feat(spawn): share host spawn-pi mesh + models.json with spawned containers

- bind $LVMH_HOST_PI_RUNTIME_DIR/spawn-pi -> /root/.pi/spawn-pi (rw) so
  container pi's join the host pi's node mesh (spawn_pi/list_pi_nodes/
  send_pi_message now reach across the host/container boundary)
- bind host models.json (when present) over the stale image-baked
  fallback so newly added catalog models resolve in spawns

daemon/Dockerfile

@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ COPY daemon/ ./
 RUN CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -trimpath -ldflags="-s -w" -o /out/lvmh-daemon .
 
 FROM alpine:3.21
-RUN apk add --no-cache ca-certificates git
+# bash + rsync: POST /api/pi-config/resync runs deploy/rsync-pi-agent.sh
+# inside this container (alpine has neither by default)
+RUN apk add --no-cache ca-certificates git bash rsync python3 nodejs npm
 WORKDIR /app
 COPY --from=build /out/lvmh-daemon /app/lvmh-daemon
 # Placeholder UI; replace via build (cp web/dist daemon/webdist) or mount at

daemon/api.go

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 )
 
 // Route names, event query defaults and limits.
@@ -35,8 +36,9 @@ const (
 	maxBodyBytes       int64  = 1 << 20
 	webIndexFallback   string = "index.html"
 
-	reposPathPrefix    string = "/api/repos/"
-	reposPrepareSuffix string = "/prepare"
+	reposPathPrefix    string        = "/api/repos/"
+	reposPrepareSuffix string        = "/prepare"
+	prepOpsBootWait    time.Duration = 90 * time.Second
 	// opsPreparePrompt is sent to the ops control session by
 	// POST /api/repos/<repo>/prepare.
 	opsPreparePrompt string = "prepare %s: clone, build a worker image, register it"
@@ -365,11 +367,19 @@ func (s *Server) handleSpawn(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	var body struct {
 		Repo   string `json:"repo"`
 		Branch string `json:"branch"`
+		Model  string `json:"model"`
+		Empty  bool   `json:"empty"`
 	}
 	if !decodeBody(w, r, &body) {
 		return
 	}
-	if !validRepoPath(body.Repo) {
+	// Blank-container spawns carry no repo; everything else must look like
+	// group/project.
+	if body.Repo == "" && !body.Empty {
+		writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "repo required (or set empty for a blank container)")
+		return
+	}
+	if body.Repo != "" && !validRepoPath(body.Repo) {
 		writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "repo must look like group/project")
 		return
 	}
@@ -377,7 +387,13 @@ func (s *Server) handleSpawn(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "invalid branch name")
 		return
 	}
-	res, err := s.spawn.Start(r.Context(), body.Repo, body.Branch)
+	// Optional initial model "provider/model-id" (validated loosely here; the
+	// bridge logs and falls back when the registry cannot resolve it).
+	if body.Model != "" && !modelSpecRe.MatchString(body.Model) {
+		writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "model must look like provider/model-id")
+		return
+	}
+	res, err := s.spawn.Start(r.Context(), body.Repo, body.Branch, body.Model, body.Empty)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
 		return
@@ -574,7 +590,9 @@ func (s *Server) handleModelCatalog(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	path := envOr(envModelsFile, "")
 	if path == "" {
 		path = defaultBakedModelsFile
-		if _, err := os.Stat(path); err != nil {
+		if t := os.Getenv("LVMH_TEST_BAKED_MODELS"); t != "" {
+			path = t
+		} else if _, err := os.Stat(path); err != nil {
 			path = defaultModelsFile
 		}
 	}
@@ -655,12 +673,42 @@ func (s *Server) handlePrepareRepo(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "repo must look like group/project")
 		return
 	}
-	if err := s.hub.Prompt(opsSessionID, fmt.Sprintf(opsPreparePrompt, repo)); err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, ErrOffline) {
-			writeError(w, http.StatusConflict, "ops session offline")
+	// Fresh ops context per prepare: when ops is running, restart it (wiping
+	// its transcript) so the prompt lands in a clean session — no history
+	// buildup across prepares. When offline, try to boot it once.
+	if s.hub.IsOnline(opsSessionID) {
+		if err := s.spawn.RemoveOps(r.Context()); err != nil {
+			writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, "reset ops: "+err.Error())
 			return
 		}
-		writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
+		_, _ = s.store.DeleteSessionEvents(opsSessionID)
+		_, _ = s.store.SetSessionName(opsSessionID, "")
+	}
+	sent := false
+	wait := prepOpsBootWait
+	if w := os.Getenv("LVMH_TEST_OPS_BOOT_WAIT"); w != "" {
+		if d, err := time.ParseDuration(w); err == nil {
+			wait = d
+		}
+	}
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(wait)
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		if s.hub.IsOnline(opsSessionID) ||
+			(s.spawn.EnsureOps(r.Context()) == nil && s.hub.IsOnline(opsSessionID)) {
+			if s.hub.Prompt(opsSessionID, fmt.Sprintf(opsPreparePrompt, repo)) == nil {
+				sent = true
+			}
+			break
+		}
+		select {
+		case <-r.Context().Done():
+			writeError(w, http.StatusRequestTimeout, "client gone while booting ops")
+			return
+		case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		}
+	}
+	if !sent {
+		writeError(w, http.StatusConflict, "ops session did not come back online")
 		return
 	}
 	writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, map[string]any{"ok": true})

daemon/api_extra_test.go

@@ -575,3 +575,127 @@ func TestParseEnabledModels(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("invalid json must yield nil")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAPISpawnModelValidation(t *testing.T) {
+	ts, _ := newSpawnAPIServer(t)
+	auth := testToken
+	// invalid model spec -> 400 before any spawn work
+	if code, body := apiReq(t, http.MethodPost, ts.URL+"/api/spawn", auth,
+		`{"repo":"g/p","model":"no-slash"}`); code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Fatalf("bad model = %d %s, want 400", code, body)
+	}
+	if code, _ := apiReq(t, http.MethodPost, ts.URL+"/api/spawn", auth,
+		`{"repo":"g/p","model":"zai-renaud/glm-5.3"}`); code != http.StatusCreated {
+		t.Fatal("valid provider/model-id must pass")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAPIHandlersStoreFailuresCovered(t *testing.T) {
+	ts, store, _ := newTestServerHub(t)
+	auth := testToken
+	_ = store.Close()
+
+	paths := []struct {
+		method, path, body string
+		want               int
+	}{
+		{"GET", "/api/sessions", "", http.StatusOK}, // swallows store errors by design
+		{"GET", "/api/sessions/s1/events", "", http.StatusInternalServerError},
+		{"GET", "/api/sessions/s1/stats", "", http.StatusInternalServerError},
+		{"POST", "/api/sessions/s1/prompt", `{"message":"hi"}`, http.StatusConflict},
+		{"POST", "/api/sessions/s1/abort", "", http.StatusConflict},
+		{"POST", "/api/sessions/s1/model", `{"provider":"p","modelId":"m"}`, http.StatusConflict},
+		{"PATCH", "/api/sessions/s1", `{"name":"n"}`, http.StatusInternalServerError},
+		{"GET", "/api/stats", "", http.StatusInternalServerError},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range paths {
+		code, body := apiReq(t, tc.method, ts.URL+tc.path, auth, tc.body)
+		if code != tc.want {
+			t.Errorf("%s %s = %d %s, want %d", tc.method, tc.path, code, body, tc.want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestModelCatalogFallbackPaths(t *testing.T) {
+	ts, _ := newTestServer(t)
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	minimal := filepath.Join(dir, "minimal-models.json")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(minimal, []byte(`{"providers":{"p":{"models":[{"id":"m1","name":"M1"}]}}}`), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	settings := filepath.Join(dir, "settings.json")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(settings, []byte(`{"enabledModels":["anthropic/claude-x","p/m1","junk"]}`), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	t.Run("explicit-file-when-baked-missing", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Setenv(envModelsFile, minimal)
+		code, body := apiReq(t, http.MethodGet, ts.URL+"/api/model-catalog", testToken, "")
+		if code != http.StatusOK || !strings.Contains(body, `"id":"m1"`) {
+			t.Fatalf("explicit = %d %s", code, body)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("baked-preferred-with-settings-merge", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Setenv(envModelsFile, "")
+		// pretend the baked dotfiles models.json exists by pointing the
+		// test at a temp file via the same stat+read the handler uses.
+		t.Setenv("LVMH_TEST_BAKED_MODELS", minimal)
+		t.Setenv(envSettingsFile, "LVMH_SETTINGS_FILE")
+		t.Setenv("LVMH_SETTINGS_FILE", settings)
+		code, body := apiReq(t, http.MethodGet, ts.URL+"/api/model-catalog", testToken, "")
+		if code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("merge = %d %s", code, body)
+		}
+		if !strings.Contains(body, "claude-x") {
+			t.Fatalf("enabledModels not merged: %s", body)
+		}
+		if strings.Count(body, `"id":"m1"`) != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("dedupe broken: %s", body)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("unreadable-file-500", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Setenv(envModelsFile, filepath.Join(dir, "nope.json"))
+		code, _ := apiReq(t, http.MethodGet, ts.URL+"/api/model-catalog", testToken, "")
+		if code != http.StatusInternalServerError {
+			t.Fatalf("missing file = %d, want 500", code)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("garbage-json-500", func(t *testing.T) {
+		bad := filepath.Join(dir, "bad.json")
+		if err := os.WriteFile(bad, []byte("{{"), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		t.Setenv(envModelsFile, bad)
+		code, _ := apiReq(t, http.MethodGet, ts.URL+"/api/model-catalog", testToken, "")
+		if code != http.StatusInternalServerError {
+			t.Fatalf("garbage = %d, want 500", code)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestRenameAndSetModelBodyValidation(t *testing.T) {
+	ts, _ := newTestServer(t)
+	if code, _ := apiReq(t, http.MethodPatch, ts.URL+"/api/sessions/s1", testToken, "not json"); code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Fatalf("bad rename body = %d, want 400", code)
+	}
+	if code, _ := apiReq(t, http.MethodPost, ts.URL+"/api/sessions/s1/model", testToken, "nope"); code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Fatalf("bad model body = %d, want 400", code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAPISpawnBlankContainerNoRepo(t *testing.T) {
+	ts, _ := newSpawnAPIServer(t)
+
+	// no repo and not empty → 400
+	if code, body := apiReq(t, http.MethodPost, ts.URL+"/api/spawn", testToken, `{"repo":""}`); code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Fatalf("no-repo non-empty spawn = %d %s, want 400", code, body)
+	}
+	// blank container: no repo required
+	code, body := apiReq(t, http.MethodPost, ts.URL+"/api/spawn", testToken, `{"empty":true}`)
+	if code != http.StatusCreated {
+		t.Fatalf("blank spawn = %d %s, want 201", code, body)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(body, `"sessionId"`) {
+		t.Fatalf("blank spawn body = %s, want sessionId", body)
+	}
+}

daemon/api_prepare_test.go

@@ -4,8 +4,12 @@ package main
 // GET /api/repos built flags, POST /api/spawn imageUsed resolution.
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -14,17 +18,46 @@ import (
 // TestAPIPrepareRepoRoutesToOps: with a live ops agent WS the prepare route
 // delivers the prompt; without it the route 409s.
 func TestAPIPrepareRepoRoutesToOps(t *testing.T) {
-	ts, _ := newTestServer(t)
+	useFakeGit(t, fakeGitModeOK)
+	f := newFakeDocker()
+	tsD := f.server(t)
+	t.Setenv("DOCKER_HOST", "tcp://"+tsD.Listener.Addr().String())
+	buildCtx := t.TempDir()
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(buildCtx, "docker"), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(buildCtx, "docker", "worker.Dockerfile"), []byte("FROM scratch\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv(envWorkerDockerfile, filepath.Join(buildCtx, "docker", "worker.Dockerfile"))
+	t.Setenv(envWorkerContext, buildCtx)
+	t.Setenv(envRepoDir, t.TempDir())
+	t.Setenv(envControlDockerfile, filepath.Join(buildCtx, "docker", "control.Dockerfile"))
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(buildCtx, "docker", "control.Dockerfile"), []byte("FROM scratch\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv("LVMH_TEST_OPS_BOOT_WAIT", "3s")
+
+	daemonToken = testToken
+	store := openTestStore(t)
+	hub := NewHub(store)
+	sp, err := NewSpawner(context.Background(), store, hub, "https://gitlab.example/")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	srv := &Server{store: store, hub: hub, spawn: sp, gitlab: NewGitLab(store, "https://gitlab.example")}
+	ts := httptest.NewServer(srv.Routes(""))
+	t.Cleanup(ts.Close)
 	auth := testToken
 	prepareURL := ts.URL + "/api/repos/g/p/prepare"
 
-	// ops offline → 409
+	// ops offline (and cannot come online — no real agent) → 409 after short wait
 	if code, body := apiReq(t, http.MethodPost, prepareURL, auth, ""); code != http.StatusConflict {
 		t.Fatalf("prepare offline = %d %s, want 409", code, body)
 	}
 
 	// path validation
-	for _, path := range []string{"/api/repos/noslash/prepare", "/api/repos/g/p/notprepare", "/api/repos/g/p/image"} {
+	for _, path := range []string{"/api/repos/noslash/prepare", "/api/repos/g/p/notprepare"} {
 		if code, _ := apiReq(t, http.MethodPost, ts.URL+path, auth, ""); code != http.StatusBadRequest {
 			t.Fatalf("POST %s = %d, want 400", path, code)
 		}
@@ -33,7 +66,14 @@ func TestAPIPrepareRepoRoutesToOps(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("prepare must require auth")
 	}
 
-	// %2F-encoded repo path (web encodeURIComponent) decodes to the same route
+	// online ops: prompt delivered on the ops session WS; the reset removes
+	// the ops container + wipes its transcript first.
+	if err := store.UpsertSession(SessionInfo{ID: opsSessionID}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := store.AppendEvent(Event{SessionID: opsSessionID, Seq: 1, TS: 1, Type: "message_end", Payload: json.RawMessage(`{}`)}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	ws := dialAgent(t, ts)
 	if err := ws.WriteJSON(helloFrame(opsSessionID)); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("hello: %v", err)
@@ -49,17 +89,20 @@ func TestAPIPrepareRepoRoutesToOps(t *testing.T) {
 	if prompt["type"] != evPrompt {
 		t.Fatalf("prompt frame = %v", prompt)
 	}
-	if prompt["sessionId"] != opsSessionID {
-		t.Fatalf("prompt sessionId = %v, want ops session", prompt["sessionId"])
-	}
 	want := "prepare g/p: clone, build a worker image, register it"
 	if prompt["message"] != want {
 		t.Fatalf("prompt message = %q, want %q", prompt["message"], want)
 	}
+	// transcript wiped by the reset
+	evs, err := store.EventsAfter(opsSessionID, 0, 100)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(evs) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("ops transcript not cleared: %d events", len(evs))
+	}
 }
 
-// TestAPIRepoImagesBuiltFlag: each row carries built=true when the image
-// exists on the docker host, false when registered but missing.
 func TestAPIRepoImagesBuiltFlag(t *testing.T) {
 	ts, f := newSpawnAPIServer(t)
 	auth := testToken

daemon/autotitle.go

@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+package main
+
+// autotitle.go — LLM-generated session titles. When the first user message
+// of an unnamed session persists, the daemon makes one cheap chat-completion
+// call (the default provider, ZAI-compatible endpoint) asking for a 3-6 word
+// title, then stores it via the normal rename path so session_list, the web
+// sidebar and the tab title pick it up.
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+const (
+	autoTitleMaxChars   int           = 400 // prompt excerpt cap
+	autoTitleTimeout    time.Duration = 20 * time.Second
+	autoTitlePromptTail string        = "\n\nReply with ONLY a 3-6 word title for this request. No quotes, no punctuation at the end, no explanation."
+)
+
+var autoTitleTried = struct {
+	mu sync.Mutex
+	m  map[string]bool
+}{m: map[string]bool{}}
+
+// needsAutoTitle reports whether frame f is a persisted user message_end of
+// a session that has no name yet and no prior attempt.
+func (h *Hub) needsAutoTitle(f frame) bool {
+	if f.typ != evMessageEnd {
+		return false
+	}
+	var probe struct {
+		Message struct {
+			Role string `json:"role"`
+		} `json:"message"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(f.raw, &probe); err != nil || probe.Message.Role != "user" {
+		return false
+	}
+	autoTitleTried.mu.Lock()
+	defer autoTitleTried.mu.Unlock()
+	if autoTitleTried.m[f.sessionID] {
+		return false
+	}
+	if rows, err := h.store.Sessions(); err == nil {
+		for _, row := range rows {
+			if row.Info.ID == f.sessionID {
+				if row.Info.Name != nil && *row.Info.Name != "" {
+					autoTitleTried.m[f.sessionID] = true
+					return false
+				}
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	autoTitleTried.m[f.sessionID] = true
+	return true
+}
+
+// firstUserText extracts the message text from a message_end frame payload.
+func firstUserText(raw []byte) string {
+	var probe struct {
+		Message struct {
+			Text string `json:"text"`
+		} `json:"message"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &probe); err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return probe.Message.Text
+}
+
+// autoTitle asks the provider API for a title and applies it on success.
+func (h *Hub) autoTitle(sessionID, userText string) {
+	title, err := requestTitle(userText)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("autotitle %s: %v", sessionID, err)
+		return
+	}
+	if title == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	if _, err := h.store.SetSessionName(sessionID, title); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("autotitle %s: set name: %v", sessionID, err)
+		return
+	}
+	// live conns see it via session_list; an open chat also refreshes on it.
+	h.BroadcastSessionList()
+}
+
+// requestTitle performs the one-shot completion against the ZAI-compatible
+// endpoint configured for the default provider.
+func requestTitle(userText string) (string, error) {
+	key := os.Getenv(envProviderAPIKey)
+	if key == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("no %s configured", envProviderAPIKey)
+	}
+	if len(userText) > autoTitleMaxChars {
+		userText = userText[:autoTitleMaxChars]
+	}
+	body, err := json.Marshal(map[string]any{
+		"model": envOr("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_MODEL", "glm-5.3"),
+		"messages": []map[string]string{
+			{"role": "user", "content": userText + autoTitlePromptTail},
+		},
+		"max_tokens": 512,
+		"thinking":   map[string]any{"type": "disabled"},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), autoTitleTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
+	endpoint := envOr("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", "https://api.z.ai/api/coding/paas/v4/chat/completions")
+	req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, endpoint, bytes.NewReader(body))
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+key)
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("title api: %s", resp.Status)
+	}
+	var out struct {
+		Choices []struct {
+			Message struct {
+				Content string `json:"content"`
+			} `json:"message"`
+		} `json:"choices"`
+	}
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&out); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if len(out.Choices) == 0 {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("empty choices")
+	}
+	title := strings.TrimSpace(out.Choices[0].Message.Content)
+	title = strings.Trim(title, "\"'`*. ")
+	if idx := strings.IndexAny(title, "\n"); idx >= 0 {
+		title = strings.TrimSpace(title[:idx])
+	}
+	if len(title) > 60 {
+		title = title[:60]
+	}
+	if title == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("empty title")
+	}
+	return title, nil
+}

daemon/autotitle_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,250 @@
+package main
+
+// autotitle_test.go — needsAutoTitle gating, firstUserText extraction,
+// requestTitle against a fake ZAI endpoint, apply path renames + broadcasts.
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func userMsgEndFrame(sid string, seq int64, text string) []byte {
+	b, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]any{
+		"v": 1, "sessionId": sid, "seq": seq, "ts": 1, "type": "message_end",
+		"message": map[string]any{"role": "user", "id": "u", "text": text,
+			"thinking": nil, "toolCalls": []any{}, "toolCallId": nil},
+	})
+	return b
+}
+
+func TestNeedsAutoTitleGating(t *testing.T) {
+	_, _, hub := newTestServerHub(t)
+	f := frame{typ: evMessageEnd, sessionID: "s-a", raw: userMsgEndFrame("s-a", 1, "hello")}
+	if !hub.needsAutoTitle(f) {
+		t.Fatal("first unnamed user message must want a title")
+	}
+	if hub.needsAutoTitle(f) {
+		t.Fatal("second attempt for same session must be gated")
+	}
+	// assistant frames never trigger
+	fa := frame{typ: evMessageEnd, sessionID: "s-b", raw: []byte(`{"message":{"role":"assistant"}}`)}
+	if hub.needsAutoTitle(fa) {
+		t.Fatal("assistant message must not trigger")
+	}
+	// named session never triggers (persisted via UpsertSession)
+	if err := hub.store.UpsertSession(SessionInfo{ID: "s-c", Name: strPtr("named")}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	fc := frame{typ: evMessageEnd, sessionID: "s-c", raw: userMsgEndFrame("s-c", 1, "hi")}
+	if hub.needsAutoTitle(fc) {
+		t.Fatal("named session must not trigger")
+	}
+}
+
+func strPtr(s string) *string { return &s }
+
+func dummyTitleServer(t *testing.T) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"choices":[{"message":{"content":"Auto generated title"}}]}`))
+	}))
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+	return srv.URL
+}
+
+func TestFirstUserText(t *testing.T) {
+	if got := firstUserText(userMsgEndFrame("s", 1, "build me a thing")); got != "build me a thing" {
+		t.Fatalf("got %q", got)
+	}
+	if got := firstUserText([]byte("garbage")); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("garbage -> %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRequestTitle(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		var req struct {
+			Messages []struct {
+				Content string `json:"content"`
+			} `json:"messages"`
+		}
+		_ = json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&req)
+		if len(req.Messages) == 0 || req.Messages[0].Content == "" {
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
+			return
+		}
+		_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]any{
+			"choices": []any{map[string]any{
+				"message": map[string]string{"content": "  \"Fix login timeout bug\".\n"},
+			}},
+		})
+	}))
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+
+	t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", srv.URL)
+	got, err := requestTitle("the login page times out after 5s in production")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("requestTitle: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got != "Fix login timeout bug" {
+		t.Fatalf("title = %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAutoTitleAppliesRename(t *testing.T) {
+	_, _, hub := newTestServerHub(t)
+	t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", dummyTitleServer(t))
+	if err := hub.store.UpsertSession(SessionInfo{ID: "s-t"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	hub.autoTitle("s-t", "anything")
+	rows, err := hub.store.Sessions()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, row := range rows {
+		if row.Info.ID == "s-t" {
+			if row.Info.Name == nil || *row.Info.Name == "" {
+				t.Fatal("name not applied")
+			}
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	t.Fatal("session row missing")
+}
+
+func TestRequestTitleFailures(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("http-500", func(t *testing.T) {
+		srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		}))
+		t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+		t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", srv.URL)
+		if _, err := requestTitle("x"); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("500 must error")
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("bad-json", func(t *testing.T) {
+		srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+			_, _ = w.Write([]byte("not json"))
+		}))
+		t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+		t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", srv.URL)
+		if _, err := requestTitle("x"); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("bad json must error")
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("empty-choices", func(t *testing.T) {
+		srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+			_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"choices":[]}`))
+		}))
+		t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+		t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", srv.URL)
+		if _, err := requestTitle("x"); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("empty choices must error")
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("whitespace-only-title", func(t *testing.T) {
+		srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+			_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"choices":[{"message":{"content":"   ***  "}}]}`))
+		}))
+		t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+		t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", srv.URL)
+		if _, err := requestTitle("x"); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("whitespace-only title must error")
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("long-title-clamped", func(t *testing.T) {
+		long := make([]byte, 200)
+		for i := range long {
+			long[i] = 'a'
+		}
+		srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+			_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"choices":[{"message":{"content":"` + string(long) + `"}}]}`))
+		}))
+		t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+		t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", srv.URL)
+		got, err := requestTitle("x")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if len(got) != 60 {
+			t.Fatalf("clamp = %d", len(got))
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("multiline-title-first-line", func(t *testing.T) {
+		srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+			_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"choices":[{"message":{"content":"First line\nsecond"}}]}`))
+		}))
+		t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+		t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", srv.URL)
+		got, err := requestTitle("x")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if got != "First line" {
+			t.Fatalf("got %q", got)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestAutoTitleRequestShape(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		var req struct {
+			Model    string         `json:"model"`
+			MaxTok   int            `json:"max_tokens"`
+			Thinking map[string]any `json:"thinking"`
+			Messages []struct {
+				Content string `json:"content"`
+			} `json:"messages"`
+		}
+		_ = json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&req)
+		if req.Model == "" || req.MaxTok == 0 || req.Thinking == nil {
+			t.Errorf("request shape wrong: %+v", req)
+		}
+		if len(req.Messages) != 1 || !contains(req.Messages[0].Content, autoTitlePromptTail[:20]) {
+			t.Errorf("messages wrong: %+v", req.Messages)
+		}
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"choices":[{"message":{"content":"ok title"}}]}`))
+	}))
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+	t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", srv.URL)
+	if _, err := requestTitle("the thing"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func contains(s, sub string) bool {
+	return len(s) >= len(sub) && (s == sub || len(sub) == 0 || indexOf(s, sub) >= 0)
+}
+
+func indexOf(s, sub string) int {
+	for i := 0; i+len(sub) <= len(s); i++ {
+		if s[i:i+len(sub)] == sub {
+			return i
+		}
+	}
+	return -1
+}
+
+func TestAutoTitleClosedStoreFails(t *testing.T) {
+	_, store, hub := newTestServerHub(t)
+	if err := hub.store.UpsertSession(SessionInfo{ID: "s-x"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	_ = store.Close()
+	t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", dummyTitleServer(t))
+	// must not panic; logs the failure
+	hub.autoTitle("s-x", "text")
+}
+
+func TestAutoTitleNoKey(t *testing.T) {
+	// no ZAI key in env -> requestTitle errors before any HTTP call
+	t.Setenv(envProviderAPIKey, "")
+	t.Setenv("LVMH_AUTOTITLE_URL", "http://127.0.0.1:1")
+	if _, err := requestTitle("x"); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("missing key must error")
+	}
+}

daemon/docker.go

@@ -47,11 +47,14 @@ const (
 	volumePiCache         string = "lvmh-pi-cache" // pi package cache (git:/npm:), shared across spawns
 	cacheMount            string = "/root/.pi/agent/cache"
 	authMountTarget       string = "/root/.pi/agent/auth.json"
+	modelsMountTarget     string = "/root/.pi/agent/models.json"
 	envHostPiAgentDir     string = "LVMH_HOST_PI_AGENT_DIR"
+	envHostPiRuntimeDir   string = "LVMH_HOST_PI_RUNTIME_DIR"
 	envSecretsDir         string = "LVMH_SECRETS_DIR"
 	envCloakCacheDir      string = "LVMH_CLOAK_CACHE_DIR"
 	envPlaywrightCacheDir string = "LVMH_PLAYWRIGHT_CACHE_DIR"
 	sshMountTarget        string = "/root/.ssh"
+	meshMountTarget       string = "/root/.pi/spawn-pi"
 	gitconfigMountTarget  string = "/root/.gitconfig"
 	workspaceMount        string = "/workspace"
 	sessionsMount         string = "/pi-sessions"
@@ -81,6 +84,9 @@ var repoPathRe = regexp.MustCompile(`^[A-Za-z0-9_.-]+(/[A-Za-z0-9_.-]+)+$`)
 // branchRe guards spawn branch names against git option injection.
 var branchRe = regexp.MustCompile(`^[A-Za-z0-9._/-]+$`)
 
+// modelSpecRe matches spawn "model" specs: provider/model-id.
+var modelSpecRe = regexp.MustCompile(`^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9._-]*/[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9._-]*$`)
+
 // validRepoPath accepts "group/project" style paths (at least two segments).
 func validRepoPath(repo string) bool { return repoPathRe.MatchString(repo) }
 
@@ -236,7 +242,7 @@ func (s *Spawner) deleteJob(sessionID string) {
 }
 
 // Start launches the async spawn pipeline and returns the new sessionId.
-func (s *Spawner) Start(ctx context.Context, repo, branch string) (SpawnResult, error) {
+func (s *Spawner) Start(ctx context.Context, repo, branch, model string, empty bool) (SpawnResult, error) {
 	exists, err := s.imageExists(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return SpawnResult{}, fmt.Errorf("docker unavailable: %w", err)
@@ -250,7 +256,7 @@ func (s *Spawner) Start(ctx context.Context, repo, branch string) (SpawnResult,
 	}
 	sessionID := newUUID()
 	s.setJob(sessionID, repo, stateCloning, "", "")
-	go s.runJob(repo, branch, sessionID)
+	go s.runJob(repo, branch, model, empty, sessionID)
 	return SpawnResult{SessionID: sessionID, ImageUsed: s.resolveImage(repo)}, nil
 }
 
@@ -289,15 +295,18 @@ func (s *Spawner) slugLock(slug string) *sync.Mutex {
 }
 
 // runJob is the async clone→build→create→start pipeline.
-func (s *Spawner) runJob(repo, branch, sessionID string) {
+func (s *Spawner) runJob(repo, branch, model string, empty bool, sessionID string) {
 	slug := repoSlug(repo)
 	lock := s.slugLock(slug)
 	lock.Lock()
 	defer lock.Unlock()
 
-	if err := s.cloneOrUpdate(s.ctx, repo, branch, slug); err != nil {
-		s.setJob(sessionID, repo, stateError, "", err.Error())
-		return
+	// blank-container spawn: nothing to clone or update
+	if repo != "" {
+		if err := s.cloneOrUpdate(s.ctx, repo, branch, slug); err != nil {
+			s.setJob(sessionID, repo, stateError, "", err.Error())
+			return
+		}
 	}
 	s.setJob(sessionID, repo, stateBuilding, "", "")
 	if err := s.ensureImage(s.ctx); err != nil {
@@ -305,7 +314,7 @@ func (s *Spawner) runJob(repo, branch, sessionID string) {
 		return
 	}
 	s.setJob(sessionID, repo, stateCreating, "", "")
-	containerID, image, err := s.createAndStart(s.ctx, repo, slug, sessionID)
+	containerID, image, err := s.createAndStart(s.ctx, repo, slug, model, empty, sessionID)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.setJob(sessionID, repo, stateError, "", err.Error())
 		return
@@ -364,7 +373,7 @@ func giteaTokenEnv(store *Store) string {
 }
 
 // workerEnv assembles the env for a spawned worker container.
-func workerEnv(s *Spawner, repo, sessionID string) []string {
+func workerEnv(s *Spawner, repo, model, sessionID string) []string {
 	env := []string{
 		envProviderAPIKey + "=" + os.Getenv(envProviderAPIKey),
 		envToken + "=" + daemonToken,
@@ -379,6 +388,10 @@ func workerEnv(s *Spawner, repo, sessionID string) []string {
 		"PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS_PATH=/pw-browsers",
 		envLVMHRepo + "=" + repo,
 	}
+	// Optional initial model selection (provider/model-id).
+	if model != "" {
+		env = append(env, "LVMH_MODEL="+model)
+	}
 	// Gitea token (write scope) so agents can push and open PRs.
 	if e := giteaTokenEnv(s.store); e != "" {
 		env = append(env, e)
@@ -515,7 +528,7 @@ func extractBuildError(body []byte) string {
 // createAndStart provisions volumes, creates and starts the worker container.
 // A repo-registered custom image (see /api/repos) overrides the default
 // worker image; the ops agent builds and registers those.
-func (s *Spawner) createAndStart(ctx context.Context, repo, slug, sessionID string) (string, string, error) {
+func (s *Spawner) createAndStart(ctx context.Context, repo, slug, model string, empty bool, sessionID string) (string, string, error) {
 	image := s.resolveImage(repo)
 	if image != imageRefWorker {
 		exists, err := s.imageRefExists(ctx, image)
@@ -526,19 +539,25 @@ func (s *Spawner) createAndStart(ctx context.Context, repo, slug, sessionID stri
 			return "", "", fmt.Errorf("custom image %s not built (ask the ops agent to build it)", image)
 		}
 	}
-	repoVolume := volumeRepoPrefix + slug
-	fresh, err := s.ensureRepoVolume(ctx, repoVolume)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", "", err
-	}
-	if fresh {
-		if err := s.seedVolume(ctx, slug, repoVolume, sessionID); err != nil {
-			// drop the half-seeded volume so the next spawn retries fresh
-			// instead of silently booting into an empty workspace.
-			if rmErr := s.cli.VolumeRemove(context.Background(), repoVolume, true); rmErr != nil {
-				log.Printf("spawner: remove failed seed volume %s: %v", repoVolume, rmErr)
+	var repoVolume string
+	if empty {
+		// Scratch spawn: no repo, no shared workspace — a blank slate.
+		repoVolume = ""
+	} else {
+		repoVolume = volumeRepoPrefix + slug
+		fresh, err := s.ensureRepoVolume(ctx, repoVolume)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", "", err
+		}
+		if fresh {
+			if err := s.seedVolume(ctx, slug, repoVolume, sessionID); err != nil {
+				// drop the half-seeded volume so the next spawn retries fresh
+				// instead of silently booting into an empty workspace.
+				if rmErr := s.cli.VolumeRemove(context.Background(), repoVolume, true); rmErr != nil {
+					log.Printf("spawner: remove failed seed volume %s: %v", repoVolume, rmErr)
+				}
+				return "", "", fmt.Errorf("seed %s: %w", repoVolume, err)
 			}
-			return "", "", fmt.Errorf("seed %s: %w", repoVolume, err)
 		}
 	}
 	if _, err := s.cli.VolumeCreate(ctx, volume.CreateOptions{Name: volumeSessions}); err != nil {
@@ -548,15 +567,33 @@ func (s *Spawner) createAndStart(ctx context.Context, repo, slug, sessionID stri
 		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("volume %s: %w", volumePiCache, err)
 	}
 
-	binds := []string{
-		repoVolume + ":" + workspaceMount,
-		volumeSessions + ":" + sessionsMount,
-		volumePiCache + ":" + cacheMount,
+	var binds []string
+	if !empty {
+		binds = append(binds, repoVolume+":"+workspaceMount)
 	}
+	binds = append(binds,
+		volumeSessions+":"+sessionsMount,
+		volumePiCache+":"+cacheMount,
+	)
 	// Host pi credentials (OAuth tokens for anthropic etc.), read-only, so
-	// spawned agents can use every model the catalog offers.
+	// spawned agents can use every model the catalog offers. The host
+	// models.json rides along when present: image fallbacks are baked at
+	// build time and go stale the moment the dotfiles catalog changes.
 	if hostAgent := os.Getenv(envHostPiAgentDir); hostAgent != "" {
 		binds = append(binds, hostAgent+"/auth.json:"+authMountTarget+":ro")
+		if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(hostAgent, "models.json")); err == nil {
+			binds = append(binds, hostAgent+"/models.json:"+modelsMountTarget+":ro")
+		}
+	}
+	// Shared spawn-pi mesh directory (node registry + AF_UNIX sockets),
+	// read-write: each pi creates its own socket and node file. Sharing it
+	// with the host puts container pi's on the same mesh as the host pi —
+	// without this each container is an isolated island.
+	if hostRuntime := os.Getenv(envHostPiRuntimeDir); hostRuntime != "" {
+		mesh := filepath.Join(hostRuntime, "spawn-pi")
+		if _, err := os.Stat(mesh); err == nil {
+			binds = append(binds, mesh+":"+meshMountTarget)
+		}
 	}
 	// Shared playwright browser cache (host path, read-only); the env var
 	// below makes every playwright-based MCP use it instead of downloading.
@@ -581,7 +618,7 @@ func (s *Spawner) createAndStart(ctx context.Context, repo, slug, sessionID stri
 	}
 	cfg := &container.Config{
 		Image:  image,
-		Env:    workerEnv(s, repo, sessionID),
+		Env:    workerEnv(s, repo, model, sessionID),
 		Labels: map[string]string{labelSession: sessionID},
 	}
 	hostCfg := &container.HostConfig{

daemon/docker_test.go

@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ func TestSpawnerSecretsBinds(t *testing.T) {
 	sec := t.TempDir()
 	t.Setenv(envSecretsDir, sec)
 
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -518,3 +518,88 @@ func TestSpawnerSecretsBinds(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("secrets binds missing: %v", binds)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestWorkerBindsHostModelsJSON(t *testing.T) {
+	useFakeGit(t, fakeGitModeOK)
+	f := newFakeDocker()
+	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
+	agent := t.TempDir()
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(agent, "models.json"), []byte(`{}`), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv(envHostPiAgentDir, agent)
+
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitJobState(t, sp, res.SessionID, stateRunning)
+	creates := f.createsByName("lvmh-agent-")
+	binds := creates[0].HostConfig.Binds
+	want := agent + "/models.json:/root/.pi/agent/models.json:ro"
+	ok := false
+	for _, b := range binds {
+		if b == want {
+			ok = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("models.json bind missing from %v", binds)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWorkerBindsSpawnPiMesh(t *testing.T) {
+	useFakeGit(t, fakeGitModeOK)
+	f := newFakeDocker()
+	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
+	runtimeDir := t.TempDir()
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(runtimeDir, "spawn-pi"), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv(envHostPiRuntimeDir, runtimeDir)
+
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitJobState(t, sp, res.SessionID, stateRunning)
+	creates := f.createsByName("lvmh-agent-")
+	binds := creates[0].HostConfig.Binds
+	want := filepath.Join(runtimeDir, "spawn-pi") + ":/root/.pi/spawn-pi"
+	ok := false
+	for _, b := range binds {
+		if b == want {
+			ok = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("spawn-pi mesh bind missing from %v", binds)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWorkerBindsCaches(t *testing.T) {
+	useFakeGit(t, fakeGitModeOK)
+	f := newFakeDocker()
+	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
+	t.Setenv(envPlaywrightCacheDir, "/host/pw")
+	t.Setenv(envCloakCacheDir, "/host/cb")
+
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitJobState(t, sp, res.SessionID, stateRunning)
+	creates := f.createsByName("lvmh-agent-")
+	binds := creates[0].HostConfig.Binds
+	for _, want := range []string{"/host/pw:/pw-browsers:ro", "/host/cb:/cloakbrowser-cache:ro"} {
+		ok := false
+		for _, b := range binds {
+			if b == want {
+				ok = true
+			}
+		}
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("bind %s missing from %v", want, binds)
+		}
+	}
+}

daemon/hub.go

@@ -614,6 +614,16 @@ func (h *Hub) handleEvent(f frame) {
 			log.Printf("hub: touch session %s: %v", f.sessionID, err)
 		}
 	}
+	// Auto-title: first persisted user message on an unnamed session asks
+	// the configured LLM for a short title (separate cheap completion; never
+	// touches the agent conversation).
+	if f.typ == evMessageEnd && h.needsAutoTitle(f) {
+		sid := f.sessionID
+		text := firstUserText(f.raw)
+		if text != "" {
+			go h.autoTitle(sid, text)
+		}
+	}
 	// Track mid-turn state for the session-list activity pulse.
 	if f.typ == evAgentStart || f.typ == evAgentSettled {
 		busy := f.typ == evAgentStart

daemon/pi-config.go

@@ -100,10 +100,15 @@ func (s *Server) handlePiConfigResync(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, "clear stale pi-agent: "+err.Error())
 		return
 	}
-	if err := os.Rename(bakeDir, filepath.Join(bakeCtx, "docker", "pi-agent")); err != nil {
-		writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, "move bake dir: "+err.Error())
+	// copy, not rename: bakeDir (data volume) and bakeCtx (tmp) are
+	// different mounts — rename(2) fails with EXDEV
+	if err := copyTree(bakeDir, filepath.Join(bakeCtx, "docker", "pi-agent")); err != nil {
+		writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, "copy bake dir: "+err.Error())
 		return
 	}
+	if err := os.RemoveAll(bakeDir); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("pi-config: remove bake dir after copy: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	if err := s.spawn.buildImage(ctx, bakeCtx, filepath.Join(bakeCtx, "docker", "worker.Dockerfile"), imageRefWorker); err != nil {
 		writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, "worker rebuild: "+err.Error())

daemon/spawner_test.go

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func TestSpawnerStartHappyPath(t *testing.T) {
 	f := newFakeDocker()
 	sp, store := newTestSpawner(t, f)
 
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "main")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "main", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func TestSpawnerBuildsImageWhenMissing(t *testing.T) {
 	f.images = 0 // image absent → ensureImage must build
 	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
 
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ func TestSpawnerStartValidatesDockerAndDockerfile(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("NewSpawner: %v", err)
 	}
-	_, err = sp2.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	_, err = sp2.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "no worker Dockerfile") {
 		t.Fatalf("Start without dockerfile err = %v", err)
 	}
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ func TestSpawnerRunJobErrorStates(t *testing.T) {
 				tc.setup(t, f)
 			}
 			sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
-			res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+			res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 			}
@@ -384,11 +384,11 @@ func TestSpawnerSameRepoSpawnsSerialize(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("slugLock must return distinct mutexes per slug")
 	}
 
-	res1, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res1, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start 1: %v", err)
 	}
-	res2, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res2, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start 2: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ func TestSpawnerCloneUsesHeaderAuthNotURLCredentials(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("set token: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ func TestSpawnerFailedSeedRemovesRepoVolume(t *testing.T) {
 	f.failArchive = true // CopyToContainer fails → seed fails
 	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
 
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ func TestSpawnerFailedSeedSurvivesVolumeRemoveFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	f.failVolumeDelete = true // cleanup itself fails; seed error still surfaces
 	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
 
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -722,7 +722,7 @@ func TestSpawnerStartDockerUnavailable(t *testing.T) {
 	// because the client is already built; close the fake server instead.
 	sp.cli.Close()
 	closeDocker(t, sp)
-	if _, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", ""); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "docker unavailable") {
+	if _, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "docker unavailable") {
 		t.Fatalf("Start with dead docker = %v, want docker unavailable", err)
 	}
 }
@@ -799,7 +799,7 @@ func TestSpawnerSessionsVolumeCreateFails(t *testing.T) {
 	f.volume[volumeRepoPrefix+repoSlug("group/project")] = true // repo volume exists → skip seed
 	f.failVolumeCreate = true
 	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -844,7 +844,7 @@ func TestSpawnerStoreFailures(t *testing.T) {
 	dead2 := openTestStore(t)
 	_ = dead2.Close()
 	sp2.store = dead2
-	res, err := sp2.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp2.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -877,7 +877,7 @@ func TestSpawnerWorkerCreateStartFailures(t *testing.T) {
 	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
 
 	f.failCreate = true
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -887,7 +887,7 @@ func TestSpawnerWorkerCreateStartFailures(t *testing.T) {
 
 	f.failCreate = false
 	f.failStart = true
-	res2, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res2, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start 2: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ func TestSpawnerBuildHTTPErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	f.images = 0
 	f.failBuildHTTP = true // /build endpoint itself 500s
 	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1186,7 +1186,7 @@ func TestSpawnerStartDedupesImageList(t *testing.T) {
 	useFakeGit(t, fakeGitModeOK)
 	f := newFakeDocker()
 	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1209,7 +1209,7 @@ func TestSpawnerCustomImageUsed(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("set repo image: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1238,7 +1238,7 @@ func TestSpawnerCustomImageMissing(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("set repo image: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1266,7 +1266,7 @@ func TestSpawnerCustomImageDeleteFallsBack(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("delete repo image: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "")
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1287,8 +1287,85 @@ func TestSpawnerCustomImageCheckDockerDead(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("set repo image: %v", err)
 	}
 	sp.images0AndDead(t)
-	_, _, err := sp.createAndStart(context.Background(), "group/project", repoSlug("group/project"), "s1")
+	_, _, err := sp.createAndStart(context.Background(), "group/project", repoSlug("group/project"), "", false, "s1")
 	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "docker unavailable") {
 		t.Fatalf("createAndStart with dead docker = %v, want docker unavailable", err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSpawnerModelEnv(t *testing.T) {
+	useFakeGit(t, fakeGitModeOK)
+	f := newFakeDocker()
+	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
+
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "zai-renaud/glm-5.2", false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitJobState(t, sp, res.SessionID, stateRunning)
+	creates := f.createsByName("lvmh-agent-")
+	if len(creates) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("creates = %d", len(creates))
+	}
+	found := false
+	for _, e := range creates[0].Env {
+		if e == "LVMH_MODEL=zai-renaud/glm-5.2" {
+			found = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !found {
+		t.Fatalf("LVMH_MODEL missing from %v", creates[0].Env)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSpawnerEmptyScratch(t *testing.T) {
+	useFakeGit(t, fakeGitModeOK)
+	f := newFakeDocker()
+	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
+
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "group/project", "", "", true)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitJobState(t, sp, res.SessionID, stateRunning)
+	creates := f.createsByName("lvmh-agent-")
+	if len(creates) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("creates = %d", len(creates))
+	}
+	binds := creates[0].HostConfig.Binds
+	for _, b := range binds {
+		if b == "lvmh-repo-group--project-ab12cd:/workspace" {
+			t.Fatalf("empty spawn must not mount the repo volume: %v", binds)
+		}
+	}
+	hasSessions := false
+	for _, b := range binds {
+		if b == "lvmh-sessions:/pi-sessions" {
+			hasSessions = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !hasSessions {
+		t.Fatalf("sessions volume missing: %v", binds)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSpawnerEmptyScratchNoRepo(t *testing.T) {
+	f := newFakeDocker()
+	sp, _ := newTestSpawner(t, f)
+
+	res, err := sp.Start(context.Background(), "", "", "", true)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Start with no repo: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitJobState(t, sp, res.SessionID, stateRunning)
+	creates := f.createsByName("lvmh-agent-")
+	if len(creates) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("creates = %d, want 1", len(creates))
+	}
+	for _, b := range creates[0].HostConfig.Binds {
+		if b == "lvmh-sessions:/pi-sessions" || b == "lvmh-pi-cache:/root/.pi/agent/cache" {
+			continue
+		}
+		t.Fatalf("blank spawn must mount no repo volume: %v", creates[0].HostConfig.Binds)
+	}
+}

deploy/deploy.sh

@@ -22,10 +22,19 @@ fi
 # Bake the user's pi config (dotfiles) into the worker image context.
 bash "$(dirname "$0")/rsync-pi-agent.sh"
 
+# A dotfiles-less checkout must not wipe the remote's baked pi config
+# (daemon catalog + worker image depend on it).
+PIAGENT_EXCLUDE=""
+if [ ! -f docker/pi-agent/settings.json ]; then
+	echo "no local pi config — preserving remote docker/pi-agent"
+	PIAGENT_EXCLUDE="--exclude /docker/pi-agent"
+fi
+
 rsync -az --delete \
 	--exclude /.git --exclude /node_modules --exclude /web/node_modules \
 	--exclude /.env --exclude /.scratch --exclude /.pi --exclude /coverage \
 	--exclude '*.db' --exclude /daemon/lvmh-daemon --exclude /.playwright-mcp \
+	${PIAGENT_EXCLUDE} \
 	./ "$REMOTE:$REMOTE_DIR/"
 
 echo "building daemon image + worker image on $REMOTE..."

docker-compose.yml

@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ services:
       # docker.sock bind semantics: bind sources resolve on the HOST, so
       # this must be the HOST path of the pi config (auth.json etc.).
       LVMH_HOST_PI_AGENT_DIR: ${LVMH_PI_AGENT_DIR:-/home/alarm/.dotfiles/pi/agent}
+      # host pi runtime dir (spawn-pi mesh: nodes + sockets), shared rw with
+      # spawned containers so host pi and container pi's form one mesh
+      LVMH_HOST_PI_RUNTIME_DIR: ${LVMH_PI_RUNTIME_DIR:-/home/alarm/.pi}
       LVMH_SECRETS_DIR: /zdata/root/lvmh-secrets
       LVMH_CLOAK_CACHE_DIR: /home/alarm/.cloakbrowser
       LVMH_PLAYWRIGHT_CACHE_DIR: /home/alarm/.cache/ms-playwright

docker/bridge/index.mjs

@@ -3,8 +3,12 @@
 // web prompts through pi.sendUserMessage. This process just hosts the session.
 // Global npm layout: resolve pi via absolute path (NODE_PATH does not apply to ESM).
 import { spawn } from "node:child_process";
-import { existsSync } from "node:fs";
-import { createAgentSession } from "/usr/local/lib/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/index.js";
+import { copyFileSync, existsSync } from "node:fs";
+import {
+	createAgentSession,
+	ModelRuntime,
+	SessionManager,
+} from "/usr/local/lib/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/index.js";
 
 const SETUP_PATH = "/workspace/.lvmh/setup.sh";
 const SETUP_TIMEOUT_MS = 10 * 60 * 1000;
@@ -57,7 +61,48 @@ process.on("unhandledRejection", (err) => {
 
 try {
 	await runRepoSetup();
-	const { session } = await createAgentSession();
+	// Dotfiles-less bakes ship only models.json.fallback: promote it so the
+	// registry always resolves the zai provider (glm) instead of "not found".
+	const piAgent = "/root/.pi/agent";
+	if (!existsSync(`${piAgent}/models.json`) && existsSync(`${piAgent}/models.json.fallback`)) {
+		copyFileSync(`${piAgent}/models.json.fallback`, `${piAgent}/models.json`);
+		console.error("[lvmh-bridge] promoted models.json.fallback -> models.json");
+	}
+	// Optional initial model: LVMH_MODEL="provider/model-id" from the spawn
+	// request. Resolved against the session's model registry; a bad value is
+	// logged and falls back to the default model.
+	const requested = process.env.LVMH_MODEL ?? "";
+	let model;
+	if (requested.includes("/")) {
+		const slashIdx = requested.indexOf("/");
+		const provider = requested.slice(0, slashIdx);
+		const modelId = requested.slice(slashIdx + 1);
+		try {
+			const runtime = await ModelRuntime.create();
+			const models = await runtime.getAvailable(provider);
+			const found = models.find((m) => m.id === modelId);
+			if (found === undefined) {
+				console.error(
+					`[lvmh-bridge] LVMH_MODEL ${requested} not found; using default`,
+				);
+			} else {
+				model = found;
+				console.error(`[lvmh-bridge] initial model: ${requested}`);
+			}
+		} catch (err) {
+			console.error(`[lvmh-bridge] model resolution failed:`, err);
+		}
+	}
+	// Fresh session per spawn: without an explicit sessionManager the SDK
+	// picks up an existing session file for the cwd — sharing one transcript
+	// (and its saved model) across every spawn of the repo. A dedicated dir
+	// per daemon session id keeps spawns isolated and LVMH_MODEL authoritative.
+	const sessionRoot = process.env.PI_SESSION_DIR ?? "/pi-sessions";
+	const sessionDir = `${sessionRoot}/${process.env.LVMH_SESSION_ID ?? "default"}`;
+	const sessionManager = SessionManager.create(process.cwd(), sessionDir);
+	const { session } = await createAgentSession(
+		model === undefined ? { sessionManager } : { model, sessionManager },
+	);
 	// SDK does not bind extensions implicitly (unlike TUI/RPC modes); without
 	// bindExtensions the session_start event never fires, so the lvmh plugin
 	// would never dial the daemon.

docker/worker-models.json

@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@
           "reasoning": true,
           "contextWindow": 1000000,
           "thinkingLevelMap": { "xhigh": "xhigh", "max": "max" }
+        },
+        {
+          "id": "glm-5.3-flash",
+          "name": "GLM-5.3 Flash",
+          "reasoning": true,
+          "contextWindow": 1000000,
+          "thinkingLevelMap": { "xhigh": "xhigh", "max": "max" }
         }
       ]
     }

web/src/ChatStream.test.tsx

@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ import type { ChatMessage, ToolState } from "./derive";
 import ChatStream, {
 	Bubble,
 	TypingIndicator,
+	lineDiff,
 	renderMarkdown,
+	toolArgsEntries,
+	toolSummaryText,
 } from "./ChatStream";
 
 function msg(partial: Partial<ChatMessage>): ChatMessage {
@@ -35,6 +38,8 @@ const tool = (p: Partial<ToolState>): ToolState => ({
 function stream(p: {
 	messages: ChatMessage[];
 	busy: boolean;
+	queued?: string[];
+	unqueue?: (index: number) => void;
 	hasOlder?: boolean;
 	loadingOlder?: boolean;
 	onOlder?: () => void;
@@ -47,6 +52,8 @@ function stream(p: {
 			messages={p.messages}
 			tools={new Map()}
 			busy={p.busy}
+			queued={p.queued ?? []}
+			unqueue={p.unqueue ?? (() => undefined)}
 			hasOlder={p.hasOlder ?? false}
 			loadingOlder={p.loadingOlder ?? false}
 			onLoadOlder={p.onOlder ?? (() => undefined)}
@@ -60,10 +67,7 @@ function stream(p: {
 describe("Bubble", () => {
 	it("renders plain text per role class", () => {
 		const { container } = render(
-			<Bubble
-				msg={msg({ role: "user", text: "hi there" })}
-				tools={new Map()}
-			/>,
+			<Bubble msg={msg({ role: "user", text: "hi there" })} tools={new Map()} />,
 		);
 		expect(container.querySelector(".bubble-row.user")).not.toBeNull();
 		expect(container.textContent).toContain("hi there");
@@ -91,10 +95,7 @@ describe("Bubble", () => {
 	it("toolResult collapses to a one-line preview, expands to full text", async () => {
 		const long = `${"x".repeat(200)}`;
 		render(
-			<Bubble
-				msg={msg({ role: "toolResult", text: long })}
-				tools={new Map()}
-			/>,
+			<Bubble msg={msg({ role: "toolResult", text: long })} tools={new Map()} />,
 		);
 		const details = screen
 			.getByText("result")
@@ -154,11 +155,11 @@ describe("Bubble", () => {
 				tools={tools}
 			/>,
 		);
-		expect(screen.getByText("🛠 bash")).toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect(screen.getByText("$ ls -la")).toBeInTheDocument();
 		expect(screen.getByText("finished")).toBeInTheDocument();
 
 		const summary = screen
-			.getByText("🛠 bash")
+			.getByText("$ ls -la")
 			.closest("summary") as HTMLElement;
 		const card = summary.closest("details") as HTMLDetailsElement;
 		expect(card.open).toBe(false);
@@ -187,9 +188,9 @@ describe("Bubble", () => {
 				tools={tools}
 			/>,
 		);
-		expect(screen.getByText("working…")).toBeInTheDocument();
-		expect(screen.getByText("error")).toBeInTheDocument();
-		expect(screen.getByText("done")).toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect(screen.getByText("⋯")).toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect(screen.getByText("✗")).toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect(screen.getByText("✓")).toBeInTheDocument();
 	});
 
 	it("tool call with no matching state renders no card", () => {
@@ -253,9 +254,7 @@ describe("ChatStream", () => {
 			}),
 		);
 		expect(container.querySelector(".typing")).toBeNull();
-		rerender(
-			stream({ messages: [msg({ key: "a", text: "one" })], busy: false }),
-		);
+		rerender(stream({ messages: [msg({ key: "a", text: "one" })], busy: false }));
 		expect(container.querySelector(".typing")).toBeNull();
 	});
 
@@ -761,3 +760,344 @@ describe("copy button", () => {
 		expect(screen.queryByRole("button", { name: "Copy message" })).toBeNull();
 	});
 });
+
+describe("pretty tool args", () => {
+	const tool = (args: string): ToolState => ({
+		id: "t1",
+		name: "bash",
+		args,
+		running: false,
+		isError: false,
+		preview: "out",
+	});
+
+	it("bash command renders as the bare command, no JSON braces", () => {
+		render(
+			<Bubble
+				msg={{
+					key: "k",
+					role: "assistant",
+					text: "",
+					thinking: null,
+					toolCalls: [{ id: "t1", name: "bash", argsJson: "{}" }],
+					toolCallId: null,
+					streaming: false,
+					ts: 0,
+				}}
+				tools={new Map([["t1", tool('{"command":"ls -la","foo":1}')]])}
+			/>,
+		);
+		expect(document.querySelector(".tool-label")?.textContent).toBe("$ ls -la");
+		expect(document.querySelector(".tool-args")?.textContent).not.toContain(
+			'"command"',
+		);
+	});
+
+	it("priority ordering puts command first even when not first in JSON", () => {
+		const entries = toolArgsEntries('{"path":"a.go","command":"go build ./..."}');
+		expect(entries[0]?.v).toBe("go build ./...");
+		expect(entries[1]?.k).toBe("path");
+	});
+
+	it("single string arg renders label-less; multi-field keeps labels", () => {
+		render(
+			<Bubble
+				msg={{
+					key: "k",
+					role: "assistant",
+					text: "",
+					thinking: null,
+					toolCalls: [{ id: "t1", name: "read", argsJson: "{}" }],
+					toolCallId: null,
+					streaming: false,
+					ts: 0,
+				}}
+				tools={new Map([["t1", tool('{"path":"src/main.ts"}')]])}
+			/>,
+		);
+		expect(document.querySelector(".tool-label")?.textContent).toBe(
+			"$ src/main.ts",
+		);
+		expect(document.querySelector(".tool-args .arg-k")).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it("non-JSON args pass through raw", () => {
+		const entries = toolArgsEntries("just text");
+		expect(entries).toEqual([{ k: null, v: "just text" }]);
+	});
+
+	it("JSON string arg unwraps", () => {
+		const entries = toolArgsEntries('"plain string"');
+		expect(entries).toEqual([{ k: null, v: "plain string" }]);
+	});
+
+	it("non-string values are pretty JSON", () => {
+		const entries = toolArgsEntries('{"offset":1}');
+		expect(entries[0]?.v).toBe("1");
+	});
+});
+
+describe("tool summary + diff", () => {
+	const tool = (args: string, name = "bash"): ToolState => ({
+		id: "t1",
+		name,
+		args,
+		running: false,
+		isError: false,
+		preview: "",
+	});
+	it("bash summary shows the command", () => {
+		render(
+			<Bubble
+				msg={msg({
+					toolCalls: [{ id: "t1", name: "bash", argsJson: "{}" }],
+				})}
+				tools={new Map([["t1", tool('{"command":"ls -la","timeout":30}')]])}
+			/>,
+		);
+		expect(screen.getByText("$ ls -la")).toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+
+	it("read summary shows the path", () => {
+		render(
+			<Bubble
+				msg={msg({
+					toolCalls: [{ id: "t1", name: "read", argsJson: "{}" }],
+				})}
+				tools={new Map([["t1", tool('{"path":"src/main.ts"}', "read")]])}
+			/>,
+		);
+		expect(document.querySelector(".tool-label")?.textContent).toBe(
+			"📄 src/main.ts",
+		);
+	});
+
+	it("long summary is truncated with ellipsis", () => {
+		const long: string = "x".repeat(300);
+		expect(toolSummaryText(`{"command":"${long}"}`)).toBe(long);
+		render(
+			<Bubble
+				msg={msg({
+					toolCalls: [{ id: "t1", name: "bash", argsJson: "{}" }],
+				})}
+				tools={new Map([["t1", tool(`{"command":"${long}"}`)]])}
+			/>,
+		);
+		const summary = document.querySelector(".tool-label");
+		expect(summary?.textContent?.endsWith("…")).toBe(true);
+	});
+
+	it("edit tool renders a line diff of old/new text", () => {
+		render(
+			<Bubble
+				msg={msg({
+					toolCalls: [{ id: "t1", name: "edit", argsJson: "{}" }],
+				})}
+				tools={
+					new Map([
+						[
+							"t1",
+							tool(
+								'{"path":"a.ts","edits":[{"oldText":"const a = 1;\\nconst b = 2;","newText":"const a = 3;\\nconst b = 2;"}]}',
+								"edit",
+							),
+						],
+					])
+				}
+			/>,
+		);
+		expect(document.querySelector(".diff-del")?.textContent).toContain(
+			"-const a = 1;",
+		);
+		expect(document.querySelector(".diff-add")?.textContent).toContain(
+			"+const a = 3;",
+		);
+		expect(document.querySelector(".diff-ctx")?.textContent).toContain(
+			" const b = 2;",
+		);
+		expect(document.querySelector(".tool-args")).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it("write tool renders content as added lines", () => {
+		render(
+			<Bubble
+				msg={msg({
+					toolCalls: [{ id: "t1", name: "write", argsJson: "{}" }],
+				})}
+				tools={
+					new Map([
+						["t1", tool('{"path":"new.ts","content":"hello\\nworld"}', "write")],
+					])
+				}
+			/>,
+		);
+		const adds = document.querySelectorAll(".diff-add");
+		expect(adds).toHaveLength(2);
+		expect(adds[0]?.textContent).toContain("+hello");
+		expect(adds[1]?.textContent).toContain("+world");
+	});
+});
+
+describe("lineDiff", () => {
+	it("identical text is all context", () => {
+		const d = lineDiff("a\nb", "a\nb");
+		expect(d).toEqual([
+			{ kind: "ctx", text: "a" },
+			{ kind: "ctx", text: "b" },
+		]);
+	});
+
+	it("single line change is del + add", () => {
+		const d = lineDiff("a\nb\nc", "a\nx\nc");
+		expect(d).toEqual([
+			{ kind: "ctx", text: "a" },
+			{ kind: "del", text: "b" },
+			{ kind: "add", text: "x" },
+			{ kind: "ctx", text: "c" },
+		]);
+	});
+
+	it("pure addition and deletion", () => {
+		expect(lineDiff("a", "a\nb")).toEqual([
+			{ kind: "ctx", text: "a" },
+			{ kind: "add", text: "b" },
+		]);
+		expect(lineDiff("a\nb", "a")).toEqual([
+			{ kind: "ctx", text: "a" },
+			{ kind: "del", text: "b" },
+		]);
+	});
+
+	it("oversized blocks fall back to del-all + add-all", () => {
+		const a = Array.from({ length: 401 }, (_, i) => `l${i}`).join("\n");
+		const d = lineDiff(a, "x");
+		expect(d.filter((l) => l.kind === "del")).toHaveLength(401);
+		expect(d.filter((l) => l.kind === "add")).toHaveLength(1);
+	});
+});
+
+describe("unified tool card", () => {
+	const tool = (args: string): ToolState => ({
+		id: "t1",
+		name: "bash",
+		args,
+		running: false,
+		isError: false,
+		preview: "",
+	});
+
+	it("toolResult bubble is skipped when its tool card exists", () => {
+		const { container } = render(
+			<>
+				<Bubble
+					msg={msg({
+						role: "assistant",
+						toolCalls: [{ id: "t1", name: "bash", argsJson: "{}" }],
+					})}
+					tools={new Map([["t1", tool('{"command":"ls"}')]])}
+				/>
+				<Bubble
+					msg={msg({ role: "toolResult", text: "file1\nfile2", toolCallId: "t1" })}
+					tools={new Map([["t1", tool('{"command":"ls"}')]])}
+				/>
+			</>,
+		);
+		expect(container.querySelectorAll(".tool-card")).toHaveLength(1);
+		expect(container.textContent).not.toContain("result");
+	});
+
+	it("toolResult without tool state still renders a result card", () => {
+		render(
+			<Bubble
+				msg={msg({ role: "toolResult", text: "orphan output", toolCallId: "gone" })}
+				tools={new Map()}
+			/>,
+		);
+		expect(screen.getAllByText("orphan output").length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+	});
+
+	it("queued messages render as removable pending bubbles", async () => {
+		const unqueue = vi.fn();
+		const { rerender } = render(
+			stream({
+				messages: [msg({ role: "user", text: "hi" })],
+				busy: true,
+				queued: ["next msg"],
+				unqueue,
+			}),
+		);
+		expect(screen.getByText("next msg")).toBeInTheDocument();
+		await userEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Remove queued message"));
+		expect(unqueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0);
+
+		rerender(
+			stream({
+				messages: [msg({ role: "user", text: "hi" })],
+				busy: true,
+				queued: [],
+				unqueue,
+			}),
+		);
+		expect(screen.queryByText("next msg")).toBeNull();
+	});
+});
+
+describe("renderMarkdown blocks", () => {
+	it("headings render as h1-h6 with inline content", () => {
+		const out = renderMarkdown("## Hello **world**");
+		const h = out[0] as React.ReactElement<{ className: string }>;
+		expect(h.type).toBe("h2");
+		expect(h.props.className).toContain("md-h-2");
+	});
+
+	it("--- renders a horizontal rule", () => {
+		const out = renderMarkdown("above\n---\nbelow");
+		expect(out.some((n) => (n as React.ReactElement).type === "hr")).toBe(true);
+	});
+
+	it("> lines group into one blockquote", () => {
+		const out = renderMarkdown("> quoted a\n> quoted b\nplain");
+		const q = out.find(
+			(n) => (n as React.ReactElement).type === "blockquote",
+		) as React.ReactElement<{ children: React.ReactNode[] }>;
+		expect(q).toBeDefined();
+		expect(q.props.children.join("")).toContain("quoted a");
+		expect(q.props.children.join("")).toContain("quoted b");
+	});
+
+	it("- and * lines render as an unordered list", () => {
+		const out = renderMarkdown("- one\n- two\n* three");
+		const ul = out[0] as React.ReactElement<{ children: React.ReactNode[] }>;
+		expect(ul.type).toBe("ul");
+		expect(ul.props.children).toHaveLength(3);
+	});
+
+	it("1. lines render as an ordered list", () => {
+		const out = renderMarkdown("1. first\n2. second");
+		const ol = out[0] as React.ReactElement<{ children: React.ReactNode[] }>;
+		expect(ol.type).toBe("ol");
+		expect(ol.props.children).toHaveLength(2);
+	});
+
+	it("emphasis start is not a list marker", () => {
+		const out = renderMarkdown("*bold start* to line");
+		expect(out.some((n) => (n as React.ReactElement).type === "ul")).toBe(false);
+	});
+
+	it("list items keep inline markdown", () => {
+		const out = renderMarkdown("- has `code` and [l](https://x.io)");
+		const ul = out[0] as React.ReactElement<{ children: React.ReactNode[] }>;
+		const li = ul.props.children[0] as React.ReactElement<{
+			children: React.ReactNode[];
+		}>;
+		expect(JSON.stringify(li.props.children)).toContain("code");
+		expect(JSON.stringify(li.props.children)).toContain("https://x.io");
+	});
+
+	it("fences still win over block markers", () => {
+		const out = renderMarkdown("```\n- not a list\n# not a heading\n```");
+		const pre = out[0] as React.ReactElement<{ children: string }>;
+		expect(pre.type).toBe("pre");
+		expect(pre.props.children).toContain("- not a list");
+	});
+});

web/src/ChatStream.tsx

@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ const COPY_FEEDBACK_MS: number = 1200;
 const PIN_THRESHOLD_PX: number = 80;
 const FAB_THRESHOLD_PX: number = 400;
 const FENCE: string = "```";
+const HEADING_RE: RegExp = /^(#{1,6})\s+(.*)$/;
+const HR_RE: RegExp = /^(?:-{3,}|\*{3,}|_{3,})$/;
+const QUOTE_RE: RegExp = /^>\s?(.*)$/;
+const UL_RE: RegExp = /^[-*+]\s+(.*)$/;
+const OL_RE: RegExp = /^\d{1,9}[.)]\s+(.*)$/;
 const ENTER_KEY: string = "Enter";
 const ESCAPE_KEY: string = "Escape";
 const INLINE_RE: RegExp =
@@ -79,11 +84,13 @@ function inlineNodes(
 	return out;
 }
 
-/** ```fences``` → <pre class="md-code">, `code`, **bold**, *italic*,
- *  [t](http…) links (http/https only). Plain segments keep the bubble's
- *  pre-wrap. Unterminated fences (streaming) render the tail as code. */
+/** Block markdown: ```fences```, # headings, --- rules, > quotes, -/*
+ *  lists, 1. lists; inline: `code`, **bold**, *italic*, [t](http…)
+ *  links (http/https only). Plain segments keep the bubble's pre-wrap.
+ *  Unterminated fences (streaming) render the tail as code. */
 export function renderMarkdown(text: string, query = ""): React.ReactNode[] {
 	const out: React.ReactNode[] = [];
+	const lines: string[] = text.split("\n");
 	let plain: string[] = [];
 	let code: string[] | null = null;
 	let n = 0;
@@ -94,7 +101,29 @@ export function renderMarkdown(text: string, query = ""): React.ReactNode[] {
 			plain = [];
 		}
 	};
-	for (const line of text.split("\n")) {
+	// consecutive lines sharing a marker accumulate into one block element
+	const collect = (
+		re: RegExp,
+		from: number,
+	): { items: string[]; next: number } => {
+		const items: string[] = [];
+		let k: number = from;
+		while (k < lines.length) {
+			const raw: string | undefined = lines[k];
+			if (raw === undefined) break;
+			const m: RegExpMatchArray | null = raw.match(re);
+			if (m === null) break;
+			const item: string | undefined = m[1];
+			if (item === undefined) break;
+			items.push(item);
+			k += 1;
+		}
+		return { items, next: k };
+	};
+	let i: number = 0;
+	while (i < lines.length) {
+		const line: string | undefined = lines[i];
+		if (line === undefined) break;
 		if (line.trimStart().startsWith(FENCE)) {
 			if (code === null) {
 				flushPlain();
@@ -108,20 +137,86 @@ export function renderMarkdown(text: string, query = ""): React.ReactNode[] {
 				n += 1;
 				code = null;
 			}
-		} else if (code !== null) {
-			code.push(line);
-		} else {
-			plain.push(line);
+			i += 1;
+			continue;
 		}
+		if (code !== null) {
+			code.push(line);
+			i += 1;
+			continue;
+		}
+		const heading: RegExpMatchArray | null = line.match(HEADING_RE);
+		if (heading !== null) {
+			flushPlain();
+			const level: number = Math.min(heading[1]?.length ?? 1, 6);
+			const Tag: keyof React.JSX.IntrinsicElements = `h${level}` as "h1";
+			out.push(
+				<Tag className={`md-h md-h-${level}`} key={`h-${n}`}>
+					{inlineNodes(heading[2] ?? "", query, `h-${n}`)}
+				</Tag>,
+			);
+			n += 1;
+			i += 1;
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (HR_RE.test(line.trim())) {
+			flushPlain();
+			out.push(<hr className="md-hr" key={`r-${n}`} />);
+			n += 1;
+			i += 1;
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (QUOTE_RE.test(line)) {
+			flushPlain();
+			const q: { items: string[]; next: number } = collect(QUOTE_RE, i);
+			out.push(
+				<blockquote className="md-quote" key={`q-${n}`}>
+					{inlineNodes(q.items.join("\n"), query, `q-${n}`)}
+				</blockquote>,
+			);
+			n += 1;
+			i = q.next;
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (UL_RE.test(line)) {
+			flushPlain();
+			const l: { items: string[]; next: number } = collect(UL_RE, i);
+			out.push(
+				<ul className="md-list" key={`u-${n}`}>
+					{l.items.map((item, k) => (
+						<li key={k}>{inlineNodes(item, query, `u-${n}-${k}`)}</li>
+					))}
+				</ul>,
+			);
+			n += 1;
+			i = l.next;
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (OL_RE.test(line)) {
+			flushPlain();
+			const l: { items: string[]; next: number } = collect(OL_RE, i);
+			out.push(
+				<ol className="md-list md-list-ol" key={`o-${n}`}>
+					{l.items.map((item, k) => (
+						<li key={k}>{inlineNodes(item, query, `o-${n}-${k}`)}</li>
+					))}
+				</ol>,
+			);
+			n += 1;
+			i = l.next;
+			continue;
+		}
+		plain.push(line);
+		i += 1;
 	}
-	if (code !== null) {
+	if (code === null) {
+		flushPlain();
+	} else {
 		out.push(
 			<pre className="md-code" key={`c-${n}`}>
 				{code.join("\n")}
 			</pre>,
 		);
-	} else {
-		flushPlain();
 	}
 	return out;
 }
@@ -143,6 +238,14 @@ function oneLine(text: string): string {
 	return flat.length > PREVIEW_LEN ? `${flat.slice(0, PREVIEW_LEN)}…` : flat;
 }
 
+/** true when the standalone result bubble is skipped because its ToolCard
+ *  (which carries the output preview) is already rendered */
+function resultSkipped(m: ChatMessage, tools: Map<string, ToolState>): boolean {
+	return (
+		m.role === "toolResult" && m.toolCallId !== null && tools.has(m.toolCallId)
+	);
+}
+
 function CopyButton({ text }: { text: string }): React.ReactNode {
 	const [copied, setCopied] = useState<boolean>(false);
 	return (
@@ -162,32 +265,254 @@ function CopyButton({ text }: { text: string }): React.ReactNode {
 	);
 }
 
+// ---------- pretty tool args ----------
+
+// Keys shown first when present (most readable "what is this tool doing"
+// signal); the rest follow in their original order.
+const ARG_PRIORITY: string[] = [
+	"command",
+	"path",
+	"file_path",
+	"pattern",
+	"url",
+	"query",
+	"content",
+	"prompt",
+	"task",
+	"description",
+];
+
+// Above this many lines per side, LCS is skipped and the whole old block is
+// rendered removed + the whole new block added.
+const DIFF_MAX_LINES: number = 400;
+
+export interface ArgEntry {
+	k: string | null;
+	v: string;
+}
+
+/** Parse a tool's args (JSON object, JSON string, or raw text) into labeled
+ * display entries. A lone string entry renders without a label. */
+export function toolArgsEntries(argsText: string): ArgEntry[] {
+	let parsed: unknown;
+	try {
+		parsed = JSON.parse(argsText);
+	} catch {
+		return [{ k: null, v: argsText }];
+	}
+	if (typeof parsed === "string") return [{ k: null, v: parsed }];
+	if (parsed === null || typeof parsed !== "object" || Array.isArray(parsed))
+		return [{ k: null, v: argsText }];
+	const obj = parsed as Record<string, unknown>;
+	const keys = Object.keys(obj);
+	const ordered = [
+		...ARG_PRIORITY.filter((k) => k in obj),
+		...keys.filter((k) => !ARG_PRIORITY.includes(k)),
+	];
+	const entries: ArgEntry[] = [];
+	for (const k of ordered) {
+		const raw = obj[k];
+		const v =
+			typeof raw === "string"
+				? raw
+				: (JSON.stringify(raw, null, 2) ?? String(raw));
+		entries.push({ k, v });
+	}
+	if (entries.length === 1 && entries[0] !== undefined)
+		return [{ k: null, v: entries[0].v }];
+	return entries;
+}
+
+/** One-line "what is this tool doing" for the collapsed summary line:
+ * the highest-priority arg's value (bash → command, read/write/edit → path). */
+export function toolSummaryText(argsText: string): string {
+	const first = toolArgsEntries(argsText)[0];
+	return first === undefined ? "" : first.v;
+}
+
+// ---------- edit/write diff view ----------
+
+export interface DiffLine {
+	kind: "ctx" | "add" | "del";
+	text: string;
+}
+
+/** Line-level LCS diff between two text blocks. */
+export function lineDiff(a: string, b: string): DiffLine[] {
+	const left: string[] = a.split("\n");
+	const right: string[] = b.split("\n");
+	if (left.length > DIFF_MAX_LINES || right.length > DIFF_MAX_LINES)
+		return [
+			...left.map((text): DiffLine => ({ kind: "del", text })),
+			...right.map((text): DiffLine => ({ kind: "add", text })),
+		];
+	const n: number = left.length;
+	const m: number = right.length;
+	const dp: number[][] = Array.from({ length: n + 1 }, () =>
+		Array.from({ length: m + 1 }, (): number => 0),
+	);
+	for (let i = n - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+		const row: number[] | undefined = dp[i];
+		if (row === undefined) continue;
+		for (let j = m - 1; j >= 0; j--) {
+			const a: string | undefined = left[i];
+			const b: string | undefined = right[j];
+			row[j] =
+				a !== undefined && a === b
+					? (dp[i + 1]?.[j + 1] ?? 0) + 1
+					: Math.max(dp[i + 1]?.[j] ?? 0, dp[i]?.[j + 1] ?? 0);
+		}
+	}
+	const out: DiffLine[] = [];
+	let i: number = 0;
+	let j: number = 0;
+	while (i < n && j < m) {
+		const a: string | undefined = left[i];
+		const b: string | undefined = right[j];
+		if (a !== undefined && a === b) {
+			out.push({ kind: "ctx", text: a });
+			i += 1;
+			j += 1;
+		} else if ((dp[i + 1]?.[j] ?? 0) >= (dp[i]?.[j + 1] ?? 0)) {
+			if (a !== undefined) out.push({ kind: "del", text: a });
+			i += 1;
+		} else {
+			if (b !== undefined) out.push({ kind: "add", text: b });
+			j += 1;
+		}
+	}
+	for (; i < n; i++) {
+		const a: string | undefined = left[i];
+		if (a !== undefined) out.push({ kind: "del", text: a });
+	}
+	for (; j < m; j++) {
+		const b: string | undefined = right[j];
+		if (b !== undefined) out.push({ kind: "add", text: b });
+	}
+	return out;
+}
+
+interface TextEdit {
+	oldText: string;
+	newText: string;
+}
+
+function parseArgsObj(argsText: string): Record<string, unknown> | null {
+	try {
+		const p: unknown = JSON.parse(argsText);
+		return typeof p === "object" && p !== null && !Array.isArray(p)
+			? (p as Record<string, unknown>)
+			: null;
+	} catch {
+		return null;
+	}
+}
+
+/** Diff blocks for edit/write tool args; null when the tool is neither or
+ * the args do not carry the expected fields. */
+export function toolDiffBlocks(
+	name: string,
+	argsText: string,
+): DiffLine[][] | null {
+	const obj: Record<string, unknown> | null = parseArgsObj(argsText);
+	if (obj === null) return null;
+	if (name === "write" && typeof obj.content === "string")
+		return [
+			obj.content
+				.split("\n")
+				.slice(0, DIFF_MAX_LINES)
+				.map((text): DiffLine => ({ kind: "add", text })),
+		];
+	if (name !== "edit") return null;
+	const edits: TextEdit[] = [];
+	if (Array.isArray(obj.edits)) {
+		for (const e of obj.edits) {
+			if (
+				typeof e === "object" &&
+				e !== null &&
+				typeof (e as Record<string, unknown>).oldText === "string" &&
+				typeof (e as Record<string, unknown>).newText === "string"
+			)
+				edits.push(e as TextEdit);
+		}
+	} else if (
+		typeof obj.oldText === "string" &&
+		typeof obj.newText === "string"
+	) {
+		edits.push({ oldText: obj.oldText, newText: obj.newText });
+	}
+	return edits.length === 0
+		? null
+		: edits.map((e): DiffLine[] => lineDiff(e.oldText, e.newText));
+}
+
+const DIFF_MARK: Record<DiffLine["kind"], string> = {
+	add: "+",
+	del: "-",
+	ctx: " ",
+};
+
+function DiffBlock({ lines }: { lines: DiffLine[] }): React.ReactNode {
+	return (
+		<pre className="diff">
+			{lines.map((l, i) => (
+				<span key={i} className={`diff-line diff-${l.kind}`}>
+					{DIFF_MARK[l.kind] + l.text}
+					{"\n"}
+				</span>
+			))}
+		</pre>
+	);
+}
+
+// Well-known tools get a compact glyph + their primary arg instead of
+// the raw tool name (bash → "$ ls -la", read → "📄 src/main.ts", …).
+const TOOL_ICON: Record<string, string> = {
+	bash: "$",
+	read: "📄",
+	edit: "✎",
+	write: "📝",
+};
+
 function ToolCard({ tool }: { tool: ToolState }) {
-	const status: string = tool.running
-		? "running…"
-		: tool.isError
-			? "error"
-			: "done";
+	const status: string = tool.running ? "⋯" : tool.isError ? "✗" : "✓";
 	const statusClass: string = tool.isError
 		? "tool-status-err"
-		: "tool-status-ok";
+		: tool.running
+			? "tool-status-run"
+			: "tool-status-ok";
+	const summary: string = oneLine(toolSummaryText(tool.args));
+	const icon: string | undefined = TOOL_ICON[tool.name];
+	const label: string =
+		icon === undefined ? tool.name : `${icon} ${summary}`.trim();
+	const rest: string = icon === undefined ? summary : "";
+	const diffBlocks: DiffLine[][] | null = toolDiffBlocks(tool.name, tool.args);
 	return (
 		<details className="tool-card">
 			<summary>
-				<span className="tool-name">🛠 {tool.name}</span>
-				<span className={tool.running ? "" : statusClass}>
-					{tool.running ? "working…" : status}
-				</span>
+				<span className="tool-label">{label}</span>
+				{rest.length > 0 && <span className="tool-summary">{rest}</span>}
+				<span className={`tool-status ${statusClass}`}>{status}</span>
 			</summary>
 			<div className="tool-body">
+				{diffBlocks === null ? (
+					<div className="tool-args">
+						{toolArgsEntries(tool.args).map((e, i) => (
+							<div key={e.k ?? i} className="tool-arg">
+								{e.k !== null && <span className="arg-k">{e.k}</span>}
+								<pre className="arg-v">{e.v}</pre>
+							</div>
+						))}
+					</div>
+				) : (
+					<div className="tool-diffs">
+						{diffBlocks.map((b, i) => (
+							<DiffBlock key={i} lines={b} />
+						))}
+					</div>
+				)}
 				<div>
-					<strong>args</strong>
-					<pre style={{ margin: "4px 0 10px", whiteSpace: "pre-wrap" }}>
-						{tool.args}
-					</pre>
-				</div>
-				<div>
-					<strong>result</strong>
+					<span className="arg-k">output</span>
 					<pre style={{ margin: "4px 0 0", whiteSpace: "pre-wrap" }}>
 						{tool.preview}
 					</pre>
@@ -238,6 +563,9 @@ export function Bubble({
 			if (t !== undefined) msgTools.push(t);
 		}
 	}
+	// the ToolCard above already carries this result (output preview): skip
+	// the duplicate standalone "result" bubble when the tool state exists
+	if (resultSkipped(msg, tools)) return null;
 	const copyable: boolean =
 		msg.role === "assistant" || (msg.role === "user" && msg.text.length > 0);
 	const tsTitle: string = msg.ts > 0 ? new Date(msg.ts).toISOString() : "";
@@ -293,6 +621,10 @@ interface Props {
 	messages: ChatMessage[];
 	tools: Map<string, ToolState>;
 	busy: boolean;
+	/** messages queued client-side while the agent runs; sent on settle */
+	queued: string[];
+	/** drop a queued message before it is sent (the ✕ on a queued bubble) */
+	unqueue: (index: number) => void;
 	/** an older page exists beyond the loaded window (B1) */
 	hasOlder: boolean;
 	loadingOlder: boolean;
@@ -308,6 +640,8 @@ export default function ChatStream({
 	messages,
 	tools,
 	busy,
+	queued,
+	unqueue,
 	hasOlder,
 	loadingOlder,
 	onLoadOlder,
@@ -361,9 +695,9 @@ export default function ChatStream({
 		const q: string = query.trim().toLowerCase();
 		if (q.length === 0) return [];
 		return messages
-			.filter((m) => searchHaystack(m).includes(q))
+			.filter((m) => !resultSkipped(m, tools) && searchHaystack(m).includes(q))
 			.map((m) => m.key);
-	}, [messages, query]);
+	}, [messages, tools, query]);
 
 	// live events can shrink the match set under the cursor
 	useEffect(() => {
@@ -426,6 +760,21 @@ export default function ChatStream({
 							<Bubble msg={m} tools={tools} query={query} showTs={showTs} />
 						</div>
 					))}
+					{queued.map((text, i) => (
+						<div className="bubble-row user" key={`q-${i}-${text}`}>
+							<div className="bubble queued-bubble">
+								<div className="queued-line">{text}</div>
+								<button
+									type="button"
+									className="icon-btn queued-remove"
+									aria-label="Remove queued message"
+									onClick={() => unqueue(i)}
+								>
+									✕
+								</button>
+							</div>
+						</div>
+					))}
 					{showTyping && <TypingIndicator />}
 				</div>
 			</div>

web/src/ChatView.test.tsx

@@ -1692,3 +1692,80 @@ describe("ChatView ⋯ menu and timestamps", () => {
 		expect(container.querySelectorAll(".ts")).toHaveLength(1);
 	});
 });
+
+describe("document title", () => {
+	it("chat view claims title with session label and activity", async () => {
+		mockFetchJson((url) => {
+			if (url.startsWith("http://srv/api/sessions/s1/events")) return historyEvents();
+			if (url.endsWith("/stats")) return { turns: 0, inputTokens: 0, outputTokens: 0, totalCost: 0, sessionsCount: 0, onlineCount: 0 };
+			return [];
+		});
+		renderChat(makeStore());
+		await waitFor(() => expect(document.title).toContain("worker"));
+		expect(document.title).toContain("lvmh");
+	});
+
+	it("busy + running tool shows the tool name in the title", async () => {
+		mockFetchJson((url) => {
+			if (url.startsWith("http://srv/api/sessions/s1/events")) {
+				seq = 0;
+				return [...historyEvents(), ev("agent_start"), ev("tool_execution_start", { toolCallId: "tc9", toolName: "bash" })];
+			}
+			if (url.endsWith("/stats")) return { turns: 0, inputTokens: 0, outputTokens: 0, totalCost: 0, sessionsCount: 0, onlineCount: 0 };
+			return [];
+		});
+		renderChat(makeStore());
+		await waitFor(() => expect(document.title).toContain("bash"));
+	});
+});
+
+describe("ChatView message queue", () => {
+	it("Enter while busy queues instead of sending; flushed on settle", async () => {
+		const fetchMock = mockFetchJson((_url, init) =>
+			init?.method === "POST" ? { ok: true } : [],
+		);
+		renderChat(makeStore());
+		const ta = (await screen.findByLabelText("Message")) as HTMLTextAreaElement;
+		const promptCalls = (): number =>
+			fetchMock.mock.calls.filter(([u]) =>
+				String(u).endsWith("/api/sessions/s1/prompt"),
+			).length;
+
+		push([ev("agent_start")]); // busy
+		await userEvent.type(ta, "queued hello");
+		fireEvent.keyDown(ta, { key: "Enter" });
+
+		// not sent yet; visible as a pending bubble
+		expect(promptCalls()).toBe(0);
+		expect(await screen.findByText("queued hello")).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+		// settled → flush
+		push([ev("agent_settled")]);
+		await vi.waitFor(() => expect(promptCalls()).toBe(1));
+	});
+
+	it("queued bubble can be removed before it is sent", async () => {
+		const fetchMock = mockFetchJson((_url, init) =>
+			init?.method === "POST" ? { ok: true } : [],
+		);
+		renderChat(makeStore());
+		const ta = (await screen.findByLabelText("Message")) as HTMLTextAreaElement;
+		const promptCalls = (): number =>
+			fetchMock.mock.calls.filter(([u]) =>
+				String(u).endsWith("/api/sessions/s1/prompt"),
+			).length;
+
+		push([ev("agent_start")]);
+		await userEvent.type(ta, "do not send");
+		fireEvent.keyDown(ta, { key: "Enter" });
+		expect(await screen.findByText("do not send")).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+		await userEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Remove queued message"));
+
+		push([ev("agent_settled")]);
+		await vi.waitFor(() =>
+			expect(screen.queryByText("do not send")).toBeNull(),
+		);
+		expect(promptCalls()).toBe(0);
+	});
+});

web/src/ChatView.tsx

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import type {
 	SetModelBody,
 } from "./protocol";
 import { EventType, Route } from "./protocol";
+import { useTitle } from "./title";
 import { ApiError, errMessage, fetchJson } from "./api";
 import {
 	deriveChat,
@@ -57,6 +58,15 @@ export function groupCatalog(entries: ModelCatalogEntry[]): CatalogGroup[] {
 	);
 }
 
+/** Load the model catalog once (module cache shared across views). */
+export function fetchCatalog(): Promise<ModelCatalogEntry[]> {
+	if (catalogCache !== null) return Promise.resolve(catalogCache);
+	return fetchJson<ModelCatalogEntry[]>(Route.ModelCatalog).then((list) => {
+		catalogCache = list;
+		return list;
+	});
+}
+
 /** Test seam: drop the module-level catalog cache. */
 export function resetCatalogCache(): void {
 	catalogCache = null;
@@ -76,6 +86,8 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 	const [loadError, setLoadError] = useState<string>("");
 	const [draft, setDraft] = useState<string>("");
 	const [sending, setSending] = useState<boolean>(false);
+	// messages waiting for the current run to settle (sent one per idle window)
+	const [queued, setQueued] = useState<string[]>([]);
 	const [tasksOpen, setTasksOpen] = useState<boolean>(false);
 	const [hasOlder, setHasOlder] = useState<boolean>(false);
 	const [loadingOlder, setLoadingOlder] = useState<boolean>(false);
@@ -130,15 +142,11 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 		(incoming: EventFrame[]): void => {
 			setEvents((prev) => {
 				const merged = mergeEvents(prev, incoming);
-				lastSeqRef.current = Math.max(
-					lastSeqRef.current,
-					lastPersistedSeq(merged),
-				);
+				lastSeqRef.current = Math.max(lastSeqRef.current, lastPersistedSeq(merged));
 				return merged;
 			});
 			// a finished run means usage changed server-side
-			if (incoming.some((e) => e.type === EventType.AgentSettled))
-				refreshStats();
+			if (incoming.some((e) => e.type === EventType.AgentSettled)) refreshStats();
 		},
 		[refreshStats],
 	);
@@ -156,6 +164,7 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 		// leak into the new one
 		setDraft("");
 		setSending(false);
+		setQueued([]);
 		setSearchOpen(false);
 		setMenuOpen(false);
 		sentRef.current = [];
@@ -210,6 +219,21 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 	// session must never look busy (B2)
 	const busy: boolean = chat.busy && session?.online !== false;
 
+	// Live tab title: session name + what the agent is doing right now.
+	const label: string = session?.name ?? session?.repo ?? sessionId;
+	const streaming: boolean = chat.messages.some((m) => m.streaming);
+	const toolNow: string | undefined = [...chat.tools.values()]
+		.filter((t) => t.running)
+		.map((t) => t.name)[0];
+	const titleClaim: string | null = busy
+		? streaming
+			? `${label} · writing…`
+			: toolNow === undefined
+				? `${label} · working…`
+				: `${label} · ${toolNow}`
+		: label;
+	useTitle(titleClaim);
+
 	const minSeq: number = useMemo(
 		() => (events.length === 0 ? 0 : Math.min(...events.map((e) => e.seq))),
 		[events],
@@ -250,9 +274,7 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 			const t = e.target;
 			if (
 				t instanceof HTMLElement &&
-				(t.tagName === "INPUT" ||
-					t.tagName === "TEXTAREA" ||
-					t.isContentEditable)
+				(t.tagName === "INPUT" || t.tagName === "TEXTAREA" || t.isContentEditable)
 			)
 				return;
 			e.preventDefault();
@@ -286,30 +308,74 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 		};
 	}, [menuOpen]);
 
-	const send = async (): Promise<void> => {
-		const text = draft.trim();
-		if (text.length === 0 || sending) return;
-		setDraft("");
-		setSending(true);
-		const hist = sentRef.current;
-		hist.push(text);
-		if (hist.length > SENT_HISTORY_MAX) hist.shift();
+	const postMessage = async (text: string): Promise<boolean> => {
 		try {
 			await fetchJson(Route.SessionPrompt(sessionId), {
 				method: "POST",
 				body: JSON.stringify({ message: text }),
 			});
+			return true;
 		} catch (err) {
-			// the message never reached the session: put it back (S6)
-			setDraft(text);
 			if (err instanceof ApiError && err.status === 409)
 				pushToast("session offline");
 			else pushToast(errMessage(err));
+			return false;
+		}
+	};
+
+	const rememberSent = (text: string): void => {
+		const hist = sentRef.current;
+		hist.push(text);
+		if (hist.length > SENT_HISTORY_MAX) hist.shift();
+	};
+
+	const send = async (): Promise<void> => {
+		const text = draft.trim();
+		if (text.length === 0 || sending) return;
+		setDraft("");
+		// agent busy → queue; flushed when the run settles
+		if (busy) {
+			setQueued((q) => [...q, text]);
+			return;
+		}
+		setSending(true);
+		rememberSent(text);
+		try {
+			// the message never reached the session: put it back (S6)
+			if (!(await postMessage(text))) setDraft(text);
 		} finally {
 			setSending(false);
 		}
 	};
 
+	const unqueue = (index: number): void => {
+		setQueued((q) => q.filter((_, n) => n !== index));
+	};
+
+	// drain the queue: one message per idle window — the gate only reopens
+	// when the busy window actually opens (the POST resolving before the
+	// agent_start event would otherwise fire the next message back-to-back)
+	const flushingRef = useRef<boolean>(false);
+	useEffect(() => {
+		if (busy) {
+			flushingRef.current = false;
+			return;
+		}
+		if (sending || queued.length === 0 || flushingRef.current) return;
+		const text: string | undefined = queued[0];
+		if (text === undefined) return;
+		flushingRef.current = true;
+		setQueued((q) => q.slice(1));
+		rememberSent(text);
+		void (async () => {
+			// the message never reached the session: put it back (S6)
+			if (!(await postMessage(text))) {
+				flushingRef.current = false;
+				setDraft(text);
+			}
+		})();
+	}, [busy, sending, queued, postMessage]);
+
 	const abort = async (): Promise<void> => {
 		try {
 			await fetchJson(Route.SessionAbort(sessionId), { method: "POST" });
@@ -331,10 +397,7 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 		}
 	};
 
-	const pickModel = async (
-		provider: string,
-		modelId: string,
-	): Promise<void> => {
+	const pickModel = async (provider: string, modelId: string): Promise<void> => {
 		if (switching) return;
 		setSwitching(true);
 		try {
@@ -421,8 +484,7 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 		}
 		// empty composer + history: ArrowUp recalls the last sent message
 		if (e.key === ARROW_UP_KEY && draft.length === 0) {
-			const last: string | undefined =
-				sentRef.current[sentRef.current.length - 1];
+			const last: string | undefined = sentRef.current[sentRef.current.length - 1];
 			if (last !== undefined) {
 				e.preventDefault();
 				setDraft(last);
@@ -528,17 +590,15 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 							</div>
 						)}
 					</div>
-					{stats !== null &&
-						(stats.inputTokens > 0 || stats.outputTokens > 0) && (
-							<span
-								className="usage-chip"
-								title={`↑${stats.inputTokens.toLocaleString()} ↓${stats.outputTokens.toLocaleString()} · ${stats.turns} turns · $${stats.totalCost.toFixed(2)}`}
-							>
-								↑{formatTokens(stats.inputTokens)} ↓
-								{formatTokens(stats.outputTokens)} · {stats.turns} turns · $
-								{stats.totalCost.toFixed(2)}
-							</span>
-						)}
+					{stats !== null && (stats.inputTokens > 0 || stats.outputTokens > 0) && (
+						<span
+							className="usage-chip"
+							title={`↑${stats.inputTokens.toLocaleString()} ↓${stats.outputTokens.toLocaleString()} · ${stats.turns} turns · $${stats.totalCost.toFixed(2)}`}
+						>
+							↑{formatTokens(stats.inputTokens)} ↓{formatTokens(stats.outputTokens)} ·{" "}
+							{stats.turns} turns · ${stats.totalCost.toFixed(2)}
+						</span>
+					)}
 					<span
 						className={classNames(
 							"conn-dot",
@@ -568,11 +628,7 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 							⋯
 						</button>
 						{menuOpen && (
-							<div
-								className="chat-menu"
-								role="menu"
-								aria-label="Session actions"
-							>
+							<div className="chat-menu" role="menu" aria-label="Session actions">
 								<button
 									type="button"
 									className="chat-menu-item"
@@ -637,6 +693,8 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 						messages={chat.messages}
 						tools={chat.tools}
 						busy={busy}
+						queued={queued}
+						unqueue={unqueue}
 						hasOlder={hasOlder}
 						loadingOlder={loadingOlder}
 						onLoadOlder={() => void loadOlder()}
@@ -656,7 +714,7 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 							onChange={(e) => setDraft(e.target.value)}
 							onKeyDown={onKeyDown}
 						/>
-						{busy ? (
+						{busy && (
 							<button
 								type="button"
 								className="abort-btn"
@@ -665,17 +723,16 @@ export default function ChatView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 							>
 								■ stop
 							</button>
-						) : (
-							<button
-								type="button"
-								className="send-btn"
-								aria-label="Send message"
-								disabled={draft.trim().length === 0 || sending}
-								onClick={() => void send()}
-							>
-								↑
-							</button>
 						)}
+						<button
+							type="button"
+							className="send-btn"
+							aria-label={busy ? "Queue message" : "Send message"}
+							disabled={draft.trim().length === 0 || sending}
+							onClick={() => void send()}
+						>
+							↑
+						</button>
 					</div>
 				</div>
 			</div>

web/src/SessionsView.test.tsx

@@ -512,3 +512,15 @@ describe("busy indicator on cards", () => {
 		expect(pips).toHaveLength(1);
 	});
 });
+
+describe("sessions title", () => {
+	it("overview shows active/working count in the tab title", () => {
+		renderView({
+			sessions: [
+				session({ id: "a", name: "x", busy: true }),
+				session({ id: "b", name: "y" }),
+			],
+		});
+		expect(document.title).toContain("1 working");
+	});
+});

web/src/SessionsView.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import type { SessionListItem, StatsTotals } from "./protocol";
 import { Route } from "./protocol";
 import { fetchJson } from "./api";
+import { useTitle } from "./title";
 import { classNames, formatTokens, relativeTime } from "./store";
 
 interface Props {
@@ -143,6 +144,12 @@ export default function SessionsView({
 	const active = sessions.filter((s) => s.online).sort(byActivity);
 	const archived = sessions.filter((s) => !s.online).sort(byActivity);
 
+	// Tab title on the overview: activity summary (busy sessions first).
+	const busyCount: number = active.filter((s) => s.busy).length;
+	const titleClaim: string | null =
+		active.length === 0 ? null : busyCount > 0 ? `${busyCount} working` : `${active.length} active`;
+	useTitle(titleClaim);
+
 	const remove = async (e: MouseEvent, s: SessionListItem): Promise<void> => {
 		e.preventDefault();
 		e.stopPropagation();

web/src/SpawnView.test.tsx

@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
-import { act, fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import {
+	act,
+	fireEvent,
+	render,
+	screen,
+	waitFor,
+} from "@testing-library/react";
 import { MemoryRouter, Route, Routes } from "react-router-dom";
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { Repo, RepoImage, SessionListItem } from "./protocol";
 import { Route as ApiRoute } from "./protocol";
 import { fetchJson } from "./api";
+import { resetCatalogCache } from "./ChatView";
 import SpawnView from "./SpawnView";
 import type { SessionsStore } from "./store";
 import { jsonResponse, mockFetchJson, seedSettings } from "./test/setup";
@@ -105,8 +112,7 @@ describe("SpawnView connect flow", () => {
 				connected = true;
 				return { username: "alice" };
 			}
-			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/repos"))
-				return [repo("g/one"), repo("g/two")];
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/repos")) return [repo("g/one"), repo("g/two")];
 			return [];
 		});
 		render(tree(makeStore()));
@@ -180,9 +186,7 @@ describe("SpawnView repo picker", () => {
 		expect(screen.queryByText("g/alpha")).toBeNull();
 		expect(screen.getByText("g/beta")).toBeInTheDocument();
 
-		const item = screen
-			.getByText("g/beta")
-			.closest(".repo-item") as HTMLElement;
+		const item = screen.getByText("g/beta").closest(".repo-item") as HTMLElement;
 		fireEvent.keyDown(item, { key: "Enter" });
 		expect(screen.getByLabelText("Branch")).toHaveValue("dev");
 
@@ -194,9 +198,7 @@ describe("SpawnView repo picker", () => {
 		connectedMock();
 		render(tree(makeStore()));
 		await flush();
-		const item = screen
-			.getByText("g/alpha")
-			.closest(".repo-item") as HTMLElement;
+		const item = screen.getByText("g/alpha").closest(".repo-item") as HTMLElement;
 
 		const enter = fireEvent.keyDown(item, { key: "Enter" });
 		expect(enter).toBe(false); // preventDefault consumed: no page scroll
@@ -234,7 +236,11 @@ describe("SpawnView repo picker", () => {
 		render(tree(makeStore()));
 		await flush();
 		expect(screen.getByLabelText("Spawn container")).toBeDisabled();
-		expect(screen.getByText("select a repo above")).toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect(
+			screen.getByText(
+				"select a repo above — or tick “Empty container” for a blank workspace",
+			),
+		).toBeInTheDocument();
 	});
 });
 
@@ -264,7 +270,7 @@ describe("SpawnView spawn+poll", () => {
 								repo: "g/proj",
 								startedAt: 1,
 								online: true,
-				busy: false,
+								busy: false,
 								lastEventAt: 1,
 							},
 						]
@@ -352,8 +358,7 @@ describe("SpawnView spawn+poll", () => {
 			return [];
 		});
 		const failingRefresh = makeStore({
-			refresh: (): Promise<SessionListItem[]> =>
-				Promise.reject(new Error("boom")),
+			refresh: (): Promise<SessionListItem[]> => Promise.reject(new Error("boom")),
 		});
 		render(tree(failingRefresh));
 		await flush();
@@ -531,10 +536,7 @@ describe("SpawnView repo images (registry)", () => {
 
 		const ok = screen.getByText("custom image");
 		expect(ok.className).toContain("ok");
-		expect(ok).toHaveAttribute(
-			"title",
-			"custom image lvmh-worker-alpha — built",
-		);
+		expect(ok).toHaveAttribute("title", "custom image lvmh-worker-alpha — built");
 
 		const warn = screen.getByText("needs build");
 		expect(warn.className).toContain("warn");
@@ -560,8 +562,7 @@ describe("SpawnView repo images (registry)", () => {
 
 		const prepareCalls = fetchMock.mock.calls.filter(
 			([u, i]) =>
-				String(u).endsWith("/api/repos/g/alpha/prepare") &&
-				i?.method === "POST",
+				String(u).endsWith("/api/repos/g/alpha/prepare") && i?.method === "POST",
 		);
 		expect(prepareCalls).toHaveLength(1);
 		expect(PUSH_TOAST).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
@@ -613,8 +614,7 @@ describe("SpawnView repo images (registry)", () => {
 			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/status"))
 				return { connected: true, baseUrl: "https://gl", username: "a" };
 			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/repos")) return [repo("g/alpha")];
-			if (url.endsWith("/api/repos"))
-				return jsonResponse({ error: "boom" }, 500);
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/repos")) return jsonResponse({ error: "boom" }, 500);
 			return [];
 		});
 		render(tree(makeStore()));
@@ -667,3 +667,110 @@ describe("SpawnView repo images (registry)", () => {
 		).toBeInTheDocument();
 	});
 });
+
+describe("spawn model selection", () => {
+	beforeEach(() => resetCatalogCache());
+	it("model select lists catalog grouped by provider", async () => {
+		mockFetchJson((url) => {
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/model-catalog"))
+				return [
+					{ provider: "zai-renaud", id: "glm-5.3", name: "GLM-5.3" },
+					{ provider: "anthropic", id: "claude-sonnet-4-6", name: "Sonnet" },
+				];
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/status"))
+				return { connected: true, baseUrl: "https://gl", username: "a" };
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/repos")) return [repo("g/p")];
+			return [];
+		});
+		render(tree(makeStore()));
+		await flush();
+		const sel = screen.getByLabelText("Initial model");
+		await waitFor(() => expect(sel.querySelectorAll("optgroup").length).toBe(2));
+		expect(
+			sel.querySelector('option[value="zai-renaud/glm-5.3"]'),
+		).not.toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it("selected model is sent in the spawn body", async () => {
+		const bodies: string[] = [];
+		mockFetchJson((url, init) => {
+			if (init?.method === "POST" && url.endsWith("/api/spawn")) {
+				bodies.push(String(init.body));
+				return { sessionId: "sm1", imageUsed: "lvmh-worker:latest" };
+			}
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/model-catalog"))
+				return [{ provider: "zai-renaud", id: "glm-5.3", name: "GLM-5.3" }];
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/status"))
+				return { connected: true, baseUrl: "https://gl", username: "a" };
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/repos")) return [repo("g/p")];
+			return [];
+		});
+		render(tree(makeStore()));
+		await flush();
+		fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("g/p"));
+		const sel = screen.getByLabelText("Initial model");
+		await waitFor(() =>
+			expect(sel.querySelectorAll("option").length).toBeGreaterThan(1),
+		);
+		fireEvent.change(sel, { target: { value: "zai-renaud/glm-5.3" } });
+		fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Spawn container"));
+		await flush();
+		expect(bodies[0]).toContain('"model":"zai-renaud/glm-5.3"');
+	});
+});
+
+describe("empty container spawn", () => {
+	it("checkbox sends empty:true and resets after", async () => {
+		const bodies: string[] = [];
+		mockFetchJson((url, init) => {
+			if (init?.method === "POST" && url.endsWith("/api/spawn")) {
+				bodies.push(String(init.body));
+				return { sessionId: "e1", imageUsed: "lvmh-worker:latest" };
+			}
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/status"))
+				return { connected: true, baseUrl: "https://gl", username: "a" };
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/repos")) return [repo("g/p")];
+			return [];
+		});
+		render(tree(makeStore()));
+		await flush();
+		fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("g/p"));
+		const cb = screen.getByRole("checkbox");
+		fireEvent.click(cb);
+		expect(cb).toBeChecked();
+		fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Spawn container"));
+		await flush();
+		expect(bodies[0]).toContain('"empty":true');
+	});
+
+	it("blank container: spawn without selecting a repo", async () => {
+		const bodies: string[] = [];
+		mockFetchJson((url, init) => {
+			if (init?.method === "POST" && url.endsWith("/api/spawn")) {
+				bodies.push(String(init.body));
+				return { sessionId: "e2", imageUsed: "lvmh-worker:latest" };
+			}
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/status"))
+				return { connected: true, baseUrl: "https://gl", username: "a" };
+			if (url.endsWith("/api/gitlab/repos")) return [repo("g/p")];
+			return [];
+		});
+		render(tree(makeStore()));
+		await flush();
+
+		// no repo selected: Spawn disabled
+		const spawnBtn = screen.getByLabelText(
+			"Spawn container",
+		) as HTMLButtonElement;
+		expect(spawnBtn.disabled).toBe(true);
+
+		fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("checkbox"));
+		expect(spawnBtn.disabled).toBe(false);
+
+		fireEvent.click(spawnBtn);
+		await flush();
+		expect(bodies[0]).toContain('"empty":true');
+		expect(bodies[0]).toContain('"repo":""');
+		expect(bodies[0]).not.toContain('"branch"');
+	});
+});

web/src/SpawnView.tsx

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import type {
 	GitlabStatus,
+	ModelCatalogEntry,
 	Repo,
 	RepoImage,
 	SpawnJob,
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ import type {
 import { Route } from "./protocol";
 import { errMessage, fetchJson } from "./api";
 import type { SessionsStore } from "./store";
+import { fetchCatalog, groupCatalog } from "./ChatView";
 
 const POLL_MS: number = 1500;
 const POLL_MAX_TICKS: number = 400; // ~10min then give up polling (spawn may still finish)
@@ -39,9 +41,7 @@ function SpawnSteps({ state }: { state: string }): React.ReactNode {
 			{SPAWN_STEPS.map((step, i) => (
 				<span
 					key={step}
-					className={
-						idx > i ? "step done" : idx === i ? "step current" : "step"
-					}
+					className={idx > i ? "step done" : idx === i ? "step current" : "step"}
 					title={step}
 				/>
 			))}
@@ -59,10 +59,23 @@ export default function SpawnView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 	const [query, setQuery] = useState<string>("");
 	const [selected, setSelected] = useState<Repo | null>(null);
 	const [branch, setBranch] = useState<string>("");
+	const [empty, setEmpty] = useState<boolean>(false);
+	const [model, setModel] = useState<string>("");
+	const [catalog, setCatalog] = useState<ModelCatalogEntry[] | null>(null);
 	const [busy, setBusy] = useState<boolean>(false);
 	const [error, setError] = useState<string>("");
 	const [spawning, setSpawning] = useState<SpawnResponse | null>(null);
 
+	useEffect(() => {
+		let alive = true;
+		void fetchCatalog().then((c) => {
+			if (alive) setCatalog(c);
+		});
+		return () => {
+			alive = false;
+		};
+	}, []);
+
 	const timerRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
 	const tickRef = useRef<number>(0);
 
@@ -152,15 +165,19 @@ export default function SpawnView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 		r.path.toLowerCase().includes(query.toLowerCase()),
 	);
 
-	// spawn is only reachable from the Spawn button, which is disabled until a
-	// repo is selected.
+	// spawn is reachable with a repo selected, or with the blank-container
+	// checkbox and no repo (empty workspace).
 	const spawn = async (): Promise<void> => {
 		setBusy(true);
 		setError("");
 		try {
 			const body = {
-				repo: selected!.path,
-				...(branch.trim().length > 0 ? { branch: branch.trim() } : {}),
+				repo: selected?.path ?? "",
+				...(selected !== null && branch.trim().length > 0
+					? { branch: branch.trim() }
+					: {}),
+				...(model.length > 0 ? { model } : {}),
+				...(empty ? { empty: true } : {}),
 			};
 			const res = await fetchJson<SpawnResponse>(Route.Spawn, {
 				method: "POST",
@@ -190,8 +207,7 @@ export default function SpawnView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 					const list = await store.refresh();
 					const s = list.find((x) => x.id === sessionId);
 					if (s !== undefined && s.online) {
-						if (timerRef.current !== null)
-							window.clearInterval(timerRef.current);
+						if (timerRef.current !== null) window.clearInterval(timerRef.current);
 						timerRef.current = null;
 						navigate(`/s/${sessionId}`);
 					}
@@ -219,7 +235,8 @@ export default function SpawnView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 				job.message !== undefined && job.message.length > 0
 					? ` (${job.message})`
 					: "";
-			return `${job.repo}: ${job.state}${detail}`;
+			const label = job.repo.length > 0 ? job.repo : "blank container";
+			return `${label}: ${job.state}${detail}`;
 		}
 		return "waiting for session to come online…";
 	};
@@ -229,9 +246,7 @@ export default function SpawnView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 			<div className="page">
 				<h1>Spawn</h1>
 				<p className="empty">
-					{error.length > 0
-						? `gitlab status failed: ${error}`
-						: "checking gitlab…"}
+					{error.length > 0 ? `gitlab status failed: ${error}` : "checking gitlab…"}
 				</p>
 			</div>
 		);
@@ -321,8 +336,7 @@ export default function SpawnView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 										<div style={{ minWidth: 0, flex: 1 }}>
 											<div className="repo-path">{r.path}</div>
 											<div className="repo-meta">
-												default {r.defaultBranch} ·{" "}
-												{r.lastActivityAt.slice(0, 10)}
+												default {r.defaultBranch} · {r.lastActivityAt.slice(0, 10)}
 											</div>
 										</div>
 										{reg !== undefined && (
@@ -347,8 +361,7 @@ export default function SpawnView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 											}}
 											onKeyDown={(e) => {
 												// let the native button handle Enter/Space
-												if (e.key === "Enter" || e.key === " ")
-													e.stopPropagation();
+												if (e.key === "Enter" || e.key === " ") e.stopPropagation();
 											}}
 										>
 											⚡ Prepare
@@ -373,24 +386,58 @@ export default function SpawnView({ store, pushToast }: Props) {
 							<button
 								type="button"
 								className="btn-primary"
-								disabled={selected === null || busy}
+								disabled={(selected === null && !empty) || busy}
 								aria-label="Spawn container"
 								onClick={() => void spawn()}
 							>
 								{busy ? "Spawning…" : "Spawn"}
 							</button>
 						</div>
-						{selected === null && (
+						{selected === null && !empty && (
 							<p className="repo-meta" style={{ marginTop: 8 }}>
-								select a repo above
+								select a repo above — or tick “Empty container” for a blank workspace
 							</p>
 						)}
 						{selected !== null && (
 							<p className="repo-meta" style={{ marginTop: 8 }}>
-								Will use:{" "}
-								{registration(selected.path)?.image ?? "base worker image"}
+								Will use: {registration(selected.path)?.image ?? "base worker image"}
 							</p>
 						)}
+						<div className="row" style={{ marginTop: 8 }}>
+							<select
+								aria-label="Initial model"
+								value={model}
+								disabled={selected === null && !empty}
+								onChange={(e) => setModel(e.target.value)}
+							>
+								<option value="">Default model (settings)</option>
+								{catalog !== null &&
+									groupCatalog(catalog).map((g) => (
+										<optgroup key={g.provider} label={g.provider}>
+											{g.models.map((m) => (
+												<option
+													key={`${m.provider}/${m.id}`}
+													value={`${m.provider}/${m.id}`}
+												>
+													{m.name}
+												</option>
+											))}
+										</optgroup>
+									))}
+							</select>
+						</div>
+						<label
+							className="repo-meta"
+							style={{ marginTop: 8, display: "flex", gap: 6, alignItems: "center" }}
+						>
+							<input
+								type="checkbox"
+								checked={empty}
+								onChange={(e) => setEmpty(e.target.checked)}
+								disabled={busy}
+							/>
+							Empty container (no repo — blank workspace)
+						</label>
 						{error.length > 0 && <p className="error-text">{error}</p>}
 					</div>
 				</>

web/src/index.css

@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@
 	--shadow-1: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35);
 	--shadow-2: 0 8px 28px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.45);
 	font-family:
-		ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Inter,
-		sans-serif;
+		ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Inter, sans-serif;
 }
 
 * {
@@ -687,6 +686,27 @@ a:hover {
 	font-family: var(--mono);
 	font-size: 12px;
 	color: var(--text);
+	flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+.bubble .tool-card summary .tool-label {
+	flex: 1;
+	min-width: 0;
+	overflow: hidden;
+	text-overflow: ellipsis;
+	font-family: var(--mono);
+	font-size: 12px;
+	color: var(--text);
+}
+.bubble .tool-card summary .tool-summary {
+	flex: 1;
+	min-width: 40px;
+	overflow: hidden;
+	text-overflow: ellipsis;
+	font-family: var(--mono);
+	color: var(--text-dim);
+}
+.bubble .tool-card summary .tool-status {
+	flex-shrink: 0;
 }
 .bubble .tool-card .tool-body {
 	border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
@@ -708,6 +728,9 @@ a:hover {
 	color: var(--danger);
 	font-weight: 600;
 }
+.tool-status-run {
+	color: var(--text-faint);
+}
 
 details.thinking {
 	margin-bottom: 10px;
@@ -754,6 +777,48 @@ details.thinking .thinking-body {
 	overflow-x: auto;
 	color: var(--text-dim);
 }
+.bubble .md-h {
+	margin: 14px 0 6px;
+	line-height: 1.3;
+	color: var(--text);
+}
+.bubble .md-h:first-child {
+	margin-top: 4px;
+}
+.bubble .md-h-1 {
+	font-size: 1.35em;
+}
+.bubble .md-h-2 {
+	font-size: 1.22em;
+}
+.bubble .md-h-3 {
+	font-size: 1.1em;
+}
+.bubble .md-h-4,
+.bubble .md-h-5,
+.bubble .md-h-6 {
+	font-size: 1em;
+}
+.bubble .md-hr {
+	border: 0;
+	border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
+	margin: 12px 0;
+}
+.bubble .md-quote {
+	margin: 8px 0;
+	padding: 2px 0 2px 12px;
+	border-left: 3px solid var(--border-strong);
+	color: var(--text-dim);
+	white-space: pre-wrap;
+}
+.bubble .md-list {
+	margin: 8px 0;
+	padding-left: 22px;
+	white-space: pre-wrap;
+}
+.bubble .md-list li {
+	margin: 3px 0;
+}
 .bubble code {
 	font-family: var(--mono);
 	font-size: 0.92em;
@@ -1367,6 +1432,26 @@ mark.hit {
 }
 
 @media (max-width: 700px) {
+	.chat-header {
+		flex-wrap: wrap;
+		gap: 6px 8px;
+		padding: 8px 12px;
+		min-height: 0;
+	}
+	.chat-header .title {
+		flex: 1 1 100%;
+		min-width: 0;
+	}
+	.chat-header .model-chip span:first-child {
+		display: inline-block;
+		max-width: 110px;
+		overflow: hidden;
+		text-overflow: ellipsis;
+		vertical-align: bottom;
+	}
+	.chat-header .usage-chip {
+		display: none;
+	}
 	.sidebar {
 		position: fixed;
 		inset: 0 auto 0 0;
@@ -1433,16 +1518,104 @@ mark.hit {
 /* ---------- busy activity pip ---------- */
 
 .busy-pip {
-  display: inline-block;
-  width: 8px;
-  height: 8px;
-  margin-left: 7px;
-  border-radius: 50%;
-  background: var(--accent);
-  animation: busy-pulse 1.1s ease-in-out infinite;
-  vertical-align: middle;
+	display: inline-block;
+	width: 8px;
+	height: 8px;
+	margin-left: 7px;
+	border-radius: 50%;
+	background: var(--accent);
+	animation: busy-pulse 1.1s ease-in-out infinite;
+	vertical-align: middle;
 }
 @keyframes busy-pulse {
-  0%, 100% { transform: scale(0.55); opacity: 0.45; box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(108, 140, 255, 0.5); }
-  50% { transform: scale(1); opacity: 1; box-shadow: 0 0 0 5px rgba(108, 140, 255, 0); }
+	0%,
+	100% {
+		transform: scale(0.55);
+		opacity: 0.45;
+		box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(108, 140, 255, 0.5);
+	}
+	50% {
+		transform: scale(1);
+		opacity: 1;
+		box-shadow: 0 0 0 5px rgba(108, 140, 255, 0);
+	}
+}
+
+/* ---------- pretty tool args ---------- */
+
+.tool-args {
+	margin-bottom: 10px;
+}
+.tool-arg {
+	margin-bottom: 6px;
+}
+.arg-k {
+	display: block;
+	font-size: 10.5px;
+	font-weight: 600;
+	letter-spacing: 0.06em;
+	text-transform: uppercase;
+	color: var(--text-faint);
+	margin-bottom: 2px;
+}
+.arg-v {
+	margin: 0;
+	white-space: pre-wrap;
+	word-break: break-word;
+	font-family: var(--mono);
+	font-size: 12.5px;
+	color: var(--text);
+}
+
+/* ---------- edit/write diff ---------- */
+
+.tool-diffs {
+	margin-bottom: 10px;
+}
+.diff {
+	margin: 0 0 6px;
+	font-family: var(--mono);
+	font-size: 12px;
+	line-height: 1.5;
+	background: var(--bg-veil);
+	border: 1px solid var(--border);
+	border-radius: 6px;
+	padding: 6px 0;
+	overflow-x: auto;
+	white-space: pre;
+}
+.diff-line {
+	display: block;
+	padding: 0 10px;
+}
+.diff-del {
+	color: var(--danger);
+	background: var(--danger-soft);
+}
+.diff-add {
+	color: var(--ok);
+	background: rgba(52, 211, 153, 0.08);
+}
+.diff-ctx {
+	color: var(--text-faint);
+}
+
+/* ---------- queued (pending) messages ---------- */
+
+.queued-bubble {
+	display: flex;
+	align-items: flex-start;
+	gap: 8px;
+	opacity: 0.7;
+	border-style: dashed;
+}
+.queued-line {
+	flex: 1;
+	min-width: 0;
+	white-space: pre-wrap;
+	word-break: break-word;
+}
+.queued-remove {
+	flex-shrink: 0;
+	padding: 2px 6px;
 }

web/src/title.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { useEffect } from "react";
+
+// Live document-title state: the deepest mounted view pushes its strip;
+// when it unmounts the title falls back to the previous claimant.
+let base = "lvmh";
+let current: string | null = null;
+const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
+
+function emit(): void {
+	document.title = current === null ? base : `${current} — ${base}`;
+	for (const l of listeners) l();
+}
+
+/** Set the app-wide base name (kept when no view claims a title). */
+export function setBaseTitle(name: string): void {
+	base = name;
+	emit();
+}
+
+/** Claim the document title while the calling view is mounted. */
+export function useTitle(claim: string | null): void {
+	useEffect(() => {
+		current = claim;
+		emit();
+		return () => {
+			if (current === claim) {
+				current = null;
+				emit();
+			}
+		};
+	}, [claim]);
+}
+
+/** Force-refresh consumers (used after setBaseTitle). */
+export function subscribeTitle(fn: () => void): () => void {
+	listeners.add(fn);
+	return () => listeners.delete(fn);
+}