docs: pre-release fixes for v1.7.1 — README release-status + A/B harness note

- README 'Release status' block now names v1.7.1 as latest stable. cut-release.ps1
  does not touch this block and the develop-only cycle-open commit never reaches
  main, so per the v1.6.9 lesson it must land on develop before the cut.
- CHANGELOG v1.7.1 Tests/tooling: note PR #152's cross-platform ab-bench.sh +
  ab-bench-smoke CI job + .gitattributes LF pins (benchmark tooling, not the
  published library).

Author: DemchaAV

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -195,6 +195,14 @@ Open cycle — bug-fix / housekeeping. Entries land here as they merge.
   class-load / JIT cold-start). `scripts/run-benchmarks.ps1` gains the
   `11-verdict-current-speed` step (skippable via `-SkipVerdict`).
 
+- **Cross-platform A/B benchmark harness.** `scripts/ab-bench.sh` (Linux / macOS /
+  Windows Git Bash) joins the PowerShell `scripts/ab-bench.ps1` to compare engine
+  speed between two branches — interleaved runs, median, per-scenario diff via the
+  existing `BenchmarkMedianTool` / `BenchmarkDiffTool`. A path-filtered
+  `ab-bench-smoke` CI job runs it on Linux; `.gitattributes` pins `*.sh` and `mvnw`
+  to LF so the wrappers stay runnable cross-platform. Benchmark tooling only — not
+  part of the published library.
+
 ## v1.7.0 — 2026-06-07
 
 Canonical DSL primitives — additive only, zero breaking changes. Adding public

README.md

@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@
 </p>
 
 > **Release status** &mdash;
-> 🟢 **Latest stable**: [v1.7.0](https://github.com/DemchaAV/GraphCompose/releases/tag/v1.7.0) (geometric — inline shape runs, polygon geometry, inline checkboxes, per-corner radii, vertical text seating; zero breaking from v1.6.x)
-> &nbsp;·&nbsp; 🟡 **In develop**: v1.7.1 (next bug-fix / housekeeping cycle)
+> 🟢 **Latest stable**: [v1.7.1](https://github.com/DemchaAV/GraphCompose/releases/tag/v1.7.1) (byte-identical layout / render / measurement performance — text wrapping, font embedding, glyph probing, table pagination; the legacy ECS engine is deprecated; zero breaking from v1.7.0)
+> &nbsp;·&nbsp; 🟡 **In develop**: v1.7.2 (next bug-fix / housekeeping cycle)
 > &nbsp;·&nbsp; See [API stability policy](./docs/api-stability.md) for tier definitions.
 
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