.cursorrules

Dirac UI/UX rules

Dirac is a decision-first inbox, not a generic email client with AI bolted on.

Core product principles:
- Optimize for triage speed, clarity of ownership, and confidence in the next action.
- AI should reduce cognitive load, not add another layer of work.
- Manual actions must always remain available; AI recommends, it does not trap the user.

Workflow rules:
- Any common workflow should take at most 3 steps.
- The primary action for a thread should be visible without opening extra menus.
- Users should always be able to reply, archive, snooze, or mark done manually.
- Prefer one strong recommendation over multiple competing suggestions.

Density rules:
- Avoid puffy cards and excessive vertical whitespace.
- On any list row, show at most 4 meaningful text elements: sender, subject, one status/action line, and one small metadata cluster.
- Keep thread rows compact enough that multiple items are visible without feeling cramped.
- Do not show ellipses unless text is actually truncated by layout constraints.
- Prefer tighter spacing and clearer hierarchy over decorative breathing room.

AI copilot rules:
- The AI panel should start with a short summary and one recommended next move.
- Do not front-load the sidebar with too many controls, badges, or long explanations.
- Advanced AI tools can exist, but should come after the summary/recommendation layer.
- If AI confidence is low, surface uncertainty briefly and let the user act manually.

Inbox rules:
- The inbox should behave like a work queue, not a raw message dump.
- Prioritize showing what needs me, what is waiting, and what is urgent.
- Status should be easier to scan than snippets.
- Badges should be sparse and high-signal only.

Visual rules:
- Functional clarity beats stylistic flourish.
- Use whitespace to separate meaning, not to make the interface feel expensive.
- Favor compact, sharp, calm layouts over oversized, bubbly, or overly soft cards.