diff --git a/backend/app/main.py b/backend/app/main.py
index 7b6f399..8b9278f 100644
--- a/backend/app/main.py
+++ b/backend/app/main.py
@@ -112,6 +112,33 @@ class ConversationDetailResponse(BaseModel):
     offset: int
 
 
+class DocumentSummary(BaseModel):
+    id: int
+    title: str
+    source: str
+    created_at: Optional[datetime] = None
+    content_preview: Optional[str] = None
+
+
+class DocumentListResponse(BaseModel):
+    items: List[DocumentSummary]
+    total: int
+    limit: int
+    offset: int
+
+
+class DocumentDetail(BaseModel):
+    id: int
+    title: str
+    content: str
+    source: str
+    created_at: Optional[datetime] = None
+    updated_at: Optional[datetime] = None
+
+    class Config:
+        from_attributes = True
+
+
 # Startup/Shutdown Events
 @app.on_event("startup")
 async def startup_event():
@@ -196,25 +223,45 @@ async def add_document(doc: DocumentRequest, db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
         raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=str(e))
 
 
-@app.get("/api/documents")
-async def list_documents(db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
-    """
-    List all documents in the knowledge base
-    """
-    try:
-        documents = db.query(Document).all()
-        return [
-            {
-                "id": doc.id,
-                "title": doc.title,
-                "source": doc.source,
-                "created_at": doc.created_at
-            }
-            for doc in documents
-        ]
-    except Exception as e:
-        logger.error(f"Error listing documents: {e}")
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=str(e))
+@app.get("/api/documents", response_model=DocumentListResponse)
+async def list_documents(
+    limit: int = Query(50, ge=1, le=200),
+    offset: int = Query(0, ge=0),
+    source: str = None,
+    db: Session = Depends(get_db),
+):
+    """List documents in the knowledge base, most recently created first."""
+    base = db.query(Document)
+    if source:
+        base = base.filter(Document.source == source)
+
+    total = base.count()
+    documents = (
+        base.order_by(Document.created_at.desc(), Document.id.desc())
+        .offset(offset)
+        .limit(limit)
+        .all()
+    )
+    items = [
+        DocumentSummary(
+            id=doc.id,
+            title=doc.title,
+            source=doc.source,
+            created_at=doc.created_at,
+            content_preview=doc.content[:120] if doc.content else None,
+        )
+        for doc in documents
+    ]
+    return DocumentListResponse(items=items, total=total, limit=limit, offset=offset)
+
+
+@app.get("/api/documents/{document_id}", response_model=DocumentDetail)
+async def get_document(document_id: int, db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
+    """Return one document with its full content."""
+    doc = db.query(Document).filter(Document.id == document_id).first()
+    if doc is None:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Document not found")
+    return doc
 
 
 @app.get("/api/messages", response_model=List[MessageResponse])
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_documents.py b/backend/tests/test_documents.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e36fbb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_documents.py
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+"""Tests for the document list and detail endpoints."""
+import os
+
+os.environ.setdefault("SLACK_BOT_TOKEN", "[REDACTED]")
+os.environ.setdefault("SLACK_SIGNING_SECRET", "test-signing-secret")
+
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
+
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+from sqlalchemy import create_engine
+from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker
+from sqlalchemy.pool import StaticPool
+
+from app.database import Base, Document, get_db
+
+with patch("slack_sdk.WebClient.auth_test", return_value={
+    "ok": True, "bot_id": "BTEST", "user_id": "UTEST", "team_id": "TTEST"
+}):
+    from app.main import app
+
+engine = create_engine(
+    "sqlite://",
+    connect_args={"check_same_thread": False},
+    poolclass=StaticPool,
+)
+TestingSession = sessionmaker(autocommit=False, autoflush=False, bind=engine)
+Base.metadata.create_all(bind=engine)
+
+
+def override_get_db():
+    db = TestingSession()
+    try:
+        yield db
+    finally:
+        db.close()
+
+
+client = TestClient(app, raise_server_exceptions=False)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def use_document_db():
+    previous = app.dependency_overrides.get(get_db)
+    app.dependency_overrides[get_db] = override_get_db
+    yield
+    if previous is None:
+        app.dependency_overrides.pop(get_db, None)
+    else:
+        app.dependency_overrides[get_db] = previous
+
+BASE_TIME = datetime(2026, 1, 1, 9, 0, 0)
+
+
+def _doc(title, content, source, minutes):
+    return Document(
+        title=title,
+        content=content,
+        source=source,
+        created_at=BASE_TIME + timedelta(minutes=minutes),
+        updated_at=BASE_TIME + timedelta(minutes=minutes),
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def seed():
+    db = TestingSession()
+    db.query(Document).delete()
+    db.commit()
+    db.add_all([
+        _doc("VPN guide", "Use the IT portal to reset VPN.", "api", 0),
+        _doc("Office hours", "Nine to five.", "docs", 2),
+        _doc("Long guide", "x" * 200, "api", 10),
+    ])
+    db.commit()
+    seeded_ids = [doc.id for doc in db.query(Document).order_by(Document.id).all()]
+    db.close()
+    yield seeded_ids
+    db = TestingSession()
+    db.query(Document).delete()
+    db.commit()
+    db.close()
+
+
+class TestListDocuments:
+    def test_lists_documents_most_recent_first(self):
+        response = client.get("/api/documents")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        data = response.json()
+        assert data["total"] == 3
+        assert data["limit"] == 50
+        assert data["offset"] == 0
+        assert [item["title"] for item in data["items"]] == [
+            "Long guide", "Office hours", "VPN guide",
+        ]
+        first = data["items"][0]
+        assert first["source"] == "api"
+        assert first["content_preview"] == "x" * 120
+
+    def test_preview_and_fields(self):
+        data = client.get("/api/documents").json()
+        by_title = {i["title"]: i for i in data["items"]}
+        assert by_title["VPN guide"]["content_preview"] == "Use the IT portal to reset VPN."
+        assert by_title["VPN guide"]["created_at"] is not None
+        assert "content" not in by_title["VPN guide"]
+
+    def test_pagination(self):
+        page_one = client.get("/api/documents?limit=2&offset=0").json()
+        page_two = client.get("/api/documents?limit=2&offset=2").json()
+        assert page_one["total"] == 3
+        assert len(page_one["items"]) == 2
+        assert len(page_two["items"]) == 1
+        assert page_one["items"][0]["id"] != page_two["items"][0]["id"]
+
+    def test_source_filter(self):
+        data = client.get("/api/documents?source=docs").json()
+        assert data["total"] == 1
+        assert data["items"][0]["title"] == "Office hours"
+
+    def test_invalid_pagination_rejected(self):
+        assert client.get("/api/documents?limit=0").status_code == 422
+        assert client.get("/api/documents?limit=201").status_code == 422
+        assert client.get("/api/documents?offset=-1").status_code == 422
+
+    def test_empty_database(self):
+        db = TestingSession()
+        db.query(Document).delete()
+        db.commit()
+        db.close()
+        data = client.get("/api/documents").json()
+        assert data == {"items": [], "total": 0, "limit": 50, "offset": 0}
+
+
+class TestDocumentDetail:
+    def test_returns_full_content(self, seed):
+        doc_id = seed[0]
+        response = client.get(f"/api/documents/{doc_id}")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        data = response.json()
+        assert data["id"] == doc_id
+        assert data["title"] == "VPN guide"
+        assert data["content"] == "Use the IT portal to reset VPN."
+        assert data["source"] == "api"
+        assert data["created_at"] is not None
+
+    def test_missing_document_is_404(self):
+        response = client.get("/api/documents/999999")
+        assert response.status_code == 404
+        assert response.json()["detail"] == "Document not found"
diff --git a/frontend/lib/api.ts b/frontend/lib/api.ts
index 37a6bbb..ddcdbd4 100644
--- a/frontend/lib/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/lib/api.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,19 @@ export interface Document {
   title: string
   source: string
   created_at: string
+  content_preview?: string | null
+}
+
+export interface DocumentDetail extends Document {
+  content: string
+  updated_at?: string | null
+}
+
+export interface DocumentListResponse {
+  items: Document[]
+  total: number
+  limit: number
+  offset: number
 }
 
 export interface DocumentRequest {
@@ -55,8 +68,28 @@ export async function askQuestion(
   return response.json()
 }
 
-export async function listDocuments(): Promise<Document[]> {
-  const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE_URL}/api/documents`)
+export async function listDocuments(
+  limit?: number,
+  offset?: number,
+  source?: string
+): Promise<DocumentListResponse> {
+  const params = new URLSearchParams()
+  if (limit !== undefined) params.append('limit', limit.toString())
+  if (offset !== undefined) params.append('offset', offset.toString())
+  if (source) params.append('source', source)
+
+  const url = `${API_BASE_URL}/api/documents${params.toString() ? `?${params}` : ''}`
+  const response = await fetch(url)
+
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status}`)
+  }
+
+  return response.json()
+}
+
+export async function getDocument(id: number): Promise<DocumentDetail> {
+  const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE_URL}/api/documents/${id}`)
 
   if (!response.ok) {
     throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status}`)
diff --git a/mise.toml b/mise.toml
index 73970ec..0af49c2 100644
--- a/mise.toml
+++ b/mise.toml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ run = "docker compose ps"
 [tasks.test-backend]
 description = "Run backend tests"
 dir = "backend"
-run = "uv run pytest tests/test_file_extraction_units.py tests/test_logging_config.py tests/test_logging.py tests/test_agent_runtime.py tests/test_rules.py tests/test_conversations.py -v"
+run = "uv run pytest tests/test_file_extraction_units.py tests/test_logging_config.py tests/test_logging.py tests/test_agent_runtime.py tests/test_rules.py tests/test_conversations.py tests/test_documents.py -v"
 
 [tasks.migrate]
 description = "Run database migrations (upgrade to latest)"