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+# Services Layer
+
+Business logic layer between API endpoints and data access.
+
+## Architecture Principles
+
+- **Stateless**: Config comes from request, not server state
+- **DI Pattern**: Dependencies injected via constructor
+- **Repository Protocol**: Data access through abstract protocols
+- **Offline Fork Ready**: No hard dependencies on Postgres/Redis
+
+## Services Overview
+
+| Service | Responsibility | Dependencies |
+|---------|---------------|--------------|
+| `CardService` | Card definition lookup (singleton) | JSON files |
+| `CollectionService` | User card ownership CRUD | CollectionRepository, CardService |
+| `DeckService` | Deck CRUD + validation | DeckRepository, CollectionRepository, CardService |
+| `DeckValidator` | Pure deck validation functions | CardService (for lookups) |
+| `UserService` | User profile management | Direct DB access |
+| `GameStateManager` | Game state (Redis + Postgres) | Redis, AsyncSession |
+| `JWTService` | Token creation/verification | Settings |
+| `TokenStore` | Refresh token storage | Redis |
+
+## Key Patterns
+
+### Config from Request
+
+The backend is stateless. Rules come from the request via config objects like `DeckConfig`:
+
+```python
+# Correct - config from caller (frontend provides rules)
+await deck_service.create_deck(
+    user_id=user.id,
+    cards=request.cards,
+    deck_config=request.deck_config,  # From request body
+    max_decks=user.max_decks,
+)
+
+# Wrong - baked-in config
+class DeckService:
+    def __init__(self, config: DeckConfig):  # Don't do this
+        self._config = config
+```
+
+This enables different game modes (campaign, freeplay, custom) without server-side config.
+
+### UNSET Sentinel
+
+For nullable fields that can be explicitly cleared, use `UNSET` to distinguish between "not provided" and "set to null":
+
+```python
+from app.repositories.protocols import UNSET
+
+async def update_deck(
+    self,
+    deck_id: UUID,
+    name: str | None = None,           # None = don't change
+    description: str | None = UNSET,   # UNSET = keep, None = clear, str = set
+) -> DeckEntry:
+    ...
+    if description is not UNSET:
+        # User explicitly provided a value (could be None to clear)
+        record.description = description
+```
+
+API layer usage with Pydantic:
+
+```python
+# Check if field was in the request payload
+description = request.description if "description" in request.model_fields_set else UNSET
+```
+
+### Repository Injection
+
+Services use constructor injection with repository protocols:
+
+```python
+class DeckService:
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        deck_repository: DeckRepository,      # Protocol, not implementation
+        card_service: CardService,
+        collection_repository: CollectionRepository | None = None,
+    ) -> None:
+        self._deck_repo = deck_repository
+        self._card_service = card_service
+        self._collection_repo = collection_repository
+```
+
+Benefits:
+- **Testability**: Inject mock repositories
+- **Offline Fork**: Swap PostgresRepository for LocalRepository
+- **Decoupling**: Services don't know about SQLAlchemy
+
+### Pure Validation Functions
+
+Validation logic is extracted into pure functions for reuse:
+
+```python
+# app/services/deck_validator.py
+def validate_deck(
+    cards: dict[str, int],
+    energy_cards: dict[str, int],
+    deck_config: DeckConfig,
+    card_lookup: Callable[[str], CardDefinition | None],
+    owned_cards: dict[str, int] | None = None,
+) -> ValidationResult:
+    """Pure function - all inputs from caller."""
+    ...
+```
+
+## Service Details
+
+### CardService
+
+Singleton that loads card definitions from JSON files at startup.
+
+```python
+from app.services.card_service import get_card_service
+
+card_service = get_card_service()
+card = card_service.get_card("a1-001-bulbasaur")
+all_cards = card_service.get_all_cards()
+```
+
+### CollectionService
+
+Manages user card ownership with source tracking.
+
+```python
+# Add cards to collection
+await collection_service.add_cards(
+    user_id=user.id,
+    card_definition_id="a1-001-bulbasaur",
+    quantity=4,
+    source=CardSource.BOOSTER,
+)
+
+# Get owned cards for deck validation
+owned = await collection_service.get_owned_cards_dict(user.id)
+```
+
+### DeckService
+
+Deck CRUD with validation and ownership checks.
+
+```python
+# Create deck - validates and stores result
+deck = await deck_service.create_deck(
+    user_id=user.id,
+    name="My Deck",
+    cards={"a1-001-bulbasaur": 4, ...},
+    energy_cards={"grass": 14, "colorless": 6},
+    deck_config=DeckConfig(),
+    max_decks=user.max_decks,
+    validate_ownership=True,  # Campaign mode
+)
+
+# Deck can be saved even if invalid (for work-in-progress)
+if not deck.is_valid:
+    print(deck.validation_errors)
+```
+
+### GameStateManager
+
+Hybrid storage: Redis for fast access, Postgres for durability.
+
+```python
+manager = GameStateManager(redis, db_session)
+
+# Save to Redis (fast, every action)
+await manager.save_to_redis(game_id, game_state)
+
+# Persist to Postgres (at turn boundaries)
+await manager.persist_to_db(game_id, game_state)
+```
+
+## Testing
+
+| Directory | Purpose | Database |
+|-----------|---------|----------|
+| `tests/unit/services/` | Pure unit tests, mocked deps | No |
+| `tests/services/` | Integration tests | Yes (testcontainers) |
+
+### Unit Test Example
+
+```python
+def test_validate_deck_requires_basic_pokemon():
+    """Test that decks must contain at least one Basic Pokemon."""
+    result = validate_deck(
+        cards={"trainer-card": 40},  # No Pokemon
+        energy_cards={"colorless": 20},
+        deck_config=DeckConfig(),
+        card_lookup=mock_lookup,
+    )
+    assert not result.is_valid
+    assert "Basic Pokemon" in str(result.errors)
+```
+
+### Integration Test Example
+
+```python
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_create_deck_enforces_limit(db_session, deck_service):
+    """Test that free users are limited to 5 decks."""
+    user = await UserFactory.create(db_session, max_decks=5)
+
+    # Create 5 decks
+    for i in range(5):
+        await deck_service.create_deck(user_id=user.id, ...)
+
+    # 6th should fail
+    with pytest.raises(DeckLimitExceededError):
+        await deck_service.create_deck(user_id=user.id, ...)
+```
+
+## See Also
+
+- `app/repositories/protocols.py` - Repository interfaces and DTOs
+- `app/repositories/postgres/` - PostgreSQL implementations
+- `app/core/config.py` - DeckConfig and RulesConfig
+- `CLAUDE.md` - Architecture guidelines