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+# Performance Profiling System Design Spec
+
+**Date:** 2026-05-15
+**Author:** Tier 2 Tech Lead
+**Status:** Draft
+
+## Overview
+
+Implement a layered performance profiling system for Manual Slop's `./src` codebase:
+
+- **Phase 1:** Enhanced Diagnostics Panel — sorted component timings, expandable detail rows
+- **Phase 2:** Tracy integration via `pytracy` — real-time flamegraph streaming to Tracy GUI
+- **Phase 3 (future):** Custom `sys.settrace` sampler + imgui flamegraph as fallback
+
+## Goals
+
+- Surface hot code paths with zero friction (always-on real-time highlighting)
+- Enable deep dive profiling on demand via industry-standard tools
+- Preserve existing PerformanceMonitor infrastructure
+- Self-contained — minimal external dependencies beyond Tracy
+
+## Phase 1: Enhanced Diagnostics Panel
+
+### What's Already There
+
+The Diagnostics Panel (`_render_diagnostics_panel` in `gui_2.py`) already displays:
+- FPS, Frame Time, CPU %, Input Lag with live values
+- Optional per-metric graphs (toggle checkbox)
+- Detailed Component Timings table: Avg, Count, Max, Min per component
+- RED highlighting for components with avg > 10ms
+- Performance Graphs section with rolling history plots
+- Diagnostic Log table
+
+### What's Missing (for D)
+
+1. **No sorting** — components iterate in dict hash order, not worst-first
+2. **No expandability** — cannot click a row to see full stats breakdown
+
+### Implementation
+
+**Sort by worst avg:**
+```python
+sorted_components = sorted(
+    [(k, v) for k, v in metrics.items() if k.startswith("time_") and k.endswith("_ms")],
+    key=lambda x: metrics.get(f"{x[0]}_avg", x[1]),
+    reverse=True
+)
+```
+
+**Expandable rows:**
+```python
+for key, val in sorted_components:
+    # Render collapsed row with summary
+    expanded = imgui.tree_node(comp_name)
+    if expanded:
+        # Show: last_value, avg, count, max, min, peak frames, stddev
+        imgui.text(f"Last: {val:.2f}ms")
+        imgui.text(f"StdDev: {stddev:.2f}ms")
+        imgui.text(f"Peak frame: {peak_val:.2f}ms at frame {peak_frame}")
+        imgui.tree_pop()
+```
+
+### Files Affected
+
+| File | Change |
+|------|--------|
+| `src/gui_2.py` | `_render_diagnostics_panel` — sort + expandable rows |
+
+### Success Criteria
+
+1. Component timings table sorted by worst avg descending
+2. Click a row → expands to show last, stddev, peak info
+3. Existing red highlighting (>10ms) preserved
+4. No regression to other diagnostics panel features
+
+## Phase 2: Tracy Integration
+
+### Tracy Overview
+
+Tracy is a real-time, nanosecond-resolution, frame-based profiler for game devs and high-performance applications. It streams profiling data to a dedicated GUI client over a TCP connection. Features:
+
+- Live CPU profiling with call stacks
+- Memory profiling (allocations, leaks)
+- Lock contention visualization
+- Frame capture (good for your Dear PyGui render loop)
+- Very low overhead (~1-2%)
+
+### pytracy Binding
+
+`pytracy` is a Python binding on PyPI:
+```bash
+uv add pytracy
+```
+
+Basic usage:
+```python
+import pytracy
+pytracy.setproctitle("manual_slop")
+
+# Zone annotations (instrumentation)
+def long_running_function():
+    pytracy.begin("my_zone")
+    # ... work ...
+    pytracy.end("my_zone")
+```
+
+### Integration Points in Manual Slop
+
+**1. Process naming:**
+```python
+# In App.__init__ or gui_2.py:
+pytracy.setproctitle("manual_slop")
+```
+
+**2. Zone instrumentation for render components:**
+```python
+# In each _render_* method:
+with pytracy.ctx_zone(name="_render_discussion_panel"):
+    # ... render logic ...
+```
+
+**3. Memory tracking (optional):**
+```python
+pytracy.allocator_hook_enable()
+```
+
+**4. Connection handling:**
+Tracy GUI must be running and listening before manual_slop starts. The app connects to `localhost:8086` by default (configurable).
+
+### Tracy GUI
+
+- Tracy has its own cross-platform UI (Windows/macOS/Linux)
+- Download from https://github.com/wolfpld/tracy/releases or build from source
+- Once connected, you get live flamegraphs, frame time charts, memory graphs
+- Can save trace files for later analysis
+
+### Graceful Degradation
+
+If Tracy is not running or `pytracy` import fails:
+- App continues normally — profiling is opt-in
+- Existing PerformanceMonitor keeps working
+- Log a warning on startup: "Tracy not connected — profiling unavailable"
+
+### Implementation
+
+```python
+# src/profiling/tracy_integration.py (new file)
+from __future__ import annotations
+import sys
+from typing import Optional
+
+_tracy_available = False
+_tracy = None
+
+def init_tracy() -> bool:
+    """Try to initialize pytracy connection. Returns True on success."""
+    global _tracy_available, _tracy
+    try:
+        import pytracy
+        _tracy = pytracy
+        pytracy.setproctitle("manual_slop")
+        _tracy_available = True
+        return True
+    except Exception:
+        _tracy_available = False
+        return False
+
+def is_tracy_available() -> bool:
+    return _tracy_available
+
+class TracyZone:
+    """Context manager for Tracy zones."""
+    def __init__(self, name: str) -> None:
+        self.name = name
+        self.active = False
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        if _tracy_available and _tracy:
+            _tracy.enter(self.name)
+            self.active = True
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, *args):
+        if self.active:
+            _tracy.leave(self.name)
+        return False
+
+# Convenience decorator
+def tracy_zone(name: str):
+    """Decorator to wrap a function in a Tracy zone."""
+    def decorator(func):
+        def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+            with TracyZone(name):
+                return func(*args, **kwargs)
+        return wrapper
+    return decorator
+```
+
+### GUI Button for Tracy Status
+
+Add to Diagnostics Panel:
+```python
+if imgui.button("Open Tracy GUI"):
+    import subprocess
+    subprocess.Popen(["tracy"])  # Or path to Tracy executable
+imgui.same_line()
+imgui.text(f"Tracy: {'Connected' if tracy_available else 'Not connected'}")
+```
+
+### Files Affected
+
+| File | Change |
+|------|--------|
+| `src/profiling/tracy_integration.py` | New — Tracy integration module |
+| `src/gui_2.py` | Add Tracy zone wrappers around render methods, button in Diagnostics |
+| `src/app_controller.py` | Optionally add Tracy init in startup |
+
+### Success Criteria
+
+1. `pytracy` is a declared dependency in pyproject.toml
+2. Tracy zones wrap every `_render_*` component in `gui_2.py`
+3. App starts without error if Tracy GUI is not running (graceful degradation)
+4. When Tracy GUI is running, live flamegraph appears for running app
+5. "Open Tracy GUI" button launches Tracy if installed
+
+## Phase 3 (Future): Custom Sampler Fallback
+
+Out of scope for initial spec. Would implement `sys.settrace` based sampler if:
+- Tracy is unavailable/unwanted
+- User wants self-contained flamegraph rendered in imgui directly
+
+## Architecture
+
+```
+Diagnostics Panel (gui_2.py)
+    |
+    ├── PerformanceMonitor (component timings, always-on)
+    |       └── O(1) rolling averages, per-component ms tracking
+    |
+    └── Tracy Integration (profiling, on-demand)
+            └── pytracy → Tracy GUI (live flamegraph + memory + locks)
+```
+
+Both run independently. PerformanceMonitor gives per-frame glanceable data. Tracy gives deep dive on demand.
+
+## Dependencies
+
+| Dependency | Purpose | Notes |
+|------------|---------|-------|
+| `pytracy` | Tracy Python binding | Phase 2 only, graceful degradation if unavailable |
+
+## Files
+
+| File | Action |
+|------|--------|
+| `src/profiling/tracy_integration.py` | Create — Tracy wrapper with graceful degradation |
+| `src/profiling/__init__.py` | Create — Package init |
+| `src/gui_2.py` | Modify — Sort + expand Diagnostics, wrap render zones |
+| `src/app_controller.py` | Optional — Tracy init in startup |
+| `pyproject.toml` | Modify — Add `pytracy` dependency |
+
+## Open Questions
+
+1. **Tracy connection params** — default `localhost:8086`, should be configurable via `config.toml`?
+2. **Which render methods to zone** — All `_render_*` or only top-level ones?
+3. **Memory profiling** — Enable allocator hook by default or opt-in only?
+
+## Success Criteria Summary
+
+- [ ] Phase 1: Diagnostics panel sorts by worst avg, rows expandable
+- [ ] Phase 2: pytracy integrated with graceful degradation
+- [ ] Phase 2: Every `_render_*` method in gui_2.py has Tracy zone
+- [ ] Phase 2: Tracy GUI shows live flamegraph when connected
+- [ ] Phase 3: Future extension point clear for custom sampler
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