diff --git a/docs/concepts/data-attributes.mdx b/docs/concepts/data-attributes.mdx
index 70786ff1a1..f50a692b18 100644
--- a/docs/concepts/data-attributes.mdx
+++ b/docs/concepts/data-attributes.mdx
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ Hyperframes uses HTML data attributes to control timing, media playback, and [co
 | `data-composition-src` | `"./intro.html"` | Path to external [composition](/concepts/compositions) HTML file |
 | `data-variable-values` | `'{"title":"Hello"}'` | JSON object of values passed to a nested composition. Inside the sub-composition, read them via `window.__hyperframes.getVariables()` — the runtime layers these over the sub-comp's own `data-composition-variables` defaults and exposes the merged result on a per-instance basis (the same source can be embedded multiple times with different values). |
 | `data-composition-variables` | `'[{"id":"title","type":"string","label":"Title","default":"Hello"}]'` | JSON array of declared variables (`id`, `type`, `label`, `default`). Drives Studio editing UI and provides defaults read by `window.__hyperframes.getVariables()`. The CLI flag `hyperframes render --variables '<json>'` overrides these defaults at top-level render time; host elements override them per-instance via `data-variable-values`. |
+| `data-var-src` | `"heroImage"` | Binds the element's `src` to a declared variable — the runtime substitutes the value (URL string or image `{url}`) in preview and render; the authored `src` stays as the fallback. |
+| `data-var-text` | `"title"` | Binds the element's own text to a scalar variable. Element children (nested clips, animated spans) are preserved. Scalar variables are also applied as `--{id}` CSS custom properties on the composition root, so `color: var(--accent)` responds to overrides. |
 
 ## Element Visibility
 
diff --git a/docs/concepts/variables.mdx b/docs/concepts/variables.mdx
index 9d4fc0fd72..d9b2f0d4dd 100644
--- a/docs/concepts/variables.mdx
+++ b/docs/concepts/variables.mdx
@@ -196,6 +196,31 @@ Inside any composition script, call `window.__hyperframes.getVariables()` to get
 
 `__hyperframes.getVariables()` is a shorthand for `window.__hyperframes.getVariables()` and works in both top-level and sub-composition scripts. The runtime automatically scopes sub-compositions so each instance sees its own resolved values.
 
+## Declarative Bindings (No Script Required)
+
+For the common cases — replaceable media, dynamic text, and CSS-driven styling — you don't need a script at all. The runtime resolves these bindings once at load, identically in preview and render:
+
+- **`data-var-src="id"`** — sets the element's `src` from the variable value (a URL string, or an image value's `{url}`). The authored `src` stays as the fallback when the variable resolves to nothing:
+
+  ```html
+  <img class="clip" data-start="0" data-duration="5"
+       data-var-src="heroImage" src="fallback.jpg" />
+  ```
+
+- **`data-var-text="id"`** — sets the element's text content from a scalar variable:
+
+  ```html
+  <h1 class="clip" data-start="0" data-duration="5" data-var-text="title">Fallback title</h1>
+  ```
+
+- **CSS custom properties** — every scalar variable is applied as `--{id}` on its composition root (font values apply their family name), so plain CSS bindings respond to render/preview overrides:
+
+  ```css
+  .card-title { color: var(--accent); font-family: var(--brandFont), sans-serif; }
+  ```
+
+Bindings resolve against the element's owning composition, so sub-composition instances see their own per-instance values. The Studio Variables panel counts these bindings as usage. Use `getVariables()` in a script only when you need logic beyond direct substitution (loops, conditionals, derived values).
+
 ## Per-instance Overrides (Sub-compositions)
 
 When embedding a composition inside another, use `data-variable-values` on the host element to pass a JSON object of override values for that particular instance:
diff --git a/docs/reference/html-schema.mdx b/docs/reference/html-schema.mdx
index dd6d0e70c7..9ecfc8866e 100644
--- a/docs/reference/html-schema.mdx
+++ b/docs/reference/html-schema.mdx
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ Common sizes:
 | `data-volume` | audio, video | No | Volume level from `0` to `1`. Default: `1`. |
 | `data-composition-id` | div | On compositions | Unique composition ID. Must match the key used in `window.__timelines`. |
 | `data-composition-src` | div | No | Path to external composition HTML file (for [nested compositions](#composition-clips)). |
-| `data-variable-values` | div | No | JSON object of values passed to a nested composition. The framework carries the values through, but your composition script must read and apply them manually. |
+| `data-variable-values` | div | No | JSON object of values passed to a nested composition. Read via `getVariables()` in scripts, or consumed automatically by declarative bindings. |
+| `data-var-src` | img, video, audio | No | Binds the element's `src` to a declared variable id — the runtime substitutes the value (URL string or image `{url}`); the authored `src` is the fallback. |
+| `data-var-text` | any | No | Binds the element's own text to a scalar variable id. Element children are preserved. |
 | `data-width` | div | On compositions | Composition width in pixels. |
 | `data-height` | div | On compositions | Composition height in pixels. |
 
@@ -152,7 +154,7 @@ Common sizes:
     - Each nested composition has its own `window.__timelines` entry, registered by its own `<script>` block
     - The framework automatically nests sub-timelines — do not manually add them to the parent timeline
     - Any composition can be nested inside any other — there is no special "root" type
-    - Per-instance values can be passed with `data-variable-values`, but the nested composition must read and apply those values itself
+    - Per-instance values can be passed with `data-variable-values`; sub-composition scripts read them via `getVariables()`, and `data-var-*` bindings / `var(--id)` CSS resolve them automatically
 
     For more on how compositions work, see [Compositions](/concepts/compositions).
   </Accordion>
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/applyVariableBindings.test.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/applyVariableBindings.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..41eba8451a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/applyVariableBindings.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+/**
+ * @vitest-environment jsdom
+ */
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { applyVariableBindings } from "./applyVariableBindings";
+import { getVariables } from "./getVariables";
+
+type TestWindow = Window & {
+  __hfVariables?: unknown;
+  __hfVariablesByComp?: Record<string, Record<string, unknown>>;
+  __hyperframes?: { getVariables?: () => Record<string, unknown> };
+};
+
+const win = window as TestWindow;
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  win.__hyperframes = { getVariables };
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  delete win.__hfVariables;
+  delete win.__hfVariablesByComp;
+  delete win.__hyperframes;
+  document.documentElement.removeAttribute("data-composition-variables");
+  document.body.innerHTML = "";
+});
+
+function setDeclared(decls: unknown[]): void {
+  document.documentElement.setAttribute("data-composition-variables", JSON.stringify(decls));
+}
+
+describe("applyVariableBindings", () => {
+  it("sets src from a string variable via data-var-src", () => {
+    setDeclared([{ id: "hero", type: "image", label: "Hero", default: "default.jpg" }]);
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <div data-hf-root data-composition-id="c1">
+        <img id="img" data-var-src="hero" src="fallback.jpg" />
+      </div>`;
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    expect(document.getElementById("img")?.getAttribute("src")).toBe("default.jpg");
+  });
+
+  it("render-time overrides win, and {url} image values resolve", () => {
+    setDeclared([{ id: "hero", type: "image", label: "Hero", default: "default.jpg" }]);
+    win.__hfVariables = { hero: { url: "https://cdn/override.png" } };
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <div data-hf-root><video data-var-src="hero" src="fallback.mp4"></video></div>`;
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    expect(document.querySelector("video")?.getAttribute("src")).toBe("https://cdn/override.png");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the authored src when the variable resolves to nothing", () => {
+    document.body.innerHTML = `<div data-hf-root><img data-var-src="ghost" src="keep.jpg" /></div>`;
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    expect(document.querySelector("img")?.getAttribute("src")).toBe("keep.jpg");
+  });
+
+  it("sets text content from a scalar via data-var-text", () => {
+    setDeclared([{ id: "title", type: "string", label: "Title", default: "Hello" }]);
+    win.__hfVariables = { title: "Overridden" };
+    document.body.innerHTML = `<div data-hf-root><h1 data-var-text="title">Authored</h1></div>`;
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    expect(document.querySelector("h1")?.textContent).toBe("Overridden");
+  });
+
+  it("applies scalar variables as --{id} custom props on the root", () => {
+    setDeclared([
+      { id: "accent", type: "color", label: "Accent", default: "#00C3FF" },
+      { id: "count", type: "number", label: "Count", default: 3 },
+    ]);
+    win.__hfVariables = { accent: "#ff0000" };
+    document.body.innerHTML = `<div id="root" data-hf-root></div>`;
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    const root = document.getElementById("root");
+    expect(root?.style.getPropertyValue("--accent")).toBe("#ff0000");
+    expect(root?.style.getPropertyValue("--count")).toBe("3");
+  });
+
+  it("applies a font value's family name, and skips other objects", () => {
+    win.__hfVariables = {
+      brandFont: { name: "Inter", source: "https://fonts" },
+      img: { url: "x" },
+    };
+    document.body.innerHTML = `<div id="root" data-hf-root></div>`;
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    const root = document.getElementById("root");
+    expect(root?.style.getPropertyValue("--brandFont")).toBe("Inter");
+    expect(root?.style.getPropertyValue("--img")).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("preserves element children when binding text on a container", () => {
+    win.__hfVariables = { title: "Replaced" };
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <div data-hf-root>
+        <h1 data-var-text="title">Hello <em id="kid" class="clip">world</em></h1>
+      </div>`;
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    const h1 = document.querySelector("h1");
+    expect(document.getElementById("kid")?.textContent).toBe("world");
+    expect(h1?.childNodes[0]?.nodeValue).toBe("Replaced");
+  });
+
+  it("is idempotent across re-application (loader re-apply path)", () => {
+    win.__hfVariables = { title: "Once" };
+    document.body.innerHTML = `<div data-hf-root><h1 data-var-text="title">t</h1></div>`;
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    expect(document.querySelector("h1")?.textContent).toBe("Once");
+  });
+
+  it("resolves sub-composition elements against their scoped values", () => {
+    win.__hfVariablesByComp = { sub: { label: "Scoped" } };
+    win.__hfVariables = { label: "TopLevel" };
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <div data-hf-root data-composition-id="main">
+        <p id="top" data-var-text="label">t</p>
+        <div data-composition-id="sub"><p id="inner" data-var-text="label">s</p></div>
+      </div>`;
+    applyVariableBindings(document);
+    expect(document.getElementById("inner")?.textContent).toBe("Scoped");
+    expect(document.getElementById("top")?.textContent).toBe("TopLevel");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/applyVariableBindings.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/applyVariableBindings.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..67697e6453
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/applyVariableBindings.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+/**
+ * Declarative variable bindings — the no-script consumption channel for
+ * composition variables (values are fixed for the page's lifetime, so this is
+ * seek-safe and deterministic):
+ *
+ * - `data-var-src="id"` — sets the element's `src` from the variable value
+ *   (a URL string or an image value `{url}`). The authored src stays as the
+ *   fallback when the variable resolves to nothing.
+ * - `data-var-text="id"` — sets the element's OWN text from a scalar variable
+ *   value. Elements with element children keep them: only the direct text
+ *   node is replaced, mirroring the SDK's setOwnText semantics — a text
+ *   binding must never delete nested clips or animation targets.
+ * - Every scalar variable (and a font value's family name) is applied as a
+ *   `--{id}` CSS custom property on its composition root, so CSS bindings
+ *   like `color: var(--accent)` respond to render/preview overrides instead
+ *   of only the persisted default.
+ *
+ * Values resolve against the element's owning composition — the same scope
+ * chain the color-grading runtime uses: `__hfVariablesByComp[compId]` for
+ * inlined sub-compositions, then the top-level merged `getVariables()`.
+ *
+ * Applied at init AND re-applied after the composition loader inlines
+ * external / template sub-compositions (their DOM and per-instance scoped
+ * values don't exist at init). Idempotent: re-applying writes the same
+ * values.
+ */
+
+import { readVariablesForElement } from "./variableScope";
+import { isScalarVariableValue as isScalar } from "@hyperframes/parsers/composition";
+
+function resolveUrl(value: unknown): string | null {
+  if (typeof value === "string" && value.length > 0) return value;
+  if (value !== null && typeof value === "object") {
+    const url = (value as { url?: unknown }).url;
+    if (typeof url === "string" && url.length > 0) return url;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+/** CSS custom-property value for a variable, or null when not CSS-applicable. */
+function cssValueFor(value: unknown): string | null {
+  if (isScalar(value)) return String(value);
+  if (value !== null && typeof value === "object") {
+    // Font values apply their family name; the face itself must be loaded by
+    // the composition (or the media pipeline).
+    const name = (value as { name?: unknown }).name;
+    if (typeof name === "string" && name.length > 0) return name;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Per-run memo of scope element → resolved values, so N bound elements in
+ * one scope pay for one resolution (the top-level path re-parses the
+ * declarations attribute on every getVariables() call).
+ */
+type ScopeValuesCache = Map<Element | null, Record<string, unknown>>;
+
+function valuesForElement(el: Element, cache: ScopeValuesCache): Record<string, unknown> {
+  const scope = el.closest("[data-composition-id]");
+  const cached = cache.get(scope);
+  if (cached) return cached;
+  const values = readVariablesForElement(el);
+  cache.set(scope, values);
+  return values;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Replace the element's own text while preserving element children (nested
+ * clips, animation-target spans). Mirrors the SDK's setOwnText: write the
+ * first direct text node, clear the others; append when none exists.
+ */
+function setOwnTextPreservingChildren(el: Element, text: string): void {
+  if (el.childElementCount === 0) {
+    el.textContent = text;
+    return;
+  }
+  let written = false;
+  for (const node of Array.from(el.childNodes)) {
+    if (node.nodeType !== Node.TEXT_NODE) continue;
+    node.nodeValue = written ? "" : text;
+    written = true;
+  }
+  if (!written) {
+    el.insertBefore(el.ownerDocument.createTextNode(text), el.firstChild);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Composition root, matching the SDK's findRoot chain exactly — the SDK
+ * persists `--{id}` defaults on this element, so the runtime must write
+ * overrides to the SAME element or an inline default on a descendant would
+ * shadow an override applied higher up.
+ */
+function findTopRoot(doc: Document): Element | null {
+  return (
+    doc.querySelector("[data-hf-root]") ??
+    doc.getElementById("stage") ??
+    doc.body?.firstElementChild ??
+    doc.body
+  );
+}
+
+function applyCssCustomProperties(doc: Document, cache: ScopeValuesCache): void {
+  // Top-level root plus every inlined sub-composition root; custom props
+  // inherit, so descendants of each root see its scope's values.
+  const roots = new Set<Element>();
+  const topRoot = findTopRoot(doc);
+  if (topRoot) roots.add(topRoot);
+  for (const el of Array.from(doc.querySelectorAll("[data-composition-id]"))) {
+    roots.add(el);
+  }
+  for (const root of roots) {
+    const values = valuesForElement(root, cache);
+    for (const [id, value] of Object.entries(values)) {
+      const css = cssValueFor(value);
+      if (css !== null && root instanceof HTMLElement) {
+        root.style.setProperty(`--${id}`, css);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export function applyVariableBindings(doc: Document): void {
+  const cache: ScopeValuesCache = new Map();
+  applyCssCustomProperties(doc, cache);
+
+  for (const el of Array.from(doc.querySelectorAll("[data-var-src]"))) {
+    const id = el.getAttribute("data-var-src")?.trim();
+    if (!id) continue;
+    const url = resolveUrl(valuesForElement(el, cache)[id]);
+    if (url !== null) el.setAttribute("src", url);
+  }
+
+  for (const el of Array.from(doc.querySelectorAll("[data-var-text]"))) {
+    const id = el.getAttribute("data-var-text")?.trim();
+    if (!id) continue;
+    const value = valuesForElement(el, cache)[id];
+    if (isScalar(value)) setOwnTextPreservingChildren(el, String(value));
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/colorGrading.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/colorGrading.ts
index 0d951262ad..5b32c6c65f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/colorGrading.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/colorGrading.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import {
   isHfColorGradingActive,
   normalizeHfColorGrading,
   normalizeHfColorGradingWithVariables,
-  type HfColorGradingVariableMap,
   type HfColorGradingTarget,
   type NormalizedHfColorGrading,
 } from "../colorGrading";
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   type CubeLutVec3,
 } from "../colorLuts";
 import { copyMediaVisualStyles } from "../inline-scripts/parityContract";
+import { readVariablesForElement } from "./variableScope";
 import { swallow } from "./diagnostics";
 
 type ColorGradingMediaElement = HTMLVideoElement | HTMLImageElement;
@@ -207,20 +207,6 @@ const DEFAULT_COMPARE: RuntimeColorGradingCompareState = {
   lineWidth: 2,
 };
 
-function readVariablesForElement(element: Element): HfColorGradingVariableMap {
-  const win = window as WindowWithColorGrading;
-  const scope = element.closest("[data-composition-id]");
-  const compositionId = scope?.getAttribute("data-composition-id")?.trim() ?? "";
-  const scoped = compositionId ? win.__hfVariablesByComp?.[compositionId] : undefined;
-  if (scoped) return scoped;
-
-  const fromHelper = win.__hyperframes?.getVariables?.();
-  if (fromHelper && typeof fromHelper === "object") {
-    return fromHelper;
-  }
-  return win.__hfVariables ?? {};
-}
-
 function readColorGradingAttribute(element: Element): NormalizedHfColorGrading | null {
   const raw = element.getAttribute(HF_COLOR_GRADING_ATTR);
   if (raw == null) return null;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
index a55984df76..8c616dd070 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { createClipTree } from "./clipTree";
 import { loadExternalCompositions, loadInlineTemplateCompositions } from "./compositionLoader";
 import { applyCaptionOverrides } from "./captionOverrides";
 import { applyPositionEdits } from "./positionEdits";
+import { applyVariableBindings } from "./applyVariableBindings";
 import { createColorGradingRuntime, type RuntimeColorGradingApi } from "./colorGrading";
 import { TransportClock } from "./clock";
 import { WebAudioTransport } from "./webAudioTransport";
@@ -85,6 +86,10 @@ export function initSandboxRuntimeModular(): void {
   // parsed their tweens, so GSAP (when present) won't fold the translate.
   // Re-applied on every timeline bind for the rebind/soft-reload paths.
   applyPositionEdits(document);
+  // Declarative variable bindings (data-var-src / data-var-text / --{id} CSS
+  // custom props) — values are fixed for the page's lifetime, so applying
+  // once at init keeps renders deterministic and seeks safe.
+  applyVariableBindings(document);
   const exportRenderFps = resolveExportRenderFps();
   state.canonicalFps = exportRenderFps.fps ?? state.canonicalFps;
   if (window.__HF_EXPORT_RENDER_SEEK_CONFIG) {
@@ -2015,6 +2020,10 @@ export function initSandboxRuntimeModular(): void {
         bindMediaMetadataListeners();
         installAssetFailureDiagnostics();
         applyCaptionOverrides();
+        // Runtime-loaded sub-compositions (and their per-instance scoped
+        // values) don't exist at the init-time binding pass — re-apply so
+        // data-var-* / --{id} bindings inside them resolve. Idempotent.
+        applyVariableBindings(document);
         maybePublishRenderReady();
       });
   } else {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/variableScope.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/variableScope.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5d8102dca4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/variableScope.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/**
+ * Resolve the composition-variable values an element should see: the scoped
+ * per-instance table for inlined sub-compositions, then the top-level merged
+ * getVariables(), then the raw render-injection global. Shared by every
+ * runtime consumer of variables (color grading, declarative bindings) so the
+ * scope chain can never diverge between channels.
+ */
+
+type VariablesWindow = Window & {
+  __hfVariables?: Record<string, unknown>;
+  __hfVariablesByComp?: Record<string, Record<string, unknown>>;
+  __hyperframes?: { getVariables?: () => Record<string, unknown> };
+};
+
+export function readVariablesForElement(element: Element): Record<string, unknown> {
+  const win = window as VariablesWindow;
+  const scope = element.closest("[data-composition-id]");
+  const compositionId = scope?.getAttribute("data-composition-id")?.trim() ?? "";
+  const scoped = compositionId ? win.__hfVariablesByComp?.[compositionId] : undefined;
+  if (scoped) return scoped;
+  const fromHelper = win.__hyperframes?.getVariables?.();
+  if (fromHelper && typeof fromHelper === "object") {
+    return fromHelper;
+  }
+  return win.__hfVariables ?? {};
+}
diff --git a/packages/lint/src/rules/composition.test.ts b/packages/lint/src/rules/composition.test.ts
index 52f7892d0b..60c90bd361 100644
--- a/packages/lint/src/rules/composition.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lint/src/rules/composition.test.ts
@@ -753,6 +753,37 @@ describe("composition rules", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe("unknown_variable_binding", () => {
+    it("warns when data-var-src references an undeclared variable", async () => {
+      const html = `<html data-composition-variables='[{"id":"hero","type":"image","label":"Hero","default":"a.jpg"}]'><body>
+<img id="i" data-start="0" data-duration="2" data-var-src="heroImge" src="a.jpg" />
+</body></html>`;
+      const result = await lintHyperframeHtml(html);
+      const finding = result.findings.find((f) => f.code === "unknown_variable_binding");
+      expect(finding).toBeDefined();
+      expect(finding?.severity).toBe("warning");
+      expect(finding?.message).toMatch(/heroImge/);
+    });
+
+    it("stays quiet for declared binding ids and for fragment files", async () => {
+      const declared = `<html data-composition-variables='[{"id":"title","type":"string","label":"T","default":"x"}]'><body>
+<h1 data-var-text="title">x</h1>
+</body></html>`;
+      expect(
+        (await lintHyperframeHtml(declared)).findings.some(
+          (f) => f.code === "unknown_variable_binding",
+        ),
+      ).toBe(false);
+
+      const fragment = `<div class="clip" data-start="0" data-duration="2" data-var-text="hostProvided">x</div>`;
+      expect(
+        (await lintHyperframeHtml(fragment)).findings.some(
+          (f) => f.code === "unknown_variable_binding",
+        ),
+      ).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("invalid_variable_values_json", () => {
     it("warns when data-variable-values is unparseable JSON", async () => {
       const html = `<html><body>
diff --git a/packages/lint/src/rules/composition.ts b/packages/lint/src/rules/composition.ts
index f34745c9ee..c9164fb41d 100644
--- a/packages/lint/src/rules/composition.ts
+++ b/packages/lint/src/rules/composition.ts
@@ -107,6 +107,25 @@ function rootClassStyledSelectors(styles: ExtractedBlock[], rootClasses: string[
   return offenders;
 }
 
+/** Declared variable ids from an <html> tag's raw text; null when the JSON is unparseable. */
+function collectDeclaredVariableIds(htmlTagRaw: string): Set<string> | null {
+  const declared = new Set<string>();
+  const raw = readJsonAttr(htmlTagRaw, "data-composition-variables");
+  if (!raw) return declared;
+  let parsed: unknown;
+  try {
+    parsed = JSON.parse(raw);
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+  if (!Array.isArray(parsed)) return declared;
+  for (const entry of parsed) {
+    const id = (entry as { id?: unknown } | null)?.id;
+    if (typeof id === "string") declared.add(id);
+  }
+  return declared;
+}
+
 export const compositionRules: Array<(ctx: LintContext) => HyperframeLintFinding[]> = [
   // invalid_parent_traversal_in_asset_path — catches `../` traversal in src,
   // href, inline-style url(), and <style> url() asset references on
@@ -597,6 +616,37 @@ export const compositionRules: Array<(ctx: LintContext) => HyperframeLintFinding
     return findings;
   },
 
+  // unknown_variable_binding
+  // data-var-src / data-var-text bind an element to a declared variable id;
+  // the runtime silently keeps the authored fallback when the id resolves to
+  // nothing, so a typo'd binding is invisible until a customer's override
+  // does nothing. Skipped for fragment files (no <html>): their values come
+  // from a host's data-variable-values, which this file can't see.
+  ({ source, tags }) => {
+    const htmlTag = findHtmlTag(source);
+    if (!htmlTag) return [];
+    const declared = collectDeclaredVariableIds(htmlTag.raw);
+    // null = unparseable declarations; invalid_composition_variables_declaration
+    // reports that failure, so this rule stays quiet.
+    if (declared === null) return [];
+    const findings: HyperframeLintFinding[] = [];
+    for (const tag of tags) {
+      for (const attr of ["data-var-src", "data-var-text"]) {
+        const id = readAttr(tag.raw, attr)?.trim();
+        if (!id || declared.has(id)) continue;
+        findings.push({
+          code: "unknown_variable_binding",
+          severity: "warning",
+          message: `<${tag.name}> binds ${attr}="${id}" but no variable "${id}" is declared in data-composition-variables — the binding will silently keep the authored fallback.`,
+          fixHint: `Declare the variable on <html>: data-composition-variables='[{"id":"${id}","type":"${attr === "data-var-src" ? "image" : "string"}","label":"${id}","default":"..."}]', or fix the binding id.`,
+          elementId: readAttr(tag.raw, "id") || undefined,
+          snippet: truncateSnippet(tag.raw),
+        });
+      }
+    }
+    return findings;
+  },
+
   // invalid_composition_variables_declaration
   // The runtime parses `data-composition-variables` and silently returns []
   // on any structural problem. Surface JSON / shape failures so authors
diff --git a/packages/lint/src/rules/media.test.ts b/packages/lint/src/rules/media.test.ts
index e4cc0dad3b..3be4187a2d 100644
--- a/packages/lint/src/rules/media.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lint/src/rules/media.test.ts
@@ -296,3 +296,24 @@ describe("media rules", () => {
     expect(finding).toBeUndefined();
   });
 });
+
+describe("media_variable_src_no_fallback", () => {
+  it("downgrades missing src to a warning when data-var-src is present", async () => {
+    const html = `<html><body>
+<video id="clip" data-start="0" data-duration="2" data-var-src="media"></video>
+</body></html>`;
+    const result = await lintHyperframeHtml(html);
+    expect(result.findings.some((f) => f.code === "media_missing_src")).toBe(false);
+    const finding = result.findings.find((f) => f.code === "media_variable_src_no_fallback");
+    expect(finding).toBeDefined();
+    expect(finding?.severity).toBe("warning");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the hard error when neither src nor data-var-src exists", async () => {
+    const html = `<html><body>
+<video id="clip" data-start="0" data-duration="2"></video>
+</body></html>`;
+    const result = await lintHyperframeHtml(html);
+    expect(result.findings.some((f) => f.code === "media_missing_src")).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/lint/src/rules/media.ts b/packages/lint/src/rules/media.ts
index 8864682d71..1fa14d2496 100644
--- a/packages/lint/src/rules/media.ts
+++ b/packages/lint/src/rules/media.ts
@@ -460,14 +460,30 @@ export const mediaRules: Array<(ctx: LintContext) => HyperframeLintFinding[]> =
         });
       }
       if (hasDataStart && hasId && !hasSrc) {
-        findings.push({
-          code: "media_missing_src",
-          severity: "error",
-          message: `<${tag.name} id="${hasId}"> has data-start but no src attribute. The renderer cannot load this media.`,
-          elementId: hasId,
-          fixHint: `Add a src attribute to the <${tag.name}> element directly. If using <source> children, the renderer still requires src on the parent element.`,
-          snippet: truncateSnippet(tag.raw),
-        });
+        const varSrc = readAttr(tag.raw, "data-var-src");
+        if (varSrc) {
+          // Variable-bound media without a fallback still renders when the
+          // variable resolves, but a render without a value can't load the
+          // media, and the audio pipeline discovers tracks from the AUTHORED
+          // src — warn instead of hard-failing the binding pattern.
+          findings.push({
+            code: "media_variable_src_no_fallback",
+            severity: "warning",
+            message: `<${tag.name} id="${hasId}"> relies on data-var-src="${varSrc}" with no fallback src. Renders without a "${varSrc}" value cannot load this media, and audio extraction reads the authored src.`,
+            elementId: hasId,
+            fixHint: `Add a fallback src the composition can render with when the variable is not provided.`,
+            snippet: truncateSnippet(tag.raw),
+          });
+        } else {
+          findings.push({
+            code: "media_missing_src",
+            severity: "error",
+            message: `<${tag.name} id="${hasId}"> has data-start but no src attribute. The renderer cannot load this media.`,
+            elementId: hasId,
+            fixHint: `Add a src attribute to the <${tag.name}> element directly. If using <source> children, the renderer still requires src on the parent element.`,
+            snippet: truncateSnippet(tag.raw),
+          });
+        }
       }
       if (readAttr(tag.raw, "preload") === "none") {
         findings.push({
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/session.ts b/packages/sdk/src/session.ts
index ae9f23a833..00717666cc 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/session.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/session.ts
@@ -226,6 +226,18 @@ class CompositionImpl implements Composition {
         }
       }
     }
+    // Declarative bindings (data-var-src / data-var-text) are direct reads.
+    for (const el of Array.from(
+      this.parsed.document.querySelectorAll("[data-var-src], [data-var-text]"),
+    )) {
+      for (const attr of ["data-var-src", "data-var-text"]) {
+        const id = el.getAttribute(attr)?.trim();
+        if (id && !seen.has(id)) {
+          seen.add(id);
+          usedIds.push(id);
+        }
+      }
+    }
     this._variableUsageScanCache = freshCache;
     const declaredIds = this.getVariableDeclarations().map((d) => d.id);
     // The CSS compat channel counts as usage: a variable consumed only via
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/session.variableusage.test.ts b/packages/sdk/src/session.variableusage.test.ts
index 0d79e5acd2..1af2998e69 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/session.variableusage.test.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/session.variableusage.test.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,22 @@ describe("getVariableUsage", () => {
     expect(comp.getVariableUsage().scanIncomplete).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("counts declarative data-var-src / data-var-text bindings as usage", async () => {
+    const comp = await openComposition(`<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html data-composition-variables='${DECLS}'>
+<body>
+<div data-hf-id="hf-stage" data-hf-root data-duration="5">
+  <img data-hf-id="hf-img" data-var-src="accent" src="x.jpg" />
+  <h1 data-hf-id="hf-h" data-var-text="title">t</h1>
+</div>
+</body>
+</html>`);
+    const usage = comp.getVariableUsage();
+    expect(usage.usedIds).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(["accent", "title"]));
+    expect(usage.unusedDeclarations).toEqual(["orphan"]);
+    expect(usage.scanIncomplete).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("handles compositions with no declarations and no scripts", async () => {
     const comp = await openComposition(
       `<!DOCTYPE html><html><body><div data-hf-id="hf-stage" data-hf-root data-duration="5"><p data-hf-id="hf-p">x</p></div></body></html>`,
diff --git a/skills-manifest.json b/skills-manifest.json
index 49bbd956be..0a435210ab 100644
--- a/skills-manifest.json
+++ b/skills-manifest.json
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
       "files": 7
     },
     "hyperframes-core": {
-      "hash": "2b1fb57fc6964e76",
+      "hash": "511a6283a5dbd7ea",
       "files": 14
     },
     "hyperframes-creative": {
diff --git a/skills/hyperframes-core/references/data-attributes.md b/skills/hyperframes-core/references/data-attributes.md
index 823cae5ef4..cf365ffdd1 100644
--- a/skills/hyperframes-core/references/data-attributes.md
+++ b/skills/hyperframes-core/references/data-attributes.md
@@ -40,12 +40,14 @@ Timed child elements are clips. **`class="clip"` is required on visible timed el
 
 When a clip is a sub-composition host (loads another composition file):
 
-| Attribute                    | Required | Meaning                                                                |
-| ---------------------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `data-composition-id`        | Yes      | The internal composition ID of the loaded file.                        |
-| `data-composition-src`       | Yes      | Path to the sub-composition HTML file.                                 |
-| `data-width` / `data-height` | Yes      | Render dimensions for the sub-composition instance.                    |
-| `data-variable-values`       | No       | Per-instance variable overrides as JSON. See `variables-and-media.md`. |
+| Attribute                    | Required | Meaning                                                                                                  |
+| ---------------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `data-composition-id`        | Yes      | The internal composition ID of the loaded file.                                                          |
+| `data-composition-src`       | Yes      | Path to the sub-composition HTML file.                                                                   |
+| `data-width` / `data-height` | Yes      | Render dimensions for the sub-composition instance.                                                      |
+| `data-variable-values`       | No       | Per-instance variable overrides as JSON. See `variables-and-media.md`.                                   |
+| `data-var-src`               | No       | Binds the element's `src` to a declared variable id (media/image substitution, authored src = fallback). |
+| `data-var-text`              | No       | Binds the element's own text to a scalar variable id; children are preserved.                            |
 
 See `sub-compositions.md` for the full wiring pattern.
 
diff --git a/skills/hyperframes-core/references/variables-and-media.md b/skills/hyperframes-core/references/variables-and-media.md
index 94fc9530ff..e4f00b2148 100644
--- a/skills/hyperframes-core/references/variables-and-media.md
+++ b/skills/hyperframes-core/references/variables-and-media.md
@@ -15,12 +15,29 @@ Declare variables on the `<html>` element with `data-composition-variables`. Eac
 ></html>
 ```
 
-Read resolved values once during initialization:
+**Prefer declarative bindings — no script needed** for direct substitution:
+
+```html
+<img class="clip" data-start="0" data-duration="5" data-var-src="heroImage" src="fallback.jpg" />
+<h1 class="clip" data-start="0" data-duration="5" data-var-text="title">Fallback</h1>
+<style>
+  .card {
+    color: var(--accent);
+  }
+</style>
+```
+
+- `data-var-src="id"` substitutes the element's `src` (URL string or image `{url}`); the authored `src` is the fallback.
+- `data-var-text="id"` substitutes the element's own text; element children (nested clips, animated spans) are preserved.
+- Every scalar variable is applied automatically as a `--{id}` CSS custom property on the composition root, so `var(--id)` CSS responds to overrides — no `setProperty` boilerplate.
+- Bindings resolve identically in preview and render, and per-instance for sub-compositions.
+- Caveat: media with audio should keep a real fallback `src` — render audio extraction reads the authored attribute (lint: `media_variable_src_no_fallback`).
+
+For logic beyond direct substitution (loops, conditionals, derived values), read values once during initialization:
 
 ```js
 const { title, accent } = window.__hyperframes.getVariables();
 document.getElementById("title").textContent = title;
-document.documentElement.style.setProperty("--accent", accent);
 ```
 
 ### Variable Rules