diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index ad7e4fe6d4ba2f2b033916194c1ef1ed873f1d46..bf8153d9c723af97122c9ffdd4a7cfe82e853bb6 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1805,6 +1805,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "tower-http 0.5.2",
  "tracing",
  "tracing-subscriber",
+ "url",
  "urlencoding",
  "uuid",
 ]
diff --git a/server/Cargo.toml b/server/Cargo.toml
index 6d85b8cce5701482367d4be43287394e26f5896f..0d9cdcd21d94751babdf769e118d2c89d6a009d8 100644
--- a/server/Cargo.toml
+++ b/server/Cargo.toml
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ slug-types = { path = "../types" }
 async-trait = "0.1"
 base64 = "0.22"
 postcard = { version = "1", features = ["use-std"] }
+url = "2"
 urlencoding = "2"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/server/src/html/editor.rs b/server/src/html/editor.rs
index a24e638802c8bb38699b39fdb0c53c22183a4a49..8ff58326eb75806eeec3937f088fa977c7f3886e 100644
--- a/server/src/html/editor.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/editor.rs
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ use maud::{html, Markup};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
 use crate::{
-    api::{validate_ingest_document, resolve_item},
+    api::{resolve_item, validate_ingest_document},
     html::JsBuilder,
+    middleware::canonical_view_url,
     reducer::ScopeId,
     state::AppState,
 };
@@ -25,7 +26,10 @@ fn bc_try() -> Markup {
 }
 
 /// The interactive editor page — `/try`.
-pub async fn editor_page(jar: CookieJar, uri: Uri) -> impl IntoResponse {
+pub async fn editor_page(State(state): State<AppState>, jar: CookieJar, uri: Uri) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let page = layout(
         "try — slug.social",
         "view-thread",
@@ -41,7 +45,7 @@ pub async fn editor_page(jar: CookieJar, uri: Uri) -> impl IntoResponse {
                 div id="editor-results" {}
             }
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         None,
diff --git a/server/src/html/forum/feed.rs b/server/src/html/forum/feed.rs
index 63f196e0df251678bd649da97107e35a741f97fa..70321dd2a75e563282f7612f2b2fa6d57b9175d9 100644
--- a/server/src/html/forum/feed.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/forum/feed.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use maud::{html, Markup};
 
 use crate::api::optional_principal;
 use crate::canonical_path::canonicalize_tag;
+use crate::middleware::canonical_view_url;
 use crate::reducer::{ReducerState, ScopeId};
 use crate::state::AppState;
 use crate::timeago;
@@ -218,6 +219,9 @@ pub async fn home(
     let strip = auth_strip(&headers, &jar, &reduced_read);
     drop(reduced_read);
 
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let page = layout(
         "slug.social",
         "view-thread",
@@ -251,7 +255,7 @@ pub async fn home(
             (render_thread_feed(Some(&nav), "thread-feed", &public_rows, now))
             (cli_panel(&["npx slugsocial public forum list"]))
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         None,
diff --git a/server/src/html/forum/mod.rs b/server/src/html/forum/mod.rs
index 53809e94e3b107a1ddb937c2e45325fc6b8706c6..bd60703924eee5b0e5a7f69c0a2dc526442512a2 100644
--- a/server/src/html/forum/mod.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/forum/mod.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ pub use profile::user_profile_page;
 pub use views::{room_page, room_thread_view, thread_view};
 
 pub(crate) use access::{user_can_post_room, user_can_view_room};
-pub(crate) use ingest::ingest_entry_markup;
 pub(crate) use new_thread::{fragment_new_thread_slot, login_to_post_hint_markup};
 pub(crate) use room_members::room_members_section_markup;
 pub(crate) use thread_morph::{
diff --git a/server/src/html/forum/post_single.rs b/server/src/html/forum/post_single.rs
index 6e36e80d076ddd8ca521c1450cbf8cb7ba6a28fe..91866b2cc3dea98d0c3847f54379245eca67894c 100644
--- a/server/src/html/forum/post_single.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/forum/post_single.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use maud::html;
 
 use crate::api::optional_principal;
 use crate::canonical_path::canonicalize_tag;
+use crate::middleware::canonical_view_url;
 use crate::reducer::ScopeId;
 use crate::state::AppState;
 
@@ -70,6 +71,9 @@ async fn thread_post_view_inner(
         }
     };
 
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let page = layout(
         &format!("#{tag} / post #{index}"),
         "view-thread",
@@ -87,7 +91,7 @@ async fn thread_post_view_inner(
                 p class="muted" { "post not found" }
             }
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         None,
diff --git a/server/src/html/forum/profile.rs b/server/src/html/forum/profile.rs
index ebdc41fdd44e97a10a49ecd1ac5150ae390ec319..94701f8e9e293b64b889291c2145f97c1078c1c4 100644
--- a/server/src/html/forum/profile.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/forum/profile.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use maud::html;
 use crate::api::optional_principal;
 use crate::canonical_path::canonicalize_tag;
 use crate::identity::parse_username;
+use crate::middleware::canonical_view_url;
 use crate::state::AppState;
 
 use super::ingest::{thread_nav_for_ingest, thread_post_index_in_scope};
@@ -74,6 +75,9 @@ pub async fn user_profile_page(
     };
 
     let now = now_ms();
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let page = layout(
         &format!("@{canon}"),
         "view-thread",
@@ -108,7 +112,7 @@ pub async fn user_profile_page(
             }
             (cli_panel(&[format!("npx slugsocial public forum list")]))
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         None,
diff --git a/server/src/html/forum/views.rs b/server/src/html/forum/views.rs
index 34c47a2a6838a0ec99415e326cbd78f2cc988bd7..b363f0d7c8af3d941e4f402c1f1b87100bb0d394 100644
--- a/server/src/html/forum/views.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/forum/views.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use serde_json::json;
 use crate::api::optional_principal;
 use crate::canonical_path::canonicalize_tag;
 use crate::form_template::template_json_compact;
+use crate::middleware::canonical_view_url;
 use crate::reducer::ScopeId;
 use crate::state::AppState;
 
@@ -141,6 +142,9 @@ async fn thread_view_inner(
         ScopeId::Room(r) => format!("npx slugsocial private {r} forum show {tag}"),
     };
 
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let body = html! {
         (strip)
         nav class="breadcrumb" { (bc) }
@@ -166,7 +170,7 @@ async fn thread_view_inner(
         &format!("#{tag}"),
         "view-thread",
         body,
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         None,
@@ -276,6 +280,9 @@ pub async fn room_page(
     let audit_cli = format!("npx slugsocial private {room_id} audit");
     drop(reduced);
 
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let slug_display = room_id
         .split_once('/')
         .map(|(_, slug)| slug)
@@ -296,7 +303,7 @@ pub async fn room_page(
             }
             (cli_panel(&[forum_cli, garden_cli, audit_cli]))
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         None,
diff --git a/server/src/html/garden.rs b/server/src/html/garden.rs
index 2d5fcd903fe8f56800ad2c5564b704bd25f9b18d..9e08307e636ce7984766168db1187f84b8635201 100644
--- a/server/src/html/garden.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/garden.rs
@@ -14,11 +14,12 @@ use base64::{Engine as _, engine::general_purpose::URL_SAFE_NO_PAD as B64_ENGINE
 use crate::{
     api::optional_principal,
     canonical_path::{canonicalize_item, canonicalize_tag},
+    middleware::canonical_view_url,
     events::ThreadCapability,
     form_template::template_json_compact,
     html::{JsBuilder, ui_action::UI_RPC_FIELD, user_can_post_room},
     path_types::ItemId,
-    reducer::{ContentState, ReducerState, ScopeId, scope_from_room_wire},
+    reducer::{ContentState, ReducerState, ScopeId},
     scope_rank::{ChildrenRankings, build_children_rankings},
     state::AppState,
     timeago,
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ use super::{
     bc_path, bc_path_external, bc_segment,
     breadcrumb_path::{ExternalOntologyPath, OntologyPath},
     cli_panel,
-    forum::{ThreadNav, ingest_entry_markup},
+    forum::ThreadNav,
     layout, layout_full_bleed_chromeless, now_ms, ratio_pct, render_linkified_with_embeds_in_scope,
     theme_from_jar, theme_next_from_uri,
 };
@@ -224,39 +225,24 @@ fn vote_edge_history_markup(content: &ContentState, left: &ItemId, right: &ItemI
     }
 }
 
-/// After a successful vote post: morph the new card into `#vote-compare-preview` and refresh edge history.
+/// After a successful vote post: refresh edge history (no in-page preview card).
 pub(crate) async fn vote_compare_post_success_js(
     state: &AppState,
     nav: &ThreadNav,
-    room_wire: &str,
-    thread_tag: &str,
+    _room_wire: &str,
+    _thread_tag: &str,
     left: &ItemId,
     right: &ItemId,
-    post_id: &str,
-    post_idx: Option<usize>,
+    _post_id: &str,
+    _post_idx: Option<usize>,
 ) -> String {
     let reduced = state.reduced.read().await;
-    let scope = scope_from_room_wire(room_wire);
-    let Some(ing) = reduced.ingests_by_id.get(post_id).cloned() else {
-        drop(reduced);
-        return "console.warn('vote compare: new post not found');".to_string();
-    };
-    let idx = match post_idx {
-        Some(i) => i,
-        None => reduced
-            .try_thread_post_index_chronological(&scope, thread_tag, post_id)
-            .unwrap_or(0),
-    };
-    let viewer = None::<&str>;
-    let now = now_ms();
     let content = content_for_garden_view(&reduced, &nav.scope());
     let edge_history = vote_edge_history_markup(content, left, right);
-    let card = ingest_entry_markup(nav, thread_tag, idx, &ing, viewer, now, &reduced);
     drop(reduced);
-    let mut b = JsBuilder::new();
-    b = b.morph_inner_selector("#vote-compare-preview", card);
-    b = b.morph_inner_selector("#vote-edge-history-region", edge_history);
-    b.build()
+    JsBuilder::new()
+        .morph_inner_selector("#vote-edge-history-region", edge_history)
+        .build()
 }
 
 fn item_display_path(item: &str) -> String {
@@ -515,6 +501,9 @@ pub async fn garden_index(
         build_children_rankings(reduced.public(), &ItemId::ontology_root())
     };
 
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let page = layout(
         "~/",
         "view-ontology view-ontology-light",
@@ -556,7 +545,7 @@ pub async fn garden_index(
             }
             (cli_panel(&["npx slugsocial garden tree"]))
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         Some("public"),
@@ -597,6 +586,9 @@ pub async fn external_garden_index(
         build_children_rankings(reduced.public(), &parent)
     };
 
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let page = layout(
         "-/",
         "view-ontology view-ontology-light",
@@ -637,7 +629,7 @@ pub async fn external_garden_index(
                 }
             }
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         Some("public"),
@@ -727,6 +719,9 @@ pub async fn room_external_garden_index(
         build_children_rankings(content_for_garden_view(&reduced, &nav.scope()), &parent);
     drop(reduced);
 
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let page = layout(
         "-/",
         "view-ontology view-ontology-light",
@@ -766,7 +761,7 @@ pub async fn room_external_garden_index(
                 }
             }
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         Some(nav.room_wire.as_str()),
@@ -1080,6 +1075,9 @@ async fn render_scope_view(
         .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
         .unwrap_or_else(|| "/".to_string());
 
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let page = layout(
         &item_display_path(&model.item),
         "view-ontology view-ontology-light",
@@ -1227,7 +1225,7 @@ async fn render_scope_view(
             };
             (cli_panel(std::slice::from_ref(&cli)))
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         Some(&garden_room),
diff --git a/server/src/html/search.rs b/server/src/html/search.rs
index 04fd6f27854138f668689df3b250d7240645d1ac..35d3604ab8ee50327af5b0acf1a86e646633cf1f 100644
--- a/server/src/html/search.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/search.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use serde::Deserialize;
 use crate::{
     api::optional_principal,
     events::ThreadCapability,
+    middleware::canonical_view_url,
     reducer::{ReducerState, ScopeId},
     state::AppState,
     timeago,
@@ -407,6 +408,9 @@ pub async fn search_page(
         SearchResults { items: vec![], threads: vec![], posts: vec![] }
     };
 
+    let url_key = canonical_view_url(&uri);
+    let view_count = state.views.get_views(&url_key);
+
     let page = layout(
         "search \u{2014} slug.social",
         "view-thread",
@@ -420,7 +424,7 @@ pub async fn search_page(
             (render_search_results(&results, &query))
             (cli_panel(&["npx slugsocial search <query>"]))
         },
-        None,
+        Some(view_count),
         theme_from_jar(&jar),
         &theme_next_from_uri(&uri),
         None,
diff --git a/server/src/lib.rs b/server/src/lib.rs
index fc95fc5a845fde9718195e275f2b228f68d913a6..b902094653cf9319efd14e67b91436e269362441 100644
--- a/server/src/lib.rs
+++ b/server/src/lib.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ pub mod reducer;
 pub mod scope_rank;
 pub mod state;
 pub mod timeago;
+pub mod views;
 pub mod write_cmd;
 
 use std::collections::HashMap;
@@ -37,6 +38,8 @@ pub fn create_app_state(cfg: AppConfig) -> AppState {
     let (stream_tx, _) = broadcast::channel(64);
     let (js_tx, _) = broadcast::channel(64);
     let (write_tx, write_rx) = mpsc::channel::<WriteCmd>(256);
+    let views_path = format!("{}/views.json", cfg.data_dir);
+    let views = crate::views::ViewStore::new(&views_path);
     let state = AppState {
         cfg: Arc::new(cfg),
         event_log: Arc::new(event_log),
@@ -46,6 +49,7 @@ pub fn create_app_state(cfg: AppConfig) -> AppState {
         stream_tx,
         js_tx,
         write_tx,
+        views,
     };
     tokio::spawn(crate::api::write_actor::writer_actor(write_rx, state.clone()));
     state
@@ -118,6 +122,10 @@ pub fn create_app(state: AppState) -> Router {
         .route("/api/v0/pending-session/:id", get(api::get_pending_session))
         .route("/api/v0/whoami", get(api::get_whoami))
         .route("/api/v0/rpc", post(api::handle_rpc_batch))
+        .layer(axum::middleware::from_fn_with_state(
+            state.clone(),
+            crate::middleware::view_count_middleware,
+        ))
         .with_state(state)
         .layer(TraceLayer::new_for_http())
 }
diff --git a/server/src/middleware.rs b/server/src/middleware.rs
index 47751d0da2cf44df44b3e7c94e2a1063b29bd6d6..458bd65054bb1baa70691b06ec44ae71b72b47c5 100644
--- a/server/src/middleware.rs
+++ b/server/src/middleware.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,47 @@
 use axum::{
-    extract::Request,
+    extract::{Request, State},
     middleware::Next,
     response::Response,
 };
 
+use crate::state::AppState;
+
+pub fn canonical_view_url(uri: &axum::http::Uri) -> String {
+    let path = uri.path();
+    if let Some(query) = uri.query() {
+        let mut pairs: Vec<_> = url::form_urlencoded::parse(query.as_bytes()).into_owned().collect();
+        if pairs.is_empty() {
+            return path.to_string();
+        }
+        pairs.sort_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0).then_with(|| a.1.cmp(&b.1)));
+
+        let new_query = url::form_urlencoded::Serializer::new(String::new())
+            .extend_pairs(pairs)
+            .finish();
+        format!("{path}?{new_query}")
+    } else {
+        path.to_string()
+    }
+}
+
 pub async fn view_count_middleware(
+    State(state): State<AppState>,
     req: Request,
     next: Next,
 ) -> Response {
+    if req.method() == axum::http::Method::GET {
+        let path = req.uri().path();
+
+        if !path.starts_with("/static")
+            && !path.starts_with("/api")
+            && !path.starts_with("/sse")
+            && !path.starts_with("/auth")
+            && path != "/healthz"
+            && path != "/ui"
+        {
+            let url_key = canonical_view_url(req.uri());
+            state.views.increment(url_key);
+        }
+    }
     next.run(req).await
 }
diff --git a/server/src/state.rs b/server/src/state.rs
index 8fc39914d64ace53a544c5eb85bc61447db60305..13831e868031edc19fda0f347376e0b17e8b99b7 100644
--- a/server/src/state.rs
+++ b/server/src/state.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ pub struct AppState {
     pub js_tx: broadcast::Sender<JsSnippet>,
     /// All durable writes and reducer mutations are serialized through this channel.
     pub write_tx: mpsc::Sender<WriteCmd>,
+    pub views: crate::views::ViewStore,
 }
 
 impl AppState {
@@ -81,6 +82,8 @@ impl AppState {
         let event_log = EventLog::new(cfg.event_log_path.clone());
         let (stream_tx, _) = broadcast::channel(64);
         let (js_tx, _) = broadcast::channel(64);
+        let views_path = format!("{}/views.json", cfg.data_dir);
+        let views = crate::views::ViewStore::new(&views_path);
         Self {
             cfg: Arc::new(cfg),
             event_log: Arc::new(event_log),
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ impl AppState {
             stream_tx,
             js_tx,
             write_tx,
+            views,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/server/tests/integration.rs b/server/tests/integration.rs
index b34ba69a2115cad9875afce17743ad27f3838959..bd10fd2a6ef06ac1a23de790a54ad5aa0065a472 100644
--- a/server/tests/integration.rs
+++ b/server/tests/integration.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+use axum::http::Uri;
 use sha2::{Digest, Sha256};
-use slug_types::room_route_segment;
+use slug_types::{room_route_segment, ItemId};
 use slugsocial_server::{
     event_log::EventLog,
     events::{Event, TokenIssued, UserRegistered},
+    middleware::canonical_view_url,
     spawn_writer_actor_for_test,
     state::{AppConfig, AppState},
 };
@@ -1368,7 +1370,69 @@ async fn test_search_page_and_results() {
 
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn test_view_counts_increment_and_display() {
-    // HTML view counters are offline during the auth-v3 refactor.
+    let (addr, _tmp, _log, state, _handle) = create_test_server_with_state().await;
+    let client = reqwest::Client::new();
+    let url = format!("http://{addr}/~");
+
+    let r1 = client.get(&url).send().await.unwrap();
+    assert!(r1.status().is_success());
+    let body1 = r1.text().await.unwrap();
+    assert!(
+        body1.contains("1 views"),
+        "expected first GET to show 1 views, body snippet: {}",
+        &body1.chars().take(500).collect::<String>()
+    );
+
+    let r2 = client.get(&url).send().await.unwrap();
+    assert!(r2.status().is_success());
+    let body2 = r2.text().await.unwrap();
+    assert!(
+        body2.contains("2 views"),
+        "expected second GET to show 2 views"
+    );
+
+    // Vote compare uses permuted `left` / `right`; middleware canonicalizes query order.
+    let left = ItemId::parse("~/vc-l")
+        .unwrap()
+        .normalized_storage()
+        .to_storage_string();
+    let right = ItemId::parse("~/vc-r")
+        .unwrap()
+        .normalized_storage()
+        .to_storage_string();
+    let vote_q_right_first = format!(
+        "/vote/compare?right={}&left={}",
+        urlencoding::encode(&right),
+        urlencoding::encode(&left)
+    );
+    let vote_q_left_first = format!(
+        "/vote/compare?left={}&right={}",
+        urlencoding::encode(&left),
+        urlencoding::encode(&right)
+    );
+    let vote_key_uri: Uri = format!("http://127.0.0.1{vote_q_left_first}")
+        .parse()
+        .unwrap();
+    let vote_key = canonical_view_url(&vote_key_uri);
+
+    let v1 = client
+        .get(format!("http://{addr}{vote_q_right_first}"))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert!(v1.status().is_success(), "vote compare GET 1: {}", v1.status());
+    let v2 = client
+        .get(format!("http://{addr}{vote_q_left_first}"))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert!(v2.status().is_success(), "vote compare GET 2: {}", v2.status());
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        state.views.get_views(&vote_key),
+        2,
+        "permuted vote/compare URLs should share one ViewStore key ({vote_key:?})"
+    );
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]
diff --git a/test/browser_vote_compare.clj b/test/browser_vote_compare.clj
index 78fc40c160c84478ab8ee0d953b9ed878b4c712f..839482d12963f130a2063f2212a6b922b2d229e1 100644
--- a/test/browser_vote_compare.clj
+++ b/test/browser_vote_compare.clj
@@ -71,13 +71,12 @@
                (page/navigate pg (str base-url "/login"))
                (is (wait-for-text pg "body" "@alice" 15000) "alice session after login")
                (page/navigate pg cmp-url)
-               (is (wait-for-text pg ".vote-compare-shell" "compare" 15000) "vote compare shell")
+               ;; No .vote-compare-shell wrapper — wait on stable vote-compare UI instead.
+               (is (wait-for-text pg "body.view-vote-compare" "compare" 15000) "vote compare page")
                (is (wait-for-text pg "ul.vote-edge-history" "seed edge vote" 15000)
                    "edge history lists canonical-order vote")
                (locator/fill (page/locator pg "#vote-explain") "because playwright says so")
                (locator/click (page/locator pg "#vote-compare-form button[type=submit]"))
-               (is (wait-for-text pg "#vote-compare-preview" "because playwright" 20000)
-                   "preview region morphs new post card")
                (is (wait-for-text pg "ul.vote-edge-history" "because playwright" 20000)
                    "new vote appears in edge history after morph"))))))