Neo.mjs v11.22.0 Release Notes

Release Type: Visual Identity & Simulation Engine
Stability: Production-Ready
Upgrade Path: Drop-in replacement for v11.21.0

TL;DR: v11.22.0 establishes a new paradigm: "UI as a Continuous Simulation". We moved beyond static layouts to treat the interface as a persistent, physics-driven world. This release deploys two massive SharedWorker simulations—The Neural Swarm and Sonic Waves—running autonomous agents and fluid dynamics at 60fps. It proves that with a Zero-Allocation architecture, the browser can deliver desktop-class, living experiences without blocking the main thread. 62 tickets resolved in 2 days.

🔮 The Principle: UI as a Simulation

Web interfaces typically consist of static elements that wait for input. v11.22.0 inverts this model. We treat the application as a living ecosystem where entities have mass, momentum, and agency, existing independently of user interaction.

To prove this, we built two high-fidelity simulations that run entirely in SharedWorkers, ensuring the Main Thread remains purely for DOM reconciliation.

Proof 1: The Neural Swarm (Home Hero)

Experience the Interactive Simulation | Read the Architecture Guide

A complex topological simulation representing the "Agent-Native" runtime.

• Living Topology: Nodes aren't random. They form Clusters initialized via a Golden Spiral algorithm. They actively detach, drift, and re-parent themselves, visualizing Atomic Moves.
• Autonomous Agents: "Seeker Drones" (Boids) actively patrol the network, running a Finite State Machine to Seek, Scan, and Flee.
• Physics-Based Interaction: Clicking triggers a Shockwave modeled with easeOutCubic physics, physically displacing nodes and disrupting flow fields.

Proof 2: Sonic Waves (Header Toolbar)

"The UI that breathes." | Read the Architecture Guide

🧬 The "Split Stream" Engine

Instead of discrete hover animations, the header is governed by a continuous fluid simulation: a persistent Double Helix energy stream that flows across the navigation bar and responds to obstacles and input in real time.

• Adaptive Geometry: The Shared Worker synchronizes with App Worker layout data (DOMRects) to construct real-time collision envelopes. The physics engine does not "avoid" UI elements symbolically—it physically diverts the stream around buttons and icons based on their detected geometry.
• Turbulence Injection: Traditional CSS hover states were replaced with physics inputs. Cursor proximity injects Frequency Modulation directly into the wave equation, locally destabilizing the flow and causing the system to visibly react rather than switch states.
• Active State: The active view is expressed as an Energy Surge—a sustained, high-intensity excitation rendered via a Multi-Pass pipeline. Crucially, this reuses the same geometry and buffers as the base simulation, preserving continuity instead of layering a separate visual effect.

⚙️ The Enabler: Zero-Allocation Architecture

Simulating hundreds of entities at 60fps creates a new bottleneck: Garbage Collection. Creating temporary objects (e.g., {x: 1, y: 2}) triggers micro-stutters that ruin immersion.

To enable "Continuous Simulation," we enforced a strict Zero-Allocation Policy:

• Structure of Arrays (SoA): We replaced objects with pre-allocated Float32Array buffers. Physics calculations read/write directly to memory blocks.
• Inlined Math: We eliminated helper function calls in critical loops to avoid stack overhead.
• Resource Caching: Expensive assets like Gradients are generated once on resize, not per-frame.

// 🚫 Bad: Creating objects every frame (GC Pressure)
// let point = {x: 10, y: 20};

// ✅ Good: Writing to pre-allocated buffers (Zero GC)
// STRIDE = 9; index = i * STRIDE;
this.nodeBuffer[index + 0] += this.nodeBuffer[index + 2]; // x += vx
this.nodeBuffer[index + 1] += this.nodeBuffer[index + 3]; // y += vy

The Architecture in Action

🛠️ Core & Infrastructure

• Service Worker Hardening: Refactored update lifecycle (#8690) for non-blocking activation (no more blank pages) and fixed quota resilience (#8691).
• Bullet-Proof Components: Hardened MagicMoveText against layout thrashing with smart measurement caching.
• Portal UX: Renamed "Latest" to "Backlog" for clarity and improved smart routing to latest releases.

📦 Full Changelog

🌌 Epic: Home Hero Canvas (The Neural Swarm) (#8661)

• Feat: Scaffold Home Canvas Architecture (App/Shared Worker) (#8662)
• Feat: Implement Neural Network Physics & Rendering (#8663)
• Feat: Implement Home Canvas Interaction & Parallax (#8664)
• Feat: Implement Cluster Physics (Golden Spiral & Cohesion) (#8668)
• Feat: Implement Autonomous Agent Drones (Boids) (#8669)
• Feat: Implement Data Flow Packets & Parallax (#8670)
• Feat: Implement Topology Mutation (Re-parenting) (#8671)
• Feat: Implement Cluster Drift with Flow Fields (#8672)
• Feat: Implement Elastic Connections & Breathing (#8673)
• Feat: Implement Interactive Physics ("Force Push") (#8675)
• Feat: Implement Agent-Driven State (Energy Decay) (#8674)
• Feat: Implement "Containment Field" for Drift Control (#8676)
• Feat: Enhance Shockwave Visuals (Composite Rings & Sparks) (#8677)
• Feat: Optimize Contrast for Light Theme ("Inverted Neon") (#8682)
• Fix: Restore Shockwave Physics Interaction (#8681)
• Refactor: Implement HeroContainer for correct scrolling (#8678)
• Refactor: Visual Polish & GC Optimization (Inlining) (#8683)
• Refactor: HomeCanvas Styling & Pointer Events (#8665)
• Perf: Optimize HomeCanvas Lifecycle (Pause/Resume) (#8666)
• Perf: Optimize HomeCanvas Rendering (Gradient Caching) (#8667)
• Docs: Create "The Neural Swarm" Architecture Guide (#8680)
• Docs: Enhance JSDoc & Buffer Layout Documentation (#8679)

🌊 Epic: Header Toolbar Canvas (Sonic Waves) (#8630)

• Feat: Scaffold Header Canvas Architecture (#8631)
• Feat: Implement Sonic Wave Visual Effects (#8632)
• Feat: Tune Sonic Wave Visuals (#8635)
• Feat: Implement "Luminous Flux" Theme (Gradients) (#8636)
• Feat: Add Vertical Padding to Header Canvas Waves (#8637)
• Feat: Strict Vertical Clamping for Header Waves (#8638)
• Feat: Implement Dynamic Life Effects (Breathing/Shimmer) (#8639)
• Feat: Implement Variable Wavelength (FM) (#8640)
• Feat: Refine Header Canvas Dynamics (Phase & FM) (#8641)
• Feat: Implement Adaptive Wave Geometry (Icons vs Text) (#8642)
• Feat: Dampen Wave Amplitude for Social Icons (#8643)
• Feat: Implement 3D "Neon Tube" & "Ribbon" Effects (#8647, #8648)
• Feat: Implement "Neo Ether" Particle System (#8645)
• Feat: Implement "Energy Surge" Active State (#8660)
• Feat: Implement Interactive Shockwave Physics (#8655)
• Fix: Fix HeaderCanvas navRects TypeError (#8633)
• Fix: Fix HeaderCanvas Invalid Input Data Structure (#8634)
• Refactor: Clean up HeaderCanvas Comments (#8650)
• Refactor: HeaderCanvas ComponentManager & SCSS (#8656)
• Perf: Optimize Rendering (GC & Gradient Caching) (#8651)
• Perf: Throttle MouseMove Events (#8653, #8654)
• Docs: Create "Advanced Canvas Architecture" Guide (#8657)
• Docs: Enhance JSDoc for Visual Engine (#8646, #8649)
• Docs: Document Zero-Allocation Architecture (#8652)

🛠️ Core & Portal

• Fix: Service Worker Update Blocking (Blank Page Fix) (#8690)
• Fix: Service Worker Fetch Failure on Quota Exceeded (#8691)
• Fix: MagicMoveText Corrupted State on Navigation (#8684)
• Fix: Correct Default Expansion Logic for Release/Ticket Trees (#8688)
• Enhance: Rename "Latest" to "Backlog" in Ticket Index (#8685)
• Enhance: Update Ticket View Default Route Logic (#8686)
• Enhance: Improve Timeline Labels for Sub-Issues (#8689)
• Build: Update Default Expansion in Release Index (#8687)
• Docs: Create "Neural Timeline" Architecture Guide (#8658)
• Docs: Correct Mermaid Diagram in Neural Timeline Guide (#8659)

All changes delivered in 1 atomic commit: 472f1ce