diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index d00a92007f..90011e2353 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ jobs:
           node-version: 22.13.0
           repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
       - run: pnpm turbo prepack
-      - run: node ./bin/build-verify.mjs
 
   lint:
     name: Linting
diff --git a/bin/build-verify.mjs b/bin/build-verify.mjs
deleted file mode 100644
index 42b97d8209..0000000000
--- a/bin/build-verify.mjs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,62 +0,0 @@
-import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
-import { resolve } from 'node:path';
-import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
-
-import { globby } from 'globby';
-
-const currentDir = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
-const FORBIDDEN = [
-  /**
-   * import.meta.env is not a platform standard
-   */
-  'import.meta.env',
-  /**
-   * These variables are wrapped around code for this repo only
-   */
-  'VM_LOCAL',
-  /**
-   * These are for local VM debugging and development, and are not meant to make it to real code
-   */
-  /[^.]check\(/u,
-  'CheckInterface',
-  'CheckOr',
-  'CheckFunction',
-  'CheckObject',
-
-  '@glimmer/debug',
-  '@glimmer/constants',
-  '@glimmer/debug-util',
-];
-
-const IGNORED_DIRS = [`@glimmer/debug`, `@glimmer/constants`, `@glimmer/debug-util`];
-
-let files = await globby(resolve(currentDir, '../../packages/**/dist/**/index.js'), {
-  ignore: ['node_modules', '**/node_modules'],
-});
-
-files = files.filter((file) => !IGNORED_DIRS.some((dir) => file.includes(dir)));
-
-let errors = [];
-
-console.log(`Found ${files.length} files to check...`);
-
-for (let filePath of files) {
-  console.log(`Checking ${filePath}...`);
-  let file = await readFile(filePath);
-  let content = file.toString();
-
-  for (let searchFor of FORBIDDEN) {
-    const match = typeof searchFor === 'string' ? content === searchFor : searchFor.test(content);
-
-    if (match) {
-      errors.push({ filePath, found: searchFor });
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-if (errors.length > 0) {
-  console.error(errors);
-  throw new Error(`The forbidden texts were encountered in the above files`);
-}
-
-console.info('No forbidden texts!');
diff --git a/guides/development/build-constraints.md b/guides/development/build-constraints.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ef5ab5e075
--- /dev/null
+++ b/guides/development/build-constraints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,288 @@
+# Build Constraints and Transformations
+
+This document explains the comprehensive build constraints, transformations, and code management strategies in Glimmer VM. It serves as a reference for understanding how code is transformed from development to production and as a starting point for further analysis of the build system.
+
+## Overview
+
+Glimmer VM uses several categories of code that have different constraints on where they can appear:
+
+1. **Production Code** - Ships to end users in production builds
+2. **Development Code** - Available in development builds for end users  
+3. **Local Development Code** - Only for Glimmer VM developers, never ships
+4. **Build-Time Code** - Used during compilation but not at runtime
+
+## Code Categories and Constraints
+
+### 1. import.meta.env
+
+**What it is**: A de facto standard created by Vite for build-time environment variables.
+
+**Usage in Glimmer VM**:
+- `import.meta.env.DEV` - `true` in development builds, `false` in production
+- `import.meta.env.PROD` - `true` in production builds, `false` in development
+- `import.meta.env.VM_LOCAL_DEV` - `false` in published builds, `true` in Vite dev server
+
+**Constraint**: These references are replaced at build time with actual values. The string `import.meta.env` never appears in published builds.
+
+### 2. VM_LOCAL Flag
+
+**What it is**: A build-time flag for code that should only run during local Glimmer VM development.
+
+**Purpose**: Enables expensive debugging features when working on the VM itself. These features never reach published packages (not even development builds).
+
+**Example Usage**:
+```typescript
+if (VM_LOCAL) {
+  // Expensive validation that helps VM developers
+  validateOpcodeSequence(opcodes);
+}
+```
+
+**Constraint**: Code blocks guarded by `VM_LOCAL` are completely removed from all published builds. The condition and its contents are stripped out.
+
+### 3. Debug Assertion Functions
+
+**What they are**: Runtime type checking and validation functions from `@glimmer/debug`:
+
+- `check(value, checker)` - Validates a value against a type checker
+- `expect(value, message)` - Asserts a condition is truthy
+- `localAssert(condition, message)` - Development-only assertion
+- `unwrap(value)` - Unwraps optional values, throwing if null/undefined
+
+**Purpose**: Catch bugs during Glimmer VM development by validating assumptions about types and state.
+
+**Example Usage**:
+```typescript
+import { check } from '@glimmer/debug';
+import { CheckReference } from './-debug-strip';
+
+let definition = check(stack.pop(), CheckReference);
+let capturedArgs = check(stack.pop(), CheckCapturedArguments);
+```
+
+**Constraint**: These function calls are stripped from ALL published builds (both development and production) using a Babel plugin during the build process.
+
+### 4. Type Checker Functions
+
+**What they are**: Functions that create runtime type validators:
+
+- `CheckInterface` - Validates object shape
+- `CheckOr` - Union type validation
+- `CheckFunction` - Function type validation  
+- `CheckObject` - Object/WeakMap key validation
+
+**Purpose**: Define the type constraints used by `check()` calls.
+
+**Example Usage**:
+```typescript
+export const CheckReference: Checker<Reference> = CheckInterface({
+  [REFERENCE]: CheckFunction,
+});
+
+export const CheckArguments = CheckOr(CheckObject, CheckFunction);
+```
+
+**Constraint**: These should never appear in published builds as they're only used by the stripped `check()` calls.
+
+### 5. Debug-Only Packages
+
+Three private packages contain development-only utilities:
+
+- **@glimmer/debug** - Type checkers, validation utilities, debugging tools
+- **@glimmer/constants** - VM opcodes, DOM constants (inlined during build)
+- **@glimmer/debug-util** - Debug assertions, platform-specific logging
+
+**Constraint**: These packages are never published to npm. Import statements for them should never appear in published builds - their contents are either inlined or stripped during compilation.
+
+## Build Process and Transformations
+
+### Debug Code Stripping
+
+The build process uses a Babel plugin (`@glimmer/local-debug-babel-plugin`) that:
+
+1. Identifies imports from `@glimmer/debug`
+2. Tracks which debug functions are imported
+3. Strips or transforms the function calls:
+   - `check(value, checker)` → `value`
+   - `expect(...)` → removed entirely
+   - `CheckInterface(...)` → `() => true`
+   - `recordStackSize()` → removed entirely
+
+### Environment Variable Replacements
+
+The Rollup replace plugin performs these build-time replacements:
+
+**Production builds:**
+- `import.meta.env.MODE` → `"production"`
+- `import.meta.env.DEV` → `false`
+- `import.meta.env.PROD` → `true`
+- `import.meta.env.VM_LOCAL_DEV` → `false`
+
+**Development builds:**
+- `import.meta.env.MODE` → `"development"`
+- `import.meta.env.DEV` → `DEBUG` (with `import { DEBUG } from '@glimmer/env'` injected)
+- `import.meta.env.PROD` → `!DEBUG`
+- `import.meta.env.VM_LOCAL_DEV` → `false` (becomes `true` only in Vite dev server)
+
+### Module Resolution and Bundling
+
+The build system has specific rules for what gets inlined vs treated as external:
+
+**Always Inlined:**
+- `@glimmer/local-debug-flags`
+- `@glimmer/constants`
+- `@glimmer/debug`
+- `@glimmer/debug-util`
+- Relative imports (`.`, `/`, `#`)
+- TypeScript helper library (`tslib`)
+
+**Always External:**
+- `@handlebars/parser`
+- `simple-html-tokenizer`
+- `babel-plugin-debug-macros`
+- Other `@glimmer/*` packages (to avoid duplication)
+- `@simple-dom/*` packages
+- `@babel/*` packages
+- Node.js built-ins (`node:*`)
+
+### Build Output Structure
+
+Every package produces multiple build artifacts:
+
+1. **Development Build** (`dist/dev/`)
+   - Readable, formatted code
+   - Preserves comments
+   - No variable name mangling
+   - Includes source maps
+
+2. **Production Build** (`dist/prod/`)
+   - Minified with Terser (3 passes)
+   - Aggressive optimizations
+   - Preserves `debugger` statements (for `{{debugger}}` helper)
+   - Includes source maps
+
+3. **Type Definitions** (`dist/{dev,prod}/*.d.ts`)
+   - Generated from TypeScript source
+   - Rolled up into single files per entry point
+
+4. **CommonJS Build** (optional, `*.cjs`)
+   - Only generated if package.json includes CommonJS exports
+   - Follows same dev/prod split
+
+## TypeScript Configuration and Strictness
+
+Glimmer VM uses a multi-tiered TypeScript configuration system:
+
+### Configuration Files
+- `tsconfig.base.json` - Shared base configuration
+- `tsconfig.json` - Development configuration (looser for better DX)
+- `tsconfig.dist.json` - Distribution configuration (stricter for published code)
+
+### Per-Package Strictness Levels
+
+Packages can declare their strictness level in `package.json`:
+```json
+{
+  "repo-meta": {
+    "strictness": "strict" | "loose"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+This affects which TypeScript compiler options are applied during type checking.
+
+### Key Compiler Constraints
+- **Target**: ES2022
+- **Module Resolution**: "bundler" mode
+- **Isolated Modules**: Required for build performance
+- **Exact Optional Properties**: Enforced in distribution builds
+- **No Unchecked Indexed Access**: Enforced in distribution builds
+
+## Build Orchestration
+
+### Turbo Pipeline
+
+The build system uses Turbo for orchestration with these key relationships:
+- `prepack` must complete before any builds
+- Type checking runs in parallel with builds
+- Cache keys include TypeScript configs, source files, and lock files
+
+### Build Commands
+- `pnpm build:control` - Build all packages using Rollup
+- `pnpm repo:prepack` - Prepare packages for publishing
+- `pnpm repo:lint:types` - Type check all packages
+
+### Package Publishing
+
+**Published Package Structure**:
+- Only `dist/` directory is included in npm packages
+- Conditional exports for dev/prod builds
+- `publint` validates package structure before publishing
+
+**Export Configuration**:
+```json
+{
+  "exports": {
+    ".": {
+      "development": "./dist/dev/index.js",
+      "default": "./dist/prod/index.js"
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Note: Private packages (`@glimmer/debug`, `@glimmer/constants`, `@glimmer/debug-util`, and all `@glimmer-workspace/*`) are never published to npm.
+
+## Continuous Integration Constraints
+
+### Bundle Size Monitoring
+- Automated size tracking via GitHub Actions
+- Compares dev/prod sizes against main branch
+- Reports size changes in PR comments
+- Uses `dust` utility for accurate measurements
+
+### Test Environment Constraints
+- **Browser Tests**: Puppeteer with specific Chrome flags
+- **Smoke Tests**: 300s timeout (vs 30s for regular tests)
+- **BrowserStack**: Cross-browser testing for releases
+- **Floating Dependencies**: Special CI job tests against latest deps
+
+### Validation Steps
+1. Type checking (`tsc`)
+2. Linting (`eslint`)
+3. Unit tests (QUnit/Vitest)
+4. Smoke tests
+5. Bundle size analysis
+6. Package structure validation (`publint`)
+
+## Development Environment
+
+### Vite Development Server
+- Transforms `import.meta.env.VM_LOCAL_DEV` → `true` for local development
+- Pre-bundles test dependencies for performance
+- Custom extension resolution order
+
+### ESLint Configuration
+- Environment-aware rules (console vs non-console packages)
+- Strictness based on package metadata
+- Test-specific rules for QUnit
+- Custom rules for Glimmer-specific patterns
+
+### Automated Code Fixes
+Tools in `bin/fixes/`:
+- `apply-eslint-suggestions.js` - Apply ESLint auto-fixes
+- `apply-ts-codefixes.js` - Apply TypeScript code fixes
+- `apply-suggestions.js` - Apply both types of fixes
+
+## Guidelines for Developers
+
+1. **Use debug assertions liberally** - They help catch bugs and document assumptions
+2. **Don't wrap debug code in conditions** - The build process handles removal
+3. **Import from the right place** - Use `@glimmer/debug` imports in VM code
+4. **Trust the build process** - Write clear development code; the build makes it production-ready
+5. **Respect package boundaries** - Don't import from private packages in public ones
+6. **Follow strictness levels** - Adhere to the TypeScript strictness of your package
+
+## Summary
+
+The Glimmer VM build system enables developers to write defensive, well-instrumented code during development while shipping minimal, performant code to production. Through multiple layers of transformations, validations, and constraints, it ensures debug code never reaches users while maintaining a fast and helpful development experience.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/guides/development/debug-assertions.md b/guides/development/debug-assertions.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..275f1eb047
--- /dev/null
+++ b/guides/development/debug-assertions.md
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+# Debug Assertions in Glimmer VM
+
+## Overview
+
+Glimmer VM uses debug assertion functions to validate assumptions and catch errors during development. These functions are essential for maintaining code quality but must never appear in published packages.
+
+## Debug Functions
+
+The following functions from `@glimmer/debug` are for local development only:
+
+- `check(value, checker)` - Validates a value against a type checker (e.g., `CheckReference`, `CheckString`)
+- `expect(value, message)` - Throws with message if value is falsy
+- `localAssert(condition, message)` - Throws with message if condition is false
+- `unwrap(value)` - Returns value if truthy, throws if null/undefined
+- `recordStackSize()` - Records stack size for debugging (completely removed in builds)
+
+## Usage Example
+
+```typescript
+import { check } from '@glimmer/debug';
+import { CheckReference, CheckCapturedArguments } from './-debug-strip';
+
+// In your VM opcode implementation:
+let definition = check(stack.pop(), CheckReference);
+let capturedArgs = check(stack.pop(), CheckCapturedArguments);
+
+// Type checkers validate specific shapes:
+// CheckReference - validates the value is a Glimmer Reference
+// CheckCapturedArguments - validates captured arguments structure
+```
+
+## Build Process
+
+These debug calls are automatically stripped from all builds using a Babel plugin. The transformation works as follows:
+
+### Source Code (what you write):
+```typescript
+let value = check(stack.pop(), CheckReference);
+```
+
+### Published Build (what gets shipped):
+```typescript
+let value = stack.pop();
+```
+
+## Important Notes
+
+1. **Write debug assertions freely** - They help catch bugs during development
+2. **Don't wrap in conditions** - The build process handles removal automatically
+3. **Never in published code** - Debug stripping ensures this
+4. **For VM developers only** - These are not part of the public API
+
+## How It Works
+
+The build system automatically removes all debug assertions:
+
+1. The Babel plugin (`@glimmer/local-debug-babel-plugin`) runs during build
+2. It identifies all imports from `@glimmer/debug`
+3. It strips or transforms the function calls appropriately
+4. Both development and production builds have debug code removed
+
+This ensures that while developers can use these assertions freely during development, end users never pay the cost of these checks in any published builds.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/@glimmer-workspace/build/lib/config.js b/packages/@glimmer-workspace/build/lib/config.js
index 5523b5c6b1..add0beecb1 100644
--- a/packages/@glimmer-workspace/build/lib/config.js
+++ b/packages/@glimmer-workspace/build/lib/config.js
@@ -17,6 +17,26 @@ const { ModuleKind, ModuleResolutionKind, ScriptTarget } = ts;
 const { default: nodeResolve } = await import('@rollup/plugin-node-resolve');
 const { default: postcss } = await import('rollup-plugin-postcss');
 const { default: nodePolyfills } = await import('rollup-plugin-polyfill-node');
+const { babel } = await import('@rollup/plugin-babel');
+const stripDebugPlugin = await import('@glimmer/local-debug-babel-plugin');
+
+/**
+ * Create a Rollup plugin that strips debug calls from builds
+ * @returns {RollupPlugin}
+ */
+function stripGlimmerDebug() {
+  return babel({
+    babelHelpers: 'bundled',
+    plugins: [stripDebugPlugin.default],
+    // Only process JavaScript files (TypeScript already transpiled by SWC)
+    include: ['packages/@glimmer/**/*.js'],
+    // Skip .d.ts files
+    exclude: ['**/*.d.ts'],
+    // Don't use any config files
+    configFile: false,
+    babelrc: false,
+  });
+}
 
 /**
  * @import { PartialCompilerOptions } from "@rollup/plugin-typescript";
@@ -328,6 +348,8 @@ export class Package {
                 },
               },
             }),
+            // Strip debug calls in all builds - they're only for local development
+            stripGlimmerDebug(),
           ],
         })
     );
@@ -399,6 +421,8 @@ export class Package {
                   ]),
               postcss(),
               typescript(this.#package, env),
+              // Strip debug calls in all builds - they're only for local development
+              stripGlimmerDebug(),
             ],
           })
       ),
diff --git a/packages/@glimmer-workspace/build/package.json b/packages/@glimmer-workspace/build/package.json
index 12d5f4630e..a729805afd 100644
--- a/packages/@glimmer-workspace/build/package.json
+++ b/packages/@glimmer-workspace/build/package.json
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
   "scripts": {},
   "dependencies": {
     "@glimmer/local-debug-babel-plugin": "workspace:*",
+    "@rollup/plugin-babel": "^6.0.4",
     "@rollup/plugin-commonjs": "^28.0.2",
     "@rollup/plugin-node-resolve": "^16.0.0",
     "@rollup/plugin-replace": "^6.0.2",
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 4f395f7eb0..fca0af542e 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -412,6 +412,9 @@ importers:
       '@glimmer/local-debug-babel-plugin':
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../../@glimmer/local-debug-babel-plugin
+      '@rollup/plugin-babel':
+        specifier: ^6.0.4
+        version: 6.0.4(@babel/core@7.26.0)(@types/babel__core@7.20.5)(rollup@4.34.8)
       '@rollup/plugin-commonjs':
         specifier: ^28.0.2
         version: 28.0.2(rollup@4.34.8)
@@ -3160,6 +3163,19 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: '>=18'}
     hasBin: true
 
+  '@rollup/plugin-babel@6.0.4':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-YF7Y52kFdFT/xVSuVdjkV5ZdX/3YtmX0QulG+x0taQOtJdHYzVU61aSSkAgVJ7NOv6qPkIYiJSgSWWN/DM5sGw==}
+    engines: {node: '>=14.0.0'}
+    peerDependencies:
+      '@babel/core': ^7.0.0
+      '@types/babel__core': ^7.1.9
+      rollup: ^1.20.0||^2.0.0||^3.0.0||^4.0.0
+    peerDependenciesMeta:
+      '@types/babel__core':
+        optional: true
+      rollup:
+        optional: true
+
   '@rollup/plugin-commonjs@28.0.2':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-BEFI2EDqzl+vA1rl97IDRZ61AIwGH093d9nz8+dThxJNH8oSoB7MjWvPCX3dkaK1/RCJ/1v/R1XB15FuSs0fQw==}
     engines: {node: '>=16.0.0 || 14 >= 14.17'}
@@ -12085,6 +12101,17 @@ snapshots:
     transitivePeerDependencies:
       - supports-color
 
+  '@rollup/plugin-babel@6.0.4(@babel/core@7.26.0)(@types/babel__core@7.20.5)(rollup@4.34.8)':
+    dependencies:
+      '@babel/core': 7.26.0
+      '@babel/helper-module-imports': 7.25.9
+      '@rollup/pluginutils': 5.1.4(rollup@4.34.8)
+    optionalDependencies:
+      '@types/babel__core': 7.20.5
+      rollup: 4.34.8
+    transitivePeerDependencies:
+      - supports-color
+
   '@rollup/plugin-commonjs@28.0.2(rollup@4.34.8)':
     dependencies:
       '@rollup/pluginutils': 5.1.4(rollup@4.34.8)
diff --git a/repo-metadata/lib/update.ts b/repo-metadata/lib/update.ts
index 2b43994a21..89526d2b96 100644
--- a/repo-metadata/lib/update.ts
+++ b/repo-metadata/lib/update.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ try {
 const packages: WorkspacePackage[] = pnpmPackages.map((pkg) => {
   // Read the actual package.json to get all fields including repo-meta
   const packageJsonPath = join(pkg.path, 'package.json');
-
   if (!existsSync(packageJsonPath)) {
     console.error(chalk.red(`Missing package.json at ${packageJsonPath}`));
     throw new Error(`Missing package.json at ${packageJsonPath}`);
diff --git a/repo-metadata/metadata.json b/repo-metadata/metadata.json
index 5c6960fb65..6b777ef9cc 100644
--- a/repo-metadata/metadata.json
+++ b/repo-metadata/metadata.json
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
         "env": ["node", "console"]
       },
       "entryPoints": {
-        "./build-verify.mjs": [[["default"], "./build-verify.mjs"]],
         "./clean.mjs": [[["default"], "./clean.mjs"]],
         "./opcodes/opcodes.schema.json": [[["default"], "./opcodes/opcodes.schema.json"]],
         "./opcodes.json": [[["default"], "./opcodes.json"]],
diff --git a/rollup.config.mjs b/rollup.config.mjs
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb2..0000000000