TUI composer: native Vim modal keymap (opt-in, composer-only)

Resolved 💬 1 comment Opened Feb 22, 2026 by gh-xj Closed Feb 22, 2026

Summary

Add an opt-in native Vim modal keymap for the TUI composer input box.

Context

Issue #2387 was resolved by external-editor workflow (Ctrl+G), which is useful, but this request is different: native in-composer modal editing for short iterative turns without leaving the input box.

Problem

For terminal-first Vim users, switching to an external editor for many short edits introduces context switches and slows prompt iteration.

Proposal (narrow scope)

  • Composer input only (no global/full-app Vim behavior).
  • Keep default behavior unchanged (standard).
  • Add opt-in vim mode via config and runtime command.
  • Show minimal mode indicator in composer UI.
  • Non-goal: full Vim parity.

UX / Config

  • Config: [tui] keymap = "standard" | "vim" (default standard)
  • Runtime: /keymap standard and /keymap vim
  • UI: mode indication in composer (and clear normal-mode affordance)

Why this is low risk

  • Backward compatible default.
  • Explicit opt-in.
  • Isolated to composer input behavior.

Prior Art

Human + AI calibration notes (for reviewer context)

  • Scope was intentionally constrained before coding (composer-only, opt-in).
  • Iteration focused on compatibility and testability (default unchanged, explicit command surface, bounded semantics).
  • Proposal is ready to be adopted incrementally if maintainers choose to implement internally.

View original on GitHub ↗

This issue has 1 comment on GitHub. Read the full discussion on GitHub ↗