feat(maestro): add SessionView to the protocol and sidecar

Adds `SessionView { Terminal, Structured }` to maestro-protocol, a
defaulted `view` field on `Session` and `CreateSessionRequest`, and
sidecar round-trip tests for both a legacy payload with no `view` key
and a `Structured` session. Nothing reads the field yet; every other
struct literal across the workspace picks up `Default::default()`
(Terminal) to keep compiling.

Gitea #133.

crates/maestro-cli/src/sessions.rs

@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ pub async fn run_spawn(client: &DaemonClient, args: SpawnArgs) -> Result<Session
     };
 
     let body = CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
         cwd: args.cwd.clone(),
         command: args.command.clone(),
         env,
@@ -236,6 +237,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     fn session(cwd: &str, command: &str, id: u128) -> Session {
         Session {
+            view: Default::default(),
             id: Uuid::from_u128(id),
             cwd: PathBuf::from(cwd),
             command: command.into(),

crates/maestro-cli/tests/against_mock_daemon.rs

@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ async fn spawn_round_trips_through_the_daemon() {
     let created = mock
         .client()
         .create_session(&maestro_protocol::CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: "/home/mock".into(),
             command: "bash".into(),
             env: Default::default(),

crates/maestro-daemon/src/session.rs

@@ -478,6 +478,7 @@ impl SessionManager {
             // fresh tree has nothing in the way anyway.
             blocked_work: None,
             last_focused_at: None,
+            view: req.view,
         };
 
         if let Err(e) = self.inner.sidecar.write(&session) {
@@ -683,6 +684,9 @@ impl SessionManager {
                     current_cwd: None,
                     blocked_work: None,
                     last_focused_at: None,
+                    // Unknown on adoption without a sidecar; matches every
+                    // other field's forward-compat default.
+                    view: maestro_protocol::SessionView::Terminal,
                 },
             };
             let fifo_path = self.inner.fifo_dir.join(format!("{id}.fifo"));

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/activity_report.rs

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ async fn fixture(ttl: Duration) -> Fixture {
 async fn spawn_sleeping(manager: &SessionManager) -> Uuid {
     manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: "/tmp".into(),
             command: "sleep 60".into(),
             env: Default::default(),

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/attach.rs

@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ async fn create_bash_session(h: &Harness) -> Uuid {
     let s = h
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd_path,
             command: "bash --noprofile --norc".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/autoname.rs

@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ async fn spawn(manager: &SessionManager, name: Option<&str>) -> Uuid {
     };
     manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: "/tmp".into(),
             command: "sleep 60".into(),
             env: Default::default(),

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/blocked_work_cost.rs

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ use tempfile::TempDir;
 
 fn request(cwd: &std::path::Path, repo: &std::path::Path, branch: &str) -> CreateSessionRequest {
     CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
         cwd: cwd.to_path_buf(),
         command: "sleep 30".into(),
         env: HashMap::new(),

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/local_api.rs

@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ async fn list_sessions_starts_empty_and_reflects_creates() {
     assert!(empty.is_empty());
 
     let req = CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
         cwd: "/tmp".into(),
         command: "sleep 60".into(),
         env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -390,6 +391,7 @@ async fn patch_session_renames_it() {
     let session = h
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: "/tmp".into(),
             command: "sleep 60".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -432,6 +434,7 @@ async fn post_focus_stamps_last_focused_at() {
     let session = h
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: "/tmp".into(),
             command: "sleep 60".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -465,6 +468,7 @@ async fn delete_owned_session_kills_it() {
     let session = h
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: "/tmp".into(),
             command: "sleep 60".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -486,6 +490,7 @@ async fn delete_owned_session_kills_it() {
 async fn spawn_via_manager(h: &Harness) -> Uuid {
     h.manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: "/tmp".into(),
             command: "sleep 60".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -595,6 +600,7 @@ async fn delete_a_session_whose_worktree_holds_unsaved_work_returns_409_with_the
     let session = h
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 60".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -647,6 +653,7 @@ async fn delete_with_force_ends_the_session_and_keeps_the_worktree() {
     let session = h
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 60".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -680,6 +687,7 @@ async fn attach_ws_streams_pty_bytes() {
     let session = h
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: "/tmp".into(),
             command: "bash --noprofile --norc".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -748,6 +756,7 @@ async fn events_ws_sends_a_snapshot_then_streams_deltas() {
     let created = h
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -792,6 +801,7 @@ async fn every_events_subscriber_gets_its_own_snapshot() {
 
     h.manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/rename.rs

@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ async fn spawn_named(manager: &SessionManager, name: Option<&str>) -> Uuid {
     };
     manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: "/tmp".into(),
             command: "sleep 60".into(),
             env: Default::default(),

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/session_decisions.rs

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ impl Fx {
 
     fn request(&self, command: &str) -> CreateSessionRequest {
         CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: self.tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: command.into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/session_manager.rs

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ async fn create_then_kill_round_trip() {
     let session = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ async fn create_appends_to_spawn_history() {
     let session = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -92,6 +94,7 @@ async fn create_without_history_logs_nothing() {
     let cwd = TempDir::new().unwrap();
     fx.manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -114,6 +117,7 @@ async fn recover_adopts_existing_tmux_sessions() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -153,6 +157,7 @@ async fn create_captures_initial_output_in_replay_buffer() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             // The shell prints the marker before doing anything else and
             // then sleeps so the session stays alive. Before NAP-253 this
@@ -200,6 +205,7 @@ async fn attach_replay_is_the_current_screen_not_the_byte_tail() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             // Print a line, then switch to the alternate screen the way a
             // full-screen program does on startup. Only the second marker is
@@ -258,6 +264,7 @@ async fn attach_replay_carries_the_panes_mouse_modes() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             // Alternate screen, then button-event tracking (?1002) with SGR
             // coordinates (?1006) — what tmux and agent TUIs actually request.
@@ -311,6 +318,7 @@ async fn recover_re_pipes_pane_so_output_reaches_subscribers() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "bash --noprofile --norc".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -373,6 +381,7 @@ async fn pty_broadcast_delivers_bytes_to_subscribers() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "bash --noprofile --norc".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -423,6 +432,7 @@ async fn liveness_watcher_marks_dead_sessions_and_keeps_them_until_dismissed() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -488,6 +498,7 @@ async fn watcher_refreshes_the_blocked_work_indicator() {
 
     fx.manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -580,6 +591,7 @@ async fn kill_removes_worktree_even_when_spec_says_keep() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -617,6 +629,7 @@ async fn killing_refuses_a_worktree_with_unsaved_work_and_keeps_the_session() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -680,6 +693,7 @@ async fn killing_refuses_until_the_branch_is_pushed() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -729,6 +743,7 @@ async fn force_killing_a_guarded_worktree_leaves_it_on_disk() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -774,6 +789,7 @@ async fn force_on_a_clear_worktree_removes_it_as_usual() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -814,6 +830,7 @@ async fn killing_an_ignored_only_worktree_succeeds() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -855,6 +872,7 @@ async fn natural_exit_of_a_guarded_worktree_leaves_it_on_disk() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -916,6 +934,7 @@ async fn natural_exit_of_a_pristine_worktree_removes_it() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -976,6 +995,7 @@ async fn liveness_watcher_leaves_running_sessions_alone() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -1010,6 +1030,7 @@ async fn worktree_base_repo_records_the_main_checkout_not_the_request() {
     let first = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -1027,6 +1048,7 @@ async fn worktree_base_repo_records_the_main_checkout_not_the_request() {
     let second = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: inner_worktree.clone(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -1065,6 +1087,7 @@ async fn spawned_sessions_export_maestro_session_id_and_url() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -1103,6 +1126,7 @@ async fn a_freshly_created_session_has_never_been_focused() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -1128,6 +1152,7 @@ async fn set_focused_true_stamps_last_focused_at() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -1176,6 +1201,7 @@ async fn attaching_stamps_last_focused_at() {
     let s = fx
         .manager
         .create(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sleep 30".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),

crates/maestro-daemon/tests/sidecar.rs

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
 use maestro_daemon::sidecar::SidecarStore;
-use maestro_protocol::{Session, SessionStatus};
+use maestro_protocol::{Session, SessionStatus, SessionView};
 use serde_json::Value;
 use tempfile::TempDir;
 use uuid::Uuid;
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ fn sample(id: Uuid) -> Session {
         current_cwd: Some(PathBuf::from("/tmp/work/crates")),
         blocked_work: None,
         last_focused_at: None,
+        view: SessionView::Terminal,
     }
 }
 
@@ -103,6 +104,37 @@ fn load_all_returns_empty_when_directory_missing() {
     assert!(store.load_all().unwrap().is_empty());
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn sidecar_missing_view_key_reads_as_terminal() {
+    // A pre-#133 sidecar on disk has no `view` field at all.
+    let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let store = SidecarStore::new(dir.path());
+    let id = Uuid::new_v4();
+
+    let mut value = serde_json::to_value(sample(id)).unwrap();
+    value.as_object_mut().unwrap().remove("view");
+    std::fs::write(store.path_for(id), serde_json::to_vec(&value).unwrap()).unwrap();
+
+    let loaded = store.read(id).expect("read").expect("present");
+    assert_eq!(loaded.view, SessionView::Terminal);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn sidecar_structured_view_round_trips() {
+    let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let store = SidecarStore::new(dir.path());
+    let id = Uuid::new_v4();
+    let mut s = sample(id);
+    s.view = SessionView::Structured;
+
+    store.write(&s).expect("write");
+    let loaded = store.read(id).expect("read");
+    assert_eq!(
+        loaded.as_ref().map(|s| s.view),
+        Some(SessionView::Structured)
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn write_creates_parent_directory() {
     let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();

crates/maestro-e2e/tests/e2e.rs

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ async fn bring_up() -> (Daemon, TestClient) {
 
 fn create_req(cwd: &std::path::Path, command: &str) -> CreateSessionRequest {
     CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
         cwd: cwd.to_path_buf(),
         command: command.into(),
         env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ fn worktree_spec(base_repo: &std::path::Path, branch: &str, create_branch: bool)
 /// Spawn request carrying a worktree spec against `base`.
 fn worktree_req(base: &std::path::Path, branch: &str, create_branch: bool) -> CreateSessionRequest {
     CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
         cwd: base.to_path_buf(),
         command: "sleep 30".into(),
         env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -143,6 +145,7 @@ async fn kill_removes_clean_worktree() {
     init_repo(base.path());
 
     let req = CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
         cwd: base.path().to_path_buf(),
         command: "sleep 30".into(),
         env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -196,6 +199,7 @@ async fn kill_refuses_worktree_with_uncommitted_changes() {
         .join("unsaved");
 
     let req = CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
         cwd: base.path().to_path_buf(),
         command: "sleep 30".into(),
         env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -254,6 +258,7 @@ async fn spawn_on_existing_branch_checks_it_out() {
     run_git(&["branch", "feature/existing"], base.path());
 
     let req = CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
         cwd: base.path().to_path_buf(),
         command: "sleep 30".into(),
         env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -754,6 +759,7 @@ async fn natural_exit_settles_dirty_and_pristine_worktrees_differently() {
 
     let _dirty = client
         .spawn_session(&CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: dirty_repo.path().to_path_buf(),
             command: "sh -c 'echo unsaved > scratch.txt'".into(),
             env: HashMap::new(),
@@ -802,6 +808,7 @@ async fn natural_exit_settles_dirty_and_pristine_worktrees_differently() {
 
 fn create_req_cmd(cwd: &std::path::Path, command: &str, branch: &str) -> CreateSessionRequest {
     CreateSessionRequest {
+        view: Default::default(),
         cwd: cwd.to_path_buf(),
         command: command.into(),
         env: HashMap::new(),

crates/maestro-protocol/src/display.rs

@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     fn session(cwd: &str) -> Session {
         Session {
+            view: Default::default(),
             id: Uuid::from_u128(1),
             cwd: PathBuf::from(cwd),
             command: "bash".into(),

crates/maestro-protocol/src/lib.rs

@@ -116,6 +116,24 @@ pub struct Session {
     /// sorts a never-focused session after every session that has one.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub last_focused_at: Option<DateTime<Utc>>,
+    /// Whether this session's process is a plain terminal (PTY bytes through
+    /// tmux) or a structured agent driven over ACP rows (#133). Fixed at
+    /// spawn time and never changes for the life of the session. Defaults to
+    /// `Terminal` on the wire so every existing client and payload from a
+    /// daemon that predates the field keeps working untouched.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub view: SessionView,
+}
+
+/// A session's process shape (#133): a plain terminal, or a structured agent
+/// driven over ACP rows. Chosen at spawn and immutable for the session's
+/// life. `Terminal` is the default — every sidecar and `CreateSessionRequest`
+/// written before this field existed meant a terminal session.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize, Default)]
+pub enum SessionView {
+    #[default]
+    Terminal,
+    Structured,
 }
 
 /// Default for [`Session::last_activity_at`] when an older payload omits it.
@@ -352,6 +370,11 @@ pub struct CreateSessionRequest {
     pub metadata: HashMap<String, Value>,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub worktree: Option<WorktreeSpec>,
+    /// The process shape to spawn (#133). Defaulted so every existing client
+    /// and `curl` against the API keeps requesting a `Terminal` session
+    /// untouched.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub view: SessionView,
 }
 
 /// Result of `GET /api/dirs`: the immediate subdirectories of one directory.
@@ -862,6 +885,7 @@ mod tests {
             current_cwd: Some(PathBuf::from("/home/naps62/projects/maestro/crates")),
             blocked_work: None,
             last_focused_at: None,
+            view: SessionView::Terminal,
         }
     }
 
@@ -1073,6 +1097,7 @@ mod tests {
                 branch: "feat/foo".into(),
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
+            view: SessionView::Terminal,
         };
         assert_eq!(req, round_trip(&req));
     }
@@ -1087,6 +1112,26 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(req.worktree.is_none());
         assert!(req.env.is_empty());
         assert!(req.metadata.is_empty());
+        assert_eq!(req.view, SessionView::Terminal);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn session_view_defaults_to_terminal_on_legacy_payload() {
+        // A pre-#133 daemon or client omits `view`; it must deserialize to
+        // `Terminal` rather than failing, and `Structured` round-trips.
+        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.view, SessionView::Terminal);
+
+        let mut structured = sample_session();
+        structured.view = SessionView::Structured;
+        assert_eq!(structured, round_trip(&structured));
     }
 
     /// A client that predates the new/existing discriminator sends no

crates/maestro-testing/src/lib.rs

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ use uuid::Uuid;
 /// Build a plausible `Session` for a test to hand to [`MockDaemon::add_session`].
 pub fn session(id: Uuid, cwd: &str, command: &str) -> Session {
     Session {
+        view: Default::default(),
         id,
         cwd: cwd.into(),
         command: command.into(),

crates/maestro-tui/src/app.rs

@@ -1882,6 +1882,7 @@ mod tests {
             sessions: ids
                 .iter()
                 .map(|id| Session {
+                    view: Default::default(),
                     id: *id,
                     command: "bash".into(),
                     cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/"),
@@ -2063,6 +2064,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut app = make_app();
         app.catalog.apply_event(CatalogEvent::Snapshot {
             sessions: vec![Session {
+                view: Default::default(),
                 id: sid,
                 command: "bash".into(),
                 cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/"),
@@ -2090,6 +2092,7 @@ mod tests {
         use chrono::Utc;
         use maestro_protocol::{Session, SessionStatus};
         Session {
+            view: Default::default(),
             id: sid,
             command: "bash".into(),
             cwd: cwd.into(),
@@ -2777,6 +2780,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
         app.dispatch(Action::OpenSpawnModal);
         let req = CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/srv/work"),
             command: "bash".into(),
             env: Default::default(),
@@ -3195,6 +3199,7 @@ mod tests {
         use chrono::Utc;
         use maestro_protocol::{CatalogEvent, Session, SessionStatus};
         let make = |n: u128, name: &str, focused: Option<chrono::DateTime<Utc>>| Session {
+            view: Default::default(),
             id: Uuid::from_u128(n),
             command: "bash".into(),
             cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/"),
@@ -3475,6 +3480,7 @@ mod tests {
         let sid = Uuid::from_u128(7);
         app.catalog.apply_event(CatalogEvent::Snapshot {
             sessions: vec![Session {
+                view: Default::default(),
                 id: sid,
                 command: "bash".into(),
                 cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/"),
@@ -3511,6 +3517,7 @@ mod tests {
         };
         app.catalog.apply_event(CatalogEvent::Snapshot {
             sessions: vec![Session {
+                view: Default::default(),
                 id: sid,
                 command: "bash".into(),
                 cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/"),

crates/maestro-tui/src/catalog.rs

@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     fn session(id: u128, command: &str) -> Session {
         Session {
+            view: Default::default(),
             id: Uuid::from_u128(id),
             command: command.into(),
             cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/tmp"),

crates/maestro-tui/src/command_bar.rs

@@ -793,6 +793,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     fn session(n: u128, command: &str) -> Session {
         Session {
+            view: Default::default(),
             id: Uuid::from_u128(n),
             cwd: PathBuf::from("/home/me/dev/api"),
             command: command.to_string(),

crates/maestro-tui/src/draft.rs

@@ -694,6 +694,7 @@ impl DraftPane {
         }
         let worktree = self.build_worktree()?;
         Ok(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd,
             command: command.to_string(),
             env: Default::default(),

crates/maestro-tui/src/fast_forward.rs

@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ impl FastForwardDefaults {
             return None;
         }
         Some(CreateSessionRequest {
+            view: Default::default(),
             cwd: project.path.clone(),
             command: command.to_string(),
             env: Default::default(),

crates/maestro-tui/src/sidebar.rs

@@ -484,6 +484,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut metadata = HashMap::new();
         metadata.insert("name".into(), serde_json::Value::String(name.into()));
         Session {
+            view: Default::default(),
             id: Uuid::from_u128(id),
             command: "bash".into(),
             cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/tmp"),
@@ -1250,6 +1251,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn falls_back_to_command_when_name_metadata_is_absent() {
         let s = Session {
+            view: Default::default(),
             id: Uuid::from_u128(1),
             command: "vim".into(),
             cwd: std::path::PathBuf::from("/tmp"),

docs/SIDEBAR.md

@@ -307,9 +307,10 @@ lands on the first row it was hiding. A highlight parked on a skipped row —
 reachable by clicking a folder header — still steps to its neighbour rather
 than jumping to the end of the list.
 
-The web client needs a chord to reach the list at all (`Ctrl+Shift+H`, and the
-same chord back): an attached terminal owns every plain keystroke. The TUI uses
-`ctrl-w h`.
+The web client needs a chord to reach the list at all (leader-`h` — `Ctrl+A h`
+by default — and the same chord back): an attached terminal owns every plain
+keystroke, and Escape is left to reach the pane's shell/app instead. The TUI
+uses `ctrl-w h`.
 
 Everything else is the same key on both clients:
 

web/src/attach.ts

@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ import { Terminal } from "@xterm/xterm";
 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";
@@ -14,15 +12,6 @@ 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();
@@ -221,15 +210,6 @@ 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 —
-  // 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") return true;
-    return !paneKeys.handle(e);
-  });
-
   // Touch scrolling: xterm's built-in touch handling is jittery (drags crawl a
   // line at a time and stall), so map finger drags ourselves. Two routes:
   //   • normal buffer  → term.scrollLines walks the scrollback.
@@ -470,6 +450,12 @@ export function createAttachConnection(
   const resizeDisp = term.onResize(({ cols, rows }) => {
     sendControl({ type: "Resize", cols, rows });
   });
+  // xterm has no built-in copy-on-select; mirror the selection to the
+  // clipboard ourselves (best-effort — insecure contexts lack the API).
+  const selectionDisp = term.onSelectionChange(() => {
+    const text = term.getSelection();
+    if (text) void navigator.clipboard?.writeText(text).catch(() => {});
+  });
 
   window.addEventListener("resize", onResize);
   const visual = window.visualViewport ?? null;
@@ -525,6 +511,7 @@ export function createAttachConnection(
       visual?.removeEventListener("resize", onResize);
       dataDisp.dispose();
       resizeDisp.dispose();
+      selectionDisp.dispose();
       releaseWebgl();
       try {
         ws.close();

web/src/catalog.ts

@@ -53,10 +53,6 @@ export function requestOpenCommandBar(): void {
  *  connection pool. */
 export const FOCUS_PANE_EVENT = "catalog-focus-pane";
 
-/** Ask the shell to hand the keyboard back to the session list — what Escape
- *  does when the pane's terminal is focused. Handled in main.ts. */
-export const FOCUS_SIDEBAR_EVENT = "catalog-focus-sidebar";
-
 /** Ask the shell to open the spawn modal seeded from an existing session
  *  ("Spawn similar"). Detail is the session being cloned. */
 export const SPAWN_SIMILAR_EVENT = "catalog-spawn-similar";

web/src/commands.test.ts

@@ -133,31 +133,28 @@ describe("CommandSet", () => {
     expect(run).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
   });
 
-  it("keeps plain keys deaf inside a form field, and chorded ones live", () => {
+  it("keeps plain keys deaf inside a form field, and leader chords live from the pane", () => {
     const plain = vi.fn();
     const chorded = vi.fn();
     const set = new CommandSet(
-      defineCommands({ "spawn.open": plain, "focus.toggle": chorded }),
+      defineCommands({ "spawn.open": plain, "focus.toggle": chorded }, DEFAULT_LEADER),
+      { leader: DEFAULT_LEADER },
     );
     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);
+    // focus.toggle hangs off the leader (#166): a plain, unmodified Escape is
+    // left for the pane's shell/app instead.
+    const terminal = el('<textarea class="xterm-helper-textarea"></textarea>');
+    pressOn(set, terminal, "a", { ctrlKey: true });
+    expect(pressOn(set, terminal, "h")).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,
-    });
+  it("leaves a plain Escape for the pane instead of binding it", () => {
+    const set = new CommandSet(defineCommands({ "spawn.open": vi.fn() }));
     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);
+    expect(pressOn(set, textarea, "Escape")).toBe(false);
   });
 });
 
@@ -173,6 +170,7 @@ describe("the leader", () => {
     const byId = new Map(commandSpecs("ctrl-b").map((s) => [s.id, s]));
     expect(byId.get("pane.literalCtrlK")?.keys).toEqual(["ctrl-b ctrl-k"]);
     expect(byId.get("pane.literalLeader")?.keys).toEqual(["ctrl-b ctrl-b"]);
+    expect(byId.get("focus.toggle")?.keys).toEqual(["ctrl-b h"]);
     // Commands that do not hang off the leader are untouched.
     expect(byId.get("bar.open")?.keys).toEqual(["ctrl-k"]);
   });

web/src/commands.ts

@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ const SPECS: readonly SpecSource[] = [
     id: "focus.toggle",
     label: "Move the keyboard between the session list and the pane",
     group: "Session list",
-    keys: ["ctrl-shift-h"],
+    keys: [`${DEFAULT_LEADER} h`],
+    leaderKeys: (leader) => [`${leader} h`],
     scope: "global",
   },
   {
@@ -145,13 +146,6 @@ const SPECS: readonly SpecSource[] = [
     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",

web/src/layout.test.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
 import {
   emptyLayout,
+  equalizeRatios,
   leaves,
   locateSession,
   openSessions,
@@ -44,6 +45,23 @@ describe("splitLeaf", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("equalizeRatios", () => {
+  it("resets nested splits to equal width, not just the newest one", () => {
+    const tab = tabWithOneLeaf("s1");
+    const first = leaves(tab.root)[0].id;
+    splitLeaf(tab, first, "s2", "row", true); // A|B, 0.5/0.5
+    const second = leaves(tab.root)[1].id;
+    splitLeaf(tab, second, "s3", "row", true); // A(0.5) | (B|C, 0.5/0.5) -> B,C at 0.25 each
+
+    equalizeRatios(tab.root);
+
+    const root = tab.root as Extract<typeof tab.root, { kind: "split" }>;
+    expect(root.ratio).toBeCloseTo(1 / 3);
+    const inner = root.b as Extract<typeof root.b, { kind: "split" }>;
+    expect(inner.ratio).toBeCloseTo(1 / 2);
+  });
+});
+
 describe("removeLeaf", () => {
   it("collapses the parent split into the surviving sibling", () => {
     const tab = tabWithOneLeaf("s1");

web/src/layout.ts

@@ -118,6 +118,17 @@ export function removeLeaf(tab: Tab, leafId: string): void {
   tab.root = tab.root ? rec(tab.root) : null;
 }
 
+/** Reset every split ratio under `node` so all leaves get equal width,
+ *  regardless of split direction or nesting order. Returns the leaf count. */
+export function equalizeRatios(node: Node | null): number {
+  if (!node) return 0;
+  if (node.kind === "leaf") return 1;
+  const na = equalizeRatios(node.a);
+  const nb = equalizeRatios(node.b);
+  node.ratio = na / (na + nb);
+  return na + nb;
+}
+
 export function addTab(layout: Layout): Tab {
   const tab: Tab = {
     id: freshId("t"),

web/src/main.ts

@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ import { loadLayout, saveLayout } from "./persistence.js";
 import { createPreviewSchedule } from "./previewSchedule.js";
 import {
   FOCUS_PANE_EVENT,
-  FOCUS_SIDEBAR_EVENT,
   OPEN_COMMAND_BAR_EVENT,
   OPEN_SPAWN_EVENT,
   SESSION_SELECT_EVENT,
@@ -440,10 +439,11 @@ const spawnKeys = new CommandSet(
   }),
 );
 
-// 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.
+// Leader-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 behind the
+// leader: an attached terminal owns every plain keystroke, and Ctrl+Shift+H
+// is already claimed by the browser (history), so nothing unmodified — or
+// modified with a common browser chord — could get the focus back out of it.
 //
 // This set also owns the leader (`[tui].leader`, `ctrl-a` by default, served
 // on `/api/info`): it holds the key as a partial chord and takes select-all off
@@ -528,8 +528,8 @@ window.addEventListener(
 );
 
 
-// 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`.
+// Tab in the session list hands the keyboard to the pane; leader-h (focus.toggle,
+// above) hands it back the other way.
 document.addEventListener(FOCUS_PANE_EVENT, () => {
   // Handing the keyboard to a previewed pane is choosing it: the preview stops
   // being provisional rather than snapping back the moment the list blurs.
@@ -537,10 +537,6 @@ document.addEventListener(FOCUS_PANE_EVENT, () => {
   if (previewed) focusSession(previewed);
   pool.focusTerminal();
 });
-document.addEventListener(FOCUS_SIDEBAR_EVENT, () => {
-  drawer.open(); // no-op on desktop; on mobile the list is off-canvas
-  sidebar.focusList();
-});
 
 /** Open/focus a session and reflect it in the shell chrome. Shared by the
  *  hash router and the sidebar's click-driven path (#133), which can't rely

web/src/multiview.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   activeTab,
   addTab,
   closeTab,
+  equalizeRatios,
   findLeaf,
   freshId,
   type Dir,
@@ -457,6 +458,7 @@ export function createMultiView(opts: MultiViewOptions): MultiView {
     dropPreview();
     const tab = activeTab(layout);
     tab.focusedLeafId = splitLeaf(tab, leafId, null, dir, true);
+    equalizeRatios(tab.root);
     render();
   }
 
@@ -542,6 +544,7 @@ export function createMultiView(opts: MultiViewOptions): MultiView {
       target.sessionId = sessionId;
     } else {
       tab.focusedLeafId = splitLeaf(tab, target.id, sessionId, "row", true);
+      equalizeRatios(tab.root);
     }
     render();
     opts.onOpenSessionsChange?.();
@@ -815,6 +818,7 @@ export function createMultiView(opts: MultiViewOptions): MultiView {
     if (source.kind === "pane" && self) removeLeaf(tab, self);
     else if (loc) removeLeaf(loc.tab, loc.leaf.id);
     tab.focusedLeafId = splitLeaf(tab, targetLeafId, sessionId, dir, after);
+    equalizeRatios(tab.root);
     render();
   }