diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/__init__.py
index edb7891ea..a4ce8ecc9 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Automations: scheduled / triggered runs of capabilities — see automation-design-plan.md."""
+"""Automations engine — see automation-design-plan.md."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/__init__.py
index 265742a85..4c1ea3423 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Persistence layer: SQLAlchemy enums under ``enums/`` and models under ``models/``."""
+"""SQLAlchemy models and enums for the automation tables."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/__init__.py
index cf9e7dd1b..6c2cfcf1f 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""SQLAlchemy / Python enums backing the three automation tables."""
+"""Enums for the automation tables."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/automation_status.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/automation_status.py
index 3f2ca9621..aff6f4683 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/automation_status.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/automation_status.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``AutomationStatus`` — lifecycle of a stored automation definition."""
+"""Automation lifecycle status."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -6,13 +6,6 @@ from enum import StrEnum
 
 
 class AutomationStatus(StrEnum):
-    """Status of an automation in the registry.
-
-    ``active``   — eligible to fire from its triggers.
-    ``paused``   — definition retained, triggers do not fire.
-    ``archived`` — kept for run history only; no edits, no fires.
-    """
-
-    ACTIVE = "active"
-    PAUSED = "paused"
-    ARCHIVED = "archived"
+    ACTIVE = "active"  # eligible to fire
+    PAUSED = "paused"  # kept, but triggers don't fire
+    ARCHIVED = "archived"  # read-only history
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/run_status.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/run_status.py
index 0f619bd82..64dcd49e8 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/run_status.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/run_status.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``RunStatus`` — the state machine of a single ``AutomationRun``."""
+"""AutomationRun state machine: pending → running → (succeeded|failed|cancelled|timed_out)."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -6,20 +6,6 @@ from enum import StrEnum
 
 
 class RunStatus(StrEnum):
-    """Lifecycle states of an ``AutomationRun`` row.
-
-    Transitions are linear with three terminal branches:
-
-        pending → running → (succeeded | failed | cancelled | timed_out)
-
-    ``pending``    — row created, executor task enqueued, work not started.
-    ``running``    — executor has picked up the run.
-    ``succeeded``  — terminal: plan completed without error.
-    ``failed``     — terminal: at least one step raised an unrecoverable error.
-    ``cancelled``  — terminal: caller asked for cancellation.
-    ``timed_out``  — terminal: run exceeded its configured timeout.
-    """
-
     PENDING = "pending"
     RUNNING = "running"
     SUCCEEDED = "succeeded"
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/trigger_type.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/trigger_type.py
index eb06fe773..8318bfdee 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/trigger_type.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/enums/trigger_type.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``TriggerType`` — the trigger-kind discriminator (v1 = schedule, manual)."""
+"""Trigger-kind discriminator. v1: schedule | manual; webhook/event in Phase 2/3."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -6,16 +6,5 @@ from enum import StrEnum
 
 
 class TriggerType(StrEnum):
-    """Kind of trigger an ``AutomationTrigger`` row represents.
-
-    v1 ships two kinds:
-
-    ``schedule`` — fires on a cron expression managed by Celery Beat.
-    ``manual``   — fires on demand from the UI's "Run now" affordance.
-
-    ``webhook`` and ``event`` are deferred to Phase 2 and Phase 3
-    respectively; adding them is an enum-value extension only.
-    """
-
     SCHEDULE = "schedule"
     MANUAL = "manual"
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/__init__.py
index 4aca02a03..4bc023ea3 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""SQLAlchemy models: one file per table (``automation.py``, ``trigger.py``, ``run.py``)."""
+"""SQLAlchemy models, one per table."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/automation.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/automation.py
index fc4a1ed93..637fd2282 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/automation.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/automation.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``Automation`` table — the editable, versioned automation definition."""
+"""``automations`` table — editable, versioned automation definition."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -21,15 +21,6 @@ from ..enums.automation_status import AutomationStatus
 
 
 class Automation(BaseModel, TimestampMixin):
-    """The editable, versioned spec a user authors.
-
-    The ``definition`` JSON is what the user (or the NL generator) writes
-    and edits. Each save bumps ``version`` by one; the previous JSON is
-    not kept in this row — version history is reconstructed from the
-    ``definition_snapshot`` column on every ``AutomationRun`` that fired
-    against a given version.
-    """
-
     __tablename__ = "automations"
 
     search_space_id = Column(
@@ -59,12 +50,7 @@ class Automation(BaseModel, TimestampMixin):
 
     definition = Column(JSONB, nullable=False)
 
-    version = Column(
-        Integer,
-        nullable=False,
-        default=1,
-        server_default="1",
-    )
+    version = Column(Integer, nullable=False, default=1, server_default="1")
 
     updated_at = Column(
         TIMESTAMP(timezone=True),
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/run.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/run.py
index 5c6ec93ec..9291e5da0 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/run.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/run.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``AutomationRun`` table — the immutable per-fire execution record."""
+"""``automation_runs`` table — immutable per-fire execution record."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -18,16 +18,6 @@ from ..enums.run_status import RunStatus
 
 
 class AutomationRun(BaseModel, TimestampMixin):
-    """One execution of an automation.
-
-    Every fire of any trigger inserts exactly one row here. The row is
-    immutable from the user's perspective — the executor only updates
-    ``status``, ``step_results``, ``output``, ``artifacts``, ``error``,
-    ``started_at``, ``finished_at`` as the run progresses; the
-    ``definition_snapshot`` is locked at fire time so the user can always
-    see exactly what code path executed for any historical run.
-    """
-
     __tablename__ = "automation_runs"
 
     automation_id = Column(
@@ -52,18 +42,14 @@ class AutomationRun(BaseModel, TimestampMixin):
         index=True,
     )
 
+    # locked at fire time so historical runs always show the exact code path
     definition_snapshot = Column(JSONB, nullable=False)
 
     trigger_payload = Column(JSONB, nullable=True)
-
     resolved_inputs = Column(JSONB, nullable=False, server_default="{}")
-
     step_results = Column(JSONB, nullable=False, server_default="[]")
-
     output = Column(JSONB, nullable=True)
-
     artifacts = Column(JSONB, nullable=False, server_default="[]")
-
     error = Column(JSONB, nullable=True)
 
     started_at = Column(TIMESTAMP(timezone=True), nullable=True)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/trigger.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/trigger.py
index 3173770d6..8dab48a6b 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/trigger.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/persistence/models/trigger.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``AutomationTrigger`` table — one row per (automation, trigger-instance) pair."""
+"""``automation_triggers`` table — one row per (automation, trigger-instance) pair."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -18,14 +18,6 @@ from ..enums.trigger_type import TriggerType
 
 
 class AutomationTrigger(BaseModel, TimestampMixin):
-    """One trigger attached to an automation.
-
-    An automation may have multiple triggers — e.g. a ``schedule`` trigger
-    for the autonomous path and a ``manual`` trigger backing the UI's
-    "Run now" affordance. Each trigger's ``config`` is validated against
-    the registered ``TriggerDefinition.config_schema`` for its ``type``.
-    """
-
     __tablename__ = "automation_triggers"
 
     automation_id = Column(
@@ -51,7 +43,4 @@ class AutomationTrigger(BaseModel, TimestampMixin):
         index=True,
     )
 
-    last_fired_at = Column(
-        TIMESTAMP(timezone=True),
-        nullable=True,
-    )
+    last_fired_at = Column(TIMESTAMP(timezone=True), nullable=True)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/__init__.py
index 47023f903..a97595ced 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Three registries — ``capabilities/``, ``actions/``, ``triggers/`` — populated at import time."""
+"""Capability, action, and trigger registries — populated at process startup."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/__init__.py
index c6b550096..1bb3ae9cc 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Action registry: ``types.py`` (dataclass), ``store.py`` (dict + register fn)."""
+"""Action registry."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/store.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/store.py
index 720243b83..eff66c4c7 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/store.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/store.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Action registry: in-memory dict + ``register_action`` API."""
+"""In-memory action registry. Populated once at process startup."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -8,26 +8,16 @@ _REGISTRY: dict[str, ActionDefinition] = {}
 
 
 def register_action(action: ActionDefinition) -> None:
-    """Add an action to the in-memory registry.
-
-    Raises ``ValueError`` on duplicate ``type`` — registration runs
-    once per process, so a duplicate is always a bug.
-    """
-
+    """Register an action. Raises on duplicate type."""
     if action.type in _REGISTRY:
-        raise ValueError(
-            f"Action already registered: {action.type!r}"
-        )
+        raise ValueError(f"Action already registered: {action.type!r}")
     _REGISTRY[action.type] = action
 
 
 def get_action(action_type: str) -> ActionDefinition | None:
-    """Look up one action by type. Returns ``None`` on miss."""
-
     return _REGISTRY.get(action_type)
 
 
 def all_actions() -> dict[str, ActionDefinition]:
-    """Snapshot of the registry as a defensive copy."""
-
+    """Defensive snapshot of the registry."""
     return dict(_REGISTRY)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/types.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/types.py
index 2ab2906b1..13c826c66 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/types.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/actions/types.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``ActionDefinition`` dataclass — the v1-minimum action shape."""
+"""``ActionDefinition`` dataclass and handler signature."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -7,36 +7,10 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Any
 
 ActionHandler = Callable[[dict[str, Any]], Awaitable[Any]]
-"""The signature every action handler must satisfy.
-
-Identical in shape to ``CapabilityHandler`` — both receive a
-caller-validated input dict and return an arbitrary output. The
-distinction is purely architectural: capabilities are the low-level
-"what SurfSense can do" surface, actions are the user-facing
-building blocks composed into a plan.
-"""
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)
 class ActionDefinition:
-    """A user-facing step type the plan editor can compose.
-
-    v1 trims the dataclass to the five fields necessary for
-    registry dispatch and form rendering. The full design (§4)
-    includes ``output_contract``, ``uses_capabilities``, and
-    ``produces_artifacts``; all three are deferred until a consumer
-    feature requires them:
-
-    - ``output_contract`` — the loose ``agent_task`` action declares
-      its output shape per-step via ``config.output_schema``, so the
-      action-level contract is not needed in v1.
-    - ``uses_capabilities`` — would let the NL generator do static
-      analysis of which capabilities each action invokes; deferred
-      because v1 ships a single (``agent_task``) action.
-    - ``produces_artifacts`` — deferred alongside the artifact
-      pipeline (see §13 decision 26).
-    """
-
     type: str
     name: str
     description: str
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/__init__.py
index 6fa2c8246..213303fc0 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Capability registry: ``types.py`` (dataclass), ``store.py`` (dict + register fn)."""
+"""Capability registry."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/store.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/store.py
index 3c8822d76..4d87abe47 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/store.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/store.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Capability registry: in-memory dict + ``register_capability`` API."""
+"""In-memory capability registry. Populated once at process startup."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -8,33 +8,16 @@ _REGISTRY: dict[str, Capability] = {}
 
 
 def register_capability(capability: Capability) -> None:
-    """Add a capability to the in-memory registry.
-
-    Raises ``ValueError`` on duplicate ``id`` — registration is
-    idempotent only at the module level (a module's
-    ``register_capability`` call runs once per process), so a
-    duplicate is always a bug.
-    """
-
+    """Register a capability. Raises on duplicate id."""
     if capability.id in _REGISTRY:
-        raise ValueError(
-            f"Capability already registered: {capability.id!r}"
-        )
+        raise ValueError(f"Capability already registered: {capability.id!r}")
     _REGISTRY[capability.id] = capability
 
 
 def get_capability(capability_id: str) -> Capability | None:
-    """Look up one capability by id. Returns ``None`` on miss."""
-
     return _REGISTRY.get(capability_id)
 
 
 def all_capabilities() -> dict[str, Capability]:
-    """Snapshot of the registry as a defensive copy.
-
-    Returned dict is safe to iterate while other code calls
-    ``register_capability`` (which v1 never does post-startup, but
-    the contract holds anyway).
-    """
-
+    """Defensive snapshot of the registry."""
     return dict(_REGISTRY)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/types.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/types.py
index 001f26ac1..2759bc809 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/types.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/capabilities/types.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``Capability`` dataclass — the v1-minimum five-field shape."""
+"""``Capability`` dataclass and handler signature. Locked at five fields for v1."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -7,32 +7,10 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Any
 
 CapabilityHandler = Callable[[dict[str, Any]], Awaitable[Any]]
-"""The signature every capability handler must satisfy.
-
-The handler is a closure that already holds whatever runtime context
-it needs (DB session, search-space scope, logger, etc.). The
-registry only passes through the caller's input dict — the same dict
-that was validated against ``input_schema``.
-"""
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)
 class Capability:
-    """The unit of "what SurfSense can do," consumed by every layer.
-
-    v1 keeps the dataclass to exactly five fields. Earlier drafts
-    considered ``name``, ``required_credentials``, ``side_effects``,
-    ``expected_duration_seconds``, and ``cost_estimate``; every one
-    of those has been removed until a concrete consumer feature
-    requires it (see ``automation-design-plan.md`` §3, decision v1).
-
-    The handler is a ready-to-call function. It does not receive a
-    context argument — context is bound at registration time by the
-    factory that builds the closure (so a capability returned to an
-    agent's tool list looks identical to one returned to an
-    automation's action runtime).
-    """
-
     id: str
     description: str
     input_schema: dict[str, Any]
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/__init__.py
index f69c6fe8d..843da5e70 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Trigger registry: ``types.py`` (dataclass), ``store.py`` (dict + register fn)."""
+"""Trigger registry."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/store.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/store.py
index 0a5fbdadb..af0fafac7 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/store.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/store.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Trigger registry: in-memory dict + ``register_trigger`` API."""
+"""In-memory trigger registry. Populated once at process startup."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -8,26 +8,16 @@ _REGISTRY: dict[str, TriggerDefinition] = {}
 
 
 def register_trigger(trigger: TriggerDefinition) -> None:
-    """Add a trigger to the in-memory registry.
-
-    Raises ``ValueError`` on duplicate ``type`` — registration runs
-    once per process, so a duplicate is always a bug.
-    """
-
+    """Register a trigger. Raises on duplicate type."""
     if trigger.type in _REGISTRY:
-        raise ValueError(
-            f"Trigger already registered: {trigger.type!r}"
-        )
+        raise ValueError(f"Trigger already registered: {trigger.type!r}")
     _REGISTRY[trigger.type] = trigger
 
 
 def get_trigger(trigger_type: str) -> TriggerDefinition | None:
-    """Look up one trigger by type. Returns ``None`` on miss."""
-
     return _REGISTRY.get(trigger_type)
 
 
 def all_triggers() -> dict[str, TriggerDefinition]:
-    """Snapshot of the registry as a defensive copy."""
-
+    """Defensive snapshot of the registry."""
     return dict(_REGISTRY)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/types.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/types.py
index 256944823..5da081343 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/types.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/registries/triggers/types.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``TriggerDefinition`` dataclass — declarative trigger metadata, no handler."""
+"""``TriggerDefinition`` dataclass. Declarative; firing is the dispatcher's job."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -8,27 +8,6 @@ from typing import Any
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)
 class TriggerDefinition:
-    """A trigger type the dispatcher knows how to fire.
-
-    Triggers are purely declarative: the dispatcher (a single
-    process-wide component, not a per-type handler) reads the
-    ``automation_triggers`` table and decides when each row should
-    fire. The trigger's job here is to declare its input/output
-    contract:
-
-    - ``config_schema``: JSON Schema for the persisted
-      ``AutomationTrigger.config`` — used by the form editor and
-      validated on save.
-    - ``payload_schema``: JSON Schema for the payload the dispatcher
-      will deliver to the executor at fire time (e.g., a schedule
-      trigger emits ``fired_at`` / ``scheduled_for`` /
-      ``last_fired_at``).
-
-    No ``handler`` field — firing is a dispatcher responsibility,
-    not a per-trigger one. This keeps the dispatcher single and
-    leaves trigger types as pure metadata.
-    """
-
     type: str
     description: str
     config_schema: dict[str, Any]
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/__init__.py
index 83a95a2a8..23f0232fb 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Pydantic schemas: definition envelope, trigger configs, action configs."""
+"""Pydantic schemas for the automation definition and per-type configs."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/actions/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/actions/__init__.py
index 17c257562..4149206d7 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/actions/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/actions/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Per-action config schemas: one file per action type registered in v1."""
+"""Per-action config schemas, one per action type."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/actions/agent_task.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/actions/agent_task.py
index 74e41166a..fe9d5fcef 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/actions/agent_task.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/actions/agent_task.py
@@ -8,59 +8,20 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field
 
 
 class AgentTaskActionConfig(BaseModel):
-    """Config for an ``agent_task`` plan step.
-
-    Validated against ``PlanStep.config`` whenever the step's
-    ``action`` is ``agent_task``. The step instructs the LangGraph
-    Deep Agent runtime to:
-
-    1. Receive ``prompt`` (with all preceding-step outputs and inputs
-       already rendered by the template engine).
-    2. Run the agent with access to *exactly* the capabilities named
-       in ``tools`` — nothing else from the registry is visible to
-       this agent invocation.
-    3. Return a JSON object matching ``output_schema`` (recommended;
-       the executor validates and re-prompts on mismatch).
-
-    ``output_schema`` is the design's "dynamic output contract" —
-    instead of locking the output shape on the ActionDefinition (as
-    tight actions do), the user declares the shape they want for this
-    specific step, and the agent has to match it.
-    """
+    """Run a LangGraph Deep Agent restricted to a scoped capability list."""
 
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
-    prompt: str = Field(
-        ...,
-        description=(
-            "The task prompt rendered through the Jinja sandbox. May "
-            "reference automation inputs and prior-step outputs."
-        ),
-        min_length=1,
-    )
+    prompt: str = Field(..., min_length=1, description="Task prompt; Jinja-rendered.")
     tools: list[str] = Field(
         default_factory=list,
-        description=(
-            "Allowlist of capability IDs the agent may call (e.g., "
-            "'search_space.query'). Empty list = no tool access; the "
-            "agent must answer from the prompt alone."
-        ),
+        description="Capability IDs the agent may call. Empty = no tool access.",
     )
     model: str | None = Field(
         default=None,
-        description=(
-            "Optional LiteLLM model identifier (e.g., "
-            "'anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-7'). Omitted means the "
-            "automation falls back to the search space's default "
-            "agent_llm_id."
-        ),
+        description="LiteLLM model id. Defaults to the search space's agent_llm_id.",
     )
     output_schema: dict[str, Any] | None = Field(
         default=None,
-        description=(
-            "Optional JSON Schema declaring the shape the agent must "
-            "return. Strongly recommended; the editor warns when "
-            "missing. Validated by the executor before binding to "
-            "``output_as``."
-        ),
+        description="JSON Schema the agent must return. Recommended.",
     )
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/__init__.py
index 14040c20a..838e72f86 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Automation definition envelope: the editable structured spec users author and run."""
+"""Automation definition envelope and its building blocks."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/envelope.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/envelope.py
index ccf4c53df..ccd76d612 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/envelope.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/envelope.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``AutomationDefinition`` — the top-level envelope persisted in ``automations.definition``."""
+"""``AutomationDefinition`` — top-level envelope persisted in ``automations.definition``."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -12,78 +12,15 @@ from .trigger_spec import TriggerSpec
 
 
 class AutomationDefinition(BaseModel):
-    """The top-level JSON shape stored in ``automations.definition``.
-
-    This is the editable spec a user authors (or the NL generator
-    produces). The envelope is structural only — every nested
-    discriminator (``triggers[].type``, ``plan[].action``) is resolved
-    against the registries at validation time, so adding a new
-    trigger or action type does not require touching this schema.
-
-    See ``automation-design-plan.md`` §5 for the worked example and
-    rationale.
-    """
+    """Top-level shape of an automation. See automation-design-plan.md §5."""
 
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
-    schema_version: str = Field(
-        default="1.0",
-        description=(
-            "Schema version of the envelope itself. Migrations bump "
-            "this when the envelope shape changes; nested per-type "
-            "configs evolve independently via the registries."
-        ),
-    )
-    name: str = Field(
-        ...,
-        description="Short, user-facing name shown in lists.",
-        min_length=1,
-        max_length=200,
-    )
-    goal: str | None = Field(
-        default=None,
-        description=(
-            "Optional plain-language statement of what the "
-            "automation is for. Used by the NL generator's review "
-            "pass and by the UI's run dialog."
-        ),
-    )
-    inputs: InputsBlock | None = Field(
-        default=None,
-        description=(
-            "Optional input contract. When omitted, the automation "
-            "accepts no inputs at fire time."
-        ),
-    )
-    triggers: list[TriggerSpec] = Field(
-        default_factory=list,
-        description=(
-            "Triggers that fire this automation. Empty list means "
-            "the automation is only runnable via the manual "
-            "``Run now`` path."
-        ),
-    )
-    plan: list[PlanStep] = Field(
-        ...,
-        description=(
-            "Ordered sequence of steps. Executed in array order — "
-            "no parallelism, no DAGs, no loops at the envelope "
-            "level."
-        ),
-        min_length=1,
-    )
-    execution: ExecutionBlock = Field(
-        default_factory=ExecutionBlock,
-        description=(
-            "Execution defaults (timeouts, retries, concurrency, "
-            "budget). All fields default to safe values; the block "
-            "may be omitted entirely."
-        ),
-    )
-    metadata: MetadataBlock = Field(
-        default_factory=MetadataBlock,
-        description=(
-            "Free-form metadata (tags, NL-generator breadcrumbs, "
-            "UI annotations). Tolerates unknown keys by design."
-        ),
-    )
+    schema_version: str = "1.0"
+    name: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=200)
+    goal: str | None = None
+    inputs: InputsBlock | None = None
+    triggers: list[TriggerSpec] = Field(default_factory=list)
+    plan: list[PlanStep] = Field(..., min_length=1)
+    execution: ExecutionBlock = Field(default_factory=ExecutionBlock)
+    metadata: MetadataBlock = Field(default_factory=MetadataBlock)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/execution.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/execution.py
index bb80e7281..2fcbc611e 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/execution.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/execution.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``ExecutionBlock`` — the ``execution`` section of the automation definition."""
+"""``ExecutionBlock`` — automation-wide execution defaults (overridable per step)."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -10,67 +10,16 @@ from .plan_step import PlanStep
 
 
 class ExecutionBlock(BaseModel):
-    """The ``execution`` block of an ``AutomationDefinition``.
-
-    Carries automation-wide defaults that individual ``PlanStep``s
-    can override. Every field has a sane default so an automation
-    definition may omit the block entirely; in that case all defaults
-    apply.
-
-    ``on_failure`` is a secondary plan that runs only when the main
-    ``plan`` fails after retries exhaust. It uses the same
-    ``PlanStep`` shape as the main plan and shares the same execution
-    semantics.
-    """
-
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
-    timeout_seconds: int = Field(
-        default=600,
-        gt=0,
-        description=(
-            "Hard wall-clock cap for the entire run. The executor "
-            "transitions the run to ``timed_out`` when this is "
-            "exceeded."
-        ),
-    )
-    max_retries: int = Field(
-        default=2,
-        ge=0,
-        description=(
-            "Per-step retry budget applied when a step raises a "
-            "retryable error. Steps may override per-step."
-        ),
-    )
-    retry_backoff: Literal["exponential", "linear", "none"] = Field(
-        default="exponential",
-        description="Backoff policy between retries.",
-    )
-    concurrency: Literal[
-        "drop_if_running", "queue", "always"
-    ] = Field(
-        default="drop_if_running",
-        description=(
-            "Behaviour when a new fire arrives while a previous run "
-            "is still in progress. ``drop_if_running`` skips the new "
-            "fire, ``queue`` enqueues it, ``always`` runs it in "
-            "parallel."
-        ),
-    )
+    timeout_seconds: int = Field(default=600, gt=0, description="Wall-clock cap for the run.")
+    max_retries: int = Field(default=2, ge=0, description="Per-step retry budget.")
+    retry_backoff: Literal["exponential", "linear", "none"] = "exponential"
+    concurrency: Literal["drop_if_running", "queue", "always"] = "drop_if_running"
     budget_cap_usd: float | None = Field(
-        default=None,
-        gt=0,
-        description=(
-            "Optional mid-flight cost cap in USD. The executor kills "
-            "the run when accumulated cost exceeds this value. v1 "
-            "treats this as an advisory because cost tracking lands "
-            "with the executor in a later step."
-        ),
+        default=None, gt=0, description="Kill the run when accumulated cost exceeds this."
     )
     on_failure: list[PlanStep] = Field(
         default_factory=list,
-        description=(
-            "Secondary plan executed only when the main plan fails "
-            "after retries exhaust. Empty list means no fallback."
-        ),
+        description="Steps run when the main plan fails after retries.",
     )
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/inputs.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/inputs.py
index 279efc113..52aed4e90 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/inputs.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/inputs.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``InputsBlock`` — the ``inputs`` section of the automation definition."""
+"""``InputsBlock`` — JSON Schema for inputs an automation accepts at fire time."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -8,23 +8,6 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field
 
 
 class InputsBlock(BaseModel):
-    """The ``inputs`` block of an ``AutomationDefinition``.
-
-    Holds a JSON Schema describing what data the automation accepts at
-    fire time. The same schema is used by:
-
-    - The form editor (to render the manual-run dialog).
-    - The dispatcher (to validate trigger payloads before enqueueing
-      executor work).
-    - The template engine (to expose ``{{ inputs.* }}`` references in
-      plan-step configs).
-
-    The ``schema`` value is the JSON-Schema dict itself, not a
-    Pydantic model — automations express their input contract in pure
-    JSON Schema so it round-trips losslessly through the database and
-    the NL generator.
-    """
-
     model_config = ConfigDict(
         extra="forbid",
         populate_by_name=True,
@@ -34,10 +17,5 @@ class InputsBlock(BaseModel):
     schema_: dict[str, Any] = Field(
         ...,
         alias="schema",
-        description=(
-            "JSON Schema (draft-07 compatible) describing the inputs "
-            "this automation accepts. Properties may use the special "
-            "``$last_fired_at`` default literal to bind to the "
-            "trigger's last fire time."
-        ),
+        description="JSON Schema (draft-07) for accepted inputs.",
     )
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/metadata.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/metadata.py
index dc6541983..61d7af390 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/metadata.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/metadata.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``MetadataBlock`` — the ``metadata`` section of the automation definition."""
+"""``MetadataBlock`` — free-form metadata on a definition. Extra keys allowed."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -6,31 +6,9 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field
 
 
 class MetadataBlock(BaseModel):
-    """Free-form metadata attached to the automation definition.
-
-    Unlike the rest of the envelope this block tolerates unknown keys
-    (``extra='allow'``) — it's a deliberate extension point for
-    UI annotations, NL-generator breadcrumbs, custom tags, etc.
-
-    Two fields are first-class so the rest of the system can rely on
-    them without reaching into the loose extras:
-
-    ``tags`` — used by the UI for filtering and grouping.
-    ``created_from_nl`` — set by the NL generator so we can later
-    measure how many runs came from natural-language authoring.
-    """
-
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="allow")
 
-    tags: list[str] = Field(
-        default_factory=list,
-        description="UI-facing tags. No semantic meaning to the engine.",
-    )
+    tags: list[str] = Field(default_factory=list)
     created_from_nl: bool = Field(
-        default=False,
-        description=(
-            "True when the definition was produced by the NL "
-            "generator (set automatically by the generator path; "
-            "human-authored definitions keep this false)."
-        ),
+        default=False, description="True when produced by the NL generator."
     )
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/plan_step.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/plan_step.py
index 6898a0914..6a0bf9a1b 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/plan_step.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/plan_step.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``PlanStep`` — one entry in the envelope's ``plan`` array."""
+"""``PlanStep`` — one step in the sequential plan."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -8,79 +8,21 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field
 
 
 class PlanStep(BaseModel):
-    """One step in an automation's sequential plan.
-
-    Steps run in array order, no parallelism, no DAGs, no loops. The
-    ``when`` Jinja expression provides conditional skip; branching is
-    achieved by ``when`` clauses on multiple steps. For looping or
-    parallel work, the user routes through ``agent_task`` and lets the
-    agent reason about it.
-
-    ``config`` is dispatched against the action registry at
-    validation time — its shape is determined by
-    ``ActionDefinition.config_schema`` for the ``action`` value.
-
-    ``output_as`` binds the step's typed output into the template
-    namespace for later steps, e.g. ``output_as: 'summary'`` then
-    ``{{ summary.bullets }}`` in a downstream step's config.
-    """
-
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
-    step_id: str = Field(
-        ...,
-        description=(
-            "Unique-within-plan identifier. Used in run logs and as "
-            "the default for ``output_as`` when not provided."
-        ),
-        min_length=1,
-    )
-    action: str = Field(
-        ...,
-        description=(
-            "Action-type discriminator (e.g., ``agent_task``). "
-            "Resolved against the action registry."
-        ),
-        min_length=1,
-    )
+    step_id: str = Field(..., min_length=1, description="Unique within the plan.")
+    action: str = Field(..., min_length=1, description="Action type; resolved via registry.")
     when: str | None = Field(
         default=None,
-        description=(
-            "Optional Jinja expression evaluated against the run "
-            "context. Step is skipped when the expression is "
-            "falsy."
-        ),
+        description="Optional Jinja expression; step is skipped when falsy.",
     )
     config: dict[str, Any] = Field(
         default_factory=dict,
-        description=(
-            "Action-type-specific config. Validated against the "
-            "registered ``ActionDefinition.config_schema`` for "
-            "``action`` at definition-save time. Jinja templates "
-            "inside config are rendered at step-execute time."
-        ),
+        description="Action-type-specific config; Jinja-rendered at execute time.",
     )
     output_as: str | None = Field(
         default=None,
-        description=(
-            "Name to bind the step output under for downstream "
-            "steps. Defaults to ``step_id`` when omitted."
-        ),
-    )
-    max_retries: int | None = Field(
-        default=None,
-        ge=0,
-        description=(
-            "Per-step override of the automation-level ``max_retries``. "
-            "Omitted means inherit from execution block."
-        ),
-    )
-    timeout_seconds: int | None = Field(
-        default=None,
-        gt=0,
-        description=(
-            "Per-step override of the automation-level "
-            "``timeout_seconds``. Omitted means inherit from "
-            "execution block."
-        ),
+        description="Bind step output under this name. Defaults to step_id.",
     )
+    max_retries: int | None = Field(default=None, ge=0)
+    timeout_seconds: int | None = Field(default=None, gt=0)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/trigger_spec.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/trigger_spec.py
index 827b0a315..0fdf1f35a 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/trigger_spec.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/definition/trigger_spec.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``TriggerSpec`` — one entry in the envelope's ``triggers`` array."""
+"""``TriggerSpec`` — one entry in the definition's ``triggers[]`` array."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -8,33 +8,10 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field
 
 
 class TriggerSpec(BaseModel):
-    """One trigger attached to an automation, as it appears in the definition.
-
-    The envelope keeps ``config`` as an untyped JSON object on purpose
-    — the per-type config schemas live in
-    ``app.automations.schemas.triggers`` and are dispatched at
-    validation time by looking up ``type`` in the trigger registry.
-
-    This mirrors the design's "definitions are pure data" principle:
-    the envelope describes shape, the registry resolves names to
-    behaviour.
-    """
-
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
-    type: str = Field(
-        ...,
-        description=(
-            "Trigger-type discriminator (e.g., ``schedule``, ``manual``). "
-            "Resolved against the trigger registry."
-        ),
-        min_length=1,
-    )
+    type: str = Field(..., min_length=1, description="Trigger type; resolved via registry.")
     config: dict[str, Any] = Field(
         default_factory=dict,
-        description=(
-            "Trigger-type-specific config. Validated against the "
-            "registered ``TriggerDefinition.config_schema`` for "
-            "``type`` at definition-save time."
-        ),
+        description="Type-specific config; validated against the trigger's schema.",
     )
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/__init__.py
index 847c7443b..0cd8bc38e 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Per-trigger config schemas: one file per trigger type registered in v1."""
+"""Per-trigger config schemas, one per trigger type."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/manual.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/manual.py
index 6e04ba062..bf14f80b6 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/manual.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/manual.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``ManualTriggerConfig`` — config for the ``manual`` trigger type (empty in v1)."""
+"""``ManualTriggerConfig`` — config for the ``manual`` trigger (empty in v1)."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -6,16 +6,4 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict
 
 
 class ManualTriggerConfig(BaseModel):
-    """Config for the UI-driven ``manual`` trigger.
-
-    Validated against ``AutomationTrigger.config`` whenever the
-    persisted ``type`` is ``manual``. v1 carries no configurable
-    fields — the "Run now" affordance simply fires this trigger with
-    an empty config object. The model exists so the registry dispatch
-    is uniform across all trigger types.
-
-    Future versions may add fields here (e.g., a fixed prompt to
-    pre-fill the run dialog with) without breaking v1 payloads.
-    """
-
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/schedule.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/schedule.py
index e7c20da3a..9d8c7d38d 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/schedule.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/schemas/triggers/schedule.py
@@ -6,28 +6,7 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field
 
 
 class ScheduleTriggerConfig(BaseModel):
-    """Config for a cron-driven trigger.
-
-    Validated against ``AutomationTrigger.config`` whenever the
-    persisted ``type`` is ``schedule``. The cron expression is
-    evaluated by Celery Beat's source; the timezone is an IANA name
-    (e.g., ``Africa/Kigali``) and is required so the user's cron is
-    unambiguous across DST boundaries.
-    """
-
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
-    cron: str = Field(
-        ...,
-        description=(
-            "Five-field cron expression. Minimum resolution is one "
-            "minute; the form editor warns when intervals tighter "
-            "than 15 minutes are used."
-        ),
-        examples=["0 9 * * 1-5"],
-    )
-    timezone: str = Field(
-        ...,
-        description="IANA timezone name (e.g., 'Africa/Kigali', 'UTC').",
-        examples=["Africa/Kigali"],
-    )
+    cron: str = Field(..., description="Five-field cron expression.", examples=["0 9 * * 1-5"])
+    timezone: str = Field(..., description="IANA timezone.", examples=["Africa/Kigali"])