docs(analysis): map IDE coding-agent harness techniques onto Hermes

Study of the five harness subsystems that make in-editor coding agents
outperform the raw model (same models underneath), with a grounded map of
each onto the Hermes codebase: indexed semantic retrieval, retrieval-as-
accuracy-driver, decoupled apply model, ambient context, per-task routing.

Findings reference real files (tools/fuzzy_match.py, agent/auxiliary_client.py,
agent/prompt_builder.py, hermes_state.py). Identifies semantic codebase
retrieval as the one structural gap; apply-reliability and model-routing as
existing strengths.

.github/workflows/tests.yml

@@ -171,6 +171,11 @@ jobs:
           source .venv/bin/activate
           uv pip install -e ".[all,dev]"
 
+      - name: Packaged-wheel i18n smoke test
+        run: |
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+          python -m pytest -m integration tests/test_wheel_locales_e2e.py -v
+
       - name: Run e2e tests
         run: |
           source .venv/bin/activate

AGENTS.md

@@ -283,6 +283,21 @@ The dashboard embeds the real `hermes --tui` — **not** a rewrite.  See `hermes
 
 **Structured React UI around the TUI is allowed when it is not a second chat surface.** Sidebar widgets, inspectors, summaries, status panels, and similar supporting views (e.g. `ChatSidebar`, `ModelPickerDialog`, `ToolCall`) are fine when they complement the embedded TUI rather than replacing the transcript / composer / terminal. Keep their state independent of the PTY child's session and surface their failures non-destructively so the terminal pane keeps working unimpaired.
 
+### Electron Desktop Chat App (`apps/desktop/`)
+
+A **separate** chat surface from both the classic CLI and the dashboard's embedded TUI. It is an Electron + React + nanostore renderer (`@assistant-ui/react`) that talks to a `tui_gateway` backend over JSON-RPC (`requestGateway(method, params)`). It does NOT embed `hermes --tui` — it has its own composer, transcript, and slash-command pipeline. Route desktop bugs to the `hermes-desktop-app-work` skill, not `hermes-dashboard-work`.
+
+**Slash commands in the desktop app are curated client-side, then dispatched to the backend.** The pipeline:
+
+- **Backend already provides everything.** `tui_gateway/server.py` `commands.catalog` (empty-query list) and `complete.slash` (typed-query completions) both include built-in commands, user `quick_commands`, AND skill-derived commands (`scan_skill_commands()` / `get_skill_commands()`). The desktop app does not need a new RPC to see skills.
+- **The renderer curates via `apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.ts`.** This is the load-bearing file. It holds `DESKTOP_COMMANDS` (the ~19 built-ins shown in the palette) plus block-lists for terminal-only / messaging-only / picker-owned / settings-owned / advanced commands that should NOT clutter the desktop popover.
+  - `isDesktopSlashCommand(name)` — gates **execution**. Returns true for built-ins AND for any non-built-in (skill / quick command), so typed extension commands run.
+  - `isDesktopSlashSuggestion(name)` — gates **discovery/completion**. Used by BOTH completion paths in `app/chat/composer/hooks/use-slash-completions.ts` (empty-query catalog filter + typed-query `complete.slash` filter) and by `filterDesktopCommandsCatalog`.
+  - `isDesktopSlashExtensionCommand(name)` — true when the command is NOT a known Hermes built-in (i.e. a skill or user quick command). Both suggestion and catalog-filter paths allow extensions through so skill commands surface in the palette. (Added when fixing "skill commands missing from the desktop slash palette" — the curated allow-list was silently dropping every skill/quick command from completions even though they executed fine when typed.)
+- **Dispatch** lives in `app/session/hooks/use-prompt-actions.ts` (`runSlash`): built-ins that the desktop owns (`/skin`, `/help`, `/new`, …) are handled locally or via `commands.catalog`; everything else goes to `slash.exec`, falling back to `command.dispatch` (which the gateway resolves into skill / alias / exec directives). A skill command resolves to `{type: "skill", message}` and is submitted as a normal prompt.
+
+**Rule:** the desktop slash palette's curation is about hiding noise (terminal-only / messaging-only built-ins), NOT about hiding user-activated extensions. Skill commands and `quick_commands` are extensions the backend surfaces — they belong in completions. If you tighten `desktop-slash-commands.ts`, keep `isDesktopSlashExtensionCommand` flowing into both the suggestion and catalog-filter paths. Tests: `apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.test.ts` (run via the repo-root `vitest`, since `apps/desktop` resolves deps from the root workspace install).
+
 ---
 
 ## Adding New Tools

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ This isn't a quality bar — it's a coupling-and-maintenance decision. Memory pr
 
 | Requirement | Notes |
 |-------------|-------|
-| **Git** | With `--recurse-submodules` support, and the `git-lfs` extension installed |
+| **Git** | With the `git-lfs` extension installed |
 | **Python 3.11+** | uv will install it if missing |
 | **uv** | Fast Python package manager ([install](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/)) |
 | **Node.js 20+** | Optional — needed for browser tools and WhatsApp bridge (matches root `package.json` engines) |

Dockerfile

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ ENV PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS_PATH=/opt/hermes/.playwright
 # hermes process, the dashboard, and per-profile gateways.
 RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-    ca-certificates curl iputils-ping python3 python-is-python3 ripgrep ffmpeg gcc python3-dev python3-venv libffi-dev procps git openssh-client docker-cli xz-utils && \
+    ca-certificates curl iputils-ping python3 python-is-python3 ripgrep ffmpeg gcc python3-dev python3-venv libffi-dev libolm-dev procps git openssh-client docker-cli xz-utils && \
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # ---------- s6-overlay install ----------
@@ -157,10 +157,17 @@ RUN npm install --prefer-offline --no-audit && \
 # so Docker users can use these providers without requiring runtime
 # lazy-install access to PyPI (often blocked in containerized envs).
 #
+# The hindsight memory provider's client (hindsight-client) is baked in
+# for the same reason: it lazy-installs into /opt/hermes/.venv at first
+# use, which lives inside the (immutable) image layer rather than the
+# mounted /opt/data volume, so it is lost on every container recreate /
+# image update and recall/retain then fails with
+# `ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'hindsight_client'` (#38128).
+#
 # The editable link is created after the source copy below.
 COPY pyproject.toml uv.lock ./
 RUN touch ./README.md
-RUN uv sync --frozen --no-install-project --extra all --extra messaging --extra anthropic --extra bedrock --extra azure-identity
+RUN uv sync --frozen --no-install-project --extra all --extra messaging --extra anthropic --extra bedrock --extra azure-identity --extra hindsight
 
 # ---------- Source code ----------
 # .dockerignore excludes node_modules, so the installs above survive.
@@ -178,13 +185,16 @@ RUN cd web && npm run build && \
 # 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.
 USER root
 RUN chmod -R a+rX /opt/hermes && \
-    chown -R hermes:hermes /opt/hermes/.venv /opt/hermes/ui-tui /opt/hermes/node_modules
+    chown -R hermes:hermes /opt/hermes/.venv /opt/hermes/ui-tui /opt/hermes/gateway /opt/hermes/node_modules
 # 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

MANIFEST.in

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 graft skills
 graft optional-skills
+graft locales
 # Bundled plugin manifests (plugin.yaml / plugin.yml). Without these the
 # PluginManager scan (hermes_cli/plugins.py) finds zero plugins on installs
 # built from the sdist (e.g. Homebrew, downstream packagers). package-data

README.md

@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ One command from a fresh install:
 hermes setup --portal
 ```
 
-That logs you in via OAuth, sets Nous as your provider, and turns on the Tool Gateway. Check what's wired up any time with `hermes portal status`. Full details on the [Tool Gateway docs page](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/tool-gateway).
+That logs you in via OAuth, sets Nous as your provider, and turns on the Tool Gateway. Check what's wired up any time with `hermes portal info`. Full details on the [Tool Gateway docs page](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/tool-gateway).
 
 You can still bring your own keys per-tool whenever you want — the gateway is per-backend, not all-or-nothing.
 

README.zh-CN.md

@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ Hermes 始终允许你使用任意服务商，这点不会改变。但如果你
 hermes setup --portal
 ```
 
-它会通过 OAuth 登录、把 Nous 设为推理服务商，并启用 Tool Gateway。随时用 `hermes portal status` 查看路由状态。完整说明见 [Tool Gateway 文档](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/tool-gateway)。
+它会通过 OAuth 登录、把 Nous 设为推理服务商，并启用 Tool Gateway。随时用 `hermes portal info` 查看路由状态。完整说明见 [Tool Gateway 文档](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/tool-gateway)。
 
 你随时可以按工具单独切回自己的 API Key — Gateway 是按工具粒度生效的，不是一刀切。
 

agent/agent_runtime_helpers.py

@@ -47,6 +47,20 @@ def _ra():
     return run_agent
 
 
+AGENT_RUNTIME_POST_HOOK_TOOL_NAMES = frozenset(
+    {"todo", "session_search", "memory", "clarify", "delegate_task"}
+)
+
+
+def agent_runtime_owns_post_tool_hook(agent: Any, function_name: str) -> bool:
+    """Return True when an agent-level tool path emits its own post hook."""
+    if function_name in AGENT_RUNTIME_POST_HOOK_TOOL_NAMES:
+        return True
+    if getattr(agent, "_context_engine_tool_names", None) and function_name in agent._context_engine_tool_names:
+        return True
+    memory_manager = getattr(agent, "_memory_manager", None)
+    return bool(memory_manager and memory_manager.has_tool(function_name))
+
 
 def convert_to_trajectory_format(agent, messages: List[Dict[str, Any]], user_query: str, completed: bool) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
     """
@@ -1618,36 +1632,84 @@ def invoke_tool(agent, function_name: str, function_args: dict, effective_task_i
         try:
             from hermes_cli.plugins import get_pre_tool_call_block_message
             block_message = get_pre_tool_call_block_message(
-                function_name, function_args, task_id=effective_task_id or "",
+                function_name,
+                function_args,
+                task_id=effective_task_id or "",
+                session_id=getattr(agent, "session_id", "") or "",
+                tool_call_id=tool_call_id or "",
+                turn_id=getattr(agent, "_current_turn_id", "") or "",
+                api_request_id=getattr(agent, "_current_api_request_id", "") or "",
             )
         except Exception:
             pass
     if block_message is not None:
-        return json.dumps({"error": block_message}, ensure_ascii=False)
+        result = json.dumps({"error": block_message}, ensure_ascii=False)
+        try:
+            from model_tools import _emit_post_tool_call_hook
+            _emit_post_tool_call_hook(
+                function_name=function_name,
+                function_args=function_args,
+                result=result,
+                task_id=effective_task_id or "",
+                session_id=getattr(agent, "session_id", "") or "",
+                tool_call_id=tool_call_id or "",
+                turn_id=getattr(agent, "_current_turn_id", "") or "",
+                api_request_id=getattr(agent, "_current_api_request_id", "") or "",
+                status="blocked",
+                error_type="plugin_block",
+                error_message=block_message,
+            )
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+        return result
+
+    tool_start_time = time.monotonic()
+
+    def _finish_agent_tool(result: Any) -> Any:
+        try:
+            from model_tools import _emit_post_tool_call_hook
+            _emit_post_tool_call_hook(
+                function_name=function_name,
+                function_args=function_args,
+                result=result,
+                task_id=effective_task_id or "",
+                session_id=getattr(agent, "session_id", "") or "",
+                tool_call_id=tool_call_id or "",
+                turn_id=getattr(agent, "_current_turn_id", "") or "",
+                api_request_id=getattr(agent, "_current_api_request_id", "") or "",
+                duration_ms=int((time.monotonic() - tool_start_time) * 1000),
+            )
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+        return result
 
     if function_name == "todo":
         from tools.todo_tool import todo_tool as _todo_tool
-        return _todo_tool(
-            todos=function_args.get("todos"),
-            merge=function_args.get("merge", False),
-            store=agent._todo_store,
+        return _finish_agent_tool(
+            _todo_tool(
+                todos=function_args.get("todos"),
+                merge=function_args.get("merge", False),
+                store=agent._todo_store,
+            )
         )
     elif function_name == "session_search":
         session_db = agent._get_session_db_for_recall()
         if not session_db:
             from hermes_state import format_session_db_unavailable
-            return json.dumps({"success": False, "error": format_session_db_unavailable()})
+            return _finish_agent_tool(json.dumps({"success": False, "error": format_session_db_unavailable()}))
         from tools.session_search_tool import session_search as _session_search
-        return _session_search(
-            query=function_args.get("query", ""),
-            role_filter=function_args.get("role_filter"),
-            limit=function_args.get("limit", 3),
-            session_id=function_args.get("session_id"),
-            around_message_id=function_args.get("around_message_id"),
-            window=function_args.get("window", 5),
-            sort=function_args.get("sort"),
-            db=session_db,
-            current_session_id=agent.session_id,
+        return _finish_agent_tool(
+            _session_search(
+                query=function_args.get("query", ""),
+                role_filter=function_args.get("role_filter"),
+                limit=function_args.get("limit", 3),
+                session_id=function_args.get("session_id"),
+                around_message_id=function_args.get("around_message_id"),
+                window=function_args.get("window", 5),
+                sort=function_args.get("sort"),
+                db=session_db,
+                current_session_id=agent.session_id,
+            )
         )
     elif function_name == "memory":
         target = function_args.get("target", "memory")
@@ -1673,23 +1735,27 @@ def invoke_tool(agent, function_name: str, function_args: dict, effective_task_i
                 )
             except Exception:
                 pass
-        return result
+        return _finish_agent_tool(result)
     elif agent._memory_manager and agent._memory_manager.has_tool(function_name):
-        return agent._memory_manager.handle_tool_call(function_name, function_args)
+        return _finish_agent_tool(agent._memory_manager.handle_tool_call(function_name, function_args))
     elif function_name == "clarify":
         from tools.clarify_tool import clarify_tool as _clarify_tool
-        return _clarify_tool(
-            question=function_args.get("question", ""),
-            choices=function_args.get("choices"),
-            callback=agent.clarify_callback,
+        return _finish_agent_tool(
+            _clarify_tool(
+                question=function_args.get("question", ""),
+                choices=function_args.get("choices"),
+                callback=agent.clarify_callback,
+            )
         )
     elif function_name == "delegate_task":
-        return agent._dispatch_delegate_task(function_args)
+        return _finish_agent_tool(agent._dispatch_delegate_task(function_args))
     else:
         return _ra().handle_function_call(
             function_name, function_args, effective_task_id,
             tool_call_id=tool_call_id,
             session_id=agent.session_id or "",
+            turn_id=getattr(agent, "_current_turn_id", "") or "",
+            api_request_id=getattr(agent, "_current_api_request_id", "") or "",
             enabled_tools=list(agent.valid_tool_names) if agent.valid_tool_names else None,
             skip_pre_tool_call_hook=True,
             enabled_toolsets=getattr(agent, "enabled_toolsets", None),

agent/chat_completion_helpers.py

@@ -1296,7 +1296,7 @@ def handle_max_iterations(agent, messages: list, api_call_count: int) -> str:
             for internal_key in [k for k in api_msg if isinstance(k, str) and k.startswith("_")]:
                 api_msg.pop(internal_key, None)
             if _needs_sanitize:
-                agent._sanitize_tool_calls_for_strict_api(api_msg)
+                agent._sanitize_tool_calls_for_strict_api(api_msg, model=agent.model)
             api_messages.append(api_msg)
 
         effective_system = agent._cached_system_prompt or ""

agent/conversation_loop.py

@@ -435,6 +435,9 @@ def run_conversation(
     # state registry.  Set BEFORE any tool dispatch so snapshots taken at
     # child-launch time see the parent's real id, not None.
     agent._current_task_id = effective_task_id
+    turn_id = f"{agent.session_id or 'session'}:{effective_task_id}:{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}"
+    agent._current_turn_id = turn_id
+    agent._current_api_request_id = ""
     
     # Reset retry counters and iteration budget at the start of each turn
     # so subagent usage from a previous turn doesn't eat into the next one.
@@ -702,6 +705,8 @@ def run_conversation(
         _pre_results = _invoke_hook(
             "pre_llm_call",
             session_id=agent.session_id,
+            task_id=effective_task_id,
+            turn_id=turn_id,
             user_message=original_user_message,
             conversation_history=list(messages),
             is_first_turn=(not bool(conversation_history)),
@@ -977,7 +982,7 @@ def run_conversation(
             # Uses new dicts so the internal messages list retains the fields
             # for Codex Responses compatibility.
             if agent._should_sanitize_tool_calls():
-                agent._sanitize_tool_calls_for_strict_api(api_msg)
+                agent._sanitize_tool_calls_for_strict_api(api_msg, model=agent.model)
             # Keep 'reasoning_details' - OpenRouter uses this for multi-turn reasoning context
             # The signature field helps maintain reasoning continuity
             api_messages.append(api_msg)
@@ -1153,6 +1158,8 @@ def run_conversation(
         finish_reason = "stop"
         response = None  # Guard against UnboundLocalError if all retries fail
         api_kwargs = None  # Guard against UnboundLocalError in except handler
+        api_request_id = f"{turn_id}:api:{api_call_count}"
+        agent._current_api_request_id = api_request_id
 
         while retry_count < max_retries:
             # ── Nous Portal rate limit guard ──────────────────────
@@ -1220,37 +1227,58 @@ def run_conversation(
                     api_kwargs = agent._get_transport().preflight_kwargs(api_kwargs, allow_stream=False)
 
                 try:
-                    from hermes_cli.plugins import invoke_hook as _invoke_hook
-                    request_messages = api_kwargs.get("messages")
-                    if not isinstance(request_messages, list):
-                        request_messages = api_kwargs.get("input")
-                    if not isinstance(request_messages, list):
-                        request_messages = api_messages
-                    # Shallow-copy the outer list so plugins that retain the
-                    # reference for async snapshotting don't observe later
-                    # mutations of api_messages.  The inner dicts are not
-                    # mutated by the agent loop, so a shallow copy is
-                    # sufficient; a deepcopy would walk every tool result
-                    # and base64 image on every API call.
-                    _invoke_hook(
-                        "pre_api_request",
-                        task_id=effective_task_id,
-                        session_id=agent.session_id or "",
-                        user_message=original_user_message,
-                        conversation_history=list(messages),
-                        platform=agent.platform or "",
-                        model=agent.model,
-                        provider=agent.provider,
-                        base_url=agent.base_url,
-                        api_mode=agent.api_mode,
-                        api_call_count=api_call_count,
-                        request_messages=list(request_messages) if isinstance(request_messages, list) else [],
-                        message_count=len(api_messages),
-                        tool_count=len(agent.tools or []),
-                        approx_input_tokens=approx_tokens,
-                        request_char_count=total_chars,
-                        max_tokens=agent.max_tokens,
+                    from hermes_cli.plugins import (
+                        has_hook,
+                        invoke_hook as _invoke_hook,
                     )
+                    if has_hook("pre_api_request"):
+                        request_messages = api_kwargs.get("messages")
+                        if not isinstance(request_messages, list):
+                            request_messages = api_kwargs.get("input")
+                        if not isinstance(request_messages, list):
+                            request_messages = api_messages
+                        # Shallow-copy the outer list so plugins that retain the
+                        # reference for async snapshotting don't observe later
+                        # mutations of api_messages.  The inner dicts are not
+                        # mutated by the agent loop, so a shallow copy is
+                        # sufficient; a deepcopy would walk every tool result
+                        # and base64 image on every API call.
+                        #
+                        # The ``request_messages`` and ``conversation_history``
+                        # kwargs below are pre-existing raw passthroughs
+                        # consumed by the bundled langfuse plugin
+                        # (``plugins/observability/langfuse/__init__.py:_coerce_request_messages``).
+                        # They predate ``request`` and are intentionally NOT
+                        # sanitised — secrets are not expected here because
+                        # ``api_kwargs`` is the same object passed to the
+                        # provider client.  New consumers should read the
+                        # sanitised view from ``request["body"]["messages"]``.
+                        _request_payload = agent._api_request_payload_for_hook(api_kwargs)
+                        _invoke_hook(
+                            "pre_api_request",
+                            task_id=effective_task_id,
+                            turn_id=turn_id,
+                            api_request_id=api_request_id,
+                            session_id=agent.session_id or "",
+                            user_message=original_user_message,
+                            conversation_history=list(messages),
+                            platform=agent.platform or "",
+                            model=agent.model,
+                            provider=agent.provider,
+                            base_url=agent.base_url,
+                            api_mode=agent.api_mode,
+                            api_call_count=api_call_count,
+                            request_messages=list(request_messages)
+                            if isinstance(request_messages, list)
+                            else [],
+                            message_count=len(api_messages),
+                            tool_count=len(agent.tools or []),
+                            approx_input_tokens=approx_tokens,
+                            request_char_count=total_chars,
+                            max_tokens=agent.max_tokens,
+                            started_at=api_start_time,
+                            request=_request_payload,
+                        )
                 except Exception:
                     pass
 
@@ -1300,12 +1328,14 @@ def run_conversation(
                     if isinstance(getattr(agent, "client", None), Mock):
                         _use_streaming = False
 
-                if _use_streaming:
-                    response = agent._interruptible_streaming_api_call(
-                        api_kwargs, on_first_delta=_stop_spinner
-                    )
-                else:
-                    response = agent._interruptible_api_call(api_kwargs)
+                def _perform_api_call(next_api_kwargs):
+                    if _use_streaming:
+                        return agent._interruptible_streaming_api_call(
+                            next_api_kwargs, on_first_delta=_stop_spinner
+                        )
+                    return agent._interruptible_api_call(next_api_kwargs)
+
+                response = _perform_api_call(api_kwargs)
                 
                 api_duration = time.time() - api_start_time
                 
@@ -1406,6 +1436,21 @@ def run_conversation(
                             error_details.append("response.choices is empty")
 
                 if response_invalid:
+                    agent._invoke_api_request_error_hook(
+                        task_id=effective_task_id,
+                        turn_id=turn_id,
+                        api_request_id=api_request_id,
+                        api_call_count=api_call_count,
+                        api_start_time=api_start_time,
+                        api_kwargs=api_kwargs,
+                        error_type="InvalidAPIResponse",
+                        error_message=", ".join(error_details) or "Invalid API response",
+                        status_code=getattr(getattr(response, "error", None), "code", None),
+                        retry_count=retry_count,
+                        max_retries=max_retries,
+                        retryable=True,
+                        reason="invalid_response",
+                    )
                     # Stop spinner silently — retry status is now buffered
                     # and only surfaced if every retry+fallback exhausts.
                     if thinking_spinner:
@@ -2278,6 +2323,21 @@ def run_conversation(
                     classified.retryable, classified.should_compress,
                     classified.should_rotate_credential, classified.should_fallback,
                 )
+                agent._invoke_api_request_error_hook(
+                    task_id=effective_task_id,
+                    turn_id=turn_id,
+                    api_request_id=api_request_id,
+                    api_call_count=api_call_count,
+                    api_start_time=api_start_time,
+                    api_kwargs=api_kwargs,
+                    error_type=type(api_error).__name__,
+                    error_message=str(api_error),
+                    status_code=status_code,
+                    retry_count=retry_count,
+                    max_retries=max_retries,
+                    retryable=classified.retryable,
+                    reason=classified.reason.value,
+                )
 
                 if (
                     classified.reason == FailoverReason.billing
@@ -3195,7 +3255,7 @@ def run_conversation(
                             else:  # nous
                                 agent._vprint(f"{agent.log_prefix}   💡 Nous Portal OAuth token was rejected (HTTP 401). Your token may be", force=True)
                                 agent._vprint(f"{agent.log_prefix}      expired, revoked, or your account may be out of credits. To fix:", force=True)
-                                agent._vprint(f"{agent.log_prefix}      1. Re-authenticate: hermes auth add nous --type oauth", force=True)
+                                agent._vprint(f"{agent.log_prefix}      1. Re-authenticate: hermes portal", force=True)
                                 agent._vprint(f"{agent.log_prefix}      2. Check your portal account: https://portal.nousresearch.com", force=True)
                                 # ``:free`` is OpenRouter slug syntax; Nous Portal will reject
                                 # the model name even after a successful re-auth.
@@ -3378,6 +3438,12 @@ def run_conversation(
                         "completed": False,
                         "failed": True,
                         "error": _final_summary,
+                        # Surface the classified reason so callers (notably the
+                        # kanban worker path in cli.py) can distinguish a
+                        # transient throttle from a real failure and choose a
+                        # different exit code. ``rate_limit`` / ``billing`` here
+                        # mean "quota wall, not a task error".
+                        "failure_reason": classified.reason.value,
                     }
 
                 # For rate limits, respect the Retry-After header if present
@@ -3501,29 +3567,44 @@ def run_conversation(
                     assistant_message.content = str(raw)
 
             try:
-                from hermes_cli.plugins import invoke_hook as _invoke_hook
-                _assistant_tool_calls = getattr(assistant_message, "tool_calls", None) or []
-                _assistant_text = assistant_message.content or ""
-                _invoke_hook(
-                    "post_api_request",
-                    task_id=effective_task_id,
-                    session_id=agent.session_id or "",
-                    platform=agent.platform or "",
-                    model=agent.model,
-                    provider=agent.provider,
-                    base_url=agent.base_url,
-                    api_mode=agent.api_mode,
-                    api_call_count=api_call_count,
-                    api_duration=api_duration,
-                    finish_reason=finish_reason,
-                    message_count=len(api_messages),
-                    response_model=getattr(response, "model", None),
-                    response=response,
-                    usage=agent._usage_summary_for_api_request_hook(response),
-                    assistant_message=assistant_message,
-                    assistant_content_chars=len(_assistant_text),
-                    assistant_tool_call_count=len(_assistant_tool_calls),
+                from hermes_cli.plugins import (
+                    has_hook,
+                    invoke_hook as _invoke_hook,
                 )
+                if has_hook("post_api_request"):
+                    _assistant_tool_calls = (
+                        getattr(assistant_message, "tool_calls", None) or []
+                    )
+                    _assistant_text = assistant_message.content or ""
+                    _api_ended_at = api_start_time + api_duration
+                    _invoke_hook(
+                        "post_api_request",
+                        task_id=effective_task_id,
+                        turn_id=turn_id,
+                        api_request_id=api_request_id,
+                        session_id=agent.session_id or "",
+                        platform=agent.platform or "",
+                        model=agent.model,
+                        provider=agent.provider,
+                        base_url=agent.base_url,
+                        api_mode=agent.api_mode,
+                        api_call_count=api_call_count,
+                        api_duration=api_duration,
+                        started_at=api_start_time,
+                        ended_at=_api_ended_at,
+                        finish_reason=finish_reason,
+                        message_count=len(api_messages),
+                        response_model=getattr(response, "model", None),
+                        response=agent._api_response_payload_for_hook(
+                            response,
+                            assistant_message,
+                            finish_reason=finish_reason,
+                        ),
+                        usage=agent._usage_summary_for_api_request_hook(response),
+                        assistant_message=assistant_message,
+                        assistant_content_chars=len(_assistant_text),
+                        assistant_tool_call_count=len(_assistant_tool_calls),
+                    )
             except Exception:
                 pass
 
@@ -4617,6 +4698,8 @@ def run_conversation(
             _invoke_hook(
                 "post_llm_call",
                 session_id=agent.session_id,
+                task_id=effective_task_id,
+                turn_id=turn_id,
                 user_message=original_user_message,
                 assistant_response=final_response,
                 conversation_history=list(messages),
@@ -4736,6 +4819,8 @@ def run_conversation(
         _invoke_hook(
             "on_session_end",
             session_id=agent.session_id,
+            task_id=effective_task_id,
+            turn_id=turn_id,
             completed=completed,
             interrupted=interrupted,
             model=agent.model,

agent/i18n.py

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import logging
 import os
+import sysconfig
 import threading
 from functools import lru_cache
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -87,11 +88,54 @@ _catalog_lock = threading.Lock()
 def _locales_dir() -> Path:
     """Return the directory containing locale YAML files.
 
-    Lives next to the repo root so both the bundled install and editable
-    checkouts find it without PYTHONPATH gymnastics.
+    Resolution order, first existing wins:
+
+    1. ``HERMES_BUNDLED_LOCALES`` env var -- set by the Nix wrapper (or any
+       sealed-packaging system) to point at the installed catalog directory.
+    2. ``<repo-root>/locales`` -- source checkouts and ``pip install -e .``,
+       where the working tree sits next to ``agent/``.
+    3. ``<sysconfig data|purelib|platlib>/locales`` -- pip wheel installs.
+       setuptools ``data-files`` extracts ``locales/*.yaml`` under the
+       interpreter's ``data`` scheme; the other schemes are checked as a
+       safety net for nonstandard layouts.
+
+    Falling through to the source-style path (even when missing) keeps
+    ``_load_catalog`` error messages informative -- it logs the path it
+    looked at -- rather than raising.
     """
-    # agent/i18n.py -> agent/ -> repo root
-    return Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "locales"
+    override = os.getenv("HERMES_BUNDLED_LOCALES", "").strip()
+    if override:
+        candidate = Path(override)
+        if candidate.is_dir():
+            return candidate
+        logger.warning(
+            "HERMES_BUNDLED_LOCALES points to a non-directory path (%s); "
+            "falling back to bundled/source locale resolution",
+            override,
+        )
+
+    # agent/i18n.py -> agent/ -> repo root (source checkout, editable install)
+    source_dir = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "locales"
+    if source_dir.is_dir():
+        return source_dir
+
+    # pip wheel install: data-files lands under the interpreter data scheme.
+    # ``data`` (== sys.prefix in a venv) is where setuptools data-files extract
+    # and is checked first. ``purelib``/``platlib`` (site-packages) are a safety
+    # net for nonstandard layouts. NOTE: this does NOT cover ``pip install
+    # --user`` (user scheme, ~/.local/locales) or ``pip install --target`` --
+    # both are out of scope; see the plan header.
+    for scheme in ("data", "purelib", "platlib"):
+        raw = sysconfig.get_path(scheme)
+        if not raw:
+            continue
+        candidate = Path(raw) / "locales"
+        if candidate.is_dir():
+            return candidate
+
+    # Last resort: return the source-style path so _load_catalog's catalog-missing
+    # log (logger.debug "i18n catalog missing for %s at %s") stays informative.
+    return source_dir
 
 
 def _normalize_lang(value: Any) -> str:

agent/prompt_builder.py

@@ -129,9 +129,14 @@ DEFAULT_AGENT_IDENTITY = (
 )
 
 HERMES_AGENT_HELP_GUIDANCE = (
-    "If the user asks about configuring, setting up, or using Hermes Agent "
-    "itself, load the `hermes-agent` skill with skill_view(name='hermes-agent') "
-    "before answering. Docs: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs"
+    "You run on Hermes Agent (by Nous Research). When the user needs help with "
+    "Hermes itself — configuring, setting up, using, extending, or troubleshooting "
+    "it — or when you need to understand your own features, tools, or capabilities, "
+    "the documentation at https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs is your "
+    "authoritative reference and always holds the latest, most up-to-date "
+    "information. Load the `hermes-agent` skill with skill_view(name='hermes-agent') "
+    "for additional guidance and proven workflows, but treat the docs as the source "
+    "of truth when the two differ."
 )
 
 MEMORY_GUIDANCE = (

agent/tool_executor.py

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import os
 import random
 import threading
 import time
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import Any, Optional
 
 from agent.display import (
     KawaiiSpinner,
@@ -58,6 +58,76 @@ def _ra():
     return run_agent
 
 
+def _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+    agent,
+    *,
+    function_name: str,
+    function_args: dict,
+    result: Any,
+    effective_task_id: str,
+    tool_call_id: str,
+    duration_ms: int = 0,
+    status: str | None = None,
+    error_type: str | None = None,
+    error_message: str | None = None,
+) -> None:
+    try:
+        from model_tools import _emit_post_tool_call_hook
+        _emit_post_tool_call_hook(
+            function_name=function_name,
+            function_args=function_args,
+            result=result,
+            task_id=effective_task_id or "",
+            session_id=getattr(agent, "session_id", "") or "",
+            tool_call_id=tool_call_id or "",
+            turn_id=getattr(agent, "_current_turn_id", "") or "",
+            api_request_id=getattr(agent, "_current_api_request_id", "") or "",
+            duration_ms=duration_ms,
+            status=status,
+            error_type=error_type,
+            error_message=error_message,
+        )
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+
+def _cancelled_tool_result(reason: str = "user interrupt") -> str:
+    return json.dumps(
+        {
+            "error": f"Tool execution cancelled by {reason}",
+            "status": "cancelled",
+        },
+        ensure_ascii=False,
+    )
+
+
+def _emit_cancelled_terminal_post_tool_call(
+    agent,
+    *,
+    function_name: str,
+    function_args: dict,
+    effective_task_id: str,
+    tool_call_id: str,
+    start_time: float,
+    reason: str = "user interrupt",
+    error_type: str = "keyboard_interrupt",
+) -> str:
+    result = _cancelled_tool_result(reason)
+    _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+        agent,
+        function_name=function_name,
+        function_args=function_args,
+        result=result,
+        effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+        tool_call_id=tool_call_id,
+        duration_ms=int((time.time() - start_time) * 1000),
+        status="cancelled",
+        error_type=error_type,
+        error_message=f"Tool execution cancelled by {reason}",
+    )
+    return result
+
+
 def _tool_search_scoped_names(agent) -> frozenset:
     """Return the deferrable tool names the session may invoke via tool_call.
 
@@ -188,22 +258,61 @@ def execute_tool_calls_concurrent(agent, assistant_message, messages: list, effe
         if _ts_scope_block is not None:
             # Out-of-scope tool_call: reject before hooks/guardrails/dispatch.
             block_result = _ts_scope_block
+            _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                agent,
+                function_name=function_name,
+                function_args=function_args,
+                result=block_result,
+                effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                status="blocked",
+                error_type="tool_scope_block",
+                error_message=_ts_scope_block,
+            )
         else:
             try:
                 from hermes_cli.plugins import get_pre_tool_call_block_message
                 block_message = get_pre_tool_call_block_message(
-                    function_name, function_args, task_id=effective_task_id or "",
+                    function_name,
+                    function_args,
+                    task_id=effective_task_id or "",
+                    session_id=getattr(agent, "session_id", "") or "",
+                    tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                    turn_id=getattr(agent, "_current_turn_id", "") or "",
+                    api_request_id=getattr(agent, "_current_api_request_id", "") or "",
                 )
             except Exception:
                 block_message = None
 
             if block_message is not None:
                 block_result = json.dumps({"error": block_message}, ensure_ascii=False)
+                _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                    agent,
+                    function_name=function_name,
+                    function_args=function_args,
+                    result=block_result,
+                    effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                    tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                    status="blocked",
+                    error_type="plugin_block",
+                    error_message=block_message,
+                )
             else:
                 guardrail_decision = agent._tool_guardrails.before_call(function_name, function_args)
                 if not guardrail_decision.allows_execution:
                     block_result = agent._guardrail_block_result(guardrail_decision)
                     blocked_by_guardrail = True
+                    _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                        agent,
+                        function_name=function_name,
+                        function_args=function_args,
+                        result=block_result,
+                        effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                        tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                        status="blocked",
+                        error_type="guardrail_block",
+                        error_message=getattr(guardrail_decision, "message", None) or "Tool blocked by guardrail policy",
+                    )
 
         # ── Checkpoint preflight (only for tools that will execute) ──
         if block_result is None:
@@ -315,6 +424,23 @@ def execute_tool_calls_concurrent(agent, assistant_message, messages: list, effe
                     messages=messages,
                     pre_tool_block_checked=True,
                 )
+            except KeyboardInterrupt:
+                try:
+                    agent.interrupt("keyboard interrupt")
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+                result = _emit_cancelled_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                    agent,
+                    function_name=function_name,
+                    function_args=function_args,
+                    effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                    tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                    start_time=start,
+                )
+                duration = time.time() - start
+                logger.info("tool %s cancelled (%.2fs)", function_name, duration)
+                results[index] = (function_name, function_args, result, duration, True, False)
+                return
             except Exception as tool_error:
                 result = f"Error executing tool '{function_name}': {tool_error}"
                 logger.error("_invoke_tool raised for %s: %s", function_name, tool_error, exc_info=True)
@@ -426,8 +552,30 @@ def execute_tool_calls_concurrent(agent, assistant_message, messages: list, effe
             # Tool was cancelled (interrupt) or thread didn't return
             if agent._interrupt_requested:
                 function_result = f"[Tool execution cancelled — {name} was skipped due to user interrupt]"
+                _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                    agent,
+                    function_name=name,
+                    function_args=args,
+                    result=function_result,
+                    effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                    tool_call_id=getattr(tc, "id", "") or "",
+                    status="cancelled",
+                    error_type="keyboard_interrupt",
+                    error_message="Tool execution cancelled by user interrupt",
+                )
             else:
                 function_result = f"Error executing tool '{name}': thread did not return a result"
+                _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                    agent,
+                    function_name=name,
+                    function_args=args,
+                    result=function_result,
+                    effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                    tool_call_id=getattr(tc, "id", "") or "",
+                    status="error",
+                    error_type="thread_missing_result",
+                    error_message=function_result,
+                )
             tool_duration = 0.0
         else:
             function_name, function_args, function_result, tool_duration, is_error, blocked = r
@@ -592,13 +740,21 @@ def execute_tool_calls_sequential(agent, assistant_message, messages: list, effe
 
         # Check plugin hooks for a block directive before executing.
         _block_msg: Optional[str] = None
+        _block_error_type = "plugin_block"
         if _ts_scope_block is not None:
             _block_msg = _ts_scope_block
+            _block_error_type = "tool_scope_block"
         else:
             try:
                 from hermes_cli.plugins import get_pre_tool_call_block_message
                 _block_msg = get_pre_tool_call_block_message(
-                    function_name, function_args, task_id=effective_task_id or "",
+                    function_name,
+                    function_args,
+                    task_id=effective_task_id or "",
+                    session_id=getattr(agent, "session_id", "") or "",
+                    tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                    turn_id=getattr(agent, "_current_turn_id", "") or "",
+                    api_request_id=getattr(agent, "_current_api_request_id", "") or "",
                 )
             except Exception:
                 pass
@@ -687,11 +843,33 @@ def execute_tool_calls_sequential(agent, assistant_message, messages: list, effe
             # Tool blocked by plugin policy — return error without executing.
             function_result = json.dumps({"error": _block_msg}, ensure_ascii=False)
             tool_duration = 0.0
+            _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                agent,
+                function_name=function_name,
+                function_args=function_args,
+                result=function_result,
+                effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                status="blocked",
+                error_type=_block_error_type,
+                error_message=_block_msg,
+            )
         elif _guardrail_block_decision is not None:
             # Tool blocked by tool-loop guardrail — synthesize exactly one
             # tool result for the original tool_call_id without executing.
             function_result = agent._guardrail_block_result(_guardrail_block_decision)
             tool_duration = 0.0
+            _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                agent,
+                function_name=function_name,
+                function_args=function_args,
+                result=function_result,
+                effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                status="blocked",
+                error_type="guardrail_block",
+                error_message=getattr(_guardrail_block_decision, "message", None) or "Tool blocked by guardrail policy",
+            )
         elif function_name == "todo":
             from tools.todo_tool import todo_tool as _todo_tool
             function_result = _todo_tool(
@@ -850,12 +1028,29 @@ def execute_tool_calls_sequential(agent, assistant_message, messages: list, effe
                     function_name, function_args, effective_task_id,
                     tool_call_id=tool_call.id,
                     session_id=agent.session_id or "",
+                    turn_id=getattr(agent, "_current_turn_id", "") or "",
+                    api_request_id=getattr(agent, "_current_api_request_id", "") or "",
                     enabled_tools=list(agent.valid_tool_names) if agent.valid_tool_names else None,
                     skip_pre_tool_call_hook=True,
                     enabled_toolsets=getattr(agent, "enabled_toolsets", None),
                     disabled_toolsets=getattr(agent, "disabled_toolsets", None),
                 )
                 _spinner_result = function_result
+            except KeyboardInterrupt:
+                function_result = _emit_cancelled_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                    agent,
+                    function_name=function_name,
+                    function_args=function_args,
+                    effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                    tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                    start_time=tool_start_time,
+                )
+                _spinner_result = function_result
+                try:
+                    agent.interrupt("keyboard interrupt")
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+                raise
             except Exception as tool_error:
                 function_result = f"Error executing tool '{function_name}': {tool_error}"
                 logger.error("handle_function_call raised for %s: %s", function_name, tool_error, exc_info=True)
@@ -872,11 +1067,27 @@ def execute_tool_calls_sequential(agent, assistant_message, messages: list, effe
                     function_name, function_args, effective_task_id,
                     tool_call_id=tool_call.id,
                     session_id=agent.session_id or "",
+                    turn_id=getattr(agent, "_current_turn_id", "") or "",
+                    api_request_id=getattr(agent, "_current_api_request_id", "") or "",
                     enabled_tools=list(agent.valid_tool_names) if agent.valid_tool_names else None,
                     skip_pre_tool_call_hook=True,
                     enabled_toolsets=getattr(agent, "enabled_toolsets", None),
                     disabled_toolsets=getattr(agent, "disabled_toolsets", None),
                 )
+            except KeyboardInterrupt:
+                _emit_cancelled_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                    agent,
+                    function_name=function_name,
+                    function_args=function_args,
+                    effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                    tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                    start_time=tool_start_time,
+                )
+                try:
+                    agent.interrupt("keyboard interrupt")
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+                raise
             except Exception as tool_error:
                 function_result = f"Error executing tool '{function_name}': {tool_error}"
                 logger.error("handle_function_call raised for %s: %s", function_name, tool_error, exc_info=True)
@@ -895,6 +1106,27 @@ def execute_tool_calls_sequential(agent, assistant_message, messages: list, effe
         # Log tool errors to the persistent error log so [error] tags
         # in the UI always have a corresponding detailed entry on disk.
         _is_error_result, _ = _detect_tool_failure(function_name, function_result)
+        # The agent-runtime tools above (todo, session_search, memory,
+        # context-engine, memory-manager, clarify, delegate_task) are
+        # dispatched inline — they never reach handle_function_call, so the
+        # executor is the one that has to fire post_tool_call. For
+        # registry-dispatched tools the else-branch above invoked
+        # handle_function_call, which already fires the hook.
+        from agent.agent_runtime_helpers import agent_runtime_owns_post_tool_hook
+        _executor_must_emit_post_hook = (
+            not _execution_blocked
+            and agent_runtime_owns_post_tool_hook(agent, function_name)
+        )
+        if _executor_must_emit_post_hook:
+            _emit_terminal_post_tool_call(
+                agent,
+                function_name=function_name,
+                function_args=function_args,
+                result=function_result,
+                effective_task_id=effective_task_id,
+                tool_call_id=getattr(tool_call, "id", "") or "",
+                duration_ms=int(tool_duration * 1000),
+            )
         if not _execution_blocked:
             function_result = agent._append_guardrail_observation(
                 function_name,

agent/transports/chat_completions.py

@@ -99,6 +99,22 @@ def _is_gemini_openai_compat_base_url(base_url: Any) -> bool:
     return normalized.endswith("/openai")
 
 
+def _model_consumes_thought_signature(model: Any) -> bool:
+    """True when the outgoing model is a Gemini family model that requires
+    ``extra_content`` (thought_signature) to be replayed on tool calls.
+
+    Gemini 3 thinking models attach ``extra_content`` to each tool call and
+    reject subsequent requests with HTTP 400 if it is missing. Every other
+    strict OpenAI-compatible provider (Fireworks, Mistral, ...) rejects the
+    request with 400 if ``extra_content`` *is* present. So the field must be
+    kept only when the target model is itself Gemini-family, and stripped
+    otherwise — including when a non-Gemini model inherits stale Gemini
+    ``extra_content`` from earlier in a mixed-provider session.
+    """
+    m = str(model or "").lower()
+    return "gemini" in m or "gemma" in m
+
+
 class ChatCompletionsTransport(ProviderTransport):
     """Transport for api_mode='chat_completions'.
 
@@ -119,6 +135,14 @@ class ChatCompletionsTransport(ProviderTransport):
         - Codex Responses API fields: ``codex_reasoning_items`` /
           ``codex_message_items`` on the message, ``call_id`` /
           ``response_item_id`` on ``tool_calls`` entries.
+        - ``extra_content`` on ``tool_calls`` (Gemini thought_signature) —
+          stripped unless the outgoing ``model`` is itself Gemini-family.
+          Gemini 3 thinking models attach it for replay, but strict providers
+          (Fireworks, Mistral) reject any payload containing it with
+          ``Extra inputs are not permitted, field: 'messages[N].tool_calls[M].extra_content'``.
+          It must be kept for Gemini targets (replay required) and dropped for
+          everyone else, including non-Gemini models that inherited stale
+          Gemini ``extra_content`` earlier in a mixed-provider session.
         - ``tool_name`` on tool-result messages — written by
           ``make_tool_result_message()`` for the SQLite FTS index, but not
           part of the Chat Completions schema. Strict providers (Fireworks,
@@ -137,6 +161,9 @@ class ChatCompletionsTransport(ProviderTransport):
           ``Extra inputs are not permitted, field: 'messages[N]._empty_recovery_synthetic'``,
           which then poisons every subsequent request in the session.
         """
+        strip_extra_content = not _model_consumes_thought_signature(
+            kwargs.get("model")
+        )
         needs_sanitize = False
         for msg in messages:
             if not isinstance(msg, dict):
@@ -155,7 +182,9 @@ class ChatCompletionsTransport(ProviderTransport):
             if isinstance(tool_calls, list):
                 for tc in tool_calls:
                     if isinstance(tc, dict) and (
-                        "call_id" in tc or "response_item_id" in tc
+                        "call_id" in tc
+                        or "response_item_id" in tc
+                        or (strip_extra_content and "extra_content" in tc)
                     ):
                         needs_sanitize = True
                         break
@@ -183,6 +212,8 @@ class ChatCompletionsTransport(ProviderTransport):
                     if isinstance(tc, dict):
                         tc.pop("call_id", None)
                         tc.pop("response_item_id", None)
+                        if strip_extra_content:
+                            tc.pop("extra_content", None)
         return sanitized
 
     def convert_tools(self, tools: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
@@ -240,8 +271,10 @@ class ChatCompletionsTransport(ProviderTransport):
             anthropic_max_output: int | None
             extra_body_additions: dict | None
         """
-        # Codex sanitization: drop reasoning_items / call_id / response_item_id
-        sanitized = self.convert_messages(messages)
+        # Codex sanitization: drop reasoning_items / call_id / response_item_id.
+        # Pass model so the Gemini thought_signature (extra_content) is kept for
+        # Gemini targets and stripped for strict non-Gemini providers.
+        sanitized = self.convert_messages(messages, model=model)
 
         # ── Provider profile: single-path when present ──────────────────
         _profile = params.get("provider_profile")

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

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use tauri::{AppHandle, Emitter, State};
 use tokio::sync::{mpsc, Mutex};
 
-use crate::events::{BootstrapEvent, Manifest, StageState};
+use crate::events::{BootstrapEvent, LogStream, Manifest, StageState};
 use crate::install_script::{self, Pin, ScriptKind, ScriptSource};
 use crate::powershell::{self, StreamSink};
 use crate::AppState;
@@ -179,9 +179,11 @@ pub async fn launch_hermes_desktop(
 
     tracing::info!(?exe_path, "launching Hermes desktop");
 
-    // Detach from us — the installer is about to exit.
-    let mut cmd = tokio::process::Command::new(&exe_path);
-    cmd.current_dir(exe_path.parent().unwrap_or(&install_root));
+    // Detach from us — the installer is about to exit. On macOS launch the
+    // bundle through LaunchServices instead of exec'ing Contents/MacOS/Hermes
+    // directly; this matches user double-click/open behavior and avoids cwd /
+    // quarantine oddities after a self-update rebuild.
+    let mut cmd = desktop_launch_command(&exe_path, &install_root);
     #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
     {
         use std::os::windows::process::CommandExt;
@@ -232,6 +234,24 @@ pub(crate) fn resolve_hermes_desktop_exe(install_root: &std::path::Path) -> Opti
     None
 }
 
+pub(crate) fn resolve_hermes_desktop_app(install_root: &std::path::Path) -> Option<PathBuf> {
+    let exe = resolve_hermes_desktop_exe(install_root)?;
+    #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+    {
+        // .../Hermes.app/Contents/MacOS/Hermes -> .../Hermes.app
+        let app = exe.parent()?.parent()?.parent()?.to_path_buf();
+        if app.extension().and_then(|e| e.to_str()) == Some("app") && app.is_dir() {
+            return Some(app);
+        }
+    }
+    #[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
+    {
+        return Some(exe);
+    }
+    #[allow(unreachable_code)]
+    None
+}
+
 /// True when a prior install completed (bootstrap-complete marker present) AND a
 /// launchable desktop app exists on disk. Used by the installer's launcher fast
 /// path so a bare re-open just opens Hermes instead of re-running setup.
@@ -247,8 +267,7 @@ pub(crate) fn spawn_installed_desktop(install_root: &std::path::Path) -> std::io
     let exe = resolve_hermes_desktop_exe(install_root).ok_or_else(|| {
         std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound, "no built Hermes desktop app")
     })?;
-    let mut cmd = std::process::Command::new(&exe);
-    cmd.current_dir(exe.parent().unwrap_or(install_root));
+    let mut cmd = desktop_launch_command_std(&exe, install_root);
     #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
     {
         use std::os::windows::process::CommandExt;
@@ -261,6 +280,62 @@ pub(crate) fn spawn_installed_desktop(install_root: &std::path::Path) -> std::io
     cmd.spawn().map(|_child| ())
 }
 
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+pub(crate) fn open_macos_app_detached(app_bundle: &std::path::Path) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+    let mut cmd = std::process::Command::new("/usr/bin/open");
+    cmd.arg(app_bundle);
+    cmd.current_dir(crate::paths::hermes_home());
+    cmd.spawn().map(|_child| ())
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+fn app_bundle_for_exe(exe: &std::path::Path) -> Option<PathBuf> {
+    let app = exe.parent()?.parent()?.parent()?.to_path_buf();
+    if app.extension().and_then(|e| e.to_str()) == Some("app") && app.is_dir() {
+        Some(app)
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+fn desktop_launch_command(
+    exe_path: &std::path::Path,
+    install_root: &std::path::Path,
+) -> tokio::process::Command {
+    #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+    {
+        if let Some(app_bundle) = app_bundle_for_exe(exe_path) {
+            let mut cmd = tokio::process::Command::new("/usr/bin/open");
+            cmd.arg(app_bundle);
+            cmd.current_dir(crate::paths::hermes_home());
+            return cmd;
+        }
+    }
+
+    let mut cmd = tokio::process::Command::new(exe_path);
+    cmd.current_dir(exe_path.parent().unwrap_or(install_root));
+    cmd
+}
+
+fn desktop_launch_command_std(
+    exe_path: &std::path::Path,
+    install_root: &std::path::Path,
+) -> std::process::Command {
+    #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+    {
+        if let Some(app_bundle) = app_bundle_for_exe(exe_path) {
+            let mut cmd = std::process::Command::new("/usr/bin/open");
+            cmd.arg(app_bundle);
+            cmd.current_dir(crate::paths::hermes_home());
+            return cmd;
+        }
+    }
+
+    let mut cmd = std::process::Command::new(exe_path);
+    cmd.current_dir(exe_path.parent().unwrap_or(install_root));
+    cmd
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Bootstrap implementation
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -291,6 +366,7 @@ async fn run_bootstrap(
             BootstrapEvent::Log {
                 stage: None,
                 line: line.to_string(),
+                stream: LogStream::Stdout,
             },
         );
         // Bump to info-level so the line shows in bootstrap-installer.log
@@ -625,6 +701,7 @@ async fn run_install_script(
                 BootstrapEvent::Log {
                     stage: stage_for_stdout.clone(),
                     line: line.to_string(),
+                    stream: LogStream::Stdout,
                 },
             );
             // Tee to the rolling installer log so we have a persistent
@@ -643,7 +720,8 @@ async fn run_install_script(
                 &app_for_stderr,
                 BootstrapEvent::Log {
                     stage: stage_for_stderr.clone(),
-                    line: format!("stderr: {line}"),
+                    line: line.to_string(),
+                    stream: LogStream::Stderr,
                 },
             );
             // stderr-level lines get warn! so they're visually distinct
@@ -739,3 +817,90 @@ fn truncate(s: &str, max: usize) -> String {
         format!("{}...", &s[..max])
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use std::path::PathBuf;
+    use std::path::Path;
+
+    fn unique_tmp_dir(tag: &str) -> PathBuf {
+        let base = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+            "hermes-bootstrap-test-{tag}-{}-{}",
+            std::process::id(),
+            std::time::SystemTime::now()
+                .duration_since(std::time::UNIX_EPOCH)
+                .unwrap()
+                .as_nanos()
+        ));
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&base).unwrap();
+        base
+    }
+
+    // Build a fake built-desktop release tree at the platform's expected path
+    // and return (install_root, expected_app_bundle_or_exe).
+    fn make_release_tree(install_root: &Path) -> PathBuf {
+        let release = install_root.join("apps").join("desktop").join("release");
+        if cfg!(target_os = "macos") {
+            let macos_dir = release
+                .join("mac-arm64")
+                .join("Hermes.app")
+                .join("Contents")
+                .join("MacOS");
+            std::fs::create_dir_all(&macos_dir).unwrap();
+            std::fs::write(macos_dir.join("Hermes"), b"#!/bin/sh\n").unwrap();
+            macos_dir.parent().unwrap().parent().unwrap().to_path_buf() // .../Hermes.app
+        } else if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
+            let dir = release.join("win-unpacked");
+            std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+            let exe = dir.join("Hermes.exe");
+            std::fs::write(&exe, b"stub").unwrap();
+            exe
+        } else {
+            let dir = release.join("linux-unpacked");
+            std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+            let exe = dir.join("hermes");
+            std::fs::write(&exe, b"stub").unwrap();
+            exe
+        }
+    }
+
+    // The relaunch / install target is derived from the rebuilt desktop app.
+    // On macOS this MUST resolve to the .app bundle (what `open` relaunches and
+    // what the updater ditto's over /Applications/Hermes.app). A regression in
+    // this derivation breaks the post-update auto-relaunch, so guard it.
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_hermes_desktop_app_finds_built_bundle() {
+        let root = unique_tmp_dir("app-ok");
+        let expected = make_release_tree(&root);
+
+        let resolved = resolve_hermes_desktop_app(&root)
+            .expect("should resolve the freshly-built desktop app");
+
+        #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+        {
+            assert_eq!(resolved, expected, "must resolve to the .app bundle");
+            assert_eq!(
+                resolved.extension().and_then(|e| e.to_str()),
+                Some("app"),
+                "relaunch target must be a .app bundle on macOS"
+            );
+        }
+        #[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
+        {
+            assert_eq!(resolved, expected);
+        }
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&root);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_hermes_desktop_app_is_none_without_a_build() {
+        let root = unique_tmp_dir("app-none");
+        // No release tree created.
+        assert!(
+            resolve_hermes_desktop_app(&root).is_none(),
+            "no resolved app when nothing has been built"
+        );
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&root);
+    }
+}

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

@@ -51,6 +51,16 @@ pub enum StageState {
     Failed,
 }
 
+/// Which pipe a raw log line came from. Reported as structured metadata so
+/// the UI can style stderr subtly rather than mislabeling it as an error:
+/// uv/pip/git/npm write normal progress to stderr by design.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
+pub enum LogStream {
+    Stdout,
+    Stderr,
+}
+
 /// The single event channel `bootstrap` emits these. `type` discriminates.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize)]
 #[serde(tag = "type", rename_all = "lowercase")]
@@ -72,11 +82,14 @@ pub enum BootstrapEvent {
         #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
         error: Option<String>,
     },
-    /// Raw stdout/stderr line from install.ps1 (or our wrapper).
+    /// Raw stdout/stderr line from install.ps1 (or our wrapper). `stream`
+    /// tells the UI which pipe it came from so stderr can be styled subtly
+    /// instead of being mislabeled as an error.
     Log {
         #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
         stage: Option<String>,
         line: String,
+        stream: LogStream,
     },
     /// Sent once when all stages complete successfully.
     Complete {

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

@@ -45,6 +45,14 @@ pub async fn run_script(
 ) -> Result<ScriptResult> {
     let mut cmd = build_command(script_path, args);
 
+    // The installer can be launched from a .app bundle that is later replaced
+    // during self-update. Pin child scripts to a stable directory so bash/zsh
+    // never starts from a deleted cwd and emits getcwd/job-working-directory
+    // errors at the end of an otherwise successful install.
+    if let Some(cwd) = stable_script_cwd(script_path, hermes_home_override) {
+        cmd.current_dir(cwd);
+    }
+
     if let Some(home) = hermes_home_override {
         cmd.env("HERMES_HOME", home);
     }
@@ -146,6 +154,16 @@ pub async fn run_script(
     })
 }
 
+fn stable_script_cwd<'a>(script_path: &'a Path, hermes_home_override: Option<&'a str>) -> Option<&'a Path> {
+    if let Some(home) = hermes_home_override {
+        let path = Path::new(home);
+        if path.is_dir() {
+            return Some(path);
+        }
+    }
+    script_path.parent().filter(|p| p.is_dir())
+}
+
 async fn recv_cancel(rx: &mut Option<CancelRx>) {
     match rx {
         Some(r) => {
@@ -264,4 +282,11 @@ info line
         assert!(parse_stage_result("just banner\n").is_none());
         assert!(parse_manifest("just banner\n").is_none());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stable_script_cwd_prefers_existing_hermes_home() {
+        let script = Path::new("/tmp/install.sh");
+        let cwd = stable_script_cwd(script, Some("/"));
+        assert_eq!(cwd, Some(Path::new("/")));
+    }
 }

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

@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@
 //! the no-window creation flag — both already cfg-gated. Keep new logic
 //! OS-agnostic so the mac/linux port stays "fill in the paths".
 
+use std::env;
+use std::ffi::OsString;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::process::Stdio;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@ use tauri::{AppHandle, Emitter};
 use tokio::io::{AsyncBufReadExt, BufReader};
 use tokio::process::Command;
 
-use crate::events::{BootstrapEvent, StageInfo, StageState};
+use crate::events::{BootstrapEvent, LogStream, StageInfo, StageState};
 
 /// `hermes update` exit code meaning "another hermes process is holding the
 /// venv shim open / dirty precondition" — see _cmd_update_impl in
@@ -40,10 +43,48 @@ const UPDATE_EXIT_CONCURRENT: i32 = 2;
 const DESKTOP_EXIT_WAIT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(20);
 const DESKTOP_EXIT_POLL: Duration = Duration::from_millis(500);
 
+/// Guards against concurrent update runs. The frontend kicks `startUpdate()`
+/// from a mount effect, which can fire more than once (React strict-mode
+/// double-invokes effects in dev; a window reload or stray re-init can do it
+/// in prod). Two `run_update` tasks racing on `git stash` corrupt the working
+/// tree — one stashes the changes the other then can't find. Exactly one task
+/// may hold this flag at a time.
+static UPDATE_RUNNING: AtomicBool = AtomicBool::new(false);
+
 /// Frontend → Rust: kick off the update flow. Mirrors `start_bootstrap`'s
 /// fire-and-forget shape; progress arrives on the `bootstrap` event channel.
 #[tauri::command]
 pub async fn start_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<(), String> {
+    // Re-entrancy guard (see UPDATE_RUNNING). compare_exchange lets exactly one
+    // caller flip false→true; any concurrent caller no-ops instead of spawning
+    // a second racing update.
+    if UPDATE_RUNNING
+        .compare_exchange(false, true, Ordering::SeqCst, Ordering::SeqCst)
+        .is_err()
+    {
+        // Already running: re-emit the manifest so a duplicate startUpdate()
+        // call (which resets the frontend store) can recover its stage list.
+        let target_app = if cfg!(target_os = "macos") {
+            target_app_from_args(std::env::args().skip(1))
+        } else {
+            None
+        };
+        let mut stages = vec![
+            stage_info("update", "Updating Hermes"),
+            stage_info("rebuild", "Rebuilding the desktop app"),
+        ];
+        if cfg!(target_os = "macos") && target_app.is_some() {
+            stages.push(stage_info("install", "Installing the updated app"));
+        }
+        emit(
+            &app,
+            BootstrapEvent::Manifest {
+                stages,
+                protocol_version: None,
+            },
+        );
+        return Ok(());
+    }
     tokio::spawn(async move {
         if let Err(err) = run_update(app.clone()).await {
             // run_update already emits a Failed event on the paths that matter;
@@ -56,6 +97,7 @@ pub async fn start_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<(), String> {
                 },
             );
         }
+        UPDATE_RUNNING.store(false, Ordering::SeqCst);
     });
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -63,6 +105,14 @@ pub async fn start_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<(), String> {
 async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
     let hermes_home = crate::paths::hermes_home();
     let install_root = hermes_home.join("hermes-agent");
+    let update_branch = update_branch_from_args(std::env::args().skip(1))
+        .or_else(|| option_env_string("BUILD_PIN_BRANCH"))
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| "main".to_string());
+    let target_app = if cfg!(target_os = "macos") {
+        target_app_from_args(std::env::args().skip(1))
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
 
     let hermes = resolve_hermes(&install_root).ok_or_else(|| {
         let msg = format!(
@@ -81,13 +131,18 @@ async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
     })?;
 
     // Synthetic manifest so the existing progress UI renders our two stages.
+    let mut stages = vec![
+        stage_info("update", "Updating Hermes"),
+        stage_info("rebuild", "Rebuilding the desktop app"),
+    ];
+    if cfg!(target_os = "macos") && target_app.is_some() {
+        stages.push(stage_info("install", "Installing the updated app"));
+    }
+
     emit(
         &app,
         BootstrapEvent::Manifest {
-            stages: vec![
-                stage_info("update", "Updating Hermes"),
-                stage_info("rebuild", "Rebuilding the desktop app"),
-            ],
+            stages,
             protocol_version: None,
         },
     );
@@ -107,12 +162,17 @@ async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
     // reports "already up to date" against the wrong branch. The desktop
     // detected the update against this same branch, so we must update against
     // it too.
-    let pin_branch = option_env_string("BUILD_PIN_BRANCH");
-    let mut update_args: Vec<&str> = vec!["update", "--yes", "--gateway"];
-    if let Some(b) = pin_branch.as_deref() {
-        update_args.push("--branch");
-        update_args.push(b);
-    }
+    emit_log(
+        &app,
+        Some("update"),
+        LogStream::Stdout,
+        &format!("[update] updating against branch {update_branch}"),
+    );
+    let child_env = update_child_env(&install_root);
+    let mut update_args: Vec<String> =
+        vec!["update".into(), "--yes".into(), "--gateway".into()];
+    update_args.push("--branch".into());
+    update_args.push(update_branch);
 
     emit_stage(&app, "update", StageState::Running, None, None);
     let started = Instant::now();
@@ -121,6 +181,7 @@ async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
         &hermes,
         &update_args,
         &install_root,
+        &child_env,
         Some("update"),
     )
     .await?;
@@ -182,11 +243,13 @@ async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
     // repo-root deps with --workspaces=false). This is the rebuild it skips.
     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(
         &app,
         &hermes,
-        &["desktop", "--build-only"],
+        &rebuild_args,
         &install_root,
+        &child_env,
         Some("rebuild"),
     )
     .await?;
@@ -217,6 +280,43 @@ async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
     }
     emit_stage(&app, "rebuild", StageState::Succeeded, Some(rebuild_ms), None);
 
+    let launch_target = if let Some(target_app) = target_app {
+        let started = Instant::now();
+        emit_stage(&app, "install", StageState::Running, None, None);
+        match install_macos_app_update(&app, &install_root, &target_app).await {
+            Ok(installed_app) => {
+                emit_stage(
+                    &app,
+                    "install",
+                    StageState::Succeeded,
+                    Some(started.elapsed().as_millis() as u64),
+                    None,
+                );
+                Some(installed_app)
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                let msg = format!("{err:#}");
+                emit_stage(
+                    &app,
+                    "install",
+                    StageState::Failed,
+                    Some(started.elapsed().as_millis() as u64),
+                    Some(msg.clone()),
+                );
+                emit(
+                    &app,
+                    BootstrapEvent::Failed {
+                        stage: Some("install".into()),
+                        error: msg.clone(),
+                    },
+                );
+                return Err(anyhow!(msg));
+            }
+        }
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+
     // ---- done: signal complete, then launch the fresh desktop ------------
     emit(
         &app,
@@ -226,10 +326,17 @@ async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
         },
     );
 
-    // Reuse the same detached-launch + app.exit(0) used post-install.
-    if let Err(err) =
-        crate::bootstrap::launch_hermes_desktop(app.clone(), install_root.to_string_lossy().into_owned())
-            .await
+    if let Some(target_app) = launch_target {
+        if let Err(err) = launch_macos_app_and_exit(&app, &target_app).await {
+            emit_log(
+                &app,
+                None,
+                LogStream::Stderr,
+                &format!("[update] could not auto-launch desktop: {err}. Launch Hermes manually."),
+            );
+        }
+    } else if let Err(err) =
+        crate::bootstrap::launch_hermes_desktop(app.clone(), install_root.to_string_lossy().into_owned()).await
     {
         // Launch failed: don't hard-fail the update (it succeeded); surface a
         // log line so the success screen can still tell the user to launch
@@ -237,6 +344,7 @@ async fn run_update(app: AppHandle) -> Result<()> {
         emit_log(
             &app,
             None,
+            LogStream::Stdout,
             &format!("[update] could not auto-launch desktop: {err}. Launch Hermes manually."),
         );
     }
@@ -251,7 +359,7 @@ async fn wait_for_venv_free(install_root: &Path, app: &AppHandle) {
     let shim = venv_hermes(install_root);
     let deadline = Instant::now() + DESKTOP_EXIT_WAIT;
 
-    emit_log(app, Some("update"), "[update] waiting for Hermes to exit…");
+    emit_log(app, Some("update"), LogStream::Stdout, "[update] waiting for Hermes to exit…");
 
     loop {
         if !is_locked(&shim) {
@@ -261,6 +369,7 @@ async fn wait_for_venv_free(install_root: &Path, app: &AppHandle) {
             emit_log(
                 app,
                 Some("update"),
+                LogStream::Stdout,
                 "[update] timed out waiting for Hermes to exit; proceeding anyway",
             );
             return;
@@ -289,8 +398,9 @@ fn is_locked(path: &Path) -> bool {
 async fn run_streamed(
     app: &AppHandle,
     program: &Path,
-    args: &[&str],
+    args: &[String],
     cwd: &Path,
+    envs: &[(String, OsString)],
     stage: Option<&str>,
 ) -> Result<CmdResult> {
     let mut cmd = Command::new(program);
@@ -299,6 +409,9 @@ async fn run_streamed(
         .stdin(Stdio::null())
         .stdout(Stdio::piped())
         .stderr(Stdio::piped());
+    for (key, value) in envs {
+        cmd.env(key, value);
+    }
 
     #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
     {
@@ -320,22 +433,22 @@ async fn run_streamed(
     loop {
         tokio::select! {
             line = out.next_line() => match line {
-                Ok(Some(l)) => emit_log(app, stage_owned.as_deref(), &l),
+                Ok(Some(l)) => emit_log(app, stage_owned.as_deref(), LogStream::Stdout, &l),
                 Ok(None) => break,
                 Err(e) => { tracing::warn!("stdout read error: {e}"); break; }
             },
             line = err.next_line() => match line {
-                Ok(Some(l)) => emit_log(app, stage_owned.as_deref(), &format!("stderr: {l}")),
+                Ok(Some(l)) => emit_log(app, stage_owned.as_deref(), LogStream::Stderr, &l),
                 Ok(None) => {}
                 Err(e) => { tracing::warn!("stderr read error: {e}"); }
             },
         }
     }
     while let Ok(Some(l)) = out.next_line().await {
-        emit_log(app, stage_owned.as_deref(), &l);
+        emit_log(app, stage_owned.as_deref(), LogStream::Stdout, &l);
     }
     while let Ok(Some(l)) = err.next_line().await {
-        emit_log(app, stage_owned.as_deref(), &format!("stderr: {l}"));
+        emit_log(app, stage_owned.as_deref(), LogStream::Stderr, &l);
     }
 
     let status = child.wait().await.map_err(|e| anyhow!("waiting for child: {e}"))?;
@@ -378,6 +491,225 @@ fn resolve_hermes(install_root: &Path) -> Option<PathBuf> {
     None
 }
 
+fn update_child_env(install_root: &Path) -> Vec<(String, OsString)> {
+    let hermes_home = crate::paths::hermes_home();
+    let mut envs = vec![(
+        "HERMES_HOME".to_string(),
+        hermes_home.as_os_str().to_os_string(),
+    )];
+    if let Some(path) = path_with_prepended_entries(&[
+        hermes_home.join("node").join("bin"),
+        venv_bin_dir(install_root),
+    ]) {
+        envs.push(("PATH".to_string(), path));
+    }
+    envs
+}
+
+fn venv_bin_dir(install_root: &Path) -> PathBuf {
+    if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
+        install_root.join("venv").join("Scripts")
+    } else {
+        install_root.join("venv").join("bin")
+    }
+}
+
+fn path_with_prepended_entries(entries: &[PathBuf]) -> Option<OsString> {
+    let mut parts: Vec<PathBuf> = entries.to_vec();
+    if let Some(existing) = env::var_os("PATH") {
+        parts.extend(env::split_paths(&existing));
+    }
+    env::join_paths(parts).ok()
+}
+
+fn update_branch_from_args<I, S>(args: I) -> Option<String>
+where
+    I: IntoIterator<Item = S>,
+    S: AsRef<str>,
+{
+    arg_value_from_args(args, "--branch")
+        .map(|s| s.trim().to_string())
+        .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
+}
+
+fn target_app_from_args<I, S>(args: I) -> Option<PathBuf>
+where
+    I: IntoIterator<Item = S>,
+    S: AsRef<str>,
+{
+    arg_value_from_args(args, "--target-app")
+        .map(PathBuf::from)
+        .filter(|p| p.extension().and_then(|e| e.to_str()) == Some("app"))
+}
+
+fn arg_value_from_args<I, S>(args: I, name: &str) -> Option<String>
+where
+    I: IntoIterator<Item = S>,
+    S: AsRef<str>,
+{
+    let mut iter = args.into_iter().map(|s| s.as_ref().to_string()).peekable();
+    while let Some(arg) = iter.next() {
+        if arg == name {
+            return iter.next();
+        }
+        if let Some(value) = arg.strip_prefix(&format!("{name}=")) {
+            return Some(value.to_string());
+        }
+    }
+    None
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+async fn install_macos_app_update(
+    app: &AppHandle,
+    install_root: &Path,
+    target_app: &Path,
+) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    if target_app.extension().and_then(|e| e.to_str()) != Some("app") {
+        return Err(anyhow!(
+            "refusing to install update into non-app path: {}",
+            target_app.display()
+        ));
+    }
+
+    let rebuilt_app = crate::bootstrap::resolve_hermes_desktop_app(install_root).ok_or_else(|| {
+        anyhow!(
+            "desktop rebuild succeeded but no Hermes.app was found under {}",
+            install_root.join("apps").join("desktop").join("release").display()
+        )
+    })?;
+
+    let same = match (rebuilt_app.canonicalize(), target_app.canonicalize()) {
+        (Ok(a), Ok(b)) => a == b,
+        _ => rebuilt_app == target_app,
+    };
+    if same {
+        emit_log(
+            app,
+            Some("install"),
+            LogStream::Stdout,
+            &format!(
+                "[update] rebuilt app is already the launch target: {}",
+                target_app.display()
+            ),
+        );
+        return Ok(target_app.to_path_buf());
+    }
+
+    emit_log(
+        app,
+        Some("install"),
+        LogStream::Stdout,
+        &format!(
+            "[update] installing rebuilt app {} -> {}",
+            rebuilt_app.display(),
+            target_app.display()
+        ),
+    );
+
+    if let Some(parent) = target_app.parent() {
+        tokio::fs::create_dir_all(parent).await?;
+    }
+    let tmp = PathBuf::from(format!("{}.hermes-update-new", target_app.display()));
+    let old = PathBuf::from(format!("{}.hermes-update-old", target_app.display()));
+    remove_dir_if_exists(&tmp).await;
+    remove_dir_if_exists(&old).await;
+
+    let ditto = Command::new("/usr/bin/ditto")
+        .arg(&rebuilt_app)
+        .arg(&tmp)
+        .current_dir(crate::paths::hermes_home())
+        .status()
+        .await
+        .map_err(|e| anyhow!("running ditto: {e}"))?;
+    if !ditto.success() {
+        return Err(anyhow!(
+            "ditto failed while copying updated app into {}",
+            tmp.display()
+        ));
+    }
+
+    // Atomic-as-possible swap with rollback. Extracted so the invariant
+    // (target is never left deleted-with-no-replacement) can be unit-tested
+    // without ditto / a real .app bundle.
+    swap_in_new_bundle(&tmp, target_app, &old).await?;
+
+    let _ = Command::new("/usr/bin/xattr")
+        .arg("-dr")
+        .arg("com.apple.quarantine")
+        .arg(target_app)
+        .current_dir(crate::paths::hermes_home())
+        .status()
+        .await;
+
+    Ok(target_app.to_path_buf())
+}
+
+/// Move a freshly-staged bundle (`tmp`) into place at `target`, parking any
+/// existing bundle at `old` so the move can succeed (macOS `rename` won't
+/// overwrite a non-empty directory).
+///
+/// Invariant: on ANY failure path, `target` is left pointing at a working
+/// bundle — either the original (rolled back from `old`) or untouched — and we
+/// never delete the running app with no replacement in place. The staged `tmp`
+/// copy is cleaned up on failure.
+async fn swap_in_new_bundle(tmp: &Path, target: &Path, old: &Path) -> Result<()> {
+    let moved_old = if target.exists() {
+        if let Err(err) = tokio::fs::rename(target, old).await {
+            // Could not move the existing app aside. Leave it untouched and
+            // bail — a failed update must not brick the install.
+            remove_dir_if_exists(tmp).await;
+            return Err(anyhow!(
+                "could not move existing app aside at {} (leaving it in place): {err}",
+                target.display()
+            ));
+        }
+        true
+    } else {
+        false
+    };
+    if let Err(err) = tokio::fs::rename(tmp, target).await {
+        // Restore the original app from the backup so the user keeps a working
+        // install, and clean up the staged copy.
+        if moved_old {
+            let _ = tokio::fs::rename(old, target).await;
+        }
+        remove_dir_if_exists(tmp).await;
+        return Err(anyhow!("installing updated app at {}: {err}", target.display()));
+    }
+    remove_dir_if_exists(old).await;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
+async fn install_macos_app_update(
+    _app: &AppHandle,
+    _install_root: &Path,
+    target_app: &Path,
+) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    Ok(target_app.to_path_buf())
+}
+
+async fn remove_dir_if_exists(path: &Path) {
+    if path.exists() {
+        let _ = tokio::fs::remove_dir_all(path).await;
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+async fn launch_macos_app_and_exit(app: &AppHandle, target_app: &Path) -> Result<()> {
+    crate::bootstrap::open_macos_app_detached(target_app)
+        .map_err(|e| anyhow!("launching {}: {e}", target_app.display()))?;
+    tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(150)).await;
+    app.exit(0);
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
+async fn launch_macos_app_and_exit(_app: &AppHandle, _target_app: &Path) -> Result<()> {
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Event helpers — keep emit shape identical to bootstrap.rs so the UI is reused
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -429,7 +761,7 @@ fn emit_stage(
     );
 }
 
-fn emit_log(app: &AppHandle, stage: Option<&str>, line: &str) {
+fn emit_log(app: &AppHandle, stage: Option<&str>, stream: LogStream, line: &str) {
     match stage {
         Some(s) => tracing::info!(target: "bootstrap.log", stage = %s, "{line}"),
         None => tracing::info!(target: "bootstrap.log", "{line}"),
@@ -439,6 +771,7 @@ fn emit_log(app: &AppHandle, stage: Option<&str>, line: &str) {
         BootstrapEvent::Log {
             stage: stage.map(|s| s.to_string()),
             line: line.to_string(),
+            stream,
         },
     );
 }
@@ -459,4 +792,118 @@ mod tests {
     fn missing_file_is_not_locked() {
         assert!(!is_locked(Path::new("/nonexistent/does/not/exist/xyz")));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_update_branch_from_space_or_equals_args() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            update_branch_from_args(["--update", "--branch", "bb/test"]),
+            Some("bb/test".to_string())
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            update_branch_from_args(["--update", "--branch=main"]),
+            Some("main".to_string())
+        );
+        assert_eq!(update_branch_from_args(["--update"]), None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_only_app_targets() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            target_app_from_args(["--update", "--target-app", "/Applications/Hermes.app"]),
+            Some(PathBuf::from("/Applications/Hermes.app"))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(target_app_from_args(["--target-app", "/tmp/not-an-app"]), None);
+    }
+
+    // Helpers for the swap tests: make a throwaway dir tree we can rename.
+    fn unique_tmp_dir(tag: &str) -> PathBuf {
+        let base = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+            "hermes-swap-test-{tag}-{}-{}",
+            std::process::id(),
+            std::time::SystemTime::now()
+                .duration_since(std::time::UNIX_EPOCH)
+                .unwrap()
+                .as_nanos()
+        ));
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&base).unwrap();
+        base
+    }
+
+    fn write_marker(dir: &Path, contents: &str) {
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(dir).unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(dir.join("marker.txt"), contents).unwrap();
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn swap_installs_new_bundle_and_cleans_up() {
+        let base = unique_tmp_dir("ok");
+        let target = base.join("Hermes.app");
+        let tmp = base.join("Hermes.app.hermes-update-new");
+        let old = base.join("Hermes.app.hermes-update-old");
+        write_marker(&target, "OLD");
+        write_marker(&tmp, "NEW");
+
+        swap_in_new_bundle(&tmp, &target, &old).await.unwrap();
+
+        // New bundle is now at target; staging + backup dirs are gone.
+        assert_eq!(
+            std::fs::read_to_string(target.join("marker.txt")).unwrap(),
+            "NEW"
+        );
+        assert!(!tmp.exists(), "staged copy should be cleaned up");
+        assert!(!old.exists(), "backup should be cleaned up on success");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&base);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn swap_failure_never_leaves_target_missing() {
+        // Regression guard for the catastrophic path: the move-aside of the
+        // existing app fails AND the staged bundle can't be installed. The
+        // buggy version deleted `target` when move-aside failed and then
+        // skipped rollback, bricking the install. The fixed version must leave
+        // the original app intact on disk.
+        //
+        // Trigger both failures deterministically:
+        //  - `old` is a NON-EMPTY dir  -> rename(target, old) fails
+        //  - `tmp` does not exist       -> rename(tmp, target) fails
+        let base = unique_tmp_dir("fail");
+        let target = base.join("Hermes.app");
+        let tmp = base.join("Hermes.app.hermes-update-new"); // intentionally absent
+        let old = base.join("Hermes.app.hermes-update-old");
+        write_marker(&target, "OLD");
+        write_marker(&old, "OCCUPIED"); // non-empty => rename(target,old) fails
+
+        let result = swap_in_new_bundle(&tmp, &target, &old).await;
+
+        assert!(result.is_err(), "swap should fail when neither move can complete");
+        assert!(target.exists(), "original app must NOT be deleted on failure");
+        assert_eq!(
+            std::fs::read_to_string(target.join("marker.txt")).unwrap(),
+            "OLD",
+            "original app contents must be intact after a failed swap"
+        );
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&base);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn swap_rolls_back_when_install_step_fails() {
+        // Move-aside succeeds but installing the staged bundle fails (tmp
+        // absent). The original must be rolled back from `old` to `target`.
+        let base = unique_tmp_dir("rollback");
+        let target = base.join("Hermes.app");
+        let tmp = base.join("Hermes.app.hermes-update-new"); // absent
+        let old = base.join("Hermes.app.hermes-update-old");
+        write_marker(&target, "OLD");
+
+        let result = swap_in_new_bundle(&tmp, &target, &old).await;
+
+        assert!(result.is_err());
+        assert!(target.exists(), "original must be restored after failed install");
+        assert_eq!(
+            std::fs::read_to_string(target.join("marker.txt")).unwrap(),
+            "OLD"
+        );
+        assert!(!old.exists(), "backup should be rolled back, not left behind");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&base);
+    }
 }

apps/bootstrap-installer/src/routes/failure.tsx

@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { Button } from '../components/button'
 import {
   $logPath,
+  $mode,
   openLogDir,
   startInstall,
+  startUpdate,
   type BootstrapStateModel
 } from '../store'
 import { RefreshCw, FileText } from 'lucide-react'
@@ -22,6 +24,8 @@ interface FailureProps {
  */
 export default function Failure({ bootstrap }: FailureProps) {
   const logPath = useStore($logPath)
+  const mode = useStore($mode)
+  const isUpdate = mode === 'update'
 
   return (
     <div className="hermes-fade-in flex h-full flex-col items-center justify-center gap-6 px-12 py-10">
@@ -37,24 +41,27 @@ export default function Failure({ bootstrap }: FailureProps) {
           }
         >
           <span>
-            <span>Install didn&rsquo;t finish</span>
+            <span>{isUpdate ? 'Update didn\u2019t finish' : 'Install didn\u2019t finish'}</span>
           </span>
-          <span aria-hidden="true">Install didn&rsquo;t finish</span>
+          <span aria-hidden="true">{isUpdate ? 'Update didn\u2019t finish' : 'Install didn\u2019t finish'}</span>
         </p>
 
         <p className="m-0 mx-auto max-w-xl text-center text-sm leading-normal tracking-tight text-muted-foreground">
-          {bootstrap.error ?? 'Something went wrong during installation.'}
+          {bootstrap.error ??
+            (isUpdate
+              ? 'Something went wrong during the update.'
+              : 'Something went wrong during installation.')}
         </p>
       </div>
 
       <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
         <Button
-          onClick={() => void startInstall()}
+          onClick={() => void (isUpdate ? startUpdate() : startInstall())}
           size="lg"
           className="inline-flex items-center gap-2 px-6"
         >
           <RefreshCw size={16} />
-          Retry install
+          {isUpdate ? 'Retry update' : 'Retry install'}
         </Button>
         <Button
           variant="outline"

apps/bootstrap-installer/src/routes/progress.tsx

@@ -115,9 +115,7 @@ export default function ProgressScreen({ bootstrap }: ProgressProps) {
                   key={idx}
                   className={clsx(
                     'whitespace-pre-wrap',
-                    entry.line.startsWith('stderr:')
-                      ? 'text-destructive'
-                      : 'text-foreground/70'
+                    entry.stream === 'stderr' ? 'text-foreground/45' : 'text-foreground/70'
                   )}
                 >
                   {entry.line}

apps/bootstrap-installer/src/store.ts

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export interface BootstrapStateModel {
   currentStage: string | null
   installRoot: string | null
   error: string | null
-  logs: Array<{ stage?: string; line: string }>
+  logs: Array<{ stage?: string; line: string; stream?: 'stdout' | 'stderr' }>
 }
 
 const INITIAL: BootstrapStateModel = {
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ interface BootstrapLogEvent {
   type: 'log'
   stage?: string
   line: string
+  stream?: 'stdout' | 'stderr'
 }
 
 interface BootstrapCompleteEvent {
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ export async function initialize(): Promise<void> {
         break
       }
       case 'log': {
-        const logs = [...cur.logs, { stage: payload.stage, line: payload.line }]
+        const logs = [...cur.logs, { stage: payload.stage, line: payload.line, stream: payload.stream }]
         // Keep the rolling buffer bounded so the UI doesn't get OOM'd
         // during a long install (playwright chromium download is ~10k lines).
         const trimmed = logs.length > 2000 ? logs.slice(-2000) : logs

apps/desktop/electron/bootstrap-runner.cjs

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
  *   { type: 'manifest',  stages: [{name, title, category, needs_user_input}, ...] }
  *   { type: 'stage',     name, state: 'running'|'succeeded'|'skipped'|'failed',
  *                        json?, durationMs?, error? }
- *   { type: 'log',       stage?, line }      // raw line from install.ps1
+ *   { type: 'log',       stage?, line, stream: 'stdout'|'stderr' } // raw line from install.ps1
  *   { type: 'complete',  marker: <written marker payload> }
  *   { type: 'failed',    stage?, error }     // bootstrap aborted
  *
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ function spawnPowerShell(scriptPath, args, { emit, stageName, abortSignal, herme
       while ((nl = stdoutBuf.indexOf('\n')) !== -1) {
         const line = stdoutBuf.slice(0, nl).replace(/\r$/, '')
         stdoutBuf = stdoutBuf.slice(nl + 1)
-        if (line) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line })
+        if (line) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line, stream: 'stdout' })
       }
     })
 
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ function spawnPowerShell(scriptPath, args, { emit, stageName, abortSignal, herme
       while ((nl = stderrBuf.indexOf('\n')) !== -1) {
         const line = stderrBuf.slice(0, nl).replace(/\r$/, '')
         stderrBuf = stderrBuf.slice(nl + 1)
-        if (line) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: `stderr: ${line}` })
+        if (line) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line, stream: 'stderr' })
       }
     })
 
@@ -253,8 +253,8 @@ function spawnPowerShell(scriptPath, args, { emit, stageName, abortSignal, herme
     child.on('close', (code, signal) => {
       if (abortSignal) abortSignal.removeEventListener('abort', onAbort)
       // Flush any trailing bytes
-      if (stdoutBuf) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: stdoutBuf })
-      if (stderrBuf) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: `stderr: ${stderrBuf}` })
+      if (stdoutBuf) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: stdoutBuf, stream: 'stdout' })
+      if (stderrBuf) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: stderrBuf, stream: 'stderr' })
       resolve({ stdout, stderr, code, signal, killed })
     })
   })
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ function spawnBash(scriptPath, args, { emit, stageName, abortSignal, hermesHome
       while ((nl = stdoutBuf.indexOf('\n')) !== -1) {
         const line = stdoutBuf.slice(0, nl).replace(/\r$/, '')
         stdoutBuf = stdoutBuf.slice(nl + 1)
-        if (line) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line })
+        if (line) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line, stream: 'stdout' })
       }
     })
 
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ function spawnBash(scriptPath, args, { emit, stageName, abortSignal, hermesHome
       while ((nl = stderrBuf.indexOf('\n')) !== -1) {
         const line = stderrBuf.slice(0, nl).replace(/\r$/, '')
         stderrBuf = stderrBuf.slice(nl + 1)
-        if (line) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: `stderr: ${line}` })
+        if (line) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line, stream: 'stderr' })
       }
     })
 
@@ -322,8 +322,8 @@ function spawnBash(scriptPath, args, { emit, stageName, abortSignal, hermesHome
 
     child.on('close', (code, signal) => {
       if (abortSignal) abortSignal.removeEventListener('abort', onAbort)
-      if (stdoutBuf) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: stdoutBuf })
-      if (stderrBuf) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: `stderr: ${stderrBuf}` })
+      if (stdoutBuf) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: stdoutBuf, stream: 'stdout' })
+      if (stderrBuf) emit && emit({ type: 'log', stage: stageName, line: stderrBuf, stream: 'stderr' })
       resolve({ stdout, stderr, code, signal, killed })
     })
   })

apps/desktop/electron/main.cjs

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const {
   nativeImage,
   nativeTheme,
   net: electronNet,
+  powerMonitor,
   protocol,
   safeStorage,
   session,
@@ -470,12 +471,14 @@ let bootstrapAbortController = null
 // of re-adopting the install we're repairing. Cleared once a bootstrap runs.
 let forceBootstrapRepair = false
 let connectionConfigCache = null
+let connectionConfigCacheMtime = null
 const hermesLog = []
 const previewWatchers = new Map()
 let previewShortcutActive = false
 let desktopLogBuffer = ''
 let desktopLogFlushTimer = null
 let desktopLogFlushPromise = Promise.resolve()
+let nativeThemeListenerInstalled = false
 let bootProgressState = {
   error: null,
   fakeMode: BOOT_FAKE_MODE,
@@ -722,7 +725,7 @@ function broadcastBootstrapEvent(ev) {
       error: ev.error ?? null
     }
   } else if (ev.type === 'log') {
-    bootstrapState.log.push({ ts: Date.now(), stage: ev.stage || null, line: ev.line })
+    bootstrapState.log.push({ ts: Date.now(), stage: ev.stage || null, line: ev.line, stream: ev.stream || 'stdout' })
     if (bootstrapState.log.length > BOOTSTRAP_LOG_RING_MAX) {
       bootstrapState.log.splice(0, bootstrapState.log.length - BOOTSTRAP_LOG_RING_MAX)
     }
@@ -1100,9 +1103,17 @@ function readDesktopUpdateConfig() {
   }
 }
 
+// Atomic file write: temp + rename (atomic on all platforms). Prevents
+// partial writes on crash/power loss that corrupt JSON config files.
+function writeFileAtomic(targetPath, data, encoding) {
+  const tmp = targetPath + '.tmp'
+  fs.writeFileSync(tmp, data, encoding)
+  fs.renameSync(tmp, targetPath)
+}
+
 function writeDesktopUpdateConfig(config) {
   fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(DESKTOP_UPDATE_CONFIG_PATH), { recursive: true })
-  fs.writeFileSync(DESKTOP_UPDATE_CONFIG_PATH, JSON.stringify(config, null, 2))
+  writeFileAtomic(DESKTOP_UPDATE_CONFIG_PATH, JSON.stringify(config, null, 2))
 }
 
 // Match the backend's source resolution but bias toward a real git checkout.
@@ -1319,16 +1330,34 @@ async function applyUpdates(opts = {}) {
 
     emitUpdateProgress({ stage: 'restart', message: 'Handing off to the Hermes updater…', percent: 100 })
 
+    const updateRoot = resolveUpdateRoot()
+    const { branch: configuredBranch } = readDesktopUpdateConfig()
+    const branch = await resolveHealedBranch(updateRoot, configuredBranch || DEFAULT_UPDATE_BRANCH)
+    const updaterArgs = ['--update', '--branch', branch]
+    const targetApp = IS_MAC ? runningAppBundle() : null
+    if (targetApp) {
+      updaterArgs.push('--target-app', targetApp)
+    }
+    const venvBin = path.join(updateRoot, 'venv', IS_WINDOWS ? 'Scripts' : 'bin')
+
     // Detached so the updater outlives this process — it needs us GONE before
     // `hermes update` will run (the venv shim is locked while we live).
-    const child = spawn(updater, ['--update'], {
+    const child = spawn(updater, updaterArgs, {
+      cwd: HERMES_HOME,
+      env: {
+        ...process.env,
+        HERMES_HOME,
+        PATH: [path.join(HERMES_HOME, 'node', 'bin'), venvBin, process.env.PATH]
+          .filter(Boolean)
+          .join(path.delimiter)
+      },
       detached: true,
       stdio: 'ignore',
       windowsHide: false
     })
     child.unref()
 
-    rememberLog(`[updates] launched updater: ${updater} --update; exiting desktop to release venv shim`)
+    rememberLog(`[updates] launched updater: ${updater} ${updaterArgs.join(' ')}; exiting desktop to release venv shim`)
 
     // Give the OS a beat to register the new process, then quit. The updater
     // rebuilds and relaunches us when it's done.
@@ -1412,6 +1441,18 @@ async function applyUpdatesPosixInApp(opts = {}) {
     PATH: [extraPath, process.env.PATH].filter(Boolean).join(path.delimiter)
   }
 
+  // `hermes update` reaps stale `hermes dashboard` backends (a code update
+  // leaves the running process serving old Python against the freshly-updated
+  // JS bundle). But OUR backend is one of those processes, and killing it
+  // mid-update produces the boot→kill→crash loop in #37532 — the desktop
+  // already restarts its own backend via the rebuild+relaunch below, so the
+  // reap must spare it. Hand the live backend's PID to the update process;
+  // _kill_stale_dashboard_processes reads HERMES_DESKTOP_CHILD_PID and excludes
+  // it while still reaping any genuinely-orphaned dashboards. (#37532)
+  if (hermesProcess && Number.isInteger(hermesProcess.pid)) {
+    env.HERMES_DESKTOP_CHILD_PID = String(hermesProcess.pid)
+  }
+
   // Branch-pin so a non-main checkout doesn't get switched to main (and self-heal
   // to main when the pinned branch no longer exists on origin).
   let branchArgs = []
@@ -1597,7 +1638,7 @@ function writeBootstrapMarker(payload) {
     completedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
     desktopVersion: app.getVersion()
   }
-  fs.writeFileSync(BOOTSTRAP_COMPLETE_MARKER, JSON.stringify(merged, null, 2) + '\n', 'utf8')
+  writeFileAtomic(BOOTSTRAP_COMPLETE_MARKER, JSON.stringify(merged, null, 2) + '\n', 'utf8')
   return merged
 }
 
@@ -2063,6 +2104,7 @@ function fetchJson(url, token, options = {}) {
       },
       res => {
         const chunks = []
+        res.on('error', reject)
         res.on('data', chunk => chunks.push(chunk))
         res.on('end', () => {
           const text = Buffer.concat(chunks).toString('utf8')
@@ -2402,6 +2444,7 @@ async function resourceBufferFromUrl(rawUrl) {
         return
       }
       const chunks = []
+      res.on('error', reject)
       res.on('data', chunk => chunks.push(chunk))
       res.on('end', () => {
         resolve({
@@ -2663,6 +2706,32 @@ function sendClosePreviewRequested() {
   webContents.send('hermes:close-preview-requested')
 }
 
+// Tell the renderer the machine just woke. Sleep silently drops the
+// renderer's WebSocket to the local backend; the renderer reconnects on this
+// signal so the chat composer doesn't stay stuck on "Starting Hermes...".
+function sendPowerResume() {
+  if (!mainWindow || mainWindow.isDestroyed()) return
+  const { webContents } = mainWindow
+  if (!webContents || webContents.isDestroyed()) return
+  webContents.send('hermes:power-resume')
+}
+
+let powerResumeRegistered = false
+
+function registerPowerResumeListeners() {
+  if (powerResumeRegistered) return
+  powerResumeRegistered = true
+  try {
+    // 'resume' covers sleep/wake; 'unlock-screen' covers lock/unlock without a
+    // full suspend. Either can drop an idle socket.
+    powerMonitor.on('resume', sendPowerResume)
+    powerMonitor.on('unlock-screen', sendPowerResume)
+  } catch {
+    // powerMonitor is unavailable before app 'ready' on some platforms; the
+    // caller registers after 'ready', so this should not normally throw.
+  }
+}
+
 function getAppIconPath() {
   return APP_ICON_PATHS.find(fileExists)
 }
@@ -3078,7 +3147,17 @@ function decryptDesktopSecret(secret) {
 }
 
 function readDesktopConnectionConfig() {
-  if (connectionConfigCache) {
+  // Check if file changed on disk since last read (e.g. modified by another
+  // process or an external tool).  Our own writes update the cache inline
+  // via writeDesktopConnectionConfig, but external changes would be missed.
+  let mtime = null
+  try {
+    mtime = fs.statSync(DESKTOP_CONNECTION_CONFIG_PATH).mtimeMs
+  } catch {
+    mtime = null
+  }
+
+  if (connectionConfigCache && connectionConfigCacheMtime === mtime) {
     return connectionConfigCache
   }
 
@@ -3099,14 +3178,16 @@ function readDesktopConnectionConfig() {
   }
 
   connectionConfigCache = config
+  connectionConfigCacheMtime = mtime
 
   return config
 }
 
 function writeDesktopConnectionConfig(config) {
   fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(DESKTOP_CONNECTION_CONFIG_PATH), { recursive: true })
-  fs.writeFileSync(DESKTOP_CONNECTION_CONFIG_PATH, JSON.stringify(config, null, 2))
+  writeFileAtomic(DESKTOP_CONNECTION_CONFIG_PATH, JSON.stringify(config, null, 2))
   connectionConfigCache = config
+  connectionConfigCacheMtime = fs.statSync(DESKTOP_CONNECTION_CONFIG_PATH).mtimeMs
 }
 
 function sanitizeDesktopConnectionConfig(config = readDesktopConnectionConfig()) {
@@ -3434,9 +3515,12 @@ function createWindow() {
   }
 
   if (!IS_MAC) {
-    nativeTheme.on('updated', () => {
-      mainWindow?.setTitleBarOverlay?.(getTitleBarOverlayOptions())
-    })
+    if (!nativeThemeListenerInstalled) {
+      nativeThemeListenerInstalled = true
+      nativeTheme.on('updated', () => {
+        mainWindow?.setTitleBarOverlay?.(getTitleBarOverlayOptions())
+      })
+    }
   }
 
   mainWindow.on('will-enter-full-screen', () => sendWindowStateChanged(true))
@@ -4175,6 +4259,7 @@ app.whenReady().then(() => {
   registerMediaProtocol()
   ensureWslWindowsFonts()
   configureSpellChecker()
+  registerPowerResumeListeners()
   createWindow()
 
   app.on('activate', () => {

apps/desktop/electron/preload.cjs

@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('hermesDesktop', {
     ipcRenderer.on('hermes:backend-exit', listener)
     return () => ipcRenderer.removeListener('hermes:backend-exit', listener)
   },
+  onPowerResume: callback => {
+    const listener = () => callback()
+    ipcRenderer.on('hermes:power-resume', listener)
+    return () => ipcRenderer.removeListener('hermes:power-resume', listener)
+  },
   onBootProgress: callback => {
     const listener = (_event, payload) => callback(payload)
     ipcRenderer.on('hermes:boot-progress', listener)

apps/desktop/package.json

@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
   "author": "Nous Research",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "electron/main.cjs",
+  "engines": {
+    "node": "^20.19.0 || >=22.12.0"
+  },
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "concurrently -k \"npm:dev:renderer\" \"npm:dev:electron\"",
     "dev:fake-boot": "cross-env HERMES_DESKTOP_BOOT_FAKE=1 HERMES_DESKTOP_BOOT_FAKE_STEP_MS=650 npm run dev",
@@ -97,6 +100,7 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@eslint/js": "^9.39.4",
+    "@testing-library/dom": "^10.4.0",
     "@testing-library/react": "^16.3.2",
     "@types/hast": "^3.0.4",
     "@types/node": "^24.12.2",

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

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { ZoomableImage } from '@/components/chat/zoomable-image'
 import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import { CopyButton } from '@/components/ui/copy-button'
 import {
   Pagination,
@@ -25,7 +24,9 @@ import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import type { SessionInfo, SessionMessage } from '@/types/hermes'
 
+import { useRefreshHotkey } from '../hooks/use-refresh-hotkey'
 import { useRouteEnumParam } from '../hooks/use-route-enum-param'
+import { PAGE_INSET_NEG_X, PAGE_INSET_X } from '../layout-constants'
 import { PageSearchShell } from '../page-search-shell'
 import { sessionRoute } from '../routes'
 import type { SetStatusbarItemGroup } from '../shell/statusbar-controls'
@@ -372,14 +373,11 @@ export function ArtifactsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, .
 
   const [kindFilter, setKindFilter] = useRouteEnumParam('tab', ARTIFACT_FILTERS, 'all')
 
-  const [refreshing, setRefreshing] = useState(false)
   const [failedImageIds, setFailedImageIds] = useState<Set<string>>(() => new Set())
   const [imagePage, setImagePage] = useState(1)
   const [filePage, setFilePage] = useState(1)
 
   const refreshArtifacts = useCallback(async () => {
-    setRefreshing(true)
-
     try {
       const sessions = (await listSessions(30, 1)).sessions
       const results = await Promise.allSettled(sessions.map(session => getSessionMessages(session.id)))
@@ -398,11 +396,11 @@ export function ArtifactsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, .
     } catch (err) {
       notifyError(err, 'Artifacts failed to load')
       setArtifacts([])
-    } finally {
-      setRefreshing(false)
     }
   }, [])
 
+  useRefreshHotkey(refreshArtifacts)
+
   useEffect(() => {
     void refreshArtifacts()
   }, [refreshArtifacts])
@@ -502,7 +500,11 @@ export function ArtifactsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, .
   return (
     <PageSearchShell
       {...props}
-      filters={
+      onSearchChange={setQuery}
+      searchHidden={counts.all === 0}
+      searchPlaceholder="Search artifacts..."
+      searchValue={query}
+      tabs={
         <>
           <TextTab active={kindFilter === 'all'} onClick={() => setKindFilter('all')}>
             All <TextTabMeta>({counts.all})</TextTabMeta>
@@ -518,23 +520,6 @@ export function ArtifactsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, .
           </TextTab>
         </>
       }
-      onSearchChange={setQuery}
-      searchPlaceholder="Search artifacts..."
-      searchTrailingAction={
-        <Button
-          aria-label={refreshing ? 'Refreshing artifacts' : 'Refresh artifacts'}
-          className="text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-transparent hover:text-foreground"
-          disabled={refreshing}
-          onClick={() => void refreshArtifacts()}
-          size="icon-xs"
-          title={refreshing ? 'Refreshing artifacts' : 'Refresh artifacts'}
-          type="button"
-          variant="ghost"
-        >
-          <Codicon name="refresh" size="0.875rem" spinning={refreshing} />
-        </Button>
-      }
-      searchValue={query}
     >
       {!artifacts ? (
         <PageLoader label="Indexing recent session artifacts" />
@@ -549,10 +534,16 @@ export function ArtifactsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, .
         </div>
       ) : (
         <div className="h-full overflow-y-auto">
-          <div className="flex flex-col gap-3 px-2 pb-2">
+          <div className={cn('flex flex-col gap-3 pb-2', PAGE_INSET_X)}>
             {visibleImageArtifacts.length > 0 && (
               <section className="flex flex-col">
-                <div className="sticky top-0 z-10 -mx-2 flex h-7 items-center gap-3 overflow-x-auto bg-background px-3">
+                <div
+                  className={cn(
+                    'sticky top-0 z-10 flex h-7 items-center gap-3 overflow-x-auto bg-background',
+                    PAGE_INSET_NEG_X,
+                    PAGE_INSET_X
+                  )}
+                >
                   <ArtifactsPagination
                     className="ml-auto justify-end px-0"
                     itemLabel="images"
@@ -578,7 +569,13 @@ export function ArtifactsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, .
 
             {visibleFileArtifacts.length > 0 && (
               <section className="flex flex-col">
-                <div className="sticky top-0 z-10 -mx-2 flex h-7 items-center gap-3 overflow-x-auto bg-background px-3">
+                <div
+                  className={cn(
+                    'sticky top-0 z-10 flex h-7 items-center gap-3 overflow-x-auto bg-background',
+                    PAGE_INSET_NEG_X,
+                    PAGE_INSET_X
+                  )}
+                >
                   <ArtifactsPagination
                     className="ml-auto justify-end px-0"
                     itemLabel={itemsLabel(kindFilter)}
@@ -588,7 +585,7 @@ export function ArtifactsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, .
                     total={visibleFileArtifacts.length}
                   />
                 </div>
-                <div className="overflow-x-auto rounded-lg border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background) shadow-sm">
+                <div className="overflow-x-auto rounded-lg border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background)">
                   <ArtifactTable artifacts={pagedFileArtifacts} ctx={cellCtx} filter={kindFilter} />
                 </div>
               </section>
@@ -660,11 +657,7 @@ interface ArtifactImageCardProps {
 
 function ArtifactImageCard({ artifact, failedImage, onImageError, onOpenChat }: ArtifactImageCardProps) {
   return (
-    <article
-      className={cn(
-        'group/artifact overflow-hidden rounded-lg border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background) shadow-sm'
-      )}
-    >
+    <article className="group/artifact overflow-hidden rounded-lg border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background)">
       <div
         className={cn(
           'relative flex h-40 w-full items-center justify-center overflow-hidden border-b border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-bg-quinary) p-1.5',
@@ -674,7 +667,7 @@ function ArtifactImageCard({ artifact, failedImage, onImageError, onOpenChat }:
         {!failedImage && (
           <ZoomableImage
             alt={artifact.label}
-            className="max-h-40 max-w-full cursor-zoom-in rounded-md object-contain shadow-sm"
+            className="max-h-40 max-w-full cursor-zoom-in rounded-md object-contain"
             containerClassName="max-h-full"
             decoding="async"
             loading="lazy"
@@ -702,7 +695,7 @@ function ArtifactImageCard({ artifact, failedImage, onImageError, onOpenChat }:
         </div>
 
         <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-1.5">
-          <Button onClick={() => onOpenChat(artifact.sessionId)} size="xs" type="button" variant="outline">
+          <Button onClick={() => onOpenChat(artifact.sessionId)} size="xs" type="button" variant="textStrong">
             <FolderOpen className="size-3" />
             Chat
           </Button>
@@ -741,10 +734,7 @@ function ArtifactCellAction({
 
   return (
     <button
-      className={cn(
-        'flex h-full w-full min-w-0 items-center gap-2 px-2.5 py-1.5 text-left text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] leading-(--conversation-caption-line-height) font-normal text-(--ui-text-secondary) no-underline underline-offset-4 decoration-current/20 transition-colors hover:text-foreground hover:underline',
-        'cursor-pointer'
-      )}
+      className="flex h-full w-full min-w-0 items-center gap-2 px-2.5 py-1.5 text-left text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] leading-(--conversation-caption-line-height) font-normal text-(--ui-text-secondary) no-underline underline-offset-4 decoration-current/20 transition-colors hover:text-foreground hover:underline"
       onClick={onClick}
       title={title}
       type="button"
@@ -863,7 +853,7 @@ function ArtifactTable({
           ))}
         </tr>
       </thead>
-      <tbody className="divide-y divide-(--ui-stroke-quaternary)">
+      <tbody>
         {artifacts.map(artifact => (
           <tr className="group/artifact" key={artifact.id}>
             {ARTIFACT_COLUMNS.map(col => {

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/context-menu.tsx

@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ function PromptSnippetsDialog({
           {snippets.map(snippet => (
             <li key={snippet.label}>
               <button
-                className="group/snippet flex w-full cursor-pointer items-start gap-2.5 rounded-md border border-transparent px-2.5 py-2 text-left transition-colors hover:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) focus-visible:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) focus-visible:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) focus-visible:outline-none"
+                className="group/snippet flex w-full items-start gap-2.5 rounded-md border border-transparent px-2.5 py-2 text-left transition-colors hover:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) focus-visible:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) focus-visible:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) focus-visible:outline-none"
                 onClick={() => {
                   onInsertText(snippet.text)
                   onOpenChange(false)

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

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import {
   shouldAutoDrainOnSettle,
   updateQueuedPrompt
 } from '@/store/composer-queue'
-import { $messages } from '@/store/session'
+import { $gatewayState, $messages } from '@/store/session'
 import { $threadScrolledUp } from '@/store/thread-scroll'
 
 import { extractDroppedFiles, HERMES_PATHS_MIME } from '../hooks/use-composer-actions'
@@ -73,9 +73,39 @@ import { VoiceActivity, VoicePlaybackActivity } from './voice-activity'
 
 const COMPOSER_STACK_BREAKPOINT_PX = 320
 
+// A single editor line is ~28px (--composer-input-min-height 1.625rem + 0.5rem
+// vertical padding). Anything taller means the text wrapped to a second line,
+// which is when the composer should expand to the stacked layout.
+const COMPOSER_SINGLE_LINE_MAX_PX = 36
+
 const COMPOSER_FADE_BACKGROUND =
   'linear-gradient(to bottom, transparent, color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-background) 10%, transparent))'
 
+// Resting composer placeholders. New sessions get open-ended starters; an
+// existing chat gets phrasings that read as a continuation of the thread.
+// One is picked at random per session (stable until the session changes).
+const NEW_SESSION_PLACEHOLDERS = [
+  'What are we building?',
+  'Give Hermes a task',
+  "What's on your mind?",
+  'Describe what you need',
+  'What should we tackle?',
+  'Ask anything',
+  'Start with a goal'
+]
+
+const FOLLOW_UP_PLACEHOLDERS = [
+  'Send a follow-up',
+  'Add more context',
+  'Refine the request',
+  "What's next?",
+  'Keep it going',
+  'Push it further',
+  'Adjust or continue'
+]
+
+const pickPlaceholder = (pool: readonly string[]) => pool[Math.floor(Math.random() * pool.length)]
+
 interface QueueEditState {
   attachments: ComposerAttachment[]
   draft: string
@@ -142,6 +172,7 @@ export function ChatBar({
   const [queueEdit, setQueueEdit] = useState<QueueEditState | null>(null)
   const [focusRequestId, setFocusRequestId] = useState(0)
   const dragDepthRef = useRef(0)
+  const composingRef = useRef(false)  // true during IME composition (CJK input)
   const lastSpokenIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
 
   const narrow = useMediaQuery('(max-width: 30rem)')
@@ -156,7 +187,44 @@ export function ChatBar({
   const busyAction = busy && hasComposerPayload ? 'queue' : 'stop'
   const showHelpHint = draft === '?'
 
-  const placeholder = disabled ? 'Starting Hermes...' : 'Send follow-up'
+  const gatewayState = useStore($gatewayState)
+
+  // Resting placeholder: a starter for brand-new sessions, a continuation for
+  // existing ones. Picked once and only re-rolled when we genuinely move to a
+  // *different* conversation. Critically, the first id assignment of a freshly
+  // started session (null → id, on the first send) is treated as the same
+  // conversation so the placeholder doesn't visibly flip mid-stream.
+  const [restingPlaceholder, setRestingPlaceholder] = useState(() =>
+    pickPlaceholder(sessionId ? FOLLOW_UP_PLACEHOLDERS : NEW_SESSION_PLACEHOLDERS)
+  )
+
+  const prevSessionIdRef = useRef(sessionId)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const prev = prevSessionIdRef.current
+    prevSessionIdRef.current = sessionId
+
+    if (prev === sessionId) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    // null → id: the new session we're already in just got persisted. Keep the
+    // starter we showed instead of swapping to a follow-up under the user.
+    if (prev == null && sessionId) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    setRestingPlaceholder(pickPlaceholder(sessionId ? FOLLOW_UP_PLACEHOLDERS : NEW_SESSION_PLACEHOLDERS))
+  }, [sessionId])
+
+  // When the bar is disabled it's because the gateway isn't open. Distinguish a
+  // cold start ("Starting Hermes...") from a dropped connection we're trying to
+  // restore (e.g. after the Mac slept) so the stuck state reads as recoverable.
+  const placeholder = disabled
+    ? gatewayState === 'closed' || gatewayState === 'error'
+      ? 'Reconnecting to Hermes…'
+      : 'Starting Hermes...'
+    : restingPlaceholder
 
   const focusInput = useCallback(() => {
     focusComposerInput(editorRef.current)
@@ -247,14 +315,13 @@ export function ChatBar({
     }
   }, [urlOpen])
 
-  // Track expansion via cheap heuristics (newline or length threshold) instead
-  // of reading editor.scrollHeight on every keystroke. scrollHeight forces a
-  // synchronous layout flush — measured at 2.27 layouts per character typed
-  // (see scripts/leak-typing.mjs). With ~30 chars before a typical wrap on
-  // composer-default-width, this heuristic flips at roughly the right time
-  // and the user only notices if they type far past the wrap boundary
-  // without a newline; in that case the ResizeObserver below catches it via
-  // a height delta and we still expand.
+  // Expansion (input on its own full-width row, controls below) is driven by
+  // the editor's *actual* rendered height via the ResizeObserver in
+  // syncComposerMetrics — it only fires when the text genuinely wraps to a
+  // second line, so the layout flips exactly at the wrap point rather than at
+  // a guessed character count. We only handle the two cases the observer
+  // can't: an explicit newline (expand before layout settles) and an emptied
+  // draft (collapse back). We never read scrollHeight per keystroke.
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!draft) {
       setExpanded(false)
@@ -266,7 +333,7 @@ export function ChatBar({
       return
     }
 
-    if (draft.includes('\n') || draft.length > 60) {
+    if (draft.includes('\n')) {
       setExpanded(true)
     }
   }, [draft, expanded])
@@ -302,6 +369,18 @@ export function ChatBar({
       }
     }
 
+    // Expand once the input has actually wrapped past a single line. The
+    // observer only fires on real size changes, so this reads scrollHeight at
+    // most once per wrap (not per keystroke). One line ≈ 28px (1.625rem
+    // min-height + padding); a second line clears ~36px. We only ever expand
+    // here — collapse is handled by the emptied-draft effect to avoid
+    // oscillating across the wrap boundary as the input switches widths.
+    const editor = editorRef.current
+
+    if (editor && editor.scrollHeight > COMPOSER_SINGLE_LINE_MAX_PX) {
+      setExpanded(true)
+    }
+
     if (height > 0) {
       const bucket = Math.round(height / 8) * 8
 
@@ -321,7 +400,7 @@ export function ChatBar({
     }
   }, [])
 
-  useResizeObserver(syncComposerMetrics, composerRef, composerSurfaceRef)
+  useResizeObserver(syncComposerMetrics, composerRef, composerSurfaceRef, editorRef)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     return () => {
@@ -399,13 +478,19 @@ export function ChatBar({
       return
     }
 
-    const pastedText = event.clipboardData.getData('text')
+    // Trim surrounding whitespace so a copy that dragged along leading/trailing
+    // blank lines (common when selecting from terminals, code blocks, web pages)
+    // doesn't dump multiline padding into the composer. Internal newlines are
+    // preserved — only the edges are cleaned up.
+    const pastedText = event.clipboardData.getData('text').trim()
 
     if (!pastedText) {
+      event.preventDefault()
+
       return
     }
 
-    if (DATA_IMAGE_URL_RE.test(pastedText.trim())) {
+    if (DATA_IMAGE_URL_RE.test(pastedText)) {
       event.preventDefault()
 
       return
@@ -468,6 +553,13 @@ export function ChatBar({
   }, [trigger])
 
   const handleEditorInput = (event: FormEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
+    // During IME composition the DOM contains uncommitted preedit text
+    // mixed with real content.  Skip state writes — compositionend will
+    // deliver the finalized text via a clean input event.
+    if (composingRef.current) {
+      return
+    }
+
     const editor = event.currentTarget
 
     if (editor.childNodes.length === 1 && editor.firstChild?.nodeName === 'BR') {
@@ -567,7 +659,18 @@ export function ChatBar({
   }
 
   const handleEditorKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
-    if ((event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey) && !event.altKey && !event.shiftKey && event.key.toLowerCase() === 'k') {
+    // IME composition: Enter confirms composed text, not a message submission.
+    // We check both composingRef (set by compositionstart/compositionend, robust
+    // across browsers) and nativeEvent.isComposing (Chromium fallback).  Without
+    // this guard, pressing Enter to finalise a Korean/Japanese/Chinese IME
+    // preedit fires submitDraft() and splits the message mid-word.
+    if (composingRef.current || event.nativeEvent.isComposing) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    // Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+K drains the next queued message. Plain Cmd/Ctrl+K is
+    // reserved for the global command palette.
+    if ((event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey) && !event.altKey && event.shiftKey && event.key.toLowerCase() === 'k') {
       event.preventDefault()
 
       if (!busy) {
@@ -956,7 +1059,8 @@ export function ChatBar({
       const submitted = draft
       triggerHaptic('submit')
       clearDraft()
-      void onSubmit(submitted)
+      clearComposerAttachments()
+      void onSubmit(submitted, { attachments })
     }
 
     focusInput()
@@ -1082,10 +1186,10 @@ export function ChatBar({
     <div className={cn('relative', stacked ? 'w-full' : 'min-w-(--composer-input-inline-min-width) flex-1')}>
       <div
         aria-label="Message"
-        autoCorrect="off"
         autoCapitalize="off"
+        autoCorrect="off"
         className={cn(
-          'min-h-(--composer-input-min-height) max-h-(--composer-input-max-height) overflow-y-auto bg-transparent pb-1 pr-1 pt-1 leading-normal text-foreground outline-none disabled:cursor-not-allowed',
+          'min-h-(--composer-input-min-height) max-h-(--composer-input-max-height) overflow-y-auto whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [overflow-wrap:anywhere] bg-transparent pb-1 pr-1 pt-1 leading-normal text-foreground outline-none disabled:cursor-not-allowed',
           'empty:before:content-[attr(data-placeholder)] empty:before:text-muted-foreground/60',
           '**:data-ref-text:cursor-default',
           stacked && 'pl-3',
@@ -1095,6 +1199,12 @@ export function ChatBar({
         data-placeholder={placeholder}
         data-slot={RICH_INPUT_SLOT}
         onBlur={() => window.setTimeout(closeTrigger, 80)}
+        onCompositionEnd={() => {
+          composingRef.current = false
+        }}
+        onCompositionStart={() => {
+          composingRef.current = true
+        }}
         onDragOver={handleInputDragOver}
         onDrop={handleInputDrop}
         onFocus={() => markActiveComposer('main')}
@@ -1123,7 +1233,7 @@ export function ChatBar({
 
         `asChild` swaps TextareaAutosize for a Radix Slot wrapping our
         plain <textarea>, which carries the binding but skips autosize. */}
-      <ComposerPrimitive.Input asChild tabIndex={-1} unstable_focusOnScrollToBottom={false}>
+      <ComposerPrimitive.Input asChild submitMode="ctrlEnter" tabIndex={-1} unstable_focusOnScrollToBottom={false}>
         <textarea aria-hidden className="sr-only" tabIndex={-1} />
       </ComposerPrimitive.Input>
     </div>
@@ -1143,6 +1253,9 @@ export function ChatBar({
           onDrop={handleDrop}
           onSubmit={e => {
             e.preventDefault()
+            if (composingRef.current) {
+              return
+            }
             submitDraft()
           }}
           ref={composerRef}
@@ -1245,7 +1358,7 @@ export function ChatBar({
                     'grid w-full',
                     stacked
                       ? 'grid-cols-[auto_1fr] gap-(--composer-row-gap) [grid-template-areas:"input_input"_"menu_controls"]'
-                      : 'grid-cols-[auto_1fr_auto] items-end gap-(--composer-control-gap) [grid-template-areas:"menu_input_controls"]'
+                      : 'grid-cols-[auto_1fr_auto] items-center gap-(--composer-control-gap) [grid-template-areas:"menu_input_controls"]'
                   )}
                 >
                   <div className="flex items-center [grid-area:menu]">{contextMenu}</div>

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/text-utils.test.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
-import { detectTrigger } from './text-utils'
+import { blobDedupeKey, detectTrigger, extractClipboardImageBlobs } from './text-utils'
 
 describe('detectTrigger', () => {
   it('detects a bare slash trigger with an empty query', () => {
@@ -23,3 +23,55 @@ describe('detectTrigger', () => {
     expect(detectTrigger('hello there')).toBeNull()
   })
 })
+
+describe('extractClipboardImageBlobs', () => {
+  it('dedupes the same image exposed on both items and files', () => {
+    const image = new File([new Uint8Array([1, 2, 3])], 'paste.png', {
+      type: 'image/png',
+      lastModified: 1_700_000_000_000
+    })
+
+    const clipboard = {
+      files: {
+        length: 1,
+        item: (index: number) => (index === 0 ? image : null)
+      },
+      getData: () => '',
+      items: [
+        {
+          kind: 'file',
+          type: 'image/png',
+          getAsFile: () => image
+        }
+      ]
+    } as unknown as DataTransfer
+
+    expect(extractClipboardImageBlobs(clipboard)).toEqual([image])
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to files when items has no image', () => {
+    const image = new File([new Uint8Array([4, 5])], 'shot.jpg', {
+      type: 'image/jpeg',
+      lastModified: 1_700_000_000_001
+    })
+
+    const clipboard = {
+      files: {
+        length: 1,
+        item: (index: number) => (index === 0 ? image : null)
+      },
+      getData: () => '',
+      items: []
+    } as unknown as DataTransfer
+
+    expect(extractClipboardImageBlobs(clipboard)).toEqual([image])
+  })
+})
+
+describe('blobDedupeKey', () => {
+  it('uses file metadata for File blobs', () => {
+    const file = new File([], 'a.png', { type: 'image/png', lastModified: 42 })
+
+    expect(blobDedupeKey(file)).toBe('file:a.png:0:image/png:42')
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/text-utils.ts

@@ -8,16 +8,31 @@ export interface TriggerState {
 
 const TRIGGER_RE = /(?:^|[\s])([@/])([^\s@/]*)$/
 
+/** Stable key for paste dedupe — `items` and `files` often mirror the same image as different objects. */
+export function blobDedupeKey(blob: Blob): string {
+  if (blob instanceof File) {
+    return `file:${blob.name}:${blob.size}:${blob.type}:${blob.lastModified}`
+  }
+
+  return `blob:${blob.size}:${blob.type}`
+}
+
 export function extractClipboardImageBlobs(clipboard: DataTransfer): Blob[] {
   const blobs: Blob[] = []
-  const seen = new Set<Blob>()
+  const seen = new Set<string>()
 
   const push = (blob: Blob | null) => {
-    if (!blob || blob.size === 0 || seen.has(blob)) {
+    if (!blob || blob.size === 0) {
       return
     }
 
-    seen.add(blob)
+    const key = blobDedupeKey(blob)
+
+    if (seen.has(key)) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    seen.add(key)
     blobs.push(blob)
   }
 
@@ -29,7 +44,8 @@ export function extractClipboardImageBlobs(clipboard: DataTransfer): Blob[] {
     }
   }
 
-  if (clipboard.files?.length) {
+  // Chromium/Electron expose the same pasted image on both `items` and `files`.
+  if (blobs.length === 0 && clipboard.files?.length) {
     for (let i = 0; i < clipboard.files.length; i += 1) {
       const file = clipboard.files.item(i)
 

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

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { useLocation } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { Thread } from '@/components/assistant-ui/thread'
 import { Backdrop } from '@/components/Backdrop'
 import { NotificationStack } from '@/components/notifications'
+import { PromptOverlays } from '@/components/prompt-overlays'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import { getGlobalModelOptions, type HermesGateway } from '@/hermes'
@@ -36,7 +37,8 @@ import {
   $introSeed,
   $messages,
   $selectedStoredSessionId,
-  $sessions
+  $sessions,
+  sessionPinId
 } from '@/store/session'
 import type { ModelOptionsResponse } from '@/types/hermes'
 
@@ -96,9 +98,27 @@ function ChatHeader({
 }: ChatHeaderProps) {
   const sessions = useStore($sessions)
   const pinnedSessionIds = useStore($pinnedSessionIds)
-  const activeStoredSession = sessions.find(session => session.id === selectedSessionId) || null
+
+  const activeStoredSession =
+    sessions.find(session => session.id === selectedSessionId || session._lineage_root_id === selectedSessionId) || null
+
   const title = activeStoredSession ? sessionTitle(activeStoredSession) : 'New session'
-  const selectedIsPinned = selectedSessionId ? pinnedSessionIds.includes(selectedSessionId) : false
+
+  // Pins live on the durable lineage-root id, but selectedSessionId is the live
+  // (tip) id — resolve through the loaded row so the menu reflects the pin
+  // state after auto-compression rotates the id.
+  const selectedIsPinned = activeStoredSession
+    ? pinnedSessionIds.includes(sessionPinId(activeStoredSession))
+    : selectedSessionId
+      ? 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 (!selectedSessionId && !activeSessionId && !isRoutedSessionView) {
+    return null
+  }
 
   return (
     <header className={cn(titlebarHeaderBaseClass, isRoutedSessionView && titlebarHeaderShadowClass)}>
@@ -113,7 +133,7 @@ function ChatHeader({
           title={title}
         >
           <Button
-            className="pointer-events-auto h-6 min-w-0 gap-1 rounded-md border border-transparent bg-transparent px-2 py-0 text-(--ui-text-secondary) hover:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground data-[state=open]:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) data-[state=open]:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]"
+            className="pointer-events-auto h-6 min-w-0 gap-1 border border-transparent bg-transparent px-2 py-0 text-(--ui-text-secondary) hover:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground data-[state=open]:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) data-[state=open]:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]"
             type="button"
             variant="ghost"
           >
@@ -306,6 +326,7 @@ export function ChatView({
       />
 
       <NotificationStack />
+      <PromptOverlays />
 
       <div
         className="relative min-h-0 max-w-full flex-1 overflow-hidden bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background) contain-[layout_paint]"

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/right-rail/preview-console.tsx

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ function ConsoleRow({ copyText, log, onSend, onToggleSelect, selected }: Console
     >
       <button
         className={cn(
-          'mt-0.5 cursor-pointer text-left uppercase opacity-70 transition-colors hover:opacity-100',
+          'mt-0.5 text-left uppercase opacity-70 transition-colors hover:opacity-100',
           consoleLevelClass[log.level] ?? consoleLevelClass[0]
         )}
         onClick={onToggleSelect}

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/right-rail/preview-file.tsx

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import ShikiHighlighter from 'react-shiki'
 import { Streamdown } from 'streamdown'
 
 import { HERMES_PATHS_MIME } from '@/app/chat/hooks/use-composer-actions'
+import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import type { PreviewTarget } from '@/store/preview'
 
@@ -481,7 +482,7 @@ export function LocalFilePreview({ reloadKey, target }: { reloadKey: number; tar
   }, [blockedByTarget, filePath, forcePreview, isImage, isText, reloadKey, target.language])
 
   if (state.loading) {
-    return <div className="grid h-full place-items-center text-xs text-muted-foreground">Loading preview…</div>
+    return <PageLoader label="Loading preview" />
   }
 
   if (state.error) {

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/right-rail/preview-pane.tsx

@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ function PreviewLoadError({
       body={
         <>
           <a
-            className="pointer-events-auto block cursor-pointer font-mono text-muted-foreground/90 underline decoration-current/20 underline-offset-4 transition-colors hover:text-foreground"
+            className="pointer-events-auto block font-mono text-muted-foreground/90 underline decoration-current/20 underline-offset-4 transition-colors hover:text-foreground"
             href={error.url}
             onClick={event => {
               event.preventDefault()
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ export function PreviewPane({
           <div className="pointer-events-none flex min-h-(--titlebar-height) items-center gap-1.5 border-b border-border/60 bg-background px-2 py-1">
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
               <a
-                className="pointer-events-auto inline max-w-full cursor-pointer truncate text-left text-xs font-medium text-foreground underline-offset-4 decoration-current/20 transition-colors hover:text-primary hover:underline"
+                className="pointer-events-auto inline max-w-full truncate text-left text-xs font-medium text-foreground underline-offset-4 decoration-current/20 transition-colors hover:text-primary hover:underline"
                 href={currentUrl}
                 rel="noreferrer"
                 target="_blank"

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

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import { DisclosureCaret } from '@/components/ui/disclosure-caret'
 import { KbdGroup } from '@/components/ui/kbd'
+import { SearchField } from '@/components/ui/search-field'
 import {
   Sidebar,
   SidebarContent,
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ import { Skeleton } from '@/components/ui/skeleton'
 import { searchSessions, type SessionInfo, type SessionSearchResult } from '@/hermes'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import {
+  $panesFlipped,
   $pinnedSessionIds,
   $sidebarAgentsGrouped,
   $sidebarOpen,
@@ -143,6 +145,7 @@ function searchResultToSession(result: SessionSearchResult): SessionInfo {
     cwd: null,
     ended_at: null,
     id: result.session_id,
+    _lineage_root_id: result.lineage_root ?? null,
     input_tokens: 0,
     is_active: false,
     last_active: ts,
@@ -213,6 +216,7 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
   onNewSessionInWorkspace
 }: ChatSidebarProps) {
   const sidebarOpen = useStore($sidebarOpen)
+  const panesFlipped = useStore($panesFlipped)
   const agentsGrouped = useStore($sidebarAgentsGrouped)
   const pinnedSessionIds = useStore($pinnedSessionIds)
   const pinsOpen = useStore($sidebarPinsOpen)
@@ -226,8 +230,28 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
   const [workspaceOrderIds, setWorkspaceOrderIds] = useState<string[]>([])
   const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState('')
   const [serverMatches, setServerMatches] = useState<SessionSearchResult[]>([])
+  const [newSessionKbdFlash, setNewSessionKbdFlash] = useState(false)
   const trimmedQuery = searchQuery.trim()
 
+  // Flash the ⌘N hint full-opacity (no transition) for the press, so hitting
+  // the shortcut visibly pings its affordance in the sidebar.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let timeout: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined
+
+    const onShortcut = () => {
+      setNewSessionKbdFlash(true)
+      clearTimeout(timeout)
+      timeout = setTimeout(() => setNewSessionKbdFlash(false), 140)
+    }
+
+    window.addEventListener('hermes:new-session-shortcut', onShortcut)
+
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener('hermes:new-session-shortcut', onShortcut)
+      clearTimeout(timeout)
+    }
+  }, [])
+
   const activeSidebarSessionId = currentView === 'chat' ? selectedSessionId : null
 
   const dndSensors = useSensors(
@@ -405,7 +429,8 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
   return (
     <Sidebar
       className={cn(
-        'relative h-full min-w-0 overflow-hidden border-r border-t-0 border-b-0 border-l-0 text-foreground transition-none',
+        'relative h-full min-w-0 overflow-hidden border-t-0 border-b-0 text-foreground transition-none',
+        panesFlipped ? 'border-l border-r-0' : 'border-r border-l-0',
         sidebarOpen
           ? 'border-(--sidebar-edge-border) bg-(--ui-sidebar-surface-background) opacity-100'
           : 'pointer-events-none border-transparent bg-transparent opacity-0'
@@ -429,7 +454,7 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
                     <SidebarMenuButton
                       aria-disabled={!isInteractive}
                       className={cn(
-                        'flex h-7 w-full cursor-pointer justify-start gap-2 rounded-md border border-transparent px-2 text-left text-[0.8125rem] font-medium text-(--ui-text-secondary) transition-colors duration-100 ease-out hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground hover:transition-none',
+                        'flex h-7 w-full justify-start gap-2 rounded-md border border-transparent px-2 text-left text-[0.8125rem] font-medium text-(--ui-text-secondary) transition-colors duration-100 ease-out hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground hover:transition-none',
                         active &&
                           'border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-control-active-background) text-foreground shadow-none hover:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary)!',
                         !isInteractive &&
@@ -444,7 +469,10 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
                         <>
                           <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate max-[46.25rem]:hidden">{item.label}</span>
                           {item.id === 'new-session' && (
-                            <KbdGroup className="ml-auto max-[46.25rem]:hidden" keys={[...NEW_SESSION_KBD]} />
+                            <KbdGroup
+                              className={cn('ml-auto max-[46.25rem]:hidden', newSessionKbdFlash && 'opacity-100!')}
+                              keys={[...NEW_SESSION_KBD]}
+                            />
                           )}
                         </>
                       )}
@@ -457,28 +485,13 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
         </SidebarGroup>
 
         {sidebarOpen && showSessionSections && (
-          <div className="shrink-0 pb-1 pt-1">
-            <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border border-transparent bg-transparent px-2 transition-colors focus-within:border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary)">
-              <Codicon className="shrink-0 text-(--ui-text-tertiary)" name="search" size="0.75rem" />
-              <input
-                aria-label="Search sessions"
-                className="h-6 min-w-0 flex-1 bg-transparent text-[0.8125rem] text-foreground placeholder:text-(--ui-text-tertiary) focus:outline-none"
-                onChange={event => setSearchQuery(event.target.value)}
-                placeholder="Search sessions…"
-                type="text"
-                value={searchQuery}
-              />
-              {searchQuery && (
-                <button
-                  aria-label="Clear search"
-                  className="grid size-4 shrink-0 cursor-pointer place-items-center rounded-sm text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) hover:text-foreground"
-                  onClick={() => setSearchQuery('')}
-                  type="button"
-                >
-                  <Codicon name="close" size="0.75rem" />
-                </button>
-              )}
-            </div>
+          <div className="shrink-0 px-2 pb-1 pt-1">
+            <SearchField
+              aria-label="Search sessions"
+              onChange={setSearchQuery}
+              placeholder="Search sessions…"
+              value={searchQuery}
+            />
           </div>
         )}
 
@@ -553,7 +566,7 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
                 <Button
                   aria-label={agentsGrouped ? 'Show sessions as a single list' : 'Group sessions by workspace'}
                   className={cn(
-                    'cursor-pointer text-(--ui-text-tertiary) opacity-70 hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100',
+                    'text-(--ui-text-tertiary) opacity-70 hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100',
                     agentsGrouped && 'bg-(--ui-control-active-background) text-foreground opacity-100'
                   )}
                   onClick={event => {
@@ -603,7 +616,7 @@ function SidebarSectionHeader({ label, open, onToggle, action, meta }: SidebarSe
   return (
     <div className="group/section flex shrink-0 items-center justify-between pb-1 pt-1.5">
       <button
-        className="group/section-label flex w-fit cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 bg-transparent text-left leading-none"
+        className="group/section-label flex w-fit items-center gap-1 bg-transparent text-left leading-none"
         onClick={onToggle}
         type="button"
       >
@@ -644,7 +657,7 @@ function SidebarPinnedEmptyState() {
       <span className="grid w-3.5 shrink-0 place-items-center text-(--ui-text-quaternary)">
         <Codicon name="pin" size="0.75rem" />
       </span>
-      <span>Shift-click a chat to pin · drag to reorder</span>
+      <span>Shift-click a chat to pin</span>
     </div>
   )
 }
@@ -847,7 +860,7 @@ function SidebarWorkspaceGroup({
     <div className={cn('grid gap-px', dragging && 'z-10 opacity-60', className)} ref={ref} style={style} {...rest}>
       <div className="group/workspace flex min-h-6 items-center gap-1 px-2 pt-1 text-[0.6875rem] font-medium text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
         <button
-          className="flex min-w-0 cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 bg-transparent text-left hover:text-(--ui-text-secondary)"
+          className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1 bg-transparent text-left hover:text-(--ui-text-secondary)"
           onClick={() => setOpen(value => !value)}
           title={group.path ?? undefined}
           type="button"
@@ -862,7 +875,7 @@ function SidebarWorkspaceGroup({
         {onNewSession && (
           <button
             aria-label={`New session in ${group.label}`}
-            className="grid size-4 shrink-0 cursor-pointer place-items-center rounded-sm bg-transparent text-(--ui-text-quaternary) opacity-0 transition-opacity hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground group-hover/workspace:opacity-100"
+            className="grid size-4 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-sm bg-transparent text-(--ui-text-quaternary) opacity-0 transition-opacity hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground group-hover/workspace:opacity-100"
             onClick={() => onNewSession(group.path)}
             title={`New session in ${group.label}`}
             type="button"
@@ -894,7 +907,7 @@ function SidebarWorkspaceGroup({
           {hiddenCount > 0 && (
             <button
               aria-label={`Show ${nextCount} more in ${group.label}`}
-              className="ml-auto grid size-5 cursor-pointer place-items-center rounded-sm bg-transparent text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition-colors hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground"
+              className="ml-auto grid size-5 place-items-center rounded-sm bg-transparent text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition-colors hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground"
               onClick={() => setVisibleCount(count => count + WORKSPACE_PAGE)}
               title={`Show ${nextCount} more in ${group.label}`}
               type="button"
@@ -948,7 +961,7 @@ function SidebarLoadMoreRow({ loading, onClick, step }: SidebarLoadMoreRowProps)
 
   return (
     <button
-      className="flex min-h-5 cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 self-start bg-transparent pl-2 text-left text-[0.6875rem] text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition-colors duration-100 ease-out hover:text-foreground hover:transition-none disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-60 disabled:hover:text-(--ui-text-tertiary)"
+      className="flex min-h-5 items-center gap-1 self-start bg-transparent pl-2 text-left text-[0.6875rem] text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition-colors duration-100 ease-out hover:text-foreground hover:transition-none disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-60 disabled:hover:text-(--ui-text-tertiary)"
       disabled={loading}
       onClick={onClick}
       type="button"

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import type * as React from 'react'
 
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@ import type { SessionInfo } from '@/hermes'
 import { sessionTitle } from '@/lib/chat-runtime'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import { $attentionSessionIds } from '@/store/session'
 
 import { SessionActionsMenu, SessionContextMenu } from './session-actions-menu'
 
@@ -61,6 +63,10 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
   const title = sessionTitle(session)
   const age = formatAge(session.last_active || session.started_at)
   const handleLabel = `Reorder ${title}`
+  // Subscribe per-row (the leaf) instead of drilling a set through the list —
+  // the atom is tiny and rarely non-empty. True when a clarify prompt in this
+  // session is waiting on the user.
+  const needsInput = useStore($attentionSessionIds).includes(session.id)
 
   return (
     <SessionContextMenu
@@ -84,9 +90,9 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
         style={style}
         {...rest}
       >
-        {isWorking && <span aria-hidden="true" className="arc-border" />}
+        {isWorking && !needsInput && <span aria-hidden="true" className="arc-border" />}
         <button
-          className="z-0 flex min-w-0 cursor-pointer items-center gap-1.5 bg-transparent py-0.5 pl-2 pr-1 text-left group-hover:pr-12"
+          className="z-0 flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1.5 bg-transparent py-0.5 pl-2 pr-1 text-left group-hover:pr-12"
           onClick={event => {
             if (event.shiftKey) {
               event.preventDefault()
@@ -114,16 +120,25 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
             <span
               {...dragHandleProps}
               aria-label={handleLabel}
-              className="relative -my-0.5 grid w-4 shrink-0 cursor-grab touch-none place-items-center self-stretch overflow-hidden active:cursor-grabbing"
+              className={cn(
+                // Scope the dot↔grabber swap to a local group so the grabber
+                // only reveals when hovering/focusing the handle itself, not
+                // anywhere on the row.
+                'group/handle relative -my-0.5 grid w-4 shrink-0 cursor-grab touch-none place-items-center self-stretch overflow-hidden active:cursor-grabbing',
+                // The quest-glow box-shadow extends past the dot; let it bleed
+                // out instead of being clipped by this handle's overflow-hidden.
+                needsInput && 'overflow-visible'
+              )}
               onClick={event => event.stopPropagation()}
             >
               <SidebarRowDot
-                className="transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-0 group-focus-within:opacity-0"
+                className="transition-opacity group-hover/handle:opacity-0 group-focus-within/handle:opacity-0"
                 isWorking={isWorking}
+                needsInput={needsInput}
               />
               <Codicon
                 className={cn(
-                  'absolute text-(--ui-text-quaternary) opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-80 group-focus-within:opacity-80 hover:text-(--ui-text-secondary)',
+                  'absolute text-(--ui-text-quaternary) opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover/handle:opacity-80 group-focus-within/handle:opacity-80 hover:text-(--ui-text-secondary)',
                   dragging && 'text-(--ui-text-secondary) opacity-100'
                 )}
                 name="grabber"
@@ -131,8 +146,8 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
               />
             </span>
           ) : (
-            <span className="grid w-3.5 shrink-0 place-items-center overflow-hidden">
-              <SidebarRowDot isWorking={isWorking} />
+            <span className={cn('grid w-3.5 shrink-0 place-items-center', needsInput ? 'overflow-visible' : 'overflow-hidden')}>
+              <SidebarRowDot isWorking={isWorking} needsInput={needsInput} />
             </span>
           )}
           <span className="truncate text-[0.8125rem] font-normal text-(--ui-text-secondary) group-hover:text-foreground group-data-[working=true]:text-foreground/90">
@@ -155,7 +170,7 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
           >
             <Button
               aria-label={`Actions for ${title}`}
-              className="size-5 rounded-md bg-transparent text-transparent transition-colors duration-100 hover:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) hover:text-foreground focus-visible:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) focus-visible:text-foreground focus-visible:ring-0 data-[state=open]:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) data-[state=open]:text-foreground group-hover:text-(--ui-text-tertiary) [&_svg]:size-3.5!"
+              className="size-5 rounded-[4px] bg-transparent text-transparent transition-colors duration-100 hover:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) hover:text-foreground focus-visible:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) focus-visible:text-foreground focus-visible:ring-0 data-[state=open]:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) data-[state=open]:text-foreground group-hover:text-(--ui-text-tertiary) [&_svg]:size-3.5!"
               size="icon"
               title="Session actions"
               variant="ghost"
@@ -169,7 +184,30 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
   )
 }
 
-function SidebarRowDot({ isWorking, className }: { isWorking: boolean; className?: string }) {
+function SidebarRowDot({
+  isWorking,
+  needsInput = false,
+  className
+}: {
+  isWorking: boolean
+  needsInput?: boolean
+  className?: string
+}) {
+  // "Needs input" wins over "working": a clarify-blocked session is technically
+  // still running, but the actionable state is that it's waiting on the user.
+  // Amber + steady (no ping) reads as "your turn", distinct from the accent
+  // pulse of an active turn.
+  if (needsInput) {
+    return (
+      <span
+        aria-label="Needs your input"
+        className={cn('quest-glow relative size-1.5 rounded-full bg-amber-500', className)}
+        role="status"
+        title="Waiting for your answer"
+      />
+    )
+  }
+
   return (
     <span
       aria-label={isWorking ? 'Session running' : undefined}

apps/desktop/src/app/command-palette/index.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,460 @@
+import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
+import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query'
+import { Dialog as DialogPrimitive } from 'radix-ui'
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
+
+import {
+  Command,
+  CommandEmpty,
+  CommandGroup,
+  CommandInput,
+  CommandItem,
+  CommandList
+} from '@/components/ui/command'
+import { getHermesConfigRecord, listSessions } from '@/hermes'
+import { sessionTitle } from '@/lib/chat-runtime'
+import {
+  Activity,
+  Archive,
+  BarChart3,
+  Check,
+  ChevronLeft,
+  ChevronRight,
+  Clock,
+  Cpu,
+  Globe,
+  type IconComponent,
+  Info,
+  KeyRound,
+  MessageCircle,
+  Monitor,
+  Moon,
+  Package,
+  Palette,
+  Plus,
+  Settings,
+  Sun,
+  Users,
+  Wrench
+} from '@/lib/icons'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import { $commandPaletteOpen, closeCommandPalette, setCommandPaletteOpen } from '@/store/command-palette'
+import { type ThemeMode, useTheme } from '@/themes/context'
+
+import {
+  AGENTS_ROUTE,
+  ARTIFACTS_ROUTE,
+  COMMAND_CENTER_ROUTE,
+  CRON_ROUTE,
+  MESSAGING_ROUTE,
+  NEW_CHAT_ROUTE,
+  PROFILES_ROUTE,
+  sessionRoute,
+  SETTINGS_ROUTE,
+  SKILLS_ROUTE
+} from '../routes'
+import { FIELD_LABELS, SECTIONS } from '../settings/constants'
+import { prettyName } from '../settings/helpers'
+
+interface PaletteItem {
+  active?: boolean
+  icon: IconComponent
+  id: string
+  /** Keep the palette open after running (live-preview pickers like theme/mode). */
+  keepOpen?: boolean
+  keywords?: string[]
+  label: string
+  /** Action to run when selected. Mutually exclusive with `to`. */
+  run?: () => void
+  /** Open a nested palette page (VS Code-style "choose X → options"). */
+  to?: string
+}
+
+interface PaletteGroup {
+  heading: string
+  items: PaletteItem[]
+}
+
+/** A nested page reachable from a root item via `to`. */
+interface PalettePage {
+  groups: PaletteGroup[]
+  placeholder: string
+  title: string
+}
+
+interface SessionEntry {
+  id: string
+  preview?: string
+  title: string
+}
+
+type SessionRow = Awaited<ReturnType<typeof listSessions>>['sessions'][number]
+
+const toSessionEntry = (session: SessionRow): SessionEntry => ({
+  id: session.id,
+  preview: session.preview ?? undefined,
+  title: sessionTitle(session)
+})
+
+const NON_CONFIG_SETTINGS: ReadonlyArray<{ icon: IconComponent; keywords?: string[]; label: string; tab: string }> = [
+  { icon: Globe, keywords: ['connection', 'messaging'], label: 'Gateway', tab: 'gateway' },
+  { icon: KeyRound, keywords: ['api', 'secrets', 'tokens', 'credentials'], label: 'API Keys', tab: 'keys' },
+  { icon: Wrench, keywords: ['servers', 'tools'], label: 'MCP', tab: 'mcp' },
+  { icon: Archive, keywords: ['history', 'archived'], label: 'Archived Chats', tab: 'sessions' },
+  { icon: Info, keywords: ['version', 'about'], label: 'About', tab: 'about' }
+]
+
+const THEME_MODES: ReadonlyArray<{ icon: IconComponent; label: string; mode: ThemeMode }> = [
+  { icon: Sun, label: 'Light', mode: 'light' },
+  { icon: Moon, label: 'Dark', mode: 'dark' },
+  { icon: Monitor, label: 'System', mode: 'system' }
+]
+
+function fieldLabel(key: string): string {
+  return FIELD_LABELS[key] ?? prettyName(key.split('.').pop() ?? key)
+}
+
+export function CommandPalette() {
+  const open = useStore($commandPaletteOpen)
+  const navigate = useNavigate()
+  const { availableThemes, mode, resolvedMode, setMode, setTheme, themeName } = useTheme()
+  const [search, setSearch] = useState('')
+  const [page, setPage] = useState<string | null>(null)
+
+  // Server-backed sources for the type-to-search groups, fetched lazily while
+  // the palette is open. react-query handles caching/dedup/staleness.
+  const configQuery = useQuery({ queryKey: ['command-palette', 'config'], queryFn: getHermesConfigRecord, enabled: open })
+
+  const sessionsQuery = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['command-palette', 'sessions'],
+    queryFn: () => listSessions(200, 1, 'exclude'),
+    enabled: open
+  })
+
+  const archivedQuery = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['command-palette', 'archived'],
+    queryFn: () => listSessions(200, 0, 'only'),
+    enabled: open
+  })
+
+  const mcpServers = useMemo(() => {
+    const raw = configQuery.data?.mcp_servers
+
+    return raw && typeof raw === 'object' && !Array.isArray(raw) ? Object.keys(raw as Record<string, unknown>).sort() : []
+  }, [configQuery.data])
+
+  const sessions = useMemo(() => (sessionsQuery.data?.sessions ?? []).map(toSessionEntry), [sessionsQuery.data])
+  const archivedSessions = useMemo(() => (archivedQuery.data?.sessions ?? []).map(toSessionEntry), [archivedQuery.data])
+
+  // Reset the query/sub-page on close so it reopens clean.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) {
+      setSearch('')
+      setPage(null)
+    }
+  }, [open])
+
+  const go = useCallback((path: string) => () => navigate(path), [navigate])
+
+  const baseGroups = useMemo<PaletteGroup[]>(() => {
+    const settingsTab = (tab: string) => `${SETTINGS_ROUTE}?tab=${tab}`
+
+    return [
+      {
+        heading: 'Go to',
+        items: [
+          { icon: Plus, id: 'nav-new', keywords: ['chat', 'create'], label: 'New session', run: go(NEW_CHAT_ROUTE) },
+          { icon: Settings, id: 'nav-settings', label: 'Settings', run: go(SETTINGS_ROUTE) },
+          {
+            icon: Wrench,
+            id: 'nav-skills',
+            keywords: ['tools', 'toolsets', 'providers'],
+            label: 'Skills & Tools',
+            run: go(SKILLS_ROUTE)
+          },
+          { icon: MessageCircle, id: 'nav-messaging', label: 'Messaging', run: go(MESSAGING_ROUTE) },
+          { icon: Package, id: 'nav-artifacts', label: 'Artifacts', run: go(ARTIFACTS_ROUTE) },
+          { icon: Clock, id: 'nav-cron', keywords: ['schedule', 'jobs'], label: 'Cron', run: go(CRON_ROUTE) },
+          { icon: Users, id: 'nav-profiles', label: 'Profiles', run: go(PROFILES_ROUTE) },
+          { icon: Cpu, id: 'nav-agents', label: 'Agents', run: go(AGENTS_ROUTE) }
+        ]
+      },
+      {
+        heading: 'Command Center',
+        items: [
+          {
+            icon: Archive,
+            id: 'cc-sessions',
+            keywords: ['command center', 'sessions', 'pin'],
+            label: 'Sessions',
+            run: go(`${COMMAND_CENTER_ROUTE}?section=sessions`)
+          },
+          {
+            icon: Activity,
+            id: 'cc-system',
+            keywords: ['command center', 'system', 'status', 'logs'],
+            label: 'System',
+            run: go(`${COMMAND_CENTER_ROUTE}?section=system`)
+          },
+          {
+            icon: BarChart3,
+            id: 'cc-usage',
+            keywords: ['command center', 'usage', 'tokens', 'cost'],
+            label: 'Usage',
+            run: go(`${COMMAND_CENTER_ROUTE}?section=usage`)
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      {
+        heading: 'Settings',
+        items: [
+          ...SECTIONS.map(section => ({
+            icon: section.icon,
+            id: `set-config-${section.id}`,
+            keywords: ['settings', section.label],
+            label: section.label,
+            run: go(settingsTab(`config:${section.id}`))
+          })),
+          ...NON_CONFIG_SETTINGS.map(entry => ({
+            icon: entry.icon,
+            id: `set-${entry.tab}`,
+            keywords: ['settings', ...(entry.keywords ?? [])],
+            label: entry.label,
+            run: go(settingsTab(entry.tab))
+          }))
+        ]
+      },
+      {
+        heading: 'Appearance',
+        items: [
+          {
+            icon: Palette,
+            id: 'appearance-theme',
+            keywords: ['theme', 'appearance', 'color', 'palette', 'skin', 'dark', 'light', 'look'],
+            label: 'Change theme…',
+            to: 'theme'
+          },
+          {
+            icon: Sun,
+            id: 'appearance-mode',
+            keywords: ['appearance', 'color mode', 'brightness', 'dark', 'light', 'system'],
+            label: 'Change color mode…',
+            to: 'color-mode'
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    ]
+  }, [go])
+
+  // The long, granular lists (settings fields, API keys, MCP servers, archived
+  // chats) only surface once the user types — otherwise they'd bury the
+  // navigation entries on an empty palette.
+  const searchGroups = useMemo<PaletteGroup[]>(() => {
+    if (!search.trim()) {
+      return []
+    }
+
+    const result: PaletteGroup[] = []
+
+    if (sessions.length > 0) {
+      result.push({
+        heading: 'Sessions',
+        items: sessions.map(session => ({
+          icon: MessageCircle,
+          id: `session-${session.id}`,
+          keywords: ['chat', 'session', ...(session.preview ? [session.preview] : [])],
+          label: session.title,
+          run: go(sessionRoute(session.id))
+        }))
+      })
+    }
+
+    const fieldItems = SECTIONS.flatMap(section =>
+      section.keys.map(key => ({
+        icon: section.icon,
+        id: `field-${key}`,
+        keywords: ['settings', key, section.label],
+        label: `${section.label}: ${fieldLabel(key)}`,
+        run: go(`${SETTINGS_ROUTE}?tab=config:${section.id}&field=${encodeURIComponent(key)}`)
+      }))
+    )
+
+    result.push({ heading: 'Settings fields', items: fieldItems })
+
+    if (mcpServers.length > 0) {
+      result.push({
+        heading: 'MCP servers',
+        items: mcpServers.map(name => ({
+          icon: Wrench,
+          id: `mcp-${name}`,
+          keywords: ['mcp', 'server', 'tool'],
+          label: name,
+          run: go(`${SETTINGS_ROUTE}?tab=mcp&server=${encodeURIComponent(name)}`)
+        }))
+      })
+    }
+
+    if (archivedSessions.length > 0) {
+      result.push({
+        heading: 'Archived chats',
+        items: archivedSessions.map(session => ({
+          icon: Archive,
+          id: `archived-${session.id}`,
+          keywords: ['archived', 'chat', 'session', ...(session.preview ? [session.preview] : [])],
+          label: session.title,
+          run: go(`${SETTINGS_ROUTE}?tab=sessions&session=${encodeURIComponent(session.id)}`)
+        }))
+      })
+    }
+
+    return result
+  }, [archivedSessions, go, mcpServers, search, sessions])
+
+  const groups = useMemo(() => [...baseGroups, ...searchGroups], [baseGroups, searchGroups])
+
+  // Nested palette pages (VS Code-style submenus). Reusable: add an entry here
+  // and point a root item at it via `to`.
+  const subPages = useMemo<Record<string, PalettePage>>(
+    () => ({
+      theme: {
+        title: 'Theme',
+        placeholder: 'Choose a theme…',
+        // Skins aren't inherently light/dark — the same skin renders in either
+        // mode. Group by appearance so picking an entry sets skin + mode at
+        // once, and keep the palette open so each pick previews live.
+        groups: (['light', 'dark'] as const).map(groupMode => ({
+          heading: groupMode === 'light' ? 'Light' : 'Dark',
+          items: availableThemes.map(theme => ({
+            active: themeName === theme.name && resolvedMode === groupMode,
+            icon: groupMode === 'light' ? Sun : Moon,
+            id: `theme-${theme.name}-${groupMode}`,
+            keepOpen: true,
+            keywords: ['theme', 'appearance', 'palette', groupMode, theme.label, theme.description ?? ''],
+            label: theme.label,
+            run: () => {
+              setTheme(theme.name)
+              setMode(groupMode)
+            }
+          }))
+        }))
+      },
+      'color-mode': {
+        title: 'Color mode',
+        placeholder: 'Choose color mode…',
+        groups: [
+          {
+            heading: 'Color mode',
+            items: THEME_MODES.map(entry => ({
+              active: mode === entry.mode,
+              icon: entry.icon,
+              id: `mode-${entry.mode}`,
+              keepOpen: true,
+              keywords: ['appearance', 'brightness', entry.label],
+              label: entry.label,
+              run: () => setMode(entry.mode)
+            }))
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    }),
+    [availableThemes, mode, resolvedMode, setMode, setTheme, themeName]
+  )
+
+  const activePage = page ? subPages[page] : null
+  const visibleGroups = activePage ? activePage.groups : groups
+  const placeholder = activePage ? activePage.placeholder : 'Search commands and settings...'
+
+  const handleSelect = (item: PaletteItem) => {
+    if (item.to) {
+      setPage(item.to)
+      setSearch('')
+
+      return
+    }
+
+    item.run?.()
+
+    if (!item.keepOpen) {
+      closeCommandPalette()
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <DialogPrimitive.Root onOpenChange={setCommandPaletteOpen} open={open}>
+      <DialogPrimitive.Portal>
+        <DialogPrimitive.Overlay className="fixed inset-0 z-[200] bg-black/15 backdrop-blur-[1px] data-[state=closed]:animate-out data-[state=closed]:fade-out-0 data-[state=open]:animate-in data-[state=open]:fade-in-0" />
+        <DialogPrimitive.Content
+          aria-describedby={undefined}
+          className="fixed left-1/2 top-[14vh] z-[210] w-[min(40rem,calc(100vw-2rem))] -translate-x-1/2 overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-(--ui-stroke-secondary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background) shadow-lg duration-150 data-[state=closed]:animate-out data-[state=closed]:fade-out-0 data-[state=closed]:zoom-out-95 data-[state=open]:animate-in data-[state=open]:fade-in-0 data-[state=open]:slide-in-from-top-2 data-[state=open]:zoom-in-95"
+        >
+          <DialogPrimitive.Title className="sr-only">Command palette</DialogPrimitive.Title>
+          <Command className="bg-transparent" loop>
+            {activePage && (
+              <button
+                className="flex w-full items-center gap-1.5 border-b border-border px-3 py-1.5 text-left text-xs text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:text-foreground"
+                onClick={() => setPage(null)}
+                type="button"
+              >
+                <ChevronLeft className="size-3.5" />
+                <span>Back</span>
+                <span className="text-muted-foreground/50">/</span>
+                <span className="font-medium text-foreground">{activePage.title}</span>
+              </button>
+            )}
+            <CommandInput
+              onKeyDown={event => {
+                if (!activePage) {
+                  return
+                }
+
+                // In a submenu: Esc and empty-input Backspace step back out
+                // instead of closing the whole palette.
+                if (event.key === 'Escape' || (event.key === 'Backspace' && search === '')) {
+                  event.preventDefault()
+                  event.stopPropagation()
+                  setPage(null)
+                }
+              }}
+              onValueChange={setSearch}
+              placeholder={placeholder}
+              value={search}
+            />
+            <CommandList className="max-h-[min(24rem,60vh)]">
+              <CommandEmpty>No results found.</CommandEmpty>
+              {visibleGroups.map(group => (
+                <CommandGroup
+                  className="**:[[cmdk-group-heading]]:uppercase **:[[cmdk-group-heading]]:tracking-wider **:[[cmdk-group-heading]]:text-[0.6875rem] **:[[cmdk-group-heading]]:text-muted-foreground/70"
+                  heading={group.heading}
+                  key={group.heading}
+                >
+                  {group.items.map(item => {
+                    const Icon = item.icon
+
+                    return (
+                      <CommandItem
+                        className="gap-2.5"
+                        key={item.id}
+                        keywords={item.keywords}
+                        onSelect={() => handleSelect(item)}
+                        value={`${item.label} ${item.keywords?.join(' ') ?? ''} ${item.id}`}
+                      >
+                        <Icon className="size-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
+                        <span className="truncate">{item.label}</span>
+                        {item.to ? (
+                          <ChevronRight className="ml-auto size-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground/70" />
+                        ) : (
+                          <Check className={cn('ml-auto size-4 text-foreground', !item.active && 'invisible')} />
+                        )}
+                      </CommandItem>
+                    )
+                  })}
+                </CommandGroup>
+              ))}
+            </CommandList>
+          </Command>
+        </DialogPrimitive.Content>
+      </DialogPrimitive.Portal>
+    </DialogPrimitive.Root>
+  )
+}

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

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import type * as React from 'react'
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
+import { Badge, type BadgeProps } from '@/components/ui/badge'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import {
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   DialogTitle
 } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
+import { SearchField } from '@/components/ui/search-field'
 import { Select, SelectContent, SelectItem, SelectTrigger, SelectValue } from '@/components/ui/select'
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea'
 import {
@@ -25,12 +26,12 @@ import {
   triggerCronJob,
   updateCronJob
 } from '@/hermes'
-import { AlertTriangle, Clock, Pause, Pencil, Play, Trash2, Zap } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { AlertTriangle, Clock } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { notify, notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 
-import { PageSearchShell } from '../page-search-shell'
-import type { SetStatusbarItemGroup } from '../shell/statusbar-controls'
+import { useRefreshHotkey } from '../hooks/use-refresh-hotkey'
+import { OverlayView } from '../overlays/overlay-view'
 
 const DEFAULT_DELIVER = 'local'
 
@@ -86,23 +87,16 @@ const SCHEDULE_OPTIONS: ReadonlyArray<ScheduleOption> = [
   }
 ]
 
-const STATE_TONE: Record<string, 'good' | 'muted' | 'warn' | 'bad'> = {
-  enabled: 'good',
-  scheduled: 'good',
-  running: 'good',
+const STATE_VARIANT: Record<string, BadgeProps['variant']> = {
+  enabled: 'default',
+  scheduled: 'default',
+  running: 'default',
   paused: 'warn',
   disabled: 'muted',
-  error: 'bad',
+  error: 'destructive',
   completed: 'muted'
 }
 
-const PILL_TONE: Record<'good' | 'muted' | 'warn' | 'bad', string> = {
-  good: 'bg-primary/10 text-primary',
-  muted: 'bg-muted text-muted-foreground',
-  warn: 'bg-amber-500/10 text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-300',
-  bad: 'bg-destructive/10 text-destructive'
-}
-
 const asText = (value: unknown): string => (typeof value === 'string' ? value : '')
 
 const truncate = (value: string, max = 80): string => (value.length > max ? `${value.slice(0, max)}…` : value)
@@ -305,14 +299,13 @@ function matchesQuery(job: CronJob, q: string): boolean {
   )
 }
 
-interface CronViewProps extends React.ComponentProps<'section'> {
-  setStatusbarItemGroup?: SetStatusbarItemGroup
+interface CronViewProps {
+  onClose: () => void
 }
 
-export function CronView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...props }: CronViewProps) {
+export function CronView({ onClose }: CronViewProps) {
   const [jobs, setJobs] = useState<CronJob[] | null>(null)
   const [query, setQuery] = useState('')
-  const [refreshing, setRefreshing] = useState(false)
   const [busyJobId, setBusyJobId] = useState<null | string>(null)
 
   const [editor, setEditor] = useState<EditorState>({ mode: 'closed' })
@@ -320,18 +313,16 @@ export function CronView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...pro
   const [deleting, setDeleting] = useState(false)
 
   const refresh = useCallback(async () => {
-    setRefreshing(true)
-
     try {
       const result = await getCronJobs()
       setJobs(result)
     } catch (err) {
       notifyError(err, 'Failed to load cron jobs')
-    } finally {
-      setRefreshing(false)
     }
   }, [])
 
+  useRefreshHotkey(refresh)
+
   useEffect(() => {
     void refresh()
   }, [refresh])
@@ -426,29 +417,21 @@ export function CronView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...pro
   }
 
   return (
-    <PageSearchShell
-      {...props}
-      onSearchChange={setQuery}
-      searchPlaceholder="Search cron jobs..."
-      searchTrailingAction={
-        <Button
-          aria-label={refreshing ? 'Refreshing cron jobs' : 'Refresh cron jobs'}
-          className="text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground"
-          disabled={refreshing}
-          onClick={() => void refresh()}
-          size="icon-xs"
-          title={refreshing ? 'Refreshing cron jobs' : 'Refresh cron jobs'}
-          type="button"
-          variant="ghost"
-        >
-          <Codicon name="refresh" size="0.875rem" spinning={refreshing} />
-        </Button>
-      }
-      searchValue={query}
-    >
-      {!jobs ? (
-        <PageLoader label="Loading cron jobs..." />
-      ) : visibleJobs.length === 0 ? (
+    <OverlayView closeLabel="Close cron" onClose={onClose}>
+      <div className="flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col pt-[calc(var(--titlebar-height)+0.5rem)]">
+        {totalCount > 0 && (
+          <div className="mx-auto flex w-full max-w-4xl items-center gap-2 px-4 pb-2">
+            <SearchField
+              containerClassName="max-w-[60vw]"
+              onChange={setQuery}
+              placeholder="Search cron jobs…"
+              value={query}
+            />
+          </div>
+        )}
+        {!jobs ? (
+          <PageLoader label="Loading cron jobs..." />
+        ) : visibleJobs.length === 0 ? (
         // Empty state owns the primary "create" CTA — we used to also have
         // one in the filters bar but it was redundant. Only show the button
         // when there are zero jobs total; the search-empty case ("No
@@ -463,36 +446,37 @@ export function CronView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...pro
           onAction={totalCount === 0 ? () => setEditor({ mode: 'create' }) : undefined}
           title={totalCount === 0 ? 'No scheduled jobs yet' : 'No matches'}
         />
-      ) : (
-        <div className="h-full overflow-y-auto px-4 py-3">
-          {/* Inline header replaces the old top-bar "New cron" button. We
-              still need a single, always-visible affordance to add a job
-              when the list is non-empty (rows themselves only expose
-              edit/pause/trigger/delete). */}
-          <div className="mb-2 flex items-center justify-between">
-            <span className="text-[0.7rem] uppercase tracking-wide text-muted-foreground">
-              {enabledCount}/{totalCount} active
-            </span>
-            <Button onClick={() => setEditor({ mode: 'create' })} size="sm">
-              <Codicon name="add" />
-              New cron
-            </Button>
+        ) : (
+          <div className="mx-auto w-full max-w-4xl min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto px-4 py-3">
+            {/* Inline header replaces the old top-bar "New cron" button. We
+                still need a single, always-visible affordance to add a job
+                when the list is non-empty (rows themselves only expose
+                edit/pause/trigger/delete). */}
+            <div className="mb-2 flex items-center justify-between">
+              <span className="text-[0.7rem] uppercase tracking-wide text-muted-foreground">
+                {enabledCount}/{totalCount} active
+              </span>
+              <Button onClick={() => setEditor({ mode: 'create' })} size="sm">
+                <Codicon name="add" />
+                New cron
+              </Button>
+            </div>
+            <div>
+              {visibleJobs.map(job => (
+                <CronJobRow
+                  busy={busyJobId === job.id}
+                  job={job}
+                  key={job.id}
+                  onDelete={() => setPendingDelete(job)}
+                  onEdit={() => setEditor({ mode: 'edit', job })}
+                  onPauseResume={() => void handlePauseResume(job)}
+                  onTrigger={() => void handleTrigger(job)}
+                />
+              ))}
+            </div>
           </div>
-          <div className="divide-y divide-border/40 rounded-lg border border-border/40 bg-background/70">
-            {visibleJobs.map(job => (
-              <CronJobRow
-                busy={busyJobId === job.id}
-                job={job}
-                key={job.id}
-                onDelete={() => setPendingDelete(job)}
-                onEdit={() => setEditor({ mode: 'edit', job })}
-                onPauseResume={() => void handlePauseResume(job)}
-                onTrigger={() => void handleTrigger(job)}
-              />
-            ))}
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      )}
+        )}
+      </div>
       <CronEditorDialog editor={editor} onClose={() => setEditor({ mode: 'closed' })} onSave={handleEditorSave} />
 
       <Dialog onOpenChange={open => !open && !deleting && setPendingDelete(null)} open={pendingDelete !== null}>
@@ -519,7 +503,7 @@ export function CronView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...pro
           </DialogFooter>
         </DialogContent>
       </Dialog>
-    </PageSearchShell>
+    </OverlayView>
   )
 }
 
@@ -547,14 +531,20 @@ function CronJobRow({
   return (
     <div className="grid gap-3 px-3 py-2.5 sm:grid-cols-[minmax(0,1fr)_auto] sm:items-start">
       <button
-        className="min-w-0 cursor-pointer rounded-md text-left transition-colors focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring/40"
+        className="min-w-0 rounded-md text-left transition-colors focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring/40"
         onClick={onEdit}
         type="button"
       >
         <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
           <span className="truncate text-sm font-medium">{jobTitle(job)}</span>
-          <StatePill tone={STATE_TONE[state] ?? 'muted'}>{state}</StatePill>
-          {deliver && deliver !== DEFAULT_DELIVER && <StatePill tone="muted">{deliver}</StatePill>}
+          <Badge className="capitalize" variant={STATE_VARIANT[state] ?? 'muted'}>
+            {state}
+          </Badge>
+          {deliver && deliver !== DEFAULT_DELIVER && (
+            <Badge className="capitalize" variant="muted">
+              {deliver}
+            </Badge>
+          )}
         </div>
         {hasName && prompt && <p className="mt-1 truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">{truncate(prompt, 120)}</p>}
         <div className="mt-1 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-x-4 gap-y-1 text-[0.68rem] text-muted-foreground">
@@ -580,13 +570,13 @@ function CronJobRow({
           onClick={onPauseResume}
           title={isPaused ? 'Resume' : 'Pause'}
         >
-          {isPaused ? <Play className="size-3.5" /> : <Pause className="size-3.5" />}
+          <Codicon name={isPaused ? 'play' : 'debug-pause'} size="0.875rem" />
         </IconAction>
         <IconAction aria-label="Trigger now" disabled={busy} onClick={onTrigger} title="Trigger now">
-          <Zap className="size-3.5" />
+          <Codicon name="zap" size="0.875rem" />
         </IconAction>
         <IconAction aria-label="Edit cron" onClick={onEdit} title="Edit">
-          <Pencil className="size-3.5" />
+          <Codicon name="edit" size="0.875rem" />
         </IconAction>
         <IconAction
           aria-label="Delete cron"
@@ -594,7 +584,7 @@ function CronJobRow({
           onClick={onDelete}
           title="Delete"
         >
-          <Trash2 className="size-3.5" />
+          <Codicon name="trash" size="0.875rem" />
         </IconAction>
       </div>
     </div>
@@ -604,8 +594,8 @@ function CronJobRow({
 function IconAction({ children, className, ...props }: Omit<React.ComponentProps<typeof Button>, 'size' | 'variant'>) {
   return (
     <Button
-      className={cn('size-7 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground', className)}
-      size="icon"
+      className={cn('text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground', className)}
+      size="icon-sm"
       variant="ghost"
       {...props}
     >
@@ -614,16 +604,6 @@ function IconAction({ children, className, ...props }: Omit<React.ComponentProps
   )
 }
 
-function StatePill({ children, tone }: { children: string; tone: keyof typeof PILL_TONE }) {
-  return (
-    <span
-      className={cn('inline-flex items-center rounded-full px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[0.64rem] capitalize', PILL_TONE[tone])}
-    >
-      {children}
-    </span>
-  )
-}
-
 function EmptyState({
   actionLabel,
   description,
@@ -768,7 +748,7 @@ function CronEditorDialog({
           <div className="grid items-start gap-4 sm:grid-cols-2">
             <Field htmlFor="cron-frequency" label="Frequency">
               <Select onValueChange={handleSchedulePresetChange} value={schedulePreset}>
-                <SelectTrigger className="h-9 rounded-md" id="cron-frequency">
+                <SelectTrigger id="cron-frequency">
                   <SelectValue />
                 </SelectTrigger>
                 <SelectContent>
@@ -783,7 +763,7 @@ function CronEditorDialog({
 
             <Field htmlFor="cron-deliver" label="Deliver to">
               <Select onValueChange={setDeliver} value={deliver}>
-                <SelectTrigger className="h-9 rounded-md" id="cron-deliver">
+                <SelectTrigger id="cron-deliver">
                   <SelectValue />
                 </SelectTrigger>
                 <SelectContent>

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

@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ import { useSkinCommand } from '@/themes/use-skin-command'
 import { formatRefValue } from '../components/assistant-ui/directive-text'
 import { getSessionMessages, listSessions } from '../hermes'
 import { preserveLocalAssistantErrors, toChatMessages } from '../lib/chat-messages'
+import { toggleCommandPalette } from '../store/command-palette'
 import {
+  $panesFlipped,
   $pinnedSessionIds,
   $sessionsLimit,
   bumpSessionsLimit,
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ import {
   $selectedStoredSessionId,
   $sessions,
   $workingSessionIds,
-  mergeWorkingSessions,
+  mergeSessionPage,
   sessionPinId,
   setAwaitingResponse,
   setBusy,
@@ -58,6 +60,7 @@ import {
   PREVIEW_RAIL_PANE_WIDTH
 } from './chat/right-rail'
 import { ChatSidebar } from './chat/sidebar'
+import { CommandPalette } from './command-palette'
 import { useGatewayBoot } from './gateway/hooks/use-gateway-boot'
 import { useGatewayRequest } from './gateway/hooks/use-gateway-request'
 import { ModelPickerOverlay } from './model-picker-overlay'
@@ -112,6 +115,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
   const previewTarget = useStore($previewTarget)
   const selectedStoredSessionId = useStore($selectedStoredSessionId)
   const terminalTakeover = useStore($terminalTakeover)
+  const panesFlipped = useStore($panesFlipped)
 
   const routedSessionId = routeSessionId(location.pathname)
   const routeToken = `${location.pathname}:${location.search}:${location.hash}`
@@ -125,9 +129,11 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     closeOverlayToPreviousRoute,
     commandCenterInitialSection,
     commandCenterOpen,
+    cronOpen,
     currentView,
     openAgents,
     openCommandCenterSection,
+    profilesOpen,
     settingsOpen,
     toggleCommandCenter
   } = useOverlayRouting()
@@ -195,6 +201,31 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     }
   }, [])
 
+  // Global chrome shortcuts (plain Cmd/Ctrl, no alt/shift): Cmd+K → command
+  // palette (the composer's "drain next queued" moved to Cmd+Shift+K), Cmd+. →
+  // command center (sessions / system / usage).
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (!(event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey) || event.altKey || event.shiftKey) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const key = event.key.toLowerCase()
+
+      if (key === 'k') {
+        event.preventDefault()
+        toggleCommandPalette()
+      } else if (key === '.') {
+        event.preventDefault()
+        toggleCommandCenter()
+      }
+    }
+
+    window.addEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
+
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
+  }, [toggleCommandCenter])
+
   const refreshSessions = useCallback(async () => {
     const requestId = refreshSessionsRequestRef.current + 1
     refreshSessionsRequestRef.current = requestId
@@ -208,12 +239,13 @@ export function DesktopController() {
       const result = await listSessions(limit, 1)
 
       if (refreshSessionsRequestRef.current === requestId) {
-        // Don't hard-replace: a session whose first turn is still in flight has
-        // message_count 0 in the DB, so min_messages=1 omits it. Since every
-        // message.complete refreshes the list, a plain replace would drop the
-        // other still-running new chats the moment one of them finishes. Keep
-        // any working session the server hasn't surfaced yet.
-        setSessions(prev => mergeWorkingSessions(prev, result.sessions, $workingSessionIds.get()))
+        // Don't hard-replace. Two kinds of rows must survive a refresh the
+        // server didn't return: (1) sessions whose first turn is still in
+        // flight (message_count 0, so min_messages=1 omits them) and (2)
+        // pinned sessions that have aged off the most-recent page — otherwise
+        // the pin "disappears until you refresh". mergeSessionPage keeps both.
+        const keepIds = new Set<string>([...$workingSessionIds.get(), ...$pinnedSessionIds.get()])
+        setSessions(prev => mergeSessionPage(prev, result.sessions, keepIds))
         setSessionsTotal(typeof result.total === 'number' ? result.total : result.sessions.length)
       }
     } finally {
@@ -413,6 +445,8 @@ export function DesktopController() {
 
       event.preventDefault()
       startFreshSessionDraft()
+      // Briefly light up the sidebar's ⌘N hint so the shortcut is discoverable.
+      window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('hermes:new-session-shortcut'))
     }
 
     window.addEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
@@ -524,7 +558,9 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     inferenceStatus,
     modelMenuContent,
     openAgents,
+    freshDraftReady,
     openCommandCenterSection,
+    requestGateway,
     statusSnapshot,
     toggleCommandCenter
   })
@@ -561,6 +597,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
       <UpdatesOverlay />
       <GatewayConnectingOverlay />
       <BootFailureOverlay />
+      <CommandPalette />
 
       {settingsOpen && (
         <Suspense fallback={null}>
@@ -589,7 +626,6 @@ export function DesktopController() {
             initialSection={commandCenterInitialSection}
             onClose={closeOverlayToPreviousRoute}
             onDeleteSession={removeSession}
-            onNavigateRoute={path => navigate(path)}
             onOpenSession={sessionId => navigate(sessionRoute(sessionId))}
           />
         </Suspense>
@@ -600,6 +636,18 @@ export function DesktopController() {
           <AgentsView onClose={closeOverlayToPreviousRoute} />
         </Suspense>
       )}
+
+      {cronOpen && (
+        <Suspense fallback={null}>
+          <CronView onClose={closeOverlayToPreviousRoute} />
+        </Suspense>
+      )}
+
+      {profilesOpen && (
+        <Suspense fallback={null}>
+          <ProfilesView onClose={closeOverlayToPreviousRoute} />
+        </Suspense>
+      )}
     </>
   )
 
@@ -611,7 +659,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
       onAddUrl={url => composer.addContextRefAttachment(`@url:${formatRefValue(url)}`, url)}
       onAttachDroppedItems={composer.attachDroppedItems}
       onAttachImageBlob={composer.attachImageBlob}
-      onBranchInNewChat={messageId => void branchInNewChat(messageId)}
+      onBranchInNewChat={branchInNewChat}
       onCancel={cancelRun}
       onDeleteSelectedSession={() => {
         if (selectedStoredSessionId) {
@@ -638,12 +686,52 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     </div>
   )
 
+  // Flipped layout mirrors the default: sessions sidebar → right, file
+  // browser + preview rail → left. Same panes, swapped sides.
+  const sidebarSide = panesFlipped ? 'right' : 'left'
+  const railSide = panesFlipped ? 'left' : 'right'
+
+  const previewPane = (
+    <Pane
+      disabled={!chatOpen || (!previewTarget && !filePreviewTarget)}
+      id="preview"
+      key="preview"
+      maxWidth={PREVIEW_RAIL_MAX_WIDTH}
+      minWidth={PREVIEW_RAIL_MIN_WIDTH}
+      resizable
+      side={railSide}
+      width={PREVIEW_RAIL_PANE_WIDTH}
+    >
+      {chatOpen ? (
+        <ChatPreviewRail onRestartServer={restartPreviewServer} setTitlebarToolGroup={setTitlebarToolGroup} />
+      ) : null}
+    </Pane>
+  )
+
+  const fileBrowserPane = (
+    <Pane
+      defaultOpen={false}
+      disabled={!chatOpen}
+      id="file-browser"
+      key="file-browser"
+      maxWidth={FILE_BROWSER_MAX_WIDTH}
+      minWidth={FILE_BROWSER_MIN_WIDTH}
+      resizable
+      side={railSide}
+      width={FILE_BROWSER_DEFAULT_WIDTH}
+    >
+      <RightSidebarPane
+        onActivateFile={composer.attachContextFilePath}
+        onActivateFolder={composer.attachContextFolderPath}
+        onChangeCwd={changeSessionCwd}
+      />
+    </Pane>
+  )
+
   return (
     <AppShell
-      commandCenterOpen={commandCenterOpen}
       leftStatusbarItems={leftStatusbarItems}
       leftTitlebarTools={titlebarToolGroups.flat.left}
-      onOpenSearch={() => openCommandCenterSection('sessions')}
       onOpenSettings={openSettings}
       overlays={overlays}
       statusbarItems={statusbarItems}
@@ -655,7 +743,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
         maxWidth={SIDEBAR_MAX_WIDTH}
         minWidth={SIDEBAR_DEFAULT_WIDTH}
         resizable
-        side="left"
+        side={sidebarSide}
         width={`${SIDEBAR_DEFAULT_WIDTH}px`}
       >
         {sidebar}
@@ -688,25 +776,8 @@ export function DesktopController() {
             }
             path="artifacts"
           />
-          <Route
-            element={
-              <Suspense fallback={null}>
-                <CronView setStatusbarItemGroup={setStatusbarItemGroup} />
-              </Suspense>
-            }
-            path="cron"
-          />
-          <Route
-            element={
-              <Suspense fallback={null}>
-                <ProfilesView
-                  setStatusbarItemGroup={setStatusbarItemGroup}
-                  setTitlebarToolGroup={setTitlebarToolGroup}
-                />
-              </Suspense>
-            }
-            path="profiles"
-          />
+          <Route element={null} path="cron" />
+          <Route element={null} path="profiles" />
           <Route element={null} path="settings" />
           <Route element={null} path="command-center" />
           <Route element={null} path="agents" />
@@ -715,35 +786,13 @@ export function DesktopController() {
           <Route element={<Navigate replace to={NEW_CHAT_ROUTE} />} path="*" />
         </Routes>
       </PaneMain>
-      <Pane
-        disabled={!chatOpen || (!previewTarget && !filePreviewTarget)}
-        id="preview"
-        maxWidth={PREVIEW_RAIL_MAX_WIDTH}
-        minWidth={PREVIEW_RAIL_MIN_WIDTH}
-        resizable
-        side="right"
-        width={PREVIEW_RAIL_PANE_WIDTH}
-      >
-        {chatOpen ? (
-          <ChatPreviewRail onRestartServer={restartPreviewServer} setTitlebarToolGroup={setTitlebarToolGroup} />
-        ) : null}
-      </Pane>
-      <Pane
-        defaultOpen={false}
-        disabled={!chatOpen}
-        id="file-browser"
-        maxWidth={FILE_BROWSER_MAX_WIDTH}
-        minWidth={FILE_BROWSER_MIN_WIDTH}
-        resizable
-        side="right"
-        width={FILE_BROWSER_DEFAULT_WIDTH}
-      >
-        <RightSidebarPane
-          onActivateFile={composer.attachContextFilePath}
-          onActivateFolder={composer.attachContextFolderPath}
-          onChangeCwd={changeSessionCwd}
-        />
-      </Pane>
+      {/*
+        Order within a side maps to column order. Default (rail on the right):
+        main | preview | file-browser. Flipped (rail on the left): mirror it to
+        file-browser | preview | main so preview stays adjacent to the chat.
+      */}
+      {panesFlipped ? fileBrowserPane : previewPane}
+      {panesFlipped ? previewPane : fileBrowserPane}
     </AppShell>
   )
 }

apps/desktop/src/app/gateway/hooks/use-gateway-boot.ts

@@ -63,6 +63,94 @@ export function useGatewayBoot({
       return () => void (cancelled = true)
     }
 
+    // --- Reconnect-after-sleep machinery -------------------------------------
+    // macOS sleep silently drops the renderer's WebSocket. The backend Python
+    // process keeps running, but nothing re-opened the socket on wake, so the
+    // composer stayed disabled forever on "Starting Hermes...". Once the
+    // initial boot succeeds we treat any non-open state as recoverable and
+    // reconnect with backoff, and we nudge a reconnect on the OS/browser
+    // signals that fire around wake (power resume, network online, the window
+    // becoming visible).
+    let bootCompleted = false
+    let reconnecting = false
+    let reconnectTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
+    let reconnectAttempt = 0
+
+    // Wrap the live getter in a call so TS control-flow analysis doesn't narrow
+    // `connectionState` to a constant across the early-return guards (the state
+    // genuinely changes between reads).
+    const gatewayOpen = () => gateway.connectionState === 'open'
+
+    const clearReconnectTimer = () => {
+      if (reconnectTimer !== null) {
+        clearTimeout(reconnectTimer)
+        reconnectTimer = null
+      }
+    }
+
+    const attemptReconnect = async () => {
+      if (cancelled || reconnecting || gatewayOpen()) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      reconnecting = true
+
+      try {
+        const conn = await desktop.getConnection()
+
+        if (cancelled) {
+          return
+        }
+
+        publish(conn)
+        await gateway.connect(conn.wsUrl)
+
+        if (cancelled) {
+          return
+        }
+
+        reconnectAttempt = 0
+        // Resync state that may have moved on the backend while we were asleep.
+        await callbacksRef.current.refreshHermesConfig().catch(() => undefined)
+        await callbacksRef.current.refreshSessions().catch(() => undefined)
+      } catch {
+        // Fall through to scheduleReconnect's backoff below.
+      } finally {
+        reconnecting = false
+
+        if (!cancelled && !gatewayOpen()) {
+          scheduleReconnect()
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    function scheduleReconnect() {
+      if (cancelled || reconnecting || reconnectTimer !== null || gatewayOpen()) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      // 1s, 2s, 4s … capped at 15s.
+      const delay = Math.min(15_000, 1_000 * 2 ** Math.min(reconnectAttempt, 4))
+      reconnectAttempt += 1
+      reconnectTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+        reconnectTimer = null
+        void attemptReconnect()
+      }, delay)
+    }
+
+    const reconnectNow = () => {
+      if (cancelled || !bootCompleted) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      clearReconnectTimer()
+      reconnectAttempt = 0
+
+      if (!gatewayOpen()) {
+        void attemptReconnect()
+      }
+    }
+
     const offBootProgress = desktop.onBootProgress(payload => applyDesktopBootProgress(payload))
     void desktop
       .getBootProgress()
@@ -79,9 +167,34 @@ export function useGatewayBoot({
     callbacksRef.current.onGatewayReady(gateway)
     setGateway(gateway)
 
-    const offState = gateway.onState(st => void setGatewayState(st))
+    const offState = gateway.onState(st => {
+      setGatewayState(st)
+
+      if (st === 'open') {
+        reconnectAttempt = 0
+        clearReconnectTimer()
+      } else if (bootCompleted && (st === 'closed' || st === 'error')) {
+        // The socket dropped after a healthy boot (typically sleep/wake). Try
+        // to bring it back instead of leaving the composer stuck disabled.
+        scheduleReconnect()
+      }
+    })
     const offEvent = gateway.onEvent(event => callbacksRef.current.handleGatewayEvent(event))
 
+    // Wake signals: power resume (macOS/Windows), network coming back, and the
+    // window regaining focus/visibility. Each nudges an immediate reconnect.
+    const offPowerResume = desktop.onPowerResume?.(() => reconnectNow())
+
+    const onOnline = () => reconnectNow()
+    const onVisible = () => {
+      if (document.visibilityState === 'visible') {
+        reconnectNow()
+      }
+    }
+
+    window.addEventListener('online', onOnline)
+    document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', onVisible)
+
     const offWindowState = desktop.onWindowStateChanged?.(payload => {
       const current = $connection.get()
 
@@ -141,6 +254,7 @@ export function useGatewayBoot({
         })
         await callbacksRef.current.refreshSessions()
         completeDesktopBoot()
+        bootCompleted = true
       } catch (err) {
         if (!cancelled) {
           const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)
@@ -155,6 +269,10 @@ export function useGatewayBoot({
 
     return () => {
       cancelled = true
+      clearReconnectTimer()
+      window.removeEventListener('online', onOnline)
+      document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', onVisible)
+      offPowerResume?.()
       offState()
       offEvent()
       offExit()

apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-refresh-hotkey.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
+
+/**
+ * Binds the bare `r` key to a refresh action while the calling view is mounted.
+ * Ignored when a modifier is held, the event repeats, or focus is in an
+ * editable field (so typing "r" in a search/input never triggers it).
+ */
+export function useRefreshHotkey(onRefresh: () => void, enabled = true) {
+  const ref = useRef(onRefresh)
+  ref.current = onRefresh
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!enabled) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const onKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (event.key !== 'r' && event.key !== 'R') {
+        return
+      }
+
+      if (event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey || event.altKey || event.shiftKey || event.repeat) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const target = event.target as HTMLElement | null
+
+      if (
+        target?.isContentEditable ||
+        target instanceof HTMLInputElement ||
+        target instanceof HTMLTextAreaElement ||
+        target instanceof HTMLSelectElement
+      ) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      event.preventDefault()
+      ref.current()
+    }
+
+    window.addEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
+
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
+  }, [enabled])
+}

apps/desktop/src/app/layout-constants.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+// Responsive horizontal gutter for primary content bodies (settings right side,
+// skills, artifacts, command center / sessions). Ratio-based so it scales with
+// the window, but clamped so it never collapses on narrow widths or runs away
+// on ultrawide displays. Headers/tabs intentionally keep their own tighter
+// padding.
+//
+// NOTE: these must stay literal strings — Tailwind's scanner only picks up
+// complete class names, so do not build them via template interpolation.
+export const PAGE_INSET_X = 'px-[clamp(1.25rem,4vw,4rem)]'
+
+// Matching negative inline-margin to bleed an element (e.g. a sticky header bar)
+// out to the gutter edges before re-applying PAGE_INSET_X.
+export const PAGE_INSET_NEG_X = '-mx-[clamp(1.25rem,4vw,4rem)]'

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

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
 import { StatusDot, type StatusTone } from '@/components/status-dot'
+import { Badge, type BadgeProps } from '@/components/ui/badge'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { DisclosureCaret } from '@/components/ui/disclosure-caret'
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import { AlertTriangle, ExternalLink, Save, Trash2 } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { notify, notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 
+import { useRefreshHotkey } from '../hooks/use-refresh-hotkey'
 import { useRouteEnumParam } from '../hooks/use-route-enum-param'
 import { PageSearchShell } from '../page-search-shell'
 import type { SetStatusbarItemGroup } from '../shell/statusbar-controls'
@@ -41,11 +43,11 @@ const STATE_LABELS: Record<string, string> = {
   startup_failed: 'Startup failed'
 }
 
-const PILL_TONE: Record<StatusTone, string> = {
-  good: 'bg-primary/10 text-primary',
-  muted: 'bg-muted text-muted-foreground',
-  warn: 'bg-amber-500/10 text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-300',
-  bad: 'bg-destructive/10 text-destructive'
+const TONE_VARIANT: Record<StatusTone, BadgeProps['variant']> = {
+  good: 'default',
+  muted: 'muted',
+  warn: 'warn',
+  bad: 'destructive'
 }
 
 const HINT_BY_STATE: Record<string, string> = {
@@ -213,6 +215,8 @@ export function MessagingView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, .
     }
   }, [])
 
+  useRefreshHotkey(() => void refreshPlatforms())
+
   useEffect(() => {
     void refreshPlatforms()
   }, [refreshPlatforms])
@@ -343,15 +347,15 @@ export function MessagingView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, .
     <PageSearchShell
       {...props}
       onSearchChange={setQuery}
+      searchHidden={(platforms?.length ?? 0) === 0}
       searchPlaceholder="Search messaging..."
-      searchTrailingAction={null}
       searchValue={query}
     >
       {!platforms ? (
         <PageLoader label="Loading messaging platforms..." />
       ) : (
         <div className="grid h-full min-h-0 grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-[14rem_minmax(0,1fr)]">
-          <aside className="min-h-0 overflow-y-auto border-b border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) p-2 lg:border-b-0 lg:border-r">
+          <aside className="min-h-0 overflow-y-auto p-2">
             <ul className="space-y-1">
               {visiblePlatforms.map(platform => (
                 <li key={platform.id}>
@@ -406,8 +410,8 @@ function PlatformRow({
       className={cn(
         'flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-md px-2 py-1.5 text-left transition-colors',
         active
-          ? 'bg-(--ui-bg-tertiary) text-foreground'
-          : 'text-(--ui-text-secondary) hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground'
+          ? 'bg-(--ui-row-active-background) text-foreground'
+          : 'text-(--ui-text-secondary) hover:bg-(--ui-row-hover-background) hover:text-foreground'
       )}
       onClick={onSelect}
       type="button"
@@ -482,7 +486,7 @@ function PlatformDetail({
               {introCopy(platform)}
             </p>
             <div className="mt-3">
-              <Button asChild size="sm" variant="outline">
+              <Button asChild size="sm" variant="textStrong">
                 <a href={platform.docs_url} rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">
                   Open setup guide
                   <ExternalLink className="size-3.5" />
@@ -560,19 +564,15 @@ function PlatformDetail({
         </div>
       </div>
 
-      <footer className="border-t border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background) px-5 py-2.5">
+      <footer className="bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background) px-5 py-2.5">
         <div className="mx-auto flex max-w-2xl flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
-          <label className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-2 rounded-md border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-bg-quinary) px-2.5 py-1.5 text-[length:var(--conversation-text-font-size)]">
-            <Switch
-              aria-label={platform.enabled ? `Disable ${platform.name}` : `Enable ${platform.name}`}
-              checked={platform.enabled}
-              disabled={saving === `enabled:${platform.id}`}
-              onCheckedChange={onToggle}
-            />
-            <span className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">
-              {platform.enabled ? 'Enabled' : 'Disabled'}
-            </span>
-          </label>
+          <Switch
+            aria-label={platform.enabled ? `Disable ${platform.name}` : `Enable ${platform.name}`}
+            checked={platform.enabled}
+            disabled={saving === `enabled:${platform.id}`}
+            onCheckedChange={onToggle}
+            size="xs"
+          />
 
           <div className="ml-auto flex items-center gap-2">
             {hasEdits && <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Unsaved changes</span>}
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@ function MessagingField({
       </div>
       <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
         <Input
-          className="h-9 rounded-lg font-mono text-sm"
+          className="font-mono"
           id={`messaging-field-${field.key}`}
           onChange={event => onEdit(field.key, event.target.value)}
           placeholder={field.is_set ? field.redacted_value || 'Replace current value' : copy.placeholder}
@@ -698,27 +698,13 @@ function PlatformHint({ platform }: { platform: MessagingPlatformInfo }) {
 
 function StatePill({ children, tone }: { children: string; tone: StatusTone }) {
   return (
-    <span
-      className={cn(
-        'inline-flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-[0.66rem] font-medium',
-        PILL_TONE[tone]
-      )}
-    >
+    <Badge variant={TONE_VARIANT[tone]}>
       <StatusDot tone={tone} />
       {children}
-    </span>
+    </Badge>
   )
 }
 
 function SetupPill({ active, children }: { active: boolean; children: string }) {
-  return (
-    <span
-      className={cn(
-        'inline-flex items-center rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-[0.66rem] font-medium',
-        PILL_TONE[active ? 'good' : 'muted']
-      )}
-    >
-      {children}
-    </span>
-  )
+  return <Badge variant={active ? 'default' : 'muted'}>{children}</Badge>
 }

apps/desktop/src/app/overlays/overlay-search-input.tsx

@@ -1,77 +0,0 @@
-import type { ReactNode, RefObject } from 'react'
-
-import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
-import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
-import { Loader2, Search } from '@/lib/icons'
-import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
-
-interface OverlaySearchInputProps {
-  placeholder: string
-  value: string
-  onChange: (value: string) => void
-  containerClassName?: string
-  inputClassName?: string
-  loading?: boolean
-  onClear?: () => void
-  inputRef?: RefObject<HTMLInputElement | null>
-  trailingAction?: ReactNode
-}
-
-export function OverlaySearchInput({
-  placeholder,
-  value,
-  onChange,
-  containerClassName,
-  inputClassName,
-  loading = false,
-  onClear,
-  inputRef,
-  trailingAction
-}: OverlaySearchInputProps) {
-  const clear = onClear ?? (() => onChange(''))
-  const hasTrailing = Boolean(trailingAction)
-
-  return (
-    <div className={cn('relative', containerClassName)}>
-      <Search className="pointer-events-none absolute left-3 top-1/2 z-1 size-3.5 -translate-y-1/2 text-muted-foreground/80" />
-      <Input
-        className={cn(
-          'relative z-0 h-8 rounded-lg py-2 pl-8 text-[length:var(--conversation-text-font-size)]',
-          hasTrailing || loading || value ? 'pr-16' : 'pr-8',
-          inputClassName
-        )}
-        onChange={event => onChange(event.target.value)}
-        placeholder={placeholder}
-        ref={inputRef}
-        value={value}
-      />
-      <div className="absolute right-1.5 top-1/2 z-1 flex -translate-y-1/2 items-center gap-0.5">
-        {trailingAction}
-        {loading ? (
-          <Loader2 className="pointer-events-none size-3.5 animate-spin text-muted-foreground/70" />
-        ) : value ? (
-          <Button
-            aria-label="Clear search"
-            className="text-muted-foreground/85 hover:bg-accent/60 hover:text-foreground"
-            onClick={clear}
-            size="icon-xs"
-            variant="ghost"
-          >
-            <Codicon name="close" size="0.875rem" />
-          </Button>
-        ) : null}
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  )
-}
-
-export function PageSearchInput(props: OverlaySearchInputProps) {
-  return (
-    <OverlaySearchInput
-      {...props}
-      containerClassName={cn('mx-auto w-[min(36rem,calc(100%-2rem))] min-w-0', props.containerClassName)}
-      inputClassName={cn('h-8 rounded-lg py-2 pl-8', props.inputClassName)}
-    />
-  )
-}

apps/desktop/src/app/overlays/overlay-split-layout.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 import type { IconComponent } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
+import { PAGE_INSET_X } from '../layout-constants'
+
 interface OverlaySplitLayoutProps {
   children: ReactNode
   className?: string
@@ -43,7 +45,9 @@ export function OverlaySidebar({ children, className }: OverlaySidebarProps) {
   return (
     <aside
       className={cn(
-        'flex min-h-0 flex-col gap-0.5 overflow-y-auto bg-(--ui-sidebar-surface-background) px-2.5 py-3',
+        // pt clears the floating titlebar/header; the bg itself fills from the
+        // card's top edge so there's no surface-colored gap above the sidebar.
+        'flex min-h-0 flex-col gap-0.5 overflow-y-auto bg-(--ui-sidebar-surface-background) px-2.5 pb-3 pt-[calc(var(--titlebar-height)+1rem)]',
         className
       )}
     >
@@ -54,7 +58,15 @@ export function OverlaySidebar({ children, className }: OverlaySidebarProps) {
 
 export function OverlayMain({ children, className }: OverlayMainProps) {
   return (
-    <main className={cn('flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden bg-transparent p-3', className)}>{children}</main>
+    <main
+      className={cn(
+        'flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden bg-transparent pb-3 pt-[calc(var(--titlebar-height)+1rem)]',
+        PAGE_INSET_X,
+        className
+      )}
+    >
+      {children}
+    </main>
   )
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/app/overlays/overlay-view.tsx

@@ -64,23 +64,26 @@ export function OverlayView({
       >
         <div className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-0 top-0 z-10 h-[calc(var(--titlebar-height)+0.1875rem)] [-webkit-app-region:drag]">
           {headerContent && (
-            <div className="pointer-events-auto absolute left-1/2 top-[calc(1rem+var(--titlebar-height)/2)] -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]">
+            <div className="pointer-events-auto absolute left-1/2 top-[calc(0.5rem+var(--titlebar-height)/2)] -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]">
               {headerContent}
             </div>
           )}
 
           <Button
             aria-label={closeLabel}
-            className="pointer-events-auto absolute right-3 top-[calc(0.1875rem+var(--titlebar-height)/2)] h-7 w-7 -translate-y-1/2 rounded-md text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]"
+            className="pointer-events-auto absolute right-3 top-[calc(0.1875rem+var(--titlebar-height)/2)] -translate-y-1/2 text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]"
             onClick={closeOverlay}
-            size="icon"
+            size="icon-titlebar"
             variant="ghost"
           >
             <Codicon name="close" size="1rem" />
           </Button>
         </div>
 
-        <div className={cn('min-h-0 flex flex-1 flex-col pt-(--titlebar-height)', contentClassName)}>{children}</div>
+        {/* No top padding here: the split-layout columns own their own
+            titlebar clearance so their backgrounds run flush to the card top
+            (otherwise the card surface shows as a gap above the sidebar). */}
+        <div className={cn('min-h-0 flex flex-1 flex-col', contentClassName)}>{children}</div>
       </div>
     </div>
   )

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

@@ -1,26 +1,30 @@
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 
+import { SearchField } from '@/components/ui/search-field'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
-import { PageSearchInput } from './overlays/overlay-search-input'
-
 interface PageSearchShellProps extends React.ComponentProps<'section'> {
   children: ReactNode
+  /** Primary tabs shown on the top row, beside the search. */
+  tabs?: ReactNode
+  /** Secondary filters shown full-width on their own row below (expands). */
   filters?: ReactNode
   onSearchChange: (value: string) => void
   searchPlaceholder: string
-  searchTrailingAction?: ReactNode
   searchValue: string
+  /** Hide the search field when there's nothing to search (empty dataset). */
+  searchHidden?: boolean
 }
 
 export function PageSearchShell({
   children,
   className,
+  tabs,
   filters,
   onSearchChange,
   searchPlaceholder,
-  searchTrailingAction,
   searchValue,
+  searchHidden = false,
   ...props
 }: PageSearchShellProps) {
   return (
@@ -29,29 +33,42 @@ export function PageSearchShell({
       className={cn('flex h-full min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background)', className)}
     >
       {/*
-        This header sits in the titlebar row, so it overlaps the OS window-drag
-        region painted by the shell. Without `-webkit-app-region: no-drag` on
-        the search row, mousedown on the input gets intercepted as a window-
-        drag start and the input never receives focus (visible as "I can't
-        click the search box" on the messaging/cron/etc pages).
+        Header lives in the page body, below the window chrome (the shell floats
+        traffic lights over the top titlebar-height strip, which the `pt` clears
+        and leaves draggable). Top row: primary tabs + search. Second row:
+        secondary filters, full-width so they expand. Interactive bits opt out
+        of the drag region.
       */}
-      <div className="relative z-10 grid gap-2 border-b border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) px-3 py-2.5 [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]">
-        {/* Reserve the top-right titlebar tools + native window-controls
-            footprint so the full-width search input never slides under them. */}
-        <div
-          style={{
-            paddingRight:
-              'max(0px, calc(var(--titlebar-tools-right, 0px) + var(--titlebar-tools-width, 0px) - 0.75rem))'
-          }}
-        >
-          <PageSearchInput
-            onChange={onSearchChange}
-            placeholder={searchPlaceholder}
-            trailingAction={searchTrailingAction}
-            value={searchValue}
-          />
-        </div>
-        {filters ? <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-center gap-1.5">{filters}</div> : null}
+      {/*
+        IMPORTANT: do NOT put `-webkit-app-region: drag` on this header. It spans
+        full width over the band where the floating titlebar icon clusters live,
+        and an overlapping OS drag region eats their clicks at the compositor
+        level (pointer-events / no-drag carve-outs across separate stacking
+        contexts don't reliably fix it on macOS). The shell already supplies a
+        draggable titlebar strip that is `calc()`'d around the icon clusters
+        (see app-shell.tsx), so window dragging still works here.
+      */}
+      <div className="shrink-0">
+        {(tabs || !searchHidden) && (
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-3 px-3 pb-2 pt-[calc(var(--titlebar-height)+0.5rem)]">
+            {tabs ? (
+              <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-wrap items-center gap-x-2 gap-y-1">{tabs}</div>
+            ) : null}
+            {!searchHidden && (
+              <div className={cn('flex shrink-0 items-center', !tabs && 'flex-1')}>
+                <SearchField
+                  containerClassName="max-w-[45vw]"
+                  onChange={onSearchChange}
+                  placeholder={searchPlaceholder}
+                  value={searchValue}
+                />
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        )}
+        {filters ? (
+          <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-x-2 gap-y-1 px-3 pb-2">{filters}</div>
+        ) : null}
       </div>
       <div className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-hidden bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background)">{children}</div>
     </section>

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

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import type * as React from 'react'
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
+import { Badge } from '@/components/ui/badge'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import {
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ import { AlertTriangle, Pencil, Save, Terminal, Trash2, Users } from '@/lib/icon
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { notify, notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 
-import type { SetStatusbarItemGroup } from '../shell/statusbar-controls'
-import { titlebarHeaderBaseClass } from '../shell/titlebar'
-import type { SetTitlebarToolGroup } from '../shell/titlebar-controls'
+import { useRefreshHotkey } from '../hooks/use-refresh-hotkey'
+import { OverlayMain, OverlaySidebar, OverlaySplitLayout } from '../overlays/overlay-split-layout'
+import { OverlayView } from '../overlays/overlay-view'
 
 const PROFILE_NAME_RE = /^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9_-]{0,63}$/
 
@@ -40,26 +40,18 @@ function isValidProfileName(name: string): boolean {
   return PROFILE_NAME_RE.test(name.trim())
 }
 
-interface ProfilesViewProps extends React.ComponentProps<'section'> {
-  setStatusbarItemGroup?: SetStatusbarItemGroup
-  setTitlebarToolGroup?: SetTitlebarToolGroup
+interface ProfilesViewProps {
+  onClose: () => void
 }
 
-export function ProfilesView({
-  setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup,
-  setTitlebarToolGroup,
-  ...props
-}: ProfilesViewProps) {
+export function ProfilesView({ onClose }: ProfilesViewProps) {
   const [profiles, setProfiles] = useState<null | ProfileInfo[]>(null)
-  const [refreshing, setRefreshing] = useState(false)
   const [selectedName, setSelectedName] = useState<null | string>(null)
   const [createOpen, setCreateOpen] = useState(false)
   const [pendingDelete, setPendingDelete] = useState<null | ProfileInfo>(null)
   const [deleting, setDeleting] = useState(false)
 
   const refresh = useCallback(async () => {
-    setRefreshing(true)
-
     try {
       const { profiles: list } = await getProfiles()
       setProfiles(list)
@@ -72,33 +64,15 @@ export function ProfilesView({
       })
     } catch (err) {
       notifyError(err, 'Failed to load profiles')
-    } finally {
-      setRefreshing(false)
     }
   }, [])
 
+  useRefreshHotkey(refresh)
+
   useEffect(() => {
     void refresh()
   }, [refresh])
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!setTitlebarToolGroup) {
-      return
-    }
-
-    setTitlebarToolGroup('profiles', [
-      {
-        disabled: refreshing,
-        icon: <Codicon name="refresh" spinning={refreshing} />,
-        id: 'refresh-profiles',
-        label: refreshing ? 'Refreshing profiles' : 'Refresh profiles',
-        onSelect: () => void refresh()
-      }
-    ])
-
-    return () => setTitlebarToolGroup('profiles', [])
-  }, [refresh, refreshing, setTitlebarToolGroup])
-
   const selected = useMemo(() => {
     if (!profiles) {
       return null
@@ -164,62 +138,58 @@ export function ProfilesView({
   }, [pendingDelete, refresh])
 
   return (
-    <section {...props} className="flex h-full min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden rounded-b-[0.9375rem] bg-background">
-      <header className={titlebarHeaderBaseClass}>
-        <h2 className="pointer-events-auto text-base font-semibold leading-none tracking-tight">Profiles</h2>
-        <span className="pointer-events-auto text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-          {profiles ? `${profiles.length} ${profiles.length === 1 ? 'profile' : 'profiles'}` : ''}
-        </span>
-      </header>
+    <OverlayView closeLabel="Close profiles" onClose={onClose}>
+      {!profiles ? (
+        <PageLoader label="Loading profiles..." />
+      ) : (
+        <OverlaySplitLayout>
+          <OverlaySidebar>
+            <div className="mb-1 flex items-center justify-between gap-2 pl-1.5 pr-0.5">
+              <span className="text-[0.7rem] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
+                Profiles
+              </span>
+              <Button
+                aria-label="New profile"
+                className="text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground"
+                onClick={() => setCreateOpen(true)}
+                size="icon-xs"
+                variant="ghost"
+              >
+                <Codicon name="add" size="0.875rem" />
+              </Button>
+            </div>
+            {profiles.map(profile => (
+              <ProfileRow
+                active={selected?.name === profile.name}
+                key={profile.name}
+                onSelect={() => setSelectedName(profile.name)}
+                profile={profile}
+              />
+            ))}
+            {profiles.length === 0 && (
+              <p className="px-1.5 py-3 text-xs text-muted-foreground">No profiles yet.</p>
+            )}
+          </OverlaySidebar>
 
-      <div className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-hidden rounded-b-[1.0625rem] border border-border/50 bg-background/85">
-        {!profiles ? (
-          <PageLoader label="Loading profiles..." />
-        ) : (
-          <div className="grid h-full min-h-0 grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-[16rem_minmax(0,1fr)]">
-            <aside className="flex min-h-0 flex-col overflow-hidden border-b border-border/50 lg:border-b-0 lg:border-r">
-              <div className="border-b border-border/40 p-2">
-                <Button className="w-full" onClick={() => setCreateOpen(true)} size="sm">
-                  <Codicon name="add" />
-                  New profile
-                </Button>
-              </div>
-              <ul className="min-h-0 flex-1 space-y-1 overflow-y-auto p-2">
-                {profiles.map(profile => (
-                  <li key={profile.name}>
-                    <ProfileRow
-                      active={selected?.name === profile.name}
-                      onSelect={() => setSelectedName(profile.name)}
-                      profile={profile}
-                    />
-                  </li>
-                ))}
-                {profiles.length === 0 && (
-                  <li className="px-2 py-4 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground">No profiles yet.</li>
-                )}
-              </ul>
-            </aside>
-
-            <main className="min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
-              {selected ? (
-                <ProfileDetail
-                  key={selected.name}
-                  onDelete={() => setPendingDelete(selected)}
-                  onRename={newName => handleRename(selected.name, newName)}
-                  profile={selected}
-                />
-              ) : (
-                <div className="grid h-full place-items-center px-6 py-12 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                  <div>
-                    <Users className="mx-auto size-6 text-muted-foreground/60" />
-                    <p className="mt-3">Select a profile to view its details.</p>
-                  </div>
+          <OverlayMain className="px-0">
+            {selected ? (
+              <ProfileDetail
+                key={selected.name}
+                onDelete={() => setPendingDelete(selected)}
+                onRename={newName => handleRename(selected.name, newName)}
+                profile={selected}
+              />
+            ) : (
+              <div className="grid h-full place-items-center px-6 py-12 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                <div>
+                  <Users className="mx-auto size-6 text-muted-foreground/60" />
+                  <p className="mt-3">Select a profile to view its details.</p>
                 </div>
-              )}
-            </main>
-          </div>
-        )}
-      </div>
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </OverlayMain>
+        </OverlaySplitLayout>
+      )}
 
       <CreateProfileDialog
         onClose={() => setCreateOpen(false)}
@@ -250,7 +220,7 @@ export function ProfilesView({
           </DialogFooter>
         </DialogContent>
       </Dialog>
-    </section>
+    </OverlayView>
   )
 }
 
@@ -258,8 +228,10 @@ function ProfileRow({ active, onSelect, profile }: { active: boolean; onSelect:
   return (
     <button
       className={cn(
-        'flex w-full flex-col items-start gap-1 rounded-lg px-2.5 py-2 text-left transition-colors',
-        active ? 'bg-accent text-foreground' : 'text-foreground/85 hover:bg-accent/60'
+        'flex w-full flex-col items-start gap-0.5 rounded-md px-2 py-1.5 text-left transition-colors',
+        active
+          ? 'bg-(--ui-row-active-background) text-foreground'
+          : 'text-(--ui-text-secondary) hover:bg-(--ui-row-hover-background) hover:text-foreground'
       )}
       onClick={onSelect}
       type="button"
@@ -311,38 +283,30 @@ function ProfileDetail({
               <div className="min-w-0">
                 <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
                   <h3 className="text-xl font-semibold tracking-tight">{profile.name}</h3>
-                  {profile.is_default && (
-                    <span className="rounded-full bg-primary/10 px-2 py-0.5 text-[0.65rem] font-medium text-primary">
-                      Default
-                    </span>
-                  )}
-                  {profile.has_env && (
-                    <span className="rounded-full bg-muted px-2 py-0.5 text-[0.65rem] font-medium text-muted-foreground">
-                      .env
-                    </span>
-                  )}
+                  {profile.is_default && <Badge>Default</Badge>}
+                  {profile.has_env && <Badge variant="muted">.env</Badge>}
                 </div>
                 <p className="mt-1 font-mono text-[0.7rem] text-muted-foreground" title={profile.path}>
                   {profile.path}
                 </p>
               </div>
-              <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1">
+              <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-3">
                 {!profile.is_default && (
-                  <Button onClick={() => setRenameOpen(true)} size="sm" variant="outline">
+                  <Button onClick={() => setRenameOpen(true)} size="sm" variant="text">
                     <Pencil />
                     Rename
                   </Button>
                 )}
-                <Button disabled={copying} onClick={() => void handleCopySetup()} size="sm" variant="outline">
+                <Button disabled={copying} onClick={() => void handleCopySetup()} size="sm" variant="text">
                   <Terminal />
                   {copying ? 'Copying...' : 'Copy setup'}
                 </Button>
                 {!profile.is_default && (
                   <Button
-                    className="text-muted-foreground hover:bg-destructive/10 hover:text-destructive"
+                    className="hover:text-destructive hover:no-underline"
                     onClick={onDelete}
                     size="sm"
-                    variant="ghost"
+                    variant="text"
                   >
                     <Trash2 />
                     Delete
@@ -351,7 +315,7 @@ function ProfileDetail({
               </div>
             </div>
 
-            <dl className="grid gap-2 rounded-lg border border-border/40 bg-background/70 px-3 py-3 text-xs sm:grid-cols-2">
+            <dl className="grid gap-2 text-xs sm:grid-cols-2">
               <DetailRow label="Model">
                 {profile.model ? (
                   <>
@@ -387,7 +351,7 @@ function DetailRow({ children, label }: { children: React.ReactNode; label: stri
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-wrap items-baseline gap-2">
       <dt className="text-[0.65rem] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.12em] text-muted-foreground">{label}</dt>
-      <dd className="text-sm text-foreground">{children}</dd>
+      <dd className="text-xs text-foreground">{children}</dd>
     </div>
   )
 }
@@ -458,9 +422,7 @@ function SoulEditor({ profileName }: { profileName: string }) {
       </div>
 
       {loading ? (
-        <div className="grid h-44 place-items-center rounded-md border border-border/40 bg-background/60 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-          Loading SOUL.md...
-        </div>
+        <PageLoader className="min-h-44" label="Loading SOUL.md" />
       ) : (
         <Textarea
           className="min-h-72 font-mono text-xs leading-5"

apps/desktop/src/app/right-sidebar/files/tree.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useCallback, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import { type NodeApi, type NodeRendererProps, Tree, type TreeApi } from 'react-arborist'
 
+import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import { useResizeObserver } from '@/hooks/use-resize-observer'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
@@ -121,11 +122,7 @@ export function ProjectTree({
 }
 
 function TreeSizingState() {
-  return (
-    <div className="flex h-full min-h-24 items-center justify-center px-3 text-[0.68rem] text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
-      Loading files...
-    </div>
-  )
+  return <PageLoader aria-label="Loading files" className="min-h-24 px-3" />
 }
 
 function ProjectTreeRow({

apps/desktop/src/app/right-sidebar/index.tsx

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import { Loader } from '@/components/ui/loader'
 import { normalizeOrLocalPreviewTarget } from '@/lib/local-preview'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import { $panesFlipped } from '@/store/layout'
 import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import { setCurrentSessionPreviewTarget } from '@/store/preview'
 import { $currentBranch, $currentCwd } from '@/store/session'
@@ -31,17 +32,14 @@ interface RightSidebarTab {
 }
 
 const RIGHT_SIDEBAR_TABS: readonly RightSidebarTab[] = [
-  { id: 'files', label: 'File system', icon: 'files' },
+  { id: 'files', label: 'File system', icon: 'list-tree' },
   { id: 'terminal', label: 'Terminal', icon: 'terminal' }
 ]
 
-export function RightSidebarPane({
-  onActivateFile,
-  onActivateFolder,
-  onChangeCwd
-}: RightSidebarPaneProps) {
+export function RightSidebarPane({ onActivateFile, onActivateFolder, onChangeCwd }: RightSidebarPaneProps) {
   const activeTab = useStore($rightSidebarTab)
   const terminalTakeover = useStore($terminalTakeover)
+  const panesFlipped = useStore($panesFlipped)
   const currentBranch = useStore($currentBranch).trim()
   const currentCwd = useStore($currentCwd).trim()
   const hasCwd = currentCwd.length > 0
@@ -53,8 +51,17 @@ export function RightSidebarPane({
         .pop() ?? currentCwd)
     : 'No folder selected'
 
-  const { collapseAll, collapseNonce, data, loadChildren, openState, refreshRoot, rootError, rootLoading, setNodeOpen } =
-    useProjectTree(currentCwd)
+  const {
+    collapseAll,
+    collapseNonce,
+    data,
+    loadChildren,
+    openState,
+    refreshRoot,
+    rootError,
+    rootLoading,
+    setNodeOpen
+  } = useProjectTree(currentCwd)
 
   const canCollapse = Object.values(openState).some(Boolean)
   const effectiveTab: RightSidebarTabId = terminalTakeover ? 'files' : activeTab
@@ -86,14 +93,17 @@ export function RightSidebarPane({
     }
   }
 
-  const tabs = terminalTakeover
-    ? RIGHT_SIDEBAR_TABS.filter(tab => tab.id !== 'terminal')
-    : RIGHT_SIDEBAR_TABS
+  const tabs = terminalTakeover ? RIGHT_SIDEBAR_TABS.filter(tab => tab.id !== 'terminal') : RIGHT_SIDEBAR_TABS
 
   return (
     <aside
       aria-label="Right sidebar"
-      className="before:pointer-events-none relative flex h-full w-full min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden border-l border-(--ui-stroke-secondary) bg-(--ui-sidebar-surface-background) pt-(--titlebar-height) text-(--ui-text-tertiary) shadow-[inset_0.0625rem_0_0_color-mix(in_srgb,white_18%,transparent)] before:absolute before:inset-x-0 before:top-(--titlebar-height) before:z-1 before:h-px before:bg-(--ui-stroke-tertiary)"
+      className={cn(
+        'before:pointer-events-none relative flex h-full w-full min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden border-(--ui-stroke-secondary) bg-(--ui-sidebar-surface-background) pt-(--titlebar-height) text-(--ui-text-tertiary)',
+        panesFlipped
+          ? 'border-r shadow-[inset_-0.0625rem_0_0_color-mix(in_srgb,white_18%,transparent)]'
+          : 'border-l shadow-[inset_0.0625rem_0_0_color-mix(in_srgb,white_18%,transparent)]'
+      )}
     >
       <RightSidebarChrome activeTab={effectiveTab} branch={currentBranch} tabs={tabs} />
 
@@ -135,26 +145,27 @@ function RightSidebarChrome({
 }) {
   return (
     <header className="shrink-0 bg-transparent text-[0.75rem]">
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-2 border-b border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) px-2.5 py-1">
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-2 px-2.5 py-1">
         <nav aria-label="Right sidebar panels" className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1">
           {tabs.map(tab => (
-            <button
+            <Button
               aria-label={tab.label}
               aria-pressed={tab.id === activeTab}
               className={cn(
-                'grid size-6 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-lg text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition-colors hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-sidebar-ring active:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) active:text-foreground',
-                'data-[active=true]:bg-(--ui-control-active-background) data-[active=true]:text-foreground'
+                'text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground',
+                tab.id === activeTab && 'bg-(--ui-control-active-background) text-foreground'
               )}
-              data-active={tab.id === activeTab}
               key={tab.id}
               onClick={() => setRightSidebarTab(tab.id)}
+              size="icon-xs"
               title={tab.label}
-              type="button"
+              variant="ghost"
             >
               <Codicon name={tab.icon} size="0.875rem" />
-            </button>
+            </Button>
           ))}
         </nav>
+
         {branch && (
           <span className="ml-auto flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1 text-[0.6875rem] text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
             <Codicon className="shrink-0" name="git-branch" size="0.75rem" />
@@ -175,8 +186,11 @@ interface FilesystemTabProps extends FileTreeBodyProps {
   onRefresh: () => void
 }
 
+// Sidebar-specific color/hover treatment only — size, radius, cursor and the
+// base focus ring come from <Button size="icon-xs">. This constant exists
+// purely to share the sidebar palette + the hover-reveal behavior below.
 const HEADER_ACTION_CLASS =
-  'size-6 shrink-0 rounded-md text-sidebar-foreground/70 transition-colors hover:bg-sidebar-accent! hover:text-sidebar-accent-foreground! focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-sidebar-ring'
+  'text-sidebar-foreground/70 hover:bg-sidebar-accent! hover:text-sidebar-accent-foreground! focus-visible:ring-sidebar-ring'
 
 const HEADER_ACTION_REVEAL_CLASS = `${HEADER_ACTION_CLASS} pointer-events-none opacity-0 transition-opacity focus-visible:opacity-100 group-focus-within/project-header:pointer-events-auto group-focus-within/project-header:opacity-100 group-hover/project-header:pointer-events-auto group-hover/project-header:opacity-100`
 
@@ -210,11 +224,22 @@ function FilesystemTab({
         >
           <SidebarPanelLabel>{cwdName}</SidebarPanelLabel>
         </button>
+        <Button
+          aria-label="Refresh tree"
+          className={HEADER_ACTION_CLASS}
+          disabled={!hasCwd || loading}
+          onClick={onRefresh}
+          size="icon-xs"
+          title="Refresh tree"
+          variant="ghost"
+        >
+          <Codicon name="refresh" size="0.8125rem" spinning={loading} />
+        </Button>
         <Button
           aria-label="Open folder"
           className={HEADER_ACTION_CLASS}
           onClick={() => void onChangeFolder()}
-          size="icon"
+          size="icon-xs"
           title={hasCwd ? 'Open a different folder' : 'Open a folder'}
           variant="ghost"
         >
@@ -225,23 +250,12 @@ function FilesystemTab({
           className={HEADER_ACTION_REVEAL_CLASS}
           disabled={!hasCwd || !canCollapse}
           onClick={onCollapseAll}
-          size="icon"
+          size="icon-xs"
           title="Collapse all folders"
           variant="ghost"
         >
           <Codicon name="collapse-all" size="0.8125rem" />
         </Button>
-        <Button
-          aria-label="Refresh tree"
-          className={HEADER_ACTION_REVEAL_CLASS}
-          disabled={!hasCwd || loading}
-          onClick={onRefresh}
-          size="icon"
-          title="Refresh tree"
-          variant="ghost"
-        >
-          <Codicon name="refresh" size="0.8125rem" spinning={loading} />
-        </Button>
       </RightSidebarSectionHeader>
       <FileTreeBody
         collapseNonce={collapseNonce}
@@ -261,7 +275,7 @@ function FilesystemTab({
 }
 
 export function RightSidebarSectionHeader({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
-  return <div className="flex h-7 shrink-0 items-center px-2">{children}</div>
+  return <div className="flex h-7 shrink-0 items-center px-2.5">{children}</div>
 }
 
 interface FileTreeBodyProps {

apps/desktop/src/app/routes.ts

@@ -52,6 +52,21 @@ export const APP_ROUTES = [
 const APP_VIEW_BY_PATH = new Map<string, AppView>(APP_ROUTES.map(route => [route.path, route.view]))
 const RESERVED_PATHS: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set(APP_ROUTES.map(route => route.path))
 
+// Views that render as a full-screen modal card (OverlayView) over the shell.
+// While one is open the app's titlebar control clusters must hide so they don't
+// bleed over the overlay (they sit at a higher z-index than the overlay card).
+export const OVERLAY_VIEWS: ReadonlySet<AppView> = new Set([
+  'agents',
+  'command-center',
+  'cron',
+  'profiles',
+  'settings'
+])
+
+export function isOverlayView(view: AppView): boolean {
+  return OVERLAY_VIEWS.has(view)
+}
+
 export function isNewChatRoute(pathname: string): boolean {
   return pathname === NEW_CHAT_ROUTE
 }

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

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { isProviderSetupErrorMessage } from '@/lib/provider-setup-errors'
 import { setClarifyRequest } from '@/store/clarify'
 import { notify } from '@/store/notifications'
 import { requestDesktopOnboarding } from '@/store/onboarding'
+import { clearAllPrompts, setApprovalRequest, setSecretRequest, setSudoRequest } from '@/store/prompts'
 import {
   setCurrentBranch,
   setCurrentCwd,
@@ -29,7 +30,8 @@ import {
   setCurrentReasoningEffort,
   setCurrentServiceTier,
   setCurrentUsage,
-  setTurnStartedAt
+  setTurnStartedAt,
+  setYoloActive
 } from '@/store/session'
 import { clearSessionSubagents, pruneDelegateFallbackSubagents, upsertSubagent } from '@/store/subagents'
 import { recordToolDiff } from '@/store/tool-diffs'
@@ -311,6 +313,7 @@ export function useMessageStream({
     // commit and the synthetic harness shows longtask counts drop from ~5/5s
     // to ~1/5s on big sessions (see scripts/profile-typing-lag.md).
     const sinceLast = performance.now() - lastFlushAtRef.current
+
     const runFlush = () => {
       flushHandleRef.current = null
       lastFlushAtRef.current = performance.now()
@@ -529,7 +532,8 @@ export function useMessageStream({
           streamId: null,
           pendingBranchGroup: null,
           awaitingResponse: false,
-          busy: false
+          busy: false,
+          needsInput: false
         }
       })
 
@@ -586,7 +590,8 @@ export function useMessageStream({
           pendingBranchGroup: null,
           sawAssistantPayload: true,
           awaitingResponse: false,
-          busy: false
+          busy: false,
+          needsInput: false
         }
       })
     },
@@ -655,6 +660,10 @@ export function useMessageStream({
             setCurrentFastMode(payload.fast)
           }
 
+          if (typeof payload?.yolo === 'boolean') {
+            setYoloActive(payload.yolo)
+          }
+
           if (runningChanged && sessionId) {
             updateSessionState(sessionId, state => {
               const busy = Boolean(payload!.running)
@@ -746,6 +755,13 @@ export function useMessageStream({
           return
         }
 
+        // Turn ended — drop any blocking prompt that's still open (e.g. the
+        // agent was interrupted, or the approval already resolved). Prevents a
+        // stale overlay from outliving the turn that raised it.
+        if (isActiveEvent) {
+          clearAllPrompts()
+        }
+
         flushQueuedDeltas(sessionId)
 
         if (isActiveEvent) {
@@ -773,6 +789,11 @@ export function useMessageStream({
         if (sessionId) {
           flushQueuedDeltas(sessionId)
           upsertToolCall(sessionId, toTodoPayload(payload) ?? payload, 'complete', event.type)
+          // A pending clarify blocks the turn, so the first tool.complete after
+          // one is the clarify resolving — drop the "needs input" flag here so
+          // the sidebar indicator clears as soon as it's answered, not only at
+          // message.complete.
+          updateSessionState(sessionId, state => (state.needsInput ? { ...state, needsInput: false } : state))
         }
 
         if (typeof payload?.inline_diff === 'string' && payload.inline_diff.trim()) {
@@ -793,13 +814,16 @@ export function useMessageStream({
           )
         }
       } else if (event.type === 'clarify.request') {
-        if (!isActiveEvent) {
-          return
-        }
-
         // Surface the clarify tool's overlay. The Python side is blocked on
         // `clarify.respond`, so without this handler the agent would hang
         // forever (see tools/clarify_tool.py + tui_gateway/server.py:_block).
+        //
+        // Store the request for whichever session raised it — even a background
+        // one. clarify.request is a one-shot event; if we dropped it for an
+        // unfocused session, that session would block on `clarify.respond`
+        // indefinitely and re-focusing it could never recover (the event is
+        // gone). Parking it per-session lets the user answer once they switch
+        // over; the inline ClarifyTool reads the active session's entry.
         const requestId = typeof payload?.request_id === 'string' ? payload.request_id : ''
         const question = typeof payload?.question === 'string' ? payload.question : ''
 
@@ -810,11 +834,70 @@ export function useMessageStream({
             choices: Array.isArray(payload?.choices) ? payload!.choices!.filter(c => typeof c === 'string') : null,
             sessionId: sessionId ?? null
           })
+
+          // The transcript only renders the active session, so a background
+          // clarify is otherwise invisible (the row just keeps spinning like
+          // it's working). Flag the session so the sidebar shows a persistent
+          // "needs input" indicator on its row — works for the active session
+          // too, and survives alt-tab / window blur (unlike a toast).
+          if (sessionId) {
+            updateSessionState(sessionId, state => ({ ...state, needsInput: true }))
+          }
+        }
+      } else if (event.type === 'approval.request') {
+        if (!isActiveEvent) {
+          return
+        }
+
+        // Dangerous-command / execute_code approval. The Python side is
+        // blocked in _await_gateway_decision() until approval.respond lands;
+        // without this the agent stalls until its 5-min timeout and the tool
+        // is BLOCKED. Approval is session-keyed (no request_id) — the overlay
+        // sends back {choice, session_id}.
+        setApprovalRequest({
+          command: typeof payload?.command === 'string' ? payload.command : '',
+          description: typeof payload?.description === 'string' ? payload.description : 'dangerous command',
+          sessionId: sessionId ?? null
+        })
+      } else if (event.type === 'sudo.request') {
+        if (!isActiveEvent) {
+          return
+        }
+
+        // Sudo password capture (tools/terminal_tool.py). Blocked on
+        // sudo.respond {request_id, password}.
+        const requestId = typeof payload?.request_id === 'string' ? payload.request_id : ''
+
+        if (requestId) {
+          setSudoRequest({ requestId })
+        }
+      } else if (event.type === 'secret.request') {
+        if (!isActiveEvent) {
+          return
+        }
+
+        // Skill credential capture (tools/skills_tool.py). Blocked on
+        // secret.respond {request_id, value}.
+        const requestId = typeof payload?.request_id === 'string' ? payload.request_id : ''
+
+        if (requestId) {
+          setSecretRequest({
+            requestId,
+            envVar: typeof payload?.env_var === 'string' ? payload.env_var : '',
+            prompt: typeof payload?.prompt === 'string' ? payload.prompt : ''
+          })
         }
       } else if (event.type === 'error') {
         const errorMessage = payload?.message || 'Hermes reported an error'
         const looksLikeProviderSetup = isProviderSetupErrorMessage(errorMessage)
 
+        // A turn that errors out has also ended — drop any open blocking
+        // prompt so an approval/sudo/secret overlay can't linger past the
+        // failed turn (same intent as the message.complete clear).
+        if (isActiveEvent) {
+          clearAllPrompts()
+        }
+
         if (looksLikeProviderSetup) {
           requestDesktopOnboarding(errorMessage)
         } else if (isActiveEvent) {

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

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
 } from '@/lib/desktop-slash-commands'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
 import { isProviderSetupErrorMessage } from '@/lib/provider-setup-errors'
+import { setSessionYolo } from '@/lib/yolo-session'
 import {
   $composerAttachments,
   addComposerAttachment,
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ import {
 } from '@/store/composer'
 import { clearNotifications, notify, notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import { requestDesktopOnboarding } from '@/store/onboarding'
-import { $busy, $messages, setAwaitingResponse, setBusy, setMessages } from '@/store/session'
+import {
+  $busy,
+  $messages,
+  $yoloActive,
+  setAwaitingResponse,
+  setBusy,
+  setMessages,
+  setYoloActive
+} from '@/store/session'
 
 import type { ClientSessionState, ImageAttachResponse, SlashExecResponse } from '../../types'
 
@@ -400,6 +409,30 @@ export function usePromptActions({
           return
         }
 
+        // /yolo maps to the status-bar YOLO control — a per-session approval
+        // bypass, same scope as the TUI's Shift+Tab. With no session yet we arm
+        // it locally; the session-create path applies it on the first message.
+        if (normalizedName === 'yolo') {
+          const sid = sessionHint || activeSessionIdRef.current
+          const next = !$yoloActive.get()
+
+          if (!sid) {
+            setYoloActive(next)
+            notify({ kind: 'success', message: next ? 'YOLO armed for this chat' : 'YOLO off' })
+
+            return
+          }
+
+          try {
+            const active = await setSessionYolo(requestGateway, sid, next)
+            appendSessionTextMessage(sid, 'system', `YOLO ${active ? 'on' : 'off'} for this session`)
+          } catch {
+            notify({ kind: 'error', title: 'YOLO', message: 'Could not toggle YOLO' })
+          }
+
+          return
+        }
+
         if (normalizedName === 'skin' && !sessionHint && !activeSessionIdRef.current) {
           notify({ kind: 'success', message: handleSkinCommand(arg) })
 

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

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { deleteSession, getSessionMessages, setSessionArchived } from '@/hermes'
 import { type ChatMessage, chatMessageText, preserveLocalAssistantErrors, toChatMessages } from '@/lib/chat-messages'
 import { normalizePersonalityValue } from '@/lib/chat-runtime'
 import { embeddedImageUrls, textWithoutEmbeddedImages } from '@/lib/embedded-images'
+import { setSessionYolo } from '@/lib/yolo-session'
 import { clearComposerAttachments, clearComposerDraft } from '@/store/composer'
 import { clearQueuedPrompts } from '@/store/composer-queue'
 import { $pinnedSessionIds } from '@/store/layout'
@@ -15,7 +16,9 @@ import {
   $currentCwd,
   $messages,
   $sessions,
+  $yoloActive,
   getRememberedWorkspaceCwd,
+  sessionPinId,
   setActiveSessionId,
   setAwaitingResponse,
   setBusy,
@@ -35,7 +38,8 @@ import {
   setSessions,
   setSessionsTotal,
   setSessionStartedAt,
-  setTurnStartedAt
+  setTurnStartedAt,
+  setYoloActive
 } from '@/store/session'
 import { reportBackendContract } from '@/store/updates'
 import type { SessionCreateResponse, SessionInfo, SessionResumeResponse, UsageStats } from '@/types/hermes'
@@ -247,6 +251,10 @@ function applyRuntimeInfo(
     setCurrentFastMode(info.fast)
   }
 
+  if (typeof info.yolo === 'boolean') {
+    setYoloActive(info.yolo)
+  }
+
   if (info.usage) {
     setCurrentUsage(current => ({ ...current, ...info.usage }))
   }
@@ -342,12 +350,19 @@ export function useSessionActions({
       setActiveSessionId(created.session_id)
       setSelectedStoredSessionId(stored)
       setSessionStartedAt(Date.now())
+      const yoloArmed = $yoloActive.get()
       const runtimeInfo = applyRuntimeInfo(created.info)
 
       if (runtimeInfo) {
         updateSessionState(created.session_id, state => ({ ...state, ...runtimeInfo }), stored)
       }
 
+      // User may have armed YOLO on the new-chat draft before the runtime
+      // session existed — apply it to the freshly created session.
+      if (yoloArmed) {
+        await setSessionYolo(requestGateway, created.session_id, true).catch(() => undefined)
+      }
+
       return created.session_id
     } finally {
       window.setTimeout(() => {
@@ -692,12 +707,15 @@ export function useSessionActions({
       const closingRuntimeId = wasSelected ? activeSessionId : null
       const previousMessages = $messages.get()
       const previousPinned = $pinnedSessionIds.get()
+      // Pins are keyed on the durable lineage-root id; the stored id may be the
+      // live tip after compression. Drop both so the pin can't linger.
+      const removedPinId = removed ? sessionPinId(removed) : storedSessionId
 
       setSessions(prev => prev.filter(s => s.id !== storedSessionId))
       // Keep $sessionsTotal in sync so the sidebar's "Load N more" footer
       // doesn't keep claiming the removed row is still on the server.
       setSessionsTotal(prev => Math.max(0, prev - 1))
-      $pinnedSessionIds.set(previousPinned.filter(id => id !== storedSessionId))
+      $pinnedSessionIds.set(previousPinned.filter(id => id !== storedSessionId && id !== removedPinId))
 
       // Tear down before awaiting so the route effect can't resume the
       // doomed session via the stale /<sid> URL.
@@ -769,6 +787,9 @@ export function useSessionActions({
       const archived = $sessions.get().find(s => s.id === storedSessionId)
       const wasSelected = selectedStoredSessionId === storedSessionId
       const previousPinned = $pinnedSessionIds.get()
+      // Pins are keyed on the durable lineage-root id; the stored id may be the
+      // live tip after compression. Drop both so the pin can't linger.
+      const archivedPinId = archived ? sessionPinId(archived) : storedSessionId
 
       // Soft-hide: drop from the sidebar immediately, keep the data.
       setSessions(prev => prev.filter(s => s.id !== storedSessionId))
@@ -776,7 +797,7 @@ export function useSessionActions({
       // on the next refresh, so they count as "removed" for the load-more
       // footer math.
       setSessionsTotal(prev => Math.max(0, prev - 1))
-      $pinnedSessionIds.set(previousPinned.filter(id => id !== storedSessionId))
+      $pinnedSessionIds.set(previousPinned.filter(id => id !== storedSessionId && id !== archivedPinId))
 
       if (wasSelected) {
         startFreshSessionDraft(true)

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

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { type MutableRefObject, useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
 import type { ChatMessage } from '@/lib/chat-messages'
 import { preserveLocalAssistantErrors } from '@/lib/chat-messages'
 import { createClientSessionState } from '@/lib/chat-runtime'
-import { $busy, $messages, noteSessionActivity, setSessionWorking } from '@/store/session'
+import { $busy, $messages, noteSessionActivity, setSessionAttention, setSessionWorking } from '@/store/session'
 
 import type { ClientSessionState } from '../../types'
 
@@ -152,7 +152,13 @@ export function useSessionStateCache({
         setSessionWorking(previous.storedSessionId, false)
       }
 
+      if (previous.storedSessionId !== next.storedSessionId || !next.needsInput) {
+        setSessionAttention(previous.storedSessionId, false)
+      }
+
       setSessionWorking(next.storedSessionId, next.busy)
+      setSessionAttention(next.storedSessionId, next.needsInput)
+
       // Every state update is effectively a "still alive" heartbeat for
       // streaming events. The session-store watchdog uses this to keep the
       // working flag alive during long-running turns and to clear it once
@@ -160,6 +166,7 @@ export function useSessionStateCache({
       if (next.busy) {
         noteSessionActivity(next.storedSessionId)
       }
+
       syncSessionStateToView(sessionId, next)
 
       return next

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

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { CheckCircle2, ExternalLink, Loader2, RefreshCw, Sparkles } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { Loader2, RefreshCw, Sparkles } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import {
   $desktopVersion,
@@ -111,29 +111,22 @@ export function AboutSettings() {
             statusTone === 'idle' && 'border-border/70 bg-muted/20 text-foreground'
           )}
         >
-          <div className="flex items-start gap-2">
-            {statusTone === 'available' ? (
-              <Sparkles className="mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0 text-primary" />
-            ) : statusTone === 'error' ? null : (
-              <CheckCircle2 className="mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0 text-emerald-600 dark:text-emerald-400" />
-            )}
-            <div className="min-w-0">
-              <p className="font-medium">{statusLine}</p>
-              <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                Last checked {relativeTime(status?.fetchedAt)}
-                {justChecked && !checking ? ' · just now' : ''}
-              </p>
-            </div>
+          <div className="min-w-0">
+            <p className="font-medium">{statusLine}</p>
+            <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              Last checked {relativeTime(status?.fetchedAt)}
+              {justChecked && !checking ? ' · just now' : ''}
+            </p>
           </div>
 
-          <div className="mt-3 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+          <div className="mt-3 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-4">
             <Button
               disabled={checking || applying || !supported}
               onClick={() => void handleCheck()}
               size="sm"
-              variant="outline"
+              variant="textStrong"
             >
-              {checking ? <Loader2 className="size-3 animate-spin" /> : <RefreshCw className="size-3" />}
+              {checking && <Loader2 className="size-3 animate-spin" />}
               {checking ? 'Checking…' : 'Check now'}
             </Button>
 
@@ -143,12 +136,7 @@ export function AboutSettings() {
               </Button>
             )}
 
-            <Button
-              asChild
-              className="ml-auto text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
-              size="sm"
-              variant="ghost"
-            >
+            <Button asChild className="ml-auto" size="sm" variant="text">
               <a
                 href={RELEASE_NOTES_URL}
                 onClick={event => {
@@ -158,7 +146,6 @@ export function AboutSettings() {
                 rel="noreferrer"
                 target="_blank"
               >
-                <ExternalLink className="size-3" />
                 Release notes
               </a>
             </Button>

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

@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
+import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 
+import { SegmentedControl } from '@/components/ui/segmented-control'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
-import { Check, Palette } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { Check } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { $toolViewMode, setToolViewMode } from '@/store/tool-view'
 import { useTheme } from '@/themes/context'
 import { BUILTIN_THEMES } from '@/themes/presets'
 
 import { MODE_OPTIONS } from './constants'
-import { prettyName } from './helpers'
-import { Pill, SectionHeading, SettingsContent } from './primitives'
+import { SettingsContent } from './primitives'
 
 function ThemePreview({ name }: { name: string }) {
   const t = BUILTIN_THEMES[name]
@@ -51,146 +52,80 @@ function ThemePreview({ name }: { name: string }) {
   )
 }
 
+function SectionHead({ title, description, control }: { title: string; description: string; control?: ReactNode }) {
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-col gap-2 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between sm:gap-4">
+      <div className="min-w-0">
+        <div className="text-[length:var(--conversation-text-font-size)] font-medium">{title}</div>
+        <div className="mt-1 text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] leading-(--conversation-caption-line-height) text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
+          {description}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+      {control && <div className="shrink-0">{control}</div>}
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
 export function AppearanceSettings() {
   const { themeName, mode, availableThemes, setTheme, setMode } = useTheme()
   const toolViewMode = useStore($toolViewMode)
-  const activeTheme = availableThemes.find(t => t.name === themeName)
 
   return (
     <SettingsContent>
-      <div className="space-y-5">
-        <div>
-          <SectionHeading icon={Palette} title="Appearance" />
-          <p className="max-w-2xl text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] leading-(--conversation-caption-line-height) text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
-            These are desktop-only display preferences. Mode controls brightness; theme controls the accent palette and
-            chat surface styling.
-          </p>
-        </div>
+      <div className="grid gap-8">
+        <p className="max-w-2xl text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] leading-(--conversation-caption-line-height) text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
+          These are desktop-only display preferences. Mode controls brightness; theme controls the accent palette and
+          chat surface styling.
+        </p>
 
-        <section className="rounded-xl border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background) p-3 shadow-sm">
-          <div className="mb-3 flex items-center justify-between gap-3">
-            <div>
-              <div className="text-sm font-medium">Color Mode</div>
-              <div className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                Pick a fixed mode or let Hermes follow your system setting.
-              </div>
-            </div>
-            <Pill>{prettyName(mode)}</Pill>
-          </div>
-          <div className="grid gap-2 sm:grid-cols-3">
-            {MODE_OPTIONS.map(({ id, label, description, icon: Icon }) => {
-              const active = mode === id
-
-              return (
-                <button
-                  className={cn(
-                    'group rounded-lg border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-bg-quinary) p-2.5 text-left transition hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover)',
-                    active && 'border-(--ui-stroke-secondary) bg-(--ui-bg-tertiary)'
-                  )}
-                  key={id}
-                  onClick={() => {
-                    triggerHaptic('crisp')
-                    setMode(id)
-                  }}
-                  type="button"
-                >
-                  <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-3">
-                    <span className="flex size-9 items-center justify-center rounded-lg bg-muted text-foreground transition group-hover:bg-background">
-                      <Icon className="size-4" />
-                    </span>
-                    {active && (
-                      <span className="grid size-5 place-items-center rounded-full bg-primary text-primary-foreground">
-                        <Check className="size-3.5" />
-                      </span>
-                    )}
-                  </div>
-                  <div className="mt-2 text-[length:var(--conversation-text-font-size)] font-medium">{label}</div>
-                  <div className="mt-1 text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] leading-(--conversation-caption-line-height) text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
-                    {description}
-                  </div>
-                </button>
-              )
-            })}
-          </div>
+        <section>
+          <SectionHead
+            control={
+              <SegmentedControl
+                onChange={id => {
+                  triggerHaptic('crisp')
+                  setMode(id)
+                }}
+                options={MODE_OPTIONS}
+                value={mode}
+              />
+            }
+            description="Pick a fixed mode or let Hermes follow your system setting."
+            title="Color Mode"
+          />
         </section>
 
-        <section className="rounded-xl border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background) p-3 shadow-sm">
-          <div className="mb-3 flex items-center justify-between gap-3">
-            <div>
-              <div className="text-sm font-medium">Tool Call Display</div>
-              <div className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                Product hides raw tool payloads; Technical shows full input/output.
-              </div>
-            </div>
-            <Pill>{toolViewMode === 'technical' ? 'Technical' : 'Product'}</Pill>
-          </div>
-          <div className="grid gap-2 sm:grid-cols-2">
-            {(
-              [
-                {
-                  id: 'product',
-                  label: 'Product',
-                  description: 'Human-friendly tool activity with concise summaries.'
-                },
-                {
-                  id: 'technical',
-                  label: 'Technical',
-                  description: 'Include raw tool args/results and low-level details.'
+        <section>
+          <SectionHead
+            control={
+              <SegmentedControl
+                onChange={id => {
+                  triggerHaptic('selection')
+                  setToolViewMode(id)
+                }}
+                options={
+                  [
+                    { id: 'product', label: 'Product' },
+                    { id: 'technical', label: 'Technical' }
+                  ] as const
                 }
-              ] as const
-            ).map(option => {
-              const active = toolViewMode === option.id
-
-              return (
-                <button
-                  className={cn(
-                    'group rounded-lg border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-bg-quinary) p-2.5 text-left transition hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover)',
-                    active && 'border-(--ui-stroke-secondary) bg-(--ui-bg-tertiary)'
-                  )}
-                  key={option.id}
-                  onClick={() => {
-                    triggerHaptic('selection')
-                    setToolViewMode(option.id)
-                  }}
-                  type="button"
-                >
-                  <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-3">
-                    <div className="text-[length:var(--conversation-text-font-size)] font-medium">{option.label}</div>
-                    {active && (
-                      <span className="grid size-5 place-items-center rounded-full bg-primary text-primary-foreground">
-                        <Check className="size-3.5" />
-                      </span>
-                    )}
-                  </div>
-                  <div className="mt-1 text-[length:var(--conversation-caption-font-size)] leading-(--conversation-caption-line-height) text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
-                    {option.description}
-                  </div>
-                </button>
-              )
-            })}
-          </div>
+                value={toolViewMode}
+              />
+            }
+            description="Product hides raw tool payloads; Technical shows full input/output."
+            title="Tool Call Display"
+          />
         </section>
 
-        <section className="rounded-xl border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background) p-3 shadow-sm">
-          <div className="mb-3 flex items-center justify-between gap-3">
-            <div>
-              <div className="text-sm font-medium">Theme</div>
-              <div className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                Desktop palettes only. The selected mode is applied on top.
-              </div>
-            </div>
-            {activeTheme && <Pill>{activeTheme.label}</Pill>}
-          </div>
-          <div className="grid gap-3 sm:grid-cols-2 xl:grid-cols-3">
+        <section className="grid gap-3">
+          <SectionHead description="Desktop palettes only. The selected mode is applied on top." title="Theme" />
+          <div className="grid gap-x-4 gap-y-5 sm:grid-cols-2 xl:grid-cols-3">
             {availableThemes.map(theme => {
               const active = themeName === theme.name
 
               return (
                 <button
-                  className={cn(
-                    'rounded-lg border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-bg-quinary) p-2 text-left transition hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover)',
-                    active && 'border-(--ui-stroke-secondary) bg-(--ui-bg-tertiary)'
-                  )}
+                  className="group text-left"
                   key={theme.name}
                   onClick={() => {
                     triggerHaptic('crisp')
@@ -198,8 +133,17 @@ export function AppearanceSettings() {
                   }}
                   type="button"
                 >
-                  <ThemePreview name={theme.name} />
-                  <div className="mt-3 flex items-start justify-between gap-3 px-1">
+                  <div
+                    className={cn(
+                      'rounded-xl transition',
+                      active
+                        ? 'ring-2 ring-primary ring-offset-2 ring-offset-background'
+                        : 'opacity-90 group-hover:opacity-100'
+                    )}
+                  >
+                    <ThemePreview name={theme.name} />
+                  </div>
+                  <div className="mt-2.5 flex items-start justify-between gap-2 px-0.5">
                     <div className="min-w-0">
                       <div className="truncate text-[length:var(--conversation-text-font-size)] font-medium">
                         {theme.label}
@@ -208,11 +152,7 @@ export function AppearanceSettings() {
                         {theme.description}
                       </div>
                     </div>
-                    {active && (
-                      <span className="mt-0.5 grid size-5 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-full bg-primary text-primary-foreground">
-                        <Check className="size-3.5" />
-                      </span>
-                    )}
+                    {active && <Check className="mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0 text-primary" />}
                   </div>
                 </button>
               )

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

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { ChangeEvent, ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom'
 
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
 import { Select, SelectContent, SelectItem, SelectTrigger, SelectValue } from '@/components/ui/select'
@@ -17,10 +18,9 @@ import { notify, notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import type { ConfigFieldSchema, HermesConfigRecord } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 import { CONTROL_TEXT, EMPTY_SELECT_VALUE, FIELD_DESCRIPTIONS, FIELD_LABELS, SECTIONS } from './constants'
-import { enumOptionsFor, getNested, includesQuery, prettyName, setNested } from './helpers'
+import { enumOptionsFor, getNested, prettyName, setNested } from './helpers'
 import { ModelSettings } from './model-settings'
 import { EmptyState, ListRow, LoadingState, SettingsContent } from './primitives'
-import type { SearchProps } from './types'
 
 function ConfigField({
   schemaKey,
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ function ConfigField({
 
   if (schema.type === 'boolean') {
     return row(
-      <div className="flex items-center justify-end gap-3">
-        <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{value ? 'On' : 'Off'}</span>
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-end">
         <Switch checked={Boolean(value)} onCheckedChange={onChange} />
       </div>
     )
@@ -89,7 +88,7 @@ function ConfigField({
   if (schema.type === 'number') {
     return row(
       <Input
-        className={cn('h-8', CONTROL_TEXT)}
+        className={CONTROL_TEXT}
         onChange={e => {
           const raw = e.target.value
           const n = raw === '' ? 0 : Number(raw)
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ function ConfigField({
   if (schema.type === 'list') {
     return row(
       <Input
-        className={cn('h-8', CONTROL_TEXT)}
+        className={CONTROL_TEXT}
         onChange={e =>
           onChange(
             e.target.value
@@ -154,7 +153,7 @@ function ConfigField({
       />
     ) : (
       <Input
-        className={cn('h-8', CONTROL_TEXT)}
+        className={CONTROL_TEXT}
         onChange={e => onChange(e.target.value)}
         placeholder="Not set"
         value={String(value ?? '')}
@@ -165,12 +164,11 @@ function ConfigField({
 }
 
 export function ConfigSettings({
-  query,
   activeSectionId,
   onConfigSaved,
   onMainModelChanged,
   importInputRef
-}: SearchProps & {
+}: {
   activeSectionId: string
   onConfigSaved?: () => void
   onMainModelChanged?: (provider: string, model: string) => void
@@ -265,37 +263,41 @@ export function ConfigSettings({
     )
   }, [schema])
 
-  const matched = useMemo(() => {
-    const q = query.trim().toLowerCase()
+  const fields = sectionFields.get(activeSectionId) ?? []
 
-    if (!schema || !q) {
-      return []
+  // Deep-link target from the command palette (?field=<key>): scroll the row
+  // into view and flash it, then drop the param so it doesn't re-fire.
+  const [searchParams, setSearchParams] = useSearchParams()
+  const targetField = searchParams.get('field')
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!targetField || !config || !schema) {
+      return
     }
 
-    const seen = new Set<string>()
+    const element = document.getElementById(`setting-field-${targetField}`)
 
-    return SECTIONS.flatMap(s =>
-      s.keys.flatMap(k => {
-        if (seen.has(k) || !schema[k]) {
-          return []
-        }
+    if (!element) {
+      return
+    }
 
-        seen.add(k)
-        const label = prettyName(k.split('.').pop() ?? k)
-        const item = schema[k]
+    element.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'center' })
+    element.classList.add('setting-field-highlight')
 
-        const hit =
-          k.toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
-          label.toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
-          includesQuery(item.category, q) ||
-          includesQuery(item.description, q)
+    const timeout = window.setTimeout(() => element.classList.remove('setting-field-highlight'), 1600)
 
-        return hit ? [[k, item] as [string, ConfigFieldSchema]] : []
-      })
+    setSearchParams(
+      previous => {
+        const next = new URLSearchParams(previous)
+        next.delete('field')
+
+        return next
+      },
+      { replace: true }
     )
-  }, [schema, query])
 
-  const fields = query.trim() ? matched : (sectionFields.get(activeSectionId) ?? [])
+    return () => window.clearTimeout(timeout)
+  }, [config, schema, setSearchParams, targetField])
 
   function handleImport(e: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) {
     const file = e.target.files?.[0]
@@ -325,34 +327,30 @@ export function ConfigSettings({
 
   return (
     <SettingsContent>
-      {activeSectionId === 'model' && !query.trim() && (
+      {activeSectionId === 'model' && (
         <div className="mb-6">
           <ModelSettings onMainModelChanged={onMainModelChanged} />
         </div>
       )}
-      {query.trim() && (
-        <div className="mb-4 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-          {fields.length} result{fields.length === 1 ? '' : 's'}
-        </div>
-      )}
       {fields.length === 0 ? (
-        <EmptyState description="Try a different search term or choose another section." title="No matching settings" />
+        <EmptyState description="This section has no adjustable settings." title="Nothing to configure" />
       ) : (
-        <div className="divide-y divide-border/40">
+        <div className="grid gap-1">
           {fields.map(([key, field]) => (
-            <ConfigField
-              enumOptions={
-                key === 'tts.elevenlabs.voice_id'
-                  ? enumOptionsFor(key, getNested(config, key), config, elevenLabsVoiceOptions ?? undefined)
-                  : enumOptionsFor(key, getNested(config, key), config)
-              }
-              key={key}
-              onChange={value => updateConfig(setNested(config, key, value))}
-              optionLabels={key === 'tts.elevenlabs.voice_id' ? elevenLabsVoiceLabels : undefined}
-              schema={field}
-              schemaKey={key}
-              value={getNested(config, key)}
-            />
+            <div className="scroll-mt-6 rounded-lg" id={`setting-field-${key}`} key={key}>
+              <ConfigField
+                enumOptions={
+                  key === 'tts.elevenlabs.voice_id'
+                    ? enumOptionsFor(key, getNested(config, key), config, elevenLabsVoiceOptions ?? undefined)
+                    : enumOptionsFor(key, getNested(config, key), config)
+                }
+                onChange={value => updateConfig(setNested(config, key, value))}
+                optionLabels={key === 'tts.elevenlabs.voice_id' ? elevenLabsVoiceLabels : undefined}
+                schema={field}
+                schemaKey={key}
+                value={getNested(config, key)}
+              />
+            </div>
           ))}
         </div>
       )}

apps/desktop/src/app/settings/constants.ts

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ interface ProviderPrefix {
 }
 
 export const EMPTY_SELECT_VALUE = '__hermes_empty__'
-export const CONTROL_TEXT = 'text-[0.8125rem]'
+export const CONTROL_TEXT = 'text-xs'
 
 export const PROVIDER_GROUPS: ProviderPrefix[] = [
   { prefix: 'NOUS_', name: 'Nous Portal', priority: 0 },
@@ -289,21 +289,11 @@ export const SECTIONS: DesktopConfigSection[] = [
 export interface ModeOption {
   id: ThemeMode
   label: string
-  description: string
   icon: IconComponent
 }
 
 export const MODE_OPTIONS: ModeOption[] = [
-  { id: 'light', label: 'Light', description: 'Bright desktop surfaces', icon: Sun },
-  { id: 'dark', label: 'Dark', description: 'Low-glare workspace', icon: Moon },
-  { id: 'system', label: 'System', description: 'Follow OS appearance', icon: Monitor }
+  { id: 'light', label: 'Light', icon: Sun },
+  { id: 'dark', label: 'Dark', icon: Moon },
+  { id: 'system', label: 'System', icon: Monitor }
 ]
-
-export const SEARCH_PLACEHOLDER: Record<'about' | 'config' | 'gateway' | 'keys' | 'mcp' | 'sessions', string> = {
-  about: 'About Hermes Desktop',
-  config: 'Search settings...',
-  gateway: 'Gateway connection...',
-  keys: 'Search API keys...',
-  mcp: 'Search MCP servers...',
-  sessions: 'Search archived sessions...'
-}

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

@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ export function GatewaySettings() {
         />
       </div>
 
-      <div className="mt-5 divide-y divide-border/40">
+      <div className="mt-5 grid gap-1">
         <ListRow
           action={
             <Input
@@ -272,28 +272,30 @@ export function GatewaySettings() {
 
       {lastTest ? <div className="mt-4 text-xs text-primary">{lastTest}</div> : null}
 
-      <div className="mt-6 flex flex-wrap justify-end gap-3">
+      <div className="mt-6 flex flex-wrap items-center justify-end gap-4">
         <Button
+          className="mr-auto"
           disabled={state.envOverride || testing || !canUseRemote}
           onClick={() => void testRemote()}
-          variant="outline"
+          size="sm"
+          variant="text"
         >
           {testing ? <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin" /> : null}
           Test remote
         </Button>
-        <Button disabled={state.envOverride || saving} onClick={() => void save(false)} variant="outline">
+        <Button disabled={state.envOverride || saving} onClick={() => void save(false)} size="sm" variant="textStrong">
           Save for next restart
         </Button>
-        <Button disabled={state.envOverride || saving} onClick={() => void save(true)}>
+        <Button disabled={state.envOverride || saving} onClick={() => void save(true)} size="sm">
           {saving ? <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin" /> : null}
           Save and reconnect
         </Button>
       </div>
 
-      <div className="mt-6 divide-y divide-border/40">
+      <div className="mt-6 grid gap-1">
         <ListRow
           action={
-            <Button onClick={() => void window.hermesDesktop?.revealLogs()} variant="outline">
+            <Button onClick={() => void window.hermesDesktop?.revealLogs()} size="sm" variant="textStrong">
               <FileText className="size-4" />
               Open logs
             </Button>

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

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { IconDownload, IconRefresh, IconUpload } from '@tabler/icons-react'
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+import { useRef } from 'react'
 
 import { getHermesConfigDefaults, getHermesConfigRecord, saveHermesConfig } from '@/hermes'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
@@ -8,19 +8,18 @@ import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 
 import { useRouteEnumParam } from '../hooks/use-route-enum-param'
 import { OverlayIconButton } from '../overlays/overlay-chrome'
-import { OverlaySearchInput } from '../overlays/overlay-search-input'
 import { OverlayMain, OverlayNavItem, OverlaySidebar, OverlaySplitLayout } from '../overlays/overlay-split-layout'
 import { OverlayView } from '../overlays/overlay-view'
 
 import { AboutSettings } from './about-settings'
 import { AppearanceSettings } from './appearance-settings'
 import { ConfigSettings } from './config-settings'
-import { SEARCH_PLACEHOLDER, SECTIONS } from './constants'
+import { SECTIONS } from './constants'
 import { GatewaySettings } from './gateway-settings'
 import { KeysSettings } from './keys-settings'
 import { McpSettings } from './mcp-settings'
 import { SessionsSettings } from './sessions-settings'
-import type { SettingsPageProps, SettingsQueryKey, SettingsView as SettingsViewId } from './types'
+import type { SettingsPageProps, SettingsView as SettingsViewId } from './types'
 
 const SETTINGS_VIEWS: readonly SettingsViewId[] = [
   ...SECTIONS.map(s => `config:${s.id}` as SettingsViewId),
@@ -34,22 +33,8 @@ const SETTINGS_VIEWS: readonly SettingsViewId[] = [
 export function SettingsView({ gateway, onClose, onConfigSaved, onMainModelChanged }: SettingsPageProps) {
   const [activeView, setActiveView] = useRouteEnumParam('tab', SETTINGS_VIEWS, 'config:model' as SettingsViewId)
 
-  const [queries, setQueries] = useState<Record<SettingsQueryKey, string>>({
-    about: '',
-    config: '',
-    gateway: '',
-    keys: '',
-    mcp: '',
-    sessions: ''
-  })
-
-  const searchInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null)
   const importInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null)
 
-  const queryKey: SettingsQueryKey = activeView.startsWith('config:') ? 'config' : (activeView as SettingsQueryKey)
-  const query = queries[queryKey]
-  const setQuery = (next: string) => setQueries(c => ({ ...c, [queryKey]: next }))
-
   const exportConfig = async () => {
     try {
       const cfg = await getHermesConfigRecord()
@@ -80,35 +65,8 @@ export function SettingsView({ gateway, onClose, onConfigSaved, onMainModelChang
     }
   }
 
-  // OverlayView handles Esc; this just adds Cmd/Ctrl+P → focus search.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const onKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
-      if ((e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) && e.key.toLowerCase() === 'p') {
-        e.preventDefault()
-        searchInputRef.current?.focus()
-        searchInputRef.current?.select()
-      }
-    }
-
-    window.addEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
-
-    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
-  }, [])
-
   return (
-    <OverlayView
-      closeLabel="Close settings"
-      headerContent={
-        <OverlaySearchInput
-          containerClassName="w-[min(36rem,calc(100vw-32rem))] min-w-80"
-          inputRef={searchInputRef}
-          onChange={setQuery}
-          placeholder={SEARCH_PLACEHOLDER[queryKey]}
-          value={query}
-        />
-      }
-      onClose={onClose}
-    >
+    <OverlayView closeLabel="Close settings" onClose={onClose}>
       <OverlaySplitLayout>
         <OverlaySidebar>
           {SECTIONS.map(s => {
@@ -116,7 +74,7 @@ export function SettingsView({ gateway, onClose, onConfigSaved, onMainModelChang
 
             return (
               <OverlayNavItem
-                active={activeView === view && !queries.config.trim()}
+                active={activeView === view}
                 icon={s.icon}
                 key={s.id}
                 label={s.label}
@@ -182,7 +140,7 @@ export function SettingsView({ gateway, onClose, onConfigSaved, onMainModelChang
           </div>
         </OverlaySidebar>
 
-        <OverlayMain className="p-0">
+        <OverlayMain className="px-0 pb-0 pt-[calc(var(--titlebar-height)+1rem)]">
           {activeView === 'config:appearance' ? (
             <AppearanceSettings />
           ) : activeView === 'about' ? (
@@ -195,14 +153,13 @@ export function SettingsView({ gateway, onClose, onConfigSaved, onMainModelChang
               importInputRef={importInputRef}
               onConfigSaved={onConfigSaved}
               onMainModelChanged={onMainModelChanged}
-              query={queries.config}
             />
           ) : activeView === 'keys' ? (
-            <KeysSettings query={queries.keys} />
+            <KeysSettings />
           ) : activeView === 'mcp' ? (
-            <McpSettings gateway={gateway} onConfigSaved={onConfigSaved} query={queries.mcp} />
+            <McpSettings gateway={gateway} onConfigSaved={onConfigSaved} />
           ) : (
-            <SessionsSettings query={queries.sessions} />
+            <SessionsSettings />
           )}
         </OverlayMain>
       </OverlaySplitLayout>

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

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
 import { deleteEnvVar, getEnvVars, revealEnvVar, setEnvVar } from '@/hermes'
 import { Check, Eye, EyeOff, Save, Settings2, Trash2, Zap } from '@/lib/icons'
@@ -10,17 +9,10 @@ import { notify, notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import type { EnvVarInfo } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 import { CONTROL_TEXT } from './constants'
-import {
-  asText,
-  includesQuery,
-  prettyName,
-  providerGroup,
-  providerPriority,
-  redactedValue,
-  withoutKey
-} from './helpers'
+import { asText, prettyName, providerGroup, providerPriority, redactedValue, withoutKey } from './helpers'
 import { LoadingState, Pill, SectionHeading, SettingsContent } from './primitives'
-import type { EnvPatch, EnvRowProps, ProviderGroup, SearchProps } from './types'
+import type { EnvPatch, EnvRowProps, ProviderGroup } from './types'
+import { useDeepLinkHighlight } from './use-deep-link-highlight'
 
 interface EnvActionsProps {
   varKey: string
@@ -62,7 +54,7 @@ function EnvActions({
           {isRevealed ? <EyeOff /> : <Eye />}
         </Button>
       )}
-      <Button onClick={onEdit} size="xs" variant="outline">
+      <Button onClick={onEdit} size="xs" variant="textStrong">
         {info.is_set ? 'Replace' : 'Set'}
       </Button>
       {info.is_set && (
@@ -167,8 +159,7 @@ function EnvVarRow({
             <Save />
             {saving === varKey ? 'Saving' : 'Save'}
           </Button>
-          <Button onClick={() => setEdits(c => withoutKey(c, varKey))} size="sm" variant="outline">
-            <Codicon name="close" />
+          <Button onClick={() => setEdits(c => withoutKey(c, varKey))} size="sm" variant="text">
             Cancel
           </Button>
         </div>
@@ -179,16 +170,24 @@ function EnvVarRow({
 
 function EnvProviderGroup({
   group,
-  rowProps
+  rowProps,
+  forceExpand = false
 }: {
   group: ProviderGroup
   rowProps: Omit<EnvRowProps, 'varKey' | 'info'>
+  forceExpand?: boolean
 }) {
   const setCount = group.entries.filter(([, info]) => info.is_set).length
   // Default-expand providers that already have at least one key set; the
   // user is much more likely to be coming back to edit those than to start
   // configuring a fresh provider from scratch.
-  const [expanded, setExpanded] = useState(setCount > 0)
+  const [expanded, setExpanded] = useState(setCount > 0 || forceExpand)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (forceExpand) {
+      setExpanded(true)
+    }
+  }, [forceExpand])
 
   return (
     <div className="overflow-hidden rounded-xl bg-background/60">
@@ -209,7 +208,9 @@ function EnvProviderGroup({
       {expanded && (
         <div className="grid gap-2 bg-muted/20 p-3">
           {group.entries.map(([key, info]) => (
-            <EnvVarRow compact={!info.is_set} info={info} key={key} varKey={key} {...rowProps} />
+            <div className="scroll-mt-6 rounded-md" id={`env-var-${key}`} key={key}>
+              <EnvVarRow compact={!info.is_set} info={info} varKey={key} {...rowProps} />
+            </div>
           ))}
         </div>
       )}
@@ -217,12 +218,20 @@ function EnvProviderGroup({
   )
 }
 
-export function KeysSettings({ query }: SearchProps) {
+export function KeysSettings() {
   const [vars, setVars] = useState<Record<string, EnvVarInfo> | null>(null)
   const [edits, setEdits] = useState<Record<string, string>>({})
   const [revealed, setRevealed] = useState<Record<string, string>>({})
   const [saving, setSaving] = useState<string | null>(null)
 
+  // Deep-link from the command palette (?key=<ENV_VAR>): force-expand the
+  // matching provider group, scroll the row in, and flash it.
+  const highlightKey = useDeepLinkHighlight({
+    elementId: key => `env-var-${key}`,
+    param: 'key',
+    ready: key => Boolean(vars?.[key])
+  })
+
   // We used to hide ~80% of rows behind a global "Show advanced" toggle, but
   // everything in this view is configuration-level — "advanced" was a poor
   // distinction. The full list is rendered now and provider groups
@@ -253,32 +262,12 @@ export function KeysSettings({ query }: SearchProps) {
     return () => void (cancelled = true)
   }, [])
 
-  const filterEnv = useCallback((info: EnvVarInfo, key: string, q: string, cat: string, extra?: string) => {
-    if (asText(info.category) !== cat) {
-      return false
-    }
-
-    if (!q) {
-      return true
-    }
-
-    return (
-      key.toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
-      includesQuery(info.description, q) ||
-      Boolean(extra && extra.toLowerCase().includes(q))
-    )
-  }, [])
-
   const providerGroups = useMemo<ProviderGroup[]>(() => {
     if (!vars) {
       return []
     }
 
-    const q = query.trim().toLowerCase()
-
-    const entries = Object.entries(vars).filter(([key, info]) =>
-      filterEnv(info, key, q, 'provider', providerGroup(key))
-    )
+    const entries = Object.entries(vars).filter(([, info]) => asText(info.category) === 'provider')
 
     const groups = new Map<string, [string, EnvVarInfo][]>()
 
@@ -293,15 +282,13 @@ export function KeysSettings({ query }: SearchProps) {
       entries: entries.sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b)),
       hasAnySet: entries.some(([, info]) => info.is_set)
     })).sort((a, b) => a.priority - b.priority || a.name.localeCompare(b.name))
-  }, [filterEnv, query, vars])
+  }, [vars])
 
   const otherGroups = useMemo(() => {
     if (!vars) {
       return []
     }
 
-    const q = query.trim().toLowerCase()
-
     const labels: Record<string, string> = {
       tool: 'Tools',
       messaging: 'Messaging',
@@ -310,12 +297,12 @@ export function KeysSettings({ query }: SearchProps) {
 
     return ['tool', 'messaging', 'setting'].flatMap(cat => {
       const entries = Object.entries(vars)
-        .filter(([key, info]) => filterEnv(info, key, q, cat))
+        .filter(([, info]) => asText(info.category) === cat)
         .sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b))
 
       return entries.length === 0 ? [] : [{ category: cat, label: labels[cat] ?? prettyName(cat), entries }]
     })
-  }, [filterEnv, query, vars])
+  }, [vars])
 
   function patchVar(key: string, patch: EnvPatch) {
     setVars(c => (c ? { ...c, [key]: { ...c[key], ...patch } } : c))
@@ -407,7 +394,12 @@ export function KeysSettings({ query }: SearchProps) {
         />
         <div className="grid gap-2">
           {providerGroups.map(group => (
-            <EnvProviderGroup group={group} key={group.name} rowProps={rowProps} />
+            <EnvProviderGroup
+              forceExpand={Boolean(highlightKey) && group.entries.some(([key]) => key === highlightKey)}
+              group={group}
+              key={group.name}
+              rowProps={rowProps}
+            />
           ))}
         </div>
       </div>
@@ -421,7 +413,9 @@ export function KeysSettings({ query }: SearchProps) {
           />
           <div className="grid gap-2">
             {group.entries.map(([key, info]) => (
-              <EnvVarRow info={info} key={key} varKey={key} {...rowProps} />
+              <div className="scroll-mt-6 rounded-md" id={`env-var-${key}`} key={key}>
+                <EnvVarRow info={info} varKey={key} {...rowProps} />
+              </div>
             ))}
           </div>
         </div>

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

@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 
-import { OverlayActionButton, OverlayCard } from '@/app/overlays/overlay-chrome'
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea'
 import { getHermesConfigRecord, type HermesGateway, saveHermesConfig } from '@/hermes'
-import { Package, Wrench } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { Wrench } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { notify, notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import { $activeSessionId } from '@/store/session'
 import type { HermesConfigRecord } from '@/types/hermes'
 
-import { includesQuery } from './helpers'
-import { EmptyState, LoadingState, Pill, SectionHeading, SettingsContent } from './primitives'
-import type { SearchProps } from './types'
+import { EmptyState, LoadingState, Pill, SettingsContent } from './primitives'
+import { useDeepLinkHighlight } from './use-deep-link-highlight'
 
-interface McpSettingsProps extends SearchProps {
+interface McpSettingsProps {
   gateway?: HermesGateway | null
   onConfigSaved?: () => void
 }
@@ -42,15 +42,7 @@ const transportLabel = (server: Record<string, unknown>) =>
         ? 'stdio'
         : 'custom'
 
-function serverMatches(name: string, server: Record<string, unknown>, query: string) {
-  if (!query) {
-    return true
-  }
-
-  return includesQuery(name, query) || includesQuery(JSON.stringify(server), query)
-}
-
-export function McpSettings({ gateway, onConfigSaved, query }: McpSettingsProps) {
+export function McpSettings({ gateway, onConfigSaved }: McpSettingsProps) {
   const activeSessionId = useStore($activeSessionId)
   const [config, setConfig] = useState<HermesConfigRecord | null>(null)
   const [selected, setSelected] = useState<string | null>(null)
@@ -80,10 +72,13 @@ export function McpSettings({ gateway, onConfigSaved, query }: McpSettingsProps)
   const servers = useMemo(() => getServers(config), [config])
   const names = useMemo(() => Object.keys(servers).sort(), [servers])
 
-  const filtered = useMemo(
-    () => names.filter(serverName => serverMatches(serverName, servers[serverName], query.trim().toLowerCase())),
-    [names, query, servers]
-  )
+  useDeepLinkHighlight({
+    block: 'nearest',
+    elementId: serverName => `mcp-server-${serverName}`,
+    onResolve: setSelected,
+    param: 'server',
+    ready: serverName => Boolean(config) && serverName in servers
+  })
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const server = selected ? servers[selected] : null
@@ -188,31 +183,32 @@ export function McpSettings({ gateway, onConfigSaved, query }: McpSettingsProps)
 
   return (
     <SettingsContent>
-      <div className="mb-4 flex items-center justify-between gap-3">
-        <SectionHeading icon={Package} meta={`${names.length} configured`} title="MCP servers" />
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-          <OverlayActionButton onClick={() => setSelected(null)}>New server</OverlayActionButton>
-          <OverlayActionButton disabled={reloading} onClick={() => void reloadMcp()}>
-            {reloading ? 'Reloading...' : 'Reload MCP'}
-          </OverlayActionButton>
-        </div>
+      <div className="mb-4 flex items-center justify-end gap-4">
+        <Button onClick={() => setSelected(null)} size="xs" variant="text">
+          New server
+        </Button>
+        <Button disabled={reloading} onClick={() => void reloadMcp()} size="xs" variant="text">
+          {reloading ? 'Reloading...' : 'Reload MCP'}
+        </Button>
       </div>
 
-      <div className="grid min-h-0 gap-4 lg:grid-cols-[17rem_minmax(0,1fr)]">
-        <OverlayCard className="min-h-64 overflow-hidden p-2">
-          {filtered.length === 0 ? (
+      <div className="grid min-h-0 gap-6 lg:grid-cols-[16rem_minmax(0,1fr)]">
+        <div className="min-h-64">
+          {names.length === 0 ? (
             <EmptyState description="Add a stdio or HTTP server to expose MCP tools." title="No MCP servers" />
           ) : (
-            <div className="grid gap-1">
-              {filtered.map(serverName => {
+            <div className="grid gap-0.5">
+              {names.map(serverName => {
                 const server = servers[serverName]
                 const active = selected === serverName
 
                 return (
                   <button
-                    className={`rounded-md px-2 py-2 text-left transition-colors hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) ${
-                      active ? 'bg-accent/45 text-foreground' : 'text-muted-foreground'
-                    }`}
+                    className={cn(
+                      'scroll-mt-2 rounded-md px-2 py-2 text-left transition-colors hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover)',
+                      active ? 'bg-(--ui-bg-tertiary) text-foreground' : 'text-muted-foreground'
+                    )}
+                    id={`mcp-server-${serverName}`}
                     key={serverName}
                     onClick={() => setSelected(serverName)}
                     type="button"
@@ -227,9 +223,9 @@ export function McpSettings({ gateway, onConfigSaved, query }: McpSettingsProps)
               })}
             </div>
           )}
-        </OverlayCard>
+        </div>
 
-        <OverlayCard className="grid gap-3 p-4">
+        <div className="grid content-start gap-3">
           <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-medium">
             <Wrench className="size-4 text-muted-foreground" />
             {selected ? 'Edit server' : 'New server'}
@@ -249,17 +245,23 @@ export function McpSettings({ gateway, onConfigSaved, query }: McpSettingsProps)
           </label>
           <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
             {selected ? (
-              <OverlayActionButton disabled={saving} onClick={() => void removeServer(selected)} tone="danger">
+              <Button
+                className="text-destructive hover:text-destructive"
+                disabled={saving}
+                onClick={() => void removeServer(selected)}
+                size="xs"
+                variant="text"
+              >
                 Remove
-              </OverlayActionButton>
+              </Button>
             ) : (
               <span />
             )}
-            <OverlayActionButton disabled={saving} onClick={() => void saveServer()}>
+            <Button disabled={saving} onClick={() => void saveServer()} size="sm">
               {saving ? 'Saving...' : 'Save server'}
-            </OverlayActionButton>
+            </Button>
           </div>
-        </OverlayCard>
+        </div>
       </div>
     </SettingsContent>
   )

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

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
 } from '@/components/ui/select'
 import { getAuxiliaryModels, getGlobalModelInfo, getGlobalModelOptions, setModelAssignment } from '@/hermes'
 import type { AuxiliaryModelsResponse, ModelOptionProvider } from '@/hermes'
-import { Cpu, Loader2, Sparkles } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { Cpu, Loader2 } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
 import { CONTROL_TEXT } from './constants'
@@ -204,11 +204,6 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
   return (
     <div className="grid gap-6">
       <section>
-        <SectionHeading
-          icon={Sparkles}
-          meta={mainModel ? `${mainModel.provider} / ${mainModel.model}` : undefined}
-          title="Main model"
-        />
         <p className="mb-3 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
           Applies to new sessions. Use the model picker in the composer to hot-swap the active chat.
         </p>
@@ -238,7 +233,7 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
             </SelectContent>
           </Select>
           <Button disabled={!selectedProvider || !selectedModel || applying} onClick={() => void applyMainModel()} size="sm">
-            {applying ? <Loader2 className="size-3.5 animate-spin" /> : <Sparkles className="size-3.5" />}
+            {applying && <Loader2 className="size-3.5 animate-spin" />}
             {applying ? 'Applying...' : 'Apply'}
           </Button>
         </div>
@@ -252,7 +247,7 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
             disabled={!mainModel || applying}
             onClick={() => void resetAuxiliaryModels()}
             size="sm"
-            variant="outline"
+            variant="textStrong"
           >
             Reset all to main
           </Button>
@@ -260,7 +255,7 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
         <p className="mb-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
           Helper tasks run on the main model by default. Assign a dedicated model to any task to override.
         </p>
-        <div className="divide-y divide-border/40">
+        <div className="grid gap-1">
           {AUX_TASKS.map(meta => {
             const current = auxiliary?.tasks.find(entry => entry.task === meta.key)
             const isAuto = !current || !current.provider || current.provider === 'auto'
@@ -275,7 +270,7 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
                         disabled={!mainModel || applying}
                         onClick={() => void setAuxiliaryToMain(meta.key)}
                         size="sm"
-                        variant="ghost"
+                        variant="text"
                       >
                         Set to main
                       </Button>
@@ -283,7 +278,7 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
                         disabled={!providers.length || applying}
                         onClick={() => beginAuxiliaryEdit(meta.key)}
                         size="sm"
-                        variant="outline"
+                        variant="textStrong"
                       >
                         Change
                       </Button>
@@ -292,7 +287,7 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
                 }
                 below={
                   isEditing && (
-                    <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2 border-t border-border/40 pt-2">
+                    <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2 pt-1">
                       <Select
                         onValueChange={value => setAuxDraft(prev => ({ ...prev, provider: value, model: '' }))}
                         value={auxDraft.provider}

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

@@ -1,14 +1,17 @@
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 
 import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
+import { Badge } from '@/components/ui/badge'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import type { IconComponent } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
+import { PAGE_INSET_X } from '../layout-constants'
+
 export function SettingsContent({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   return (
     <section className="min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
-      <div className="h-full min-h-0 overflow-y-auto px-5 py-4 pb-20">
+      <div className={cn('h-full min-h-0 overflow-y-auto pb-20', PAGE_INSET_X)}>
         <div className="mx-auto w-full max-w-4xl">{children}</div>
       </div>
     </section>
@@ -16,16 +19,7 @@ export function SettingsContent({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
 }
 
 export function Pill({ tone = 'muted', children }: { tone?: 'muted' | 'primary'; children: ReactNode }) {
-  return (
-    <span
-      className={cn(
-        'inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-[0.6875rem]',
-        tone === 'primary' ? 'bg-primary/10 text-primary' : 'bg-muted text-muted-foreground'
-      )}
-    >
-      {children}
-    </span>
-  )
+  return <Badge variant={tone === 'primary' ? 'default' : 'muted'}>{children}</Badge>
 }
 
 export function SectionHeading({ icon: Icon, title, meta }: { icon: IconComponent; title: string; meta?: string }) {

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

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { deleteSession, listSessions, setSessionArchived } from '@/hermes'
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { setSessions } from '@/store/session'
 import type { SessionInfo } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 import { EmptyState, ListRow, LoadingState, SectionHeading, SettingsContent } from './primitives'
-import type { SearchProps } from './types'
+import { useDeepLinkHighlight } from './use-deep-link-highlight'
 
 const ARCHIVED_FETCH_LIMIT = 200
 
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ function workspaceLabel(cwd: null | string | undefined): string {
   )
 }
 
-export function SessionsSettings({ query }: SearchProps) {
+export function SessionsSettings() {
   const [sessions, setLocalSessions] = useState<SessionInfo[]>([])
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)
   const [busyId, setBusyId] = useState<string | null>(null)
@@ -87,17 +87,11 @@ export function SessionsSettings({ query }: SearchProps) {
     }
   }, [])
 
-  const filtered = useMemo(() => {
-    const needle = query.trim().toLowerCase()
-
-    if (!needle) {
-      return sessions
-    }
-
-    return sessions.filter(session =>
-      [sessionTitle(session), session.preview ?? '', session.cwd ?? ''].join(' ').toLowerCase().includes(needle)
-    )
-  }, [query, sessions])
+  useDeepLinkHighlight({
+    elementId: id => `archived-session-${id}`,
+    param: 'session',
+    ready: id => !loading && sessions.some(session => session.id === id)
+  })
 
   if (loading) {
     return <LoadingState label="Loading archived sessions…" />
@@ -117,50 +111,48 @@ export function SessionsSettings({ query }: SearchProps) {
         archive it.
       </p>
 
-      {filtered.length === 0 ? (
-        <EmptyState
-          description={query.trim() ? 'No archived chats match your search.' : 'Archive a chat to hide it here.'}
-          title="Nothing archived"
-        />
+      {sessions.length === 0 ? (
+        <EmptyState description="Archive a chat to hide it here." title="Nothing archived" />
       ) : (
-        <div className="divide-y divide-border/30">
-          {filtered.map(session => {
+        <div className="grid gap-1">
+          {sessions.map(session => {
             const label = workspaceLabel(session.cwd)
             const busy = busyId === session.id
 
             return (
-              <ListRow
-                action={
-                  <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
-                    <Button
-                      disabled={busy}
-                      onClick={() => void unarchive(session)}
-                      size="sm"
-                      type="button"
-                      variant="outline"
-                    >
-                      {busy ? <Loader2 className="size-3.5 animate-spin" /> : <ArchiveOff className="size-3.5" />}
-                      <span>Unarchive</span>
-                    </Button>
-                    <Button
-                      aria-label="Delete permanently"
-                      className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-destructive"
-                      disabled={busy}
-                      onClick={() => void remove(session)}
-                      size="icon"
-                      title="Delete permanently"
-                      type="button"
-                      variant="ghost"
-                    >
-                      <Trash2 className="size-3.5" />
-                    </Button>
-                  </div>
-                }
-                description={session.preview || undefined}
-                hint={label ? `${label} · ${session.message_count} messages` : `${session.message_count} messages`}
-                key={session.id}
-                title={sessionTitle(session)}
-              />
+              <div className="scroll-mt-6 rounded-lg" id={`archived-session-${session.id}`} key={session.id}>
+                <ListRow
+                  action={
+                    <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+                      <Button
+                        disabled={busy}
+                        onClick={() => void unarchive(session)}
+                        size="sm"
+                        type="button"
+                        variant="textStrong"
+                      >
+                        {busy ? <Loader2 className="size-3.5 animate-spin" /> : <ArchiveOff className="size-3.5" />}
+                        <span>Unarchive</span>
+                      </Button>
+                      <Button
+                        aria-label="Delete permanently"
+                        className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-destructive"
+                        disabled={busy}
+                        onClick={() => void remove(session)}
+                        size="icon"
+                        title="Delete permanently"
+                        type="button"
+                        variant="ghost"
+                      >
+                        <Trash2 className="size-3.5" />
+                      </Button>
+                    </div>
+                  }
+                  description={session.preview || undefined}
+                  hint={label ? `${label} · ${session.message_count} messages` : `${session.message_count} messages`}
+                  title={sessionTitle(session)}
+                />
+              </div>
             )
           })}
         </div>
@@ -192,7 +184,10 @@ function DefaultProjectDirSetting() {
     let alive = true
 
     void settings.getDefaultProjectDir().then(result => {
-      if (!alive) return
+      if (!alive) {
+        return
+      }
+
       setDir(result.dir)
       setFallback(result.defaultLabel)
     })
@@ -205,7 +200,9 @@ function DefaultProjectDirSetting() {
   const choose = useCallback(async () => {
     const settings = window.hermesDesktop?.settings
 
-    if (!settings) return
+    if (!settings) {
+      return
+    }
 
     setBusy(true)
 
@@ -229,7 +226,9 @@ function DefaultProjectDirSetting() {
   const clear = useCallback(async () => {
     const settings = window.hermesDesktop?.settings
 
-    if (!settings) return
+    if (!settings) {
+      return
+    }
 
     setBusy(true)
 
@@ -251,13 +250,19 @@ function DefaultProjectDirSetting() {
       </p>
       <ListRow
         action={
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
-            <Button disabled={busy} onClick={() => void choose()} size="sm" type="button" variant="outline">
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+            <Button
+              disabled={busy}
+              onClick={() => void choose()}
+              size="sm"
+              type="button"
+              variant="textStrong"
+            >
               <FolderOpen className="size-3.5" />
               <span>{dir ? 'Change' : 'Choose'}</span>
             </Button>
             {dir && (
-              <Button disabled={busy} onClick={() => void clear()} size="sm" type="button" variant="ghost">
+              <Button disabled={busy} onClick={() => void clear()} size="sm" type="button" variant="text">
                 Clear
               </Button>
             )}

apps/desktop/src/app/settings/toolset-config-panel.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 
+import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
 import { deleteEnvVar, getToolsetConfig, revealEnvVar, selectToolsetProvider, setEnvVar } from '@/hermes'
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ function EnvVarField({ envVar, isSet, onSaved, onCleared }: EnvVarFieldProps) {
               {revealed !== null ? <EyeOff /> : <Eye />}
             </Button>
           )}
-          <Button onClick={() => setEditing(e => !e)} size="xs" variant="outline">
+          <Button onClick={() => setEditing(e => !e)} size="xs" variant="textStrong">
             {isSet ? 'Replace' : 'Set'}
           </Button>
           {isSet && (
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ function EnvVarField({ envVar, isSet, onSaved, onCleared }: EnvVarFieldProps) {
             {busy ? <Loader2 className="size-3.5 animate-spin" /> : <Save />}
             Save
           </Button>
-          <Button onClick={() => setEditing(false)} size="sm" variant="outline">
+          <Button onClick={() => setEditing(false)} size="sm" variant="text">
             Cancel
           </Button>
         </div>
@@ -210,6 +211,7 @@ export function ToolsetConfigPanel({ toolset, onConfiguredChange }: ToolsetConfi
       (cfg?.active_provider ? providers.find(p => p.name === cfg.active_provider) : undefined) ??
       providers.find(p => providerConfigured(p, envState)) ??
       providers[0]
+
     setActiveProvider(selected.name)
   }, [activeProvider, providers, envState, cfg])
 
@@ -250,12 +252,7 @@ export function ToolsetConfigPanel({ toolset, onConfiguredChange }: ToolsetConfi
   }, [cfg, loading, providers.length])
 
   if (loading) {
-    return (
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-2 px-1 py-3 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-        <Loader2 className="size-3.5 animate-spin" />
-        Loading configuration...
-      </div>
-    )
+    return <PageLoader className="min-h-32" label="Loading configuration" />
   }
 
   if (emptyMessage) {

apps/desktop/src/app/settings/types.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import type { IconComponent } from '@/lib/icons'
 import type { EnvVarInfo } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 export type SettingsView = 'about' | 'gateway' | 'keys' | 'mcp' | 'sessions' | `config:${string}`
-export type SettingsQueryKey = 'about' | 'config' | 'gateway' | 'keys' | 'mcp' | 'sessions'
 export type EnvPatch = Partial<Pick<EnvVarInfo, 'is_set' | 'redacted_value'>>
 
 export interface SettingsPageProps {
@@ -15,10 +14,6 @@ export interface SettingsPageProps {
   onMainModelChanged?: (provider: string, model: string) => void
 }
 
-export interface SearchProps {
-  query: string
-}
-
 export interface ProviderGroup {
   name: string
   priority: number

apps/desktop/src/app/settings/use-deep-link-highlight.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import { useEffect } from 'react'
+import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom'
+
+interface DeepLinkHighlightOptions {
+  param: string
+  ready: (target: string) => boolean
+  elementId: (target: string) => string
+  onResolve?: (target: string) => void
+  block?: ScrollLogicalPosition
+}
+
+// Deep-link from the command palette (?<param>=<id>): once the target row is
+// renderable, scroll it into view and flash it, then drop the param so it
+// doesn't re-fire. Returns the pending target (null once consumed) so callers
+// can force the row open before it mounts.
+export function useDeepLinkHighlight({
+  param,
+  ready,
+  elementId,
+  onResolve,
+  block = 'center'
+}: DeepLinkHighlightOptions): null | string {
+  const [searchParams, setSearchParams] = useSearchParams()
+  const target = searchParams.get(param)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!target || !ready(target)) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    onResolve?.(target)
+
+    // Defer a frame so async state (expansion, selection) mounts the row first.
+    const scrollTimeout = window.setTimeout(() => {
+      const element = document.getElementById(elementId(target))
+
+      if (!element) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      element.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block })
+      element.classList.add('setting-field-highlight')
+      window.setTimeout(() => element.classList.remove('setting-field-highlight'), 1600)
+    }, 80)
+
+    setSearchParams(
+      previous => {
+        const next = new URLSearchParams(previous)
+        next.delete(param)
+
+        return next
+      },
+      { replace: true }
+    )
+
+    return () => window.clearTimeout(scrollTimeout)
+  }, [block, elementId, onResolve, param, ready, setSearchParams, target])
+
+  return target
+}

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

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { PaneShell } from '@/components/pane-shell'
 import { SidebarProvider } from '@/components/ui/sidebar'
 import {
   $fileBrowserOpen,
+  $panesFlipped,
   $sidebarOpen,
   FILE_BROWSER_DEFAULT_WIDTH,
   FILE_BROWSER_PANE_ID,
@@ -20,11 +21,9 @@ import { TitlebarControls, type TitlebarTool } from './titlebar-controls'
 
 interface AppShellProps {
   children: ReactNode
-  commandCenterOpen?: boolean
   leftStatusbarItems?: readonly StatusbarItem[]
   leftTitlebarTools?: readonly TitlebarTool[]
   onOpenSettings: () => void
-  onOpenSearch: () => void
   overlays?: ReactNode
   statusbarItems?: readonly StatusbarItem[]
   titlebarTools?: readonly TitlebarTool[]
@@ -47,17 +46,16 @@ const viewportIsFullscreen = () =>
 
 export function AppShell({
   children,
-  commandCenterOpen = false,
   leftStatusbarItems,
   leftTitlebarTools,
   onOpenSettings,
-  onOpenSearch,
   overlays,
   statusbarItems,
   titlebarTools
 }: AppShellProps) {
   const sidebarOpen = useStore($sidebarOpen)
   const fileBrowserOpen = useStore($fileBrowserOpen)
+  const panesFlipped = useStore($panesFlipped)
   const fileBrowserWidthOverride = useStore($paneWidthOverride(FILE_BROWSER_PANE_ID))
   const connection = useStore($connection)
   const viewportFullscreen = useSyncExternalStore(subscribeWindowSize, viewportIsFullscreen, () => false)
@@ -69,7 +67,12 @@ export function AppShell({
   const nativeOverlayWidth = connection?.nativeOverlayWidth ?? 0
   const titlebarToolsRight = nativeOverlayWidth > 0 ? `${nativeOverlayWidth}px` : '0.75rem'
 
-  const titlebarContentInset = sidebarOpen
+  // The inset clears the top-left titlebar buttons when nothing covers the
+  // window's left edge. Default layout: the sessions sidebar sits there.
+  // Flipped layout: the file browser does instead.
+  const leftEdgePaneOpen = panesFlipped ? fileBrowserOpen : sidebarOpen
+
+  const titlebarContentInset = leftEdgePaneOpen
     ? 0
     : titlebarControls.left + TITLEBAR_HEIGHT + Math.round(TITLEBAR_HEIGHT / 2)
 
@@ -130,13 +133,7 @@ export function AppShell({
         } as CSSProperties
       }
     >
-      <TitlebarControls
-        commandCenterOpen={commandCenterOpen}
-        leftTools={leftTitlebarTools}
-        onOpenSearch={onOpenSearch}
-        onOpenSettings={onOpenSettings}
-        tools={titlebarTools}
-      />
+      <TitlebarControls leftTools={leftTitlebarTools} onOpenSettings={onOpenSettings} tools={titlebarTools} />
 
       <main className="relative z-3 flex min-h-0 w-full flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden transition-none">
         <PaneShell className="min-h-0 flex-1">

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

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export function GatewayMenuPanel({
         <div className="flex items-center">
           <Button
             aria-label="Open system panel"
-            className="size-7 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+            className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
             onClick={onOpenSystem}
             size="icon-sm"
             title="Open system panel"

apps/desktop/src/app/shell/hooks/use-overlay-routing.ts

@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react'
 import { useLocation, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
 
 import { type CommandCenterSection } from '@/app/command-center'
-import { AGENTS_ROUTE, appViewForPath, COMMAND_CENTER_ROUTE, NEW_CHAT_ROUTE } from '@/app/routes'
+import { AGENTS_ROUTE, appViewForPath, COMMAND_CENTER_ROUTE, isOverlayView, NEW_CHAT_ROUTE } from '@/app/routes'
 
 const SECTIONS = ['sessions', 'system', 'usage'] as const
-const OVERLAY_VIEWS = new Set(['settings', 'command-center', 'agents'])
 
 export function useOverlayRouting() {
   const location = useLocation()
@@ -15,8 +14,10 @@ export function useOverlayRouting() {
   const settingsOpen = currentView === 'settings'
   const commandCenterOpen = currentView === 'command-center'
   const agentsOpen = currentView === 'agents'
+  const cronOpen = currentView === 'cron'
+  const profilesOpen = currentView === 'profiles'
   const chatOpen = currentView === 'chat'
-  const overlayOpen = OVERLAY_VIEWS.has(currentView)
+  const overlayOpen = isOverlayView(currentView)
 
   // Overlay routes (settings/command-center/agents) stash the underlying path
   // so closing them returns there instead of bouncing to /.
@@ -59,9 +60,11 @@ export function useOverlayRouting() {
     closeOverlayToPreviousRoute,
     commandCenterInitialSection,
     commandCenterOpen,
+    cronOpen,
     currentView,
     openAgents,
     openCommandCenterSection,
+    profilesOpen,
     settingsOpen,
     toggleCommandCenter
   }

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

@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
-import { useMemo } from 'react'
+import { useCallback, useMemo } from 'react'
 
 import type { CommandCenterSection } from '@/app/command-center'
 import { GatewayMenuPanel } from '@/app/shell/gateway-menu-panel'
-import { Activity, AlertCircle, ChevronDown, Clock, Command, Hash, Loader2, Sparkles } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { Activity, AlertCircle, ChevronDown, Clock, Command, Hash, Loader2, Sparkles, 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'
+import { setSessionYolo } from '@/lib/yolo-session'
 import { $desktopActionTasks } from '@/store/activity'
 import { $previewServerRestartStatus } from '@/store/preview'
 import {
+  $activeSessionId,
   $busy,
   $currentFastMode,
   $currentModel,
@@ -21,7 +23,9 @@ import {
   $sessionStartedAt,
   $turnStartedAt,
   $workingSessionIds,
-  setModelPickerOpen
+  $yoloActive,
+  setModelPickerOpen,
+  setYoloActive
 } from '@/store/session'
 import { $subagentsBySession, activeSubagentCount } from '@/store/subagents'
 import { $desktopVersion, $updateApply, $updateStatus, setUpdateOverlayOpen } from '@/store/updates'
@@ -41,6 +45,8 @@ interface StatusbarItemsOptions {
   modelMenuContent?: ReactNode
   openAgents: () => void
   openCommandCenterSection: (section: CommandCenterSection) => void
+  freshDraftReady: boolean
+  requestGateway: <T = unknown>(method: string, params?: Record<string, unknown>) => Promise<T>
   statusSnapshot: StatusResponse | null
   toggleCommandCenter: () => void
 }
@@ -56,9 +62,13 @@ export function useStatusbarItems({
   modelMenuContent,
   openAgents,
   openCommandCenterSection,
+  freshDraftReady,
+  requestGateway,
   statusSnapshot,
   toggleCommandCenter
 }: StatusbarItemsOptions) {
+  const activeSessionId = useStore($activeSessionId)
+  const yoloActive = useStore($yoloActive)
   const busy = useStore($busy)
   const currentFastMode = useStore($currentFastMode)
   const currentModel = useStore($currentModel)
@@ -78,6 +88,28 @@ export function useStatusbarItems({
   const contextUsage = useMemo(() => usageContextLabel(currentUsage), [currentUsage])
   const contextBar = useMemo(() => contextBarLabel(currentUsage), [currentUsage])
 
+  // Per-session approval bypass (same scope as the TUI's Shift+Tab). On a
+  // new-chat draft (no runtime session yet) we arm locally; the session-create
+  // path applies it once the backend session exists.
+  const toggleYolo = useCallback(async () => {
+    const next = !$yoloActive.get()
+    const sid = $activeSessionId.get()
+
+    setYoloActive(next)
+
+    if (!sid) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    try {
+      await setSessionYolo(requestGateway, sid, next)
+    } catch {
+      setYoloActive(!next)
+    }
+  }, [requestGateway])
+
+  const showYoloToggle = gatewayState === 'open' && (!!activeSessionId || freshDraftReady)
+
   const gatewayMenuContent = useMemo(
     () => (
       <GatewayMenuPanel
@@ -276,6 +308,17 @@ export function useStatusbarItems({
         title: 'Runtime session elapsed',
         variant: 'text'
       },
+      {
+        className: cn('px-1', yoloActive && 'bg-(--chrome-action-hover)'),
+        hidden: !showYoloToggle,
+        icon: yoloActive ? <ZapFilled className="size-3.5 shrink-0" /> : <Zap className="size-3.5 shrink-0 opacity-70" />,
+        id: 'yolo',
+        onSelect: () => void toggleYolo(),
+        title: yoloActive
+          ? 'YOLO on — auto-approving dangerous commands. Click to turn off.'
+          : 'YOLO off — click to auto-approve dangerous commands.',
+        variant: 'action'
+      },
       {
         id: 'model-summary',
         label: (
@@ -294,16 +337,12 @@ export function useStatusbarItems({
               menuAlign: 'end' as const,
               menuClassName: 'w-64',
               menuContent: modelMenuContent,
-              title: currentProvider
-                ? `Model · ${currentProvider}: ${currentModel || 'none'}`
-                : 'Switch model',
+              title: currentProvider ? `Model · ${currentProvider}: ${currentModel || 'none'}` : 'Switch model',
               variant: 'menu' as const
             }
           : {
               onSelect: () => setModelPickerOpen(true),
-              title: currentProvider
-                ? `${currentProvider} · ${currentModel || 'no model'}`
-                : 'Open model picker',
+              title: currentProvider ? `${currentProvider} · ${currentModel || 'no model'}` : 'Open model picker',
               variant: 'action' as const
             })
       },
@@ -319,8 +358,11 @@ export function useStatusbarItems({
       currentReasoningEffort,
       modelMenuContent,
       sessionStartedAt,
+      showYoloToggle,
+      toggleYolo,
       turnStartedAt,
-      versionItem
+      versionItem,
+      yoloActive
     ]
   )
 

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

@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import {
   DropdownMenuSubContent
 } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
 import { Switch } from '@/components/ui/switch'
-import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import {
   $activeSessionId,
@@ -184,24 +183,25 @@ export function ModelEditSubmenu({
           <DropdownMenuLabel className={dropdownMenuSectionLabel}>Options</DropdownMenuLabel>
           {reasoning ? (
             <DropdownMenuItem
-              className={cn(dropdownMenuRow, 'cursor-pointer')}
+              className={dropdownMenuRow}
               onSelect={event => event.preventDefault()}
             >
               Thinking
               <Switch
                 checked={thinkingOn}
-                className="ml-auto cursor-pointer"
+                className="ml-auto"
                 onCheckedChange={checked => void patchReasoning(checked ? effort || 'medium' : 'none', currentReasoningEffort)}
+                size="xs"
               />
             </DropdownMenuItem>
           ) : null}
           {hasFast ? (
             <DropdownMenuItem
-              className={cn(dropdownMenuRow, 'cursor-pointer')}
+              className={dropdownMenuRow}
               onSelect={event => event.preventDefault()}
             >
               Fast
-              <Switch checked={fastOn} className="ml-auto cursor-pointer" onCheckedChange={toggleFast} />
+              <Switch checked={fastOn} className="ml-auto" onCheckedChange={toggleFast} size="xs" />
             </DropdownMenuItem>
           ) : null}
           {reasoning ? (
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ export function ModelEditSubmenu({
               >
                 {EFFORT_OPTIONS.map(option => (
                   <DropdownMenuRadioItem
-                    className={cn(dropdownMenuRow, 'cursor-pointer')}
+                    className={dropdownMenuRow}
                     key={option.value}
                     onSelect={event => event.preventDefault()}
                     value={option.value}

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

@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, requestGateway }: Model
                 return (
                   <DropdownMenuSub key={`${group.provider.slug}:${family.id}`}>
                     <DropdownMenuSubTrigger
-                      className={cn(dropdownMenuRow, 'cursor-pointer')}
+                      className={dropdownMenuRow}
                       hideChevron
                       onClick={activate}
                       onKeyDown={event => {
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, requestGateway }: Model
       <DropdownMenuSeparator className="mx-0" />
 
       <DropdownMenuItem
-        className={cn(dropdownMenuRow, 'cursor-pointer text-(--ui-text-tertiary)')}
+        className={cn(dropdownMenuRow, 'text-(--ui-text-tertiary)')}
         onSelect={() => setModelVisibilityOpen(true)}
       >
         Edit Models…

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

@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuItem, DropdownMenuTrigger } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
+// Shared chrome styling for interactive statusbar items (button / link / menu
+// trigger). The 'text' variant intentionally omits hover/transition/disabled.
+const STATUSBAR_ACTION_CLASS =
+  'inline-flex h-full items-center gap-1 rounded-none px-1.5 text-[0.6875rem] text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition-colors hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-45'
+
 export interface StatusbarMenuItem {
   id: string
   icon?: ReactNode
@@ -93,10 +98,7 @@ function StatusbarItemView({ item, navigate }: { item: StatusbarItem; navigate:
       <DropdownMenu>
         <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
           <button
-            className={cn(
-              'inline-flex h-full cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 rounded-none px-1.5 text-[0.6875rem] text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition-colors hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-45',
-              item.className
-            )}
+            className={cn(STATUSBAR_ACTION_CLASS, item.className)}
             disabled={item.disabled}
             title={title}
             type="button"
@@ -167,10 +169,7 @@ function StatusbarItemView({ item, navigate }: { item: StatusbarItem; navigate:
   if (item.href || item.variant === 'link') {
     return (
       <a
-        className={cn(
-          'inline-flex h-full cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 rounded-none px-1.5 text-[0.6875rem] text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition-colors hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-45',
-          item.className
-        )}
+        className={cn(STATUSBAR_ACTION_CLASS, item.className)}
         href={item.href}
         rel="noreferrer"
         target="_blank"
@@ -183,10 +182,7 @@ function StatusbarItemView({ item, navigate }: { item: StatusbarItem; navigate:
 
   return (
     <button
-      className={cn(
-        'inline-flex h-full cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 rounded-none px-1.5 text-[0.6875rem] text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition-colors hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-45',
-        item.className
-      )}
+      className={cn(STATUSBAR_ACTION_CLASS, item.className)}
       disabled={item.disabled}
       onClick={() => {
         if (item.to) {

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

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import type { ComponentProps, ReactNode } from 'react'
-import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
+import { useLocation, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
 
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import {
   DropdownMenu,
@@ -12,12 +13,18 @@ import {
   DropdownMenuTrigger
 } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
-import { Volume2, VolumeX } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { $hapticsMuted, toggleHapticsMuted } from '@/store/haptics'
-import { $fileBrowserOpen, $sidebarOpen, toggleFileBrowserOpen, toggleSidebarOpen } from '@/store/layout'
+import {
+  $fileBrowserOpen,
+  $panesFlipped,
+  $sidebarOpen,
+  toggleFileBrowserOpen,
+  togglePanesFlipped,
+  toggleSidebarOpen
+} from '@/store/layout'
 
-import { PROFILES_ROUTE } from '../routes'
+import { appViewForPath, isOverlayView, PROFILES_ROUTE } from '../routes'
 
 import { titlebarButtonClass } from './titlebar'
 
@@ -41,22 +48,16 @@ export type SetTitlebarToolGroup = (id: string, tools: readonly TitlebarTool[],
 interface TitlebarControlsProps extends ComponentProps<'div'> {
   leftTools?: readonly TitlebarTool[]
   tools?: readonly TitlebarTool[]
-  commandCenterOpen?: boolean
   onOpenSettings: () => void
-  onOpenSearch: () => void
 }
 
-export function TitlebarControls({
-  leftTools = [],
-  tools = [],
-  commandCenterOpen = false,
-  onOpenSettings,
-  onOpenSearch
-}: TitlebarControlsProps) {
+export function TitlebarControls({ leftTools = [], tools = [], onOpenSettings }: TitlebarControlsProps) {
   const navigate = useNavigate()
+  const location = useLocation()
   const hapticsMuted = useStore($hapticsMuted)
   const fileBrowserOpen = useStore($fileBrowserOpen)
   const sidebarOpen = useStore($sidebarOpen)
+  const panesFlipped = useStore($panesFlipped)
 
   const toggleHaptics = () => {
     if (!hapticsMuted) {
@@ -70,38 +71,45 @@ export function TitlebarControls({
     }
   }
 
+  // Each titlebar button controls the pane physically on its side, so a flip
+  // swaps which pane each one toggles. Default: sessions left, file browser
+  // right. Flipped: file browser left, sessions right. Sidebar toggles never
+  // carry an active highlight — they're plain show/hide affordances.
+  const fileBrowserEdge = { open: fileBrowserOpen, toggle: toggleFileBrowserOpen }
+  const sessionsEdge = { open: sidebarOpen, toggle: toggleSidebarOpen }
+  const leftEdge = panesFlipped ? fileBrowserEdge : sessionsEdge
+  const rightEdge = panesFlipped ? sessionsEdge : fileBrowserEdge
+
   const leftToolbarTools: TitlebarTool[] = [
     {
       icon: <Codicon name="layout-sidebar-left" />,
       id: 'sidebar',
-      label: sidebarOpen ? 'Hide sidebar' : 'Show sidebar',
+      label: `${leftEdge.open ? 'Hide' : 'Show'} left sidebar`,
       onSelect: () => {
         triggerHaptic('tap')
-        toggleSidebarOpen()
+        leftEdge.toggle()
       }
     },
     {
-      active: commandCenterOpen,
-      icon: <Codicon name="search" />,
-      id: 'search',
-      label: 'Search',
+      icon: <Codicon name="arrow-swap" />,
+      id: 'flip-panes',
+      label: 'Swap sidebar sides',
       onSelect: () => {
-        triggerHaptic('open')
-        onOpenSearch()
+        triggerHaptic('tap')
+        togglePanesFlipped()
       },
-      title: 'Search sessions, views, and actions'
+      title: 'Swap the sessions and file browser sides'
     },
     ...leftTools
   ]
 
   const rightSidebarTool: TitlebarTool = {
-    active: fileBrowserOpen,
     icon: <Codicon name="layout-sidebar-right" />,
     id: 'right-sidebar',
-    label: fileBrowserOpen ? 'Hide right sidebar' : 'Show right sidebar',
+    label: `${rightEdge.open ? 'Hide' : 'Show'} right sidebar`,
     onSelect: () => {
       triggerHaptic('tap')
-      toggleFileBrowserOpen()
+      rightEdge.toggle()
     }
   }
 
@@ -109,7 +117,7 @@ export function TitlebarControls({
   const systemTools: TitlebarTool[] = [
     {
       active: hapticsMuted,
-      icon: hapticsMuted ? <VolumeX /> : <Volume2 />,
+      icon: <Codicon name={hapticsMuted ? 'mute' : 'unmute'} />,
       id: 'haptics',
       label: hapticsMuted ? 'Unmute haptics' : 'Mute haptics',
       onSelect: toggleHaptics
@@ -125,6 +133,14 @@ export function TitlebarControls({
     }
   ]
 
+  // While a full-screen overlay (settings, command center, …) is open it should
+  // visually own the window. These control clusters are `fixed` at a higher
+  // z-index than the overlay card, so they'd otherwise bleed over it — hide them
+  // and let the overlay's own chrome (close button, drag region) take over.
+  if (isOverlayView(appViewForPath(location.pathname))) {
+    return null
+  }
+
   const visibleSystemTools = systemTools.filter(tool => !tool.hidden)
   const settingsTool = visibleSystemTools.find(tool => tool.id === 'settings')
   const visibleSystemToolsBeforeSettings = visibleSystemTools.filter(tool => tool.id !== 'settings')
@@ -181,15 +197,20 @@ function ProfilesMenuButton({ navigate }: { navigate: ReturnType<typeof useNavig
   return (
     <DropdownMenu>
       <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
-        <button
+        <Button
           aria-label="Profiles"
-          className={cn(titlebarButtonClass, 'grid place-items-center bg-transparent select-none [&_svg]:size-4')}
+          className={cn(titlebarButtonClass, 'bg-transparent select-none')}
           onPointerDown={event => event.stopPropagation()}
+          size="icon-titlebar"
           title="Profiles"
           type="button"
+          variant="ghost"
         >
-          <Codicon name="account" />
-        </button>
+          {/* Optical bump: the `account` glyph has more internal padding than
+              `search`/`settings-gear`, so at the shared 0.875rem it reads small.
+              Nudge just this glyph to visually match its neighbours. */}
+          <Codicon name="account" size="1rem" />
+        </Button>
       </DropdownMenuTrigger>
       <DropdownMenuContent align="end" className="w-64" sideOffset={8}>
         <DropdownMenuLabel>
@@ -214,31 +235,30 @@ function ProfilesMenuButton({ navigate }: { navigate: ReturnType<typeof useNavig
 }
 
 function TitlebarToolButton({ navigate, tool }: { navigate: ReturnType<typeof useNavigate>; tool: TitlebarTool }) {
-  const className = cn(
-    titlebarButtonClass,
-    'grid place-items-center bg-transparent select-none [&_svg]:size-4',
-    tool.active && 'bg-(--ui-control-active-background)! text-foreground!',
-    tool.className
-  )
+  // Titlebar actions never show an active background — state reads from the
+  // icon itself (e.g. the mute/unmute glyph). aria-pressed still carries it
+  // for a11y.
+  const className = cn(titlebarButtonClass, 'bg-transparent select-none', tool.className)
 
   if (tool.href) {
     return (
-      <a
-        aria-label={tool.label}
-        className={className}
-        href={tool.href}
-        onPointerDown={event => event.stopPropagation()}
-        rel="noreferrer"
-        target="_blank"
-        title={tool.title ?? tool.label}
-      >
-        {tool.icon}
-      </a>
+      <Button asChild className={className} size="icon-titlebar" variant="ghost">
+        <a
+          aria-label={tool.label}
+          href={tool.href}
+          onPointerDown={event => event.stopPropagation()}
+          rel="noreferrer"
+          target="_blank"
+          title={tool.title ?? tool.label}
+        >
+          {tool.icon}
+        </a>
+      </Button>
     )
   }
 
   return (
-    <button
+    <Button
       aria-label={tool.label}
       aria-pressed={tool.active ?? undefined}
       className={className}
@@ -251,10 +271,12 @@ function TitlebarToolButton({ navigate, tool }: { navigate: ReturnType<typeof us
         tool.onSelect?.()
       }}
       onPointerDown={event => event.stopPropagation()}
+      size="icon-titlebar"
       title={tool.title ?? tool.label}
       type="button"
+      variant="ghost"
     >
       {tool.icon}
-    </button>
+    </Button>
   )
 }

apps/desktop/src/app/shell/titlebar.ts

@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ export const TITLEBAR_FALLBACK_WINDOW_BUTTON_X = 24
 // (traffic lights are hidden). Matches the right-cluster's 0.75rem padding.
 export const TITLEBAR_EDGE_INSET = 14
 
-export const titlebarButtonClass =
-  'h-[var(--titlebar-control-height)] w-[var(--titlebar-control-size)] cursor-pointer rounded-md text-muted-foreground/85 transition-colors hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground'
+// Titlebar palette only. All sizing/radius/cursor/centering come from the
+// shared <Button size="icon-titlebar"> (used polymorphically via asChild) —
+// Button is the single source of button styling.
+export const titlebarButtonClass = 'text-muted-foreground/85 hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground'
 
 export const titlebarHeaderBaseClass =
   'pointer-events-none relative z-3 flex h-(--titlebar-height) shrink-0 items-center justify-start gap-3 border-b border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background) px-[max(0.75rem,var(--titlebar-content-inset,0rem))]'

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

@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@ import type * as React from 'react'
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { PageLoader } from '@/components/page-loader'
-import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
+import { Badge } from '@/components/ui/badge'
 import { Switch } from '@/components/ui/switch'
 import { TextTab, TextTabMeta } from '@/components/ui/text-tab'
 import { getSkills, getToolsets, toggleSkill, toggleToolset } from '@/hermes'
@@ -11,7 +10,9 @@ import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { notify, notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import type { SkillInfo, ToolsetInfo } from '@/types/hermes'
 
+import { useRefreshHotkey } from '../hooks/use-refresh-hotkey'
 import { useRouteEnumParam } from '../hooks/use-route-enum-param'
+import { PAGE_INSET_X } from '../layout-constants'
 import { PageSearchShell } from '../page-search-shell'
 import { asText, includesQuery, prettyName, toolNames } from '../settings/helpers'
 import { ToolsetConfigPanel } from '../settings/toolset-config-panel'
@@ -72,25 +73,22 @@ export function SkillsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...p
   const [skills, setSkills] = useState<SkillInfo[] | null>(null)
   const [toolsets, setToolsets] = useState<ToolsetInfo[] | null>(null)
   const [activeCategory, setActiveCategory] = useState<string | null>(null)
-  const [refreshing, setRefreshing] = useState(false)
   const [savingSkill, setSavingSkill] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [savingToolset, setSavingToolset] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [expandedToolset, setExpandedToolset] = useState<string | null>(null)
 
   const refreshCapabilities = useCallback(async () => {
-    setRefreshing(true)
-
     try {
       const [nextSkills, nextToolsets] = await Promise.all([getSkills(), getToolsets()])
       setSkills(nextSkills)
       setToolsets(nextToolsets)
     } catch (err) {
       notifyError(err, 'Skills failed to load')
-    } finally {
-      setRefreshing(false)
     }
   }, [])
 
+  useRefreshHotkey(refreshCapabilities)
+
   const refreshToolsets = useCallback(() => {
     getToolsets()
       .then(setToolsets)
@@ -181,65 +179,54 @@ export function SkillsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...p
     <PageSearchShell
       {...props}
       filters={
-        <>
-          <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-center gap-x-2 gap-y-1">
-            <TextTab active={mode === 'skills'} onClick={() => setMode('skills')}>
-              Skills
+        mode === 'skills' && categories.length > 0 ? (
+          <>
+            <TextTab active={activeCategory === null} onClick={() => setActiveCategory(null)}>
+              All <TextTabMeta>{totalSkills}</TextTabMeta>
             </TextTab>
-            <TextTab active={mode === 'toolsets'} onClick={() => setMode('toolsets')}>
-              Toolsets
-            </TextTab>
-          </div>
-          {mode === 'skills' && categories.length > 0 && (
-            <div className="flex flex-wrap justify-center gap-x-2 gap-y-1">
-              <TextTab active={activeCategory === null} onClick={() => setActiveCategory(null)}>
-                All <TextTabMeta>{totalSkills}</TextTabMeta>
+            {categories.map(category => (
+              <TextTab
+                active={activeCategory === category.key}
+                key={category.key}
+                onClick={() => setActiveCategory(activeCategory === category.key ? null : category.key)}
+              >
+                {prettyName(category.key)} <TextTabMeta>{category.count}</TextTabMeta>
               </TextTab>
-              {categories.map(category => (
-                <TextTab
-                  active={activeCategory === category.key}
-                  key={category.key}
-                  onClick={() => setActiveCategory(activeCategory === category.key ? null : category.key)}
-                >
-                  {prettyName(category.key)} <TextTabMeta>{category.count}</TextTabMeta>
-                </TextTab>
-              ))}
-            </div>
-          )}
-        </>
+            ))}
+          </>
+        ) : undefined
       }
       onSearchChange={setQuery}
+      searchHidden={mode === 'skills' ? (skills?.length ?? 0) === 0 : (toolsets?.length ?? 0) === 0}
       searchPlaceholder={mode === 'skills' ? 'Search skills...' : 'Search toolsets...'}
-      searchTrailingAction={
-        <Button
-          aria-label={refreshing ? 'Refreshing skills' : 'Refresh skills'}
-          className="text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-transparent hover:text-foreground"
-          disabled={refreshing}
-          onClick={() => void refreshCapabilities()}
-          size="icon-xs"
-          title={refreshing ? 'Refreshing skills' : 'Refresh skills'}
-          type="button"
-          variant="ghost"
-        >
-          <Codicon name="refresh" size="0.875rem" spinning={refreshing} />
-        </Button>
-      }
       searchValue={query}
+      tabs={
+        <>
+          <TextTab active={mode === 'skills'} onClick={() => setMode('skills')}>
+            Skills
+          </TextTab>
+          <TextTab active={mode === 'toolsets'} onClick={() => setMode('toolsets')}>
+            Toolsets
+          </TextTab>
+        </>
+      }
     >
       {!skills || !toolsets ? (
         <PageLoader label="Loading capabilities..." />
       ) : mode === 'skills' ? (
-        <div className="h-full overflow-y-auto px-4 py-3">
+        <div className={cn('h-full overflow-y-auto py-3', PAGE_INSET_X)}>
           {visibleSkills.length === 0 ? (
             <EmptyState description="Try a broader search or different category." title="No skills found" />
           ) : (
             <div className="space-y-4">
               {skillGroups.map(([category, list]) => (
                 <div className="space-y-1.5" key={category}>
-                  <div className="text-[0.68rem] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.12em] text-muted-foreground">
-                    {prettyName(category)}
-                  </div>
-                  <div className="divide-y divide-(--ui-stroke-quaternary)">
+                  {activeCategory === null && (
+                    <div className="text-[0.68rem] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.12em] text-muted-foreground">
+                      {prettyName(category)}
+                    </div>
+                  )}
+                  <div>
                     {list.map(skill => (
                       <div
                         className="grid gap-3 px-0 py-2.5 sm:grid-cols-[minmax(0,1fr)_auto] sm:items-center"
@@ -265,7 +252,7 @@ export function SkillsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...p
           )}
         </div>
       ) : (
-        <div className="h-full overflow-y-auto px-4 py-3">
+        <div className={cn('h-full overflow-y-auto py-3', PAGE_INSET_X)}>
           {visibleToolsets.length === 0 ? (
             <EmptyState description="Try a broader search query." title="No toolsets found" />
           ) : (
@@ -273,7 +260,7 @@ export function SkillsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...p
               <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
                 {enabledToolsets}/{toolsets.length} toolsets enabled
               </div>
-              <div className="divide-y divide-(--ui-stroke-quaternary)">
+              <div>
                 {visibleToolsets.map(toolset => {
                   const tools = toolNames(toolset)
                   const label = asText(toolset.label || toolset.name)
@@ -287,7 +274,7 @@ export function SkillsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...p
                           <button
                             aria-expanded={expanded}
                             aria-label={`Configure ${label}`}
-                            className="cursor-pointer rounded-full outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring/50"
+                            className="rounded-full outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring/50"
                             onClick={() => setExpandedToolset(current => (current === toolset.name ? null : toolset.name))}
                             type="button"
                           >
@@ -333,14 +320,11 @@ export function SkillsView({ setStatusbarItemGroup: _setStatusbarItemGroup, ...p
 
 function StatusPill({ active, children }: { active: boolean; children: string }) {
   return (
-    <span
-      className={cn(
-        'inline-flex items-center rounded-full px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[0.64rem]',
-        active ? 'bg-(--ui-bg-tertiary) text-(--ui-text-secondary)' : 'bg-(--ui-bg-quinary) text-(--ui-text-tertiary)'
-      )}
+    <Badge
+      className={active ? 'bg-(--ui-bg-tertiary) text-(--ui-text-secondary)' : 'bg-(--ui-bg-quinary) text-(--ui-text-tertiary)'}
     >
       {children}
-    </span>
+    </Badge>
   )
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/app/types.ts

@@ -73,4 +73,7 @@ export interface ClientSessionState {
   sawAssistantPayload: boolean
   pendingBranchGroup: string | null
   interrupted: boolean
+  /** A blocking clarify prompt is waiting on the user for this session. Drives
+   *  the sidebar "needs input" indicator; cleared when the turn resumes/ends. */
+  needsInput: boolean
 }

apps/desktop/src/app/updates-overlay.tsx

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { writeClipboardText } from '@/components/ui/copy-button'
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogDescription, DialogTitle } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
+import { ErrorState } from '@/components/ui/error-state'
 import type { DesktopUpdateCommit, DesktopUpdateStage, DesktopUpdateStatus } from '@/global'
 import { buildCommitChangelog, type CommitGroup } from '@/lib/commit-changelog'
 import { AlertCircle, Check, CheckCircle2, Copy, Loader2, Sparkles, Terminal } from '@/lib/icons'
@@ -146,11 +147,6 @@ function IdleView({
   if (!status.supported) {
     return (
       <CenteredStatus
-        action={
-          <Button onClick={onLater} size="sm" variant="outline">
-            Close
-          </Button>
-        }
         body={status.message ?? 'This version of Hermes can’t update itself from inside the app.'}
         icon={<AlertCircle className="size-6 text-muted-foreground" />}
         title="Update not available"
@@ -176,11 +172,6 @@ function IdleView({
   if (behind === 0) {
     return (
       <CenteredStatus
-        action={
-          <Button onClick={onLater} size="sm" variant="outline">
-            Close
-          </Button>
-        }
         body="You’re running the latest version."
         icon={<CheckCircle2 className="size-7 text-emerald-600 dark:text-emerald-400" />}
         title="You’re all set"
@@ -208,11 +199,13 @@ function IdleView({
       <div className="grid gap-3 rounded-xl border border-border/70 bg-muted/20 px-4 py-3">
         {groups.map(group => (
           <div key={group.id}>
-            <p className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-muted-foreground">{group.label}</p>
-            <ul className="mt-1.5 grid gap-1.5 text-sm text-foreground">
+            <p className="text-[0.625rem] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-muted-foreground">
+              {group.label}
+            </p>
+            <ul className="mt-1.5 grid gap-1.5 text-xs text-foreground">
               {group.items.map(item => (
                 <li className="flex items-start gap-2" key={item}>
-                  <span aria-hidden className="mt-2 inline-block size-1.5 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-primary" />
+                  <span aria-hidden className="mt-1.5 inline-block size-1 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-primary" />
                   <span className="leading-snug">{item}</span>
                 </li>
               ))}
@@ -222,7 +215,7 @@ function IdleView({
       </div>
 
       <div className="grid gap-2">
-        <Button className="h-10 text-sm font-semibold" onClick={onInstall} size="default">
+        <Button className="font-semibold" onClick={onInstall} size="lg">
           Update now
         </Button>
         <button
@@ -267,9 +260,9 @@ function ManualView({ command, onDone }: { command: string; onDone: () => void }
       </div>
 
       <button
-        type="button"
-        onClick={handleCopy}
         className="group flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-3 rounded-xl border border-border/70 bg-muted/30 px-4 py-3 text-left transition-colors hover:border-border hover:bg-muted/50"
+        onClick={handleCopy}
+        type="button"
       >
         <code className="select-all font-mono text-sm text-foreground">
           <span className="text-muted-foreground">$ </span>
@@ -294,7 +287,7 @@ function ManualView({ command, onDone }: { command: string; onDone: () => void }
         Hermes will pick up the new version next time you launch it.
       </p>
 
-      <Button className="h-10 text-sm font-semibold" onClick={onDone} variant="outline">
+      <Button className="font-semibold" onClick={onDone} size="lg" variant="outline">
         Done
       </Button>
     </div>
@@ -339,31 +332,22 @@ function ApplyingView({ apply }: { apply: UpdateApplyState }) {
 
 function ErrorView({ message, onDismiss, onRetry }: { message: string; onDismiss: () => void; onRetry: () => void }) {
   return (
-    <div className="grid gap-5 px-6 pb-6 pt-7 pr-8">
-      <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-3 text-center">
-        <span className="flex size-14 items-center justify-center rounded-2xl bg-destructive/10 text-destructive">
-          <AlertCircle className="size-7" />
-        </span>
-
-        <DialogTitle className="text-center text-xl">Update didn’t finish</DialogTitle>
-        <DialogDescription className="text-center text-sm">
+    <ErrorState
+      className="px-6 pb-6 pt-7 pr-8"
+      description={
+        <DialogDescription className="max-w-prose text-center text-sm leading-5 text-muted-foreground">
           {message || 'No worries — nothing was lost. You can try again now.'}
         </DialogDescription>
-      </div>
-
-      <div className="grid gap-2">
-        <Button className="h-10 text-sm font-semibold" onClick={onRetry}>
-          Try again
-        </Button>
-        <button
-          className="text-center text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:text-foreground"
-          onClick={onDismiss}
-          type="button"
-        >
-          Not now
-        </button>
-      </div>
-    </div>
+      }
+      title={<DialogTitle className="text-center text-xl font-semibold tracking-tight">Update didn’t finish</DialogTitle>}
+    >
+      <Button className="font-semibold" onClick={onRetry} size="lg">
+        Try again
+      </Button>
+      <Button onClick={onDismiss} variant="text">
+        Not now
+      </Button>
+    </ErrorState>
   )
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/clarify-tool.tsx

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { ToolFallback } from '@/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
-import { HelpCircle, Loader2, PencilLine } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { Check, HelpCircle, Loader2 } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { $clarifyRequest, clearClarifyRequest } from '@/store/clarify'
 import { $gateway } from '@/store/gateway'
@@ -33,6 +33,23 @@ function readClarifyArgs(args: unknown): ClarifyArgs {
   }
 }
 
+// Choice and "Other" rows share a layout; only color/hover differs.
+const OPTION_ROW_CLASS = 'flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-md px-2.5 py-1.5 text-left text-sm transition-colors'
+
+function RadioDot({ selected }: { selected: boolean }) {
+  return (
+    <span
+      aria-hidden
+      className={cn(
+        'grid size-3.5 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-full border transition-colors',
+        selected ? 'border-primary' : 'border-muted-foreground/40'
+      )}
+    >
+      {selected && <span className="size-1.5 rounded-full bg-primary" />}
+    </span>
+  )
+}
+
 export const ClarifyTool = (props: ToolCallMessagePartProps) => {
   const isPending = props.result === undefined
 
@@ -74,6 +91,7 @@ function ClarifyToolPending({ args }: ToolCallMessagePartProps) {
   const [typing, setTyping] = useState(false)
   const [draft, setDraft] = useState('')
   const [submitting, setSubmitting] = useState(false)
+  const [selectedChoice, setSelectedChoice] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const textareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>(null)
 
   // Race: tool.start fires a tick before clarify.request, so request_id
@@ -103,7 +121,7 @@ function ClarifyToolPending({ args }: ToolCallMessagePartProps) {
           answer
         })
         triggerHaptic('submit')
-        clearClarifyRequest(matchingRequest.requestId)
+        clearClarifyRequest(matchingRequest.requestId, matchingRequest.sessionId)
         // The matching tool.complete will land shortly after, swapping this
         // panel for the ToolFallback view above.
       } catch (error) {
@@ -140,72 +158,49 @@ function ClarifyToolPending({ args }: ToolCallMessagePartProps) {
     [draft, respond]
   )
 
-  const handleChoiceKey = useCallback(
-    (event: KeyboardEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
-      if (typing || submitting) {
-        return
-      }
-
-      const numeric = Number.parseInt(event.key, 10)
-
-      if (Number.isFinite(numeric) && numeric >= 1 && numeric <= choices.length) {
-        event.preventDefault()
-        void respond(choices[numeric - 1]!)
-      }
-    },
-    [choices, respond, submitting, typing]
-  )
-
   return (
     <div
-      className={cn(
-        'mb-3 mt-2 grid gap-3 rounded-xl border border-border/70 bg-card/40 px-4 py-3.5 text-sm',
-        'shadow-[inset_0_1px_0_color-mix(in_srgb,var(--foreground)_3%,transparent)]'
-      )}
+      className="relative mb-3 mt-2 grid gap-2 rounded-[0.5rem] border border-border/70 bg-card/40 px-3 py-2.5 text-sm shadow-[inset_0_1px_0_color-mix(in_srgb,var(--foreground)_3%,transparent)]"
       data-slot="clarify-inline"
     >
-      <div className="flex items-start gap-2.5">
+      <span aria-hidden className="arc-border" />
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-2.5">
         <span
           aria-hidden
-          className="mt-0.5 grid size-6 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-md bg-[color-mix(in_srgb,var(--dt-primary)_14%,transparent)] text-primary ring-1 ring-inset ring-primary/15"
+          className="grid size-6 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-md bg-[color-mix(in_srgb,var(--dt-primary)_14%,transparent)] text-primary ring-1 ring-inset ring-primary/15"
         >
           <HelpCircle className="size-3.5" />
         </span>
-        <div className="grid flex-1 gap-0.5">
-          <span className="text-[0.6875rem] font-medium uppercase tracking-wide text-muted-foreground/85">
-            Hermes is asking
-          </span>
-          <span className="whitespace-pre-wrap leading-snug text-foreground">
-            {question || <em className="text-muted-foreground/70">Loading question…</em>}
-          </span>
-        </div>
+        <span className="flex-1 whitespace-pre-wrap font-medium leading-snug text-foreground">
+          {question || <em className="font-normal text-muted-foreground/70">Loading question…</em>}
+        </span>
       </div>
 
       {!typing && hasChoices && (
-        <div className="grid gap-1.5" onKeyDown={handleChoiceKey} role="group">
+        <div className="grid gap-0.5" role="group">
           {choices.map((choice, index) => (
             <button
               className={cn(
-                'group/choice flex w-full items-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-border/70 bg-background/60 px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm text-foreground/95',
-                'transition-colors hover:border-border hover:bg-accent/60 disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-55'
+                OPTION_ROW_CLASS,
+                'text-foreground/95 hover:bg-accent/60 disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-55',
+                selectedChoice === choice && 'bg-accent/60'
               )}
               data-choice
               disabled={!ready || submitting}
               key={`${index}-${choice}`}
-              onClick={() => void respond(choice)}
+              onClick={() => {
+                setSelectedChoice(choice)
+                void respond(choice)
+              }}
               type="button"
             >
-              <span className="grid size-5 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-md bg-muted text-[0.6875rem] font-mono tabular-nums text-muted-foreground group-hover/choice:bg-background">
-                {index + 1}
-              </span>
+              <RadioDot selected={selectedChoice === choice} />
               <span className="flex-1 wrap-anywhere">{choice}</span>
+              {selectedChoice === choice && <Check aria-hidden className="size-4 shrink-0 text-primary" />}
             </button>
           ))}
           <button
-            className={cn(
-              'flex w-full items-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-dashed border-border/60 bg-transparent px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm text-muted-foreground',
-              'transition-colors hover:border-border hover:bg-accent/40 hover:text-foreground'
-            )}
+            className={cn(OPTION_ROW_CLASS, 'text-muted-foreground hover:bg-accent/40 hover:text-foreground')}
             disabled={submitting}
             onClick={() => {
               setTyping(true)
@@ -213,12 +208,7 @@ function ClarifyToolPending({ args }: ToolCallMessagePartProps) {
             }}
             type="button"
           >
-            <span
-              aria-hidden
-              className="grid size-5 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-md bg-muted text-muted-foreground"
-            >
-              <PencilLine className="size-3" />
-            </span>
+            <RadioDot selected={false} />
             <span className="flex-1">Other (type your answer)</span>
           </button>
         </div>
@@ -227,7 +217,7 @@ function ClarifyToolPending({ args }: ToolCallMessagePartProps) {
       {(typing || !hasChoices) && (
         <form className="grid gap-2" onSubmit={handleSubmitFreeform}>
           <Textarea
-            className="min-h-20 resize-y rounded-lg border-border/70 bg-background/60 text-sm"
+            className="min-h-20 resize-y rounded-lg border-transparent bg-accent/40 text-sm focus-visible:bg-background/60"
             disabled={submitting}
             onChange={event => setDraft(event.target.value)}
             onKeyDown={handleTextareaKey}
@@ -270,10 +260,9 @@ function ClarifyToolPending({ args }: ToolCallMessagePartProps) {
       )}
 
       {!typing && hasChoices && (
-        <div className="flex items-center justify-between text-[0.6875rem] text-muted-foreground/85">
-          <span>1–{choices.length} to pick</span>
+        <div className="flex justify-end">
           <button
-            className="bg-transparent text-muted-foreground/85 underline-offset-4 decoration-current/20 hover:text-foreground hover:underline disabled:opacity-50"
+            className="bg-transparent text-[0.6875rem] text-muted-foreground/70 underline-offset-4 hover:text-foreground hover:underline disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50"
             disabled={!ready || submitting}
             onClick={() => void respond('')}
             type="button"

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

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use client'
 
-import { TextMessagePartProvider, useAuiState, useMessagePartText } from '@assistant-ui/react'
+import { TextMessagePartProvider, useMessagePartText } from '@assistant-ui/react'
 import {
   type StreamdownTextComponents,
   StreamdownTextPrimitive,
@@ -259,6 +259,11 @@ function DeferStreamingText({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   )
 }
 
+interface MarkdownTextSurfaceProps {
+  containerClassName?: string
+  containerProps?: ComponentProps<'div'>
+}
+
 // Headings shrink to chat scale rather than the prose default (h1≈xl). Kept
 // table-driven so adding/tweaking levels is one row.
 const HEADING_SIZES: Record<'h1' | 'h2' | 'h3' | 'h4', string> = {
@@ -268,15 +273,24 @@ const HEADING_SIZES: Record<'h1' | 'h2' | 'h3' | 'h4', string> = {
   h4: 'text-[0.8125rem]'
 }
 
-const MarkdownTextImpl = () => {
-  const isStreaming = useAuiState(s => s.message.status?.type === 'running')
+const MARKDOWN_CONTAINER_CLASS_NAME = cn(
+  'aui-md prose w-full max-w-none overflow-hidden text-[length:var(--conversation-text-font-size)] leading-(--dt-line-height) text-foreground',
+  'prose-p:leading-(--dt-line-height) prose-li:leading-(--dt-line-height)',
+  'prose-headings:text-foreground prose-strong:text-foreground',
+  'prose-a:break-words prose-p:[overflow-wrap:anywhere]',
+  'prose-li:marker:text-muted-foreground/70',
+  'prose-code:rounded-[0.25rem] prose-code:px-[0.1875rem] prose-code:py-px prose-code:font-mono prose-code:text-[0.9em] prose-code:font-normal prose-code:before:content-none prose-code:after:content-none',
+  '[&>*:first-child]:mt-0 [&>*:last-child]:mb-0 [&>*+*]:mt-1'
+)
 
-  // Stable per-state plugin object. The previous inline `{ math: mathPlugin,
-  // ...(isStreaming ? {} : { code }) }` created a new object identity on every
-  // render, which churns Streamdown's outer memo + propagates new prop
-  // identities into every Block. The plugin set really only varies on
-  // `isStreaming`, so memoize on that.
-  const plugins = useMemo(() => (isStreaming ? { math: mathPlugin } : { math: mathPlugin, code }), [isStreaming])
+function MarkdownTextSurface({ containerClassName, containerProps }: MarkdownTextSurfaceProps) {
+  const { status } = useMessagePartText()
+  const isStreaming = status.type === 'running'
+
+  // Keep code parsing enabled while streaming so incomplete fenced blocks still
+  // render as code cards. The expensive Shiki pass is deferred by
+  // `SyntaxHighlighter` below when `isStreaming` is true.
+  const plugins = useMemo(() => ({ math: mathPlugin, code }), [])
 
   const components = useMemo(
     () =>
@@ -347,33 +361,47 @@ const MarkdownTextImpl = () => {
     [isStreaming]
   )
 
+  return (
+    <StreamdownTextPrimitive
+      components={components}
+      containerClassName={cn(MARKDOWN_CONTAINER_CLASS_NAME, containerClassName)}
+      containerProps={containerProps}
+      lineNumbers={false}
+      mode="streaming"
+      // Always auto-close incomplete fences — even during streaming.
+      // Without this, an unclosed ```python ... ``` whose body contains
+      // `$` (very common: shell snippets, JS template strings, dollar
+      // amounts) leaks those dollars out to the math parser and they
+      // get rendered as broken inline math until the closing fence
+      // arrives. Shiki is independently deferred via `defer={isStreaming}`
+      // on the SyntaxHighlighter component, so we don't pay code-block
+      // tokenization on every token even with this set.
+      parseIncompleteMarkdown
+      plugins={plugins}
+      preprocess={preprocessMarkdown}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+interface MarkdownTextContentProps extends MarkdownTextSurfaceProps {
+  isRunning: boolean
+  text: string
+}
+
+export function MarkdownTextContent({ isRunning, text, ...surfaceProps }: MarkdownTextContentProps) {
+  return (
+    <TextMessagePartProvider isRunning={isRunning} text={text}>
+      <DeferStreamingText>
+        <MarkdownTextSurface {...surfaceProps} />
+      </DeferStreamingText>
+    </TextMessagePartProvider>
+  )
+}
+
+const MarkdownTextImpl = () => {
   return (
     <DeferStreamingText>
-      <StreamdownTextPrimitive
-        components={components}
-        containerClassName={cn(
-          'aui-md prose w-full max-w-none overflow-hidden text-[length:var(--conversation-text-font-size)] leading-(--dt-line-height) text-foreground',
-          'prose-p:leading-(--dt-line-height) prose-li:leading-(--dt-line-height)',
-          'prose-headings:text-foreground prose-strong:text-foreground',
-          'prose-a:break-words prose-p:[overflow-wrap:anywhere]',
-          'prose-li:marker:text-muted-foreground/70',
-          'prose-code:rounded-[0.25rem] prose-code:px-[0.1875rem] prose-code:py-px prose-code:font-mono prose-code:text-[0.9em] prose-code:font-normal prose-code:before:content-none prose-code:after:content-none',
-          '[&>*:first-child]:mt-0 [&>*:last-child]:mb-0 [&>*+*]:mt-1'
-        )}
-        lineNumbers={false}
-        mode="streaming"
-        // Always auto-close incomplete fences — even during streaming.
-        // Without this, an unclosed ```python ... ``` whose body contains
-        // `$` (very common: shell snippets, JS template strings, dollar
-        // amounts) leaks those dollars out to the math parser and they
-        // get rendered as broken inline math until the closing fence
-        // arrives. Shiki is independently deferred via `defer={isStreaming}`
-        // on the SyntaxHighlighter component, so we don't pay code-block
-        // tokenization on every token even with this set.
-        parseIncompleteMarkdown
-        plugins={plugins}
-        preprocess={preprocessMarkdown}
-      />
+      <MarkdownTextSurface />
     </DeferStreamingText>
   )
 }

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

@@ -130,12 +130,12 @@ function assistantErrorMessage(error: string): ThreadMessage {
   } as ThreadMessage
 }
 
-function assistantReasoningMessage(text: string): ThreadMessage {
+function assistantReasoningMessage(text: string, running = false): ThreadMessage {
   return {
     id: 'assistant-reasoning-1',
     role: 'assistant',
     content: [{ type: 'reasoning', text }],
-    status: { type: 'complete', reason: 'stop' },
+    status: running ? { type: 'running' } : { type: 'complete', reason: 'stop' },
     createdAt,
     metadata: {
       unstable_state: null,
@@ -263,6 +263,20 @@ function StreamingHarness() {
   )
 }
 
+function StaticThreadHarness() {
+  const runtime = useExternalStoreRuntime<ThreadMessage>({
+    messages: [userMessage(), assistantMessage('complete response', false)],
+    isRunning: false,
+    onNew: async () => {}
+  })
+
+  return (
+    <AssistantRuntimeProvider runtime={runtime}>
+      <Thread />
+    </AssistantRuntimeProvider>
+  )
+}
+
 function TodoHarness({ message }: { message: ThreadMessage }) {
   const runtime = useExternalStoreRuntime<ThreadMessage>({
     messages: [message],
@@ -291,6 +305,20 @@ function MessageHarness({ message }: { message: ThreadMessage }) {
   )
 }
 
+function RunningMessageHarness({ message }: { message: ThreadMessage }) {
+  const runtime = useExternalStoreRuntime<ThreadMessage>({
+    messages: [message],
+    isRunning: true,
+    onNew: async () => {}
+  })
+
+  return (
+    <AssistantRuntimeProvider runtime={runtime}>
+      <Thread />
+    </AssistantRuntimeProvider>
+  )
+}
+
 function ReasoningHarness() {
   const runtime = useExternalStoreRuntime<ThreadMessage>({
     messages: [assistantReasoningMessage(' The user is asking what this file is.')],
@@ -305,6 +333,20 @@ function ReasoningHarness() {
   )
 }
 
+function RunningReasoningHarness() {
+  const runtime = useExternalStoreRuntime<ThreadMessage>({
+    messages: [assistantReasoningMessage('```ts\nconst answer = 42\n', true)],
+    isRunning: true,
+    onNew: async () => {}
+  })
+
+  return (
+    <AssistantRuntimeProvider runtime={runtime}>
+      <Thread />
+    </AssistantRuntimeProvider>
+  )
+}
+
 function GroupedReasoningHarness() {
   const runtime = useExternalStoreRuntime<ThreadMessage>({
     messages: [assistantMultiReasoningMessage([' First thought.', ' Second thought.'])],
@@ -415,10 +457,207 @@ describe('assistant-ui streaming renderer', () => {
     expect(viewport.scrollTop).toBe(420)
   })
 
+  it('does not auto-follow idle layout shifts', async () => {
+    const { container } = render(<StaticThreadHarness />)
+
+    const content = container.querySelector('[data-slot="aui_thread-content"]') as HTMLDivElement
+    const viewport = content.parentElement as HTMLDivElement
+    let scrollHeight = 1_000
+
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'clientHeight', { configurable: true, value: 200 })
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'scrollHeight', {
+      configurable: true,
+      get: () => scrollHeight
+    })
+
+    await wait(80)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      viewport.scrollTop = 420
+      fireEvent.scroll(viewport)
+    })
+
+    scrollHeight = 1_200
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      for (const observer of resizeObservers) {
+        observer.trigger(1_200)
+      }
+    })
+    await wait(0)
+
+    expect(viewport.scrollTop).toBe(420)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps sticky-bottom armed through viewport height changes during streaming', async () => {
+    const { container } = render(<StreamingHarness />)
+
+    const content = container.querySelector('[data-slot="aui_thread-content"]') as HTMLDivElement
+    const viewport = content.parentElement as HTMLDivElement
+    let clientHeight = 200
+    let scrollHeight = 1_000
+
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'clientHeight', {
+      configurable: true,
+      get: () => clientHeight
+    })
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'scrollHeight', {
+      configurable: true,
+      get: () => scrollHeight
+    })
+
+    await wait(80)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      viewport.scrollTop = 800
+      fireEvent.scroll(viewport)
+    })
+
+    clientHeight = 240
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      viewport.scrollTop = 760
+      fireEvent.scroll(viewport)
+    })
+
+    scrollHeight = 1_200
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      for (const observer of resizeObservers) {
+        observer.trigger(1_200)
+      }
+    })
+    await wait(0)
+
+    expect(viewport.scrollTop).toBe(1_200)
+  })
+
+  it('honors the first upward wheel scroll even when a programmatic bottom-pin scroll event is still pending', async () => {
+    const { container } = render(<StreamingHarness />)
+
+    const content = container.querySelector('[data-slot="aui_thread-content"]') as HTMLDivElement
+    const viewport = content.parentElement as HTMLDivElement
+    let scrollHeight = 1_000
+
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'clientHeight', { configurable: true, value: 200 })
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'scrollHeight', {
+      configurable: true,
+      get: () => scrollHeight
+    })
+
+    await wait(80)
+    await wait(0)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      fireEvent.wheel(viewport, { deltaY: -120 })
+      viewport.scrollTop = 420
+      fireEvent.scroll(viewport)
+    })
+
+    scrollHeight = 1_200
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      for (const observer of resizeObservers) {
+        observer.trigger(1_200)
+      }
+    })
+    await wait(0)
+
+    expect(viewport.scrollTop).toBe(420)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps following final code-highlight growth when a run completes at bottom', async () => {
+    const { container } = render(<StreamingHarness />)
+
+    const content = container.querySelector('[data-slot="aui_thread-content"]') as HTMLDivElement
+    const viewport = content.parentElement as HTMLDivElement
+    let scrollHeight = 1_000
+
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'clientHeight', { configurable: true, value: 200 })
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'scrollHeight', {
+      configurable: true,
+      get: () => scrollHeight
+    })
+
+    await wait(80)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      viewport.scrollTop = 800
+      fireEvent.scroll(viewport)
+    })
+
+    await wait(650)
+
+    scrollHeight = 1_700
+    await wait(0)
+
+    expect(viewport.scrollTop).toBe(1_700)
+  })
+
+  it('does not restart bottom-follow after completion when the user scrolled up', async () => {
+    const { container } = render(<StreamingHarness />)
+
+    const content = container.querySelector('[data-slot="aui_thread-content"]') as HTMLDivElement
+    const viewport = content.parentElement as HTMLDivElement
+    let scrollHeight = 1_000
+
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'clientHeight', { configurable: true, value: 200 })
+    Object.defineProperty(viewport, 'scrollHeight', {
+      configurable: true,
+      get: () => scrollHeight
+    })
+
+    await wait(80)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      viewport.scrollTop = 800
+      fireEvent.scroll(viewport)
+    })
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      fireEvent.wheel(viewport, { deltaY: -120 })
+      viewport.scrollTop = 420
+      fireEvent.scroll(viewport)
+    })
+
+    await wait(650)
+
+    scrollHeight = 1_700
+    await wait(0)
+
+    expect(viewport.scrollTop).toBe(420)
+  })
+
+  it('renders an incomplete streaming fenced code block as a code card', async () => {
+    const { container } = render(<RunningMessageHarness message={assistantMessage('```ts\nconst answer = 42\n')} />)
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(container.querySelector('[data-slot="code-card"]')).toBeTruthy()
+    })
+
+    expect(container.textContent).toContain('const answer = 42')
+    expect(container.textContent).not.toContain('```ts')
+  })
+
+  it('renders an incomplete streaming reasoning fenced code block as a code card', async () => {
+    const { container } = render(<RunningReasoningHarness />)
+    const ui = within(container)
+
+    fireEvent.click(ui.getByRole('button', { name: /thinking/i }))
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(container.querySelector('[data-slot="code-card"]')).toBeTruthy()
+    })
+
+    expect(container.querySelector('[data-slot="aui_reasoning-text"]')?.textContent).toContain('const answer = 42')
+    expect(container.textContent).not.toContain('```ts')
+  })
+
   it('renders reasoning text without a leading token space', () => {
     const { container } = render(<ReasoningHarness />)
+    const ui = within(container)
 
-    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /thinking/i }))
+    fireEvent.click(ui.getByRole('button', { name: /thinking/i }))
 
     expect(container.querySelector('[data-slot="aui_reasoning-text"]')?.textContent).toBe(
       'The user is asking what this file is.'

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

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { ThreadPrimitive, useAuiEvent, useAuiState } from '@assistant-ui/react'
 import { useVirtualizer, type Virtualizer } from '@tanstack/react-virtual'
-import { type ComponentProps, type FC, type ReactNode, useCallback, useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react'
+import { type ComponentProps, type FC, memo, type ReactNode, useCallback, useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react'
 
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { setThreadScrolledUp } from '@/store/thread-scroll'
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { setThreadScrolledUp } from '@/store/thread-scroll'
 const ESTIMATED_ITEM_HEIGHT = 220
 const OVERSCAN = 4
 const AT_BOTTOM_THRESHOLD = 4
+const POST_RUN_BOTTOM_LOCK_MS = 1_200
 
 type ThreadMessageComponents = ComponentProps<typeof ThreadPrimitive.MessageByIndex>['components']
 
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ function buildGroups(signature: string): MessageGroup[] {
   return groups
 }
 
-export const VirtualizedThread: FC<VirtualizedThreadProps> = ({
+const VirtualizedThreadInner: FC<VirtualizedThreadProps> = ({
   clampToComposer,
   components,
   emptyPlaceholder,
@@ -65,11 +66,16 @@ export const VirtualizedThread: FC<VirtualizedThreadProps> = ({
   const messageSignature = useAuiState(s =>
     s.thread.messages.map((message, index) => `${index}:${message.id}:${message.role}`).join('\n')
   )
+  const isRunning = useAuiState(s => s.thread.isRunning)
 
   const groups = useMemo(() => buildGroups(messageSignature), [messageSignature])
   const renderEmpty = groups.length === 0 && Boolean(emptyPlaceholder)
   const scrollerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null)
 
+  // Shared ref so scrollToFn can check whether the user is parked at the
+  // bottom without needing a ref from inside useThreadScrollAnchor.
+  const stickyBottomRef = useRef(true)
+
   const virtualizer = useVirtualizer({
     count: groups.length,
     estimateSize: () => ESTIMATED_ITEM_HEIGHT,
@@ -78,14 +84,39 @@ export const VirtualizedThread: FC<VirtualizedThreadProps> = ({
     // Seed the rect so the initial range mounts something before
     // `observeElementRect` reports the real layout (it overrides this).
     initialRect: { height: 600, width: 800 },
-    overscan: OVERSCAN
+    overscan: OVERSCAN,
+    // When the virtualizer adjusts scroll due to item measurement changes,
+    // skip the adjustment if the user is at the bottom. Our ResizeObserver +
+    // pinToBottom loop handles scroll anchoring; letting the virtualizer also
+    // adjust creates a feedback loop where the two fight each other,
+    // producing visible rubber-banding (the view snaps to the composer
+    // then jumps back up).
+    scrollToFn: (offset, _options, instance) => {
+      const el = instance.scrollElement
+      if (!el) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      if (stickyBottomRef.current) {
+        const maxScroll = el.scrollHeight - el.clientHeight
+        const distFromBottom = maxScroll - el.scrollTop
+
+        if (distFromBottom <= AT_BOTTOM_THRESHOLD && offset < maxScroll) {
+          return
+        }
+      }
+
+      ;(el as HTMLElement).scrollTo(0, offset)
+    }
   })
 
   useThreadScrollAnchor({
     enabled: !renderEmpty,
     groupCount: groups.length,
+    isRunning,
     scrollerRef,
     sessionKey: sessionKey ?? null,
+    stickyBottomRef,
     virtualizer
   })
 
@@ -169,19 +200,34 @@ export const VirtualizedThread: FC<VirtualizedThreadProps> = ({
   )
 }
 
+export const VirtualizedThread = memo(VirtualizedThreadInner)
+
 interface ScrollAnchorOptions {
   enabled: boolean
   groupCount: number
+  isRunning: boolean
   scrollerRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>
   sessionKey: string | null
+  stickyBottomRef: React.MutableRefObject<boolean>
   virtualizer: Virtualizer<HTMLDivElement, Element>
 }
 
-function useThreadScrollAnchor({ enabled, groupCount, scrollerRef, sessionKey, virtualizer }: ScrollAnchorOptions) {
-  // `armed` = parked at bottom, content growth should follow. Cleared on
+function useThreadScrollAnchor({
+  enabled,
+  groupCount,
+  isRunning,
+  scrollerRef,
+  sessionKey,
+  stickyBottomRef,
+  virtualizer
+}: ScrollAnchorOptions) {
+  // `stickyBottomRef` = parked at bottom, content growth should follow. Cleared on
   // user-driven upward scroll; re-armed when they reach bottom again.
-  const armedRef = useRef(true)
+  // This is a shared ref — scrollToFn reads it to prevent the virtualizer's
+  // measurement adjustments from fighting our pinToBottom.
   const lastTopRef = useRef(0)
+  const lastHeightRef = useRef(0)
+  const lastClientHeightRef = useRef(0)
   // Counter that tracks how many scroll events we expect to be ours rather
   // than the user's. `pinToBottom` writes `el.scrollTop`, which fires an
   // async `scroll` event; without this guard the on-scroll handler can race
@@ -206,21 +252,23 @@ function useThreadScrollAnchor({ enabled, groupCount, scrollerRef, sessionKey, v
     programmaticScrollPendingRef.current += 1
     el.scrollTop = el.scrollHeight
     lastTopRef.current = el.scrollTop
+    lastHeightRef.current = el.scrollHeight
+    lastClientHeightRef.current = el.clientHeight
   }, [scrollerRef])
 
   const jumpToBottom = useCallback(() => {
-    armedRef.current = true
+    stickyBottomRef.current = true
 
     if (groupCount > 0) {
       virtualizer.scrollToIndex(groupCount - 1, { align: 'end', behavior: 'auto' })
     }
 
     requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-      if (armedRef.current) {
+      if (stickyBottomRef.current) {
         pinToBottom()
       }
     })
-  }, [groupCount, pinToBottom, virtualizer])
+  }, [groupCount, pinToBottom, stickyBottomRef, virtualizer])
 
   useEffect(() => () => setThreadScrolledUp(false), [])
 
@@ -234,7 +282,8 @@ function useThreadScrollAnchor({ enabled, groupCount, scrollerRef, sessionKey, v
     }
 
     const disarm = () => {
-      armedRef.current = false
+      stickyBottomRef.current = false
+      programmaticScrollPendingRef.current = 0
     }
 
     const onScroll = () => {
@@ -250,24 +299,36 @@ function useThreadScrollAnchor({ enabled, groupCount, scrollerRef, sessionKey, v
       if (programmaticScrollPendingRef.current > 0) {
         programmaticScrollPendingRef.current -= 1
         lastTopRef.current = top
+        lastHeightRef.current = el.scrollHeight
+        lastClientHeightRef.current = el.clientHeight
         // Always re-arm — sticky-bottom should hold through clamp races.
-        armedRef.current = true
+        stickyBottomRef.current = true
         const atBottom = el.scrollHeight - (top + el.clientHeight) <= AT_BOTTOM_THRESHOLD
         setThreadScrolledUp(!atBottom)
 
         return
       }
 
-      if (top + 1 < lastTopRef.current) {
-        armedRef.current = false
+      // Disarm only when `scrollTop` decreases while both content height and
+      // viewport height are stable. A bare `top < lastTopRef.current` check is
+      // unsafe: virtualizer measurement, streaming markdown, composer resizing,
+      // window resizing, and toolbar/status updates can all move scrollTop as a
+      // layout side effect. Wheel-up and touchmove still disarm immediately via
+      // their own listeners below, so real user intent remains covered.
+      const heightGrew = el.scrollHeight > lastHeightRef.current
+      const clientHeightChanged = Math.abs(el.clientHeight - lastClientHeightRef.current) > 1
+      if (!heightGrew && !clientHeightChanged && top + 1 < lastTopRef.current) {
+        stickyBottomRef.current = false
       }
 
       lastTopRef.current = top
+      lastHeightRef.current = el.scrollHeight
+      lastClientHeightRef.current = el.clientHeight
 
       const atBottom = el.scrollHeight - (top + el.clientHeight) <= AT_BOTTOM_THRESHOLD
 
       if (atBottom) {
-        armedRef.current = true
+        stickyBottomRef.current = true
       }
 
       setThreadScrolledUp(!atBottom)
@@ -288,7 +349,7 @@ function useThreadScrollAnchor({ enabled, groupCount, scrollerRef, sessionKey, v
       el.removeEventListener('wheel', onWheel)
       el.removeEventListener('touchmove', disarm)
     }
-  }, [scrollerRef])
+  }, [scrollerRef, stickyBottomRef])
 
   // Follow content growth (streaming, item measurements, loading indicator)
   // while armed. During fast streaming the ResizeObserver can fire many
@@ -297,7 +358,7 @@ function useThreadScrollAnchor({ enabled, groupCount, scrollerRef, sessionKey, v
   // (~20+ ms self in `Virtualizer.getMaxScrollOffset`) several times per
   // token.
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!enabled) {
+    if (!enabled || !isRunning) {
       return undefined
     }
 
@@ -309,13 +370,13 @@ function useThreadScrollAnchor({ enabled, groupCount, scrollerRef, sessionKey, v
 
     let pinRafScheduled = false
     const schedulePin = () => {
-      if (pinRafScheduled || !armedRef.current) {
+      if (pinRafScheduled || !stickyBottomRef.current) {
         return
       }
       pinRafScheduled = true
       requestAnimationFrame(() => {
         pinRafScheduled = false
-        if (armedRef.current) {
+        if (stickyBottomRef.current) {
           pinToBottom()
         }
       })
@@ -323,14 +384,15 @@ function useThreadScrollAnchor({ enabled, groupCount, scrollerRef, sessionKey, v
 
     const observer = new ResizeObserver(schedulePin)
 
-    observer.observe(el)
-
+    // Observe ONLY the content (firstElementChild), not the scroller `el`
+    // itself. Resizes of the viewport/scroller (window resize, devtools
+    // panel toggle) shouldn't trigger a pin — only content growth should.
     if (el.firstElementChild) {
       observer.observe(el.firstElementChild)
     }
 
     return () => observer.disconnect()
-  }, [enabled, pinToBottom, scrollerRef])
+  }, [enabled, isRunning, pinToBottom, scrollerRef, stickyBottomRef])
 
   // Jump to bottom on session change OR when an empty thread first gets
   // content. Both share the same intent and the same effect.
@@ -367,16 +429,61 @@ function useThreadScrollAnchor({ enabled, groupCount, scrollerRef, sessionKey, v
     if (!enabled) {
       return
     }
-    if (groupCount > prevGroupCountForLayoutRef.current && armedRef.current) {
-      pinToBottom()
+    if (groupCount > prevGroupCountForLayoutRef.current && stickyBottomRef.current) {
+      // Defer to rAF so that browser scroll/wheel events from the current
+      // frame are processed first.  Without this deferral, a trackpad
+      // scroll-up during streaming can race with this effect: the wheel
+      // event hasn't fired yet so stickyBottomRef is still true, and the
+      // immediate pinToBottom() would snap the viewport back to bottom
+      // against the user's intent.
       requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-        if (armedRef.current) {
+        if (stickyBottomRef.current) {
           pinToBottom()
         }
       })
     }
     prevGroupCountForLayoutRef.current = groupCount
-  }, [enabled, groupCount, pinToBottom])
+  }, [enabled, groupCount, pinToBottom, stickyBottomRef])
+
+  // Completion swaps streaming placeholders/plain code for final rendered DOM
+  // (notably Shiki-highlighted code). Keep following the bottom briefly after
+  // `isRunning` flips false so that final measurement pass cannot strand the
+  // viewport near the top of a large code block.
+  const prevIsRunningForLayoutRef = useRef(isRunning)
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    const finishedRun = prevIsRunningForLayoutRef.current && !isRunning
+    prevIsRunningForLayoutRef.current = isRunning
+
+    if (!enabled || !finishedRun || !stickyBottomRef.current) {
+      return undefined
+    }
+
+    const lockUntil = performance.now() + POST_RUN_BOTTOM_LOCK_MS
+    let lockRaf: number | null = null
+
+    const lockFrame = () => {
+      lockRaf = null
+
+      if (!stickyBottomRef.current) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      pinToBottom()
+
+      if (performance.now() < lockUntil) {
+        lockRaf = requestAnimationFrame(lockFrame)
+      }
+    }
+
+    pinToBottom()
+    lockRaf = requestAnimationFrame(lockFrame)
+
+    return () => {
+      if (lockRaf !== null) {
+        cancelAnimationFrame(lockRaf)
+      }
+    }
+  }, [enabled, isRunning, pinToBottom, stickyBottomRef])
 
   useAuiEvent('thread.runStart', jumpToBottom)
 }

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

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { IconPlayerStopFilled } from '@tabler/icons-react'
 import {
   type ClipboardEvent,
+  type ComponentProps,
   type FC,
   type FocusEvent,
   type FormEvent,
@@ -48,14 +49,13 @@ import { detectTrigger, textBeforeCaret, type TriggerState } from '@/app/chat/co
 import { ComposerTriggerPopover } from '@/app/chat/composer/trigger-popover'
 import { extractDroppedFiles, HERMES_PATHS_MIME } from '@/app/chat/hooks/use-composer-actions'
 import { ClarifyTool } from '@/components/assistant-ui/clarify-tool'
-import { DirectiveContent } from '@/components/assistant-ui/directive-text'
-import { UserMessageText } from '@/components/assistant-ui/user-message-text'
-import { hermesDirectiveFormatter } from '@/components/assistant-ui/directive-text'
-import { MarkdownText } from '@/components/assistant-ui/markdown-text'
+import { DirectiveContent, hermesDirectiveFormatter } from '@/components/assistant-ui/directive-text'
+import { MarkdownText, MarkdownTextContent } from '@/components/assistant-ui/markdown-text'
 import { VirtualizedThread } from '@/components/assistant-ui/thread-virtualizer'
 import { HoistedTodoPanel, todosFromMessageContent } from '@/components/assistant-ui/todo-tool'
 import { ToolFallback, ToolGroupSlot } from '@/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback'
 import { TooltipIconButton } from '@/components/assistant-ui/tooltip-icon-button'
+import { UserMessageText } from '@/components/assistant-ui/user-message-text'
 import { useElapsedSeconds } from '@/components/chat/activity-timer'
 import { ActivityTimerText } from '@/components/chat/activity-timer-text'
 import { DisclosureRow } from '@/components/chat/disclosure-row'
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ const AssistantMessage: FC<{ onBranchInNewChat?: (messageId: string) => void }>
   const messageStatus = useAuiState(s => s.message.status?.type)
   const isPlaceholder = messageStatus === 'running' && content.length === 0
   const interruptedOnly = useMemo(() => isInterruptedOnlyMessage(messageText), [messageText])
+  const enterRef = useEnterAnimation(messageStatus === 'running', `assistant-message:${messageId}`)
 
   if (isPlaceholder) {
     return null
@@ -231,6 +232,8 @@ const AssistantMessage: FC<{ onBranchInNewChat?: (messageId: string) => void }>
       className="group flex w-full min-w-0 max-w-full flex-col gap-0 self-start overflow-hidden"
       data-role="assistant"
       data-slot="aui_assistant-message-root"
+      data-streaming={messageStatus === 'running' ? 'true' : undefined}
+      ref={enterRef}
     >
       <div
         className={cn(
@@ -372,7 +375,9 @@ const ThinkingDisclosure: FC<{
     observer.observe(content)
 
     return () => observer.disconnect()
-  }, [isPreview])
+    // Re-run when the disclosure toggles so the observer attaches to the new
+    // DOM after expand/collapse (refs are conditionally rendered on `open`).
+  }, [isPreview, open])
 
   return (
     <div
@@ -446,17 +451,19 @@ const ReasoningAccordionGroup: FC<{ children?: ReactNode; endIndex: number; star
 
 const ReasoningTextPart: FC<{ text: string; status?: { type: string } }> = ({ text, status }) => {
   const displayText = text.trimStart()
+  const messageRunning = useAuiState(s => s.message.status?.type === 'running')
+  const isRunning = status?.type === 'running' || messageRunning
 
   return (
-    <div
-      className={cn(
-        'whitespace-pre-wrap text-xs leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground/85',
-        status?.type === 'running' && 'shimmer text-muted-foreground/55'
+    <MarkdownTextContent
+      containerClassName={cn(
+        'text-xs leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground/85',
+        isRunning && 'shimmer text-muted-foreground/55'
       )}
-      data-slot="aui_reasoning-text"
-    >
-      {displayText}
-    </div>
+      containerProps={{ 'data-slot': 'aui_reasoning-text' } as ComponentProps<'div'>}
+      isRunning={isRunning}
+      text={displayText}
+    />
   )
 }
 
@@ -611,13 +618,13 @@ const AssistantFooter: FC<MessageActionProps> = props => (
       className="inline-flex h-6 items-center gap-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground"
       hideWhenSingleBranch
     >
-      <BranchPickerPrimitive.Previous className="grid size-6 cursor-pointer place-items-center rounded-md text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-35">
+      <BranchPickerPrimitive.Previous className="grid size-6 place-items-center rounded-md text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-35">
         <Codicon name="chevron-left" size="0.875rem" />
       </BranchPickerPrimitive.Previous>
       <span className="tabular-nums">
         <BranchPickerPrimitive.Number /> / <BranchPickerPrimitive.Count />
       </span>
-      <BranchPickerPrimitive.Next className="grid size-6 cursor-pointer place-items-center rounded-md text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-35">
+      <BranchPickerPrimitive.Next className="grid size-6 place-items-center rounded-md text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-35">
         <Codicon name="chevron-right" size="0.875rem" />
       </BranchPickerPrimitive.Next>
     </BranchPickerPrimitive.Root>
@@ -655,7 +662,7 @@ 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 shadow-composer'
 
 const USER_ACTION_ICON_BUTTON_CLASS =
-  'grid cursor-pointer 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'
+  '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'
 
 const USER_ACTION_ICON_SIZE = '0.6875rem'
 const StopGlyph = <IconPlayerStopFilled aria-hidden className="size-3.5 -translate-y-px" />
@@ -798,7 +805,7 @@ const UserMessage: FC<{
             >
               <span aria-hidden className="checkpoint-icon size-1.5 rounded-full border border-current" />
               <BranchPickerPrimitive.Previous
-                className="checkpoint-restore-text cursor-pointer rounded-sm bg-transparent px-1 opacity-65 hover:opacity-100 disabled:hidden disabled:cursor-default"
+                className="checkpoint-restore-text rounded-sm bg-transparent px-1 opacity-65 hover:opacity-100 disabled:hidden disabled:cursor-default"
                 title="Restore previous checkpoint"
               >
                 Restore checkpoint
@@ -807,7 +814,7 @@ const UserMessage: FC<{
                 <BranchPickerPrimitive.Number />/<BranchPickerPrimitive.Count />
               </span>
               <BranchPickerPrimitive.Next
-                className="checkpoint-restore-text cursor-pointer rounded-sm bg-transparent px-1 opacity-65 hover:opacity-100 disabled:hidden disabled:cursor-default"
+                className="checkpoint-restore-text rounded-sm bg-transparent px-1 opacity-65 hover:opacity-100 disabled:hidden disabled:cursor-default"
                 title="Restore next checkpoint"
               >
                 Go forward

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-approval.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import type { HermesGateway } from '@/hermes'
+import { $gateway } from '@/store/gateway'
+import { $approvalRequest } from '@/store/prompts'
+
+import { PendingToolApproval } from './tool-approval'
+import type { ToolPart } from './tool-fallback-model'
+
+function part(toolName: string): ToolPart {
+  return { toolName, type: `tool-${toolName}` } as unknown as ToolPart
+}
+
+function setRequest(command = 'rm -rf /tmp/x') {
+  $approvalRequest.set({ command, description: 'dangerous command', sessionId: 'sess-1' })
+}
+
+function mockGateway() {
+  const request = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ resolved: true })
+  $gateway.set({ request } as unknown as HermesGateway)
+
+  return request
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup()
+  $approvalRequest.set(null)
+  $gateway.set(null)
+})
+
+describe('PendingToolApproval', () => {
+  it('renders nothing when there is no pending approval', () => {
+    const { container } = render(<PendingToolApproval part={part('terminal')} />)
+
+    expect(container.innerHTML).toBe('')
+  })
+
+  it('renders nothing for tools that never raise approval', () => {
+    setRequest()
+    const { container } = render(<PendingToolApproval part={part('read_file')} />)
+
+    expect(container.innerHTML).toBe('')
+  })
+
+  it('renders the inline run/reject controls on the pending terminal row', () => {
+    setRequest('chmod -R 777 /tmp/x')
+    render(<PendingToolApproval part={part('terminal')} />)
+
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /Run/ })).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /Reject/ })).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('sends approval.respond {choice: "once"} and clears the request on Run', async () => {
+    const request = mockGateway()
+    setRequest()
+    render(<PendingToolApproval part={part('terminal')} />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /Run/ }))
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(request).toHaveBeenCalledWith('approval.respond', { choice: 'once', session_id: 'sess-1' })
+    })
+    expect($approvalRequest.get()).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('sends choice "deny" on Reject', async () => {
+    const request = mockGateway()
+    setRequest()
+    render(<PendingToolApproval part={part('terminal')} />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /Reject/ }))
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(request).toHaveBeenCalledWith('approval.respond', { choice: 'deny', session_id: 'sess-1' })
+    })
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-approval.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
+import { type FC, useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
+import {
+  Dialog,
+  DialogContent,
+  DialogDescription,
+  DialogFooter,
+  DialogHeader,
+  DialogTitle
+} from '@/components/ui/dialog'
+import {
+  DropdownMenu,
+  DropdownMenuContent,
+  DropdownMenuItem,
+  DropdownMenuTrigger
+} from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
+import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
+import { ChevronDown, Loader2 } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { $gateway } from '@/store/gateway'
+import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
+import { $approvalRequest, type ApprovalRequest, clearApprovalRequest } from '@/store/prompts'
+
+import type { ToolPart } from './tool-fallback-model'
+
+// Inline approval control. Rendered as a compact button strip
+// under the pending tool row that raised the approval (the row already shows
+// the command, so the strip deliberately doesn't repeat it) instead of as a
+// modal overlay.
+//
+// Binding is POSITIONAL, not command-matched: the desktop `tool.start` payload
+// carries no structured args (only tool_id/name/context — see
+// tui_gateway/server.py::_on_tool_start), so we cannot join the approval to the
+// row by command string. But `approval.request` only ever fires from the
+// `terminal` / `execute_code` guards and the agent thread blocks on exactly one
+// approval at a time, so the single pending row of those tools IS the row that
+// raised it. The command/description text comes from `$approvalRequest` (the
+// event payload), which is the only place that data reliably exists.
+const APPROVAL_TOOLS = new Set(['terminal', 'execute_code'])
+
+// Canonical gateway choices (ui-tui/src/components/prompts.tsx).
+type ApprovalChoice = 'once' | 'session' | 'always' | 'deny'
+
+export const PendingToolApproval: FC<{ part: ToolPart }> = ({ part }) => {
+  const request = useStore($approvalRequest)
+
+  if (!request || !APPROVAL_TOOLS.has(part.toolName)) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  return <ApprovalBar request={request} />
+}
+
+const isMac = typeof navigator !== 'undefined' && /Mac|iP(hone|ad|od)/.test(navigator.platform)
+
+const ApprovalBar: FC<{ request: ApprovalRequest }> = ({ request }) => {
+  const gateway = useStore($gateway)
+  const [submitting, setSubmitting] = useState<ApprovalChoice | null>(null)
+  // "Always allow" persists the pattern to ~/.hermes/config.yaml permanently, so
+  // it goes through a confirm step rather than firing straight from the menu.
+  const [confirmAlways, setConfirmAlways] = useState(false)
+  const busy = submitting !== null
+
+  const respond = useCallback(
+    async (choice: ApprovalChoice) => {
+      // Another bar (or the keyboard path) may have already resolved this
+      // approval; the atom is the single source of truth, so bail if it's gone.
+      if (busy || !$approvalRequest.get()) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      if (!gateway) {
+        notifyError(new Error('Hermes gateway is not connected'), 'Could not send approval response')
+
+        return
+      }
+
+      setSubmitting(choice)
+
+      try {
+        await gateway.request<{ resolved?: boolean }>('approval.respond', {
+          choice,
+          session_id: request.sessionId ?? undefined
+        })
+        triggerHaptic(choice === 'deny' ? 'cancel' : 'submit')
+        clearApprovalRequest()
+      } catch (error) {
+        notifyError(error, 'Could not send approval response')
+        setSubmitting(null)
+      }
+    },
+    [busy, gateway, request.sessionId]
+  )
+
+  // ⌘/Ctrl+Enter → Run, Esc → Reject.
+  // While the confirm dialog is open it owns the keyboard (Esc closes it), so
+  // the strip-level shortcuts stand down to avoid denying the whole approval.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (confirmAlways) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const onKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (event.key === 'Enter' && (event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey)) {
+        event.preventDefault()
+        void respond('once')
+      } else if (event.key === 'Escape') {
+        event.preventDefault()
+        void respond('deny')
+      }
+    }
+
+    window.addEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown, true)
+
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown, true)
+  }, [confirmAlways, respond])
+
+  return (
+    <div className="mt-1 flex items-center gap-2.5 ps-5" data-slot="tool-approval-inline">
+      <div className="inline-flex h-6 items-stretch overflow-hidden rounded-md border border-primary/25 bg-primary/10 text-primary">
+        <Button
+          className="h-full gap-1 rounded-none px-2 text-xs font-medium text-primary hover:bg-primary/15 hover:text-primary"
+          disabled={busy}
+          onClick={() => void respond('once')}
+          size="xs"
+          variant="ghost"
+        >
+          {submitting === 'once' ? <Loader2 className="size-3 animate-spin" /> : 'Run'}
+          {submitting !== 'once' && <span className="text-[0.625rem] text-primary/60">{isMac ? '⌘⏎' : 'Ctrl⏎'}</span>}
+        </Button>
+        <span aria-hidden className="w-px self-stretch bg-primary/20" />
+        <DropdownMenu>
+          <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
+            <Button
+              aria-label="More approval options"
+              className="h-full w-5 rounded-none px-0 text-primary hover:bg-primary/15 hover:text-primary"
+              disabled={busy}
+              size="xs"
+              variant="ghost"
+            >
+              <ChevronDown className="size-3" />
+            </Button>
+          </DropdownMenuTrigger>
+          <DropdownMenuContent align="start" className="min-w-44">
+            <DropdownMenuItem onSelect={() => void respond('session')}>Allow this session</DropdownMenuItem>
+            <DropdownMenuItem
+              onSelect={() => {
+                // Defer one tick so the menu fully unmounts before the dialog
+                // mounts — otherwise Radix's focus-return races the dialog and
+                // dismisses it via onInteractOutside.
+                setTimeout(() => setConfirmAlways(true), 0)
+              }}
+            >
+              Always allow…
+            </DropdownMenuItem>
+            <DropdownMenuItem onSelect={() => void respond('deny')} variant="destructive">
+              Reject
+            </DropdownMenuItem>
+          </DropdownMenuContent>
+        </DropdownMenu>
+      </div>
+
+      <Button
+        className="h-6 gap-1.5 rounded-md px-1.5 text-xs font-normal text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:text-foreground"
+        disabled={busy}
+        onClick={() => void respond('deny')}
+        size="xs"
+        variant="ghost"
+      >
+        {submitting === 'deny' ? <Loader2 className="size-3 animate-spin" /> : 'Reject'}
+        {submitting !== 'deny' && <span className="text-[0.625rem] opacity-55">Esc</span>}
+      </Button>
+
+      <Dialog onOpenChange={setConfirmAlways} open={confirmAlways}>
+        <DialogContent className="max-w-md">
+          <DialogHeader>
+            <DialogTitle>Always allow this command?</DialogTitle>
+            <DialogDescription>
+              This adds the “{request.description}” pattern to your permanent allowlist (
+              <code className="font-mono text-xs">~/.hermes/config.yaml</code>). Hermes won’t ask again for commands
+              like this — in this session or any future one.
+            </DialogDescription>
+          </DialogHeader>
+
+          {request.command.trim() && (
+            <pre className="max-h-32 overflow-auto whitespace-pre-wrap break-words rounded-md border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background) px-2.5 py-1.5 font-mono text-xs leading-snug text-foreground">
+              {request.command.trim()}
+            </pre>
+          )}
+
+          <DialogFooter>
+            <Button onClick={() => setConfirmAlways(false)} size="sm" variant="ghost">
+              Cancel
+            </Button>
+            <Button
+              onClick={() => {
+                setConfirmAlways(false)
+                void respond('always')
+              }}
+              size="sm"
+              variant="destructive"
+            >
+              Always allow
+            </Button>
+          </DialogFooter>
+        </DialogContent>
+      </Dialog>
+    </div>
+  )
+}

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback.tsx

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { $toolInlineDiffs } from '@/store/tool-diffs'
 import { $toolDisclosureOpen, $toolViewMode, setToolDisclosureOpen } from '@/store/tool-view'
 
+import { PendingToolApproval } from './tool-approval'
 import {
   groupCopyText as buildGroupCopyText,
   buildToolView,
@@ -309,6 +310,7 @@ function ToolEntry({ part }: ToolEntryProps) {
           </span>
         </DisclosureRow>
       </div>
+      {isPending && <PendingToolApproval part={part} />}
       {open && (
         <div className="grid w-full min-w-0 max-w-full gap-1.5 overflow-hidden p-1.5">
           {!embedded && view.previewTarget && isPreviewableTarget(view.previewTarget) && (
@@ -387,7 +389,7 @@ function ToolEntry({ part }: ToolEntryProps) {
             ))}
           {showRawSearchDrilldown && (
             <details className="max-w-full">
-              <summary className={cn(TOOL_SECTION_LABEL_CLASS, 'cursor-pointer mb-0')}>Raw response</summary>
+              <summary className={cn(TOOL_SECTION_LABEL_CLASS, 'mb-0')}>Raw response</summary>
               <pre className={cn(TOOL_SECTION_PRE_CLASS, 'mt-1 whitespace-pre-wrap wrap-anywhere')}>
                 {view.rawResult}
               </pre>

apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tooltip-icon-button.tsx

@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ export const TooltipIconButton = forwardRef<HTMLButtonElement, TooltipIconButton
   ({ children, tooltip, side: _side = 'bottom', className, ...rest }, ref) => {
     return (
       <Button
-        size="icon"
+        size="icon-xs"
         variant="ghost"
         {...rest}
         aria-label={tooltip}
-        className={cn('aui-button-icon size-6 p-1', className)}
+        className={cn('aui-button-icon', className)}
         ref={ref}
         title={tooltip}
       >

apps/desktop/src/components/chat/disclosure-row.tsx

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function DisclosureRow({
           // background fill, just the cursor + the affordance caret.
           'flex min-w-0 max-w-fit items-start gap-1.5 text-left transition-colors',
           onToggle
-            ? 'cursor-pointer hover:text-foreground focus-visible:text-foreground focus-visible:outline-none'
+            ? 'hover:text-foreground focus-visible:text-foreground focus-visible:outline-none'
             : 'cursor-default'
         )}
         disabled={!onToggle}

apps/desktop/src/components/chat/intro.tsx

@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ function pickCopy(copies: IntroCopy[], seed = 0): IntroCopy {
   return copies[Math.abs(seed) % copies.length] || FALLBACK_COPY[0]
 }
 
+const WORDMARK = 'HERMES AGENT'
+
 function resolveCopy(personality?: string, seed?: number): IntroCopy {
   const personalityKey = normalizeKey(personality)
 
@@ -163,15 +165,14 @@ export function Intro({ personality, seed }: IntroProps) {
     >
       <div className="w-full min-w-0">
         <p
-          className="fit-text mx-auto mb-3 w-4/5 font-['Collapse'] font-bold uppercase leading-[0.9] tracking-[0.08em] text-midground mix-blend-plus-lighter dark:text-foreground/90"
-          style={
-            { '--fit-text-line-height': '0.9', '--fit-text-max': '8rem', '--fit-text-min': '2.75rem' } as CSSProperties
-          }
+          aria-label={WORDMARK}
+          className="fit-text mx-auto mb-3 w-[88%] font-['Collapse'] font-bold uppercase leading-[0.9] tracking-[0.08em] text-midground mix-blend-plus-lighter dark:text-foreground/90"
+          style={{ '--fit-text-line-height': '0.9', '--fit-text-min': '2.75rem' } as CSSProperties}
         >
           <span>
-            <span>HERMES AGENT</span>
+            <span>{WORDMARK}</span>
           </span>
-          <span aria-hidden="true">HERMES AGENT</span>
+          <span aria-hidden="true">{WORDMARK}</span>
         </p>
 
         <p className="m-0 text-center leading-normal tracking-tight">{copy.body}</p>

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

@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export const SyntaxHighlighter: FC<HermesSyntaxHighlighterProps> = ({
   const label = cleanLanguage && cleanLanguage !== 'unknown' ? cleanLanguage : ''
 
   return (
-    <CodeCard>
+    <CodeCard data-streaming={defer ? 'true' : undefined}>
       <CodeCardHeader>
         <CodeCardTitle>
           <CodeCardIcon name={codiconForLanguage(label)} />

apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-install-overlay.tsx

@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ function applyEvent(state: DesktopBootstrapState, ev: DesktopBootstrapEvent): De
     }
   }
   if (ev.type === 'log') {
-    const next = state.log.concat({ ts: Date.now(), stage: ev.stage ?? null, line: ev.line })
+    const next = state.log.concat({ ts: Date.now(), stage: ev.stage ?? null, line: ev.line, stream: ev.stream })
     while (next.length > 500) next.shift()
     return { ...state, log: next }
   }
@@ -431,7 +431,10 @@ export function DesktopInstallOverlay({ enabled = true }: DesktopInstallOverlayP
                 ) : (
                   <>
                     {state.log.map((entry, i) => (
-                      <div key={i} className="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">
+                      <div
+                        key={i}
+                        className={cn('whitespace-pre-wrap break-words', entry.stream === 'stderr' && 'text-muted-foreground')}
+                      >
                         {entry.stage ? <span className="text-muted-foreground/70">[{entry.stage}] </span> : null}
                         <span>{entry.line}</span>
                       </div>

apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-onboarding-overlay.test.tsx

@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@ describe('onboarding Picker', () => {
 
     expect(screen.getByText('Nous Portal')).toBeTruthy()
     expect(screen.getByText('Recommended')).toBeTruthy()
-    expect(screen.queryByText('Anthropic Claude')).toBeNull()
+    expect(screen.queryByText('Anthropic API Key')).toBeNull()
 
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Other providers' }))
 
-    expect(screen.getByText('Anthropic Claude')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Anthropic API Key')).toBeTruthy()
     expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Collapse' })).toBeTruthy()
   })
 
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ describe('onboarding Picker', () => {
     setProviders([provider('anthropic', 'Anthropic Claude'), provider('openai-codex', 'OpenAI Codex / ChatGPT')])
     render(<Picker ctx={ctx} />)
 
-    expect(screen.getByText('Anthropic Claude')).toBeTruthy()
-    expect(screen.getByText('OpenAI Codex / ChatGPT')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Anthropic API Key')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByText('OpenAI OAuth (ChatGPT)')).toBeTruthy()
     expect(screen.queryByText('Other sign-in options')).toBeNull()
     expect(screen.queryByText('Recommended')).toBeNull()
   })

apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-onboarding-overlay.tsx

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { ModelPickerDialog } from '@/components/model-picker'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
+import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
 import { getGlobalModelOptions } from '@/hermes'
 import {
@@ -56,8 +57,6 @@ interface ApiKeyOption {
   short?: string
 }
 
-const MIN_KEY_LENGTH = 8
-
 const API_KEY_OPTIONS: ApiKeyOption[] = [
   {
     id: 'openrouter',
@@ -104,12 +103,14 @@ const API_KEY_OPTIONS: ApiKeyOption[] = [
 
 const PROVIDER_DISPLAY: Record<string, { order: number; title: string }> = {
   nous: { order: 0, title: 'Nous Portal' },
-  anthropic: { order: 1, title: 'Anthropic Claude' },
-  'openai-codex': { order: 2, title: 'OpenAI Codex / ChatGPT' },
-  'minimax-oauth': { order: 3, title: 'MiniMax' },
+  'openai-codex': { order: 1, title: 'OpenAI OAuth (ChatGPT)' },
+  'minimax-oauth': { order: 2, title: 'MiniMax' },
+  'qwen-oauth': { order: 3, title: 'Qwen Code' },
   'xai-oauth': { order: 4, title: 'xAI Grok' },
-  'claude-code': { order: 5, title: 'Claude Code' },
-  'qwen-oauth': { order: 6, title: 'Qwen Code' }
+  // Both Anthropic entries sit at the bottom: the API-key path first, then
+  // the subscription OAuth path (only works with extra usage credits).
+  anthropic: { order: 5, title: 'Anthropic API Key' },
+  'claude-code': { order: 6, title: 'Anthropic OAuth: Required Extra Usage Credits to Use Subscription' }
 }
 
 const assetPath = (path: string) => `${import.meta.env.BASE_URL}${path.replace(/^\/+/, '')}`
@@ -167,20 +168,20 @@ export function DesktopOnboardingOverlay({ enabled, onCompleted, requestGateway
 
   return (
     <div className="fixed inset-0 z-1300 flex items-center justify-center bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background) p-6">
-      <div className="w-full max-w-[45rem] overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-(--ui-stroke-secondary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background) shadow-sm">
+      <div className="relative w-full max-w-[45rem] overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-(--ui-stroke-secondary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background) shadow-sm">
         <Header />
+        {onboarding.manual ? (
+          <Button
+            aria-label="Close"
+            className="absolute right-3 top-3 z-10 text-(--ui-text-tertiary) hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) hover:text-foreground"
+            onClick={() => closeManualOnboarding()}
+            size="icon-sm"
+            variant="ghost"
+          >
+            <Codicon name="close" size="1rem" />
+          </Button>
+        ) : null}
         <div className="grid gap-3 p-5">
-          {onboarding.manual ? (
-            <div className="flex justify-end">
-              <button
-                className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground transition hover:text-foreground"
-                onClick={() => closeManualOnboarding()}
-                type="button"
-              >
-                Close
-              </button>
-            </div>
-          ) : null}
           {reason ? <ReasonNotice reason={reason} /> : null}
           {ready ? showPicker ? <Picker ctx={ctx} /> : <FlowPanel ctx={ctx} flow={flow} /> : <Preparing boot={boot} />}
         </div>
@@ -418,7 +419,9 @@ function ApiKeyForm({ canGoBack, ctx }: { canGoBack: boolean; ctx: OnboardingCon
   const [error, setError] = useState<null | string>(null)
 
   const isLocal = option.envKey === 'OPENAI_BASE_URL'
-  const canSave = value.trim().length >= (isLocal ? 1 : MIN_KEY_LENGTH)
+  // Only require a non-empty value — no length/format validation, so a short
+  // or unusual key can't block the user from continuing.
+  const canSave = value.trim().length >= 1
 
   const submit = async () => {
     if (!canSave || saving) {
@@ -692,9 +695,11 @@ function ConfirmingModelPanel({
     queryKey: ['onboarding-model-options', flow.providerSlug],
     queryFn: () => getGlobalModelOptions()
   })
+
   const providerRow = options.data?.providers?.find(
     p => String(p.slug).toLowerCase() === flow.providerSlug.toLowerCase()
   )
+
   const price = providerRow?.pricing?.[flow.currentModel]
   const freeTier = providerRow?.free_tier
 

apps/desktop/src/components/error-boundary.tsx

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { Component, type ErrorInfo, type ReactNode } from 'react'
 
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { AlertTriangle, RefreshCw } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { ErrorState } from '@/components/ui/error-state'
 
 export interface ErrorBoundaryFallbackProps {
   error: Error
@@ -53,39 +53,25 @@ export class ErrorBoundary extends Component<ErrorBoundaryProps, ErrorBoundarySt
 
 function RootErrorFallback({ error, reset }: ErrorBoundaryFallbackProps) {
   return (
-    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-[1500] flex items-center justify-center bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background) p-6">
-      <div className="w-full max-w-[40rem] overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-(--ui-stroke-secondary) bg-(--ui-chat-bubble-background) shadow-sm">
-        <div className="flex items-start gap-3 border-b border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) px-5 py-4">
-          <div className="flex size-9 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-lg bg-destructive/10 text-destructive">
-            <AlertTriangle className="size-5" />
-          </div>
-          <div>
-            <h2 className="text-[0.9375rem] font-semibold tracking-tight">Something broke in the interface</h2>
-            <p className="mt-1 text-[0.8125rem] leading-5 text-(--ui-text-tertiary)">
-              The view hit an unexpected error. Your chats and settings are safe - try again, or reload the window.
-            </p>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-
-        <div className="grid gap-4 p-5">
-          <div className="rounded-2xl border border-destructive/30 bg-destructive/10 px-4 py-3 font-mono text-[0.7rem] leading-4 text-destructive">
-            {error.message || String(error)}
-          </div>
-
-          <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-2">
-            <Button onClick={reset}>
-              <RefreshCw className="size-4" />
-              Try again
-            </Button>
-            <Button onClick={() => window.location.reload()} variant="outline">
-              Reload window
-            </Button>
-            <Button onClick={() => void window.hermesDesktop?.revealLogs()?.catch(() => undefined)} variant="ghost">
-              Open logs
-            </Button>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      </div>
+    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-[1500] grid place-items-center bg-(--ui-chat-surface-background) p-6">
+      <ErrorState
+        className="w-full max-w-[28rem]"
+        description={error.message || 'The view hit an unexpected error. Your chats and settings are safe.'}
+        title="Something broke in the interface"
+      >
+        <Button className="font-semibold" onClick={reset} size="lg">
+          Try again
+        </Button>
+        <Button onClick={() => window.location.reload()} variant="text">
+          Reload window
+        </Button>
+        <Button
+          onClick={() => void window.hermesDesktop?.revealLogs()?.catch(() => undefined)}
+          variant="text"
+        >
+          Open logs
+        </Button>
+      </ErrorState>
     </div>
   )
 }

apps/desktop/src/components/model-visibility-dialog.tsx

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import { useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 
+import { BrailleSpinner } from '@/components/ui/braille-spinner'
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogHeader, DialogTitle } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
 import { Switch } from '@/components/ui/switch'
 import type { HermesGateway } from '@/hermes'
@@ -86,7 +87,11 @@ export function ModelVisibilityDialog({ gw, onOpenChange, onOpenProviders, open,
         <div className="max-h-[55vh] overflow-y-auto pb-1">
           {providers.length === 0 ? (
             <div className="px-3 py-5 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-              {modelOptions.isPending ? 'Loading…' : 'No authenticated providers.'}
+              {modelOptions.isPending ? (
+                <BrailleSpinner className="mx-auto text-sm" />
+              ) : (
+                'No authenticated providers.'
+              )}
             </div>
           ) : (
             providers.map(provider => {
@@ -118,7 +123,6 @@ export function ModelVisibilityDialog({ gw, onOpenChange, onOpenProviders, open,
                         </span>
                         <Switch
                           checked={visible.has(key)}
-                          className="cursor-pointer"
                           onCheckedChange={() => toggle(provider, family.id)}
                         />
                       </label>

apps/desktop/src/components/notifications.tsx

@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ function NotificationItem({ notification }: { notification: AppNotification }) {
 function NotificationDetail({ detail }: { detail: string }) {
   return (
     <details className="mt-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-      <summary className="cursor-pointer select-none font-medium text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground">
+      <summary className="select-none font-medium text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground">
         Details
       </summary>
       <div className="mt-1 rounded-md border border-border/70 bg-background/65 p-2">