feat(vibe): visualize the listening profile

frontend/src/components/VibeAura.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { VibeAura } from './VibeAura';
+
+describe('VibeAura', () => {
+  it('turns the live recommendation profile into an accessible ambient state', () => {
+    render(<VibeAura profile={{ energy: 0.82, noveltyHunger: 0.78 }} />);
+
+    expect(screen.getByRole('img', { name: 'Current Vibe: charged energy and adventurous discovery' })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText('Your Vibe is charged')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});

frontend/src/components/VibeAura.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import type { CSSProperties } from 'react';
+
+export interface VibeProfile {
+  energy?: number;
+  noveltyHunger?: number;
+  explorationCoefficient?: number;
+  discoveryRadius?: number;
+  sessionGoal?: { type?: string; progress?: number; target?: number };
+}
+
+const clamp = (value: number | undefined, fallback: number) =>
+  Math.min(1, Math.max(0, typeof value === 'number' ? value : fallback));
+
+function describeProfile(energy: number, novelty: number) {
+  const energyLabel = energy < 0.36 ? 'settled' : energy > 0.68 ? 'charged' : 'flowing';
+  const discoveryLabel = novelty < 0.36 ? 'familiar' : novelty > 0.64 ? 'adventurous' : 'balanced';
+  return { energyLabel, discoveryLabel };
+}
+
+/** A small, ambient representation of the live recommendation profile. */
+export function VibeAura({ profile }: { profile: VibeProfile }) {
+  const energy = clamp(profile.energy, 0.5);
+  const novelty = clamp(profile.noveltyHunger ?? profile.explorationCoefficient, 0.3);
+  const { energyLabel, discoveryLabel } = describeProfile(energy, novelty);
+  const hue = Math.round(205 + novelty * 115 - energy * 35);
+  const style = {
+    '--vibe-hue': String(hue),
+    '--vibe-pulse': `${(4.8 - energy * 2.3).toFixed(2)}s`,
+    '--vibe-orbit': `${(11 - energy * 4).toFixed(2)}s`,
+    '--vibe-scale': String((0.9 + energy * 0.16).toFixed(2)),
+  } as CSSProperties;
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className="group relative grid h-16 w-16 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-full focus:outline-none"
+      style={style}
+      role="img"
+      tabIndex={0}
+      aria-label={`Current Vibe: ${energyLabel} energy and ${discoveryLabel} discovery`}
+    >
+      <div className="vibe-aura-halo" />
+      <div className="vibe-aura-orbit vibe-aura-orbit-one" />
+      <div className="vibe-aura-orbit vibe-aura-orbit-two" />
+      <div className="vibe-aura-core">
+        <span className="vibe-aura-spark vibe-aura-spark-one" />
+        <span className="vibe-aura-spark vibe-aura-spark-two" />
+        <span className="vibe-aura-heart" />
+      </div>
+      <div className="pointer-events-none absolute right-0 top-[calc(100%+0.4rem)] z-10 w-44 rounded-md border border-border bg-surface1 px-3 py-2 text-xs leading-relaxed text-muted opacity-0 shadow-xl transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-100 group-focus:opacity-100">
+        <span className="block font-medium text-text">Your Vibe is {energyLabel}</span>
+        <span>Leaning {discoveryLabel}; it shifts as you listen.</span>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

frontend/src/index.css

@@ -183,6 +183,68 @@ html { scroll-behavior: smooth; }
   border-radius: 4px;
 }
 
+/* Vibe's profile aura: a small, old-player-inspired creature whose color and
+   movement come from the active recommendation state. */
+@keyframes vibe-aura-pulse {
+  0%, 100% { transform: scale(var(--vibe-scale)) rotate(-7deg); filter: brightness(.9); }
+  50% { transform: scale(calc(var(--vibe-scale) * 1.12)) rotate(8deg); filter: brightness(1.28); }
+}
+@keyframes vibe-aura-orbit {
+  to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
+}
+@keyframes vibe-aura-spark {
+  0%, 100% { transform: translateY(0) scale(.75); opacity: .38; }
+  50% { transform: translateY(-5px) scale(1.15); opacity: 1; }
+}
+.vibe-aura-halo {
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: 7px;
+  border-radius: 9999px;
+  background: hsl(var(--vibe-hue) 88% 62% / .22);
+  filter: blur(12px);
+  animation: vibe-aura-pulse var(--vibe-pulse) ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+.vibe-aura-core {
+  position: relative;
+  width: 30px;
+  height: 36px;
+  border: 1px solid hsl(var(--vibe-hue) 95% 86% / .72);
+  border-radius: 46% 54% 58% 42% / 43% 45% 55% 57%;
+  background: radial-gradient(circle at 36% 28%, hsl(var(--vibe-hue) 100% 93%), hsl(var(--vibe-hue) 88% 61%) 38%, hsl(calc(var(--vibe-hue) + 35) 68% 31%) 100%);
+  box-shadow: inset 3px 2px 8px hsl(0 0% 100% / .34), 0 0 17px hsl(var(--vibe-hue) 92% 59% / .78);
+  animation: vibe-aura-pulse var(--vibe-pulse) ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+.vibe-aura-orbit {
+  position: absolute;
+  width: 47px;
+  height: 47px;
+  border: 1px solid hsl(var(--vibe-hue) 90% 76% / .36);
+  border-radius: 47% 53% 43% 57%;
+  animation: vibe-aura-orbit var(--vibe-orbit) linear infinite;
+}
+.vibe-aura-orbit-two {
+  width: 56px;
+  height: 37px;
+  border-color: hsl(calc(var(--vibe-hue) + 55) 90% 76% / .24);
+  animation-direction: reverse;
+  animation-duration: calc(var(--vibe-orbit) * 1.45);
+}
+.vibe-aura-heart,
+.vibe-aura-spark {
+  position: absolute;
+  display: block;
+  border-radius: 9999px;
+  background: hsl(0 0% 100% / .9);
+  box-shadow: 0 0 8px hsl(0 0% 100% / .92);
+}
+.vibe-aura-heart { width: 7px; height: 7px; left: 11px; top: 15px; }
+.vibe-aura-spark { width: 4px; height: 4px; animation: vibe-aura-spark 2.1s ease-in-out infinite; }
+.vibe-aura-spark-one { left: -4px; top: 5px; }
+.vibe-aura-spark-two { right: -3px; bottom: 7px; animation-delay: -1s; }
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  .vibe-aura-halo, .vibe-aura-core, .vibe-aura-orbit, .vibe-aura-spark { animation: none; }
+}
+
 /* ── Component base classes ────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
 /* Card surface — standard container */

frontend/src/pages/Vibe.tsx

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { TrackRow } from '../components/TrackRow';
 import { PageContainer } from '../components/PageContainer';
 import type { Track } from '../types';
 import { VibeTimeline } from '../components/VibeTimeline';
+import { VibeAura } from '../components/VibeAura';
 import { toast } from '../store/useToastStore';
 
 const SEED_LIST_SIZE = 50;
@@ -22,19 +23,6 @@ function sampleTracks(tracks: Track[], count: number): Track[] {
   return sampled.slice(0, count);
 }
 
-function VibeLearningHint() {
-  return (
-    <details className="rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface0 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-muted">
-      <summary className="cursor-pointer font-medium text-text">How Vibe learns</summary>
-      <div className="mt-3 space-y-2 text-xs leading-relaxed text-muted">
-        <p>Your seed track sets the first direction. From there, Vibe learns from what you finish, skip, dislike, or keep, alongside your library history and favourites.</p>
-        <p>It also avoids recent repeats and reshapes the upcoming queue as you listen.</p>
-        <p className="text-muted/70">It does not infer your location, weather, microphone input, or device activity.</p>
-      </div>
-    </details>
-  );
-}
-
 export default function Vibe() {
   const { currentTrack } = usePlaybackStore();
   const {
@@ -42,6 +30,7 @@ export default function Vibe() {
     buffer,
     initialBatchStatus,
     planVersion,
+    profile,
   } = useVibeStore();
 
   const [starting, setStarting] = useState(false);
@@ -132,8 +121,6 @@ export default function Vibe() {
           </p>
         </header>
 
-        <VibeLearningHint />
-
         {error && (
           <div className="rounded-lg border border-red-500/40 bg-red-500/10 p-3 text-sm text-red-300">
             {error}
@@ -206,17 +193,18 @@ export default function Vibe() {
           <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold text-text">Vibing</h1>
           {initialBatchStatus === 'loading' && <Loader2 size={16} className="animate-spin text-muted" />}
         </div>
-        <button
-          onClick={handleEnd}
-          className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-lg border border-border px-3 py-1.5 text-sm text-text transition-colors hover:border-red-500/60 hover:text-red-300"
-        >
-          <Square size={14} />
-          End Vibe
-        </button>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+          <VibeAura profile={profile} />
+          <button
+            onClick={handleEnd}
+            className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-lg border border-border px-3 py-1.5 text-sm text-text transition-colors hover:border-red-500/60 hover:text-red-300"
+          >
+            <Square size={14} />
+            End Vibe
+          </button>
+        </div>
       </header>
 
-      <VibeLearningHint />
-
       {(empty || initialBatchStatus === 'exhausted' || initialBatchStatus === 'failed') && (
         <div className="rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface0 p-4 text-sm text-muted">
           {initialBatchStatus === 'failed'

frontend/src/services/vibeSession.ts

@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ async function reconcilePreview(sessionId: string, response: DurableVibeSessionR
   if (!isCurrentVibeOwner(sessionId)) return [];
   const preview = await hydratePreview(response.preview);
   if (!isCurrentVibeOwner(sessionId) || !useVibeStore.getState().setPlan(response.planVersion, preview)) return [];
+  useVibeStore.getState().setProfile(response.state);
   replaceUnplayedQueue(preview);
   return preview;
 }
@@ -321,6 +322,7 @@ export function advanceVibe(reason: VibeAdvanceReason): Promise<void> {
         return;
       }
       if (!useVibeStore.getState().setPlan(served.response.planVersion, served.preview)) return;
+      useVibeStore.getState().setProfile(served.response.state);
       useVibeStore.getState().setCurrentPlanItem(served.response.now);
       replaceUnplayedQueue([served.now, ...served.preview]);
       usePlaybackStore.getState().advance();
@@ -367,6 +369,7 @@ export function advancePastUnplayableVibeTrack(trackId: string): Promise<void> {
         return;
       }
       if (!useVibeStore.getState().setPlan(served.response.planVersion, served.preview)) return;
+      useVibeStore.getState().setProfile(served.response.state);
       useVibeStore.getState().setCurrentPlanItem(served.response.now);
       replaceUnplayedQueue([served.now, ...served.preview]);
       playback.advance();
@@ -403,6 +406,7 @@ export async function startVibeSession(seed: Track): Promise<StartedVibeSession>
     vibe.setActiveSession({ sessionId: started.sessionId, seedTrackId: seed.id });
     vibe.setCenterTrack(seed);
     vibe.setPlan(served.response.planVersion, served.preview);
+    vibe.setProfile(served.response.state);
     vibe.setCurrentPlanItem(served.response.now);
     vibe.setInitialBatchStatus('idle');
 

frontend/src/store/useVibeStore.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { create } from 'zustand';
 import type { Track, VibeSession } from '../types';
 import type { VibePlanItem } from '../services/vibeService';
+import type { VibeProfile } from '../components/VibeAura';
 
 // The durable plan is authoritative. `buffer` is only its currently
 // uncommitted, hydrated preview; it may be replaced at any feedback boundary.
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ interface VibeState {
   planVersion: number | null;
   /** Durable cursor for the track currently in Vibe playback. */
   currentPlanItem: VibePlanItem | null;
+  profile: VibeProfile;
   centerTrack: Track | null;
   buffer: Track[];
   initialBatchStatus: 'idle' | 'loading' | 'exhausted' | 'failed';
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ interface VibeState {
   /** Returns false when a response belongs to an older plan revision. */
   setPlan: (planVersion: number | null, preview: Track[]) => boolean;
   setCurrentPlanItem: (item: VibePlanItem | null) => void;
+  setProfile: (profile: VibeProfile) => void;
   setInitialBatchStatus: (status: VibeState['initialBatchStatus']) => void;
   reset: () => void;
 }
@@ -29,6 +32,7 @@ const initialState = {
   seedTrackId: null as string | null,
   planVersion: null as number | null,
   currentPlanItem: null as VibePlanItem | null,
+  profile: {} as VibeProfile,
   centerTrack: null as Track | null,
   buffer: [] as Track[],
   initialBatchStatus: 'idle' as const,
@@ -51,6 +55,7 @@ export const useVibeStore = create<VibeState>((set, get) => ({
     return true;
   },
   setCurrentPlanItem: (currentPlanItem) => set({ currentPlanItem }),
+  setProfile: (profile) => set({ profile }),
   setInitialBatchStatus: (initialBatchStatus) => set({ initialBatchStatus }),
   reset: () => set({ ...initialState }),
 }));