diff --git a/crates/ferese-layout/src/lib.rs b/crates/ferese-layout/src/lib.rs
index 350147a..f03d401 100644
--- a/crates/ferese-layout/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ferese-layout/src/lib.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::error::Error;
 use std::fmt;
 
+mod scrolling;
+
+pub use scrolling::{Column, ColumnWidth, ScrollingLayout};
+
 const MIN_SPLIT_RATIO: f64 = 0.05;
 const MAX_SPLIT_RATIO: f64 = 0.95;
 
diff --git a/crates/ferese-layout/src/scrolling.rs b/crates/ferese-layout/src/scrolling.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3475b2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ferese-layout/src/scrolling.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,508 @@
+use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
+
+use crate::{
+    ConstraintKind, ConstraintWarning, GapConfig, LayoutError, LayoutResult, Rect, SizeConstraints,
+    WindowId, normalized_constraints, record_minimum_warnings,
+};
+
+const DEFAULT_WIDTH: f64 = 0.5;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub enum ColumnWidth {
+    Proportion(f64),
+    Fixed(f64),
+    Full,
+}
+
+impl Default for ColumnWidth {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::Proportion(DEFAULT_WIDTH)
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub struct Column {
+    pub windows: Vec<WindowId>,
+    pub active: usize,
+    pub width: ColumnWidth,
+    pub heights: Vec<f64>,
+}
+
+impl Column {
+    fn new(window: WindowId) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            windows: vec![window],
+            active: 0,
+            width: ColumnWidth::default(),
+            heights: vec![1.0],
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn normalize_heights(&mut self) {
+        if self.windows.is_empty() {
+            self.heights.clear();
+            return;
+        }
+        if self.heights.len() != self.windows.len() {
+            self.heights.resize(self.windows.len(), 1.0);
+        }
+        self.heights.iter_mut().for_each(|height| {
+            if !height.is_finite() || *height <= 0.0 {
+                *height = 1.0;
+            }
+        });
+        let total = self.heights.iter().sum::<f64>();
+        self.heights.iter_mut().for_each(|height| *height /= total);
+        self.active = self.active.min(self.windows.len() - 1);
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub struct ScrollingLayout {
+    columns: Vec<Column>,
+    active_column: Option<usize>,
+    viewport_x: f64,
+    neighbor_context: f64,
+}
+
+impl Default for ScrollingLayout {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            columns: Vec::new(),
+            active_column: None,
+            viewport_x: 0.0,
+            neighbor_context: 48.0,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl ScrollingLayout {
+    pub fn columns(&self) -> &[Column] {
+        &self.columns
+    }
+
+    pub fn active_column(&self) -> Option<usize> {
+        self.active_column
+    }
+
+    pub fn viewport_x(&self) -> f64 {
+        self.viewport_x
+    }
+
+    pub fn contains(&self, window: WindowId) -> bool {
+        self.window_location(window).is_some()
+    }
+
+    pub fn window_ids(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = WindowId> + '_ {
+        self.columns
+            .iter()
+            .flat_map(|column| column.windows.iter().copied())
+    }
+
+    pub fn insert(
+        &mut self,
+        window: WindowId,
+        focused: Option<WindowId>,
+    ) -> Result<(), LayoutError> {
+        if self.contains(window) {
+            return Err(LayoutError::DuplicateWindow(window));
+        }
+
+        let index = focused
+            .and_then(|focused| self.window_location(focused))
+            .map(|(column, _)| column + 1)
+            .unwrap_or(self.columns.len());
+        self.columns.insert(index, Column::new(window));
+        self.active_column = Some(index);
+
+        debug_assert!(self.validate().is_ok());
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn remove(&mut self, window: WindowId) -> Result<(), LayoutError> {
+        let (column_index, window_index) = self
+            .window_location(window)
+            .ok_or(LayoutError::UnknownWindow(window))?;
+        let column = &mut self.columns[column_index];
+        column.windows.remove(window_index);
+        column.heights.remove(window_index);
+
+        if column.windows.is_empty() {
+            self.columns.remove(column_index);
+            self.active_column = match self.active_column {
+                None => None,
+                Some(_) if self.columns.is_empty() => None,
+                Some(active) if active > column_index => Some(active - 1),
+                Some(active) => Some(active.min(self.columns.len() - 1)),
+            };
+        } else {
+            column.active = column.active.min(column.windows.len() - 1);
+            column.normalize_heights();
+        }
+
+        debug_assert!(self.validate().is_ok());
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn focus(&mut self, window: WindowId) -> Result<(), LayoutError> {
+        let (column, index) = self
+            .window_location(window)
+            .ok_or(LayoutError::UnknownWindow(window))?;
+        self.active_column = Some(column);
+        self.columns[column].active = index;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn move_into_column(
+        &mut self,
+        window: WindowId,
+        target: WindowId,
+    ) -> Result<(), LayoutError> {
+        if window == target {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+        self.window_location(target)
+            .ok_or(LayoutError::UnknownWindow(target))?;
+        self.remove(window)?;
+        let (target_column, target_index) = self
+            .window_location(target)
+            .expect("removing another window preserves the target");
+        let column = &mut self.columns[target_column];
+        let insertion = (target_index + 1).min(column.windows.len());
+        column.windows.insert(insertion, window);
+        column.heights.insert(insertion, 1.0);
+        column.active = insertion;
+        column.normalize_heights();
+        self.active_column = Some(target_column);
+
+        debug_assert!(self.validate().is_ok());
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn extract_to_column(&mut self, window: WindowId) -> Result<(), LayoutError> {
+        let (source, _) = self
+            .window_location(window)
+            .ok_or(LayoutError::UnknownWindow(window))?;
+        if self.columns[source].windows.len() == 1 {
+            self.active_column = Some(source);
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
+        self.remove(window)?;
+        let insertion = (source + 1).min(self.columns.len());
+        self.columns.insert(insertion, Column::new(window));
+        self.active_column = Some(insertion);
+
+        debug_assert!(self.validate().is_ok());
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_column_width(
+        &mut self,
+        window: WindowId,
+        width: ColumnWidth,
+    ) -> Result<(), LayoutError> {
+        let (column, _) = self
+            .window_location(window)
+            .ok_or(LayoutError::UnknownWindow(window))?;
+        self.columns[column].width = normalized_width(width);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn geometry_with_constraints(
+        &mut self,
+        bounds: Rect,
+        gaps: GapConfig,
+        constraints: &HashMap<WindowId, SizeConstraints>,
+        focused: Option<WindowId>,
+    ) -> Result<LayoutResult, LayoutError> {
+        if let Some(focused) = focused {
+            self.focus(focused)?;
+        }
+        self.validate()?;
+        if self.columns.is_empty() {
+            self.viewport_x = 0.0;
+            return Ok(LayoutResult::default());
+        }
+
+        let window_count = self.window_ids().count();
+        let inner = finite_nonnegative(gaps.inner);
+        let outer = if gaps.smart && window_count == 1 {
+            0.0
+        } else {
+            finite_nonnegative(gaps.outer)
+        };
+        let viewport_width = (bounds.width - outer * 2.0).max(1.0);
+        let viewport_height = (bounds.height - outer * 2.0).max(1.0);
+        let mut column_positions = Vec::with_capacity(self.columns.len());
+        let mut strip_width = 0.0;
+
+        for column in &self.columns {
+            let requested = match normalized_width(column.width) {
+                ColumnWidth::Proportion(proportion) => viewport_width * proportion,
+                ColumnWidth::Fixed(width) => width,
+                ColumnWidth::Full => viewport_width,
+            };
+            let minimum = column
+                .windows
+                .iter()
+                .map(|window| {
+                    constraints
+                        .get(window)
+                        .copied()
+                        .map(normalized_constraints)
+                        .unwrap_or_default()
+                        .min_width
+                })
+                .fold(1.0_f64, f64::max);
+            let width = requested.max(minimum).max(1.0);
+            column_positions.push((strip_width, width));
+            strip_width += width + inner;
+        }
+        strip_width = (strip_width - inner).max(0.0);
+        self.reveal_active_column(&column_positions, strip_width, viewport_width);
+
+        let mut result = LayoutResult::default();
+        for (column_index, column) in self.columns.iter().enumerate() {
+            let (column_x, column_width) = column_positions[column_index];
+            let available_height = (viewport_height
+                - inner * (column.windows.len().saturating_sub(1) as f64))
+                .max(1.0);
+            let mut y = bounds.y + outer;
+
+            for (window_index, window) in column.windows.iter().enumerate() {
+                let mut rect = Rect::new(
+                    bounds.x + outer + column_x - self.viewport_x,
+                    y,
+                    column_width,
+                    available_height * column.heights[window_index],
+                );
+                let constraint = constraints
+                    .get(window)
+                    .copied()
+                    .map(normalized_constraints)
+                    .unwrap_or_default();
+                record_minimum_warnings(*window, rect, constraint, &mut result.warnings);
+                apply_maximums(*window, &mut rect, constraint, &mut result.warnings);
+                y += available_height * column.heights[window_index] + inner;
+                result.geometry.insert(*window, rect);
+            }
+        }
+
+        Ok(result)
+    }
+
+    fn reveal_active_column(
+        &mut self,
+        positions: &[(f64, f64)],
+        strip_width: f64,
+        viewport_width: f64,
+    ) {
+        let max_scroll = (strip_width - viewport_width).max(0.0);
+        self.viewport_x = finite_nonnegative(self.viewport_x).min(max_scroll);
+        let Some(active) = self.active_column else {
+            return;
+        };
+        let (start, width) = positions[active];
+        let end = start + width;
+        let context = finite_nonnegative(self.neighbor_context).min(viewport_width / 3.0);
+
+        if start < self.viewport_x + context {
+            self.viewport_x = (start - context).max(0.0);
+        } else if end > self.viewport_x + viewport_width - context {
+            self.viewport_x = (end - viewport_width + context).min(max_scroll);
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn window_location(&self, window: WindowId) -> Option<(usize, usize)> {
+        self.columns.iter().enumerate().find_map(|(column, data)| {
+            data.windows
+                .iter()
+                .position(|candidate| *candidate == window)
+                .map(|index| (column, index))
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn validate(&self) -> Result<(), LayoutError> {
+        if self.columns.is_empty() {
+            return if self.active_column.is_none() {
+                Ok(())
+            } else {
+                Err(LayoutError::InvalidTree(
+                    "empty scrolling layout has an active column",
+                ))
+            };
+        }
+        if self
+            .active_column
+            .is_none_or(|active| active >= self.columns.len())
+        {
+            return Err(LayoutError::InvalidTree(
+                "scrolling active column is invalid",
+            ));
+        }
+
+        let mut windows = HashSet::new();
+        for column in &self.columns {
+            if column.windows.is_empty() {
+                return Err(LayoutError::InvalidTree("scrolling column is empty"));
+            }
+            if column.active >= column.windows.len() || column.heights.len() != column.windows.len()
+            {
+                return Err(LayoutError::InvalidTree(
+                    "scrolling column metadata is invalid",
+                ));
+            }
+            if !column
+                .heights
+                .iter()
+                .all(|height| height.is_finite() && *height > 0.0)
+            {
+                return Err(LayoutError::InvalidTree("scrolling height is invalid"));
+            }
+            for window in &column.windows {
+                if !windows.insert(*window) {
+                    return Err(LayoutError::DuplicateWindow(*window));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+fn normalized_width(width: ColumnWidth) -> ColumnWidth {
+    match width {
+        ColumnWidth::Proportion(value) if value.is_finite() && value > 0.0 => {
+            ColumnWidth::Proportion(value)
+        }
+        ColumnWidth::Fixed(value) if value.is_finite() && value > 0.0 => ColumnWidth::Fixed(value),
+        ColumnWidth::Full => ColumnWidth::Full,
+        _ => ColumnWidth::default(),
+    }
+}
+
+fn finite_nonnegative(value: f64) -> f64 {
+    if value.is_finite() {
+        value.max(0.0)
+    } else {
+        0.0
+    }
+}
+
+fn apply_maximums(
+    window: WindowId,
+    rect: &mut Rect,
+    constraints: SizeConstraints,
+    warnings: &mut Vec<ConstraintWarning>,
+) {
+    if let Some(maximum) = constraints.max_width
+        && rect.width > maximum
+    {
+        warnings.push(ConstraintWarning {
+            window,
+            kind: ConstraintKind::MaximumWidth,
+            requested: maximum,
+            assigned: rect.width,
+        });
+        rect.width = maximum;
+    }
+    if let Some(maximum) = constraints.max_height
+        && rect.height > maximum
+    {
+        warnings.push(ConstraintWarning {
+            window,
+            kind: ConstraintKind::MaximumHeight,
+            requested: maximum,
+            assigned: rect.height,
+        });
+        rect.height = maximum;
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn window(id: u64) -> WindowId {
+        WindowId(id)
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn inserts_new_columns_after_focus() {
+        let mut layout = ScrollingLayout::default();
+        layout.insert(window(1), None).unwrap();
+        layout.insert(window(2), Some(window(1))).unwrap();
+        layout.insert(window(3), Some(window(1))).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            layout.window_ids().collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            vec![window(1), window(3), window(2)]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(layout.active_column(), Some(1));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn focus_reveal_scrolls_only_as_far_as_needed() {
+        let mut layout = ScrollingLayout::default();
+        for id in 1..=4 {
+            layout
+                .insert(window(id), Some(window(id.saturating_sub(1))))
+                .unwrap();
+        }
+        let bounds = Rect::new(0.0, 0.0, 1_000.0, 800.0);
+        let gaps = GapConfig {
+            inner: 0.0,
+            outer: 0.0,
+            smart: false,
+        };
+
+        let result = layout
+            .geometry_with_constraints(bounds, gaps, &HashMap::new(), Some(window(4)))
+            .unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(layout.viewport_x(), 1_000.0);
+        assert_eq!(result.geometry[&window(4)].x, 500.0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn grouping_and_extracting_preserve_membership() {
+        let mut layout = ScrollingLayout::default();
+        layout.insert(window(1), None).unwrap();
+        layout.insert(window(2), Some(window(1))).unwrap();
+        layout.move_into_column(window(2), window(1)).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(layout.columns().len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(layout.columns()[0].windows, vec![window(1), window(2)]);
+
+        layout.extract_to_column(window(2)).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(layout.columns().len(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(
+            layout.window_ids().collect::<HashSet<_>>(),
+            HashSet::from([window(1), window(2)])
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn later_column_changes_do_not_move_the_first_column() {
+        let mut layout = ScrollingLayout::default();
+        layout.insert(window(1), None).unwrap();
+        let bounds = Rect::new(0.0, 0.0, 1_000.0, 800.0);
+        let gaps = GapConfig {
+            smart: false,
+            ..GapConfig::default()
+        };
+        let first = layout
+            .geometry_with_constraints(bounds, gaps, &HashMap::new(), Some(window(1)))
+            .unwrap()
+            .geometry[&window(1)];
+
+        layout.insert(window(2), Some(window(1))).unwrap();
+        let second = layout
+            .geometry_with_constraints(bounds, gaps, &HashMap::new(), Some(window(1)))
+            .unwrap()
+            .geometry[&window(1)];
+
+        assert_eq!(first.x, second.x);
+        assert_eq!(first.width, second.width);
+    }
+}