diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5044d66..8c73720 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ add_executable(Reclass
     src/scannerpanel.h
     src/scannerpanel.cpp
     src/mainwindow.h
+    src/startpage.h
+    src/dock_tab_buttons.h
     src/optionsdialog.h
     src/optionsdialog.cpp
     src/titlebar.h
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 9e51d11..c05971d 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -574,6 +574,7 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget* parent) : QMainWindow(parent) {
     overlay->raise();
     overlay->show();
 
+    // Central placeholder — will be replaced by start page after construction
     m_centralPlaceholder = new QWidget(this);
     m_centralPlaceholder->setFixedSize(0, 0);
     m_centralPlaceholder->setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy::Ignored, QSizePolicy::Ignored);
@@ -612,6 +613,9 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget* parent) : QMainWindow(parent) {
     connect(&ThemeManager::instance(), &ThemeManager::themeChanged,
             this, &MainWindow::applyTheme);
 
+    // Apply theme once at startup (the signal only fires on change, not initial load)
+    applyTheme(ThemeManager::instance().current());
+
     // Load plugins
     m_pluginManager.LoadPlugins();
 
@@ -2292,15 +2296,20 @@ void MainWindow::applyTheme(const Theme& theme) {
     if (m_titleBar)
         m_titleBar->applyTheme(theme);
 
+    // Start page
+    if (m_startPage)
+        m_startPage->applyTheme(theme);
+
     // Update border overlay color
     updateBorderColor(isActiveWindow() ? theme.borderFocused : theme.border);
 
-    // Style doc dock tab bars and remove dock borders
+    // Style doc dock tab bars and remove dock borders.
+    // QWidget default colors are required because having ANY stylesheet on QMainWindow
+    // switches children from palette-based to CSS-based rendering.
     setStyleSheet(QStringLiteral(
         "QMainWindow::separator { width: 1px; height: 1px; background: transparent; }"
         "QDockWidget { border: none; }"
-        "QDockWidget > QWidget { border: none; }")
-        .arg(theme.border.name()));
+        "QDockWidget > QWidget { border: none; }"));
 
     for (auto* tabBar : findChildren<QTabBar*>()) {
         // Only style tab bars owned directly by this QMainWindow (dock tabs),
@@ -3165,10 +3174,7 @@ QDockWidget* MainWindow::project_open(const QString& path) {
     if (filePath.isEmpty()) {
         filePath = QFileDialog::getOpenFileName(this,
             "Open Definition", {},
-            "All Supported (*.rcx *.json *.reclass *.MemeCls *.xml)"
-            ";;Reclass (*.rcx)"
-            ";;JSON (*.json)"
-            ";;ReClass XML (*.reclass *.MemeCls *.xml)"
+            "Reclass (*.rcx)"
             ";;All (*)");
         if (filePath.isEmpty()) return nullptr;
     }
@@ -3179,8 +3185,7 @@ QDockWidget* MainWindow::project_open(const QString& path) {
         QFile probe(filePath);
         if (probe.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
             QByteArray head = probe.read(64);
-            isXml = head.trimmed().startsWith("<?xml") || head.trimmed().startsWith("<ReClass")
-                    || head.trimmed().startsWith("<MemeCls");
+            isXml = head.trimmed().startsWith("<?xml") || head.trimmed().startsWith("<ReClass");
         }
     }
 
@@ -3950,6 +3955,66 @@ void MainWindow::updateBorderColor(const QColor& color) {
     m_borderOverlay->update();
 }
 
+void MainWindow::showStartPage() {
+    if (m_startPage) return;
+
+    m_startPage = new StartPageWidget(this);
+    m_startPage->applyTheme(ThemeManager::instance().current());
+
+    // Size the popup to ~85% of the main window, min 1060 wide for two-column layout
+    QSize sz(qBound(1060, int(width() * 0.85), width() - 40),
+             qBound(560, int(height() * 0.8), height() - 40));
+    m_startPage->setFixedSize(sz);
+
+    // Wire start page signals — each closes the dialog then performs action
+    connect(m_startPage, &StartPageWidget::openProject, this, [this]() {
+        dismissStartPage();
+        openFile();
+        if (m_tabs.isEmpty()) showStartPage();
+    });
+    connect(m_startPage, &StartPageWidget::newClass, this, [this]() {
+        dismissStartPage();
+        newClass();
+    });
+    connect(m_startPage, &StartPageWidget::importSource, this, [this]() {
+        dismissStartPage();
+        importFromSource();
+        if (m_tabs.isEmpty()) showStartPage();
+    });
+    connect(m_startPage, &StartPageWidget::importXml, this, [this]() {
+        dismissStartPage();
+        importReclassXml();
+        if (m_tabs.isEmpty()) showStartPage();
+    });
+    connect(m_startPage, &StartPageWidget::importPdb, this, [this]() {
+        dismissStartPage();
+        importPdb();
+        if (m_tabs.isEmpty()) showStartPage();
+    });
+    connect(m_startPage, &StartPageWidget::continueClicked, this, [this]() {
+        dismissStartPage();
+        selfTest();
+    });
+    connect(m_startPage, &StartPageWidget::fileSelected, this, [this](const QString& path) {
+        dismissStartPage();
+        project_open(path);
+    });
+    connect(m_startPage, &QDialog::rejected, this, [this]() {
+        dismissStartPage();
+    });
+
+    // Center over main window and show as application-modal
+    m_startPage->move(geometry().center() - m_startPage->rect().center());
+    m_startPage->open();
+}
+
+void MainWindow::dismissStartPage() {
+    if (!m_startPage) return;
+    m_startPage->close();
+    m_startPage->deleteLater();
+    m_startPage = nullptr;
+}
+
 } // namespace rcx
 
 // ── Entry point ──
@@ -3986,8 +4051,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 
     window.show();
 
-    // Auto-open demo project from saved .rcx file
-    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(&window, "selfTest");
+    // Show VS2022-style start page instead of jumping straight to demo
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(&window, "showStartPage", Qt::QueuedConnection);
 
     return app.exec();
 }
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.h b/src/mainwindow.h
index bccf5cb..82fab5f 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.h
+++ b/src/mainwindow.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "titlebar.h"
 #include "pluginmanager.h"
 #include "scannerpanel.h"
+#include "startpage.h"
 #include <QMainWindow>
 #include <QLabel>
 #include <QSplitter>
@@ -169,6 +170,11 @@ private:
     DockGripWidget*       m_scanDockGrip     = nullptr;
     void createScannerDock();
 
+    // Start page
+    StartPageWidget*      m_startPage        = nullptr;
+    Q_INVOKABLE void showStartPage();
+    void dismissStartPage();
+
 protected:
     void changeEvent(QEvent* event) override;
     void resizeEvent(QResizeEvent* event) override;
diff --git a/src/resources.qrc b/src/resources.qrc
index e080e74..54d91f5 100644
--- a/src/resources.qrc
+++ b/src/resources.qrc
@@ -64,5 +64,6 @@
         <file alias="pinned.svg">vsicons/pinned.svg</file>
         <file alias="close-all.svg">vsicons/close-all.svg</file>
         <file alias="split-vertical.svg">vsicons/split-vertical.svg</file>
+        <file alias="book.svg">vsicons/book.svg</file>
     </qresource>
 </RCC>
diff --git a/src/startpage.h b/src/startpage.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed86517
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/startpage.h
@@ -0,0 +1,360 @@
+#pragma once
+#include "themes/thememanager.h"
+#include <QDialog>
+#include <QLineEdit>
+#include <QPainter>
+#include <QMouseEvent>
+#include <QWheelEvent>
+#include <QFileInfo>
+#include <QDir>
+#include <QSettings>
+#include <QCoreApplication>
+#include <QPainterPath>
+
+namespace rcx {
+
+// Single-widget start page: everything painted in paintEvent.
+// Zero CSS, zero Fusion conflicts, zero child-widget styling issues.
+
+class StartPageWidget : public QDialog {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    explicit StartPageWidget(QWidget* parent = nullptr) : QDialog(parent) {
+        setWindowFlags(Qt::FramelessWindowHint | Qt::Dialog);
+        setMouseTracking(true);
+        setAttribute(Qt::WA_OpaquePaintEvent);
+
+        m_search = new QLineEdit(this);
+        m_search->setPlaceholderText("Search recent...");
+        m_search->setFixedHeight(30);
+        m_search->setMaximumWidth(330);
+        m_search->addAction(QIcon(":/vsicons/search.svg"), QLineEdit::TrailingPosition);
+        connect(m_search, &QLineEdit::textChanged, this, [this]{ buildGroups(); update(); });
+
+        loadEntries();
+        buildGroups();
+        applyTheme(ThemeManager::instance().current());
+    }
+
+    void applyTheme(const Theme& t) {
+        m_t = t;
+        m_search->setStyleSheet(
+            "QLineEdit { background: " + t.background.name() + "; color: " + t.text.name()
+            + "; border: 1px solid " + t.border.name()
+            + "; padding: 2px 8px; font-size: 13px; }"
+            "QLineEdit:focus { border: 1px solid " + t.borderFocused.name() + "; }");
+        update();
+    }
+
+signals:
+    void openProject();
+    void newClass();
+    void importSource();
+    void importXml();
+    void importPdb();
+    void continueClicked();
+    void fileSelected(const QString& path);
+
+protected:
+    void paintEvent(QPaintEvent*) override {
+        QPainter p(this);
+        p.setRenderHint(QPainter::Antialiasing);
+
+        const int LX = 48, TM = 36, RM = 48, GAP = 40, RW = 340;
+        const int rpX = width() - RW - RM;
+        const int lW  = qMax(100, rpX - GAP - LX);
+
+        p.fillRect(rect(), m_t.background);
+
+        // ── Title ──
+        int y = TM;
+        QFont titleF = font(); titleF.setPixelSize(30); titleF.setWeight(QFont::Light);
+        p.setFont(titleF); p.setPen(m_t.text);
+        QFontMetrics titleFm(titleF);
+        p.drawText(LX, y + titleFm.ascent(), "Reclass");
+        y += titleFm.height() + 24;
+
+        // ── Headings (left + right at same y) ──
+        QFont headF = font(); headF.setPixelSize(20); headF.setWeight(QFont::DemiBold);
+        p.setFont(headF); QFontMetrics headFm(headF);
+        p.drawText(LX, y + headFm.ascent(), "Open recent");
+        int ry = y;
+        p.drawText(rpX, ry + headFm.ascent(), "Get started");
+        ry += headFm.height() + 14;
+        y  += headFm.height() + 14;
+
+        // ── Search bar (only child widget) ──
+        m_search->setGeometry(LX, y, qMin(330, lW), 30);
+        y += 46;
+        m_listTop = y;
+
+        // ── Right panel ──
+        drawCards(p, rpX, ry, RW);
+
+        // ── File list ──
+        drawFileList(p, LX, lW);
+
+        // ── Border ──
+        p.setPen(QPen(m_t.border, 1));
+        p.setBrush(Qt::NoBrush);
+        p.drawRect(rect().adjusted(0, 0, -1, -1));
+    }
+
+    void mouseMoveEvent(QMouseEvent* e) override {
+        auto [z, i] = hitTest(e->pos());
+        if (z != m_hz || i != m_hi) {
+            m_hz = z; m_hi = i;
+            setCursor(z != HZ_None ? Qt::PointingHandCursor : Qt::ArrowCursor);
+            update();
+        }
+    }
+
+    void mousePressEvent(QMouseEvent* e) override {
+        if (e->button() != Qt::LeftButton) return;
+        auto [z, i] = hitTest(e->pos());
+        if (z == HZ_Entry)    emit fileSelected(m_filtered[i].path);
+        if (z == HZ_Group)    { m_groups[i].expanded = !m_groups[i].expanded; update(); }
+        if (z == HZ_Card && i == 0) emit openProject();
+        if (z == HZ_Card && i == 1) emit newClass();
+        if (z == HZ_Card && i == 2) emit importSource();
+        if (z == HZ_Card && i == 3) emit importXml();
+        if (z == HZ_Card && i == 4) emit importPdb();
+        if (z == HZ_Continue) emit continueClicked();
+    }
+
+    void wheelEvent(QWheelEvent* e) override {
+        m_scrollY = qBound(0, m_scrollY - e->angleDelta().y() / 2, m_maxScroll);
+        update();
+    }
+
+    void resizeEvent(QResizeEvent* e) override { QWidget::resizeEvent(e); update(); }
+    void leaveEvent(QEvent*) override { m_hz = HZ_None; m_hi = -1; setCursor(Qt::ArrowCursor); update(); }
+    void keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent* e) override { if (e->key() == Qt::Key_Escape) reject(); }
+
+private:
+    enum HZ { HZ_None, HZ_Entry, HZ_Group, HZ_Card, HZ_Continue };
+    struct Hit { HZ zone; int idx; };
+
+    struct Entry {
+        QString path, fileName, dirPath;
+        QDateTime lastModified;
+        bool isExample;
+    };
+    struct Group {
+        QString name;
+        bool expanded = true;
+        QVector<int> entries;
+    };
+
+    Theme m_t;
+    QLineEdit* m_search;
+    QVector<Entry> m_all, m_filtered;
+    QVector<Group> m_groups;
+    int m_scrollY = 0, m_maxScroll = 0, m_listTop = 0, m_contentH = 0;
+
+    HZ  m_hz = HZ_None;
+    int m_hi = -1;
+
+    // Hit rects populated during paint
+    QVector<QPair<int, QRectF>> m_grpRects, m_entRects;
+    QRectF m_cardR[5], m_contR;
+
+    void drawIcon(QPainter& p, const QString& path, int x, int y, int sz) {
+        QIcon(path).paint(&p, x, y, sz, sz);
+    }
+
+    // ── Data loading ──
+
+    void loadEntries() {
+        m_all.clear();
+        QSettings s("Reclass", "Reclass");
+        for (const auto& path : s.value("recentFiles").toStringList()) {
+            QFileInfo fi(path);
+            if (!fi.exists()) continue;
+            m_all.append({fi.absoluteFilePath(), fi.fileName(), fi.absolutePath(),
+                          fi.lastModified(), false});
+        }
+#ifdef __APPLE__
+        QDir exDir(QDir::cleanPath(QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath() + "/../Resources/examples"));
+#else
+        QDir exDir(QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath() + "/examples");
+#endif
+        for (const auto& fn : exDir.entryList({"*.rcx"}, QDir::Files, QDir::Name))
+            m_all.append({exDir.absoluteFilePath(fn), fn, exDir.absolutePath(),
+                          QFileInfo(exDir.filePath(fn)).lastModified(), true});
+    }
+
+    void buildGroups() {
+        QString f = m_search->text().trimmed().toLower();
+        m_filtered.clear();
+        for (const auto& e : m_all)
+            if (f.isEmpty() || e.fileName.toLower().contains(f) || e.dirPath.toLower().contains(f))
+                m_filtered.append(e);
+
+        QDate today = QDate::currentDate();
+        QVector<int> bk[6];
+        for (int i = 0; i < m_filtered.size(); i++) {
+            auto& e = m_filtered[i];
+            if (e.isExample) { bk[5].append(i); continue; }
+            int d = e.lastModified.date().daysTo(today);
+            if      (d == 0) bk[0].append(i);
+            else if (d == 1) bk[1].append(i);
+            else if (d <  7) bk[2].append(i);
+            else if (e.lastModified.date().month() == today.month()
+                  && e.lastModified.date().year()  == today.year()) bk[3].append(i);
+            else bk[4].append(i);
+        }
+        static const char* names[] = {"Today","Yesterday","This week","This month","Older","Examples"};
+        m_groups.clear();
+        for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++)
+            if (!bk[i].isEmpty()) m_groups.append({names[i], true, bk[i]});
+        m_scrollY = 0;
+    }
+
+    // ── Drawing ──
+
+    void drawCards(QPainter& p, int x, int y, int w) {
+        struct C { const char* icon; const char* title; const char* desc; };
+        static const C cards[] = {
+            {":/vsicons/folder-opened.svg", "Open a project",      "Open an existing .rcx project"},
+            {":/vsicons/symbol-class.svg",  "New Class",           "Start a new binary class definition"},
+            {":/vsicons/file-binary.svg",   "Import from Source",  "Import C/C++ header or source file"},
+            {":/vsicons/code.svg",          "Import ReClass XML",  "Import from ReClass .xml format"},
+            {":/vsicons/debug.svg",         "Import PDB",          "Import types from a .pdb symbol file"}
+        };
+
+        const int N = 5, CH = 84, R = 6, panelH = N * CH;
+
+        // Rounded panel background
+        QPainterPath clip;
+        clip.addRoundedRect(QRectF(x, y, w, panelH), R, R);
+        p.save();
+        p.setClipPath(clip);
+        p.fillRect(x, y, w, panelH, m_t.background);
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) {
+            int cy = y + i * CH;
+            QRectF cr(x, cy, w, CH);
+            m_cardR[i] = cr;
+            bool hov = (m_hz == HZ_Card && m_hi == i);
+
+            if (hov) {
+                p.fillRect(cr, m_t.hover);
+                p.fillRect(QRectF(x, cy, 3, CH), m_t.indHoverSpan);
+            }
+
+            // Icon (32px, centered vertically)
+            int iconSz = 32;
+            drawIcon(p, cards[i].icon, x + 24, cy + (CH - iconSz) / 2, iconSz);
+
+            // Title + description block, centered vertically
+            int tx = x + 24 + iconSz + 16;
+            QFont tf = font(); tf.setPixelSize(15);
+            QFont df = font(); df.setPixelSize(12);
+            QFontMetrics tfm(tf), dfm(df);
+            int blockH = tfm.height() + 5 + dfm.height();
+            int by = cy + (CH - blockH) / 2;
+
+            p.setFont(tf); p.setPen(m_t.text);
+            p.drawText(tx, by + tfm.ascent(), cards[i].title);
+            p.setFont(df); p.setPen(m_t.textDim);
+            p.drawText(tx, by + tfm.height() + 5 + dfm.ascent(), cards[i].desc);
+        }
+
+        p.restore();
+
+        // "Continue ->"
+        int cy = y + N * CH + 16;
+        QFont lf = font(); lf.setPixelSize(13);
+        if (m_hz == HZ_Continue) lf.setUnderline(true);
+        p.setFont(lf); p.setPen(m_t.indHoverSpan);
+        QFontMetrics lfm(lf);
+        QString ct = QStringLiteral("Continue  \u2192");
+        int cw = lfm.horizontalAdvance(ct);
+        m_contR = QRectF(x + w - cw, cy, cw, lfm.height());
+        p.drawText(int(m_contR.x()), cy + lfm.ascent(), ct);
+    }
+
+    void drawFileList(QPainter& p, int x, int w) {
+        int listH = height() - 24 - m_listTop;
+        p.save();
+        p.setClipRect(x, m_listTop, w, listH);
+
+        int fy = m_listTop - m_scrollY;
+        m_grpRects.clear();
+        m_entRects.clear();
+
+        for (int gi = 0; gi < m_groups.size(); gi++) {
+            auto& g = m_groups[gi];
+            if (gi > 0) fy += 15;
+
+            // Group header
+            m_grpRects.append({gi, QRectF(x, fy, w, 28)});
+            p.setPen(Qt::NoPen); p.setBrush(m_t.text);
+            int triX = x + 8, triY = fy + 11;
+            QPolygonF tri;
+            if (g.expanded) tri << QPointF(triX,triY) << QPointF(triX+6,triY) << QPointF(triX+3,triY+6);
+            else            tri << QPointF(triX,triY) << QPointF(triX+6,triY+3) << QPointF(triX,triY+6);
+            p.drawPolygon(tri);
+
+            QFont gf = font(); gf.setPixelSize(13);
+            p.setFont(gf); p.setPen(m_t.text);
+            p.drawText(triX + 14, fy + 14 + QFontMetrics(gf).ascent() / 2 - 1, g.name);
+            fy += 28;
+
+            if (!g.expanded) continue;
+
+            for (int ei : g.entries) {
+                auto& e = m_filtered[ei];
+                QRectF er(x, fy, w, 52);
+                m_entRects.append({ei, er});
+                if (m_hz == HZ_Entry && m_hi == ei) p.fillRect(er, m_t.hover);
+
+                drawIcon(p, e.isExample ? ":/vsicons/book.svg" : ":/vsicons/symbol-structure.svg",
+                         x + 24, fy + 17, 18);
+
+                int tx = x + 52, avail = w - 64;
+                QFont nf = font(); nf.setPixelSize(14);
+                p.setFont(nf); p.setPen(m_t.text);
+                QFontMetrics nm(nf);
+                int ny = fy + 8;
+                p.drawText(tx, ny + nm.ascent(),
+                           nm.elidedText(e.fileName, Qt::ElideMiddle, avail * 0.65));
+
+                if (!e.isExample) {
+                    p.setPen(m_t.textDim);
+                    QString dt = e.lastModified.toString("M/d/yyyy h:mm AP");
+                    p.drawText(x + w - 12 - nm.horizontalAdvance(dt), ny + nm.ascent(), dt);
+                }
+
+                QFont pf = font(); pf.setPixelSize(12);
+                p.setFont(pf); p.setPen(m_t.textDim);
+                QFontMetrics pm(pf);
+                p.drawText(tx, ny + nm.height() + 4 + pm.ascent(),
+                           pm.elidedText(e.dirPath, Qt::ElideMiddle, avail));
+                fy += 52;
+            }
+        }
+
+        m_contentH = fy + m_scrollY - m_listTop;
+        m_maxScroll = qMax(0, m_contentH - listH);
+        p.restore();
+    }
+
+    // ── Hit testing ──
+
+    Hit hitTest(QPoint pos) const {
+        for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
+            if (m_cardR[i].contains(pos)) return {HZ_Card, i};
+        if (m_contR.contains(pos)) return {HZ_Continue, 0};
+        if (pos.y() >= m_listTop && pos.y() < height() - 24) {
+            for (const auto& [gi, r] : m_grpRects)
+                if (r.contains(pos)) return {HZ_Group, gi};
+            for (const auto& [ei, r] : m_entRects)
+                if (r.contains(pos)) return {HZ_Entry, ei};
+        }
+        return {HZ_None, -1};
+    }
+};
+
+} // namespace rcx
diff --git a/src/workspace_model.h b/src/workspace_model.h
index 17a2684..4518a14 100644
--- a/src/workspace_model.h
+++ b/src/workspace_model.h
@@ -63,24 +63,10 @@ inline void buildProjectExplorer(QStandardItemModel* model,
         return QString::fromLatin1(kindToString(m.kind));
     };
 
-    // Sort structs by visible children count descending (most fields first)
-    auto countVisible = [&](const Entry& e) {
-        int n = 0;
-        for (int idx : e.tree->childrenOf(e.node->id))
-            if (!isHexPad(e.tree->nodes[idx].kind)) ++n;
-        return n;
-    };
-    auto cmpChildren = [&](const Entry& a, const Entry& b) {
-        int ca = countVisible(a);
-        int cb = countVisible(b);
-        if (ca != cb) return ca > cb;
-        return nameOf(a.node).compare(nameOf(b.node), Qt::CaseInsensitive) < 0;
-    };
-    std::sort(types.begin(), types.end(), cmpChildren);
-    auto cmpName = [&](const Entry& a, const Entry& b) {
-        return nameOf(a.node).compare(nameOf(b.node), Qt::CaseInsensitive) < 0;
-    };
-    std::sort(enums.begin(), enums.end(), cmpName);
+    // TODO: re-enable sorting once startup perf is acceptable
+    // auto countVisible = [&](const Entry& e) { ... };
+    // std::sort(types.begin(), types.end(), cmpChildren);
+    // std::sort(enums.begin(), enums.end(), cmpName);
 
     for (const auto& e : types) {
         QVector<int> members = e.tree->childrenOf(e.node->id);