[Initiative] Dual-Mode Admin: Shopify and GitHub Views

[juliuskrah]

Summary

Implement a dual-view Admin that serves two distinct user personas accessing the git-backed ecommerce catalog system:

• Shopify-style view for non-technical business users: intuitive product/inventory management UI
• GitHub-style view for technical users (engineers/AI agents): familiar namespace/repository browsing combined with CLI for agents

This allows natural interaction patterns for each user type while maintaining a single git-backed data model underneath.

In Scope

• Shopify-style view:

  • Toggle/switcher UI for selecting between multiple storefronts (namespaces)
  • Hydrated catalog display grouped by products, collections, categories, inventory
  • Product detail views with inventory management
  • Intuitive business-oriented navigation and workflows

• GitHub-style view:

  • Organization (namespace) listing with selection
  • Repository browsing within selected namespace
  • Repository detail views showing markdown-based product catalog files
  • Git-native workflows (familiar to engineers)
  • Designed to complement CLI-first management (non-UI workflows for agents)

• Shared infrastructure:

  • Single authentication/authorization layer serving both views
  • Shared API backend (both views consume same GraphQL/gRPC APIs)
  • Storefront/namespace switching capability across view modes

Out of Scope

• Native mobile apps
• Real-time collaborative editing in base UI
• Advanced analytics/BI features (can be added later)
• Custom theming/white-labeling (foundational views only)

Acceptance Criteria

• Shopify-style view renders correctly with product catalog, collections, and inventory data
• Shopify view includes storefront switcher for multiple namespaces
• GitHub-style view displays organizations (namespaces) and repositories
• GitHub view allows selection/browsing of repository contents (catalog markdown files)
• View toggle/switcher is visible and functional in both modes
• User preference for view mode persists across sessions
• Both views authenticate against the same identity/authorization system
• Both views consume the same underlying GraphQL/gRPC API
• Responsive design works across common device sizes
• Non-technical users can perform common tasks (browse products, check inventory) in Shopify view
• Technical users can navigate namespaces and repositories in GitHub view

Implementation Notes

• Storefronts = namespaces (equivalent to GitHub organizations)
• Repositories contain product catalogs as markdown files
• CLI remains primary interface for AI agents; Admin is convenience layer
• Design should signal data model clearly (git-backed structure) in GitHub view
• Shopify view should abstract git complexity for business users
• Consider progressive enhancement: core functionality works without JavaScript

Tracking

• Milestone: TBD