Go-public checklist: README with cockpit demo, LICENSE, contribution notes, publishing story

[robercano]

Context

The repo is private and will go public once ready. With the reCode rename done (#86) and the cockpit complete, this is the polish pass that makes the first public impression. Depends on #86 landing first so nothing ships under the old name.

Change

• README: rewrite for an external reader who has never seen the project — what reCode is (orchestrated multi-agent development for Claude Code: PR loop, gates, worktree-isolated workers, cockpit), a 5-minute quickstart (install plugin → /orchestrator:setup → arm the loop), and a demo of the cockpit serve mode (GIF or annotated screenshot showing live workers + the inspector drawer).
• LICENSE: add one (owner to choose; propose MIT as the default for dev tooling and flag the decision on this issue before committing).
• CONTRIBUTING.md: how the self-hosted loop works here — issues are filed as backlog, only the owner labels planned, PRs go through the gate + reviewer-lens pipeline; what external contributors should and shouldn't touch (.claude/self/, MANAGED files).
• Publishing story: document the supported install path (Claude Code plugin marketplace / git install), and record the npm-name situation (name squatted-dead; scope vs dispute options) so the decision is written down where a contributor can find it.
• Hygiene sweep: confirm no secrets/tokens/personal paths in tracked files or issue templates; check .gitignore covers local-only files (.claude/state/, settings.local.json, editor dirs).

Done when

• A stranger can go from the public README to a working orchestrated repo without reading the source.
• LICENSE + CONTRIBUTING.md exist; hygiene sweep documented on this issue.
• Owner has explicitly flipped visibility (out of scope for the loop — owner action).

[robercano-ghbot]

License decision + hygiene sweep (2026-07-23, pre-flip)

LICENSE: owner chose MIT — committed as a0a4f9a (Copyright (c) 2026 Roberto Cano).

Hygiene sweep results (documented per this issue's checklist):

• Tracked files: 0 matches for token patterns (gh PATs, Anthropic keys, AWS, Slack, private-key blocks, generic api_key=) — pattern grep, no dedicated scanner installed.
• Tracked files: 0 personal absolute paths (/home/rcano), 0 personal emails outside the deliberate site page.
• Full history (268 commits, all branches): 0 token-pattern matches; 0 /home/rcano path leaks.
• .gitignore: covers .claude/state/, .env* (only .env.example tracked — placeholder-only, verified), .claude/settings.local.json, editor dirs, __pycache__. Matches the checklist.
• Only credential-adjacent tracked file: .env.example — placeholders + setup instructions only. ✓

Still open before this issue closes: README rewrite, CONTRIBUTING.md, publishing story (npm-name note), cockpit demo asset.
Safe-to-flip status: hygiene-wise, the repo can go public now — remaining items are polish, not safety.