ux(about): drop manual update-check panel for an inline badge

The dedicated "Updates" card carried a "Check for updates" button,
a last-checked timestamp, and three result paragraphs covering
up-to-date / newer-available / unknown. All of it surfaced an answer
to one question — "is there a newer release?" — and the answer was
overwhelmingly "no, you're current". The card was three full rem of
chrome for that signal.

The 24 h auto-check still runs on mount. When it returns
`newer_available`, an ArrowUpCircle badge appears next to the
version line; hover/tap exposes the latest tag via the title
attribute. The link points at the release HTML URL when present.
No bouncing, no badge counter, no manual recheck button.

The settings/about route now reads as a tight identity card +
external links list, matching how often the surface actually
gets used.

src/components/settings/__tests__/about-section-update-badge.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { renderToStaticMarkup } from "react-dom/server";
+import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+
+import { I18nProvider } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
+import { AboutSection } from "../about-section";
+
+/**
+ * v1.4.36 W4f — AboutSection update-badge contract.
+ *
+ * The dedicated "Updates" card with the manual "Check for updates"
+ * button is gone. The 24 h auto-check still runs on mount and
+ * surfaces a subtle ArrowUpCircle badge next to the version line
+ * ONLY when the check returns `{ status: "newer_available", ... }`.
+ *
+ * These SSR smoke tests pin the badge presence by seeding the
+ * react-query cache with a fake version payload (so the version
+ * line paints synchronously) and exercising the path that decides
+ * whether the badge mounts. The badge itself owns its own
+ * `useState`, so its presence is gated on the runCheck branch —
+ * SSR renders the initial `null` state. The actual badge render
+ * is therefore covered by the runtime store-set + re-render in
+ * future Playwright surfaces; here we pin the *baseline* contract
+ * that the version line + Sources/docs panel still render and
+ * the legacy manual-check chrome is gone.
+ */
+
+function makeClient() {
+  const client = new QueryClient({
+    defaultOptions: {
+      queries: {
+        retry: false,
+        staleTime: Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY,
+        refetchOnMount: false,
+      },
+    },
+  });
+  // Seed the version query so the section paints inline rather than
+  // rendering its loader skeleton.
+  client.setQueryData(["api", "version"], {
+    version: "1.4.36",
+    buildSha: "abc1234",
+    builtAt: "2026-05-17T08:00:00.000Z",
+    license: "AGPL-3.0",
+    repository: "https://github.com/MBombeck/HealthLog",
+    changelog: "https://github.com/MBombeck/HealthLog/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md",
+    docs: "https://github.com/MBombeck/HealthLog/tree/main/docs",
+  });
+  return client;
+}
+
+function render(node: React.ReactNode, locale: "en" | "de" = "en") {
+  const client = makeClient();
+  return renderToStaticMarkup(
+    <I18nProvider initialLocale={locale}>
+      <QueryClientProvider client={client}>{node}</QueryClientProvider>
+    </I18nProvider>,
+  );
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+  // Fail the auto-check fetch so the badge stays in its initial
+  // (no-result) state. This lets the SSR smoke tests assert the
+  // "no badge" baseline; the badge-visible branch is unit-tested
+  // separately by toggling `updateResult` via a forced re-render
+  // in the future Playwright + RTL suite.
+  vi.stubGlobal(
+    "fetch",
+    vi.fn(async () => {
+      throw new Error("network disabled in tests");
+    }),
+  );
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+});
+
+describe("<AboutSection> — update badge", () => {
+  it("renders the version line without a badge by default", () => {
+    const html = render(<AboutSection />);
+    expect(html).toContain("v1.4.36");
+    // No badge — ArrowUpCircle's lucide class name is the unique signal.
+    expect(html).not.toContain("lucide-arrow-up-circle");
+  });
+
+  it("drops the manual 'Check for updates' button surface entirely", () => {
+    const html = render(<AboutSection />);
+    // Pre-v1.4.36 the section carried a "Check for updates" CTA
+    // alongside a last-checked timestamp. Both are now gone — only
+    // the 24 h auto-check stays, surfacing through the badge above.
+    expect(html).not.toContain(">Check for updates<");
+    expect(html).not.toContain(">Check now<");
+    expect(html).not.toContain("last-checked-iso");
+  });
+
+  it("preserves the Sources & docs panel", () => {
+    const html = render(<AboutSection />);
+    expect(html).toContain("Sources &amp; docs");
+  });
+});

src/components/settings/__tests__/sections.test.tsx

@@ -132,16 +132,17 @@ describe("settings sections — SSR smoke", () => {
     expect(html).not.toContain("onboarding.tour.");
   });
 
-  it("<AboutSection> renders version + license + check-for-updates button", () => {
+  it("<AboutSection> renders version + license + sources/docs cards (no Updates panel)", () => {
     const html = render(<AboutSection />);
     expect(html).toContain("About");
-    // The new about.* keys resolve. v1.4.3 split the page into three
-    // titled cards (HealthLog identity, Sources & docs, Updates) and
-    // shortened the button label from "Check for updates" to "Check now"
-    // because the surrounding heading already names the section.
-    expect(html).toContain("Updates");
+    // v1.4.36 W4f — the dedicated "Updates" card with its manual
+    // "Check now" button is gone. The 24 h auto-check still runs and
+    // surfaces a subtle ArrowUpCircle badge next to the version line
+    // when a newer release is available. The Sources & docs card
+    // stays put.
     expect(html).toContain("Sources &amp; docs");
-    expect(html).toContain("Check now");
+    expect(html).not.toContain(">Check now<");
+    expect(html).not.toContain(">Check for updates<");
     expect(html).not.toContain("settings.about.");
   });
 
@@ -198,11 +199,12 @@ describe("settings sections — SSR smoke", () => {
 
   it("<AboutSection> resolves about.* keys in German", () => {
     const html = render(<AboutSection />, "de");
-    // v1.4.3: button label shortened to "Jetzt prüfen" because the
-    // section heading "Updates" already provides context.
-    expect(html).toContain("Updates");
-    expect(html).toContain("Jetzt prüfen");
+    // v1.4.36 W4f — "Updates" panel + "Jetzt prüfen" button removed;
+    // the surviving German copy is the section title + the Sources
+    // & docs heading + the version line.
+    expect(html).toContain("Über");
     expect(html).toContain("Quellen &amp; Dokumentation");
+    expect(html).not.toContain(">Jetzt prüfen<");
   });
 
   it("<ThresholdsSection> renders heading and embeds both editors (v1.4.34 IW-D merge)", () => {

src/components/settings/about-section.tsx

@@ -3,15 +3,13 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import {
+  ArrowUpCircle,
   BookOpen,
-  CheckCircle2,
   ExternalLink,
   GitBranch,
   Info,
   Loader2,
-  RefreshCw,
   Sparkles,
-  XCircle,
 } from "lucide-react";
 
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
@@ -85,16 +83,15 @@ export function AboutSection() {
     staleTime: Infinity,
   });
 
-  const [checking, setChecking] = useState(false);
+  // v1.4.36 W4f — the explicit "Check for updates" button is gone;
+  // only the 24 h auto-check stays. When the auto-check reports
+  // `newer_available`, a subtle upward-arrow badge appears next to
+  // the version line with the latest tag in its tooltip.
   const [updateResult, setUpdateResult] = useState<CheckUpdatesResult | null>(
     null,
   );
-  const [lastCheckedISO, setLastCheckedISO] = useState<string | null>(() =>
-    readLastCheckedISO(),
-  );
 
   async function runCheck(): Promise<void> {
-    setChecking(true);
     try {
       const res = await fetch("/api/version/check-updates");
       if (!res.ok) {
@@ -109,9 +106,7 @@ export function AboutSection() {
       const result = json.data as CheckUpdatesResult;
       setUpdateResult(result);
       if (result.status !== "unknown") {
-        const iso = new Date().toISOString();
-        writeLastCheckedISO(iso);
-        setLastCheckedISO(iso);
+        writeLastCheckedISO(new Date().toISOString());
       }
     } catch {
       setUpdateResult({
@@ -119,14 +114,12 @@ export function AboutSection() {
         current: version?.version ?? "",
         reason: "network_error",
       });
-    } finally {
-      setChecking(false);
     }
   }
 
   // Auto-check on mount when the last successful check is older than the
-  // refresh interval (or has never run). Keeps the UI populated without
-  // requiring a click — but won't spam GitHub on every navigation.
+  // refresh interval (or has never run). Keeps the badge fresh without a
+  // click — but won't spam GitHub on every navigation.
   // The setState inside runCheck() is intentional: the check is the
   // whole point of the effect, and the staleness gate prevents a
   // cascading-render loop because the timestamp resets after the run.
@@ -184,6 +177,43 @@ export function AboutSection() {
                 {t("settings.about.version")}
               </dt>
               <dd className="font-mono font-medium">v{version.version}</dd>
+              {/* v1.4.36 W4f — subtle upward-arrow badge that
+                  appears only when the 24 h auto-check reports a
+                  newer release. Hover/tap reveals the latest tag via
+                  the title attribute (read by screen readers + as a
+                  native tooltip on desktop, and announced inline as
+                  the link copy on mobile). No bouncing, no badge
+                  counter, no manual recheck button — the badge is
+                  the entire surface. */}
+              {updateResult?.status === "newer_available" &&
+                (updateResult.html_url ? (
+                  <a
+                    href={updateResult.html_url}
+                    target="_blank"
+                    rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                    aria-label={t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
+                      tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
+                    })}
+                    title={t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
+                      tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
+                    })}
+                    className="text-dracula-purple inline-flex items-baseline hover:opacity-80"
+                  >
+                    <ArrowUpCircle className="h-4 w-4 self-center" />
+                  </a>
+                ) : (
+                  <span
+                    aria-label={t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
+                      tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
+                    })}
+                    title={t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
+                      tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
+                    })}
+                    className="text-dracula-purple inline-flex items-baseline"
+                  >
+                    <ArrowUpCircle className="h-4 w-4 self-center" />
+                  </span>
+                ))}
             </div>
 
             <div className="flex items-baseline gap-2">
@@ -262,91 +292,16 @@ export function AboutSection() {
         </div>
       )}
 
-      {/* Updates — proper heading + last-check timestamp + manual button
-          that proxies through `/api/version/check-updates`. The v1.4.2
-          version called `api.github.com` directly from the browser, which
-          the production CSP blocked silently — that's why "nothing
-          happened" when the user clicked the button. */}
-      {version && (
-        <div className="bg-card border-border rounded-xl border p-6">
-          <div className="mb-4 flex items-center gap-2">
-            <RefreshCw className="text-primary h-5 w-5" />
-            <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">
-              {t("settings.about.updatesHeading")}
-            </h2>
-          </div>
-
-          <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-3">
-            <Button
-              type="button"
-              variant="outline"
-              onClick={runCheck}
-              disabled={checking}
-            >
-              {checking ? (
-                <Loader2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4 animate-spin motion-reduce:animate-none" />
-              ) : (
-                <RefreshCw className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-              )}
-              {checking
-                ? t("settings.about.checking")
-                : t("settings.about.checkUpdates")}
-            </Button>
-
-            <p className="text-muted-foreground text-xs">
-              {lastCheckedISO
-                ? t("settings.about.lastChecked", {
-                    time: fmt.dateTime(lastCheckedISO),
-                  })
-                : t("settings.about.lastCheckedNever")}
-            </p>
-          </div>
-
-          {updateResult?.status === "up_to_date" && (
-            <p
-              role="status"
-              className="text-dracula-green mt-3 flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm"
-            >
-              <CheckCircle2 className="h-4 w-4" />
-              {t("settings.about.upToDate")}
-            </p>
-          )}
-
-          {updateResult?.status === "newer_available" && (
-            <p role="status" className="mt-3 flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm">
-              <Sparkles className="text-dracula-purple h-4 w-4" />
-              {updateResult.html_url ? (
-                <a
-                  href={updateResult.html_url}
-                  target="_blank"
-                  rel="noopener noreferrer"
-                  className="text-primary underline-offset-2 hover:underline"
-                >
-                  {t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
-                    tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
-                  })}
-                </a>
-              ) : (
-                <span>
-                  {t("settings.about.newerAvailable", {
-                    tag: updateResult.latest_tag,
-                  })}
-                </span>
-              )}
-            </p>
-          )}
-
-          {updateResult?.status === "unknown" && (
-            <p
-              role="alert"
-              className="text-destructive mt-3 flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm"
-            >
-              <XCircle className="h-4 w-4" />
-              {t("settings.about.checkFailed")}
-            </p>
-          )}
-        </div>
-      )}
+      {/* v1.4.36 W4f — the dedicated "Updates" card with the
+          manual "Check for updates" button is gone. The 24 h auto-
+          check still runs on mount and writes its result into the
+          local `updateResult` state; the consequence renders as the
+          subtle upward-arrow badge next to the version line above
+          rather than as a separate panel. The card-level last-check
+          timestamp, success / failure states, and the explicit
+          button were collectively never the point of the surface —
+          the only signal users ever cared about was "is a newer
+          release out?", and the badge answers that with no clicks. */}
     </section>
   );
 }