Grove UI Design Skill

When to Activate

Activate this skill when:

• Creating or enhancing pages for Grove sites
• Adding decorative nature elements (trees, clouds, weather effects)
• Implementing glassmorphism effects for readability
• Working with the seasonal theme system
• Building navigation patterns (navbar, mobile overflow menus)
• Creating "story" pages that guide users through content
• Ensuring mobile-friendly, accessible UI
• Choosing icons or visual elements

The Grove Aesthetic

Grove is a place. It's nature-themed, warm, and inviting—like a midnight tea shop with good documentation.

Core Principles

Warm, introspective, queer, unapologetically building something meaningful.
Write with the warmth of a midnight tea shop and the clarity of good documentation.

Every design choice should feel:

• Welcoming — like entering a cozy space
• Organic — natural, not rigid or corporate
• Readable — content-first, decorations enhance, never obstruct
• Alive — subtle animations, seasonal changes, randomization

Grove Mode & Terminology (GroveTerm V2)

Grove has a terminology system that automatically switches between Grove-themed terms and standard terms based on the user's Grove Mode setting. Always use GroveTerm components instead of hardcoding Grove terminology in UI.

By default, Grove Mode is OFF for new visitors. They see familiar terms: "Posts" instead of "Blooms", "Dashboard" instead of "Arbor", "Support" instead of "Porch". When users opt in via the footer toggle, they see the full nature-themed vocabulary with interactive definitions.

The Component Suite:

import {(GroveTerm, GroveSwap, GroveText, GroveSwapText, GroveIntro)} from '@autumnsgrove/lattice/ui';
import groveTermManifest from '$lib/data/grove-term-manifest.json';

Component	Use Case	Behavior
GroveTerm	Interactive terms with popup definitions	Colored underline when ON, click for popup. Shows standard term when OFF.
GroveSwap	Silent text replacement	Reactively swaps text. No underline, no interaction.
GroveText	Parse [[term]] syntax in data strings	Renders [[bloom|posts]] as interactive GroveTerm components.
GroveSwapText	Parse [[term]] syntax silently	Same parsing, silent swaps (no popups).
GroveIntro	"We call it X" page banners	Standardized intro below page titles.

Usage:

<!-- Interactive term with popup -->
<GroveTerm term="bloom" manifest={groveTermManifest} />

<!-- Custom display text -->
<GroveTerm term="wanderer" manifest={groveTermManifest}>wanderers</GroveTerm>

<!-- Silent swap (no popup, no underline) -->
<GroveSwap term="arbor" manifest={groveTermManifest} />

<!-- Parse [[term]] syntax in data strings (ideal for FAQ items, pricing, etc.) -->
<GroveText
	content="Your [[bloom|posts]] live in your [[garden|blog]]."
	manifest={groveTermManifest}
/>

<!-- Silent text swap (non-interactive, default behavior) -->
<GroveTerm term="meadow" />

<!-- With leaf icon for Grove Mode hint -->
<GroveTerm term="meadow" icon />

Key Rules:

• Never hardcode Grove terms in user-facing UI. Always use GroveTerm components.
• Default is OFF for new visitors. Standard, familiar terminology first.
• URLs stay as Grove terms (/porch, /garden) regardless of display mode.
• Brand terms (Grove) and subscription tiers (Seedling/Sapling/Oak/Evergreen) always show as-is.
• Use [[term]] syntax for data-driven content (FAQ items, pricing fineprint, feature lists).
• Grove Mode store: groveModeStore from @autumnsgrove/lattice/ui/stores. Toggle lives in the footer.

See docs/grove-user-identity.md for the full identity language documentation and libs/engine/src/lib/ui/components/ui/groveterm/ for component source.

---

Glassmorphism Pattern

Glass effects create readability while revealing hints of background decoration.

The Layering Formula

Background (gradients, vines, nature)
    ↓
Decorative Elements (trees, clouds, particles)
    ↓
Glass Surface (translucent + blur)
    ↓
Content (text, cards, UI)

Glass Components

import {(Glass, GlassCard, GlassButton, GlassOverlay)} from '@lattice/ui/ui';

<!-- Container with glass effect -->
<Glass variant="tint" class="p-6 rounded-xl">
	<p>Readable text over busy backgrounds</p>
</Glass>

<!-- Card with glass styling -->
<GlassCard title="Settings" variant="default" hoverable>Content here</GlassCard>

<!-- Glass button -->
<GlassButton variant="accent">Subscribe</GlassButton>

Glass Variants

Variant	Use Case	Light Mode	Dark Mode
surface	Headers, navbars	95% white	95% slate
tint	Text over backgrounds	60% white	50% slate
card	Content cards	80% white	70% slate
accent	Callouts, highlights	30% accent	20% accent
overlay	Modal backdrops	50% black	60% black
muted	Subtle backgrounds	40% white	30% slate

CSS Utility Classes

<!-- Apply directly to any element -->
<div class="glass rounded-xl p-4">Basic glass</div>
<div class="glass-tint p-6">Text container</div>
<div class="glass-accent p-4">Highlighted section</div>
<nav class="glass-surface sticky top-0">Navbar</nav>

Key Pattern: Sticky Navigation

<nav
	class="sticky top-[73px] z-30 bg-white/80 dark:bg-slate-900/80 backdrop-blur-sm border-b border-divider"
>
	<!-- Navigation content -->
</nav>

---

Seasonal Theme System

Grove uses four seasons, each with distinct colors, weather effects, and moods.

Season Detection

import {season} from '$lib/stores/season'; const isSpring = $derived($season === 'spring'); const isAutumn
= $derived($season === 'autumn'); const isWinter = $derived($season === 'winter'); // Summer is the default
(no flag needed)

Color Palette System

Import from: @autumnsgrove/lattice/ui/nature or $lib/components/nature/palette

Core Palettes (Year-Round)

import { greens, bark, earth, natural } from "@autumnsgrove/lattice/ui/nature";

// Greens - organized dark-to-light for atmospheric depth
greens.darkForest; // #0d4a1c - Background trees
greens.deepGreen; // #166534 - Mid-distance
greens.grove; // #16a34a - Grove brand primary
greens.meadow; // #22c55e - Standard foliage
greens.spring; // #4ade80 - Bright accent
greens.mint; // #86efac - Light accent
greens.pale; // #bbf7d0 - Foreground highlights

// Bark - warm wood tones
bark.darkBark; // #3d2817 - Oak, older trees
bark.bark; // #5d4037 - Standard trunk
bark.warmBark; // #6B4423 - Pine, cedar
bark.lightBark; // #8b6914 - Young trees

// Earth - ground elements
(earth.soil, earth.mud, earth.clay, earth.sand, earth.stone, earth.pebble, earth.slate);

// Natural - cream and off-whites
(natural.cream, natural.aspenBark, natural.bone, natural.mushroom, natural.birchWhite);

Spring Palettes

import {
	springFoliage,
	springSky,
	wildflowers,
	cherryBlossoms,
	cherryBlossomsPeak,
} from "@autumnsgrove/lattice/ui/nature";

// Spring Foliage - yellow-green new growth
springFoliage.sprout; // #65a30d - Distant new growth
springFoliage.newLeaf; // #84cc16 - Classic spring lime
springFoliage.freshGreen; // #a3e635 - Bright foreground
springFoliage.budding; // #bef264 - Pale new leaf
springFoliage.tender; // #d9f99d - Very pale

// Spring Sky
springSky.clear; // #7dd3fc - Clear morning
springSky.soft; // #bae6fd - Pale sky

// Wildflowers - unified meadow flower colors
wildflowers.buttercup; // #facc15 - Yellow
wildflowers.daffodil; // #fde047 - Pale yellow
wildflowers.crocus; // #a78bfa - Purple crocus
wildflowers.violet; // #8b5cf6 - Wild violets
wildflowers.purple; // #a855f7 - Lupine, thistle
wildflowers.lavender; // #c4b5fd - Distant masses
wildflowers.tulipPink; // #f9a8d4 - Pink tulips
wildflowers.tulipRed; // #fb7185 - Red tulips
wildflowers.white; // #fefefe - Daisies, trillium

// Cherry Blossoms - summer standard
cherryBlossoms.deep; // #db2777 - Dense centers
cherryBlossoms.standard; // #ec4899 - Standard blossom
cherryBlossoms.light; // #f472b6 - Light petals
cherryBlossoms.pale; // #f9a8d4 - Pale blossoms
cherryBlossoms.falling; // #fbcfe8 - Falling petals

// Cherry Blossoms Peak - vibrant spring (one shade brighter!)
cherryBlossomsPeak.deep; // #ec4899
cherryBlossomsPeak.standard; // #f472b6
cherryBlossomsPeak.light; // #f9a8d4
cherryBlossomsPeak.pale; // #fbcfe8
cherryBlossomsPeak.falling; // #fce7f3

Unified Flowers Palette (NEW!)

The flowers namespace consolidates all flower colors into one organized structure:

import { flowers } from "@autumnsgrove/lattice/ui/nature";

// Meadow wildflowers (yellows, purples, pinks, whites)
flowers.wildflower.buttercup; // #facc15 - Yellow
flowers.wildflower.daffodil; // #fde047 - Pale yellow
flowers.wildflower.crocus; // #a78bfa - Purple crocus
flowers.wildflower.violet; // #8b5cf6 - Wild violets
flowers.wildflower.purple; // #a855f7 - Lupine, thistle
flowers.wildflower.lavender; // #c4b5fd - Distant masses
flowers.wildflower.tulipPink; // #f9a8d4 - Pink tulips
flowers.wildflower.tulipRed; // #fb7185 - Red tulips
flowers.wildflower.white; // #fefefe - Daisies, trillium

// Cherry blossoms - standard summer
flowers.cherry.deep; // #db2777
flowers.cherry.standard; // #ec4899
flowers.cherry.light; // #f472b6
flowers.cherry.pale; // #f9a8d4
flowers.cherry.falling; // #fbcfe8

// Cherry blossoms at peak bloom - vibrant spring
flowers.cherryPeak.deep; // #ec4899
flowers.cherryPeak.standard; // #f472b6
flowers.cherryPeak.light; // #f9a8d4
flowers.cherryPeak.pale; // #fbcfe8
flowers.cherryPeak.falling; // #fce7f3

Use flowers.wildflower instead of accents.flower — the accents version is deprecated.

Autumn & Winter Palettes

import { autumn, autumnReds, winter } from "@autumnsgrove/lattice/ui/nature";

// Autumn - warm fall foliage (dark-to-light for depth)
autumn.rust; // #9a3412 - Deep background
autumn.ember; // #c2410c - Oak-like
autumn.pumpkin; // #ea580c - Maple mid-tones
autumn.amber; // #d97706 - Classic fall
autumn.gold; // #eab308 - Aspen/birch
autumn.honey; // #facc15 - Bright foreground
autumn.straw; // #fde047 - Pale dying leaves

// Autumn Reds - cherry/maple fall foliage
autumnReds.crimson; // #be123c - Deep maple
autumnReds.scarlet; // #e11d48 - Bright cherry
autumnReds.rose; // #f43f5e - Light autumn
autumnReds.coral; // #fb7185 - Pale accent

// Winter - frost, snow, ice + frosted evergreens
(winter.snow, winter.frost, winter.ice, winter.glacier);
(winter.frostedPine, winter.winterGreen, winter.coldSpruce);
(winter.winterSky, winter.twilight, winter.overcast);
(winter.bareBranch, winter.frostedBark, winter.coldWood);
(winter.hillDeep, winter.hillMid, winter.hillNear, winter.hillFront);

Accent Palettes

import { accents, wildflowers } from "@autumnsgrove/lattice/ui/nature";

// Mushrooms - fairy tale pops of color
(accents.mushroom.redCap, accents.mushroom.orangeCap, accents.mushroom.brownCap);
(accents.mushroom.spots, accents.mushroom.gill);

// Firefly - bioluminescence
(accents.firefly.glow, accents.firefly.warmGlow, accents.firefly.body);

// Berry - rich saturated
(accents.berry.ripe, accents.berry.elderberry, accents.berry.red);

// Water - cool blue spectrum
(accents.water.surface, accents.water.deep, accents.water.shallow, accents.water.lily);

// Sky - time of day
(accents.sky.dayLight, accents.sky.dayMid, accents.sky.sunset, accents.sky.night, accents.sky.star);

// Birds - species-specific colors
(accents.bird.cardinalRed, accents.bird.cardinalMask, accents.bird.cardinalBeak);
(accents.bird.chickadeeCap, accents.bird.chickadeeBody, accents.bird.chickadeeBelly);
(accents.bird.robinBody, accents.bird.robinBreast, accents.bird.robinBeak);
(accents.bird.bluebirdBody, accents.bird.bluebirdWing, accents.bird.bluebirdBreast);

// NOTE: accents.flower is deprecated - use flowers.wildflower instead

Seasonal Helper Functions

import {
	getSeasonalGreens,
	getCherryColors,
	isTreeBare,
	pickRandom,
	pickFrom,
} from "@autumnsgrove/lattice/ui/nature";

// Get foliage colors mapped to season
const foliage = getSeasonalGreens(season);
// spring → springFoliage colors
// summer → greens
// autumn → autumn palette
// winter → frosted evergreen colors

// Get cherry tree colors by season
const cherryColors = getCherryColors(season);
// spring → cherryBlossomsPeak (vibrant!)
// summer → cherryBlossoms (standard)
// autumn → autumnReds
// winter → null (bare tree)

// Check if deciduous tree is bare
if (isTreeBare("cherry", "winter")) {
	/* no foliage */
}

// Random color selection for natural variation
const randomGreen = pickRandom(greens);
const specificGreen = pickFrom(greens, ["grove", "meadow"]);

Deprecated Aliases (Still Work)

// These work but will be removed in v1.0:
import { spring, pinks, springBlossoms } from "@autumnsgrove/lattice/ui/nature";

// spring → use springFoliage, wildflowers, springSky instead
// pinks → use cherryBlossoms instead
// springBlossoms → use cherryBlossomsPeak instead
// accents.flower → use flowers.wildflower instead

Season Mood Summary

Season	Primary Colors	Mood
Spring	springFoliage, cherryBlossomsPeak, wildflowers	Renewal, hope
Summer	greens, cherryBlossoms	Growth, warmth
Autumn	autumn, autumnReds	Harvest, reflection
Winter	winter (frost, snow, frosted pines)	Rest, stillness

Seasonal Weather Effects

<!-- Winter: Snowfall -->
{#if isWinter}
	<SnowfallLayer count={40} zIndex={5} opacity={{ min: 0.4, max: 0.8 }} spawnDelay={8} />
{/if}

<!-- Spring: Cherry blossom petals -->
{#if isSpring}
	<FallingPetalsLayer count={80} zIndex={100} opacity={{ min: 0.5, max: 0.9 }} />
{/if}

<!-- Autumn: Falling leaves (tied to trees) -->
{#if isAutumn}
	<FallingLeavesLayer
		trees={forestTrees}
		season={$season}
		minLeavesPerTree={2}
		maxLeavesPerTree={4}
	/>
{/if}

Seasonal Background Gradients

<main class="min-h-screen transition-colors duration-1000
  {isWinter ? 'bg-gradient-to-b from-slate-200 via-slate-100 to-slate-50 dark:from-slate-900 dark:via-slate-800 dark:to-slate-700' : ''}
  {isAutumn ? 'bg-gradient-to-b from-orange-100 via-amber-50 to-yellow-50 dark:from-slate-900 dark:via-amber-950 dark:to-orange-950' : ''}
  {isSpring ? 'bg-gradient-to-b from-pink-50 via-sky-50 to-lime-50 dark:from-slate-900 dark:via-pink-950 dark:to-lime-950' : ''}
  {/* Summer default */} 'bg-gradient-to-b from-sky-100 via-sky-50 to-emerald-50 dark:from-slate-900 dark:via-slate-800 dark:to-emerald-950'
">

When to Use Seasons

• Roadmap pages — Show progress through seasonal metaphor
• Story/about pages — Create atmosphere and emotional connection
• Interactive demos — Let users toggle seasons (like /forest)
• Help articles — Consider seasonal decor to break up long content
• Anywhere you want magic — Use judgment based on page purpose

---

Randomized Forests

The forest should feel alive and different every visit.

Tree Generation Pattern

interface GeneratedTree {
	id: number;
	x: number; // percentage from left (5-93% to avoid edges)
	size: number; // base width in pixels
	aspectRatio: number; // height = size * aspectRatio (1.0-1.5 range)
	treeType: TreeType; // 'logo' | 'pine' | 'cherry' | 'aspen' | 'birch'
	opacity: number; // 0.5-0.9 for depth
	zIndex: number; // larger trees = higher z-index
}

// Aspect ratio creates natural height variation
const TREE_ASPECT_RATIO_RANGE = { min: 1.0, max: 1.5 };

function generateSectionTrees(count: number): GeneratedTree[] {
	const trees: GeneratedTree[] = [];
	const usedPositions: number[] = [];

	for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {
		// Find non-overlapping position
		let x: number;
		let attempts = 0;
		do {
			x = 5 + Math.random() * 88;
			attempts++;
		} while (usedPositions.some((pos) => Math.abs(pos - x) < 8) && attempts < 20);
		usedPositions.push(x);

		const size = 80 + Math.random() * 80;
		const aspectRatio = 1.0 + Math.random() * 0.5;
		const opacity = 0.5 + Math.random() * 0.4;
		const zIndex = size > 130 ? 3 : size > 100 ? 2 : 1;

		trees.push({
			id: i,
			x,
			size,
			aspectRatio,
			treeType: pickRandom(treeTypes),
			opacity,
			zIndex,
		});
	}

	return trees.sort((a, b) => a.x - b.x);
}

Regeneration Timing

• On mount — Trees generate once when page loads
• On resize (significant) — Only if viewport bracket changes dramatically
• Never on scroll — Keep forest stable during reading

Rendering Trees

{#each forestTrees as tree (tree.id)}
	<div
		class="absolute"
		style="
      left: {tree.x}%;
      bottom: 0;
      width: {tree.size}px;
      height: {tree.size * tree.aspectRatio}px;
      opacity: {tree.opacity};
      z-index: {tree.zIndex};
      transform: translateX(-50%);
    "
	>
		{#if tree.treeType === "logo"}
			<Logo class="w-full h-full" season={$season} animate />
		{:else if tree.treeType === "pine"}
			<TreePine class="w-full h-full" season={$season} animate />
		{:else if tree.treeType === "cherry"}
			<TreeCherry class="w-full h-full" season={$season} animate />
		{:else if tree.treeType === "aspen"}
			<TreeAspen class="w-full h-full" season={$season} animate />
		{:else if tree.treeType === "birch"}
			<TreeBirch class="w-full h-full" season={$season} animate />
		{/if}
	</div>
{/each}

Responsive Density

function calculateDensity(): number {
	const width = window.innerWidth;
	if (width < 768) return 1; // Mobile: base count
	if (width < 1024) return 1.3; // Tablet
	if (width < 1440) return 1.8; // Desktop
	if (width < 2560) return 2.5; // Large desktop
	return 3.5; // Ultrawide
}

---

Nature Components

Grove has an extensive library of decorative components. Explore with:

# Trees
ls landing/src/lib/components/trees/
ls landing/src/lib/components/nature/trees/

# Weather (seasonal particles)
ls landing/src/lib/components/nature/weather/

# Sky (clouds, stars, moon)
ls landing/src/lib/components/nature/sky/

# Botanical (leaves, petals, vines)
ls landing/src/lib/components/nature/botanical/

# Ground (flowers, grass, mushrooms)
ls landing/src/lib/components/nature/ground/

# Structural (lattice, lanterns, paths)
ls landing/src/lib/components/nature/structural/

# Birds (cardinals, robins, bluebirds)
ls landing/src/lib/components/nature/creatures/

Key Components

Component	Use	Example Props
Logo	Grove tree, seasonal	season, animate, breathing
TreePine	Evergreen, stays green in autumn	season, animate
TreeCherry	Blossoms in spring, bare in winter	season, animate
TreeAspen / TreeBirch	Deciduous, seasonal colors	season, animate
Cloud	Decorative sky element	variant, animate, speed, direction
SnowfallLayer	Winter particles	count, opacity, spawnDelay
FallingPetalsLayer	Spring cherry blossoms	count, opacity, fallDuration
FallingLeavesLayer	Autumn leaves (tied to trees)	trees, season
Cardinal / Chickadee	Winter birds	facing
Robin / Bluebird	Spring birds	facing
Vine	Decorative ivy/vines	varies
Lantern	Warm glow points	varies

Birds by Season

<!-- Winter birds -->
{#if isWinter}
	<Cardinal facing="right" style="..." />
	<Chickadee facing="left" style="..." />
{/if}

<!-- Spring birds -->
{#if isSpring}
	<Robin facing="right" style="..." />
	<Bluebird facing="left" style="..." />
{/if}

---

Midnight Bloom Palette

For dreamy, far-future, mystical content. The tea shop that exists at the edge of tomorrow.

import { midnightBloom } from "$lib/components/nature/palette";

// Available colors:
midnightBloom.deepPlum; // #581c87 - Night sky depth
midnightBloom.purple; // #7c3aed - Soft purple glow
midnightBloom.violet; // #8b5cf6 - Lighter accent
midnightBloom.amber; // #f59e0b - Lantern warmth
midnightBloom.warmCream; // #fef3c7 - Tea steam, page glow
midnightBloom.softGold; // #fcd34d - Fairy lights

Midnight Bloom Styling

<section class="bg-gradient-to-b from-orange-950/50 via-purple-950 to-slate-950">
	<!-- Stars -->
	<StarCluster count={12} class="absolute top-12 left-[10%]" />

	<!-- Moon -->
	<Moon phase="waning-crescent" class="absolute top-20 right-[15%] w-16 h-16 opacity-60" />

	<!-- Fireflies -->
	<Firefly count={8} class="absolute inset-0" />

	<!-- Content with purple glass -->
	<blockquote class="bg-purple-900/30 backdrop-blur-sm border border-purple-700/30 rounded-lg p-6">
		<p class="text-purple-200 italic">Dreamy quote here...</p>
	</blockquote>
</section>

---

Icons: Lucide Only

NEVER use emojis. ALWAYS use Lucide icons.

import {(MapPin, Check, Leaf, Trees, Mail)} from '@lucide/svelte';

<!-- Good -->
<MapPin class="w-4 h-4" />
<Check class="w-5 h-5 text-green-500" />

<!-- Bad - NEVER do this -->
<!-- ❌ 🌱 📧 ✅ -->

Standardized Icon Mapping

Use these icons consistently across the project:

Concept	Icon	Notes
Navigation
Home	Home
About	Info
Vision	Telescope	Looking forward
Roadmap	Map	Journey/direction
Pricing	HandCoins	Money/currency
Knowledge	BookOpen	Learning/docs
Forest	Trees	Community blogs
Blog	PenLine	Writing
Features
Email	Mail
Storage	HardDrive
Theming	Palette	Customization
Authentication	ShieldCheck	Security
Cloud	Cloud	Remote/serverless
Search	SearchCode	Code/advanced search
Archives	Archive	Backups
Upload	Upload
Video	Video
Comments	MessagesSquare	User discussions
GitHub	Github	External links to GitHub
States
Success	Check	Completed/valid
Error	X	Failed/close
Loading	Loader2	With animate-spin
Content
Posts	FileText	Blog posts
Tags	Tag	Categorization
Growth	Sprout	Grove brand, new beginnings
Heart	Heart	Love, care
External	ExternalLink	Opens new tab
Location	MapPin	Current position
Phases
Coming Soon	Seedling	Something growing
Refinement	Gem	Polish, quality
The Dream	Sparkles	Mystical (use sparingly!)
Night	Star	Midnight themes
Actions
Getting Started	Compass	Guidance
What's New	Megaphone	Announcements
Next Steps	Lightbulb	Ideas

Icon Mapping Tables in Files

Create a consistent icon map at the top of each component/page that uses icons:

// landing/src/lib/utils/icons.ts - Centralized icon registry
import {
	Mail,
	HardDrive,
	Palette,
	ShieldCheck,
	Cloud,
	SearchCode,
	Archive,
	Upload,
	MessagesSquare,
	Github,
	Check,
	X,
	Loader2,
	FileText,
	Tag,
	Sprout,
	Heart,
	ExternalLink,
	MapPin, // ... etc
} from "@lucide/svelte";

export const featureIcons = {
	mail: Mail,
	harddrive: HardDrive,
	palette: Palette,
	shieldcheck: ShieldCheck,
	cloud: Cloud,
	searchcode: SearchCode,
	// ... all mapped icons
} as const;

export const stateIcons = {
	success: Check,
	error: X,
	loading: Loader2,
} as const;

Then use in components:

<script lang="ts">
	import { featureIcons } from "$lib/utils/icons";
</script>

{#each features as feature}
	<svelte:component this={featureIcons[feature.icon]} class="w-5 h-5" />
{/each}

Benefits:

• Single source of truth for all icons
• Prevents undefined icon errors
• Easy to maintain and extend
• Reusable across entire project

Icon Usage Guidelines

1. Always use icon maps - Never hardcode icon imports in every component
2. Avoid overusing Sparkles - Reserve for truly mystical/magical contexts
3. Be consistent - Use the same icon for the same concept everywhere
4. Semantic meaning - Choose icons that convey meaning, not just decoration
5. Export from central utility - Use landing/src/lib/utils/icons.ts for all icon sets

Icon Sizing

<!-- Inline with text -->
<span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5">
	<Leaf class="w-4 h-4" /> Feature name
</span>

<!-- Button icon -->
<button class="p-2">
	<Menu class="w-5 h-5" />
</button>

<!-- Large decorative -->
<Gem class="w-8 h-8 text-amber-400" />

---

Icon Composition (Building Block Pattern)

Philosophy: "The grove doesn't need to be drawn. It just needs to be arranged."

For creating custom logos, illustrations, or decorative elements, compose existing Lucide icons rather than drawing custom SVG from scratch. This ensures visual consistency with the icon system.

Why This Pattern?

• Consistency — Icons match the Lucide aesthetic (24x24 grid, 2px strokes, round caps)
• Minimal custom code — Let Lucide do the heavy lifting
• Maintainable — Updating Lucide updates your compositions
• MIT licensed — All paths come from open-source icons

How to Extract Lucide Paths

Lucide icons use a 24×24 viewBox with 2px strokes. Extract paths directly from source:

# Find icon paths in Lucide source
curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lucide-icons/lucide/main/icons/tree-pine.svg
# Look for the <path d="..." /> elements

Key Lucide icon paths for Grove compositions:

// TreePine - conifer silhouette
const treePine = {
	canopy:
		"m17 14 3 3.3a1 1 0 0 1-.7 1.7H4.7a1 1 0 0 1-.7-1.7L7 14h-.3a1 1 0 0 1-.7-1.7L9 9h-.2A1 1 0 0 1 8 7.3L12 3l4 4.3a1 1 0 0 1-.8 1.7H15l3 3.3a1 1 0 0 1-.7 1.7H17Z",
	trunk: "M12 22v-3",
};

// TreeDeciduous - deciduous/round tree
const treeDeciduous = {
	canopy:
		"M8 19a4 4 0 0 1-2.24-7.32A3.5 3.5 0 0 1 9 6.03V6a3 3 0 1 1 6 0v.04a3.5 3.5 0 0 1 3.24 5.65A4 4 0 0 1 16 19Z",
	trunk: "M12 19v3",
};

// Moon - crescent moon
const moon =
	"M20.985 12.486a9 9 0 1 1-9.473-9.472c.405-.022.617.46.402.803a6 6 0 0 0 8.268 8.268c.344-.215.825-.004.803.401";

// Flame - campfire/hearth
const flame =
	"M12 3q1 4 4 6.5t3 5.5a1 1 0 0 1-14 0 5 5 0 0 1 1-3 1 1 0 0 0 5 0c0-2-1.5-3-1.5-5q0-2 2.5-4";

Composing with SVG Transforms

Use <g transform="..."> to position, scale, and rotate icons:

<svg viewBox="0 0 48 32" fill="none">
	<!-- Left tree (larger, foreground) -->
	<g
		transform="translate(2, 4) scale(0.85)"
		stroke={color}
		stroke-width="2"
		stroke-linecap="round"
		stroke-linejoin="round"
	>
		<path d={treePine.canopy} />
		<path d={treePine.trunk} />
	</g>

	<!-- Right tree (smaller, background, tilted) -->
	<g
		transform="translate(20, 8) scale(0.65) rotate(-5, 12, 12)"
		stroke={color}
		stroke-width="2"
		stroke-linecap="round"
		stroke-linejoin="round"
		opacity="0.7"
	>
		<path d={treePine.canopy} />
		<path d={treePine.trunk} />
	</g>

	<!-- Add simple custom elements sparingly -->
	<circle cx="30" cy="10" r="1.5" fill={glowColor} opacity="0.8" />
	<!-- firefly -->
	<path d="M2 28h44" stroke={color} stroke-width="1.5" opacity="0.3" />
	<!-- ground -->
</svg>

Transform Cheatsheet

Transform	Effect	Example
translate(x, y)	Move origin	translate(20, 8) moves icon right 20, down 8
scale(s)	Uniform size	scale(0.65) makes icon 65% size
rotate(deg, cx, cy)	Rotation around point	rotate(-5, 12, 12) tilts 5° around center
Combined	Chain transforms	translate(20, 8) scale(0.65) rotate(-5, 12, 12)

Example: Grove Logo Compositions

See /landing/src/lib/components/logo-concepts/ for real implementations:

Logo	Composition
LogoFireflyForest	TreePine + TreeDeciduous + glowing circles
LogoGatheringHearth	Two trees angled toward center Flame
LogoStarlightPines	Two TreePines + Moon + star circles
LogoShelter	Two TreePines forming archway + Moon
LogoWinterGrove	TreePines + snow line accents

Guidelines

1. Use Lucide paths as primary structure — Trees, moon, flame, etc.
2. Custom SVG only for simple primitives — circles (fireflies), lines (ground, snow)
3. Maintain Lucide styling — 2px strokes, round caps/joins, consistent opacity
4. Create depth with opacity/scale — Larger = foreground (opacity 0.9), smaller = background (0.5-0.7)
5. Keep viewBox aspect ratios reasonable — 40×32 or 48×32 for horizontal compositions

When to Use

• Logos & branding — Compose icons into unique marks
• Illustrations — Scene building (forest, sky, etc.)
• Custom icons — When Lucide doesn't have exactly what you need
• Seasonal variations — Same composition, different elements (snow, blossoms)

---

Mobile Considerations

Overflow Menu Pattern

Desktop navigation items that don't fit should go to a mobile sheet menu:

<!-- Mobile menu button (visible md:hidden) -->
<button onclick={() => (mobileMenuOpen = true)} class="md:hidden p-2">
	<Menu class="w-5 h-5" />
</button>

<!-- Sheet menu -->
<MobileMenu bind:open={mobileMenuOpen} onClose={() => (mobileMenuOpen = false)} />

Decorative Elements on Mobile

Element	Mobile Treatment
Trees	Reduce count, simplify (density multiplier = 1)
Particles	Reduce count (40→20 snowflakes)
Clouds	Hide some, keep 2-3
Complex animations	Reduce or disable
Touch targets	Minimum 44x44px

Performance Guidelines

<!-- Reduce particle counts on mobile -->
<SnowfallLayer count={isLargeScreen ? 100 : 40} ... />

<!-- Skip complex effects for reduced-motion -->
{#if !prefersReducedMotion}
	<FallingLeavesLayer ... />
{/if}

---

When to Use

Pattern	Good For
Glassmorphism	Text over backgrounds, navbars, cards, modals
Randomized forests	Story pages, about pages, visual sections
Seasonal themes	Roadmaps, timelines, emotional storytelling
Midnight Bloom	Future features, dreams, mystical content
Weather particles	Hero sections, transitions between seasons
Birds	Adding life to forest scenes, seasonal indicators

When NOT to Use

Pattern	Avoid When
Heavy decoration	Data-dense pages, admin interfaces, forms
Particle effects	Performance-critical pages, accessibility concerns
Seasonal colors	Brand-critical contexts needing consistent colors
Multiple glass layers	Can cause blur performance issues
Randomization	Content that needs to match between sessions
Complex forests	Mobile-first pages, simple informational content

---

Reference Pages

Study these for implementation patterns:

• /forest — Full randomized forest with all seasons
• /roadmap — Seasonal sections, progressive decoration, midnight bloom
• /vision — Narrative page with glass callouts

---

OG Images (Social Previews)

Grove uses dynamic OG images for social media previews (Discord, Twitter, iMessage, etc.).

Architecture

OG images are generated by a separate Cloudflare Worker at og.grove.place due to WASM bundling limitations with SvelteKit + Cloudflare Pages.

grove.place/api/og?title=X
       ↓ 302 redirect
og.grove.place/?title=X
       ↓ workers-og
PNG image (1200×630)

API

GET https://og.grove.place/?title=X&subtitle=Y&accent=HEX

Param	Default	Description
title	"Grove"	Main title (max 100 chars)
subtitle	"A place to Be."	Subtitle (max 200 chars)
accent	"16a34a"	Hex color without # (forest green)

Adding OG to New Pages

Use the SEO component which handles OG meta tags:

<script>
	import SEO from "$lib/components/SEO.svelte";
</script>

<SEO
	title="Page Title"
	description="Page description for search engines"
	ogImage="/api/og?title=Page%20Title&subtitle=Custom%20subtitle"
/>

Files

• services/og-worker/ — Standalone Worker (uses workers-og)
• landing/src/routes/api/og/+server.ts — Proxy to og.grove.place
• landing/src/lib/components/SEO.svelte — Meta tag management

---

Integration with Other Skills

When writing text for Grove UI (tooltips, buttons, onboarding, error messages), invoke the grove-documentation skill first. The voice should match the visuals.

Typical flow:

1. Design the UI component/page
2. Activate grove-documentation for any user-facing text
3. Write content following Grove voice principles
4. Return to visual implementation

---

Component Auditing with Showroom

Before verifying full pages, audit individual components. Showroom renders a single .svelte component in isolation, runs design compliance checks (color tokens, spacing grid, typography, focus styles, heading hierarchy), and diffs against visual baselines. It catches issues that full-page Glimpse captures miss.

# Audit a component in isolation
uv run --project tools/glimpse glimpse showroom \
  libs/engine/src/lib/ui/components/primitives/button/button.svelte

# Scaffold a fixture for a new component (generates .showroom.ts with scenarios)
uv run --project tools/glimpse glimpse showroom \
  libs/engine/src/lib/ui/components/ui/MyComponent.svelte --scaffold

# Audit with specific scenario and theme
uv run --project tools/glimpse glimpse showroom \
  libs/engine/src/lib/ui/components/ui/MyComponent.svelte \
  --scenario error --theme dark

# Update visual baselines after intentional design changes
uv run --project tools/glimpse glimpse showroom \
  libs/engine/src/lib/ui/components/ui/MyComponent.svelte --update-baselines

The component gate: Every component you build or modify must pass glimpse showroom before you move to page-level Glimpse verification. Fix all compliance violations first.

---

Visual Verification with Glimpse

Before shipping any Grove page, look at it. CI passing is not the same as looking correct. Use Glimpse to capture the rendered page and review it yourself:

# Capture the page with Grove theme injection
uv run --project tools/glimpse glimpse capture http://localhost:5173/[page] \
  --season autumn --theme dark --logs

# Verify all season × theme combos
uv run --project tools/glimpse glimpse matrix http://localhost:5173/[page]

# Interactive browse — click around, verify navigation and flows
uv run --project tools/glimpse glimpse browse http://localhost:5173/[page] \
  --do "click links, scroll down, interact with elements" --screenshot-each --logs

The iterate loop: Capture → review → fix → capture again. Repeat until the page matches the Grove aesthetic. Don't ship what you haven't seen.

---

Quick Checklist

Before shipping a Grove page:

• Showroom: Every built/modified component passes glimpse showroom with no compliance violations
• Glimpse: Page captured and visually reviewed
• Glimpse: All target seasons render correctly (use matrix)
• Glimpse: No console errors in --logs output
• Glass effects used for text readability over busy backgrounds?
• Lucide icons, no emojis?
• Mobile overflow menu for navigation items?
• Decorative elements respect prefers-reduced-motion?
• Touch targets at least 44x44px?
• Seasonal colors match the page's emotional tone?
• Trees randomized with proper spacing (8% minimum gap)?
• Dark mode supported with appropriate glass variants?
• User-facing text follows Grove voice (see grove-documentation)?
• Grove terminology uses GroveTerm components (not hardcoded)?
• Data-driven content uses [[term]] syntax with GroveText?