The Dock connects pinned applications and running windows. A press should continue to mean the application that was pressed even if another item disappears or the row reorders before release. Stable application identity carries that intent through the interaction.
Tap, long press, drag and popup teardown share a small surface, so their lifetimes matter as much as their appearance. The Dock is a QML library in the resident shell. It has its own source and package recipe; integration pins an exact revision.
The compositor still owns window focus and closure. The Dock can present those actions without inventing another window list or policy owner.
What remains open
- Physical targeting, drag and popup acceptance remain device-specific.
- A source revision is not installed until the shell integration and package path carry it.