# Ink and Terminal need reading acceptance

> Source review, bounded visual evidence, current failures and promotion limits for Ink and Terminal on 2026-10-26.

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LLMS index: [llms.txt](/llms.txt)

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> [!WARNING] Pre-release research snapshot (2026-10-26)
> This record preserves inputs and measurements from before the OINK 1.4.0 release preparation. At 320px with a 32px root/default font, footer links cause document overflow across all four presets. Ink and Terminal remain experimental; the [stabilization proposal](/docs/design/proposals/ink-terminal-stabilization/) defines desired behavior and promotion gates.

**Keep Ink neutral sans editorial and Terminal a readable engineering handbook.** Both can become coherent official styles through their existing role system and shared shell. A new serif identity would weaken Ink's distinction from a future Folio; a simulated terminal would weaken long-form engineering reading. The immediate work is shared text resilience, quieter hierarchy, and component consistency.

## The evidence identifies a local snapshot {#inputs}

This 2026-10-26 review combines primary-source text/HTML/CSS inspection, an exported source snapshot, real documentation rendering, and a bounded injected CSS comparison. Theme HEAD was `7bc8658bc1be13ef0ad3050b9d9f6862f8f1f65f`; documentation HEAD was `99751179eefada3fa7a91318c792ddac46d7e6bf`. The snapshot also included uncommitted changes, including concurrent table work; the retained source manifest records that full state. Public tag lookup observed v1.3.2, peeled to `bd2e856e6e2f7027a9189af009701f5b8cf562cf`; documentation pinned v1.3.2. See the [earlier experiment](/docs/design/research/2026-10-05-ink-terminal-experiment/) and [component review](/docs/design/research/2026-10-25-component-refinement/) for prior context.

The documentation server used the sibling snapshot with `hugo.yml,tests/fixtures/browser.yml`, both workspace mechanisms off, memory rendering, no watching/live reload, and `enableGitInfo=false` because the export lacked Git metadata. Tools were macOS ARM64, Hugo Extended 0.168.0, Go 1.27.3, Node 26.12.0, npm 11.20.0, and Playwright 1.62.1; engines were Chromium 151.0.7922.34, Firefox 153.0, and WebKit 26.5 ([Playwright WebKit scope](https://playwright.dev/docs/browsers#webkit)).

The reproducible method loads the same real route, language, mode, and preset at each width, compares baseline with the listed overlay, records full-document dimensions and computed styles, then captures relevant components. Source manifests, `review-metrics.json`, `api-supplement.json`, `text-resize-findings.json`, `stress-metrics.json`, `reference-rendering.json`, and screenshots are stored outside Git.

## Whole-document overflow outweighs targeted passes {#results}

At 320px/32px root font, English Ink had `scrollWidth=424` (+104px), Terminal 408 (+88px). Chinese Chromium overflow was +12px/+21px respectively; English Terminal also exceeded 768px by 11px. The overlay produced the same failures. Firefox's `font.size.variable.x-western=32` preference reproduced English overflow across all four presets; Paper reached 413px and Slate approximately 400px. Footer links including “Customization”, “Components”, and “Docsy discussions” exceed two narrow columns. This is a **shared baseline blocker** across all presets.

These probes exercise CSS root enlargement and native default-font preferences. Combining 320px width with enlarged text is a stronger stress condition than standalone reflow. Full manual 200% text enlargement and 400% browser zoom remain pending ([Resize text](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/resize-text.html), [reflow](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/reflow.html)).

**Owning checks**: `check-presets.py` passed text/link/accent checks over three surfaces, mode parity, frozen Slate, and configuration output; `check-font-tokens.py` passed.

**Existing suites**: 28 appearance-engine, text-reflow, and component tests passed. Their page-context/topline assertions missed the footer. The source-snapshot `make check` passed 64 non-browser tests before these documents were added. With the new documents, the site built and passed Markdown, bilingual heading, and internal-link checks; 63 of the 64 non-browser tests passed, with `llms.txt` golden differing only by the two new English document entries.

**Main measurement matrix**: Chromium: 11 valid routes × two presets × two modes × EN/ZH × 320/390/768/1440px × baseline/overlay. Firefox/WebKit: presentation/configuration/Book only at 320/1440px. Normal-size pages showed no document overflow.

**Counting correction**: The initial ledger's 960 entries were computed-state observations. A mistaken API route produced 32 harness 404s; the corrected `/docs/write/openapi/` supplement contributed 64 valid observations with HTTP 200 and no document overflow.

**Additional stress**: 64 simultaneous spacing observations used line-height 1.5, paragraph margin 2em, letter spacing .12em, and word spacing .16em; no page/heading overflow was observed. Sixteen 320px long-unbroken heading/Field-label probes preserved text without page overflow.

**axe**: 32 article scans at 390px covered presentation/configuration, both languages/modes/presets, and baseline/overlay. No violations were reported; all scans retained contrast incompletes on `aria-hidden=true` pager-arrow spans with non-text characters, which require manual graphic-contrast inspection.

**Visual material**: The archive contains 352 comparison captures, including Blog/Expo/Mermaid/ECharts scenes, plus eight external references, from which representative desktop/mobile and light/dark pages and controls were reviewed.

**Long reading**: The real EN/ZH `/blog/oink/oink-implementation-diary/` article was checked in four selected combinations: Ink EN/1440/light, Ink ZH/390/dark, Terminal EN/390/light, and Terminal ZH/1440/dark. Baseline/overlay captures at top/middle/footer produced 24 additional images; normal-size document overflow was zero throughout. Eight representative images were inspected, including English before/after prose, Chinese prose, Terminal's English mobile footer, and Ink's English desktop opening.

The Chromium routes were home, Presentation, Configuration, Fields, Code, Table, Book structure, immersive-reading Blog, Expo studies, Mermaid, and ECharts, plus the corrected OpenAPI guide, with Chinese peers included. The capture pass also verified the first rendered Mermaid diagram and an ECharts canvas. The comparison gallery spans 11 scenes; seven control scenes cover both presets, modes, languages, and two widths. Offsite requests, including Giscus, were blocked in the main matrix.

### The overlay tests a limited editorial change {#overlay}

Ink kept its palette/fonts while changing article `h1` from 800/`-.035em` to 750/`-.025em`, `h2/h3` from 750/`-.025em` to 700/`-.012em`, and its 2px emphasis top rule to a 1px existing strong-line rule. It removed enforced uppercase/tracking on minor/table/callout headings, used zero Chinese heading tracking, and compared native underlines at `max(1px,.06em)`/`.22em`, with Chinese `.25em` and `skip-ink: none`.

Terminal kept teal/mint and amber, used heading weight 600/zero tracking, removed generated heading prefixes and callout brackets, changed descriptive table headers to body `0.875rem/600` and search titles/excerpts to body, and reduced decorative code/tab/table/callout frames to the existing border role. Technical paths/controls stayed mono and Field names stayed unboxed. FileTree's omitted literal 0.6rem radius became 0px/2px for Ink/Terminal. Flat Tabs, mobile targets, and vendor boundaries remained intact. **The overlay tested CSS adjustments only, without adding new theme templates, fonts, runtime, or configuration.**

Authored accent colors on actual pages were documentation blue `#245f94/#5da2dd`, Book orange `#9a3412/#fb923c`, and Blog violet `#6d28d9/#a78bfa`. Separately labeled palette probes reset only that authored accent to the preset default on both variants for controlled comparison. The [architecture contract](/docs/design/architecture/#visual-presets) preserves overrides and the shared shell.

### Palette calculations expose state risks {#contrast}

Opaque sRGB calculations and alpha compositing used source tokens and the WCAG luminance formula; displayed ratios are rounded while pass decisions use unrounded values ([Contrast method](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/contrast-minimum.html), [palette source](https://github.com/pgsty/oink/blob/v1.3.2/assets/scss/td/_experimental-presets.scss)).

| Pair, light / dark | Calculated contrast | Implication |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ink accent `#c8102e` on white / `#ff5c4d` on `#0b0b0b` | 5.88 / 6.46 | Retain mode-specific red; keep red accents focused rather than repeating decorative red rules. |
| Terminal body on canvas | 14.88 / 13.64 | Strong neutral reading pair. |
| Terminal link on canvas / secondary surface | 6.31 / 9.54; 5.75 / 8.73 | Existing teal/mint supports these exact surfaces. |
| Terminal tertiary text on secondary surface | 4.63 / 5.93 | Light muted text has little margin for further tint/opacity. |
| Terminal amber on canvas | 5.47 / 9.44 | Amber remains a separate emphasis role. |
| Terminal 32%-alpha border on canvas | 1.97 / 2.36 | Suitable for decorative rules; insufficient if it alone identifies a required control or state. |
| Terminal 55%-alpha strong line on canvas | 3.63 / 4.73 | Candidate functional boundary on these canvases. |
| White on dark mint `#4cc9bd` | 2.02 | Avoid white labels on light mint fills. |

Cross-mode reuse fails ordinary text contrast: mint on the light canvas is 1.85, dark teal on the dark canvas 2.79. Semantic tones, author accents, syntax comments, selected search excerpts, focus, and text-selection composites still require state-specific review. Non-text contrast applies to necessary identifying boundaries ([WCAG 1.4.11](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/non-text-contrast.html)).

## Mature precedents support roles, not transplantation {#precedents}

All external references were accessed **2026-10-26**. External Chromium rendering at 1440/390px returned HTTP 200 for Tufte, GOV.UK Headings, Effective Go, and A List Apart. Eight captures were saved, with visual review focused on **Tufte desktop, GOV.UK mobile, Go mobile, and A List Apart desktop**; the remaining precedents received source review.

**[Practical Typography](https://practicaltypography.com/typography-in-ten-minutes.html)**. Puts body text first; prescribes Latin-oriented size, spacing, and measure. Its [underlining advice](https://practicaltypography.com/underlining.html) opposes link underlines.

Review complete paragraphs before display titles, while keeping OINK's bilingual rhythm and open-source font constraints.

**[Tufte CSS](https://edwardtufte.github.io/tufte-css/)**. Inspected desktop shows a narrow serif reading column and underlines. [CSS](https://edwardtufte.github.io/tufte-css/tufte.css) declares ET Book, light `#fffff8/#111`, dark `#151515/#ddd`, and mobile note toggles.

Borrow proximity of explanation/figures and note hierarchy; leave serif/margin geometry to future Folio exploration.

**[GOV.UK Headings](https://design-system.service.gov.uk/styles/headings/)**. Inspected mobile view has generous sans headings and underlined links; cookie banner was visible. Current [type scale](https://design-system.service.gov.uk/styles/type-scale/) uses 19px/25px body sizing on small and large screens. [Links](https://design-system.service.gov.uk/styles/links/) distinguish prose from navigation; [tables](https://design-system.service.gov.uk/components/table/) emphasize structure.

Strongest functional input for Ink's sans hierarchy and persistent link cues, adapted to OINK's bilingual scale and dark mode.

**[A List Apart: A Dao of Web Design](https://alistapart.com/article/dao/)**. Inspected desktop distinguishes serif body from sans headings/controls. [Current CSS](https://alistapart.com/wp-content/themes/ala/style.css?ver=1757090064) uses Georgia `1.125rem/1.7`, red `#ba3925` h2, and blue links.

Separate reading/UI/code roles and keep adaptable content while keeping Ink's sans-serif identity and restrained accent frequency.

**[Rust Book: Ownership](https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/ch04-01-what-is-ownership.html)**. Source exposes numbered chapter structure, explanations, and code; [CSS](https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/css/general-e96d0476.css) separates Open Sans prose and mono code.

Strong Terminal precedent for explanation/syntax separation and real chapter numbers, while keeping OINK's mono headings and standard browser shortcuts.

**[Effective Go](https://go.dev/doc/effective_go)**. Source/CSS separates platform sans and mono; inspected mobile TOC is dense and two-column.

Borrow straightforward technical hierarchy while keeping OINK's responsive TOC.

**[man7 open(2)](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man2/open.2.html)**. Stable reference sections, signatures, links, and preformatted text; `(2)` names a manual section.

Preserve predictable lookup and complete identifiers without forcing bilingual prose into fixed-width terminal cells.

**[CLI Guidelines](https://clig.dev/#output)**. A navigable explanatory web guide recommends intentional, limited color.

Borrow restraint and clear labels while keeping standard web interaction semantics.

Paper's warm general reading, Slate's established technical presentation, Ink's neutral editorial restraint, and Terminal's technical role contrast remain distinct within the shared shell.

## Language and accessibility need independent evidence {#language-accessibility}

Actual Chromium per-glyph inspection on macOS found Inter for Ink Latin, IBM Plex Sans for Terminal prose, IBM Plex Mono for Terminal headings, and PingFang SC for Chinese in both. Windows and Android fallback rendering still require direct device verification ([CSS font matching](https://www.w3.org/TR/css-fonts-3/#font-matching-algorithm), [Windows fonts](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/fonts/windows_11_font_list), [Android fallback](https://source.android.com/docs/core/fonts/custom-font-fallback)).

Chinese underline clearance remains open. The CSS Text Decoration Working Draft explains Han collisions and fragmented ink skipping; CLReq's Group Note Draft discusses interlinear marks without banning hyperlink underlines. Next steps should compare language-scoped `text-underline-position: under` with a small offset and initial `skip-ink: auto`, including Chinese inside English pages and mixed-script wrapped links ([CSS draft](https://www.w3.org/TR/css-text-decor-4/#text-underline-position-property), [CLReq](https://www.w3.org/TR/clreq/)).

WCAG A/AA governs color-independent meaning, text/non-text contrast, keyboard operation, resize, reflow, spacing, language, and status announcements. OINK's proposed 44px routine touch targets, 7:1 main text, and stronger 2px-area focus treatment are tracked as project targets above AA minima ([WCAG 2.2](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/), [axe-core](https://github.com/dequelabs/axe-core), [focus appearance](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/focus-appearance.html)).

Still pending are actual Windows/Android loaded/blocked/system-font comparisons; branded Safari/iOS rendering; manual NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack tasks; full manual 200%/400% zoom; and comprehensive keyboard, forced-colors, and state-contrast review covering navigation, Book numbers, table relationships, field errors, Chinese search input, status feedback, and dialog return focus.

## Promotion should follow resilient reading {#implications}

The footer overflow highlights the need for whole-document regression checks alongside article-top checks. Shared repair and whole-document regression should therefore precede preset promotion. FileTree's radius leak and competing Terminal punctuation are bounded owner-level changes.

For 1.4, refine existing owners and promote Ink or Terminal independently once their acceptance gates close; otherwise retain experimental status. Folio (academic serif) and Canvas (creator geometry) remain deferred to avoid font/licensing and QA overhead in this cycle.

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Backlinks:

- [Ink and Terminal stabilization](/docs/design/proposals/ink-terminal-stabilization/)