feat(benchmark): enhance benchmark documentation and add emulated run details

fix(benchmark): update deterministic checks and improve measurement accuracy

fix(service): refine candidate recording and enhance balance assignment logic

test(service): add test for balance recording with preference assignment

docs/benchmark/README.md

@@ -16,11 +16,14 @@ stage and incumbent are retained.
   battery level.
 - Use a cool phone, unplugged, with other applications closed. Record whether
   the device became warm or throttled during the run.
-- Run the benchmark three times after one warm-up run. Do not interact with
+- Tap **Run benchmark** once. It first runs every scenario as an unreported
-  the page while a run is active.
+  warm-up, then records three measured repetitions per scenario. Do not interact
-- Representative and loaded scenarios should normally complete below five
+  with the page while a run is active. The first measured result is the
-  seconds; every scenario must return within ten seconds. These are release
+  determinism baseline; later repetitions report whether they match it.
-  measurements, not CI timing assertions.
+- The original target was below five seconds for representative and loaded
+  scenarios, with a ten-second planning ceiling for every scenario. The owner
+  accepted six to seven seconds for the loaded scenario on 2026-09-25. These
+  are release measurements, not CI timing assertions.
 - Keep the copied report unchanged, including any incomplete outcomes or
   hardware limitations. No mobile-device measurement is claimed by the source
   tree until a human records it here.
@@ -29,3 +32,43 @@ The browser page uses the same `createPlanningCalculation(request)` context as
 the calendar and adds no solver or backend dependency. The ten-second release
 ceiling applies to planning latency; trace delivery is reported separately and
 cannot replace a valid planning outcome.
+
+## Hardware status
+
+No reference-phone run has been recorded. The project owner elected to close
+the release tickets on 2026-09-25 using the emulated run below, accepting its
+six-to-seven-second loaded planning time and the observed post-result trace UI
+pause. This is an explicit release exception, not a reference-phone measurement
+or proof of physical-device responsiveness.
+
+## Emulated browser run — 2026-09-25
+
+Chromium 149.0.7827.55 on an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D (x86_64), headless at
+412×915 pixels, device scale 2.625, touch enabled, and 4× CPU throttling.
+One full warm-up was excluded, followed by three measured repetitions. All
+five scenarios returned within ten seconds of planning time and complete
+results matched across repetitions. The loaded year took 5.74–6.17 seconds,
+above the five-second target. A 100 ms main-thread timer observed a maximum
+extra delay of 5,950.9 ms. Worker event timestamps place the four loaded-year
+pauses of 4.0–6.0 seconds after their planning results, around delivery of
+full trace artifacts. This desktop emulation does not establish reference-phone
+performance or responsiveness.
+
+```tsv
+scenario	repetition	preparation_ms	planning_ms	trace_delivery_ms	wall_ms	outcome	last_stage	placements	deterministic	trace_status	trace_candidates
+representative year	1	0.0	443.7	624.7	1069.1	Plan	dates	30	baseline	ready	29451
+representative year	2	0.1	490.0	609.3	1099.4	Plan	dates	30	yes	ready	29451
+representative year	3	0.1	465.5	614.2	1079.8	Plan	dates	30	yes	ready	29451
+typed obligations	1	0.0	157.0	261.2	418.2	Plan	dates	10	baseline	ready	13103
+typed obligations	2	0.0	162.6	255.6	418.2	Plan	dates	10	yes	ready	13103
+typed obligations	3	0.0	163.4	258.2	421.6	Plan	dates	10	yes	ready	13103
+chained earned entitlements	1	0.0	45.3	1.0	47.0	Plan	dates	3	baseline	ready	27
+chained earned entitlements	2	0.1	44.5	0.9	45.5	Plan	dates	3	yes	ready	27
+chained earned entitlements	3	0.1	44.4	0.8	45.4	Plan	dates	3	yes	ready	27
+deliberate conflict	1	0.0	92.8	0.9	93.8	PlanningConflict		0	baseline	ready	366
+deliberate conflict	2	0.0	44.7	0.2	44.9	PlanningConflict		0	yes	ready	366
+deliberate conflict	3	0.0	43.5	0.6	44.1	PlanningConflict		0	yes	ready	366
+loaded year	1	0.3	5901.5	5677.7	11581.0	Plan	dates	144	baseline	ready	865117
+loaded year	2	0.8	6167.5	7582.4	13752.4	Plan	dates	144	yes	ready	865117
+loaded year	3	0.6	5738.3	6219.5	11962.5	Plan	dates	144	yes	ready	865117
+```

src/app/benchmark/leave-planner-benchmark.spec.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { vi } from 'vitest';
+import { createPlanningCalculation } from '../services/leave-planner.service';
 import {
 	benchmarkReport,
 	benchmarkScenarios,
@@ -9,6 +10,20 @@ describe('leave planner benchmark protocol', () => {
 	it('keeps five deterministic scenarios and exercises a later earned consumer', async () => {
 		const scenarios = benchmarkScenarios();
 		expect(scenarios).toHaveLength(5);
+		const typedObligations = scenarios.find(
+			(scenario) => scenario.name === 'typed obligations',
+		);
+		const cpRule = typedObligations?.request.rules?.find((rule) => rule.id === 'cp-window');
+		const rttRule = typedObligations?.request.rules?.find((rule) => rule.id === 'rtt-window');
+		expect(cpRule).toMatchObject({ placeType: 'cp', placeDays: 2 });
+		expect(rttRule).toMatchObject({ placeType: 'rtt', placeDays: 2 });
+		expect(cpRule?.type).toBe('time_window');
+		expect(rttRule?.type).toBe('time_window');
+		if (cpRule && 'startDate' in cpRule && rttRule && 'startDate' in rttRule)
+			expect(
+				String(cpRule.startDate) <= String(rttRule.endDate) &&
+					String(rttRule.startDate) <= String(cpRule.endDate),
+			).toBe(true);
 		const chain = scenarios.find((scenario) => scenario.name === 'chained earned entitlements');
 		expect(chain?.request.rules?.map((rule) => rule.id)).toEqual([
 			'wednesday-holidays',
@@ -18,24 +33,44 @@ describe('leave planner benchmark protocol', () => {
 		const browserWindow = globalThis.window;
 		vi.stubGlobal('window', undefined);
 		try {
-			const measurements = await runLeavePlannerBenchmark(1);
+			const typedOutcome = await createPlanningCalculation(typedObligations!.request).outcome;
+			expect(typedOutcome.kind).toBe('Plan');
+			if (typedOutcome.kind === 'Plan') {
+				expect(
+					typedOutcome.placements.filter((placement) =>
+						placement.ruleIds.includes('cp-window'),
+					),
+				).toHaveLength(2);
+				expect(
+					typedOutcome.placements.filter((placement) =>
+						placement.ruleIds.includes('rtt-window'),
+					),
+				).toHaveLength(2);
+			}
+			const measurements = await runLeavePlannerBenchmark(2);
 			const chained = measurements.find(
 				(measurement) => measurement.scenario === 'chained earned entitlements',
 			);
-			const loaded = measurements.find(
+			const loaded = measurements.filter(
 				(measurement) => measurement.scenario === 'loaded year',
 			);
 			expect(chained?.outcome).toBe('Plan');
 			expect(chained?.placements).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(3);
-			expect(loaded?.outcome).toBe('Plan');
+			expect(loaded).toHaveLength(2);
-			expect(loaded?.deterministic).toBe(true);
+			expect(loaded[0].outcome).toBe('Plan');
-			expect(loaded?.planningMs).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
+			expect(loaded[0].deterministic).toBe('baseline');
-			expect(loaded?.traceDeliveryMs).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
+			expect(loaded[1].deterministic).toBe('yes');
-			expect(loaded?.traceStatus).toBe('ready');
+			expect(loaded[0].planningMs).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
-			expect(loaded?.traceCandidates).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+			expect(loaded[0].traceDeliveryMs).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
+			expect(loaded[0].wallMs).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(
+				loaded[0].preparationMs + loaded[0].planningMs + loaded[0].traceDeliveryMs,
+			);
+			expect(loaded[0].traceStatus).toBe('ready');
+			expect(loaded[0].traceCandidates).toBeGreaterThan(0);
 			const report = benchmarkReport(measurements);
-			expect(report.split('\n')).toHaveLength(6);
+			expect(report.split('\n')).toHaveLength(11);
 			expect(report).toContain('planning_ms\ttrace_delivery_ms');
+			expect(report).toContain('\tbaseline\t');
 		} finally {
 			vi.stubGlobal('window', browserWindow);
 		}

src/app/benchmark/leave-planner-benchmark.ts

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export interface BenchmarkMeasurement {
 	outcome: PlanningOutcome['kind'];
 	lastCompletedStage?: string;
 	placements: number;
-	deterministic: boolean;
+	deterministic: 'baseline' | 'yes' | 'no';
 	traceStatus: PlanningTrace['status'] | 'not-produced';
 	traceCandidates: number;
 }
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ export function benchmarkScenarios(): BenchmarkScenario[] {
 						id: 'cp-window',
 						type: 'time_window',
 						force: 'obligation',
-						startDate: '2024-04-01',
+						startDate: '2024-04-08',
 						endDate: '2024-04-12',
 						placeDays: 2,
 						placeType: 'cp',
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ export function benchmarkScenarios(): BenchmarkScenario[] {
 						id: 'rtt-window',
 						type: 'time_window',
 						force: 'obligation',
-						startDate: '2024-05-01',
+						startDate: '2024-04-08',
-						endDate: '2024-05-12',
+						endDate: '2024-04-12',
 						placeDays: 2,
 						placeType: 'rtt',
 					},
@@ -166,10 +166,18 @@ function resultSummary(outcome: PlanningOutcome): {
 }
 
 export async function runLeavePlannerBenchmark(repetitions = 1): Promise<BenchmarkMeasurement[]> {
+	const scenarios = benchmarkScenarios();
+	for (const scenario of scenarios) {
+		const calculation = createPlanningCalculation(structuredClone(scenario.request));
+		await calculation.outcome;
+		await calculation.trace;
+	}
+
 	const measurements: BenchmarkMeasurement[] = [];
-	for (const scenario of benchmarkScenarios()) {
+	for (const scenario of scenarios) {
-		let previous: string | undefined;
+		let baseline: string | undefined;
 		for (let repetition = 1; repetition <= repetitions; repetition++) {
+			const wallStart = performance.now();
 			const preparationStart = performance.now();
 			const request = structuredClone(scenario.request);
 			const preparationMs = performance.now() - preparationStart;
@@ -182,29 +190,32 @@ export async function runLeavePlannerBenchmark(repetitions = 1): Promise<Benchma
 			const traceDeliveryMs = performance.now() - traceStart;
 			const summary = resultSummary(outcome);
 			const stable = JSON.stringify(outcome);
+			const deterministic =
+				baseline === undefined ? 'baseline' : stable === baseline ? 'yes' : 'no';
+			const traceCandidates =
+				trace?.phases.reduce(
+					(total, phase) =>
+						total +
+						phase.decisions.reduce(
+							(decisionTotal, decision) => decisionTotal + decision.candidates.length,
+							0,
+						),
+					0,
+				) ?? 0;
+			const wallMs = performance.now() - wallStart;
 			measurements.push({
 				scenario: scenario.name,
 				repetition,
 				preparationMs,
 				planningMs,
 				traceDeliveryMs,
-				wallMs: preparationMs + planningMs + traceDeliveryMs,
+				wallMs,
 				...summary,
-				deterministic: previous === undefined || previous === stable,
+				deterministic,
 				traceStatus: trace?.status ?? 'not-produced',
-				traceCandidates:
+				traceCandidates,
-					trace?.phases.reduce(
-						(total, phase) =>
-							total +
-							phase.decisions.reduce(
-								(decisionTotal, decision) =>
-									decisionTotal + decision.candidates.length,
-								0,
-							),
-						0,
-					) ?? 0,
 			});
-			previous = stable;
+			baseline ??= stable;
 		}
 	}
 	return measurements;

src/app/services/leave-planner.core.ts

@@ -582,15 +582,19 @@ class TraceRecorder {
 		return undefined;
 	}
 
-	recordCandidate(candidate: PlanningTraceCandidate): void {
+	recordCandidate(candidate: PlanningTraceCandidate, copy = true): void {
-		this.latestDecision().candidates.push({
+		this.latestDecision().candidates.push(
+			copy
+				? {
 						...candidate,
 						dates: candidate.dates ? [...candidate.dates] : undefined,
 						reason: candidate.reason ? { ...candidate.reason } : undefined,
 						placement: candidate.placement
 							? { ...candidate.placement, ruleIds: [...candidate.placement.ruleIds] }
 							: undefined,
-		});
+					}
+				: candidate,
+		);
 	}
 
 	recordDecision(
@@ -891,7 +895,8 @@ function observeTrace(context: SearchContext, observe: (trace: TraceRecorder) =>
 }
 
 function recordTraceCandidate(context: SearchContext, candidate: PlanningTraceCandidate): void {
-	observeTrace(context, (trace) => trace.recordCandidate(candidate));
+	// These internal callsites pass fresh literals; retain the full snapshot copy for plan data.
+	observeTrace(context, (trace) => trace.recordCandidate(candidate, false));
 }
 
 function recordTraceIneligible(
@@ -1633,7 +1638,7 @@ function assignDate(
 	ruleId: string,
 	context: SearchContext,
 ): State | null {
-	return assignDateVariants(state, date, selector, ruleId, context)[0] ?? null;
+	return assignDateVariants(state, date, selector, ruleId, context, true)[0] ?? null;
 }
 
 function assignDateVariants(
@@ -1642,6 +1647,7 @@ function assignDateVariants(
 	selector: LeaveSelector,
 	ruleId: string,
 	context: SearchContext,
+	firstOnly = false,
 ): State[] {
 	context.check();
 	const existing = state.placements.get(date);
@@ -1724,6 +1730,40 @@ function assignDateVariants(
 				'No compatible leave balance can fund this candidate date.',
 			),
 		});
+	if (firstOnly && balances.length) {
+		const first = balances[0];
+		const result = cloneState(state);
+		result.balances.find((item) => item.id === first.id)!.remaining--;
+		result.placements.set(date, {
+			date,
+			balanceId: first.id,
+			type: first.type,
+			ruleIds: ruleId ? new Set([ruleId]) : new Set(),
+			supporting: false,
+		});
+		for (const [index, balance] of balances.entries()) {
+			recordTraceCandidate(context, {
+				status: index === 0 ? 'evaluated-rejected' : 'not-examined',
+				date,
+				...(index === 0
+					? {}
+					: {
+							reason: reason(
+								'first-compatible-balance',
+								'This balance was not examined after the first compatible balance was selected.',
+							),
+						}),
+				placement: {
+					date,
+					balanceId: balance.id,
+					type: balance.type,
+					ruleIds: ruleId ? [ruleId] : [],
+					supporting: false,
+				},
+			});
+		}
+		return [result];
+	}
 	return balances.map((balance) => {
 		const result = cloneState(state);
 		const target = result.balances.find((item) => item.id === balance.id)!;
@@ -1806,23 +1846,40 @@ function assignDateToBalanceInPlace(
 	date: string,
 	balanceId: string,
 	context: SearchContext,
+	ruleIds = new Set<string>(),
 ): boolean {
 	context.check();
-	if (state.placements.has(date)) return false;
+	if (state.placements.has(date)) {
+		recordTraceCandidate(context, {
+			status: 'ineligible',
+			date,
+			reason: reason('occupied', 'Another placement already uses this date.'),
+		});
+		return false;
+	}
 	const balance = state.balances.find((item) => item.id === balanceId);
 	if (
 		!balance ||
 		balance.remaining <= 0 ||
 		compareDate(balance.availableFrom, date) > 0 ||
 		compareDate(date, balance.expiryDate) > 0
-	)
+	) {
+		recordTraceCandidate(context, {
+			status: 'evaluated-rejected',
+			date,
+			reason: reason(
+				'balance-unavailable',
+				'The selected leave balance cannot fund this date.',
+			),
+		});
 		return false;
+	}
 	balance.remaining--;
 	state.placements.set(date, {
 		date,
 		balanceId,
 		type: balance.type,
-		ruleIds: new Set(),
+		ruleIds: new Set(ruleIds),
 		supporting: false,
 	});
 	recordTraceCandidate(context, {
@@ -1830,7 +1887,7 @@ function assignDateToBalanceInPlace(
 		date,
 		placement: {
 			...state.placements.get(date)!,
-			ruleIds: [],
+			ruleIds: [...state.placements.get(date)!.ruleIds],
 		},
 	});
 	return true;
@@ -2637,15 +2694,18 @@ function optimizeMovablePlacements(
 				);
 				continue;
 			}
-			const candidate = assignDateToBalance(
+			if (
+				!assignDateToBalanceInPlace(
 					without,
 					date,
 					current.balanceId,
 					context,
 					current.ruleIds,
-			);
+				)
-			if (!candidate) continue;
+			)
-			const feasibleCandidate = finalizeEarnedState(candidate, context);
+				continue;
+			try {
+				const feasibleCandidate = finalizeEarnedState(without, context);
 				if (!feasibleCandidate) continue;
 				feasibleCandidate.placements.get(date)!.supporting = current.supporting;
 				const metrics = qualityMetrics(feasibleCandidate, context, preferences);
@@ -2662,7 +2722,8 @@ function optimizeMovablePlacements(
 				if (metrics.unplacedAtRisk !== baseline.unplacedAtRisk) continue;
 				if (metrics.holidayWeekValue < baseline.holidayWeekValue) continue;
 				if (
-				metrics.preferenceSatisfaction.length !== baseline.preferenceSatisfaction.length ||
+					metrics.preferenceSatisfaction.length !==
+						baseline.preferenceSatisfaction.length ||
 					metrics.preferenceSatisfaction.some(
 						(value, index) => value !== baseline.preferenceSatisfaction[index],
 					)
@@ -2680,7 +2741,8 @@ function optimizeMovablePlacements(
 									? metrics.nonWorkingDayGain === bestMetrics.nonWorkingDayGain &&
 										metrics.longestWorkSequence ===
 											bestMetrics.longestWorkSequence &&
-									metrics.shortSequenceDeficit < bestMetrics.shortSequenceDeficit
+										metrics.shortSequenceDeficit <
+											bestMetrics.shortSequenceDeficit
 									: metrics.nonWorkingDayGain === bestMetrics.nonWorkingDayGain &&
 										metrics.longestWorkSequence ===
 											bestMetrics.longestWorkSequence &&
@@ -2688,10 +2750,14 @@ function optimizeMovablePlacements(
 											bestMetrics.shortSequenceDeficit &&
 										date < bestDate));
 				if (better) {
-				best = feasibleCandidate;
+					best = cloneState(feasibleCandidate);
 					bestMetrics = metrics;
 					bestDate = date;
 				}
+			} finally {
+				without.placements.delete(date);
+				without.balances.find((item) => item.id === current.balanceId)!.remaining++;
+			}
 		}
 		if (best !== result) recordTraceState(context, best);
 		result = best;

src/app/services/leave-planner.service.spec.ts

@@ -1660,6 +1660,53 @@ describe('planning calculation context', () => {
 		}
 	});
 
+	it('records every eligible balance when a preference keeps the first assignment', async () => {
+		const browserWindow = globalThis.window;
+		vi.stubGlobal('window', undefined);
+		try {
+			const calculation = createPlanningCalculation({
+				horizon: { start: '2024-01-01', end: '2024-01-10' },
+				balances: [
+					balance('later', 'cp', 1, '2026-01-01'),
+					balance('earlier', 'cp', 1, '2025-01-01'),
+				],
+				rules: [
+					{
+						id: 'window',
+						type: 'time_window',
+						force: 'preference',
+						startDate: '2024-01-02',
+						endDate: '2024-01-02',
+						placeDays: 1,
+						placeType: 'cp',
+					},
+				],
+			});
+			const outcome = await calculation.outcome;
+			expect(outcome.kind).toBe('Plan');
+			if (outcome.kind !== 'Plan') return;
+			expect(outcome.placements[0].balanceId).toBe('earlier');
+
+			const trace = await calculation.trace;
+			const candidates =
+				trace?.phases
+					.find((phase) => phase.name === 'preference:window')
+					?.decisions.flatMap((decision) => decision.candidates)
+					.filter((candidate) => candidate.date === '2024-01-02' && candidate.placement)
+					.map((candidate) => ({
+						balanceId: candidate.placement!.balanceId,
+						status: candidate.status,
+						reason: candidate.reason?.code,
+					})) ?? [];
+			expect(candidates.slice(0, 2)).toEqual([
+				{ balanceId: 'earlier', status: 'evaluated-rejected', reason: undefined },
+				{ balanceId: 'later', status: 'not-examined', reason: 'first-compatible-balance' },
+			]);
+		} finally {
+			vi.stubGlobal('window', browserWindow);
+		}
+	});
+
 	it('offers no explanation trace for invalid input and explains conflicts', async () => {
 		const browserWindow = globalThis.window;
 		vi.stubGlobal('window', undefined);