Cabin documentation

Authoritative documentation for Cabin, an open-source AAOS design language and dual UI component library (Jetpack Compose + legacy Views).

Library Alpha: cabin-tokens, cabin-compliance, and Theme Kit in cabin-views. Planned APIs beyond that are marked as such.

Table of contents

Orientation

Document	Description
Vision	Positioning, uniqueness vs Material, OEM/Tier-1/dev adoption
Principles	Clean Code, SOLID, safety-critical UI, android/skills alignment
Architecture	Multi-module plan, dependency rules, theming, anti-bloat
Roadmap	Phased delivery aligned to the product feature layers
Contributing	Contribution guide

Pre-implementation (before library code)

Document	Description
Pre-implementation gate	Checklist before writing library source
MVP v0.1	Frozen scope: tokens + restriction + Theme Kit + two bars (Views-first)
API contracts	Maven, Soong names, packages, semver
Support matrix	Planned API / AAOS / build-tree targets
Testing	v0.1 unit, Views, CI vs Soong expectations
ADRs	Architecture decision records

Product

Document	Description
Product index	Product design docs — stance, pillars, feature plan
Stance	Calm, legible, inevitable cabin HMI
Pillars	Five gates every feature must pass
Features	Layered feature plan (Foundations → Craft)

Compliance (first-class)

Document	Description
Compliance overview	How compliance is modeled and enforced
Restriction states	MVP state machine + System/Status Bar matrix
Driving restrictions	Distraction minimization, gated interactions
UX restrictions	Touch targets, density, contrast, day/night
Accessibility & glanceability	Font size, readability, driver glance patterns
Safety-critical UI	Deterministic behavior, fail-safe defaults

Design language

Document	Description
Overview	Cabin design language scope
Foundations	Color, type, space, elevation, motion, icons
Tokens	Semantic + component tokens, OEM theming without forks
Token schema	JSON stub, naming, overlay/RRO mapping

Components

Document	Description
Inventory	Taxonomy and coverage map
System bars	Nav / system chrome
Status bars	Vehicle and system status
Spec: System Bar	MVP implementable spec
Spec: Status Bar	MVP implementable spec
Media	Playback, browse, now-playing
EV	Range, charge, energy
HVAC	Climate zones and controls
Vehicle controls	Doors, lights, drive modes, etc.
Extension model	OEM custom screens on Cabin rails

Platforms

Document	Description
Compose	Compose guidelines and Views parity contracts
Views	View/XML for SystemUI and build-tree apps
Soong	Platform Soong engineering notes (Android.bp)

Adoption

Document	Description
Integration	Add Cabin to an existing AAOS/app repo
Theme Kit	Views Theme Kit + OEM overlay / RRO path (MVP #3)
Build-tree / Soong	SystemUI, CarLauncher, platform media via Soong
Migration	From stock Material / AAOS widgets
Packaging	Maven vs Soong dual distribution, minimal footprint

Agents

Document	Description
Agents index	AGENTS.md, skills/, Cursor rules, android/skills relationship
AGENTS.md	Hard rules for coding agents (repo root)
llms.txt	LLM-oriented doc map
skills/	Modular Agent Skills (SKILL.md per concern)

Website

Document	Description
website/	Public docs shell (Docusaurus) — run/build/deploy
Site plan	Public docs IA modeled on m3.material.io
Marketing craft	Docs vs marketing roles; points to apps/www/DESIGN.md

How to read these docs

1. Start with vision and the product stance.
2. Filter ideas through pillars and the feature plan.
3. Before library code: pre-implementation and MVP.
4. Internalize compliance — it constrains every component.
5. Learn tokens / token schema before implementing UI.
6. Pick a platform (Compose or Views) and keep parity contracts in mind. Platform chrome uses Soong — build-tree.
7. Use architecture and packaging when wiring modules into a product.

Dual stack reminder

Every component and pattern is specified for both:

• Jetpack Compose (cabin-compose, Experimental Theme + bars)
• Legacy Views / XML (cabin-views, planned)

Shared tokens and compliance live outside both UI stacks so OEMs can theme once and ship everywhere. See architecture.