docs: align repository with ecosystem standards

.env.example

@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-# WordWise
-#
-# Optional: server port (defaults to 3000)
+# Copy this file to .env and fill in your values. NEVER commit the real .env file.
+
+# Server port (defaults to 3000)
 # PORT=3000
+
+# Pexels API key for background media (get one free at https://pexels.com/api)
+# PEXELS_API_KEY=***

.gitignore

@@ -1,2 +1,5 @@
 node_modules/
 .vercel
+.env
+.env.*
+*.local

CITATION.cff

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ authors:
     given-names: Sparsh
     orcid: ''
 license: AGPL-3.0-or-later
-repository-code: 'https://github.com/sparshagarwal/wordwise'
+repository-code: 'https://github.com/sparshsam/wordwise'
 keywords:
   - vocabulary
   - language-learning

README.md

@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 
 WordWise is a single-page word-of-the-day app that serves a random English word on every visit — with its definition, phonetic pronunciation, a usage example, and a full-screen nature landscape photo or video background. It started as a hardcoded demo and grew into a polished, deployable product.
 
+**Maturity:** Maintained. Releases, changelog, and issue tracking are active. See [ARCHITECTURE.md](docs/architecture.md) for system design.
+
 ---
 
 ## Features
@@ -229,6 +231,8 @@ The `vercel.json` routes all requests to the Express server.
 
 ```
 wordwise/
+├── docs/
+│   └── architecture.md          # System architecture and data flow
 ├── routes/
 │   └── word.js              # Word selection, dictionary lookup, Pexels fetch
 ├── views/
@@ -372,10 +376,25 @@ The ambition is not to become the biggest dictionary app. The ambition is to rem
 
 ---
 
+## Limitations
+
+WordWise is a read-only word display app. It does not:
+
+- Store user history or preferences server-side
+- Provide spaced repetition, quizzes, or learning tools
+- Offer user accounts, authentication, or personalization
+- Support offline word archives (browser-level caching only)
+- Guarantee dictionary availability (depends on Free Dictionary API)
+- Provide medical, legal, or academic definitions
+
 ## Contributing
 
 Contributions are welcome. See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for setup, code style, and pull request guidelines.
 
+## Citation
+
+If you use WordWise in research or publications, please cite the repository using the metadata in [CITATION.cff](CITATION.cff).
+
 ## License
 
 AGPL-3.0. See [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.

package.json

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     "express": "^4.18.2"
   },
   "private": true,
-  "license": "MIT",
+  "license": "AGPL-3.0",
   "author": "Sparsh Sam",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",