diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8efd544..1e937a9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -109,6 +109,17 @@ If every configured provider API key is empty, FoundryGate still starts, but it
 - [Troubleshooting](./docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md)
 - [Roadmap](./docs/FOUNDRYGATE-ROADMAP.md)
 
+## Dashboard Direction
+
+The built-in dashboard stays intentionally no-build for now.
+
+- no frontend framework
+- no component library
+- no separate asset pipeline
+- one self-contained operational UI served by the FastAPI app
+
+That keeps deployment simple for local hosts, Docker, and systemd installs while the dashboard remains an operator-facing read-heavy surface.
+
 ## How It Works
 
 ```text
diff --git a/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md b/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
index 28df513..d6eb8b8 100644
--- a/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
+++ b/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
@@ -103,6 +103,15 @@ The main operational endpoints are:
 
 `/api/stats`, `/api/recent`, and `/api/traces` can now be filtered by provider, client profile, client tag, layer, and success state. The dashboard is a thin UI over those same filtered endpoints and persists its active filters in the URL so operators can share one filtered view.
 
+The dashboard remains intentionally no-build for now:
+
+- no frontend framework runtime
+- no component library dependency
+- no separate JS build pipeline
+- one self-contained operator UI shipped with the gateway
+
+That is deliberate. The current goal is operational clarity and portability, not a second product surface that adds frontend tooling, bundle management, and extra deployment steps.
+
 ## Design target
 
 The longer-term design target is to outperform simpler router designs by making routing multi-dimensional instead of mostly keyword- or model-name-driven.
diff --git a/docs/FOUNDRYGATE-ROADMAP.md b/docs/FOUNDRYGATE-ROADMAP.md
index 722a911..33c895b 100644
--- a/docs/FOUNDRYGATE-ROADMAP.md
+++ b/docs/FOUNDRYGATE-ROADMAP.md
@@ -206,7 +206,9 @@ Primary goals:
 - expand the release-check baseline into stronger update alerts so operators can see when a newer release is available
 - add an optional automatic update enabler for controlled deployments
 - improve route traces, metrics, and dashboard filters for providers, clients, and profiles
-- keep the dashboard simple, read-heavy, and operationally safe
+- keep the dashboard simple, read-heavy, operationally safe, and intentionally no-build
+
+Until the dashboard clearly needs to become a broader operator application, FoundryGate should avoid adding a frontend framework, a component-library dependency, or a separate web build pipeline.
 
 This release line is about day-2 operations rather than new routing concepts.
 
@@ -315,6 +317,10 @@ Examples:
 - provider health panel with capabilities and contract type
 - quick links to dry-run routing and recent failure context
 
+Constraint:
+
+- keep the dashboard self-contained and no-build until there is a concrete operator need that justifies a real frontend stack
+
 ### 4. Image generation and editing routing
 
 Why: