fix(picker): keep max_models=0 distinct from unlimited; lock cap semantics

Follow-up to the cap-removal salvage. The contributor guarded the new
unlimited default with `[:max_models] if max_models else ...`, which conflates
max_models=0 (used by slug-only callers that want an empty model list) with
None (unlimited). Tighten to `is not None` at all five slicing sites in
list_authenticated_providers / list_picker_providers, and add a regression test
asserting the three-way contract: None=full, 0=empty, N=first N.

.gitignore

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 *.pyc*
 __pycache__/
 .venv/
+.venv
 .vscode/
 .env
 .env.local

Dockerfile

@@ -1,18 +1,19 @@
 FROM ghcr.io/astral-sh/uv:0.11.6-python3.13-trixie@sha256:b3c543b6c4f23a5f2df22866bd7857e5d304b67a564f4feab6ac22044dde719b AS uv_source
-# Node 26 source stage. Debian trixie's bundled nodejs is pinned to 20.x
-# (EOL April 2026), so we copy node + npm + corepack from the upstream node:26
-# image instead.  Node 26 (Current; LTS promotion ~Oct 2026) is REQUIRED by the
-# native OpenTUI TUI engine, which loads its renderer via the experimental
-# `node:ffi` API that only exists on Node 26.3+ (the Ink engine + web build run
-# on it too).  Bookworm-based slim image used so the produced binary links
-# against glibc 2.36, which runs cleanly on our Debian 13 (trixie, glibc 2.41)
-# runtime.  The pinned tag ships v26.3.0.  Bumping Node is a one-line change here.
-# NOTE: verify the full image build + Ink/web/Playwright on Node 26 in CI.
-FROM node:26-bookworm-slim@sha256:79723b41edbedf595f62e943a9f8b0ba9af5b1e61045c5f8f59c2c02c1212a16 AS node_source
+# Node 22 LTS source stage. Debian trixie's bundled nodejs is pinned to 20.x
+# which reached EOL in April 2026 — we copy node + npm + corepack from the
+# upstream node:22 image instead so we can stay on a supported LTS without
+# waiting for Debian 14 (forky, ~mid-2027).  Bookworm-based slim image used
+# so the produced binary links against glibc 2.36, which runs cleanly on
+# our Debian 13 (trixie, glibc 2.41) runtime.  Bumping to a new Node major
+# is a one-line ARG change; see #4977.
+FROM node:22-bookworm-slim@sha256:7af03b14a13c8cdd38e45058fd957bf00a72bbe17feac43b1c15a689c029c732 AS node_source
 FROM debian:13.4
 
-# Disable Python stdout buffering to ensure logs are printed immediately
+# Disable Python stdout buffering to ensure logs are printed immediately.
+# Do not write .pyc files at runtime: /opt/hermes is immutable in the
+# published container and writable state belongs under /opt/data.
 ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+ENV PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
 
 # Store Playwright browsers outside the volume mount so the build-time
 # install survives the /opt/data volume overlay at runtime.
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ RUN useradd -u 10000 -m -d /opt/data hermes
 
 COPY --chmod=0755 --from=uv_source /usr/local/bin/uv /usr/local/bin/uvx /usr/local/bin/
 
-# Node 26: copy the node binary plus the bundled npm + corepack JS
+# Node 22 LTS: copy the node binary plus the bundled npm + corepack JS
 # installs from the upstream image.  npm and npx are recreated as symlinks
 # because they're symlinks in the source image (and need to live on PATH).
 # See node_source stage at the top of the file for the version-bump
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ COPY ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/ ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/
 
 # `npm_config_install_links=false` forces npm to install `file:` deps as
 # symlinks instead of copies.  This is the default since npm 10+, which is
-# what the image ships now (via the node:26 source stage).  We set it
+# what the image ships now (via the node:22 source stage).  We set it
 # explicitly anyway as defense-in-depth: the previous Debian-bundled npm
 # 9.x defaulted to install-as-copy, which produced a hidden
 # node_modules/.package-lock.json that permanently disagreed with the root
@@ -183,49 +184,43 @@ RUN uv sync --frozen --no-install-project --extra all --extra messaging --extra
 # invalidate the (relatively slow) web + ui-tui build layer.
 COPY web/ web/
 COPY ui-tui/ ui-tui/
-COPY ui-opentui/ ui-opentui/
-# ui-opentui is the opt-in native OpenTUI engine (HERMES_TUI_ENGINE=opentui;
-# default stays Ink). .dockerignore strips its node_modules/dist, so install +
-# esbuild-build it here -> dist/main.js, then prune devDeps (esbuild/babel/
-# vitest); the runtime only needs the prod deps (the external @opentui/core +
-# its native blob -- the bundle inlines solid/effect). Build needs Node 26.3
-# (node:ffi floor), which this image ships.
 RUN cd web && npm run build && \
-    cd ../ui-tui && npm run build && \
-    cd ../ui-opentui && npm install --no-audit --no-fund && npm run build && npm prune --omit=dev
+    cd ../ui-tui && npm run build
 
 # ---------- Source code ----------
 # .dockerignore excludes node_modules, so the installs above survive.
-COPY --chown=hermes:hermes . .
+COPY . .
 
 # ---------- Permissions ----------
-# Make install dir world-readable so any HERMES_UID can read it at runtime.
-# The venv needs to be traversable too.
-# node_modules trees additionally need to be writable by the hermes user
-# so the runtime `npm install` triggered by _tui_need_npm_install() in
-# hermes_cli/main.py succeeds (see #18800). /opt/hermes/web is build-time
-# only (HERMES_WEB_DIST points at hermes_cli/web_dist) and is intentionally
-# not chowned here.
-# /opt/hermes/gateway is runtime-writable: Python may create __pycache__ and
-# gateway state artifacts beneath the package after services drop privileges,
-# especially when the hermes UID is remapped at boot (#27221).
-# The .venv MUST remain hermes-writable so lazy_deps.py can install
-# remaining optional platform packages and future pin bumps at first use.
-# Without this, `uv pip install` fails with EACCES and adapters silently
-# fail to load.  See tools/lazy_deps.py.
+# Link hermes-agent itself (editable). Deps are already installed in the
+# cached layer above; `--no-deps` makes this a fast egg-link creation with no
+# resolution or downloads.
+RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --no-deps -e "."
+
+# Keep /opt/hermes immutable for the runtime hermes user. Hosted/container
+# instances must not be able to self-edit the installed source or venv; user
+# data, skills, plugins, config, logs, and dashboard uploads live under
+# /opt/data instead. Root can still repair the image during build/boot, but
+# supervised Hermes processes drop to the non-root hermes user.
 USER root
-RUN chmod -R a+rX /opt/hermes && \
-    chown -R hermes:hermes /opt/hermes/.venv /opt/hermes/ui-tui /opt/hermes/gateway /opt/hermes/node_modules
+RUN mkdir -p /opt/hermes/bin && \
+    cp /opt/hermes/docker/hermes-exec-shim.sh /opt/hermes/bin/hermes && \
+    chmod 0755 /opt/hermes/bin/hermes && \
+    printf 'docker\n' > /opt/hermes/.install_method && \
+    chown -R root:root /opt/hermes && \
+    chmod -R a+rX /opt/hermes && \
+    chmod -R a-w /opt/hermes
+# The ``.install_method`` stamp is baked next to the running code (the install
+# tree), NOT into $HERMES_HOME. $HERMES_HOME (/opt/data) is a shared data
+# volume that is commonly bind-mounted from the host and even shared with a
+# host-side Desktop/CLI install; stamping it at boot used to clobber that
+# host install's marker and wrongly block its ``hermes update``. A code-scoped
+# stamp is read first by detect_install_method() and is immune to the share.
 # Start as root so the s6-overlay stage2 hook can usermod/groupmod and chown
 # the data volume. Each supervised service then drops to the hermes user via
 # `s6-setuidgid hermes` in its run script. If HERMES_UID is unset, services
 # run as the default hermes user (UID 10000).
 
-# ---------- Link hermes-agent itself (editable) ----------
-# Deps are already installed in the cached layer above; `--no-deps` makes
-# this a fast (~1s) egg-link creation with no resolution or downloads.
-RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --no-deps -e "."
-
 # ---------- Bake build-time git revision ----------
 # .dockerignore excludes .git, so `git rev-parse HEAD` from inside the
 # container always returns nothing — meaning `hermes dump` reports
@@ -245,8 +240,9 @@ RUN uv pip install --no-cache-dir --no-deps -e "."
 # every published image has it.
 ARG HERMES_GIT_SHA=
 RUN if [ -n "${HERMES_GIT_SHA}" ]; then \
+        chmod u+w /opt/hermes && \
         printf '%s\n' "${HERMES_GIT_SHA}" > /opt/hermes/.hermes_build_sha && \
-        chown hermes:hermes /opt/hermes/.hermes_build_sha; \
+        chmod a-w /opt/hermes /opt/hermes/.hermes_build_sha; \
     fi
 
 # ---------- s6-overlay service wiring ----------
@@ -292,6 +288,8 @@ ENV HERMES_WEB_DIST=/opt/hermes/hermes_cli/web_dist
 # check. (A separate launcher hardening is tracked independently.)
 ENV HERMES_TUI_DIR=/opt/hermes/ui-tui
 ENV HERMES_HOME=/opt/data
+ENV HERMES_WRITE_SAFE_ROOT=/opt/data
+ENV HERMES_DISABLE_LAZY_INSTALLS=1
 
 # `docker exec` privilege-drop shim. When operators run
 # `docker exec <c> hermes ...` they default to root, and any file the
@@ -304,7 +302,6 @@ ENV HERMES_HOME=/opt/data
 # Recursion is impossible because the shim exec's the venv binary by
 # absolute path (/opt/hermes/.venv/bin/hermes). See the shim source for
 # the opt-out env var (HERMES_DOCKER_EXEC_AS_ROOT=1).
-COPY --chmod=0755 docker/hermes-exec-shim.sh /opt/hermes/bin/hermes
 
 # Pre-s6 entrypoint.sh did `source .venv/bin/activate` which exported
 # the venv bin onto PATH; Architecture B's main-wrapper.sh does the

README.md

@@ -107,8 +107,6 @@ You can still bring your own keys per-tool whenever you want — the gateway is
 
 Hermes has two entry points: start the terminal UI with `hermes`, or run the gateway and talk to it from Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, or Email. Once you're in a conversation, many slash commands are shared across both interfaces.
 
-> **TUI engine:** On supported hosts (Linux/macOS with Node 26.3+), the terminal UI defaults to the native **OpenTUI** engine, which the installer provisions for you. The legacy **Ink** engine remains the fallback — it's used automatically on Windows, Termux, or when the native engine can't run, and you can select it explicitly with `HERMES_TUI_ENGINE=ink hermes`. Ink is not going away; it's the kept fallback.
-
 | Action                         | CLI                                           | Messaging platforms                                                              |
 | ------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | Start chatting                 | `hermes`                                      | Run `hermes gateway setup` + `hermes gateway start`, then send the bot a message |

agent/agent_init.py

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import threading
 import time
 import uuid
 from datetime import datetime
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Optional
 from urllib.parse import urlparse, parse_qs, urlunparse
 
 from agent.context_compressor import ContextCompressor
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ def init_agent(
     status_callback: callable = None,
     notice_callback: callable = None,
     notice_clear_callback: callable = None,
+    event_callback: Optional[Callable[[str, dict], None]] = None,
     max_tokens: int = None,
     reasoning_config: Dict[str, Any] = None,
     service_tier: str = None,
@@ -426,6 +427,7 @@ def init_agent(
     agent.status_callback = status_callback
     agent.notice_callback = notice_callback
     agent.notice_clear_callback = notice_clear_callback
+    agent.event_callback = event_callback
     agent.tool_gen_callback = tool_gen_callback
 
     
@@ -597,6 +599,7 @@ def init_agent(
     # (e.g. CLI voice mode adds a temporary prefix for the live call only).
     agent._persist_user_message_idx = None
     agent._persist_user_message_override = None
+    agent._persist_user_message_timestamp = None
 
     # Cache anthropic image-to-text fallbacks per image payload/URL so a
     # single tool loop does not repeatedly re-run auxiliary vision on the
@@ -1153,6 +1156,9 @@ def init_agent(
                         "hermes_home": str(get_hermes_home()),
                         "agent_context": "primary",
                     }
+                    if _init_kwargs["platform"] == "cli":
+                        _init_kwargs["warning_callback"] = agent._emit_warning
+                        _init_kwargs["status_callback"] = agent._emit_status
                     # Thread session title for memory provider scoping
                     # (e.g. honcho uses this to derive chat-scoped session keys)
                     if agent._session_db:
@@ -1221,6 +1227,12 @@ def init_agent(
     # targets.
     agent._task_completion_guidance = bool(_agent_section.get("task_completion_guidance", True))
 
+    # Universal parallel-tool-call guidance toggle.  Default True.  Separate
+    # flag from task_completion_guidance because a user may want one but not
+    # the other.  Steers the model to batch independent tool calls into a
+    # single turn; the runtime already executes such batches concurrently.
+    agent._parallel_tool_call_guidance = bool(_agent_section.get("parallel_tool_call_guidance", True))
+
     # Local Python toolchain probe toggle.  Default True.  When False,
     # the probe is skipped entirely (no subprocess calls, no system-prompt
     # line).  Useful for users on exotic setups where the probe heuristics

agent/agent_runtime_helpers.py

@@ -1839,28 +1839,42 @@ def invoke_tool(agent, function_name: str, function_args: dict, effective_task_i
     elif function_name == "memory":
         def _execute(next_args: dict) -> Any:
             target = next_args.get("target", "memory")
+            operations = next_args.get("operations")
             from tools.memory_tool import memory_tool as _memory_tool
             result = _memory_tool(
                 action=next_args.get("action"),
                 target=target,
                 content=next_args.get("content"),
                 old_text=next_args.get("old_text"),
+                operations=operations,
                 store=agent._memory_store,
             )
-            # Bridge: notify external memory provider of built-in memory writes
-            if agent._memory_manager and next_args.get("action") in {"add", "replace"}:
-                try:
-                    agent._memory_manager.on_memory_write(
-                        next_args.get("action", ""),
-                        target,
-                        next_args.get("content", ""),
-                        metadata=agent._build_memory_write_metadata(
-                            task_id=effective_task_id,
-                            tool_call_id=tool_call_id,
-                        ),
+            # Bridge: notify external memory provider of built-in memory writes.
+            # Covers both the single-op shape and each add/replace inside a batch.
+            if agent._memory_manager:
+                if operations:
+                    _mem_ops = [
+                        op for op in operations
+                        if isinstance(op, dict) and op.get("action") in {"add", "replace"}
+                    ]
+                else:
+                    _mem_ops = (
+                        [{"action": next_args.get("action"), "content": next_args.get("content")}]
+                        if next_args.get("action") in {"add", "replace"} else []
                     )
-                except Exception:
-                    pass
+                for _op in _mem_ops:
+                    try:
+                        agent._memory_manager.on_memory_write(
+                            _op.get("action", ""),
+                            target,
+                            _op.get("content", "") or "",
+                            metadata=agent._build_memory_write_metadata(
+                                task_id=effective_task_id,
+                                tool_call_id=tool_call_id,
+                            ),
+                        )
+                    except Exception:
+                        pass
             return _finish_agent_tool(result, next_args)
     elif agent._memory_manager and agent._memory_manager.has_tool(function_name):
         def _execute(next_args: dict) -> Any:

agent/anthropic_adapter.py

@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ def _detect_claude_code_version() -> str:
 
 
 _CLAUDE_CODE_SYSTEM_PREFIX = "You are Claude Code, Anthropic's official CLI for Claude."
-_MCP_TOOL_PREFIX = "mcp_"
+_MCP_TOOL_PREFIX = "mcp__"
 
 
 def _get_claude_code_version() -> str:
@@ -2349,25 +2349,46 @@ def build_anthropic_kwargs(
                 text = text.replace("Nous Research", "Anthropic")
                 block["text"] = text
 
-        # 3. Prefix tool names with mcp_ (Claude Code convention)
-        #    Skip names that already begin with the marker — native MCP server
-        #    tools (from mcp_servers: in config.yaml) are registered under their
-        #    full mcp_<server>_<tool> name and would double-prefix otherwise,
-        #    breaking round-trip registry lookup in normalize_response. GH-25255.
+        # 3. Normalize tool names so NOTHING goes on the OAuth wire with a
+        #    single-underscore ``mcp_`` prefix.  Anthropic's subscription/OAuth
+        #    billing classifier treats a single-underscore ``mcp_`` tool name as
+        #    a third-party-app fingerprint and rejects the request with HTTP 400
+        #    "Third-party apps now draw from extra usage, not plan limits"
+        #    (verified empirically: a single ``mcp_foo`` tool flips a request
+        #    from plan-billing to the extra-usage lane; ``mcp__foo`` is accepted).
+        #
+        #    Two cases, both must land on the double-underscore ``mcp__`` form:
+        #      a) bare Hermes-native tools (``read_file``)  -> ``mcp__read_file``
+        #      b) native MCP server tools registered under their full
+        #         single-underscore ``mcp_<server>_<tool>`` name
+        #         (``mcp_linear_get_issue``) -> ``mcp__linear_get_issue``
+        #    Case (b) is the gap that the bare ``mcp_``->``mcp__`` constant swap
+        #    left open: those tools were *skipped* and stayed single-underscore,
+        #    so any session with an MCP server configured still tripped the
+        #    classifier. normalize_response reverses both forms via registry
+        #    lookup so the dispatcher still sees the original name. GH-25255.
+        def _to_oauth_wire_name(name: str) -> str:
+            if name.startswith("mcp__"):
+                return name  # already correct, don't double-prefix
+            if name.startswith("mcp_"):
+                # single-underscore native MCP tool -> promote to double
+                return "mcp__" + name[len("mcp_"):]
+            return _MCP_TOOL_PREFIX + name  # bare name -> mcp__<name>
+
         if anthropic_tools:
             for tool in anthropic_tools:
-                if "name" in tool and not tool["name"].startswith(_MCP_TOOL_PREFIX):
-                    tool["name"] = _MCP_TOOL_PREFIX + tool["name"]
+                if "name" in tool:
+                    tool["name"] = _to_oauth_wire_name(tool["name"])
 
-        # 4. Prefix tool names in message history (tool_use and tool_result blocks)
+        # 4. Apply the same normalization to tool names in message history
+        #    (tool_use blocks) so replayed turns match the wire names above.
         for msg in anthropic_messages:
             content = msg.get("content")
             if isinstance(content, list):
                 for block in content:
                     if isinstance(block, dict):
                         if block.get("type") == "tool_use" and "name" in block:
-                            if not block["name"].startswith(_MCP_TOOL_PREFIX):
-                                block["name"] = _MCP_TOOL_PREFIX + block["name"]
+                            block["name"] = _to_oauth_wire_name(block["name"])
                         elif block.get("type") == "tool_result" and "tool_use_id" in block:
                             pass  # tool_result uses ID, not name
 

agent/background_review.py

@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ def summarize_background_review_actions(
                     "target": args.get("target", "memory"),
                     "content": args.get("content", ""),
                     "old_text": args.get("old_text", ""),
+                    "operations": args.get("operations") or [],
                     "name": args.get("name", ""),
                     "old_string": args.get("old_string", ""),
                     "new_string": args.get("new_string", ""),
@@ -353,6 +354,7 @@ def summarize_background_review_actions(
             content = detail.get("content", "")
             old_text = detail.get("old_text", "")
             skill_name = detail.get("name", "")
+            operations = detail.get("operations") or []
             max_preview = 120
             if is_skill:
                 change = data.get("_change", {})
@@ -376,6 +378,21 @@ def summarize_background_review_actions(
                     actions.append(f"📝 Skill '{skill_name}' rewritten: {description}")
                 else:
                     actions.append(f"📝 {message}" if message else f"Skill {action}")
+            elif operations:
+                for op in operations:
+                    op = op or {}
+                    op_act = op.get("action", "")
+                    op_content = (op.get("content") or "")
+                    op_old = (op.get("old_text") or "")
+                    if op_act == "add" and op_content:
+                        preview = op_content[:max_preview] + ("…" if len(op_content) > max_preview else "")
+                        actions.append(f"{label} ➕ {preview}")
+                    elif op_act == "replace" and op_content:
+                        preview = op_content[:max_preview] + ("…" if len(op_content) > max_preview else "")
+                        actions.append(f"{label} ✏️ {preview}")
+                    elif op_act == "remove" and op_old:
+                        preview = op_old[:60] + ("…" if len(op_old) > 60 else "")
+                        actions.append(f"{label} ➖ {preview}")
             elif action == "add" and content:
                 preview = content[:max_preview] + ("…" if len(content) > max_preview else "")
                 actions.append(f"{label} ➕ {preview}")
@@ -391,6 +408,7 @@ def summarize_background_review_actions(
             "added" in message_lower
             or "replaced" in message_lower
             or "removed" in message_lower
+            or "applied" in message_lower
             or (target and "add" in message.lower())
             or "Entry added" in message
         ):

agent/billing_view.py

@@ -0,0 +1,295 @@
+"""Surface-agnostic core for the Phase 2b terminal-billing screens.
+
+One fetch/parse per concern, consumed identically by the CLI handler
+(``cli.py::_show_billing``), the TUI JSON-RPC methods
+(``tui_gateway/server.py``), and any other surface. Mirrors the proven
+``agent/account_usage.py::build_credits_view`` pattern: parse the server payload
+into a frozen dataclass; **fail open** — when not logged in or the portal is
+unreachable, return a struct with ``logged_in=False`` and let the surface degrade
+gracefully (never crash).
+
+Money discipline: the server emits decimal STRINGS (``"142.5"``, not fixed 2dp).
+We keep them as :class:`decimal.Decimal` end-to-end and only format for display.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import logging
+import uuid
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from decimal import Decimal, InvalidOperation
+from typing import Any, Optional
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Decimal money helpers
+# =============================================================================
+
+
+def parse_money(value: Any) -> Optional[Decimal]:
+    """Parse a server money value (decimal string) into :class:`Decimal`.
+
+    Returns None for missing/invalid input. Never raises. Accepts str/int (and,
+    defensively, float — though the server always sends strings).
+    """
+    if value is None:
+        return None
+    try:
+        # Decimal(str(...)) avoids binary-float artifacts if a float ever sneaks in.
+        return Decimal(str(value).strip())
+    except (InvalidOperation, ValueError, TypeError):
+        return None
+
+
+def format_money(value: Optional[Decimal]) -> str:
+    """Format a Decimal as ``$X`` / ``$X.YY`` for display.
+
+    Whole dollars show no decimals; any fractional amount shows exactly 2dp:
+    ``Decimal("142.5")`` → ``"$142.50"``, ``Decimal("100")`` → ``"$100"``,
+    ``Decimal("0.01")`` → ``"$0.01"``.
+    """
+    if value is None:
+        return "—"
+    if value == value.to_integral_value():
+        # Whole dollars — no decimal point. format(..., "f") avoids 1E+3 for 1000.
+        return f"${format(value.to_integral_value(), 'f')}"
+    # Fractional — always show 2dp.
+    return f"${format(value.quantize(Decimal('0.01')), 'f')}"
+
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Parsed sub-structures
+# =============================================================================
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class CardInfo:
+    brand: str
+    last4: str
+
+    @property
+    def masked(self) -> str:
+        return f"{self.brand} ····{self.last4}"
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class MonthlyCap:
+    limit_usd: Optional[Decimal] = None
+    spent_this_month_usd: Optional[Decimal] = None
+    is_default_ceiling: bool = False
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class AutoReload:
+    enabled: bool = False
+    threshold_usd: Optional[Decimal] = None
+    reload_to_usd: Optional[Decimal] = None
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class BillingState:
+    """Parsed ``GET /api/billing/state`` — the overview screen's data.
+
+    Fail-open: ``logged_in=False`` (and empty fields) when not logged in or the
+    portal is unreachable.
+    """
+
+    logged_in: bool
+    org_id: Optional[str] = None
+    org_slug: Optional[str] = None
+    org_name: Optional[str] = None
+    role: Optional[str] = None  # "OWNER" | "ADMIN" | "MEMBER"
+    balance_usd: Optional[Decimal] = None
+    cli_billing_enabled: bool = False
+    charge_presets: tuple[Decimal, ...] = ()
+    min_usd: Optional[Decimal] = None
+    max_usd: Optional[Decimal] = None
+    card: Optional[CardInfo] = None
+    monthly_cap: Optional[MonthlyCap] = None
+    auto_reload: Optional[AutoReload] = None
+    portal_url: Optional[str] = None
+    # When the fetch failed (vs cleanly not-logged-in), the message for the surface.
+    error: Optional[str] = None
+
+    @property
+    def is_admin(self) -> bool:
+        """True for OWNER/ADMIN — the roles that can manage billing."""
+        return (self.role or "").upper() in ("OWNER", "ADMIN")
+
+    @property
+    def can_charge(self) -> bool:
+        """True when the UI should offer charge/auto-reload actions.
+
+        Admin role AND the per-org kill-switch on. (The server still enforces;
+        this is just for graying out actions the user can't take.)
+        """
+        return self.is_admin and self.cli_billing_enabled
+
+
+def _parse_card(raw: Any) -> Optional[CardInfo]:
+    if not isinstance(raw, dict):
+        return None
+    brand = raw.get("brand")
+    last4 = raw.get("last4")
+    if isinstance(brand, str) and isinstance(last4, str):
+        return CardInfo(brand=brand, last4=last4)
+    return None
+
+
+def _parse_monthly_cap(raw: Any) -> Optional[MonthlyCap]:
+    if not isinstance(raw, dict):
+        return None
+    return MonthlyCap(
+        limit_usd=parse_money(raw.get("limitUsd")),
+        spent_this_month_usd=parse_money(raw.get("spentThisMonthUsd")),
+        is_default_ceiling=bool(raw.get("isDefaultCeiling")),
+    )
+
+
+def _parse_auto_reload(raw: Any) -> Optional[AutoReload]:
+    if not isinstance(raw, dict):
+        return None
+    return AutoReload(
+        enabled=bool(raw.get("enabled")),
+        threshold_usd=parse_money(raw.get("thresholdUsd")),
+        reload_to_usd=parse_money(raw.get("reloadToUsd")),
+    )
+
+
+def billing_state_from_payload(
+    payload: dict[str, Any], *, portal_url: Optional[str] = None
+) -> BillingState:
+    """Map a raw ``/api/billing/state`` JSON dict into :class:`BillingState`."""
+    raw_org = payload.get("org")
+    org: dict[str, Any] = raw_org if isinstance(raw_org, dict) else {}
+    raw_bounds = payload.get("bounds")
+    bounds: dict[str, Any] = raw_bounds if isinstance(raw_bounds, dict) else {}
+
+    presets: list[Decimal] = []
+    for item in payload.get("chargePresets") or ():
+        parsed = parse_money(item)
+        if parsed is not None:
+            presets.append(parsed)
+
+    return BillingState(
+        logged_in=True,
+        org_id=org.get("id"),
+        org_slug=org.get("slug"),
+        org_name=org.get("name"),
+        role=org.get("role"),
+        balance_usd=parse_money(payload.get("balanceUsd")),
+        cli_billing_enabled=bool(payload.get("cliBillingEnabled")),
+        charge_presets=tuple(presets),
+        min_usd=parse_money(bounds.get("minUsd")),
+        max_usd=parse_money(bounds.get("maxUsd")),
+        card=_parse_card(payload.get("card")),
+        monthly_cap=_parse_monthly_cap(payload.get("monthlyCap")),
+        auto_reload=_parse_auto_reload(payload.get("autoReload")),
+        portal_url=portal_url,
+    )
+
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Fail-open builders (the surface front doors)
+# =============================================================================
+
+
+def build_billing_state(*, timeout: float = 15.0) -> BillingState:
+    """Fetch + parse ``/api/billing/state``. Fail-open.
+
+    Returns ``BillingState(logged_in=False)`` when not logged in. On a portal/HTTP
+    failure, returns ``logged_in=False`` with ``error`` set so the surface can show
+    a clear message rather than crashing.
+    """
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.nous_billing import (
+            BillingAuthError,
+            BillingError,
+            _absolutize_portal_url,
+            get_billing_state,
+            resolve_portal_base_url,
+        )
+    except Exception:
+        return BillingState(logged_in=False, error="billing client unavailable")
+
+    try:
+        payload = get_billing_state(timeout=timeout)
+    except BillingAuthError:
+        return BillingState(logged_in=False)
+    except BillingError as exc:
+        logger.debug("billing ▸ /state fetch failed (fail-open)", exc_info=True)
+        return BillingState(logged_in=False, error=str(exc))
+    except Exception:
+        logger.debug("billing ▸ /state unexpected error (fail-open)", exc_info=True)
+        return BillingState(logged_in=False, error="could not load billing state")
+
+    # Prefer a server-supplied portalUrl if present (resolved to absolute in case
+    # it's relative); else build the standard one.
+    raw_portal = payload.get("portalUrl") if isinstance(payload, dict) else None
+    portal_url = _absolutize_portal_url(raw_portal) if raw_portal else None
+    if not portal_url:
+        try:
+            portal_url = _fallback_portal_url(resolve_portal_base_url())
+        except Exception:
+            portal_url = None
+
+    return billing_state_from_payload(payload, portal_url=portal_url)
+
+
+def _fallback_portal_url(base: str) -> str:
+    """Standard billing deep-link when the server omits ``portalUrl``."""
+    return f"{base.rstrip('/')}/billing?topup=open"
+
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Idempotency
+# =============================================================================
+
+
+def new_idempotency_key() -> str:
+    """Fresh UUID for a user-confirmed purchase (reuse on retry of the SAME buy).
+
+    The ``Idempotency-Key`` header is mandatory on ``POST /charge``; generate one
+    per confirmed purchase and reuse it across retries so a double-submit collapses
+    to a single charge. Never reuse a key across different amounts (the server
+    returns 409 idempotency_conflict).
+    """
+    return str(uuid.uuid4())
+
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Amount validation (Screen 3 custom input)
+# =============================================================================
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class AmountValidation:
+    ok: bool
+    amount: Optional[Decimal] = None
+    error: Optional[str] = None
+
+
+def validate_charge_amount(
+    raw: str, *, min_usd: Optional[Decimal], max_usd: Optional[Decimal]
+) -> AmountValidation:
+    """Validate a custom charge amount against bounds + 2dp (multipleOf 0.01).
+
+    Mirrors the server's accept/reject so the UI can give instant feedback rather
+    than round-tripping a sure-to-fail charge. The server is still authoritative.
+    """
+    cleaned = (raw or "").strip().lstrip("$").strip()
+    amount = parse_money(cleaned)
+    if amount is None:
+        return AmountValidation(ok=False, error="Enter a dollar amount, e.g. 100")
+    if amount <= 0:
+        return AmountValidation(ok=False, error="Amount must be greater than $0")
+    # multipleOf 0.01 — reject sub-cent precision.
+    if amount != amount.quantize(Decimal("0.01")):
+        return AmountValidation(ok=False, error="Amount can't be smaller than a cent")
+    if min_usd is not None and amount < min_usd:
+        return AmountValidation(ok=False, error=f"Minimum is {format_money(min_usd)}")
+    if max_usd is not None and amount > max_usd:
+        return AmountValidation(ok=False, error=f"Maximum is {format_money(max_usd)}")
+    return AmountValidation(ok=True, amount=amount)

agent/codex_responses_adapter.py

@@ -262,6 +262,26 @@ def _responses_tools(tools: Optional[List[Dict[str, Any]]] = None) -> Optional[L
     return converted or None
 
 
+# Provider-executed built-in tool *declaration* types accepted on the
+# Responses ``tools`` array.  These are declared by ``type`` alone (no
+# client-side name/parameters schema) and run server-side — the provider
+# owns the implementation and reports progress via the matching ``*_call``
+# output items.  Hermes injects xAI's native ``web_search`` for the xAI
+# transport (see agent/transports/codex.py); the rest are listed so the
+# preflight validator passes them through rather than rejecting them as
+# "unsupported type".  Mirrors the ``*_call`` item-type set used in
+# _normalize_codex_response.
+_RESPONSES_BUILTIN_TOOL_TYPES = {
+    "web_search",
+    "web_search_preview",
+    "file_search",
+    "code_interpreter",
+    "image_generation",
+    "computer_use_preview",
+    "local_shell",
+}
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Message format conversion
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -802,7 +822,22 @@ def _preflight_codex_api_kwargs(
         for idx, tool in enumerate(tools):
             if not isinstance(tool, dict):
                 raise ValueError(f"Codex Responses tools[{idx}] must be an object.")
-            if tool.get("type") != "function":
+
+            tool_type = tool.get("type")
+
+            # Provider-executed built-in tools (xAI native web_search, code
+            # interpreter, etc.) are declared by ``type`` alone and carry no
+            # ``name``/``parameters`` schema — the provider owns the
+            # implementation.  Pass them through verbatim instead of forcing
+            # them through the function-tool validation below (which would
+            # otherwise reject them with "unsupported type").  See
+            # agent/transports/codex.py for where xAI's native web_search is
+            # injected.
+            if tool_type in _RESPONSES_BUILTIN_TOOL_TYPES:
+                normalized_tools.append(dict(tool))
+                continue
+
+            if tool_type != "function":
                 raise ValueError(f"Codex Responses tools[{idx}] has unsupported type {tool.get('type')!r}.")
 
             name = tool.get("name")
@@ -1086,6 +1121,33 @@ def _normalize_codex_response(
     saw_final_answer_phase = False
     saw_reasoning_item = False
 
+    # Server-side built-in tool calls (xAI's native web_search, code
+    # interpreter, etc.) are executed by the provider and reported as
+    # discrete ``*_call`` output items.  xAI's /v1/responses surface
+    # (e.g. grok-composer-2.5-fast on SuperGrok OAuth) routinely leaves
+    # these items at ``status="in_progress"`` even when the overall
+    # ``response.status == "completed"`` — the search ran to completion
+    # server-side, the per-item status simply isn't reconciled.  These
+    # are NOT a signal that the model's turn is unfinished, so they must
+    # not flip ``has_incomplete_items``.  Only the response-level status
+    # and genuine model output items (message/reasoning/function_call)
+    # govern the incomplete verdict.  Without this guard, any turn where
+    # grok-composer invokes server-side search is misclassified as
+    # ``finish_reason="incomplete"`` and burns 3 fruitless continuation
+    # retries before failing with "Codex response remained incomplete
+    # after 3 continuation attempts".  client-side function/custom tool
+    # calls keep their own in_progress handling below (they are skipped,
+    # not awaited).
+    _SERVER_SIDE_TOOL_CALL_TYPES = {
+        "web_search_call",
+        "file_search_call",
+        "code_interpreter_call",
+        "image_generation_call",
+        "computer_call",
+        "local_shell_call",
+        "mcp_call",
+    }
+
     for item in output:
         item_type = getattr(item, "type", None)
         item_status = getattr(item, "status", None)
@@ -1094,7 +1156,10 @@ def _normalize_codex_response(
         else:
             item_status = None
 
-        if item_status in {"queued", "in_progress", "incomplete"}:
+        if (
+            item_status in {"queued", "in_progress", "incomplete"}
+            and item_type not in _SERVER_SIDE_TOOL_CALL_TYPES
+        ):
             has_incomplete_items = True
             saw_streaming_or_item_incomplete = True
 

agent/conversation_compression.py

@@ -512,6 +512,16 @@ def compress_context(
             old_title = agent._session_db.get_session_title(agent.session_id)
             # Trigger memory extraction on the old session before it rotates.
             agent.commit_memory_session(messages)
+            # Flush any un-persisted messages from the current turn to the
+            # old session *before* rotating.  compress_context() can be
+            # called mid-turn (auto-compress when context exceeds threshold)
+            # at a point when _flush_messages_to_session_db() has not yet
+            # run.  Without this, messages generated during the current turn
+            # are silently lost on session rotation (#47202).
+            try:
+                agent._flush_messages_to_session_db(messages)
+            except Exception:
+                pass  # best-effort — don't block compression on a flush error
             agent._session_db.end_session(agent.session_id, "compression")
             old_session_id = agent.session_id
             agent.session_id = f"{datetime.now().strftime('%Y%m%d_%H%M%S')}_{uuid.uuid4().hex[:6]}"
@@ -603,6 +613,20 @@ def compress_context(
             force=True,
         )
 
+    # Emit session:compress event so hooks (e.g. MemPalace sync) can ingest
+    # the completed old session before its details are lost.
+    _old_sid_for_event = locals().get("old_session_id")
+    if getattr(agent, "event_callback", None):
+        try:
+            agent.event_callback("session:compress", {
+                "platform": agent.platform or "",
+                "session_id": agent.session_id,
+                "old_session_id": _old_sid_for_event or "",
+                "compression_count": agent.context_compressor.compression_count,
+            })
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug("event_callback error on session:compress: %s", e)
+
     # Keep the post-compression rough estimate for diagnostics, but do not
     # treat it as provider-reported prompt usage. Schema-heavy rough estimates
     # can remain above threshold even after the next real API request fits.

agent/conversation_loop.py

@@ -300,11 +300,20 @@ def _restore_or_build_system_prompt(agent, system_message, conversation_history)
                 agent.session_id, exc,
             )
 
-    if stored_prompt:
+    if stored_prompt and _stored_prompt_matches_runtime(agent, stored_prompt):
         # Continuing session — reuse the exact system prompt from the
         # previous turn so the Anthropic cache prefix matches.
         agent._cached_system_prompt = stored_prompt
         return
+    if stored_prompt:
+        stored_state = "stale_runtime"
+        logger.info(
+            "Stored system prompt for session %s has stale runtime identity; "
+            "rebuilding for model=%s provider=%s.",
+            agent.session_id,
+            getattr(agent, "model", "") or "",
+            getattr(agent, "provider", "") or "",
+        )
 
     if conversation_history and stored_state in ("null", "empty"):
         # Continuing session whose stored prompt is unusable.  The
@@ -366,6 +375,30 @@ def _restore_or_build_system_prompt(agent, system_message, conversation_history)
             )
 
 
+def _stored_prompt_matches_runtime(agent, prompt: str) -> bool:
+    """Return False when the persisted Model/Provider lines are stale."""
+
+    def line_value(label: str) -> str:
+        prefix = f"{label}:"
+        value = ""
+        for line in prompt.splitlines():
+            if line.startswith(prefix):
+                value = line[len(prefix):].strip()
+        return value
+
+    stored_model = line_value("Model")
+    current_model = str(getattr(agent, "model", "") or "").strip()
+    if stored_model and current_model and stored_model != current_model:
+        return False
+
+    stored_provider = line_value("Provider")
+    current_provider = str(getattr(agent, "provider", "") or "").strip()
+    if stored_provider and current_provider and stored_provider != current_provider:
+        return False
+
+    return True
+
+
 def _get_continuation_prompt(is_partial_stub: bool, dropped_tools: Optional[List[str]] = None) -> str:
     if is_partial_stub and dropped_tools:
         tool_list = ", ".join(dropped_tools[:3])
@@ -441,6 +474,7 @@ def run_conversation(
     task_id: str = None,
     stream_callback: Optional[callable] = None,
     persist_user_message: Optional[str] = None,
+    persist_user_timestamp: Optional[float] = None,
 ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """
     Run a complete conversation with tool calling until completion.
@@ -456,6 +490,8 @@ def run_conversation(
         persist_user_message: Optional clean user message to store in
             transcripts/history when user_message contains API-only
             synthetic prefixes.
+        persist_user_timestamp: Optional platform event timestamp to store
+            as metadata on that persisted user message.
                 or queuing follow-up prefetch work.
 
     Returns:
@@ -477,6 +513,7 @@ def run_conversation(
         task_id,
         stream_callback,
         persist_user_message,
+        persist_user_timestamp,
         restore_or_build_system_prompt=_restore_or_build_system_prompt,
         install_safe_stdio=_install_safe_stdio,
         sanitize_surrogates=_sanitize_surrogates,
@@ -3719,8 +3756,30 @@ def run_conversation(
                     assistant_msg = agent._build_assistant_message(assistant_message, finish_reason)
                     messages.append(assistant_msg)
                     for tc in assistant_message.tool_calls:
-                        if tc.function.name not in agent.valid_tool_names:
-                            content = f"Tool '{tc.function.name}' does not exist. Available tools: {available}"
+                        _tc_name = tc.function.name
+                        if _tc_name not in agent.valid_tool_names:
+                            # A blank/whitespace-only name is not a typo the
+                            # model can fuzzy-correct toward a real tool — it is
+                            # almost always a weak open model echoing tool-call
+                            # XML/JSON it saw in file or tool output (#47967:
+                            # <tool_call>/<invoke name=...> payloads in a file
+                            # prime mimo/nemotron-class models to emit empty
+                            # structured calls). Dumping the full tool catalog
+                            # in that case feeds the priming loop more names to
+                            # mimic and inflates context 3-4x across retries, so
+                            # send a terse error that tells the model in-context
+                            # tool-call syntax is DATA, not a call to make.
+                            if not (_tc_name or "").strip():
+                                content = (
+                                    "Tool call rejected: the tool name was empty. "
+                                    "If tool-call XML or JSON appeared in file "
+                                    "contents or tool output, that is data — do "
+                                    "not re-emit it as a tool call. To call a "
+                                    "tool, use a valid name from your tool list; "
+                                    "otherwise reply in plain text."
+                                )
+                            else:
+                                content = f"Tool '{_tc_name}' does not exist. Available tools: {available}"
                         else:
                             content = "Skipped: another tool call in this turn used an invalid name. Please retry this tool call."
                         messages.append({

agent/curator.py

@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ DEFAULT_INTERVAL_HOURS = 24 * 7  # 7 days
 DEFAULT_MIN_IDLE_HOURS = 2
 DEFAULT_STALE_AFTER_DAYS = 30
 DEFAULT_ARCHIVE_AFTER_DAYS = 90
+# Consolidation (the LLM umbrella-building fork) is OFF by default. The
+# deterministic inactivity prune (apply_automatic_transitions) still runs
+# whenever the curator is enabled; only the opinionated, aux-model-cost
+# consolidation pass is opt-in.
+DEFAULT_CONSOLIDATE = False
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -182,6 +187,22 @@ def get_prune_builtins() -> bool:
     return bool(cfg.get("prune_builtins", True))
 
 
+def get_consolidate() -> bool:
+    """Whether the curator runs its LLM consolidation (umbrella-building) pass.
+
+    OFF by default. When off, a curator run does ONLY the deterministic
+    inactivity prune (mark stale / archive long-unused skills) and skips the
+    forked aux-model review entirely — no consolidation, no umbrella-building,
+    no aux-model cost. Set ``curator.consolidate: true`` to opt back into the
+    LLM pass that merges overlapping skills into class-level umbrellas.
+
+    The explicit ``hermes curator run --consolidate`` flag overrides this for
+    a single invocation regardless of the config value.
+    """
+    cfg = _load_config()
+    return bool(cfg.get("consolidate", DEFAULT_CONSOLIDATE))
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Idle / interval check
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1408,25 +1429,38 @@ def run_curator_review(
     on_summary: Optional[Callable[[str], None]] = None,
     synchronous: bool = False,
     dry_run: bool = False,
+    consolidate: Optional[bool] = None,
 ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Execute a single curator review pass.
 
     Steps:
       1. Apply automatic state transitions (pure, no LLM).
-      2. If there are agent-created skills, spawn a forked AIAgent that runs
-         the LLM review prompt against the current candidate list.
+      2. If consolidation is enabled AND there are agent-created skills, spawn
+         a forked AIAgent that runs the LLM review prompt against the current
+         candidate list.
       3. Update .curator_state with last_run_at and a one-line summary.
       4. Invoke *on_summary* with a user-visible description.
 
     If *synchronous* is True, the LLM review runs in the calling thread; the
     default is to spawn a daemon thread so the caller returns immediately.
 
+    *consolidate* gates the LLM umbrella-building pass. ``None`` (the default)
+    reads ``curator.consolidate`` from config (OFF by default). Passing
+    ``True``/``False`` overrides the config for this invocation — used by the
+    ``hermes curator run --consolidate`` flag. When consolidation is off, only
+    the deterministic inactivity prune runs and the forked aux-model review is
+    skipped entirely (no aux-model cost).
+
     If *dry_run* is True, the automatic stale/archive transitions are SKIPPED
     and the LLM review pass is instructed to produce a report only — no
     skill_manage mutations, no terminal archive moves. The REPORT.md still
     gets written and ``state.last_report_path`` still records it so users
-    can read what the curator WOULD have done.
+    can read what the curator WOULD have done. A dry-run also honors
+    *consolidate*: when consolidation is off, the preview only reports the
+    deterministic prune candidates.
     """
+    if consolidate is None:
+        consolidate = get_consolidate()
     start = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
     if dry_run:
         # Count candidates without mutating state.
@@ -1489,6 +1523,53 @@ def run_curator_review(
             before_report = []
         before_names = {r.get("name") for r in before_report if isinstance(r, dict)}
 
+        # Consolidation gate. When off (the default), the curator does ONLY the
+        # deterministic inactivity prune above — no forked aux-model review, no
+        # umbrella-building, no aux-model cost. Record the run, write a report
+        # reflecting the prune-only outcome, and return without spawning a fork.
+        if not consolidate:
+            final_summary = (
+                f"{prefix}{auto_summary}; llm: skipped (consolidation off)"
+            )
+            llm_meta = {
+                "final": "",
+                "summary": "skipped (consolidation off)",
+                "model": "",
+                "provider": "",
+                "tool_calls": [],
+                "error": None,
+            }
+            elapsed = (datetime.now(timezone.utc) - start).total_seconds()
+            state2 = load_state()
+            state2["last_run_duration_seconds"] = elapsed
+            state2["last_run_summary"] = final_summary
+            try:
+                after_report = skill_usage.agent_created_report()
+            except Exception:
+                after_report = []
+            try:
+                report_path = _write_run_report(
+                    started_at=start,
+                    elapsed_seconds=elapsed,
+                    auto_counts=counts,
+                    auto_summary=auto_summary,
+                    before_report=before_report,
+                    before_names=before_names,
+                    after_report=after_report,
+                    llm_meta=llm_meta,
+                )
+                if report_path is not None:
+                    state2["last_report_path"] = str(report_path)
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.debug("Curator report write failed: %s", e, exc_info=True)
+            save_state(state2)
+            if on_summary:
+                try:
+                    on_summary(f"curator: {final_summary}")
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+            return
+
         llm_meta: Dict[str, Any] = {}
         try:
             candidate_list = _render_candidate_list()

agent/curator_backup.py

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ import shutil
 import tarfile
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Set, Tuple
 
 from hermes_constants import get_hermes_home
 from agent.skill_utils import is_excluded_skill_path
@@ -208,13 +208,17 @@ def _write_manifest(dest: Path, reason: str, archive_path: Path,
     )
 
 
-def snapshot_skills(reason: str = "manual") -> Optional[Path]:
+def snapshot_skills(reason: str = "manual", *, protect_ids: Optional[Set[str]] = None) -> Optional[Path]:
     """Create a tar.gz snapshot of ``~/.hermes/skills/`` and prune old ones.
 
     Returns the snapshot directory path, or ``None`` if the snapshot was
     skipped (backup disabled, skills dir missing, or an IO error occurred —
     in which case we log at debug and return None so the curator never
     aborts a pass because of a backup failure).
+
+    ``protect_ids`` is forwarded to the prune step so callers can guarantee
+    specific snapshot ids survive even when they fall outside the keep
+    window (rollback passes the id it is about to restore from).
     """
     if not is_enabled():
         logger.debug("Curator backup disabled by config; skipping snapshot")
@@ -276,15 +280,19 @@ def snapshot_skills(reason: str = "manual") -> Optional[Path]:
             pass
         return None
 
-    _prune_old(keep=get_keep())
+    _prune_old(keep=get_keep(), protect=protect_ids)
     logger.info("Curator snapshot created: %s (%s)", snap_id, reason)
     return dest
 
 
-def _prune_old(keep: int) -> List[str]:
+def _prune_old(keep: int, protect: Optional[Set[str]] = None) -> List[str]:
     """Delete regular snapshots beyond the newest *keep*. Returns deleted
-    ids. Staging dirs (``.rollback-staging-*``) are implementation detail
-    and pruned independently on every call."""
+    ids. Snapshot ids in *protect* are never deleted even when they fall
+    outside the keep window — rollback() uses this so the mandatory
+    pre-rollback safety snapshot can never evict the very snapshot being
+    restored. Staging dirs (``.rollback-staging-*``) are implementation
+    detail and pruned independently on every call."""
+    protect = protect or set()
     backups = _backups_dir()
     if not backups.exists():
         return []
@@ -305,6 +313,8 @@ def _prune_old(keep: int) -> List[str]:
     entries.sort(key=lambda t: t[0], reverse=True)
     deleted: List[str] = []
     for _, path in entries[keep:]:
+        if path.name in protect:
+            continue
         try:
             shutil.rmtree(path)
             deleted.append(path.name)
@@ -564,7 +574,13 @@ def rollback(backup_id: Optional[str] = None) -> Tuple[bool, str, Optional[Path]
     # out before touching anything — otherwise a failed extract could leave
     # the user with no skills.
     try:
-        snapshot_skills(reason=f"pre-rollback to {target.name}")
+        # Protect the target from this snapshot's prune step: at the steady
+        # keep limit, pruning the oldest snapshot would otherwise delete the
+        # very snapshot we are about to extract from.
+        snapshot_skills(
+            reason=f"pre-rollback to {target.name}",
+            protect_ids={target.name},
+        )
     except Exception as e:
         return (False, f"pre-rollback safety snapshot failed: {e}", None)
 

agent/memory_manager.py

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
 
 from agent.memory_provider import MemoryProvider
+from agent.skill_commands import extract_user_instruction_from_skill_message
 from tools.registry import tool_error
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -430,16 +431,37 @@ class MemoryManager:
 
     # -- Prefetch / recall ---------------------------------------------------
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _strip_skill_scaffolding(text: str) -> Optional[str]:
+        """Return memory-worthy user text, or None to skip the turn.
+
+        When a user invokes a /skill or /bundle, Hermes expands the turn into
+        a model-facing message that embeds the entire skill body. Feeding that
+        verbatim to memory providers pollutes their stores/embeddings with
+        prompt scaffolding instead of what the user actually asked. We recover
+        just the user's instruction here, once, for every provider — so this
+        is fixed for the whole provider fan-out, not per backend.
+
+        - Non-skill messages pass through unchanged.
+        - Skill turns with a user instruction return that instruction.
+        - Bare skill invocations (no instruction) return None → callers skip
+          the turn, since there is no user content worth remembering.
+        """
+        return extract_user_instruction_from_skill_message(text)
+
     def prefetch_all(self, query: str, *, session_id: str = "") -> str:
         """Collect prefetch context from all providers.
 
         Returns merged context text labeled by provider. Empty providers
         are skipped. Failures in one provider don't block others.
         """
+        clean_query = self._strip_skill_scaffolding(query)
+        if not clean_query:
+            return ""
         parts = []
         for provider in self._providers:
             try:
-                result = provider.prefetch(query, session_id=session_id)
+                result = provider.prefetch(clean_query, session_id=session_id)
                 if result and result.strip():
                     parts.append(result)
             except Exception as e:
@@ -460,10 +482,14 @@ class MemoryManager:
         if not providers:
             return
 
+        clean_query = self._strip_skill_scaffolding(query)
+        if not clean_query:
+            return
+
         def _run() -> None:
             for provider in providers:
                 try:
-                    provider.queue_prefetch(query, session_id=session_id)
+                    provider.queue_prefetch(clean_query, session_id=session_id)
                 except Exception as e:
                     logger.debug(
                         "Memory provider '%s' queue_prefetch failed (non-fatal): %s",
@@ -515,6 +541,11 @@ class MemoryManager:
         if not providers:
             return
 
+        clean_user_content = self._strip_skill_scaffolding(user_content)
+        if not clean_user_content:
+            return
+        user_content = clean_user_content
+
         def _run() -> None:
             for provider in providers:
                 try:

agent/model_metadata.py

@@ -275,6 +275,11 @@ DEFAULT_CONTEXT_LENGTHS = {
     # via a custom provider. Values sourced from models.dev (2026-04).
     # Keys use substring matching (longest-first), so e.g. "grok-4.20"
     # matches "grok-4.20-0309-reasoning" / "-non-reasoning" / "-multi-agent-0309".
+    # OAuth-only slug; absent from GET /v1/models. xAI publishes a 200k
+    # usable context window for Composer 2.5 on Grok Build (SuperGrok /
+    # Premium+); /v1/responses additionally enforces a ~262144 input+output
+    # budget, but the usable context (what we track here) is 200k.
+    "grok-composer": 200000,    # grok-composer-2.5-fast (Grok Build CLI)
     "grok-build": 256000,       # grok-build-0.1
     "grok-code-fast": 256000,   # grok-code-fast-1
     "grok-2-vision": 8192,      # grok-2-vision, -1212, -latest

agent/prompt_builder.py

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import json
 import logging
 import os
 import threading
+import contextvars
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -304,6 +305,47 @@ TASK_COMPLETION_GUIDANCE = (
     "is always better than inventing a result."
 )
 
+# Universal parallel-tool-call guidance — applied to ALL models.
+#
+# Why this matters for cost: every assistant turn resends the entire
+# accumulated conversation (and, on cache-friendly providers, re-reads the
+# cached prefix and pays for the newly-appended turn). A model that issues
+# one tool call per turn multiplies the number of round-trips — and therefore
+# the resent context — for any task that needs several independent reads,
+# searches, or safe lookups. Batching independent calls into a single
+# assistant response collapses N turns into one, cutting both latency and the
+# resent-context cost that compounds over a long conversation.
+#
+# The hermes-agent runtime already executes a batch of tool calls
+# concurrently when they are independent (read-only tools always; path-scoped
+# file ops when their targets don't overlap — see
+# run_agent._execute_tool_calls / tool_dispatch_helpers). The missing piece
+# was telling the *model* to emit those calls together in the first place.
+# Until now the only batching steer in the prompt lived in
+# GOOGLE_MODEL_OPERATIONAL_GUIDANCE — Gemini/Gemma got it, every other model
+# got nothing. This block makes the steer universal; the now-redundant
+# Google-only bullet has been dropped so no model receives it twice.
+#
+# Short on purpose — shipped in the cached system prompt to every user, every
+# session. Token cost is paid once at install and amortised across all
+# sessions via prefix caching. Keep it tight.
+#
+# Ported from cline/cline#11514 ("encourage parallel tool calls"), adapted
+# from Cline's TypeScript tool-surface guidance to hermes-agent's Python
+# prompt-assembly architecture.
+PARALLEL_TOOL_CALL_GUIDANCE = (
+    "# Parallel tool calls\n"
+    "When you need several pieces of information that don't depend on each "
+    "other, request them together in a single response instead of one tool "
+    "call per turn. Independent reads, searches, web fetches, and read-only "
+    "commands should be batched into the same assistant turn — the runtime "
+    "executes independent calls concurrently, and batching avoids resending "
+    "the whole conversation on every extra round-trip.\n"
+    "Only serialize calls when a later call genuinely depends on an earlier "
+    "call's result (e.g. you must read a file before you can patch it). When "
+    "in doubt and the calls are independent, batch them."
+)
+
 # OpenAI GPT/Codex-specific execution guidance.  Addresses known failure modes
 # where GPT models abandon work on partial results, skip prerequisite lookups,
 # hallucinate instead of using tools, and declare "done" without verification.
@@ -385,9 +427,10 @@ GOOGLE_MODEL_OPERATIONAL_GUIDANCE = (
     "package.json, requirements.txt, Cargo.toml, etc. before importing.\n"
     "- **Conciseness:** Keep explanatory text brief — a few sentences, not "
     "paragraphs. Focus on actions and results over narration.\n"
-    "- **Parallel tool calls:** When you need to perform multiple independent "
-    "operations (e.g. reading several files), make all the tool calls in a "
-    "single response rather than sequentially.\n"
+    # Parallel-tool-call steering now lives in the universal
+    # PARALLEL_TOOL_CALL_GUIDANCE block (injected for all models), so it is no
+    # longer duplicated here — keeping it would send Gemini/Gemma the same
+    # instruction twice.
     "- **Non-interactive commands:** Use flags like -y, --yes, --non-interactive "
     "to prevent CLI tools from hanging on prompts.\n"
     "- **Keep going:** Work autonomously until the task is fully resolved. "
@@ -957,6 +1000,80 @@ CONTEXT_FILE_MAX_CHARS = 20_000
 CONTEXT_TRUNCATE_HEAD_RATIO = 0.7
 CONTEXT_TRUNCATE_TAIL_RATIO = 0.2
 
+# Dynamic-cap parameters (used when no explicit context_file_max_chars is set).
+# The cap scales with the model's context window so large-context models rarely
+# truncate a project doc, while small-context models stay at the historical
+# 20K floor. ~4 chars/token is the usual English heuristic; we spend a small
+# slice of the window on context files since they share the cached prefix with
+# the system prompt, tools, memory, and the whole conversation.
+_CONTEXT_FILE_CHARS_PER_TOKEN = 4
+_CONTEXT_FILE_WINDOW_FRACTION = 0.06
+_CONTEXT_FILE_DYNAMIC_CEILING = 500_000
+
+
+def _dynamic_context_file_max_chars(context_length: Optional[int]) -> int:
+    """Derive a char cap from the model's context window.
+
+    Returns at least ``CONTEXT_FILE_MAX_CHARS`` (the historical 20K floor) and
+    at most ``_CONTEXT_FILE_DYNAMIC_CEILING``. When ``context_length`` is
+    unknown/invalid, returns the flat default so behavior is unchanged.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(context_length, int) or context_length <= 0:
+        return CONTEXT_FILE_MAX_CHARS
+    budget = int(
+        context_length * _CONTEXT_FILE_CHARS_PER_TOKEN * _CONTEXT_FILE_WINDOW_FRACTION
+    )
+    return max(CONTEXT_FILE_MAX_CHARS, min(budget, _CONTEXT_FILE_DYNAMIC_CEILING))
+
+
+def _get_context_file_max_chars(context_length: Optional[int] = None) -> int:
+    """Return the context-file truncation limit.
+
+    Resolution order:
+      1. Explicit ``context_file_max_chars`` in config.yaml — user knows best,
+         always wins (including over the dynamic cap).
+      2. Dynamic cap derived from the model's ``context_length`` when provided
+         (scales the budget to the window; floor 20K, ceiling 500K).
+      3. ``CONTEXT_FILE_MAX_CHARS`` (20K) as the upstream-compatible fallback.
+    """
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.config import load_config
+
+        val = load_config().get("context_file_max_chars")
+        if isinstance(val, (int, float)) and val > 0:
+            return int(val)
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.debug("Could not read context_file_max_chars from config: %s", e)
+    return _dynamic_context_file_max_chars(context_length)
+
+# Collect truncation warnings so the caller (run_agent) can surface them.
+# A ContextVar (not a module-global list) isolates accumulation per thread /
+# per async task, so concurrent gateway-session prompt builds can't drain or
+# clear each other's pending warnings (cross-session leak). Each build runs in
+# its own context, collects its own warnings, and drains them synchronously.
+_truncation_warnings: "contextvars.ContextVar[Optional[list]]" = contextvars.ContextVar(
+    "context_file_truncation_warnings", default=None
+)
+
+
+def _record_truncation_warning(msg: str) -> None:
+    """Append a truncation warning to the current context's accumulator."""
+    warnings = _truncation_warnings.get()
+    if warnings is None:
+        warnings = []
+        _truncation_warnings.set(warnings)
+    warnings.append(msg)
+
+
+def drain_truncation_warnings() -> list:
+    """Return and clear any truncation warnings accumulated in this context."""
+    warnings = _truncation_warnings.get()
+    if not warnings:
+        return []
+    drained = list(warnings)
+    warnings.clear()
+    return drained
+
 
 # =========================================================================
 # Skills prompt cache
@@ -1463,19 +1580,47 @@ def build_nous_subscription_prompt(valid_tool_names: "set[str] | None" = None) -
 # Context files (SOUL.md, AGENTS.md, .cursorrules)
 # =========================================================================
 
-def _truncate_content(content: str, filename: str, max_chars: int = CONTEXT_FILE_MAX_CHARS) -> str:
-    """Head/tail truncation with a marker in the middle."""
+def _truncate_content(
+    content: str,
+    filename: str,
+    max_chars: Optional[int] = None,
+    context_length: Optional[int] = None,
+    read_path: Optional[str] = None,
+) -> str:
+    """Head/tail truncation with a marker in the middle.
+
+    ``filename`` is the human label used in warnings. ``read_path`` is the
+    concrete path the agent should ``read_file`` to recover the full content
+    (defaults to ``filename`` when not supplied). ``context_length`` lets the
+    cap scale to the model's window when no explicit config override is set.
+    """
+    if max_chars is None:
+        max_chars = _get_context_file_max_chars(context_length)
     if len(content) <= max_chars:
         return content
+    target = read_path or filename
+    msg = (
+        f"⚠️  Context file {filename} TRUNCATED: "
+        f"{len(content)} chars exceeds limit of {max_chars} — "
+        f"trim the file, pin a larger context_file_max_chars, or use a "
+        f"larger-context model!"
+    )
+    logger.warning(msg)
+    _record_truncation_warning(msg)
     head_chars = int(max_chars * CONTEXT_TRUNCATE_HEAD_RATIO)
     tail_chars = int(max_chars * CONTEXT_TRUNCATE_TAIL_RATIO)
     head = content[:head_chars]
     tail = content[-tail_chars:]
-    marker = f"\n\n[...truncated {filename}: kept {head_chars}+{tail_chars} of {len(content)} chars. Use file tools to read the full file.]\n\n"
+    marker = (
+        f"\n\n[...truncated {filename}: kept {head_chars}+{tail_chars} of "
+        f"{len(content)} chars. The middle is omitted — if you need the full "
+        f"instructions, read the complete file with the read_file tool: "
+        f"{target}]\n\n"
+    )
     return head + marker + tail
 
 
-def load_soul_md() -> Optional[str]:
+def load_soul_md(context_length: Optional[int] = None) -> Optional[str]:
     """Load SOUL.md from HERMES_HOME and return its content, or None.
 
     Used as the agent identity (slot #1 in the system prompt).  When this
@@ -1496,14 +1641,17 @@ def load_soul_md() -> Optional[str]:
         if not content:
             return None
         content = _scan_context_content(content, "SOUL.md")
-        content = _truncate_content(content, "SOUL.md")
+        content = _truncate_content(
+            content, "SOUL.md", context_length=context_length,
+            read_path=str(soul_path),
+        )
         return content
     except Exception as e:
         logger.debug("Could not read SOUL.md from %s: %s", soul_path, e)
         return None
 
 
-def _load_hermes_md(cwd_path: Path) -> str:
+def _load_hermes_md(cwd_path: Path, context_length: Optional[int] = None) -> str:
     """.hermes.md / HERMES.md — walk to git root."""
     hermes_md_path = _find_hermes_md(cwd_path)
     if not hermes_md_path:
@@ -1520,13 +1668,16 @@ def _load_hermes_md(cwd_path: Path) -> str:
             pass
         content = _scan_context_content(content, rel)
         result = f"## {rel}\n\n{content}"
-        return _truncate_content(result, ".hermes.md")
+        return _truncate_content(
+            result, ".hermes.md", context_length=context_length,
+            read_path=str(hermes_md_path),
+        )
     except Exception as e:
         logger.debug("Could not read %s: %s", hermes_md_path, e)
         return ""
 
 
-def _load_agents_md(cwd_path: Path) -> str:
+def _load_agents_md(cwd_path: Path, context_length: Optional[int] = None) -> str:
     """AGENTS.md — top-level only (no recursive walk)."""
     for name in ["AGENTS.md", "agents.md"]:
         candidate = cwd_path / name
@@ -1536,13 +1687,16 @@ def _load_agents_md(cwd_path: Path) -> str:
                 if content:
                     content = _scan_context_content(content, name)
                     result = f"## {name}\n\n{content}"
-                    return _truncate_content(result, "AGENTS.md")
+                    return _truncate_content(
+                        result, "AGENTS.md", context_length=context_length,
+                        read_path=str(candidate),
+                    )
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.debug("Could not read %s: %s", candidate, e)
     return ""
 
 
-def _load_claude_md(cwd_path: Path) -> str:
+def _load_claude_md(cwd_path: Path, context_length: Optional[int] = None) -> str:
     """CLAUDE.md / claude.md — cwd only."""
     for name in ["CLAUDE.md", "claude.md"]:
         candidate = cwd_path / name
@@ -1552,13 +1706,16 @@ def _load_claude_md(cwd_path: Path) -> str:
                 if content:
                     content = _scan_context_content(content, name)
                     result = f"## {name}\n\n{content}"
-                    return _truncate_content(result, "CLAUDE.md")
+                    return _truncate_content(
+                        result, "CLAUDE.md", context_length=context_length,
+                        read_path=str(candidate),
+                    )
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.debug("Could not read %s: %s", candidate, e)
     return ""
 
 
-def _load_cursorrules(cwd_path: Path) -> str:
+def _load_cursorrules(cwd_path: Path, context_length: Optional[int] = None) -> str:
     """.cursorrules + .cursor/rules/*.mdc — cwd only."""
     cursorrules_content = ""
     cursorrules_file = cwd_path / ".cursorrules"
@@ -1585,10 +1742,17 @@ def _load_cursorrules(cwd_path: Path) -> str:
 
     if not cursorrules_content:
         return ""
-    return _truncate_content(cursorrules_content, ".cursorrules")
+    return _truncate_content(
+        cursorrules_content, ".cursorrules", context_length=context_length,
+        read_path=str(cwd_path / ".cursorrules"),
+    )
 
 
-def build_context_files_prompt(cwd: Optional[str] = None, skip_soul: bool = False) -> str:
+def build_context_files_prompt(
+    cwd: Optional[str] = None,
+    skip_soul: bool = False,
+    context_length: Optional[int] = None,
+) -> str:
     """Discover and load context files for the system prompt.
 
     Priority (first found wins — only ONE project context type is loaded):
@@ -1598,7 +1762,11 @@ def build_context_files_prompt(cwd: Optional[str] = None, skip_soul: bool = Fals
       4. .cursorrules / .cursor/rules/*.mdc  (cwd only)
 
     SOUL.md from HERMES_HOME is independent and always included when present.
-    Each context source is capped at 20,000 chars.
+
+    Each context source is capped before injection. The cap defaults to the
+    model's context window (scaled — see ``_dynamic_context_file_max_chars``)
+    when *context_length* is provided, falling back to 20,000 chars otherwise.
+    An explicit ``context_file_max_chars`` in config.yaml always wins.
 
     When *skip_soul* is True, SOUL.md is not included here (it was already
     loaded via ``load_soul_md()`` for the identity slot).
@@ -1611,17 +1779,17 @@ def build_context_files_prompt(cwd: Optional[str] = None, skip_soul: bool = Fals
 
     # Priority-based project context: first match wins
     project_context = (
-        _load_hermes_md(cwd_path)
-        or _load_agents_md(cwd_path)
-        or _load_claude_md(cwd_path)
-        or _load_cursorrules(cwd_path)
+        _load_hermes_md(cwd_path, context_length)
+        or _load_agents_md(cwd_path, context_length)
+        or _load_claude_md(cwd_path, context_length)
+        or _load_cursorrules(cwd_path, context_length)
     )
     if project_context:
         sections.append(project_context)
 
     # SOUL.md from HERMES_HOME only — skip when already loaded as identity
     if not skip_soul:
-        soul_content = load_soul_md()
+        soul_content = load_soul_md(context_length)
         if soul_content:
             sections.append(soul_content)
 

agent/skill_commands.py

@@ -26,6 +26,91 @@ _skill_commands_platform: Optional[str] = None
 _SKILL_INVALID_CHARS = re.compile(r"[^a-z0-9-]")
 _SKILL_MULTI_HYPHEN = re.compile(r"-{2,}")
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Skill-scaffolding markers and the canonical extractor.
+#
+# When a user invokes a /skill (or /bundle), Hermes expands the turn into a
+# model-facing message that embeds the full skill body plus scaffolding. That
+# expanded text is what flows into the agent loop — and into memory providers
+# via MemoryManager. Providers that store or embed the raw user turn (mem0,
+# openviking, hindsight, retaindb, byterover, honcho, supermemory) would
+# otherwise capture the entire skill body instead of what the user actually
+# asked. ``extract_user_instruction_from_skill_message`` recovers just the
+# user's instruction so memory stays clean.
+#
+# These markers MUST stay byte-identical to the builders below
+# (``_build_skill_message`` here, ``build_bundle_invocation_message`` in
+# agent/skill_bundles.py). They are co-located with the single-skill builder
+# on purpose, and the bundle markers are asserted against the bundle builder in
+# tests/openviking_plugin/test_openviking.py::test_skill_markers_match_hermes_scaffolding.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+_SKILL_INVOCATION_PREFIX = "[IMPORTANT: The user has invoked the "
+_SINGLE_SKILL_MARKER = "The full skill content is loaded below.]"
+_SINGLE_SKILL_INSTRUCTION = (
+    "The user has provided the following instruction alongside the skill invocation: "
+)
+_RUNTIME_NOTE = "\n\n[Runtime note:"
+_BUNDLE_MARKER = " skill bundle,"
+_BUNDLE_USER_INSTRUCTION = "\nUser instruction: "
+_BUNDLE_FIRST_SKILL_BLOCK = "\n\n[Loaded as part of the "
+
+
+def extract_user_instruction_from_skill_message(content: Any) -> Optional[str]:
+    """Recover the user's instruction from a slash-skill-expanded turn.
+
+    Returns:
+        - The original string unchanged when it is NOT skill scaffolding
+          (a normal user message passes straight through).
+        - The extracted user instruction when the scaffolding carried one.
+        - ``None`` when the content is skill scaffolding with no user
+          instruction (i.e. a bare ``/skill`` invocation). Callers that feed
+          memory providers should skip the turn in that case — there is no
+          user content worth storing.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(content, str):
+        return None
+
+    if not content.startswith(_SKILL_INVOCATION_PREFIX):
+        return content
+
+    if _BUNDLE_MARKER in content:
+        return _extract_bundle_user_instruction(content)
+
+    if _SINGLE_SKILL_MARKER in content:
+        return _extract_single_skill_user_instruction(content)
+
+    return None
+
+
+def _extract_single_skill_user_instruction(message: str) -> Optional[str]:
+    # Single-skill format appends the user instruction after the skill body, so
+    # the last occurrence is the user-provided one; the body may quote this text.
+    marker_idx = message.rfind(_SINGLE_SKILL_INSTRUCTION)
+    if marker_idx < 0:
+        return None
+
+    instruction = message[marker_idx + len(_SINGLE_SKILL_INSTRUCTION):]
+    runtime_idx = instruction.find(_RUNTIME_NOTE)
+    if runtime_idx >= 0:
+        instruction = instruction[:runtime_idx]
+    instruction = instruction.strip()
+    return instruction or None
+
+
+def _extract_bundle_user_instruction(message: str) -> Optional[str]:
+    # Bundle format puts the user instruction before the loaded skills, so the
+    # first occurrence is the user-provided one.
+    marker_idx = message.find(_BUNDLE_USER_INSTRUCTION)
+    if marker_idx < 0:
+        return None
+
+    instruction = message[marker_idx + len(_BUNDLE_USER_INSTRUCTION):]
+    first_skill_idx = instruction.find(_BUNDLE_FIRST_SKILL_BLOCK)
+    if first_skill_idx >= 0:
+        instruction = instruction[:first_skill_idx]
+    instruction = instruction.strip()
+    return instruction or None
+
 
 def _resolve_skill_commands_platform() -> Optional[str]:
     """Return the current platform scope used for disabled-skill filtering.

agent/skill_utils.py

@@ -43,14 +43,20 @@ EXCLUDED_SKILL_DIRS = frozenset(
     )
 )
 
+# Supporting files live inside a skill package and are loaded explicitly via
+# skill_view(skill, file_path=...). They are not standalone skills and must not
+# be scanned for active SKILL.md/DESCRIPTION.md entries, even if a Curator or
+# archive workflow preserves a complete old skill package under references/.
+SKILL_SUPPORT_DIRS = frozenset(("references", "templates", "assets", "scripts"))
+
 
 def is_excluded_skill_path(path) -> bool:
-    """True if any component of *path* is in EXCLUDED_SKILL_DIRS.
+    """True if *path* should be skipped by active skill scanners.
 
-    Use this on every SKILL.md path produced by ``rglob`` to prune
-    dependency, virtualenv, VCS, and cache directories. Centralising the
-    check here keeps every skill-scanning site in sync with the shared
-    exclusion set.
+    Use this on every ``SKILL.md`` path produced by direct ``rglob`` scans to
+    prune dependency, virtualenv, VCS, cache, and progressive-disclosure
+    support-package paths. Centralising the check here keeps every
+    skill-scanning site in sync with the shared exclusion set.
 
     Accepts a Path or string.
     """
@@ -59,7 +65,36 @@ def is_excluded_skill_path(path) -> bool:
     except AttributeError:
         from pathlib import PurePath
         parts = PurePath(str(path)).parts
-    return any(part in EXCLUDED_SKILL_DIRS for part in parts)
+    return any(part in EXCLUDED_SKILL_DIRS for part in parts) or is_skill_support_path(
+        path
+    )
+
+
+def is_skill_support_path(path) -> bool:
+    """True if *path* is under a support dir of an actual skill root.
+
+    ``references/``, ``templates/``, ``assets/``, and ``scripts/`` are
+    progressive-disclosure support areas when they sit directly inside a skill
+    directory containing ``SKILL.md``. They are not active discovery roots for
+    standalone skills. A preserved package such as
+    ``some-skill/references/old-skill-package/SKILL.md`` is documentation data
+    unless the caller explicitly loads it via ``file_path``.
+
+    Legitimate categories or skill names such as ``skills/scripts/foo`` remain
+    discoverable because their ``scripts`` component is not directly under a
+    directory that contains ``SKILL.md``.
+    """
+    path_obj = path if isinstance(path, Path) else Path(str(path))
+    parts = path_obj.parts
+    # Last component may be a file or candidate skill directory name. Only
+    # components before the leaf can be containing support directories.
+    for idx, part in enumerate(parts[:-1]):
+        if part not in SKILL_SUPPORT_DIRS or idx == 0:
+            continue
+        skill_root = Path(*parts[:idx])
+        if (skill_root / "SKILL.md").exists():
+            return True
+    return False
 
 
 # ── Lazy YAML loader ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -661,12 +696,21 @@ def extract_skill_description(frontmatter: Dict[str, Any]) -> str:
 def iter_skill_index_files(skills_dir: Path, filename: str):
     """Walk skills_dir yielding sorted paths matching *filename*.
 
-    Excludes Hermes metadata, VCS, virtualenv/dependency, and cache
-    directories so dependencies cannot register nested skills.
+    Excludes Hermes metadata, VCS, virtualenv/dependency, cache, and skill
+    support directories. Support directories (references/templates/assets/
+    scripts) can contain arbitrary markdown and even archived package
+    ``SKILL.md`` files, but they are progressive-disclosure data loaded through
+    ``skill_view(..., file_path=...)`` rather than active skill roots.
     """
     matches = []
     for root, dirs, files in os.walk(skills_dir, followlinks=True):
-        dirs[:] = [d for d in dirs if d not in EXCLUDED_SKILL_DIRS]
+        has_skill_md = "SKILL.md" in files
+        dirs[:] = [
+            d
+            for d in dirs
+            if d not in EXCLUDED_SKILL_DIRS
+            and not (has_skill_md and d in SKILL_SUPPORT_DIRS)
+        ]
         if filename in files:
             matches.append(Path(root) / filename)
     for path in sorted(matches, key=lambda p: str(p.relative_to(skills_dir))):

agent/system_prompt.py

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from agent.prompt_builder import (
     KANBAN_GUIDANCE,
     MEMORY_GUIDANCE,
     OPENAI_MODEL_EXECUTION_GUIDANCE,
+    PARALLEL_TOOL_CALL_GUIDANCE,
     PLATFORM_HINTS,
     SESSION_SEARCH_GUIDANCE,
     SKILLS_GUIDANCE,
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ from agent.prompt_builder import (
     TASK_COMPLETION_GUIDANCE,
     TOOL_USE_ENFORCEMENT_GUIDANCE,
     TOOL_USE_ENFORCEMENT_MODELS,
+    drain_truncation_warnings,
 )
 from agent.runtime_cwd import resolve_context_cwd
 
@@ -82,6 +84,17 @@ def build_system_prompt_parts(agent: Any, system_message: Optional[str] = None)
     # we resolve through ``_ra()`` to honor those patches.
     _r = _ra()
 
+    # Resolve the model's context window once so context-file caps can scale
+    # to it (dynamic cap — see prompt_builder._dynamic_context_file_max_chars).
+    # None falls back to the historical flat default. This value is stable for
+    # the life of the conversation, so it does not threaten prompt caching.
+    _ctx_len: Optional[int] = None
+    _cc = getattr(agent, "context_compressor", None)
+    if _cc is not None:
+        _cc_len = getattr(_cc, "context_length", None)
+        if isinstance(_cc_len, int) and _cc_len > 0:
+            _ctx_len = _cc_len
+
     # ── Stable tier ────────────────────────────────────────────────
     stable_parts: List[str] = []
 
@@ -90,7 +103,7 @@ def build_system_prompt_parts(agent: Any, system_message: Optional[str] = None)
     # cwd project instructions disabled.
     _soul_loaded = False
     if agent.load_soul_identity or not agent.skip_context_files:
-        _soul_content = _r.load_soul_md()
+        _soul_content = _r.load_soul_md(_ctx_len)
         if _soul_content:
             stable_parts.append(_soul_content)
             _soul_loaded = True
@@ -111,6 +124,17 @@ def build_system_prompt_parts(agent: Any, system_message: Optional[str] = None)
     if getattr(agent, "_task_completion_guidance", True) and agent.valid_tool_names:
         stable_parts.append(TASK_COMPLETION_GUIDANCE)
 
+    # Universal parallel-tool-call guidance.  Tells the model to batch
+    # independent tool calls into one assistant turn rather than emitting one
+    # call per turn — the runtime already runs independent calls concurrently
+    # (read-only tools always; non-overlapping path-scoped file ops), so the
+    # only thing missing was steering the model to produce the batch.  Cuts
+    # round-trips and the resent-context cost that compounds over a long
+    # conversation.  Gated by config.yaml ``agent.parallel_tool_call_guidance``
+    # (default True) and only injected when tools are actually loaded.
+    if getattr(agent, "_parallel_tool_call_guidance", True) and agent.valid_tool_names:
+        stable_parts.append(PARALLEL_TOOL_CALL_GUIDANCE)
+
     # Tool-aware behavioral guidance: only inject when the tools are loaded
     tool_guidance = []
     if "memory" in agent.valid_tool_names:
@@ -333,7 +357,8 @@ def build_system_prompt_parts(agent: Any, system_message: Optional[str] = None)
         # dir — the user's real cwd there, but the install dir for the gateway
         # daemon, which is why the gateway sets TERMINAL_CWD.
         context_files_prompt = _r.build_context_files_prompt(
-            cwd=resolve_context_cwd(), skip_soul=_soul_loaded)
+            cwd=resolve_context_cwd(), skip_soul=_soul_loaded,
+            context_length=_ctx_len)
         if context_files_prompt:
             context_parts.append(context_files_prompt)
 
@@ -400,7 +425,14 @@ def build_system_prompt(agent: Any, system_message: Optional[str] = None) -> str
     warm across turns.
     """
     parts = build_system_prompt_parts(agent, system_message=system_message)
-    return "\n\n".join(p for p in (parts["stable"], parts["context"], parts["volatile"]) if p)
+    joined = "\n\n".join(p for p in (parts["stable"], parts["context"], parts["volatile"]) if p)
+
+    # Surface context-file truncation warnings through the normal agent status
+    # channel so gateway/CLI users see them in chat instead of only in logs.
+    for warning in drain_truncation_warnings():
+        agent._emit_status(warning)
+
+    return joined
 
 
 def invalidate_system_prompt(agent: Any) -> None:

agent/tool_executor.py

@@ -1012,28 +1012,42 @@ def execute_tool_calls_sequential(agent, assistant_message, messages: list, effe
         elif function_name == "memory":
             def _execute(next_args: dict) -> Any:
                 target = next_args.get("target", "memory")
+                operations = next_args.get("operations")
                 from tools.memory_tool import memory_tool as _memory_tool
                 result = _memory_tool(
                     action=next_args.get("action"),
                     target=target,
                     content=next_args.get("content"),
                     old_text=next_args.get("old_text"),
+                    operations=operations,
                     store=agent._memory_store,
                 )
-                # Bridge: notify external memory provider of built-in memory writes
-                if agent._memory_manager and next_args.get("action") in {"add", "replace"}:
-                    try:
-                        agent._memory_manager.on_memory_write(
-                            next_args.get("action", ""),
-                            target,
-                            next_args.get("content", ""),
-                            metadata=agent._build_memory_write_metadata(
-                                task_id=effective_task_id,
-                                tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", None),
-                            ),
+                # Bridge: notify external memory provider of built-in memory writes.
+                # Covers both the single-op shape and each add/replace inside a batch.
+                if agent._memory_manager:
+                    if operations:
+                        _mem_ops = [
+                            op for op in operations
+                            if isinstance(op, dict) and op.get("action") in {"add", "replace"}
+                        ]
+                    else:
+                        _mem_ops = (
+                            [{"action": next_args.get("action"), "content": next_args.get("content")}]
+                            if next_args.get("action") in {"add", "replace"} else []
                         )
-                    except Exception:
-                        pass
+                    for _op in _mem_ops:
+                        try:
+                            agent._memory_manager.on_memory_write(
+                                _op.get("action", ""),
+                                target,
+                                _op.get("content", "") or "",
+                                metadata=agent._build_memory_write_metadata(
+                                    task_id=effective_task_id,
+                                    tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", None),
+                                ),
+                            )
+                        except Exception:
+                            pass
                 return result
             function_result, function_args = _run_agent_tool_execution_middleware(
                 agent,

agent/transports/anthropic.py

@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class AnthropicTransport(ProviderTransport):
         from agent.transports.types import ToolCall
 
         strip_tool_prefix = kwargs.get("strip_tool_prefix", False)
-        _MCP_PREFIX = "mcp_"
+        _MCP_PREFIX = "mcp__"
 
         text_parts = []
         reasoning_parts = []
@@ -132,17 +132,25 @@ class AnthropicTransport(ProviderTransport):
             elif block.type == "tool_use":
                 name = block.name
                 if strip_tool_prefix and name.startswith(_MCP_PREFIX):
-                    stripped = name[len(_MCP_PREFIX):]
-                    # Only strip the mcp_ prefix for OAuth-injected tools
-                    # (where Hermes adds the prefix when sending to Anthropic
-                    # and must remove it on the way back).  Native MCP server
-                    # tools (from mcp_servers: in config.yaml) are registered
-                    # in the tool registry under their FULL mcp_<server>_<tool>
-                    # name and must NOT be stripped.  GH-25255.
+                    # On the OAuth wire every tool carries a double-underscore
+                    # ``mcp__`` prefix (added in build_anthropic_kwargs to avoid
+                    # Anthropic's single-underscore third-party classifier).
+                    # Reverse it back to the name the registry/dispatcher knows.
+                    # Two original forms map onto the same ``mcp__`` wire name:
+                    #   ``mcp__read_file``       <- bare native tool ``read_file``
+                    #   ``mcp__linear_get_issue`` <- MCP server tool
+                    #                                ``mcp_linear_get_issue``
+                    # Resolve by registry lookup, preferring whichever original
+                    # is actually registered; never rewrite a name the LLM used
+                    # that already resolves natively. GH-25255.
                     from tools.registry import registry as _tool_registry
-                    if (_tool_registry.get_entry(stripped)
-                            and not _tool_registry.get_entry(name)):
-                        name = stripped
+                    if not _tool_registry.get_entry(name):
+                        bare = name[len(_MCP_PREFIX):]            # read_file
+                        single = "mcp_" + bare                    # mcp_read_file / mcp_linear_get_issue
+                        if _tool_registry.get_entry(single):
+                            name = single
+                        elif _tool_registry.get_entry(bare):
+                            name = bare
                 tool_calls.append(
                     ToolCall(
                         id=block.id,

agent/transports/codex.py

@@ -128,6 +128,65 @@ class ResponsesApiTransport(ProviderTransport):
         reasoning_effort = _effort_clamp.get(reasoning_effort, reasoning_effort)
 
         response_tools = _responses_tools(tools)
+
+        # xAI server-side web search.
+        #
+        # grok models on xAI's /v1/responses surface (notably
+        # grok-composer-2.5-fast on SuperGrok OAuth) have a *native*,
+        # server-executed web search.  When the model is handed a
+        # client-side function literally named ``web_search``, it routes
+        # the intent to that native engine — but because the tool is
+        # declared as a plain ``function`` rather than xAI's first-class
+        # ``{"type": "web_search"}`` built-in, the server-side search is
+        # dispatched but never reconciled: the response streams reasoning
+        # + ``web_search_call`` progress items, the searches never reach
+        # ``status="completed"`` in the assembled output, no final
+        # message is emitted, and ``_normalize_codex_response`` correctly
+        # sees reasoning-with-no-answer and reports ``incomplete``.  The
+        # turn then burns 3 continuation retries and fails with "Codex
+        # response remained incomplete after 3 continuation attempts".
+        # Verified live against grok-composer-2.5-fast (2026-06).
+        #
+        # Fix: when the agent HAS a client-side ``web_search`` function (i.e.
+        # the user enabled the web toolset), declare xAI's native
+        # ``web_search`` built-in instead so the search actually runs to
+        # completion server-side and the model streams a real answer.  The
+        # Responses API rejects two tools sharing the name ``web_search``
+        # (HTTP 400 "Duplicate tool names"), so we drop the client-side
+        # ``web_search`` function for the xAI path and let the native tool
+        # satisfy it.  All other client-side tools (read_file, terminal,
+        # web_extract, MCP tools, …) are untouched and continue to dispatch
+        # through Hermes's agent loop.
+        #
+        # Scope: we ONLY swap in the native built-in when the client
+        # ``web_search`` was actually present.  We do NOT force-enable Grok
+        # server-side search on turns where the user never had web enabled —
+        # that would silently route around Hermes's web-provider config and
+        # tool-trace/citation plumbing for every xai-oauth turn.  The swap is
+        # a 1:1 replacement of an already-requested capability, not an
+        # additive grant.
+        #
+        # NOTE: for the swapped case this routes ``web_search`` to Grok's
+        # native search engine for xAI sessions instead of Hermes's
+        # configured web provider (Tavily/etc.), and those results bypass
+        # Hermes's tool-trace / citation plumbing (they arrive baked into the
+        # model's answer rather than as a tool result the loop observes).
+        # Scoped to ``is_xai_responses`` deliberately; narrow to specific
+        # models if a future grok variant should keep the client-side
+        # function.
+        if is_xai_responses and response_tools:
+            has_client_web_search = any(
+                isinstance(t, dict) and t.get("name") == "web_search"
+                for t in response_tools
+            )
+            if has_client_web_search:
+                filtered = [
+                    t for t in response_tools
+                    if not (isinstance(t, dict) and t.get("name") == "web_search")
+                ]
+                filtered.append({"type": "web_search"})
+                response_tools = filtered
+
         # ``tools`` MUST be omitted entirely when there are no functions to
         # expose: the openai SDK's ``responses.stream()`` / ``responses.parse()``
         # eagerly call ``_make_tools(tools)`` which does ``for tool in tools``
@@ -218,10 +277,28 @@ class ResponsesApiTransport(ProviderTransport):
             kwargs.pop("timeout", None)
 
         if is_codex_backend:
-            # chatgpt.com/backend-api/codex rejects body-level
-            # ``extra_headers`` with HTTP 400. Correlation/cache routing for
-            # this backend must not be sent through the Responses payload.
-            kwargs.pop("extra_headers", None)
+            # The Codex backend rejects body-level ``extra_headers`` with
+            # HTTP 400, but the OpenAI SDK's ``extra_headers`` kwarg maps
+            # to actual HTTP request headers (not body fields).  We need
+            # these headers for cache-scope routing so prompt cache hits
+            # remain high.  Send session_id / x-client-request-id as HTTP
+            # headers while keeping ``prompt_cache_key`` in the body for
+            # standard OpenAI routing as a belt-and-braces fallback.
+            cache_scope_id = str(session_id or "").strip()
+            if cache_scope_id:
+                existing_extra_headers = kwargs.get("extra_headers")
+                merged_extra_headers: Dict[str, str] = {}
+                if isinstance(existing_extra_headers, dict):
+                    merged_extra_headers.update(
+                        {
+                            str(key): str(value)
+                            for key, value in existing_extra_headers.items()
+                            if key and value is not None
+                        }
+                    )
+                merged_extra_headers["session_id"] = cache_scope_id
+                merged_extra_headers["x-client-request-id"] = cache_scope_id
+                kwargs["extra_headers"] = merged_extra_headers
 
         max_tokens = params.get("max_tokens")
         if max_tokens is not None and not is_codex_backend:

agent/turn_context.py

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ def build_turn_context(
     task_id: Optional[str],
     stream_callback,
     persist_user_message: Optional[str],
+    persist_user_timestamp: Optional[float] = None,
     *,
     restore_or_build_system_prompt,
     install_safe_stdio,
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ def build_turn_context(
     agent._stream_callback = stream_callback
     agent._persist_user_message_idx = None
     agent._persist_user_message_override = persist_user_message
+    agent._persist_user_message_timestamp = persist_user_timestamp
     # Generate unique task_id if not provided to isolate VMs between tasks.
     effective_task_id = task_id or str(uuid.uuid4())
     agent._current_task_id = effective_task_id

apps/bootstrap-installer/src-tauri/src/update.rs

@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
     emit_stage(&app, "rebuild", StageState::Running, None, None);
     let started = Instant::now();
     let rebuild_args: Vec<String> = vec!["desktop".into(), "--build-only".into()];
-    let rebuild = run_streamed(
+    let mut rebuild = run_streamed(
         &app,
         &hermes,
         &rebuild_args,
@@ -295,6 +295,33 @@ async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
         Some("rebuild"),
     )
     .await?;
+
+    // Retry-once: the first `--build-only` can return nonzero on a still-settling
+    // post-update tree or a network-blocked Electron fetch that our self-heal
+    // repaired mid-run. A second attempt then builds clean off the healed dist
+    // (the content-hash stamp makes it a near-no-op when the first actually
+    // succeeded). Without this the updater bails here and never reaches the
+    // relaunch below — the app updates but doesn't restart. Matches the
+    // retry-once `hermes update` already does above, and `hermes update`'s own
+    // desktop rebuild in cmd_update.
+    if rebuild_needs_retry(rebuild.exit_code) {
+        emit_log(
+            &app,
+            Some("rebuild"),
+            LogStream::Stdout,
+            "[rebuild] first desktop rebuild failed; retrying once (a self-healed \
+             Electron download builds clean on the second run)…",
+        );
+        rebuild = run_streamed(
+            &app,
+            &hermes,
+            &rebuild_args,
+            &install_root,
+            &child_env,
+            Some("rebuild"),
+        )
+        .await?;
+    }
     let rebuild_ms = started.elapsed().as_millis() as u64;
 
     if rebuild.exit_code != Some(0) {
@@ -533,6 +560,14 @@ fn is_locked(path: &Path) -> bool {
     }
 }
 
+/// Whether the `desktop --build-only` rebuild should be retried once. Any
+/// non-success exit qualifies: the common cause is a transient first-attempt
+/// failure (still-settling tree / self-healed Electron download) that a clean
+/// second run resolves.
+fn rebuild_needs_retry(exit_code: Option<i32>) -> bool {
+    exit_code != Some(0)
+}
+
 /// Spawn `hermes <args>` from `cwd`, stream stdout/stderr as Log events on the
 /// bootstrap channel, and return the exit code. Mirrors powershell::run_script
 /// but for an arbitrary command (no install.ps1 -File wrapping).
@@ -970,6 +1005,16 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(update_branch_from_args(["--update"]), None);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn rebuild_retries_only_on_failure() {
+        assert!(!rebuild_needs_retry(Some(0)), "a clean rebuild must not retry");
+        assert!(rebuild_needs_retry(Some(1)), "a failed rebuild retries once");
+        assert!(
+            rebuild_needs_retry(None),
+            "a killed/signalled rebuild (no exit code) retries once"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parses_only_app_targets() {
         assert_eq!(

apps/desktop/electron/main.cjs

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ const { detectRemoteDisplay, isWindowsBinaryPathInWsl, isWslEnvironment } = requ
 const { runBootstrap } = require('./bootstrap-runner.cjs')
 const {
   buildSessionWindowUrl,
+  chatWindowWebPreferences,
   createSessionWindowRegistry,
   SESSION_WINDOW_MIN_HEIGHT,
   SESSION_WINDOW_MIN_WIDTH
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ const { readDirForIpc } = require('./fs-read-dir.cjs')
 const { gitRootForIpc } = require('./git-root.cjs')
 const { worktreesForIpc } = require('./git-worktrees.cjs')
 const { OFFICIAL_REPO_HTTPS_URL, isOfficialSshRemote } = require('./update-remote.cjs')
+const { runRebuildWithRetry } = require('./update-rebuild.cjs')
 const {
   buildPosixCleanupScript,
   buildWindowsCleanupScript,
@@ -2008,10 +2010,14 @@ async function applyUpdatesPosixInApp() {
   }
 
   emitUpdateProgress({ stage: 'rebuild', message: 'Rebuilding the desktop app…', percent: 60 })
-  const rebuilt = await runStreamedUpdate(hermes, ['desktop', '--build-only'], {
-    cwd: updateRoot,
-    env,
-    stage: 'rebuild'
+  // Retry-once: a first rebuild can fail on a still-settling tree or a
+  // self-healed (network-blocked) Electron download; a second run builds clean
+  // off the healed dist so we reach the swap+relaunch below instead of bailing.
+  const rebuilt = await runRebuildWithRetry(attempt => {
+    if (attempt > 0) {
+      emitUpdateProgress({ stage: 'rebuild', message: 'Retrying the desktop rebuild…', percent: 60 })
+    }
+    return runStreamedUpdate(hermes, ['desktop', '--build-only'], { cwd: updateRoot, env, stage: 'rebuild' })
   })
   if (rebuilt.code !== 0) {
     emitUpdateProgress({
@@ -5106,14 +5112,7 @@ function spawnSecondaryWindow({ sessionId, watch, newSession } = {}) {
     // themes/context.tsx, so the window appears already themed.
     show: false,
     backgroundColor: getWindowBackgroundColor(),
-    webPreferences: {
-      preload: path.join(__dirname, 'preload.cjs'),
-      contextIsolation: true,
-      webviewTag: true,
-      sandbox: true,
-      nodeIntegration: false,
-      devTools: true
-    }
+    webPreferences: chatWindowWebPreferences(path.join(__dirname, 'preload.cjs'))
   })
 
   if (IS_MAC) {
@@ -5180,23 +5179,11 @@ function createWindow() {
     // material before the renderer paints the app theme. See createSessionWindow.
     show: false,
     backgroundColor: getWindowBackgroundColor(),
-    webPreferences: {
-      preload: path.join(__dirname, 'preload.cjs'),
-      contextIsolation: true,
-      webviewTag: true,
-      sandbox: true,
-      nodeIntegration: false,
-      devTools: true,
-      // Keep timers + requestAnimationFrame running at full speed when the
-      // window is blurred/occluded. The chat transcript streams to the screen
-      // through a requestAnimationFrame-gated flush (useSessionStateCache),
-      // so with Chromium's default background throttling the live answer
-      // stalls whenever this window isn't focused (e.g. you switch to your
-      // editor mid-turn, or open detached devtools) and only appears once you
-      // refocus or refresh. A streaming chat app must render in the
-      // background, so opt out — matching the secondary windows above.
-      backgroundThrottling: false
-    }
+    // Shared with the secondary session windows (chatWindowWebPreferences) so
+    // both keep `backgroundThrottling: false` — the chat transcript streams via
+    // a requestAnimationFrame-gated flush that Chromium pauses for blurred
+    // windows, stalling the live answer until refocus. See session-windows.cjs.
+    webPreferences: chatWindowWebPreferences(path.join(__dirname, 'preload.cjs'))
   })
 
   if (IS_MAC) {
@@ -6564,6 +6551,12 @@ app.on('before-quit', () => {
   flushDesktopLogBufferSync()
   closePreviewWatchers()
 
+  // Kill open PTYs before environment teardown to avoid the node-pty#904
+  // ThreadSafeFunction SIGABRT race.
+  for (const id of [...terminalSessions.keys()]) {
+    disposeTerminalSession(id)
+  }
+
   if (hermesProcess && !hermesProcess.killed) {
     hermesProcess.kill('SIGTERM')
   }

apps/desktop/electron/session-windows.cjs

@@ -10,6 +10,29 @@ const { pathToFileURL } = require('node:url')
 const SESSION_WINDOW_MIN_WIDTH = 420
 const SESSION_WINDOW_MIN_HEIGHT = 620
 
+// Shared webPreferences for every window that renders the chat transcript — the
+// primary window AND the secondary session windows. Keeping it in one place is
+// the whole point: the two BrowserWindow definitions in main.cjs used to be
+// hand-copied, and the secondary windows silently lost `backgroundThrottling:
+// false`, so a streamed answer stalled until the window regained focus.
+//
+// `backgroundThrottling: false` is load-bearing: the transcript streams to the
+// screen through a requestAnimationFrame-gated flush, which Chromium pauses for
+// blurred/occluded windows. A streaming chat app must keep painting in the
+// background, so every chat window opts out. The preload path is injected
+// because it depends on the Electron entry's __dirname.
+function chatWindowWebPreferences(preloadPath) {
+  return {
+    preload: preloadPath,
+    contextIsolation: true,
+    webviewTag: true,
+    sandbox: true,
+    nodeIntegration: false,
+    devTools: true,
+    backgroundThrottling: false
+  }
+}
+
 // Build the renderer URL for a secondary window. The renderer uses a
 // HashRouter, so the session route lives after the '#'. The `?win=secondary`
 // flag MUST sit in the query string BEFORE the '#': anything after the '#' is
@@ -94,6 +117,7 @@ function createSessionWindowRegistry() {
 
 module.exports = {
   buildSessionWindowUrl,
+  chatWindowWebPreferences,
   createSessionWindowRegistry,
   SESSION_WINDOW_MIN_HEIGHT,
   SESSION_WINDOW_MIN_WIDTH

apps/desktop/electron/session-windows.test.cjs

@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 const assert = require('node:assert/strict')
 const test = require('node:test')
 
-const { buildSessionWindowUrl, createSessionWindowRegistry } = require('./session-windows.cjs')
+const {
+  buildSessionWindowUrl,
+  chatWindowWebPreferences,
+  createSessionWindowRegistry
+} = require('./session-windows.cjs')
 
 // A minimal fake BrowserWindow: tracks listeners + destroyed state and lets a
 // test fire the 'closed' event, mirroring the slice of the Electron API the
@@ -175,3 +179,21 @@ test('registry trims the session id before keying', () => {
 
   assert.equal(registry.has('s1'), true)
 })
+
+test('chatWindowWebPreferences disables background throttling so streaming paints while blurred', () => {
+  // Regression: secondary session windows used to omit this flag, so a streamed
+  // answer stalled until the window regained focus (Chromium pauses the
+  // requestAnimationFrame-gated transcript flush for backgrounded windows).
+  const prefs = chatWindowWebPreferences('/tmp/preload.cjs')
+
+  assert.equal(prefs.backgroundThrottling, false)
+})
+
+test('chatWindowWebPreferences passes the preload path through and keeps the hardened defaults', () => {
+  const prefs = chatWindowWebPreferences('/some/preload.cjs')
+
+  assert.equal(prefs.preload, '/some/preload.cjs')
+  assert.equal(prefs.contextIsolation, true)
+  assert.equal(prefs.sandbox, true)
+  assert.equal(prefs.nodeIntegration, false)
+})

apps/desktop/electron/update-rebuild.cjs

@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+'use strict'
+
+/**
+ * Retry-once policy for the desktop `--build-only` rebuild during self-update.
+ *
+ * The first rebuild can return nonzero on a still-settling post-update tree or a
+ * network-blocked Electron fetch that the installer's self-heal repaired mid-run.
+ * A second attempt then builds clean off the healed dist (the content-hash stamp
+ * makes it a near-no-op when the first actually succeeded). Without the retry the
+ * updater bails before the relaunch step — the app updates but doesn't restart.
+ */
+
+function shouldRetryRebuild(code) {
+  return code !== 0
+}
+
+/**
+ * Run `rebuild()` (async, resolves `{ code, ... }`), retrying once on failure.
+ * Returns the final result.
+ */
+async function runRebuildWithRetry(rebuild) {
+  let result = await rebuild(0)
+  if (shouldRetryRebuild(result.code)) {
+    result = await rebuild(1)
+  }
+  return result
+}
+
+module.exports = { shouldRetryRebuild, runRebuildWithRetry }

apps/desktop/electron/update-rebuild.test.cjs

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for electron/update-rebuild.cjs — the retry-once policy for the desktop
+ * `--build-only` rebuild during self-update.
+ *
+ * Run with: node --test electron/update-rebuild.test.cjs
+ * (Wired into npm test:desktop:platforms in package.json.)
+ *
+ * Why this matters: a first rebuild can return nonzero on a still-settling tree
+ * or a self-healed (network-blocked) Electron download. Without a second attempt
+ * the updater bails before the relaunch step — the app updates but never restarts
+ * (the field report behind this fix). The retry must fire on failure, not on
+ * success, and must run at most twice.
+ */
+
+const test = require('node:test')
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict')
+
+const { shouldRetryRebuild, runRebuildWithRetry } = require('./update-rebuild.cjs')
+
+test('shouldRetryRebuild retries only on a non-success exit', () => {
+  assert.equal(shouldRetryRebuild(0), false)
+  assert.equal(shouldRetryRebuild(1), true)
+  assert.equal(shouldRetryRebuild(null), true)
+})
+
+test('a clean first rebuild runs once and does not retry', async () => {
+  const codes = []
+  const result = await runRebuildWithRetry(attempt => {
+    codes.push(attempt)
+    return Promise.resolve({ code: 0 })
+  })
+  assert.deepEqual(codes, [0])
+  assert.equal(result.code, 0)
+})
+
+test('a failed first rebuild retries once and succeeds', async () => {
+  const codes = []
+  const result = await runRebuildWithRetry(attempt => {
+    codes.push(attempt)
+    return Promise.resolve({ code: attempt === 0 ? 1 : 0 })
+  })
+  assert.deepEqual(codes, [0, 1])
+  assert.equal(result.code, 0)
+})
+
+test('a rebuild that keeps failing runs at most twice and reports the failure', async () => {
+  const codes = []
+  const result = await runRebuildWithRetry(attempt => {
+    codes.push(attempt)
+    return Promise.resolve({ code: 1, error: 'rebuild-failed' })
+  })
+  assert.deepEqual(codes, [0, 1])
+  assert.equal(result.code, 1)
+  assert.equal(result.error, 'rebuild-failed')
+})

apps/desktop/package.json

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     "build": "node scripts/assert-root-install.cjs && node scripts/write-build-stamp.cjs && node scripts/stage-native-deps.cjs && tsc -b && vite build && npm run postbuild",
     "postbuild": "node scripts/assert-dist-built.cjs",
     "prebuilder": "node scripts/patch-electron-builder-mac-binary.cjs",
-    "builder": "cross-env NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=16384 electron-builder",
+    "builder": "cross-env NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=16384 node scripts/run-electron-builder.cjs",
     "pack": "npm run build && npm run builder -- --dir",
     "dist": "npm run build && npm run builder",
     "dist:mac": "npm run build && npm run builder -- --mac",
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     "test:desktop:nsis": "node scripts/test-desktop.mjs nsis",
     "test:desktop:existing": "node scripts/test-desktop.mjs existing",
     "test:desktop:fresh": "node scripts/test-desktop.mjs fresh",
-    "test:desktop:platforms": "node --test electron/bootstrap-platform.test.cjs electron/hardening.test.cjs electron/backend-env.test.cjs electron/backend-probes.test.cjs electron/bootstrap-runner.test.cjs electron/connection-config.test.cjs electron/dashboard-token.test.cjs electron/gateway-ws-probe.test.cjs electron/oauth-net-request.test.cjs electron/desktop-uninstall.test.cjs electron/session-windows.test.cjs electron/workspace-cwd.test.cjs electron/fs-read-dir.test.cjs electron/git-root.test.cjs electron/windows-child-process.test.cjs electron/update-remote.test.cjs electron/windows-user-env.test.cjs",
+    "test:desktop:platforms": "node --test electron/bootstrap-platform.test.cjs electron/hardening.test.cjs electron/backend-env.test.cjs electron/backend-probes.test.cjs electron/bootstrap-runner.test.cjs electron/connection-config.test.cjs electron/dashboard-token.test.cjs electron/gateway-ws-probe.test.cjs electron/oauth-net-request.test.cjs electron/desktop-uninstall.test.cjs electron/session-windows.test.cjs electron/workspace-cwd.test.cjs electron/fs-read-dir.test.cjs electron/git-root.test.cjs electron/windows-child-process.test.cjs electron/update-remote.test.cjs electron/update-rebuild.test.cjs electron/windows-user-env.test.cjs",
     "typecheck": "tsc -p . --noEmit",
     "lint": "eslint src/ electron/",
     "lint:fix": "eslint src/ electron/ --fix",
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
     "@vitejs/plugin-react": "^6.0.1",
     "concurrently": "^10.0.3",
     "cross-env": "^10.1.0",
-    "electron": "^40.9.3",
+    "electron": "40.10.2",
     "electron-builder": "^26.8.1",
     "eslint": "^9.39.4",
     "eslint-plugin-perfectionist": "^5.9.0",
@@ -134,8 +134,7 @@
     "wait-on": "^9.0.5"
   },
   "build": {
-    "electronVersion": "40.9.3",
-    "electronDist": "../../node_modules/electron/dist",
+    "electronVersion": "40.10.2",
     "appId": "com.nousresearch.hermes",
     "productName": "Hermes",
     "executableName": "Hermes",

apps/desktop/scripts/patch-electron-builder-mac-binary.cjs

@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ const replacement = `    // ${marker}: electron-builder 26.8.x can sometimes cop
     if (!fs.existsSync(bundledElectronBinary)) {
         const candidates = [
             path.join(packager.info.framework.distMacOsAppName, "Contents", "MacOS", electronBranding.productName),
+            // npm may nest the workspace-only electron devDep under
+            // apps/desktop/node_modules (process.cwd() during pack), or hoist
+            // it to the repo root. Try the workspace-local install first, then
+            // the root hoist, so the fallback works under either layout.
+            path.join(process.cwd(), "node_modules", "electron", "dist", "Electron.app", "Contents", "MacOS", electronBranding.productName),
             path.join(process.cwd(), "..", "..", "node_modules", "electron", "dist", "Electron.app", "Contents", "MacOS", electronBranding.productName),
         ];
         const sourceBinary = candidates.find(candidate => fs.existsSync(candidate));

apps/desktop/scripts/run-electron-builder.cjs

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+"use strict"
+
+// Resolve electronDist at runtime (#38673, #47917): electron-builder 26.8.x can
+// re-unpack a broken Electron.app; reusing the installed dist dodges that.
+// npm workspace hoisting is non-deterministic — require.resolve finds electron
+// wherever it landed. Dist present → -c.electronDist=<abs>/dist; absent → let
+// electron-builder fetch via @electron/get (electronVersion + ELECTRON_MIRROR).
+
+const fs = require("node:fs")
+const path = require("node:path")
+const { spawnSync } = require("node:child_process")
+
+function electronDistDir() {
+  try {
+    return path.join(path.dirname(require.resolve("electron/package.json")), "dist")
+  } catch {
+    return null
+  }
+}
+
+function distBinary(dist) {
+  if (process.platform === "darwin") {
+    return path.join(dist, "Electron.app", "Contents", "MacOS", "Electron")
+  }
+  if (process.platform === "win32") {
+    return path.join(dist, "electron.exe")
+  }
+  return path.join(dist, "electron")
+}
+
+function electronBuilderCli() {
+  const pkgJson = require.resolve("electron-builder/package.json")
+  const bin = require(pkgJson).bin
+  const rel = typeof bin === "string" ? bin : bin["electron-builder"]
+  return path.join(path.dirname(pkgJson), rel)
+}
+
+const dist = electronDistDir()
+const args = []
+if (dist && fs.existsSync(distBinary(dist))) {
+  args.push(`-c.electronDist=${dist}`)
+} else {
+  console.warn(
+    "[run-electron-builder] no local electron dist; electron-builder will fetch " +
+      "via @electron/get (electronVersion + ELECTRON_MIRROR)."
+  )
+}
+args.push(...process.argv.slice(2))
+
+const result = spawnSync(process.execPath, [electronBuilderCli(), ...args], {
+  stdio: "inherit",
+})
+if (result.error) {
+  console.error(`[run-electron-builder] spawn failed: ${result.error.message}`)
+  process.exit(1)
+}
+process.exit(result.status == null ? 1 : result.status)

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/controls.tsx

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { formatCombo } from '@/lib/keybinds/combo'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
 import type { ConversationStatus } from './hooks/use-voice-conversation'
+import { ModelPill } from './model-pill'
 import type { ChatBarState, VoiceStatus } from './types'
 
 export const ICON_BTN = 'size-(--composer-control-size) shrink-0 rounded-md'
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ export function ComposerControls({
   const c = t.composer
   const steerCombo = formatCombo('mod+enter')
   const steerLabel = `${c.steer} (${steerCombo})`
+
   const steerTip = (
     <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5">
       {c.steer}
@@ -81,8 +83,10 @@ export function ComposerControls({
 
   return (
     <div className="ml-auto flex shrink-0 items-center gap-(--composer-control-gap)">
-      <DictationButton disabled={disabled} onToggle={onDictate} state={state.voice} status={voiceStatus} />
-      {canSteer && (
+      <ModelPill disabled={disabled} model={state.model} />
+      {/* While the agent runs and the user is typing, steer takes over the mic's
+          slot rather than crowding the row with an extra button. */}
+      {canSteer ? (
         <Tip label={steerTip}>
           <Button
             aria-label={steerLabel}
@@ -96,6 +100,8 @@ export function ComposerControls({
             <SteeringWheel size={16} />
           </Button>
         </Tip>
+      ) : (
+        <DictationButton disabled={disabled} onToggle={onDictate} state={state.voice} status={voiceStatus} />
       )}
       {showVoicePrimary ? (
         <Tip label={c.startVoice}>

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/model-pill.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
+import { useState } from 'react'
+
+import { ModelMenuCloseContext } from '@/app/shell/model-menu-panel'
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
+import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuTrigger } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
+import { GlyphSpinner } from '@/components/ui/glyph-spinner'
+import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
+import { ChevronDown } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { formatModelStatusLabel } from '@/lib/model-status-label'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import {
+  $currentFastMode,
+  $currentModel,
+  $currentProvider,
+  $currentReasoningEffort,
+  setModelPickerOpen
+} from '@/store/session'
+
+import type { ChatBarState } from './types'
+
+const PILL = cn(
+  'h-(--composer-control-size) max-w-40 shrink-0 gap-1 rounded-md px-2 text-xs font-normal',
+  'text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground'
+)
+
+/**
+ * Composer model selector — the relocated status-bar pill. Reuses the live
+ * `model.options` dropdown (`modelMenuContent`) verbatim; falls back to the
+ * full picker when the gateway is closed and no live menu exists.
+ */
+export function ModelPill({ disabled, model }: { disabled: boolean; model: ChatBarState['model'] }) {
+  const copy = useI18n().t.shell.statusbar
+  const currentModel = useStore($currentModel)
+  const currentProvider = useStore($currentProvider)
+  const fastMode = useStore($currentFastMode)
+  const reasoningEffort = useStore($currentReasoningEffort)
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false)
+
+  // The model resolves a beat after the gateway/session comes up. Rather than
+  // flash a literal "No model", show a quiet loader (inherits the pill text
+  // color at half opacity) until a model lands.
+  const label = (
+    <>
+      {currentModel.trim() ? (
+        <span className="truncate">{formatModelStatusLabel(currentModel, { fastMode, reasoningEffort })}</span>
+      ) : (
+        <GlyphSpinner className="opacity-50" spinner="braille" />
+      )}
+      <ChevronDown className="size-2.5 shrink-0 opacity-50" />
+    </>
+  )
+
+  const title = currentProvider ? copy.modelTitle(currentProvider, currentModel || copy.modelNone) : copy.switchModel
+
+  if (!model.modelMenuContent) {
+    return (
+      <Button
+        aria-label={copy.openModelPicker}
+        className={PILL}
+        disabled={disabled}
+        onClick={() => setModelPickerOpen(true)}
+        title={copy.openModelPicker}
+        type="button"
+        variant="ghost"
+      >
+        {label}
+      </Button>
+    )
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <DropdownMenu onOpenChange={setOpen} open={open}>
+      <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
+        <Button aria-label={title} className={PILL} disabled={disabled} title={title} type="button" variant="ghost">
+          {label}
+        </Button>
+      </DropdownMenuTrigger>
+      <DropdownMenuContent align="end" className="w-64 p-0" side="top" sideOffset={8}>
+        <ModelMenuCloseContext.Provider value={() => setOpen(false)}>
+          {model.modelMenuContent}
+        </ModelMenuCloseContext.Provider>
+      </DropdownMenuContent>
+    </DropdownMenu>
+  )
+}

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/types.ts

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
+
 import type { HermesGateway } from '@/hermes'
 import type { ComposerAttachment } from '@/store/composer'
 
@@ -22,6 +24,8 @@ export interface ChatBarState {
     canSwitch: boolean
     loading?: boolean
     quickModels?: QuickModelOption[]
+    /** Reused status-bar dropdown (built with gateway + selectModel upstream). */
+    modelMenuContent?: ReactNode
   }
   tools: { enabled: boolean; label: string; suggestions?: ContextSuggestion[] }
   voice: { enabled: boolean; active: boolean }

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/index.tsx

@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ import { Backdrop } from '@/components/Backdrop'
 import { PromptOverlays } from '@/components/prompt-overlays'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
+import { ErrorState } from '@/components/ui/error-state'
 import { getGlobalModelOptions, type HermesGateway } from '@/hermes'
+import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import type { ChatMessage } from '@/lib/chat-messages'
 import { quickModelOptions, sessionTitle, toRuntimeMessage } from '@/lib/chat-runtime'
 import { useIncrementalExternalStoreRuntime } from '@/lib/incremental-external-store-runtime'
@@ -38,11 +40,12 @@ import {
   $lastVisibleMessageIsUser,
   $messages,
   $messagesEmpty,
+  $resumeExhaustedSessionId,
   $selectedStoredSessionId,
   $sessions,
   sessionPinId
 } from '@/store/session'
-import { isNewSessionWindow, isSecondaryWindow } from '@/store/windows'
+import { isSecondaryWindow } from '@/store/windows'
 import type { ModelOptionsResponse } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 import { routeSessionId } from '../routes'
@@ -62,6 +65,7 @@ import { threadLoadingState } from './thread-loading'
 
 interface ChatViewProps extends Omit<React.ComponentProps<'div'>, 'onSubmit'> {
   gateway: HermesGateway | null
+  modelMenuContent?: React.ReactNode
   onToggleSelectedPin: () => void
   onDeleteSelectedSession: () => void
   onCancel: () => Promise<void> | void
@@ -85,7 +89,9 @@ interface ChatViewProps extends Omit<React.ComponentProps<'div'>, 'onSubmit'> {
   onEdit: (message: AppendMessage) => Promise<void>
   onReload: (parentId: string | null) => Promise<void>
   onRestoreToMessage?: (messageId: string) => Promise<void>
+  onRetryResume: (sessionId: string) => void
   onTranscribeAudio?: (audio: Blob) => Promise<string>
+  onDismissError?: (messageId: string) => void
 }
 
 interface ChatHeaderProps {
@@ -120,10 +126,10 @@ function ChatHeader({
       ? pinnedSessionIds.includes(selectedSessionId)
       : false
 
-  // A brand-new session has no session to pin/delete/rename, so the header is
-  // just a dead "New session" label + chevron. Drop it (and its border)
-  // entirely until there's a real session to act on.
-  if (isNewSessionWindow() || (!selectedSessionId && !activeSessionId && !isRoutedSessionView)) {
+  // Secondary windows (new-session scratch, subagent watch, cmd-click pop-out)
+  // are compact side panels — they drop the session-actions header + border
+  // entirely. A brand-new draft has nothing to pin/delete/rename either.
+  if (isSecondaryWindow() || (!selectedSessionId && !activeSessionId && !isRoutedSessionView)) {
     return null
   }
 
@@ -250,6 +256,7 @@ function ChatRuntimeBoundary({
 export function ChatView({
   className,
   gateway,
+  modelMenuContent,
   onToggleSelectedPin,
   onDeleteSelectedSession,
   onCancel,
@@ -270,9 +277,12 @@ export function ChatView({
   onEdit,
   onReload,
   onRestoreToMessage,
-  onTranscribeAudio
+  onRetryResume,
+  onTranscribeAudio,
+  onDismissError
 }: ChatViewProps) {
   const location = useLocation()
+  const { t } = useI18n()
   const activeSessionId = useStore($activeSessionId)
   const awaitingResponse = useStore($awaitingResponse)
   const busy = useStore($busy)
@@ -294,6 +304,7 @@ export function ChatView({
   const messagesEmpty = useStore($messagesEmpty)
   const lastVisibleIsUser = useStore($lastVisibleMessageIsUser)
   const selectedSessionId = useStore($selectedStoredSessionId)
+  const resumeExhaustedSessionId = useStore($resumeExhaustedSessionId)
   const routedSessionId = routeSessionId(location.pathname)
   const isRoutedSessionView = Boolean(routedSessionId)
 
@@ -313,9 +324,21 @@ export function ChatView({
   // session exists — even if it has zero messages (a brand-new routed
   // session). The flicker where `busy` flips true briefly during hydrate
   // is handled by `threadLoadingState`'s last-visible-user gate.
-  const loadingSession = isRoutedSessionView && (routeSessionMismatch || (messagesEmpty && !activeSessionId))
+  //
+  // resumeExhausted: the bounded auto-retry in use-route-resume gave up on this
+  // routed session (gateway RPC + REST fallback failed through every attempt).
+  // Suppress the loader and show an explicit error + manual Retry instead of
+  // spinning forever. Gated on the route matching so a stale latch from another
+  // session can't blank the current one.
+  const resumeExhausted = isRoutedSessionView && resumeExhaustedSessionId === routedSessionId
+
+  const loadingSession =
+    !resumeExhausted && isRoutedSessionView && (routeSessionMismatch || (messagesEmpty && !activeSessionId))
+
   const threadLoading = threadLoadingState(loadingSession, busy, awaitingResponse, lastVisibleIsUser)
-  const showChatBar = !loadingSession
+  // Hide the composer in the exhausted error state too: there's no live runtime
+  // to send to until a retry rebinds one.
+  const showChatBar = !loadingSession && !resumeExhausted
   const threadKey = selectedSessionId || activeSessionId || (isRoutedSessionView ? location.pathname : 'new')
 
   const modelOptionsQuery = useQuery<ModelOptionsResponse>({
@@ -346,6 +369,7 @@ export function ChatView({
         provider: currentProvider,
         canSwitch: gatewayOpen,
         loading: !gatewayOpen || (!currentModel && !currentProvider),
+        modelMenuContent,
         quickModels
       },
       tools: {
@@ -358,7 +382,7 @@ export function ChatView({
         active: false
       }
     }),
-    [contextSuggestions, currentModel, currentProvider, gatewayOpen, quickModels]
+    [contextSuggestions, currentModel, currentProvider, gatewayOpen, modelMenuContent, quickModels]
   )
 
   // Drop files anywhere in the conversation area, not just on the composer
@@ -429,6 +453,7 @@ export function ChatView({
             loading={threadLoading}
             onBranchInNewChat={onBranchInNewChat}
             onCancel={onCancel}
+            onDismissError={onDismissError}
             onRestoreToMessage={onRestoreToMessage}
             sessionId={activeSessionId}
             sessionKey={threadKey}
@@ -462,6 +487,21 @@ export function ChatView({
             </Suspense>
           )}
         </ChatRuntimeBoundary>
+        {resumeExhausted && routedSessionId && (
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 z-10 grid place-items-center bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background) px-8 py-10">
+            <ErrorState
+              className="max-w-sm"
+              description={t.desktop.resumeStrandedBody}
+              title={t.desktop.resumeStrandedTitle}
+            >
+              <div className="grid justify-items-center">
+                <Button onClick={() => onRetryResume(routedSessionId)} size="sm" variant="outline">
+                  {t.desktop.resumeRetry}
+                </Button>
+              </div>
+            </ErrorState>
+          </div>
+        )}
         {showChatBar && <ScrollToBottomButton />}
         <ChatDropOverlay kind={dragKind} />
         <ChatSwapOverlay profile={gatewaySwapTarget} />

apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { useSkinCommand } from '@/themes/use-skin-command'
 
 import { formatRefValue } from '../components/assistant-ui/directive-text'
 import { getCronJobs, getSessionMessages, listAllProfileSessions, type SessionInfo, triggerCronJob } from '../hermes'
-import { preserveLocalAssistantErrors, toChatMessages } from '../lib/chat-messages'
+import { type ChatMessage, chatMessageText, preserveLocalAssistantErrors, toChatMessages } from '../lib/chat-messages'
 import {
   isMessagingSource,
   LOCAL_SESSION_SOURCE_IDS,
@@ -52,7 +52,10 @@ import {
   $currentCwd,
   $freshDraftReady,
   $gatewayState,
+  $messages,
   $messagingSessions,
+  $resumeFailedSessionId,
+  $resumeExhaustedSessionId,
   $selectedStoredSessionId,
   $sessions,
   $workingSessionIds,
@@ -199,6 +202,8 @@ export function DesktopController() {
   const activeSessionId = useStore($activeSessionId)
   const currentCwd = useStore($currentCwd)
   const freshDraftReady = useStore($freshDraftReady)
+  const resumeFailedSessionId = useStore($resumeFailedSessionId)
+  const resumeExhaustedSessionId = useStore($resumeExhaustedSessionId)
   const filePreviewTarget = useStore($filePreviewTarget)
   const previewTarget = useStore($previewTarget)
   const selectedStoredSessionId = useStore($selectedStoredSessionId)
@@ -711,7 +716,9 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     }
 
     lastGatewayProfileRef.current = activeGatewayProfile
-    void refreshCurrentModel()
+    // Force: the new profile has its own default, so reseed even if the composer
+    // already shows the previous profile's model.
+    void refreshCurrentModel(true)
     void refreshActiveProfile()
   }, [activeGatewayProfile, refreshCurrentModel])
 
@@ -734,6 +741,49 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     [branchCurrentSession, refreshSessions]
   )
 
+  // Clear a failed turn's red error banner from the transcript. Errors are
+  // renderer-local state (never persisted), so dismissing is purely a view +
+  // session-cache edit. A message that errored before emitting any visible
+  // text is a bare error placeholder → drop it entirely; one that streamed
+  // partial output then failed keeps its content and just sheds the error.
+  // Both the per-runtime cache AND the live $messages view must be updated:
+  // `preserveLocalAssistantErrors` re-grafts any still-errored message it
+  // finds in the view onto the next session.info flush, so clearing only the
+  // cache would let the heartbeat resurrect the banner.
+  const dismissError = useCallback(
+    (messageId: string) => {
+      const runtimeSessionId = activeSessionIdRef.current
+
+      if (!runtimeSessionId) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const clearErrorIn = (messages: ChatMessage[]): ChatMessage[] =>
+        messages.flatMap(message => {
+          if (message.id !== messageId || !message.error) {
+            return [message]
+          }
+
+          if (!chatMessageText(message).trim() && !message.parts.some(part => part.type !== 'text')) {
+            return []
+          }
+
+          return [{ ...message, error: undefined, pending: false }]
+        })
+
+      // View first: the flush below reads $messages as the "current" baseline
+      // for error preservation, so the banner must be gone from it before the
+      // cache update triggers a re-sync.
+      setMessages(clearErrorIn($messages.get()))
+
+      updateSessionState(runtimeSessionId, state => ({
+        ...state,
+        messages: clearErrorIn(state.messages)
+      }))
+    },
+    [activeSessionIdRef, updateSessionState]
+  )
+
   const startSessionInWorkspace = useCallback(
     (path: null | string) => {
       startFreshSessionDraft()
@@ -843,6 +893,8 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     gatewayState,
     locationPathname: location.pathname,
     resumeSession,
+    resumeFailedSessionId,
+    resumeExhaustedSessionId,
     routedSessionId,
     runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef,
     selectedStoredSessionId,
@@ -859,7 +911,6 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     gatewayLogLines,
     gatewayState,
     inferenceStatus,
-    modelMenuContent,
     openAgents,
     freshDraftReady,
     openCommandCenterSection,
@@ -981,6 +1032,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     <ChatView
       gateway={gatewayRef.current}
       maxVoiceRecordingSeconds={voiceMaxRecordingSeconds}
+      modelMenuContent={modelMenuContent}
       onAddContextRef={composer.addContextRefAttachment}
       onAddUrl={url => composer.addContextRefAttachment(`@url:${formatRefValue(url)}`, url)}
       onAttachDroppedItems={composer.attachDroppedItems}
@@ -992,6 +1044,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
           void removeSession(selectedStoredSessionId)
         }
       }}
+      onDismissError={dismissError}
       onEdit={editMessage}
       onPasteClipboardImage={() => void composer.pasteClipboardImage()}
       onPickFiles={() => void composer.pickContextPaths('file')}
@@ -1000,6 +1053,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
       onReload={reloadFromMessage}
       onRemoveAttachment={id => void composer.removeAttachment(id)}
       onRestoreToMessage={restoreToMessage}
+      onRetryResume={sessionId => void resumeSession(sessionId, true)}
       onSteer={steerPrompt}
       onSubmit={submitText}
       onThreadMessagesChange={handleThreadMessagesChange}

apps/desktop/src/app/right-sidebar/store.ts

@@ -9,3 +9,22 @@ export const $terminalTakeover = atom(storedBoolean(TAKEOVER_KEY, false))
 $terminalTakeover.subscribe(active => persistBoolean(TAKEOVER_KEY, active))
 
 export const setTerminalTakeover = (active: boolean) => $terminalTakeover.set(active)
+
+/** A command queued to run in the embedded terminal. The terminal pane flushes
+ *  (and clears) it once its session is live, so a value set before the pane
+ *  mounts still runs. Cleared after flush so a later remount can't replay it. */
+export const $terminalInjection = atom<null | string>(null)
+
+/** Open the terminal pane and run a command in it. Used to disconnect external
+ *  (CLI-managed) providers, which Hermes can't clear via the API — the user
+ *  sees exactly what runs instead of Hermes silently deleting their creds. */
+export const runInTerminal = (command: string) => {
+  const trimmed = command.trim()
+
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return
+  }
+
+  setTerminalTakeover(true)
+  $terminalInjection.set(trimmed)
+}

apps/desktop/src/app/right-sidebar/terminal/use-terminal-session.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
 import { $filePreviewTarget, $previewTarget } from '@/store/preview'
 import { useTheme } from '@/themes/context'
 
+import { $terminalInjection } from '../store'
+
 import { makeTerminalReader, setActiveTerminalReader } from './buffer'
 import {
   isAddSelectionShortcut,
@@ -675,6 +677,28 @@ export function useTerminalSession({ cwd, onAddSelectionToChat }: UseTerminalSes
     return () => cancelAnimationFrame(raf)
   }, [activeTheme, themeName])
 
+  // Flush a queued command (e.g. a provider-disconnect) into the live session.
+  // Only active while open; the subscribe fires immediately, so a command set
+  // before this pane mounted runs as soon as the session is ready. Clearing the
+  // atom after writing stops a later remount from replaying a stale command.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (status !== 'open') {
+      return
+    }
+
+    return $terminalInjection.subscribe(command => {
+      const id = sessionIdRef.current
+
+      if (!command || !id) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      void window.hermesDesktop?.terminal?.write(id, `${command}\r`)
+      $terminalInjection.set(null)
+      termRef.current?.focus()
+    })
+  }, [status])
+
   return {
     addSelectionToChat,
     hostRef,

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-message-stream.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   type GatewayEventPayload,
   reasoningPart,
   renderMediaTags,
+  textPart,
   upsertToolPart
 } from '@/lib/chat-messages'
 import { coerceGatewayText, coerceThinkingText, normalizePersonalityValue } from '@/lib/chat-runtime'
@@ -1080,6 +1081,32 @@ export function useMessageStream({
           // completions / watch matches here — re-sync the status stack.
           void refreshBackgroundProcesses(sessionId)
         }
+      } else if (event.type === 'review.summary') {
+        // Self-improvement background review saved something to memory/skills
+        // and emitted a persistent summary (Python formats it as
+        // "💾 Self-improvement review: …"). The CLI prints this via
+        // prompt_toolkit and the Ink TUI renders it as a system line; the
+        // desktop has neither, so without this handler the skill/memory
+        // change happens silently. Surface it as a persistent system message
+        // in the transcript so the user is always informed — it must not be a
+        // transient toast that can be missed.
+        const text = coerceGatewayText(payload?.text).trim()
+
+        if (text && sessionId) {
+          flushQueuedDeltas(sessionId)
+          updateSessionState(sessionId, state => ({
+            ...state,
+            messages: [
+              ...state.messages,
+              {
+                id: `review-summary-${Date.now()}`,
+                role: 'system',
+                parts: [textPart(text)],
+                timestamp: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000)
+              }
+            ]
+          }))
+        }
       } else if (event.type === 'error') {
         const errorMessage = payload?.message || 'Hermes reported an error'
         const looksLikeProviderSetup = isProviderSetupErrorMessage(errorMessage)
@@ -1102,8 +1129,13 @@ export function useMessageStream({
 
         if (looksLikeProviderSetup) {
           requestDesktopOnboarding(errorMessage)
-        } else if (isActiveEvent) {
+        } else {
+          // Toast globally, not just when the failing thread is focused: a
+          // turn-ending error (e.g. out of funds) blocks every thread, so the
+          // inline error alone is too easy to miss. The stable id collapses the
+          // same error from multiple blocked threads into one toast.
           notify({
+            id: `gateway-error:${errorMessage}`,
             kind: 'error',
             title: 'Hermes error',
             message: errorMessage

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-model-controls.test.tsx

@@ -130,7 +130,6 @@ describe('useModelControls', () => {
     await expect(
       controls.selectModel({
         model: 'claude-sonnet-4.6',
-        persistGlobal: false,
         provider: 'anthropic'
       })
     ).resolves.toBe(true)
@@ -143,26 +142,57 @@ describe('useModelControls', () => {
     expect(requestGateway).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('slash.exec', expect.anything())
   })
 
-  it('keeps the global path on setGlobalModel when there is no active session', async () => {
-    setGlobalModel.mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+  it('stores a no-session pick as UI state with no gateway or global write', async () => {
+    const requestGateway = vi.fn()
     let controls!: Controls
 
     render(
       <Harness
         activeSessionId={null}
         onReady={value => (controls = value)}
-        requestGateway={vi.fn()}
+        requestGateway={requestGateway}
       />
     )
 
     await expect(
       controls.selectModel({
         model: 'claude-sonnet-4.6',
-        persistGlobal: false,
         provider: 'anthropic'
       })
     ).resolves.toBe(true)
 
-    expect(setGlobalModel).toHaveBeenCalledWith('anthropic', 'claude-sonnet-4.6')
+    // The pick is plain UI state; session.create ships it later. Nothing touches
+    // the gateway or the profile default here.
+    expect($currentModel.get()).toBe('claude-sonnet-4.6')
+    expect($currentProvider.get()).toBe('anthropic')
+    expect(requestGateway).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(setGlobalModel).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('seeds an empty composer model from global but never clobbers a pick', async () => {
+    vi.mocked(getGlobalModelInfo).mockResolvedValue({ model: 'openai/gpt-5.5', provider: 'openai-codex' })
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useModelControls({
+        activeSessionId: null,
+        queryClient: new QueryClient(),
+        requestGateway: vi.fn()
+      })
+    )
+
+    // Empty → seeds the default.
+    await result.current.refreshCurrentModel()
+    expect($currentModel.get()).toBe('openai/gpt-5.5')
+
+    // A user pick must survive the lifecycle refreshes that fire on boot / fresh
+    // draft / session events.
+    setCurrentModel('anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6')
+    setCurrentProvider('anthropic')
+    await result.current.refreshCurrentModel()
+    expect($currentModel.get()).toBe('anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6')
+
+    // A profile swap forces a reseed to the new profile's default.
+    await result.current.refreshCurrentModel(true)
+    expect($currentModel.get()).toBe('openai/gpt-5.5')
   })
 })

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-model-controls.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { type QueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import { useCallback } from 'react'
 
-import { getGlobalModelInfo, setGlobalModel } from '@/hermes'
+import { getGlobalModelInfo } from '@/hermes'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import {
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import type { ModelOptionsResponse } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 interface ModelSelection {
   model: string
-  persistGlobal: boolean
   provider: string
 }
 
@@ -28,6 +27,7 @@ interface ModelControlsOptions {
 export function useModelControls({ activeSessionId, queryClient, requestGateway }: ModelControlsOptions) {
   const { t } = useI18n()
   const copy = t.desktop
+
   const updateModelOptionsCache = useCallback(
     (provider: string, model: string, includeGlobal: boolean) => {
       const patch = (prev: ModelOptionsResponse | undefined) => ({ ...(prev ?? {}), provider, model })
@@ -41,14 +41,24 @@ export function useModelControls({ activeSessionId, queryClient, requestGateway
     [activeSessionId, queryClient]
   )
 
-  const refreshCurrentModel = useCallback(async () => {
+  // Seed the composer's model state from the profile default. `force` reseeds
+  // for a profile swap (the new profile has its own default); otherwise this
+  // only fills an EMPTY selection so a user's pick (plain UI state in
+  // $currentModel) survives the lifecycle refreshes that fire on boot / fresh
+  // draft / session events. A live session owns the footer, so skip entirely.
+  const refreshCurrentModel = useCallback(async (force = false) => {
     try {
+      if ($activeSessionId.get()) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      if (!force && $currentModel.get()) {
+        return
+      }
+
       const result = await getGlobalModelInfo()
 
-      // A resumed/live session owns the footer model state. Global config
-      // refreshes (gateway boot, profile swap, settings save) must not clobber
-      // the active chat's runtime model/provider in the status bar.
-      if ($activeSessionId.get()) {
+      if ($activeSessionId.get() || (!force && $currentModel.get())) {
         return
       }
 
@@ -64,12 +74,14 @@ export function useModelControls({ activeSessionId, queryClient, requestGateway
     }
   }, [])
 
-  // Returns whether the switch succeeded so callers can await it before
-  // applying follow-up changes (e.g. editing a model's reasoning/fast must land
-  // on the right active model — bail rather than write to the previous one).
+  // Returns whether the switch succeeded so callers can await it before applying
+  // follow-up changes. The composer model is plain UI state: with no live
+  // session it's just stored (and shipped on the next session.create); with one
+  // it's scoped to that session via config.set. It NEVER writes the profile
+  // default — that lives in Settings → Model — so picking a model here can't
+  // silently mutate global config.
   const selectModel = useCallback(
     async (selection: ModelSelection): Promise<boolean> => {
-      const includeGlobal = selection.persistGlobal || !activeSessionId
       // Snapshot for rollback: the switch is applied optimistically, so a
       // failure must restore the prior model/provider (store + query cache)
       // rather than leave the UI showing a model the backend never selected.
@@ -78,42 +90,34 @@ export function useModelControls({ activeSessionId, queryClient, requestGateway
 
       setCurrentModel(selection.model)
       setCurrentProvider(selection.provider)
-      updateModelOptionsCache(selection.provider, selection.model, includeGlobal)
+      updateModelOptionsCache(selection.provider, selection.model, !activeSessionId)
+
+      // No live session yet: the pick is pure UI state. session.create reads
+      // $currentModel/$currentProvider and applies it as that session's override.
+      if (!activeSessionId) {
+        return true
+      }
 
       try {
-        if (activeSessionId) {
-          await requestGateway('config.set', {
-            session_id: activeSessionId,
-            key: 'model',
-            value: `${selection.model} --provider ${selection.provider}${selection.persistGlobal ? ' --global' : ''}`
-          })
+        await requestGateway('config.set', {
+          session_id: activeSessionId,
+          key: 'model',
+          value: `${selection.model} --provider ${selection.provider}`
+        })
 
-          if (selection.persistGlobal) {
-            void refreshCurrentModel()
-          }
-
-          void queryClient.invalidateQueries({
-            queryKey: selection.persistGlobal ? ['model-options'] : ['model-options', activeSessionId]
-          })
-
-          return true
-        }
-
-        await setGlobalModel(selection.provider, selection.model)
-        void refreshCurrentModel()
-        void queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['model-options'] })
+        void queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['model-options', activeSessionId] })
 
         return true
       } catch (err) {
         setCurrentModel(prevModel)
         setCurrentProvider(prevProvider)
-        updateModelOptionsCache(prevProvider, prevModel, includeGlobal)
+        updateModelOptionsCache(prevProvider, prevModel, !activeSessionId)
         notifyError(err, copy.modelSwitchFailed)
 
         return false
       }
     },
-    [activeSessionId, copy.modelSwitchFailed, queryClient, refreshCurrentModel, requestGateway, updateModelOptionsCache]
+    [activeSessionId, copy.modelSwitchFailed, queryClient, requestGateway, updateModelOptionsCache]
   )
 
   return { refreshCurrentModel, selectModel, updateModelOptionsCache }

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.test.tsx

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import { cleanup, render } from '@testing-library/react'
 import type { MutableRefObject } from 'react'
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
+import { $resumeExhaustedSessionId, setResumeExhaustedSessionId } from '@/store/session'
+
 import { useRouteResume } from './use-route-resume'
 
 interface HarnessProps {
@@ -13,6 +15,8 @@ interface HarnessProps {
   gatewayState: string
   locationPathname: string
   resumeSession: (sessionId: string, focus: boolean) => Promise<unknown>
+  resumeFailedSessionId?: null | string
+  resumeExhaustedSessionId?: null | string
   routedSessionId: null | string
   runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef: MutableRefObject<Map<string, string>>
   selectedStoredSessionId: null | string
@@ -20,8 +24,12 @@ interface HarnessProps {
   startFreshSessionDraft: (focus: boolean) => unknown
 }
 
-function RouteResumeHarness(props: HarnessProps) {
-  useRouteResume(props)
+function RouteResumeHarness({
+  resumeFailedSessionId = null,
+  resumeExhaustedSessionId = null,
+  ...props
+}: HarnessProps) {
+  useRouteResume({ ...props, resumeExhaustedSessionId, resumeFailedSessionId })
 
   return null
 }
@@ -256,3 +264,212 @@ describe('useRouteResume', () => {
     expect(resumeSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith('session-1', true)
   })
 })
+
+describe('useRouteResume bounded auto-retry after a failed resume', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cleanup()
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+    vi.restoreAllMocks()
+    setResumeExhaustedSessionId(null)
+  })
+
+  // Common stranded-window props: gateway open, route on the session, no runtime
+  // yet, and the ref already synced to the route (resumeSession sets it at entry
+  // before failing) — the exact state that defeats the main effect's self-heal.
+  function strandedProps(resumeSession: (sid: string, focus: boolean) => Promise<unknown>) {
+    return {
+      activeSessionId: null,
+      activeSessionIdRef: { current: null } as MutableRefObject<null | string>,
+      creatingSessionRef: { current: false },
+      currentView: 'chat',
+      freshDraftReady: false,
+      gatewayState: 'open',
+      locationPathname: '/session-1',
+      resumeSession,
+      routedSessionId: 'session-1',
+      runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef: { current: new Map<string, string>() },
+      selectedStoredSessionId: 'session-1',
+      // Synced to the route by the failed resume's synchronous entry-write.
+      selectedStoredSessionIdRef: { current: 'session-1' } as MutableRefObject<null | string>,
+      startFreshSessionDraft: vi.fn()
+    }
+  }
+
+  it('retries the resume on backoff when the routed session is flagged as failed', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const resumeSession = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
+
+    render(<RouteResumeHarness {...strandedProps(resumeSession)} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />)
+
+    // The main effect fires one resume on mount (pathname-changed). Clear it so
+    // we assert purely the bounded-retry effect's scheduled retry below.
+    resumeSession.mockClear()
+
+    // No immediate fire — the retry is scheduled behind the backoff timer.
+    expect(resumeSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    // First backoff window (1s) elapses → one retry.
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1_000)
+    expect(resumeSession).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(resumeSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith('session-1', true)
+  })
+
+  it('does NOT retry a failed session that is not the routed one', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const resumeSession = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
+
+    // The failure flag points at a different session than the route.
+    render(<RouteResumeHarness {...strandedProps(resumeSession)} resumeFailedSessionId="other-session" />)
+    resumeSession.mockClear() // drop the mount resume
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(10_000)
+    expect(resumeSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('skips the scheduled retry if the session already recovered when the timer fires', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const resumeSession = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
+    const props = strandedProps(resumeSession)
+
+    render(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />)
+    resumeSession.mockClear() // drop the mount resume
+
+    // A resume landed while we waited: runtime is now bound.
+    props.activeSessionIdRef.current = 'runtime-1'
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(8_000)
+    expect(resumeSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('stops retrying after MAX_RESUME_RETRIES consecutive failures', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const resumeSession = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
+    const props = strandedProps(resumeSession)
+
+    // Model the real re-arm loop: resumeSession clears $resumeFailedSessionId at
+    // entry (null) and a repeat failure re-sets it ('session-1'). That null->id
+    // toggle is what re-runs the effect and advances the bounded counter. The
+    // routed session never changes, so the counter is NOT reset between cycles.
+    const { rerender } = render(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />)
+    resumeSession.mockClear() // drop the mount resume; count only the retries
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < 8; i += 1) {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(8_000) // fire the scheduled retry (if any)
+      rerender(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId={null} />) // cleared at entry
+      rerender(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />) // re-armed on failure
+    }
+
+    // Capped at MAX_RESUME_RETRIES (4): a persistently dead backend can't
+    // hot-loop the resume forever.
+    expect(resumeSession.mock.calls.length).toBe(4)
+
+    // Once auto-retry gives up, the exhausted latch is armed for the routed
+    // session so the chat view can swap the perpetual loader for an explicit
+    // error + manual Retry instead of spinning forever.
+    expect($resumeExhaustedSessionId.get()).toBe('session-1')
+  })
+
+  it('does not arm the exhausted latch while retries remain', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const resumeSession = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
+    const props = strandedProps(resumeSession)
+
+    const { rerender } = render(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />)
+    resumeSession.mockClear()
+
+    // Two failure cycles — still under the 4-retry cap, so the latch must stay
+    // clear and the loader keeps spinning (auto-recovery hasn't given up yet).
+    for (let i = 0; i < 2; i += 1) {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(8_000)
+      rerender(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId={null} />)
+      rerender(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />)
+    }
+
+    expect($resumeExhaustedSessionId.get()).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('clears a stale exhausted latch when the route moves off the stranded session', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const resumeSession = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
+    const props = strandedProps(resumeSession)
+
+    // Pre-arm the latch as if this session had exhausted its retries.
+    setResumeExhaustedSessionId('session-1')
+
+    // Route is now on a different, healthy session that is not flagged as
+    // failed — the retry effect's "route moved off" branch clears the latch.
+    render(
+      <RouteResumeHarness
+        {...props}
+        activeSessionId="runtime-2"
+        activeSessionIdRef={{ current: 'runtime-2' }}
+        locationPathname="/session-2"
+        resumeFailedSessionId={null}
+        routedSessionId="session-2"
+        selectedStoredSessionId="session-2"
+        selectedStoredSessionIdRef={{ current: 'session-2' }}
+      />
+    )
+
+    expect($resumeExhaustedSessionId.get()).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('resets the retry counter for a fresh backoff cycle when the exhausted latch clears (manual retry, same session)', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const resumeSession = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
+    const props = strandedProps(resumeSession)
+
+    // Phase A — exhaust the bounded auto-retry (counter → MAX) like a dead
+    // backend. The resumeExhaustedSessionId prop stays null here: the hook sets
+    // the store, which doesn't feed back into the prop in this harness.
+    const { rerender } = render(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />)
+    resumeSession.mockClear()
+    for (let i = 0; i < 8; i += 1) {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(8_000)
+      rerender(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId={null} />)
+      rerender(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />)
+    }
+    expect(resumeSession.mock.calls.length).toBe(4) // capped
+    expect($resumeExhaustedSessionId.get()).toBe('session-1')
+
+    // Phase B — user clicks Retry on the SAME stranded session. resumeSession
+    // clears both latches at entry; the exhausted latch's armed->cleared edge
+    // must reset the attempt counter so a fresh bounded cycle runs, not a single
+    // one-shot attempt that immediately re-arms the error. Model the prop
+    // transitions: reflect the armed latch, then clear it (retry), then re-arm
+    // the failure latch on the fresh failure.
+    resumeSession.mockClear()
+    rerender(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeExhaustedSessionId="session-1" resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />)
+    rerender(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeExhaustedSessionId={null} resumeFailedSessionId={null} />)
+    rerender(<RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeExhaustedSessionId={null} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" />)
+
+    // A real retry fires again instead of staying pinned at MAX (which would
+    // dispatch nothing). Without the reset the counter stays >= MAX and this
+    // advance dispatches zero resumes.
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(8_000)
+    expect(resumeSession.mock.calls.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+  })
+
+  it('does not burn retry attempts on unrelated re-renders during the backoff window', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const props = strandedProps(vi.fn())
+
+    // Mount schedules the first backoff timer. Then re-render repeatedly with a
+    // fresh resumeSession identity (referential instability — a real dep change
+    // for the retry effect) WITHOUT ever letting the timer fire. The old code
+    // incremented the attempt counter at schedule time, so >= MAX re-renders
+    // armed the exhausted error with zero resumes actually dispatched. The fix
+    // only advances the counter when a timer truly fires, so the latch stays
+    // clear no matter how many spurious re-renders happen mid-backoff.
+    const { rerender } = render(
+      <RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" resumeSession={vi.fn(async () => undefined)} />
+    )
+    for (let j = 0; j < 8; j += 1) {
+      rerender(
+        <RouteResumeHarness {...props} resumeFailedSessionId="session-1" resumeSession={vi.fn(async () => undefined)} />
+      )
+    }
+
+    expect($resumeExhaustedSessionId.get()).toBeNull()
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { type MutableRefObject, useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
 
 import { isNewChatRoute } from '@/app/routes'
+import { setResumeExhaustedSessionId } from '@/store/session'
 
 interface RouteResumeOptions {
   activeSessionId: string | null
@@ -11,6 +12,17 @@ interface RouteResumeOptions {
   gatewayState: string | undefined
   locationPathname: string
   resumeSession: (sessionId: string, focus: boolean) => Promise<unknown>
+  // Stored-session id whose most recent resume failed terminally (set by
+  // useSessionActions, mirrored from $resumeFailedSessionId). While this equals
+  // routedSessionId the window would otherwise latch on the loader forever, so
+  // the bounded-retry effect below re-attempts the resume.
+  resumeFailedSessionId: string | null
+  // Stored-session id whose bounded auto-retry has EXHAUSTED (mirrored from
+  // $resumeExhaustedSessionId). Only resumeSession clears this latch (manual
+  // Retry / reconnect / reselect) — the auto-retry loop never does — so its
+  // armed->cleared edge is an unambiguous "give me a fresh backoff cycle"
+  // signal the effect below uses to reset the attempt counter.
+  resumeExhaustedSessionId: string | null
   routedSessionId: string | null
   runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef: MutableRefObject<Map<string, string>>
   selectedStoredSessionId: string | null
@@ -18,6 +30,19 @@ interface RouteResumeOptions {
   startFreshSessionDraft: (focus: boolean) => unknown
 }
 
+// Bounded auto-retry for a stranded session window. A resume can fail terminally
+// (gateway RPC reject + REST fallback failure) on a transiently wedged backend —
+// dead provider key, a runaway turn hogging the dispatcher, flaky DNS. Without a
+// retry the loader latches forever. We retry with backoff, capped, so a
+// genuinely dead backend doesn't hot-loop the resume.
+const MAX_RESUME_RETRIES = 4
+const RESUME_RETRY_BASE_MS = 1_000
+const RESUME_RETRY_MAX_MS = 8_000
+
+function resumeRetryDelayMs(attempt: number): number {
+  return Math.min(RESUME_RETRY_MAX_MS, RESUME_RETRY_BASE_MS * 2 ** attempt)
+}
+
 // HashRouter boot edge case: pathname briefly reads `/` before the hash is
 // parsed. If the hash references a real session, defer; resume picks it up
 // next tick. Without this, ctrl+R on `#/:sessionId` flashes 5 loading states.
@@ -49,6 +74,8 @@ export function useRouteResume({
   gatewayState,
   locationPathname,
   resumeSession,
+  resumeFailedSessionId,
+  resumeExhaustedSessionId,
   routedSessionId,
   runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef,
   selectedStoredSessionId,
@@ -58,6 +85,16 @@ export function useRouteResume({
   const lastPathnameRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
   const seenGatewayStateRef = useRef(false)
   const wasGatewayOpenRef = useRef(false)
+  // Per-session retry bookkeeping for the bounded auto-retry effect below. Keyed
+  // by the session id we're retrying so switching chats resets the counter.
+  const retrySessionIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
+  const retryAttemptRef = useRef(0)
+  // Tracks the previous exhausted-latch value so we can detect its armed->cleared
+  // edge. resumeSession clears $resumeExhaustedSessionId on a manual Retry /
+  // reconnect / reselect; that transition is our cue to reset the attempt counter
+  // for a fresh backoff cycle on the SAME session (the auto-retry loop itself
+  // never touches this latch, so it can't spuriously trigger the reset).
+  const prevResumeExhaustedRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const gatewayOpen = gatewayState === 'open'
@@ -139,4 +176,111 @@ export function useRouteResume({
     selectedStoredSessionIdRef,
     startFreshSessionDraft
   ])
+
+  // Bounded auto-retry: when the routed session's resume failed terminally
+  // (resumeFailedSessionId matches the route), schedule a backoff retry so the
+  // window recovers on its own instead of latching the loader forever. This is
+  // the safety net the main effect above can't provide: after a failed resume,
+  // selectedStoredSessionIdRef.current already equals the route (resumeSession
+  // sets it synchronously at entry) and the pathname/gateway are unchanged, so
+  // none of stuckOnRoutedSession / pathnameChanged / gatewayBecameOpen fire
+  // again. resumeSession clears resumeFailedSessionId on its next attempt; a
+  // success keeps it clear (the effect's guard then no-ops), a repeat failure
+  // re-arms it and we back off further, capped at MAX_RESUME_RETRIES.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // Detect the exhausted-latch armed->cleared edge for the current route. Only
+    // resumeSession clears $resumeExhaustedSessionId (manual Retry / reconnect /
+    // reselect) — the auto-retry loop never touches it — so this transition
+    // uniquely means "the user asked for another go." Reset the attempt counter
+    // for a fresh bounded backoff cycle on the SAME session. Without this,
+    // retryAttemptRef stays pinned at MAX after exhaustion (the !stranded reset
+    // below only fires on a route CHANGE to a different session), so a manual
+    // retry on the same stranded session would get exactly ONE attempt and then
+    // immediately re-arm the exhausted error — never the renewed backoff cycle
+    // the store/session.ts + use-session-actions.ts comments promise. (Point 2)
+    const wasExhausted = prevResumeExhaustedRef.current
+    prevResumeExhaustedRef.current = resumeExhaustedSessionId
+    if (wasExhausted && wasExhausted === routedSessionId && resumeExhaustedSessionId !== wasExhausted) {
+      retrySessionIdRef.current = routedSessionId
+      retryAttemptRef.current = 0
+    }
+
+    if (currentView !== 'chat' || gatewayState !== 'open') {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const stranded =
+      Boolean(routedSessionId) &&
+      resumeFailedSessionId === routedSessionId &&
+      !creatingSessionRef.current
+
+    if (!stranded) {
+      // Route moved off the stranded session (or it recovered) — reset the
+      // counter so a future failure on another session starts fresh, and clear
+      // any exhausted-latch armed for a session we're no longer viewing (never
+      // the current route: that's the error state we want to keep showing).
+      // resumeSession also clears it on a fresh attempt; this covers a plain
+      // route-change away from the stranded window.
+      if (retrySessionIdRef.current !== routedSessionId) {
+        retrySessionIdRef.current = null
+        retryAttemptRef.current = 0
+        setResumeExhaustedSessionId(current => (current && current !== routedSessionId ? null : current))
+      }
+
+      return
+    }
+
+    // New stranded session id → reset the attempt counter.
+    if (retrySessionIdRef.current !== routedSessionId) {
+      retrySessionIdRef.current = routedSessionId
+      retryAttemptRef.current = 0
+    }
+
+    if (retryAttemptRef.current >= MAX_RESUME_RETRIES) {
+      // Give up auto-retrying a persistently dead backend; the user can still
+      // reconnect / reselect (which resets the counter via the branch above).
+      // Surface an explicit error + manual Retry in the chat view instead of
+      // spinning the loader forever — resumeSession (manual Retry / reconnect /
+      // reselect) clears this latch and resets the counter for a fresh cycle.
+      setResumeExhaustedSessionId(routedSessionId)
+
+      return
+    }
+
+    const attempt = retryAttemptRef.current
+    const sessionId = routedSessionId as string
+
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      // Re-check liveness at fire time: a resume may have landed while we waited.
+      if (
+        creatingSessionRef.current ||
+        selectedStoredSessionIdRef.current !== sessionId ||
+        activeSessionIdRef.current !== null
+      ) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      // Consume an attempt ONLY now that a resume is actually dispatching.
+      // Incrementing at schedule time (the old behavior) let unrelated dep
+      // changes during the 1s–8s backoff window — a transient gatewayState
+      // flip, a non-referentially-stable resumeSession — clear the pending
+      // timer and re-run the effect, burning an attempt without any resume
+      // having fired. A flapping backend could then hit MAX in a couple of
+      // re-renders with far fewer than MAX real attempts. (Point 3)
+      retryAttemptRef.current += 1
+      void resumeSession(sessionId, true)
+    }, resumeRetryDelayMs(attempt))
+
+    return () => clearTimeout(timer)
+  }, [
+    activeSessionIdRef,
+    creatingSessionRef,
+    currentView,
+    gatewayState,
+    resumeSession,
+    resumeFailedSessionId,
+    resumeExhaustedSessionId,
+    routedSessionId,
+    selectedStoredSessionIdRef
+  ])
 }

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions.test.tsx

@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ import type { MutableRefObject } from 'react'
 import { useEffect } from 'react'
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
+import { getSessionMessages } from '@/hermes'
 import { $activeGatewayProfile, $newChatProfile } from '@/store/profile'
-import { $currentCwd } from '@/store/session'
+import { $currentCwd, $messages, $resumeFailedSessionId, setMessages, setResumeFailedSessionId } from '@/store/session'
 
 import type { ClientSessionState } from '../../types'
 
@@ -117,3 +118,142 @@ describe('createBackendSessionForSend profile routing', () => {
     expect(params).toMatchObject({ profile: 'default' })
   })
 })
+
+// ── Resume failure recovery (the "stuck loading session window" bug) ──────────
+// When session.resume rejects AND the REST transcript fallback ALSO fails, the
+// hook must (a) not throw out of the fallback (which stranded the loader), and
+// (b) arm $resumeFailedSessionId so use-route-resume can retry. A resume that
+// succeeds must NOT leave the flag armed.
+function ResumeHarness({
+  onReady,
+  requestGateway
+}: {
+  onReady: (resume: (storedSessionId: string, replaceRoute?: boolean) => Promise<unknown>) => void
+  requestGateway: <T>(method: string, params?: Record<string, unknown>) => Promise<T>
+}) {
+  const ref = <T,>(value: T): MutableRefObject<T> => ({ current: value })
+
+  const actions = useSessionActions({
+    activeSessionId: null,
+    activeSessionIdRef: ref<string | null>(null),
+    busyRef: ref(false),
+    creatingSessionRef: ref(false),
+    ensureSessionState: () => ({}) as ClientSessionState,
+    getRouteToken: () => 'token',
+    navigate: vi.fn() as never,
+    requestGateway,
+    runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef: ref(new Map<string, string>()),
+    selectedStoredSessionId: null,
+    selectedStoredSessionIdRef: ref<string | null>(null),
+    sessionStateByRuntimeIdRef: ref(new Map<string, ClientSessionState>()),
+    syncSessionStateToView: vi.fn(),
+    updateSessionState: (_sessionId, updater) => updater({} as ClientSessionState)
+  })
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    onReady(actions.resumeSession)
+  }, [actions.resumeSession, onReady])
+
+  return null
+}
+
+describe('resumeSession failure recovery', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cleanup()
+    setResumeFailedSessionId(null)
+    setMessages([])
+    vi.restoreAllMocks()
+  })
+
+  async function runResume(
+    requestGateway: <T>(method: string, params?: Record<string, unknown>) => Promise<T>
+  ): Promise<void> {
+    let resume: ((storedSessionId: string, replaceRoute?: boolean) => Promise<unknown>) | null = null
+    render(<ResumeHarness onReady={r => (resume = r)} requestGateway={requestGateway} />)
+    await waitFor(() => expect(resume).not.toBeNull())
+    await resume!('stored-1', true)
+  }
+
+  it('arms $resumeFailedSessionId when resume RPC and REST fallback both fail', async () => {
+    // session.resume rejects (e.g. timeout against a wedged backend)...
+    const requestGateway = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === 'session.resume') {
+        throw new Error('request timed out: session.resume')
+      }
+
+      return {} as never
+    })
+
+    // ...and the REST transcript fallback also rejects (backend unreachable).
+    vi.mocked(getSessionMessages).mockRejectedValue(new Error('network down'))
+
+    await runResume(requestGateway)
+
+    // The window is no longer silently stranded: the failure latch is armed for
+    // the stored session, which use-route-resume consumes to retry.
+    expect($resumeFailedSessionId.get()).toBe('stored-1')
+  })
+
+  it('does NOT arm the failure latch when the resume RPC fails but the REST fallback paints history', async () => {
+    // session.resume rejects, but the REST transcript fallback succeeds and
+    // hydrates a readable transcript — the window is NOT stranded.
+    const requestGateway = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === 'session.resume') {
+        throw new Error('request timed out: session.resume')
+      }
+
+      return {} as never
+    })
+
+    vi.mocked(getSessionMessages).mockResolvedValue({
+      messages: [
+        { content: 'hello', role: 'user', timestamp: 1 },
+        { content: 'hi there', role: 'assistant', timestamp: 2 }
+      ],
+      session_id: 'stored-1'
+    } as never)
+
+    await runResume(requestGateway)
+
+    // Arming here would auto-retry a window that already shows history and,
+    // on exhaustion, blank that transcript behind the error overlay — a
+    // regression vs. plain fallback-success. The latch must stay clear.
+    expect($resumeFailedSessionId.get()).toBeNull()
+    // The fallback transcript is visible.
+    expect($messages.get().length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+  })
+
+  it('does NOT throw out of the fallback when REST also fails (no unhandled rejection)', async () => {
+    const requestGateway = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === 'session.resume') {
+        throw new Error('request timed out: session.resume')
+      }
+
+      return {} as never
+    })
+
+    vi.mocked(getSessionMessages).mockRejectedValue(new Error('network down'))
+
+    // resumeSession must resolve (swallow the fallback failure), not reject.
+    await expect(runResume(requestGateway)).resolves.toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('leaves the failure latch clear when resume succeeds', async () => {
+    // Pre-arm to prove a successful resume clears it (entry-clear path).
+    setResumeFailedSessionId('stored-1')
+
+    const requestGateway = vi.fn(async (method: string, params?: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+      if (method === 'session.resume') {
+        return { session_id: 'runtime-1', resumed: params?.session_id, messages: [], info: {} } as never
+      }
+
+      return {} as never
+    })
+
+    vi.mocked(getSessionMessages).mockResolvedValue({ messages: [] } as never)
+
+    await runResume(requestGateway)
+
+    expect($resumeFailedSessionId.get()).toBeNull()
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ import { requestDesktopOnboarding } from '@/store/onboarding'
 import { $activeGatewayProfile, $newChatProfile, $profiles, ensureGatewayProfile, normalizeProfileKey } from '@/store/profile'
 import {
   $currentCwd,
+  $currentFastMode,
+  $currentModel,
+  $currentProvider,
+  $currentReasoningEffort,
   $messages,
   $sessions,
   $yoloActive,
@@ -34,6 +38,8 @@ import {
   setFreshDraftReady,
   setIntroSeed,
   setMessages,
+  setResumeExhaustedSessionId,
+  setResumeFailedSessionId,
   setSelectedStoredSessionId,
   setSessions,
   setSessionStartedAt,
@@ -407,13 +413,13 @@ export function useSessionActions({
       })
       setSessionStartedAt(null)
       setTurnStartedAt(null)
-      // New chats start in the configured default project dir when set,
-      // otherwise the sticky last-used workspace (PR #37586).
-      setCurrentModel('')
-      setCurrentProvider('')
-      setCurrentReasoningEffort('')
+      // The composer's model/effort/fast is sticky UI state (persisted in
+      // localStorage) — a new chat FOLLOWS your last pick instead of snapping
+      // back to the profile default, so we deliberately don't reset it here. The
+      // profile default still owns first-run seeding and profile switches (see
+      // refreshCurrentModel). Only $currentServiceTier (a live-session mirror)
+      // is cleared.
       setCurrentServiceTier('')
-      setCurrentFastMode(false)
       setYoloActive(false)
       setCurrentCwd(workspaceCwdForNewSession())
       setCurrentBranch('')
@@ -443,11 +449,23 @@ export function useSessionActions({
         const newChatProfile = $newChatProfile.get() ?? normalizeProfileKey($activeGatewayProfile.get())
         await ensureGatewayProfile(newChatProfile)
         const cwd = $currentCwd.get().trim() || workspaceCwdForNewSession()
+        // The composer's model/effort/fast is sticky UI state ($currentModel,
+        // $currentProvider, $currentReasoningEffort, $currentFastMode). Ship it
+        // with every session.create so the new chat opens on whatever the picker
+        // shows — applied as per-session overrides, never written to the profile
+        // default (that lives in Settings → Model).
+        const uiModel = $currentModel.get().trim()
+        const uiProvider = $currentProvider.get().trim()
+        const uiEffort = $currentReasoningEffort.get().trim()
+        const uiFast = $currentFastMode.get()
 
         const created = await requestGateway<SessionCreateResponse>('session.create', {
           cols: 96,
           ...(cwd && { cwd }),
-          ...(newChatProfile ? { profile: newChatProfile } : {})
+          ...(newChatProfile ? { profile: newChatProfile } : {}),
+          ...(uiModel ? { model: uiModel, ...(uiProvider ? { provider: uiProvider } : {}) } : {}),
+          ...(uiEffort ? { reasoning_effort: uiEffort } : {}),
+          ...(uiFast ? { fast: true } : {})
         })
 
         const stored = created.stored_session_id ?? null
@@ -563,6 +581,15 @@ export function useSessionActions({
       clearNotifications()
       setSelectedStoredSessionId(storedSessionId)
       selectedStoredSessionIdRef.current = storedSessionId
+      // Optimistically clear any prior resume-failure latch for this session:
+      // we're attempting a fresh resume, so the self-heal in use-route-resume
+      // must not keep treating it as stranded. It's re-armed below only if THIS
+      // attempt fails terminally (RPC reject + REST fallback failure).
+      setResumeFailedSessionId(current => (current === storedSessionId ? null : current))
+      // Also clear the exhausted-latch: a fresh attempt (manual Retry, reconnect,
+      // reselect) gives the bounded auto-retry counter a clean cycle, so the
+      // chat view drops the error state and shows the loader again.
+      setResumeExhaustedSessionId(current => (current === storedSessionId ? null : current))
 
       const warmRuntimeId = runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef.current.get(storedSessionId)
 
@@ -753,13 +780,41 @@ export function useSessionActions({
           return
         }
 
-        const fallback = await getSessionMessages(storedSessionId, sessionProfile)
+        // The gateway resume RPC failed. Try the REST transcript as a fallback
+        // so the window at least shows history. CRITICAL: this fallback must be
+        // wrapped in its own try — if it ALSO throws (wedged/unreachable backend,
+        // the common case when resume failed in the first place), an unguarded
+        // throw here skips setMessages AND leaves activeSessionId null with an
+        // empty transcript. That is the exact state the thread loader latches on
+        // forever (messagesEmpty && !activeSessionId) with no recovery path —
+        // the "open in new window stays stuck loading, even after a nap" bug.
+        try {
+          const fallback = await getSessionMessages(storedSessionId, sessionProfile)
 
-        if (!isCurrentResume()) {
-          return
+          if (!isCurrentResume()) {
+            return
+          }
+
+          setMessages(preserveLocalAssistantErrors(toChatMessages(fallback.messages), $messages.get()))
+        } catch {
+          // Fallback also failed: nothing to paint. Leave whatever messages are
+          // already shown and fall through to arm the resume-failure latch so
+          // use-route-resume re-attempts the resume on the next render / window
+          // focus / gateway reconnect instead of stranding the loader.
+        }
+
+        if (isCurrentResume() && $messages.get().length === 0) {
+          // Arm the self-heal ONLY when the window is still empty: the gateway
+          // resume rejected AND the REST fallback failed to paint a transcript.
+          // That is the exact stranded state the loader latches on
+          // (messagesEmpty && !activeSessionId), and matches $resumeFailedSessionId's
+          // documented contract. If the REST fallback DID paint history, the
+          // window is readable — arming here would needlessly auto-retry and,
+          // once retries exhaust, blank that visible transcript behind the
+          // exhausted-state error overlay (a regression vs. plain fallback success).
+          setResumeFailedSessionId(storedSessionId)
         }
 
-        setMessages(preserveLocalAssistantErrors(toChatMessages(fallback.messages), $messages.get()))
         notifyError(err, copy.resumeFailed)
       } finally {
         if (isCurrentResume()) {

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-state-cache.test.tsx

@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@ import { act, cleanup, render } from '@testing-library/react'
 import type { MutableRefObject } from 'react'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
+import type { ChatMessage } from '@/lib/chat-messages'
 import {
   $currentFastMode,
   $currentModel,
   $currentProvider,
   $currentReasoningEffort,
   $currentServiceTier,
+  $messages,
   $turnStartedAt,
   setCurrentFastMode,
   setCurrentModel,
@@ -213,3 +215,113 @@ describe('useSessionStateCache — per-session turn timer', () => {
     expect($currentFastMode.get()).toBe(false)
   })
 })
+
+function userMessage(id: string, text: string): ChatMessage {
+  return { id, role: 'user', parts: [{ type: 'text', text }] }
+}
+
+function assistantText(id: string, text: string): ChatMessage {
+  return { id, role: 'assistant', parts: [{ type: 'text', text }] }
+}
+
+function assistantError(id: string, error: string): ChatMessage {
+  return { id, role: 'assistant', parts: [], error, pending: false }
+}
+
+interface ViewHarnessProps {
+  activeSessionId: string | null
+  onReady: (cache: Cache) => void
+}
+
+function ViewHarness({ activeSessionId, onReady }: ViewHarnessProps) {
+  const busyRef: MutableRefObject<boolean> = { current: false }
+  const cache = useSessionStateCache({
+    activeSessionId,
+    busyRef,
+    selectedStoredSessionId: null,
+    setAwaitingResponse: () => undefined,
+    setBusy: () => undefined,
+    // Wire the published view back into the real $messages atom the flush
+    // reads from, so the round-trip matches production.
+    setMessages: messages => $messages.set(messages)
+  })
+
+  onReady(cache)
+
+  return null
+}
+
+describe('useSessionStateCache — cross-thread error isolation', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cleanup()
+    $messages.set([])
+  })
+
+  it('does not leak a failed turn into another thread on switch', () => {
+    $messages.set([])
+    let cache!: Cache
+    const { rerender } = render(<ViewHarness activeSessionId="thread-A" onReady={c => (cache = c)} />)
+
+    // Thread A ends its turn with an out-of-funds error and is on screen.
+    act(() => {
+      cache.updateSessionState(
+        'thread-A',
+        state => ({
+          ...state,
+          busy: false,
+          messages: [userMessage('user-a', 'do the thing'), assistantError('assistant-a-error', 'Out of funds')]
+        }),
+        'stored-A'
+      )
+    })
+
+    expect($messages.get().some(message => message.error === 'Out of funds')).toBe(true)
+
+    // Switch to thread B (which completed cleanly). Its cached state syncs to
+    // the view while $messages still holds thread A's transcript.
+    rerender(<ViewHarness activeSessionId="thread-B" onReady={c => (cache = c)} />)
+    act(() => {
+      cache.updateSessionState(
+        'thread-B',
+        state => ({
+          ...state,
+          busy: false,
+          messages: [userMessage('user-b', 'hello'), assistantText('assistant-b', 'hi there')]
+        }),
+        'stored-B'
+      )
+    })
+
+    expect($messages.get().map(message => message.id)).toEqual(['user-b', 'assistant-b'])
+    expect($messages.get().some(message => message.error === 'Out of funds')).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('still preserves a same-session local error a heartbeat dropped', () => {
+    $messages.set([])
+    let cache!: Cache
+    render(<ViewHarness activeSessionId="thread-A" onReady={c => (cache = c)} />)
+
+    // First paint establishes thread A as the on-screen session.
+    act(() => {
+      cache.updateSessionState(
+        'thread-A',
+        state => ({ ...state, busy: false, messages: [userMessage('user-a', 'do the thing')] }),
+        'stored-A'
+      )
+    })
+
+    // A local error lands in the view (e.g. failAssistantMessage wrote it).
+    $messages.set([userMessage('user-a', 'do the thing'), assistantError('assistant-a-error', 'OpenRouter 403')])
+
+    // A later same-session heartbeat carries cached state that lost the error.
+    act(() => {
+      cache.updateSessionState('thread-A', state => ({
+        ...state,
+        busy: false,
+        messages: [userMessage('user-a', 'do the thing')]
+      }))
+    })
+
+    expect($messages.get().some(message => message.error === 'OpenRouter 403')).toBe(true)
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-state-cache.ts

@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ export function useSessionStateCache({
   const runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef = useRef(new Map<string, string>())
   const pendingViewStateRef = useRef<{ sessionId: string; state: ClientSessionState } | null>(null)
   const viewSyncRafRef = useRef<number | null>(null)
+  // Runtime id whose transcript currently occupies `$messages` — lets the
+  // flush below tell a same-session refresh from a thread switch.
+  const viewSessionIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     activeSessionIdRef.current = activeSessionId
@@ -142,12 +145,22 @@ export function useSessionStateCache({
     // jerks the scroll position while the user is reading. Skip the publish when
     // the merged result is content-identical to what's already on screen.
     const currentMessages = $messages.get()
-    const nextMessages = preserveLocalAssistantErrors(pending.state.messages, currentMessages)
+    // On a thread switch `$messages` still holds the *previous* thread, so
+    // preserving its local errors would graft that thread's failed turn (e.g.
+    // an out-of-funds error) onto this one — then cascade it everywhere as the
+    // polluted view becomes the next switch's baseline. Only carry errors
+    // across a same-session refresh; our cached state already keeps its own.
+    const nextMessages =
+      viewSessionIdRef.current === pending.sessionId
+        ? preserveLocalAssistantErrors(pending.state.messages, currentMessages)
+        : pending.state.messages
 
     if (!sameMessageList(nextMessages, currentMessages)) {
       setMessages(nextMessages)
     }
 
+    viewSessionIdRef.current = pending.sessionId
+
     syncRuntimeMetadataToView(pending.state)
     setBusy(pending.state.busy)
     setMutableRef(busyRef, pending.state.busy)

apps/desktop/src/app/settings/index.tsx

@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ export function SettingsView({ gateway, onClose, onConfigSaved, onMainModelChang
               onMainModelChanged={onMainModelChanged}
             />
           ) : activeView === 'providers' ? (
-            <ProvidersSettings onViewChange={setProviderView} view={providerView} />
+            <ProvidersSettings onClose={onClose} onViewChange={setProviderView} view={providerView} />
           ) : activeView === 'keys' ? (
             <KeysSettings view={keysView} />
           ) : activeView === 'mcp' ? (

apps/desktop/src/app/settings/model-settings.test.tsx

@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ const getAuxiliaryModels = vi.fn()
 const setModelAssignment = vi.fn()
 const getRecommendedDefaultModel = vi.fn()
 const setEnvVar = vi.fn()
+const getHermesConfigRecord = vi.fn()
+const saveHermesConfig = vi.fn()
 const startManualProviderOAuth = vi.fn()
 
 vi.mock('@/hermes', () => ({
@@ -24,7 +26,9 @@ vi.mock('@/hermes', () => ({
   getAuxiliaryModels: () => getAuxiliaryModels(),
   setModelAssignment: (body: unknown) => setModelAssignment(body),
   getRecommendedDefaultModel: (slug: string) => getRecommendedDefaultModel(slug),
-  setEnvVar: (key: string, value: string) => setEnvVar(key, value)
+  setEnvVar: (key: string, value: string) => setEnvVar(key, value),
+  getHermesConfigRecord: () => getHermesConfigRecord(),
+  saveHermesConfig: (config: unknown) => saveHermesConfig(config)
 }))
 
 vi.mock('@/store/onboarding', () => ({
@@ -35,7 +39,13 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   getGlobalModelInfo.mockResolvedValue({ provider: 'nous', model: 'hermes-4' })
   getGlobalModelOptions.mockResolvedValue({
     providers: [
-      { name: 'Nous', slug: 'nous', models: ['hermes-4', 'hermes-4-mini'], authenticated: true },
+      {
+        name: 'Nous',
+        slug: 'nous',
+        models: ['hermes-4', 'hermes-4-mini'],
+        authenticated: true,
+        capabilities: { 'hermes-4': { reasoning: true, fast: true } }
+      },
       // An unconfigured api_key provider — surfaced by the full-universe payload.
       { name: 'DeepSeek', slug: 'deepseek', models: [], authenticated: false, auth_type: 'api_key', key_env: 'DEEPSEEK_API_KEY' }
     ]
@@ -47,6 +57,8 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   setModelAssignment.mockResolvedValue({ provider: 'nous', model: 'hermes-4', gateway_tools: [] })
   getRecommendedDefaultModel.mockResolvedValue({ provider: 'deepseek', model: 'deepseek-chat', free_tier: null })
   setEnvVar.mockResolvedValue({ ok: true })
+  getHermesConfigRecord.mockResolvedValue({ agent: { reasoning_effort: 'medium', service_tier: 'normal' } })
+  saveHermesConfig.mockResolvedValue({ ok: true })
 })
 
 afterEach(() => {
@@ -100,6 +112,31 @@ describe('ModelSettings', () => {
     await waitFor(() => expect(setEnvVar).toHaveBeenCalledWith('DEEPSEEK_API_KEY', 'sk-test-123'))
   })
 
+  it('writes the profile default speed (service_tier) when the fast switch is toggled', async () => {
+    await renderModelSettings()
+    await waitFor(() => expect(getHermesConfigRecord).toHaveBeenCalled())
+
+    const fastSwitch = await screen.findByRole('switch')
+    fireEvent.click(fastSwitch)
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(saveHermesConfig).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({ agent: expect.objectContaining({ service_tier: 'fast' }) })
+      )
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('hides the reasoning/speed defaults when the main model reports no capabilities', async () => {
+    getGlobalModelOptions.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      providers: [{ name: 'Nous', slug: 'nous', models: ['hermes-4'], authenticated: true, capabilities: { 'hermes-4': { reasoning: false, fast: false } } }]
+    })
+
+    await renderModelSettings()
+    await waitFor(() => expect(getHermesConfigRecord).toHaveBeenCalled())
+
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('switch')).toBeNull()
+  })
+
   it('renders the auxiliary task rows', async () => {
     await renderModelSettings()
 

apps/desktop/src/app/settings/model-settings.tsx

@@ -3,11 +3,14 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
 import { Select, SelectContent, SelectItem, SelectTrigger, SelectValue } from '@/components/ui/select'
+import { Switch } from '@/components/ui/switch'
 import {
   getAuxiliaryModels,
   getGlobalModelInfo,
   getGlobalModelOptions,
+  getHermesConfigRecord,
   getRecommendedDefaultModel,
+  saveHermesConfig,
   setEnvVar,
   setModelAssignment
 } from '@/hermes'
@@ -15,11 +18,26 @@ import type { AuxiliaryModelsResponse, ModelOptionProvider, StaleAuxAssignment }
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import { AlertTriangle, Cpu, Loader2 } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import { startManualLocalEndpoint, startManualProviderOAuth } from '@/store/onboarding'
+import type { HermesConfigRecord } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 import { CONTROL_TEXT } from './constants'
+import { getNested, setNested } from './helpers'
 import { ListRow, LoadingState, Pill, SectionHeading } from './primitives'
 
+// Hermes' reasoning levels (VALID_REASONING_EFFORTS); `none` = thinking off.
+// Empty config = Hermes default (medium), shown as Medium.
+const EFFORT_VALUES = ['none', 'minimal', 'low', 'medium', 'high', 'xhigh'] as const
+
+// agent.service_tier stores "fast"/"priority"/"on" for fast; anything else is
+// normal (mirrors tui_gateway _load_service_tier).
+const isFastTier = (tier: unknown): boolean =>
+  ['fast', 'priority', 'on'].includes(String(tier ?? '').trim().toLowerCase())
+
+// Reuse the composer's effort labels (`xhigh` shows as "Max", else 1:1).
+const effortLabelKey = (v: string) => (v === 'xhigh' ? 'max' : v) as 'high' | 'low' | 'max' | 'medium' | 'minimal'
+
 // A provider row is "ready" to pick a model from when it reports models. The
 // backend now surfaces the full `hermes model` universe (every canonical
 // provider), so unconfigured providers come back with `authenticated:false`
@@ -97,6 +115,9 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
   const [selectedProvider, setSelectedProvider] = useState('')
   const [selectedModel, setSelectedModel] = useState('')
   const [auxiliary, setAuxiliary] = useState<AuxiliaryModelsResponse | null>(null)
+  // Full profile config, kept so the reasoning/speed defaults round-trip
+  // (read agent.* → write back the whole record) like the generic config page.
+  const [config, setConfig] = useState<HermesConfigRecord | null>(null)
   const [applying, setApplying] = useState(false)
   const [editingAuxTask, setEditingAuxTask] = useState<null | string>(null)
   const [auxDraft, setAuxDraft] = useState<{ model: string; provider: string }>({ model: '', provider: '' })
@@ -113,10 +134,11 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
     setError('')
 
     try {
-      const [modelInfo, modelOptions, auxiliaryModels] = await Promise.all([
+      const [modelInfo, modelOptions, auxiliaryModels, cfg] = await Promise.all([
         getGlobalModelInfo(),
         getGlobalModelOptions(),
-        getAuxiliaryModels()
+        getAuxiliaryModels(),
+        getHermesConfigRecord()
       ])
 
       setMainModel({ model: modelInfo.model, provider: modelInfo.provider })
@@ -124,6 +146,7 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
       setSelectedProvider(prev => prev || modelInfo.provider)
       setSelectedModel(prev => prev || modelInfo.model)
       setAuxiliary(auxiliaryModels)
+      setConfig(cfg)
     } catch (err) {
       setError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err))
     } finally {
@@ -181,6 +204,42 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
       .map(entry => ({ task: entry.task, provider: entry.provider, model: entry.model }))
   }, [auxiliary, mainModel])
 
+  // Capabilities of the APPLIED main model — gates the profile-default
+  // reasoning/speed controls the same way the composer picker gates per-model
+  // edits (reasoning defaults on, fast defaults off when unreported).
+  const mainCaps = useMemo(() => {
+    const row = providers.find(provider => provider.slug === mainModel?.provider)
+
+    return mainModel ? row?.capabilities?.[mainModel.model] : undefined
+  }, [providers, mainModel])
+
+  const reasoningSupported = mainCaps?.reasoning ?? true
+  const fastSupported = mainCaps?.fast ?? false
+  const effortValue = String(getNested(config ?? {}, 'agent.reasoning_effort') ?? '').trim().toLowerCase() || 'medium'
+  const fastOn = isFastTier(getNested(config ?? {}, 'agent.service_tier'))
+
+  // Persist a single agent.* default by round-tripping the whole config record
+  // (PUT /api/config replaces it) — optimistic, with rollback on failure.
+  const writeAgentDefault = useCallback(
+    async (key: string, value: string) => {
+      if (!config) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const prev = config
+      const next = setNested(config, key, value)
+      setConfig(next)
+
+      try {
+        await saveHermesConfig(next)
+      } catch (err) {
+        setConfig(prev)
+        notifyError(err, m.defaultsFailed)
+      }
+    },
+    [config, m.defaultsFailed]
+  )
+
   // Paste an API key for the selected `api_key` provider, persist it, then
   // refresh so the now-authenticated provider's models populate. Auto-selects
   // the recommended default model so the user can Apply in one more click.
@@ -433,6 +492,38 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
               : `${selectedProviderRow?.name} signs in through your browser — Hermes runs the flow for you.`}
           </p>
         )}
+        {config && mainModel && (reasoningSupported || fastSupported) && (
+          <div className="mt-3 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-x-6 gap-y-3">
+            <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{m.defaultsLabel}</span>
+            {reasoningSupported && (
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs">
+                {m.reasoning}
+                <Select onValueChange={value => void writeAgentDefault('agent.reasoning_effort', value)} value={effortValue}>
+                  <SelectTrigger className={cn('min-w-28', CONTROL_TEXT)}>
+                    <SelectValue />
+                  </SelectTrigger>
+                  <SelectContent>
+                    {EFFORT_VALUES.map(value => (
+                      <SelectItem key={value} value={value}>
+                        {value === 'none' ? m.reasoningOff : t.shell.modelOptions[effortLabelKey(value)]}
+                      </SelectItem>
+                    ))}
+                  </SelectContent>
+                </Select>
+              </div>
+            )}
+            {fastSupported && (
+              <label className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs">
+                {t.shell.modelOptions.fast}
+                <Switch
+                  checked={fastOn}
+                  onCheckedChange={checked => void writeAgentDefault('agent.service_tier', checked ? 'fast' : 'normal')}
+                  size="xs"
+                />
+              </label>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        )}
         {error && <div className="mt-2 text-xs text-destructive">{error}</div>}
         {switchStaleAux.length > 0 && (
           <div className="mt-2">

apps/desktop/src/app/settings/providers-settings.test.tsx

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ afterEach(() => {
 async function renderProvidersSettings() {
   const { ProvidersSettings } = await import('./providers-settings')
 
-  return render(<ProvidersSettings onViewChange={vi.fn()} view="accounts" />)
+  return render(<ProvidersSettings onClose={vi.fn()} onViewChange={vi.fn()} view="accounts" />)
 }
 
 describe('ProvidersSettings', () => {
@@ -95,6 +95,6 @@ describe('ProvidersSettings', () => {
 
     expect(await screen.findByText('Qwen Code')).toBeTruthy()
     expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Remove Qwen Code' })).toBeNull()
-    expect(screen.getByText(/managed outside Hermes/)).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByText(/managed by its own CLI/)).toBeTruthy()
   })
 })

apps/desktop/src/app/settings/providers-settings.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
+import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 
+import { runInTerminal } from '@/app/right-sidebar/store'
 import {
   FEATURED_ID,
   FeaturedProviderRow,
@@ -23,6 +25,20 @@ import { SettingsCategoryHeading, useEnvCredentials } from './env-credentials'
 import { providerGroup, providerMeta, providerPriority } from './helpers'
 import { LoadingState, SettingsContent } from './primitives'
 
+// The embedded terminal (and thus the "run disconnect command" path) only
+// exists in the Electron desktop shell, not the web dashboard.
+const canRunInTerminal = () => typeof window !== 'undefined' && Boolean(window.hermesDesktop?.terminal)
+
+// Parallel group headers ("Connected", "Other providers") so the expanded list
+// reads as its own section instead of bleeding into the connected group.
+function GroupLabel({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
+  return (
+    <p className="mt-3 px-0.5 text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] font-medium text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
+      {children}
+    </p>
+  )
+}
+
 // Sub-views surfaced as a sidebar subnav: account sign-in vs raw API keys.
 export const PROVIDER_VIEWS = ['accounts', 'keys'] as const
 
@@ -90,11 +106,13 @@ function buildProviderKeyGroups(vars: Record<string, EnvVarInfo>): ProviderKeyGr
 function OAuthPicker({
   disconnecting,
   onDisconnect,
+  onTerminalDisconnect,
   onWantApiKey,
   providers
 }: {
   disconnecting: null | string
   onDisconnect: (provider: OAuthProvider) => void
+  onTerminalDisconnect: (provider: OAuthProvider) => void
   onWantApiKey: () => void
   providers: OAuthProvider[]
 }) {
@@ -138,15 +156,14 @@ function OAuthPicker({
       {featured && <FeaturedProviderRow onSelect={select} provider={featured} />}
       {connected.length > 0 && (
         <>
-          <p className="mt-1 px-0.5 text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] font-medium text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
-            {p.connected}
-          </p>
+          <GroupLabel>{p.connected}</GroupLabel>
           {connected.map(p => (
             <ConnectedProviderRow
               disconnecting={disconnecting === p.id}
               key={p.id}
               onDisconnect={onDisconnect}
               onSelect={select}
+              onTerminalDisconnect={onTerminalDisconnect}
               provider={p}
             />
           ))}
@@ -154,6 +171,7 @@ function OAuthPicker({
       )}
       {showOthers && (
         <>
+          {connected.length > 0 && <GroupLabel>{p.otherProviders}</GroupLabel>}
           {others.map(p => (
             <ProviderRow key={p.id} onSelect={select} provider={p} />
           ))}
@@ -180,21 +198,26 @@ function ConnectedProviderRow({
   disconnecting,
   onDisconnect,
   onSelect,
+  onTerminalDisconnect,
   provider
 }: {
   disconnecting: boolean
   onDisconnect: (provider: OAuthProvider) => void
   onSelect: (provider: OAuthProvider) => void
+  onTerminalDisconnect: (provider: OAuthProvider) => void
   provider: OAuthProvider
 }) {
   const { t } = useI18n()
+  const copy = t.settings.providers
   const title = providerTitle(provider)
   const Trail = provider.flow === 'external' ? Terminal : ChevronRight
+  // Hermes can clear this provider's creds via the API.
   const canDisconnect = provider.disconnectable ?? provider.flow !== 'external'
-
-  const disconnectHint = provider.flow === 'external'
-    ? t.settings.providers.removeExternal(title, provider.cli_command)
-    : t.settings.providers.removeKeyManaged(title)
+  // External (CLI-managed) provider Hermes can't clear via the API, but ships a
+  // command we can run in the embedded terminal (Electron shell only).
+  const terminalDisconnect = !canDisconnect && Boolean(provider.disconnect_command) && canRunInTerminal()
+  // Only fall back to a static "remove it elsewhere" hint when we offer no button.
+  const showHint = !canDisconnect && !terminalDisconnect
 
   return (
     <div className="group grid grid-cols-[minmax(0,1fr)_auto] items-center gap-1 rounded-[6px] transition-colors hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background)">
@@ -203,13 +226,13 @@ function ConnectedProviderRow({
           <span className="truncate text-[length:var(--conversation-text-font-size)] font-semibold">{title}</span>
           <span className="inline-flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1 bg-primary/10 px-2 py-0.5 text-xs font-medium text-primary">
             <Check className="size-3" />
-            {t.settings.providers.connected}
+            {copy.connected}
           </span>
         </div>
         <p className="mt-1 text-xs leading-5 text-muted-foreground">{t.onboarding.flowSubtitles[provider.flow]}</p>
-        {!canDisconnect && (
+        {showHint && (
           <p className="mt-0.5 truncate text-[0.68rem] leading-5 text-muted-foreground/70">
-            {disconnectHint}
+            {provider.flow === 'external' ? copy.removeExternalGeneric(title) : copy.removeKeyManaged(title)}
           </p>
         )}
       </button>
@@ -228,6 +251,18 @@ function ConnectedProviderRow({
             {disconnecting ? <Loader2 className="size-3 animate-spin" /> : <Trash2 className="size-3" />}
           </Button>
         )}
+        {terminalDisconnect && (
+          <Button
+            aria-label={`${copy.disconnect} ${title}`}
+            onClick={() => onTerminalDisconnect(provider)}
+            size="icon-xs"
+            title={copy.disconnectInTerminal}
+            type="button"
+            variant="ghost"
+          >
+            <Trash2 className="size-3" />
+          </Button>
+        )}
       </div>
     </div>
   )
@@ -243,7 +278,7 @@ function NoProviderKeys() {
   )
 }
 
-export function ProvidersSettings({ onViewChange, view }: ProvidersSettingsProps) {
+export function ProvidersSettings({ onClose, onViewChange, view }: ProvidersSettingsProps) {
   const { t } = useI18n()
   const { rowProps, vars } = useEnvCredentials()
   const [oauthProviders, setOauthProviders] = useState<OAuthProvider[]>([])
@@ -282,6 +317,29 @@ export function ProvidersSettings({ onViewChange, view }: ProvidersSettingsProps
     return () => void (cancelled = true)
   }, [onboardingActive])
 
+  // External (CLI-managed) providers can't be cleared via the API by design —
+  // Hermes never deletes creds another tool owns behind a silent API call.
+  // Instead we run the documented removal command in the embedded terminal so
+  // the user sees exactly what executes, then return them to chat to watch it.
+  function handleTerminalDisconnect(provider: OAuthProvider) {
+    const command = provider.disconnect_command
+
+    if (!command) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const name = providerTitle(provider)
+
+    if (!window.confirm(t.settings.providers.removeTerminalConfirm(name, command))) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    // Leave the settings overlay so the terminal pane (chat-only) is visible.
+    onClose()
+    runInTerminal(command)
+    notify({ kind: 'info', title: t.settings.providers.removedTitle, message: t.settings.providers.removeTerminalRunning(name) })
+  }
+
   async function handleDisconnect(provider: OAuthProvider) {
     const name = providerTitle(provider)
 
@@ -341,6 +399,7 @@ export function ProvidersSettings({ onViewChange, view }: ProvidersSettingsProps
       <OAuthPicker
         disconnecting={disconnecting}
         onDisconnect={provider => void handleDisconnect(provider)}
+        onTerminalDisconnect={handleTerminalDisconnect}
         onWantApiKey={() => onViewChange('keys')}
         providers={oauthProviders}
       />
@@ -359,6 +418,7 @@ interface ProviderKeyGroup {
 }
 
 interface ProvidersSettingsProps {
+  onClose: () => void
   onViewChange: (view: ProviderView) => void
   view: ProviderView
 }

apps/desktop/src/app/shell/app-shell.tsx

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import {
 } from '@/store/layout'
 import { $paneWidthOverride } from '@/store/panes'
 import { $connection } from '@/store/session'
-import { isNewSessionWindow, isSecondaryWindow } from '@/store/windows'
+import { isSecondaryWindow } from '@/store/windows'
 
 import { SIDEBAR_COLLAPSE_MEDIA_QUERY } from '../layout-constants'
 
@@ -80,7 +80,10 @@ export function AppShell({
   const connection = useStore($connection)
   const viewportFullscreen = useSyncExternalStore(subscribeWindowSize, viewportIsFullscreen, () => false)
   const isFullscreen = Boolean(connection?.isFullscreen) || viewportFullscreen
-  const hideTitlebarControls = isNewSessionWindow()
+  // Every secondary window (new-session scratch, subagent watch, cmd-click
+  // pop-out) is a compact side panel — none of them carry the full titlebar
+  // tool cluster. Gate on isSecondaryWindow, never the narrower new-session flag.
+  const hideTitlebarControls = isSecondaryWindow()
   const titlebarControls = titlebarControlsPosition(connection?.windowButtonPosition, isFullscreen)
   // Width Windows/Linux reserve for the OS-painted min/max/close overlay (zero
   // on macOS, where window controls sit on the left and are reported via

apps/desktop/src/app/shell/hooks/use-statusbar-items.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
-import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { useCallback, useMemo } from 'react'
 
 import type { CommandCenterSection } from '@/app/command-center'
@@ -9,7 +8,6 @@ import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import {
   Activity,
   AlertCircle,
-  ChevronDown,
   Clock,
   Command,
   Hash,
@@ -19,7 +17,6 @@ import {
   Zap,
   ZapFilled
 } from '@/lib/icons'
-import { formatModelStatusLabel } from '@/lib/model-status-label'
 import type { RuntimeReadinessResult } from '@/lib/runtime-readiness'
 import { contextBarLabel, LiveDuration, usageContextLabel } from '@/lib/statusbar'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
@@ -30,16 +27,11 @@ import {
   $activeSessionId,
   $busy,
   $connection,
-  $currentFastMode,
-  $currentModel,
-  $currentProvider,
-  $currentReasoningEffort,
   $currentUsage,
   $sessionStartedAt,
   $turnStartedAt,
   $workingSessionIds,
   $yoloActive,
-  setModelPickerOpen,
   setYoloActive
 } from '@/store/session'
 import { $subagentsBySession, activeSubagentCount } from '@/store/subagents'
@@ -65,7 +57,6 @@ interface StatusbarItemsOptions {
   gatewayLogLines: readonly string[]
   gatewayState: string
   inferenceStatus: RuntimeReadinessResult | null
-  modelMenuContent?: ReactNode
   openAgents: () => void
   openCommandCenterSection: (section: CommandCenterSection) => void
   freshDraftReady: boolean
@@ -83,7 +74,6 @@ export function useStatusbarItems({
   gatewayLogLines,
   gatewayState,
   inferenceStatus,
-  modelMenuContent,
   openAgents,
   openCommandCenterSection,
   freshDraftReady,
@@ -97,10 +87,6 @@ export function useStatusbarItems({
   const terminalTakeover = useStore($terminalTakeover)
   const yoloActive = useStore($yoloActive)
   const busy = useStore($busy)
-  const currentFastMode = useStore($currentFastMode)
-  const currentModel = useStore($currentModel)
-  const currentProvider = useStore($currentProvider)
-  const currentReasoningEffort = useStore($currentReasoningEffort)
   const currentUsage = useStore($currentUsage)
   const desktopActionTasks = useStore($desktopActionTasks)
   const previewServerRestartStatus = useStore($previewServerRestartStatus)
@@ -416,37 +402,6 @@ export function useStatusbarItems({
         title: yoloActive ? copy.yoloOn : copy.yoloOff,
         variant: 'action'
       },
-      {
-        id: 'model-summary',
-        label: (
-          <span className="inline-flex min-w-0 items-center gap-0.5">
-            <span className="truncate">
-              {formatModelStatusLabel(currentModel, {
-                fastMode: currentFastMode,
-                reasoningEffort: currentReasoningEffort
-              })}
-            </span>
-            <ChevronDown className="size-2.5 shrink-0 opacity-50" />
-          </span>
-        ),
-        ...(modelMenuContent
-          ? {
-              menuAlign: 'end' as const,
-              menuClassName: 'w-64',
-              menuContent: modelMenuContent,
-              title: currentProvider
-                ? copy.modelTitle(currentProvider, currentModel || copy.modelNone)
-                : copy.switchModel,
-              variant: 'menu' as const
-            }
-          : {
-              onSelect: () => setModelPickerOpen(true),
-              title: currentProvider
-                ? copy.providerModelTitle(currentProvider, currentModel || copy.noModel)
-                : copy.openModelPicker,
-              variant: 'action' as const
-            })
-      },
       {
         className: `w-7 justify-center px-0${terminalTakeover ? ' bg-accent/55 text-foreground' : ''}`,
         hidden: !chatOpen,
@@ -465,11 +420,6 @@ export function useStatusbarItems({
       contextBar,
       contextUsage,
       copy,
-      currentFastMode,
-      currentModel,
-      currentProvider,
-      currentReasoningEffort,
-      modelMenuContent,
       sessionStartedAt,
       showYoloToggle,
       terminalTakeover,

apps/desktop/src/app/shell/model-edit-submenu.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuSub, DropdownMenuSubTrigger } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
+import { $modelPresets, getModelPreset } from '@/store/model-presets'
+import { $activeSessionId } from '@/store/session'
+
+import { type FastControl, ModelEditSubmenu } from './model-edit-submenu'
+
+// Radix calls these on open; jsdom doesn't implement them.
+beforeAll(() => {
+  Element.prototype.scrollIntoView = vi.fn()
+  Element.prototype.hasPointerCapture = vi.fn(() => false)
+  Element.prototype.releasePointerCapture = vi.fn()
+})
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  $modelPresets.set({})
+  $activeSessionId.set(null)
+})
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup()
+  vi.clearAllMocks()
+})
+
+// Render the submenu inside an open menu/sub so its content (switches) mounts.
+function renderSubmenu(opts: { fastControl: FastControl; reasoning: boolean; requestGateway: () => Promise<unknown> }) {
+  return render(
+    <DropdownMenu open>
+      <DropdownMenuContent>
+        <DropdownMenuSub open>
+          <DropdownMenuSubTrigger>edit</DropdownMenuSubTrigger>
+          <ModelEditSubmenu
+            effort="medium"
+            fastControl={opts.fastControl}
+            isActive
+            model="m1"
+            onSelectModel={vi.fn()}
+            provider="p1"
+            reasoning={opts.reasoning}
+            requestGateway={opts.requestGateway as never}
+          />
+        </DropdownMenuSub>
+      </DropdownMenuContent>
+    </DropdownMenu>
+  )
+}
+
+// Regression: editing the active row before a live session exists must stay
+// preset-only — the gateway's config.set falls back to global config when no
+// session matches, so it must not be called. (Caught in the second review.)
+describe('ModelEditSubmenu no-session guard', () => {
+  it('param fast: records the preset but skips the gateway without a session', () => {
+    const requestGateway = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({})
+    renderSubmenu({ fastControl: { kind: 'param', on: false }, reasoning: false, requestGateway })
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('switch'))
+
+    expect(getModelPreset('p1', 'm1').fast).toBe(true)
+    expect(requestGateway).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('reasoning: records the preset but skips the gateway without a session', () => {
+    const requestGateway = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({})
+    renderSubmenu({ fastControl: { kind: 'none' }, reasoning: true, requestGateway })
+
+    // Thinking starts on (medium); toggling it off routes through patchReasoning.
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('switch'))
+
+    expect(getModelPreset('p1', 'm1').effort).toBe('none')
+    expect(requestGateway).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('param fast: pushes to the gateway once a session is active', async () => {
+    const requestGateway = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({})
+    $activeSessionId.set('sess1')
+    renderSubmenu({ fastControl: { kind: 'param', on: false }, reasoning: false, requestGateway })
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('switch'))
+
+    expect(requestGateway).toHaveBeenCalledWith('config.set', { key: 'fast', session_id: 'sess1', value: 'fast' })
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/app/shell/model-edit-submenu.tsx

@@ -12,13 +12,9 @@ import {
 } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
 import { Switch } from '@/components/ui/switch'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
+import { setModelPreset } from '@/store/model-presets'
 import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
-import {
-  $activeSessionId,
-  $currentReasoningEffort,
-  setCurrentFastMode,
-  setCurrentReasoningEffort
-} from '@/store/session'
+import { $activeSessionId, setCurrentFastMode, setCurrentReasoningEffort } from '@/store/session'
 
 // Hermes' real reasoning levels (see VALID_REASONING_EFFORTS); `none` is owned
 // by the Thinking toggle, not the radio.
@@ -76,96 +72,104 @@ export function resolveFastControl(
 }
 
 interface ModelEditSubmenuProps {
+  /** This row's effective reasoning effort (live for the active model, else its
+   *  preset) — the submenu shows and edits from this, never the raw session. */
+  effort: string
   /** How fast mode is offered for this model (param toggle vs. variant swap). */
   fastControl: FastControl
   /** Whether this row's model is the active one. */
   isActive: boolean
-  /** Switch to this model (resolves false on failure). Awaited before applying
-   *  edits when not active so a failed switch doesn't write to the old model. */
-  onActivate: () => Promise<boolean> | void
+  /** This row's model id — edits persist as its global preset. */
+  model: string
   /** Switch to a specific model id (used to swap base ⇄ -fast variant). */
   onSelectModel: (model: string) => Promise<boolean> | void
+  /** This row's provider slug — edits persist as its global preset. */
+  provider: string
   /** Whether this model supports reasoning effort. */
   reasoning: boolean
   requestGateway: <T>(method: string, params?: Record<string, unknown>) => Promise<T>
 }
 
 export function ModelEditSubmenu({
+  effort,
   fastControl,
   isActive,
-  onActivate,
+  model,
   onSelectModel,
+  provider,
   reasoning,
   requestGateway
 }: ModelEditSubmenuProps) {
   const { t } = useI18n()
   const copy = t.shell.modelOptions
-  // Reactive session state comes straight from the stores rather than being
-  // drilled through the panel, so editing it re-renders only this submenu.
   const activeSessionId = useStore($activeSessionId)
-  const currentReasoningEffort = useStore($currentReasoningEffort)
 
-  const effort = normalizeEffort(currentReasoningEffort)
-  const thinkingOn = isThinkingEnabled(currentReasoningEffort)
+  const effortValue = normalizeEffort(effort)
+  const thinkingOn = isThinkingEnabled(effort)
 
-  // Reasoning/fast are session-scoped (they apply to the active model), so
-  // editing a non-active model first switches to it. Returns false if the
-  // switch failed, so callers skip applying to the wrong (previous) model.
-  const ensureActive = async (): Promise<boolean> => {
-    if (isActive) {
-      return true
+  // Editing always records the model's global preset; the active model also gets
+  // it pushed onto the live session. Non-active edits stay preset-only — they do
+  // not switch you to that model.
+  const patchReasoning = async (next: string) => {
+    setModelPreset(provider, model, { effort: next })
+
+    if (!isActive) {
+      return
     }
 
-    return (await onActivate()) !== false
-  }
-
-  const patchReasoning = async (next: string, rollback: string) => {
     setCurrentReasoningEffort(next)
 
+    // Preset-only without a session: `isActive` holds for the global/default
+    // row pre-session, and the gateway's `config.set` falls back to global
+    // config when none matches — so don't reach it (preset + optimistic store
+    // are the whole effect). Same guard in applyModelPreset / toggleFast.
+    if (!activeSessionId) {
+      return
+    }
+
     try {
-      if (!(await ensureActive())) {
-        setCurrentReasoningEffort(rollback)
-
-        return
-      }
-
-      await requestGateway('config.set', {
-        key: 'reasoning',
-        session_id: activeSessionId ?? '',
-        value: next
-      })
+      await requestGateway('config.set', { key: 'reasoning', session_id: activeSessionId, value: next })
     } catch (err) {
-      setCurrentReasoningEffort(rollback)
+      setCurrentReasoningEffort(effort)
+      setModelPreset(provider, model, { effort })
       notifyError(err, copy.updateFailed)
     }
   }
 
   const toggleFast = (enabled: boolean) => {
     if (fastControl.kind === 'variant') {
-      // Fast is a separate model id — swap to it (or back to the base).
-      void onSelectModel(enabled ? fastControl.fastId : fastControl.baseId)
+      // Fast is a separate model id. Record the choice on the base model's
+      // preset (selectFamily picks the `-fast` sibling later when set), and
+      // only swap models now if this is the active row — inactive edits must
+      // stay preset-only, same as the param path below.
+      setModelPreset(provider, fastControl.baseId, { fast: enabled })
+
+      if (isActive) {
+        void onSelectModel(enabled ? fastControl.fastId : fastControl.baseId)
+      }
 
       return
     }
 
     if (fastControl.kind === 'param') {
+      setModelPreset(provider, model, { fast: enabled })
+
+      if (!isActive) {
+        return
+      }
+
       setCurrentFastMode(enabled)
 
+      // Preset-only without a session (see patchReasoning).
+      if (!activeSessionId) {
+        return
+      }
       void (async () => {
         try {
-          if (!(await ensureActive())) {
-            setCurrentFastMode(!enabled)
-
-            return
-          }
-
-          await requestGateway('config.set', {
-            key: 'fast',
-            session_id: activeSessionId ?? '',
-            value: enabled ? 'fast' : 'normal'
-          })
+          await requestGateway('config.set', { key: 'fast', session_id: activeSessionId, value: enabled ? 'fast' : 'normal' })
         } catch (err) {
           setCurrentFastMode(!enabled)
+          setModelPreset(provider, model, { fast: !enabled })
           notifyError(err, copy.fastFailed)
         }
       })()
@@ -188,9 +192,7 @@ export function ModelEditSubmenu({
               <Switch
                 checked={thinkingOn}
                 className="ml-auto"
-                onCheckedChange={checked =>
-                  void patchReasoning(checked ? effort || 'medium' : 'none', currentReasoningEffort)
-                }
+                onCheckedChange={checked => void patchReasoning(checked ? effortValue || 'medium' : 'none')}
                 size="xs"
               />
             </DropdownMenuItem>
@@ -205,10 +207,7 @@ export function ModelEditSubmenu({
             <>
               <DropdownMenuSeparator className="mx-0" />
               <DropdownMenuLabel className={dropdownMenuSectionLabel}>{copy.effort}</DropdownMenuLabel>
-              <DropdownMenuRadioGroup
-                onValueChange={value => void patchReasoning(value, currentReasoningEffort)}
-                value={effort}
-              >
+              <DropdownMenuRadioGroup onValueChange={value => void patchReasoning(value)} value={effortValue}>
                 {EFFORT_OPTIONS.map(option => (
                   <DropdownMenuRadioItem
                     className={dropdownMenuRow}

apps/desktop/src/app/shell/model-menu-panel.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query'
-import { useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import { createContext, useContext, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import {
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ import { Skeleton } from '@/components/ui/skeleton'
 import type { HermesGateway } from '@/hermes'
 import { getGlobalModelOptions } from '@/hermes'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
-import { displayModelName, modelDisplayParts, reasoningEffortLabel } from '@/lib/model-status-label'
+import { currentPickerSelection, displayModelName, modelDisplayParts, reasoningEffortLabel } from '@/lib/model-status-label'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import { $modelPresets, applyModelPreset, modelPresetKey } from '@/store/model-presets'
 import {
   $visibleModels,
   collapseModelFamilies,
@@ -40,9 +41,14 @@ import type { ModelOptionProvider, ModelOptionsResponse } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 import { ModelEditSubmenu, resolveFastControl } from './model-edit-submenu'
 
+// Lets the host dropdown (model-pill) hand the panel a way to dismiss itself so
+// clicking a model row commits + closes, while the hover-revealed edit submenu
+// (reasoning/fast) stays open to play with (its items preventDefault on select).
+export const ModelMenuCloseContext = createContext<() => void>(() => {})
+
 interface ModelMenuPanelProps {
   gateway?: HermesGateway
-  onSelectModel: (selection: { model: string; persistGlobal: boolean; provider: string }) => Promise<boolean> | void
+  onSelectModel: (selection: { model: string; provider: string }) => Promise<boolean> | void
   requestGateway: <T>(method: string, params?: Record<string, unknown>) => Promise<T>
 }
 
@@ -54,6 +60,7 @@ interface ProviderGroup {
 export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, requestGateway }: ModelMenuPanelProps) {
   const { t } = useI18n()
   const copy = t.shell.modelMenu
+  const closeMenu = useContext(ModelMenuCloseContext)
   const [search, setSearch] = useState('')
   // Reactive session state is read from the stores here (not drilled in), so
   // toggling effort/fast/model re-renders this panel in place without forcing
@@ -63,6 +70,7 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, requestGateway }: Model
   const currentModel = useStore($currentModel)
   const currentProvider = useStore($currentProvider)
   const currentReasoningEffort = useStore($currentReasoningEffort)
+  const modelPresets = useStore($modelPresets)
   const visibleModels = useStore($visibleModels)
 
   const modelOptions = useQuery({
@@ -76,8 +84,12 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, requestGateway }: Model
     }
   })
 
-  const optionsModel = String(modelOptions.data?.model ?? currentModel ?? '')
-  const optionsProvider = String(modelOptions.data?.provider ?? currentProvider ?? '')
+  const { model: optionsModel, provider: optionsProvider } = currentPickerSelection(
+    !!activeSessionId,
+    { model: currentModel, provider: currentProvider },
+    modelOptions.data
+  )
+
   const loading = modelOptions.isPending && !modelOptions.data
 
   const error = modelOptions.error
@@ -87,13 +99,41 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, requestGateway }: Model
     : null
 
   const providers = modelOptions.data?.providers
+
   const effectiveVisibleModels = useMemo(
     () => effectiveVisibleKeys(visibleModels, providers ?? []),
     [visibleModels, providers]
   )
 
-  const switchTo = (model: string, provider: string) =>
-    onSelectModel({ model, persistGlobal: !activeSessionId, provider })
+  // The composer picker never persists the profile default. With a session it
+  // scopes the switch to that session; with none it's UI state shipped on the
+  // next session.create (see selectModel). The default lives in Settings → Model.
+  const switchTo = (model: string, provider: string) => onSelectModel({ model, provider })
+
+  // Selecting a model row restores that model's remembered preset onto the
+  // session (effort/fast), gated by capability. Unset → Hermes defaults.
+  const selectFamily = async (family: ModelFamily, provider: ModelOptionProvider) => {
+    const caps = provider.capabilities?.[family.id]
+    const preset = modelPresets[modelPresetKey(provider.slug, family.id)] ?? {}
+
+    // Variant-fast models (no speed param) express "fast" as a separate `-fast`
+    // id, so honor the saved preset by selecting that sibling. Param-fast is
+    // applied via applyModelPreset below instead.
+    const variantFast = !(caps?.fast ?? false) && !!family.fastId
+    const targetId = variantFast && preset.fast === true ? family.fastId! : family.id
+
+    if ((await switchTo(targetId, provider.slug)) === false) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    await applyModelPreset(
+      {
+        effort: (caps?.reasoning ?? true) ? (preset.effort ?? 'medium') : undefined,
+        fast: (caps?.fast ?? false) ? (preset.fast ?? false) : undefined
+      },
+      { failMessage: t.shell.modelOptions.updateFailed, request: requestGateway, sessionId: activeSessionId }
+    )
+  }
 
   const groups = useMemo(
     () => groupModels(providers ?? [], search, { model: optionsModel, provider: optionsProvider }, effectiveVisibleModels),
@@ -152,37 +192,42 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, requestGateway }: Model
                 // -fast variant carries the same param support as its base.
                 const caps = group.provider.capabilities?.[family.id]
 
-                // Single source of truth for the active row's fast state — keeps
-                // the row label in lock-step with the submenu's Fast toggle and
-                // handles the standalone `-fast` id case.
+                // Effective settings for this row: live session state when it's
+                // the active model, otherwise its remembered preset (Hermes
+                // defaults when unset). Row label AND submenu read from these so
+                // they never disagree.
+                const preset = modelPresets[modelPresetKey(group.provider.slug, family.id)] ?? {}
+                const effEffort = isCurrent ? currentReasoningEffort : preset.effort ?? ''
+                const effFast = isCurrent ? currentFastMode : preset.fast ?? false
+
                 const fastControl = resolveFastControl(
                   activeId ?? family.id,
                   group.provider.models ?? [],
                   caps?.fast ?? false,
-                  currentFastMode
+                  effFast
                 )
 
-                // Grayed text is live session state only. Do not label inactive
-                // rows as "Fast" just because they have a fast-capable sibling:
-                // that makes an off Fast toggle look like it is already on.
-                const meta = isCurrent
-                  ? [
-                      fastControl.kind !== 'none' && fastControl.on ? copy.fast : null,
-                      reasoningEffortLabel(currentReasoningEffort) || copy.medium
-                    ]
-                      .filter(Boolean)
-                      .join(' ')
-                  : ''
+                const meta = [
+                  fastControl.kind !== 'none' && fastControl.on ? copy.fast : null,
+                  (caps?.reasoning ?? true) ? reasoningEffortLabel(effEffort) || copy.medium : null
+                ]
+                  .filter(Boolean)
+                  .join(' ')
 
                 // Every row is a hover-Edit submenu trigger. Activating it
-                // (pointer or keyboard) switches to the family's base model;
-                // the Fast toggle inside swaps to the -fast sibling (or flips
-                // the speed param). The sub-trigger has no `onSelect`, so wire
-                // both click and Enter/Space for keyboard parity.
+                // (pointer or keyboard) switches to the family's base model and
+                // restores its preset; the Fast toggle inside swaps to the -fast
+                // sibling (or flips the speed param). The sub-trigger has no
+                // `onSelect`, so wire both click and Enter/Space for keyboard parity.
+                // Clicking the row commits the model and closes the picker; the
+                // edit submenu (reasoning/fast) is reached by HOVER, so you can
+                // still tweak those without the click dismissing everything.
                 const activate = () => {
                   if (!isCurrent) {
-                    void switchTo(family.id, group.provider.slug)
+                    void selectFamily(family, group.provider)
                   }
+
+                  closeMenu()
                 }
 
                 return (
@@ -204,10 +249,12 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, requestGateway }: Model
                       {isCurrent ? <Codicon className="ml-auto text-foreground" name="check" size="0.75rem" /> : null}
                     </DropdownMenuSubTrigger>
                     <ModelEditSubmenu
+                      effort={effEffort}
                       fastControl={fastControl}
                       isActive={isCurrent}
-                      onActivate={() => switchTo(family.id, group.provider.slug)}
+                      model={family.id}
                       onSelectModel={nextModel => switchTo(nextModel, group.provider.slug)}
+                      provider={group.provider.slug}
                       reasoning={caps?.reasoning ?? true}
                       requestGateway={requestGateway}
                     />

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/block-direction.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+// Lists and blockquotes have chrome beside the text (markers, the quote
+// border) whose side is driven by the box's CSS direction, which the
+// unicode-bidi:plaintext rules never touch. These tests pin the split of
+// responsibilities: ul/ol/blockquote carry dir="auto" so the browser
+// resolves their box direction from content, inline code carries dir="ltr"
+// so it neither votes in that resolution nor reorders, and plain prose
+// blocks stay attribute-free (the plaintext CSS owns them). jsdom does not
+// resolve dir="auto", so the contract is asserted at the attribute level.
+import { AssistantRuntimeProvider, type ThreadMessage, useExternalStoreRuntime } from '@assistant-ui/react'
+import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import { Thread } from './thread'
+
+const createdAt = new Date('2026-06-01T00:00:00.000Z')
+
+class TestResizeObserver {
+  observe() {}
+  unobserve() {}
+  disconnect() {}
+}
+
+vi.stubGlobal('ResizeObserver', TestResizeObserver)
+vi.stubGlobal('requestAnimationFrame', (callback: FrameRequestCallback) =>
+  window.setTimeout(() => callback(performance.now()), 0)
+)
+vi.stubGlobal('cancelAnimationFrame', (id: number) => window.clearTimeout(id))
+
+Element.prototype.scrollTo = function scrollTo() {}
+
+function stubOffsetDimension(
+  prop: 'offsetHeight' | 'offsetWidth',
+  clientProp: 'clientHeight' | 'clientWidth',
+  fallback: number
+) {
+  const previous = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(HTMLElement.prototype, prop)
+
+  Object.defineProperty(HTMLElement.prototype, prop, {
+    configurable: true,
+    get() {
+      return previous?.get?.call(this) || (this as HTMLElement)[clientProp] || fallback
+    }
+  })
+}
+
+stubOffsetDimension('offsetWidth', 'clientWidth', 800)
+stubOffsetDimension('offsetHeight', 'clientHeight', 600)
+
+function userMessage(): ThreadMessage {
+  return {
+    id: 'user-1',
+    role: 'user',
+    content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'hi' }],
+    attachments: [],
+    createdAt,
+    metadata: { custom: {} }
+  } as ThreadMessage
+}
+
+function assistantMessage(text: string): ThreadMessage {
+  return {
+    id: 'assistant-1',
+    role: 'assistant',
+    content: [{ type: 'text', text }],
+    status: { type: 'complete', reason: 'stop' },
+    createdAt,
+    metadata: {
+      unstable_state: null,
+      unstable_annotations: [],
+      unstable_data: [],
+      steps: [],
+      custom: {}
+    }
+  } as ThreadMessage
+}
+
+function Harness({ text }: { text: string }) {
+  const runtime = useExternalStoreRuntime<ThreadMessage>({
+    messages: [userMessage(), assistantMessage(text)],
+    isRunning: false,
+    onNew: async () => {}
+  })
+
+  return (
+    <AssistantRuntimeProvider runtime={runtime}>
+      <Thread />
+    </AssistantRuntimeProvider>
+  )
+}
+
+describe('block-level direction chrome', () => {
+  it('lists carry dir="auto" so markers follow the resolved direction', async () => {
+    render(<Harness text={'מקומות:\n\n1. חוף גורדון\n2. שוק הכרמל\n\n- פריט\n- item'} />)
+
+    const item = await screen.findByText(/חוף גורדון/)
+
+    expect(item.closest('ol')?.getAttribute('dir')).toBe('auto')
+
+    const bullet = await screen.findByText(/פריט/)
+
+    expect(bullet.closest('ul')?.getAttribute('dir')).toBe('auto')
+  })
+
+  it('blockquotes carry dir="auto" so the border follows the resolved direction', async () => {
+    render(<Harness text={'> ציטוט קצר בעברית'} />)
+
+    const quote = await screen.findByText(/ציטוט קצר/)
+
+    expect(quote.closest('blockquote')?.getAttribute('dir')).toBe('auto')
+  })
+
+  it('inline code carries dir="ltr" so it does not vote in dir="auto" resolution', async () => {
+    render(<Harness text={'1. `npm install` מתקין תלויות'} />)
+
+    const code = await screen.findByText('npm install')
+
+    expect(code.tagName).toBe('CODE')
+    expect(code.getAttribute('dir')).toBe('ltr')
+    expect(code.closest('ol')?.getAttribute('dir')).toBe('auto')
+  })
+
+  it('plain prose blocks stay attribute-free (plaintext CSS owns them)', async () => {
+    render(<Harness text={'שלום לכולם'} />)
+
+    const paragraph = await screen.findByText(/שלום לכולם/)
+
+    expect(paragraph.closest('p')?.hasAttribute('dir')).toBe(false)
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/directive-text.tsx

@@ -322,13 +322,29 @@ function shortLabel(type: HermesRefType, id: string): string {
   return tail || id
 }
 
+function safeEmbeddedImages(text: string) {
+  try {
+    return extractEmbeddedImages(text)
+  } catch {
+    return { cleanedText: text, images: [] as string[] }
+  }
+}
+
+function safeDirectiveSegments(text: string): Unstable_DirectiveSegment[] {
+  try {
+    return [...hermesDirectiveFormatter.parse(text)]
+  } catch {
+    return [{ kind: 'text', text }]
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Renders text containing Hermes directives (`@file:...`, `@image:...`) as
  * inline chips. Embedded MEDIA images render below as a thumbnail row.
  */
 export function DirectiveContent({ text }: { text: string }) {
-  const { cleanedText, images } = useMemo(() => extractEmbeddedImages(text ?? ''), [text])
-  const segments = useMemo(() => hermesDirectiveFormatter.parse(cleanedText), [cleanedText])
+  const { cleanedText, images } = useMemo(() => safeEmbeddedImages(text ?? ''), [text])
+  const segments = useMemo(() => safeDirectiveSegments(cleanedText), [cleanedText])
 
   return (
     <span className="whitespace-pre-line" data-slot="aui_directive-text">

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/markdown-text.test.ts

@@ -201,4 +201,13 @@ describe('preprocessMarkdown', () => {
 
     expect(output).toContain('<https://example.com/a_b/c~d/page>')
   })
+
+  it('handles a fenced block larger than V8 spread-argument limit', () => {
+    // A single huge code block (e.g. a logged minified bundle) used to throw
+    // `RangeError: Maximum call stack size exceeded` via `out.push(...lines)`.
+    const body = Array.from({ length: 200_000 }, (_, i) => `line ${i}`).join('\n')
+    const input = `\`\`\`js\n${body}\n\`\`\``
+
+    expect(() => preprocessMarkdown(input)).not.toThrow()
+  })
 })

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/markdown-text.tsx

@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ import {
   useState
 } from 'react'
 
+import { ExpandableBlock } from '@/components/chat/expandable-block'
 import { PreviewAttachment } from '@/components/chat/preview-attachment'
-import { SyntaxHighlighter } from '@/components/chat/shiki-highlighter'
+import { chunkByLines, SyntaxHighlighter } from '@/components/chat/shiki-highlighter'
 import { ZoomableImage } from '@/components/chat/zoomable-image'
 import { normalizeExternalUrl, openExternalLink, PrettyLink } from '@/lib/external-link'
 import { createMemoizedMathPlugin } from '@/lib/katex-memo'
@@ -57,7 +58,11 @@ const mathPlugin = createMemoizedMathPlugin({ singleDollarTextMath: true })
 // flush) with a tail-bounded repair — see lib/remend-tail.ts. Must stay
 // module-scope so the prop identity is stable across renders.
 function preprocessWithTailRepair(text: string): string {
-  return tailBoundedRemend(preprocessMarkdown(text))
+  try {
+    return tailBoundedRemend(preprocessMarkdown(text))
+  } catch {
+    return text
+  }
 }
 
 // Memoized block splitter. Streamdown calls `parseMarkdownIntoBlocks` (a full
@@ -453,8 +458,35 @@ const MARKDOWN_CONTAINER_CLASS_NAME = cn(
   '[&>*:first-child]:mt-0 [&>*:last-child]:mb-0 [&>*+*]:mt-(--paragraph-gap)'
 )
 
+const MAX_MARKDOWN_CHARS = 200_000
+
+function HugeTextFallback({ containerClassName, text }: { containerClassName?: string; text: string }) {
+  const chunks = useMemo(() => chunkByLines(text, 200), [text])
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className={cn(
+        'aui-md w-full max-w-none overflow-hidden rounded-[0.625rem] border border-border font-mono text-[0.7rem] leading-relaxed text-foreground/90',
+        containerClassName
+      )}
+    >
+      <ExpandableBlock className="p-2">
+        {chunks.map((chunk, index) => (
+          <div
+            className="[content-visibility:auto]"
+            key={index}
+            style={{ containIntrinsicSize: `auto ${chunk.lines * 16}px` }}
+          >
+            {chunk.text}
+          </div>
+        ))}
+      </ExpandableBlock>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
 function MarkdownTextSurface({ containerClassName, containerProps }: MarkdownTextSurfaceProps) {
-  const { status } = useMessagePartText()
+  const { status, text } = useMessagePartText()
   const isStreaming = status.type === 'running'
 
   // Keep code parsing enabled while streaming so incomplete fenced blocks still
@@ -484,19 +516,37 @@ function MarkdownTextSurface({ containerClassName, containerProps }: MarkdownTex
           <p className={cn('wrap-anywhere leading-(--dt-line-height)', className)} {...props} />
         ),
         a: MarkdownLink,
+        // Inline code must not vote when an ancestor resolves `dir="auto"`
+        // (HTML's algorithm skips descendants that carry their own dir),
+        // mirroring the CSS isolate that already keeps it out of the
+        // plaintext scan. Fenced code never reaches this override; it goes
+        // through the code plugin's CodeCard path.
+        inlineCode: ({ className, ...props }: ComponentProps<'code'>) => (
+          <code className={className} dir="ltr" {...props} />
+        ),
         // `---` as quiet spacing, not a heavy full-width rule.
         hr: (_props: ComponentProps<'hr'>) => <div aria-hidden className="my-3" />,
+        // Lists and blockquotes have chrome that sits *beside* the text
+        // (markers, the quote border), and that side is driven by the CSS
+        // `direction` of the box, which `unicode-bidi: plaintext` never
+        // touches — an RTL list otherwise renders its numbers stranded at
+        // the far left. `dir="auto"` lets the browser resolve the box
+        // direction from content; the plaintext rules in styles.css keep
+        // owning per-line text direction. Inline code carries `dir="ltr"`
+        // (see the `code` override) so it doesn't vote here either, same
+        // contract as the CSS isolate.
         blockquote: ({ className, ...props }: ComponentProps<'blockquote'>) => (
           <blockquote
-            className={cn('border-l-2 border-border pl-3 text-muted-foreground italic', className)}
+            className={cn('border-s-2 border-border ps-3 text-muted-foreground italic', className)}
+            dir="auto"
             {...props}
           />
         ),
         ul: ({ className, ...props }: ComponentProps<'ul'>) => (
-          <ul className={cn('my-1 gap-0', className)} {...props} />
+          <ul className={cn('my-1 gap-0', className)} dir="auto" {...props} />
         ),
         ol: ({ className, ...props }: ComponentProps<'ol'>) => (
-          <ol className={cn('my-1 gap-0', className)} {...props} />
+          <ol className={cn('my-1 gap-0', className)} dir="auto" {...props} />
         ),
         li: ({ className, ...props }: ComponentProps<'li'>) => (
           <li className={cn('leading-(--dt-line-height)', className)} {...props} />
@@ -533,6 +583,10 @@ function MarkdownTextSurface({ containerClassName, containerProps }: MarkdownTex
     [isStreaming]
   )
 
+  if (text.length > MAX_MARKDOWN_CHARS) {
+    return <HugeTextFallback containerClassName={containerClassName} text={text} />
+  }
+
   return (
     <StreamdownTextPrimitive
       components={components}

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/streaming.test.tsx

@@ -378,6 +378,20 @@ function IntroHarness() {
   )
 }
 
+function DismissibleErrorHarness({ onDismissError }: { onDismissError: (messageId: string) => void }) {
+  const runtime = useExternalStoreRuntime<ThreadMessage>({
+    messages: [assistantErrorMessage('OpenRouter rejected the request (403).')],
+    isRunning: false,
+    onNew: async () => {}
+  })
+
+  return (
+    <AssistantRuntimeProvider runtime={runtime}>
+      <Thread onDismissError={onDismissError} />
+    </AssistantRuntimeProvider>
+  )
+}
+
 describe('assistant-ui streaming renderer', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     resizeObservers.clear()
@@ -421,6 +435,23 @@ describe('assistant-ui streaming renderer', () => {
     expect(screen.getByRole('alert').textContent).toContain('OpenRouter rejected the request (403).')
   })
 
+  it('omits the dismiss control when no onDismissError handler is supplied', () => {
+    render(<MessageHarness message={assistantErrorMessage('OpenRouter rejected the request (403).')} />)
+
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Dismiss error' })).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('invokes onDismissError with the errored message id when the dismiss control is clicked', () => {
+    const onDismissError = vi.fn()
+    render(<DismissibleErrorHarness onDismissError={onDismissError} />)
+
+    const dismiss = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Dismiss error' })
+    fireEvent.click(dismiss)
+
+    expect(onDismissError).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(onDismissError).toHaveBeenCalledWith('assistant-error-1')
+  })
+
   // Scroll behavior (follow-at-bottom, escape-on-scroll-up, re-engage) is owned
   // by the use-stick-to-bottom library and covered by its own test suite. We
   // don't re-assert its scrollTop mechanics here — doing so in jsdom (no real

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/thread-list.tsx

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import {
   resetThreadScroll,
   setThreadAtBottom
 } from '@/store/thread-scroll'
-import { isNewSessionWindow, isSecondaryWindow } from '@/store/windows'
+import { isSecondaryWindow } from '@/store/windows'
 
 import { MessageRenderBoundary } from './message-render-boundary'
 
@@ -134,13 +134,20 @@ const ThreadMessageListInner: FC<ThreadMessageListProps> = ({
   const hiddenCount = firstVisible
   const visibleGroups = hiddenCount > 0 ? groups.slice(hiddenCount) : groups
   const restoreFromBottomRef = useRef<number | null>(null)
-  const newSessionWindow = isNewSessionWindow()
-  const newSessionTitlebarGap = 'calc(var(--titlebar-height)+0.75rem)'
-  const threadContentTopPad = newSessionWindow
+  // Secondary windows (new-session scratch, subagent watch, cmd-click pop-out)
+  // hide the titlebar tool cluster + session header, but the OS traffic lights
+  // still sit in the top-left, so reserve the titlebar gap above the transcript.
+  const secondaryWindow = isSecondaryWindow()
+  // NB: CSS calc() requires whitespace around the +/- operator. This string is
+  // assigned verbatim to the --sticky-human-top inline style below (it does not
+  // go through Tailwind, which would auto-space it), so the spaces are load-
+  // bearing — without them the declaration is invalid, gets dropped, and the
+  // sticky user bubble falls back to its ~4px default and slides under the OS
+  // traffic lights.
+  const secondaryTitlebarGap = 'calc(var(--titlebar-height) + 0.75rem)'
+  const threadContentTopPad = secondaryWindow
     ? 'pt-[calc(var(--titlebar-height)+0.75rem)]'
-    : isSecondaryWindow()
-      ? 'pt-6'
-      : 'pt-[calc(var(--titlebar-height)+1.5rem)]'
+    : 'pt-[calc(var(--titlebar-height)-0.5rem)]'
 
   useEffect(() => setThreadAtBottom(isAtBottom), [isAtBottom])
   useEffect(() => () => resetThreadScroll(), [])
@@ -247,10 +254,21 @@ const ThreadMessageListInner: FC<ThreadMessageListProps> = ({
       style={
         {
           height: clampToComposer ? 'var(--thread-viewport-height)' : '100%',
-          ...(newSessionWindow ? { '--sticky-human-top': newSessionTitlebarGap } : {})
+          ...(secondaryWindow ? { '--sticky-human-top': secondaryTitlebarGap } : {})
         } as CSSProperties
       }
     >
+      {secondaryWindow && (
+        // Secondary windows hide the titlebar chrome, so the scroller runs to
+        // the window's top edge and streamed text slides up under the OS
+        // traffic lights. Content padding alone scrolls away with the text — a
+        // fixed opaque strip (the titlebar's drag region) masks anything behind
+        // it and keeps the window draggable, matching the main window's header.
+        <div
+          aria-hidden="true"
+          className="absolute inset-x-0 top-0 z-10 h-(--titlebar-height) bg-background [-webkit-app-region:drag]"
+        />
+      )}
       <div
         className="size-full overflow-x-hidden overflow-y-auto overscroll-contain"
         data-following={isAtBottom ? 'true' : 'false'}

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ import { attachmentDisplayText, attachmentId, pathLabel } from '@/lib/chat-runti
 import { DATA_IMAGE_URL_RE } from '@/lib/embedded-images'
 import { LinkifiedText } from '@/lib/external-link'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
-import { GitBranchIcon, Loader2Icon, Volume2Icon, VolumeXIcon } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { GitBranchIcon, Loader2Icon, Volume2Icon, VolumeXIcon, XIcon } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { extractPreviewTargets } from '@/lib/preview-targets'
 import { useEnterAnimation } from '@/lib/use-enter-animation'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ export const Thread: FC<{
   loading?: ThreadLoadingState
   onBranchInNewChat?: (messageId: string) => void
   onCancel?: () => Promise<void> | void
+  onDismissError?: (messageId: string) => void
   onRestoreToMessage?: (messageId: string) => Promise<void> | void
   sessionId?: string | null
   sessionKey?: string | null
@@ -180,18 +181,19 @@ export const Thread: FC<{
   loading,
   onBranchInNewChat,
   onCancel,
+  onDismissError,
   onRestoreToMessage,
   sessionId = null,
   sessionKey
 }) => {
   const messageComponents = useMemo(
     () => ({
-      AssistantMessage: () => <AssistantMessage onBranchInNewChat={onBranchInNewChat} />,
+      AssistantMessage: () => <AssistantMessage onBranchInNewChat={onBranchInNewChat} onDismissError={onDismissError} />,
       SystemMessage,
       UserEditComposer: () => <UserEditComposer cwd={cwd} gateway={gateway} sessionId={sessionId} />,
       UserMessage: () => <UserMessage onCancel={onCancel} onRestoreToMessage={onRestoreToMessage} />
     }),
-    [cwd, gateway, onBranchInNewChat, onCancel, onRestoreToMessage, sessionId]
+    [cwd, gateway, onBranchInNewChat, onCancel, onDismissError, onRestoreToMessage, sessionId]
   )
 
   const emptyPlaceholder = intro ? (
@@ -245,9 +247,13 @@ const CenteredThreadSpinner: FC = () => {
   )
 }
 
-const AssistantMessage: FC<{ onBranchInNewChat?: (messageId: string) => void }> = ({ onBranchInNewChat }) => {
+const AssistantMessage: FC<{
+  onBranchInNewChat?: (messageId: string) => void
+  onDismissError?: (messageId: string) => void
+}> = ({ onBranchInNewChat, onDismissError }) => {
   const messageId = useAuiState(s => s.message.id)
   const messageRuntime = useMessageRuntime()
+  const { t } = useI18n()
 
   // PERF: this component must NOT subscribe to the streaming text. Every
   // selector here returns a value that stays referentially stable across
@@ -306,10 +312,20 @@ const AssistantMessage: FC<{ onBranchInNewChat?: (messageId: string) => void }>
         )}
         <MessagePrimitive.Error>
           <ErrorPrimitive.Root
-            className="mt-1.5 text-[0.78rem] leading-5 text-[color-mix(in_srgb,var(--dt-destructive)_78%,var(--ui-text-secondary))]"
+            className="mt-1.5 flex items-start gap-1.5 text-[0.78rem] leading-5 text-[color-mix(in_srgb,var(--dt-destructive)_78%,var(--ui-text-secondary))]"
             role="alert"
           >
-            <ErrorPrimitive.Message />
+            <ErrorPrimitive.Message className="min-w-0 flex-1" />
+            {onDismissError && (
+              <TooltipIconButton
+                className="-my-0.5 shrink-0 text-current opacity-70 hover:opacity-100"
+                onClick={() => onDismissError(messageId)}
+                side="top"
+                tooltip={t.assistant.thread.dismissError}
+              >
+                <XIcon className="size-3.5" />
+              </TooltipIconButton>
+            )}
           </ErrorPrimitive.Root>
         </MessagePrimitive.Error>
       </div>
@@ -811,7 +827,7 @@ function StickyHumanMessageContainer({ attachments, children }: { attachments?:
 // so without the carve-out, clicking a stuck bubble drags the window instead of
 // opening the edit composer.
 const USER_BUBBLE_BASE_CLASS =
-  'composer-human-message standalone-glass relative flex w-full min-w-0 max-w-full flex-col gap-1.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl border bg-(--dt-user-bubble) px-3 py-2 text-left [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]'
+  'composer-human-message standalone-glass relative flex w-full min-w-0 max-w-full flex-col gap-1.5 overflow-y-auto rounded-xl border bg-(--dt-user-bubble) px-3 py-2 text-left [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]'
 
 const USER_ACTION_ICON_BUTTON_CLASS =
   'grid place-items-center rounded-md bg-transparent text-(--ui-text-secondary) transition-colors hover:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:text-(--ui-text-quaternary) disabled:opacity-70'

apps/desktop/src/components/chat/code-card.tsx

@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ function CodeCardBody({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<'div'>) {
   return (
     <div
       className={cn(
-        'p-1.5 font-mono text-[0.7rem] leading-relaxed text-foreground/90 [&_pre]:m-0 [&_pre]:overflow-x-auto [&_pre]:bg-transparent! [&_pre]:px-2 [&_pre]:py-1.5 [&_pre]:font-mono [&_pre]:leading-relaxed',
+        'font-mono text-[0.7rem] leading-relaxed text-foreground/90 [&_pre]:m-0 [&_pre]:overflow-x-auto [&_pre]:bg-transparent! [&_pre]:px-2 [&_pre]:py-1.5 [&_pre]:font-mono [&_pre]:leading-relaxed',
         className
       )}
       data-slot="code-card-body"

apps/desktop/src/components/chat/expandable-block.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { type ReactNode, useLayoutEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+
+import { ChevronDown } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+
+interface ExpandableBlockProps {
+  children: ReactNode
+  className?: string
+}
+
+export function ExpandableBlock({ children, className }: ExpandableBlockProps) {
+  const innerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
+  const [expanded, setExpanded] = useState(false)
+  const [overflowing, setOverflowing] = useState(false)
+
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    const el = innerRef.current
+
+    if (!el) {return}
+
+    const measure = () => setOverflowing(el.scrollHeight > 121)
+    measure()
+    const observer = new ResizeObserver(measure)
+    observer.observe(el)
+
+    return () => observer.disconnect()
+  }, [])
+
+  return (
+    <div className="relative">
+      <div
+        className={cn('overflow-y-auto', expanded ? 'max-h-[40dvh]' : 'max-h-[7.5rem]', className)}
+        ref={innerRef}
+      >
+        {children}
+      </div>
+      {overflowing && (
+        <button
+          aria-expanded={expanded}
+          aria-label={expanded ? 'Collapse' : 'Expand'}
+          className="absolute inset-x-0 bottom-0 flex h-7 cursor-pointer items-end justify-center bg-linear-to-t from-(--ui-chat-surface-background) to-transparent pb-1 text-muted-foreground/70 transition-colors hover:text-foreground"
+          onClick={() => setExpanded(v => !v)}
+          type="button"
+        >
+          <ChevronDown className={cn('size-3.5 transition-transform', expanded && 'rotate-180')} />
+        </button>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  )
+}

apps/desktop/src/components/chat/shiki-highlighter.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+import { chunkByLines, exceedsHighlightBudget } from '@/components/chat/shiki-highlighter'
+
+describe('exceedsHighlightBudget', () => {
+  it('highlights normal-sized blocks', () => {
+    expect(exceedsHighlightBudget('const x = 1\n'.repeat(100))).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('skips highlighting past the line budget', () => {
+    expect(exceedsHighlightBudget('x\n'.repeat(5_000))).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('skips highlighting past the char budget on few lines', () => {
+    expect(exceedsHighlightBudget('a'.repeat(200_000))).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('short-circuits on char budget before line loop', () => {
+    expect(exceedsHighlightBudget('y\n'.repeat(250_000))).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('chunkByLines', () => {
+  it('keeps a small block as a single chunk', () => {
+    const code = 'a\nb\nc'
+    expect(chunkByLines(code, 200)).toEqual([{ text: code, lines: 3 }])
+  })
+
+  it('splits a large block and reconstructs it losslessly', () => {
+    const code = Array.from({ length: 1000 }, (_, i) => `line ${i}`).join('\n')
+    const chunks = chunkByLines(code, 200)
+
+    expect(chunks).toHaveLength(5)
+    expect(chunks.map(chunk => chunk.text).join('\n')).toBe(code)
+    expect(chunks.reduce((sum, chunk) => sum + chunk.lines, 0)).toBe(1000)
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/components/chat/shiki-highlighter.tsx

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 'use client'
 
 import type { SyntaxHighlighterProps } from '@assistant-ui/react-streamdown'
-import type { FC } from 'react'
+import { type FC, useMemo } from 'react'
 import ShikiHighlighter from 'react-shiki'
 
 import {
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   CodeCardSubtitle,
   CodeCardTitle
 } from '@/components/chat/code-card'
+import { ExpandableBlock } from '@/components/chat/expandable-block'
 import { CopyButton } from '@/components/ui/copy-button'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import { codiconForLanguage, isLikelyProseCodeBlock, sanitizeLanguageTag } from '@/lib/markdown-code'
@@ -43,6 +44,74 @@ const SHIKI_COLOR_REPLACEMENTS: Record<string, Record<string, string>> = {
   'github-light-default': { '#6e7781': '#57606a' }
 }
 
+const MAX_HIGHLIGHT_CHARS = 150_000
+const MAX_HIGHLIGHT_LINES = 3_000
+const CHUNK_LINES = 200
+const EST_LINE_PX = 16
+
+export function exceedsHighlightBudget(code: string): boolean {
+  if (code.length > MAX_HIGHLIGHT_CHARS) {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  let lines = 1
+  let idx = code.indexOf('\n')
+
+  while (idx !== -1) {
+    if ((lines += 1) > MAX_HIGHLIGHT_LINES) {
+      return true
+    }
+
+    idx = code.indexOf('\n', idx + 1)
+  }
+
+  return false
+}
+
+interface CodeChunk {
+  text: string
+  lines: number
+}
+
+export function chunkByLines(code: string, perChunk: number): CodeChunk[] {
+  const lines = code.split('\n')
+
+  if (lines.length <= perChunk) {
+    return [{ text: code, lines: lines.length }]
+  }
+
+  const chunks: CodeChunk[] = []
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < lines.length; i += perChunk) {
+    const slice = lines.slice(i, i + perChunk)
+    chunks.push({ text: slice.join('\n'), lines: slice.length })
+  }
+
+  return chunks
+}
+
+const PlainCode: FC<{ code: string }> = ({ code }) => {
+  const chunks = useMemo(() => chunkByLines(code, CHUNK_LINES), [code])
+
+  if (chunks.length === 1) {
+    return <code className="block whitespace-pre">{code}</code>
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      {chunks.map((chunk, index) => (
+        <code
+          className="block whitespace-pre [content-visibility:auto]"
+          key={index}
+          style={{ containIntrinsicSize: `auto ${chunk.lines * EST_LINE_PX}px` }}
+        >
+          {chunk.text}
+        </code>
+      ))}
+    </>
+  )
+}
+
 export const SyntaxHighlighter: FC<HermesSyntaxHighlighterProps> = ({
   components: { Pre },
   language,
@@ -64,6 +133,7 @@ export const SyntaxHighlighter: FC<HermesSyntaxHighlighterProps> = ({
 
   const cleanLanguage = sanitizeLanguageTag(language || '')
   const label = cleanLanguage && cleanLanguage !== 'unknown' ? cleanLanguage : ''
+  const plain = defer || exceedsHighlightBudget(trimmed)
 
   return (
     <CodeCard data-streaming={defer ? 'true' : undefined}>
@@ -83,24 +153,26 @@ export const SyntaxHighlighter: FC<HermesSyntaxHighlighterProps> = ({
         />
       </CodeCardHeader>
       <CodeCardBody>
-        <Pre className="aui-shiki m-0 overflow-hidden bg-transparent p-0">
-          {defer ? (
-            <code className="block whitespace-pre">{trimmed}</code>
-          ) : (
-            <ShikiHighlighter
-              addDefaultStyles={false}
-              as="div"
-              colorReplacements={SHIKI_COLOR_REPLACEMENTS}
-              defaultColor="light-dark()"
-              delay={120}
-              language={language || 'text'}
-              showLanguage={false}
-              theme={SHIKI_THEME}
-            >
-              {trimmed}
-            </ShikiHighlighter>
-          )}
-        </Pre>
+        <ExpandableBlock>
+          <Pre className="aui-shiki m-0 overflow-hidden bg-transparent p-0">
+            {plain ? (
+              <PlainCode code={trimmed} />
+            ) : (
+              <ShikiHighlighter
+                addDefaultStyles={false}
+                as="div"
+                colorReplacements={SHIKI_COLOR_REPLACEMENTS}
+                defaultColor="light-dark()"
+                delay={120}
+                language={language || 'text'}
+                showLanguage={false}
+                theme={SHIKI_THEME}
+              >
+                {trimmed}
+              </ShikiHighlighter>
+            )}
+          </Pre>
+        </ExpandableBlock>
       </CodeCardBody>
     </CodeCard>
   )

apps/desktop/src/components/model-picker.tsx

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import { useState } from 'react'
 
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
+import { currentPickerSelection } from '@/lib/model-status-label'
 import type { ModelOptionProvider, ModelOptionsResponse, ModelPricing } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 import type { HermesGateway } from '../hermes'
@@ -11,7 +12,6 @@ import { startManualOnboarding } from '../store/onboarding'
 
 import { InlineNotice } from './notifications'
 import { Button } from './ui/button'
-import { Checkbox } from './ui/checkbox'
 import { Command, CommandEmpty, CommandGroup, CommandInput, CommandItem, CommandList } from './ui/command'
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogDescription, DialogFooter, DialogHeader, DialogTitle } from './ui/dialog'
 import { Skeleton } from './ui/skeleton'
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ interface ModelPickerDialogProps {
   sessionId?: string | null
   currentModel: string
   currentProvider: string
-  onSelect: (selection: { provider: string; model: string; persistGlobal: boolean }) => void
+  onSelect: (selection: { provider: string; model: string }) => void
   /**
    * Optional class to apply to DialogContent. Use to override z-index when
    * stacking the picker on top of another fixed overlay (e.g. the desktop
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ export function ModelPickerDialog({
 }: ModelPickerDialogProps) {
   const { t } = useI18n()
   const copy = t.modelPicker
-  const [persistGlobal, setPersistGlobal] = useState(!sessionId)
   // Own the search term so we can filter manually. cmdk's built-in
   // shouldFilter reorders items by its fuzzy-match score (≈alphabetical with
   // an empty query), which destroys the backend's curated order. We disable
@@ -68,8 +67,13 @@ export function ModelPickerDialog({
   })
 
   const providers = modelOptions.data?.providers ?? []
-  const optionsModel = String(modelOptions.data?.model ?? currentModel ?? '')
-  const optionsProvider = String(modelOptions.data?.provider ?? currentProvider ?? '')
+
+  const { model: optionsModel, provider: optionsProvider } = currentPickerSelection(
+    !!sessionId,
+    { model: currentModel, provider: currentProvider },
+    modelOptions.data
+  )
+
   const loading = modelOptions.isPending && !modelOptions.data
 
   const error = modelOptions.error
@@ -79,11 +83,7 @@ export function ModelPickerDialog({
     : null
 
   const selectModel = (provider: ModelOptionProvider, model: string) => {
-    onSelect({
-      provider: provider.slug,
-      model,
-      persistGlobal: persistGlobal || !sessionId
-    })
+    onSelect({ provider: provider.slug, model })
     onOpenChange(false)
   }
 
@@ -128,24 +128,13 @@ export function ModelPickerDialog({
           </CommandList>
         </Command>
 
-        <DialogFooter className="flex-row items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-card p-3 sm:justify-between">
-          <label className="flex cursor-pointer select-none items-center gap-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-            <Checkbox
-              checked={persistGlobal || !sessionId}
-              disabled={!sessionId}
-              onCheckedChange={checked => setPersistGlobal(checked === true)}
-            />
-            {sessionId ? copy.persistGlobalSession : copy.persistGlobal}
-          </label>
-
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-            <Button onClick={addProvider} variant="ghost">
-              {copy.addProvider}
-            </Button>
-            <Button onClick={() => onOpenChange(false)} variant="outline">
-              {t.common.cancel}
-            </Button>
-          </div>
+        <DialogFooter className="flex-row items-center justify-end gap-2 bg-card p-3">
+          <Button onClick={addProvider} variant="ghost">
+            {copy.addProvider}
+          </Button>
+          <Button onClick={() => onOpenChange(false)} variant="outline">
+            {t.common.cancel}
+          </Button>
         </DialogFooter>
       </DialogContent>
     </Dialog>

apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts

@@ -538,6 +538,10 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       provider: 'Provider',
       model: 'Model',
       applying: 'Applying...',
+      defaultsLabel: 'Defaults',
+      reasoning: 'Reasoning',
+      reasoningOff: 'Off',
+      defaultsFailed: 'Failed to save model defaults',
       auxiliaryTitle: 'Auxiliary models',
       resetAllToMain: 'Reset all to main',
       auxiliaryDesc: 'Helper tasks run on the main model by default. Assign a dedicated model to any task to override.',
@@ -565,9 +569,14 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       collapse: 'Collapse',
       connectAnother: 'Connect another provider',
       otherProviders: 'Other providers',
+      disconnect: 'Disconnect',
+      disconnectInTerminal: 'Disconnect (runs the removal command in the terminal)',
       removeConfirm: provider => `Remove ${provider}?`,
-      removeExternal: (provider, command) => `${provider} is managed outside Hermes. Remove it with ${command}.`,
+      removeExternalGeneric: provider => `${provider} is managed by its own CLI — remove it there.`,
       removeKeyManaged: provider => `${provider} is configured from an API key. Remove it from API Keys.`,
+      removeTerminalConfirm: (provider, command) =>
+        `Disconnect ${provider}? This runs "${command}" in the terminal to clear the credential.`,
+      removeTerminalRunning: provider => `Running ${provider} disconnect in the terminal…`,
       removedTitle: 'Account removed',
       removedMessage: provider => `${provider} was removed.`,
       failedRemove: provider => `Could not remove ${provider}`,
@@ -1498,8 +1507,6 @@ export const en: Translations = {
     unknown: '(unknown)',
     search: 'Filter providers and models...',
     noModels: 'No models found.',
-    persistGlobalSession: 'Persist globally (otherwise this session only)',
-    persistGlobal: 'Persist globally',
     addProvider: 'Add provider',
     loadFailed: 'Could not load models',
     noAuthenticatedProviders: 'No authenticated providers.',
@@ -1726,6 +1733,7 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       refresh: 'Refresh',
       moreActions: 'More actions',
       branchNewChat: 'Branch in new chat',
+      dismissError: 'Dismiss error',
       readAloudFailed: 'Read aloud failed',
       preparingAudio: 'Preparing audio...',
       stopReading: 'Stop reading',
@@ -1835,6 +1843,9 @@ export const en: Translations = {
     regenerateFailed: 'Regenerate failed',
     editFailed: 'Edit failed',
     resumeFailed: 'Resume failed',
+    resumeStrandedTitle: "Couldn't load this session",
+    resumeStrandedBody: 'The connection to this session failed and automatic retries gave up. Check that the gateway is running, then try again.',
+    resumeRetry: 'Retry',
     nothingToBranch: 'Nothing to branch',
     branchNeedsChat: 'Start or resume a chat before branching.',
     sessionBusy: 'Session busy',

apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts

@@ -695,7 +695,6 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
       connectAnother: '別のプロバイダーを接続',
       otherProviders: 'その他のプロバイダー',
       removeConfirm: provider => `${provider} を削除しますか？`,
-      removeExternal: (provider, command) => `${provider} は Hermes の外部で管理されています。${command} で削除してください。`,
       removeKeyManaged: provider => `${provider} は API キーで設定されています。API Keys から削除してください。`,
       removedTitle: 'アカウントを削除しました',
       removedMessage: provider => `${provider} を削除しました。`,
@@ -1638,8 +1637,6 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
     unknown: '(不明)',
     search: 'プロバイダーとモデルをフィルター...',
     noModels: 'モデルが見つかりません。',
-    persistGlobalSession: 'グローバルに保持（それ以外はこのセッションのみ）',
-    persistGlobal: 'グローバルに保持',
     addProvider: 'プロバイダーを追加',
     loadFailed: 'モデルを読み込めませんでした',
     noAuthenticatedProviders: '認証済みプロバイダーがありません。',
@@ -1867,6 +1864,7 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
       refresh: '更新',
       moreActions: 'その他のアクション',
       branchNewChat: '新しいチャットでブランチ',
+      dismissError: 'エラーを閉じる',
       readAloudFailed: '読み上げに失敗しました',
       preparingAudio: '音声を準備中...',
       stopReading: '読み上げを停止',
@@ -1976,6 +1974,9 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
     regenerateFailed: '再生成に失敗しました',
     editFailed: '編集に失敗しました',
     resumeFailed: '再開に失敗しました',
+    resumeStrandedTitle: 'このセッションを読み込めませんでした',
+    resumeStrandedBody: 'このセッションへの接続に失敗し、自動再試行も停止しました。ゲートウェイが実行中か確認してから、もう一度お試しください。',
+    resumeRetry: '再試行',
     nothingToBranch: 'ブランチするものがありません',
     branchNeedsChat: 'ブランチする前にチャットを開始または再開してください。',
     sessionBusy: 'セッションが使用中',

apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts

@@ -430,6 +430,10 @@ export interface Translations {
       provider: string
       model: string
       applying: string
+      defaultsLabel: string
+      reasoning: string
+      reasoningOff: string
+      defaultsFailed: string
       auxiliaryTitle: string
       resetAllToMain: string
       auxiliaryDesc: string
@@ -447,9 +451,13 @@ export interface Translations {
       collapse: string
       connectAnother: string
       otherProviders: string
+      disconnect: string
+      disconnectInTerminal: string
       removeConfirm: (provider: string) => string
-      removeExternal: (provider: string, command: string) => string
+      removeExternalGeneric: (provider: string) => string
       removeKeyManaged: (provider: string) => string
+      removeTerminalConfirm: (provider: string, command: string) => string
+      removeTerminalRunning: (provider: string) => string
       removedTitle: string
       removedMessage: (provider: string) => string
       failedRemove: (provider: string) => string
@@ -1141,8 +1149,6 @@ export interface Translations {
     unknown: string
     search: string
     noModels: string
-    persistGlobalSession: string
-    persistGlobal: string
     addProvider: string
     loadFailed: string
     noAuthenticatedProviders: string
@@ -1367,6 +1373,7 @@ export interface Translations {
       refresh: string
       moreActions: string
       branchNewChat: string
+      dismissError: string
       readAloudFailed: string
       preparingAudio: string
       stopReading: string
@@ -1474,6 +1481,9 @@ export interface Translations {
     regenerateFailed: string
     editFailed: string
     resumeFailed: string
+    resumeStrandedTitle: string
+    resumeStrandedBody: string
+    resumeRetry: string
     nothingToBranch: string
     branchNeedsChat: string
     sessionBusy: string

apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts

@@ -672,7 +672,6 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
       connectAnother: '連結其他提供方',
       otherProviders: '其他提供方',
       removeConfirm: provider => `移除 ${provider}？`,
-      removeExternal: (provider, command) => `${provider} 由 Hermes 外部管理。請使用 ${command} 移除。`,
       removeKeyManaged: provider => `${provider} 由 API 金鑰設定。請從 API Keys 中移除。`,
       removedTitle: '帳號已移除',
       removedMessage: provider => `${provider} 已移除。`,
@@ -1582,8 +1581,6 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
     unknown: '（未知）',
     search: '篩選提供方和模型...',
     noModels: '找不到模型。',
-    persistGlobalSession: '全域儲存（否則僅限此工作階段）',
-    persistGlobal: '全域儲存',
     addProvider: '新增提供方',
     loadFailed: '無法載入模型',
     noAuthenticatedProviders: '沒有已驗證的提供方。',
@@ -1809,6 +1806,7 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
       refresh: '重新整理',
       moreActions: '更多動作',
       branchNewChat: '在新聊天中分支',
+      dismissError: '关闭错误',
       readAloudFailed: '朗讀失敗',
       preparingAudio: '正在準備音訊...',
       stopReading: '停止朗讀',
@@ -1916,6 +1914,9 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
     regenerateFailed: '重新生成失敗',
     editFailed: '編輯失敗',
     resumeFailed: '繼續失敗',
+    resumeStrandedTitle: '無法載入此工作階段',
+    resumeStrandedBody: '與此工作階段的連線失敗，自動重試已停止。請確認閘道正在執行，然後重試。',
+    resumeRetry: '重試',
     nothingToBranch: '沒有可分支的內容',
     branchNeedsChat: '分支前請先開始或繼續一個聊天。',
     sessionBusy: '工作階段忙碌中',

apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts

@@ -733,6 +733,10 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       provider: '提供方',
       model: '模型',
       applying: '应用中...',
+      defaultsLabel: '默认值',
+      reasoning: '推理',
+      reasoningOff: '关闭',
+      defaultsFailed: '保存模型默认值失败',
       auxiliaryTitle: '辅助模型',
       resetAllToMain: '全部重置为主模型',
       auxiliaryDesc: '辅助任务默认使用主模型。你可以为任意任务指定专用模型。',
@@ -759,9 +763,13 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       collapse: '收起',
       connectAnother: '连接其他提供方',
       otherProviders: '其他提供方',
+      disconnect: '断开连接',
+      disconnectInTerminal: '断开连接（在终端中运行移除命令）',
       removeConfirm: provider => `移除 ${provider}？`,
-      removeExternal: (provider, command) => `${provider} 由 Hermes 外部管理。请使用 ${command} 移除。`,
+      removeExternalGeneric: provider => `${provider} 由其自身的 CLI 管理 — 请在那里移除。`,
       removeKeyManaged: provider => `${provider} 由 API 密钥配置。请从 API Keys 中移除。`,
+      removeTerminalConfirm: (provider, command) => `断开 ${provider}？这将在终端中运行 "${command}" 以清除凭据。`,
+      removeTerminalRunning: provider => `正在终端中断开 ${provider}…`,
       removedTitle: '账号已移除',
       removedMessage: provider => `${provider} 已移除。`,
       failedRemove: provider => `无法移除 ${provider}`,
@@ -1679,8 +1687,6 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
     unknown: '(未知)',
     search: '筛选提供方和模型...',
     noModels: '未找到模型。',
-    persistGlobalSession: '全局保存 (否则仅当前会话)',
-    persistGlobal: '全局保存',
     addProvider: '添加提供方',
     loadFailed: '无法加载模型',
     noAuthenticatedProviders: '没有已认证的提供方。',
@@ -1906,6 +1912,7 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       refresh: '刷新',
       moreActions: '更多操作',
       branchNewChat: '在新对话中分支',
+      dismissError: '关闭错误',
       readAloudFailed: '朗读失败',
       preparingAudio: '正在准备音频...',
       stopReading: '停止朗读',
@@ -2014,6 +2021,9 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
     regenerateFailed: '重新生成失败',
     editFailed: '编辑失败',
     resumeFailed: '恢复失败',
+    resumeStrandedTitle: '无法加载此会话',
+    resumeStrandedBody: '与此会话的连接失败，自动重试已停止。请确认网关正在运行，然后重试。',
+    resumeRetry: '重试',
     nothingToBranch: '没有可分支的内容',
     branchNeedsChat: '分支前请先开始或恢复一个对话。',
     sessionBusy: '会话忙碌中',

apps/desktop/src/lib/markdown-preprocess.ts

@@ -151,12 +151,18 @@ function normalizeVisibleProse(text: string): string {
     .join('')
 }
 
+function extend(out: string[], lines: string[]) {
+  for (const line of lines) {
+    out.push(line)
+  }
+}
+
 function pushProseFence(out: string[], indent: string, info: string, lines: string[]) {
   if (info) {
     out.push(`${indent}${info}`.trimEnd())
   }
 
-  out.push(...lines)
+  extend(out, lines)
 }
 
 function findClosingFence(lines: string[], start: number, marker: string): number {
@@ -241,7 +247,7 @@ function normalizeFenceBlocks(text: string): string {
     }
 
     if (closeIndex !== -1 && isUrlOnlyBlock(bodyLines)) {
-      out.push(...bodyLines)
+      extend(out, bodyLines)
       index = closeIndex + 1
 
       continue
@@ -264,10 +270,10 @@ function normalizeFenceBlocks(text: string): string {
         // any literal `$$` characters in the body don't collide with
         // an outer math wrapper. No close emitted yet — streaming.
         out.push(`${indent}${marker}math`)
-        out.push(...bodyLines)
+        extend(out, bodyLines)
       } else {
         out.push(`${indent}${marker}${language}`)
-        out.push(...bodyLines)
+        extend(out, bodyLines)
       }
 
       break
@@ -288,7 +294,7 @@ function normalizeFenceBlocks(text: string): string {
       // colliding with our wrapper. Without this rewrite the block
       // would render as a syntax-highlighted "latex" code listing.
       out.push(`${indent}${marker}math`)
-      out.push(...bodyLines)
+      extend(out, bodyLines)
       out.push(`${indent}${marker}`)
       index = closeIndex + 1
 
@@ -296,7 +302,7 @@ function normalizeFenceBlocks(text: string): string {
     }
 
     out.push(`${indent}${marker}${language}`)
-    out.push(...bodyLines)
+    extend(out, bodyLines)
     out.push(`${indent}${marker}`)
     index = closeIndex + 1
   }

apps/desktop/src/lib/model-status-label.test.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
-import { displayModelName, formatModelStatusLabel, reasoningEffortLabel } from './model-status-label'
+import { currentPickerSelection, displayModelName, formatModelStatusLabel, reasoningEffortLabel } from './model-status-label'
 
 describe('model-status-label', () => {
   it('formats display names consistently', () => {
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ describe('model-status-label', () => {
     expect(displayModelName('openai/gpt-5.5')).toBe('GPT-5.5')
   })
 
+  it('strips trailing date-pin snapshots from the display name', () => {
+    expect(displayModelName('claude-opus-4-5-20251101')).toBe('Opus 4 5')
+    expect(displayModelName('anthropic/claude-haiku-4-5-20251001')).toBe('Haiku 4 5')
+  })
+
   it('maps reasoning effort to compact labels', () => {
     expect(reasoningEffortLabel('high')).toBe('High')
     expect(reasoningEffortLabel('xhigh')).toBe('Max')
@@ -30,4 +35,25 @@ describe('model-status-label', () => {
   it('returns just the placeholder name when there is no model', () => {
     expect(formatModelStatusLabel('')).toBe('No model')
   })
+
+  describe('currentPickerSelection', () => {
+    const store = { model: 'opus', provider: 'anthropic' }
+    const options = { model: 'hermes-4', provider: 'nous' }
+
+    it('prefers the sticky composer pick over the profile default pre-session', () => {
+      expect(currentPickerSelection(false, store, options)).toEqual(store)
+    })
+
+    it('lets the live session model.options win when a session exists', () => {
+      expect(currentPickerSelection(true, store, options)).toEqual(options)
+    })
+
+    it('falls back to options when the store is empty', () => {
+      expect(currentPickerSelection(false, { model: '', provider: '' }, options)).toEqual(options)
+    })
+
+    it('falls back to the store while options are still loading', () => {
+      expect(currentPickerSelection(true, store, undefined)).toEqual(store)
+    })
+  })
 })

apps/desktop/src/lib/model-status-label.ts

@@ -17,6 +17,22 @@ export function reasoningEffortLabel(effort: string): string {
   return REASONING_LABELS[key] ?? effort
 }
 
+/** Which model/provider a picker should mark "current". With a live session the
+ *  gateway's `model.options` is authoritative; pre-session there is no server
+ *  "current", so the sticky composer pick wins over the profile default the
+ *  global options query returns — else the checkmark snaps back to the default
+ *  and the pick looks ignored. */
+export function currentPickerSelection(
+  hasSession: boolean,
+  store: { model: string; provider: string },
+  options?: { model?: string; provider?: string }
+): { model: string; provider: string } {
+  return {
+    model: String((hasSession && options?.model) || store.model || options?.model || ''),
+    provider: String((hasSession && options?.provider) || store.provider || options?.provider || '')
+  }
+}
+
 /** Strip provider prefix and normalize for display. */
 export function modelBaseId(model: string): string {
   const trimmed = model.trim()
@@ -68,6 +84,9 @@ export function modelDisplayParts(model: string): { name: string; tag: string }
     }
   }
 
+  // Drop a trailing date-pin (`…-20251101`) — snapshot noise, not a name.
+  base = base.replace(/-\d{8}$/, '')
+
   return { name: prettifyBase(base) || model.trim() || 'No model', tag }
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/store/model-presets.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+import { $modelPresets, applyModelPreset, getModelPreset, modelPresetKey, setModelPreset } from './model-presets'
+
+describe('model presets', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => $modelPresets.set({}))
+
+  it('round-trips a preset and merges patches without dropping prior fields', () => {
+    setModelPreset('anthropic', 'claude-opus-4-8', { effort: 'high' })
+    setModelPreset('anthropic', 'claude-opus-4-8', { fast: true })
+
+    expect(getModelPreset('anthropic', 'claude-opus-4-8')).toEqual({ effort: 'high', fast: true })
+  })
+
+  it('returns an empty preset for unknown models', () => {
+    expect(getModelPreset('x', 'y')).toEqual({})
+  })
+
+  it('keys by provider::model', () => {
+    expect(modelPresetKey('openai', 'gpt-5.5')).toBe('openai::gpt-5.5')
+  })
+
+  it('pushes only the provided dimensions to the gateway', async () => {
+    const calls: { method: string; params?: Record<string, unknown> }[] = []
+
+    const request = async <T>(method: string, params?: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+      calls.push({ method, params })
+
+      return {} as T
+    }
+
+    await applyModelPreset({ effort: 'high' }, { failMessage: 'x', request, sessionId: 's1' })
+    await applyModelPreset({}, { failMessage: 'x', request, sessionId: 's1' })
+
+    expect(calls).toEqual([{ method: 'config.set', params: { key: 'reasoning', session_id: 's1', value: 'high' } }])
+  })
+
+  it('no-ops without a session so selecting a model cannot mutate global config', async () => {
+    const calls: { method: string; params?: Record<string, unknown> }[] = []
+
+    const request = async <T>(method: string, params?: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+      calls.push({ method, params })
+
+      return {} as T
+    }
+
+    await applyModelPreset({ effort: 'high', fast: true }, { failMessage: 'x', request, sessionId: null })
+
+    expect(calls).toEqual([])
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/store/model-presets.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { atom } from 'nanostores'
+
+import { persistString, storedString } from '@/lib/storage'
+
+import { notifyError } from './notifications'
+import { setCurrentFastMode, setCurrentReasoningEffort } from './session'
+
+const STORAGE_KEY = 'hermes.desktop.model-presets'
+
+/** Per-model reasoning/fast preset, remembered globally across sessions and
+ *  re-applied to the session whenever that model is selected. Unset dimensions
+ *  fall back to the Hermes default (medium effort, no fast). */
+export interface ModelPreset {
+  effort?: string
+  fast?: boolean
+}
+
+type RequestGateway = <T>(method: string, params?: Record<string, unknown>) => Promise<T>
+
+/** Stable `provider::model` key (matches the visibility-store format). */
+export const modelPresetKey = (provider: string, model: string): string => `${provider}::${model}`
+
+function load(): Record<string, ModelPreset> {
+  const raw = storedString(STORAGE_KEY)
+
+  if (!raw) {
+    return {}
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(raw)
+
+    return parsed && typeof parsed === 'object' && !Array.isArray(parsed) ? (parsed as Record<string, ModelPreset>) : {}
+  } catch {
+    return {}
+  }
+}
+
+export const $modelPresets = atom<Record<string, ModelPreset>>(load())
+
+export function getModelPreset(provider: string, model: string): ModelPreset {
+  return $modelPresets.get()[modelPresetKey(provider, model)] ?? {}
+}
+
+/** Merge a partial preset for one model and persist. */
+export function setModelPreset(provider: string, model: string, patch: ModelPreset): void {
+  const key = modelPresetKey(provider, model)
+  const next = { ...$modelPresets.get(), [key]: { ...$modelPresets.get()[key], ...patch } }
+
+  $modelPresets.set(next)
+  persistString(STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(next))
+}
+
+/** Push a model's preset onto the active session (optimistic + gateway).
+ *  `undefined` skips that dimension; values are capability-gated upstream.
+ *  No-ops without a session — the gateway's `config.set` reasoning/fast fall
+ *  back to persistent (global/profile) config when none matches, so selecting
+ *  a model must not reach it (else it rewrites `agent.*`, defaults included). */
+export async function applyModelPreset(
+  { effort, fast }: ModelPreset,
+  ctx: { failMessage: string; request: RequestGateway; sessionId: null | string }
+): Promise<void> {
+  if (!ctx.sessionId) {
+    return
+  }
+
+  if (effort !== undefined) {
+    setCurrentReasoningEffort(effort)
+  }
+
+  if (fast !== undefined) {
+    setCurrentFastMode(fast)
+  }
+
+  try {
+    if (effort !== undefined) {
+      await ctx.request('config.set', { key: 'reasoning', session_id: ctx.sessionId, value: effort })
+    }
+
+    if (fast !== undefined) {
+      await ctx.request('config.set', { key: 'fast', session_id: ctx.sessionId, value: fast ? 'fast' : 'normal' })
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    notifyError(err, ctx.failMessage)
+  }
+}

apps/desktop/src/store/model-visibility.test.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 import type { ModelOptionProvider } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 import {
+  collapseModelFamilies,
   effectiveVisibleKeys,
   emptyProviderSentinelKey,
   isProviderSentinel,
@@ -78,6 +79,18 @@ describe('model visibility', () => {
     expect(visible.has(modelVisibilityKey('nous', 'hermes-3-llama-3.1-8b'))).toBe(false)
   })
 
+  it('folds a date-pinned snapshot into its rolling alias when present', () => {
+    const families = collapseModelFamilies(['claude-opus-4-5', 'claude-opus-4-5-20251101'])
+
+    expect(families.map(f => f.id)).toEqual(['claude-opus-4-5'])
+  })
+
+  it('keeps a date-pinned snapshot standing alone when it has no alias', () => {
+    const families = collapseModelFamilies(['claude-opus-4-5-20251101', 'claude-haiku-4-5-20251001'])
+
+    expect(families.map(f => f.id)).toEqual(['claude-opus-4-5-20251101', 'claude-haiku-4-5-20251001'])
+  })
+
   it('sentinel key helper produces correct format', () => {
     expect(emptyProviderSentinelKey('openai')).toBe('openai::')
     expect(isProviderSentinel('openai::')).toBe(true)

apps/desktop/src/store/model-visibility.ts

@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ export function collapseModelFamilies(models: readonly string[]): ModelFamily[]
       continue
     }
 
+    if (/-\d{8}$/.test(model) && present.has(model.replace(/-\d{8}$/, ''))) {
+      // A date-pinned snapshot superseded by its rolling alias — drop the dupe.
+      continue
+    }
+
     const fastId = `${model}-fast`
     const hasFast = present.has(fastId)
     families.push({ fastId: hasFast ? fastId : null, id: model })

apps/desktop/src/store/session.ts

@@ -4,13 +4,23 @@ import { lastVisibleMessageIsUser } from '@/app/chat/thread-loading'
 import type { ContextSuggestion } from '@/app/types'
 import type { HermesConnection } from '@/global'
 import type { ChatMessage } from '@/lib/chat-messages'
-import { persistString, storedString } from '@/lib/storage'
+import { persistBoolean, persistString, storedBoolean, storedString } from '@/lib/storage'
 import type { SessionInfo, UsageStats } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 type Updater<T> = T | ((current: T) => T)
 
 const WORKSPACE_CWD_KEY = 'hermes.desktop.workspace-cwd'
 
+// The composer's model/effort/fast is sticky UI state, NOT the profile default
+// (that lives in Settings → Model). Persisting it in localStorage makes a pick
+// follow across Cmd+N and app restarts instead of snapping back to the default.
+// It's deliberately global (not per-profile): a profile switch force-reseeds to
+// that profile's default, while within a profile new chats keep your last pick.
+const COMPOSER_MODEL_KEY = 'hermes.desktop.composer.model'
+const COMPOSER_PROVIDER_KEY = 'hermes.desktop.composer.provider'
+const COMPOSER_EFFORT_KEY = 'hermes.desktop.composer.reasoning-effort'
+const COMPOSER_FAST_KEY = 'hermes.desktop.composer.fast'
+
 let configuredDefaultProjectDir = ''
 
 function workspaceCwdKey(connection: HermesConnection | null = $connection.get()): string {
@@ -208,11 +218,28 @@ export const $lastVisibleMessageIsUser = computed($messages, lastVisibleMessageI
 export const $freshDraftReady = atom(false)
 export const $busy = atom(false)
 export const $awaitingResponse = atom(false)
-export const $currentModel = atom('')
-export const $currentProvider = atom('')
-export const $currentReasoningEffort = atom('')
+// Stored-session id whose most recent resume FAILED terminally (the gateway RPC
+// rejected AND the REST transcript fallback also failed), leaving the window
+// with no runtime and an empty transcript. Drives use-route-resume's self-heal:
+// while this matches the routed session the loader would otherwise latch
+// forever (messagesEmpty && !activeSessionId), so the hook re-attempts the
+// resume on the next render/focus/reconnect instead of stranding the window.
+// Null whenever the active route has a healthy (or in-flight) resume.
+export const $resumeFailedSessionId = atom<string | null>(null)
+// Stored-session id whose resume has EXHAUSTED its bounded auto-retries (the
+// terminal-failure latch above kept failing through all MAX_RESUME_RETRIES
+// attempts). Distinct from $resumeFailedSessionId, which is armed *during* the
+// backoff window too: this fires only once auto-recovery has given up, so the
+// chat view can swap the perpetual loader for an explicit error + manual Retry
+// affordance. A fresh resumeSession() (manual Retry, reconnect, reselect)
+// clears it and resets the retry counter. Null whenever the active route has a
+// healthy, in-flight, or still-auto-retrying resume.
+export const $resumeExhaustedSessionId = atom<string | null>(null)
+export const $currentModel = atom(storedString(COMPOSER_MODEL_KEY) ?? '')
+export const $currentProvider = atom(storedString(COMPOSER_PROVIDER_KEY) ?? '')
+export const $currentReasoningEffort = atom(storedString(COMPOSER_EFFORT_KEY) ?? '')
 export const $currentServiceTier = atom('')
-export const $currentFastMode = atom(false)
+export const $currentFastMode = atom(storedBoolean(COMPOSER_FAST_KEY, false))
 // Effective approval-bypass state mirrored from the gateway (session.info).
 // Persistence lives in the backend config (approvals.mode), so this is a plain
 // reflection of the truth the gateway reports rather than its own store.
@@ -252,13 +279,33 @@ export const setActiveSessionId = (next: Updater<string | null>) => updateAtom($
 export const setSelectedStoredSessionId = (next: Updater<string | null>) => updateAtom($selectedStoredSessionId, next)
 export const setMessages = (next: Updater<ChatMessage[]>) => updateAtom($messages, next)
 export const setFreshDraftReady = (next: Updater<boolean>) => updateAtom($freshDraftReady, next)
+export const setResumeFailedSessionId = (next: Updater<string | null>) => updateAtom($resumeFailedSessionId, next)
+export const setResumeExhaustedSessionId = (next: Updater<string | null>) => updateAtom($resumeExhaustedSessionId, next)
 export const setBusy = (next: Updater<boolean>) => updateAtom($busy, next)
 export const setAwaitingResponse = (next: Updater<boolean>) => updateAtom($awaitingResponse, next)
-export const setCurrentModel = (next: Updater<string>) => updateAtom($currentModel, next)
-export const setCurrentProvider = (next: Updater<string>) => updateAtom($currentProvider, next)
-export const setCurrentReasoningEffort = (next: Updater<string>) => updateAtom($currentReasoningEffort, next)
+
+export const setCurrentModel = (next: Updater<string>) => {
+  updateAtom($currentModel, next)
+  persistString(COMPOSER_MODEL_KEY, $currentModel.get() || null)
+}
+
+export const setCurrentProvider = (next: Updater<string>) => {
+  updateAtom($currentProvider, next)
+  persistString(COMPOSER_PROVIDER_KEY, $currentProvider.get() || null)
+}
+
+export const setCurrentReasoningEffort = (next: Updater<string>) => {
+  updateAtom($currentReasoningEffort, next)
+  persistString(COMPOSER_EFFORT_KEY, $currentReasoningEffort.get() || null)
+}
+
 export const setCurrentServiceTier = (next: Updater<string>) => updateAtom($currentServiceTier, next)
-export const setCurrentFastMode = (next: Updater<boolean>) => updateAtom($currentFastMode, next)
+
+export const setCurrentFastMode = (next: Updater<boolean>) => {
+  updateAtom($currentFastMode, next)
+  persistBoolean(COMPOSER_FAST_KEY, $currentFastMode.get())
+}
+
 export const setYoloActive = (next: Updater<boolean>) => updateAtom($yoloActive, next)
 
 export const setCurrentCwd = (next: Updater<string>) => {

apps/desktop/src/store/updates.test.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ import type { DesktopUpdateStatus } from '@/global'
 const storage = new Map<string, string>()
 
 vi.mock('@/lib/storage', () => ({
+  persistBoolean: (key: string, value: boolean) => {
+    storage.set(key, String(value))
+  },
   persistString: (key: string, value: null | string) => {
     if (value === null) {
       storage.delete(key)
@@ -12,6 +15,11 @@ vi.mock('@/lib/storage', () => ({
       storage.set(key, value)
     }
   },
+  storedBoolean: (key: string, fallback: boolean) => {
+    const value = storage.get(key)
+
+    return value === undefined ? fallback : value === 'true'
+  },
   storedString: (key: string) => storage.get(key) ?? null
 }))
 
@@ -33,7 +41,7 @@ vi.mock('@/hermes', () => ({
   getActionStatus: (...args: unknown[]) => getActionStatusSpy(...args)
 }))
 
-const { maybeNotifyUpdateAvailable, checkBackendUpdates, $backendUpdateStatus, applyBackendUpdate, $backendUpdateApply } = await import('./updates')
+const { maybeNotifyUpdateAvailable, checkBackendUpdates, $backendUpdateStatus, applyBackendUpdate, $backendUpdateApply, reportBackendContract } = await import('./updates')
 const { setConnection } = await import('./session')
 
 const status = (over: Partial<DesktopUpdateStatus> = {}): DesktopUpdateStatus => ({
@@ -87,6 +95,61 @@ describe('maybeNotifyUpdateAvailable', () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe('reportBackendContract', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    storage.clear()
+    notifySpy.mockClear()
+    dismissSpy.mockClear()
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+  })
+
+  it('dismisses the toast when the backend meets the contract', () => {
+    reportBackendContract(2)
+    expect(dismissSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('backend-contract-skew')
+    expect(notifySpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('warns when the backend is behind (or reports no contract)', () => {
+    reportBackendContract(undefined)
+    expect(notifySpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    reportBackendContract(1)
+    expect(notifySpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+  })
+
+  it('stays quiet on later session opens once the user closed it', () => {
+    reportBackendContract(1)
+    lastToast().onDismiss() // user closes it → cooldown starts
+    notifySpy.mockClear()
+
+    // Opening another pre-existing session re-runs the check within cooldown.
+    reportBackendContract(1)
+    expect(notifySpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('reminds again after the cooldown elapses', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    vi.setSystemTime(0)
+
+    reportBackendContract(1)
+    lastToast().onDismiss()
+    notifySpy.mockClear()
+
+    vi.setSystemTime(25 * 60 * 60 * 1000) // > 24h cooldown
+    reportBackendContract(1)
+    expect(notifySpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  it('clears the snooze once the backend catches up, so a regression warns again', () => {
+    reportBackendContract(1)
+    lastToast().onDismiss()
+    notifySpy.mockClear()
+
+    reportBackendContract(2) // backend updated → satisfied, snooze cleared
+    reportBackendContract(1) // a later regression must warn immediately
+    expect(notifySpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+})
+
 describe('checkBackendUpdates', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     storage.clear()

apps/desktop/src/store/updates.ts

@@ -91,26 +91,60 @@ function isUpdateToastSnoozed(): boolean {
 // v2: requires the file.attach RPC (remote-gateway non-image file upload).
 const REQUIRED_BACKEND_CONTRACT = 2
 const SKEW_TOAST_ID = 'backend-contract-skew'
+// The contract check runs on every session.resume (applyRuntimeInfo), so
+// without a snooze the warning re-popped on every thread the user opened, even
+// right after they closed it. Mirror the update toast: persist a cooldown when
+// the user dismisses it. It still reminds again after the window if the backend
+// is still behind, and clears immediately once the backend catches up.
+const SKEW_TOAST_SNOOZE_KEY = 'hermes:backend-skew-toast-snooze-until'
+const SKEW_TOAST_COOLDOWN_MS = 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000
+
+function snoozeSkewToast(): void {
+  persistString(SKEW_TOAST_SNOOZE_KEY, String(Date.now() + SKEW_TOAST_COOLDOWN_MS))
+}
+
+function isSkewToastSnoozed(): boolean {
+  const until = Number(storedString(SKEW_TOAST_SNOOZE_KEY) || 0)
+
+  return Number.isFinite(until) && Date.now() < until
+}
 
 /**
  * Guard against a desktop GUI talking to a backend that predates its contract
  * (e.g. a bb/gui-built app pointed at a `main` checkout). Rather than failing
- * cryptically downstream, surface a persistent warning with a one-click align
- * that runs the normal update flow (which self-heals to the right branch).
+ * cryptically downstream, surface a warning with a one-click align that runs
+ * the normal update flow (which self-heals to the right branch).
+ *
+ * Runs on every session open; closing the toast snoozes it for a cooldown so it
+ * doesn't nag on every thread switch.
  */
 export function reportBackendContract(contract: number | undefined): void {
   if ((contract ?? 0) >= REQUIRED_BACKEND_CONTRACT) {
     dismissNotification(SKEW_TOAST_ID)
+    // Backend caught up — forget any prior snooze so a future regression warns
+    // immediately rather than staying silent for the rest of the window.
+    persistString(SKEW_TOAST_SNOOZE_KEY, null)
 
     return
   }
 
+  if (isSkewToastSnoozed()) {
+    return
+  }
+
   notify({
-    action: { label: translateNow('notifications.updateHermes'), onClick: () => void applyBackendUpdate() },
+    action: {
+      label: translateNow('notifications.updateHermes'),
+      onClick: () => {
+        snoozeSkewToast()
+        void applyBackendUpdate()
+      }
+    },
     durationMs: 0,
     id: SKEW_TOAST_ID,
     kind: 'warning',
     message: translateNow('notifications.backendOutOfDateMessage'),
+    onDismiss: () => snoozeSkewToast(),
     title: translateNow('notifications.backendOutOfDateTitle')
   })
 }

apps/desktop/src/types/hermes.ts

@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ export interface OAuthProviderStatus {
 
 export interface OAuthProvider {
   cli_command: string
+  /** Shell command that clears an external provider's credentials, run in the
+   *  embedded terminal. Null when Hermes doesn't know how to remove it. */
+  disconnect_command?: null | string
   disconnect_hint?: null | string
   disconnectable?: boolean
   docs_url: string

cli.py

@@ -1984,6 +1984,24 @@ _ACCENT = _SkinAwareAnsi("response_border", "#FFD700", bold=True)
 _DIM = "\x1b[2;3m"
 
 
+def _b(s: str) -> str:
+    """Bold if stdout is a real TTY; plain text otherwise (slash-worker safe)."""
+    import sys as _sys
+    try:
+        return f"\x1b[1m{s}\x1b[0m" if _sys.stdout.isatty() else str(s)
+    except Exception:
+        return str(s)
+
+
+def _d(s: str) -> str:
+    """Dim-italic if stdout is a real TTY; plain text otherwise."""
+    import sys as _sys
+    try:
+        return f"\x1b[2;3m{s}\x1b[0m" if _sys.stdout.isatty() else str(s)
+    except Exception:
+        return str(s)
+
+
 def _accent_hex() -> str:
     """Return the active skin accent color for legacy CLI output lines."""
     try:
@@ -3664,7 +3682,7 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin):
         if getattr(self, "_resize_recovery_pending", False):
             return
         now = time.monotonic()
-        if hasattr(self, "_app") and self._app and (now - self._last_invalidate) >= min_interval:
+        if hasattr(self, "_app") and self._app and (now - getattr(self, "_last_invalidate", 0.0)) >= min_interval:
             self._last_invalidate = now
             self._app.invalidate()
 
@@ -5957,6 +5975,18 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin):
 
         old_session_id = self.session_id
         if self._session_db and old_session_id:
+            # Flush any un-persisted messages from the current turn to the
+            # old session *before* rotating.  /new can be called mid-turn
+            # when _flush_messages_to_session_db() has not yet run — without
+            # this, messages generated during the current turn are silently
+            # lost on session rotation (#47202).
+            if self.agent:
+                try:
+                    self.agent._flush_messages_to_session_db(
+                        self.conversation_history
+                    )
+                except Exception:
+                    pass  # best-effort
             try:
                 self._session_db.end_session(old_session_id, "new_session")
             except Exception:
@@ -6359,6 +6389,17 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin):
 
         in_main_thread = threading.current_thread() is threading.main_thread()
 
+        # Slash-worker guard (#23185 / billing auto-reload hang): when a
+        # prompt_toolkit app is running but we're on a non-main thread (the
+        # process_loop / TUI slash-worker daemon thread), stdin is owned by the
+        # event loop / JSON-RPC pipe.  A bare input() there blocks forever until
+        # the worker's 45s timeout fires.  We cannot safely prompt off the main
+        # thread, so cancel cleanly (None) instead of hanging — mirrors the
+        # _stdin_fallback discipline in _prompt_text_input_modal.
+        if self._app and not in_main_thread:
+            self._invalidate()
+            return None
+
         if self._app and in_main_thread:
             from prompt_toolkit.application import run_in_terminal
             was_visible = self._status_bar_visible
@@ -6930,7 +6971,7 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin):
             try:
                 if ctx is None:
                     raise RuntimeError("inventory context unavailable")
-                providers = build_models_payload(ctx, max_models=50)["providers"]
+                providers = build_models_payload(ctx)["providers"]
             except Exception:
                 providers = []
 
@@ -7506,6 +7547,8 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin):
             self._show_usage()
         elif canonical == "credits":
             self._show_credits()
+        elif canonical == "billing":
+            self._show_billing(cmd_original)
         elif canonical == "insights":
             self._show_insights(cmd_original)
         elif canonical == "copy":
@@ -8425,7 +8468,7 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin):
 
         if not view.logged_in:
             print()
-            print(f"  💳 {_DIM}Not logged into Nous Portal.{_RST}")
+            _cprint(f"  💳 {_d('Not logged into Nous Portal.')}")
             print("  Run `hermes portal` to log in, then /credits.")
             return
 
@@ -8487,6 +8530,628 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin):
         else:
             print("  🟡 Cancelled. No credits added.")
 
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # /billing — Phase 2b terminal billing (CLI surface, all 5 screens)
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    def _show_billing(self, command: str = "/billing"):
+        """`/billing` — terminal billing for Nous (one interactive modal).
+
+        ZERO sub-commands: any argument is ignored. Bare ``/billing`` always
+        opens the Overview (Screen 1), whose numbered menu is the *only* way to
+        reach the Buy / Auto-reload / Monthly-limit sub-screens. (Per the unified
+        UX spec §0.4 — ``/billing buy`` etc. are gone; we don't error on a stray
+        arg, we just open the menu.)
+
+        Interactive CLI uses the prompt_toolkit modal; non-interactive contexts
+        (TUI slash-worker / no live app) render text + the portal deep-link, never
+        prompting (the URL is the affordance), same discipline as ``_show_credits``.
+        All money is Decimal end-to-end; the terminal never collects card details.
+        """
+        from agent.billing_view import build_billing_state
+
+        state = build_billing_state()
+        if not state.logged_in:
+            print()
+            if state.error:
+                _msg = f"Couldn't load billing: {state.error}"
+                _cprint(f"  💳 {_d(_msg)}")
+            else:
+                _cprint(f"  💳 {_d('Not logged into Nous Portal.')}")
+                print("  Run `hermes portal` to log in, then /billing.")
+            return
+
+        # Any sub-arg is intentionally ignored — always open the menu.
+        self._billing_overview(state)
+
+    def _billing_portal_hint(self, state, *, reason: str = "") -> None:
+        """Print a portal deep-link line (the funnel for portal-only actions)."""
+        url = getattr(state, "portal_url", None)
+        if not url:
+            return
+        if reason:
+            print(f"  {reason}")
+        print(f"  Manage on portal: {url}")
+
+    def _billing_overview(self, state):
+        """Screen 1 — overview: balance, spend bar, role-gated action menu."""
+        from agent.billing_view import format_money
+
+        print()
+        _cprint(f"  💳 {_b('Usage credits')}")
+        print(f"  {'─' * 41}")
+
+        cap = state.monthly_cap
+        if cap is not None and cap.limit_usd is not None:
+            spent = format_money(cap.spent_this_month_usd)
+            limit = format_money(cap.limit_usd)
+            ceiling = " (default ceiling)" if cap.is_default_ceiling else ""
+            bar, pct = self._billing_spend_bar(
+                cap.spent_this_month_usd, cap.limit_usd
+            )
+            print(f"  {spent} of {limit} used{ceiling}   {bar} {pct}%")
+
+        print(f"  Balance: {format_money(state.balance_usd)}")
+
+        ar = state.auto_reload
+        if ar is not None:
+            if ar.enabled:
+                print(
+                    f"  Auto-reload: on — below {format_money(ar.threshold_usd)} "
+                    f"→ reload to {format_money(ar.reload_to_usd)}"
+                )
+            else:
+                print("  Auto-reload: off")
+
+        if state.org_name:
+            role = (state.role or "").title()
+            _org_line = f"Org: {state.org_name}{f' · {role}' if role else ''}"
+            _cprint(f"  {_d(_org_line)}")
+        print(f"  {'─' * 41}")
+
+        # Action gating: admin + kill-switch for charge/auto-reload; everyone gets portal.
+        if not state.is_admin:
+            _cprint(f"  {_d('Billing actions require an org admin/owner.')}")
+            self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+            return
+        if not state.cli_billing_enabled:
+            _cprint(f"  {_d('Terminal billing is turned off for this org.')}")
+            self._billing_portal_hint(state, reason="Enable it on the portal to buy credits here.")
+            return
+
+        # Optimistic funnel: no card on file → a charge will 403 no_payment_method.
+        # Surface that up front (with the portal link) but DON'T hide Buy — /state.card
+        # can't fully prove CLI-chargeability, so we advise rather than gate.
+        if state.card is None:
+            _cprint(
+                f"  {_d('No saved card for terminal charges yet — set one up on the portal first.')}"
+            )
+            self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+
+        # Non-interactive (slash-worker / no live app): no modal, no sub-command
+        # advertising — just the portal funnel (the URL is the affordance).
+        if not getattr(self, "_app", None):
+            self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+            return
+
+        choices = [
+            ("buy", "Buy credits", "purchase a one-time credit top-up"),
+            ("auto", "Adjust auto-reload", "configure automatic top-ups"),
+            ("limit", "Adjust monthly limit", "show the monthly spend cap (read-only)"),
+            ("portal", "Manage on portal", "open the billing page in your browser"),
+            ("cancel", "Cancel", "do nothing"),
+        ]
+        # The overview summary is already printed above; the modal only needs to
+        # present the action menu — repeating the title/balance reads as a dupe.
+        raw = self._prompt_text_input_modal(
+            title="💳 Choose an action", detail="",
+            choices=choices,
+        )
+        choice = self._normalize_slash_confirm_choice(raw, choices)
+        if choice == "buy":
+            self._billing_buy_flow(state)
+        elif choice == "auto":
+            self._billing_auto_reload_flow(state)
+        elif choice == "limit":
+            self._billing_limit_screen(state)
+        elif choice == "portal":
+            self._billing_open_portal(state)
+        else:
+            print("  🟡 Cancelled.")
+
+    def _billing_spend_bar(self, spent, limit, *, cells: int = 10):
+        """Render a 10-cell `█`/`░` spend bar + integer percent from spent/limit.
+
+        Returns ``(bar, pct)`` where ``bar`` is like ``[████░░░░░░]`` and ``pct``
+        is the spent/limit percentage clamped to 0..100. Box-drawing glyphs are
+        not SGR codes, so this is leak-safe even without ``_b()``/``_d()``.
+        """
+        from decimal import Decimal
+
+        try:
+            s = Decimal(str(spent)) if spent is not None else Decimal("0")
+            l = Decimal(str(limit)) if limit is not None else Decimal("0")
+        except Exception:
+            s, l = Decimal("0"), Decimal("0")
+        if l <= 0:
+            pct = 0
+        else:
+            pct = int((s / l) * 100)
+        pct = max(0, min(100, pct))
+        filled = int(round(pct / 100 * cells))
+        filled = max(0, min(cells, filled))
+        bar = ("█" * filled) + ("░" * (cells - filled))
+        return bar, pct
+
+    def _billing_open_portal(self, state):
+        url = getattr(state, "portal_url", None)
+        if not url:
+            print("  No portal URL available.")
+            return
+        opened = False
+        try:
+            import webbrowser
+
+            opened = webbrowser.open(url)
+        except Exception:
+            opened = False
+        if not opened:
+            print(f"  Open this URL: {url}")
+        print("  Complete billing changes in the browser.")
+
+    def _billing_require_admin(self, state) -> bool:
+        """Guard charge/auto-reload entry points; print + return False if blocked."""
+        if not state.is_admin:
+            print()
+            _cprint(f"  💳 {_d('Billing actions require an org admin/owner.')}")
+            self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+            return False
+        if not state.cli_billing_enabled:
+            print()
+            _cprint(f"  💳 {_d('Terminal billing is turned off for this org.')}")
+            self._billing_portal_hint(state, reason="Enable it on the portal first.")
+            return False
+        return True
+
+    def _billing_buy_flow(self, state):
+        """Screen 2 (preset select) → Screen 3 (confirm + charge + poll)."""
+        from agent.billing_view import format_money, validate_charge_amount
+
+        if not self._billing_require_admin(state):
+            return
+
+        # Screen 3 — preset selection.
+        if not getattr(self, "_app", None):
+            presets = ", ".join(format_money(p) for p in state.charge_presets)
+            print()
+            _cprint(f"  💳 {_b('Buy usage credits')}")
+            print(f"  Presets: {presets}")
+            print("  Run this in the interactive CLI to complete a purchase.")
+            self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+            return
+
+        preset_choices = []
+        for p in state.charge_presets:
+            preset_choices.append((str(p), format_money(p), "one-time credit purchase"))
+        preset_choices.append(("custom", "Custom amount…", "enter your own amount"))
+        preset_choices.append(("cancel", "Cancel", "do nothing"))
+
+        card = state.card
+        detail = f"Payment: {card.masked}" if card else "No saved card on file"
+        raw = self._prompt_text_input_modal(
+            title="💳 Buy usage credits", detail=detail, choices=preset_choices,
+        )
+        choice = self._normalize_slash_confirm_choice(raw, preset_choices)
+        if not choice or choice == "cancel":
+            print("  🟡 Cancelled. No credits added.")
+            return
+
+        from decimal import Decimal
+
+        if choice == "custom":
+            entered = self._prompt_text_input("  Amount (USD): ")
+            if entered is None:
+                # None = cancelled (e.g. slash-worker can't prompt off-thread).
+                print("  🟡 Cancelled. No credits added.")
+                return
+            v = validate_charge_amount(
+                entered or "", min_usd=state.min_usd, max_usd=state.max_usd
+            )
+            if not v.ok:
+                print(f"  🔴 {v.error}")
+                return
+            amount = v.amount
+        else:
+            try:
+                amount = Decimal(choice)
+            except Exception:
+                print("  🔴 Invalid selection.")
+                return
+
+        self._billing_confirm_and_charge(state, amount)
+
+    def _billing_confirm_and_charge(self, state, amount):
+        """Screen 3 — confirm total + consent, charge, then poll to settlement."""
+        from agent.billing_view import format_money, new_idempotency_key
+
+        card = state.card
+        print()
+        _cprint(f"  💳 {_b('Confirm purchase')}")
+        print(f"  {'─' * 41}")
+        print(f"  Total: {format_money(amount)}")
+        if card:
+            print(f"  Payment: {card.masked}")
+        print(f"  {'─' * 41}")
+        _consent = (
+            "By confirming, you allow Nous Research to charge your card."
+        )
+        _cprint(f"  {_d(_consent)}")
+
+        confirm_choices = [
+            ("pay", f"Pay {format_money(amount)} now", "submit the charge"),
+            ("cancel", "Go back", "do not charge"),
+        ]
+        if not getattr(self, "_app", None):
+            print("  Run in the interactive CLI to confirm a purchase.")
+            return
+        raw = self._prompt_text_input_modal(
+            title=f"💳 Pay {format_money(amount)}?",
+            detail=(card.masked if card else "no saved card"),
+            choices=confirm_choices,
+        )
+        choice = self._normalize_slash_confirm_choice(raw, confirm_choices)
+        if choice != "pay":
+            print("  🟡 Cancelled. No credits added.")
+            return
+
+        # Submit the charge with a fresh idempotency key (reused on retry).
+        from hermes_cli.nous_billing import (
+            BillingError,
+            BillingScopeRequired,
+            post_charge,
+        )
+
+        key = new_idempotency_key()
+        try:
+            result = post_charge(amount_usd=amount, idempotency_key=key)
+        except BillingScopeRequired:
+            self._billing_handle_scope_required(state)
+            return
+        except BillingError as exc:
+            self._billing_render_charge_error(state, exc)
+            return
+
+        charge_id = result.get("chargeId")
+        if not charge_id:
+            print("  🔴 No charge id returned; please check the portal.")
+            return
+        _cprint(f"  {_d('Charge submitted — confirming settlement…')}")
+        self._billing_poll_charge(state, charge_id, amount)
+
+    def _billing_poll_charge(self, state, charge_id, amount):
+        """Poll loop: 2s interval, 5-min cap, cancellable. settled = ledger truth."""
+        import time as _time
+
+        from agent.billing_view import format_money
+        from hermes_cli.nous_billing import (
+            BillingError,
+            BillingRateLimited,
+            get_charge_status,
+        )
+
+        deadline = _time.time() + 300  # 5-minute cap
+        interval = 2.0
+        while _time.time() < deadline:
+            try:
+                status = get_charge_status(charge_id)
+            except BillingRateLimited as exc:
+                # Retry-after, NOT a failure — back off and keep polling.
+                wait = exc.retry_after or 5
+                _time.sleep(min(wait, 30))
+                continue
+            except BillingError as exc:
+                print(f"  🔴 Could not check the charge: {exc}")
+                return
+
+            state_str = status.get("status")
+            if state_str == "settled":
+                amt = status.get("amountUsd")
+                from agent.billing_view import parse_money
+
+                shown = format_money(parse_money(amt)) if amt else format_money(amount)
+                print(f"  ✅ {shown} in credits added.")
+                return
+            if state_str == "failed":
+                self._billing_render_charge_failed(state, status.get("reason"))
+                return
+            # pending → wait and poll again
+            _time.sleep(interval)
+
+        # Past the cap with no terminal state = timeout (not an error).
+        print(f"  🟡 Still processing after 5 minutes — this is a timeout, not a "
+              f"failure. Check /billing or the portal shortly.")
+        self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+
+    def _billing_render_charge_failed(self, state, reason):
+        """Branch the poll `failed` reasons to the right copy + portal funnel."""
+        reason = (reason or "").strip()
+        if reason == "authentication_required":
+            print("  🔴 Your bank requires verification (3DS). Complete it on the "
+                  "portal to finish this purchase.")
+        elif reason == "payment_method_expired":
+            print("  🔴 Your card has expired. Update it on the portal.")
+        elif reason == "card_declined":
+            print("  🔴 Your card was declined. Try another card on the portal.")
+        else:
+            print(f"  🔴 The charge didn't go through ({reason or 'processing_error'}).")
+        self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+
+    def _billing_render_charge_error(self, state, exc):
+        """Render a typed BillingError at submit time (pre-poll)."""
+        from hermes_cli.nous_billing import BillingRateLimited
+
+        code = getattr(exc, "error", None)
+        portal_url = getattr(exc, "portal_url", None) or getattr(state, "portal_url", None)
+        if code == "no_payment_method":
+            print("  💳 No saved card for terminal charges yet. Set one up on the "
+                  "portal (one-time credit buys don't save a reusable card).")
+        elif code == "cli_billing_disabled":
+            print("  🔴 Terminal billing is turned off for this org — an admin must enable it on the portal.")
+        elif code == "monthly_cap_exceeded":
+            remaining = (getattr(exc, "payload", {}) or {}).get("remainingUsd")
+            if remaining is not None:
+                print(f"  🔴 Monthly spend cap reached — ${remaining} headroom left.")
+            else:
+                print("  🔴 Monthly spend cap reached.")
+        elif isinstance(exc, BillingRateLimited):
+            wait = getattr(exc, "retry_after", None)
+            mins = f" (try again in ~{max(1, round(wait / 60))} min)" if wait else ""
+            print(f"  🟡 Too many charges right now{mins}. This isn't a payment failure.")
+        else:
+            print(f"  🔴 {exc}")
+        if portal_url:
+            print(f"  Portal: {portal_url}")
+
+    def _billing_handle_scope_required(self, state):
+        """403 insufficient_scope → lazy step-up re-auth (plan D-A)."""
+        print()
+        print("  💳 Terminal billing needs an extra permission (billing:manage).")
+        _scope_msg = (
+            "An org admin/owner must tick \"Allow terminal billing\" during "
+            "login."
+        )
+        _cprint(f"  {_d(_scope_msg)}")
+        if not getattr(self, "_app", None):
+            print("  Run `hermes portal` and approve terminal billing, then retry.")
+            return
+        confirm_choices = [
+            ("yes", "Re-authorize now", "open the portal to grant billing access"),
+            ("no", "Not now", "cancel"),
+        ]
+        raw = self._prompt_text_input_modal(
+            title="💳 Grant terminal billing access?",
+            detail="Opens the portal device-authorization page.",
+            choices=confirm_choices,
+        )
+        choice = self._normalize_slash_confirm_choice(raw, confirm_choices)
+        if choice != "yes":
+            print("  🟡 Cancelled.")
+            return
+        try:
+            from hermes_cli.auth import step_up_nous_billing_scope
+
+            granted = step_up_nous_billing_scope(open_browser=True)
+        except Exception as exc:
+            print(f"  🔴 Re-authorization failed: {exc}")
+            return
+        if granted:
+            print("  ✅ Billing permission granted.")
+            # Step-up only grants the billing:manage TOKEN scope; the ORG
+            # kill-switch (cli_billing_enabled) is a separate gate. Re-fetch
+            # /state so we don't over-promise when a charge would still hit
+            # cli_billing_disabled.
+            from agent.billing_view import build_billing_state
+
+            fresh = build_billing_state()
+            if fresh.logged_in and fresh.cli_billing_enabled:
+                print("  Run /billing buy again to continue.")
+            else:
+                print("  🟡 Permission granted, but terminal billing is still turned "
+                      "off for this org. Enable it in the portal, then run /billing again.")
+                self._billing_portal_hint(fresh)
+        else:
+            print("  🟡 Terminal billing was not granted (an admin must tick the box).")
+
+    def _billing_auto_reload_flow(self, state):
+        """Screen 4 — auto-reload config: threshold + reload-to → PATCH.
+
+        Prefills the current values from ``state.auto_reload``. Validates both
+        amounts (2dp, within bounds, ``reload_to > threshold``). When auto-reload
+        is already on, offers a "Turn off" path (PATCH ``enabled:false``).
+        """
+        from agent.billing_view import format_money, validate_charge_amount
+
+        if not self._billing_require_admin(state):
+            return
+
+        card = state.card
+        ar = state.auto_reload
+        currently_on = bool(ar and ar.enabled)
+
+        print()
+        _cprint(f"  💳 {_b('Auto-reload')}")
+        print(f"  {'─' * 41}")
+        _cprint(f"  {_d('Automatically buy more credits when your balance is low.')}")
+        if card:
+            print(f"  Card on file: {card.masked}")
+        else:
+            print("  No saved card — set one up on the portal first.")
+            self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+            return
+        if currently_on:
+            print(
+                f"  Currently: below {format_money(ar.threshold_usd)} → "
+                f"reload to {format_money(ar.reload_to_usd)}"
+            )
+
+        if not getattr(self, "_app", None):
+            print("  Run in the interactive CLI to configure auto-reload.")
+            self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+            return
+
+        # When already enabled, let the user turn it off without re-entering values.
+        if currently_on:
+            top_choices = [
+                ("edit", "Edit thresholds", "change when / how much to reload"),
+                ("off", "Turn off", "disable auto-reload"),
+                ("cancel", "Cancel", "do nothing"),
+            ]
+            raw = self._prompt_text_input_modal(
+                title="💳 Auto-reload",
+                detail=(
+                    f"On — below {format_money(ar.threshold_usd)} → "
+                    f"reload to {format_money(ar.reload_to_usd)}"
+                ),
+                choices=top_choices,
+            )
+            top = self._normalize_slash_confirm_choice(raw, top_choices)
+            if top == "off":
+                self._billing_auto_reload_disable(state)
+                return
+            if top != "edit":
+                print("  🟡 Cancelled.")
+                return
+
+        # Field 1 — threshold (prefilled when editing an existing config).
+        cur_thr = format_money(ar.threshold_usd) if currently_on else None
+        thr_prompt = "  When balance falls below (USD)"
+        thr_prompt += f" [{cur_thr}]: " if cur_thr else ": "
+        threshold_raw = self._prompt_text_input(thr_prompt)
+        if threshold_raw is None:
+            # None = cancelled (e.g. slash-worker can't prompt off-thread).
+            print("  🟡 Cancelled.")
+            return
+        if not (threshold_raw or "").strip() and currently_on:
+            threshold_amt = ar.threshold_usd  # keep current value on empty input
+        else:
+            tv = validate_charge_amount(
+                threshold_raw or "", min_usd=state.min_usd, max_usd=state.max_usd
+            )
+            if not tv.ok or tv.amount is None:
+                print(f"  🔴 {tv.error}")
+                return
+            threshold_amt = tv.amount
+
+        # Field 2 — reload-to (prefilled when editing an existing config).
+        cur_rel = format_money(ar.reload_to_usd) if currently_on else None
+        rel_prompt = "  Reload balance to (USD)"
+        rel_prompt += f" [{cur_rel}]: " if cur_rel else ": "
+        reload_raw = self._prompt_text_input(rel_prompt)
+        if reload_raw is None:
+            print("  🟡 Cancelled.")
+            return
+        if not (reload_raw or "").strip() and currently_on:
+            reload_amt = ar.reload_to_usd  # keep current value on empty input
+        else:
+            rv = validate_charge_amount(
+                reload_raw or "", min_usd=state.min_usd, max_usd=state.max_usd
+            )
+            if not rv.ok or rv.amount is None:
+                print(f"  🔴 {rv.error}")
+                return
+            reload_amt = rv.amount
+
+        if reload_amt is None or threshold_amt is None or reload_amt <= threshold_amt:
+            print("  🔴 Reload-to amount must be greater than the threshold.")
+            return
+
+        print()
+        _ar_consent = (
+            f"By confirming, you authorize Nous Research to charge {card.masked} "
+            f"whenever your balance reaches {format_money(threshold_amt)}. "
+            f"Turn off any time here or on the portal."
+        )
+        _cprint(f"  {_d(_ar_consent)}")
+        confirm_choices = [
+            ("agree", "Agree and turn on", "enable auto-reload"),
+            ("cancel", "Cancel", "do nothing"),
+        ]
+        raw = self._prompt_text_input_modal(
+            title="💳 Turn on auto-reload?",
+            detail=f"Below {format_money(threshold_amt)} → reload to {format_money(reload_amt)}",
+            choices=confirm_choices,
+        )
+        choice = self._normalize_slash_confirm_choice(raw, confirm_choices)
+        if choice != "agree":
+            print("  🟡 Cancelled.")
+            return
+
+        from hermes_cli.nous_billing import (
+            BillingError,
+            BillingScopeRequired,
+            patch_auto_top_up,
+        )
+
+        try:
+            patch_auto_top_up(
+                enabled=True, threshold=float(threshold_amt), top_up_amount=float(reload_amt)
+            )
+        except BillingScopeRequired:
+            self._billing_handle_scope_required(state)
+            return
+        except BillingError as exc:
+            self._billing_render_charge_error(state, exc)
+            return
+        print(f"  ✅ Auto-reload on: below {format_money(threshold_amt)} → "
+              f"reload to {format_money(reload_amt)}.")
+
+    def _billing_auto_reload_disable(self, state):
+        """Turn off auto-reload (PATCH ``enabled:false``).
+
+        The endpoint requires ``threshold``/``topUpAmount`` in the body even when
+        disabling, so we echo back the current values (falling back to 0).
+        """
+        from hermes_cli.nous_billing import (
+            BillingError,
+            BillingScopeRequired,
+            patch_auto_top_up,
+        )
+
+        ar = state.auto_reload
+        thr = float(ar.threshold_usd) if ar and ar.threshold_usd is not None else 0.0
+        rel = float(ar.reload_to_usd) if ar and ar.reload_to_usd is not None else 0.0
+        try:
+            patch_auto_top_up(enabled=False, threshold=thr, top_up_amount=rel)
+        except BillingScopeRequired:
+            self._billing_handle_scope_required(state)
+            return
+        except BillingError as exc:
+            self._billing_render_charge_error(state, exc)
+            return
+        print("  ✅ Auto-reload turned off.")
+
+    def _billing_limit_screen(self, state):
+        """Screen 5 — monthly spend limit (read-only; cap is portal-only)."""
+        from agent.billing_view import format_money
+
+        print()
+        _cprint(f"  💳 {_b('Monthly spend limit')}")
+        print(f"  {'─' * 41}")
+        cap = state.monthly_cap
+        if cap is None or cap.limit_usd is None:
+            _cprint(f"  {_d('No monthly cap visible (managed on the portal).')}")
+        else:
+            spent = format_money(cap.spent_this_month_usd)
+            limit = format_money(cap.limit_usd)
+            ceiling = " (default ceiling)" if cap.is_default_ceiling else ""
+            print(f"  {spent} of {limit} used this month{ceiling}")
+        _limit_note = (
+            "The monthly limit is set on the portal — the terminal shows "
+            "it read-only."
+        )
+        _cprint(f"  {_d(_limit_note)}")
+        self._billing_portal_hint(state)
+
     def _show_insights(self, command: str = "/insights"):
         """Show usage insights and analytics from session history."""
         # Parse optional --days flag
@@ -12024,6 +12689,7 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin):
 
         # Create the input area with multiline (Alt+Enter), autocomplete, and paste handling
         from prompt_toolkit.auto_suggest import AutoSuggestFromHistory
+        from prompt_toolkit.completion import ThreadedCompleter
 
 
         _completer = SlashCommandCompleter(
@@ -12039,7 +12705,13 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin):
             wrap_lines=True,
             read_only=Condition(lambda: bool(cli_ref._command_running)),
             history=FileHistory(str(self._history_file)),
-            completer=_completer,
+            # complete_while_typing fires the completer on every keystroke. The
+            # completer does blocking work — fuzzy @-file indexing shells out to
+            # rg/fd (up to a 2s timeout) and path completion hits os.listdir/stat
+            # — so running it inline would stall the render loop on each key (very
+            # noticeable on WSL2/slow filesystems). ThreadedCompleter moves it off
+            # the UI event loop, keeping typing responsive.
+            completer=ThreadedCompleter(_completer),
             complete_while_typing=True,
             auto_suggest=SlashCommandAutoSuggest(
                 history_suggest=AutoSuggestFromHistory(),

docker/stage2-hook.sh

@@ -28,14 +28,13 @@ as_hermes() { [ "$(id -u)" = 0 ] || { "$@"; return; }; s6-setuidgid hermes "$@";
 # arbitrary host UID (the classic `--user $(id -u):$(id -g)` invocation people
 # used in the tini era to make container-written files match their host user).
 #
-# Under s6-overlay this no longer works: the bootstrap (UID remap, volume +
-# build-tree chown, config seeding) all require root, and they're skipped when
-# the container starts non-root. The baked image trees (/opt/data, /opt/hermes/
-# .venv, ui-tui, node_modules) stay owned by the hermes build UID (10000), so an
-# arbitrary `--user` UID can't write them — the runtime then fails with EACCES
-# on a bind mount, or hard-crashes on a named volume (Docker initialises the
-# volume from the image as UID 10000, and the non-root start can't even `cd`
-# into $HERMES_HOME). See #34837 for the supervision-tree side of this.
+# Under s6-overlay this no longer works: the bootstrap (UID remap, data-volume
+# ownership, config seeding) requires root, and it is skipped when the container
+# starts non-root. The baked install tree under /opt/hermes is intentionally
+# root-owned and non-writable; mutable runtime state must live under
+# $HERMES_HOME. An arbitrary `--user` UID therefore cannot repair or populate
+# the data volume, and startup fails with EACCES. See #34837 for the
+# supervision-tree side of this.
 #
 # The supported way to match host-side ownership is to start as root (the image
 # default) and pass HERMES_UID/HERMES_GID — or the PUID/PGID aliases — which the
@@ -53,9 +52,10 @@ if [ "$cur_uid" != 0 ] && [ "$cur_uid" != "$(id -u hermes)" ]; then
 [stage2] ERROR: container started with --user $cur_uid (an arbitrary, non-hermes UID).
 
 This is not supported under the s6-overlay image. The container bootstrap
-(UID remap, volume ownership, dependency installs) needs to start as root,
-and the baked image directories are owned by the hermes user (UID $(id -u hermes)),
-so a pinned --user UID cannot write them — startup will fail.
+(UID remap, data-volume ownership, config seeding) needs to start as root,
+and the baked /opt/hermes install tree is intentionally root-owned and
+non-writable, so a pinned --user UID cannot repair startup state — startup
+will fail.
 
 To make container-written files match your HOST user, DON'T use --user.
 Start the container as root (the default) and pass your host UID/GID instead:
@@ -207,49 +207,13 @@ if [ "$needs_chown" = true ]; then
     done
 fi
 
-# --- Fix ownership of build trees under $INSTALL_DIR ---
-# Hermes-owned trees under $INSTALL_DIR must be re-chowned whenever the
-# runtime hermes UID no longer owns them — otherwise:
-#   - .venv: lazy_deps.py cannot install platform packages (discord.py,
-#     telegram, slack, etc.) with EACCES (#15012, #21100)
-#   - ui-tui: esbuild rebuilds dist/entry.js on every TUI launch (when
-#     the source mtime is newer than dist/ or when HERMES_TUI_FORCE_BUILD
-#     is set) and writes to ui-tui/dist/. Without this chown the new
-#     hermes UID can't write the build output (#28851).
-#   - gateway: Python writes __pycache__ and runtime artifacts beneath the
-#     gateway package on first import. After a UID remap those source-owned
-#     paths still belong to the build-time UID (10000) unless repaired here,
-#     producing EACCES for the supervised gateway (#27221).
-#   - node_modules: root-level dependencies (puppeteer, web tooling)
-#     that runtime code may walk/update.
-# The set mirrors the build-time `chown -R hermes:hermes` line in the
-# Dockerfile — keep them in sync if the Dockerfile chown set changes.
-# These are under $INSTALL_DIR (not $HERMES_HOME), so the bind-mount
-# concern doesn't apply — recursive is fine.
-#
-# This MUST be gated independently of the $HERMES_HOME ownership check
-# above. `usermod -u <new> hermes` re-chowns the hermes home dir
-# ($HERMES_HOME == /opt/data) to the new UID as a side effect, so after a
-# HERMES_UID/PUID remap `stat $HERMES_HOME` always already matches the new
-# UID and `needs_chown` is false — but the build trees under /opt/hermes
-# are NOT touched by usermod and remain owned by the build-time UID
-# (10000). Gating them on $HERMES_HOME ownership (as #35027 did) silently
-# skipped this chown on the common PUID/NAS path, regressing lazy installs
-# and TUI rebuilds. Probe the build trees directly instead: chown only
-# when the venv is not already owned by the runtime hermes UID. Idempotent
-# and skips the expensive recursive chown on every restart once ownership
-# is settled.
-venv_owner=$(stat -c %u "$INSTALL_DIR/.venv" 2>/dev/null || echo "")
-if [ -n "$venv_owner" ] && [ "$venv_owner" != "$actual_hermes_uid" ]; then
-    echo "[stage2] Fixing ownership of build trees under $INSTALL_DIR to hermes ($actual_hermes_uid)"
-    chown -R hermes:hermes \
-        "$INSTALL_DIR/.venv" \
-        "$INSTALL_DIR/ui-tui" \
-        "$INSTALL_DIR/gateway" \
-        "$INSTALL_DIR/node_modules" \
-        2>/dev/null || \
-        echo "[stage2] Warning: chown of build trees failed (rootless container?) — continuing"
-fi
+# --- Immutable install tree ---
+# Do not chown runtime code or dependency trees under $INSTALL_DIR back to the
+# hermes user. Hosted/container instances keep mutable state under
+# $HERMES_HOME (/opt/data) and run with PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE plus
+# HERMES_DISABLE_LAZY_INSTALLS=1. Keeping /opt/hermes root-owned and
+# non-writable prevents an agent session from self-modifying the installed
+# source, venv, TUI bundle, or node_modules and bricking the gateway.
 
 # Always reset ownership of $HERMES_HOME/profiles to hermes on every
 # boot. Profile dirs and files can land owned by root when commands
@@ -327,13 +291,25 @@ as_hermes mkdir -p \
     "$HERMES_HOME/pairing" \
     "$HERMES_HOME/platforms/pairing"
 
-# --- Install-method stamp (read by detect_install_method() in hermes status) ---
-# Preserved from the tini-era entrypoint (PR #27843). Must be written as
-# the hermes user so ownership matches the file's documented owner.
-# tee is invoked directly via s6-setuidgid (no `sh -c` wrapper) for the
-# same shell-metacharacter safety described above.
-printf 'docker\n' | as_hermes tee "$HERMES_HOME/.install_method" >/dev/null \
-    || true
+# --- Install-method stamp ---
+# The 'docker' stamp is baked into the immutable install tree at
+# /opt/hermes/.install_method (see Dockerfile), NOT written here into
+# $HERMES_HOME. detect_install_method() reads the code-scoped stamp first.
+#
+# Why we no longer stamp $HERMES_HOME: it is a shared DATA volume, commonly
+# bind-mounted from the host (~/.hermes:/opt/data) and sometimes shared with a
+# host-side Desktop/CLI install. Stamping 'docker' here clobbered that host
+# install's marker, so its in-app updater read 'docker' and refused to run
+# 'hermes update'. To heal homes already poisoned by older images, remove a
+# stale 'docker' stamp from $HERMES_HOME if one is present (the host install's
+# own installer re-creates its code-scoped stamp; a genuine container relies on
+# the baked /opt/hermes stamp, so deleting the data-dir copy is safe).
+if [ -f "$HERMES_HOME/.install_method" ]; then
+    stamped="$(tr -d '[:space:]' < "$HERMES_HOME/.install_method" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+    if [ "$stamped" = "docker" ]; then
+        rm -f "$HERMES_HOME/.install_method" 2>/dev/null || true
+    fi
+fi
 
 # --- Seed config files (only on first boot) ---
 seed_one() {

docs/ink-env-flags.md

@@ -1,68 +0,0 @@
-# Ink TUI — diagnostic environment flags
-
-Non-secret behavioral knobs for the Ink engine (`ui-tui/`). These are
-**environment overrides**, not `.env` secrets — set them in your shell for a
-session, or `export` them in your shell rc to make them sticky. They mirror the
-OpenTUI engine's flags (`docs/opentui-env-flags.md`) so a single switch covers
-both engines.
-
-| Flag | Default | What it does |
-|---|---|---|
-| `HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS` | off | Master diagnostics switch. Turning it on enables the developer/profiling surface across the TUI — including the memory self-sampler below. One `export HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS=1` in your shell rc covers **every** session you start, on **either** engine. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_MEMLOG` | = `HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS` | In-process 1Hz memory self-sampling (`ui-tui/src/lib/memlog.ts`) → `~/.hermes/logs/memwatch/<boot>-<pid>.jsonl`. Defaults to the master switch; set `=1` / `=0` to force it on/off independently. |
-
-## What the memory trace captures
-
-Each Ink session, when sampling is enabled, appends one JSON line per second to
-its own file under `~/.hermes/logs/memwatch/`, keyed by boot time + pid:
-
-```json
-{"t":1781514892,"rss_kb":92148,"heap_used_kb":7234,"external_kb":2378}
-```
-
-- `t` — unix seconds.
-- `rss_kb` — resident set size (the number that matters for the native-RSS-gap
-  story: rss climbing while heap stays flat is the #15141-class signal).
-- `heap_used_kb` — V8 heap in use.
-- `external_kb` — off-heap (buffers, native allocations).
-
-**Ink emits no `mounted` / `peak_mounted` field.** Those are OpenTUI's
-windowing dev counters; Ink has no windowing, so it logs the rss/heap/external
-core only. `memwatch-report.mjs` treats `mounted` as optional, so Ink lines
-aggregate cleanly alongside OpenTUI's.
-
-## Why this exists — cross-engine memory comparison
-
-The filename scheme, directory, and line schema are **byte-compatible with
-OpenTUI's collector** (`ui-opentui/src/boundary/memlog.ts`). Both engines write
-to the same `~/.hermes/logs/memwatch/` directory, so one aggregator reads both:
-
-```sh
-# enable on either/both engines (master switch covers both)
-export HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS=1
-HERMES_TUI_ENGINE=ink     hermes --tui   # Ink session → its own .jsonl
-HERMES_TUI_ENGINE=opentui hermes --tui   # OpenTUI session → its own .jsonl
-
-# fleet table across BOTH engines' sessions:
-cd ~/github/tui-bench && node memwatch-report.mjs
-```
-
-This is what makes a true side-by-side **real-world** memory arc possible —
-cold floor → load → plateau/leak — instead of comparing OpenTUI dogfood traces
-against an Ink harness with no equivalent data.
-
-## Cost & safety
-
-- ~50 bytes/s when on; one `process.memoryUsage()` + one short append per
-  second. The interval is **unref'd** — it never keeps the process alive.
-- 14-day retention: older traces are pruned (best-effort) at start.
-- **Every failure path disables the logger silently.** Diagnostics must never
-  break the TUI — this is the one place the "errors propagate" rule is
-  intentionally inverted, matching the OpenTUI collector.
-- Off by default: regular users write nothing.
-
-## Getting a meaningful trace
-
-A short scroll-through won't show growth. For a comparison against OpenTUI's
-4–5h sessions, drive a tool-heavy 2–3h Ink session as the floor (see
-`docs/plans/opentui-ink-asymmetry-note.md` for why the harness ≠ dogfood data).

docs/opentui-dev-handoff.md

@@ -1,120 +0,0 @@
-# Handoff — OpenTUI memory + UX, continuing on the canonical branch
-
-**You are continuing the Hermes OpenTUI engine work.** This is the base operating manual; the
-user (glitch) appends specific tasks on top. Read it, then read the repo docs it points to. It
-assumes NO prior transcript/memory.
-
-## Where things are
-
-- **Canonical branch: `feat/opentui-native-engine`** (the draft PR to main, #42922).
-  `feat/opentui-memory-window` is a synonym at the *same tip* — they were consolidated. Treat
-  native-engine as canonical; if you work from memory-window, periodically
-  `git push origin HEAD:feat/opentui-native-engine` to keep them in sync, or just use native-engine.
-- The native engine source is **`ui-opentui/`**; the legacy Ink engine is `ui-tui/` (shipping
-  default, untouched by this campaign). The Python gateway is `tui_gateway/`, launcher
-  `hermes_cli/main.py`.
-- **The worktree is often the user's LIVE global `hermes`** (`~/.local/bin/hermes` symlinks into a
-  worktree's `.venv`). Consequences: (1) NEVER leave the worktree in a half-merged/conflicted state
-  — a new `hermes` session would fail to build; (2) after you land source changes, rebuild
-  `dist/main.js` so the next session picks them up; (3) `hermes-stable` is the flip-back to the
-  stock `~/.hermes/hermes-agent` install if you need to bypass the worktree.
-- Backups of pre-merge branch states exist as `backup/*` refs (recoverable via `git reset`).
-
-## Runtime, build, gate (Node 26 — NOT Bun; the port is done)
-
-```sh
-export PATH="$HOME/.local/share/fnm/node-versions/v26.3.0/installation/bin:$PATH"
-cd ui-opentui && node scripts/build.mjs            # → dist/main.js (esbuild + Solid/JSX)
-HERMES_TUI_MOUSE=1 node --experimental-ffi --no-warnings dist/main.js   # launch; quit = double Ctrl+C
-cd ui-opentui && npm run check                      # THE GATE: prettier+eslint(typed)+vitest (~700). Judge by `echo $?`, never a piped tail.
-```
-
-Never run bun here. Never run `hermes update` in the worktree (it flips the branch — recovery is
-painful). Never broad-pkill tui_gateway (other live sessions). Host RAM ~15GB, often <5GB free —
-run benches SEQUENTIALLY (the harness already wraps SUTs in `systemd-run … MemoryMax=2G`).
-
-## The docs that are the source of truth (read, and KEEP UPDATED as you change things)
-
-- `docs/opentui-memory-story.md` — ELI5 of the whole memory architecture (primitives + every decision).
-- `docs/plans/opentui-transcript-windowing.md` — windowing design (S1 spacers, S2 append-time), the
-  `correctionIsLegal` zero-jank law, pre-registered gates, SHIPPED status + S3 backlog.
-- `docs/opentui-env-flags.md` — the consolidated env-flag ledger (master switch / user / dev / plumbing).
-- `docs/opentui-upstream-alignment.md` — forkless invariant, `boundary/` shim ledger, the per-release
-  OpenTUI upgrade playbook (native-yoga is coming upstream — re-tune windowing margins when it lands).
-- the bench suite (cells, harness, live-attach, memwatch) now lives in its own
-  repo: **tui-bench** (`github.com/NousResearch/tui-bench`); see its `README.md`.
-- `ui-opentui/README.md` — Node 26 onboarding (fnm setup that doesn't disturb other projects).
-- `docs/plans/ink-memory-adversarial-review.md` — Ink's memory weaknesses (F1–F10, the turnabout).
-- `docs/plans/gateway-death-forensics.md`, `docs/plans/workorder-2026-06-11-results.md`,
-  `docs/plans/rebase-from-main-spec.md` — forensics, the merge-bar verdict, the rebase plan.
-
-## Workflow (this is how the last 60+ commits were produced with ~zero rework)
-
-1. **Subagent-driven** (skill: `subagent-driven-development`): one implementer per task with a TIGHT
-   file fence ("you own exactly these files; `git diff --cached --stat` before commit, abort on
-   out-of-fence"), a mandatory `opentui` skill read FIRST for any renderable work, and a gate judged
-   by exit code. Verify the self-report YOURSELF (re-run the gate, read the riskiest hunks, check the
-   commit file-list) — a subagent "✅ done" is a claim, not a fact.
-2. **Adversarial review** after a task: a fresh read-only reviewer (Explore-type) with NAMED attack
-   surfaces. Then ADJUDICATE in code — reviewers over-flag; ~half of "blockers" don't survive a read.
-3. **Parallel implementers are safe ONLY with disjoint file fences.** Read-only recon agents
-   parallelize freely.
-4. **Live smoke catches what headless can't** — tmux + the `tmux-pane-screenshot` skill for real
-   colored frames. The demo: `node scripts/build.mjs scripts/demo.tsx .demo` then
-   `DEMO_TOTAL=2000 … node --experimental-ffi --no-warnings .demo/demo.js`.
-5. Commit format `opentui(v6): …`, **NO attribution lines**. The user's standing instruction is
-   "commit + push as you land things" — honor it; otherwise don't push without asking. Edit large
-   load-bearing files (the Python launcher, `store.ts`) DIRECTLY, never via subagent.
-
-## Dogfooding (the user works on this FROM the hermes TUI)
-
-`export HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS=1` in the shell rc turns on, for every session: the `/mem` +
-`/heapdump` slash commands, window-stats, and **fleet memory self-logging** to
-`~/.hermes/logs/memwatch/<boot>-<pid>.jsonl`. Aggregate all sessions with
-`node memwatch-report.mjs` from the **tui-bench** repo
-(`github.com/NousResearch/tui-bench`) (per-session baseline/peak/slope + SLOPE/PEAK/MOUNTED anomaly
-flags). Chase a flagged session with tui-bench's `live-attach.sh <pid> --heap`. The discipline: live
-anomaly → encode as a bench cell → fix → validate against live sessions again.
-
-## Current state (2026-06) + the ranked backlog
-
-Windowing SHIPPED: 2k-msg peak ~300MB (was 686; Ink 234), scroll p99 6ms, cap restored 1000→3000,
-determinism digest unchanged, peak mounted ~31 rows. Live sessions peak <200MB. The transcript is no
-longer the biggest lever — the ~160MB floor is ≈104MB Node+OpenTUI runtime + **≈55MB tool/skill
-catalogs hydrated at boot**. Ranked next levers:
-
-1. **W3 — 1GB V8 heap default** (small, ~free): set the unconstrained default in
-   `_resolve_tui_heap_mb`; both engines are Node now so both inherit it. Ink half = separate gated
-   commit (shipping engine). Measured −90MB at bench scale.
-2. **cg_peak harness fix** (small): the cgroup `memory.peak` field is polluted (shared across runs) —
-   reset/scope it before quoting tui-bench's `report.html` again. Trust `vmhwm_kb` + `samples[].rss_kb`.
-3. **New bench cells** (before W1, as its baselines): `resume-1900` (real p99 shape: time-to-first-
-   paint + post-hydration RSS) and `10MB-tool-output` (the F1 byte-unbounded class). Run BOTH engines.
-4. **Catalog lazy-load** (new, promoted by live data): don't hydrate 1,185 tools at boot — fetch on
-   picker-open. Attacks the ≈55MB floor; pays on EVERY session (median is 20 msgs). Likely cheaper
-   than W1.
-5. **W1 thin renderer** (structural, biggest): bodies live in the gateway (SQLite); TUI keeps ~300B
-   stubs + fetches bodies for the window only. Design the gateway windowed-read RPC FIRST. WATCH: `/copy`
-   and the ⧉ block-copy read store parts — they need a fetch-on-demand fallback or W1 ships a copy regression.
-6. **Standing**: when native-yoga OpenTUI ships, run the upgrade playbook (re-bench, re-tune margins,
-   audit the shim ledger). Three questions to relay to the OpenTUI maintainer are in the alignment doc.
-
-## What NOT to do
-- Don't copy opencode's 100-msg store cap (user's p90 session is 182 msgs — it would truncate normal use).
-- Don't reintroduce estimate-correction scroll jank (the user explicitly vetoed it; `correctionIsLegal` forbids it).
-- Don't cite the obsolete "~210MB bun renderer / +120MB" memory figures — pre-port, pre-windowing, wrong.
-- Don't push/PR without the standing OK; don't commit `.plans/` scratch unless asked.
-
-## Suggested skills
-(All available from the Hermes TUI agent too — this is the dogfooding surface. Curated to the load-bearing set, not the full ~40-skill catalog.)
-- `opentui-tui-engineering` — the workflow/architecture/pitfalls layer for `ui-opentui/` (just updated).
-- `hermes-tui-architecture` — the Hermes-specific TUI facts (launch pipeline, both engines; just updated).
-- `opentui` — the offline renderable-API doc set; mandatory `skill_view` before any view/renderable code.
-- `subagent-driven-development` — the process spine for parallel/heavy work.
-- `tmux-pane-screenshot` — real colored PNG of a tmux pane for visual verification (ported
-  into hermes skills 2026-06-13). Use: `bash ~/.hermes/skills/software-development/
-  tmux-pane-screenshot/scripts/tshot.sh <session:win.pane> out.png 2`, then Read the PNG.
-  `freeze` (~/go/bin) + the resvg rasterizer are shared/system-wide — works as-is.
-- `effect-ts` — for the Effect-at-boundary entry/lifecycle code.
-- `superpowers:brainstorming` — before committing to a memory-architecture design (e.g. W1's store split).
-- `systematic-debugging` — if a gate fails; root-cause before patching.

docs/opentui-env-flags.md

@@ -1,81 +0,0 @@
-# OpenTUI env flags — the consolidated ledger
-
-Every environment variable the OpenTUI TUI reads (grep-verified 2026-06-12),
-classified by who should ever touch it. The design rule shipped with this doc:
-**regular users see zero diagnostic surface by default; one master switch
-(`HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS=1`) turns all of it on when needed.**
-
-## 1. The master switch
-
-| var | default | effect |
-|---|---|---|
-| `HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS` | **off** | Enables the diagnostic slash commands (`/mem`, `/heapdump`). While off they're hidden from `/help` (client-side filter) and invoking them prints the enable hint rather than executing. They never appear in slash *completion* in either state — completion is gateway-driven and these are client-only commands the gateway doesn't know (an adversarial review confirmed there's no bypass path; if a SERVER command named `mem`/`heapdump` is ever added it must be gated gateway-side too — the client gate would shadow but not hide it). Also flips the *default* of `HERMES_TUI_WINDOW_STATS` to on. Not a secret — support flows are "relaunch with `HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS=1`". |
-
-## 2. User-facing configuration (fine to document publicly)
-
-| var | default | effect |
-|---|---|---|
-| `HERMES_TUI_ENGINE` | auto (`opentui` if Node≥26.3 + built, else `ink`) | Engine pick; also `display.tui_engine` in config.yaml. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_MOUSE` / `HERMES_TUI_MOUSE_TRACKING` / `HERMES_TUI_DISABLE_MOUSE` | on | Mouse support (wheel scroll, selection, click-to-expand). **Defers to Ink's env surface (`logic/env.ts` `resolveMouseEnabled`):** precedence is `HERMES_TUI_MOUSE_TRACKING` (toggle, force knob) > `HERMES_TUI_DISABLE_MOUSE=1` (legacy kill switch) > `HERMES_TUI_MOUSE` (OpenTUI-native alias, kept — also what the launcher sets) > default on. OpenTUI's renderer mouse is a single boolean, so Ink's granular off\|wheel\|buttons\|all collapses to on/off (the granular mode lives in `display.mouse_tracking` config). |
-| `HERMES_TUI_SCROLL_SPEED` (alias `CLAUDE_CODE_SCROLL_SPEED`) | native | Wheel-scroll speed multiplier (Ink parity). UNSET → OpenTUI's native scroll acceleration (untouched). A positive value (clamped to (0,20]) installs a constant-multiplier `ScrollAcceleration` on the transcript scrollbox (`view/transcript.tsx`). |
-| `HERMES_TUI_NO_CONFIRM` | off | Skip the destructive-action confirm step (`/clear`, `/new`) and run immediately (Ink parity, `NO_CONFIRM_DESTRUCTIVE`). Wired at the `confirm` seam (`entry/main.tsx`). |
-| `HERMES_TUI_MAX_MESSAGES` | ceiling | Scrollback rows kept in the TUI. Can LOWER the ceiling, never raise: 3000 with windowing, 1000 with windowing off (handle-table safety). |
-| `HERMES_TUI_TOOL_OUTPUT_LINES` | unlimited | Cap expanded tool-output lines (set a number to restore a cap). |
-| `HERMES_TUI_TOOL_OUTPUTS` | **on** | Keep rich tool-call OUTPUTS (full result body + raw result/args dicts). `=off` drops both the RENDER and the STORE of those bodies (Ink parity: only a one-line context preview + name/duration/error/diff survive) — the memory lever for the OpenTUI-vs-Ink retention asymmetry, and what the bench launches OpenTUI with for the fair engine-overhead comparison (W3). Diffs (file-edit) are KEPT either way. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_HEAP_MB` | cgroup-aware (default 8192) | V8 `--max-old-space-size` (MB) for BOTH engines. Highest precedence (then `display.tui_heap_mb` config, then the cgroup-75% fallback). Set it LOW for a low-mem session (still cgroup-clamped on top so it never exceeds the container); raise it to lift the ceiling. The low-mem opt-in signal that also arms `HERMES_TUI_PROACTIVE_GC` (W1). |
-| `HERMES_TUI_PROACTIVE_GC` | = low-`HERMES_TUI_HEAP_MB` (≤4096) | Idle-gated `global.gc()` for the low-mem path. Defaults ON only when a low heap cap is set (so the knobs compose); `=on`/`=off` forces it. Needs `--expose-gc` (the OpenTUI argv now carries it). Never runs mid-stream; tightens cadence above 400MB RSS but stays idle-gated. OpenTUI-only — Ink never GCs proactively (W2). |
-| `HERMES_TUI_COMPOSER_ROWS` | default rows | Composer height. |
-
-## 3. Escape hatches & tuning (dev-facing, individually settable)
-
-| var | default | effect |
-|---|---|---|
-| `HERMES_TUI_WINDOWING` | **on** | `0` = bit-exact pre-windowing renderer (every row mounts; cap clamps back to 1000). The A/B + regression escape hatch. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_WINDOW_IDLE_MS` | ~1000 | Idle-measure pulse cadence (the spacer-exactness march). Test knob. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_WINDOW_STATS` | = `HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS` | Exposes live/peak mounted-row counters (`globalThis.__hermesTuiWindowStats`) for tui-bench's live-attach reads. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_MEMLOG` | = `HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS` | In-process 1Hz memory self-sampling (`boundary/memlog.ts`) → `~/.hermes/logs/memwatch/<boot>-<pid>.jsonl` (rss/heap/external + mounted rows; 14-day retention). Fleet view: `node memwatch-report.mjs` from the tui-bench repo (`github.com/NousResearch/tui-bench`). The "monitor all my sessions" answer: one `export HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS=1` in your shell rc covers every session. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_LOG_LEVEL` / `HERMES_TUI_LOG_FILE` | engine defaults | Logging verbosity/destination (`/logs` reads the ring buffer regardless). Deliberately independent of the master switch — support often wants logs without the full diag surface. |
-| `HERMES_HEAPDUMP_ON_START` | off | Write one V8 heap snapshot at boot (Ink parity). A deliberate baseline-capture escape hatch that BYPASSES the diagnostics master switch; lands at `$HERMES_HOME/logs/opentui-heap-<ts>.heapsnapshot` and echoes the path as a system line (`entry/main.tsx`). |
-| `HERMES_TUI_NOTIFY` | on | Desktop-notification kill switch (`=0`/`false`/`off` silences the "waiting on you" pings). The ping itself goes through the renderer's native `triggerNotification` (protocol detection + tmux/Zellij wrapping); the window title is not gated by this. |
-
-## 4. Internal plumbing (set by the launcher/tui-bench/tests — humans never set these)
-
-| var | set by | effect |
-|---|---|---|
-| `HERMES_PYTHON`, `HERMES_PYTHON_SRC_ROOT`, `HERMES_CWD` | launcher / bench | Which gateway python + repo root + cwd the TUI spawns against (the bench's fake-gateway seam). |
-| `HERMES_TUI_ACTIVE_SESSION_FILE` | launcher/bench | Session handoff file. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_RESUME`, `HERMES_TUI_QUERY`, `HERMES_TUI_PROMPT`, `HERMES_TUI_IMAGE`, `HERMES_TUI_FAKE` | launcher/tests | Resume-at-boot; seeded prompt (`--tui "prompt"`: launcher sets `HERMES_TUI_QUERY`, the engine reads QUERY > the `HERMES_TUI_PROMPT` alias > a bare argv tail — `logic/env.ts` `startupPrompt`); seeded image PATH (`--image`: `HERMES_TUI_IMAGE`, `image.attach`ed before the prompt — `startupImage`, attach in `postSessionSetup`); fake-mode. |
-| `HERMES_AUTO_HEAPDUMP*` (`_COOLDOWN_MS`/`_MAX_BYTES`), `HERMES_HEAPDUMP_DIR`, `HERMES_HEAPDUMP_MAX_BYTES` | — | **NOT read by the OpenTUI engine (deliberate).** The engine ports Ink's #34095 silent-death early-WARNING (a transcript system line, `boundary/memoryMonitor.ts`) but NOT the auto heap-SNAPSHOT capture — the always-on memlog NDJSON trace is the diagnosis path, and its rss-vs-heap divergence is the better diagnostic for the native-RSS leak class (#15141) a V8 snapshot captures poorly. So the #41948 disk-fill safety set (gate/cooldown/byte-cap/dir) has no consumer here. `HERMES_HEAPDUMP_ON_START` (manual one-shot, §3) is the only heapdump knob the engine honors. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_RPC_TIMEOUT_MS`, `HERMES_TUI_STARTUP_TIMEOUT_MS` | tests/CI | Protocol timeouts. |
-| (`ui-tui` only) `HERMES_TUI_MEMSAMPLE_FD/MS` | bench | Ink fd-3 node sampler. |
-
-## 5. Ink flags NOT ported — handled natively or out of scope
-
-These exist on the legacy Ink TUI (`ui-tui/`) and are deliberately **not** read
-by the OpenTUI engine. Documented so a missing flag reads as a decision, not a gap.
-
-| Ink flag | why not ported |
-|---|---|
-| `HERMES_TUI_TRUECOLOR` | OpenTUI core does COLORTERM/truecolor detection natively — the Ink force-truecolor hack is a fork workaround we shed. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_FORCE_OSC52` | OpenTUI core owns OSC52 clipboard as a primitive; no fallback hint needed. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_INLINE` / `HERMES_TUI_TERMUX_MODE` / `HERMES_TUI_TERMUX_FAST_ECHO` | Termux/primary-buffer accommodations. OpenTUI's native FFI floor (Node ≥26.3 + `--experimental-ffi`) is absent on Termux, so those sessions stay on **Ink** — these are correctly N/A for the OpenTUI engine. |
-| `HERMES_TUI_FPS` | Ink FPS overlay; the OpenTUI equivalent is the diag/window-stats surface (`HERMES_TUI_WINDOW_STATS`). Not parity-critical. |
-| `HERMES_DEV_CREDITS` / `HERMES_DEV_PERF*` | Dev-only throwaway scaffolding (live-spend readout, perf logging) — not user parity. |
-| `HERMES_BIN` / `HERMES_TUI_GATEWAY_URL` / `HERMES_TUI_SIDECAR_URL` | External-CLI / remote-gateway-URL overrides. OpenTUI spawns its gateway via the Effect boundary (`liveGateway.ts`) and does not shell out to `hermes` or take an external gateway URL. |
-| `HERMES_VOICE` | Voice mode is tracked on the OpenTUI parity backlog separately, not here. |
-
-## How the pieces compose (the support script)
-
-- Regular user, normal day: zero flags, zero diagnostic commands visible.
-- "My TUI feels heavy" support flow: `HERMES_TUI_DIAGNOSTICS=1 hermes` → `/mem`
-  for the live numbers, `/heapdump` for a snapshot to attach, window stats
-  exposed for tui-bench's `live-attach.sh <pid>` to read.
-- Developer profiling: same master switch + the individual knobs
-  (`HERMES_TUI_WINDOWING=0` A/B, `WINDOW_IDLE_MS` tuning) as needed.
-- Anything in section 4 appearing in a user-facing doc is a bug.
-
-Gating implementation: `logic/env.ts` (`diagnosticsEnabled()`),
-`logic/slash.ts` (`DIAGNOSTIC_COMMANDS` — dispatch hint, help + completion
-filtering), `view/transcript.tsx` (stats default). Tests:
-`slash.test.ts` (gating both states), `utilityCommands.test.ts` (commands
-themselves, gate enabled suite-wide).

docs/opentui-memory-story.md

@@ -1,207 +0,0 @@
-# How the OpenTUI transcript got from 686MB to ~300MB — the full story
-
-*For: glitch. Branch: `feat/opentui-memory-window`. Everything here is measured,
-not vibes; every number has a result JSON in the **tui-bench** repo's `results/` (`github.com/NousResearch/tui-bench`).*
-
----
-
-## 1. The cast of characters (the primitives, bottom-up)
-
-To understand where the memory went, you need to know who's holding it. Six
-layers, from the screen up:
-
-**The terminal grid.** Your terminal is a spreadsheet of character cells.
-Nobody pays per-message here — tmux holds ~5MB flat no matter how long the
-session is (we measured). The terminal is never the problem.
-
-**The OpenTUI native renderer (Zig).** A compiled library that owns the
-"frame buffer" — the grid of cells about to be painted. Every piece of text the
-TUI shows lives in a native **TextBuffer** (the characters + their colors),
-viewed through a **TextBufferView**, styled by a **SyntaxStyle**. Each of those
-is a **native handle** — a ticket into one global table that has only **65,535
-slots, total, ever** (16-bit indices — like a coat check with 65k hooks).
-Destroying a renderable returns its tickets, so the constraint is not "how much
-have you ever created" but **"how much is alive right now."**
-
-**Renderables.** OpenTUI's UI objects — `<text>`, `<box>`, `<markdown>`,
-`<code>`, `<scrollbox>`. One transcript row (a message with its tool calls,
-markdown, code blocks, copy chips) is a *tree* of these: **~16 text renderables
-≈ 47 native handles ≈ ~250–340KB of RSS, per row.** This is the number that
-drives everything. 1,400 mounted rows × 47 handles = table full = the crash we
-root-caused last week.
-
-**Yoga (the layout engine, WASM).** Every renderable also has a Yoga node —
-Yoga is the flexbox calculator that decides where boxes go. OpenTUI ships it
-compiled to **WebAssembly**, and WASM has a brutal property: its memory can
-**grow but never shrink** back to the OS. So the peak number of
-*simultaneously-mounted* renderables sets a high-water mark you pay **forever**,
-even after everything is destroyed. (Fun fact from this week's forensics: we
-spent two days believing Ink had this disease. It doesn't — our Ink fork swapped
-Yoga-WASM for a plain TypeScript port at fork creation. **We** are the ones
-running layout in WASM. The accusation was true; we just had the defendant
-wrong.)
-
-**Solid (the view framework).** Renders each store message into a row via
-`<For>`. The property we exploit: Solid mounts/unmounts *surgically* — remove a
-row from what the component returns and Solid destroys exactly that row's
-renderables (returning its handles and freeing its Yoga nodes), touching
-nothing else. No virtual-DOM diffing, no collateral re-renders.
-
-**V8 (the JavaScript engine) + the store.** The store keeps every message as JS
-strings/objects. V8's garbage collector is *lazy by design*: with the default
-8GB ceiling we launch with, it sees no reason to clean up aggressively, so RSS
-includes a lot of "collectible but not yet collected" garbage. Cheap to fix,
-worth real MB (measured below).
-
-**The scrollbox.** One detail that fooled everyone at some point:
-`viewportCulling` (on by default) skips *drawing* offscreen rows — but they stay
-fully **mounted**: handles held, Yoga nodes alive, memory paid. Culling saves
-paint time, not memory. That misunderstanding is half the reason the "rolling
-store cap" was expected to be enough, and wasn't.
-
-## 2. Why it was 686MB
-
-Simple arithmetic. The old TUI mounted **every message in the store** as a full
-renderable tree. 2,000 messages × ~16 renderables × (handles + Yoga nodes +
-text buffers + V8 objects) ≈ 670–690MB, growing ~300MB per 1,000 messages. And
-at ~1,400 rows the handle table filled: first a hard crash (exit 7), then —
-after our containment fix — survival with **unstyled text** past that point,
-plus a cap clamped from 3,000 rows down to 1,000 as the price of not crashing.
-
-Ink, meanwhile, sat at ~234MB at the same workload, because Ink only ever
-mounts the rows near your viewport (~84–400 live nodes). Its memory is the
-*data* plus some caches — not the *view*.
-
-## 3. The decisions, in order
-
-### Decision 1: virtualize the view, don't starve the store
-
-Two ways to cut view memory: keep fewer messages (opencode's answer — they keep
-100 and delete the rest from memory; transcript truth lives on their server), or
-keep all messages but only *materialize* the ones near the viewport. You vetoed
-the first (your p90 session is 182 messages — a 100-row store truncates normal
-sessions), so: **windowing**. Notably the OpenTUI devs confirmed this week that
-framework-level virtualization is the intended path — the engine doesn't ship
-it out of the box, and opencode never built it. We did.
-
-### Decision 2: exact heights, recorded at unmount — never estimates in your face
-
-This is the load-bearing idea, and it's where we beat Ink at its own game.
-
-The hard problem of any virtualized list: an unmounted row still needs to
-occupy its correct *height*, or the scrollbar lies and content jumps. Ink
-solves it by **guessing** heights and correcting after measurement — those
-corrections are precisely the 83–101ms scroll stutters you hate. You explicitly
-vetoed "estimate-correction jank" as a model.
-
-Our advantage: OpenTUI lays out with real, queryable heights. So when a row
-scrolls out of the window, we record its **exact laid-out height** (an
-`onSizeChange` hook fires inside layout, pre-paint) and replace the row with an
-empty `<box height={exactly-that}/>` — a **spacer**: one Yoga node, zero text
-buffers, zero native handles. Think of a bookshelf where books you're not
-reading are swapped for cardboard sleeves cut to *exactly* the book's
-thickness: the shelf never shifts, and you can't tell from across the room.
-
-The window is your viewport ± one viewport of margin (plus hysteresis so it
-doesn't thrash at the edges). Scroll near a spacer and the real row remounts —
-at the recorded height, so nothing moves.
-
-And one **law**, written into the code as `correctionIsLegal`: a spacer's
-height may only ever be corrected where you *cannot see it* — fully above the
-viewport (with the scroll position compensated in the same frame, so the world
-doesn't move) or fully below it. A correction that would shift visible content
-is forbidden, structurally. Jank isn't tuned down; it's outlawed.
-
-### Decision 3 (the S2 insight): adjudicate on *append*, not just on scroll
-
-S1 alone got 686 → 518MB. Why not more? Because of *when* windowing decided.
-S1 re-decided the window when you **scrolled**. But during a streaming burst —
-an agent turn dumping hundreds of rows — you don't scroll; rows arrive, each
-mounting fully, and only get demoted later. That transient pile-up is mostly
-invisible in steady-state numbers… except for Yoga-WASM, where **the transient
-peak is permanent** (memory never shrinks). The burst was quietly ratcheting
-the floor.
-
-S2 makes the window recompute on **transcript growth**: while you're pinned at
-the bottom, the window anchors to the content *bottom*, so a row that falls
-more than a margin behind the live edge becomes a spacer the moment it's
-measured — not whenever you next scroll. Measured result: across a 1,500-row
-burst, the peak number of simultaneously-mounted rows is **31**.
-
-Same trick for **resume**: opening a 2,000-message session used to mount all of
-it (transient peak again — paid forever). Now resume mounts only the bottom
-window; everything above starts as spacers using a line-count estimate, and an
-idle-time "measure march" quietly mounts ten rows at a time near the window
-edge, records their true heights, and swaps them back — all outside the
-viewport, all invisible by the law above.
-
-### Decision 4: rows that must never be windowed
-
-Windowing has to know what it's not allowed to touch:
-- **Streaming rows** — the native markdown renderer streams incrementally;
-  unmounting mid-stream would restart it visibly.
-- **The bottom 30 rows** — the region you actually live in.
-- **Rows under a mouse selection** — the review caught that a lingering
-  highlight originally froze windowing *forever* (memory regrowing silently).
-  Fixed: only an active drag pauses swaps, and selected rows get pinned, so
-  copy is byte-exact while everything else keeps windowing.
-
-### Decision 5: give back the scrollback (cap 1,000 → 3,000)
-
-The 1,000-row clamp existed only because mounted-rows == stored-rows and the
-handle table dies at ~1,400. With windowing, mounted ≈ 31 regardless of store
-size — so the cap went back to the originally-shipped 3,000. It's
-windowing-aware: the `HERMES_TUI_WINDOWING=0` escape hatch (which mounts
-everything again) keeps the safe 1,000.
-
-### Decision 6 (measured, not yet shipped as default): right-size the V8 heap
-
-Running the windowed TUI with a 512MB heap ceiling instead of 8GB forced V8 to
-actually collect: another −90MB with zero latency cost. That's queued as a
-launcher default change (~1GB), for both engines.
-
-## 4. The scoreboard
-
-At 2,000 messages (your real p99 session size — yes, we checked your DB:
-median session is 20 messages, p99 is 1,941):
-
-| | peak memory | scroll p99 (slowest 1-in-100) |
-|---|---|---|
-| OpenTUI before | 686MB | 16ms |
-| + S1 windowing | 518MB | 16ms |
-| + S2 append/resume windowing | **300–375MB** | **6ms** |
-| Ink (reference) | 229–246MB | ~100ms |
-
-At the **3,000-message stress** with the restored triple-size scrollback:
-**360MB, fully styled, scroll p99 8ms** — a workload that six days ago crashed
-the process, and three days ago survived only by dropping syntax colors.
-
-Scroll got *faster* because there are simply fewer live renderables to walk.
-The determinism gate stayed **byte-identical** — the windowed TUI's settled
-frame is provably the same pixels as before. And the live smoke (2,000-message
-session: full sweep to the top, resize storm, back to bottom) returned a frame
-pixel-identical to boot, with deep history fully syntax-highlighted — something
-the pre-windowing TUI literally could not do.
-
-## 5. What's honestly still open
-
-- The remaining ~60–120MB over Ink is mostly the **store's JS strings** and
-  process baseline — the view is no longer the problem. The structural fix is
-  the **thin renderer** (W1): bodies live in the Python gateway (which already
-  has them in SQLite); the TUI keeps ~300-byte stubs and fetches bodies only
-  for the window. That also fixes the class of problem neither engine handles
-  today: a single 10MB tool output.
-- Two accepted, documented limits: scrollbar-*jumping* deep into a freshly
-  resumed session can land on estimate-height rows that snap to true height as
-  they enter view (normal scrolling doesn't — the margin pre-measures; the idle
-  march erodes the exposure over time), and a tool you expanded, scrolled far
-  away from, then returned to will have re-collapsed (state is component-local;
-  hoisting it to the store is queued).
-- Everything is behind `HERMES_TUI_WINDOWING` (default on, `0` = bit-exact old
-  behavior) — a one-env escape hatch if anything feels off in real use.
-
-*Where to verify: the **tui-bench** repo's `results/` (`github.com/NousResearch/tui-bench`; every number above), the design+gates doc
-`docs/plans/opentui-transcript-windowing.md`, tests in
-`ui-opentui/src/test/window.test.ts` and `transcriptWindow.test.tsx` (the
-zero-jank invariants are literal assertions: identical scrollHeight windowed
-vs not, byte-stable frames across corrections).*

docs/opentui-native-engine.md

@@ -1,432 +0,0 @@
-# OpenTUI native engine — PR documentation
-
-**Branch:** `feat/opentui-native-engine` · **Base:** `origin/main` (merged in; HEAD is at `~main`)
-**New engine root:** `ui-opentui/` (Node 26 + `@opentui/core` 0.4.1 + `@opentui/solid`, Effect at the boundary)
-**Legacy engine root:** `ui-tui/` (React + the `@hermes/ink` fork at `ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/`)
-
-> This is the canonical in-repo doc for the PR. The companion interactive HTML
-> write-up (`~/projects/opentui-perf-writeup/index.html`) is the case/benchmark
-> deep-dive; this doc is the reviewable text version + the four things review
-> actually needs: **(1) the LoC reduction math, (2) the measured perf deltas,
-> (3) the real UI divergence (with screenshots), (4) the non-core / kitchen-sink
-> change audit.**
-
-This PR adds a from-scratch native terminal UI built on OpenTUI, intended to
-replace the React/Ink TUI **and the Ink fork we maintain alone**. It currently
-ships as a parallel engine (Ink untouched, auto-fallback), selected by
-`HERMES_TUI_ENGINE` env > `display.tui_engine` config > auto (OpenTUI when the
-host is Node ≥ 26.3 with the built bundle, else Ink). **100% parity with the Ink
-TUI is the bar.**
-
----
-
-## 1. Line-of-code reduction (the headline maintenance win)
-
-All counts are **git-tracked files only** (respects `.gitignore`; `dist/` and
-`node_modules/` are untracked and excluded). Measured live on this branch at
-`~HEAD`. "Code" = `.ts/.tsx/.js/.jsx` only; "total" includes config/json/md.
-
-### What gets *removed* when Ink is retired
-
-| Area | Files | Total lines | Code lines (ts/tsx/js) | Non-blank code |
-|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
-| `ui-tui/src/` — Ink **consumer app** (our React/Ink view code) | 204 | 40,422 | 40,422 | 33,550 |
-| `ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/` — **the fork** (`@hermes/ink`) | 148 | 28,167 | 28,113 | 23,718 |
-| **`ui-tui/` whole tree (tracked)** | **362** | **69,320** | **68,831** | **57,545** |
-
-The `ui-tui/` whole-tree number (69,320) also folds in a handful of build
-scripts, `.prettierrc`, `package.json`, etc. The two rows above it are the
-load-bearing split:
-
-- **The fork alone is 28,167 LOC across 148 files** — code we own and can never
-  sync from upstream. Upstream Ink v6.8.0 `src/` is ~7,259 LOC, so the fork's
-  renderer core is **~3.2× the size of stock Ink**. (Cross-checked against the
-  HTML write-up's `ink-fork-analysis.json`: 28,111 LOC / 148 files — the 56-line
-  delta is a single tracked JSON the file-level count includes.)
-- **The consumer app is another 40,422 LOC** — React components/hooks that only
-  exist to drive Ink.
-
-### What gets *added*
-
-| Area | Files | Total lines | Code lines | Non-blank code |
-|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
-| `ui-opentui/src/` — new engine (app code **+ its own tests**) | 153 | 28,763 | 28,763 | 26,495 |
-|   ↳ non-test (app code only) | 97 | 16,628 | 16,628 | 15,450 |
-|   ↳ tests (`src/test/`) | 56 | 12,135 | 12,135 | 11,045 |
-| Tree-sitter grammars (`python`…`toml`) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
-| **`ui-opentui/` whole tree (tracked)** | **~170** | **~34,800** | **29,614** | **27,283** |
-
-> Tree-sitter grammars carry **zero repo lines**: the engine declares the 10
-> extra grammars as remote URLs (`src/boundary/parsers.manifest.json`) and
-> OpenTUI fetches+caches each `.wasm`/`.scm` on first use into
-> `~/.hermes/cache/opentui-parsers/` (à la opencode, which vendors none). An
-> earlier revision vendored them as 37,302 checked-in binary lines (10 `.wasm` +
-> 10 `.scm`); that's gone — code lines and total lines now move together.
-
-### The net reduction (code lines, the honest comparison)
-
-| Comparison | Removed (ts/tsx/js) | Added (ts/tsx/js) | Net change |
-|---|---:|---:|---:|
-| **Incl. fork** — retire all of `ui-tui/` vs add `ui-opentui/src` | −68,831 | +28,763 | **−40,068 LOC (−58%)** |
-| **Incl. fork, app-vs-app** (exclude both test suites) | −56,463¹ | +16,628 | **−39,835 LOC (−71%)** |
-| **Excl. fork** — only the Ink *consumer app* vs new engine | −40,422 | +28,763 | **−11,659 LOC (−29%)** |
-| **The fork in isolation** (the unsyncable liability we shed) | −28,113 | — | **−28,113 code lines deleted outright (28,167 incl. its 1 config file)** |
-
-¹ `ui-tui/src` non-test = 28,350 LOC + fork (≈ all 28,113 code lines are non-test;
-it carries only ~54 config lines) = 56,463. (`ui-tui/src` carries 80 test files /
-12,072 LOC; the new engine carries 56 test files / 12,135 LOC.)
-
-**Read it this way:**
-
-- **The cleanest single number: ~−40k code lines net** (retire all of `ui-tui/`,
-  add `ui-opentui/src`). That is a **~58% reduction in the TUI's
-  hand-maintained surface**, and it *includes* the new engine's full 56-file test
-  suite.
-- **The most important number is the fork: −28,167 LOC of unsyncable engine
-  code** disappears. That is the load-bearing maintenance win — it's not just
-  fewer lines, it's lines we are the *sole* maintainer of (own reconciler, ANSI
-  parser, scrollbox, selection/OSC52, hand-rolled memory eviction, Yoga binding).
-- **Even excluding the fork** — i.e. if you imagine upstream Ink were free — the
-  app rewrite is still a net reduction (−11,659 LOC) because the new engine
-  mounts OpenTUI built-ins instead of hand-building components.
-
-### Caveat on the comparison (keep it honest for review)
-
-- These are **whole-tree retirements vs a single source dir add.** If/when Ink is
-  deleted, the `ui-tui/` `package.json`, lockfile, and build scripts go too; the
-  table counts `ui-tui/src` + the fork as the apples-to-apples "hand-maintained
-  TS" figure.
-- **Tree-sitter grammars are NOT vendored.** The 10 extra grammars are declared
-  as remote URLs (`src/boundary/parsers.manifest.json`); OpenTUI fetches each
-  `.wasm`/`.scm` on first use of a language and caches it under
-  `~/.hermes/cache/opentui-parsers/` (profile-aware, set via
-  `HERMES_TUI_PARSER_CACHE` by the launcher). Registration does **zero** network;
-  the fetch is lazy and off the boot critical path, and an unreachable
-  GitHub/air-gapped env degrades that language to plain text — never a throw. This
-  replaces an earlier revision that vendored 37k binary lines, so the repo no
-  longer grows on disk for syntax highlighting. (Trade-off: first-use-per-language
-  needs network to `github.com`/`raw.githubusercontent.com`; pre-seed the cache in
-  a Docker build if you need offline highlighting.)
-- Python/backend LoC is **not** part of this reduction: `tui_gateway/` (~12k LOC)
-  is **shared by both engines** and stays. See §4.
-
----
-
-## 2. Performance (CPU / latency / memory)
-
-Measured with the `tui-bench` harness driving **both engines on a real PTY
-120×40**, fake gateway feeding deterministic events, `/proc`-sampled identically,
-each SUT under `systemd-run --scope -p MemoryMax=2G -p MemorySwapMax=0`,
-sequential with a load-gate + 10s cooldown. Determinism gate **GREEN**, 71 result
-files, 0 cell errors, 3 reps/cell, `@opentui/core` 0.4.1 native-yoga
-(`libopentui.so`, no `yoga.wasm`). Every number traces to a `summary.<field>` in
-a result dir. Source: `~/projects/opentui-html/bench-numbers.json` (frozen
-2026-06-14, build under test `1ddf7a102` + WIP).
-
-### Scorecard
-
-| Dimension | Winner | Margin | Source cell |
-|---|---|---|---|
-| Streaming frame rate | **OpenTUI** | **~3×** (43 vs 14 fps) | `cpu800.frame_pacing` |
-| Streaming smoothness (interframe p95) | **OpenTUI** | **40ms vs ~220ms** (no ¼-second stalls) | `cpu800.frame_pacing` |
-| Scroll CPU | **OpenTUI** | **~2.7× cheaper** (134–155 vs 403–416 ticks) | `scroll3000.scroll.cpu_ticks` |
-| Cold-start floor | **OpenTUI** | ~97–103 vs ~107–109 MB | `startup.vmhwm_kb` |
-| Session-create latency | **OpenTUI** | ~151–177 vs ~204–229 ms | `startup.session_create_ms` |
-| First-byte paint | Ink | ~93 vs ~122 ms | `startup.first_byte_ms` |
-| Memory @ small/typical | Ink | OpenTUI +30–50 MB | `mem50/100/300.vmhwm` |
-| Memory @ heavy tool output | **OpenTUI** | **crossover** (258–265 vs 280–290 MB) | `results-fat-mem-*` |
-| Layout reflow latency | **Ink** | **~0ms vs ~13ms** (OpenTUI's one honest loss) | `resize3000.resize.reflow_ms` |
-
-### The honest reading
-
-- **OpenTUI wins everything you feel continuously** — frame rate (~3×), scroll
-  CPU (~2.7×), and smoothness (no 200ms hitches; p95 40ms vs ~220ms). This is the
-  lead. The single most user-perceptible difference is the stall-free stream.
-- **Memory: lead with smoothness, not raw RSS.** Ink is lighter at small/typical
-  sizes (OpenTUI carries a ~102 MB irreducible Node+V8+`libopentui.so` floor, so
-  it sits +30–50 MB above Ink there). But it **crosses over** under heavy tool
-  output (mem300: 258–265 MB OpenTUI vs 280–290 MB Ink) because windowing beats
-  Ink's mount-every-row. Real-world: 20 memwatch sessions show a flat ~108 MB
-  floor and ~0 MB/h on long sessions (one 15h session, 0 MB/h; one 4.4h session
-  plateaus flat at ~237 MB with mounted rows pinned at 33).
-- **The one outright loss is layout reflow** (~13ms p50 vs Ink's ~0ms; under a
-  resize storm OpenTUI degrades to ~14fps/~197ms vs Ink ~26fps/~100ms). Heavier
-  native renderables vs Ink's string nodes. This is a real, quantified
-  optimization target — **not** a regression vs current behavior, and **not** the
-  "halved 0.4.0→0.4.1" delta (we measured the absolute 12–15ms only; do not quote
-  "halved" from this run).
-- **The memory fix is engine-agnostic** — a rolling display cap
-  (`HERMES_TUI_MAX_MESSAGES=3000` default) that is display-only and never touches
-  the model's context. Uncapped is a stress config, not real usage (10k msgs
-  uncapped: 793 MB; capped sessions are flat MB/h).
-- **Gut-check vs upstream/opencode: no bugs.** Exactly one frame callback
-  (early-exits cheaply), zero `writeToScrollback` for the transcript (one sticky
-  `<scrollbox>` + reactive `<For>`), native `<markdown streaming>` byte-for-byte
-  parity with live opencode, no reactive-read-outside-tracking-scope (the #1 Solid
-  trap). Source: `docs/plans/opentui-gutcheck-verification.md`.
-
-Full methodology + every cell: see the HTML write-up's benchmark sections and
-`docs/plans/opentui-endgame-benchmark-report.md`.
-
----
-
-## 3. UI parity — and where the two engines genuinely diverge visually
-
-100% *feature* parity is the bar (matrix in §6), but the two engines are **not**
-visually identical. The Ink TUI renders the transcript as a **box-drawing tree**;
-OpenTUI renders it **flat and marker-based**. This is a deliberate design
-divergence, captured in `ui-opentui/src/view/messageLine.tsx`:
-
-> *"the view is a dark room and gold is the single lamp — it sits on the NEWEST
-> answer's `⚕` and the user's `❯`, nowhere else (older assistant glyphs demote to
-> grey: they merely happened)."*
-
-Real screenshots (saved under `docs/research/opentui-screenshots/`), captured live
-on a real PTY 120×40 via the `tmux-pane-screenshot` workflow — **same session
-resumed in both engines** where possible.
-
-### Legacy Ink — `docs/research/opentui-screenshots/ink-transcript.png`
-
-![Ink transcript](research/opentui-screenshots/ink-transcript.png)
-
-- **Box-drawing tree layout.** Each turn is a nested structure: `└─ Response`,
-  `└─ ▾ Tool calls (1)`, `   └─ ● Terminal("…")` — explicit corner rails and
-  disclosure triangles.
-- **`┊` dotted quote-bar** prefixes assistant prose.
-- **Tool calls collapse by default** behind a `▾ Tool calls (N)` disclosure,
-  nested one rail deeper.
-- **Whole assistant message tinted gold/amber** (body text is colored, not just
-  the marker).
-- Right-edge scrollbar: thin `│` track + `┃`/orange thumb.
-- Status bar: `─ ready │ opus 4.8 fast high │ 0/1m │ [░░░░░░] 0% │ 25s │ voice off │ 1 session ─ ~`
-  — leading dash, pipe-delimited fields, trailing `~`.
-- **No top header bar.**
-
-### New OpenTUI — `docs/research/opentui-screenshots/opentui-transcript.png` (+ `opentui-toolcall.png`)
-
-![OpenTUI transcript](research/opentui-screenshots/opentui-transcript.png)
-
-![OpenTUI tool call](research/opentui-screenshots/opentui-toolcall.png)
-
-- **Flat, marker-based layout.** No tree rails. Assistant = `⚕` (caduceus, gold
-  only on the newest answer), user = `❯` (gold chevron + gold text). Older
-  assistant glyphs demote to grey.
-- **Neutral body text.** Gold is reserved for markers and inline-code accents;
-  prose is grey/white (the "single lamp" rule), so the screen reads calmer than
-  Ink's all-amber blocks.
-- **Tool calls render inline, expanded, on one header line:**
-  `⚕ ▶ delegate_task  Run the shell command `…`  (/agents to monitor)  · 41s  (11 lines)`
-  — marker, `▶` collapse triangle, bold tool name, grey arg preview, hint,
-  `· duration`, `(N lines)` — and the result flows flat directly below (no nesting
-  rail). Per-tool renderers exist (`view/tools/registry.tsx`) — bash/file+diff/
-  read/search/skill/clarify/todo each render differently, not a uniform dump.
-- **Per-block `⧉ copy` affordance** on a quiet footer line under every settled
-  assistant block and user prompt (click → copies that block's source).
-- **Top header bar:** `⚕ Hermes Agent · opentui · ready` + a gold horizontal rule
-  (Ink has none).
-- Status bar (real backend): `● claude-fable-5 │ [▒▒▒] 4% │ …/lively-thrush/hermes-agent (feat/opentui-native-engine)`
-  — green status dot, model, context/token bar, **right-pinned cwd + branch**.
-
-### Divergence summary table
-
-| Aspect | Ink (legacy) | OpenTUI (new) |
-|---|---|---|
-| Transcript structure | Box-drawing **tree** (`└─`, rails) | **Flat**, indented, marker-based |
-| Assistant marker | `└─ Response` rail + `┊` quote-bar | `⚕` caduceus glyph |
-| User marker | (rail) | `❯` gold chevron |
-| Assistant body color | Tinted gold/amber | Neutral grey/white (gold = accents only) |
-| Tool calls | Collapsed `▾ Tool calls (N)`, nested | Inline expanded header + flat result |
-| Per-tool rendering | Largely uniform | Dedicated renderers per tool |
-| Copy affordance | `/copy` command | `/copy` **+ per-block `⧉ copy`** |
-| Header bar | None | `⚕ Hermes Agent · opentui · ready` + rule |
-| Status bar | `─`/`│`-delimited, trailing `~` | dot + bars + right-pinned cwd/branch |
-
-**For review:** the divergence is intentional (a design pass, not an accident),
-but it means "drop-in replacement" is true at the *feature* level, not the
-*pixel* level. A user switching engines will immediately notice the flatter,
-calmer transcript. Worth calling out explicitly so the swap isn't sold as
-visually invisible.
-
----
-
-## 4. Non-core / kitchen-sink change audit (what review should scrutinize)
-
-Full report: **`docs/research/opentui-noncore-change-audit.md`** (file-by-file,
-commit-by-commit, with `file:line` evidence). Summary below.
-
-This PR's net footprint vs `origin/main` (two-dot diff = exactly this PR's adds,
-no main work re-included):
-
-| Bucket | Files | Net diff |
-|---|---:|---:|
-| UI (`ui-opentui/`, the engine + tests) | 197 | +36,001 / −1 |
-| Docs | 8 | +1,164 / −0 |
-| **Other (the review-flag surface)** | **28** | **+3,218 / −204** |
-
-The 28 "other" files are the only place this PR touches shared Hermes core. They
-classify as:
-
-### ✅ CORE-OPENTUI-NECESSARY (the engine can't work without these; Ink path provably untouched)
-
-- **`hermes_cli/main.py`** (+382/−5) — dual-engine launcher (engine resolution,
-  Node 26 / fnm detection, `_make_opentui_argv`, heap override). Default falls
-  back to Ink unless the host is OpenTUI-ready (`main.py:1685`); OpenTUI is
-  dispatched *around* the Ink bootstrap, never through it (`main.py:1914-1922`).
-- **`scripts/install.sh`** (+78/−1) — `install_opentui` stage, **strictly
-  best-effort** (every failure returns 0; falls back to Ink; Windows/Termux
-  skipped). Ink install path unchanged.
-- **`Dockerfile`** (+21/−11) — Node 22→**26** bump (required by the `node:ffi`
-  renderer) + `ui-opentui` build step. Opt-in; Ink build line preserved. **Caveat:
-  the Node major bump affects the whole image (Ink + web + Playwright)** — the
-  diff self-flags "verify the full image build on Node 26 in CI."
-- **`hermes_cli/_parser.py`** (+16/−2) — bare `--resume` → OpenTUI session picker;
-  `--resume <id>` unchanged.
-- **`tui_gateway/server.py`** (+612/−40) — predominantly opt-in RPCs/fields the
-  new engine calls (`session.peek`, `session.list` filters, `startup.catalog`,
-  `diff_unified`, window-title, skin keys). Each is gated so **the Ink path is
-  byte-for-byte unchanged** (`server.py:3930`, `:4254`, `:10447`). *Note:* this
-  file also carries some of the cost-accounting code (below) — separable.
-
-> `tui_gateway/` (~12k LOC Python) is **shared by both engines** and is **not**
-> removed when Ink is retired. Only the `ui-tui/` frontend tree goes.
-
-### 🚩 FLAG FOR REVIEW — Category C, separable from an OpenTUI PR
-
-These do **not** need to ship with the engine and a reviewer should ask to split
-them out:
-
-1. **Provider-reported-cost accounting** (commits `85546bb9e` + `364b93a4b` +
-   `e01b04de4`) — a coherent feature spanning **11 files**: `agent/usage_pricing.py`,
-   `plugins/model-providers/openrouter/__init__.py`,
-   `agent/transports/chat_completions.py`, `agent/agent_init.py`, `run_agent.py`,
-   `agent/conversation_loop.py`, `agent/account_usage.py`, `hermes_state.py`,
-   `gateway/slash_commands.py`, the cost half of `cli.py`, and the
-   `_get_usage`/`_compact_usage_text` blocks of `tui_gateway/server.py` (+ 5 test
-   files). Strongest evidence: commit `85546bb9e` *"gateway: capture real
-   provider-reported cost (openrouter usage accounting)"* — a provider-accounting
-   rework, not a renderer.
-2. **`plugins/model-providers/openrouter/__init__.py`** — sends
-   `usage:{include:true}`, a provider request-shape change affecting *all*
-   interfaces, not just the TUI (`openrouter/__init__.py:85-90` cites the
-   OpenRouter usage-accounting docs).
-3. **Worktree lock / dirty-tree preservation** (commit `94765e48f`,
-   `cli.py` + `tests/cli/test_worktree.py`, ~145 lines) — git-worktree lifecycle
-   safety plumbing with **zero TUI references** (`cli.py:1391-1545`, `:1635-1713`).
-4. **`tools/clarify_tool.py`** (+16/−4) — docstring/schema-description-only fix
-   (commit `16e408f3f`); applies to every interface, trivially separable.
-
-### ✅ Conversation-loop / role-alternation / prompt-cache correctness verdict: **NO RISK**
-
-Verified: none of `run_agent.py`, `agent/conversation_loop.py`,
-`agent/agent_init.py`, `agent/transports/chat_completions.py` touch
-message-role alternation or the prompt-cache prefix. The
-`conversation_loop.py` added lines grep clean for
-`cache_control|alternation|prompt_cach|api_messages`; the cache/alternation
-machinery (`:57`, `:660-674`, `:759`) is untouched; the PR's insertion at
-`:1809-1879` is purely additive cost bookkeeping after `cost_result`. **Prompt
-caching and strict role alternation are preserved.**
-
----
-
-## 5. What this does and does NOT fix
-
-**Fixes (structurally, by replacing the rendering substrate):** the renderer bug
-class — layout/scroll/input/copy/mouse/markdown/resize — plus the
-hand-maintained memory-eviction problem (windowing + Solid keyed `<For>`
-unmount→`destroy()`→`free()`), and several long-open feature requests (mouse,
-collapsible tool calls, session title/status bar, double-ESC, chronological
-thinking/tool ordering).
-
-**Does NOT fix:** the gateway is unchanged — the biggest single hotspot file in
-triage is `tui_gateway/server.py`, and whole bug clusters are gateway/Python-side
-(WS write-timeout/RPC pool, MCP-failure startup freezes, shell.exec denylist).
-The engine swap addresses rendering/input/scroll/memory; **gateway bugs ride
-along.** The Effect-boundary hardening does make those failures *visible* (typed
-events → system lines instead of a frozen spinner) and the TUI auto-heals
-(crash → backoff → respawn → resume, capped 3/60s).
-
----
-
-## 6. Feature parity matrix (vs the Ink TUI)
-
-Verbatim, detailed, surface-by-surface with `file:line` evidence:
-**`docs/plans/opentui-ink-parity-matrix.md`** (interactive/filterable version in
-the HTML write-up). Headline state:
-
-| Surface | State |
-|---|---|
-| Transcript rendering (scrollbox, markdown, code, diffs, collapsible tools, reasoning, chronological order, windowing) | **full parity (9/9)** |
-| Blocking prompts (approval/clarify/sudo/secret/confirm) | **full parity (5/5)** |
-| Theming (skins, light/dark, ANSI-256 norm) | **full parity** |
-| Mouse / copy (tracking, selection, multi-click, OSC52, click-to-expand, wheel accel) | **full parity** |
-| Resilience (crash auto-heal + resume) | **parity++ (exponential backoff)** |
-| Composer / input | near parity — **missing: external editor (Ctrl+G → `$EDITOR`)**; ghost-text autosuggest partial |
-| Slash commands | core parity — **missing: `/setup`, `/redraw`, `/plugins`, `/voice`**; `/undo` prefill + `/image` partial |
-| Status bar / header chrome | almost all closed — **missing: MCP-servers panel, profile-in-prompt** |
-| Agent surfaces | most shipped — **missing: voice indicators, browser/CDP indicator** |
-| Utility commands | **missing: `/redraw`, `/setup`**; rest present |
-
-> The original PR-draft gap list was **substantially stale** — the WIP since
-> shipped context %/token bar, cost, compressions, duration, update banner, todos
-> panel, activity feed, notifications, background-task indicator, **and per-tool
-> renderers** (the "every tool renders the same" claim is false:
-> `view/tools/registry.tsx` has dedicated renderers).
-
-### Genuinely-remaining parity gaps
-
-- [ ] **External editor (Ctrl+G → `$EDITOR`)** — highest-impact missing composer affordance
-- [ ] MCP-servers detail panel; profile-in-prompt marker
-- [ ] Voice indicators (listening/transcribing/REC/STT) + `/voice`
-- [ ] Browser/CDP connection indicator + `/browser`
-- [ ] `/setup` wizard handoff, `/redraw`, `/plugins` hub
-- [ ] Draggable scrollbar; sticky-prompt line
-- [ ] `/undo` prefill into composer; model-picker persist-global toggle; skills-hub install/manage
-
----
-
-## 7. Rollout, runtime & risks
-
-- **Runtime:** plain Node 26 (FFI floor 26.3+) — one runtime, no Bun. (Note: the
-  upstream OpenTUI docs say "requires Bun"; this engine deliberately runs on Node
-  26's experimental `node:ffi` instead — that's the load-bearing runtime decision.)
-- **Rollback:** Ink is untouched and remains the fallback; reverting is a launcher
-  decision, not a code revert.
-- **Default-engine selection:** auto-picks OpenTUI only when the host is genuinely
-  set up (Node ≥ 26.3 + built bundle), else Ink; explicit env/config bypasses the
-  probe.
-- **Known sharp edges:** `libopentui.so` native-lib distribution (P1 upstream:
-  copies can fill `/tmp`); the Dockerfile Node major bump needs full-image CI
-  verification; tree-sitter grammars are fetched from GitHub on first use and
-  cached in `~/.hermes/cache/opentui-parsers/` — air-gapped hosts get plain-text
-  highlighting until the cache is pre-seeded (the fetch never blocks boot and
-  never throws).
-
-## 8. Try it
-
-```bash
-hermes                              # auto-selects OpenTUI when the host supports it
-HERMES_TUI_ENGINE=opentui hermes    # force the native engine
-HERMES_TUI_ENGINE=ink hermes        # force the legacy Ink engine
-# preview standalone (no backend), Node 26:
-cd ui-opentui && npm install
-node scripts/build.mjs scripts/demo.tsx .demo
-DEMO_TOTAL=120 HERMES_TUI_MAX_MESSAGES=80 \
-  node --experimental-ffi --no-warnings .demo/demo.js   # inside a TTY
-```
-
-Requires Node 26.3+. On older Node / Windows / Termux it auto-falls-back to Ink.
-
----
-
-## Appendix — source-of-truth files in this repo
-
-| Topic | File |
-|---|---|
-| Non-core change audit (full) | `docs/research/opentui-noncore-change-audit.md` |
-| Feature parity matrix (verbatim) | `docs/plans/opentui-ink-parity-matrix.md` |
-| Benchmark report | `docs/plans/opentui-endgame-benchmark-report.md` |
-| Gut-check verification | `docs/plans/opentui-gutcheck-verification.md` |
-| Ink↔OpenTUI capture asymmetry | `docs/plans/opentui-ink-asymmetry-note.md` |
-| UI screenshots | `docs/research/opentui-screenshots/{ink,opentui}-*.png` |
-| PR description (prose) | `docs/pr-description-main-doc.md` |
-| Interactive write-up | `~/projects/opentui-perf-writeup/index.html` (out-of-repo) |

docs/opentui-upstream-alignment.md

@@ -1,73 +0,0 @@
-# Upstream alignment — how we inherit OpenTUI's performance work for free
-
-Context (maintainer, 2026-06-11): opencode's 100-message cap was a November-era
-performance workaround, since obsoleted; the **next OpenTUI version ships
-native yoga** (≥2× layout performance, more improvements building on it);
-opencode does not use virtualization.
-
-## The invariant that makes alignment free
-
-**We are forkless and public-API-only.** The windowing layer (S1+S2) drives the
-STOCK `<scrollbox>` through documented surface only — `onSizeChange`,
-`setFrameCallback`, `scrollTop`/`viewport`/`scrollHeight`, Solid `<Show>`
-mount/unmount. Zero patches to `@opentui/core`. Every upstream release
-therefore drops in by bumping three pinned versions in `ui-opentui/package.json`
-(`@opentui/{core,keymap,solid}`, currently 0.4.0). Keep it that way: any new
-code that needs core behavior goes through a `boundary/` wrapper, never a
-patched dependency.
-
-## What native yoga changes for us (and what it doesn't)
-
-- **Kills the WASM ratchet** (grow-only linear memory → freeable native
-  allocations). This retro-justifies S2 less, but S2's append-time windowing
-  remains correct: transient mounted peaks still cost handles and RSS.
-- **Does NOT obsolete windowing.** The binding constraint is the 65,535-slot
-  native handle table: ~47 handles/row × 3,000 stored rows ≈ 141k handles —
-  over the table at ANY layout speed. Windowing is what makes the 3,000-row
-  scrollback possible; yoga's backend is irrelevant to that math.
-- **Makes windowing feel even better**: 2× layout = cheaper margin remounts =
-  smaller window margins viable and less exposure for the one accepted limit
-  (estimate-height snap under scrollbar jumps). After the bump, re-tune margin/
-  hysteresis against the scroll cell.
-
-## The shim ledger (delete-on-upstream-fix; all in `ui-opentui/src/boundary/`)
-
-| shim | what it papers over | delete when |
-|---|---|---|
-| `ffiSafe.ts` | u32 draw coords go negative under Node FFI (Bun silently wraps) — ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE loop | upstream clamps, or Node FFI path is officially supported |
-| `nativeHandles.ts` | SyntaxStyle exhaustion crashes mid-mount; degrade-to-unstyled | handle table widened (INDEX_BITS>16) or per-kind tables |
-| `renderer.ts` exit-signal guard | core 0.4.0 treats SIGPIPE (clipboard spawn) as an exit signal; its own uncaughtException handler allocates a handle and dies (exit-7 masking) | both fixed upstream |
-| `clipboard.ts` hardening | same SIGPIPE incident class | with the above |
-
-Each is (a) isolated, (b) inert if upstream fixes the behavior, (c) worth
-reporting upstream — four concrete, reproduced, root-caused issues. Filing them
-is the cheapest alignment lever we have: it converts our workarounds into
-upstream regression tests. (Needs glitch's go-ahead — public repo activity.)
-
-## The upgrade playbook (per upstream release)
-
-1. Branch `chore/opentui-X.Y.Z`, bump the three pins, `npm ci`.
-2. `npm run check` (648 tests; the windowing invariants — identical
-   scrollHeight ON/OFF, byte-stable frames across corrections — are literal
-   assertions and will catch behavioral drift).
-3. Bench acceptance, sequential: `--cell gate` (determinism digest; EXPECT a
-   new digest if upstream changed rendering — eyeball the frame, re-bless),
-   `--cell mem3000 --msgs 2000` + `--cell scroll --msgs 3000` vs current
-   numbers (300–375MB / p99 6–8ms), `--cell pipeline` (frame pacing ≥22fps).
-4. Shim audit: try each boundary shim OFF; delete the ones upstream fixed.
-5. Live tmux smoke (scroll sweep / resize / selection-copy), screenshots.
-6. Windowing re-tune if layout got faster: margins up or hysteresis down,
-   re-run scroll cell, keep p99 ≤ 17ms gate.
-
-The bench suite IS the upgrade contract — it's exactly the harness that lets
-us take every upstream improvement within a day of release, with proof.
-
-## Questions worth relaying to the maintainer
-
-1. Any plan to widen the 16-bit native handle table (or split per-kind)?
-   That's our hard ceiling, independent of yoga.
-2. Is the Node `--experimental-ffi` path on their support radar, or Bun-only?
-   (Native yoga adds new FFI surface; we run Node.)
-3. Would they take the windowing layer's core-agnostic pieces (exact-height
-   spacer pattern, correction-legality rule) as a documented recipe or
-   framework-level utility? We have it production-shaped with tests.

docs/plans/opentui-background-activity.md

@@ -1,150 +0,0 @@
-# OpenTUI — Background Activity: agents inspection, background panel, notifications + density
-
-**Status:** SPEC (brainstormed with glitch 2026-06-13) · target branch `feat/opentui-native-engine`
-**Hard constraint:** TUI-LAYER ONLY (`ui-opentui/`). **Zero changes to `tui_gateway/server.py` or
-`run_agent.py` core.** Build only on gateway events/RPCs that already exist. Everything below was
-feasibility-checked against the live gateway surface (see "Gateway surface" §).
-
-## Why
-
-Dogfeedback (screenshots `iznq/qxpe/rpiw/rplj`):
-1. **Agents dashboard is too crowded** (`rplj`) — master rows dump each subagent's full multi-line
-   prompt; the trace pane is squished. Inspection + transcript reading is "not great."
-2. **Background processes are basically invisible** (`qxpe`) — completions leak into the transcript
-   as plain lines that read like model output; no panel, no badge, notifications are non-existent.
-3. **Input zone is too crowded** (`rpiw`) — status bar + composer + agents tray + completion menu +
-   shell note stack under the transcript.
-
-## Design decisions (from the brainstorm)
-
-- **Two SEPARATE surfaces, ONE shared substrate.** Background *agents* (delegated subagents) and
-  background *work* (detached runs + OS processes) are visually/feature-wise distinct, but share the
-  underlying tracking + notification + badge plumbing.
-- **Notifications are multi-channel** on every relevant state change:
-  - **(C) inline card** in the transcript — a distinct, colored, collapsed *system card*, clearly
-    NOT model output (replaces today's plain-line leak).
-  - **(A) ambient badge** — a live count in chrome (status-bar `bg:`/the `⚡ N agents` tray) that
-    flashes on change; you pull-to-inspect. Stays visible while things run.
-  - **OSC desktop** — reuse the EXISTING `boundary/termChrome.ts` (`notify`, OSC 9/99/777, already
-    focus-gated so it only fires when the terminal is blurred).
-- **Agents surface = inspection only.** No foregrounding / "become the subagent" (that would change
-  core subagent UX — explicitly out of scope). Scannable list + a faithful render of the *already-
-  tracked* live activity (goal/model/reasoning/tool calls/progress/summary). No new fetch.
-- **Background surface = view + stop.** List runs + OS processes with status/uptime; cancel a run
-  (`session.interrupt`/`subagent.interrupt`); **stop-all** OS processes (`process.stop`). Per-process
-  kill and per-process logs are NOT exposed as RPCs → out of scope under the no-core rule (noted).
-- **Input density is in scope** (own phase).
-
-## Gateway surface we build on (verified — all already exist)
-
-| Need | Mechanism (existing) |
-|---|---|
-| Background-run lifecycle | `prompt.background` (start), `background.complete` (event) |
-| Notifications | `notification.show` / `notification.clear` events — payload `{text, level, kind, ttl_ms, key, id}` |
-| Subagent stream | `subagent.spawn_requested/start/thinking/tool/progress/complete` events (store already consumes) |
-| List OS processes | `agents.list` RPC → `{processes:[{session_id, command, status, uptime_seconds}]}` |
-| Stop OS processes | `process.stop` RPC → `kill_all()` (**all**, not per-process) |
-| Cancel a run / subagent | `session.interrupt`, `subagent.interrupt` |
-| List active sessions/runs | `session.active_list`, `session.status` |
-| Subagent trace (archived) | `spawn_tree.list/load` (already used by `/replay`) |
-| OSC desktop notify | `boundary/termChrome.ts` `notify(TermNotification)` |
-
-**Honest limits (no-core constraint):** OS processes get list + stop-all only — no per-process kill
-(`process_registry.kill_process` exists but isn't an RPC) and no per-process log tail
-(`read_log` isn't an RPC). If the no-core rule is ever relaxed, each is a ~5-line additive `@method`.
-
-## Architecture (Approach 1 — substrate-first)
-
-```
-gateway events ──► store: backgroundActivity slice ──► derived counts/state
-                          │                                  │
-                          ├─► notificationDispatcher ─────────┼─► (C) inline card  (transcript)
-                          │     (card + badge + OSC)          ├─► (A) ambient badge (statusBar/tray)
-                          │                                   └─► OSC via termChrome.notify
-                          ├─► Surface 1: AgentsDashboard (revamp) — list + rich activity pane
-                          └─► Surface 2: BackgroundPanel (new)    — runs + processes, stop
-```
-
-### Shared substrate (the "underneath" both surfaces use)
-
-- **`logic/backgroundActivity.ts`** (new) — pure model + reducers. Types:
-  - `BackgroundRun` (from `prompt.background`/`background.complete`/`session.active_list`):
-    `{ id, label, status: 'running'|'complete'|'failed'|'cancelled', startedAt, summary? }`
-  - `BackgroundProcess` (from `agents.list`): `{ sessionId, command, status, uptimeSeconds }`
-  - `Notification` (from `notification.show`): `{ id, key?, text, level, kind, ttlMs?, at }`
-  - Pure helpers: `applyNotification`, `clearNotification(key)`, counts (`runningCount`),
-    `mergeProcessList`, dedupe by `key`/`id`. Fully unit-testable (no renderer).
-- **`store.ts`** — a `backgroundActivity` slice + event handlers for `notification.show/clear`,
-  `background.complete`, and a polled `agents.list` snapshot (poll only while a panel/badge is live,
-  or piggyback existing cadence). Existing `subagent.*` handling is untouched.
-- **`logic/notificationDispatcher.ts`** (new, pure) — given a state-change, decide the channels:
-  returns `{ card?: SystemCard, badge: delta, osc?: TermNotification }`. The boundary calls
-  `termChrome.notify` for the OSC part; the store appends the card + bumps the badge.
-
-### Surface 1 — Agents inspection overlay (revamp `view/overlays/agentsDashboard.tsx`)
-
-- **Master list rows = ONE line each:** `<statusGlyph> <truncated goal (truncRight to width)> · <model>`.
-  No multi-line prompt dump. Selected row highlighted (existing `▸` + accent).
-- **Detail pane = faithful activity transcript** of the selected agent, styled like the main
-  transcript (not flat dumped lines): goal+model header, then the trace rendered by *type*
-  (reasoning / tool-call+result / progress / final summary), newest last, sticky-bottom, PgUp/PgDn.
-  - Requires giving `SubagentInfo.trace` light typing (`{ kind:'tool'|'reasoning'|'progress'|'summary', text }`)
-    instead of `string[]`, populated where `subagent.*` events are reduced. Internal data-shape
-    change only; no gateway change.
-- Keep Esc/q close, ↑↓ select. Reuse theme + `truncRight` from statusBar.
-
-### Surface 2 — Background panel (new `view/overlays/backgroundPanel.tsx`)
-
-- **Two sections:** *Runs* (background agent runs) and *Processes* (OS processes from `agents.list`).
-- Each row: status glyph + label/command (truncated) + uptime/elapsed + status.
-- **Actions:** `↑↓` select; on a *run* → `c` cancel (`session.interrupt`/`subagent.interrupt`);
-  global **stop-all processes** (`x` → `process.stop`, confirm). Esc/q close.
-- **Access:** new client slash `/bg` (alias `/background`, `/jobs`) in `logic/slash.ts` CLIENT set →
-  `store.openBackgroundPanel()`. Also reachable from the ambient badge.
-- Poll `agents.list` on open + on a light interval while open; stop polling on close.
-
-### Notifications (the (C)+(A)+OSC wiring)
-
-- **(C) inline card** — a new transcript element `view/notificationCard.tsx`: a bordered/colored,
-  `selectable:false` system card keyed by `notification.id`, level-tinted (`info/warn/error`),
-  collapsed to one line by default with the `kind` + `text`; clearable by `notification.clear` key.
-  Appended into the message stream as a distinct row type (NOT a plain `system` text line). Replaces
-  the current plain-line leak. (`/details` interplay: cards are chrome, always shown, never windowed.)
-- **(A) ambient badge** — `statusBar.tsx` `bg: N` segment (already reserved) bound to
-  `runningCount()`; the `agentsTray.tsx` count already exists — extend it to "agents + background."
-  Flash/recolor on a fresh notification (brief).
-- **OSC** — on `notification.show` with a terminal level (complete/failed), call
-  `termChrome.notify({title, body})` (already focus-gated). No new escape-sequence code.
-
-### Input-zone density pass (`view/composer.tsx` / `view/App.tsx`)
-
-- Audit what stacks under the transcript and collapse/gate: the `⚡ N agents` tray line folds into
-  the ambient badge (shrinks one line); ensure the shell-mode note, completion menu, and status bar
-  don't co-stack more than necessary. Concrete rules decided with a tmux density pass (ASCII-mocked,
-  approved) — kept minimal; no behavior change, just fewer competing chrome lines.
-
-## Phases (implementation order — each gated + tmux-smoked + committed)
-
-- **P1 — Notification substrate** (`backgroundActivity.ts` + `notificationDispatcher.ts` + store
-  slice + `notificationCard.tsx` + badge wiring + OSC call). Highest visible win; the shared core.
-- **P2 — Agents inspection revamp** (`agentsDashboard.tsx` + typed `trace`). De-crowds `rplj`.
-- **P3 — Background panel** (`backgroundPanel.tsx` + `/bg` + actions). New surface.
-- **P4 — Input density pass.** Folds the tray into the badge; trims co-stacked chrome.
-
-## Testing / gates (per phase)
-
-- **Pure logic** (`backgroundActivity`, `notificationDispatcher`, slash `/bg` routing,
-  trace-typing) → vitest unit tests, TDD where natural.
-- **Views** → headless frame tests (`renderProbe`) for the card, the de-crowded dashboard row
-  format, the background panel sections; + **live tmux smoke** (`tmux-pane-screenshot`) for each
-  surface using a seeded-store harness (the `uxSmoke` pattern: `store.apply`/`applyInfo`/
-  `commitSnapshot` + canned events).
-- **Gate** `cd ui-opentui && npm run check` green (judge by real exit, not a piped tail) after each
-  phase; rebuild `dist/main.js`; commit `opentui(v6): …` (no attribution) and push per standing instr.
-
-## Out of scope (explicit)
-
-- Foregrounding / "becoming" a subagent (B/C from the brainstorm) — would change core subagent UX.
-- Per-process kill + per-process log tail for OS processes — needs additive gateway RPCs (no-core veto).
-- "Collect result into transcript" for finished runs — deferred (Q6=B, view+stop only).
-- Any change to `tui_gateway/server.py` / `run_agent.py`.

docs/plans/opentui-composer-ux-9.md

@@ -1,248 +0,0 @@
-# Plan — OpenTUI composer/UX batch (10 features)
-
-> **STATUS: SHIPPED (2026-06-13).** All 10 features implemented, gate green
-> (ui-opentui 714 tests + 316 gateway + 25 cost tests), F5/F6 verified live via
-> tmux screenshot. Commits: `f4dacc68e` (F1/F2/F7/F8/F8b/F9/F10), `20d516ae9`
-> (F4/F5/F6), `9aa5e54be` (F3). Decisions taken: **D1 = cursor-aware onType**
-> (threaded `ta.cursorOffset`); **D2 = chrome cost is Nous-header-only via a new
-> `nous_header_cost_usd`, `/usage` page kept full via `real_session_cost_usd`**.
-> F10 (right-pinned cwd) was added mid-session by the user.
-
-**Branch:** `feat/opentui-native-engine` · **Engine:** `ui-opentui/` (Node 26)
-**Gate:** `cd ui-opentui && PATH="$HOME/.local/share/fnm/node-versions/v26.3.0/installation/bin:$PATH" npm run check` → exit 0.
-
-## TL;DR
-
-Nine UX fixes for the native composer + clarify prompt. **8 of 9 are front-end-only**
-in `ui-opentui/`; only F3 (cost) touches the Python gateway. Every backend the new
-behaviour needs (`shell.exec`, `complete.path` with `@file:`/`@folder:`/fuzzy) **already
-exists** — most of this is client wiring, not new RPC surface. No new core tools, no new
-`HERMES_*` env vars, no prompt-cache impact (composer/prompt are client-render only).
-
-| # | Symptom | Fix site | Backend |
-|---|---|---|---|
-| F1 | bare `/` opens the modal | `logic/slash.ts:115` `planCompletion` | none |
-| F2 | `/abs/path` text triggers slash | `logic/slash.ts:115` + `logic/skillMatch.ts` | none |
-| F3 | cost wrong / shows for non-Nous | `tui_gateway/server.py` + `agent/usage_pricing.py` | gateway |
-| F4 | can't paste until composer focused | `view/composer.tsx` onPaste/focus | none |
-| F5 | clarify ugly (no wrap, weak diff, "Other" is a row) | `view/prompts/clarifyPrompt.tsx` rewrite | none |
-| F6 | clarify arrows scroll the transcript | same rewrite (preventDefault) | none |
-| F7 | slash highlight/menu dies after line 1 | `logic/slash.ts:114` | none |
-| F8 | file mention dies after line 1 | `logic/slash.ts:114` | none |
-| F8b | `@` should be the ONLY file-mention trigger | `logic/slash.ts:93` `isPathLike` | none |
-| F9 | `!cmd` → run bash, show result | `entry/main.tsx` submit + new system render | uses existing `shell.exec` |
-
----
-
-## F1 + F2 + F7 + F8 + F8b — the completion trigger (`logic/slash.ts`)
-
-All five live in one ~10-line function, `planCompletion` (slash.ts:113-121). Current:
-
-```ts
-export function planCompletion(text: string): CompletionPlan | null {
-  if (text.includes('\n')) return null                                   // ← F7/F8 die here
-  if (text.startsWith('/')) return { from: 0, method: 'complete.slash', params: { text } } // ← F1/F2
-  const word = /(\S+)$/.exec(text)?.[1]
-  if (word && isPathLike(word)) { ... complete.path ... }                // ← F8b: too many triggers
-  return null
-}
-```
-
-### F1/F2 — slash only for a real command token
-- A bare `/` (no char yet) must **not** query. Require `/` + at least one name char.
-- A `/abs/path` (slash followed by a path with more `/`) is **not** a command — it's
-  text. The slash menu should only fire when the FIRST token matches the command
-  grammar (`/[A-Za-z0-9][\w.-]*` — the `NAME_RE` already in skillMatch.ts:51, which
-  excludes `/`). `/usr/bin` fails NAME_RE → no slash menu.
-- Concretely: replace `text.startsWith('/')` with: the text starts with `/`, and the
-  first whitespace-delimited token after the `/` is non-empty AND matches `NAME_RE`
-  (i.e. `/m`, `/model foo` → yes; `/`, `/usr/bin`, `/./x` → no). Reuse `slashTokens`
-  /`NAME_RE` from skillMatch.ts so the trigger and the highlighter share one grammar.
-
-### F7/F8 — completion must survive newlines (shift+enter)
-- `if (text.includes('\n')) return null` is the bug. It was a blunt guard so a multi-line
-  paste wouldn't spam path-completion. The right rule operates on the **current line /
-  current token at the cursor**, not the whole buffer.
-- The composer passes the full `plainText` to `onType`. We don't currently pass the
-  cursor offset. **Decision D1 (below):** either (a) thread the cursor offset into
-  `onType` and complete the token under the cursor, or (b) cheap interim — slice to the
-  **last line** (`text.slice(text.lastIndexOf('\n')+1)`) and run the existing logic on
-  that. (a) is correct (mid-buffer edits), (b) is 1 line and covers the reported case
-  (typing at the end on line N). Recommend (a) for correctness; it also future-proofs
-  @-mention mid-line.
-- Slash *highlighting* (skillMatch.ts `slashTokens`) **already scans multi-line text
-  correctly** (it iterates the whole string, newline-aware via `nativeCharOffset`). So
-  F7's "highlighting stopped" is really the same `planCompletion` newline bail starving
-  the menu; the highlight token itself still styles. Verify in the live smoke.
-
-### F8b — `@` is the only mention trigger
-- `isPathLike` (slash.ts:93) currently returns true for `@`, `~`, `./`, `../`, `/`, or
-  any word containing `/`. The user wants **`@`-only** (drop `~`/`./`/bare paths as
-  mention triggers). Narrow it to `word.startsWith('@')`.
-- The gateway `complete.path` (server.py:8543) already special-cases `@` richly
-  (`@file:`, `@folder:`, `@diff`, `@staged`, `@url:`, `@git:`, fuzzy basename search).
-  Its `~`/`./` branches become dead trigger paths from this TUI — leave the gateway code
-  (Ink still uses the path forms; it's shared) but stop emitting those queries from
-  ui-opentui. **No gateway change.**
-- Net: typing `@` (even bare) opens the mention menu via the `@`-bare branch at
-  server.py:8555. Picking splices `@file:rel/path` etc. (existing accept path,
-  `completionFrom` honoured).
-
-**Tests:** extend `test/slash.test.ts` — `planCompletion('/')` → null; `planCompletion('/usr/bin')`
-→ null; `planCompletion('/model')` → complete.slash; multi-line `"a\n/mod"` → complete.slash
-on the trailing token; `"~/foo"` / `"./x"` → null (no longer path-like); `"@foo"` → complete.path.
-Keep them as behaviour assertions, not snapshots.
-
----
-
-## F3 — cost: Nous-portal headers only (`tui_gateway` + `agent/usage_pricing.py`)
-
-**Current:** `_get_usage` (server.py:2157-2167) sets `cost_usd` from
-`real_session_cost_usd(agent)` (usage_pricing.py:887), which sums **two** provider-reported
-sources:
-1. `agent.session_actual_cost_usd` — OpenRouter `usage.cost` accumulator.
-2. `agent.get_credits_spent_micros()` — Nous `x-nous-credits-*` header delta.
-
-The TUI already **hides** the cost segment when `cost_usd` is absent (statusBar.tsx:241-243,
-`costText` returns '' when `costUsd === undefined`) — so this is purely "which sources count."
-
-**User's intent (F3):** cost should come **only from the Nous portal headers**; suppress it
-for every other route (cache-token pricing is unreliable across the model long tail).
-
-**Change:** make the OpenRouter accumulator source conditional on the route being Nous, OR
-drop source #1 entirely so only the header delta (source #2) feeds `cost_usd`. Source #2 is
-intrinsically Nous-only (the header only exists on Nous-portal responses), so dropping #1
-achieves "Nous-header-only" with one edit.
-
-> **DECISION D2 (needs glitch's confirm):** Drop OpenRouter's `session_actual_cost_usd`
-> source from `real_session_cost_usd`? Trade-off: OpenRouter's `usage.cost` is itself
-> *provider-reported* (the real charged number, not a Hermes estimate), so OR users lose an
-> accurate readout. But it removes the cache-token guesswork the user is worried about and
-> matches "only via the headers when using nous portal" literally.
-> **Recommended default (implementing unless told otherwise):** gate source #1 so it only
-> contributes when the active route is the Nous portal (base_url == nous inference api),
-> else it's dropped. This keeps the segment Nous-only AND avoids touching shared OR/CLI
-> behaviour for the `/usage` page. If even Nous-route OR-accumulator is unwanted, collapse
-> to header-only.
-
-**Scope guard:** `real_session_cost_usd` is also consumed by `/usage` page rendering
-(server.py:2237) and DB usage totals. Prefer a NEW, status-bar-specific helper
-(e.g. `nous_header_cost_usd(agent)`) wired only into `_get_usage`'s `cost_usd`, leaving the
-`/usage` accounting page untouched — so we don't regress the full cost report. Confirm with
-the gate + a gateway unit test (`tui_gateway` tests) that a non-Nous session yields no
-`cost_usd`.
-
----
-
-## F4 — paste while composer unfocused (`view/composer.tsx`)
-
-**Current:** the global keyboard handler reclaims focus on a *printable keystroke*
-(`isPrintableKey`, composer.tsx:415-417). A **bracketed-paste event is not a keystroke** —
-it arrives at `onPaste` only if the textarea is focused, so an unfocused composer drops it;
-the user has to click/type first.
-
-**Fix:** the renderer delivers paste through the focused renderable. Two options:
-- (a) Keep focus on the composer more aggressively (opencode keeps the prompt focused via a
-  reactive effect). Risky — fights transcript scroll focus.
-- (b) **Recommended:** handle paste at the renderer/global level. Check whether OpenTUI
-  exposes a global paste hook (`renderer.on('paste')` or a keyboard event with
-  `key.name === 'paste'` / a paste event type). If a global paste signal exists, on paste:
-  `ta.focus()` then route the bytes into the existing `onPaste` logic (image / placeholder /
-  insert). **Must verify the API in the `opentui` skill before coding** (skill_view
-  references/docs). If only the focused-renderable paste exists, fall back to (a) scoped:
-  refocus the composer whenever no overlay/prompt is open and focus drifted (a
-  `createEffect` watching focus + `store.state.prompt`/overlay state).
-
-**Verify in live smoke** (tmux + tmux-pane-screenshot): scroll the transcript to drop focus,
-then paste — text must land without a prior click.
-
----
-
-## F5 + F6 — clarify prompt rewrite (`view/prompts/clarifyPrompt.tsx`)
-
-Screenshot `/tmp/screenshots/SCR-20260613-iznq.png` confirms: long options run off the right
-edge (no wrap), options differ only by `▶`/`—` glyphs (no numbers, weak), and "✎ Other…" is
-a `<select>` row that *switches* to an input on Enter rather than being an inline input.
-
-**Current:** one native `<select>` over `[...choices, {Other}]` (clarifyPrompt.tsx:61-75).
-Native `<select>` doesn't wrap long rows and (F6) doesn't `preventDefault` arrows, so they
-leak to the transcript scrollbox.
-
-**Rewrite plan (verify renderable API in `opentui` skill first):**
-- Replace native `<select>` with a **custom keyboard-driven list** (a `For` over options +
-  a `selected` signal + `useKeyboard` with `key.preventDefault()` on up/down/enter — same
-  pattern the composer's `routeMenuKey` uses; F6 fixed by preventDefault so arrows never
-  reach the scrollbox).
-- **Wrapping (F5):** render each option as a `<text>` that wraps to the box width (no fixed
-  single-line). Indent continuation lines under the option label. Confirm `<text>` soft-wrap
-  behaviour in the opentui skill (it wraps by default within a flex box of bounded width).
-- **Differentiation (F5):** number every option `1.` `2.` … (digit hotkeys optional, nice-to-
-  have), and give the selected row the themed `selectionBg` + accent fg (the composer's
-  `completionCurrentBg` model), not just a glyph. Number + background + accent = three signals.
-- **Inline custom answer (F5):** render the `<input>` **inside the same screen, always
-  present** as the last "row" (an `Other:` labeled input), instead of an item that toggles.
-  Selecting/focusing it lets the user type; Enter in it submits the free text. Keep the
-  existing `clarify.respond {answer}` wiring. Arrow-down past the last choice lands on the
-  input; arrow-up from the input returns to the list (focus handoff like the composer↔tray).
-- Keep Esc/Ctrl+C → cancel (clarifyPrompt.tsx:31-33).
-
-**Reference:** opencode's selection/list components in `~/github/opencode/packages/tui` for
-the wrap + highlight + hotkey idiom; the composer dropdown (composer.tsx:441-458) for the
-in-repo highlight/selectable pattern.
-
-**Tests:** `test/render.test.tsx`-style headless frame — long option wraps (frame contains the
-tail of a long choice on a 2nd line), selected row shows numbered + highlighted, custom input
-present in the same frame, arrow keys don't change scrollTop (assert transcript scroll
-unchanged), Enter on a choice → onAnswer(choice), Enter in input → onAnswer(typed).
-
----
-
-## F9 — `!cmd` runs bash (`entry/main.tsx` + a system render)
-
-**Backend exists:** `shell.exec` (server.py:10301) runs the command (30s timeout, dangerous/
-hardline-command guards, returns `{stdout, stderr, code}`).
-**Ink parity reference:** `ui-tui/src/app/useSubmission.ts:291` — `full.startsWith('!')` →
-`shellExec(full.slice(1).trim())` → appends a user line `!cmd` + a system line with output;
-the prompt glyph flips while the buffer starts with `!` (appLayout.tsx:178).
-
-**Plan (ui-opentui):**
-- In the entry `submit` (main.tsx:517-520), add a branch BEFORE the slash check:
-  `if (text.startsWith('!')) { runShell(text.slice(1).trim()); return }`.
-- `runShell(cmd)`: `store.pushUser('!' + cmd)` (echo the invocation in the transcript), then
-  `gateway.request('shell.exec', { command: cmd })`; on resolve, `store.pushSystem` the
-  combined `stdout`/`stderr` (or the error message / non-zero `code`); on reject,
-  pushSystem the error. Detached `runFork` like `submitPrompt`. No session turn, no model call.
-- Empty `!` (just the bang) → no-op (or a hint), matching Ink.
-- **Optional polish (parity, not required):** flip the composer prompt glyph (or tint) while
-  the buffer starts with `!`, like Ink's appLayout. Low-risk; do only if cheap.
-
-**Tests:** entry-level/logic test that a `!`-prefixed submit routes to `shell.exec` (not
-`prompt.submit`), and the system line renders stdout. Mirror the slashMenu.test harness
-(fake gateway capturing the method).
-
----
-
-## Sequencing & fences (subagent-driven; disjoint files)
-
-Parallel-safe groups (disjoint file fences):
-1. **slash trigger** — `logic/slash.ts` (+ `logic/skillMatch.ts` reuse) + `test/slash.test.ts`. (F1/F2/F7/F8/F8b)
-2. **clarify** — `view/prompts/clarifyPrompt.tsx` + a clarify test. (F5/F6)
-3. **shell-exec** — `entry/main.tsx` (edit DIRECTLY — load-bearing) + system render + test. (F9)
-4. **paste focus** — `view/composer.tsx` (edit directly; verify opentui paste API first). (F4)
-5. **cost** — `tui_gateway/server.py` + `agent/usage_pricing.py` + gateway test. (F3) — Python, isolated.
-
-`entry/main.tsx` and `store.ts` are edited directly, never via subagent (handoff rule).
-Each renderable change: `skill_view(opentui, references/docs/...)` FIRST. Verify every
-subagent self-report (re-run `npm run check` exit code, read the diff).
-
-## Open decisions (need glitch)
-- **D1 (F7/F8):** thread cursor offset into `onType` (correct) vs. last-line slice (cheap)?
-  Recommend cursor offset.
-- **D2 (F3):** drop OpenRouter cost source entirely, or gate it to the Nous route? Recommend
-  Nous-route gate via a status-bar-only helper, leaving `/usage` accounting intact.
-
-## Invariants to preserve
-- Per-conversation prompt caching untouched (all client-render or post-hoc gateway usage).
-- No new `HERMES_*` env var (these are behaviour, not secrets).
-- Strict no change-detector tests — assert behaviour/invariants.
-- Don't regress the `/usage` accounting page when narrowing the chrome cost source.

docs/plans/opentui-usage-notice-chrome.md

@@ -1,217 +0,0 @@
-# OpenTUI — usage/credits notice in the composer chrome
-
-**Status:** spec (not started) · **Engine:** `ui-opentui/` · **Author:** glitch · 2026-06-14
-
-## Goal
-
-Render the gateway's **usage / credits notices** as a persistent, level-tinted
-**chrome banner pinned at the top of the input zone** (directly above the status
-bar), with the same lifecycle the Ink engine already has — sticky vs TTL,
-mid-turn hold + turn-end reveal, and "flash-and-yield" for the usage bands.
-
-Today the OpenTUI engine **receives** these notices but mis-renders them as
-scrolling inline transcript cards with no lifecycle. This spec fixes that without
-touching the gateway or the agent (the data already flows correctly).
-
-## What already exists (verified)
-
-### The wire (source of truth — do NOT change)
-The gateway emits one event for every notice, snake_case payload:
-
-```
-notification.show   payload { text, level, kind, ttl_ms, key, id }   # tui_gateway/server.py:2878
-notification.clear  payload { key }                                  # tui_gateway/server.py:2890
-```
-
-These come from `AgentNotice` (`agent/credits_tracker.py:177`). The credits
-policy (`evaluate_credits_notices`, `agent/credits_tracker.py:245`) emits exactly
-four notices — the full catalog this feature renders:
-
-| `key`                 | `text` (already glyphed by policy)              | `level`   | `kind`   | `ttl_ms` | lifecycle      |
-|-----------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-----------|----------|----------|----------------|
-| `credits.usage`       | `⚠/• Credits N% used · $X cap` (bands 50/75/90) | info/warn | `sticky` | —        | flash-and-yield |
-| `credits.grant_spent` | `• Grant spent · $X top-up left`                | info      | `sticky` | —        | flash-and-yield |
-| `credits.depleted`    | `✕ Credit access paused · run /usage for balance` | error   | `sticky` | —        | sticky          |
-| `credits.restored`    | `✓ Credit access restored`                      | success   | `ttl`    | `8000`   | TTL self-expire |
-
-**Load-bearing facts:**
-- `text` is **already glyphed** (⚠ • ✕ ✓) by the Python policy — the renderer
-  **must not** prepend another glyph. It only tints by `level`.
-- `level` includes **`success`** (green) — a level the current OpenTUI parser
-  silently drops to `info`.
-- `kind` is the **lifecycle marker** (`sticky` | `ttl`), NOT a display label.
-  `id` == `key` (stable per kind, not unique per emission).
-- Notices are **reconciled**: the policy emits `to_clear` (a `notification.clear`)
-  then `to_show`. A band change clears `credits.usage` then re-shows it.
-
-### The Ink reference behavior (what we're matching)
-`ui-tui/src/app/turnController.ts` + `appChrome.tsx`:
-- `showNotice` (`:181`): if **busy**, hold in `pendingNotice` (latest-wins);
-  if idle, apply now.
-- `applyNotice` (`:213`): set the visible notice; for `kind: 'ttl'` with
-  `ttl_ms > 0`, arm a self-expiry timer (clearing any prior timer first).
-- `clearNotice(key)` (`:198`): drop the visible **and** pending notice only when
-  the key matches (a stale clear must not wipe a newer notice).
-- `flushPendingNotice` (`:245`): at **turn end** (only the real end sites) apply
-  the held notice — its TTL clock starts here, when it first becomes visible.
-- **Flash-and-yield** (`startMessage`, `:917`): at **turn start**, if the visible
-  notice's key is `credits.usage` or `credits.grant_spent`, clear it — "show
-  once, then get out of the way." `credits.depleted` and others stay sticky. The
-  Python `active` latch keeps the key so it won't re-fire next turn.
-- Session reset clears all notice state so session A's notice can't bleed into B.
-- Color by level: `error→error`, `warn→warn`, `success→statusGood`,
-  `info→accent` (`noticeColor`, `appChrome.tsx:192`).
-
-### The OpenTUI side (what we change)
-- `notification.show` → `parseNotification` → `pushNotification` → **inline card**
-  in the transcript (`store.ts:832`, `notificationCard.tsx`). All kinds, no
-  lifecycle. The Option B process-completion card (`kind: 'process.complete'`)
-  and `background.complete` (`kind: 'background task complete'`) also use this
-  path — **they must keep working unchanged.**
-- `parseNotification` coerces `level` to `info|warn|error` only
-  (`backgroundActivity.ts:48`) — drops `success`.
-- Store carries `lastNotification` (OSC seam), `bgTasks`; **no** `notice` slot.
-- Theme has `accent`, `warn`, `error`, `ok`/`statusGood`, `muted`
-  (`logic/theme.ts`) — `success` maps to `statusGood`.
-- Input zone layout (`view/App.tsx:140-211`): a top-bordered column —
-  `<StatusBar>` → composer `<Switch>` → `<AgentsTray>`. The new banner mounts at
-  `App.tsx:144`, **directly above `<StatusBar>`** (the topmost line of the chrome).
-- Turn lifecycle hooks: `case 'message.start'` (`store.ts:779`, sets
-  `info.running = true`) and `case 'message.complete'` (`store.ts:811`, sets
-  `info.running = false`). `clearTranscript` (`store.ts:631`) is the reset site.
-- `Date.now()` is used freely in the store (`:877`) — `setTimeout` for TTL is fine.
-
-## The one design decision: routing
-
-`kind` is the discriminator. **`notification.show` with `kind === 'sticky'` or
-`kind === 'ttl'` → the new chrome-notice path; every other kind → the existing
-inline-card path, untouched.** This mirrors Ink's `Notice.kind: 'sticky' | 'ttl'`
-exactly, and the credits policy sets `kind` to one of those for all four notices,
-while the process/background cards use label-strings (`process.complete`,
-`background task complete`) that are neither — so they stay inline cards. No
-gateway change, no key-prefix sniffing.
-
-**Divergence from Ink (intentional):** Ink hides the notice while busy because the
-FaceTicker shares its one status slot. OpenTUI's busy face (`StatusLine`) lives in
-the transcript area, so the banner has a **dedicated row** and stays visible
-through a turn (a depletion warning shouldn't vanish mid-turn). We still **hold
-new notices** that arrive mid-turn (`pendingNotice`) and reveal them at turn end —
-matching Ink's "don't pop a fresh banner mid-stream" intent.
-
-## Implementation
-
-### Phase 1 — parser + type (`logic/backgroundActivity.ts`)
-1. Widen `ActivityNotification.level` to `'info' | 'warn' | 'error' | 'success'`.
-2. `coerceLevel`: also accept `'success'` (still fall back to `'info'`).
-3. Add `export function isChromeNotice(n: ActivityNotification): boolean` →
-   `n.kind === 'sticky' || n.kind === 'ttl'`.
-4. `parseNotification` already maps `ttl_ms → ttlMs` and preserves `key`/`id` —
-   no shape change beyond the widened level.
-
-**Tests** (`backgroundActivity.test.ts` or `notificationCard.test.tsx`):
-`success` survives parse; `kind: 'ttl'` + `ttl_ms` → `ttlMs`; `isChromeNotice`
-true for sticky/ttl, false for `process.complete`/`''`.
-
-### Phase 2 — store lifecycle (`logic/store.ts`)
-Add state + a private (non-reactive) timer handle in `createSessionStore`:
-- `notice: ActivityNotification | null` (visible chrome notice) — new state field,
-  init `null`.
-- `pendingNotice: ActivityNotification | null` — held mid-turn, init `null`.
-- `let noticeTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined` (closure var).
-
-Functions (port of `turnController`):
-- `showNotice(n)`: `state.info.running ? setState('pendingNotice', n) : applyNotice(n)`
-  (latest-wins — assigning replaces any prior pending).
-- `applyNotice(n)`: clear `noticeTimer`; `setState('notice', n)`; if
-  `n.kind === 'ttl' && n.ttlMs && n.ttlMs > 0`, arm `setTimeout(n.ttlMs)` that
-  clears `notice` only if `state.notice?.id === n.id` (defensive guard).
-- `clearNotice(key)`: if `state.pendingNotice?.key === key` → null it; if
-  `state.notice?.key === key` → clear timer + null `notice`.
-- `flushPendingNotice()`: if `state.pendingNotice` → `applyNotice` it, null pending.
-- `clearNoticeState()`: null `notice` + `pendingNotice`, clear timer.
-
-Wire into the event reducer:
-- `notification.show` (`store.ts:832`): route —
-  `const n = parseNotification(...); if (!n) break; if (isChromeNotice(n)) showNotice(n); else pushNotification(n)`.
-  (Still record `lastNotification` for the OSC seam in **both** paths — extract
-  the `setState('lastNotification', {...n})` so a chrome notice also pings a
-  blurred terminal, matching the inline-card behavior.)
-- `notification.clear` (`store.ts:837`): call **both** `clearNotificationCards(key)`
-  (cards) **and** `clearNotice(key)` (chrome) — a key only ever lives in one, so
-  calling both is safe and avoids guessing.
-- `message.start` (`store.ts:779`): flash-and-yield — if
-  `state.notice?.key === 'credits.usage' || === 'credits.grant_spent'` →
-  `clearNotice(state.notice.key)`. (Do this **before** flipping `running` true so
-  the read is clean.)
-- `message.complete` (`store.ts:811`): call `flushPendingNotice()` (after the
-  `running = false` set, so a held notice reveals on the now-idle bar).
-- `clearTranscript` (`store.ts:631`) and any session-switch reset:
-  `clearNoticeState()`.
-
-Export `notice` via the store's state and `showNotice`/`clearNotice` if a test or
-future slash command needs them.
-
-**Tests** (`statusNotice.test.ts`, new):
-- idle `showNotice` → `state.notice` set, no card pushed.
-- routing: `notification.show` `kind:'sticky'` → `notice` set, **no** transcript
-  card; `kind:'process.complete'` → card pushed, `notice` still null.
-- mid-turn hold: `message.start` → `showNotice` → `notice` stays null,
-  `pendingNotice` set → `message.complete` → `notice` revealed.
-- `clearNotice` by key drops visible + pending; non-matching key is a no-op.
-- TTL: `kind:'ttl', ttlMs:50` auto-clears (vitest fake timers).
-- flash-and-yield: visible `credits.usage` cleared on `message.start`;
-  `credits.depleted` persists across a start/complete cycle.
-- `clearTranscript` resets `notice` + `pendingNotice`.
-- `success` notice keeps its level.
-
-### Phase 3 — view (`view/noticeBanner.tsx` + `App.tsx`)
-New `NoticeBanner` (sibling style to `notificationCard.tsx`):
-- Props: `notice: ActivityNotification | null`, plus terminal width for truncation.
-- `<Show when={notice}>` — renders nothing when null.
-- One row, `flexShrink: 0`, `paddingLeft: 1`, `selectable={false}`.
-- Text rendered **verbatim** (glyph already present), tinted by level:
-  `error→error`, `warn→warn`, `success→statusGood`, `info→accent`.
-- Truncate to width with `truncRight` (`logic/truncate.ts`) so a long notice can
-  never push the composer or wrap.
-
-Mount in `App.tsx:144`, the first child of the top-bordered input zone, directly
-above `<StatusBar store={...} />`:
-```tsx
-<box border={['top']} ...>
-  <NoticeBanner notice={props.store.state.notice} />   {/* new */}
-  <StatusBar store={props.store} />
-  ...
-```
-
-**Tests** (`noticeBanner.test.tsx`, frame): renders the text without adding a
-glyph; warn→warn color, success→statusGood color; truncates at narrow width;
-renders an empty frame when `notice` is null.
-
-### Phase 4 — parity verification + docs
-- `npm run check` green (prettier + eslint + vitest).
-- Headless frame dump: a `credits.usage` warn banner above the status bar; a
-  `credits.depleted` error banner surviving a turn; a `credits.restored` success
-  banner that disappears after its TTL.
-- tmux smoke per `docs/opentui-dev-handoff.md` (inject the three notices via the
-  test harness / a scripted gateway event; screenshot the chrome).
-- Cross-check the four-notice catalog renders identically in tone to Ink's
-  `appChromeStatusRule` (color-by-level, no double glyph, truncation).
-
-## Non-goals
-- No gateway/agent changes — the wire and the policy are the source of truth.
-- No new notice kinds — render exactly the four the policy emits.
-- The inline-card path (process/background completions) is **unchanged**.
-- No status-bar segment changes — the banner is its own row above the bar.
-
-## Risk / footguns
-- **Schema decode-at-boundary**: `notification.show` payload is a loose Record
-  read by `parseNotification`, not strict-decoded — a wrong-typed field won't blank
-  the bar (unlike `applyInfo`). Keep the loose reads.
-- **createStore reference-aliasing**: store `notice` and `pendingNotice` distinct
-  objects; when applying pending, it's already its own object — don't alias it to
-  `lastNotification`. (See `[[solid-createstore-reference-aliasing]]`.)
-- **Timer leak**: `clearNoticeState` must clear `noticeTimer`; ensure session
-  reset and store dispose clear it so a TTL callback can't fire into a dead store.
-- **Routing regression**: assert in tests that `process.complete` /
-  `background task complete` still produce **cards**, not banners — the whole
-  feature hinges on the `kind` discriminator.

docs/relay-connector-contract.md

@@ -0,0 +1,260 @@
+# Relay ↔ Connector Contract (v1, EXPERIMENTAL)
+
+> **Status:** EXPERIMENTAL. This contract MAY CHANGE without a deprecation
+> cycle until at least two real Class-1 platforms (Discord + Telegram) have
+> validated it. Evolution during the experimental phase is **additive-only**,
+> gated by `contract_version`. A breaking change updates both repos in lockstep.
+
+This document is the formal interface between the **Hermes gateway** (Python,
+`gateway/relay/`) and the **connector** (Node/TypeScript,
+`NousResearch/gateway-gateway`). The connector implementer's first action is to
+read this file.
+
+The gateway runs a generic `RelayAdapter` that dials **out** to the connector,
+receives a `CapabilityDescriptor` at handshake, then exchanges normalized
+`MessageEvent`s (inbound) and actions (outbound) over a per-turn bidirectional
+WebSocket. The gateway never learns which concrete platform is fronting it; the
+connector owns all platform-specific socket/identity logic.
+
+---
+
+## 1. Handshake
+
+1. Gateway opens the transport (`connect`).
+2. Gateway calls `handshake()`; connector returns a `CapabilityDescriptor`
+   (section 2) describing the platform this adapter instance fronts.
+3. Gateway configures the adapter from the descriptor (char limit, length unit,
+   draft/edit/thread/markdown capabilities) and registers an inbound handler.
+4. Connector then streams inbound events and accepts outbound actions.
+
+`contract_version` (currently `1`) is carried in the descriptor. The gateway
+ignores unknown descriptor fields (forward-compat) and fills missing optional
+fields from defaults.
+
+---
+
+## 2. CapabilityDescriptor (handshake payload)
+
+JSON object. Source of truth: `gateway/relay/descriptor.py`.
+
+| Field | Type | Required | Meaning |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| `contract_version` | int | yes | Contract version (additive-only within a version). |
+| `platform` | string | yes | Platform name (e.g. `"discord"`, `"telegram"`). |
+| `label` | string | yes | Human-readable label. |
+| `max_message_length` | int | yes | Char limit; gateway exposes as `MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH`. 0 → treat as 4096. |
+| `supports_draft_streaming` | bool | yes | Native draft-streaming preview support. |
+| `supports_edit` | bool | yes | Edit-based streaming possible; if false, consumer degrades to one-message-per-segment. |
+| `supports_threads` | bool | yes | `create_handoff_thread` capability. |
+| `markdown_dialect` | string | yes | `"plain"`, `"markdown_v2"`, `"discord"`, … (drives `supports_code_blocks`). |
+| `len_unit` | string | yes | `"chars"` (builtin len) or `"utf16"` (Telegram UTF-16 code units). |
+| `emoji` | string | no | Display emoji (default 🔌). |
+| `platform_hint` | string | no | System-prompt platform hint. |
+| `pii_safe` | bool | no | Redact PII in session descriptions. |
+
+Most fields are a projection of the gateway's existing `PlatformEntry`; the
+runtime-only fields (`len_unit`, `supports_*`, `markdown_dialect`) come from the
+live platform adapter's capability methods.
+
+---
+
+## 3. Inbound: `MessageEvent` envelope
+
+The connector normalizes each platform wire event into a `MessageEvent`
+(`gateway/platforms/base.py`) and delivers it to the gateway. **Inbound is
+delivered over a signed HTTP POST, not the outbound `/relay` WebSocket** (see
+the transport note below). The gateway keys the session via `build_session_key()`
+from the embedded `SessionSource` — so populating the right discriminators is
+the single highest-correctness responsibility of the connector.
+
+### Inbound transport (signed HTTP POST, not the outbound WS)
+
+The gateway dials **out** to the connector's `/relay` WebSocket for the
+handshake + outbound actions (§4) + its own `/stop` egress (§5). Inbound,
+however, is delivered the other way: the connector **POSTs** the normalized
+event to the gateway's inbound endpoint (`HttpGatewayDelivery` on the connector;
+`gateway/relay/inbound_receiver.py` on the gateway). The reason is
+multi-instance: the connector instance that owns a platform's socket (and thus
+produces inbound events) is generally **not** the instance a given gateway
+dialed its outbound WS into, so inbound must target a tenant **endpoint** (which
+may load-balance across gateway instances) rather than ride one gateway's
+outbound socket. Each delivery is HMAC-signed with the per-tenant **delivery
+key** (§6.1); the gateway verifies the signature over the exact raw bytes before
+accepting the event. Two POST targets:
+
+- `POST {gatewayEndpoint}`            → `{"type":"message", "event": <MessageEvent>}`
+- `POST {gatewayEndpoint}/interrupt`  → `{"type":"interrupt", "session_key", "reason"?}` (§5)
+
+> An earlier draft of this contract delivered inbound over the WS `inbound`
+> frame. That only works single-instance and predates the multi-instance
+> socket-ownership + channel-auth model; the signed-HTTP path above is the
+> shipped design.
+
+### SessionSource fields (the wire surface)
+
+Source of truth: `SessionSource.to_dict()` in `gateway/session.py`. These are
+every key the gateway accepts on the wire. `platform`, `chat_id`, `chat_type`,
+`user_id`, `user_name`, `thread_id`, `chat_name`, and `chat_topic` are always
+present (may be `null`); the rest are included only when set.
+
+| Field | Type | Always sent | Meaning |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| `platform` | string | yes | Platform name (matches the descriptor's `platform`). |
+| `chat_id` | string | yes | Primary conversation id (channel/chat). Session-key discriminator. |
+| `chat_type` | string | yes | `dm` / `group` / `channel` / `thread` / `forum`. |
+| `chat_name` | string\|null | yes | Human-readable chat name. |
+| `user_id` | string\|null | yes | Message author id. Session-key discriminator. |
+| `user_name` | string\|null | yes | Author display name. |
+| `thread_id` | string\|null | yes | Thread/forum-topic id when in a thread. Session-key discriminator. |
+| `chat_topic` | string\|null | yes | Channel topic/description (Discord, Slack). |
+| `user_id_alt` | string | no | Platform-specific stable alt id (Signal UUID, Feishu union_id). |
+| `chat_id_alt` | string | no | Alternate chat id (e.g. Signal group internal id). |
+| `guild_id` | string | no | Discord guild / Slack workspace / Matrix server scope. **REQUIRED for Discord server isolation.** Session-key discriminator. |
+| `parent_chat_id` | string | no | Parent channel when `chat_id` refers to a thread. |
+| `message_id` | string | no | Id of the triggering message (for pin/reply/react). |
+
+> `is_bot` (author-is-a-bot/webhook classification) exists on the gateway-side
+> dataclass but is **intentionally NOT on the wire** in v1 — it is not part of
+> `to_dict()`. Do not add it to the connector's `SessionSource` until it is
+> first added here and to `to_dict()` (additive bump).
+
+### SessionSource discriminators per platform
+
+| Platform | chat_id | chat_type | user_id | thread_id | guild_id |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| **Discord** | channel id | `dm`/`group`/`thread` | author id | thread channel id (threads) | **guild id** (REQUIRED for server isolation) |
+| **Telegram** | chat id | `dm`/`group`/`forum` | from id | forum topic id (forums) | — |
+
+**Get Discord's `guild_id` wrong and two servers collide into one session.**
+This is the #1 High-severity risk. The gateway's `build_session_key()` is the
+conformance oracle: for a given `SessionSource`, the connector's normalization
+must produce the same key the Python adapter would. (The Phase-1 stub tests
+assert known-input → known-key.)
+
+### Bot identity vs tenant (single-bot consolidation, Appendix A)
+
+The envelope carries the **originating bot identity** as a field **distinct from
+tenant**. Tenant is resolved from the event's own discriminator (Discord
+`guild_id`, Telegram `chat_id`, webhook path/subdomain) — **never** from which
+token/socket/process delivered it. This keeps one shared bot able to front many
+tenants (Phase 6) without overloading an existing field.
+
+---
+
+## 4. Outbound: action set
+
+The gateway calls the transport with action dicts. Source of truth:
+`gateway/relay/transport.py` + `gateway/relay/adapter.py`.
+
+| `op` | Fields | Result |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `send` | `chat_id`, `content`, `reply_to?`, `metadata?` | `{success: bool, message_id?, error?}` |
+| `edit` | `chat_id`, `message_id`, `content`, `metadata?` | `{success: bool, error?}` |
+| `typing` | `chat_id` | `{success: bool}` |
+| `follow_up` | `session_key`, `kind`, `content`, `metadata?` | `{success: bool, message_id?, error?}` |
+
+`get_chat_info(chat_id)` is a separate proxied call returning at least
+`{name, type}`. Media actions follow the same envelope shape (deferred to a
+later contract revision; additive).
+
+**`follow_up` (A2 capability action).** Some inbound payloads carry a credential
+that acts on the **shared** bot identity (e.g. a Discord interaction follow-up
+token). Per §6 the connector strips that at the edge and binds it in its
+capability vault keyed by the session; it **never reaches the gateway**. To use
+it, the gateway issues `follow_up` naming the **session it is already in**
+(`session_key`) plus the capability `kind` (e.g. `discord.interaction_token`) —
+**never a token**. The connector resolves the real value from its vault,
+enforces the tenant match (tenant B can never wield tenant A's capability), and
+egresses. `success: false` when the capability is absent/expired or the tenant
+doesn't match — the gateway has nothing to retry with, by design (a leaked
+gateway holds zero capability material). Source of truth:
+`gateway/relay/transport.py` (`send_follow_up`) + `gateway/relay/adapter.py`.
+
+---
+
+## 5. Interrupt (`/stop`) routing
+
+- **Gateway → connector:** `send_interrupt(session_key, reason?)` egresses a
+  mid-turn `/stop` over the outbound WS. The connector MUST forward it to the
+  gateway instance running that `session_key` (the routing invariant).
+- **Connector → gateway:** an inbound interrupt for a `session_key` is delivered
+  as a **signed HTTP POST** to `{gatewayEndpoint}/interrupt` (§3 transport note),
+  and bridged by the adapter's `on_interrupt(session_key, chat_id)` into the
+  existing per-session interrupt mechanism, cancelling exactly that turn
+  (siblings untouched).
+
+The gateway→connector `/stop` rides the outbound WS; the connector→gateway
+interrupt rides the same signed-HTTP inbound path as a normalized event.
+
+---
+
+## 6. Trust boundary & signed-body handling (A2)
+
+**The connector is the sole crypto/identity boundary. The gateway re-validates
+nothing.**
+
+Webhook signatures (Discord ed25519, Twilio HMAC, WeCom BizMsgCrypt) are
+computed over exact raw bytes, and some payloads are *encrypted* with a shared
+secret. The connector fronts a **shared** bot for many tenants and holds every
+tenant's platform secrets, so it:
+
+- **verifies / decrypts at the edge** (the only place the secrets live),
+- **normalizes** the payload into a tenant-scoped `MessageEvent` (§3),
+- **strips any shared-identity capability** out of the payload and binds it in
+  its capability vault, keyed by the session (see §4 `follow_up`),
+- **forwards only the sanitized `MessageEvent`** — never the raw signed body.
+
+The gateway therefore performs **no** platform signature/crypto verification on
+the relay path; it trusts the normalized event. This is an enforced invariant on
+the gateway side (`tests/gateway/relay/test_relay_sheds_crypto.py`: the relay
+package imports/calls no platform-crypto).
+
+**Why not "forward the signed body byte-for-byte so the gateway re-validates"?**
+That earlier model is incoherent under an untrusted, disposable tenant gateway:
+
+- Re-validating Twilio HMAC / WeCom crypto would require handing the gateway the
+  **shared signing secret** — which is itself the leak, and on a shared bot it's
+  a *cross-tenant* leak.
+- WeCom payloads are encrypted with the shared secret; the connector must decrypt
+  at the edge just to route, so forwarding ciphertext would again require giving
+  the gateway the secret.
+- A Discord interaction token lives **inside** the signed JSON body — you cannot
+  both preserve the bytes and strip the credential; they are the same bytes.
+
+So byte-preservation is abandoned deliberately: the connector re-serializes the
+sanitized event and the gateway trusts it. This also unifies the passthrough and
+relay planes — both are "verify at the edge → emit a normalized event," differing
+only in transport. See `docs/capability-trust-boundary.md` (connector repo:
+`gateway-gateway`) for the full A2 rationale and the connector-side vault.
+
+### 6.1 Channel authentication (the connector⇄gateway link itself)
+
+A2 makes the connector the sole holder of platform secrets while the gateway may
+be **customer-managed and internet-exposed**, so the connector⇄gateway channel
+is itself authenticated. The gateway holds two enrollment-issued credentials
+(`hermes gateway enroll` → connector `/relay/enroll`): a **per-gateway secret**
+and a **per-tenant delivery key**. Both are HMAC-SHA256 schemes with a
+multi-secret rotation verify list (gateway side: `gateway/relay/auth.py`;
+connector side: `src/core/relayAuthToken.ts` + `src/core/deliverySigning.ts`).
+
+| Leg | Credential | Mechanism |
+|-----|-----------|-----------|
+| Gateway → connector WS upgrade | per-gateway secret | An `Authorization` bearer header on the `/relay` upgrade. The token is `base64url(payload:exp:sig)` where `payload = gatewayId` and `sig = HMAC(payload:exp, secret)`. Connector verifies and rejects the upgrade (**close 4401**) on mismatch/absence/revocation. The authenticated tenant comes from the connector's store, never the `hello` frame. |
+| Connector → gateway inbound POST | per-tenant delivery key | Two headers: `x-relay-timestamp` (unix seconds) and `x-relay-signature` (hex `HMAC(ts.rawBody, deliveryKey)`). Gateway verifies over the **exact raw bytes** within a ±300s replay window before accepting the event; rejects **401** otherwise. |
+
+This is the **channel** authenticator — distinct from platform crypto, which the
+relay path still sheds entirely (§6). The gateway holds zero platform secrets;
+these two keys authenticate only the connector link. Full threat model +
+enrollment/rotation/kill-switch design: `docs/connector-gateway-auth-design.md`
+(connector repo).
+
+---
+
+## 7. Versioning policy
+
+- `contract_version` is an int; bump **only** for additive changes during the
+  experimental phase (new optional fields, new `op`s).
+- A breaking change (renamed/removed field, changed semantics) requires a
+  coordinated update of both repos and a version bump.
+- The connector's first PR references the commit SHA of this file it implements
+  against.