waggle-os/docs/audits/2026-07-08-launch-funnel-t13-analysis.md

T13 Public Launch Funnel UX Analysis

Status: focused local fixes implemented for signed-out checkout continuation, checkout cancel recovery, the public-site hydration issue badge, legal placeholder/stale-tier copy, the empty-release download dead-end, mobile download label honesty, and the public-site deployment workflow target. Canonical DNS, real signed installer publication, deployed Vercel/DNS proof, deployed Clerk/Stripe proof, and formal legal sign-off remain open launch gates.

Scope: apps/www, public download, public pricing, auth handoff, Stripe checkout handoff, checkout cancel recovery, account redirect, legal/trust pages, and launch deployment.

Why This Matters

The installed cockpit can score well and still fail the complete-product UX goal if a founder, buyer, reviewer, or mobile executive cannot get from the public site to a trustworthy download, account, or checkout path. T13 therefore remains a final-product gate unless the user explicitly scopes the public launch funnel out of the five-persona score.

Current Evidence

Check	Result	Notes
npm run test -w apps/www -- --reporter=dot	Pass	Current focused coverage is 7 files / 19 tests: BrandPersonasCard, Pricing checkout links/recovery, Stripe checkout route cancel URL, layout hydration contract, legal launch-copy guard, controlled download path, mobile/desktop download label detection, and public-site deployment workflow guard.
npx tsc --noEmit --project apps/www/tsconfig.json	Pass	No TypeScript errors.
npm run build:www	Pass	Next.js 15.5.18 build succeeds. Routes include static public pages plus dynamic /account, /api/stripe/checkout, /api/webhooks/stripe, /sign-in, and /sign-up. Build warns that the Next.js ESLint plugin is not detected.
Build/deploy artifact shape	Improved locally	Test-Path apps/www/dist = False; Test-Path apps/www/.next = True; Test-Path apps/www/out = False. .github/workflows/deploy-www.yml now uses Vercel production pull, build, and deploy --prebuilt --prod instead of GitHub Pages static artifact upload. Deployed Vercel/DNS proof remains open.
Live public domain smoke	Fail	Current external refresh on 2026-07-08: all checked https://waggle-os.ai/* URLs failed DNS resolution from this environment; nslookup waggle-os.ai returned Non-existent domain.
Local prod route/API smoke	Improved	Current post-fix next start --hostname localhost --port 34205 returned 200 for /, /?checkout=cancelled, and /docs/methodology; signed-out GET /api/stripe/checkout?tier=teams&billing=monthly returned 303 to sign-in with a checkout redirect target. Historical /pricing?checkout=cancelled remains a non-route, but the app no longer emits it from Stripe cancel recovery.
Signed-out checkout API/UI smoke	Improved	Pricing now uses the canonical GET checkout route instead of POST, so signed-out users enter the route's auth redirect flow. POST remains a backward-compat JSON shim for older clients.
Download target	Improved	Public Download CTAs and footer Product > Download now route to /download, a controlled status page that explains Windows/macOS installers are being prepared and links to source/contact instead of an empty GitHub Releases page. Mobile/tablet OS detection now keeps CTAs generic instead of labeling iOS/Android as desktop installers. The release workflow now builds packages before Windows/macOS sidecar packaging, but real signed installer publication remains open. Current production smoke returned 200 for /download and found no releases/latest target in / or /download.
Fresh rendered Browser smoke	Improved	In-app Browser verified http://localhost:34204/?checkout=cancelled#pricing: pricing rendered, cancelled-checkout recovery notice appeared, monthly Team CTA and retry link used /api/stripe/checkout?tier=teams&billing=monthly, annual toggle updated both links to annual, the Next dev issue badge disappeared after the layout fix, and console warnings/errors were empty. Browser DOM snapshot still failed with the known incrementalAriaSnapshot mismatch, so evidence used targeted DOM evaluation plus screenshots.
Web Interface Guidelines lens	Mixed	Latest guideline source checked on 2026-07-08: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vercel-labs/web-interface-guidelines/main/command.md. Public page has skip link, focus-visible outline, reduced-motion handling, semantic sections, explicit image dimensions in key inspected paths, fixed checkout recovery next steps, and guarded legal placeholder copy. Download/release truth, deployed checkout proof, and formal legal sign-off remain outside the local UI copy fix.

Local smoke output summary:

/ -> 200
/#pricing -> 200
/privacy -> 200
/terms -> 200
/cookies -> 200
/eu-ai-act -> 200
/sign-in -> 200
/sign-up -> 200
/docs/methodology -> 200
/account -> 307 location=/sign-in
/pricing?checkout=cancelled -> 404
/methodology -> 404
GET checkout signed-out -> 303 location=http://localhost:3426/sign-in?redirect_url=%2Fapi%2Fstripe%2Fcheckout%3Ftier%3Dteams%26billing%3Dmonthly
POST checkout signed-out -> 401 body={"message":"Sign in required","signInUrl":"http://localhost:3426/sign-in?redirect_url=%2Fapi%2Fstripe%2Fcheckout%3Ftier%3Dteams%26billing%3Dmonthly"}

Live external refresh summary:

https://waggle-os.ai/ -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/#pricing -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/pricing?checkout=cancelled -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/docs/methodology -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/privacy -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/terms -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/cookies -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/eu-ai-act -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/sign-in -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/sign-up -> DNS resolution failed
https://waggle-os.ai/account -> DNS resolution failed
https://api.github.com/repos/marolinik/waggle-os/releases/latest -> 404
https://api.github.com/repos/marolinik/waggle-os/releases -> []

Rendered Browser smoke summary:

Build: npm run build:www -> pass; .next dynamic app generated, Next ESLint plugin warning remains
Server: npm run start -w apps/www -- --hostname localhost --port 3491
Browser page identity: http://localhost:3491/ -> title "Waggle — The AI workspace that remembers"
Console health: homepage 0 warnings/errors; pricing checkout-error state 0; mobile menu state 0
Desktop screenshot: output/playwright/www-t13-3491/www-t13-home-desktop.png
Pricing screenshot: output/playwright/www-t13-3491/www-t13-pricing-checkout-error-desktop.png
Mobile screenshots: output/playwright/www-t13-3491/www-t13-home-mobile.png and www-t13-mobile-menu-open.png
Summary JSON: output/playwright/www-t13-3491/www-t13-rendered-summary.json
/pricing?checkout=cancelled -> 404
/methodology -> 404
/docs/methodology -> rendered
Signed-out pricing CTA -> stays on / and shows only "Sign in required"
GET checkout monthly/annual -> 303 to /sign-in with redirect_url
Download CTAs -> https://github.com/marolinik/waggle-os/releases/latest
External refresh: waggle-os.ai and www.waggle-os.ai NXDOMAIN; GitHub latest release 404; releases list []

Post-fix focused evidence:

Pricing route contract:
  npm run test -w apps/www -- __tests__/Pricing.test.tsx __tests__/stripe-checkout-route.test.ts --reporter=dot
  -> 2 files / 3 tests passed

Hydration contract:
  npm run test -w apps/www -- __tests__/layout.test.tsx --reporter=dot
  -> 1 file / 1 test passed

Public-site suite:
  npm run test -w apps/www -- --reporter=dot
  -> 7 files / 19 tests passed

TypeScript:
  npx tsc --noEmit --project apps/www/tsconfig.json
  -> pass

Build:
  npm run build:www
  -> pass; .next output generated; /download route included; Next ESLint plugin warning remains

Rendered Browser:
  http://localhost:34204/?checkout=cancelled#pricing
  -> recovery notice visible; monthly Team CTA + retry href = /api/stripe/checkout?tier=teams&billing=monthly
  -> annual toggle updates both hrefs to /api/stripe/checkout?tier=teams&billing=annual
  -> no Next issue badge after layout suppressHydrationWarning; no console warnings/errors

Local production smoke:
  next start --hostname localhost --port 34205
  / -> 200
  /?checkout=cancelled -> 200
  /docs/methodology -> 200
  /api/stripe/checkout?tier=teams&billing=monthly -> 303 to /sign-in?redirect_url=...

Legal copy guard:
  npm run test -w apps/www -- __tests__/legal-copy.test.ts --reporter=dot
  -> 1 file / 1 test passed
  rg -n "Day-0|\[Day-0 launch date\]|Pro or Teams|to be filled before public launch|\[to be designated" 'apps/www/app/(legal)'
  -> no matches

Download path:
  npm run test -w apps/www -- __tests__/download-path.test.tsx --reporter=dot
  -> 1 file / 3 tests passed
  rg -n "releases/latest|https://github.com/marolinik/waggle-os/releases" apps/www/app apps/www/messages/en.json apps/www/__tests__
  -> no matches
  next start --hostname localhost --port 34206
  /download -> 200, contains installer-status copy, no releases/latest target
  / -> 200, no releases/latest target

Deployment workflow:
  npm run test -w apps/www -- __tests__/deployment-workflow.test.ts --reporter=dot
  -> 1 file / 1 test passed
  .github/workflows/deploy-www.yml now uses Vercel production pull/build/deploy and no longer references GitHub Pages or apps/www/dist.

Desktop release workflow:
  npx vitest run packages/server/tests/tauri-config.test.ts --reporter=dot
  -> 1 file / 19 tests passed
  .github/workflows/release.yml now runs npm run build:packages before both Windows and macOS sidecar bundle steps.

What Is Already Working

• Homepage IA is coherent: hero, problem, how it works, memory, proof, features, trust, persona brand moment, open source, pricing, and final CTA.
• page.tsx includes a skip link and a real <main id="main">.
• Navbar anchors use absolute section URLs, so legal pages can navigate back to homepage sections.
• Global CSS provides :focus-visible, heading scroll-margin-top, and reduced-motion handling.
• Pricing copy now uses Solo/Teams/Enterprise in the main pricing component.
• The newer checkout GET route can redirect signed-out users into sign-in with a return target.
• Pricing now uses that GET route directly for Team checkout, preserving monthly/annual billing in the URL.
• Cancelled checkout returns to the homepage pricing section with an inline recovery notice and retry link.
• Public legal pages no longer expose Day-0 launch placeholders, bracketed launch-date placeholders, retired "Pro or Teams" copy, or the named pre-launch address/representative placeholders caught by the launch-copy guard.
• Public download CTAs no longer send visitors directly to an empty GitHub Releases page; /download is a controlled status page until signed installers exist.
• Account page redirects signed-out users before mounting Clerk account UI.
• Fresh rendered desktop/mobile localhost smoke shows no current-page console errors or warnings for homepage, mobile menu, or signed-out checkout-error state.

Correction Candidates

T13-0: Public domain does not currently resolve

Evidence:

• Current external smoke from this environment on 2026-07-08 could not resolve waggle-os.ai.
• nslookup waggle-os.ai returned Non-existent domain.
• Fresh refresh also shows www.waggle-os.ai has no A or CNAME record from this environment.
• apps/www/app/layout.tsx:137-141, apps/www/app/docs/methodology/page.tsx:36, apps/www/app/robots.ts:17, and apps/www/app/sitemap.ts:3 treat https://waggle-os.ai as canonical production.

Impact:

• A founder, buyer, reviewer, or mobile executive cannot reach the public acquisition, pricing, legal, download, auth, or account surfaces at the canonical domain.
• Local build success does not prove the public launch funnel exists.

Correction:

• Configure DNS for waggle-os.ai and deploy the chosen public-site hosting target.
• Run public smoke against the canonical domain after DNS propagation.
• Keep the local localhost smoke as a pre-deploy check, not as final launch evidence.

Acceptance:

• https://waggle-os.ai/, legal pages, /docs/methodology, /sign-in, /sign-up, /account, checkout handoff, and download CTA resolve from a normal network.
• The canonical metadata, sitemap, and robots URL match the deployed host.

T13-1: Download path is currently broken

Status: empty-release dead-end focused fixed locally; real signed installer publication remains open.

Evidence:

• Historical evidence: DownloadCTA and footer Product > Download pointed directly to GitHub Releases latest.
• GitHub currently reports no releases for marolinik/waggle-os; live 2026-07-08 refresh confirms /releases/latest returns no latest release and the GitHub API releases list is empty.
• Current source evidence: public Download CTAs and the footer Download link route to /download.
• Current route evidence: /download is a controlled status page explaining that Windows and macOS installers are being prepared, with source/contact actions instead of a direct empty release link.
• Current scan evidence: no releases/latest target remains in apps/www/app, apps/www/messages/en.json, or apps/www/__tests__.
• Current source evidence: apps/www/app/_lib/os-detection.ts returns null for mobile/tablet user agents, macOS for desktop Mac, Windows for desktop Windows, and Linux only for desktop Linux.
• apps/www/messages/en.json:39 says the product platforms are Windows and macOS.

Impact:

• A founder no longer reaches an empty release page, but still cannot download a signed installer until releases are published.
• Mobile/tablet visitors keep a generic Download CTA, avoiding a false desktop-installer promise.
• A desktop Linux visitor can still see a Linux-specific label even though the public copy says Windows and macOS; this is less damaging now that the CTA leads to a status page, but should be revisited before artifact-specific downloads go live.

Correction:

• Completed locally: point the CTA/footer to a controlled download/status page and add a release-link guard.
• Completed locally: harden the tag release workflow so desktop artifacts build workspace packages before sidecar bundling, matching the PR Tauri verification lane.
• Remaining launch work: publish real signed Windows/macOS release assets and switch /download from status page to artifact-aware download page.
• Remaining polish: decide whether desktop Linux should stay generic or be shown as unsupported before signed installers go live.

Acceptance:

• Focused local acceptance met: fresh smoke proves the public CTA leads to a deliberate download landing page, and no supported persona reaches an empty GitHub Releases page from the public CTA.
• Full launch acceptance still requires valid Windows/macOS artifacts and final unsupported-OS copy for non-Windows/non-macOS desktops.

T13-2: Deployment workflow does not match the current Next app shape

Status: focused fixed locally; deployed Vercel/DNS smoke remains open.

Evidence:

• Historical evidence: .github/workflows/deploy-www.yml ran the www build and uploaded apps/www/dist to GitHub Pages.
• apps/www/next.config.mjs:6-13 has no output: 'export'.
• Current build output is .next, not dist or out.
• The built app includes dynamic auth/API routes and middleware.
• Current source evidence: .github/workflows/deploy-www.yml now installs with npm ci, pulls the Vercel production environment, runs public-site tests/typecheck/build, then runs Vercel build --prod and deploy --prebuilt --prod.
• Current test evidence: deployment-workflow.test.ts guards that the workflow contains Vercel production deployment commands and does not reference upload-pages-artifact, deploy-pages, or apps/www/dist.

Impact:

• The prior GitHub Pages workflow could not serve the current app as configured.
• Local source now has a coherent Next-capable deployment path, but external Vercel secrets, DNS, and deployed smoke are not proved by this local fix.

Correction:

• Completed locally: move the workflow to the existing Vercel production architecture for the dynamic Clerk/Stripe Next app.
• Remaining external launch work: configure VERCEL_TOKEN, VERCEL_ORG_ID, VERCEL_PROJECT_ID, production env vars, domain DNS, and run deployed smoke against https://waggle-os.ai.

Acceptance:

• Focused local acceptance met: the checked-in deploy workflow no longer targets GitHub Pages/static artifacts for a dynamic Next app.
• Full launch acceptance still requires a successful production deploy and public smoke covering /, legal pages, auth/account routing, checkout route behavior, webhook reachability, and download CTA.

T13-3: Signed-out Team checkout dead-ends in the pricing UI

Status: focused fixed locally.

Evidence:

• apps/www/app/api/stripe/checkout/route.ts:213-240 has a GET flow that redirects signed-out users to sign-in.
• apps/www/app/api/stripe/checkout/route.ts:242-284 keeps a POST compatibility flow returning JSON.
• apps/www/app/api/stripe/checkout/route.ts:273-276 returns { message: 'Sign in required', signInUrl } for signed-out POST.
• Historical source evidence: the old pricing UI used POST, read only message on non-OK responses, and ignored signInUrl.
• Historical rendered smoke clicked Annual then Get Team while signed out; the page stayed at /, showed only a small Sign in required alert, and exposed no sign-in recovery link in the pricing state.
• Current source evidence: apps/www/app/_components/Pricing.tsx renders the Team CTA as a link to /api/stripe/checkout?tier=teams&billing={monthly|annual}.
• Current rendered Browser evidence: monthly and annual Team links update correctly and signed-out users enter the route-level GET flow.

Impact:

• A buyer clicking Get Team before auth sees implementation-shaped error text instead of continuing to sign-in/sign-up and checkout.

Correction:

• Completed locally: pricing CTA migrated to the canonical GET redirect flow.
• Remaining launch evidence: verify return-to-checkout after a real Clerk sign-in/sign-up session and real Stripe checkout session.

Acceptance:

• Focused local acceptance met: signed-out Get Team starts the auth route instead of showing a dead-end POST error; billing period is preserved in the route URL.
• Full launch acceptance still requires a real signed-in checkout run against deployed auth/Stripe config.

T13-4: Checkout cancel recovery points to a dead route

Status: focused fixed locally.

Evidence:

• Historical source evidence: cancel_url pointed to /pricing?checkout=cancelled, but pricing is a section on /.
• Historical local and rendered Browser smokes confirmed /pricing?checkout=cancelled -> 404.
• Current source evidence: the Stripe cancel URL is /?checkout=cancelled#pricing.
• Current test evidence: stripe-checkout-route.test.ts verifies the cancel URL passed to Stripe.
• Current rendered Browser evidence: /?checkout=cancelled#pricing renders pricing, shows a cancelled-checkout recovery notice, and exposes a retry link that tracks the selected billing period.

Impact:

• A buyer who cancels Stripe checkout can land on a 404 instead of a recoverable pricing state.

Correction:

• Completed locally: use /?checkout=cancelled#pricing plus an inline recovery notice and retry action.

Acceptance:

• Focused local acceptance met: cancelled checkout returns to a visible pricing recovery state, not a 404.
• Full launch acceptance still requires a real Stripe cancellation redirect on the deployed site.

T13-5: Legal and trust pages are not launch-ready

Status: placeholder/stale-tier copy focused fixed locally; formal legal approval remains open.

Evidence:

• Historical evidence: legal pages contained "Day-0 placeholder text", [Day-0 launch date], launch/address placeholders, and Privacy said "upgrade to Pro or Teams".
• Current source evidence: terms/privacy/cookies/EU AI Act pages use July 8, 2026 effective/updated dates, current Solo/Team language, non-placeholder contact/representative wording, and no named launch placeholder patterns.
• Current test evidence: legal-copy.test.ts guards against Day-0 placeholder text, launch-date placeholders, pre-launch address placeholders, retired "Pro or Teams" copy, and bracketed representative placeholders.

Impact:

• Team admins, enterprise reviewers, and privacy-conscious founders lose trust before installing when public legal pages expose placeholders or retired tier language.

Correction:

• Completed locally: replaced the named placeholders/stale-tier copy and added a legal-copy guard.
• Remaining launch/legal process: obtain formal Egzakta legal approval for the current text, registered details, and representative wording before treating these pages as legally final.

Acceptance:

• Focused local acceptance met: legal-copy.test.ts passes and the targeted rg launch-placeholder scan returns no matches.
• Full launch acceptance still requires legal sign-off.

T13-6: Production smoke needs a stable browser lane

Evidence:

• Current HTTP route/API smoke passes for core routes when using --hostname localhost.
• Earlier rendered smoke found 127.0.0.1 binding failures and Clerk development/session-loop warning noise.
• The fresh Browser smoke exercises homepage, mobile menu, signed-out pricing CTA, checkout redirect API, and route recovery. It does not exercise Clerk modal browser behavior, signed-in checkout, or real Stripe return.

Impact:

• A route-only smoke can miss the exact UI failures buyers hit: modal auth, return-to-checkout, console warning loops, mobile nav, and visual layout.

Correction:

• Add a repeatable public-site Playwright/browser smoke using the known-good localhost host binding.
• Cover desktop and mobile: homepage, mobile menu, download CTA, sign-in/sign-up pages, account redirect, signed-out checkout, checkout cancel, legal pages, and methodology.

Acceptance:

• Fresh screenshots and route/API logs are attached with no unexpected 404, 500, timeout, or auth-loop noise.

T13-7: Coverage is too narrow for a launch funnel

Evidence:

• apps/www/__tests__ currently covers only BrandPersonasCard.
• Historical coverage gap: no checked-in route E2E, checkout-recovery test, legal placeholder guard, release/download target guard, or deployment artifact guard was found.
• Current local improvement: checkout recovery, legal placeholder/stale-tier, release/download target, mobile download-label, and deployment workflow guards now exist. Deployed-domain smoke, real checkout, signed installer publication, and formal legal sign-off remain open.

Impact:

• The public site can regress in the exact flows needed for acquisition and purchase while tests stay green.

Correction:

• Add focused tests/guards:
  • Download CTA target and platform labels.
  • Signed-out checkout auth continuation.
  • Checkout cancel recovery route.
  • Legal placeholder/stale-tier grep.
  • Deployment artifact/hosting mode consistency.
  • Public route smoke in CI or release checklist.

Acceptance:

• npm run test -w apps/www, www typecheck, www build, and the public funnel smoke all pass from a clean checkout.

Five-Persona Impact

Persona	Cap Until Fixed	Why
Solo founder/operator	5/10	Canonical public domain does not resolve; local Download no longer dead-ends, but there is still no signed installer artifact to obtain.
Team admin/security reviewer	5/10	Public legal/pricing/account pages are unreachable at the canonical domain; deployment target, formal legal sign-off, and real signed-in checkout evidence remain launch blockers.
Mobile executive	5/10	Mobile cannot inspect the canonical public site; mobile download labels are honest locally, but signed download/release truth still needs fixing after deploy.
Engineer/power user	6/10	Local site is credible, but NXDOMAIN plus no signed release artifact and deploy mismatch make the product look unreleasable.
Privacy/compliance reviewer	6/10	Public legal pages no longer expose the named placeholder/stale-tier copy locally, but canonical-domain reachability and formal legal sign-off still block launch trust.

Approval Recommendation

Keep T13 outside Phase 1 implementation, but do not treat it as optional for the final 9/10 complete-UX goal. After the installed-app P0s are approved and fixed, run T13 as a launch-readiness slice with this order:

1. Make waggle-os.ai resolve and deploy the selected public-site target.
2. Publish signed installer artifacts behind the controlled /download path.
3. Fix deploy target or hosting architecture.
4. Verify real deployed Clerk sign-in/sign-up return-to-checkout and Stripe cancel/success redirects.
5. Complete formal legal sign-off for public legal/trust copy.
6. Add the public funnel smoke and remaining minimal guards.

T13 can be deferred only if the user explicitly says the five-persona judge score is limited to the installed desktop cockpit and excludes the public acquisition/payment/legal funnel.