DS-04 — Posts Archive Redesign Notes

DS-04 — Posts Archive Redesign Notes

Status: Review — implementation and validation complete; merge pending
Branch: agent/ds-04-posts-archive
Pull request: #12 — DS-04 Redesign Posts archive

Implemented

  • Replaced the inherited generic page layout with the shared collection-page archetype.
  • Added a compact editorial archive hero with a direct Search action.
  • Featured the newest reflection on the first archive page.
  • Added a consistent two-column card grid for the remaining paginated posts.
  • Preserved the existing five-post Jekyll pagination model and URLs.
  • Added category, series, date, and estimated reading-time metadata.
  • Added reliable image handling using each post’s image, then background, then a branded fallback surface.
  • Added consistent excerpt truncation so different post lengths do not destabilize the grid.
  • Added branded Newer and Older pagination controls with a visible page count.
  • Added responsive desktop, tablet, and mobile layouts.
  • Added semantic dark-mode treatments through the shared token system.

Validation completed

  • Jekyll and Sass production build.
  • First-page featured-post rendering.
  • Later pagination-page rendering across all 24 generated archive pages.
  • Featured and grid image behavior, with referenced first-page assets verified in the repository.
  • Branded no-image fallback logic reviewed in source and compiled structure.
  • Category, series, excerpt, date, and reading-time output.
  • Newer and Older pagination destinations and complete page chain.
  • Search destination and all archive article destinations.
  • Desktop visual review at 1440px.
  • Tablet visual review at 768px.
  • Mobile visual review at 390px.
  • Light- and dark-mode review.
  • Keyboard-target and shared visible-focus review.
  • Heading hierarchy, landmarks, accessible image-link names, and one active Posts navigation state per page.

Validation evidence

  • GitHub Actions: Jekyll build run 15 completed successfully.
  • Page one: one featured reflection plus four archive cards.
  • Pages two through twenty-four: five archive cards with no false newest-post treatment.
  • First page pagination: Older Posts only.
  • Interior pages: Newer Posts and Older Posts.
  • Final page: Newer Posts only.
  • All compiled archive, Search, pagination, and post destinations resolved in the rendered artifact.
  • Visual review: first page inspected at 1440px, 768px, and 390px in light mode; 1440px and 390px in dark mode; page two inspected at 1440px.

Deferred

  • Category archive pages remain out of scope.
  • Bulk excerpt rewriting remains out of scope.
  • Search interface redesign remains DS-05.
  • Post URLs and individual post layouts are unchanged.