diff --git a/_specs/passphrase-front-page.md b/_specs/passphrase-front-page.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd13c8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_specs/passphrase-front-page.md
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# Spec for passphrase-front-page
+
+branch: claude/feature/passphrase-front-page
+
+## Summary
+Add a passphrase-gated front page that is the first thing a user sees when they open the application. The page displays an application banner and a passphrase entry field. Only after the correct passphrase is entered does the user proceed to the existing landing page. The `Footer` component is included on this page.
+
+## Functional Requirements
+- The app opens to the new front page instead of the landing page.
+- The front page displays an application banner (app name/logo/title).
+- The front page displays a passphrase input field (type password) and a submit control.
+- When the user submits the correct passphrase (`DororthASL`), the app transitions to the existing landing page.
+- When the user submits an incorrect passphrase, an error message is shown and the input is cleared; the user remains on the front page.
+- The `Footer` component is rendered at the bottom of the front page.
+- The passphrase is not displayed in plain text at any point.
+- The passphrase should not be stored in `localStorage`, `sessionStorage`, or any persistent client-side store — it only needs to gate the current session.
+
+## Possible Edge Cases
+- Submitting an empty passphrase should show an error (not silently fail).
+- The passphrase comparison is case-sensitive (`DororthASL` is the only valid value).
+- Once the user has passed the gate, navigating back (browser back button) should not re-show the front page within the same session.
+- The passphrase should not appear in the page source, git history, or bundle in a way that is trivially discoverable — consider keeping it out of the component render logic if possible (e.g. an env variable or a hashed comparison).
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+- [ ] Opening the app shows the front page with a banner and passphrase field.
+- [ ] Entering `DororthASL` and submitting advances the user to the landing page.
+- [ ] Entering any other value shows an inline error and clears the input.
+- [ ] Submitting an empty field shows an error.
+- [ ] The `Footer` component is visible on the front page.
+- [ ] The front page is not shown again after a successful passphrase entry within the same session.
+- [ ] The passphrase input masks the entered text.
+
+## Open Questions
+- Should the banner be a new component or a simple styled heading on the front page?
+  - new component
+- Should session-level gating use React state only (resets on page reload) or `sessionStorage` (survives reload within the tab)?
+  - use sessionStorage
+
+## Testing Guidelines
+Create a test file in the `./tests` folder for this feature and create meaningful tests for the following cases:
+- Renders the front page (banner + passphrase input + footer) on initial load.
+- Entering the correct passphrase and submitting transitions to the landing page view.
+- Entering an incorrect passphrase shows an error message and does not advance.
+- Submitting with an empty passphrase shows a validation error.
+- The passphrase input field has `type="password"`.
diff --git a/src/App.css b/src/App.css
index 704c892..1241c7b 100644
--- a/src/App.css
+++ b/src/App.css
@@ -606,3 +606,99 @@
     max-width: 100%;
   }
 }
+
+/* ── App banner ───────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+.app-banner {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 8px;
+  margin-bottom: 32px;
+}
+
+.app-banner__icon {
+  font-size: 48px;
+  line-height: 1;
+}
+
+.app-banner__title {
+  margin: 0;
+  font-size: clamp(28px, 5vw, 42px);
+  font-weight: 700;
+  letter-spacing: -0.02em;
+  color: var(--text-h);
+}
+
+.app-banner__subtitle {
+  margin: 0;
+  font-size: 16px;
+  color: var(--text);
+}
+
+/* ── Passphrase page ──────────────────────────────────── */
+
+.passphrase-page {
+  min-height: 100svh;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  padding: 28px 12px;
+
+  @media (max-width: 640px) {
+    padding: 32px 16px;
+  }
+}
+
+.passphrase-page__body {
+  flex-grow: 1;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+}
+
+.passphrase-page__form {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 12px;
+  width: 100%;
+  max-width: 360px;
+  background: var(--code-bg);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 12px;
+  padding: 28px 24px;
+  box-shadow: var(--shadow);
+}
+
+.passphrase-page__label {
+  font-size: 15px;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: var(--text-h);
+}
+
+.passphrase-page__input {
+  width: 100%;
+  padding: 10px 12px;
+  font-size: 15px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  background: var(--bg);
+  color: var(--text-h);
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+
+  &:focus {
+    outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
+    outline-offset: 2px;
+    border-color: var(--accent);
+  }
+}
+
+.passphrase-page__error {
+  margin: 0;
+  font-size: 14px;
+  color: var(--color-needs-fix);
+}
+
+.passphrase-page__submit {
+  align-self: flex-end;
+}
diff --git a/src/App.jsx b/src/App.jsx
index 8a4c743..f186d51 100644
--- a/src/App.jsx
+++ b/src/App.jsx
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ import { CardColors } from './data/card-colors'
 import { LandingPage } from './components/LandingPage'
 import { FlashcardSession } from './components/FlashcardSession'
 import { Footer } from './components/Footer'
+import { PassphrasePage } from './components/PassphrasePage'
 import './App.css'
 import {Toaster} from "react-hot-toast";
 
 function App() {
-  const [view, setView] = useState('input')
+  const [view, setView] = useState(() => sessionStorage.getItem('asl-unlocked') ? 'input' : 'gate')
   const [terms, setTerms] = useState([])
   const [cardColors, setCardColors] = useState([])
   const [categoryTitle, setCategoryTitle] = useState('')
@@ -27,6 +28,15 @@ function App() {
     setView('input')
   }
 
+  function handleUnlock() {
+    sessionStorage.setItem('asl-unlocked', '1')
+    setView('input')
+  }
+
+  if (view === 'gate') {
+    return <PassphrasePage onUnlock={handleUnlock} />
+  }
+
   return (
     <div className="flashcard-app">
       {view === 'input' ? (
diff --git a/src/components/AppBanner.jsx b/src/components/AppBanner.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7afcafb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/AppBanner.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+export function AppBanner() {
+    return (
+        <div className="app-banner">
+            <div className="app-banner__icon">🤟</div>
+            <h1 className="app-banner__title">ASL Flashcards</h1>
+            <p className="app-banner__subtitle">American Sign Language practice made easy</p>
+        </div>
+    )
+}
diff --git a/src/components/PassphrasePage.jsx b/src/components/PassphrasePage.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c1194fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/PassphrasePage.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { AppBanner } from './AppBanner'
+import { Footer } from './Footer'
+
+export function PassphrasePage({ onUnlock }) {
+    const [value, setValue] = useState('')
+    const [error, setError] = useState('')
+
+    function handleSubmit(e) {
+        e.preventDefault()
+        if (!value.trim()) {
+            setError('Please enter the passphrase.')
+            return
+        }
+        if (value === import.meta.env.VITE_PASSPHRASE) {
+            setError('')
+            onUnlock()
+        } else {
+            setError('Incorrect passphrase.')
+            setValue('')
+        }
+    }
+
+    return (
+        <div className="passphrase-page">
+            <div className="passphrase-page__body">
+                <AppBanner />
+                <form className="passphrase-page__form" onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
+                    <label className="passphrase-page__label" htmlFor="passphrase-input">
+                        Enter passphrase to continue
+                    </label>
+                    <input
+                        id="passphrase-input"
+                        type="password"
+                        className="passphrase-page__input"
+                        value={value}
+                        onChange={e => { setValue(e.target.value); setError('') }}
+                        autoComplete="off"
+                        autoFocus
+                    />
+                    {error && <p className="passphrase-page__error">{error}</p>}
+                    <button type="submit" className="btn-primary passphrase-page__submit">
+                        Enter
+                    </button>
+                </form>
+            </div>
+            <Footer />
+        </div>
+    )
+}