# ConPTY Interactive Sessions — Design

Date: 2026-07-23
Status: Approved (design), implementation not started

## Problem

The current in-app interactive session path streams `stream-json` from a
`claude` process spawned **in the Worker** and renders it as a chat log with a
composer. It does not surface permission requests, AskUser questions, and other
TUI-native interactions well — the rendering is a partial reimplementation of
what the real Claude Code TUI already does. We want full fidelity for
interactive work without rebuilding the TUI.

## Decision

**Hybrid execution model:**

- **Autonomous queue tasks** (`Status=Queued`, picked by the queue): unchanged.
  Headless `stream-json`, full orchestration (status flow, diff, review, merge).
- **Interactive sessions**: an **embedded ConPTY terminal** running the real
  `claude` CLI, rendered in the **UI process**. Full TUI fidelity (permission
  prompts, questions, colors, everything the standalone CLI does). Detached from
  the review/merge/status machinery — these are a manual cockpit.

This is the third direction for interactive (external `wt` terminal → streaming
chat → embedded ConPTY). The streaming interactive stack is **removed**, not run
in parallel — accepted as discarded work in exchange for one interactive path
and full fidelity.

## Architecture

### Process location

ConPTY terminal controls render in-process and spawn their child (`claude`) as a
child of the host process. Therefore interactive sessions move **out of the
Worker and into the UI process**. They no longer flow over SignalR. This mirrors
the existing `ResumeTaskInTerminal` behavior (launch real `claude`), but embedded
instead of via external `wt.exe`.

### Worktree preparation (task-based sessions)

Interactive task sessions get the **same worktree preparation as autonomous
runs**: session-skills seeding, agent files, MCP config, environment. The Worker
performs the prep and returns a launch spec to the UI:

```
LaunchSpec {
  cwd:  string   // worktree path
  exe:  string   // resolved claude executable / shell
  args: string[] // e.g. --resume <sessionId>
  env:  Dictionary<string,string>
}
```

The command construction reuses the existing logic in
`WindowsTerminalLauncher.BuildResumeCommand`. Guards mirror
`ResumeTaskInTerminal`: task not Running/Queued, a persisted SessionId exists,
worktree exists and is Active/Kept.

### Free / ad-hoc sessions

In addition to task-based sessions, the user can open an ad-hoc terminal in a
chosen directory (no task). These also get MCP config + env set up so the
`claudedo` tools are available, but no per-level session-skills seeding tied to a
task.

### Terminal host control

Embed a ConPTY-capable Avalonia terminal control in the UI. Candidates:

- **SvcSystems.UI.Terminal** (IvanJosipovic) — explicit ConPTY, full-screen TUI
  render + resize reflow, selection/mouse reporting.
- **Iciclecreek.Avalonia.Terminal** — XTerm.NET + Porta.Pty, clean
  `TerminalControl` embed API.

Selection is resolved by a **spike** (first plan step): the acceptance criterion
is that the real `claude` TUI renders correctly inside the control — colors,
resize/reflow, and a live permission prompt are usable.

### Command Center layout

- `MonitorPaneView` keeps the streamed log for autonomous tasks.
- Interactive panes host the terminal control instead of the log+composer.
- Layout is **toggleable**: focus mode (tabs, one session large) ↔ overview mode
  (grid, several sessions at once).

## Removals

Worker:
- `StreamingClaudeSession`, `InteractiveSessionService`
- `WorkerHub` interactive methods: `OpenInteractiveTerminal`,
  `SendInteractiveMessage`, `RemoveQueuedInteractiveMessage`,
  `StopInteractiveSession`, `InterruptInteractiveSession`
- Broadcast events: `InteractiveSessionStarted/Ended`, `InteractiveQueueChanged`,
  `InteractiveMessageSent`
- `IdleSessionReaper` and `LiveSessionRegistry` **iff** unused elsewhere
  (verify during implementation — do not delete blindly).

UI:
- Composer on `TaskMonitorViewModel`: `ComposerDraft`, `SubmitComposerCommand`,
  `InterruptInteractiveCommand`, `StopInteractiveCommand`, `QueuedMessages`,
  `IsInteractiveLive`.
- The composer + queued-messages portion of `SessionTerminalView` (the log
  portion stays for autonomous panes).
- `IWorkerClient` interactive methods.

## Open items (implementation time)

- Whether `LiveSessionRegistry` is referenced outside the interactive path.
- Exact env dictionary handed to the ConPTY control (parity with the autonomous
  run environment).
- Session-id availability for a never-run task (no `--resume` → start fresh).

## Non-goals

- No screen-scraping of terminal output back into task status/diff/review.
- No change to the autonomous queue execution path.