diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/main.tsx b/packages/frontend/src/main.tsx
index 5b7ec43..853e39f 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/main.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/main.tsx
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@ import React from 'react';
 import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client';
 import { RouterProvider } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { router } from './router.js';
+import { useSettings } from './stores/settingsStore.js';
 import './styles.css';
 
+useSettings.getState().hydrate();
+
 const root = createRoot(document.getElementById('root')!);
 root.render(
   <React.StrictMode>
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/stores/lessonsStore.ts b/packages/frontend/src/stores/lessonsStore.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..722e7ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/stores/lessonsStore.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { create } from 'zustand';
+import type { LessonTreeNode } from '@flashcard/shared';
+import { lessonsApi } from '../api/lessons.js';
+
+interface LessonsState {
+  tree: LessonTreeNode[];
+  loading: boolean;
+  refresh: () => Promise<void>;
+}
+
+export const useLessons = create<LessonsState>((set) => ({
+  tree: [],
+  loading: false,
+  refresh: async () => {
+    set({ loading: true });
+    try { set({ tree: await lessonsApi.tree() }); }
+    finally { set({ loading: false }); }
+  },
+}));
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/stores/sessionStore.ts b/packages/frontend/src/stores/sessionStore.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56bd5e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/stores/sessionStore.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import { create } from 'zustand';
+import type { SessionRow, QueueItem } from '@flashcard/shared';
+import { sessionsApi } from '../api/sessions.js';
+
+interface SessionState {
+  session: SessionRow | null;
+  current: QueueItem | null;
+  done: boolean;
+  showAnswer: boolean;
+  shownAt: number | null;
+  start: (input: { lessonId: number; maxCards: number | null; shuffle: boolean; direction: 'forward' | 'backward' | 'both' }) => Promise<void>;
+  reveal: () => void;
+  answer: (result: 'correct' | 'incorrect') => Promise<void>;
+  end: () => Promise<void>;
+  abandon: () => Promise<void>;
+  reset: () => void;
+}
+
+export const useSession = create<SessionState>((set, get) => ({
+  session: null, current: null, done: false, showAnswer: false, shownAt: null,
+
+  start: async (input) => {
+    const { session } = await sessionsApi.start(input);
+    const nx = await sessionsApi.next(session.id);
+    set({
+      session,
+      done: nx.done,
+      current: nx.done ? null : nx.item,
+      showAnswer: false,
+      shownAt: Date.now(),
+    });
+  },
+
+  reveal: () => set({ showAnswer: true }),
+
+  answer: async (result) => {
+    const s = get();
+    if (!s.session || !s.current) return;
+    const ttm = s.shownAt ? Date.now() - s.shownAt : null;
+    await sessionsApi.attempt(s.session.id, {
+      cardId: s.current.cardId, direction: s.current.direction, result, timeToAnswerMs: ttm,
+    });
+    const nx = await sessionsApi.next(s.session.id);
+    if (nx.done) {
+      set({ done: true, current: null, showAnswer: false });
+    } else {
+      set({ current: nx.item, showAnswer: false, shownAt: Date.now() });
+    }
+  },
+
+  end: async () => {
+    const s = get();
+    if (!s.session) return;
+    const finished = await sessionsApi.end(s.session.id);
+    set({ session: finished });
+  },
+
+  abandon: async () => {
+    const s = get();
+    if (!s.session) return;
+    await sessionsApi.abandon(s.session.id);
+    set({ session: null, current: null, done: false, showAnswer: false });
+  },
+
+  reset: () => set({ session: null, current: null, done: false, showAnswer: false, shownAt: null }),
+}));
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/stores/settingsStore.ts b/packages/frontend/src/stores/settingsStore.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7436fea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/stores/settingsStore.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import { create } from 'zustand';
+
+interface SettingsState {
+  theme: 'light' | 'dark';
+  defaultMaxCards: number;
+  toggleTheme: () => void;
+  setDefaultMaxCards: (n: number) => void;
+  hydrate: () => void;
+}
+
+const KEY = 'flashcard:settings';
+
+export const useSettings = create<SettingsState>((set, get) => ({
+  theme: 'light',
+  defaultMaxCards: 20,
+  toggleTheme: () => {
+    const theme = get().theme === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light';
+    set({ theme });
+    document.documentElement.classList.toggle('dark', theme === 'dark');
+    localStorage.setItem(KEY, JSON.stringify({ theme, defaultMaxCards: get().defaultMaxCards }));
+  },
+  setDefaultMaxCards: (n) => {
+    set({ defaultMaxCards: n });
+    localStorage.setItem(KEY, JSON.stringify({ theme: get().theme, defaultMaxCards: n }));
+  },
+  hydrate: () => {
+    try {
+      const raw = localStorage.getItem(KEY);
+      if (!raw) return;
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as { theme: 'light' | 'dark'; defaultMaxCards: number };
+      set(parsed);
+      document.documentElement.classList.toggle('dark', parsed.theme === 'dark');
+    } catch { /* ignore */ }
+  },
+}));