diff --git a/.claude/CLAUDE.md b/.claude/CLAUDE.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c305d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.claude/CLAUDE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+# CLAUDE.md
+
+This file provides guidance to Claude Code (claude.ai/code) when working with code in this repository.
+
+## Project Overview
+
+This is a shared errors library for the go-openapi toolkit. It provides an `Error` interface and concrete error types for API errors and JSON-schema validation errors. The package is used throughout the go-openapi ecosystem (github.com/go-openapi).
+
+## Development Commands
+
+### Testing
+```bash
+# Run all tests
+go test ./...
+
+# Run tests with coverage
+go test -v -race -coverprofile=coverage.out ./...
+
+# Run a specific test
+go test -v -run TestName ./...
+```
+
+### Linting
+```bash
+# Run golangci-lint (must be run before committing)
+golangci-lint run
+```
+
+### Building
+```bash
+# Build the package
+go build ./...
+
+# Verify dependencies
+go mod verify
+go mod tidy
+```
+
+## Architecture and Code Structure
+
+### Core Error Types
+
+The package provides a hierarchy of error types:
+
+1. **Error interface** (api.go:20-24): Base interface with `Code() int32` method that all errors implement
+2. **apiError** (api.go:26-37): Simple error with code and message
+3. **CompositeError** (schema.go:94-122): Groups multiple errors together, implements `Unwrap() []error`
+4. **Validation** (headers.go:12-55): Represents validation failures with Name, In, Value fields
+5. **ParseError** (parsing.go:12-42): Represents parsing errors with Reason field
+6. **MethodNotAllowedError** (api.go:74-88): Special error for method not allowed with Allowed methods list
+7. **APIVerificationFailed** (middleware.go:12-39): Error for API spec/registration mismatches
+
+### Error Categorization by File
+
+- **api.go**: Core error interface, basic error types, HTTP error serving
+- **schema.go**: Validation errors (type, length, pattern, enum, min/max, uniqueness, properties)
+- **headers.go**: Header validation errors (content-type, accept)
+- **parsing.go**: Parameter parsing errors
+- **auth.go**: Authentication errors
+- **middleware.go**: API verification errors
+
+### Key Design Patterns
+
+1. **Error Codes**: Custom error codes >= 600 (maximumValidHTTPCode) to differentiate validation types without conflicting with HTTP status codes
+2. **Conditional Messages**: Most constructors have "NoIn" variants for errors without an "In" field (e.g., tooLongMessage vs tooLongMessageNoIn)
+3. **ServeError Function** (api.go:147-201): Central HTTP error handler using type assertions to handle different error types
+4. **Flattening**: CompositeError flattens nested composite errors recursively (api.go:108-134)
+5. **Name Validation**: Errors can have their Name field updated for nested properties via ValidateName methods
+
+### JSON Serialization
+
+All error types implement `MarshalJSON()` to provide structured JSON responses with code, message, and type-specific fields.
+
+## Testing Practices
+
+- Uses forked `github.com/go-openapi/testify/v2` for minimal test dependencies
+- Tests follow pattern: `*_test.go` files next to implementation
+- Test files cover: api_test.go, schema_test.go, middleware_test.go, parsing_test.go, auth_test.go
+
+## Code Quality Standards
+
+### Linting Configuration
+- Enable all golangci-lint linters by default, with specific exclusions in .golangci.yml
+- Complexity threshold: max 20 (cyclop, gocyclo)
+- Line length: max 180 characters
+- Run `golangci-lint run` before committing
+
+### Disabled Linters (and why)
+Key exclusions from STYLE.md rationale:
+- depguard: No import constraints enforced
+- funlen: Function length not enforced (cognitive complexity preferred)
+- godox: TODOs are acceptable
+- nonamedreturns: Named returns are acceptable
+- varnamelen: Short variable names allowed when appropriate
+
+## Release Process
+
+- Push semver tag (v{major}.{minor}.{patch}) to master branch
+- CI automatically generates release with git-cliff
+- Tags should be PGP-signed
+- Tag message prepends release notes
+
+## Important Constants
+
+- `DefaultHTTPCode = 422` (http.StatusUnprocessableEntity)
+- `maximumValidHTTPCode = 600`
+- Custom error codes start at 600+ (InvalidTypeCode, RequiredFailCode, etc.)
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index dd91ed6..9a8da7e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 secrets.yml
-coverage.out
+*.out
+settings.local.json
diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index d169882..cb13941 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -28,10 +28,12 @@ type apiError struct {
 	message string
 }
 
+// Error implements the standard error interface.
 func (a *apiError) Error() string {
 	return a.message
 }
 
+// Code returns the HTTP status code associated with this error.
 func (a *apiError) Code() int32 {
 	return a.code
 }
@@ -78,11 +80,12 @@ type MethodNotAllowedError struct {
 	message string
 }
 
+// Error implements the standard error interface.
 func (m *MethodNotAllowedError) Error() string {
 	return m.message
 }
 
-// Code the error code.
+// Code returns 405 (Method Not Allowed) as the HTTP status code.
 func (m *MethodNotAllowedError) Code() int32 {
 	return m.code
 }
diff --git a/examples_test.go b/examples_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..745c272
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2015-2025 go-swagger maintainers
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package errors_test
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+
+	"github.com/go-openapi/errors"
+)
+
+func ExampleNew() {
+	// Create a generic API error with custom code
+	err := errors.New(400, "invalid input: %s", "email")
+	fmt.Printf("error: %v\n", err)
+	fmt.Printf("code: %d\n", err.Code())
+
+	// Create common HTTP errors
+	notFound := errors.NotFound("user %s not found", "john-doe")
+	fmt.Printf("not found: %v\n", notFound)
+	fmt.Printf("not found code: %d\n", notFound.Code())
+
+	notImpl := errors.NotImplemented("feature: dark mode")
+	fmt.Printf("not implemented: %v\n", notImpl)
+
+	// Output:
+	// error: invalid input: email
+	// code: 400
+	// not found: user john-doe not found
+	// not found code: 404
+	// not implemented: feature: dark mode
+}
+
+func ExampleServeError() {
+	// Create a simple validation error
+	err := errors.Required("email", "body", nil)
+
+	// Simulate HTTP response
+	recorder := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	request := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/api/users", nil)
+
+	// Serve the error as JSON
+	errors.ServeError(recorder, request, err)
+
+	fmt.Printf("status: %d\n", recorder.Code)
+	fmt.Printf("content-type: %s\n", recorder.Header().Get("Content-Type"))
+
+	// Parse and display the JSON response
+	var response map[string]any
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(recorder.Body.Bytes(), &response); err == nil {
+		fmt.Printf("error code: %.0f\n", response["code"])
+		fmt.Printf("error message: %s\n", response["message"])
+	}
+
+	// Output:
+	// status: 422
+	// content-type: application/json
+	// error code: 602
+	// error message: email in body is required
+}
+
+func ExampleCompositeValidationError() {
+	var errs []error
+
+	// Collect multiple validation errors
+	errs = append(errs, errors.Required("name", "body", nil))
+	errs = append(errs, errors.TooShort("description", "body", 10, "short"))
+	errs = append(errs, errors.InvalidType("age", "body", "integer", "abc"))
+
+	// Combine them into a composite error
+	compositeErr := errors.CompositeValidationError(errs...)
+
+	fmt.Printf("error count: %d\n", len(errs))
+	fmt.Printf("composite error: %v\n", compositeErr)
+	fmt.Printf("code: %d\n", compositeErr.Code())
+
+	// Can unwrap to access individual errors
+	if unwrapped := compositeErr.Unwrap(); unwrapped != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("unwrapped count: %d\n", len(unwrapped))
+	}
+
+	// Output:
+	// error count: 3
+	// composite error: validation failure list:
+	// name in body is required
+	// description in body should be at least 10 chars long
+	// age in body must be of type integer: "abc"
+	// code: 422
+	// unwrapped count: 3
+}
diff --git a/headers.go b/headers.go
index 0f0b1db..717a51a 100644
--- a/headers.go
+++ b/headers.go
@@ -19,11 +19,13 @@ type Validation struct { //nolint: errname // changing the name to abide by the
 	Values  []any
 }
 
+// Error implements the standard error interface.
 func (e *Validation) Error() string {
 	return e.message
 }
 
-// Code the error code.
+// Code returns the HTTP status code for this validation error.
+// Returns 422 (Unprocessable Entity) by default.
 func (e *Validation) Code() int32 {
 	return e.code
 }
diff --git a/middleware.go b/middleware.go
index 9bd2c03..f89275f 100644
--- a/middleware.go
+++ b/middleware.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ type APIVerificationFailed struct { //nolint: errname
 	MissingRegistration  []string `json:"missingRegistration,omitempty"`
 }
 
+// Error implements the standard error interface.
 func (v *APIVerificationFailed) Error() string {
 	buf := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 
diff --git a/parsing.go b/parsing.go
index 25e5ac4..46e6612 100644
--- a/parsing.go
+++ b/parsing.go
@@ -37,11 +37,12 @@ func NewParseError(name, in, value string, reason error) *ParseError {
 	}
 }
 
+// Error implements the standard error interface.
 func (e *ParseError) Error() string {
 	return e.message
 }
 
-// Code returns the http status code for this error.
+// Code returns 400 (Bad Request) as the HTTP status code for parsing errors.
 func (e *ParseError) Code() int32 {
 	return e.code
 }
diff --git a/schema.go b/schema.go
index ec5eb44..2378bae 100644
--- a/schema.go
+++ b/schema.go
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ const (
 
 	// InvalidTypeCode is used for any subclass of invalid types.
 	InvalidTypeCode = maximumValidHTTPCode + iota
+	// RequiredFailCode indicates a required field is missing.
 	RequiredFailCode
 	TooLongFailCode
 	TooShortFailCode
@@ -98,11 +99,12 @@ type CompositeError struct {
 	message string
 }
 
-// Code for this error.
+// Code returns the HTTP status code for this composite error.
 func (c *CompositeError) Code() int32 {
 	return c.code
 }
 
+// Error implements the standard error interface.
 func (c *CompositeError) Error() string {
 	if len(c.Errors) > 0 {
 		msgs := []string{c.message + ":"}
@@ -117,6 +119,7 @@ func (c *CompositeError) Error() string {
 	return c.message
 }
 
+// Unwrap implements the [errors.Unwrap] interface.
 func (c *CompositeError) Unwrap() []error {
 	return c.Errors
 }