# User Guide

## Scope
This guide explains how to navigate and use the template interface as an end user.

## How To Use This File
1. Use this guide for daily usage and feature orientation.
2. If behavior differs from this guide, log a documentation update request.

## What This Template Does
Provides an admin-style interface with sidebar navigation, topbar tools, dynamic content loading, and responsive layout behavior.

## Basic Navigation
1. Use the left sidebar to switch pages.
2. Navigation updates content without full page refresh.
3. Use browser Back and Forward to revisit prior pages.
4. Use topbar breadcrumb to confirm current page context.

## Main UI Features
1. Sidebar collapse and expand:
   - Desktop: use topbar menu button.
   - Mobile: menu opens drawer; backdrop closes it.
2. Fullscreen toggle from topbar expand button.
3. Notifications and messages (demo counters).
4. Toast notifications for action feedback.
5. Progress bar and spinner for loading states.
6. Preferences and feature toggles:
   - Theme mode supports light, dark, and auto.
   - Debug and footer timing can be shown or hidden based on runtime settings.
   - User-specific preferences are stored in the browser.
   - System and application defaults are controlled on the server.

## Available Pages
1. Dashboard (`mainContent`): stats, tasks, transactions, system health.
2. Analytics (`content2`): KPI cards, chart, traffic sources, top pages.
3. Online AdminLTE (`online`): external reference link.

## Common Actions
1. Dashboard Export button triggers simulated export + toast.
2. Analytics Full Report button triggers simulated report generation + toast.
3. Footer Docs opens the documentation portal directly.
4. Footer Support opens Admin Tools.
5. Footer render timing appears automatically in debug mode, and can also be enabled with APP_SHOW_RENDER_TIME.
6. Settings page lets you manage user preferences, application defaults, and system runtime values.

## Known Limitations
1. Many values are demo data and not backed by persistent storage.
2. Some labels are static and may not reflect real-time business data.