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ADR 0023: Glance channel - separate from IDE Health

Status: Accepted (decision boundaries and signal selection; specific UI and types in the code - as implemented)
Date: 2026-04-11

ADR Role
0021 PFD/MFD - Cascade IDE Cockpit Attention Model
0022 lexicon IDE Health - other channel
0089 renaming the observability channel

Summary

  • Markdown + Mermaid/PlantUML - first-class via LSP and workflow.
  • Kroki, export expanded, authoring - orthogonal preview (0069).

Outside ADR

Document Role
environment-readiness-glance-v1.md drawing readiness glance

Context

  1. The user needs a quick check: is the LSP connected, are the necessary tools available, are relevant variables set - without opening the settings, if the goal is not editing, but a reminder (peripheral attention, ADR 0021).
  2. The IDE Health channel is assigned to a task in the workspace (build, tests, debugging, git). Confusing “is everything ok with the tools and environment” with it discredits terminology and UX.
  3. A complete dump of process environment variables is unacceptable (noise, risk of leakage, does not answer the question “is it necessary for the IDE”).

Solution

  1. A separate product channel environment readiness is being introduced (working name in the UI: as agreed; in the docks - environment readiness / glance). It does not use IdeHealth* prefixes in this channel's contracts and is not configured by ide_health_* keys in TOML modes - these keys are related to IDE Health; readiness placement is set separately (preset, ADR 0021).
  2. The channel snapshot is built only from signals that the IDE already uses or explicitly needs to check for its scripts (LSPs, external MCPs, selected chat transport, need for dotnet, etc.).
  3. Environment Variables on this channel: only names that Cascade IDE actually reads for features to work, or an agreed upon minimum checklist for documented scenarios. Do not print the entire environ.
  4. Executable files: checking required tools for the IDE - via an explicit path from the settings or through permission via PATH (Windows) and PATH / accepted analogues on Linux; not "all programs on disk".
  5. Settings screen remains the editing place; readiness channel - inspection and short tips + “Open settings” link. Secrets and API keys at glance do not show in clear form (mask or not display).
  6. Presentation layer (full screen page in the secondary outline of the shell - v1 anchor in the Mfd zone column; PFD badges; palette commands - without TabControl) is specified by the preset and ADR 0021 separately from the IDE Health strip.

Details of signals v1, composition of fields and placement in the UI are in drawing.

Consequences

  • The new "show environment state for IDE" features expand on this channel and document added env/check names in a drawing or in code with a link to the ADR.
  • Expansion of IDE Health with new segments about LSP/env is not done under the guise of the same channel - if in doubt, see §Context and 0022.

Open

  • Name of types in the code (EnvironmentReadiness* or other) - during the first implementation.
  • Localization of page/card titles.