diff --git a/src/app/layout.tsx b/src/app/layout.tsx
index a7b38f0..a4199e0 100644
--- a/src/app/layout.tsx
+++ b/src/app/layout.tsx
@@ -1,15 +1,27 @@
 import type { ReactNode } from "react";
 import "./globals.css";
+import { auth } from "@/auth";
+import { Nav } from "@/components/nav";
 
 export const metadata = {
   title: "Asset & License Management",
   description: "Internal IT asset & license management — Ubisoft VN local IT",
 };
 
-export default function RootLayout({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
+// Root layout wraps every route, including /login (middleware.ts can't
+// exclude it — it's the one page unauthenticated users must be able to
+// reach). Gate <Nav/> on session presence here rather than rendering it
+// unconditionally, so it only shows on authenticated pages as intended,
+// without needing a client-side pathname check.
+export default async function RootLayout({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
+  const session = await auth();
+
   return (
     <html lang="en">
-      <body>{children}</body>
+      <body>
+        {session ? <Nav /> : null}
+        {children}
+      </body>
     </html>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/nav.tsx b/src/components/nav.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53ab92e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/nav.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+"use client";
+
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { signOut } from "next-auth/react";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+
+// Shared top nav for every authenticated page. Links point at the entity
+// routes each later task in this "basic functional UI" batch will build
+// (Employee, Vendor, AssetCategory, AssetCategoryAttributeDef, AssetModel,
+// PurchaseOrder, AssetItem, License, Request, Assignment) — most of these
+// routes don't exist yet and will 404 until their own task lands, which is
+// expected (see task scope: no conditional hiding needed).
+const ENTITY_LINKS = [
+  { href: "/employees", label: "Employees" },
+  { href: "/vendors", label: "Vendors" },
+  { href: "/asset-categories", label: "Asset Categories" },
+  { href: "/asset-category-attribute-defs", label: "Attribute Defs" },
+  { href: "/asset-models", label: "Asset Models" },
+  { href: "/assets", label: "Assets" },
+  { href: "/licenses", label: "Licenses" },
+  { href: "/purchase-orders", label: "Purchase Orders" },
+  { href: "/requests", label: "Requests" },
+  { href: "/assignments", label: "Assignments" },
+] as const;
+
+export function Nav() {
+  return (
+    <nav className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-4 border-b border-border px-4 py-3">
+      <Link href="/" className="font-semibold whitespace-nowrap">
+        Asset & License Mgmt
+      </Link>
+
+      <div className="flex flex-1 flex-wrap gap-3 text-sm">
+        {ENTITY_LINKS.map((link) => (
+          <Link
+            key={link.href}
+            href={link.href}
+            className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+          >
+            {link.label}
+          </Link>
+        ))}
+      </div>
+
+      <Button
+        type="button"
+        variant="outline"
+        size="sm"
+        onClick={() => signOut({ callbackUrl: "/login" })}
+      >
+        Sign out
+      </Button>
+    </nav>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/ui/label.tsx b/src/components/ui/label.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ac80f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/label.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"use client"
+
+import * as React from "react"
+import { Label as LabelPrimitive } from "radix-ui"
+
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"
+
+function Label({
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof LabelPrimitive.Root>) {
+  return (
+    <LabelPrimitive.Root
+      data-slot="label"
+      className={cn(
+        "flex items-center gap-2 text-sm leading-none font-medium select-none group-data-[disabled=true]:pointer-events-none group-data-[disabled=true]:opacity-50 peer-disabled:cursor-not-allowed peer-disabled:opacity-50",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+export { Label }
diff --git a/src/components/ui/select.tsx b/src/components/ui/select.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0dc712
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/select.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+"use client"
+
+import * as React from "react"
+import { CheckIcon, ChevronDownIcon, ChevronUpIcon } from "lucide-react"
+import { Select as SelectPrimitive } from "radix-ui"
+
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"
+
+function Select({
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.Root>) {
+  return <SelectPrimitive.Root data-slot="select" {...props} />
+}
+
+function SelectGroup({
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.Group>) {
+  return <SelectPrimitive.Group data-slot="select-group" {...props} />
+}
+
+function SelectValue({
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.Value>) {
+  return <SelectPrimitive.Value data-slot="select-value" {...props} />
+}
+
+function SelectTrigger({
+  className,
+  size = "default",
+  children,
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.Trigger> & {
+  size?: "sm" | "default"
+}) {
+  return (
+    <SelectPrimitive.Trigger
+      data-slot="select-trigger"
+      data-size={size}
+      className={cn(
+        "flex w-fit items-center justify-between gap-2 rounded-md border border-input bg-transparent px-3 py-2 text-sm whitespace-nowrap shadow-xs transition-[color,box-shadow] outline-none focus-visible:border-ring focus-visible:ring-[3px] focus-visible:ring-ring/50 disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50 aria-invalid:border-destructive aria-invalid:ring-destructive/20 data-[placeholder]:text-muted-foreground data-[size=default]:h-9 data-[size=sm]:h-8 *:data-[slot=select-value]:line-clamp-1 *:data-[slot=select-value]:flex *:data-[slot=select-value]:items-center *:data-[slot=select-value]:gap-2 dark:bg-input/30 dark:hover:bg-input/50 dark:aria-invalid:ring-destructive/40 [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg:not([class*='size-'])]:size-4 [&_svg:not([class*='text-'])]:text-muted-foreground",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    >
+      {children}
+      <SelectPrimitive.Icon asChild>
+        <ChevronDownIcon className="size-4 opacity-50" />
+      </SelectPrimitive.Icon>
+    </SelectPrimitive.Trigger>
+  )
+}
+
+function SelectContent({
+  className,
+  children,
+  position = "item-aligned",
+  align = "center",
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.Content>) {
+  return (
+    <SelectPrimitive.Portal>
+      <SelectPrimitive.Content
+        data-slot="select-content"
+        className={cn(
+          "relative z-50 max-h-(--radix-select-content-available-height) min-w-[8rem] origin-(--radix-select-content-transform-origin) overflow-x-hidden overflow-y-auto rounded-md border bg-popover text-popover-foreground shadow-md data-[side=bottom]:slide-in-from-top-2 data-[side=left]:slide-in-from-right-2 data-[side=right]:slide-in-from-left-2 data-[side=top]:slide-in-from-bottom-2 data-[state=closed]:animate-out data-[state=closed]:fade-out-0 data-[state=closed]:zoom-out-95 data-[state=open]:animate-in data-[state=open]:fade-in-0 data-[state=open]:zoom-in-95",
+          position === "popper" &&
+            "data-[side=bottom]:translate-y-1 data-[side=left]:-translate-x-1 data-[side=right]:translate-x-1 data-[side=top]:-translate-y-1",
+          className
+        )}
+        position={position}
+        align={align}
+        {...props}
+      >
+        <SelectScrollUpButton />
+        <SelectPrimitive.Viewport
+          className={cn(
+            "p-1",
+            position === "popper" &&
+              "h-[var(--radix-select-trigger-height)] w-full min-w-[var(--radix-select-trigger-width)] scroll-my-1"
+          )}
+        >
+          {children}
+        </SelectPrimitive.Viewport>
+        <SelectScrollDownButton />
+      </SelectPrimitive.Content>
+    </SelectPrimitive.Portal>
+  )
+}
+
+function SelectLabel({
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.Label>) {
+  return (
+    <SelectPrimitive.Label
+      data-slot="select-label"
+      className={cn("px-2 py-1.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground", className)}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function SelectItem({
+  className,
+  children,
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.Item>) {
+  return (
+    <SelectPrimitive.Item
+      data-slot="select-item"
+      className={cn(
+        "relative flex w-full cursor-default items-center gap-2 rounded-sm py-1.5 pr-8 pl-2 text-sm outline-hidden select-none focus:bg-accent focus:text-accent-foreground data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50 [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg:not([class*='size-'])]:size-4 [&_svg:not([class*='text-'])]:text-muted-foreground *:[span]:last:flex *:[span]:last:items-center *:[span]:last:gap-2",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    >
+      <span
+        data-slot="select-item-indicator"
+        className="absolute right-2 flex size-3.5 items-center justify-center"
+      >
+        <SelectPrimitive.ItemIndicator>
+          <CheckIcon className="size-4" />
+        </SelectPrimitive.ItemIndicator>
+      </span>
+      <SelectPrimitive.ItemText>{children}</SelectPrimitive.ItemText>
+    </SelectPrimitive.Item>
+  )
+}
+
+function SelectSeparator({
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.Separator>) {
+  return (
+    <SelectPrimitive.Separator
+      data-slot="select-separator"
+      className={cn("pointer-events-none -mx-1 my-1 h-px bg-border", className)}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function SelectScrollUpButton({
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.ScrollUpButton>) {
+  return (
+    <SelectPrimitive.ScrollUpButton
+      data-slot="select-scroll-up-button"
+      className={cn(
+        "flex cursor-default items-center justify-center py-1",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    >
+      <ChevronUpIcon className="size-4" />
+    </SelectPrimitive.ScrollUpButton>
+  )
+}
+
+function SelectScrollDownButton({
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<typeof SelectPrimitive.ScrollDownButton>) {
+  return (
+    <SelectPrimitive.ScrollDownButton
+      data-slot="select-scroll-down-button"
+      className={cn(
+        "flex cursor-default items-center justify-center py-1",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    >
+      <ChevronDownIcon className="size-4" />
+    </SelectPrimitive.ScrollDownButton>
+  )
+}
+
+export {
+  Select,
+  SelectContent,
+  SelectGroup,
+  SelectItem,
+  SelectLabel,
+  SelectScrollDownButton,
+  SelectScrollUpButton,
+  SelectSeparator,
+  SelectTrigger,
+  SelectValue,
+}
diff --git a/src/components/ui/table.tsx b/src/components/ui/table.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7add5f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/table.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+"use client"
+
+import * as React from "react"
+
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"
+
+function Table({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<"table">) {
+  return (
+    <div
+      data-slot="table-container"
+      className="relative w-full overflow-x-auto"
+    >
+      <table
+        data-slot="table"
+        className={cn("w-full caption-bottom text-sm", className)}
+        {...props}
+      />
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+function TableHeader({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<"thead">) {
+  return (
+    <thead
+      data-slot="table-header"
+      className={cn("[&_tr]:border-b", className)}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function TableBody({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<"tbody">) {
+  return (
+    <tbody
+      data-slot="table-body"
+      className={cn("[&_tr:last-child]:border-0", className)}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function TableFooter({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<"tfoot">) {
+  return (
+    <tfoot
+      data-slot="table-footer"
+      className={cn(
+        "border-t bg-muted/50 font-medium [&>tr]:last:border-b-0",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function TableRow({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<"tr">) {
+  return (
+    <tr
+      data-slot="table-row"
+      className={cn(
+        "border-b transition-colors hover:bg-muted/50 has-aria-expanded:bg-muted/50 data-[state=selected]:bg-muted",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function TableHead({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<"th">) {
+  return (
+    <th
+      data-slot="table-head"
+      className={cn(
+        "h-10 px-2 text-left align-middle font-medium whitespace-nowrap text-foreground [&:has([role=checkbox])]:pr-0 [&>[role=checkbox]]:translate-y-[2px]",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function TableCell({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<"td">) {
+  return (
+    <td
+      data-slot="table-cell"
+      className={cn(
+        "p-2 align-middle whitespace-nowrap [&:has([role=checkbox])]:pr-0 [&>[role=checkbox]]:translate-y-[2px]",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function TableCaption({
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: React.ComponentProps<"caption">) {
+  return (
+    <caption
+      data-slot="table-caption"
+      className={cn("mt-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground", className)}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+export {
+  Table,
+  TableHeader,
+  TableBody,
+  TableFooter,
+  TableHead,
+  TableRow,
+  TableCell,
+  TableCaption,
+}
diff --git a/src/components/ui/textarea.tsx b/src/components/ui/textarea.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e67d8fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/textarea.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import * as React from "react"
+
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"
+
+function Textarea({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<"textarea">) {
+  return (
+    <textarea
+      data-slot="textarea"
+      className={cn(
+        "flex field-sizing-content min-h-16 w-full rounded-md border border-input bg-transparent px-3 py-2 text-base shadow-xs transition-[color,box-shadow] outline-none placeholder:text-muted-foreground focus-visible:border-ring focus-visible:ring-[3px] focus-visible:ring-ring/50 disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50 aria-invalid:border-destructive aria-invalid:ring-destructive/20 md:text-sm dark:bg-input/30 dark:aria-invalid:ring-destructive/40",
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+export { Textarea }
diff --git a/src/hooks/use-api-list.ts b/src/hooks/use-api-list.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..def0125
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/use-api-list.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from "react";
+
+// Small shared data-fetching hook used by every entity page — both for its
+// own list table (GET /api/<entity>) and for populating FK <Select>
+// dropdowns from other entities' GET endpoints (e.g. an AssetItem page
+// fetching /api/employees to build an "assigned to" picker). Deliberately
+// minimal: no caching/dedupe/revalidation library, just fetch + state,
+// matching the "no polish, just clickable manual testing" scope of this
+// task (see CLAUDE.md's "basic functional UI" batch note).
+//
+// Every API route in this app returns a JSON array on success (200) or
+// `{error: string}` on failure (see e.g. src/app/api/employees/route.ts's
+// GET/POST) — this hook follows that same shape convention.
+type UseApiListResult<T> = {
+  data: T[];
+  loading: boolean;
+  error: string | null;
+  refetch: () => void;
+};
+
+const GENERIC_ERROR_MESSAGE = "Request failed";
+
+export function useApiList<T>(endpoint: string): UseApiListResult<T> {
+  const [data, setData] = useState<T[]>([]);
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
+  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [refetchCount, setRefetchCount] = useState(0);
+
+  const refetch = useCallback(() => {
+    setRefetchCount((count) => count + 1);
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let cancelled = false;
+
+    async function load(): Promise<void> {
+      setLoading(true);
+      setError(null);
+
+      try {
+        const response = await fetch(endpoint);
+        let body: unknown;
+
+        try {
+          body = await response.json();
+        } catch {
+          body = null;
+        }
+
+        if (!response.ok) {
+          const message =
+            body !== null &&
+            typeof body === "object" &&
+            "error" in body &&
+            typeof (body as { error: unknown }).error === "string"
+              ? (body as { error: string }).error
+              : GENERIC_ERROR_MESSAGE;
+
+          if (!cancelled) {
+            setData([]);
+            setError(message);
+          }
+          return;
+        }
+
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          setData(Array.isArray(body) ? (body as T[]) : []);
+        }
+      } catch {
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          setData([]);
+          setError(GENERIC_ERROR_MESSAGE);
+        }
+      } finally {
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          setLoading(false);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    void load();
+
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+  }, [endpoint, refetchCount]);
+
+  return { data, loading, error, refetch };
+}