "Description", "Configuration", "Options", "Expression", "Fields", "Printf directives", "Time formats",
+          "Size units", "Regex grammars", "Statistics", "Examples", "Exit status", "See also"));
 }
 
 TEST_F(BuildReferenceTest, ExpressionHasTheThreeKindSubsections) {
diff --git a/xff/cli/help_render_test.cc b/xff/cli/help_render_test.cc
index dd25cab..9e70dd0 100644
--- a/xff/cli/help_render_test.cc
+++ b/xff/cli/help_render_test.cc
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ TEST_F(HelpTest, EveryAdvertisedTopicRendersAndAliasesAreSynonyms) {
   // regex, or the shared DocRenderer walk that produces `fields`).
   for (const HelpTopic& topic : HelpTopics()) {
     if (topic.name == "styles" || topic.name == "fields" || topic.name == "printf" || topic.name == "time"
-        || topic.name == "size" || topic.name == "grammars" || topic.name == "extras" || topic.name == "stats") {
+        || topic.name == "size" || topic.name == "grammars" || topic.name == "extras" || topic.name == "stats"
+        || topic.name == "config") {
       continue;  // rendered from the model (TopicReference) or the CLI facets, not RenderHelp
     }
     const absl::StatusOr<std::string> rendered = RenderHelp(topic.name);
@@ -206,6 +207,15 @@ TEST_F(HelpTest, StatsTopicDocumentsSummaryAndHistogram) {
           HasSubstr("--summary"), HasSubstr("--histogram"), HasSubstr("sum(lines)"), HasSubstr("needs an aggregator")));
 }
 
+TEST_F(HelpTest, ConfigTopicDocumentsTiersStyleAndArming) {
+  // `--help=config` renders from the model (TopicReference): the layered tiers, style
+  // selection (--config / argv[0]), and the arming rule for dangerous --xffrc directives.
+  EXPECT_THAT(
+      RenderTopicDoc("config"), AllOf(
+                                    HasSubstr("system config"), HasSubstr("command line"), HasSubstr("--config"),
+                                    HasSubstr("argv[0]"), HasSubstr("--allow-exec")));
+}
+
 TEST_F(HelpTest, GlobalFlagTopicRendersWithGlobalTag) {
   EXPECT_THAT(RenderEntry("--sort"), AllOf(HasSubstr("--sort"), HasSubstr("ordering"), HasSubstr("global")));
 }