diff --git a/docs/jobs-unification.md b/docs/jobs-unification.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b20e537f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/jobs-unification.md
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+# Jobs Unification — making every task a background job
+
+**Goal:** every task run (script, pipeline, later agentic) becomes a persisted, background **job** —
+created over REST, streamed live over WebSocket, resumable/attachable, visible on desktop *and* phone,
+and ending in a push notification. Replaces today's ephemeral script-task WebSocket path.
+
+**Context:** single user, forever. No multi-tenant concerns — "is anything running?" is a global check.
+Favor power-user affordances over guardrails. See memory `sole-user-assume-competence`.
+
+## Current state (baseline)
+
+- **Pipeline tasks** already are jobs: `pipeline_jobs` (Postgres) + `pipeline-job-manager` (in-memory
+  live registry, viewer attach/replay buffer, 3s progress flush, finalize, restart-reconciliation) +
+  `/jobs` list (`JobsScreen`) + `/jobs/:id` detail (`JobDetail`, live-attach or persisted). WS at
+  `/api/tasks/pipeline/ws`.
+- **Script tasks** (convert-video, edit-audio, …) run via `task-executor.ts` over `/api/tasks/run/ws`
+  — **ephemeral, zero persistence**, dies with the tab. Modal `TaskRunnerModal` (ScriptRunner branch).
+- A **separate** file-backed queue engine exists at `src/servers/queue/` (lane-serial, retries,
+  crash-resume) wired only to email sync. NOT reused here — one Postgres jobs model instead.
+
+## Decisions (locked)
+
+- **Concurrency:** idle → single `Run` → `/jobs/:id`. Something running → `Queue` + a **red `Run`**
+  (force concurrent). Run → start now → `/jobs/:id`. Queue → append `pending` → `/jobs` list.
+  Backend (global): FIFO `pending` queue; on any finalize with 0 running, promote the oldest pending.
+  Force-Run bypasses the queue. Queue backlog survives restart (promoteNext on startup).
+- **Modal → page:** replace `TaskRunnerModal` with a `/jobs/new` route. Right-click task action
+  navigates there instead of mounting the modal. One code path, phone-friendly.
+- **Deep-link:** query params, not hash — `/jobs/new?task=convert-video&root=home&path=<dir>&entry=<name>`.
+- **Phone:** already has a file browser, so it can pick a target path and POST a job. No blocker.
+
+## Plan
+
+### Phase 1 — Unified jobs backend
+- **1a. Data model.** Add `mode` (`pipeline|script|agentic`, default `pipeline`) + `exit_code` (int)
+  to the jobs table. Log at `DATA_PATH/jobs/<id>.log` (derived from id). *Table/symbol rename
+  `pipeline_jobs`→`jobs` is deferred as a cosmetic cleanup — add columns first, keep it working.*
+- **1b. Execution.** Generalize the job manager: `startJob` takes `mode` and dispatches — `pipeline`
+  → existing `executePipeline`; `script` → new `executeScript` (ports task-executor's
+  `materializeScript`/`buildInputEnv`/bwrap sandbox/`killTree`/keepalive, but emits job events +
+  appends stdout/stderr to the log file, finalizes with `exit_code`). Reuses the manager's
+  viewer/broadcast/replay machinery.
+- **1c. Scheduler.** `runningCount()` + FIFO `pending` promotion on finalize; `promoteNext()` on
+  startup so a queued backlog resumes.
+
+### Phase 2 — REST job API (decouples creation from the socket; enables the phone)
+- `POST /jobs {taskDirName, inputs, cwd, action}` → `{jobId}` (create + start/queue, background).
+- `GET /jobs` (+`?live=1`), `GET /jobs/:id`, `GET /jobs/:id/log?offset=`, `POST /jobs/:id/stop`.
+- Consolidate the two WebSockets into one `/api/tasks/jobs/ws` doing only attach/stop/list.
+
+### Phase 3 — Frontend
+- `/jobs/new` → `NewJobScreen`: reads query params, renders the input UI lifted from
+  `TaskRunnerModal` (`TaskInputForm` + per-group config + folder probing). Run/Queue per the
+  concurrency UX. `JobDetail` gains a script branch (terminal output: live attach, or from log when
+  idle). Retire `TaskRunnerModal`/`TaskRunnerDialog`/`useTaskRunner`. Header running-jobs indicator.
+
+### Phase 4 — Notifications (later)
+- One `notifyJobDone(job)` hook at finalize → push to the phone app.
+
+## Progress
+- [ ] 1a data model (migration + schema/types)
+- [ ] 1b executeScript + manager dispatch
+- [ ] 1c scheduler / queue
+- [ ] 2 REST job API + WS consolidation
+- [ ] 3 /jobs/new page + JobDetail script branch + retire modal + header indicator
+- [ ] 4 push notifications