#26: optional proposed-use-case field on propose-RFC + propose-PR

Adds an optional "What will you be using this for?" capture as a sibling
to the required justification on both propose surfaces, per roadmap #26.

- propose-RFC modal (ProposeModal): optional textarea below the required
  "Why is this RFC needed?" pitch, labeled "What will you be using this
  RFC for? (optional)".
- propose-PR modal (PRModal): optional textarea below the required
  description, labeled "What will you be using this change for?".
- Backend: ProposeBody / OpenPRBody gain an optional `proposed_use_case`
  (NULL/omitted accepted, no min, 8000-char cap matching the existing
  free-text bound). Persisted to a new canonical side table
  `proposed_use_cases` keyed by PR number, mirrored onto the cache
  columns added by migration 021. Returned on the proposal list/detail,
  RFC detail (by slug), and PR detail endpoints.
- Display: ProposalView, RFCView (main only), and PRView render the
  captured use case with a muted "left blank" treatment when NULL.
- migration 021: nullable `proposed_use_case` on cached_rfcs/cached_prs
  plus the reconcile-proof `proposed_use_cases` truth table.
- New vertical test_proposed_use_case_vertical: persists+returns when
  supplied, accepted as NULL/omitted, for both surfaces.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

frontend/src/api.js

@@ -166,11 +166,19 @@ export async function getProposal(prNumber) {
   return jsonOrThrow(await fetch(`/api/proposals/${prNumber}`))
 }
 
-export async function proposeRFC({ title, slug, pitch, tags }) {
+export async function proposeRFC({ title, slug, pitch, tags, proposedUseCase }) {
   const res = await fetch('/api/rfcs/propose', {
     method: 'POST',
     headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-    body: JSON.stringify({ title, slug, pitch, tags: tags || [] }),
+    // #26: proposed_use_case is optional; send null when blank so the
+    // backend treats it as "left blank".
+    body: JSON.stringify({
+      title,
+      slug,
+      pitch,
+      tags: tags || [],
+      proposed_use_case: proposedUseCase || null,
+    }),
   })
   return jsonOrThrow(res)
 }
@@ -492,13 +500,14 @@ export async function draftPRText(slug, branch) {
   return jsonOrThrow(res)
 }
 
-export async function openPR(slug, branch, { title, description }) {
+export async function openPR(slug, branch, { title, description, proposedUseCase }) {
   const res = await fetch(
     `/api/rfcs/${slug}/branches/${encodeURIComponent(branch)}/open-pr`,
     {
       method: 'POST',
       headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-      body: JSON.stringify({ title, description }),
+      // #26: proposed_use_case is optional; null when blank.
+      body: JSON.stringify({ title, description, proposed_use_case: proposedUseCase || null }),
     },
   )
   return jsonOrThrow(res)

frontend/src/components/PRModal.jsx

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import { EVENTS, track } from '../lib/analytics'
 export default function PRModal({ slug, branch, branchIsPrivate, onClose, onOpened }) {
   const [title, setTitle] = useState('')
   const [description, setDescription] = useState('')
+  // #26: optional ground-truth use case for this change.
+  const [useCase, setUseCase] = useState('')
   const [drafting, setDrafting] = useState(true)
   const [submitting, setSubmitting] = useState(false)
   const [confirmed, setConfirmed] = useState(!branchIsPrivate)
@@ -39,7 +41,11 @@ export default function PRModal({ slug, branch, branchIsPrivate, onClose, onOpen
     setSubmitting(true)
     setError(null)
     try {
-      const { pr_number } = await openPR(slug, branch, { title: title.trim(), description: description.trim() })
+      const { pr_number } = await openPR(slug, branch, {
+        title: title.trim(),
+        description: description.trim(),
+        proposedUseCase: useCase.trim() || null,
+      })
       // v0.15.0 — analytics: fire on §10.2 PR-open success. slug
       // and pr_number are the join keys; title/description stay out.
       track(EVENTS.PR_OPENED, { rfc_slug: slug, pr_number })
@@ -104,6 +110,20 @@ export default function PRModal({ slug, branch, branchIsPrivate, onClose, onOpen
             what was argued, what shifted, what the arbiters are asked
             to consider.
           </p>
+          <label className="modal-label">What will you be using this change for? (optional)</label>
+          <textarea
+            className="modal-textarea"
+            value={useCase}
+            onChange={e => setUseCase(e.target.value)}
+            placeholder="The concrete thing this change unlocks for you. Optional."
+            disabled={drafting || submitting}
+            rows={3}
+            maxLength={8000}
+          />
+          <p className="field-help">
+            #26: the concrete ground-truth use case — distinct from "why
+            it's needed" above. Leave blank if you'd rather not say.
+          </p>
           {error && <p className="field-error">{error}</p>}
         </div>
         <div className="modal-actions">

frontend/src/components/PRView.jsx

@@ -220,6 +220,17 @@ export default function PRView({ viewer }) {
               {pr.description && (
                 <p className="pr-description">{pr.description}</p>
               )}
+              {/* #26: the optional ground-truth use case for this change,
+                  captured when the PR was opened. Muted "left blank"
+                  treatment when none was supplied. */}
+              <div className="pr-use-case" style={{ margin: '6px 0', fontSize: 13 }}>
+                <span style={{ fontWeight: 700, color: '#888', textTransform: 'uppercase', letterSpacing: '0.05em', fontSize: 11 }}>
+                  Intended use case:
+                </span>{' '}
+                {pr.proposed_use_case
+                  ? <span style={{ whiteSpace: 'pre-wrap' }}>{pr.proposed_use_case}</span>
+                  : <span style={{ color: '#999', fontStyle: 'italic' }}>left blank</span>}
+              </div>
               {pr.capabilities?.can_edit_text && (
                 <button className="btn-link" onClick={startHeaderEdit}>Edit title & description</button>
               )}

frontend/src/components/ProposalView.jsx

@@ -163,6 +163,14 @@ export default function ProposalView({ viewer, onChange }) {
         className="entry-body"
         dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: marked.parse(data.entry?.body || '') }}
       />
+
+      {/* #26: the optional ground-truth use case the proposer supplied. */}
+      <h3 style={{ fontSize: 13, fontWeight: 700, color: '#888', textTransform: 'uppercase', letterSpacing: '0.05em', marginTop: 24 }}>
+        Intended use case
+      </h3>
+      {data.proposed_use_case
+        ? <div className="entry-body" dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: marked.parse(data.proposed_use_case) }} />
+        : <p style={{ color: '#999', fontStyle: 'italic' }}>Left blank by the proposer.</p>}
     </article>
   )
 }

frontend/src/components/ProposeModal.jsx

@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ export default function ProposeModal({ viewer, onClose, onSubmitted }) {
   const [slug, setSlug] = useState('')
   const [slugEdited, setSlugEdited] = useState(false)
   const [pitch, setPitch] = useState('')
+  // #26: optional ground-truth use case, sibling to the required pitch.
+  const [useCase, setUseCase] = useState('')
   const [tagInput, setTagInput] = useState('')
   const [tags, setTags] = useState([])
   const [submitting, setSubmitting] = useState(false)
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ export default function ProposeModal({ viewer, onClose, onSubmitted }) {
         slug,
         pitch: pitch.trim(),
         tags,
+        proposedUseCase: useCase.trim() || null,
       })
       // v0.15.0 — analytics: fire on the §9.1 propose-RFC submit.
       // Slug is a stable, low-cardinality identifier (kebab-case
@@ -105,6 +108,19 @@ export default function ProposeModal({ viewer, onClose, onSubmitted }) {
               required
             />
 
+            <label htmlFor="propose-use-case">What will you be using this RFC for? (optional)</label>
+            <textarea
+              id="propose-use-case"
+              value={useCase}
+              onChange={e => setUseCase(e.target.value)}
+              placeholder="The concrete thing you intend to build or do with this RFC. Optional, but it helps ground the work."
+              rows={3}
+            />
+            <p className="field-help">
+              The concrete ground-truth use case — distinct from "why it's
+              needed" above. Leave blank if you'd rather not say.
+            </p>
+
             <label htmlFor="propose-tag">Tags (optional)</label>
             <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 6, alignItems: 'center', marginBottom: 4 }}>
               <input

frontend/src/components/RFCView.jsx

@@ -669,6 +669,19 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
                 : 'main is read-only — PRs are the only path to change it. Open a branch to propose edits.'}
             </div>
           )}
+          {/* #26: the optional ground-truth use case captured at propose
+              time. Shown on the canonical (main) view; muted "left blank"
+              treatment when the proposer didn't supply one. */}
+          {branchParam === 'main' && (
+            <div className="rfc-use-case" style={{ margin: '8px 0 16px', padding: '10px 14px', borderLeft: '3px solid #e0e0e0', background: '#fafafa' }}>
+              <div style={{ fontSize: 11, fontWeight: 700, color: '#888', textTransform: 'uppercase', letterSpacing: '0.05em', marginBottom: 4 }}>
+                Intended use case
+              </div>
+              {entry.proposed_use_case
+                ? <div style={{ whiteSpace: 'pre-wrap' }}>{entry.proposed_use_case}</div>
+                : <span style={{ color: '#999', fontStyle: 'italic' }}>Left blank by the proposer.</span>}
+            </div>
+          )}
           {inDiscuss && branchParam !== 'main' && (
             <div className="discuss-mode-banner">
               Discuss mode on <strong>{branchParam}</strong> — chat freely;