[P2] Optional GUI — create/manage/deploy automations, mesh, artifacts (desktop · mobile · web) #541

Optional GUI layer (product VP add — CEO 2026-09-06)

Optional client surfaces to create, manage, and deploy:

• Automations / procedures
• Meshes / nodes
• Generated artifacts, apps, and related outputs

Targets (all optional — not required to run Ashlar)

1. Desktop (likely Avalonia / existing desktop lane)
2. Mobile
3. Web app

Rules

• Kernel/runtime stays headless-embeddable; GUI is an adapter, not a dependency for share/mesh/Cloud
• Must not leak Forge/product UI into kernel (Arch Guardian)
• Honesty: do not sell GUI as live until Dogfood has dated E2E for the flows claimed
• Sequencing: after #538→#526→thin-app→#529/#532 honesty path; can parallel-spike UX after dogfood gate without starving master green

Sales framing until live

Self-host share+mesh remain CLI/API-first; GUI is “coming / optional console” — not a prerequisite for mesh.

Parent epic: #539 · companion: #540