adeelahmad · Oct 11, 2026 · Oct 10, 2026
diff --git a/docs/graph.md b/docs/graph.md
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ vocabulary (SKOS), apart from entities, shown on the explorer canvas as their ow
 
 ## The explorer
 
-Graph in the sidebar shows the graph of the scope picked at the top (one namespace, or all shared).
+Graph in the sidebar shows the graph of the scope picked at the top (one namespace, or all shared). With no namespace
+picked it opens on all shared namespaces, or, when none of them has a graph yet, on the namespace that keeps its graph
+to itself and has one. On a computer the Find in graph box has the focus, so typing a name finds it.
 
 - **Move around**: drag the background to pan, the wheel or the + and − buttons to zoom; on touch, drag with one
   finger and pinch with two. Drag a node to put it where you want; it stays there on this device until a layout or

diff --git a/nextjs-frontend/__tests__/graph-opening.test.ts b/nextjs-frontend/__tests__/graph-opening.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { openingNamespace } from "@/components/graph/model";
+
+describe("where the graph opens when no namespace is picked", () => {
+  it("stays all shared namespaces when one of them has a graph", () => {
+    expect(
+      openingNamespace([
+        { name: "interviews", graph: "isolated", analyzed: 4, speakers: 3 },
+        { name: "podcasts", graph: "shared", analyzed: 1, speakers: 0 },
+      ]),
+    ).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("opens the namespace that keeps its graph to itself when only it has one", () => {
+    expect(
+      openingNamespace([
+        { name: "interviews", graph: "isolated", analyzed: 2, speakers: 3 },
+        { name: "podcasts", graph: "shared", analyzed: 0, speakers: 0 },
+      ]),
+    ).toBe("interviews");
+  });
+
+  it("picks the fullest when several keep theirs to themselves", () => {
+    expect(
+      openingNamespace([
+        { name: "family", graph: "isolated", analyzed: 1, speakers: 1 },
+        { name: "work", graph: "isolated", analyzed: 5, speakers: 2 },
+        { name: "podcasts", graph: "shared" },
+      ]),
+    ).toBe("work");
+  });
+
+  it("changes nothing when there is nothing to see yet", () => {
+    expect(
+      openingNamespace([
+        { name: "interviews", graph: "isolated", analyzed: 0, speakers: 0 },
+        { name: "podcasts", graph: "shared", analyzed: 0, speakers: 0 },
+      ]),
+    ).toBeNull();
+    expect(openingNamespace([])).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/nextjs-frontend/components/graph/filters.tsx b/nextjs-frontend/components/graph/filters.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,15 @@ import { count } from "@/lib/format";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 /** "Find in graph": type to list matching nodes; Enter picks the best one. */
-export function GraphFinder({ nodes, onPick }: { nodes: GraphNode[]; onPick: (id: string) => void }) {
+export function GraphFinder({
+  nodes,
+  onPick,
+  autoFocus,
+}: {
+  nodes: GraphNode[];
+  onPick: (id: string) => void;
+  autoFocus?: boolean;
+}) {
   const [q, setQ] = useState("");
   const [active, setActive] = useState(0);
   const hits = findNodes(nodes, q).slice(0, 8);
@@ -35,6 +43,7 @@ export function GraphFinder({ nodes, onPick }: { nodes: GraphNode[]; onPick: (id
             setQ("");
           } else if (e.key === "Escape") setQ("");
         }}
+        autoFocus={autoFocus}
         placeholder="Find in graph"
         aria-label="Find in graph"
         role="combobox"
@@ -94,6 +103,7 @@ export function GraphFilters({
   maxNodes,
   onPick,
   isolated,
+  focusFind,
 }: {
   nodes: GraphNode[];
   scope: "ns" | "all";
@@ -112,6 +122,8 @@ export function GraphFilters({
   maxNodes: number | null;
   onPick: (id: string) => void;
   isolated: string[];
+  /** The find box takes the focus when it shows. */
+  focusFind?: boolean;
 }) {
   const present = new Set(nodes.map(nodeGroup));
   const toggle = (set: Set<string>, v: string) => {
@@ -122,7 +134,7 @@ export function GraphFilters({
   };
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-col gap-3.5">
-      <GraphFinder nodes={nodes}  />
+      <GraphFinder nodes={nodes}  autoFocus={focusFind} />
       <div className="flex flex-col gap-1.5">
         <span className="label-caps">Scope</span>
         <Segmented

diff --git a/nextjs-frontend/components/graph/graph-page.tsx b/nextjs-frontend/components/graph/graph-page.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   findFocus,
   mergeGraph,
   NODE_GROUPS,
+  openingNamespace,
   summarize,
   type GraphData,
   type GraphNode,
@@ -63,15 +64,18 @@ export function GraphPage() {
   const router = useRouter();
   const pathname = usePathname();
   const client = useApiClient();
-  const { namespaces, namespace: topNs, admin } = useArchive();
+  const { namespaces, namespace: topNs, admin, loaded } = useArchive();
   const nsNames = namespaces.map((n) => n.name);
   const focusParam = params.get("focus");
   const urlNs = params.get("ns");
-  const scopeMode: "ns" | "all" = params.get("scope") === "all" ? "all" : urlNs ? "ns" : topNs ? "ns" : "all";
+  const allShared = params.get("scope") === "all";
+  // with no namespace picked, open where there is something to see
+  const opening = urlNs || topNs || allShared ? null : openingNamespace(namespaces);
+  const scopeMode: "ns" | "all" = allShared ? "all" : urlNs || topNs || opening ? "ns" : "all";
   const ns =
     urlNs && nsNames.includes(urlNs)
       ? urlNs
-      : (topNs ?? namespaces.find((n) => n.graph !== "isolated")?.name ?? nsNames[0] ?? null);
+      : (topNs ?? opening ?? namespaces.find((n) => n.graph !== "isolated")?.name ?? nsNames[0] ?? null);
   const scope = scopeMode === "all" || !ns ? "global" : `ns:${ns}`;
   const view = params.get("view") === "table" ? "table" : "graph";
   const asOf = params.get("as_of");
@@ -98,6 +102,8 @@ export function GraphPage() {
     queryKey: ["graph", scope, asOf],
     queryFn: async () =>
       (await data(Search.getGraph({ client, query: { scope, as_of: asOf } }))) as unknown as GraphData,
+    // the namespaces decide the scope, so wait for them rather than build a graph nobody looks at
+    enabled: loaded,
     staleTime: 60_000,
   });
   const settings = useQuery({
@@ -201,7 +207,8 @@ export function GraphPage() {
         (j.steps ?? []).some((s) => (typeof s === "string" ? s : (s as { type?: string })?.type) === "analyze")),
   ).length;
 
-  const filters = (
+  // the side column's find box takes the focus, so typing finds; the filters sheet on smaller screens doesn't
+  const filters = (focusFind: boolean) => (
     <GraphFilters
       nodes={all.nodes}
       scope={scope === "global" ? "all" : "ns"}
@@ -223,6 +230,7 @@ export function GraphPage() {
       maxNodes={maxNodes}
        => select(id)}
       isolated={namespaces.filter((n) => n.graph === "isolated").map((n) => n.name)}
+      focusFind={focusFind}
     />
   );
   const viewSwitch = (
@@ -245,7 +253,7 @@ export function GraphPage() {
         aria-label="Graph filters"
         className="hidden min-h-0 flex-col gap-4 overflow-y-auto border-r border-border bg-surface p-4 lg:flex"
       >
-        {filters}
+        {filters(true)}
         <span className="flex-1" />
         <Link href="/routines/changes" className="text-[12.5px] font-semibold text-fg-accent hover:underline">
           Proposed changes to review
@@ -276,7 +284,7 @@ export function GraphPage() {
             show, or be hidden.
           </Banner>
         )}
-        {graph.isLoading && (
+        {(!loaded || graph.isLoading) && (
           <div className="flex flex-1 items-center justify-center p-10" aria-busy="true" aria-label="Loading the graph">
             <Skeleton className="size-64 rounded-full" />
           </div>
@@ -397,7 +405,7 @@ export function GraphPage() {
         </div>
       </Drawer>
       <Dialog open={filtersOpen}  title="Graph filters">
-        {filters}
+        {filters(false)}
       </Dialog>
     </div>
   );

diff --git a/nextjs-frontend/components/graph/model.ts b/nextjs-frontend/components/graph/model.ts
@@ -228,6 +228,17 @@ export function summarize(nodes: GraphNode[], edges: GraphEdge[], scopeLabel: st
   return `${head} Most connected: ${top.map((n) => `${n.label} (${degree.get(n.id)} ${degree.get(n.id) === 1 ? "link" : "links"})`).join(", ")}.`;
 }
 
+/** Where the graph opens when no namespace is picked: all shared namespaces (null), unless none of them has anything in
+ * its graph yet and a namespace that keeps its graph to itself does; then that one, the fullest if there are several. */
+export function openingNamespace(
+  namespaces: { name: string; graph?: string | null; analyzed?: number; speakers?: number }[],
+): string | null {
+  const size = (n: { analyzed?: number; speakers?: number }) => (n.analyzed ?? 0) + (n.speakers ?? 0);
+  if (namespaces.some((n) => n.graph !== "isolated" && size(n) > 0)) return null;
+  const fullest = namespaces.filter((n) => size(n) > 0).sort((a, b) => size(b) - size(a))[0];
+  return fullest?.name ?? null;
+}
+
 /** Find a node from a `?focus=` value: "s4" (speaker), "e12" (an entity id, also inside merged global nodes). */
 export function findFocus(nodes: GraphNode[], focus: string | null | undefined): GraphNode | undefined {
   if (!focus) return undefined;