[Dan-StrategicAutomation]

Summary

Implements the 33 currently open v4.0.1 milestone issues: #257, #258, #261, #262, #264, #265, #266, #269, #280, #281, #288, #300, #301, #302, #303, #304, #306, #307, and #311–#325. This updates evidence, task, and hypothesis contracts; replaces unsafe or ambiguous testing guidance with scoped, bounded procedures; adds specialized API, identity, upload, cloud, cache, CI, directory, framework, and LLM guidance; and synchronizes the playbook catalog and documentation inventory.

The branch is based on dev at 0986589. Issue references are listed without closing keywords because this PR targets dev; issue closure remains part of the release flow.

Verification

• uv run pytest — 1,028 passed, 1 skipped, 2 expected xfails.
• uv run ruff check .
• uv run ruff format --check .
• uv run python scripts/violin_guard.py check-release
• Offline benchmark suite in violin-tests-v401 with networking disabled — 110 passed, 2 expected xfails.
• uv run python -m benchmark.score --calibrate known-good — 20/20, gate passed.
• uv run python -m benchmark.score --calibrate known-bad — 0/20, gate rejected as expected; command exited successfully.
• Live baseline/candidate benchmark — pending an authorized isolated Duck Store target with pinned reset/image identity and available provider/model credentials. No hosted default target used.

Documentation and release surfaces

• User-facing guidance, examples, and shipped playbook inventory are synchronized.
• New playbooks include Evidence, Stop Conditions, and Blocked Actions.
• Distribution/version surfaces checked; version files consistently remain at 4.0.0 for this pre-release branch.
• No target data, credentials, engagement evidence, or generated artifacts are included.