Add RFC for Holistic Gesture Controller

[Copilot]

Background

deck.gl's controller architecture lacks a unified gesture interaction model. Current controllers (MapController, OrbitController, etc.) handle input inconsistently, provide limited multi-modal interaction support, and have no formal contract defining the gesture-to-view-state transformation pipeline. This RFC establishes a comprehensive framework for human-to-view-state interactions.

Change List

• RFC Document (dev-docs/RFCs/proposals/holistic-gesture-controller-rfc.md): 877-line proposal defining holistic gesture controller architecture

• Gesture Taxonomy: Classifies all user input (pan, rotate, zoom, pitch, bearing, composite gestures, auxiliary interactions)

• API Contracts: TypeScript interfaces for:

  • GestureRecognizer: Pluggable gesture detection with priority and coexistence rules
  • HolisticController: Fine-grained per-gesture configuration (input device, behavior, constraints)
  • ViewStateTransformer: Gesture-to-view-state mapping with interpolation and constraint application

• Gesture Recognition Pipeline: 8-stage transformation from raw input events to constrained view state with normalization, recognition, filtering, transformation, constraint application, and animation

• Use Cases: 5 detailed scenarios with code examples:

  • Standard desktop map navigation
  • Touch-first mobile experience
  • 3D first-person scene exploration
  • Accessibility-first design (WCAG 2.1 AA)
  • Custom gesture recognizers

• Implementation Strategy: Three-phase rollout with backward compatibility, migration path, and deprecation timeline

• Technical Specifications: Performance targets (<16ms latency), browser compatibility matrix, coordinate system transformations, state management patterns, testing strategy

• Comparison Matrix: Feature analysis vs. Mapbox GL JS, Google Maps, Leaflet

Original prompt

Open an rfc for a showcase for holistic gestures of a human to view state interaction within deckgl as a Controller option and a clearly thought out contract

---

💡 You can make Copilot smarter by setting up custom instructions, customizing its development environment and configuring Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. Learn more Copilot coding agent tips in the docs.