Responsive Layout
Mission
Handle responsive adaptation properly. Make it explicit that responsive design is NOT simply "scale desktop down". The system should fundamentally change composition, navigation, and density when necessary.
Supported Layout Environments
WEB
Design and test for these contexts:
- Narrow Viewport: Mobile web, split-screen desktop.
- Laptop: Standard 13-15" displays.
- Desktop: Large standard monitors (1080p to 1440p).
- Wide Desktop: Ultrawide monitors (preventing infinite line lengths and overstretched UI).
MOBILE
Design and test for these contexts:
- Small Phones: Legacy devices like iPhone SE.
- Large Phones: Standard modern form factors.
- Tablets: Expanded canvases requiring split views or master-detail layouts.
- Safe Areas: Accounting for notches, dynamic islands, and home indicators.
- Keyboard: Ensuring inputs remain visible when the virtual keyboard is open.
- Orientation: (Where relevant) Handling portrait vs. landscape.
- Text Scaling: Adapting to user accessibility font size preferences without breaking layout.
Composition Shifts
Instead of shrinking elements, consider:
- Collapsing horizontal navigation into drawers/bottom bars.
- Stacking multi-column layouts into single columns.
- Converting datatables to list cards on narrow viewports.
- Moving secondary actions behind menus.
- Anchoring primary actions to the bottom on mobile (thumb reachability).
Verification
Consult docs/responsive-checklist.md to ensure layouts adapt correctly across platforms.


