diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index 0ca0ddf..08b50bd 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ defmodule StreamData.Mixfile do
       package: [
         maintainers: ["Andrea Leopardi"],
         licenses: ["Apache-2.0"],
+        files: ~w(lib .formatter.exs mix.exs README.md CHANGELOG.md usage-rules.md),
         links: %{"GitHub" => @repo_url, "Sponsor" => "https://github.com/sponsors/whatyouhide"}
       ],
 
diff --git a/usage-rules.md b/usage-rules.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..982832c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/usage-rules.md
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# StreamData Usage Rules
+
+StreamData provides lazy, composable data generators (`StreamData`) and property-based testing (`ExUnitProperties`). Installation, formatter setup, and introductory examples live in the package README (`deps/stream_data/README.md`); these rules only cover what is easy to get wrong.
+
+## Looking Up Docs
+
+The module docs are the reference for every generator's options and shrinking behavior. Don't guess options — look them up:
+
+```sh
+mix usage_rules.search_docs "shrinking" -p stream_data
+mix usage_rules.search_docs "max_runs" -p stream_data
+mix usage_rules.search_docs "ExUnitProperties.check" -p stream_data --query-by title
+```
+
+StreamData is usually a test-only dependency, so `mix usage_rules.docs StreamData` can't load it in the dev env. Use `search_docs` instead.
+
+Read the `StreamData` moduledoc sections "Generation size" and "Shrinking", and the `ExUnitProperties.check/1` "Options" section, before tuning sizes or run limits.
+
+## Generators
+
+- Keep shrinking: compose with `StreamData.map/2`, `bind/2`, `filter/3`, or `gen all`. Piping a generator through `Stream`/`Enum` functions discards shrinking.
+- Only atoms and tuples of generators are implicitly converted to generators. Wrap any other fixed term with `constant/1`.
+- Prefer `map/2` over `filter/3` (e.g. even integers: `map(integer(), &(&1 * 2))`). Narrow filters, and non-matching patterns in `gen all`/`check all` clauses, raise `StreamData.FilterTooNarrowError`.
+- Use `bind/2` or later `gen all` clauses for dependent data (e.g. pick `member_of/1` from a previously generated non-empty list).
+- `one_of/1`, `frequency/1`, and `member_of/1` shrink toward earlier entries — list the simplest choices first.
+- Prefer native length options (`list_of(x, min_length: 1)`) over `nonempty/1`.
+- `uniq_list_of/2`, `map_of/3`, and `mapset_of/2` need element generators with enough distinct values at small sizes; otherwise use `resize/2`/`scale/2` or a richer generator.
+- Generation size does not shrink: constraints derived inside `sized/1` stay fixed while the value shrinks, and collections never shrink below `:min_length`/`:length`.
+- Generators are infinite; outside properties, bound them (`Enum.take/2`) and use `seeded/2` for repeatable output.
+
+## Properties
+
+- Write properties with `property/2,3` + `check all`, and start every `check all`/`gen all` with a `pattern <- generator` clause.
+- Let `check all` inherit ExUnit's seed so `mix test --seed <seed>` reproduces failures. The lower-level `StreamData.check_all/3` requires an explicit `:initial_seed`.
+- `ExUnitProperties.pick/1` only works inside an ExUnit test process.
+- Per-`check all` options override `config :stream_data`; never set both `:max_runs` and `:max_run_time` to `:infinity`.
+- In doctests, `use ExUnitProperties` in the module calling `doctest/1`, and expect `check all` to return `:ok`.