feat(core): treat a grouped dock entry's category as an in-group sub-category

AGENTS.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Three layers, one mental model:
 
 - **`devframe`** — *the container for one devtool integration, portable across viewers.* External project; lives at [`github.com/devframes/devframe`](https://github.com/devframes/devframe), docs at [`devfra.me`](https://devfra.me). Consumed here as an npm dependency (`catalog:deps`).
 - **`@devframes/hub`** — *the framework-neutral hub layer on top of devframe.* Owns docks, terminals, messages, commands, the `mountDevframe` primitive, and the json-render factory — anything that only matters once a host wants to combine multiple devframes into one UI. External project, same repo as devframe; consumed via npm.
-- **`@vitejs/devtools-kit`** — *the Vite-flavored skin over `@devframes/hub`.* Re-exports hub's hosts and primitives under the kit's `DevTools*` names, adds the Vite-specific extensions (`ViteDevToolsNodeContext`, `PluginWithDevTools`, `DevToolsPluginOptions`, `createViteDevToolsHost`, the `viteplus` dock category), pins the kit-side mount path at `/__devtools/`, and ships `createPluginFromDevframe` to drop a portable devframe into Vite DevTools as a Vite plugin.
+- **`@vitejs/devtools-kit`** — *the Vite-flavored skin over `@devframes/hub`.* Re-exports hub's hosts and primitives under the kit's `DevTools*` names, adds the Vite-specific extensions (`ViteDevToolsNodeContext`, `PluginWithDevTools`, `DevToolsPluginOptions`, `createViteDevToolsHost`, the `viteplus` dock group), pins the kit-side mount path at `/__devtools/`, and ships `createPluginFromDevframe` to drop a portable devframe into Vite DevTools as a Vite plugin.
 
 When deciding where something belongs: if a single-app standalone CLI would still need it, it belongs upstream in devframe; if it only matters once a host combines multiple integrations, it belongs in `@devframes/hub` (or in `@vitejs/devtools-kit` if it's Vite-specific).
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ flowchart TD
 
 ## Dep Boundary
 
-`devframe` and `@devframes/hub` are external packages consumed via `catalog:deps` — contribute upstream at [github.com/devframes/devframe](https://github.com/devframes/devframe). `packages/kit` and above build on top of them. Features that require multi-integration awareness (docks, terminals, messages, commands) belong upstream in `@devframes/hub`. Features that only matter to Vite — `ViteDevToolsNodeContext`, `PluginWithDevTools`, the `viteplus` category, the kit-pinned `/__devtools/` mount path, the `vite:open-in-editor`/`vite:open-in-finder` commands — stay in `@vitejs/devtools-kit` and `@vitejs/devtools`.
+`devframe` and `@devframes/hub` are external packages consumed via `catalog:deps` — contribute upstream at [github.com/devframes/devframe](https://github.com/devframes/devframe). `packages/kit` and above build on top of them. Features that require multi-integration awareness (docks, terminals, messages, commands) belong upstream in `@devframes/hub`. Features that only matter to Vite — `ViteDevToolsNodeContext`, `PluginWithDevTools`, the `viteplus` group, the kit-pinned `/__devtools/` mount path, the `vite:open-in-editor`/`vite:open-in-finder` commands — stay in `@vitejs/devtools-kit` and `@vitejs/devtools`.
 
 `devframe/node/hub-internals` is a marked-public-but-low-level subpath exposing a small set of helpers (`getInternalContext`, `resolveBasePath`) for first-party adapters reaching into devframe's hub-side machinery — kit's adapters use `getInternalContext` for remote-dock token allocation and WS-endpoint metadata. End users should not import it.
 

MIGRATION.md

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 ### What stays the same
 
 - The Vite DevTools SPA continues to serve at **`/__devtools/`**. The kit pins this mount path independently of devframe's new `/__devframe/` default.
-- `viteplus` remains a valid dock category.
+- `viteplus` remains the built-in Vite+ dock **group** id (join it via `groupId: DEVTOOLS_VITEPLUS_GROUP_ID`).
 - `vite:open-in-editor` and `vite:open-in-finder` server commands keep their existing IDs.
 
 ### If you import from `devframe` directly

docs/kit/dock-system.md

@@ -466,6 +466,22 @@ A group carries the usual `title`/`icon`/`category`/`defaultOrder`/`when` fields
 
 Membership is a flat pointer, not containment: every member stays an independently-registered top-level entry. A member whose `groupId` references a group that was never registered renders as a normal top-level entry, and a group with no members stays hidden until an entry joins it. Grouping is one level deep — a group entry does not set its own `groupId`.
 
+### Categories inside a group
+
+The `category` field plays a dual role. On a top-level entry it is the outer dock-bar bucket. On a **grouped** member — one whose `groupId` resolves to a registered group — the outer bucket is the **group's** own `category`, and the member's `category` becomes an **in-group sub-category** that divides the group's popover, edge-mode sidebar, settings list, and command-palette drill-down into sections. Sub-categories order by the same category table as the outer bar and default to `default` when unset.
+
+```ts
+// The group's category ('framework') is the outer bucket for the whole group.
+ctx.docks.register({ id: 'nuxt', title: 'Nuxt', icon: 'logos:nuxt-icon', type: 'group', category: 'framework' })
+
+// Members sort into 'app' and 'advanced' SUB-categories inside the Nuxt group,
+// while the group button itself lives in 'framework' on the bar.
+ctx.docks.register({ id: 'nuxt:overview', title: 'Overview', icon: 'ph:gauge-duotone', type: 'iframe', url: '/__nuxt/overview/', groupId: 'nuxt', category: 'app' })
+ctx.docks.register({ id: 'nuxt:graph', title: 'Graph', icon: 'ph:graph-duotone', type: 'iframe', url: '/__nuxt/graph/', groupId: 'nuxt', category: 'advanced' })
+```
+
+An orphan member (its `groupId` matches no registered group) has no group to supply an outer bucket, so it falls back to its own `category`.
+
 ### The built-in Vite+ group
 
 Vite DevTools seeds a built-in **Vite+** group that collects Vite ecosystem integrations under one button. Join it with the exported id:
@@ -487,7 +503,7 @@ DevTools for Rolldown joins this group out of the box.
 
 ### Visibility and order
 
-From the dock settings panel, users hide or reorder members within a group independently, and hide the whole group from its row.
+From the dock settings panel, users hide or reorder members within a group independently, and hide the whole group from its row. When a group's members span several sub-categories, each sub-category reorders on its own and shows its own header.
 
 ## Common options
 
@@ -498,11 +514,11 @@ Every dock type accepts these base fields:
 | `id` | `string` | Unique, namespaced. |
 | `title` | `string` | Label shown in the dock. |
 | `icon` | `string \| { light, dark }` | Iconify name, URL, data URI, or light/dark pair. |
-| `category` | `'app' \| 'framework' \| 'web' \| 'advanced' \| 'default'` | Grouping in the dock panel. Defaults to `'default'`. |
+| `category` | `'app' \| 'framework' \| 'web' \| 'advanced' \| 'default'` | Outer dock-bar bucket, or the in-group sub-category when `groupId` resolves to a group — see [Categories inside a group](#categories-inside-a-group). Defaults to `'default'`. |
 | `defaultOrder` | `number` | Higher numbers appear first. Default `0`. |
 | `when` | `string` | Visibility expression — see [When Clauses](/kit/when-clauses). |
 | `badge` | `string` | Short text badge (e.g. unread count). |
-| `groupId` | `string` | Collapse this entry under a group's button — see [Docked groups](#docked-groups). |
+| `groupId` | `string` | Collapse this entry under a group's button; the group's `category` becomes this entry's outer bucket — see [Docked groups](#docked-groups). |
 
 ## Update
 

packages/core/src/client/webcomponents/components/dock/DockGroupButton.vue

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { DevToolsDockEntry, DevToolsViewGroup } from '@vitejs/devtools-kit'
 import type { DocksContext } from '@vitejs/devtools-kit/client'
 import { watchDebounced } from '@vueuse/core'
 import { computed, h, ref, useTemplateRef } from 'vue'
-import { getGroupMembers } from '../../state/dock-settings'
+import { getGroupMembers, getGroupMembersGrouped } from '../../state/dock-settings'
 import { sharedStateToRef } from '../../state/docks'
 import { setDocksGroupPanel, useDocksGroupPanel } from '../../state/floating-tooltip'
 import DockEntry from './DockEntry.vue'
@@ -29,6 +29,14 @@ const members = computed(() => getGroupMembers(
   { whenContext: props.context.when.context },
 ))
 
+// Same members, split by in-group sub-category, for the popover's sectioned view.
+const membersGrouped = computed(() => getGroupMembersGrouped(
+  props.context.docks.entries,
+  props.group.id,
+  settings.value,
+  { whenContext: props.context.when.context },
+))
+
 // The group button is "active" while any of its members owns the panel.
 const isActive = computed(() => {
   const id = props.selected?.id
@@ -48,7 +56,7 @@ function showPanel() {
     content: () => h(DockGroupPopover, {
       context: props.context,
       group: props.group,
-      members: members.value,
+      members: membersGrouped.value,
       selectedId: props.selected?.id ?? null,
       onSelect: (entry: DevToolsDockEntry) => {
         emit('select', entry)

packages/core/src/client/webcomponents/components/dock/DockGroupPopover.stories.ts

@@ -1,12 +1,17 @@
 import type { Meta, StoryObj } from '@storybook/vue3-vite'
 import type { DevToolsViewGroup } from '@vitejs/devtools-kit'
+import { DEFAULT_STATE_USER_SETTINGS } from '@vitejs/devtools-kit/constants'
 import { h } from 'vue'
-import { group, groupedEntries } from '../../stories/fixtures'
+import { getGroupMembersGrouped } from '../../state/dock-settings'
+import { group, groupedEntries, subcategorizedGroupEntries, toolsGroup } from '../../stories/fixtures'
 import { mountWithContext, stage } from '../../stories/story-helpers'
 import DockGroupPopover from './DockGroupPopover.vue'
 
+const settings = DEFAULT_STATE_USER_SETTINGS()
 const nuxtGroup = groupedEntries.find(e => e.id === 'nuxt') as DevToolsViewGroup
-const nuxtMembers = groupedEntries.filter(e => e.type !== 'group' && (e as any).groupId === 'nuxt')
+// Members split by in-group sub-category (the shape the popover renders).
+const nuxtMembers = getGroupMembersGrouped(groupedEntries, 'nuxt', settings)
+const toolsMembers = getGroupMembersGrouped(subcategorizedGroupEntries, 'tools', settings)
 
 /** A framed surface that stands in for the floating popover container. */
 function popover(children: any) {
@@ -70,6 +75,22 @@ export const WithBadge: Story = {
   }),
 }
 
+/** Members split across in-group sub-categories, shown with section dividers. */
+export const WithSubcategories: Story = {
+  render: () => ({
+    setup: () => mountWithContext(
+      { entries: subcategorizedGroupEntries },
+      ctx => stage(popover(h(DockGroupPopover, {
+        context: ctx,
+        group: toolsGroup,
+        members: toolsMembers,
+        selectedId: ctx.docks.selectedId,
+        onSelect: (entry: any) => ctx.docks.switchEntry(entry.id),
+      }))),
+    ),
+  }),
+}
+
 /** An empty group falls back to the "No tools yet" placeholder. */
 export const Empty: Story = {
   render: () => ({

packages/core/src/client/webcomponents/components/dock/DockGroupPopover.vue

@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import type { DevToolsDockEntry, DevToolsViewGroup } from '@vitejs/devtools-kit'
+import type { DevToolsDockEntriesGrouped, DevToolsDockEntry, DevToolsViewGroup } from '@vitejs/devtools-kit'
 import type { DocksContext } from '@vitejs/devtools-kit/client'
+import { computed } from 'vue'
 import DockIcon from './DockIcon.vue'
 
-defineProps<{
+const props = defineProps<{
   context: DocksContext
   group: DevToolsViewGroup
-  members: DevToolsDockEntry[]
+  /** Members split by in-group sub-category, in display order. */
+  members: DevToolsDockEntriesGrouped
   selectedId: string | null
 }>()
 
 const emit = defineEmits<{
   (e: 'select', entry: DevToolsDockEntry): void
 }>()
+
+const isEmpty = computed(() => props.members.every(([, items]) => items.length === 0))
 </script>
 
 <template>
@@ -21,20 +25,24 @@ const emit = defineEmits<{
       <DockIcon :icon="group.icon" class="w-4.5 h-4.5" />
       <span class="truncate">{{ group.title }}</span>
     </div>
-    <button
-      v-for="member of members"
-      :key="member.id"
-      class="flex items-center gap-2 w-full px2 py1.5 rounded text-sm text-left transition"
-      :class="selectedId === member.id ? 'text-primary bg-active' : 'op80 hover:op100 hover:bg-active'"
-      @click="emit('select', member)"
-    >
-      <DockIcon :icon="member.icon" class="w-4.5 h-4.5 flex-none" />
-      <span class="truncate flex-1">{{ member.title }}</span>
-      <div v-if="member.badge" class="bg-gray-6 text-white text-0.6em px-1 rounded-full shadow">
-        {{ member.badge }}
-      </div>
-    </button>
-    <div v-if="members.length === 0" class="px2 py1.5 op50 text-sm italic">
+    <template v-for="([category, items], idx) of members" :key="category">
+      <!-- Sub-category divider, mirroring the outer bar's category separators -->
+      <div v-if="idx > 0 && items.length" class="border-t border-base mx--2 my1" />
+      <button
+        v-for="member of items"
+        :key="member.id"
+        class="flex items-center gap-2 w-full px2 py1.5 rounded text-sm text-left transition"
+        :class="selectedId === member.id ? 'text-primary bg-active' : 'op80 hover:op100 hover:bg-active'"
+        @click="emit('select', member)"
+      >
+        <DockIcon :icon="member.icon" class="w-4.5 h-4.5 flex-none" />
+        <span class="truncate flex-1">{{ member.title }}</span>
+        <div v-if="member.badge" class="bg-gray-6 text-white text-0.6em px-1 rounded-full shadow">
+          {{ member.badge }}
+        </div>
+      </button>
+    </template>
+    <div v-if="isEmpty" class="px2 py1.5 op50 text-sm italic">
       No tools yet
     </div>
   </div>

packages/core/src/client/webcomponents/components/dock/DockGroupSidebar.vue

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import type { DevToolsViewGroup } from '@vitejs/devtools-kit'
 import type { DocksContext } from '@vitejs/devtools-kit/client'
 import { computed } from 'vue'
-import { getGroupMembers } from '../../state/dock-settings'
+import { getGroupMembersGrouped } from '../../state/dock-settings'
 import { sharedStateToRef } from '../../state/docks'
 import { setFloatingTooltip } from '../../state/floating-tooltip'
 import DockIcon from './DockIcon.vue'
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ const props = defineProps<{
 
 const settings = sharedStateToRef(props.context.docks.settings)
 
-const members = computed(() => getGroupMembers(
+// Members split by in-group sub-category so the sidebar can divide sections.
+const memberGroups = computed(() => getGroupMembersGrouped(
   props.context.docks.entries,
   props.group.id,
   settings.value,
@@ -47,24 +48,28 @@ function hideTooltip() {
     </div>
     <div class="w-8 h-px border-t border-base my0.5" />
 
-    <!-- Member icons -->
-    <button
-      v-for="member of members"
-      :key="member.id"
-      class="relative flex items-center justify-center w-8 h-8 rounded-lg transition"
-      :class="selectedId === member.id ? 'text-primary bg-active' : 'op60 hover:op100 hover:bg-active'"
-      @pointerenter="showTooltip($event, member.title)"
-      @pointerleave="hideTooltip"
-      @pointerdown="hideTooltip"
-      @click="select(member.id)"
-    >
-      <DockIcon :icon="member.icon" class="w-5 h-5 flex-none" />
-      <div
-        v-if="member.badge"
-        class="absolute top-0.5 right-0.5 bg-gray-6 text-white text-0.6em px-0.5 rounded-full shadow leading-none"
+    <!-- Member icons, grouped by in-group sub-category -->
+    <template v-for="([category, members], idx) of memberGroups" :key="category">
+      <!-- Sub-category divider, mirroring the group anchor separator -->
+      <div v-if="idx > 0 && members.length" class="w-8 h-px border-t border-base my0.5" />
+      <button
+        v-for="member of members"
+        :key="member.id"
+        class="relative flex items-center justify-center w-8 h-8 rounded-lg transition"
+        :class="selectedId === member.id ? 'text-primary bg-active' : 'op60 hover:op100 hover:bg-active'"
+        @pointerenter="showTooltip($event, member.title)"
+        @pointerleave="hideTooltip"
+        @pointerdown="hideTooltip"
+        @click="select(member.id)"
       >
-        {{ member.badge }}
-      </div>
-    </button>
+        <DockIcon :icon="member.icon" class="w-5 h-5 flex-none" />
+        <div
+          v-if="member.badge"
+          class="absolute top-0.5 right-0.5 bg-gray-6 text-white text-0.6em px-0.5 rounded-full shadow leading-none"
+        >
+          {{ member.badge }}
+        </div>
+      </button>
+    </template>
   </div>
 </template>