diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 2bc2e77..f633d38 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ jobs:
           CACHELAYER_PG_USER: postgres
           CACHELAYER_PG_PASS: postgres
         run: |
-          find src tests -name '*.php' -print0 | xargs -0 -n1 php -l > /dev/null
+          composer test:syntax
           composer test:code
           composer test:lint
           composer test:sniff
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ jobs:
         run: composer install --no-interaction --prefer-dist --no-progress
 
       - name: Composer Audit (Release Guard)
-        run: composer audit --abandoned=ignore
+        run: composer release:audit
 
       - name: Quality Gate (PHPStan)
         run: composer test:static
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 13565e8..368dfee 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ CacheLayer is a standalone cache toolkit for modern PHP applications.
 It provides a unified API over PSR-6 and PSR-16 with local, distributed,
 and cloud adapters.
 
+## Project Background
+
+CacheLayer was separated from the existing Intermix project to improve package
+visibility, maintenance focus, and faster feature enrichment for caching.
+
 ## Features
 
 - Unified `Cache` facade implementing PSR-6, PSR-16, `ArrayAccess`, and `Countable`
@@ -57,12 +62,7 @@ $metrics = $cache->exportMetrics();
 
 ## Documentation
 
-- User docs are in `docs/`
-- Build docs locally with Sphinx (if installed):
-
-```bash
-make -C docs html
-```
+https://docs.infocyph.com/projects/CacheLayer
 
 ## Testing
 
diff --git a/captainhook.json b/captainhook.json
index bc08ef3..fa19900 100644
--- a/captainhook.json
+++ b/captainhook.json
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
                 "options": []
             },
             {
-                "action": "composer audit --no-interaction --abandoned=ignore",
+                "action": "composer release:audit",
                 "options": []
             },
             {
diff --git a/docs/adapters/apcu.rst b/docs/adapters/apcu.rst
index 227aa10..3dd761a 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/apcu.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/apcu.rst
@@ -19,3 +19,23 @@ Highlights:
 * efficient bulk fetch through APCu array fetch path
 
 ``Cache::local()`` will choose APCu automatically when available.
+
+Use When
+--------
+
+Use APCu when your cache can stay in local runtime memory and you want very
+low latency without network calls.
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::apcu('app');
+   $cache->set('feature_flag:new_checkout', true, 60);
+
+   if ($cache->has('feature_flag:new_checkout')) {
+       // fast local hit
+   }
diff --git a/docs/adapters/dynamodb.rst b/docs/adapters/dynamodb.rst
index e74ccab..fa05dc7 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/dynamodb.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/dynamodb.rst
@@ -26,3 +26,18 @@ Supported injected client methods:
 * ``deleteItem``
 * ``scan``
 * ``batchWriteItem``
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::dynamoDb(
+       namespace: 'edge',
+       table: 'cachelayer_entries',
+       config: ['region' => 'us-east-1', 'version' => 'latest'],
+   );
+
+   $cache->set('homepage:blocks', $blocks, 45);
diff --git a/docs/adapters/file.rst b/docs/adapters/file.rst
index 8b5ef85..ff97b47 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/file.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/file.rst
@@ -22,3 +22,18 @@ Highlights:
 * ``setNamespaceAndDirectory()`` supported
 
 Best for local/single-host environments.
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::file('catalog', __DIR__ . '/storage/cache');
+
+   $cache->setTagged('category:shoes', ['count' => 120], ['catalog'], 300);
+   $payload = $cache->get('category:shoes');
+
+   // Flush all catalog-tagged entries after product import.
+   $cache->invalidateTag('catalog');
diff --git a/docs/adapters/index.rst b/docs/adapters/index.rst
index ae61adf..1c65de3 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/index.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/index.rst
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ Cache Adapters
 CacheLayer ships multiple adapters for different runtime and infrastructure
 needs.
 
+Choosing quickly:
+
+* Start with ``file`` or ``pdo`` for most applications.
+* Use ``memory``/``apcu`` for fastest local access.
+* Use ``redis``/``memcache`` for distributed deployments.
+* Use cloud adapters (``mongodb``, ``dynamoDb``, ``s3``) when cache must live outside app hosts.
+
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 1
 
diff --git a/docs/adapters/memcached.rst b/docs/adapters/memcached.rst
index 11bdc63..bb12cc4 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/memcached.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/memcached.rst
@@ -20,3 +20,19 @@ Highlights:
 * factory auto-configures ``MemcachedLockProvider`` for ``remember()`` when using this adapter
 
 You may pass your own preconfigured ``Memcached`` client.
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::memcache('session', [
+       ['127.0.0.1', 11211, 100],
+   ]);
+
+   $state = $cache->remember('user:42:state', function ($item) {
+       $item->expiresAfter(120);
+       return loadSessionState(42);
+   });
diff --git a/docs/adapters/mongodb.rst b/docs/adapters/mongodb.rst
index 229d8f7..a27ca76 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/mongodb.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/mongodb.rst
@@ -27,3 +27,19 @@ Supported injected collection methods:
 * ``deleteOne``
 * ``deleteMany``
 * ``countDocuments``
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::mongodb(
+       'analytics',
+       database: 'app_cache',
+       collectionName: 'entries',
+       uri: 'mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017',
+   );
+
+   $cache->set('dashboard:kpi', ['orders' => 120, 'refunds' => 4], 120);
diff --git a/docs/adapters/null-store.rst b/docs/adapters/null-store.rst
index 5384849..1172839 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/null-store.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/null-store.rst
@@ -15,3 +15,15 @@ Behavior:
 * ``remember()`` recomputes every call
 
 Useful for disabling caching without changing calling code.
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::nullStore();
+
+   $cache->set('foo', 'bar');
+   $value = $cache->get('foo', 'fallback'); // "fallback"
diff --git a/docs/adapters/pdo.rst b/docs/adapters/pdo.rst
index eaffe07..3f96790 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/pdo.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/pdo.rst
@@ -47,3 +47,20 @@ Examples:
        'postgres',
        'postgres',
    );
+
+Typical Usage
+-------------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::pdo('orders');
+
+   $summary = $cache->remember('orders:summary:today', function ($item) {
+       $item->expiresAfter(60);
+       return loadOrderSummary();
+   }, tags: ['orders']);
+
+   // Invalidate all related records after an order mutation.
+   $cache->invalidateTag('orders');
diff --git a/docs/adapters/php-files.rst b/docs/adapters/php-files.rst
index d0239f2..060a3b8 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/php-files.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/php-files.rst
@@ -21,3 +21,15 @@ Highlights:
 * ``setNamespaceAndDirectory()`` supported
 
 Good for environments where opcode cache integration is desired.
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::phpFiles('view-cache', __DIR__ . '/storage/php-cache');
+   $cache->set('compiled:home', $compiledTemplate, 900);
+
+   $compiled = $cache->get('compiled:home');
diff --git a/docs/adapters/redis-cluster.rst b/docs/adapters/redis-cluster.rst
index cfe4711..7201d79 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/redis-cluster.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/redis-cluster.rst
@@ -19,3 +19,17 @@ Highlights:
 * tracks namespace key membership through an index set (``<ns>:__keys``) for clear/count operations
 
 Useful when using Redis Cluster topology.
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::redisCluster(
+       'checkout',
+       ['10.0.0.11:6379', '10.0.0.12:6379', '10.0.0.13:6379'],
+   );
+
+   $cache->set('cart:token:abc', ['items' => 3], 1200);
diff --git a/docs/adapters/redis.rst b/docs/adapters/redis.rst
index eb2b51a..b82bcfc 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/redis.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/redis.rst
@@ -24,3 +24,17 @@ DSN notes:
 
 * host/port parsed from DSN
 * optional password and DB selection (``/db-index``) are supported
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::redis('api', 'redis://127.0.0.1:6379/0');
+
+   $response = $cache->remember('endpoint:/v1/users?page=1', function ($item) {
+       $item->expiresAfter(30);
+       return fetchApiPayload();
+   }, tags: ['users']);
diff --git a/docs/adapters/s3.rst b/docs/adapters/s3.rst
index 8cbb0f0..83626ef 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/s3.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/s3.rst
@@ -26,3 +26,19 @@ Supported injected client methods:
 * ``deleteObject``
 * ``listObjectsV2``
 * ``deleteObjects``
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::s3(
+       namespace: 'reports',
+       bucket: 'my-cache-bucket',
+       config: ['region' => 'us-east-1', 'version' => 'latest'],
+       prefix: 'cachelayer/reports',
+   );
+
+   $cache->set('monthly:2026-04', $reportPayload, 3600);
diff --git a/docs/adapters/serialization.rst b/docs/adapters/serialization.rst
index f7efbe2..d137ced 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/serialization.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/serialization.rst
@@ -13,4 +13,16 @@ The payload format stores:
 * absolute expiration timestamp (or null)
 * internal format marker
 
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::memory('serialize-demo');
+   $cache->set('payload', ['a' => 1, 'b' => [2, 3]], 60);
+
+   $payload = $cache->get('payload');
+
 See :ref:`serializer` for resource handlers, closure support, and serializer API details.
diff --git a/docs/adapters/shared-memory.rst b/docs/adapters/shared-memory.rst
index 9769dd6..dc0ff43 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/shared-memory.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/shared-memory.rst
@@ -20,3 +20,13 @@ Notes:
 
 * data is not portable across hosts
 * capacity limited by shared memory segment size
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::sharedMemory('worker-bus', 8 * 1024 * 1024);
+   $cache->set('heartbeat:worker-1', time(), 15);
diff --git a/docs/adapters/sqlite.rst b/docs/adapters/sqlite.rst
index fe20671..0d7f7b3 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/sqlite.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/sqlite.rst
@@ -15,3 +15,13 @@ Equivalent behavior:
 
 Use ``Cache::pdo(...)`` directly if you want to switch to MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL
 without changing the rest of your cache usage pattern.
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::sqlite('jobs', __DIR__ . '/storage/cache/jobs.sqlite');
+   $cache->set('job:run:summary', ['ok' => 12, 'failed' => 1], 300);
diff --git a/docs/adapters/weak-map.rst b/docs/adapters/weak-map.rst
index 2ff3c62..ffe78a4 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/weak-map.rst
+++ b/docs/adapters/weak-map.rst
@@ -15,3 +15,16 @@ Object entries remain available while strongly referenced elsewhere. When an
 object is collected, its cache entry can disappear naturally.
 
 Use when you specifically want object lifecycle-aware caching.
+
+Example
+-------
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::weakMap('objects');
+   $dto = (object) ['id' => 42, 'name' => 'Ada'];
+
+   $cache->set('dto:42', $dto, 30);
+   $sameObject = $cache->get('dto:42');
diff --git a/docs/cache.rst b/docs/cache.rst
index aa63338..658007e 100644
--- a/docs/cache.rst
+++ b/docs/cache.rst
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ It implements:
 It also adds tagged invalidation, stampede-safe ``remember()``, lock provider
 selection, metrics hooks, and payload compression controls.
 
+CacheLayer was separated from the existing Intermix project for better
+standalone visibility and faster cache-specific feature enrichment.
+
 Installation
 ------------
 
@@ -190,12 +193,12 @@ Methods:
 
 Default collector is ``InMemoryCacheMetricsCollector``.
 
-Metrics are grouped by adapter class and metric name, for example:
+Metrics are grouped by readable adapter name and metric name, for example:
 
 .. code-block:: php
 
    [
-       'Infocyph\\CacheLayer\\Cache\\Adapter\\FileCacheAdapter' => [
+       'file' => [
            'hit' => 10,
            'miss' => 4,
            'set' => 3,
diff --git a/docs/cookbook.rst b/docs/cookbook.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..66ace85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/cookbook.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+.. _cookbook:
+
+==========================
+Cookbook and Process Flows
+==========================
+
+This page shows practical end-to-end usage patterns so you can wire CacheLayer
+into real application flows quickly and safely.
+
+Flow 1: File Adapter (Single Host)
+----------------------------------
+
+Use this when your app runs on one machine (or shared filesystem) and you want
+zero external dependencies.
+
+Process flow:
+
+1. Create the cache pool with a stable namespace and directory.
+2. Read through cache using ``remember()``.
+3. Tag related entries so updates can invalidate groups.
+4. Export metrics for visibility.
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   $cache = Cache::file('shop', __DIR__ . '/storage/cache');
+
+   // Read-through cache on miss with stampede protection.
+   $product = $cache->remember('product:42', function ($item) {
+       $item->expiresAfter(300);
+       return loadProductFromDatabase(42);
+   }, tags: ['products', 'product:42']);
+
+   // On product update, invalidate only related cache.
+   $cache->invalidateTags(['products', 'product:42']);
+
+   // Optional: inspect adapter-level metrics.
+   $metrics = $cache->exportMetrics();
+   // ['file' => ['hit' => ..., 'miss' => ..., 'set' => ...]]
+
+Flow 2: PDO Adapter (SQLite Default, MySQL/PostgreSQL Ready)
+-------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Use this when you want SQL-backed caching and easy portability across
+SQLite/MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL via PDO.
+
+Process flow:
+
+1. Start local/dev with default SQLite behavior (no DSN required).
+2. Move to MySQL/PostgreSQL in staging/production by changing DSN only.
+3. Keep the same cache API and tagging flow.
+4. Keep stampede protection enabled via the auto-configured PDO lock provider.
+
+.. code-block:: php
+
+   use Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Cache;
+
+   // Development: defaults to sqlite:<temp-file>
+   $cache = Cache::pdo('billing');
+
+   // Production example (PostgreSQL):
+   // $cache = Cache::pdo(
+   //     'billing',
+   //     'pgsql:host=127.0.0.1;port=5432;dbname=app',
+   //     'postgres',
+   //     'secret',
+   // );
+
+   $invoice = $cache->remember('invoice:2026-1001', function ($item) {
+       $item->expiresAfter(180);
+       return buildInvoicePayload(1001);
+   }, tags: ['invoices', 'customer:77']);
+
+   // Invalidate by business scope when source data changes.
+   $cache->invalidateTag('customer:77');
+
+Recommended Rollout Pattern
+---------------------------
+
+1. Start with ``Cache::local()`` or ``Cache::file()``.
+2. Add tags to all business-domain cache keys.
+3. Replace direct ``get()+set()`` misses with ``remember()``.
+4. Watch ``exportMetrics()`` and tune TTL values.
+5. Switch adapter backend only when scaling needs change.
diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index 48f9abb..4725b26 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -13,6 +13,20 @@ CacheLayer is a standalone caching toolkit for PHP 8.3+ with:
 * value serialization for closures and resources
 * process-local memoization helpers (``memoize``, ``remember``, ``once``)
 
+Project Background
+------------------
+
+CacheLayer was separated from the existing Intermix project for better package
+visibility and focused feature enrichment around caching.
+
+How to Use This Manual
+----------------------
+
+1. Start with ``cache`` for the unified API and factory overview.
+2. Read ``adapters/index`` to choose a backend and copy its example.
+3. Follow ``cookbook`` for complete end-to-end process flows.
+4. Use ``metrics-and-locking`` for production visibility and stampede control.
+
 Quick Start
 -----------
 
@@ -35,6 +49,7 @@ Quick Start
 
    cache
    adapters/index
+   cookbook
    metrics-and-locking
    serializer
    memoize
diff --git a/docs/metrics-and-locking.rst b/docs/metrics-and-locking.rst
index eb82ef4..0dd035b 100644
--- a/docs/metrics-and-locking.rst
+++ b/docs/metrics-and-locking.rst
@@ -14,8 +14,10 @@ Cache facade metrics API:
 * ``setMetricsExportHook(?callable $hook): self``
 
 Default collector is ``InMemoryCacheMetricsCollector``.
+Exported snapshots use readable adapter keys such as ``file``, ``pdo``,
+``redis``, ``memory``, and ``redis_cluster``.
 
-Metric counters are tracked per adapter class, for example:
+Metric counters are tracked per adapter name, for example:
 
 * ``hit``
 * ``miss``
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ Metric counters are tracked per adapter class, for example:
    $cache->get('k');
 
    $metrics = $cache->exportMetrics();
+   // ['file' => ['set' => 1, 'hit' => 1, ...]]
 
 Locking and Stampede Protection
 -------------------------------
diff --git a/psalm.xml b/psalm.xml
index bb0401c..49a4a35 100644
--- a/psalm.xml
+++ b/psalm.xml
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
     xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
     xmlns="https://getpsalm.org/schema/config"
     xsi:schemaLocation="https://getpsalm.org/schema/config vendor/vimeo/psalm/config.xsd"
-    errorLevel="3"
-    findUnusedCode="true"
+    errorLevel="2"
 >
     <projectFiles>
         <directory name="src" />
diff --git a/src/Cache/Cache.php b/src/Cache/Cache.php
index 0c4ac13..c261332 100644
--- a/src/Cache/Cache.php
+++ b/src/Cache/Cache.php
@@ -487,11 +487,13 @@ public function deleteMultiple(iterable $keys): bool
     }
 
     /**
+     * Returns metrics grouped by readable adapter name.
+     *
      * @return array<string, array<string, int>>
      */
     public function exportMetrics(): array
     {
-        $snapshot = $this->metrics->export();
+        $snapshot = $this->readableMetricsSnapshot($this->metrics->export());
         if ($this->metricsExportHook !== null) {
             ($this->metricsExportHook)($snapshot);
         }
@@ -1174,6 +1176,50 @@ private function purgeKeyAndTagMeta(string $key): void
         $this->adapter->deleteItem($this->tagMetaKey($key));
     }
 
+    private function readableAdapterName(string $adapterClass): string
+    {
+        $short = $adapterClass;
+        if (str_contains($short, '\\')) {
+            $parts = explode('\\', $short);
+            $short = end($parts);
+        }
+
+        if (str_ends_with($short, 'CacheAdapter')) {
+            $short = substr($short, 0, -strlen('CacheAdapter'));
+        }
+
+        return match ($short) {
+            'Array' => 'memory',
+            'MemCache' => 'memcache',
+            'Null' => 'null_store',
+            'PhpFiles' => 'php_files',
+            'SharedMemory' => 'shared_memory',
+            'WeakMap' => 'weak_map',
+            'RedisCluster' => 'redis_cluster',
+            'DynamoDb' => 'dynamodb',
+            'MongoDb' => 'mongodb',
+            default => strtolower((string) preg_replace('/(?<!^)[A-Z]/', '_$0', $short)),
+        };
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param array<string, array<string, int>> $snapshot
+     * @return array<string, array<string, int>>
+     */
+    private function readableMetricsSnapshot(array $snapshot): array
+    {
+        $readable = [];
+
+        foreach ($snapshot as $adapterClass => $counters) {
+            $name = $this->readableAdapterName((string) $adapterClass);
+            foreach ($counters as $metric => $count) {
+                $readable[$name][$metric] = ($readable[$name][$metric] ?? 0) + (int) $count;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $readable;
+    }
+
     private function stampedeLockKey(string $key): string
     {
         return '__im_lock_' . hash('xxh128', $key);
diff --git a/src/Cache/CacheInterface.php b/src/Cache/CacheInterface.php
index a1f11de..eb8c0bd 100644
--- a/src/Cache/CacheInterface.php
+++ b/src/Cache/CacheInterface.php
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ public function clearCache(): bool;
     public function configurePayloadCompression(?int $thresholdBytes = null, int $level = 6): self;
 
     /**
+     * Returns metrics grouped by readable adapter name (for example ``file``,
+     * ``pdo``, ``redis``) and metric name.
+     *
      * @return array<string, array<string, int>>
      */
     public function exportMetrics(): array;
diff --git a/tests/Cache/CacheFeaturesTest.php b/tests/Cache/CacheFeaturesTest.php
index 60ef792..7087068 100644
--- a/tests/Cache/CacheFeaturesTest.php
+++ b/tests/Cache/CacheFeaturesTest.php
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ public function release(?LockHandle $handle): void
     $this->cache->get('x');
 
     $metrics = $this->cache->exportMetrics();
-    $adapter = Infocyph\CacheLayer\Cache\Adapter\FileCacheAdapter::class;
+    $adapter = 'file';
 
     expect($metrics[$adapter]['miss'] ?? 0)->toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(1)
         ->and($metrics[$adapter]['hit'] ?? 0)->toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(1)
@@ -202,4 +202,3 @@ public function release(?LockHandle $handle): void
     $this->cache->configurePayloadCompression(null);
 });
 
-