diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3a885952f..809f26a90 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,14 @@
 - **BREAKING:** Converted `Request` and `Response` from static facades to instance-based classes (#454):
   - Merged `HttpRequest`/`HttpResponse` wrapper layer directly into `Request`/`Response`
   - All request/response access now goes through `request()` and `response()` helper functions
+- **BREAKING:** Refactored request/response execution flow to explicit `Response` returns (#470, #471, #472, #473):
+  - Route handlers (controller actions and closure routes) must now return `Quantum\Http\Response`; non-`Response` returns now fail fast
+  - Response builder methods are now fluent and return `Response`/`self` (`json()`, `html()`, `xml()`, `jsonp()`, `set()`, `setHeader()`, `setStatusCode()`, `redirect()`)
+  - Redirect helpers now return `Response` (`redirect()`, `redirectWith()`) instead of terminating execution implicitly
+  - Middleware pipeline is now terminal/return-driven: middleware `apply()` must return `Response`, and middleware chaining no longer returns `[Request, Response]`
+  - Web adapter flow no longer relies on `stop()` for normal control flow (`OPTIONS`, 404, cache-hit, route dispatch) and now sends a returned `Response`
+  - Cached view lookup now returns `?Response` directly (`ViewCache::getCachedResponse()`)
+  - Console adapter normal termination no longer relies on `StopExecutionException`; `start()` now returns explicit exit codes
 - **BREAKING:** Removed all static singleton patterns from core services (#381, #382):
   - Migrated all 12 first-party factories (Auth, Archive, Cache, Captcha, Cryptor, FileSystem, Lang, Logger, Mailer, Renderer, Session, View) from static instance caches to DI-managed lifetimes
   - Migrated service singletons to DI ownership: Cookie, Config, Environment, Server, AssetManager, Csrf, Database, MailTrap, Debugger, ViewCache, ErrorHandler, HookManager, ModuleLoader
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 29c31fe27..980e3ed68 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -58,28 +58,46 @@ git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
 3. Run tests:
 
 ```bash
-vendor/bin/phpunit --stderr
+vendor/bin/phpunit
 ```
 
 4. Run Static Analysis:
 
 ```bash
-vendor/bin/phpstan analyse --memory-limit=-1 
+composer phpstan
 ```
 
 5. Run Code Style Checks
 
 ```bash
-vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer check
+composer cs:check
 ```
 
 6. Commit and push your branch:
 
 ```bash
-git commit -m "Add: SoftDeletes trait for models"
+git commit -m "[#123] Add SoftDeletes trait for models"
 git push origin feature/your-feature-name
 ```
 
+### Commit Message Style
+
+Use commit subjects that match the repository history:
+
+- Preferred format: `[#<issue-number>] <imperative summary>`
+- Keep the summary concise and scoped to one change
+- Use imperative mood (`Add`, `Fix`, `Refactor`, `Remove`, `Rename`, etc.)
+
+Examples:
+
+- `[#504] Refactor module route loading into boot stage`
+- `[#502] Add post-response request-context cleanup`
+- `[#500] Rename QtCommand to CliCommand across framework and templates`
+
+Notes:
+
+- If your change affects behavior, public APIs, or compatibility (especially breaking changes), update `CHANGELOG.md` in the same branch/PR.
+
 7. Open a Pull Request from your fork → `softberg/quantum-php-core`. Describe **what** you changed, **why**, and **how** to test it. Reference any related issues. Always work in a branch, never directly on `main` of your fork.
 
 ---