diff --git a/docs/architecture/08-vega-editor-techniques.md b/docs/architecture/08-vega-editor-techniques.md
index 3fadaf8..a47d4b8 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/08-vega-editor-techniques.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/08-vega-editor-techniques.md
@@ -296,7 +296,9 @@ thin app-layer services.
   cursor's ancestor chain (`derivedFieldNamesAtPath`).
 - `spec-inline-data` — the rows a specific `data` binding carries for profiling
   (`rowsForDataBinding`: inline `values`, or a self-defined `datasets` entry).
-- `spec-insert` — composition arrays + appending a view to one.
+- `spec-insert` — the composition the cursor is in (`compositionTargetAt`), inserting a view
+  at an index (`insertView`) and reordering siblings (`moveView`), plus `elementOffset` to
+  re-find a view after the edit.
 
 **Services (app, store-aware via `getState`):** `spec-transform-actions` (the
 wrap/simplify/add-view operations and their surfaces), `spec-dataset-hints` (completion,
@@ -318,6 +320,17 @@ Decision rules:
 - **One edit path.** The lightbulb returns a `WorkspaceEdit` (no editor handle); the toolbar
   and palette use `executeEdits`. Both build the replacement through the same
   serialize-and-reindent step, bracketed by `pushUndoStop`, so ⌘Z restores the prior text.
+- **Composition CodeLens is cursor-scoped.** It follows the view the cursor sits in —
+  `＋ Add view above/below` at the view's edges and `↑/↓ Move` to reorder among its siblings —
+  rather than one fixed button per composition array; an empty composition shows a single `＋ Add view`,
+  and the F1 palette mirrors all four for the keyboard. The provider reads `editor.getPosition()`
+  and refreshes via an `onDidChange` emitter fired on cursor moves (keyed to the enclosing view,
+  so typing inside one view doesn't churn the lenses). After an edit the cursor follows the
+  affected view (`elementOffset`), so a repeated click keeps acting on it instead of the
+  neighbour that slid into place. Cursor-scoping does not strand a load-bearing action
+  ([arch 10](10-interaction-and-feedback.md) — revealed actions): editing a composition puts
+  the cursor in a view exactly when add/reorder is wanted, and the palette is the ever-present
+  path for the keyboard.
 - **Field source for hints (view-scoped).** `dataInfoAt(text, offset)` resolves the data
   binding of the cursor's **nearest enclosing view** (`dataBindingAtPath` — a child inherits a
   parent's data unless it declares its own), then its columns: a named **library dataset**
diff --git a/src/app/components/SpecEditor.tsx b/src/app/components/SpecEditor.tsx
index 4543198..4d84c53 100644
--- a/src/app/components/SpecEditor.tsx
+++ b/src/app/components/SpecEditor.tsx
@@ -440,8 +440,8 @@ export function SpecEditor() {
     // disposed below like the config actions.
     const transformActionsSub = installSpecTransformActions(editor);
 
-    // "＋ Add view" CodeLens over composition arrays — per editor, because its
-    // command needs this editor's handle to apply the edit.
+    // Cursor-aware composition CodeLens (add view above/below, reorder) — per
+    // editor, because its commands need this editor's handle to apply the edit.
     const codeLensSub = installSpecTransformCodeLens(editor);
 
     // Cmd/Ctrl+S is owned globally by the EventRouter (docs/architecture/04 →
diff --git a/src/app/services/spec-transform-actions.ts b/src/app/services/spec-transform-actions.ts
index 19d302e..e482d85 100644
--- a/src/app/services/spec-transform-actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/services/spec-transform-actions.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,13 @@ import { defaultFieldType } from '@core/chart-builder';
 import { formatJson } from '@core/json-format';
 import { isJsonObject, type JsonObject } from '@core/spec-config';
 import { findViewRange } from '@core/spec-cursor';
-import { appendView, compositionArrays, type SpecPath } from '@core/spec-insert';
+import {
+  compositionTargetAt,
+  elementOffset,
+  insertView,
+  moveView,
+  type SpecPath,
+} from '@core/spec-insert';
 import {
   unwrapSingleton,
   wrapInConcat,
@@ -233,60 +239,216 @@ export function runUnwrap(editor: monaco.editor.IStandaloneCodeEditor): void {
   });
 }
 
-/** Append an empty view to the composition at `path` (the CodeLens affordance). */
-function runAddView(editor: monaco.editor.IStandaloneCodeEditor, path: SpecPath): void {
+/**
+ * Apply a structural array edit (insert / move) as one undoable whole-document
+ * rewrite, then put the cursor on the affected view so the lenses re-anchor to it
+ * and a repeated click keeps acting on the same view. `followIndex` is the view's
+ * index in `arrayPath` *after* the edit. Reformatted in the app's compact style,
+ * which is idempotent on an already-formatted draft.
+ */
+function applyArrayEdit(
+  editor: monaco.editor.IStandaloneCodeEditor,
+  build: (spec: JsonObject) => JsonObject | null,
+  arrayPath: SpecPath,
+  followIndex: number,
+  successTitle: string,
+): void {
   const model = editor.getModel();
   if (!model) return;
   const spec = parseSpecObject(model.getValue());
   if (!spec) return;
-  const next = appendView(spec, path);
+  const next = build(spec);
   if (!next) {
     notify({
       kind: 'info',
-      title: 'Could not add a view',
+      title: 'Could not change the composition',
       message: 'The composition changed — try the affordance again.',
     });
     return;
   }
-  // Whole-document edit (the change is structural and deep); reformatted in the
-  // app's compact style, which is idempotent on an already-formatted draft.
-  writeBack(editor, model.getFullModelRange(), formatScoped(model, wholeDocument(model), next));
-  notify({
-    kind: 'success',
-    title: 'View added',
-    message: `Added an empty view to the ${path[path.length - 1]}. Undo with ⌘/Ctrl+Z.`,
-  });
+  const formatted = formatScoped(model, wholeDocument(model), next);
+  writeBack(editor, model.getFullModelRange(), formatted);
+  const offset = elementOffset(formatted, arrayPath, followIndex);
+  if (offset !== null) {
+    const pos = model.getPositionAt(offset);
+    editor.setPosition(pos);
+    editor.revealPositionInCenterIfOutsideViewport(pos);
+  }
+  notify({ kind: 'success', title: successTitle, message: 'Undo with ⌘/Ctrl+Z.' });
+}
+
+/** Insert an empty view at `index` of the composition at `arrayPath`. */
+function runAddView(
+  editor: monaco.editor.IStandaloneCodeEditor,
+  arrayPath: SpecPath,
+  index: number,
+): void {
+  applyArrayEdit(editor, (s) => insertView(s, arrayPath, index), arrayPath, index, 'View added');
+}
+
+/** Swap the view at `index` with its sibling `delta` steps away (±1). */
+function runMoveView(
+  editor: monaco.editor.IStandaloneCodeEditor,
+  arrayPath: SpecPath,
+  index: number,
+  delta: number,
+): void {
+  applyArrayEdit(
+    editor,
+    (s) => moveView(s, arrayPath, index, delta),
+    arrayPath,
+    index + delta,
+    delta < 0 ? 'View moved up' : 'View moved down',
+  );
+}
+
+/** Insert a view above/below the one the cursor is in (the keyboard path). */
+function runInsertRelative(
+  editor: monaco.editor.IStandaloneCodeEditor,
+  where: 'above' | 'below',
+): void {
+  const model = editor.getModel();
+  const pos = editor.getPosition();
+  if (!model || !pos) return;
+  const target = compositionTargetAt(model.getValue(), model.getOffsetAt(pos));
+  if (!target) {
+    notify({
+      kind: 'info',
+      title: 'No composition here',
+      message: 'Place the cursor in a view inside a layer or concat.',
+    });
+    return;
+  }
+  if (!target.element) {
+    runAddView(editor, target.arrayPath, 0); // empty composition → its first view
+    return;
+  }
+  runAddView(
+    editor,
+    target.arrayPath,
+    where === 'above' ? target.element.index : target.element.index + 1,
+  );
+}
+
+/** Move the view the cursor is in up/down among its siblings (the keyboard path). */
+function runMoveRelative(editor: monaco.editor.IStandaloneCodeEditor, delta: number): void {
+  const model = editor.getModel();
+  const pos = editor.getPosition();
+  if (!model || !pos) return;
+  const target = compositionTargetAt(model.getValue(), model.getOffsetAt(pos));
+  if (!target?.element) {
+    notify({
+      kind: 'info',
+      title: 'No view to move',
+      message: 'Place the cursor in a view inside a layer or concat.',
+    });
+    return;
+  }
+  const to = target.element.index + delta;
+  if (to < 0 || to >= target.count) {
+    notify({
+      kind: 'info',
+      title: delta < 0 ? 'Already first' : 'Already last',
+      message: 'This view is at the edge of its composition.',
+    });
+    return;
+  }
+  runMoveView(editor, target.arrayPath, target.element.index, delta);
 }
 
 /**
- * Register the "＋ Add view" CodeLens over each composition array (per editor —
- * the lens command needs the editor handle to apply the edit). Returns a
- * disposable; dispose on unmount.
+ * Install the cursor-aware composition CodeLens (per editor — the lens commands
+ * need this editor's handle to apply the edit). Over the view the cursor sits in
+ * it offers `＋ Add view above/below` at the view's edges and `↑/↓ Move` to
+ * reorder it among its siblings; an empty composition gets a single `＋ Add view`.
+ * Returns a disposable; dispose on unmount.
  */
 export function installSpecTransformCodeLens(
   editor: monaco.editor.IStandaloneCodeEditor,
 ): monaco.IDisposable {
-  const addViewCommand = editor.addCommand(0, (_accessor, path: SpecPath) =>
-    runAddView(editor, path),
+  const addCmd = editor.addCommand(0, (_a, path: SpecPath, index: number) =>
+    runAddView(editor, path, index),
   );
-  const provider = monaco.languages.registerCodeLensProvider('json', {
+  const moveCmd = editor.addCommand(0, (_a, path: SpecPath, index: number, delta: number) =>
+    runMoveView(editor, path, index, delta),
+  );
+
+  const lens = (
+    line: number,
+    title: string,
+    id: string | null,
+    args: unknown[],
+  ): monaco.languages.CodeLens => ({
+    range: new monaco.Range(line, 1, line, 1),
+    command: { id: id ?? '', title, arguments: args },
+  });
+
+  // The lenses depend on the cursor, so signal a refresh when the enclosing view
+  // changes — keyed so typing within one view does not re-render them.
+  const onDidChange = new monaco.Emitter<monaco.languages.CodeLensProvider>();
+  const codeLensProvider: monaco.languages.CodeLensProvider = {
+    onDidChange: onDidChange.event,
     provideCodeLenses(model) {
       if (useSnippetStore.getState().editorView !== 'draft') return { lenses: [], dispose() {} };
-      const lenses = compositionArrays(model.getValue()).map((array) => {
-        const { lineNumber } = model.getPositionAt(array.offset);
-        return {
-          range: new monaco.Range(lineNumber, 1, lineNumber, 1),
-          command: {
-            id: addViewCommand ?? '',
-            title: '$(add) Add view',
-            arguments: [array.path],
-          },
-        };
-      });
+      const pos = editor.getPosition();
+      if (!pos) return { lenses: [], dispose() {} };
+      const target = compositionTargetAt(model.getValue(), model.getOffsetAt(pos));
+      if (!target) return { lenses: [], dispose() {} };
+      const lenses: monaco.languages.CodeLens[] = [];
+      if (!target.element) {
+        // Off a view, only an empty composition gets an affordance — the array's
+        // own line stays clean otherwise.
+        if (target.count === 0) {
+          const line = model.getPositionAt(target.arrayOffset).lineNumber;
+          lenses.push(lens(line, '$(add) Add view', addCmd, [target.arrayPath, 0]));
+        }
+        return { lenses, dispose() {} };
+      }
+      const { index, offset, length } = target.element;
+      // "above" actions sit on the view's first line, "below" on the line after
+      // its last — so up-actions group at the top, down-actions at the bottom.
+      const topLine = model.getPositionAt(offset).lineNumber;
+      const bottomLine = Math.min(
+        model.getLineCount(),
+        model.getPositionAt(offset + length).lineNumber + 1,
+      );
+      lenses.push(lens(topLine, '$(add) Add view above', addCmd, [target.arrayPath, index]));
+      if (index > 0)
+        lenses.push(lens(topLine, '$(arrow-up) Move up', moveCmd, [target.arrayPath, index, -1]));
+      lenses.push(lens(bottomLine, '$(add) Add view below', addCmd, [target.arrayPath, index + 1]));
+      if (index < target.count - 1)
+        lenses.push(
+          lens(bottomLine, '$(arrow-down) Move down', moveCmd, [target.arrayPath, index, 1]),
+        );
       return { lenses, dispose() {} };
     },
+  };
+  const registration = monaco.languages.registerCodeLensProvider('json', codeLensProvider);
+
+  let lastKey = '';
+  const cursorSub = editor.onDidChangeCursorPosition(() => {
+    const model = editor.getModel();
+    const pos = editor.getPosition();
+    const target =
+      model && pos && useSnippetStore.getState().editorView === 'draft'
+        ? compositionTargetAt(model.getValue(), model.getOffsetAt(pos))
+        : null;
+    const key = target
+      ? JSON.stringify([target.arrayPath, target.element?.index ?? -1, target.count])
+      : '';
+    if (key !== lastKey) {
+      lastKey = key;
+      onDidChange.fire(codeLensProvider);
+    }
   });
-  return { dispose: () => provider.dispose() };
+
+  return {
+    dispose() {
+      cursorSub.dispose();
+      onDidChange.dispose();
+      registration.dispose();
+    },
+  };
 }
 
 /**
@@ -334,6 +496,30 @@ export function installSpecTransformActions(
       precondition: '!editorReadonly',
       run: () => runUnwrap(editor),
     }),
+    editor.addAction({
+      id: 'astrolabe.insert-view-above',
+      label: 'Insert View Above',
+      precondition: '!editorReadonly',
+      run: () => runInsertRelative(editor, 'above'),
+    }),
+    editor.addAction({
+      id: 'astrolabe.insert-view-below',
+      label: 'Insert View Below',
+      precondition: '!editorReadonly',
+      run: () => runInsertRelative(editor, 'below'),
+    }),
+    editor.addAction({
+      id: 'astrolabe.move-view-up',
+      label: 'Move View Up',
+      precondition: '!editorReadonly',
+      run: () => runMoveRelative(editor, -1),
+    }),
+    editor.addAction({
+      id: 'astrolabe.move-view-down',
+      label: 'Move View Down',
+      precondition: '!editorReadonly',
+      run: () => runMoveRelative(editor, 1),
+    }),
   ];
   return {
     dispose() {
diff --git a/src/core/spec-insert.test.ts b/src/core/spec-insert.test.ts
index 98ef76d..f9a3129 100644
--- a/src/core/spec-insert.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/spec-insert.test.ts
@@ -1,49 +1,127 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
-import { appendView, compositionArrays } from './spec-insert';
+import {
+  compositionTargetAt,
+  elementOffset,
+  insertView,
+  moveView,
+  type SpecPath,
+} from './spec-insert';
 
 const layered = JSON.stringify(
   {
     data: { name: 'd' },
-    hconcat: [{ layer: [{ mark: 'bar' }] }, { mark: 'point' }],
+    hconcat: [{ layer: [{ mark: 'bar' }, { mark: 'line' }] }, { mark: 'point' }],
   },
   null,
   2,
 );
 
-describe('compositionArrays', () => {
-  it('finds every composition array with its path, including nested', () => {
-    const found = compositionArrays(layered);
-    const byKey = found.map((c) => ({ key: c.key, path: c.path }));
-    expect(byKey).toContainEqual({ key: 'hconcat', path: ['hconcat'] });
-    expect(byKey).toContainEqual({ key: 'layer', path: ['hconcat', 0, 'layer'] });
+/** Offset of the first occurrence of `needle` in `text` (a cursor inside it). */
+const at = (text: string, needle: string): number => text.indexOf(needle) + 1;
+
+describe('compositionTargetAt', () => {
+  it('finds the innermost composition and the element the cursor is on', () => {
+    const target = compositionTargetAt(layered, at(layered, '"line"'))!;
+    expect(target.arrayPath).toEqual(['hconcat', 0, 'layer']);
+    expect(target.count).toBe(2);
+    expect(target.element?.index).toBe(1);
   });
 
-  it('returns offsets that point inside the source text', () => {
-    const [first] = compositionArrays(layered);
-    expect(layered[first.offset]).toBe('['); // the array node starts at its bracket
+  it('targets the outer composition when the cursor is on its direct element', () => {
+    const target = compositionTargetAt(layered, at(layered, '"point"'))!;
+    expect(target.arrayPath).toEqual(['hconcat']);
+    expect(target.element?.index).toBe(1);
   });
 
-  it('is empty for a flat unit spec', () => {
-    expect(compositionArrays(JSON.stringify({ mark: 'bar' }))).toEqual([]);
+  it('reports no element when the cursor is not on one (non-empty array)', () => {
+    const spec = '{ "vconcat": [\n  { "mark": "bar" }\n] }';
+    const target = compositionTargetAt(spec, spec.indexOf('['))!;
+    expect(target.count).toBe(1);
+    expect(target.element).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('reports an empty composition (count 0, no element) for the append fallback', () => {
+    const spec = '{ "vconcat": [] }';
+    const target = compositionTargetAt(spec, spec.indexOf('[') + 1)!;
+    expect(target.arrayPath).toEqual(['vconcat']);
+    expect(target.count).toBe(0);
+    expect(target.element).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('is null when the cursor is in a flat unit spec', () => {
+    const spec = JSON.stringify({ mark: 'bar' });
+    expect(compositionTargetAt(spec, at(spec, '"bar"'))).toBeNull();
   });
 });
 
-describe('appendView', () => {
-  it('adds a placeholder view to the array at the given path', () => {
-    const spec = { hconcat: [{ mark: 'bar' }] };
-    const out = appendView(spec, ['hconcat'])!;
-    expect(out.hconcat).toEqual([{ mark: 'bar' }, { mark: 'point', encoding: {} }]);
-    expect(spec.hconcat).toHaveLength(1); // input untouched
+describe('insertView', () => {
+  it('inserts an empty placeholder at the given index', () => {
+    const spec = { hconcat: [{ mark: 'bar' }, { mark: 'point' }] };
+    const out = insertView(spec, ['hconcat'], 1)!;
+    expect(out.hconcat).toEqual([
+      { mark: 'bar' },
+      { mark: 'point', encoding: {} },
+      { mark: 'point' },
+    ]);
+    expect(spec.hconcat).toHaveLength(2); // input untouched
+  });
+
+  it('clamps an out-of-range index to the array bounds', () => {
+    const spec = { layer: [{ mark: 'bar' }] };
+    expect(insertView(spec, ['layer'], 99)!.layer as unknown[]).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect((insertView(spec, ['layer'], -5)!.layer as unknown[])[0]).toEqual({
+      mark: 'point',
+      encoding: {},
+    });
   });
 
   it('reaches a nested composition array', () => {
     const spec = { hconcat: [{ layer: [{ mark: 'bar' }] }] };
-    const out = appendView(spec, ['hconcat', 0, 'layer'])!;
-    const layer = (out.hconcat as { layer: unknown[] }[])[0].layer;
-    expect(layer).toHaveLength(2);
+    const out = insertView(spec, ['hconcat', 0, 'layer'], 1)!;
+    expect((out.hconcat as { layer: unknown[] }[])[0].layer).toHaveLength(2);
   });
 
   it('returns null when the path is not an array', () => {
-    expect(appendView({ mark: 'bar' }, ['layer'])).toBeNull();
+    expect(insertView({ mark: 'bar' }, ['layer'], 0)).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('moveView', () => {
+  it('swaps a view with its neighbor', () => {
+    const spec = { vconcat: [{ mark: 'a' }, { mark: 'b' }, { mark: 'c' }] };
+    expect(moveView(spec, ['vconcat'], 1, -1)!.vconcat).toEqual([
+      { mark: 'b' },
+      { mark: 'a' },
+      { mark: 'c' },
+    ]);
+    expect(moveView(spec, ['vconcat'], 1, 1)!.vconcat).toEqual([
+      { mark: 'a' },
+      { mark: 'c' },
+      { mark: 'b' },
+    ]);
+    expect(spec.vconcat[0]).toEqual({ mark: 'a' }); // input untouched
+  });
+
+  it('returns null at the edges', () => {
+    const spec = { vconcat: [{ mark: 'a' }, { mark: 'b' }] };
+    expect(moveView(spec, ['vconcat'], 0, -1)).toBeNull();
+    expect(moveView(spec, ['vconcat'], 1, 1)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('returns null when the path is not an array', () => {
+    expect(moveView({ mark: 'bar' }, ['layer'], 0, 1)).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('elementOffset', () => {
+  it('returns the start offset of the element at the path', () => {
+    const path: SpecPath = ['hconcat', 0, 'layer'];
+    const off = elementOffset(layered, path, 1)!;
+    expect(layered.slice(off, off + 1)).toBe('{'); // the element object's brace
+    expect(layered.slice(off)).toContain('"line"');
+  });
+
+  it('is null for an out-of-range index', () => {
+    expect(elementOffset(layered, ['hconcat'], 9)).toBeNull();
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/core/spec-insert.ts b/src/core/spec-insert.ts
index 4b54b67..5dda863 100644
--- a/src/core/spec-insert.ts
+++ b/src/core/spec-insert.ts
@@ -1,72 +1,134 @@
 /**
- * Locating composition arrays and appending a view to one (docs/architecture/08 →
- * editor augmentation). Powers the "＋ Add view" CodeLens: an always-visible
- * affordance over each `layer`/`hconcat`/`vconcat`/`concat` for adding a sibling
- * view — the complement to the wrap refactors (which create a composition; this
- * grows an existing one).
+ * Cursor-scoped composition editing (docs/architecture/08 → editor augmentation).
+ * Powers the composition CodeLens and its palette twins: over the view the cursor
+ * sits in, add a sibling before/after it or reorder it among its siblings — the
+ * complement to the wrap refactors (which create a composition; this grows and
+ * rearranges an existing one).
  *
- * Portable core. `compositionArrays` uses jsonc-parser to find each array and its
- * path (so the CodeLens knows where to sit and what to grow); `appendView` is a
- * plain immutable push at that path. JSON-text formatting is the editor's job.
+ * Portable core. `compositionTargetAt` maps a cursor offset to the innermost
+ * `layer`/`hconcat`/`vconcat`/`concat` it is inside, the element it is on, and the
+ * sibling count — everything a surface needs to place affordances and pick an
+ * index. `insertView` / `moveView` are plain immutable edits at that path;
+ * `elementOffset` locates an element afterwards so the editor can keep the cursor
+ * on it. JSON-text formatting is the editor's job.
  */
 
-import { parseTree, type Node } from 'jsonc-parser';
+import {
+  findNodeAtLocation,
+  findNodeAtOffset,
+  getNodePath,
+  parseTree,
+  type Node,
+} from 'jsonc-parser';
 import { isJsonObject, type JsonObject } from './spec-config';
 import { ARRAY_COMPOSITIONS, placeholderView } from './spec-transforms';
 
 /** A spec path: object keys and array indices, from the root. */
 export type SpecPath = (string | number)[];
 
-/** A composition array found in the spec text. */
-interface CompositionArray {
-  /** The operator key (`layer`, `hconcat`, …). */
-  key: string;
-  /** Start offset of the array node, for placing the affordance. */
-  offset: number;
-  /** Path to the array, for `appendView`. */
-  path: SpecPath;
+/** The composition the cursor is inside, and where in it the cursor sits. */
+export interface CompositionTarget {
+  /** Path to the composition array (`layer`/`hconcat`/…) for the edit. */
+  arrayPath: SpecPath;
+  /** Start offset of the array node, for the empty-composition fallback anchor. */
+  arrayOffset: number;
+  /** Number of element views in the array. */
+  count: number;
+  /** The element the cursor is on, or null between/around elements. */
+  element: { index: number; offset: number; length: number } | null;
 }
 
-/** Every composition array in the spec, with its path and start offset. */
-export function compositionArrays(text: string): CompositionArray[] {
-  const tree = parseTree(text);
-  if (!tree) return [];
-  const found: CompositionArray[] = [];
-
-  const walk = (node: Node, path: SpecPath): void => {
-    if (node.type === 'object') {
-      for (const prop of node.children ?? []) {
-        const key: unknown = prop.children?.[0]?.value;
-        const value = prop.children?.[1];
-        if (typeof key !== 'string' || !value) continue;
-        if (ARRAY_COMPOSITIONS.includes(key) && value.type === 'array') {
-          found.push({ key, offset: value.offset, path: [...path, key] });
-        }
-        walk(value, [...path, key]);
-      }
-    } else if (node.type === 'array') {
-      (node.children ?? []).forEach((child, i) => walk(child, [...path, i]));
-    }
-  };
-
-  walk(tree, []);
-  return found;
+/** Is this array node a composition array (its property key is `layer`/`concat`/…)? */
+function isCompositionArray(node: Node): boolean {
+  const parent = node.parent;
+  if (parent?.type !== 'property') return false;
+  const key: unknown = parent.children?.[0]?.value;
+  return typeof key === 'string' && ARRAY_COMPOSITIONS.includes(key);
 }
 
 /**
- * Append an empty placeholder view to the array at `path`. Returns a new spec, or
- * null when the path does not lead to an array (the text changed since the path
- * was computed). Input is not mutated.
+ * The composition the cursor at `offset` is inside (the innermost one, so a view
+ * nested in a layer-in-concat targets the layer), or null when the cursor is not
+ * inside any `layer`/`hconcat`/`vconcat`/`concat`. Error-tolerant, so it works
+ * mid-edit. `element` is null when the cursor is on the array's brackets or
+ * between views — an empty array then offers a single append; a non-empty one
+ * shows nothing until the cursor enters a view.
  */
-export function appendView(spec: JsonObject, path: SpecPath): JsonObject | null {
-  const next = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(spec)) as JsonObject;
-  let node: unknown = next;
+export function compositionTargetAt(text: string, offset: number): CompositionTarget | null {
+  const tree = parseTree(text);
+  if (!tree) return null;
+  let array: Node | undefined;
+  for (let n = findNodeAtOffset(tree, offset, true); n; n = n.parent) {
+    if (n.type === 'array' && isCompositionArray(n)) {
+      array = n;
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  if (!array) return null;
+  const children = array.children ?? [];
+  let element: CompositionTarget['element'] = null;
+  for (let i = 0; i < children.length; i++) {
+    const c = children[i];
+    if (offset >= c.offset && offset <= c.offset + c.length) {
+      element = { index: i, offset: c.offset, length: c.length };
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  return {
+    arrayPath: getNodePath(array),
+    arrayOffset: array.offset,
+    count: children.length,
+    element,
+  };
+}
+
+/** The array at `path` in `spec`, or null when the path does not lead to one. */
+function arrayAt(spec: JsonObject, path: SpecPath): unknown[] | null {
+  let node: unknown = spec;
   for (const segment of path) {
     if (Array.isArray(node)) node = node[segment as number];
     else if (isJsonObject(node)) node = node[segment as string];
     else return null;
   }
-  if (!Array.isArray(node)) return null;
-  node.push(placeholderView());
+  return Array.isArray(node) ? node : null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Insert an empty placeholder view at `index` of the array at `path` (clamped to
+ * the array's bounds). Returns a new spec, or null when the path does not lead to
+ * an array (the text changed since the path was computed). Input is not mutated.
+ */
+export function insertView(spec: JsonObject, path: SpecPath, index: number): JsonObject | null {
+  const next = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(spec)) as JsonObject;
+  const array = arrayAt(next, path);
+  if (!array) return null;
+  array.splice(Math.max(0, Math.min(index, array.length)), 0, placeholderView());
   return next;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Swap the view at `index` of the array at `path` with its neighbor `delta` steps
+ * away (±1). Returns a new spec, or null when the path is not an array or either
+ * position is out of bounds. Input is not mutated.
+ */
+export function moveView(
+  spec: JsonObject,
+  path: SpecPath,
+  index: number,
+  delta: number,
+): JsonObject | null {
+  const next = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(spec)) as JsonObject;
+  const array = arrayAt(next, path);
+  if (!array) return null;
+  const to = index + delta;
+  if (index < 0 || index >= array.length || to < 0 || to >= array.length) return null;
+  [array[index], array[to]] = [array[to], array[index]];
+  return next;
+}
+
+/** Start offset of the element at `[...path, index]` in the text, or null. */
+export function elementOffset(text: string, path: SpecPath, index: number): number | null {
+  const tree = parseTree(text);
+  if (!tree) return null;
+  return findNodeAtLocation(tree, [...path, index])?.offset ?? null;
+}