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User Interface Management Specification

Overview

This specification defines the user interface management system that handles responsive layout, theme management, notifications, and context menus across desktop and mobile platforms.

Requirements

Core Functionality

Responsive Layout

  • The system MUST provide a three-panel layout on desktop (file explorer, editor, AI sidebar)
  • The system MUST provide a single-panel navigation on mobile with swipe gestures
  • The system MUST support resizable panels via drag handles
  • The system MUST maintain panel size preferences across sessions
  • The system MUST handle window resize events gracefully
  • The system MUST switch between desktop and mobile layouts based on viewport width

Tab System

  • The system MUST provide a tabbed interface in the AI sidebar
  • The system MUST support switching between Feedback, Prompts, Inspect, History, Usage, and Settings tabs
  • The system MUST persist active tab state across sessions
  • The system MUST display tab content without page reloads
  • The system MUST provide visual indication of the active tab
  • The system MUST support keyboard navigation between tabs

Mobile Navigation

  • The system MUST support swipe gestures for panel navigation on mobile
  • The system MUST provide back/home navigation buttons
  • The system MUST maintain navigation history for back button functionality
  • The system MUST optimize touch targets for mobile interaction
  • The system MUST prevent accidental touch interactions

Theme Management

Theme Switching

  • The system MUST support dark and light themes
  • The system MUST automatically detect and apply system theme preference
  • The system MUST allow manual theme override
  • The system MUST apply theme changes immediately without reload
  • The system MUST persist theme preference across sessions

Theme Application

  • The system MUST use CSS custom properties for theme colors
  • The system MUST ensure all components respect theme settings
  • The system MUST handle theme transitions smoothly
  • The system MUST maintain accessibility contrast ratios in both themes
  • The system MUST update CodeMirror editor theme to match application theme

Notification System

Toast Notifications

  • The system MUST display toast notifications for important events
  • The system MUST support multiple notification types (success, error, info, warning)
  • The system MUST automatically dismiss notifications after a timeout
  • The system MUST allow users to manually dismiss notifications
  • The system MUST stack multiple notifications appropriately
  • The system MUST not block user interaction with notifications

Notification Content

  • The system MUST provide clear, actionable messages
  • The system MUST include appropriate icons for notification types
  • The system MUST support HTML content in notifications when needed
  • The system MUST limit notification text to reasonable length

Context Menu

  • The system MUST display context menus on right-click
  • The system MUST position menus appropriately to avoid viewport edges
  • The system MUST close menus when clicking outside
  • The system MUST close menus on menu item selection
  • The system MUST support keyboard navigation within menus
  • The system MUST provide contextually relevant menu items
  • The system MUST disable menu items that are not applicable
  • The system MUST provide keyboard shortcuts for menu items
  • The system MUST support nested menu structures when needed

UI State Management

Panel State

  • The system MUST track open/closed state of sidebars
  • The system MUST track panel sizes for resizable panels
  • The system MUST restore panel state on application load
  • The system MUST update UI state in response to user actions

Event Coordination

  • The system MUST coordinate UI updates across components
  • The system MUST use event-driven communication patterns
  • The system MUST handle UI updates efficiently to avoid performance issues
  • The system MUST provide callbacks for state changes

Non-Functional Requirements

Performance

  • Panel resizing MUST update layout within 16ms (60fps)
  • Theme switching MUST complete within 100ms
  • Tab switching MUST complete within 50ms
  • Notifications MUST display within 100ms of trigger event
  • Context menus MUST appear within 50ms of right-click

Accessibility

  • All interactive elements MUST be keyboard accessible
  • Theme colors MUST meet WCAG AA contrast requirements
  • Touch targets MUST be at least 44x44 pixels on mobile
  • Focus indicators MUST be clearly visible
  • Screen readers MUST be able to announce UI state changes

Usability

  • Layout transitions MUST be smooth and predictable
  • Resizable panels MUST provide visual feedback during resize
  • Tab labels MUST be clear and descriptive
  • Notifications MUST not obscure important UI elements
  • Context menus MUST appear near the cursor

Cross-Platform

  • Desktop layout MUST work on screen widths >= 768px
  • Mobile layout MUST work on screen widths < 768px
  • Touch gestures MUST work on iOS and Android
  • Keyboard shortcuts MUST work across platforms

Implementation Notes

Component Dependencies

  • UIManager: Orchestrates all UI state and layout management
  • ThemeManager: Handles theme detection and application
  • NotificationManager: Manages toast notification display
  • ContextMenuManager: Handles context menu display and interaction

CSS Architecture

  • Use CSS custom properties for theme colors
  • Use flexbox/grid for responsive layout
  • Use media queries for mobile/desktop breakpoints
  • Use CSS transitions for smooth state changes

Event Handling

  • Use event delegation for dynamic content
  • Debounce resize events to improve performance
  • Use passive event listeners for scroll/touch events
  • Clean up event listeners on component destruction

Testing Considerations

  • Test responsive breakpoints on various screen sizes
  • Test panel resizing on desktop
  • Test swipe gestures on mobile devices
  • Test theme switching between dark and light
  • Test keyboard navigation for all interactive elements
  • Test notification display and dismissal
  • Test context menu positioning and interaction
  • Test accessibility with screen readers
  • Test cross-browser compatibility (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)