diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9dcc321..55a4a1d 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -112,3 +112,11 @@ upload-climate:
 
 upload-codecov:
 	codecov --disable=gcov --file=$(TARGET_PATH)/coverage/lcov.info --token=$(shell echo "${CODECOV_SECRET}" | base64 -d)
+
+# run targets
+run-rules: ## validate the rules directory
+	find $(ROOT_PATH)/rules -maxdepth 1 -name '*.yml' | while read file; \
+	do \
+		echo "Validating $${file}..."; \
+		node out/bundle.js --rules $(ROOT_PATH)/rules/salty-dog.yml --source $${file} --tag important; \
+	done
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9cc20c0..d880d41 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,6 +29,16 @@ fields, and other **g**ood stuff.
 
 ## Usage
 
+To validate the rules in the `rules/` directory:
+
+```shell
+> make run-rules
+...
+{"name":"salty-dog","hostname":"cerberus","pid":29403,"level":30,"msg":"all rules passed","time":"2019-06-16T00:56:55.132Z","v":0}
+```
+
+To validate a file:
+
 ```shell
 > cat rules/examples/kubernetes-require-resources-fail.yml |\
     salty-dog \
diff --git a/docs/outline.md b/docs/outline.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8837cc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/outline.md
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+# Outline
+
+Original rough outline document.
+
+- Json path & schema based
+- Select nodes using path
+- Validate each using schema (fragment)
+
+## Feedback & Output
+
+- message if schema mutates fragment
+- message if fragment fails schema
+
+## Rules
+
+### Metadata
+
+- level (debug, info, warn, error)
+- tags
+
+### Body
+
+- check (schema)
+- filter (jsonpath)
+- select (jsonpath)
+
+## Arguments
+
+- config file
+- dest (file, stdout)
+- exclude-level
+- exclude-rule
+- exclude-tag
+- include-level
+- include-rule
+- include-tag
+- mode (check, fix)
+- rule paths
+- source (file, stdin)
+
+## Config
+
+- should have schema and be validated
+- support all arguments (except config file)
+- TODO: parent config
+
+## Run
+
+1. Load source and copy to state
+2. Load all fragments in rule paths
+3. Build list of applicable rules by level, name, tag
+4. For each rule:
+5. Select potential nodes
+6. Filter applicable nodes
+7. Copy fragment
+8. Apply schema
+9. If schema passes and output matches, log success
+10. If schema passes and output differs, log difference
+11. If schema fails, log errors and mark error
+12. If running in fix mode and schema passed, update state
+13. After all rules:
+14. If running in fix mode and all rules passed:
+15. Log differences between source and state
+16. Write state to dest
+
+## Dependencies
+
+- ajv
+- jsonpath-plus
+- js-yaml
diff --git a/docs/salty.yml b/docs/salty.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 16b64d3..0000000
--- a/docs/salty.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-data:
-  logger:
-    name: salty