# Design Philosophy

## Core Beliefs

1. **Privacy-First**: All data stays local, no tracking, no cloud dependencies
2. **Minimalist UI**: Clean, uncluttered interface focused on core functionality
3. **Browser-Based AI**: Models run locally in the browser when possible
4. **Efficient Resource Usage**: On-demand model loading and caching
5. **Open Source**: Transparent development, community contributions welcome

## Design Principles

### User Interface
- Minimal visual clutter
- Clear hierarchy and information architecture
- Keyboard-first navigation
- Semantic HTML and ARIA labels
- Responsive design for desktop and mobile

### Performance
- Lazy loading for routes and components
- Optimized bundle size
- Efficient state management with PubSub
- Caching strategies for search results and AI responses

### Accessibility
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
- Screen reader support
- Keyboard navigation
- High contrast mode support
- Focus indicators

## Component Design

- Feature-based component organization
- Self-contained component folders
- Consistent use of Mantine UI components
- Custom hooks for reusable logic
- Proper TypeScript typing throughout

## Color Scheme

- Neutral, professional palette
- High contrast for readability
- Dark mode support
- Consistent spacing and sizing

## Related Topics

- **UI Components**: `docs/ui-components.md` - Component implementation details
- **Project Structure**: `docs/project-structure.md` - Directory organization
- **Coding Conventions**: `docs/coding-conventions.md` - Code style guidelines