diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs.yaml b/.github/workflows/docs.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b5468091
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+name: documentation
+on: [push, pull_request, workflow_dispatch]
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+jobs:
+  docs:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          make .venv
+      - name: Sphinx build
+        run: |
+          make docs/
+      - name: Deploy to GitHub Pages
+        uses: peaceiris/actions-gh-pages@v3
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' }}
+        with:
+          publish_branch: gh-pages
+          github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          publish_dir: docs/
+          force_orphan: true
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index efb50493..00b7a957 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,2 +1,21 @@
+.PHONY: test
+
+# how to get into the python virtual environment
+source_venv := source .venv/bin/activate 
+
+docs/: .venv/ $(wildcard *.py) sphinx/conf.py $(wildcard sphinx/*.rst)
+	$(source_venv) && sphinx-build sphinx/ docs/
+
+test:
+	$(source_venv) && python3 -m doctest change_header.py
+
+.venv/:
+	python -m venv .venv && $(source_venv) && pip install -r requirements.txt
+
+
+db.sqlite:
+	sqlite3 < schema.sql
+
+# TODO: replace me actual code
 db.txt:
 	./00_build_db.bash
diff --git a/change_header.py b/change_header.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..583cd00e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/change_header.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Modify protocol names.
+"""
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import List, Optional
+from itertools import chain
+import pydicom
+
+
+def change_protocol_name(
+    dcm_dir: Path, new_data: List[pydicom.DataElement], out_dir: Optional[Path] = None
+):
+    """
+    Change specified tags of all dicoms in a directory. Optionally make copies in out_dir.
+
+    :param dcm_dir:  input directory with dicom files (``MR*``, ``*IMA`` , or ``*dcm``)
+    :param new_data: list of data elements to replace
+        like ``[pydicom.DataElement(value="newpname", VR="LO", tag=(0x0018, 0x1030))]``
+    :param out_dir:  Optional. Where to save modified dicoms
+    :return: example modified dicom. last if out_dir, first and only if no ``out_dir``.
+
+    sideffect:  writes copies of dcm_dir dicoms inot out_dir unless out_dir is None.
+
+    >>> new_data = [pydicom.DataElement(value="newpname", VR="LO", tag=(0x0018, 0x1030))]
+    >>> ex_path = Path('example/dicom/11903_20221222/HabitTask_704x752.18/')
+    >>> ex = change_protocol_name(ex_path, new_data)
+    >>> ex.ProtocolName
+    'newpname'
+    """
+    all_dicoms = chain(dcm_dir.glob("MR*"), dcm_dir.glob("*IMA"), dcm_dir.glob("*dcm"))
+    ex_dcm = None
+    for ex_dcm_file in all_dicoms:
+        ex_dcm = pydicom.dcmread(ex_dcm_file)
+
+        for datum in new_data:
+            ex_dcm[datum.tag] = datum
+
+        # dont need to do anything if not writing files
+        if out_dir is None:
+            return ex_dcm
+
+        new_file = os.path.join(out_dir, os.path.basename(ex_dcm_file))
+        # assume if we have one, we have them all (leave loop at first existing)
+        if os.path.exists(new_file):
+            return ex_dcm
+
+        # and save out
+        os.makedirs(out_dir, exist_ok=True)
+        ex_dcm.save_as(new_file)
+
+    return ex_dcm
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    new_tags = [
+        # Repetition Time
+        pydicom.DataElement(value="1301", VR="DS", tag=(0x0018, 0x0080)),
+        # Patient ID
+        pydicom.DataElement(value="mod1", VR="PN", tag=(0x0010, 0x0010)),
+        pydicom.DataElement(value="mod1", VR="LO", tag=(0x0010, 0x0020)),
+        ## anonymize
+        # DOB
+        pydicom.DataElement(value="19991231", VR="DA", tag=(0x0010, 0x0030)),
+        # age
+        pydicom.DataElement(value="100Y", VR="AS", tag=(0x0010, 0x1010)),
+        # sex
+        pydicom.DataElement(value="20240131", VR="CS", tag=(0x0010, 0x0040)),
+    ]
+
+    change_protocol_name(
+        Path("example/dicom/11903_20221222/HabitTask_704x752.18/"),
+        new_tags,
+        Path("example/dicom/mod1/HabitTask/"),
+    )
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..631b3905
--- /dev/null
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# MRRC Dicom Header Quality Assurance
+Parse dicoms into a template database and alert on non-conforming sequences.
+
+See
+  * `make docs/` for building sphinx documentation 
+   * locally in [`sphinx/index.rst`](sphinx/index.rst))
+   * reference for  restructured text [`sphinx docstrings`](https://sphinx-rtd-tutorial.readthedocs.io/en/latest/docstrings.html)
+  * `make test` for using `doctests`
+  * [`schema.sql`](schema.sql) for DB schema
+
+## Strategy 
+
+ * build sqlite db of all acquisitions with subset of parameters
+ * use db summary to pull out "ideal template"
+ * check new sessions' acquisitions against template to alert
+
+## Prior Art
+ * mrQA
+ * sister project https://github.com/NPACore/mrqart/
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 2c175e0d..c899ac02 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 pydicom
 mrQA
+dicom-parser
+sphinx
diff --git a/schema.sql b/schema.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e91c17a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/schema.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+-- acquisition. time id
+create table acq (
+  param_id integer, -- join to session-consitent settings
+  AcqTime text,
+  AcqDate text,
+  SeiresNumber text,
+  SubID text,
+  Operator text
+);
+
+-- acq params that should match across sessions
+create table acq_param (
+  is_ideal timestamp,
+  Project text,
+  SequenceName text,
+  -- TODO: should this be json blob? to extend easier?
+  iPAT text,
+  Comments text,
+  SequenceType text,
+  PED_major text,
+  TR text,
+  TE text,
+  Matrix text,
+  PixelResol text,
+  BWP text,
+  BWPPE text,
+  FA text,
+  TA text,
+  FoV text
+  -- TODO: add shim settings from CSA
+);
diff --git a/sphinx/conf.py b/sphinx/conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1056234b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx/conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import sys
+import os
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('../'))  # Source code dir relative to this file
+# Configuration file for the Sphinx documentation builder.
+#
+# For the full list of built-in configuration values, see the documentation:
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html
+
+# -- Project information -----------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#project-information
+
+project = 'mrrc-hdr-qa'
+copyright = '2024, EH, WF'
+author = 'EH, WF'
+
+# -- General configuration ---------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#general-configuration
+
+extensions = [ 'sphinx.ext.autodoc', 'sphinx.ext.autosummary']
+autodoc_default_options = { 'members': True }
+autodoc_typehints = "description"
+autosummary_generate = True
+
+templates_path = ['_templates']
+exclude_patterns = ['_build', 'Thumbs.db', '.DS_Store', 'docs', '.venv', 'lib']
+
+
+
+# -- Options for HTML output -------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#options-for-html-output
+
+html_theme = 'alabaster'
+html_static_path = ['_static']
diff --git a/sphinx/index.rst b/sphinx/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7ed78b4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+.. mrrc-hdr-qa documentation master file, created by
+   sphinx-quickstart on Mon Oct 21 19:00:25 2024.
+   You can adapt this file completely to your liking, but it should at least
+   contain the root `toctree` directive.
+
+mrrc-hdr-qa documentation
+=========================
+
+Code to parse dicoms into a template database and alert on non-conforming sequences.
+
+
+.. toctree::
+   :caption: Contents:
+
+.. autosummary::
+   :toctree: _autosummary
+   :recursive:
+
+   change_header