diff --git a/docs/demo-script.md b/docs/demo-script.md
index fdaf9c5..f98d265 100644
--- a/docs/demo-script.md
+++ b/docs/demo-script.md
@@ -5,6 +5,27 @@ copy-pasteable walkthrough against a local `make up` stack.
 
 ---
 
+## S-08a — Nx workspace + self-service portal skeleton
+
+**Outcome:** the frontend foundation — an Nx (pnpm) monorepo with the `self-service` Angular app
+(standalone + signals), lint/test/build green in a CI Node lane. The login + submit form follow in
+S-08c.
+
+```bash
+# From a fresh clone (Node 24 + pnpm 11):
+pnpm install                       # native builds are pre-approved in pnpm-workspace.yaml
+pnpm nx test self-service          # Vitest component test
+pnpm nx build self-service         # production build
+pnpm nx serve self-service         # → http://localhost:4200  (placeholder page)
+# Or the CI-equivalent one-shot:
+make frontend                      # install + nx lint/test/build
+```
+
+> Nx manages only `apps/`+`libs/`; the .NET services stay on `dotnet`/the Makefile. NL Design System
+> and the real form arrive in S-08c (#67); see `docs/frontend-decisions.md`.
+
+---
+
 ## S-07 — BFF: the portals' single backend
 
 **Outcome:** the BFF validates Keycloak `digid` tokens on the self-service submit (forwarding the
diff --git a/docs/frontend-decisions.md b/docs/frontend-decisions.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f2e7f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/frontend-decisions.md
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# Frontend decisions
+
+A running log of frontend tooling and component decisions (CLAUDE.md §10). One entry per
+decision; record *why*, and note any deviation from NL Design System.
+
+---
+
+## Workspace & tooling (S-08a, #65)
+
+The portals live in an **Nx monorepo at the repository root**, alongside the .NET `services/`.
+
+- **Package manager: pnpm.** Native build scripts are approved explicitly in `pnpm-workspace.yaml`
+  under `allowBuilds` (pnpm 11 fails the install otherwise). Node 24, pnpm 11.
+- **Angular, standalone components + signals, no NgModules** (§10). Apps are generated with
+  `@nx/angular:application`.
+- **Unit tests: Vitest** via Angular's built-in `@angular/build:unit-test` (the `vitest-angular`
+  runner). **Angular Testing Library** is added for component tests when the first real components
+  land (S-08c); the S-08a placeholder uses a plain `TestBed` render assertion.
+- **Lint: ESLint** (flat config, `@nx/eslint`).
+- **Nx is scoped to `apps/` + `libs/` only.** The `@nx/docker` and `@nx/dotnet` plugins are **not**
+  installed — the .NET services are built by `dotnet`/the Makefile, and `@nx/docker` would otherwise
+  infer every `services/*/Dockerfile` as an unnamed Nx project and break the project graph.
+- **No Nx Cloud.** `nxCloudId` is stripped from `nx.json`; remote caching would depend on an
+  external service, and the repo is Gitea-only (§8.7). Nx's "configure-ai-agents" additions
+  (`.claude/settings.json`, a CLAUDE.md section referencing a GitHub marketplace) are **not**
+  committed for the same reason.
+- **CI:** a `frontend` job (`make frontend` → `pnpm install --frozen-lockfile` + `nx run-many -t
+  lint test build`) runs on pnpm + Node, with pinned action URLs (§15).
+
+**NL Design System:** not yet introduced — the S-08a app is a placeholder. NL DS components arrive
+with the submit form (S-08c, #67); any deviation from NL DS will be recorded here.
diff --git a/mkdocs.yml b/mkdocs.yml
index 51895e5..423e269 100644
--- a/mkdocs.yml
+++ b/mkdocs.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ nav:
       - "ADR-0009: External-task job worker": architecture/adr-0009-external-task-job-worker.md
       - "ADR-0010: BFF OIDC validation": architecture/adr-0010-bff-oidc.md
   - Working in Gitea: gitea-workflow.md
+  - Frontend decisions: frontend-decisions.md
   - Demo script: demo-script.md
   - Runbooks:
       - CI: runbooks/ci.md