diff --git a/.sdlc/config.yaml b/.sdlc/config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d9e993
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.sdlc/config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+version: 1
+project:
+    name: workspace
+branches:
+    main: main
+    feature_prefix: feature/
+phases:
+    enabled:
+        - draft
+        - specified
+        - planned
+        - ready
+        - implementation
+        - review
+        - audit
+        - qa
+        - merge
+        - released
+    required_artifacts:
+        audit:
+            - audit
+        planned:
+            - spec
+            - design
+            - tasks
+            - qa_plan
+        qa:
+            - qa_results
+        review:
+            - review
+        specified:
+            - spec
+compliance:
+    require_approvals: true
+    require_branch: true
+    require_qa: true
diff --git a/.sdlc/features/data-models/manifest.yaml b/.sdlc/features/data-models/manifest.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ff11e45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.sdlc/features/data-models/manifest.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+slug: data-models
+title: Core Data Models & Persistence
+created: 2026-02-10T01:30:07.578307417Z
+phase: draft
+phase_history:
+    - phase: draft
+      entered: 2026-02-10T01:30:07.578307417Z
+artifacts:
+    audit:
+        status: pending
+        path: audit.md
+    design:
+        status: pending
+        path: design.md
+    qa_plan:
+        status: pending
+        path: qa-plan.md
+    qa_results:
+        status: pending
+        path: qa-results.md
+    review:
+        status: pending
+        path: review.md
+    spec:
+        status: pending
+        path: spec.md
+    tasks:
+        status: pending
+        path: tasks.md
diff --git a/.sdlc/state.yaml b/.sdlc/state.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0314f7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.sdlc/state.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+version: 1
+project:
+    name: workspace
+active_work:
+    features:
+        - slug: data-models
+          phase: draft
+blocked: []
+last_updated: 2026-02-10T01:30:07.57865929Z
+last_action: CREATE_FEATURE
+last_actor: cli
+history:
+    - timestamp: 2026-02-10T01:30:07.578658929Z
+      action: CREATE_FEATURE
+      feature: data-models
+      actor: cli
+      result: success