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AWC UI

Tabs

Switch between sibling views within one screen. md-tabs is the strip only: it owns the active index, the roving focus and the indicator. The content lives in a separate md-tab-panels region, and each tab is a md-tab child.

Live preview Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 500px;">
  <md-tabs aria-label="Travel sections">
    <md-tab label="Flights" icon="flight"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Hotels" icon="hotel"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Trips" icon="explore"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

Install

Section titled “Install”

Already installed? See the Installation guide for one-time package setup (core + tokens, fonts). Each tab below shows two patterns for using md-tabs in your project: Option A registers every AWC UI component at once (simplest), Option B imports only this component for tree-shake-friendly bundles. 

<!-- ─── Option A: global registration (all components) ─── -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>


<!-- ─── Option B: single import (tree-shake only md-tabs) ─── -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/components/md-tabs';
</script>


<md-tabs></md-tabs>

When to use

Section titled “When to use”
  • Peer categories of related content on one screen: Overview / Activity / Settings.
  • The user should be able to move between them freely, in any order.

When not to use

Section titled “When not to use”
SituationUse instead
Sequential content meant to be read in orderHierarchy in the content — typography and spacing
A linear process with validationmd-stepper
Top-level app destinationsmd-navigation-bar / md-navigation-rail
Independent collapsible sectionsmd-accordion
Choosing a value or modemd-segmented-button
Actions rather than viewsmd-button-group / md-toolbar
Many categories that won’t fitmd-select, or a menu

Decision cues

Section titled “Decision cues”
NeedSetting
Top-level sections of a screenvariant="primary" (default)
Sub-sections inside a primary tab’s panelvariant="secondary"
Equal-width tabs filling the striptab-width="equal" (default)
Tabs sized to their labelstab-width="auto"
More tabs than fitThey scroll — no prop needed
Wire tabs to panels for youWrap panels in md-tab-panels
Tighter rowsdensity on each md-tab

Variants

Section titled “Variants”

primary is for the top-level tab set on a surface; secondary is for a nested set inside a primary one. The children carry their own variant — the strip propagates its value to them, so keep them consistent if you also set it by hand.

primary (default, 3px inset indicator) and secondary (full-width 2px indicator) Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Primary tabs">
    <md-tab label="Flights"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Hotels"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Trips"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>
<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="secondary" aria-label="Secondary tabs">
    <md-tab label="Music"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Podcasts"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Audiobooks"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

Icons and badges

Section titled “Icons and badges”

Icons stack above the label by default; inline-icon puts them side by side. badge with a value renders a pill, badge="" renders a dot. M3 forbids mixing icon+text tabs with icon-only or text-only tabs in the same set.

Stacked icons, inline icons, and count / dot badges Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Stacked icons">
    <md-tab label="Flights" icon="flight"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Hotels" icon="hotel"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Trips" icon="explore"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>
<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Inline icons">
    <md-tab label="Flights" icon="flight" inline-icon></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Hotels" icon="hotel" inline-icon></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Trips" icon="explore" inline-icon></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>
<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 500px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Badges">
    <md-tab label="Inbox" icon="inbox" badge="12"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Sent" icon="send"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Drafts" icon="drafts" badge=""></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Spam" icon="report" badge="3"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

Custom glyphs go in the tab’s icon slot and replace the icon prop:

Slotted SVG and emoji icons Open in Storybook
🎵
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Slotted icons">
    <md-tab label="Starred">
      <svg slot="icon" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" height="24" fill="currentColor"><path d="M12 2l3.09 6.26L22 9.27l-5 4.87 1.18 6.88L12 17.77l-6.18 3.25L7 14.14 2 9.27l6.91-1.01L12 2z"/></svg>
    </md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Loved">
      <svg slot="icon" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" height="24" fill="currentColor"><path d="M12 21.35l-1.45-1.32C5.4 15.36 2 12.28 2 8.5 2 5.42 4.42 3 7.5 3c1.74 0 3.41.81 4.5 2.09C13.09 3.81 14.76 3 16.5 3 19.58 3 22 5.42 22 8.5c0 3.78-3.4 6.86-8.55 11.54L12 21.35z"/></svg>
    </md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Music">
      <span slot="icon" style="font-size: 24px;">🎵</span>
    </md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

States

Section titled “States”

A disabled tab is skipped by arrow-key navigation and ignored by clicks.

Active, inactive and disabled — in both variants Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Primary states">
    <md-tab label="Active" icon="home"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Inactive" icon="search"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Disabled" icon="block" disabled></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>
<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="secondary" aria-label="Secondary states">
    <md-tab label="Active"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Inactive"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Disabled" disabled></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

Tab width and strip width

Section titled “Tab width and strip width”

Two separate knobs, and confusing them is the usual bug.

PropControlsValues
tab-widthHow each tab sizes along the stripequal (default, share the parent’s full width) · auto (content width, strip scrolls) · any CSS length, e.g. 140px
widthThe width of the whole stripAny CSS size. Default: 100% of the parent
tab-width: equal (default) · auto · 140px Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 620px;">
  <md-tabs tab-width="equal" aria-label="Equal tab width">
    <md-tab label="Inbox" badge="3"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Payments"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Documents and archived"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Settings"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>
<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 620px;">
  <md-tabs tab-width="auto" aria-label="Auto tab width">
    <md-tab label="Inbox" badge="3"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Payments"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Documents and archived"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Settings"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>
<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 620px;">
  <md-tabs tab-width="140px" aria-label="Fixed tab width">
    <md-tab label="Inbox" badge="3"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Payments"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Documents and archived"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Settings"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

Scrolling

Section titled “Scrolling”

More tabs than fit? The strip scrolls horizontally, activating an off-screen tab scrolls it into view, and a fade marks the clipped edge. M3 asks you to offset the first tab from the leading edge so it’s clear more exist.

Eight tabs in a 400px strip — scroll it, or press End Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 400px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" tab-width="auto" aria-label="Scrollable tabs">
    <md-tab label="Tab 1"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Tab 2"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Tab 3"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Tab 4"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Tab 5"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Tab 6"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Tab 7"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Tab 8"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

Pairing with panels

Section titled “Pairing with panels”

md-tabs renders no content. Put a md-tab-panels region directly after the strip with one md-tab-panel per tab, in tab order. The region finds the nearest preceding md-tabs sibling (or point for at its id), follows mdTabChange itself, and wires the ARIA both ways — aria-controls on each tab, aria-labelledby on each panel, ids auto-assigned where missing.

Strip plus panels — note the region does not shrink on the one-letter panel Open in Storybook
Sessions up 18% week over week. Peak traffic Tuesday 14:00.
S
Weekly user growth · Revenue breakdown Q1
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 500px;">
  <md-tabs id="analytics-strip" aria-label="Analytics sections">
    <md-tab label="Overview"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Activity"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Reports" badge="2"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
  <md-tab-panels for="analytics-strip">
    <md-tab-panel>
      <div style="padding: 16px 4px; font: 14px/1.6 system-ui;">Sessions up 18% week over week. Peak traffic Tuesday 14:00.</div>
    </md-tab-panel>
    <md-tab-panel>
      <div style="padding: 16px 4px; font: 14px/1.6 system-ui;">S</div>
    </md-tab-panel>
    <md-tab-panel>
      <div style="padding: 16px 4px; font: 14px/1.6 system-ui;">Weekly user growth · Revenue breakdown Q1</div>
    </md-tab-panel>
  </md-tab-panels>
</div>

If you are wiring your own panels instead, they must be in the same DOM scope as the tabs — controls is an IDREF, and IDREFs don’t cross shadow boundaries.

Events

Section titled “Events”
EventCancelableDetailFires
mdTabChangeno{ index, previousIndex }The active tab changed — click, keyboard, or selectTab()

Re-activating the already-active tab does not emit. Out-of-range selectTab() calls are ignored, and setting activeTabIndex as a property normalizes (rounds and clamps) without emitting — the property path is consumer-initiated, so you already know.

mdTabChange live — and the three paths that deliberately stay silent Open in Storybook
Overview… Activity… Settings…
Re-activate the active tab Set activeTabIndex = 2.7 selectTab(9)
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<md-tabs id="strip" aria-label="Project sections">
  <md-tab label="Overview"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Activity"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Settings"></md-tab>
</md-tabs>

<md-tab-panels for="strip">
  <md-tab-panel>Overview…</md-tab-panel>
  <md-tab-panel>Activity…</md-tab-panel>
  <md-tab-panel>Settings…</md-tab-panel>
</md-tab-panels>

<script type="module">
  const strip = document.getElementById('strip');

  // Fires on click, keyboard, and an in-range selectTab().
  strip.addEventListener('mdTabChange', (e) => {
    console.log(e.detail.index, e.detail.previousIndex);
  });

  // None of these emit:
  strip.selectTab(strip.activeTabIndex);   // already active
  strip.selectTab(9);                      // out of range, ignored
  strip.activeTabIndex = 2.7;              // property path normalizes silently
</script>

API Reference

Section titled “API Reference”

Properties

PropertyAttributeTypeDefaultReflects
activeTabIndexactive-tab-indexnumber0—
variantvariant'primary' | 'secondary''primary'Yes
dividerdivider'auto' | 'full''auto'Yes
ariaLabelProparia-labelstring''—
tabWidthtab-widthstring'equal'—
widthwidthstring''—

Methods

MethodParameters
selectTab()index: number

Slots

SlotDescription
(default)—

CSS Custom Properties

Override on the host element for per-instance theming:

PropertyDescription
--md-tabs-container-colorContainer background
--md-tabs-divider-colorDivider color for every child tab's

CSS Shadow Parts

Style internal elements through shadow DOM with ::part():

PartDescription
containerScrollable tab container

The sub-components

Section titled “The sub-components”

A tabbed view is composed from three sub-components. They are documented here rather than on their own pages: none of them mean anything outside a tabbed view, and the strip owns the active index for all of them.

md-tab

Section titled “md-tab”

One tab in the strip — a label and/or icon, an optional badge, and the active indicator.

  • inline-icon switches icon+label from stacked to side-by-side.
  • badge="" (empty string) renders a dot badge rather than no badge.
  • Unlike md-tabs, md-tab does have a density prop — set density here, not on the strip.

Properties

PropertyAttributeTypeDefaultReflects
labellabelstring''—
iconiconstring''—
activeactivebooleanfalseYes
disableddisabledbooleanfalseYes
inlineIconinline-iconbooleanfalseYes
variantvariant'primary' | 'secondary''primary'Yes
badgebadgestring | undefined——
controlscontrolsstring''—
densitydensity0 | -1 | -2 | -3 | -40Yes

Slots

SlotDescription
iconCustom leading icon
badgeBadge overlay on the icon

CSS Custom Properties

Override on the host element for per-instance theming:

PropertyDescription
--md-tab-container-colorContainer background
--md-tab-active-label-colorActive label color (primary)
--md-tab-inactive-label-colorInactive label color
--md-tab-active-icon-colorActive icon color (primary)
--md-tab-inactive-icon-colorInactive icon color
--md-tab-active-indicator-colorIndicator bar color
--md-tab-active-indicator-heightIndicator bar thickness
--md-tab-divider-colorBottom divider color
--md-tab-glide-duration—
--md-tab-glide-x—
--md-tab-glide-scale—

CSS Shadow Parts

Style internal elements through shadow DOM with ::part():

PartDescription
state-layerHover / focus / press overlay
contentInner content wrapper (icon + label)
iconIcon element
labelLabel text element
indicatorActive indicator bar
dividerBottom divider line

md-tab-panels

Section titled “md-tab-panels”

The content half of a tabbed view — holds one md-tab-panel per tab, follows the strip’s active index, and controls how the region is sized as panels change.

  • It wires itself. The region listens for the strip’s mdTabChange and sets active / inert on the panels. You do not toggle active by hand — and you do not need a mdTabChange listener just to switch panels.
  • ARIA is wired both ways: each tab gets aria-controls, each panel gets aria-labelledby, and ids are auto-assigned where missing. Set your own id / controls only when you need stable, meaningful ids.
  • for resolves against the panel region’s own root, so the strip must be in the same DOM scope — IDREFs don’t cross shadow boundaries.
  • Panels are matched to tabs by position, so keep them in tab order.
  • Neither this nor md-tab-panel has a density prop.
  • Panels are not lazily rendered: inactive panel content stays in the DOM. Mount expensive content yourself on first activation.

Properties

PropertyAttributeTypeDefaultReflects
forforstring''—
sizingsizing'stable' | 'active''stable'Yes

Slots

SlotDescription
(default)—

md-tab-panel

Section titled “md-tab-panel”

The content of one tab. A single active flag decides whether it is shown; everything else is your content. The host renders role="tabpanel" and takes a tabindex of 0 while active, -1 otherwise.

  • active is the entire API — and the parent owns it. md-tab-panels sets active and inert from the strip’s mdTabChange. Setting active yourself fights it, and two active panels is an ambiguous state.
  • The id ↔ tab association is automatic. The region assigns ids where they are missing and sets aria-controls / aria-labelledby both ways. Give the panel a stable id only when you want a meaningful one (deep links, tests) — and then match it with the tab’s controls in the same DOM scope, because IDREFs don’t cross shadow boundaries.
  • Inactive panels keep their layout box — that is what makes the region size-stable — but their content is visibility: hidden and the host is inert, so it is out of paint, hit-testing and the accessibility tree.
  • Content of inactive panels stays in the DOM. Mount expensive widgets on first activation.
  • No density prop.

Properties

PropertyAttributeTypeDefaultReflects
activeactivebooleanfalseYes

Slots

SlotDescription
(default)—

Accessibility

Section titled “Accessibility”
  • Give the strip an aria-label naming what the tabs switch between.
  • The strip manages roving focus: one tab stop for the whole set, arrow keys to move (they wrap), Home / End to jump to the ends. Arrow direction follows the visual order, so it inverts under RTL.
  • Disabled tabs are skipped by the arrow-key tour.
  • Wire each tab to its panel: md-tab-panels does it for you, otherwise set the tab’s controls to the panel’s id. Both must be in the same DOM scope — IDREFs don’t cross shadow boundaries.
  • Keep exactly one tab active; an empty tab set has no valid state.

Keyboard

Section titled “Keyboard”
KeyAction
TabOne stop for the whole strip (roving tabindex), then into the active panel
← / →Move between enabled tabs, wrapping at the ends (inverted under dir="rtl")
Home / EndFirst / last enabled tab
Enter / SpaceActivate the focused tab
Tab in, arrow across — the disabled tab is skipped Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Account sections">
    <md-tab label="Profile" icon="person" active></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Security" icon="lock"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Billing" icon="credit_card" disabled></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Alerts" icon="notifications" badge-value="3"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

RTL, density & i18n

Section titled “RTL, density & i18n”

RTL — strip order, indicator travel and arrow-key direction all follow reading order under dir="rtl". See RTL.

Same markup, dir=ltr vs dir=rtl — badge side flips too Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="display:grid;gap:20px;inline-size:100%;max-inline-size:460px;">
  <div dir="ltr">
    <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Sections">
      <md-tab label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab>
      <md-tab label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab>
      <md-tab label="Alerts" icon="notifications" badge-value="3"></md-tab>
    </md-tabs>
  </div>
  <div dir="rtl">
    <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="الأقسام">
      <md-tab label="الرئيسية" icon="home" active></md-tab>
      <md-tab label="بحث" icon="search"></md-tab>
      <md-tab label="التنبيهات" icon="notifications" badge-value="3"></md-tab>
    </md-tabs>
  </div>
</div>

Density — there is no density prop on the strip. Set it on each md-tab child; the strip height follows the tallest tab. See Density.

Density 0 through -4 — set per tab
0 -1 -2 -3 -4
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="display:grid;grid-template-columns:auto 1fr;gap:14px 16px;align-items:center;inline-size:100%;max-inline-size:520px;">
  <span style="inline-size:2rem;opacity:.65;font-size:.75rem;font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;">0</span>
  <md-tabs aria-label="d0"><md-tab density="0" label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab><md-tab density="0" label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab><md-tab density="0" label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab></md-tabs>
  <span style="inline-size:2rem;opacity:.65;font-size:.75rem;font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;">-1</span>
  <md-tabs aria-label="d-1"><md-tab density="-1" label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab><md-tab density="-1" label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab><md-tab density="-1" label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab></md-tabs>
  <span style="inline-size:2rem;opacity:.65;font-size:.75rem;font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;">-2</span>
  <md-tabs aria-label="d-2"><md-tab density="-2" label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab><md-tab density="-2" label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab><md-tab density="-2" label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab></md-tabs>
  <span style="inline-size:2rem;opacity:.65;font-size:.75rem;font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;">-3</span>
  <md-tabs aria-label="d-3"><md-tab density="-3" label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab><md-tab density="-3" label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab><md-tab density="-3" label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab></md-tabs>
  <span style="inline-size:2rem;opacity:.65;font-size:.75rem;font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;">-4</span>
  <md-tabs aria-label="d-4"><md-tab density="-4" label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab><md-tab density="-4" label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab><md-tab density="-4" label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab></md-tabs>
</div>

i18n — translate tab labels. Translations change tab widths, which matters under tab-width="equal"; re-check for truncation per locale.

German labels — equal width, then auto width Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="display:grid;gap:20px;inline-size:100%;max-inline-size:460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Kontobereiche">
    <md-tab label="Profil" icon="person" active></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Sicherheit" icon="lock"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Abrechnung" icon="credit_card"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>

  <md-tabs variant="primary" tab-width="auto" aria-label="Kontobereiche, auto">
    <md-tab label="Profil" icon="person" active></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Sicherheit" icon="lock"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Abrechnung" icon="credit_card"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

Theming

Section titled “Theming”
Custom propertyPurposeDefault
--md-tabs-container-colorStrip backgroundsurface
--md-tabs-divider-colorRule under the strip — read by each child tab’s own divider defaultoutline-variant

Per-tab appearance (label colour, icon colour, indicator) uses the --md-tab-* properties documented on md-tab.

Themed strip Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Themed tabs" style="--md-tabs-container-color: var(--md-sys-color-surface-container-highest); --md-tabs-divider-color: var(--md-sys-color-primary);">
    <md-tab label="Home" icon="home"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

Every default resolves through an md-sys-color role, so a strip that sets no custom properties follows the theme on its own:

Untouched defaults — follows the page theme Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs variant="primary" aria-label="Untouched defaults">
    <md-tab label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Alerts" icon="notifications" badge-value="3"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

Theming the tabs

Section titled “Theming the tabs”
Custom propertyOnPurpose
--md-tab-active-label-color / -inactive-label-colormd-tabLabel colour
--md-tab-active-icon-color / -inactive-icon-colormd-tabGlyph colour
--md-tab-active-indicator-color / -heightmd-tabThe indicator bar
--md-tab-container-colormd-tabThe tab’s own background
--md-tab-divider-colormd-tabThe rule under this tab
--md-tab-glide-duration / -glide-scale / -glide-xmd-tabIndicator travel motion
Tonal, thick indicator, and a filled strip
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<div style="display:grid;gap:20px;inline-size:100%;max-inline-size:460px;">
  <md-tabs aria-label="Tonal" style="--md-tab-active-indicator-color: var(--md-sys-color-tertiary); --md-tab-active-label-color: var(--md-sys-color-tertiary); --md-tab-active-icon-color: var(--md-sys-color-tertiary);">
    <md-tab label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>

  <md-tabs aria-label="Thick indicator" style="--md-tab-active-indicator-height: 6px; --md-tab-active-indicator-color: #7c4dff; --md-tab-active-label-color: #311b92;">
    <md-tab label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>

  <md-tabs aria-label="Filled strip" style="--md-tabs-container-color: var(--md-sys-color-secondary-container); --md-tabs-divider-color: transparent; --md-tab-active-label-color: var(--md-sys-color-on-secondary-container); --md-tab-active-indicator-color: var(--md-sys-color-on-secondary-container);">
    <md-tab label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>

CSS parts

Section titled “CSS parts”
PartOnElement
containermd-tabsThe scrollable tab container
contentmd-tabIcon + label wrapper
iconmd-tabThe glyph
labelmd-tabLabel text
indicatormd-tabThe active bar
dividermd-tabThis tab’s slice of the rule under the strip
state-layermd-tabHover / focus / press overlay

md-tab-panels and md-tab-panel expose no parts — they are layout and plumbing, with nothing of their own to paint.

container, label, indicator and divider Open in Storybook
Show code for each technology 
<!-- index.html <head> — the icon font the components draw from -->
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200&display=swap">

<!-- index.html — register the AWC UI elements once -->
<script type="module">
  import '@awc-ui/core/define';
</script>

<style>
  .parts-tabs::part(container) { padding-inline-start: 16px; }
  .parts-tabs md-tab::part(label) { text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: .08em; font-size: 11px; }
  .parts-tabs md-tab::part(indicator) { border-radius: 999px; }
  .parts-tabs md-tab::part(divider) { background: var(--md-sys-color-primary); opacity: .25; }
</style>
<div style="inline-size: 100%; max-inline-size: 460px;">
  <md-tabs class="parts-tabs" aria-label="Styled parts">
    <md-tab label="Home" icon="home" active></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Search" icon="search"></md-tab>
    <md-tab label="Profile" icon="person"></md-tab>
  </md-tabs>
</div>
md-tabs::part(container) {
  padding-inline-start: 16px;   /* M3: offset the first scrollable tab */
}
Section titled “Related”

md-tab · md-tab-panels · md-tab-panel · md-navigation-bar · md-navigation-rail · md-stepper · md-segmented-button · md-accordion

AI / LLM Context

Section titled “AI / LLM Context”

For AI Agents — md-tabs

Two artefacts to give your AI agent so it generates correct UI with this component. The per-component spec answers "how do I use this exact tag?". The main-llm spec answers "which tag should I pick in the first place?".

Per-component

md-tabs spec card

Identity · when to use / when NOT · decision cues · behavioural contract · do/don't · anti-patterns · full API. Paste into your agent when you're implementing with this component.

Main-LLM spec

AWC UI Operator's Manual

System-prompt preamble · decision matrix · token reference · page recipes · anti-patterns. Paste into the system prompt at the start of a piece of work.

Open spec

md-tabs readme.md 

# md-tabs

<!-- llm:meta
tag: md-tabs
category: navigation
status: md3-mapped
m3-guidelines: https://m3.material.io/components/tabs/guidelines
form-associated: false
depends-on: none
used-by: none
accepts-children: md-tab
-->

**Switch between sibling views within one screen.** The tab strip owns the
active index, roving focus, the child tabs' `variant`, and the sliding
indicator. It renders no content of its own — pair it with `md-tab-panels`.

> Setup, theming, density and i18n are configured once for the whole library —
> see [`main-llm.md`](../../../../../main-llm.md) at the repo root.

---

## When to use

- **Peer categories of related content** on one screen: Overview / Activity /
  Settings.
- The user should be able to move between them freely, in any order.

## When NOT to use

| Situation | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Sequential content meant to be read in order | Hierarchy in the content — typography and spacing |
| A linear process with validation | `md-stepper` |
| Top-level app destinations | `md-navigation-bar` / `md-navigation-rail` |
| Independent collapsible sections | `md-accordion` |
| Choosing a value or mode | `md-segmented-button-set` |
| Actions rather than views | `md-button-group` / `md-toolbar` |
| Many categories that won't fit | `md-select`, or a menu |

## Decision cues

| Need | Setting |
|---|---|
| Top-level tabs on a surface | `variant="primary"` (default) |
| Nested tabs inside a primary set | `variant="secondary"` |
| Tabs share the strip width evenly | `tab-width="equal"` (default) |
| Tabs size to their labels, strip scrolls | `tab-width="auto"` |
| Every tab on an identical fixed track | `tab-width="140px"` (any CSS length) |
| Stop the strip collapsing in a shrink-to-fit parent | `width="480px"` (any CSS size) |
| Name the tab set | `aria-label` |
| Select a tab from code | `active-tab-index`, or `selectTab(i)` |

## API contract

```html
<md-tabs
  active-tab-index="0"                  <!-- default: 0 -->
  variant="primary|secondary"           <!-- default: primary -->
  tab-width="equal|auto|<css-length>"   <!-- default: equal -->
  width=""                              <!-- default: '' — strip is 100% of its parent -->
  aria-label="Project sections"         <!-- default: '' — renders as "tabs" -->
>
  <md-tab label="Overview" controls="p-overview"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Activity" controls="p-activity"></md-tab>
</md-tabs>
```

**Events** — `mdTabChange` with detail `{ index: number; previousIndex: number }`.
Bubbles and is composed, so a delegated listener on an ancestor works.

**Methods** — `selectTab(index: number) => Promise<void>`. An index below `0`
is a silent no-op; an index past the last slotted `md-tab` is remembered and
applied once a tab at that position slots in. There is no public tab-count
property — count the slotted `md-tab` children yourself if you need the bound.

**Slots** — `(default)`: `md-tab` children. No other slot.

**Parts** — `container` (the scrolling strip).

### Behavioral contract worth knowing

- **`md-tabs` has no `density` prop** — one of the few. Density lives on the
  individual `md-tab` children.
- **The strip stamps `variant` onto every child tab** on slot change and
  whenever `variant` changes, so you never set it per tab.
- The strip and the panels are **separate components**. `md-tabs` renders no
  content; use `md-tab-panels`, which finds the strip and drives the panels
  itself.
- `active-tab-index` is the source of truth and is **fully reactive**: writing
  it moves the active state, the roving tab stop and the scroll position, and
  glides the indicator — exactly like a click. It does not emit `mdTabChange`
  (you already know); clicks, keyboard navigation and `selectTab()` do, unless
  the tab was already the active one.
- The value is sanitized and clamped: `NaN`, floats and out-of-range numbers
  cannot wipe the strip, and a **disabled** target is skipped to the next
  enabled tab. Setting an index past the last tab is remembered and honoured
  once that tab is slotted in — the "append a tab and select it" case.
- Selection follows the active tab **element**, not its position. Removing or
  reordering a preceding tab keeps the same tab selected.
- If every tab is disabled, nothing is selected. `mdTabChange` emits
  `{ index: -1 }` **only as a transition** — when a tab was selected and then
  the last enabled tab became disabled or was removed. A strip that renders
  with every tab disabled from the start emits **nothing**, so don't wait on a
  mount-time `index: -1` to run initialisation.
- The strip is the **only** writer of `tabindex` on its tabs: exactly one tab
  is focusable at a time.
- Keyboard: `ArrowLeft` / `ArrowRight` move **and activate** (automatic
  activation), wrapping past the ends and skipping disabled tabs; `Home` /
  `End` jump to the first / last enabled tab. Under `dir="rtl"` the arrows
  follow visual direction.
- Tabs without an `id` get one assigned (`md-tabs-<rand>-tab-<n>`).
- Tabs forwarded through a wrapper component's own `<slot>` are still managed.
- When the strip overflows, the scrollbar is hidden by design: a **vertical
  wheel scrolls it horizontally**, and an edge mask fades the clipped side.
- The indicator glide and the scroll-into-view animation are skipped under
  `prefers-reduced-motion: reduce`.
- Tabs are **views**, not values: no form participation, no multi-select.

---

## Do / Don't

Sourced from [M3 · Tabs · Guidelines](https://m3.material.io/components/tabs/guidelines).

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
|---|---|
| Use tabs to categorise related groups of content into clearly defined sets | Don't use tabs for sequential content that must be read in order — build hierarchy in the content instead |
| Use globally recognised icons if you use icons alone | Don't mix icon+text tabs with icon-only or text-only tabs in the same set |
| Offset the first scrollable tab from the leading edge so it's clear more tabs exist | Don't hide the fact that the strip scrolls |
| Keep labels short enough to avoid truncation | Don't truncate labels unless forced — it impedes comprehension |
| Use distinct gesture directions when tabs are swipeable | Avoid swipeable items inside a tabbed content area — users swipe the wrong thing |
| Let tabs scroll off and return with the page | Don't scroll tabs behind an app bar — attached tabs should move as one unit |
| Name the tab set | Don't ship an unnamed tab strip |

---

## Patterns

```html
<!-- The whole widget. No script: md-tab-panels finds the strip, follows
     mdTabChange, and wires aria-controls / aria-labelledby both ways. -->
<md-tabs id="strip" aria-label="Project sections">
  <md-tab label="Overview" controls="p1"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Activity" controls="p2"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Settings" controls="p3"></md-tab>
</md-tabs>

<md-tab-panels for="strip">
  <md-tab-panel id="p1">Overview content</md-tab-panel>
  <md-tab-panel id="p2">Activity content</md-tab-panel>
  <md-tab-panel id="p3">Settings content</md-tab-panel>
</md-tab-panels>
```

```html
<!-- React to the change for side effects (analytics, lazy mount, routing) -->
<script type="module">
  const strip = document.getElementById('strip');
  strip.addEventListener('mdTabChange', (e) => {
    console.log(e.detail.index, e.detail.previousIndex);
  });

  // Deep link — selects tab 3 and emits mdTabChange
  strip.selectTab(2);

  // Same move without the event
  strip.activeTabIndex = 2;
</script>
```

```html
<!-- Icons consistently on every tab -->
<md-tabs aria-label="Library">
  <md-tab label="Songs"  icon="music_note"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Albums" icon="album"></md-tab>
</md-tabs>

<!-- Nested tabs inside a primary set: set variant on the STRIP only -->
<md-tabs variant="secondary" aria-label="Report views">
  <md-tab label="Table"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Chart"></md-tab>
</md-tabs>

<!-- Many tabs: content-sized, scrolling strip -->
<md-tabs tab-width="auto" aria-label="Regions">
  <md-tab label="North America"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Latin America"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Europe, Middle East & Africa"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Asia Pacific"></md-tab>
</md-tabs>
```

## Anti-patterns

| ❌ Wrong | ✅ Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Looking for `density` on `md-tabs` | Set `density` on `md-tab` | The strip has no density prop. |
| Setting `variant` on each `md-tab` | Set it on the strip only | The strip overwrites every child's `variant` on slot change. |
| Setting `active` on tabs to select one | `active-tab-index`, or `selectTab(i)` | Two writers desync the indicator and the tab stop. |
| Toggling `md-tab-panel` `active` from `mdTabChange` | Let `md-tab-panels` do it | It already listens; your writes race it. |
| Expecting `md-tabs` to render panel content | Pair with `md-tab-panels` | Separate components. |
| Expecting `mdTabChange` after writing `active-tab-index` | Read the value you just wrote | The prop path deliberately does not re-emit. |
| Tabs for a wizard | `md-stepper` | Tabs imply free, unordered movement. |
| Tabs for app destinations | `md-navigation-bar` / `md-navigation-rail` | Different level of navigation. |
| Icons on some tabs, text on others | Be consistent across the set | M3 explicit rule. |
| Truncated labels by default | Shorten the labels | M3 explicit rule. |
| Swipeable carousel inside a tab panel | Avoid, or change the gesture axis | M3 explicit rule. |
| Unnamed tab strip | Set `aria-label` | It otherwise announces as the literal "tabs". |

## Accessibility, RTL, density, i18n

**Accessibility**
- The host carries `role="tablist"` and `aria-orientation="horizontal"`. Give
  it an `aria-label` naming what the tabs switch between — with the prop empty
  the strip still exposes a name, but only the placeholder `"tabs"`.
- Roving focus is managed for you: one tab stop into the strip, arrows to move
  (which also activate), `Home` / `End` for the ends. Disabled tabs are always
  `tabindex="-1"` and are skipped.
- Wire each `md-tab`'s `controls` to its panel `id` so the tab↔panel
  relationship is exposed — or let `md-tab-panels` do it. Either way both must
  live in the same DOM scope, because IDREFs don't cross shadow boundaries.
- Keep at least one enabled tab. With every tab disabled the strip has no
  selection and no tab stop; it reports `index: -1` only if it had a selection
  to lose, never on a strip that starts out fully disabled.

**RTL** — the strip order, indicator travel and edge fades follow the physical
geometry, and `ArrowRight` / `ArrowLeft` follow visual direction under
`dir="rtl"`.

**Density** — no prop on the strip; set `density="-1…-4"` on the `md-tab`
children, or set a `data-density` rung on an ancestor and let it inherit. Rung
`0` is the uncompacted default and is inert — `density="0"` does **not** opt a
tab out of an inherited rung; use `style="--md-sys-density-scale: 0"` for that
(the ancestor's `--md-sys-spacing-*` payload still inherits).

**i18n** — translate tab labels and the strip's `aria-label`. Translations
change tab widths, which matters most with `tab-width="equal"`; re-check for
truncation per locale, or switch to `tab-width="auto"`.

## Related components

`md-tab` · `md-tab-panels` · `md-tab-panel` · `md-navigation-bar` ·
`md-navigation-rail` · `md-stepper` · `md-segmented-button-set` ·
`md-accordion`

## Theming

| Custom property | Purpose | Default |
|---|---|---|
| `--md-tabs-container-color` | Strip background | `--md-sys-color-surface` |
| `--md-tabs-divider-color` | Rule under the strip (inherited by every child tab's divider) | `--md-sys-color-outline-variant` |

**CSS parts** — `container`.

Per-tab appearance uses the `--md-tab-*` properties documented on `md-tab`.

```css
md-tabs {
  --md-tabs-container-color: var(--md-sys-color-surface-container);
  --md-tabs-divider-color: transparent;
}
```

<!-- Auto Generated Below -->


## Properties

| Property         | Attribute          | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | Type                       | Default     |
| ---------------- | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | ----------- |
| `activeTabIndex` | `active-tab-index` | Index of the currently active tab                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | `number`                   | `0`         |
| `ariaLabelProp`  | `aria-label`       | Accessible label for the tablist                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | `string`                   | `''`        |
| `tabWidth`       | `tab-width`        | How tabs size along the strip. All modes are layout-stable under dynamic content (labels/badges can change without reshuffling the strip); long labels ellipsize instead of forcing a tab wider. - `equal` (default) — tabs share the parent's FULL width equally;   tracks change only when the PARENT resizes. - `auto` — each tab takes its content width (the strip scrolls), so   tracks follow content by design. - any CSS length (e.g. `"140px"`, `"10rem"`) — every tab gets exactly   that width regardless of parent or content. | `string`                   | `'equal'`   |
| `variant`        | `variant`          | Visual variant applied to all child tabs                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | `"primary" \| "secondary"` | `'primary'` |
| `width`          | `width`            | Explicit width for the WHOLE strip (any CSS size: `"480px"`, `"40rem"`, `"100%"`). By default the strip is `100%` of its parent — in shrink-to-fit layouts (inline-block cards, auto grid columns, flex items) that parent's width follows the ACTIVE TAB PANEL, so switching to a tab with tiny content collapses the whole tablist. Set `width` to anchor the strip regardless of what the panels do.                                                                                                                                     | `string`                   | `''`        |


## Events

| Event         | Description                       | Type                                                     |
| ------------- | --------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| `mdTabChange` | Emits when the active tab changes | `CustomEvent<{ index: number; previousIndex: number; }>` |


## Methods

### `selectTab(index: number) => Promise<void>`

Programmatically select a tab by index

#### Parameters

| Name    | Type     | Description |
| ------- | -------- | ----------- |
| `index` | `number` |             |

#### Returns

Type: `Promise<void>`




## Slots

| Slot | Description                   |
| ---- | ----------------------------- |
|      | Tab items (`md-tab` elements) |


## Shadow Parts

| Part          | Description              |
| ------------- | ------------------------ |
| `"container"` | Scrollable tab container |


----------------------------------------------

*Built with [StencilJS](https://stenciljs.com/)*

AWC UI Operator’s Manual 

# main-llm.md — AWC UI build director

<!-- llm:meta
role: director
audience: llm
library: "@awc-ui/core"
component-count: 57
sub-component-count: 24
manual-count: 81
per-component-docs: ./packages/core/src/components/<tag>/readme.md
-->

**You are building a web app with AWC UI, a Material Design 3 web-component
library.** This file is the entry point and the only document you need before
writing UI code. Everything here is self-contained: tokens, recipes,
composition rules and the ship checklist. Per-component detail lives in
`./packages/core/src/components/<tag>/readme.md` — e.g.
[`md-button`](./packages/core/src/components/md-button/readme.md).

Your job, in order:

1. **Interview** the user (§1). Do not skip it and do not guess.
2. **Lock the configuration** their answers imply (§2) and bootstrap it (§3–§4).
3. **Route every UI need through the decision matrix** (§5) — never pick a
   component by name-similarity.
4. **Load the component's readme.md before writing a single line of its
   markup** (§6). The file is
   `./packages/core/src/components/<tag>/readme.md` — read it in full, do not
   skim it, and do not write the markup from memory of a similar library. Each
   one has a `When NOT to use`, a `Do / Don't` table sourced from
   [m3.material.io](https://m3.material.io), and an `Anti-patterns` table of
   mistakes models actually make. If you are about to use three components,
   load all three readmes first.
5. **Check what nests inside what** (§7) and start from a recipe (§8) rather
   than from a blank page.
6. **Apply the universal rules** (§9) — the API, content and accessibility
   rules every component is bound by, and the ones §10 checks you against.
7. **Run the ship checklist** (§10) before declaring done.

**Fail closed.** If you cannot satisfy a step — no component fits, a token
doesn't exist, an accessible name has nowhere to come from — say so and ask.
Do not invent an `md-*` tag, a prop, or a token. If it is not in this file or
in the component's manual, it does not exist.

---

## §1 — Interview the user

Ask these **one at a time**, in this order. Each answer closes off decisions
downstream, so don't batch them into a wall of questions. Skip a question only
if the user has already answered it unprompted.

If the user says "just pick sensible defaults", use the **bold** option and tell
them what you chose.

### 1.1 Scope and shape

1. **What is the app?** One or two sentences — domain, primary job, who uses it.
2. **What kind of surface is it?**
   - Internal tool / admin console / dashboard
   - Data-heavy CRUD application
   - Consumer-facing product
   - Marketing or content site
   - Mobile-first / PWA
3. **Which framework?** React · Angular · Vue · Svelte · **plain HTML** ·
   Next · Nuxt · SvelteKit · Astro
4. **Does it server-render?** (SSR/SSG, or **client-only SPA**)
5. **Roughly how many distinct screens**, and what are the top 3?

### 1.2 Look and feel

6. **Density** — how much information per screen?
   - `0` — **default**, comfortable, touch-friendly
   - `-1` / `-2` — compact; typical for admin consoles
   - `-3` / `-4` — ultra-compact; dense data tables, trading/ops screens
7. **Theme** — light only, dark only, or **both with a user toggle**?
   Does it follow the OS preference?
8. **Brand color** — a seed/primary color, or **stock MD3 palette**?
9. **Expressive motion** — keep **ripple and shape-morph on** (default), or turn
   them off for a flatter, more utilitarian feel?
10. **Shape language** — **rounded** (MD3 default) or squared?

### 1.3 Internationalization

11. **How many locales**, and which?
12. **Any RTL locales** (Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, Urdu)? — this changes layout
    verification and directional-icon handling.
13. **Which i18n engine?** (i18next, vue-i18n, ngx-translate, Paraglide, custom)
    Components are engine-agnostic — you localize in the consumer layer.
14. **Locale-formatted values** — dates, numbers, currency? Which locale drives
    `Intl`?

### 1.4 Data and forms

15. **Is there significant tabular data?** How many rows, and is it
    server-paged? (Drives how you page `md-table` — it holds the state, you
    supply each page of rows.)
16. **Are there charts?** Which questions should they answer?
17. **How heavy are the forms?** Validation rules, async validation, multi-step?
18. **Rich text editing anywhere?** — ⚠️ **AWC UI has no RTE component.** If yes,
    you must integrate a third-party editor (TipTap, Lexical, Quill) and style
    it to the MD3 tokens yourself. Confirm this with the user explicitly.

### 1.5 Constraints

19. **Accessibility target** — **WCAG 2.1 AA** (what the library is tested to),
    or stricter?
20. **Browser/device support floor?**
21. **Anything already decided** you must not change — existing design system,
    router, state library, CSS approach?

---

## §2 — Map answers to configuration

| Answer | What you set |
|---|---|
| Admin console / data-heavy | `data-density="-1"` or `-2` on `<html>`; prefer `size="xs"`/`"sm"` on actions |
| Consumer / marketing | leave density alone (`0` is the default); larger button sizes (`md`/`lg`) for CTAs |
| Mobile-first | `md-navigation-bar` + `md-fab`; avoid `md-navigation-rail`, `md-transfer-list`, wide tables |
| Desktop-first | `md-navigation-rail` or `md-app-bar`; rail over bottom bar |
| Dark mode | `data-theme="dark"` on `<html>`; wire a toggle, and mirror OS via `prefers-color-scheme` |
| Both themes with toggle | persist the choice; set the attribute before first paint to avoid a flash |
| Brand color | override the `--md-sys-color-*` roles in your own stylesheet, loaded after the tokens (§4.2) |
| Flat / utilitarian | `data-ripple="off"` and `data-shape-morph="off"` on `<html>` |
| Any RTL locale | `dir="rtl"` on `<html>`; add `mirror-icon` to `md-button`s with directional glyphs; swap the glyph name yourself everywhere else (§4.5) |
| Multiple locales | build a dictionary in the consumer layer and feed component text props from it; never hardcode strings in markup |
| `Intl`-formatted values | pass a `locale` prop where a component exposes one; format everything else before it reaches the component |
| SSR | import from `@awc-ui/core/hydrate` on the server; use the client/server wrappers in `@awc-ui/react` |
| Heavy forms | components are form-associated via `ElementInternals` — use a real `<form>`, `md-button type="submit"`, and native `required` (§4.7) |
| Rich text | integrate a third-party editor; there is no `md-rich-text` |

### 2.1 Global switches — the complete set

All are attributes on `<html>` (or any ancestor; the nearest one wins).

```html
<html
  lang="en"
  dir="ltr"                  <!-- or rtl -->
  data-theme="dark"          <!-- omit for light -->
  data-density="-1"          <!-- -1 … -4; see below -->
  data-ripple="off"          <!-- default on -->
  data-shape-morph="off"     <!-- default on -->
>
```

**`data-density="0"` is inert.** No `[density="0"]` rule exists — density `0` is
simply the base values on `:root`, and a `0` rule would pin them onto every
element (reflected props write `density="0"` almost everywhere) and break global
inheritance. So the *overriding* range is `-1 … -4`. To escape an inherited rung
for one subtree, reset the scale directly:

```css
.opt-out-of-density { --md-sys-density-scale: 0; }
```

Per-component overrides beat the global one: a `density` prop, or
`ripple="off"` / `shape-morph="off"` on the element. **53 of the 57 top-level
components expose a `density` prop.** The four that don't: `md-divider`,
`md-ripple`, `md-sparkline`, `md-tabs`. (Nine sub-components also lack one —
they inherit density from the parent that owns their layout.)

---

## §3 — Install and bootstrap

```bash
npm install @awc-ui/core
```

**Register everything (recommended).** Two imports, once per app entry — one
defines every component, one loads the tokens. Both come from `@awc-ui/core`
itself, so this path needs no second package:

```ts
import { defineCustomElements } from '@awc-ui/core/loader';
import '@awc-ui/core/css/tokens.css';

defineCustomElements(window);
```

`@awc-ui/core/css/tokens.css` is the complete, self-contained token sheet —
light and dark colour roles, shape, elevation, motion, typescale, spacing and
z-index. It is the same set documented in §4.1.

**One-line alternative.** `@awc-ui/core/define` does both steps in a single
import. It loads the package's own token sheet, so it needs nothing else
installed:

```ts
import '@awc-ui/core/define'; // defines every component + loads the token sheet
```

`define` is client-only (it eval-guards `window`) and, because it imports CSS,
it needs a bundler. Never import it into a server graph.

**Per-component registration**, for size-sensitive bundles — load the token
sheet once yourself:

```ts
import '@awc-ui/core/css/tokens.css';
import '@awc-ui/core/components/md-button';
import '@awc-ui/core/components/md-text-field';
```

**Framework wrappers** — use these instead of raw elements; they handle
registration, typed props, and event binding. Below the version floor, drop to
the raw custom elements and the `loader` import above.

| Framework | Package | Requires |
|---|---|---|
| React / Next | `@awc-ui/react` | React 18+ |
| Angular | `@awc-ui/angular` (`AwcUiModule`) | Angular 17+ |
| Vue / Nuxt | `@awc-ui/vue` | Vue 3 |
| Svelte / SvelteKit | `@awc-ui/svelte` | Svelte 4+ |
| Plain HTML / Astro | `@awc-ui/core/loader` | — |

**SSR** — `@awc-ui/core/hydrate` renders Declarative Shadow DOM on the server.
`@awc-ui/react` ships matching client/server wrappers. Keep `define` and
`loader` out of the server graph; both are browser entries.

**Fonts** — components expect Roboto and Material Symbols Outlined to be
available. The library does **not** inject them. Every `icon="…"` prop renders a
Material Symbols glyph inside shadow DOM, so the font must be registered at the
**document** level (font registration crosses shadow boundaries; class rules do
not — the components declare the class rule inside their own roots):

```html
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Roboto:wght@400;500&display=swap">
```

To swap the whole library to a different Material Symbols cut, set
`--md-sys-icon-font-family` on `:root` and load the matching `@font-face`.

---

## §4 — Global configuration reference

### 4.1 The token system

All AWC UI styling resolves to design tokens. **Never hardcode hex colours,
pixel radii, shadows, or font stacks** — they break theming, dark mode, density
and RTL in one stroke. Every value below is a real custom property defined by
`@awc-ui/tokens`; you may read them, and you may override them.

#### Color roles

Light is the default; `[data-theme="dark"]` swaps the palette. Every role has a
matching `on-` role for content drawn on top of it.

| Token | Light | Dark | Typical usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| `--md-sys-color-primary` | `#6750A4` | `#D0BCFF` | Filled buttons, active states |
| `--md-sys-color-on-primary` | `#FFFFFF` | `#381E72` | Text/icons on primary |
| `--md-sys-color-primary-container` | `#EADDFF` | `#4F378B` | FAB, selected segments |
| `--md-sys-color-on-primary-container` | `#21005D` | `#EADDFF` | Text on primary-container |
| `--md-sys-color-secondary` | `#625B71` | `#CCC2DC` | Secondary accents |
| `--md-sys-color-secondary-container` | `#E8DEF8` | `#4A4458` | Tonal buttons, chips |
| `--md-sys-color-tertiary` | `#7D5260` | `#EFB8C8` | Tertiary accents |
| `--md-sys-color-tertiary-container` | `#FFD8E4` | `#633B48` | Tertiary surfaces |
| `--md-sys-color-error` | `#B3261E` | `#F2B8B5` | Error / destructive |
| `--md-sys-color-on-error` | `#FFFFFF` | `#601410` | Content on error |
| `--md-sys-color-error-container` | `#F9DEDC` | `#8C1D18` | Error surfaces |
| `--md-sys-color-surface` | `#FFFBFE` | `#1C1B1F` | Page / card background |
| `--md-sys-color-on-surface` | `#1C1B1F` | `#E6E1E5` | Body text |
| `--md-sys-color-surface-variant` | `#E7E0EC` | `#49454F` | Muted fills |
| `--md-sys-color-on-surface-variant` | `#49454F` | `#CAC4D0` | Secondary text, icons |
| `--md-sys-color-surface-container-lowest` | `#FFFFFF` | `#0F0D13` | Lowest surface tier |
| `--md-sys-color-surface-container-low` | `#F7F2FA` | `#1D1B20` | Card / elevated button bg |
| `--md-sys-color-surface-container` | `#F3EDF7` | `#211F26` | Default container tier |
| `--md-sys-color-surface-container-high` | `#ECE6F0` | `#2B2930` | Dialog / menu surfaces |
| `--md-sys-color-surface-container-highest` | `#E6E0E9` | `#36343B` | Highest surface tier |
| `--md-sys-color-outline` | `#79747E` | `#938F99` | Borders (3:1 contrast) |
| `--md-sys-color-outline-variant` | `#CAC4D0` | `#49454F` | Dividers (low contrast) |
| `--md-sys-color-inverse-surface` | `#313033` | `#E6E1E5` | Snackbar, inverse chips |
| `--md-sys-color-inverse-on-surface` | `#F4EFF4` | `#313033` | Content on inverse-surface |
| `--md-sys-color-scrim` | `#000000` | `#000000` | Modal scrims |

**Semantic status roles** — beyond the baseline M3 palette, the library adds
`success`, `warning` and `info`, each with `on-`, `-container` and
`on-…-container` companions, in both themes, AA-verified. Used by `md-chip`,
`md-badge`, `md-meter`, `md-status-dot`.

| Token | Light | Dark |
|---|---|---|
| `--md-sys-color-success` | `#2E6B4F` | `#9DD5B0` |
| `--md-sys-color-success-container` | `#B8F0CE` | `#14512F` |
| `--md-sys-color-warning` | `#7A5900` | `#EFC148` |
| `--md-sys-color-warning-container` | `#FFDF9B` | `#5C4200` |
| `--md-sys-color-info` | `#38608F` | `#A2C9FE` |
| `--md-sys-color-info-container` | `#D3E4FF` | `#1E4975` |

#### Shape tokens

| Token | Value | Typical usage |
|---|---|---|
| `--md-sys-shape-corner-none` | `0px` | Square edges |
| `--md-sys-shape-corner-extra-small` | `4px` | Snackbar, small chips |
| `--md-sys-shape-corner-small` | `8px` | Cards (outlined), small surfaces |
| `--md-sys-shape-corner-medium` | `12px` | Cards (default), inputs |
| `--md-sys-shape-corner-large` | `16px` | Dialogs, large cards |
| `--md-sys-shape-corner-extra-large` | `28px` | Bottom sheets |
| `--md-sys-shape-corner-full` | `9999px` | Buttons, chips, FAB |

Partial-corner variants also exist for surfaces that meet an edge:
`--md-sys-shape-corner-extra-small-top`, `-large-top`, `-large-end`,
`-extra-large-top`. Their values are four-value `border-radius` shorthands
(e.g. `16px 16px 0px 0px`), so assign them to `border-radius`, not to a single
corner.

#### Elevation tokens

`-0` is the keyword `none`; `-1` through `-5` are complete `box-shadow` values,
and those five are **re-declared with deeper shadows under `[data-theme="dark"]`**
— so always use the token rather than copying its value.

| Token | When |
|---|---|
| `--md-sys-elevation-0` | `none` — resting cards, flat surfaces |
| `--md-sys-elevation-1` | Elevated buttons and cards at rest |
| `--md-sys-elevation-2` | Hover bump |
| `--md-sys-elevation-3` | FAB, menus, dialogs at rest |
| `--md-sys-elevation-4` – `-5` | Reserved for the most prominent surfaces |

#### Motion tokens

Durations come in four families of four: `short1…4` (50/100/150/200ms),
`medium1…4` (250/300/350/400ms), `long1…4` (450/500/550/600ms), and
`extra-long1…4` (700/800/900/1000ms).

| Token | Value | When |
|---|---|---|
| `--md-sys-motion-duration-short2` | `100ms` | Buttons, ripples, state layers |
| `--md-sys-motion-duration-medium2` | `300ms` | Dialogs, sheets, menus |
| `--md-sys-motion-duration-long2` | `500ms` | Large surface transitions |
| `--md-sys-motion-duration-extra-long1` | `700ms` | Ambient / chart entrances |
| `--md-sys-motion-easing-standard` | `cubic-bezier(0.2, 0, 0, 1)` | Small utility transitions |
| `--md-sys-motion-easing-standard-accelerate` | `cubic-bezier(0.3, 0, 1, 1)` | Exits |
| `--md-sys-motion-easing-standard-decelerate` | `cubic-bezier(0, 0, 0, 1)` | Entrances |
| `--md-sys-motion-easing-emphasized` | `cubic-bezier(0.2, 0, 0, 1)` | Expressive transitions |
| `--md-sys-motion-easing-emphasized-accelerate` | `cubic-bezier(0.3, 0, 0.8, 0.15)` | Expressive exits |
| `--md-sys-motion-easing-emphasized-decelerate` | `cubic-bezier(0.05, 0.7, 0.1, 1)` | Expressive entrances |
| `--md-sys-motion-easing-linear` | `linear` | Progress, indeterminate loops |

> `--md-sys-motion-easing-emphasized` deliberately equals the standard curve:
> the full M3 emphasized curve is a two-phase path interpolator that CSS cannot
> express. The accelerate and decelerate halves *are* expressible, and are the
> ones to reach for.

MD3 Expressive also ships spring pairs, each an easing plus its natural
duration: `--md-sys-motion-spring-{spatial,effects}-{fast,default,slow}-easing`
and `…-duration`. Spatial = position/size/shape; effects = colour/opacity.

#### State-layer opacities

| Token | Value |
|---|---|
| `--md-sys-state-hover-state-layer-opacity` | `0.08` |
| `--md-sys-state-focus-state-layer-opacity` | `0.12` |
| `--md-sys-state-pressed-state-layer-opacity` | `0.12` |
| `--md-sys-state-dragged-state-layer-opacity` | `0.16` |
| `--md-sys-state-disabled-container-opacity` | `0.12` |
| `--md-sys-state-disabled-content-opacity` | `0.38` |

#### Typography, spacing and layering

- **Typescale** — `--md-sys-typescale-<role>-<size>-*` for
  `display`/`headline`/`title`/`label`/`body` × `large`/`medium`/`small`. Each
  role exposes `-font-family`, `-font-size`, `-line-height`, `-font-weight`,
  `-letter-spacing`, plus a `-font` shorthand
  (e.g. `--md-sys-typescale-headline-medium-font: 400 28px/36px Roboto, sans-serif`).
  Use the shorthand on the `font` property for headings you write yourself.
- **Spacing** — a 4px scale that tightens with density:
  `--md-sys-spacing-inset-{xs,sm,md,lg,xl}` (internal padding, 4/8/12/16/24px)
  and `--md-sys-spacing-gap-{xs,sm,md,lg}` (between siblings, 4/8/12/16px), plus
  `--md-sys-spacing-row-height` (`56px` at density 0).
- **Layering** — `--md-sys-z-index-app-bar` (100), `-navigation` (200),
  `-bottom-sheet` (300), `-popup` (1000), `-dialog-scrim` (1001), `-tooltip`
  (1500), `-snackbar` (2000). Use these instead of inventing z-indexes, or your
  overlay will land under a menu.

### 4.2 Theming and rebranding

To rebrand, redefine the role variables **after** the tokens stylesheet — both
themes, or dark mode inherits your light brand colour:

```css
:root {
  --md-sys-color-primary: #00629E;
  --md-sys-color-on-primary: #FFFFFF;
  --md-sys-color-primary-container: #CFE5FF;
  --md-sys-color-on-primary-container: #001D33;
}
[data-theme="dark"] {
  --md-sys-color-primary: #9BCBFF;
  --md-sys-color-on-primary: #003354;
  --md-sys-color-primary-container: #004A78;
  --md-sys-color-on-primary-container: #CFE5FF;
}
```

Per-component knobs are `--md-<component>-*` custom properties, listed in each
manual's Theming section (`--md-button-container-color`,
`--md-card-container-shape`, …). Prefer those over `::part()`, and prefer
`::part()` over reaching into shadow internals, which are unstable and will
break on any release.

**Overriding a colour role forfeits the library's contrast testing.** Re-verify
AA (4.5:1 text, 3:1 borders and dividers) after any palette change. The Theme
Generator at <https://awc-ui.dev/theme-generator> takes a seed colour, emits both
palettes as `--md-sys-color-*` overrides, and runs the WCAG checks live — use it
rather than hand-picking container and `on-` pairs.

### 4.3 Density

`data-density` steps `-1 → -4`; each rung trims ~4px of padding and touch
target, driving `--md-sys-density-scale` and the spacing tokens. `-4` is the
floor. Set it globally, override locally with the `density` prop. Do not go
below `-2` on touch-primary surfaces — you will break the 48px target.

Two details that bite:

- **`density="0"` does nothing** — see §2 for why, and for the
  `--md-sys-density-scale: 0` escape hatch.
- **`md-table` accepts two vocabularies**: the semantic `compact` / `standard` /
  `comfortable` (row heights 36 / 52 / 60px) *and* the numeric rungs. They
  compose — `density="compact"` inside a `data-density="-2"` region condenses
  further.

### 4.4 Dark mode

Set `data-theme="dark"` on `<html>` (or any ancestor — the nearest wins). The
tokens swap automatically and inherit across every shadow boundary; no
per-component code. To mirror the OS, read `prefers-color-scheme` and write the
attribute **before first paint**, or the page flashes light.

### 4.5 RTL

Layout is written with CSS logical properties, so it flips with `dir="rtl"`
without extra work. Two things still need you:

- **Directional glyphs do not flip.** Material Symbols are not auto-mirrored.
  `md-button` has a `mirror-icon` prop that mirrors its own leading/trailing
  glyph — set it on buttons using arrows, chevrons, `send`, `reply`, and leave
  it off for `add`, `search`, `favorite`. **`mirror-icon` exists only on
  `md-button`.** Everywhere else — `md-icon-button icon="…"`, `md-list-item`
  leading/trailing icons, `md-app-bar leading-icon` — swap the glyph name
  yourself (`arrow_back` ↔ `arrow_forward`).
- **Icon props you supply yourself** — e.g. `md-transfer-list`'s
  `move-right-icon` / `move-left-icon` / `move-all-*-icon` — must be swapped by
  you when the direction flips.

Never write physical CSS (`margin-left`, `padding-right`, `left`) around these
components. Use `margin-inline-start`, `padding-inline-end`, `inset-inline-end`.

### 4.6 Internationalization

Components are **i18n-engine-agnostic by design**. Every user-visible string is
either slotted content or a prop. Localize in the consumer layer: resolve your
dictionary to plain strings, then pass them in. Do not add a translation engine
inside a component. `locale` props exist only where a component computes an
`Intl`-formatted value itself: `md-date-picker`, `md-number-field`,
`md-meter`, `md-dialog`, and the charts (`md-bar-chart`, `md-line-chart`,
`md-area-chart`, `md-pie-chart`). `md-time-picker` has no
`locale` prop — it takes `format="12h" | "24h"` instead.

Templated strings keep their placeholder tokens when translated — translate
around the braces, don't remove them:

```html
<md-transfer-list count-template="{checked} / {total} ausgewählt"></md-transfer-list>
```

Other templated props: `md-autocomplete status-template`, `md-otp-field
cell-label-template`. Default prop values are English (`Search`, `Dismiss`,
`No results`, `Move selected to target`, …) — every one of them needs
translating in a localized app.

### 4.7 Forms and validation

Fourteen components are form-associated via `ElementInternals`, so they
participate in `FormData` and constraint validation like native controls:

`md-text-field` · `md-number-field` · `md-otp-field` · `md-select` ·
`md-multi-select` · `md-autocomplete` · `md-checkbox` · `md-radio` ·
`md-switch` · `md-slider` · `md-rating` · `md-date-picker` · `md-time-picker` ·
`md-button`

Rules:

- Use a real `<form>`. `md-button type="submit"` calls `form.requestSubmit()`
  (not `submit()`), so the `submit` event fires **and** built-in constraint
  validation runs. `required` genuinely blocks submit.
  `md-button type="reset"` calls `form.reset()`.
- Give every control a `name`, or it will not appear in `FormData`.
- Do **not** add hidden `<input>`s to mirror values — that's the old pattern and
  it double-submits.
- Validity changes are announced on a `mdValidityChange` event on the control.
  Error presentation is `error` + `error-text` on the field.
- Boolean state props differ by control — `md-checkbox` uses `checked`,
  `md-switch` uses **`selected`**, `md-select-option` uses `selected`. Check the
  manual; guessing `checked` on a switch silently does nothing.

---

## §5 — Component decision matrix

Route by **need**, not by name. If the need isn't listed, find the closest row
and read that component's `When NOT to use`.

### 5.1 Actions

| Need | Use | Don't use |
|---|---|---|
| Discrete labelled action | `md-button` | `md-chip`, raw `<button>` |
| Icon-only action | `md-icon-button` | `md-button` with no label |
| A destructive action | `md-button` + `md-dialog` to confirm | an unconfirmed `filled` button |
| The single most prominent screen action (mobile) | `md-fab` | a second `filled` `md-button` |
| One prominent action that expands to several | `md-fab-menu` + `md-fab-menu-item` | a stack of FABs |
| Primary action + variants of it | `md-split-button` | button + separate menu |
| 2–5 related actions as one unit | `md-button-group` | loose adjacent buttons |
| Mutually exclusive view/mode switch | `md-segmented-button-set` + `md-segmented-button` | radio buttons, tabs |
| Overflow / contextual actions | `md-menu` + `md-menu-item` | a row of text buttons |

### 5.2 Text input

| Need | Use | Don't use |
|---|---|---|
| Any single-line or multi-line text entry | `md-text-field` | raw `<input>` |
| A number with steppers and locale formatting | `md-number-field` | `md-text-field type="number"` |
| A one-time code / PIN | `md-otp-field` | a row of text fields |
| Text entry with suggestions | `md-autocomplete` | `md-select` |
| Site/app-wide search with a results surface | `md-search` | `md-text-field` with an icon |

### 5.3 Selection

| Need | Use | Don't use |
|---|---|---|
| One of many, from a list | `md-select` + `md-select-option` | radio group over ~7 options |
| One of few (2–5), all visible | `md-radio` | `md-select` |
| Several of many | `md-multi-select` | many `md-checkbox`es |
| Several of few, all visible | `md-checkbox` | `md-multi-select` |
| Instant on/off setting | `md-switch` | `md-checkbox` |
| A value in a numeric range | `md-slider` | `md-text-field type=number` |
| Subjective score | `md-rating` | slider |
| A color | `md-color-picker` | `<input type=color>` |
| Assign a subset from a bounded pool, side by side | `md-transfer-list` | two lists + buttons |
| Filter / attribute / removable entry | `md-chip` | small buttons |
| A date | `md-date-picker` | three selects |
| A time | `md-time-picker` | text field |

### 5.4 Navigation

| Need | Use | Don't use |
|---|---|---|
| Top-level destinations, mobile | `md-navigation-bar` + `md-navigation-tab` | tabs |
| Top-level destinations, desktop | `md-navigation-rail` + `md-navigation-rail-tab` | bottom bar |
| App header: title, actions, search | `md-app-bar` | a custom `<header>` |
| A dense action strip | `md-toolbar` | app bar |
| Sibling views **within** one screen | `md-tabs` + `md-tab` + `md-tab-panels` + `md-tab-panel` | navigation bar |
| Hierarchy / where-am-I | `md-breadcrumbs` + `md-breadcrumb-item` | text links |
| A linear multi-step flow | `md-stepper` + `md-step` | tabs |
| Contextual popup actions | `md-menu` + `md-menu-item`, `md-menu-item-group`, `md-sub-menu-item` | dialog |
| Hierarchical command menu (File → Export → PDF) | `md-menu` + `md-sub-menu-item` | nested dialogs |

### 5.5 Containment and feedback

| Need | Use | Don't use |
|---|---|---|
| Group related content | `md-card` | a bare `<div>` with a border |
| Blocking decision or focused task | `md-dialog` | a new page |
| Critical error the user must acknowledge | `md-dialog` | `md-snackbar` |
| Supplementary content from the bottom (mobile) | `md-bottom-sheet` | dialog |
| Supplementary content from the side (desktop) | `md-side-sheet` | dialog |
| Brief confirmation of an action, optionally undoable | `md-snackbar` | dialog, alert |
| Explain a control on hover/focus | `md-tooltip` | a dialog or inline hint |
| Progressive disclosure of sections | `md-accordion` + `md-accordion-item` | tabs |
| Visual separation | `md-divider` | a styled `<hr>` |
| A vertical set of records | `md-list` + `md-list-item` | a table |
| Determinate/indeterminate progress | `md-progress-indicator` | spinner GIF |
| Brand-consistent page/content loading | `md-loading-indicator` | custom spinner |
| Content-shaped loading placeholder | `md-skeleton` | a spinner over the whole page |
| Count or status on an element | `md-badge` | superscript text |
| Compact status dot | `md-status-dot` | a colored emoji |
| Read-only value within a known range (quota, battery) | `md-meter` | `md-progress-indicator` |
| A person or entity image/initials | `md-avatar` | a raw `<img>` |
| Touch feedback inside a custom control | `md-ripple` | custom CSS animation |

### 5.6 Data

| Need | Use | Don't use |
|---|---|---|
| Any table | `md-table-container` wrapping `md-table`, with `-head`/`-body`/`-row`/`-cell`/`-foot` inside the table and `-toolbar`/`-pagination` beside it in the container (§7.1) | a native `<table>` |
| Sorting, selection, paging on that table | the same parts — `md-table` carries the STATE (`sort-by`, `sort-order`, `selection`, `row-offset`, `row-count`, `loading`) and emits events; you own the data and do the actual sorting/paging | expecting it to sort an array for you |
| Hierarchy / reporting lines | `md-organization-chart` | nested lists |
| Compare categories | `md-bar-chart` | pie chart |
| Trend over time | `md-line-chart` | bar chart |
| Trend with cumulative volume | `md-area-chart` | line chart |
| Parts of a whole (≤ ~6 slices) | `md-pie-chart` | bar chart |
| Inline micro-trend in a cell or card | `md-sparkline` | a full chart |

> **There is no data-driven table component.** `md-table` is composable: you
> render the rows. It tracks and announces sort, selection and pagination state
> and emits events when the user changes them, but the sorting, filtering and
> slicing of your data is yours to perform. Render rows from your own array in
> response to those events.

### 5.7 Choosing the variant

The matrix picks the component; this picks its shape. Every value below is a
real enum member — anything not listed here is not a valid value.

| Component | Prop | Values, and when |
|---|---|---|
| `md-button` | `variant` | `filled` the one primary action · `tonal` a strong secondary · `outlined` secondary, and the safe choice for a destructive action behind a confirm · `text` low emphasis, dialog Cancel · `elevated` when it sits on a busy or coloured background (default `filled`) |
| `md-button` / `md-icon-button` / `md-button-group` | `size` | `xs` `sm` `md` `lg` `xl` — default `sm`; go `md`/`lg` for consumer CTAs, `xs`/`sm` for dense admin UI |
| `md-icon-button` | `variant` | `standard` (default) · `filled` · `tonal` · `outlined` |
| `md-button-group` | `variant` | `standard` spaced · `connected` fused into one bar |
| `md-fab` | `size` | `standard` (default) · `medium` · `large` |
| `md-fab` | `variant` | `primary-container` (default) · `secondary-container` · `tertiary-container` · `surface` · `primary` · `secondary` · `tertiary` |
| `md-card` | `variant` | `filled` for a group of comparable items · `elevated` (default) for a hero or featured item · `outlined` for a settings or form section |
| `md-text-field` / `md-select` | `variant` | `outlined` for forms on a surface · `filled` for dense or tinted layouts (`md-text-field` defaults to `filled`, `md-select` to `outlined`) — pick one and use it for every field on the screen |
| `md-text-field` | `type` | any native input type: `password`, `email`, `tel`, `url`, `search`, … (default `text`) |
| `md-text-field` | `multiline` | `"auto-grow"` grows with content · `"fixed"` with `rows` for a fixed comment box · `false` (default) single line |
| `md-search` | `variant` | `contained` (default) · `divided` |
| `md-app-bar` | `variant` | `small` (default) · `medium` · `large` for a prominent headline · `search` for a bar that hosts a field |
| `md-chip` | `variant` | `assist` (default) · `filter` for toggleable facets · `input` for user-entered removable values · `suggestion` |
| `md-chip` | `appearance` | `outlined` (default) · `filled` · `elevated` |
| `md-badge` | `variant` | `small` a bare dot · `large` (default) a count |
| `md-tooltip` | `variant` | `plain` (default) a short label on an icon control · `rich` an explanatory popover that may hold a link or action |
| `md-divider` | — | **no `variant`** — use the booleans `inset`, `inset-start`, `inset-end` |
| `md-side-sheet` | `variant` | `standard` coexists with page content · `modal` overlays with a scrim |
| `md-bottom-sheet` | `variant` | `standard` (default) · `detached` floating above the edge |
| `md-dialog` | `fullscreen` | boolean — a full-screen dialog for a long mobile task |
| `md-date-picker` | `variant` | `modal-input` (default) calendar plus a typed field · `modal` calendar only · `docked` inline, anchored to the field |
| `md-time-picker` | `variant` | `dial` · `input` (default) |
| `md-progress-indicator` | `variant` | `linear` (default) · `circular`; add `indeterminate` when the total is unknown |
| `md-list-item` | `lines` | `1` · `2` · `3` — must match how much supporting text you pass |
| `md-navigation-bar` | — | 3–5 destinations. Fewer than three: use `md-tabs`. More than five: a rail or a menu |
| `md-navigation-rail` | — | 3–7 destinations; cap the overflow with `max-visible` |

### 5.8 Not in the library

Rich text editor · file upload/dropzone · calendar/scheduler view · map ·
toast stack manager (use `md-snackbar` and manage the queue yourself) ·
data grid with virtualized columns. If the user needs one, say so plainly and
integrate a third-party component styled with the MD3 tokens.

**There is no `md-grid`, no `md-data-table`, no `md-layout`, no `md-icon`.**
If a tag is not listed in §6, it does not exist — do not emit it.

---

## §6 — Component inventory

**Every component has exactly one manual, and it is the readme.md in its own
source folder:**

```
./packages/core/src/components/<tag>/readme.md
```

e.g. [`md-select`](./packages/core/src/components/md-select/readme.md),
[`md-button`](./packages/core/src/components/md-button/readme.md).

**Load that file before you use the component.** There is no second, shorter
summary to rely on — this readme is the single source, so anything you do not
read there, you do not know. Each one carries When-to-use, a Do/Don't table
from M3, copy-paste patterns, an anti-patterns table, and the theming surface.

Work through them one at a time: pick the component from the decision matrix
(§5), load its readme, write that component's markup, then move to the next.

There are 81 manuals for 57 components: 24 of them document sub-components that
are only valid inside a parent (a table cell, a tab panel, a select option).
Every sub-component manual names its parent in the first line, and §7 below
summarises the nesting.

`status` in each manual's `llm:meta` block is one of:

- **`md3-mapped`** — has a Material Design 3 guidelines page; the Do/Don't is
  sourced from it.
- **`custom`** — an addition to MD3; guidance is derived house rules.
- **`sub-component`** — only valid inside a specific parent.

| Category | Components |
|---|---|
| Actions | `md-button` `md-icon-button` `md-fab` `md-fab-menu` `md-fab-menu-item` `md-split-button` `md-button-group` `md-segmented-button` `md-segmented-button-set` |
| Text input | `md-text-field` `md-number-field` `md-otp-field` `md-autocomplete` `md-search` |
| Selection | `md-select` `md-select-option` `md-multi-select` `md-checkbox` `md-radio` `md-switch` `md-slider` `md-rating` `md-color-picker` `md-transfer-list` `md-chip` |
| Pickers | `md-date-picker` `md-time-picker` |
| Navigation | `md-app-bar` `md-toolbar` `md-navigation-bar` `md-navigation-tab` `md-navigation-rail` `md-navigation-rail-tab` `md-tabs` `md-tab` `md-tab-panels` `md-tab-panel` `md-breadcrumbs` `md-breadcrumb-item` `md-menu` `md-menu-item` `md-menu-item-group` `md-sub-menu-item` `md-stepper` `md-step` |
| Containment | `md-card` `md-dialog` `md-bottom-sheet` `md-side-sheet` `md-snackbar` `md-tooltip` `md-accordion` `md-accordion-item` `md-divider` `md-list` `md-list-item` |
| Data | `md-table` `md-table-container` `md-table-head` `md-table-body` `md-table-row` `md-table-cell` `md-table-foot` `md-table-toolbar` `md-table-pagination` `md-table-sort-label` `md-table-expand-toggle` `md-organization-chart` |
| Charts | `md-bar-chart` `md-line-chart` `md-area-chart` `md-pie-chart` `md-sparkline` |
| Status & feedback | `md-progress-indicator` `md-loading-indicator` `md-skeleton` `md-badge` `md-status-dot` `md-meter` `md-avatar` `md-ripple` |

---

## §7 — Composition rules

### 7.1 What nests inside what

A sub-component is only valid inside its parent. Putting one anywhere else
produces an unstyled, unregistered-looking element with no keyboard behaviour,
because the parent is what wires roving tabindex, ARIA ids and selection.

| Parent | Children it manages |
|---|---|
| `md-button-group` | `md-button`, `md-icon-button` |
| `md-segmented-button-set` | `md-segmented-button` |
| `md-fab-menu` | `md-fab-menu-item` (anchored to an `md-fab` via `anchor="<id>"`) |
| `md-menu` | `md-menu-item`, `md-sub-menu-item`, `md-menu-item-group` — **not** `md-divider`; separate rows with `md-menu-item`'s own `divider` (or `gap`) prop |
| `md-menu-item-group` | `md-menu-item` |
| `md-sub-menu-item` | a nested `md-menu` in `slot="submenu"` — the items go in *that* menu. There is no default slot, so anything else you nest renders nothing |
| `md-select`, `md-multi-select`, `md-autocomplete` | `md-select-option` |
| `md-list` | `md-list-item`, `md-divider` |
| `md-tabs` | `md-tab` |
| `md-tab-panels` | `md-tab-panel` (one per tab, in tab order) |
| `md-navigation-bar` | `md-navigation-tab` |
| `md-navigation-rail` | `md-navigation-rail-tab`, plus an `md-fab` in `slot="fab"` |
| `md-accordion` | `md-accordion-item` |
| `md-stepper` | `md-step` (horizontal steppers also take `slot="content"`) |
| `md-breadcrumbs` | `md-breadcrumb-item` |
| `md-table-container` | `md-table` — **it wraps the table, not the other way round** — plus `md-table-toolbar` in `slot="top"` and `md-table-pagination` in `slot="bottom"`, which sit outside the scroll region |
| `md-table` | `md-table-head`, `md-table-body`, `md-table-foot` (and bare `md-table-row`). It does **not** accept the container, toolbar or pagination |
| `md-table-head` / `-body` / `-foot` | `md-table-row` |
| `md-table-row` | `md-table-cell`, plus `md-table-expand-toggle` for an expandable row |
| `md-table-cell` | `md-table-sort-label` in a header cell |
| `md-tooltip` | **its trigger** — the tooltip wraps the element it describes in its default slot |
| `md-dialog` | body content in the default slot; `md-button` in `slot="actions"` |
| `md-bottom-sheet` / `md-side-sheet` | content in the default slot; `md-button` in `slot="actions"`; headline in `slot="headline"` |
| `md-app-bar` | `md-icon-button` in `slot="leading"` and `slot="trailing"`; `md-menu` for overflow; a field in `slot="search"` on `variant="search"` |
| `md-toolbar` | `md-icon-button`, `md-button`, `md-button-group`; an `md-fab` in `slot="fab"`; `slot="leading"` / `slot="trailing"` for the end clusters |

### 7.2 Pairs that belong together

These don't nest — they sit next to each other in a working flow. Reaching for
one usually means you want the other.

| This | Goes with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| `md-icon-button` | `md-tooltip` | The tooltip supplies the visible meaning the icon lacks |
| `md-button` (`soft-disabled`) | `md-tooltip` | Explains *why* the action is unavailable |
| `md-fab` | `md-fab-menu` | The FAB is the menu's anchor |
| `md-split-button` | `md-menu` | The trailing half opens it |
| `md-card` | `md-button`, `md-icon-button`, `md-divider` | Footer actions, corner action, internal sections |
| `md-list-item` | `md-checkbox`, `md-switch`, `md-icon-button` | Trailing controls in a selectable or settings row |
| `md-bottom-sheet` / `md-side-sheet` | `md-list` | Action menus and filter panels inside the sheet |
| `md-search` | `md-list`, `md-avatar`, `md-icon-button` | Results in the panel; account and voice/filter affordances in the trailing slot |
| `md-date-picker` | `md-time-picker` | Date + time row for booking and scheduling forms |
| `md-time-picker` | `md-button` | The trigger, when `hide-trigger` is set. The picker **is** its own dialog — don't nest it in another one |
| `md-text-field` | `md-button` | Submit / cancel in the form footer |
| `md-multi-select` / `md-autocomplete` | `md-text-field`, `md-menu`, `md-chip` | The field is the trigger (and inherits its variant, density and error state), the menu is the option surface, chips are the selected values |
| `md-autocomplete` | `md-progress-indicator` | The loading row while suggestions are fetched |
| `md-transfer-list` | `md-checkbox`, `md-text-field`, `md-icon-button` | Per-row select, per-side search, mover controls |
| `md-number-field` | `md-text-field` hooks, `md-icon-button` | It *is* an `md-text-field` internally — every `--md-text-field-*` custom property passes through — and its steppers are `md-icon-button`s |
| `md-otp-field` | `md-button` | Verify action (`auto-submit` covers the no-button flow) |
| Any chart | `md-card` | Charts belong on a dashboard tile |
| `md-line-chart` | `md-segmented-button-set` | Period picker (1W / 1M / 1Y) driving the range |
| `md-sparkline` | `md-list-item`, `md-table-cell` | Trend column beside a value |
| `md-skeleton` | `md-card`, `md-list` | Render N placeholders in the real layout while fetching |
| `md-meter` | `md-chip`, `md-card` | Same semantic status colour on both; quota and usage summaries live on a card |
| `md-color-picker` | `md-text-field`, `md-button` | Label and helper text beside it in a form; save / cancel in the surrounding popover or dialog |
| `md-rating` | `md-text-field`, `md-card` | A rating row in a review form; aggregate scores on a review card |
| `md-accordion` | `md-divider` | Optional inner dividers inside long item content |
| `md-stepper` | `md-button` | Next / back / submit adjacent to the stepper |

### 7.3 Nesting that is always wrong

- A dialog opened from inside a dialog. Use `md-stepper` inside **one**
  `md-dialog`.
- A component inside a native interactive element (`<button>`, `<a>`) — it
  nests interactive controls and destroys the accessibility tree. Use the
  component's own `href` / `type` props.
- `md-tabs` used for top-level app navigation. Tabs switch sibling views of the
  same data; destinations are `md-navigation-bar` / `md-navigation-rail`.

---

## §8 — Page recipes

Complete, runnable screens. Each renders as-is once the components are
registered and the token sheet and font links from §3 are loaded — no
placeholder identifiers, no helper functions to write.

### 8.1 Login screen

`<form>` is load-bearing: it is what makes `required` block submit and what
`type="submit"` calls `requestSubmit()` on.

```html
<main style="display: grid; place-items: center; min-block-size: 100dvh; padding: 24px;">
  <form id="login-form" style="inline-size: min(420px, 100%);">
    <md-card variant="elevated" style="padding: 32px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 20px;">
      <h1 style="margin: 0; font: var(--md-sys-typescale-headline-medium-font);">Sign in</h1>

      <md-text-field
        variant="outlined"
        label="Email"
        type="email"
        name="email"
        autocomplete="username"
        required
      ></md-text-field>

      <md-text-field
        variant="outlined"
        label="Password"
        type="password"
        name="password"
        autocomplete="current-password"
        password-toggle="internal"
        required
      ></md-text-field>

      <md-button variant="filled" type="submit" full-width>Sign in</md-button>
      <md-button variant="text" href="/forgot-password">Forgot password?</md-button>
    </md-card>
  </form>
</main>

<script type="module">
  document.getElementById('login-form').addEventListener('submit', (e) => {
    e.preventDefault();
    const data = new FormData(e.currentTarget);
    console.log(data.get('email'), data.get('password'));
  });
</script>
```

### 8.2 Settings page (mobile)

Top app bar + grouped rows of instant-apply switches. `md-switch` uses
**`selected`**, not `checked`. The rows are `type="text"` (non-interactive), so
the switch is the only control — one tab stop per setting.

```html
<md-app-bar variant="small" headline="Settings">
  <md-icon-button slot="leading" icon="arrow_back" aria-label="Back"></md-icon-button>
</md-app-bar>

<main style="padding: 16px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 16px;">
  <md-card variant="outlined">
    <md-list>
      <md-list-item headline="Notifications" supporting-text="Push, email, in-app" lines="2">
        <md-switch slot="trailing" selected aria-label="Enable notifications" data-setting="notifications"></md-switch>
      </md-list-item>
      <md-divider></md-divider>
      <md-list-item headline="Dark mode" supporting-text="Match system" lines="2">
        <md-switch slot="trailing" aria-label="Enable dark mode" data-setting="dark"></md-switch>
      </md-list-item>
      <md-divider></md-divider>
      <md-list-item headline="Sync over cellular">
        <md-switch slot="trailing" selected aria-label="Sync over cellular" data-setting="cellular"></md-switch>
      </md-list-item>
    </md-list>
  </md-card>
</main>

<md-snackbar id="settings-toast" message="Setting saved"></md-snackbar>

<script type="module">
  const toast = document.getElementById('settings-toast');
  document.querySelectorAll('md-switch[data-setting]').forEach((sw) => {
    sw.addEventListener('mdChange', (e) => {
      if (sw.dataset.setting === 'dark') {
        document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-theme', e.detail.selected ? 'dark' : 'light');
      }
      toast.show();
    });
  });
</script>
```

### 8.3 Settings form (deferred save, with validation)

When settings are saved on submit rather than applied instantly, use a real
form. `required` blocks the submit; every control needs a `name` to reach
`FormData`.

```html
<form id="profile-form" style="max-inline-size: 560px; margin: 24px auto; padding: 0 16px;">
  <md-card variant="outlined" style="padding: 24px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 20px;">
    <h2 style="margin: 0; font: var(--md-sys-typescale-title-large-font);">Profile</h2>

    <md-text-field
      variant="outlined"
      label="Display name"
      name="displayName"
      required
      supporting-text="Shown on your public profile"
    ></md-text-field>

    <md-select variant="outlined" label="Language" name="language" value="en" required>
      <md-select-option value="en" label="English"></md-select-option>
      <md-select-option value="de" label="Deutsch"></md-select-option>
      <md-select-option value="ar" label="العربية"></md-select-option>
    </md-select>

    <!-- md-checkbox has NO label slot. It is a labelable, form-associated
         element: wrap it in a native <label> (which names it AND forwards
         clicks), or give the host an aria-label. Text between the tags is
         NOT rendered. -->
    <label style="display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; cursor: pointer;">
      <md-checkbox name="newsletter" value="yes" supporting-text="Monthly, no more"></md-checkbox>
      <span>Send me product news</span>
    </label>

    <div style="display: flex; gap: 8px; justify-content: flex-end;">
      <md-button variant="text" type="reset">Reset</md-button>
      <md-button variant="filled" type="submit">Save changes</md-button>
    </div>
  </md-card>
</form>

<md-snackbar id="saved-toast" message="Changes saved" action="Undo"></md-snackbar>

<script type="module">
  const form = document.getElementById('profile-form');
  const toast = document.getElementById('saved-toast');

  form.addEventListener('submit', (e) => {
    e.preventDefault();
    const data = Object.fromEntries(new FormData(form));
    console.log(data); // { displayName, language, newsletter? }
    toast.show();
  });

  toast.addEventListener('mdAction', () => form.reset());
</script>
```

### 8.4 Dashboard with a FAB

```html
<md-app-bar variant="medium" headline="Inbox">
  <md-icon-button slot="trailing" icon="search" aria-label="Search"></md-icon-button>
  <md-icon-button slot="trailing" icon="filter_list" aria-label="Filter"></md-icon-button>
</md-app-bar>

<main style="padding: 16px; display: grid; gap: 12px; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(260px, 1fr));">
  <md-card variant="filled" interactive style="padding: 16px;">
    <strong>Acme contract</strong>
    <p style="margin: 4px 0 0; color: var(--md-sys-color-on-surface-variant);">Renewal due in 5 days</p>
  </md-card>
  <md-card variant="filled" interactive style="padding: 16px;">
    <strong>Q4 report draft</strong>
    <p style="margin: 4px 0 0; color: var(--md-sys-color-on-surface-variant);">Shared by Alex</p>
  </md-card>
</main>

<md-fab
  icon="add"
  aria-label="New item"
  style="position: fixed; inset-block-end: 16px; inset-inline-end: 16px; z-index: var(--md-sys-z-index-navigation);"
></md-fab>
```

`inset-inline-end` (not `right`) is what keeps the FAB in the correct corner
under `dir="rtl"`.

### 8.5 Destructive confirmation dialog

`md-dialog` traps focus and returns it to the trigger on close — do not add your
own focus management. The error colouring goes through the button's own custom
properties, never a hex.

```html
<md-button id="open-delete" variant="outlined">Delete account</md-button>

<md-dialog id="confirm-delete" headline="Delete account?" icon="warning">
  <p style="margin: 0;">
    This will permanently delete your account and all associated data.
    This action cannot be undone.
  </p>
  <md-button id="cancel-delete" slot="actions" variant="text">Cancel</md-button>
  <md-button
    id="do-delete"
    slot="actions"
    variant="filled"
    style="--md-button-container-color: var(--md-sys-color-error);
           --md-button-label-color: var(--md-sys-color-on-error);"
  >Delete</md-button>
</md-dialog>

<script type="module">
  const dialog = document.getElementById('confirm-delete');
  document.getElementById('open-delete').addEventListener('mdClick', () => dialog.show());
  document.getElementById('cancel-delete').addEventListener('mdClick', () => dialog.close());
  document.getElementById('do-delete').addEventListener('mdClick', () => {
    dialog.close();
    // perform the deletion
  });
</script>
```

If you omit `slot="actions"` entirely, `md-dialog` renders its own Cancel / OK
pair (labels via `cancel-label` / `ok-label`) and closes itself.

### 8.6 Tabbed content page

`md-tab-panels` finds the nearest preceding `md-tabs` (or the one named by
`for`), follows its `mdTabChange`, and wires `aria-controls` /
`aria-labelledby` both ways. **No JavaScript is required**, and `md-tab` has no
`value` or `selected` prop — selection lives on `md-tabs` as `active-tab-index`.

```html
<md-tabs id="profile-tabs" aria-label="Profile sections" active-tab-index="0">
  <md-tab label="Posts"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Replies"></md-tab>
  <md-tab label="Likes" badge="3"></md-tab>
</md-tabs>

<md-tab-panels for="profile-tabs">
  <md-tab-panel style="padding: 16px;">
    <p style="margin: 0;">Your posts appear here.</p>
  </md-tab-panel>
  <md-tab-panel style="padding: 16px;">
    <p style="margin: 0;">Your replies appear here.</p>
  </md-tab-panel>
  <md-tab-panel style="padding: 16px;">
    <p style="margin: 0;">Posts you liked appear here.</p>
  </md-tab-panel>
</md-tab-panels>
```

To react to the switch (lazy-loading a panel, for example), listen on the tabs:

```js
document.getElementById('profile-tabs')
  .addEventListener('mdTabChange', (e) => console.log(e.detail.index, e.detail.previousIndex));
```

### 8.7 The full recipe library

Twenty-two more complete screens live in the documentation, each with a live
demo, the full markup, framework tabs, and production notes. When the user's
request matches one of these, read that page (append the slug to
`https://awc-ui.dev/recipes/`) instead of composing from scratch:

| Recipe slug | Screen |
|---|---|
| `two-factor-verification` | OTP entry, resend countdown, backup-codes dialog |
| `kpi-overview` | Stat tiles with sparklines + charts under a range switcher |
| `data-grid-console` | Bulk-action data table: filters, selection, undo |
| `server-fleet-status` | Table of hosts with meters, sparklines, status dots |
| `release-health-drilldown` | Table row → side-sheet master-detail with charts |
| `csv-import-wizard` | Stepper: upload, map columns, validate, import |
| `role-permission-assignment` | Transfer-list permissions with confirm dialog |
| `org-chart-explorer` | Searchable org chart with side-sheet profiles |
| `moderation-queue` | Verdict controls, confidence meter, card queue |
| `checkout-wizard` | Three-step commerce checkout with validation |
| `appointment-booking` | Date + time pickers inside a stepper flow |
| `survey-nps` | Paged survey using every input control |
| `notification-preferences` | Accordion × switch matrix, quiet hours |
| `app-shell` | Responsive rail/bar chrome, SSR-ready, zero CLS |
| `inbox-shell` | Three-zone list + reading-pane layout |
| `mobile-filter-sheet` | Bottom-sheet filters with applied-chip row |
| `product-reviews` | Rating input + per-star meter breakdown |
| `order-tracking` | Shipment timeline stepper with progress meter |
| `portfolio-markets` | Finance charts + holdings table + trade ticket |
| `pricing-page` | Plan cards, billing toggle, comparison table |
| `async-feedback-patterns` | Skeleton/progress/snackbar choreography rules |
| `charts-gallery` | Every chart component, live-retheming palette |

---

## §9 — Universal do's and don'ts

Apply to every component. Component-specific rules live in each manual.

### 9.1 API and styling

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
|---|---|
| Use the custom element directly — it *is* the control, with its own `href` / `type` props | Wrap it in a native `<button>` / `<a>` (§7.3) |
| Set arrays and objects as **JS properties** (`el.items = [...]`) | Pass them as HTML attributes — they won't parse |
| Theme via `--md-<component>-*` properties, then `::part()` | Reach into shadow internals or override `.md-*` classes |
| Change appearance through design tokens (§4.1) | Hardcode hex colors, px spacing, shadows, or font stacks |
| Use `--md-sys-z-index-*` for your own overlays | Invent z-indexes that land under a menu |
| Use logical CSS (`margin-inline-start`, `inset-inline-end`) | Use `margin-left`, `right`, `padding-right` |
| Set `data-density` / `data-theme` / `dir` once, globally | Set them per component unless you mean a local exception |
| Listen to the component's `md*` events | Rely on native `click` — it fires even when the component's `disabled` / `loading` guard suppressed the action |
| Check the manual for the state prop name | Assume `checked`; `md-switch` uses `selected` |
| Render the element, then call its `@Method` | Call `.show()` on an element not yet in the DOM |

Toggling components flip their own state on activation and *then* emit. On
`md-button`, `mdClick` is cancelable — `preventDefault()` on it vetoes the
toggle and any navigation. `mdChange` fires after the flip and is not
cancelable. If a controlled parent rejects a change it must revert the child
explicitly.

`md-button` has a **toggle mode**: set `toggle` and the button flips its own
`selected` on each activation and exposes `aria-pressed`. `selected` is the
state, not the switch — set it for the initial pressed state and read it back
from `mdClick`'s `detail.selected`. Setting `toggle` and then styling
"pressed" yourself, or setting `selected` without `toggle` (which emits no
`aria-pressed` at all), both produce a control that lies to assistive tech.

### 9.2 Content and hierarchy

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
|---|---|
| Use sentence case for all labels | Uppercase or title-case UI text |
| Keep one high-emphasis action per screen region | Compete `filled` buttons against each other |
| Use `soft-disabled` + `md-tooltip` for contextually-unavailable actions | Use `disabled` and remove it from tab order with no explanation |
| Localize every text prop and `aria-label` | Leave default English prop values in a translated app |

**`disabled` vs `soft-disabled`.** Both render the disabled appearance, but
`disabled` also removes the control from the tab order, so a keyboard or screen
reader user can never find out *why* it is off. `soft-disabled` keeps the
control focusable and announced while still blocking activation — which is what
lets an `md-tooltip` on it explain the gate. Use it whenever the reason is
informative rather than obvious.

Nesting rules — dialog inside a dialog, a component inside a native
`<button>` / `<a>`, tabs used as app navigation — live in §7.3.

### 9.3 Accessibility contract

The library ships WCAG 2.1 AA keyboard and ARIA wiring by default. These are the
rules you must not break:

1. **Every icon-only control gets an accessible name.** `md-icon-button`,
   `md-fab`, and icon-only `md-tab` are nameless without `aria-label` (or
   `aria-labelledby`). `md-fab` will also accept `label`, and warns in the
   console when it has neither.
2. **Every form field gets a `label` prop.** `placeholder` is not a label — it
   disappears on type.
3. **Don't break the tab order.** Every interactive control must be reachable by
   Tab and operable by Enter/Space. If you add `tabindex="-1"` to anything,
   have a reason.
4. **Don't write your own focus trap.** `md-dialog`, `md-bottom-sheet` and
   `md-side-sheet` trap focus while open and restore it to the trigger on
   close — including across shadow boundaries. Adding your own fights theirs.
5. **Don't wrap components in your own live regions.** `md-snackbar` announces
   itself (`politeness="polite"` by default, `"assertive"` when the message must
   interrupt). For an error that blocks the task, use `md-dialog`.
6. **Don't disable motion yourself.** Components honour
   `prefers-reduced-motion: reduce` internally.
7. **Directional icons do not auto-flip in RTL** — see §4.5.
8. **Re-verify contrast after overriding any colour role** — the library's AA
   testing covers the shipped palette only. The Theme Generator at
   <https://awc-ui.dev/theme-generator> runs the WCAG checks live (§4.2).

---

## §10 — Before you ship

1. **Every icon-only control has an accessible name.**
2. **Keyboard-only pass**: reach and operate every control; focus is always
   visible; no traps in dialogs/menus/sheets; focus returns to the trigger.
3. **Theme pass**: light *and* dark, if both are supported — and the attribute
   is set before first paint.
4. **RTL pass**, if an RTL locale ships — check directional icons specifically,
   and grep your own CSS for physical properties.
5. **Density pass** at the configured rung — no clipped labels, touch targets
   still adequate. Remember `density="0"` is inert; use
   `--md-sys-density-scale: 0` to opt a subtree out.
6. **Forms**: every control has a `name`; `required` blocks submit; `FormData`
   contains every field; reset works.
7. **No hardcoded strings** left in markup if the app is localized — including
   default prop values like `Search`, `Dismiss`, `No results`.
8. **No hardcoded design values** — grep the diff for hex colours, `px` radii,
   `box-shadow`, and `z-index` literals.
9. **Contrast** re-verified against AA if colour roles were overridden.
10. **SSR**: if server-rendered, confirm no hydration mismatch and that content
    is present with JS disabled.
11. **No shadow-internal CSS** — only tokens, custom properties, and `::part()`.
12. **Every `md-*` tag you emitted appears in §6.** If it doesn't, it doesn't
    exist.