diff --git a/internal/renderer/renderer.go b/internal/renderer/renderer.go
index d3be2be..970c2f6 100644
--- a/internal/renderer/renderer.go
+++ b/internal/renderer/renderer.go
@@ -52,11 +52,15 @@ func Write(result *walker.Result, outputPath string, appendMode bool, singleFile
 	}
 
 	if !singleFile {
-		root := tree.Build(result.Entries)
+		treeRoot, err := tree.BuildFullTree(result.AbsRoot, result.Cfg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("cannot build tree: %w", err)
+		}
+
 		rootName := filepath.Base(result.AbsRoot)
 		sb.WriteString("## Directory Tree\n\n")
 		sb.WriteString(fenceChars + "\n")
-		sb.WriteString(renderTreeForLLM(root, rootName))
+		sb.WriteString(renderTreeWithLegend(treeRoot, rootName))
 		sb.WriteString(fenceChars + "\n\n")
 	}
 
@@ -117,13 +121,9 @@ func WriteSlices(result *walker.Result, outputDir, repoName string) ([]string, e
 		}
 	}
 
-	var generated []string
-	indexBasename := "index_" + repoName + ".md"
-	rootPath := filepath.Join(outputDir, indexBasename)
-	generated = append(generated, rootPath)
-
-	if err := writeRootSlice(rootPath, absRoot, rootName, repoName, rootFiles, topLevelDirs, result.OmitTest, result.Commit, result.Instructions); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to write root slice: %w", err)
+	treeRoot, err := tree.BuildFullTree(absRoot, result.Cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot build full tree: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	var dirNames []string
@@ -132,6 +132,21 @@ func WriteSlices(result *walker.Result, outputDir, repoName string) ([]string, e
 	}
 	sort.Strings(dirNames)
 
+	for _, dirName := range dirNames {
+		if node, ok := treeRoot.Children[dirName]; ok {
+			node.Ref = filepath.Join(dirName, dirName+"_"+repoName+".md")
+		}
+	}
+
+	var generated []string
+	indexBasename := "index_" + repoName + ".md"
+	rootPath := filepath.Join(outputDir, indexBasename)
+	generated = append(generated, rootPath)
+
+	if err := writeRootSlice(rootPath, absRoot, rootName, repoName, rootFiles, topLevelDirs, result.OmitTest, result.Commit, result.Instructions, treeRoot); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to write root slice: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	for _, dirName := range dirNames {
 		sliceName := strings.TrimSuffix(dirName, "/") + "_" + repoName + ".md"
 		sliceDir := filepath.Join(outputDir, dirName)
@@ -144,17 +159,7 @@ func WriteSlices(result *walker.Result, outputDir, repoName string) ([]string, e
 		absDir := filepath.Join(absRoot, dirName)
 		dirEntries := topLevelDirs[dirName]
 
-		treeEntries := make([]walker.Entry, len(dirEntries))
-		for i, e := range dirEntries {
-			sepIdx := strings.Index(e.RelPath, string(filepath.Separator))
-			if sepIdx >= 0 {
-				treeEntries[i] = walker.Entry{RelPath: e.RelPath[sepIdx+1:], Size: e.Size}
-			} else {
-				treeEntries[i] = e
-			}
-		}
-
-		if err := writeDirSlice(slicePath, absDir, absRoot, dirName, treeEntries, dirEntries, indexBasename, result.OmitTest, result.Commit); err != nil {
+		if err := writeDirSlice(slicePath, absDir, absRoot, dirName, dirEntries, indexBasename, result.OmitTest, result.Commit, treeRoot); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to write slice %s: %w", sliceName, err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -162,7 +167,7 @@ func WriteSlices(result *walker.Result, outputDir, repoName string) ([]string, e
 	return generated, nil
 }
 
-func writeRootSlice(path, absRoot, rootName, repoName string, rootFiles []walker.Entry, topLevelDirs map[string][]walker.Entry, omitTest bool, commit *git.CommitInfo, instContent string) error {
+func writeRootSlice(path, absRoot, rootName, repoName string, rootFiles []walker.Entry, topLevelDirs map[string][]walker.Entry, omitTest bool, commit *git.CommitInfo, instContent string, treeRoot *tree.Node) error {
 	f, err := os.Create(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot create root file: %w", err)
@@ -179,10 +184,9 @@ func writeRootSlice(path, absRoot, rootName, repoName string, rootFiles []walker
 		sb.WriteString("\n")
 	}
 
-	treeLines := buildTreeWithRefs(rootName, repoName, topLevelDirs, rootFiles)
 	sb.WriteString("## Directory Tree\n\n")
 	sb.WriteString(fenceChars + "\n")
-	sb.WriteString(treeLines)
+	sb.WriteString(renderTreeWithLegend(treeRoot, rootName))
 	sb.WriteString(fenceChars + "\n\n")
 
 	sb.WriteString("## Vertical Slices Index\n\n")
@@ -238,7 +242,7 @@ func writeRootSlice(path, absRoot, rootName, repoName string, rootFiles []walker
 	return err
 }
 
-func writeDirSlice(path, absDir, absRoot, dirName string, treeEntries, fileEntries []walker.Entry, rootFileName string, omitTest bool, commit *git.CommitInfo) error {
+func writeDirSlice(path, absDir, absRoot, dirName string, fileEntries []walker.Entry, rootFileName string, omitTest bool, commit *git.CommitInfo, treeRoot *tree.Node) error {
 	f, err := os.Create(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot create slice file: %w", err)
@@ -254,8 +258,7 @@ func writeDirSlice(path, absDir, absRoot, dirName string, treeEntries, fileEntri
 
 	sb.WriteString("## Directory Tree\n\n")
 	sb.WriteString(fenceChars + "\n")
-	sliceTree := buildTreeFromEntries(dirName, treeEntries)
-	sb.WriteString(sliceTree)
+	sb.WriteString(renderTreeWithLegend(treeRoot, filepath.Base(absRoot)))
 	sb.WriteString(fenceChars + "\n\n")
 
 	if len(fileEntries) > 0 {
@@ -287,93 +290,16 @@ func writeDirSlice(path, absDir, absRoot, dirName string, treeEntries, fileEntri
 	return err
 }
 
-func buildTreeWithRefs(rootName, repoName string, topLevelDirs map[string][]walker.Entry, rootFiles []walker.Entry) string {
-	var sb strings.Builder
-	sb.WriteString(rootName)
-	sb.WriteString("/\n")
-
-	var dirNames []string
-	for k := range topLevelDirs {
-		dirNames = append(dirNames, k)
-	}
-	sort.Strings(dirNames)
-
-	sort.Slice(rootFiles, func(i, j int) bool {
-		return rootFiles[i].RelPath < rootFiles[j].RelPath
-	})
-
-	type treeItem struct {
-		name     string
-		isDir    bool
-		sliceRef string
-	}
-
-	items := make([]treeItem, 0, len(dirNames)+len(rootFiles))
-	for _, d := range dirNames {
-		sliceRef := filepath.Join(d, strings.TrimSuffix(d, "/")+"_"+repoName+".md")
-		items = append(items, treeItem{
-			name:     d,
-			isDir:    true,
-			sliceRef: sliceRef,
-		})
-	}
-	for _, rf := range rootFiles {
-		items = append(items, treeItem{
-			name:  rf.RelPath,
-			isDir: false,
-		})
-	}
-
-	sort.Slice(items, func(i, j int) bool {
-		return items[i].name < items[j].name
-	})
-
-	for _, item := range items {
-		sb.WriteString("+- ")
-		sb.WriteString(item.name)
-		if item.isDir {
-			sb.WriteString("/")
-			sb.WriteString(" -> see ")
-			sb.WriteString(item.sliceRef)
-		}
-		sb.WriteString("\n")
-	}
-
-	return sb.String()
-}
-
-func buildTreeFromEntries(rootName string, entries []walker.Entry) string {
-	root := &tree.Node{IsDir: true, Children: make(map[string]*tree.Node)}
-
-	for _, e := range entries {
-		parts := strings.Split(e.RelPath, string(filepath.Separator))
-		cur := root
-
-		for i, part := range parts {
-			isLeaf := i == len(parts)-1
-			if _, ok := cur.Children[part]; !ok {
-				node := &tree.Node{Name: part, IsDir: !isLeaf}
-				if !isLeaf {
-					node.Children = make(map[string]*tree.Node)
-				}
-				cur.Children[part] = node
-			}
-			cur = cur.Children[part]
-		}
-	}
-
+func renderTreeWithLegend(root *tree.Node, rootName string) string {
 	var sb strings.Builder
 	sb.WriteString(rootName)
 	sb.WriteString("/\n")
 	renderNodeLLM(&sb, root, "")
-	return sb.String()
-}
 
-func renderTreeForLLM(root *tree.Node, rootName string) string {
-	var sb strings.Builder
-	sb.WriteString(rootName)
-	sb.WriteString("/\n")
-	renderNodeLLM(&sb, root, "")
+	if hasAnyAnnotation(root) {
+		sb.WriteString("Legend: ~ ignored | ~ tests omitted | ~ omitted | ~ exceeded --max-depth\n")
+	}
+
 	return sb.String()
 }
 
@@ -395,6 +321,14 @@ func renderNodeLLM(sb *strings.Builder, node *tree.Node, prefix string) {
 		if child.IsDir {
 			sb.WriteString("/")
 		}
+		if child.Annotation != "" {
+			sb.WriteString(" ~ ")
+			sb.WriteString(child.Annotation)
+		}
+		if child.Ref != "" {
+			sb.WriteString(" -> see ")
+			sb.WriteString(child.Ref)
+		}
 		sb.WriteString("\n")
 
 		if child.IsDir && child.Children != nil {
@@ -409,6 +343,18 @@ func renderNodeLLM(sb *strings.Builder, node *tree.Node, prefix string) {
 	}
 }
 
+func hasAnyAnnotation(node *tree.Node) bool {
+	if node.Annotation != "" {
+		return true
+	}
+	for _, child := range node.Children {
+		if hasAnyAnnotation(child) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 func readFile(path string) (string, error) {
 	data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/tree/tree.go b/internal/tree/tree.go
index df2b92a..3a8077d 100644
--- a/internal/tree/tree.go
+++ b/internal/tree/tree.go
@@ -1,76 +1,36 @@
 package tree
 
-import (
-	"sort"
-	"strings"
-
-	"git.flo.fo/FLO/dirmd/internal/walker"
-)
-
 type Node struct {
-	Name     string
-	IsDir    bool
-	Children map[string]*Node
+	Name       string
+	IsDir      bool
+	Children   map[string]*Node
+	Annotation string
+	Ref        string
 }
 
-func Build(entries []walker.Entry) *Node {
-	root := &Node{IsDir: true, Children: make(map[string]*Node)}
-
-	for _, e := range entries {
-		parts := strings.Split(e.RelPath, "/")
-		cur := root
-
-		for i, part := range parts {
-			isLeaf := i == len(parts)-1
-			if _, ok := cur.Children[part]; !ok {
-				cur.Children[part] = &Node{Name: part, IsDir: !isLeaf, Children: make(map[string]*Node)}
+func splitPath(relPath string) []string {
+	var parts []string
+	start := 0
+	for i := 0; i <= len(relPath); i++ {
+		if i == len(relPath) || relPath[i] == '/' || relPath[i] == '\\' {
+			if i > start {
+				parts = append(parts, relPath[start:i])
 			}
-			cur = cur.Children[part]
+			start = i + 1
 		}
 	}
-
-	return root
+	return parts
 }
 
-func Render(root *Node, rootName string) string {
-	var sb strings.Builder
-	sb.WriteString(rootName)
-	sb.WriteString("/\n")
-	renderNode(&sb, root, "")
-	return sb.String()
-}
-
-func renderNode(sb *strings.Builder, node *Node, prefix string) {
-	keys := make([]string, 0, len(node.Children))
-	for k := range node.Children {
-		keys = append(keys, k)
-	}
-	sort.Strings(keys)
-
-	for i, key := range keys {
-		child := node.Children[key]
-		isLast := i == len(keys)-1
-
-		if isLast {
-			sb.WriteString(prefix + "└── ")
-		} else {
-			sb.WriteString(prefix + "├── ")
+func addPath(root *Node, rel string, isDir bool) *Node {
+	parts := splitPath(rel)
+	cur := root
+	for i, part := range parts {
+		if _, ok := cur.Children[part]; !ok {
+			cur.Children[part] = &Node{Name: part, IsDir: i < len(parts)-1, Children: make(map[string]*Node)}
 		}
-
-		sb.WriteString(child.Name)
-		if child.IsDir {
-			sb.WriteString("/")
-		}
-		sb.WriteString("\n")
-
-		if child.IsDir {
-			newPrefix := prefix
-			if isLast {
-				newPrefix += "    "
-			} else {
-				newPrefix += "│   "
-			}
-			renderNode(sb, child, newPrefix)
-		}
+		cur = cur.Children[part]
 	}
+	cur.IsDir = isDir
+	return cur
 }
diff --git a/internal/tree/unfiltered.go b/internal/tree/unfiltered.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..255f4ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/tree/unfiltered.go
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+package tree
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io/fs"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"git.flo.fo/FLO/dirmd/internal/config"
+	"git.flo.fo/FLO/dirmd/internal/filter"
+)
+
+func BuildFullTree(absRoot string, cfg *config.Config) (*Node, error) {
+	root := &Node{IsDir: true, Children: make(map[string]*Node)}
+
+	err := filepath.WalkDir(absRoot, func(path string, d fs.DirEntry, err error) error {
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		rel, rerr := filepath.Rel(absRoot, path)
+		if rerr != nil || rel == "." {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		if filter.IsSymlink(path) {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		depth := strings.Count(rel, string(filepath.Separator)) + 1
+		if depth > cfg.MaxDepth {
+			node := addPath(root, rel, d.IsDir())
+			node.Annotation = "exceeded --max-depth"
+			if d.IsDir() {
+				return filepath.SkipDir
+			}
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		name := filepath.Base(path)
+
+		if d.IsDir() {
+			if isIgnoredName(name, cfg.Ignores) {
+				node := addPath(root, rel, true)
+				node.Annotation = "ignored (--ignore)"
+				return filepath.SkipDir
+			}
+			if cfg.OmitTest && isTestDir(rel) {
+				node := addPath(root, rel, true)
+				node.Annotation = "tests omitted (--omit-test)"
+				return filepath.SkipDir
+			}
+			addPath(root, rel, true)
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		if annotation, ok := fileAnnotation(rel, name, cfg); ok {
+			node := addPath(root, rel, false)
+			node.Annotation = annotation
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		addPath(root, rel, false)
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot walk %s: %w", absRoot, err)
+	}
+
+	return root, nil
+}
+
+func isIgnoredName(name string, ignores []string) bool {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(name, ".") {
+		return true
+	}
+	for _, pattern := range ignores {
+		if matched, _ := filepath.Match(pattern, name); matched {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func isTestDir(rel string) bool {
+	slashPath := filepath.ToSlash(rel)
+	return strings.Contains(slashPath, "/tests/") || strings.HasPrefix(slashPath, "tests/")
+}
+
+func fileAnnotation(rel, name string, cfg *config.Config) (string, bool) {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(name, ".") {
+		return "", false
+	}
+	for _, pattern := range cfg.Ignores {
+		if matched, _ := filepath.Match(pattern, name); matched {
+			return "ignored (--ignore)", true
+		}
+	}
+	if cfg.OmitTest && isTestFileName(rel, name) {
+		return "tests omitted (--omit-test)", true
+	}
+	if cfg.OmitMd && isNonReadmeMarkdown(name) {
+		return "omitted (--omit-md)", true
+	}
+	if cfg.FrontendOnly && !isFrontendOrReadme(rel, name) {
+		return "omitted (--frontend-only)", true
+	}
+	if cfg.SkipFrontend && isFrontendExt(rel) {
+		return "omitted (--skip-frontend)", true
+	}
+	return "", false
+}
+
+func isTestFileName(rel, name string) bool {
+	ext := strings.ToLower(filepath.Ext(name))
+	switch ext {
+	case ".go":
+		return strings.HasSuffix(strings.ToLower(name), "_test.go")
+	case ".java":
+		base := strings.TrimSuffix(name, filepath.Ext(name))
+		if strings.HasSuffix(base, "Test") || strings.HasSuffix(base, "Tests") {
+			return true
+		}
+		slashPath := filepath.ToSlash(rel)
+		return strings.Contains(slashPath, "/src/test/")
+	case ".py":
+		lower := strings.ToLower(name)
+		if strings.HasPrefix(lower, "test_") || strings.HasSuffix(lower, "_test.py") {
+			return true
+		}
+		if strings.EqualFold(name, "conftest.py") {
+			return true
+		}
+		return isTestDir(rel)
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func isNonReadmeMarkdown(name string) bool {
+	ext := strings.ToLower(filepath.Ext(name))
+	if ext != ".md" && ext != ".markdown" {
+		return false
+	}
+	return !strings.EqualFold(name, "README.md")
+}
+
+func isFrontendOrReadme(rel, name string) bool {
+	if isFrontendExt(rel) {
+		return true
+	}
+	return strings.EqualFold(name, "README.md")
+}
+
+func isFrontendExt(rel string) bool {
+	ext := strings.ToLower(filepath.Ext(rel))
+	for _, fe := range frontendExts {
+		if strings.EqualFold(ext, fe) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+var frontendExts = []string{
+	".html", ".htm", ".gohtml", ".tmpl",
+	".css", ".scss", ".sass", ".less",
+	".js", ".jsx", ".mjs", ".cjs",
+	".ts", ".tsx",
+	".vue", ".svelte",
+}
diff --git a/internal/walker/walker.go b/internal/walker/walker.go
index c44e8f9..af4c0a9 100644
--- a/internal/walker/walker.go
+++ b/internal/walker/walker.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ type Result struct {
 	AbsRoot      string
 	SingleFile   bool
 	OmitTest     bool
+	Cfg          *config.Config
 	Commit       *git.CommitInfo
 	Instructions string
 }
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ func processSingleFile(cfg *config.Config) (*Result, error) {
 		Entries:      []Entry{{RelPath: filepath.Base(cfg.AbsRoot), Size: info.Size()}},
 		AbsRoot:      filepath.Dir(cfg.AbsRoot),
 		SingleFile:   true,
-		OmitTest:     cfg.OmitTest,
+		Cfg:          cfg,
 		Commit:       commitInfo,
 		Instructions: instContent,
 	}, nil
@@ -83,10 +84,10 @@ func walkDirectory(cfg *config.Config) (*Result, error) {
 		OmitMd:       cfg.OmitMd,
 	}
 
-	result := &Result{AbsRoot: cfg.AbsRoot, OmitTest: cfg.OmitTest}
-	
+	result := &Result{AbsRoot: cfg.AbsRoot, Cfg: cfg, OmitTest: cfg.OmitTest}
+
 	result.Commit = git.GetCommitInfo(cfg.AbsRoot)
-	
+
 	if cfg.IncludeInstructions {
 		instContent, err := instructions.Read(cfg.AbsRoot)
 		if err != nil {