diff --git a/doc/specs/2026-05-19-get-method-design.md b/doc/specs/2026-05-19-get-method-design.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b8e060d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/specs/2026-05-19-get-method-design.md
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+# Document.get() — Non-Raising Value Access
+
+**Date:** 2026-05-19
+**Issue:** #23
+
+## Problem
+
+Accessing `doc.root` or `doc[()]` on a document with no YAML value (empty string, comment-only, or `---` only) raises `QueryError`. This forces callers to wrap every access in try/except even though an empty document is a normal state.
+
+The request proposes making `.root` return `None`, but that conflates "document has no value" with "document explicitly contains null" — two semantically different states. A `.get()` pattern keeps the distinction clear and gives callers control over the fallback.
+
+## Design
+
+Add a `get(*keys, default=None)` method to `Document` and `Editor` that returns the parsed Python value at the given path, or `default` if the path doesn't exist.
+
+### Signature
+
+```python
+def get(self, *keys: KeyPart, default: Any = None) -> Any:
+```
+
+### Semantics
+
+| Expression | Result |
+|------------|--------|
+| `doc.get()` | Root value, or `None` if empty doc |
+| `doc.get('tool', 'ruff')` | Value at path, or `None` if missing |
+| `doc.get('missing', default={})` | `{}` |
+| `doc.get('existing_null_key')` | `None` (the actual YAML null) |
+| `doc.root` | Unchanged — still raises `QueryError` on empty docs |
+
+### Null Ambiguity
+
+`doc.get('key')` returns `None` both for "key missing" and "key has YAML null value". Callers who need to distinguish use `'key' in doc` first. This is the same trade-off as `dict.get()`.
+
+## Change Locations
+
+- `src/yamltrip/document.py` — add `get()` method to `Document`
+- `src/yamltrip/editor.py` — add `get()` method to `Editor`
+- No Rust changes required
+
+## Testing
+
+New tests:
+
+- `doc.get()` on empty document → `None`
+- `doc.get()` on comment-only document → `None`
+- `doc.get()` on `---\n` document → `None`
+- `doc.get()` on document with root value → returns the value
+- `doc.get('key')` on existing key → returns value
+- `doc.get('key')` on missing key → `None`
+- `doc.get('key', default={})` on missing key → `{}`
+- `doc.get('nested', 'path')` on existing nested path → value
+- `doc.get('nested', 'missing')` on partial path → `None`
+- `doc.get('null_key')` where value is YAML null → `None`
+- `doc.root` still raises on empty docs (no regression)
+- `Editor.get()` mirrors Document behavior
+
+## Scope Boundaries
+
+**In scope:**
+- `Document.get()` method
+- `Editor.get()` method
+
+**Out of scope:**
+- Changing `.root` behavior
+- Adding `.get()` to the stub file (`_core.pyi`) — this is Python-only
+- Sentinel-based missing detection (use `in` operator for that)
diff --git a/ruff.toml b/ruff.toml
index 308c5e7..c2a8cc2 100644
--- a/ruff.toml
+++ b/ruff.toml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ lint.select = [
 ]
 lint.ignore = [ "PLR2004", "S101", "SIM108" ]
 lint.per-file-ignores."!tests/**/*.py" = [ "ARG002", "PT" ]
-lint.per-file-ignores."tests/**" = [ "D", "INP", "S603", "TC" ]
+lint.per-file-ignores."tests/**" = [ "B018", "D", "INP", "S603", "TC" ]
 lint.flake8-builtins.strict-checking = true
 lint.flake8-type-checking.quote-annotations = true
 lint.flake8-type-checking.strict = true
diff --git a/src/yamltrip/document.py b/src/yamltrip/document.py
index 045dac6..f37e716 100644
--- a/src/yamltrip/document.py
+++ b/src/yamltrip/document.py
@@ -98,6 +98,17 @@ def root(self) -> Any:
         """The entire document parsed as a Python object."""
         return self[()]
 
+    def get(self, *keys: KeyPart, default: Any = None) -> Any:
+        """Return the parsed value at path, or default if the path doesn't exist."""
+        normalized = _normalize_keys(keys)
+        route = _make_route(normalized)
+        try:
+            return self._core_doc.parse_value(route)
+        except KeyError:
+            return default
+        except ValueError as e:
+            raise QueryError(str(e)) from None
+
     def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         """Compare documents by their source text."""
         if not isinstance(other, Document):
diff --git a/src/yamltrip/editor.py b/src/yamltrip/editor.py
index 898755e..5a3d9b0 100644
--- a/src/yamltrip/editor.py
+++ b/src/yamltrip/editor.py
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ def root(self) -> Any:
         """The entire document parsed as a Python object."""
         return self.document.root
 
+    def get(self, *keys: KeyPart, default: Any = None) -> Any:
+        """Return the parsed value at path, or default if missing."""
+        return self.document.get(*keys, default=default)
+
     def __getitem__(self, keys: object) -> Any:
         """Retrieve the parsed value at the given path."""
         return self.document[keys]
diff --git a/tests/test_document.py b/tests/test_document.py
index 5afa49b..99dcc8b 100644
--- a/tests/test_document.py
+++ b/tests/test_document.py
@@ -143,6 +143,59 @@ def test_nested_key_missing(self):
         assert ("a", "c") not in doc
 
 
+class TestDocumentGet:
+    def test_empty_document_returns_default(self):
+        doc = Document("")
+        assert doc.get() is None
+
+    def test_comment_only_returns_default(self):
+        doc = Document("# just a comment\n")
+        assert doc.get() is None
+
+    def test_directive_only_returns_default(self):
+        doc = Document("---\n")
+        assert doc.get() is None
+
+    def test_root_value_returned(self):
+        doc = Document("name: foo\n")
+        assert doc.get() == {"name": "foo"}
+
+    def test_existing_key(self):
+        doc = Document("name: foo\nversion: 1\n")
+        assert doc.get("name") == "foo"
+
+    def test_missing_key_returns_none(self):
+        doc = Document("name: foo\n")
+        assert doc.get("missing") is None
+
+    def test_missing_key_returns_custom_default(self):
+        doc = Document("name: foo\n")
+        assert doc.get("missing", default={}) == {}
+
+    def test_nested_existing_path(self):
+        doc = Document("a:\n  b: 1\n")
+        assert doc.get("a", "b") == 1
+
+    def test_nested_missing_path(self):
+        doc = Document("a:\n  b: 1\n")
+        assert doc.get("a", "c") is None
+
+    def test_null_value_returns_none(self):
+        doc = Document("key: null\n")
+        assert doc.get("key") is None
+
+    def test_malformed_value_raises_query_error(self):
+        """get() should raise QueryError (not ValueError) for unparsable values."""
+        doc = Document("a:\n  b: 1\n  b: 2")
+        with pytest.raises(QueryError):
+            doc.get("a")
+
+    def test_root_still_raises_on_empty(self):
+        doc = Document("")
+        with pytest.raises(QueryError):
+            doc.root
+
+
 class TestDocumentInspection:
     def test_query_returns_feature(self):
         doc = Document("name: foo")
diff --git a/tests/test_editor.py b/tests/test_editor.py
index 5bd9e86..0cc3e0c 100644
--- a/tests/test_editor.py
+++ b/tests/test_editor.py
@@ -137,3 +137,22 @@ def test_document_outside_context(self, yaml_file):
     def test_repr(self, yaml_file):
         editor = Editor(yaml_file)
         assert "Editor(" in repr(editor)
+
+
+class TestEditorGet:
+    def test_get_existing_key(self, yaml_file):
+        with Editor(yaml_file) as editor:
+            assert editor.get("name") == "foo"
+
+    def test_get_missing_key(self, yaml_file):
+        with Editor(yaml_file) as editor:
+            assert editor.get("missing") is None
+
+    def test_get_missing_key_with_default(self, yaml_file):
+        with Editor(yaml_file) as editor:
+            assert editor.get("missing", default="fallback") == "fallback"
+
+    def test_get_root(self, yaml_file):
+        with Editor(yaml_file) as editor:
+            result = editor.get()
+            assert result["name"] == "foo"