ADR 0099: Add titled visual clusters to the Settings directory

• Status: Accepted
• Date: 2026-08-18
• Deciders: PI-Desktop core
• Related: D238, D241, ADR 0096

Context

The Settings rail is intentionally a flat, searchable directory of eight destinations. The rows are correct and remain in one navigation level, but the unbroken list is visually dense. The previous visual-only spacing used divider lines, which was especially easy to lose against the dark rail and did not provide a useful scan landmark.

Decision

Keep the destination index flat and preserve its order, IDs, search behavior, and ownership. Render four localized, non-interactive headings above the existing row clusters:

• Personal / 个人: Basics, AI, Shortcuts
• Agent / 智能体: Instructions, Model configuration
• Workspace / 工作区: Import, Project archive
• About / 关于: Info

Use muted typography and whitespace between clusters. Do not render divider lines or add nested navigation. Search continues to filter destinations as one flat index; a cluster and its heading disappear when no destination remains in that cluster.

Consequences

• The rail gains clear scan landmarks without introducing another interactive navigation level.
• The headings are available in both supported UI locales.
• The rail no longer depends on border contrast to communicate grouping in either theme.
• The existing destination ordering and deep-link behavior remain stable.

Alternatives

Keep the completely flat rail

Rejected because the compact rows remain difficult to scan as one block.

Use divider lines between groups

Rejected because the previous rule was low-salience in dark mode and added chrome without naming the groups.

Add interactive nested navigation

Rejected because the Settings IA is intentionally a flat destination index and the groups do not own additional navigation state.