diff --git a/.github/pull_request_template.md b/.github/pull_request_template.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3c8167a97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/pull_request_template.md
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<!--
+  ⚠️ Before you open this pull request, please read our contribution policy.
+
+  We accept ISSUES, NOT PULL REQUESTS from external contributors.
+
+  Design and implementation are done by the maintainers through a
+  prompt-driven workflow (see AGENTS.md). External source PRs will not be
+  merged — they have to be reverse-engineered to fit our component/theme
+  conventions and coverage gates, so it's faster for us to re-derive the
+  change from your intent.
+
+  If you've found a bug or want a feature:
+    → Open an issue on the appropriate version board instead.
+
+  If you've already built the change locally:
+    → Open an issue and share the PROMPT(S) you used to generate it, not a
+      diff. We'll reproduce it through our own workflow.
+
+  Full policy: https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/inspector/blob/v2/main/CONTRIBUTORS.md
+
+  Maintainers: delete this template body and describe your change normally.
+-->
+
+> **Heads up:** this repository accepts **issues, not pull requests** from
+> external contributors. Please read [`CONTRIBUTORS.md`](../blob/v2/main/CONTRIBUTORS.md)
+> before continuing. If you're an external contributor, open an issue (and
+> share the prompt you used, if you've already built the change) rather than
+> this PR.
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index aeec0408b..81f28bae1 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -73,6 +73,13 @@ After installing, `npm run build` builds all clients. The launcher scripts (`npm
   - v1.5 - https://github.com/orgs/modelcontextprotocol/projects/39
   - v1 - https://github.com/orgs/modelcontextprotocol/projects/11
 
+## Contributing
+
+External contributions are accepted as **issues, not pull requests** —
+maintainers handle design and implementation through a prompt-driven workflow.
+If you've already built a change locally, share the **prompt** you used, not a
+diff. See [`CONTRIBUTORS.md`](./CONTRIBUTORS.md) for the full policy.
+
 ## Project Status and Direction
 * The main branch currently contains the legacy version of the Inspector, which we are accepting bug fixes and minor improvement PRs for.
 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTORS.md b/CONTRIBUTORS.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..530455647
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CONTRIBUTORS.md
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# Contributing to MCP Inspector
+
+Thank you for your interest in improving the MCP Inspector. Contributors are
+genuinely valued — the goal of this document is to channel your input into a
+form we can act on quickly and consistently.
+
+## TL;DR
+
+**We accept issues, not pull requests.** Design and implementation are done by
+the maintainers. If you've already built a fix or feature locally, share **the
+prompt you used** to produce it — not the source code.
+
+## Why this policy exists
+
+The Inspector v2 is developed with an AI-assisted, prompt-driven workflow built
+around a consistent architecture, a shared design system, and strict testing
+gates (see [`AGENTS.md`](./AGENTS.md)). Every component follows the same
+conventions: "dumb" components that take data and callbacks as props, Mantine
+for all UI, theme variants instead of ad-hoc CSS, and a uniform per-file
+coverage gate of ≥ 90% on lines, statements, functions, and branches.
+
+Accepting raw source PRs creates friction: a diff written outside this pipeline
+has to be reverse-engineered to fit our component/theme conventions, coverage
+gates, and review process — often it's faster to re-derive the change than to
+adapt the patch. Capturing your **intent** (a well-formed issue) or the
+**prompt** that generated your local change lets us reproduce the work inside
+our own workflow and standards, with the quality bar already baked in.
+
+This policy is about efficiency, not gatekeeping. Your ideas, bug reports, and
+prompts directly shape what gets built.
+
+## How to contribute a bug report or feature request
+
+Open a well-formed issue describing the bug or the feature you have in mind.
+A great issue gives us everything we need to act on it without a round-trip —
+see [What makes a good issue or prompt submission](#what-makes-a-good-issue-or-prompt-submission)
+below. That's the whole process: you describe the intent, we handle the design
+and implementation.
+
+## If you've already fixed it locally
+
+Please don't send a diff or open a pull request. Instead, open an issue that
+includes:
+
+- **The prompt(s) you used** to generate the change — the exact text, so we can
+  reproduce it through our own workflow.
+- **A description of the behavior before and after** your change.
+- **How you verified it** (steps you ran, tests you added, what you observed).
+
+We'll reproduce the change through our pipeline so it lands with the right
+conventions, tests, and coverage.
+
+## What makes a good issue or prompt submission
+
+A great submission gives us everything we need to act without a round-trip:
+
+- **Clear reproduction or use case** — exact steps to reproduce a bug, or a
+  concrete description of the feature and the problem it solves.
+- **Expected vs. actual behavior** — what you saw, and what you expected
+  instead.
+- **Affected client** — which incarnation is involved: **Web**, **TUI**, or
+  **CLI** (or "all" / "core" if it's shared logic).
+- **Environment details** when relevant — OS, Node version, the MCP server you
+  were inspecting, and any relevant config.
+- **The exact prompt text**, if you generated a local change and want us to
+  reproduce it.
+
+## Questions
+
+If you're unsure how to scope something, open the issue anyway and say so —
+we'll help shape it. Thanks for helping make the Inspector better.