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Skill1k repo starsupdated 4d ago

ui-features

The ui-features Claude Code skill provides a single entry point for implementing UI and UX work in the sidecar application, covering modals using the internal/modal library, keyboard shortcuts with proper focus context and command bindings, mouse input with hit region management, and visual components like pills and tabs. Use this skill when adding or modifying UI features, implementing keyboard shortcuts, creating modals, handling user input, or improving UX interactions across the sidecar interface.

Install in Claude Code
Copy
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/marcus/sidecar /tmp/ui-features && cp -r /tmp/ui-features/.claude/skills/ui-features ~/.claude/skills/ui-features
Then start a new Claude Code session; the skill loads automatically.

SKILL.md

# UI Feature Implementation

Single entry point for sidecar UI work. All new modals must use `internal/modal`. For complete keyboard shortcut listings, see `references/keyboard-shortcuts-reference.md`.

## Quick Checklist

- Modals: use `internal/modal`, render with `ui.OverlayModal`, avoid manual hit region math
- Pills/chips/tabs: use `styles.RenderPillWithStyle`; auto-fallback when `nerdFontsEnabled` is false
- Keyboard: Commands + FocusContext + bindings must match; names short; priorities set
- Mouse: rebuild hit regions on each render; add general regions first, specific last
- Rendering: keep output within View width/height to avoid header/footer overlap. Use `contentHeight := height - headerLines - footerLines`
- Testing: verify keyboard, mouse, hover, scrolling, and footer hints
- Plugins must NOT render their own footer -- the app renders a unified footer from `Commands()`

## Modals (internal/modal)

All new modals must use `internal/modal`. See `docs/guides/declarative-modal-guide.md` for the full API.

### Create a modal

```go
m := modal.New("Delete Worktree?",
    modal.WithWidth(58),
    modal.WithVariant(modal.VariantDanger),
    modal.WithPrimaryAction("delete"),
).
    AddSection(modal.Text("Name: " + wt.Name)).
    AddSection(modal.Spacer()).
    AddSection(modal.Buttons(
        modal.Btn(" Delete ", "delete", modal.BtnDanger()),
        modal.Btn(" Cancel ", "cancel"),
    ))
```

### Render in View

```go
func (p *Plugin) renderDeleteView(width, height int) string {
    background := p.renderListView(width, height)
    rendered := p.deleteModal.Render(width, height, p.mouseHandler)
    return ui.OverlayModal(background, rendered, width, height)
}
```

### Handle input in Update

```go
case tea.KeyMsg:
    action, cmd := p.deleteModal.HandleKey(msg)
    if action != "" {
        return p.handleModalAction(action)
    }
    return p, cmd

case tea.MouseMsg:
    action := p.deleteModal.HandleMouse(msg, p.mouseHandler)
    if action != "" {
        return p.handleModalAction(action)
    }
    return p, nil
```

### Modal initialization and caching (critical)

Always call `ensureModal()` in BOTH View and Update handlers. Create an ensure function that:
1. Returns early if required state is missing
2. Caches based on width to avoid rebuilding every frame
3. Creates the modal only when needed

```go
func (p *Plugin) ensureMyModal() {
    if p.targetItem == nil {
        return
    }
    modalW := 50
    if modalW > p.width-4 { modalW = p.width - 4 }
    if modalW < 20 { modalW = 20 }
    if p.myModal != nil && p.myModalWidthCache == modalW {
        return
    }
    p.myModalWidthCache = modalW
    p.myModal = modal.New("Title", modal.WithWidth(modalW), ...).
        AddSection(...)
}
```

**The key handler MUST call ensure before checking nil:**

```go
func (p *Plugin) handleMyModalKeys(msg tea.KeyMsg) tea.Cmd {
    p.ensureMyModal()  // CRITICAL: Initialize before nil check
    if p.myModal == nil { return nil }
    action, cmd := p.myModal.HandleKey(msg)
    return cmd
}
```

### Async content invalidation

When modal content depends on async data, invalidate the cache when data arrives:

```go
case MyDataLoadedMsg:
    p.myData = msg.Data
    p.clearMyModal()  // Force rebuild with new content
    return p, nil
```

### Modal keyboard shortcuts and footer hints

Modals need their own focus context and commands for footer hints:

1. Return a dedicated context from `FocusContext()`
2. Add commands for the modal context in `Commands()`
3. Add bindings in `internal/keymap/bindings.go`
4. Intercept custom keys before `modal.HandleKey` (Tab/Enter/Esc are handled internally)

```go
func (p *Plugin) FocusContext() string {
    switch p.viewMode {
    case ViewModeError:  return "git-error"
    case ViewModePushMenu: return "git-push-menu"
    default: return "git-status"
    }
}
```

### Modal notes

- `HandleKey`/`HandleMouse` handle Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Esc internally
- Backdrop clicks return "cancel"; use `WithCloseOnBackdropClick(false)` to disable
- Use built-in sections (Text, Input, Textarea, Buttons, Checkbox, List, When) before custom layouts
- For bespoke layouts, use `modal.Custom` and return explicit focusable offsets
- `SetFocus(id)` auto-scrolls viewport to focused element
- Prefer `ui.OverlayModal(background, modal, width, height)` for dimmed overlays; do not pre-center with `lipgloss.Place`

### Background colors (critical)

Lipgloss `Background()` does not cascade into child content. ANSI resets clear the parent background. Solution: replace ANSI resets within viewport lines with reset + background re-apply, then pad short lines. See `fillBackground` in `internal/modal/layout.go`.

## Pill-Shaped Elements (internal/styles)

Controlled by `nerdFontsEnabled` in `~/.config/sidecar/config.json` (`ui.nerdFontsEnabled`).

```go
// With explicit colors
label := styles.RenderPill("Output", styles.TextPrimary, styles.Primary, "")

// With a lipgloss.Style (preferred for tabs/chips)
active := styles.RenderPillWithStyle("Output", styles.BarChipActive, "")
inactive := styles.RenderPillWithStyle("Diff", styles.BarChip, "")
```

Available styles: `styles.BarChip` (inactive), `styles.BarChipActive` (active), or custom `lipgloss.Style`.

Test with both `nerdFontsEnabled: true` and `false` to verify fallback.

## Keyboard Shortcuts

For complete per-plugin shortcut listings, see `references/keyboard-shortcuts-reference.md`.

### Three things must match

1. **Command ID** in `Commands()` (e.g., `"stage-file"`)
2. **Binding command** in `internal/keymap/bindings.go` (e.g., `"stage-file"`)
3. **Context string** in both places (e.g., `"git-status"`)

```go
// 1) Commands()
{ID: "stage-file", Name: "Stage", Context: "git-status", Priority: 1}

// 2) FocusContext()
func (p *Plugin) FocusContext() string { return "git-status" }

// 3) bindings.go
{Key: "s", Command: "stage-file", Context: "git-status"}
```

### Multiple contexts (view modes)

Return different context strings from