McShane identities for Higher Teichm\"uller theory and the Goncharov-Shen potential.

We obtain McShane identities for convex real projective surfaces by generalizing the Birman--Series geodesic scarsity theorem. More generally, we obtain McShane identities for general rank positive representations with hyperbolic boundary monodromy via simple root lengths decomposition and (non-strict) McShane-type inequalities for general rank positive representations with parabolic boundary monodromy via Goncharov--Shen potential splitting. We use these identities to derive the simple spectral discreteness of parabolic bordered positive representations, as well as to establish the collar lemma and Thurston-type metrics for convex real projective surfaces. In the course of doing so, we study the collection of triple ratio coordinate functions associated with a given positive representation and establish boundedness and Fuchsian rigidity results.