diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 62854f8b2..27c55dc18 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -46,3 +46,41 @@ session itself should be included, as it is not publicly accessible.
 When a PR fixes an issue or relates to / replaces another issue, the PR description should
 include a reference to the issue number after the main description but before the
 `Assisted-by:` attribution, e.g. `Fixes: #123` or `Closes: #124`.
+
+## HIDAPI API usage contract
+
+This is the contract HIDAPI expects of its callers. It governs both code review and code
+generation: judge the library's behaviour only against usage that respects it, and only
+generate example/test code that respects it. The authoritative reference is
+[Multi‐threading Notes](https://github.com/libusb/hidapi/wiki/Multi%E2%80%90threading-Notes).
+
+### Library lifecycle
+
+- Call `hid_init()` before any other HIDAPI function. Implicit lazy initialization exists, but
+  must not be relied upon when more than one thread may make the first call.
+- Call `hid_exit()` last, after every device has been closed. `hid_exit()` deinitializes the
+  whole library; no HIDAPI function other than a new `hid_init()` may be called after it, and
+  device handles obtained before it are invalid.
+- `hid_init()`/`hid_exit()` must never run concurrently with any other HIDAPI function.
+
+### Concurrency
+
+- HIDAPI v0.x.x is **not thread-safe**. The following must not be called concurrently from
+  different threads: `hid_init`, `hid_exit`, `hid_enumerate`, `hid_open`, `hid_open_path`,
+  `hid_close`, `hid_error(NULL)` — the global error string is one reason.
+- Functions taking a `hid_device *` are not individually thread-safe, but different devices may
+  be used from different threads — i.e. a dedicated thread per device.
+- `hid_close()` must be serialized against initialization and enumeration calls.
+- Since v0.15.0, a dedicated read thread using only `hid_read`, `hid_read_timeout` and
+  `hid_read_error` is safe alongside other operations on the same device from another thread.
+  Do not use `hid_error` from such a thread; use `hid_read_error`.
+- macOS: `hid_init()` and `hid_exit()` must be called from the same thread, and that thread must
+  stay alive until all devices are closed and `hid_exit()` has completed.
+
+### For AI agents and reviewers
+
+A finding whose trigger requires violating this contract is application misuse, not a library
+defect. Examples: calling `hid_exit()` while other threads still use the API, using device
+handles after `hid_exit()`, unsynchronized concurrent first-time initialization. Do not report
+such scenarios as bugs, and do not add locking or other synchronization to "fix" them. Hardening
+the library against misuse is a maintainer design decision, not a review fix.