split-compare

ComparisonSplitStructure

Two options + verdict — dark frame on the left, 2-column option grid + a recommendation card on the right.

Use when a decision frames a binary choice and the recommendation must be unambiguous. Second top-level list item is always the preferred option (gets the accent badge). The verdict blockquote becomes a recommendation card with a corner tag, pinned across the bottom.

tradeoffrecommendationcontrast

When to use

Binary decision with a recommendation. The slide must close the question with one chosen path. Use when the audience needs both the trade-off and the verdict on one slide, not on two.
Comparable facts per option. Each side carries 2–4 short bullets — the same kind of fact across both. Lopsided facts break the visual symmetry.
Verdict in one sentence. The trailing blockquote is the recommendation distilled to a single line. Anything longer belongs in spoken commentary, not the recommendation card.

When not to use

Three or more options. split-compare is strictly two — first card is the alternative, second card is the preferred. For three options, use verdict-grid or successive decision slides.
No verdict. The blockquote is mandatory. Without it the slide collapses to a comparison without a call — use compare-prose for that case.
Preferred on the left. Layout convention pins the preferred option to the second (right) card. Putting the recommendation first breaks the reading flow and the accent badge lands on the wrong card.

Common mistakes

Trying to rename the "RECOMMENDATION" tag by editing the blockquote text. The tag text comes from the --insight-label CSS variable, set by an insight-* modifier class on the slide (e.g. insight-verdict) — not from anything inside the blockquote; editing the blockquote only changes the recommendation sentence, not its tag.
Leaving the frame label unwrapped in backticks. The frame label is reassembled to the top of the dark panel regardless of its source position — placement doesn't matter. It must be backtick-wrapped, though: unwrapped plain text is instead captured as the intro paragraph, not the frame label.

Authoring

<!-- _class: split-compare -->

`Decision Required`

## Headline that frames the choice.

One-sentence context paragraph explaining the stakes.

- Alternative option
  - First fact about the alternative
  - Second fact about the alternative
- Preferred option
  - First fact about the preferred path
  - Second fact about the preferred path

> The recommendation in one decisive sentence.

Slots

Slot	Selector	Required	Description
`frame`	`p:first-of-type > code`	no	Optional inline-code frame label above the heading (e.g. 'Decision Required').
`heading`	`h2`	yes	Decision framing in the dark left panel.
`context`	`p`	yes	One-sentence context paragraph under the heading.
`options`	`ul > li`	yes	Exactly two top-level items. First is the alternative; second is the preferred option.
`verdict`	`blockquote`	yes	The recommendation — one short sentence in a blockquote. The card tag defaults to RECOMMENDATION; an insight-* modifier on the slide _class (e.g. insight-verdict) renames it via the shared --insight-label seam. See lib/base/base.docs.md § Renaming the eyebrow.

Anatomy

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  header                                 │
│  ┌────────────┐  ┌──────────────────┐   │
│  │ OPTION     │  │ Choice A         │   │
│  │ A vs B     │  └──────────────────┘   │
│  │            │  ┌──────────────────┐   │
│  │ verdict    │  │ Choice B         │   │
│  └────────────┘  └──────────────────┘   │
│  footer                           1/19  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

compare-prosethe comparison is undecided — no verdict bar yet
decisionthe verdict slide that follows a separate comparison
split-panelthe right side is findings, not paired options
verdict-gridthree or more options scored against shared criteria