diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d3482a1..d78e012 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ and versions are tracked in the repo-root `VERSION` file.
 
 ### Changed
 
+- Add a maintained, copyable five-minute starter template with explicit safe
+  customization points and installed-consumer validation (#244).
+
 - Include `uv.lock` freshness in the authoritative local validation aggregate (#424).
 
 ## [0.5.1] - 2026-10-10
diff --git a/docs/index.md b/docs/index.md
index 35ef02d..90b63d5 100644
--- a/docs/index.md
+++ b/docs/index.md
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ application.
   with the underlying parser and decide whether its lifecycle boundary fits.
 - Follow the [five-minute consumer quickstart](consumer-quickstart.md) for a
   minimal public `App`, `run_app()`, human output, and JSON invocation.
+- Use the [starter template](starter-template.md) when you want a complete
+  copyable project with packaging and tests.
 - Start with the [adopter readiness guide](adopter-readiness.md) for a
   production evaluation.
 - See the [adoption and compatibility evidence guide](adoption-evidence.md)
diff --git a/docs/starter-template.md b/docs/starter-template.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f0cd167
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/starter-template.md
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# Starter template
+
+The maintained starter is [`examples/minimal_cli`](../examples/minimal_cli/).
+It is deliberately a copyable project rather than an interactive generator:
+the first five minutes should expose the framework's public boundaries instead
+of hiding them behind template machinery.
+
+## Five-minute proof
+
+Copy the directory into a clean location and run the same commands a new
+consumer would use:
+
+```bash
+cp -R examples/minimal_cli my-cli
+cd my-cli
+python -m venv .venv
+source .venv/bin/activate  # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate
+python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+python -m pip install -e ".[dev]"
+base-minimal --name Ada
+python -m pytest
+```
+
+The starter has no private-repository dependency and uses only the public
+`base_cli` facade. Its tests cover a successful invocation, lifecycle help,
+and the missing-option error boundary. The repository's example workflow
+installs and tests it as an installed consumer as well.
+
+## What to customize
+
+The command implementation belongs in
+`src/minimal_cli/cli.py`; the package and console-script names belong in
+`pyproject.toml`; product behavior belongs in `tests/` and `README.md`.
+Keep `base_cli.run_app(app)` as the process boundary and do not import
+framework-private modules. Add JSON, configuration, or optional integrations
+only when the product needs them, following the corresponding contract docs.
+
+The starter's `base-cli>=0.5.1,<1.0` requirement is a release-line guard for
+the current pre-1.0 framework. It should be updated deliberately when the
+consumer adopts base-cli 1.0.
+
+## Why there is no `base-cli init` command yet
+
+The copyable starter is the 1.0 adoption surface. A generator would add a
+second templating and upgrade contract before there is enough consumer
+feedback to stabilize it. Interactive scaffolding remains a follow-up design
+item; it must not become a hidden dependency of the core package.
diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
index 61ba0db..4172224 100644
--- a/examples/README.md
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ directory.
 
 | Example | Demonstrates | Launcher |
 | --- | --- | --- |
-| [`minimal_cli`](minimal_cli/README.md) | A single `base_cli.App` command | `base-minimal` |
+| [`minimal_cli`](minimal_cli/README.md) | The five-minute copyable starter and a single `base_cli.App` command | `base-minimal` |
 | [`nested_click_app`](nested_click_app/README.md) | Native Click groups and plugin discovery | `base-nested` |
 | [`typer_app`](typer_app/README.md) | Typed Typer commands through the optional adapter | `base-typer` |
 | [`automation_observability_app`](automation_observability_app/README.md) | JSON output, dry runs, Rich, and telemetry | `base-automation` |
diff --git a/examples/automation_observability_app/pyproject.toml b/examples/automation_observability_app/pyproject.toml
index a3c7d40..007f9c3 100644
--- a/examples/automation_observability_app/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/automation_observability_app/pyproject.toml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 description = "Automation and observability base-cli reference application"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = [
-  "base-cli>=0.3",
+  "base-cli>=0.5.1,<1.0",
   "click>=8.1",
 ]
 
diff --git a/examples/minimal_cli/README.md b/examples/minimal_cli/README.md
index 2eedd91..032cfca 100644
--- a/examples/minimal_cli/README.md
+++ b/examples/minimal_cli/README.md
@@ -1,14 +1,56 @@
-# Minimal CLI
+# Minimal CLI starter
 
-This is the smallest complete `base-cli` application: one typed command,
-standard lifecycle flags, file logging, cleanup, and a console-script entry
-point. It is a good starting point for an internal tool or a new product.
+This is the maintained, copyable starter for a new `base-cli` application. It
+is intentionally small: one typed command, standard lifecycle flags, file
+logging, cleanup, and a console-script entry point. It is a good starting
+point for an internal tool or a new product.
+
+The starter is a reference template, not a code generator. Copy the directory
+into your project, run the normal install and test commands below, and then
+replace the command implementation at `src/minimal_cli/cli.py`.
+
+## Start in five minutes
+
+From the root of a `base-cli` checkout:
+
+```bash
+cp -R examples/minimal_cli my-cli
+cd my-cli
+python -m venv .venv
+source .venv/bin/activate  # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate
+python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+python -m pip install -e ".[dev]"
+base-minimal --name Ada
+python -m pytest
+```
+
+The copy is a complete installable project. It exercises the same package,
+console-script, and test boundaries that a production consumer uses; it does
+not import the repository checkout.
+
+## Safe customization points
+
+- `src/minimal_cli/cli.py`: replace `greet()` with the product's commands and
+  keep `base_cli.run_app(app)` as the process boundary.
+- `src/minimal_cli/__init__.py`: update the consumer package version and
+  metadata when the product is released.
+- `pyproject.toml`: rename the distribution and console script, then pin the
+  supported `base-cli` release line.
+- `tests/test_cli.py`: keep a happy-path test and add the product's error and
+  JSON-contract tests.
+- `README.md`: document the product's configuration, output, completion,
+  release, and troubleshooting behavior.
+
+Keep framework internals out of the consumer. Click remains the parser and
+the public `base_cli` facade is the supported integration boundary.
 
 ## Install
 
+From the copied project directory, use the editable install so changes to
+`src/minimal_cli/` are immediately reflected when you rerun the command:
+
 ```bash
-python -m pip install "base-cli>=0.3"
-python -m pip install .
+python -m pip install -e ".[dev]"
 base-minimal --help
 ```
 
@@ -29,7 +71,6 @@ errors follow the versioned JSON contract documented by base-cli.
 ## Tests
 
 ```bash
-python -m pip install "base-cli[dev]"
 python -m pytest tests
 ```
 
diff --git a/examples/minimal_cli/pyproject.toml b/examples/minimal_cli/pyproject.toml
index d171f32..dbc7877 100644
--- a/examples/minimal_cli/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/minimal_cli/pyproject.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ name = "base-cli-reference-minimal"
 version = "0.1.0"
 description = "Minimal production-style base-cli reference application"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-dependencies = ["base-cli>=0.3"]
+dependencies = ["base-cli>=0.5.1,<1.0"]
+
+[project.optional-dependencies]
+dev = ["pytest>=8,<9"]
 
 [project.scripts]
 base-minimal = "minimal_cli.cli:main"
diff --git a/examples/minimal_cli/tests/test_cli.py b/examples/minimal_cli/tests/test_cli.py
index 540e7a2..72fa756 100644
--- a/examples/minimal_cli/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/examples/minimal_cli/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -24,3 +24,10 @@ def test_help_exposes_lifecycle_options() -> None:
     assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
     assert "--name" in result.stdout
     assert "--environment" in result.stdout
+
+
+def test_missing_name_is_an_actionable_production_error() -> None:
+    result = base_cli.testing.invoke(app, [])
+
+    assert result.exit_code != 0
+    assert "Missing option '--name'" in result.stderr
diff --git a/examples/nested_click_app/pyproject.toml b/examples/nested_click_app/pyproject.toml
index 4af6106..8bcbeb6 100644
--- a/examples/nested_click_app/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/nested_click_app/pyproject.toml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 description = "Nested Click and plugin-discovery base-cli reference application"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = [
-  "base-cli>=0.3",
+  "base-cli>=0.5.1,<1.0",
   "click>=8.1",
 ]
 
diff --git a/examples/typer_app/pyproject.toml b/examples/typer_app/pyproject.toml
index a73345f..1aa122f 100644
--- a/examples/typer_app/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/typer_app/pyproject.toml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 description = "Typed Typer base-cli reference application"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = [
-  "base-cli>=0.3",
+  "base-cli>=0.5.1,<1.0",
   "typer>=0.25.1,<0.28",
 ]
 
diff --git a/scripts/validate_docs.py b/scripts/validate_docs.py
index 708b8a1..07c563e 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_docs.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_docs.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
         "security-threat-model.md",
         "schemas.md",
         "strict-json-consumer.md",
+        "starter-template.md",
         "typer-adapter.md",
         "user-config-typing.md",
     }
diff --git a/scripts/validate_examples.py b/scripts/validate_examples.py
index cc5fdbc..25d8b3f 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_examples.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_examples.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
     "Operational troubleshooting",
 )
 SCRIPT_PATTERN = re.compile(r"^\s*base-[a-z0-9-]+\s*=\s*\"[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+:[a-zA-Z0-9_]+\"\s*$", re.MULTILINE)
+BASE_CLI_REQUIREMENT = "base-cli>=0.5.1,<1.0"
 
 
 def fail(message: str) -> None:
@@ -50,7 +51,9 @@ def validate_example(root: Path, name: str) -> None:
         if not required.exists():
             fail(f"{required.relative_to(root)} is required")
     metadata = pyproject.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-    if "base-cli" not in metadata or "[project.scripts]" not in metadata:
+    if BASE_CLI_REQUIREMENT not in metadata:
+        fail(f"{pyproject.relative_to(root)} must require {BASE_CLI_REQUIREMENT!r}")
+    if "[project.scripts]" not in metadata:
         fail(f"{pyproject.relative_to(root)} must declare base-cli and a console script")
     if not SCRIPT_PATTERN.search(metadata):
         fail(f"{pyproject.relative_to(root)} has no base-* console script")
diff --git a/tests/test_starter_template.py b/tests/test_starter_template.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c47b719
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_starter_template.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).parents[1]
+STARTER = ROOT / "examples" / "minimal_cli"
+STARTER_DOC = ROOT / "docs" / "starter-template.md"
+
+
+def test_starter_has_the_copyable_project_boundaries() -> None:
+    for relative in (
+        "README.md",
+        "pyproject.toml",
+        "src/minimal_cli/cli.py",
+        "src/minimal_cli/__init__.py",
+        "tests/test_cli.py",
+    ):
+        assert (STARTER / relative).is_file(), relative
+
+
+def test_starter_pins_the_current_pre_one_release_line() -> None:
+    metadata = (STARTER / "pyproject.toml").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    assert "base-cli>=0.5.1,<1.0" in metadata
+
+
+def test_starter_docs_explain_copying_and_safe_customization() -> None:
+    text = STARTER_DOC.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    for required in (
+        "examples/minimal_cli",
+        'python -m pip install -e ".[dev]"',
+        "python -m pytest",
+        "base_cli.run_app(app)",
+        "no `base-cli init` command yet",
+    ):
+        assert required in text