The mockup in desktop/ shows a classic NLE layout. To "ditch DaVinci and CapCut" the bigger question is what shape of workspace system kael ships. Pick the v1 default — the others can come in later versions.
Media left, preview center, inspector right, timeline bottom. One unified workspace. Same paradigm as Premiere, Final Cut, the existing apps/web editor, and both mobile apps.
Pro: lowest learning curve, matches mobile editors. Ship faster. Con: power users editing color or audio share one layout — no specialization.
Top-level tabs: Edit · Cut · Color · Fairlight (Audio) · Captions · Deliver. Each tab is a completely different layout tuned for that task. Switch tabs to switch tools.
Pro: each task gets a tailored UI; serious editors expect this; differentiates from CapCut. Con: more layouts to design + build; harder to learn for new users; v1 needs at least 2 workspaces to feel like the paradigm.
Ship Option A's layout as v1 default, but design the panel system from day one to support workspace switching. Add the Edit / Color / Audio tab row in v2 once the engine for those is built.
v2: + Edit / Color / Audio / Captions tabs
Pro: faster to ship, room to grow into DaVinci-class differentiation, no architecture rewrite later. Con: requires upfront discipline in the panel system (every panel must be relocatable/dockable).
Every panel is a draggable, dockable, tear-off-to-its-own-window unit. User builds their own layout. No fixed regions.
Pro: maximum power-user flexibility, multi-monitor friendly. Con: significant kael work (window management, dock/undock, persisted layouts); steep learning curve; out of scope for v1.