[MatthiasHertelArm]

Base: main (493cf34: 2.7.0 and the README of #117 by @ReinhardKeil, merged). Head: MatthiasHertelArm:pr/2.8.0, the release commit only (f3d6c30, rebased on 493cf34; the CHANGELOG is dated 2026-11-03). Please tag v2.8.0 on the merge commit and publish it as a release: with an even minor version npm run package builds the VSIX without the pre-release flag that 2.7.0 carried, and the CI run of the release attaches the five VSIX.

Fixes

None. 2.8.0 has no code change since 2.7.0.

Changes

• Version 2.8.0 in package.json, package-lock.json and TPIP.md. The CHANGELOG entry says what 2.8.0 is: the 2.7 line (knowledge engine, CMSIS Solution catalog and project actions, Kimi Code) as a release VSIX instead of the pre-release VSIX of 2.7.0.
• README for the release, merged with Updated README for 2.8 release #117: "Explore the knowledge base" (what the index holds, that agents search it before a task, Open Knowledge Browser) replaces "Choose a workflow"; a tip on the webinar; "Working with multiple VS Code windows"; one-line command descriptions. Checked against the code and the pinned index core-2026.10.29: 7 145 knowledge units (6 024 concepts, 953 troubleshooting, 119 rules, 32 procedures, 17 patterns; 729 of them Zephyr), the R/W text of the status-bar item, the command titles, the webinar link (200).
• The user guide no longer says the extension is published as a pre-release; it stays experimental. CHANGES-VS-UPSTREAM points at the current release.
• Knowledge index unchanged: core-2026.10.29, the latest release of cmsis-knowledge-index.

Checks on the release commit

After the rebase: npm test 1 552 passing, lint:md, knowledge:check, provenance gate (the tree differs from the checked one by the CHANGELOG date only). Before it: npm test 1 552 passing, lint, lint:md, both transport suites, surface identical, DAP (51) and configuration (92) oracles identical, executor cases 207, provenance gate, knowledge:check, skills:sync and tpip:report without a diff, darwin-arm64 package + packaged-vsix check (manifest without PreRelease).

Checklist

• 🤖 This change is covered by unit tests (if applicable).
• 🤹 Manual testing has been performed (if necessary). — No new manual test: the tree is the 2.7.0 release tree plus text and version.
• 🛡️ Security impacts have been considered (if relevant).
• 📖 Documentation updates are complete (if required).
• 🧠 Third-party dependencies and TPIP updated (if required).

[MatthiasHertelArm]

Just being prepared for a release. Do not merge yet.