> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://uqp.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> Understand the Universal Quoting Protocol draft and its reference boundaries.

You can use Universal Quoting Protocol (UQP) to describe services whose prices depend on the job: what you ask, how you calculate a range, and when a person makes the final decision.

This is **draft v0.1** (`0.1-draft`): **reference, not production**. You should expect the contract to change. Checkout processing and deployment are not included.

## Separate questions, pricing and review

You describe enabled intake questions and the business-owned pricing model in a [QuoteManifest](https://uqp.dev/docs/spec/quote-manifest.md). You collect raw answers and explicit consent in a [QuoteRequest](https://uqp.dev/docs/spec/quote-request.md), rather than inventing missing customer details.

You apply configured rates and enabled factors through a [PricingModel](https://uqp.dev/docs/spec/pricing-model.md). A priced [Estimate](https://uqp.dev/docs/spec/estimate.md) is non-binding, even while review is pending. Only after artist review do you issue a binding [Quote](https://uqp.dev/docs/spec/quote.md) with `valid_until`.

You can follow the [lifecycle](https://uqp.dev/docs/lifecycle.md) from intake through acceptance, decline or expiry. Before an external checkout handoff, you obtain explicit client approval of the amount, currency and policies. The provider is merchant of record; UQP never holds funds. Only trusted payment processor confirmation can mark a deposit paid.

## Choose a reference binding

You exchange the same core objects through [REST](https://uqp.dev/docs/bindings/rest.md), [MCP](https://uqp.dev/docs/bindings/mcp.md) or [GraphQL](https://uqp.dev/docs/bindings/graphql.md). You submit requests and poll for status; webhook delivery is deferred in the local reference. You must not treat the local reference as an authenticated production service.

## Understand pack and evidence limits

You can explore the [tattoo pack](https://uqp.dev/docs/packs/tattoo.md) and [laser-removal pack](https://uqp.dev/docs/packs/laser-removal.md). Both are **unvalidated**. Treat sample prices as **example data**, not market evidence or a promise to a customer. Laser-removal estimates always require an in-person consultation and do not guarantee a treatment outcome or final price.

You can inspect the [questionnaire harness](https://uqp.dev/docs/research/questionnaire-harness.md) as an offline, synthetic demonstration and read the supplied [evidence](https://uqp.dev/docs/research/evidence.md) with its provenance and limits. Neither makes pack pricing validated.

Browse the [spec overview](https://uqp.dev/docs/spec/overview.md), start with the [quickstart](https://uqp.dev/docs/quickstart.md), or read how you can [contribute](https://uqp.dev/docs/contributing.md).


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