Model picker rendered as a legible cost/latency/quality Pareto scatter: the frontier is a rising line of solid nodes (quality can't rise without moving right into cost), dominated models are hollow nodes below it joined by a connector whose length is the quality you'd forfeit, and a readout names the selection with its three numbers plus the concrete delta once per commit.
npx shadcn add https://design.helpmarq.com /r/picker-pareto-frontier.jsonregistry/core/picker-pareto-frontier/component.tsx"use client";
import { useEffect, useId, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// RidgeWalk — a model picker rendered as the actual decision: a point on the
// cost/latency/quality Pareto frontier. It reads as a small scatter-plot
// instrument that self-explains at rest.
//
// Layout is a real chart. The y-axis is QUALITY (higher = up, labelled top-
// left where cheap-and-excellent never exists, so the corner is reliably
// empty). The x-axis is the cost/latency blend (cheaper·faster left →
// costlier·slower right; the speed/balance/quality toggle only re-weights
// that blend). The frontier — the models nothing strictly beats — is drawn as
// a single rising polyline with solid --foreground nodes: the line itself IS
// the tradeoff, you cannot climb in quality without moving right into cost.
//
// Dominated models are not hidden. Each is a hollow --muted node sitting below
// the ridge, joined to it by a faint vertical connector whose LENGTH is the
// quality you leave on the table by picking it — the single most legible way
// to say "strictly worse". They stay fully selectable.
//
// Selection is a real radiogroup: one role="radio" per model (frontier and
// dominated alike), roving tabindex, Arrow/Home/End move AND commit in visual
// x-order. A drag anywhere on the plot snaps to the nearest node by 1D x
// distance (a Voronoi partition) and commits on every zone crossing, so
// dragging walks the selection node-to-node, never a free pointer echo. The
// selected node is the only --accent in the component (a filled dot with a
// soft accent halo), matching "accent = interaction only".
//
// Beneath the plot a caption names the selected model, prints its three raw
// numbers, and — once per COMMIT, never per drag pixel — the concrete delta
// versus the previously selected model. A parallel sr-only aria-live region
// says the same change in words on every focus/commit. Dominated selections
// append who beats them and by how much.
//
// Nodes, ridge path `d`, and connectors all transition together on one
// ease-out-expo curve; the frontier's point count is constant across modes so
// the path interpolates cleanly. prefers-reduced-motion skips every one.
//
// No canvas (core). One aria-hidden SVG draws the lines (preserveAspectRatio
// "none" is safe for straight strokes with non-scaling-stroke); every DOT is
// a real DOM element positioned by percentage — so nodes stay perfect circles
// at any aspect ratio and the hit-target buttons stay pixel-aligned with the
// geometry with no ResizeObserver. All data lives in each radio's aria-label.
// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
export interface RidgeWalkModel {
id: string;
name: string;
/** USD per 1,000 tokens (or requests) — lower is better. */
cost: number;
/** p50 latency in seconds — lower is better. */
latency: number;
/** Quality score, e.g. an eval percentage — higher is better. */
score: number;
}
export type RidgeWalkAxisMode = "speed" | "balance" | "quality";
export interface RidgeWalkProps {
/** The models to plot. Needs at least one entry to render controls. */
models: RidgeWalkModel[];
/** Controlled selected model id. */
value?: string;
/** Initial selected id when uncontrolled. Defaults to the frontier model closest to the midline. */
defaultValue?: string;
/** Fires on commit — click, drag zone-crossing, or an arrow/Home/End key move. */
onValueChange?: (id: string) => void;
/** Controlled axis-emphasis mode. */
mode?: RidgeWalkAxisMode;
/** Initial mode when uncontrolled. @default "balance" */
defaultMode?: RidgeWalkAxisMode;
onModeChange?: (mode: RidgeWalkAxisMode) => void;
/** Accessible name for the model radiogroup. @default "Model" */
label?: string;
/** Word used for the score axis in captions and announcements, e.g. "MMLU". @default "quality" */
scoreLabel?: string;
className?: string;
}
const EASE = "cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1)"; // ease-out-expo
const DUR_MS = 450;
// viewBox is a fixed 0-100 square with preserveAspectRatio="none", so a
// coordinate value IS the percentage of the rendered box on both axes —
// letting the DOM overlay dots/buttons use plain left/top percentages that
// stay aligned with the SVG lines at any container size, no ResizeObserver.
const PAD_X = 9;
const SPAN_X = 82;
const PAD_Y = 15;
const SPAN_Y = 66;
const BASELINE_Y = PAD_Y + SPAN_Y;
type Pt = { x: number; y: number };
function clamp01(v: number): number {
return v < 0 ? 0 : v > 1 ? 1 : v;
}
function norm(v: number, min: number, max: number): number {
return max > min ? (v - min) / (max - min) : 0.5;
}
const AXIS_WEIGHTS: Record<RidgeWalkAxisMode, { cost: number; latency: number }> = {
speed: { cost: 0.15, latency: 0.85 },
balance: { cost: 0.5, latency: 0.5 },
quality: { cost: 0.85, latency: 0.15 },
};
const AXIS_LABEL: Record<RidgeWalkAxisMode, string> = {
speed: "Speed",
balance: "Balance",
quality: "Quality",
};
// A model D dominates M if D is no worse on cost AND latency AND score,
// and strictly better on at least one — the textbook Pareto relation.
// Independent of the axis-emphasis mode: the mode only re-warps where things
// sit on screen, never what the frontier actually is.
function computeDominance(models: RidgeWalkModel[]): Map<string, string> {
const dominatedBy = new Map<string, string>();
for (const m of models) {
for (const other of models) {
if (other.id === m.id || dominatedBy.has(m.id)) continue;
const notWorse =
other.cost <= m.cost && other.latency <= m.latency && other.score >= m.score;
const strictlyBetter =
other.cost < m.cost || other.latency < m.latency || other.score > m.score;
if (notWorse && strictlyBetter) dominatedBy.set(m.id, other.id);
}
}
return dominatedBy;
}
function computePositions(
models: RidgeWalkModel[],
mode: RidgeWalkAxisMode
): Map<string, Pt> {
const costs = models.map((m) => m.cost);
const lats = models.map((m) => m.latency);
const scores = models.map((m) => m.score);
const costMin = Math.min(...costs);
const costMax = Math.max(...costs);
const latMin = Math.min(...lats);
const latMax = Math.max(...lats);
const scoreMin = Math.min(...scores);
const scoreMax = Math.max(...scores);
const w = AXIS_WEIGHTS[mode];
const positions = new Map<string, Pt>();
for (const m of models) {
const cN = norm(m.cost, costMin, costMax);
const lN = norm(m.latency, latMin, latMax);
const sN = norm(m.score, scoreMin, scoreMax);
const xN = clamp01(w.cost * cN + w.latency * lN);
positions.set(m.id, {
x: PAD_X + xN * SPAN_X,
y: PAD_Y + (1 - sN) * SPAN_Y,
});
}
return positions;
}
// Quality-height of the frontier ridge at an arbitrary x, by linear
// interpolation along the (x-sorted) frontier polyline. Used to draw the
// "quality left on the table" connector under each dominated node.
function ridgeYAt(x: number, frontierPts: Pt[]): number {
const n = frontierPts.length;
if (n === 0) return BASELINE_Y;
if (x <= frontierPts[0]!.x) return frontierPts[0]!.y;
if (x >= frontierPts[n - 1]!.x) return frontierPts[n - 1]!.y;
for (let i = 1; i < n; i++) {
const a = frontierPts[i - 1]!;
const b = frontierPts[i]!;
if (x <= b.x) {
const t = b.x > a.x ? (x - a.x) / (b.x - a.x) : 0;
return a.y + (b.y - a.y) * t;
}
}
return frontierPts[n - 1]!.y;
}
function useReducedMotion(): boolean {
const [reduced, setReduced] = useState(false);
useEffect(() => {
const mq = window.matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)");
setReduced(mq.matches);
const onChange = () => setReduced(mq.matches);
mq.addEventListener("change", onChange);
return () => mq.removeEventListener("change", onChange);
}, []);
return reduced;
}
function fmtCost(v: number): string {
return `$${v.toFixed(2)}`;
}
function signedMoney(v: number): string {
const sign = v >= 0 ? "+" : "−";
const a = Math.abs(v);
return `${sign}$${a.toFixed(2)}`;
}
function signedNum(v: number, digits: number, unit: string): string {
const sign = v >= 0 ? "+" : "−";
return `${sign}${Math.abs(v).toFixed(digits)}${unit}`;
}
// Concrete delta vs the previously selected model — printed once per commit.
function fmtDelta(
curr: RidgeWalkModel,
prev: RidgeWalkModel | null,
scoreLabel: string
): string | null {
if (!prev || prev.id === curr.id) return null;
const dl = curr.latency - prev.latency;
const dc = curr.cost - prev.cost;
const ds = curr.score - prev.score;
return `vs ${prev.name} ${signedNum(dl, 1, "s")} · ${signedMoney(
dc
)}/1k · ${signedNum(ds, 0, ` ${scoreLabel}`)}`;
}
function fmtWordDelta(
curr: RidgeWalkModel,
prev: RidgeWalkModel | null,
scoreLabel: string,
dominatorName?: string,
dominatorScoreGain?: number
): string {
let sentence: string;
if (!prev || prev.id === curr.id) {
sentence = `${curr.name} selected. ${curr.latency.toFixed(
1
)} seconds p50, ${fmtCost(curr.cost)} per thousand, ${Math.round(
curr.score
)} ${scoreLabel}.`;
} else {
const dl = curr.latency - prev.latency;
const dc = curr.cost - prev.cost;
const ds = curr.score - prev.score;
const bits: string[] = [];
if (Math.abs(dl) >= 0.05)
bits.push(`${Math.abs(dl).toFixed(1)} seconds ${dl > 0 ? "slower" : "faster"}`);
if (Math.abs(dc) >= 0.005)
bits.push(
`${fmtCost(Math.abs(dc))} ${dc > 0 ? "more expensive" : "cheaper"} per thousand`
);
if (Math.abs(ds) >= 0.5)
bits.push(`${Math.abs(Math.round(ds))} points ${ds > 0 ? "higher" : "lower"} ${scoreLabel}`);
sentence = `${curr.name}: ${bits.length ? bits.join(", ") : "no meaningful change"}.`;
}
if (dominatorName) {
const gain =
dominatorScoreGain && dominatorScoreGain >= 0.5
? ` — ${Math.round(dominatorScoreGain)} more ${scoreLabel} at no higher cost or latency`
: ` — same cost and latency is available there with higher ${scoreLabel}`;
sentence += ` Dominated by ${dominatorName}${gain}.`;
}
return sentence;
}
function ModeToggle({
mode,
onChange,
}: {
mode: RidgeWalkAxisMode;
onChange: (m: RidgeWalkAxisMode) => void;
}) {
const order: RidgeWalkAxisMode[] = ["speed", "balance", "quality"];
const refs = useRef<Map<RidgeWalkAxisMode, HTMLButtonElement>>(new Map());
const onKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
const idx = order.indexOf(mode);
let next: number | null = null;
if (e.key === "ArrowRight" || e.key === "ArrowDown") next = Math.min(order.length - 1, idx + 1);
else if (e.key === "ArrowLeft" || e.key === "ArrowUp") next = Math.max(0, idx - 1);
else if (e.key === "Home") next = 0;
else if (e.key === "End") next = order.length - 1;
else return;
e.preventDefault();
const target = order[next];
onChange(target);
refs.current.get(target)?.focus();
};
return (
<div
role="radiogroup"
aria-label="Axis emphasis"
onKeyDown={onKeyDown}
className="inline-flex gap-0.5 rounded-sm border border-border p-0.5"
>
{order.map((m) => {
const checked = m === mode;
return (
<button
key={m}
ref={(el) => {
if (el) refs.current.set(m, el);
else refs.current.delete(m);
}}
type="button"
role="radio"
aria-checked={checked}
aria-label={AXIS_LABEL[m]}
tabIndex={checked ? 0 : -1}
onClick={() => onChange(m)}
className={`rounded-sm px-2.5 py-1 font-mono text-[10px] uppercase tracking-[0.12em] transition-colors focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:outline-accent ${
checked ? "bg-foreground/[0.08] text-foreground" : "text-muted hover:text-foreground"
}`}
>
{AXIS_LABEL[m]}
</button>
);
})}
</div>
);
}
export function RidgeWalk({
models,
value,
defaultValue,
onValueChange,
mode,
defaultMode = "balance",
onModeChange,
label = "Model",
scoreLabel = "quality",
className = "",
}: RidgeWalkProps) {
const reducedMotion = useReducedMotion();
const groupId = useId();
const isModeControlled = mode !== undefined;
const [internalMode, setInternalMode] = useState<RidgeWalkAxisMode>(defaultMode);
const activeMode = isModeControlled ? (mode as RidgeWalkAxisMode) : internalMode;
const dominatedBy = useMemo(() => computeDominance(models), [models]);
const positions = useMemo(() => computePositions(models, activeMode), [models, activeMode]);
const navOrder = useMemo(
() => [...models].sort((a, b) => positions.get(a.id)!.x - positions.get(b.id)!.x),
[models, positions]
);
const frontier = useMemo(
() => navOrder.filter((m) => !dominatedBy.has(m.id)),
[navOrder, dominatedBy]
);
const byId = useMemo(() => new Map(models.map((m) => [m.id, m] as const)), [models]);
// Initial pick when uncontrolled: the frontier model nearest the midline.
const [internalCommitted, setInternalCommitted] = useState<string>(() => {
if (defaultValue) return defaultValue;
const pool = frontier.length > 0 ? frontier : models;
if (pool.length === 0) return "";
let best = pool[0];
let bestD = Infinity;
for (const m of pool) {
const d = Math.abs(positions.get(m.id)!.x - (PAD_X + SPAN_X / 2));
if (d < bestD) {
bestD = d;
best = m;
}
}
return best.id;
});
const isControlled = value !== undefined;
const committedId = isControlled ? (value as string) : internalCommitted;
const prevIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
useEffect(() => {
prevIdRef.current = committedId;
}, [committedId]);
const commit = (id: string) => {
if (!isControlled) setInternalCommitted(id);
if (id !== committedId) onValueChange?.(id);
};
const commitMode = (m: RidgeWalkAxisMode) => {
if (!isModeControlled) setInternalMode(m);
if (m !== activeMode) onModeChange?.(m);
};
const btnRefs = useRef<Map<string, HTMLButtonElement>>(new Map());
const trackRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
const draggingRef = useRef(false);
const nearestByFraction = (fracPct: number): RidgeWalkModel => {
let best = navOrder[0];
let bestD = Infinity;
for (const m of navOrder) {
const d = Math.abs(positions.get(m.id)!.x - fracPct);
if (d < bestD) {
bestD = d;
best = m;
}
}
return best;
};
const fractionFromClientX = (clientX: number): number | null => {
const el = trackRef.current;
if (!el) return null;
const rect = el.getBoundingClientRect();
if (rect.width === 0) return null;
return clamp01((clientX - rect.left) / rect.width) * 100;
};
const onPointerDown = (e: React.PointerEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
if (navOrder.length === 0) return;
draggingRef.current = true;
trackRef.current?.setPointerCapture(e.pointerId);
const frac = fractionFromClientX(e.clientX);
if (frac !== null) commit(nearestByFraction(frac).id);
};
const onPointerMove = (e: React.PointerEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
if (!draggingRef.current) return;
const frac = fractionFromClientX(e.clientX);
if (frac === null) return;
const nearest = nearestByFraction(frac);
if (nearest.id !== committedId) commit(nearest.id);
};
const endDrag = () => {
draggingRef.current = false;
};
const onKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
if (navOrder.length === 0) return;
const idx = navOrder.findIndex((m) => m.id === committedId);
let nextIdx: number | null = null;
if (e.key === "ArrowRight" || e.key === "ArrowUp")
nextIdx = Math.min(navOrder.length - 1, (idx < 0 ? 0 : idx) + 1);
else if (e.key === "ArrowLeft" || e.key === "ArrowDown")
nextIdx = Math.max(0, (idx < 0 ? 0 : idx) - 1);
else if (e.key === "Home") nextIdx = 0;
else if (e.key === "End") nextIdx = navOrder.length - 1;
else return;
e.preventDefault();
const next = navOrder[nextIdx];
commit(next.id);
btnRefs.current.get(next.id)?.focus();
};
if (models.length === 0 || !positions.has(committedId)) {
return (
<p className={`font-mono text-xs text-muted ${className}`}>No models to compare.</p>
);
}
const currModel = byId.get(committedId) ?? models[0];
const prevId = prevIdRef.current;
const prevModel = prevId ? byId.get(prevId) ?? null : null;
const currDominatorId = dominatedBy.get(committedId);
const currDominator = currDominatorId ? byId.get(currDominatorId) : undefined;
const currDominatorGain = currDominator ? currDominator.score - currModel.score : undefined;
const isSelectedDominated = !!currDominator;
const deltaLine = fmtDelta(currModel, prevModel, scoreLabel);
const wordDelta = fmtWordDelta(
currModel,
prevModel,
scoreLabel,
currDominator?.name,
currDominatorGain
);
const frontierPts = frontier.map((m) => positions.get(m.id)!);
const ridgeD = frontierPts
.map((p, i) => `${i === 0 ? "M" : "L"}${p.x.toFixed(2)},${p.y.toFixed(2)}`)
.join(" ");
const lineTransition = reducedMotion ? "none" : `d ${DUR_MS}ms ${EASE}`;
const connectorTransition = reducedMotion
? "none"
: `x1 ${DUR_MS}ms ${EASE}, x2 ${DUR_MS}ms ${EASE}, y1 ${DUR_MS}ms ${EASE}, y2 ${DUR_MS}ms ${EASE}`;
const nodeTransition = reducedMotion ? "none" : `left ${DUR_MS}ms ${EASE}, top ${DUR_MS}ms ${EASE}`;
const scoreWord = scoreLabel.toUpperCase();
return (
<div className={`ns-rw-root w-full max-w-xl ${className}`}>
{/* ---- plot ---- */}
<div className="relative w-full" style={{ aspectRatio: "8 / 5" }}>
{/* y-axis intent: cheap-and-excellent doesn't exist, so top-left is empty */}
<div className="pointer-events-none absolute left-0 top-0 flex items-center gap-1 font-mono text-[10px] uppercase tracking-[0.14em] text-muted">
<span aria-hidden="true">↑</span>
{scoreWord}
</div>
<svg
aria-hidden="true"
focusable="false"
viewBox="0 0 100 100"
preserveAspectRatio="none"
className="absolute inset-0 h-full w-full"
>
{/* baseline */}
<line
x1={PAD_X}
y1={BASELINE_Y}
x2={PAD_X + SPAN_X}
y2={BASELINE_Y}
className="text-border"
stroke="currentColor"
strokeWidth={1}
vectorEffect="non-scaling-stroke"
/>
{/* "quality left on the table": dominated node up to the ridge */}
{navOrder
.filter((m) => dominatedBy.has(m.id))
.map((m) => {
const p = positions.get(m.id)!;
const ry = ridgeYAt(p.x, frontierPts);
if (p.y - ry <= 1.5) return null;
return (
<line
key={m.id}
x1={p.x}
x2={p.x}
y1={ry}
y2={p.y}
className="text-muted"
stroke="currentColor"
strokeWidth={1}
strokeOpacity={0.4}
vectorEffect="non-scaling-stroke"
style={{ transition: connectorTransition }}
/>
);
})}
{/* the frontier ridge */}
{ridgeD && (
<path
d={ridgeD}
fill="none"
className="text-foreground"
stroke="currentColor"
strokeWidth={1.5}
strokeLinejoin="round"
strokeLinecap="round"
vectorEffect="non-scaling-stroke"
style={{ transition: lineTransition }}
/>
)}
</svg>
{/* interactive layer: real DOM dots + hit targets, aligned by % */}
<div
ref={trackRef}
role="radiogroup"
aria-label={label}
data-rw-ridge=""
className="absolute inset-0 touch-none"
onKeyDown={onKeyDown}
onPointerDown={onPointerDown}
onPointerMove={onPointerMove}
onPointerUp={endDrag}
onPointerCancel={endDrag}
>
{navOrder.map((m) => {
const p = positions.get(m.id)!;
const dominated = dominatedBy.has(m.id);
const dId = dominatedBy.get(m.id);
const dName = dId ? byId.get(dId)?.name : undefined;
const checked = m.id === committedId;
const accLabel = `${m.name}, ${fmtCost(m.cost)} per thousand, ${m.latency.toFixed(
1
)} seconds p50, ${Math.round(m.score)} ${scoreLabel}${
dominated ? `, dominated by ${dName}` : ", on the frontier"
}`;
return (
<button
key={m.id}
ref={(el) => {
if (el) btnRefs.current.set(m.id, el);
else btnRefs.current.delete(m.id);
}}
type="button"
role="radio"
aria-checked={checked}
aria-label={accLabel}
id={`${groupId}-${m.id}`}
tabIndex={checked ? 0 : -1}
onClick={() => commit(m.id)}
style={{ left: `${p.x}%`, top: `${p.y}%`, transition: nodeTransition }}
className="group absolute flex h-9 w-7 -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 items-center justify-center rounded-sm border-0 bg-transparent p-0 focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:outline-accent"
>
{/* accent halo — selection only */}
<span
aria-hidden="true"
className={`pointer-events-none absolute left-1/2 top-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 rounded-full bg-accent/15 transition-[width,height,opacity] duration-200 ${
checked ? "h-[22px] w-[22px] opacity-100" : "h-2 w-2 opacity-0"
}`}
/>
{/* the node dot */}
<span
aria-hidden="true"
className={`relative rounded-full transition-transform duration-150 ${
checked
? "h-3 w-3 bg-accent"
: dominated
? "h-2 w-2 border border-muted bg-background group-hover:scale-125"
: "h-[9px] w-[9px] bg-foreground group-hover:scale-125"
}`}
/>
</button>
);
})}
</div>
</div>
{/* ---- x-axis meaning ---- */}
<div className="mt-1.5 flex items-center justify-between font-mono text-[10px] uppercase tracking-[0.12em] text-muted">
<span>cheaper · faster</span>
<span>costlier · slower</span>
</div>
{/* ---- selected readout (self-explains at rest) ---- */}
<div className="mt-4 rounded-md border border-border p-3.5">
<div className="flex items-baseline justify-between gap-3">
<h3 className="truncate text-[15px] font-semibold tracking-tight text-foreground">
{currModel.name}
</h3>
<span
className={`shrink-0 font-mono text-[10px] uppercase tracking-[0.12em] ${
isSelectedDominated ? "text-muted" : "text-foreground"
}`}
>
{isSelectedDominated ? "dominated" : "on frontier"}
</span>
</div>
<dl className="mt-3 grid grid-cols-3 gap-2 tabular-nums">
<div>
<dt className="font-mono text-[9px] uppercase tracking-[0.14em] text-muted">Cost</dt>
<dd className="mt-0.5 font-mono text-sm text-foreground">
{fmtCost(currModel.cost)}
<span className="text-muted"> /1k</span>
</dd>
</div>
<div>
<dt className="font-mono text-[9px] uppercase tracking-[0.14em] text-muted">
Latency
</dt>
<dd className="mt-0.5 font-mono text-sm text-foreground">
{currModel.latency.toFixed(1)}
<span className="text-muted">s</span>
</dd>
</div>
<div>
<dt className="font-mono text-[9px] uppercase tracking-[0.14em] text-muted">
{scoreWord}
</dt>
<dd className="mt-0.5 font-mono text-sm text-foreground">{Math.round(currModel.score)}</dd>
</div>
</dl>
<p
className="mt-3 h-4 truncate font-mono text-[11px] text-muted"
aria-hidden="true"
>
{isSelectedDominated && currDominator
? `${currDominator.name} gives ${signedNum(
currDominator.score - currModel.score,
0,
` ${scoreLabel}`
)} at no higher cost or latency`
: deltaLine ?? "nothing beats it on cost, latency and quality at once"}
</p>
</div>
{/* ---- legend + axis toggle ---- */}
<div className="mt-3 flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-x-4 gap-y-2">
<div className="flex items-center gap-3 font-mono text-[10px] text-muted">
<span className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
<span aria-hidden="true" className="h-[9px] w-[9px] rounded-full bg-foreground" />
frontier
</span>
<span className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
<span
aria-hidden="true"
className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full border border-muted bg-background"
/>
dominated
</span>
</div>
<ModeToggle mode={activeMode} onChange={commitMode} />
</div>
<div className="sr-only" role="status" aria-live="polite">
{wordDelta}
</div>
</div>
);
}
A model picker that replaces the dropdown-of-marketing-names with the actual decision, drawn as a small self-explaining scatter-plot instrument. Given a models[] prop of {id, name, cost, latency, score}, it computes the real Pareto frontier by pairwise dominance (a model dominates another if it is no worse on cost AND latency AND score, strictly better on at least one) independent of any display mode, then plots every model at x = a weighted blend of normalized cost and normalized latency (the blend ratio is the only thing the speed/balance/quality toggle changes) and y = normalized quality score, higher score sitting higher. The y-axis is labelled QUALITY↑ in the top-left corner — the cheap-and-excellent corner that never has a point in it — and the x-axis is captioned 'cheaper·faster' → 'costlier·slower', so at rest the form states what is being compared and which way is better. FRONTIER: the non-dominated models are connected by one rising SVG polyline and marked with solid --foreground node dots; because the line only rises left-to-right, its shape IS the tradeoff (you cannot gain quality without moving right into cost/latency). DOMINATED: every dominated model is a hollow --muted node at its own honest position below the line, joined to the ridge by a faint vertical connector whose length is literally the quality you forfeit by choosing it — never hidden or filtered out, always selectable. SELECTION: a real role=radiogroup of role=radio buttons, one per model, roving tabindex, Arrow keys move AND commit in visual x-order (Home/End jump to the ends), recomputed from the CURRENT axis mode so traversal always matches left-to-right on screen. A drag anywhere on the plot computes the pointer's x-fraction and snaps to the nearest node by 1D distance (a Voronoi partition of the x-axis) committing on every zone crossing, so dragging walks the selection node-to-node rather than echoing a free pointer. The selected node is the only place --accent appears: a filled accent dot with a soft accent halo. READOUT: beneath the plot a bordered panel names the selected model, prints its three raw numbers (cost /1k, latency s, score) in Geist Mono, tags it 'on frontier' or 'dominated', and prints — once per COMMIT, never per drag pixel — the concrete delta versus the previously selected model ('vs Atlas Mini +0.4s · +$0.35/1k · +11 MMLU'); when the selection is dominated it instead states who beats it and by how much at no higher cost or latency. A visually-hidden aria-live=polite region announces the same change in words on every focus/commit ('0.4 seconds slower, 35 cents more expensive per thousand, 11 points higher quality'). A small legend names the two node kinds. AXIS TOGGLE: a speed/balance/quality segmented control (its own role=radiogroup) re-weights the cost/latency blend that produces x; every node's position, the ridge path's `d`, and every connector transition together on an ease-out-expo curve (cubic-bezier(0.16,1,0.3,1), 450ms) — the frontier's point count never changes between modes, only x, so the path stays interpolation-safe. COLORS: --foreground for the ridge line and frontier dots, --muted for dominated dots, connectors and captions, --border for the baseline and readout panel, --accent only for the selected dot and its halo. REDUCED MOTION: every transition is skipped — positions snap to target. No canvas: one aria-hidden SVG draws only the straight lines (preserveAspectRatio=none, non-scaling-stroke), while every node dot is a real DOM element positioned by percentage so it stays a perfect circle at any aspect ratio and the hit-target buttons stay pixel-aligned with no ResizeObserver; all data lives in each radio's aria-label, never in the SVG.