candidate-activev0.5.0Catalog reviewed 2026-09-27

Blue Slate Visual System

Provides shared design tokens and interface patterns for Aptlantis surfaces.

Applies to: Local-first operational tools, command surfaces, evidence pages and desktop utilities that explicitly adopt a visual-system profile.

Source maturity: candidate

Explanation reviewed 2026-10-01. Catalog identity and source review have separate dates.

Read public Markdown

Purpose and applicability

Dense tools lose hierarchy when every panel has the same emphasis. Blue Slate gives surfaces, text, actions and states semantic roles that survive a framework translation.

Local-first operational tools, command surfaces, evidence pages and desktop utilities that explicitly adopt a visual-system profile.

How it works

Resolve raw palette values into semantic roles, component tokens, foundations and typography, then translate them through a framework profile. Choose one primary layout pattern and at most two supporting patterns. Keep the primary work readable without hover.

Outputs are a pinned token/profile mapping, a named layout, local deviations and rendered state evidence. Generated translations consume the canonical TOML; framework aliases do not become new token authority.

In practice

The annotated panel below teaches a Dossier Stack with a recessed example. It describes role mapping; it does not retheme this site or certify its existing stylesheet as a full Blue Slate adopter.

1 · Grouped surface

semantic.surface.panel groups this working explanation; the specimen is recessed rather than competing with the heading.

2 · Text hierarchy

semantic.content.primary names the topic; semantic.content.secondary explains the mapping and limitations.

3 · Action and focus

semantic.interaction.action identifies the inspect link; semantic.interaction.focus supplies a visible keyboard cue. Actual rendering still needs review.

Annotated panel mappingillustrative · teaching example, not a verification result

Each annotation ties a part of the panel to a declared role; values must come from the chosen generated profile.

Source: BlueSlate/spec/BlueSlate.DesignSystem.md

Dossier Stack panel
├─ background → semantic.surface.panel
├─ heading → semantic.content.primary
├─ explanatory copy → semantic.content.secondary
├─ quiet boundary → semantic.structure.border-soft
├─ recessed specimen → component.code.background
└─ keyboard action → semantic.interaction.focus

profile: project-profile (illustrative)
suite: 0.5.0
rendered state evidence: pending

Inspect Annotated panel mapping

Adopt one part

Start with a bounded surface or record. Complete the relevant adopter checks before extending the claim.

Pick one panel and declare pilot or project-profile adoption.
Map surface, content, border and focus roles; record suite version separately from any older adapter version.
Review default, hover, active, disabled and keyboard focus states in the actual host, and record local deviations.

Sources and limits

Blue Slate remains candidate-active v0.5.0. The listed spec/tokens/BlueSlate.Tokens.json is a retained v0.3.0 compatibility resource; spec/tokens/BlueSlate.Tokens.toml owns current values. Static mappings do not establish native or framework runtime coverage.

These are reviewed public explanations, not the normative specifications. Suite references are relative to the canonical collection; site/ references identify committed website sources and webserver/ references identify serving configuration. Illustrative examples demonstrate record shape; they do not establish compliance. Suite checks and adopter validation are separate.

BlueSlate/BlueSlate.manifest.toml
BlueSlate/Adoption-Guide.md
BlueSlate/Validation-Checklist.md
BlueSlate/spec/BlueSlate.DesignSystem.md
BlueSlate/spec/tokens/BlueSlate.Tokens.json
BlueSlate/spec/tokens/BlueSlate.Tokens.toml
BlueSlate/examples/BlueSlate-Adoption-Example.md
BlueSlate/spec/layout/BlueSlate.LayoutPatterns.md

Reviewed manifest facts