Hover Action Focus Navigation

Principle

Treat pointer presence, DOM focus, and keyboard-visible focus as different states:

• :hover reveals contextual actions while the pointer is over the owner.
• :focus is browser state, not proof that a focus indicator should remain visible; mouse clicks commonly leave it behind.
• :focus-visible represents keyboard-style navigation and should reveal the relevant action and focus treatment.

Do not use broad :focus-within to keep a hover action visible. It also matches ordinary mouse-click focus, which makes the action appear stuck after the pointer leaves.

Ownership

Give each focus state a precise owner:

• When the primary card or row is :focus-visible, reveal its secondary action.
• When the secondary action itself is :focus-visible, keep that action visible.
• When either control has only ordinary mouse focus, let visibility return to the hover rule.
• Pressing a secondary action must not trigger the primary surface's active state.

Prefer direct-child selectors, peer, or narrowly scoped :has() rules over container-wide focus propagation. This prevents one nested control from lighting up unrelated parent states.

Expected State Model

Input state	Secondary action	Primary active feedback
Pointer over owner	Visible	No
Pointer presses primary control	Visible	Yes
Pointer presses secondary action	Visible	No
Pointer leaves after mouse click	Hidden	No
Keyboard focuses primary control	Visible	No
Keyboard focuses secondary action	Visible	No

Verification

Test real input paths separately:

1. Click the primary control, move the pointer away, and confirm the action hides.
2. Click the secondary action, move the pointer away, and confirm it hides despite retained DOM focus.
3. Navigate with Tab and confirm both primary and secondary :focus-visible states reveal the action.
4. Confirm the primary focus outline follows the owner's visual geometry, not an unrounded inner button.

The invariant is simple: mouse focus must not create persistent hover UI; keyboard focus-visible must remain discoverable.