Command Palette

Key Ideas

• Fast Navigation: users should be able to jump to work and tools without hunting through the UI.
• Action Discovery: commands should expose what Refine can do in the current context.
• Keyboard First: repeated workflows should not require pointer-heavy navigation.
• Shared Commands: palette entries should call the same commands as buttons and routes.

Purpose

The command palette exists to make Refine fast for experienced users and accessible to agents or keyboard-driven workflows. It should provide a compact way to open routes, invoke actions, search files, start flows, and reach tool surfaces.

It turns the UI from a set of pages into an addressable command surface.

Expected Role

The command palette should sit above individual screens. It should know about global actions, current-route actions, toolbar tools, file search, creation flows, and management surfaces.

Current implementation details that matter to intent:

• the topbar exposes the palette as a persistent shell action;
• command registration is shared rather than hardcoded only in page buttons;
• file search integrates with toolbar file behavior;
• keyboard selection should make the next Enter action explicit.

The palette should not become an unrelated shortcut list. It should mirror real product capability.

Future Direction

Future command palettes should become more agent-aware and intent-aware. A user may type an outcome, and Refine may route that to a Gap, Feature, search, setting, tool, or agent conversation.

The long-term direction is a command surface that can be used by humans and AI systems as a compact index of Refine capabilities.