chore: v0.4.0 — bump version + CHANGELOG entry

manifest.json version 0.3.0 → 0.4.0. CHANGELOG.md entry for v0.4.0
documents the first-run UX hint feature (merged in b82f14e via
v0.4.0-prep branch). Zero new permissions, zero new dependencies,
zero behaviour change for existing users.

Shipped the same day v0.3.0 went LIVE on Chrome Web Store
(~15.5h after submission). Same-account update review window is
~24-48h per the reference_chrome_web_store_rules memory.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,11 +7,60 @@ Format: [Keep a Changelog 1.1.0](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/) — versi
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
-### Planned — Tier 3 (Chrome Web Store submission)
-- Listing assets: 1280x800 screenshots, 440x280 promo tile
-- Privacy policy URL published at `davidtkeane.com/rangerhq-tuner/privacy`
-- 2-Step Verification on Google account
-- $5 dev fee + submission
+### Planned — Tier 2 polish (next)
+- Light mode support (`prefers-color-scheme` + flipped palette across popup / NewTab / Options)
+- `.m3u` parser alongside `.pls` to widen future-adapter compatibility
+- Station artwork lazy-load + fallback to family helmet
+- Better error UI for failed streams ("Stream unavailable, try another")
+- `.crx` packaging instructions in README for sideload users
+
+---
+
+## [0.4.0] — 2026-06-09 — First-run UX hint
+
+First post-launch update, shipped the same day v0.3.0 went LIVE on the Chrome Web Store. Pure UX polish — zero new permissions, zero new code dependencies, zero behaviour change for existing users.
+
+### Added — Discoverable "pick a station to begin" affordance
+
+Triggered by David's own 30-second panic on first Web Store install (uninstalled the dev build, installed from the Web Store fresh, hit Play, got nothing, then realised "ah, I need to pick a station first"). The product worked correctly — the dev build had a seeded station from hours of testing, the fresh install does not — but the 30-second panic exposed a real first-run-UX gap.
+
+**Two layered cues, both pure CSS driven by a `body.is-first-run` class:**
+
+1. **Subtle accent-green glow pulses** around the station list (popup) and the Quick Stations chip row (NewTab). Uses a 2.4-second `box-shadow` keyframe at low alpha (0.18-0.25) — visible but not noisy.
+2. **Bouncing ↓ arrow** appended to the "Pick a station to begin" text in both surfaces. Uses an `::after` pseudo-element with a 1.8-second `translateY` keyframe.
+
+The `is-first-run` class is toggled by a tiny `reflectFirstRunHint()` function called from:
+- `init()` once stations + `currentStation` are resolved
+- `onPickStation()` the moment a user picks
+- the `chrome.storage.onChanged` listener when another surface picks (so the hint disappears on both surfaces simultaneously via cross-surface sync)
+
+Existing users with a stored `tuner.currentStationId` never see either cue — the class only attaches when `currentStation` is null.
+
+### Files touched
+
+- `src/popup/popup.css` (+35 lines — keyframes + `.is-first-run` rules)
+- `src/popup/popup.js` (+11 lines — `reflectFirstRunHint()` + 3 call sites)
+- `src/newtab/newtab.css` (+36 lines — same idea, NewTab-namespaced)
+- `src/newtab/newtab.js` (+10 lines — same pattern)
+
+Total: 4 files, +92 lines, 0 deletions.
+
+### Not changed
+
+- No new permissions
+- No new host_permissions
+- No new external libraries
+- No change to `manifest.json` beyond the version bump and CHANGELOG-referenced URL
+- No data migration required (no storage shape change)
+
+### Same-day context
+
+This update ships the same day:
+- v0.3.0 went LIVE on the Chrome Web Store (~17:08 Dublin, ~15.5h after submission)
+- RangerHQ Radio v1.0.0 stability milestone went LIVE on WordPress.org (~21:51 Dublin)
+- David received a PhD-prep signal from his Research in Computing lecturer at NCI Dublin
+
+A solid day.
 
 ---
 

manifest.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "manifest_version": 3,
   "name": "RangerHQ Tuner",
-  "version": "0.3.0",
+  "version": "0.4.0",
   "description": "Lightweight SomaFM radio player. Logs what plays. One-click search to Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, Bandcamp. No telemetry.",
   "author": "David Keane",
   "homepage_url": "https://davidtkeane.com/rangerhq-tuner",

src/newtab/newtab.css

@@ -585,3 +585,39 @@ body::before {
   .nt-station { font-size: 22px; }
   .nt-station-list { max-height: 220px; }
 }
+
+/* ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+   First-run UX hint (v0.4.0)
+   Subtle accent-green pulse around the Quick Stations row + a bouncing
+   ↓ arrow on the now-playing area. Both disappear the moment a station
+   is picked. Existing users never see them.
+   ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+@keyframes nt-pulse-glow {
+  0%, 100% { box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(109, 191, 122, 0); }
+  50%      { box-shadow: 0 0 0 6px rgba(109, 191, 122, 0.18); }
+}
+
+@keyframes nt-bounce {
+  0%, 100% { transform: translateY(0); }
+  50%      { transform: translateY(4px); }
+}
+
+body.is-first-run .nt-quick {
+  animation: nt-pulse-glow 2.4s ease-in-out infinite;
+  border-radius: var(--radius);
+  padding: 14px;
+  margin: 0 -14px;
+}
+
+body.is-first-run .nt-track {
+  color: var(--accent);
+  font-weight: 500;
+}
+
+body.is-first-run .nt-track::after {
+  content: " ↓";
+  display: inline-block;
+  animation: nt-bounce 1.8s ease-in-out infinite;
+  margin-left: 6px;
+}

src/newtab/newtab.js

@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ async function init() {
 
   const currentId = stored[STORAGE_KEYS.currentId];
   currentStation = stations.find(s => s.id === currentId) || null;
+  reflectFirstRunHint();
   renderNow();
   renderQuick();
   renderList();
@@ -184,6 +185,7 @@ async function init() {
       const newId = changes[STORAGE_KEYS.currentId].newValue;
       currentStation = stations.find(s => s.id === newId) || null;
       els.play.disabled = !currentStation;
+      reflectFirstRunHint();
       renderNow();
       renderQuick();
       renderList();
@@ -317,6 +319,7 @@ function renderList() {
 async function onPickStation(station) {
   currentStation = station;
   els.play.disabled = false;
+  reflectFirstRunHint();
   await chrome.storage.local.set({ [STORAGE_KEYS.currentId]: station.id });
   renderNow();
   renderQuick();
@@ -364,6 +367,13 @@ async function onVolume() {
 
 /* ---------- Helpers ---------- */
 
+// v0.4.0 first-run UX hint — body class drives the pulse + arrow CSS in
+// newtab.css. Active when no station has been picked yet; cleared the
+// moment one is selected (here or via cross-surface storage sync).
+function reflectFirstRunHint() {
+  document.body.classList.toggle('is-first-run', !currentStation);
+}
+
 function reflectPlayButton() {
   els.play.setAttribute('aria-pressed', playing ? 'true' : 'false');
   els.play.textContent = playing ? '❚❚ Pause' : '▶ Play';

src/popup/popup.css

@@ -310,3 +310,38 @@ html, body {
 .station-list::-webkit-scrollbar-track {
   background: transparent;
 }
+
+/* ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+   First-run UX hint (v0.4.0)
+   When body.is-first-run is set (no station picked), the station list
+   subtly pulses with an accent-green glow and the now-playing area gets
+   a bouncing ↓ arrow pointing the user at the list. Both removed the
+   moment a station is picked, so existing users never see them again.
+   ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+@keyframes tuner-pulse-glow {
+  0%, 100% { box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(109, 191, 122, 0); }
+  50%      { box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px rgba(109, 191, 122, 0.25); }
+}
+
+@keyframes tuner-bounce {
+  0%, 100% { transform: translateY(0); }
+  50%      { transform: translateY(3px); }
+}
+
+body.is-first-run .stations {
+  animation: tuner-pulse-glow 2.4s ease-in-out infinite;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+}
+
+body.is-first-run .np-track {
+  color: var(--accent);
+  font-weight: 500;
+}
+
+body.is-first-run .np-track::after {
+  content: " ↓";
+  display: inline-block;
+  animation: tuner-bounce 1.8s ease-in-out infinite;
+  margin-left: 4px;
+}

src/popup/popup.js

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ async function init() {
   // 3. Restore current station selection.
   const currentId = stored[STORAGE_KEYS.currentId];
   currentStation = stations.find(s => s.id === currentId) || null;
+  reflectFirstRunHint();
   renderNowPlaying();
 
   // 4. Render station list.
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ async function init() {
       const newId = changes[STORAGE_KEYS.currentId].newValue;
       currentStation = stations.find(s => s.id === newId) || null;
       els.btnPlay.disabled = !currentStation;
+      reflectFirstRunHint();
       renderNowPlaying();
       renderStations();
     }
@@ -202,6 +204,7 @@ function renderNowPlaying() {
 async function onPickStation(station) {
   currentStation = station;
   els.btnPlay.disabled = false;
+  reflectFirstRunHint();
   await chrome.storage.local.set({ [STORAGE_KEYS.currentId]: station.id });
   renderNowPlaying();
   renderStations();
@@ -256,6 +259,14 @@ function reflectPlayButton() {
   els.btnPlay.textContent = playing ? '❚❚ Pause' : '▶ Play';
 }
 
+// v0.4.0 first-run UX hint — body class drives the pulse + arrow CSS in
+// popup.css. Active when no station has been picked yet; cleared the
+// moment a station is selected (here or in another surface via storage
+// sync).
+function reflectFirstRunHint() {
+  document.body.classList.toggle('is-first-run', !currentStation);
+}
+
 function setState(state) {
   els.statePill.dataset.state = state;
   els.statePill.textContent = state;