Article Components & Layout Rules

This article serves as the live benchmark for Portfolio 13's editorial layout. Every typographic scale, spatial transition, list type, and media breakout is rendered here in sequence. Turn on the baseline inspection grid with hotkey [G] to verify mathematical invariance across all 17 component combinations.

Article Primitives Showcase Cover

Figure 0.1: Native store and web link architecture represented in the 720px editorial breakout.

1.  Title Hierarchy & Paragraph Cadence

Editorial prose lives inside a strict 540px measure (60 cells of 9px) centered on a 900px sheet (100 cells). Because every line-height is an integer multiple of 9px, text baselines remain locked to the grid indefinitely.

The standard space between two consecutive paragraphs is Level 2B (–gap-prose: 18px / 2 cells). Paragraphs never declare bottom margins; the flow container injects the 18px cadence via block-margin collapsing.

Below is a standard Markdown list demonstrating the Level 2A intra-list cadence:

  • Standard Markdown unordered list items are separated by exactly Level 2A (–gap-list: 9px / 1 cell).
  • Padding on the inline start is set to calc(var(–u) * 3) (27px / 3 cells) for clean visual alignment.
  • Each bullet point occupies an exact multiple of 27px (3 cells) in line height.

Directly following a list, returning to prose triggers the standard Level 2B (18px / 2 cells) paragraph gap, maintaining consistent vertical cadence across all editorial sections.

2.  Subheadings & Dynamic H3 Distances

H2 defines major chapter sections and must always be closed with a divider. H3 is used within sections for granular topics. Typography-wise, H3 is identical in size to body prose (16px), styled in bold (700) with a 27px (3 cells) line-height.

Subheading 2.1: Magnetic Body Text Cadence (9px / 1u)

H3 sits at a tight, magnetic Level 2A distance (9px / 1 cell) from its following prose paragraph. Paired with 54px (6u) top margin from preceding content, this creates a decisive 6:1 proximity ratio that permanently locks the heading to its thought.

Subheading 2.2: Multi-Paragraph Flow (9px title gap, 18px prose gap)

When an H3 introduces multiple paragraphs, the title-to-first-paragraph gap remains locked at 9px (1 cell), while subsequent paragraphs flow with the standard Level 2B gap (18px / 2 cells).

Because 9px is half of 18px, the heading clamps the whole group together as a distinct, unified island of thought.

Subheading 2.3: Magnetic List Cadence (9px / 1u)

  • When an H3 introduces a list, the gap directly under the title remains tightly anchored at 9px (1u).
  • This prevents list bullets from floating away or disconnecting from their headline.
  • Individual list items maintain their compact 9px (1u) intra-list rhythm.

Engineering Callout: Self-Titled Chunk Layout

An <ArticleCallout /> is a self-contained chunk with its own integrated H3 title. Its internal title-to-body distance matches the exact same Level 2A magnetic anchor (9px / 1 cell), locking the title to its narrative without needing an external subheading.

“Components own their internal layout. The container owns all space between them. Stacking two chunks directly creates an exact Level 5 (45px / 5u) separation.”

— Architecture Guild

Notice how the Callout above transitions directly into the Quote without intermediate prose. The system enforces an exact 45px (5 cells) inter-chunk gap.

This is an <ArticleSecondaryText> annotation block. It provides subdued, low-contrast commentary without breaking the primary narrative reading line.

3.  Editorial Media & Data Breakouts

The divider above demonstrates Level 6B: 36px (4 cells) above the 1px hairline, and 36px (4 cells) below, summing to an exact 72px chapter boundary.

Media and data elements break out of the 540px reading measure into the 720px breakout (80 cells). Below is a single <ArticlePhoto /> with an intrinsic 9px caption gap:

Product Architecture Overview
Figure 3.1: 720px editorial breakout frame with automatic 9px baseline height snapping.

Below the single photo, we showcase a two-column comparison row (.article-photo-row-2) for side-by-side analysis:

Screen 1: Discovery
Screen A: Discovery Feed
Screen 2: Checkout
Screen B: Checkout Flow

Next is a three-column mobile walkthrough row (.article-photo-row-3) used for multi-step onboarding and state machines:

Step 1: Initiation
Step 1: Initiation
Step 2: Verification
Step 2: Verification
Step 3: Confirmation
Step 3: Confirmation

Data comparisons and telemetry metrics are formatted with <ArticleTable />, which also expands to the 720px breakout:

Spatial Hierarchy Ladder — Option A

LevelRoleTokenCellsPixels
Level 1 Caption / Meta to item --gap-caption 1u 9px
Level 2A Between tight list items --gap-list 1u 9px
Level 2B Between two paragraphs --gap-prose 2u 18px
Level 3 Chunk title (H3) to item --gap-chunk-title 3u 27px
Level 4 Section title (H2) to chunk --gap-section-title 4u 36px
Level 5 Between distinct chunks --gap-chunk 5u 45px
Level 6 Hero (H1) to first section --gap-hero 6u 54px
Level 6B Divider spacing (symmetric) --gap-divider 4u 36px
Level 7 Between full sections --gap-section 8u 72px

Table 3.1: Exact token, cell count, and pixel values governing the 9px baseline system.

4.  Structured Lists & Interactive Islands

In addition to standard markdown lists, the design system includes dedicated <ArticleList /> components for numbered and bulleted editorial callouts:

  • 01 Rule Invariance: All heights, margins, and line-heights must divide evenly by 9px.
  • 02 Decoupled Spacing: No child component declares outer margins; all flow is owned by the container.
  • 03 Dynamic Scroll Tracking: The baseline grid overlay tracks window scroll to prevent visual drift.

Below is the bulleted variation of the same component:

  • 720px breakout boundary gives interactive micro-sandboxes breathing room.
  • 540px prose measure maintains optimal 60-75 character reading comfort.
  • Middle-aligned sub-1u glyphs eliminate subpixel baseline misalignment.

Interactive UI micro-sandboxes allow readers to test real interaction mechanics directly in the article reading flow:

Interactive Guest Showcase

Live interactive micro-sandbox mounted inside the reading flow with real-time controls.

Interactive Guest Showcase

Live interactive micro-sandbox mounted inside the reading flow with real-time controls.

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For frequently asked questions, the <ArticleFaq /> Svelte 5 accordion hydrates selectively on the static shell:

Frequently Asked Questions

Press the [G] key anywhere on the page, or click the tactile grid button in the top sticky app bar. The overlay dynamically syncs with scrolling.

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