feat(maestro): add the ctrl-k command bar to the TUI

Opens from Normal and Insert mode as an ordinary keymap entry, so it is
rebindable and the help overlay picks it up from the live keymap. An
empty query lists sessions most recently focused first, matching the web
bar's `orderSessionsForBar`; typing ranks through `matcher.rs` with the
matched ranges highlighted, grouped under kind headers.

Enter attaches through the same path the sidebar's attach uses, Escape
closes and leaves focus and mode where they were.

TASK.md

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+# Task: Gitea issue #153 — the TUI command bar (action, overlay, session results)
+
+You are an autonomous worker in a blitz over the **Command bar** milestone of
+the `naps62/maestro` Gitea repo (`https://git.naps.pt`, `$GITEA_TOKEN` is in
+`~/.env.claude` — `source` it).
+
+Both of your dependencies are merged and on your base branch.
+
+## Read first
+
+1. **`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`** — the contract. "Opening", "Structure", "Empty
+   query" and "Keys" are yours. Implement what it says.
+2. The issue body:
+   `curl -sS -H "Authorization: token $GITEA_TOKEN" https://git.naps.pt/api/v1/repos/naps62/maestro/issues/153 | jq -r .body`
+3. `CLAUDE.md` — conventions. **TDD by default**; `cargo fmt` and
+   `cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D warnings` before every commit.
+4. What you build on, all merged:
+   - `crates/maestro-tui/src/matcher.rs` (#147) — the match-and-rank function
+     and its candidate types. **Do not reimplement matching or reorder its
+     results.**
+   - `crates/maestro-protocol` — `Session::last_focused_at` (#145), the
+     daemon's recency stamp.
+   - `crates/maestro-tui/src/`: `action.rs`, `keymap.rs`, `config.rs`
+     (`DEFAULT_NORMAL` / `DEFAULT_INSERT`), `state.rs` (`OverlayKind`),
+     `overlays.rs`, `app.rs` (`handle_overlay_input` and the dispatcher),
+     `text_input.rs` (the edit buffer the rename prompt already uses).
+5. **`web/src/commandBar.ts`** (#149) — the web bar implementing this same
+   contract, already merged. Read it, especially `orderSessionsForBar`. Where
+   the doc leaves room, match what it does; the two clients disagreeing is the
+   failure this contract exists to prevent.
+
+## What to build
+
+- **`Action::OpenCommandBar`** — new variant, with its `parse` arm, `Display`
+  arm, `help_label`, and dispatcher arm. `Action::parse` and `Display` must
+  round-trip, as the existing tests require of every variant.
+- **Bind `ctrl-k` in both `DEFAULT_NORMAL` and `DEFAULT_INSERT`**, so it opens
+  from the sidebar and from inside a pane. Because it is an ordinary keymap
+  entry it stays rebindable, and the help overlay — which builds its lines from
+  the live keymap — picks it up with no second list.
+- **A new `OverlayKind` variant**, routed in `handle_overlay_input` alongside
+  Spawn, KillConfirm, Rename and Help. Follow how `Rename` keeps its edit
+  buffer on the app rather than in the enum, so the overlay enum stays
+  comparable.
+- **Empty query lists sessions, most recently focused first**, by
+  `last_focused_at`. The doc fixes what happens to never-focused and dead
+  sessions — follow it exactly, and match `orderSessionsForBar`.
+- **Typing fuzzy-matches sessions** through `matcher.rs`, with matched ranges
+  highlighted in the rendered row. Build candidates from the fields the doc's
+  candidate table names, directory abbreviated as the sidebar shows it.
+- **Results render under kind headers**, groups ordered by best-scoring member,
+  highlight starting on the globally best row. Only sessions exist as a kind
+  here, but build the grouping so #154 can add commands and directories without
+  restructuring it.
+- **Enter attaches the highlighted session.** Escape closes. Up/down and
+  `ctrl-p`/`ctrl-n` move the highlight, which does not wrap; headers are never
+  landed on.
+
+**Module name**: `palette.rs` is the colour palette. Do not put this there and
+do not name your module `palette`.
+
+## Non-goals — later issues own these, do not build them
+
+- The `>` and `~` sigils (#154).
+- Tab drilling into a session's action page (#155).
+- The leader sending a literal Ctrl-K to the pane (#156).
+
+Build the grouping and query line so those slot in without a rewrite, but do
+not implement them.
+
+## Ground rules
+
+- You are on `command-bar/153-tui-bar`, cut from `origin/main`. **Merge
+  `origin/blitz/command-bar` first** (merge, never rebase) — everything you
+  depend on is there and not on `main`. Merge it again if it moves under you.
+- Stay inside `crates/`. Do not touch `web/`, and do not modify `matcher.rs`;
+  if you believe it is wrong, comment on the issue instead.
+- Integration tests use **real tmux** — don't mock it; isolate with a temp
+  `$HOME` and `TMUX_TMPDIR` the way the existing tests do. `overlays.rs` shows
+  how the existing overlays are tested against a `TestBackend`.
+- Run the suite at most once at the end, through the gate:
+  `/home/naps62/.claude/skills/tracker-common/scripts/gate.sh -- cargo test --workspace`.
+  Exit 75 means no slot — a normal outcome, not a failure: say so and push
+  anyway. Exit 137 is the memory cap, not a test failure.
+- Report the **aggregate test count**, not one crate's.
+- Commit convention: `feat(maestro): ...`.
+- Bugs or problems outside this issue's scope: **comment them on issue #153**,
+  do not fix them silently. Earlier workers' reports changed the scope of two
+  later issues before they started.
+- Never wait for input.
+
+## Exit criteria
+
+Do not end your final reply until ALL of these are true:
+
+1. `Action::OpenCommandBar` exists, round-trips through `parse`/`Display`, and
+   has a plain-language `help_label`.
+2. `ctrl-k` is bound in both the Normal and Insert default keymaps and opens
+   the bar from each.
+3. Empty query lists sessions by recency, with the doc's rules for
+   never-focused and dead sessions, matching `orderSessionsForBar`.
+4. Typing ranks through `matcher.rs` with ranges highlighted, under kind
+   headers.
+5. Enter attaches; Escape, arrows and `ctrl-p`/`ctrl-n` behave as the doc's key
+   table says.
+6. `cargo fmt` clean, `cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D warnings` clean, suite
+   green (or the gate returned 75/137 and you said which).
+7. Committed on `command-bar/153-tui-bar` and the branch **pushed** to
+   `origin`.
+
+Do **not** merge into `blitz/command-bar` and do **not** close the issue — the
+orchestrator does both.
+
+If you catch yourself summarizing progress before those seven are true, you
+have stopped too early — keep going.

crates/maestro-cli/src/sessions.rs

@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ mod tests {
             activity_since: chrono::Utc::now(),
             current_cwd: None,
             blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: None,
         }
     }
 

crates/maestro-daemon/src/session.rs

@@ -285,33 +285,50 @@ impl SessionManager {
     /// Subscribe to a session's PTY broadcast and return the replay buffer
     /// (NAP-229). Callers send the buffer before pumping the live receiver
     /// so freshly-attached clients see the last screenful immediately.
+    ///
+    /// Opening an attach is focusing (#145): it stamps
+    /// [`Session::last_focused_at`], the same field `set_focused` stamps, so
+    /// a client that only ever attaches sorts identically to one that
+    /// reports focus explicitly.
     pub async fn subscribe_pty_with_replay(
         &self,
         id: Uuid,
     ) -> Option<(Vec<u8>, broadcast::Receiver<Vec<u8>>)> {
         let tmux = self.inner.tmux.clone();
-        let sessions = self.inner.sessions.lock().await;
-        let rec = sessions.get(&id)?;
-        // For a live session, tmux's own screen beats the byte tail: the tail
-        // starts mid-stream, so a full-screen program (an agent TUI) replayed
-        // from it renders as garbage until something forces a repaint. A dead
-        // session has no pane left to capture, so it keeps the byte tail.
-        let alive = rec.session.status == SessionStatus::Running;
-        // The capture shells out to tmux while the replay lock is held, which
-        // parks the reader for the length of one tmux round-trip. That only
-        // happens on attach, and the alternative is a seam in the stream.
-        Some(rec.bridge.subscribe_with_snapshot(|| {
-            if !alive {
-                return None;
-            }
-            match tmux.capture_pane(id) {
-                Ok(snapshot) => snapshot,
-                Err(e) => {
-                    tracing::warn!(error = ?e, %id, "capture-pane failed; replaying raw bytes");
-                    None
+        let (result, updated) = {
+            let mut sessions = self.inner.sessions.lock().await;
+            let rec = sessions.get_mut(&id)?;
+            rec.session.last_focused_at = Some(Utc::now());
+            let updated = rec.session.clone();
+            // For a live session, tmux's own screen beats the byte tail: the
+            // tail starts mid-stream, so a full-screen program (an agent TUI)
+            // replayed from it renders as garbage until something forces a
+            // repaint. A dead session has no pane left to capture, so it
+            // keeps the byte tail.
+            let alive = rec.session.status == SessionStatus::Running;
+            // The capture shells out to tmux while the replay lock is held,
+            // which parks the reader for the length of one tmux round-trip.
+            // That only happens on attach, and the alternative is a seam in
+            // the stream.
+            let result = rec.bridge.subscribe_with_snapshot(|| {
+                if !alive {
+                    return None;
                 }
-            }
-        }))
+                match tmux.capture_pane(id) {
+                    Ok(snapshot) => snapshot,
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        tracing::warn!(error = ?e, %id, "capture-pane failed; replaying raw bytes");
+                        None
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+            (result, updated)
+        };
+        let _ = self
+            .inner
+            .events
+            .send(CatalogEvent::SessionUpdated { session: updated });
+        Some(result)
     }
 
     pub async fn has(&self, id: Uuid) -> bool {
@@ -448,6 +465,7 @@ impl SessionManager {
             // The watcher fills this in on its first blocked-work pass; a
             // fresh tree has nothing in the way anyway.
             blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: None,
         };
 
         if let Err(e) = self.inner.sidecar.write(&session) {
@@ -652,6 +670,7 @@ impl SessionManager {
 
                     current_cwd: None,
                     blocked_work: None,
+                    last_focused_at: None,
                 },
             };
             let fifo_path = self.inner.fifo_dir.join(format!("{id}.fifo"));
@@ -838,11 +857,26 @@ impl SessionManager {
     /// Record whether a client's pane is currently showing `id`. Read by the
     /// activity pass's next tick to decide whether an `AwaitingInput` glow
     /// has been looked at long enough to clear (`apply_focus_suppression`).
-    /// An unknown session is [`SessionError::NotFound`].
+    /// Gaining focus also stamps [`Session::last_focused_at`] (#145) — losing
+    /// it does not, since the command bar's ordering cares about the last
+    /// time the operator arrived, not when they left. An unknown session is
+    /// [`SessionError::NotFound`].
     pub async fn set_focused(&self, id: Uuid, focused: bool) -> Result<(), SessionError> {
-        let mut sessions = self.inner.sessions.lock().await;
-        let rec = sessions.get_mut(&id).ok_or(SessionError::NotFound(id))?;
-        rec.focused_since = focused.then(std::time::Instant::now);
+        let updated = {
+            let mut sessions = self.inner.sessions.lock().await;
+            let rec = sessions.get_mut(&id).ok_or(SessionError::NotFound(id))?;
+            rec.focused_since = focused.then(std::time::Instant::now);
+            if focused {
+                rec.session.last_focused_at = Some(Utc::now());
+            }
+            focused.then(|| rec.session.clone())
+        };
+        if let Some(session) = updated {
+            let _ = self
+                .inner
+                .events
+                .send(CatalogEvent::SessionUpdated { session });
+        }
         Ok(())
     }
 }

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/local_api.rs

@@ -383,6 +383,41 @@ async fn patch_unknown_session_returns_404() {
     assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::NOT_FOUND);
 }
 
+/// #145: `POST /.../focus` with `focused: true` over HTTP stamps
+/// `last_focused_at`, observable on the next `GET /api/sessions`.
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn post_focus_stamps_last_focused_at() {
+    let h = spawn("naps-laptop").await;
+    let session = h
+        .manager
+        .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            cwd: "/tmp".into(),
+            command: "sleep 60".into(),
+            env: HashMap::new(),
+            metadata: HashMap::new(),
+            worktree: None,
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(session.last_focused_at, None);
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(url(h.addr, &format!("/api/sessions/{}/focus", session.id)))
+        .json(&serde_json::json!({ "focused": true }))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::NO_CONTENT);
+
+    let sessions: Vec<Session> = reqwest::get(url(h.addr, "/api/sessions"))
+        .await
+        .unwrap()
+        .json()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert!(sessions[0].last_focused_at.is_some());
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn delete_owned_session_kills_it() {
     let h = spawn("naps-laptop").await;

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/session_manager.rs

@@ -1091,3 +1091,109 @@ async fn spawned_sessions_export_maestro_session_id_and_url() {
 
     fx.manager.kill(s.id, false).await.expect("kill");
 }
+
+/// docs/COMMAND-BAR.md, empty-query ordering: a session that has never been
+/// focused carries no `last_focused_at` at all, which is what lets a client
+/// sort it after every session that has one (#145).
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn a_freshly_created_session_has_never_been_focused() {
+    let fx = DaemonFixture::new();
+    let cwd = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+
+    let s = fx
+        .manager
+        .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
+            command: "sleep 30".into(),
+            env: HashMap::new(),
+            metadata: HashMap::new(),
+            worktree: None,
+        })
+        .await
+        .expect("create");
+
+    assert_eq!(s.last_focused_at, None);
+    assert_eq!(fx.manager.snapshot().await[0].last_focused_at, None);
+}
+
+/// #145: `POST /.../focus` reporting `focused: true` stamps
+/// `last_focused_at` and announces it on the event stream; reporting
+/// `focused: false` (losing focus) leaves the stamp alone, since the bar
+/// orders by when the operator last arrived, not when they left.
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn set_focused_true_stamps_last_focused_at() {
+    let fx = DaemonFixture::new();
+    let cwd = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+
+    let s = fx
+        .manager
+        .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
+            command: "sleep 30".into(),
+            env: HashMap::new(),
+            metadata: HashMap::new(),
+            worktree: None,
+        })
+        .await
+        .expect("create");
+
+    let mut events = fx.manager.events();
+    let before = chrono::Utc::now();
+    fx.manager.set_focused(s.id, true).await.expect("focus");
+
+    let updated = fx.manager.snapshot().await[0].clone();
+    let stamp = updated.last_focused_at.expect("stamped on focus");
+    assert!(stamp >= before);
+
+    let mut saw_update = false;
+    while let Ok(event) = tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_millis(200), events.recv()).await {
+        if let Ok(CatalogEvent::SessionUpdated { session }) = event {
+            if session.id == s.id && session.last_focused_at == Some(stamp) {
+                saw_update = true;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    assert!(saw_update, "expected a SessionUpdated carrying the stamp");
+
+    fx.manager.set_focused(s.id, false).await.expect("unfocus");
+    let after_unfocus = fx.manager.snapshot().await[0].clone();
+    assert_eq!(
+        after_unfocus.last_focused_at,
+        Some(stamp),
+        "losing focus must not clear the last-focused stamp"
+    );
+}
+
+/// #145: opening `/api/attach/:id` is focusing too — it must stamp the same
+/// field `set_focused` does, so a client that only ever attaches sorts
+/// identically to one that reports focus explicitly.
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn attaching_stamps_last_focused_at() {
+    let fx = DaemonFixture::new();
+    let cwd = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+
+    let s = fx
+        .manager
+        .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
+            command: "sleep 30".into(),
+            env: HashMap::new(),
+            metadata: HashMap::new(),
+            worktree: None,
+        })
+        .await
+        .expect("create");
+    assert_eq!(s.last_focused_at, None);
+
+    let before = chrono::Utc::now();
+    let (_replay, _rx) = fx
+        .manager
+        .subscribe_pty_with_replay(s.id)
+        .await
+        .expect("known session");
+
+    let updated = fx.manager.snapshot().await[0].clone();
+    let stamp = updated.last_focused_at.expect("attach stamps focus");
+    assert!(stamp >= before);
+}

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/sidecar.rs

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ fn sample(id: Uuid) -> Session {
         activity_since: chrono::Utc::now(),
         current_cwd: Some(PathBuf::from("/tmp/work/crates")),
         blocked_work: None,
+        last_focused_at: None,
     }
 }
 

crates/maestro-protocol/src/display.rs

@@ -202,6 +202,41 @@ pub fn command_program(command: &str) -> String {
     }
 }
 
+/// Program name (already basenamed and lowercased) -> the tool id its mark
+/// stands for. Mirrors the web's `BY_PROGRAM` in `web/src/toolIcon.ts`;
+/// recognition is deliberately narrow, so an unrecognised program has no tool.
+const BY_PROGRAM: [(&str, &str); 17] = [
+    ("claude", "claude"),
+    ("claude-code", "claude"),
+    ("codex", "codex"),
+    ("opencode", "opencode"),
+    ("gemini", "gemini"),
+    ("aider", "aider"),
+    ("cursor", "cursor"),
+    ("cursor-agent", "cursor"),
+    ("pi", "pi"),
+    ("bash", "shell"),
+    ("zsh", "shell"),
+    ("sh", "shell"),
+    ("fish", "shell"),
+    ("dash", "shell"),
+    ("ksh", "shell"),
+    ("nu", "shell"),
+    ("xonsh", "shell"),
+];
+
+/// The tool id a command line's icon stands for (`claude`, `codex`,
+/// `opencode`, ...), or `None` when the program is not one we have a mark for.
+/// The command bar matches this field (`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`), so it must name
+/// the same tools the web's `splitCommand().tool` does.
+pub fn command_tool(command: &str) -> Option<&'static str> {
+    let program = command_program(command).to_lowercase();
+    BY_PROGRAM
+        .iter()
+        .find(|(name, _)| *name == program)
+        .map(|(_, tool)| *tool)
+}
+
 /// `FOO=bar`, the shell's own prefix for one command's environment.
 fn is_env_assignment(word: &str) -> bool {
     let mut chars = word.chars();
@@ -248,6 +283,7 @@ mod tests {
             activity_since: Utc::now(),
             current_cwd: None,
             blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -475,4 +511,22 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(command_program("sudo"), "sudo");
         assert_eq!(command_program(""), "");
     }
+
+    /// The command bar's `tool` field (docs/COMMAND-BAR.md) names the same
+    /// tools the web's `splitCommand().tool` does.
+    #[test]
+    fn command_tool_names_the_mark_the_card_shows() {
+        assert_eq!(command_tool("claude --resume"), Some("claude"));
+        assert_eq!(command_tool("npx opencode"), Some("opencode"));
+        assert_eq!(command_tool("/bin/zsh -l"), Some("shell"));
+        assert_eq!(command_tool("CLAUDE"), Some("claude"));
+    }
+
+    /// Narrow on purpose: an unrecognised program has no mark, so the
+    /// candidate has no `tool` field to match rather than a wrong one.
+    #[test]
+    fn command_tool_is_absent_for_an_unrecognised_program() {
+        assert_eq!(command_tool("hx src/main.rs"), None);
+        assert_eq!(command_tool(""), None);
+    }
 }

crates/maestro-protocol/src/lib.rs

@@ -108,6 +108,14 @@ pub struct Session {
     /// from daemons that predate the field stay forward-compatible.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub blocked_work: Option<InTheWay>,
+    /// Wall-clock time this session last became the pane a client was
+    /// showing (#145) — stamped by both `POST /.../focus` and opening
+    /// `/api/attach/:id`, since either one is the operator moving there.
+    /// `None` until the session has been focused at least once, which is
+    /// also how the command bar's empty-query ordering (`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`)
+    /// sorts a never-focused session after every session that has one.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub last_focused_at: Option<DateTime<Utc>>,
 }
 
 /// Default for [`Session::last_activity_at`] when an older payload omits it.
@@ -847,6 +855,7 @@ mod tests {
                 .with_timezone(&Utc),
             current_cwd: Some(PathBuf::from("/home/naps62/projects/maestro/crates")),
             blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -896,6 +905,28 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn last_focused_at_defaults_to_none_on_legacy_payload() {
+        // Pre-#145 payload omits the field; `None` means never-focused.
+        let json = serde_json::json!({
+            "id": Uuid::from_u128(1),
+            "cwd": "/tmp",
+            "command": "bash",
+            "status": "Running",
+            "created_at": "2026-05-24T12:00:00Z"
+        });
+        let s: Session = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(s.last_focused_at, None);
+
+        let mut focused = sample_session();
+        focused.last_focused_at = Some(
+            DateTime::parse_from_rfc3339("2026-05-24T12:06:00Z")
+                .unwrap()
+                .with_timezone(&Utc),
+        );
+        assert_eq!(focused, round_trip(&focused));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn activity_since_defaults_to_epoch_on_legacy_payload() {
         // A daemon predating #102 omits `activity_since`; it must deserialize

crates/maestro-testing/src/lib.rs

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ pub fn session(id: Uuid, cwd: &str, command: &str) -> Session {
         activity_since: chrono::Utc::now(),
         current_cwd: None,
         blocked_work: None,
+        last_focused_at: None,
     }
 }
 

crates/maestro-tui/src/action.rs

@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ pub enum Action {
     RenameHighlighted,
 
     // Chrome
+    /// Open the `ctrl-k` command bar (`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`) — a query line
+    /// over the sessions, ranked by the shared matcher.
+    OpenCommandBar,
     ToggleSidebar,
     ShowHelp,
     Quit,
@@ -94,6 +97,7 @@ impl Action {
             Action::FastForwardSpawn => "Create session with defaults".into(),
             Action::KillHighlighted => "Kill selected session".into(),
             Action::RenameHighlighted => "Rename selected session".into(),
+            Action::OpenCommandBar => "Go to a session".into(),
             Action::ToggleSidebar => "Show or hide sidebar".into(),
             Action::ShowHelp => "Show help".into(),
             Action::Quit => "Quit Maestro".into(),
@@ -120,6 +124,7 @@ impl Action {
             "FastForwardSpawn" => return Ok(Action::FastForwardSpawn),
             "KillHighlighted" => return Ok(Action::KillHighlighted),
             "RenameHighlighted" => return Ok(Action::RenameHighlighted),
+            "OpenCommandBar" => return Ok(Action::OpenCommandBar),
             "ToggleSidebar" => return Ok(Action::ToggleSidebar),
             "ShowHelp" => return Ok(Action::ShowHelp),
             "Quit" => return Ok(Action::Quit),
@@ -239,10 +244,23 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    /// The command bar is an ordinary keymap entry, so it must round-trip
+    /// like every other action (#153).
+    #[test]
+    fn open_command_bar_round_trips() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            Action::parse("OpenCommandBar").unwrap(),
+            Action::OpenCommandBar
+        );
+        assert_eq!(Action::OpenCommandBar.to_string(), "OpenCommandBar");
+        assert_eq!(Action::OpenCommandBar.help_label(), "Go to a session");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn display_round_trips() {
         for a in [
             Action::EnterInsert,
+            Action::OpenCommandBar,
             Action::RenameHighlighted,
             Action::Quit,
             Action::OpenSpawnModal,

crates/maestro-tui/src/app.rs

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use uuid::Uuid;
 
 use crate::action::Action;
 use crate::catalog::CatalogStore;
+use crate::command_bar::{BarOutcome, BarTarget, CommandBar};
 use crate::config::TuiConfig;
 use crate::daemon_link::DaemonLink;
 use crate::draft::{DraftInputResult, DraftPane};
@@ -78,6 +79,9 @@ pub struct App {
     /// Edit buffer behind [`OverlayKind::Rename`] (#125), kept here for the
     /// same reason the worktree entries are.
     rename_input: TextInput,
+    /// Query buffer and result list behind [`OverlayKind::CommandBar`] (#153),
+    /// kept here for the same reason the rename buffer is.
+    command_bar: Option<CommandBar>,
     region: RegionMap,
     last_sent_size: HashMap<Uuid, (u16, u16)>,
     clicks: ClickTracker,
@@ -210,6 +214,7 @@ impl App {
             link,
             http,
             rename_input: TextInput::default(),
+            command_bar: None,
             draft_tx,
             draft_rx,
             region: RegionMap::default(),
@@ -430,6 +435,32 @@ impl App {
                     (OverlayDecision::Consumed, Vec::new())
                 }
             },
+            // The bar owns every key while it is up: the keymap must not see
+            // `j`, `x` or `q` as commands mid-query.
+            Some(OverlayKind::CommandBar) => {
+                let outcome = match self.command_bar.as_mut() {
+                    Some(bar) => bar.handle_key(key),
+                    None => BarOutcome::Close,
+                };
+                match outcome {
+                    BarOutcome::Stay => (OverlayDecision::Consumed, Vec::new()),
+                    BarOutcome::Close => {
+                        self.close_command_bar();
+                        (OverlayDecision::Consumed, Vec::new())
+                    }
+                    BarOutcome::Open(BarTarget::Session(sid)) => {
+                        self.close_command_bar();
+                        // The same open path the sidebar's own attach uses, so
+                        // a bar attach can never leave the layout in a state a
+                        // highlight-and-enter could not produce.
+                        self.state.sidebar_highlight = Some(SidebarItem::Session(sid));
+                        (
+                            OverlayDecision::Consumed,
+                            self.dispatch(Action::AttachHighlighted),
+                        )
+                    }
+                }
+            }
             Some(OverlayKind::Help) => {
                 self.state.dismiss_overlay();
                 (OverlayDecision::Consumed, Vec::new())
@@ -475,6 +506,7 @@ impl App {
                 };
                 self.state.show_overlay(OverlayKind::Help);
             }
+            Action::OpenCommandBar => self.open_command_bar(),
             Action::OpenSpawnModal => {
                 self.open_spawn_modal();
                 effects.push(Effect::LoadDraft);
@@ -537,6 +569,10 @@ impl App {
     /// highlight already sitting on the attached session — clears at once.
     fn refresh_preview(&mut self) {
         let wanted = match (self.state.focus, &self.state.sidebar_highlight) {
+            // The bar is a view over the app, not a place in it: while it is
+            // up the sidebar highlight behind it previews nothing
+            // (`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`, "Focus round-trip").
+            _ if self.state.overlay() == Some(&OverlayKind::CommandBar) => None,
             (Focus::Sidebar, Some(SidebarItem::Session(sid))) => Some(*sid),
             _ => None,
         };
@@ -588,6 +624,25 @@ impl App {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Put the command bar up over whatever is behind it (#153). Opening
+    /// while a session is previewed discards the preview first, like any
+    /// other real change (`docs/PREVIEW.md`); focus and mode are left alone,
+    /// so closing gives the keyboard back to whatever held it.
+    fn open_command_bar(&mut self) {
+        let snapshot = self.catalog.snapshot();
+        self.command_bar = Some(CommandBar::new(&snapshot.sessions, &self.home_dir));
+        self.pending_preview = None;
+        self.clear_preview();
+        self.state.show_overlay(OverlayKind::CommandBar);
+    }
+
+    /// Take the bar down, dropping its query. Every exit goes through here so
+    /// a stale buffer can never outlive the overlay.
+    fn close_command_bar(&mut self) {
+        self.command_bar = None;
+        self.state.dismiss_overlay();
+    }
+
     fn clear_preview(&mut self) {
         if self.state.preview.take().is_some() {
             self.epoch = self.epoch.wrapping_add(1);
@@ -1222,6 +1277,7 @@ impl App {
             draft: self.draft.as_ref(),
             help: &self.help,
             rename_input: &self.rename_input,
+            command_bar: self.command_bar.as_ref(),
             link: &link_status,
         };
 
@@ -1670,6 +1726,7 @@ mod tests {
                     activity_since: chrono::Utc::now(),
                     current_cwd: None,
                     blocked_work: None,
+                    last_focused_at: None,
                 })
                 .collect(),
         });
@@ -1850,6 +1907,7 @@ mod tests {
                 activity_since: chrono::Utc::now(),
                 current_cwd: None,
                 blocked_work: None,
+                last_focused_at: None,
             }],
         });
         app.dispatch(Action::SidebarNext);
@@ -1876,6 +1934,7 @@ mod tests {
             activity_since: Utc::now(),
             current_cwd: None,
             blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -2713,6 +2772,181 @@ mod tests {
         .is_none());
     }
 
+    // -- command bar (#153) -------------------------------------------------
+
+    fn seed_two_sessions(app: &mut App) -> (Uuid, Uuid) {
+        use chrono::Utc;
+        use maestro_protocol::{CatalogEvent, Session, SessionStatus};
+        let make = |n: u128, name: &str, focused: Option<chrono::DateTime<Utc>>| Session {
+            id: Uuid::from_u128(n),
+            command: "bash".into(),
+            cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/"),
+            env: Default::default(),
+            metadata: HashMap::from([(
+                "name".to_string(),
+                serde_json::Value::String(name.to_string()),
+            )]),
+            worktree: None,
+            status: SessionStatus::Running,
+            created_at: Utc::now(),
+            foreground: None,
+            activity: Default::default(),
+            activity_detail: None,
+            last_activity_at: Utc::now(),
+            activity_since: Utc::now(),
+            current_cwd: None,
+            blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: focused,
+        };
+        let older = Utc::now() - chrono::Duration::seconds(60);
+        app.catalog.apply_event(CatalogEvent::Snapshot {
+            sessions: vec![
+                make(1, "alpha", Some(older)),
+                make(2, "bravo", Some(Utc::now())),
+            ],
+        });
+        (Uuid::from_u128(1), Uuid::from_u128(2))
+    }
+
+    /// `ctrl-k` is an ordinary keymap entry, bound in both modes so the bar
+    /// opens from the sidebar and from inside a pane (`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`).
+    #[test]
+    fn ctrl_k_is_bound_to_the_command_bar_in_both_modes() {
+        let app = make_app();
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.cfg.keymap.resolve(Mode::Normal, "ctrl-k"),
+            Some(Action::OpenCommandBar)
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.cfg.keymap.resolve(Mode::Insert, "ctrl-k"),
+            Some(Action::OpenCommandBar)
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// The help overlay builds its lines from the live keymap, so the bar
+    /// appears there with no second list to maintain.
+    #[test]
+    fn the_help_overlay_lists_the_command_bar() {
+        let app = make_app();
+        let lines = render_help_lines(&app.cfg);
+        assert!(
+            lines
+                .iter()
+                .any(|l| l.contains("ctrl-k") && l.contains("Go to a session")),
+            "{lines:#?}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn opening_the_bar_lists_sessions_most_recently_focused_first() {
+        let mut app = make_app();
+        let (alpha, bravo) = seed_two_sessions(&mut app);
+        app.dispatch(Action::OpenCommandBar);
+        assert_eq!(app.state.overlay(), Some(&OverlayKind::CommandBar));
+        let bar = app.command_bar.as_ref().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(bar.query(), "");
+        assert_eq!(
+            bar.rows()
+                .iter()
+                .map(|r| match r.target {
+                    BarTarget::Session(id) => id,
+                })
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            vec![bravo, alpha]
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Opening from Insert mode leaves the keyboard where it was, so closing
+    /// gives it back — the bar is a view over the app, not a place in it.
+    #[test]
+    fn opening_from_insert_mode_leaves_focus_and_mode_alone() {
+        let mut app = make_app();
+        seed_two_sessions(&mut app);
+        app.state.attach_to_focused(Uuid::from_u128(1));
+        assert_eq!(
+            (app.state.focus, app.state.mode),
+            (Focus::Pane, Mode::Insert)
+        );
+
+        app.dispatch(Action::OpenCommandBar);
+        assert_eq!(app.state.overlay(), Some(&OverlayKind::CommandBar));
+        assert_eq!(
+            (app.state.focus, app.state.mode),
+            (Focus::Pane, Mode::Insert)
+        );
+
+        let (decision, effects) = app.handle_overlay_input(&InputKey::Esc);
+        assert_eq!(decision, OverlayDecision::Consumed);
+        assert!(effects.is_empty());
+        assert!(app.state.overlay().is_none());
+        assert!(app.command_bar.is_none());
+        assert_eq!(
+            (app.state.focus, app.state.mode),
+            (Focus::Pane, Mode::Insert)
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Enter goes through the same open path the sidebar's attach uses.
+    #[test]
+    fn enter_attaches_the_highlighted_session() {
+        let mut app = make_app();
+        let (_alpha, bravo) = seed_two_sessions(&mut app);
+        app.dispatch(Action::OpenCommandBar);
+        let (decision, effects) = app.handle_overlay_input(&InputKey::Enter);
+        assert_eq!(decision, OverlayDecision::Consumed);
+        assert_eq!(effects, vec![Effect::Attach(bravo)]);
+        assert!(app.state.overlay().is_none());
+        assert!(app.command_bar.is_none());
+        assert_eq!(app.state.active_session(), Some(bravo));
+    }
+
+    /// Down moves the highlight, so Enter opens the second row instead.
+    #[test]
+    fn the_highlight_moves_before_enter_attaches() {
+        let mut app = make_app();
+        let (alpha, _bravo) = seed_two_sessions(&mut app);
+        app.dispatch(Action::OpenCommandBar);
+        app.handle_overlay_input(&InputKey::Down);
+        let (_, effects) = app.handle_overlay_input(&InputKey::Enter);
+        assert_eq!(effects, vec![Effect::Attach(alpha)]);
+        assert_eq!(app.state.active_session(), Some(alpha));
+    }
+
+    /// Typing goes to the query, not to the keymap: `q` must not quit and `x`
+    /// must not raise a kill confirm while the bar is up.
+    #[test]
+    fn typing_reaches_the_query_rather_than_the_keymap() {
+        let mut app = make_app();
+        seed_two_sessions(&mut app);
+        app.dispatch(Action::OpenCommandBar);
+        for c in "bra".chars() {
+            let (decision, _) = app.handle_overlay_input(&InputKey::Char {
+                c,
+                ctrl: false,
+                alt: false,
+                shift: false,
+            });
+            assert_eq!(decision, OverlayDecision::Consumed);
+        }
+        let bar = app.command_bar.as_ref().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(bar.query(), "bra");
+        assert_eq!(bar.rows().len(), 1);
+    }
+
+    /// The bar is not previewed into (`docs/PREVIEW.md`): opening discards a
+    /// preview and the highlight behind it raises no new one.
+    #[test]
+    fn opening_the_bar_discards_a_preview() {
+        let mut app = make_app();
+        let (alpha, _bravo) = seed_two_sessions(&mut app);
+        app.state.sidebar_highlight = Some(SidebarItem::Session(alpha));
+        app.state.preview = Some(alpha);
+
+        app.dispatch(Action::OpenCommandBar);
+        assert_eq!(app.state.preview, None);
+        assert_eq!(app.pending_preview, None);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn kill_highlighted_opens_confirm() {
         use chrono::Utc;
@@ -2737,6 +2971,7 @@ mod tests {
 
                 current_cwd: None,
                 blocked_work: None,
+                last_focused_at: None,
             }],
         });
         app.dispatch(Action::KillHighlighted);
@@ -2771,6 +3006,7 @@ mod tests {
                 activity_since: Utc::now(),
                 current_cwd: None,
                 blocked_work: None,
+                last_focused_at: None,
             }],
         });
     }

crates/maestro-tui/src/catalog.rs

@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ mod tests {
             activity_since: chrono::Utc::now(),
             current_cwd: None,
             blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: None,
         }
     }
 

crates/maestro-tui/src/command_bar.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,758 @@
+//! The `ctrl-k` command bar (`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`): a query line over a
+//! result list, opened from Normal or Insert mode, closed with Escape.
+//!
+//! Sessions are the only kind here (#153); the sigils (#154), the session
+//! action page (#155) and the leader's literal Ctrl-K (#156) land later. The
+//! grouping below is already kind-generic so those slot in without a rewrite.
+//!
+//! Ranking is [`crate::matcher`]'s job and nothing here reorders it — the
+//! groups are a rendering of the ranked list, in the order their best-scoring
+//! member appears. The web bar (`web/src/commandBar.ts`) implements the same
+//! contract; the two must agree.
+
+use maestro_protocol::display::{abbreviate_dir, command_tool, session_tree_path};
+use maestro_protocol::{Session, SessionStatus};
+use ratatui::layout::Rect;
+use ratatui::style::{Modifier, Style};
+use ratatui::text::{Line, Span};
+use ratatui::widgets::{Block, Borders, Clear, Paragraph};
+use ratatui::Frame;
+use uuid::Uuid;
+
+use crate::input::InputKey;
+use crate::matcher::{
+    match_and_rank, CandidateKind, MatchCandidate, MatchFieldName, MatchRange, SessionCandidate,
+};
+use crate::overlays::centered;
+use crate::palette;
+use crate::text_input::TextInput;
+
+/// What Enter on a row does. Only sessions exist today; `>` commands and `~`
+/// directories (#154) become further variants.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum BarTarget {
+    Session(Uuid),
+}
+
+/// One row of the result list, already resolved to what it renders and what it
+/// opens. Headers are labels, not rows, so they are never in this list.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct BarRow {
+    pub kind: CandidateKind,
+    pub target: BarTarget,
+    /// Primary text — the name as the sidebar shows it.
+    pub name: String,
+    /// Secondary text: the field the match was found in when that was not the
+    /// name, so a session found through its directory says so.
+    pub meta: Option<String>,
+    /// The field that won, and the ranges inside it. `None` for an empty
+    /// query, which matches everything and highlights nothing.
+    pub field: Option<MatchFieldName>,
+    pub ranges: Vec<MatchRange>,
+    pub dead: bool,
+}
+
+impl BarRow {
+    /// Whether the highlight belongs on [`Self::meta`] rather than the name.
+    fn meta_is_matched(&self) -> bool {
+        !matches!(self.field, None | Some(MatchFieldName::Name))
+    }
+}
+
+/// One kind's slice of the ranked list, as a header plus the rows under it.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct BarGroup {
+    pub kind: CandidateKind,
+    pub title: &'static str,
+    /// Index of this group's first row in [`CommandBar::rows`].
+    pub start: usize,
+    pub len: usize,
+}
+
+fn kind_title(kind: CandidateKind) -> &'static str {
+    match kind {
+        CandidateKind::Session => "Sessions",
+        CandidateKind::Command => "Commands",
+        CandidateKind::Directory => "Directories",
+    }
+}
+
+/// What a keystroke asked the bar to do.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum BarOutcome {
+    /// The bar stays up.
+    Stay,
+    /// Escape: close and give the keyboard back.
+    Close,
+    /// Enter on a row: close and open what it points at.
+    Open(BarTarget),
+}
+
+/// The empty-query order (`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`, "Empty query"): most recently
+/// focused first; a session that has never been focused sorts after every
+/// session that has, most recently created first among those; and a dead
+/// session sorts after every live one regardless of recency, because a session
+/// you cannot attach to is not where you just were.
+///
+/// This is also the input order for a non-empty query, which is what the
+/// matcher's last tie-break preserves. Mirrors the web's
+/// `orderSessionsForBar`.
+pub fn order_sessions_for_bar(sessions: &[Session]) -> Vec<&Session> {
+    let mut ordered: Vec<&Session> = sessions.iter().collect();
+    ordered.sort_by(|a, b| {
+        let dead = |s: &Session| u8::from(s.status == SessionStatus::Dead);
+        dead(a)
+            .cmp(&dead(b))
+            .then_with(|| {
+                a.last_focused_at
+                    .is_none()
+                    .cmp(&b.last_focused_at.is_none())
+            })
+            .then_with(|| match (a.last_focused_at, b.last_focused_at) {
+                (Some(x), Some(y)) => y.cmp(&x),
+                _ => std::cmp::Ordering::Equal,
+            })
+            .then_with(|| b.created_at.cmp(&a.created_at))
+    });
+    ordered
+}
+
+/// One session's candidate: the fields `docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`'s candidate table
+/// names, with the directory abbreviated the way the sidebar shows it.
+pub fn session_candidate(session: &Session, home_dir: &str) -> SessionCandidate {
+    SessionCandidate {
+        name: crate::sidebar::name_for(session),
+        directory: session_tree_path(session).map(|path| abbreviate_dir(&path, home_dir)),
+        command: (!session.command.is_empty()).then(|| session.command.clone()),
+        tool: command_tool(&session.command).map(str::to_string),
+    }
+}
+
+/// The bar's state while it is up: the query buffer, the candidates it was
+/// opened over, the rows the current query produces, and the highlight.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct CommandBar {
+    input: TextInput,
+    /// Matcher input, in the empty-query order. Never reordered — the matcher's
+    /// last tie-break is what keeps that order meaningful.
+    candidates: Vec<MatchCandidate>,
+    /// What each candidate opens, parallel to `candidates`.
+    targets: Vec<BarTarget>,
+    /// Whether each candidate's session is dead, parallel to `candidates`.
+    dead: Vec<bool>,
+    rows: Vec<BarRow>,
+    highlight: usize,
+}
+
+impl CommandBar {
+    /// Open the bar over the sessions the catalog has right now.
+    pub fn new(sessions: &[Session], home_dir: &str) -> Self {
+        let ordered = order_sessions_for_bar(sessions);
+        let candidates = ordered
+            .iter()
+            .map(|s| MatchCandidate::Session(session_candidate(s, home_dir)))
+            .collect();
+        let targets = ordered.iter().map(|s| BarTarget::Session(s.id)).collect();
+        let dead = ordered
+            .iter()
+            .map(|s| s.status == SessionStatus::Dead)
+            .collect();
+        let mut bar = Self {
+            input: TextInput::default(),
+            candidates,
+            targets,
+            dead,
+            rows: Vec::new(),
+            highlight: 0,
+        };
+        bar.recompute();
+        bar
+    }
+
+    pub fn query(&self) -> &str {
+        self.input.value()
+    }
+
+    pub fn rows(&self) -> &[BarRow] {
+        &self.rows
+    }
+
+    pub fn highlight(&self) -> usize {
+        self.highlight
+    }
+
+    /// The row Enter would open.
+    pub fn selected(&self) -> Option<&BarRow> {
+        self.rows.get(self.highlight)
+    }
+
+    /// Group the ranked rows by kind for rendering. Grouping never reorders:
+    /// a group holds its matches in rank order, and groups appear in the order
+    /// their best-scoring member does — so the first row under the first
+    /// header is the globally best result.
+    pub fn groups(&self) -> Vec<BarGroup> {
+        let mut groups: Vec<BarGroup> = Vec::new();
+        for (index, row) in self.rows.iter().enumerate() {
+            match groups.iter_mut().find(|g| g.kind == row.kind) {
+                Some(group) => group.len += 1,
+                None => groups.push(BarGroup {
+                    kind: row.kind,
+                    title: kind_title(row.kind),
+                    start: index,
+                    len: 1,
+                }),
+            }
+        }
+        groups
+    }
+
+    /// Move the highlight. It does not wrap: it stops at the first and last
+    /// row.
+    pub fn move_highlight(&mut self, delta: isize) {
+        if self.rows.is_empty() {
+            self.highlight = 0;
+            return;
+        }
+        let last = self.rows.len() as isize - 1;
+        let next = (self.highlight as isize + delta).clamp(0, last);
+        self.highlight = next as usize;
+    }
+
+    /// Feed the bar a key. Everything the key table (`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`,
+    /// "Keys") does not claim is ordinary editing.
+    pub fn handle_key(&mut self, key: &InputKey) -> BarOutcome {
+        match key {
+            InputKey::Esc => BarOutcome::Close,
+            InputKey::Enter => match self.selected() {
+                Some(row) => BarOutcome::Open(row.target),
+                // Nothing to open: the bar stays up rather than closing on a
+                // key that did nothing.
+                None => BarOutcome::Stay,
+            },
+            InputKey::Up
+            | InputKey::Char {
+                c: 'p', ctrl: true, ..
+            } => {
+                self.move_highlight(-1);
+                BarOutcome::Stay
+            }
+            InputKey::Down
+            | InputKey::Char {
+                c: 'n', ctrl: true, ..
+            } => {
+                self.move_highlight(1);
+                BarOutcome::Stay
+            }
+            // Tab drills into the highlighted session's action page (#155).
+            // Until then it is inert rather than a literal tab in the query.
+            InputKey::Tab | InputKey::BackTab => BarOutcome::Stay,
+            other => {
+                let before = self.input.value().to_string();
+                self.input.handle_key(other);
+                if self.input.value() != before {
+                    self.recompute();
+                }
+                BarOutcome::Stay
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Re-rank for the current query. The highlight starts on the globally
+    /// best row every time the list changes: an old index would point at a
+    /// different result.
+    fn recompute(&mut self) {
+        let rows: Vec<BarRow> = {
+            let results = match_and_rank(self.input.value(), &self.candidates);
+            results
+                .iter()
+                .map(|result| {
+                    let index = self
+                        .candidates
+                        .iter()
+                        .position(|c| std::ptr::eq(c, result.candidate))
+                        .expect("every result borrows one of this bar's candidates");
+                    let MatchCandidate::Session(session) = result.candidate else {
+                        unreachable!("sessions are the only kind the bar builds (#153)")
+                    };
+                    BarRow {
+                        kind: CandidateKind::Session,
+                        target: self.targets[index],
+                        name: session.name.clone(),
+                        meta: meta_text(session, result.field),
+                        field: result.field,
+                        ranges: result.ranges.clone(),
+                        dead: self.dead[index],
+                    }
+                })
+                .collect()
+        };
+        self.rows = rows;
+        self.highlight = 0;
+    }
+
+    /// Draw the bar and return where the terminal cursor belongs.
+    pub fn render(&self, f: &mut Frame, parent: Rect) -> Option<(u16, u16)> {
+        let pal = palette::active();
+        let height = parent.height.saturating_sub(4).clamp(5, 20);
+        let area = centered(parent, 72, height);
+        f.render_widget(Clear, area);
+        let block = Block::default()
+            .title(" go to ")
+            .borders(Borders::ALL)
+            .style(pal.card.base())
+            .border_style(pal.border_style(true));
+        let inner = block.inner(area);
+        f.render_widget(block, area);
+        if inner.height < 3 || inner.width == 0 {
+            return None;
+        }
+        let row = |offset: u16| Rect {
+            x: inner.x,
+            y: inner.y + offset,
+            width: inner.width,
+            height: 1,
+        };
+
+        // Query line, then the results, then the key hint on the last row.
+        let query = row(0);
+        let col = self
+            .input
+            .render(query, f.buffer_mut(), pal.card.text_style());
+        f.render_widget(
+            Paragraph::new(Line::from(Span::styled(
+                "[enter] open   [esc] close",
+                pal.card.dim_style(),
+            ))),
+            row(inner.height - 1),
+        );
+
+        let list_height = inner.height.saturating_sub(2) as usize;
+        if list_height > 0 {
+            for (offset, line) in self.visible_lines(list_height).into_iter().enumerate() {
+                f.render_widget(Paragraph::new(line), row(1 + offset as u16));
+            }
+        }
+        Some((col, query.y))
+    }
+
+    /// The result lines that fit in `height`, scrolled so the highlighted row
+    /// is on screen.
+    fn visible_lines(&self, height: usize) -> Vec<Line<'static>> {
+        let pal = palette::active();
+        if self.rows.is_empty() {
+            return vec![Line::from(Span::styled(
+                "No matches",
+                pal.card.muted_style(),
+            ))];
+        }
+        // Headers and rows, in one list, remembering which line the highlight
+        // sits on so the scroll can keep it visible.
+        let mut lines: Vec<Line<'static>> = Vec::new();
+        let mut highlight_line = 0usize;
+        for group in self.groups() {
+            lines.push(Line::from(Span::styled(
+                group.title.to_string(),
+                pal.group_row_style(),
+            )));
+            for index in group.start..group.start + group.len {
+                if index == self.highlight {
+                    highlight_line = lines.len();
+                }
+                lines.push(self.row_line(index));
+            }
+        }
+        let scroll = highlight_line.saturating_sub(height.saturating_sub(1));
+        lines.into_iter().skip(scroll).take(height).collect()
+    }
+
+    fn row_line(&self, index: usize) -> Line<'static> {
+        let pal = palette::active();
+        let row = &self.rows[index];
+        let selected = index == self.highlight;
+        let surface = pal.surface(selected);
+        let base = if row.dead {
+            surface.dim_style()
+        } else {
+            surface.text_style()
+        };
+        let hit = base.add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD | Modifier::UNDERLINED);
+
+        let mut spans = vec![Span::styled(if selected { "› " } else { "  " }, base)];
+        let name_ranges: &[MatchRange] = if row.meta_is_matched() {
+            &[]
+        } else {
+            &row.ranges
+        };
+        spans.extend(highlighted_spans(&row.name, name_ranges, base, hit));
+        if let Some(meta) = &row.meta {
+            let meta_style = surface.muted_style();
+            let meta_hit = meta_style.add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD | Modifier::UNDERLINED);
+            spans.push(Span::styled("  ", base));
+            let meta_ranges: &[MatchRange] = if row.meta_is_matched() {
+                &row.ranges
+            } else {
+                &[]
+            };
+            spans.extend(highlighted_spans(meta, meta_ranges, meta_style, meta_hit));
+        }
+        Line::from(spans)
+    }
+}
+
+/// The secondary line under a row's name: the field the match was found in
+/// when that was not the name, so a session found through its directory says
+/// so. Mirrors the web's `metaText`.
+fn meta_text(session: &SessionCandidate, field: Option<MatchFieldName>) -> Option<String> {
+    match field {
+        Some(MatchFieldName::Directory) => session.directory.clone(),
+        Some(MatchFieldName::Command) => session.command.clone(),
+        Some(MatchFieldName::Tool) => session.tool.clone(),
+        _ => session.directory.clone(),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Split `text` into styled spans, with the matcher's `[start, end)` character
+/// ranges carrying `hit` and everything else `base`.
+fn highlighted_spans(
+    text: &str,
+    ranges: &[MatchRange],
+    base: Style,
+    hit: Style,
+) -> Vec<Span<'static>> {
+    let chars: Vec<char> = text.chars().collect();
+    let slice = |from: usize, to: usize| -> String {
+        chars[from.min(chars.len())..to.min(chars.len())]
+            .iter()
+            .collect()
+    };
+    let mut spans = Vec::new();
+    let mut cursor = 0usize;
+    for &(start, end) in ranges {
+        if start > cursor {
+            spans.push(Span::styled(slice(cursor, start), base));
+        }
+        spans.push(Span::styled(slice(start, end), hit));
+        cursor = end;
+    }
+    if cursor < chars.len() {
+        spans.push(Span::styled(slice(cursor, chars.len()), base));
+    }
+    spans
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use chrono::{DateTime, TimeZone, Utc};
+    use ratatui::backend::TestBackend;
+    use ratatui::Terminal;
+    use std::collections::HashMap;
+    use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+    fn at(secs: i64) -> DateTime<Utc> {
+        Utc.timestamp_opt(1_700_000_000 + secs, 0).unwrap()
+    }
+
+    fn session(n: u128, command: &str) -> Session {
+        Session {
+            id: Uuid::from_u128(n),
+            cwd: PathBuf::from("/home/me/dev/api"),
+            command: command.to_string(),
+            env: HashMap::new(),
+            metadata: HashMap::new(),
+            worktree: None,
+            status: SessionStatus::Running,
+            created_at: at(0),
+            foreground: None,
+            activity: Default::default(),
+            activity_detail: None,
+            last_activity_at: at(0),
+            activity_since: at(0),
+            current_cwd: None,
+            blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: None,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn named(n: u128, name: &str) -> Session {
+        let mut s = session(n, "bash");
+        s.metadata
+            .insert("name".into(), serde_json::Value::String(name.to_string()));
+        s
+    }
+
+    fn ids(rows: &[BarRow]) -> Vec<Uuid> {
+        rows.iter()
+            .map(|r| match r.target {
+                BarTarget::Session(id) => id,
+            })
+            .collect()
+    }
+
+    fn typed(bar: &mut CommandBar, text: &str) {
+        for c in text.chars() {
+            bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Char {
+                c,
+                ctrl: false,
+                alt: false,
+                shift: false,
+            });
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn empty_query_lists_sessions_most_recently_focused_first() {
+        let mut a = named(1, "alpha");
+        a.last_focused_at = Some(at(10));
+        let mut b = named(2, "bravo");
+        b.last_focused_at = Some(at(30));
+        let mut c = named(3, "charlie");
+        c.last_focused_at = Some(at(20));
+
+        let bar = CommandBar::new(&[a, b, c], "/home/me");
+        assert_eq!(
+            ids(bar.rows()),
+            vec![Uuid::from_u128(2), Uuid::from_u128(3), Uuid::from_u128(1)]
+        );
+        // Every row matches with no ranges, so nothing is highlighted inside.
+        assert!(bar.rows().iter().all(|r| r.ranges.is_empty()));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn never_focused_sessions_sort_after_focused_ones_newest_first() {
+        let mut focused = named(1, "focused");
+        focused.last_focused_at = Some(at(5));
+        let mut older = named(2, "older");
+        older.created_at = at(10);
+        let mut newer = named(3, "newer");
+        newer.created_at = at(20);
+
+        let bar = CommandBar::new(&[older, newer, focused], "/home/me");
+        assert_eq!(
+            ids(bar.rows()),
+            vec![Uuid::from_u128(1), Uuid::from_u128(3), Uuid::from_u128(2)]
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// A session you cannot attach to is not where you just were.
+    #[test]
+    fn dead_sessions_sort_after_live_ones_however_recent() {
+        let mut dead = named(1, "dead");
+        dead.status = SessionStatus::Dead;
+        dead.last_focused_at = Some(at(99));
+        let live = named(2, "live");
+
+        let bar = CommandBar::new(&[dead, live], "/home/me");
+        assert_eq!(
+            ids(bar.rows()),
+            vec![Uuid::from_u128(2), Uuid::from_u128(1)]
+        );
+        assert!(bar.rows()[1].dead);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn typing_ranks_through_the_matcher_and_returns_ranges() {
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[named(1, "web-search"), named(2, "websearch")], "/home/me");
+        typed(&mut bar, "ws");
+        // F9: the `s` after `-` earns the boundary bonus.
+        assert_eq!(
+            ids(bar.rows()),
+            vec![Uuid::from_u128(1), Uuid::from_u128(2)]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(bar.rows()[0].ranges, vec![(0, 1), (4, 5)]);
+        assert_eq!(bar.rows()[0].field, Some(MatchFieldName::Name));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_query_matching_nothing_leaves_no_rows() {
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[named(1, "alpha")], "/home/me");
+        typed(&mut bar, "zzz");
+        assert!(bar.rows().is_empty());
+        assert!(bar.selected().is_none());
+    }
+
+    /// A session found through its directory highlights inside the directory,
+    /// which is also what the row's meta text shows.
+    #[test]
+    fn a_directory_match_highlights_in_the_meta_text() {
+        let mut worker = named(1, "worker");
+        worker.cwd = PathBuf::from("/home/me/dev/api");
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[worker], "/home/me");
+        typed(&mut bar, "api");
+        assert_eq!(bar.rows()[0].field, Some(MatchFieldName::Directory));
+        assert_eq!(bar.rows()[0].meta.as_deref(), Some("~/dev/api"));
+        assert_eq!(bar.rows()[0].ranges, vec![(6, 9)]);
+    }
+
+    /// The candidate's `tool` is the mark the card's icon stands for, so
+    /// `claude` reaches a session whose name says nothing about it.
+    #[test]
+    fn the_tool_field_is_a_candidate_field() {
+        let mut nameless = named(1, "nameless");
+        nameless.command = "claude --resume".into();
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[nameless, named(2, "clay")], "/home/me");
+        typed(&mut bar, "claude");
+        assert_eq!(ids(bar.rows()), vec![Uuid::from_u128(1)]);
+        assert_eq!(bar.rows()[0].field, Some(MatchFieldName::Tool));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn results_group_under_kind_headers_with_the_best_row_first() {
+        let bar = CommandBar::new(&[named(1, "alpha"), named(2, "bravo")], "/home/me");
+        let groups = bar.groups();
+        assert_eq!(groups.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(groups[0].title, "Sessions");
+        assert_eq!(groups[0].kind, CandidateKind::Session);
+        assert_eq!((groups[0].start, groups[0].len), (0, 2));
+        // The highlight starts on the globally best row.
+        assert_eq!(bar.highlight(), 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn arrows_and_ctrl_pn_move_the_highlight_without_wrapping() {
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(
+            &[named(1, "alpha"), named(2, "bravo"), named(3, "charlie")],
+            "/home/me",
+        );
+        assert_eq!(bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Down), BarOutcome::Stay);
+        assert_eq!(bar.highlight(), 1);
+        bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Char {
+            c: 'n',
+            ctrl: true,
+            alt: false,
+            shift: false,
+        });
+        assert_eq!(bar.highlight(), 2);
+        // Stops at the last row rather than wrapping to the first.
+        bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Down);
+        assert_eq!(bar.highlight(), 2);
+        bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Char {
+            c: 'p',
+            ctrl: true,
+            alt: false,
+            shift: false,
+        });
+        assert_eq!(bar.highlight(), 1);
+        bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Up);
+        bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Up);
+        assert_eq!(bar.highlight(), 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn enter_opens_the_highlighted_session_and_escape_closes() {
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[named(1, "alpha"), named(2, "bravo")], "/home/me");
+        bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Down);
+        assert_eq!(
+            bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Enter),
+            BarOutcome::Open(BarTarget::Session(Uuid::from_u128(2)))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Esc), BarOutcome::Close);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn enter_with_no_results_leaves_the_bar_up() {
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[named(1, "alpha")], "/home/me");
+        typed(&mut bar, "zzz");
+        assert_eq!(bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Enter), BarOutcome::Stay);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn editing_the_query_re_ranks_and_resets_the_highlight() {
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[named(1, "alpha"), named(2, "alpine")], "/home/me");
+        bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Down);
+        assert_eq!(bar.highlight(), 1);
+        typed(&mut bar, "alp");
+        assert_eq!(bar.query(), "alp");
+        assert_eq!(bar.highlight(), 0);
+        bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Backspace);
+        assert_eq!(bar.query(), "al");
+        assert_eq!(bar.rows().len(), 2);
+    }
+
+    /// Backspacing back to an empty query is not a special key: the list
+    /// becomes the recency order again.
+    #[test]
+    fn backspacing_to_an_empty_query_restores_the_recency_order() {
+        let mut recent = named(1, "alpha");
+        recent.last_focused_at = Some(at(50));
+        let older = named(2, "alpine");
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[older, recent], "/home/me");
+        typed(&mut bar, "alpi");
+        assert_eq!(ids(bar.rows()), vec![Uuid::from_u128(2)]);
+        for _ in 0..4 {
+            bar.handle_key(&InputKey::Backspace);
+        }
+        assert_eq!(bar.query(), "");
+        assert_eq!(
+            ids(bar.rows()),
+            vec![Uuid::from_u128(1), Uuid::from_u128(2)]
+        );
+    }
+
+    fn render_to_string(bar: &CommandBar, w: u16, h: u16) -> String {
+        let backend = TestBackend::new(w, h);
+        let mut terminal = Terminal::new(backend).unwrap();
+        terminal
+            .draw(|f| {
+                bar.render(f, f.area());
+            })
+            .unwrap();
+        let buf = terminal.backend().buffer().clone();
+        let mut out = String::new();
+        for y in 0..buf.area.height {
+            for x in 0..buf.area.width {
+                out.push_str(buf[(x, y)].symbol());
+            }
+            out.push('\n');
+        }
+        out
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn renders_the_query_the_headers_and_the_rows() {
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[named(1, "alpha"), named(2, "alpine")], "/home/me");
+        typed(&mut bar, "alp");
+        let rendered = render_to_string(&bar, 90, 20);
+        assert!(rendered.contains("go to"), "{rendered}");
+        assert!(rendered.contains("alp"), "{rendered}");
+        assert!(rendered.contains("Sessions"), "{rendered}");
+        assert!(rendered.contains("alpha"), "{rendered}");
+        assert!(rendered.contains("alpine"), "{rendered}");
+        assert!(rendered.contains("[esc] close"), "{rendered}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn renders_a_no_results_state() {
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[named(1, "alpha")], "/home/me");
+        typed(&mut bar, "zzz");
+        let rendered = render_to_string(&bar, 90, 20);
+        assert!(rendered.contains("No matches"), "{rendered}");
+    }
+
+    /// The matched characters are drawn bold, so the row shows why it matched.
+    #[test]
+    fn matched_ranges_are_styled_apart_from_the_rest_of_the_row() {
+        let mut bar = CommandBar::new(&[named(1, "web-search")], "/home/me");
+        typed(&mut bar, "ws");
+        let backend = TestBackend::new(90, 20);
+        let mut terminal = Terminal::new(backend).unwrap();
+        terminal
+            .draw(|f| {
+                bar.render(f, f.area());
+            })
+            .unwrap();
+        let buf = terminal.backend().buffer().clone();
+        let mut bold: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
+        for y in 0..buf.area.height {
+            for x in 0..buf.area.width {
+                let cell = &buf[(x, y)];
+                if cell.style().add_modifier.contains(Modifier::BOLD)
+                    && cell.style().add_modifier.contains(Modifier::UNDERLINED)
+                {
+                    bold.push(cell.symbol().to_string());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        assert_eq!(bold, vec!["w", "s"], "bold cells: {bold:?}");
+    }
+}

crates/maestro-tui/src/config.rs

@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ const DEFAULT_NORMAL: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("pageup", "ScrollPanePageUp"),
     ("pagedown", "ScrollPanePageDown"),
     // Chrome
+    // The command bar (#153). An ordinary entry, so it is rebindable and the
+    // help overlay picks it up from the live keymap.
+    ("ctrl-k", "OpenCommandBar"),
     ("ctrl-w b", "ToggleSidebar"),
     ("?", "ShowHelp"),
     ("ctrl-w q", "Quit"),
@@ -75,13 +78,17 @@ const DEFAULT_NORMAL: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("mouse:dblclick(sidebar-row)", "AttachHighlighted"),
 ];
 
-/// Default Insert-mode bindings — deliberately empty. Every key typed in
+/// Default Insert-mode bindings — almost empty on purpose. Every key typed in
 /// Insert mode belongs to the session, `esc` included: full-screen apps read
 /// it constantly, so binding it here would make it unreachable. The only way
 /// back to the sidebar is the leader (`LeaveInsert`), which
 /// [`TuiConfig::load`] inserts dynamically so rebinding the leader rebinds
 /// the Insert escape with it.
-const DEFAULT_INSERT: &[(&str, &str)] = &[];
+///
+/// The one exception is the command bar (#153): `ctrl-k` opens it from inside
+/// a pane too, so `docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`'s "from anywhere" holds. Readline's
+/// kill-to-end-of-line is given back through the leader (#156).
+const DEFAULT_INSERT: &[(&str, &str)] = &[("ctrl-k", "OpenCommandBar")];
 
 impl TuiConfig {
     /// Build a runtime config from a [`TuiSection`] (typically the `tui`

crates/maestro-tui/src/lib.rs

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ pub mod action;
 pub mod app;
 pub mod catalog;
 pub mod cli;
+pub mod command_bar;
 pub mod config;
 pub mod daemon_link;
 pub mod draft;
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ pub mod emulators;
 pub mod fast_forward;
 pub mod input;
 pub mod keymap;
+pub mod matcher;
 pub mod overlays;
 pub mod palette;
 pub mod pane;

crates/maestro-tui/src/matcher.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,750 @@
+//! Pure match-and-rank function for the `ctrl-k` command bar.
+//!
+//! Implements exactly the algorithm in `docs/COMMAND-BAR.md` ("What a
+//! candidate is", "Match and rank", "Fixtures"). Must produce the same order
+//! and scores as `web/src/matcher.ts` for the same input.
+
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum CandidateKind {
+    Session,
+    Command,
+    Directory,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
+pub enum MatchFieldName {
+    Name,
+    Directory,
+    Command,
+    Tool,
+    Label,
+    Path,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct SessionCandidate {
+    pub name: String,
+    pub directory: Option<String>,
+    pub command: Option<String>,
+    pub tool: Option<String>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct CommandCandidate {
+    pub label: String,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct DirectoryCandidate {
+    pub path: String,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum MatchCandidate {
+    Session(SessionCandidate),
+    Command(CommandCandidate),
+    Directory(DirectoryCandidate),
+}
+
+pub type MatchRange = (usize, usize);
+
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct MatchResult<'c> {
+    pub candidate: &'c MatchCandidate,
+    pub score: i32,
+    pub field: Option<MatchFieldName>,
+    pub ranges: Vec<MatchRange>,
+}
+
+struct Field<'c> {
+    name: MatchFieldName,
+    text: &'c str,
+    weight: i32,
+}
+
+impl MatchCandidate {
+    fn kind(&self) -> CandidateKind {
+        match self {
+            MatchCandidate::Session(_) => CandidateKind::Session,
+            MatchCandidate::Command(_) => CandidateKind::Command,
+            MatchCandidate::Directory(_) => CandidateKind::Directory,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn fields(&self) -> Vec<Field<'_>> {
+        match self {
+            MatchCandidate::Session(session) => {
+                let mut fields = vec![Field {
+                    name: MatchFieldName::Name,
+                    text: &session.name,
+                    weight: 0,
+                }];
+                if let Some(directory) = &session.directory {
+                    fields.push(Field {
+                        name: MatchFieldName::Directory,
+                        text: directory,
+                        weight: -24,
+                    });
+                }
+                if let Some(command) = &session.command {
+                    fields.push(Field {
+                        name: MatchFieldName::Command,
+                        text: command,
+                        weight: -32,
+                    });
+                }
+                if let Some(tool) = &session.tool {
+                    fields.push(Field {
+                        name: MatchFieldName::Tool,
+                        text: tool,
+                        weight: -40,
+                    });
+                }
+                fields
+            }
+            MatchCandidate::Command(command) => vec![Field {
+                name: MatchFieldName::Label,
+                text: &command.label,
+                weight: 0,
+            }],
+            MatchCandidate::Directory(directory) => vec![Field {
+                name: MatchFieldName::Path,
+                text: &directory.path,
+                weight: 0,
+            }],
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn kind_order(kind: CandidateKind) -> u8 {
+    match kind {
+        CandidateKind::Session => 0,
+        CandidateKind::Command => 1,
+        CandidateKind::Directory => 2,
+    }
+}
+
+fn lower_char(c: char) -> char {
+    c.to_lowercase().next().unwrap_or(c)
+}
+
+fn lower_chars(chars: &[char]) -> Vec<char> {
+    chars.iter().copied().map(lower_char).collect()
+}
+
+fn normalize_query(query: &str) -> Vec<char> {
+    query
+        .chars()
+        .filter(|c| !c.is_whitespace())
+        .map(lower_char)
+        .collect()
+}
+
+const SEPARATORS: [char; 6] = ['/', '\\', '-', '_', '.', ':'];
+
+fn boundary_bonus(text: &[char], position: usize) -> i32 {
+    if position == 0 {
+        return 18;
+    }
+
+    let previous = text[position - 1];
+    if previous == ' ' || SEPARATORS.contains(&previous) {
+        return 16;
+    }
+
+    let current = text[position];
+    if current.is_uppercase() && previous.is_lowercase() {
+        return 12;
+    }
+
+    let is_digit = current.is_ascii_digit();
+    let previous_is_digit = previous.is_ascii_digit();
+    if is_digit && !previous_is_digit {
+        return 12;
+    }
+
+    0
+}
+
+fn contribution(text: &[char], position: usize, previous_position: isize) -> i32 {
+    let gap = position as isize - previous_position - 1;
+    16 + boundary_bonus(text, position) + if gap == 0 { 8 } else { -gap.min(12) as i32 }
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+struct Embedding {
+    score: i32,
+    positions: Vec<usize>,
+}
+
+fn is_better_embedding(candidate: &Embedding, incumbent: Option<&Embedding>) -> bool {
+    let Some(incumbent) = incumbent else {
+        return true;
+    };
+    if candidate.score != incumbent.score {
+        return candidate.score > incumbent.score;
+    }
+    for (c, i) in candidate.positions.iter().zip(incumbent.positions.iter()) {
+        if c != i {
+            return c < i;
+        }
+    }
+    false
+}
+
+/// The dynamic program over `(query index, text position)` described in
+/// "Which embedding": greedy leftmost-first matching is insufficient (e.g.
+/// `mtu` against `maestro-tui`), so every reachable position at each query
+/// index carries its best score and position vector forward.
+fn best_embedding(query: &[char], text: &[char]) -> Option<Embedding> {
+    let lower_text = lower_chars(text);
+    let mut previous_states: HashMap<usize, Embedding> = HashMap::new();
+
+    for (query_index, &qc) in query.iter().enumerate() {
+        let mut states: HashMap<usize, Embedding> = HashMap::new();
+
+        for (position, &text_char) in lower_text.iter().enumerate() {
+            if text_char != qc {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if query_index == 0 {
+                states.insert(
+                    position,
+                    Embedding {
+                        score: contribution(text, position, -1),
+                        positions: vec![position],
+                    },
+                );
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            for (&previous_position, previous) in previous_states.iter() {
+                if previous_position >= position {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                let mut positions = previous.positions.clone();
+                positions.push(position);
+                let candidate = Embedding {
+                    score: previous.score
+                        + contribution(text, position, previous_position as isize),
+                    positions,
+                };
+                if is_better_embedding(&candidate, states.get(&position)) {
+                    states.insert(position, candidate);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        if states.is_empty() {
+            return None;
+        }
+        previous_states = states;
+    }
+
+    let mut best: Option<Embedding> = None;
+    for embedding in previous_states.into_values() {
+        if is_better_embedding(&embedding, best.as_ref()) {
+            best = Some(embedding);
+        }
+    }
+    best
+}
+
+fn to_ranges(positions: &[usize]) -> Vec<MatchRange> {
+    let mut ranges: Vec<MatchRange> = Vec::new();
+    for &position in positions {
+        if let Some(last) = ranges.last_mut() {
+            if last.1 == position {
+                last.1 = position + 1;
+                continue;
+            }
+        }
+        ranges.push((position, position + 1));
+    }
+    ranges
+}
+
+fn compact(text: &str) -> String {
+    text.chars()
+        .filter(|c| !c.is_whitespace())
+        .map(lower_char)
+        .collect()
+}
+
+struct Ranked<'c> {
+    candidate: &'c MatchCandidate,
+    score: i32,
+    field: Option<MatchFieldName>,
+    ranges: Vec<MatchRange>,
+    matched_text: String,
+    input_index: usize,
+}
+
+/// `(query, candidates) -> ranked subset with matched ranges`. Knows nothing
+/// about sessions, panes or the network — see docs/COMMAND-BAR.md.
+pub fn match_and_rank<'c>(query: &str, candidates: &'c [MatchCandidate]) -> Vec<MatchResult<'c>> {
+    let normalized_query = normalize_query(query);
+
+    if normalized_query.is_empty() {
+        return candidates
+            .iter()
+            .map(|candidate| MatchResult {
+                candidate,
+                score: 0,
+                field: None,
+                ranges: Vec::new(),
+            })
+            .collect();
+    }
+
+    let mut results: Vec<Ranked<'c>> = Vec::new();
+
+    for (input_index, candidate) in candidates.iter().enumerate() {
+        let mut best: Option<(MatchFieldName, &str, i32, Vec<usize>)> = None;
+
+        for field in candidate.fields() {
+            let text_chars: Vec<char> = field.text.chars().collect();
+            let Some(embedding) = best_embedding(&normalized_query, &text_chars) else {
+                continue;
+            };
+
+            let compact_text = compact(field.text);
+            let normalized_query_str: String = normalized_query.iter().collect();
+            let adjustment = if compact_text == normalized_query_str {
+                64
+            } else if compact_text.starts_with(&normalized_query_str) {
+                32
+            } else {
+                0
+            };
+            let score = embedding.score + adjustment + field.weight;
+
+            let is_better = match &best {
+                None => true,
+                Some((_, _, best_score, _)) => score > *best_score,
+            };
+            if is_better {
+                best = Some((field.name, field.text, score, embedding.positions));
+            }
+        }
+
+        if let Some((field_name, field_text, score, positions)) = best {
+            results.push(Ranked {
+                candidate,
+                score,
+                field: Some(field_name),
+                ranges: to_ranges(&positions),
+                matched_text: field_text.to_string(),
+                input_index,
+            });
+        }
+    }
+
+    results.sort_by(|a, b| {
+        b.score
+            .cmp(&a.score)
+            .then_with(|| kind_order(a.candidate.kind()).cmp(&kind_order(b.candidate.kind())))
+            .then_with(|| {
+                a.matched_text
+                    .chars()
+                    .count()
+                    .cmp(&b.matched_text.chars().count())
+            })
+            .then_with(|| a.matched_text.cmp(&b.matched_text))
+            .then_with(|| a.input_index.cmp(&b.input_index))
+    });
+
+    results
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|ranked| MatchResult {
+            candidate: ranked.candidate,
+            score: ranked.score,
+            field: ranked.field,
+            ranges: ranked.ranges,
+        })
+        .collect()
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn session(
+        name: &str,
+        directory: Option<&str>,
+        command: Option<&str>,
+        tool: Option<&str>,
+    ) -> MatchCandidate {
+        MatchCandidate::Session(SessionCandidate {
+            name: name.to_string(),
+            directory: directory.map(str::to_string),
+            command: command.map(str::to_string),
+            tool: tool.map(str::to_string),
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn command(label: &str) -> MatchCandidate {
+        MatchCandidate::Command(CommandCandidate {
+            label: label.to_string(),
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn directory(path: &str) -> MatchCandidate {
+        MatchCandidate::Directory(DirectoryCandidate {
+            path: path.to_string(),
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn label(candidate: &MatchCandidate) -> String {
+        match candidate {
+            MatchCandidate::Session(s) => format!("session:{}", s.name),
+            MatchCandidate::Command(c) => format!("command:{}", c.label),
+            MatchCandidate::Directory(d) => format!("directory:{}", d.path),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn positions(result: &MatchResult) -> Vec<usize> {
+        result
+            .ranges
+            .iter()
+            .flat_map(|&(start, end)| start..end)
+            .collect()
+    }
+
+    #[allow(clippy::type_complexity)]
+    fn expect_results(
+        query: &str,
+        candidates: &[MatchCandidate],
+        expected: &[(&str, i32, Option<MatchFieldName>, &[usize])],
+    ) {
+        let results = match_and_rank(query, candidates);
+
+        let actual: Vec<(String, i32)> = results
+            .iter()
+            .map(|r| (label(r.candidate), r.score))
+            .collect();
+        let expected_labels: Vec<(String, i32)> = expected
+            .iter()
+            .map(|(l, s, _, _)| (l.to_string(), *s))
+            .collect();
+        assert_eq!(actual, expected_labels, "order/scores for query {query:?}");
+
+        let actual_fields: Vec<Option<MatchFieldName>> = results.iter().map(|r| r.field).collect();
+        let expected_fields: Vec<Option<MatchFieldName>> =
+            expected.iter().map(|(_, _, f, _)| *f).collect();
+        assert_eq!(actual_fields, expected_fields, "fields for query {query:?}");
+
+        let actual_positions: Vec<Vec<usize>> = results.iter().map(positions).collect();
+        let expected_positions: Vec<Vec<usize>> =
+            expected.iter().map(|(_, _, _, p)| p.to_vec()).collect();
+        assert_eq!(
+            actual_positions, expected_positions,
+            "positions for query {query:?}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f1_empty_query_keeps_input_order() {
+        expect_results(
+            "",
+            &[
+                session("kill", Some("~/dev/api"), Some("bash"), None),
+                session(
+                    "killer-app",
+                    Some("~/dev/killer-app"),
+                    Some("claude --resume"),
+                    Some("claude"),
+                ),
+                command("Kill selected session"),
+            ],
+            &[
+                ("session:kill", 0, None, &[]),
+                ("session:killer-app", 0, None, &[]),
+                ("command:Kill selected session", 0, None, &[]),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f2_exact_session_name_beats_prefix_kind_breaks_tie() {
+        expect_results(
+            "kill",
+            &[
+                session("kill", Some("~/dev/api"), Some("bash"), None),
+                session(
+                    "killer-app",
+                    Some("~/dev/killer-app"),
+                    Some("claude --resume"),
+                    Some("claude"),
+                ),
+                command("Kill selected session"),
+            ],
+            &[
+                (
+                    "session:kill",
+                    178,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Name),
+                    &[0, 1, 2, 3],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "session:killer-app",
+                    146,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Name),
+                    &[0, 1, 2, 3],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "command:Kill selected session",
+                    146,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Label),
+                    &[0, 1, 2, 3],
+                ),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f3_path_segment_boundaries_beat_mid_segment() {
+        expect_results(
+            "foo",
+            &[
+                directory("~/dev/foobar"),
+                directory("~/src/myfoo"),
+                directory("~/foo"),
+            ],
+            &[
+                (
+                    "directory:~/foo",
+                    78,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Path),
+                    &[2, 3, 4],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "directory:~/dev/foobar",
+                    74,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Path),
+                    &[6, 7, 8],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "directory:~/src/myfoo",
+                    56,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Path),
+                    &[8, 9, 10],
+                ),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f4_no_match_returns_empty() {
+        expect_results(
+            "zzz",
+            &[
+                session("kill", Some("~/dev/api"), Some("bash"), None),
+                command("Kill selected session"),
+            ],
+            &[],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f5_highest_scoring_embedding_beats_greedy() {
+        expect_results(
+            "mtu",
+            &[
+                session("maestro-tui", None, None, None),
+                session("maestro-daemon", None, None, None),
+                session("mtui-scratch", None, None, None),
+            ],
+            &[
+                (
+                    "session:mtui-scratch",
+                    122,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Name),
+                    &[0, 1, 2],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "session:maestro-tui",
+                    91,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Name),
+                    &[0, 8, 9],
+                ),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f6_name_beats_weighted_directory() {
+        expect_results(
+            "api",
+            &[
+                session("api", Some("~/dev/web"), Some("bash"), None),
+                session("worker", Some("~/dev/api"), Some("bash"), None),
+            ],
+            &[
+                ("session:api", 154, Some(MatchFieldName::Name), &[0, 1, 2]),
+                (
+                    "session:worker",
+                    50,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Directory),
+                    &[6, 7, 8],
+                ),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f7_case_insensitive_length_breaks_tie() {
+        expect_results(
+            "api",
+            &[
+                session("API-Gateway", None, None, None),
+                session("apiary", None, None, None),
+            ],
+            &[
+                (
+                    "session:apiary",
+                    122,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Name),
+                    &[0, 1, 2],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "session:API-Gateway",
+                    122,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Name),
+                    &[0, 1, 2],
+                ),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f8_exact_tool_beats_command_field() {
+        expect_results(
+            "claude",
+            &[
+                session(
+                    "nameless",
+                    Some("~/dev/x"),
+                    Some("claude --resume"),
+                    Some("claude"),
+                ),
+                session("clay", Some("~/dev/y"), Some("bash"), None),
+            ],
+            &[(
+                "session:nameless",
+                186,
+                Some(MatchFieldName::Tool),
+                &[0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5],
+            )],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f9_separator_earns_word_boundary_bonus() {
+        expect_results(
+            "ws",
+            &[
+                session("websearch", None, None, None),
+                session("web-search", None, None, None),
+            ],
+            &[
+                (
+                    "session:web-search",
+                    71,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Name),
+                    &[0, 4],
+                ),
+                ("session:websearch", 56, Some(MatchFieldName::Name), &[0, 3]),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f10_command_labels_rank_by_boundary_and_gap() {
+        expect_results(
+            "se",
+            &[
+                command("Kill selected session"),
+                command("Create a session"),
+                command("Show help"),
+            ],
+            &[
+                (
+                    "command:Show help",
+                    53,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Label),
+                    &[0, 6],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "command:Kill selected session",
+                    51,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Label),
+                    &[5, 6],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "command:Create a session",
+                    47,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Label),
+                    &[9, 10],
+                ),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f11_directory_matches_separate_on_initial_gap() {
+        expect_results(
+            "dev",
+            &[
+                session("api", Some("~/dev/api"), Some("bash"), None),
+                session("notes", Some("~/documents/dev-notes"), Some("nvim"), None),
+                session("scratch", Some("~/srv/devops"), Some("bash"), None),
+            ],
+            &[
+                (
+                    "session:api",
+                    54,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Directory),
+                    &[2, 3, 4],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "session:scratch",
+                    50,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Directory),
+                    &[6, 7, 8],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "session:notes",
+                    44,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Directory),
+                    &[12, 13, 14],
+                ),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn f12_exact_beats_prefix() {
+        expect_results(
+            "quit",
+            &[command("Quit Maestro"), command("Quit")],
+            &[
+                (
+                    "command:Quit",
+                    178,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Label),
+                    &[0, 1, 2, 3],
+                ),
+                (
+                    "command:Quit Maestro",
+                    146,
+                    Some(MatchFieldName::Label),
+                    &[0, 1, 2, 3],
+                ),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+}

crates/maestro-tui/src/render.rs

@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ pub struct RenderInputs<'a> {
     pub help: &'a HelpOverlay,
     /// Edit buffer behind the rename prompt (#125).
     pub rename_input: &'a crate::text_input::TextInput,
+    /// The command bar behind [`OverlayKind::CommandBar`] (#153), when one is
+    /// up.
+    pub command_bar: Option<&'a crate::command_bar::CommandBar>,
     /// Liveness + release of the daemon, for the status bar's indicator and the
     /// restart overlay (`docs/RESTART.md`).
     pub link: &'a crate::daemon_link::LinkStatus,
@@ -198,6 +201,14 @@ pub fn draw(f: &mut Frame, inputs: RenderInputs<'_>) -> RegionMap {
             }
             map.modal = Some(area);
         }
+        Some(OverlayKind::CommandBar) => {
+            if let Some(bar) = inputs.command_bar {
+                if let Some((x, y)) = bar.render(f, area) {
+                    f.set_cursor_position((x, y));
+                }
+                map.modal = Some(area);
+            }
+        }
         Some(OverlayKind::Help) => {
             inputs.help.render(f, area);
             map.modal = Some(area);
@@ -428,6 +439,7 @@ mod tests {
             state: &state,
             help: &help,
             rename_input: &crate::text_input::TextInput::default(),
+            command_bar: None,
             link,
         };
         let backend = ratatui::backend::TestBackend::new(120, 24);
@@ -524,6 +536,7 @@ mod tests {
             state: &state,
             help: &help,
             rename_input: &crate::text_input::TextInput::default(),
+            command_bar: None,
             link: &online_link(),
         };
 
@@ -578,6 +591,7 @@ mod tests {
                 state: &state,
                 help: &help,
                 rename_input: &crate::text_input::TextInput::default(),
+                command_bar: None,
                 link: &online_link(),
             };
             let backend = ratatui::backend::TestBackend::new(80, 24);
@@ -619,6 +633,7 @@ mod tests {
                 state: &state,
                 help: &help,
                 rename_input: &crate::text_input::TextInput::default(),
+                command_bar: None,
                 link: &online_link(),
             };
             let backend = ratatui::backend::TestBackend::new(80, 24);

crates/maestro-tui/src/sidebar.rs

@@ -499,6 +499,7 @@ mod tests {
             activity_since: Utc::now(),
             current_cwd: None,
             blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -1264,6 +1265,7 @@ mod tests {
             activity_since: Utc::now(),
             current_cwd: None,
             blocked_work: None,
+            last_focused_at: None,
         };
         let sb = Sidebar {
             sessions: vec![s],

crates/maestro-tui/src/state.rs

@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ pub enum OverlayKind {
     /// so this stays comparable.
     Rename(Uuid),
     Help,
+    /// The `ctrl-k` command bar (#153). Its query buffer and result list live
+    /// on `App` as [`crate::command_bar::CommandBar`], for the same reason the
+    /// rename buffer does — so this stays comparable.
+    CommandBar,
     Toast(String),
 }
 

web/src/attach.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import "@xterm/xterm/css/xterm.css";
 
 import { attachWsUrl } from "./routes.js";
 import { FOCUS_SIDEBAR_EVENT } from "./catalog.js";
+import { CommandSet, defineCommands } from "./commands.js";
 import { escapeHtml } from "./html.js";
 import { INITIAL_RECONNECT_MS, MAX_RECONNECT_MS } from "./reconnect.js";
 import { applyModsToChar, cursorSeq, tildeSeq } from "./keys.js";
@@ -13,6 +14,15 @@ import { splitCommand, toolIconSvg } from "./toolIcon.js";
 import type { ClientControl, Uuid } from "./types.js";
 import { WebglPolicy } from "./webglRenderer.js";
 
+// The pane's half of the command registry (#148): plain Escape hands the
+// keyboard back to the session list, the pair to the list's Tab.
+const paneKeys = new CommandSet(
+  defineCommands({
+    "pane.focusList": () => document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(FOCUS_SIDEBAR_EVENT)),
+  }),
+  { preventDefault: false },
+);
+
 /** One budget for the whole page — see webglRenderer.ts for why contexts are
  *  rationed rather than handed to every connection. */
 const webglPolicy = new WebglPolicy();
@@ -56,8 +66,6 @@ export interface AttachOptions {
   shouldReconnect?: (sessionId: Uuid, code: number) => boolean;
 }
 
-
-
 /** What the header shows about the session (name / command). Optional — falls
  * back to a short session id when the session isn't known yet. */
 export interface AttachInfo {
@@ -210,12 +218,12 @@ export function createAttachConnection(
   }
 
   // Plain Escape hands the keyboard back to the session list instead of the
-  // shell/app. `false` tells xterm to skip its own handling of this event.
+  // shell/app. `false` tells xterm to skip its own handling of this event —
+  // which is also why the set doesn't `preventDefault`: swallowing here is
+  // xterm's return value, not the browser's.
   term.attachCustomKeyEventHandler((e) => {
-    if (e.type !== "keydown" || e.key !== "Escape") return true;
-    if (e.ctrlKey || e.altKey || e.metaKey || e.shiftKey) return true;
-    document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(FOCUS_SIDEBAR_EVENT));
-    return false;
+    if (e.type !== "keydown") return true;
+    return !paneKeys.handle(e);
   });
 
   // Touch scrolling: xterm's built-in touch handling is jittery (drags crawl a

web/src/catalog.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import { escapeHtml } from "./html.js";
 import { ApiRequestError, getDaemonInfo, killSession, renameSession } from "./api.js";
 import { openForceKillDialog } from "./killDialog.js";
 import { openContextMenu } from "./contextMenu.js";
-import { isTypingTarget, toggleHelp } from "./help.js";
+import { toggleHelp } from "./help.js";
+import { CommandSet, defineCommands } from "./commands.js";
 import { CatalogStore } from "./events.js";
 import type { InTheWay, Session } from "./types.js";
 import {
@@ -669,24 +670,30 @@ export function renderSidebar(store: CatalogStore, opts: SidebarOptions = {}): S
     applyNav();
   };
 
-  treeHost.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
-    if (e.ctrlKey || e.altKey || e.metaKey) return;
-    // The inline rename field lives inside a row and owns its own keys.
-    if (isTypingTarget(e.target)) return;
-    if (e.key === "j" || e.key === "ArrowDown") moveNav(1);
-    else if (e.key === "k" || e.key === "ArrowUp") moveNav(-1);
-    else if (e.key === "Enter") activateNav();
-    else if (e.key === "Tab") document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(FOCUS_PANE_EVENT));
-    else if (e.key === "c") toggleHighlightedFolder();
-    else if (e.key === "x") {
-      const hit = highlightedSession();
-      if (hit) void requestKill(hit.session, sessionName(hit.session));
-    } else if (e.key === "r") {
-      const hit = highlightedSession();
-      if (hit) beginRename(hit.row, hit.session);
-    } else return;
-    e.preventDefault();
-  });
+  // The session list's half of the command registry (#148). One set per
+  // sidebar, so a second sidebar (tests, hot reload) drives its own rows; the
+  // labels and chords still come from the one registry.
+  const listKeys = new CommandSet(
+    defineCommands({
+      "list.next": () => moveNav(1),
+      "list.prev": () => moveNav(-1),
+      "list.activate": () => activateNav(),
+      "list.toggleFolder": () => toggleHighlightedFolder(),
+      "list.rename": () => {
+        const hit = highlightedSession();
+        if (hit) beginRename(hit.row, hit.session);
+      },
+      "list.kill": () => {
+        const hit = highlightedSession();
+        if (hit) void requestKill(hit.session, sessionName(hit.session));
+      },
+      "list.focusPane": () => document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(FOCUS_PANE_EVENT)),
+    }),
+  );
+
+  // The inline rename field lives inside a row and owns its own keys; the set's
+  // plain-key rule keeps this walk out of it.
+  treeHost.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => listKeys.handle(e));
 
   /** Signature of what is currently on screen — see `treeSignature`. */
   let renderedSignature: string | null = null;

web/src/commandBar.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,309 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { SESSION_SELECT_EVENT } from "./catalog.js";
+import {
+  barGroups,
+  barRows,
+  closeCommandBar,
+  isCommandBarOpen,
+  openCommandBar,
+  orderSessionsForBar,
+  sessionBarCandidates,
+  sessionCandidate,
+} from "./commandBar.js";
+import { COMMAND_SPECS } from "./commands.js";
+import type { Session } from "./types.js";
+
+function session(id: string, over: Partial<Session> = {}): Session {
+  return {
+    id,
+    cwd: "/home/me/dev/api",
+    command: "bash",
+    env: {},
+    metadata: { name: id },
+    status: "Running",
+    created_at: "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+    ...over,
+  };
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  closeCommandBar();
+  document.body.replaceChildren();
+});
+
+function press(key: string, init: KeyboardEventInit = {}): void {
+  const input = document.querySelector(".cmdbar-input") as HTMLInputElement;
+  input.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key, bubbles: true, ...init }));
+}
+
+function type(value: string): void {
+  const input = document.querySelector(".cmdbar-input") as HTMLInputElement;
+  input.value = value;
+  input.dispatchEvent(new Event("input", { bubbles: true }));
+}
+
+function rowNames(): string[] {
+  return [...document.querySelectorAll(".cmdbar-row-name")].map((r) => r.textContent ?? "");
+}
+
+function activeName(): string | undefined {
+  return document.querySelector(".cmdbar-row.is-active .cmdbar-row-name")?.textContent ?? undefined;
+}
+
+describe("empty-query ordering", () => {
+  it("sorts most recently focused first", () => {
+    const older = session("older", { last_focused_at: "2026-01-01T10:00:00Z" });
+    const newer = session("newer", { last_focused_at: "2026-01-01T11:00:00Z" });
+    expect(orderSessionsForBar([older, newer]).map((s) => s.id)).toEqual(["newer", "older"]);
+  });
+
+  it("sorts a never-focused session after every focused one, newest created first", () => {
+    const focused = session("focused", {
+      last_focused_at: "2020-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+      created_at: "2020-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+    });
+    const oldFresh = session("old-fresh", { created_at: "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z" });
+    const newFresh = session("new-fresh", { created_at: "2026-06-01T00:00:00Z" });
+    expect(orderSessionsForBar([oldFresh, newFresh, focused]).map((s) => s.id)).toEqual([
+      "focused",
+      "new-fresh",
+      "old-fresh",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("sorts dead sessions after live ones regardless of recency", () => {
+    const deadRecent = session("dead", {
+      status: "Dead",
+      last_focused_at: "2026-06-01T00:00:00Z",
+    });
+    const liveStale = session("live", { last_focused_at: "2020-01-01T00:00:00Z" });
+    const liveNever = session("never");
+    expect(orderSessionsForBar([deadRecent, liveNever, liveStale]).map((s) => s.id)).toEqual([
+      "live",
+      "never",
+      "dead",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("treats a null last_focused_at as never focused", () => {
+    const nulled = session("nulled", { last_focused_at: null });
+    const stamped = session("stamped", { last_focused_at: "2020-01-01T00:00:00Z" });
+    expect(orderSessionsForBar([nulled, stamped]).map((s) => s.id)).toEqual(["stamped", "nulled"]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("session candidates", () => {
+  it("carries the candidate table's fields, with the directory abbreviated", () => {
+    const s = session("api", {
+      metadata: { name: "api" },
+      command: "claude --resume",
+      current_cwd: "/home/me/dev/api",
+    });
+    expect(sessionCandidate(s, "/home/me")).toEqual({
+      kind: "session",
+      session: s,
+      fields: {
+        name: "api",
+        directory: "~/dev/api",
+        command: "claude --resume",
+        tool: "claude",
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("leaves the tool out when the program has no mark, and groups a worktree by its repo", () => {
+    const s = session("edit", {
+      metadata: {},
+      command: "hx src/",
+      worktree: { path: "/home/me/dev/api/wt/x", base_repo: "/home/me/dev/api" },
+    });
+    const candidate = sessionCandidate(s, "/home/me");
+    expect(candidate.fields.tool).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(candidate.fields.directory).toBe("~/dev/api");
+    // No `metadata.name`: the sidebar's fallback is the command line.
+    expect(candidate.fields.name).toBe("hx src/");
+  });
+
+  it("builds candidates in the empty-query order", () => {
+    const a = session("a", { last_focused_at: "2026-01-01T10:00:00Z" });
+    const b = session("b", { last_focused_at: "2026-01-01T11:00:00Z" });
+    expect(sessionBarCandidates([a, b]).map((c) => c.session.id)).toEqual(["b", "a"]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("rows and grouping", () => {
+  it("an empty query keeps every session in input order", () => {
+    const candidates = sessionBarCandidates([session("a"), session("b")]);
+    expect(barRows("", candidates).map((r) => r.candidate.session.id)).toEqual(["a", "b"]);
+  });
+
+  it("groups by kind without reordering the ranking", () => {
+    const candidates = sessionBarCandidates([
+      session("worker", { metadata: { name: "worker" }, current_cwd: "/home/me/dev/api" }),
+      session("api", { metadata: { name: "api" }, current_cwd: "/home/me/dev/web" }),
+    ]);
+    const rows = barRows("api", candidates);
+    const groups = barGroups(rows);
+    expect(groups).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(groups[0].title).toBe("Sessions");
+    expect(groups[0].results.map((r) => r.candidate.session.id)).toEqual(
+      rows.map((r) => r.candidate.session.id),
+    );
+    // F6: the name beats the directory, and the directory match highlights
+    // inside the directory.
+    expect(groups[0].results[0].candidate.session.id).toBe("api");
+    expect(groups[0].results[1].field).toBe("directory");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("the overlay", () => {
+  const sessions = [
+    session("api", {
+      metadata: { name: "api" },
+      current_cwd: "/home/me/dev/api",
+      last_focused_at: "2026-01-01T11:00:00Z",
+    }),
+    session("worker", {
+      metadata: { name: "worker" },
+      current_cwd: "/home/me/dev/worker",
+      last_focused_at: "2026-01-01T10:00:00Z",
+    }),
+    session("notes", { metadata: { name: "notes" }, current_cwd: "/home/me/notes" }),
+  ];
+
+  function open(over: Parameters<typeof openCommandBar>[0] | null = null) {
+    return openCommandBar(over ?? { sessions, homeDir: "/home/me", onOpenSession: () => {} });
+  }
+
+  it("is a registry command, so the help overlay lists it", () => {
+    const spec = COMMAND_SPECS.find((s) => s.id === "bar.open");
+    expect(spec?.keys).toEqual(["ctrl-k"]);
+    expect(spec?.scope).toBe("global");
+  });
+
+  it("lists sessions by recency under a kind header on an empty query", () => {
+    open();
+    expect([...document.querySelectorAll(".cmdbar-group-title")].map((h) => h.textContent)).toEqual([
+      "Sessions",
+    ]);
+    expect(rowNames()).toEqual(["api", "worker", "notes"]);
+    expect(activeName()).toBe("api");
+  });
+
+  it("opening twice leaves one overlay", () => {
+    open();
+    open();
+    expect(document.querySelectorAll(".cmdbar-overlay")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(isCommandBarOpen()).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("ranks a typed query through the matcher and highlights the matched range", () => {
+    open();
+    type("wor");
+    expect(rowNames()).toEqual(["worker"]);
+    const marks = [...document.querySelectorAll(".cmdbar-row-name mark")].map((m) => m.textContent);
+    expect(marks).toEqual(["wor"]);
+  });
+
+  it("highlights inside the directory when that is the field that matched", () => {
+    open();
+    type("notes");
+    const row = document.querySelector(".cmdbar-row") as HTMLElement;
+    expect(row.dataset.sessionId).toBe("notes");
+    type("dev/wor");
+    expect(rowNames()).toEqual(["worker"]);
+    expect(
+      [...document.querySelectorAll(".cmdbar-row-meta mark")].map((m) => m.textContent).join(""),
+    ).toBe("dev/wor");
+  });
+
+  it("renders a no-results state rather than an empty list", () => {
+    open();
+    type("zzz");
+    expect(rowNames()).toEqual([]);
+    expect(document.querySelector(".cmdbar-empty")?.textContent).toBe("No matches");
+  });
+
+  it("moves the highlight with the arrows and ctrl-p/ctrl-n, without wrapping", () => {
+    open();
+    press("ArrowUp");
+    expect(activeName()).toBe("api");
+    press("ArrowDown");
+    expect(activeName()).toBe("worker");
+    press("n", { ctrlKey: true });
+    expect(activeName()).toBe("notes");
+    press("ArrowDown");
+    expect(activeName()).toBe("notes");
+    press("p", { ctrlKey: true });
+    expect(activeName()).toBe("worker");
+  });
+
+  it("puts the highlight back on the best row whenever the query changes", () => {
+    open();
+    press("ArrowDown");
+    expect(activeName()).toBe("worker");
+    type("o");
+    expect(activeName()).toBe(document.querySelector(".cmdbar-row-name")?.textContent);
+  });
+
+  it("opens the highlighted session through the shared open path on Enter", () => {
+    const seen: string[] = [];
+    const listener = (e: Event) => seen.push((e as CustomEvent<string>).detail);
+    document.addEventListener(SESSION_SELECT_EVENT, listener);
+    openCommandBar({ sessions, homeDir: "/home/me" });
+    press("ArrowDown");
+    press("Enter");
+    document.removeEventListener(SESSION_SELECT_EVENT, listener);
+    expect(seen).toEqual(["worker"]);
+    expect(isCommandBarOpen()).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("Enter on an empty result list does nothing", () => {
+    const onOpenSession = vi.fn();
+    open({ sessions, homeDir: "/home/me", onOpenSession });
+    type("zzz");
+    press("Enter");
+    expect(onOpenSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(isCommandBarOpen()).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("closes on Escape and on a press outside the panel", () => {
+    open();
+    press("Escape");
+    expect(isCommandBarOpen()).toBe(false);
+
+    open();
+    (document.querySelector(".cmdbar-overlay") as HTMLElement).dispatchEvent(
+      new MouseEvent("mousedown", { bubbles: true }),
+    );
+    expect(isCommandBarOpen()).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("stays open for a press inside the panel", () => {
+    open();
+    (document.querySelector(".cmdbar-panel") as HTMLElement).dispatchEvent(
+      new MouseEvent("mousedown", { bubbles: true }),
+    );
+    expect(isCommandBarOpen()).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns the keyboard to whatever held it when it opened", () => {
+    const before = document.createElement("button");
+    document.body.appendChild(before);
+    before.focus();
+    open();
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(document.querySelector(".cmdbar-input"));
+    press("Escape");
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(before);
+  });
+
+  it("clicking a row opens that session", () => {
+    const onOpenSession = vi.fn();
+    open({ sessions, homeDir: "/home/me", onOpenSession });
+    (document.querySelectorAll(".cmdbar-row")[1] as HTMLElement).click();
+    expect(onOpenSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith("worker");
+    expect(isCommandBarOpen()).toBe(false);
+  });
+});

web/src/commandBar.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,381 @@
+// The `ctrl-k` command bar (docs/COMMAND-BAR.md): a query line over a result
+// list, opened from the sidebar, closed with Escape.
+//
+// Sessions are the only kind here (#149); the sigils, the action page and the
+// terminal-focus binding land in #150-#152.
+
+import { SESSION_SELECT_EVENT } from "./catalog.js";
+import {
+  matchAndRank,
+  type CandidateKind,
+  type MatchRange,
+  type MatchResult,
+  type SessionCandidate,
+} from "./matcher.js";
+import { splitCommand } from "./toolIcon.js";
+import { abbreviateCwd, sessionName, sessionTreePath, type Session } from "./types.js";
+
+/** A matcher candidate that remembers which session it came from, so a result
+ *  can be acted on without a second lookup. The extra property is invisible to
+ *  the matcher, which only ever reads `kind` and `fields`. */
+export type SessionBarCandidate = SessionCandidate & { session: Session };
+
+export type BarCandidate = SessionBarCandidate;
+export type BarResult = MatchResult<BarCandidate>;
+
+/** One kind's slice of the ranked list, in rank order. */
+export interface BarGroup {
+  kind: CandidateKind;
+  title: string;
+  results: BarResult[];
+}
+
+const KIND_TITLES: Record<CandidateKind, string> = {
+  session: "Sessions",
+  command: "Commands",
+  directory: "Directories",
+};
+
+// ---- candidates ----
+
+function focusedAt(s: Session): number | null {
+  const stamp = s.last_focused_at;
+  if (typeof stamp !== "string" || stamp === "") return null;
+  const ms = Date.parse(stamp);
+  return Number.isNaN(ms) ? null : ms;
+}
+
+function createdAt(s: Session): number {
+  const ms = Date.parse(s.created_at ?? "");
+  return Number.isNaN(ms) ? 0 : ms;
+}
+
+/** The empty-query order (docs/COMMAND-BAR.md, "Empty query"): most recently
+ *  focused first; a session that has never been focused sorts after every
+ *  session that has, most recently created first among those; and a dead
+ *  session sorts after every live one regardless of recency, because a session
+ *  you cannot attach to is not where you just were.
+ *
+ *  This is also the input order for a non-empty query, which is what the
+ *  matcher's last tie-break preserves. */
+export function orderSessionsForBar(sessions: readonly Session[]): Session[] {
+  return [...sessions].sort((a, b) => {
+    const deadA = a.status === "Dead" ? 1 : 0;
+    const deadB = b.status === "Dead" ? 1 : 0;
+    if (deadA !== deadB) return deadA - deadB;
+
+    const focusA = focusedAt(a);
+    const focusB = focusedAt(b);
+    if ((focusA === null) !== (focusB === null)) return focusA === null ? 1 : -1;
+    if (focusA !== null && focusB !== null && focusA !== focusB) return focusB - focusA;
+
+    return createdAt(b) - createdAt(a);
+  });
+}
+
+/** Build one session's candidate: the fields docs/COMMAND-BAR.md's candidate
+ *  table names, with the directory abbreviated the way the sidebar shows it. */
+export function sessionCandidate(s: Session, homeDir?: string): SessionBarCandidate {
+  const treePath = sessionTreePath(s);
+  const directory = treePath ? abbreviateCwd(treePath, homeDir) : undefined;
+  const tool = splitCommand(s.command).tool ?? undefined;
+  return {
+    kind: "session",
+    session: s,
+    fields: {
+      name: sessionName(s),
+      ...(directory ? { directory } : {}),
+      ...(s.command ? { command: s.command } : {}),
+      ...(tool ? { tool } : {}),
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+/** Every session as a candidate, in the empty-query order. */
+export function sessionBarCandidates(
+  sessions: readonly Session[],
+  homeDir?: string,
+): SessionBarCandidate[] {
+  return orderSessionsForBar(sessions).map((s) => sessionCandidate(s, homeDir));
+}
+
+// ---- grouping ----
+
+/** Bucket a ranked list by kind for rendering. Grouping is a rendering of the
+ *  ranking, never a reordering of it: a group holds its matches in rank order,
+ *  and groups appear in the order their best-scoring member does — so the first
+ *  row under the first header is the globally best result. */
+export function barGroups(results: readonly BarResult[]): BarGroup[] {
+  const groups: BarGroup[] = [];
+  for (const result of results) {
+    const kind = result.candidate.kind;
+    let group = groups.find((g) => g.kind === kind);
+    if (!group) {
+      group = { kind, title: KIND_TITLES[kind], results: [] };
+      groups.push(group);
+    }
+    group.results.push(result);
+  }
+  return groups;
+}
+
+/** The rows a query produces, flat and in rank order — what the highlight walks
+ *  and what Enter acts on. Headers are labels, not rows, so they are never in
+ *  this list. */
+export function barRows(query: string, candidates: readonly BarCandidate[]): BarResult[] {
+  return matchAndRank(query, candidates);
+}
+
+// ---- rendering ----
+
+/** Text with its matched ranges wrapped in `<mark>`. Ranges come from the
+ *  matcher as `[start, end)` character pairs over the field that won. */
+export function renderHighlighted(text: string, ranges: readonly MatchRange[]): DocumentFragment {
+  const frag = document.createDocumentFragment();
+  let cursor = 0;
+  for (const [start, end] of ranges) {
+    if (start > cursor) frag.append(text.slice(cursor, start));
+    const mark = document.createElement("mark");
+    mark.className = "cmdbar-hit";
+    mark.textContent = text.slice(start, end);
+    frag.append(mark);
+    cursor = end;
+  }
+  if (cursor < text.length) frag.append(text.slice(cursor));
+  return frag;
+}
+
+/** The secondary line under a row's name: the field the match was found in when
+ *  that was not the name, so a session found through its directory says so. */
+function metaText(result: BarResult): string | undefined {
+  const fields = result.candidate.fields;
+  switch (result.field) {
+    case "directory":
+      return fields.directory;
+    case "command":
+      return fields.command;
+    case "tool":
+      return fields.tool;
+    default:
+      return fields.directory;
+  }
+}
+
+function renderRow(result: BarResult, index: number): HTMLElement {
+  const row = document.createElement("div");
+  row.className = "cmdbar-row";
+  row.setAttribute("role", "option");
+  row.id = `cmdbar-row-${index}`;
+  row.dataset.index = String(index);
+  row.dataset.sessionId = result.candidate.session.id;
+  if (result.candidate.session.status === "Dead") row.classList.add("is-dead");
+
+  const name = document.createElement("span");
+  name.className = "cmdbar-row-name";
+  const nameText = result.candidate.fields.name;
+  name.append(
+    result.field === "name" ? renderHighlighted(nameText, result.ranges) : nameText,
+  );
+  row.appendChild(name);
+
+  const meta = metaText(result);
+  if (meta) {
+    const el = document.createElement("span");
+    el.className = "cmdbar-row-meta";
+    const highlighted = result.field !== undefined && result.field !== "name";
+    el.append(highlighted ? renderHighlighted(meta, result.ranges) : meta);
+    row.appendChild(el);
+  }
+  return row;
+}
+
+// ---- the overlay ----
+
+export interface CommandBarOptions {
+  /** Sessions to build candidates from, as the store has them right now. */
+  sessions: readonly Session[];
+  /** The daemon's home dir, for the directory field's `~/…` abbreviation. */
+  homeDir?: string;
+  /** Open the highlighted session. Defaults to the shared open path — the
+   *  sidebar's click event — which is what the contract requires; tests pass
+   *  their own. */
+  onOpenSession?: (sessionId: string) => void;
+}
+
+interface OpenBar {
+  el: HTMLElement;
+  dispose: () => void;
+}
+
+let current: OpenBar | null = null;
+
+export function isCommandBarOpen(): boolean {
+  return current !== null;
+}
+
+export function closeCommandBar(): void {
+  current?.dispose();
+}
+
+/** Mount the bar. Opening while one is up replaces it, so a stray second call
+ *  can never stack two overlays. */
+export function openCommandBar(opts: CommandBarOptions): HTMLElement {
+  closeCommandBar();
+
+  // Closing returns the keyboard to whatever held it when the bar opened: a
+  // round trip through the bar never silently moves focus.
+  const previouslyFocused = document.activeElement as HTMLElement | null;
+  const openSession =
+    opts.onOpenSession ??
+    ((id: string) => document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(SESSION_SELECT_EVENT, { detail: id })));
+
+  const candidates: BarCandidate[] = sessionBarCandidates(opts.sessions, opts.homeDir);
+
+  const el = document.createElement("div");
+  el.className = "cmdbar-overlay";
+  el.setAttribute("role", "dialog");
+  el.setAttribute("aria-modal", "true");
+  el.setAttribute("aria-label", "Command bar");
+
+  const panel = document.createElement("div");
+  panel.className = "cmdbar-panel";
+
+  const input = document.createElement("input");
+  input.type = "text";
+  input.className = "cmdbar-input";
+  input.setAttribute("role", "combobox");
+  input.setAttribute("aria-expanded", "true");
+  input.setAttribute("aria-controls", "cmdbar-results");
+  input.setAttribute("aria-label", "Search sessions");
+  input.setAttribute("autocomplete", "off");
+  input.spellcheck = false;
+  input.placeholder = "Go to a session…";
+
+  const results = document.createElement("div");
+  results.className = "cmdbar-results";
+  results.id = "cmdbar-results";
+  results.setAttribute("role", "listbox");
+
+  panel.append(input, results);
+  el.appendChild(panel);
+  document.body.appendChild(el);
+
+  let rows: BarResult[] = [];
+  let highlighted = 0;
+
+  function paintHighlight(): void {
+    for (const row of results.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(".cmdbar-row")) {
+      const active = Number(row.dataset.index) === highlighted;
+      row.classList.toggle("is-active", active);
+      row.setAttribute("aria-selected", active ? "true" : "false");
+      if (active) {
+        row.scrollIntoView({ block: "nearest" });
+        input.setAttribute("aria-activedescendant", row.id);
+      }
+    }
+    if (rows.length === 0) input.removeAttribute("aria-activedescendant");
+  }
+
+  function render(): void {
+    rows = barRows(input.value, candidates);
+    // The highlight starts on the globally best row every time the list
+    // changes: an old index would point at a different result.
+    highlighted = 0;
+    results.replaceChildren();
+
+    if (rows.length === 0) {
+      const empty = document.createElement("div");
+      empty.className = "cmdbar-empty";
+      empty.textContent = "No matches";
+      results.appendChild(empty);
+      paintHighlight();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    let index = 0;
+    for (const group of barGroups(rows)) {
+      const header = document.createElement("div");
+      header.className = "cmdbar-group-title";
+      header.setAttribute("role", "presentation");
+      header.textContent = group.title;
+      results.appendChild(header);
+      for (const result of group.results) {
+        const at = index;
+        const row = renderRow(result, at);
+        row.addEventListener("click", () => activate(at));
+        results.appendChild(row);
+        index += 1;
+      }
+    }
+    paintHighlight();
+  }
+
+  /** The highlight does not wrap: it stops at the first and last row. */
+  function move(delta: number): void {
+    if (rows.length === 0) return;
+    highlighted = Math.min(rows.length - 1, Math.max(0, highlighted + delta));
+    paintHighlight();
+  }
+
+  function activate(index: number): void {
+    const result = rows[index];
+    if (!result) return;
+    const sessionId = result.candidate.session.id;
+    close();
+    openSession(sessionId);
+  }
+
+  function onKeydown(e: KeyboardEvent): void {
+    switch (e.key) {
+      case "Escape":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        close();
+        return;
+      case "Enter":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        activate(highlighted);
+        return;
+      case "ArrowDown":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        move(1);
+        return;
+      case "ArrowUp":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        move(-1);
+        return;
+      case "n":
+        if (e.ctrlKey) {
+          e.preventDefault();
+          move(1);
+        }
+        return;
+      case "p":
+        if (e.ctrlKey) {
+          e.preventDefault();
+          move(-1);
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+  }
+
+  function close(): void {
+    if (current?.el !== el) return;
+    current = null;
+    el.remove();
+    // Restoring focus is what makes the bar a view over the app rather than a
+    // place in it; a detached node cannot take it.
+    if (previouslyFocused?.isConnected) previouslyFocused.focus();
+  }
+
+  input.addEventListener("keydown", onKeydown);
+  input.addEventListener("input", render);
+  // A press on the scrim closes; one inside the panel is left alone.
+  el.addEventListener("mousedown", (ev) => {
+    if (!panel.contains(ev.target as Node)) close();
+  });
+
+  current = { el, dispose: close };
+  render();
+  input.focus();
+  return el;
+}

web/src/commands.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,236 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+  COMMAND_SPECS,
+  CommandSet,
+  DEFAULT_LEADER,
+  canonicalizeKey,
+  defineCommands,
+  isTypingTarget,
+  keyCaps,
+  publishedCommands,
+} from "./commands.js";
+
+function key(k: string, init: KeyboardEventInit = {}): KeyboardEvent {
+  return new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key: k, cancelable: true, ...init });
+}
+
+function el(html: string): HTMLElement {
+  const d = document.createElement("div");
+  d.innerHTML = html;
+  return d.firstElementChild as HTMLElement;
+}
+
+/** Dispatch on a target, so `isTypingTarget` sees something other than null. */
+function pressOn(set: CommandSet, target: HTMLElement, k: string, init?: KeyboardEventInit): boolean {
+  const e = key(k, init);
+  Object.defineProperty(e, "target", { value: target });
+  return set.handle(e);
+}
+
+describe("command specs", () => {
+  it("has a unique id and at least one chord per command", () => {
+    const ids = COMMAND_SPECS.map((s) => s.id);
+    expect(new Set(ids).size).toBe(ids.length);
+    for (const spec of COMMAND_SPECS) {
+      expect(spec.keys.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(spec.label.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("binds each chord once within a scope", () => {
+    const seen = new Set<string>();
+    for (const spec of COMMAND_SPECS) {
+      for (const k of spec.keys) {
+        const slot = `${spec.scope}:${k}`;
+        expect(seen.has(slot)).toBe(false);
+        seen.add(slot);
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a handler for an id that isn't in the registry", () => {
+    expect(() => defineCommands({ "nope.missing": () => {} })).toThrow(/unknown command id/);
+  });
+
+  it("carries every spec field onto the defined command", () => {
+    const [cmd] = defineCommands({ "spawn.open": () => {} });
+    expect(cmd).toMatchObject({ id: "spawn.open", keys: ["n"], scope: "global" });
+  });
+});
+
+describe("canonicalizeKey", () => {
+  it("spells keys the way the TUI's InputKey::canonical does", () => {
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("n"))).toBe("n");
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("N", { shiftKey: true }))).toBe("N");
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("?", { shiftKey: true }))).toBe("?");
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("a", { ctrlKey: true }))).toBe("ctrl-a");
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("Escape"))).toBe("esc");
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("Enter"))).toBe("enter");
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("Tab"))).toBe("tab");
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("Tab", { shiftKey: true }))).toBe("backtab");
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("ArrowDown"))).toBe("down");
+  });
+
+  it("folds a modified letter to lower case with an explicit shift-", () => {
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("H", { ctrlKey: true, shiftKey: true }))).toBe("ctrl-shift-h");
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("h", { ctrlKey: true, shiftKey: true }))).toBe("ctrl-shift-h");
+  });
+
+  it("has no canonical form for a modifier pressed alone", () => {
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("Control", { ctrlKey: true }))).toBeNull();
+    expect(canonicalizeKey(key("Shift", { shiftKey: true }))).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("keyCaps", () => {
+  it("renders one cap per modifier and key", () => {
+    expect(keyCaps("ctrl-shift-h")).toEqual(["Ctrl", "Shift", "H"]);
+    expect(keyCaps("enter")).toEqual(["Enter"]);
+    expect(keyCaps("j")).toEqual(["j"]);
+    expect(keyCaps("N")).toEqual(["N"]);
+    expect(keyCaps("?")).toEqual(["?"]);
+    expect(keyCaps("ctrl-a ctrl-k")).toEqual(["Ctrl", "A", "then", "Ctrl", "K"]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("CommandSet", () => {
+  it("runs the command bound to a chord, and swallows the browser default", () => {
+    const run = vi.fn();
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "spawn.open": run }));
+    const e = key("n");
+    expect(set.handle(e)).toBe(true);
+    expect(run).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(e.defaultPrevented).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("leaves an unbound key alone", () => {
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "spawn.open": vi.fn() }));
+    const e = key("q");
+    expect(set.handle(e)).toBe(false);
+    expect(e.defaultPrevented).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("treats a modified key as a different binding", () => {
+    const run = vi.fn();
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "spawn.open": run }));
+    expect(set.handle(key("n", { ctrlKey: true }))).toBe(false);
+    expect(set.handle(key("n", { metaKey: true }))).toBe(false);
+    expect(run).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("runs every alias of a command", () => {
+    const run = vi.fn();
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "list.next": run }));
+    set.handle(key("j"));
+    set.handle(key("ArrowDown"));
+    expect(run).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps plain keys deaf inside a form field, and chorded ones live", () => {
+    const plain = vi.fn();
+    const chorded = vi.fn();
+    const set = new CommandSet(
+      defineCommands({ "spawn.open": plain, "focus.toggle": chorded }),
+    );
+    const input = el("<input>");
+    expect(pressOn(set, input, "n")).toBe(false);
+    expect(plain).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(pressOn(set, input, "H", { ctrlKey: true, shiftKey: true })).toBe(true);
+    expect(chorded).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps pane commands live inside the terminal's textarea", () => {
+    const run = vi.fn();
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "pane.focusList": run }), {
+      preventDefault: false,
+    });
+    const textarea = el('<textarea class="xterm-helper-textarea"></textarea>');
+    const e = key("Escape");
+    Object.defineProperty(e, "target", { value: textarea });
+    expect(set.handle(e)).toBe(true);
+    expect(run).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    // xterm is told to swallow by the return value, not by the browser default.
+    expect(e.defaultPrevented).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("the leader", () => {
+  it("defaults to the TUI's ctrl-a", () => {
+    expect(DEFAULT_LEADER).toBe("ctrl-a");
+  });
+
+  it("holds the leader as a partial chord instead of selecting the page", () => {
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "spawn.open": vi.fn() }), {
+      leader: DEFAULT_LEADER,
+    });
+    const e = key("a", { ctrlKey: true });
+    expect(set.handle(e)).toBe(true);
+    expect(e.defaultPrevented).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("swallows the key after the leader rather than running its plain binding", () => {
+    const run = vi.fn();
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "spawn.open": run }), {
+      leader: DEFAULT_LEADER,
+    });
+    set.handle(key("a", { ctrlKey: true }));
+    expect(set.handle(key("n"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(run).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    // The next key is an ordinary one again.
+    set.handle(key("n"));
+    expect(run).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("forgets a held leader once the chord timeout passes", () => {
+    const run = vi.fn();
+    let now = 0;
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "spawn.open": run }), {
+      leader: DEFAULT_LEADER,
+      chordTimeoutMs: 1000,
+      now: () => now,
+    });
+    set.handle(key("a", { ctrlKey: true }));
+    now = 1500;
+    set.handle(key("n"));
+    expect(run).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("leaves select-all alone in a real form field", () => {
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "spawn.open": vi.fn() }), {
+      leader: DEFAULT_LEADER,
+    });
+    const input = el("<input>");
+    const e = key("a", { ctrlKey: true });
+    Object.defineProperty(e, "target", { value: input });
+    expect(set.handle(e)).toBe(false);
+    expect(e.defaultPrevented).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("publishing", () => {
+  it("lists a constructed set's commands, replacing an id rather than doubling it", () => {
+    new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "list.kill": () => {} }));
+    new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "list.kill": () => {} }));
+    const ids = publishedCommands().map((c) => c.id);
+    expect(ids.filter((id) => id === "list.kill")).toEqual(["list.kill"]);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps published commands in registry order", () => {
+    const order = COMMAND_SPECS.map((s) => s.id);
+    const ids = publishedCommands().map((c) => c.id);
+    expect(ids).toEqual(order.filter((id) => ids.includes(id)));
+  });
+});
+
+describe("isTypingTarget", () => {
+  it("is true for form fields and editable nodes, false otherwise", () => {
+    expect(isTypingTarget(el("<input>"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(isTypingTarget(el("<textarea></textarea>"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(isTypingTarget(el("<select></select>"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(isTypingTarget(el('<div contenteditable="true"></div>'))).toBe(true);
+    expect(isTypingTarget(el("<button></button>"))).toBe(false);
+    expect(isTypingTarget(null)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});

web/src/commands.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,393 @@
+// The web client's command registry (#148). One entry per command — a stable
+// id, a plain-language label, the key chord it answers to, and a `run()` — so
+// there is exactly one list of what the client can do. The `?` overlay renders
+// from it (`help.ts`), and every keybinding is dispatched through it; a command
+// added here is bound and documented in the same edit.
+//
+// Keys are canonical strings, the same spelling the TUI's `InputKey::canonical`
+// produces (`ctrl-shift-h`, `enter`, `esc`, `n`, `N`) and chords are those
+// joined by a space (`ctrl-a ctrl-k`). Matching the TUI's spelling is what lets
+// docs/COMMAND-BAR.md describe one key model for both clients.
+
+/** Where a command's keys are listened for. `global` is the window, `list` the
+ *  sidebar's session tree, `pane` the attached terminal, `overlay` the help
+ *  dialog while it is up. */
+export type CommandScope = "global" | "list" | "pane" | "overlay";
+
+export interface CommandSpec {
+  /** Stable identifier. Never rendered; safe to bind config and tests to. */
+  id: string;
+  /** Plain-language label — what the `?` overlay and (later) the command bar
+   *  show. */
+  label: string;
+  /** Help-overlay section. Groups render in the order they first appear here. */
+  group: string;
+  /** Canonical chords that run it. The first is the one shown to the operator;
+   *  the rest are aliases (`j` and `down`). */
+  keys: string[];
+  scope: CommandScope;
+}
+
+export interface Command extends CommandSpec {
+  run: () => void;
+}
+
+/** Every command the web client has. The single list this issue exists to
+ *  create: labels, chords and grouping live here and nowhere else. */
+export const COMMAND_SPECS: readonly CommandSpec[] = [
+  {
+    id: "spawn.open",
+    label: "Open the spawn form",
+    group: "Sessions",
+    keys: ["n"],
+    scope: "global",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "spawn.fastForward",
+    label: "Spawn a session with every default resolved",
+    group: "Sessions",
+    keys: ["N"],
+    scope: "global",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "bar.open",
+    label: "Open the command bar",
+    group: "Sessions",
+    keys: ["ctrl-k"],
+    scope: "global",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "focus.toggle",
+    label: "Move the keyboard between the session list and the pane",
+    group: "Session list",
+    keys: ["ctrl-shift-h"],
+    scope: "global",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "list.next",
+    label: "Highlight the next session",
+    group: "Session list",
+    keys: ["j", "down"],
+    scope: "list",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "list.prev",
+    label: "Highlight the previous session",
+    group: "Session list",
+    keys: ["k", "up"],
+    scope: "list",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "list.activate",
+    label: "Open the highlighted session, or expand a folder",
+    group: "Session list",
+    keys: ["enter"],
+    scope: "list",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "list.toggleFolder",
+    label: "Collapse or expand the highlighted folder",
+    group: "Session list",
+    keys: ["c"],
+    scope: "list",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "list.rename",
+    label: "Rename the highlighted session",
+    group: "Session list",
+    keys: ["r"],
+    scope: "list",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "list.kill",
+    label: "Kill the highlighted session",
+    group: "Session list",
+    keys: ["x"],
+    scope: "list",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "list.focusPane",
+    label: "Send the keyboard to the pane",
+    group: "Session list",
+    keys: ["tab"],
+    scope: "list",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "pane.focusList",
+    label: "Hand the keyboard back to the session list, from the pane",
+    group: "Session list",
+    keys: ["esc"],
+    scope: "pane",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "help.toggle",
+    label: "Show or hide this help",
+    group: "Help",
+    keys: ["?"],
+    scope: "global",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "help.close",
+    label: "Close the help overlay or an open menu",
+    group: "Help",
+    keys: ["esc"],
+    scope: "overlay",
+  },
+  {
+    id: "debug.toggleHud",
+    label: "Toggle the debug HUD",
+    group: "Debug",
+    keys: ["ctrl-shift-d"],
+    scope: "global",
+  },
+];
+
+const SPEC_BY_ID = new Map(COMMAND_SPECS.map((s) => [s.id, s]));
+
+/** Attach handlers to specs, by id. Throws on an unknown id, so a typo is a
+ *  test failure rather than a key that silently does nothing. */
+export function defineCommands(handlers: Record<string, () => void>): Command[] {
+  return Object.entries(handlers).map(([id, run]) => {
+    const spec = SPEC_BY_ID.get(id);
+    if (!spec) throw new Error(`unknown command id: ${id}`);
+    return { ...spec, run };
+  });
+}
+
+// ---- what the help overlay renders ----
+
+const published = new Map<string, Command>();
+
+/** Record commands as bound. Re-registering an id replaces it, so a second
+ *  sidebar (tests, hot reload) doesn't duplicate rows in the overlay. */
+export function publishCommands(cmds: Command[]): void {
+  for (const c of cmds) published.set(c.id, c);
+}
+
+/** Every bound command, in `COMMAND_SPECS` order. */
+export function publishedCommands(): Command[] {
+  return COMMAND_SPECS.map((s) => published.get(s.id)).filter((c): c is Command => c !== undefined);
+}
+
+// ---- key canonicalisation ----
+
+const NAMED: Record<string, string> = {
+  Escape: "esc",
+  Enter: "enter",
+  Tab: "tab",
+  Backspace: "backspace",
+  ArrowUp: "up",
+  ArrowDown: "down",
+  ArrowLeft: "left",
+  ArrowRight: "right",
+  Home: "home",
+  End: "end",
+  PageUp: "pageup",
+  PageDown: "pagedown",
+  Delete: "delete",
+  " ": "space",
+};
+
+/** The canonical string for one keydown. Mirrors the TUI's
+ *  `InputKey::canonical`: modifier prefixes in ctrl/alt/shift order, then the
+ *  key. A shifted character already spells itself (`N`, `?`), so `shift-` is
+ *  only written when another modifier is present and the char was folded to
+ *  lower case. */
+export function canonicalizeKey(e: KeyboardEvent): string | null {
+  if (!e.key) return null;
+  // Modifier keys pressed alone are never a binding.
+  if (e.key === "Control" || e.key === "Alt" || e.key === "Shift" || e.key === "Meta") return null;
+  const named = NAMED[e.key];
+  if (named === "tab" && e.shiftKey) return "backtab";
+  let out = "";
+  if (e.ctrlKey) out += "ctrl-";
+  if (e.altKey) out += "alt-";
+  if (e.metaKey) out += "meta-";
+  if (named) {
+    if (e.shiftKey) out += "shift-";
+    return out + named;
+  }
+  if (e.key.length === 1) {
+    if (out === "") return e.key;
+    if (e.shiftKey) out += "shift-";
+    return out + e.key.toLowerCase();
+  }
+  if (e.shiftKey) out += "shift-";
+  return out + e.key.toLowerCase();
+}
+
+const MOD_PREFIX = /^(ctrl|alt|meta|shift)-/;
+
+/** True when a chord carries a modifier or more than one key. Plain single-key
+ *  chords are the ones that stay deaf inside form fields. */
+function isChorded(chord: string): boolean {
+  return chord.includes(" ") || MOD_PREFIX.test(chord);
+}
+
+/** True when the event target swallows plain keystrokes — a form field, or the
+ *  hidden textarea xterm types into. Every plain single-key binding is deaf in
+ *  the same places. */
+export function isTypingTarget(target: EventTarget | null): boolean {
+  const el = target as HTMLElement | null;
+  if (!el || typeof el.tagName !== "string") return false;
+  return (
+    el.tagName === "INPUT" ||
+    el.tagName === "TEXTAREA" ||
+    el.tagName === "SELECT" ||
+    el.isContentEditable
+  );
+}
+
+/** xterm's offscreen textarea. It is a typing target like any other, but it is
+ *  also where the leader has to work — a pane is exactly where the operator
+ *  needs the escape hatch (docs/COMMAND-BAR.md). */
+function isTerminalTextarea(target: EventTarget | null): boolean {
+  const el = target as HTMLElement | null;
+  return !!el && typeof el.className === "string" && el.classList?.contains("xterm-helper-textarea");
+}
+
+// ---- display ----
+
+const CAPS: Record<string, string> = {
+  ctrl: "Ctrl",
+  alt: "Alt",
+  meta: "Meta",
+  shift: "Shift",
+  esc: "Esc",
+  enter: "Enter",
+  tab: "Tab",
+  backtab: "Shift Tab",
+  backspace: "Backspace",
+  up: "Up",
+  down: "Down",
+  left: "Left",
+  right: "Right",
+  home: "Home",
+  end: "End",
+  pageup: "PgUp",
+  pagedown: "PgDn",
+  delete: "Del",
+  space: "Space",
+};
+
+/** Keycaps for a chord, left to right: `ctrl-shift-h` → Ctrl, Shift, H. A
+ *  multi-key chord separates its keys with a `then` cap. */
+export function keyCaps(chord: string): string[] {
+  const caps: string[] = [];
+  for (const [i, key] of chord.split(" ").entries()) {
+    if (i > 0) caps.push("then");
+    const parts = key.split("-");
+    // A bare `-` key splits into two empties; treat it as the key itself.
+    if (parts.every((p) => p === "")) {
+      caps.push("-");
+      continue;
+    }
+    const last = parts.pop() as string;
+    const mods = parts.filter((p) => p !== "");
+    for (const m of mods) caps.push(CAPS[m] ?? m);
+    caps.push(CAPS[last] ?? (mods.length > 0 && last.length === 1 ? last.toUpperCase() : last));
+  }
+  return caps;
+}
+
+// ---- dispatch ----
+
+/** Default leader, mirroring the TUI's `[tui].leader`. `ctrl-a` is select-all
+ *  in a browser, so a set that owns the leader `preventDefault`s it. */
+export const DEFAULT_LEADER = "ctrl-a";
+
+/** How long a partial chord waits for its next key — the TUI's
+ *  `chord_timeout_ms` default. */
+export const DEFAULT_CHORD_TIMEOUT_MS = 1000;
+
+export interface CommandSetOptions {
+  /** Canonical leader key. A set given one holds every leader press as a
+   *  pending chord, whether or not anything is bound behind it yet. */
+  leader?: string | null;
+  chordTimeoutMs?: number;
+  /** Call `preventDefault()` on a handled key. Off for the terminal's own key
+   *  handler, which swallows by returning `false` to xterm instead. */
+  preventDefault?: boolean;
+  /** Clock, for tests. */
+  now?: () => number;
+}
+
+/** A group of commands listening on one surface. Resolves a keydown to a
+ *  command the way the TUI's `ChordState` does: hold while the sequence is a
+ *  strict prefix of some binding, otherwise resolve and dispatch. */
+export class CommandSet {
+  private readonly byChord = new Map<string, Command>();
+  private readonly leader: string | null;
+  private readonly timeout: number;
+  private readonly preventDefault: boolean;
+  private readonly now: () => number;
+  private held: string[] = [];
+  private lastPress = 0;
+
+  constructor(
+    readonly commands: Command[],
+    opts: CommandSetOptions = {},
+  ) {
+    for (const c of commands) for (const k of c.keys) this.byChord.set(k, c);
+    this.leader = opts.leader ?? null;
+    this.timeout = opts.chordTimeoutMs ?? DEFAULT_CHORD_TIMEOUT_MS;
+    this.preventDefault = opts.preventDefault ?? true;
+    this.now = opts.now ?? (() => Date.now());
+    publishCommands(commands);
+  }
+
+  /** Whether any binding starts with `candidate` and continues. */
+  private isPrefix(candidate: string): boolean {
+    const marker = `${candidate} `;
+    for (const chord of this.byChord.keys()) if (chord.startsWith(marker)) return true;
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  /** Feed one keydown. Returns true when the key was consumed — dispatched, or
+   *  held as a partial chord. */
+  handle(e: KeyboardEvent): boolean {
+    const key = canonicalizeKey(e);
+    if (key === null) return false;
+    if (this.held.length > 0 && this.now() - this.lastPress > this.timeout) this.held = [];
+    const candidate = this.held.length > 0 ? `${this.held.join(" ")} ${key}` : key;
+    this.lastPress = this.now();
+
+    // The leader is a prefix by construction, so it stops being select-all
+    // before anything is bound behind it (#149 binds the first chord).
+    if (this.leader !== null && this.held.length === 0 && key === this.leader) {
+      if (isTypingTarget(e.target) && !isTerminalTextarea(e.target)) return false;
+      this.held = [key];
+      if (this.preventDefault) e.preventDefault();
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    if (this.isPrefix(candidate)) {
+      this.held.push(key);
+      if (this.preventDefault) e.preventDefault();
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    const wasChord = this.held.length > 0;
+    this.held = [];
+    const cmd = this.byChord.get(candidate);
+    if (!cmd) {
+      // A chord that resolved to nothing is still consumed: the leader took
+      // the key, so it must not also fall through to a plain binding.
+      return wasChord;
+    }
+    // Plain single-key bindings are deaf where typing happens; chorded ones are
+    // not, and neither are the pane's and the overlay's, which are only fed
+    // from the surface that owns them.
+    if (
+      !isChorded(candidate) &&
+      cmd.scope !== "pane" &&
+      cmd.scope !== "overlay" &&
+      isTypingTarget(e.target)
+    ) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    if (this.preventDefault) e.preventDefault();
+    cmd.run();
+    return true;
+  }
+}

web/src/debug.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 // survives reloads, flipped by a keybind (Ctrl+Shift+D), and force-enabled by
 // `?hud` in dev. A `maestro-hud-toggle` event lets the HUD re-render on change.
 
+import { CommandSet, defineCommands } from "./commands.js";
+
 const STORAGE_KEY = "maestro:hud";
 export const HUD_TOGGLE_EVENT = "maestro-hud-toggle";
 
@@ -31,12 +33,9 @@ export function toggleHud(): void {
   setHudEnabled(!isHudEnabled());
 }
 
+const hudKeys = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "debug.toggleHud": () => toggleHud() }));
+
 /** Global keybind: Ctrl+Shift+D toggles the debug HUD. */
 export function installHudKeybind(): void {
-  window.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
-    if (e.ctrlKey && e.shiftKey && (e.key === "D" || e.key === "d")) {
-      e.preventDefault();
-      toggleHud();
-    }
-  });
+  window.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => hudKeys.handle(e));
 }

web/src/help.test.ts

@@ -1,14 +1,8 @@
 // @vitest-environment happy-dom
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
-import {
-  SHORTCUTS,
-  closeHelp,
-  installHelpKeybind,
-  isHelpOpen,
-  isTypingTarget,
-  openHelp,
-} from "./help.js";
+import { keyCaps, publishedCommands } from "./commands.js";
+import { closeHelp, groupedCommands, installHelpKeybind, isHelpOpen, openHelp } from "./help.js";
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   installHelpKeybind();
@@ -30,14 +24,24 @@ function rows(): string[] {
 }
 
 describe("help overlay", () => {
-  it("renders every registered shortcut, grouped", () => {
+  it("renders exactly the commands the registry has bound, grouped", () => {
     openHelp();
-    const groups = [...document.querySelectorAll(".help-group-title")].map((h) => h.textContent);
-    expect(groups).toEqual(SHORTCUTS.map((g) => g.title));
-    expect(rows()).toEqual(SHORTCUTS.flatMap((g) => g.items.map((s) => s.keys.join(" "))));
-    expect(document.querySelectorAll(".help-desc")).toHaveLength(
-      SHORTCUTS.reduce((n, g) => n + g.items.length, 0),
+    const groups = groupedCommands();
+    expect([...document.querySelectorAll(".help-group-title")].map((h) => h.textContent)).toEqual(
+      groups.map((g) => g.title),
     );
+    expect(rows()).toEqual(
+      groups.flatMap((g) => g.items.map((c) => keyCaps(c.keys[0]).join(" "))),
+    );
+    expect([...document.querySelectorAll(".help-desc")].map((d) => d.textContent)).toEqual(
+      groups.flatMap((g) => g.items.map((c) => c.label)),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("names each row by its command id, so a row can't drift from its command", () => {
+    openHelp();
+    expect([...document.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(".help-row")].map((r) => r.dataset.commandId))
+      .toEqual(publishedCommands().map((c) => c.id));
   });
 
   it("opens on ? and closes on a second ?", () => {
@@ -94,19 +98,3 @@ describe("help overlay", () => {
     expect(document.querySelectorAll(".help-overlay")).toHaveLength(1);
   });
 });
-
-describe("isTypingTarget", () => {
-  it("is true for form fields and editable nodes, false otherwise", () => {
-    const el = (html: string) => {
-      const d = document.createElement("div");
-      d.innerHTML = html;
-      return d.firstElementChild as HTMLElement;
-    };
-    expect(isTypingTarget(el("<input>"))).toBe(true);
-    expect(isTypingTarget(el("<textarea></textarea>"))).toBe(true);
-    expect(isTypingTarget(el("<select></select>"))).toBe(true);
-    expect(isTypingTarget(el('<div contenteditable="true"></div>'))).toBe(true);
-    expect(isTypingTarget(el("<button></button>"))).toBe(false);
-    expect(isTypingTarget(null)).toBe(false);
-  });
-});

web/src/help.ts

@@ -1,69 +1,15 @@
 /** Keyboard-shortcut overlay (`?`), the web counterpart of the TUI's help
- *  overlay. One registry drives both the rendering and what we claim is bound,
- *  so a binding added to `main.ts` without an entry here reads as missing. */
+ *  overlay. It renders the command registry (`commands.ts`) — the same list
+ *  that dispatches the keys — so a binding can never be documented as one
+ *  thing and do another. */
 
-export interface Shortcut {
-  /** Keycaps, rendered left to right as separate <kbd>. */
-  keys: string[];
-  description: string;
-}
-
-export interface ShortcutGroup {
-  title: string;
-  items: Shortcut[];
-}
-
-export const SHORTCUTS: ShortcutGroup[] = [
-  {
-    title: "Sessions",
-    items: [
-      { keys: ["n"], description: "Open the spawn form" },
-      { keys: ["N"], description: "Spawn a session with every default resolved" },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    title: "Session list",
-    items: [
-      {
-        keys: ["Ctrl", "Shift", "H"],
-        description: "Move the keyboard between the session list and the pane",
-      },
-      { keys: ["j"], description: "Highlight the next session" },
-      { keys: ["k"], description: "Highlight the previous session" },
-      { keys: ["Enter"], description: "Open the highlighted session, or expand a folder" },
-      { keys: ["c"], description: "Collapse or expand the highlighted folder" },
-      { keys: ["r"], description: "Rename the highlighted session" },
-      { keys: ["x"], description: "Kill the highlighted session" },
-      { keys: ["Tab"], description: "Send the keyboard to the pane" },
-      { keys: ["Esc"], description: "Hand the keyboard back to the session list, from the pane" },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    title: "Help",
-    items: [
-      { keys: ["?"], description: "Show or hide this help" },
-      { keys: ["Esc"], description: "Close the help overlay or an open menu" },
-    ],
-  },
-  {
-    title: "Debug",
-    items: [{ keys: ["Ctrl", "Shift", "D"], description: "Toggle the debug HUD" }],
-  },
-];
-
-/** True when the event target swallows plain keystrokes — a form field, or the
- *  hidden textarea xterm types into. Shared with `main.ts` so every global
- *  single-key binding is deaf in the same places. */
-export function isTypingTarget(target: EventTarget | null): boolean {
-  const el = target as HTMLElement | null;
-  if (!el || typeof el.tagName !== "string") return false;
-  return (
-    el.tagName === "INPUT" ||
-    el.tagName === "TEXTAREA" ||
-    el.tagName === "SELECT" ||
-    el.isContentEditable
-  );
-}
+import {
+  CommandSet,
+  defineCommands,
+  keyCaps,
+  publishedCommands,
+  type Command,
+} from "./commands.js";
 
 let open: { el: HTMLElement; dispose: () => void } | null = null;
 
@@ -108,7 +54,7 @@ export function openHelp(): HTMLElement {
   head.append(title, close);
   panel.appendChild(head);
 
-  for (const group of SHORTCUTS) {
+  for (const group of groupedCommands()) {
     const section = document.createElement("section");
     section.className = "help-group";
     const heading = document.createElement("h3");
@@ -116,19 +62,20 @@ export function openHelp(): HTMLElement {
     heading.textContent = group.title;
     const list = document.createElement("dl");
     list.className = "help-list";
-    for (const item of group.items) {
+    for (const cmd of group.items) {
       const row = document.createElement("div");
       row.className = "help-row";
+      row.dataset.commandId = cmd.id;
       const keys = document.createElement("dt");
       keys.className = "help-keys";
-      for (const key of item.keys) {
+      for (const key of keyCaps(cmd.keys[0])) {
         const cap = document.createElement("kbd");
         cap.textContent = key;
         keys.appendChild(cap);
       }
       const desc = document.createElement("dd");
       desc.className = "help-desc";
-      desc.textContent = item.description;
+      desc.textContent = cmd.label;
       row.append(keys, desc);
       list.appendChild(row);
     }
@@ -153,6 +100,26 @@ export function openHelp(): HTMLElement {
   return el;
 }
 
+/** The registry's commands, in registry order, bucketed into the help
+ *  overlay's sections. Groups appear in the order their first command does. */
+export function groupedCommands(): { title: string; items: Command[] }[] {
+  const groups: { title: string; items: Command[] }[] = [];
+  for (const cmd of publishedCommands()) {
+    let group = groups.find((g) => g.title === cmd.group);
+    if (!group) {
+      group = { title: cmd.group, items: [] };
+      groups.push(group);
+    }
+    group.items.push(cmd);
+  }
+  return groups;
+}
+
+// The overlay's own two commands. `help.close` is `overlay`-scoped: it is only
+// fed keys while the dialog is up.
+const helpKeys = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "help.toggle": () => toggleHelp() }));
+const overlayKeys = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "help.close": () => closeHelp() }));
+
 let installed = false;
 
 /** Global keybind: `?` toggles the overlay, Escape closes it. Idempotent, so a
@@ -161,16 +128,7 @@ export function installHelpKeybind(): void {
   if (installed) return;
   installed = true;
   window.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
-    if (e.key === "Escape" && open) {
-      e.preventDefault();
-      closeHelp();
-      return;
-    }
-    // Shift is how `?` is typed on most layouts; the others would be a
-    // different binding entirely.
-    if (e.key !== "?" || e.ctrlKey || e.altKey || e.metaKey) return;
-    if (isTypingTarget(e.target)) return;
-    e.preventDefault();
-    toggleHelp();
+    if (open && overlayKeys.handle(e)) return;
+    helpKeys.handle(e);
   });
 }

web/src/main.ts

@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ import { renderSidebar } from "./catalog.js";
 import { ConnectionPool } from "./connections.js";
 import { installDrawer, installDrawerSwipe, requestToggleDrawer } from "./drawer.js";
 import { installHudKeybind } from "./debug.js";
-import { installHelpKeybind, isHelpOpen, isTypingTarget } from "./help.js";
+import { installHelpKeybind, isHelpOpen } from "./help.js";
+import { CommandSet, DEFAULT_LEADER, defineCommands, isTypingTarget } from "./commands.js";
+import { isCommandBarOpen, openCommandBar } from "./commandBar.js";
 import { DaemonLink } from "./daemonLink.js";
 import { CatalogStore } from "./events.js";
 import { installRestartOverlay } from "./restartOverlay.js";
@@ -79,6 +81,15 @@ async function bootApp(): Promise<void> {
 
 const store = new CatalogStore();
 
+// The daemon's home dir, for the command bar's `~/…` directory abbreviation.
+// Absolute paths are a fine fallback until it lands.
+let homeDir: string | undefined;
+void getDaemonInfo()
+  .then((info) => (homeDir = info.home_dir))
+  .catch(() => {
+    /* absolute paths are a fine fallback */
+  });
+
 // The daemon's identity and liveness: names the release in the sidebar's status
 // dot, and blocks the UI behind the restart overlay while the daemon is away
 // (docs/RESTART.md). The events socket is the trigger — it dies first.
@@ -361,38 +372,75 @@ async function requestFastForward(): Promise<void> {
   });
 }
 
-// Keyboard pair (#67): `n` opens the spawn modal, `N` fast-forwards a spawn.
-// Ignored while typing anywhere (form fields, the terminal's hidden
-// textarea, search) so an attached session's keys are never hijacked.
-document.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
-  if (e.ctrlKey || e.altKey || e.metaKey) return;
-  if (isTypingTarget(e.target)) return;
-  // The help overlay owns the keyboard while it is up.
-  if (isHelpOpen()) return;
-  if (e.key === "n") {
-    e.preventDefault();
-    requestOpenSpawn();
-  } else if (e.key === "N") {
-    e.preventDefault();
-    void requestFastForward();
-  }
-});
+// The global half of the command registry (#148). Two sets, because they
+// differ in one thing: the help overlay owns the keyboard while it is up, so
+// the plain keys go deaf behind it while the focus chord does not — an
+// attached terminal must never be able to trap the focus keys.
+//
+// `n` opens the spawn modal, `N` fast-forwards a spawn (#67). Both are plain
+// keys, so `isTypingTarget` keeps them out of form fields and the terminal's
+// hidden textarea.
+const spawnKeys = new CommandSet(
+  defineCommands({
+    "spawn.open": () => requestOpenSpawn(),
+    "spawn.fastForward": () => void requestFastForward(),
+  }),
+);
 
 // Ctrl+Shift+H moves the keyboard between the session list and the pane, the
 // web counterpart of the TUI's `ctrl-w h`. It has to be a chord: an attached
 // terminal owns every plain keystroke, so nothing unmodified could ever get
 // the focus back out of it.
-window.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
-  if (!e.ctrlKey || !e.shiftKey || e.altKey || e.metaKey) return;
-  if (e.key !== "H" && e.key !== "h") return;
-  e.preventDefault();
-  if (sidebar.hasListFocus()) {
-    pool.focusTerminal();
-  } else {
-    drawer.open(); // no-op on desktop; on mobile the list is off-canvas
-    sidebar.focusList();
-  }
-});
+//
+// This set also owns the leader (`ctrl-a`, the TUI's default): it holds the
+// key as a partial chord and takes select-all off it, so the escape hatch
+// docs/COMMAND-BAR.md describes has somewhere to land (#149).
+const focusKeys = new CommandSet(
+  defineCommands({
+    "focus.toggle": () => {
+      if (sidebar.hasListFocus()) {
+        pool.focusTerminal();
+      } else {
+        drawer.open(); // no-op on desktop; on mobile the list is off-canvas
+        sidebar.focusList();
+      }
+    },
+  }),
+  { leader: DEFAULT_LEADER },
+);
+
+// Ctrl+K opens the command bar (docs/COMMAND-BAR.md). It is a registry command
+// like any other, so the `?` overlay lists it without a second list.
+const barKeys = new CommandSet(
+  defineCommands({
+    "bar.open": () => {
+      // Opening while a session is previewed discards the preview first, like
+      // any other real change (docs/PREVIEW.md): the bar is not previewed into.
+      schedulePreview.cancel();
+      mv?.previewSession(null);
+      openCommandBar({ sessions: [...store.snapshot().sessions.values()], homeDir });
+    },
+  }),
+);
+
+// Capture phase: an attached xterm swallows every keystroke it is given, so the
+// bar's binding has to be seen ahead of the terminal (docs/COMMAND-BAR.md).
+window.addEventListener(
+  "keydown",
+  (e) => {
+    // The bar owns the keyboard while it is up; its own input handles the keys.
+    if (isCommandBarOpen()) return;
+    if (focusKeys.handle(e)) return;
+    // The help overlay owns the keyboard while it is up.
+    if (isHelpOpen()) return;
+    // Opening the bar over a focused terminal is #152; until then the pane's
+    // hidden textarea keeps its Ctrl+K, like any other typing target.
+    if (!isTypingTarget(e.target) && barKeys.handle(e)) return;
+    spawnKeys.handle(e);
+  },
+  true,
+);
+
 
 // Tab in the session list hands the keyboard to the pane; Escape in the pane
 // hands it back — the pair the TUI gets from `tab` and `esc`.

web/src/matcher.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+  matchAndRank,
+  type CommandCandidate,
+  type DirectoryCandidate,
+  type MatchCandidate,
+  type MatchResult,
+  type SessionCandidate,
+} from "./matcher.js";
+
+function session(
+  name: string,
+  directory?: string,
+  command?: string,
+  tool?: string,
+): SessionCandidate {
+  return { kind: "session", fields: { name, directory, command, tool } };
+}
+
+function command(label: string): CommandCandidate {
+  return { kind: "command", fields: { label } };
+}
+
+function directory(path: string): DirectoryCandidate {
+  return { kind: "directory", fields: { path } };
+}
+
+function label(result: MatchResult): string {
+  switch (result.candidate.kind) {
+    case "session":
+      return `session:${result.candidate.fields.name}`;
+    case "command":
+      return `command:${result.candidate.fields.label}`;
+    case "directory":
+      return `directory:${result.candidate.fields.path}`;
+  }
+}
+
+function positions(result: MatchResult): number[] {
+  return result.ranges.flatMap(([start, end]) =>
+    Array.from({ length: end - start }, (_, offset) => start + offset),
+  );
+}
+
+function expectResults(
+  query: string,
+  candidates: MatchCandidate[],
+  expected: Array<[label: string, score: number, field?: string, positions?: number[]]>,
+): void {
+  const results = matchAndRank(query, candidates);
+
+  expect(results.map((result) => [label(result), result.score])).toEqual(
+    expected.map(([candidateLabel, score]) => [candidateLabel, score]),
+  );
+  expect(results.map((result) => result.field)).toEqual(
+    expected.map(([, , field]) => field),
+  );
+  expect(results.map(positions)).toEqual(expected.map(([, , , matched]) => matched ?? []));
+}
+
+describe("matchAndRank fixtures", () => {
+  it("F1: an empty query keeps input order", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "",
+      [
+        session("kill", "~/dev/api", "bash"),
+        session("killer-app", "~/dev/killer-app", "claude --resume", "claude"),
+        command("Kill selected session"),
+      ],
+      [
+        ["session:kill", 0],
+        ["session:killer-app", 0],
+        ["command:Kill selected session", 0],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F2: an exact session name beats a prefix and kind breaks a tie", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "kill",
+      [
+        session("kill", "~/dev/api", "bash"),
+        session("killer-app", "~/dev/killer-app", "claude --resume", "claude"),
+        command("Kill selected session"),
+      ],
+      [
+        ["session:kill", 178, "name", [0, 1, 2, 3]],
+        ["session:killer-app", 146, "name", [0, 1, 2, 3]],
+        ["command:Kill selected session", 146, "label", [0, 1, 2, 3]],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F3: path segment boundaries beat mid-segment matches", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "foo",
+      [directory("~/dev/foobar"), directory("~/src/myfoo"), directory("~/foo")],
+      [
+        ["directory:~/foo", 78, "path", [2, 3, 4]],
+        ["directory:~/dev/foobar", 74, "path", [6, 7, 8]],
+        ["directory:~/src/myfoo", 56, "path", [8, 9, 10]],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F4: a query matching nothing returns no candidates", () => {
+    expectResults("zzz", [session("kill", "~/dev/api", "bash"), command("Kill selected session")], []);
+  });
+
+  it("F5: the highest-scoring embedding can differ from the greedy embedding", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "mtu",
+      [session("maestro-tui"), session("maestro-daemon"), session("mtui-scratch")],
+      [
+        ["session:mtui-scratch", 122, "name", [0, 1, 2]],
+        ["session:maestro-tui", 91, "name", [0, 8, 9]],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F6: a name beats a weighted directory match", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "api",
+      [session("api", "~/dev/web", "bash"), session("worker", "~/dev/api", "bash")],
+      [
+        ["session:api", 154, "name", [0, 1, 2]],
+        ["session:worker", 50, "directory", [6, 7, 8]],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F7: matching is case-insensitive and field length breaks a tie", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "api",
+      [session("API-Gateway"), session("apiary")],
+      [
+        ["session:apiary", 122, "name", [0, 1, 2]],
+        ["session:API-Gateway", 122, "name", [0, 1, 2]],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F8: the exact tool field beats the command field", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "claude",
+      [session("nameless", "~/dev/x", "claude --resume", "claude"), session("clay", "~/dev/y", "bash")],
+      [["session:nameless", 186, "tool", [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]]],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F9: a separator earns a word-boundary bonus", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "ws",
+      [session("websearch"), session("web-search")],
+      [
+        ["session:web-search", 71, "name", [0, 4]],
+        ["session:websearch", 56, "name", [0, 3]],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F10: command labels rank by boundary and initial gap", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "se",
+      [command("Kill selected session"), command("Create a session"), command("Show help")],
+      [
+        ["command:Show help", 53, "label", [0, 6]],
+        ["command:Kill selected session", 51, "label", [5, 6]],
+        ["command:Create a session", 47, "label", [9, 10]],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F11: directory matches separate on their initial gap", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "dev",
+      [
+        session("api", "~/dev/api", "bash"),
+        session("notes", "~/documents/dev-notes", "nvim"),
+        session("scratch", "~/srv/devops", "bash"),
+      ],
+      [
+        ["session:api", 54, "directory", [2, 3, 4]],
+        ["session:scratch", 50, "directory", [6, 7, 8]],
+        ["session:notes", 44, "directory", [12, 13, 14]],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("F12: an exact field beats a prefix", () => {
+    expectResults(
+      "quit",
+      [command("Quit Maestro"), command("Quit")],
+      [
+        ["command:Quit", 178, "label", [0, 1, 2, 3]],
+        ["command:Quit Maestro", 146, "label", [0, 1, 2, 3]],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
+});

web/src/matcher.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+export type CandidateKind = "session" | "command" | "directory";
+
+export interface SessionCandidate {
+  kind: "session";
+  fields: {
+    name: string;
+    directory?: string;
+    command?: string;
+    tool?: string;
+  };
+}
+
+export interface CommandCandidate {
+  kind: "command";
+  fields: { label: string };
+}
+
+export interface DirectoryCandidate {
+  kind: "directory";
+  fields: { path: string };
+}
+
+export type MatchCandidate = SessionCandidate | CommandCandidate | DirectoryCandidate;
+export type MatchFieldName = "name" | "directory" | "command" | "tool" | "label" | "path";
+export type MatchRange = readonly [start: number, end: number];
+
+export interface MatchResult<C extends MatchCandidate = MatchCandidate> {
+  candidate: C;
+  score: number;
+  field: MatchFieldName | undefined;
+  ranges: MatchRange[];
+}
+
+interface Field {
+  name: MatchFieldName;
+  text: string;
+  weight: number;
+}
+
+interface Embedding {
+  score: number;
+  positions: number[];
+}
+
+interface RankedResult<C extends MatchCandidate> extends MatchResult<C> {
+  matchedText: string;
+  inputIndex: number;
+}
+
+const KIND_ORDER: Record<CandidateKind, number> = {
+  session: 0,
+  command: 1,
+  directory: 2,
+};
+
+function fields(candidate: MatchCandidate): Field[] {
+  switch (candidate.kind) {
+    case "session": {
+      const values: Array<[MatchFieldName, string | undefined, number]> = [
+        ["name", candidate.fields.name, 0],
+        ["directory", candidate.fields.directory, -24],
+        ["command", candidate.fields.command, -32],
+        ["tool", candidate.fields.tool, -40],
+      ];
+      return values.flatMap(([name, text, weight]) =>
+        text === undefined ? [] : [{ name, text, weight }],
+      );
+    }
+    case "command":
+      return [{ name: "label", text: candidate.fields.label, weight: 0 }];
+    case "directory":
+      return [{ name: "path", text: candidate.fields.path, weight: 0 }];
+  }
+}
+
+function normalizeQuery(query: string): string {
+  return query.toLowerCase().replace(/\s/g, "");
+}
+
+function boundaryBonus(text: string, position: number): number {
+  if (position === 0) return 18;
+
+  const previous = text[position - 1];
+  if ("/\\-_ .:".includes(previous)) return 16;
+
+  const current = text[position];
+  const isUppercase = current !== current.toLowerCase() && current === current.toUpperCase();
+  const previousIsLowercase =
+    previous !== previous.toUpperCase() && previous === previous.toLowerCase();
+  if (isUppercase && previousIsLowercase) return 12;
+
+  const isDigit = current >= "0" && current <= "9";
+  const previousIsDigit = previous >= "0" && previous <= "9";
+  if (isDigit && !previousIsDigit) return 12;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+function contribution(text: string, position: number, previousPosition: number): number {
+  const gap = position - previousPosition - 1;
+  return 16 + boundaryBonus(text, position) + (gap === 0 ? 8 : -Math.min(gap, 12));
+}
+
+function isBetterEmbedding(candidate: Embedding, incumbent: Embedding | undefined): boolean {
+  if (!incumbent || candidate.score !== incumbent.score) {
+    return !incumbent || candidate.score > incumbent.score;
+  }
+  for (let index = 0; index < candidate.positions.length; index++) {
+    if (candidate.positions[index] !== incumbent.positions[index]) {
+      return candidate.positions[index] < incumbent.positions[index];
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+function bestEmbedding(query: string, text: string): Embedding | undefined {
+  const lowerText = text.toLowerCase();
+  let previousStates = new Map<number, Embedding>();
+
+  for (let queryIndex = 0; queryIndex < query.length; queryIndex++) {
+    const states = new Map<number, Embedding>();
+    for (let position = 0; position < lowerText.length; position++) {
+      if (lowerText[position] !== query[queryIndex]) continue;
+
+      if (queryIndex === 0) {
+        states.set(position, {
+          score: contribution(text, position, -1),
+          positions: [position],
+        });
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      for (const [previousPosition, previous] of previousStates) {
+        if (previousPosition >= position) continue;
+        const candidate = {
+          score: previous.score + contribution(text, position, previousPosition),
+          positions: [...previous.positions, position],
+        };
+        if (isBetterEmbedding(candidate, states.get(position))) states.set(position, candidate);
+      }
+    }
+    if (states.size === 0) return undefined;
+    previousStates = states;
+  }
+
+  let best: Embedding | undefined;
+  for (const embedding of previousStates.values()) {
+    if (isBetterEmbedding(embedding, best)) best = embedding;
+  }
+  return best;
+}
+
+function toRanges(positions: number[]): MatchRange[] {
+  const ranges: MatchRange[] = [];
+  for (const position of positions) {
+    const previous = ranges[ranges.length - 1];
+    if (previous && previous[1] === position) {
+      ranges[ranges.length - 1] = [previous[0], position + 1];
+    } else {
+      ranges.push([position, position + 1]);
+    }
+  }
+  return ranges;
+}
+
+function compareByCodePoint(left: string, right: string): number {
+  const leftPoints = Array.from(left, (character) => character.codePointAt(0)!);
+  const rightPoints = Array.from(right, (character) => character.codePointAt(0)!);
+  const length = Math.min(leftPoints.length, rightPoints.length);
+  for (let index = 0; index < length; index++) {
+    if (leftPoints[index] !== rightPoints[index]) return leftPoints[index] - rightPoints[index];
+  }
+  return leftPoints.length - rightPoints.length;
+}
+
+export function matchAndRank<C extends MatchCandidate>(
+  query: string,
+  candidates: readonly C[],
+): MatchResult<C>[] {
+  const normalizedQuery = normalizeQuery(query);
+  if (normalizedQuery === "") {
+    return candidates.map((candidate) => ({ candidate, score: 0, field: undefined, ranges: [] }));
+  }
+
+  const results: RankedResult<C>[] = [];
+  candidates.forEach((candidate, inputIndex) => {
+    let best:
+      | { field: Field; score: number; positions: number[] }
+      | undefined;
+
+    for (const field of fields(candidate)) {
+      const embedding = bestEmbedding(normalizedQuery, field.text);
+      if (!embedding) continue;
+
+      const compactText = field.text.toLowerCase().replace(/\s/g, "");
+      const adjustment =
+        compactText === normalizedQuery ? 64 : compactText.startsWith(normalizedQuery) ? 32 : 0;
+      const score = embedding.score + adjustment + field.weight;
+      if (!best || score > best.score) best = { field, score, positions: embedding.positions };
+    }
+
+    if (best) {
+      results.push({
+        candidate,
+        score: best.score,
+        field: best.field.name,
+        ranges: toRanges(best.positions),
+        matchedText: best.field.text,
+        inputIndex,
+      });
+    }
+  });
+
+  results.sort(
+    (left, right) =>
+      right.score - left.score ||
+      KIND_ORDER[left.candidate.kind] - KIND_ORDER[right.candidate.kind] ||
+      left.matchedText.length - right.matchedText.length ||
+      compareByCodePoint(left.matchedText, right.matchedText) ||
+      left.inputIndex - right.inputIndex,
+  );
+
+  return results.map(({ candidate, score, field, ranges }) => ({ candidate, score, field, ranges }));
+}

web/src/styles.css

@@ -1423,6 +1423,128 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
   color: var(--muted);
 }
 
+/* ---------- command bar (Ctrl+K) — docs/COMMAND-BAR.md ---------- */
+/* Same family of surface as the spawn modal and the help overlay: the overlay
+   tokens below are theirs, not a third set. */
+.cmdbar-overlay {
+  position: fixed;
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: var(--z-modal);
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-rows: 12vh auto 1fr;
+  justify-items: center;
+  padding: var(--sp-4);
+  background: oklch(0 0 0 / 0.5);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(4px);
+}
+
+.cmdbar-panel {
+  grid-row: 2;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  width: min(560px, 100%);
+  max-height: min(60vh, 520px);
+  overflow: hidden;
+  background: var(--surface);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-strong);
+  border-radius: var(--r-3);
+  box-shadow: var(--shadow-2);
+}
+
+.cmdbar-input {
+  appearance: none;
+  background: none;
+  border: 0;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 0;
+  color: var(--ink);
+  font-family: var(--font-mono);
+  font-size: var(--fs-15);
+  padding: var(--sp-3) var(--sp-4);
+}
+
+.cmdbar-input:focus-visible {
+  outline: none;
+}
+
+.cmdbar-results {
+  overflow-y: auto;
+  padding: var(--sp-2) 0;
+}
+
+.cmdbar-group-title {
+  padding: var(--sp-2) var(--sp-4) var(--sp-1);
+  font-size: var(--fs-11);
+  font-weight: 600;
+  letter-spacing: 0.08em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  color: var(--faint);
+}
+
+.cmdbar-row {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: baseline;
+  gap: var(--sp-3);
+  padding: var(--sp-1) var(--sp-4);
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+
+.cmdbar-row.is-active {
+  background: var(--surface-3);
+}
+
+.cmdbar-row-name {
+  font-size: var(--fs-13);
+  color: var(--ink);
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+}
+
+/* A dead session still lists — it just is not where you just were. */
+.cmdbar-row.is-dead .cmdbar-row-name {
+  color: var(--muted);
+}
+
+.cmdbar-row-meta {
+  flex: 1 1 auto;
+  min-width: 0;
+  font-size: var(--fs-11);
+  color: var(--faint);
+  text-align: right;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+}
+
+.cmdbar-hit {
+  background: none;
+  color: var(--accent);
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
+
+.cmdbar-empty {
+  padding: var(--sp-3) var(--sp-4);
+  font-size: var(--fs-13);
+  color: var(--muted);
+}
+
+/* Phone: the bottom-sheet treatment the spawn modal already uses. */
+@media (max-width: 600px) {
+  .cmdbar-overlay {
+    grid-template-rows: 1fr auto;
+    padding: 0;
+  }
+
+  .cmdbar-panel {
+    grid-row: 2;
+    width: 100%;
+    max-height: 70vh;
+    border-radius: var(--r-3) var(--r-3) 0 0;
+    border-bottom: 0;
+  }
+}
+
 /* Line 2 — dot + duration in the state's colour, then muted fragments. The
    state word itself is never spelled out here; the colour carries it. */
 .card-line2 {

web/src/types.ts

@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@ export interface Session {
    * create one. `base_repo` is the repository's main checkout, which is what
    * the session tree groups by (#99). */
   worktree?: SessionWorktree | null;
+  /** Wall-clock of when this session last became the pane a client was showing
+   * (#145) — stamped by both `POST /api/sessions/:id/focus` and opening
+   * `/api/attach/:id`. Absent until the session has been focused once, which is
+   * how the command bar's empty query sorts a never-focused session after every
+   * session that has one (`docs/COMMAND-BAR.md`). */
+  last_focused_at?: IsoTimestamp | null;
 }
 
 /** A session's daemon-created worktree (`SessionWorktree` on the wire). */