---
id: TASK-41
title: Build dynamic Shape Registry to replace hardcoded switch statements
status: To Do
assignee: []
created_date: '2026-02-18 20:06'
labels:
  - infrastructure
  - phase-0
  - ecosystem
milestone: m-1
dependencies: []
references:
  - rspace-online/lib/folk-shape.ts
  - rspace-online/website/canvas.html
  - rspace-online/lib/community-sync.ts
priority: high
---

## Description

<!-- SECTION:DESCRIPTION:BEGIN -->
Replace the 170-line switch statement in canvas.html's `createShapeElement()` and the 100-line type-switch in community-sync.ts's `#updateShapeElement()` with a dynamic ShapeRegistry.

Create lib/shape-registry.ts with:
- ShapeRegistration interface (tagName, elementClass, defaults, category, portDescriptors, eventDescriptors)
- ShapeRegistry class with register(), createElement(), updateElement(), listAll(), getByCategory()
- Each folk-*.ts gets a static `registration` property and static `fromData()` method

This is the prerequisite for all other ecosystem features (pipes, events, groups, nesting, embedding).
<!-- SECTION:DESCRIPTION:END -->

## Acceptance Criteria
<!-- AC:BEGIN -->
- [ ] #1 ShapeRegistry class created with register/createElement/updateElement methods
- [ ] #2 All 30+ folk-*.ts shapes have static registration property
- [ ] #3 canvas.html switch statement replaced with registry.createElement()
- [ ] #4 community-sync.ts type-switch replaced with registry.updateElement()
- [ ] #5 All existing shapes still create and sync correctly
- [ ] #6 No regression in shape creation or remote sync
<!-- AC:END -->
