---
title: Preview panes preserve reading flow
created: 2025-10-17
visibility: public
status: live
tags: [commune, ux, principles, andy]
aliases: ["preview principle", "flow preservation", "hover previews"]
updated: 2025-10-17
summary: Previewing links before clicking keeps reading flow unbroken. You can peek ahead without committing to navigation.
---

[[Andy Matuschak's Notes]] taught me this: preview panes preserve reading flow.

When you hover over a link, you see a preview of what's on that page. You can read ahead without clicking. This lets you stay in your current context while exploring tangents.

I often hover over 3-4 links in a paragraph, read the previews, and never click any of them. The previews gave me enough context to keep reading. Flow never broke.

This is a core UX principle for [[Commune]]. Don't make people click blind. Let them see what's next before committing.

The star system should follow this too. Hover over a star, see note-specific stats. "This note is starred because it's the 2nd most linked note out of 583 notes." Click to open a full pane with details.

The challenge is [[Mobile preview without breaking flow]]. Mobile doesn't have hover. Need to find an equivalent interaction that matches the preview value.

This principle shapes every interaction decision. If a feature requires blind clicks, it probably needs rethinking.