release: 1.8.0

Add in-panel Help: CSS-only drawer with seeded Status and domain topics,
«?» entry points on cards, and guide.md boundary for what stays in-repo.

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,26 @@ Format follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/); version
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [1.8.0] - 2026-08-18
+
+Built-in operator documentation in the panel: a CSS-only help drawer and Help
+page so Status checks and domain controls are explained without leaving the
+panel.
+
+### Added
+
+- **Help** navigation entry and `/help` index page.
+- CSS-checkbox help drawer (no extra script): seeded topics for Status (Machine,
+  TLS, PTR, mail queue, inbound when enabled) and domain cards (DNS, records,
+  DMARC, connection, applications, settings, export).
+- «?» entry points on Status and domain card heads open the matching drawer
+  topic.
+
+### Changed
+
+- [guide.md](docs/guide.md) documents the boundary: in-panel help for card
+  meaning; the repository guide for installation, env vars, and operations.
+
 ## [1.7.0] - 2026-08-18
 
 Optional DMARC aggregate report ingest: accept `rua=` mail on port 25, parse

deploy/docker-compose.yml

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 services:
   selfpost:
-    image: ghcr.io/mixeme/selfpost:1.7.0
+    image: ghcr.io/mixeme/selfpost:1.8.0
     restart: unless-stopped
     environment:
       SELFPOST_HOSTNAME: "${SELFPOST_HOSTNAME:?set the mail/panel hostname, e.g. mail.example.com}"

docs/guide.md

@@ -311,6 +311,18 @@ Schedule `extract-cert.sh` (cron or a timer) alongside Traefik's renewals.
 After sign-in the panel opens on **Status** — the place to answer "is the
 service healthy and will mail be accepted?"
 
+### In-panel help
+
+The panel carries short operator notes so day-to-day work does not require
+opening this guide. **Help** in the navigation opens an index; each Status or
+domain card's «?» opens the same text in a side drawer (CSS only, no extra
+script). That content explains what a check or control *means* — kernel
+counters, TLS on port 465, forward-confirmed PTR, DNS publish hints, rate
+limits, and similar. It is not a second copy of this document: installation,
+reverse-proxy setup, backup/restore, environment variables, and security
+assumptions stay here in `docs/guide.md` (linked from the drawer and Help
+page).
+
 ### Status
 
 `/status` shows supervised processes (Postfix, OpenDKIM, panel), TLS

docs/plans/panel-docs.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Plan: panel-docs (in-panel operator documentation)
 
-**Status:** candidate  
+**Status:** agreed  
 **Date:** 2026-08-17  
 **Version:** `1.x` MINOR; `candidate` until explicitly agreed.
 
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ Target version cut: **`1.8.0`** (MINOR). One commit per step; code only after
 roadmap status is **agreed**. See [development.md](../development.md) § Plan
 checklists.
 
-- [ ] Help drawer / pages shell (CSS checkbox pattern from mockups) — **Sonnet**
+- [x] Help drawer / pages shell (CSS checkbox pattern from mockups) — **Sonnet**
-- [ ] Seed Status blurbs (Machine, TLS, PTR, …) — **Sonnet**
+- [x] Seed Status blurbs (Machine, TLS, PTR, …) — **Sonnet**
-- [ ] «?» entry points on domain cards — **Sonnet**
+- [x] «?» entry points on domain cards — **Sonnet**
-- [ ] [guide.md](../guide.md) boundary: in-panel help vs full guide — **Sonnet**
+- [x] [guide.md](../guide.md) boundary: in-panel help vs full guide — **Sonnet**
-- [ ] Template tests — **Sonnet**
+- [x] Template tests — **Sonnet**
-- [ ] `go vet`, `go test` on touched packages — **Haiku**
+- [x] `go vet`, `go test` on touched packages — **Haiku**

docs/roadmap.md

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ in `git log` and [CHANGELOG.md](../CHANGELOG.md).
 | ID | Topic | Status | Progress | Plan |
 |---|---|---|---|---|
 | contributing | `CONTRIBUTING.md` | candidate | — | — |
-| panel-docs | In-panel operator documentation | candidate | 0/6 | [plans/panel-docs.md](plans/panel-docs.md) |
+| panel-docs | In-panel operator documentation | agreed | 6/6 | [plans/panel-docs.md](plans/panel-docs.md) |
 | schema-squash | Squash SQLite migrations into a 2.x baseline | **2.x** | — | — |
 
 **Recommended order** (not binding): the next feature is **panel-docs** once

internal/web/handlers/handlers_help.go

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package handlers
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/mixeme/selfpost/internal/web/auth"
+)
+
+func (h *Handlers) HandleHelp(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	p, ok := h.principal(r)
+	if !ok {
+		http.Error(w, "internal error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+	data := map[string]any{
+		"Title":    "SelfPost — help",
+		"User":     auth.CurrentUser(r),
+		"Active":   "help",
+		"IsGlobal": p.IsGlobal(),
+	}
+	h.view.Render(w, http.StatusOK, "help", data)
+}

internal/web/view/static/panel.css

@@ -756,3 +756,71 @@ button.copy { flex: none; }
 .encrypt .encrypt-fields { margin-top: 0; }
 .encrypt-fields label { margin-top: 0.7rem; }
 .encrypt-fields .muted { margin: 0.5rem 0 0; font-size: 0.85rem; }
+
+/* Screen-reader accessible controls that drive UI state (help drawer panes). */
+.ctrl { position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); }
+
+.page-head {
+  display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: baseline; justify-content: space-between;
+  gap: 0.5rem 1rem; margin-bottom: 1rem;
+}
+.page-head h1 { margin: 0; }
+
+.card-head {
+  display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: baseline; justify-content: space-between;
+  gap: 0.5rem 0.75rem; margin-bottom: 0.7rem;
+}
+.card-head h2 { margin: 0; }
+
+.help-link {
+  flex: none; width: 1.35rem; height: 1.35rem; display: inline-flex; align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center; border-radius: 50%; border: 1px solid var(--control-border);
+  color: var(--muted); text-decoration: none; font-family: var(--font-mono);
+  font-size: 0.75rem; font-weight: 600; background: var(--card-bg); cursor: pointer; margin: 0;
+}
+.help-link:hover { color: var(--accent-text); border-color: var(--accent-fill); }
+
+/* Help drawer — CSS checkbox/radio, no script required. */
+.help-drawer {
+  display: none; position: fixed; top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0;
+  width: min(26rem, 100vw); z-index: 30;
+  background: var(--card-bg); border-left: 1px solid var(--border);
+  padding: 1.25rem 1.35rem 2rem; overflow-y: auto;
+}
+html:has(input[name="help"]:checked):not(:has(#help-off:checked)) .help-drawer,
+html:has(input[name="help"]:checked):not(:has(#help-off:checked)) .help-scrim { display: block; }
+.help-pane { display: none; }
+html:has(#help-index:checked) .help-pane-index,
+html:has(#help-status:checked) .help-pane-status,
+html:has(#help-password:checked) .help-pane-password,
+html:has(#help-dns:checked) .help-pane-dns,
+html:has(#help-records:checked) .help-pane-records,
+html:has(#help-dmarc:checked) .help-pane-dmarc,
+html:has(#help-connection:checked) .help-pane-connection,
+html:has(#help-apps:checked) .help-pane-apps,
+html:has(#help-domain-settings:checked) .help-pane-domain-settings,
+html:has(#help-export:checked) .help-pane-export { display: block; }
+.help-scrim {
+  display: none; position: fixed; inset: 0; z-index: 25;
+  background: rgba(18, 22, 28, 0.28); cursor: pointer;
+}
+.help-drawer h2 { margin-top: 1.2rem; }
+.help-drawer h2:first-of-type,
+.help-pane h2 { margin-top: 0; }
+.help-drawer .toc { list-style: none; margin: 0.7rem 0 0; padding: 0; }
+.help-drawer .toc li { margin: 0.35rem 0 0; }
+.help-drawer .toc label {
+  margin: 0; font-weight: 600; color: var(--accent-text); cursor: pointer;
+}
+.help-drawer .more { margin-top: 1.2rem; font-size: 0.85rem; }
+.help-drawer .more label {
+  display: inline; margin: 0; font-weight: 600; color: var(--accent-text); cursor: pointer;
+}
+.help-close {
+  position: absolute; top: 0.8rem; right: 0.8rem; margin: 0; padding: 0.35rem 0.6rem;
+  font-size: 0.8rem; font-weight: 600; background: var(--surface-bg); color: var(--fg);
+  border: 1px solid var(--control-border); border-radius: 5px; cursor: pointer;
+}
+@media (max-width: 66rem) {
+  .help-drawer { width: 100vw; }
+}

internal/web/view/templates/domain_detail.html

@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@
 
 {{if .NewCred}}
 <div class="card credential" id="new-credential">
-  <h2>New application password</h2>
+  <div class="card-head">
+    <h2>New application password</h2>
+    {{template "card_help" (dict "ID" "password" "Title" "Why this is shown once")}}
+  </div>
   <p class="muted">Shown <strong>once only</strong> and not stored. Copy it now
   — if it is lost, regenerate a new one.</p>
   <label>Login</label>
@@ -85,7 +88,10 @@
 
 {{/* Two rows of two checks (.check-cols). */}}
 <div class="card" id="dns-status">
-  <h2>DNS status <span class="st st-{{.DNS.Overall}}">{{.DNS.Overall}}</span></h2>
+  <div class="card-head">
+    <h2>DNS status <span class="st st-{{.DNS.Overall}}">{{.DNS.Overall}}</span></h2>
+    {{template "card_help" (dict "ID" "dns" "Title" "What these checks mean")}}
+  </div>
   <p class="muted">Cached a few minutes — use <em>Re-check</em> after
   publishing.</p>
 
@@ -141,7 +147,10 @@
 
 <div class="split">
   <div class="card" id="dkim-spf">
-    <h2>DKIM and SPF records</h2>
+    <div class="card-head">
+      <h2>DKIM and SPF records</h2>
+      {{template "card_help" (dict "ID" "records" "Title" "What to publish")}}
+    </div>
 
     <p class="check-col-title">DKIM</p>
     {{template "host_type_copy" .Record.Name}}
@@ -159,7 +168,10 @@
   </div>
 
   <div class="card" id="dmarc">
-    <h2>DMARC record</h2>
+    <div class="card-head">
+      <h2>DMARC record</h2>
+      {{template "card_help" (dict "ID" "dmarc" "Title" "What this record does")}}
+    </div>
 
     {{template "host_type_copy" .DMARCName}}
 
@@ -191,7 +203,10 @@
 
 <div class="split">
   <div class="card" id="connection">
-    <h2>Connection settings</h2>
+    <div class="card-head">
+      <h2>Connection settings</h2>
+      {{template "card_help" (dict "ID" "connection" "Title" "How to connect")}}
+    </div>
     <p class="muted">Same for every domain. Authenticate with an application
     login from below.</p>
 
@@ -262,7 +277,10 @@
 </div>
 
 <div class="card" id="applications">
-  <h2>Applications</h2>
+  <div class="card-head">
+    <h2>Applications</h2>
+    {{template "card_help" (dict "ID" "apps" "Title" "What an application is")}}
+  </div>
   <p class="muted">SASL logins for this domain — wildcard (*@domain) or a fixed
   address list.</p>
 
@@ -376,7 +394,10 @@
 </div>
 
 <div class="card" id="domain-settings">
-  <h2>Domain settings</h2>
+  <div class="card-head">
+    <h2>Domain settings</h2>
+    {{template "card_help" (dict "ID" "domain-settings" "Title" "Reports and rate limits")}}
+  </div>
 
   <div class="check-cols check-cols-rows">
     <div class="check-col">
@@ -464,7 +485,10 @@
 
 <div class="split">
   <div class="card" id="export">
-    <h2>Export domain</h2>
+    <div class="card-head">
+      <h2>Export domain</h2>
+      {{template "card_help" (dict "ID" "export" "Title" "What the file contains")}}
+    </div>
     <p class="muted"><strong>Secret file</strong> — transfer securely, or encrypt
     below as <code>.spde</code>.</p>
     {{if .ExportErr}}<p class="error">{{.ExportErr}}</p>{{end}}

internal/web/view/templates/help.html

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+{{define "content"}}
+<h1>Help</h1>
+
+<p class="muted">Short operator notes inside the panel — not a second copy of
+the full guide. The cards keep their readings and controls; this page (and the
+drawer opened from each card's «?») holds the explanations that do not belong
+on the card itself.</p>
+
+<div class="card">
+  <h2>On this panel</h2>
+  {{if .IsGlobal}}
+  <ul>
+    <li><label for="help-status">Status checks</label> — Machine, TLS, PTR,
+    queue</li>
+    <li><a href="/mail-queue">Mail queue retries</a> — time-based, no attempt
+    budget (on the queue page)</li>
+    {{if .InboundEnabled}}
+    <li><a href="/inbound">Inbound</a> — not mailboxes; listed recipients or any
+    address at the domain</li>
+    {{end}}
+  </ul>
+  {{end}}
+  <p class="muted">Domain page</p>
+  <ul>
+    <li><label for="help-dns">DNS status</label></li>
+    <li><label for="help-records">DKIM and SPF records</label></li>
+    <li><label for="help-dmarc">DMARC record</label></li>
+    <li><label for="help-connection">Connection settings</label></li>
+    <li><label for="help-apps">Applications</label></li>
+    <li><label for="help-domain-settings">Domain settings</label></li>
+    <li><label for="help-export">Export domain</label></li>
+  </ul>
+  <p class="muted">Topics marked as labels open the same text in the help
+  drawer. For installation, backup, and environment variables see the
+  <a href="https://github.com/mixeme/selfpost/blob/main/docs/guide.md">operator
+  guide</a> in the repository.</p>
+</div>
+
+{{if .IsGlobal}}
+<div class="card">
+  <h2>Machine</h2>
+  <p>CPU and memory are the container's own readings, not the host's spare
+  capacity. Network is a short window, not a daily total. High CPU with an empty
+  queue usually means something else on the box — not SelfPost being slow to
+  send.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="card">
+  <h2>TLS certificate</h2>
+  <p>Port 465 presents the certificate the reverse proxy (or the image)
+  mounted. The panel does not issue certificates. A warn here is expires soon;
+  an error is missing or unreadable, and clients will refuse submission.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="card">
+  <h2>Hostname / reverse DNS</h2>
+  <p>Forward-confirmed reverse DNS: the A/AAAA for
+  <code>SELFPOST_HOSTNAME</code> must reverse to that same name. PTR is set at
+  the hosting provider, not in this panel.</p>
+</div>
+{{end}}
+{{end}}

internal/web/view/templates/help_drawer.html

@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+{{/* Hidden radios drive which help pane is visible — CSS :has(), no script. */}}
+{{define "help_inputs"}}
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-off" checked>
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-index">
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-status">
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-password">
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-dns">
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-records">
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-dmarc">
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-connection">
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-apps">
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-domain-settings">
+<input class="ctrl" type="radio" name="help" id="help-export">
+{{end}}
+
+{{define "help_more"}}<p class="more muted"><label for="help-index">All topics</label>{{if .}} · <a href="/help">Help page</a>{{end}}</p>{{end}}
+
+{{/* card_help — «?» on a card head; .ID is the topic slug (dns, records, …). */}}
+{{define "card_help"}}
+<label class="help-link" for="help-{{.ID}}" title="{{.Title}}">?</label>
+{{end}}
+
+{{define "help_drawer"}}
+<label class="help-scrim" for="help-off"></label>
+<aside class="help-drawer">
+  <label class="help-close" for="help-off">Close</label>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-index">
+    <h2>Help</h2>
+    <p>Short notes for the card you opened — not a second copy of the
+    <a href="https://github.com/mixeme/selfpost/blob/main/docs/guide.md">operator guide</a>.</p>
+    {{if .IsGlobal}}
+    <p class="muted">Status</p>
+    <ul class="toc"><li><label for="help-status">Status checks</label></li></ul>
+    {{end}}
+    <p class="muted">Domain</p>
+    <ul class="toc">
+      <li><label for="help-password">New application password</label></li>
+      <li><label for="help-dns">DNS status</label></li>
+      <li><label for="help-records">DKIM and SPF records</label></li>
+      <li><label for="help-dmarc">DMARC record</label></li>
+      <li><label for="help-connection">Connection settings</label></li>
+      <li><label for="help-apps">Applications</label></li>
+      <li><label for="help-domain-settings">Domain settings</label></li>
+      <li><label for="help-export">Export domain</label></li>
+    </ul>
+  </article>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-status">
+    <h2>Status checks</h2>
+    <p>The cards keep the readings. This drawer is what used to sit under them
+    as paragraphs.</p>
+    <h2>Machine</h2>
+    <p>CPU and memory are the container's readings, not the host's spare
+    capacity. Network is a short rate window between refreshes, not a daily
+    total. High CPU with an empty queue usually means something else on the box
+    — not SelfPost being slow to send.</p>
+    <h2>TLS certificate</h2>
+    <p>Port 465 presents the certificate the reverse proxy (or the image)
+    mounted. The panel does not issue certificates. A warn here is expires
+    soon; an error is missing or unreadable, and clients will refuse
+    submission.</p>
+    <h2>Hostname / reverse DNS</h2>
+    <p>Forward-confirmed reverse DNS: the A/AAAA for
+    <code>SELFPOST_HOSTNAME</code> must reverse to that same name. PTR is set
+    at the hosting provider, not in this panel. Receiving networks use this
+    pair as a cheap reputation check.</p>
+    <h2>Mail queue</h2>
+    <p>Deferred mail is retried on a time schedule (first delay, doubling cap,
+    queue lifetime). There is no attempt budget — see the retry-policy card on
+  <em>Mail queue</em>.</p>
+    {{if .InboundEnabled}}
+    <h2>Inbound</h2>
+    <p>When <code>INBOUND_RELAY_ENABLE</code> is on, port 25 accepts mail for
+    configured domains and forwards it upstream — not to local mailboxes.
+    Recipients are a list or any address at the domain.</p>
+    {{end}}
+    {{template "help_more" true}}
+  </article>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-password">
+    <h2>New application password</h2>
+    <p>Shown <strong>once only</strong> and not stored. Copy it now — if it is
+    lost, regenerate a new one. The previous password stops working
+    immediately.</p>
+    {{template "help_more" true}}
+  </article>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-dns">
+    <h2>DNS status</h2>
+    <p>The badge is the worst of DKIM, SPF and DMARC. Results are cached a few
+    minutes — use <em>Re-check</em> after publishing.</p>
+    <p>SPF is a shallow check: the literal address only, no
+    <code>include:</code> or <code>redirect=</code>. Report authorization is
+    required only when <code>rua=</code> points at a domain this server does
+    not accept.</p>
+    {{template "help_more" true}}
+  </article>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-records">
+    <h2>DKIM and SPF records</h2>
+    <p>DKIM is not a secret. The selector on this page is the one this server
+    signs with. Merge the SPF example into an existing record if the domain
+    already has one — do not publish a second TXT.</p>
+    {{template "help_more" true}}
+  </article>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-dmarc">
+    <h2>DMARC record</h2>
+    <p><code>p=none</code> does not affect delivery. Tighten to
+    <code>p=quarantine</code> then <code>p=reject</code> once reports look
+    clean. The report address is set under Domain settings (or the Settings
+    default).</p>
+    {{template "help_more" true}}
+  </article>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-connection">
+    <h2>Connection settings</h2>
+    <p>Same host for every domain. Authenticate with an application login from
+    this page. Auth is required on every port. The password is shown once at
+    create or regenerate.</p>
+    <p>465 is implicit TLS; 587 is STARTTLS submission when that port is
+    enabled.</p>
+    {{template "help_more" true}}
+  </article>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-apps">
+    <h2>Applications</h2>
+    <p>SASL logins for this domain. Login is unique across domains; letters,
+    digits, <code>.</code>, <code>-</code> and <code>_</code>. The password is
+    shown once.</p>
+    <p>Address mode is which From addresses this application may use: any
+    address of the domain, or a fixed list. A trusted-IP override gives those
+    clients a higher ceiling than the domain (still ≤ level 1) and skips the
+    domain check; everyone else uses the domain limit if set, otherwise level
+    1.</p>
+    {{template "help_more" true}}
+  </article>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-domain-settings">
+    <h2>Domain settings</h2>
+    <p>Aggregate reports (<code>rua=</code>) inherit the Settings default, or
+    you override them per domain. Level 2 is an optional ceiling for all
+    senders on this domain; it must be ≤ level 1. Application overrides live on
+    each application.</p>
+    {{template "help_more" true}}
+  </article>
+
+  <article class="help-pane help-pane-export">
+    <h2>Export domain</h2>
+    <p>The file is a secret: it carries the DKIM key and application
+    passwords, so published DNS does not have to change on the other instance.
+    Transfer it securely, or encrypt it as <code>.spde</code>.</p>
+    {{template "help_more" true}}
+  </article>
+</aside>
+{{end}}

internal/web/view/templates/layout.html

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 <script src="/static/panel.js" defer></script>
 </head>
 <body>
+{{if .User}}{{template "help_inputs" .}}{{end}}
 {{/* Two columns: the navigation on the left and the page beside it, centred
      together (see .shell in panel.css). The signed-out pages have no navigation
      and the shell holds their card alone. */}}
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@
 </footer>
 </main>
 </div>
+{{if .User}}{{template "help_drawer" .}}{{end}}
 </body>
 </html>{{end}}
 
@@ -76,6 +78,7 @@
     {{if .DMARCEnabled}}
     {{if eq .Active "dmarc"}}<span aria-current="page">{{template "icon-dmarc"}}DMARC</span>{{else}}<a href="/dmarc">{{template "icon-dmarc"}}DMARC</a>{{end}}
     {{end}}
+    {{if eq .Active "help"}}<span aria-current="page">{{template "icon-help"}}Help</span>{{else}}<a href="/help">{{template "icon-help"}}Help</a>{{end}}
     {{if eq .Active "deliveries"}}<span aria-current="page">{{template "icon-deliveries"}}Deliveries</span>{{else}}<a href="/deliveries">{{template "icon-deliveries"}}Deliveries</a>{{end}}
     {{if .IsGlobal}}
     {{if eq .Active "mail_queue"}}<span aria-current="page">{{template "icon-mail-queue"}}Mail queue</span>{{else}}<a href="/mail-queue">{{template "icon-mail-queue"}}Mail queue</a>{{end}}
@@ -120,6 +123,7 @@
 {{define "icon-domains"}}<svg class="icon" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="6.25"/><path d="M1.9 8h12.2"/><path d="M8 1.75c1.85 1.8 2.8 4 2.8 6.25S9.85 12.45 8 14.25C6.15 12.45 5.2 10.25 5.2 8S6.15 3.55 8 1.75Z"/></svg>{{end}}
 {{define "icon-inbound"}}<svg class="icon" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M2.5 9.5h11"/><path d="M8 2.75v6.2"/><path d="M5.4 6.4 8 9.05 10.6 6.4"/><path d="M3.2 12.6h9.6"/></svg>{{end}}
 {{define "icon-dmarc"}}<svg class="icon" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M2.5 4.5h11v7H2.5z"/><path d="M5 7.5h6M5 9.5h4"/></svg>{{end}}
+{{define "icon-help"}}<svg class="icon" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="6.25"/><path d="M8 7.2V11.4"/><path d="M8 5.05v.01"/></svg>{{end}}
 {{define "icon-deliveries"}}<svg class="icon" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M14.25 1.75 1.6 6.6l5 2.05 2.05 5z"/><path d="M14.25 1.75 6.6 8.65"/></svg>{{end}}
 {{define "icon-mail-queue"}}<svg class="icon" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M1.75 9.5h3.3l1 1.75h3.9l1-1.75h3.3v3.05a1.2 1.2 0 0 1-1.2 1.2H2.95a1.2 1.2 0 0 1-1.2-1.2z"/><path d="M1.75 9.5 3.4 3.2a1.25 1.25 0 0 1 1.2-.95h6.8a1.25 1.25 0 0 1 1.2.95l1.65 6.3"/></svg>{{end}}
 {{define "icon-system-log"}}<svg class="icon" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M3.75 1.75h5.1l3.4 3.4v8.05a1.05 1.05 0 0 1-1.05 1.05H3.75a1.05 1.05 0 0 1-1.05-1.05V2.8a1.05 1.05 0 0 1 1.05-1.05Z"/><path d="M8.85 1.75v3.4h3.4"/><path d="M5.35 8.6h5.3M5.35 11.1h3.5"/></svg>{{end}}

internal/web/view/templates/status.html

@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 {{define "wide"}}wide{{end}}
 
 {{define "content"}}
-<h1>Status</h1>
+<div class="page-head">
+  <h1>Status</h1>
+  <label class="help-link" for="help-status" title="What these checks mean">?</label>
+</div>
 
 {{if .Flash}}<div class="flash">{{.Flash}}</div>{{end}}
 

internal/web/view/templates_test.go

@@ -569,9 +569,6 @@ func forEachTemplate(t *testing.T, fn func(name, body string)) {
 	}
 }
 
-// The retry-policy card is static HTML on mail_queue (outside the HTMX
-// fragment), so rendering the page with a fixture must print those strings
-// rather than falling back to empty template fields.
 func TestMailQueuePageRendersRetryPolicy(t *testing.T) {
 	engine, err := New("test")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -604,3 +601,81 @@ func TestMailQueuePageRendersRetryPolicy(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("RetryFromDefaults was unset; the fallback note should stay off")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAuthenticatedLayoutIncludesHelpDrawer(t *testing.T) {
+	engine, err := New("test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("New: %v", err)
+	}
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	if err := engine.Page("help").ExecuteTemplate(&buf, "layout.html", map[string]any{
+		"Title": "t", "User": "admin", "Active": "help", "IsGlobal": true,
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("execute help layout: %v", err)
+	}
+	out := buf.String()
+	for _, want := range []string{
+		`id="help-off"`, `class="help-drawer"`, `help-pane-status`,
+		`for="help-dns"`, `href="/help"`,
+	} {
+		if !strings.Contains(out, want) {
+			t.Errorf("authenticated layout missing %q", want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoginPageOmitsHelpDrawer(t *testing.T) {
+	engine, err := New("test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("New: %v", err)
+	}
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	if err := engine.Page("login").ExecuteTemplate(&buf, "layout.html", map[string]any{
+		"Title": "t", "Active": "",
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("execute login: %v", err)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(buf.String(), "help-drawer") {
+		t.Error("login page should not include the help drawer")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStatusPageHasHelpEntry(t *testing.T) {
+	out := renderStatusPage(t, statusPageData())
+	if !strings.Contains(out, `for="help-status"`) {
+		t.Error("status page is missing the help entry point")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDomainDetailHasHelpOnCards(t *testing.T) {
+	body, err := fs.ReadFile(assetsFS, "templates/domain_detail.html")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read domain_detail: %v", err)
+	}
+	src := string(body)
+	for _, want := range []string{
+		`"ID" "dns"`, `"ID" "records"`, `"ID" "dmarc"`, `"ID" "connection"`,
+		`"ID" "apps"`, `"ID" "domain-settings"`, `"ID" "export"`,
+		`card-head`,
+	} {
+		if !strings.Contains(src, want) {
+			t.Errorf("domain_detail missing %q", want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNavIncludesHelp(t *testing.T) {
+	engine, err := New("test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("New: %v", err)
+	}
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	if err := engine.Page("dashboard").ExecuteTemplate(&buf, "nav", map[string]any{
+		"User": "admin", "Active": "domains", "IsGlobal": true,
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("execute nav: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(buf.String(), `href="/help"`) {
+		t.Error("nav is missing Help link")
+	}
+}

internal/web/view/view.go

@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ var pageFiles = map[string][]string{
 	"mail_queue":     {"templates/mail_queue.html", "templates/mail_queue_body.html"},
 	"system_log":     {"templates/system_log.html", "templates/system_log_body.html"},
 	"status":         {"templates/status.html", "templates/status_body.html"},
+	"help":           {"templates/help.html"},
 }
 
 // fragmentFiles maps a fragment name (also its {{define}} block name) to its
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ func New(version string) (*Engine, error) {
 		version:   version,
 	}
 	for name, files := range pageFiles {
-		patterns := append([]string{"templates/layout.html"}, files...)
+		patterns := append([]string{"templates/layout.html", "templates/help_drawer.html"}, files...)
 		tmpl, err := template.New("layout.html").Funcs(templateFuncs()).ParseFS(assetsFS, patterns...)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("parse template %s: %w", name, err)
@@ -104,6 +105,20 @@ func (e *Engine) SetDMARCEnabled(v bool) {
 // templateFuncs supplies helpers shared across page templates.
 func templateFuncs() template.FuncMap {
 	return template.FuncMap{
+		"dict": func(values ...any) (map[string]any, error) {
+			if len(values)%2 != 0 {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("dict: odd argument count")
+			}
+			m := make(map[string]any, len(values)/2)
+			for i := 0; i < len(values); i += 2 {
+				key, ok := values[i].(string)
+				if !ok {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("dict: key %d is not a string", i)
+				}
+				m[key] = values[i+1]
+			}
+			return m, nil
+		},
 		// back builds the map back_link reads; keeps href and label paired at
 		// the call site instead of repeating the <a class="back"> markup.
 		"back": func(href, label string) map[string]string {

internal/web/web.go

@@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ func (s *Server) Handler() http.Handler {
 
 	authed := http.NewServeMux()
 	authed.HandleFunc("GET /{$}", redirectHome)
+	authed.HandleFunc("GET /help", h.HandleHelp)
+
 	authed.HandleFunc("GET /status", h.HandleStatus)
 	authed.HandleFunc("GET /status/fragment", h.HandleStatusFragment)
 	authed.HandleFunc("POST /status/recheck", h.HandleStatusRecheck)