feat(plex): poster collages on the genre + collection browse tiles

The Browse-by-genre tiles and the Collections browse tiles were flat color-hash
gradients. Give each a 2×2 collage of its top films' poster art, with the color hash
kept as the fallback so a group with no matching art (a show-only or empty collection)
never renders blank.

Backend: a shared `top_art_keys` windowed query returns, per key (a genre value or a
collection rating_key), the top few items' rating_keys — best-rated then newest, in one
query. Wired into the Discover genre tiles and the collections union endpoint; the client
renders the posters from the existing /api/plex/image/{key} endpoint, so no new image
plumbing. Frontend: a shared PosterTile component (collage + scrim + label, color-hash
fallback) replaces the two ad-hoc colored-tile implementations.

Verified live on localdev: genre tiles and collection tiles render real poster collages,
with the color fallback correctly kicking in for groups without art.

Gate: tsc/lint/knip/prettier clean, 423 vitest; backend ruff clean, 11 discover tests
(incl. a new genre-art assertion).

backend/app/plex/query.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Pure query fragments — every function returns SQLAlchemy expressions or a para
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 
-from sqlalchemy import and_, case, func, or_, type_coerce
+from sqlalchemy import and_, case, func, or_, select, type_coerce
 from sqlalchemy.dialects.postgresql import JSONB
 
 TS_CONFIG = "public.unaccent_simple"
@@ -41,6 +41,41 @@ def genres_col(model, lang: str):
     return model.genres
 
 
+def top_art_keys(
+    db, model, lib_ids: list[int], key_col, keys: list[str], *, per: int = 4, extra_conds=()
+) -> dict[str, list[str]]:
+    """For each value in `keys` (a member of the JSONB array `key_col` — e.g. a genre value or a
+    collection rating_key), the rating_keys of its top `per` items (best-rated, then most-recent) as
+    {key: [rating_key, …]}. ONE windowed query: unnest the array, rank within each key, take the top.
+    The caller renders posters from /api/plex/image/{rating_key}, so only the keys are returned."""
+    if not lib_ids or not keys:
+        return {}
+    k = func.jsonb_array_elements_text(key_col).label("k")
+    expanded = (
+        select(model.rating_key.label("rk"), model.rating.label("r"), model.added_at.label("a"), k)
+        .where(model.library_id.in_(lib_ids), func.jsonb_typeof(key_col) == "array", *extra_conds)
+        .subquery()
+    )
+    ranked = select(
+        expanded.c.rk,
+        expanded.c.k,
+        func.row_number()
+        .over(
+            partition_by=expanded.c.k,
+            order_by=(expanded.c.r.desc().nullslast(), expanded.c.a.desc().nullslast()),
+        )
+        .label("rn"),
+    ).subquery()
+    out: dict[str, list[str]] = {}
+    for rk, key in db.execute(
+        select(ranked.c.rk, ranked.c.k)
+        .where(ranked.c.k.in_(keys), ranked.c.rn <= per)
+        .order_by(ranked.c.k, ranked.c.rn)
+    ).all():
+        out.setdefault(key, []).append(rk)
+    return out
+
+
 def vector_col(model, lang: str):
     # RANKING vector. In HU we rank by the Hungarian vector; a row matched only via its English vector
     # (see `vector_match`) gets rank 0 and sorts last, which is the intended HU-first ordering.

backend/app/routes/plex/collections.py

@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@ from app.auth import admin_user, current_user
 from app.db import get_db
 from app.models import (
     PlexCollection,
+    PlexItem,
     PlexLibrary,
     User,
 )
 from app.plex import sync as plex_sync
 from app.plex.client import PlexClient, PlexError, PlexNotConfigured
 from app.plex.lookups import by_rating_key
-from app.plex.query import like_escape
+from app.plex.query import like_escape, top_art_keys
+from app.routes.plex._shared import _content_libs
 
 router = APIRouter(prefix="/api/plex", tags=["plex"])
 
@@ -93,7 +95,11 @@ def collections(
             func.lower(PlexCollection.title),
         )
     ).scalars().all()
-    return {"collections": [_collection_card(c) for c in rows]}
+    # A 2×2 poster collage per tile: the top movies in each collection (color hash is the client
+    # fallback for show-only / empty collections). One windowed query across the content movie libs.
+    movie_ids, _show_ids = _content_libs(db)
+    art = top_art_keys(db, PlexItem, movie_ids, PlexItem.collection_keys, [c.rating_key for c in rows])
+    return {"collections": [{**_collection_card(c), "art": art.get(c.rating_key, [])} for c in rows]}
 
 
 def _editable_collection_or_403(db: Session, rating_key: str) -> PlexCollection:

backend/app/routes/plex/discover.py

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from app.plex.query import (
     apply_show_state_filter,
     genres_col,
     meta_filter_conds,
+    top_art_keys,
 )
 from app.plex.tmdb import resolve_recs
 from app.routes.plex._shared import _content_libs, _norm_lang
@@ -199,7 +200,16 @@ def _genre_tiles(
         ).all():
             counts[g] = counts.get(g, 0) + c
     top = sorted(counts.items(), key=lambda kv: (-kv[1], kv[0]))[:GENRE_TILES]
-    return [{"value": g, "count": c} for g, c in top]
+    # A 2×2 poster collage per tile: the top movies in that genre (color hash is the client fallback).
+    art = top_art_keys(
+        db,
+        PlexItem,
+        movie_ids,
+        genres_col(PlexItem, lang),
+        [g for g, _ in top],
+        extra_conds=(PlexItem.kind == "movie", *meta_filter_conds(PlexItem, p, lang)),
+    )
+    return [{"value": g, "count": c, "art": art.get(g, [])} for g, c in top]
 
 
 def _because_you_watched(

backend/tests/test_plex_discover.py

@@ -103,6 +103,16 @@ def test_discover_shape_and_recently_added_order(db, monkeypatch):
     assert genres.get("Drama") == 2 and genres.get("Comedy") == 1
 
 
+def test_genre_tiles_carry_poster_art(db, monkeypatch):
+    # Each genre tile carries up to 4 poster rating_keys for the 2×2 collage (top_art_keys): the top
+    # movies in that genre, best-rated then newest. No ratings here → newest-first; shows are excluded.
+    user = _seed(db)
+    d = _get(db, user, monkeypatch, "/api/plex/discover?scope=both").json()
+    art = {g["value"]: g["art"] for g in d["genres"]}
+    assert art["Drama"] == ["m1", "m3"]  # both Drama movies, m1 (newer) first
+    assert art["Comedy"] == ["m2"]
+
+
 def test_continue_watching_movies_and_shows(db, monkeypatch):
     user = _seed(db)
     d = _get(db, user, monkeypatch, "/api/plex/discover?scope=both").json()

frontend/src/components/PlexDiscover.dom.test.tsx

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ const fullPayload = {
   scope: "both",
   continue_watching: [card("cw1", "Resume Me")],
   recently_added: [card("ra1", "Just Added")],
-  genres: [{ value: "Drama", count: 12 }],
+  genres: [{ value: "Drama", count: 12, art: [] }],
   because_you_watched: { anchor: { id: "a1", title: "Anchor" }, items: [card("bw1", "Rec One")] },
 };
 

frontend/src/components/PlexDiscover.tsx

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { RotateCcw } from "lucide-react";
 import { qk } from "../lib/queryKeys";
 import { api, type PlexCard, type PlexDiscover as PlexDiscoverData } from "../lib/api";
-import { hueOf, hueTileGradient } from "../lib/hueTile";
+import PosterTile from "./PosterTile";
 import { plexLang } from "../i18n";
 import { toggleWatchState } from "../lib/plexWatch";
 import { usePlex } from "./PlexProvider";
@@ -199,21 +199,16 @@ export default function PlexDiscover({
         <section className="mb-5">
           <h2 className="mb-3 text-sm font-semibold">{t("plex.discover.byGenre")}</h2>
           <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-3 sm:grid-cols-3 md:grid-cols-4 lg:grid-cols-6">
-            {d.genres.map((g) => {
+            {d.genres.map((g) => (
-              const hue = hueOf(g.value);
+              <PosterTile
-              return (
+                key={g.value}
-                <button
+                title={g.value}
-                  key={g.value}
+                art={g.art}
-                  type="button"
+                topRight={<span className="text-2xs text-white/80 drop-shadow">{g.count}</span>}
-                  onClick={() => onGenre(g.value)}
+                onClick={() => onGenre(g.value)}
-                  className="glass-hover relative flex h-20 items-end overflow-hidden rounded-xl p-3 text-left transition"
+                className="h-20"
-                  style={{ background: hueTileGradient(hue) }}
+              />
-                >
+            ))}
-                  <span className="text-sm font-semibold text-white drop-shadow">{g.value}</span>
-                  <span className="absolute right-2 top-2 text-2xs text-white/70">{g.count}</span>
-                </button>
-              );
-            })}
           </div>
         </section>
       )}

frontend/src/components/PosterTile.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { type ReactNode } from "react";
+import { hueOf, hueTileGradient } from "../lib/hueTile";
+
+// A browse tile: a 2×2 collage of the group's top poster art (served from /api/plex/image/{key}) under
+// a dark scrim with the label, falling back to a color hash when the group has no art — so a tile never
+// renders blank. Shared by the Discover genre tiles and the Playlist/Collection browse tiles.
+export default function PosterTile({
+  title,
+  subtitle,
+  topRight,
+  art,
+  onClick,
+  className,
+}: {
+  title: string;
+  subtitle?: ReactNode; // a bottom sub-line under the title (e.g. "12 items")
+  topRight?: ReactNode; // top-right corner content (a count, or an icon)
+  art?: string[]; // up to 4 poster rating_keys; fewer/none falls back to the color hash
+  onClick: () => void;
+  className?: string; // caller sets the height (e.g. "h-20" / "h-28")
+}) {
+  const posters = (art ?? []).slice(0, 4);
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      onClick={onClick}
+      title={title}
+      className={`glass-hover group relative flex flex-col justify-end overflow-hidden rounded-xl text-left transition ${className ?? ""}`}
+      style={posters.length === 0 ? { background: hueTileGradient(hueOf(title)) } : undefined}
+    >
+      {posters.length > 0 && (
+        <div className="absolute inset-0 grid grid-cols-2 grid-rows-2">
+          {Array.from({ length: 4 }).map((_, i) =>
+            posters[i] ? (
+              <img
+                key={i}
+                src={`/api/plex/image/${posters[i]}`}
+                alt=""
+                loading="lazy"
+                className="h-full w-full object-cover"
+              />
+            ) : (
+              <div key={i} style={{ background: hueTileGradient(hueOf(title + i)) }} />
+            ),
+          )}
+        </div>
+      )}
+      <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/75 via-black/10 to-transparent" />
+      {/* After the scrim in DOM order → paints above it without a z-index token. */}
+      {topRight != null && <span className="absolute right-2 top-2">{topRight}</span>}
+      <div className="relative p-3">
+        <div className="line-clamp-2 text-sm font-semibold text-white drop-shadow">{title}</div>
+        {subtitle != null && <div className="text-2xs text-white/80">{subtitle}</div>}
+      </div>
+    </button>
+  );
+}

frontend/src/components/plexBrowseLists.tsx

@@ -1,45 +1,19 @@
-import { useState, type ReactNode } from "react";
+import { useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { Layers, ListMusic } from "lucide-react";
 import { qk } from "../lib/queryKeys";
 import { api } from "../lib/api";
-import { hueOf, hueTileGradient } from "../lib/hueTile";
 import { useDebounced } from "../lib/useDebounced";
 import { LoadingState, StateMessage } from "./QueryState";
+import PosterTile from "./PosterTile";
 
 // The Playlist / Collection browse surfaces reached from the header pill (Piece 2): a grid of tiles,
 // each a way INTO that area — a playlist tile opens the playlist view, a collection tile filters the
 // title grid by that collection. Both reuse the existing list endpoints (plexPlaylists / plexCollections
-// union), so this is a pure front-end surface. Tiles are coloured by a title hash (no per-item art to
+// union), so this is a pure front-end surface. Collection tiles show a poster collage of their top
-// fetch/proxy), matching the Discover genre tiles.
+// films (PosterTile), falling back to a title-hash colour; playlists have no server art yet, so they
-
+// take the colour fallback.
-function Tile({
-  title,
-  count,
-  icon,
-  onClick,
-}: {
-  title: string;
-  count: ReactNode;
-  icon: ReactNode;
-  onClick: () => void;
-}) {
-  const hue = hueOf(title);
-  return (
-    <button
-      type="button"
-      onClick={onClick}
-      title={title}
-      className="glass-hover group relative flex h-28 flex-col justify-end overflow-hidden rounded-xl p-3 text-left transition"
-      style={{ background: hueTileGradient(hue) }}
-    >
-      <span className="absolute right-2 top-2 text-white/70">{icon}</span>
-      <span className="line-clamp-2 text-sm font-semibold text-white drop-shadow">{title}</span>
-      <span className="text-2xs text-white/70">{count}</span>
-    </button>
-  );
-}
 
 const GRID = "grid grid-cols-2 gap-3 sm:grid-cols-3 md:grid-cols-4 lg:grid-cols-5 xl:grid-cols-6";
 
@@ -63,12 +37,13 @@ export function PlexPlaylistsBrowse({ onOpen }: { onOpen: (id: number) => void }
   return (
     <div className={GRID}>
       {playlists.map((p) => (
-        <Tile
+        <PosterTile
           key={p.id}
           title={p.title}
-          count={t("plex.browse.items", { count: p.item_count })}
+          subtitle={t("plex.browse.items", { count: p.item_count })}
-          icon={<ListMusic className="h-4 w-4" />}
+          topRight={<ListMusic className="h-4 w-4 text-white/80 drop-shadow" />}
           onClick={() => onOpen(p.id)}
+          className="h-28"
         />
       ))}
     </div>
@@ -108,12 +83,16 @@ export function PlexCollectionsBrowse({ onPick }: { onPick: (id: string, title:
       ) : (
         <div className={GRID}>
           {collections.map((c) => (
-            <Tile
+            <PosterTile
               key={c.id}
               title={c.title}
-              count={c.child_count != null ? t("plex.browse.items", { count: c.child_count }) : ""}
+              art={c.art}
-              icon={<Layers className="h-4 w-4" />}
+              subtitle={
+                c.child_count != null ? t("plex.browse.items", { count: c.child_count }) : undefined
+              }
+              topRight={<Layers className="h-4 w-4 text-white/80 drop-shadow" />}
               onClick={() => onPick(c.id, c.title)}
+              className="h-28"
             />
           ))}
         </div>

frontend/src/lib/api/plex.ts

@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ export interface PlexCollection {
   source?: string;
   editable: boolean;
   can_edit?: boolean; // effective: admin-marked editable AND a plain (non-smart/non-auto) collection
+  art?: string[]; // up to 4 poster rating_keys for the browse-tile collage (browse union only)
 }
 export interface PlexPlaylist {
   id: number;
@@ -342,7 +343,8 @@ export interface PlexDiscover {
   scope: string;
   continue_watching: PlexCard[];
   recently_added: PlexCard[];
-  genres: { value: string; count: number }[]; // top genres → tap a tile to filter the grid
+  // top genres → tap a tile to filter the grid; `art` = up to 4 poster rating_keys for the collage
+  genres: { value: string; count: number; art: string[] }[];
   because_you_watched: { anchor: { id: string; title: string }; items: PlexCard[] } | null;
 }