docs(spec): add React + shadcn/ui UI redesign design spec

Brainstormed via superpowers:brainstorming. Locks in: - Full feature parity with legacy renderer - Polished + Glassy (Raycast/Arc) visual style - IDE-style layout with draggable divider - shadcn/ui + Motion (Framer Motion) + Zustand stack - A/B/D modal patterns (no command palette) - 10-phase vertical-slice implementation plan
2026-08-02 18:10:18 +05:30 · 2026-06-05 08:26:02 +05:30
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+# MarkdownConverter — React + shadcn/ui UI Redesign
+
+**Date:** 2026-06-05
+**Status:** Design (awaiting user approval)
+**Branch:** `react-electron`
+**Author:** Brainstormed with user via superpowers:brainstorming
+
+## Summary
+
+Replace the legacy vanilla JS renderer (`src/renderer.js` is 213 KB; `src/styles.css` is 74 KB) with a modern React 19 + Vite + TypeScript + shadcn/ui renderer that achieves visual feature parity while delivering a Polished + Glassy (Raycast/Arc-style) aesthetic. The Electron main process, preload bridge, and IPC contracts stay unchanged. Work proceeds via vertical slices — each PR ships a demoable feature.
+
+## Goals
+
+1. Replace every render-time feature of the legacy renderer with an idiomatic React + shadcn/ui implementation.
+2. Adopt the "Polished + Glassy" visual language (subtle shadows, 8–12 px radii, gradient accents, gentle depth) on top of the existing ConcreteInfo brand tokens and design system.
+3. Use a single component foundation (shadcn/ui) and a single motion library (Motion / Framer Motion) to keep the dependency surface narrow and the design coherent.
+4. Keep the main process, preload, and IPC contracts untouched. The renderer is the only surface being rewritten.
+5. Keep the app runnable at every commit. No "big bang" merge.
+
+## Non-Goals
+
+- Migrating the main process to TypeScript (out of scope for this spec).
+- Adding new features the legacy renderer does not have (plugin system, AI features, etc. — those are future specs).
+- Replacing Pandoc/FFmpeg/ImageMagick orchestration.
+- Changing the packaging pipeline (electron-builder config stays).
+- Replacing the CodeMirror 6 editor — it is the right tool and is already wired up.
+
+## Decisions Locked During Brainstorming
+
+| Decision | Choice | Why |
+|---|---|---|
+| Scope | Full feature parity with legacy renderer | User-selected option. Renderer is one cohesive surface; splitting it across specs would force premature contracts. |
+| Visual style | **B — Polished + Glassy** (Raycast/Arc aesthetic) | "Fancy" comes from elevation, gradient accents, and material depth — not over-designed visuals. |
+| Layout | **2 — IDE-style** (equal editor/preview, draggable divider, collapsible sidebar) | Power-user markdown apps converge on this. Draggable divider + keyboard reset. |
+| Modal patterns | **A (Centered Dialog), B (Right Side-Sheet), D (Toasts)** | No command palette. |
+| Command palette | **No** — full menus, no ⌘K | Power users can use the OS-level launcher. App stays focused on writing. |
+| Animation | **Motion (Framer Motion)** | Best for layout transitions, modal/drawer enter/exit, drag. Sparingly used. |
+| Component library | **shadcn/ui** | Tailwind + Radix primitives, copy-paste ownership, perfect fit for the "glassy" aesthetic and the HSL-CSS-variable foundation that is already in place. |
+| Implementation strategy | **Vertical slices** — one feature end-to-end per PR | App stays runnable. Each PR is reviewable. |
+
+## Defaults (Used Unless Overridden Later)
+
+| Item | Default | Why |
+|---|---|---|
+| State management | Zustand (already in deps) + Immer for nested patches | Already in `package.json`; perfect for editor state. |
+| Theming | shadcn `next-themes`, dark default + light, system-aware | shadcn canonical pattern. Brand colors already in CSS vars. |
+| Icons | `lucide-react` (already in deps) | 1000+ tree-shakable icons. |
+| Forms | `react-hook-form` + `zod` | Standard for shadcn forms. |
+| Drag/drop | `@dnd-kit/core` | De facto React drag lib (file tree reordering, divider resize). |
+| Testing | Vitest + RTL + Playwright (E2E + visual regression) | Standard for React + Electron. |
+| TypeScript | Strict mode (already wired) | Already in deps and `vite.renderer.config.ts`. |
+
+## Architecture
+
+The Electron app keeps its existing process model. Only the renderer is rewritten.
+
+```
+┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│  Electron Main (UNCHANGED)                                │
+│  - BrowserWindow, IPC handlers, file/fs ops               │
+│  - Pandoc, FFmpeg, ImageMagick orchestration              │
+└────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+             │ contextBridge (UNCHANGED preload.js)
+┌────────────▼─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│  React Renderer (REWRITTEN)                                │
+│  ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
+│  │  AppShell (layout)                                  │  │
+│  │  ├─ MenuBar (native)                                │  │
+│  │  ├─ AppHeader (logo, breadcrumbs, theme toggle)     │  │
+│  │  ├─ TabBar (open files)                             │  │
+│  │  ├─ Toolbar (formatting)                            │  │
+│  │  ├─ ResizablePaneGroup (sidebar | editor | preview) │  │
+│  │  │   ├─ Sidebar (file tree, outline)                │  │
+│  │  │   ├─ EditorPane (CodeMirror 6)                   │  │
+│  │  │   └─ PreviewPane (marked + KaTeX + Mermaid)      │  │
+│  │  ├─ StatusBar (word count, encoding, cursor pos)    │  │
+│  │  └─ ModalLayer (Dialog, SideSheet, Toaster)         │  │
+│  └────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
+│  ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
+│  │  Feature Modules (each owns UI + state slice)       │  │
+│  │  ├─ editor/    CodeMirror wrapper, syntax, themes   │  │
+│  │  ├─ preview/   markdown→html, KaTeX, Mermaid       │  │
+│  │  ├─ tabs/      open files, dirty state              │  │
+│  │  ├─ sidebar/   file tree, outline, search results   │  │
+│  │  ├─ modals/    export, settings, about, etc.        │  │
+│  │  ├─ tools/     zen, repl, ascii-gen, table-gen      │  │
+│  │  └─ export/    pdf, docx, html, image batch         │  │
+│  └────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
+│  ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
+│  │  Shared Infrastructure                              │  │
+│  │  ├─ stores/  Zustand slices per feature             │  │
+│  │  ├─ hooks/   useFile, useEditor, useTheme, etc.     │  │
+│  │  ├─ lib/     cn, ipc, formatters, validators        │  │
+│  │  ├─ ui/      shadcn primitives: button, dialog…     │  │
+│  │  └─ types/   shared TS types                        │  │
+│  └────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
+└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+```
+
+### Architectural Rules
+
+- **Shell components** (`AppHeader`, `TabBar`, `StatusBar`) subscribe only to `useAppStore`.
+- **Feature components** subscribe to their own feature's store.
+- **Cross-feature access** goes through hooks, not direct store imports (e.g., `useFileTree()` wraps `useFileStore`).
+- **Feature modules are self-contained** — each owns its components, its Zustand slice, and its types. Safe to develop in parallel later.
+- **No direct `window.electronAPI` calls** from feature code. All IPC goes through `lib/ipc.ts` for type safety and error normalization.
+
+## State Management
+
+```
+stores/
+├─ useAppStore        // global UI: theme, sidebar, pane sizes, modals open
+├─ useFileStore       // file system: tree, open files, active tab
+├─ useEditorStore     // editor: per-file content, cursor, selection, dirty
+├─ usePreviewStore    // preview: scroll sync, zoom, theme
+├─ useSettingsStore   // user prefs (persisted to electron-store)
+└─ useCommandStore    // menu actions registry, recent actions
+```
+
+**Why slices instead of one mega-store?** Editor content can be megabytes. Keeping it in its own slice lets React avoid re-rendering the preview when only the editor changes — components subscribe with selectors.
+
+**Persistent state** (auto-saved to electron-store via Zustand `persist` middleware): theme, sidebar visibility, last open files, pane divider positions, settings.
+
+**Ephemeral state** (lost on quit): active modal, hover states, search query, current file content (saved to disk on idle).
+
+## Visual Design System
+
+### Color Tokens
+
+The existing `globals.css` HSL variables stay. Additions for the "glassy" aesthetic:
+
+```css
+--shadow-sm: 0 1px 2px rgba(13, 11, 9, 0.06);
+--shadow-md: 0 4px 12px rgba(13, 11, 9, 0.08), 0 0 0 1px rgba(13, 11, 9, 0.04);
+--shadow-lg: 0 12px 32px rgba(13, 11, 9, 0.12), 0 0 0 1px rgba(13, 11, 9, 0.06);
+--shadow-glow-brand: 0 0 24px rgba(229, 70, 31, 0.25);
+
+--glass-bg-light: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.72);
+--glass-bg-dark:  rgba(13, 11, 9, 0.72);
+--glass-border-light: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4);
+--glass-border-dark:  rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08);
+```
+
+### shadcn Components
+
+Install via `npx shadcn@latest add`:
+
+**Primitives** (need all of these): `button`, `dialog`, `sheet`, `popover`, `tooltip`, `select`, `dropdown-menu`, `tabs`, `separator`, `scroll-area`, `toggle`, `switch`, `slider`, `input`, `textarea`, `label`, `form`, `skeleton`, `sonner`, `command`.
+
+**Composite** (custom-built on top of primitives): `file-tree`, `pane-group`, `divider`, `status-bar`, `menu-bar`, `toast`.
+
+### Typography
+
+- Body: Plus Jakarta Sans 15 px / line-height 1.6
+- Code: JetBrains Mono 13.5 px
+- Display: Barlow Condensed 700/800 — used sparingly (page titles, big metrics)
+- Headings: Plus Jakarta Sans 600/700 with tight letter-spacing
+- Labels (`.label`): Plus Jakarta Sans 500, 12 px, uppercase, 0.05 em letter-spacing
+
+### Motion Choreography
+
+| Element | Motion | Duration | Easing |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Modal (Dialog A) | Scale 0.96→1, opacity 0→1 | 200 ms | `ease-out` |
+| Side sheet (B) | TranslateX 100%→0, opacity 0→1 | 300 ms | `cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1)` |
+| Toast | TranslateY 100%→0, opacity | 250 ms | spring(stiffness: 300, damping: 30) |
+| Sidebar toggle | Width 264 px↔72 px, content fade | 250 ms | `ease-in-out` |
+| Divider drag | Live width update | 0 ms | none (instant) |
+| Theme switch | CSS variables, opacity overlay | 300 ms | `ease-in-out` |
+| Tab switch | Underline slide | 200 ms | `ease-out` |
+| Hover (buttons) | `bg` + `shadow` shift | 150 ms | `ease-out` |
+| Focus ring | Outline grow | 100 ms | `ease-out` |
+
+**Rules:** Every motion has a purpose. No gratuitous animation. Respects `prefers-reduced-motion` (Motion handles this automatically).
+
+### Empty / Loading / Error States
+
+Every async surface ships all three. Sonner toasts for ephemeral feedback. Skeleton screens for content areas. Empty-state components with icon + message + primary CTA.
+
+## Modal/Overlay Patterns
+
+| Use case | Pattern | Why |
+|---|---|---|
+| Export (PDF/DOCX/HTML) | A — Centered Dialog | Focused decision, ~3–5 fields, "do one thing" |
+| Settings | B — Right Side-Sheet | Long form, tabbed sections, stays open while editing |
+| Find/Replace | Inline toolbar (not modal) | Always-visible utility |
+| About | A — Centered Dialog | Tiny info dump |
+| Confirm destructive (delete, close unsaved) | A — Centered Dialog | Forces attention |
+| File save error | D — Toast | Non-blocking info |
+| Pandoc/FFmpeg progress | D — Toast → sticky on >3 s | Background work feedback |
+| Plugin manager | B — Right Side-Sheet | Lists + per-item actions |
+| ASCII/Table generators | A — Centered Dialog | Tool-style focused input → output |
+| Print preview | A — Centered Dialog | Full-screen-ish modal overlay |
+| Welcome (first launch) | A — Centered Dialog | One-time onboarding |
+| Word export | A — Centered Dialog | Template selection |
+| Zen mode | Full-viewport toggle (no modal) | Replaces the editor entirely |
+| REPL | Bottom-pinned panel (split-pane) | Persistent terminal-like UI |
+| Quick file open | B — Right Side-Sheet | File tree, search, recent |
+
+### Dialog A Anatomy (Export as example)
+
+```
+┌─ Backdrop (rgba(13,11,9,0.45) + backdrop-blur 4px) ─────────┐
+│                                                            │
+│   ┌──── Modal (max-w-md, rounded-2xl, shadow-lg) ─────┐    │
+│   │ ┌── Header ────────────────────────────────────┐  │    │
+│   │ │ [Icon] Export as PDF                  [×]    │  │    │
+│   │ │ Choose format options                       │  │    │
+│   │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │    │
+│   │ ┌── Body ──────────────────────────────────────┐  │    │
+│   │ │ Format: [Letter] [A4] [Legal]                │  │    │
+│   │ │ Margins: ────●────                           │  │    │
+│   │ │ ☐ Include table of contents                  │  │    │
+│   │ │ ☐ Embed fonts                                │  │    │
+│   │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │    │
+│   │ ┌── Footer ────────────────────────────────────┐  │    │
+│   │ │                       [Cancel] [Export →]    │  │    │
+│   │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │    │
+│   └──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘    │
+│                                                            │
+└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+```
+
+### Side-Sheet B Anatomy (Settings as example)
+
+Slides in from right, ~50 % width (max 560 px). Backdrop is `rgba(13,11,9,0.2)` with `backdrop-blur(2 px)` (lighter than dialog — the sheet is the focus). Tab navigation in the sheet header (Editor / Theme / Export / Plugins / About).
+
+### Toast D Anatomy (Sonner)
+
+Stacked bottom-right, max 3 visible. Glass background. Color-coded 3 px left border — success `#1a7a56`, error `#ef4444`, info `#0ea5e9`, warning `#eab308`. Icon + title + description. Optional action button. Auto-dismiss 4 s for success, sticky for error.
+
+## Data Flow (Editor → Preview Pipeline)
+
+```
+User types
+  ↓
+CodeMirror onChange
+  ↓
+useEditorStore.updateContent(tabId, content)  ← debounced 50 ms
+  ↓
+┌─ Persist to electron-store on idle (1 s) ─┐
+│                                            │
+└─ Publish to usePreviewStore (subscribed) ─┘
+  ↓
+marked(content) → sanitized HTML
+  ↓
+PreviewPane renders HTML
+  KaTeX post-processes $...$
+  Mermaid post-processes ```mermaid
+  Highlight.js post-processes ```lang
+  ↓
+useEffect: scroll-sync editor cursor → preview position
+```
+
+**Bidirectional scroll sync:** editor scroll → preview (primary), preview click → editor cursor (secondary). Throttled to 60 fps via `requestAnimationFrame`.
+
+## IPC Contract
+
+The preload bridge stays unchanged. A new `src/renderer/lib/ipc.ts` wraps every channel with TypeScript types and normalizes errors to a discriminated union:
+
+```ts
+type IpcResult<T> =
+  | { ok: true; data: T }
+  | { ok: false; error: { code: string; message: string } };
+
+export const ipc = {
+  file: {
+    open: (): Promise<IpcResult<FileResult>>,
+    read: (path: string): Promise<IpcResult<string>>,
+    write: (path: string, content: string): Promise<IpcResult<void>>,
+    list: (dir: string): Promise<IpcResult<FileEntry[]>>,
+    onChange: (cb: (path: string) => void) => () => void,
+  },
+  export: {
+    pdf: (opts: PdfOptions): Promise<IpcResult<ExportResult>>,
+    docx: (opts: DocxOptions): Promise<IpcResult<ExportResult>>,
+    html: (opts: HtmlOptions): Promise<IpcResult<ExportResult>>,
+    batch: (items: BatchItem[], opts: BatchOptions): Promise<IpcResult<BatchResult>>,
+  },
+  app: {
+    getVersion: (): Promise<IpcResult<string>>,
+    openExternal: (url: string): Promise<IpcResult<void>>,
+    showItemInFolder: (path: string): Promise<IpcResult<void>>,
+  },
+};
+```
+
+## Error Handling
+
+Layered defense — no single failure can crash the app:
+
+1. **IPC errors** → caught in `lib/ipc.ts` wrapper, returned as `IpcResult<T>` discriminated union. Components show toast on error.
+2. **Component errors** → React error boundary per feature area (one for editor, one for preview, one for modals). On error: show inline error UI with "Reload this panel" + "Copy details" actions.
+3. **Async operations** (export, file ops) → loading state on button + toast on completion. Long ops (>2 s) get a sticky toast with cancel.
+4. **Validation errors** (settings, export options) → inline form errors via `react-hook-form` + `zod`. shadcn `Form` component for consistent error display.
+5. **Pandoc/FFmpeg missing** → detected at startup, banner + disable export menu items. Don't surprise-fail at export time.
+
+## Testing Strategy
+
+- **Unit (Vitest):** stores, hooks, lib utilities, formatters, validators
+- **Component (Vitest + RTL):** shadcn wrappers, dialog interactions, sidebar toggle, divider drag, theme toggle
+- **Integration (Vitest + RTL):** editor ↔ preview flow, file open → tab add → content display, settings change persists
+- **E2E (Playwright):** app launches, file opens, markdown renders, export to PDF works
+- **Visual regression (Playwright snapshots):** locked-in screenshots for header, sidebar, dialogs, toasts — catch accidental style drift
+- **Target coverage:** stores/hooks/lib ≥ 90 %, components ≥ 75 %, E2E covers all critical paths
+
+## Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA)
+
+Baked in via shadcn + Radix:
+
+- All dialogs focus-trap, Esc to close, return focus to trigger
+- All interactive elements keyboard-reachable
+- Visible focus rings (2 px brand ring)
+- 4.5:1 contrast minimum (already met by brand colors)
+- `aria-label` on icon buttons, `role="alert"` on toasts
+- Respects `prefers-reduced-motion` (Motion handles this automatically)
+
+## Implementation Phases (Vertical Slices)
+
+Each phase is a shippable PR that keeps the app runnable. The legacy `renderer.js` is gradually replaced; until each phase is complete, the old renderer code still runs the missing parts.
+
+| # | Phase | Output | Acceptance |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| 1 | **Foundation** | shadcn installed; `next-themes`, `motion`, `react-hook-form`, `zod`, `dnd-kit`, `sonner` installed; design tokens finalized; `lib/utils.ts` (`cn`), `lib/ipc.ts` typed wrappers, `lib/motion.ts` preset transitions, `app.tsx` shell skeleton renders | `npm run build` succeeds; dev server shows the new shell with theme toggle working |
+| 2 | **App shell + layout** | `AppHeader`, `TabBar`, `Toolbar`, `Breadcrumb`, `StatusBar`, `ResizablePaneGroup` with sidebar toggle and draggable divider. Empty editor/preview panes. | Resize divider with mouse and arrow keys; sidebar collapses; pane sizes persist. |
+| 3 | **Editor pane** | CodeMirror 6 wrapped, dark/light themes wired to shadcn theme, syntax highlighting, line numbers, search, autocomplete | Open `.md` file → renders in editor; can edit and save. |
+| 4 | **Preview pane** | marked + DOMPurify + KaTeX + Mermaid + highlight.js. Bidirectional scroll sync with editor. | Open file → preview renders, follows cursor. |
+| 5 | **File tree + tabs** | Sidebar file tree (open from disk, lazy load). Tabs for open files. Dirty state indicator. | Open folder → tree populates; click file → opens in tab; close tab reverts dirty. |
+| 6 | **Native menus + toolbar** | Replace the legacy `CommandPalette` with full menus (File / Edit / View / Insert / Format / Tools / Help) bound to keyboard shortcuts. Toolbar buttons. | All menu items invoke the right action; shortcuts work; toolbar reflects active state. |
+| 7 | **Modals** | Export dialog (PDF/DOCX/HTML/batch), Settings side-sheet (Editor/Theme/Export/Plugins/About tabs), About dialog, Confirm-destructive dialog | All dialogs and sheet render with proper motion; settings persist; export works end-to-end. |
+| 8 | **Toasts** | Sonner wired into all async operations (save, export, errors, tool missing) | All operations give appropriate feedback; no silent failures. |
+| 9 | **Advanced tools** | Zen mode (full-viewport toggle), REPL (bottom-pinned panel), ASCII generator, Table generator, Word export template picker, Print preview | Each tool is feature-complete vs. legacy version. |
+| 10 | **Polish + delete legacy** | Visual regression snapshots locked; remove `renderer.js` and old `styles*.css` references from build; `npm run build:linux` produces a working installer | Final PR ships an installer with no legacy code paths. |
+
+## Risks and Mitigations
+
+| Risk | Mitigation |
+|---|---|
+| shadcn CLI requires Vite (not vanilla Electron renderer) | Vite is already configured for the renderer in `vite.renderer.config.ts`; the CLI works against the same project. |
+| shadcn CLI assumes Tailwind is at project root; we have it in renderer/ only | Point the CLI at `src/renderer/components.json` and set `tailwind.css` to the right path. |
+| Marked + KaTeX + Mermaid + highlight.js together is heavy | Lazy-load Mermaid (only when `mermaid` code block encountered). KaTeX is loaded once, cached. |
+| Editor content state can be megabytes → re-render storms | Editor content lives in its own slice; preview subscribes to a derived/cached HTML string; components use `useShallow` / selector subscriptions. |
+| Bidirectional scroll sync loops | `useEffect` debounce + ignore if cursor/selection is the sync source. |
+| CodeMirror 6 doesn't ship a Tailwind theme by default | Use `@codemirror/theme-one-dark` for dark; build a custom theme that pulls from CSS variables for light. |
+| The legacy `renderer.js` and `styles*.css` are referenced from `index.html` (now `src/renderer/index.html`) | Phase 10 deletes the references; until then, both run side-by-side and the new React app sits in a known root div. |
+| Electron `nodeIntegration` is off; we use contextBridge | Already the case. Document the contract clearly in `lib/ipc.ts`. |
+
+## Open Questions (to confirm before implementation)
+
+None. All major decisions are locked. Defaults will be used unless the user overrides them when reviewing the implementation plan.
+
+## References
+
+- `src/renderer.js` (213 KB) — legacy renderer being replaced
+- `src/styles.css` (74 KB), `src/styles-modern.css` (71 KB), `src/styles-concreteinfo.css` (21 KB) — legacy styles being replaced
+- `src/renderer/styles/globals.css` — already shadcn-compatible (HSL CSS variables)
+- `src/renderer/App.tsx` — empty skeleton that references components we will build
+- `tailwind.config.js` — brand colors and fonts already defined
+- `vite.renderer.config.ts` — Vite + React plugin already configured
+- `package.json` — CodeMirror 6, TanStack Table, lucide-react, cva, clsx, tailwind-merge, tailwindcss-animate already installed