diff --git a/docs/dev-plan.md b/docs/dev-plan.md
index 1a1f6aa..c73ae48 100644
--- a/docs/dev-plan.md
+++ b/docs/dev-plan.md
@@ -143,17 +143,28 @@ Astrolabe is a focused tool for managing, editing, and previewing Vega-Lite visu
 
 ---
 
-### **Phase 5: Data Model + LocalStorage**
+### **Phase 5: Data Model + LocalStorage** ✅ **COMPLETE**
 **Goal**: Persist snippets and load them on page refresh
 
-- [ ] Implement storage wrapper using Phase 0 schema
-- [ ] Create localStorage functions (save, load, list, delete)
-- [ ] Initialize with a default example snippet if storage is empty
-- [ ] Populate snippet list panel from localStorage
-- [ ] Handle localStorage errors/quota exceeded
+- [x] Implement storage wrapper using Phase 0 schema
+- [x] Create localStorage functions (save, load, list, delete)
+- [x] Initialize with a default example snippet if storage is empty
+- [x] Populate snippet list panel from localStorage
+- [x] Handle localStorage errors/quota exceeded
 
 **Deliverable**: Snippets persist across page reloads
 
+**Key Achievements**:
+- Created comprehensive `snippet-manager.js` with full Phase 0 schema implementation
+- Implemented robust `SnippetStorage` wrapper with error handling and quota management
+- Added ID generation using `Date.now() + random numbers` for uniqueness
+- Implemented auto-naming with ISO datetime format (YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS)
+- Built dynamic snippet list rendering with smart date formatting (relative dates)
+- Added snippet selection functionality that loads specs into Monaco Editor
+- Integrated default snippet initialization with sample Vega-Lite chart
+- Removed hardcoded HTML snippets in favor of dynamic localStorage-based system
+- Added proper script loading order and initialization sequence
+
 ---
 
 ### **Phase 6: Snippet Selection & Basic CRUD**
@@ -301,6 +312,7 @@ Astrolabe is a focused tool for managing, editing, and previewing Vega-Lite visu
 │   ├── styles.css            # Retro Windows 2000 aesthetic styling
 │   └── js/                   # Modular JavaScript organization
 │       ├── config.js         # Global variables & sample data
+│       ├── snippet-manager.js # Snippet storage, CRUD & localStorage wrapper
 │       ├── panel-manager.js  # Panel resize, toggle & memory system
 │       ├── editor.js         # Monaco Editor & Vega-Lite rendering
 │       └── app.js           # Event handlers & coordination
@@ -326,10 +338,11 @@ Astrolabe is a focused tool for managing, editing, and previewing Vega-Lite visu
 
 ---
 
-**Current Phase**: Phase 5 - Data Model + LocalStorage
+**Current Phase**: Phase 6 - Snippet Selection & Basic CRUD
 **Status**: Ready to begin implementation
 
 **Completion Status**:
-- ✅ Phases 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 complete
+- ✅ Phases 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 complete
 - ✅ Code organization and cleanup complete
-- 🎯 Ready for snippet management implementation
\ No newline at end of file
+- ✅ Snippet storage infrastructure complete
+- 🎯 Ready for auto-save and CRUD operations
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index d477104..c9feb0b 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -48,18 +48,7 @@
                 </div>
                 <div class="panel-content">
                     <ul class="snippet-list">
-                        <li class="snippet-item">
-                            <div class="snippet-name">2025-10-13_14-23-45</div>
-                            <div class="snippet-date">Oct 13, 2:23 PM</div>
-                        </li>
-                        <li class="snippet-item">
-                            <div class="snippet-name">2025-10-12_09-15-30</div>
-                            <div class="snippet-date">Oct 12, 9:15 AM</div>
-                        </li>
-                        <li class="snippet-item">
-                            <div class="snippet-name">2025-10-11_16-42-18</div>
-                            <div class="snippet-date">Oct 11, 4:42 PM</div>
-                        </li>
+                        <!-- Dynamically populated by renderSnippetList() -->
                     </ul>
                     <div class="placeholder">
                         Click to select a snippet
@@ -96,6 +85,7 @@
     </div>
 
     <script src="src/js/config.js"></script>
+    <script src="src/js/snippet-manager.js"></script>
     <script src="src/js/panel-manager.js"></script>
     <script src="src/js/editor.js"></script>
     <script src="src/js/app.js"></script>
@@ -103,6 +93,10 @@
     <script>
 
         document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
+            // Initialize snippet storage and render list
+            initializeSnippetsStorage();
+            renderSnippetList();
+
             // Load saved layout
             loadLayoutFromStorage();
 
@@ -168,14 +162,7 @@
                 });
             });
 
-            // Basic snippet selection
-            const snippetItems = document.querySelectorAll('.snippet-item');
-            snippetItems.forEach(item => {
-                item.addEventListener('click', function () {
-                    snippetItems.forEach(i => i.classList.remove('selected'));
-                    this.classList.add('selected');
-                });
-            });
+            // Snippet selection is now handled by snippet-manager.js
 
             // Header link handlers (placeholder)
             const headerLinks = document.querySelectorAll('.header-link');
diff --git a/src/js/snippet-manager.js b/src/js/snippet-manager.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9dd2ee9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/snippet-manager.js
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+// Snippet management and localStorage functionality
+
+// Generate unique ID using Date.now() + random numbers
+function generateSnippetId() {
+    return Date.now() + Math.random() * 1000;
+}
+
+// Generate auto-populated name with current datetime
+function generateSnippetName() {
+    const now = new Date();
+    const year = now.getFullYear();
+    const month = String(now.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0');
+    const day = String(now.getDate()).padStart(2, '0');
+    const hours = String(now.getHours()).padStart(2, '0');
+    const minutes = String(now.getMinutes()).padStart(2, '0');
+    const seconds = String(now.getSeconds()).padStart(2, '0');
+
+    return `${year}-${month}-${day}_${hours}-${minutes}-${seconds}`;
+}
+
+// Create a new snippet using Phase 0 schema
+function createSnippet(spec, name = null) {
+    const now = new Date().toISOString();
+
+    return {
+        id: generateSnippetId(),
+        name: name || generateSnippetName(),
+        created: now,
+        modified: now,
+        spec: spec,
+        draftSpec: spec, // Initially same as spec
+        comment: "",
+        tags: [],
+        datasetRefs: [],
+        meta: {}
+    };
+}
+
+// LocalStorage wrapper with error handling
+const SnippetStorage = {
+    STORAGE_KEY: 'astrolabe-snippets',
+
+    // Save all snippets to localStorage
+    saveSnippets(snippets) {
+        try {
+            localStorage.setItem(this.STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(snippets));
+            return true;
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.error('Failed to save snippets to localStorage:', error);
+            // TODO: Handle quota exceeded, show user error
+            return false;
+        }
+    },
+
+    // Load all snippets from localStorage
+    loadSnippets() {
+        try {
+            const stored = localStorage.getItem(this.STORAGE_KEY);
+            return stored ? JSON.parse(stored) : [];
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.error('Failed to load snippets from localStorage:', error);
+            return [];
+        }
+    },
+
+    // Get single snippet by ID
+    getSnippet(id) {
+        const snippets = this.loadSnippets();
+        return snippets.find(snippet => snippet.id === id);
+    },
+
+    // Save single snippet (add or update)
+    saveSnippet(snippet) {
+        const snippets = this.loadSnippets();
+        const existingIndex = snippets.findIndex(s => s.id === snippet.id);
+
+        snippet.modified = new Date().toISOString();
+
+        if (existingIndex >= 0) {
+            snippets[existingIndex] = snippet;
+        } else {
+            snippets.push(snippet);
+        }
+
+        return this.saveSnippets(snippets);
+    },
+
+    // Delete snippet by ID
+    deleteSnippet(id) {
+        const snippets = this.loadSnippets();
+        const filteredSnippets = snippets.filter(snippet => snippet.id !== id);
+        return this.saveSnippets(filteredSnippets);
+    },
+
+    // Get all snippets sorted by modified date (newest first)
+    listSnippets() {
+        const snippets = this.loadSnippets();
+        return snippets.sort((a, b) => new Date(b.modified) - new Date(a.modified));
+    }
+};
+
+// Initialize storage with default snippet if empty
+function initializeSnippetsStorage() {
+    const existingSnippets = SnippetStorage.loadSnippets();
+
+    if (existingSnippets.length === 0) {
+        // Create default snippet using the sample spec from config
+        const defaultSnippet = createSnippet(sampleSpec, "Sample Bar Chart");
+        defaultSnippet.comment = "A simple bar chart showing category values";
+
+        SnippetStorage.saveSnippet(defaultSnippet);
+        return [defaultSnippet];
+    }
+
+    return existingSnippets;
+}
+
+// Format date for display in snippet list
+function formatSnippetDate(isoString) {
+    const date = new Date(isoString);
+    const now = new Date();
+    const diffMs = now - date;
+    const diffDays = Math.floor(diffMs / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
+
+    if (diffDays === 0) {
+        return date.toLocaleTimeString([], { hour: '2-digit', minute: '2-digit' });
+    } else if (diffDays === 1) {
+        return 'Yesterday';
+    } else if (diffDays < 7) {
+        return `${diffDays} days ago`;
+    } else {
+        return date.toLocaleDateString();
+    }
+}
+
+// Render snippet list in the UI
+function renderSnippetList() {
+    const snippets = SnippetStorage.listSnippets();
+    const snippetList = document.querySelector('.snippet-list');
+    const placeholder = document.querySelector('.placeholder');
+
+    if (snippets.length === 0) {
+        snippetList.innerHTML = '';
+        placeholder.style.display = 'block';
+        placeholder.textContent = 'No snippets found';
+        return;
+    }
+
+    placeholder.style.display = 'none';
+
+    snippetList.innerHTML = snippets.map(snippet => `
+        <li class="snippet-item" data-snippet-id="${snippet.id}">
+            <div class="snippet-name">${snippet.name}</div>
+            <div class="snippet-date">${formatSnippetDate(snippet.modified)}</div>
+        </li>
+    `).join('');
+
+    // Re-attach event listeners for snippet selection
+    attachSnippetEventListeners();
+}
+
+// Attach event listeners to snippet items
+function attachSnippetEventListeners() {
+    const snippetItems = document.querySelectorAll('.snippet-item');
+    snippetItems.forEach(item => {
+        item.addEventListener('click', function () {
+            const snippetId = parseFloat(this.dataset.snippetId);
+            selectSnippet(snippetId);
+        });
+    });
+}
+
+// Select and load a snippet into the editor
+function selectSnippet(snippetId) {
+    const snippet = SnippetStorage.getSnippet(snippetId);
+    if (!snippet) return;
+
+    // Update visual selection
+    document.querySelectorAll('.snippet-item').forEach(item => {
+        item.classList.remove('selected');
+    });
+    document.querySelector(`[data-snippet-id="${snippetId}"]`).classList.add('selected');
+
+    // Load draft spec into editor
+    if (editor) {
+        editor.setValue(JSON.stringify(snippet.draftSpec, null, 2));
+    }
+
+    // Store currently selected snippet ID globally
+    window.currentSnippetId = snippetId;
+}
\ No newline at end of file