TidyFactor · alwkala · Sep 2, 2026 · Sep 2, 2026
diff --git a/.tidyfactor b/.tidyfactor
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
   "ecosystem": "tidyfactor",
   "track": "design",
   "name": "tidyfactor-design",
-  "version": "1.6.0",
+  "version": "1.7.0",
   "npmPackage": "@alwkala/tidyfactor-design",
   "github": "https://github.com/TidyFactor/Design",
-  "skillFile": "../tidyfactor-design-v1.6.0.skill",
+  "skillFile": "../tidyfactor-design-v1.7.0.skill",
   "category": "design-system",
   "type": "interactive-prototyping",
   "outputs": [

diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@
 
 All notable changes to the **[@tidyfactor/design](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@tidyfactor/design)** package will be documented in this file.
 
+## [1.7.0] - 2026-09-02
+
+### 🧠 Added — Sovereign Brain MCP Integration & Deterministic Fail-Open Protocol
+- **Brain Integration Contract (`references/memory/20-brain-baas-integration.md`)**: Operational specification codifying the sovereign self-hosted architecture, tenant isolation within local/agency SQLite databases, Design System Knowledge Item (KI) payload schemas, and tool latency classes.
+- **Fail-Open Resolution Protocol (`references/workflows/brief.md`)**: Embedded deterministic context discovery: (1) Local workspace auto-sensing first, (2) Optional Brain MCP context acceleration (`search_knowledge_base`) when active, (3) Instant 0ms silent fallback to 3-question CDL interview if MCP is absent or offline.
+- **Optional Knowledge Item Sync (`references/commands/handoff.md`)**: Added explicit `--sync-brain` flag to export verified Design System Baselines and token maps to local Brain MCP storage.
+- **Tooling Scope & Latency Declarations**: Enriched `SKILL.md` with explicit Rule 10 Tooling Scope and updated `10-python-tooling.md` with execution latency classifications (sub-second AST audits vs async batch media inference).
+
+---
+
 ## [1.6.0] - 2026-09-01
 
 ### Added - Runtime Tooling Manifest & Egyptian Heritage Design Lanes

diff --git a/SKILL.md b/SKILL.md
@@ -44,3 +44,11 @@ Read only the command file that matches the request. Do not load all commands si
 3. **Single CSS Foundation**: Lock Native, Tailwind, daisyUI, Pico, or Hybrid once per project; never mix foundations.
 4. **Typography Discipline**: Arabic display headings use El Messiri, body copy uses Tajawal. Never use Amiri for headings above 24px.
 5. **7-Axis Pre-Emit Critique**: All components and layouts must be evaluated with `/* Pre-emit critique: P5 H5 E5 S5 R5 V5 D5 */`.
+
+## Tooling Scope (Rule 10)
+
+- **Languages**: Python 3 (stdlib, Pillow/rembg for asset optimization)
+- **Mutations**: Read-only audits (`audit_design`), file creation (`extract_palette`), image processing (`optimize_assets`)
+- **Network**: None required
+- **Companion MCP**: Invocable via `tidyfactor-brain`'s `run_skill_tool(skill_id="tidyfactor-design", ...)`
+
diff --git a/brand.json b/brand.json
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 {
   "name": "TidyFactor Design",
-  "version": "1.6.0",
+  "version": "1.7.0",
   "schemaVersion": "brand-core-v2",
   "meta": {
     "product": "TidyFactor Design System",
     "tagline": "Code-Native Interactive Prototyping Engine",
     "description": "A zero-bundler, framework-free design system and UI prototyping engine with pluggable CSS foundations and full Arabic/RTL support.",
-    "version": "1.6.0",
-    "lastUpdated": "2026-09-01"
+    "version": "1.7.0",
+    "lastUpdated": "2026-09-02"
   },
   "identity": {
     "logo": {

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design.skill b/dist/tidyfactor-design.skill
diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/.tidyfactor b/dist/tidyfactor-design/.tidyfactor
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
   "ecosystem": "tidyfactor",
   "track": "design",
   "name": "tidyfactor-design",
-  "version": "1.6.0",
+  "version": "1.7.0",
   "npmPackage": "@alwkala/tidyfactor-design",
   "github": "https://github.com/TidyFactor/Design",
-  "skillFile": "../tidyfactor-design-v1.6.0.skill",
+  "skillFile": "../tidyfactor-design-v1.7.0.skill",
   "category": "design-system",
   "type": "interactive-prototyping",
   "outputs": [

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/CHANGELOG.md b/dist/tidyfactor-design/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@
 
 All notable changes to the **[@tidyfactor/design](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@tidyfactor/design)** package will be documented in this file.
 
+## [1.7.0] - 2026-09-02
+
+### 🧠 Added — Sovereign Brain MCP Integration & Deterministic Fail-Open Protocol
+- **Brain Integration Contract (`references/memory/20-brain-baas-integration.md`)**: Operational specification codifying the sovereign self-hosted architecture, tenant isolation within local/agency SQLite databases, Design System Knowledge Item (KI) payload schemas, and tool latency classes.
+- **Fail-Open Resolution Protocol (`references/workflows/brief.md`)**: Embedded deterministic context discovery: (1) Local workspace auto-sensing first, (2) Optional Brain MCP context acceleration (`search_knowledge_base`) when active, (3) Instant 0ms silent fallback to 3-question CDL interview if MCP is absent or offline.
+- **Optional Knowledge Item Sync (`references/commands/handoff.md`)**: Added explicit `--sync-brain` flag to export verified Design System Baselines and token maps to local Brain MCP storage.
+- **Tooling Scope & Latency Declarations**: Enriched `SKILL.md` with explicit Rule 10 Tooling Scope and updated `10-python-tooling.md` with execution latency classifications (sub-second AST audits vs async batch media inference).
+
+---
+
 ## [1.6.0] - 2026-09-01
 
 ### Added - Runtime Tooling Manifest & Egyptian Heritage Design Lanes

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/SKILL.md b/dist/tidyfactor-design/SKILL.md
@@ -44,3 +44,11 @@ Read only the command file that matches the request. Do not load all commands si
 3. **Single CSS Foundation**: Lock Native, Tailwind, daisyUI, Pico, or Hybrid once per project; never mix foundations.
 4. **Typography Discipline**: Arabic display headings use El Messiri, body copy uses Tajawal. Never use Amiri for headings above 24px.
 5. **7-Axis Pre-Emit Critique**: All components and layouts must be evaluated with `/* Pre-emit critique: P5 H5 E5 S5 R5 V5 D5 */`.
+
+## Tooling Scope (Rule 10)
+
+- **Languages**: Python 3 (stdlib, Pillow/rembg for asset optimization)
+- **Mutations**: Read-only audits (`audit_design`), file creation (`extract_palette`), image processing (`optimize_assets`)
+- **Network**: None required
+- **Companion MCP**: Invocable via `tidyfactor-brain`'s `run_skill_tool(skill_id="tidyfactor-design", ...)`
+
diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/brand.json b/dist/tidyfactor-design/brand.json
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 {
   "name": "TidyFactor Design",
-  "version": "1.6.0",
+  "version": "1.7.0",
   "schemaVersion": "brand-core-v2",
   "meta": {
     "product": "TidyFactor Design System",
     "tagline": "Code-Native Interactive Prototyping Engine",
     "description": "A zero-bundler, framework-free design system and UI prototyping engine with pluggable CSS foundations and full Arabic/RTL support.",
-    "version": "1.6.0",
-    "lastUpdated": "2026-09-01"
+    "version": "1.7.0",
+    "lastUpdated": "2026-09-02"
   },
   "identity": {
     "logo": {

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/package.json b/dist/tidyfactor-design/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@tidyfactor/design",
-  "version": "1.6.0",
+  "version": "1.7.0",
   "description": "TidyFactor Design track — code-native UI design lifecycle engine (Figma alternative) with Contextual Decision Layer (CDL)",
   "main": "SKILL.md",
   "bin": {

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/commands/handoff.md b/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/commands/handoff.md
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ For each shared component in `design-system/components.css`:
 - Cubic-bezier curves and duration values
 - Reduced-motion fallback rules (`prefers-reduced-motion: reduce`)
 
+### 5. Optional Brain MCP Sync (`--sync-brain`)
+When invoked with `--sync-brain`, the command packages the Design System Baseline into an Atomic Knowledge Item (KI) per `20-brain-baas-integration.md` and exports it to the active project's Brain MCP storage via `extract_knowledge_item`.
+- **Fail-Open Policy**: If Brain MCP is unavailable or offline, silently skip KI export and complete the local `docs/handoff/` generation.
+
 ## Checklist
 
 - [ ] Complete token mapping table generated

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/02-design-tokens.md b/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/02-design-tokens.md
@@ -29,9 +29,14 @@ the palette, not pure black).
 (ease-out for entrances, ease-in for exits, a signature easing curve for
 the brand's characteristic motion if `school` calls for one).
 
+**Decorative Patterns & Friezes** — continuous horizontal ribbons, architectural
+friezes, and cultural repeating motifs. Defined via SVG `<pattern>` tokens with
+exact waveform bounding boxes (`patternUnits="userSpaceOnUse"`) to guarantee 0px gap
+interlocking across 100% viewport width without manual DOM duplication or layout shifts.
+
 ## Naming convention
 `--color-*`, `--font-*`, `--space-*`, `--radius-*`, `--shadow-*`,
-`--ease-*`/`--duration-*` — consistent prefixing so any command (or a human
+`--ease-*`/`--duration-*`, `--pattern-*`, `--motif-*` — consistent prefixing so any command (or a human
 reading the CSS) can immediately tell a value's category.
 
 ## Contrast policy

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/04-motion-principles.md b/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/04-motion-principles.md
@@ -25,5 +25,18 @@ Adapted from classic animation principles, applied to UI motion rather than char
 
 ---
 
-## 3. Non-negotiable: `prefers-reduced-motion`
+## 3. SVG Stroke Dash & Parallax Choreography
+
+### A. SVG Stroke Dash Tracing (`.lotus-stroke-animated`)
+- For cultural emblems, watermarks, and architectural line art, set `strokeDasharray` and `strokeDashoffset` equal to the total path perimeter (e.g. `1200-1600px` or `.getTotalLength()`).
+- Animate `strokeDashoffset: 0` using GSAP timeline `power2.inOut` with micro-staggers (100-150ms) across petals/lines during initial page load.
+
+### B. Interactive Parallax with Optical Counter-Movement (Desktop $\ge 992px$)
+- Foreground hero visual frames receive soft directional tilt (`xOffset * 0.5`, `yOffset * 0.5`).
+- Deep background watermarks and particles receive inverted counter-movement (`-xOffset * 0.8`, `-yOffset * 0.8`) with longer easing durations (1.2s vs 0.8s) to establish multi-plane spatial depth.
+- On `mouseleave`, smoothly tween all planes back to origin `(0, 0)` via `power2.out`.
+
+---
+
+## 4. Non-negotiable: `prefers-reduced-motion`
 Every entrance, scroll, parallax, or ambient spotlight effect in `motion.js` must check `window.matchMedia('(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)')` and fall back to instant or opacity-only transitions globally.
diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/05-component-anatomy.md b/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/05-component-anatomy.md
@@ -20,6 +20,25 @@
 - Layout: Asymmetric split (Cover viewport on one side, editorial hierarchy on the other).
 - Visuals: Multi-layered spine shadow (`box-shadow: -8px 10px 24px rgba(0,0,0,0.25)`), dynamic hover lift (`translateY(-4px)`), and category badge.
 
+### C. Continuous Architectural Friezes & Motifs (`.lotus-frieze-fullwidth`)
+- Layout: Full-width continuous ribbon utilizing SVG `<pattern patternUnits="userSpaceOnUse">` tiled over a single `<rect width="100%" />` element with zero gap.
+- Break Pattern: Optional centered floating medallion (`.lotus-frieze-center-emblem`) with subtle border elevation and micro-rotation on hover.
+
+### D. Royal Cartouche & Shenu Ribbon Badges (`.section-eyebrow`, `.badge`)
+- Styling: Dual-tone background gradients, gold border (`rgba(201, 136, 24, 0.45)`), inset highlight glow, and authentic cultural iconography.
+
+### E. Responsive Positioning Protocol for Floating Badges & Frame Elements
+- Desktop (`min-width: 992px`): Positioned absolutely outside frame boundaries (`position: absolute; inset-inline-end: -8px;`).
+- Mobile (`max-width: 768px`): Must convert to centered static blocks (`position: relative; inset: auto; width: 100%; justify-content: center;`) to eliminate mobile horizontal scrolling and layout clipping.
+
+### F. Header & Navigation Bar (`.navbar`)
+- Layout: Single-line sticky frosted glass island with gold rim (`white-space: nowrap`).
+- Brand Lockup: Logo emblem medallion (`.brand-emblem`) + Bold title (`.brand-title`) + Micro pedigree (`.brand-pedigree`).
+- Prohibition: Zero emojis anywhere in the navigation bar. Use crisp inline SVGs (`currentColor`).
+
+### G. Mobile Navigation Drawer (`.mobile-drawer`)
+- Structure: Full-height frosted overlay (`backdrop-filter: blur(20px)`), body scroll lock, $\ge 44\times 44\text{px}$ touch targets, and docked bottom action buttons.
+
 ---
 
 ## 3. The Full 8-State Matrix (Apply per Interactive Component)

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/06-quality-bar.md b/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/06-quality-bar.md
@@ -66,6 +66,15 @@ Before handing back any output, score the artifact on 6 axes:
 10. **Diagonal Stripe Background Overlays**: Using `repeating-linear-gradient(...)` stripe overlays in hero/section backgrounds.
 11. **Disjointed Display Heading Letter-Spacing**: Using letter-spacing tighter than `-0.04em` on H1 display headings causing characters to collide.
 
+---
+
+## 🚫 5 Header & Navigation Anti-Pattern Traps (Auto-Reject)
+1. **Vertical Text-Wrapping Link Trap**: Link labels breaking/wrapping into 2 stacked lines inside a single link container (e.g. `المبادرات \n والتدريب` or `المؤلفات \n والأبحاث`). Navigation items must strictly stay 1–2 words and enforce `white-space: nowrap;`.
+2. **The Escaping Action Overflow Trap**: Primary CTA buttons or action toggles spilling outside the navbar pill container due to link congestion or missing container boundaries. Header items must never cause horizontal clipping or overflow.
+3. **Compound Title Congestion**: Cramming 6+ verbose compound phrases side-by-side (`المؤهلات والأكاديميا`, `المؤلفات والأبحاث`, `المسيرة المهنية`, `الأثر الميداني`, `المبادرات والتدريب`). When links exceed 5–6 items, mandatory escalation to Submenu/Mega Menu applies.
+4. **Duplicate Primary CTA Intent**: Duplicating the conversion action in both the menu links and the header button (e.g. having `حجز استشارة` in the nav links right next to `تواصل مباشر` on the CTA button). The CTA is the single primary conversion button.
+5. **Amateur Avatar & Emoji Trap**: Using plain circular placeholder avatars with raw single letters (e.g. a teal circle with a plain letter "ش") or emoji labels (`🌙 ليلي`). Always use authentic SVG royal emblems, cartouches, or clean linear SVG icons.
+
 ## Optical Alignment & Typography Hygiene
 - **Data Table Numbers**: Multi-digit metrics or numbers missing `font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums` or monospace font alignment.
 - **Orphaned Headline Words**: Single hanging words on display headers missing `text-wrap: balance` or `text-wrap: pretty`.

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/10-python-tooling.md b/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/10-python-tooling.md
@@ -1,18 +1,19 @@
+<!-- last-verified: 2026-09-02 -->
 # 10 · Python Tooling & Asset Refinement Guide
 
 The **TidyFactor Design** skill includes a lightweight Python tooling suite in `scripts/` to provide AI Agents with local media manipulation, palette extraction, background removal, and image optimization capabilities.
 
 ---
 
-## 🛠️ Tooling Suite Inventory
+## 🛠️ Tooling Suite Inventory & Latency Classes
+
+| Script | Responsibility | Latency Class | Isolation Scope | Invoked By |
+|---|---|---|---|---|
+| **`scripts/audit_design.py`** | Anti-pattern & token compliance auditor | Sub-second (<100ms) | In-process stdlib | `audit`, `perf` |
+| **`scripts/extract_palette.py`** | WCAG 2.1 AAA contrast & palette derivation | Sub-second (<150ms) | `Pillow` (stdlib fallback) | `tokens`, `palette`, `init` |
+| **`scripts/optimize_assets.py`** | Neural bg removal & WebP image optimization | Async Batch (2–8s) | `isolation_recommended: true` (`rembg`, `onnxruntime`) | `assets`, `deploy` |
+| **`scripts/minify_assets.py`** | CSS/JS minification | Sub-second (<100ms) | Standard Python | `deploy` |
 
-| Script | Primary Responsibility | Dependencies | Command Trigger |
-|---|---|---|---|
-| **`scripts/extract_palette.py`** | Image color quantization, WCAG 2.1 AA contrast check, `brand.json` & `tokens.css` sync | `Pillow` | `palette`, `tokens`, `init`, `clone` |
-| **`scripts/remove_backgrounds.py`** | AI background removal (`rembg`) for transparent PNG logos, product shots, & cutouts | `rembg`, `Pillow` | `init`, `components`, `page`, `retrofit` |
-| **`scripts/optimize_assets.py`** | Resizes heavy assets to design token bounds (heroes max 1200px, cards 400px, logos 240px) | `Pillow` | `deploy`, `audit` |
-| **`scripts/minify_assets.py`** | Bundles & minifies CSS/JS for presentation deployment | Standard Python | `deploy` |
-| **`scripts/inspect_images.py`** | Inspects image dimensions, color channels, and alpha channel status | Standard Python | `audit` |
 
 ---
 

diff --git a/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/14-nav-footer-catalog.md b/dist/tidyfactor-design/references/memory/14-nav-footer-catalog.md
@@ -14,6 +14,37 @@ Reference catalog for Navigation (N1–N9) and Footer (Ft1–Ft8) components.
 - **N8: Vertical Rail** — Fixed left/right navigation rail for web app dashboards.
 - **N9: Fullscreen Overlay** — Trigger button opening full-viewport navigation overlay.
 
+---
+
+## 🏛️ Navigation & Header Design Invariants (Strict Quality Bar)
+
+### 1. Zero Emoji Invariant (`No Emojis in Nav/Menu`)
+- **Prohibition**: Emojis (e.g. 🏠, 📞, 📚, ⚡) are strictly prohibited in navigation links, headers, submenus, and action controls. Emojis represent an amateur AI-slop anti-pattern.
+- **Enforcement**: Use lightweight inline SVG vector icons or ultra-lightweight linear icon sets (Lucide, Feather, Heroicons with 1.5–2px stroke) styled dynamically via `currentColor` or brand tokens.
+
+### 2. Single-Line Discipline (`white-space: nowrap; flex-wrap: nowrap;`)
+- **One-Line Invariant**: Navigation items must strictly fit in a single horizontal row on desktop viewports. Multi-line navigation wrapping is unacceptable.
+- **Label Conciseness**: Labels must be 1 to 2 words maximum (e.g. `الرئيسية`, `المسيرة`, `المؤلفات`, `المبادرات`, `حاسبة الأسعار`).
+- **Stacked Sub-descriptor Option**: If descriptive context is needed, stack a micro-caption (`font-size: 0.7rem`) vertically under the primary title within the link container, preserving compact horizontal width.
+- **SEO vs Navigation Separation**: Full explanatory copy and SEO keywords belong in page body content and schema markup—navigation is dedicated exclusively to rapid, intuitive orientation.
+
+### 3. Submenu & Mega Menu Fallback Protocol
+- If a project requires more than 5–6 primary destinations, do NOT crowd the header bar.
+- **Mandatory Escalation**: Group links into structured **Submenus (Dropdowns)** or an architectural **Mega Menu** with frosted glass backdrops, golden borders, and categorical grouping.
+
+### 4. Mobile-First Navigation & Drawer Architecture (Must Rules)
+- **Automatic Viewport Folding**: On screens `< 1024px` or `< 768px`, desktop navigation links must seamlessly fold into a slide-out drawer (`.mobile-drawer`) or bottom sheet.
+- **Touch Target Integrity**: Minimum 44×44px hit areas for all hamburger triggers, menu links, and controls (WCAG 2.5.5).
+- **Body Scroll Lock**: Automatically lock document scrolling when the mobile drawer is active (`body.menu-open { overflow: hidden; }`).
+- **Zero Horizontal Overflow**: No absolute badge or floating frame element may cause horizontal scrolling on mobile viewports (`overflow-x: clip / hidden; width: 100vw;`).
+- **Compact Sticky Height**: Mobile header height capped at 52–62px with logo/brand text truncation protection (`text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;`).
+
+### 5. Header Action Controls Cap (Max 3 Controls)
+- Header action clusters must not exceed **3 controls maximum** (e.g. Primary CTA + Language Switcher + Theme Toggle).
+- All action controls must share geometric harmony (coordinated pill radii, consistent padding, and unified border treatment).
+
+---
+
 ## Footer Archetypes
 
 - **Ft1: Mast-Headed** — Giant brand wordmark overlaying top of footer section with multi-column links below.