src/app/router.tsx

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import { setupRouterSsrQueryIntegration } from "@tanstack/react-router-ssr-query
 import { routeTree } from "./routeTree.gen";
 import { DefaultCatchBoundary } from "../components/DefaultCatchBoundary";
 import RoutePending from "../components/route-pending";
-import { headerChange, navDirection } from "@/features/core/utils/nav-direction";
 import { defaultHeaderConfig } from "@/features/core/hooks/use-router-config";
 
 export function getRouter() {
@@ -34,12 +33,6 @@ export function getRouter() {
     defaultPreloadStaleTime: 60_000,
     defaultPendingMs: 100,
     defaultPendingMinMs: 0,
-    defaultViewTransition: {
-      types: ({ fromLocation, toLocation }) => {
-        const direction = navDirection(fromLocation, toLocation);
-        return direction === "none" ? false : [direction];
-      },
-    },
     defaultPendingComponent: RoutePending,
     defaultErrorComponent: DefaultCatchBoundary,
   });
@@ -49,13 +42,6 @@ export function getRouter() {
     queryClient
   })
 
-  if (typeof document !== "undefined") {
-    router.subscribe("onBeforeNavigate", ({ fromLocation, toLocation }) => {
-      document.documentElement.dataset.navDirection = navDirection(fromLocation, toLocation);
-      document.documentElement.dataset.headerVt = headerChange(fromLocation, toLocation);
-    });
-  }
-
   return router;
 }
 

src/app/styles.css

@@ -50,120 +50,13 @@ textarea,
   transform: scale(0.90) translateY(-4px);
 }
 
-/* keep the page tappable mid-transition (rapid tab switching) */
-::view-transition {
-  pointer-events: none;
-}
-
-/* theme overlays must be this element, not body::before, or they blink off
-   during transitions */
+/* themes paint their full-page texture through this element */
 .flxn-theme-overlay {
   position: fixed;
   pointer-events: none;
-  view-transition-name: theme-overlay;
-}
-
-/* pinned states, not 0ms durations: Safari skips zero-duration VT animations
-   and blends both snapshots */
-::view-transition-old(root),
-::view-transition-old(app-header),
-::view-transition-old(theme-overlay) {
-  animation: none;
-  opacity: 0;
-}
-::view-transition-new(root),
-::view-transition-new(app-header),
-::view-transition-new(theme-overlay) {
-  animation: none;
-  opacity: 1;
-  mix-blend-mode: normal;
-}
-::view-transition-image-pair(root),
-::view-transition-image-pair(app-header),
-::view-transition-image-pair(theme-overlay),
-::view-transition-image-pair(page) {
-  isolation: auto;
-}
-
-::view-transition-old(page),
-::view-transition-new(page) {
-  animation-duration: 180ms;
-  animation-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1);
-  mix-blend-mode: normal;
-}
-
-html[data-nav-direction="forward"]::view-transition-old(page) {
-  animation: 250ms cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1) both flxn-page-out-left;
-}
-html[data-nav-direction="forward"]::view-transition-new(page) {
-  animation: 250ms cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1) both flxn-page-in-right;
-}
-html[data-nav-direction="back"]::view-transition-old(page) {
-  animation: 250ms cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1) both flxn-page-out-right;
-}
-html[data-nav-direction="back"]::view-transition-new(page) {
-  animation: 250ms cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1) both flxn-page-in-left;
-}
-
-html[data-nav-direction="forward"][data-header-vt="exit"]::view-transition-old(app-header) {
-  animation: 250ms cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1) both flxn-page-out-left;
-  opacity: 1;
-}
-html[data-nav-direction="back"][data-header-vt="exit"]::view-transition-old(app-header) {
-  animation: 250ms cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1) both flxn-page-out-right;
-  opacity: 1;
-}
-html[data-nav-direction="forward"][data-header-vt="enter"]::view-transition-new(app-header) {
-  animation: 250ms cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1) both flxn-page-in-right;
-}
-html[data-nav-direction="back"][data-header-vt="enter"]::view-transition-new(app-header) {
-  animation: 250ms cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1) both flxn-page-in-left;
-}
-
-@keyframes flxn-page-out-left {
-  to { transform: translateX(-100%); }
-}
-@keyframes flxn-page-in-right {
-  from { transform: translateX(100%); }
-}
-@keyframes flxn-page-out-right {
-  to { transform: translateX(100%); }
-}
-@keyframes flxn-page-in-left {
-  from { transform: translateX(-100%); }
-}
-
-@keyframes flxn-vt-fade-out {
-  to { opacity: 0; }
-}
-@keyframes flxn-vt-fade-in {
-  from { opacity: 0; }
 }
 
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-  ::view-transition-group(*),
-  ::view-transition-image-pair(*) {
-    animation: none !important;
-  }
-
-  ::view-transition-old(*) {
-    animation: 120ms ease both flxn-vt-fade-out !important;
-    z-index: auto !important;
-  }
-
-  ::view-transition-new(*) {
-    animation: 120ms ease both flxn-vt-fade-in !important;
-  }
-
-  ::view-transition-old(root),
-  ::view-transition-old(app-header),
-  ::view-transition-old(theme-overlay),
-  ::view-transition-new(root),
-  ::view-transition-new(app-header),
-  ::view-transition-new(theme-overlay) {
-    animation: none !important;
-  }
-
   .app,
   [data-drawer-level] {
     transition: none;

src/features/core/components/header.tsx

@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ const Header = ({ collapsed, title, titleValues, withBackButton }: HeaderConfig)
         alignItems: 'center',
         justifyContent: 'center',
         paddingTop: 'env(safe-area-inset-top, 0px)',
-        viewTransitionName: 'app-header',
       }}
     >
       { withBackButton && <BackButton /> }

src/features/core/components/layout.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { AppShell, Box } from '@mantine/core';
+import { AppShell } from '@mantine/core';
 import { PropsWithChildren } from 'react';
 import Header from './header';
 import Navbar from './navbar';
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const Layout: React.FC<PropsWithChildren> = ({ children }) => {
     <AppShell
       id='app-shell'
       layout='alt'
-      // must snap: view transitions capture AppShell's collapse mid-animation
+      // 0 = header collapse is instant; Mantine's default animates main's padding
       transitionDuration={0}
       header={{
         // Old installs froze black-translucent at add-to-home-screen time, so
@@ -52,21 +52,11 @@ const Layout: React.FC<PropsWithChildren> = ({ children }) => {
         maw='100dvw'
         style={{ overflow: 'hidden' }}
       >
-        {/* pane box must be route-invariant or slides drift */}
-        <Box
-          style={{
-            viewTransitionName: 'page',
-            marginTop: 'calc(-1 * var(--app-shell-header-offset, 0px))',
-            paddingTop: 'var(--app-shell-header-offset, 0px)',
-            height: 'calc(100% + var(--app-shell-header-offset, 0px))',
-          }}
-        >
-          <Pullable>
-            <Page noPadding={!withPadding} fullWidth={fullWidth}>
-              {children}
-            </Page>
-          </Pullable>
-        </Box>
+        <Pullable>
+          <Page noPadding={!withPadding} fullWidth={fullWidth}>
+            {children}
+          </Page>
+        </Pullable>
       </AppShell.Main>
       <Navbar />
       <AppShell.Aside withBorder />

src/features/core/components/nav-indicator/use-nav-indicator.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import { useLayoutEffect, useRef } from "react";
+import { useRouterState } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+
+const TRAVEL_MS = 333;
+
+export const useNavIndicator = (isMobile: boolean) => {
+  const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const indicatorRef = useRef<HTMLSpanElement>(null);
+  const shapeRef = useRef<HTMLSpanElement>(null);
+  const pathname = useRouterState({ select: (s) => s.location.pathname });
+
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    const container = containerRef.current;
+    const indicator = indicatorRef.current;
+    const shape = shapeRef.current;
+    if (!container || !indicator || !shape) return;
+
+    let last: number | null = null;
+
+    const place = () => {
+      const active = container.querySelector<HTMLElement>("[data-active]");
+      if (!active) {
+        delete indicator.dataset.placed;
+        last = null;
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const x = active.offsetLeft;
+      const y = active.offsetTop;
+      const travelled = isMobile ? x : y;
+      const first = indicator.dataset.placed !== "1";
+
+      if (first) indicator.style.transition = "none";
+      indicator.style.setProperty("--nav-x", `${x}px`);
+      indicator.style.setProperty("--nav-y", `${y}px`);
+      indicator.style.setProperty("--nav-w", `${active.offsetWidth}px`);
+      indicator.style.setProperty("--nav-h", `${active.offsetHeight}px`);
+      indicator.dataset.placed = "1";
+
+      if (first) {
+        indicator.getBoundingClientRect();
+        indicator.style.transition = "";
+      } else if (
+        last !== null &&
+        Math.abs(travelled - last) > 1 &&
+        !window.matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)").matches
+      ) {
+        const axis = isMobile ? "scaleX" : "scaleY";
+        shape.animate(
+          [
+            { transform: `${axis}(1)`, offset: 0 },
+            { transform: `${axis}(0.88)`, offset: 0.4 },
+            { transform: `${axis}(1)`, offset: 1 },
+          ],
+          { duration: TRAVEL_MS, easing: "ease-in-out" }
+        );
+      }
+      last = travelled;
+    };
+
+    place();
+    const observer = new ResizeObserver(place);
+    observer.observe(container);
+    return () => observer.disconnect();
+  }, [pathname, isMobile]);
+
+  return { containerRef, indicatorRef, shapeRef };
+};

src/features/core/components/nav-link/nav-link.tsx

@@ -32,30 +32,19 @@ export const NavLink = ({
     <Box
       component={Link}
       to={href}
-      className={styles.navLinkBox}
+      className={`flxn-nav-link ${styles.navLinkBox}`}
       p={{ base: 0, sm: 8 }}
       aria-label={label}
       aria-current={isActive ? "page" : undefined}
+      data-active={isActive || undefined}
     >
       <Flex
         direction={{ base: "column", md: "row" }}
         align="center"
         gap={{ base: 0, md: "xs" }}
       >
-        <Icon
-          weight={isActive ? "fill" : "regular"}
-          size={28}
-          style={{
-            color: isActive ? "var(--mantine-primary-color-filled)" : undefined,
-          }}
-        />
-        <Text
-          visibleFrom="md"
-          ta="center"
-          size="md"
-          fw={isActive ? 800 : 500}
-          c={isActive ? "var(--mantine-primary-color-filled)" : undefined}
-        >
+        <Icon weight={isActive ? "fill" : "regular"} size={28} />
+        <Text visibleFrom="md" ta="center" size="md" fw={isActive ? 800 : 500}>
           {label}
         </Text>
       </Flex>

src/features/core/components/navbar.tsx

@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@ import { useAuth } from  "@/contexts/auth-context";
 import { useLinks } from "../hooks/use-links";
 import { memo } from "react";
 import { useIsPWA } from "@/hooks/use-is-pwa";
+import { useNavIndicator } from "./nav-indicator/use-nav-indicator";
 
 const Navbar = () => {
   const { user, roles } = useAuth()
   const isMobile = useIsMobile();
   const isPWA = useIsPWA();
+  const { containerRef, indicatorRef, shapeRef } = useNavIndicator(isMobile);
 
   const links = useLinks(user?.id, roles);
 
@@ -17,9 +19,16 @@ const Navbar = () => {
     ? 'max(env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 0px), 0.5rem)'
     : 'env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 0px)';
 
+  const indicator = (
+    <span ref={indicatorRef} className="flxn-nav-indicator" aria-hidden="true">
+      <span ref={shapeRef} className="flxn-nav-indicator-shape" />
+    </span>
+  );
+
   if (isMobile) return (
-    <Paper component='nav' role='navigation' withBorder shadow="sm" radius='lg' h='4rem' w='calc(100% - 1rem)' pos='fixed' m='0.5rem' bottom={bottomOffset} style={{ zIndex: 10 }}>
-      <Group gap='xs' justify='space-around' h='100%' w='100%' px={{ base: 12, sm: 0 }}>
+    <Paper className="flxn-nav" component='nav' role='navigation' withBorder shadow="sm" radius='lg' h='4rem' w='calc(100% - 1rem)' pos='fixed' m='0.5rem' bottom={bottomOffset} style={{ zIndex: 10 }}>
+      <Group ref={containerRef} pos='relative' gap='xs' justify='space-around' h='100%' w='100%' px={{ base: 12, sm: 0 }}>
+        {indicator}
         {links.map((link) => (
           <NavLink key={link.href} {...link} />
         ))}
@@ -27,9 +36,10 @@ const Navbar = () => {
     </Paper>
   )
 
-  return <AppShell.Navbar p="xs" role='navigation'>
+  return <AppShell.Navbar className="flxn-nav" p="xs" role='navigation'>
     <AppShell.Section grow component={ScrollArea}>
-      <Stack gap='xs' mx='auto' w='fit-content' justify='end' mt='md'>
+      <Stack ref={containerRef} pos='relative' gap='xs' mx='auto' w='fit-content' justify='end' mt='md'>
+        {indicator}
         {links.map((link) => (
           <NavLink key={link.href} {...link} />
         ))}

src/features/core/utils/nav-direction.ts

@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-import type { ParsedLocation } from "@tanstack/react-router";
-
-export type NavDirection = "forward" | "back" | "none";
-
-const tabRank = (pathname: string): number | null => {
-  if (pathname === "/") return 0;
-  if (pathname.startsWith("/stats")) return 1;
-  if (pathname.startsWith("/tournaments")) return 2;
-  if (pathname.startsWith("/profile") || pathname.startsWith("/settings")) return 3;
-  if (pathname.startsWith("/admin")) return 4;
-  return null;
-};
-
-const depth = (pathname: string) => pathname.split("/").filter(Boolean).length;
-
-// Keep in sync with route loaders that set header.collapsed
-const headerHidden = (pathname: string) => {
-  const segs = pathname.split("/").filter(Boolean);
-  return segs.length === 2 && ["profile", "teams", "tournaments"].includes(segs[0]);
-};
-
-export function headerChange(
-  from: ParsedLocation | undefined,
-  to: ParsedLocation
-): "exit" | "enter" | "none" {
-  if (!from) return "none";
-  const fromHidden = headerHidden(from.pathname);
-  const toHidden = headerHidden(to.pathname);
-  if (fromHidden === toHidden) return "none";
-  return toHidden ? "exit" : "enter";
-}
-
-export function navDirection(
-  from: ParsedLocation | undefined,
-  to: ParsedLocation
-): NavDirection {
-  if (!from || from.pathname === to.pathname) return "none";
-
-  const fromRank = tabRank(from.pathname);
-  const toRank = tabRank(to.pathname);
-  if (fromRank !== null && toRank !== null && fromRank !== toRank) {
-    return toRank > fromRank ? "forward" : "back";
-  }
-
-  const fromIndex = from.state.__TSR_index;
-  const toIndex = to.state.__TSR_index;
-  if (Number.isFinite(fromIndex) && Number.isFinite(toIndex) && fromIndex !== toIndex) {
-    return toIndex > fromIndex ? "forward" : "back";
-  }
-
-  return depth(to.pathname) >= depth(from.pathname) ? "forward" : "back";
-}

src/themes/base.css

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
    explicit [data-mantine-color-scheme] blocks. */
 
 :root {
+  /* bottom-nav indicator travel: spring (stiffness 320, damping 30) */
+  --flxn-nav-travel: linear(0, 0.0102, 0.0376, 0.0778, 0.1272, 0.1829, 0.2422, 0.3033, 0.3646, 0.4247, 0.4829, 0.5383, 0.5906, 0.6393, 0.6843, 0.7256, 0.7631, 0.7969, 0.8273, 0.8543, 0.8783, 0.8993, 0.9176, 0.9335, 0.9472, 0.9589, 0.9688, 0.9772, 0.9841, 0.9898, 0.9945, 0.9982, 1.0011, 1.0034, 1.0051, 1.0063, 1.0072, 1.0077, 1.0079, 1.0079, 1.0078);
+  --flxn-nav-travel-ms: 333ms;
+
   /* accolades */
   --flxn-gold: gold;
   --flxn-silver: var(--mantine-color-gray-5);

src/themes/hooks.css

@@ -67,3 +67,61 @@
   border: 1px solid var(--mantine-color-default-border);
   border-radius: var(--mantine-radius-md);
 }
+
+/* Bottom-nav active indicator: one element glides between tabs. The surface is
+   neutral on purpose — the accent belongs to the glyph, not a tint behind it. */
+.flxn-nav-indicator {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 0;
+  left: 0;
+  width: var(--nav-w, 0);
+  height: var(--nav-h, 0);
+  translate: var(--nav-x, 0) var(--nav-y, 0);
+  pointer-events: none;
+  opacity: 0;
+  z-index: 0;
+  transition: translate var(--flxn-nav-travel-ms) var(--flxn-nav-travel),
+    width var(--flxn-nav-travel-ms) var(--flxn-nav-travel),
+    height var(--flxn-nav-travel-ms) var(--flxn-nav-travel),
+    opacity 140ms ease-out;
+}
+.flxn-nav-indicator[data-placed="1"] {
+  opacity: 1;
+}
+.flxn-nav-indicator-shape {
+  display: block;
+  width: calc(100% + var(--flxn-nav-pad-x, 12px));
+  height: calc(100% + var(--flxn-nav-pad-y, 6px));
+  margin: calc(var(--flxn-nav-pad-y, 6px) / -2) calc(var(--flxn-nav-pad-x, 12px) / -2);
+  background: var(--flxn-nav-surface, var(--mantine-color-default));
+  border: 1px solid var(--flxn-nav-border, var(--mantine-color-default-border));
+  border-radius: var(--flxn-nav-radius, var(--mantine-radius-md));
+  box-shadow: var(--mantine-shadow-xs);
+}
+.flxn-nav-link {
+  /* lifted above the indicator, or an opaque fill covers the glyph */
+  position: relative;
+  z-index: 1;
+}
+.flxn-nav-link svg,
+.flxn-nav-link p {
+  transition: color 140ms ease-out;
+}
+.flxn-nav-link[data-active] {
+  color: var(--flxn-nav-accent, var(--mantine-primary-color-filled));
+}
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference) {
+  .flxn-nav-link[data-active] svg {
+    animation: flxn-nav-pop 320ms cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1);
+  }
+}
+@keyframes flxn-nav-pop {
+  0% { scale: 1; }
+  38% { scale: 1.16; }
+  100% { scale: 1; }
+}
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  .flxn-nav-indicator {
+    transition: opacity 120ms ease-out;
+  }
+}

src/themes/sketch/theme.css

@@ -167,14 +167,6 @@
   opacity: 0.07;
 }
 
-[data-theme="sketch"]::view-transition-new(theme-overlay) {
-  mix-blend-mode: multiply;
-}
-
-[data-theme="sketch"][data-mantine-color-scheme="dark"]::view-transition-new(theme-overlay) {
-  mix-blend-mode: screen;
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /* 4. Surfaces — every card its own doodle                          */
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------- */