diff --git a/js/ui/components/tagPillList.js b/js/ui/components/tagPillList.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7900e127
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/ui/components/tagPillList.js
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+/**
+ * Tag pill list helpers for rendering and updating the compact tag strip used on video cards.
+ *
+ * Usage:
+ * ```js
+ * const { root } = renderTagPillStrip({ tags: ["nostr", "bitvid"], onTagActivate });
+ * container.append(root);
+ * ```
+ */
+
+function resolveDocument(doc) {
+  if (doc) {
+    return doc;
+  }
+
+  return typeof globalThis !== "undefined" ? globalThis.document : undefined;
+}
+
+function assertDocument(doc) {
+  if (!doc) {
+    throw new Error("A document instance is required to render tag pill lists.");
+  }
+}
+
+function createTagButton({ doc, tag, onTagActivate }) {
+  const button = doc.createElement("button");
+  button.type = "button";
+  button.classList.add("pill", "video-tag-pill", "focus-ring");
+  button.dataset.size = "compact";
+  button.dataset.tag = tag;
+  button.title = `#${tag}`;
+
+  const label = doc.createElement("span");
+  label.className = "video-tag-pill__label";
+  label.textContent = `#${tag}`;
+
+  const icon = doc.createElement("span");
+  icon.className = "video-tag-pill__icon";
+  icon.setAttribute("aria-hidden", "true");
+  icon.textContent = "+";
+
+  button.append(label, icon);
+
+  if (onTagActivate) {
+    const handler = (event) => {
+      onTagActivate(tag, { event, button });
+    };
+    button.addEventListener("click", handler);
+    // Store the handler for cleanup when the strip is updated.
+    button.__tagPillClickHandler = handler;
+  }
+
+  return button;
+}
+
+function cleanupExistingButtons(root) {
+  for (const button of root.querySelectorAll("button")) {
+    const handler = button.__tagPillClickHandler;
+    if (handler) {
+      button.removeEventListener("click", handler);
+      delete button.__tagPillClickHandler;
+    }
+  }
+  root.textContent = "";
+}
+
+export function renderTagPillStrip({ document: doc, tags = [], onTagActivate } = {}) {
+  const resolvedDocument = resolveDocument(doc);
+  assertDocument(resolvedDocument);
+
+  const root = resolvedDocument.createElement("div");
+  root.classList.add("video-tag-strip");
+
+  const buttons = tags.map((tag) =>
+    createTagButton({ doc: resolvedDocument, tag, onTagActivate }),
+  );
+  root.append(...buttons);
+
+  return { root, buttons };
+}
+
+export function updateTagPillStrip({
+  root,
+  tags = [],
+  onTagActivate,
+  document: doc,
+} = {}) {
+  if (!root) {
+    throw new Error("A root element is required to update the tag pill strip.");
+  }
+
+  const resolvedDocument = resolveDocument(doc ?? root?.ownerDocument);
+  assertDocument(resolvedDocument);
+
+  cleanupExistingButtons(root);
+
+  const buttons = tags.map((tag) =>
+    createTagButton({ doc: resolvedDocument, tag, onTagActivate }),
+  );
+  root.append(...buttons);
+
+  return { root, buttons };
+}
diff --git a/tests/ui/tag-pill-list.test.mjs b/tests/ui/tag-pill-list.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9384db30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/tag-pill-list.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { JSDOM } from "jsdom";
+
+import { renderTagPillStrip, updateTagPillStrip } from "../../js/ui/components/tagPillList.js";
+
+test("renderTagPillStrip builds buttons with labels and icons", () => {
+  const { document } = new JSDOM("<!DOCTYPE html>").window;
+  const { root, buttons } = renderTagPillStrip({
+    document,
+    tags: ["nostr", "video"],
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(root.tagName, "DIV");
+  assert(root.classList.contains("video-tag-strip"));
+  assert.equal(buttons.length, 2);
+
+  for (const [index, button] of buttons.entries()) {
+    const tag = index === 0 ? "nostr" : "video";
+    assert.equal(button.tagName, "BUTTON");
+    assert.equal(button.type, "button");
+    assert.ok(button.classList.contains("pill"));
+    assert.ok(button.classList.contains("video-tag-pill"));
+    assert.ok(button.classList.contains("focus-ring"));
+    assert.equal(button.dataset.size, "compact");
+    assert.equal(button.dataset.tag, tag);
+    assert.equal(button.title, `#${tag}`);
+
+    const label = button.querySelector(".video-tag-pill__label");
+    assert(label, "label span should be present");
+    assert.equal(label.textContent, `#${tag}`);
+
+    const icon = button.querySelector(".video-tag-pill__icon");
+    assert(icon, "icon span should be present");
+    assert.equal(icon.textContent, "+");
+    assert.equal(icon.getAttribute("aria-hidden"), "true");
+  }
+});
+
+test("renderTagPillStrip wires the activation callback", () => {
+  const { document } = new JSDOM("<!DOCTYPE html>").window;
+  const activations = [];
+  const { root, buttons } = renderTagPillStrip({
+    document,
+    tags: ["nostr"],
+    onTagActivate(tag, { button, event }) {
+      activations.push({ tag, button, event });
+    },
+  });
+
+  document.body.append(root);
+
+  buttons[0].click();
+
+  assert.equal(activations.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(activations[0].tag, "nostr");
+  assert.equal(activations[0].button, buttons[0]);
+  assert(activations[0].event instanceof document.defaultView.Event);
+});
+
+test("updateTagPillStrip replaces buttons and rewires handlers", () => {
+  const { document } = new JSDOM("<!DOCTYPE html>").window;
+  const firstActivations = [];
+  const secondActivations = [];
+
+  const { root, buttons: initialButtons } = renderTagPillStrip({
+    document,
+    tags: ["nostr"],
+    onTagActivate(tag) {
+      firstActivations.push(tag);
+    },
+  });
+
+  document.body.append(root);
+
+  initialButtons[0].click();
+  assert.deepEqual(firstActivations, ["nostr"]);
+
+  const { buttons: updatedButtons } = updateTagPillStrip({
+    root,
+    document,
+    tags: ["video"],
+    onTagActivate(tag, { button }) {
+      secondActivations.push({ tag, button });
+    },
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(root.querySelectorAll("button").length, 1);
+  assert.equal(updatedButtons[0].dataset.tag, "video");
+
+  // Ensure the old handler is removed by dispatching a click on the detached button.
+  initialButtons[0].dispatchEvent(new document.defaultView.Event("click", { bubbles: true }));
+  assert.deepEqual(firstActivations, ["nostr"]);
+
+  updatedButtons[0].click();
+  assert.deepEqual(secondActivations, [{ tag: "video", button: updatedButtons[0] }]);
+});