diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 61ddd11f..f82a3fb2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ build/
 .DS_Store
 Thumbs.db
 
+# Third-party reference repositories (optional clones — not required to run
+# Velxio). Clone them manually when needed for offline hacking or metadata
+# generation. See CLAUDE.md "Wokwi Libraries" section for details.
+third-party/
+
 # Build outputs
 frontend/dist/
 frontend/.vite/
diff --git a/third-party/100_Days_100_IoT_Projects b/third-party/100_Days_100_IoT_Projects
deleted file mode 160000
index c30c3d14..00000000
--- a/third-party/100_Days_100_IoT_Projects
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit c30c3d1429bce546af7edc73c57e9922f527d9b5
diff --git a/third-party/avr8js b/third-party/avr8js
deleted file mode 160000
index 898f76c7..00000000
--- a/third-party/avr8js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 898f76c787762c8ee3ef7ca93c7b429b67a518d7
diff --git a/third-party/esp32-camera b/third-party/esp32-camera
deleted file mode 160000
index 2ac69a6f..00000000
--- a/third-party/esp32-camera
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 2ac69a6f1749694804f5196e63fa1f79800b74bf
diff --git a/third-party/fritzing-parts b/third-party/fritzing-parts
deleted file mode 160000
index 14296fa4..00000000
--- a/third-party/fritzing-parts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 14296fa4b6797ce8ddedc55b47eafa0fe9c2a0e0
diff --git a/third-party/ngspice-wasm b/third-party/ngspice-wasm
deleted file mode 160000
index a0c3b1ab..00000000
--- a/third-party/ngspice-wasm
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit a0c3b1ab9a4e83ebeff4081b74ecef89bc9ff83c
diff --git a/third-party/picowi b/third-party/picowi
deleted file mode 160000
index bb33b1e7..00000000
--- a/third-party/picowi
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit bb33b1e7a15a685f06dda6764b79e429ce9b325e
diff --git a/third-party/qemu-esp32 b/third-party/qemu-esp32
deleted file mode 160000
index 33cc9a87..00000000
--- a/third-party/qemu-esp32
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 33cc9a8740071031e30704141d2803b308ce0d32
diff --git a/third-party/qemu-lcgamboa b/third-party/qemu-lcgamboa
deleted file mode 160000
index 1bca7544..00000000
--- a/third-party/qemu-lcgamboa
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 1bca75446ade0e1ff5cd2ff45a58ceabf389e309
diff --git a/third-party/rp2040js b/third-party/rp2040js
deleted file mode 160000
index 32e1d93e..00000000
--- a/third-party/rp2040js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 32e1d93e46c51801923cd36373e51a0f78b49af9
diff --git a/third-party/wokwi-boards b/third-party/wokwi-boards
deleted file mode 160000
index 0cffc5bd..00000000
--- a/third-party/wokwi-boards
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 0cffc5bdac4acfab9c2d0771bd6ef31a56c6d3c8
diff --git a/third-party/wokwi-elements b/third-party/wokwi-elements
deleted file mode 160000
index 53cec973..00000000
--- a/third-party/wokwi-elements
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 53cec973e269ab4e611081951a8735780533a197
diff --git a/third-party/wokwi-features b/third-party/wokwi-features
deleted file mode 160000
index cc6e195f..00000000
--- a/third-party/wokwi-features
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit cc6e195f57f3b67c03d7ca2f8038d85fef720fa1