diff --git a/server/src/at_record_server/context.gleam b/server/src/at_record_server/context.gleam
index 287295f..745cd12 100644
--- a/server/src/at_record_server/context.gleam
+++ b/server/src/at_record_server/context.gleam
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 //// (host string, client, store) never crosses into a domain module; only
 //// capabilities do.
 
+import at_record_server/catalog/source as catalog_source
 import at_record_server/catalog_deps
 import at_record_server/catalog_index
 import at_record_server/discogs_client
@@ -44,6 +45,9 @@ pub type Context {
     catalog: catalog_deps.Deps,
     known_users: known_users.Store,
     catalog_index: catalog_index.Store,
+    /// The resolution layer's read port: candidate release rows (chain edges
+    /// included) plus a public adoption tally. See `catalog/source`.
+    variant_source: catalog_source.Source,
     oauth: Config,
   )
 }
diff --git a/server/src/at_record_server/wiring.gleam b/server/src/at_record_server/wiring.gleam
index fc3a4fa..ef42cb0 100644
--- a/server/src/at_record_server/wiring.gleam
+++ b/server/src/at_record_server/wiring.gleam
@@ -5,16 +5,25 @@
 import at_record/gen/catalog/edit as catalog_edit
 import at_record/gen/catalog/release as catalog_release
 import at_record/gen/client as generated_client
+import at_record/gen/defs
+import at_record_server/browse.{type BrowseRow}
+import at_record_server/catalog/source as catalog_source
 import at_record_server/catalog_deps
+import at_record_server/catalog_index
 import at_record_server/context.{type Context, Atproto, Context, Discogs, Web}
 import at_record_server/musicbrainz_client
 import at_record_server/promotion
 import atproto/constellation
 import atproto/xrpc.{type Client}
 import gleam/dynamic/decode
-import gleam/option.{None}
+import gleam/list
+import gleam/option.{None, Some}
 import gleam/result
 
+/// Backlink source for adoption: shelf.entry rows whose `release` field
+/// points at the release uri.
+const shelf_entry_release_source = "dev.mokkenstorm.crate.shelf.entry:release.uri"
+
 pub fn context(
   client client: Client,
   static_directory static_directory: String,
@@ -27,6 +36,7 @@ pub fn context(
   catalog_index catalog_index,
   oauth oauth,
 ) -> Context {
+  let catalog = catalog_deps(client, constellation_host, resolver)
   Context(
     web: Web(static_directory:, base_url:),
     atproto: Atproto(client:, resolver:),
@@ -35,13 +45,82 @@ pub fn context(
       creds: discogs_creds,
       send: text_sender(client),
     ),
-    catalog: catalog_deps(client, constellation_host, resolver),
+    catalog:,
     known_users:,
     catalog_index:,
+    variant_source: variant_source(catalog, catalog_index),
     oauth:,
   )
 }
 
+/// The resolution layer's read port, built over what's already wired: the
+/// live `catalog_index` for candidate rows, plus a per-row `fetch_release`
+/// call to decode the chain edges `BrowseRow` doesn't carry yet, and a
+/// Constellation backlink tally for adoption.
+///
+/// Swap point: once `feat/catalog-indexer` lands (BrowseRow gaining
+/// `supersedes`/`based_on` and a maintained adoption count), `releases`
+/// becomes a direct map over `catalog_index.list()` with no per-row
+/// `fetch_release` round-trip, and `adoption_count` can read the indexed
+/// count instead of calling Constellation live.
+fn variant_source(
+  catalog: catalog_deps.Deps,
+  catalog_index: catalog_index.Store,
+) -> catalog_source.Source {
+  catalog_source.Source(
+    releases: fn() { catalog_index.list() |> list_variant_rows(catalog, _) },
+    adoption_count: fn(uri) {
+      case catalog.backlinks(uri, shelf_entry_release_source) {
+        Ok(page) -> page.total
+        Error(_) -> 0
+      }
+    },
+  )
+}
+
+fn list_variant_rows(
+  catalog: catalog_deps.Deps,
+  rows: List(BrowseRow),
+) -> List(catalog_source.VariantRow) {
+  rows |> list.map(to_variant_row(catalog, _))
+}
+
+fn to_variant_row(
+  catalog: catalog_deps.Deps,
+  row: BrowseRow,
+) -> catalog_source.VariantRow {
+  let #(supersedes, based_on) = case catalog.fetch_release(row.uri) {
+    Some(#(_cid, value)) -> #(
+      value.supersedes |> option.map(ref_uri),
+      value.based_on |> option.map(ref_uri),
+    )
+    None -> #(None, None)
+  }
+  catalog_source.VariantRow(
+    uri: row.uri,
+    cid: row.cid,
+    title: row.title,
+    artist_display: row.artist_display,
+    genres: row.genres,
+    styles: row.styles,
+    released: row.released,
+    country: row.country,
+    cover: row.cover,
+    thumb_url: row.thumb_url,
+    discogs_id: row.discogs_id,
+    created_at: row.created_at,
+    publisher_did: row.publisher_did,
+    publisher_handle: row.publisher_handle,
+    publisher_pds: row.publisher_pds,
+    supersedes:,
+    based_on:,
+  )
+}
+
+fn ref_uri(ref: defs.CatalogRef) -> String {
+  ref.uri
+}
+
 fn text_sender(client: Client) {
   fn(r) {
     case xrpc.send_text(client, r) {