diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/preview.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/preview.ts
index 8a26503cda..2aa7c6c9c3 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/preview.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/preview.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 import { defineCommand } from "citty";
 import type { Example } from "./_examples.js";
-import { spawn } from "node:child_process";
+import { spawn, type ChildProcessByStdio } from "node:child_process";
+import type { Readable } from "node:stream";
 
 export const examples: Example[] = [
   ["Preview the current project", "hyperframes preview"],
+  ["Print the current Studio selection as JSON", "hyperframes preview --selection --json"],
+  ["Print current Studio context as JSON", "hyperframes preview --context --json"],
   ["Preview a specific project directory", "hyperframes preview ./my-video"],
   ["Use a custom port", "hyperframes preview --port 8080"],
   ["Force a new server even if one is already running", "hyperframes preview --force-new"],
@@ -24,6 +27,7 @@ import * as clack from "@clack/prompts";
 import { c } from "../ui/colors.js";
 import { isDevMode } from "../utils/env.js";
 import { buildNpxCommand } from "../utils/npxCommand.js";
+import type { StudioSelectionSnapshot } from "@hyperframes/studio-server";
 import {
   openBrowser,
   parseRemoteDebuggingPort,
@@ -40,6 +44,40 @@ import {
 import { killOrphanedProcesses, killProcessTree } from "../utils/orphanCleanup.js";
 import { resolveProject } from "../utils/project.js";
 
+interface BrowserLaunchOptions {
+  noOpen?: boolean;
+  browserPath?: string;
+  userDataDir?: string;
+  remoteDebuggingPort?: number;
+}
+
+interface StudioLaunchOptions extends BrowserLaunchOptions {
+  projectName?: string;
+}
+
+interface EmbeddedStudioOptions extends StudioLaunchOptions {
+  forceNew?: boolean;
+}
+
+type StudioChildProcess = ChildProcessByStdio<null, Readable, Readable>;
+type ContextField = "server" | "selection" | "lint" | "capabilities";
+type CompactSelectionPayload = Pick<
+  StudioSelectionSnapshot,
+  | "schemaVersion"
+  | "projectId"
+  | "compositionPath"
+  | "sourceFile"
+  | "currentTime"
+  | "target"
+  | "label"
+  | "tagName"
+  | "boundingBox"
+  | "textContent"
+  | "thumbnailUrl"
+>;
+
+const DEFAULT_CONTEXT_FIELDS: ContextField[] = ["server", "selection", "lint", "capabilities"];
+
 export default defineCommand({
   meta: { name: "preview", description: "Start the studio for previewing compositions" },
   args: {
@@ -65,6 +103,32 @@ export default defineCommand({
       default: true,
       description: "Open browser automatically",
     },
+    selection: {
+      type: "boolean",
+      description: "Print the current element selected in a running Studio preview and exit",
+      default: false,
+    },
+    json: {
+      type: "boolean",
+      description: "Output preview selection/context as JSON (only with --selection or --context)",
+      default: false,
+    },
+    context: {
+      type: "boolean",
+      description:
+        "Print the current agent-readable context from a running Studio preview and exit",
+      default: false,
+    },
+    "context-fields": {
+      type: "string",
+      description:
+        "Comma-separated context fields to include: server,selection,lint,capabilities (only with --context)",
+    },
+    "context-detail": {
+      type: "string",
+      description: "Context payload detail: compact or full (only with --context)",
+      default: "compact",
+    },
     "browser-path": {
       type: "string",
       description: "Path to the browser executable to open",
@@ -80,6 +144,7 @@ export default defineCommand({
   },
   async run({ args }) {
     const startPort = parseInt(args.port ?? "3002", 10);
+    const preferredContextPort = hasExplicitPreviewPort(process.argv) ? startPort : undefined;
 
     // --list: scan and display active servers
     if (args.list) {
@@ -111,6 +176,26 @@ export default defineCommand({
       return;
     }
 
+    if (args.context) {
+      const project = resolveProject(args.dir);
+      return printCurrentContext(project.dir, startPort, {
+        json: Boolean(args.json),
+        fields: args["context-fields"] as string | undefined,
+        detail: args["context-detail"] as string | undefined,
+        ...(preferredContextPort === undefined ? {} : { preferredPort: preferredContextPort }),
+      });
+    }
+
+    if (args.selection) {
+      const project = resolveProject(args.dir);
+      return printCurrentSelection(
+        project.dir,
+        startPort,
+        Boolean(args.json),
+        preferredContextPort,
+      );
+    }
+
     // Kill orphaned chrome-headless-shell processes from previous crashed sessions.
     const orphansKilled = killOrphanedProcesses();
     if (orphansKilled > 0) {
@@ -198,28 +283,390 @@ export default defineCommand({
   },
 });
 
-/**
- * Dev mode: spawn the studio dev server from the monorepo.
- */
-async function runDevMode(
-  dir: string,
-  options?: {
-    projectName?: string;
-    noOpen?: boolean;
-    browserPath?: string;
-    userDataDir?: string;
-    remoteDebuggingPort?: number;
-  },
+function previewBaseUrl(port: number): string {
+  return `http://127.0.0.1:${port}`;
+}
+
+function absolutePreviewUrl(port: number, path: string): string {
+  if (/^https?:\/\//.test(path)) return path;
+  return `${previewBaseUrl(port)}${path.startsWith("/") ? path : `/${path}`}`;
+}
+
+function hasExplicitPreviewPort(argv: string[]): boolean {
+  return argv.some((arg) => arg === "--port" || arg.startsWith("--port="));
+}
+
+function printSelectionFailure(code: string, message: string, json: boolean): void {
+  if (json) {
+    console.log(JSON.stringify({ ok: false, error: { code, message } }, null, 2));
+  } else {
+    clack.log.error(message);
+  }
+  process.exitCode = 1;
+}
+
+function errorMessage(error: unknown): string {
+  return error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+}
+
+function previewServerPayload(server: { port: number; projectName: string; projectDir: string }): {
+  port: number;
+  projectName: string;
+  projectDir: string;
+  url: string;
+} {
+  return {
+    port: server.port,
+    projectName: server.projectName,
+    projectDir: server.projectDir,
+    url: previewBaseUrl(server.port),
+  };
+}
+
+function parseContextFields(value: string | undefined): ContextField[] {
+  if (value === undefined) return DEFAULT_CONTEXT_FIELDS;
+  if (!value.trim()) throw new Error("--context-fields cannot be empty");
+  const allowed = new Set<ContextField>(DEFAULT_CONTEXT_FIELDS);
+  const fields = value
+    .split(",")
+    .map((field) => field.trim())
+    .filter(Boolean);
+  const invalid = fields.filter((field) => !allowed.has(field as ContextField));
+  if (invalid.length > 0) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `Unknown context field${invalid.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}: ${invalid.join(", ")}`,
+    );
+  }
+  return [...new Set(fields)] as ContextField[];
+}
+
+function contextIncludes(fields: ContextField[], field: ContextField): boolean {
+  return fields.includes(field);
+}
+
+function addContextError(
+  payload: Record<string, unknown>,
+  field: ContextField,
+  error: { code: string; message: string },
+): void {
+  payload.errors = {
+    ...((payload.errors as Record<string, unknown> | undefined) ?? {}),
+    [field]: error,
+  };
+}
+
+async function printCurrentSelection(
+  projectDir: string,
+  startPort: number,
+  json: boolean,
+  preferredPort?: number,
 ): Promise<void> {
-  // Find monorepo root by navigating from packages/cli/src/commands/
-  const thisFile = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
-  const repoRoot = resolve(dirname(thisFile), "..", "..", "..", "..");
+  const {
+    AmbiguousPreviewServerError,
+    PreviewServerPortMismatchError,
+    fetchStudioSelection,
+    findPreviewServerForProject,
+  } = await import("../utils/studioSelectionClient.js");
+  let server: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof findPreviewServerForProject>>;
+  try {
+    server = await findPreviewServerForProject(
+      projectDir,
+      startPort,
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      preferredPort === undefined ? undefined : { preferredPort },
+    );
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err instanceof AmbiguousPreviewServerError) {
+      printSelectionFailure("ambiguous-preview-server", err.message, json);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (err instanceof PreviewServerPortMismatchError) {
+      printSelectionFailure("preview-port-mismatch", err.message, json);
+      return;
+    }
+    throw err;
+  }
+  if (!server) {
+    printSelectionFailure(
+      "preview-not-running",
+      "No running Studio preview found for this project. Start one with: npx hyperframes preview",
+      json,
+    );
+    return;
+  }
 
-  // Symlink project into the studio's data directory
-  const projectsDir = join(repoRoot, "packages", "studio", "data", "projects");
-  const pName = options?.projectName ?? basename(dir);
-  const symlinkPath = join(projectsDir, pName);
+  let response: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fetchStudioSelection>>;
+  try {
+    response = await fetchStudioSelection(server);
+  } catch (err) {
+    printSelectionFailure("selection-unavailable", errorMessage(err), json);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (!response.selection) {
+    printSelectionFailure(
+      "no-selection",
+      "Studio is running, but no element is selected. Select an element in Studio and rerun this command.",
+      json,
+    );
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const selection = {
+    ...response.selection,
+    thumbnailUrl: absolutePreviewUrl(server.port, response.selection.thumbnailUrl),
+  };
+
+  if (json) {
+    console.log(
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          ok: true,
+          server: previewServerPayload(server),
+          selection,
+          updatedAt: response.updatedAt,
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+    );
+    return;
+  }
+
+  console.log(`${c.success("◇")}  ${c.accent(selection.label)} selected in Studio`);
+  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Source")}    ${selection.sourceFile}`);
+  console.log(
+    `  ${c.dim("Target")}    ${selection.target.hfId ?? selection.target.id ?? selection.target.selector ?? "(none)"}`,
+  );
+  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Time")}      ${selection.currentTime.toFixed(3)}s`);
+  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Thumbnail")} ${selection.thumbnailUrl}`);
+  console.log();
+  console.log(c.dim("Use --json for the full agent-readable selection payload."));
+}
+
+function countLintFindings(findings: Array<{ severity: string }>): {
+  errors: number;
+  warnings: number;
+} {
+  return {
+    errors: findings.filter((finding) => finding.severity === "error").length,
+    warnings: findings.filter((finding) => finding.severity === "warning").length,
+  };
+}
+
+async function printCurrentContext(
+  projectDir: string,
+  startPort: number,
+  options: { json: boolean; fields?: string; detail?: string; preferredPort?: number },
+): Promise<void> {
+  let fields: ContextField[];
+  try {
+    fields = parseContextFields(options.fields);
+  } catch (err) {
+    printSelectionFailure(
+      "invalid-context-fields",
+      err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
+      options.json,
+    );
+    return;
+  }
+  const fullDetail = options.detail === "full";
+  if (options.detail !== undefined && !["compact", "full"].includes(options.detail)) {
+    printSelectionFailure(
+      "invalid-context-detail",
+      "--context-detail must be compact or full",
+      options.json,
+    );
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const {
+    AmbiguousPreviewServerError,
+    PreviewServerPortMismatchError,
+    fetchStudioLint,
+    fetchStudioSelection,
+    findPreviewServerForProject,
+  } = await import("../utils/studioSelectionClient.js");
+  let server: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof findPreviewServerForProject>>;
+  try {
+    server = await findPreviewServerForProject(
+      projectDir,
+      startPort,
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      options.preferredPort === undefined ? undefined : { preferredPort: options.preferredPort },
+    );
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err instanceof AmbiguousPreviewServerError) {
+      printSelectionFailure("ambiguous-preview-server", err.message, options.json);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (err instanceof PreviewServerPortMismatchError) {
+      printSelectionFailure("preview-port-mismatch", err.message, options.json);
+      return;
+    }
+    throw err;
+  }
+  if (!server) {
+    printSelectionFailure(
+      "preview-not-running",
+      "No running Studio preview found for this project. Start one with: npx hyperframes preview",
+      options.json,
+    );
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const wantsSelection = contextIncludes(fields, "selection");
+  const wantsLint = contextIncludes(fields, "lint");
+  const [selectionResult, lintResult] = await Promise.allSettled([
+    wantsSelection ? fetchStudioSelection(server) : Promise.resolve(null),
+    wantsLint ? fetchStudioLint(server) : Promise.resolve(null),
+  ]);
+
+  const selection =
+    selectionResult.status === "fulfilled" && selectionResult.value?.selection
+      ? {
+          ok: true as const,
+          value: fullDetail
+            ? {
+                ...selectionResult.value.selection,
+                thumbnailUrl: absolutePreviewUrl(
+                  server.port,
+                  selectionResult.value.selection.thumbnailUrl,
+                ),
+              }
+            : compactSelectionPayload({
+                ...selectionResult.value.selection,
+                thumbnailUrl: absolutePreviewUrl(
+                  server.port,
+                  selectionResult.value.selection.thumbnailUrl,
+                ),
+              }),
+          updatedAt: selectionResult.value.updatedAt,
+        }
+      : {
+          ok: false as const,
+          error:
+            selectionResult.status === "rejected"
+              ? { code: "selection-unavailable", message: errorMessage(selectionResult.reason) }
+              : {
+                  code: "no-selection",
+                  message: "Studio is running, but no element is selected.",
+                },
+        };
+
+  const lint =
+    lintResult.status === "fulfilled" && lintResult.value
+      ? {
+          ok: true as const,
+          summary: countLintFindings(lintResult.value.findings),
+          findings: lintResult.value.findings,
+        }
+      : {
+          ok: false as const,
+          error:
+            lintResult.status === "rejected"
+              ? { code: "lint-unavailable", message: errorMessage(lintResult.reason) }
+              : { code: "lint-not-requested", message: "Lint was not requested." },
+        };
+
+  const payload: Record<string, unknown> = { ok: true };
+  if (contextIncludes(fields, "server")) payload.server = previewServerPayload(server);
+  if (contextIncludes(fields, "selection")) {
+    payload.selection = selection.ok ? selection.value : null;
+    payload.selectionUpdatedAt = selection.ok ? selection.updatedAt : null;
+    if (!selection.ok) addContextError(payload, "selection", selection.error);
+  }
+  if (contextIncludes(fields, "lint")) payload.lint = lint;
+  if (contextIncludes(fields, "capabilities")) {
+    payload.capabilities = {
+      selection: true,
+      lint: true,
+      frame: false,
+      visibleElements: false,
+      lastAction: false,
+    };
+  }
+
+  if (options.json) {
+    console.log(JSON.stringify(payload, null, 2));
+    return;
+  }
+
+  console.log(`${c.success("◇")}  Studio context`);
+  if (contextIncludes(fields, "server")) {
+    console.log(`  ${c.dim("Project")}   ${server.projectName}`);
+    console.log(`  ${c.dim("Studio")}    ${previewBaseUrl(server.port)}`);
+  }
+  if (contextIncludes(fields, "selection")) {
+    if (selection.ok) {
+      console.log(`  ${c.dim("Selection")} ${selection.value.label}`);
+    } else {
+      console.log(`  ${c.dim("Selection")} ${selection.error.message}`);
+    }
+  }
+  if (contextIncludes(fields, "lint")) {
+    if (lint.ok) {
+      console.log(
+        `  ${c.dim("Lint")}      ${lint.summary.errors} error(s), ${lint.summary.warnings} warning(s)`,
+      );
+    } else {
+      console.log(`  ${c.dim("Lint")}      ${lint.error.message}`);
+    }
+  }
+  console.log();
+  console.log(c.dim("Use --json for the full agent-readable context payload."));
+}
+
+function compactSelectionPayload(selection: StudioSelectionSnapshot): CompactSelectionPayload {
+  return {
+    schemaVersion: selection.schemaVersion,
+    projectId: selection.projectId,
+    compositionPath: selection.compositionPath,
+    sourceFile: selection.sourceFile,
+    currentTime: selection.currentTime,
+    target: selection.target,
+    label: selection.label,
+    tagName: selection.tagName,
+    boundingBox: selection.boundingBox,
+    textContent: selection.textContent,
+    thumbnailUrl: selection.thumbnailUrl,
+  };
+}
 
+function openStudioBrowser(url: string, projectName: string, options?: BrowserLaunchOptions): void {
+  if (options?.noOpen) return;
+  openBrowser(`${url}#project/${projectName}`, {
+    browserPath: options?.browserPath,
+    userDataDir: options?.userDataDir,
+    remoteDebuggingPort: options?.remoteDebuggingPort,
+  });
+}
+
+function printStudioSummary(
+  projectName: string,
+  url: string,
+  opts: { details?: string[]; footer?: string } = {},
+): void {
+  console.log();
+  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Project")}   ${c.accent(projectName)}`);
+  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Studio")}    ${c.accent(url)}`);
+  console.log();
+  for (const detail of opts.details ?? []) {
+    console.log(`  ${c.dim(detail)}`);
+  }
+  if (opts.details?.length && opts.footer) console.log();
+  if (opts.footer) console.log(`  ${c.dim(opts.footer)}`);
+  console.log();
+}
+
+function linkProjectIntoStudioData(
+  dir: string,
+  projectsDir: string,
+  projectName: string,
+): { symlinkPath: string; createdSymlink: boolean } {
+  const symlinkPath = join(projectsDir, projectName);
   mkdirSync(projectsDir, { recursive: true });
 
   let createdSymlink = false;
@@ -227,85 +674,102 @@ async function runDevMode(
     if (existsSync(symlinkPath)) {
       try {
         const stat = lstatSync(symlinkPath);
-        if (stat.isSymbolicLink()) {
-          const target = readlinkSync(symlinkPath);
-          if (resolve(target) !== resolve(dir)) {
-            unlinkSync(symlinkPath);
-          }
+        if (stat.isSymbolicLink() && resolve(readlinkSync(symlinkPath)) !== resolve(dir)) {
+          unlinkSync(symlinkPath);
         }
-        // If it's a real directory, leave it alone
       } catch {
-        // Not a symlink — don't touch it
+        // Real directories or unreadable paths are left untouched.
       }
     }
-
     if (!existsSync(symlinkPath)) {
       symlinkSync(dir, symlinkPath, "dir");
       createdSymlink = true;
     }
   }
 
-  clack.intro(c.bold("hyperframes preview"));
+  return { symlinkPath, createdSymlink };
+}
 
-  const s = clack.spinner();
-  s.start("Starting studio...");
+function removeSymlinkOnExit(createdSymlink: boolean, symlinkPath: string): void {
+  if (!createdSymlink) return;
+  process.on("exit", () => {
+    try {
+      if (existsSync(symlinkPath)) unlinkSync(symlinkPath);
+    } catch {
+      /* ignore */
+    }
+  });
+}
 
-  // Run the new consolidated studio (single Vite dev server with API plugin)
-  const studioPkgDir = join(repoRoot, "packages", "studio");
-  const child = spawn("bun", ["run", "dev"], {
-    cwd: studioPkgDir,
-    stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"],
+function registerChildTreeShutdown(child: StudioChildProcess): void {
+  const shutdown = (): void => {
+    if (child.pid) killProcessTree(child.pid);
+  };
+  process.once("SIGINT", shutdown);
+  process.once("SIGTERM", shutdown);
+}
+
+function waitForChildClose(child: StudioChildProcess): Promise<void> {
+  return new Promise<void>((resolveClose) => {
+    child.on("close", () => resolveClose());
   });
+}
 
-  let frontendUrl = "";
+function attachStudioReadyHandler(
+  child: StudioChildProcess,
+  spinner: ReturnType<typeof clack.spinner>,
+  projectName: string,
+  options?: BrowserLaunchOptions,
+): void {
+  let detected = false;
 
   function handleOutput(data: Buffer): void {
-    const text = data.toString();
+    const url = data.toString().match(/Local:\s+(http:\/\/localhost:\d+)/)?.[1];
+    if (!url || detected) return;
+
+    detected = true;
+    spinner.stop(c.success("Studio running"));
+    printStudioSummary(projectName, url, { footer: "Press Ctrl+C to stop" });
+    openStudioBrowser(url, projectName, options);
+    child.stdout.removeListener("data", handleOutput);
+    child.stderr.removeListener("data", handleOutput);
+  }
 
-    // Detect Vite URL
-    const localMatch = text.match(/Local:\s+(http:\/\/localhost:\d+)/);
-    if (localMatch && !frontendUrl) {
-      frontendUrl = localMatch[1] ?? "";
-      s.stop(c.success("Studio running"));
-      console.log();
-      console.log(`  ${c.dim("Project")}   ${c.accent(pName)}`);
-      console.log(`  ${c.dim("Studio")}    ${c.accent(frontendUrl)}`);
-      console.log();
-      console.log(`  ${c.dim("Press Ctrl+C to stop")}`);
-      console.log();
+  child.stdout.on("data", handleOutput);
+  child.stderr.on("data", handleOutput);
+  child.on("error", (err) => {
+    spinner.stop(c.error("Failed to start studio"));
+    console.error(c.dim(err.message));
+  });
+}
 
-      if (!options?.noOpen) {
-        const urlToOpen = `${frontendUrl}#project/${pName}`;
-        openBrowser(urlToOpen, {
-          browserPath: options?.browserPath,
-          userDataDir: options?.userDataDir,
-          remoteDebuggingPort: options?.remoteDebuggingPort,
-        });
-      }
+/**
+ * Dev mode: spawn the studio dev server from the monorepo.
+ */
+async function runDevMode(dir: string, options?: StudioLaunchOptions): Promise<void> {
+  // Find monorepo root by navigating from packages/cli/src/commands/
+  const thisFile = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
+  const repoRoot = resolve(dirname(thisFile), "..", "..", "..", "..");
 
-      child.stdout?.removeListener("data", handleOutput);
-      child.stderr?.removeListener("data", handleOutput);
-    }
-  }
+  // Symlink project into the studio's data directory
+  const projectsDir = join(repoRoot, "packages", "studio", "data", "projects");
+  const pName = options?.projectName ?? basename(dir);
+  const { symlinkPath, createdSymlink } = linkProjectIntoStudioData(dir, projectsDir, pName);
 
-  child.stdout?.on("data", handleOutput);
-  child.stderr?.on("data", handleOutput);
+  clack.intro(c.bold("hyperframes preview"));
 
-  // If child exits before we detect readiness, show what we have
-  child.on("error", (err) => {
-    s.stop(c.error("Failed to start studio"));
-    console.error(c.dim(err.message));
+  const s = clack.spinner();
+  s.start("Starting studio...");
+
+  // Run the new consolidated studio (single Vite dev server with API plugin)
+  const studioPkgDir = join(repoRoot, "packages", "studio");
+  const child = spawn("bun", ["run", "dev"], {
+    cwd: studioPkgDir,
+    stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"],
   });
 
-  if (createdSymlink) {
-    process.on("exit", () => {
-      try {
-        if (existsSync(symlinkPath)) unlinkSync(symlinkPath);
-      } catch {
-        /* ignore */
-      }
-    });
-  }
+  attachStudioReadyHandler(child, s, pName, options);
+  removeSymlinkOnExit(createdSymlink, symlinkPath);
 
   // Kill the child's entire process tree on SIGTERM/SIGINT. Ctrl+C sends
   // SIGINT to the foreground process group (covers the common case), but
@@ -313,15 +777,8 @@ async function runDevMode(
   // would survive without explicit cleanup.
   // On Windows, killProcessTree is a no-op (pgrep/ps unavailable); Ctrl+C
   // propagates via the console process group instead.
-  const shutdown = () => {
-    if (child.pid) killProcessTree(child.pid);
-  };
-  process.once("SIGINT", shutdown);
-  process.once("SIGTERM", shutdown);
-
-  return new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
-    child.on("close", () => resolve());
-  });
+  registerChildTreeShutdown(child);
+  return waitForChildClose(child);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -341,37 +798,14 @@ function hasLocalStudio(dir: string): boolean {
  * Local studio mode: spawn Vite using a locally installed @hyperframes/studio.
  * Provides full Vite HMR and the complete studio experience.
  */
-async function runLocalStudioMode(
-  dir: string,
-  options?: {
-    projectName?: string;
-    noOpen?: boolean;
-    browserPath?: string;
-    userDataDir?: string;
-    remoteDebuggingPort?: number;
-  },
-): Promise<void> {
+async function runLocalStudioMode(dir: string, options?: StudioLaunchOptions): Promise<void> {
   const req = createRequire(join(dir, "package.json"));
   const studioPkgPath = dirname(req.resolve("@hyperframes/studio/package.json"));
   const pName = options?.projectName ?? basename(dir);
 
   // Symlink project into studio's data directory
   const projectsDir = join(studioPkgPath, "data", "projects");
-  const symlinkPath = join(projectsDir, pName);
-  mkdirSync(projectsDir, { recursive: true });
-
-  let createdSymlink = false;
-  if (dir !== symlinkPath) {
-    if (existsSync(symlinkPath) && lstatSync(symlinkPath).isSymbolicLink()) {
-      if (resolve(readlinkSync(symlinkPath)) !== resolve(dir)) {
-        unlinkSync(symlinkPath);
-      }
-    }
-    if (!existsSync(symlinkPath)) {
-      symlinkSync(dir, symlinkPath, "dir");
-      createdSymlink = true;
-    }
-  }
+  const { symlinkPath, createdSymlink } = linkProjectIntoStudioData(dir, projectsDir, pName);
 
   clack.intro(c.bold("hyperframes preview") + c.dim(" (local studio)"));
   const s = clack.spinner();
@@ -383,58 +817,12 @@ async function runLocalStudioMode(
     stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"],
   });
 
-  let detected = false;
-
-  function handleOutput(data: Buffer): void {
-    const text = data.toString();
-    const localMatch = text.match(/Local:\s+(http:\/\/localhost:\d+)/);
-    if (localMatch && !detected) {
-      detected = true;
-      const url = localMatch[1] ?? "";
-      s.stop(c.success("Studio running"));
-      console.log();
-      console.log(`  ${c.dim("Project")}   ${c.accent(pName)}`);
-      console.log(`  ${c.dim("Studio")}    ${c.accent(url)}`);
-      console.log();
-      console.log(`  ${c.dim("Press Ctrl+C to stop")}`);
-      console.log();
-      if (!options?.noOpen) {
-        openBrowser(`${url}#project/${pName}`, {
-          browserPath: options?.browserPath,
-          userDataDir: options?.userDataDir,
-          remoteDebuggingPort: options?.remoteDebuggingPort,
-        });
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  child.stdout?.on("data", handleOutput);
-  child.stderr?.on("data", handleOutput);
-  child.on("error", (err) => {
-    s.stop(c.error("Failed to start studio"));
-    console.error(c.dim(err.message));
-  });
-
-  if (createdSymlink) {
-    process.on("exit", () => {
-      try {
-        if (existsSync(symlinkPath)) unlinkSync(symlinkPath);
-      } catch {
-        /* ignore */
-      }
-    });
-  }
+  attachStudioReadyHandler(child, s, pName, options);
+  removeSymlinkOnExit(createdSymlink, symlinkPath);
 
   // Same tree-kill handler as dev mode. No-op on Windows (see comment above).
-  const shutdown = () => {
-    if (child.pid) killProcessTree(child.pid);
-  };
-  process.once("SIGINT", shutdown);
-  process.once("SIGTERM", shutdown);
-
-  return new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
-    child.on("close", () => resolve());
-  });
+  registerChildTreeShutdown(child);
+  return waitForChildClose(child);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -447,14 +835,7 @@ async function runLocalStudioMode(
 async function runEmbeddedMode(
   dir: string,
   startPort: number,
-  options?: {
-    projectName?: string;
-    forceNew?: boolean;
-    noOpen?: boolean;
-    browserPath?: string;
-    userDataDir?: string;
-    remoteDebuggingPort?: number;
-  },
+  options?: EmbeddedStudioOptions,
 ): Promise<void> {
   const { createStudioServer, loadPreviewServerBuildSignature, resolveStudioBundle } =
     await import("../server/studioServer.js");
@@ -504,21 +885,10 @@ async function runEmbeddedMode(
   if (result.type === "already-running") {
     const url = `http://localhost:${result.port}`;
     s.stop(c.success("Already running"));
-    console.log();
-    console.log(`  ${c.dim("Project")}   ${c.accent(pName)}`);
-    console.log(`  ${c.dim("Studio")}    ${c.accent(url)}`);
-    console.log();
-    console.log(
-      `  ${c.dim("Reusing existing server. Use --force-new to start a fresh instance.")}`,
-    );
-    console.log();
-    if (!options?.noOpen) {
-      openBrowser(`${url}#project/${pName}`, {
-        browserPath: options?.browserPath,
-        userDataDir: options?.userDataDir,
-        remoteDebuggingPort: options?.remoteDebuggingPort,
-      });
-    }
+    printStudioSummary(pName, url, {
+      details: ["Reusing existing server. Use --force-new to start a fresh instance."],
+    });
+    openStudioBrowser(url, pName, options);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -529,21 +899,14 @@ async function runEmbeddedMode(
     console.log(`  ${c.warn(`Port ${startPort} is in use, using ${result.port} instead`)}`);
     console.log();
   }
-  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Project")}   ${c.accent(pName)}`);
-  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Studio")}    ${c.accent(url)}`);
-  console.log();
-  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Edit with your AI agent — it has HyperFrames skills installed.")}`);
-  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Changes reload automatically in the studio.")}`);
-  console.log();
-  console.log(`  ${c.dim("Press Ctrl+C to stop")}`);
-  console.log();
-  if (!options?.noOpen) {
-    openBrowser(`${url}#project/${pName}`, {
-      browserPath: options?.browserPath,
-      userDataDir: options?.userDataDir,
-      remoteDebuggingPort: options?.remoteDebuggingPort,
-    });
-  }
+  printStudioSummary(pName, url, {
+    details: [
+      "Edit with your AI agent — it has HyperFrames skills installed.",
+      "Changes reload automatically in the studio.",
+    ],
+    footer: "Press Ctrl+C to stop",
+  });
+  openStudioBrowser(url, pName, options);
 
   // Block until Ctrl+C. Node would normally exit on SIGINT, but the listening
   // HTTP server keeps handles open, so the event loop stays alive after the
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/studioSelectionClient.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/studioSelectionClient.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b178dc2bb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/studioSelectionClient.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,206 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { resolve } from "node:path";
+import {
+  AmbiguousPreviewServerError,
+  fetchStudioLint,
+  fetchStudioSelection,
+  studioApiUrl,
+  findPreviewServerForProject,
+  PreviewServerPortMismatchError,
+  studioSelectionUrl,
+} from "./studioSelectionClient";
+import type { ActiveServer } from "../server/portUtils";
+
+const servers: ActiveServer[] = [
+  {
+    port: 3002,
+    projectName: "other",
+    projectDir: "/tmp/other",
+    version: "0.7.17",
+    pid: null,
+  },
+  {
+    port: 3003,
+    projectName: "demo project",
+    projectDir: "/tmp/demo",
+    version: "0.7.17",
+    pid: "123",
+  },
+];
+
+function mockProjectsFetch(port = 5190): typeof fetch {
+  return vi.fn(async (url: string | URL | Request) => {
+    expect(String(url)).toBe(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/api/projects`);
+    return new Response(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        projects: [{ id: "demo project", dir: "/tmp/demo", title: "Demo" }],
+      }),
+      { status: 200, headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" } },
+    );
+  }) as unknown as typeof fetch;
+}
+
+describe("studioSelectionClient", () => {
+  it("finds the active preview server for a project directory", async () => {
+    const scan = vi.fn(async () => servers);
+
+    const server = await findPreviewServerForProject(resolve("/tmp/demo"), 3002, scan);
+
+    expect(server?.port).toBe(3003);
+    expect(scan).toHaveBeenCalledWith(3002);
+  });
+
+  it("matches by project directory when multiple projects are open", async () => {
+    const scan = vi.fn(async () => [
+      ...servers,
+      {
+        port: 3004,
+        projectName: "third",
+        projectDir: "/tmp/third",
+        version: "0.7.17",
+        pid: null,
+      },
+    ]);
+
+    const server = await findPreviewServerForProject(resolve("/tmp/third"), 3002, scan);
+
+    expect(server?.port).toBe(3004);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects ambiguous duplicate servers for the same project", async () => {
+    const scan = vi.fn(async () => [servers[1]!, { ...servers[1]!, port: 3004, pid: "456" }]);
+
+    await expect(
+      findPreviewServerForProject(resolve("/tmp/demo"), 3002, scan),
+    ).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      name: "AmbiguousPreviewServerError",
+      ports: [3003, 3004],
+    } satisfies Partial<AmbiguousPreviewServerError>);
+  });
+
+  it("uses an explicit preferred port to disambiguate duplicate project servers", async () => {
+    const scan = vi.fn(async () => [servers[1]!, { ...servers[1]!, port: 3004, pid: "456" }]);
+
+    const server = await findPreviewServerForProject(resolve("/tmp/demo"), 3002, scan, undefined, {
+      preferredPort: 3004,
+    });
+
+    expect(server?.port).toBe(3004);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects an explicit preferred port that does not match the only project server", async () => {
+    const scan = vi.fn(async () => [servers[1]!]);
+    const fetchImpl = vi.fn(async () => new Response("missing", { status: 404 }));
+
+    await expect(
+      findPreviewServerForProject(resolve("/tmp/demo"), 3002, scan, fetchImpl, {
+        preferredPort: 3999,
+      }),
+    ).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      name: "PreviewServerPortMismatchError",
+      requestedPort: 3999,
+      ports: [3003],
+    } satisfies Partial<PreviewServerPortMismatchError>);
+    expect(fetchImpl).toHaveBeenCalledWith("http://127.0.0.1:3999/api/projects");
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to Vite Studio project discovery on port 5190", async () => {
+    const scan = vi.fn(async () => []);
+    const fetchImpl = mockProjectsFetch();
+
+    const server = await findPreviewServerForProject(resolve("/tmp/demo"), 3002, scan, fetchImpl);
+
+    expect(server).toEqual({
+      port: 5190,
+      projectName: "demo project",
+      projectDir: "/tmp/demo",
+      version: "studio-dev",
+      pid: null,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("checks an explicit preferred port for Vite Studio discovery", async () => {
+    const scan = vi.fn(async () => []);
+    const fetchImpl = mockProjectsFetch(5191);
+
+    const server = await findPreviewServerForProject(resolve("/tmp/demo"), 3002, scan, fetchImpl, {
+      preferredPort: 5191,
+    });
+
+    expect(server?.port).toBe(5191);
+    expect(fetchImpl).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith("http://127.0.0.1:5190/api/projects");
+  });
+
+  it("builds a URL to the existing preview server's selection endpoint", () => {
+    expect(studioSelectionUrl(servers[1]!)).toBe(
+      "http://127.0.0.1:3003/api/projects/demo%20project/selection",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("builds URLs to other preview server API routes", () => {
+    expect(studioApiUrl(servers[1]!, "lint")).toBe(
+      "http://127.0.0.1:3003/api/projects/demo%20project/lint",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("fetches the current selection snapshot from a preview server", async () => {
+    const fetchImpl = vi.fn(async () => {
+      return new Response(
+        JSON.stringify({
+          selection: {
+            schemaVersion: 1,
+            projectId: "demo project",
+            compositionPath: "index.html",
+            sourceFile: "index.html",
+            currentTime: 2,
+            target: { hfId: "cta" },
+            label: "CTA",
+            tagName: "button",
+            boundingBox: { x: 0, y: 0, width: 10, height: 10 },
+            textContent: "Go",
+            dataAttributes: {},
+            inlineStyles: {},
+            computedStyles: {},
+            textFields: [],
+            capabilities: { canSelect: true },
+            thumbnailUrl: "/api/projects/demo%20project/thumbnail/index.html?t=2&format=png",
+          },
+          updatedAt: "2026-06-28T16:00:00.000Z",
+        }),
+        { status: 200, headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" } },
+      );
+    });
+
+    const result = await fetchStudioSelection(servers[1]!, fetchImpl);
+
+    expect(result.selection?.target.hfId).toBe("cta");
+    expect(result.updatedAt).toBe("2026-06-28T16:00:00.000Z");
+    expect(fetchImpl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(studioSelectionUrl(servers[1]!));
+  });
+
+  it("throws when the preview server returns a failed response", async () => {
+    await expect(
+      fetchStudioSelection(
+        servers[1]!,
+        vi.fn(async () => new Response("missing", { status: 404 })),
+      ),
+    ).rejects.toThrow("selection endpoint returned 404");
+  });
+
+  it("fetches lint findings from a preview server", async () => {
+    const fetchImpl = vi.fn(async () => {
+      return new Response(
+        JSON.stringify({
+          findings: [{ severity: "error", message: "Missing timeline", file: "index.html" }],
+        }),
+        { status: 200, headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" } },
+      );
+    });
+
+    const result = await fetchStudioLint(servers[1]!, fetchImpl);
+
+    expect(result.findings).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(result.findings[0]?.message).toBe("Missing timeline");
+    expect(fetchImpl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(studioApiUrl(servers[1]!, "lint"));
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/studioSelectionClient.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/studioSelectionClient.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..441e7f980b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/studioSelectionClient.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+import { existsSync, realpathSync } from "node:fs";
+import { resolve } from "node:path";
+import { scanActiveServers, type ActiveServer } from "../server/portUtils.js";
+import type {
+  LintResult,
+  ResolvedProject,
+  StudioSelectionResponse,
+} from "@hyperframes/studio-server";
+
+export type StudioLintResponse = LintResult;
+
+const VITE_STUDIO_DISCOVERY_PORTS = [5190] as const;
+
+interface StudioProjectsResponse {
+  projects?: ResolvedProject[];
+}
+
+interface FindPreviewServerOptions {
+  preferredPort?: number;
+}
+
+export class AmbiguousPreviewServerError extends Error {
+  readonly ports: number[];
+
+  constructor(servers: ActiveServer[]) {
+    const ports = servers.map((server) => server.port).sort((a, b) => a - b);
+    super(
+      `Multiple Studio preview servers match this project (${ports.join(", ")}). Pass --port <port> to choose one.`,
+    );
+    this.name = "AmbiguousPreviewServerError";
+    this.ports = ports;
+  }
+}
+
+export class PreviewServerPortMismatchError extends Error {
+  readonly requestedPort: number;
+  readonly ports: number[];
+
+  constructor(requestedPort: number, servers: ActiveServer[]) {
+    const ports = servers.map((server) => server.port).sort((a, b) => a - b);
+    super(
+      `No Studio preview server for this project is running on port ${requestedPort}. Matching server port${ports.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}: ${ports.join(", ")}. Rerun with --port ${ports[0]}${ports.length > 1 ? " or omit --port to see all candidates" : ""}.`,
+    );
+    this.name = "PreviewServerPortMismatchError";
+    this.requestedPort = requestedPort;
+    this.ports = ports;
+  }
+}
+
+function normalizePath(path: string): string {
+  const resolved = resolve(path);
+  try {
+    if (existsSync(resolved)) {
+      return realpathSync(resolved).replace(/\\/g, "/").toLowerCase();
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // Fall through to resolved-path normalization.
+  }
+  return resolved.replace(/\\/g, "/").toLowerCase();
+}
+
+export async function findPreviewServerForProject(
+  projectDir: string,
+  startPort = 3002,
+  scan: (startPort?: number) => Promise<ActiveServer[]> = scanActiveServers,
+  fetchImpl: typeof fetch = fetch,
+  options: FindPreviewServerOptions = {},
+): Promise<ActiveServer | null> {
+  const normalizedProjectDir = normalizePath(projectDir);
+  const servers = await scan(startPort);
+  const embeddedServers = servers.filter(
+    (server) => normalizePath(server.projectDir) === normalizedProjectDir,
+  );
+  if (options.preferredPort !== undefined) {
+    const preferred = embeddedServers.find((server) => server.port === options.preferredPort);
+    if (preferred) return preferred;
+    const viteServer = await findViteStudioServerForProject(normalizedProjectDir, fetchImpl, [
+      options.preferredPort,
+    ]);
+    if (viteServer) return viteServer;
+    if (embeddedServers.length > 0) {
+      throw new PreviewServerPortMismatchError(options.preferredPort, embeddedServers);
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+  if (embeddedServers.length === 1) return embeddedServers[0]!;
+  if (embeddedServers.length > 1) throw new AmbiguousPreviewServerError(embeddedServers);
+  return findViteStudioServerForProject(normalizedProjectDir, fetchImpl);
+}
+
+export function studioSelectionUrl(server: ActiveServer): string {
+  return studioApiUrl(server, "selection");
+}
+
+export function studioApiUrl(server: ActiveServer, route: string): string {
+  return `http://127.0.0.1:${server.port}/api/projects/${encodeURIComponent(server.projectName)}/${route}`;
+}
+
+async function findViteStudioServerForProject(
+  normalizedProjectDir: string,
+  fetchImpl: typeof fetch,
+  ports: readonly number[] = VITE_STUDIO_DISCOVERY_PORTS,
+): Promise<ActiveServer | null> {
+  for (const port of ports) {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetchImpl(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/api/projects`);
+      if (!response.ok) continue;
+      const payload = (await response.json()) as StudioProjectsResponse;
+      const project = payload.projects?.find(
+        (candidate) => normalizePath(candidate.dir) === normalizedProjectDir,
+      );
+      if (!project) continue;
+      return {
+        port,
+        projectName: project.id,
+        projectDir: project.dir,
+        version: "studio-dev",
+        pid: null,
+      };
+    } catch {
+      // Port is not a Vite-served Studio, or the dev server is not reachable.
+    }
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+export async function fetchStudioSelection(
+  server: ActiveServer,
+  fetchImpl: typeof fetch = fetch,
+): Promise<StudioSelectionResponse> {
+  const url = studioSelectionUrl(server);
+  const response = await fetchImpl(url);
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    throw new Error(`selection endpoint returned ${response.status}`);
+  }
+  return (await response.json()) as StudioSelectionResponse;
+}
+
+export async function fetchStudioLint(
+  server: ActiveServer,
+  fetchImpl: typeof fetch = fetch,
+): Promise<StudioLintResponse> {
+  const url = studioApiUrl(server, "lint");
+  const response = await fetchImpl(url);
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    throw new Error(`lint endpoint returned ${response.status}`);
+  }
+  return (await response.json()) as StudioLintResponse;
+}
diff --git a/packages/studio-server/src/createStudioApi.ts b/packages/studio-server/src/createStudioApi.ts
index e1a0ed56ae..99de7631be 100644
--- a/packages/studio-server/src/createStudioApi.ts
+++ b/packages/studio-server/src/createStudioApi.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { registerThumbnailRoutes } from "./routes/thumbnail.js";
 import { registerWaveformRoutes } from "./routes/waveform.js";
 import { registerFontRoutes } from "./routes/fonts.js";
 import { registerRegistryRoutes } from "./routes/registry.js";
+import { registerSelectionRoutes } from "./routes/selection.js";
 
 /**
  * Create a Hono sub-app with all studio API routes.
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ export function createStudioApi(adapter: StudioApiAdapter): Hono {
   registerLintRoutes(api, adapter);
   registerRenderRoutes(api, adapter);
   registerThumbnailRoutes(api, adapter);
+  registerSelectionRoutes(api, adapter);
   registerWaveformRoutes(api, adapter);
   registerFontRoutes(api);
   registerRegistryRoutes(api, adapter);
diff --git a/packages/studio-server/src/index.ts b/packages/studio-server/src/index.ts
index bbc77f69d6..87cd61103c 100644
--- a/packages/studio-server/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/studio-server/src/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 export { createStudioApi } from "./createStudioApi.js";
 export { createProjectSignature } from "./helpers/projectSignature.js";
-export type { StudioApiAdapter, ResolvedProject, RenderJobState, LintResult } from "./types.js";
+export type {
+  StudioApiAdapter,
+  ResolvedProject,
+  RenderJobState,
+  LintResult,
+  StudioSelectionResponse,
+  StudioSelectionSnapshot,
+  StudioSelectionTextField,
+} from "./types.js";
 export { isSafePath, walkDir } from "./helpers/safePath.js";
 export { getMimeType, MIME_TYPES } from "./helpers/mime.js";
 export { buildSubCompositionHtml } from "./helpers/subComposition.js";
diff --git a/packages/studio-server/src/routes/selection.test.ts b/packages/studio-server/src/routes/selection.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..41e164fcc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio-server/src/routes/selection.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { Hono } from "hono";
+import { registerSelectionRoutes } from "./selection";
+import type { StudioApiAdapter, StudioSelectionSnapshot } from "../types";
+
+function createAdapter(): StudioApiAdapter {
+  return {
+    listProjects: () => [],
+    resolveProject: async (id: string) =>
+      id === "demo" ? { id, dir: "/tmp/demo", title: "Demo" } : null,
+    bundle: async () => null,
+    lint: async () => ({ findings: [] }),
+    runtimeUrl: "/api/runtime.js",
+    rendersDir: () => "/tmp/renders",
+    startRender: () => ({
+      id: "job-1",
+      status: "rendering",
+      progress: 0,
+      outputPath: "/tmp/out.mp4",
+    }),
+  };
+}
+
+const selection = {
+  schemaVersion: 1,
+  projectId: "demo",
+  compositionPath: "index.html",
+  sourceFile: "index.html",
+  currentTime: 1.25,
+  target: { hfId: "hero-title", selector: ".title", selectorIndex: 0 },
+  label: "Hero title",
+  tagName: "h1",
+  boundingBox: { x: 10, y: 20, width: 300, height: 64 },
+  textContent: "Launch faster",
+  dataAttributes: { "data-hf-id": "hero-title" },
+  inlineStyles: { color: "white" },
+  computedStyles: { "font-size": "48px" },
+  textFields: [
+    {
+      key: "self",
+      label: "Text",
+      value: "Launch faster",
+      tagName: "h1",
+      source: "self",
+    },
+  ],
+  capabilities: { canSelect: true, canEditStyles: true },
+  thumbnailUrl:
+    "/api/projects/demo/thumbnail/index.html?t=1.25&format=png&selector=.title&selectorIndex=0",
+} satisfies StudioSelectionSnapshot;
+
+describe("registerSelectionRoutes", () => {
+  it("stores and returns the latest Studio selection snapshot", async () => {
+    const app = new Hono();
+    registerSelectionRoutes(app, createAdapter());
+
+    const put = await app.request("http://localhost/projects/demo/selection", {
+      method: "PUT",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ selection }),
+    });
+    expect(put.status).toBe(200);
+
+    const response = await app.request("http://localhost/projects/demo/selection");
+    const payload = (await response.json()) as {
+      selection?: StudioSelectionSnapshot | null;
+      updatedAt?: string | null;
+    };
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(payload.selection).toMatchObject({
+      projectId: "demo",
+      sourceFile: "index.html",
+      target: { hfId: "hero-title" },
+      thumbnailUrl: expect.stringContaining("/thumbnail/index.html"),
+    });
+    expect(payload.updatedAt).toMatch(/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T/);
+  });
+
+  it("clears a stored selection when Studio posts null", async () => {
+    const app = new Hono();
+    registerSelectionRoutes(app, createAdapter());
+
+    await app.request("http://localhost/projects/demo/selection", {
+      method: "PUT",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ selection }),
+    });
+
+    const clear = await app.request("http://localhost/projects/demo/selection", {
+      method: "PUT",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ selection: null }),
+    });
+    expect(clear.status).toBe(200);
+
+    const response = await app.request("http://localhost/projects/demo/selection");
+    const payload = (await response.json()) as {
+      selection?: StudioSelectionSnapshot | null;
+      updatedAt?: string | null;
+    };
+
+    expect(payload.selection).toBeNull();
+    expect(payload.updatedAt).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("rejects malformed selection payloads", async () => {
+    const app = new Hono();
+    registerSelectionRoutes(app, createAdapter());
+
+    const response = await app.request("http://localhost/projects/demo/selection", {
+      method: "PUT",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ selection: { projectId: "demo" } }),
+    });
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/studio-server/src/routes/selection.ts b/packages/studio-server/src/routes/selection.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69aad1f4d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio-server/src/routes/selection.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+import type { Hono } from "hono";
+import type {
+  StudioApiAdapter,
+  StudioSelectionResponse,
+  StudioSelectionSnapshot,
+} from "../types.js";
+
+interface StoredSelection {
+  selection: StudioSelectionSnapshot;
+  updatedAt: string;
+}
+
+function isRecord(value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> {
+  return typeof value === "object" && value !== null && !Array.isArray(value);
+}
+
+function isFiniteNumber(value: unknown): value is number {
+  return typeof value === "number" && Number.isFinite(value);
+}
+
+function isStringRecord(value: unknown): value is Record<string, string> {
+  return isRecord(value) && Object.values(value).every((v) => typeof v === "string");
+}
+
+function hasString(value: Record<string, unknown>, key: string): boolean {
+  return typeof value[key] === "string";
+}
+
+function hasRequiredStrings(value: Record<string, unknown>, keys: string[]): boolean {
+  return keys.every((key) => hasString(value, key));
+}
+
+function hasOptionalString(value: Record<string, unknown>, key: string): boolean {
+  return value[key] === undefined || typeof value[key] === "string";
+}
+
+function hasOptionalNullableString(value: Record<string, unknown>, key: string): boolean {
+  return value[key] == null || typeof value[key] === "string";
+}
+
+function hasOptionalNumber(value: Record<string, unknown>, key: string): boolean {
+  return value[key] === undefined || isFiniteNumber(value[key]);
+}
+
+function isBoundingBox(value: unknown): value is StudioSelectionSnapshot["boundingBox"] {
+  return (
+    isRecord(value) && ["x", "y", "width", "height"].every((key) => isFiniteNumber(value[key]))
+  );
+}
+
+function isTarget(value: unknown): value is StudioSelectionSnapshot["target"] {
+  if (!isRecord(value)) return false;
+  return (
+    hasOptionalNullableString(value, "id") &&
+    hasOptionalString(value, "hfId") &&
+    hasOptionalString(value, "selector") &&
+    hasOptionalNumber(value, "selectorIndex")
+  );
+}
+
+function isTextField(value: unknown): value is StudioSelectionSnapshot["textFields"][number] {
+  return (
+    isRecord(value) &&
+    hasRequiredStrings(value, ["key", "label", "value", "tagName"]) &&
+    ["self", "child", "text-node"].includes(value.source as string)
+  );
+}
+
+function isTextFields(value: unknown): value is StudioSelectionSnapshot["textFields"] {
+  return Array.isArray(value) && value.every(isTextField);
+}
+
+function isSelectionSnapshot(value: unknown): value is StudioSelectionSnapshot {
+  if (!isRecord(value)) return false;
+
+  const checks = [
+    value.schemaVersion === 1 &&
+      hasRequiredStrings(value, [
+        "projectId",
+        "compositionPath",
+        "sourceFile",
+        "label",
+        "tagName",
+        "thumbnailUrl",
+      ]),
+    isFiniteNumber(value.currentTime),
+    isTarget(value.target),
+    isBoundingBox(value.boundingBox),
+    value.textContent === null || typeof value.textContent === "string",
+    isStringRecord(value.dataAttributes),
+    isStringRecord(value.inlineStyles),
+    isStringRecord(value.computedStyles),
+    isTextFields(value.textFields),
+    isRecord(value.capabilities),
+  ];
+
+  return checks.every(Boolean);
+}
+
+export function registerSelectionRoutes(api: Hono, adapter: StudioApiAdapter): void {
+  const selections = new Map<string, StoredSelection>();
+
+  api.get("/projects/:id/selection", async (c) => {
+    const project = await adapter.resolveProject(c.req.param("id"));
+    if (!project) return c.json({ error: "not found" }, 404);
+    const stored = selections.get(project.id);
+    return c.json({
+      selection: stored?.selection ?? null,
+      updatedAt: stored?.updatedAt ?? null,
+    } satisfies StudioSelectionResponse);
+  });
+
+  api.put("/projects/:id/selection", async (c) => {
+    const project = await adapter.resolveProject(c.req.param("id"));
+    if (!project) return c.json({ error: "not found" }, 404);
+
+    let body: unknown;
+    try {
+      body = await c.req.json();
+    } catch {
+      return c.json({ error: "invalid json" }, 400);
+    }
+    if (!isRecord(body) || !("selection" in body)) {
+      return c.json({ error: "missing selection" }, 400);
+    }
+
+    if (body.selection === null) {
+      selections.delete(project.id);
+      return c.json({ ok: true, selection: null, updatedAt: null });
+    }
+
+    if (!isSelectionSnapshot(body.selection)) {
+      return c.json({ error: "invalid selection" }, 400);
+    }
+
+    const selection = { ...body.selection, projectId: project.id };
+    const updatedAt = new Date().toISOString();
+    selections.set(project.id, { selection, updatedAt });
+    return c.json({ ok: true, selection, updatedAt });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/packages/studio-server/src/types.ts b/packages/studio-server/src/types.ts
index 27a6bc5ddb..97e5aca9fa 100644
--- a/packages/studio-server/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/studio-server/src/types.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,43 @@ export interface LintResult {
   }>;
 }
 
+export interface StudioSelectionTextField {
+  key: string;
+  label: string;
+  value: string;
+  tagName: string;
+  source: "self" | "child" | "text-node";
+}
+
+export interface StudioSelectionSnapshot {
+  schemaVersion: 1;
+  projectId: string;
+  compositionPath: string;
+  sourceFile: string;
+  currentTime: number;
+  target: {
+    id?: string | null;
+    hfId?: string;
+    selector?: string;
+    selectorIndex?: number;
+  };
+  label: string;
+  tagName: string;
+  boundingBox: { x: number; y: number; width: number; height: number };
+  textContent: string | null;
+  dataAttributes: Record<string, string>;
+  inlineStyles: Record<string, string>;
+  computedStyles: Record<string, string>;
+  textFields: StudioSelectionTextField[];
+  capabilities: Record<string, boolean | string | undefined>;
+  thumbnailUrl: string;
+}
+
+export interface StudioSelectionResponse {
+  selection: StudioSelectionSnapshot | null;
+  updatedAt: string | null;
+}
+
 /**
  * Adapter interface — injected by each consumer to handle host-specific behavior.
  * The shared API module calls these methods; each host (vite dev, CLI embedded)
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/App.tsx b/packages/studio/src/App.tsx
index fe98759701..897061e22e 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/App.tsx
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ export function StudioApp() {
   const [previewIframe, setPreviewIframe] = useState<HTMLIFrameElement | null>(null);
   const [compositionLoading, setCompositionLoading] = useState(true);
   const [refreshKey, setRefreshKey] = useState(0);
-  const [, setPreviewDocumentVersion] = useState(0);
+  const [previewDocumentVersion, setPreviewDocumentVersion] = useState(0);
   const [blockPreview, setBlockPreview] = useState<BlockPreviewInfo | null>(null);
   const previewIframeRef = useRef<HTMLIFrameElement | null>(null);
   const activeCompPathRef = useRef(activeCompPath);
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@ export function StudioApp() {
     projectIdRef: fileManager.projectIdRef,
     previewIframe,
     refreshKey,
+    previewDocumentVersion,
     rightPanelTab: panelLayout.rightPanelTab,
     applyStudioManualEditsToPreviewRef: previewPersistence.applyStudioManualEditsToPreviewRef,
     syncPreviewHistoryHotkey: appHotkeys.syncPreviewHistoryHotkey,
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useDomEditSession.ts b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useDomEditSession.ts
index fbdba55ce9..5741bbc3b0 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useDomEditSession.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useDomEditSession.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import { useGsapScriptCommits } from "./useGsapScriptCommits";
 import { useGsapCacheVersion } from "./useGsapTweenCache";
 import { useDomEditWiring } from "./useDomEditWiring";
 import { useGsapAwareEditing } from "./useGsapAwareEditing";
+import { useStudioSelectionPublisher } from "./useStudioSelectionPublisher";
 
 // ── Types ──
 
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ export interface UseDomEditSessionParams {
   projectIdRef: React.MutableRefObject<string | null>;
   previewIframe: HTMLIFrameElement | null;
   refreshKey: number;
+  previewDocumentVersion: number;
   rightPanelTab: RightPanelTab;
   applyStudioManualEditsToPreviewRef: React.MutableRefObject<
     (iframe: HTMLIFrameElement) => Promise<void>
@@ -96,6 +98,7 @@ export function useDomEditSession({
   projectIdRef,
   previewIframe,
   refreshKey,
+  previewDocumentVersion,
   rightPanelTab,
   applyStudioManualEditsToPreviewRef,
   syncPreviewHistoryHotkey,
@@ -168,6 +171,15 @@ export function useDomEditSession({
     domEditSelection,
   });
 
+  useStudioSelectionPublisher({
+    projectId,
+    domEditSelection,
+    domEditSelectionRef,
+    refreshKey,
+    previewDocumentVersion,
+    refreshDomEditSelectionFromPreview,
+  });
+
   // ── GSAP cache (hoisted so both useGsapScriptCommits and useDomEditWiring share the same instance) ──
 
   const { version: gsapCacheVersion, bump: bumpGsapCache } = useGsapCacheVersion();
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useDomSelection.ts b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useDomSelection.ts
index c3f50874a6..d7a7af35e4 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useDomSelection.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useDomSelection.ts
@@ -381,7 +381,10 @@ export function useDomSelection({
       if (!doc) return;
 
       const element = findElementForSelection(doc, selection, activeCompPath);
-      if (!element) return;
+      if (!element) {
+        applyDomSelection(null, { revealPanel: false });
+        return;
+      }
 
       const nextSelection = await buildDomSelectionFromTarget(element);
       if (nextSelection) {
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useStudioSelectionPublisher.ts b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useStudioSelectionPublisher.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c4d2e09f2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useStudioSelectionPublisher.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef, type MutableRefObject } from "react";
+import type { DomEditSelection } from "../components/editor/domEditing";
+import { usePlayerStore } from "../player";
+import { buildStudioSelectionSnapshot } from "../utils/studioSelectionSnapshot";
+import { trackStudioEvent } from "../utils/studioTelemetry";
+
+interface UseStudioSelectionPublisherParams {
+  projectId: string | null;
+  domEditSelection: DomEditSelection | null;
+  domEditSelectionRef: MutableRefObject<DomEditSelection | null>;
+  refreshKey: number;
+  previewDocumentVersion: number;
+  refreshDomEditSelectionFromPreview: (selection: DomEditSelection) => Promise<void>;
+}
+
+function reportSelectionPublishError(error: unknown): void {
+  if (error instanceof Error && error.name === "AbortError") return;
+  const errorName = error instanceof Error ? error.name : typeof error;
+  const errorMessage = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+  trackStudioEvent("studio_selection_publish_failed", {
+    error_name: errorName,
+    error_message: errorMessage.slice(0, 500),
+  });
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+  console.warn("[Studio] Failed to update agent selection context", error);
+}
+
+function putSelection(projectId: string, selection: unknown, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<void> {
+  return fetch(`/api/projects/${encodeURIComponent(projectId)}/selection`, {
+    method: "PUT",
+    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ selection }),
+    signal,
+  }).then(() => undefined);
+}
+
+export function useStudioSelectionPublisher({
+  projectId,
+  domEditSelection,
+  domEditSelectionRef,
+  refreshKey,
+  previewDocumentVersion,
+  refreshDomEditSelectionFromPreview,
+}: UseStudioSelectionPublisherParams): void {
+  const lastSelectionRefreshKeyRef = useRef(refreshKey);
+  const pendingSelectionRefreshKeyRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
+
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-syntax
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!projectId) return;
+    const selection = domEditSelection?.element.isConnected
+      ? buildStudioSelectionSnapshot({
+          projectId,
+          selection: domEditSelection,
+          currentTime: usePlayerStore.getState().currentTime,
+        })
+      : null;
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    void putSelection(projectId, selection, controller.signal).catch(reportSelectionPublishError);
+    return () => controller.abort();
+  }, [domEditSelection, projectId]);
+
+  // Clear server-side agent context when Studio leaves a project. Without this,
+  // a long-running multi-project preview server can keep serving the last
+  // selected element for a project after its tab/session unmounts.
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-syntax
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!projectId) return;
+    return () => {
+      void putSelection(projectId, null).catch(reportSelectionPublishError);
+    };
+  }, [projectId]);
+
+  // On external file edits, the iframe reloads while React keeps the previous
+  // DOM selection object alive. Clear the agent-facing snapshot immediately so
+  // `preview --context` never serves a detached or stale target, then let the
+  // post-load preview document refresh below re-resolve the selection if it
+  // still exists in the new document.
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-syntax
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (lastSelectionRefreshKeyRef.current === refreshKey) return;
+    lastSelectionRefreshKeyRef.current = refreshKey;
+    pendingSelectionRefreshKeyRef.current = domEditSelectionRef.current ? refreshKey : null;
+    if (!projectId || !domEditSelectionRef.current) return;
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    void putSelection(projectId, null, controller.signal).catch(reportSelectionPublishError);
+    return () => controller.abort();
+  }, [domEditSelectionRef, projectId, refreshKey]);
+
+  // `refreshPreviewDocumentVersion` ticks after iframe load and shortly after.
+  // Consume one pending refresh per external reload: enough to re-resolve the
+  // selected element once the new document is queryable, without republishing
+  // the same snapshot on every follow-up 80/300ms tick.
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-syntax
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (pendingSelectionRefreshKeyRef.current === null) return;
+    pendingSelectionRefreshKeyRef.current = null;
+    const selection = domEditSelectionRef.current;
+    if (!selection) return;
+    void refreshDomEditSelectionFromPreview(selection);
+  }, [domEditSelectionRef, previewDocumentVersion, refreshDomEditSelectionFromPreview]);
+}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/utils/studioSelectionSnapshot.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/utils/studioSelectionSnapshot.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0175d3096f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/utils/studioSelectionSnapshot.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { buildStudioSelectionSnapshot } from "./studioSelectionSnapshot";
+import type { DomEditSelection } from "../components/editor/domEditing";
+
+describe("buildStudioSelectionSnapshot", () => {
+  it("serializes a DOM edit selection without the live HTMLElement", () => {
+    const selection = {
+      element: { tagName: "H1" } as HTMLElement,
+      id: null,
+      hfId: "hero-title",
+      selector: ".title",
+      selectorIndex: 0,
+      label: "Hero title",
+      tagName: "h1",
+      sourceFile: "index.html",
+      compositionPath: "index.html",
+      isCompositionHost: false,
+      isInsideLockedComposition: false,
+      boundingBox: { x: 10, y: 20, width: 300, height: 64 },
+      textContent: "Launch faster",
+      dataAttributes: { "data-hf-id": "hero-title" },
+      inlineStyles: { color: "white" },
+      computedStyles: { "font-size": "48px" },
+      textFields: [],
+      capabilities: { canSelect: true, canEditStyles: true },
+    } as DomEditSelection;
+
+    const snapshot = buildStudioSelectionSnapshot({
+      projectId: "demo",
+      selection,
+      currentTime: 1.25,
+    });
+
+    expect(snapshot).toMatchObject({
+      schemaVersion: 1,
+      projectId: "demo",
+      compositionPath: "index.html",
+      sourceFile: "index.html",
+      currentTime: 1.25,
+      target: { hfId: "hero-title", selector: ".title", selectorIndex: 0 },
+      thumbnailUrl:
+        "/api/projects/demo/thumbnail/index.html?t=1.25&format=png&selector=.title&selectorIndex=0",
+    });
+    expect(JSON.stringify(snapshot)).not.toContain("HTMLElement");
+    expect(snapshot).not.toHaveProperty("element");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/utils/studioSelectionSnapshot.ts b/packages/studio/src/utils/studioSelectionSnapshot.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..594dd47e17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/utils/studioSelectionSnapshot.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import type { StudioSelectionSnapshot } from "@hyperframes/studio-server";
+import type { DomEditSelection } from "../components/editor/domEditing";
+
+function round3(value: number): number {
+  return Math.round(value * 1000) / 1000;
+}
+
+function thumbnailUrl({
+  projectId,
+  selection,
+  currentTime,
+}: {
+  projectId: string;
+  selection: DomEditSelection;
+  currentTime: number;
+}): string {
+  const compPath = encodeURIComponent(
+    selection.compositionPath || selection.sourceFile || "index.html",
+  );
+  const params = new URLSearchParams({
+    t: String(round3(currentTime)),
+    format: "png",
+  });
+  if (selection.selector) params.set("selector", selection.selector);
+  if (selection.selectorIndex != null) params.set("selectorIndex", String(selection.selectorIndex));
+  return `/api/projects/${encodeURIComponent(projectId)}/thumbnail/${compPath}?${params.toString()}`;
+}
+
+export function buildStudioSelectionSnapshot({
+  projectId,
+  selection,
+  currentTime,
+}: {
+  projectId: string;
+  selection: DomEditSelection;
+  currentTime: number;
+}): StudioSelectionSnapshot {
+  return {
+    schemaVersion: 1,
+    projectId,
+    compositionPath: selection.compositionPath,
+    sourceFile: selection.sourceFile,
+    currentTime: round3(currentTime),
+    target: {
+      id: selection.id,
+      hfId: selection.hfId,
+      selector: selection.selector,
+      selectorIndex: selection.selectorIndex,
+    },
+    label: selection.label,
+    tagName: selection.tagName,
+    boundingBox: {
+      x: round3(selection.boundingBox.x),
+      y: round3(selection.boundingBox.y),
+      width: round3(selection.boundingBox.width),
+      height: round3(selection.boundingBox.height),
+    },
+    textContent: selection.textContent,
+    dataAttributes: { ...selection.dataAttributes },
+    inlineStyles: { ...selection.inlineStyles },
+    computedStyles: { ...selection.computedStyles },
+    textFields: selection.textFields.map((field) => ({
+      key: field.key,
+      label: field.label,
+      value: field.value,
+      tagName: field.tagName,
+      source: field.source,
+    })),
+    capabilities: { ...selection.capabilities },
+    thumbnailUrl: thumbnailUrl({ projectId, selection, currentTime }),
+  };
+}
diff --git a/skills-manifest.json b/skills-manifest.json
index 165fa14ff2..d8591b9eb6 100644
--- a/skills-manifest.json
+++ b/skills-manifest.json
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
       "files": 115
     },
     "hyperframes-cli": {
-      "hash": "e493e8902805efef",
+      "hash": "be5af457d0b3d2ff",
       "files": 7
     },
     "hyperframes-core": {
diff --git a/skills/hyperframes-cli/SKILL.md b/skills/hyperframes-cli/SKILL.md
index 026d56c2cc..8ecfec8f79 100644
--- a/skills/hyperframes-cli/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/hyperframes-cli/SKILL.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Everything runs through `npx hyperframes` unless project instructions specify a
 3. **Lint** — `npx hyperframes lint`
 4. **Validate** — `npx hyperframes validate` (runtime errors + contrast)
 5. **Visual inspect** — `npx hyperframes inspect`
-6. **Preview** — `npx hyperframes preview` opens **Studio**, the timeline editor where the user can manually edit anything (not just watch). Review there, then ask before rendering.
+6. **Preview / edit** — `npx hyperframes preview` opens **Studio**, the timeline editor where the user can manually edit anything (not just watch). Review there, then ask before rendering.
 7. **Render** — pick the variant:
    - Iterate: `npx hyperframes render --quality draft`
    - Deliver: `npx hyperframes render --quality high --output out.mp4`
@@ -29,12 +29,14 @@ For motion-heavy work, prefer snapshot-driven iteration and a `*.motion.json` si
 
 Cross-cutting rules that hold for every command:
 
-- **`--json` is available on every command except `render`, `preview`, and `play`.** Use it for any agent / CI invocation of the supported commands; output includes a `_meta` envelope (cli version, latest available, update advice). `render` reports status via stdout + exit code only — verify success with the post-render check below; `preview` / `play` are servers, no JSON.
+- **`--json` is available on every command except `render`, `preview`, and `play` server modes.** Use it for any agent / CI invocation of the supported commands; output includes a `_meta` envelope (cli version, latest available, update advice). `render` reports status via stdout + exit code only — verify success with the post-render check below. `preview --selection --json` and `preview --context --json` are the preview exceptions: they do not start a server, they query the user's running Studio session and exit.
 - **`doctor --json` always exits 0**, even when the environment is broken. Gate on the payload's `ok` field: `npx hyperframes doctor --json | jq -e '.ok' > /dev/null`. This insulates pipelines from CLI release churn.
 - **Non-TTY mode is auto-detected.** When `stdout` is not a TTY (CI, agents, piped output) the CLI auto-switches to non-interactive; `init` then **requires `--example`**. Pass `--non-interactive` to force this mode even on a TTY.
 - **CI gating on render**: `--strict` fails on lint errors, `--strict-all` fails on warnings too, `--strict-variables` fails on undeclared `--variables` keys.
 - **Paths in `--json` are redacted** — `$HOME` becomes the literal `$HOME` so output is safe to paste into bug reports and agent contexts.
 - **Render is user-gated.** Never auto-render once the checks pass. Pause at `preview`, tell the user the video is editable in Studio, and render only after they approve.
+- **Use Studio context for user-directed edits.** When the user says "this selected element", "the thing I clicked", "current selection", or similar, ask them to select it in Studio, then run `npx hyperframes preview --context --json --context-fields selection`. Use the returned `selection.target.hfId` / `selector`, `selection.sourceFile`, `selection.currentTime`, and `selection.thumbnailUrl` to anchor the edit. If `selection` is `null` and `errors.selection.code` is `no-selection`, ask the user to click the element and rerun; do not guess from screenshots.
+- **Keep Studio context compact.** `preview --context --json` returns compact selection by default. Add `--context-fields selection`, `--context-fields selection,lint`, or `--context-fields lint` to avoid bloating agent context. Use `--context-detail full` only when you need heavy fields like computed styles, inline styles, or text-field metadata.
 - **Post-render verification.** After `render` returns exit 0, confirm the output file exists and has plausible size before reporting success: `[ -s "$OUTPUT" ] || echo "render produced no output"`. The CLI prints `◇  <path>` on success; for long renders also sanity-check duration with `ffprobe -i "$OUTPUT" -show_format -v error`.
 
 ## Routing
diff --git a/skills/hyperframes-cli/references/preview-render.md b/skills/hyperframes-cli/references/preview-render.md
index 16447fce78..caa45cc95e 100644
--- a/skills/hyperframes-cli/references/preview-render.md
+++ b/skills/hyperframes-cli/references/preview-render.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ Serve, render, and share commands.
 ```bash
 npx hyperframes preview                   # serve current directory
 npx hyperframes preview --port 4567       # custom port (default 3002)
+npx hyperframes preview --selection --json # print the current Studio selection and exit
+npx hyperframes preview --context --json  # print compact agent context from Studio
 ```
 
 Hot-reloads on file changes. Opens Studio in the browser automatically — the full timeline editor, where the user can play the video and edit anything by hand before rendering. This is the review surface, not just a viewer.
@@ -19,6 +21,46 @@ http://localhost:<port>/#project/<project-name>
 
 Use the actual port and project directory name; treat `index.html` as source-code context, not the preview surface. For example, after `npx hyperframes preview --port 3017` in `codex-openai-video`, report `http://localhost:3017/#project/codex-openai-video`.
 
+### Agent context from Studio selection
+
+`preview --context` and `preview --selection` are the agent bridge into a running Studio session. They do **not** start a new server; they find the active preview server for the current project, read agent-useful state from Studio, print it, and exit.
+
+Use it when the user gives deictic edit instructions like "change this", "move the selected element", "make the card I clicked bigger", or "fix the current selection":
+
+```bash
+npx hyperframes preview --context --json --context-fields selection
+```
+
+The compact context payload includes the selected element's source file, composition path, current timeline time, `data-hf-id` / selector target, bounding box, text content, and a thumbnail URL for the selected element. Prefer `selection.target.hfId` when present; fall back to `selection.target.selector` only when no stable `data-hf-id` exists. If `selection` is `null`, inspect `errors.selection.code` (for example, `no-selection`).
+
+Keep agent context small by asking only for the slices you need:
+
+```bash
+npx hyperframes preview --context --json --context-fields selection
+npx hyperframes preview --context --json --context-fields lint
+npx hyperframes preview --context --json --context-fields selection,lint
+```
+
+Use `--context-detail full` only when the edit genuinely needs heavy selection fields such as `computedStyles`, `inlineStyles`, `dataAttributes`, or editable text-field metadata:
+
+```bash
+npx hyperframes preview --context --json --context-fields selection --context-detail full
+```
+
+`preview --selection --json` remains available when you explicitly want the full selected-element payload and do not need lint/server context.
+
+Failure modes:
+
+| Code                       | Meaning                                                                    |
+| -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `preview-not-running`      | Start Studio first with `npx hyperframes preview`.                         |
+| `ambiguous-preview-server` | Multiple matching Studio servers are open; rerun with one listed `--port`. |
+| `preview-port-mismatch`    | The requested `--port` is not one of the matching Studio servers.          |
+| `no-selection`             | Studio is open, but the user has not selected an element yet.              |
+| `selection-unavailable`    | The running preview server does not expose selection context cleanly.      |
+
+If there is no selection, ask the user to click the target element in Studio and rerun the command. If the server error lists candidate ports, rerun the same command with `--port <candidate>`. Do not infer the target from a screenshot when the CLI can give a stable element target.
+
 ## play (lightweight player)
 
 ```bash