diff --git a/lib/storage/badnote_sidecar.dart b/lib/storage/badnote_sidecar.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..be1141d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/storage/badnote_sidecar.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,323 @@
+// lib/storage/badnote_sidecar.dart
+//
+// The on-disk sidecar model: all annotations for one source file, serialized as
+// `<file>.badnote.json` next to the file ("跟着文件走"). This is Phase 1 of the
+// file-based storage plan (docs/plans/2026-06-24-file-based-storage.md §A) — a
+// pure model with NO runtime wiring yet.
+//
+// Design rule: REUSE the existing JSON shapes verbatim; do not invent a parallel
+// stroke format. Specifically:
+//   * per-page ink     → List<EditorStroke> (lib/editor/engine/stroke_model.dart;
+//                         byte-for-byte the `ink.stroke_json` column today)
+//   * scratchpad ink   → List<InkStroke>    (lib/models/ink_stroke.dart; the exact
+//                         format scratchpads already persist, absolute world px)
+//   * scratch anchors  → ScratchLink        (lib/models/scratch_link.dart)
+//   * bookmarks        → Bookmark           (lib/models/bookmark.dart)
+//
+// Only the *containers* and the (previously in-memory-only) highlight rect are
+// new here. Unknown JSON fields are ignored on read so the schema is
+// forward-compatible (e.g. a future `brush` field — see §A.5 brush TODO).
+
+import 'dart:ui' show Rect;
+
+import '../editor/engine/stroke_model.dart';
+import '../models/bookmark.dart';
+import '../models/ink_stroke.dart';
+import '../models/scratch_link.dart';
+
+/// Current sidecar schema version. Persisted as `badnoteSidecarVersion` for
+/// forward-compat; readers tolerate unknown extra fields.
+const int kBadnoteSidecarVersion = 1;
+
+/// A single highlighted text rectangle on a page, normalized to the page rect
+/// ([0,1] for l/t/r/b — exactly as `_highlightSelection` computes it in
+/// pen_editor_screen.dart) plus an ARGB [color]. There is no existing highlight
+/// MODEL in the codebase (highlights are in-memory `Rect`s today, see
+/// `TODO(persist-highlights)`), so this small value class is the representation.
+class SidecarHighlight {
+  const SidecarHighlight({
+    required this.l,
+    required this.t,
+    required this.r,
+    required this.b,
+    this.color = 0xFFFFFF00,
+  });
+
+  /// Normalized left edge in [0,1].
+  final double l;
+
+  /// Normalized top edge in [0,1].
+  final double t;
+
+  /// Normalized right edge in [0,1].
+  final double r;
+
+  /// Normalized bottom edge in [0,1].
+  final double b;
+
+  /// ARGB color of the highlight.
+  final int color;
+
+  /// Builds a highlight from a normalized [Rect] (as stored in
+  /// `_highlightsByPage`) and an ARGB color.
+  factory SidecarHighlight.fromRect(Rect rect, {int color = 0xFFFFFF00}) =>
+      SidecarHighlight(
+        l: rect.left,
+        t: rect.top,
+        r: rect.right,
+        b: rect.bottom,
+        color: color,
+      );
+
+  /// The normalized rect (page-relative) for rendering.
+  Rect toRect() => Rect.fromLTRB(l, t, r, b);
+
+  Map<String, dynamic> toJson() => {
+        'l': l,
+        't': t,
+        'r': r,
+        'b': b,
+        'color': color,
+      };
+
+  factory SidecarHighlight.fromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) =>
+      SidecarHighlight(
+        l: (json['l'] as num).toDouble(),
+        t: (json['t'] as num).toDouble(),
+        r: (json['r'] as num).toDouble(),
+        b: (json['b'] as num).toDouble(),
+        color: (json['color'] as num?)?.toInt() ?? 0xFFFFFF00,
+      );
+
+  @override
+  bool operator ==(Object other) =>
+      identical(this, other) ||
+      other is SidecarHighlight &&
+          runtimeType == other.runtimeType &&
+          l == other.l &&
+          t == other.t &&
+          r == other.r &&
+          b == other.b &&
+          color == other.color;
+
+  @override
+  int get hashCode => Object.hash(l, t, r, b, color);
+
+  @override
+  String toString() =>
+      'SidecarHighlight(l: $l, t: $t, r: $r, b: $b, color: $color)';
+}
+
+/// An anchor's private infinite scratchpad: a list of [InkStroke]s in ABSOLUTE
+/// world pixels (unchanged format from `SplitViewScreen`), plus the world size
+/// so it restores (today the canvas always resets to 4000×4000).
+class SidecarScratchpad {
+  const SidecarScratchpad({
+    this.canvasWidth = 4000.0,
+    this.canvasHeight = 4000.0,
+    this.strokes = const [],
+  });
+
+  final double canvasWidth;
+  final double canvasHeight;
+
+  /// Absolute-world-pixel strokes, in `InkStroke.toJson()` format.
+  final List<InkStroke> strokes;
+
+  Map<String, dynamic> toJson() => {
+        'canvasWidth': canvasWidth,
+        'canvasHeight': canvasHeight,
+        'strokes': strokes.map((s) => s.toJson()).toList(),
+      };
+
+  factory SidecarScratchpad.fromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) =>
+      SidecarScratchpad(
+        canvasWidth: (json['canvasWidth'] as num?)?.toDouble() ?? 4000.0,
+        canvasHeight: (json['canvasHeight'] as num?)?.toDouble() ?? 4000.0,
+        strokes: ((json['strokes'] as List<dynamic>?) ?? const [])
+            .map((e) => InkStroke.fromJson(e as Map<String, dynamic>))
+            .toList(),
+      );
+
+  @override
+  bool operator ==(Object other) =>
+      identical(this, other) ||
+      other is SidecarScratchpad &&
+          runtimeType == other.runtimeType &&
+          canvasWidth == other.canvasWidth &&
+          canvasHeight == other.canvasHeight &&
+          _listEq(strokes, other.strokes);
+
+  @override
+  int get hashCode =>
+      Object.hash(canvasWidth, canvasHeight, Object.hashAll(strokes));
+
+  @override
+  String toString() => 'SidecarScratchpad(canvasWidth: $canvasWidth, '
+      'canvasHeight: $canvasHeight, strokes: ${strokes.length})';
+}
+
+/// A scratch link anchor that EMBEDS its private scratchpad (merges today's two
+/// SQLite tables — `scratch_links` geometry + `scratchpads` ink — see §A.2).
+class SidecarScratchLink {
+  const SidecarScratchLink({
+    required this.link,
+    this.scratchpad = const SidecarScratchpad(),
+  });
+
+  /// Anchor geometry (reuses [ScratchLink] verbatim).
+  final ScratchLink link;
+
+  /// The anchor's private scratchpad.
+  final SidecarScratchpad scratchpad;
+
+  Map<String, dynamic> toJson() => {
+        ...link.toJson(),
+        'scratchpad': scratchpad.toJson(),
+      };
+
+  factory SidecarScratchLink.fromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) =>
+      SidecarScratchLink(
+        link: ScratchLink.fromJson(json),
+        scratchpad: json['scratchpad'] == null
+            ? const SidecarScratchpad()
+            : SidecarScratchpad.fromJson(
+                json['scratchpad'] as Map<String, dynamic>),
+      );
+
+  @override
+  bool operator ==(Object other) =>
+      identical(this, other) ||
+      other is SidecarScratchLink &&
+          runtimeType == other.runtimeType &&
+          link == other.link &&
+          scratchpad == other.scratchpad;
+
+  @override
+  int get hashCode => Object.hash(link, scratchpad);
+
+  @override
+  String toString() =>
+      'SidecarScratchLink(link: $link, scratchpad: $scratchpad)';
+}
+
+/// The whole sidecar: all annotations for one source file.
+///
+/// Maps to the JSON in §A.2 of the plan. `strokes` and `highlights` are keyed by
+/// page index. Strokes reuse [EditorStroke] JSON; bookmarks reuse [Bookmark]
+/// JSON; scratch links reuse [ScratchLink] JSON (embedding [InkStroke] JSON for
+/// the scratchpad).
+class BadnoteSidecar {
+  BadnoteSidecar({
+    this.version = kBadnoteSidecarVersion,
+    this.sourceFile,
+    this.docType,
+    this.pageCount,
+    this.rotation = 0,
+    this.createdAt,
+    this.updatedAt,
+    Map<int, List<EditorStroke>>? strokes,
+    Map<int, List<SidecarHighlight>>? highlights,
+    List<Bookmark>? bookmarks,
+    List<SidecarScratchLink>? scratchLinks,
+  })  : strokes = strokes ?? <int, List<EditorStroke>>{},
+        highlights = highlights ?? <int, List<SidecarHighlight>>{},
+        bookmarks = bookmarks ?? <Bookmark>[],
+        scratchLinks = scratchLinks ?? <SidecarScratchLink>[];
+
+  /// Schema version (`badnoteSidecarVersion`).
+  final int version;
+
+  /// Basename of the annotated source file, e.g. `Calculus Lecture 3.pdf`.
+  final String? sourceFile;
+
+  /// `pdf` / `pptx` / `notebook` etc.
+  final String? docType;
+
+  final int? pageCount;
+  final int rotation;
+  final DateTime? createdAt;
+  final DateTime? updatedAt;
+
+  /// Page index → committed [EditorStroke]s (normalized page coords).
+  final Map<int, List<EditorStroke>> strokes;
+
+  /// Page index → highlighted text rects (normalized).
+  final Map<int, List<SidecarHighlight>> highlights;
+
+  final List<Bookmark> bookmarks;
+  final List<SidecarScratchLink> scratchLinks;
+
+  Map<String, dynamic> toJson() => {
+        'badnoteSidecarVersion': version,
+        if (sourceFile != null) 'sourceFile': sourceFile,
+        if (docType != null) 'docType': docType,
+        if (pageCount != null) 'pageCount': pageCount,
+        'rotation': rotation,
+        if (createdAt != null) 'createdAt': createdAt!.toIso8601String(),
+        if (updatedAt != null) 'updatedAt': updatedAt!.toIso8601String(),
+        'strokes': {
+          for (final entry in strokes.entries)
+            entry.key.toString():
+                entry.value.map((s) => s.toJson()).toList(),
+        },
+        'highlights': {
+          for (final entry in highlights.entries)
+            entry.key.toString():
+                entry.value.map((h) => h.toJson()).toList(),
+        },
+        'bookmarks': bookmarks.map((b) => b.toJson()).toList(),
+        'scratchLinks': scratchLinks.map((s) => s.toJson()).toList(),
+      };
+
+  factory BadnoteSidecar.fromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) {
+    Map<int, List<T>> decodePageMap<T>(
+      Object? raw,
+      T Function(Map<String, dynamic>) item,
+    ) {
+      final out = <int, List<T>>{};
+      if (raw is Map) {
+        raw.forEach((key, value) {
+          final pageIndex = int.tryParse(key.toString());
+          if (pageIndex == null || value is! List) return;
+          out[pageIndex] = value
+              .map((e) => item(e as Map<String, dynamic>))
+              .toList();
+        });
+      }
+      return out;
+    }
+
+    return BadnoteSidecar(
+      version: (json['badnoteSidecarVersion'] as num?)?.toInt() ??
+          kBadnoteSidecarVersion,
+      sourceFile: json['sourceFile'] as String?,
+      docType: json['docType'] as String?,
+      pageCount: (json['pageCount'] as num?)?.toInt(),
+      rotation: (json['rotation'] as num?)?.toInt() ?? 0,
+      createdAt: json['createdAt'] == null
+          ? null
+          : DateTime.tryParse(json['createdAt'] as String),
+      updatedAt: json['updatedAt'] == null
+          ? null
+          : DateTime.tryParse(json['updatedAt'] as String),
+      strokes: decodePageMap(json['strokes'], EditorStroke.fromJson),
+      highlights: decodePageMap(json['highlights'], SidecarHighlight.fromJson),
+      bookmarks: ((json['bookmarks'] as List<dynamic>?) ?? const [])
+          .map((e) => Bookmark.fromJson(e as Map<String, dynamic>))
+          .toList(),
+      scratchLinks: ((json['scratchLinks'] as List<dynamic>?) ?? const [])
+          .map((e) => SidecarScratchLink.fromJson(e as Map<String, dynamic>))
+          .toList(),
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+bool _listEq<T>(List<T> a, List<T> b) {
+  if (identical(a, b)) return true;
+  if (a.length != b.length) return false;
+  for (var i = 0; i < a.length; i++) {
+    if (a[i] != b[i]) return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
diff --git a/lib/storage/sidecar_store.dart b/lib/storage/sidecar_store.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8762c24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/storage/sidecar_store.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+// lib/storage/sidecar_store.dart
+//
+// Atomic read/write for `<file>.badnote.json` sidecars (Phase 1 / §F.1 of
+// docs/plans/2026-06-24-file-based-storage.md). Pure dart:io, NO UI.
+//
+// Write protocol (§F.1):
+//   1. Serialize to pretty JSON, write to `<target>.tmp` with flush:true.
+//   2. Before clobbering, copy the current good `<target>` to `<target>.bak`
+//      (one-deep backup — cheap insurance against a corrupt write).
+//   3. `rename` tmp → target. rename is atomic on the same filesystem (NTFS /
+//      POSIX), so a reader never observes a half-written sidecar.
+//
+// Read protocol: parse `<target>`; if it is missing OR fails to parse, fall back
+// to `<target>.bak`. If neither yields valid JSON, return null.
+
+import 'dart:convert';
+import 'dart:io';
+
+import 'badnote_sidecar.dart';
+
+/// Stateless helper namespace for sidecar persistence.
+class SidecarStore {
+  const SidecarStore._();
+
+  static const JsonEncoder _encoder = JsonEncoder.withIndent('  ');
+
+  /// Suffix for the in-progress temp file.
+  static const String tmpSuffix = '.tmp';
+
+  /// Suffix for the one-deep backup of the last good sidecar.
+  static const String bakSuffix = '.bak';
+
+  /// Atomically writes [sidecar] to [target] (temp + rename), keeping a `.bak`
+  /// of the previous good file. Never leaves a partial sidecar at [target]:
+  /// either the previous content (on failure before rename) or the new content.
+  static Future<void> writeAtomic(File target, BadnoteSidecar sidecar) async {
+    final json = _encoder.convert(sidecar.toJson());
+    await writeAtomicJson(target, json);
+  }
+
+  /// Lower-level variant for callers that already hold the JSON string.
+  static Future<void> writeAtomicJson(File target, String json) async {
+    await target.parent.create(recursive: true);
+
+    final tmp = File('${target.path}$tmpSuffix');
+    await tmp.writeAsString(json, flush: true);
+
+    // Back up the previous good file before clobbering it.
+    if (await target.exists()) {
+      final bak = File('${target.path}$bakSuffix');
+      try {
+        await target.copy(bak.path);
+      } catch (_) {
+        // A failed backup must not block the write; the atomic rename below
+        // still guarantees the new content lands intact.
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Atomic on the same filesystem.
+    await tmp.rename(target.path);
+  }
+
+  /// Reads and parses the sidecar at [target], falling back to `<target>.bak`
+  /// if the primary is missing or corrupt. Returns null if neither is readable.
+  static Future<BadnoteSidecar?> read(File target) async {
+    final primary = await _tryRead(target);
+    if (primary != null) return primary;
+
+    final bak = File('${target.path}$bakSuffix');
+    return _tryRead(bak);
+  }
+
+  static Future<BadnoteSidecar?> _tryRead(File file) async {
+    try {
+      if (!await file.exists()) return null;
+      final raw = await file.readAsString();
+      final decoded = jsonDecode(raw);
+      if (decoded is! Map<String, dynamic>) return null;
+      return BadnoteSidecar.fromJson(decoded);
+    } catch (_) {
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/badnote_sidecar_test.dart b/test/badnote_sidecar_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..91986ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/badnote_sidecar_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+// test/badnote_sidecar_test.dart
+//
+// Round-trips a BadnoteSidecar containing per-page strokes + highlights +
+// bookmarks + scratch-links (each with its own scratchpad of InkStrokes),
+// asserting the re-parsed model equals the original. Verifies the sidecar reuses
+// the existing EditorStroke / InkStroke / ScratchLink / Bookmark JSON shapes and
+// that the schema `version` field survives.
+
+import 'dart:convert';
+
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+
+import 'package:badnote/editor/engine/stroke_model.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/bookmark.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/ink_point.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/ink_stroke.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/pen_tool.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/pointer_device_kind.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/scratch_link.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/storage/badnote_sidecar.dart';
+
+EditorStroke _editorStroke(String id, EditorTool tool) => EditorStroke(
+      id: id,
+      points: [
+        const EditorPoint(x: 0.1, y: 0.2, pressure: 0.5, tilt: 0.1),
+        EditorPoint(
+          x: 0.3,
+          y: 0.4,
+          pressure: 0.9,
+          tilt: 0.2,
+          timestamp: 1234,
+          pointerDeviceKind: InputDeviceKind.stylus,
+        ),
+      ],
+      tool: tool,
+      color: 0xFF112233,
+      width: 0.005,
+    );
+
+InkStroke _inkStroke(String id) => InkStroke(
+      id: id,
+      points: [
+        const InkPoint(
+          x: 100.0,
+          y: 200.0,
+          pressure: 0.7,
+          tilt: 0.3,
+          timestamp: 99,
+          pointerDeviceKind: InputDeviceKind.stylus,
+        ),
+        const InkPoint(x: 300.0, y: 400.0, timestamp: 100),
+      ],
+      tool: PenTool.pen,
+      color: 0xFF445566,
+      strokeWidth: 3.0,
+      createdAt: DateTime.utc(2026, 6, 24, 10, 0, 0),
+    );
+
+BadnoteSidecar _fullSidecar() => BadnoteSidecar(
+      sourceFile: 'Calculus Lecture 3.pdf',
+      docType: 'pdf',
+      pageCount: 42,
+      rotation: 90,
+      createdAt: DateTime.utc(2026, 6, 24, 10, 0, 0),
+      updatedAt: DateTime.utc(2026, 6, 24, 10, 32, 11),
+      strokes: {
+        0: [_editorStroke('s0', EditorTool.pen)],
+        3: [
+          _editorStroke('s1', EditorTool.highlighter),
+          _editorStroke('s2', EditorTool.pen),
+        ],
+      },
+      highlights: {
+        0: const [
+          SidecarHighlight(l: 0.12, t: 0.20, r: 0.88, b: 0.235, color: 0xFFFFEB3B),
+        ],
+      },
+      bookmarks: [
+        Bookmark(
+          id: 'bm1',
+          documentId: 'doc1',
+          pageNumber: 5,
+          label: 'Proof',
+          color: 0xFF2196F3,
+          createdAt: DateTime.utc(2026, 6, 24, 9, 0, 0),
+        ),
+      ],
+      scratchLinks: [
+        SidecarScratchLink(
+          link: const ScratchLink(
+            id: 'anchor1',
+            documentId: 'doc1',
+            pageIndex: 7,
+            nx: 0.83,
+            ny: 0.41,
+          ),
+          scratchpad: SidecarScratchpad(
+            canvasWidth: 5000,
+            canvasHeight: 6000,
+            strokes: [_inkStroke('ink1'), _inkStroke('ink2')],
+          ),
+        ),
+      ],
+    );
+
+/// Serializes through `jsonEncode`/`jsonDecode` exactly as `SidecarStore`
+/// persists/loads on disk (nested freezed objects only flatten via the encoder's
+/// toEncodable hook, so an in-memory map round-trip would not).
+BadnoteSidecar _roundTrip(BadnoteSidecar sidecar) => BadnoteSidecar.fromJson(
+    jsonDecode(jsonEncode(sidecar.toJson())) as Map<String, dynamic>);
+
+void main() {
+  test('full round-trip preserves strokes/highlights/bookmarks/links', () {
+    final original = _fullSidecar();
+    final reparsed = _roundTrip(original);
+
+    expect(reparsed.version, kBadnoteSidecarVersion);
+    expect(reparsed.sourceFile, 'Calculus Lecture 3.pdf');
+    expect(reparsed.docType, 'pdf');
+    expect(reparsed.pageCount, 42);
+    expect(reparsed.rotation, 90);
+    expect(reparsed.createdAt, DateTime.utc(2026, 6, 24, 10, 0, 0));
+    expect(reparsed.updatedAt, DateTime.utc(2026, 6, 24, 10, 32, 11));
+
+    // Strokes (EditorStroke value equality via freezed).
+    expect(reparsed.strokes.keys.toSet(), {0, 3});
+    expect(reparsed.strokes[0], original.strokes[0]);
+    expect(reparsed.strokes[3], original.strokes[3]);
+
+    // Highlights.
+    expect(reparsed.highlights[0], original.highlights[0]);
+
+    // Bookmarks (Bookmark value equality via freezed).
+    expect(reparsed.bookmarks, original.bookmarks);
+
+    // Scratch links + embedded scratchpads.
+    expect(reparsed.scratchLinks, original.scratchLinks);
+    final sp = reparsed.scratchLinks.single.scratchpad;
+    expect(sp.canvasWidth, 5000);
+    expect(sp.canvasHeight, 6000);
+    expect(sp.strokes, original.scratchLinks.single.scratchpad.strokes);
+  });
+
+  test('strokes JSON is byte-compatible with EditorStroke.toJson', () {
+    final stroke = _editorStroke('s0', EditorTool.pen);
+    final sidecar = BadnoteSidecar(strokes: {2: [stroke]});
+    final json = sidecar.toJson();
+    final pageList = (json['strokes'] as Map)['2'] as List;
+    expect(pageList.single, stroke.toJson());
+  });
+
+  test('scratchpad strokes JSON is byte-compatible with InkStroke.toJson', () {
+    final ink = _inkStroke('ink1');
+    final scratchpad = SidecarScratchpad(strokes: [ink]);
+    final json = scratchpad.toJson();
+    expect((json['strokes'] as List).single, ink.toJson());
+  });
+
+  test('scratch link JSON includes ScratchLink fields plus scratchpad', () {
+    const link = ScratchLink(
+      id: 'a',
+      documentId: 'd',
+      pageIndex: 3,
+      nx: 0.5,
+      ny: 0.5,
+    );
+    final json = SidecarScratchLink(link: link).toJson();
+    // Reuses ScratchLink.toJson keys verbatim.
+    for (final key in link.toJson().keys) {
+      expect(json.containsKey(key), isTrue, reason: 'missing key $key');
+    }
+    expect(json.containsKey('scratchpad'), isTrue);
+  });
+
+  test('empty sidecar round-trips to empty containers', () {
+    final reparsed = _roundTrip(BadnoteSidecar());
+    expect(reparsed.strokes, isEmpty);
+    expect(reparsed.highlights, isEmpty);
+    expect(reparsed.bookmarks, isEmpty);
+    expect(reparsed.scratchLinks, isEmpty);
+    expect(reparsed.version, kBadnoteSidecarVersion);
+  });
+
+  test('unknown fields are ignored (forward-compat)', () {
+    final encoded = jsonEncode(BadnoteSidecar(
+      strokes: {0: [_editorStroke('s0', EditorTool.pen)]},
+    ).toJson());
+    final json = jsonDecode(encoded) as Map<String, dynamic>;
+    json['futureFieldWeDoNotKnow'] = {'anything': true};
+    ((json['strokes'] as Map)['0'] as List)[0]['brush'] =
+        'marker'; // future per-stroke field
+    final reparsed = BadnoteSidecar.fromJson(json);
+    expect(reparsed.strokes[0]!.single.id, 's0');
+  });
+
+  test('missing scratchpad defaults to 4000x4000 empty pad', () {
+    final json = SidecarScratchLink(
+      link: const ScratchLink(
+        id: 'a',
+        documentId: 'd',
+        pageIndex: 0,
+        nx: 0,
+        ny: 0,
+      ),
+    ).toJson();
+    json.remove('scratchpad');
+    final reparsed = SidecarScratchLink.fromJson(json);
+    expect(reparsed.scratchpad.canvasWidth, 4000.0);
+    expect(reparsed.scratchpad.canvasHeight, 4000.0);
+    expect(reparsed.scratchpad.strokes, isEmpty);
+  });
+}
diff --git a/test/sidecar_store_test.dart b/test/sidecar_store_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..323e332
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sidecar_store_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+// test/sidecar_store_test.dart
+//
+// Verifies SidecarStore (§F.1 atomic write + .bak fallback):
+//   * round-trip through disk preserves the model;
+//   * a failed (interrupted) write leaves no partial sidecar at the target —
+//     the previous good content survives;
+//   * .bak recovery when the primary file is corrupt or missing.
+
+import 'dart:convert';
+import 'dart:io';
+
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+
+import 'package:badnote/editor/engine/stroke_model.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/bookmark.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/ink_point.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/ink_stroke.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/pen_tool.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/models/scratch_link.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/storage/badnote_sidecar.dart';
+import 'package:badnote/storage/sidecar_store.dart';
+
+BadnoteSidecar _sidecar({String sourceFile = 'doc.pdf'}) => BadnoteSidecar(
+      sourceFile: sourceFile,
+      docType: 'pdf',
+      pageCount: 3,
+      strokes: {
+        0: [
+          EditorStroke(
+            id: 's0',
+            points: const [EditorPoint(x: 0.1, y: 0.2, pressure: 0.5)],
+            color: 0xFF000000,
+          ),
+        ],
+      },
+      highlights: {
+        0: const [SidecarHighlight(l: 0.1, t: 0.1, r: 0.9, b: 0.2)],
+      },
+      bookmarks: [
+        Bookmark(
+          id: 'bm',
+          documentId: 'd',
+          pageNumber: 1,
+          createdAt: DateTime.utc(2026, 1, 1),
+        ),
+      ],
+      scratchLinks: [
+        SidecarScratchLink(
+          link: const ScratchLink(
+            id: 'a',
+            documentId: 'd',
+            pageIndex: 0,
+            nx: 0.5,
+            ny: 0.5,
+          ),
+          scratchpad: SidecarScratchpad(
+            strokes: [
+              InkStroke(
+                id: 'ink',
+                points: const [InkPoint(x: 1, y: 2, timestamp: 0)],
+                tool: PenTool.pen,
+                createdAt: DateTime.utc(2026, 1, 1),
+              ),
+            ],
+          ),
+        ),
+      ],
+    );
+
+void main() {
+  late Directory tmpDir;
+
+  setUp(() async {
+    tmpDir = await Directory.systemTemp.createTemp('sidecar_store_test');
+  });
+
+  tearDown(() async {
+    if (await tmpDir.exists()) {
+      await tmpDir.delete(recursive: true);
+    }
+  });
+
+  File targetFile() => File('${tmpDir.path}/doc.pdf.badnote.json');
+
+  test('writeAtomic then read round-trips the model', () async {
+    final target = targetFile();
+    final original = _sidecar();
+
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(target, original);
+    expect(await target.exists(), isTrue);
+
+    final loaded = await SidecarStore.read(target);
+    expect(loaded, isNotNull);
+    expect(loaded!.sourceFile, 'doc.pdf');
+    expect(loaded.strokes[0], original.strokes[0]);
+    expect(loaded.highlights[0], original.highlights[0]);
+    expect(loaded.bookmarks, original.bookmarks);
+    expect(loaded.scratchLinks, original.scratchLinks);
+  });
+
+  test('write leaves no leftover .tmp file', () async {
+    final target = targetFile();
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(target, _sidecar());
+    final tmp = File('${target.path}${SidecarStore.tmpSuffix}');
+    expect(await tmp.exists(), isFalse);
+  });
+
+  test('writeAtomic creates parent directories', () async {
+    final nested =
+        File('${tmpDir.path}/nested/folder/doc.pdf.badnote.json');
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(nested, _sidecar());
+    expect(await nested.exists(), isTrue);
+  });
+
+  test('second write keeps the previous content as .bak', () async {
+    final target = targetFile();
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(target, _sidecar(sourceFile: 'v1.pdf'));
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(target, _sidecar(sourceFile: 'v2.pdf'));
+
+    final bak = File('${target.path}${SidecarStore.bakSuffix}');
+    expect(await bak.exists(), isTrue);
+
+    final bakModel =
+        BadnoteSidecar.fromJson(jsonDecode(await bak.readAsString()));
+    expect(bakModel.sourceFile, 'v1.pdf'); // previous good copy
+
+    final current = await SidecarStore.read(target);
+    expect(current!.sourceFile, 'v2.pdf');
+  });
+
+  test('simulated interrupted write leaves previous good file intact', () async {
+    final target = targetFile();
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(target, _sidecar(sourceFile: 'good.pdf'));
+
+    // Simulate a crash mid-write: a partial .tmp is created but the rename
+    // never happened.
+    final tmp = File('${target.path}${SidecarStore.tmpSuffix}');
+    await tmp.writeAsString('{ "badnoteSidecarVersion": 1, "sourceFil');
+
+    // The target still holds the last good content — no partial leakage.
+    final loaded = await SidecarStore.read(target);
+    expect(loaded, isNotNull);
+    expect(loaded!.sourceFile, 'good.pdf');
+  });
+
+  test('.bak recovery when primary is corrupt', () async {
+    final target = targetFile();
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(target, _sidecar(sourceFile: 'v1.pdf'));
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(target, _sidecar(sourceFile: 'v2.pdf'));
+
+    // Corrupt the primary file.
+    await target.writeAsString('}{ not json at all');
+
+    final recovered = await SidecarStore.read(target);
+    expect(recovered, isNotNull);
+    expect(recovered!.sourceFile, 'v1.pdf'); // fell back to .bak
+  });
+
+  test('.bak recovery when primary is missing', () async {
+    final target = targetFile();
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(target, _sidecar(sourceFile: 'v1.pdf'));
+    await SidecarStore.writeAtomic(target, _sidecar(sourceFile: 'v2.pdf'));
+
+    await target.delete();
+
+    final recovered = await SidecarStore.read(target);
+    expect(recovered, isNotNull);
+    expect(recovered!.sourceFile, 'v1.pdf');
+  });
+
+  test('read returns null when nothing exists', () async {
+    final loaded = await SidecarStore.read(targetFile());
+    expect(loaded, isNull);
+  });
+}