Add a permanent "Latest" lane beside "Highlights"

Restructure the nav around two permanent lanes, then the reader's chosen ones:
"Highlights" (the curated daily brief — formerly "Today") and "Latest" (the
freshest accepted stories, newest-first). Now that the gate is tight, a
chronological "incoming" feed is safe to expose.

* feed(): new sort="latest" (pure recency) alongside the default best-first
  rank; /api/feed exposes sort=ranked|latest (validated). Still accepted-only
  and boundary-respecting either way.
* lanes.py: two pinned lanes (Highlights + Latest) instead of one.
* Home: "Latest" view + "Load more" pagination for every feed view (offset-
  paged, de-duped). Mobile bottom bar gains a Latest tab.
* LanePicker shows both pinned lanes; nav rail renders them first.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

frontend/src/lib/components/BottomNav.svelte

@@ -1,14 +1,18 @@
 <script>
-  // Mobile-only primary navigation. Today = the brief, Browse = mood/topic
+  // Mobile-only primary navigation. Highlights = the brief, Latest = the
-  // discovery, You = account + personal controls (shows the user's avatar in).
+  // chronological feed, Browse = mood/topic discovery, You = account.
   import Avatar from './Avatar.svelte';
-  let { active = 'today', onToday, onBrowse, onYou, user = null } = $props();
+  let { active = 'today', onToday, onLatest, onBrowse, onYou, user = null } = $props();
 </script>
 
 <nav class="bottomnav" aria-label="Primary">
   <button class:active={active === 'today'} onclick={onToday}>
     <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="4.2" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.8" /><path d="M12 3v2M12 19v2M3 12h2M19 12h2M5.6 5.6l1.4 1.4M17 17l1.4 1.4M18.4 5.6L17 7M7 17l-1.4 1.4" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.8" stroke-linecap="round" /></svg>
-    <span>Today</span>
+    <span>Highlights</span>
+  </button>
+  <button class:active={active === 'latest'} onclick={onLatest}>
+    <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M4 7h16M4 12h16M4 17h10" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.8" stroke-linecap="round" /></svg>
+    <span>Latest</span>
   </button>
   <button class:active={active === 'browse'} onclick={onBrowse}>
     <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="9" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.8" /><path d="M15.5 8.5l-2 5-5 2 2-5 5-2z" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.8" stroke-linejoin="round" /></svg>

frontend/src/lib/components/LanePicker.svelte

@@ -26,10 +26,12 @@
 
 {#snippet body()}
   <h2>Your lanes</h2>
-  <p class="sub">Pick the quick-access lanes above the feed. <strong>Today</strong> always stays — choose the rest. Changes apply right away.</p>
+  <p class="sub"><strong>Highlights</strong> and <strong>Latest</strong> always stay — choose the rest. Changes apply right away.</p>
 
   <div class="pinned-row">
-    <span class="chip pinned" title="Always shown">Today <span class="lock">📌</span></span>
+    {#each pool?.pinned ?? [] as p (p.key)}
+      <span class="chip pinned" title="Always shown">{p.label} <span class="lock">📌</span></span>
+    {/each}
   </div>
 
   {#each pool?.groups ?? [] as g (g.name)}

frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte

@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
   let brief = $state(null);
   let heroIdx = $state(0);
   let feed = $state([]);
+  let feedDone = $state(false);   // no more pages for the current feed view
+  let loadingMore = $state(false);
   let showSignIn = $state(false);
   let showSaved = $state(false); // Saved flyout
   let loading = $state(true);
@@ -96,24 +98,28 @@
   );
   let viewLabel = $derived(
     selected === 'today' ? 'Highlights from Today'
-      : currentTag ? humanize(currentTag)
+      : selected === 'latest' ? 'Latest'
-        : (currentMood?.label ?? cap(currentTopic?.key) ?? '')
+        : currentTag ? humanize(currentTag)
+          : (currentMood?.label ?? cap(currentTopic?.key) ?? '')
   );
   let viewSubtitle = $derived(
     selected === 'today' ? localDateLabel(brief)
-      : currentTag ? (tagFamily?.description ?? '')
+      : selected === 'latest' ? 'Freshest calm reads — newest first'
-        : (currentMood?.description ?? currentTopic?.description ?? '')
+        : currentTag ? (tagFamily?.description ?? '')
+          : (currentMood?.description ?? currentTopic?.description ?? '')
+  );
+  let activeTab = $derived(
+    selected === 'today' ? 'today' : selected === 'latest' ? 'latest' : 'browse'
   );
-  let activeTab = $derived(selected === 'today' ? 'today' : 'browse');
 
-  // Customizable nav rail: Today is always first, then the reader's pinned
+  // Customizable nav rail: the pinned lanes (Highlights + Latest) are always
-  // lanes (or the default set if they've never customized). Resolve each key
+  // first, then the reader's chosen lanes (or the default set if they've never
-  // to its {label, description} from the pool.
+  // customized). Resolve each key to its {label, description} from the pool.
   let laneMap = $derived(
     new Map(
       lanePool
         ? [
-            [lanePool.pinned.key, lanePool.pinned],
+            ...lanePool.pinned.map((p) => [p.key, p]),
             ...lanePool.groups.flatMap((g) => g.lanes.map((l) => [l.key, l])),
           ]
         : []
@@ -123,14 +129,15 @@
     prefs.data.lanes?.length ? prefs.data.lanes : (lanePool?.default ?? [])
   );
   let navLanes = $derived(
-    lanePool ? [lanePool.pinned, ...pinnedLaneKeys.map((k) => laneMap.get(k)).filter(Boolean)] : []
+    lanePool ? [...lanePool.pinned, ...pinnedLaneKeys.map((k) => laneMap.get(k)).filter(Boolean)] : []
   );
 
   function saveLanes(keys) {
     prefs.data.lanes = keys;
     persistPrefs();
-    // If the reader unpinned the lane they're currently viewing, fall back home.
+    // If the reader unpinned the lane they're viewing, fall back to Highlights.
-    if (selected !== 'today' && !keys.includes(selected)) select('today');
+    // (The pinned Highlights/Latest lanes are never in `keys`, so don't bounce.)
+    if (selected !== 'today' && selected !== 'latest' && !keys.includes(selected)) select('today');
   }
 
   // Hero is the only image slot; if its image won't load, promote the next one.
@@ -173,22 +180,36 @@
     markDisplayed(brief.items);
   }
 
+  // Build a /api/feed URL for a lane view at a given page offset. 'latest' is
+  // the chronological firehose (sort=latest); 'tag:x' browses a grouping tag;
+  // anything else resolves through its mood/topic filter.
+  const PAGE = 24;
+  function feedUrl(key, offset) {
+    const ex = Array.from(dismissed).join(',');
+    const exq = ex ? `&exclude=${ex}` : '';
+    if (key === 'latest') {
+      const q = P.param(prefs.data);
+      return `/api/feed?sort=latest&limit=${PAGE}&offset=${offset}${q ? '&' + q : ''}${exq}`;
+    }
+    if (key.startsWith('tag:')) {
+      const q = P.param(prefs.data);
+      return `/api/feed?limit=${PAGE}&offset=${offset}&tag=${encodeURIComponent(key.slice(4))}${q ? '&' + q : ''}${exq}`;
+    }
+    const q = P.param(P.merge(prefs.data, viewFilter(key)));
+    return `/api/feed?limit=${PAGE}&offset=${offset}${q ? '&' + q : ''}${exq}`;
+  }
+
   async function select(key, fresh = false) {
     selected = key;
     error = '';
+    feedDone = false;
     try {
       if (key === 'today') {
         await loadToday(fresh);
-      } else if (key.startsWith('tag:')) {
-        const tag = key.slice(4);
-        const q = P.param(prefs.data);
-        const ex = Array.from(dismissed).join(',');
-        feed = (await getJSON(`/api/feed?limit=24&tag=${encodeURIComponent(tag)}${q ? '&' + q : ''}${ex ? '&exclude=' + ex : ''}`)).items;
-        markDisplayed(feed);
       } else {
-        const q = P.param(P.merge(prefs.data, viewFilter(key)));
+        const items = (await getJSON(feedUrl(key, 0))).items;
-        const ex = Array.from(dismissed).join(',');
+        feed = items;
-        feed = (await getJSON(`/api/feed?limit=24${q ? '&' + q : ''}${ex ? '&exclude=' + ex : ''}`)).items;
+        feedDone = items.length < PAGE;
         markDisplayed(feed);
       }
     } catch (e) {
@@ -197,6 +218,25 @@
     if (typeof window !== 'undefined') window.scrollTo({ top: 0, behavior: 'smooth' });
   }
 
+  // "Load more" for any feed view (Latest, topics, tags, moods): fetch the next
+  // page at the current length and append, de-duping against what's shown.
+  async function loadMore() {
+    if (loadingMore || feedDone || selected === 'today') return;
+    loadingMore = true;
+    try {
+      const items = (await getJSON(feedUrl(selected, feed.length))).items;
+      const have = new Set(feed.map((a) => a.id));
+      const fresh = items.filter((a) => !have.has(a.id));
+      feed = [...feed, ...fresh];
+      feedDone = items.length < PAGE;
+      markDisplayed(fresh);
+    } catch {
+      flash('Could not load more just now.');
+    } finally {
+      loadingMore = false;
+    }
+  }
+
   const MIX_EVENT = { notToday: 'not_today', lessLikeThis: 'less_like_this', alwaysHide: 'hide_topic' };
   function applyAction(kind, value) {
     applyPrefAction(kind, value); // updates + persists + syncs to account
@@ -325,6 +365,15 @@
             <ArticleCard article={a} onaction={applyAction} onreplace={replaceArticle} ontag={(t) => select('tag:' + t)} onview={record} />
           {/each}
         </div>
+        {#if !feedDone}
+          <div class="loadmore">
+            <button onclick={loadMore} disabled={loadingMore}>
+              {loadingMore ? 'Loading…' : 'Load more'}
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        {:else}
+          <p class="endcap rise">✦ you're all caught up ✦</p>
+        {/if}
       {:else}
         <p class="muted center pad">Nothing here right now — try another, or ease a boundary.</p>
       {/if}
@@ -354,7 +403,7 @@
   {/if}
 </main>
 
-<BottomNav active={activeTab} onToday={() => select('today')} onBrowse={browse} onYou={openAccount} user={auth.user} />
+<BottomNav active={activeTab} onToday={() => select('today')} onLatest={() => select('latest')} onBrowse={browse} onYou={openAccount} user={auth.user} />
 
 <style>
   main.container { padding-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 40px; min-height: 60vh; }
@@ -395,4 +444,12 @@
     text-align: center; color: var(--muted); font-family: var(--serif);
     font-style: italic; margin: 40px 0 10px; letter-spacing: 0.02em;
   }
+  .loadmore { display: flex; justify-content: center; margin: 30px 0 6px; }
+  .loadmore button {
+    background: var(--surface); border: 1px solid var(--line); color: var(--accent-deep);
+    border-radius: 999px; padding: 10px 28px; font-size: 0.92rem; cursor: pointer;
+    transition: all 0.14s ease;
+  }
+  .loadmore button:hover { border-color: var(--accent); background: var(--accent-soft); }
+  .loadmore button:disabled { opacity: 0.6; cursor: default; }
 </style>

goodnews/api.py

@@ -921,6 +921,7 @@ def create_app() -> FastAPI:
         prefs: str | None = Query(None),
         exclude: str = Query("", description="comma-separated article ids the reader has dismissed"),
         tag: str | None = Query(None, description="grouping tag to browse"),
+        sort: str = Query("ranked", pattern="^(ranked|latest)$", description="ranked (best-first) or latest (newest-first)"),
     ) -> FeedResponse:
         if topic and topic.lower() not in TOPICS:
             raise HTTPException(400, f"unknown topic: {topic}")
@@ -939,14 +940,14 @@ def create_app() -> FastAPI:
                 fetch_n = min(2000, (offset + limit) * 4 + 50 + len(excl))
                 raw = queries.feed(
                     conn, topic=topic, flavor=flavor, accepted_only=accepted_only,
-                    limit=fetch_n, offset=0, tag=tag, **kw,
+                    limit=fetch_n, offset=0, tag=tag, sort=sort, **kw,
                 )
                 kept = [a for a in filter_articles(raw, fp, now) if a["id"] not in excl]
                 rows = kept[offset : offset + limit]
             else:
                 rows = queries.feed(
                     conn, topic=topic, flavor=flavor, accepted_only=accepted_only,
-                    limit=limit, offset=offset, tag=tag, **kw,
+                    limit=limit, offset=offset, tag=tag, sort=sort, **kw,
                 )
         # Keep the top of a browse view readable: stable-sort paywalled items
         # below readable ones (composite order preserved within each group).

goodnews/lanes.py

@@ -18,8 +18,12 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 from .moods import MOODS
 from .taxonomy import ALLOWED_TAGS, TOPICS
 
-# The lane pinned first, always — never user-removable.
+# The lanes pinned first, always — never user-removable. "Highlights" is the
-PINNED = {"key": "today", "label": "Today", "description": "The day's good things."}
+# curated daily brief (key 'today'); "Latest" is the chronological accepted feed.
+PINNED = [
+    {"key": "today", "label": "Highlights", "description": "The day's curated good things."},
+    {"key": "latest", "label": "Latest", "description": "Freshest calm reads, newest first."},
+]
 
 # What a reader who has never customized sees: today's curated moods, unchanged.
 DEFAULT_LANES: list[str] = [m["key"] for m in MOODS if m["key"] != "today"]

goodnews/queries.py

@@ -57,8 +57,13 @@ def feed(
     max_cortisol: int | None = None,
     max_ragebait: int | None = None,
     tag: str | None = None,
+    sort: str = "ranked",
 ) -> list[dict]:
-    """Return ranked articles with categorical filters applied in SQL.
+    """Return articles with categorical filters applied in SQL.
+
+    sort="ranked" (default) is best-first by the composite rank; sort="latest"
+    is pure recency (newest first) for the chronological "Latest" feed. Both
+    stay accepted-only and respect the same boundaries.
 
     Categorical filters (topic/flavor include & mute, cortisol/ragebait ceilings)
     must be applied here, not after ranking — otherwise low-ranked-but-matching
@@ -105,6 +110,11 @@ def feed(
     where = "WHERE " + " AND ".join(clauses)
     params.extend([limit, offset])
 
+    order_by = (
+        "COALESCE(a.published_at, a.discovered_at) DESC, rank_score DESC"
+        if sort == "latest"
+        else "rank_score DESC, COALESCE(a.published_at, a.discovered_at) DESC"
+    )
     rows = conn.execute(
         f"""
         SELECT {_ARTICLE_COLUMNS}
@@ -112,7 +122,7 @@ def feed(
         JOIN sources src ON src.id = a.source_id
         JOIN article_scores s ON s.article_id = a.id
         {where}
-        ORDER BY rank_score DESC, COALESCE(a.published_at, a.discovered_at) DESC
+        ORDER BY {order_by}
         LIMIT ? OFFSET ?
         """,
         params,

tests/test_feed_sort.py

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+from goodnews.db import connect, init_db
+from goodnews import queries
+
+
+def _article(c, aid, *, when):
+    c.execute(
+        "INSERT INTO articles (id, source_id, canonical_url, title, url_hash, published_at) "
+        "VALUES (?, 1, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
+        (aid, f"http://s/{aid}", f"T{aid}", f"h{aid}", when),
+    )
+    c.execute(
+        "INSERT INTO article_scores (article_id, accepted, constructive_score) VALUES (?, 1, 5)",
+        (aid,),
+    )
+
+
+def test_latest_sorts_strictly_by_recency(tmp_path):
+    c = connect(str(tmp_path / "t.db")); init_db(c)
+    c.execute("INSERT INTO sources (id, name, feed_url) VALUES (1, 'S', 'http://s/f')")
+    # Insert out of order; the dates are what should drive 'latest'.
+    _article(c, 1, when="2026-03-01T00:00:00")
+    _article(c, 2, when="2026-06-01T00:00:00")  # newest
+    _article(c, 3, when="2026-01-01T00:00:00")  # oldest
+    c.commit()
+
+    latest = [a["id"] for a in queries.feed(c, sort="latest")]
+    assert latest == [2, 1, 3]  # newest → oldest, regardless of insert order

tests/test_lanes.py

@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@ from goodnews.lanes import build_lane_pool, known_lane_keys, DEFAULT_LANES
 
 def test_pool_shape_and_pinned():
     pool = build_lane_pool({"science": 100}, {"space": 200, "food": 0, "innovation": 99})
-    assert pool["pinned"]["key"] == "today"
+    pinned_keys = [p["key"] for p in pool["pinned"]]
+    assert pinned_keys == ["today", "latest"]  # Highlights + Latest, always first
     assert pool["default"] == DEFAULT_LANES
     names = [g["name"] for g in pool["groups"]]
     assert names == ["Moods", "Topics", "Discovery"]
-    # 'today' is pinned, never part of the selectable pool.
+    # pinned lanes are never part of the selectable pool.
-    assert "today" not in known_lane_keys(pool)
+    assert "today" not in known_lane_keys(pool) and "latest" not in known_lane_keys(pool)
 
 
 def test_topics_are_bare_keys_tags_are_prefixed():