feat(ui): make history automatically responsive

.changeset/responsive-log.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"hunkdiff": minor
+---
+
+Open `hunk log` as an auto-responsive terminal browser with GitHub-inspired rows, right-aligned commit links and copy actions, while preserving static output for pipes and `--static`.

README.md

@@ -87,17 +87,19 @@ hunk --fast                    # experimentally offload eligible syntax highligh
 hunk diff --watch              # auto-reload as the working tree changes
 hunk show                      # review the latest commit
 hunk show HEAD~1               # review an earlier commit
-hunk log                       # print the selected provider's repository history
-hunk log --interactive         # browse history; Enter opens a commit in Hunk
+hunk log                       # browse history on a terminal; print when redirected
+hunk log --static              # force static output, paging when needed
 ```
 
-`hunk log` is a static-first, read-only history surface, not a repository manager. The selected VCS
-adapter owns traversal, filtering, refs, and how a history item opens for review; the bundled Git
-and Jujutsu adapters both implement that public capability. Default output keeps full commit,
-author, date, message, branch/bookmark, remote, and tag details; `--oneline` provides compact rows, and `--theme`
-uses the same palette as Hunk review. Static output remains safe for pipes, redirects, and normal
-terminal scrollback. The explicit interactive mode stays a single history list; after opening a
-commit, quit its normal Hunk review to return to the same selection.
+`hunk log` is one auto-responsive, read-only history surface, not a repository manager. On a
+terminal it opens the desktop history browser; pipes and redirects receive shell-native static
+records automatically, and `--static` forces static output that pages only when needed. The selected VCS adapter
+owns traversal, filtering, refs, and how a history item opens for review; the bundled Git and
+Jujutsu adapters both implement that public capability. Static output keeps full commit, author,
+date, message, branch/bookmark, remote, and tag details; `--oneline` provides compact records, and
+`--theme` uses the same palette as Hunk review. Interactive rows adapt their information density to
+the available width and keep commit ids right-aligned and clickable. After opening a commit, quit
+its normal Hunk review to return to the same selection.
 
 ### Working with Jujutsu and Sapling
 

docs/keybindings.md

@@ -45,12 +45,13 @@ deleted until its replies are removed.
 
 The built-in commands and the keys they ship with:
 
-`hunk log --interactive` is a separate, fixed read-only history entry point rather than part of
-the configurable review command table. `F10` opens its File, View, Navigate, Commit, and Help menus;
+On a terminal, `hunk log` opens its read-only history browser automatically. Its controls are
+separate from the configurable review command table. `F10` opens File, View, Navigate, Commit, and Help menus;
 View includes Hunk's shared theme selector. It uses `Up`/`Down` or `j`/`k` to move, `PageUp`/`PageDown`,
 `g`/`G` or `Home`/`End` to jump, `/` to search, `n`/`N` for matches, `r` to refresh, `y` to copy
 the full commit id, `Enter` to open the commit in normal Hunk review, and `q` to quit. With a mouse, click a commit
-id to open it immediately, click elsewhere on a row to select it, or double-click a row to open it.
+id to open it immediately, click the adjacent copy icon to copy its full immutable id, click elsewhere
+on a row to select it, or double-click a row to open it.
 Quitting the opened review returns to the retained history selection and viewport. The Commit menu's
 **Compare with first parent** and **Compare with parent…** actions compare the selected commit against
 an ordered provider-owned parent; they do not navigate the history selection to that parent.

src/app/cli.test.ts

@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ describe("parseCli", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  test("parses static and interactive log options without review flags", async () => {
+  test("parses automatic and forced-static log options without review flags", async () => {
     expect(
       await parseCli([
         "bun",
@@ -520,10 +520,14 @@ describe("parseCli", () => {
       color: "never",
       format: "medium",
       ascii: true,
-      interactive: true,
+      static: false,
       extensionsEnabled: true,
       extensionPaths: [],
     });
+    expect(await parseCli(["bun", "hunk", "log", "--static"])).toMatchObject({
+      kind: "history",
+      static: true,
+    });
   });
 
   test("parses compact aliases, themes, and command-local extension disabling", async () => {
@@ -1757,6 +1761,10 @@ describe("parseCli command help text", () => {
     expect(await expectHelp(["patch", "--help"])).toContain("review a patch file");
     expect(await expectHelp(["pager", "--help"])).toContain("general Git pager wrapper");
     expect(await expectHelp(["difftool", "--help"])).toContain("review Git difftool file pairs");
+    const logHelp = await expectHelp(["log", "--help"]);
+    expect(logHelp).toContain("browse an attractive repository history");
+    expect(logHelp).toContain("--static");
+    expect(logHelp).not.toContain("--interactive");
   });
 
   test("renders the stash command overview and the stash show command help", async () => {

src/app/cli.ts

@@ -207,10 +207,11 @@ export const CLI_REFERENCE_COMMANDS = {
     path: "log",
     // Release preparation enables this when an installable build contains history browsing.
     publicDocs: false,
-    summary: "print an attractive repository history",
+    summary: "browse an attractive repository history",
     synopsis: ["hunk log [revision-expression] [-- <pathspec...>]"],
     details: [
-      "Static output is the default. Use --interactive for the experimental history browser.",
+      "A terminal opens the responsive browser; pipes and redirects receive static output.",
+      "Use --static to force static output, paging when it exceeds the terminal.",
       "The selected VCS provider defines revision, filtering, and review semantics.",
     ],
     options: [
@@ -232,13 +233,13 @@ export const CLI_REFERENCE_COMMANDS = {
       },
       {
         flag: "--format <format>",
-        description: "record format: medium or compact",
+        description: "static record format: medium or compact",
         commanderDefault: "medium",
       },
-      { flag: "--oneline", description: "alias for --format compact" },
+      { flag: "--oneline", description: "alias for static --format compact" },
       { flag: "--theme <id>", description: "use the same theme as Hunk review" },
       { flag: "--ascii", description: "use an ASCII graph" },
-      { flag: "--interactive", description: "browse history and open commits in Hunk" },
+      { flag: "--static", description: "print static output, paging when needed" },
       { flag: "--vcs <id>", description: "select a VCS history provider" },
       {
         flag: "--extension <path>",
@@ -576,7 +577,7 @@ function renderCliHelp() {
     "  hunk diff --staged [-- <pathspec...>]   review staged changes",
     "  hunk diff --files <left> <right>        compare two concrete files",
     "  hunk show [target] [-- <pathspec...>]   review the last commit or a given target",
-    "  hunk log [target] [-- <pathspec...>]    print an attractive repository history",
+    "  hunk log [target] [-- <pathspec...>]    browse an attractive repository history",
     "  hunk stash show [ref]                   review a stash entry (git only)",
     "  hunk patch [file]                       review a patch file or stdin",
     "  hunk pager                              general Git pager wrapper with diff detection",
@@ -1003,13 +1004,16 @@ async function parseShowCommand(tokens: string[], argv: string[]): Promise<Parse
   };
 }
 
-/** Parse the deliberately small static-first `hunk log` grammar. */
+/** Parse the deliberately small auto-responsive `hunk log` grammar. */
 async function parseHistoryCommand(
   tokens: string[],
   extensionsEnabled: boolean,
 ): Promise<ParsedCliInput> {
   const { commandTokens, pathspecs } = splitPathspecArgs(tokens);
-  const command = createCliReferenceCommand("log").argument("[revision]");
+  const command = createCliReferenceCommand("log")
+    .argument("[revision]")
+    // Accept the former opt-in spelling during migration without presenting two experiences.
+    .addOption(new Option("--interactive").hideHelp());
   let revision: string | undefined;
   let options: Record<string, unknown> = {};
 
@@ -1052,7 +1056,7 @@ async function parseHistoryCommand(
     color,
     format,
     ascii: Boolean(options.ascii),
-    interactive: Boolean(options.interactive),
+    static: Boolean(options.static),
     ...(typeof options.theme === "string" ? { theme: options.theme } : {}),
     ...(typeof options.vcs === "string" ? { vcs: options.vcs } : {}),
     extensionsEnabled: extensionsEnabled && options.extensions !== false,

src/app/historyBootstrap.test.ts

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ const input: HistoryCommandInput = {
   color: "never",
   format: "compact",
   ascii: false,
-  interactive: true,
+  static: false,
   vcs: "test",
   extensionsEnabled: false,
   extensionPaths: [],

src/app/startup.test.ts

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { createEmptyExtensionLoadResult } from "../extensions/types";
 import { resolveExtensionCliCommands } from "../extensions/cliCommands";
 import type { HunkConfigResolution } from "../core/run/config";
 import { HunkUserError } from "../core/run/errors";
-import { prepareStartupPlan } from "./startup";
+import { prepareStartupPlan, shouldUseInteractiveHistory } from "./startup";
 import type { AppBootstrap } from "../core/bootstrap";
 import type { CliInput, ParsedCliInput } from "../core/run/commandInputs";
 import type { NamedCustomThemeConfig } from "../extension-api/types";
@@ -41,6 +41,23 @@ function createBootstrap(input: CliInput): AppBootstrap {
   };
 }
 
+describe("history surface selection", () => {
+  test("opens one automatic browser only when both standard streams are terminals", () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldUseInteractiveHistory({ forceStatic: false, stdinIsTTY: true, stdoutIsTTY: true }),
+    ).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      shouldUseInteractiveHistory({ forceStatic: false, stdinIsTTY: false, stdoutIsTTY: true }),
+    ).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      shouldUseInteractiveHistory({ forceStatic: false, stdinIsTTY: true, stdoutIsTTY: false }),
+    ).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      shouldUseInteractiveHistory({ forceStatic: true, stdinIsTTY: true, stdoutIsTTY: true }),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
 describe("startup planning", () => {
   test("runs an extension CLI command and retires its registry before returning", async () => {
     const invocation = {

src/app/startup.ts

@@ -161,6 +161,19 @@ function applyDelegatedExtensionFlags(
   } as ParsedCliInput;
 }
 
+/** Choose the history surface from terminal ownership unless static output was forced. */
+export function shouldUseInteractiveHistory({
+  forceStatic,
+  stdinIsTTY,
+  stdoutIsTTY,
+}: {
+  forceStatic: boolean;
+  stdinIsTTY: boolean;
+  stdoutIsTTY: boolean;
+}) {
+  return !forceStatic && stdinIsTTY && stdoutIsTTY;
+}
+
 /** Normalize startup work so help, pager, and app-bootstrap paths can be tested directly. */
 export async function prepareStartupPlan(
   argv: string[] = process.argv,
@@ -399,8 +412,13 @@ export async function prepareStartupPlan(
     // The runner owns source/extension retirement; unlike ordinary headless plans, history must
     // retain its provider cursor until every page has been consumed.
     preloadedExtensions = undefined;
+    const useInteractiveHistory = shouldUseInteractiveHistory({
+      forceStatic: parsedCliInput.static,
+      stdinIsTTY,
+      stdoutIsTTY,
+    });
     return {
-      kind: parsedCliInput.interactive ? "history-interactive" : "history-static",
+      kind: useInteractiveHistory ? "history-interactive" : "history-static",
       bootstrap,
       input: parsedCliInput,
     };

src/core/run/commandInputs.ts

@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ export type SessionCommentListType = "live" | "all" | ReviewNoteSource;
 export type HistoryColorMode = "auto" | "always" | "never";
 export type HistoryFormat = "medium" | "compact";
 
-/** Static-first VCS history invocation, deliberately separate from review view options. */
+/** Auto-responsive VCS history invocation, deliberately separate from review view options. */
 export interface HistoryCommandInput {
   kind: "history";
   revision?: string;
@@ -128,7 +128,8 @@ export interface HistoryCommandInput {
   color: HistoryColorMode;
   format: HistoryFormat;
   ascii: boolean;
-  interactive: boolean;
+  /** Force scrollback output even when stdin and stdout are terminals. */
+  static: boolean;
   theme?: string;
   vcs?: string;
   extensionsEnabled: boolean;

src/ui/history/runStaticHistory.test.ts

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function runtime(commits: HistoryCommit[], maxCount?: number) {
       color: "never",
       format: "medium",
       ascii: false,
-      interactive: false,
+      static: true,
       extensionsEnabled: true,
       extensionPaths: [],
       ...(maxCount !== undefined ? { maxCount } : {}),