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-# Early access
+# Early Access
 
-Early access allows the Docs team to publish docs to docs.github.com without putting the content files in github/docs or github/docs-internal. This allows the Docs team to publish articles about limited access features.
+The Early Access module enables the GitHub Docs team to publish documentation for features that are in limited access (beta, technical preview, etc.) without exposing the content in the public `github/docs` repository.
+
+## Purpose & Scope
+
+This system allows for:
+- **Private Content Hosting**: Storing sensitive or unreleased documentation in a separate, private repository (`github/docs-early-access`).
+- **Seamless Integration**: Merging this private content into the main site build so it appears native to the user (e.g., under `/en/early-access`).
+- **Access Control**: Hiding these pages from public navigation and search engines, making them accessible only via direct links or specific "Early Access" index pages.
+
+## Architecture
+
+### Content Storage
+
+Early access content lives in a separate private repository: `github/docs-early-access`.
+- **Structure**: It mirrors the main repo's structure (`content/`, `data/`, `assets/`).
+- **Integration**: During the build process (or local development), files from the private repo are copied or symlinked into the main `docs-internal` directory.
+
+### Middleware
+
+The logic for serving and listing these pages is handled in `src/early-access/middleware/early-access-links.ts`.
+- **`earlyAccessContext`**: This middleware runs on requests to `/early-access`. It:
+  - Checks if the user is on an early access path.
+  - Retrieves a list of hidden pages whose path starts with `early-access`.
+  - Injects these links into the rendering context (`req.context.earlyAccessPageLinks`), allowing index pages to dynamically list available early access content.
+
+### Scripts
+
+A suite of scripts in `src/early-access/scripts` manages the workflow:
+- **`clone-locally`**: Clones the private `docs-early-access` repo for local development.
+- **`symlink-from-local-repo.ts`**: Symlinks the cloned content into the main `content/` and `assets/` directories so the Next.js server can see them.
+- **`merge-early-access.sh`**: Used in CI/CD to physically move files from the checked-out private repo into the build directory.
+- **`update-data-and-image-paths.ts`**: A utility to fix up paths when moving content between the main repo and early access.
+
+## Setup & Usage
+
+### Local Development
+
+To work on Early Access content locally:
+
+1. **Clone the Repo**:
+   ```bash
+   npm run clone-early-access
+   ```
+   This clones `github/docs-early-access` into a sibling directory.
+
+2. **Symlink Content**:
+   ```bash
+   npm run symlink-from-local-repo
+   ```
+   This links the content into `docs-internal`.
+
+3. **Run the Server**:
+   ```bash
+   npm start
+   ```
+   You can now access pages at `http://localhost:4000/en/early-access`.
+
+### Adding New Content
+
+1. Create markdown files in the `docs-early-access` repo.
+2. Ensure the frontmatter includes `hidden: true` to prevent it from appearing in the main sidebar navigation (unless specifically desired).
+3. Use the `early-access` directory prefix.
+
+## Dependencies
+
+- **`github/docs-early-access`**: The private repository containing the actual content.
+- **CI/CD Workflows**: The deployment process must have access to the private repo to merge the content before building.
+
+## Ownership
+
+- **Team**: `@github/docs-engineering`
+- **Content Owners**: The Writers and Product Managers responsible for the specific early access features.
+
+## Current State & Known Issues
+
+- **"Hidden" but Public**: While the source is private, once deployed to `docs.github.com`, the pages are technically public if you know the URL. They are "security through obscurity" (hidden from nav/search), not authenticated.
+- **Build Complexity**: The merging process adds complexity to the build pipeline and can sometimes cause confusion with path resolution or asset loading if files are moved incorrectly.
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