Summary
Add a zone field to TREE nodes that applies a subtle visual accent (left-border color or background tint) to group nodes by logical layer, without affecting layout.
Motivation
Troubleshooting trees that span multiple system layers (e.g., Client Browser → Platform Services → System Clusters in ECE) have no way to visually indicate which layer a step belongs to. Node type already conveys what kind of outcome a node is — zone would convey where in the system it operates.
Design
- New optional field on any TREE node:
zone: "client-browser"
- Zones defined in CONFIG (name + color), e.g.
CONFIG.zones
- Engine reads
zone at rebuildTree() time and applies a colored visual accent to the card — distinct from and composable with node type styling
- No layout changes; zone membership doesn't need to be spatially contiguous
- Zones appear in the legend alongside node types, or as a separate legend section
Non-goals
- No swimlane-style background panels or bounding boxes
- No constraint on which nodes can share a zone
- No change to agent traversal behavior
Open questions
- Legend treatment: same legend row as node types, or a second legend section?
- Accent style: left-border stripe (already used by type), background tint, or a badge/pill?
- Playground: zone picker in the node editor panel (follow-up, not blocking)
Summary
Add a
zonefield to TREE nodes that applies a subtle visual accent (left-border color or background tint) to group nodes by logical layer, without affecting layout.Motivation
Troubleshooting trees that span multiple system layers (e.g., Client Browser → Platform Services → System Clusters in ECE) have no way to visually indicate which layer a step belongs to. Node
typealready conveys what kind of outcome a node is —zonewould convey where in the system it operates.Design
zone: "client-browser"CONFIG.zoneszoneatrebuildTree()time and applies a colored visual accent to the card — distinct from and composable with nodetypestylingNon-goals
Open questions