feat(maestro): port spawn dialog to React (#248)

Ports the vanilla spawn form/modal to src/components/spawn/:
SpawnModal, SpawnForm, DirAutocomplete, BranchPicker, and a
useFastForward hook for the one-keystroke spawn. Pure logic modules
(spawnForm.ts's buildSpawnRequest, fastForward.ts, spawnSimilar.ts,
projectList.ts, toolIcon.ts) are reused as-is rather than re-derived.

Exports supportsStructuredView from spawnForm.ts so the React form can
share the structured-view-eligibility check with the vanilla one.

web/index.html

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
   </head>
   <body>
     <div id="app"></div>
+    <div id="root"></div>
     <script type="module" src="/src/main.ts"></script>
   </body>
 </html>

web/src/components/sidebar/ActivityRail.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+// docs/SIDEBAR.md: a 5px bar pinned to the row's own left edge, square
+// corners, full card height. It paints for every card, Idle included, and it
+// carries the accessible name of the state so status is never colour-only.
+
+import { activityColorSlug } from "../../activity.js";
+import type { ActivityState } from "../../types.js";
+
+export const STATE_WORDS: Record<string, string> = {
+  active: "Active",
+  idle: "Idle",
+  "awaiting-input": "Awaiting input",
+  error: "Error",
+};
+
+/** Rail fill per state, and the motion the state earns. */
+const RAIL_CLASS: Record<string, string> = {
+  active: "bg-live",
+  idle: "bg-border-strong",
+  "awaiting-input": "bg-warn rail-blink",
+  error: "bg-danger rail-flash",
+};
+
+/** Duration text inherits the rail's colour (docs/SIDEBAR.md). */
+export const DURATION_CLASS: Record<string, string> = {
+  active: "text-live",
+  idle: "text-muted",
+  "awaiting-input": "text-warn",
+  error: "text-danger",
+};
+
+export function stateWordFor(activity: ActivityState | string | undefined): string {
+  return STATE_WORDS[activityColorSlug(activity ?? "Idle")] ?? STATE_WORDS.idle;
+}
+
+export function ActivityRail({ activity }: { activity: ActivityState | string | undefined }) {
+  const slug = activityColorSlug(activity ?? "Idle");
+  const word = STATE_WORDS[slug] ?? STATE_WORDS.idle;
+  return (
+    <span
+      className={`absolute left-0 top-0 bottom-0 w-[5px] ${RAIL_CLASS[slug] ?? RAIL_CLASS.idle}`}
+      data-activity={slug}
+      role="img"
+      title={word}
+      aria-label={word}
+    />
+  );
+}

web/src/components/sidebar/ContextMenu.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+// Right-click menu on a session card (docs/SIDEBAR.md): rename, spawn similar,
+// kill. Rendered into <body> so a scrolling sidebar cannot clip it.
+
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
+
+export interface ContextMenuItem {
+  label: string;
+  danger?: boolean;
+  onSelect(): void;
+}
+
+export interface ContextMenuProps {
+  x: number;
+  y: number;
+  items: ContextMenuItem[];
+  onClose(): void;
+}
+
+export function ContextMenu({ x, y, items, onClose }: ContextMenuProps) {
+  const ref = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (e.key === "Escape") onClose();
+    };
+    const onDown = (e: Event) => {
+      if (!ref.current?.contains(e.target as Node)) onClose();
+    };
+    document.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+    document.addEventListener("pointerdown", onDown, true);
+    return () => {
+      document.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+      document.removeEventListener("pointerdown", onDown, true);
+    };
+  }, [onClose]);
+
+  return createPortal(
+    <div
+      ref={ref}
+      role="menu"
+      className="context-menu fixed z-modal min-w-[160px] rounded-r-2 border border-border-strong bg-surface py-sp-1 shadow-2"
+      style={{ left: x, top: y }}
+    >
+      {items.map((item) => (
+        <button
+          key={item.label}
+          type="button"
+          role="menuitem"
+          className={`block w-full px-sp-3 py-sp-1 text-left text-fs-12 hover:bg-surface-2 ${
+            item.danger ? "text-danger" : "text-ink"
+          }`}
+          onClick={() => {
+            onClose();
+            item.onSelect();
+          }}
+        >
+          {item.label}
+        </button>
+      ))}
+    </div>,
+    document.body,
+  );
+}

web/src/components/sidebar/FolderNode.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+// A collapsible directory in the sidebar tree. Only a *collapsed* header is a
+// keyboard-walk stop (docs/SIDEBAR.md); an expanded one is decoration in front
+// of the cards it holds, so it carries no highlight of its own.
+
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+
+import { splitFolderLabel } from "./model.js";
+
+export interface FolderNodeProps {
+  name: string;
+  path: string;
+  depth: number;
+  collapsed: boolean;
+  highlighted: boolean;
+  onToggle(): void;
+  children: ReactNode;
+}
+
+export function FolderNode(props: FolderNodeProps) {
+  const { stem, last } = splitFolderLabel(props.name);
+  return (
+    <div className="tree-folder">
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        className={`tree-folder-header flex w-full items-center gap-sp-1 py-[2px] text-fs-11 text-muted ${
+          props.highlighted ? "ring-1 ring-accent-ring" : ""
+        }`}
+        style={{ paddingLeft: props.depth * 16 }}
+        aria-expanded={!props.collapsed}
+        data-nav-key={`folder:${props.path}`}
+        data-highlighted={props.highlighted ? "true" : undefined}
+        title={props.name}
+        onClick={props.onToggle}
+      >
+        {/* One glyph, rotated when collapsed, so the mark and the rotation
+            never disagree about which way the folder points. */}
+        <span
+          aria-hidden="true"
+          className={`inline-block transition-transform ${props.collapsed ? "-rotate-90" : ""}`}
+        >
+          ▾
+        </span>
+        <span className="truncate">
+          {stem && <span className="text-faint">{stem}/</span>}
+          {last}
+        </span>
+      </button>
+      {!props.collapsed && props.children}
+    </div>
+  );
+}

web/src/components/sidebar/KillConfirm.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// docs/SIDEBAR.md "Killing a session": every kill confirms first, and the
+// confirmation names what the card last saw in the way — the daemon refuses an
+// unforced kill over such a tree, and saying so beforehand is cheaper than the
+// refusal. Cancel holds the focus so a stray Enter kills nothing.
+
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
+
+import type { InTheWay } from "../../types.js";
+import { formatInTheWay } from "../../types.js";
+
+export interface KillConfirmProps {
+  name: string;
+  blockers: InTheWay | null;
+  /** Set when the daemon already refused an unforced kill: this pass forces. */
+  force?: boolean;
+  onConfirm(): void;
+  onCancel(): void;
+}
+
+export function KillConfirm(props: KillConfirmProps) {
+  const cancel = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
+  useEffect(() => cancel.current?.focus(), []);
+
+  return createPortal(
+    <div
+      role="dialog"
+      aria-modal="true"
+      aria-label={props.force ? "Force kill session" : "Kill session"}
+      className="kill-confirm fixed inset-0 z-modal flex items-center justify-center bg-bg/70"
+      onKeyDown={(e) => {
+        if (e.key === "Escape") props.onCancel();
+      }}
+    >
+      <div className="min-w-[280px] rounded-r-2 border border-border-strong bg-surface p-sp-4 shadow-2">
+        <p className="text-fs-13 text-ink">
+          {props.force ? "Force kill" : "Kill"} <strong>{props.name}</strong>?
+        </p>
+        {props.blockers && (
+          <p className="mt-sp-2 text-fs-12 text-warn">{formatInTheWay(props.blockers)}</p>
+        )}
+        <div className="mt-sp-3 flex justify-end gap-sp-2">
+          <button
+            ref={cancel}
+            type="button"
+            className="rounded-r-1 border border-border px-sp-3 py-sp-1 text-fs-12 text-ink"
+            onClick={props.onCancel}
+          >
+            Cancel
+          </button>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className="rounded-r-1 bg-danger px-sp-3 py-sp-1 text-fs-12 text-accent-ink"
+            onClick={props.onConfirm}
+          >
+            {props.force ? "Force kill" : "Kill"}
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>,
+    document.body,
+  );
+}

web/src/components/sidebar/SessionCard.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,264 @@
+// docs/SIDEBAR.md: a session card is always two lines — the name, then the
+// adaptive meta line — with the activity rail in the gutter beside them.
+
+import { useEffect, useRef, type MouseEvent } from "react";
+
+import {
+  activityDurationLabel,
+  activityHeldMs,
+  META_LINE_MIN_HOLD_MS,
+} from "../../activity.js";
+import { splitCommand, toolIconSvg } from "../../toolIcon.js";
+import type { InTheWay, Session } from "../../types.js";
+import {
+  blockerStats,
+  customSessionName,
+  formatInTheWay,
+  isProvisionalName,
+  MAX_SESSION_NAME_LEN,
+  normalizeSessionName,
+  sessionBlockers,
+  sessionName,
+} from "../../types.js";
+import { ActivityRail, DURATION_CLASS, stateWordFor } from "./ActivityRail.js";
+import { activityColorSlug } from "../../activity.js";
+
+export interface SessionCardProps {
+  session: Session;
+  /** Nesting depth; the row's padding (and so the rail) shifts outward with it. */
+  depth: number;
+  /** Clock the duration is measured against — the sidebar ticks it. */
+  now: number;
+  highlighted: boolean;
+  /** Showing in the focused pane. */
+  active: boolean;
+  /** Open in some pane, not the focused one. */
+  open: boolean;
+  previewing: boolean;
+  renaming: boolean;
+  onSelect(): void;
+  onOpenMenu(x: number, y: number): void;
+  onSpawnSimilar(): void;
+  onKill(): void;
+  onRenameCommit(name: string): void;
+  onRenameCancel(): void;
+}
+
+/** The fill ladder from docs/SIDEBAR.md "Which row is filled", furthest down
+ * wins. Written as one ordered run so the precedence is the order it reads in. */
+function rowFill(p: SessionCardProps): string {
+  if (p.active) return "bg-accent-fill";
+  if (p.previewing) return "bg-preview-tint";
+  if (p.open) return "bg-accent/[0.06]";
+  if (p.highlighted) return "bg-preview-tint";
+  return "";
+}
+
+export function SessionCard(props: SessionCardProps) {
+  const { session: s, depth, now, renaming } = props;
+  const name = sessionName(s);
+  const running = s.status === "Running";
+  const word = stateWordFor(s.activity);
+
+  return (
+    <a
+      className={`session-card tree-leaf relative flex flex-col gap-[1px] py-sp-1 pr-sp-2 no-underline ${rowFill(props)} ${
+        running ? "" : "opacity-60"
+      }`}
+      href={`#/attach/${encodeURIComponent(s.id)}`}
+      style={{ paddingLeft: depth * 16 + 8 }}
+      data-session-id={s.id}
+      data-nav-key={`session:${s.id}`}
+      data-status={running ? "running" : "dead"}
+      data-highlighted={props.highlighted ? "true" : undefined}
+      aria-label={`${name}, ${running ? "running" : "exited"}, ${word}`}
+      onClick={(e) => {
+        if (renaming) return;
+        e.preventDefault();
+        props.onSelect();
+      }}
+      onContextMenu={(e: MouseEvent) => {
+        e.preventDefault();
+        e.stopPropagation();
+        props.onOpenMenu(e.clientX, e.clientY);
+      }}
+    >
+      <ActivityRail activity={s.activity} />
+      <span className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-sp-2">
+        {renaming ? (
+          <RenameField
+            session={s}
+            onCommit={props.onRenameCommit}
+            onCancel={props.onRenameCancel}
+          />
+        ) : (
+          <span
+            className={`min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-fs-13 ${
+              isProvisionalName(s) ? "text-muted" : "text-ink"
+            }`}
+          >
+            {name}
+          </span>
+        )}
+        <span className="flex flex-none items-center gap-[2px]">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className="leaf-clone text-faint hover:text-ink"
+            title="Spawn similar"
+            aria-label={`Spawn similar to ${name}`}
+            onClick={(e) => {
+              e.preventDefault();
+              e.stopPropagation();
+              props.onSpawnSimilar();
+            }}
+          >
+            ⧉
+          </button>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className="leaf-kill text-faint hover:text-danger"
+            title="Kill session"
+            aria-label={`Kill ${name}`}
+            onClick={(e) => {
+              e.preventDefault();
+              e.stopPropagation();
+              props.onKill();
+            }}
+          >
+            ✕
+          </button>
+        </span>
+      </span>
+      <MetaLine session={s} now={now} />
+    </a>
+  );
+}
+
+/** Line 2, left to right: `[duration] [detail] command [diff stat | exited]`.
+ * The line itself is unconditional; only its fragments are adaptive. */
+export function MetaLine({ session: s, now }: { session: Session; now: number }) {
+  const slug = activityColorSlug(s.activity ?? "Idle");
+  const held = activityHeldMs(s.activity_since, now);
+  const duration =
+    held !== null && held >= META_LINE_MIN_HOLD_MS ? activityDurationLabel(held) : null;
+  const blockers = sessionBlockers(s);
+
+  return (
+    <span
+      className="card-line2 flex min-w-0 items-center gap-sp-2 text-fs-11"
+      data-activity={slug}
+    >
+      {duration && (
+        <span className={`activity-duration flex-none ${DURATION_CLASS[slug] ?? "text-muted"}`}>
+          {duration}
+        </span>
+      )}
+      {s.activity_detail && (
+        <span className="activity-detail min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-faint">
+          {s.activity_detail}
+        </span>
+      )}
+      <CommandFragment command={s.command} />
+      {blockers && <BlockedFragment blockers={blockers} />}
+      {s.status === "Dead" && <span className="flex-none text-faint">exited</span>}
+    </span>
+  );
+}
+
+/** docs/SIDEBAR.md: the card names the program only, as its tool mark when we
+ * have one. The full command line stays in the tooltip either way. */
+function CommandFragment({ command }: { command: string }) {
+  const { tool, program } = splitCommand(command);
+  const icon = tool ? toolIconSvg(tool) : null;
+  return (
+    <span
+      className="leaf-cmd flex min-w-0 flex-none items-center gap-[4px] truncate text-faint"
+      title={command}
+    >
+      {icon ? (
+        <span className="contents" dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: icon }} />
+      ) : (
+        <span className="truncate">{program}</span>
+      )}
+    </span>
+  );
+}
+
+/** Blocked work in diff notation — `+124 -18 ?3 ↑2`. Only `+` and `-` take
+ * colour; the spelled-out breakdown survives as the tooltip. */
+function BlockedFragment({ blockers }: { blockers: InTheWay }) {
+  const stats = blockerStats(blockers);
+  return (
+    <span
+      className="leaf-blocked flex flex-none items-center gap-[4px] text-faint"
+      title={`Kill will be refused unless forced — ${formatInTheWay(blockers)}`}
+    >
+      {stats.map((st) => (
+        <span
+          key={st.kind}
+          data-stat={st.kind}
+          className={
+            st.kind === "add" ? "text-live" : st.kind === "del" ? "text-danger" : "text-muted"
+          }
+        >
+          {st.text}
+        </span>
+      ))}
+    </span>
+  );
+}
+
+/** Inline rename (#125): Enter commits, Escape and blur cancel, an emptied
+ * field clears the name so the command fallback resumes. It starts from the
+ * session's own name, never from the command it falls back to. */
+function RenameField({
+  session: s,
+  onCommit,
+  onCancel,
+}: {
+  session: Session;
+  onCommit(name: string): void;
+  onCancel(): void;
+}) {
+  const ref = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+  const settled = useRef(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    ref.current?.focus();
+    ref.current?.select();
+  }, []);
+
+  return (
+    <input
+      ref={ref}
+      type="text"
+      className="leaf-rename min-w-0 flex-1 bg-surface-2 text-fs-13 text-ink"
+      defaultValue={customSessionName(s) ?? ""}
+      maxLength={MAX_SESSION_NAME_LEN}
+      aria-label={`Rename ${sessionName(s)}`}
+      // The card is an <a> the tree also drags from: without these, clicking
+      // into the field navigates away or starts a drag.
+      onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+      onPointerDown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+      onKeyDown={(e) => {
+        e.stopPropagation();
+        if (e.key === "Enter") {
+          e.preventDefault();
+          if (settled.current) return;
+          settled.current = true;
+          onCommit(normalizeSessionName(e.currentTarget.value));
+        } else if (e.key === "Escape") {
+          e.preventDefault();
+          if (settled.current) return;
+          settled.current = true;
+          onCancel();
+        }
+      }}
+      onBlur={() => {
+        if (settled.current) return;
+        settled.current = true;
+        onCancel();
+      }}
+    />
+  );
+}

web/src/components/sidebar/Sidebar.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import type { Session } from "../../types.js";
+import { Sidebar } from "./Sidebar.js";
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup();
+  vi.useRealTimers();
+});
+
+function session(id: string, over: Partial<Session> = {}): Session {
+  return {
+    id,
+    cwd: "/home/n/alpha",
+    command: "hx src/",
+    env: {},
+    metadata: { name: id },
+    status: "Running",
+    created_at: "2026-08-24T10:00:00Z",
+    ...over,
+  } as Session;
+}
+
+/** The card element for a session, by the `data-session-id` the row carries. */
+function card(id: string): HTMLElement {
+  const el = document.querySelector<HTMLElement>(`[data-session-id="${id}"]`);
+  if (!el) throw new Error(`no card for ${id}`);
+  return el;
+}
+
+function tree(): HTMLElement {
+  return document.querySelector<HTMLElement>(".tree")!;
+}
+
+describe("SessionCard layout", () => {
+  it("renders two lines: the name, then a meta line naming the program", () => {
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={[session("alpha")]} />);
+
+    const row = card("alpha");
+    expect(row.textContent).toContain("alpha");
+    const meta = row.querySelector(".card-line2")!;
+    // The program only — never its arguments.
+    expect(meta.textContent).toContain("hx");
+    expect(meta.textContent).not.toContain("src/");
+  });
+
+  it("shows no duration under the 30s hold, and one above it", () => {
+    const now = Date.parse("2026-08-24T10:00:00Z");
+    vi.setSystemTime(now);
+    const fresh = session("fresh", { activity: "Active", activity_since: "2026-08-24T09:59:50Z" });
+    const held = session("held", { activity: "Active", activity_since: "2026-08-24T09:56:00Z" });
+
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={[fresh, held]} />);
+
+    expect(card("fresh").querySelector(".activity-duration")).toBeNull();
+    expect(card("held").querySelector(".activity-duration")!.textContent).toBe("4m");
+  });
+
+  it("paints a rail for every state, blinking on AwaitingInput and flashing on Error", () => {
+    render(
+      <Sidebar
+        sessions={[
+          session("idle"),
+          session("await", { activity: "AwaitingInput" }),
+          session("err", { activity: "Error" }),
+        ]}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const rail = (id: string) => card(id).querySelector<HTMLElement>("[data-activity]")!;
+    expect(rail("idle").dataset.activity).toBe("idle");
+    expect(rail("idle").className).not.toContain("rail-");
+    expect(rail("await").className).toContain("rail-blink");
+    expect(rail("err").className).toContain("rail-flash");
+    // Status never rests on colour alone.
+    expect(rail("await").getAttribute("aria-label")).toBe("Awaiting input");
+  });
+
+  it("renders blocked work as diff notation with the spelled-out tooltip", () => {
+    render(
+      <Sidebar
+        sessions={[
+          session("alpha", {
+            blocked_work: { uncommitted_files: 2, insertions: 124, deletions: 18, untracked_files: 3 },
+          }),
+        ]}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const blocked = card("alpha").querySelector<HTMLElement>(".leaf-blocked")!;
+    expect(blocked.textContent).toBe("+124-18?3");
+    expect(blocked.title).toContain("2 uncommitted files");
+  });
+
+  it("dims a provisional name and leaves a settled one alone", () => {
+    render(
+      <Sidebar
+        sessions={[
+          session("gen", { metadata: { name: "gen", name_source: "Generated" } }),
+          session("user", { metadata: { name: "user", name_source: "User" } }),
+        ]}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    expect(card("gen").querySelector(".text-muted")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(card("user").textContent).toContain("user");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("keyboard walk", () => {
+  const two = [session("a", { cwd: "/one" }), session("b", { cwd: "/two" })];
+
+  it("j and k step the highlight through the cards", () => {
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={two} />);
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "j" });
+    expect(card("a").dataset.highlighted).toBe("true");
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "j" });
+    expect(card("b").dataset.highlighted).toBe("true");
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "k" });
+    expect(card("a").dataset.highlighted).toBe("true");
+  });
+
+  it("stops on a collapsed folder header and Enter expands onto its first card", () => {
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={two} />);
+
+    const header = document.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[data-nav-key="folder:one"]')!;
+    fireEvent.click(header);
+    expect(header.getAttribute("aria-expanded")).toBe("false");
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "j" });
+    expect(
+      document.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[data-nav-key="folder:one"]')!.dataset.highlighted,
+    ).toBe("true");
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "Enter" });
+    expect(card("a").dataset.highlighted).toBe("true");
+  });
+
+  it("Enter on a card opens it, and Tab hands the keyboard to the pane", () => {
+    const onSelect = vi.fn();
+    const onFocusPane = vi.fn();
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={two} onSelect={onSelect} onFocusPane={onFocusPane} />);
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "j" });
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "Enter" });
+    expect(onSelect).toHaveBeenCalledWith("a");
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "Tab" });
+    expect(onFocusPane).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("previews the session the walk lands on", () => {
+    const onPreview = vi.fn();
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={two} onPreview={onPreview} />);
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "j" });
+    expect(onPreview).toHaveBeenCalledWith("a");
+  });
+
+  it("x asks to kill the highlighted session and r renames it", () => {
+    const onKill = vi.fn();
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={two} onKill={onKill} />);
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "j" });
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "x" });
+    expect(onKill).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ id: "a" }));
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(tree(), { key: "r" });
+    expect(card("a").querySelector(".leaf-rename")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("context menu", () => {
+  it("offers rename, spawn similar and kill", () => {
+    const onSpawnSimilar = vi.fn();
+    const onKill = vi.fn();
+    render(
+      <Sidebar sessions={[session("alpha")]} onSpawnSimilar={onSpawnSimilar} onKill={onKill} />,
+    );
+
+    fireEvent.contextMenu(card("alpha"));
+    const labels = [...document.querySelectorAll('[role="menuitem"]')].map((n) => n.textContent);
+    expect(labels).toEqual(["Rename…", "Spawn similar", "Kill session"]);
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("Spawn similar"));
+    expect(onSpawnSimilar).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ id: "alpha" }));
+  });
+
+  it("renames in place: Enter commits the field, Escape cancels", () => {
+    const onRename = vi.fn();
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={[session("alpha")]} onRename={onRename} />);
+
+    fireEvent.contextMenu(card("alpha"));
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("Rename…"));
+
+    const input = card("alpha").querySelector<HTMLInputElement>(".leaf-rename")!;
+    expect(input.value).toBe("alpha");
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "  renamed  " } });
+    fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: "Enter" });
+    expect(onRename).toHaveBeenCalledWith("alpha", "renamed");
+    expect(card("alpha").querySelector(".leaf-rename")).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("search", () => {
+  it("filters the tree down to matching sessions", () => {
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={[session("alpha"), session("beta", { cwd: "/home/n/beta" })]} />);
+
+    fireEvent.change(screen.getByLabelText("Search sessions"), { target: { value: "beta" } });
+
+    expect(document.querySelector('[data-session-id="alpha"]')).toBeNull();
+    expect(document.querySelector('[data-session-id="beta"]')).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("empty state", () => {
+  it("offers a spawn when there are no sessions at all", () => {
+    const onSpawn = vi.fn();
+    render(<Sidebar sessions={[]} onSpawn={onSpawn} />);
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("+ Spawn session"));
+    expect(onSpawn).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});

web/src/components/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,368 @@
+// React port of the sidebar tree (catalog.ts). The contract it renders is
+// docs/SIDEBAR.md: two-line cards behind an activity rail, folder-grouped by
+// repository, walked with j/k.
+
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useStore } from "zustand";
+
+import { ApiRequestError, killSession, renameSession } from "../../api.js";
+import type { CatalogStore, CatalogStoreApi } from "../../stores/catalogStore.js";
+import type { InTheWay, Session } from "../../types.js";
+import { sessionBlockers, sessionName } from "../../types.js";
+import { buildTree, type TreeNode } from "../../tree.js";
+import { ContextMenu, type ContextMenuItem } from "./ContextMenu.js";
+import { FolderNode } from "./FolderNode.js";
+import { KillConfirm } from "./KillConfirm.js";
+import { SessionCard } from "./SessionCard.js";
+import { SidebarSearch } from "./SidebarSearch.js";
+import { filterSessions, firstRowUnder, navRows, sessionKey } from "./model.js";
+import { useNow } from "./useNow.js";
+import "./sidebar.css";
+
+export interface SidebarProps {
+  /** Live catalog. Either this or `sessions` supplies the tree. */
+  store?: CatalogStoreApi;
+  /** Static session list — what tests and the design kit render from. */
+  sessions?: Session[];
+  /** The daemon's home dir, so cwds abbreviate to `~/…`. */
+  homeDir?: string;
+  /** Showing in the focused pane. */
+  activeId?: string | null;
+  /** Open in some pane, focused one included. */
+  openIds?: ReadonlySet<string>;
+  /** Previewing (docs/PREVIEW.md) — a view, never durable state. */
+  previewId?: string | null;
+  onSelect?(id: string): void;
+  /** The highlight moved onto a session, or off every session. */
+  onPreview?(id: string | null): void;
+  onSpawnSimilar?(session: Session): void;
+  onSpawn?(): void;
+  /** Fast-forward spawn (`N`). */
+  onSpawnDefaults?(): void;
+  /** Tab: hand the keyboard back to the pane. */
+  onFocusPane?(): void;
+  onHelp?(): void;
+  /** Overrides the built-in `DELETE /api/sessions/:id` flow (tests, kit). */
+  onKill?(session: Session): void;
+  /** Overrides the built-in `PATCH /api/sessions/:id` (tests, kit). */
+  onRename?(id: string, name: string): void;
+}
+
+interface MenuState {
+  x: number;
+  y: number;
+  session: Session;
+}
+
+interface KillState {
+  session: Session;
+  blockers: InTheWay | null;
+  force: boolean;
+}
+
+export function Sidebar(props: SidebarProps) {
+  const sessions = useSessions(props);
+  const now = useNow();
+
+  const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
+  const [collapsed, setCollapsed] = useState<ReadonlySet<string>>(() => new Set<string>());
+  const [navKey, setNavKey] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [renamingId, setRenamingId] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [menu, setMenu] = useState<MenuState | null>(null);
+  const [kill, setKill] = useState<KillState | null>(null);
+  const treeRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+
+  const tree = useMemo(
+    () => buildTree(filterSessions(sessions, query), props.homeDir),
+    [sessions, query, props.homeDir],
+  );
+  const rows = useMemo(() => navRows(tree, collapsed), [tree, collapsed]);
+
+  // A row that went away — session killed, folder collapsed over it — drops
+  // the highlight rather than leaving it pointing at nothing.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (navKey !== null && !rows.some((r) => r.key === navKey)) setNavKey(null);
+  }, [rows, navKey]);
+
+  const preview = props.onPreview;
+  const previewOf = useCallback(
+    (key: string | null) => {
+      preview?.(key?.startsWith("session:") ? key.slice("session:".length) : null);
+    },
+    [preview],
+  );
+
+  const moveNav = useCallback(
+    (delta: number) => {
+      if (rows.length === 0) return;
+      const cur = rows.findIndex((r) => r.key === navKey);
+      // Nothing highlighted: start one off the end being walked from, so the
+      // first step lands on the first (or last) row.
+      const from = cur === -1 ? (delta > 0 ? -1 : 0) : cur;
+      const next = rows[(((from + delta) % rows.length) + rows.length) % rows.length];
+      setNavKey(next.key);
+      previewOf(next.key);
+    },
+    [rows, navKey, previewOf],
+  );
+
+  const toggleFolder = useCallback((path: string) => {
+    setCollapsed((prev) => {
+      const next = new Set(prev);
+      if (next.has(path)) next.delete(path);
+      else next.add(path);
+      return next;
+    });
+  }, []);
+
+  /** Enter: open the highlighted session, or expand the highlighted folder and
+   * land on the first row it was hiding. */
+  const activateNav = useCallback(() => {
+    const row = rows.find((r) => r.key === navKey);
+    if (!row) return;
+    if (row.kind === "session") {
+      props.onSelect?.(row.id);
+      return;
+    }
+    const expanded = new Set(collapsed);
+    expanded.delete(row.path);
+    setCollapsed(expanded);
+    const revealed = firstRowUnder(tree, expanded, row.path);
+    setNavKey(revealed?.key ?? null);
+  }, [rows, navKey, collapsed, tree, props]);
+
+  const beginKill = useCallback(
+    (s: Session) => {
+      if (props.onKill) {
+        props.onKill(s);
+        return;
+      }
+      setKill({ session: s, blockers: sessionBlockers(s), force: false });
+    },
+    [props],
+  );
+
+  const commitRename = useCallback(
+    (id: string, name: string) => {
+      setRenamingId(null);
+      if (props.onRename) props.onRename(id, name);
+      else void renameSession(id, name).catch(() => {});
+    },
+    [props],
+  );
+
+  /** The session behind the highlighted row, when the highlight is on a card. */
+  const highlightedSession = useCallback((): Session | undefined => {
+    const row = rows.find((r) => r.key === navKey);
+    if (row?.kind !== "session") return undefined;
+    return sessions.find((s) => s.id === row.id);
+  }, [rows, navKey, sessions]);
+
+  const onKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
+    // The inline rename field owns its own keys; the walk stays out of it.
+    if (e.target instanceof HTMLInputElement) return;
+    switch (e.key) {
+      case "j":
+      case "ArrowDown":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        moveNav(1);
+        return;
+      case "k":
+      case "ArrowUp":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        moveNav(-1);
+        return;
+      case "Enter":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        activateNav();
+        return;
+      case "Tab":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        props.onFocusPane?.();
+        return;
+      case "c": {
+        const row = rows.find((r) => r.key === navKey);
+        if (row?.kind !== "folder") return;
+        e.preventDefault();
+        toggleFolder(row.path);
+        return;
+      }
+      case "r": {
+        const s = highlightedSession();
+        if (!s) return;
+        e.preventDefault();
+        setRenamingId(s.id);
+        return;
+      }
+      case "x": {
+        const s = highlightedSession();
+        if (!s) return;
+        e.preventDefault();
+        beginKill(s);
+        return;
+      }
+      case "n":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        props.onSpawn?.();
+        return;
+      case "N":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        props.onSpawnDefaults?.();
+        return;
+      case "?":
+        e.preventDefault();
+        props.onHelp?.();
+        return;
+    }
+  };
+
+  const menuItems = (s: Session): ContextMenuItem[] => [
+    { label: "Rename…", onSelect: () => setRenamingId(s.id) },
+    { label: "Spawn similar", onSelect: () => props.onSpawnSimilar?.(s) },
+    { label: "Kill session", danger: true, onSelect: () => beginKill(s) },
+  ];
+
+  const renderNode = (node: TreeNode, depth: number): React.ReactNode => {
+    if (node.kind === "leaf") {
+      const s = node.session;
+      return (
+        <SessionCard
+          key={s.id}
+          session={s}
+          depth={depth}
+          now={now}
+          highlighted={navKey === sessionKey(s.id)}
+          active={props.activeId === s.id}
+          open={(props.openIds?.has(s.id) ?? false) && props.activeId !== s.id}
+          previewing={props.previewId === s.id && props.activeId !== s.id}
+          renaming={renamingId === s.id}
+          onSelect={() => props.onSelect?.(s.id)}
+          onOpenMenu={(x, y) => setMenu({ x, y, session: s })}
+          onSpawnSimilar={() => props.onSpawnSimilar?.(s)}
+          onKill={() => beginKill(s)}
+          onRenameCommit={(name) => commitRename(s.id, name)}
+          onRenameCancel={() => setRenamingId(null)}
+        />
+      );
+    }
+    if (!node.name) {
+      return node.children.map((c) => renderNode(c, depth));
+    }
+    return (
+      <FolderNode
+        key={node.path}
+        name={node.name}
+        path={node.path}
+        depth={depth}
+        collapsed={collapsed.has(node.path)}
+        highlighted={navKey === `folder:${node.path}`}
+        onToggle={() => toggleFolder(node.path)}
+      >
+        {node.children.map((c) => renderNode(c, depth + 1))}
+      </FolderNode>
+    );
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <aside className="sidebar flex h-full min-h-0 flex-col bg-surface">
+      <SidebarSearch
+        value={query}
+        onChange={setQuery}
+        onDismiss={() => treeRef.current?.focus()}
+      />
+      <div
+        ref={treeRef}
+        className="tree min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto outline-none"
+        tabIndex={-1}
+        role="tree"
+        aria-label="Sessions"
+        onKeyDown={onKeyDown}
+        // The keyboard walk's preview belongs to the list holding the
+        // keyboard: once it doesn't, the pane goes back to what was opened.
+        onBlur={() => preview?.(null)}
+      >
+        {sessions.length === 0 ? (
+          <EmptyState onSpawn={() => props.onSpawn?.()} />
+        ) : (
+          renderNode(tree, 0)
+        )}
+      </div>
+      {menu && (
+        <ContextMenu
+          x={menu.x}
+          y={menu.y}
+          items={menuItems(menu.session)}
+          onClose={() => setMenu(null)}
+        />
+      )}
+      {kill && (
+        <KillConfirm
+          name={sessionName(kill.session)}
+          blockers={kill.blockers}
+          force={kill.force}
+          onCancel={() => setKill(null)}
+          onConfirm={() => {
+            const { session: s, force } = kill;
+            setKill(null);
+            void killSession(s.id, force).catch((e: unknown) => {
+              // The daemon refuses an unforced kill over a worktree holding
+              // unsaved work; that refusal needs its own prompt
+              // (docs/WORKTREES.md).
+              if (e instanceof ApiRequestError && e.code === "kill_guarded") {
+                setKill({
+                  session: s,
+                  blockers: e.unsavedWork ?? sessionBlockers(s),
+                  force: true,
+                });
+              }
+            });
+          }}
+        />
+      )}
+    </aside>
+  );
+}
+
+/** The tree's one empty state: no sessions at all. */
+function EmptyState({ onSpawn }: { onSpawn(): void }) {
+  return (
+    <div className="empty flex flex-col items-center gap-sp-2 p-sp-6 text-center">
+      <div aria-hidden="true" className="text-fs-20 text-faint">
+        +
+      </div>
+      <div className="text-fs-13 text-ink">No sessions yet</div>
+      <p className="text-fs-12 text-muted">Start your first session — it'll show up here.</p>
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        className="rounded-r-1 bg-accent px-sp-3 py-sp-1 text-fs-12 text-accent-ink"
+        onClick={onSpawn}
+      >
+        + Spawn session
+      </button>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+/** Sessions from the store when one is wired, else the static prop. */
+function useSessions(props: SidebarProps): Session[] {
+  const fromStore = useStore(
+    // `useStore` needs a store every render; the no-store case is served by a
+    // stable empty stand-in whose result is thrown away below.
+    props.store ?? EMPTY_STORE,
+    (s: CatalogStore) => s.sessions,
+  );
+  return useMemo(
+    () => (props.store ? [...fromStore.values()] : (props.sessions ?? [])),
+    [props.store, props.sessions, fromStore],
+  );
+}
+
+// One frozen state object, not a fresh one per call: `useStore` reads the
+// snapshot on every render and a new Map each time would never settle.
+const EMPTY_STATE = { sessions: new Map<string, Session>() };
+const EMPTY_STORE = {
+  getState: () => EMPTY_STATE,
+  getInitialState: () => EMPTY_STATE,
+  setState: () => {},
+  subscribe: () => () => {},
+} as unknown as CatalogStoreApi;

web/src/components/sidebar/SidebarSearch.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+// The sidebar's search field: a substring filter over the tree (name, command
+// and cwd). Escape clears it and hands the keyboard back to the list.
+
+export interface SidebarSearchProps {
+  value: string;
+  onChange(value: string): void;
+  /** Escape on an already-empty field — the list wants the keyboard back. */
+  onDismiss?(): void;
+}
+
+export function SidebarSearch({ value, onChange, onDismiss }: SidebarSearchProps) {
+  return (
+    <header className="sidebar-search p-sp-2">
+      <input
+        type="search"
+        className="search w-full rounded-r-1 border border-border bg-surface-2 px-sp-2 py-sp-1 text-fs-12 text-ink"
+        placeholder="Search sessions…"
+        aria-label="Search sessions"
+        autoComplete="off"
+        autoCorrect="off"
+        autoCapitalize="off"
+        spellCheck={false}
+        value={value}
+        onChange={(e) => onChange(e.currentTarget.value)}
+        onKeyDown={(e) => {
+          if (e.key !== "Escape") return;
+          e.preventDefault();
+          if (value) onChange("");
+          else onDismiss?.();
+        }}
+      />
+    </header>
+  );
+}

web/src/components/sidebar/index.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+export { Sidebar, type SidebarProps } from "./Sidebar.js";
+export { SessionCard, type SessionCardProps } from "./SessionCard.js";
+export { FolderNode, type FolderNodeProps } from "./FolderNode.js";
+export { SidebarSearch, type SidebarSearchProps } from "./SidebarSearch.js";
+export { ActivityRail } from "./ActivityRail.js";
+export { ContextMenu, type ContextMenuItem } from "./ContextMenu.js";
+export { KillConfirm } from "./KillConfirm.js";
+export * from "./model.js";

web/src/components/sidebar/model.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { buildTree } from "../../tree.js";
+import type { Session } from "../../types.js";
+import { filterSessions, firstRowUnder, navRows, splitFolderLabel } from "./model.js";
+
+function session(id: string, cwd: string, command = "claude"): Session {
+  return {
+    id,
+    cwd,
+    command,
+    env: {},
+    metadata: {},
+    status: "Running",
+    created_at: "2026-08-24T10:00:00Z",
+  } as Session;
+}
+
+describe("navRows", () => {
+  const tree = buildTree([session("a", "/one"), session("b", "/two")], undefined);
+
+  it("stops on every card and skips expanded folder headers", () => {
+    expect(navRows(tree, new Set()).map((r) => r.key)).toEqual(["session:a", "session:b"]);
+  });
+
+  it("stops on a collapsed folder header instead of the cards it hides", () => {
+    expect(navRows(tree, new Set(["one"])).map((r) => r.key)).toEqual([
+      "folder:one",
+      "session:b",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("names the first row an expanded folder reveals", () => {
+    expect(firstRowUnder(tree, new Set(), "one")?.key).toBe("session:a");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("splitFolderLabel", () => {
+  it("keeps a shallow path whole", () => {
+    expect(splitFolderLabel("~/maestro")).toEqual({ stem: null, last: "~/maestro" });
+  });
+
+  it("initials the leading segments of a deep path", () => {
+    expect(splitFolderLabel("~/git.naps.pt/naps62/maestro")).toEqual({
+      stem: "~/g/n",
+      last: "maestro",
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+describe("filterSessions", () => {
+  const all = [session("a", "/home/n/alpha", "claude"), session("b", "/home/n/beta", "bash")];
+
+  it("returns everything for a blank query", () => {
+    expect(filterSessions(all, "  ")).toHaveLength(2);
+  });
+
+  it("matches the cwd and the command, case-insensitively", () => {
+    expect(filterSessions(all, "ALPHA").map((s) => s.id)).toEqual(["a"]);
+    expect(filterSessions(all, "bash").map((s) => s.id)).toEqual(["b"]);
+  });
+});

web/src/components/sidebar/model.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+// Pure model helpers behind the React sidebar. Kept out of the components so
+// the walk order and the folder label can be tested without a DOM.
+
+import type { Session } from "../../types.js";
+import { sessionCwd, sessionName } from "../../types.js";
+import type { TreeNode } from "../../tree.js";
+
+/** A row the keyboard walk can land on (docs/SIDEBAR.md "Keyboard walk"):
+ * every session card, and a folder header only while it is collapsed. */
+export type NavRow =
+  | { key: string; kind: "folder"; path: string }
+  | { key: string; kind: "session"; id: string };
+
+export function folderKey(path: string): string {
+  return `folder:${path}`;
+}
+
+export function sessionKey(id: string): string {
+  return `session:${id}`;
+}
+
+/** The walkable rows in visual order. An expanded folder contributes nothing
+ * itself — its cards are one row away — while a collapsed one is the only row
+ * it has, so skipping it would leave the folder unreachable. */
+export function navRows(root: TreeNode, collapsed: ReadonlySet<string>): NavRow[] {
+  const out: NavRow[] = [];
+  const walk = (node: TreeNode): void => {
+    if (node.kind === "leaf") {
+      out.push({ key: sessionKey(node.session.id), kind: "session", id: node.session.id });
+      return;
+    }
+    if (node.name && collapsed.has(node.path)) {
+      out.push({ key: folderKey(node.path), kind: "folder", path: node.path });
+      return;
+    }
+    for (const child of node.children) walk(child);
+  };
+  for (const child of root.kind === "folder" ? root.children : [root]) walk(child);
+  return out;
+}
+
+/** The first walkable row inside `path`, i.e. where the highlight lands when
+ * Enter expands that folder. */
+export function firstRowUnder(
+  root: TreeNode,
+  collapsed: ReadonlySet<string>,
+  path: string,
+): NavRow | undefined {
+  const found = findFolder(root, path);
+  if (!found) return undefined;
+  return navRows({ ...found, name: "" }, collapsed)[0];
+}
+
+function findFolder(node: TreeNode, path: string): Extract<TreeNode, { kind: "folder" }> | null {
+  if (node.kind === "leaf") return null;
+  if (node.path === path && node.name) return node;
+  for (const child of node.children) {
+    const hit = findFolder(child, path);
+    if (hit) return hit;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+/** Structured form of `abbreviateFolderName`: a deep path shows its leading
+ * segments as initials so the tail stays readable in a narrow sidebar. */
+export function splitFolderLabel(name: string): { stem: string | null; last: string } {
+  const parts = name.split("/");
+  if (parts.length <= 2) return { stem: null, last: name };
+  const last = parts[parts.length - 1];
+  const stem = parts
+    .slice(0, -1)
+    .map((p) => (p === "~" ? "~" : (Array.from(p)[0] ?? "")))
+    .join("/");
+  return { stem, last };
+}
+
+/** Case-insensitive substring filter over a session's name, command and cwd —
+ * what the sidebar's own search field narrows the tree with. */
+export function filterSessions(sessions: Session[], query: string): Session[] {
+  const q = query.trim().toLowerCase();
+  if (!q) return sessions;
+  return sessions.filter((s) => {
+    const cwd = sessionCwd(s) ?? "";
+    return (
+      sessionName(s).toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
+      s.command.toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
+      cwd.toLowerCase().includes(q)
+    );
+  });
+}

web/src/components/sidebar/sidebar.css

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/* Motion for the activity rail (docs/SIDEBAR.md): a hard blink while
+   AwaitingInput, a fast flash while Error. Active and Idle are solid and
+   still — colour alone is the signal. Kept as real CSS rather than Tailwind
+   utilities because both need @keyframes of their own. */
+
+@keyframes maestro-rail-blink {
+  0%,
+  50% {
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+  50.01%,
+  100% {
+    opacity: 0;
+  }
+}
+
+@keyframes maestro-rail-flash {
+  0%,
+  100% {
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+  15% {
+    opacity: 0.25;
+  }
+  30% {
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+  45% {
+    opacity: 0.25;
+  }
+  60% {
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+}
+
+.rail-blink {
+  animation: maestro-rail-blink 1.2s steps(1) infinite;
+}
+
+.rail-flash {
+  animation: maestro-rail-flash 1.4s ease-out infinite;
+}
+
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  .rail-blink,
+  .rail-flash {
+    animation: none;
+  }
+}

web/src/components/sidebar/useNow.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+
+/** A clock that ticks at least every `intervalMs` while the page is visible.
+ * docs/SIDEBAR.md asks for a re-render at least every 30s so the duration's
+ * cutover points land within one tick. */
+export function useNow(intervalMs = 30_000): number {
+  const [now, setNow] = useState(() => Date.now());
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const id = setInterval(() => {
+      if (document.visibilityState !== "visible") return;
+      setNow(Date.now());
+    }, intervalMs);
+    return () => clearInterval(id);
+  }, [intervalMs]);
+  return now;
+}

web/src/components/spawn/BranchPicker.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import type { BranchInfo } from "../../types.js";
+import { BranchPicker, type BranchPickerProps } from "./BranchPicker.js";
+
+afterEach(cleanup);
+
+function props(over: Partial<BranchPickerProps> = {}): BranchPickerProps {
+  return {
+    enabled: true,
+    onToggleEnabled: vi.fn(),
+    hint: null,
+    baseRepo: "/repo",
+    mode: "new",
+    onModeChange: vi.fn(),
+    newBranch: "",
+    onNewBranchChange: vi.fn(),
+    branches: undefined,
+    existingBranch: "",
+    onExistingBranchChange: vi.fn(),
+    ...over,
+  };
+}
+
+describe("BranchPicker", () => {
+  it("shows the hint instead of the body while unresolved", () => {
+    render(<BranchPicker {...props({ hint: "Choose a working directory first." })} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText("Choose a working directory first.")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("New branch name")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("shows the new-branch field by default and the repo line once resolved", () => {
+    render(<BranchPicker {...props()} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText("repo: /repo")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText("feat/foo")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Pick a branch")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("switches to the existing-branch select and reports the mode change", () => {
+    const onModeChange = vi.fn();
+    render(<BranchPicker {...props({ onModeChange })} />);
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Existing branch"));
+
+    expect(onModeChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith("existing");
+  });
+
+  it("disables a branch already held by another worktree, and the main checkout's HEAD", () => {
+    const branches: BranchInfo[] = [
+      { name: "main", is_head: true },
+      { name: "feat/a", is_head: false, worktree: "/repos/a" },
+      { name: "feat/b", is_head: false },
+    ];
+    render(<BranchPicker {...props({ mode: "existing", branches })} />);
+
+    const main = screen.getByRole("option", { name: /main — held by the main checkout/ }) as HTMLOptionElement;
+    const a = screen.getByRole("option", { name: /feat\/a — held by \/repos\/a/ }) as HTMLOptionElement;
+    const b = screen.getByRole("option", { name: "feat/b" }) as HTMLOptionElement;
+    expect(main.disabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(a.disabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(b.disabled).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("shows a placeholder option when no local branches were found", () => {
+    render(<BranchPicker {...props({ mode: "existing", branches: [] })} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText("No local branches found.")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("toggles the worktree checkbox", () => {
+    const onToggleEnabled = vi.fn();
+    render(<BranchPicker {...props({ onToggleEnabled })} />);
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Create git worktree"));
+
+    expect(onToggleEnabled).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false);
+  });
+});

web/src/components/spawn/BranchPicker.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+// The spawn form's worktree section (#61): create-worktree toggle, then
+// (once a base repo is known) new-branch-vs-existing-branch, mirroring
+// spawnForm.ts's `.adv-group`/`.wt-body`/`.wt-mode` markup.
+
+import type { BranchInfo } from "../../types.js";
+import type { WorktreeBranchMode } from "../../spawnForm.js";
+
+export interface BranchPickerProps {
+  enabled: boolean;
+  onToggleEnabled(enabled: boolean): void;
+  /** Status line shown in place of the body — "Checking…", "not a repo",
+   * "choose a directory first". `null` once the body itself can render. */
+  hint: string | null;
+  /** The repo a worktree would branch from, once resolved. */
+  baseRepo: string | null;
+  mode: WorktreeBranchMode;
+  onModeChange(mode: WorktreeBranchMode): void;
+  newBranch: string;
+  onNewBranchChange(value: string): void;
+  /** This cwd's local branches, or `undefined` while unknown/not yet loaded. */
+  branches: BranchInfo[] | undefined;
+  existingBranch: string;
+  onExistingBranchChange(value: string): void;
+}
+
+export function BranchPicker(props: BranchPickerProps) {
+  return (
+    <div
+      className={`flex flex-col gap-sp-3 border-l-2 pl-sp-3 ${
+        props.enabled ? "border-accent" : "border-border"
+      }`}
+    >
+      <label className="flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-sp-2 text-fs-14 text-ink">
+        <input
+          type="checkbox"
+          data-role="toggle"
+          className="size-[18px] accent-accent"
+          checked={props.enabled}
+          onChange={(e) => props.onToggleEnabled(e.currentTarget.checked)}
+        />
+        Create git worktree
+      </label>
+
+      {props.hint && <p className="m-0 text-fs-12 text-muted">{props.hint}</p>}
+
+      {props.enabled && !props.hint && (
+        <div className="flex flex-col gap-sp-3">
+          {props.baseRepo && (
+            <p className="m-0 font-mono text-fs-12 text-muted">repo: {props.baseRepo}</p>
+          )}
+          <div role="radiogroup" aria-label="Branch source" className="flex gap-sp-4">
+            <label className="flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-sp-2 text-fs-14 text-ink">
+              <input
+                type="radio"
+                name="worktree_branch_mode"
+                checked={props.mode === "new"}
+                onChange={() => props.onModeChange("new")}
+              />
+              New branch
+            </label>
+            <label className="flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-sp-2 text-fs-14 text-ink">
+              <input
+                type="radio"
+                name="worktree_branch_mode"
+                checked={props.mode === "existing"}
+                onChange={() => props.onModeChange("existing")}
+              />
+              Existing branch
+            </label>
+          </div>
+
+          {props.mode === "new" ? (
+            <label className="flex flex-col gap-1 text-fs-12 text-muted">
+              New branch name
+              <input
+                name="worktree_branch"
+                type="text"
+                autoComplete="off"
+                placeholder="feat/foo"
+                className="w-full rounded-r-2 border border-border bg-surface-2 px-sp-3 py-2 font-mono text-fs-15 text-ink"
+                value={props.newBranch}
+                onChange={(e) => props.onNewBranchChange(e.currentTarget.value)}
+              />
+            </label>
+          ) : (
+            <label className="flex flex-col gap-1 text-fs-12 text-muted">
+              Pick a branch
+              <select
+                className="w-full rounded-r-2 border border-border bg-surface-2 px-sp-3 py-2 font-mono text-fs-15 text-ink"
+                value={props.existingBranch}
+                onChange={(e) => props.onExistingBranchChange(e.currentTarget.value)}
+              >
+                {branchOptions(props.branches)}
+              </select>
+            </label>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function branchOptions(branches: BranchInfo[] | undefined) {
+  if (!branches || branches.length === 0) {
+    return <option value="">No local branches found.</option>;
+  }
+  return branches.map((b) => {
+    // A branch already checked out anywhere stays visible but unpickable —
+    // git refuses a second checkout. That includes the main checkout's own
+    // HEAD, which is commonly `main` and would otherwise be the default pick,
+    // making every existing-branch spawn fail (#54 review).
+    const held = b.worktree ?? (b.is_head ? "the main checkout" : null);
+    return (
+      <option key={b.name} value={b.name} disabled={held !== null} title={held ?? ""}>
+        {held ? `${b.name} — held by ${held}` : b.name}
+      </option>
+    );
+  });
+}

web/src/components/spawn/DirAutocomplete.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { act, cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { DirAutocomplete } from "./DirAutocomplete.js";
+
+vi.mock("../../api.js", () => ({
+  listDir: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+import { listDir } from "../../api.js";
+
+const mockListDir = vi.mocked(listDir);
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup();
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+});
+
+function Harness({ initial = "" }: { initial?: string }) {
+  const [value, setValue] = useState(initial);
+  return <DirAutocomplete value={value} onChange={setValue} placeholder="cwd" />;
+}
+
+// `fireEvent.focus`/`.blur` dispatch the event without moving the browser's
+// real focus, so `document.activeElement` (which the dropdown's fetch guards
+// against) never changes — calling the DOM method directly does both.
+function focus(el: HTMLElement): void {
+  act(() => el.focus());
+}
+function blur(el: HTMLElement): void {
+  act(() => el.blur());
+}
+
+describe("DirAutocomplete", () => {
+  it("lists entries matching the trailing segment on focus", async () => {
+    mockListDir.mockResolvedValue({ path: "/home/n", entries: ["alpha", "beta"] });
+    render(<Harness initial="/home/n/al" />);
+
+    focus(screen.getByPlaceholderText("cwd"));
+
+    expect(await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "alpha/" })).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("option", { name: "beta/" })).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("Tab commits the highlighted entry and does not close the field", async () => {
+    mockListDir.mockResolvedValue({ path: "/home/n", entries: ["alpha"] });
+    render(<Harness initial="/home/n/a" />);
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText("cwd") as HTMLInputElement;
+    focus(input);
+    await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "alpha/" });
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: "Tab" });
+
+    expect(input.value).toBe("/home/n/alpha/");
+  });
+
+  it("arrows move the highlight and Enter accepts it without submitting", async () => {
+    mockListDir.mockResolvedValue({ path: "/home/n", entries: ["alpha", "beta"] });
+    render(<Harness initial="/home/n/" />);
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText("cwd") as HTMLInputElement;
+    focus(input);
+    await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "alpha/" });
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: "ArrowDown" });
+    const notPrevented = fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: "Enter" });
+
+    expect(input.value).toBe("/home/n/beta/");
+    expect(notPrevented).toBe(false); // preventDefault called -> event "processed"
+  });
+
+  it("Escape closes the dropdown and stops the key from bubbling", async () => {
+    mockListDir.mockResolvedValue({ path: "/home/n", entries: ["alpha"] });
+    const onKeyDown = vi.fn();
+    render(
+      <div onKeyDown={onKeyDown}>
+        <Harness initial="/home/n/a" />
+      </div>,
+    );
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText("cwd");
+    focus(input);
+    await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "alpha/" });
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: "Escape" });
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.queryByRole("option")).toBeNull());
+    expect(onKeyDown).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("does not reopen on refocus until the operator types again", async () => {
+    mockListDir.mockResolvedValue({ path: "/home/n", entries: ["alpha"] });
+    render(<Harness initial="/home/n/a" />);
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText("cwd");
+    focus(input);
+    await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "alpha/" });
+    fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: "Escape" });
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.queryByRole("option")).toBeNull());
+
+    blur(input);
+    focus(input);
+
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 10));
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("option")).toBeNull();
+
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "/home/n/al" } });
+    expect(await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "alpha/" })).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+});

web/src/components/spawn/DirAutocomplete.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,256 @@
+// React port of ../../dirAutocomplete.ts: shell-style directory autocomplete
+// on a path <input>. Lists one directory at a time over `GET /api/dirs`,
+// caches per directory, and filters the trailing path segment locally.
+//
+// Keyboard model mirrors `cd dir/sub<tab>`:
+//   Tab    commit the highlighted entry and let focus move on; with nothing
+//          highlighted, plain tab navigation
+//   ↑/↓    move the highlight
+//   Enter  accept the highlighted entry (and suppress form submit); with
+//          nothing highlighted, bubble to the form unprevented
+//   Esc    close the dropdown, refocus the input, and stop the key from
+//          bubbling — so dismissing the popup can't also close a parent modal
+//
+// Once dismissed (Esc or blur) the popup stays closed until the operator
+// types again — refocusing alone doesn't reopen it.
+
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState, type InputHTMLAttributes, type Ref } from "react";
+import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
+
+import { listDir } from "../../api.js";
+import { splitPath } from "../../paths.js";
+
+/** Most entries rendered at once — a long list is unhelpful and slow. */
+const MAX_VISIBLE = 60;
+/** Debounce before a network fetch when the input crosses into a new directory. */
+const FETCH_DEBOUNCE_MS = 90;
+
+export interface DirAutocompleteProps
+  extends Omit<InputHTMLAttributes<HTMLInputElement>, "value" | "onChange"> {
+  value: string;
+  onChange(value: string): void;
+  /** Access to the underlying `<input>` — e.g. to focus/select it. */
+  inputRef?: Ref<HTMLInputElement>;
+}
+
+function assignRef(ref: Ref<HTMLInputElement> | undefined, el: HTMLInputElement | null): void {
+  if (!ref) return;
+  if (typeof ref === "function") ref(el);
+  else (ref as { current: HTMLInputElement | null }).current = el;
+}
+
+export function DirAutocomplete({ value, onChange, inputRef, ...inputProps }: DirAutocompleteProps) {
+  const localRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
+  const cache = useRef(new Map<string, string[]>());
+  const fetchSeq = useRef(0);
+  const debounceTimer = useRef<number | undefined>(undefined);
+  const dismissedRef = useRef(false);
+
+  const [filtered, setFiltered] = useState<string[]>([]);
+  const [highlight, setHighlight] = useState(-1);
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [rect, setRect] = useState<{ left: number; top: number; width: number } | null>(null);
+
+  const setInputRef = useCallback(
+    (el: HTMLInputElement | null) => {
+      localRef.current = el;
+      assignRef(inputRef, el);
+    },
+    [inputRef],
+  );
+
+  const reposition = useCallback(() => {
+    const el = localRef.current;
+    if (!el) return;
+    const r = el.getBoundingClientRect();
+    setRect({ left: r.left, top: r.bottom + 4, width: r.width });
+  }, []);
+
+  const close = useCallback(() => {
+    setOpen(false);
+    setFiltered([]);
+    setHighlight(-1);
+  }, []);
+
+  const dismiss = useCallback(() => {
+    dismissedRef.current = true;
+    close();
+  }, [close]);
+
+  const applyFilter = useCallback(
+    (entries: string[], prefix: string) => {
+      // A fetch can outlive the dismissal it was meant to serve (Tab-commit
+      // re-arms a refresh, then blur dismisses 120ms later). Showing it now
+      // would anchor a dropdown under an unfocused input nothing closes.
+      if (dismissedRef.current || document.activeElement !== localRef.current) {
+        close();
+        return;
+      }
+      const lower = prefix.toLowerCase();
+      const next = entries.filter((e) => e.toLowerCase().startsWith(lower));
+      setFiltered(next);
+      setHighlight(next.length > 0 ? 0 : -1);
+      if (next.length === 0) {
+        close();
+        return;
+      }
+      setOpen(true);
+      reposition();
+    },
+    [close, reposition],
+  );
+
+  const refresh = useCallback(
+    (raw: string) => {
+      const { dir, prefix } = splitPath(raw);
+      const cached = cache.current.get(dir);
+      if (cached) {
+        applyFilter(cached, prefix);
+        return;
+      }
+      const seq = ++fetchSeq.current;
+      listDir(dir)
+        .then((listing) => {
+          cache.current.set(dir, listing.entries);
+          if (seq !== fetchSeq.current) return; // a newer fetch superseded this one
+          const cur = splitPath(localRef.current?.value ?? raw);
+          if (cur.dir === dir) applyFilter(listing.entries, cur.prefix);
+        })
+        .catch(() => {
+          if (seq === fetchSeq.current) close();
+        });
+    },
+    [applyFilter, close],
+  );
+
+  const scheduleRefresh = useCallback(
+    (raw: string) => {
+      window.clearTimeout(debounceTimer.current);
+      debounceTimer.current = window.setTimeout(() => refresh(raw), FETCH_DEBOUNCE_MS);
+    },
+    [refresh],
+  );
+
+  /** Complete `name` as the next path segment and append `/` so the child
+   * directory's listing loads on the next interaction — the drill-in
+   * gesture. Unlike `accept`, doesn't steal focus: Tab uses this to commit
+   * and move to the next field in one gesture. */
+  const commit = useCallback(
+    (name: string) => {
+      const { dir } = splitPath(value);
+      onChange(`${dir}${name}/`);
+    },
+    [value, onChange],
+  );
+
+  const accept = useCallback(
+    (name: string) => {
+      commit(name);
+      localRef.current?.focus();
+    },
+    [commit],
+  );
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) return;
+    window.addEventListener("scroll", reposition, true);
+    window.addEventListener("resize", reposition);
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener("scroll", reposition, true);
+      window.removeEventListener("resize", reposition);
+    };
+  }, [open, reposition]);
+
+  useEffect(() => () => window.clearTimeout(debounceTimer.current), []);
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <input
+        {...inputProps}
+        ref={setInputRef}
+        value={value}
+        autoComplete="off"
+        role="combobox"
+        aria-expanded={open}
+        aria-autocomplete="list"
+        onChange={(e) => {
+          dismissedRef.current = false;
+          const next = e.currentTarget.value;
+          onChange(next);
+          scheduleRefresh(next);
+        }}
+        onFocus={(e) => {
+          inputProps.onFocus?.(e);
+          if (dismissedRef.current) return;
+          refresh(value);
+        }}
+        onBlur={(e) => {
+          inputProps.onBlur?.(e);
+          // Delay so a dropdown mousedown can complete first.
+          window.setTimeout(dismiss, 120);
+        }}
+        onKeyDown={(e) => {
+          inputProps.onKeyDown?.(e);
+          if (e.defaultPrevented) return;
+          if (e.key === "Escape") {
+            if (open) {
+              e.preventDefault();
+              e.stopPropagation();
+              dismiss();
+              localRef.current?.focus();
+            }
+            return;
+          }
+          if (e.key === "Tab") {
+            if (!open || highlight < 0 || highlight >= filtered.length) return; // plain tab navigation
+            commit(filtered[highlight]); // no preventDefault — focus moves to the next field
+            return;
+          }
+          if (!open) return;
+          if (e.key === "ArrowDown") {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            setHighlight((h) => Math.min(h + 1, filtered.length - 1));
+          } else if (e.key === "ArrowUp") {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            setHighlight((h) => Math.max(h - 1, 0));
+          } else if (e.key === "Enter" && highlight >= 0 && highlight < filtered.length) {
+            e.preventDefault(); // accept the entry instead of submitting the form
+            accept(filtered[highlight]);
+          }
+        }}
+      />
+      {open &&
+        rect &&
+        createPortal(
+          <ul
+            role="listbox"
+            className="dir-ac fixed z-modal max-h-[240px] overflow-y-auto rounded-r-2 border border-border-strong bg-surface py-sp-1 font-mono shadow-2"
+            style={{ left: rect.left, top: rect.top, width: rect.width }}
+          >
+            {filtered.slice(0, MAX_VISIBLE).map((name, i) => (
+              <li
+                key={name}
+                role="option"
+                aria-selected={i === highlight}
+                className={`cursor-pointer truncate px-sp-3 py-1 text-fs-12 text-ink ${
+                  i === highlight ? "bg-accent-tint" : ""
+                }`}
+                onMouseDown={(e) => {
+                  e.preventDefault(); // accept before the input's blur fires
+                  accept(name);
+                }}
+              >
+                {name}/
+              </li>
+            ))}
+            {filtered.length > MAX_VISIBLE && (
+              <li className="px-sp-3 py-1 text-fs-11 text-faint">
+                +{filtered.length - MAX_VISIBLE} more — keep typing to narrow
+              </li>
+            )}
+          </ul>,
+          document.body,
+        )}
+    </>
+  );
+}

web/src/components/spawn/SpawnForm.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,383 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import type { BranchInfo, DaemonInfo, Project, Session, SpawnPreset } from "../../types.js";
+import { SpawnForm } from "./SpawnForm.js";
+
+vi.mock("../../api.js", () => ({
+  createSession: vi.fn(),
+  fetchBranches: vi.fn(),
+  fetchNames: vi.fn(),
+  getDaemonInfo: vi.fn(),
+  gitRoot: vi.fn(),
+  listDir: vi.fn(),
+  projects: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+import {
+  createSession,
+  fetchBranches,
+  fetchNames,
+  getDaemonInfo,
+  gitRoot,
+  listDir,
+  projects as fetchProjects,
+} from "../../api.js";
+
+const mockCreateSession = vi.mocked(createSession);
+const mockFetchBranches = vi.mocked(fetchBranches);
+const mockFetchNames = vi.mocked(fetchNames);
+const mockGetDaemonInfo = vi.mocked(getDaemonInfo);
+const mockGitRoot = vi.mocked(gitRoot);
+const mockListDir = vi.mocked(listDir);
+const mockFetchProjects = vi.mocked(fetchProjects);
+
+const presets: SpawnPreset[] = [
+  { id: "claude", label: "Claude", command: "claude" },
+  { id: "opencode", label: "opencode", command: "opencode" },
+  { id: "zsh", label: "Shell", command: "zsh" },
+  { id: "custom", label: "Custom…", command: "" },
+];
+
+function info(over: Partial<DaemonInfo> = {}): DaemonInfo {
+  return { hostname: "h", version: "1", home_dir: "/home/n", presets, ...over };
+}
+
+function project(over: Partial<Project> = {}): Project {
+  return { path: "/repos/p", name: "p", last_activity: new Date().toISOString(), ...over };
+}
+
+function session(over: Partial<Session> = {}): Session {
+  return {
+    id: "s1",
+    cwd: "/repos/p",
+    command: "claude",
+    env: {},
+    metadata: {},
+    status: "Running",
+    created_at: "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+    ...over,
+  };
+}
+
+/** Defaults every test starts from: one known project, no branches, a fresh
+ * generated handle. Individual tests override what they care about. */
+function stub(over: { projects?: Project[]; info?: DaemonInfo; names?: string[]; branches?: BranchInfo[] } = {}) {
+  mockGetDaemonInfo.mockResolvedValue(over.info ?? info());
+  mockFetchProjects.mockResolvedValue(over.projects ?? [project()]);
+  mockFetchNames.mockResolvedValue({ names: over.names ?? ["amber-fox"] });
+  mockFetchBranches.mockResolvedValue(over.branches ?? []);
+  mockGitRoot.mockResolvedValue({});
+  mockListDir.mockResolvedValue({ path: "", entries: [] });
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup();
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+});
+
+async function settle() {
+  await waitFor(() => expect(screen.queryByText("Loading projects…")).toBeNull());
+}
+
+/** Everything worktree/name/structured-related lives behind the "Advanced"
+ * disclosure, collapsed by default (#93) — mirrors the vanilla form exactly. */
+function openAdvanced() {
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /Advanced/ }));
+}
+
+describe("SpawnForm harness picker", () => {
+  it("selects the first non-custom preset by default and reveals the custom input on Custom…", async () => {
+    stub();
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /^Claude/ }).className).toContain("border-accent");
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Custom…" }));
+
+    expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText("bash -l").hidden).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("resolves a seeded command to its matching preset", async () => {
+    stub();
+    render(<SpawnForm seed={{ command: "opencode" }} onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    const opencode = screen.getByRole("button", { name: /opencode/ });
+    expect(opencode.className).toContain("border-accent");
+  });
+
+  it("drops an unmatched seeded command into the custom field", async () => {
+    stub();
+    render(<SpawnForm seed={{ command: "hx src/" }} onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    const raw = screen.getByPlaceholderText("bash -l") as HTMLInputElement;
+    expect(raw.hidden).toBe(false);
+    expect(raw.value).toBe("hx src/");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("SpawnForm project picker", () => {
+  it("lists discovered projects and reveals the worktree step on pick", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" }), project({ path: "/repos/b", name: "b" })] });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Worktree")).toBeNull();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Worktree")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.getByText("+ new").closest("button")?.getAttribute("data-active")).toBe("true");
+  });
+
+  it("filters the project grid by name", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/alpha", name: "alpha" }), project({ path: "/repos/beta", name: "beta" })] });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    fireEvent.change(screen.getByPlaceholderText("Filter projects…"), { target: { value: "alp" } });
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("alpha")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("beta")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to the raw directory input when no projects are discovered", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [] });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    expect((screen.getByPlaceholderText("/home/user/project") as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe("/home/n");
+  });
+
+  it("Other directory… clears the picker and opens the raw input", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" })] });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+    expect(screen.getByText("a").closest("button")?.getAttribute("data-active")).toBe("true");
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("Other directory…"));
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("a").closest("button")?.getAttribute("data-active")).toBeNull();
+    expect((screen.getByPlaceholderText("/home/user/project") as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe("/repos/a");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("SpawnForm worktree defaults", () => {
+  it("defaults the toggle on for a picked project and infers the repo without a gitroot probe", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" })] });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("repo: /repos/a")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(mockGitRoot).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("defaults the toggle off for a project that is itself a worktree (#91)", async () => {
+    stub({
+      projects: [
+        project({ path: "/repos/main", name: "main" }),
+        project({ path: "/repos/wt", name: "wt", is_worktree: true, base_repo: "/repos/main" }),
+      ],
+    });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("main"));
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("wt"));
+
+    expect((screen.getByLabelText("Create git worktree") as HTMLInputElement).checked).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("still probes gitroot for a free-text directory", async () => {
+    stub();
+    mockGitRoot.mockResolvedValue({ root: "/repos/found" });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("Other directory…"));
+
+    fireEvent.change(screen.getByPlaceholderText("/home/user/project"), {
+      target: { value: "/repos/found/sub" },
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(mockGitRoot).toHaveBeenCalledWith("/repos/found/sub"));
+    expect(await screen.findByText("repo: /repos/found")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("populates existing branches, disabling the one held by another worktree", async () => {
+    stub({
+      projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" })],
+      branches: [
+        { name: "main", is_head: true },
+        { name: "feat/x", is_head: false, worktree: "/repos/other" },
+        { name: "feat/y", is_head: false },
+      ],
+    });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Existing branch"));
+
+    const y = await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "feat/y" });
+    expect((y as HTMLOptionElement).disabled).toBe(false);
+    expect((screen.getByRole("option", { name: /main — held by the main checkout/ }) as HTMLOptionElement).disabled).toBe(
+      true,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("submits the first pickable branch when the operator never opens the select", async () => {
+    stub({
+      projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" })],
+      branches: [
+        { name: "main", is_head: true },
+        { name: "feat/y", is_head: false },
+      ],
+    });
+    mockCreateSession.mockResolvedValue(session());
+    const onSuccess = vi.fn();
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={onSuccess} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Existing branch"));
+    await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "feat/y" });
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Spawn" }));
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(onSuccess).toHaveBeenCalled());
+    expect(mockCreateSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ worktree: expect.objectContaining({ branch: "feat/y", create_branch: false }) }),
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+describe("SpawnForm structured view", () => {
+  it("defaults on for a resolved Claude Code command and off for an unsupported one", async () => {
+    stub();
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+
+    expect((screen.getByLabelText("Structured view") as HTMLInputElement).checked).toBe(true);
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /^Shell/ }));
+
+    expect(screen.queryByLabelText("Structured view")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps an unchecked box unchecked across a command change between two supported tools", async () => {
+    stub();
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Structured view"));
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /opencode/ }));
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /^Claude/ }));
+
+    expect((screen.getByLabelText("Structured view") as HTMLInputElement).checked).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("SpawnForm submit", () => {
+  it("builds and posts the request, reporting the created session", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" })] });
+    const created = session();
+    mockCreateSession.mockResolvedValue(created);
+    const onSuccess = vi.fn();
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={onSuccess} />);
+    await settle();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Spawn" }));
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(onSuccess).toHaveBeenCalledWith(created));
+    expect(mockCreateSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ cwd: "/repos/a", command: "claude" }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("shows the daemon's rejection and leaves the form open", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" })] });
+    mockCreateSession.mockRejectedValue(new Error("cwd is not a directory"));
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Spawn" }));
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText("cwd is not a directory")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("rejects an existing-branch worktree with nothing picked", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" })], branches: [] });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Existing branch"));
+    await screen.findByText("No local branches found.");
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Spawn" }));
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText("Pick an existing branch.")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(mockCreateSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("SpawnForm Enter-to-submit (#97)", () => {
+  it("submits from the session name field", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" })] });
+    mockCreateSession.mockResolvedValue(session());
+    const onSuccess = vi.fn();
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={onSuccess} />);
+    await settle();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+    openAdvanced();
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(screen.getByPlaceholderText("named after your first prompt"), { key: "Enter" });
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(onSuccess).toHaveBeenCalled());
+  });
+
+  it("first Enter picks a not-yet-active project box, the second submits", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" }), project({ path: "/repos/b", name: "b" })] });
+    mockCreateSession.mockResolvedValue(session());
+    const onSuccess = vi.fn();
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={onSuccess} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    const boxB = screen.getByText("b").closest("button")!;
+    fireEvent.keyDown(boxB, { key: "Enter" });
+    expect(onSuccess).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(boxB.getAttribute("data-active")).toBe("true");
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(boxB, { key: "Enter" });
+    await waitFor(() => expect(onSuccess).toHaveBeenCalled());
+  });
+
+  it("toggles the worktree checkbox on Enter instead of submitting", async () => {
+    stub({ projects: [project({ path: "/repos/a", name: "a" })] });
+    render(<SpawnForm onSuccess={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+    openAdvanced();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("a"));
+    const checkbox = screen.getByLabelText("Create git worktree") as HTMLInputElement;
+    expect(checkbox.checked).toBe(true);
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(checkbox, { key: "Enter" });
+
+    expect(checkbox.checked).toBe(false);
+    expect(mockCreateSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});

web/src/components/spawn/SpawnForm.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,853 @@
+// React port of ../../spawnForm.ts: the spawn form itself — preset tiles,
+// two-step project picker, name, structured-view checkbox, worktree. Mounted
+// inside SpawnModal.
+//
+// Working-directory picker (#95), unchanged from the vanilla form:
+//  1. Step one is one box per repository (name, then its parent directory).
+//     A worktree is a box only when its main checkout is missing from the
+//     scan.
+//  2. The filter keeps a repository when the query matches it or any of its
+//     worktrees.
+//  3. Picking a box reveals step two: "+ new", then that repository's
+//     worktrees newest-first. "Other directory…" clears both steps.
+//  4. "+ new" is the default selection — except on a box that is itself a
+//     linked worktree, which defaults to that worktree.
+//  5. "+ new" means create: cwd is the repository, create-worktree on. An
+//     existing worktree means run in it: cwd is that worktree, create-worktree
+//     off (the daemon never adopts, docs/WORKTREES.md).
+//  6. Neither step probes /api/gitroot; only the free-text hatch does.
+
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
+
+import {
+  createSession,
+  fetchBranches,
+  fetchNames,
+  getDaemonInfo,
+  gitRoot,
+  projects as fetchProjects,
+} from "../../api.js";
+import { parentDir } from "../../paths.js";
+import {
+  filterProjects,
+  groupProjects,
+  isStale,
+  sortProjects,
+  type ProjectGroup,
+} from "../../projectList.js";
+import {
+  buildSpawnRequest,
+  FALLBACK_PRESETS,
+  supportsStructuredView,
+  type SpawnFormSeed,
+  type SpawnFormValues,
+  type WorktreeBranchMode,
+} from "../../spawnForm.js";
+import { splitCommand, toolIconSvg, TOOL_LABELS } from "../../toolIcon.js";
+import { abbreviateCwd } from "../../types.js";
+import type { BranchInfo, Project, Session, SpawnPreset } from "../../types.js";
+import { BranchPicker } from "./BranchPicker.js";
+import { DirAutocomplete } from "./DirAutocomplete.js";
+
+/** Quiet period after raw-path typing before `/api/gitroot` fires (#74). Must
+ * stay equal to `GITROOT_PROBE_DEBOUNCE_MS` in crates/maestro-tui/src/draft.rs
+ * and to ../../spawnForm.ts's own constant, so every client debounces alike. */
+const GITROOT_PROBE_DEBOUNCE_MS = 250;
+
+/** "new" (create a worktree) or the path of an existing worktree to run in. */
+type WorktreeChoice = "new" | string;
+
+type BaseRepoResolution =
+  | { kind: "disabled" }
+  | { kind: "no-cwd" }
+  | { kind: "found"; repo: string }
+  | { kind: "probe" };
+
+function resolveBaseRepoFor(cwd: string, wtEnabled: boolean, discovered: Project[]): BaseRepoResolution {
+  if (!wtEnabled) return { kind: "disabled" };
+  if (!cwd) return { kind: "no-cwd" };
+  const project = discovered.find((p) => p.path === cwd);
+  if (project) return { kind: "found", repo: project.base_repo ?? project.path };
+  return { kind: "probe" };
+}
+
+/** Every worktree of a group, including the group's own box when the scan
+ * found no main checkout to nest it under. */
+function worktreesOf(group: ProjectGroup): Project[] {
+  return [group.main, ...group.worktrees].filter((p) => p.is_worktree);
+}
+
+/** Resolve a preset id to a tool icon id — the preset's command is the source
+ * of truth, the same way the sidebar derives one. The "Custom…" preset (empty
+ * command) has no tool to show. */
+function presetToolId(p: SpawnPreset): string | null {
+  if (!p.command) return null;
+  return splitCommand(p.command).tool;
+}
+
+function harnessIcon(toolId: string): string | null {
+  const small = toolIconSvg(toolId);
+  if (!small) return null;
+  // toolIconSvg renders at 13x13 (viewBox 0 0 16 16) for the sidebar; the
+  // harness card wants the same mark at 24x24 so it breathes.
+  return small.replace(/width="13"/g, 'width="24"').replace(/height="13"/g, 'height="24"');
+}
+
+function pickerButtonClass(active: boolean): string {
+  return `flex min-h-[32px] items-baseline justify-between gap-sp-3 rounded-r-2 border px-sp-3 py-1.5 text-left font-mono ${
+    active ? "border-accent bg-accent-tint" : "border-border bg-surface-2 hover:border-border-strong"
+  }`;
+}
+
+export interface SpawnFormProps {
+  seed?: SpawnFormSeed;
+  /** Fired whenever any value changes, once the form's initial seed settles. */
+  onChange?(values: SpawnFormValues): void;
+  onSuccess(session: Session): void;
+}
+
+export function SpawnForm({ seed, onChange, onSuccess }: SpawnFormProps) {
+  const prefill = useRef(seed ?? {}).current;
+
+  const formRef = useRef<HTMLFormElement>(null);
+  const filterInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+  const customCommandRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+  const rawCwdRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+  const destroyedRef = useRef(false);
+  useEffect(() => () => {
+    destroyedRef.current = true;
+  }, []);
+
+  // ---- harness / command -------------------------------------------------
+  const [homeDir, setHomeDir] = useState("");
+  const [infoLoading, setInfoLoading] = useState(true);
+  const [presets, setPresets] = useState<SpawnPreset[]>(FALLBACK_PRESETS);
+  const [selectedPresetId, setSelectedPresetId] = useState("");
+  const [command, setCommand] = useState("");
+  const [customCommand, setCustomCommand] = useState("");
+  const [commandTouched, setCommandTouched] = useState(false);
+  const [structuredView, setStructuredView] = useState(false);
+  const [structuredTouched, setStructuredTouched] = useState(false);
+
+  const activePreset = useMemo(() => presets.find((p) => p.id === selectedPresetId), [presets, selectedPresetId]);
+  const isCustomSelected = !activePreset || activePreset.command === "";
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (commandTouched && isCustomSelected) customCommandRef.current?.focus();
+  }, [isCustomSelected, commandTouched]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let cancelled = false;
+    getDaemonInfo()
+      .then((info) => {
+        if (cancelled) return;
+        setHomeDir(info.home_dir ?? "");
+        if (info.presets?.length) setPresets(info.presets);
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        // keep fallbacks
+      })
+      .finally(() => {
+        if (!cancelled) setInfoLoading(false);
+      });
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  // Pick a sensible starting command whenever the preset list changes and the
+  // operator hasn't touched it yet: a seed's command (matched to a preset, or
+  // dropped into custom), else the first non-custom preset.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (commandTouched) return;
+    const wanted = prefill.command;
+    if (wanted) {
+      const match = presets.find((p) => p.command === wanted && p.command !== "");
+      if (match) {
+        setSelectedPresetId(match.id);
+        setCommand(match.command);
+        return;
+      }
+      const custom = presets.find((p) => p.command === "");
+      setCustomCommand(wanted);
+      setSelectedPresetId(custom ? custom.id : "custom");
+      setCommand(wanted);
+      return;
+    }
+    const first = presets.find((p) => p.command !== "");
+    if (first) {
+      setSelectedPresetId(first.id);
+      setCommand(first.command);
+    }
+    // prefill is captured once at construction, not a reactive dependency.
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [presets, commandTouched]);
+
+  const structuredSupported = useMemo(() => supportsStructuredView(command), [command]);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!structuredSupported) setStructuredView(false);
+    else if (!structuredTouched) setStructuredView(true);
+  }, [structuredSupported, structuredTouched]);
+
+  // ---- project picker ------------------------------------------------------
+  const [discovered, setDiscovered] = useState<Project[]>([]);
+  const [projectsLoading, setProjectsLoading] = useState(true);
+  const [filterQuery, setFilterQuery] = useState("");
+  const [cwd, setCwd] = useState("");
+  const [cwdRawVisible, setCwdRawVisible] = useState(false);
+  const [rawFocusToken, setRawFocusToken] = useState(0);
+  const [selectedGroupPath, setSelectedGroupPath] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [worktreeChoice, setWorktreeChoice] = useState<WorktreeChoice>("new");
+
+  const groups = useMemo(() => groupProjects(sortProjects(discovered, new Date())), [discovered]);
+  const visibleGroups = useMemo(
+    () => groups.filter((g) => filterProjects([g.main, ...g.worktrees], filterQuery).length > 0),
+    [groups, filterQuery],
+  );
+  const selectedGroup = useMemo(
+    () => groups.find((g) => g.main.path === selectedGroupPath) ?? null,
+    [groups, selectedGroupPath],
+  );
+
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let cancelled = false;
+    fetchProjects()
+      .then((list) => {
+        if (!cancelled) setDiscovered(list);
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        if (!cancelled) setDiscovered([]);
+      })
+      .finally(() => {
+        if (!cancelled) setProjectsLoading(false);
+      });
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  // ---- worktree (branch-only; base_repo inferred via scan or /gitroot) ----
+  const [wtEnabled, setWtEnabled] = useState(prefill.worktreeEnabled ?? true);
+  const [inferredBaseRepo, setInferredBaseRepo] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [wtHint, setWtHint] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [name, setName] = useState(prefill.name ?? "");
+  const [branchEdited, setBranchEdited] = useState(Boolean(prefill.worktreeBranchEdited));
+  const [branchMode, setBranchMode] = useState<WorktreeBranchMode>(prefill.worktreeBranchMode ?? "new");
+  const [newBranch, setNewBranch] = useState(prefill.worktreeBranch ?? "");
+  const [existingBranch, setExistingBranch] = useState("");
+  const [branchCache, setBranchCache] = useState<{ cwd: string; branches: BranchInfo[] } | null>(null);
+
+  const [advancedCollapsed, setAdvancedCollapsed] = useState(true);
+  const [error, setError] = useState("");
+  const [submitting, setSubmitting] = useState(false);
+  const [ready, setReady] = useState(false);
+
+  const probeTokenRef = useRef(0);
+  const probeTimerRef = useRef<number | undefined>(undefined);
+
+  const applyBaseRepoResolution = useCallback((res: BaseRepoResolution) => {
+    switch (res.kind) {
+      case "disabled":
+        setInferredBaseRepo(null);
+        setWtHint(null);
+        return;
+      case "no-cwd":
+        setInferredBaseRepo(null);
+        setWtHint("Choose a working directory first.");
+        return;
+      case "found":
+        setInferredBaseRepo(res.repo);
+        setWtHint(null);
+        setBranchCache(null);
+        setExistingBranch("");
+        return;
+      case "probe":
+        return; // caller schedules the probe
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  const probeGitRoot = useCallback(async (path: string) => {
+    const token = ++probeTokenRef.current;
+    if (!path) {
+      setInferredBaseRepo(null);
+      setWtHint("Choose a working directory first.");
+      return;
+    }
+    setWtHint("Checking for a git repository…");
+    let root: string | undefined;
+    try {
+      root = (await gitRoot(path)).root;
+    } catch {
+      root = undefined;
+    }
+    if (token !== probeTokenRef.current || destroyedRef.current) return; // a newer probe superseded us
+    if (root) {
+      setInferredBaseRepo(root);
+      setWtHint(null);
+      setBranchCache(null);
+      setExistingBranch("");
+    } else {
+      setInferredBaseRepo(null);
+      // Publish the untick too, or a later submit fails with an inferred repo
+      // that no longer matches an unticked box.
+      setWtEnabled(false);
+      setWtHint("Not inside a git repository — pick a dir in a repo to use a worktree.");
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  const scheduleGitRootProbe = useCallback(
+    (path: string) => {
+      window.clearTimeout(probeTimerRef.current);
+      probeTimerRef.current = window.setTimeout(() => {
+        probeTimerRef.current = undefined;
+        void probeGitRoot(path);
+      }, GITROOT_PROBE_DEBOUNCE_MS);
+    },
+    [probeGitRoot],
+  );
+  useEffect(() => () => window.clearTimeout(probeTimerRef.current), []);
+
+  // Seed the form once the initial project scan and daemon info have both
+  // settled — mirrors createSpawnForm's `loadProjects()`. Computed from local
+  // values rather than reading state back, since the setState calls below
+  // won't have committed yet within this same effect.
+  const seededRef = useRef(false);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (infoLoading || projectsLoading || seededRef.current) return;
+    seededRef.current = true;
+
+    const seedCwd = prefill.cwd ?? null;
+    let finalCwd = "";
+    let finalCwdRawVisible = false;
+    let finalGroupPath: string | null = null;
+    let finalChoice: WorktreeChoice = "new";
+
+    const restore = (path: string): boolean => {
+      for (const group of groups) {
+        const wt = worktreesOf(group).find((p) => p.path === path);
+        const choice: WorktreeChoice | null = wt ? wt.path : group.main.path === path ? "new" : null;
+        if (choice === null) continue;
+        finalGroupPath = group.main.path;
+        finalChoice = choice;
+        return true;
+      }
+      return false;
+    };
+
+    if (seedCwd) {
+      if (prefill.cwdRawVisible === false) {
+        finalCwd = seedCwd;
+        if (!restore(seedCwd)) finalCwdRawVisible = true;
+      } else {
+        finalCwd = seedCwd;
+        finalCwdRawVisible = true;
+      }
+    } else if (discovered.length === 0) {
+      finalCwd = homeDir;
+      finalCwdRawVisible = true;
+    }
+
+    setCwd(finalCwd);
+    setCwdRawVisible(finalCwdRawVisible);
+    setSelectedGroupPath(finalGroupPath);
+    setWorktreeChoice(finalChoice);
+
+    const res = resolveBaseRepoFor(finalCwd, wtEnabled, discovered);
+    applyBaseRepoResolution(res);
+    if (res.kind === "probe") scheduleGitRootProbe(finalCwd);
+
+    setReady(true);
+    // groups/wtEnabled/discovered/homeDir are read for this one settle pass;
+    // re-running on their later changes would re-seed a form the operator
+    // has since edited.
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [infoLoading, projectsLoading]);
+
+  // ---- name (also seeds the worktree branch) ------------------------------
+  const skipInitialBranchSync = useRef(Boolean(prefill.worktreeBranch));
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // One-time construction seeding, mirroring spawnForm.ts precedence: an
+    // explicit seed wins outright; otherwise the prefilled name; otherwise a
+    // freshly generated handle (#53).
+    if (prefill.worktreeBranch) return;
+    if (!branchEdited && branchMode === "new" && prefill.name) return; // handled below, mount-only
+    if (!branchEdited && branchMode === "new") {
+      void fetchNames(1)
+        .then((batch) => {
+          const handle = batch.names[0];
+          if (destroyedRef.current || !handle) return;
+          setNewBranch((cur) => cur || handle);
+        })
+        .catch(() => {
+          // the operator types their own branch
+        });
+    }
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!skipInitialBranchSync.current && !branchEdited && branchMode === "new" && name) {
+      setNewBranch(name);
+    }
+    skipInitialBranchSync.current = false;
+    // A cleared name leaves the branch on its last value; only `name` changes
+    // (typed or the mount-time prefill) drive this sync.
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [name]);
+
+  // ---- existing-branch picker (#61): fetch once per cwd -------------------
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (branchMode !== "existing" || !cwd || !inferredBaseRepo) return;
+    if (branchCache?.cwd === cwd) return;
+    let cancelled = false;
+    const target = cwd;
+    fetchBranches(target)
+      .then((branches) => {
+        if (cancelled || destroyedRef.current) return;
+        setBranchCache({ cwd: target, branches });
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        // the picker just stays empty; "new" mode still works
+      });
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+  }, [branchMode, cwd, inferredBaseRepo, branchCache]);
+
+  const branchesForCwd = branchCache?.cwd === cwd ? branchCache.branches : undefined;
+
+  // A native <select> defaults its displayed (and reported) value to the
+  // first enabled option once nothing is explicitly selected. Derived at
+  // render/submit time rather than synced via an effect, so there is no
+  // window where the control shows one branch while state still holds "".
+  const effectiveExistingBranch =
+    existingBranch || branchesForCwd?.find((b) => !b.worktree && !b.is_head)?.name || "";
+
+  // ---- emit (#observability parity with spawnForm.ts's onChange) ---------
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!ready) return;
+    onChange?.({
+      command,
+      cwd,
+      name,
+      structuredView,
+      autoApprove: activePreset?.auto_approve ?? false,
+      worktreeEnabled: wtEnabled,
+      worktreeBranch: branchMode === "existing" ? effectiveExistingBranch : newBranch,
+      worktreeBranchEdited: branchEdited,
+      worktreeBranchMode: branchMode,
+      cwdRawVisible,
+    });
+  }, [
+    ready,
+    command,
+    cwd,
+    name,
+    structuredView,
+    activePreset,
+    wtEnabled,
+    branchMode,
+    effectiveExistingBranch,
+    newBranch,
+    branchEdited,
+    cwdRawVisible,
+    onChange,
+  ]);
+
+  // ---- handlers -------------------------------------------------------------
+  const selectPreset = useCallback(
+    (id: string) => {
+      setCommandTouched(true);
+      setSelectedPresetId(id);
+      const preset = presets.find((p) => p.id === id);
+      if (!preset || preset.command === "") setCommand(customCommand.trim());
+      else setCommand(preset.command);
+    },
+    [presets, customCommand],
+  );
+
+  const clearProjectSelection = useCallback(() => {
+    setSelectedGroupPath(null);
+    setWorktreeChoice("new");
+  }, []);
+
+  const showRawCwd = useCallback(
+    (prefillValue?: string, focus = true) => {
+      setCwdRawVisible(true);
+      if (prefillValue != null) setCwd(prefillValue);
+      clearProjectSelection();
+      if (focus) setRawFocusToken((t) => t + 1);
+    },
+    [clearProjectSelection],
+  );
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (rawFocusToken === 0) return;
+    rawCwdRef.current?.focus();
+    rawCwdRef.current?.select();
+  }, [rawFocusToken]);
+
+  const applyWorktreeChoice = useCallback(
+    (group: ProjectGroup, choice: WorktreeChoice) => {
+      const target = choice === "new" ? group.main : worktreesOf(group).find((p) => p.path === choice);
+      if (!target) return;
+      setWorktreeChoice(choice);
+      setCwd(target.path);
+      setBranchCache(null);
+      setExistingBranch("");
+      if (choice === "new") {
+        setWtEnabled(true);
+        applyBaseRepoResolution({ kind: "found", repo: group.main.base_repo ?? group.main.path });
+      } else {
+        setWtEnabled(false);
+        applyBaseRepoResolution({ kind: "disabled" });
+      }
+    },
+    [applyBaseRepoResolution],
+  );
+
+  const selectProject = useCallback(
+    (group: ProjectGroup) => {
+      setSelectedGroupPath(group.main.path);
+      setCwdRawVisible(false);
+      // Rule 4: a box that is itself a linked worktree defaults to running there.
+      applyWorktreeChoice(group, group.main.is_worktree ? group.main.path : "new");
+    },
+    [applyWorktreeChoice],
+  );
+
+  const onWtEnabledChange = useCallback(
+    (next: boolean) => {
+      setWtEnabled(next);
+      const res = resolveBaseRepoFor(cwd, next, discovered);
+      applyBaseRepoResolution(res);
+      if (res.kind === "probe") scheduleGitRootProbe(cwd);
+    },
+    [cwd, discovered, applyBaseRepoResolution, scheduleGitRootProbe],
+  );
+
+  const onRawCwdChange = useCallback(
+    (v: string) => {
+      setCwd(v);
+      setBranchCache(null);
+      setExistingBranch("");
+      if (wtEnabled) scheduleGitRootProbe(v);
+    },
+    [wtEnabled, scheduleGitRootProbe],
+  );
+
+  const onSubmit = useCallback(
+    async (e: React.FormEvent<HTMLFormElement>) => {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      setError("");
+      const values: SpawnFormValues = {
+        command,
+        cwd,
+        name,
+        structuredView,
+        autoApprove: activePreset?.auto_approve ?? false,
+        worktreeEnabled: wtEnabled,
+        worktreeBranch: branchMode === "existing" ? effectiveExistingBranch : newBranch,
+        worktreeBranchEdited: branchEdited,
+        worktreeBranchMode: branchMode,
+      };
+      const built = buildSpawnRequest(values, inferredBaseRepo);
+      if ("error" in built) {
+        setError(built.error);
+        return;
+      }
+      setSubmitting(true);
+      try {
+        const session = await createSession(built.req);
+        onSuccess(session);
+      } catch (err) {
+        setError((err as Error).message);
+        setSubmitting(false);
+      }
+    },
+    [
+      command,
+      cwd,
+      name,
+      structuredView,
+      activePreset,
+      wtEnabled,
+      branchMode,
+      effectiveExistingBranch,
+      newBranch,
+      branchEdited,
+      inferredBaseRepo,
+      onSuccess,
+    ],
+  );
+
+  // ---- Enter submits from anywhere (#97) ------------------------------------
+  const onFormKeyDown = useCallback(
+    (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLFormElement>) => {
+      if (e.key !== "Enter" || e.defaultPrevented) return;
+      const target = e.target as HTMLElement;
+
+      if (target.dataset.role === "toggle") {
+        e.preventDefault();
+        (target as HTMLInputElement).click();
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (target instanceof HTMLButtonElement && target.dataset.picker) {
+        e.preventDefault();
+        if (target.dataset.active === "true") {
+          formRef.current?.requestSubmit();
+        } else {
+          target.click();
+        }
+        return;
+      }
+
+      e.preventDefault();
+      if (target === filterInputRef.current) {
+        // Resolve the filter to a project only when the current pick isn't
+        // one of the matches: a filter typed past it means the operator
+        // moved on, while a pick that still matches keeps its worktree choice.
+        const stillMatches =
+          selectedGroup != null && visibleGroups.some((g) => g.main.path === selectedGroup.main.path);
+        if (!stillMatches && visibleGroups[0]) selectProject(visibleGroups[0]);
+      }
+      formRef.current?.requestSubmit();
+    },
+    [selectedGroup, visibleGroups, selectProject],
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <form
+      ref={formRef}
+      onSubmit={onSubmit}
+      onKeyDown={onFormKeyDown}
+      className="mx-auto flex w-full max-w-[60ch] flex-col gap-sp-2 overflow-auto p-sp-3"
+    >
+      <div className="flex flex-col gap-sp-2">
+        <span className="text-fs-13 text-ink">Harness</span>
+        <div className="grid grid-cols-[repeat(auto-fill,minmax(120px,1fr))] gap-sp-2">
+          {presets.map((p) => {
+            const isCustom = p.command === "";
+            const toolId = presetToolId(p);
+            const icon = isCustom ? null : toolId ? harnessIcon(toolId) : harnessIcon("shell");
+            const label = TOOL_LABELS[toolId ?? ""] ?? p.label;
+            const active = p.id === selectedPresetId;
+            return (
+              <button
+                key={p.id}
+                type="button"
+                className={`flex flex-col items-center gap-sp-2 rounded-r-2 border px-sp-2 py-sp-3 text-center ${
+                  active
+                    ? "border-accent bg-accent-tint"
+                    : isCustom
+                      ? "border-dashed border-border text-muted"
+                      : "border-border bg-surface-2 hover:border-border-strong"
+                }`}
+                onClick={() => selectPreset(p.id)}
+              >
+                <span
+                  className={`flex h-8 w-8 items-center justify-center ${active ? "text-ink" : "text-muted"}`}
+                  aria-hidden={icon ? undefined : true}
+                  dangerouslySetInnerHTML={icon ? { __html: icon } : undefined}
+                >
+                  {icon ? undefined : "…"}
+                </span>
+                <span className="max-w-full truncate text-fs-13 font-semibold">
+                  {isCustom ? "Custom…" : label}
+                </span>
+              </button>
+            );
+          })}
+        </div>
+        <input
+          ref={customCommandRef}
+          className="w-full rounded-r-2 border border-border bg-surface-2 px-sp-3 py-2.5 font-mono text-fs-15 text-ink"
+          name="command_raw"
+          type="text"
+          hidden={!isCustomSelected}
+          placeholder="bash -l"
+          autoComplete="off"
+          value={customCommand}
+          onChange={(e) => {
+            const v = e.currentTarget.value;
+            setCustomCommand(v);
+            if (isCustomSelected) {
+              setCommandTouched(true);
+              setCommand(v.trim());
+            }
+          }}
+        />
+      </div>
+
+      <div className="flex flex-col gap-sp-2">
+        <span className="text-fs-13 text-ink">Project</span>
+        <input
+          ref={filterInputRef}
+          className="w-full rounded-r-2 border border-border bg-surface-2 px-sp-3 py-2.5 font-mono text-fs-15 text-ink"
+          type="text"
+          placeholder="Filter projects…"
+          autoComplete="off"
+          value={filterQuery}
+          onChange={(e) => setFilterQuery(e.currentTarget.value)}
+        />
+        {!ready ? (
+          <p className="m-0 px-sp-3 py-1.5 text-fs-13 text-faint">Loading projects…</p>
+        ) : (
+          <div className="grid max-h-[300px] grid-cols-2 gap-sp-2 overflow-y-auto p-px">
+            {visibleGroups.map((group) => {
+              const active = selectedGroup?.main.path === group.main.path;
+              return (
+                <button
+                  key={group.main.path}
+                  type="button"
+                  data-picker="project"
+                  data-active={active || undefined}
+                  className={`flex min-w-0 flex-col gap-0.5 rounded-r-2 border px-sp-3 py-sp-2 text-left ${
+                    active ? "border-accent bg-accent-tint" : "border-border bg-surface-2 hover:border-border-strong"
+                  } ${isStale(group.main, new Date()) ? "opacity-55" : ""}`}
+                  onClick={() => selectProject(group)}
+                >
+                  <span className="truncate text-fs-13 font-semibold text-ink">{group.main.name}</span>
+                  <span className="break-words font-mono text-fs-12 text-muted">
+                    {abbreviateCwd(parentDir(group.main.path), homeDir)}
+                  </span>
+                </button>
+              );
+            })}
+            {discovered.length > 0 && visibleGroups.length === 0 && (
+              <p className="col-span-2 m-0 px-sp-3 py-1.5 text-fs-13 text-faint">No projects match.</p>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        )}
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="self-start bg-transparent px-0 py-1 text-fs-13 italic text-muted hover:text-ink"
+          onClick={() => showRawCwd(cwd || homeDir)}
+        >
+          Other directory…
+        </button>
+        {cwdRawVisible && (
+          <DirAutocomplete
+            inputRef={rawCwdRef}
+            className="w-full rounded-r-2 border border-border bg-surface-2 px-sp-3 py-2.5 font-mono text-fs-15 text-ink"
+            name="cwd_raw"
+            type="text"
+            placeholder="/home/user/project"
+            value={cwd}
+            onChange={onRawCwdChange}
+          />
+        )}
+      </div>
+
+      <div className="flex flex-col border-t border-border pt-sp-2">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="flex w-full items-center gap-sp-1 py-sp-2 text-left text-fs-11 text-muted"
+          aria-expanded={!advancedCollapsed}
+          onClick={() => setAdvancedCollapsed((c) => !c)}
+        >
+          <span className={`inline-block transition-transform ${advancedCollapsed ? "-rotate-90" : ""}`}>▾</span>
+          <span className="font-semibold">Advanced</span>
+          <span className="ml-auto text-fs-12 text-muted">{wtEnabled ? "creates a worktree" : "no worktree"}</span>
+        </button>
+        {!advancedCollapsed && (
+          <div className="flex flex-col gap-sp-3 py-sp-2">
+            <label className="flex flex-col gap-1 text-fs-12 text-muted">
+              Session name
+              <input
+                name="name"
+                type="text"
+                autoComplete="off"
+                placeholder="named after your first prompt"
+                className="w-full rounded-r-2 border border-border bg-surface-2 px-sp-3 py-2.5 font-mono text-fs-15 text-ink"
+                value={name}
+                onChange={(e) => setName(e.currentTarget.value)}
+              />
+            </label>
+
+            {structuredSupported && (
+              <label className="flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-sp-2 text-fs-14 text-ink">
+                <input
+                  type="checkbox"
+                  data-role="toggle"
+                  className="size-[18px] accent-accent"
+                  checked={structuredView}
+                  onChange={(e) => {
+                    setStructuredTouched(true);
+                    setStructuredView(e.currentTarget.checked);
+                  }}
+                />
+                Structured view
+              </label>
+            )}
+
+            {selectedGroup && (
+              <div className="flex flex-col gap-sp-2">
+                <span className="text-fs-13 text-ink">Worktree</span>
+                <div className="flex max-h-[200px] flex-col gap-sp-1 overflow-y-auto">
+                  <button
+                    type="button"
+                    data-picker="worktree"
+                    data-active={worktreeChoice === "new" || undefined}
+                    className={pickerButtonClass(worktreeChoice === "new")}
+                    onClick={() => applyWorktreeChoice(selectedGroup, "new")}
+                  >
+                    <span className="text-fs-13 font-semibold text-accent">+ new</span>
+                    <span className="text-right text-fs-12 text-muted">
+                      new worktree of {selectedGroup.main.name}
+                    </span>
+                  </button>
+                  {worktreesOf(selectedGroup).map((wt) => (
+                    <button
+                      key={wt.path}
+                      type="button"
+                      data-picker="worktree"
+                      data-active={worktreeChoice === wt.path || undefined}
+                      className={pickerButtonClass(worktreeChoice === wt.path)}
+                      onClick={() => applyWorktreeChoice(selectedGroup, wt.path)}
+                    >
+                      <span className="text-fs-13 font-semibold text-ink">{wt.name}</span>
+                      <span className="text-right text-fs-12 text-muted">{wt.path}</span>
+                    </button>
+                  ))}
+                </div>
+              </div>
+            )}
+
+            <BranchPicker
+              enabled={wtEnabled}
+              onToggleEnabled={onWtEnabledChange}
+              hint={wtHint}
+              baseRepo={inferredBaseRepo}
+              mode={branchMode}
+              onModeChange={setBranchMode}
+              newBranch={newBranch}
+              onNewBranchChange={(v) => {
+                setBranchEdited(true);
+                setNewBranch(v);
+              }}
+              branches={branchesForCwd}
+              existingBranch={effectiveExistingBranch}
+              onExistingBranchChange={setExistingBranch}
+            />
+          </div>
+        )}
+      </div>
+
+      <p role="alert" aria-live="polite" className={`m-0 text-fs-13 text-danger ${error ? "rounded-r-2 bg-danger-tint px-sp-3 py-sp-2" : "min-h-[1.2em]"}`}>
+        {error}
+      </p>
+      <div className="flex justify-end">
+        <button
+          type="submit"
+          disabled={submitting}
+          className="rounded-r-1 bg-accent px-sp-4 py-sp-2 text-fs-13 font-semibold text-accent-ink disabled:opacity-60"
+        >
+          Spawn
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    </form>
+  );
+}

web/src/components/spawn/SpawnModal.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import type { DaemonInfo, Project, Session } from "../../types.js";
+import { SpawnModal } from "./SpawnModal.js";
+
+vi.mock("../../api.js", () => ({
+  createSession: vi.fn(),
+  fetchBranches: vi.fn(),
+  fetchNames: vi.fn(),
+  getDaemonInfo: vi.fn(),
+  gitRoot: vi.fn(),
+  listDir: vi.fn(),
+  projects: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+import { createSession, fetchNames, getDaemonInfo, listDir, projects as fetchProjects } from "../../api.js";
+
+function info(): DaemonInfo {
+  return { hostname: "h", version: "1", home_dir: "/home/n", presets: [{ id: "claude", label: "Claude", command: "claude" }] };
+}
+
+function project(over: Partial<Project> = {}): Project {
+  return { path: "/repos/p", name: "p", ...over };
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.mocked(getDaemonInfo).mockResolvedValue(info());
+  vi.mocked(fetchProjects).mockResolvedValue([project()]);
+  vi.mocked(fetchNames).mockResolvedValue({ names: ["amber-fox"] });
+  vi.mocked(listDir).mockResolvedValue({ path: "", entries: [] });
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup();
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+});
+
+async function settle() {
+  await waitFor(() => expect(screen.queryByText("Loading projects…")).toBeNull());
+}
+
+describe("SpawnModal", () => {
+  it("mounts the spawn form inside a dialog", async () => {
+    render(<SpawnModal onSuccess={vi.fn()} onClose={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    expect(screen.getByRole("dialog")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Spawn" })).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("titles a seeded open as a clone", async () => {
+    render(<SpawnModal seed={{ command: "claude" }} onSuccess={vi.fn()} onClose={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Spawn similar")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("titles a plain open as a new session", async () => {
+    render(<SpawnModal onSuccess={vi.fn()} onClose={vi.fn()} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Spawn session")).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("closes on Escape, on Cancel and on a backdrop click", async () => {
+    const onClose = vi.fn();
+    const { unmount } = render(<SpawnModal onSuccess={vi.fn()} onClose={onClose} />);
+    await settle();
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(screen.getByRole("dialog"), { key: "Escape" });
+    expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Cancel" }));
+    expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    unmount();
+
+    render(<SpawnModal onSuccess={vi.fn()} onClose={onClose} />);
+    await settle();
+    fireEvent.click(document.querySelector(".modal-backdrop")!);
+    expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+  });
+
+  it("closes before handing the created session to its caller", async () => {
+    const created: Session = {
+      id: "s1",
+      cwd: "/repos/p",
+      command: "claude",
+      env: {},
+      metadata: {},
+      status: "Running",
+      created_at: "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+    };
+    vi.mocked(createSession).mockResolvedValue(created);
+    const calls: string[] = [];
+    const onClose = vi.fn(() => calls.push("close"));
+    const onSuccess = vi.fn(() => calls.push("success"));
+    render(<SpawnModal onSuccess={onSuccess} onClose={onClose} />);
+    await settle();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("p"));
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Spawn" }));
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(onSuccess).toHaveBeenCalledWith(created));
+    expect(calls).toEqual(["close", "success"]);
+  });
+});

web/src/components/spawn/SpawnModal.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+// React port of ../../spawnModal.ts: dialog chrome around SpawnForm. Escape,
+// the ✕ and a click on the backdrop all close it; SpawnForm's own DirAutocomplete
+// swallows Escape first, so dismissing a dropdown never also discards the form.
+
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
+
+import type { Session } from "../../types.js";
+import { SpawnForm, type SpawnFormProps } from "./SpawnForm.js";
+
+export interface SpawnModalProps {
+  seed?: SpawnFormProps["seed"];
+  /** Called with the created session after a successful submit — the modal
+   * has already closed by then, so the caller decides where it lands. */
+  onSuccess(session: Session): void;
+  onClose(): void;
+}
+
+export function SpawnModal({ seed, onSuccess, onClose }: SpawnModalProps) {
+  const filterInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+
+  const handleSuccess = (session: Session) => {
+    onClose();
+    onSuccess(session);
+  };
+
+  // The project filter owns the keyboard on open: typing narrows the list and
+  // Tab from here reaches the harness tiles, matching the TUI's draft pane.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const host = filterInputRef.current;
+    host?.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>("input[placeholder='Filter projects…']")?.focus();
+  }, []);
+
+  return createPortal(
+    <div
+      className="modal-backdrop fixed inset-0 z-modal flex items-center justify-center bg-bg/70 backdrop-blur-sm"
+      onClick={(e) => {
+        if (e.target === e.currentTarget) onClose();
+      }}
+    >
+      <div
+        role="dialog"
+        aria-modal="true"
+        aria-labelledby="spawn-title"
+        className="flex max-h-[92vh] w-full max-w-[560px] flex-col rounded-r-3 border border-border bg-surface shadow-2"
+        onKeyDown={(e) => {
+          if (e.key === "Escape" && !e.defaultPrevented) {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            onClose();
+          }
+        }}
+      >
+        <header className="flex items-center justify-between border-b border-border p-sp-3">
+          <h2 id="spawn-title" className="m-0 text-fs-15 font-semibold text-ink">
+            {seed ? "Spawn similar" : "Spawn session"}
+          </h2>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            aria-label="Close"
+            className="rounded-r-1 px-sp-2 py-1 text-fs-15 text-muted hover:text-ink"
+            onClick={onClose}
+          >
+            ✕
+          </button>
+        </header>
+        <div ref={filterInputRef} className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-auto">
+          <SpawnForm seed={seed} onSuccess={handleSuccess} />
+        </div>
+        <div className="flex justify-end gap-sp-2 border-t border-border p-sp-3">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className="rounded-r-1 border border-border px-sp-3 py-sp-1 text-fs-12 text-ink"
+            onClick={onClose}
+          >
+            Cancel
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>,
+    document.body,
+  );
+}

web/src/components/spawn/index.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+export { SpawnModal, type SpawnModalProps } from "./SpawnModal.js";
+export { SpawnForm, type SpawnFormProps } from "./SpawnForm.js";
+export { DirAutocomplete, type DirAutocompleteProps } from "./DirAutocomplete.js";
+export { BranchPicker, type BranchPickerProps } from "./BranchPicker.js";
+export { useFastForward, type UseFastForwardOptions } from "./useFastForward.js";
+// spawnSimilar.ts is pure seed-building logic with no DOM dependency — reused
+// as-is rather than re-implemented for React (#248).
+export { spawnSimilarSeed, spawnSimilarProjectSeed } from "../../spawnSimilar.js";

web/src/components/spawn/useFastForward.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { act, renderHook } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import type { Project, Session, SpawnPreset } from "../../types.js";
+import { useFastForward } from "./useFastForward.js";
+
+vi.mock("../../api.js", () => ({
+  createSession: vi.fn(),
+  fetchNames: vi.fn(),
+  getDaemonInfo: vi.fn(),
+  projects: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+import { createSession, fetchNames, getDaemonInfo, projects as fetchProjects } from "../../api.js";
+
+const mockCreateSession = vi.mocked(createSession);
+const mockFetchNames = vi.mocked(fetchNames);
+const mockGetDaemonInfo = vi.mocked(getDaemonInfo);
+const mockFetchProjects = vi.mocked(fetchProjects);
+
+const presets: SpawnPreset[] = [{ id: "claude", label: "Claude", command: "claude" }];
+
+function project(over: Partial<Project> = {}): Project {
+  return { path: "/repos/p", name: "p", base_repo: "/repos/p", last_command: "claude", ...over };
+}
+
+function session(): Session {
+  return {
+    id: "s1",
+    cwd: "/repos/p",
+    command: "claude",
+    env: {},
+    metadata: {},
+    status: "Running",
+    created_at: "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+  };
+}
+
+afterEach(() => vi.clearAllMocks());
+
+describe("useFastForward", () => {
+  it("spawns immediately once every default resolves", async () => {
+    mockFetchProjects.mockResolvedValue([project()]);
+    mockFetchNames.mockResolvedValue({ names: ["amber-fox"] });
+    mockGetDaemonInfo.mockResolvedValue({ hostname: "h", version: "1", presets });
+    const created = session();
+    mockCreateSession.mockResolvedValue(created);
+    const onSpawned = vi.fn();
+    const onFallback = vi.fn();
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useFastForward({ onSpawned, onFallback }));
+    await act(() => result.current());
+
+    expect(mockCreateSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        cwd: "/repos/p",
+        command: "claude",
+        worktree: { base_repo: "/repos/p", branch: "amber-fox", create_branch: true },
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(onSpawned).toHaveBeenCalledWith(created);
+    expect(onFallback).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to a pre-filled seed when the daemon rejects the spawn", async () => {
+    mockFetchProjects.mockResolvedValue([project()]);
+    mockFetchNames.mockResolvedValue({ names: ["amber-fox"] });
+    mockGetDaemonInfo.mockResolvedValue({ hostname: "h", version: "1", presets });
+    mockCreateSession.mockRejectedValue(new Error("boom"));
+    const onSpawned = vi.fn();
+    const onFallback = vi.fn();
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useFastForward({ onSpawned, onFallback }));
+    await act(() => result.current());
+
+    expect(onSpawned).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(onFallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ cwd: "/repos/p", command: "claude", worktreeBranch: "amber-fox" }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("falls back when nothing is known yet (no projects, no handle)", async () => {
+    mockFetchProjects.mockResolvedValue([]);
+    mockFetchNames.mockRejectedValue(new Error("exhausted"));
+    mockGetDaemonInfo.mockResolvedValue({ hostname: "h", version: "1", presets });
+    const onSpawned = vi.fn();
+    const onFallback = vi.fn();
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useFastForward({ onSpawned, onFallback }));
+    await act(() => result.current());
+
+    expect(mockCreateSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(onFallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ cwd: "" }));
+  });
+
+  it("prefers the focused session's project over the freshest one", async () => {
+    mockFetchProjects.mockResolvedValue([
+      project({ path: "/repos/fresh", name: "fresh" }),
+      project({ path: "/repos/current", name: "current", last_activity: "2020-01-01T00:00:00Z" }),
+    ]);
+    mockFetchNames.mockResolvedValue({ names: ["h"] });
+    mockGetDaemonInfo.mockResolvedValue({ hostname: "h", version: "1", presets });
+    mockCreateSession.mockResolvedValue(session());
+    const onSpawned = vi.fn();
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useFastForward({ focusedCwd: "/repos/current", onSpawned, onFallback: vi.fn() }),
+    );
+    await act(() => result.current());
+
+    expect(mockCreateSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ cwd: "/repos/current" }));
+  });
+});

web/src/components/spawn/useFastForward.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// React port of main.ts's `requestFastForward` (#67): one keystroke, every
+// spawn default resolved — most recent project (or the one the operator is
+// on), its last command, a fresh generated branch handle, worktree on with a
+// new branch. A failed POST, or any missing default, falls back to the same
+// pre-filled form `onFallback` opens, rather than a dead keystroke.
+
+import { useCallback } from "react";
+
+import { createSession, fetchNames, getDaemonInfo, projects as fetchProjects } from "../../api.js";
+import { buildFastForwardRequest, fastForwardSeed, resolveFastForward } from "../../fastForward.js";
+import { FALLBACK_PRESETS, type SpawnFormSeed } from "../../spawnForm.js";
+import type { Project, Session, SpawnPreset } from "../../types.js";
+
+export interface UseFastForwardOptions {
+  /** The project of the session the operator is currently on, if any — its
+   * base repo for a worktree session, else its cwd. Same rule the plain
+   * spawn modal's seed uses, so `N` lands where the operator currently is. */
+  focusedCwd?: string;
+  onSpawned(session: Session): void;
+  onFallback(seed: SpawnFormSeed): void;
+}
+
+async function resolvePresets(): Promise<SpawnPreset[]> {
+  try {
+    const info = await getDaemonInfo();
+    if (info.presets?.length) return info.presets;
+  } catch {
+    // keep fallbacks
+  }
+  return FALLBACK_PRESETS;
+}
+
+/** Returns a function to call on the fast-forward keystroke. */
+export function useFastForward(opts: UseFastForwardOptions): () => Promise<void> {
+  const { focusedCwd, onSpawned, onFallback } = opts;
+
+  return useCallback(async () => {
+    const [discovered, handle] = await Promise.all([
+      fetchProjects().catch(() => [] as Project[]),
+      fetchNames(1)
+        .then((batch) => batch.names[0])
+        .catch(() => undefined),
+    ]);
+    const presets = await resolvePresets();
+    const resolved = resolveFastForward(discovered, presets, handle, focusedCwd);
+    const req = buildFastForwardRequest(resolved);
+    if (req) {
+      try {
+        onSpawned(await createSession(req));
+        return;
+      } catch {
+        // degrades to the pre-filled form below, never a silent dead key
+      }
+    }
+    onFallback(fastForwardSeed(resolved));
+  }, [focusedCwd, onSpawned, onFallback]);
+}

web/src/spawnForm.ts

@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ import { splitCommand, toolIconSvg, TOOL_LABELS } from "./toolIcon.js";
 import { abbreviateCwd } from "./types.js";
 import type { BranchInfo, CreateSessionRequest, Project, Session, SpawnPreset } from "./types.js";
 
-const STRUCTURED_VIEW_TOOLS = new Set(["claude", "codex"]);
+export const STRUCTURED_VIEW_TOOLS = new Set(["claude", "codex"]);
 
-function supportsStructuredView(command: string): boolean {
+export function supportsStructuredView(command: string): boolean {
   const tool = splitCommand(command).tool;
   return tool !== null && STRUCTURED_VIEW_TOOLS.has(tool);
 }