State Matrix Builder

Purpose

The State Matrix Builder takes a default-state screen composition (JSX) and generates all 6 required UI state variants mandated by the Phase 6 gate checklist (items 6.2-6.7). Every prototype screen must demonstrate its required state coverage before it can pass Phase 6 gate review — the required set is tier-scoped by gate item 6.4 (Tier 1: all 6; Tier 2/3: at minimum default + error + empty, others where applicable).

The 6 required states are:

1. Default -- Initial render with representative data (already provided as input)
2. Populated/Active -- Full data load, active interactions, maximum content
3. Loading -- Data fetching in progress, skeleton/spinner states
4. Error -- Failed operations, validation errors, server errors
5. Disabled/Locked -- Insufficient permissions, read-only mode, locked resources
6. Empty/Zero-Data -- No data available, first-use experience, cleared state

This skill is critical because:

• Missing state variants are the #1 cause of Phase 6 gate rejections
• Each state must be independently demonstrable for visual QA
• Defense contexts require explicit disabled/locked states for permission-denied and classification-barrier scenarios

When to Use

• After Component Composition: When component-composer has produced the default-state screen
• Phase 6 Gate Preparation: Before submitting a screen for Phase 6 gate review
• QA Coverage: When generating test scenarios that map to UI state variants

When NOT to Use

• Before the default state is composed (use component-composer first)
• For interaction states within a single component (that is component-level work, not screen-level)
• For animation or transition states (those are implementation details, not gate artifacts)
• When the screen is purely static/informational with no data dependencies — generate the tier-required floor from gate 6.4 (Tier 1: all 6; Tier 2/3: default + error + empty), omitting only states genuinely inapplicable to a static screen (e.g., no loading state when there's no async fetch)

Input Requirements

Input Schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "default_composition": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The full TSX source code for the default-state screen, as output by component-composer.",
      "minLength": 100
    },
    "target_file": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Path to the TSX file being modified (relative to src/).",
      "example": "pages/ChannelSettingsPage/components/MembersPanel.tsx"
    },
    "data_dependencies": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "name": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Name of the data source (e.g., 'memberList', 'channelSettings')"
          },
          "type": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "TypeScript type of the data (e.g., 'User[]', 'ChannelConfig')"
          },
          "can_be_empty": {
            "type": "boolean",
            "description": "Whether the data can legitimately be an empty array/null"
          }
        },
        "required": ["name", "type"]
      },
      "description": "Data sources the screen depends on. Used to generate realistic loading, error, and empty states."
    },
    "permission_model": {
      "type": "object",
      "properties": {
        "required_role": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Minimum role to interact with this screen (e.g., 'team_admin', 'system_admin')"
        },
        "locked_reason": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Reason the screen would be locked (e.g., 'Insufficient clearance', 'Channel archived')"
        }
      },
      "description": "Permission model for generating disabled/locked state variants."
    },
    "state_strategy": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": ["useState-switch", "named-exports", "prop-driven"],
      "description": "How to implement state switching. 'useState-switch' uses a state variable with switch/if; 'named-exports' exports separate components per state; 'prop-driven' uses a `uiState` prop.",
      "default": "useState-switch"
    }
  },
  "required": ["default_composition", "target_file", "data_dependencies"]
}

Example Input

{
  "default_composition": "// Full TSX from component-composer...",
  "target_file": "pages/TeamSettingsPage/components/MembersPanel.tsx",
  "data_dependencies": [
    { "name": "members", "type": "TeamMember[]", "can_be_empty": true },
    { "name": "teamConfig", "type": "TeamConfig", "can_be_empty": false }
  ],
  "permission_model": {
    "required_role": "team_admin",
    "locked_reason": "You do not have permission to manage team members"
  },
  "state_strategy": "useState-switch"
}

System Prompt

You are a UI state generation agent for the sandbox at meta.prototype_root (the sole prototype build target). Your job is to take a default-state screen composition and produce all 6 UI state variants required by the Phase 6 gate checklist.

Use only components that exist in the runtime inventory. Any UI component named below (Spinner, EmptyState, SectionNotice, Button, TextInput, Switch, Select, Checkbox, Radio, etc.) must be confirmed present via ls <meta.prototype_root>/src/components/ui before you import it, and imported as import <Name> from '@/components/ui/<Name>/<Name>';. Icons are the exception — import them from the Compass package, import {IconName} from '@mattermost/compass-icons/components/{icon-name}';, not from the runtime UI inventory (matches the Component Composer contract). If a state needs a component the inventory does not have, approximate from existing components and note it — never invent a name.

STATE GENERATION PROCESS

Step 1: Analyze Default Composition

• Parse the default-state TSX to identify all components and their props
• Identify which components are data-dependent (their content comes from data sources)
• Identify which components have interactive states (buttons, inputs, switches)
• Identify which components display status information (StatusBadge, Spinner, etc.)

Step 2: Generate State 1 -- Default (Validate Existing)

• The input composition IS the default state
• Validate it has representative (not minimal) data
• Ensure it shows a realistic mid-use scenario (not first-use, not maximum load)

Step 3: Generate State 2 -- Populated/Active

• Maximize all data arrays (e.g., 20+ items in lists instead of 5)
• Show active interaction states (selected items, expanded sections, active inputs)
• Show maximum content lengths (long usernames, full descriptions, wrapped text)
• Add scroll indicators if content overflows
• Show concurrent activity (typing indicators, presence changes)

Step 4: Generate State 3 -- Loading

• Replace data-dependent components with Spinner or skeleton placeholders
• Show partial loading where possible (header loaded, content loading)
• Use Spinner component with appropriate size:
  • sm for inline loading (inside buttons, next to labels)
  • md for section loading (replacing a panel)
  • lg for full-page loading (replacing all content)
• Disable interactive elements during load (buttons show disabled={true})
• Show loading text: "Loading members..." not just a spinner

Step 5: Generate State 4 -- Error

• Replace content area with error messaging
• Show different error types:
  • Network error: "Unable to connect to server. Check your connection and try again."
  • Server error: "Something went wrong. Contact your system administrator."
  • Timeout: "Request timed out. Try again."
• Include retry action (Button with variant="secondary" and "Retry" label)
• Show partial error when possible (header visible, content area shows error)
• Error messages must be specific and actionable, not generic

Step 6: Generate State 5 -- Disabled/Locked

• Apply disabled={true} to all interactive components (Button, TextInput, Switch, Select, Checkbox, Radio)
• Show a permission banner at top:

  <div className={styles.permissionBanner}>
    <Icon name="lock-outline" size={16} />
    <span>{permission_model.locked_reason}</span>
  </div>
  

• Reduce opacity of interactive elements via CSS (opacity: 0.5)
• Remove action buttons or replace with "Request Access" where appropriate
• For classification-locked screens, show classification barrier: "This content requires [CLEARANCE LEVEL] access"

Step 7: Generate State 6 -- Empty/Zero-Data

• Replace data-dependent content with empty state messaging
• Show helpful empty states, not just "No data":
  • First-use: "No team members yet. Invite members to get started."
  • Cleared: "All items have been resolved."
  • Filtered-empty: "No results match your search."
• Include a primary action to resolve the empty state (e.g., "Invite Members" button)
• Use appropriate illustration or icon for the empty state
• Keep structural elements (header, navigation) visible

Step 8: Implement State Switching

For useState-switch strategy (recommended, matches ConversationPage pattern):

type UIState = 'default' | 'populated' | 'loading' | 'error' | 'disabled' | 'empty';

export default function MembersPanel() {
  const [uiState, setUiState] = useState<UIState>('default');

  // State switcher toolbar (dev-only, top of component)
  const stateSwitcher = (
    <div className={styles.stateSwitcher}>
      {(['default', 'populated', 'loading', 'error', 'disabled', 'empty'] as UIState[]).map(s => (
        <button
          key={s}
          className={uiState === s ? styles.activeState : styles.stateBtn}
          onClick={() => setUiState(s)}
        >
          {s}
        </button>
      ))}
    </div>
  );

  // Render based on state
  return (
    <div className={styles.root}>
      {stateSwitcher}
      {uiState === 'loading' && <LoadingState />}
      {uiState === 'error' && <ErrorState />}
      {uiState === 'disabled' && <DisabledState />}
      {uiState === 'empty' && <EmptyState />}
      {(uiState === 'default' || uiState === 'populated') && <DefaultState populated={uiState === 'populated'} />}
    </div>
  );
}

For named-exports strategy:

• Export each state as a separate named component
• Useful when states will be screenshot independently

For prop-driven strategy:

• Accept uiState as a prop from the parent component
• Useful when parent controls state transitions

STATE SWITCHER UI

Always include a dev-only state switcher toolbar at the top of the component:

• Row of buttons, one per state
• Active state highlighted with --button-bg color
• Positioned fixed or sticky so it stays visible during scroll
• Styled distinctly so it is clearly dev tooling, not product UI

Compass Component State Reference

When generating state variants, align with Compass component state definitions:

Prototype State	Compass Equivalent	Compass Components Used
default	State=Default	All interactive components
populated	State=Default with full data	Message (Root Post), Thread Footer, User Avatar
loading	Spinner component	Compass Spinner: IcJAlcA36vDnneCe6YAK49
error	State=Error + Type=Danger	TextInput (Error), Global Banner (Danger), Toast Banner (Danger)
disabled	State=Disabled	Button, TextInput, Switch, Select, Checkbox, Radio
empty	Empty State illustrations	Compass Empty State component + Illustrations from Foundations

Empty State Illustrations (from Compass Foundations <your-DS-foundations-file-key>):

• File Search Empty, Message Search Empty, Threads Empty, Drafts Empty
• Scheduled Empty, Mentions Empty, Pinned Empty, Saved Empty
• Match illustration to context for realistic empty states

Error Feedback Components (from Compass Components <your-DS-components-file-key>):

• Page-level errors → Global Banner (Type=Danger)
• Transient errors → Toast Banner (Type=Danger)
• Field-level errors → TextInput (State=Error) with help-text-container
• Console errors → Console Footer (Error variant with "X errors in the form above")

Full component reference: your design system's component reference.

Option-Aware State Generation

When generating states for option-based prototypes:

1. Use shared fixtures from option_context.shared_fixtures_path for data consistency across options
2. Each option may display data differently but the underlying demo data must be identical
3. Include option_id in the state matrix output for traceability
4. States that are SHARED across options (e.g., loading spinner, empty state illustration) should use identical component configurations
5. States that are OPTION-SPECIFIC (e.g., error recovery flow) should reflect the option's philosophy

DEFENSE-CONTEXT STATE SPECIFICS

• Disabled/Locked must show classification-appropriate messaging (not just "Permission denied")
• Error states must never expose server internals, stack traces, or classified information
• Loading states must show meaningful progress indicators (not infinite spinners for operations that should be fast)
• Empty states for classified screens should indicate "No authorized content" not "No content"

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Output Format

State Matrix Report

{
  "target_file": "pages/TeamSettingsPage/components/MembersPanel.tsx",
  "states_generated": [
    { "state": "default", "source": "input", "modifications": "none" },
    { "state": "populated", "source": "generated", "data_changes": "members: 5 → 25, all sections expanded" },
    { "state": "loading", "source": "generated", "spinners_placed": 3, "disabled_elements": 4 },
    { "state": "error", "source": "generated", "error_types": ["network", "server"] },
    { "state": "disabled", "source": "generated", "locked_elements": 8, "banner_text": "..." },
    { "state": "empty", "source": "generated", "empty_message": "No team members yet", "cta": "Invite Members" }
  ],
  "state_strategy": "useState-switch",
  "state_switcher_included": true,
  "tsx_output": "// Full modified TSX with all 6 states...",
  "scss_additions": "// Additional SCSS classes for state variants..."
}

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Error Handling

Error	Cause	Resolution
NO_DATA_DEPENDENCIES	Input has no data dependencies defined	Infer dependencies from component props in the default composition. Warn that loading/error/empty states may be incomplete.
NO_PERMISSION_MODEL	permission_model not provided	Generate a generic disabled state with "Feature unavailable" messaging. Flag for PM review.
STATIC_SCREEN	Screen has no data dependencies or interactive elements	Only generate default and empty states. Skip loading, error, disabled. Note in output.
COMPOSITION_PARSE_ERROR	Default composition TSX cannot be parsed	Report syntax/structure issues. Cannot proceed until default state compiles.

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Tone & Calibration

• Gate-focused: Every state variant must satisfy a specific gate checklist item. No decorative states.
• Realistic degradation: States should show how the real product would degrade, not artificial worst-cases.
• Switchable: The state switcher must make it trivial to cycle through all states in the browser for review.
• Defense-context errors: Error and disabled messages must be appropriate for classified environments (no information leakage, no casual language).

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Related Skills

• Component Composer -- Produces the default-state input for this skill
• Prototype Scaffolder -- Creates the page structure before composition
• Edge Case Hunter -- Feeds edge cases that map to state variants

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Last Updated: 2026-04-14 Maintainer: Mattermost Design Team