super-productivity/docs/styling-guide.md

# Styling Guide

## Rules

- **All visual styling must use CSS variables** from `src/styles/_css-variables.scss` — never hardcode colors, spacing, shadows, transitions, or z-index.
- **Positioning/layout is fine as plain CSS** — flexbox, grid, display, position, dimensions.
- **Check `src/app/ui/` first** before creating new styled elements — 40+ reusable components exist.
- **Component SCSS should be minimal** — shared styles belong in `src/styles/components/` or as a mixin.
- **Material overlay components** (menus, dialogs, tooltips) render outside component scope — style them in `src/styles/components/` and add a comment in the component pointing there.

## Anti-Patterns

| Avoid                                | Do Instead                                                                |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Hardcoded colors (`#fff`, `red`)     | CSS variables (`--text-color`, `--card-bg`, `--color-danger`)             |
| Hardcoded spacing (`16px`, `1rem`)   | Spacing variables (`--s2`, `--s`, `--s-half`)                             |
| Hardcoded shadows                    | Elevation variables (`--whiteframe-shadow-*dp`, `--md-sys-level*`)        |
| Hardcoded transitions/durations      | Transition variables (`--transition-standard`, `--transition-duration-*`) |
| Custom z-index values                | Z-index variables (`--z-main-header`, `--z-backdrop`, etc.)               |
| New styled elements without checking | Check `src/app/ui/` for existing reusable components first                |

## Dialog action buttons

One treatment per role so dialogs feel consistent. Classify by **function, not label** ("Close" that dismisses a read-only view is secondary; "Close" that commits is primary).

| Role                             | Treatment                         | Notes                                                            |
| -------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Primary / confirming             | `mat-flat-button color="primary"` | Save, OK, Submit, Create, Schedule — the main affirmative action |
| Cancel / dismiss / secondary     | `mat-button` (no `color`)         | De-emphasized text button                                        |
| Destructive                      | `color="warn"` (keep the variant) | Delete, Remove, Unschedule — never folded into primary           |
| Genuine alternative (not cancel) | `mat-stroked-button`              | e.g. "Skip instance", "Configure" next to a primary action       |

Rules:

- **Icons:** drop generic `check`/`close` icons on OK/Cancel/Save/Submit — they add nothing. Keep icons that carry meaning (`alarm`/`today`/`event_busy` in scheduling, `wb_sunny`, `save`, `cloud_upload`, `delete_forever`).
- **No `color` on cancel/close** — leftover `color="primary"` on a Cancel just tints it; remove it.
- **No dead classes** — the legacy Bootstrap `btn btn-primary` classes are gone; don't reintroduce them. `submit-button` is only styled inside `dialog-create-tag`.
- **Symmetric choice dialogs** (e.g. sync "use remote" vs "use local") may use two matched `mat-stroked-button`s — there is no single primary.

## Key Files

| File                             | Purpose                                                       |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `src/styles/_css-variables.scss` | All CSS custom properties (design tokens)                     |
| `src/styles/themes.scss`         | Material theme setup + utility classes                        |
| `src/styles/page.scss`           | Global page/body styles                                       |
| `src/styles/util.scss`           | Utility classes                                               |
| `src/styles/components/`         | Global component styles (Material overrides, shared patterns) |
| `src/styles/mixins/`             | Reusable SCSS mixins                                          |
| `src/app/ui/`                    | 40+ reusable Angular UI components                            |

## Spacing Variables (8px Grid)

| Variable      | Value | Variable | Value |
| ------------- | ----- | -------- | ----- |
| `--s-quarter` | 2px   | `--s4`   | 32px  |
| `--s-half`    | 4px   | `--s5`   | 40px  |
| `--s`         | 8px   | `--s6`   | 48px  |
| `--s2`        | 16px  | `--s7`   | 56px  |
| `--s3`        | 24px  | `--s8`   | 64px  |

```scss
// ✅ Good
padding: var(--s2) var(--s3);
gap: var(--s-half);

// ❌ Bad
padding: 16px 24px;
gap: 4px;
```

## Color Variables

| Use case           | Variables                                                                                          |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Text               | `--text-color`, `--text-color-muted`, `--text-color-most-intense`                                  |
| Backgrounds        | `--bg`, `--card-bg`, `--task-c-bg`, `--sub-task-c-bg`                                              |
| Semantic           | `--color-success` (#4caf50), `--color-warning` (#ff9800), `--color-danger` (#f44336)               |
| Material palette   | `--palette-primary-500`, `--palette-accent-500`, `--palette-warn-500` (100–900)                    |
| Overlays           | `--c-dark-10` through `--c-dark-90`, `--c-light-05` through `--c-light-90`                         |
| Alpha coefficients | `--border-alpha` (0.12), `--overlay-alpha` (0.1), `--muted-alpha` (0.6), `--separator-alpha` (0.3) |

### Theme-Specific Values

Light theme sets: `--bg: #f8f8f7`, `--card-bg: #ffffff`, `--text-color: rgb(44, 44, 44)`
Dark theme sets: `--bg: #131314`, `--card-bg: var(--dark3)`, `--text-color: rgb(230, 230, 230)`

Dark elevation colors: `--dark0` (rgb(0,0,0)) through `--dark24` (rgb(56,56,56))

### Theme-Specific Overrides in Components

```scss
@include darkTheme() {
  /* dark-only styles */
}
@include lightTheme() {
  /* light-only styles */
}
```

Mixins are in `src/styles/mixins/_theming.scss`.

## Shadows & Elevation

- `--whiteframe-shadow-1dp` through `--whiteframe-shadow-24dp` — classic Material shadows
- `--md-sys-level1` through `--md-sys-level5` — Material Design 3 style

## Transitions & Animations

| Type       | Variables                                                                                                          |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Shorthands | `--transition-fast`, `--transition-standard`, `--transition-enter`, `--transition-leave`                           |
| Durations  | `--transition-duration-xs` (90ms), `-s` (150ms), `-m` (225ms), `-l` (375ms)                                        |
| Additional | `--transition-duration-enter` (225ms), `--transition-duration-leave` (195ms), `--page-transition-duration` (225ms) |
| Timing     | `--ani-standard-timing`, `--ani-enter-timing`, `--ani-leave-timing`, `--ani-sharp-timing`                          |

When migrating hardcoded durations, pick the nearest bucket — up to ~15% drift is acceptable for UI transitions.

## Focus Ring

Keyboard-accessibility tokens for custom interactive elements. Material components keep their own focus treatment; use these for non-Material buttons, cards, and custom controls.

| Variable              | Value                        |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| `--focus-ring-width`  | 2px                          |
| `--focus-ring-offset` | 2px                          |
| `--focus-ring-color`  | `var(--palette-primary-500)` |

Quickest adoption — add the `.focus-ring` utility class from `util.scss`, which applies an `outline` on `:focus-visible` only (so it doesn't fire on mouse clicks).

```scss
// opt-in per-element
.my-button:focus-visible {
  outline: var(--focus-ring-width) solid var(--focus-ring-color);
  outline-offset: var(--focus-ring-offset);
}
```

## Z-Index Layers

| Variable                 | Value | Purpose                  |
| ------------------------ | ----- | ------------------------ |
| `--z-check-done`         | 11    | Task done checkbox       |
| `--z-main-header`        | 12    | Main header              |
| `--z-task-title-focus`   | 32    | Focused task title       |
| `--z-mobile-bottom-nav`  | 50    | Mobile bottom navigation |
| `--z-side-nav`           | 60    | Side navigation          |
| `--z-backdrop`           | 222   | Backdrop overlay         |
| `--z-add-task-bar`       | 999   | Add task bar             |
| `--z-search-bar`         | 999   | Search bar               |
| `--z-onboarding-presets` | 999   | Onboarding preset screen |
| `--z-tour`               | 1001  | Tour overlay             |

## Layout Variables

| Variable                | Value | Notes              |
| ----------------------- | ----- | ------------------ |
| `--component-max-width` | 800px | 900–1000px on iPad |
| `--side-nav-width`      | 200px |                    |
| `--side-nav-width-l`    | 400px |                    |
| `--bar-height-large`    | 56px  |                    |
| `--bar-height`          | 48px  |                    |
| `--bar-height-small`    | 40px  |                    |

## Responsive Breakpoints

Available as CSS vars (`--layout-xxxs` through `--layout-xl`) and as SCSS variables and mixins in `src/styles/mixins/_media-queries.scss`:

| Breakpoint | Value  |
| ---------- | ------ |
| `xxxs`     | 398px  |
| `xxs`      | 440px  |
| `xs`       | 600px  |
| `sm`       | 960px  |
| `md`       | 1280px |
| `lg`       | 1920px |
| `xl`       | 2000px |

## Utility Classes

Defined in `src/styles/util.scss` and `src/styles/themes.scss`:

- Layout: `.center-wrapper`, `.mw` (max-width container)
- Responsive: `.hide-xs`, `.hide-xxs`, `.hide-gt-sm`
- Input: `.show-only-on-touch-primary`, `.show-only-on-mouse-primary`
- Theme: `.show-dark-only`, `.show-light-only`
- Color: `.bg-primary`, `.bgc-accent`, `.color-primary`, `.bg-success`, `.bg-warning`, `.bg-danger`
- Effects: `.milk-glass` (backdrop blur)

## Authoring Themes

Theme files live in `src/assets/themes/*.css` and are loaded at runtime.

### Side nav: never apply CB-creating properties to the `magic-side-nav` host

The mobile drawer (`.nav-sidenav`) and its overlay (`.nav-backdrop-mobile`) are `position: fixed` children of the `magic-side-nav` host. On mobile the host shrinks to `width: 0` (`hostWidthSignal` in `magic-side-nav.component.ts`).

Any property that establishes a [new containing block for fixed-position descendants](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/Containing_block#identifying_the_containing_block) — `backdrop-filter`, `filter`, `transform`, `perspective`, `contain: paint|layout|strict`, or a matching `will-change` — re-anchors the drawer and backdrop to the 0-wide host. The drawer never appears when the user taps the menu.

Apply glass/blur/tint to the inner `.nav-sidenav` instead:

```css
/* ❌ Bad — collapses the mobile drawer */
body.isDarkTheme magic-side-nav {
  background: var(--my-pane);
  backdrop-filter: blur(32px);
}

/* ✅ Good — host stays visually inert */
body.isDarkTheme magic-side-nav .nav-sidenav {
  background: var(--my-pane);
  backdrop-filter: blur(32px);
}
```

Properties that do NOT create a containing block — `background`, `border`, `box-shadow`, `margin` — are safe on the host. See `velvet.css` and `liquid-glass.css` for full reference patterns.

## Global Component Styles

Located in `src/styles/components/`, these are needed for elements that render outside component scope:

- `_overwrite-material.scss` — Material component customizations
- `_customizer-menu.scss`, `backdrop.scss`, `bottom-panel.scss`
- `markdown.scss`, `mentions.scss`, `table.scss`
- `fab-wrapper.scss`, `wrap-buttons.scss`, `multi-btn-wrapper.scss`
- `planner-shared.scss`, `formly-rows.scss`, `scrollbars.scss`