Shade the window frame, panel headers and file rows apart

Every surface was one flat shade. The window now reads in layers: a darker
frame (tab, transfer and status bars), a lighter header strip per file panel
(session strip, path bar, column headers), the file list, and popovers above
them all. The active panel's header carries a tint of the accent, and odd file
rows get a faint zebra stripe (per row, so it stays aligned at any interface
scale; the cursor and selection replace it).

Hover and selected states become a translucent overlay: an opaque hover
vanished on a surface of its own lightness (light's header strip). Dark cards
and badges step up so popovers never read darker than the strip they cover.
AMOLED is unchanged: every new layer collapses to black there.

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>

docs/architecture.md

@@ -289,16 +289,23 @@ component; tokens → `ui/src/styles.css`.
 mode) — every dark token change goes in BOTH. Light is the zinc family; the
 dark neutrals are a **warm gray family (hue 107)** anchored on `#1a1a19`
 (`--background`) — retoning one dark neutral means retoning them all, or warm
-and cool surfaces clash. Surface elevation ramp, both themes: `--chrome`
-(frame strips) sits *below* `--background` (content panes) < `--card`
-(popovers/dialogs) < `--accent` (hover). Dark ramp `#151514` → `#1a1a19` →
-`#20201f` → `#2e2e2d`. The "darker" tone is true-black AMOLED: `--chrome` AND
-`--background` are both `#000` (the frame/content step collapses on purpose),
-elevation survives only via `--card`/`--accent`, and `--border`/`--input` go to
-16%/18% white because those lines then carry the whole layout.
-`bg-chrome` is on the tab bar, status bar, transfer bar, the editor/manager
-header+footer strips and the manager's connection sidebar; panel-internal
-toolbars deliberately stay on `--background`. Accent tones: one
+and cool surfaces clash. **Surface layers**, each its own shade: `--chrome`
+(frame — tab/transfer/status bars, editor/manager header+footer strips, the
+manager's connection sidebar), `--toolbar` (each file panel's header strip —
+session strip, path bar, column headers — and the editor's search bar; the
+ACTIVE panel's strip is `--toolbar-active`, a `color-mix` of `--primary` into
+`--toolbar`, so it follows the accent), `--background` (file lists, editor
+text, forms; `--row-alt` stripes odd file rows, skipped on the cursor/selected
+row so two `bg-*` utilities never fight) and `--card` (popovers, dialogs,
+toasts). Dark climbs frame 0.165 < list 0.218 < header 0.265 < card 0.285;
+light steps greys out from white content: frame 0.935 < header 0.965 < list =
+card 1. **`--accent` is translucent** (6% zinc-900 light, 9% white dark):
+hover/selected states sit on every layer, and an opaque hover vanishes on a
+surface of its own lightness. The "darker" tone is true-black AMOLED: chrome,
+background, toolbar (+active) and row-alt are all `#000` (the layers collapse
+on purpose), elevation survives only via `--card`/`--accent` (opaque there),
+and `--border`/`--input` go to 16%/18% white because those lines then carry the
+whole layout. Accent tones: one
 `--tone-h/--tone-c` line per tone + three formula blocks derive `--primary`,
 `--ring`, `--cursor-tint`; graphite = attribute removed = pristine zinc.
 `@theme inline` maps tokens to Tailwind utilities (`bg-primary`,

docs/gotchas.md

@@ -56,6 +56,21 @@ touching the adjacent code.
   anything poking out of a horizontally scrolling strip (a raised tab, an
   underline at `-bottom-px`) is silently clipped. Reserve padding instead.
 
+## Theming (`ui/src/styles.css`)
+
+- **A new surface token needs an AMOLED line, or AMOLED stops being
+  all-black.** The two `[data-dark-tone='darker']` blocks re-declare every
+  surface (`--chrome`, `--toolbar`, `--toolbar-active`, `--row-alt`, …) as
+  `#000`; a token added only to the dark blocks shows through in AMOLED.
+- **Never declare one token in both the AMOLED blocks and the accent dark
+  formula blocks.** Both are (0,3,0), so source order decides and the later
+  accent block wins. That is why `--toolbar-active` lives in the base theme
+  blocks — its `var(--primary)` resolves per accent on `:root` anyway.
+- **Hover/selected color is a translucent overlay (`--accent`).** An opaque
+  hover vanishes on a surface of its own lightness — light's old 0.967 hover
+  on the 0.965 header strip did exactly that. Keep `--accent` alpha-based when
+  retoning surfaces.
+
 ## The interface scale (root font-size lever)
 
 - **electrobun's native page zoom is a silent no-op on Linux — do not reach for

ui/src/app/skins/shadlike/editor-window/editor-window.html

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
     </header>
 
     @if (findOpen()) {
-      <div class="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-2 border-b border-border bg-chrome px-3 py-1.5">
+      <div class="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-2 border-b border-border bg-toolbar px-3 py-1.5">
         <ng-icon name="tdesignSearch" size="0.85rem" class="shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
         <input
           #findBox

ui/src/app/skins/shadlike/file-panel/file-panel.html

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <!-- session strip -->
-<div class="relative flex items-center gap-1.5 border-b border-border px-2 py-1">
+<div class="relative flex items-center gap-1.5 border-b border-border px-2 py-1" [class]="headerSurface()">
   <button
     (click)="toggleMenu()"
     class="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md px-2 py-1 text-(length:--path-font) font-medium hover:bg-accent"
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@
 </div>
 
 <!-- path bar -->
-<div class="flex items-center gap-1 border-b border-border px-2 py-1.5">
+<div class="flex items-center gap-1 border-b border-border px-2 py-1.5" [class]="headerSurface()">
   <button
     (click)="panel().up()"
     [disabled]="blocked()"
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@
   (contextmenu)="headerContextMenu($event)"
   [style.grid-template-columns]="gridTemplate()"
   class="grid border-b border-border text-[0.6875rem] font-medium text-muted-foreground"
+  [class]="headerSurface()"
 >
   <button class="px-2 py-1 text-left hover:text-foreground" (click)="panel().toggleSort('name')">
     {{ i18n.t('columns.name') }} {{ sortIndicator('name') }}
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@
       (contextmenu)="rowContextMenu($event, i)"
       [style.grid-template-columns]="gridTemplate()"
       class="grid h-(--row-h) items-center text-(length:--list-font)"
+      [class.bg-row-alt]="i % 2 === 1 && i !== panel().cursor() && !isSelected(entry)"
       [class.bg-cursor-tint]="i === panel().cursor() && !isSelected(entry)"
       [class.bg-primary/15]="isSelected(entry)"
       [class.ring-1]="i === panel().cursor() && isActive()"

ui/src/app/skins/shadlike/file-panel/file-panel.ts

@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ export class FilePanel {
   private readonly rpc = inject(RpcService);
   readonly panel = computed(() => this.panels.get(this.side()));
   readonly isActive = computed(() => this.panels.activeSide() === this.side());
+  /** The header strip's surface (session strip, path bar, column headers):
+   *  the active panel's carries the accent tint. */
+  readonly headerSurface = computed(() => (this.isActive() ? 'bg-toolbar-active' : 'bg-toolbar'));
   readonly isRemote = computed(() => this.panel().sessionId() !== 'local');
   /** Input is ignored while the panel is connecting or a listing is in flight. */
   readonly blocked = computed(() => this.panel().busy());

ui/src/styles.css

@@ -4,14 +4,24 @@
    warm gray family (hue ~107) anchored on #1a1a19 — see the dark blocks below.
    The app follows the OS light/dark preference automatically.
 
-   Surface elevation ramp (both themes): --chrome (frame strips: tab/transfer/status
-   bars, window toolbars) sits BELOW --background (content panes), which sits below
-   --card (popovers, dialogs), which sits below --accent (hover). */
+   Surface layers, each its own shade so the window reads as parts: --chrome
+   (frame strips: tab/transfer/status bars, window header/footer strips),
+   --toolbar (the file-panel header strip — toolbar, path bar, column header —
+   and secondary toolbars), --background (content: file lists, editor text,
+   forms; --row-alt stripes every other file row) and --card (popovers,
+   dialogs). Dark climbs frame < list < header < card; light steps greys out
+   from white content: frame < header < list = card. --accent is a translucent
+   overlay, not a surface: hover/selected states must read on every layer, and
+   an opaque hover vanishes on a surface of its own lightness. */
 :root {
   /* Native UI (scrollbars, form controls) follows the OS unless a theme is forced. */
   color-scheme: light dark;
   --background: oklch(1 0 0);
-  --chrome: oklch(0.977 0.001 286.375);
+  --chrome: oklch(0.935 0.002 286.375);
+  --toolbar: oklch(0.965 0.001 286.375);
+  /* the active panel's header strip: a whisper of the accent (graphite: neutral) */
+  --toolbar-active: color-mix(in oklab, var(--primary) 8%, var(--toolbar));
+  --row-alt: oklch(0.978 0.001 286.375);
   --foreground: oklch(0.141 0.005 285.823);
   --card: oklch(1 0 0);
   --card-foreground: oklch(0.141 0.005 285.823);
@@ -21,7 +31,7 @@
   --secondary-foreground: oklch(0.21 0.006 285.885);
   --muted: oklch(0.967 0.001 286.375);
   --muted-foreground: oklch(0.552 0.016 285.938);
-  --accent: oklch(0.967 0.001 286.375);
+  --accent: oklch(0.21 0.006 285.885 / 6%);
   --accent-foreground: oklch(0.21 0.006 285.885);
   --destructive: oklch(0.577 0.245 27.325);
   --destructive-foreground: oklch(0.985 0 0);
@@ -48,17 +58,21 @@
 :root[data-theme='dark'] {
   color-scheme: dark;
   --background: oklch(0.2178 0.002 107);
-  --chrome: oklch(0.1953 0.002 107);
+  --chrome: oklch(0.165 0.002 107);
+  --toolbar: oklch(0.265 0.002 107);
+  --toolbar-active: color-mix(in oklab, var(--primary) 10%, var(--toolbar));
+  --row-alt: oklch(0.232 0.002 107);
   --foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
-  --card: oklch(0.245 0.002 107);
+  /* above --toolbar, so a popover never reads darker than the strip it covers */
+  --card: oklch(0.285 0.002 107);
   --card-foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
   --primary: oklch(0.92 0.004 107);
   --primary-foreground: oklch(0.21 0.002 107);
   --secondary: oklch(0.302 0.003 107);
   --secondary-foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
-  --muted: oklch(0.302 0.003 107);
+  --muted: oklch(0.335 0.003 107);
   --muted-foreground: oklch(0.715 0.012 107);
-  --accent: oklch(0.302 0.003 107);
+  --accent: oklch(1 0 0 / 9%);
   --accent-foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
   --destructive: oklch(0.704 0.191 22.216);
   --destructive-foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
@@ -77,17 +91,20 @@
 @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
   :root:not([data-theme='light']) {
     --background: oklch(0.2178 0.002 107);
-    --chrome: oklch(0.1953 0.002 107);
+    --chrome: oklch(0.165 0.002 107);
+    --toolbar: oklch(0.265 0.002 107);
+    --toolbar-active: color-mix(in oklab, var(--primary) 10%, var(--toolbar));
+    --row-alt: oklch(0.232 0.002 107);
     --foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
-    --card: oklch(0.245 0.002 107);
+    --card: oklch(0.285 0.002 107);
     --card-foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
     --primary: oklch(0.92 0.004 107);
     --primary-foreground: oklch(0.21 0.002 107);
     --secondary: oklch(0.302 0.003 107);
     --secondary-foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
-    --muted: oklch(0.302 0.003 107);
+    --muted: oklch(0.335 0.003 107);
     --muted-foreground: oklch(0.715 0.012 107);
-    --accent: oklch(0.302 0.003 107);
+    --accent: oklch(1 0 0 / 9%);
     --accent-foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
     --destructive: oklch(0.704 0.191 22.216);
     --destructive-foreground: oklch(0.982 0.003 107);
@@ -109,12 +126,18 @@
    the frame/content step of the default tone disappears and every large surface is
    #000 (OLED pixels actually off). Elevation survives only through --card and
    --accent; --border/--input are raised to 16%/18% because on pure black those
-   lines are the only thing defining panes, bars and rows. Duplicated for
-   forced-dark and system-dark like the token blocks above — the extra attribute
-   outranks them. */
+   lines are the only thing defining panes, bars and rows. The surface layers
+   (--toolbar, its active tint, --row-alt) collapse to black too: AMOLED stays
+   one flat black on purpose, so every NEW surface token needs a line here.
+   Duplicated for forced-dark and system-dark like the token blocks above — the
+   extra attribute outranks them. Never declare a token both here and in the
+   accent dark formula blocks below: same (0,3,0) specificity, the later wins. */
 :root[data-theme='dark'][data-dark-tone='darker'] {
   --background: oklch(0 0 0);
   --chrome: oklch(0 0 0);
+  --toolbar: oklch(0 0 0);
+  --toolbar-active: oklch(0 0 0);
+  --row-alt: oklch(0 0 0);
   --card: oklch(0.21 0.002 107);
   --secondary: oklch(0.274 0.003 107);
   --muted: oklch(0.274 0.003 107);
@@ -127,6 +150,9 @@
   :root:not([data-theme='light'])[data-dark-tone='darker'] {
     --background: oklch(0 0 0);
     --chrome: oklch(0 0 0);
+    --toolbar: oklch(0 0 0);
+    --toolbar-active: oklch(0 0 0);
+    --row-alt: oklch(0 0 0);
     --card: oklch(0.21 0.002 107);
     --secondary: oklch(0.274 0.003 107);
     --muted: oklch(0.274 0.003 107);
@@ -140,6 +166,9 @@
 @theme inline {
   --color-background: var(--background);
   --color-chrome: var(--chrome);
+  --color-toolbar: var(--toolbar);
+  --color-toolbar-active: var(--toolbar-active);
+  --color-row-alt: var(--row-alt);
   --color-foreground: var(--foreground);
   --color-card: var(--card);
   --color-card-foreground: var(--card-foreground);