18 files changed, 564 insertions, 36 deletions

diff --git a/src/features/chat/index.ts b/src/features/chat/index.ts
index ae3e1f8..18ed693 100644
--- a/src/features/chat/index.ts
+++ b/src/features/chat/index.ts
@@ -7,3 +7,9 @@ export { createChatStore } from "./store.svelte";
 export { default as ChatView } from "./ui/ChatView.svelte";
 export { default as Composer } from "./ui/Composer.svelte";
 export { default as ModelSelector } from "./ui/ModelSelector.svelte";
+
+/** Public module manifest — aggregated by the shell's "Loaded Modules" view. */
+export const manifest = {
+	name: "chat",
+	description: "Conversation turns, composer, model selector, and metrics",
+} as const;
diff --git a/src/features/conversation-cache/index.ts b/src/features/conversation-cache/index.ts
index ba3f69a..32e32d9 100644
--- a/src/features/conversation-cache/index.ts
+++ b/src/features/conversation-cache/index.ts
@@ -6,3 +6,9 @@ export type {
 	ConversationChunkStore,
 	ReconcileResult,
 } from "./types";
+
+/** Public module manifest — aggregated by the shell's "Loaded Modules" view. */
+export const manifest = {
+	name: "conversation-cache",
+	description: "IndexedDB-backed chunk cache with reconciliation",
+} as const;
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/index.ts b/src/features/surface-host/index.ts
index afa3127..8f289f1 100644
--- a/src/features/surface-host/index.ts
+++ b/src/features/surface-host/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
 export { buildInvoke, planSurface } from "./logic/plan";
 export type { FieldView, SurfaceRenderPlan } from "./logic/types";
 export { default as SurfaceView } from "./ui/SurfaceView.svelte";
+
+/** Public module manifest — aggregated by the shell's "Loaded Modules" view. */
+export const manifest = {
+	name: "surface-host",
+	description: "Generic renderer for backend-declared surfaces",
+} as const;
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/logic/plan.test.ts b/src/features/surface-host/logic/plan.test.ts
index 50d6f11..a5727b4 100644
--- a/src/features/surface-host/logic/plan.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/surface-host/logic/plan.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { SurfaceField, SurfaceSpec } from "@dispatch/ui-contract";
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import { buildInvoke, planSurface } from "./plan";
+import { buildInvoke, groupRenderFields, planSurface } from "./plan";
+import type { FieldView } from "./types";
 
 const makeSpec = (...fields: SurfaceField[]): SurfaceSpec => ({
 	id: "test-surface",
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ describe("planSurface", () => {
 				{ kind: "button", label: "D", action: { actionId: "d" } },
 			),
 		);
-		expect(plan.fields.map((f) => f.label)).toEqual(["A", "B", "C", "D"]);
+		expect(plan.fields.map((f) => ("label" in f ? f.label : null))).toEqual(["A", "B", "C", "D"]);
 	});
 
 	it("drops unknown field kinds gracefully", () => {
@@ -86,10 +87,11 @@ describe("planSurface", () => {
 			} as SurfaceField),
 		);
 		expect(plan.fields).toHaveLength(1);
-		expect(plan.fields[0]?.label).toBe("Known");
+		const first = plan.fields[0];
+		expect(first && "label" in first ? first.label : null).toBe("Known");
 	});
 
-	it("drops custom fields (no renderer registered)", () => {
+	it("carries custom fields through verbatim, preserving order", () => {
 		const plan = planSurface(
 			makeSpec(
 				{ kind: "stat", label: "Before", value: "1" },
@@ -97,8 +99,12 @@ describe("planSurface", () => {
 				{ kind: "stat", label: "After", value: "2" },
 			),
 		);
-		expect(plan.fields).toHaveLength(2);
-		expect(plan.fields.map((f) => f.label)).toEqual(["Before", "After"]);
+		expect(plan.fields).toHaveLength(3);
+		expect(plan.fields[1]).toEqual({
+			kind: "custom",
+			rendererId: "chart",
+			payload: { data: [1, 2, 3] },
+		});
 	});
 
 	it("returns empty fields for an empty spec", () => {
@@ -106,14 +112,56 @@ describe("planSurface", () => {
 		expect(plan.fields).toEqual([]);
 	});
 
-	it("drops all fields when all are custom", () => {
+	it("keeps every custom field (render-time decides whether to show each)", () => {
 		const plan = planSurface(
 			makeSpec(
 				{ kind: "custom", rendererId: "x", payload: null },
 				{ kind: "custom", rendererId: "y", payload: 42 },
 			),
 		);
-		expect(plan.fields).toEqual([]);
+		expect(plan.fields.map((f) => f.kind)).toEqual(["custom", "custom"]);
+	});
+});
+
+describe("groupRenderFields", () => {
+	const stat = (label: string, value: string): FieldView => ({ kind: "stat", label, value });
+	const toggle = (label: string): FieldView => ({
+		kind: "toggle",
+		label,
+		value: false,
+		action: { actionId: label },
+	});
+
+	it("coalesces consecutive stats into a single stats group", () => {
+		const groups = groupRenderFields([stat("a", "1"), stat("b", "2"), stat("c", "3")]);
+		expect(groups).toHaveLength(1);
+		expect(groups[0]).toEqual({
+			type: "stats",
+			stats: [
+				{ kind: "stat", label: "a", value: "1" },
+				{ kind: "stat", label: "b", value: "2" },
+				{ kind: "stat", label: "c", value: "3" },
+			],
+		});
+	});
+
+	it("keeps non-stat fields as standalone groups and preserves order", () => {
+		const groups = groupRenderFields([stat("a", "1"), toggle("t"), stat("b", "2")]);
+		expect(groups.map((g) => g.type)).toEqual(["stats", "field", "stats"]);
+		const first = groups[0];
+		const last = groups[2];
+		if (first?.type !== "stats" || last?.type !== "stats") throw new Error("bad grouping");
+		expect(first.stats.map((s) => s.label)).toEqual(["a"]);
+		expect(last.stats.map((s) => s.label)).toEqual(["b"]);
+	});
+
+	it("starts a new stats run after an interrupting field", () => {
+		const groups = groupRenderFields([stat("a", "1"), stat("b", "2"), toggle("t"), stat("c", "3")]);
+		expect(groups.map((g) => g.type)).toEqual(["stats", "field", "stats"]);
+	});
+
+	it("returns no groups for an empty field list", () => {
+		expect(groupRenderFields([])).toEqual([]);
 	});
 });
 
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/logic/plan.ts b/src/features/surface-host/logic/plan.ts
index 5b4530b..769f9f9 100644
--- a/src/features/surface-host/logic/plan.ts
+++ b/src/features/surface-host/logic/plan.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 import type { InvokeMessage, SurfaceSpec } from "@dispatch/ui-contract";
-import type { FieldView, SurfaceRenderPlan } from "./types";
+import type { FieldView, RenderGroup, StatFieldView, SurfaceRenderPlan } from "./types";
 
-const KNOWN_KINDS = new Set(["toggle", "progress", "selector", "stat", "button"]);
+const KNOWN_KINDS = new Set(["toggle", "progress", "selector", "stat", "button", "custom"]);
 
 /**
  * Validate and normalise a SurfaceSpec into a renderable plan.
- * Keeps known field kinds in order; drops unknown kinds and `custom` fields
- * (no renderer registry yet — graceful skip, never throw).
+ * Keeps known field kinds in order (including `custom`, carried through verbatim
+ * for the renderer to dispatch on `rendererId`); drops unknown kinds — graceful
+ * skip, never throw. Whether a `custom` field actually renders is a RENDER-time
+ * decision (unknown `rendererId` → skipped there), not a planning one.
  */
 export function planSurface(spec: SurfaceSpec): SurfaceRenderPlan {
 	const fields: FieldView[] = [];
@@ -51,12 +53,45 @@ export function planSurface(spec: SurfaceSpec): SurfaceRenderPlan {
 					action: field.action,
 				});
 				break;
+			case "custom":
+				fields.push({
+					kind: "custom",
+					rendererId: field.rendererId,
+					payload: field.payload,
+				});
+				break;
 		}
 	}
 	return { fields };
 }
 
 /**
+ * Coalesce a field list into render groups: maximal runs of consecutive `stat`
+ * fields become one `stats` group (rendered as a single aligned table), every
+ * other field stays a standalone `field` group. Order is preserved. Pure.
+ */
+export function groupRenderFields(fields: readonly FieldView[]): RenderGroup[] {
+	const groups: RenderGroup[] = [];
+	let run: StatFieldView[] = [];
+	const flush = (): void => {
+		if (run.length > 0) {
+			groups.push({ type: "stats", stats: run });
+			run = [];
+		}
+	};
+	for (const field of fields) {
+		if (field.kind === "stat") {
+			run.push(field);
+		} else {
+			flush();
+			groups.push({ type: "field", field });
+		}
+	}
+	flush();
+	return groups;
+}
+
+/**
  * Construct a typed `invoke` client message for an actionable field.
  * For toggle the payload is the new boolean; for selector the chosen value;
  * for button the payload is omitted.
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/logic/table.test.ts b/src/features/surface-host/logic/table.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e55b3f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/surface-host/logic/table.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { parseTablePayload } from "./table";
+
+describe("parseTablePayload", () => {
+	it("parses a well-formed table payload", () => {
+		const data = parseTablePayload({
+			columns: ["Name", "Version"],
+			rows: [
+				["alpha", "1.0"],
+				["beta", "2.3"],
+			],
+		});
+		expect(data).toEqual({
+			columns: ["Name", "Version"],
+			rows: [
+				["alpha", "1.0"],
+				["beta", "2.3"],
+			],
+		});
+	});
+
+	it("coerces numeric and boolean cells to strings", () => {
+		const data = parseTablePayload({
+			columns: ["k", "n", "b"],
+			rows: [["x", 42, true]],
+		});
+		expect(data?.rows[0]).toEqual(["x", "42", "true"]);
+	});
+
+	it("accepts an empty rows array", () => {
+		expect(parseTablePayload({ columns: ["A"], rows: [] })).toEqual({ columns: ["A"], rows: [] });
+	});
+
+	it.each([
+		["null", null],
+		["a number", 7],
+		["a string", "nope"],
+		["missing columns", { rows: [] }],
+		["missing rows", { columns: ["A"] }],
+		["non-string column", { columns: [1], rows: [] }],
+		["row that is not an array", { columns: ["A"], rows: ["x"] }],
+		["cell of unsupported type", { columns: ["A"], rows: [[{ nested: true }]] }],
+		["non-finite numeric cell", { columns: ["A"], rows: [[Number.NaN]] }],
+	])("returns null for invalid payload: %s", (_label, payload) => {
+		expect(parseTablePayload(payload)).toBeNull();
+	});
+});
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/logic/table.ts b/src/features/surface-host/logic/table.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..027553c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/surface-host/logic/table.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/**
+ * Pure parser for the `rendererId: "table"` custom-field payload.
+ *
+ * This is the FRONTEND-side renderer contract for tabular custom fields: a
+ * backend that wants a table emits a `custom` field with `rendererId: "table"`
+ * and a payload of `{ columns: string[]; rows: (string|number)[][] }`. Cells are
+ * coerced to strings. Anything that does not match the shape returns `null`, so
+ * the renderer gracefully skips it (never throws on hostile/partial data).
+ */
+
+export interface TableData {
+	readonly columns: readonly string[];
+	readonly rows: readonly (readonly string[])[];
+}
+
+function isStringArray(v: unknown): v is unknown[] {
+	return Array.isArray(v);
+}
+
+function coerceCell(v: unknown): string | null {
+	if (typeof v === "string") return v;
+	if (typeof v === "number" && Number.isFinite(v)) return String(v);
+	if (typeof v === "boolean") return String(v);
+	return null;
+}
+
+export function parseTablePayload(payload: unknown): TableData | null {
+	if (typeof payload !== "object" || payload === null) return null;
+	const obj = payload as Record<string, unknown>;
+
+	const rawColumns = obj.columns;
+	const rawRows = obj.rows;
+	if (!isStringArray(rawColumns) || !isStringArray(rawRows)) return null;
+
+	const columns: string[] = [];
+	for (const col of rawColumns) {
+		if (typeof col !== "string") return null;
+		columns.push(col);
+	}
+
+	const rows: string[][] = [];
+	for (const row of rawRows) {
+		if (!Array.isArray(row)) return null;
+		const cells: string[] = [];
+		for (const cell of row) {
+			const c = coerceCell(cell);
+			if (c === null) return null;
+			cells.push(c);
+		}
+		rows.push(cells);
+	}
+
+	return { columns, rows };
+}
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/logic/types.ts b/src/features/surface-host/logic/types.ts
index f24438a..d1888a2 100644
--- a/src/features/surface-host/logic/types.ts
+++ b/src/features/surface-host/logic/types.ts
@@ -38,15 +38,36 @@ export interface ButtonFieldView {
 	readonly action: ActionRef;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Normalised view-model for a custom (escape-hatch) field. The plan carries it
+ * through verbatim; the renderer dispatches on `rendererId` (a renderer KIND,
+ * never a surface id) and gracefully skips ids it has no renderer for.
+ */
+export interface CustomFieldView {
+	readonly kind: "custom";
+	readonly rendererId: string;
+	readonly payload: unknown;
+}
+
 /** A normalised field view-model — one entry per renderable field kind. */
 export type FieldView =
 	| ToggleFieldView
 	| ProgressFieldView
 	| SelectorFieldView
 	| StatFieldView
-	| ButtonFieldView;
+	| ButtonFieldView
+	| CustomFieldView;
 
 /** The output of `planSurface`: the ordered list of renderable fields. */
 export interface SurfaceRenderPlan {
 	readonly fields: readonly FieldView[];
 }
+
+/**
+ * A render group: a maximal run of consecutive `stat` fields (rendered together
+ * as one aligned label/value table), or a single non-stat field. Grouping is a
+ * GENERIC presentation rule keyed on field kind — it never inspects a surface id.
+ */
+export type RenderGroup =
+	| { readonly type: "stats"; readonly stats: readonly StatFieldView[] }
+	| { readonly type: "field"; readonly field: Exclude<FieldView, StatFieldView> };
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/ui/Stat.svelte b/src/features/surface-host/ui/Stat.svelte
deleted file mode 100644
index e184dab..0000000
--- a/src/features/surface-host/ui/Stat.svelte
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-<script lang="ts">
-	import type { StatFieldView } from "../logic/types";
-
-	let { field }: { field: StatFieldView } = $props();
-</script>
-
-<dl>
-	<dt>{field.label}</dt>
-	<dd>{field.value}</dd>
-</dl>
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/ui/StatTable.svelte b/src/features/surface-host/ui/StatTable.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..415423f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/surface-host/ui/StatTable.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+	import type { StatFieldView } from "../logic/types";
+
+	// Renders a run of stat fields as one aligned label/value table. Headerless:
+	// the column semantics aren't known generically, but the two-column layout
+	// gives the tidy, aligned readout the stats deserve (e.g. extension → version).
+	let { stats }: { readonly stats: readonly StatFieldView[] } = $props();
+</script>
+
+<div class="overflow-x-auto">
+	<table class="table table-sm">
+		<tbody>
+			{#each stats as stat, i (i)}
+				<tr>
+					<th class="font-medium">{stat.label}</th>
+					<td class="text-right tabular-nums">{stat.value}</td>
+				</tr>
+			{/each}
+		</tbody>
+	</table>
+</div>
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/ui/SurfaceTable.svelte b/src/features/surface-host/ui/SurfaceTable.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..764cc36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/surface-host/ui/SurfaceTable.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+	import Table from "../../../components/Table.svelte";
+	import { parseTablePayload } from "../logic/table";
+
+	let { payload }: { readonly payload: unknown } = $props();
+
+	// Parse defensively; an unparseable payload yields null → render nothing
+	// (graceful skip, per the custom-field contract).
+	const data = $derived(parseTablePayload(payload));
+</script>
+
+{#if data !== null}
+	<Table columns={data.columns} rows={data.rows} />
+{/if}
diff --git a/src/features/surface-host/ui/SurfaceView.svelte b/src/features/surface-host/ui/SurfaceView.svelte
index 4207913..5210e8c 100644
--- a/src/features/surface-host/ui/SurfaceView.svelte
+++ b/src/features/surface-host/ui/SurfaceView.svelte
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 	import type { InvokeMessage, SurfaceSpec } from "@dispatch/ui-contract";
-	import { planSurface } from "../logic/plan";
+	import { groupRenderFields, planSurface } from "../logic/plan";
 	import Button from "./Button.svelte";
 	import Progress from "./Progress.svelte";
 	import Selector from "./Selector.svelte";
-	import Stat from "./Stat.svelte";
+	import StatTable from "./StatTable.svelte";
+	import SurfaceTable from "./SurfaceTable.svelte";
 	import Toggle from "./Toggle.svelte";
 
 	let {
@@ -13,21 +14,30 @@
 	}: { spec: SurfaceSpec; onInvoke: (msg: InvokeMessage) => void } = $props();
 
 	const plan = $derived(planSurface(spec));
+	// Consecutive stats render together as one aligned table; everything else is
+	// a standalone widget. Grouping keys on field KIND only — never the surface id.
+	const groups = $derived(groupRenderFields(plan.fields));
 </script>
 
 <article>
 	<h2>{spec.title}</h2>
-	{#each plan.fields as field (field)}
-		{#if field.kind === "toggle"}
-			<Toggle {field} surfaceId={spec.id} {onInvoke} />
-		{:else if field.kind === "progress"}
-			<Progress {field} />
-		{:else if field.kind === "selector"}
-			<Selector {field} surfaceId={spec.id} {onInvoke} />
-		{:else if field.kind === "stat"}
-			<Stat {field} />
-		{:else if field.kind === "button"}
-			<Button {field} surfaceId={spec.id} {onInvoke} />
+	{#each groups as group, i (i)}
+		{#if group.type === "stats"}
+			<StatTable stats={group.stats} />
+		{:else if group.field.kind === "toggle"}
+			<Toggle field={group.field} surfaceId={spec.id} {onInvoke} />
+		{:else if group.field.kind === "progress"}
+			<Progress field={group.field} />
+		{:else if group.field.kind === "selector"}
+			<Selector field={group.field} surfaceId={spec.id} {onInvoke} />
+		{:else if group.field.kind === "button"}
+			<Button field={group.field} surfaceId={spec.id} {onInvoke} />
+		{:else if group.field.kind === "custom"}
+			<!-- Dispatch on rendererId (a renderer KIND, never a surface id);
+			     unknown ids gracefully render nothing. -->
+			{#if group.field.rendererId === "table"}
+				<SurfaceTable payload={group.field.payload} />
+			{/if}
 		{/if}
 	{/each}
 </article>
diff --git a/src/features/tabs/index.ts b/src/features/tabs/index.ts
index 50de62a..699c845 100644
--- a/src/features/tabs/index.ts
+++ b/src/features/tabs/index.ts
@@ -15,3 +15,9 @@ export {
 export type { TabsStorage, TabsStore } from "./tabs-store.svelte";
 export { createTabsStore } from "./tabs-store.svelte";
 export { default as TabBar } from "./ui/TabBar.svelte";
+
+/** Public module manifest — aggregated by the shell's "Loaded Modules" view. */
+export const manifest = {
+	name: "tabs",
+	description: "Conversation tabs with title derivation and persistence",
+} as const;
diff --git a/src/features/views/index.ts b/src/features/views/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4e7f25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/views/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+export {
+	addPanel,
+	initialPanels,
+	type PanelsState,
+	removePanel,
+	selectKind,
+	type ViewPanel,
+} from "./logic/panels";
+export { default as ViewSidebar } from "./ui/ViewSidebar.svelte";
+
+/** Public module manifest — aggregated by the shell's "Loaded Modules" view. */
+export const manifest = {
+	name: "views",
+	description: "Sidebar view panels (dropdown picker + add / remove)",
+} as const;
diff --git a/src/features/views/logic/panels.test.ts b/src/features/views/logic/panels.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..edd7d9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/views/logic/panels.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { addPanel, initialPanels, removePanel, selectKind } from "./panels";
+
+describe("view panels reducer", () => {
+	it("seeds one empty panel by default", () => {
+		const s = initialPanels();
+		expect(s.panels).toHaveLength(1);
+		expect(s.panels[0]?.kind).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it("seeds a panel per provided kind, in order, with unique ids", () => {
+		const s = initialPanels(["surfaces", null]);
+		expect(s.panels.map((p) => p.kind)).toEqual(["surfaces", null]);
+		expect(new Set(s.panels.map((p) => p.id)).size).toBe(2);
+	});
+
+	it("addPanel appends an empty panel with a fresh id", () => {
+		const seed = initialPanels(["surfaces"]);
+		const s = addPanel(seed);
+		expect(s.panels).toHaveLength(2);
+		expect(s.panels[1]?.kind).toBeNull();
+		expect(s.panels[1]?.id).not.toBe(s.panels[0]?.id);
+	});
+
+	it("addPanel can seed a kind", () => {
+		const s = addPanel(initialPanels([null]), "surfaces");
+		expect(s.panels[1]?.kind).toBe("surfaces");
+	});
+
+	it("removePanel drops the matching id only", () => {
+		const seed = initialPanels(["surfaces", null]);
+		const firstId = seed.panels[0]?.id ?? -1;
+		const s = removePanel(seed, firstId);
+		expect(s.panels).toHaveLength(1);
+		expect(s.panels[0]?.kind).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it("selectKind updates only the targeted panel", () => {
+		const seed = initialPanels([null, null]);
+		const targetId = seed.panels[1]?.id ?? -1;
+		const s = selectKind(seed, targetId, "surfaces");
+		expect(s.panels[0]?.kind).toBeNull();
+		expect(s.panels[1]?.kind).toBe("surfaces");
+	});
+
+	it("is pure — never mutates the input state", () => {
+		const seed = initialPanels(["surfaces"]);
+		const snapshot = JSON.stringify(seed);
+		const id = seed.panels[0]?.id ?? -1;
+		addPanel(seed);
+		removePanel(seed, id);
+		selectKind(seed, id, null);
+		expect(JSON.stringify(seed)).toBe(snapshot);
+	});
+});
diff --git a/src/features/views/logic/panels.ts b/src/features/views/logic/panels.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38c28fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/views/logic/panels.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/**
+ * Pure reducer for the view sidebar's panel stack.
+ *
+ * A "view" is the RESERVED Dispatch sidebar affordance (see GLOSSARY): the user
+ * stacks panels, each showing one view KIND chosen from a dropdown, and adds
+ * more with a `+` button. This module is the pure model — zero DOM, zero Svelte.
+ * The component (`ViewSidebar.svelte`) is a thin runes wrapper over it.
+ *
+ * `id` is a per-session stable key for `{#each}` only; it is never persisted.
+ */
+
+export interface ViewPanel {
+	readonly id: number;
+	/** Selected view-kind id, or `null` while the panel still reads "Select a view". */
+	readonly kind: string | null;
+}
+
+export interface PanelsState {
+	readonly panels: readonly ViewPanel[];
+	readonly nextId: number;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Seed state. Each entry becomes one panel in order; pass `["surfaces"]` to open
+ * a single preset panel, or `[null]` for one empty "Select a view" panel.
+ */
+export function initialPanels(kinds: readonly (string | null)[] = [null]): PanelsState {
+	let nextId = 0;
+	const panels = kinds.map((kind) => ({ id: nextId++, kind }));
+	return { panels, nextId };
+}
+
+export function addPanel(state: PanelsState, kind: string | null = null): PanelsState {
+	return {
+		panels: [...state.panels, { id: state.nextId, kind }],
+		nextId: state.nextId + 1,
+	};
+}
+
+export function removePanel(state: PanelsState, id: number): PanelsState {
+	return { ...state, panels: state.panels.filter((p) => p.id !== id) };
+}
+
+export function selectKind(state: PanelsState, id: number, kind: string | null): PanelsState {
+	return {
+		...state,
+		panels: state.panels.map((p) => (p.id === id ? { ...p, kind } : p)),
+	};
+}
diff --git a/src/features/views/ui/ViewSidebar.svelte b/src/features/views/ui/ViewSidebar.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4b466f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/views/ui/ViewSidebar.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+	import { type Snippet, untrack } from "svelte";
+	import {
+		addPanel,
+		initialPanels,
+		type PanelsState,
+		removePanel,
+		selectKind,
+	} from "../logic/panels";
+
+	interface ViewKind {
+		readonly id: string;
+		readonly label: string;
+	}
+
+	let {
+		kinds,
+		content,
+		initial,
+	}: {
+		/** The view kinds offered in every panel's dropdown. */
+		kinds: readonly ViewKind[];
+		/** Renders a panel body for the given (non-null) view-kind id. */
+		content: Snippet<[string]>;
+		/** Optional seed of panel kinds; defaults to one panel of the first kind. */
+		initial?: readonly (string | null)[];
+	} = $props();
+
+	// Local UI composition state, owned by this unit and folded through the pure
+	// reducer — never reached from elsewhere (no ambient store). Seeded ONCE from
+	// the props (untrack makes that one-time read explicit, not reactive).
+	let state = $state<PanelsState>(
+		untrack(() => initialPanels(initial ?? [kinds[0]?.id ?? null])),
+	);
+</script>
+
+<div class="flex min-h-0 flex-col gap-2">
+	{#each state.panels as panel, idx (panel.id)}
+		<div class="flex flex-col rounded-lg bg-base-200 p-3">
+			<div class="flex items-center gap-1">
+				<select
+					class="select select-bordered select-sm flex-1"
+					aria-label="Select a view"
+					value={panel.kind ?? ""}
+					onchange={(e) => {
+						const v = e.currentTarget.value;
+						state = selectKind(state, panel.id, v === "" ? null : v);
+					}}
+				>
+					<option value="" disabled>Select a view</option>
+					{#each kinds as kind (kind.id)}
+						<option value={kind.id}>{kind.label}</option>
+					{/each}
+				</select>
+				{#if idx > 0}
+					<button
+						type="button"
+						class="btn btn-square btn-ghost btn-sm shrink-0"
+						aria-label="Remove view"
+						onclick={() => {
+							state = removePanel(state, panel.id);
+						}}
+					>
+						✕
+					</button>
+				{/if}
+			</div>
+
+			{#if panel.kind !== null}
+				<div class="mt-2">
+					{@render content(panel.kind)}
+				</div>
+			{/if}
+		</div>
+	{/each}
+
+	<button
+		type="button"
+		class="btn w-full border-none bg-base-200 text-lg hover:bg-base-300"
+		aria-label="Add view"
+		onclick={() => {
+			state = addPanel(state);
+		}}
+	>
+		+
+	</button>
+</div>
diff --git a/src/features/views/ui/ViewSidebar.test.ts b/src/features/views/ui/ViewSidebar.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a0049c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/views/ui/ViewSidebar.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { render, screen } from "@testing-library/svelte";
+import userEvent from "@testing-library/user-event";
+import { createRawSnippet } from "svelte";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import ViewSidebar from "./ViewSidebar.svelte";
+
+const kinds = [
+	{ id: "surfaces", label: "Surfaces" },
+	{ id: "tasks", label: "Tasks" },
+];
+
+// A raw snippet that echoes the kind it was rendered for, so tests can assert
+// which view-kind content each panel shows.
+const content = createRawSnippet<[string]>((kind) => ({
+	render: () => `<div data-testid="view-content">kind:${kind()}</div>`,
+}));
+
+describe("ViewSidebar", () => {
+	it("opens one panel seeded with the first kind and renders its content", () => {
+		render(ViewSidebar, { props: { kinds, content } });
+		expect(screen.getAllByRole("combobox")).toHaveLength(1);
+		expect(screen.getByTestId("view-content")).toHaveTextContent("kind:surfaces");
+	});
+
+	it("the first panel has no remove button", () => {
+		render(ViewSidebar, { props: { kinds, content } });
+		expect(screen.queryByRole("button", { name: "Remove view" })).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it("the add button appends a new empty panel", async () => {
+		const user = userEvent.setup();
+		render(ViewSidebar, { props: { kinds, content } });
+		await user.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Add view" }));
+		expect(screen.getAllByRole("combobox")).toHaveLength(2);
+		// the new panel is empty → only the first panel renders content
+		expect(screen.getAllByTestId("view-content")).toHaveLength(1);
+	});
+
+	it("non-first panels can be removed", async () => {
+		const user = userEvent.setup();
+		render(ViewSidebar, { props: { kinds, content } });
+		await user.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Add view" }));
+		const removeButtons = screen.getAllByRole("button", { name: "Remove view" });
+		expect(removeButtons).toHaveLength(1);
+		const target = removeButtons[0];
+		if (target === undefined) throw new Error("expected a remove button");
+		await user.click(target);
+		expect(screen.getAllByRole("combobox")).toHaveLength(1);
+	});
+
+	it("selecting a kind renders that kind's content", async () => {
+		const user = userEvent.setup();
+		render(ViewSidebar, { props: { kinds, content, initial: [null] } });
+		expect(screen.queryByTestId("view-content")).toBeNull();
+		await user.selectOptions(screen.getByRole("combobox"), "tasks");
+		expect(screen.getByTestId("view-content")).toHaveTextContent("kind:tasks");
+	});
+});