feat(tui): brand the startup transcript with a quiet session header

docs/TUI.md

@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ full output, hiding the preview; the idiom and the arrow are unchanged.
 
 The prompt box's border carries the metadata that would otherwise cost a
 titlebar row: the model label sits right-aligned in the top rule as
-`profile · model · effort` (empty segments omitted), and a
+`profile · model · effort · mode` (empty segments omitted), and a
 compact `mcp !` sits immediately left of it when any MCP server still needs
 authorization (`/mcp` is the surface that names them), painted in
 `UI.warning` (sand, `#d1ad7d`) — the same role `plugin !` uses. Orange is

src/tui/components/prompt-action-bar-label.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
-import { composePromptActionBarModelLabel } from "./prompt-action-bar-label.js";
+import {
+  composePromptActionBarModelLabel,
+  yoloModeLabel,
+} from "./prompt-action-bar-label.js";
 
 describe("composePromptActionBarModelLabel", () => {
   test("omits profile when unset", () => {
@@ -44,4 +47,67 @@ describe("composePromptActionBarModelLabel", () => {
     expect(composePromptActionBarModelLabel({ profile: "" })).toBeUndefined();
     expect(composePromptActionBarModelLabel({ model: "" })).toBeUndefined();
   });
+
+  test("appends a permission mode segment when set", () => {
+    expect(
+      composePromptActionBarModelLabel({ model: "gpt-5", mode: "yolo" }),
+    ).toBe("gpt-5 · yolo");
+    expect(
+      composePromptActionBarModelLabel({
+        profile: "work",
+        model: "gpt-5",
+        effort: "high",
+        mode: "yolo",
+      }),
+    ).toBe("work · gpt-5 · high · yolo");
+  });
+
+  test("omits an empty permission mode segment", () => {
+    expect(composePromptActionBarModelLabel({ model: "gpt-5", mode: "" })).toBe(
+      "gpt-5",
+    );
+    expect(composePromptActionBarModelLabel({ mode: "yolo" })).toBe("yolo");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("yoloModeLabel", () => {
+  test("returns the yolo segment while permission prompts are skipped", () => {
+    expect(yoloModeLabel(true)).toBe("yolo");
+  });
+
+  test("returns undefined otherwise so the segment omits", () => {
+    expect(yoloModeLabel(false)).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("toggle label preservation", () => {
+  test("an effort update keeps the yolo mode segment", () => {
+    expect(
+      composePromptActionBarModelLabel({
+        profile: "work",
+        model: "gpt-5",
+        effort: "high",
+        mode: yoloModeLabel(true),
+      }),
+    ).toBe("work · gpt-5 · high · yolo");
+  });
+
+  test("a yolo toggle keeps the effort segment", () => {
+    expect(
+      composePromptActionBarModelLabel({
+        profile: "work",
+        model: "gpt-5",
+        effort: "high",
+        mode: yoloModeLabel(true),
+      }),
+    ).toBe("work · gpt-5 · high · yolo");
+    expect(
+      composePromptActionBarModelLabel({
+        profile: "work",
+        model: "gpt-5",
+        effort: "high",
+        mode: yoloModeLabel(false),
+      }),
+    ).toBe("work · gpt-5 · high");
+  });
 });

src/tui/components/prompt-action-bar-label.ts

@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
+export const ESSENTIALS_SEPARATOR = " · ";
+
 export interface PromptActionBarModelLabelInput {
   profile?: string;
   model?: string;
   effort?: string;
+  mode?: string | undefined;
 }
 
-/** Right-aligned muted label above the prompt: `profile · model · effort` with omitted empty segments. */
+/** Right-aligned muted label above the prompt: `profile · model · effort · mode` with omitted empty segments. */
 export function composePromptActionBarModelLabel(
   input: PromptActionBarModelLabelInput,
 ): string | undefined {
@@ -18,5 +21,16 @@ export function composePromptActionBarModelLabel(
   if (input.effort !== undefined && input.effort.length > 0) {
     segments.push(input.effort);
   }
-  return segments.length > 0 ? segments.join(" · ") : undefined;
+  if (input.mode !== undefined && input.mode.length > 0) {
+    segments.push(input.mode);
+  }
+  return segments.length > 0 ? segments.join(ESSENTIALS_SEPARATOR) : undefined;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Trailing label segment while permission prompts are skipped. Undefined
+ * otherwise, so the segment simply omits.
+ */
+export function yoloModeLabel(skipsPermissions: boolean): "yolo" | undefined {
+  return skipsPermissions ? "yolo" : undefined;
 }

src/tui/components/session-header.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { LOCKUP_WORDMARK } from "../lockup.js";
+import { ESSENTIALS_SEPARATOR } from "./prompt-action-bar-label.js";
+import { composeSessionHeader } from "./session-header.js";
+
+describe("composeSessionHeader", () => {
+  test("wordmark alone when no essentials apply", () => {
+    expect(composeSessionHeader()).toBe(LOCKUP_WORDMARK);
+    expect(composeSessionHeader({})).toBe(LOCKUP_WORDMARK);
+    expect(composeSessionHeader({ essentials: "" })).toBe(LOCKUP_WORDMARK);
+  });
+
+  test("wordmark leads the quiet essentials line", () => {
+    expect(composeSessionHeader({ essentials: "profile · model" })).toBe(
+      `${LOCKUP_WORDMARK}${ESSENTIALS_SEPARATOR}profile · model`,
+    );
+    expect(composeSessionHeader({ essentials: "profile · model · yolo" })).toBe(
+      `${LOCKUP_WORDMARK}${ESSENTIALS_SEPARATOR}profile · model · yolo`,
+    );
+  });
+});

src/tui/components/session-header.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { LOCKUP_WORDMARK } from "../lockup.js";
+import { ESSENTIALS_SEPARATOR } from "./prompt-action-bar-label.js";
+
+export interface SessionHeaderInput {
+  /** Quiet session essentials, e.g. `profile · model · effort · mode`. */
+  essentials?: string | undefined;
+}
+
+const WORDMARK = LOCKUP_WORDMARK;
+
+/**
+ * First among the deferred startup rows once the landing clears: the wordmark
+ * leading the quiet essentials line. Wordmark alone when nothing applies. A
+ * re-filed telemetry disclosure still lands ahead of it, and later /yolo or
+ * effort toggles move the prompt border label only — the header is a startup
+ * snapshot.
+ */
+export function composeSessionHeader(input: SessionHeaderInput = {}): string {
+  const essentials = input.essentials;
+  if (essentials === undefined || essentials.length === 0) return WORDMARK;
+  return `${WORDMARK}${ESSENTIALS_SEPARATOR}${essentials}`;
+}

src/tui/runner/commands.ts

@@ -37,7 +37,14 @@ import { contextTokensFromUsage } from "../../provider/context-window.js";
 import { fleetDigest } from "../../subagent/index.js";
 import { renameSession } from "../../session/index.js";
 import { truncateSessionLabel } from "../../session/session-label.js";
-import { surfaceSystemNotice, attachClipboardImage } from "../shell/prompt.js";
+import {
+  surfaceSystemNotice,
+  attachClipboardImage,
+  setPromptModelLabel,
+} from "../shell/prompt.js";
+import { yoloModeLabel } from "../components/prompt-action-bar-label.js";
+import { isCodexProviderName } from "../../config/codex-providers.js";
+import { resolveSessionEffort } from "../../provider/reasoning-effort.js";
 import type { InferenceErrorLike } from "../../inference-gateway-error.js";
 import { terminalProviderFailureMessage } from "../../inference-error-message.js";
 import type { InferenceAttemptIdentity } from "./state.js";
@@ -109,6 +116,17 @@ export function createCommandLayer(
     setSkipPermissions: (value: boolean) => {
       services.permissionGate.setSkipPermissions(value);
       state.config.dangerouslySkipPermissions = value;
+      const effort = resolveSessionEffort(
+        state.config.model,
+        state.config.reasoningEffort,
+        isCodexProviderName(state.config.providerName),
+      );
+      setPromptModelLabel(hostOf(state).shell, {
+        profile: state.config.providerName,
+        model: state.config.model,
+        ...(effort !== undefined ? { effort } : {}),
+        mode: yoloModeLabel(value),
+      });
       void services.globalSettingsWriter.enqueue(async () => {
         try {
           const result = await persistSkipPermissionsDefault(

src/tui/runner/index.ts

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
   providerChoices,
 } from "../provider/choices.js";
 import { listCommands } from "../commands/registry.js";
+import { yoloModeLabel } from "../components/prompt-action-bar-label.js";
 import { mountRunnerHost } from "./host.js";
 import { assembleTUISession } from "./session.js";
 import { createRunLifecycle, finalizeTUIRun } from "./exit.js";
@@ -145,6 +146,7 @@ export async function runTUI(initialConfig: Config): Promise<number> {
           profile: state.config.providerName,
           model: state.config.model,
           ...(effort !== undefined ? { effort } : {}),
+          mode: yoloModeLabel(services.permissionGate.getSkipPermissions()),
         };
       },
       activeModel: () => ({

src/tui/runner/wiring.ts

@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ import {
 import { scheduleUpgradeNotice } from "../../upgrade/index.js";
 import pkg from "../../../package.json" with { type: "json" };
 import { hydrateTasksFromTurns } from "../../agent/director.js";
-import { cycleReasoningEffort } from "../../provider/reasoning-effort.js";
+import {
+  cycleReasoningEffort,
+  resolveSessionEffort,
+} from "../../provider/reasoning-effort.js";
 import { isCodexProviderName } from "../../config/codex-providers.js";
 import { RUNTIME_FLASH_MS } from "../runtime-notices.js";
 import {
@@ -54,6 +57,11 @@ import {
   surfaceSystemNotice,
 } from "../shell/prompt.js";
 import { listPathSuggestions } from "../components/at-mention/list.js";
+import {
+  composePromptActionBarModelLabel,
+  yoloModeLabel,
+} from "../components/prompt-action-bar-label.js";
+import { composeSessionHeader } from "../components/session-header.js";
 import { listCommands } from "../commands/registry.js";
 import type { MCPConnectCallbacks } from "../../agent/tools.js";
 import { createRuntimeShutdown } from "./shutdown.js";
@@ -374,6 +382,7 @@ export function wirePostStartup(
       profile: state.config.providerName,
       model: state.config.model,
       effort: next,
+      mode: yoloModeLabel(state.config.dangerouslySkipPermissions),
     });
     setStatusFlash(hostOf(state).shell, `reasoning effort: ${next}`, {
       ttlMs: RUNTIME_FLASH_MS,
@@ -465,6 +474,30 @@ export function wirePostStartup(
       );
     });
 
+  // The branded session header goes first among the deferred startup rows:
+  // it is the row the deferred queue flushes ahead of every other startup
+  // notice once the landing clears (a re-filed telemetry disclosure still
+  // lands ahead of it). A startup snapshot — later /yolo or effort toggles
+  // move the prompt border label only. While the landing holds, the notice
+  // strip shows the latest deferred wording; the transcript keeps the full
+  // order.
+  const headerEffort = resolveSessionEffort(
+    state.config.model,
+    state.config.reasoningEffort,
+    isCodexProviderName(state.config.providerName),
+  );
+  surfaceSystemNotice(
+    hostOf(state).shell,
+    composeSessionHeader({
+      essentials: composePromptActionBarModelLabel({
+        profile: state.config.providerName,
+        model: state.config.model,
+        ...(headerEffort !== undefined ? { effort: headerEffort } : {}),
+        mode: yoloModeLabel(state.config.dangerouslySkipPermissions),
+      }),
+    }),
+  );
+
   // Surface fire-and-forget startup notices now that there is a shell (queued
   // above, before `host` existed). Plugin load warnings are NOT notices — they
   // drive `plugin !` and `/plugins` instead.

src/tui/shell/chrome.ts

@@ -71,7 +71,12 @@ import {
   steerCount,
   type RunState,
 } from "../session-queue.js";
-import { agentVoicesIn, isCollapsibleRow, type StreamRow } from "../stream.js";
+import {
+  agentVoicesIn,
+  isCollapsibleRow,
+  MAIN_AGENT,
+  type StreamRow,
+} from "../stream.js";
 import { UI } from "../theme.js";
 import {
   isDecisionOverlay,
@@ -1039,6 +1044,8 @@ export function appendTranscript(
   opts?: { readonly fg?: string },
 ): void {
   clearLandingMark(shell);
+  // A raw paint like any other: it breaks a run of identical system echoes.
+  paintSequence.set(shell, (paintSequence.get(shell) ?? 0) + 1);
   shell.lineCount += 1;
   shell.transcript.add(
     new TextRenderable(shell.renderer as CliRenderer, {
@@ -1081,6 +1088,36 @@ export function appendObserveStreamRow(
   return true;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Startup echoes (model-picker choice, permission notices) can arrive once per
+ * account or session and read as stutter when they paint back to back. A
+ * system row identical to the one already on top of the transcript adds
+ * nothing, so it collapses — but only when nothing painted since that top row
+ * landed. Observe child rows paint through this same path without touching the
+ * parent log, so log adjacency alone would swallow repeat farewell rows like
+ * "left observe" across enter/leave cycles; the sequence check restores them.
+ */
+const paintSequence = new WeakMap<AppShell, number>();
+const systemPushSequence = new WeakMap<AppShell, number>();
+
+function isDuplicateSystemEcho(shell: AppShell, row: StreamRow): boolean {
+  if (row.role !== "system") return false;
+  const top = shell.streamLog[shell.streamLog.length - 1];
+  if (
+    top === undefined ||
+    top.role !== "system" ||
+    top.text !== row.text ||
+    (top.agent ?? MAIN_AGENT) !== (row.agent ?? MAIN_AGENT) ||
+    top.meta !== row.meta
+  ) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  // The in-flight call already advanced the sequence, so the top row is
+  // back-to-back only when it was pushed by the immediately previous paint.
+  const seq = paintSequence.get(shell) ?? 0;
+  return systemPushSequence.get(shell) === seq - 1;
+}
+
 /**
  * Paint + push onto the visible streamLog (child while observing, parent
  * otherwise). The paint tree stays 1:1 with the (retention-capped) log —
@@ -1092,8 +1129,15 @@ export function appendObserveStreamRow(
  */
 function paintAppendStreamRow(shell: AppShell, row: StreamRow): void {
   clearLandingMark(shell);
+  const seq = (paintSequence.get(shell) ?? 0) + 1;
+  paintSequence.set(shell, seq);
+  if (isDuplicateSystemEcho(shell, row)) {
+    systemPushSequence.set(shell, seq);
+    return;
+  }
   const gainedVoice = noteAgentVoice(shell, row);
   shell.streamLog.push(row);
+  if (row.role === "system") systemPushSequence.set(shell, seq);
   const baseBefore = shell.streamLogBase;
   shell.streamLogBase = trimRetainedLog(shell.streamLog, shell.streamLogBase);
   shell.lineCount = shell.streamLog.length;