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+# Tables UX Bible
+
+## Scope
+
+Blueprint for the frontend overhaul of the webapp.
+
+First fully specified target: `/tables`.
+
+Constraints:
+
+- keep current tech stack
+- keep current backend and API contracts
+- build on the current critical-table data model and curation workflow
+
+## Product Stance
+
+- fast enough for live play
+- clear enough for first-time players
+- efficient enough for curator batch work
+- separated enough that developer tools never pollute player-facing surfaces
+- consistent enough that every future page can inherit the same shell, spacing, navigation, and interaction rules
+
+## Current Audit
+
+- `/tables` currently combines table selection, table reading, curation, and full editing in one dense surface
+- the table picker is hidden behind a dropdown with no search, no recent history, no pinned tables, and no batch-work affordances
+- every populated cell carries visible action chrome, which raises noise and slows scanning
+- reading help, legend, status, and edit hints compete with the actual table canvas
+- hover is overloaded as a discovery mechanism even though hover is weak on touch and unnecessary for expert users
+- the app-level navigation reflects implementation buckets, not user goals
+- `/diagnostics` and `/api` are useful, but they should behave as tools, not as peer destinations for everyday play
+- the visual system is coherent but too uniform; task priority is not expressed strongly enough through contrast, density, and layout
+
+## North Star
+
+`/tables` is the canonical reference surface for critical tables.
+
+One glance answers three questions:
+
+1. where am I
+2. what table / variant / roll band / severity am I looking at
+3. what is the next most likely action
+
+The page should feel like a high-speed tabletop reference board, not a CRUD grid.
+
+## Core Rules
+
+- one page, one primary job
+- one control cluster per decision
+- one stable location for primary actions
+- zero hover-only actions
+- zero mandatory nested navigation for normal use
+- search before browse when the item count is high
+- read mode first, maintenance mode on demand
+- sticky context beats repeated labels
+- progressive disclosure beats always-visible chrome
+- keyboard paths must be first-class, not fallback
+- mobile keeps the same task model, not a reduced mental model
+
+## Stakeholders
+
+| Stakeholder | Primary goal | Typical session style | Must optimize for |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| Gamemaster | Resolve outcomes during live play | fast, repeated, interrupt-driven | minimum clicks, minimum scan time, stable controls |
+| Player | Read and understand a result | occasional, low-system-mastery | clarity, legibility, low jargon, easy sharing |
+| Curator | Repair and validate imported content | batch, accuracy-driven, repetitive | queue flow, source visibility, low context switching |
+| Developer | Diagnose parser, payload, and rendering issues | investigative, detail-heavy | deep inspection without cluttering normal UX |
+
+## App Model
+
+Primary destinations:
+
+- `Play`
+- `Tables`
+- `Curation`
+- `Tools`
+
+Rules:
+
+- `Play` is the default landing area for live use
+- `Tables` is the primary reference library and manual browsing surface
+- `Curation` is a dedicated workflow surface for uncurated or suspect content
+- `Tools` contains diagnostics, API surface documentation, and future import/admin surfaces
+- no primary destination should require a submenu before becoming useful
+
+## Route Strategy
+
+Target route map:
+
+| Destination | Purpose | Route direction |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `Play` | live lookup and fast resolution | keep `/` as the primary entry |
+| `Tables` | browse and inspect critical tables | keep `/tables` |
+| `Curation` | queue-based content repair | add `/curation` |
+| `Tools` | diagnostics, API docs, future admin/import tools | group under `/tools` |
+
+Rules:
+
+- current backend endpoints stay as they are
+- route changes are presentation-level, not API-level
+- tools routes stay bookmarkable but visually separated from play-facing routes
+- cross-links between `Play`, `Tables`, `Curation`, and `Tools` preserve object context
+
+## Page Families
+
+Every future page should fit one of these patterns:
+
+| Page family | Example | Primary interaction |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Resolver | `Play` | enter inputs, get answer fast |
+| Reference | `Tables` | scan, jump, inspect |
+| Workflow | `Curation` | repeat queue actions with low friction |
+| Tooling | `Diagnostics`, `API` | inspect, compare, debug |
+
+Rules:
+
+- do not mix page families inside one surface unless the secondary family is hidden behind progressive disclosure
+- resolver pages prioritize input speed
+- reference pages prioritize scanning and context retention
+- workflow pages prioritize save-and-advance loops
+- tooling pages prioritize depth and traceability
+
+## Global Navigation
+
+Desktop shell:
+
+- top app bar
+- left page rail only when the current destination needs a collection index
+- right inspector only when object detail is active
+
+Top app bar contents, left to right:
+
+- app mark
+- primary nav tabs: `Play`, `Tables`, `Curation`, `Tools`
+- omnibox: search tables, jump to commands, open recent items
+- recent/pinned shortcut slot
+- role-safe utility actions: settings, help, profile
+
+Mobile shell:
+
+- compact top bar with omnibox trigger
+- bottom nav with the same four primary destinations
+- contextual sheets instead of persistent side rails
+
+Navigation rules:
+
+- never expose more than one level of persistent navigation at a time
+- if a left rail exists, it replaces page-local dropdowns for collection switching
+- deep links always preserve the active object and mode
+- every page remembers last relevant context per destination
+
+## Global Presentation
+
+Visual direction:
+
+- archival reference tool, not fantasy theme park
+- warm neutral base, dark ink text, brass accent, moss success, rust warning, slate utility
+- strong typographic hierarchy
+- generous whitespace around decision points
+- dense data areas only where density helps speed
+
+Type system:
+
+- display and section titles: `Fraunces`
+- UI labels and body: `IBM Plex Sans`
+- code and diagnostics: `IBM Plex Mono`
+
+Color roles:
+
+- background: warm paper
+- surface: lifted ivory
+- primary action: brass
+- selection: deep slate-blue
+- curated/safe: moss
+- needs attention: rust/amber
+- developer/tooling: cool slate
+
+Component rules:
+
+- cards for decisions
+- chips for filters and state
+- tabs only for mutually exclusive page modes
+- drawers for inspect/edit context
+- modals only for destructive confirmation or focused form tasks that must block
+
+## Shared Interaction Model
+
+Every major page follows the same anatomy:
+
+| Region | Purpose | Rules |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Page header | title, mode, primary action, summary | sticky when it reduces context loss |
+| Context bar | object picker, search, filters, recents | one horizontal control cluster |
+| Main canvas | the main work surface | one dominant visual object |
+| Inspector | selected object details and secondary actions | collapsible, never required for basic reading |
+| Feedback rail | toasts, save state, warnings | never blocks the main scan path |
+
+## `/tables` Target Definition
+
+Primary job:
+
+- browse and read critical tables fast
+
+Secondary jobs:
+
+- inspect a result in detail
+- jump directly to a known cell
+- curate results
+- open the full editor
+
+Jobs that do not belong as first-class clutter on `/tables`:
+
+- raw diagnostics
+- API documentation
+- engineering payload inspection
+
+## `/tables` Information Architecture
+
+Desktop:
+
+| Region | Contents | Notes |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Left rail | searchable table index, pinned tables, recents, collection filters | replaces current dropdown |
+| Sticky context bar | table title, variant picker, severity set, roll jump, mode switch, filter chips | always above the canvas |
+| Table canvas | sticky row headers, sticky column headers, clean cells, active cell highlight | the visual priority |
+| Right inspector | selected cell summary, symbols, branches, source state, actions | opens on selection, not on hover |
+
+Mobile:
+
+| Region | Contents | Notes |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Top bar | current table, omnibox trigger, mode switch | compact |
+| Sticky context row | variant, roll jump, filters | horizontal scroll allowed |
+| Canvas | table grid with sticky headers | horizontal pan preserved |
+| Bottom sheet | cell inspector and actions | replaces right drawer |
+
+## `/tables` Modes
+
+Three explicit modes:
+
+- `Reference`
+- `Curate`
+- `Inspect`
+
+Rules:
+
+- default mode for normal users is `Reference`
+- `Curate` only appears to users who need it
+- `Inspect` is a detail emphasis mode for small screens and dense results
+- mode switches are tabs, not hidden toggles
+- the selected cell persists across modes when possible
+
+## `/tables` Context Bar
+
+Required controls, ordered by frequency:
+
+1. table search / picker
+2. recent and pinned table shortcuts
+3. variant selector only when the table has groups
+4. roll jump input
+5. optional severity focus
+6. mode tabs
+7. filter chips: `All`, `Needs curation`, `Curated`, `Has branches`, `Has symbols`
+
+Rules:
+
+- all high-frequency controls live in one sticky strip
+- no control opens far away from the invoking pointer or focus position
+- roll jump highlights the matching row immediately
+- severity focus narrows visual emphasis without hiding context
+- filters change emphasis first, visibility second
+
+## Table Index
+
+The left rail is not a file tree.
+
+It is a fast selector.
+
+Required behavior:
+
+- search-as-you-type
+- keyboard arrow navigation
+- enter to open
+- pinned group
+- recent group
+- all tables list
+- status chip per table: curated percentage
+- optional quick filters by family: standard, variant-column, grouped-variant
+
+Rules:
+
+- no nested folders unless the table count eventually justifies them
+- sort defaults to most recently used for fast repeat access
+- labels stay human-readable; slugs never become primary UI text
+
+## Table Canvas
+
+Principles:
+
+- the grid is the hero
+- row and column context never disappear during scroll
+- active focus is obvious
+- non-active cells stay visually quiet
+
+Required behavior:
+
+- sticky top headers
+- sticky left roll-band column
+- active row and active column emphasis on cell selection
+- selected cell highlight with clear focus ring
+- optional roll-jump line marker
+- optional density toggle: `Comfortable` / `Dense`
+
+Cell content rules:
+
+- description first
+- symbols second
+- branches summarized, not expanded by default
+- no full action button stack visible in every resting cell
+- state color is subtle in `Reference`, stronger in `Curate`
+
+## Cell Actions
+
+Resting cell:
+
+- no visible button clutter
+- only semantic state hint
+
+Selected cell:
+
+- stable action tray in the inspector
+- optional compact inline quick actions in the cell corner on desktop
+
+Action priority:
+
+1. inspect
+2. mark curated or start quick parse when relevant
+3. open full editor
+4. open source image
+5. copy deep link
+
+Rules:
+
+- one click selects the cell
+- second click on the selected cell opens inspect detail if needed
+- double-click is not a required behavior
+- touch uses the same one-tap select model
+
+## Inspector
+
+Contents:
+
+- roll band
+- group / variant
+- column / severity
+- full prose description
+- parsed symbols/effects
+- branch cards
+- curation state
+- source image preview
+- primary actions
+
+Rules:
+
+- opens without obscuring the selected cell on desktop
+- can be pinned open or collapsed
+- keeps primary actions in the same vertical position
+- never requires opening the full editor just to understand the result
+
+## Reference Flow: Gamemaster
+
+Success criteria:
+
+- open the needed table in one search action
+- jump to the needed row in one roll action
+- read the result without opening a modal
+
+Flow:
+
+1. open `Tables`
+2. use omnibox or left-rail search to find a table
+3. set variant only if required
+4. enter roll in the sticky roll-jump field
+5. the matching row highlights immediately
+6. click the target cell or use arrow keys
+7. read the result in the inspector
+8. copy or share the deep link if needed
+
+Optimizations:
+
+- remember last used tables
+- keep roll-jump near the table title
+- keep selection in the same screen area while changing rows by keyboard
+- provide `open from Play` deep links when a lookup resolves to a critical result
+
+## Reference Flow: Player
+
+Success criteria:
+
+- understand a result with minimal system jargon
+- avoid maintenance controls
+
+Flow:
+
+1. open a shared deep link or land on a table already chosen by the gamemaster
+2. see the selected row, column, and result highlighted immediately
+3. read plain-language description first
+4. expand branch details only if relevant
+5. ignore curator and developer actions entirely
+
+Optimizations:
+
+- hide curation status by default for non-maintenance users
+- show branch conditions in plain language
+- support compact sharing URLs that preserve table, variant, row, column, and mode
+
+## Curation Flow: Curator
+
+Success criteria:
+
+- move through uncurated cells with near-zero navigation overhead
+- see source and parsed result side by side
+- save and continue in one repeated gesture
+
+Flow:
+
+1. open `Curation`
+2. land in a queue-first view, not the general browse view
+3. choose table scope: all tables, selected table, pinned set
+4. open the next uncurated cell
+5. inspect source image and parsed result side by side
+6. choose `Mark curated`, `Quick parse`, or `Full edit`
+7. save
+8. auto-advance to the next queue item in the same context
+
+Optimizations:
+
+- batch queue lives in `Curation`, not as ambient clutter across all cells in `Tables`
+- `Next uncurated` is always in the same spot
+- quick parse happens in the inspector or split pane before falling back to full editor
+- save keeps the cursor in the working lane and avoids re-opening context
+
+## Diagnostics Flow: Developer
+
+Success criteria:
+
+- inspect parser provenance and payloads without degrading the play-facing experience
+
+Flow:
+
+1. open `Tools`
+2. choose `Diagnostics`
+3. locate the relevant table/cell through the same shared table selector patterns
+4. inspect parser metadata, raw payload, source image, and reparse output
+5. jump back to `Tables` or `Curation` with preserved selection when needed
+
+Optimizations:
+
+- reuse object selection patterns from `/tables`
+- keep raw JSON and diagnostics in tooling surfaces only
+- preserve deep links across tools and reference views
+
+## Editing Model
+
+- `Tables` is browse-first
+- `Curation` is queue-first
+- full editor is form-first
+
+Rules:
+
+- quick actions should solve the common curation case without opening the full editor
+- full editor opens in a focused drawer on wide screens and a full-screen sheet on small screens
+- no stacked modal-on-modal flows
+- save feedback is inline and immediate
+
+## Search and Deep Links
+
+Every important object needs a stable URL.
+
+Minimum `/tables` deep link state:
+
+- table slug
+- group key when present
+- column key when present
+- roll band or roll jump value
+- selected cell result id when present
+- mode
+
+Search must support:
+
+- table labels
+- common aliases
+- recent history
+- slash commands for power users
+
+Examples:
+
+- `/slash`
+- `/large creature magic`
+- `/curation next`
+- `/table puncture`
+
+## Accessibility
+
+- WCAG AA contrast minimum
+- all actions keyboard reachable
+- visible focus ring on cells, chips, tabs, and drawer actions
+- ARIA grid semantics only if keyboard behavior matches true grid expectations
+- no information communicated by color alone
+- no hover-only discovery
+- sticky headers must not trap screen-reader or keyboard order
+- mobile hit targets minimum 44 by 44 px
+
+## Content Rules
+
+- table names use human labels
+- maintenance labels use plain verbs: `Inspect`, `Mark curated`, `Quick parse`, `Open editor`
+- avoid internal implementation terms in player-facing copy
+- instructional text appears only when needed and disappears once the user has context
+- legends explain symbols in the inspector and on demand, not as permanent page noise
+
+## Performance Rules
+
+- perceived table switch under 150 ms after initial load
+- preserve scroll and selection state per table
+- virtualize only if table size requires it; do not break sticky headers or keyboard navigation
+- render non-selected cells with low chrome and cheap DOM
+- delay heavy inspector content until selection
+
+## Metrics
+
+- table switch in two interactions or fewer after first visit
+- jump from known roll to matching row in one interaction
+- read a result without opening a modal in the default flow
+- curator save-to-next-item in one primary action
+- zero player-facing exposure to diagnostics or raw parser payloads
+
+## Rollout Sequence
+
+Phase 1:
+
+- new global shell
+- new top-level navigation
+- omnibox
+- table index patterns
+
+Phase 2:
+
+- `/tables` reference mode
+- sticky context bar
+- left rail
+- inspector
+- deep links
+
+Phase 3:
+
+- dedicated `Curation` surface
+- queue model
+- quick parse in split view
+- save-and-advance loop
+
+Phase 4:
+
+- `Tools` consolidation for diagnostics and API docs
+- preserved cross-links between tools and reference surfaces
+
+Phase 5:
+
+- apply the same shell and interaction system to all future pages
+- make `Play` and `Tables` feel like one connected product, not separate demos
+
+## Non-Negotiables
+
+- no implementation-driven primary navigation
+- no cell-level button clutter in resting state
+- no required hover behavior
+- no modal stack for normal curation work
+- no deep nested sidebars unless future scale proves they are necessary
+- no mixing of developer diagnostics into player and gamemaster workflows
+
+## Definition Of Done For The `/tables` Overhaul
+
+- a gamemaster can find a table and resolve a result with minimal scan and pointer travel
+- a player can understand the selected result without maintenance noise
+- a curator can move through uncurated cells in a stable queue flow
+- a developer can reach diagnostics from `Tools` without polluting the reference experience
+- the page establishes the layout, navigation, and interaction grammar for the rest of the webapp