diff --git a/examples/infospace-with-history/infospace.yaml b/examples/infospace-with-history/infospace.yaml
index cfe0ba74..226376fe 100644
--- a/examples/infospace-with-history/infospace.yaml
+++ b/examples/infospace-with-history/infospace.yaml
@@ -42,10 +42,25 @@ pipeline:
   stages:
     - name: extract-entities
       template: templates/extract-entities.md
+      output_dir: output/entities
+      output_macro: entities
+      split_entities: true
+      macros:
+        extraction_rules: artifacts/guidelines/extraction-rules.md
+        vsm_framework: artifacts/vsm-reference/vsm-framework.md
     - name: map-to-vsm
       template: templates/map-to-vsm.md
+      output_dir: output/mappings
+      output_macro: mappings
+      macros:
+        mapping_rules: artifacts/guidelines/mapping-rules.md
+        vsm_framework: artifacts/vsm-reference/vsm-framework.md
     - name: synthesize-analysis
       template: templates/synthesize-analysis.md
+      output_dir: output/analyses
+      output_macro: analysis
+      macros:
+        vsm_framework: artifacts/vsm-reference/vsm-framework.md
   post_batch:
     - name: assess-metrics
       template: templates/assess-metrics.md
diff --git a/markitect/infospace/cli.py b/markitect/infospace/cli.py
index c4380069..6bc4272c 100644
--- a/markitect/infospace/cli.py
+++ b/markitect/infospace/cli.py
@@ -479,6 +479,117 @@ def disciplines(config_path: Optional[str]):
             click.echo(f"  Error: {status.error}")
 
 
+# ── process ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+@infospace_commands.command()
+@click.argument("glob_pattern", default=None, required=False)
+@click.option("--all", "process_all", is_flag=True, help="Process all source files.")
+@click.option("--config", "config_path", default=None, help="Path to infospace.yaml.")
+@click.option("--provider", default=None, help="LLM provider (openrouter, openai, etc.).")
+@click.option("--model", default=None, help="LLM model name.")
+@click.option(
+    "--check-after-each",
+    is_flag=True,
+    help="Run collection checks (C1–C5) after each source file.",
+)
+@click.option("--no-commit", is_flag=True, help="Skip git commits.")
+def process(
+    glob_pattern: Optional[str],
+    process_all: bool,
+    config_path: Optional[str],
+    provider: Optional[str],
+    model: Optional[str],
+    check_after_each: bool,
+    no_commit: bool,
+):
+    """Process source files through the pipeline defined in infospace.yaml.
+
+    GLOB_PATTERN is matched against the sources directory declared in
+    infospace.yaml (default ``*.md``).  Use ``--all`` to process every
+    source file.
+
+    \b
+    Examples:
+      # Process chapters 1-3 from book 1
+      markitect infospace process "book-1-chapter-0[1-3].md" --provider openrouter
+
+      # Process all source files and check metrics after each
+      markitect infospace process --all --provider openrouter --check-after-each
+
+      # Dry run — load existing outputs only, no LLM calls
+      markitect infospace process --all
+    """
+    cfg, cfg_path = _load_config_or_exit(config_path)
+    root = cfg_path.parent
+
+    if not cfg.pipeline or not cfg.pipeline.stages:
+        click.echo(
+            "Error: No pipeline stages defined in infospace.yaml.\n"
+            "Add a 'pipeline.stages' section with at least one stage.",
+            err=True,
+        )
+        raise SystemExit(1)
+
+    # Resolve sources directory
+    sources_dir = root / cfg.topic.sources if cfg.topic.sources else root
+    if not sources_dir.is_dir():
+        click.echo(
+            f"Error: Sources directory not found: {sources_dir}\n"
+            f"Set 'topic.sources' in infospace.yaml.",
+            err=True,
+        )
+        raise SystemExit(1)
+
+    # Collect source files
+    if process_all:
+        source_files = sorted(sources_dir.glob("*.md"))
+    else:
+        pattern = glob_pattern or "*.md"
+        source_files = sorted(sources_dir.glob(pattern))
+
+    if not source_files:
+        if process_all:
+            click.echo(f"No source files found in {sources_dir}")
+        else:
+            click.echo(
+                f"No files matched: {glob_pattern or '*.md'}\n"
+                f"Sources directory: {sources_dir}"
+            )
+        return
+
+    click.echo(f"Found {len(source_files)} source file(s) in {sources_dir.name}/")
+
+    # Create LLM adapter
+    adapter = None
+    if provider:
+        from markitect.llm import create_adapter
+
+        _PROVIDER_DEFAULTS = {"openrouter": "arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free"}
+        resolved_model = model or _PROVIDER_DEFAULTS.get(provider)
+        adapter = create_adapter(provider, model=resolved_model)
+        click.echo(f"LLM: {provider} ({resolved_model or 'default'})")
+    else:
+        click.echo("No LLM provider — will use existing outputs only (manual mode).")
+
+    # Run pipeline
+    from markitect.infospace.pipeline import SourcePipeline
+
+    pipeline = SourcePipeline(cfg, root, adapter=adapter, no_commit=no_commit)
+
+    total = len(source_files)
+    completed = 0
+    for i, source_file in enumerate(source_files, 1):
+        click.echo(f"\n[{i}/{total}] {source_file.name}")
+        success = pipeline.process_source(source_file)
+        if success:
+            completed += 1
+            if check_after_each:
+                pipeline.run_collection_check()
+
+    click.echo(f"\nDone: {completed}/{total} source file(s) fully processed.")
+
+
 # ── stale-mappings ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
diff --git a/markitect/infospace/config.py b/markitect/infospace/config.py
index ba184ca4..2d8646d5 100644
--- a/markitect/infospace/config.py
+++ b/markitect/infospace/config.py
@@ -155,13 +155,41 @@ class ViabilityThreshold:
 
 @dataclass
 class PipelineStage:
-    """A single stage in the processing pipeline."""
+    """A single stage in the processing pipeline.
+
+    Attributes:
+        template: Path to the template file (relative to infospace root).
+        name: Human-readable stage name used in progress output.
+        output_dir: Directory for stage outputs (relative to root).
+        output_macro: Macro name for this stage's output, also used as
+            the filename suffix (e.g. ``entities`` → ``<id>-entities.md``).
+        split_entities: If True, parse ``--- ENTITY: <name> ---`` delimiters
+            from LLM output and write individual entity files.
+        macros: Static macros loaded from files (macro name → relative path).
+        spaces: Legacy space IDs for SQLite-based resolver (unused by
+            :class:`SourcePipeline`).
+    """
 
     template: str
+    name: str = ""
+    output_dir: str = ""
+    output_macro: str = ""
+    split_entities: bool = False
+    macros: Dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
     spaces: List[str] = field(default_factory=list)
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         d: Dict[str, Any] = {"template": self.template}
+        if self.name:
+            d["name"] = self.name
+        if self.output_dir:
+            d["output_dir"] = self.output_dir
+        if self.output_macro:
+            d["output_macro"] = self.output_macro
+        if self.split_entities:
+            d["split_entities"] = self.split_entities
+        if self.macros:
+            d["macros"] = self.macros
         if self.spaces:
             d["spaces"] = self.spaces
         return d
@@ -170,6 +198,11 @@ class PipelineStage:
     def from_dict(cls, data: Dict[str, Any]) -> PipelineStage:
         return cls(
             template=data["template"],
+            name=data.get("name", ""),
+            output_dir=data.get("output_dir", ""),
+            output_macro=data.get("output_macro", ""),
+            split_entities=data.get("split_entities", False),
+            macros=data.get("macros", {}),
             spaces=data.get("spaces", []),
         )
 
diff --git a/markitect/infospace/pipeline.py b/markitect/infospace/pipeline.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bae0ee07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/markitect/infospace/pipeline.py
@@ -0,0 +1,494 @@
+"""
+Source file processing pipeline for infospace tooling.
+
+Processes source files through the pipeline stages defined in
+``infospace.yaml`` using simple ``@{macro}`` template substitution —
+no SQLite or space-resolver dependencies.
+
+Example usage from CLI::
+
+    markitect infospace process "book-1-chapter-0[1-3].md" \\
+        --provider openrouter --check-after-each
+
+Or programmatically::
+
+    from markitect.infospace.pipeline import SourcePipeline
+    from markitect.llm import create_adapter
+
+    adapter = create_adapter("openrouter")
+    pipeline = SourcePipeline(config, root, adapter=adapter)
+    pipeline.process_sources(source_files)
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+import subprocess
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Tuple
+
+from markitect.infospace.config import InfospaceConfig, PipelineStage
+
+
+class SourcePipeline:
+    """Processes source files through infospace pipeline stages.
+
+    Each stage in :attr:`config.pipeline.stages` is run in order for
+    every source file.  Stage outputs are passed as macros to subsequent
+    stages via the ``output_macro`` field.
+
+    Template substitution uses ``@{macro_name}`` tokens.  Static macros
+    are loaded from files listed under ``stage.macros``; dynamic macros
+    include ``chapter_text`` (source file content), ``existing_entities``
+    (for split-entities stages), and outputs from prior stages.
+    """
+
+    _PROVIDER_DEFAULTS: Dict[str, str] = {
+        "openrouter": "arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free",
+    }
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        config: InfospaceConfig,
+        root: Path,
+        adapter=None,
+        no_commit: bool = False,
+    ) -> None:
+        self.config = config
+        self.root = root
+        self.adapter = adapter
+        self.no_commit = no_commit
+
+    # ── Public API ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def process_sources(
+        self,
+        source_files: List[Path],
+        check_after_each: bool = False,
+    ) -> int:
+        """Process a list of source files through all pipeline stages.
+
+        Args:
+            source_files: Ordered list of source files to process.
+            check_after_each: If True, run collection checks after each
+                source and record a metrics snapshot.
+
+        Returns:
+            Number of source files fully processed (all stages complete).
+        """
+        completed = 0
+        for source_file in source_files:
+            success = self.process_source(source_file)
+            if success:
+                completed += 1
+                if check_after_each:
+                    self.run_collection_check()
+        return completed
+
+    def process_source(self, source_file: Path) -> bool:
+        """Run the full pipeline for a single source file.
+
+        Args:
+            source_file: Path to the source markdown file.
+
+        Returns:
+            True if all stages completed successfully.
+        """
+        source_id = source_file.stem
+        source_content = source_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        stage_outputs: Dict[str, str] = {}
+
+        print(f"\nProcessing: {source_id}")
+        print("=" * 60)
+
+        if not self.config.pipeline or not self.config.pipeline.stages:
+            print("  No pipeline stages configured.")
+            return False
+
+        for stage in self.config.pipeline.stages:
+            content = self._run_stage(stage, source_id, source_content, stage_outputs)
+            if content is None:
+                stage_label = stage.name or stage.template
+                print(f"\n  Pipeline paused at stage '{stage_label}'.")
+                return False
+            if stage.output_macro:
+                stage_outputs[stage.output_macro] = content
+
+        print(f"\n  {source_id}: all stages complete.")
+        if not self.no_commit:
+            self._git_commit(source_id)
+
+        return True
+
+    def run_collection_check(self) -> None:
+        """Run collection-level quality checks (C1–C5) and print metrics."""
+        from markitect.infospace.entity_parser import parse_entity_directory
+        from markitect.infospace.checks import run_all_checks
+        from markitect.infospace.history import record_check_results
+
+        entities_dir = self.root / self.config.entities_dir
+        if not entities_dir.is_dir():
+            print("\n  Collection check: no entities directory.")
+            return
+
+        entities = parse_entity_directory(entities_dir)
+        if not entities:
+            print("\n  Collection check: no entities found.")
+            return
+
+        print(f"\n  Collection check ({len(entities)} entities):")
+        report = run_all_checks(entities=entities)
+        m = report.metrics()
+        for k, v in sorted(m.items()):
+            print(f"    {k}: {v:.4f}")
+
+        snap = record_check_results(
+            report, self.config, self.root, entity_count=len(entities)
+        )
+        print(f"    Snapshot recorded: {snap.snapshot_id}")
+
+    # ── Stage Execution ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def _run_stage(
+        self,
+        stage: PipelineStage,
+        source_id: str,
+        source_content: str,
+        stage_outputs: Dict[str, str],
+    ) -> Optional[str]:
+        """Run a single pipeline stage.
+
+        Returns the stage's output content, or None on failure.
+        """
+        stage_label = stage.name or stage.template
+        print(f"\n  [{stage_label}]")
+
+        output_file = self._get_output_file(stage, source_id)
+
+        # Skip-if-exists — load from disk
+        if output_file and output_file.exists():
+            print(f"    Found existing output: {output_file.name}")
+            if stage.split_entities:
+                return self._load_from_view(output_file)
+            return output_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+        # Build macro substitution dict
+        macros = self._build_macros(stage, source_content, stage_outputs)
+
+        # Load and resolve template
+        template_path = self.root / stage.template
+        if not template_path.exists():
+            print(f"    ERROR: Template not found: {stage.template}")
+            return None
+
+        template_content = template_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        prompt = self._resolve_macros(template_content, macros)
+
+        # Write prompt for inspection
+        if output_file:
+            prompt_file = output_file.parent / f"{source_id}-prompt.md"
+            prompt_file.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+            prompt_file.write_text(prompt, encoding="utf-8")
+            print(f"    Prompt written to {prompt_file.name}")
+
+        # Without an adapter, we cannot generate output
+        if self.adapter is None:
+            print("    No LLM adapter — skipping generation (manual mode).")
+            return None
+
+        # Call LLM
+        content = self._call_llm(prompt, stage_label)
+        if content is None:
+            return None
+
+        # Persist output
+        if stage.split_entities:
+            entity_files = self._split_and_write_entities(stage, content)
+            self._write_entity_view(source_id, entity_files, output_file)
+            return content
+        else:
+            if output_file:
+                output_file.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+                output_file.write_text(content, encoding="utf-8")
+                print(f"    Output written to {output_file.name}")
+            return content
+
+    # ── Output File Resolution ────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def _get_output_file(
+        self, stage: PipelineStage, source_id: str
+    ) -> Optional[Path]:
+        """Return the expected output file path for a stage, or None."""
+        if not stage.output_dir or not stage.output_macro:
+            return None
+        return self.root / stage.output_dir / f"{source_id}-{stage.output_macro}.md"
+
+    # ── Macro Resolution ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def _build_macros(
+        self,
+        stage: PipelineStage,
+        source_content: str,
+        stage_outputs: Dict[str, str],
+    ) -> Dict[str, str]:
+        """Assemble the macro dict for template substitution."""
+        macros: Dict[str, str] = {"chapter_text": source_content}
+
+        # Static macros loaded from files
+        for macro_name, rel_path in stage.macros.items():
+            file_path = self.root / rel_path
+            if file_path.exists():
+                macros[macro_name] = file_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+            else:
+                print(f"    WARNING: macro file not found: {rel_path}")
+                macros[macro_name] = f"(File not found: {rel_path})"
+
+        # Existing entities list (for split_entities stages)
+        if stage.split_entities:
+            entities_dir = self._get_entities_dir(stage)
+            existing = self._list_existing_entities(entities_dir)
+            if existing:
+                macros["existing_entities"] = "\n".join(
+                    f"- {s}" for s in existing
+                )
+            else:
+                macros["existing_entities"] = (
+                    "(none — this is the first source file)"
+                )
+
+        # Outputs from prior stages (override static macros if same name)
+        macros.update(stage_outputs)
+
+        return macros
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _resolve_macros(template: str, macros: Dict[str, str]) -> str:
+        """Substitute ``@{macro_name}`` tokens with values from *macros*."""
+
+        def replacer(match: re.Match) -> str:
+            key = match.group(1)
+            return macros.get(key, match.group(0))
+
+        return re.sub(r"@\{([^}]+)\}", replacer, template)
+
+    # ── Entity Splitting ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def _get_entities_dir(self, stage: Optional[PipelineStage] = None) -> Path:
+        """Return the entities output directory."""
+        if stage and stage.output_dir:
+            return self.root / stage.output_dir
+        # Fall back to the first split_entities stage's output_dir
+        if self.config.pipeline:
+            for s in self.config.pipeline.stages:
+                if s.split_entities and s.output_dir:
+                    return self.root / s.output_dir
+        return self.root / "output" / "entities"
+
+    def _list_existing_entities(self, entities_dir: Path) -> List[str]:
+        """Return sorted slugs of all canonical entity files on disk."""
+        if not entities_dir.is_dir():
+            return []
+        return sorted(
+            f.stem
+            for f in entities_dir.glob("*.md")
+            if not f.name.endswith("-entities.md")
+            and not f.name.endswith("-prompt.md")
+        )
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _normalize_entity_name(name: str) -> str:
+        """Normalise entity name to a kebab-case filename stem."""
+        slug = name.lower().strip()
+        slug = slug.replace("_", "-").replace(" ", "-")
+        slug = re.sub(r"[^a-z0-9-]", "", slug)
+        slug = re.sub(r"-{2,}", "-", slug)
+        return slug.strip("-")
+
+    def _split_and_write_entities(
+        self,
+        stage: PipelineStage,
+        combined_content: str,
+    ) -> List[Tuple[str, Path]]:
+        """Split ``--- ENTITY: <name> ---`` delimited output into files.
+
+        Writes each entity to ``<output_dir>/<slug>.md``.  Existing files
+        are skipped (first-occurrence wins).
+
+        Returns:
+            List of ``(entity_name, file_path)`` for all entities in
+            *combined_content* (new and pre-existing alike).
+        """
+        entities_dir = self._get_entities_dir(stage)
+        entities_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+        parts = re.split(
+            r"^---\s*ENTITY:\s*(.+?)\s*---\s*$",
+            combined_content,
+            flags=re.MULTILINE,
+        )
+
+        entity_files: List[Tuple[str, Path]] = []
+        new_count = 0
+        skipped_count = 0
+
+        for i in range(1, len(parts), 2):
+            entity_name = parts[i]
+            entity_content = parts[i + 1].strip() if i + 1 < len(parts) else ""
+
+            slug = self._normalize_entity_name(entity_name)
+            if not slug:
+                continue
+
+            file_path = entities_dir / f"{slug}.md"
+            if file_path.exists():
+                skipped_count += 1
+            else:
+                file_path.write_text(entity_content + "\n", encoding="utf-8")
+                new_count += 1
+
+            entity_files.append((entity_name, file_path))
+
+        msg = f"    {new_count} new entities written"
+        if skipped_count:
+            msg += f", {skipped_count} pre-existing (skipped)"
+        print(msg)
+        return entity_files
+
+    def _write_entity_view(
+        self,
+        source_id: str,
+        entity_files: List[Tuple[str, Path]],
+        view_file: Optional[Path],
+    ) -> None:
+        """Write a per-source view file with ``{{ include }}`` directives."""
+        if view_file is None:
+            return
+
+        lines = [f"# Entities: {source_id}\n"]
+        for _name, file_path in entity_files:
+            lines.append(f'{{{{ include "{file_path.name}" }}}}')
+            lines.append("")
+            lines.append("---")
+            lines.append("")
+
+        # Remove trailing separator after last entity
+        if lines and lines[-1] == "" and len(lines) >= 3 and lines[-2] == "---":
+            lines = lines[:-2]
+
+        view_file.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        view_file.write_text("\n".join(lines) + "\n", encoding="utf-8")
+        print(f"    View written to {view_file.name}")
+
+    def _load_from_view(self, view_file: Path) -> str:
+        """Reconstruct combined entity content from a view file.
+
+        Parses ``{{ include "filename.md" }}`` directives and assembles
+        the ``--- ENTITY: <slug> ---`` delimited content for downstream
+        stages.
+        """
+        view_content = view_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        includes = re.findall(
+            r'\{\{\s*include\s+"([^"]+)"\s*\}\}', view_content
+        )
+
+        entities_dir = view_file.parent
+        parts: List[str] = []
+        for rel_path in includes:
+            file_path = entities_dir / rel_path
+            if file_path.exists():
+                slug = file_path.stem
+                body = file_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip()
+                parts.append(f"--- ENTITY: {slug} ---\n\n{body}")
+
+        return "\n\n".join(parts) + "\n" if parts else ""
+
+    # ── LLM Execution ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def _call_llm(
+        self, prompt: str, stage_name: str, max_tokens: int = 8192
+    ) -> Optional[str]:
+        """Call the LLM adapter with exponential back-off on rate limits.
+
+        Returns the response content string, or None on failure.
+        """
+        from markitect.prompts.execution.models import RunConfig
+        from markitect.llm.exceptions import LLMRateLimitError
+
+        print(f"    Calling LLM ({stage_name})...")
+        t0 = time.time()
+        max_retries = 3
+        response = None
+
+        for attempt in range(max_retries + 1):
+            try:
+                response = self.adapter.execute_prompt(
+                    prompt, RunConfig(max_tokens=max_tokens)
+                )
+                break
+            except LLMRateLimitError as exc:
+                if attempt < max_retries:
+                    wait = 15 * (attempt + 1)
+                    print(
+                        f"    Rate limited — retrying in {wait}s "
+                        f"(attempt {attempt + 1}/{max_retries})..."
+                    )
+                    time.sleep(wait)
+                else:
+                    print(f"    Rate limit exceeded after {max_retries} retries: {exc}")
+                    return None
+            except Exception as exc:
+                print(f"    LLM error: {exc}")
+                return None
+
+        if response is None:
+            return None
+
+        elapsed = time.time() - t0
+        usage = response.usage
+        print(
+            f"    Done in {elapsed:.1f}s — "
+            f"prompt {usage.get('prompt_tokens', '?')} tok, "
+            f"completion {usage.get('completion_tokens', '?')} tok"
+        )
+
+        content = response.content
+        if not content or not content.strip():
+            print("    LLM returned empty content.")
+            return None
+
+        return content
+
+    # ── Git Integration ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def _git_commit(self, source_id: str) -> None:
+        """Stage all output changes and commit them for *source_id*."""
+        output_dir = self.root / "output"
+        try:
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["git", "add", str(output_dir)],
+                cwd=str(self.root),
+                check=True,
+                capture_output=True,
+            )
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                [
+                    "git", "commit", "-m",
+                    f"infospace: process {source_id}\n\n"
+                    f"Extract entities, map to VSM, and synthesize analysis.",
+                ],
+                cwd=str(self.root),
+                capture_output=True,
+                text=True,
+            )
+            if result.returncode == 0:
+                print(f"  Git commit: process {source_id}")
+            else:
+                output = result.stdout + result.stderr
+                if "nothing to commit" in output or "nothing added" in output:
+                    print(f"  Git: nothing to commit for {source_id}")
+                else:
+                    print(f"  Warning: Git commit failed: {output.strip()}")
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+            stderr = e.stderr.decode() if isinstance(e.stderr, bytes) else (e.stderr or "")
+            print(f"  Warning: Git error: {stderr.strip()}")