fix(native-chat): preserve initial chat mode on paired-host launches

src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.test.ts

@@ -17066,6 +17066,16 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
   it('creates mobile session terminals in a headless runtime server', async () => {
     const spawn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: 'pty-headless' })
     const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService(store)
+    const persistViewMode = vi.spyOn(
+      runtime as unknown as {
+        persistHeadlessSessionTabProps: (
+          worktreeId: string,
+          tabId: string,
+          props: { viewMode: 'terminal' | 'chat' }
+        ) => void
+      },
+      'persistHeadlessSessionTabProps'
+    )
     runtime.setPtyController({
       spawn,
       write: () => true,
@@ -17074,7 +17084,9 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
     })
     runtime.syncWindowGraph(0, { tabs: [], leaves: [] })
 
-    const result = await runtime.createMobileSessionTerminal(`id:${TEST_WORKTREE_ID}`)
+    const result = await runtime.createMobileSessionTerminal(`id:${TEST_WORKTREE_ID}`, {
+      viewMode: 'chat'
+    })
 
     expect(spawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.objectContaining({
@@ -17090,8 +17102,12 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
       type: 'terminal',
       status: 'ready',
       terminal: expect.stringMatching(/^term_/),
+      viewMode: 'chat',
       isActive: true
     })
+    expect(persistViewMode).toHaveBeenCalledWith(TEST_WORKTREE_ID, result.tab.parentTabId, {
+      viewMode: 'chat'
+    })
 
     const listed = await runtime.listMobileSessionTabs(`id:${TEST_WORKTREE_ID}`)
     expect(listed.tabs).toEqual([
@@ -20138,15 +20154,17 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
     })
 
     const result = await runtime.createMobileSessionTerminal(`id:${TEST_WORKTREE_ID}`, {
-      activate: false
+      activate: false,
+      viewMode: 'chat'
     })
 
     expect(send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       'terminal:requestTabCreate',
       expect.objectContaining({
         worktreeId: TEST_WORKTREE_ID,
         activate: false,
-        source: 'runtime-session'
+        source: 'runtime-session',
+        viewMode: 'chat'
       })
     )
     expect(focusTerminal).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
@@ -20504,7 +20522,8 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
       })
 
       const create = runtime.createMobileSessionTerminal(`id:${TEST_WORKTREE_ID}`, {
-        activate: true
+        activate: true,
+        viewMode: 'terminal'
       })
       let settled = false
       const settledCreate = create.finally(() => {
@@ -20550,6 +20569,7 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
         leafId: pendingLeafId,
         status: 'ready',
         terminal: expect.stringMatching(/^term_/),
+        viewMode: 'terminal',
         isActive: true
       })
       expect(spawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
@@ -20567,7 +20587,8 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
         expect.objectContaining({
           ptyId: 'pty-materialized',
           tabId: 'tab-pending',
-          leafId: pendingLeafId
+          leafId: pendingLeafId,
+          viewMode: 'terminal'
         })
       )
       expect(closeTerminal).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
@@ -20761,16 +20782,44 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
       })
 
       const create = runtime.createMobileSessionTerminal(`id:${TEST_WORKTREE_ID}`, {
-        activate: true
+        activate: true,
+        viewMode: 'chat'
       })
       let settled = false
       const settledCreate = create.finally(() => {
         settled = true
       })
       await vi.waitFor(() => expect(send).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1))
 
+      // A shell-only renderer snapshot can win the first race but still omit
+      // launch props. The later PTY rescue must fill the explicit mode.
+      runtime.syncWindowGraph(1, {
+        tabs: [],
+        leaves: [],
+        mobileSessionTabs: [
+          {
+            worktree: TEST_WORKTREE_ID,
+            publicationEpoch: 'renderer-shell',
+            snapshotVersion: 1,
+            activeGroupId: 'group-1',
+            activeTabId: `tab-alive::${leafId}`,
+            activeTabType: 'terminal',
+            tabs: [
+              {
+                type: 'terminal',
+                id: `tab-alive::${leafId}`,
+                parentTabId: 'tab-alive',
+                leafId,
+                title: 'Terminal',
+                isActive: true
+              }
+            ]
+          }
+        ]
+      })
+
       // The renderer's own PTY spawn registers with the tab binding — the same
-      // call the pty IPC layer now makes — without any mobileSessionTabs sync.
+      // call the pty IPC layer now makes — after the shell-only snapshot.
       runtime.registerPty('pty-alive', TEST_WORKTREE_ID, null, {
         tabId: 'tab-alive',
         leafId
@@ -20786,7 +20835,8 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
         parentTabId: 'tab-alive',
         leafId,
         status: 'ready',
-        terminal: expect.stringMatching(/^term_/)
+        terminal: expect.stringMatching(/^term_/),
+        viewMode: 'chat'
       })
       expect(closeTerminal).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     } finally {

src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.ts

@@ -1020,6 +1020,7 @@ type TerminalCreateOptions = {
   launchConfig?: WorktreeStartupLaunch['launchConfig']
   launchToken?: string
   launchAgent?: TuiAgent
+  viewMode?: 'terminal' | 'chat'
   startupCommandDelivery?: WorktreeStartupLaunch['startupCommandDelivery']
   telemetry?: WorktreeStartupLaunch['telemetry']
   title?: string
@@ -1318,6 +1319,7 @@ type RuntimeNotifier = {
       launchConfig?: SleepingAgentLaunchConfig
       launchToken?: string
       launchAgent?: TuiAgent
+      viewMode?: 'terminal' | 'chat'
       activate?: boolean
       presentation?: RuntimeTerminalPresentation
       tabId?: string
@@ -2139,7 +2141,11 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
   // creates so ordinary renderer spawns never publish here.
   private pendingMobileTerminalCreatesByKey = new Map<
     string,
-    { activate: boolean; selectIfNoActiveTab: boolean }
+    {
+      activate: boolean
+      selectIfNoActiveTab: boolean
+      viewMode?: 'terminal' | 'chat'
+    }
   >()
   private mobileSessionTabListeners = new Set<(snapshot: RuntimeMobileSessionTabsResult) => void>()
   // Why: coalesces title/status-driven session.tabs emits so spinner churn
@@ -3663,6 +3669,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       activate: boolean
       selectIfNoActiveTab?: boolean
       startupCwd?: string
+      viewMode?: 'terminal' | 'chat'
       split?: { splitFromLeafId: string; direction: 'horizontal' | 'vertical' }
     }
   ): void {
@@ -3694,6 +3701,17 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       baseLayout,
       args.split
     )
+    // Why: a main-side PTY rescue or split publication must not erase the
+    // host's explicit tab mode before the renderer graph catches up.
+    const viewMode =
+      args.viewMode ??
+      existingTab?.viewMode ??
+      existing?.tabs.find(
+        (candidate): candidate is RuntimeMobileSessionTerminalTab =>
+          candidate.type === 'terminal' &&
+          candidate.parentTabId === args.tabId &&
+          candidate.viewMode !== undefined
+      )?.viewMode
     const tab: RuntimeMobileSessionTerminalTab = {
       type: 'terminal',
       id: `${args.tabId}::${args.leafId}`,
@@ -3703,6 +3721,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       title,
       ...(pty.launchAgent ? { launchAgent: pty.launchAgent } : {}),
       ...(args.startupCwd ? { startupCwd: args.startupCwd } : {}),
+      ...(viewMode ? { viewMode } : {}),
       parentLayout,
       isActive:
         args.activate || (args.selectIfNoActiveTab !== false && existing?.activeTabId == null)
@@ -17718,6 +17737,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
           // Why: explicit background presentation may carry legacy activate
           // metadata from an already-owned renderer pane; don't select it on mobile.
           selectIfNoActiveTab: presentation !== 'background',
+          ...(launchOpts.viewMode ? { viewMode: launchOpts.viewMode } : {}),
           ...(cwd !== workspace.path ? { startupCwd: cwd } : {})
         })
       }
@@ -17736,6 +17756,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
             ...(effectiveLaunchConfig ? { launchConfig: effectiveLaunchConfig } : {}),
             ...(launchToken ? { launchToken } : {}),
             ...(launchOpts.launchAgent ? { launchAgent: launchOpts.launchAgent } : {}),
+            ...(launchOpts.viewMode ? { viewMode: launchOpts.viewMode } : {}),
             activate: presentation === 'focused',
             ...(presentation ? { presentation } : {}),
             tabId,
@@ -17811,6 +17832,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
         ...(launchOpts.launchConfig ? { launchConfig: launchOpts.launchConfig } : {}),
         ...(launchOpts.launchToken ? { launchToken: launchOpts.launchToken } : {}),
         ...(launchOpts.launchAgent ? { launchAgent: launchOpts.launchAgent } : {}),
+        ...(launchOpts.viewMode ? { viewMode: launchOpts.viewMode } : {}),
         startupCommandDelivery: launchOpts.startupCommandDelivery,
         title: launchOpts.title,
         activate: presentation === 'focused',
@@ -17869,6 +17891,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       agent?: TuiAgent
       launchConfig?: SleepingAgentLaunchConfig
       launchAgent?: TuiAgent
+      viewMode?: 'terminal' | 'chat'
       activate?: boolean
       clientMutationId?: string
       signal?: AbortSignal
@@ -17913,6 +17936,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       agent?: TuiAgent
       launchConfig?: SleepingAgentLaunchConfig
       launchAgent?: TuiAgent
+      viewMode?: 'terminal' | 'chat'
       activate?: boolean
       clientMutationId?: string
       signal?: AbortSignal
@@ -17946,6 +17970,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
           env: startupCommand.env,
           startupCommandDelivery: startupCommand.startupCommandDelivery,
           launchAgent: startupCommand.launchAgent,
+          viewMode: opts.viewMode,
           targetGroupId: opts.targetGroupId,
           launchConfig: startupCommand.launchConfig
         }
@@ -17994,6 +18019,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
         ...(startupCommand.env ? { env: startupCommand.env } : {}),
         ...(startupCommand.launchConfig ? { launchConfig: startupCommand.launchConfig } : {}),
         ...(startupCommand.launchAgent ? { launchAgent: startupCommand.launchAgent } : {}),
+        ...(opts.viewMode ? { viewMode: opts.viewMode } : {}),
         startupCommandDelivery: startupCommand.startupCommandDelivery,
         source: 'runtime-session',
         activate: opts.activate
@@ -18012,7 +18038,8 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
     // requested group, so any wrong-group placement is cosmetic and stall-window-only.
     this.pendingMobileTerminalCreatesByKey.set(pendingCreateKey, {
       activate: opts.activate !== false,
-      selectIfNoActiveTab: true
+      selectIfNoActiveTab: true,
+      ...(opts.viewMode ? { viewMode: opts.viewMode } : {})
     })
     try {
       // Why: the PTY spawn and the tabCreate reply race on independent IPC
@@ -18057,6 +18084,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
           startupCommandDelivery: startupCommand.startupCommandDelivery,
           identity: { tabId: pendingSurface.tab.parentTabId, leafId: pendingSurface.tab.leafId },
           launchAgent: startupCommand.launchAgent,
+          viewMode: opts.viewMode,
           targetGroupId: opts.targetGroupId,
           launchConfig: startupCommand.launchConfig
         }
@@ -18180,6 +18208,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       startupCommandDelivery?: WorktreeStartupLaunch['startupCommandDelivery']
       identity?: { tabId: string; leafId: string; sessionId?: string }
       launchAgent?: TuiAgent
+      viewMode?: 'terminal' | 'chat'
       targetGroupId?: string
       launchConfig?: SleepingAgentLaunchConfig
     } = {}
@@ -18197,6 +18226,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       env: opts.env,
       ...(opts.launchConfig ? { launchConfig: opts.launchConfig } : {}),
       ...(opts.launchAgent ? { launchAgent: opts.launchAgent } : {}),
+      ...(opts.viewMode ? { viewMode: opts.viewMode } : {}),
       startupCommandDelivery: opts.startupCommandDelivery,
       ...(opts.identity
         ? {
@@ -18218,6 +18248,11 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
     }
     const parentTabId = livePty.pty.tabId ?? `pty:${livePty.pty.ptyId}`
     const leafId = parsePaneKey(livePty.pty.paneKey ?? '')?.leafId ?? randomUUID()
+    if (opts.viewMode) {
+      // Why: the runtime-owned binding must survive a serve restart with the
+      // same initial mode, not fall back to a later client's local default.
+      this.persistHeadlessSessionTabProps(worktreeId, parentTabId, { viewMode: opts.viewMode })
+    }
     const existing = this.mobileSessionTabsByWorktree.get(worktreeId)
     const existingSurface =
       existing?.tabs.find(
@@ -18240,6 +18275,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       title: terminal.title ?? livePty.pty.title ?? 'Terminal',
       ...(cwd ? { startupCwd: cwd } : {}),
       ...(opts.launchAgent ? { launchAgent: opts.launchAgent } : {}),
+      ...(opts.viewMode ? { viewMode: opts.viewMode } : {}),
       parentLayout,
       isActive: activate
     }
@@ -18386,21 +18422,27 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       return null
     }
     const existing = this.findMobileTerminalSurface(worktreeId, tabId)
-    if (existing) {
-      // Why: the renderer's own publication already landed; stay idempotent.
+    if (
+      existing &&
+      this.isReadyMobileTerminalSurface(existing) &&
+      (pending.viewMode === undefined || existing.tab.viewMode === pending.viewMode)
+    ) {
+      // Why: the renderer's ready publication already landed with the intended
+      // mode; only a pending shell still needs the main-side PTY rescue.
       return existing
     }
     const pty = this.findLiveRegisteredPtyForRendererTab(worktreeId, tabId)
     const leafId = pty ? parsePaneKey(pty.paneKey ?? '')?.leafId : undefined
     if (!pty || !leafId) {
-      return null
+      return existing
     }
     this.publishPtyBackedMobileSessionTerminal(worktreeId, pty, {
       tabId,
       leafId,
       title: null,
       activate: pending.activate,
-      selectIfNoActiveTab: pending.selectIfNoActiveTab
+      selectIfNoActiveTab: pending.selectIfNoActiveTab,
+      ...(pending.viewMode ? { viewMode: pending.viewMode } : {})
     })
     // Why: waitForMobileTerminalSurface's check closures are drained only inside
     // syncWindowGraph; a main-side publish must drain them too or the pending

src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/session-tabs-schemas.ts

@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ export const CreateTerminalTab = WorktreeTabSelector.extend({
       message: 'Unknown launch agent'
     })
     .optional(),
+  viewMode: z.enum(['terminal', 'chat']).optional(),
   activate: z.boolean().optional(),
   // Why: idempotency key so a retried create (double-tap, reconnect replay)
   // returns the in-flight operation instead of spawning a duplicate terminal.

src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/session-tabs.test.ts

@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ describe('session tab RPC methods', () => {
           agentEnv: { CODEX_PROFILE: 'captured' }
         },
         launchAgent: 'codex',
+        viewMode: 'chat',
         activate: true
       })
     )
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ describe('session tab RPC methods', () => {
         agentEnv: { CODEX_PROFILE: 'captured' }
       },
       launchAgent: 'codex',
+      viewMode: 'chat',
       activate: true
     })
   })

src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/session-tabs.ts

@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export const SESSION_TAB_METHODS: RpcAnyMethod[] = [
         ...(params.launchConfig ? { launchConfig: params.launchConfig } : {}),
         ...(params.launchToken ? { launchToken: params.launchToken } : {}),
         ...(params.launchAgent ? { launchAgent: params.launchAgent } : {}),
+        ...(params.viewMode ? { viewMode: params.viewMode } : {}),
         activate: params.activate,
         clientMutationId: params.clientMutationId,
         // Why: a dead client connection must cancel the surface wait instead