Stage Engine web UI from legacy assets

Data/Engine/README.md

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ The Engine mirrors the legacy defaults so it can boot without additional configu
 | `BOREALIS_ROOT` | Overrides automatic project root detection.  Useful when running from a packaged location. | Directory two levels above `Data/Engine/` |
 | `BOREALIS_DATABASE_PATH` | Path to the SQLite database. | `<project_root>/database.db` |
 | `BOREALIS_ENGINE_AUTO_MIGRATE` | Run Engine-managed schema migrations during bootstrap (`true`/`false`). | `true` |
-| `BOREALIS_STATIC_ROOT` | Directory that serves static assets for the SPA. | First existing path among `Engine/web-interface/build`, `Engine/web-interface/dist`, `Data/Engine/WebUI/build`, `Data/Server/web-interface/build`, `Data/Server/WebUI/build`, `Data/WebUI/build` |
+| `BOREALIS_STATIC_ROOT` | Directory that serves static assets for the SPA. | First existing path among `Engine/web-interface/build`, `Engine/web-interface/dist`, `Data/Engine/web-interface/build`, `Data/Server/WebUI/build`, `Data/Server/web-interface/build`, `Data/WebUI/build` |
 | `BOREALIS_CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS` | Comma-delimited list of origins granted CORS access. Use `*` for all origins. | `*` |
 | `BOREALIS_FLASK_SECRET_KEY` | Secret key for Flask session signing. | `change-me` |
 | `BOREALIS_DEBUG` | Enables debug logging, disables secure-cookie requirements, and allows Werkzeug debug mode. | `false` |
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ The Engine mirrors the legacy defaults so it can boot without additional configu
 | `BOREALIS_CERTIFICATES_ROOT` | Overrides where TLS certificates (root CA + leaf) are stored. | `<project_root>/Certificates` |
 | `BOREALIS_SERVER_CERT_ROOT` | Directly points to the Engine server certificate directory if certificates are staged elsewhere. | `<project_root>/Certificates/Server` |
 
+The launch scripts (`Borealis.ps1` / `Borealis.sh`) automatically synchronize
+`Data/Server/WebUI` into `Data/Engine/web-interface` when the Engine’s copy is
+missing.  The repository keeps that directory mostly empty (except for
+documentation) so Git history does not duplicate the large SPA payload, but the
+runtime staging still ensures Vite reads from the Engine tree.
+
 ## TLS and transport stack
 
 `Data/Engine/services/crypto/certificates.py` mirrors the legacy certificate

Data/Engine/config/environment.py

@@ -120,16 +120,14 @@ def _resolve_static_root(project_root: Path) -> Path:
         project_root / "Engine" / "web-interface" / "build",
         project_root / "Engine" / "web-interface" / "dist",
         project_root / "Engine" / "web-interface",
-        project_root / "Data" / "Engine" / "WebUI" / "build",
-        project_root / "Data" / "Engine" / "WebUI",
+        project_root / "Data" / "Engine" / "web-interface" / "build",
+        project_root / "Data" / "Engine" / "web-interface",
         project_root / "Server" / "web-interface" / "build",
         project_root / "Server" / "web-interface",
-        project_root / "Server" / "WebUI" / "build",
-        project_root / "Server" / "WebUI",
-        project_root / "Data" / "Server" / "web-interface" / "build",
-        project_root / "Data" / "Server" / "web-interface",
         project_root / "Data" / "Server" / "WebUI" / "build",
         project_root / "Data" / "Server" / "WebUI",
+        project_root / "Data" / "Server" / "web-interface" / "build",
+        project_root / "Data" / "Server" / "web-interface",
         project_root / "Data" / "WebUI" / "build",
         project_root / "Data" / "WebUI",
     )

Data/Engine/tests/test_config_environment.py

@@ -46,27 +46,27 @@ def test_static_root_env_override(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.delenv("BOREALIS_ROOT", raising=False)
 
 
-def test_static_root_falls_back_to_legacy_source(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
-    """Legacy WebUI source should be served when no build assets exist."""
+def test_static_root_falls_back_to_engine_source(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Engine data assets should serve when no build output exists."""
 
-    legacy_source = tmp_path / "Data" / "Server" / "WebUI"
-    legacy_source.mkdir(parents=True)
-    (legacy_source / "index.html").write_text("<html></html>", encoding="utf-8")
+    engine_source = tmp_path / "Data" / "Engine" / "web-interface"
+    engine_source.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (engine_source / "index.html").write_text("<html></html>", encoding="utf-8")
 
     monkeypatch.setenv("BOREALIS_ROOT", str(tmp_path))
     monkeypatch.delenv("BOREALIS_STATIC_ROOT", raising=False)
 
     settings = load_environment()
 
-    assert settings.flask.static_root == legacy_source.resolve()
+    assert settings.flask.static_root == engine_source.resolve()
 
     monkeypatch.delenv("BOREALIS_ROOT", raising=False)
 
 
 def test_static_root_considers_runtime_copy(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
-    """Runtime Server/WebUI copies should be considered when Data assets are missing."""
+    """Runtime Server/web-interface copies should be considered when Data assets are missing."""
 
-    runtime_source = tmp_path / "Server" / "WebUI"
+    runtime_source = tmp_path / "Server" / "web-interface"
     runtime_source.mkdir(parents=True)
     (runtime_source / "index.html").write_text("runtime", encoding="utf-8")
 
@@ -76,7 +76,22 @@ def test_static_root_considers_runtime_copy(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     settings = load_environment()
 
     assert settings.flask.static_root == runtime_source.resolve()
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BOREALIS_ROOT", raising=False)
 
+
+def test_static_root_falls_back_to_legacy_assets(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Legacy Data/Server/WebUI assets remain a valid fallback."""
+
+    legacy_source = tmp_path / "Data" / "Server" / "WebUI"
+    legacy_source.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (legacy_source / "index.html").write_text("legacy", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("BOREALIS_ROOT", str(tmp_path))
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BOREALIS_STATIC_ROOT", raising=False)
+
+    settings = load_environment()
+
+    assert settings.flask.static_root == legacy_source.resolve()
     monkeypatch.delenv("BOREALIS_ROOT", raising=False)
 
 

Data/Engine/web-interface/.gitignore

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+*
+!.gitignore
+!README.md

Data/Engine/web-interface/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Engine Web Interface Staging
+
+The Engine server reuses the existing Vite single-page application that still lives under
+`Data/Server/WebUI`.  At runtime the launch scripts copy those assets into this directory so the
+Engine can stage its own copy without disturbing the legacy server.
+
+The repository intentionally ignores the staged files to avoid duplicating tens of thousands of
+lines (and large binary assets) in source control.  If you need to refresh the Engine copy, run one
+of the launch scripts (`Borealis.ps1` or `Borealis.sh`) or copy the assets manually from
+`Data/Server/WebUI` into this folder.